#Douxie is a tender and loving wizard boi
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Douxie x Reader #3 - Yours
So to recap, you, the Reader, are often overlooked because of your intelligent, glamorous, and popular older sister. You’ve always been in her shadow, rarely ever acknowledged. Which makes your friendship with Douxie mean that much more, because he sees you. Same with Zoe and Archie. They’ve become your secret, little magical tribe and you cherish them.
So you’re more than distraught when your sister takes an interest in Douxie.
- You’re hanging out with Douxie at Arcane Books when someone storms into the store. It’s your sister, looking extra irritated.
- Douxie greets her and you see it. Your sister looks Douxie up and down. And not a second later, she’s got one of her hands combing through her hair and a flirtatious smile on her Barbie-doll face.
- “What are you doing here?” you ask, feeling small tremors in your voice. Your hands curl in on themselves and you start picking at your thumbnails.
- Your sister scowls at you. “Um, trying to find books for a research paper?” She turns her attention back to Douxie, leaning on the counter. “We were told we can’t use books from our school’s library. Think you can help me?” She bats her eyelashes and drums her fingers against the counter, her long fake nails clacking on the surface.
- “Sure, of course,” Douxie says, smiling. You swallow, actually wishing for once that Douxie wasn’t such a sweetheart.
- “(Name)?” Douxie says when you suddenly gather your things and head for the door.
- “Sorry, Douxie, I’m...” Your sister glares at you, leaning and waiting against the bookshelves you’ve been associating with warmth and comfort and belonging. “I’m not feeling great all of a sudden. I’ll see you later.”
- Douxie frowns, stepping towards you. “(Name) -” But you’re already out the door.
- “Forget her,” your sister sighs, touching Douxie’s arm. “She has these moments or whatever. She’ll be fine. So....books?”
- “Um...Yes, right. We have some interesting volumes over here...” Douxie makes a note to text you later.
- The feeling of absolutely not being fine at all burns deeper and deeper, under your skin and into your bones, no matter how many times you say the opposite. Your sister’s been making it a point to pay Douxie a visit everyday for the past week. And not just at the bookstore. Now’s she’s infiltrated Benoit’s, always asking for Douxie to be her server.
- She keeps touching Douxie’s arms and shoulders. Stop touching him.
- Your sister’s so pretty and you’ve always known it and seen it and she makes sure Douxie notices. No...Not you, too. Don’t look at her. Please look at me.
- “Oh my gosh, I love cats, too!” She’s such a liar.
- “Can I hear you play sometime? Sing a song for me?” No, no, no. Anything but that.
- You look at yourself in the mirror. You don’t know who or what you’re looking at. Who does Douxie see? What does Douxie see? And does he deserve it? Is it good enough for someone so beautiful and amazing as him?
- She’s everything you’re not. She’ll win. She’ll take it all like she always has.
- It doesn’t go unnoticed, how troubled and distressed you are. How your eyes go downcast as soon as your sister approaches Douxie. The stiffness of your smiles. The passive mean-spirited comments your sister makes about you. No, Douxie doesn’t miss any of it.
- “Hi Douxie!” Douxie’s heart jumps into his throat when a weight crashes down into his lap. He staggers where he sits. Your sister’s thrown herself at him, giggling and linking her fingers around the back of his neck. Her calves hang off the armrest of the couch, her legs swinging. “Wanna help me look for books again today?”
- You’re not even fully in the door when you see it. You don’t hear Douxie ask what on earth your sister is doing. You don’t register him actually trying to squirm out from under her. No, you just see your sister all over the boy you’re pretty sure you’ve fallen in love with. The boy you so desperately don’t want to lose.
- She’s trying to land a kiss on his cheek and the next thing you know, you’re storming up to the couch, visibly shaking.
- “Get off of him,” you seethe.
- Your sister gives you an incredulous look. “Um, excuse me?”
- “I said get off of him!” You’re on the brink of screaming. “Can’t you see he’s uncomfortable?”
- Douxie’s resolutely standing up from the couch, forcing your sister off of his lap. He goes to your side, feeling flustered and annoyed like he has all week with this girl.
- “Oh my gosh, lighten up,” your sister sneers. “I was just having fun. Right, Doux?” Her seductive smile evaporates when Douxie backs away from her touch.
- “Look, I’m glad I could help you,” Douxie says to your sister, genuine but dry. “But I think we’re done here, love.”
- She scoffs, crossing her arms. “What do you mean done?”
- “You’re smart. I’m sure you can figure it out.” Douxie’s glowering at her, meeting her gaze evenly. You don’t realize it, but he’s put himself between you and your sister. A protective shadow.
- Eventually your sister breathes out a mirthless laugh, rolls her eyes, and pushes past Douxie. Before she leaves, she takes one last glance at the two of you and her face utterly sours with disgust.
- “Whatever. I’m over this. Clearly neither of you have good taste.” With that, she stomps out the door.
- You put your fists over your eyes and walk away from Douxie, suddenly overcome with shame. Douxie doesn’t hesitate to go after you, gently turning you to face him.
- “(Name), what is it?” he asks, hoping that you’ll look at him. You’re so upset and he just doesn’t like it at all. “Don’t listen to her. You’re-”
- “I’m a possessive jerk,” you say, voice strained as you feel the tears coming. “I’m sorry....I just...You’re just....I didn’t want her to take you away from me...”
- “Take...me away?” Douxie repeats. “Please look at me, (Name).” His large hands encircle your wrists, tugging gently. “I don’t....” Then he understands. He smiles softly. “No one’s taking me anywhere.”
- “Over and over and over...It’s always been the same,” you say, unable to hide your tears when Douxie manages to tug your hands away. “You were the only thing she never touched and now...”
- “(Name). Look at me.” And you do, overwhelmed by the tenderness in Douxie’s golden eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.” His hands slide up from your wrists and now he’s loosely holding your hands. “I didn’t go with her. I’m here. With you. Where...” Douxie feels a strange sensation in his chest, a warm swell. “Where I want to be.”
- You hug him, pressing into his chest. Douxie hugs you back, resting his cheek against the top of your head. He reassures you for the next several moments, holding you close.
- “You...want to be with me?”
- “Of course.”
- “You like being my friend?”
- “I most certainly do.”
- “You don’t hate me?”
- “Never.”
- “...I’m...not invisible, right?”
- You feel his arms tighten around you. “Not at all.”
- You feel your tears dampen Douxie’s collarbone, and a dam break loose inside of you like liquid fire, overpowering you because Douxie sees you. Douxie, the boy you love, sees you. And chose you over her. The relief is virtually unbearable.
- Cradling you in his arms, Douxie can only wonder how anyone could overlook you, so lovely and pure.
- “You’re mine...” It’s a feeble utterance, just barely above a whisper, not meant to be heard. But it is.
- And Douxie finds that he doesn’t disagree.
- He presses his mouth into your hair, murmuring despite himself.
- “Yours.”
#what am i even doing#Rika just write a fic#Yes Douxie set those boundaries#Insecure Reader is insecure#Douxie is a tender and loving wizard boi#still an oblivious doorknob#slow burn#Douxie x Reader#Hisirdoux Casperan#Douxie#Tales of Arcadia#rika writes#fluff#oh don't fret the comfort ain't one-sided best believe
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A/N: I don’t know what this is. It just happened in my brain, maybe I’m just tired of being single lately, but some of it is really super cute! The cheering part on stage and giggly accent thing is “mwah” *chief’s kiss* perfection of fluffy Hisirdoux things.
Over the many, many, many, many, many, many years Douxie has known you he’s come to realize several things about . . .
1. You can not do accents for the life of you. You are so, so terrible, he cringes whenever you attempt to copy his.
But does that stop him from drawling out words? Hmm. No, he gets endless enjoyment from showering you in the word love over and over again as it rolls of his tongue. He may never actually word up the courage to confess it; sandwiched between a few other words, but he loves watching your noise crinkle as you move your pretty pink little lips to try and copy his. And he can’t say that watching your eyes dance across the line of sight with his lips in it, so attentively, doesn’t get him feeling some certain kind of way. He sometimes has he mind go numb as he focuses on your voice and the hazy telescope vision on your lips. . .
2. Over the course of the many years he’s never seen you have morning voice over on the few times you’ve had sleep overs. Douxie will find you, a head of messy hair popping up from over the top of the couch, see you yawn and stretch your arms, and then chrip out a “Good Morning” as soon as your done. He’s over here muttering out some ragged, ”M’rning,” And he can not? He can not fathom or process for the life of him how you do that. Every time. Every Morning. And he’s still over here muttering like some poor cat scratched up his vocal cords!
3. After the first couple of decades he learned you’re an amazing singer. Remember how you couldn’t do accents back earlier, well who cares if Y/N can whip out some gorgeous songs in different languages. Douxie can not quite remember which ones you’ve done as of yet, but he loves it when you tell him, “it’s a love song I’m working on,” for some classical concert or other nerdy choral things and just busts out part of the melody for him in the other language. He is absolutely dazzled and, oh mordraxs miracles did he forget you’re an excellent performer the expressions you’re able to create with the music is unbelievable. And sometimes when he’s watched you practicing he swears you could be in love with him or that wall the way you make goo-goo eyes at it.
4. Singing! Douxie absolutely loves trying to harmonize and sing with you! He thinks it’s incredibly romantic all at once! Little does he know you do too; nothing not to swoon about a rugged british wizard turned rockstar singing with you. Of course, Douxie is also delighted to accompany you on some songs too with his guitar or lute.
You and Him both LOVE (and hate) the challenge you two set up for yourselves. Trying to write in specific different counterpoint styles and forms from begone eras past that the two of you lived through. Or, desperatly trying to write down that folk tune both of you can only half remember. . . Oh, well better grab some coffee from the kitchen, it’s gonna be a long night of figuring that out!
5. Several times in recent years and especially months (it certainly does help that the two of you are both living in Arcadia now as it’s become a much more frequent escapad) Douxie had found himself coming over to your place or you coming over to his, coincidentally, when he’s dead beat over his shifts and monster hunting duties.
Now, sleeping on regular hours or a quality amount of time has never been Douxie’s forte. Those eye bags he totes are not nearly exaggerated enough in Archies eyes. But when Hisirdoux first started nodding off on the couch in your living room over a afternoon get together of tea and heard your voice gingerly singing to him. . . Oh boy did that change things.
He couldn’t remember having a better nap then falling asleep to you throwing a old blanket over him and taking the warm mug out of his hands for safety. And Hisirdoux swears by Merlins Beard everytime it happens he can feeling the sensation of someone gently brushing his bangs and carding their fingers through his hair. Whatever hesitancy there is about it on your part, why-well, he will not bring it up if you’re being shy. Whatever it is, Douxie cannot help but feel his heart thump softly and his eyes slide close, as he just can’t do nothing but help falling asleep.
6. There is nothing more exciting to Douxie than being onstage, but one of the few things that amps him up onstage and off is the sound of your voice yelling out his name. Whether that be when he’s onstage and you’re yelling out his name, cheering him on from the crowd. Or when you’re both out doing Wizard-y things, such as monster hunting, and you shout out his name like a screech in the middle of a noon day. Nothing quite gets his adrenaline running quite like you calling out his name.
7. Finally, and most recently Hisirdoux has found it incredibly tender and heartbreaking all at once the way he will hear you sometimes start humming this- now familiar- tune. Him and Archie can pick up on it whenever the 3 are you are in a particularly dangerous or tense situation. But, Douxie has also heard you humming this tune with a blank and dejected face. . .
He will forever remember you coming in just after closing hours, sitting beside him on one of the sofas in the bookstore humming that tune (by mordraxs mircales this is a familiar tune! Why fuzzbuckets! That’s why! She’s crying!) as fat glossy tears welled in your eyes. . .
There’s hoping that he knows this tune- he’s heard you sing one too many times- before well enough as he starts humming it and singing it with you. Shoulders touching as he’s already reaching for the tissue box and gently placing in on the spot of the couch just between you guys. Hand rubbing circles on your knees as he taps out that beat to the song- it’s an incredibly old one thats been revamped for some television show in recent years, but he can still remember the original style and beat that went with it when it was still new.
Who ever knew this would be your comfort song; it’s got an incredibly silly gossip story weaved in it for the lyrics, but he can’t help but crack a smile when you give a wet laugh when you both start singing them out loud together.
. . . your voice.
#Douxie x reader#Toa#hisirdoux casperan#manymanymanymanymany is that enough many’s? Many many years#yea there it is
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Moppet!Douxie x GN!Reader, Soulmate AU | Hurt/Comfort, Fluff
Warnings: Fire/Explosion, lots of crying, self esteem issues, misunderstandings cause a lot of emotional turmoil
Note: This is my first fic! I know fics have it worse than art, but if you'd consider leaving tips in the comments, I'd be super grateful! Thanks for taking a look!
It was springtime in Camelot, near the turn of the season. The sun was high, the birds were singing, and you... were late. As a magic user, your life was in constant jeopardy regardless of your employment as the Crowmaster, Crowlord Corbin’s apprentice, penning and sending letters for the kingdom. And in this kingdom, tardiness was not appreciated. Racing through the castle halls with the king’s letters in hand, you noticed movement on your forearms.
“I wonder what color their eyes are. I bet they’re lovely.”
Your lips curled in a tender smile at the curling words that appeared on your skin. Similar musings crossed your soulmate’s mind daily, not leaving your body free of the enigmatic “ink” for years.
No one, not even the renowned Merlin Ambrosius, knew the precise nature of the words that would mark people’s skin, only that they were your soulmate’s thoughts about you. Soulmates were a fickle thing, their connections varying with different cultural beliefs and changing as countries developed. In England, the written words made finding your soulmate a tad difficult as one couldn’t know if their other half was paying any mind when they tried to share personal details. It was said that once you know them wholly, you’re complete in all things. Whatever that means.
You’d once been impatient to meet your own, to know what it means to be complete, but after years of black markings coming and going, covering your body in kind words of admiration, you deemed them worth the wait.
You were shocked from your reverie in a flutter of parchment. You’d bumped into someone, the king’s letters falling to the ground right into… was that slorr juice? You didn’t even apologize to the raven-haired young man whose spell material you’d just gotten all over the floor. You were far too panicked. Knowing your animal magic was of no help here, you scrambled to salvage what you could.
Hisirdoux was in trouble. Merlin would have his head when he told him he lost the slorr juice to another bout of soulmate pondering, and have it again when he discovered that said juice is the reason the king didn’t receive his news regarding the upcoming royal summit. Douxie leaned forward to help but instead opted to frantically search his brace for anything that could help the poor apprentice in front of him.
When he’d finally found the rune, the Crowmaster had just finished shaking off what liquid they could from the sensitive documents. He quickly dried them hoping to save the ink on them as best he could, long fingers flitting over each. In a hurried frenzy of apologies and farewells, the hallway was emptied.
Merlin was less than pleased, and frankly, a little concerned. Douxie usually gets so cautious after a mistake that even Merlin feels his stress, but this was the third time this week. Why was he so focused on his soulmate? After a right scolding, Douxie retired to his room to study. Merlin nearly did a double-take at what was written on his young apprentice’s neck.
“He was quite kind.”
So they’d met. Did his soulmate know? Did Douxie know?
Over the next few weeks, you two kept running into one another. A passing here, an acknowledgment there. After about a month you’d come to look forward to seeing the boy trip over himself en route to Merlin’s study. You helped him carry supplies when the Crowlord was away and talked when he dropped off Merlin’s letters to the court magicians across England. For some reason, you found yourself hanging on his every word and smiling whenever you caught a glimpse of his adorable manbun weaving through the streets.
He felt the same. It was never enough to speak to you in passing and he even left long conversations with you feeling wanting. He doesn’t quite remember how he started, but it’d become a habit to watch you work through the large western tower window. He’d admire your tenderness with the crows and was warmed by your bond with your hawk familiar.
As you left the tower to retire for the night, he always thought you might be cold, but never gathered the courage to walk you to your chambers.
Douxie was concerned. The day was halfway through, winter clouds covering the high sun, and you were nowhere to be seen. He’d watched you enter the western tower at dawn and the candlelight hadn’t been extinguished once. He was principally done with Merlin’s tasks for the day, perhaps he could pop his head in? “just for a minute,” he decided.
He exited his chambers (Merlin’s storage closet) and rapped a knuckle on his master’s desk, pulling his attention from some blueprints. Merlin didn’t speak, just gave an expectant look.
Douxie ran a near-trembling hand through his tied black hair before cautiously speaking up. “Master, may I have the rest of the day off?”
“Whatever brought this on? After the way you’ve been acting these past months?”
Douxie averted his gaze, suddenly finding his shoes far more interesting. “I’d… I’d like to see someone today.”
After a beat, the master wizard quickly scribbled something down on a piece of parchment and handed it to the boy.
“Finish these and I’ll consider your time served for the day,” Merlin sighed.
Douxie had been sure he would shut down. He quickly snatched the list and ran to the door, uttering a rushed ‘thank you master’ before it shut behind him. Merlin watched him leave, fondness in his eyes.
The sun was just dipping past the high kingdom walls, turning the town a vibrant orange. Douxie hung the herbs he’d just gathered, heaving a sigh of great relief when the last one was in place. He raced across the west side, eager to visit his… friend? Is that who you were to him? He banished the thought as he came upon the west tower, dark eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Citizens, a lot of them, stood in a line from the tower out down the hallway.
“What’s going on?” he asked a young woman.
“I’m here with my children, the Crowmaster is penning wishlists for Saint Nick. Just a shilling each!”
Douxie nodded and thanked her, then made his way to the tower. He gently pushed past the mob gathered in the doorway, stammering apologies. At last, he reached the Crowlord’s desk. The man himself was nowhere to be seen and you were alone, writing away at the whim of an excited child. He caught a glimpse of your face, you looked tired. Had you really been doing this all day?
Exhausted wasn’t a big enough word to describe how you felt. The only thing keeping you going was reading the various forms of concern written on your skin. By now, you knew you’d met them, but you couldn’t place who it could be. However, thinking was only making you more fatigued as your aching wrist swept across the parchment.
Douxie said nothing, just pulled out the Crowlord’s chair, and sat down. You looked at him, eyes wide, but the only explanation offered was a kind smile. He picked up a quill and called out for the next person to step forward. You turned back to the young girl asking for a sword, your smile wide and heart swelling.
By the time you two finished, the sun was half past the horizon. The last patron left the tower and you both heaved a sigh of relief.
“I can’t than-”
“Um, do you think-”
You looked at one another and laughed, waiting for the other to speak. Douxie hesitated, then took a deep breath.
“Uhm, do you think you’ve some time? I’d like to show you something,” he asked, lifting his eyes to your face.
“Sure,” you replied, smiling and holding out your elbow.
He beamed, quickly grabbing two pieces of parchment, a quill, and an inkwell. You raised a brow but let him be as he threaded your arm through his and started walking.
The young wizard’s apprentice couldn’t bring himself to speak, he was far too nervous. Thankfully, you found the silence comfortable as he led you up a winding staircase at the corner of the castle. Once you both reached the top, he gestured to the sea. It was breathtaking. The salty breeze floated through your hair as you admired the sun’s glow over the water and the colors of twilight.
Douxie broke the quiet. “I thought you’d like this. Hmm, it isn’t enough light to write by though.” He waved his hand, sending blue wisps to swirl around you both. You watched them float about, eyes finally landing on Douxie who was making himself comfortable in a crenel, placing the supplies he’d brought with him on the merlon in front of him. You settled across from him, reaching for the quill.
His slender hand caught yours and laid in on the stone, gently massaging your wrist. “You’ll injure yourself at this rate. Let someone else write for you today.” His gaze caught yours, hazel eyes full of concern, and… something else you couldn’t place.
A gentle smile spread across your face as you reveled in the sun on your skin and the breeze on your lips. Douxie shuffled his papers around and spoke up again a moment later.
“So! What’s your wish?” Douxie asked, smiling wide.
“What?” you said, puzzled.
Douxie rose a brow, pointing out “All today, has anyone penned you a wishlist?”
“I suppose not,” you said, the smile settling back onto your face.
He beamed and set the quill to the parchment again. “Fantastic. Not that I think it’s fantastic no one’s offered, I’m just glad I get to- oh, I never even asked. I should have asked first, I’m so sorry-,” His shoulders tensed, but he stopped abruptly when he felt your hand on his.
“Hisirdoux, thank you. I’d love it if you did, there’s no need to worry.”
You started telling him things you wanted for Christmas and conversation flowed from there. Teasing banter and loud laughter filled the sky as it turned to night, blue magic floating around you both excitedly in time with your synchronized heartbeats as he finally walked you to your chambers, even offering you his hood. What could he do? He thought you looked cold.
It was just past noon on Christmas day. The ground sparkled a bright white and children’s laughter rang through the air. You took a deep breath of the crisp air and let it out in a contented sigh, taking a sip of the warm cider your master bought you before he left to celebrate with his family. He invited you to join them, but you opted to celebrate it yourself. You placed the cider on the table next to the window you were sitting in and picked up the small wood block you were fashioning into a present for Douxie. The small wooden cat-dragon only needed his hind leg to be freed from its timber prison. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s the thought that counts. As you worked, sentences curled up your arms and swirling letters kissed the base of your fingers. You paused your whittling with a frown. The only feeling behind this gift was love. You’d accepted you loved Douxie after that night bathed in twilight and lonely smiles, but you felt so incredibly twisted about it. You’d already met your soulmate and they thought about you often. Did your soulmate also worry they’d fallen in love with the wrong person? You shook your head, clearing your mind at the sound of wingbeats. Your hawk familiar landed on your raised knee and began to preen themself, looking at you smugly through pristine feathers.
“I can feel you overthinking things from across the castle,” they spoke, masking concern under teasing.
You scoffed, knowing they were right. “What am I meant to do? I can’t go on like this when I’ve got a soulmate out there. I can’t even try, it’s against the law! They know we’re bonded, what if they see me with him? I don’t want to hurt them like that. Not to mention, what if he’s not perfect for me? I want the soulbond to experience all of another person, but should I give that up for love?”
Your familiar shook their head and flew away, leaving you with your question hanging in the air. Watching them leave, you noticed someone walking towards the slorr’s stable. The manbun was too recognizable for there to be a shred of doubt: Douxie was being put to work on Christmas Day. You turned the wooden Archie in your hand and pushed off the windowsill. Just because you love him doesn’t mean you can’t stay friends.
Douxie was in flux. Archie saw the boy’s neutral expression turn sour as he read what he could of his soulmate’s thoughts. They loved someone else? Would they give him up for someone they’d already met? He couldn’t exactly criticize, he was in the same boat. Y/N was so important to him, but if he found his soulmate, could he quell the confusing little thing they had together for someone he barely knew? He decided he’d understand if his soulmate didn’t love him, he’d want them to do the same. He loved Y/N too much to let them go.
He looked up from his arm and startled. You were waiting for him, leaning against the slorr’s gate, your hawk familiar preening themself. While you laughed at his absentmindedness, he frantically rolled his ¾ sleeves down over the words that betrayed his true heart.
“Y-Y/N! W-what are you doing here? Aren’t you- um, aren’t you meant to be celebrating?” Douxie stammered out as his heart rate slowed.
You pushed off the gate and grabbed the pail he was holding in his hands that were still light with adrenaline. “I am! I opted not to celebrate with Master Corbin and his family, take the day for myself and see where it leads,” you said, a hopeful grin rising to your lips.
Douxie broke into a giddy smile, his heart afloat. They had all of Christmas to enjoy the town and they were here with him? He couldn’t believe his fortune. “Then I’m glad it led you here!” he exclaimed.
Archie curled himself around your leg, butting his dark head into your calf. “Are you here to enjoy the show?” he asked with a purr.
Your laugh was the only thing keeping Douxie from strangling his bespectacled familiar, so he settled for a pout you internally cooed at.
Both of you paused in front of the gate, reluctant to enter. He swung it open with a bow. “Ladies first.”
“Cheeky,” you said to him over your shoulder.
Archie and your familiar started playing with one another as you two prepared to take on the slorr together.
Hm. This was a mess. The slorr seemed to enjoy the happy atmosphere you’d both created so she was a tad more cooperative, but it took longer for her to calm down. You and Douxie were covered head to toe in the glowing blue liquid, trying to remove what you could into the pail Merlin gave him. Your shared laughter slowed to silence as you noticed him staring at you, eyes slowly roving over your face. Did he look… sad? No, that wasn’t it. Before you could scrutinize him further, you felt it. Gentle fingers caressing your cheek, going up, up… Your breath hitched as he laid his palm to your cheek, thumb slowly moving across your face. You let out a shaky breath and he jolted, noticing your wide eyes fixed on his and quickly withdrawing his hand.
He shook some juice from his hand and gesticulated wildly, stammering through an apology. “You- you had some juice on your cheek, I’m so sorry, Merlin’s tower, I shouldn’t have done that-”
“It’s okay, really. Thanks for getting it for me,” you interrupted. You wanted to say more, but his sleeve had risen in his fervor, swirling lines reminding you he wasn’t yours to comfort. Hisirdoux was such an emotional and empathetic being, he wouldn’t leave his soulmate. Especially since his soulmate would have to be an absolute saint, it’s no less than he deserved. Taking a deep breath in, you looked back at him. “Don’t bite your lips, you’ll chap them. Was that your last task for the day?”
Douxie released his lip, fighting the urge to continue chewing it. “It was, and I’ve no clue how I’m going to use the rest of the afternoon,” he said, watching as his familiar and yours playfully wrestled for a mouse.
Your heart leaped, this was your chance! “How would you like to spend it together? There are tons of things to do in town and I’ve saved up my pay for a while so I’ve some wiggle room. Not to mention, I’ve made you something.”
The nervous cloud around you both dissolved as Douxie eagerly agreed and begged you to reveal what you had for him. You denied him with a laugh, smile widening with his every impatient groan. Your familiars ran ahead of you both, swirling in a frenzy of playful fighting and laughter as you walked out of the castle, arm-in-arm.
The town was a sight to behold. Holly curled around door frames, red berries nestled among twisted wreaths. Mistletoe hung from building corners, tracks disrupted the perfect layers of fresh snow, and children weaved and ducked through throngs of people gathered around street musicians. Snowballs were flying at the end of every street, laughter and song floating in the air with the excited chatter of families buying wares for their families, and lines of crushed berries stained the ground. It was an English tradition to wish to meet your soulmate sooner by spreading holly berries in a line on Christmas as a nod to the Chinese legends of the soulstring, a red string that connected soulmates there. Sure, it made a mess of your shoes but you always found it cute.
The first few minutes were unsure, both of you fishing for ideas on what to do first. Archie and your familiar were already deep in conversation, but you and Douxie were struggling. That is, until, the smell of sweet buns reached him. His stomach let out a mighty grumble, a testament to how he’d been working for longer than you and likely hadn’t eaten lunch yet. He covered his pale face with his free hand, too embarrassed to bear seeing you fight a rising smile. You slid your hand down his forearm and grasped his cold fingers, pulling him towards the source of the heavenly aroma. A fiery blush rose to his ears when he registered your fingers lacing with his while you waited in line. Reaching the front, Douxie’s protests fell on deaf ears as you swatted his hands away, insisting you’d pay. The baker gave a soft smile and handed you two of the high coveted baked goods, bidding you both a happy Christmas. Just two apprentices walking hand in hand, browsing stalls, eating together, and enjoying one another's company.
Douxie heard something on the wind and perked up. Lively music came from the town square and Douxie wasn’t about to miss the chance to dance with you. He pulled you from the daggers you were eyeing, making a note of which you lingered on before pulling you close and weaving through the other partygoers. Soon enough, you made it to the musicians, seeing the space before them where a group was dispersing as the song ended. The vocalist started up again, solo for a few lines until the band swelled. Douxie bounced on his heels, recognizing the tune as The Bear and the Maiden Fair. His excitement sent a wave of courage through him and he slipped his fingers from yours, instead grabbing you by the wrist to drag you to the open space. Others joined, forming a circle. Claps and stomps interrupted the smooth movement of the ring. Laughter mixed with the joyful notes of the flute. Hisirdoux couldn’t stop looking at your joined hands, sometimes lifting his gaze to your eyes closed in a laugh. When the vocalist reached the line “lifted her high into the air”, Douxie broke his hand away from the person opposite you, lifted you by the waist, and spun. Your clothes fluttered and for a moment, you were weightless. Douxie’s laughter rang in your ears, lingering just like the feeling of his fingers intertwined with yours. His hands were warm and firm on your midsection, the heat replaced with a chill as he set you down. You absently continued the dance, happiness clouding the passage of time. Douxie kept your hand in his, allowing your arms to fall to your sides. You looked at each other, breathless smiles lingering on your faces as the song changed once more. You both walked on, catching your breath and coming down from the high.
A few hours later, you’d both had more interaction with each other than you’d had with anyone else all year. It was a welcome break from the same hallways, the same people, and the same routines. You’d bought each other dinner, talked about everything under the sun, and danced through seemingly all of Camelot, only separating for maybe an hour to buy gifts that may or may not have been for one another.
The day was coming to a close, the sun once again a deep vermillion, the snow reflecting it like gems. As you were heading back to the castle, you passed a holly berry stall. Douxie saw you looking at it, sobered by the reminder you were both promised to complete strangers. Just today, he’d fallen so much more in love with you than he thought possible, and if you wanted your soulmate, who was he to deny you? He tugged on your arm, wordlessly offering a pound to the vendor. The woman raised a brow at your intertwined fingers but offered the small basket of berries without a question. You looked at him quizzically when he drew his hand from yours, pouring a good amount into his hand and giving you the remainder. Enjoying the bittersweet silence, you two took turns placing the berries in a line. Archie swatted your familiar’s eager beak from the line of red that was stark against the slow-melting snow. Once you’d finished, Douxie sent you a sad smile and asked if you’d like to exchange gifts in his chambers. You agreed, once again arm-in-arm, streets quiet except for the soft crunching of snow beneath your heavy feet and the pound of heavy hearts.
Hisirdoux lit all his candles as the sun peeked just over the horizon. Archie made himself comfortable on his wizard’s pillow, curling around a tired hawk familiar. Your own wizard associate preened themselves while you and Doux sat on the bed, eventually opting to preen Archie when they were satisfied. Archie let out a yelp when she preened the edge of his ear, earning a look from you. Douxie pulled out a handful of items from his satchel with a flourish and showed you all the things he’d found one by one. Polish for Lancelot’s sword, a garlic braid for one of Galahad’s more ambitious brews, cooked salmon for Archie, and other things spread out in front of him.
He gave a nervous smile. “Close your eyes,” he breathed.
You smiled as your eyes slid shut. His slim, cold fingers touched your hand, causing goosebumps to rise on your arm as he pressed something small into your palm.
“And… open!” He slid his hands from yours and into his lap, an expectant look on his long face. Looking down, you gasped. There laid a ring that looked to be made of vines, weaving around each other and wrapping around the base of a tiny white flower.
“I found a curltrap in the forest on my last herb run and thought you might like it, so I made it into a ring. It won’t wilt. Um… do you? Like it, I mean,” he asked, brows pinching.
You slipped it on and looked at him in awe. Leaning forward, you softly put your arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. “Douxie, it’s beautiful. No one’s ever given me such a thoughtful gift, thank you for making it.” He laid his hands on your back and laid his face in the crook of your neck to return the gesture, hand trailing after when you pulled away.
“Your turn!” You reached into your bag and paused. “Close your eyes.”
Douxie pouted but held his hand out after doing as he was told. He felt something hard and contoured, slowly curling his long fingers around it. He opened his eyes and stared at it in awe. It was wood whittled in Archie’s likeness, complete with small green gems for eyes and tiny glasses frames made of wire. His wings were unfurled, his posture inquisitive. Archie looked at it, speechless.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d like so I played it safe. When I told the carpenter it was for you he offered to inlay the gems for free. You’re more appreciated than you think!” you exclaimed with a smile. He whispered a “thank you” as he turned it over in his hands, admiring the details. In all honesty, he’d already committed every dip and groove to memory, he was just replaying your words in his mind. “You’re more appreciated than you think!” He never thought about the impact he had on others, he was too busy being concerned with Merlin’s opinion of him. That’d be something he’d have to work on if it made you smile like that.
The rest of the evening flew by, laughter and the sound of a lute seeping through Douxie’s chamber door and into Merlin’s study. By now you’d fallen asleep on his bed having drifted off while Douxie softly sang a folk lullaby you’d requested. He lifted the blanket over you and laid down, the blanket layered between you two. He stared at you while you slept, soaking you in. The shadows your eyelashes cast on your cheeks. Your chest rising and falling in tandem with his. The black lines swirling to your collarbone- wait. Douxie watched as a thought appeared on your skin, hidden under your shirt. Archie moved in circles at the foot of the bed and stopped abruptly feeling Douxie’s sudden fear. He was so tempted to look but he couldn’t risk you hating him… it’s just to see what they think of you. To see if they deserve you. Yeah, that was a viable excuse. Archie hissed quietly at his friend, watching Douxie’s trembling fingers gingerly expose the skin towards your shoulder. He looked at the two words, puzzled. “They’re breathtaking.” Did they see you in the square? Had it been when you’d separated? Douxie was torn from his own thoughts when you made a noise, your brow furrowing for a moment and relaxing. His hand still had your collarbone exposed, and he watched in equal parts elation and horror as his own thought scrawled itself onto your skin.
“I don’t know if I can let you go.”
His blood ran cold, breath hitching and mind flailing.
You were his. You were fated to be his. But you loved someone else.
Spring had returned to Camelot, plants thriving in the sun’s warmth. The flowers were happy, fluttering in the sea breeze. You furrowed your brow when your heart clenched at the thought of such beautiful blossoms mocking you. A shadow passed over your face as you looked to the flower that still curled itself around your finger. It’d been three months since the best Christmas you’d ever had, but the memory was now stained. Douxie and you still talked, but for some reason, he made excuses to avoid you and felt distant when you were able to cajole him into a short walk. At first, it seemed like he was busy with the amulet, but then he was absent even when Merlin said he was stuck and didn’t require his apprentice’s help. You were disappointed and confused, feeling hurt every time he blew you off with some excuse of running errands for Merlin.
Hisirdoux wasn’t feeling any better. He missed you greatly and seeing what you thought of his excuses only deepened his guilt. But wasn’t this what you wanted? Why would you be so disappointed he wouldn’t spend as much time with you if you loved someone else? He chalked it up to the soulmate bond, ignoring Archie’s concern and attempts at advice. His eyes were sunken in and puffy, due in part to crying himself to sleep watching your pain at his sudden distance write itself on his skin. He’d go to bed with swirling lines of magical ink torturing his dreams and awake a blank slate, ready for it to start all over again.
Archie couldn’t take this. For the past week, he’d been pushing his magic through their psychic bond, pouring parts of a sleep spell into his charge, but that would only work for so long. Douxie was destroying himself from the inside out, all because he couldn’t be selfish for once and speak up. The shifter waited for Douxie to leave for the day, telling him he’d find him at noon. Archie stayed in front of the door until the young man’s voice faded. He sighed, whispering an apology. Douxie wouldn’t want anyone to know, but the boy needed an intervention.
“Merlin? We need to talk.”
Merlin had noticed Douxie’s exhaustion and had purposefully lightened his load, but the boy kept working regardless. Merlin thought less work could allow him to spend more time with the Crowmaster (who at this point couldn’t be anyone BUT Douxie’s soulmate considering how quickly they bonded and how much time they spent together), but he’d come back to his study to see the books sorted a different way every week, the suits of armor impossibly polished, and the herb rack overflowing with all kinds of magical flora. As Archie relayed the events of the past few months, Merlin felt his chest constrict tighter and tighter. His heart bled for the boy, growing angry at just how oblivious you both were. And then, an idea. Not one of his best or subtlest, but it’d get the job done fast and serve as a bit of punishment for confusing his apprentice’s heart.
It was that time of year again. The yearly royal summit had you and the Crowlord running circles around one another, both of you rapidly penning and sending letters and the occasional need to coerce the grumpiest crow, Corvus, to carry just one more letter for the day. Between your familiar’s regular several-day flights to Spain, your scurrying around the castle, and the magic you were giving the crows for some extra juice, you were exhausted. Your eyes were sunken, you weren’t sleeping properly, and you missed Douxie. You didn’t know why, but his absence made your heart hurt. Every time you collected letters from Merlin, your throat closed at seeing his apprentice’s chamber door. Catching a glimpse of him through doorways and windows made your mouth dry. Both Master Corbin and Galahad had noticed your change in attitude, asking you to rest and why Douxie wasn’t with you, confused why you were no longer attached by the hip. You were tired. Everything fell by the wayside as you rushed from official to official. The king himself was concerned for you. Well, as concerned as he was willing to be towards a mage.
Finally, there was a lull. You were able to rest for a while but didn’t dare leave the tower, knowing something would pop up eventually. Sitting down for what felt like the first time in weeks, you let everything go. The “mother hen” of the tower crows, Corinth, coaxed it out of you bit by bit until the dam burst. She preened your scalp while you cried, hot tears rolling down your twisted features. The feeling was comforting, helping to ease your upset. Finally, you were able to speak.
“...I love him, Corinth. I don’t know how I hurt him and I don’t know how to fix it, but I love him. He isn’t mine and he never will be, I know it, I do, so why does it still hurt so much?” you whimpered, drawing your knees to your chest.
“Perhaps he’s blind,” she said sagely.
“He can see perfectly well,” you whispered with an insincere chuckle, still not trusting your ability to speak without breaking down again.
Her eyes glinted in the noontime sun. “Stupid, then.”
You laughed, eyes crinkling and forcing tears that were left on your lashes to fall. “Douxie may well be stupid, but he isn’t simple. It’s one of his many charms.” A soft smile lingered on your face, heart lighter than before. “Thank you Corinth, you listen well.”
She shook out her plumage and settled on your knees, cuddling into your bosom. You stroked her gently, the silence pushing in on your curled form.
༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓
Poor Hisirdoux was in flux again. He sat on his bed turning the wooden Archie over in his hands. Merlin had left not too long ago and given him the day. Douxie’s hands felt light without a task. Come to think of it, his head felt light too. He couldn’t sleep yet, but he desperately needed a pick-me-up. A sigh escaped him when he realized his basin was nearly empty. He’d wanted something to do so he might as well refill it. Upon picking up the basin he dropped it immediately, water splashing violently across the floor along with the clatter of wood on stone. Archie yowled, shifting into his dragon form. The boy’s eyes were wide in horror as he recalled his reflection in the water. You see, in England, not only are the words of a soulmate tie important, but their placing on the skin holds equal meaning. Douxie had only ever gotten them on his limbs and the base of his skull when he was younger, but ever since he met Y/N, they began showing on his torso and the left side of his chest. But this… this couldn’t mean anything good. Scrawled black lines, no longer smooth and flourished, curled around his throat. They began from seemingly nowhere and writhed downwards in a creeping spiral, the end reaching for his heart.
“Arch!” he cried. “What’s happening? Why are they like this? What do they say? Arch, Arch, please I need to know what’s wrong!” Tears welled in his hazel eyes as he dragged his hands down his throat, futilely trying to smudge the twisted lines.
Archie felt his fear so strongly his back arched on its own accord, but he found his way to Douxie quickly. He scampered to the boy just as he fell to his knees, his mind nothing but questions. Archie shifted, paws pulling Douxie’s frantic hands into his lap as he curled his wings around the boy’s shoulders. He sniffed and shuddered to a halt, shaky breaths drawing in and out as he lifted his head for Archie to read the swirling text.
Archie’s reaction to your thoughts was well hidden. He knew you two loved each other, but this hurt him just as much as it did Douxie. “...I love him, Corinth. I don’t know how I hurt him and I don’t know how to fix it, but I love him. He isn’t mine and he never will be, I know it, I do, so why does it still hurt so much?” The next bit made him breathe a laugh, but he realized that while it wouldn’t be easy to tell Douxie just how much you were both hurt by each other’s assumptions, it was just the proof he needed. Archie tugged the reluctant apprentice out into Merlin’s study.
Hisirdoux approached the mirror, looking back at Archie before he confronted the letters snaking down his collarbone. He twisted this way and that, heart falling to pieces over and over with every word.
He shifted his hood back into place, fluffing the collar to cast the letters in shadow. One look at Archie’s concerned face was all it took. He sank against the wall, gathering Archie into his arms and burying his face into his familiar’s side. Glistening tears wet Archie’s fur as the cat dragon purred loudly to offer comfort.
Hisirdoux’s breathing evened out. “Arch, what have I done? What can I do?” he whispered, clutching the familiar ever closer.
Archie placed a large paw on the boy’s chest, near his heart. “You can go after them. Tell them what you know.”
Douxie nodded after a beat and gathered himself, quickly walking out of Merlin’s tower and towards the western wing of the castle.
༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓
The king and his court mages piled into a carriage in preparation for the trip to the port where they’d depart to Spain for the royal summit. Merlin and Morgana sat next to each other and shared a look when the carriage lurched forward. Of course Merlin enlisted Morgana’s help, she’s a trusted source of chaos. He felt for the Crowlord’s aura in the tower and nodded to her once he confirmed Corbin was away. While Arthur was distracted, they sent their magic out. Tendrils of light bobbed, weaved, and merged to form two fluorescent lime balls. They floated around as if to get their bearings, then flew at the west tower. Nestled just below the ridge leading from the doorway was a sack of Dworkstone, its contents belonging to various trolls imprisoned in the castle dungeons. One ball started to vibrate just before it pushed to the center of the sack, starting the movement needed for a mother of an explosion The other flattened into a shield, curling itself around the sack. And they waited.
༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓
You were still curled on the floor, Corinth in your lap when the crows began to beat their wings against their cages. Corinth was panicked but managed to push what coherent thought she could into your mind.
“The door… danger... hurry…” She struggled, taking off out the window in a flutter of black.
You felt the disturbance, dread rising in the pit of your stomach. Scrambling to your feet, you barely managed to stand before a loud boom shook the tower. The shield swelled, Trollfire stretching the ward into the room. Your frantic hands undid locks and bonds as quickly as they could, ushering the crows to safety through the large window. The ward began to thin, crackles of green sparks coming undone as the fire fought against Merlin’s magic. You barely managed to throw the last crow out the window before the ward burst into a violent, moving wall of green flames.
You were pushed into the far wall, falling and splitting your brow on the cobblestone. All you could hear was ringing as your vision went white, slowly fading back to normal. You were trapped under the desk and a few chairs, too weak to lift them off. The screech of a hawk sounded far off as your hearing faded in and out. Fire blazed all around you, easily spreading along the hay bedding in the open cages. You coughed, smoke already in the air. Wait. It shouldn’t be this low yet, it’s only been a few moments since the explosion. You quickly sobered into a panic when you realized the wood piled on top of you was burning. Great. Now you were scared and disoriented. A perfect mix for getting out of sticky situations. The only thing to do now was wait.
Douxie could swear he felt his soul leave his body. He was on his way to tell you-- well, everything. You were his everything. He felt it before he heard it. The tingle of troll and human magic filled the air before a loud explosion shook the western tower. The western tower? Fuzzbuckets, you were on duty today! Crows flew from the open window, a whole murder blackening the sky for a few moments. They’d dispersed by the time he made it to the tower entrance. There was a small crowd a few paces back, Lancelot and another knight inspecting the swelling ward full of fire. Douxie pushed through the crowd just in time to see Lancelot raising his sword.
“No! Everyone run!” he screamed.
Lance was already going full swing when he heard it, looking back at Douxie in fear. Douxie grabbed the knight and made the best ward he could on short notice before the shield burst. They were all blasted backward, a few serfs’ tunics setting on fire. His dark hair was thoroughly windswept, his entire body frozen in shock on the ground. Lancelot might have been screaming, but Douxie couldn’t hear it. Blood dripped down his pale face, but Douxie couldn’t feel it. He could have been floating, his head was so light. Sure, his ears rang, his hands trembled, his chest heaved, but all he could feel was you. Your confusion, your panic. You were definitely inside. Douxie struggled to his feet and stumbled forward into the tower, ignoring Galahad’s voice yelling for him to stop.
If he wasn’t suffocating before, he sure was now. Douxie brought his hood to his mouth to filter some of the air and began searching for you. It wasn’t a very big room, but between the fire, smoke, and items strewn throughout, it was proving more difficult than he’d hoped.
You let out a groan, the table pushing splinters into your leg.
He whipped his head towards the source of the sound, hoping to catch a glimpse of movement. “Y/N?! Y/N, where are you?” he cried.
Weakly, you spoke through a great cough. “...Douxie? Is that you?”
He hurried to the large pile of wood and began tearing it apart. “It’s me, it’s me, love. Please be alright, please, please, please, you can’t die. You’re not going to die, love.”
Hisirdoux heaved the table off you just as you slumped to the floor. He lifted you by the arms with a mighty roar, dragging you towards the open doorway. Galahad and the knight from earlier ran to catch you both as Douxie slipped into unconsciousness.
༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓
Two days. You hadn’t stirred for two days. The sun shone softly through the long linen curtains. Your familiar was perched on the headboard, asleep. Douxie was sat up by your bedside, bandaged hands gingerly holding one of yours while Archie slept on your legs. The boy had gotten burned pulling the debris off of you. He hadn’t left your side, save when the castle nurses forced him to eat, bathe, and sleep. They knew him well, uncoordinated as he was, and it broke their hearts to see him look so tired although the past couple of days were the most rested he’d ever been. He was scared. Everything had gone downhill when he found out you were soulmates and he blamed himself.
“None of this would have happened if I’d just told you. You could have been away from the tower, safe with me. I was too afraid of losing you. All I knew was you loved someone else and I couldn’t let you guilt yourself into abandoning ‘him’ because we’re bonded. I was on my way to tell you, you know. I saw what you were thinking to Corinth and Archie convinced me to go after you. I-” his voice cracked, fresh tears coming to his eyes. “I love you, Y/N. I have long before I knew about the bond. I hurt you. I hurt us both. If only I wasn’t such a coward…” He was weeping now, head hung low and shoulders shaking. “I love you so much, and I still let this happen,” he stammered between quiet sobs. He brought your hand to his forehead, cradling it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. And to him, you were.
He jumped when your hand slowly withdrew from his. His head snapped up, and there you were. Sun shining behind you like a halo, your eyes glinting in a tearful smile. You wiped the tears from his cheek, just like he’d done to you with the unruly slorr all those months ago, and let out a yelp of surprise. Douxie had thrown his arms around you and buried his face into your shoulder.
“Doux! Your hair tickles,” you croaked, bringing your arms around him. He was crying again, just a little. His chest felt light. You were here. You were okay. Archie had woken when you jumped and was padding up to your face, pushing himself against your cheek. You sat up slowly when Douxie released you and patted the space next to you on the cot. He settled and looked up at you, eyes still sad.
“So, uh. How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough.” You cupped his face. “Douxie. I didn’t fall in love with a coward. I fell in love with the bravest, most selfless wizard in Camelot. Not to mention his adorable manbun. I love you too, Hisirdoux Casperan. Soul bond or not, I want to spend the rest of eternity with you.”
He brought his hand to yours, feeling the tiny curl trap blossom on the ring he made you. Gently, he took their hand in his, admiring the accessory. “Even after all I did, you kept it on.”
“And I don’t plan on ever taking it off,” you smiled.
He slowly removed the ring, taking hold of your left hand. His eyes were hopeful and a little scared when he looked up at you, fingers pausing. Tears welled up in your eyes.
“Promise?”
“With my whole heart, love.”
You placed your hand on the back of his neck, pulling him into a soft, loving kiss as he slipped the promise ring onto your finger.
༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓・༓
Lance had lost his arm in the explosion but was rather excited about his new prosthetic. You two had healed as well, soon going back to work. Every time you passed one another, fingers brushed, kisses were stolen, and smiles were shared. The entire castle ended up hearing about how you two became so close, and soon enough, you were somewhat of a folk tale amongst the townsfolk. Now, every Christmas, soulmates exchange handmade gifts while sharing sweetbuns, now deemed a good omen for true love.
Even now, 900 years later, you’d hide your smiles as Arcadian couples surprised one another with things they’d made while ordering an eclair at Benoit’s. It’d been so long, but it seems some things stay the same, you and Hisirdoux included. Sure, you’d both grown in character, but around you, he was still the same lovesick fool he had been all those years ago. You still had your ring, which he’d embellished a bit on your wedding day. Douxie still thought about you as much as he did then. Today, while you were at your job at HexTech, you smiled adoringly at the words on your wrist.
“Your eyes are such a lovely color. Oh, how far we’ve come from clumsy accidents and runny ink. I love you, darling. More than you can ever know.”
#douxie#douxie x reader#soulmate au#x reader#hisirdoux x reader#hisirdoux casperan#hisirdoux casperan x reader#toa wizards#tales of arcadia wizards#wizards douxie#wizards archie#toa merlin#toa#idfk what tags to use man#furbleart#it counts#furblewrites#yayyy writing tag for all the ideas ive got but will probably never be done
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Did anyone else have mixed feelings about Wizards? (spoilers)
Beyond however you feel about what happened to Jim.
Like I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I didn’t just binge the whole season in one sitting and ugly cry but
Some thoughts, some critiques, and some shameless gushing. Welcome to my TedTalk.
Soooooo I may be a lil biased because I think Trollhunters set a bar for character development and world building in the series that the following seasons just haven’t measured up to. There was so much love and nuance put into that world and every relationship in it. It’s the arc of this whole show that I find the most compelling, and that I keep coming back to. Of course there are flaws. Of course Claire is a Mary Sue. The lore is still top notch.
Which brings me to Wizards.
The Good!
-Spirit!Jim Pacing over Killahead, repeating his duties as a Trollhunter, and the responsibility he feels for the people he loves. Good lord. The despair. The resignation. They really nailed just how tired and defeated this boy must be.
-MY BOYS. Okayokayokay I’m an unabashed ho for the Galadribros but honestly every scene with them made me so happy. I had my fingers crossed that Dictatious would make an appearance but I was not expecting him to get as much screen time as he did! He and Blink have a single brain cell to split between them and I live for it. They made Dictatious out to be much bolder than I would ever have expected. It was inevitable but I was still so heartbroken when he got sucked into the Darklands, especially because the last scene we had with him was him getting carried away by goblins like a fucking goober.
-GENERAL AAARRRGGGHH!!! OH MY GOD WHAT A CHONK. WHAT A LAD. His redemption arc was hella rushed and a little clumsy (much like everything else in Wizards but I’ll get to that) but seeing those lil tender moments between him and Blinky? MY HEART.
-Dragon Dad. Quality character design. Archie’s reasoning for lying about who he is is kinda bullshit
- Hi Angor Rot so nice of you to stop by.
The Everything Else
-Everything felt so??rushed and disorganized??? and any lore that didn’t already exist from previous seasons felt so flimsy. The Arcane Order and their ooky spooky skull ship? The Genesis Seals, whatever those are? Literally everything involving the forest nymph and why she was there? I don’t mind being left with questions and leaving things up to interpretation, that’s part of the fun of any adventure, but this just seemed like clumsy writing.
-ToA isn’t new to continuity errors but like... The Amulet existed before Deya? It just seems so weird to me that Wizards established Deya as the first Trollhunter when there ARE SO MANY OTHER CANONICAL TROLLHUNTERS BEFORE HER. UNKAR WAS A RUNNING JOKE FOR THE WHOLE SERIES.
-Speaking of where was Kanjigar? We see Draal for about two seconds and none of the gang is going to acknowledge seeing their dead friend again?
-”Without the Amulet, can I even be the Trollhunter anymore?” Jimothy my darling again there was an entire episode establishing that YES. YES YOU CAN.
-WHY IS TOBY NO LONGER A PART OF TEAM TROLLHUNTERS. WHERE WAS STRICKLER. WHY HAS JIM NOT STOPPED IN TO SAY HELLO TO HIS MOTHER.
- What the fuck was Douxie doing for the past 900 years why do we not get any character development for him beyond what purpose he serves in relation to Merlin/Morgana/Team Trollhunters.
- Are we never going to find out what happened to Jim and the rest of the trolls on their way to New Jersey? It seemed like they were going to build it up so much when we caught a glimpse of them in 3Below but in Wizards they just show up and... Jim’s in a crystal and Blinky’s all fucked up and despite the former being a major plot point we get almost no information on how either of them got into this state? Where are the other trolls? Wasn’t Merlin with them? You could argue that he pulled some wizard shit to get back to Arcadia but that whole chunk of time is never addressed! Why even have it?
- Man I know y’all hate Merlin but he was a really compelling asshole and this season was just so reductive for his whole character. He was much more interesting when he was a gross creep who didn’t give a fuck about anyone. The forced father/son relationship they tried to establish between him and Douxie felt so weird
- I thought they were going to tie together literally any of the plot points of 3Below but outside of Krel showing up for about two sentences it’s never addressed. 3Below ended with the acknowledgement that Trolls and Aliens have some history, and somehow Seklos and Gaylen are involved in a much bigger picture, I can only hope that the movie ties it in somehow.
- I thought Morgana creating the first changelings was going to be a much bigger deal, I was surprised by how anticlimactic it was. The creature design was super dope though, that fight was so fun to watch.
#tales of arcadia#Trollhunters#wizards#3below#toa wizards spoilers#toa spoilers#james lake junior#merlin#morgana#claire nuñez#toby domzalski#toa
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Trollhunters : Rise of The Titans [Rika’s Version!]
AIGHT SO THIS IS WHAT SHOULD’VE FREAKIN’ HAPPENED --
The movie starts a year after Wizards. We see Douxie, Archie, and Nari all settled in Metro City. Douxie managed to get a dinky little apartment and works two jobs. He comes home after a long day to Nari and Archie.
Maybe Nari’s running around chasing after Archie. Maybe the two of them are curled up on the couch and snoozing. Douxie smiles softly, petting Archie’s head and gently brushes Nari’s hair out of her face. Maybe Nari was singing to one of her plants and just beams when Douxie walks through the door. Just Magical Siblings and Their Therapy Cat fluff.
But that night, Douxie wakes up. Something feels very, very wrong. Nari feels it, too.
Cut to the door to their apartment being busted right through, flames quickly consuming the threshold. To Douxie’s horror, it’s the Arcane Order and he immediately goes on the offensive. This is the first display in the movie of Douxie’s strength as a Master Wizard, his proficiency and skill with his magic as he holds his own against Bellroc and Skrael as he did in Wizards. He tells Archie to take Nari and run but neither of them want to leave him behind. Archie instead fights beside Douxie, urging for Nari to escape while she can. Nari’s reluctant because Douxie and Archie have become so precious to her.
When it looks like they’re about to be done in, Archie wills himself to transform into a huge dragon, taking Douxie and Nari into his claws and flying out of there, busting straight out of the apartment. But not before giving Bellroc and Skrael a thrashing with his tail. They manage to give the Order the slip. For now.
Archie quickly loses steam from holding such a form and crashes on the outskirts of the city, transforming back into a cat. Douxie cradles him in his arms. Nari tends to their wounds with her magic, looking forlorn.
Douxie frantically dials a number on his phone.
“Claire? Claire it’s me...” A column of fire erupts in the distance. A shot of Douxie, Archie, and Nari huddled close. “They found us.”
Trollhunters : Rise of the Titans Title Screen
The scene fades in on the new and improved Camelot, where the Lakes are staying. We see Jim spending time with his mother and Walter and it’s lovely. We see a hint of Jim’s trauma when he’s cooking and looks at his reflection in a spatula. He flinches away. He doesn’t want to look at himself. Barbara comforts him, a tender heartfelt moment between them.
Claire then emerges from a shadow portal with grim news : The Arcane Order have found Douxie and Nari.
Jim gathers his friends. Claire shadow portals them all to Douxie, who’s found shelter in a hut Nari made from tree roots. Douxie’s cast a barrier to hide their presence, though it won’t last long.
It’s a really sweet and awesome reunion. Douxie gives Claire and Steve big hugs. Nari bounds up to Toby and holds his hand. Jim, Krel, and Douxie have a “good to see you again, bro” moment between them. Aaarrgh licks his lips at the sight of Archie.
It’s here that Douxie gives the deets on what’s happened. As they begin to figure out a way to keep Nari safe and away from the Order, Nari suddenly says, “No.”
After almost losing Douxie and Archie, her new family, Nari decides enough is enough. She wants to face her corrupted siblings head-on. To not only protect the world, but her newfound friends.
Douxie understandably protests. But Nari, gentle but resolute, tells him she’s made up her mind. No more running.
And so, Douxie acquiesces.
Cue the sequence/fight scene on the train!
Nari realizes what Douxie’s doing when it’s too late. They switch bodies and Douxie’s taken away by the Order.
“Douxie, I’m so sorry...I couldn’t save her,” Claire laments.
Nari, in Douxie’s body, “N-no...No, I am fine. But Douxie...Douxie!”
Everyone’s like, “Oh no” but then oof, they all get arrested.
The police department scene! With Krel and the Blanks busting everyone out.
Now, we find ourselves back on Camelot where Jim’s being attended to by Walter and Barbara after waking up from a nightmare. Bellroc’s words torment him : “Without your Amulet, you are nothing but a frightened! Little!! BOY!!!”
Walter suggests Jim should lay low, let his friends handle things. Jim reaches a real low point here. Claire provides some comfort. Hand in hand, they make their way to the Round Table, where everyone’s licking their wounds.
Blinky explains to them that the Order wants to awaken the Titans and need all three members of the Order to do so. While everyone’s relieved that Nari’s safe, Douxie’s now in the Order’s clutches and they want to figure out a way to save him.
Nari, sad and grim, says that Douxie’s spell will eventually wear off.
“He is, as humans say, buying us time...”
Cut to Douxie (in Nari’s body) with the Order. Douxie doesn’t make a sound, not wanting to give anything away. They try the ritual and when it fails, Bellroc and Skrael quickly suspect foul play. They realize that Nari isn’t Nari and proceed to forcefully, painfully, undo Douxie’s spell.
Douxie wakes up, back in his own body. He’s swarmed by his friends, all overcome with relief that he’s alright, but it’s short-lived. The Order has Nari.
Douxie manages to recall where the Order took him. Before they head out, a downtrodden Jim says he should stay behind, going back to the bed chamber. Claire goes to talk to him, but Douxie stops her.
“Let’s give him some space,” Douxie says gently, though he looks just as concerned for Jim. “In the meantime,” he summons his staff, “we’ll hunt the Order down, put a stop to their schemes, and bring Nari home.”
Everyone heads to the warehouse-train track place (I forgot what it was called rip). Just then, Aja comes flying in, having been contacted by Krel. The Tarron siblings have a sweet, wholesome, long-awaited reunion. Also Staja and Creepslayerz reunited!
Aja cautions Steve about the whole seventh kiss-pregnancy thing and he quickly decides that, yeah no, he’s not quite ready for that. His Alien Queen Muffin (or whatever the heck he called her) is back and that’s all that matters to him. Also wtf Eli’s hot and taller than him now.
There’s a cute moment of Douxie and Aja really meeting for the first time. Aja recognizes him.
“Oh! You were the hand-reading waiter boy!”
Upon hearing she’s a Queen, Douxie’s Medieval chivalry kicks in and he bows at the waist.
“The name’s Hisirdoux, Your Majesty.” After Aja butchers his name, he says “Douxie” will do just fine.
Nomura abruptly reminds them they don’t have time for pleasantries. They get to it. Douxie figures out the sigil and the illusion fades, revealing the Order performing their ritual with a brainwashed Nari. They’re unable to stop it and the Order members teleport away to join with their respective Titans. We see each of the Titans rising.
The Arcadia Gang regroups back on Camelot to form a plan. Jim, discouraged and deeply troubled, is leaning over a rail, head in his hands. Douxie comes up beside him, silent.
Jim eventually asks how things went. When Douxie tells him they failed and the Titans have risen, Jim feels even more powerless and guilt-ridden.
“I’m sorry...I’m sorry, I couldn’t...I can’t do anything. Without the Amulet I’m not the Trollhunter anymore and I’m just...useless--”
Douxie cuts him off, putting a hand on Jim’s shoulder.
“Jim. That’s not true. Do you remember what I told you? That our strength doesn’t come from special trinkets. Our strength...” Douxie finally gets Jim to look at him, “comes from our friends. From each other. All of us together. That includes you.”
“But...without my Amulet how can I do anything--”
Douxie smiles gently. “By being true to yourself, Jim. As we, your friends, are true to you.”
Just then, Claire joins them and asks if Jim’s okay. Jim smiles as Douxie ruffles his hair.
“I will be. Thanks.”
Jim, Claire, and Douxie find everyone arguing at the Round Table. Aja is wanting to evacuate everyone off of Earth, to which Blinky protests. Everyone just keeps going back and forth until Jim yells for them to stop.
Time to divide and conquer, cutting back and forth between each battle with the Titans.
Aja, Krel, Steve, and Eli tackle the Fire Titan.
Blinky, Toby, and Nomura handle the Ice Titan, with Walter and Barbara steering Camelot.
Jim, Claire, Douxie, and Aaarrgh go for the Earth Titan. Douxie’s hoping to get through to Nari and break her free from the Order’s control.
Aja and Krel fight the Fire Titan side by side on their hoverboard. Steve and Eli help civilians off the bridge and keep them safe.
Varvatos Vex in his giant robo mech incoming, along with a handful of Akiridion warships.
The Fire Titan proves to be too powerful and defeats Varvatos’ robot, melting down the Akiridion troops in the process. Aja and Krel are knocked down from their hoverboard. They and Varvatos retreat as the Fire Titan continues to burn a path towards its destination.
Toby and Nomura attempt to zipline their way to the Ice Titan to take down Skrael with Akiridion bombs. When the rope fails, Walter extends his wings to save them, but his wings quickly freeze.
Nomura grabs the bombs and sacrifices herself, bidding a heartwrenching farewell to Toby and her longtime friend, thanking them both. She asks Toby to tell Jim she said goodbye. Ever agile, Nomura scales the Ice Titan and detonates the bombs.
But to everyone’s horror, the Ice Titan only puts itself back together. Walter sinks to his knees. Toby throws down his helmet. Their friend sacrificed herself for nothing.
Aaarrgh is charging after the Earth Titan, Douxie, Jim, and Claire hanging onto his back. Claire shadow portals the three of them onto the Titan’s back. Douxie begins to plead with Nari, even as she constricts him with vines.
Douxie manages to grab her hand. He begins to break the mind-control with his magic, still calling out to Nari as he’s losing the ability to breathe.
Douxie’s voice reaches her and she breaks free. Nari frantically asks where she is, if she hurt him or his friends. Douxie, overcome with relief, just embraces her.
“You’re here with us, Nari...You’re here with us.”
Nari assures them they have a Titan on their side now. They receive communication from the Tarrons, who warn them that the Ice Titan is getting close to Arcadia.
No time to wonder why Skrael’s headed there. Claire makes a massive shadow portal to Arcadia (the field trip scene!), taking Nari’s Titan with them. Nari tries to reason with Skrael, but he’s having none of it.
NARI VS SKRAEL COMMENCE!
The Tarrons and Creepslayerz arrive on scene. Douxie boards Aja’s hoverboard and together they fire lazers and magic at the Ice Titan. Varvatos dashes and slashes his way up the Titan. Claire, Jim, Krel, Steve, and Eli work to rescue the school bus from getting crushed.
Well, it does get crushed but thankfully everyone made it off. Then, Archie comes flying in with his father, Charlemagne. Charlie flies all the students and Coach to safety. Archie joins Douxie in the air, blasting Skrael with fire.
“C’mon and face the music, Skrael!!!” Douxie summons Spellcaster and starts shredding.
Enraged, Skrael releases a devastating burst of magic that knocks Douxie, Aja, and Varvatos away. Nari seizes the opportunity to impale Skrael’s Titan, but not before Nari’s fatally wounded by him in return. Both Titans collapse.
Douxie runs to Nari, desperately calling her name. She’s on the ground, dying. Everyone gathers around, devastated. Douxie holds Nari in his arms. Archie nuzzles Nari’s arm, tears forming in his eyes. Douxie’s already crying.
“No..No, no, Nari, please...” Douxie holds her hand. “Nari, don’t go, please...!”
“It is okay, Douxie...Do not be sad...”
“I’m sorry...I’m sorry, I said I would protect you...” Douxie leans down, almost touching his forehead to hers (it’s Harry and Dobby y’all). His tears fall onto her face. “I said I would protect you...!”
“You did something greater, Douxie...” Nari squeezes his hand. Tears of her own roll down her cheeks. “You gave me a home. And many, many friends....” Douxie sobs harder, holding her close. “You saved me, Douxie...” She’s beginning to fade. She smiles, her eyes closing. “Thank you...Thank...”
Nari fades, wisps of magic and flower petals slipping through Douxie’s fingers. Douxie wails, Archie pressing close. Jim and Claire lay their hands on his shoulders. Claire hugs him.
Krel is then alerted that the Fire Titan is also on the move towards Arcadia.
Everyone reconvenes on Camelot. They all mourn the deaths of Nomura and Nari.
They learn that Bellroc is headed towards Arcadia, the center of the universe, because that’s where the last Heartstone is. If at least one Titan reaches the Heartstone, the world will be wiped clean.
Before they head out, Douxie and the Tarrons present Jim with a brand new Amulet, forged from magic and Akiridion technology. That, and the stone in which Excaliber lodged itself. Douxie encourages Jim to try once more.
Jim steps up on the stone, gazing fondly at his friends around him. They all place their hands on the stone in support. Jim pulls Excaliber from the stone. Everyone cheers for him.
Douxie’s seen texting someone.
FINAL SHOWDOWN IN ARCADIA
Bellroc is seen making their way towards the Heartstone. But what stands between them and the prize is the Guardians of Arcadia.
Charlemagne, Archie, and Walter soar above. Blinky and Aaarrgh lead an army of trolls. More Akiridion fleets arrive, Aja and Krel at the helm. Varvatos has a brand new robo, too.
Bellroc sneers at their defiance and summons an army of their own : hundreds of big rocky lava monsters.
BATTLE OF THE MOST EPIC OF PROPORTIONS IS A GO.
Trolls are punching, Akiridions are blasting, magicians are casting.
JIM SUITS UP WITH HIS NEW ARMOR AND EXCALIBER AND IS LIKE DON’T THINK BECOMIN’ FOR YA BELLROC FOR THE GOOD OF AAAAAAAALL
Douxie conjures up a spell to send that boy flying onto that Fire Titan.
Toby and Aaarrgh slam and hammer their way through fiery goons. Claire and Aja team up to take down the opposition, noting they should get lunch together sometime. Charlemagne tears through the enemies with his claws and wings. Krel and the Creepslayerz flail about and kick tail anyway.
Our heroes all cover one another and play off of each other’s strengths and it’s beautiful.
When Douxie’s about to get smothered by lava fists, there’s a flash of lightening and the monsters vaporize.
Douxie turns to see Zoe with a brigade of hedge wizards. Douxie’s immediately bowled over, smitten.
“About time you showed up...,” Douxie says, in a daze cause wow Zoe’s so pretty.
“Oh, you’ve got a lot of nerve --” Explosions. More lava monsters. Zoe sighs and pats Douxie’s cheek. “Ugh, focus, you big sap!”
The pair are unstoppable together, mowing down the lava monsters in powerful bursts of blue and pink.
DOUXIE’S EYES GO BLUE AND ZOE’S EYES GO PINK EPIC AVATAR STATE RINGS OF MAGIC AS THEY DECIMATE THEIR FOES WITH ROCK MUSIC BLARING YESSSS
And well, Douxie can’t help himself and gives Zoe a good long smooch after they’ve destroyed half of Bellroc’s army.
Toby in the distance : HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN A THING?????
Archie just groans.
And meanwhile, Jim’s finally facing off with Bellroc. After having one of the most badass fights in the franchise, Jim comes out on top, skewering Bellroc in the stomach with Excaliber.
AND BOOM THEY DID IT GUYS EARTH IS SAVED.
....But not without great cost.
Toby’s been mortally wounded, crushed by the falling pieces of the Fire Titan. There’s the tearful, heartbreaking moment Jim has to say goodbye to his best friend, the one who was there with him through it all.
“We did it, Jimbo...We did it...”
Jim holds Toby in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Claire holds Jim and weeps beside him. Aaarrgh is in hysterics but is calmed to pained whimpers by Blinky. The Arcadia Gang grieves, feeling the painful weight of losing the friends they held so dear....Nomura, Nari, and now Toby.
Time Skip/Montage
Douxie found a proper apartment in Arcadia. He keeps a potted plant with those distinct pink flowers, the flowers Nari loved, on his windowsill. Smiles softly at them every time.
Scenes of Mary with Darci as she mourns. Steve and Eli hanging out. Douxie and Krel jamming, Krel creating beats and Douxie riffing on his guitar. Aja and Claire going on that lunch date. Archie taking a nap on top of Aaarrgh. Walter playing classical music.
It’s taken a while, but Jim’s starting to feel a little bit better. Douxie, Krel, Steve, and Eli came over for some bro time. Seeing the pain in his eyes, Douxie gives Jim a hug.
The final scene is a picnic at everyone’s favorite spot in Arcadia with a single bench and an awesome view of the town.
Aja and Steve are cuddling. Krel and Eli play with a frisbee. Blinky, Aaarrgh, and Varvatos laugh around a table. Douxie and Zoe, holding hands, are having a lively chat with Claire. Jim serves up a huge plate of enchiladas.
Walter and Barbara announce their engagement. Everyone celebrates.
EMOTIONAL SPEECH VOICEOVER TIME.
Aja, Varvatos, and Eli depart back to Akiridion-5. Steve honks into a tissue. Krel pats him on the back as he waves to his sister.
Barbara kisses Jim on the forehead before going home with Walter.
Zoe kisses Douxie on the cheek and heads off.
Steve and Krel are the next to go.
Douxie, Archie around his shoulders, pulls both Jim and Claire into a hug before leaving.
Blinky gives Jim a hug. Aaarrgh nuzzle him, looking sad.
Jim and Claire hold hands and sit on the bench, gazing out at the town.
EMOTIONAL SPEECH VOICEOVER ENDS T_T
The End.
#Hi hello this it this is my movie canon of my choosing helloooo#Rika is also a zombie right now#Cause she stayed up all night rewriting this dang movie#screw that kronosphere or whatever it was like ew go away#would this still be about 2 hours i dunno maybe#i'm so tired lol#rika rambles into oblivion#trollhunters rise of the titans#rise of the titans#rott spoilers#jim lake jr#claire nunez#toby domzalski#steve palchuk#aja tarron#krel tarron#blinky galadrigal#barbara lake#douxie#hisirdoux casperan#toa zoe#nari of the eternal forest#zouxie#jlaire#stricklake#the magical siblings#tales of arcadia#too many tags riiiiiiip#RoTT : What We Wanted#Fixing RoTT
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