#you needed to get over Rylan

[evertidings]

it’s someone’s birthday today… happy birthday to Rylan, my (and your) favourite half-vampire!! they sprung up from my brain originally as a flynn rider type of character but they slowly developed into this flirty bastard who wears leather jackets and rings and has a very big attachment problem.

in light of their recent scene in chapter ten, i’ve written a short drabble about them and the stars, set before they meet the hunter. enjoy !!

—

it’s a universal fact that on your birthday, you make a wish. most blow out a candle on a cake, some are lucky enough to catch sight of a shooting star and wish upon that—Rylan, having neither the funds to waste on a cake nor the luck to see a shooting star, opts for wishing on the stars.

and while it’s not like any of their wishes come true, it’s still fun to hope. to dream and wonder.

after their parents died, they needed that. something to look forward to, that is. for a while after, they saw the world in a haze, unsure of themself and their place. they might’ve boasted their confidence and strutted around, but inside, they felt anything but.

they still act like that today, but it’s slightly easier with K in the picture. and while they could be celebrating with their friend right now, as the clock strikes midnight, they find themself alone. to keep up appears, they’ll show up at K’s penthouse in an hour or two and complain about missing a countdown, but right now, all they want to be is alone.

just them and the stars they cannot see.

their back is to the asphalt roof as they blow out a puff of air, the chill from the ground seeping into their bones.

they think about what they should wish for this year, wondering if they should ask the universe to lift the bounty that’s over their head. but they’ve long accepted that fact. if they’re going to get rid of their bounty, they’re going to prove their innocence first. so their wondering turns to dreaming.

they could ask for a happy year, though considering their luck, that’d probably be too difficult. something simple then.

maybe they should ask for some friends (lord knows they’re lonely). maybe they could ask for a new leather jacket (as sentimental as theirs is, it’s falling apart). maybe they could simply ask for a cake (they haven’t had one in a while).

they hum to themself. it’s past midnight now, surely, but they don’t check the time.

should they wish for something palpable? something like new clothes or hair product? should they wish for something unseen? like good luck on the upcoming year? or should they wish for a miracle? like winning the lottery or stumbling upon a fortune they didn’t know they were set to inherit.

in the end, they decide on none of those.

they sit up and, grabbing a nearby stray leaf, hold it in between their fingers.

“happy birthday,” they whisper.

the leaf goes flying.

[keerysfreckles]

hi can you write a joe keery fic where they just recently got married and seeing joes family and reader being super cute with his baby nieces and nephews and joes super obsessed with it thankss

THIS IS THE CUTEST THING EVER I'LL SOB

pairing: joe keery x f!reader (married)

warnings: JUST PURE FLUFF !!!!!! okay ONE sexual comment but thats it, use of y/n and she/her pronouns, random names used for relatives (besides parents)

a/n: in my joe keery era fr

⋅•⋅⊰∙ ☆ ∙⊱⋅•⋅

"why are you nervous babe? you saw them at the wedding?"

joe and y/n keery have been sitting in their small car parked in joe's parents' house for the past five minutes. y/n didn't know why she was nervous either, which explains why she didn't answer her husband's question.

joe grabs y/n's hand and rubs his thumb over hers. "i know it's gonna be a lot of my family. if you get overwhelmed at all, we can leave, okay?"

y/n nods, before leaning forward and placing a kiss on joe's cheek. "i love you," her voice is soft.

"i love you," joe responds, with nothing but adoration filling his eyes.

the couple make their way to the front door. joe knocks and not even a second later, the door opens revealing joe's mother, laura.

"oh you guys made it!" she exclaims, pulling her son into a hug. "hello y/n," she pulls y/n into a hug, making her relax slightly.

joe and y/n make it through the threshold of the house, and are instantly greeted by joe's older sister, maddie.

she envelopes both of them in hugs, and informs them all the nieces and nephews are in the living room. joe takes y/n's coat, and the food they brought from her. he kisses her temple before telling her he'd be in the kitchen.

y/n makes her way to the living room, and just as maddie said, five children were playing with toys or watching the cartoons on the tv.

"aunt y/n!" gracie yells, alerting the other four kids in the process.

gracie was maddie's oldest daughter, then rylan, and jack was their only boy.

joe's other sister hannah, has two boys, adam and tristan.

all of the children come running towards y/n, as she kneels on the floor to bring them all into one big group hug.

"hey kiddos! happy holidays," y/n smiles.

she ruffles jacks hair, before following all of them. she sits on the edge of the couch, watching all of their activies.

"what are you all up to?" y/n asks no one in particular.

"me and gracie are playing with our new dolls," rylan answers.

"we have another if you want to play!" gracie announces.

y/n objects, "oh no, i couldn't intrude on the tea party you two have going on."

y/n turns to the three boys on the other side of her.

"how have my favorite boys been?"

"good!" they all chorus, earning a laugh from y/n.

adam's quick to show her the new toys he got that morning, along with jack and tristan.

down the hallway and in the kitchen, laura and her husband, thomas, along with joe and his sisters were all adding the finishing touches to the christmas dinner.

"oh honey, can you call y/n and the kids in here for dinner?" laura asks. joe nods, before walkings towards the living room.

he peaks his head into the area. his heart melts at the sight in front of him.

y/n was sat on the floor besides the three boys, as tristan was explaining how his new trucks worked. she kept going back and forth between the boys and girls, as they were all excited about her being there.

joe jumps slightly at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder. laura looks over his shoulder at y/n and the kids.

"you picked a good one joe," she kisses his cheek before speaking again. "y/n, kids, dinner's ready."

the kids all immediately get up and run into the dining room. y/n kneels on the floor, and starts tidying the toys. joe walks over towards her. "y/n, you don't need to do that. those buggers are going to come right back and play with them after dinner."

"i don't mind joe," y/n dismisses.

joe holds his hand out, "come on, you heard my mom," he laughs while helping y/n stand, "dinner's ready."

y/n leans forward and kisses joe's lips softly. joe happily kisses back, without letting go of both of y/n's hands.

y/n tries pulling away but joe only pulls her into another kiss.

"ah ah ah," y/n places a hand on joe's chest and chuckles, "how about we skip dessert here, and you can have some when we get home?"

"oh i like that idea," joe kisses y/n's forehead, "i like that a lot actually."

[cyantomatos]

Even Stars Will Fall - Ch 6

Pairing: Eventual Oberyn Martell x fem!Reader x Ellaria Sand  Word Count: ~2.5k Warnings: Rylan is a creep, talk of death (in the past) Notes: Uh...surprise? Listen I am just as upset as you guys that it’s taken me this long to update 😅. I really am sorry, I’ve wanted to work on this story, but every time I sat down to write it I just couldn’t. The next chapter is already written, I’ll put that out in a couple weeks, and I’m hopeful that I’m going to be able to keep up with writing now. Crossing my fingers, but I’m not promising anything because I really don’t want to disappoint you guys if I disappear again.

Last Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter

The first time Oberyn remembers his elder brother acting as a ruling Prince of Dorne was in his 16th year.

With the rumors swirling of his blade being poisoned in the duel with Lord Edgar Yronwood, his brother had called Oberyn to his office. Doran had only been the ruling prince for a few years by then, and had not as of yet had any reason to call an official meeting with his younger brother.

The two had never been particularly close, Doran being almost 13 by the time Oberyn was born, but they were still family. Doran believed his brother’s protests that the blade was not poisoned - Oberyn would not start to experiment with poisons for another few years yet - but the prince still knew he needed to appease House Yronwood.

And so Oberyn was banished to a temporary exile.

The next visit to his brother’s office was years later, after his exile is finally over and Robert’s Rebellion is quelled. News of the rebellion had reached across the Narrow Sea, and Oberyn had been incensed at the fact that he was unable to fight, relegated to a far off country with only weeks-old news to get him by.

The news of Ellia’s death hit him hard. He was unable to enter that office again for years. The sight of his brother behind the desk their mother had sat behind and her father before that and generations of Martel’s back that suddenly seemed far too large for Doran only brought back memories Oberyn wasn’t ready to face yet.

He blamed his brother for a while - for his inability to keep their sister safe, for banishing Oberyn where Oberyn couldn’t keep their sister safe. Then he blamed himself - if he had fought harder, if he’d snuck back into Dorne like he originally intended, if he had just been better.

Suffice to say, Oberyn hated being called to his brothers office. Nothing good ever came from an official summons from the elder Prince of Dorne in Oberyn’s experience, and he had a feeling today was not about to prove him wrong.

“It seems our cousin has finally settled on a wife.” Doran’s statement was met with a snort from Oberyn as the younger brother came to stand in front of the desk.

“I pity the poor woman that ends up shackled to Rylan. To whom should I send my condolences?” Doran only met him with a level stare, the silence from his brother all Oberyn needed to draw his own conclusions and for a pit of dread to begin forming in his stomach.

What was it about this office and bad news?

“Tell me I am assuming wrong, brother.” A note of pleading that very rarely showed itself entered Oberyn’s voice, and he felt the sinking feeling in his stomach only grow as Doran grimaced.

“I wish I could. He was here while the three of you were visiting Amphise. I must admit, even if I were able to grant his request, I do not think I would be inclined. I have no desire to see the girl tied to Rylan, regardless of his relation to our family.” Oberyn let himself relax slightly at that, although he couldn’t quite shake the urge to hunt his cousin down for even looking in your direction.

He flexed his hand at his side, letting a long breath out his nose before he responded.

“You refused then, I assume?”

Doran inclined his head in confirmation, still looking rather grim. “She is not a citizen of Dorne, regardless of where she might be from. I do not have the power to force her hand, and I am glad of it.” The prince let out a sigh, watching his brother closely. “That does not mean he will not go to her directly, however. With her having no male relatives here he has the option of attempting to persuade her himself, and if she were to agree I would have equally little say in the matter.”

Oberyn’s jaw clenched hard enough for his teeth to grind together, swiftly looking away from Doran out the open window. He knew if he only took a few steps he might see you in the garden below, although you were equally as likely to be working in one of the other gardens today. The urge to go find you immediately, to ensure his cousin had not yet attempted to convince you and make sure you were safe, threatened to overwhelm him for a moment.

It took him a moment to realize what was happening.

When he had first met Ellaria, there was an undeniable attraction. He should have recognized the signs with you, the way he was drawn to both of you with no say in the matter, but he had been under the assumption one could only have a single soulmate. As soon as the bond with Ellaria was confirmed, and more importantly as soon as he recognized it, that pull had snapped into something more tangible. For a while after, any perceived threat to either of them stirred something primal in the other.

It was happening again with you, possessive instincts he prided himself on being able to ignore were rising to the surface in an attempt to protect you, and he could do little to stop it.

Doran’s voice broke through his turbulent thoughts. “Oberyn. What did Amphise say?”

He turned back to his brother, jaw clenching further at the knowing frown on his brother’s face.

“She is a seer, as we assumed. Her powers were likely suppressed by being in her world and so far from ours. Amphise is willing to train her to ensure she does not grow out of control.” Oberyn paused, eyes lowering to stare at Doran’s desk. “And she is mine and Ellaria’s second soulmate.”

A heavy silence filled the room, and when Oberyn looked up he didn’t find as much surprise on his brother’s face as he expected. Doran only leaned back in his chair, hands folded in his lap, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“I am…not overly surprised. You have been just as drawn to her since she arrived as you were to Ellaria, although I assumed it was because of the mystery she presented.”

A beat of silence later, “I assume she does not know?” Oberyn let out a strained laugh at that, crossing his arms and glancing away. “No. We decided we would wait to tell her. Ellaria is worried she would either not understand, or feel pressured to be with us because of the bond. Her world…it is less understanding.”

Doran only nodded, a thoughtful look on his face as he studied his brother. “You will have to tread lightly on this, Oberyn.”

Oberyn nodded, a resigned look on his face.

“I know.”

“You aren’t concentrating, girl.” The sharp words cause you to let out a frustrated sigh, slumping in your seat.

I am, Amphise, but you can’t expect me to figure this out in a week. You said seer’s are trained from childhood, how am I supposed to catch up?” There’s a whine in your voice that you don’t like, but the last several very long days training – or attempting to train – with Amphise have left you tired and irritable.

If you were honest with yourself, it was more than the less-than-satisfactory attempts to gain some kind of control over your new-found powers that was frustrating you. You’d been somewhat avoiding Oberyn and Ellaria since your revelation in the garden, and it was starting to wear on you. Combine that with the frustrating training and Oberyn’s cousin Rylan suddenly appearing around you constantly, you were frazzled to say the least.

A sharp tap to the back of your hand with Amphise’s paper fan brought you back from your internal debate about which slimy creature Oberyn’s cousin reminded you of the most. She was staring at you sternly, disappointment written clearly on her face.

“You are afraid of your powers. That fear is holding you back. I did not tell you the stories about what other seer’s have done with their power to frighten you, child. I told you so that you would know the consequences if you did not control your powers.” The reminder of the stories Amphise had told you last week felt like a pit in your stomach. You were scared of your powers, but you were also well aware that better control over them would help prevent those stories from becoming your reality.

“I know that, Amphise. I can’t help my fear, though. I’m afraid I won’t ever gain control and I’ll end up like those girls.” Your teacher’s face softens just slightly at your words, and she lets out a sigh, leaning forward.

“It is possible I am going about teaching you wrong. I have taught many seers, but all of them were born here and discovered as children. It is much easier to teach children to do something scary, adults have learned fear already.” She sits back, a look of contemplation coming across her face.

Several silent moments pass before she stands, gesturing towards the house. Your classes thus far have taken place in the same outside sitting area you had met her in last week, fragrant breezes blowing through the garden as you learned.

Or attempted to learn.

“We will end early today, child. You need rest, and I need to think.”

Your excitement at being let go early quickly turns sour as you step out of the carriage back at the palace. Rylan is coming out the front entrance, and the way his eyes light up like he’s looking at a prize horse when he sees you sends a disgusted chill down your spin. He changes course from the carriage he had been heading towards to walk towards you, and you take a moment to arrange your face in a less please-get-away-from-me expression.

“Lord Rylan, what a pleasant surprise.” You hope how not pleasant you think this is doesn’t come through in your voice. The last thing you need is a spoiled lord that is obviously jealous of his cousins kicking up a fuss for you being rude.

He chuckles, stopping about one step too close for your comfort. Not that anywhere near you was far enough away as far as you were concerned.

“I do hope one day you will be comfortable dropping my title like you do with my cousin.” You give what you hope comes across as more of a grin and less of a grimace, shrugging one shoulder noncommittally.

“We’ll see, I suppose.”

Rylan’s grin falters for a moment, and he glances over towards his awaiting carriage. “I was just heading out to see a play being put on, something about a tragic love story. Would you like to accompany me?”

You squash your immediate ‘I would rather eat live worms’ response and give a polite smile, shaking your head. “I’m a little tired today, I’m afraid. I was planning to go take a bath and then a nap. I apologize, Lord Rylan.”

Despite the rejection his expression doesn’t falter this time as he shrugs. “Next time then, my dear.”

You wait what you hope is an appropriate time as he walks away to shudder and head inside. Spending time with a deadly viper sounds more appealing to you than spending time with Rylan, alone or not.

Later that evening as the sun is setting you’re out in the main garden, checking on some of the flowers. Solomon had mentioned the day before he was worried about the Jester’s Tassels in the current heat. It had been warmer than normal the last few days, apparently, and he was worried they would wilt.

A shadow falls over the flowers you’re currently checking on, and you look up to see Ellaria smiling down at you. “I think at this rate we may have to hire you as a gardener, love. You seem to live out here lately.”

You smile despite the anxiety at seeing Ellaria, looking back down at the flowers. “I loved gardening back home, too, I just wasn’t very good at it. The plants here seem to like me better.” Yet another thing to add to the list of reasons it seems like you belong here more than anywhere else.

Another reason sits down on the garden wall next to you, gazing down at the vibrant purple and gold blooms. There’s a beat of silence, and despite your recent avoidance of the two of them just being next to Ellaria feels more like home than you remember your world ever feeling like.

“Oberyn’s name day is next week. There will be a large party, and I am afraid I might be under selling it a little just calling it large.” She pauses, folding her hands together in her lap. “Will you attend?”

You glance up, frowning. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Ellaria smiles slightly, shrugging a shoulder. “It has felt a little like you are avoiding us lately, dove. Although I suppose that could just be Oberyn’s ego speaking.”

You duck your head to look at the flowers again, guilt filling you as you shake your head. “I’ve just been busy with Amphise is all. I’ll be there.” You look up again, trying to ignore how the lie just makes you feel more guilty. “Do you give presents for name days?”

“Usually, yes, although not always. Especially for princes. Oberyn has everything he could want, and he usually dislikes getting the type of useless and lavish presents people get for a prince.” She grins, leaning down towards you. “For his twenty-first name day one of his mothers cousins gave him a set of sheets spun entirely of pure gold thread. I have never heard him complain for so long about the frivolity of the rich before.”

You grin at the story, imagining a younger Oberyn ranting about rich people for hours to a despairing Ellaria.

Ellaria straightens up, placing a hand on your leg. “You, however, will not be expected to get him a gift. I can help you find something small he would like, if you wish, but Oberyn will not expect anything from you, dove.”

You look back down at the flowers, frowning. It makes sense that Oberyn wouldn’t expect anything from you, since it’s not like you had much to give him anyway, but you still felt like you should get him something. It felt rude to show up to what was essentially a birthday part with no gift, even if it was a massive birthday party for a prince who already had everything he could possibly want.

Soft fingers brushed against your temple, pushing your hair back out of your face. Ellaria’s hand slides down, cupping your jaw to lift your head. She’s smiling softly at you, and the combination of her touch and the open affection on her face dazes you for a moment. “I can practically hear you thinking. I promise, just your presence will make Oberyn happy.”

Later that night, lying in bed, you’re still thinking about the conversation. Partly to replay what Ellaria’s touch felt like in your mind, and partially because you still can’t shake the feeling that you need to find something to get Oberyn.

When you finally manage to calm your mind enough to begin to drift off, you’re pulled out of your almost-sleep with a sudden idea.

You know exactly what to get Oberyn.

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[izayoichan]

Ibuki had started learning how to make nectar and wine in his free time with the hope of being able to sell his own when he was done with school. Following his dad's advice he had taken courses in accounting so he could manage himself. But also had some help from his dad to begin with.

Kaylin on the other hand, had finally decided that she wanted to be a journalist and took summer classes to get into the courses she wanted for the final year of college.

Watching the six teens, soon young adults sitting in the living room, Emil just smiled as he brought them their snacks for the evening. If he was honest, Ye-Min had been with them so much now, that she felt a little like one of his kids, even though he knew she wasn’t.

She did call both of them uncles by now, so they were family at least. Kaylin and Ibuki often came over as well so he had the thing he once only dreamed of having, a family, one that felt just right. Feeling a familiar hand in his, he looked over at Flynn who smiled back at him. 

Flynn: I think we did okay with them don’t you? Emil. Yeah, I wonder what their life has in store for them. Flynn: Ups and downs is my guess. But they are lucky, they have their family and friends to fall back on when they need to. 

Emil nodded, they knew their kids would come back to them if something bothered them, and that was something he was happy about. Rylan often talked with Chris as well as them, while Tyvan often talked with his grandpa River if his parents weren’t home and he needed an answer.

Beginning - Previous - Next

[drylan]

Rylan: "Neither huh?"

Ryan sped across Hackett's Quarry, his hands gripped tight on the steering wheel of the now second stolen cop car of the night.

Laura, despite her eagerness to get back and check on Max, was a bit freaked out over Ryan's reckless driving. They had managed to take out Silas, end the curse. And, well, Laura dealt with Travis, too. But her patience was wearing thin.

"I swear to God, Ryan, if we went through all of this just to die in a car accident-"

"Shut up, okay? Let me...let me focus, I just...need to make sure Dylan's okay. I have to see it with my own two eyes." Ryan barked and, oddly enough, Laura felt like it was the most scared he had seemed the entire night.

"Damn, dude, okay...just...calm down..." So that neither statement was complete bullshit, she decided.

"You don't understand. I cut off his hand. I left him. If something happened, if...if he's not okay, if I don't get to tell him how I feel..." He gasped, tears beginning to fall.

He managed to stop in time to let Laura off near the docks, before speeding off once more. She could see Max, waving in the distance. And she never paddled faster in her life as relief took her over.

By the time they both make it to the lodge, Dylan and Ryan are embracing each other on the foot of the stairs, tears streaming down their faces.

Looked like every counselor made it out alive, but part of Laura is extra grateful Dylan made it out...for Ryan's sake.

[oh-cawsh]

9 people to get to know better

thanks for tagging me @ghostradiodylan !!

1. Three ships: Rylan my beloved they do no wrong. theyre the epitome of awkward bashful and honest gay summer teen romance with the perfect contrasting note of horrific life threatening monsters which is unsurpassable genre peak. and yeah ngl its pretty rare that i get behind a ship but two others i can think of are amity/luz from the owl house (but mostly in season 1 because they do cute anxious crushing stuff and after that they just kind of turn into supportive gf A and supportive gf B), and legosi/louis from beastars because how do you just gloss over neurotic homophobe slut ptsd theatre twink x weird brooding puritan loser freudian pervert and the fact that it does WORK too like hello

2. First ever ship: i wanna say gregg and angus from night in the woods?? i remember i was in that weird sexual orientation puberty where you literally know you're gay but it's not like a consciously meaningful part of your identity so i remember seeing them and thinking wow that's cool that they're boyfriends i guess idk. also i'm inexorably drawn to their existence for some reason and my lockscreen is them cuddling with the lazy morning light peeking through the curtains

3. Last song: My Kink is Karma - Chappell Roan, im a sucker for moody electronic pop and that album DELIVERS

4. Last film: i watched the first three movies in a pirates of the caribbean marathon with some friends which ngl after the first one feels like trying to suck sugar water out of a sock 😶 the last film i personally chose to watch was the 1976 Carrie! it was nice being able to watch it and appreciate it as an adult with an education and not a teen recluse going "yeah carrie you show those villain highschoolers what's what"

5. Currently (re)reading: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night! i have my old copy from highschool open next to me and the 2012 shakespeare's globe production up and i just sit and sift between watching and reading and analysing it, just like when i first learned it in class. i'm not really sure why i wanted to reread it again in the first place, but i find it kind of soothing to read older texts where the language and culture's a little ways off from its modern successors. i find it calming to kind of pull those stories back in a way we can understand with its old contexts and writing, and see more and more of that timeless human experience shine through. sudoku for english nerds i guess LOL

6. Currently watching: my watcher's stamina has actually gotten so shit im ngl like i actually haven't watched a show in months 😭😭😭 the last show i watched was bluey (which was pretty good! (and pretty indicative of the kind of attention span ive got these days 😂👌))

7. Currently consuming: this horrible like nutraloaf nightmare bowl i made because my appetite was really poor today and at 5 pm or so i was like ugh well id better eat something quick and dense if im not gonna have a proper meal so i insulted God and put together reheated smashed potato (in the microwave so they lost all their crunch and flavour) + dried roasted edamame beans + peanut butter + regular butter + cheddar + yoghurt + whole salted almonds in a bowl and had a slice of walnut fig cake as a side. that thing needed a censor bar like i was in the trenches trying to get that down im ngl. eating that meal took more energy out of me than what it gave back like i knew i made something unholy and then immediately paid for it like it was so frankenstein and his monster right there on that kitchen counter

8. Currently craving: literally anything after that like god damn 😭😭😭😭😭 otherwise ive been hankering for a good chana masala and naan combo cus there's literally never a day where i'll turn south asian cuisine down like aw man i shouldve just gone out and got some of that to eat today ugh god damn it

also im ngl i don't really know who to tag cus i only started having a presence on tumblr like barely a month ago and ive only meaningfully interacted with like 3 people since then so um!! whoever's out there lurking around on my blog if ya wanna participate feel free! and either way, thanks for readin my ramblings regardless :)

[eddaschild]

“Well what do we have here?” - ofengineers !

Hiding in an alleyway hadn't exactly been ideal for the boy especially given it was absolutely filthy but what else was he to do? The ship had docked in Kanver which was a long way from Waleod but then again supplies were low and the crew needed to restock.

It was when they left to do so that Rylan wandered off only to get lost in search of food. His eyes peered up at the woman as he rubbed his nose on the back of the sleeve of his light blue jerkin. She wasn't going to tell on him was she? Rylan had already had a rough few days, what with Edda having passed from the Blight and all.

"My tummy hurts..." He said quietly as he scooted back a bit wondering if he should relocate or not. "I was just looking for food and..." His eyes began to sting as they welled up with tears. "I want my Mama." Everything still felt so fresh pain wise and the young boy was clearly unsure of what to do besides staying where he currently was.

"Stupid marks." he sniffled. "She left and hasn't come back." By marks, he meant the early warning signs of Blight that had been appearing on Edda's skin before they were to leave on their voyage. Instead of wanting to pass it onto her son, the woman arranged for him to sail far away from the desolate village where they had been living while she herself perished.

A small amount of curiosity began to pique his interest though. "Are you gonna move in here too? It might be big enough for both of us if I move over..."

[galpalaven]

black ice

Winter is creeping up on us here in the Great White North, and I was so inspired by the latest chapter of @evertidings' when twilight strikes that I just had to write something. Rylan finds themself in a bit of a predicament one night as the chill of winter sets in, and the hunter is more than happy to give them a safe place to crash. when twilight strikes. rylan villanueva/theodora blackburn. 3200+ words

“Rylan, oh my god—”

“Relax, hunter, I’m fine—”

“It’s freezing rain, Ry, get in here.”

The nickname catches them off guard long enough that Theodora successfully manages to drag them through her front door by the lapels of their leather jacket, grumbling under her breath about the temperatures as she kicks the door shut behind them. They want to make some kind of quip when she shoves their jacket off of their shoulders, shaking out the snow and rain over her welcome mat, but the warmth of her apartment hits them harder than they’d been expecting. Their teeth start to chatter as the cold of their wet clothes really starts to seep into their bones.

Theodora practically sprints to the nearby closet, slamming it open to reveal piles of neatly folded towels. She grabs a beach towel with a cartoon crab on it and rushes back to their side, throwing it around their shoulders and chafing her hands up and down their arms to try and help dry them off.

“What the fuck were you doing out tonight?” she asks, hands slowing a little as they shiver in front of her. “It’s supposed to freeze over and snow like five inches by morning.”

They laugh through their chattering teeth, shrugging lightly. “D-Dunno. Thought I would s-surprise you.”

She fixes them with a flat look that tells them that she’s absolutely aware that they were not out to see her, that they had been out for hours before they decided that they really needed to get out of the rain, and that her place really had been the closest to them when they realized that they weren’t going to be able to walk back to their place and still keep all of their extremities intact. 

“Right. I’ll just pretend that I believe that.”

They laugh again, nodding as they hug the towel around themself. “That’s fair.”

Theodora shakes her head with a sigh, but she doesn’t seem mad—just concerned. “Come on. Let’s get you out of those wet clothes. I’ll run you a hot bath and you can wear some of my workout clothes tonight to sleep in.”

Rylan blinks, innuendo dying in their throat at the end of her sentence. They tilt their head, watching her as she turns to go to where they know her bathroom is. 

“Sleep in?”

She snorts, shooting them an incredulous look over her shoulder. “Did you think I was going to let you leave when it’s this cold out?”

Without waiting for them to reply, she just rolls her eyes and flicks the bathroom light on, disappearing into the room and leaving them standing helplessly in the foyer. They’re very aware of just how much like a drowned rat they look as they follow after her meekly a moment later. Their skin is starting to tingle as their circulation begins to get better, fingers and toes beginning to thaw in the warmth of the hunter’s apartment.

When they peek around the doorframe, she’s kneeling by the bath, hand stuck under the tap as she adjusts the temperature.

Something in their throat squeezes when she shoots them a smile, blowing a wayward curl out of her face with a huff.

“I’ll put it as hot as I can so it stays warm for a while. You’re free to use any of my products if you’d like to wash while you're here. Do you want a bubble bath?”

Rylan feels like they must have hit their head.

“A bubble bath?”

She hums, not looking at them as she plugs the tub and pushes herself back to her feet. “I have some that I use to help relax if you’d like.”

They’re quiet for a beat too long, because she looks over at them curiously, and then snorts, reaching for a bottle and tipping it to pour something into the tub. The smell of pomegranates fills the humid air of the bathroom, and bubbles begin to form as water rushes out of the faucet.

She walks back over, hands gentle on their arms as she scoots them over so she can slip out past them. “Feel free to sit by the tub and warm up while I go grab you something to wear tonight.”

She’s gone before they can manage a complete coherent thought, so they just do as she suggested and take a seat on the closed toilet seat. Her bathroom is clean, and the heat rising from the tub is sinking into their skin, loosening their tight muscles with each passing second. They can’t remember the last time that they were truly relaxed, but this is getting awfully close. 

The next few minutes are a blur—at some point, Theodora returns with a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. She tells them that she’ll put their clothes in the wash tonight and make sure they’re clean and dry for tomorrow, and then she leaves them to their bath. 

The water hurts a bit as they sink into the bubbles, as their nearly numb limbs begin to thaw in the warmth of the water. It hurts, but it feels so good—they feel like they’ve been cold for months, and they groan softly as they recline against the back of the tub, letting their eyes flutter shut. 

They have to fight the urge to sleep, forcing themself to wash instead of luxuriate when keeping their eyes open becomes a challenge. Sleep has been chasing them these past few weeks, and they’re not ready to succumb yet. 

Rylan dresses themself in Theodora’s soft loungewear after they dry off, taking the time to pull a comb she left out for them through their hair after squeezing it as dry as they can with their towel. The breath they take as they look at themself in the mirror is deep and easy, which is something they haven’t had for a while. 

When they open the bathroom door, the smell of cooking food hits them, and their eyes start to burn a little. It smells like bacon and eggs, and when they finally walk out into the living room, they find Theodora leaning against her counter, watching the pan she has on the stove. 

She’d cooked for them.

They cough a little as they walk over to the counter, sliding into one of the stools as she turns to smile at them. 

“I hope you don’t mind turkey bacon,” she says, crossing her arms as she leans against the counter as well. “I don’t eat pork, but if you think it tastes too bad I can keep some pork bacon in the freezer for you.”

The sheet suggestion of her buying food that she won’t even eat for them has their voice caught in their throat. A lot about what she’s done tonight has their voice caught in their throat.

About a minute too late, they manage to rasp, “You don’t have to do that.”

Theodora just laughs, plating the food on two plates she’d already set aside. She slides one across the counter to them, along with a fork and a bottle of water, and starts to pick at her own food with a shrug.

“I don’t mind to keep things around for you,” she says, shoveling some scrambled eggs into her mouth. “You always seem hungry when you come over. I’d like to keep things you like around for you.”

They bite into their food to give themself an excuse not to talk. They don’t trust their voice right now, sitting in her clothes with the sound of sleet hitting the windows, the smell of all her best smelling soaps wrapped around them. 

It’s dark in her apartment. She’d only turned on the light above the stove and above the sink, so it’s still pleasantly dim and cozy as they eat in a mostly companionable silence. They’d expected her to ask questions about why they were out, but she apparently seems mostly content to just eat and enjoy the silence.

They aren’t sure what to make of her.

By all means, they shouldn’t even be sitting here right now. A bounty showing up at their hunter’s house in the dead of night looking for a warm place to wait out the rain shouldn’t even be a thing that entered their mind. They shouldn’t be here, eating her food that she cooked for them, wearing her clothes after having a bath in her tub.

They shouldn’t be here.

At all.

And yet here they are, warm and safe and so relaxed that they think they could fall asleep into their eggs.

Well, if they hadn’t inhaled the food anyway.

“Still hungry?” comes her voice after a moment, and they nearly startle at the sound of it.

They blink, and then shake their head, smiling to try and regain some of their control. “No. Thanks, though. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Mm.”

Theodora’s hum is the only answer they get as she gathers their plates and dumps them in the sink. They feel bad—feel like they should go ahead and do the dishes now to save her the trouble—but she just waved them off when she notices them watching. 

“Don’t worry about it. They can wait until tomorrow. You must be exhausted after being out in the cold for god knows how long.”

There it is.

“What were you doing out, anyway?”

Rylan fidgets as she leans on the counter again, hazel eyes earnest and concerned as she props her head up with her hand. They fix their gaze on the chipped nail polish on their fingernails as they shrug and say, “Well, when you have a bounty on your head… it’s not always the hunters from your organization you have to worry about.”

“…someone has been bothering you at your place?”

They grin humorlessly. “I came home to find the entire place trashed a few days ago and I haven’t been back since.”

“Rylan…”

They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t even really want her to know, but they also hate lying to her. They don’t… they don’t know what they want.

Theodora’s hands come into their line of sight as she cups their hands in hers. That scares them into looking up at her again, mouth falling slack in surprise. She smiles at them. And for a moment, with the backlight of the stove light making her curls glow a bit on the ends, they think she looks something like an angel.

Her thumbs stroke back and forth over the back of their hands as she smiles softly at them, tilting her head and looking at them in such a tender way that their heart nearly stops in their chest.

“Why don’t you just stay with me for a bit?”

Their jaw nearly hits the countertop. Of all the things they expected her to say, that somehow hadn’t made the list.

“What?”

She grins, and they’re struggling not to get distracted by how pretty she is.

“Think about it—what safer place for you to stay than with me? The best hunter in New York?”

“Well, I don’t know. Probably the Bahamas, or anywhere else that isn’t in New York.”

She rolls her eyes, laughing when they smirk at her, but she nods regardless, eying the window as she says, “You have a point, but the offer stands. I like having you around. You’re always welcome here.”

They turn their hands so that they can squeeze hers in return, eyes fixed on their fingers instead of her face as they murmur, “For now, anyway.”

A beat—and then she snorts, laughing as she pulls away completely. They start to think they’ve finally brought her to her senses, but she just comes around to their side of the counter, grabbing them by their wrists to lead them towards the couch.

“You know,” she starts conversationally, walking backwards as she leads them to the living room, “for someone who is so good at reading people, you’re especially thick when it comes to reading me.”

Rylan lets her lead them, frowning and watching her smile at them until she pushes them lightly onto the couch (which already has a few big, fluffy blankets on it and a pillow at one end). She sits beside them, tucking one leg up under her as she props her head up with her hand, elbow resting on the back of the couch.

Rylan… doesn’t understand.

“What… what do you mean?”

Her smile doesn’t falter. “You really haven’t picked up on the fact that I have no plans to arrest you, have you?”

…

No. No, they most certainly haven’t.

“What?”

“I’m not going to arrest you, even after the two months are up.”

“What?”

Theodora just laughs, tilting her head and looking at them like they’re the cutest thing she’s ever seen. They don’t understand what she’s saying, and they don’t know what to do with this. They keep looking for the punchline, for the lie in what she’s said, but she just looks happy. Content.

They don’t understand.

“Can I tell you a secret?” she asks after a moment.

They swallow thickly, tongue dry. “A secret?”

She nods. “It’ll make all of this make sense, I think. It’s about why I became a hunter.”

They roll their eyes, looking away. “No offense, hunter, but I don’t really want to hear about the origin of your decision to hunt my kind for a living.”

“Oh, good lord,” she mumbles, and their lips twitch because they're pretty sure she’s rolling her eyes. “Just listen, alright? It’ll make sense.”

They just hum, turning to look at her again. She smiles at them before she sighs, looking at the windows as she begins her story.

“My parents were murdered.”

…oh.

She looks over at them out of the corner of her eye, smiling grimly at what must be realization on their face. Looking down at her nails, she explains further, “They were murdered by a serial killer. A Fae who had been killing people around Toronto where we used to live. The—the problem was that the serial killer who killed them was supposed to have been caught an entire week prior.”

Rylan frowns, tilting their head. “He’d been caught?”

She nods, eyes far away. “Mhm. They’d caught the wrong person, and because of that he was still free to—to torture my parents to death. It was—“ she cuts herself off, frowning and shaking her head. “It was gruesome. And it could have been prevented, I found out later. I looked into it and the hunters who framed the man that wasn’t the killer—they’d cut corners because they were sick of not having any answers for the public. Rather than do their jobs right, they decided they’d just pick someone and make it work.”

She takes a deep breath, sighing and rubbing at her eyes like she’s trying to rub the memory away.

“I decided that I was going to do something after that. I wanted to stop that happening to anyone else, so I went into casework. I thought working in the documents I’d be able to make sure that the hunters had all of the correct information.” She shrugs, shaking her head again. “It didn’t work very well, so when I got the offer to become a hunter myself, I thought at least I’d be able to make sure that I was making the best choice. That I could make sure that I had all the best information, and that I could be fair and just and do my job the best that I could. To protect not only the humans out there, but also supernaturals who might get framed for things just because someone was feeling lazy.”

Rylan’s throat is tight when she finally looks at them again.

“So, when you were insistent that it wasn’t you? I believed you. I have believed you for a while now. And I’m going to help you find the person that really did it, no matter how long it takes. I don’t care about the deadline. I don’t care what our records say. If I take you in, the real killer is still out there, and I refuse to live with any of that on my conscience. It’s just—not who I am.”

“Theodora…” Rylan hears themself rasp, and they don’t realize that they’re shaking until her hands find theirs in their lap. “I don’t know what to say.”

She laughs softly, reaching up to brush some of their hair out of their face. “You don’t have to say anything. Just—well, just stop saying that we’ll be enemies after we find Caine. We’re not enemies. I’m on your side.”

Her fingers brush their cheek, and it’s so hard to keep from leaning into the touch as her thumb follows the curve of their cheekbone. In the dark apartment, she seems to have gained a bit of courage, inching closer as she breathes, “I like you, Rylan.”

They laugh, and the sound is a little pathetic as they reach up to press her hand fully against their face, kissing her palm and delighting in the flutter of her pulse at the touch.

“I like you, too, Theodora.”

They smile at each other, giddy and flustered in the darkness, for a moment. They watch her eyes dart across their face, watch the softness in her eyes as she catalogues every little part of their face, until her gaze pauses on their lips. She hesitates there, thumb absently stroking across their skin as her tongue darts out to wet her own lips.

They know they’ll probably regret it in the morning, but after that whole spiel, there’s really nothing left for them to do but to lean in and finally give them both what they so desperately seem to want.

When Rylan kisses her, it feels like coming home.

She kisses them right back immediately, inhaling sharply as she does. When the kiss breaks for just a moment, they can feel her grin against them before she presses forward again. 

They lose track of time as they sit there, trading soft, almost hesitant kisses in the dark. The spark of electricity that shoots across their skin when they deepen the kiss has the butterflies in their stomach swarming, Theodora’s hand sliding over their still-wet hair. 

Rylan has kissed many people, and has been kissed by just as many, but somehow this kiss feels like a first. They feel nervous and excited all at once, and there’s a pliance to both of them as they follow each other that feels new and terrifying, but also so damn good that they never want it to end. If they could, they would happily sit right here on this couch, kissing Theodora for the rest of time.

Unfortunately, their body has other plans, and they have to pull away to yawn at one point. An apology is on the edge of their tongue before they’ve even finished, but Theodora just laughs, kissing at their jaw and smiling into their skin.

“You’re tired,” she murmurs, pulling away finally. They watch her plump, kiss swollen lips as she says, “I think it’s time for bed.”

“Does it have to be?” comes out of their mouth before they can stop it, though the relaxation and warmth that has seeped into their frame is dragging them further towards the land of dreams by the second.

She chuckles, curling her fingers under their chin as she leans in to kiss them one more time.

“Sleep, Rylan. We can kiss more tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

She laughs, and they chuckle with her.

“I promise.”

[fuck-you-upmusicbracket]

Rylan (The National)

Is it easy to keep so quiet?/Everybody loves a quiet child/Underwater you're almost free/If you wanna be alone, come with me/Is it easy to live inside yourself?/All the little kids are high and hazy/Everybody's got nowhere to go/Everybody wants to be amazing

"It’s an autism anthem to me. All about not even trying to make yourself small but the world making you small anyway. You can project it onto any tortured soul with a heart of gold"

Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure (The Weakerthans)

After scrapping with the ferals and the tabby/Let you brush my matted fur/How I'd knead into your chest while you were sleeping/Shallow breathing made me purr/But I can't remember the sound that you found for me/I can't remember the sound that you found for me/I can't remember the sound

And when the voices died/I emerged to watch abandoned machines/Waiting for their men to return/I remember the way I would wait for you/To arrive with kibble and a box full of beer/How I'd scratch the empties desperate to hear/You make the sound that you found for me

"This song is a sequel to plea from a cat named virtute, still from virtute's perspective. it's set after virtute runs away, not getting the attention or care she needs from her owner. she talks about her time on the streets; hearing her owner calling for her, "missing steps in the street" as he searches under cars, calling for her, his "anger pleading in an uncertain key." living through the winters, watching the abandoned construction lot and thinking of her time with her owner, how she'd knock over beer bottles to get his attention, how he'd take care of her after she fought the stray cats outside and she'd sleep on his chest. the part that KILLS me though, is the repeating line; "the sound that you found for me." this is how virtute refers to the name her owner gave her; it's the sound he found to call her by. and the ending chorus of the song says that she *can't remember it.* she forgot the name he gave her. she can't remember the sound that he found for her."

"The song is from the perspective of a cat who runs away because her owner has fallen deeper into alcoholism and depression and is no longer taking care of her. As time passes she laments on the past and misses the days when she was loved, when her owner would "sing the sound they found for her" (her name.) it ends with her stating that she can no longer remember that sound. i can't listen to this song without feeling the urge to cry. it's almost soothing, like a lullaby. easy to break down to."

"This song is from the perspective of a cat that runs away from her owner, after his depression and alcoholism cause him to neglect her. in particular, it's about her forgetting the name he used to call her. (the good news is, this song is part of a saga of four songs ‐ in the last two songs, losing his cat is the push for her owner to start healing and doing better <3)"

Virtute the Cat... submitted by @shadybug + others

[evertidings]

What would K and R do if they are aware that they both have feelings for MC at the same time?

they’re both so emotionally repressed in different ways. K would try to convince Rylan to pursue the connection; Rylan would argue that K needs someone more than they do. they’d get into a fight over this, with neither refusing to budge.

when they make up, K will try saying that they’ll only hurt the hunter; Rylan will counter that they’ll likely do the same thing. they’re not even sure how real their feelings are, but that’s enough for K to convince them to test out the waters.

i don’t know if Rylan would ever go for the hunter in this case. K hides their emotions well enough that you wouldn’t be able to tell if they’re hurt, but Rylan doesn’t want to risk that. more likely, they’ll use K’s feelings as an excuse for them to run again.

[cyantomatos]

Even Stars Will Fall - Ch 7

Pairing: Eventual Oberyn Martell x fem!Reader x Ellaria Sand Word Count: ~3k Warnings: Rylan is a creep(pt 2 electric boogaloo)  Notes: Someday I will remember the foreshadowing I write into my own fics. And important plot details. Maybe.

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As it turns out, trying to commission a gift for someone when you have no money of your own and don’t know anything about the country – or really world – you’re living in is difficult, to say the least.

You woke the next morning full of confidence and pride in figuring out such a perfect gift. You knew less about Oberyn than you would like, but enough to know he would love this gift. Ellaria, too, since it was at least also partially a gift for her.

Your confidence deflated, somewhat, when halfway through breakfast you realized you had no idea how to get this gift.

First, you went to Doran. You needed money, and there was no way you were going to ask Oberyn for money to buy his own gift. The elder prince looked a little shocked when you entered his office, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

“I’m really sorry to bother you about this, I would just ask Oberyn really, but it felt wrong. Would I be able to borrow some money, maybe, to get a present made for his name day?” You twisted your hands together in your lap as you spoke, somewhat nervous.

Doran seemed to relax slightly as you spoke, and chuckled when you finished. “Of course, my dear. I can see why you would not want to ask my brother to pay for his own gift.” He leaned over, rummaging around for a moment in one of his desk drawers before re-emerging with a jingling bag that he deposited on the desk in front of you. “If I may, what have you decided to get him? I doubt you would be one to pile on another jewel-encrusted dagger or solid gold peacock statue.”

You grinned, shaking your head. “No, it’s not something fancy like that. I actually think he’ll like it, at least I hope he will anyway.” You briefly outlined the plan for Oberyn’s gift, your confidence growing as a grin spread across Doran’s face at your description.

Finally he nodded approvingly. “I think he will adore that gift.”

“How are your lessons with Amphise going?” Oberyn set his wine glass down as he spoke, a slight smile playing on his face at your pained expression. “That well?”

You shrugged, setting down your silverware with a sigh. “I’m not sure if it’s because I’m learning so late, or if I’m really just a bad student. I can’t seem to focus, and I think she’s getting frustrated with me.”

Ellaria shook her head. “I doubt you are a bad student, my dear. I suspect it has more to do with your unique circumstances than anything. You cannot expect to catch up with years of training in just a few weeks.” She reached across the table, settling her hand over yours with a small smile. “You are too much like Oberyn, criticizing yourself when you are not immediately perfect at something.”

“Well, it becomes hard to accept anything less than perfection when I am so often perfect.” Oberyn grinned at you as Ellaria rolled her eyes fondly.

Your eyes darted between them as they spoke, a warm feeling settling over you. Their conversations had begun to feel less and less like you were an outsider looking in and more like you belonged. Like this was where you were meant to be.

Oberyn turned towards you again. “What do you have planned for tomorrow? You do not have lessons, correct?”

You sat up straighter, forcibly pulling yourself out of your thoughts. “Oh, um, I think Maricel was going to come have me try on some more dresses. Ellaria seems to think I need enough dresses to outfit a whole army.” Oberyn chuckled, shooting a grin at his lover.

“While I do not doubt that, I think outfitting the Dornish army in silk dresses may not be the best idea.”

You shrugged, matching his grin with one of your own. “Well, might not be the most practical, but you can’t deny it would confused any enemy they face. Might be an advantage.”

Oberyn erupted with laughter, tipping his head back towards the sky as your own grin grew. The sound filled the private garden, and you couldn’t help but feel a little pride blooming in your chest at getting that reaction out of the prince. Even Ellaria chuckled, shaking her head at the two of you.

“Gods help me, I cannot handle the both of you.”

The next day, after what felt like an eternity of Maricel poking and prodding and holding various fabrics next to your face, you ventured out into the city. Equipped with a small purse of coins and a recommendation for who to visit, both courtesy of Doran, you headed out with the intention of ordering Oberyn’s name day gift.

Finding the small house proved easy enough, with a little direction from kind strangers. You described what you wanted to the short, older man than answered the door when you knocked, and when you mentioned it was a gift for the prince, he assured you it would be done with plenty of time to spare before the name day celebration and waved you off when you apologized for the short notice.

Finding your way back to the palace proved slightly more difficult.

You’d always felt you had a pretty good sense of direction, but you weren’t sure if it was the unfamiliar city or entirely different world you’d found yourself in, but after a while of wandering you realized you were hopelessly lost. You’d hoped you would be able to find your way back without asking for help again, but it was rapidly becoming clear that was not going to be easy.

Just as you were about to give up and ask someone, a tall shadow fell over you. “Ah, if it isn’t our own local mystery. Oberyn should keep better track of his treasures, you seem lost my dear.”

Fighting the wave of unease that spread over you at the familiar voice, you plastered a pleasant smile on your face and turned to face the prince’s cousin. “Lord Rylan. What a pleasant surprise.”

Rylan shot you a charming smile, inclining his head towards you. “I could say the same. Where are you headed? A beautiful woman such as yourself should not be wandering alone.”

Biting your tongue you lifted a hand helplessly. “Well, I was heading back from ordering a present for Oberyn’s name day, but I seem to have gotten lost trying to find my way back.”

For a split second it seemed like a shadow passed over Rylan’s face at the mention of a present for his cousin, but just as quickly it was gone, and the ever present charming smile was back in place. “You are in luck, my dear. I was just headed back to the palace myself, I could escort you. Sunspear can be quite confusing to those who are not used to finding their way.”

The lord held out his arm, and while you wanted nothing more than to assure him you could find your way back on your own, you reminded yourself it wouldn’t be a good idea to be rude to the prince’s cousin. No matter how much Oberyn seemed to dislike his own cousin.

And besides, you probably couldn’t find your way back on your own.

So you slipped your arm into his, mentally coaching yourself. You’d dealt with worse men before, and Rylan had yet to give you any reason to dislike him other than his vibes just feeling off. A short walk back to the palace wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Rylan beams down at you as you slip your arm into his, starting off down the street. “You really are not that far off from the palace, it will take us maybe a quarter of an hour to get there. It is unfortunate for you that the streets of Sunspear are so confusing. Those of us that have lived here most of our lives have no trouble navigating it, but it is often disorienting to outsiders.”

You give a polite little laugh, your eyes wandering to the colorful buildings as you walk past. “I was about to ask for directions when I found you, actually. I had to ask on my way there, and I was hoping I’d be able to remember the way back. Apparently not.”

“Ah, well, pride can get the best of us sometimes.” Rylan gives you another charming smile and guides you around a corner. There are a few market booths on this road, although it seems most of them are currently closed to avoid the mid-day heat beating down on the city streets. You glance at the open booths as you walk, glad Rylan doesn’t seem too interested in conversation at the moment.

One of the booths is painted a cheery orange color, although the vibrant paint is chipping off in spots. The roof is made of different fabrics stitched and tied together, with small gaps letting in thin shafts of light that dance over the counter. The young woman behind the counter is working a long, thin band of metal in her hands, wrapping it around a fiery red gem. Her dark hair is pulled back in a messy braid, curls escaping around the colorful scarf covering the top of her head. Her eyes flit up every few seconds to scan the scattered people out braving the heat. Scattered across the counter in front of her are a handful of pieces of jewelry, mostly necklaces, sparkling in the sun.

Rylan notices your preoccupation with the booth and slows his steps, glancing down at you. “Would you like to stop?” You hesitate, torn between your curiosity and your desire to get away from him as soon as possible. Your curiosity wins out though and you nod, turning towards the booth.

The woman’s eyes light up when she sees you moving towards her booth, and she immediately sits up straight and sets aside the necklace she is working on. She spreads her hands in a welcoming gesture, grinning widely at the two of you. “Welcome! I am surprised to see anyone out at this time of day.”

Rylan said something to the woman that you didn’t pay too close of attention too, instead scanning the colorful jewelry in front of you. Your eyes snag on a necklace with a small blue and white swirled gem wrapped in an almost black metal. It almost seems like an optical illusion as you stare at it, the colors catching in the sun and seeming to shift in the dancing light filtering through the cloth roof of the booth.

“I see something has caught your eye.” You glance up to see the woman watching you a bit closer than before, a slight smile curving her lips. Something about the way she watches you itches in the back of your brain, like you’ve felt it before, but you can’t quite place it.

“It’s beautiful, did you make all of these yourself?” The woman nods, pride seeping into her face.

“I made all of these. My mother taught me to make jewelry when I was little, just as her mother taught her, and her mother before that.” She holds up the piece she had been working on when you walked up. “The materials may change, but the women in my family have been making jewelry for generations.”

You can practically feel the boredom radiating off of Rylan, but when you glance up at him his face is arranged in a mask of polite intrigue. Your eyes slide back down to the blue necklace longingly, idly wondering if you have enough left over from what Doran had given you to buy it.

The woman’s hand comes into your view as she lifted the necklace, and when you look up she’s smiling at you. “Do you like it? I have had it for a while I am afraid, no one seems to gravitate towards this one. I think it may be the size of the stone, most opt for larger and flashier gems.”

She smiles slightly down at the necklace, and you’re struck by the way it reminds you of a mother looking proudly at her child. After a moment she looks back up, that shrewd expression back as she holds out the necklace. “I think it suits you. Perhaps it was meant to find you, and that is why no one else bought it.”

Instinctively you reach towards the small pouch tied at your waist, opening your mouth to ask how much she wanted. Before you can speak, however, the woman shakes her head.

“Take it. Sometimes things are meant to find people. Besides, you would be doing me a favor anyway, it has been taking up space in my booth for months now.” She motions you forward before you can protest, fastening the soft leather cord around your neck.

You stare down at the gem now resting against your chest, once again struck by the way the light plays in the colors. When you look back up the woman has a satisfied look on her face, and her eyes shift from the necklace up to meet yours.

“Are you sure? I don’t think I have enough to pay what it’s worth, but I feel bad just taking it.” She shakes her head, taking a step back.

“It is a gift. I hope it brings you happiness.”

“Well, it is rude to refuse a gift.” You almost jump as Rylan speaks, having totally forgotten he was even standing next to you. The woman doesn’t seem any more pleased either, her piercing eyes shifting to look at the lord. It’s subtle, the way a slight tinge of displeasure seeps into her eyes as she looks at him, and when she looks back at you it’s gone.

“He has a point, my dear.”

Thankfully, the walk back to the palace doesn’t take much longer. You spend most of it tuning out Rylan as he describes the play you’d turned down attending with him the day before, instead studying the necklace now looped around your neck. No matter the lighting the colors seem to shift and change, although every time your eyes move they stop, and you’re left wondering if you were just imagining it.

Rylan comes to a stop at the front gates, turning to you with a charming smile. “This is where I must leave you I am afraid, I have matters to attend to at my own house.” He holds out his hand, and you reluctantly place yours in his, suppressing a shiver of displeasure as he bows slightly and presses a kiss to the back of your hand.

“Until next time, my dear.” With another grin he turns and walks off, and you’re left wondering just how long would be long enough before you can stand to be alone with him again.

You come to the conclusion after a moment that there isn’t a period of time long enough.

Walking back inside you breathe a sigh of relief at the cool air that hits you as soon as you’re out of the sun. Sunspear truly was a beautiful place, and you got the feeling the rest of Dorne would be just as beautiful if you ever saw it, but the oppressive heat was genuinely draining sometimes. You could only count your blessings that it wasn’t overly humid.

You headed down the hall, navigating with a little more confidence gained over the last couple weeks. There were still times where you took a wrong turn and had to ask someone for directions, but overall you usually found where you were going.

The guards stationed outside Doran’s office nodded to you as you stopped outside the large doors, opening them without question for you. Most of the palace staff recognized you on sight by this point, and Oberyn had made it clear you were to be treated with respect as his guest.

It wasn’t really like you could do much to harm either of the princes, anyway. You’d likely just hurt yourself in the process.

Doran was seated behind his desk, head bent over a piece of parchment as he wrote. He looked up at the sound of the doors opening, smiling warmly at you. “Ah, back already I see. Did you find what you needed?”

You nodded, walking forward with a smile. “I did, thank you. And it didn’t cost as much as you thought, I wanted to return the leftover money.” You held the much lighter than this morning pouch out as you came to a stop in front of the desk.

The elder prince only smiled and shook his head, holding up his hand as he settled back into the chair. “No, my dear, you may keep it. You may not have any expenses with my brother providing for you, but I imagine it would be nice to have money of your own if you should need or want it.”

You let your hand drop to your side with a sigh and a slight smile. “What is it today with people giving me things?” You hook the pouch back to the belt around your waist. “Thank you again by the way, he said it should be ready by Oberyn’s name day.”

Doran’s smile widened at that. “I hope my brother appreciates it, it is a thoughtful gift.”

You returned his smile, ignoring the butterflies that took up residence in your stomach as you thought about giving Oberyn his gift. “I hope so too.”

Taglist: I know tags are being kinda iffy, but I’m still going to put them in because I don’t have that many so it doesn’t take much time

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[izayoichan]

Chris took Arlo, Fannar and the two kids to their home, so Arlo could rest up. Fannar made sure to hug everyone before they left, and of course mentioned just how proud he was of his nephew and his ice skating partner.

An hour later, they were all snuggled inside the cozy living room, with a takeout from Carl’s son’s new idea for his restaurant. To not only have people come in, but to cater to special occasions when they needed a bigger or perhaps a more quiet place.

Flynn: So what is next? Odette: Well, we’ll be taken along with the national team, and we’ll get to go all over the world and skate against their best. I should get all the info during the two next weeks, and then we’ll plan around that. Rylan: It feels almost unreal, and big. Ye-Min: It really does. Emil: Well it is big, but also very real.  Odette: And so well deserved. You two, have put so much effort into this, so much of your hearts, and right now I feel like the sky is almost not even your limit.

A smile was shared between Rylan and Ye-Min, they had put their heart and soul into this, and they still loved it as much as the first time they had started to skate together. After some toasts and rounds of praise, the rest of the evening went to them all just chatting, about what was coming, school, and just everyday things. 

Beginning - Previous - Next

[japanifornication]

9, 22, 26 for the fic writer asks!

hi rylan, tysm for the ask!!! 🥰

9. what fic meant the most to you to write?

this is a pretty tough question! looking back i wrote a lot more than i thought this year (2023 has been so long jfc) but i guess i would have to give this to status. mostly just because it finished off the series that really kicked me into gear in this fandom 💕

22. share an excerpt from your favorite scene.

it was an open secret they were frustrated with each other, phoenix with edgeworth for running away again, edgeworth with him for “giving up.” things were made worse by the distance, made worse by the constant friction in the ways they’d both always done little things that drove each other crazy and now amplified into disaster by everything else.

so the notion of edgeworth being a “friend” instead of someone he just miserably wanted to hatefuck just to get over him was laughable, but he couldn’t tell his daughter that.

he’s been thinking about it too long and he knows she knows that. he pulls away from the half-hug she’s got him in and picks up her crooked hat from atop her head, ruffling her hair softly then setting it back down straighter and pulling her back in for a tighter hug. “yeah. everything’s fine, kiddo. sometimes he’s just annoying, you know? seems like he knows everything, doesn’t it?”

that earns a laugh, which always makes him feel a little lighter. “i think he does, daddy. he’s so smart. but you’re smart too, just in a different way.” she leans her head against his shoulder and it tips her hat again.

“mm. you think so?” he asks with a low chuckle, scratching at his stubble.

“mhmm! he reads like a lot of books, i bet. and probably wikipedia, for fun. i like to do that too sometimes. like i bet if i asked him… the national flower of austria, he could tell me in a second. but you’re better at people. like, you could tell that snake guy was a good man who wasn’t just selling us a sick snake for more than it was worth, right? d’you think miles would be able to tell that?” she asks. her eyes are closed as she talks, and phoenix wonders what she’s picturing in that endless imagination of hers.

“i think he could have gone online and done the research to find out, but i don’t think he would have agreed to this in the first place,” phoenix snorts.

“because he’s too proper for a pet like a snake,” trucy sniffs with a faux air of decorum, and phoenix lets out a loud laugh. he’s needed that; she always knows what he needs.

“yeah, he is. but it’s not his decision. he’s helping but ultimately it’s still my decision, and i know you’ll take good care of ant.”

my favorite parts of writing decadence are actually the scenes between trucy and phoenix. i think during 7yg he really does need her just as much as she needs him, and i wanted their relationship to be more than just set dressing to the nrmt, even though that is the focus. i hope i pulled that off and keep pulling it off. more soon! i know i keep saying that but... more soon (croaks and dies).

26. if you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

also a hard question. if we're talking about specifically writing, and not like, anything related to posting the writing, it has to be writing decadence. i just find a lot of catharsis in writing arguments, especially of characters in very unhealthy (manic, anxious, etc.) mindsets. it's a place i know very intimately from my own life but with Help have come a long place from, and don't want to return to obviously, because it's not fun in real life. but it makes for compelling writing/reading imo, i can't really explain why misunderstandings and arguments are some of my favorite things to dig into. i guess there's still some part of me, even now that i am medicated and doing okay, that loves the satisfaction of being the architect of fights and deciding who gets the last word and when it's over, something that very much is not how it works when you are the one having a manic episode or anxiety attack.

[ofengineers]

Poking his head into her workshop, he small boy said one simple thing since he had work of his own to do. "I need ideas for your birthday present."

Rylan's initial idea was to bring Joshua over with a little tiny bow on his finger so his older adopted sister could take it off but then again with almost everyone in the Hideaway knowing the two were in a relationship, the man might be in high demand more than usual.

So that was scrapped.

The five-year-old did have another idea in mind and it would take quite a bit of work on his end but he felt as if he should ask Mid first if there was anything specific that she wanted...

"You got any?"

The truth is that Mid doesn't care much about her own birthday. She knows it's coming, of course, but for her it's never a big deal. When it's someone she cares for's birthday, though, she gets very excited, so she understands Rylan's question. The thing is that she has no idea. After all, Rylan is a little boy. She won't ask him for a new tool or something like that.

She puts away the blueprint she has been working on and approaches Rylan, offering him a warm smile. "To tell you the truth... I have no idea what I'd like!" she admits, letting a soft chuckle escape her mouth. "I'm so happy, really!" She puts her hands on Rylan's shoulders. "The most important thing for me is to be surrounded by the people I love, every day." She's not sure a child would understand that, though. "If you want to give me something, do it, but I won't mind at all if you don't. Okay ?"

[mannerofwhump]

Till Betrayal Do Us Part #2 - A Darling Surprise

first next masterlist

Whumptober day 1 - a little out of the ordinary | adverse effects | unconventional restraints | “this wasn’t supposed to happen”

note: Aiden goes by he/him and Rylan goes by he/they

content: whumper turned whumpee, pet whump, dehumanization, violence, brief drugging mention

send an ask if i missed any triggers

———

The first thing Aiden notices is that his mouth is dry. The first thing Aiden does is try to get the water bottle on his nightstand. The second thing he notices, is that he can’t. The second thing he does is open his eyes. The last thing he notices are the restraints. The last thing he does is panic.

Aiden tries to shout, but it’s muffled by the gag. His arms are useless and tied behind him. Frantic eyes search the room and somehow that makes it worse.

He knows where he is.

“Rise and shine, darling.”

He knows where he is.

He shouldn’t be here. Aiden’s supposed to be on the other side of the equation—the one standing and looming over the terrified pet. But here he is. Not that he’s terrified, of course. Or a pet.

It’s only because he was taken completely by surprise that he cries out when Rylan electrocutes him with a cattle prod.

“Eyes on me, now.”

His eyes immediately snap to Rylan’s, tear-filled eyes meeting smirking ones.

“I know you’re having doubts, Aiden. You’re scared. You don’t think you’re supposed to be here. But to, ah, reinforce the idea that you’re just a pet— mm you don’t need to hear the rest, do you? You already know it. We don’t need the introduction either, hm?”

Aiden tries to speak again, but the gag stops him. He leans his head back, frustrated—not scared, not desperate.

“Oh that’s no fun. I know it’s against protocol, but I’ll remove it just for you, ok? Don’t tell on me.” They put a finger on their lips and take off the gag. Aiden hates it. Hates that it hurts for Rylan to play on an old joke. They’d go against ‘protocol’ all the time and whisper to the other not to tell. He hates that the betrayal doesn’t only hurt physically. He hates that he’s scared of one of his only friends.

“Wh-why are you doing this, Rylan? We’re friends, aren’t we?” Please stop. Please pretend this didn’t happen and we can just go back to normal.

Rylan looks at him and… laughs. It’s short-lived but loud, like one explosive burst that had been itching to get out. Aiden flushes. “Were friends, to be exact. And even that is something of a technicality, but I can admit it was fun while it lasted. As for why? I just know you’d make a perfect pet. A fun little thing to train.”

Aiden wants to ask if it was ever real, but keeps his mouth shut. It’s not because he dreads the answer. He just thinks it’ll be smarter to wait until next time.

Rylan walks away and… oh, Aiden knows what he’s getting. He can’t help but voice out his concerns with a whimper. He can’t, he can’t-

They return with the thing in their hands. The collar. It’s one of the better collars—no spikes, no frills, no kinds of extra humiliation. It’s not even a shock collar. Just regular leather. But he still-

“I don’t want to.”

Aiden can hear the amusement in his voice. “Do you think you have a choice?”

“I just- please don’t.” He looks away, eyes stinging.

Rylan rests a knee on Aiden’s chest, effectively trapping him on the ground. He starts struggling, more than he had before. His efforts to push them away with his bound hands are fruitless. He doesn’t want the collar. It makes everything seem that much more permanent and he doesn’t want it.

“Get off of me,” he hisses, and for a while he lets himself hope that Rylan listened. But then the pressure redoubles, and he can feel Rylan’s breath on their ear.

“You do not tell me what to do, pet.” The collar is around his throat now. Rylan starts to pull it tighter-

“Trainer Emery please report to the director’s office.” Aiden had never been so glad to hear the familiar voice. It’s coming from the speaker inside every room and every hallway. The one that Aiden and Rylan had said made the facility seem like a high school, of all things. He was grateful for it now.

Rylan frowned, but got his weight off Aiden. He stood up, straightening his shirt. “Ugh, they never get the timing right.”—agree to disagree—“but don’t worry, I’ll be back.”

Aiden sighed in relief when Rylan left the room. The collar hadn’t been properly strapped, and it was still loose enough for Aiden to pull it off, even with his bound hands. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, leaning on the wall.

And…and suddenly, he felt the gravity of the situation. Without an immediate threat, his mind caught up with the panic that had engulfed him. His best friend had drugged him, kidnapped him, shocked him, and tried to put a collar on him. That had actually just happened to him. All in one day.

Aiden realized acutely how vulnerable he was. How entirely in Rylan’s control he was. He couldn’t even bring himself to have the will to escape, knowing how tight security actually was. It was hopeless. He was hopeless.

But hey, at least the collar was off for now, right? Small victories. He can allow himself that.

———

Rylan had always hated those speakers. It honestly turned on at all the wrong times, never allowing him to get any momentum going. Awful things.

They notice Oliver, the man who’d help him at the soirée, and slow down for a second. “Hey, is the other guy in that room?” They point at the door behind Oliver.

“Yup, last I checked he was still unconscious. Out like a light.” He chuckles to himself.

Rylan nods. “Good work.”

He continues walking along the bare hallways quickly, wanting to get back to Aiden. He’d planned this and waited for this moment for so long, how dare anyone mess it up for him? He enters the office without knocking.

Director Ashwood glares at them, but nods to the seat in front of her desk anyway. They roll their eyes and walk towards the desk, deliberately remaining standing.

“Cut to the chase, Ashwood. I’d like to get back to my toy, if you don’t mind.”

Ashwood pinches her eyebrows together, obviously irritated with their flippant attitude. Well, it wasn’t his fault she decided to call him in now. She takes a deep breath as if she needs it just to begin dealing with Rylan.

“You wouldn’t be acting like that if you knew how bad you messed up.”

Rylan raises an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“Your little pet, project, toy, whatever you call it—the one you brought into the facility—had a listening device in his jacket. We’ve destroyed it but I find that is still very concerning.”

That… Rylan’s face pales, and they gape. For once, they are rendered speechless. It takes a minute to recollect themself—barely. “I- what?”

“I’m saying you are an idiot, Emery.”

Rylan can’t quite bring himself to disagree yet. His shock quickly turns into anger however, and suddenly he’s fuming. Frustrated, and fuming. At Aiden. “That little- I’ll be right back, Director.” He turns around, opening the only door out.

“Don’t think there won’t be any repercussions for you as well.”

He nods quickly, and almost slams the door.

———

Aiden can’t stop trembling. His mind keeps making up increasingly horrible and pessimistic scenarios. I’ll die here, his brain easily informs him, or I’ll die in some other owner’s home. Thinking more does not help. He does it anyway.

He is so deep in thought and fear that he barely notices the approaching footsteps until they are right in front of him. The blood drains from his face when he notices Rylan’s expression of fury. He doesn’t know what happened but he hopes it has nothing to do with him. He hopes…

“You idiot!” Rylan kicks him in the ribs. “You damn idiot! How could you NOT NOTICE THAT YOU’VE BEEN BUGGED? YOU FOOL. YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING. LITTLE. IDIOT.” Every few words are accentuated with a kick. Aiden can’t breathe can’t breathe can’t breathe.

He can feel the hot tears spilling down his face, the horrible horrible urge to throw up. It hurts so so much and he knows something cracked inside him. All he can do is mutter incoherent pleas that even he barely understands.

He’s so confused and scared and confused. Why is he being hurt why is Rylan so angry what did he do so wrong?

Please stop, he tries to beg, please don’t do this. The words don’t leave, but it’s such a relief when Rylan does. Everything hurts. He’s hyperventilating which makes it hurt so much more but he just can’t stop. His ribs have to be broken, they can’t hurt that much if they weren’t, can they?

He flinches when Rylan grabs at their own hair and starts yelling, this time—thankfully—abusing the floor with their pacing. Aiden is inconsolable, and he thinks he’d do anything as long as he doesn’t have to go through this again. He’d wear the stupid collar, he’d literally do anything. He can’t he can’t he really, really can’t.

Finally, Rylan leaves the room. Aiden wishes he’ll never enter again.

———

wonder who that ‘other guy’ is🤭

ask to be added to the taglist!

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast

@spookyboywhump

[cupcakecoterie]

@true0neutral - Hazel, half-elf cleric

@fauxfire76 - Darvin, human bard/sorcerer

@hyperewok1 - Remi, human paladin/warlock

@lindira - Clarity, tiefling rogue/warlock

Marion - Ava, human ranger

Brian - Barnabus, minotaur fighter

@lovefrometernity - Rylan, wood elf sorcerer

We were missing a @miaaoi again so more stalling was necessary. Still fun. Apart from trying to get traumatised refugees comfortable with the gigantic dire moose who wanted treats and offerings from the newcomers in exchange for his protection, mostly it was going over Rylan’s list of things they needed clarification on, including:

“What did a wedding have to do with how this one has wings?”

“The governors of Equitas are ancient metallic dragons.” “Wait, WHAT?!?”

How and why the Five Claws of Bahamut have Tarrasque bits as thrones, trophies, or bottled lightning generators

“I’m just going to write [Barnabus’] name with like eight question marks.” (Mostly to do with why sentient minotaur in place where such a thing was generally not A Thing, which led to discussions of Ravnica, the Cult of Rakdos, and the Gruul and how the Gruul are definitely NOT like The People of Eun-Bac)

“You. Bard-man. What the fuck is up with your soul?” (Darvin’s couple of levels in Divine Soul sorcerer, courtesy Bahamut)

“Hang on; I have to go back in time in my own brain to figure out why I wrote Magic Mace Machine... BLENDERS.” (and other things to do with Egref, including the Adventurer’s Abomination and the Miraculous Transmutation Engine)

Purple worms, natural philosophers, and steampunk kobolds

The Tipsy Pixie (”We had sex for money.” “Why?” “Because I need food to live?”)

The last wood elf they travelled with and how that links up to Clarity’s patron, issues with His Majesty of Misrule, and how Barnabus lost his ‘way home’

Hazel’s magical Hearthhome door key

The fight with the green dragon, Coryvel (also magical tattoos, godmarks, and marks from Bahamut)

Clarity’s eyes - well, tiefling eyes in general

Pie-eating contests and “why are there so many non-cupcake baked goods with you people?” (as Skylar said - “Mom and Momma have a lot of things to say about nutrition”)

"There’s a play about you people?!?” and other songs and stories, including the Ballad of the Bunny-Bard

Then they attacked Hazel’s Bertie Botts From Hell jelly beans, and Hazel took Alisaie’s dare to just eat a random handful.

So basically we had a really good time but we really were just not going anywhere because we were missing at least one person for most of the last couple of months. But we got less into anecdata and more into character background in the following session...