#y’all need Ravs | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

munsons-maiden · 3 years

Text

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

This is funny and filthy and my intention was to capture Thor 2 Loki in this 😁. I hope you enjoy! Love - Kiki 🖤

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | Loki x female reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 | Loki wants you to be his. Everything of you. What he doesn’t know is that your heart is already his - but it won’t hurt to let him work for it, right? Though when the two of you are sent on an undercover mission together, it becomes obvious that Loki’s patience in this little game of cat and mouse is wearing thin - as is your own. And Loki wouldn't be the God of Mischief if he didn't have an ace up his sleeve to finally win your heart and put your poker face to the test in a whole new way. (Takes place before Age of Ultron)

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 | humor, bantering, smut

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 | 9 k

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (PLEASE ONLY READ IF YOU’RE 18+ YEARS OLD!), unprotected sex (please be safe in real life!), vaginal fingering, public/semi-public sex, oral (f! receiving), improper use of telepathy, voyeurism, masturbation, vibrators (it’s getting filthy y’all 😁)

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐤𝐢 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ♡

𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 🖤

This can be read as a sequel to the oneshot For Your Love, which you can read HERE if you like, but it can just as well be read as a oneshot on its own.

You were roused by sunlight tickling your nose, having forgotten to close the blinds on your windows before you’d went to bed, and the ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of your mouth as your thoughts wandered to the events of last night, to your encounter with Loki at Tony’s party…and everything that had followed.

To the things Loki had whispered in your ear while the two of you had danced, how his fingers had wandered up your thighs. To what you’d let him do with his elegant hands, hidden beneath the fabric of your skirt.

“I want you to be mine,” Loki had whispered to you as he’d made you unravel on his hands, had summoned his name from your parted lips on a broken cry of bliss, “I want it to be my name falling from your lips when you laugh, and my name to call out for when you’re in need of help. And I want it to be my name you cry out when you come undone.”

“What are you willing to do for it?”, you had inquired.

“For your love? Everything you ask of me.”

“If you want my love, you’ll have to earn it, my king.”

You could have told him, then and there, that your heart already belonged to him. That you’d fallen in love with him a while ago already – but Loki was the God of Lies and Tricks for a reason. If he really wanted your heart and your trust, he would have to earn them. Despite…this thrilling little game of cat and mouse had only just begun, and you wanted to keep playing it for a little while longer.

So you hadn’t tasted his kisses like you’d wanted to do, and you hadn’t told him about your feelings. Instead, you’d given him a seductive little wink before you’d walked away, leaving him behind on the dance floor, his gaze burning at your back and without turning around to glance at him, you knew the devious smile you’d fallen so hard for was playing on his lips.

Yes, Loki had no clue that your heart was already his, and it was certainly more fun that way – letting him court you properly, letting him work for the love you were ready to bestow on him. He wanted everything of you, that much he’d made clear – and you wanted to give him everything. Your heart, your soul, and your body.

When you’d decided to keep him in suspense a bit longer until you finally allowed yourself to give in, you knew the trickster would have his patience tested. You’d never have guessed, though, how much of a test of your own patience it would be, and you found yourself already burning up with desire for the trickster, a desire which hadn’t been quenched by his touches on the dance floor but instead had been stoked into roaring, hungry flames; a ravenous need only he could sate.

As you now opened the door to your room, dressed and ready to grab something for breakfast in the shared kitchen of the new Avengers headquarters, your eyes fell on the single flower placed on the polished wooden floorboards in front of your door. It was an aster. A frost flower. Tracing the delicate blue petals, you couldn’t help but smile at the implication – and the meaning of the flower. They were used as a symbol of patience.

***

Being courted by Loki was, as you quickly realized, something else.

The flower you found the morning after the party was the first in a row of gifts Loki left on your doorstep for you to find in the mornings, gifts which revealed that he knew more about you than you’d have thought – bouquets of the most vibrant of your favourite flowers, cups of your favourite coffee from the little café at the city centre which left you wondering how he even got them; stunning editions of your favourite books and new ones you fell in love with. They showed how much Loki had already paid attention to you in the months since he’d joined the Avengers, how much he’d noticed about the little things which brightened your day. You had already fallen in love with him, but in the days after the party, you could feel yourself falling even deeper and harder for the raven-haired trickster with the mischievously twinkling ocean eyes that always lingered a little longer on you whenever the two of you were in the same room, the smirk which told you he was thinking about that night on the dance floor as often as you did, a smirk which promised so much more. You hadn’t pegged the trickster as a romantic at heart, but with every gift, you felt the need to reassess the picture you had formed of him in your mind.

In front of your teammates, neither of you let show what had happened between the two of you – you and Loki went back to the easy bickering and flirting you used to communicate. But the memory of that night on the dance floor, every sweet nothing he’d whispered to you while pleasuring you with his hands, was an omnipresent thought in your mind, and it didn’t help at all to keep your self-control, at least for a while longer.

To your own surprise, the trickster never started a new advance, neither to touch you like he had at the party, nor to finally kiss you. His gaze, though, whenever your eyes met his, told you exactly what he wanted to do, that the thoughts occupying his mind were as sinful and exhilarating as your own.

A part of you was happy that he was true to his word in proving his intention to conquer your heart and earn your trust, just as you’d told him to; that he showed you he wanted you in every way, not only in his bed – but it didn’t change the fact how much you wanted to be in his bed.

Patience, you reminded yourself. Let him work for it.

It had been a few weeks now, and tonight, you and Loki would be on an undercover mission together. The two of you had been chosen for the job since you both hadn’t been introduced as Avengers to the public yet, which meant nobody knew you. The mission itself was simple: pose as informants trying to establish themselves in the world of criminals and mob bosses, play poker at a shady backroom in a luxurious hotel, and glean information on weapon deals and names while feigning interest to extend your network. Nothing big.

When you got ready that night, your dress – short and revealing enough to surely draw a few gazes but still elegant enough to fit into the ambience a luxurious hotel – something appeared on your bed in a flash of green. A black box, wrapped with a green ribbon. Your smile morphed into an incredulous expression as you untied the ribbon and lifted the box’s lid. There, nestled on green tissue paper matching the ribbon, was a set of lingerie. And a note, written in a cursive, elegant handwriting you’d come to recognize all too well over the past weeks.

See you tonight, darling.

“Sleek rascal,” you muttered to yourself while you marvelled at the black lace of the matching bra and panties, delicate as the pattern of veins adorning a moth’s wing. Underwear which truly didn’t leave much to the imagination – and which, upon trying it on in front of your mirror, hugged your form perfectly. It was surprisingly comfortable as well.

The question was…should you wear it tonight? The two of you were only visiting the hotel – it was nearby, near enough to return home after your mission had succeeded. Giving you underwear sent a clear message. Wearing that underwear did as well.

Though…if Loki kept teasing you, so could you. You decided to wear the lingerie tonight.

***

“You look ravishing, darling” Loki greeted as he held open the door of the sleek black which had brought you to the hotel as part of your disguise, where Loki was already waiting. Looking stunning himself, clad in a black suit with his immaculate raven hair framing his handsome features and spilling onto his shoulders like ink.

“So do you. But judging by the self-satisfied grin you’re wearing, you already know that,” you replied with a grin as you linked your arm with his offered one.

“Okay, let’s just quickly recount the briefing,” you proposed as you took in the imposing building of the hotel looming in front of you, with its white stone pillars that flanked the golden entrance doors which were held open by porters clad in immaculate crimson uniforms. It felt a little like stepping into the glorious days of Hollywood in the golden twenties.

“Briefing?”, Loki inquired, and your eyes snapped back to his.

“They briefed you, didn’t they?”, you blurted, gaping at Loki who only shrugged.

“They did, but it was boring. I stopped listening halfway through.”

“You’re making me go crazy.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Just like everything else,” you huffed.

“It’s called positivity,” Loki winked, “You should try it some time.”

“Not my cup of tea”, you quipped before your tone turned serious. “We’re supposed to meet a guy called Ulysseus Klaue.”

“Tell me that’s not his real name.”

“Well, nobody knows his real name. It’s an alias. He’ll be waiting for us with a few of his henchmen, I suppose, and I’m being told he loves to talk business during a match of poker.”

“So many clichés in one sentence,” Loki assessed.

“His main business is selling weapons to terrorist organizations, but he has a knack for selling stolen vibranium as well. All we need to do is give him our fake information about this storage of vibranium and get a few names in return.”

“Well, I’m just here for the game.”

You tilted your head, shooting him a scrutinizing glance. “I wasn’t aware you could play poker.”

Loki gave you a look of feigned hurt before he replied, “Who says I was talking about poker? But yes. I’m perfectly capable to play every game where there’s a prize waiting for me at the end.”

“I bet it’s a pleasure to play Monopoly with you,” you deadpanned, ignoring his well-placed insinuation, and together, you strolled through the opulent lobby – a hall with pillars of marble and oil paintings adorning the high walls, tinted in the golden glow of a dozen sparkling chandeliers – and towards the rows of elevators which would bring the two of you down to the casino on the lower levels.

“Well, then let’s just bask in each other’s ridiculously good looks, shall we?”, Loki retorted while you let your gaze roam over the resplendent interior of the place, before you asked, “Does this look a little like the palace in Asgard?”

Loki chuckled. “This place is a broom closet compared to the magnificence of the Asgardian palace.”

“Apologies for the offense, your majesty,” you quipped with a mock-curtsy as you threw the trickster a sideways glance, and he gave you a disarming smile in reply before he hummed, “You don’t have to be so formal. My king is wholly sufficient to address me for tonight.”

How did he manage to turn every single sentence into a flirtation that made heat creep into your cheeks? Was it the way he drawled the words in this smooth velvet voice of his, or was it your own mind twisting the meaning of innocent words in your desire for him?

“I don’t know why you spent so much time trying to get your hands on the Tesseract when you could just have floated up to space on your inflated ego instead,” you retorted, not letting on how flustered he made you feel already, before the two of you stepped into the elevator which would bring you to the hotel’s casino to meet the targets of your mission. The interior of the car was as fancy as the rest of the hotel, with a gold-framed mirror covering the span of the wall opposite the doors while the rest of the floor and walls was covered in white marble as well.

“I wonder how the rooms look like, if that’s only the elevator,” you mused, and Loki snickered.

“Don’t say it,” you chided.

“I don’t know what you’re implying. Did you get my gift, by the way?”, Loki purred, his voice like claws gently raking down your spine.

“I did, indeed.”

“Does it fit you well?”

“Who says I already tried it on? Let me guess, your next question is whether I chose to wear it tonight”, you taunted while the golden doors slid close behind the two of you with a soft whoosh before the elevator began to move downwards.

Loki’s smirk grew devious before he leaned closer to you, so close that his raven strands tickled over the exposed skin on your shoulder, and cooed, “Only one way to find out, darling.”

“We have a mission to complete. Keep your naughty thoughts to yourself, will you?”

“Only my thoughts?”, Loki inquired with a seductive tone that made your breath hitch, “What about my hands? You seemed to be rather fond of my hands not so long ago.”

With his words which seeped into your thoughts like the sweetest honey, he didn’t even have to use his hands to make your mind spin and arousal course through your veins like a drug. And he knew it damn well.

“How about you?”, you asked sweetly, preparing for a counterattack. “Do you think about your hands under my skirt often? Imagining what else you could do with me?”

“All the time, darling,” Loki rasped in your ear just as the elevator doors slid open with a ping, and heat shot through your body.

“You should take a deep breath to steady yourself,” he announced, leaving you a little disappointed when he took a step away from you and brushed an imaginary lint from the lapel of his pristine suit while he caught your gaze in the elevator car’s mirror, “You seem a little flustered. We wouldn’t want you to lose your focus.”

You laughed with your eyes pointedly fixed on the sea of blinking lights emitted by the gambling machines throughout the casino’s space in front of you – a perfect reflection of the lobby above, only that the marble on floor and walls down here was black instead of white, giving the whole space a mysterious atmosphere. “It takes a lot more to steal my focus than a few suggestive sentences, darling.” You purred the pet name, echoing Loki’s seductive tone, and the expression of glee on his handsome features made you wonder what else the trickster had in store for tonight.

“Ready?”, Loki asked.

“Ready when you are.”

***

The two of you were granted access to one of the many elegant backrooms of the casino. The three men who’d already been waiting for your and Loki’s arrival – Klaue and two of his henchmen – nodded their greetings, and you felt as if you’d stepped right onto the set of a mafia movie. It was ridiculous how the criminal’s cronies had seemingly taken great efforts to meet every single cliché that came to mind when thinking of high-profile criminals and mob bosses. Glinting golden rings, expensive watches adorning their wrists, and one of them, a sleazy guy who couldn’t seem to tear his eyes from your generous cleavage, even had a red rose pinned to his lapel.

Klaue himself was dressed way less fancy in a simple grey suit, and you could see malice gleam in his eyes as he pressed a kiss to the back of your hand in greeting, leaving you to suppress the disgusted scowl which threatened to etch itself on your features.

“So, you’re interested in forging new business connections,” he queried while gesturing for you and Loki to take your seats at the poker table in the middle of the room, below another chandelier, its crystals artfully crafted to make it look as if it had frozen over, and you gave a curt nod, careful to keep your face trained in an expression somewhere between indifference and boredom.

“We are.”

You took a seat at the poker table opposite of Loki.

Klaue’s gaze flitted to the trickster, scrutinizing him for a split second, and you suppressed a grin at the threatening gleam in Loki’s stunning eyes as he held the criminal’s gaze.

“First things first,” Klaue announced with a benevolent smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “How do I know I can trust you?”

“I think we all know that trust isn’t something associated in our line of business,” you replied, “You’ve got something we want, and we’ve got something you want. So let’s stop pretending to be something we’re not and start talking business, shall we?”

Klaue laughed. “Not just a pretty face, I see. Until now, I though you were merely his company for the night. Now I wonder if it isn’t vice versa.”

Loki chuckled. “I don’t see how our relations are any of your business.”

Klaue’s face turned steely. “I might have declared my interest.”

“I’m flattered, but you’re not my type,” Loki deadpanned, and this time, you couldn’t hold back your little snicker upon seeing Klaue’s face darkening, just as the wooden double doors opened for one of the waiters to bring in a tray of colourful cocktails you eyed suspiciously.

“Tell me what it is you think you possess that I want desperately enough to share some of my contact’s names,” the criminal changed the subject, making a point of ignoring Loki, who seemed to be more than amused by the whole situation as he took a small piece of silvery glinting metal out of his suit pocket and placed it on the table in front of Klaue, under the watchful gazes of his two silent henchmen. Klaue couldn’t suppress the hungry expression on his face as he took the small piece of vibranium into his hands.

“We heard the Wakandans love you so much they didn’t want to let you go again,” Loki said. So, he had paid attention to the briefing.

You added, “Until they made sure you’d be a dead man should you ever set foot in their country.”

Klaue chortled.

“You did your research. So did I, by the way, but it was impossible to glean much information about you.”

“That might be because we’re better at our job than you are,” Loki countered.

One of Klaue’s cronies coughed, barely managing to conceal his little guffaw.

“Now that that’s settled,” you chimed in, swirling the straw in your cocktail glass, “We know where you can find vibranium to steal outside of Wakanda. We have some information regarding a few shipments of about half a ton – top secret, of course. All we ask for in return are the names of your contacts on the black market. Weapons, drugs, vibranium. The usual business.”

Klaue sneered at you and Loki. “Then let’s play. For every round the two of you win, I’ll give you a name. For every round we win, I get a new set of coordinates for shipments. Sound like a deal? If you’re confident enough regarding your poker skills, of course.”

“I think we’ll make do,” Loki retorted drily.

It was an interesting game of poker. The chips on Loki’s side of the table were multiplying with every round, and it got harder to maintain your own straight face while watching these criminals with their steroid enhanced muscles and scarred, grim faces lose their fortune to the God of Mischief, round by round, while their faces became even more grim.

You knew Loki was cheating, and from the sly little smirk he occasionally threw your way from opposite the table, he knew that you knew. You didn’t exactly have to be a telepath to tell. Had it only been for the sake of fun, you’d have been way more relaxed than you currently felt. This was an undercover mission. Stealing these guys’ money wasn’t exactly the kind of behaviour which could be described as inconspicuous.

Loki, though, didn’t seem to notice or care. He was having a ball, you thought while he placed his cards on the poker table – another Royal Flush. You could practically feel how the others were gnashing their teeth, probably already planning how to get rid of your bodies should Loki’s lucky streak continue.

“I’ll take these,” he chimed up with viciousness in his smooth voice while he grabbed another golden chip out of the hands of the guy with the rose pinned to his lapel. “Looks like I’m more than a pretty face myself,” he added with a wink at Klaue, mocking the criminal’s prior attempt to undermine your own position.

“Looks like the Queen of Hearts has an affinity for you,” Klaue added with barely veiled threat in his tone.

“Look at me. You can hardly blame her for it,” Loki countered, and when he spoke the words, his mesmerizing eyes locked on yours once more, holding a spark of mischief at the insinuation that made your pulse quicken with a flood of thoughts wholly improper in the midst of an important mission. Thoughts which made heat bloom in your lower belly. It took all of your self-control not to kick him under the table.

Above the cards in your hand, you threw the trickster a warning glare. If you’re not careful, we’ll be thrown out of this place. With or without a body bag to go nicely with your black suit, you snapped in your mind in case he was able to hear your thoughts right now. With Loki, you never exactly knew how his telepathic skills worked.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

Your panties started to…vibrate. A light vibration against your crotch that tore a surprised little gasp from you – which, in return, drew the glances of every other person at the table as your eyes snapped up to meet Loki’s. He wore the perfect poker face while he intently observed your reaction, the trace of an innocent smile curving his lips as you cleared your throat and placed your hand on the table. “I’m out,” you declared with a slight quiver in your voice at the thrumming sensations against your core, before they stopped as abruptly as they had begun.

Oh no you didn’t, you hissed in your mind, and he sparkle in Loki’s eyes told you that he could hear your thoughts. And that the match had just begun. A minute ago, you’d have compared this little game of hunter and prey Loki and you had been playing the last few weeks with a game of poker itself. But Loki had shown you his cards when he’d told you that he wanted you to be his – while you had continued to hold your cards still close to your heart and keep your poker face intact.

Now, you realized, Loki had switched the game, drawing you in for a round of Russian Roulette instead.

Oh yes, I did, his voice answered in your mind, a soft purr which only fuelled the growing arousal in your core.

Don’t you dare, Loki. I swear –

The panties vibrated again, and this time, it was more intense than before, a vibration right against that bundle of nerves, which sent a gentle wave of pleasure zinging through your lower belly and made heat pool between your thighs while your back arched slightly with the sensation.

Loki, stop it, you snapped in your mind, beginning to panic a little but the trickster’s devious smirk only widened.

“Is everything alright, darling?”, he asked aloud, his voice sweet and innocent like dripping honey as you squeezed your thighs together and tried to keep your breath steady, “You seem to be a little…tense.”

Since you’re taking your sweet time to allow me in your bed, I figured I would have to find another way to satisfy your needs, my darling. I promised you wouldn’t want for anything, he added in your mind, the timbre of his voice growing heavy with his own excitement.

How did he do it? His slender hands were holding his poker cards – but there were little green sparks dancing at the tips of his fingers. Fingers which, only weeks ago, had wandered over your thighs, had caressed the swollen bundle of nerves between your legs while he promised to make you his, making you writhe with lust and scream his name …

Stop showing me these memories, you commanded, and the onslaught of images in your mind stopped as Loki obeyed.

You’re right, he drawled and gave you a seductive wink from opposite the table, Why sulk in memories if there’s so much to look forward to instead?

The pulsing vibration of the panties intensified once more, a steady, gentle thrum against your clit which made your nerve endings sear with the sensation, and you bit your lip to suppress a moan as you felt the slickness of your arousal seep into the lace of the panties, soaking the delicate fabric.

One of the other men at the table cleared his throat, throwing you an expectant glance as you willed every last dreg of self-control to fight against the desire to roll your hips in time with the thrumming pulse of the panties, to rub against it to gain more friction because the vibration alone wasn’t enough – and realized that it was your turn to pick the next card. You had stopped paying attention a while ago. With a slight tremor in your hand, which you tried hard to conceal, you reached out and picked a card.

Loki, I mean it, you warned in a last attempt to prevent what you didn’t really want to prevent any more, if you don’t – oh fuck.

This time, your body took control, and you faintly rolled your hips, causing the vibrating button to press harder against your throbbing clit. The sensation was overwhelming, making your eyes flutter close briefly with its intensity as the ache between your thighs became unbearable and you tried to take a steadying breath to bite back the moan threatening to tear from your throat. God, did it feel good.

I wish you could see yourself now, so hot and bothered and needy. What exactly is you need, darling?, Loki’s voice continued to drawl in your mind, the sultry timbre accompanying the pulsing vibrations against your slick core while a new wave of images poured into your mind’s eye. Images of Loki’s hands dipping into your panties to replace the vibrating button and dance over the wetness of your folds, swivelling over that swollen bundle of nerves to fill your body with the sweetest sensations as you desperately rolled your hips against his.

A choked groan escaped you through gritted teeth as your ground your hips against the thrumming of the panties, and a few confused glances found you from the other players at the table as you demurely used your free hand to fan yourself, and muttered, “It’s warm in here.”

“It is, indeed,” Loki chimed in with another innocent smile, only betrayed by the amused gleam in his eyes. Eyes which were getting gradually darker with his own desire. Time for payback, you thought. Two can play this game.

Starting to grind your hips in time with the vibrating pulse, slowly, slow enough for the others not to notice, you let out a low groan in your mind and leaned further against the top of the poker table, never breaking eye contact with Loki as you began to croon in your mind, I wish you could feel how wet I am for you, darling.

His eyes flashed as you called him by the same pet name he’d given you, and you knew the scales were tipping. With a coy smile, you gyrated your hips once more, quietly relishing the sensation of raw pleasure bolting through your tensing muscles as your clit rubbed against the thrumming fabric. It cost so much will-power not to give voice to how heavenly it felt – but your poker face was just as good as Loki’s.

And so, you continued to drawl in your mind’s inner voice, with a tone heavy with lust, I wish you could touch me now. Feel how ready I am for you. I still think about you, fucking me with your beautiful fingers. Nice and slow… For good measure, you conjured the things in your mind’s eye you’d already imagined Loki doing to you, thoughts you’d spun in the quiet darkness of your bedroom at night while you’d let your hands wander below the waistband of your panties. Look at the things I imagined you doing, Loki. Look how I stroked myself, thinking about how it would feel if it were your mouth pleasuring me instead of my own hands…how good it would feel if it were your tongue. Your hands. Your cock. Filling me so good, better even than your fingers.

God, you needed to take care not to come to your high with these thoughts alone, showing them to Loki… You could see how aroused the trickster was – the feverish glow in his eyes gave him away, the smile which had fused into something darker, something predatory as he watched your innocent expression while you showed him all these fantasies, slowly grinding against the toy he’d given you. There was a slight flush in his pale cheeks, his breaths getting heavier and heavier, and all the while, the game of poker continued – turning out to be an effective way to keep the three criminals occupied with their own cards and odds to realize what was happening between you and the trickster.

Despite your efforts, though, Loki still held the power in his hands. If you cried out at this table, all eyes would be on you, eyes which could see through the façade you and Loki were more or less trying to uphold. There would probably be no real danger for the two of you, with your and Loki’s fighting skills and the trickster’s magic for good measure – but you wouldn’t get the names you were after, the information you needed to get these people arrested.

With a smile so vicious, so intoxicating, Loki watched as he amped up the vibrator’s intensity with his magic, and it was all you could do not to double over and cry out his name, you were so close. Instead, you jumped to your feet and threw your cards on the table.

“I need another drink,” you announced. With a glare at Loki, you added, “A stronger one.”

Indignantly, Klaue began to protest, “You can’t just leave the table in the middle of a –“

“For someone losing every single round, you sure are intent on continuing to do so,” you cut him off, and the bite in your tone silenced him for good as you stormed off.

You needed to keep your head clear. And to get your head clear, you needed to get these panties off. Your legs were trembling as you walked – or rather stumbled – through the casino’s sumptuous foyer, weaving through throngs of people with lavish evening gowns and wrists and necks decorated with gemstones as huge as dollar coins, all the while the cursed panties kept vibrating against the apex of your thighs. You didn’t see a sign for the restrooms, but you needed to get the garment off. Now. There – there was an empty elevator. You darted inside and pushed the button to hold the doors closed while your hands slid beneath the short hem of your dress. You yanked at the waistband of the panties, pulling them down with a shaky sigh of relief when they hit the ground around your ankles with a soft thud of fabric and plastic.

Just as you bent down to grab them, green light filled the elevator car.

“YOU!”, you fumed, absolutely livid, stabbing your index finger at his chest, but your ragged breaths took the edge from your voice and left it sounding weak. Loki only smirked, looking pointedly unimpressed by your fury.

“No need to thank me. We both know you enjoyed this little gamble. The panties would surely attest the fact.” His eyes travelled down to the sodden lace in your hand, and you threw them at him with another angry hiss.

Loki’s grin widened when he caught the panties with one hand, and wrapping the delicate lace around his elegant fingers, he crooned with delight, “You truly are soaked for me.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“It might be the time to remind you that it was you who showed me all these naughty fantasies only minutes ago. How long have you been enjoying them, darling?” His voice grew lower with every word, heavy with arousal as it floated through the small tension-filled space between the two of you, surrounded by white marble and the huge, gilded mirror. You kept glowering while you brushed your palms over the fabric of your dress to smooth it out, standing your ground and holding his piercing blue gaze, careful not to let show how excitement was sizzling through your veins and desire pooling between your thighs.

“Tell me”, Loki continued, taking another small, measured step towards you, “How often have you touched yourself, thinking of me?”

You didn’t dare to reply, lest the strain in your voice would betray your desire, but the look flashing across Loki’s handsome features showed you that your expression had already given you away. He chuckled as he closed the remaining distance between the two of you, lifting his hand to let the back of his index finger gently trace the line of your jaw before he tilted your chin up, leaning closer to you. So close that his lips were hovering above yours, his hot breath tickling your lips, and your core throbbed with the overwhelming need to have him inside you, to finally have him pleasure you in all the ways you wanted him to. In all the ways you had imagined.

“All these fantasies,” Loki continued to growl in his voice as smooth and dark as satin while he slowly brushed the pad of his thumb over the bow of your lower lip, making your legs even weaker and your breath hitch, “I want to make them all come true for you, darling. All of them, and more.”

The beautiful azure colour of his irises was nearly fully eclipsed by his lust-blown pupils as he watched you from beneath a curtain of long, dark lashes while his intoxicating scent engulfed you, an irresistible mix of soap and something herbal and traces of leather lingering in the air. His closeness made your mind spin like one of the roulette wheels beyond the elevator’s golden doors.

More than anything, you wanted to finally feel his lips against yours, to taste his searing kisses, feel them all over your bare skin…

Your eyes fluttered close, overwhelmed by the sensations he summoned in your body with only his closeness, the brush of his thumb over your bottom lip. “You played me well, darling”, he rasped, and his breath felt like another fleeting caress as it ghosted over your lips, “Pretending I didn’t long since conquer your heart to make me dance like a puppet on your string. I’m impressed. I couldn’t have played a game more mischievous. If I told you that you’ve won – would you like to collect the prize?”

“My heart never was a trophy to win in a game,” you stated and took a step back, away from him, until your spine met the cold marble of the elevator car’s wall and the golden handrail dug into your lower back. Loki stayed where he was, watching you hungrily as you went on, “I wanted to see whether you mean it. That you truly want me – not just as a pastime. That your intentions were honourable.”

He snickered. “Rest assured that my intentions towards you have never been anything but un-honourable. But –“, to your surprise, the impish smirk made room for genuineness in the trickster’s expression when he continued, “ – rest also assured that my intentions have always been to treat you like a queen. To pleasure and make you happy not only inside the bedroom, but outside of it as well. For as long as you’ll let me.”

You blinked. “Even if I would let you do it forever? Don’t you think you will bore of me one day and seek another means to pass your time?” Your tone was taunting – but your concern was real.

“What else can I do to prove the honesty of my intentions towards you, Y/N?”, he asked. It sounded neither impatient nor annoyed, but curios, urgent, “As I told you: for your love, I’ll do anything you ask of me. Anything you want me to.”

“First of all, you could have warned me about the devilish device in my panties,” you finally deadpanned with a slow grin tugging at your lips as another idea bloomed in your mind. As much as you wanted him to take you right now, you wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily.

“It’s not as if you didn’t have fun with them,” Loki retorted wickedly, lifting the lacy thing between his fingers.

“And still,” you purred, “I’m all hot and bothered and in desperate need of relief.”

You lasciviously lifted one leg and placed the heel of your shoe on his stomach to stop him from prowling closer while you leaned further back against the wall, resting one elbow on the cool golden handrail while you let your other hand slowly roam down the outside of your thigh, Loki’s gaze intently following your every movement.

“You don’t think you’ll have any of it now, do you?”, you crooned, and slowly dragged up the hem of your dress with your fingers, feeling the slickness of arousal already seep down between your legs. You shivered under the intensity of Loki’s beautiful blue gaze as your hand slowly travelled up the inside of your thigh, fingertips dancing over the sensitive skin as they wandered higher until they finally reached your core.

“I might have given in tonight,” you drawled sweetly, lacing your voice with the heaviness of your arousal as you drew out every word while you dragged the tip of your index finger over the slickness of your heat, and the thrill of it, of Loki watching you, made your heart race all the faster.

“Is this your punishment for me?”, Loki inquired mockingly, “Putting on a little show and making me watch you pleasure yourself while you think of me? For a punishment, that’s a pretty good one.”

“Is it?” Your fingertips had reached the swollen bud of your clit, and you let out a wanton moan as you brushed over it, lasciviously rolling your hips as you sunk further against the wall, you free hand deliberately slowly wandering up to caress your breasts through the fabric of the dress.

“Is it a good punishment, watching me fuck my own hands instead of yours? God, this is so good”, you added with a groan, “Maybe I don’t need you after all for these things.”

It was good. It had never been so good as now, with Loki watching you, but he didn’t need to know that. Pleasure shot through you as you let your fingertips swirl over the swollen bundle of nerves, and the slick sounds filled the elevator car along with your lewd moans and Loki’s own breath, which became increasingly more laboured as he watched you – and with a huff of surprise from you, an invisible grasp pulled your hands away to pin them against the marble wall above your head.

“Don’t you dare,” you panted, and Loki tilted his head with a mischievous smirk, watching you while you struggled against his magic’s hold on your wrists with little success.

“I can’t let you have all the fun without me,” he taunted and gently pushed down your leg.

Your eyes narrowed with a surge of exhilaration bolting through you as you countered, “And once again, you’re cheating in a game.”

“I thought you’d made clear it wasn’t a game, darling,” he mused, one eyebrow raised in feigned confusion.

“I only ever said my heart wasn’t a prize to win. I never said it wasn’t a game.”

“Is it still a game if we’re both winning in the end, though?”, Loki pondered, relishing the way your breathing was laboured with desire for him as he stalked closer to you, step by measured step, and the intensity in his gaze would have been enough to pin you into place without his magic.

“As I see it,” he murmured when he’d come to stand in front of you, head angled and close enough for the tip of his nose to nearly brush against yours as he leaned closer still, making you shiver with anticipation of what was to follow, “I want you as much as you want me. Why not give in at last?”

“We could have gotten married in the time it took you to finish your little speech,” you breathed with a sly smile mirroring his own. “If you’re planning on continuing this ted talk, I’d be much obliged if you could set my hands free to let me finish the job myself.”

“Does it turn you on that much to hear me talk?”, he quipped, all the while his fingertips reached down to toy with the hem of your dress, and you bucked your hips against his as your body took control.

“The panties did a marvellous job, so don’t give yourself too much credit.”

Loki only chuckled, leaning closer while his hands slipped beneath the glittering fabric of your dress to caress the bare skin of your thigh while he slowly let them wander upwards, and his gaze strayed down to your lips.

“Vibrating panties aren’t much of a competition for me.”

You arched into his touch as his fingertips finally reached the apex of your thighs, dragging them torturingly slow along your soaked folds, and you swallowed your frustrated groan.

“Stop teasing.”

“Then what would you like me to do, darling?”, he breathed, “Would you like me to make all these things come true that you imagined so desperately?”

His lips grazed your cheek as you gave him a breathless nod, and you could feel him smile when his fingertips caressed your soaked core, deliberately avoiding the spot where you needed him most.

“If you’re up for it,” you taunted.

Another frustrated whine broke from your chest as Loki pulled his hands away from you with his signature smirk, but the words of protest died in your throat as his hands snaked around your thighs to grab you butt and lift you onto the handrail, and you shivered as the cold metal made contact with your bare skin where your dress had ridden up.

“What are you doing?”, you panted, and his smile widened while his lust-blown eyes sparked and he sunk to his knees in front of you.

“Taking my time with you.”

“In an elevator?”, you questioned. As if on cue, the doors began to slide open with a ping, but a green bolt of light pulled them shut again, all the while Loki’s gaze had never even strayed from yours.

“I don’t see why not,” he hummed, hands gliding down your legs to hook them around his shoulders, “Especially after having been patient for so long.”

Your mind flitted back to what he’d said to you at the party weeks ago while he’d trailed kisses over your throat.

“Would you like that, me on my knees for you?”

“I thought kings would never kneel.”

“Only for their queen.”

He seemed to have had the same thought, because he mused, “Maybe the Queen of Hearts is drawn to me.” His hot breath tickled your most sensitive parts as he spoke, the wetness already pooling between your thighs, and it made you shudder with eagerness.

You were about to tell him what a bad pun it was, but your words were cut off by a moan as Loki’s tongue flicked out, drawing lazy circles over your dripping folds, making your hips snap up to meet his mouth. He chuckled against your wetness, while his hands travelled up your thighs to grab your hips and pin them against the handrail, his fingernails scratching the soft skin.

“So desperate for me already and I barely even touched you”, he grinned and this time, his tongue hit that sweet spot and you cried out as you rolled your hips, craving more. He moaned in response, sucking at the bundle of nerves, making you writhe beneath his touch with the sensation of his tongue, the vibration of his dark voice against you as he murmured, “You taste sweeter than any Asgardian wine.”

Everything you had imagined in the night-shrouded solitude of your bedroom was paling compared to this blissful reality, to the sight and feeling of Loki kneeling between your legs, pleasuring you. Your back arched, and the pleasure washing over you intensified with every flick of his tongue against that bundle of nerves. You writhed in his magic’s grasp still pinning you to the elevator’s wall, desperate to rake your hands through his raven hair.

But the ache for him wasn’t quenched by the ministrations of his skilled tongue. You needed more of him.

“I need you, Loki,” your whispered on another wanton moan, and the vibration of his low laugh against your heat – so, so much better than the damn panties – made your walls clench around nothing, fuelling your need to feel him inside of you until you thought it might drive you crazy. A whine escaped your throat when he pulled away from you to meet your gaze.

“After you’ve been teasing and testing me for weeks?”, Loki drawled with a rascal grin before his tongue flicked out to lick your arousal from his lips. “I should just leave you here, all desperate and wet and needy for me. Take my sweet revenge.”

“You want me too much to leave now,” you cooed with a devilish grin.

“If you want me, you’ll have to beg for it.”

With these words, he rose back to his feet, but you only snickered.

“Queens don’t beg,” you whispered with a lilting tone, “They only command.”

“And what is it you command me to do, darling?”

Your voice darkened. “Make me scream your name. Make me yours.”

When his lips finally crashed on yours, they held the ferocity of a wildfire, and the very same flames flared in your own core as you rolled your hips against his and his hands flew up to cup your face and pull you closer into the greedy, open-mouthed kiss. The grasp of his magic on your wrists dispersed, and you let your hands thread through his luscious black curls, as soft to the touch as you’d imagined they would be, and the moan tumbling from Loki’s lips as you gently tugged at his strands to pull him even closer made you go wild with longing. Judging by the bulge in his pants as he rolled his hips against yours and the searing urge of his kisses, his tongue dancing around yours to taste you, his patience was as strained as your own.

Before you could utter your plea for him to fill you, Loki’s hands settled on your waist and he spun you around so your spine was pressed flush against his chest, and his lust-darkened eyes met yours in the elevator’s gilded mirror in front of you.

“Look how stunning you are, darling,” he husked, and you inhaled sharply when one of his hands slid beneath the hem of your dress and his cool fingertips began to caress the swollen nub of your clit, and you sunk further back against him. Just like he’d done weeks ago at the party – but now, there were no prying eyes to watch but your own, eagerly meeting his hungry gaze in the reflection of the mirror. Continuing what the two of you had started on the dance floor.

You let your own hand wander between your bodies, and with a quick movement of your fingertips, the button at the fly of his pants came undone and your hand dove down to free him, a smirk playing on your lips as you watched his lips part with a sinful moan as your fingers wrapped around his hardened length and you started to pump him with slow, measured strokes.

“I wonder how lovely you’ll look with me filling you,” he murmured, and his lips grazed the shell of your ear, making you angle your head to grant him access to your neck, and he let his teeth graze over the sensitive skin above your racing pulse point. His fingers kept teasing your clit so achingly slowly, sending the sweetest jolts of pleasure coursing through you as your hips rutted against his hand, submitting to your darkest, deepest desires you’d harboured for so long, stoking the throbbing ache in your core as he made these sweet fantasies come true at last.

“More,” you whimpered, “Please.”

“As you wish,” Loki purred. His voice was so low that it was barely above a whisper. His hand left your clit to align himself with your entrance, dragging his tip along your soaked folds while his gaze, dark and ravenous, feeding the flames licking at your core, stayed on you in the mirror’s reflection, drinking you in as your eyes fluttered close when he rolled his hips and buried himself in you so deliciously slowly, relishing the feeling of your walls stretching around him, of your slickness coating him. The sensation was enough to steal another moan from your lips and the air from your lungs, intensifying to white-hot bliss as Loki began to move, bottoming out of you only to slide back and bury himself deeper in your dripping core with another lewd moan tangling in the air.

“How do you want me to take you, my darling?”, Loki breathed, “Do you want it nice and slow? Or do you want me to fuck you senseless?”

“Why decide?,” you replied breathlessly, “You said you’d do whatever I want you to. I want you to do both.”

A dark laugh rumbled through his chest, vibrating through your spine while he began to attack the side of your neck with bruising kisses; teeth scraping over soft skin, nibbling at the most sensitive spots to draw soft whimpers from your lips as he left his mark on you.

“Open your eyes,” he commanded when you let your eyes fell shut and your head fall back against his shoulder as pleasure submerged you, “I want you to watch how good you’re taking me. How beautiful you look, coming undone with me inside of you.”

Obeying, you forced your eyes open to watch him in the mirror, to savour the sight of the hungry gleam in his mesmerizing eyes, the beautiful blush on his cheeks, his lips on your skin as every thrust sheathed him deeper inside of you, eliciting nothing but pure, searing bliss bolting through every nerve of your body, senses heightened to his every touch, his every breath ghosting over the crook of your shoulder, his long lashes tickling the skin of your throat as he pulled you closer. Your hands shot up to rake through his ink-black curls once more, as you rolled your hips in time with his, observing how perfectly your bodies fit together, melded into one.

“Let me hear how good I make you feel,” he rasped, and one of his hands snaked back to your clit, rubbing over the swollen bud in time with his languid thrusts, the tension in your lower belly growing until you thought you might explode with the scorching pleasure he gave you while he pushed deeper into you. “Let me hear these lovely sounds, darling. Let me hear that you’re mine.”

His free hand slid upwards, wrapping around the column of your throat with a gentle grasp. His fingertips made your skin tingle as if the touch would leave burn marks of bliss wherever his skin met yours, and you arched your back as another broken cry of lust tore from you, lacing with Loki’s own moans and praising whispers in the air of the elevator car as he fucked you in front of the gilded mirror. It felt delirious, and you craved more of this beautiful agony he was bestowing on you.

“Tell me who you belong to,” he commanded hoarsely, and the beautiful dark timbre of his voice seemed to reverberate against your spine, through your very bones.

“You,” you moaned, “I’m yours, Loki. All of me.”

Loki’s pacing quickened, length kept hitting that sweet, throbbing spot inside of you, over and over again, building knot of fire in your belly until you thought you couldn’t take it any longer.

“I’m close,” you moaned as you could feel your release catching up to you, slowly and with an intensity you’d never experienced before.

The rhythm of his thrusts faltered, languid thrusts turning into jagged rutting movements telling you Loki was close as well. For a wonderful moment, you felt like balancing on a tightrope, on the precipice of your climax; breathless, locked in Loki’s embrace. Your walls clenched around him as his tip grazed that throbbing spot once more, and along with his fingertips caressing your clit, the glow that had built in your core seemed to explode into thousand little fireworks, sparks flying through your body as your muscles jerked and your hips gyrated against him raggedly to match his thrusts, dragging him under with you, and your mind went beautifully blank while everything blurred with bliss. You felt him twitch inside you as Loki came undone with you, and a sinful moan tore from his throat while the feeling of his hot cum spilling inside of you was enough to pull you under with another orgasm.

Loki’s muscles clenched and his grip around you tightened as he rode out both your climaxes, his head nuzzled in the crook of your neck and his breathing ragged against your bare skin.

For a few breathless, panting moments, you stayed like this, feeling his racing heartbeat calm in time with yours as it kept thrumming against your spine, and you marvelled at how beautiful he looked, raven hair messed by your hands and the edges of his wicked grin softened with affection.

Loki’s hand left its place around your throat to tangle in your hair instead, and with a last lingering kiss to the crook of your neck, he rasped, “Tell me whenever you’re ready for round two. Or do you intend to let me wait another couple of weeks?”

The soft tease in his coarse voice made you flash him a devilish grin in the mirror as you drawled, “That depends entirely on how queenly you proceed to treat me now that you’ve gotten what you wanted.”

“You still think it’s the only thing I wanted?”, Loki chuckled, and his hands grasped the hem of your dress to pull it down with a sly smirk before he rebuttoned his pants. “I told you what I want, Y/N. Your heart, your soul, your love. Your everything.”

“We should probably finish the mission before discussing our relations in the near future,” you quipped, “Though I guess the criminals have been entertained by a perfect copy of yourself, still stealing their money?”

Loki’s expression was one of feigned innocence. “You say it as if it were something bad.”

***

When you woke the next morning, there was a pleasant ache between your legs to tell you last night, everything that had happened in the elevator, hadn’t only been a dream. You stretched and your hand brushed against something smooth and cold which had been placed on the empty side of your bed.

The last wisps of sleep dissipated quickly as you sat up and weighed the smooth little box in your hands. It was roughly the size of your palm, made of dark wood and adorned with a ribbon of dark green silk which rustled softly like the pages of a book as it loosened under your fingertips.

Your smile widened as you lifted the box’s lid to reveal a single play card depicting a woman with a crown, her crimson painted lips curved into the ghost of a smile. The Queen of Hearts.

“Smooth as always,” you chuckled to yourself – but as you lifted the card between your fingertips, something glinting caught your focus the morning light, and your mouth fell open.

Beneath the card, there was a ring resting on the green velvet at the bottom of the box, a beautiful golden circlet with a single emerald, and your heart made a somersault as you turned the card with the Queen of Hearts and your eyes fell on the loops of Loki’s elegant handwriting.

I may not be king, but I fully intend to make you my queen if your answer is yes.

Loki taglist (let me know if you’d like to be added): @boneheadduluc @spiderhostia @a-midwinter-night-dream-86 @zemosimp05 @justfangirlthingies @cazzyimagines @rumblelibrary @victias @justanothertruebeliver @chiptaylormybeloved @vverliebt @madhatter2727 @a-simp-recommends-fics @morphoportis @superavengerpotter @savvywords @thatoneleoslytherin @clockblobber @jhawk608 @spooksgalore69 @paetonnn @chaosbringer566 @jesuisbenny @idkimjusthere23 @dirtytissuebox @sarahpaq08 @janetsnakehole02 @swimgirl5665 @wojciechovsk @flawed---by---design @the-maroon-panda @charistory @lokiperfection @jen-w @i-l-y-3000 @spicy-acocado @fallinallinmendes @awkward-and-indecisive @whiskeywinter89 @cringingmemeries @osugahunnyicedtea @dead-mitochondria @littleone65 @theaudacitytowrite @marchingicenotes7 @palepurserebelcloud @variant59 @lokistoriesblog @classicmarvelavenue @confettucini @1marvelnerd3000 @gabewerk @huffpuff10 @pugcess @wh0reforthemarauders @pictsiepanda @sititran @kingtwhiddleston @glee-ghost @glacial-snowflakes

Taglist for a sequel to For Your Love: @spensual @melinaflynn1982 @goddessofmisschieff @psyc-hot-ic-gingers-kitten @valenorese

#loki #loki x female reader #loki x reader #loki x y/n #loki x you #loki mcu #loki smut #loki tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston #loki laufeyson #loki laufeyson fanfic #loki laufeyson x you #loki laufeyson x reader #loki imagine #loki fanfiction #loki fanfic

1K notes · View notes

123abcdrawwithme · 5 years

Text

all spg albums poorly described by me bc i can

album one: steam man band: michael reed voice: GUYS HOLY HECK LOOKIT MY ROBOT FRIEMDS THEIR SO COOL OHMA G AD clockwork vaudeville: now when you say you bought yourself a pickle- sound of tomorrow: the jons audible lenny face as he says “in the nude” on top of the universe 2009 ver.: RABBIT FUCKED A TOASTER AND UPGRADE KILLED THE SPINE THE GIRLS ARE OFF THE SHITS on top of the universe 2011 ver.: alternate timeline where the jon and rabbit kill the spine and deny him ice cream i am not alone: poor one out for upgrades 1 (one) song, shes trying her best ice cream parade: i don’t even know where to begin with this one brass goggles: LOCAL ROBOS ARE FEELING EMO SO THEY HAVE A SING ALONG out in the rain: splish splash they was havin’ a bash electricity is in my soul: okay but whomst the hell is that electronic voice who sings the “la la’s”? serious question who tf is it???? steam man band reprise: michael reed voice: GUYS MY COOL ROBO FRIENDS ARE GETTING AN ENCORE HOLY HECKIE blind minstrel’s ballad: ominous captain albert alexander: listen,,,, he beat spider hulk in an arm wrestling match,,,, hes really cool,,,,,, the 2¢ show: steamboat shenanigans: some say they sang so hard they really did make it to the moon and across the stars ;) one-way ticket: CHU CHU I LOVE U ju ju magic: jonathan giraffe what tHE FUCK ARE YOU SINGING ABOUT HONEY? ARE YOU OKAY? me and my baby (saturday night): the spines a hopeless romantic and he loves to treat his girl and his siblings support him little birdie: jon makes friends with a bird or some shit idfk rex marksley: the spines a hopeless romantic and sings about his cowboy crush and his siblings support him automatonic electronic harmonics: they want to feel cool,, let them feel cool,, prelude to a dream: hey michael i thought you were supposed to be the human friend whats all this about not being a human being?? mike? m-mike?? make believe: FUCK SOCIETY, TRANS RIGHTS BITCHES *EPIC KAZOO SOLO* honeybee: ah yes that one song we won’t ever let them forget bc were all emo scary world: the morse code says spoopy the suspender man: rabbit voice: yeah theres this guys who sold his soul or whatever how fucked up was that, anyway i want to wear a dress :3c that’ll be the way home: THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL the ballad of lily: oh boi we about to have another character song on this album airheart: character song 2 electric boogaloo circuitry: y’all good? mk iii: curtain raiser: beebop voice: STEVETHY SOMEONES TRYING TO PLAY THE ALBUM steve voice: oh fuck steam powered giraffe: HEHE NAME DROP mecto amore: this is some rabbits in love again shit but with WHAMST hatch fever: hatchy is here and the album version does not capture how feral hatchworth performed this on stage a way into your heart: spg as a whole @ their fans: we love you all so much thank you for the support over the years :) <3 me through tears: bitch,,,,, <3 ghost grinder: rabbit and the boys on their way to the graveyard at 3 am to party with rabbits dead gf please explain: i stg everytime i hear hatchy sing “gum in my gears” i think he’s saying something else and i’m sure you can fill in the blank, but the thing that gets me is thats so on brand for him to say dsfdfg she said maybe: rabbit is just young old dumb and full of love these days isn’t she? go spine go: almost 6 minutes of hatchworth and rabbit being two year olds and poking fun at spine roller skate king: everyone sleeps on how good this song is wtf i’ll rust with you: me knowing full well this song is about rabbit outliving her gfs throughout the decades bc shes a robot: oh,, so thats why theres so many love songs by rabbit on this album,,, rabbit you good?? wired wrong: the spine you good?? fancy shoes: hATCHWORTH YOU GOOD??? steam powered giraffe reprise: we interrupt your regularly scheduled robot angst hours with that good weeb shit™ turn back the clock: okay back the robot angst bleak horizon: our lovelys saying goodbye saying they’ll be back to bring smiles on our faces soon as we close out to some ominous as fuck shit teasing vice quadrant the vice quadrant: the vice does tight: okay so the vice quadrants fucked up and the robots are very concerned by this on a crescendo: ominous foreshadowing thats so ominous i had to look up what this song meant lore wise bc i just thought it was the robots just dancing and having fun steamjunk: my dear sweet honey darling is traveling through space and I’M WORRIED ABOUT HIM starburner: low-key robo angst bc their worried about their souls being damned or some shit but its cute progress and technology: david YOUR RANGE wink the satellite: wink voice: YOU WAS MY BABY MY FUCKIN CINNAMON APPLE burning in the stratosphere: oh fire fire: this is the most haunting shit i have no joke for this sky sharks: hoo boi the sky sharks certainly won’t be killing us all today, but climate change sure will daughter of space: PREBBY SPACE GODDESS HNNNGNNGNG star valley night: honeys you know you can just wait for it to be night time right? then you can go play in the star valley at night- commander cosmo: BITCH YOU GOOD? where is everyone?: THERE SHE IS MY BABY gg the giraffe: MY DARLIIIIINNGGG SING IT HONEY the pulls: wink my darling y’all ok? soliton: corpse man and space goddess sing a really nerdy analogy about love and its gorgeous where i left you: wink seriously are you okay? over the moon: rabbits just done but shes gotta sing it and go all out with how done she is bc shes extra it’s cosmic: is the “alright!” rav?? also is this love song supposed to represent them causing more fuckshit and destroying the universe and just not realizing it bc their in love?? idfk man it bops hold me: whether from the perspective of holly or rabbit i weep openly at this song the speed of light: david: this is where the astronaut turns evil won’t tell you why tho ;) literally every lore buff: *listens to this song and tries to theorize wtf happened* rav to the rescue: local green space twink rescues his space bf more at 11 starlight starshine: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the space giant: three steampunk robots fight a giant starbaby in guitar hero to save a satellites crush; a planet thats a huge apple i have zero jokes for this is already too absurd oh no: oh OH OH? O H. OOOH OH??????????? o h... oh no.... necrostar: evil pissrock possessed evil dead guy and is ready to cause fuckshit while the robots sing about how scared they are at the end super space blaster centi-asteroid invaderpedes 2: cute interactions with the robots! i hate this title tho whale song: wholesome shit to distract you from all the lore and foreshadowing at the end Music from steamworld heist: automatonic electronic harmonics, on top of the universe, electricity is is my soul, honeybee, and brass goggles: me minding my own business playing steamworld heist: *walks into a bar where spine rabbit and hatchworth are performing one of these songs* me: HOOOOOGH heist ho!: yeah thats piper for ya starscrap: hi i’m in love for rabbit? prepare for boarding: GET IN BITCHES WE’RE GONNA OVER THROW THE PATRIARCHY the red queen: capitalism? demolished. what we need are some heros: the spine projecting his love for cowboys onto the player characters the vast frontier: hatchworth: I’M A BAD BITCH YOU CAN’T KILL ME the stars: they made it lads they made it over the moon and across the stars.... also how’d they keep singing for that long aren’t they tired? quintessential: malfunction: wow i can’t believe spg ended transphobia i don’t have a name for it: love? i guess??gd fgdsghfdg blue portals: the idea of hatchworth going through the blue portals when i know they’re made out of blue matter is terrifying overdrive: they want to seem cool please play along and pretend their green screen work is cool the ballad of delilah morreo: this came right the fuck out of nowhere but fuck its here now and its fantastic love world of love: wonder what other balboa park songs they’ll bring back, like never gonna give you up :) only human: i’d die for you hatchy salgexicon: they deadass wrote a song about their dnd campaign sleep evil sleep: i guess we’re all evil BC WE KEEPING SLEEPING ON HOW GOOD THIS SONG IS TOO photographic memories: walter worker chelsea? come get ur mans- leopold expeditus: hatchworth: hey guys checkout my fursona dream machine: this song keeps me up at night with the endING I JUST WANT RABBIT TO BE HAPPY AND ARTSY BUT THE WAY IT ENDED WITH THE VICE QUADRANT RELATED TEASER MAKES ME THINK RABBIT PICKED UP A SATELLITE FREQUENCY FROM WINK ABOUT HOW NECROSTAR WILL KILL RAV IN THE FUTURE DEADASS I’M NERVOUS WHAT HAPPENED

#steam powered giraffe #spg #this took forever please just take it #not art

166 notes · View notes

magpiefibers · 5 years

Photo

How’s everyone holding up?⁣ ✨⁣ At Magpie HQ we’ve made some changes to ensure the maximum amount of social distance and safety possible. We think our new system will allow us to maintain our current level of production while keeping us and our families as safe as we can. We very much appreciate your support as we all navigate this new reality. 💖⁣ ✨⁣ In spite of everything we do have some exciting things coming up. Tomorrow @dreareneeknits will be releasing a new pattern that we’re very excited about. Mine is all done and off the blocking board. I can’t wait to share it! If you aren’t already signed up for our newsletter go do it now, there will be something special just for subscribers in tomorrow’s mail!⁣ ✨⁣ The new pattern is included in Andrea’s sweater KAL, make sure to go to her Rav group to play along. Anyone using Magpie in their KAL project has a chance to win a Trail Backpack or Market tote in your choice of color, go check out my last post for all the details! ✨⁣ I also want to thank everyone who came by to virtually knit with us on Sunday! We had a blast and can’t wait to see y’all this Sunday. We’ll be in our Zoom meeting room at 2PM EST.⁣ ✨⁣ All you need to do is download Zoom and sign up for a free account. On Sunday open the Zoom app or go to the Zoom website, click ˜Join a Meeting” and enter the meeting ID: 299-140-5099⁣ Shown above from L-R: Nest Worsted in Twilght Brew, Twilight Magpie, Twilight Dark, Natural Twilight and Twilight Whisper (at Downtown Frederick, Maryland) https://www.instagram.com/p/B92Wypkhnmp/?igshid=1hkwqgcyosenv

1 note · View note

borderlandscast · 5 years

Text

some more vines/tiktok for borderlandscast

or whatever it is that you kids call it these days!

rythian and his lactose intolerance:

rythian: (eyeing the plate of crackers and cheese on his desk and mildly sweating, camera jolts as he lunges for it, causing feed to blur)

ravs: (sprinting to rythian’s room with the chorus of ‘holding out for a hero’ dubbed over; as soon as he slams open the door, the gentle guitar ceases, replaced by the dramatic strum as he tosses a bottle of lactaid...right into rythian’s face)

rythian: (music ceases as he slowly slumps down out of frame and his voice is weak but grateful) my hero...

panda and their arsenal:

nilesy (badly dressed up as a security guard): you can pass, good citizen.

teep: (signs thank you and moves through checkpoint; they have a giant knife clearly strapped to their back)

panda: (checkpoint beeps, and panda pauses)

nilesy: (steps in front of panda) sorry, but i’m gonna need you to empty your pockets.

panda: (groans and rolls eye, and starts to remove a single weapon at a time from their pockets and piling it on the table)

nilesy: (adopts a glazed look as the pile continues to grow)

arsenal’s custom greetings:

arsenal: today, i’m gonna teach y’all how to properly greet a fellow captain. (view bobs in his hand as he breaks into a jog) HAMHA! (he slams his fist into daltos’ face)

daltos: (getting up) YOU...HAMBITCH! (lunges for arsenal, who chortles)

lalna’s doki doki:

arsenal: (blowing up a paper bag, slides behind lalna and pops it)

lalna: (emits a shriek of epic proportions before wheezing like a deflating balloon)

arsenal: did that make your heart go... (cue intense zoom on his face so he has a double chin and menacing grin) doki doki?

panda and their arsenal part two:

panda: (still removing weapons, this time shaking out their hoodie which continues to drop weapons onto the pile, which is now knee high)

nilesy: (has pulled out a magazine and is reading; the magazine is full of cats wearing bikinis)

teep: (can be seen in the background, perusing a stack of books from vendor)

lalna and his creation:

lalna: (leaning over camera with terrible spooky glow cast by flashlight; lightning caused by larry robert flickers in the background) IT’S...ALIVE!!!!

leggy gun: (said gun twitches on the bench and slowly rises to face lalna)

lalna: (voice cracks as he coos) say daddy!

leggy gun: DADDy!!!!!! (albeit heavily distorted and in a loader’s terrifying monotone, amplified through loudspeaker)

lalna: (shedding tears) OH, I’M SO PROUD!

larry robert: (dabs in background)

ravs the rooster and an unfortunate victim:

zoeya: (rocky feed as she hoists it up; happy clucking can be heard that grows louder) so what we have here is a vulture, not a chicken. ravs, do you know why you’re a vulture?

ravs the rooster: ovo? uwu! (zoeya holds the camera up properly to focus on the whiteboard sign hanging around ravs’ neck) uwu!

the sign says: i participated in postmortem cannibalism by stealing panda’s dropped chicken nugget, flying onto the roof and eating it in front of them despite my beloved lesbians yelling at me to drop it.

sips and dirt:

sips: (fully dressed and standing in shower) boy, i love coming home to a refreshing hot shower! (pulls something off screen so that a bucket of high quality dirt is dumped over his head; he majestically throws his head back in slow motion to scatter the dirt everywhere; ‘fergilicious’ also plays as he fans himself with a noteful of hundos; dollar bill glasses also spawn on his face)

zoeya and skags:

zoeya: (soft tones of ‘i wanna be like you’ start playing as she nods and gestures to a horde of domesticated skags behind her; as soon as the beat kicks in, all the skags, including zoeya, start to rapidly spin on the spot)

romeo and juliet, bandit style:

sparkles: (wearing a psycho mask with a jaunty blonde wig badly stapled to it) romeo, oh romeo, wherefore art thou romeo?

parvis: (voice reciting lines grows louder in volume before sparkles swings view over to a ramp; parvis approaches, dressed like a bandit edgelord, riding a christmas light decked out stingray) but soft, what light through yonder window breaks? (his voice starts to scream) it is the east and juliet is THE TITS!!!!!!!! (he hits the ramp upon the last two words and goes sailing into sparkles)

panda and their arsenal, part three:

panda: (hoodie is back on, is now thumping their upended boot; guns are still falling out; the pile is now waist high)

nilesy: (playing cat’s cradle with a string in both hands next to panda)

teep: (in background, is holding a tote bag filled with books and is now buying food)

trott is the sand guardian:

trottimus: (buried in sand up to chin) i am the guardian, guardian of the sand!

ross and alsmiffy: (both crouch low and slap sand mountain containing trottimus, and recite in perfect unison) posiedon quivers before him!

trottimus: (alsmiffy lobs a single bucket of water at trottimus) fuck off!!! (sputters and coughs as feed cuts)

lomadia and vapourwave:

lomadia: (swinging a baby rakk around and doting on it, set to that one vapourwave song like in that vine feat a woman and her cat)

arden and dick, janitors:

arden and dick: (slither across hallway floor like a pair of rocky crocodiles; ‘pink panther’ theme plays as the two approach someone’s abandoned trash and swallow it in one gulp and depart as silently as they arrived)

panda and their arsenal, final part:

panda: (unfolds eyepatch to remove one last gun from there) and that’s the last one!

nilesy: you may proceed in-

teep: (approaches and signs ‘i’m done shopping, let’s go’)

panda and nilesy: (both loudly groan, mostly panda, who starts to stuff guns back, starting with the eye one)

nanosounds takes sides:

strife: hello ma’am, nice to meet you! (shakes nano’s left hand, which pops off and he gazes at it, embarrassed and surprised)

nanosounds: oh, don’t worry! (sudden close up of toothy grin) i’m all right!

strife: (swiftly karate chops her on head with her own arm) no.

will’s nightmare:

strife: (clearly struggling in a dark room lit up by a lone bulb, initial view is of his neck and chin) NO, GET ME OUT! (view retreats to show him encased in layers of ties)

strife: (wakes up in cold sweat, wearing his trademark suit and sunglasses) looks like i was...TIED UP last night! (a second pair of sunglasses descend from above onto his face)

crying wolf:

alsmiffy: (mocking documentary voice) and what we have here, folks, is an extremely rare case of ‘crying wolf’, in my room. (steps over an inert trottimus wearing a banana suit, who is on the floor) ignore the trash.

ross: (curled up on floor, loudly blowing nose into towel) no, i don’t understand, because WHY DID THE THREE LITTLE PORKY BUGGERS MURDER THE BIG BAD WOLF? HE DID NOTHING AGAINST THE LAWS OF THE LAND-

trottimus: (trips alsmiffy using top of banana suit) :)

#borderlandscast: extras #borderlandscast: more like memescast #long post

10 notes · View notes

dyrwoodan · 6 years

Text

tagged by @lethalins thank you sm!! 🌲🌲🌲 tagging: @lavellane @noonvraith @nordxz @henantier @lucinx @greyedwardens @kipoints @hindarsfjall @drthamen @geirdrifuls @magewave @harcane @vecna @readceras @watcherofsouls @stenscookies [only if you want to ofc! 🐑] rules: answer 21 questions and then tag 21 people who you want to get to know better

Nickname: rav is fine

Zodiac: nah

Height: no idea but for the sake of not leaving this one out every time i would say i’m about uhhhh 169cm?? i have no perception.. of... numbers and heights

Last Movie I saw: the devil wears prada.......... i rarely watch other movies than lotr/the hobbit and this is that one (1) rare time when i did. idk i just suddenly felt like watching this last week

Last Thing I googled: the nearest grocery store. i’ve been living here for months now and i still google the nearest one as if they sprout from the ground every day. but i need nearer i’m fucking lazy.............

Favorite Musicians: god idk. i just listen to whatever slaps. florence and the machine, imagine dragons, placebo, hozier, low roar..........

Song Stuck in my Head: seven devils by florence. been listening to this on repeat so it’s always in my head

Other Blogs: none. we cram all our interests in one blog like men

Do I get Asks: yeah i think i do!! y’all crazy.............. i’ve talked about this before but i really really love and appreciate when people send me asks out of nowhere. you make a bitch feel.. real. ty

Following: 91

Followers: 259

Amount of Sleep: about 7 hours i would say. i try to get those 8 hours at least but ‘tis hard sometimes

Lucky Number: i hate numbers

What I’m Wearing: my grey comfe pjs. idk why but i feel SO good in grey...... not even the material but the color is so soothing to me

Dream Job: idk like,, a writer or a photographer or something. i don’t think about this much anymore. like i just want to live lmao

Dream Trip: iceland, norway, rome.

Favorite Food: lasagna? french potatoes too

Play Any Instruments?: nah

Languages: english........... and like, my mother tongue. thatse it

Favorite Songs: so many?? but the ones i’m currently obsessed with apart from seven devils: before you snap by yonderboi, the breach by lazy habits, falling by florence, bird song by florence, natural by imagine dragons, shrike by hozier...........

Random Fact: every time i get free style questions like these i just..... hhhhhh brain machine empty. i just really love dishonored (2012). it’s so different from my usual faves which are all about elves, magic and fantasy but like...... dh is so fucking good i just

Describe Yourself as Aesthetic Things: green tea, breathing in the cold air, frost on the leaves, grey accessories, pine forest, cat hair on black clothes, angry glares, elves, white winter, loose formless clothing

#tag games #me and m'self #long post #me with that last q: *visits my pinterest board because i sometimes forget who i am*#anways. i like that board a lot it's so............. me. unexpected #i know many of you did this or something like this already so like. yeah #i know i did it more than once but 'tis still good to ramble about yourself you know #i know i have like 5 other things i've been tagged in and i will get to them........... some time in the near future lmao

14 notes · View notes

sandstonesunspear · 6 years

Text

Yahrtzeit

Just something that popped into my head for Memorial Day. Some angst ahead, so if that’s not your cuppa, then maybe take a pass on this one. For the rest of y’all, enjoy.

Yahrtzeit (yart-zeit, Yiddish): the anniversary of the date of one’s passing.

Alex stared up at the ceiling, watching as the stars drifted by. Astra snored quietly next to her. She reached out and gently stroked their headplates. Their face scrunched up at the sensation, but otherwise there was no reaction. She smiled. The soft rumbles were a music to her ears and a welcome change from the choked gasps that had plagued the sick budling.

Alex sighed and sat up, careful not to disturb the sleeping budling next to her. She grabbed several pillows and placed them around Astra. Satisfied that they were no longer in any risk of falling off the bed, Alex stood. She tapped her comm badge.

“Belen?”

Her comm badge crackled to life. “Yes, Captain?”

“Are you free? I need you to watch Astra.”

“Say no more, I’ll be right up.” Her badge clicked off.

Alex looked back over to the bed. Astra was still asleep. The door pinged and then hissed open. She glanced at the door to see Belen walk in.

“That was fast,” Alex noted.

Belen shrugged. “Bob and I were testing the site to site transport system.”

That sounded dangerous. Alex narrowed her eyes. “I assume you both are taking the necessary precautions to not space yourselves?” Given her own tendency to toss safety regulations out the airlock when it came to her own actions, the irony of her making sure her crew were following them did not escape her.

“I’m here aren’t I?” Belen joked.

Alex merely raised an eyebrow.

Belen huffed. “Yes, Captain, we are.” She didn’t mention that the DEO was now short a few potted plants and the mysterious meat that Kessel had picked up at the Kalini space port.

Alex nodded. “Good.” She sighed. “Now, I have to go take care of some things, can you make sure that Astra--”

“Doesn’t fall off the bed?” Belen interrupted, already knowing what Alex was going to ask. “Sure.” She held a hand up. “And I’ll ping you and Zar’ya if Astra starts to get sick again.”

Alex exhaled. Her crew knew her too well. “Alright, I shouldn’t be long.”

“Take as much time as you need. Don’t think the kiddo will be up anytime soon.” Belen made her way the bed where Astra was laying. “Captain?”

Alex paused, hand outstretched to hit the door panel. “Yeah?”

“Good luck with whatever it is that you’re doing.”

“Thanks.”

Alex’s steps echoed throughout the metal corridors of the DEO. There was barely a soul in sight. Occasionally, she crossed paths with someone on the nightshift who raised a greeting, but otherwise, it was silent. Most of the crew were either asleep or catching up on paperwork on different decks. Even if there had been an influx of noise, it was doubtful that Alex would have noticed it. Her mind was caught up on other things.

She came to stop before a heavy metal door. Like just about everything else on the DEO, it had seen better days. It contained a myriad of scuffs and blaster marks from the various confrontations the DEO had found herself in. There was even a spot where a patch had been haphazardly welded on to plug a hole from a pulse grenade.

Alex sighed and pushed the door open. It squealed and groaned as it slowly moved. She inwardly winced at the noise and made a note to get whoever was on the next maintenance rotation to oil the hinges.

Various types of incense and spices filled Alex’s nose the second she was inside. She shut the door behind her and took it all in. On other ships, they would have called this place a chapel or maybe even a sanctuary. To the crew of DEO, it was known as the Room of Respite or even more simply, Respite. It was a place where those of all species could come to meditate away from the chaos that often plagued the ship or perform whatever rituals of worship they needed to. There were a handful of prayer mats rolled up and tucked along the left wall. In the back left corner was a modest bookcase containing various holy texts. The back of the room was perhaps the most important area in the eyes of the crew; it was a memorial wall, containing the names of all of those who had perished during the DEO’s journey. In front of it were several rows of unlit candles.

Alex let out a breath and made her way to the wall. Her hand went to her coat pocket, where a small box of matches sat. She stopped just short of it, taking in the names. She pulled out the matchbox, removed a match, and struck it against the side. Her nose wrinkled unconsciously as the smell of sulfur filled the air.

Falare T’Smar. Alex lit a candle. Falare was from Caldeonia 5 and, prior to Reinhart joining the team and Astra’s birth, the youngest member of the crew. She had escaped a devastating interplanetary civil war that killed her parents, only to die herself at the hands of some low-level thug in space four years later. She had just turned 19.

Alex struck another match and lit another candle. Korliss. A grizzled old Sarcian, Korliss had found himself on Earth in an attempt to start over after losing his entire family to the harsh environment of his homeworld. He had died stopping a group of Kandorian marauders. He managed to dispatch 15 of them before a cheap shot took him down.

Another match, another candle. Pelisarria B’Salaye. A native of Taevar, Pelissaria, or Peebee as the crew affectionately called her, had come to Earth to escape an abusive partner. Before Cadmus had launched her and the DEO into space, she had set herself up as one of National City’s best mechanics. In space, she had proven to be one of Alex’s best engineers. She had died three days after the DEO had come under attack from a Daxamite slaving party. She had been exposed to a lethal amount of radiation while getting the DEO’s warp core back online after a well-placed photon torpedo has knocked it out. Despite the agony she had undoubtedly been in, she died with a smile on her face as Alex and Zar’ya sat by her side.

Sameen. Astra’s budparent and one of the few to make it off of Soris-Vel alive after the Katoh-Fel started a indiscriminate, system-wide campaign of genocide. They had died taking down a Katoh-Fel Overseer. Their death had been one of the hardest for Alex to deal with.

Garth Logan. Linda Elvan. Solana Ama Daar’av. Zorah Ga’el. Shalaran B’Navar. Gordot Valern. Jax. Jadzia. Bacchus. Vetor Reegar. Neeves.

Alex went through name after name, lighting a candle for each one. Eventually, all of them were glowing. She took in each individual flame. It was far too many for her liking. She had known from the beginning that the chances of her returning to Earth without any casualties was a pipe dream at best. But still, she couldn’t stop her stomach from twisting at the sight of so many names and lit candles.

She closed her eyes. “Ahl hakol yitgadal v’yishtabach, v’yitroman v’yitnasay, sh’mo shel hakadosh baruch hu...” she started quietly. For the unity, for the complexity, and for everything contained within Great, praised, exalted, and uplifted…

Alex wasn’t the most observant of Jews, but there were just some traditions that even she wouldn’t cast aside. The minyan requirement for a full Kaddish prayer was one of them. Without a minyan present, the full Mourner’s Kaddish couldn’t be said. But tradition or not, Alex refused to let her crew go unmourned. So she improvised and said a modified version of it.

“V’shalom rav yahvo aleinu, v’al kol yoshvay tayval,” she finished. And a great peace will come upon us and to all who dwell in this world.

She opened her eyes. Aside from the occasional crackle from the flames, the room was utterly silent. Respite was the only location on the ship untouched by the hum from the warp core. It created an eerie stillness.

Alex raised her hand to trance the names one more time. She wanted to promise them that not another name would join them. That the most recent crewman to fall would be the last. But she couldn’t. The most she could do was whisper a prayer and an apology and do her best to see the rest of her crew home, safe.

Alex’s comm badge crackled. “Sorry to bother you, Captain, but Astra’s starting to wake up,” Belen said.

Alex sighed. She tapped the badge. “Tell them I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she responded. She stepped away from the wall and moved to leave Respite. She paused briefly to glance back. Small flames twinkled merrily at her. A sad smile drew at her lips. She shook her head. Her time here was up. It was time to get back to work.

She pulled the door open and exited the room. The door slowly creaked shut. The candles continued to burn.

#space pirate!alex #my writing #supergirl #alex danvers #fic #long post #ish

24 notes · View notes

abiteofnat · 7 years

Text

OUT IN THE WILD, WILD WEST LOOP...

THERE’S A LOT OF GOLD TO BE FOUND. In the form of pizza, pasta, tacos, booze, and everything good that’s bad for you. The Randolph Street area west of the highway that runs next to Chicago is becoming ~the~ place for dinner plans and Friday night dates as it’s being transformed from warehouse valley to an up-and-coming Broadway of food, which is great news for the whole city.

While I’m fairly certain not even the most extreme foodie has been able to eat at every single place in Chicago, it’s easy to find your favorites and settle into choosing from them versus really exploring a new section of the city. West Randolph has created a whole new division of restaurants and bars to float around and honestly they’re all hits; no where on this street is a flop and it’s such an aesthetically pretty area to be day or night. There’s the view of the entire skyline on one side, and then old, gorgeous brick building refurbished and repainted lining both sides of the street. Since this used to be a heavy factory/ storage area, there are still a lot of untouched lots which adds an old-Chicago vibe that O’Leary’s cow could probably fit right into, but with all the patios and twinkly lights spilling onto the sidewalks the restaurants really nailed the shabby-chic look.

Over the past eight months or so I’ve eaten my way through Randolph Street because every restaurant looks better than the last, and I can honestly say I love nothing more than dressing up a little and getting an early dinner somewhere new and cute to sit in for hours, and if I’m with my best friends or my family?!? OVER THE MOON. A good 6 p.m. dinner followed by wandering around the city in search of a night cap or a verrryyyy chocolaty dessert? PAST THE MOON AND TO JUPITER. My life philosophy is that the best moments are spent around food and loved ones, and that happiness really is that simple... which is why every weekend I go home to my family where we all love to eat out in Evanston and then get ice cream anywhere because we don’t keep treats in the house (since we all entirely lack self control) and dessert is a nightly “congrats” for getting through the day. But sometimes they want to come into the city and that’s when it’s my turn to find the top-notch noshes!

Should you need a date night idea or somewhere to bring your best friend/family for a birthday dinner, here are some golden nuggets along West Randy.

1. Formento’s

I came across Formento’s on Instagram one million times before ever making it there as they are one of the restaurants that caught onto the “cacio e pepe” pasta trend before the rest of the city did, and the boomerangs of a soft egg yolk breaking over thick, peppery noodles haunted my dreams for weeks. When my girl Luzi asked where we wanted to get dinner one night over the summer when it was a perfect, breezy evening I didn’t even hesitate to suggest Formento’s- with a beautiful and lush patio and a menu packed with drool-worthy food, and she was like “Yes, duh”, so off we went! The waiter was a quirky gal full of suggestions and more than willing to walk us through the menu which is somewhat tapas style and an “encouraged to share” type thing, which always makes me a little anxious but all my brain could think was “cacio e pepe cacio e pepe cacio e pepe” so somehow along the way we also ordered olives and a kale salad but I barely remember those. The olives were marinated and served slightly warm, and they brought us bread thick with rosemary and garlic and wowie it was good enough to be a meal on it’s own. I would love to go back and try the burrata and the lump crab toast, but this place is more of a treat-yourself night out place than a drop in for a casual $50 dinner place so I’m biding my time for an event to celebrate there!

The pasta finally arrived after we had to move inside post surprise thunderstorm, and in the glow of candles and dim, sexytime lighting I met my love. A perfect swirl of al dente bucatini tossed in a light cream & cheese sauce spotted with freshly cracked pepper, and then an egg yolk perfectly contained and sitting on top like a fucking queen was almost too much to handle. I cracked the yolk and damn, this was one of those moments I wish my eyeballs had a camera built in because I was too engrossed in it to capture it on video.

This pasta was exactly as good as I wanted it to be and how Instagram made it look, and we all know Instagram is a catfish playground and with all the fuckin gross food going viral because of it you can never quite trust it... but this was good, tried & true. I’m thinking graduation round 2 dinner might be here in the spring... hmmmm.

Oh and the wine menu is dope as well, any nice red would pair well with the spicy + flavorful appetizers and the freshness of the pasta selection.

2. De Cero (slash) Hello Tacos!

Ok so the name of this restaurant still confuses me as it used to be De Cero and then they changed it to Hello Tacos! but both show up if you Google it... I promise it’s the same place. This was sooo the shocker of my summer because I was taken against my will to get tacos with my family after a nine hour bus ride from Nashville back to Chicago, and I wanted to shower and curl up in a clean, controlled environment for like five hours before entering the world again but the parents were hungry. And they were kind enough to drive downtown to pick me up, so to turn down a nice dinner out would have just been rude and extremely stupid. So off we went in search of something tasty and my dad suggested De Cero, which we walked into and instantly fell in love with. Even though I smelled like an actual dumpster (the Megabus is not a glamorous way of transit, but I love it) I was instantly coated by the scent of fresh tortilla chips, smoky spices, and freshly sliced lime. We sat down in a cozy wooden booth under a wall of beautiful quilts and were immediately offered a drink (their flavored margaritas are DELICIOUS) and told to pick 3 (!!!) salsas from their list of options. As someone who believes in coating everything I eat in like sixteen sauces, getting to pick three salsas and receiving huge bowls of them was absolute heaven. We got the Warm Chipotle which is for sure my favorite, imagine just a heavy, garlicky red salsa that’s delightfully toasty, the Tomatillo Lime Verde, and the Pico de Gallo. Later when I came back with a friend (legitimately one week later), I changed out the Pico for the Mango Habanero and it was incredible. I hate mango with every inch of my body, but in the way they marinated and treated the salsa it looses the tropical zing and is just really moist and sweet. All of these salsas? BOMB.COM. Exceptionally flavorful, and more than enough to bring home with you after.

For dinner, my dad and I got the Grilled Mahi Mahi tacos and HOLY GUACAMOLE THEY WERE FAB. The most succulent, meaty fish fillets dripping with marinate and then topped with an asparagus compote and then doused in avocado puree, all in a corn tortilla that can barely support the weight. These tacos were some of the best fish tacos I’ve ever had, and when I went back with my friend I tested my “was it good or was I starving” test by getting the exact same thing, and loved them all over again. Go check this place out, it’s cozy and adorable and offers epic Mexican cuisine!!

3. Bar Siena

This might be my favorite spot on the street so far, but it also has the most options and isn’t too crazily priced so that could be a big factor! Bar Siena sits on a corner a little further down Randolph and is the perfect mix of upscale-bar and classy Italian, with a giant light-up tree in the middle growing up through the second floor that offers scenic seating of the skyline and the rest of Randy. With a menu bursting with wood fired pizza, pasta, antipasta, cheeses, and OF COURSE some fancy as heck cocktails, it’s really really really hard to decide what you want for dinner. Yet, because I’m me, both times I’ve been there I’ve ordered the same entree. Some highlights on the menu (a mix of mine and those I’ve dined with who eat meat) include:

- Roasted Meatballs: IF I COULD EAT THESE, I WOULD. They come in a little dish of sauces, cheese, and with garlic bread on the side. Oh hellll yes.

- Burrata: This is the best burrata I’ve ever had. On crispy toast with thick, creamy burrata and apricot jam, topped with sea salt and some crunchy nuts, it’s a 10/10 combo. Get it.

- Kale & Granny Smith Salad: It’s a good, simple salad that’s light and refreshing with so much hearty food.

- The Prosciutto-Fig Pizza: IF I WAS A PIZZA, THIS WOULD BE ME. Even without the meat the spiced pistachio, truffle honey, and cheese on top of a perfectly baked white pizza is indulgently delicious. If I ever became a stripper, my name would be Truffle Honey in honor of this pizza.

- Wild Mushroom & Garlic Pizza: Lots of mushrooms, lots of cream and cheese, very good.

- SWEET CORN RAVIOLI: THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE PASTA OF MY DREAMS. CORN RAV STUFFED WITH MORE CORN, SAUCE, TRUFFLE BUTTER, MUSHROOMS, AND GOD’S LOVE.

AND THE WINE LIST IS GREAT TOO.

Y’all don’t skimp on dessert either; Bar Siena is attached to Bombo Bar, the small coffee shop and donut seller on the side with a walk-up window. They have the famed hot chocolate and matcha topped with a coordinating donut, biscotti or cookie, whipped cream, and sprinkles and toppings out the wazoo. They are absolutely crazy but soooo delicious and the hot coco is perfect for a cold winter day when you just want to get out of the house for a small adventure!

Some other hits along this strip are Soho House, Kaiser Tiger, and Maude’s. Soho House is an ~elite~ club that’s in an ancient, elegant building tucked off on a side street that has a cafe and breakfast nook on the first floor which offers delicious coffee and perfect vibes for writing, reading, and girl’s talk on a rainy afternoon. Kaiser Tiger is a warehouse turned bar that’s open, loud, inviting, and has a unique menu of bratwurst and cheese plates. It’s great for a drink or to grab a nicer bite before heading to the United Center for a game! And Maude’s is somewhere that’s on my wish list- I am DYING to go get a drink in this blue & white dream! The outside is cute as a button and I imagine the inside is even better. I love having places I can’t wait to try out, it keeps this city so fresh!

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

#foodblog #food #Chicago #eater #brunch #lunch #dinner #coffee #drinks #happy hour #wine #Italian #Mexican #bar food #night out #date night

1 note · View note

laineystein · 3 years

Note

I just bought the mishkan t'filah and am having trouble keeping the order of the prayers straight. Can you help

Hi!

I’m not sure what you mean by having trouble keeping the order of the prayers straight? Mishkan T’Filah is also considered the Reform siddur - I was raised on and still use my Koren siddur. The idea is the same but they are different books so I’d need a lot more info before assisting. If you can clarify I will see what I can do to at least point you in the right direction.

***A note on asks like this: I am so honored that y’all reach out to me with questions like this. My parents will be so happy to hear that the ridiculous amounts of money they spent on yeshiva was not for nought. At the same time, I am not a Rav. I’d highly suggest consulting your Rav for things like this. Also, I am currently exhausted as COVID cases are surging again. I am super behind on asks. The Israel/IDF/MD questions are easy for me to tackle. Questions like this require a bit more mental energy that I can’t always muster so if I don’t get to your ask right away that’s why. If you’re waiting on an answer you can always DM me and I’ll at least be able to let you know if I have time to help or not.

#sorry nonny #I have to draw a boundary a bit #please contact your Rav!#I am but an Israeli Jew who is very exhausted #have mercy on me and my balagan life #anywho #Jew things #personal #I guess?#I need a nap

2 notes · View notes

oceanbastard · 7 years

Audio

Had the pleasure of being there for the announcement/livestream of this wonderful collection of B-Sides from ya boi Rav ft. guest/mate/baby momma @traplordjinzo. Check it out. Additionally, for those interested, Rav now has A VERY LIMITED RUN of Beneath The Toxic Jungle CDs available for preorder here: https://exordiummusic.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-the-toxic-jungle Support the ol’ ravioli boi y’all, he puts in the work. not to mention he’s gonna need some cash to support his bastard child w/Bill.

#Rav #exordium music #hip hop #B-sides vol. 6 #Beneath the toxic jungle

1 note · View note

wth-am-i-writing · 8 years

Text

Title: Promise ~Part 10 Protagonists: N, Ravi, Hyuk (eventually the rest of VIXX too), Jungkook Warnings: Fantasy, Fighting, N/Ravi, Angst? Word Count: 7691 (out of 65,426) Summary: N couldn’t remember why he was traveling, but he had a feeling it was important. Author’s Note: The part takes on a moodier/darker tone... Next chapter is the last. I hope y’all enjoy!

-.-.-.-.-.-

They butchered the river dragon and cooked what meat they thought they could eat before it spoiled. In the morning, Jungguk packed as many scales and teeth into his packs as he could, and they set out. They brought the horses around a steep incline, eventually working their way back to the river, following it to it’s source. The woods began to thin out, light spilling through the canopy. By dusk, they approached a cliff, the woods stopping several meters away from the ledge. Jungguk brought his horse to a stop just outside the tree line, and turned back to the others.

“This is as far as the horses and I can go,” Jungguk said, with a small, sad smile.

“A cliff?” Ravi asked, frown setting on his lips.

“Did you forget to mention the path ended in a cliff?” Hyuk asked, narrowing his eyes Jungguk.

“I didn’t forget to mention it, it just wasn’t important,” Jungguk shrugged. N dismounted, cautiously walking past the others towards the edge of the cliff. “It’s not like you have to go over the cliff to get down. I mean, you could, but if you follow the cliff, you’ll eventually find a path down.” N stilled a few feet from the edge, breath catching as he looked over the valley--if it could truly be called that. The mountains completely surrounded the valley and dropped off steeply several times, creating a natural protective barrier. The valley itself looked to be a day or two’s travel across in any direction, but was covered in a light mist. There was a large building overlooking the northern edge of the valley, and what looked like stairs carved into the rock face of the mountain. The sun was just starting to disappear over the other mountains.

“Did you find a path before?” Ravi asked, exasperated.

“You can see them from the cliff’s edge,” Jungguk defended, “I just never tested them out. It’s possible to get down there from here.” N looked along the cliff. Jungguk wasn’t lying, but the paths looked less than pleasant--incredibly steep and rocky.

“If we die going down, I’m blaming you,” Hyuk said dryly as he dismounted, drawing N’s attention away from the valley, frown set on his lips. Such a joke was inappropriate when death was a real possibility. Ravi came to N’s side, the back of his hand brushing N’s.

“You can see the Holy Temple of Effrashia from here,” Ravi observed, staring to the north. “We should have taken the long way--they have stairs.”

“They would have stopped you,” Jungguk said, “For the same reason I don’t go down--It’s forbidden.”

“So why haven��t you stopped us?” N asked, turning to look back at Jungguk. He’d dismounted and was standing by his horse.

“Because you’re the type of people that wouldn’t go there unless you had serious business there,” Jungguk answered. N swallowed and looked back over the valley.

“You’re too trusting,” N murmured, and Ravi hooked his index finger with N’s.

“The temple stairs are probably the easiest way out of the valley, even if they won’t be happy to see you,” Jungguk offered.

“It’ll be better for Jiwon if we take that route,” Ravi murmured. N properly laced their fingers together and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

“Then we’ll take that path down,” Hyuk said, pointing a ways in the distance to the steep sloped path N had seen earlier. “And then we’ll leave by the temple stairs.”

“Then we set out at first light. The descent will be hard,” Ravi said, stepping away from the edge of the cliff.

-.-.-.-.-.-

“It’s hard to believe that we’ve made it,” Ravi said, poking the campfire with a tig. They’d finished eating not long before, but no one was enthusiastic about laying down to sleep. The sun had barely set, and the stars were just starting to come out.

“It felt impossibly far away when we started,” Hyuk hummed in agreement. “Yet you were determined to do it anyway.”

“Home feels like worlds away,” Ravi sighed.

“How long have you been traveling?” Jungguk asked, staring at Ravi curiously.

“More than a month now,” Hyuk answered.

“Wow!” Jungguk sat straighter. “Where did you come from?”

“A village beyond Alde,” Hyuk said.

“Alde…” Jungguk hummed, sitting back and turning his gaze skyward. “I think I’ve seen that on maps. It’s on the far side of the country isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Hyuk hummed. “The farm land out there is really fertile, green fields for as far as the eye could see.”

“And N came from there too? I didn’t know the Semol lived that far east,” Jungguk asked. N perked at the question, turning his full attention to Jungguk.

“Jin and Namjoon didn’t tell you?” Hyuk asked in mild surprise.

“They don’t tell me a lot of things,” Jungguk said, brows knitting and a slight pout setting on his lips.

“They rescued me in Belkin,” N answered, tilting his head. “I ran away from my clan.” Jungguk and Hyuk stared at him in shock, causing N to shift uncomfortably. Ravi’s fingers brushed his, the reassurance comforting.

“Ran--” Jungguk spluttered before seeming to think better of asking and snapping his mouth shut.

“Why are you suddenly interested in where we’re from?” N asked, sitting forward and returning his gaze to Jungguk. “You had days with us to ask these questions.” Jungguk flushed, diverting his eyes as he lifted a hand to rub the back of this head.

“I guess I just realized how little I knew you guys,” Jungguk sighed. “And we’ll probably never see each other again.” Hyuk reached over and clapped Jungguk on the shoulder.

“This might not be the last time,” Hyuk assured, though N felt the words were empty. There was a weight in Hyuk’s eyes that hadn’t been there earlier in the day. “We probably can’t go home, so…” Jungguk looked up at Hyuk with wide eyes.

“We’d help you. The Academy, I mean. If you need to settle in a new place,” Jungguk said. A tight smile stretched across Hyuk’s lips.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Screams filled the air, causing N’s chest to tighten. Jiwon must have woken up from the demon’s illusion. The sound, the whole game, made his stomach churn. He wanted to weep, as Ravi would when he woke and realized what happened. The sleep spell that had been cast over the village hadn’t wavered. Ravi’s snores were steady, his expression serene. Jiwon’s screams gave way to sobs as she began pleading with the demon. N peeled his attention away from Ravi and to the bedroom door, biting his lips. He couldn’t take it, the screaming or the crying. His nature was to protect, and sitting by as she was forcibly dragged away hurt. Jiwon didn’t deserve any of this. He pushed himself to his feet and into the hall. The demon instantly noticed his presence and met his gaze with a smirk--a fallen angel, with wings dyed black and hair bleached sandy pink.

“Don’t be cruel,” N hissed. The demon ran its hand across Jiwon’s eyes and she went limp.

-.-.-.-.-.-

“Jiwon!” Ravi screamed, startling N out of his sleep. He bolted up, heart pumping in panic as he stumbled to Ravi’s mat. In the moonlight, N could just make out Ravi’s form, sitting upright, hand clenching his shirt over his heart. “Jiwon,” Ravi repeated, softer, voice breaking. He was panting and his hand shook. When N noticed the tear tracks on Ravi’s cheeks, he pulled Ravi into his arms, squeezing tight. This was the type of pain he wished he could erase more than anything.

“Jiwon?” Jungguk mumbled, confused. N glared over his shoulder at him, but Hyuk was already tiredly shushing him. Ravi grabbed N’s shirt, pushing him away slightly as he straightened.

“Another nightmare?” N asked, tone hushed.

“She jumped off the cliff--she--” Ravi rambled, voice cracking. “She ran away from me and she--” He broke off, swallowing. His grip on N’s shirt tightened as Hyuk crouched down beside them.

“You okay?” Hyuk asked, eyes full of concern.

“I need--I just--need a moment,” Ravi said, pushing N further away and standing. Ravi stumbled away from camp, hands still shaking. N stood, the rejection of his comfort painful.

“Who is Jiwon?” Jungguk asked quietly.

“Jiwon is the reason we’ve come this far,” Hyuk mumbled so Ravi wouldn’t hear.

“So it was serious,” Jungguk said, looking after Ravi with a pensive frown.

“It’s dangerous,” N said, feet moving before he could even think about it. He followed Ravi past the horses towards the cliff. Ravi stilled several feet from the edge of the cliff and stared out over the valley.

“It’ll be okay,” N said as he came up behind Ravi. “We’ll rescue her. She’ll be fine--you both will be.”

“I--” Ravi said, breaking off with a choked sound, “need to be alone.”

“Bottling up the pain won’t help,” N pressed, stepping closer. He placed a hand on Ravi’s back in an attempt to comfort him. “Talking about it will help.”

“I don’t--want to talk about it,” Ravi said brokenly, eyes over the valley. “Not yet.” The torn expression on Ravi’s face broke N’s heart. N slid his arm around Ravi’s shoulder, attempting to fold him into his side--and if he’d still had them, his wing.

“Then you don’t need to talk about it,” N tried to sooth over.

“Please--just--go back to camp,” Ravi choked out, shrugging out of N’s grip. The rejection cut, and N stared up at him, shell shocked.

“Am I, am I making it worse?” N asked, words quiet in his shock. Ravi sighed, running a hand through his hair and fisting it.

“No--I, I just--need time to process this. Alone. Please,” Ravi said, squeezing his eyes shut, still choked.

“I guess being with me doesn’t make everything feel like it will alright,” N mumbled, the revelation harrowing. He should have expected it--words said by a human swept up in emotion were unreliable.

“You do,” Ravi denied sharply, turning to him with a sharp look in his eyes. The expression quickly turned pleading. “I just--just let me piece through this. Please.”

“I understand,” N said tightly, though Ravi’s assurance did nothing to ease the pain of rejection. He stepped back slowly, watching Ravi’s back intently, then spun on his heals. When he got back to camp, he sat on his mat, facing the direction Ravi was in. He knew he’d be unable to sleep with Ravi off in the dark alone.

“I wish he’d stop pushing us away,” Hyuk sighed when N settled down. He gave N a comforting pat on his shoulders before settling back down on his own mat. N knew Hyuk was worried too. The way he tossed made it clear that Hyuk also couldn’t rest until Ravi came back.

Ravi didn’t return until the moon had traveled a ways across the sky, shoulders slumped, feet dragging. He ignored N, settling back on his mat quietly. Hyuk turned, the tension in his shoulders easing. N swallowed and crawled over to Ravi’s mat.

“Are you okay now?” N whispered. Ravi blinked up at N.

“Yeah,” Ravi answered after a moment, fingers brushing N’s wrist. His tone left N unconvinced.

“I’m sorry if I pushed you,” N apologized.

“It’s okay,” Ravi sighed, his fingers wrapping around N’s wrist. “Go back to sleep.” N frowned. He leaned down and caught Ravi’s lips in a quick kiss.

“You’re not alone,” N breathed when he pulled back. Ravi made a sound in the back of his throat, his hands coming to N’s forearms. “No matter what’s ahead.”

“I know,” Ravi murmured after several moments. He wrapped his arm around N and pulled him down on top of him. He rolled so they were both on their sides. “I know.”

“We worry about you,” N murmured. “I worry about you.” Ravi leaned in and kissed him, the kiss longer than the last.

“I know,” Ravi murmured when the kiss broke. “I--know it’s hard on you too.”

“We’ll get through this,” N breathed, even though he wasn’t sure he’d be able to leave the valley with Ravi. He pressed into Ravi’s lips again, resolve steeling. The kiss broke when Ravi brought a hand to N’s cheek, thumb brushing gently across the apple. Ravi gave him a weak smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Go back to sleep.” N frowned, but Ravi closed his eyes, arms tight around N. It wasn’t until Ravi’s breathing evened and he was snoring that N was able to drift back to sleep.

Ravi’s sleep was fitful for the rest of the night.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Twelve girls had been taken from across the region, a message writ in blood above their beds--A beautiful flower is a gift so the dead may remember the beauty of life, so shall this daughter be a flower unto the forsaken lord, that he remember the preciousness of life. A poetic lie that made N’s stomach churn. This was the first test for twelve of the pawns in Heaven and the Underworld’s game. Sisters, daughters, lovers. It had little to do with whether those pawns set out to rescue those girls, and more to do with what they did in response. One had committed suicide in hopes of meeting her in the Underworld--failure. Others had mourned the loss, cursing God for letting something so cruel happen. They stopped moving forward--failure. They became reckless and died fighting--failure.

The tales fluttered to his ears through the grapevine. Leo loved to gossip, and every story seemed to be yet another attempt to get N to detach himself from Ravi’s fate. Whether the others passed or not was of no concern to N, and no tale of utter failure and the low success rate could convince him that Ravi’s fate was no longer his concern either. Ravi would embark on a journey to save his sister. N had known this the moment he’d learned what type of test Ravi would face. And he knew Ravi would do anything to save her without giving it a second thought.

-.-.-.-.-.-

In the morning they said their goodbyes to Jungguk and traveled along the cliff to the path Hyuk had spotted earlier. After several hours of descending sharp inclines that often required climbing down, the steepness of the mountain eased. They stopped to eat, silence thick between them, Ravi lost in thought. Despite his words the previous night and in the morning, his dream was still heavy on his mind. When they started moving again, they didn’t stop until mist krept at their ankles and darkness engulfed the valley.

Ravi’s sleep was fitful, even with N spooned behind him.

-.-.-.-.-.-

N sat in a tree overlooking Ravi and Hyuk’s camp. It had been a full day since he’d called the demon, but he’d yet to hear back. He was getting nervous. The longer it took the demon to return, the more likely it would be that someone would come to forcibly take him away, and he could only guess what kind of punishment awaited him. It was likely that he’d be stripped of his rank, but he doubted they would cast him off to become one of the fallen that walked the earth--he’d just flee right back to Ravi’s side with his newfound humanity, even if his bleached red hair created new obstacles. Such punishments were for angels with few attachments to mortals, that still revered Heaven, that would obediently take up a pious life as humans if it meant regaining grace upon their flesh prison’s death.

It was more likely that he would be turned into a Waol, the lowliest of demons. Performers of menial labor. Highly expendable. The backbone in keeping the balance. He’d seen many receive that punishment--only when they were killed could they hope to receive grace and be reborn as an Angel. But there were those that chose to abandon heaven all together and climb the rank of demons. N supposed that’s what he would do if heaven ripped him from Ravi’s side, though he was honestly disgusted with both sides.

-.-.-.-.-.-

“Pig--” Ravi fumed as he slammed the door. “You can’t marry a guy like that,” he said, whirling around.

“Even if I had your approval, I wouldn’t,” Jiwon said, unimpressed.

“Good,” Ravi grumbled, practically stomping back into the house proper.

“I want to marry someone more along the lines of our Young Mater Sanghyuk,” Jiwon said, giving Ravi a sweet smile. Ravi stilled, eyes wide and jaw slack.

“Over my dead body,” Ravi said when he regained himself, and Jiwon burst into laughter. Jiwon was old enough to have started attracting suitors, and the attention she was receiving ruffled Ravi’s feathers. N found Ravi’s reactions rather amusing.

“You can’t protect me forever, Ravi. I have to grow up sometime.”

-.-.-.-.-.-

“Wait, Ravi, can you take this over to Hyunsik’s on your way?” Jiwon asked, rushing out of the kitchen with a tray of covered food. Ravi paused at the door, hand on the handle, and turned to look back at Jiwon with knit brows.

“Hyunsik?” Ravi asked incredulously. “Why can’t you go yourself?”

“You know I have to stay here and help mom today. Please, just take it?” Ravi sighed and stepped away from the door, hands out stretched for the tray.

“Why are you making him food?” Ravi asked, tone suspicious. Jiwon smacked his bicep as soon as he’d taken the tray.

“Don’t get any strange ideas,” Jiwon scolded. “They’ve been having a hard time since his father’s accident. I just thought they could use the help.” N slid to the edge of the rafter beam he was on, gaze intent on Ravi. He remembered the accident--it’d been bad but nothing permanently damaging. Ravi sighed.

“Right,” he said, tone heavy. “I’ll make sure they get it.”

-.-.-.-.-.-

They set out at first light, and encountered a second drop off when the sun was high in the sky. The terrain at the bottom of the cliff looked like a maze of broken earth, shrouded in mist but gently declining deeper into the valley. After a bit of searching, they found a path to climb down safely. The air at the bottom of the cliff was thick with dark energy, sending an uneasy thrum through N’s body. He straightened, eyes vigilantly wide. He stepped forward cautiously, fingers brushing along the rock walls as he searched the mist for anything dangerous. No demons were nearby, though the acrid air felt similar to them--the feeling of the underworld itself, perhaps.

They followed the winding path until they came to a fork. After a moment of quick debate, they went to the left. The acridness of the air grew thicker the further they walked. The path forked again, and they went right. The walls opened until the path dropped off into six step-like declines. They jumped down the steps, each level waist height, and followed the path as it narrowed to another fork. Ravi veered right without a word, but something felt off about the path. N slowed, falling behind Hyuk. Hand brushing along the rock walls, N searched for the disturbance.

“Dead end,” Ravi announced as he rounded a curve, Hyuk following close behind. They both reappeared moments later, the expression on Ravi’s face drawn. N waited for them to pass him before following them back to the fork. There was a scuff of rock behind them, and N whirled around, hand on his knife. There was nothing on the path behind them. N straightened, gaze searching the rock walls and the ground carefully as he drew his knife.

“What’s wrong?” Hyuk called out. N forced himself to relax, but before he could answer, he was knocked back with a wave of energy. “Demon!” Hyuk shouted just as N was registering its presence himself. A shadow tendril shot out from around the curve of the path and latched onto N’s left wrist, the contact burning with a fierceness unlike his other encounters with demons. The pain ripped a cry from from N’s throat, the sensation worsening as the shadow tentacle began to pull him towards the dead end.

N slashed at the tendril with his knife. The blade cut through it easily, and N stumbled back, hissing as the part still wrapped around his wrist continued to burn. Ravi and Hyuk ran past him, but all he could think about was getting the damned tentacle off. He cut at the tentacle again, this time feeling the burn of his own blade. He shook off the tendril, the source of the pain gone, but the damage done. Hyuk yelped from around the bend of the path. N could deal with the wound later.

He bolted around the curve in the path. Hyuk was just picking himself up off the ground, a severed tentacle dissolving into air by his leg. Ravi had blocked a tendril with his sword and was struggling to fully deflect the attack--it had wrapped around his blade and held him in a deadlock. The demon itself was amorphous, tendrils of shadow rippling out of its body. Waol--no, something stronger. Ravi finally deflected the attack, Hyuk swooping into cut off new tentacles while Ravi’s back was partially turned towards the demon.

New tentacles burst out of the demon, and Ravi slashed them off, Hyuk, cutting behind him. Hyuk missed one, its attack low. N rushed forward, to cover Hyuk’s back. Ravi slashed through it easily, raising his blade to slash and stab into the main body of the creature. It cried out in pain, then stopped moving altogether. The shadow dissolved away, leaving behind what looked like a child’s body impaled through the heart on Ravi’s sword. N gasped, stepping back in shock, but the body too started to dissolve. Ravi shook his sword off before sheathing it.

“Do they--do they all look like that?” N asked quietly when Ravi and Hyuk turned to face him. “Under the shadow.” Ravi looked at him, lips thin, expression hard.

“Some do, but they aren’t human,” he said before stepping closer to N and taking his left hand. Something in Ravi’s words made N’s stomach twist. Perhaps it was that he wasn’t entirely human either, that one day it could be him under the shadows. “You need salve,” Ravi said, turning N’s wrist to get a better look at the knife wound. N swallowed, gaze slowly searching Ravi for any sign of injury.

“You do too,” he said after a moment, reaching out and brushing his fingers under a cut on Ravi’s neck. Ravi winced.

“We all do,” Hyuk groaned, drawing N’s attention away from Ravi. Hyuk was already digging Jin’s salve out from his bag. He passed the salve and some bandages to Ravi, who set to work on N’s wrist. The salve stung but N bit down any complaints.

“The demon caught you by surprise,” Ravi said, tone tight as he spread the slave on N’s burns carefully. N flinched, not sure if Ravi’s words or the salve stung more.

“The demon wasn’t there, and then it was,” N mumbled.

“So it teleported somehow,” Hyuk sighed.

“Or we summoned it,” Ravi said, tone turning darker. Heavy silence fell over them.

“This whole place feels like dark energy,” N said, breaking the silence. “Things just feel--wrong.”

“Even I can feel it,” Hyuk said. “The hair on the back of my neck has been standing up since we got to this place.”

“Mine too,” Ravi said, passing the salve back to Hyuk as he readied the bandages. Hyuk swiped a fingerful of salve from its container and bent down to apply it to a cut on his leg. After Ravi finished, N took a bit of salve from Hyuk and applied it to Ravi’s neck.

-.-.-.-.-.-

They proceeded down the other path, following it down more waist-high steps to a three way fork. Mist spilled out of the center path, creeping along the ground and flowing into the other paths. N’s chest tightened as he approached the center path. Something was off in the air.

“Let’s go left,” N suggested, causing Ravi and Hyuk to turn to him.

“The mist is coming from the center. That means it’s probably leading down,” Hyuk said, motioning towards the center path.

“Something doesn’t feel right with the center. I think we should go left instead,” N said.

“Nothing about this place feels right,” Ravi said. “What if the left is another dead end? At least with the mist, we can guess it leads deeper.”

“I don’t trust the mist,” N insisted.

“And you trusted the dead end with the demon,” Ravi said flatly. The words cut. N straightened, steeling his expression to try to hide how much that distrust in his intuition hurt. “We’re taking the center,” Ravi insisted turning back to the center path. N clenched his fists but held his tongue. If he was right about the path, he’d make a point of it later.

He followed Ravi and Hyuk down the path. The mist grew thicker until N could barely see a few meters in front of himself. He placed a hand on the rock wall, steps slowing. The path eventually opened into a large circular space, with mist spilling out from large cracks in the ground. Hyuk approached one of the cracks first. He knelt down beside one as Ravi followed the wall.

“Looks like this is the source of the mist,” Hyuk sighed, standing back up.

“Could it be directly from the underworld?” N mused aloud, coming to Hyuk’s side. The mist was so potent he was starting to feel nauseous.

“Do you think it’s possible?” Hyuk asked, turning to N.

“Even if it was, I doubt we could get there from these vents,” N said shaking his head.

“The path continues,” Ravi said, his figure hazy in the mist. N crossed to him quickly, relieved when he saw the path continuing. N took the lead, Ravi close at his back and Hyuk’s steps echoing behind them. The mist began to clear, and in the distance the path clearly ended. N stilled, causing Ravi to bump into his shoulder.

“Dead end,” Ravi announced, tone disbelieving.

“Now do you believe me?” N said coldly, turning to look at Ravi.

“It seemed like the logical choice,” Ravi defended himself.

“You still doubted me,” N snapped, narrowing his eyes at Ravi.

“All of the paths could be dead ends,” Ravi buckled down, and N felt his patience grow shorter.

“We were wrong, but arguing about it won’t do anything,” Hyuk cut in. N snapped his mouth shut, swallowing the scolding he wanted to give Ravi. “Let’s just keep moving,” Hyuk continued, turning around and starting to head back the way they’d come. Ravi swallowed, hand coming to N’s forearm. N looked up at him, frown set on his lips.

“Sorry,” Ravi mumbled. “You were right about this path.” N sighed, trying to let his annoyance roll off. It didn’t work.

“I know that you’re worried about Jiwon, but don’t let that interfere with your trust in others,” N said after a beat. Ravi stiffened, expression hardening again.

“I do trust you,” Ravi said defensively. N opened his mouth to respond but snapped it shut when the feel of demon filled the air.

“Are you coming or not?” Hyuk called from in the mist, and N snapped his head in the direction of his voice.

“Demon,” he murmured.

“Demon?” Ravi asked, head also jerking in Hyuk’s direction.

“Demon,” N said more firmly, hand going to his dagger. He broke into a jog without thought, drawing his dagger as he ran.

“Another demon!” Ravi called as he passed him, sword drawn.

“Another?!” Hyuk called back and N picked up speed. When Hyuk came into view he was standing just outside of the open area, sword in hand. There was a dark figure shrouded in mist in the middle of the space, eyes glowing ominously. Hyuk fell in step with Ravi, charging the demon. N barreled forward, intending to do what he could.

There was a clash of metal on metal, and when N got close enough to see through the mist, he could make out a distinctly female figure cloaked in shadow. N stumbled, the demon reminding him of the one in Ajol. They hadn’t seen another demon so human in appearance since then, making its form jarring. It fought with a spear, blocking and deflecting both Ravi and Hyuk’s attacks with an inhuman fluidity. It blocked an attack from Ravi, back turned to N. Seeing his opportunity, N charged. Just as N was about to stab the demon, the blunt end of its spear pole collided with his stomach knocking the wind out of him. It’s full attention turned to N, and before N could realize what was happening, his back and head collided with the rock wall.

“Stay out of this,” the demon hissed, as it blocked a strike from Hyuk. Ravi came after it from behind and it broke it’s weapon into two pieces, blocking Ravi with the other. It knocked Hyuk away, then swung around to strike Ravi. Ravi dodged, shuffling back several feet and shifting into a defensive stance. N struggled to catch his breath as he pushed away from the rock. The demon reconnected its weapon and charged at Ravi. Hyuk ran after it, but it stopped short, swinging around and striking Hyuk in head with the spear poll. The crack of the contact rang through the air and Hyuk fell to the ground, unmoving.

Ravi attacked, rage in his eyes. The demon blocked, deflecting Ravi’s attack after a moment of deadlock. Ravi swung again, but the demon managed to force him back. N gripped his knife tighter and charged. The demon ducked under Ravi’s blade and swung low, knocking Ravi’s feet out from under him before standing, swinging to face N. N dived at the demon’s legs, just barely dodging a hit aimed at his chest. Both crashed into the ground, the contact with the demon’s legs burning his face, but he didn’t care if it meant disabling the demon. He tried to stab at the demon’s leg but it struggled too much for him to get a good strike in.

Ravi scrambled up just as the demon kicked N off. It attempted to knock him down again with its spear, but Ravi jumped. N grabbed the spear staff as it swung by him, the force jostling his injured wrist. He resisted the urge to cry out, instead putting all of his strength into disarming the demon. It resisted, jerking the spear back as it sat up. Ravi swung, cutting the demon’s head off. The demon head shrieked as it fell to the ground, but the body kept trying to pull the spear out of N’s grip. Ravi swung again, this time stabbing down through its chest. It stopped moving, both the head and the body starting to evaporate.

“Are you okay?” Ravi asked, panicked, as he pulled his sword from the demon’s body. N released the spear, and waved Ravi off.

“I’m fine. Check Hyuk,” he said, the pain of the burns starting to hit him. Ravi nodded, rushing out of view. N moved to push himself up, only to recoil in pain when his hands met the ground. Both of his palms were burned. N swallowed and forced himself up, scrambling to the bag Hyuk had abandoned at the mouth of the path out of the open area. He picked it up and swung it over his shoulder, quickly returning to Ravi and Hyuk. He dropped it by Ravi’s side and kneeled down to dig through the bag. When he found a potion, he held it out to Ravi. Taking the potion, Ravi poured a small amount on the palm of his hand and dipped his finger in it. He swiped the liquid just under Hyuk’s nose and sat back.

N dug out the salve, opening the jar and placing it between him and Ravi as Ravi checked Hyuk for other injuries. N scooped some of the salve from the jar and carefully applied it to the burns on his palms, biting down the hisses of pain. Hyuk groaned, starting to move.

“Stay still,” Ravi directed, bringing his hand to Hyuk’s chest.

“What happened?” Hyuk groaned.

“A demon knocked you out,” Ravi explained. Hyuk groaned. “How do you feel?”

“My head hurts, but I think I’m okay,” Hyuk said. Ravi nodded, removing his hand and letting Hyuk sit up.

“Drink this,” he said, handing Hyuk the potion bottle. Hyuk nodded with a wince before turning the bottle up and downing it. Ravi turned his attention back to N. “How are your burns--” he cut off when he noticed N’s palms upturned, slathered in salve. “Fuck--” N shook his head.

“I’ll heal. Hyuk was more important,” N dismissed.

“I hadn’t realized it’d gotten your hands too,” Ravi said, gingerly reaching out to cup under N’s hands.

“I grabbed it’s weapon. It seemed to be a part of it,” N explained.

“You knew it would burn you, yet you still--” Ravi started to scold.

“Your lives were in danger,” N cut him off, tone firm. “I may have been a priest, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight at all.” Ravi snapped his mouth shut and swallowed, hands trembling slightly beneath N’s.

“Thank you, for helping,” Hyuk said, drawing both N and Ravi’s attention. “I don’t think we’ve ever fought something that fast before. It was overwhelming.” N swallowed, turning his gaze back to his hands.

“I was just doing what I could,” N murmured. That’s all he’d been doing for a while. Everything he’d done up until now would be useless if he let Ravi die here. He had to do everything he could.

“The burns make him look hideous,” Hyuk said after a moment, and Ravi’s attention turned back to N. N wrinkled his nose at the sudden insult, shooting a glare up at Hyuk. “We should get salve on his face and bandage his hands.”

“Right,” Ravi mumbled, pulling his hands away to get bandages from Hyuk’s bag. As Ravi started bandaging N’s hands, Hyuk grabbed the salve and started applying it to N’s face. Once N was properly bandaged and Ravi’d downed half a potion, they stood, making sure Hyuk could keep his balance. They gathered their belongings and headed back to the three way fork.

-.-.-.-.-.-

The winding paths of the broken earth maze led to three more dead ends, but luckily the demons that waited in ambush were weak and easily dispatched. After back tracking several times and few more arguments about which path to take, the path opened into a third cliff. The air was almost nauseating to N, the dark energy thick enough that standing still felt dangerous--enough that even Ravi and Hyuk were visibly perturbed.

The reason became clear when N approached the cliff--lights flickered through the mist at the base of the cliff, glowing briefly as they swam through thick mist, only to fade and reappear further along. Souls, N realized dizzily. He stepped back from the cliff, hugging himself. This was the heart of the valley.

“What are those?” Hyuk asked.

“Not Waol,” Ravi said dryly.

“The valley is a purgatory, of sorts,” N said quietly, drawing Hyuk and Ravi’s attention.

“Purgatory?” Hyuk asked.

“A place of judgment,” N answered simply, staring out over the mist.

“So the Waol bring souls here for judgment before they’re sent to heaven or hell,” Ravi said, looking back over the mist.

“Something like that,” N murmured. It was more complicated than that, but he saw no use in trying to explain it when his knowledge of the universe’s workings was still filled with holes. He wasn’t even sure humans were supposed to have that knowledge.

“Do you see a path down?” Ravi asked.

“It looks like there might be some footholds, but I can’t tell if they go all the way down,” Hyuk said as he walked along the cliff, looking over the edge. N turned his eyes skyward to where the sun was about to disappear behind the mountains.

“Finding a path can wait until tomorrow,” N said. “The sun will be gone in an hour, and we can’t be sure we’ll be reach the bottom of the cliff before then.”

“Do you sense something ahead?” Hyuk asked, stilling and looking back at N. N stared out at the souls that occasionally peeked out of the mist.

“I just think it’d be foolish to die because we couldn’t see a foothold after coming this far,” N said, tone detached. Even to his ears, the reason sounded insincere. The heart of the valley would be dangerous, day or night. “Besides, my hands are still tender.” Ravi sighed, one hand on his hip as he ran the other through his hair.

“Then we’ll make camp,” Ravi said.

“Okay,” Hyuk agreed, stepping away from the cliff edge.

-.-.-.-.-.-

“The souls kind of remind me of fireflies,” Hyuk said staring over the cliff. “I keep getting glimpses of their glow, but by the time I look, they’re already gone.”

“If only they were as harmless as fireflies,” N said, turning to look with Hyuk.

“Do you really think they could hurt us?” Hyuk asked, turning towards N.

“It is called the Valley of Lost Souls. Who knows what they’re capable of,” N answered, turning back to the fire and poking at the dragon meat at the bottom of his bowl. He was the only one with food still in his bowl. The energy in the air made him too nauseous to eat as quickly as he normally would. Hyuk had just finished putting his bowl away, and was starting to pull out his sleeping mat. Ravi had inhaled his food and settled near the cliff edge to watch the thick roiling mist that covered the valley proper. A lighter mist coated the entire camp, back into the maze, but it wasn’t so thick that N couldn’t clearly make out Ravi’s back. Darkness was just settling over the valley, but N couldn’t make out the stars for the mist.

N shoved the last of the meat in his mouth, chewing slowly as Hyuk rolled out his mat. Hyuk bustled about the camp, gathering what dirt he could in order to kill the fire when they were all ready to sleep. After N swallowed, he wiped out his bowl and put it away. He tugged out his own mat and rolled it out.

“I’ve been thinking,” Hyuk broke the silence, settling on his mat. “It wouldn’t be so bad to settle in Dalnisia, at least for a little while.”

“Live in Dalnisia?” N asked, looking up at Hyuk.

“I think Jiwon would like it there, and you could study magic at the academy like you always wanted to, and N would blend in with the other Semol,” Hyuk explained. N dropped his gaze to the ground, swallowing. Unless Ravi managed to do everything just right, N wouldn’t be able to join them, no matter how nice the idea of settling down with them sounded.

“And what about you?” N probed, daring to peek up at Hyuk.

“I could live however I wanted,” Hyuk said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“I don’t know if I’d want to deal with your enemies,” N said, attempting a joke.

“After all of this, they’d be just like annoying flies,” Hyuk said, smile tugging a little wider. N exhaled through his nose, a ghost of a laugh. “We should talk about it more with Jiwon.” The words were almost lost to valley.

“She’ll probably want to go home,” Ravi said without turning to look back at them, words heavy. Hyuk bit his lip and stared into the fire. They fell back into silence. N stared down at his hands. It would be like a dream to continue to live with them, to stay by Ravi’s side whether in Dalnisia or Ravi’s hometown. But it was just a dream.

“I’m going to try to sleep,” Hyuk announced with a sigh after several long moments of silence. “No use in trying to stay up.” Ravi grunted his acknowledgement.

“I’ll join you soon,” N said, looking at Hyuk. He turned to Ravi then back to Hyuk, “We both will.” Hyuk cocked an eyebrow.

“Please, take your time,” Hyuk said flatly before laying down. N frowned at Hyuk, not quite catching his meaning. After a moment he sighed. Ravi was brooding, his shoulders tense since the encounter with the second demon. His mood obviously wasn’t any better than N’s. N supposed it was time to attempt to ease Ravi’s mind enough to sleep, even if he wasn’t much of a mood for it. Whatever lay ahead would require every bit of Ravi’s strength, and above anything else, Ravi needed to survive or else everything he’d done would be in vain. He pulled Ravi’s mat from Ravi’s bag and unrolled it next to his own mat before crossing to Ravi and sitting down next to him.

“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” N said, gently placing his hand on top of Ravi’s to avoid aggravating his still tender palms.

“You do too,” Ravi said, turning to look at him.

“Mm, I’m worried about what’s ahead, but I’m mostly worried about you,” N said. One way or another, almost everything he’d been thinking about lately was related to Ravi. “You’ve been… a bit distant lately.”

“I do trust you, you know,” Ravi murmured after a moment of silence. N looked up at him with curious eyes. “But like you said earlier, I’ve just--I’ve been caught up with thoughts of Jiwon.”

“We’ll get her back,” N said, the words almost painful to say. Sitting there, looking out over the Valley of Lost Souls, over the last obstacle to the Gates of Hell, everything seemed more real, heavier. If things went wrong, N would die and so would Ravi. If things went right, it was still likely N would die. And death meant ending everything that was just beginning.

“Maybe you and Hyuk should go back,” Ravi murmured. N sat up straighter, gaze sharp.

“I’m not letting you go on alone,” N snapped. It simply wasn’t a possibility. Maybe if they left together, ran away from the test, but Ravi would never be able to forgive himself for abandoning Jiwon. “And I’m not going back without you.” Ravi flinched. “And you know Hyuk won’t either.”

“Even if it means you get mangled in the process?” Ravi asked, shifting uneasily, brows creased. “The fights are getting tougher the further we go. You and Hyuk could have been injured more seriously.”

“It’s part of what we signed up for,” N said firmly. “We knew there was a high risk of dying when we agreed to help you.”

“You don’t know Jiwon at all, and you barely know us. And when you get hurt, I feel--guilty. For dragging you into this,” Ravi confessed, staring down at N’s bandaged hand on top of his own.

“I do know you,” N said, also staring down at their hands. He knew them better than Ravi could realize, and that was part of what made everything so hard. “I know Jiwon is a kind person, and I know that we wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for her, if you weren’t trying to live up to her expectations of you.”

“The thought of losing you and Hyuk while fighting scares me,” Ravi mumbled. “I feel like it’s my fault if you get hurt, like I’m not strong enough.” N frowned, gripping Ravi’s hand a bit tighter as he tried to find the right words.

“The thought of you trying to do this all alone--you’d--you’d--” N choked up, unable to vocalize the possibility that Ravi could die. He looked away, biting his lip and fighting the urge to fist both hands. He wouldn’t let it happen. “You aren’t weak, and neither are we. We will rescue Jiwon.”

“We will,” Ravi repeated softly, resolutely. “I will do everything I can to get her back.” And N would do whatever he could to make that reunion happen. They fell into silence, N staring at their hands, nausea overcoming him anew as a breeze stirred the mist up.

“How are your burns?” Ravi asked carefully after several long moments. N flicked his gaze up to meet Ravi’s.

“My palms are still tender, but my face and fingers don’t hurt anymore,” N said. Ravi gave a small grunt of understanding. He reached out with his free hand, tentatively brushing over the bandages at N’s temple. “I think they can come off,” N whispered and Ravi nodded, hand searching out where he’d tucked the end of the bandage. N moved his hand, freeing up Ravi’s. Ravi removed the bandages slowly, balling them up when he was done. He looked up at N and swallowed.

“It’s like it never happened,” Ravi murmured. N lifted a hand to touch his forehead and temple. The skin was indeed smooth. “Your healing is amazing.”

“I wouldn’t be here without it,” N hummed, “but Jin’s salve definitely helps.” Ravi laughed, just a small huff through his nose, lips curling ever so slightly.

“I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt like that again,” Ravi mumbled, turning away. N reached up and leaned in, catching Ravi’s lips in a slow kiss.

“Whatever lies ahead,” N breathed as he pulled back, “don’t try to shoulder it all alone. I can take care of my pretty face. Just don’t push us away.”

“Right,” Ravi breathed. N kissed him again, and when he pulled back, Ravi followed, refusing to let the kiss end so quickly.

“Thank you,” Ravi breathed when he finally pulled back. “For earlier. For coming this far with me.” N smiled.

“You don’t have to thank me,” N said. He wasn’t doing this for gratitude.

“I want to,” Ravi said, pressing his forehead to N’s. After a moment, he shifted, catching N’s lips in a quick kiss.

“We should sleep,” N hummed when they pulled apart. Ravi grunted, a reluctant noise, but moved to stand anyway.

#vixx #hakyeon #wonsik #vixx fic #vixx scenarios

11 notes · View notes

borderlandscast · 5 years

Text

results and the why of that ‘quick’ post

thank y’all for your replies!

in the epilogue, daltos and arsenal decide to nominate the private rooms on the bridge level as lottery prizes while arranging who’s living where on the blackrock. what’s so special about these rooms? scroll down!

runnerups get their choice of the private troop’s quarter rooms. these don’t have the extra nice benefits but they’re generally soundproof, lockable, and closest to certain places (cafeteria, bathrooms, etc). some have their own bathrooms. none have wimdows. they’re located on almost every level but are extremely limited in number. arsenal let the runnerups pick where they live.

all the unlucky people and everyone else have to make do with arsenal putting them wherever. there’s also shared rooms which is one large room containing a collection of bunk or single beds, or people can choose to have room with each other in a medium sized room.

catch is, daltos only nominated four for lottery and saved the rest as ‘motivation incentives.’ he later made an annoucement declaring ‘we’re bored, so explain to me or arsenal in less than three hundred words in an essay or prove to us that you do, in fact, deserve a special room. limited time only! first come, first served basis. memes are also an acceptable format. calling me ‘daddy’ will get your right to enter revoked. the only exception is zylus.’

there’s ten captain rooms (sshh, if i said any other number in fics, it’s now changed ever since frigate was renovated in the epilogue).

captain rooms are special because:

five minutes walk away from the bridge

private bathrooms (with functional locks!) in each room

some rooms have windows that look out into space

way bigger than the standard, private rooms in the troop’s quarters

free desk and chair included

bed can’t be stolen since it’s bolted to the wall but it can be vandalized or unbolted (see arsenal for details)

soundproof ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) albeit vox is required to monitor all rooms (however, if asked politely, vox can be asked to turn sensors away for basic decency and private conversations)

extra lockers for all your hoarding needs

door requires code (known only by vox and owner of room) to enter

people who currently have captain rooms, non negotiable:

daltos

zylus

arsenal

winners of the room lottery:

rythian

will strife (with parvis freeloading)

hybridpanda

bebop (currently impersonating ridged*g by occupying their dead body)

winners of the ‘convince us’ competition:

martyn: he simply sent a photo of himself wearing a sheriff hat while only dressed in cowboy boots and a neon green budgie smuggler, tastefully posed against a backdrop of desert, with ‘dilfs who rodeo together, stick together ;)’ written in marker on it.

nilesy: wrote ‘unlimited and unrestricted access to the cat cafe, at any hour, plus free food and drink’ on a sheet of blank paper, supplemented by a cutesy photo of a diamond kitten with ‘can i haz room pls?’ scribbled on back.

lalna: he wanted to stay away as far as possible from teep and arsenal, and upon deciding arsenal is the safer option in a fit of panic, blurted out ‘leg’ to arsenal, and then promptly ran away. arsenal took this to be his entry and for shits and giggles, gave him a captain room. right next door to his. arsenal also announced ‘anybody who swaps or even thinks of swapping with lalna will be smited, and earn a permanent place on my naughty list.’

lomadia: gotta hatch that egg she got from mister owl at some point without people constantly gawking at her and her child. won runnerup in competition by providing an essay detailing a secret ‘eggcam’ feed to arsenal and daltos who both have bets on when it’ll hatch. everyone else is also betting but no eggcam. she picked a private troop room close to kitchens. she made the two swear pinky promises to never show her essay.

people who can’t have captain rooms:

ravs: daltos has banned him due to ravs answering the door naked one time and ravs hasn’t successfully convinced him to change his mind about the ban yet.

lalnable: medical bay duties require him to literally sleep next door to said bay.

teep: is away so often that there’s no point to giving them a room so far away from the hanger. they claimed a private room closest to hangers.

zoeya and saberial: they move out to run a farm later on!

anybody who doesn’t live on the frigate

anybody who’s dead (like r*dgedog)

#borderlandscast: extras #borderlandscast: worldbuilding #long post

7 notes · View notes

borderlandscast · 5 years

Text

his dark materials au

all these aus are going to crossover at multiple points, since it’s inevitable and i like creatively torturing myself. here is a basic cast list and notes. discworld au will be placed into a different post because this one is also epic length.

nilesy, will strife and parvus will get their own post! and discworld peeps too.

any feedback and thoughts on the magic system would be greatly appreciated!

rythian

born in sweden. barely left the country of his birth, except on family holidays or short trips to neighboring locations.

he became an experimental theologian with the intention of studying his heritage and discovering the mystery of why his daemon settled in an unusual form. the official story is that he’s supposed to retrieve or make copies of the althiometer interpretations for sweden’s own universities.

his daemon is called ‘ender’, gender neutral, small dragon the size of a house cat. ender has a lot of raised scales which gives them a thorny devil’s appearance. the scales are smoother than appearances suggest, so concealing ender beneath rythian’s cloak is the usual means by which ender hides.

ender’s species is that of a western dragon. thier features include a pointy head, frill, four legs with talons (thumb ones opposable, albeit sharp), leathery wings and a tail. ender’s eyes have a nictating membrane, and they possess excellent night vision.

ender’s voice has a raspy quality to it, but mirror rythian’s own voice. both have a faint accent when they speak.

ender shares rythian’s taste for information and knowledge. between the two of them, ender hoards the bulk of it. ender has never forgotten a book they or rythian have read.

ravs

born and grew up in scotland. has never been anywhere else, nor interested in doing so.

daemon is ‘finnley’, goes by she/her, a unicorn. finnley is a white ‘horse’ with patches of speckled grey on her body. she blends into mist perfectly. her eyes are a hazelnut colour. finnley’s tail is mostly white; she doesn’t take kindly to people pulling on it.

her hooves are the second most dangerous part of her, her ivory horn being the other. her hooves can crush skulls and stones, and her horn can gore through people.

that said, ravs is the only person who can ride her. she can outrun normal horses. he can ride her with or without a saddle, though ravs prefers the former for obvious reasons. finnley can carry ravs and cargo for about 100 miles (twice that of a regular horse) before tiring. she can go much further at a slower pace.

both left their town of birth due to religious authorities getting wind of him and his daemon’s settled form; the two of them left to protect their family and friends.

both have made a relative’s old highlands castle their secret base. the two earn money from running delivery jobs all over the countryside. given finnley’s speed and ravs’ head and social knack for business, they’ve got quite a reputation built up, and numerous friendships all over the place so both are never in pressing need of a roof, food and drink.

rythian doesn’t know this when they meet, but ravs can separate from finnley at will; both can travel incredibly far from each other if needed, though they prefer not to.

wherever ravs goes, he takes a carrier pigeon with him. the pigeon has been trained to respond to basic commands and questions, including relaying messages back and forth with fellow scotsmen.

a witch taught finnley the trick of how to conceal her horn by using the same trick that witches use to hide themselves from crowds or when infiltrating locations. people simply just don’t notice finnley’s horn. finnley has to concentrate to do this, but ravs’ natural chattiness makes up for her reserved nature.

ravs grew up as a farmer’s child, which explains his lack of complaints when it comes to hard work and rising at the crack of dawn to help out his folks and relatives. he’s used to the ups and downs of the occupation. he’s fairly well built as a result.

y’all be pleased to know that he wears pants in this au, plus his trademark kilt.

teep

british. welsh heritage. voluntarily mute.

daemon is ‘basil’, he/him/they/them, a cockatrice (with some traits from a basilisk mixed in). has a rooster’s head, body, feet, wings and tail; the tail has a functioning serpent’s head. the serpent can hide within the rooster’s voluminous tail.

basil is about the size of a large rooster; he comes up to teep’s waist if that’s any help.

basil’s ability to petrify people is based on vision; it can apply to objects too. basil ‘requires’ a blindfold, but gets by via infrared sensing and a keen sense of smell on their snake head, plus sharing teep’s vision.

basil’s venomous. their leg spurs and snake head produce a potent venom that’s akin to that of a taipan or brown snake. fortunately, basil can only produce so much venom a day. teep harvests the venom from the snake head to dip arrowheads into. the two are initially unwilling to elaborate on an antidote to ravs and rythian.

i said in an earlier post that basil had four legs, but i’m changing my mind and making basil more chicken shaped. basil has two taloned feet, but at the top of their wings is a smaller set of talons. these can be operated like pointy hands. like ender’s, they’re capable of shredding fragile items, like paper. it also lets basil scale objects, mostly trees and fences.

after a noodle incident that left a whole village petrified, teep and basil fled. they returned to keep guard over the village to make sure nobody discovers what happened to it. basil doesn’t feel any remorse whatsoever, and doesn’t think teep should either.

teep has proficiency in archery and maintains their own bow. their family used to be rangers and hunters, but began to dabble in lumberjacking due to rising demand in wood for ships, carpentry, artisan pursits and construction.

teep’s relationship with basil is that of mutual tolerance. they don’t necessarily like or hate each pther, though basil seems to prefer being around teep than be separated, with the addition of basil’s role in speaking for the two of them.

that said, teep dislikes basil’s snarkiness and talkativeness (which is hilarious, considering basil is a reflection and manifestation of teep’s own soul), while basil regards teep’s muteness the ‘silent treatment’, which says a lot.

some notes about zylus and daltos’ world:

separate to that of rythian, ravs and teep’s world, but linked thanks to several secret openings caused by the subtle knife’s bearers.

magic is heavily relient on dust, and the magician’s bond with a daemon.

this world developed like lyra’s world, so electricity/anbaric isn’t as widespread, and a lot of the continents remain to be explored. it’s part fantasy with steampunk thrown in.

cost of magic is concentration; you ever feel like you want to pass out after concentrating too hard? or get a migraine after a giant task? that’s the feeling. the tryhardiest of magicians fall asleep and simply never wake up; the dust expended doesn’t replenish in these comatose individuals to warrant consciousness.

given the presence of magic, religions are much more lax, acknowledging and tolerant of each other. that doesn’t mean that there weren’t wars, it just mean that they’re less on a grander scale of death and destruction since magic is utilized heavily to tamp down on these matters and nip them in the bud. there’s a lot of careful balancing between countries on keeping the peace.

magic is allied with science; science is one of the main drivers in advancing civlisation, while magic serves to fill in the gaps that science leaves (e.g. healing, weather control, binding). magic is treated like a science itself.

there are multiple schools of magic, and many sub classifications and styles. no one way is emphasised (though rival schools try to preach otherwise), or stronger than the others.

the term ‘magician’ is an umbrella term; wizard, witch, sorcerer are perfectly applicable examples of job titles, but regular folks use that first term the most.

anyone can enroll to study magic, and the earlier the better. the highest enrollment tends to occur at when kids enter adolescence, which is when dust begins to increase. there’s always funds set aside for those with incredible potential or from lower social classes to cover schooling, food, travel, study materials and uniforms. it’s in a country’s best interests to produce magicians since not many go on to further their career in a way that benefits a country.

all budding magicians start as theorists, and the majority choose to follow this path in life. they debate, study, experiment and discuss magic, just like they would a science. they can cast magic, but their methods and output differs substantially to that of a practical practioner (get it?). many theorists also have a second occupation, not always magic orientated (such as teaching, gardening, merchant). a few even regard magic as a hobby, dabbling in it on the weekends.

practical practitioners are a jack of all trades. they go out into the world and solve problems that occur as a result of dust, and to a lesser extent, conflicts or human problems. they’re paid a portion of the comissions fee by the requester and a reward upon successful completion. many are freelancers, some work only in one location, and a select few work for the government.

all requests come through via guilds that screen them for issues before making them public. private requests are also possible, including wanting a specific magician but these charge a much higher fee since the magician may not always be available or if another has to transferred in or out.

all magicians undertake a final exam condicted by professors to test their control, theory, aptitude, and specialty (optional, and the magifian can claim multiple ones). this is to root out those unprepared and the undesirables. it can be retaken as many times as needed.

upon passing, the institution acknowledges the magician, and grants them a license. the license isn’t legally needed since unlicensed magic thrives just as well; more caution is required when dealing with said magic. the license also serves as identification since each carries a unique signature from each daemon/human pair.

daemons must be settled by the time of the magician’s graduation. exceptions are rare. certain factions prefer recruiting daemon specific magicians. some say that the final settled form of a daemon determines how advanced one’s magic growth is, but that’s just gossip.

dust is present in this world to a ridiculous degree; if lyra’s world is a lake, this one is an ocean. two basic opinions exist: dust is finite, the other being dust is infinite. either way, there’s evidence to support both, but further studies are needed. and magic is slowly vanishing...

to prevent accidents with daemons (such as in hunting, sports, public events), all daemons must be marked in an obvious, foolproof way. kids tie scraps of colourful cloth or braids to their daemon, explorers equip hats or backpacks, university members use their school’s crest branded on a scarf or tie. there’s a whole world of daemon fashion. people can get very creative.

zylus

dutch scholar. born in the netherlands, has never traveled beyond europe. prefers to stay in one location, dislikes travel unless absolutely necessary. especially hates sea travel.

daemon is ‘griffin’, prefers masculine pronouns but will happily accept female pronouns, brown gyrfalcon. griffin’s height is about arm length. he has a whistling nature to his voice.

part of a noble house that made its fortune when shipping and trade lanes were first established out of the country. his family’s company has existed for a century, and is family run. zylus would rather avoid drawing attention to this fact. his family has low expectations that he’ll run the company, given his natural aptitude for magic, his interests and lack of business ambition.

zylus is a mathematician and a budding physicist. he has a head for numbers, attributed to his upbringing where no child in the house grew up blissfully ignorant of how the company operates. zylus assisted in accounts, making sure all the numbers nearly lines up on all sides. he gained a taste for it, and combined with a curiosity of dust (thanks to the scholars frequenting the store), led to his university career.

zylus entered university in his early teens, and spent the majority of the time immersed in the mathematical side of explaining dust and feeling out his magic. his faculty involves studying the nature of magic through formulas, theorums and laws, depending on the type of magic.

zylus developed a method for quick, precise casting of magic. it involves entering a certain state of mind, and he and griffin are currently stumped as to standardize it. if he’s successful, he might revolutionise the way magic is cast. most magicians cast magic like they’re being filmed: with great, sweeping movements, drama and chants. zylus thinks this is impressive and all, but highly impractical.

he has yet to decide on a specialisation in magic, owing to his occupation and interests. it’s fine to leave a magic specialty blank since all it does is help the guilds match up requests to a magician.

he prefers using precise magic, mostly used to give him a quick, numerical snapshot. it can be tailored depending on the job (like calculations, divinations, calibrations, weighings or measurements). zylus’ toolkit also includes a wider variety of real world magic but he rarely uses those spells. he also knows archival spells to preserve notes and texts, and the manual methods of doing so.

zylus is certified as a practical magician, but chooses not to accept requests except those from his family, faculty or friends. he doesn’t even know who’d request him snice he works in such a niche field to begin with.

griffin is capable of flying at least a hundred metres away from zylus. the nature of this range is a subject of intense debate in the field of daemon focused studies in that large daemons are theorised to have a greater wandering range than that of smaller daemons, and is especially so for bird daemons (those with flight capabilities, anyway).

due to griffin’s talons, zylus has to carry a foldable, wooden perch for his daemon, or have leather pads fastened to one or both shoulders whenever he leaves his home so griffin doesn’t have to park on his head or arm.

griffin’s personality isn’t as aloof as their form suggests; griffin is more talkative than zylus is, and is the more patient and outgoing of the pair. griffin tends to notice smaller details that zylus overlooks. griffin isn’t as serious as zylus is; in fact, their playfulness is akin to that of dallas’, daltos’ daemon. sometimes zylus’ self consciousness spills over, so griffin can be harder to read than usual.

zylus adores griffin, though griffin can be a handful when the both of them are agitated and hold opposing opinions. nonetheless, zylus unconditionally loves his daemon, and vice versa. he does his best to listen and compromise, and he doesn’t shun griffin for long after they’ve both squabbled.

zylus ties a small leather pouch to griffin, and a plain, sandy coloured scarf to mark griffin as a daemon. the pouch can hold letters, small objects, food, and instruments. griffin can open it on their own with their feet and beak.

daltos

american scholar. born in ‘new denmark’, left the country at a young age. the sole reason for that is his talent in magic; schools for magic hadn’t been fully established, and the best option was to send daltos back to europe with his uncle and aunt.

daemon is ‘dallas’, genderfluid, bearded vulture. dallas has no preference for pronouns. their voice is ambigious, albeit with a harsh note to it; daltos prefers masculine pronouns when personally referring to his own daemon.

his early childhood in italy was full of adventures, largely spent by following his aunt and uncle around since both were practical magicians by trade. he picked up a lot of their mannerisms and habits, including their taste for functional, minimal fuss casting and arsenal of spells.

as a result and in his later years, daltos has traveled extensively all over europe; his trips as a small child had a profound effect on his curiosity, and his aunt and uncle did well in cultivating it.

once he hit adolescence, he went to one of italy’s universities, taking the exam. he eventually decided what he wanted to do while attending said university.

daltos studies people and daemons as an anthropologist, focusing on the study of the presence of dust and how it rises and falls with social development, culture and practices.

he keeps meticulous logs about his travels; part of his goal is to track, document and learn about cultures that lack archive entries. his other goal is to chart shifts in dust over time to pool together data for a collective study that his faculty is responsible for. said faculty believes that sentience is key to dust’s existence, and thus, dust is infinite.

he transferred to zylus’ university to access their data, with the stipulation that he help some of the other branches to cover some absences. this is how he and zylus met.

daltos’ magic is more focused on a versatility of spells than conpletely mastering a select few. as a field magician, he and dallas have to be prepared for anything, from healing, shielding, weather adjustments, repairs, to animal control. he carries around a detailed notebook listing basic spells, sorted by category, effectiveness and strength, all based on his own observations and experiments. he also prepares powerful spells in advance on dust infused scrolls; these are last minute resorts, and are all sealed away in a waterproof bag.

dallas is a large daemon, measuring about 1.2 metres in height. like zylus and griffin, daltos owns leather pads to support dallas landing on his shoulders, and carries around a portable wooden perch.

dallas’ wandering range is about two hundred metres. dallas reckons that he could go further, but that’s his rough estimate.

dallas is marked by a navy bandanna worn around their neck, and leather spats. when traveling, dallas equips a backpack to help carry equipment and items.

dallas is a reserved daemon, in contrast to daltos, who is known to be a chatterbox rivalling parvis. however, dallas does share some of daltos’ traits, such as his stubbornness, acting insufferably smug, and being a playful piece of shit. dallas is fond of stealing items that daltos needs and retreating to a high location until daltos either comes after him or caves.

daltos and dallas are as thick as thieves, they have no secrets between them, and indulge in a lot of joking around. they know it looks unprofessional to onlookers, so dallas tends to adopt an intimidating air when out and about. otherwise, dallas plays the straight man to daltos’ funny man. as for how daltos keeps a straight face when he looks at dallas head on, he says ‘he doesn’t.’

#borderlandscast: his dark materials #long post

5 notes · View notes