#this turned out a lot longer than anticipated

[primussavethesemechs]

So for all you bringing up a tmnt 2012 and rise! Crossover, first of all- YES yes yes yes

First things first

//ROTTMNT MOVIE SPOILERS//

Ok so- I’ve seen people bring up potential angst at 2012 seeing rise! Splinter since they lost theirs, and separately from the crossover I’ve seen plenty of Leo dying in the prison dimension, and plenty of ideas on how that could’ve happened, but I haven’t seen anyone connect the two yet

Here me out

2012 turtles get shuttled into the Rise!Universe through whatever means, and Donnie is the first to land. He gets separated from the others and is found by the rise!Turtles while trying to find his way back to them. Since the 2012 bros have been through this kinda thing before he’s not too shocked (although the Rise gang obviously is). He mentions that his brothers should be back there where he first dropped in and that they should go find them before they start figuring out a way home. He’s definitely weirded out by Raph being in charge but he knows shit gets weird in diff universes and since he hasn’t seen their Leo yet he figures this Raph might just be in defacto leader mode while their Leo is out on solo patrol.

This all obviously goes to shit almost immediately when the groups meet, as the 2012 bros already figured out what’s going on but are still shocked to see a huge Raph escorted by their Donnie. It gets much worse when Raph notices there’s a fourth turtle with a blue bandanna. He looks nothing like his own Leo, and doesn’t seem anything like him either from his calmer disposition, but he’s still a Leo and hearing that name is enough.

Cue a clueless Leo being swarmed by a crying Mikey for hugs, Raph having dropped to his knees, still processing the thought that there’s a version of Leo that Lived, how happy it makes him that one survived, how angry he is that theirs didn’t, and how much it might’ve been his fault. Rise!Donnie is more standoffish than ever, backing away in horror? Fear? A swirl of emotions that he couldn’t identify, staring at this twisted funhouse mirror version of his lost twin, a distorted ghost of what used to be.

None of the 2012 brothers know what to do or even really whats happening, but after processing Mikey’s sobs about how he missed him, raph finally taking his turn to shed some tears but willing himself not to yank this unfamiliar version of his brother into a stranglehold of a hug, and the distinct lack of a another Leo, they slowly dawned on the horrifying realization that this version of their family seemed to be missing a brother.

———

I’ve been writing a longer version of this, something more like a ficlet, but I thought I’d put the concept out there first and see if people like it!

[itsalwaysforyou]

the black sky and all those lights

a silly little something i wrote for jalentines!!

When Mal opens the dormitory door, Jay is standing in the hallway in his workout gear, hair tied up in a bun. He’s already grinning in that way he does when he wins a fight. Mal rolls her eyes at him. Grabbing her bag, she says bye to Evie, and joins Jay in the corridor. 

She scowls as they walk, her workout clothes tight on her skin. Jay had insisted they’d do things properly, and not in their usual leather. 

The hallways are decorated for Valentine’s Day, making Auradon Prep even more gaudy and colourful as usual. Pink and red hearts plastered across the walls, boasting the abundance of love here in Auradon. Jay’s had a thousand notes in his locker. Mal’s had none. Every morning, she watches Jay approach his locker like he would a target on the Isle. Weight forward, shoulders squared; ready to fight if needs be. And the paper falls to the floor like blood, only sickly pastel. Scrawled glittery gel pen. Words confessing passionate love, or asking him on dates, or doodles of hearts. Jay smiles the whole time. Greets and winks at girls. Scrunches those notes up in a fist. 

“Everywhere looks disgusting,” Mal says as they approach the sports hall. Heart-shaped bunting crests the doors.

Jay holds the door open for her. “It’s fun.”

“You would think that.”

The sports hall is mercifully free of décor. They drop their bags in the corner and begin to warm up, another stupid practice Jay insists on. His top rides up as he side-stretches. Isle rule: never show skin, especially to the enemy. Except, Jay loved to parade around in those stupid sleeveless vests. She’s yelled at him plenty of times about it—Are you insane? You’re a walking target. He would just grin and say, they’ll have to catch me first.

Jay laughs as he grabs the practice swords from their stands. “Here.” 

He throws it, and Mal catches. The weight in her hand is familiar. Already, her pulse is thrumming faster, and maybe if she closes her eyes she’ll be back on the docks, with the wind ripping at her hair, and the salt stinging her nose, and half a dozen of Uma’s crew jeering over the clanging of swords. 

Jay chucks her a mask too, before attaching one to his own face. The mesh turns her vision slightly hazy.

“Ready?” Jay asks.

Mal’s watched fencing practise a few times, mostly as an excuse not to do homework and instead watch her boys wipe the floor with all those prissy Auradon princes. Coach Jenkins appointed Jay captain of the team a few months ago, a role he takes more seriously than she’s ever seen him take anything. 

“Rassembler! Salute! Lower the point. Masks down. En guarde!”

Mal lunges first, which Jay clearly anticipates, parrying her blow. He circles. Strikes. Mal blocks it. He’s quick. Reflexes honed to a sword’s point; learned by practise and theory. Mal lashes out again, just catching his free arm before he jerks away. She grins underneath her mask. Her breath comes quicker. Jay’s blade arcs down, hitting her chest. Mal swats his blade away. She hears him laugh. She growls. Strike. Parry. Strike. Block. Strike. Jay lands another hit. Their shoes squeak against the linoleum floor. 

“Come on, Mal,” Jay teases. 

Mal lunges like a cat on its prey. Jay’s blade grates against hers like steel against flint. Jay may be quick but Mal’s smaller, and she weaves her way through Jay’s blade until they both have the sword’s point angled at each other’s chests. 

They’re both panting. Jay lowers his sword first. Takes off his mask. 

“You came in clutch at the end,” he says. 

Mal huffs, wiggling the mask off her face and wiping her forehead with a sleeve. “You actually get training.”

“And now I’m training you!” 

His hair has loosened during the sparring, spilling out at the seams. He unties the bun; flips his hair down and shakes it out. In this late-afternoon light, his hair could be made of gold. Hair longer than Mal’s ever had. 

He pulls his hair back into its bun, deft fingers making quick work. When he straightens back up again, his face is slightly flushed from the match. 

And Mal looks at this boy she’s known most of her life; this face and these hands; a boy that has held her at the end of the world and the start of a new one. And she snatches back down her mask. 

“Again,” she says, lifting up her sword. 

She’s swinging before Jay’s even had the chance to pull his own mask back down. Her blade slices against his chest, and she hears the breath escape from his lungs. 

“Fuck!’

Jay’s blocking her hits in no time. Mal grits her teeth. A boy who’s inhabited every place she’s ever been. The shadow along the street; a fixed point on the rooftops. Those long, quick fingers that know their way around bandage; around open flesh; around her own hands. Like a comet to Earth. Like an eclipse. Totally consuming. 

And here, where the sun shines brighter than they could have ever dreamed, she is left blistering. Those girls that fawn over Jay, professing their love with the same ease that Mal can hold a dagger to a throat. Jay’s clicking tongue, and that low fry to his voice when he’s chatting someone up. Everything is always so easy to him. He can wrap anyone around his finger with a wink. 

His blade slams into her stomach. Mal pants, the budding pain in her side clearing her head. Jay’s standing above her like some heavenly deity. 

“Best of four?” he offers.

“Yeah, whatever.”

“C’mon. Let’s take a break.”

Jay drops his sword and grabs his water bottle from his bag. Mal joins him, still gripping her sword, gulping down her water like a man in a desert. 

“We should do this again soon,” Jay says. 

“Tomorrow?”

“It’s the Valentine’s Ball tomorrow.”

Mal snorts. “Yeah, and?”

“I was gonna go.”

His words are coming too slow; too considered. Like when he used to talk about his dad, or a particularly bad Barge Day. Rehearsed. A guard dog who’s smelled danger, prowling at the sidelines. 

Mal presents her blade. “En guarde!” she shouts, and Jay ducks her swing before scrambling over to his own sword. 

“Really, Mal? Another sneak attack?”

“I’m keeping you on your toes.”

They waltz around the sports hall, the blades clashing and slicing and singing.

“We all agreed we weren’t going to go to the Ball,” Mal says, jabbing at Jay.

“We never agreed anything.”

Jay lands a blow. They are at the dockyard, with its rotting wooden pier and dead fish stench. The screeching of metal; the shouting; Mal’s heart hammering like the tide. Blood, and life. The roar in her ears. A dragon’s call. Body moving without a thought, as quick as a lightning strike. Not having to look behind her because she knows Jay is there.

“Exactly!” she says. “Why would we want to go to some stuffy Auradon ball?” Jay tries to say something but she ignores him. “Why would we care about Valentine’s Day? It’s corny, and over-commercialised, and a stupid excuse to make everything about love.”

Jay has her backed up against a wall. With no time to mount his mask, his lips are slightly parted, and his hair is escaping from his bun again. He looks just like he did on the Isle; none of his perfect prince act that fools Auradon. His sword hovers above her throat. 

“Do you yield?” His voice is low.

Mal stares at him. Those eyes that have seen every part of her. All the blood; every smile; her pale skin in the dark Isle nights. The boy that has beheld her every action; weighed it all against his own understanding of the world, and decided that they slot together as easily as a bullet in a pistol.

“Who are you going with to the Ball?” Mal asks. She’s still clutching her sword. She could claim the upper hand, if she really wanted.

A grin creeps across Jay’s face. All those notes and heart-shaped lollipops. The giggling girls at his locker. He could pick any one of them. All of them so beautiful, in their sunset-coloured dresses. He could have anything he wanted.

“Well,” Jay says. “I was going to ask you.”

The sword’s point makes sure they keep their distance. Never too close. All touches so light; so fleeting, as if you could’ve mistaken them for a dream. As if you could’ve imagined the whole thing. All those nights in the hideout where the barrier of the body seemed thin, and the world became so small: just two kids who wouldn’t even dare knock knees. 

So Mal shakes it all away with a laugh. “I’m not going to the Valentine’s Ball.”

Jay lowers his blade. Neither of them move. “Not even with me?” 

“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of other girls who actually want to go with you.”

“I want to go with you.”

His words echo through the empty hall. His word is as steadfast as ever, the only opinion Mal will ever trust. Compass, anchor: Jay does it all. 

Heralded here, Mal as real as the vast sky outside. Here, in his gaze, held aloft by trust where there shouldn’t be and compassion where there shouldn’t be and understanding where there shouldn’t be. A home for all her broken bones. 

Mal’s lips unfurl into a smile. This ache in her chest. In her throat. Jay always being able to disarm her. Jay in every place she’s ever been. Jay as her shadow; her skin; her second self. A reflection in the mirror. The line of separation is nonexistent. Like the sun, like the moon: one cannot exist without the other.

[ethereal-engene]

day four: your fav go:se episode

[owl-with-a-pen]

Hey! I don't know if you're still writing Briania fics or accepting prompts for them, but if by chance you are, I've been thinking about the Naltorian mannerisms I've sent in before, specifically The Stare, and thought it would be really interesting to read about The Stare in action and Nia possibly unintentionally saving Brainy's or their friends' lives through her staring alerting them to danger before anyone has consciously noticed it.

I'd be really interested to see where you take this concept if you decide to pick it up! Your Brainia fics have always been my favorite and discussing the mannerism headcanons with you is always a delight.

Thank you so much! And also, thank you for always fuelling me with so many amazing headcanons for Naltorian mannerisms, they're all absolutely golden! I cooked up something special just for you for The Stare, a little fic about the first time Nia ever uses it. I hope you enjoy and thank you once again, it's always a joy to see your asks in my inbox! 😊

There were many trivial matters that often delayed a mission. Brainy was no stranger to this – indeed, it was an expected part of the job to gather as much data as possible before going into the field, to map out reconnaissance locations, locate blueprints of buildings that may necessitate the element of surprise.

Early into his career at the DEO, he had often forgone Alex’s judgement on mission briefings, preferring instead to jump right into the fray with a plan he had simulated long before anyone had given him an instruction to do so. It hadn’t been a concern of his to follow correct procedure at the time – obviously his own intellect had reigned superior over any official orders he had been expected to follow by far primitive minds.

He knew better now, of course. Even if sometimes that urge was still present, he had learned to quell it, to listen to his orders however unreasonable they may have seemed at first. Because, while not always the plan he had in mind, he could not deny that he worked with some incredibly efficient strategists.

While not quite an official DEO mission, it was still being presided over by Alex, and her instructions had been clear. At the moment, they were dealing with an incredibly delicate hostage situation. Little was known about the hostages in question, only that they were alien and being targeted by what Alex believed to be a separate faction of the same species. Regrettably, Brainy had no knowledge he could provide on the subject. This species was not known to him nor the Legion archive, though they appeared to be technologically advanced compared to Earth-standard equipment by some centuries, proving this for the most part by the proficiency of their weaponry.

It was these high-grade firearms in particular that gave the species such a unique energy signature to look out for. Without it, Brainy wasn’t sure they would have ever been able to locate the site where the kidnapped aliens were being held.

He and Nia had been sent ahead to the scene – a derelict warehouse at the edge of the city – to keep watch from ground level while Alex and J’onn worked on mapping the building using their own internal sources closer to home. The warehouse was old, lead-lined, which had given Kara little insight on what might have been going on inside. She was currently somewhere high above, offering an aerial perspective around the building’s circumference. Brainy caught sight of her cape on occasion, a red smear against an otherwise unremarkable cloudy day.

Since arriving at their vantage point behind a cluster of rocks nearest to the building’s south-facing entrance, Brainy had been focusing most of his concentration on the information he’d stored to his tablet, pulling data from Alex’s research and offering his own expertise on leads she’d been marking out in real time without needing to be physically present himself.  The distance was certainly more of a strain than he was used to, but he enjoyed the challenge. At least it kept several of his thought tracks busy while they avidly waited for their next instruction.

Albeit, he had to admit that he had reserved several more for Nia.

Despite her best efforts, Nia Nal had yet to learn from Brainy’s old mistakes. She revelled in the action that came with a physical fight, but often struggled with the slower strides that came before it. It was about now that she would have normally given up trying to sit still and meditate on her visions, instead throwing herself into physical exertion such as fidgeting or pacing to kill the time.

But no dust was being kicked up in her steed, because Nia Nal was still perched on the rock closest to Brainy, disquietly reticent as she stared into her lap. She hadn’t spoken since they’d arrived, not even to lean over his shoulder and offer her input on his research as he so often enjoyed. They could bounce ideas between each other endlessly when left to their own devices, filling the space between action with easy conversation. Today, however, Nia was suspiciously inactive.  

Brainy’s hand stilled halfway across his tablet, glancing up to Nia with hesitant concern. After a quick external review, he could conclude that there was nothing wrong with her physically. She wasn’t sick or injured, or even just bored. There was something else, a faraway look in her eye that may have alluded a dream state if it wasn’t for the frustrated furrow in her brow, deepening the crease across her nose. A twitch curved the corner of Nia’s lip as she blinked suddenly, rubbing irritably at her face.

“Hey,” Brainy said softly. He discarded the tablet swiftly, reaching out for her knee instead. “You okay?”

Nia sagged forward just as Brainy’s hand made contact with her leg. She cupped her chin in her hands, shaking her head. “I’m not sure, actually,” she admitted, her voice muffled between her fingers. “I feel kinda woozy. It’s hard to explain.”

Brainy squeezed her knee. “You can tell me.”

Nia nearly smiled at that, and Brainy felt the urge to smile along with her. She sobered quickly, her eyes travelling elsewhere again. “I guess it’s… it’s like a vision wants to happen, but it won’t. It’s just making me feel really out of it.”

Any pockets of thought previously delegated to background tasks promptly turned their attention to Nia’s plight. Brainy eyed her worriedly. “Will you be alright to do this?”

Nia’s hands clenched suddenly in her lap. “I have to.”

Brainy straightened at once at Nia’s tone, his concern for her shifting instead to understanding. He hadn’t heard that tone of voice often, but enough to know that, when he did, it was something well beyond the realms of the waking world compelling Nia to speak her certainty. Her words may as well have been a prophecy in their own right, and Brainy knew it was imperative that he heed them justly.

Brainy put more effort into conversation after that, hoping to lessen some of Nia’s burden. If she was failing to make progress connecting with her gift for any reason, then he at least hoped he could provide her with a worthy distraction.

It appeared to work for a time. Nia soon began to relax into the safety net of their easy back-and-forth, edging closer to his side enough that their legs brushed together. She even managed to snatch his tablet from him when he wasn’t looking, scrolling through Alex’s notes when she started to itch for something to fiddle with. They huddled together after that, studying the notes as one, although Brainy could tell that the fog was still plaguing her. Even so, her resilience was – as always - unparalleled. To an untrained eye, nothing may have appeared wrong at all.

But Brainy knew Nia better than he knew himself, and the weight that she carried was not an easy one to disguise.

Eventually, the call came through to their comms. Alex had determined the layout of the warehouse and, subsequently, the most probable location for where the hostages were being held inside. With Brainy and Nia’s help, they’d additionally simulated likely vantage points the aliens would make use of with their weaponry, using range and distance as a primary factor. It may not have been quite as in-depth as a full x-ray of the building, but it was enough to make their entrance known.

Kara was called in to enter from one of the windows on the north side of the building. With Nia and Brainy covering the south side, they could meet in the middle and join forces from there.

Brainy maintained a thought track for Nia’s movements the second they headed for the entrance - a half raised shutter that needed some force to pry all the way open. She was his partner in more than one sense of the word, he hardly needed to think at all to know where she was. And yet, as he and Nia ducked beneath the shutter together, Brainy couldn’t keep a bubble of worry from lodging in his throat. If Nia’s precognition was in any way compromised right now, her usual fighting technique would shift to accommodate for that loss. This wouldn’t make her any less capable, but he’d need to make several adjustments to his own stance to match hers.

It was only moments later that he realised he needn’t have worried.

Nia’s physical prowess with her powers outshone any limitations she may have faced without her visions. While she used her lasso to pull the weapons from the arms of the alien captors running towards them from the centre of the building, Brainy flew ahead to the metal beam holding up part of the grated ceiling where three aliens were attempting to spray their fire. Their surprise slowed their reaction timing just enough that Brainy was able to disarm two of them immediately, deflecting the third’s weapon with a raised forearm before it could discharge against his chest. Enabling his strength enhancement to warp the barrel of the gun, Brainy threw what remained aside, using his free hand to twist the alien’s arm towards him, forcing them to their knees.

Beneath him, Nia had knocked out the last of the primary guards who had been waiting for them, the glow of her hands a rival to his own life projectors in the low light.

They continued on as a unit after that, though Brainy kept a half step behind Nia as they moved deeper into the building, adamant to have her in his line of sight at all times. Whether Nia noticed, she didn’t say, but soon they were far too consumed with the next wave of alien guards to give it any acknowledgement.

By the time Kara had joined the fray, they’d left a tangle of unconscious forms in their wake from one side of the warehouse to the other. Brainy made a private note for later to retrieve some of the weapons for further study. He was sure Lena would be first in line to try and dissect such unique technology, especially ones with such an unusual signature.

“Alex said it was right up here,” Kara said, falling naturally into the lead of the impromptu line they’d formed.

“Awesome,” Nia said, the lack of enthusiasm in her voice not quite as subtle as she likely thought.

Brainy waited a nano-second for Nia to follow along before he moved up behind her, holding her in his periphery even as his eyes began to wander, logging everything he saw for later recall.

The warehouse was a vast series of large, empty rooms, long-since cleared out of any distinct features or machinery that may have marked it for a certain purpose. Perfect then, he concluded, to reconfigure into the optimum holding cell.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he heard it. Something up ahead – a tinny, high-pitched hum that wrought havoc with his heightened senses. He hissed, cupping a hand over his ear at the same time as Kara.

“What is it?” Nia asked.

“What indeed,” Brainy muttered through his teeth, eyeing the space ahead of them carefully. “Kara? Can you see anything?”

Kara squinted. “There’s… there’s something up ahead. Movement.” Her eyes widened suddenly. “People.”

“The hostages,” Brainy and Nia said together, catching each other’s eye. Another smirk quirked the edges of Nia’s lips and she nodded at him, falling into a jog as he quickly caught up to her side.

They didn’t need to travel far to find the source of the sound. Just as Alex had predicted, the heart of the warehouse was exactly where they had needed to go.

Encased in a bubble at the centre of the room were a group of terrified aliens. They varied in age, though Brainy could see at their youngest a few that could have been teenagers amongst the group. This variant of the species had a pattern of brightly coloured pink spots that dusted the edges of their jaw and throat, matching in both vibrancy and shade to their large, glowing eyes. The spots on the guards Brainy had knocked down had all been orange, their eyes just the same. Aside from that, there were very little physiological differences between the two factions.

The energy bubble was mostly transparent aside from a sickly yellowish hue that softened the outlines of the captives inside. Brainy frowned, watching small refractions of light roll across the bubble like a wave, travelling further and further until they slipped suddenly out of sight behind a large metal disk clamped tightly to the ground.

There were three further identical disks fitted to the base of the bubble along the entire outer edge, perfectly equidistant from one another.

They were also, unquestionably, the largest source of energy output from anything within the entire building.

“That’s what was giving off the energy signature,” Brainy realised out loud. “Not the weapons… but this. Sprock, I should’ve known.”

“No one could have,” Nia said immediately. “Brainy, you couldn’t have accounted for everything, not when we hardly knew anything to begin with.”

“Even so,” Brainy muttered in distaste, studying the disks with analytical interest. He took a step forward, only holding himself back when he ran the risk of crossing past Nia. He bit his lip. “This shield, it’s quite impressive. Look.” He pointed the disks out one by one. “It’s being projected from multiple locations, but each one with enough power to create a bubble in of itself. It’s multi-layered, four times over. If we can deactivate them all, we should be able to disperse the force field.”

The aliens on the other side didn’t seem to hear him, but some of the younger ones had been watching his mouth move. They shouted words back at him, but Brainy was unable to read their lips  in return. He wasn’t sure they were speaking a language he recognised at all. He turned to Kara curiously. “Can you--?”

She shook her head. “Not a peep. It’s completely soundproof.”

“Then it’s best we get to work as soon as possible,” Brainy said. He motioned for Kara to head towards the furthest disk, waiting for Nia to do the same before he followed up behind her.

Except, Nia didn’t move.

“Nia?” Brainy prompted.

Again, Nia didn’t respond.

Hesitantly, Brainy came closer, waiting for any sign of acknowledgement from his girlfriend.

None came. It was as though she’d been frozen in place, her arms stiff and unmoving at her sides, one foot held firmly in front of the other, caught and grounded mid-step. She was staring out at something, Brainy realised, but nothing he could see for himself.

Something was wrong.

Brainy knew Nia’s vision stance - how it looked, how it felt to see it happen so suddenly from an outsider’s perspective and this… this wasn’t it. Nia wasn’t beyond her second sight, traversing the unconscious realm. Instead, she was fully planted in the moment, an alertness bright behind her eyes, extending her senses outward, far past the capabilities of the human mind, firing neurons at sure-fire speed.

Whether Nia knew it or not, something was holding her in place – guiding her, maybe, or perhaps…

It was only then that Brainy realised what he was looking at.

“Stop!” the word was out of his mouth before his mind had finished calculating the outcome. He threw his hand out towards Kara. “Don’t take a step further!”

Kara stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide with confusion. “But you literally just said—”

“I know what I said, and I was wrong. It’s a trap.”

“What?”

Brainy wasn’t sure how, wasn’t even sure why, but he knew it. As surely as Nia did. The look in her eyes could only mean one thing.

He turned back towards the force field, capturing the aliens behind it in a new light. Their mouths had turned ugly; fine, pin-prick teeth bared at them all as they spat vulgar words in a language he was somewhat grateful he couldn’t translate.

It appeared the so-called hostages were hostages no longer.

It still didn’t make sense. Why would they even be there at all if only to lure them to this spot? What did they know that he didn’t?

Oh.

Brainy saw the metal disks with fresh eyes, identifying them for what they were behind their non-descript cone sized shells. The high pitched humming hadn���t been coming from the force field, it was coming from within the disks, not as an extension of the energy it outputted, but rather hiding the characteristics of what lay inside.

The energy signature they’d been tracking this whole time had been…

“They’re bombs,” Brainy realised.

He only had one thought left - the only one that mattered. He surged forward as quickly as he could, grabbing Nia’s unresponsive arm and dragging her with enough force to spur a lethargic stagger from her frozen legs. “We need to go. Now.”

Nia was too stiff to move with any real speed and with time of the essence, Brainy didn’t have the luxury of waiting to see if she’d snap out of it naturally. Instead, he scooped her up into his arms, ignoring the alien rigidity of her body as he tucked her head beneath his chin. He shifted her into a more comfortable position, ascertaining he had a secure grip before locking eyes with Kara.

Thankfully, she understood immediately. With a single nod of acknowledgment, they took off together.

Just in time as well, because the moment Brainy launched from the ground, a piercing crack roared out from the force field behind him. He could smell the distinct snap and sizzle of something metallic singe the air before an explosion ruptured behind him, all but propelling he and Nia forward, hot air scorching across the back of his suit as the blast rung sharply in his ears.

They tumbled from the window Kara had first used to enter with little grace, spilling out across the sand and dirt, rolling over one and another as the once-warehouse behind them bent and warped beneath its own weight, creaking and groaning as the old metal failed to contain itself, collapsing inward as the scream of the explosion settled somewhere at its heart, sending shockwaves through the sand.

Brainy’s chest heaved sporadically as he pushed himself from Nia the moment they were grounded, brushing her hair back fiercely. He’d managed to shield her from the brunt of the explosion, protecting her from the collision with the ground with his own body as armour, and even still he feared the worst.

He cupped her face desperately, a sob of sheer relief catching in his throat when he heard her heartbeat, as resilient as ever, beyond the ringing of his own ears.

“Nia,” he said, trying to still the tremor in his voice. “Nia Nal, can you hear me?”

Dust and soot were smeared across Nia’s face, shadowing her eyes. Her lashes fluttered hard at the sound of his voice, trying desperately to breach the surface of her own consciousness. She groaned softly, reaching her hand out, brushing the tips of her fingers over Brainy’s face. They still felt electric with her energy, a jolt of static that caused an incomprehensible laugh to bubble from Brainy’s chest.

“What happened?” Nia croaked out. She cringed, trying to hold her eyes open.

Brainy only laughed harder at that, ducking his head towards her throat, closing his eyes to subdue the burn that followed.

“Uh, Nia,” Kara answered in Brainy’s steed, brushing her suit down as she stared up in awe at what little that remained of the warehouse. “I think you just saved our lives.”

“Cool… cool, totally meant to do that.” Nia’s chest jerked a little beneath Brainy’s chin as she coughed, clearing her throat with strained effort. “Uh… how did I do that?”

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

Nia hardly remembered the journey back to the Tower.

She’d flown with Brainy, letting him cradle her close to his chest, protecting her from the high-speed gale that had threatened her hair and face at such an altitude.

It wasn’t usually as cold when they flew together, but she supposed they’d never needed to travel this far at such a strict pace before. Maybe that’s why she didn’t remember much - the whole trip barely felt like seconds.

She was still a little out of it an hour later. By then, she, Brainy and Kara had crowded down in the Tower’s cramped lab space, laying out pieces of debris that they’d managed to salvage from the site of the explosion.

She really wasn’t sure what had happened, exactly. One second, she’d been listening to Brainy explain the purpose for those weird disk things on the ground… then everything sort of stopped. She remembered that woozy feeling from before creeping back up on her, fogging up her head. Then, something had triggered deep inside of her, like an alarm only she could hear. It hadn’t made any noise, though. Instead, it had instilled a sense of foreboding so strong that she’d locked into place. Like a flash frozen statue right out of the Fortress.

Everything else came up blank after that – at least until she’d awoken in the sand with Brainy’s wide, panic-stricken eyes staring down at her.

She rolled her shoulder experimentally. Yup. Still no pain. Brainy had taken the brunt of the hit when they’d fled the explosion, and even though the nano fibres in his suit were already repairing some of the damage, there was still a nasty singe mark across his back, corroding the fine ends of his golden hair to charcoal. He didn’t seem to be in any pain, at least. The last thing she’d wanted was to get him hurt because of her. Because of yet another power that she seemed to have zero control over…

It was strange, she’d never felt anything like it before. At least, never that strong. She’d frozen in the past, even lost time, but she’d always attributed it to her visions messing her up.

Now, she wasn’t so sure.

“I still don’t understand,” Kara was saying, drawing Nia unwillingly back into the room. She’d been pacing up and down the lab as Brainy worked, worrying her lip so hard that Nia thought Kryptonian levels of friction burn was about to tear it off. “Was this just one big ruse?” She laughed darkly. “Were there even any hostages to begin with?”

“Hostages to the cause, maybe,” Brainy conceded, glancing up from the scattered shrapnel that littered his workbench. “Everyone involved in this ruse believed in what they were doing. It seems whatever differences these factions had, they had one thing in common.” He eyed her warily. “A severe distaste for all things Super Friend.”

“Us?” Kara asked, snorting her indignation. “And they were willing to sacrifice themselves for this?”

“Not exactly.” Brainy straightened. “In fact, I don’t believe they were ever in any danger at all.” He moved his hand swiftly, tossing something out to her. “They left with one of these.”

Kara caught it immediately, her hand blurring around the projectile. She stared at it in confusion.

Nia looked too. It was extremely battered, whatever it was, and very much exploded, but it looked like it might have been some sort of bracelet in its heyday.

Nia slipped from her stool curiously, lifting her head. “What is it?” she asked.

Brainy turned to her with a small smile, privately pleased that she’d joined in with the conversation. He folded his arms over his chest. “Crude portal technology,” he explained. “Less refined than Lena’s watch design, but just as effective. They must have left just before the explosion. There’s more.” He pressed a finger to his temple suddenly, his eyes scanning unseen information from left to right. He stiffened, turning to Kara gravely. “I’ve just received results in from the scan the DEO are running of the explosion site,” he said. “When those devices detonated, they released thousands of splintered shards of Kryptonite from each shell.” He blinked out from the details he’d been presented with, holding his fist loosely to his chest. “If even a piece had pierced your skin during the explosion…”

“I would have been just as vulnerable to the building’s collapse,” Kara realised. She stumbled to a halt. “If we’d been caught in that, we really never would have made it out.” She stared at Nia, dumfounded. “How did you know?”

Nia cringed. “I… didn’t,” she said, frowning. “I mean, I guess I did? Sometimes I just get a bad vibe about something and I lock up. It’s never felt like this before, though. I don’t even remember doing this, to be totally honest.”

“A latent effect of Naltorian precognition,” Brainy mused, a mark of appraisal in his eye. “The more at one a Naltorian becomes with their powers, the more naturally they interact with fragments of the future.”

Nia smirked, tipping her head gratefully towards her boyfriend. “What he said. It sounds cooler.”

Brainy’s expression softened as he walked towards her, twisting his ring finger contemplatively. “What you did today saved all of us,” he said, running his hand up her arm the moment he was within reaching distance. “Thank you.”

Nia’s face warmed, leaning into his touch appreciatively. “Any time.”

Kara, unsubtle as ever, cleared her throat loudly, clapping her hands together. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll go give the bad news to Alex, then,” she announced, backing towards the open arch. “If those aliens are still out there, there’s no telling what they’ll do next to get our attention.”

Brainy, clueless as ever, raised a brow in question. “That isn’t necessary, I can relay the information directly to her. I can do it now—”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it,” Kara said hurriedly, already halfway across the training room. She threw a wink over her shoulder. “Some things are better delivered in person!”

Brainy watched her go, utterly perplexed. “I suppose that’s true…”

Nia bit her cheek, bumping his arm with her shoulder. “I think she just wanted to give us some time, y’know, alone…”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.”

Brainy leaned in a little closer at that indication, his dark eyes flickering across her face with barely disguised concern, searching for any inconsistences. Nia was pretty sure he’d find some; after all, she was still rattled from everything that had happened. At least the weird daze she’d been walking around in was starting to lift, like whatever she’d done back at the warehouse had knocked the consciousness right back into her.

More importantly, it looked a whole lot like Brainy knew that, too.

Nia squinted at him suspiciously. “So,” she said, drawing out the word just long enough to make him uncomfortable, “how long have you known I could do this?”

Brainy’s hand stilled across her shoulder, his eyes skirting to hers a little unwillingly. He scoffed unconvincingly, suddenly finding the circumference of his ring much more appealing than checking her over for an underlying concussion. “I didn’t know,” he said, glancing away. “Not with a one hundred per cent certainty, at least.”

Nia laughed, jabbing his chest. “I knew it,” she cried. “How? No, no, wait, lemme guess; the future, right?”

Brainy’s jaw hardened in defeat. “It is true that Nura did display a similar ability back in the Legion.” He pointedly ignored her as she continued to prod at his suit smugly. “Naltorian abilities can develop very differently dependant on the element they inherit. You have already become so well adept with your abilities, there had always been a chance that this particular power might never manifest.”

“But now it has,” Nia said. She loosened her hand against Brainy’s front, searching out the heat of his closest life projector. She smiled when Brainy blushed in kind, winding his hand around hers. Not to deter her, but to guide her.

Nia blinked away from the trance-like state of that soft, enticing glow. “Wait. Is this power going to get me in trouble?” She looked up at her boyfriend seriously. “Like… what if Cat’s in a really bad mood one day and I just freeze up right in front of her?” Her face fell abjectly. “She’d never take me seriously again!”

 Brainy’s lips twitched fondly. “Although I don’t dispute that Cat’s moods are a force to be reckoned with, I wouldn’t expect this power to manifest again unless you were in a true life or death situation.”

“You never know with Cat Grant,” Nia said gravely.

She and Brainy shuddered at the same time, but there was a playful affection in Brainy’s eyes.

She kept trailing her fingers around his life projectors for a time, content to idle while he finished checking her over for any possible side effects or injuries that might have been overlooked. She didn’t think he had to worry. In fact, since they’d started talking, she was really starting to get her energy back.

“So tell me,” she said with a grin. “This power. Does it have a name in the future?”

Brainy smiled privately, like he was in on a joke that she didn’t know. “Officially no, however Nura did pen a name for it.” He leaned in close, as though to share an important secret. “She called it The Stare.”

Nia snorted, holding her mouth closed. She hummed thoughtfully, drumming her fingers across her lips. “The Stare, huh? Simple, but intense. I kinda like it.”

“I thought you might.”

Impulsively, Nia’s eyes lit up and she quickly pecked Brainy on the cheek. A further blush deepened the green in his complexion.  Nia grinned. “Thank you,” she said in explanation. “For getting me out of there today. Sensing danger’s not worth anything if you can’t even respond to it.”

“You will learn in time to become more conscious of it,” Brainy promised. He took her hand again, squeezing it tightly. Nia squeezed back, ducking her head towards his, closing her eyes. A crackle of dream energy rolled over her knuckles, enveloping their clasped hands in blue flame. “But, as always,” he told her gently, “I will have your back, Nia Nal.”

Nia opened her eyes, her smile fading from her lips. “Wait. This means more training, doesn’t it?”

Brainy didn’t need to say a word, she could see the humour in his eyes already.

“Nooo,” Nia groaned, tipping her chin towards the ceiling. “Promise me we’re not doing 5am starts again, okay? No amount of coffee or breakfast burritos will ever make me okay with 5am starts. Dreamer needs her sleep!”

Brainy nodded innocently, bumping his forehead against hers. “Duly noted.”

Nia only scowled, though she still found herself leaning into his touch reflexively. "That wasn't a promise, Brainy!"

[servarreginam]

the crownless king in the frigid north

For mirae, who wanted some thoughts on Saber in Rigel. And oh boy do I have thoughts.

(Cut for length. I mean it.)

First and foremost, let's look at some stats. "But tches," I can hear you say, "it is literally the first sentence of this meta". I know, I know. Now, as far as his role as a unit and as a character in the story, Saber is most easily compared to Lukas in Alm's story: he's the experienced older man who leads the plucky group of kids from the start of their journey, and keeps them safe along the way. They're meant to be bulkier and easier to use units to allow the player some leeway in their playstyle in the early chapters of the game, but if we look a little closer we find something interesting.

Here I'm going to show two sets of bases and two sets of growths:

Set One:

Set Two:

Just by looking are you able to identify which is meant to be the speedster sword unit, and which is meant to be the armored tank unit? I'd forgive you if you aren't - both sets are remarkably similar, and both have a notable emphasis on HP and DEF, which is the Armored archetype's wheelhouse. (If you were curious, Saber's set is on top giggity)

Now why did I bring out the stats so early? These are his base stats to start Celica's journey, and we're here to talk about Saber's time in Rigel.

Well, I think when Saber was in the Rigelian army, he was an armored unit. And I think this shapes his entire skillset and even the development of his personality as he went from hotshot armyman to hotter shot mercenary extraordinaire. I even think it has a factor in him losing his eye.

But we'll get to those in a minute. Let's take it back all the way to the start of Saber's military career. Or rather, his father's.

We learn from the Accordion book that Saber grew up as part of a poor family. Well, we learn he grew up in a family that wasn't noble - but from everything else that we learn about Rigel, especially with regard to its outlook on the caste system, we understand that the nobles consider it to be a very "us vs them" situation, and we can infer that anyone who is not a noble (or even a specific class of noble) was quite poor. And historically, those who could not farm and were not of a merchant class ended up in the military, ergo it's incredibly likely that Saber himself came from a long line of hard Rigelian military men.

During Saber's recruitment conversation, we learn that despite his reputation, he's hesitant to put his life in danger - while that seems like an obvious statement, Saber finds it noteworthy enough to bring it up twice in the span of a couple sentences. And then again when the group decides to fight the Pirate King (which he is very vocal about avoiding). This leads me to believe that he has some disdain for the sorts of men who lay down their lives easily, for grand ideals or for a supposed grander purpose or otherwise - which further leads me to believe that his father died in battle.

It might seem like a stretch, but given the hyper-masculine, battle-focused society that we understand Rigel is, I feel it's a logical conclusion. There are only so many routes available to a military man, after all, and I feel like Saber's hyper-vigilance of his own mortality isn't just a consequence of being his own boss.

This is not to say that I think Saber is without ideals, and certainly not when he enlisted in the Rigelian army. His face-heel turn from army man to private contractor has a certain feel to it that seems most analogous to "grew up Conservative, became disillusioned by how bad things are, becomes Libertarian" in modern contexts - indeed, he would have needed a reason to join the army to begin with, or at the very least a justification beyond simply "this is how things are done".

When Saber joined, I believe he truly thought that he'd help make a difference - either the Rigelian propaganda machine is very strong, or he was naïve and optimistic, or both. Regardless, because he's described as an "ace" in the army, it's clear to me that he tried, he put forth genuine effort during his enlistment, and due to a combination of perhaps some natural talent and this own enthusiasm to make a change in the world, not to end up like his old man, he rose in the ranks quite quickly.

Probably too quickly.

Once more from Accordion, we learn that an unnamed noble set a trap for him which resulted in the loss of his eye. Since Rigel is so stringent about its belief in divine right of kings and hierarchy of nobles, it's easy to see what happened - Saber was a hotshot and performed well in his role as a soldier, and this pissed off someone who was richer but less capable. It is unclear what the trap is or how it was set, but I don't believe it was meant to be a fatal trap - I think it was meant to be something that put a man of lower status in his place and failed terribly.

I've mentioned already that I believe Saber was likely an armored unit, due to his stats, and I have more thoughts about this which I will go into in a bit, but with regard to the trap, I believe it was most likely an ambush using crossbows - a one-on-one ambush wouldn't have gone well for his rival, and I think he knew that, and arrows wouldn't have been effective against someone with Saber's defensive capabilities. Crossbows, however, can pierce most plate armor. Ergo I think it's likely that when Saber was caught in this trap, one missed, and ended up taking his eye out with it.

We learn that this was a separate event from his departure from the army, and Rigel at large, which tells us that this incident - while it surely infuriated him - wasn't enough to make him want to leave. If anything, this likely spurred him on further to reach even greater heights.

And since I mentioned his departure from the army, let's talk about that really fast. Once again citing Accordion, we learn that Saber was "betrayed by someone he considered his best friend", who he then challenged to a duel. Since dueling was illegal, Saber became a criminal because his opponent died. And while it's all very Aaron Burr, this is quite a dense couple of sentences, so let's unpack it a bit.

First, let's address the fact that this is clearly after Saber has been mutilated, as he lost his eye before leaving the army. This means that this asshole, even after losing an eye, was still so good at what he did, that he couldn't (or wouldn't) hold back just enough to prevent his opponent dying during battle.

We don't have much of a timeframe, necessarily, but we do know that Saber is 34 when Celica recruits him, and he's been doing the mercenary gig for quite a while by that point. We can reasonably narrow the window of his time in the army to probably around 20-25, give or take a few years on either end. If we assume that he was rising through the ranks the first couple of years of his enlistment before losing his eye in his early-twenties, this still means that he recovered and retrained himself and rose back to his previous skill level in only a couple further short years.

I cannot emphasize how insane that is.

Second, let's address the fact that he challenged this man to a duel. Duels, especially illegal duels, are an incredibly interesting plot point to put into the history of a man we're supposed to believe is a mercenary lacking in scruples. Duels carry such a heavy insinuation of the concept of honor and the preservation thereof, and adherence to fairplay.

Accordion is specific that Saber was the one who was betrayed, and Saber was the one who challenged his once-best friend to a duel, which emphasizes to me that there was still some lingering idealism in him - not defending his life, which we understand he is more than capable of, but defending this intangible concept of his honor. This is Rigel, where combat is king, and Saber is combat-tested - he could easily have stricken the man down (we know he could, because he did that thing). But instead of simply lashing out, he challenged the other man to a duel.

For those who don't know, historically, dueling isn't just an opportunity to kill someone. They're highly ritualized humiliation, designed to spank a man and do him dirty in front of his best friend (the second) and make him bear the burden of shame forever. The challenge tells me that Saber wanted the other man to live with the knowledge of exactly how badly he fucked up - the death, and his subsequent flight, tells me that his rage wouldn't let him leave the other man alive.

Which is strange, to me. Up to this point, with all of my overthinking, and with his following turn as one of the better units in Celica's army, how could a man as skilled as Saber have overdone it so much, when it's clear that his intention was otherwise? Was it arrogance, was it his opponent's ineptitude?

Or was it really rage?

Which brings us to point number three in regards to the duel: what are they fighting over? This was Saber's best friend, someone who fought alongside him, understood him, saw the warrior on the battlefield and presumably got to know the man underneath the cocksure battle prowess. To give us a hint, let's harken back to Saber's mutilation: a noble, angered by this hotshot peasant, jealous of the good name this nobody was making for himself.

Further, I think that his best friend was a member of minor nobility - not of high enough station to avoid the army, but perhaps of good enough pedigree to easily get into an officer's academy (hey, that's us!). It's certainly unlikely for those of lower financial straits to betray someone they consider a comrade - studies have shown those with less money to be more generous, and vice-versa - and with Saber's stratospheric rise in the army, I believe it's likely that he ended up rubbing elbows with quite a few nobles of similar rank to him.

What do best friends betray each other over? What else but love? Could it have been an event less than this? I struggle to come up with something that would be so important to both parties - both for the betrayal, and for Saber's insistence on defending his honor. I believe that as time went on, Saber caught the eye of a woman outside of his station (or vice-versa), and they fell in love, and frankly I think this pissed some people off.

Now, I connect the two events (Saber's mutilation, and his betrayal leading to his flight from Rigel), but they're marked as separate events, presumably with some time in between them (as I mentioned earlier). However, they're some of the most important events that a young Saber could possibly go through, and at the hands of people who want to push him down and force him to see his proper place, a commoner allowed to exist amongst nobles.

Between his mutilation, between the nebulous betrayal (which I think led to a loss of love for Saber), all the humiliation that must have been attempted to drag him down - by this point, Saber must have been well and truly furious, blinded with his rage and his disillusionment of the army, of Rigellian society as a whole. It's easy to see why, even though he must have initiated the duel in good faith, he lost control.

And so we come to the final arena of his life before he meets Celica - the journey from Decorated and Capable Army Man to a man who "smells like a tavern floor" on an island in a different country.

I mentioned at the top of this essay (pensiveclown) that I believe Saber started his combat career as an armored unit, due to his stats being so similar to Lukas's. I believe it's around the time he leaves the army that he, slowly, piece by piece, starts to abandon the identity of a Rigelian soldier in full plate. In a practical sense, what this means for a man who's already trained in combat is that he's suddenly going to seem a lot stronger and a lot faster in comparison (but with perhaps a little less control over his swings, indicated by his slightly lower base Skill).

As a man who's already trained formally in military combat and tactics, and been tested over the course of several years (enough to rise head and shoulders over his peers, even handicapped), the transition from soldier to mercenary must have been an absolute cakewalk.

Very suddenly, this man who has spent his entire adult life thusfar being commanded to kill (and possibly die) for another person's higher ideals, has the option to say fuck that, and he's quite at his leisure to take whichever jobs he chooses - and we see that he does. We see that he's quite choosy with what he does, but that he doesn't shy away from jobs that others consider too dangerous.

Because, I mean. Look at those stats. With a skillset like that, how could he resist making a name for himself again, as a middle-finger to the country that failed him so horribly.

[elecktrum]

Chapters: 20/? Fandom: Final Space (Cartoon) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Avocato/Gary Goodspeed, Avocato & Gary Goodspeed, Avocato & Little Cato (Final Space), Gary Goodspeed & Little Cato, Avocato & Lord Commander (Final Space) Characters: Gary Goodspeed, Little Cato (Final Space), Avocato (Final Space), Mooncake (Final Space), Lord Commander (Final Space), Clarence (Final Space), Ash Graven, Fox (Final Space), AVA (Final Space), General Cataloupe (Final Space), Viro, Tribore (Final Space), Quinn Ergon, Quinn Airgon, SAMES, SAMES (Final Space) Additional Tags: Avocato's rebellion wasn't limited to just himself, Canon Divergence, Assassination Attempt(s), Little Cato is a prince, I ignore a lot of Canon, as usual, garycato - Freeform, clarence is jealous, No beta we die like redshirts, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Space Battles, Idiots in Love, Avocato stan, Canonical Character Death, Major character death - Freeform Summary:

Falling victims to the Lord Commander's greed may have thrown them together, but something far greater will unite them. In short, getting shot by Avocato was the smartest move Gary Goodspeed ever made.

[allsassnoclass]

in a constant state of hoping everyone will give me a little grace

[whetstonefires]

I do have a piece of writing advice, actually.

See, the first time I grew parsnips, I fucked it up good. I hadn't seen parsnips sprouting before, right, and in my eagerness I was keeping a close eye on the row. And every time I saw some intruding grass coming up, I twitched it right out, and went back to anticipating the germination of my parsnips.

But it turns out parsnips take a bit longer than anything else I'd ever grown to distinguish themselves visually. It's just the two little split leaves, almost identical to a newly seeded bit of kentucky bluegrass when they first come up, and they take a good bit to establish themselves and spread out flat before the main stem with its first distinctive scallopy leaf gets going.

I didn't get any parsnips, not that year, because I'd weeded them all out as soon as they showed their faces, with my 'ugh no that's grass' twitchy horticulture finger.

The next year, having in retrospect come to suspect what had happened, I left the row alone and didn't weed anything until all the sprouts coming up had all had a bit to set in and show their colors, and I've grown lots of parsnips since. They're kind of a slow crop, not a huge return, but I like them and watching them grow and digging them up, and their papery little seeds in the second year, if you don't harvest one either on purpose or because you misjudged the frost, so it's worth it.

Anyway, whenever I see someone stuck and struggling with their writing who's gotten into that frustration loop of typing a few words, rejecting them, backspacing, and starting again, I find myself thinking, you gotta stop weeding your parsnips, man.

[foreverdolly]

ೃ࿔ SAVAGE BONDS part 2 『 feyd rautha x atreides!reader 』

summary: destined to one another since conception, your very life belongs to feyd rautha. as a token of good will you are sent to the strange planet of giedi prime a week before your wedding ceremony, only to learn that it is far more hostile than you imagined it would be. a failed assassination attempt has tempers flaring and sparks flying when it is decided to be safer to sleep alongside feyd. you hate to admit it, but he has played the part of a "protector" better than the guards who were tasked to watch over you. whilst you have been dreading this union all of your life, feyd has been anticipating it. meeting you as children had left him awe-struck. . . and a bit obsessed.

warnings: !SMUT HEAVY IN FUTURE PARTS!, feyd is super overprotective in this fic and kills multiple people in your honor, blood and gore, it's a dark romance folks, political marriage, forced proximity, temporary unrequited love, a lil dubious consent in some scenes, there's a lot of talk about breeding, enemies to lovers (in your mind, not his), there's a "who did this to you" scene, knife play, blood kink, breeding kink heavy, lots of scent marking/marking.

word count: 4.5k

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Legs tangled in gray sheets. The lightning-quick flash of a silver dagger, held by a pale hand.

The images in the dream are more like fragments- impossible to discern and decipher. On the bed, asleep and vulnerable. . .

There’s you.

And then Feyd wakes up, heart hammering in his chest so hard he can feel it in his throat. Slowly his fingers crawl up, up, up the expanse of the bed in search of something. In search of warmth, of you. Nothing. He’s just as alone in his room as he was when he drifted off into sleep. He lays awake the rest of the night, tossing and turning with worry.

This dream felt more like a warning than just another disjointed nightmare. It felt real. He was used to having dreams every now and again which clearly depicted a future outcome. He saw you in his dreams quite often, more so once he was no longer a boy-child.

If someone thought to hurt you… he’d just have to hurt them first.

The customs you and your people practiced were completely different to those that were normal on Geidi Prime. You watched one of your ladies-in-waiting as she brought over another small bowl of sweet smelling bath salts, dumping it in and using her hand to properly dissolve them. For a moment you felt self conscious, running your fingers through your hair as you looked at their perfect complexions and shaved heads. What did they see when they looked at you? Someone beautiful and strange. . . or an alien?

Still, you would eventually have to disrobe and bathe. Pressing your luck and refusing their help would only solidify your place as an outsider. You were sure that whispers of your arrival were already spreading like wildfire, and it was almost guaranteed that no one was happy about it. An Atreides amongst Harkonnen’s? You were nothing more than a pariah on their industrial wasteland of a planet.

The air was even more acrid in your lungs than it had been the night before, and while the smell of the rose body oils and salts were thick and hazy in your room, you could still catch the scent of pollution. Already you missed the cool, crisp air of Caladan. You missed your horses, your parents and your brother to the point of pain. This was not where you belonged. Not here in Geidi Prime. Not here with Feyd-Rautha.

The urge to cry yourself hoarse was practically undeniable, and yet you somehow managed to resist. You were late to breakfast already, and surely the Baron was making some unsavory comments about your family and their taught “manners”. So you untied the front of your nightdress and shimmied out of it, letting the soft cotton pool at the ground beneath your feet. The women couldn’t help but gawk at the tiny imperfections they saw there- a beauty mark you’d had since you were a child, a scar you’d received while training with Gurney. You weren’t used to feeling so self conscious, and so you were quick to grab one of the women’s extended hands so that you could sit down in the murky bath water.

They rubbed floral smelling soaps into your hair and on your skin, making sure to handle you as though you were as fragile as porcelain. You wished they would scrub you raw. Even then they wouldn’t be able to cleanse you of your fears. You were in the hands of the Harkonnen’s now.

No one could save you.

“We are not very used to styling hair, my lady. It might not be to your liking.” One of the women said anxiously. The way that her hands shook as she gripped the hairbrush was not lost on you.

How cruelly were they treated here? Or even worse- what did she think of the Atreides family? What lies had they poisoned these people’s impressionable minds with? You didn’t care to dwell too much on such thoughts. Reaching out you gently removed the brush from her hands, flashing her the kindest smile you could muster before shaking your head.

“Leave this to me then. Why don’t you pick something for me to wear from my things?” Your bags were still packed, lying exactly where a few servants had laid them last night. You had denied every offer to have them unpacked for you.

Denial. You refused to believe that you were actually stuck here. This would never be your home. It couldn’t be.

“He’s not here,” Feyd was sitting at a long, slate-gray table by himself. The food on his plate had barely been touched, but he had busied himself with chopping the meat up into miniscule pieces, too small to even fit on the prongs of his fork. “If you were planning on trying to make a good impression, you can forget about it. He always has his food sent to his quarters.”

You thanked the two ladies that had shown you through the colorless halls under your breath, moving to sit on the other side of the table. At least eight chairs separated you from the Na-baron and it still wasn’t enough. You wished you were on an entirely different planet, lightyears away from the Harkonnen scum.

The room was practically empty aside from the large dining room table. No art decorated the walls or rugs to cover the floor. It was all cold, black marble with white accents.

“I don’t care, actually.” And you were being truthful. You didn’t care about getting on the Baron’s good side any more than you cared about getting on Feyd’s.

He smiled then, staring at you long and hard before licking one of his black painted canines. He was amused by the blase way you brushed off his uncle so easily. Indifference wasn’t something he was used to, especially not when everyone in the galaxy had tried so hard to get on their good sides. People tended to tread lightly as far as the Harkonnens were concerned. They were as wealthy as they were cunning.

“Be careful, little Atreides. Saying things like that might get you hurt around here.” His gruff voice was but a whisper now, and suddenly you felt as though there weren’t twelve feet of dead-air separating the two of you.

You had picked up your fork, ready to eat whatever bland food had been prepared for you, but froze at his words. Heat rose to your cheeks and you were quick to lean back in the ornate high-backed chair, the cool iron seeping into your back through your clothes.

“Do you mean to threaten me?” Your words were icy, tongue sharp and ready to give him a proper lashing.

“It’s not a threat, darling.” He was practically purring, reveling in the joy of referring to you whilst using a pet name. It suddenly looked as though a switch had been turned on, his eyes narrowing on you. “I know him far better than you do. He’s killed people for far less. Be careful.” There seemed to be something he wasn’t telling you. There was genuine warning in his tone.

A pause.

“Please.” And then he went back to eating.

So were you supposed to act gutted at his uncle’s absence? You picked up the fork and took a bite of whatever had been put on your plate. It wasn’t at all what you were used to. Even the food tasted. . . fake. The meat tasted like it had been pumped full of chemicals and was mealy in your mouth, like sand. Still, you swallowed despite your distaste and shoved the plate away from you.

“Who have you assigned to be my sparring partner? I’m sure that my father made your uncle aware that I train daily, correct?” If you didn’t physically exert yourself and blow off some steam then you were bound to get no sleep tonight.

Last night you had tossed and turned, unable to stay asleep when your body was constantly alerting you to possible dangers. Even now you were on high alert, eyes locked on the knife that sat on the right side of Feyd’s plate. Your own fingers danced towards yours it you watched. Waited. Worried.

“Training?” He tilted his head again, eyes narrowed in disbelief. You could almost see the cogs turning as he mulled over your words. “What good would training do you now? If there are any threats then I am here to protect you- that’s my duty as your husband.”

Ah, yes. Why would a woman train when she could just sit back and play the part of a perfect little wife instead? You could spit.

“Would you rather I just hunt down one of your servants and kill him for sport?” You hated that he was so good at getting a reaction out of you. Maybe you were acting too much like a brat, but you wanted to see him squirm. Seeing him mad must be better than seeing him. . . like this.

For a second he sat there, arms perched nonchalantly over the armrests of his chair, staring at you with a crooked smile. You jumped in surprise when a chuckle escaped him, the act itself so out of place, so surprising that all you could do was stare in horror. The chuckles soon morphed into frenzied laughter, and he was quick to lean back in his seat so that he could place a hand on his chest.

“Was that funny to you?” You spoke through gritted teeth.

He watched the muscle in your jaw clench and unclench with wild eyes, sucking in a deep breath in the hopes of calming himself. Still, to hear such a beautiful woman speak such hideous words. . . it was wonderful, bordering on perverted.

“If you do kill a servant, please make sure I’m there to watch.”

He was too busy watching your face to notice the knife that you slid into the sleeve of your dress. With a huff you stood up, your skirts dryly brushing along the ground as you started to make your way out of the large room.

“I require a trainer.” You tried to mimic your mother’s tone, straightening your shoulders as you turned to look at him.

Lady Jessica always had a way of commanding a room. She was powerful, your mother. You needed to channel that same power now.

“You’ll train with me then,” He stood up from the table, the height and build of him alone nearly causing you to take a step back. You’d forgotten how large he was. How formidable. “Consider it a wedding gift.”

This had you balking, mouth opening and closing as you tried to think of some way to refuse. He was already stalking past you though, ignoring whatever retorts you were bound to make.

“I recommend getting changed. . . Unless you want me to tear that dress to shreds.”

That awful, ugly, no good- 

“Bastard!” You whispered under your breath, wadding up your dress just to angrily toss it onto your bed. 

You sank to your knees, braiding your fingers into your hair so that you could give it a few good yanks. He was doing this to fuck with your head. All of this was calculated on his part, it had to be. Was it all just to get a rise out of you? Or did he truly want to try and hurt you? You couldn’t figure him out, and that boiled your blood. All Harkonnens were cunning, blood thirsty schemers. You wouldn’t put it past him to be unhappy with the marriage arrangement, choosing to resort to violence in order to end things. 

‘Now. Now is the time to strike.’ 

You’d already hidden the blade under the mattress of the bed. The Baron wouldn’t allow you to live if you killed his precious nephew, but you’d much rather put up some sort of a fight than be put down like a dog. After taking a few steadying breaths you somehow managed to pull on your trousers and shirt, your mind plagued with dangerous, dangerous thoughts. If the moment called for it you were certain that you could not kill Feyd in hand to hand combat. His skills with a blade was well known across the galaxy, and while you were more than able to defend yourself, you weren’t delusional enough to think that you could manage to beat him without using underhanded tactics. 

You’d have to wait until his guard was lowered. 

“Do all women take this long to get ready?” 

You hadn’t heard the door open, nor his footsteps approaching. Who knew how long he had been watching you. The intrusion was an unwelcome one. You looked up to glare at him, trying hard not to balk at his appearance. The clothes he wore were skin tight, a black material that caught the dim lighting- like it was made of pitch black oil. His pants were tucked into big black boots, laced up high on his calf. 

He stretched his arms up, leaning against the doorframe so that he could continue his awkward staring. 

He did a lot of that it would seem. Any time you turned your head to face him you found that he was already looking in your direction. It was odd. . . off putting to say the least. Of course you couldn’t know that he was currently tracing the lines of your face with his eyes, committing every detail to memory. You were so different when he compared you to the females that he was used to seeing. You were all soft lines, long lashes and doe eyes. He found it impossible not to look at you. Gorgeous… you were gorgeous. 

“It took me a while to get out of my dress on my own.”You shoved your way past him in the doorway, his chest warm under your palms. 

You were quick to jerk away, startled by the fact that this was the first time that you’d touched him since the two of you had reunited. 

You didn’t hate the feel of him, but you should have. 

“Then you should have asked for some help.” He said, reaching out to grab you by the back of your shirt when you started to walk off in the wrong direction. 

Feyd pulled you along like he would a pet on a leash through the triangular halls, ignoring your mumbled curses as you tried swatting him away. 

The shield vibrated in your ears as you switched on the button, enveloping you in its warmth. 

You used to find it uncomfortable as a child, the tight, foreign warmth triggering a mild case of claustrophobia. You were used to it now, wearing it like a second skin. You waited for Feyd to turn his on as well, the blade clutched tight in your palm. 

You waited. And waited. And waited. 

“Where’s your shield?” You asked him, motioning towards his hip with your free hand. 

There it was, that crooked smile again. He was laughing at you. Was he trying to infer that you were weak? Was he so confident in his skills that he didn’t even see you as a threat?  

“I don’t see the nee-” He didn’t get very far. 

You kicked your leg out, catching the back of his right knee. His legs buckled, and he was quick to adjust himself, his left arm flying up to catch your wrist before you could sink the blade home. For a split second the two of you just stared at each other. Mild shock in his eyes, your own alight with an anger so consuming that you feared you might be burnt up with it. He gave your arm a sharp tug, hard enough that the joint rolled uncomfortably in its socket. 

You kicked your leg out before he could throw you over his shoulder, landing a sharp blow to his ribs. You heard him let out a pained moan before you hit the ground. Using your weight to your advantage, you tucked your body in, rolling to the side so that you could easily stand up to your knees, blade poised at your side and ready for an attack. 

“You fight well, Atreides.” Feyd purred, spinning his blade between two fingers before letting it fall back into his pale palm. 

“Turn on your shield.” You growled, rising to your full height so that you could begin circling him, a panther ready to pounce. 

“Was it Duke Leto that trained you?” Still, he was ignoring your statement. 

“No.” 

“No, of course it wasn’t him,” He took a step closer to you, eyeing you down. No one had looked at you like that before. . . and it made your skin crawl. You didn’t want to be desired by this man, the thought alone was miserable enough to have bile rising in your throat. “Your father is too weak-spirited to ever train you himself, lest he accidentally harm you.” 

Your heart was beginning to pound in your ears now, vision tunneling. All you could see was Feyd. All you could imagine was the blade that you were currently white-knuckling sunk hilt deep into his chest. 

“How horrible it must be for Caladan to have a Duke so. . .  spineless.” 

You bared your teeth, and for a second you were sure that you would snap the hilt in half with how hard you were gripping your blade. You demanded blood for such an insult. How dare he. How dare he. 

“I should cut out your tongue!” You screamed, pointed the blade at him. 

‘Don’t come any closer’ you urged with your eyes, feeling the angry tears causing your vision to fog. A Harkonnen was insulting your father. He was insulting your family and now he was smiling at you. The bastard had the gall to smile and this time all of his teeth were showing. Wide, unabashed in his joy. He was terrifying. So much so that you felt your legs begin to shake underneath you. 

“But you’ll want to put this tongue to good use eventually.” His gravelly voice purred. 

“Silence!” And before you could even control yourself you were using the Voice. 

You might not be as talented as your brother when it came to hand to hand combat, but your mother had taken the time to teach you well. Feyd’s mouth snapped shut so hard that you heard his teeth clatter together. 

“One more word and I will gut you.” Your voice shook and before you could rethink your actions you were lunging forward, the blade cutting through the air. . . 

Aimed at his throat. 

He was quick to push your arm away with his forearm, and even with the shield up you could feel the bone shattering pressure he put behind the movement. He was stronger than Paul- stronger than even Gurney. He took advantage of the fact that you were put off balance and grabbed a fist full of hair, the shield around you flashing red as he pressed his blade as close as he could to the base of your throat. Your scalp exploded in pain, eyes watering as he gripped harder to yank your head back so that you were staring directly into his eyes. They held no malice towards you, even despite the fact that you were obviously trying to maim him. 

And then he leaned in closer. And closer.

“If I didn’t know any better then I would think that you were actually trying to kill me.” He whispered against the shell of your ear. You could practically feel the warmth of his lips against your skin as he spoke, your heart roaring in your ribcage. With your chests practically touching like this you could smell him.

 You’d only caught the scent of spice once in your life- and it was akin to bitter cinnamon. There was something else though, something more complex to it. Aromatic spices you couldn’t quite put your fingers on and. .  . the natural musk of his skin. 

“So you can speak again?” You managed to tease him through your pain, wincing as he brought you even closer against his chest. The blade that you clutched in your hand was now pressing against his side, the pointed edge digging into his skin. 

He didn’t wince, even when you put more pressure against it. 

“You think it wise to use the Voice on me in my own home, little girl?” He hissed as he pulled away from your ear, and the fire that was in your eyes was now mirrored in his own. 

Slowly you moved the blade away from him, the metallic clanging echoing around the room as you let it fall to the floor. Your palm hurt from the vice-like grip you had been holding it in. 

“Release me now.” You didn’t shy away from staring into his eyes, unwavering even when he pressed the blade even tighter, the shield vibrating louder and louder around you. 

He leaned in, even when your hands moved to press against his chest, willing him to give you space. You could barely breathe with him this close to you. His own knife clattered to the ground, and using his free hand he ripped the shield from off of your hip. The gasp that escaped your lips was uncontrollable. You could feel his breath on your lips as his eyes continued to swallow you up whole. 

They looked even bluer when you were up close like this, framed by long black lashes. For a split second you wondered what had become of that beautiful little boy you had met. Had Baron Vladmir beaten the beauty out of him? Or perhaps it had never truly been there to begin with. 

When Feyd looked at you, up close like this, all he saw was the object of his ever-present affections. Something yawned to life in his chest- the need to protect. All at once he felt wrong, disgusting and horrible for causing you any sort of pain. 

But you looked so lovely with those tears in your eyes. So much so that he gave your hair another small yank, a shuddered breath escaping his lips as you yelped in pain. He saw the hate in your eyes and he detested it. 

‘Fear me’ he silently urged. ‘Love me, do as I say and I will become your slave.’ 

His lips brushed against yours, achingly slow- painfully soft. 

“I yield.” You were quick to say, pulling as far back as you could even with the grip he had on your hair. 

Fire. Your scalp felt like it was on fire. 

And then he released you, taking a step back with a heaving chest. The spell now broken, it felt like the world around you suddenly resumed its orbit. Wordlessly he pressed a hand to his side- the side that you had pressed the knife- and when he pulled it away you could see that it was stained with blood. 

“Didn’t you say that you were going to gut me?” There was no hint of humor in his voice now. 

“I wanted to.” You conceded. 

“Then you should have tried harder.”

Again you lay in bed awake, unable to fall asleep. You told yourself that it was just homesickness that had you clinging to the blankets, but you knew better. What had happened today left you rattled and confused. 

There were a hundred times today that Feyd could have killed you. Everything that Gurney had ever taught you had disappeared like smoke in the wind the second that your father was mentioned. You had acted on instinct alone. 

And if it was an actual fight to the death then you would have lost. Miserably. 

There was something strange about it though. It never once felt like an actual training session. He taught you nothing and gave you no feedback. Not only that but. . . it never felt like he actually wanted to damage your pride. He didn’t turn on his shield before and after taunting you, almost as though he actually wanted one of your attacks to land. 

He had allowed you to get everything out of your system. You hated that it had worked. It wasn’t helping you to sleep tonight though. No, you had other things on your mind now. 

Like the fact that he had almost kissed you. 

Your knowledge was limited where men were concerned, but you were nearly positive that there was something sexual about the way that he had treated you. It was like he didn’t want to actually hurt you, but still went out of his way to touch you. 

You’d be sure to ask for someone that might be willing to train you again tomorrow over breakfast. Someone who wasn’t Feyd, preferably. Lunch and dinner had been spent in silence on your part tonight. He had tried to strike up conversation a few times, even baiting you in ways that might warrant annoyance and anger. You didn’t budge. Why? Because you hated how nervous you felt in his presence now. 

Was it because you were afraid of him? That had to be it. Hearing about his proficiency in fighting and seeing it first hand were two different things. He had practically swung you around like a ragdoll. It was absolutely humiliating. 

Yes, that had to be it. . . well, you hoped. 

“Atreides.” 

The sound of your name had you bolting up into a sitting position, willing your eyes to adjust to the non-existent lighting in the room. The sound of footsteps had your heart jumping up into your throat, adrenaline flooding your system once you realized that it wasn’t a voice that you recognized. 

No one had entered the room since you’d gotten back from dinner, which meant. . . 

Whoever this was had been hiding, waiting until you completely lowered your guard. You were in danger. Horrible, horrible danger. 

‘Be careful. Please.’ You remembered Feyd’s words from earlier. 

He had been trying to warn you.

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the wonderful line “fear me, love me. do as i say and i will become your slave” is from the movie “the labyrinth”!

[prythianpages]

I've Been Waiting For You | Azriel

summary: Azriel finally meets the one he's been longing for. His mate.

warnings: mentions of death (since the suriel & reader are friends); some angst but also fluff because Az deserves to be happy ♡

a/n: This is part of my ABBA x ACOTAR series (masterlist) where I dedicate a song to a character (: The lyrics kind of reminded me of Alice & Jasper from twilight and how she had a vision of meeting him. This does go back and forth a lot in the beginning between past and present and came out longer than I thought it would. It's 9.6K words (which for me is long lol.) I apologize if there are any spelling errors. I've read this multiple times but somehow, always miss a couple.

As the moonlight dances upon the water's surface, the river transforms into a liquid ribbon of silver, weaving through the city of Starlight. Anticipation fills the air as Azriel walks across the bridge that spans the Sidra, his massive Illyrian wings glistening in midnight hues under the pale moonlight. 

Shadows play hide-and-seek as they travel through the night, drawn to the silhouette of a female figure. An intruder. Yet, Azriel's shadows dare to whisper something different into his ears.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Your voice, carried by the wind, reaches him like a sweet caress, daring to awaken something deep within him. Beautiful. His shadows respond with a frenzy, a whirl of darkness singing wild tales into his ears, urging him forward. Meanwhile, his brain screams at the potential threat.

More tendrils of darkness dart toward you, ignoring their master’s orders to return. You don’t seem bothered by them. In fact, you seem to welcome them as if they’re old friends of yours. 

Azriel swallows, uncertainty flickering in his eyes, unsure what to make of this. 

“Who are you?”

Finally, you turn around and Azriel feels like the wind has been knocked out of him when his gaze meets yours. In the midst of the surrounding darkness, your eyes gleam with an inexplicable brightness. Specs of silver glimmer in your eyes, mirroring the stars above, as they shine back at him.  

“That’s for you to decide,” you reply with a smile that carries both hope and a sense of knowing as you follow after him and take a step forward.

“But for now, I’d like to speak with your High Lady.”

Months before…

The brilliance of a thousand stars shine down on you and the night seems to hold its breath, as if it too, awaits the whispered prophecies from the celestial expanse above. Like always, you are itching to unveil them with your finely attuned senses. A gust of cool wind brushes through your hair, sending shivers down your exposed skin. Pulling your gaze away from the night sky, you turn in time to see a cloaked figure approaching like a shadow in the night.

Your lips curve into a smile. “Hello, friend.”

“y/n.” The Suriel greets you, hovering beside you. Then, not missing another beat, he says, “I told her Rhysand was her mate.”

Your eyes widen in surprise, a gasp escaping your lips. “You did not.”

“I did.” He grins back at you, flashing you his stained teeth.

You can’t help but laugh a little at your dear old friend. The Suriel lets out a rattled sound you discern as a laugh as he joins you. Always the one for dramatics. You still remember hearing about his first encounter with Feyre Archeron and how he told her to stay with the High Lord.

“I told her she must stay with the High Lord.”

“Did you specify which one?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“I’m sure she handled it well,” you respond but your smile fades, giving way to a wistful expression. “She’s lucky. Not only is she made but the Cauldron has blessed her with a mate. The High Lord of the Night Court at that.”

The weight of his gaze settles upon you. You’re aware that your words carry a tinge of envy, a sentiment that feels unjust when considering everything Feyre has endured. The Suriel, ever perceptive, acknowledges this as well. He chooses not to remind you and indulges you instead.

“The Cauldron has blessed you as well, my child.”

“Have you seen it?”

Hope sparks in your eyes as you turn to face him. His eyes, pools of ancient wisdom, seem to pierce through the veils of time and secrets. You sense one of them unfolding. But he only gives you a teasing glimpse.

“Perhaps.” 

With a furrow in your brows, you lift your head back up to glare at the night sky. The stars seem to blink at you in a teasing manner, as if finding amusement in keeping this secret from you. 

“How come I haven’t seen it?”

“You will soon.” He reassures, following your gaze upwards. A dance of amusement swirls within the depths of his eyes.  “He’s waited centuries for you. Count your stars lucky that your waiting won’t be as long.”

Back to the present…

Velaris lived up to its name. A dream compared to the horrors of the city you grew up in. But as the city sparkles and comes to life at the darkening hour, all your attention is drawn to the male before you. He’s even more breathtaking in person. Everything about him is classically beautiful and the moon seems to agree, shining down on him and casting an ethereal glow on the golden-brown of his skin.

As Azriel continues to approach you, his wings fold gracefully behind him. His gaze is locked onto yours and though his eyes are cautious and analytical, there’s a warm shiver running down your spine. The desire to lose yourself in the hazel depths of his eyes becomes an irresistible pull.

Before you know it, the shadows brushing against your arms rise and come to rest against your eyes in a blindfold. Darkness engulfs you, and the sensation of weightlessness takes hold as Azriel winnows both of you. You land on a soft cushion–a chair. The dark tendrils leave your eyes and wrap around your wrists and legs, binding them together.

“Stay here.” Azriel says, the shadows wrapped around your limbs tightening in a silent warning.

A chuckle escapes from you and when your eyes meet his again, you flash him a mischievous smile. It widens when he’s the first to fold, quickly averting his gaze. He has no clue. You’re exactly where you want to be.

He leaves the room and your eyes finally take in your surroundings. Veiled curtains made of midnight blue silk drape the expansive windows, pulled back to allow moonlight to filter through. Shelves line the walls, housing collections of ancient artifacts and magical trinkets. A large desk, crafted from dark, polished wood rests before you. Your gaze fixates on the wall behind it, where a captivating portrait of the female you seek rests.

The door behind you swings open, and you turn to witness the graceful entrance of the female from the portrait. Feyre, the Cursebreaker and High Lady of the Night Court. She's a vision of night and beauty, her golden-brown hair cascading down her exposed back, revealing glimpses of moon phases etched along her spine.

“High Lady,” you say in greeting, bowing your head in respect.

Surprisingly, the High Lord doesn't accompany her. Instead, it's Azriel who trails behind her. Her calm blue eyes assess you as she takes a seat across from you. Azriel stands guard behind her and you feel his shadows watching your every breath. 

"And who might you be?"

“I’m y/n,” you respond, choosing your next words carefully. “An old friend of the Suriel’s. I’ve come to pledge my allegiance to you and offer my help.”

Something flickers in her blue eyes at the mention of the Suriel and her stoic expression falters, if only for a moment. You send her a sympathetic smile, your own heart aching at the mention of the fearsome creature you both held dear.

“Your help?” She echoes.

"She’s a seer," Azriel interjects, his voice setting your heart alight as there's no hint of disgust or apprehension in his tone.

Your kind is often regarded with hostility. He might not know your connection...yet. But he’s paid you enough attention to recognize your abilities and appears to be indifferent about them. If the Suriel were still alive, you know he’d laugh at your slight delusion.

"I am," you confirm. "And I know your sister is one too." You don’t miss the tension in Azriel’s body at the mention of the cauldron-made fae, but you don't dwell on it as you can also sense Feyre's protectiveness. "She has great potential. I can help her hone her skills. Together, we can—"

"No," Azriel growls protectively. His sharp interruption has you startling in your seat and hope deflates as you feel the intensity of his glare.

Feyre raises a hand, signaling him to stand back. “Why should I trust you?”

“Let me show you.”

Months before…

“By the Cauldron, what did you get yourself into?”

The Suriel grins mischievously, his tattered cloak barely clinging to his bony form. He graciously accepts the cloak you offer, a luxurious piece made of the softest velvet in the darkest shade of black you could find. A purr escapes him as he revels in its warmth. "Nothing," he responds coyly, the satisfaction evident in the bounce of his form as he hovers in the air.

You shoot him a pointed look, yearning to know what he was up to. You’re certain it was no good. “Sure,” you retort and then gesture toward the crackling fire you started. “I also made dinner.”

“You spoil me.”

“It’s what friends do.”

"Friend," he muses, the white pools of his eyes burning into your soul, as he turns to you. "As a friend, I should tell you that your dress is absolutely atrocious on you. Cobalt blue is more your color."

With a glare, you playfully throw the roasted chicken over the fire at his face. He effortlessly catches it with his mouth, cackling as he chews on the tender piece of meat.

"What do you know about fashion? All you do is thirst for robes."

“You forget that I am older than the bones of this world. I know everything about everything. I also cannot lie.”

"Doesn't stop you from hiding the truth," you respond cheekily, and he hums in agreement,

Silence falls as he seats himself beside you on the ground. He breaks it a couple of moments later. “Remember what I told you last time?”

You release a deep sigh because you do remember. The mere thought haunts you nearly every night, and you’re often burdened by the heavy weight of it. Your shoulders slump in response. “Why can't you do it yourself?”

“It is your fate, not mine,” he states simply, a reminder of the immutable laws of destiny.

“I’m not ready.” 

You don’t think you ever will be and suddenly, you’re that fragile sixteen year old again, who had to run away from the only place you called home to escape a cruel fate. The one who was left to navigate through her new onset of divine abilities alone.

That is, until, the fateful night you had thrown your cloak over a tree branch to dry. It had been stained by blood after a rough and almost deadly encounter with a stray naga so you had spent all morning cleaning it in the river nearby. Completely unaware of the Suriel you were summoning.

“You do not fear me?”

“That is mine,” you had said through clenched teeth with a deep rooted glare.

In the midst of your tug of war with the Suriel, your cloak tore in half. In that moment, you braced yourself for the dark creature's wrath. However, something in you captured his attention that day, and he chose not to unleash his fury upon you. He decided to take you under his wing instead.

He recognized your lineage without a single word spoken about it. He could sense your power coursing through your veins, waiting to be unraveled. After decades of patience and practicing, he was there to witness the formation of stars weaving themselves into the depths of your eyes. The mark of your seer abilities.

As always, the Suriel reads you like an open book. He can sense your insecurity, your hesitancy. But, in equal measure, he can sense your power, your potential.

“You will be,” he insists, his words carrying the unwavering certainty of the all-knowing creature he is. “You must guide and open the eyes of Elain Archeron the same way I did for you.”

Your throat tightens. “When?”

“Soon.”

And when you look up to gaze at the night sky, the stars align for you. A cascade of visions unfurls, pouring over you like a celestial waterfall. Your eyes become a myriad of galaxies and ears are teased with glimpses of conversations and whispers from the stars above. One moment, you’re in a forest, standing before a female figure crouched over a cloaked one. 

“The tracking…I knew of it.” 

Then, a rattling breath. “Leave this world a better place than how you found it.”

Abruptly, the scene shifts, and you stand in an enchanting city of starlight, gazing at the expansive river before you as anticipation fills the air. He comes for you. Azriel, the shadowsinger. The name resonates in the echoes of your mind.

Then, the final vision envelopes you, drawing you into the depths of mesmerizing hazel eyes. The voice that accompanies it is carried by the enchantment of night, gently caressing against your ears. 

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Mate. That is your mate. Azriel, the–

“Do you see it now?”

With a sharp intake of breath, you’re pulled from the downpour of your visions, only to find your senses clouded with tears that pool at the corners of your eyes. How cruel, you think, your heart twisting in agony. And though meeting your mate–your fated companion–was among your greatest dreams, you no longer want it. Not if it means you’ll lose your greatest companion.

You can live without knowing your mate. After all, you’re doing so at this very moment. The Suriel has been your friend for decades. Two souls brought together by their mutual loneliness. An all knowing creature and a seer. Together, you’re a powerful duo, navigating through the fated intricacies of Prythian. You’d be lost without him.

“Please don’t go,” you’re begging.

The Suriel smiles but it’s not his usual mischievous grin. This time, a tinge of sorrow lingers in the curve of his lips, casting his expression in a veil of sadness.

“I have to. It’s my time to go,” he says. “Just promise me one thing?”

“Anything.”

“That when it’s your time to shine, you’ll find Feyre. Help her make this world a better place.”

Back to Present

Feyre blinks back tears as she withdraws from your mind. She turns her head toward the Shadowsinger behind her, and for a moment, fear grips you. You allowed her to see the revelation of Azriel being your mate but only because it was deeply entwined with the other pertinent visions.

“Release her.”

The shadows release their grip on you and you let out a deep exhale in relief. But the inky tendrils don’t leave your side. They linger and hover over you and at this, Azriel’s eyebrows furrow.

Feyre extends her hand out toward you. Her blue eyes are warm, a gentle reassurance that she’d harbor your secret for you. A smile graces her lips, one that you're happy to reciprocate.

“I’ll gladly accept your help but let me speak with Elain first. You may stay here. There’s a spare room upstairs. Azriel will show you around.”

Following his High Lady’s orders, Azriel shows you around the grand estate. He’s a bit reserved around you and you don’t blame him. Both a blessing and a curse, your visions offer insight into his world, yet you're a mere stranger imposing on the family he protects fiercely.

And as he finally shows you to your room, the one right next to his, you can only hope that someday, he’ll welcome you too. After all, he is your mate.

Elain Archeron is infinitely beautiful. Inside and out. She is gentle and sweet and you see why some mistake her kindness for weakness. But it took only days for you to become well aware of the strength and power she harbors deep within.

While your abilities were limited to what the stars wanted to show you, you sensed that hers were limitless. With the right training, she could summon visions at her call, anticipate anyone's move. You wanted to help her achieve that and prove those people that saw her as something fragile wrong. Though reluctant toward your help at first, Elain was kind enough to listen to you and consider the advice you gave. It took some further convincing but you knew she was itching to unravel the depths of her powers too.

But it's proving to be a challenge. A hard and exhausting one. You're not surprised. It took you many years to become attuned to your powers. What is surprising, however, are Azriel's feelings for her. They're obvious and plain to see and could you blame him? Elain is wonderful...and you can't help but compare yourself to her. She's everything you're not.

Upon your arrival, you had been set on making Azriel fall for you. That was, until, you realized he was already entangled in the threads of another's heart. Could it be that the Suriel, in his all knowing wisdom, purposefully shielded you from such revelations about your mate? To delay the shattering of your dreams?

Now, you were just content to focus on your task at hand. To help Elain the way the Suriel did with you, even if Azriel was there as a safety net for her every session. Even if the way he was well attuned to every shift of her expression sent a sharp pain stabbing through your heart. He was blissfully unaware of your connection, clouded by his affection for Elain.

And you were tired of chasing after males. It's why you shot down Feyre's suggestion of confessing to Azriel. You dreamed of having a mate, pleaded to the Cauldron even. Now, you realize, that you want Azriel to like you for you. To chose you too the way Feyre did with Rhysand. If Elain was the person he chose at the moment, then so be it.

"I don't chase. I attract," you told Feyre. The same words you had uttered to the Suriel years ago after he poked fun at you over a failed romance. One of many, unfortunately.

"The only thing you'll attract with that attitude of of yours is a dark cloud of shadows," The Suriel had laughed at you, earning an icy glare from you.

But Feyre is much nicer about it than your dear old friend. She gives you an encouraging smile instead and wishes you luck on your upcoming session with Elain.

Your session with Elain ends terribly–with her screaming in pain and Azriel glaring at you and telling you to go, despite your attempts at apologizing. You spend the following days, weeks even, trying to make up for it. You slowed down in pace in your exercises with Elain, despite her protests. She held no animosity toward you at the dark turn that session had made.

You also buried yourself into any book you could find about seers in the magnificent Night Court library, grieving and longing for the Suriel. He would know what to do, and know exactly how to help. It’s the mere thought of him that fuels your determination to keep trying, despite how much you want to leave. It’s laughable almost, how in the midst of so many people, the sense of loneliness weighs heavier on you than it ever did in the solitude of Prythian's forests.

But perhaps, a break wouldn't be such a bad idea? You think as your gaze lands on an intriguing cover. It's a work of pure fiction. The ideal escape from reality. Retrieving it from its shelf, you settle into one of the plush chairs and immerse yourself into the words etched onto the pages.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty.”

A nudge against your leg startles you awake, and as you blink away the remnants of sleep, your eyes widen at the sight of Azriel standing before you. Sleeping beauty, the words sink in, painting a soft blush over your cheeks.

“You missed dinner.”

“Oh.”

You turn your head, wincing at the dull ache in your neck from sleeping in an awkward position. The soft glow of the moon greets you through one of the library's windows. You don’t know when you had fallen asleep but you must’ve been out for hours. When you face Azriel again, your gaze drops to his hands, where he holds a carefully arranged plate of food. Your stomach growls as the scent hits you and your eyes linger on the generous serving of potatoes–your favorite–in comparison to the other vegetables and meat.

“Is that for me?” you ask, and immediately curse yourself for the seemingly silly question. You blame it on the lingering grasp of sleep, still reluctant to release its full grip on you.

"No, it's for the rats that come out at night," he replies, lips twitching upwards at the reaction it stirs from you. How the Suriel never scared you but a couple of hairy, smaller creatures do is beyond you. He places the plate on the small table beside you.

 "Yes, it's for you. A peace offering. For snapping at you."

"That was two weeks ago.”

"Bet you didn't see it coming," he teases, and you find yourself blinking in surprise. The Shadowsinger cracking a joke? It's a sight to behold. At least for you. 

Your eyes narrow. "Did Feyre send you?"

"No," Azriel replies simply, his tone carrying a sincerity that sets a flicker of hope alight in you. He then sighs. "I just realized I haven't been the most welcoming, that's all."

You smile in response and shift in your seat as you turn your body towards the food. The movement has the book in your lap falling. His hand reaches the book before yours could and the brush of your skin against his sends a delightful shudder through your body.

His eyes curiously look over the title and when he hands it back to you, you take note of the way he avoids looking at his scarred fingers. So you reach forward and brush your fingers against his again, letting them linger for a beat longer than before. Surprise flickers in his hazel eyes as he meets your gaze, but it vanishes as quickly as it appears.

“That book is one of my favorites," he says, his shadows dancing across his shoulders and peeking curiously at you. "I'm surprised you're into the mystery genre."

"Why?"

“Well, you’re hard to read sometimes. Like a mystery that refuses to be solved.”

An arched brow is your response, but the gleam in your eyes gives away more than you'd like. “Maybe I don’t want to be unraveled.”

Azriel's lips twitch upwards once more. “Maybe it just takes the right person.”

Bathed in the glow of sunlight, you and Elain sit across from one another on the soft bed of green grass. Meanwhile, Azriel leans against a tree, a couple of feet away. His gaze is intense as he watches you two. Too focused on not letting it faze you, you fail to catch the way it softens when he turns to you.

Azriel can’t help but frown when he catches you avoiding his gaze. He wonders if you still harbor some resentment toward the way he had snapped at you awhile back, even though he already apologized for it.

"Close your eyes and focus on your breath," he hears you instruct softly. "Feel the rhythm of the earth beneath you. Attune yourself to the heartbeat of the world around you. What do you hear?”

Elain closes her eyes in deep concentration. “I can hear the wind and the tremble of the grass beneath it. I can hear the wind carry all the way to the sea.”

“Good,” you say and though her eyes remain closed, you smile gently at her. A gesture that sends a rush of warmth through him.

“Now feel the whispers of the unseen.”

“I can’t.” Elain’s eyebrows furrow.

“Here, take my hands,” you say as you reach for hers. “Imagine a pool of water within you, calm and reflective. Use me as a vessel to carry you through it. I’ll guide you to where your visions will manifest.”

Elain does as told. The world stills around you two. You close your eyes. As Elain’s eyebrows relax, your own face contorts in concentration. Azriel feels himself tense when he realizes it’s not concentration etching onto your face–it’s pain. In a heartbeat, he’s kneeling before you and prying your hands apart.

“Stop!”

Your eyes snap open at the sudden disconnection, and Azriel is unsettled by the way you shrink back from him, panic widening your eyes.

“I’m not hurting her!”

But it’s not Elain he’s worried about. He hasn’t even spared her a glance. It’s you–you’re the one that’s hurt. Blood trickles down your nose and he’s urging you to lean forward, gently guiding you with his hands as Elain rushes for a towel.

“Are you okay?”

There’s a dull ache in your head but also one in your heart and you’re too disoriented to stop yourself from saying, “If you stop staring at me like that, I will be.”

Azriel releases a soft chuckle, his muscles relaxing in relief at the playful edge in your tone. Yet, his shadows, wanting to confirm you're okay themselves, flutter toward you in a delicate cloud of darkness.

"Like what?”

“Don’t make me answer that.”

And you’ve never felt more relief at the sight of Elain coming in between you with a towel in hand.

A sudden sound has you stirring from your sleep. Your hand instinctively slides under your pillow, fingers grasping for the dagger you always keep with you when sleeping. The sound comes again and your initially alarmed body relaxes as you recognize it as the sound of someone knocking. Wrapping a robe around your night shift, you head toward the door, expecting Elain on the other side. 

Upon opening your door, you’re surprised to find Azriel standing on the other side.

“You’re not going to Starfall?”

“Good morning to you too.”

Azriel’s eyes rake over your form, taking in your disheveled state. His lips curl into a faint smile. "It's noon," he observes in an amused manner.

Your eyes widen in disbelief, and you pivot your head toward the clock that hangs on the wall of your room. There, confirming his statement, the hands point a half hour past twelve. You overslept. You didn’t have any plans today and it seems your exhausted body took advantage of it.

“Is everything okay?”

His voice, laced with genuine concern, draws your attention back to him. The soft furrow of his brow and the warmth in his eyes catch you off guard. You hesitate. You don’t want to lie but you also don’t want to burden him with the truth.

So you settle for a, “Why?”

"I've noticed you haven't been sleeping much," he remarks, and before you can interrupt, he gestures toward his room, the one adjacent to yours. A silent acknowledgment that he's been more attentive than you realized. It pulls at the strings of your heart. "Or attending family dinners, and now Feyre tells me you're not going to Starfall?"

The weight of his observations presses on you. You didn’t think anyone had noticed.  "Why do you care?" you retort, your words sharper than intended, and a wince follows.

"Isolation is not a good coping method," he responds, his tone steady and unfazed by your sharpness. "Trust me, I know."

"I don't have a dress."  The words escape your lips, but even as you say them, you recognize the feebleness of the excuse.

“I’ll buy you one.”

Heat rises to your cheeks, and you feel a telltale blush spreading as the thought of Azriel buying you a dress takes root. He’s just being nice, you tell yourself. His gaze remains fixed on you, hazel eyes bright and gleaming with curiosity, as if daring you to come up with another excuse.

“Starfall is tomorrow.”

Azriel grins at you. It sends a flutter through your heart and you wonder if he can hear the erratic beat of it. 

“Better make haste and get dressed then. We’ve got a couple of hours before the shops close.”

You deliberately take extra time getting ready, a mix of anticipation and apprehension swirling within you as you prepare to spend time with Azriel. Half-expecting a hint of annoyance, you finally open the door to your room, only to find Azriel with a welcoming smile that has the bond in your chest humming. Still, you're met with silence at the other side.

You take a deep breath as he gestures for you to follow him. As you step outside, he offers his arm and winnows you, not wanting to waste anymore time. You both find yourselves in the bustling shopping plaza of Velaris, where the fragrance of blooming flowers and the animated chatter of people embrace you.

Elaborate Starfall-themed displays adorn the shops, enticing you inside. Suddenly, the sheer array overwhelms you, and an urge to step back washes over you. Azriel place a hand on your back, stopping you and guiding you towards one of the shops.

“Welcome!” A voice happily chirps. “How can I help you?”

A stunning female enters your line of sight, her gaze immediately fixating on the male standing behind you. Her lips curve into a captivating smile, causing a twinge of jealousy to flicker within you. It’s short lived as Azriel clears his throat, gently nudging you forward.

“We’re looking for a dress for her.” Azriel speaks for you.

“Splendid! What’s the special occasion?”

“Starfall.” Azriel answers.

The female’s eyes widen, her smile morphing into a strained one. “I’m afraid I’ve sold all my best work already.”

“Oh, that’s alright. Sorry for the trouble,” you quickly reply, attempting to conceal the relief in your voice. Turning to leave, Azriel's hands land on your shoulders, directing you back to face the female.

“I’m sure we can find something in here,” Azriel reassures with a polite smile, scanning the aisles of dresses. “Y/n isn't picky. Right?”

“I can be,” you mumble under your breath.

Azriel lets out a sound, what you discern as a muffled chuckle. He gives your shoulder a squeeze and then leans down toward your ear. “If I were you, I’d take advantage of the situation.”

You turn your head slightly and regret it immediately. It takes all your strength to hold back the shudder your body wants to give at his proximity. He’s so close you can feel his breath fanning against your neck and you wonder what it would feel like to have his lips pressed against that sensitive skin.

It surprises you how quickly you find your voice.

“I’m going to pick the most expensive one.”

“Go ahead,” Azriel says and you can hear the smirk in his voice without having to look at him. He doesn’t allow you to get another word in, urging you forward again to where the female patiently awaits for you.

She lightly grasps your arm, leading you toward a rack of dresses in various styles and colors while Azriel makes himself comfortable on the couch by the fitting room. “You are a lucky lady,” she muses, her hands gracefully exploring the textures of her creations. “I’ve had this shop for centuries and you’re the first lady the Shadowsinger has brought to me.”

A blush warms your cheeks as you divert your attention to the array of beautiful dresses. Each one is a work of art, making you question her earlier claim about not having her best work available. If these weren't her finest creations, the thought of what her best work looked like leaves you intrigued.

The female, who’s name you learn is Willow, has you try on a couple of dresses that differ in styles. You’re reluctant to show Azriel each one but given he’s paying for it and the only other one in this shop, you feel like he should have some say.

“Do you like it?” Willow beams at you, admiring her work.

On the fifth dress, your hands run over the tulle of the vibrant yellow skirt. The fabric feels itchy against your skin, and the color is too bold for your taste. You swear you are not trying to be picky, despite what you told Azriel earlier. 

“I li–”

“Let’s try another?” Azriel cuts in as if sensing the lie that was about to unfold. He rises from his seat toward one of the racks and pulls out a dress that caught his eye earlier. “How about this one?”

He holds the dress out to you, smiling softly when you take it from him. It’s much simpler compared to the other dress you’ve tried on but still just as elegant. It’s also soft against your skin. Willow guides you back into the fitting room, deftly assisting you out of the vivid yellow dress and into the cobalt blue silk one.

“I don’t know how I didn’t see it before. Cobalt blue is more your color!" Willow says as she gushes over you.

Her choice of words leaves you momentarily stunned. Cobalt blue is more your color. The exact words the Suriel had spoken to you. Also, the exact same shade as Azriel's siphons. The Suriel must’ve enjoyed himself a lot when he said those words to you. That sneaky little creature... You can hear his laugh echoing through your mind.

As you finally emerge from the dressing room, Azriel can’t help but stare. The fabric drapes gracefully around you, accentuating curves he hadn't noticed before. Sensing his prolonged gaze, your eyes meet his. It was him quickly averting his gaze, a subtle flush coloring his cheeks. He clears his throat, attempting to regain his composure.

"This is the one. It looks…good on you," he manages to say, his voice slightly strained.

“It’s 500 gold marks.”

He picks up on the teasing in your tone and the way Willow shakes her head in reassurance at him. Still, he humors you and says, “I don’t care.”

He’d pay more than 500 gold marks just to make you happy.

Azriel battled with restless thoughts that night, unable to find solace in sleep. Each time he closed his eyes, the vivid image of you in that dress invaded his mind. He couldn’t wait to see you in that dress again. Maybe then, he’d have the courage to compliment you better.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the first guests arrived for the Starfall celebration, Azriel's eyes eagerly scanned the gathering crowd, seeking a glimpse of you. Just as a twinge of disappointment crept in, his shadows stirred, signaling your proximity. His wings twitched with anticipation, and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of you. You are absolutely stunning. Breathtaking. 

In an instant heartbeat, he’s pushing Cassian, who was ready to fly you up to the House of Wind, aside. With a warning look, Cassian steps away with a chuckle.

"You're here," he whispers, a blend of disbelief and relief saturating his breath.

“Well a very nice male spent a lot of money for me to be here.”

“Well I’m glad.” Azriel chuckles, eyes drinking you in again. Savoring you. “You’re beautiful.”

“So are you.”

Azriel flushes at the unexpected compliment and his shadows to come to life around him. He smiles at you. “Shall we?”

He waits for your nod before carefully hooking an arm beneath your knees, eyes never leaving yours. A thrill courses through him as he revels in the sensation of your arms around his neck, taking delight in the way you feel in his arms. His wings unfurl behind him, preparing for the short flight up. The sound has your eyes fluttering shut, arms tightening around him and face burying into his neck. He finds it absolutely endearing. He never wants to let you go.

Against his wishes, the flight up to the balcony was short. He sets you down, helping you regain your footing, a lingering touch before reluctantly releasing you. There’s still more guests he, unfortunately, has to fly up. It’s as if you sense his internal conflict because you’re turning around to face him, eyes bright and alight.

“Yes, Azriel. I’ll save you a dance.”

The way his name rolls off your tongue sends a thrill up his spine. He opens his mouth to say something but once again, you beat him to it.

"Thought I'd save you the question," you stated, an all-knowing grin gracing your features as you tapped the corner of one of your eyes. Ah, so you had a vision of him. He wonders about the other glimpses you might have seen.

He doesn’t have too much time to dwell on it as Elain is rushing toward you, showering you with compliments. He takes that as his cue to depart. He is determined to finish his tasks in bringing the remaining guests up as fast as he can so that he can return to you and that dance you promised.

Azriel finds himself stealing glances whenever he thinks you won’t notice. The sparkle in your eyes, the way the dress accentuates your features–he can't look away. Caught up in the melody of your laughter, provoked by something Elain said, Azriel and his shadows are too mesmerized in the beauty of you to notice Feyre approaching until she speaks.

"She’s beautiful," Feyre remarks, her eyes following the same path as Azriel's gaze.

A soft affirmation escapes Azriel's lips. "Yes."

Feyre, well aware of the answer, delves further. "You bought her that dress?"

“Yes.”

A mischievous gleam flickers in Feyre's eyes as she delivers her next statement. "You like her." 

Azriel's response slips out before he can even grasp the depth of his own admission. "Yes."

He turns to Feyre, his wide eyes betraying the shock of his own revelation. A slight pallor washes over his skin, and Feyre chuckles at his reaction. Sensing the tension in the air, she rests a reassuring arm on his shoulder. “I like her too,” she confesses.

Though, both of them recognize that Azriel's feelings for you run deeper and in more intricate ways than Feyre's own fondness.

“I offered her a place in this court. She said she’d think about it. Maybe you can convince her? The same way you convinced her to come to Starfall,” Feyre says and then with one last pat on his shoulder, she makes her way back toward Rhysand.

Still recovering from the revelation of his own feelings, it takes a while longer for the weight of Feyre’s words to sink in. A mixture of surprise, uncertainty, and a flicker of hope plays out across his features. You weren’t planning on staying? The thought of you leaving–leaving him stirs a feeling in his chest. His eyes seek you out again but you’re no longer standing beside Elain.  

In your place, stands Lucien and normally the sight would trigger dark emotions from him. But now? He feels nothing. There’s no sense of envy. His affections have shifted elsewhere.

Azriel’s shadows fall to the floor, slithering against the cool tile like serpents of the night. They lead the way directly to where you stand, by the champagne table. He makes his way toward you and you're downing the rest of the liquid in your glass.

“Azriel.” You smile at him.

“It’s time for you to fulfill the promise you made me.”

“Of course,” you reply, offering him your hand.

Azriel gracefully pulls you into his embrace. One hand wraps around yours while the other rests on your waist. The enchanting melody guides your movements as the two of you glide across the floor.

“Feyre told me she offered you a role in this court.”

Your eyes, wise and mysterious, meet his, and he feels your body tense under his hold. “What else did she tell you?”

“That you’d think about it,” he says, the rhythm of the dance allowing for a moment of ease to settle between you. “You should stay.”

“Why?”

A wistful expression colors your features and the soft glow of stars are reflected in your eyes. The music comes to a gradual end and you free yourself of his hold before the next song begins.

“There’s no one here for me.” You admit and then give a small laugh as you look down. There's a deep, haunting sadness to your laughter, striking a chord within him.

“I’m right here.” 

Lifting your head back up, your eyes search his for something with a glimmer of hope. An eternity seems to pass in your gaze. A frown settles over your lips and he feels a tinge of sadness. Whatever you sought, it seems you did not find it.

Suppressing the surge of emotions within him, his hand reaches for yours again. He guides you to somewhere more private, toward one of the balconies that is off limits to the guests. “Talk to me,” he says, his words carrying an invitation for you to unburden your heart.

Your hands grip onto the railing before you and attention is directed up towards the night sky. He mirrors your actions, resting his hands close to yours. So close he can feel your warmth but not close enough to touch.

"It feels weird being here," you sigh deeply. "My mother and I used to sneak out of Hewn City on Starfall just to catch a glimpse of these migrating spirits every year...until she realized what I was. She said I was a curse, said she would turn me into Keir and let him have his way with me if I didn't leave."

Azriel's fingers clench into a white knuckled grip at your words.

"Not that leaving a horrible city such as Hewn was exactly a punishment. It was probably for the best. Still didn't stop me from being scared. It was the first time in my life that I was actually alone. I learned how to survive."

"I met the Suriel a year later. He must've taken pity on me and would visit me without being summoned. Sometimes, it'd be to tease me with some gossip. Other times, to annoy and chide me for my mistakes. Most importantly, he taught me how to not only survive on my own but live alone. I don't know, it's probably silly but I just felt a lot less lonely when I was actually alone than I do here."

“It’s not silly. I used to feel that way too.” Azriel admits and after a moment of silence, he’s turning toward you.  “Am I not your friend?”

“I don’t know,” you find yourself saying again, uncertainty clouding your expression. Pausing, you tear your gaze from the night sky to look at him. “Do you want to be?”

“Yes,” Azriel smiles at you. And so much more. 

You smile back at him but it doesn’t last long. Turning your head to face directly ahead, you bite the inside of your cheek in hesitation, revealing to Azriel that there’s more troubling you than your sense of loneliness.

“What else?” 

“There’s nothing else.”

“y/n.”

“I feel like a failure.”

Azriel's eyes widen, his heart sinking to his stomach. “You’re not,” he reassures quickly.

“I–I just,” you stammer, the weight of self-doubt evident in your voice. “It’s nearing four months since I’ve arrived, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface with Elain.”

“How long did it take you to harness your abilities?”

“Decades,” you respond, the admission carrying a hint of sheepishness. “But Elain is different. This is different. I don’t want to disappoint her. Disappoint Feyre. The world we know is crumbling apart, and we don’t have time. If–if we cannot fix it before it’s too late, I will have failed him.”

“Hey, look at me.”

When you don’t, Azriel lightly grips your chin, coaxing your gaze to him. “You’re here, aren’t you? You’re honoring his wish by just being here. Keep trying,” he encourages, wiping away your tears. “I’ll be here with you every step of the way. You’re not alone. We’ll face this together.”

“Together?”

He releases his hold on you, resting his hand once more on the rail. This time, it’s even closer to yours.

“Together,” he confirms, heart swarming with warmth when your hand bridges the gap between you and brushes against his. 

And finally, it seems your lonely days are through.

Azriel’s been in love before. Twice. Or at least, he thought it was love. One was unrequited, a silent ache he carried within. The other was forbidden, a love he had clung to with misguided hope. He was beginning to come to the begrudging conclusion that love was simply not meant for him.

Then, you came along. Strange as it seems, you've seemed to have brought back that old feeling to him, awakening something deep inside of him. And though he doesn't know what you did, he thinks--he hopes that you could be the one. The one to possibly release him from the chains of solitude and longing.

You've rarely left his mind since the night he met you. The echoes of your first words to him lingered in his mind long after your encounter, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Your voice was cloaked in both mystery and certainty, as though you held the threads of destiny within your grasp. It prompted him to ask who you were but your answer, “that’s for you to decide” only gave rise to more questions. 

Then, there was that smile. So beautiful, so hopeful. It etched itself into the recesses of his memory. It was a smile no one had ever bestowed upon him before and one he longed to see it again.

And he almost ruined it all–that day he snapped at you after a session gone wrong with Elain. Your intentions were always pure. He knew this. No one was at fault as everything that transpired between you and Elain was completely consensual. But the scream that tore through Elain sent him in a heightened frenzy. He had sworn to Rhysand and Feyre, his High Lord and High Lady, that he would protect Elain. Before he could properly assess the situation, he had roughly pushed you aside with a growl. The hurt that flashed in your eyes in response haunted him nearly every night.

You began to actively avoid his gaze and presence whenever possible, and guilt gnawed at him relentlessly. Even his shadows, missing your attention, seemed angry with him. Truth be told, he was angry with himself too. You had made friends with everyone. Everyone but him.

The following two weeks became a series of futile attempts at groveling, your obliviousness to it all cutting deeper than he cared to admit. The breaking point came when you missed dinner, and he knew it was time to set things right then. So he sent his shadows to look for you and when they reported back to him that you were sleeping in the library, he brought your dinner to you.

After that moment, the atmosphere between you two shifted. He became the chaser, gradually closing the distance between you.

You looked his way more, approached him with a newfound openness, and your conversations became more frequent. You teased him at times, even, with your cryptic words. But rather than frustrating him, it only made him seek you out more. He wanted to be the one to unravel the mystery that was you.

Somewhere down the line, his eyes stopped searching for Elain's. The private moments he sought with her became mere echoes of the past—no more lingering touches, exchanged glances, or pointless conversations. Instead, it was you who occupied the center of his attention, infiltrating his dreams and igniting desires he never knew he harbored.

You eased him like no other, effortlessly coaxing smiles and laughter from him. It was in these moments that the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning—he had never truly been in love during the first two instances. What he felt for you was different. He was unwilling to let his feelings linger in the shadows, as they had done before. He yearned for them to step into the light. To be acknowledged and acted upon openly.

He decided to wait until after Solstice to confess to you and hoped that your visions wouldn't give him away.

Laughter and clinks of wine glasses ring through the air. Azriel knows it’s time to open presents, his shadows singing loudly and overwhelming him with information. Cassian is sneaking a peak. Rhysand is rolling his eyes. Elain got Lucien a present. y/n is holding back tears.

Azriel tenses at the last bit of information, eyes immediately finding you. You’re seated beside Feyre–the two of you exchanging smiles. There’s an unwrapped present on your lap and his shadows dart toward it. It’s a small portrait of the Suriel. He hears you thank Feyre and he swears he can feel your ache of grief. He moves to stand from his seat but Elain stops him.

“Happy Solstice,” she says, holding out a small present. He takes the box albeit reluctantly but politely and opens it to find two tickets to an upcoming play. 

Elain smiles at the frown he’s trying to hide.

"Elain, I can't--"

“Y/n mentioned always wanting to go see a play. I thought maybe you could be the one to take her. After you confess."

His eyes search hers for any traces of hurt. He’s relieved when he finds none but the frown in his brow remains. “How–”

“She trained me well," Elain replies, eyes shining with an all knowing gleam he's seen in yours. "She deserves to be happy. You both do and something tells me that she’s the one you’ve been waiting for.”

Gods, you and Elain have been hanging out so much with one another that now she’s beginning to talk like you. There's a tightening in his chest, like a band about to snap at her words.

Azriel looks back at Elain in question but she only smiles at him once more before retreating back to where she was sitting previously. Next to Lucien, who also sends a smile his way.

Looking down at the tickets, he thinks of you again. His shadows stir, mirroring the strange sensation in his chest. It’s almost like a pull and his shadows guide him toward it, turning his head for him. Just in time to catch a glimpse of you quietly slipping away from the festivities. His steps quicken as he follows you, pulling his coat along with him.

The soft flakes of snow flutter down, a delicate dance in the winter night. Despite weeks of continuous snowfall, the enchanting beauty of it never fails to captivate you. It differs markedly from the unforgiving snowstorms you endured while wandering the Night Court's forests. Though just as cold, it prompts an involuntary shiver, a reaction to the biting chill in the air.

As the door behind you creaks open, a rush of warmth accompanies its movement. The scent of cedar invades your senses, growing more intense as you feel a fabric drape over your shoulders, bringing forth an intimate warmth.

"Hey," Azriel breathes, a visible puff of white escaping his lips.

"Hi," you smile back at him, your fingers instinctively reaching for the coat that draped over your shoulders. You can't help but notice the thin sweater he wears. "Won't you be cold, though?"

Azriel stops you, securing his coat back onto your smaller frame with a reassuring smile. “I grew up in a camp where it snowed a lot more than this. I’ll be fine.”

You look back up at the night sky. The stars are shining so bright. It makes you wonder if they ever tire. They seem to answer you as their radiant beams cast a celestial glow upon you. Your vision blurs in surrender.

“What are you seeing?” Azriel inquires, curious. He hopes it's not the confession he's aching to spill.

Your eyebrows knit together, and you close your eyes, immersing yourself in deciphering the messages woven between the stars. Upon opening your eyes, you turn to Azriel, a teasing smirk playing on your lips.

“You're going to get frostbite."

Azriel lets out an amused huff. "I don't care. As long as you're warm."

"We should head back inside," you suggest.

"No," Azriel insists, enfolding a wing around your form, anchoring you in place. His shadows can sense you don't want to go back inside yet. "I like being alone with you."

The wind nips at your cheeks, a sensation you welcome as it gives the perfect excuse for the blush creeping across your face. Tearing your gaze away from Azriel before he can discern his effect on you, you quietly share, "Nyx is going to say his first word in three days."

Azriel leans forward and you can feel his anticipation. A familial bet circulates among his uncles and aunts (save for Elain) regarding what the young heir’s first word will be. “What is it?”

“Cas.”

Azriel can't resist glancing back toward the house, his eyes narrowing with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. There, he catches a fleeting glimpse of Cassian playfully hoisting Nyx in the air, the two engaged in a lively game of chase around the living room. When he turns his attention back to you, mischief twinkles in your eyes.

“You’re lying.”

“You fell for it."

And that smile he’s been longing for since he met you graces your lips as you laugh. A sweet and beautiful sound that warms the winter air. Azriel's gaze dips toward your lips, captivated by the sound, before lifting back to meet your eyes. He leans in even closer.

“I fell for you.”

You also lean in, eyes never leaving his. "The answer is yes."

"What?"

Azriel nearly stumbles back, caught off guard, but you remain close, lifting a hand and cradling his cheek. It's surprisingly warm and he instinctively leans into your touch. His eyes widen. Did you—

“To you taking me on a date,” you reveal, your smile deepening, and he swears his shadows snicker in response. “The vision I just saw. It was of me and you at a theater. Next Friday at seven.”

“Next Friday at seven,” Azriel confirms, a tender affection lighting up his expression.

The air seems to shimmer with the promise of an enchanting future. You reach out, tugging at the bond in your chest. Once again, there is only silence. Yet, you can’t bring yourself to care anymore. Not when Azriel is gazing at you as though you are the very stars illuminating the night sky.

And then you're kissing him.

The snow crunches underfoot as Azriel moves, his usually keen senses dulled. His mind is elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of you. Even as the icy missiles fly past him, Azriel remains lost in the memories of shared glances and smiles and the way your lips felt so perfect against his last night.

For the first time in years, Azriel finds himself on the losing side of the annual snowball fight. Oddly, no disappointment lingers, even after meticulous planning for this anticipated victory. All he wants is to return home—to you.

Amidst the snowy chaos, revelation strikes him simultaneously with a snowball from Rhysand. The snap, the bond—everything falls into place. It all makes sense now. Your words when you first met. Elain’s words last night at Solstice. Why your presence thrilled and delighted him. Why he couldn't shake the feeling of love and adoration for you.

You are his mate. 

The one he had been longing and pleading for, and the realization left him breathless. He shakes the snow from his face and Rhysand blinks back at him in surprise. The High Lord had been expecting a glare but he only finds pure shock on Azriel’s face.

“Oh come on, I didn’t hit you that hard,” he teases.

“I have to go.”

“If you leave, you’re forfeiting,” warns Cassian, but the glint in his eye betrays a desire for Azriel to leave, eager for a victory.

“I yield,” Azriel says mindlessly, surprising even Rhysand. Feeling his friend's talons probing his mind, Azriel throws up his shields and disappears into his shadows, abandoning the snow-covered battlefield. He'll explain later.

For now, he has to find you.

His shadows winnow him back to the River house and he doesn’t have to look for long because there you are, making your way down the last step and standing in his path. There’s not much that surprises you but that has changed since meeting Azriel and this moment is no different. Your eyes are widening, mouth parting.

“Azriel," you say. "What are you doing here? I thought you were–”

“It’s you,” Azriel interrupts breathlessly as if he was running, chest rising and falling quickly in step with the erratic beating of his heart. He’s bridging the distance between you. “All this time. It’s been you.”

You swallow thickly. “You know?”

The glimmer of hope that had ignited during Starfall returns to your eyes, revealing a world he hadn’t realized existed. How could he have been so blind?

Azriel smiles at you and it’s as if that’s the last piece to the puzzle as the bond between you both comes to life, singing loudly against your chests. He pulls you flush against him and spins you around, eliciting a delightful squeal from you. Cradling your face in his hands, he kisses your forehead, then the corners of your eyes. He saves your lips for last, lingering in the sweet taste of them for a moment longer.

“You’re my mate,” he says quietly, leaning his forehead against yours.

“Yes,” you manage to whisper back, surrendering yourself to the depths of his mesmerizing hazel eyes, just like in the vision from months ago. And it’s not you who speaks again but Azriel.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

a/n: hope you all enjoyed this (: It took me longer to write than I thought because i'm used to writing more angst for Az than fluff but I wanted this to be different. It's canon that Elain found out that reader and Az were mates through a vision around the same time she decided to give Lucien a chance. I just want them all to be happy ♡ in terms of my ABBA x ACOTAR series, I think I'll work on another one for Cas next inspired by Honey, Honey. If you'd like to be tagged, just let me know!

tagging: @hellodarling1357

if you want to read more about Az x Seer reader, I wrote a couple of bonus scenes that didn't quite make the final cut. You can read them here.

[murdrdocs]

cuddling sex w mike. (18+)

one of those rare mornings where he doesn’t have work, waking up from a night where you’d both turned in way earlier than you anticipated. abbys still knocked out, and even if she isn’t she’ll keep to herself drawing or reading for another hour or so. and mike awakes first, he always does. he stirs, just enough to start to pull you from sleep, too. but you don’t come out of it immediately.

you sink back into mike, getting even more comfortable in the warmth that he provides, taking in the scent of detergent on his tee shirt and the slight musk from sleep sweat. it’s not until he starts to kiss at your shoulders that your eyes blink open. when his lips press behind your ear, your muscles beg to be stretched.

when his hand plants itself on your hip, you yawn a “morning” to him. by the time mike slides his palm around your torso, skin pressed against skin since your tee has lifted in your sleep, you’re preparing to slide out of bed. looking at the clock, taking note of how early it is, starting to create plans of breakfast and maybe a walk before having to actually do something.

but mike clearly has different plans. when your legs start to move, he presses his hand flat against your lower stomach, keeping you against him. “let’s stay here for a little.”

and you hum approvingly. but staying in bed for a little is a lot less falling in and out of sleep and maintaining lackluster conversation, and a lot more fucking with attempts to remain silent.

his cock sliding in and out of your walls, one of his rough palms holding your leg up and the other situated under the pillow that your head presses into. his breath is hot against the shell of your ear, his words low and his voice deep as he gently encourages you.

“there you go. taking me so well, baby. i know you just woke up but i had a dream about you, you know. we were just like this, but you’re taking me even better now then you were then. you're always making my dreams come true.”

it’s sweet, domestic even, despite the filthy way his balls slap against you with each thrust that gains strength the longer he goes. you’re thankful that the squeak in his bed is fixed, otherwise you’d be making a hell of a lot more noise at this point.

you find it harder to concentrate on your volume when mike gently nips at your ear, speaking lowly as close to you as he can get. “can you touch yourself for me? help me make my girl cum? hm?”

you nod, afraid that if you speak you’ll be too loud.

mike handles that for you, clearly having better volume control than you. you can hear the smile in his words.

“yeah? you can? go ahead then, baby.”

[pupkashi]

hiii can you do reader falling asleep at desk while studying and Gojo finds them?

hi hi !! i hope you enjoy this little sweet piece <3

it’s 4:38 am when satoru walks through the front door of your shared home, slipping his shoes off quietly and gently setting his keys down. he listens for any movement as he puts his jacket on the coat rack and makes his way into the kitchen.

satoru smiles when he sees some food you’d left out for him, heating it up and eating it quickly. he figures your asleep already, taking the liberty to shower and change in the restroom downstairs rather than the one in the bedroom so as not to wake you.

he expects to be greeted by a dark bedroom, with you asleep in bed or at least groggily greeting him as you sit up with the blanket drowning you. he doesn’t expect to see the light spilling from under the door, making him frown when he opens the door and sees the empty bed.

one look to his left answers all his questions.

on your laptop was a lecture video, still playing, notes sprawled around you as you peacefully slept against your now locked tablet.

he cringes a bit at the position your were in, knowing for a fact you’d have neck pain in the morning. satoru pauses your lecture video, starting it over and putting your laptop to charge.

“sweetheart, cmon let’s get to bed” he whispers, feathery touches gently bringing you back from your unconscious state. he’s quick to scoop you into his arms, carrying you as if you were feather light and placing you on the bed.

you open your eyes slowly, realizing you were no longer at your desk as you watch satoru put your things away for you, neatly organizing your paper notes and plugging in your tablet, switching your desk lamp off.

when he turns, he’s greeted by you sitting up, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. “good morning sweetheart” he whispers, kissing your forehead and coaxing you up, “cmon let’s get your contacts out and your teeth brushed.”

“what time is it?” you mumble, not bothering to fight him on studying more, seeing as though your battle with sleep had been lost long ago.

“almost 5 i think” he says, handing you your toothbrush as he grabs his. “thought you said you were gonna sleep early today” you don’t even need to look at him to see the pout on his glossy lips.

“was gonna, but then i realized it was a lot more material than i anticipated and ended up staying up” you mumble, “well i guess not staying up since i fell asleep.” satoru giggles softly, holding your hair as you rinse your mouth.

the two of you are in bed in the matter of minutes, satoru now in only boxers and you in one of his white t shirts that fits way too big on you. you let your head rest in the crook on his neck, hand finding its way around to the nape of his hair, messing with the damp snowy hair that found purchase there.

satoru all but purrs at the feeling, letting his hand run softly up and down your back. “you need to take more breaks, sweets” he mumbles, kissing the top of your head. you only hum in response, not bothering to open your eyes.

“shouldn’t be sleeping at your desk when there’s a bed as good as this one waiting for you” he’s looking down at you with a pout, and you can feel his gaze on you.

after a couple seconds you maneuver yourself to look at your lover, “how about when you work late I’ll try and be in bed by three, so you don’t have to worry your pretty head over me” you reason, sweetening him up by pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“three is so late” he huffs, letting himself indulge in your kisses. you roll your eyes at him, sitting up and straddling his hips to better kiss his cheeks.

“would you rather it be four?” you ask, making him quickly shake his head. “three it is then,” satoru catches your lips in his, smiling as you almost immediately kiss him back.

the two of you break away when you’ve ran out of breath, wrapping his arms around you and squeezing you tightly. “alright time to go to sleep” he mumbles, kissing your lips gently once more before you’re rolling off him and laying on your side, curling into him.

satoru is quick to get comfortable next to you, letting himself get as close to you as possible before his eyes are slowly closing.

the sun will rise in a short number of minutes, and it’s warm rays will kiss the two of you. but for now you snuggle into satoru’s warm embrace, smiling as his strong biceps work as your makeshift pillow, the smell of his body wash filling your nose.

for now you listen to him tell you about his day rather than recorded lectures, drawing circles subconsciously on his chest rather than in your notebook as you slowly doze off the steady beating of his heart.

masterlist

[stevenose]

rocks off (18+)

contains: steve x reader; reader with a vagina + breasts; no gendered language used for reader; idk what their dynamic is they be fucking tho; stressed out and in need of an epic handjob!steve; praise (steve receiving); perv!reader; cumming inside 😳

a/n: this is a lot longer than originally anticipated - i hope you enjoy!!

The air shifts the moment Steve’s car is thrown into park outside. You can feel irritation radiating off of him already - though maybe it’s just the knowledge that he worked a double, and he’s just getting home at ten in the evening.

You frown at the door, brows creasing when he finally gets inside. He doesn’t look at you at first - doesn’t seem to notice while he’s singing under his breath, kicking his Nikes off and ripping his vest from his chest.

“Bad day?”

Now he looks, glaring at you under thick brows. He sighs and runs a big, tired hand over his exhausted, pretty face. “The worst.”

“How come?”

“Because,” he starts, eyes diverting from you again to put his shoes in their place, “I had to kick middle schoolers out of the porn section, I totally got turned down by one of our hot regulars, and I had to work with Keith for the last three hours.”

You hum, watching him walk towards the couch, collapsing on it. He sighs and lets his head fall back, the pretty crown of hair cascading backwards. His pretty neck is ripe for the taking, unmarked by your lips.

“What can I do for you?”

He waves a hand, nostrils flaring with his exhale. “Just need to relax.”

You hum again, watching him intently, seeing if he’ll get the hint. His pretty brown eyes are half lidded as he watches whatever is on the television. You lick your lips.

Steve glances over at you. “What?”

“I can help with that,” you say softly.

He smiles lazily. “You gonna knock me out or somethin’ so I can sleep for once?”

For the horniest guy you know, he sure doesn’t get hints. “I was thinking more, like, making you feel good?”

Chestnut eyes widen. He licks his pink lips, tongue running over his stubble. “What would that entail?” he asks.

You bite your lip, eyes drifting downwards towards his jeans, and then back up. “Could help you cum if you want,” you whisper.

You watch his chest rise and fall. “And how would you do that?”

“Must be so tired. Bet jacking off would make you feel better, huh?“

You hear his breath hitch, watch his cheeks grow red. “Uh-huh,” he says softly.

“And you shouldn’t have to jerk off that heavy cock by yourself. Right?”

He takes a moment to find his words. “Right.”

You smile at him, crawling down the couch towards him. You prop your thighs on either side of his, straddling him. His hands come up delicately to hold your hips, his adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows anxiously.

“Let me take care of you,” you whisper.

Steve nods, looks at you like you’re the creator of the universe. Eyes sparkly, features tired. His thumbs rub over your hipbones, just barely obscured behind a pair of boxers.

“Can you take your cock out for me?”

He nods again, eager to please. His big hands leave your body to free himself. You sit up, giving him room to push his jeans and underwear down to his knees. Then you seat yourself back onto his hairy thighs, eyes fixating on his cock.

You’ve seen it before but it never fails to disappoint. So thick and long and you’re so sure it would be impossible to impale yourself on. Curves upwards, has a few pretty freckles on it, tip as pink as his lips. He’s only half hard and you’re still a little breathless over it.

You run your fingertips up the underside of Steve’s cock, along a vein that protrudes from his tanned skin. He sighs, hands finding their way back to your hips.

“So soft,” you moan quietly, wrapping your hand around his shaft and pumping a few times, watching him get harder. “Do you usually use spit or lube?”

Steve sort of chokes, eyes widening. “Uh - um - i-it depends.”

You wonder why he’s so anxious. You know he fucks. You can hear it through the thin walls of your apartment - you’ve touched yourself to the sound of it. It makes you feel important, him below you with flushed cheeks and golden eyes.

“Spit okay for now?”

He nods. Watches with wide-eyed wonder as you bring your hand up to your mouth, spitting into your palm, then bringing it back down towards his dick. The moment you wrap around him he gasps, a long moan finding its way out of his soft lips.

“Feels good?” you ask softly.

“Mhm.” He moans it out tightly, the muscles in his neck straining.

“Yeah? Good boy,” you coo.

Steve’s cock twitches in your hand. Your grip is firm, no teasing, as much as you’d like to wait until he’s begging and crying for something from you. His breath hitches again as his dark brows knit together.

“Have such a big cock, Steve,” you purr. “Probably why you get turned down, honey. Too big to take.”

Steve sighs, his eyes fluttering shut, his cock leaking significantly.

“Mhm,” you continue, “bet it’s got so much cum to give too, huh?”

“Oh my god,” he groans, his grip on your hips tightening. “Y-yeah, it does.”

You bite your tongue, but you say what you’re thinking anyway. “Where do you like to cum, Steve?”

“Inside,” he pants, face growing redder.

Your stomach flips. “Yeah?”

“Uh-huh.” He sounds so fucked out and it’s been two minutes.

“Anyone ever let you?”

He shakes his head. “Just - in a condom.”

You pout. “That’s not fair. Pretty cock like this shouldn’t be in a condom, Stevie.”

He’s panting, sweat glistening on his forehead. You watch him swallow hard. He’s speechless, doesn’t know how to react, but his cock certainly does. It pulses in your grip and you sigh dreamily, pulling away from him to stand.

“Where you goin’?” he asks, heartbroken.

You simply pull your boxers off before seating yourself back on him. Steve’s eyes drift downwards, and even if he can’t see much, he groans softly.

“Wanna see my tits?”

“Oh, please,” he whispers.

You throw your shirt off, too, naked on his lap now. Hand still stroking him in a steady rhythm. His hips rock into your palm as his eyes bore a hole into your chest.

“You can touch,” you goad.

His hands are so warm. You sigh as his fingers find your nipples, pinching them softly. And while he’s distracted, you move forward a bit, lift your hips, and bring the tip of his cock to your pussy.

Steve gasps just as you moan. His hands are back on your hips lightning fast, mouth hanging open. You rub his cock against your clit, your own mouth dropping with pleasure.

“H-holy sh-shit,” he breathes, hips bucking upwards involuntarily. His cock catches on your clit again and you sigh, arching your back, placing your free hand on the couch behind him for support.

“How long’s it been since you’ve touched a pussy raw?” you moan.

Steve whimpers. “I - I’ve never….”

“Should I stop?”

“No,” he whimpers, hips rocking. “Keep going, please?”

“Does it feel good?” His cock glides through your folds now, coating him in your cream. He doesn’t know where to look, but right now he’s fixated on where you both meet. “Bet it does. Feels so good for me.”

You spit on your palm again and take him back into your fist, jerking him off but letting the tip of him rub against your clit.

“And you’re good for me, Steve.” You lean forward, resting your forehead against his. He looks at you with adoration, eyes warm, honey-like. “Fuck, I want your cum. Can I have it?”

“Jesus Christ,” he moans, brows furrowing again. “Take it, need you to take it.”

“Want you to make a mess of my pussy, Stevie.” Your lips just barely brush against his. You ramp up the theatrics, moaning more, biting your lip and grinding your hips. “Wanna be the first person that feels your cum… want it so bad… wanna be a little stress toy for you.”

“Oh -!” He’s so turned on he can’t even finish his sentence. His face twists, panting, legs shaking under you.

And then - against your own better judgement - you bring the tip of his cock to your entrance. You’re entirely too tight for him but you still sink down just enough, enough to get half of the head of him inside. Steve nearly shouts, planting his feet and arching his back, his cock nestling a bit further inside. You hiss, but never stop jerking him off.

“Cum inside me,” you whine.

“Holy fuck,” he gasps. He has such a beautiful blush spreading down his broad chest. “Are - are you serious?”

You nod fervently. “‘s okay, ‘m on the pill, wanna feel you.”

Steve looks at you like you’re insane - because you are - but he never once attempts to stop you. In fact, his hips jut up a little further, burying the head of his cock inside of you deeper. The seal is almost certainly air-tight and your stomach flutters in delight.

“Be a good boy,” you purr. “Be such a good boy and cum for me, please Steve? Fuck, you’re so goddamn hot, honey. Don’t want anyone else having you like this.”

He nods, muscles tensing.

You clench around him and with one final stroke he cums. His hands grip the fat of your hips harshly - enough to bruise - and you have to follow his hips upwards to stop him from splitting you open.

“Good baby such a good boy Steve so fucking hot,” you babble, cunt pulsing. His cum spreads through you, hot and thick and it’s so goddamn much. Must’ve been backed up, hasn’t cum in a while. Really needed this.

You breathe against each other’s mouths as he comes down from his high, hands still clenching your sides. Steve doesn’t seem to want to let you go. Actually, it seems like he would love nothing more than to plant his feet and fuck his bad day right into your cunt. But he lets you lift off after a minute, watches with hooded eyes as his cum slowly drips out of you.

“That good for you?” you ask, pushing his hair back away from his sweaty face.

Steve swallows hard, nodding. “Really good.”

“Feeling better?”

He nods again. You can see his brain is trying to turn on again and you smile, kissing his forehead.

“Glad I could help.”

[bb-azurite]

Velvette regrets teaching Vox that word.

Part 2 to my previous post. I'm happy with how this turned out but wow this took a lot longer than anticipated.

Part 3

[coryosbaby]

We need part 2 of that sub!coryo pls 😩😩

ᴛʜᴀᴛ’ꜱ ʜᴇʀ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ, ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀ !

synopsis: Coriolanus will do anything to get to the top, right?

content warning . Power dynamics, edging, bondage, use of toys (ballgag + vibrator), degradation and praise . Dom! Reader, sub! Coryo

Notes: subcoryosubcoryosubcoryo !!! <333

He comes to you at midnight.

The walk to your apartment from Coriolanus’ own is not far, a mere few blocks over. When he gets there— knocks, greets you like the polite boy he is— he begins to unbutton his shirt. It’s an immediate demand from you, something that he suspected you would want the moment he walked through the door. He slips off his shoes, his suit, his ratty overused shirt. He looks away shyly, as if he’s not one of the most gorgeous men to ever walk the earth. It’s as if every ounce of his ego leaves the moment he enters your room.

He slips his underwear down his legs. Crawls onto your silky expensive sheets. You watch with a pleased smile, peeling off your red slip to bare your body to him. He gulps, his eyes never leaving the spot in between your legs.

You straddle him, just above his knees, not quite touching his cock yet. He bites his lower lip and blushes like a schoolgirl.

“Have you been a good boy?” You ask him, with precision. With calculation. With practice. He nods, and although he’s nervous like always, he grabs your perfectly manicured hand. He brings one of your fingers up to his mouth, suckles it with his soft pink tongue.

“Yes.”

You let him taste your digits for a little while longer, let him get used to this headspace you’ve taught him to embrace so openly. When he pulls the digits out of his mouth, your hands move up to stroke his blonde curls.

“My uncle has been treating your family well, I hope?”

Your uncle is one of the men you referred Coriolanus to, as a reward for letting you use his body for his own pleasure. The boy finds that he may like this situation a lot more than he thought. Your cunt is exquisite, your way of fucking so primal and raw. He’s completely infatuated with it. And the way you treat him, the way you care for him in such a way, makes him forget. Makes him forget his responsibilities, his past, his worries. He can let go when he’s with you, in more ways than one.

With fluttering lashes, he nods. His tongue brushes over his lip as he watches your naked cunt in between your legs.

“Very well.”

“And what do we say, for someone going out of their way to get you that position?”

He playfully lifts the back of your hand up to his mouth, and presses a kiss to it with soft, plush lips.

“Thank you, mistress.”

—

It’s not long before you’ve got the boy tied up. Red rope contrasts against pale white skin as the boy’s wrists twist and turn in the restraints. It was his idea, this bondage technique that leaves him completely helpless, and you know once again that the boy is a lot darker than you anticipated.

He’s got a vibrator pressed to his swollen, aching cock, held to it by an elastic band that’s just a bit too tight around his skin. A blue ballgag sits in between his pretty lips, and it’s caked with drool and spit. You lean down to lick it up, pressing a kiss to his cheek as you turn off the vibrator for a third time tonight. Tears pool on the boys crystalline lashes, a small whimper leaving him when you turn the device back on again with the remote in your hand.

“So handsome like this, Coryo,” you praise him, your nails scarping against his bare thigh. “Like a pretty painting. I’d love to keep you here forever.”

Coriolanus wouldn’t mind that, though he’s scared to admit such a thing to you. His hips thrust against the vibrator as you continue speaking to him in that sweet tone.

“You know I want to let you cum. But we need discipline. Don’t we, darling? We need to be patient, to work hard for what we want.”

He nods. He understands perfectly, and you don’t think you’ve ever had a boy in your bed so obedient. It’s not what you originally anticipated, given Coriolanus’ selfishness and greed. But you assume that his need to please has to form somewhere— and you’re so glad that it has formed in your bed.

You’re aroused to no end, watching him struggle. Your fingers move down to rub your swollen clit between your fingers. Coryo’s eyes focus only on that movement.

You can see him getting close again, can see that familiar twitch of his cock right before his release. You turn the toy off again. He cries out, his wrists pulling against the restraints vigorously. He’s like an animal, twitching and moaning. You know that if he somehow releases himself from those ropes that you won’t be able to stop him from fucking his cock into your drenched heat.

He tries to say something through the gag, but you ignore him. If he really needed to tell you something, he would knock on the wood of your headboard. You stick a finger inside yourself, swirling your release around and getting the digit nice and wet. Coriolanus can’t completely part his mouth due to the ballgag, but there is an open space on the sides that gives you access to the inside of it. You stick your finger in that space, rub your wetness on the inside of his cheek. His tongue can’t taste it due to the ballgag pushing it down, and he has no choice but to leave your slick there, untouched.

The tears fall harder now.

It goes on like this, his release being denied again and again while you spread your cunt to him and get him all desperate and hot. The tip of his cock is so red that it’s almost purple.

Until it comes to one point, when the boy can’t seem to take it anymore. His orgasm hits before you can even notice it, and his cum squirts out of his cock in thick, heavy streams. You turn the vibrator off mid orgasm, and he flails helplessly as his high is ruined. He sobs through the gag, begging you to let him cum again, to let him feel you. Your cunt has been neglected for so long that you can’t help but say yes.

You remove the vibrator from him, taking note of the faint line from the band cutting off a bit of circulation. You rub him with your palm to get him all squirmy again, let his cock sit proudly against his stomach for a second time. You straddle his thighs, grabbing his cock from underneath you and positioning it at your entrance. His head tilts back, his breathing uneven and heavy. You sink down onto him with ease.

His cock is so thick, so long, and it fills up your cunt perfectly. Your thighs bounce up and down on him, your wetness leaving a creamy ring around the base of his cock, and the boy can’t do anything but take it. He wants to touch you so badly, to feel your tits that are practically bouncing in his face. But he knows that the feeling of being helpless, of not being able to move, makes the restraints all worthwhile.

Your ass slaps against his thighs as you ride him, the feeling of his heavy balls hitting you making you quiver with arousal.

“So good,” you moan out to him, as you watch his pretty, blushing face. “Oh, coryo. Your mistress is so proud of you.”

He whimpers, and wants to say thank you, but to no avail. You pull him in for a kiss. It’s an odd one, because of his lips being spread apart by the gag, but you do it anyway. You bury your face into his neck and reach down to rub your own clit. Coryo watches with a glazed, fucked out expression. You can feel yourself getting close, your cunt clenching down on him. Coryo desperately tries to hump against your pussy, tries to aid in getting you there, to that special peak that only he can bring you. His thrusts are weak, however; he’s close himself, the overstimulation now giving way to something incredible. He knows he’s going to fill your cunt to the brim.

“Coryo,” you groan out, desperate. “I’m gonna cum. Gonna cum around your fat cock. Do you want that, sweet boy? Do you want your mistress’ cum?”

He nods, fucking his hips up eagerly, as if to say “give it to me. Give it to me now.”

And you do. That coil in your belly snaps, white hot heat coursing through your veins as you ride out your orgasm. Coryo’s cock kicks at the feeling of your pussy squeezing him, and he practically screams as his second orgasm washes over him. Your cunt milks him with everything it has, his warm spend kissing your cervix and leaving you satiated.

When you slow, the boy’s eyes are closed and he’s breathing shallowly. He must be tired, so incredibly tired.

His used, softening cock slips out of your hole when you move off of him. His cum drips sticky strings onto the bedsheets below you, and your filled hole gives you content.

Your fingers gently undo the ropes around Coryo’s wrists. He groans as his sore arms are finally able to relax, his eyes still shut as he moves in and out of a post orgasm sleep. Your hands remove the ballgag, too. You move the objects off the bed and watch as the boy curls up on his side. You find it quite endearing, and you smile.

After you clean up, pee, and find a new pair of pajamas to sleep in, you slip into bed. Coriolanus has never stayed the night before, but there’s always a time for firsts, right?

Soft snores leave his mouth, spit leaking from the corners of his mouth. His body turns over, and his head rests gently on your tummy. He sleepily mumbles, something almost incoherent but you understand anyway.

“Thank you, mistress.”

[ew-selfish-art]

Dpx Dc AU: Ectoplasm is required for Ghosts to be visible to the human eye- And Danny creates his own ectoplasm.

Danny is visiting Jazz in Gotham and its weird how friendly everyone is. Like, the city gets a really bad rapport, everywhere he goes there is someone trying to strike up a conversation or answer his questions about getting around to the tourist spots. A few people even pointed out restaurants and ways to find off the beaten path gems! Jazz seems to role her eyes at him, but when he brings up her 'roommate' being kind of cute she flat out laughs.

Danny then comes to understand the Jazz doesn't have a roommate and that Ghosts in Gotham don't move far from their haunts- He's just been inadvertently turning these undead folks visible by accident of generating abnormal amounts of ectoplasm.

Which, is comforting in a way, he's never walking this dangerous city alone and really, most of the ghosts have been really friendly! They disappear once he's a few blocks away from them anyway.

---

Tim Drake is having a horrible day.

He'd been given intel that one of Black Mask's guys was going to snitch but that he'd died before given the opportunity to reach out to the GCPD. He tracks down the guy's last know whereabouts and yikes. Its next to the Theater. Tim was often grateful for his childhood obsessions, this time it backfired.

Tim and Bruce get into an argument about trust and respect and, worst of all, mental health. And even though Tim was vehemently against Batman accompanying Red Robin to the alleyway - that's exactly what happens.

They arrive and Bruce is closing up faster than a clam in the contaminated Gotham Bay- Clearly being in the Alley bothers him. No fucking shit. RR gets started on collecting evidence, there are a few extra blood splatters and a single left shoe... When a kid walks into the Alley.

"Uh, sorry to intrude-" The kid looks scared shitless, and runs away. And then, all of a sudden, Batman and Robin aren't alone in the Alley.

Tim can hardly believe his eyes as the dead man appears and quickly blabs Black Mask's bank passwords and what the plan had been- and While he's over joyed to have that closure, he turns around to Batman weeping in the arms of his parents.

The ghosts fade, and the emotions are certainly charged as this was never something Bruce or Tim would have ever dreamed of happening. Ghosts in Gotham. Talking, floating, granting closure.

"RR, Bats, come in." Oracle calls into their ears.

"Reporting in, but, uh, we need a minute."

"A minute? We have a case on 4th and-"

"O, we just saw the ghosts of the Waynes. It's going to be a minute."

"...Lots of Ghost reports lately then. Any chance you saw a kid looking like he could be adopted?"

"Yeah, actually, black hair and blue eyes. He was super polite before he ran away."

"We have work to do. Oracle, lets prioritize finding our person of interest and divert Nightwing and Robin to the case on 4th." Batman cut between them on the comms and he sounded... calmer than either of them anticipated.

---

Jazz is no longer laughing when Batman appears at her door explaining that he's looking for Danny (Who already flew away from town to get a good night's sleep before class on Monday). Turns out Danny reunited the man with his dead parents just briefly- and then the second guy appears and mentions how Danny had also given a guy who'd been murdered by a Mob enough time to explain the ongoing threats the city faced.

Jazz just rolls her eyes and says that it's not like the ghosts are going anywhere anytime soon and Danny will visit in another month. When pressed, she just explains that her brother is a weirdo. No of course he doesn't have powers. Gaslight and Girlbosses her way out.

And Jazz thinks that the game is up for at least another month, obviously when Danny visits more shit will stir up, but then this new guy appears.

Unlike the other Bats who are keen on watching her from a distance, the Red Hood knocks on her door. Are her eyebrows all the way into her hairline when Red Hood asks her to send his thanks along to Danny because somehow this whole situation led to his Dad expressing remorse for his actions and apologizing? Yes, yes they are.

But Jazz can smell Dissertation Data off of these vigilantes- Who is she to send them away? Jazz welcomes Red Hood into her place for a cup of tea and a small chat.

The story then devolves into Jazz getting shit done, Danny being cute by proximity and also bringing ghosts to the party, and the Bats having trauma resolve between them.