#wherever you are in the cosmos...

[pixelsinmyveins]

♪

[starstruckodysseys]

i say i’m listening but i’m actually thinking about “there’s other partners, but none of them are you, jack” instead

[multi-fandom-imagine]

Zeus for the ‘favorite places’ series? 🥺🥺 I binged those this morning and I LOOOOOVE the way you write passion. So adoring yet feverish!! I love love love porn with FEELING lol and you’re so good at that

A/n: I can do that 🫡 but that is so sweet because i do not think I write good at smut.

ZEUS’S FAVORITE PLACES TO BE INTIMATE WITH YOU — HIS WIFE

As the King of the Gods, Zeus is a being of storm and splendor, thunder and warmth — but with you, his beloved wife, he becomes something else entirely. Not just ruler, not just god. With you, he becomes a man who craves closeness, who finds solace and longing in the shared hush between heartbeats. And though Olympus stands tall and proud above all, there are sacred places scattered across realms where he chooses to love you fully — not just with his body, but with the storm of his soul.

1. The Peak of Mount Olympus – Under the Stars

At night, when the stars burn like diamonds against velvet, Zeus leads you to the highest point of Olympus, where the air hums with celestial magic and the wind carries only silence and starlight. It’s not just the height or grandeur that draws him here — it’s the way the heavens curve around you, like the cosmos bends just to witness your union.

He wraps you in his cloak, warm as lightning and soft as summer air, and lays you down atop white marble warmed by divine fire. Here, he takes his time. His touch is reverent, worshipful. He traces constellations across your skin with kisses, naming stars after the places you make him feel. His voice, deep and thunderous, grows hushed when he murmurs your name against your throat — the sound echoing across the night sky like prayer.

Here, he is not just the God of Thunder.

He is yours.

2. In the Heart of a Storm

There’s a wildness in him that few understand — but you do.

When storms rage over the sea or sweep through ancient forests, Zeus sometimes appears to you in a flash of lightning and wind. He pulls you close, into the eye of the storm, where the world holds its breath. The sky roars with power, yet here — in his arms — there is a furious kind of peace. Rain lashes the earth, thunder splits the heavens, and still, all he sees is you.

He kisses you with the intensity of crashing waves, pressing you against stone, tree, or temple — wherever nature shelters you. His passion in these moments is raw and consuming. His hands grip like a tempest, his mouth seeks yours like lightning to earth, and his voice — low and commanding — promises you’re the calm he’ll always come back to.

These are moments when his divinity crackles at the surface.When even the heavens blush at how deeply he worships you.

3. The Garden of Hesperides – Among the Golden Apples

Hidden beyond mortal eyes, the Garden of Hesperides is a place of eternal twilight and impossible beauty. It is one of your favorite places — so he’s made it one of his, too. The golden apples glint in the dusk-light, and the air smells like sweet ambrosia and spring rain.

Here, he is gentle. There’s a serenity in his movements as he guides you through flowering trees and glowing fruit, until you find a bed of soft moss beneath a canopy of blossoms. You laugh as he lays you down and crowns you with a garland of moonflowers. He touches you like you’re the most fragile secret he’s ever been entrusted with. The leaves rustle above like the hush of wings, and his whispers bloom along your skin.

This is where he shows you tenderness.Where even the King of the Gods bows to the sanctuary of your body.

4. In the Hall of Stormlight – Your Private Chambers in Olympus

Not even the other gods may enter here.

This chamber was crafted by Zeus himself, just for you. The walls are made of etched stormglass, shimmering with soft golden light that shifts with the sky. Your bed is draped in silk woven from starlight and thunderclouds. Every detail reflects you — his queen, his lightning, his steady flame.

Here, the intimacy is slower. Sacred. He takes his time unwrapping you from layers of robes and jewels, telling you how radiant you look in the flicker of candlelight. His hands memorize every inch of you like scripture, and when he presses his lips to yours, it’s not as a god. It’s as a man who would kneel at your feet just to hear you sigh his name.

In this room, you are the only thing that can bring a god to his knees.

5. Beneath the Sacred Olive Tree – The Old Earth’s Heart

Far from Olympus, in a secret grove blessed by Gaia, there stands an olive tree older than time itself. You found it together centuries ago, and ever since, it’s become your secret — a place where his divinity dims, and all that’s left is love.

He brings you there when the world becomes too loud, too heavy. He lays beside you in the grass, dappled sunlight playing across your bare skin as birds sing in distant branches. His love here is slow and sun-drenched — the kind that tastes like honey and warmth and roots grown deep.

Sometimes, he doesn’t say a word. Just holds you close as his fingers tangle in your hair and your heartbeats echo through the hollow of the earth. Here, you are not Queen of the Gods. And he is not Thunder incarnate.

You are simply two souls — ancient, entwined, and utterly devoted.

6. Inside a Temple Built in Your Honor – Lit by Flickering Flame

Tucked deep in a sacred valley stands a temple Zeus commissioned long ago — not for himself, but for you. Your likeness is carved into marble columns, your name etched into the altar where offerings of rose petals and honey are still made. But Zeus’s favorite part of the temple isn’t the grandeur. It’s the quiet hush that falls when he draws you into the inner sanctum, the way his hand slides into yours with reverence, like he’s returning to holy ground.

He kneels before you — not as king, but as a man who has loved you across millennia. And when he presses his forehead to yours beneath the low glow of candlelight, everything becomes still. He shows his devotion not with words, but in the slow way he holds you, the way his touch echoes ancient vows. Time forgets itself here.

This is where his love becomes ritual.

7. Inside the Eye of a Lightning Bolt – Between Seconds

Time doesn’t move here.

Caught between the strike of lightning and the moment it touches earth, Zeus pulls you into a place where nothing exists but you and him. Suspended in the raw pulse of energy, you float within silver fire and gold sparks, wrapped in his arms and cloaked in something divine.

He touches you like lightning dances — electric, precise, and impossibly fast, yet gentle in a way that surprises even him. The heat is not burning, but igniting. Every look he gives you is a flash. Every breath, a rumble of coming thunder.

When he kisses you here, it steals your breath and replaces it with stars.

This is where he lets you see him — not just as king, not even as a man — but as the storm incarnate. And he gives himself to you anyway.

Zeus may rule the skies and shape the fates of mortals and gods alike. But when he looks at you, there is only one truth.

You are his storm and his stillness. His wild and his home.

And wherever he loves you — whether under stars or amidst thunder —

He does so as if the heavens themselves were made jealous.

[eclipseberrycake]

Poly! MoonBerryCake x Reader

I took some inspiration from @huneybeen who wrote this first so please please dont hate me but I've been thinking about them for the past 3 days and I needed to word vomit.

...K thanks bye.

Divider Credit: @sister-lucifer

☁ The dynamic of this alone is something I'd like to touch on especially because it's so fun to me.

☁ I imagine if anything the reader would be a common toon, so that changed things. You have two mains, Astro and Sprout, and two commons, yourself and Cosmo.

☁ You and Cosmo probably meet first because of that. You get close because of similar interests and stay close during runs.

☁ To add an extra layer to this, imagine Distactor! Reader too? Licking my fingers at this.

☁ Cosmo thought he had just gotten a new friend! He loves giving them treats and using them as a taste tester and even taking naps together wherever possible! It's great!

☁ Until...it's not? Why are you taking off? Why do the trinkets hooked onto your belt look suspiciously like the ones Goob and Tisha are known to use? Why are you actively getting the Twisteds attention?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

☁ The first time he sees you distract is a little stressful for poor Cosmo. The second you're back in the elevator and it clinks shut, he is whirling on you and demanding an explanation.

☁ He's so exasperated that he's left speechless when you simply smile up at him, still high off adrenaline, while talking a mile a minute about how much fun that was.

☁....Are you insane?

☁ That being said, after the fact, Cosmo is literally your personal healer. He is constantly fighting Toodles the other toons for heals, not for himself, not really, but so he's never left with nothing to give you.

☁ That's probably when he realizes he has an initial crush on you. He's mid-way through using a med-kit on you, on a floor high enough he can see the running starting to effect you. You're sluggish and fatigued and can't chug pop fast enough. It makes his chest ache at the sight before he's swallowing his nerves and wrapping his arms around you.

☁ "You're doing great. Thank you for the work you do."

☁ Feeling you melt against him made every grueling floor worth it in that moment. The draining yank of his own health leaving him to go to you through every new treat was far beyond repaid. He would do it a million times over for you if only for a smidge chance at this moment again.

☁ The run was finished soon after that, and you were quick to express your thanks towards him after that. Safe to say, if you thought he was clingy before, that was nothing. It's like he literally took an invisible chain and connected it between you two and you just haven't found it yet.

☁ He's always there with a smile and a treat and a snuggle if time and twisteds permit.

☁ Now, some world building for ya. I imagine that the OG Twisteds of the mains you see, are the real mains until that research is completed. Then Dandy lets you purchase an...un-twist antidote or something and that's when they come back. It's fun to me >:(.

☁ Following this, most people are gonna assume Sprout comes first.

☁ WRONG. I got Astro first so guess whose coming back. Astro.

☁ When Astro comes back, he's evidently shaken by the whole ordeal. The mains probably didn't know the commons overly well unless they were explicitly paired together. Like Sprout and Cosmo in that one animation, or Glisten and Vee, etc. Astro isn't seen with any commons, as far as I know, so he's probably a little lost and feels like an outsider.

☁ While he's recovering he's banned from any runs. Point blank period. However, that means he's alone while the commons are all out scavenging for research.

☁ Guess who comes in? Guess :)

☁ It's you!

☁ Unlike Cosmo, there are other distracting toons. Tisha and Goob both are more than happy to take some shifts while you stay back to recover yourself. Unfortunately, there's only one Cosmo, so he's left going on the runs as a healer and leaving you behind. You always see him off though, giving him pecks on the cheek before he's stepping into the elevator.

☁ You take the time to wander through Gardenview, eyeing each room as you pass before blinking at the infirmary. The new toon was in there.

☁ Astro half expected you to just continue on, regardless of if he was there or not. He was fine on his own, even if it wasn't his favorite. It reminded him too much of when he was... Of before.

☁ But you poked the top of your head in the doorway, your eyes being the only part of you visible. He blinked at the action, making eye contact. Your head tilted at the action and his own mirrored it. It made you giggle as you disappeared back around the door.

☁ Despite it, Astro found himself smiling at the action. what an odd toon you were.

☁ He never heard your footsteps disappear however, stunning himself when you popped your eyes back in, gleaming with mischief. The rest of you stepped in right after, pressing a finger to your lips with a humorous little wink. "Wanna sneak into the kitchen and steal some cookies?"

☁ Needless to say, he found himself in the kitchen, sitting beside you with a cookie jar shaped like a suspicious, rainbow petal'd plant sat between you munching on cookies that looked a little too familiar for comfort.

☁ You filled the silence whenever something popped into your brain, talking about things you felt he should know for whatever reason. He now knew all about Rodger and Glisten and Teagan's tension, which he wouldn't have guessed, and all about Gigi's...problem with misplaced objects. He even knew about your own rumors that laid hushed in the walls, spoken like they were about someone else.

☁ "Yeah! People keep saying Cosmo and I are a thing but he's never asked so until then, that's a no."

☁ He hummed at the time, even if some part of him felt a bit relieved at the information.

☁ By the time he was cleared to go on runs, you were bouncing up and down by his side excitedly, trinkets clinking from where you had hooked them onto your waist, with Cosmo excitedly grinning behind you.

☁ He liked seeing you two like that.

☁ Now. Sprout. Mr. Seedly.

☁ He's last to join. Astro helps with this tremendously. When you're downed from a surprise Shrimpo attack, clutching your arm as Ichor pooled over, Cosmo is quick to try and jump in to help, only for a twisted clone of himself to turn and lock in onto him.

☁ As much as I love to proclaim "Distractor! Cosmo!" he's not actually a distractor. So, he has to run to lose the twisteds quickly before getting bit himself. This is where Astro comes in. Not only does he quickly re-energize both you and Cosmo, he is able to give you a momentary heal, letting you run off, air horn blazing, while hiding in the back to turn his attention to Cosmo.

☁ Whatever pieces you or Cosmo may lose, Astro picks up. Yet, not all of them seem to click into place just yet.

☁ When the elevator stills and you all hear the telltale steps, Astro is quick to grab your shoulders and spit all sorts of warnings. "Watch the tentacles. You'll know where they're going to appear. Don't try to test them. It's not worth it." "He's slow but don't take that for advantage. He will find a way to keep up." "Ignore every other twisted. We can handle them."

☁ Blinking, he watched you slowly nod before blinking and giving a much more firm acknowledgement. "Understood."

☁ When the elevators opened, Astro watched as you quickly got Sprout's attention, darting around a budding pile of ichor before sharply turning the other way. The reason why quickly became apparent when a twisted Teagan turned the corner, which Goob quickly took away.

☁ Nodding to himself, Astro found himself turning to face Cosmo, who looked terrified at the what just happened. Did he look that way when Astro was...That way with him? He hoped not.

☁ Frowning, he gripped his blanket tighter before letting out a breath, extending one of his hands through the opening towards Cosmo. The other looked at it with wide eyes before his eyes upturned to look at Astro's. "I'll stay with you the entire time."

☁ They had to follow you after all.

☁ They stayed a good distance away from where you and Goob were distracting (which was rather entertaining to watch actually), grabbing capsules wherever possible and tossing healing treats to you both as you passed.

☁ It was a rather seamless process actually up until the elevator timer began, sending the other toons of the squad running. Cosmo, who had been waiting for Astro to finish the last machine, seemed to halt before Astro was urging him forward, steeling himself to stay behind. "They'll run out of stamina before getting to the elevator. We'll be fine!"

☁ Albeit hesitantly, Cosmo did turn and run, finding safety next to Rodger while Astro stayed a ways away outside. Goob was quick to return, free of twisteds, but looking no less stressed. "They were far! Sprout cut off their exit!" Goob quickly explained, twiddling his fingers in front of him.

☁ Astro nodded before instructing him to stand in the elevator as well just in case.

☁ As the seconds ticked down, Astro was seconds away from stepping just far enough to remain out of Goob's range just in case when you came skidding around a corner. He could tell you were running on low as you kept looking back, narrowly avoiding Sprout's clawed grasp. Waiting until you were close enough, he let his power thrum along the ground, watching as you immediately perked up.

☁ Goob took this as a signal, or maybe you gave him one, as you quickly moved to push Astro forward, right into the awaiting arms as you continued towards the elevator. Just as the elevator began to close, you dove, making it just under the steel metal as it slammed shut behind you.

☁ You were panting as you laid on the ground, the entire elevator silent save for your heavy breaths and the sound of Dandy preparing for his arrival.

☁ Cosmo was quick to jump onto you, hurling threats of no more heals if you ever tried anything like that ever again. You took it with grace, gently resting a hand on his head as he cried into your shoulder. Your eyes angled back, catching his and extending your free hand. "You can't fool me. I know that scared you too."

☁ If Astro moved forward to take your hand, sitting close enough to you his knees brushed your shoulders.

☁ You had gotten what you needed though, evident with the glower Dandy shot at you, hidden behind a plastic smile.

☁ Getting Sprout back was harder than getting Astro back, admittedly. You had explained that when getting a main back, you kept most of the toons behind simply for everyone's sake. Distractors, Cosmo and fast extractors was where you drew the line.

☁ Which Astro understood. But didn't like. However, that being said, his power made him a valuable asset, which he used to argue his point. When you acquiesced, he nearly cheered, triumphantly trekking into the elevator with Cosmo by his side.

☁ To say this was like the previous runs, but on some sort of crack would be an understatement. It was fast. It was grueling. It was a thing of constant motion with machines constantly being done and the elevator a repeating pattern of opening and closing.

☁ There were no jokes like usual. There was no chatting. There was a new tension among the people in the elevator, simply waiting for the countdown before starting it all over again.

☁ Cosmo ensured he stuck beside Astro the entire time, remaining a rock the entire time while you were busy. They kept close enough they could rush to you should the need arise, and have a few times, but stayed within hands reach of each other.

☁ By the time they reached floor 24, with all of you tired and injured to some extent, the sound of his steps were both a welcome reprieve and a dreaded expectation.

☁ You were the one trusted with the serum, clutching it tightly as you glared at the elevator before you were turning to look at Cosmo and Astro over your shoulder. "Stay safe, please. Don't wait for me."

☁ It was a harrowing ask, but not one they could linger on as the elevator opened and you took off.

☁ But then the lights went out.

☁ And then they heard Sprout let out a shrill roar signaling he spotted you.

☁ Then they heard the snarling of Pebble signaling he too also spotted you.

☁ That was all they needed before the group of them dispersed, eager to complete the machines as quick as possible before you paid the price for their lack of action.

☁ One by one each ticked off before the elevator was reopening and they all rushed back to the elevator. Goob, Cosmo and Astro stood right up at the lip of the elevator, eyes darting for you. You appeared much quicker, both Pebble and Sprout on your heels as you did.

☁ You dropped a quick smoke bomb, loosing both of their attentions as you quickly rounded around a counter. Pebble let out a snarl as he ran off in the other direction. He didn't get far before hearing you move and it was like a movie.

☁ You moved, launching at Sprout with the Serum poised and ready while Pebble snarled, rushing to catch you. You managed to catch Sprout, digging the spout of the needle into his neck before being chucked off, making you scramble as you quickly darted back around the counter. Astro let his power thrum as Goob snapped his arms out, Cosmo catching you as you ran into the elevator while Goob's arms snapped back. The elevator snapped shut as Glisten moved to end the run and send the elevator back up, both you and Cosmo moving to where Goob cradled an ichor riddle body.

☁ You quickly let Cosmo do what he needed too, diverging to wrap your arms around Astro, who's eyes were locked onto Sprout.

☁ He spent the night with you and Cosmo, both of which he dragged out of your rooms to sleep in his that night.

☁ Sprout's recovery is quicker than Astro's, as he's a toon made for healing. He's up and bitching before any of you can stop him.

☁ Cosmo is his first stop, duh, they're canonically very close, with Astro a close second as he would know the other main. But you? Sprout's got no idea who you are.

☁ So he's a little stand-offish. He sees you interacting with Cosmo and sees you with Astro, and both seem to thoroughly enjoy your company, but he also saw you when he was a twisted.

☁ You were a dumbass if he had anything to say about it.

☁ You'd see someone way down a hallway and risk running into a wall to avoid them getting maybe even possibly spotted. He'd seen you eat enough chocolate bars to make him sake just to stay just in front of Pebble. He'd seen you slip on a stray jumper cable only to get right back up and do the same thing when you rounded around.

☁ He wasn't sure he wanted that rubbing off on him.

☁ But you stuck around. When Cosmo wanted to bake, you were the first to get a bit of the final product. When Astro wanted a nap, you were right there with a blanket, acting as a pillow while you napped with him.

☁ Even on runs, you were quick to come to his aid, taking back the twisteds once he'd gotten his aggro-tapes. All with a stupid smile.

☁ He kind of hated that smile.

☁ Man this is getting LONGGG

☁ Anyway, how would you and Sprout bond? Uh, the common denominators silly!

☁ You were injured on a previous run, bad enough to warrant bed rest decrees from both Cosmo AND Astro. Lucky you!

☁ Sprout had only been cleared for basic runs and this was another possible retrieval run, which you heavily protested against with not only you injured but your second healer still on probation.

☁ Still, they went on with it. You and Sprout were left in the infirmary, awkward silence settling between you. Neither of you knew what to say from there. Your buffers were gone.

☁ With a huff, you sat up, running a hand down your face before turning to face Sprout. Who was watching you.

☁ He watched you like a hawk, watching as you swung your feet off the bed and slowly stood like a shaky new born fawn. "Cosmo's not gonna like that."

☁ You snorted at him, falling back onto the bed only to try again. Sprout's eyes narrowed as he scoffed. "Astro's not gonna like it either."

☁ You snorted again, finally finding your standing before turning to look at him, narrowing your eyes at him. "Are you coming with me to get cookies or not?"

☁ ...well, he can't say he didn't warn you. He did follow you to go get treats, acting as a crutch along the way simply for the reason he didn't want to wait for you to hobble along.

☁ That was the only reason.

☁ By the time you both got to the kitchen, munching on treats, you had picked up a fun back and forth with each other, trading quips as you dug into the cookie jar once more. You pulled out the last cookie, offering it to him.

☁ He looked at it before shaking his head, only for you to roll your eyes and split it in two. He took it with a grumble, scoffing. "I made them I can make more."

☁ "Gonna make them with Astro's face again?" You shot back with a grin, nibbling onto your own half.

☁ He gave an affronted gasp before the ding of the elevator was making you both look over, Sprout giving you a hand to welcome back the group. They hadn't been gone very long, so it either went very well or not well at all.

☁ It turned out be neither. The run had been called as they were unable to fall into a rhythm and Scraps and Brightney had gotten into quite the altercation.

☁ Both you and Sprout find yourselves looked for Cosmo and Astro, only to find them chatting near the entrance, completely fine. There's a moment between you and hi m, where you both side eye each other before you're reaching out and shoving him. Without trinkets you two are practically the same speed, only he has you outmatched with stamina.

☁ Which was his only hope as he stumbled, not expecting the dirty play, watching you take off towards them. He quickly caught up trying to shove you only for you to dodge him with a laugh.

☁ He knew he should've distracted more. He had gotten complacent with Pebble and was now paying the price for it. He should've known you were a dirty filthy cheater. He should've guessed.

☁ In a last ditch effort he launched himself at you, making you squawk as you both rolled forward, giving both Cosmo and Astro little time before the two of you collided into them sending the four of you into a heap of undignified limbs and cackles.

☁ I spent that entire time just developing that omfg and its already long. sobbing.

☁ Anyway how y'all get together is gonna be TBD bc my head is hurty and my tummy is empty. ~<3

[cosmicretreat]

Happy Birthday, David, wherever you are in the cosmos. Thank you for teaching me that it’s okay, even preferable, to be weird.

[leftpoetrymoon]

Threads of Love.

Pairings:- Xavier x you( non-mc)

Genre:- angst, we'll get to happy ending soon! 💐💐

Tag list:- @corvid007 @lunia-likes-pomegranet @brailsthesmolgurl @sharieb25 @mcdepressed290 @umiwu @nezuswritingdesk @silverianni @koojunweh @sylusgirlie7 @jihae222

Anyone who want to get tagged for the next part please comment!

How long has it been? How long have you been suffering watching the boy you love is looking at her with the same gaze that was reserved for you once?....

What's even worse is he seems to think that the star tassel was gifted by her not you. This isn't what you expected when you died at his arms while watching the meteor shower with him.

This isn't what you expected when you became the queen of Philos. Sure you became the queen because you are the feeding source for the planet which was full of selfish people who sacrificed you for their own survival.

He is the only one who travelled through thousands of planets to find a cure instead of using you for survival. So, that man once you knew, who looked at you like you were his entire cosmos is giving the same look to her?

You should've eloped with him when he asked you 200 years ago. Like a fool you insisted on saving the planet and sacrificing your love knowing both of you will get hurt. You remember how he looked at you at the starfall forest when he offered you to elope with him.

"Y/n, during my exploration I found a beautiful planet full of flowers... It looked so ethereal, you'll definitely love it. I named it Uluru it will be our little planet, Maybe after your coronation shall we visit it together?"

He held your hands and squeezed it gently and waited for your answer. It pained his heart to see how tired you look sacrificing yourself for others. For once.. just for once he wanted you to look at him and smile at him forgetting all of your problems.

"Xavier, of course... I'll go wherever with you, I'll definitely come with you to visit the planet you've found.."

As much as you want to sound cheerful your soul and your body is both physically and mentally damaged because of the energy that was draining out of you by the planet. You caressed his cheek and smiled at him knowing that he will worry about your health.

Sighing to himself, xavier took both of your hands and placed it on his cheeks. "I... I don't want you to suffer anymore y/n.. let's run away to Uluru, the planet that I've been talking. You don't need to become the queen! You don't need to sacrifice yourself! Please... Just listen to me once.."

It pained your heart to see tears wells up in his eyes. You gently wiped his tears and placed your forehead on his and closed your eyes. "I can't Xavier.. you know they won't allow us to, after all my life is not in my hands.."

That was your last conversation before he left for another exploration. This time you knew your star won't come back. This time you knew you won't see him again. You looked at the sky watching the space shuttle which now looked so far from you.

You always read his messages which were recorded by him during his travels. You know something has happened to him when you can't reach his messages anymore.. something terrible must have happened to him that your heart told you.

Strolling through the starfall forest, you sat by a nearby lake watching the swans swimming around beautifully. Oh, how you wish Xavier is sitting beside you, how much it will calm your heart to hold him again?

That's when you noticed another presence behind you. It was eerie. Standing up you look around anything suspicious but nothing catches your eye. You constantly felt like someone was watching you. Telling yourself that it was just a imagination you continue to walk through the forest. The starfall forest, which is the symbol of serene is now giving you a presence of danger.

That's when you heard the sound of footsteps which was coming towards you. Glancing around to see if anyone has been following you but there was none. Not a single soul. Suddenly you feel that presence right behind you. But before you can react that figure grabbed both of your hands pinned you on the tree.

It was someone you never saw in your life. He was taller than you, his eyes looked so cold and his smile looked sinister. "My, my never thought the sacrifice is this beautiful.." You tried to hit his leg but he dodged that and looked at you. It was enough to give you chills throughout your body.

"w-who are you!? You don't look like someone who lives at Philos! Tell me who are you at this instant!" The man scoffed and let go of your hands, he raised his in a surrender way and spoke to you in a mocking voice. "Me? I'm surprised the queen of Philos don't recognise their diety."

Diety? Ah.... this sly bastard is Astra. How can you forget that? Pale face, eyes that never see forgive anyone if someone betrays him, heart that is not suitable for love. You can say a devil in disguise. He is the forgotten diety of Philos. Back when earth existed Astra was the diety of time. But after earth's been destroyed he became forgotten.

He took a step back and looked at you with a sinister smile. "I'm sad.. you're too good to be a sacrifice. But you do realise that Philos will die soon right? That means everyone, every single being created in Philos will eventually die. Even if they travelled through different universe or time travelled. Ah! You understood who I'm talking about right?"

That's when your brain strikes. You do know that even if you fed the planet all of your life it eventually die because it needs so much energy that you can't give. But those foolish people don't know that. They thought that once the queen became the sacrifice they are safe. But no. Philos will die soon and everyone within it perish too. It includes Xavier too....

"Since your love looks too pure, I'll give you a chance to save him." At that moment you knew you're going to make a choice that'll make you regret. But, love makes us blind. Doesn't it?. Mustering up your courage you looked at Astra. "I'll do anything to save what's mine."

"bravo! I knew you'll agree! I'll save him by not erasing his existence when Philos gets perish. Currently he is at earth because his spaceship was destroyed. But the price is, he'll forget you. He'll forget your love, your existence, your voice, the love you two shared up until now."

Ah... he'll forget you? That's the crulest thing that could happen. Can you live knowing that he'll forget you? Your entire existence? No you can't. You definitely can't. But inorder to save him, you'll sacrifice anything. Even you.

"I agree."

He looked at you trying to read your expression. "Fine. Let's see how it will go."

During Philos's end you happily died that you'll see your beloved again. Your star. You hugged youself tightly and died within Philos. What a tragedy...

How can you be happy?

You don't deserve to be happy..

You need to suffer.

Suffer. Suffer. Suffer!!!.

It pained your heart to see him with her...

Who is she? She is someone who don't deserve your hate? You thought she's a innocent soul? Poor you.. how naive you are...

Let me tell you Y/n, everyone have two sides. The girl who stole what's yours is your biggest fear. Who is she?

Even if he looks at you, she somehow makes him forget you with her innocent smile. She's a trouble in paradise isn't she? More like.. devil in disguise? Feels similar to Astra?

Astra's sister. The one who destroys love.

But what is it this red thread on your hand? It looks like.. soulmate thread.. oh! That jerk, Astra knew you two are soulmates! That's why he played this game!!

Now you got reborn at linkon. Watching your love slowly forgetting you...

"I love you y/n.. please don't leave me.."

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

Libations

As a Hellenic polytheist, one of our most important duties to our gods would be to give libations. Libations are liquid offerings to our gods, not only in recognition of them and their importance but as an invitation into our lives for them.

When it comes to giving libations, it can be difficult for those of us practicing and worshipping in secret. So in this post I'll go over typical libations and how they're given, and then some methods I believe would be helpful for those that can't give openly! Please keep in mind that the suggested methods (for those practicing in secret) come from someone who is still navigating and learning her own religion. As always, do your own research where needed and do methods that make you most comfortable in your practices.

Typical Libations

Wine (typically red)

Symbolic of the divine ether, and Zeus's influence on the soul. Additionally, dark red wine represents the blood of Dionysus/Zagreus. We drink his blood as reflectance for his sacrifice by the titans and the eating of his flesh. It represents his metamorphosis, and in turn, our own cycle of birth.

Milk

Representative of Hera and Ira, whose breast milk formed the galaxies and cosmos. Milk also represents the earth.

Honey

Honey is golden which is incredibly symbolic of the gods, particularly their ichor (the blood of the gods). Honey is also a powerful preservative representing the immortality of the gods.

Fine oil (typically olive)

Oil historically symbolizes life, prosperity, and the divine spirit.

Milk and honey together are also a considerable libations but is particularly good for death related gods and the honoring of the dead. Milk and honey libations for them should NOT be consumed.

Giving Libations

To give libations, you would first pick up the offering bowl full of whatever you are giving with your right hand, then hold it with both and recite a dedication. The dedication itself is up to you but the example I saw is as follows:

"We dedicate this libation to khrismôdós Apóllôn and aithǽrios Diónysos and to all the happy, deathless Gods!"

Libations can be made to a singular god or multiple at once. Just ensure you have enough for them equally. Dedications can also be to a singular god or you can name the ones you are dedicating to.

Once you've made your dedication, you'll transfer the bowl to your left hand and pour your offering on the ground or into whatever reservoir you have dedicated to it on your altar. This is your libation, and the offering now belongs to them. Once you've made your libations, you may sip from the remaining contents of the bowl as communion. Before doing so, you may recite a prayer. Here is an example:

"We drink the blood of Diónysos! May the Aithír of Zefs intoxicate our souls and transform us!"

Please be aware that you should NOT drink libations to the dead or to death gods.

When sipping from the remainder of your libations, do NOT sip from the part where you poured. You should drink from the opposite end of the bowl.

Libations in Secret

When you're practicing in secret, this method of libations can be incredibly difficult. So with that, here are a few ways that I think could be helpful!

Can't access or drink wine/milk/honey? Substitute them for water or better yet, flavored juices!

Pomegranate juice can make a good libation for Underworld gods and goddesses, apple juice would be good for Zeus, etc. Research your deity's associations and try working with them. Water is also life-giving and integral to life.

Can't pour your libations outside or in a dedicated offering bowl? Use cups!

Pour your libations directly from the bottle to a cup and sit it on a shelf or desk or wherever you've dedicated to your god. You can recite your prayers and dedications in your head as well.

Worried about wasting drinks? Offer a smaller amount!

Typically what you give should be more than you keep, but your gods understand your struggles and would be understanding of your intentions. Offer a small amount of your drink, honey, etc and inform them of your reasonings and intentions. Your gods love you, they'll be happy with your efforts regardless.

Can't do your libations during the day? Do them at night!

Give your libations while everyone is asleep. You can even hide it under your bed or behind something to keep it for the time you want. (Please be careful of doing this with honey and be mindful of possible insects, pets, pests, spills, etc)

A minor? Do your libations at school!

You can do your libations while at school by making them during a PE class, during lunch, or any period of time where you can take a moment to do so! (I'm not condoning using your bathroom breaks to sneak off and do them, I'm just saying you definitely could do that)

Regardless of how you do your libations and with what, your practice is your own as is your relationship with your god(s). Do what feels right for you ♡

[shizuturnspages]

Brain rot scenario! :D

So I read your yandere genshin men with traveler reader. Imagine if Reader asked the Yandere to go with them? Reader has grown very close with them and wants the Yandere to see the stars and galaxies with them?

Do you think they'll agree to join them or not? I think yandere's like Kaveh, Kabukimono, Aether, Thoma, and probably Tighnari would agree to join the reader. But I'm not sure. Who do you think will agree?

YESS brain rot activated. This is such a beautiful twist on the concept too—like, the usually detached, long-lived reader finally getting attached and choosing someone to travel with?? Ugh, poetic.

Here's how I see it going with the ones you mentioned:

Kaveh

YES. Absolutely. Without hesitation. He’s been dreaming of escape, of freedom, of a life not tied down by debts and regret.

He says yes before you even finish the question. His heart's already halfway in your hands, and the idea of being apart again? No. Never. He romanticises it instantly—travelling the cosmos with you, sketching alien architecture, naming stars after you. “If I go with you, will you promise I’ll be the one who builds your home wherever we land next?”

Kabukimono

He’s suspicious at first. "Why would you want me to go?" he’ll ask, arms crossed, bristling. You’ll have to convince him that you’re not leaving him behind—that you want him to see your world, the endless stretch of galaxies, the beauty you couldn’t share with anyone else until now. Once he believes it’s real? That you’re real? That you’re not going to disappear like everyone else? He’s yours. Quietly devoted. Silently terrified. "If you leave without me again, I’ll tear the sky open until I find you."

Aether

Absolutely.

He knows what it means to travel. He gets your heart. He’s seen loss, wandered the stars, touched other skies. He might even tear up when you ask him, because he’s never had someone ask him to go somewhere, not since Lumine. It’s always been him chasing. But you—you're offering him a home between galaxies. He’ll follow you through black holes and burning suns.

Thoma

Yes, but it would break him a little first.

He loves Inazuma and is so deeply rooted there… but if you asked him, genuinely, he’d put aside his loyalty to follow love.

He’ll leave with only a little hesitation, making sure someone trustworthy watches over the Kamisato estate first. Then he’s by your side, hand in yours, gentle and loyal as ever. He’s the one who’ll make sure you eat space rations and have a warm coat on a freezing planet. A domestic king in the void.

Tighnari

Yes, eventually.

He takes the longest to agree, but not because he doesn't want to—it's because he needs to understand what this means. His science brain goes wild trying to make sense of you and your journey.

"And the atmospheric conditions of your next destination? And food? Water? Can my body even—" but then you smile. And he stops talking. “… Forget the logistics. If I stay behind, I’ll regret it forever.” He's surprisingly sentimental beneath the logic. He won't say it out loud, but he’d follow you into a supernova if it meant he wouldn’t lose you.

He sees it as a chance to study new ecosystems and stay with you. A double win. You’re his starlit obsession, after all.

[steviebbboi]

For your celebration, I would like to make a request 💙

Steve Rogers. Soulmate AU. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Go wild, hon!!! And congrats!! 🎉🎉

The Heart and the Head (Captain America/Steve Rogers x F!Vigilante!Reader)

Pairing: Steve Rogers/Captain America x F!RogueVigilante!Reader

W/C: 5.2k~

Prompt(s): Soulmate AU, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Summary: Finding your soulmate was always a dream for other people. But certainly not for you and Steve. It’s too bad that fate had other plans.

A/N: Well, lads, and my special lad @justagirlinafandomworld - this is a long time comin'. This ask was sent by the lovely Yvette back in September for my 200-follower writing challenge. It only took the new year and 100 followers later - im so sorry. The writing muse really left my soul after publishing my challenge and it was just terrible timing. Hoping the cosmos will bless me with more energy to write as I love interacting with you all on here, feel so grateful to have a community on here, and also because I still love to write for our bb Steviee Rogers. Hope this won't disappoint too much! Yvette, thanks for sending in this ask and hoping all has been well with you, lovie~

*Soulmate AU where people who have soulmates develop their soulmate’s heart rate on the inside of their wrists. It’s a light gray color that just slightly glows and when you touch it, it can fade but eventually comes back. When they meet for the first time/find each other, the heart rate burns slightly and becomes a permanent tattoo on their wrist. Doesn’t fade but turns into a faded black tattoo. 

Warnings: 18+ due to explicit language, angsty, Reader has powers that are mildly descriptive, sorta cliff hangar-y-(ish) but can be considered complete. Mild violent fight scenes and descriptions of theft/policework/etc.

Steve hasn’t ever given too much stock on finding his soulmate. To be honest, he never had the time to truly think about it. 

He knew that it would be aimless to try and find ‘them’, wherever ‘they’ may be out there. 

Even before the serum’s transformation, Steve was committed to enlisting– to contribute to keeping his country safe. It wasn’t fair for him to put his soulmate in a position to wait for him, only to find that he likely would never return from a war that was dead set on taking away lives to give more lives a chance.

Even when he fell for Peggy, even though they both knew that they weren’t rightfully each other's' ‘other half,’ he thought that maybe his fears surrounding love would end with her. But ultimately, his fears still came true. She was kept waiting for 90 years only for him to return to her, not dead, but heartbreakingly unchanged– forced to level with an incompatibility that went beyond not sharing the same heartbeat. 

Even with this knowledge, Steve celebrated the privilege of having his soulmate’s heart rate glow on his wrist. Not many people would develop the mark – he was surprised to see it still beating strong too when he woke from the ice. The knowledge that he was meant to be in this modern era oddly satisfied his deep seeded curiosity about his soulmate, not enough to go and find ‘them’, but enough where he was admittedly comforted by the jagged lines still running past his humming veins.

Despite not seeking ‘them’ out, seeing that mark was the only thing that he felt that he had to grasp onto sometimes. It felt familiar and felt like home.

One brush across his wrist was enough for him to start his day but ‘they’ never preoccupied his thoughts for too long lest he wanted to bring himself a shot of angst in the beginning of his day. 

But he couldn’t help the stray thoughts that would come sometimes when the day would be too idle. What did ‘they’ look like? They say that your soulmate smells like the scents that attract you the most. Would ‘they’ smell like fresh ambrosia? The potency of a fresh summer day? These questions stalked Steve when the days ran long and the nights became darker by each hour. Suppressing them became harder the more that he carried his mantle as Captain America. 

Witnessing his team, feeling the camaraderie, even seeing Tony and Pepper just reminded him of what he was truly living for– he wanted to serve and protect. He just never gave thought about himself, or to consider building his own life personally until after the blip. As everyone frantically looked for others and found them again, he realized the importance of being someone other than Captain America…of being important to someone. His soulmate.

But how could he place his soulmate into a position to cope with the fact that he��s not just Steve Rogers.

“Captain Rogers, an alert has just been registered within the parameters that you’ve previously requested.” The dulcet tones of FRIDAY’s Irish brogue interrupted Steve’s daydreaming.

Steve’s heart thundered in his chest in anticipation, “Thank you, FRIDAY.” More alert than ever, he pressed a few keys on his desktop to pull up a live feed of one other thing that seemed to preoccupy his mind lately. 

One thing that did come out of the Accords was that they’ve learned to finally listen. More than ever, Steve understood how important the Avengers needed to be mindful of reparations after their dangerous missions. Civil liberties should include repairing what was ruptured, and so, more efforts have gone into not only world-saving missions but also local crimes. 

There was a new vigilante on scene– every time that he’s sent an agent to apprehend said Enhanced, they seem to always slip right through their fingers. 

Until today.

Steve watched the masked vigilante calmly center themselves in the middle of the armed room – and with a gallant wave, the contents of the room that once sparkled expensive jewels and gems vanished leaving stark, blank empty display shelves. 

The robber’s face flashing a grainy smirk through the lens of the video, with one last wave of their hand, they disappear from view as if they were never even there. 

Watching the feed one more time, Steve couldn’t help but release his own smaller smirk at witnessing the thief in the act once more. FRIDAY promptly pulled up news headlines next to the feed to reveal in huge bold font:

“Brooklyn’s ‘Heart’ Makes Its Mark: Stolen Gems Become Jewels for the Local Community”

The Heart of Brooklyn. Steve had to hand it ‘em – it's not a bad name for the local hero. Certainly wouldn’t have minded one of those kinds of folks back in his day, could have saved him from getting beaten on so often.

Steve didn’t admonish ‘vigilantes’ as much as long as they carried on to do the right thing. However, the UN doesn’t seem to share that opinion – especially given the Accords. A stipulation that Steve still hadn’t had the time to fully process how he felt about it – this ‘Heart’ person committed crimes to benefit the people around them. The ‘Heart’ protected the people while he protected the world. How could he suddenly and justly prosecute when he was just like them once upon a time? 

If he were being honest, Steve held admiration for the vigilante. It didn’t seem like much would be getting in the way of their agenda to bring about their own sense of justice. 

Steve sighed as he looked at the official order of arrest for the ‘Heart’ signed and decreed by the state, along with the federal official government seal. A resolve settled in his chest as he did his best to put his unsettled feelings to the side to make space for Captain America. The ‘First Avenger’ who is sent to ultimately carry out and enforce these set of agendas that never seemed to benefit anyone else but the world. 

Though, as he geared up later that afternoon to investigate a solid lead, the admiration for this local hero didn’t seem to wane. 

Beads of sweat seemed porous as the anxiety-ridden man paced a few feet behind you before coming in close. His destabilizing emotions felt palpable despite the internal processing. The older man did a poor job of concealing his nerves, automatically putting you a bit on edge.

“Seriously, we need to move! It’s been too long– the police are on their way!” 

“Oookay, relax, hotshot. I’ve got some scatters in place to lead them in a tizzy for awhile, alright? Just keep an eye on the door fo’me.” You said with a forcibly placating tone that obviously had no effect on the semi-masked man behind you. 

You tried to work jobs on your own – it was better that way. Unfortunately, the prospects of this current lead led you to hire the most green man in NYC (as green as a thief could be) – but the score was too good to pass up. Thinking of what, who, and where this money could go was too high of a risk to lose.

Schematics of the building forced you to need a team to watch your six as you tried your hand at cracking the safe. But the poor guy’s nervous rambling and anxious pacing made it so hard for you to focus - you were spending more time calming the man more than getting the job done. 

“I’m telling ya, Heart - I think they’re onto us! We need to leave this place before we get caught.” The heat of the man’s breath hit the back of your ear from where you were kneeling. His rattling nerves are practically audible and steaming off of his looming figure, frustration fueled through you with an annoyed eye-roll.

“Listen, Mattie. Mike told me that you were good and that you were the one who wanted to come on this one. You need to calm down, buck up, and do what I need you to do- which is stand over there, keep watch and shut your mouth. Can ya do that?” Pure irritation was the only thing being emoted now in your command.

Mattie released a reluctant sigh as he petulantly stomped back towards his original position to face the windows, finally quiet for once since the entire time that they had reached the location.

“Thank you.” A reverent breath couldn’t help but escape your mouth at the newfound relief in the sudden, yet much needed, quiet. 

You were only a few more notches until you would be inside. When you felt the weight of the door give, your lips curved upwards in victory. Tilting the handle, you opened the steel opening…to reveal nothing inside of the safe. 

“What the fuck?!” Your thoughts were intrusive and scrambled as your mind tried to process the emptiness in front of you. You were so confused, the intel that you had seemed so solid! Unless…

Your whole body tensed as you stiffly glanced behind you to see Matt, who hadn’t noticed the newfound tension– too preoccupied with his own. He resumed his pacing and was anxiously looking out the window with angsty glances here and there. 

Turning back to the empty safe, you mutedly closed the heavy door as quietly as you could before calmly standing up from your posed position. 

“Remind me, ‘Mattie’ – what’s the color of the day?” Stoicism and a cold fury radiated off of you in waves, making the man across from you sweat profusely. His face turned pale as he responded dumbly, “Pur–uhm, huh?”

The pallid man’s answer infuriated you even more as your theory just became confirmed. You knew that the cops usually gave each other a code to indicate their undercover status - this guy must be so (ironically) green that he basically gave it away with his anxious pacing and his near-answer. 

A fierce growl left your snarled lips, “This is a fucking set-up!” Gathering your duffle in a rushed frenzy, you turned to the revealed, fumbling cop to state, “Tell ‘Mike’ or whoever you actually report to that we’re through, Officer.” 

The undercover mess was speed talking his excuses at you as you continued packing your duffle to get out of there when all of a sudden, tear gas canisters splintered through the glass windows. The shards sprinkled everywhere around you as you attempted to flinch away from the shattered pieces. 

Quickly crouching down behind a large cabinet, you could distantly see a blur of black tactical uniforms surrounding the darkened warehouse. Trying to control your breathing, you muffled a surprised shriek from hearing the distinctive multiple shouts, “POLICE! FREEZE NOW!” 

Your mind was in a frenzy but your body was in a frozen state, until it forcibly stumbled away from you as another canister landed in front of your feet. Releasing a loud curse, you panicked and ran into view. Ignoring the spearing voices shouting different commands, you gave a sharp wave of your hand, coughing up a lung from all the smoke invading your system but achieved your goal by vanishing from their naked view.

Although you had ensured your invisibility, you didn’t account for all of the smoke that was being inhaled, causing your coughing fit to exponentially expand. You also didn’t account for the glass that was suddenly in your face, successfully blinding you as you protected your face from the sudden crash. The brashed cuts of glass caused by the crash landing of something, or rather, someone that you would never have expected to see in the flesh: Captain America.

Attempting to muffle your coughs once more, the visual clarity of the renowned Avenger was hard to miss. His dark blue stealth suit on display and the States stripes in all of its glory had you gobsmacked with your mind running rampant once more.

You didn’t realize that your recent…behaviors would’ve ever caught the attention of someone so high up. The Accords were criminalizing all and any Enhanced beings, but you weren’t hurting anyone! The communities deserve more than what they’re receiving from state and federal governments. There wasn’t enough money, food – people needed help. 

For some reason, as you looked at Captain America, the hero that stood for the hearts and wellbeing of others, who stood there scanning the room for his enemy, for you– the hero hunting down those who he swore to protect– a sudden rush of hot indignation filled your entire body. 

How dare he stand there? How dare he use his gifts to triumph over the needs of others? How dare he?

A harsh snarl left your lips as your body reacted first, any sense or voice of reason leaving your mind. Your feet were suddenly rushing over to the super soldier, who heard your exclamation as soon as it left your mouth. Steve’s preparedness in your capture heightened his other senses as he listened for your rushing footsteps towards him. 

His shield at the ready, and with the smoke in the air aiding his instincts, he looked out for the sudden brush of fog and lept to action in blocking a sudden thunderous blow to his face. In the midst of throwing a vicious punch, ignoring the blinding pain to your fist from the hard metal’s impact, shock settled on your face on how easy it was for him to dodge your advances- but it didn’t stop you. Blind anger fueled in your veins and energy surged through you once more.

You and Steve proceeded to engage in a dangerous dance, with your relentless energy and forceful strikes attempting to land on his physical body. Steve was doing a careful job of listening to the brush of air as you attempted another punch, being attentive to the electric charge that only seems to be apparent when in close proximity with another human being, the swoosh of moving white fog, heavy landing steps of your physical presence. 

It became clear that despite you being invisible, your current environment was destined to fail you. Your muscles ached in pain as your breathing became heavier, exhausted panting leaving you even more breathless. After one more lousy and tired punch, Steve’s mindful gaze attested a faint outline of a physical body heightened by the fading smoke in the room. With a determined lock of his jaw, Steve quickly crouched down to land a quick swipe at your legs. 

Not expecting the swift move, you yelped in pain as his strong boots connected with your ankles. It was as if you were in slow motion with the way that you landed on your back. Muscles screaming in pain with a sharp ache on the back of your head pulsing in agony. Strength was distancing itself slowly but surely as your vision started fading. 

Laying flat on the floor, all you could make out was Steve’s bouldering figure standing over you, and all that left your mouth was a tormented whisper, “Traitor.”

As you passed out, whether from the pain or fatigue from your fighting blows, Steve only furrowed his brows in confusion from hearing your last words. All he knew was that his curiosity for you grew larger as he finally met the Heart of Brooklyn.

Both of you also neglected to pay attention to a telling zap that ran throughout both of your forms the moment that Steve’s body collided with yours. It’s easy to chalk it up to the familiar aches and pains of a fight.

Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. 

You came to in the quinjet, the flying saucer already up in the air with the way that you fumbled slightly on the metal bench. Blearily, you looked down to take in the feelings of your arms across your chest and your fists being swaddled in strong, metallic cuffs. The silver wristlets looked like they were made for something stronger than you, that’s for sure. But – they did the trick. With these cuffs on, you weren’t able to access your powers. With another flick of your wrist, you could’ve been invisible from peering eyes and out of these cuffs in a flash.

“Just remain calm, Heart, and there shouldn’t be any issues.” A deep-baritone voice cut through the frenzy of observations running through your mind. 

Blinking fiercely through the blurriness of fatigue, your eyes centered on the domineering force that was Captain Steve Rogers. The fury of the past day started to thunder the looming clouds that were your thoughts – feeling stupid is all you could center your anger into. 

You felt stupid that you allowed greenies to intervene in today’s mission. You felt stupid that you even trusted the people who decided to come along under the guise of ‘’the cause’’. And, you felt stupid that you even thought that you could take on Captain fucking America in his tight spandex outfit. His limb features and muscular figure were cut like no other. It became clear to you that images of the First Avenger could not compare nor embody the pure visceral power that this dude emotes in person. 

Sitting tall and straight, his helmet emphasized his determined blue eyes as they peered over your rigid position only to flit over the jet in wariness. It was like he was waiting for something else to happen with you on the plane, always monitoring.

You couldn’t help the derisive scoff that flew from your mouth, “The forever stiff and vigilant soldier for Big Brother, huh? Psh, pathetic.”

Your comment seemed to break his hard exterior as a tiny glint of– what seemed to be guilt, shined over his cerulean blue eyes. The glint disappeared though as soon as it came in, “Those are some abilities you got there. What else can you do?” The question seemed non-objective, though the curious tilt in his voice made the hint of warning glaze over his voice all the same.

Meeting his warning with your own blaze, you leaned in to whisper tauntingly, “I guess you’ll just have to find out.”

After hours of interrogation from countless federal agents, you were able to exasperate the last one with a long exalted sigh of frustration and the metal door slammed after their departure from the cold, steeled room. 

Your hands were still bound together uncomfortably so that your fingers interlocked together, creating the inability for you to snap out of your cuffs. Their analytics team detailed that a wave of your hand is one of the triggers to your abilities…giving you information that they don’t seem to be aware of all of your abilities. And you’d like to keep it that way. 

Short of whistling and popping noises with your lips out of boredom, the agency seemed to have given up and have finally sent in the big guns.

Ardently groaning your frustration, “UGH - finally! Captain Rogers, we meet once more. I guess your agents have finally had enough of my poor rendition of Uptown Girl till they put me back onto your plate, huh?”

Just wearing his suit, shield and helmet out of sight, the super soldier still embraced intimidation within itself by just baring his broad shoulders out a bit more as he stood before you. A beige manila folder in his grip as he clasped the belt around his waist. 

Trying not to look at the area south of his belt, you distractedly pointed it out, “That looks ominous.” 

A slight smirk fell on his pink lips, “It’s meant to be. You got some heart, kid.” 

You couldn’t help the weathered chuckle that erupted from your throat, “Wow, you really are as old as they say, huh ‘Cap’?” 

Blatantly ignoring your jab, Steve released a resounding sigh as he took the empty metal seat across from you. Setting the folder down with a sharp slap, he proceeded to read out your file. 

“What we know so far is your alias being measured by the media as, “the Heart”. Real name- unknown. From what our intelligence could gather, you’re an Enhanced with tactile and perception control—“ 

“Argh— blah, blah, blah, blah,” you interrupted with an exasperated roll of your eyes, “Just give it to me straight, Captain, what am I looking at?” 

If Steve seemed perturbed by your bluntness, he didn’t show it. Only gave you a knowing and understanding look with his eyes, “You may not be looking at anything if you’d just be honest with me. Drop the snark for once and tell me what you want. The Accords are here to protect not just others, but as well as you. I can’t help you do that if you’re hiding underneath all of the smoke and dagger.” 

A lump formed in your throat from how compassionate he sounded. If he was being sincere, it was convincing enough to bring a small glisten of tears in your eyes (not that you’d ever let them fall). 

With a clenched jaw and a speculative squint, you gazed back at Steve and met his compassion with curiosity. “Why would you want to help me?” 

Steve gave you another tired and soft smile, “Why wouldn’t I help you?” 

The barriers inside that were locked and solid lowered just a bit at the genuine tone to his voice. You couldn’t help but notice the softening around his eyes, or the long eye lashes that enhanced his stern looking features. But his smile, it felt so open. Suffice to say, it wasn’t what you were expecting from the super soldier that you criticized as a defector. 

Feeling your own features soften, your tense posture relaxed unconsciously as you leaned back into the discomfort of the metal chair. The cold parts of your cuff seemed to seep into your skin as you accepted this moment for what it is: a truce. 

Steve seemed to catch the moment your guard went down and mirrored your physical ease by leaning back into his own chair. Soft smile and gentle eyes still intact as he cut into the retired silence, “So, all cards on the table. What can I help you with?” 

Looking back into his soft gaze, you suddenly felt the air stifle around you and could barely keep eye contact with the man. Your voice was quiet as you spoke, “I only want to help people. While the Avengers are saving the world, there’s barely anyone around to help the world also save itself. Neighborhoods, communities— people are suffering.” Anger fueled through you as your words haunted the steel room, “People are going hungry and no one is doing anything about it. I got sick of waiting around for someone to do something— so I did instead.” 

A reverence caught in your gaze as you felt your heckles arise, “I’ve only done what was right. If I could do something with what I have, then maybe, I can restore some good into the world.” 

All the while, Steve hadn’t moved a muscle. Just silently listening and taking in your intentions and reasons for your “considered crimes”. There was something about the anger and rage that disguised something that Steve was all too familiar with— powerlessness. 

He understood what it felt like to be without resources. Memories flooded his mind of moments before the war, gaining food scraps from Bucky’s family as he could barely make dinner for the day. He remembered how it felt for his stomach to make unnatural noises of hunger and to feel a desperation for change. 

Powerlessness leads to motivation. To change. He knew it was possible— but he hasn’t seen it for some time, he realized. 

Until you. 

A stark realization embodied him as he took in your ambitious gaze and clenched jaw. A fierce embodiment of someone who understood their own capabilities and the willingness to do something good with it. In the most non-egocentric way, Steve saw himself in you. Not the broader back soldier, but the scrawny kid from Brooklyn who enjoyed stencils and baseball. He saw the version of himself that he had just now found again, through you. 

Cutting through the thick silence, each of your brains processing the sudden change in air, something seemed to resonate and click with Steve the minute that his eyes met yours once more. 

With a determined nod, he stood up and took out a small metallic pencil-shaped device and leaned forward to uncuff you. You looked at him in confusion and weariness as you felt the cuffs pressure release and you grip your wrists with a protective hiss. Rubbing the insides for comfort, you failed to notice the zap feeling once again as you touched your mark- chalking it up to the cuff release (again— spoiler alert: it definitely wasn’t that either). 

“Are you sure you won’t regret doing that?” You asked deliberatively. Steve only looked down at you with heavy silence. Meeting his gaze hesitantly, you were met with an instantaneous warmth that felt so jarring that your own eyes widened in surprise. His eyes were darkened with a certain cloud of suspicion and unknowing in the last few hours – but right now, it was colored with a vibrant hue of faith, as if he could see right through you. 

Before you could mask it, you felt your cheeks redden as you flushed under his familiar sight. You couldn’t deny that the super soldier was gorgeous…and tall..and had long eyelashes –

“Get up.” Steve interrupted your intrusive thoughts with a firm command. 

“And go where?” Getting up slowly, you felt weirdly nervous about leaving the metal-boxed room. The room that was your prison had felt strangely comforting. Under this new territory with Steve, you suddenly felt that the outside world was something new, and that you had to be ready to explore. 

As if sensing your newfound fear, Steve sent an easy going smile your way that you could only describe as a boyish grin.

“To go do some good.”

You couldn’t describe it but your entire body just felt off. You figure it must have been those cuffs that they put on you - maybe some weird Stark tech. Walking down the sleek hallways to the large gymnasium, you did your best to put your odd body aches to the side and reflected upon the past week. 

Lo and behold, the moment that you left the room, you were met with the rest of the Avengers and a welcome package to the team. You initially rejected it (not that they really let you - it was either join or go swimming with the sharks at the Raft) but Steve insisted that you had potential to grow - to continue your work, to help others and help the local communities that needed it. He mentioned how you were right – the Avengers couldn’t be everywhere. They needed people on hand, on the ground to help fight the good fight where they couldn’t.

The prospects of being an Avenger certainly incentivized you. You never thought you’d be able to live up to its name, but realized that if Steve was able to see something in you that you couldn’t, it may be worth a shot. As much as you despised him when you were off the radar, there was something that cleared in your vision and you quickly were able to learn that the team certainly didn’t unanimously agree with the dynamics of the Accords. You also learned that Steve did his best to keep everyone together, and that he also genuinely just wanted to help. 

Reluctantly, you realized - you admired him.

There was something about Steve that you found honorable. Was he handsome? Sure. Muscle-y? Sure. Light blue eyes that you could drown in? Perhaps. But it wasn’t just his looks that drew you in. The energy felt like something deeper and more ingrained…you respected him. And his capacity to understand that underneath it all, people were just people, and that we need each other. 

You’d like to think you could be like him some day. Or be on top of him, or under him…– 

‘’Stop that!’’ The parts of you that felt attracted to Steve certainly became louder as you spent more time with Steve. There was just something about him that you couldn’t seem to just put away. 

You’ve been training with the team, mostly Natasha, to become more equipped in hand to hand combat. Today, you were pleasantly surprised by the screens that greeted you at the gym. Natasha waved over to you and gestured you over with a curious smirk. 

“Hey!” Flushed from being lost in your thoughts, you stood next to Natasha reverently while staring at the computer screens in front of you. “What’s all this?”

“Penny for your thoughts, Ghost?” Natasha’s grin was unfaltering as she cued in your new nickname. Ghostface - slipped right out of Stark’s smug mouth after watching the footage of some of your enhanced abilities. Ever since then, the team has taken a liking to the codename. 

Rolling your eyes good-naturedly, you replied dryly, “Oh - the infamous Black Widow is asking me a question - your interrogation skills are quite unmatched. But I think I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.” 

Letting out a small chuckle, she turned back towards the screen and nodded for your attention, “I wanted you to take another look at the footage from the warehouse–,”

“Ughhh, do I have to? Why are you rubbing it in my face? I get it - Steve is way better at hand to hand combat but to fair – “ you interrupted childishly only for her to swat her hand in your face to disturb your complaints. “Relax, that’s not why. I want you to analyze your footwork in comparison to some of the skills that we’re learning right now. I want you to point out anything different about your moves.”

Sighing petulantly, you crossed your arms and proceeded to watch the grainy camera footage from Steve’s suit. After a few minutes of watching Steve kick your ass, you pointed out a few steps that you felt that you can do differently now. Natasha seemed to agree and continued to encourage you to point something out, but this time in your upper body movement. After a few more minutes of silence, you looked closer at your arms and noticed something peculiar right as Steve basically tripped you.

Brows furrowed in confusion, you gestured to the video once more and asked Natasha to go back a few seconds. It was hard to see, but you could see the sliver of your wrist exposed in the video. The quality wasn’t the best, despite the Stark tech, as Steve was moving pretty fast. 

Your heart stuttered as your brain attempted to process what you were seeing on the screen. Something that clarifies the ‘’off’’ feeling from the past few days, something that made sense of the dysregulation in your body– without thinking, you shoved Natasha’s bent form from the controllers and proceeded to go back and forth between seconds in the footage.

Natasha only frowned in confusion from the move and allowed her eyes to match your suddenly focused gaze. What she saw made her eyes widen in slight surprise. 

The height of both of your fixations was the slight glow of your soulmate mark on your wrist suddenly fading as Steve’s legs intercepted yours. Although faint, the mark’s glow disappearing from your wrist was too clear to dismiss as simply the trick of the light. 

Almost in fascination, you felt your body disconnect from yours as you found yourself unable to deny what you were seeing. How did you not notice it before? 

Steve Rogers was your soulmate. 

The following words escaped before you could even process them: “Are you fucking kidding me?” 

A/N: DON'T HATE ME! lol, I thought that I'd do a different spin on the Soulmates!AU where Reader is kinda left with this surprise. Wonder how Steve noticed his mark also fading away 👀 figured this would leave enough room to continue this universe if we did enjoy it. Ngl, not the biggest fan of this work -- I'm sure it needs some editing but tbh, I didn't wanna leave y'all hanging anymore! It's been too long since its been asked and I wanted to be able to publish it so it can finally be read! Regardless, hope you enjoyed it a bit and please leave your thoughts, lads <3 ta, for now.

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[arayapendragon]

the beauty of quantum immortality 🦋

“what happens after i die?”, is a question that has been asked by many throughout the course of history. yet, us humans were never able to find the one true answer to what awaits us once our life in this reality comes to an end. unless...? ;)

this brings forth the concept of quantum immortality, which is a theory stating that our consciousness will continue to experience lifetimes where we are alive, after we “die” in this timeline or reality. Hugh Everett was an american physicist, who proposed the very fundamentals of quantum mechanics in his PhD in the 1950’s. he introduced the idea of quantum events leading to the universe branching into several different timelines, where each timeline represents a different outcome. therefore, if we choose to, we can continue to keep experiencing timelines, or realities, where we survive, thus leading us to believe we are “immortal”. this is known as the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI).

circa 1980’s, the physicist and cosmologist Max Tegmark delved again into the concept of quantum immortality, suggesting that we actually die many times in our lifetime, however, our consciousness continues to experience timelines where we are alive.

here’s an analogy of quantum immortality to better help you understand: imagine a person playing a game of russian roulette; hence, the gun leads to different quantum outcomes. - basis the MWI, the gun fires (due to an “upward spin” in a subatomic particle) in some timelines/realities, killing the person. - while in other timelines/realities, it doesn’t fire (due to a “downward spin” in a subatomic particle), so the person survives. from the point of view of the person in the experiment, they would only experience the timelines where they survive.

the very fundaments of quantum immortality and reality shifting intertwine with each other when inspected at a closer level. both focus on the existence of an infinite amount of realities, and seeing as we shift realities for every decision taken, even the smallest ones, it can be deduced that we permashift to either an alternate version of our CR, or any other DR after we experience death in this reality. meaning, we can experience whatever it is we desire after death, there are no limitations or set rules.

to answer the question at the beginning, there is no definite answer to where we go after death. given that the magic systems for this reality are the law of assumption and the law of attraction, it can be said that we will shift wherever we believe or assume we go after death, thus, in a way, demonstrating quantum immortality.

a few resources you can explore that discuss quantum immortality are:

Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark

Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku

The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene

Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed by Jim Al-Khalili

The r/quantumimmortality community on reddit, though note that the users will have differing opinions of the concept, so it is best to conduct your own research.

[ordowrites]

what dating them is like (HSR)

characters: aventurine, argenti, jing yuan

cw: none / gn!reader, use of pet names ("darling"), some fluff. general mdni, minors do not interact. self indulgent. possible ooc? i don't think i've written HSR before so i hope i got them okay.

aventurine will always find excuses, ways, and time to spend time with you. he talks more, with you around and feels less on edge. your smile brightens his day, every day, and even in the middle of the night, he will text you. if you can't sleep, well, he's on his way with some expensive wine and a movie of your choice. spending time with you is one of his love languages, but don't be surprised if you find yourself on the receiving end of some pretty expensive gifts.

("think nothing of it, darling, i thought that those jewels would match your eyes and i was right.")

the man of beauty is nothing less of romantic, perhaps, there's even a picture of him next to the word in the dictionary. argenti shows up when he can, wherever he can. you get good morning texts, long winded messages throughout the day, pictures of the cosmos and good night texts. people believe this to be lonely, but you never feel alone. argenti is a beautiful man, and a wonderful lover.

when he is with you, there is not a second that goes by where you are alone. when he is with you, he clings to you, holds you as close as possible, kissing you, and making sure you feel worshipped. words of affirmation is what keeps him going.

("in all the cosmos, there is nothing more beautiful than you. idrila has blessed me with your presence, and i will never take that for granted.")

jing yuan gives you the best of the best, always. the general makes sure you are safe, but you have your freedom and your life outside of him. one of the things he does, however, is tease you. and he teases you often. sometimes it's to get you to blush, other times, it's to make you giggle.

laid back and calm, you are able to talk to your hearts content about the things that bother you. he gives advice, he listens, and you always feel heard.

there is a tenderness when he gently cups your face in his rough hands, peering down into your eyes, and kisses you. he never asks but he never takes, he wants but always waits for you to guide. he is a physical man and the tenderness always betrays his title, his past, his former deeds.

you are his and he will make sure you feel protected and secure.

[stxneflxwers]

ideal.

⋯⁂ summary. your lover's ideal kind of date~

⋯⁂ charas. aventurine. dr ratio. jade. topaz. stelle.

aventurine

staying at home.

he loves staying home – wherever home may be, as long as it's with you. it's far less stressful than feeling like he needs to be constantly performing outside of the house.

games, movies, fancy dinner – hell, even just takeout for dinner works! all he wants is you around. then, the world is quieter. his mind is quieter.

he has to do a lot of talking day in and day out, so when it's nighttime with you around, on a date, he prefers to listen to you. even if all you have to offer is silence. he can't complain too much about some quiet time with you.

with these kind of dates, it's a little easier for him to fall asleep.

dr ratio

the museum.

of course, he's already been to so many museums throughout the cosmos. but, with you, it feels a lot more relaxing and...happifying. plus, he gets to impart his knowledge with you! if it's on your homeworld, then there are bonus points to be had.

he's quietly rambling to you a lot of the time, but his voice is low enough not to disturb other guests at the establishment. he almost sounds enchanted rather than stern – he's just really enjoying this, to share knowledge and history with you.

he's in his element, truly. and you're happy to see him so happy. the smiles he has, the giddy glint in his eyes... you revel in it. you know he's a little irritable, even grumpy, most days. so this is perfect for both of you, even if you're not paying attention that much – mostly because you can't stop staring at his joyful features.

of course, you end up purchasing plenty of little knickknacks at the small gift shop. one time you found a small golden duck pendant, and this is what you gifted to him the next day. he was both flabbergasted and playfully irritated. but, in truth, he adores it to bits.

jade

the boardwalk.

it's a calm enough activity, and she is mostly willing to buy anything that truly catches your eye as you pass by the many shop windows. she thinks it's quite adorable how your eyes will light up when you see something neat that panders to your interests.

you two will come to a slow halt, finding a drink stand to indulge in. she pays for it. and there are times where she silently wonders if you only love her for her money.

but then you do something remarkably stupid and she can't but snicker, almost falling in love all over again. she appreciates your silly moments – it reminds her that not every adult is greedy and devious.

there's you, after all – one in a million. besides, you say thanks to her every time she gets you something. and she can tell how heartfelt your gratitude is. mostly because you try to buy her things that she likes as a surprise. it's never a surprise to her, but she loves you for it all the same.

topaz

the café.

the café. one of Topaz's...many places she visits. she has a certain café in Pier Point that she loves to death. she'll tell you all about it, content with not discussing work or anything related to it for a while.

she's not the wisest when it comes to her own limits since she often goes above and beyond. but you're happy to remind her at any point in time. she might pout, though. she knows you're worried for her well-being in the end, though.

it's hard for her to not talk about work, unfortunately. but you have plenty of things to discuss that are outside of the realm of work, thankfully. and she makes a fantastic and compassionate listener. she has her own comments and remarks to make as you two chat, and she's so mindful about it. she doesn't sugar coat her truth, of course. but she doesn't let it hurt you, either.

she loves the coffee and the chocolate eclairs the most, but she also loves to try whatever you order – no matter how simple or complex it may be. she wants to live a part of your world, your experiences. she wants to always be there in your world – no matter how physically faraway she may be.

stelle

picnic!

a picnic feast? count her in! she loves it. she loves you even more. and now she loves you doubly for taking her out on a picnic. she tries to interact with curious animals, but you have to rein her in before something bad happens. the idea is dumb, she is also dumb, but you love her far too much. this allows her to get away with things at times (much to your dismay).

she's the one who brings the most food. because of course she did. she claims all of it is homemade, by her hands – this is certainly a lie. you'd wager 70% of it is made with her own hands. the rest is bought. but you don't care that much, it's okay to indulge every so often.

she eats far too much junk food, though. you worry. and also wonder how in the hell she manages to live like that. in fact, she eats most of the junk food she bought for the picnic. or maybe this is some sort of secret plan of hers to have you try out her cooking and baking? who knows, truly. you enjoy it all the same – you can tell she put a lot of love and effort into every delightful snack and questionable concoction.

she nearly passes out when done eating – a food coma, maybe. you're content with having her head on your lap, your hands idly brushing through her hair. and then your hand snags in her unruly locks and she wakes up with a dramatic whine. you mentally note to brush her hair later.

[revelboo]

normally i don’t send in asks but i’m going through it a lil bit. completely blocked w/ no explanation by a guy i’ve been talking to for months. could i mayhaps gets a continuation of the cosmos story? nw if not, love your writing!!!

I’m so sorry to hear that

In Space Pt 2

Cosmos x Reader

• Heart racing as you stare up at his faintly glowing visor, you try to figure out what he is. That pitiful little plea of his strings you tight, making you need to help. Because as massive and potentially dangerous as he might be, he’s also badly hurt. And whatever did that damage to him? You definitely don’t want to run into it. “Are you in trouble?” You ask, lifting a hand to point back the way you came from. Toward your house and barn. To safety.

• Staring at you as you just look up at him, all innocence and trust, he doesn’t know what to make of you. Or that you seem to be wanting to help. Or are you just trying to lure him somewhere? Hurt and trap him? Tries to push himself up, but this much damage is going to take forever for his self repair to deal with without a medic. And his coms seem to be down, too, cranking his anxiety higher. He’s helpless.

• It’s the way he’s keeping low like he’s cowering away from you even though you’re so tiny compared to him that makes you reach out. To lay a hand on a massive servo while you smile reassuringly. “You’re going to be okay. You need a place to hide, right? I promise I won’t hurt you.”

• Hesitating because he can’t stay here in the open and he knows it, but if you really are as kind as you seem? If he goes with you and the Decepticons find him with you? “Go, they’ll kill you,” he manages, gently giving you a nudge with a servo. Doesn’t want you to get hurt for trying to help him. And he’s not even sure he can drag himself wherever you want him to go anyway. “I’ll be okay,” he lies, trying to sound more confident than he feels.

• He’s so hurt and his first thought is to worry about you? Someone he doesn’t even know? “I’m not leaving you. Come with me.” You make the words a demand, not a request, grabbing his servo with both hands and pulling even though you know you can’t actually budge him. Trying to bully him into behaving like you’d done your younger siblings when they were being awful. And he’s makes a low, pained noise as he begins to drag himself, your heart aching for him. “It’s not far.”

Previous

[cece693]

A Crown of Two Realms

pairing: loki laufeyson x małe reader pairing: reader is a prince, arranged marriage, ambiguous ending, heart vs what's right, love sometimes isn't enough, why do I keep doing this to myself :(

For as long as the Nine Realms remembered, Asgard had stood as a gleaming pillar of might—yet your homeland, the hidden kingdom of Illyria, was older, wealthier in resources, and influential enough to command the respect (and, occasionally, the wariness) of even the great All-Father, Odin. When word spread that the heir of Illyria had accepted a formal marriage alliance with Asgard’s crown prince, the entire cosmos paid attention.

You were that heir.

Sharp-minded, with a handsomely chiseled visage that drew comparisons to the very deities etched into temple walls—wherever you went, it seemed people murmured, “He is perfection.” They weren’t wrong to admire you; from childhood, you had been trained to lead, to command, and to bear the responsibilities of your ancient, formidable realm.

The day you arrived on Asgard, escorted by a contingent of Illyrian warriors clad in shimmering silver armor, the air practically crackled with anticipation. Thor Odinson—your future husband—stood at the foot of the palace steps, bright-eyed and eager to greet you with warmth. Yet, even as you approached him with regal composure, your gaze drifted to the lean figure slightly behind him, dressed in emerald and black: the second prince of Asgard, Loki.

He was watching you as well, his expression guarded but unmistakably curious.

Odin and Frigga welcomed you graciously into the golden halls of the palace. They made a show of Asgard’s famed hospitality, laying out a splendid feast in your honor. Courtiers lined the corridors, bowing or curtsying as you passed. You could sense their awe—after all, you came from Illyria, a kingdom shrouded in near-mythic prestige. Some whispered that your realm once guided the dawn of magic itself; others claimed your armies had subdued entire dimensions with minimal effort.

All evening, you wore the gracious, polished façade expected of a royal. You chatted with dignitaries, answered questions about Illyria’s luminous cities and your father’s famed conjurers. Meanwhile, Thor rarely left your side, eager to regale you with tales of his own feats: banishing Frost Giants, venturing into cosmic realms, and valiantly defending Asgard. You responded with polite smiles, nods, and the occasional appreciative laugh. As perfect as it all looked on the surface, there was a gentle hum of disquiet in your chest.

From across the banquet table, Loki’s emerald eyes flicked your way from time to time, assessing, appraising. He appeared aloof, yet he seemed to be the only one not entirely beguiled by your princely exterior. It made something in you stir.

Your days following the feast were tightly scheduled:

Diplomatic Lessons with Odin, ensuring you grasped every nuance of Asgard’s laws and customs.

Combat Training with Thor, so you might learn each other’s fighting styles.

Council Meetings discussing the future stability of the Nine Realms, with you sitting at Thor’s side—ever the composed consort-to-be.

For all your flawless manners and competence, you never seemed to allow yourself a moment to breathe freely. Indeed, you had long mastered the art of veiling your true feelings behind calm, intelligent eyes and an impeccably gentle smile. But when the spotlight dimmed—when you slipped out of council chambers or strayed from the training grounds—you found yourself wandering Asgard’s palace in search of quiet corners. It was in one such corridor that you encountered Loki once more.

He stood at a tall window, gazing out over the Bifrost’s shimmering expanse. You paused, unsure if you should interrupt. Yet the shadow of a smirk tugged at his lips before he even turned to face you. “Come to admire the view?” he asked, voice tinted with subtle sarcasm.

You dipped your head, maintaining your stately composure. “It is quite impressive,” you replied, glancing out at the rainbow bridge cutting across the sky. “But I was also hoping to discover more about the prince I rarely see at these gatherings.”

Loki raised an eyebrow. “Our father and brother do love a grand audience. I prefer quieter spaces.” He looked you up and down. “You strike me as someone who doesn’t scare easily. Most are far too enamored with Thor to pay mind to me.”

Your composure softened just a touch. “I have no fear of you, Loki. Nor do I overlook you. In Illyria, we have a saying: ‘The keenest mind stands in the silent corner.’”

He chuckled quietly. “Fitting.”

A hint of curiosity glimmered in his gaze. You found yourself intrigued by the subtle interplay of cunning and intelligence beneath his exterior. Your time in Asgard had been filled with people wanting to see only your perfect “prince” persona. But Loki’s scrutiny felt different: he seemed interested in you, not the grand illusions and legends that accompanied your name.

A few days later, after a particularly grueling session with Odin’s council, you sought solace in the grand library. Illuminated by golden sconces, the shelves rose like monoliths, each row brimming with ancient tomes. You had heard rumors that Asgard’s archives held knowledge that even your father’s great library in Illyria lacked.

As you wandered the aisles, a familiar presence made itself known—Loki, perched on a tall stool, a dusty book spread across his lap. He pretended not to see you at first, but when you paused beside him, he glanced up. “Running from your princely duties?” he teased in a low voice.

You exhaled a soft laugh. “If you knew how many times a day I’m reminded of my ‘responsibilities,’ you’d understand why I slip away now and then.”

“I do know,” Loki said, and his voice bore a note of empathy. He snapped the book shut. “So, Prince of Illyria—tell me, do you devour knowledge as eagerly as the rest of your people are rumored to do?”

You took up the challenge in his tone. “We pride ourselves on it. The mind is a blade that never dulls, after all.”

He regarded you, faint admiration mixing with mischief. “Ah, so your famed composure conceals more than just polite conversation. I wonder, do you ever let yourself be anything less than perfect?”

A spark of something playful lit in your chest. You lowered your voice. “Try me.”

Loki’s eyes widened slightly, as though taken aback by your directness, then a slow grin curved his lips. He patted the space next to him on the broad windowsill. You hopped up beside him, the tension leaving your shoulders. Away from the prying eyes of the court, you felt a familiar sense of relief wash over you.

Perhaps, just this once, you could be something more human—free from the constant parade of princely duties.

Over the subsequent nights, you found yourself seeking Loki’s company more and more. It wasn’t planned, at least not consciously, but you both ended up in the same corners: a deserted wing of the palace gardens, a quiet lounge near the palace’s lesser-known exits, or hidden alcoves in the library. There, you allowed your mask of infallibility to slip. You joked about some of the more ridiculous demands placed upon you and admitted you sometimes grew tired of always being so “polished.” In turn, Loki confided his own struggles—constantly in Thor’s shadow, overlooked or misunderstood in Asgard’s courts.

He made snarky remarks, which you parried with lighthearted wit, leaving you both sharing smirks or muffled laughter. Strangely, these unguarded conversations with Loki felt more genuine than all the lavish banquets you’d ever attended combined.

The more you revealed your true self—playful, at times recklessly curious, occasionally exasperated by royal burdens—the more Loki seemed drawn to you. And you found yourself feeling the same: you craved his clever banter, the keen intelligence sparkling in his eyes, and the subtle vulnerability he tried so hard to hide.

The next day, as Thor escorted you through a grand martial demonstration—showcasing the Einherjar’s prowess—you felt restless. The troops’ synchronized movements were impressive, but your thoughts were elsewhere, recalling the warmth in Loki’s voice the night before, when he’d talked about mastering illusions to carve out his own identity.

When the demonstration ended, Thor draped a friendly arm over your shoulders. “Wasn’t that magnificent?” he boomed.

“Indeed,” you replied, forcing a polite smile. “Your warriors are formidable.”

But the brightness in your eyes didn’t quite reach your heart. Thor seemed to sense something was off. “If there’s anything amiss, please, share it with me.”

You glanced around at the gathered guards, your personal retinue included. Hundreds of eyes, all waiting for your measured response. Your calm, princely façade held. “Thank you, Thor. I’m simply weary from the travel and duties.”

He nodded understandingly, though a shadow of concern flickered in his gaze.

That evening, you found Loki in the secluded palace gardens, standing near a fountain that shimmered under Asgard’s starry sky. He wore his usual emerald cloak, a thoughtful expression on his face. The minute he saw you, he straightened, as though shifting from private thoughts to face the world. “What troubles the great prince of Illyria tonight?” he asked, wry amusement lacing his tone.

You let out a soft, frustrated sigh. “I feel trapped. Everyone sees me as this perfect solution—this polished, ideal figure who will unify Asgard and Illyria. No one cares to see the man underneath.”

Loki studied you intently. “I see the man. The one who challenges me in witty debate, who isn’t afraid to say the wrong thing from time to time—just to see how I’ll respond.”

You smiled faintly. “And you...you don’t treat me like some precious relic. You give me honesty, even if it’s laced with mockery.”

He chuckled, stepping closer. “I don’t mock what I admire. And I do admire you.” His expression turned earnest. “You’re not simply the heir of an all-powerful realm. You’re also…good, decent, and surprisingly humble. Someone who makes me feel—” He swallowed, searching for the words. “Makes me feel understood.”

Your heart thudded in your chest. A strange tenderness gripped you. The night air seemed to crackle with unspoken emotion. In a hushed voice, you spoke: “I never expected to find such kinship here, least of all with you.”

Loki’s eyes flickered. “Nor I with you.”

Then, quietly, he admitted, “Do you know what it’s like—being forever eclipsed by Thor’s light? And now, you arrive, shining like a star in your own right, but instead of drowning me out, you look for me in the shadows.”

Your breath caught. “I see you,” you said, fervent and quiet. “I see your brilliance, Loki. And I can’t help being drawn to it.”

For a moment, the two of you stood there, the fountain’s soft trickle the only sound in the hush of the garden. Then, Loki reached out, his fingers brushing yours in a tentative gesture. “In all my life, I’ve never felt quite so—” he hesitated, then murmured, “I believe I’m falling for you. It’s madness, I know. You’re to wed Thor. Our entire realm stands to benefit from that union. But I can’t deny what’s taken root in my heart.”

Emotions surged through you: elation, longing, and dread, all at once. You carefully entwined your fingers with his. “I feel it too. This is more than mere friendship. Yet duty binds me—I cannot simply break it without risking war between our realms.”

Pain flickered in Loki’s expression, tempered by resignation. “I know,” he whispered. “But for once in my life, I wish destiny would bend.”

You hardly slept that night. Each time you closed your eyes, you felt Loki’s hand interlaced with yours—warm and comforting, yet fraught with the knowledge that this, whatever this had become, could upend two realms. When dawn finally broke, your mind was already spinning with the weight of regret and longing.

You tried telling yourself that it was just a passing moment, a slip in composure. But deep down, you knew better. You’d never felt such a raw pull toward anyone, let alone the “other prince” of Asgard, the one your realm regarded as an afterthought in these negotiations. How was it that Loki—a figure so often relegated to the shadows—was the only one who truly saw you for who you were?

Yet duty loomed larger than ever. The next morning, you donned your ceremonial attire as if it were armor, and forced your lips into polite smiles for the courtiers. Thor greeted you in his usual fashion—boisterous, warm, heavy-handed in his affection. A sharp pang of guilt stabbed at you every time he grinned your way. He saw you as his future partner, the one who would strengthen Asgard’s hold on the realms with Illyria’s might by his side. Only you knew how fragile that notion had become.

Despite the ache in your chest, you made every effort to avoid Loki. You accepted invitations to train with Thor at dawn, to attend council sessions at midday, to endure elaborate banquets well into the evening. Whenever you thought you glimpsed Loki in the corridors or spotted the swish of his emerald cloak, you turned on your heel, heart pounding. If you faced him again, you feared you’d crumble, that you’d let the façade slip and act on feelings you had no right to indulge. But the palace halls had a way of entwining fates that preferred to remain separate. After nearly a week of avoidance—of half-finished nights spent pacing in your chambers—a hushed commotion in the library drew your attention. Voices, low and tense. One was distinctively Thor’s, crackling with anger. The other, undeniably Loki’s, fired back with a sharper, cold retort.

Steeling yourself, you followed the echo, careful not to be seen. Pressed against a gilded column, you could just make out their figures among the tall shelves. Thor’s broad shoulders tensed as he loomed over his brother, voice barely contained.

“Must you always vanish at my betrothed’s approach?” he demanded. “You’re avoiding him as though he’s done you some grave harm.”

Loki’s scoff echoed through the still air. “I do nothing of the sort. Perhaps it’s he who doesn’t wish to see me.”

Your stomach turned. You could practically feel Loki’s pain in his words. Thor let out a frustrated growl, palms slamming against the wooden table. “This alliance is too important to be riddled with your petty resentments. If you have an issue with him, address it, brother. Do not sabotage Asgard’s future through these childish games.”

“Childish games?” Loki repeated in a venomous murmur. “Is it childish to keep my distance, knowing full well that your beloved fiancé is tethered to you for the sake of duty—while he might harbor other…thoughts?” His voice faltered, bitterness lacing every syllable. “Leave me to my ‘games,’ Thor. It’s safer that way.”

Thor opened his mouth to retaliate, but the library doors creaked, heralding the arrival of a group of scholars. With one final glare, the God of Thunder stormed off, leaving Loki behind with his fists clenched at his sides, magic rippling faintly in the tense air. In that fleeting moment, you almost stepped out to speak with Loki—comfort him, maybe. But the memory of your last encounter was too fresh: his trembling whisper, the heartbreak in his eyes. You couldn’t bring yourself to deepen his hurt or your own.

Instead, you retreated quietly, the weight in your heart heavier than ever. You wandered through the corridors like a ghost, ignoring the questioning looks of your Illyrian advisors. They had long since sensed your change in demeanor, but none dared to pry.

Reaching your chambers, you shut the doors behind you and leaned against them, closing your eyes. You pictured Loki’s face when he said, “For once in my life, I wish destiny would bend.” Those words echoed louder with each passing day. Part of you wanted to grasp destiny with both hands and force it to bend, to let the alliance shift to a new shape—one where duty and love weren’t at odds. But each time your resolve flared, an avalanche of responsibility bore down on you, reminding you of every soldier, every citizen, and every promise the marriage was supposed to uphold.

Time offered no mercy. Another week slipped by. Another feast, another council meeting, another swirl of illusions you maintained for appearances’ sake. Loki’s absence, once a mild inconvenience, now felt like a gaping void you couldn’t ignore. Where was he? The few times you spied him in the distance, your heart leapt in your chest only to sink when he vanished like smoke.

In the still nights, lying awake in the grand bed that never felt like home, you replayed every moment spent with him—his cutting humor, his intelligent gaze, the unexpected warmth in his laughter when you managed to draw it out. You ached to see him again, if only to know he was well. But the walls built by duty and guilt felt insurmountable.

Your arranged wedding was edging closer, each day ticking away like a drumbeat of war. The entire realm would gather to watch Asgard’s golden prince wed Illyria’s graceful heir, sealing an alliance that would alter the power balance in the cosmos. It was inevitable—or so Odin and your own father insisted. You were a prince of Illyria; your life was never entirely your own.

Yet, despite everything, you couldn’t banish the memory of Loki’s eyes. The longing there, the unspoken promise of something more real than any throne or realm could grant you. Perhaps it was too late to turn back. Perhaps the best you could do now was shield him from the heartbreak that would inevitably come. If that meant sacrificing your own happiness—well, princes were often required to make such sacrifices.

Or so you tried to tell yourself, night after endless night.

But a small, traitorous spark of hope still flickered in the depths of your chest, refusing to die. A whisper that said there might be another way. A path where duty and desire could coexist, if only you were bold enough to claim it. Yet for now, you remained paralyzed by doubt and fear, uncertain how—or if—you could change the fate that had already been written for you.

[eclipseberrycake]

Poly! MoonBerryCake X Reader Pt. 8

AN: They actually got the bed from a tiktok account ran by Cosmo and Reader that's just them dancing in front of Teagan and Rodger's custody arguments. And rotoscoping.

This is a request, but is it really-

Part One -> Part Two -> Part Three -> Part Four -> Part Five -> Part Six -> Part Six 1/2 -> Part Seven

☁ He was watching you.

☁ And he hoped you knew it.

☁ His high stealth made him a fantastic spy, even if that was a little tidbit he never shared with the rest of the group. He kept it close to his chest just for cases like this.

☁ He had stepped out momentarily to help Shelly with directions, since his room was the one she confidently knew the way too, sending her on her way before slinking back into the room.

☁ You hadn't noticed he was back yet, and that was for the best as it gave him hope that he'd get to see exactly how'd you'd been doing it.

☁ You've always had a habit of sneaking out when you're supposed to be on bed rest. Right after the pudding incident, you had done it at least 7 times, each one stressing out Sprout and Cosmo more and more. It was amusing in all actuality, making him chuckle from where he remained in his nest. He didn't do well with vomit, and the others knew that, so he was pardoned.

☁ That hadn't changed since you've been returned from being a twisted. You were accommodating for a while, letting them baby you for a while before you were ultimately tired of being pampered (oh, the humanity). So you had picked up the habit once more, trying to sneak away to the kitchen or the lobby.

☁ They, normally, would've understood this, however they took great care to ensure you didn't feel isolated, helping you wherever you wished during the day. Goob and Scraps visited all the time and you and the starters had game nights during the late afternoon where you could get some rest while also interacting with others.

☁ The problem was in the late nights and the early mornings. Runs had slowly started up again after your retrieval, now more focused on researching Dandy's twisted in hopes of getting some insight to the whole situation. There were a few holiday toons as well, but they weren't exactly a priority at the moment. These could go on for hours, and you would get antsy, stressing yourself out needlessly.

☁ Between him and the other two, it was mutually agreed that at least one of them would stay back at any given time as it wasn't feasible for all of them to stay back.

☁ That being said, you've been sneaking about to wait for them since, but none of them could tell how you've been doing it since they've been in the vicinity of the door if not in the room the entire time. It was easy to get past Sprout and Cosmo during the night after they fell asleep admittedly, but he was different.

☁ You knew it, he knew it, and he was almost convinced because of that you wouldn't try.

☁ Alas, you're foolishness knew now bounds as he watching you perk up from your device, eyes darting to the door then giving a quick glance around the room. He was in a corner, blending in with the shadows, so he's sure you're still recovering mind brushed right over him.

☁ It worked as you slowly crept out of bed, lifting the covers as if they were made of fire. Your feet just barely stepping on the floor when you froze, looking at the door once more. There were footsteps outside, two sets- they sounded like Finn and Shrimpo if he had to guess.

☁ You quickly retreated back under the covers, picking up your device like nothing had ever happened. He nearly broke his own cover by snickering at the action, hiding it behind the fur of his collar.

☁ When the steps passed and the door didn't open, you stepped out once more, placing your whole foot down before the second even dared to peek out. When it did, you moved quickly and more silently then he thought possible from you.

☁ You kept the device on and running, the background music chirping happily, probably giving the impression you were still in here playing if he was to check. Never mind the fact that he was already in the room.

☁ You laid your ear against the door, listening and waiting. He almost thought you would go right through the door, making him raise a non-existent brow before you were turning and climbing back onto the bed.

☁ He watched as you carefully removed the grate to the vent above the bed, jumping a bit before you were jumping into the hole of the vent and pulling yourself up. The grate was put back and he could only gape as he heard you scurrying through the vents.

☁ "No way- No fucking way-" Astro gaped at the vent for a solid minute before shaking his head and listening to which way you went. You were heading to the kitchen and he quickly rushed that way, nearly knocking into a few toons on his way.

☁ He threw back apologies but continued on, making it there only to see the other side of the grate open. He gaped in disbelief before shaking his head, moving to stand under the grate.

☁ You fell through, looking triumphant when you landed only for it to fall when you realized who had caught you.

☁ Astro raised a brow ridge at you when you gaped up at him, using a star shard to move the grate back. You look at him then down the hallway towards your room, then back to him as if trying to understand where you went wrong.

☁ You sigh in defeat after a moment of struggle, laying your head on his shoulder as he carries you back.

☁ "I thought you were with Shelly." You pout, crossing your arms. He grins, kissing your forehead as he opens the door to your room.

☁ "That was your first mistake." He snickers, setting you back in bed and making sure you're tucked in comfortably.

☁ He lays down beside you, dragging you closer to him with his arms locked around you. If you'd complain, he'd tell you it's to ensure you get only the best dreams, but he knows it's so you can't move until well into the morning when the others are back.

☁ Speaking of morning, Astro is the biggest snitch. He tells Sprout first chance he gets. You're in the middle of telling Sprout and Cosmo how it was an easy night, no worries, and no escape attempts, when Astro is piping up from where you were like a million percent certain he was asleep.

☁ He told Sprout all about the vent and before you knew it, you were moved off the bed, with Astro dozing on your shoulder, fuming silently as Sprout tightened each of the screws on the vent grate.

☁ That's fine, you told yourself. You had other methods.

☁ Proven the next night when Sprout's on duty. As dubbed before, he's a warden, just less tactful about it then Astro is.

☁ The one benefit you have over Sprout is that you're faster than he is. And that's something he knows you're betting on.

☁ He's taken the vent access away, so you're escape routes were basic at best.

☁ He even went as far as tightening the screws in the bathroom vent as well. Just in case. Your wounds were practically healed at this point, however the mental implications tended to linger as miniscule as they could be. The fact that you couldn't see Astro in the corner was proof of that. Pre-twisted you could've spotted him no matter what, but since the ichor was still being removed by your own natural healing, you were still missing a few things. But those took time.

☁ Which is why they wanted to keep a close eye on you for a little while longer. They just needed to make sure you were as okay as possible before you undid all the steps forward you've made.

☁ Better be safe than sorry and all that jazz. Or some other euphemism Cosmo would use.

☁ The problem however was that Sprout went to bed earlier than the rest of you. Which meant you had something worst than straight up leaving the door open. You had opportunity.

☁ So Sprout's idea was to tire you before his own bedtime so you were knocked out before you even had the chance to escape. And what better way to do that then a run?

☁ Not a real run, no he wasn't psycho, but recently they had cleared a few of the museum floors, giving them an open training area so to speak. And with a few promised treats, free from Cosmo's eye because he would never hear the end of it, Pebble was eager to help, which brough the other Distractors on board easy enough.

☁ It was almost comical watching as Sprout declared you as It and the others took off. You stood stunned for a second before taking off in the same direction as Looey, making Sprout chuckle.

☁ It didn't last long before Pebble was charging at him and you, unhelpfully. decided to inform him last minute that the rock was it.

☁ In the end, it had gotten him exactly what he wanted, even if there were a few other casualties as well. You were already falling asleep as he walked you back to the room, making him grin as you babbled about one thing or another. Sprout nodded along as you did, going through the motions of your night time routine for you.

☁ You were mid rant about how frosting was so amazing and you needed an entire bowl of it right that moment when Blu lept up onto Sprout's shoulder, making you gasp. "Our baby!"

☁ "Uh-huh, our baby." He hummed, wetting a cloth with warm water before rubbing it over your face. It made your face scrunch as you tried to back away, but his other hand on the back of your head stopped you.

☁ He helped you into your pajamas and made sure your teeth were brushed before laying you in bed, Blu jumping into your arms before he was wrapping the blankets around you tight enough you couldn't escape.

☁ He grinned at his handy work, going through his own bedtime routine before finally laying down, snuggling right up to you. You were already in dreamland, snoozing away making him grin.

☁ Easy as pie.

☁ Even better as he wakes up well before you do the next morning and ensures you're under warden's watch.

☁ Cosmo. Oh Cosmo. Now remember part 6.5, where I mentioned that Cosmo very quickly learned to assert himself?

☁ :)

☁ With the other two, he likes taking a back seat and letting them be the bad guys, but when they're out and he's left with his stubborn partner who is supposed to be resting?

☁ Not a chanceee. And the worst part? No one will every believe you.

☁ And Cosmo's stealth is high, so your ichor speckled brain struggles to spot him sometimes. And he takes full advantage of that. Constantly. Before you even get the chance to take off, he's there with a primed smile, too sweet and saccharine to be genuine as he kindly asks, "What do you think you're doing."

☁ So Cosmo is a little scary...It's for the character development. :)

☁ But you don't take that for what it is.

☁ Your first attempt is through the room's door. You manage to get it open a full inch before Cosmo is slamming it shut and leaning into your space.

☁ You take your retreat to the bed with your hands up and a small smile on your face.

☁ The second try is the balcony. That doesn't get you very far either as a hand catching your shirt makes you freeze. Cosmo drags you back that time.

☁ The third attempt you don't even get a full foot on the floor before Cosmo is popping back up.

☁ You're not brave enough for a forth try. It's almost comical how you've faced down every single one of the twisteds, Dandy included, but you're rendered docile by Cosmo.

☁ When the other two return from their mains only run, they're stunned by the sight of you, laying in bed and munching on a cookie while watching something on the tv in the room.

☁ Sprout has to do a double take, twice, just to be sure that is what he's seeing. Astro himself pokes your cheek a few times just to see if it's really you, giving a sigh of relief when you swat at him.

☁ Cosmo takes that moment to reappear, his own pajamas on as he waves at them. When asked if there were any more escape attempts, you nearly swallow your tongue when he grins and shrugs.

☁ "Nah, they wouldn't dream of it."

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

madam herta is the first snow of winter.

crisp air flooding your lungs, ice-slicked pavement crackling beneath your feet. skeletal trees that glitter with frozen dew and freshly coated snowflakes. broken skin, nips of icicle-teeth, wonder.

she’s beautiful. beautiful in the way everything crumbles around her.

”well, what are you waiting for?” comes a high-pitched voice, one of her puppets. the same tone, same air of expectancy; like she’s never gotten a no. ”keep up, duckling! we’ve got no time to dilly-dally.”

”sorry, madam!”

she’s walking ahead before you can even get the words out. egoistical, self-absorbed, expecting you to follow. being her assistant isn’t easy, far from it— but it’s worth it just to see her. a puppet, a replica, it doesn’t matter. it’s worth it to be able to follow at her whims, wherever they take her, into the star-soaked sky. you think yourself lucky to have her attention on you — just for a minute or two every day.

everything madam herta does is beautiful. a miracle. if she told you she was god, you wouldn’t hesitate to believe her, fall at her feet. she’s a genius, she can do anything. can even make the world seem worthwhile.

she is on a ceaseless journey, to devour every star. you’ll never grow tired of watching her glimmer, sitting at the edge of the cosmos and watching.

(every star maps out her name.)

”here, carry this,” she clicks her tongue, leaving a pile of abandoned documents in your arms. it comes to you naturally, leaning down to her height to scoop them up. catch the sharp edge of her violet eyes.

there’s a weight there. something knowing.

— the answer to the universe is the number 42.

back home, your professor had called it meaningless. a world without an answer to gain isn’t worth living in at all — not worth the hassle. you remember the dullness in his eyes, the crease between his brows. young, susceptible, you were inclined to believe him. you believed him when he told you magic was a hoax, when he told you the galaxy had an endpoint. when he told you life was devoid of meaning—

you believed him, too.

”that’s wrong,” your lady scoffs. ”is he stupid?”

there’s a cup in your hand, steam wafting up to meet your nostrils, smelling of bitter espresso. a dark, swirling pit. a memory from before — new to the space station, new to her. she took you into her office, and you told her more than you should have.

(she was drinking too. madame herta likes her coffee with cream and sugar — only one cube, though, no more or less. just a touch of something sweet.)

”… what do you mean?”

your own voice sounds foreign, when she’s around. like nothing exists but her, her, her. like it’s all you can see. frosted landscapes and bambino eyes, the bite of winter sinking into your jaw. she’s always had that charisma, the kind only a genius could possess.

a tilt of her head, and a raise of her brow. you stiffen, curl in on yourself, ready to be berated — and she puts her porcelain cup down with a satisfying clink.

”a world without questions,” she exhales, a misty breath on her tongue. ”isn’t worth living in at all.”

a tug at your subconscious. a crack in a frozen lake.

her eyes swim with precision. decision. a cleave into your skin, her greedy fingers slipping under it. you wonder what it’d feel like to be held like that.

”a man who can’t understand that much isn’t suited for teaching in the first place,” she huffs, sipping from the rim of her cup and scowling. ”you should tell him to go back to the academy. i mean, geez. what are they even teaching you these days?”

”… not much.”

(nothing, compared to what you could teach me.)

your lady knows you like no other. the universe like no other. you knew from the start that it’d be her. what she carries is wisdom, experience, a childlike sense of wonder — she’s older than you by centuries and counting, yet she feels purer than you could comprehend. purer than anyone around you. even with her complaints, harsh words, the paperwork she leaves behind for you to finish. that much is fine.

because she’s more than you. she’s beautiful, a genius, she tugs you along and she’ll cast you aside, once you’ve grown too boring to stomach. you think yourself fine with that conclusion— fine with picking at scraps and following at her trail. egoistical, self-absorbed; you wouldn’t have her any other way.

madam herta is the lump between your tongue and throat.

(you’ll fall into her forever.)