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#for as long as there have been smart people
ironunderstands · 3 days
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Yapping about why I love Aventio and what I feel makes it a great ship 
(If you hate it I urge you to read this, because you don’t have to agree with me, but I want you to get where Aventio shippers are coming from at least)
I’ve just really wanted to talk about why I love Aventio because the people do not get it like I do and GODDD ITS SO GOOD WHEN DONE CORRECTLY UGHHHHH
Also this is gonna be VERY stream of consciousness I do not have a plan besides dragging you through my brain so enjoy the ride.
I guess the best place to start is the fact that Aventurine and Ratio are my two favorite characters in the game. Like even if they have no interactions with each other ever and might as well be from different pieces of media I would ship them, because I like seeing characters I like interact and the fun police cannot catch me. That’s a really shallow personal reason though and I feel like the rest I have will be able to be appreciated by others.
GOD THE DYNAMIC IS SO GOOD RAAAAAA
Two emotional constipated dumbasses circling around each other like black holes trying desperately to deny and run from their feelings when they have both fallen hard. The lack of acknowledgement of feelings on both ends is TRAGIC and it makes me want to rip my eyes out in a good way, let’s start with Ratio.
Unfortunately my glorious king Ratio has been mischaracterized to hell and back but we will get to that (and the Incorrect Reasons Why People Hate Aventio) later. Instead I will go over his actual character; a deeply insecure, intelligent man who desperately wants the rest of the galaxy to come to the realizations he has long since stumbled upon, but has been so isolated from his peers from such a young age that he’s doomed to fail in literally every social interaction he has and be misunderstood by both the audience in universe and irl (the autistic coding isn’t helping him either).
Ratio is tragically misunderstood again, both in universe and by the audience, which is why it means so much that Aventurine Gets Him. Aventurine pushes his buttons, tears down that literal cold marble facade masking the deeply silly and caring man beneath (this man bathes with rubber duckies in the privacy of his own home 😭), and that scares the shit out of Ratio. People aren’t meant to see through him, Ratio acts rude not just because he believes it’s the best way to help people, and because he believes he himself is mundane and the conclusions they come to should be their own, not his.
No, it’s also because on some level Ratio is afraid to be vulnerable around people. As much as he pretends like it doesn’t affect him, Nous’s rejection has hurt and haunted Ratio for his entire life. And I do mean his entire life, even in high school he had already set up a strict routine for himself, something commented on by his teacher, Ratio has quite literally always been striving for some sort of perfection and the fact that he cannot achieve it kills him.
Moreover, the guy just grew up way too fast, he didn’t have time to develop social skills. We see it in that afformentioned relationship with his teacher, in which they recommend Ratio (who is again in high school) to be moved up to college level stuff and transferred due to his success. He has quite literally never been able to just relax in a environment of his peers, Ratio for some reason we don’t yet know has always been dedicated to constant improvement and that leaves no room for dealing with failure.
On some level, he knows this too, that he can never be perfect. Ratio is part of the Mundanites in the Intelligenica Guild for a reason, he doesn’t just see himself as mediocre because he believes everyone is and that’s ok, but also because he looks down on himself for being too mediocre for the Genius Society, being too mediocre for Nous’s acknowledgement, being too mediocre for anything.
Which is tragic because Ratio is very accomplished and he is very smart, and his character stories aren’t even told from his pov, but rather in the style of documentaries and letters (his professor) and other works on his well acclaimed life. We don’t ever get to see how Ratio really sees himself, just the tiny cracks in his marble facade that let the real man behind the character shine through.
Because that’s what he’s playing 90% of the time, a character. Whether it be at the Herta Space Station in which his real goal was to uproot the researchers blind worship of the Genius Society, or in Penacony in which he plays up the arrogant, narcissistic scholar both people in universe and irl make him out to be, both to serve a goal bigger than himself. 
Sincere moments from Ratio are RARE but god are they beautiful, his conversation from Screwllum in 1.6 and his note to Aventurine in 2.1 will forever haunt me in the best way possible. If you want to understand Ratio as a character, yes read his character stories, but just watch that damn scene with Screwllum it is phenomenal. He cares so much and is so, so bad at expressing it, he drives me nuts, Veritas Ratio the man you are. 
And the thing is, it seems like he’s always been playing a character and doesn’t know where the real him ends anymore so he just sticks to the way people perceive him a lot of the time. Like as a kid he was constantly striving to be the best so he missed a lot of necessary developmental shit, and as an adult he’s a celebrity so it’s hard for him to attach himself to others anyways because society and his students will hound him for it.
And then you throw Aventurine into the mix, and oh boy does shit get interesting.
Veritas Ratio, perfect “unfeeling” Veritas Ratio and the one person who gets him well enough to push all his buttons and expose the vulnerable underbelly he thought he hid so well. On a fundamental level, Ratio understands this, which is why he doesn’t bother with the alabaster head, as pretending the real him is just as unfeeling and uncaring is easier.
So he brushes off Aventurine’s jests as if they are an insult to his very existence, he can’t look in Aventurine’s eyes when he “betrays” him because his poker face would break, he leaves as soon as he’s done talking because lingering would allow the weight of their conversations to sink in. Part of it is because for pretty much all of Penacony, up until the note Ratio gives him, Ratio is acting, trying to play up the role of the arrogant, unfeeling scholar to make Sunday buy the betrayal plan, because to Sunday this behavior is signs of a bad relationship between the two (honestly the fact that the audience also interpreted it this way makes me mad like did yall seriously not pay attention, but also happy because if even the players were fooled that means Sunday buying it is believable). 
However, even if it feeds into his insecurities, Aventurine knows that false facade and loves tearing it down. It’s very telling that the second time we see Ratio really freak out (the first being at Herta Space Station) is at the suggestion that he came to narrate Aventurine’s demo not because of knowledge or respect for the show or whatever, but because he genuinely likes the guy. What makes it even better is that Aventurine is the one who suggested it, and already figured out the excuses Ratio was going to use to deny it. Ratio can fool everyone else in the galaxy, but he cannot fool Aventurine, and on a fundamental level that is what makes their dynamic work, because Ratio knows Aventurine in the exact same way.
Aventurine can shove away people who care about him, out of distrust and fear that they will leave him like his family did. He can believe he’s unloveable and a person so detestable that even the actions he performs in order to stay alive condemn him to hate himself as much as the rest of the galaxy hates him. But, Ratio doesn’t see him that way.
Aventurine doubts his intelligence, if he has really earned anything he’s done and in his voiceline about Ratio, doubting if Ratio even sees him as smart or worthy. However, Ratios voiceline about Aventurine is about how he believes Aventurine is smart and worthy, and that his doubt will be his downfall if he doesn’t come to the realization that he isn’t worthless. 
Ratio knows Aventurine’s one weakness, the one thing that could stop him; himself. That’s why he gives him the note urging him to stay alive and keep on living because ultimately Aventurine will only ever fail if he gives up. And The Note Is Enough, Aventurine walks into the event horizon of a black hole, confident he can return alive on the other side because someone cares about him, BECAUSE RATIO CARES ABOUT HIM, and wants him to live on even if Aventurine doesn’t feel that way towards himself.
In the metaphorical and literal manifestation of the meaningless of the universe, in the face of overwhelming nihility, Aventurine survives because someone loves him, and with that love he’s strong enough to brave even that. 
Even if they can’t admit it out loud, these two deeply, deeply care for one another and trust each other perhaps more than anyone else in the narrative. The betrayal plan would have never worked if there was not mutual trust, Ratio wouldn’t have gone to Penacony in the first place if he didn’t trust Aventurine, and Aventurine wouldn’t have asked him to come if he did not trust him. We don’t just see this trust between Aventurine and Ratio either, and Jade and Topaz both trust him with their cornerstones, but ultimately it’s Ratio who’s physically with him the whole time, risking his life alongside him for the sake of their plan. 
As much as people like to ignore it, lying to the Family members, to Sunday, is extremely dangerous and puts Ratio’s life in danger as much as it does Aventurine’s. Ratio is not an irrational person, he wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t have faith Aventurine would succeed, he would not have done if he didn’t think he would return. They have absolutely faith in one another and it’s beautiful. 
Aventurine’s first constellation is named “Prisoner’s Dilemma” for a reason. A social experiment in which two prisoners are captured and separated, if they sell the other one out and remain silent, they go free but the other remains in jail for 20 years. If they both sell each other out, they get a sentence of 5 years. 
But if they both remain silent, trust the other, they even if they physically can’t communicate and don’t know what the other says, they get the best possible outcome, only one year in jail each. It requires a sacrifice on both ends, they both still have to go to jail, but only for a year, and only if they trust each other completely, as if the other sells them out they will be in jail for 20.
The prisoners dilemma relies completely on trust, and it’s the exact situation Aventurine and Ratio face in the Penacony quests. Aventurines doubts if Ratio’s betrayal was real or not, even if he set it up himself, and Ratio worries about Aventurines survival, if continuing this plan will end well. “You can’t expect a featherless bird to take flight” isn’t just Ratio chastising Sunday, he’s genuinely worried that this plan will put Aventurine at too much of a disadvantage to continue on. 
But they both trust each other, and if just like in the Dilemma neither come out completely unscathed (although it’s much worse on Aventurine’s end), they ultimately achieve their goal. 
God is it sweet and corny in the best way possible 
I want to kill this fandoms perception of stoic, emotionless Ratio because once people realize he’s actually the corniest mf ever is the day I sleep easy. He makes statues of himself doing Jojo poses, he plays chess versus himself, he named himself Veritas (truth), he loves rubber duckies, he literally sits in a bathtub couch, and Aventurine breaths and he gets flustered.
Ratio so deeply silly, chronically corny, it’s a crime he needs to be locked up someone stop him. 
And Aven brings that out of him. His teasing reveals the goofball trying so desperately to disguise himself as a serious scholar. Ratio is very smart of course, but that only makes his silliness better, as you watch this absolute genius of a man behave like a tsundere schoolgirl. 
It’s not like Aventurine is some paragon of seriousness either, he’s the one teasing Ratio, fucking around even in a serious mission. Yeah it’s partly because he wants Sunday to think he’s incompetent, but it’s also because Aventurine genuinely is having fun, enjoying himself before the serious part of the plan kicks in, and the meantime he does that by messing with Ratio.
Their dynamic of Aventurine messing with Ratio, and Ratio trying desperately to pretend like it doesn’t affect him is as hilarious and heartwarming as it is tragic, and that dichotomy is why I love them so much. It’s fun and it hurts so so much because their interactions being this flavor of silly leaves almost no room for the sincerity they both desperately need from one another. 
AND GOD I NEED IT TO HAPPEN. RATIO MENTAL BREAKDOWN SCENE PLEAASEEE LET HIS WALLS CRUMBLE PLEEEEAASEE PLEASE PELADE PLEASEEEE EPLES DOLS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 
They’ve gotten closer and closer and closer and soon something’s gonna snap because they are so close yet so distant and if something doesn’t change the tension is just gonna boil over AND I NEED IT TO HAPPEN. I need more Ratio scenes I need more interactions with him I need him with his guard down I need him to profess out loud that he cares about Aventurine I need him to break please he needs it, it would be so good for him. It doesn’t even have to be from Aventurine, just Ratio snapping and revealing the fucking mess he is under his facade and not being rejected by the people he cares about for it is enough.
I honestly doubt it will happen in the story though, as much as I want it to. Although Aventurine’s character demo somewhat changed my mind against this, I feel like hoyo is like “ok they get the vibe between these two we can move on” and the shippers are left to extrapolate how this relationship would go beyond what it is now. As much as I want a breakdown scene for Ratio in general, it probably wouldn’t happen in a while but devs if you are reading this PLEASEEEE. 
The only time Ratio ever gets slightly out of his element is with Aventurine but I need it to go further because god it would be interesting.
Well I’ve deemed that enough yapping about why I love Aventio (for now 😈) so let’s talk about why people hate the ship and why most of the reasons behind it a fucking stupid. (Massive disclaimer of course you can dislike it it’s just a lot of the “oh it’s a horrible ship and anyone who likes it sucks” shit isn’t grounded in reality in the slightest and I’m tired of the slander)
“Ratio was racist to Aventurine”
Now this is a spicy one because if this post was made in 2.0 I would 100% agree with you (during that time I shipped a non canon version of them in which that did not happen because how dare u do my boy like that hoyo). However 2.1 changed a lot and I mean a lot, and basically reframed the 2.0 quests for everyone.
Essentially, Ratio and Aventurine were both acting in that argument scene, making the things Ratio said to Aventurine not how he really sees him, and actively something Aventurine wanted him to say, so you cannot blame him for what he said. I’m not even joking or exaggerating, retrospectively it quite literally does not make sense if you view it in any other way, and honestly even with just the knowledge of 2.0 the scene doesn’t make sense if played straight, so let’s get to why.
a) Ratio and Racism do not mix fundamentally. Ratio is a person who believes that everyone deserves and education regardless of background, that it is a scholars duty to help others achieve that, and no matter who you are, you are capable of intelligence, learning and becoming the best version of yourself, and that those qualities are just limited to geniuses.
THIS AND RACISM DO NOT MIX. “Oh yeah education and improvement is possible for everyone except this specific group of people for some fucking reason!!” Like not only would this scene being serious contradict Ratios entire character, the man who believes people should not be judged for their educational background judging Aventurine for his educational background (that’s actually what the Sigonian upbringing line meant, it was mistranslated in the EN version)??!?!! Make it make sense.
Moreover, half this perception also come from the fact that hoyo made the incredible writing decision of naming Aventurines planet after a slur for Romani people, so unfortunately literally anytime its name, Sigonia, is brought up you’re essentially saying a slur. It’s much worse in the CN version, in EN it’s not obvious at all, because our version of the slur (it starts with a g and ends with a y that’s all the hints you’re getting), doesn’t look like the version of the slur that the name for Sigonia was derived from, which is partly the source of this misconception as I’m pretty certain most people assumed Ratio (and by extension Sparkle) said a slur elsewhere in the conversation when in reality them referring to Avens ethnicity/background/planet IS the slur.
Anyways terrible writing decisions aside, Ratio supposedly being racist doesn’t just contradict his core motivation, it contradicts his job. He’s a scholar, for fucks sake, and racism is inherently illogical. Mmm yes I’m gonna base my identity around finding truth for myself and I will believe government and social propaganda about specific groups of people! Very logical, very scholarly, we all clapped. 
So yeah, doesn’t make sense on a character level, to the point that in 2.0 I concluded that they must be using Ratio as a plot device in that scene to deliver some of Aven’s backstory to the audience due to how OOC it was for him 😭. However I wasn’t necessarily wrong, Ratio was delivering some of Aventurines backstory to AN audience (not just us), and he was behaving OOC in the 2.0 scene, but it was on purpose.
b) The betrayal plan 
Aventurine forms a plan in which him and Ratio pretend to betray one another in order to sneak the Aventurine cornerstone into the dreamscape by replacing it with the Topaz stone (red herring + black hole scene dialogue implies she and Jade are there for other reasons) and the Jade stone (perfect dupe). 
Now this betrayal hinges on Sunday, their main antagonist buying it, actually believing that Ratio would betray Aventurine on a mission as important as Penacony, and it requires Sunday also buying that he is winning the whole time, that the loss of the cornerstones was somehow a fumble on Aventurine’s end rather than something he planned all along. 
So, they stage the 2.0 conversation. Ratio yells at Aventurine for losing the cornerstones, something which was part of their plan the whole time. He then insults Aventurine’s background allowing Aventurine to reveal key details of his past that Sunday would not have learned otherwise, which he uses in the trial against Aventurine. Seriously, Aventurine only found out he was the last Avgin when he became a Stoneheart, do y’all think Sunday summoned that info with his mind or something during the trial (like do you guys genuinely think Sunday read his wiki or something)
Moreover, Ratio not only insults him, but portrays Aventurine as useless, disposable to the IPC because he is apparently already sentenced to death. Why does he do this? Well, so Sunday feels confident enough to do the same to Aventurine. Seriously, sentencing an IPC member, especially a high ranking one to death is a risky move, even for someone as convicted as Sunday, he would need the confidence to do so and learning Aven might already die would give him that ability. 
Because well, it doesn’t matter that much if he’s already going to get disposed of in the near future. I also think the IPC plans to use Aventurine’s “death” as leverage against the family because they were pleased to hear of his death sentence according to Dr. Ratio, meaning a) he likely did not have one from them at the time, although in the past he was sentenced to death and b) even if Aventurine succeeded in getting the cornerstone his seeming loss in the rest of the conversation wasn’t actually a loss at all, getting sentenced to death/“dying” at the very least was part of the plan all along as the IPC could still use it as leverage if things went south.
Continually, Ratio treating Aventurine in the exact same sh1tty way the rest of the galaxy does perfectly slots him into the arrogant, uncaring scholar role, which Sunday knows are some of the most easily manipulated people in the galaxy, considering he tries to bribe Ratio with knowledge about Stellarons it seems he bought this idea hook line and sinker. Sunday isn’t even subtle about it either “I heard you and your companion haven’t been getting along lately” where did he hear that from? Ratio didn’t tell him, and even though we know Sunday was 100% watching the two of them on their little adventure pre-meeting him (the bird and hound statues) that scene hasn’t happened yet so where did he get that from?
Some other interesting proof for it is that the Final Victor lightcone likely depicts Aventurine trying to convince Ratio of this plan of his, the events of which must occur  pre-Penacony for several reasons, the least of which being that we just never see it happen on Penacony which if you think it did we would see it. Moreover lightcones are canonically condensed memories and the Final Victor lightcone released in 2.0, meaning it’s the memory of something that happened before then. 
All signs point to the 2.0 scene, the one people use to paint Aventio as toxic being staged. And I have so much more evidence for this, (Ratio would never agree to go without a plan, Aven clearly formed his pre-Penaocny, so much of the plan like Ratio opening the cornerstone box, which he can’t do up until the betrayal as it’s in Sundays possession, rely on him arriving knowing how to do so, the time discrepancies, the complete 180 in personality Ratio would have to do to go from distrusting Aventurine to putting his whole faith in him, etc), but I will reupload one of my old slideshows to elaborate more on it. Basically the one thing that people use to say it’s toxic is not true and is in fact a greater show of the trust between those two. 
“The shippers are all weird and racist” 
Now this one actually has some truth to it because yes there are some incredibly fucking weird Aventio shippers and I do not blame yall for disliking them.
HOWEVER, most Aventio shippers are normal and hate that shit just as much as you guys do. Like do you realize most shippers also really like these characters and have something insane called morals so they don’t automatically excuse racist fujoshi goobers just because they are making content for their favorite ship. Trust me someone doing that pisses me (and most other Aventio shippers) off significantly more than people who hate the ship. Also free Ratio from this shit man poor guy is getting mischaracterized as a slaveowner by his fans and haters 😭
And like guys, have you ever been in a fandom before, like ever? Weirdos are always gonna be weird and it’s not Aventio’s fault they are this months victims. For a fun little example of how gross other fanbases can be, one of the most popular Overwatch ships on ao3 is Genji Shimada X Hanzo Shimada WHO ARE BLOOD RELATED BROTHERS. THERES LIKE 300+ FICS OF IT, SHIMADACEST IS LITERALLY A TAG ON THERE. I WAS IN THE TRENCHES SEARCHING FOR GENJI HANZO ANGST FICS (Hanzo killed Genji it’s complicated doomed siblings will always get me) AND HAVING TO COMB THROUGH THOSE ABOMINATIONS IN THE PROCESS.
Like please I’m relatively new to fandom culture but yall cannot be acting like this is weird for fans to do, it’s weirdo behavior but it is not unique to the HSR fandom or even Aventio. And even if understandably this makes you not like the ship, don’t paint the people who enjoy it as being the people who do this kinda sh1t. It’s not our fault peak gets tainted by miserable creatures ok, let normal ppl have their harmless fun and stop lumping people together into a monolith. 
?????
Well that’s it that’s all the “valid” reasons people have for hating Aventio, at least the ones I can remember. Everything else is just personal opinion and not at all an objective reason.
“They’re so sibling coded!”
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Anyways again obviously you can still dislike it not everything is for everyone, I really just wanted to make this post to demonstrate why I and many others like it, and why the reasons people use to say it’s problematic are incorrect. Feel free to call it mid, block it whatever I don’t care, just don’t harass shippers for having some harmless fun, because the characters aren’t real but the people who like them are and in doing so you are really just being a jerk for no reason. If you somehow hate Aventio and read this the whole way through I congratulate you on your ability to actually listen to other people, and regardless of whether you changed your mind or not I respect you for doing so anyways. Thanks for reading and I would love to hear your thoughts. 
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raiiny-bay · 1 day
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monster boyz thoughts...
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I had a thought for a creator but they didn't believe they were the creator and could influence others into believing it too.
The two characters are Sara kujou and yae miko
@mastadon64 here you go!
Gaslight, Gatekeep, Godboss - Kujou Sara and Yae Miko
Kujou Sara
Cw: Sexual innuendos
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-Honestly, waking up in Teyvat, you had a hard time convincing yourself you weren’t dreaming
-(It took you tumbling down a hill and slamming into a particularly sharp rock to realize it was not a dream. Also, ow)
-(You ignored the way your blood was golden. You were pretty sure you’d never seen the Genshin characters bleed anyways. It was probably just censoring. Totally.)
-Some way or another, you ended up in Inazuma
-Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as you were expecting
-Most of the creatures were pretty chill, and as long as you avoided the people, you didn’t get in much trouble
-And then you kicked a Tenryou commission officer in the face and got arrested
-You know, jail wasn’t as bad as you expected either!
-Your cellmates weren’t too bad either- one of them asked you if you were god, which was weird, because you didn’t look anything like the Shogun, but you gave him a stick of dango and he shut up
-(You might not have been a god, but the fact that you managed to keep your inventory from the game was the closest thing to a divine blessing that you could imagine. Who needs a gnosis when you have your own pocket dimension?)
-It’s about half an hour before you’re taken from your cell for questioning
-You walk into a small interrogation room, shock igniting in your chest as you spot Kujou Sara
-Wasn’t she important?
-Was kicking that guy in the face really such a grave offense?
-“Are you the Creator God?” She asks, deathly serious
-Why did people keep asking you this???
-You’re pretty sure you don’t look too godly, garbed in stolen clothes that you’re ninety percent sure you put on wrong, a fading bite mark on your arm from when you tried to pet a rifthound, leaves in your hair. Honestly, you looked pretty disheveled, and…
-“Is that your way of saying you think I’m hot? Like… godly or whatever?”
-Considering the way the Tengu’s face turns a vibrant red, you’re either very right, or very wrong
-It’d be funnier if you were right though, so you press on
-“I mean, not that I’m not into it, but I’m feeling kinda iffy about the power dynamic here- prisoner and cop is a cute trope and all, but not all that smart in real life, I mean I get it if it’s a kink or whatever, I know handcuffs are attractive, but as of right now it’s immoral-”
-“Shut up. Please.” Sara mumbled, covering her red face with her hand. Her hair has more volume than usual, tiny sparks of static dancing between the strands
-“… I mean after I get out of prison I’d totally be down to go on a date, and if you feed me well enough I might even let you handcuff me.” You add.
-The silence in the room is heavy
-“Get out.”
-“Yes ma’am. Hm. No. Yes Mommy? Yes Master-“
-You’re cut off by an electrically charged arrow striking the wall beside your head.
-“Out.”
-“Okay!”
-You’re released from prison three days later, now with a whole gaggle of new friends from criminals
-(You ignored the fact that some of them made really important sounding speeches swearing their fealty to you. Also the small shrine they were building in your honor. If you didn’t acknowledge it, it didn’t exist)
-You were surprised that as soon as you left, you were met with a glaring Kujou Sara, who takes your hand in her own
-“Am I being arrested again?”
-“… I’m going to take you on a date. And then I’m going to handcuff you.”
-“Yes Mommy!”
-“I Will Shoot You Again.”
Yae Miko
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-You had to admit, stumbling upon a small shrine that seemed to be dedicated to your doppelgänger was creepy
-But you had also just been Isekaied to video game land, so you were pretty adaptable at the moment.
-Or high on adrenaline.
-You pick up one of the Sunsiettas from the shrine, biting down and relaxing, until-
-“Your excellency?!” A voice squeaks, and looking up you see a very frazzled shrine maiden staring at you.
-“Uh. No?” You say, swallowing the Sunsietta.
-The shrine maiden starts sobbing. “Your excellency!”
-“Oh- no- I’m- uh- I’m like you? You know? I’m uh… a messiah? Priest? Prophet? Whatever gets you to stop crying?” You awkwardly pat her head.
-“You- you’re the Creators chosen one?” She blubbers.
-“Uh. Yeah. Totally. Stop crying.”
-“CHOSEN ONE!” And she’s crying again
-After a lot of crying, you’re led to the Grand Narukami shrine, where you’re introduced to the head shrine maiden as the chosen one
-“… Are you sure she’s not just the creator?”
-“You flatter me. I’m just gods favoritist and most specialist little princess.”
-The Kitsune likes this. Perhaps too much, but we’ll let her have her fun
-And thus, the war to get you to admit that you’re the Creator begins, hidden under the guise of her introducing you to chosen one duties
-She takes you on a pilgrimage all across Inazuma first, going to the most dangerous places possible just to put you in danger and save you at the last second, disappointed that you never use godly powers to save (read: reveal) yourself
-She meditates with you, and paints obscure markings on your face when you fall asleep, which you have to pass off as messages from the creator
-She takes you to meet the Shogun, but after leaving you alone for five minutes, returns to you teaching her poker and robbing her blind. You cited divine luck and she pretended she didn’t notice the cards stuffed inside your sleeve
-It ends pretty anticlimactically, actually
-She’s introducing you to the local foxes, when you trip over a rock and face plant into the floor
-And get a nose bleed
-Miko can’t help but doubling over in laughter at the sight of your pout as golden blood drips down your face
-“And how are you explaining this one, Oh revered Chosen One?”
-“Genetic condition.”
-The laughter doubles
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kel-lance · 2 days
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JJK Mafia Au (JJK x Reader) PART 2
Part 1
Warnings:- TW: Dead dove dont read (DDDR) Minors do not interact (MDNI): SA, Physical Assault, DubCon, NonCon, Mindbreak, Public Humiliation, Breeding, Ownership, Gaslighting, Multiple manipulation, RWORD, PTSD, a lot more toxic sh.
Premise: Reader lives in a city where the two biggest gangs keep things line until the third gang showed up. That had nothing to do with you though, until dumb luck just happened to favor you one day. Basically You’re picked up and used by every dangerous criminal within the clans due to some alliances they had to create due to some members messing up the previous alliances. ((Almost everyone’s gonna have a turn 🤗)) ( i have 11 more chapters planned out right now meaning after i write those ill still be writing more.)
“We’re done for today.” The large man reaches for his robes. You don’t bother to move. Just breathing hurt. It was his off day and he was deciding to break you in, deciding to keep you for however long you were durable. He was amused with your reactions. He liked it. He found it interesting how you were also trying to survive. He’d play along as your god now. 
You lay in the bed and his finger prints stained your skin, each strike created blots of purple and blue and green. You liked bruises before, it showed how you fought for it. 
You apparently woke up two days later, and he lets you rest. Your body finally turns off survival mode for a second, just a second to adjust to the warm room. Four walls, the nice smell, it was just another thing you weren’t used to. Stillness. It was boring. But under these circumstances you were glad to have your own padded room to deal with this.
The time you were left alone, you didn’t know how long that would be. Another hour or so you’d think he’d come back in, hearing as you’re up. Time for more torture, though do torture victims get a bed and tended to? It felt more like you were a sacrifice, meant to appease him, though no one handed you over. 
You were brushed, scrubbed raw, and even felt a bit of shame for the way you were living compared to the two ladies who were taking care of you. But you didn’t know how long they’ve been in this line of work. Hell they honestly looked like they were born into it with the cold looks in their eyes. They could care less about your well-being, though they found and scrubbed every inch of you. Of course you didn’t want strangers to look at you, especially after such a moment that brought you here. To be real, these twins are probably the only people who knew you more than anyone you currently knew. 
Friends? You had a few, some to help you out sometimes, some to let you crash at their place. It was all fair game to the people you knew. Life was never easy for them and they knew of you being a free spirit. You didn’t leech off of them for you’d always show up with something in exchange, usually something you stole but it would never get traced back, it was either too common (but useful) or just something that would never be brought out of shown off. 
You weren’t a bad friend for it, if anything you were the perfect guest, though this time you didn’t mean to give yourself away for a few nights stay.
“I gotta get out of here, but where would I go? These people have already seen my face and I can’t tell how many more there would be. I can’t request anything to learn the layout of this place and no one will talk to me. If I leave I’ll have to run further and faster than I already have been…” You ponder more, sitting at the table placed in front of the window. 
They’re smart enough to know what I’d do if I wanted to pick a fight with their lord, of course there are guards at more doors, even under the window out your room, and it’s safe to say that there’s even a guard at each vent that’s connected to your room. 
“Why does it seem like I’m so special?” You sit and open the window, the guard below moves from his post to observe you on the same side has the other posted to view you. You look down at then and offer a wave, saying you’re not doing anything stupid, but you just wanted some air. One of them leaves, probably to get Sukuna. 
“I bet he’s just a lonely loser and I just happen to fall into his lap, or maybe I was one of many and was the newest. The girls here looked like they could be in the same position as you, though why weren’t they? They didn’t look like they were his blood, and there was no way that he could be their dad. That would make things even worse since you’re close in age as the twins. 
You see the guard go back to his post, nonchalantly. “Weirdo.” You thought. Not even a second later your room door whips open. Jumping from your place at the table, you turn and see who other than the man with the unpredictable entrances. “Finally up?” He leans on the door frame. “Honestly, you’re so dramatic for that.” He teased, being strangely familiar to you.
“Dude…” You caught yourself about to tell off this stranger. All you’ve known from him is that he’s having fun taking you and making you a toy, that his name was Sukuna and how everyone seemed under his control. Not that they enjoy it, but it didn’t look like anyone, even in their numbers, would stand up to someone like him. 
It still wasn’t apparent for you. He only told you his first name, his last could tell you that you were in even more danger than any “normal” man doing this to you. It could be such a metaphor but you’re literally trapped in the best place you’ve ever been. Was that just life? all the bad comes up when you’re supposed to be happy, and realizing how good you’ve had it as it gets ripped apart in front of you? The balance of it all only comes with ignorance, which was also why you wouldn’t get attached. You didn’t run to one person for everything you didn’t need more than what you’d ask for and that wasn’t much. If they were lucky you’d be there for 3 days at most. 
You lost your voice, his presence set in, bringing you out of your (if you can all it that) relaxed state. He notices you tense up, the look in your eyes begging him to give your body a break. He huffs and saunters into the room, taking a seat at the end of the bed, the side that’s facing you. “You had some time to clear your head, now tell me what was your intention. Playing dumb suits that pretty face of yours… But that’s not why I’m here.”
You sure knew nothing about this guy. Other than his name and how his body looked. How he felt was different, it just happened so fast that you could only remember how it lingered in your belly after he left you the second time. It wasn’t something you can forget, those were the best orgasms of your life. “Sukuna… I’m serious.” 
“You expect me to believe that? Did I hit you too hard?” You almost wanted to laugh, you saw stars and colors you couldn’t before his knuckles contacted your skull. Lifting his hand from his side to place under his chin made you flinch, a bit too hard for his liking apparently.  It took a lot for you to muster standing up on your own, much less realize you had to get to the table by needing support from the wall. It was like you were in an ice skating rink and had to hold onto the walls for dear life, except there was no ice, it was just pain in your body not letting you level yourself out.
“When you’re ready to talk, I might hear you out. My patience is thin you already know.” He stands and closes your door, sent a shiver down your spine. Him not being close to you, or hurting you, having this quick visit was so unsettling. 
It haunted you for hours. He didn’t touch you. The edge of the bed where he sat still held an energy, like he left a part of him right there to keep watch over you. 
He definitely hit you too hard, you were thinking more outlandish things to go with this scenario. Like why didn’t the touch you? You thought he was going to keep a pattern, that maybe after this he would come in periodically to taunt you. That maybe his patience has worn out and he was going to get rid of you any minute now, or to use you again. 
The trauma you got from this certainly messed with your self soothing methods. Every time you catch yourself hitting your peak of your self imposed orgasms, you were almost wishing you had more than just your fingers. You didn’t want him, but seriously its already been 2 weeks. You were gonna go crazy in here. The girls kept bringing you your meals, and a bathroom is attached, though you couldn’t do much by yourself. 
You were to let the others feed and bathe you, and you honestly hated it. It was way too weird, you never talked to them, and they never tried with you so it felt like there was an agreement to just not speak about it. That none of you were here willingly. That gave you some insight. Your body healed itself enough that you didn’t need the wall to walk anymore, making your trips to the table in front of the window more frequent. 
You notice some sort of schedule Sukuna follows, as well as a few other noticeable men in this kind of gated community. Whatever he has gong on here, it felt like you were almost a stolen princess locked away in a tower or something. “You have GOT TO get a hold of yourself.” You didn’t need to see a doctor or someone, you were fully aware that these thoughts were just you daydreaming to escape reality, yet again. Though this time it was getting boring, you couldn’t help yourself, literally. 
At this point you wanted to even ask one of the guards if they wanted to come in and help you out, but you didn’t have to do that, because a day later you decided to act. Rolling around night time, you decided to open your window a noticeable amount. By then the guards usually leave one guard to patrol the grounds in each quarter. 
The ones outside your door either end up sleeping or one leaves the other for a bathroom break, some nights they both go, probably to blow each other you thought. It wasn’t any of your concern, they did it before when you could barely move, but now you were agile again, enough to move around without hissing at each moment.
 Placing your ear to the door, you heard light snoring through it. “Okay, just find his room you thought. You knew that it took about 60 steps to reach a stair case, then that would be about 24 steps down. You could hear his footsteps through the pairs of others who followed him, as his echoed with pace, and the others almost scuttled behind them like bugs.. 
You find your way slipping past heavy wooden doors, making sure it wouldn’t creak, you saw the walkway in the garden. You looked up and saw your room, you knew it was yours as it was the only one with the window open. you knew that the guard just left this fourth of his grounds. You were searching the area for his room. Peering through the windows, it would have been hard to tell if it was him, but his tattoos were honestly unique. 
None of them were him, you go back to the walkway, going down the opposite end, just blindly working your way through. You couldn’t just walk through any door, it could be your last mistake, it being Sukuna or not. But it just had to be him, you wanted so badly to find his familiar face and just, you don’t know. 
You decide to be more ballsy, there’s surely no way he’s be in the same quarters that has this many people,” you decide to take your chance with the left corridor. “I wouldn’t take him for a cuddly guy anyway.” 
Listen, you know it sounds crazy, but if you even got to escape, you’d be hunted like a fox, unnecessarily, and as a spectacle for others to watch. But if you could find him, and do it yourself, “I mean, at least I’d die with something, and what a funny way to go.” You loved to joke about these kinds of things. Anytime it seemed dark, you’d find yourself cracking a joke or going off an other tangents from the barrage of thoughts coming your way.
You hold your breath as you set your fingers around the doorknob, you pull it back slowly, and turn it, to silence any squeaks it may have. After turning it fully, you let it go back and unclenched your fingers to let it go a second time, making sure there was no noise from the metal trap, and decided to go in. 
What fucking luck you had as if you broke into another room you’d think your breathing would start to give you away. As you head towards the bed, the raising figure laying there was him. Your eyes had adjusted to the dark, so much so that you could just stand in front of him. 
Looking down at him you wondered what you should do. You’re not going to kill him, that’s one thing, though you had nothing to lose, you still liked your life and you enjoyed whatever adventurous you got yourself into. It was always just one thing after the next and you’d rest when needed, but you loved it. 
This was totally different though. Before it was like you were born into this work and have to abide by its rules. As of right now you could do /anything/. What else would you do? 
You look down at him, kneeling at the edge of the bed to face him. Looking at his face like this, completely defenseless, his harsh eyes weren’t poking at you or telling you exactly what he was thinking. No he was just, he looked human. Like if you were to have met him at any other place it would possibly be on a magazine cover or an army recruitment booth posted wherever. 
“Damn bastard is beautiful.” You thought. “I didn’t get this far to stop now. Fucking 2 weeks you keep me here and don’t do anything? Do you know how boring that is? You can’t just keep me here and forget.” All that time alone had gone to your head, did you forget how he treated you the time you met? 
Tbh it fades in and out, your memory’s cut up pieces of film that randomly plays an old memory, and since you can’t recognize it, you call it a dream. 
Nothing could take you away from where you were now. Looking over him, still not a care in the world. Nothing could wake him if he’d allow it. You cocked your head to align your eyes with his, and reach out and brush your fingertips across his jawline. 
How much of this could you enjoy before he kills you for breaking out? Just that thought had you slowly leaning in, your hand before tracing his face was leaning onto the bed to support your intrusion. 
First, you kissed his forehead. The poor fuck probably hadn’t felt the touch of a real lover in ages, he just finds and uses whatever and whoever he wants, whenever. Of course you didn’t pity him, but does he even know what being loved properly was like? You’re really one to be asking. 
You peck the smooth, hot skin, and kissed a line across his cheek, getting more sensual with the next. His touch, even sleeping was still so manly. His body was so, honestly the words seem odd, but he looked so edible. Like you almost couldn’t keep your lips off of him. He was so yummy when you get a good look at him. 
Cupping his face, your lips reach his, beginning to lightly stimulate the connection. You lean in further, applying yourself onto him, guiding open his mouth with yours as you lick his lips. This shit was getting you so excited, considering all that he’s done to you, having this moment, where you’re in control and he was at your mercy, and only you know this.
Continuing to make out with your kidnapper, you moved yourself to get on top of him. His lazy reaction of kissing back had you think he was a deep sleeper, god you really wished. 
You opened your eyes just to make sure he was still asleep, but his eyes were staring back at you, with the same look he always has. You didn’t have time to even make a sound before he had you under him. His hand grabbed your waist and turned kept you parallel to him as his leg pushed his body to get on top. 
You could feel his erection, he was basically stabbing your thighs with his head. His hands pushed your wrists into opposite sides of your head, and he has you immobilized as he sat on your legs. Most you could move was your toes and neck, but he had pressed his face up against yours. 
“I don’t even know where to start with you. If you wanted to kill me, you would’ve already. Maybe I can believe you’re just some random, …but you wouldn’t have come to my room.” He lets a wrist go to reel back and strikes your face as a warning. Seriously, no sane person would just come straight back to him in your situation.
“The guard fell asleep?” Nothing gets by him. You can’t tell if he was just prepared for everything or if he planned this out. The excitement you were feeling before was being clashed with the sudden shock to your face. “Depending how the rest of the night will go will determine his punishment.” 
Keeping everything in place, he moves your chin up by his nose, giving him space to start attacking your neck. “We’ll just start with yours.” His grasp tightened around each wrist, so much so that he was pulling on the tendons in your forearms, making your fingers involuntary curl. 
Your luck may have run out, but you weren’t as scared. Trying to enjoy the moment as much as possible, knowing fully well that you’re about to be eaten alive, and god, youve been waiting. His teeth grazed your collar bone, making their way back up, making themselves a known threat to your neck. 
“Speak.” He orders. “Who sent you?” 
“You still think I’m a spy?” The spot where he hit you was pounding, but it didn’t hurt. Other parts of your body were just pulsating along with your heartbeat, you knew he was going to take that as a sign of fear. 
“Hurry up, we have a meeting tomorrow so I’m trying to be considerate for everyone else.” 
He’s still not listening. You weren’t either at this point, finding his roughing up sort of endearing. Maybe he didn’t want to get blood on his bed, or maybe he did care about that stupid meeting. All you could feel was vigorous pulsating from your wrists, your face, your heart, and more than anything else, your pussy. 
This was literally what you came here to do, this was why he even took you with him wasn’t it? Seriously whatever big shot he thinks he is… this shit wasn’t legal; You were serious on going out with a bang, raising your hips to create some friction on his hard on. 
Sukuna seemed to notice the look in your eyes and gave you another firm slap. “Focus, doll.” He adjusts his hips a few inches too far down your liking, his hands being the only thing touching you. 
“Put it back.” You got this far, now he wants to start questioning you immediately after waking up? He picked you up after meeting and ignored you for two weeks, you’re about to do what most others would. Especially if they’re in the same situation with the same circumstances.
“You’re not the one to be giving orders, much less to me.” 
You raise your hips back up to his head, having it dip into you, crossing your clit but unable to enter fully. His tip could find its way in no problem, it was just his call, and that almost drove him over the edge. You’ve stopped fighting back, for something like your freedom and what’s better for you. 
What you were after now was just one more orgasm brought by that monstrous mf. He doesn’t drop his guard, or change his face at all as he accepted “your bait/distraction”. In this position, you’re still straight legged, laying in his bed as he has you held down, arms pinned, palms up, and legs trapped as he sat on your thighs. 
He could easily kill you now, but it would honestly leave a bad taste as no one’s been killed in his room before, much less even entered without permission. You both didn’t know what to think really. 
To you he’s some strange and strong asshole who’s been unclear if you were his sex toy or if you were “invited” and he was just being a terrible host. Honestly, it felt worse to you to have everything you needed; Without your freedom, you were honestly thinking it’d be better to be dead. 
To him, you were dangerous. You got it all right. From the room, to the person to bump into, to the alley. You could have been a spy laying low, from whichever gang he thought you were from, he thought it would be good to hold you off to send a message to see who would come collect you first. They wouldn’t send someone if they didn’t have something to say. 
At first he did just want to keep you until one of them sent them back another message. It didn’t matter what happened to you, honestly he got bored. He’s a busy man, there was really nothing else to say. 
So imagine his surprise how you came crawling all over him tonight. He knew an assassin would’ve done it before he even knew the door opened, they were to make sure it was quick. The attack would have had to been fatal, whether they succeed in one shot or have them die as they’re leaving. And how quick they leave is how desperately they want to live. 
You, just came in to stare at him and decided you wanted something else. And it didn’t seem like revenge. That was a first, especially for him. Right now he was allowing it, letting you go. There was no way you could harm him, he concluded. 
Looking down at you squirm and pout, upset on how close you were to getting what you’ve been aching from and for. He won’t drop his guard, but he sure as hell was silver platter served. Really how badly did you want it?
He connects your wrists at the top of your head with one hand, the other has its index finger and thumb at the base, controlling himself with those two fingers. He raises his erection and knocked it against your clit, the strikes sent waves of pleasure from your core to the top of your head and palm of your feet, having you whimper out. 
Your aching hole needed him, it was taking him so long. Seriously you wish he’d kill you now because this so actually torture. The only thing you could do was start to cry, tears leaving their corners and running into your hair. You were more than frustrated. Angry, horny, needy, powerless, you wanted it so bad you were losing control, it didn’t matter, no one else could judge you, and who would be worse than Sukuna?
“You came in here, climb all over me, just to cry now? You’re so pathetic.” 
“Please,” You whine. “I want you to put it in.”
His face changed, from laughing at you beg, to sharpening his focus. Even after all this, getting caught, threatened, insulted, you’ve started to beg for it. He takes his legs up from pinning yours, putting them to your sides as he aligns himself to your front hole. “Say it again.”
“Please Sukuna, put it in-“ He lowers his hips and dives deep into you. He watches as your head writhes. Instantly youre spread apart, the sudden plunge casted a warm blush across your face and electricity towards the tips of your fingers. “Oooh,” 
“Fuuuuuck.” He finished for you. He continues to grind deeply into you, quickly using his now free hand to gag you from waking everyone up. Good thing too as you were messy, fucked silly couldn’t cover it. You gave up control a long time ago. He wouldn’t kill you, not right now anyway, you especially wouldn’t let him without trying to get one last nut. It was diabolical how down bad he had you. It was more of your unhealed trauma and he just happened to be the best person to help you out, willing or not.
——————————————————————————
You lay there as the base of your back ached. Every part of your body was bruised again, you could only imagine to move again as you tried catching your breath. You had lost count on just how many times he’s forced an orgasm out of you, mind numbingly rich euphoria every time. Nothing else mattered, you were more than thrilled the first 2 times but started to wonder if he ever got tired. 
It wasn’t until after your fifth orgasm that he managed to get his first one in. You were honestly almost regretting climbing into his room but his second had him pinning you on your back as he lay on your lower torso and legs. You couldn’t feel anything but your pulsating cervix, half feeling good from the pain and lingering pleasure, the other half making you know that this was a mistake and the nausea was on you. 
Raising your free arm, you weakly start to pat his head. It was over, you insatiable perverted needs were fulfilled, so what were you going to do now? It’s not like you’re in love with the guy, you don’t even know if you’ll get to wake up tomorrow with this stunt. “It was worth it.” You thought. Running your fingers thorough his hair, and tracing his back, you fall asleep holding him, accepting that this is it.
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I don’t think I’ll ever stop talking about Tachihara and how important his identity crisis is to me.
He spent so long under the shadow of an older brother he only really knew by the way everyone told him they were too similar and yet nothing alike, and when he tried to break free he ended up in the exact same place that Shunzen and Yosano did. Stuck in the military holding up ideals that are too big for their bodies. Fukuchi straight up made him choose between prison/death and medical malpractice when he was fifteen at the oldest, probably fourteen. And then when he finally found a home where everybody who loved him actually loved him, he was lying to them the entire time! He probably went into that final battle with the expectation that, if he even lived, they would never look at him the same.
But it’s so heavily implied that they knew what he did and kept loving him anyway! Hirotsu straight up said, “Whoever did this made sure they didn’t kill us.”
He told Tachihara that if he was Port Mafia then he’d know what to do, and he did it!
And it’s such a perfect mirror to Yosano. They’re both tied to Shunzen in irreversible ways, defined by his life and death and finding homes in people who never really cared about the dead man or how he was connected to their person outside of its effects on them. The ADA and the Port Mafia are both places that the two of them were willing to die to see survive, and they only ever faltered in each other’s presence BECAUSE of their connection. Yosano thought Tachihara had the right to kill her for what she did and the way she took the right of death away from Shunzen, but Tachihara always knew that it wasn’t really her fault and couldn’t kill her over it even thought he spent so long thinking about it.
The ADA never wanted Yosano for her ability the same way the Black Lizard never wanted Tachihara for Shunzen. They’re just so GDJHDJDHDKHFKFHDJHF!!!!
I really hope Asagiri continues this plot point and doesn’t desert in order to keep hyping up Dazai. I understand that he’s smart and cool and his character is interesting too, but it’s exhausting to constantly have every intelligent thing everyone else does ascribed to Dazai or Fyodor “knowing that would happen” or “trusting them to act like they thought.” Higuchi’s ability still hasn’t been revealed, Tachihara is still dead or missing (as is Jouno), Teruko just disappeared, and Akutagawa is still a vampire???? God knows where Gin and Hirotsu are. I just want Yosano and Tachihara to make up and for Tachihara to get more fanfic pretty please…
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entry 8.5: a side-plot in which norm gets the fuck out.
- °•. ✦ .•° -
subject: norm maclean
fic type: smart relatable underdog side character gets spotlight,
word count: 2.85K
inspo: I really just need to see norm gtfo of that vault lol, I feel like he's got a fighting chance you know?
cw: spoilers for fallout season one  
summary: an overseer that is a brain in a vat. a series of experiments concealed behind the front of a subterranean utopia. the convenient relocation of the last of the people norm cared about- the last of the people questioning the fragile reign of the overseers, and what they might be hiding. norm desperately needs to leave, to find his sister- before he becomes just another one of bud's buds..
- °•. ✦ .•° -
"I suggest you wait it out in your father's pod, unless you want to starve to death- not much food in here, except the occasional large bug."
He is frozen. A small, quivering fist slowly slips down a firmly sealed door- were these vaults reinforced havens, or were they preemptive tombs?- the fist unfurls, as the wrist goes limp and the body connected numbs spare for the pitter patter of palpitations spawned from that very realisation.
His face is absent of blood, and despite the fact he has not yet fatalistically marched over to a cryogenic chamber to further bury himself in this pit, the numbness fades to a chill that kicks his feet into a frenzied pacing.
The robo-brain does a slow, awkward 180° twist, "All that is going to do for you is burn valuable energy that I simply don't have to give back to you, Norm. See, I'm sure you know this if you paid attention during your pristine pre-years education programme, but the human body requires-"
"Just shut up for a second." Is the flat-toned, snappy response Norm gives as he rubs his temples, the repetitive sensation a focal point to ground his shaking limbs, to ground a flurry of rarely seen irrational thoughts in that calculating mind.
Right now, it looks as though his only options are slamming himself against the door fruitlessly until he collapses from exhaustion and inevitably dies of dehydration or starvation, or to get into a pod on the other end of the room and pray that somehow, he is woken up- but what then? what would I even have to wake up to? Norm reflects upon the denizens of Vault 33- the way they force a smile and idle onwards so ignorantly; treating murderers as naughty houseguests, ignoring the slow dissimilation of their vault's security, it's vital resources and population becoming more sparse by the week. Even if there was hope brewing for a better future somewhere on the surface, there's no way that help would reach him down here.
Besides, he was just a problem for Vault 33- he always had been. He recalls the bitter comments about his unenthusiastic demeanour- the fearful confusion directed at his monotony- how lonely, how isolating a life down here is as an anomaly of the herd. With him removed from the equation, and Betty able to sleep at night thinking of him not as dead, but simply as in a rather permanent state of sleep, she would have no reason to wake him up- he who might expose the secrets they had desperately tried to keep locked away for so long. He was better left removed from the vault- left down here.
The reminder of his present predicament begins to suffocate him again, as his eyes flit between the walls and his breath picks up pace, the panic attack coming back for a dizzying second wave. Breathe. Breathe- I can't breathe. I'm going to die down here- this place is a big heaping metal tomb and I have to get out- Norm had never felt so overencumbered at the thought of being buried so deep beneath the surface before, but for the first time ever the urge to scratch his way to the surface was overriding in him the fear of the vultures circling above. He thinks about this- pauses his pacing entirely, and thinks some more. The buzz of an idea begins to spark slowly to fruition in Norm's mind.
It was true that it was better for Betty that he be kept somewhere outside of Vault 33- but maybe he'd even less of a threat left somewhere... else outside of 33? Maybe somewhere he could be more useful? He almost leaps from the exhilaration of having any kind of possible plan c at all in this situation- but his temperament keeps him still- and though his lips remain a flat, pursed line, a playful light dances behind the young genius' eyes, "Locking me in here won't stop Vault 33 from falling apart- it will just guarantee it. I'm your solution." He calmly declares- naturally, Bud's first move is to shut him down, but he is prepared for that, "Norman, you know I can't do that- and you really shouldn't worry about Vault 33 anymore, Betty has things completely-"
"-under control? If Betty had things under control, then how and why did a vault dweller manage to break into her office and trick you into letting them into Vault 31?" Bud stammers, juts to one side and then the other as he awkwardly attempts to give some justifiable explanation to Norm's question.
The bot stills, and lets a sigh out of its speakers, "There may be some... complications to the planned course of action- you being here being one of them, I should remind you- but I'm sure Betty will work through them and get everything back to normal soon enough. What good will it do us to send you to the surface? That would mean opening the vault doors, and risking the safety of everyone inside-" Norm shakes his head at this, takes a step towards the bot as he parries back, "-raiders managed to infiltrate our vault through 32 already, and the main vault door was opened twice after that. Do you really think one more time could hurt?"
The little brain in a pot makes an exasperated crying noise, and shakes itself as emphatically as it can, "But what would be the point in that, buddy, if we can just keep you tucked safely away in the most secure vault of the three down here, and... not open the door at all? None of our problems will be solved by another person leaving." A rare, triumphant grin floats onto Norm's face, and Bud makes a reflexive sharp shuffle backwards at the unnatural site, "If we don't replace our water filtration chip, then eventually Vault 33 runs out of water- and if the vault dwellers don't overthrow the overseer and leave by then? Everyone will die.-"
"Oh my god, why did he smile when he said tha-"
"-Just listen. Vault 32's supplies clearly ran out a long time ago, and evidently no-one from Vault 31 was gonna get up for a glass of water during their 200-year long power nap. By the look on Betty's face when she found out, I'm guessing there isn't a back-up." Bud is back to being completely still and silent now. Norm basks in a moment of captured quiet, takes a couple slow steps to steady the nervous shakes as he deployed as much charisma as he was capable, "You could just keep me in here, and let Betty send someone else to the surface for a replacement- but those people? The other dwellers? They're built for vault life- they fit in here-"
He wavers a little, a lump forming in his throat- but digresses, "I don't. I'm not strong- but I'm quick, and I'm smart... and, I might be a coward- or I was, once- but I'm beginning to realise this place is no better than whatever might be waiting up there. Nobody really knows what they're doing- not you, not Betty- maybe not even my dad. And I don't want to keep sitting around waiting to die when I could be doing something."- I could be helping Lucy, I should have- "So send me. I'll go find a replacement. I'll bring it back- and then neither you nor Betty will ever see me again. You'll be solving two problems with one stone."
The brain-in-a-vat that is Bud spends a painfully long time just sitting there and glowing, still taking in all that Norm had argued, malfunct in his dilemma between maintaining protocol or deviating from protocol for the sake of maintaining the protocol, honestly upset that he was having to do any deep deliberation at all regarding what he had been informed would be a rather simple and satisfying job. When he makes his decision, it comes with a disappointed, exasperated breath- and then a slow, clumsy spin once again, as he veers himself back into the door terminus access point.
With a blip and a hiss, the door that Norm had believed not too long ago to have sealed his fate begins to steadily unlock itself once again. He cries out with desperate relief and punches the air, before maintaining his composure and striding over to the door. He gets as close as he can, in case his thankfully not forever-friend decides to change his mind last minute. He hears the awful creaking of the vault door opening ahead, and dashes for it without even bothering to say goodbye to Bud- no time to spare, I need to leave now- Betty might not be so stupid. The door rolls to the left, his feet hardly make a sound as they dance across the metal grated platform to freedom-
And falter, pause, reverse a few steps when the figure of Betty Pearson is revealed but a few seconds later, arms crossed, already waiting for the door to roll back open.
Oh god, I think I'm having a heart attack. I think I might just die right now. I think that might be for the best.
...He does not die, and though he is grateful, he is also mildly disappointed that he still has to face Betty. She remains still, silent- her expression does not reveal much surprise at finding him here, but her stasis demands him to speak. Thinking of all she has done to this vault, and what little good she has done for it, he steels himself, and he glares back at her, his tone assertive as he speaks, "I'm going to the surface, and before you say anything-"
"Yes, you're right. You are going to the surface." She replies, steady and quiet,"I-" he is the one to stammer to a standstill this time, "I... am?" She steps towards him, and it takes all his will not to flinch away as a superficially endearing arm firmly braces around his shoulders, guiding him away from Vault 31, "Although at times I'm sure it seems as though I have... overlooked certain hardships that have come to challenge us all in this vault," -'overlooked' is an understatement, and a pretty ironic thing to do when your job title is overseer- "-but I've simply been thinking about the best options for our future. With our friends and family... rehomed, and our guests taken care of, I think it's time we begin dealing with some of our more long-term problems, too." The phrasing sends a chill across Norm's neck, which flows through the rest of his body as Betty guides him around a corner to bear witness to the remaining dwellers of 33, whooping and clapping in celebration for something he did not yet know.
Look closer. He notices the pause, the way they look past him to the overseer before they burst into their frenzied display- there are a couple eyebrows knitted upwards, the faintest flicker of a tear in the corner of an eye or a puffy redness where tears were wiped away to conceal the evidence of a negative emotion.
Some have slanted postures, clap a little slower- don't meet his gaze; they seem guilty of something, guilty of the relief that their body betrays.
Do they already know I'm leaving? How could they, unless-
"As I was telling everyone, Norm selflessly asked me for permission to go out onto the surface and solve our water chip crisis- of course, we do not often open our vault doors, and I felt too close to the matter to feel capable of making the decision myself- especially given the possibility that opening the vault door might threaten our friends in 31 too! So, I sent Norm to speak with Overseer Askins in Vault 31 to see whether he believes that this brave quest should be allowed. Of course, this affects all of us, too- but after talking it through with everyone, we've all agreed that however sad it will be to see you leave us- for a while, of course- it is definitely for the best."
A couple dwellers nod- some intentionally, some just in a lull of subconscious agreement even as their faces feign sadness. It stings to see how fast they were willing to get rid of him- it stings to be let go without a fight. The 'for a while' is simply salt in the wound; insulting to even pretend at this point that anyone in this cramped little gathering genuinely held any belief he would return.
"So!" The overseer pipes up chipperly once again, "Norm..."-not so enthusiastic-"Did you have a productive meeting with the Overseer? Did he give his consent to your proposed assignment?"
He could expose her right now, dismantle the order they had wrought horror and fear to maintain- but he knows he could not lead them, he knows how secretly glad they are to see him, of all people, sacrificed to the world above- he knows they would not survive up there, nor would they survive down here without a figurehead to fall behind, to hide them from reality. So he speaks a truth of kinds:
"The Overseer permitted my leave after I explained the importance of my departure, and how it was the best course of action." His tone lacks conviction in the vague, avoidant choice of words he spews, but a half-hearted cheer and a series of awkward hugs follows them anyway.
It's all just a big show. I'm starting to think I might be the only normal one here.
- °•. ✦ .•° -
A solemn march through the armoury and pharmacy to (ill)equip Norm for his journey through the wastes precedes a long, awkwardly still and quiet elevator ride towards the surface. Norm is the first to step out, bursting ahead into a fast stroll until he found himself standing at the precipice, waiting for the bridge to bring him to his salvation (or his doom). She gets into place-
and lingers, before she presses the button- they are alone now, and they are not so different, really- she just got better at hiding her discontent, "Norman." her voice is different to how he has ever heard it before- it was just... normal. When the calm and collected persona dropped away, she was the most human-sounding person he had yet encountered in his sheltered life. He turns, just his head- makes a point to pay attention, to show some enthusiasm- "You might think you're different, but... being different to most those folks down there is probably more of a good thing than not. You are extraordinary, never forget that. Even without everything that's happened, I think you were always going to be a problem for us. You've always been good at seeing things other people don't."
She pauses for a moment, deliberating on whether or not to bring something up- she chews her cheek, looks off to the side as she weighs up the power of her words- remembers her job, her duty, and the mask goes back on with a sympathetic smile, "We really do need that water chip- our vault has enough water to last about 150 more days, but after that, we'll be out. If you head north-east, ask around and you'll find a place that used to be a town called Shady Sands; it's not exactly close to here, but if it's any motivation I'd bet that's where your sister, Miss Maclean, will have headed too. When you get to Shady Sands, go directly east- I only know of a few vaults outside of ours, and I hear there's an old vault somewhere in the hills there- Vault 13. I'm sure they'll have a water chip to spare. Get the chip back to us, and you'll be a hero to this vault forever..." She certainly makes it sound appealing, but Norman knows better, "...but I'll never be allowed back inside." He finishes the sentence for her.
She hits the button, and Norm finds himself overcome with trembling uncertainty once again. Was he crazy? Just because he wasn't built for vault life didn't mean he was any more suited for the wastelands just beyond the door- the tomb unseals. Once again, a thought occurs to Norm at an inconvenient time- as he tentatively steps towards the radiating light that blinds him from above, he turns a final time to look at his now-former overseer with a quizzical expression, "Does... does Vault 32 not have a water filtration chip?"
Her smile doesn't change, but it takes a sinister feel as her next cheery words come out, tainted and barbed, "I did say our Vault has 150 days of water left- I'm afraid I can't speak for Vault 32, Overseer Harper would know more about that. Unfortunately, until we have a functioning filtration chip of our own, we won't be able to spare any of our own resources. But I'm sure everything will be just fine."
Norman began to run.
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otdiaftg · 6 hours
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"Neil Josten," a security guard says, "a Stuart Hatford is here to see you."
Neil follows the guard halfway down the inner ring. A wall separates the inner ring from the stands, and Stuart waits on the other side of it with his arms folded along the top. He dismisses the guard with a simple nod and turns a considering look on his long-lost nephew. "I'd have thought you'd be back in England by now," Neil says. "I've been going back and forth," Stuart says. "I would have come for you sooner, but he told us not to interfere until he made a decision." Neil doesn't have to ask who Stuart means by "he". Stuart waits for Neil's nod before continuing. "Your father's death left a void that's not easy to fill. Little boss is cleaning house and cutting losses everywhere he can, taking out people from California to South Carolina. Cops, doctors, moles— doesn't matter. If there's even a chance they're a liability to his new rule they're gone. Interesting stuff, the reshaping of an empire. Bloody, too." "There were people in South Carolina?" Neil asks. As soon as he says it his heart skips a beat. "Wait, doctors? Medical doctors or shrinks? Do you have names?" "I stay out of the specifics unless they pertain to me," Stuart says. "Someone in particular you're looking for?" "A psychiatrist in Columbia, Proust. Worked at Easthaven, let himself be bought out and used by the wrong brother. I told—the little boss," Neil says after a moment's hesitation, "about him." "I'll look into it," Stuart says. He sends a casual look around and says, "You know they're still watching you, right? They're waiting for you to slip up, waiting to see if someone's stupid enough to take a bite. Bait and a mole in one. Be smart, would you? You bought into this, which means I can't protect you if things go sideways again." "I'll be careful," Neil says. "Thank you." "Chin up," Stuart says, straightening. "Eyes forward. Little boss is here tonight. Don't make him regret investing in you." Neil isn't stupid enough to look at the eastern tower. He just nods and watches Stuart disappear into the crowd.
Day: Friday, April 26th / 27th* Time: 7:15 PM EST
*Due to the Leap Year, I have opted to highlight the day rather than the date to keep the events in occurrence to the 2007 year. I will continue to mark both days accordingly.
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levi501ackerman · 1 day
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Allegiance: Part 1 | Levi x Reader
masterlist
Summary: You're a wealthy citizen from Stohess. When the survey corps are in the city, you can't help but fall for a cute captain.
Word Count: 2.7k
Author's Note: Song correlated: Cola by Lana Del Rey. Okay This is going to have to be multiple parts because it's already pretty long and I'm not even near the end. Posted: 4/25/24
You grew up in a large home never worrying about your next meal and you never cleaned anything yourself. Your parents had people employed to do so. Your family was one of many other families who could afford MPs to guard and escort your family. While growing up, MPs escorted you to school, shops, and friends' homes. You wore clothes that fit you right and were cleaned properly. There was food when you wanted and life was easy for you. Your family required you to attend Einrich College and you got a degree in chemistry. Though they did not care about having you employed they just wanted you to remain a person with higher education. They didn’t mind you living at home and they wanted you to marry a man with a similar background. 
You were fortunate enough to be a free-spirited person. You didn’t worry about titans coming to Stohess because of how close to the center your family lived. Most of your time was spent reading, writing, shopping, and being with friends. 
One day your father told you the survey corps was coming to the Military Police Head Quarters in Stohess. The family was going to going to be in attendance at the gala. You and your friends grew up thinking highly of the military and the survey corps. They were so brave and cool for going beyond the walls. However, your adoration for the survey corps depleted around the age of twelve. Your parents prohibited you from joining the cadet corp because they wanted you to attend Einrich College. 
When you were at the gala you stood by your parents like you usually did. You were polite to everyone your parents introduced to and made small talk with each official your parents knew.
“I want to introduce you to my good old pal Erwin Smith.” Your dad said to your mother and then glanced at you. You followed your mother and father toward a small group of people who didn’t look social. A guy with dark hair caught your eye. He had one hand in his pocket and he sipped his tea cup then put it behind him on the table. He was kind of cute. He noticed you looking at him and you offered a soft smile. He didn’t return one. “Commander Erwin of the Survey Corp!” Your father greeted a blonde-haired older man. To your surprise, he hugged your dad. 
“Warren L/N! Long time no see.” Your father and he both had warm smiles. It must have been nice for your father to see a friend from his past. 
“Erwin this is my wife, Cordelia L/N.” Your father motioned towards your mother who respectfully held out a handshake. 
“Commander Erwin Smith, nice to meet you.” She said sweetly.
“Please I’m just Erwin to you.” Then he looked at you next. All you could do was smile. 
“Erwin this is my daughter, Y/N,” Your father said. 
“Y/N, nice to meet you,” Erwin said to you and you stuck out your hand like how your mother did. 
“Y/N graduated from Einrich College with a degree in chemistry.” Your father said and you felt slightly embarrassed because you hated when your parents explained you didn’t need a job. “She was fairly vested in becoming a scout when she was younger.” You looked at the man with black hair to see his reaction. He was just staring at you. His attractive gaze made it hard for you to look at him any longer than a second. 
“I bet you would’ve been a wonderful scout, Y/N,” Erwin said encouragingly. 
“Poor girl can’t even run for more than five minutes.” Your father joked. 
“That’s not true, father.” You said trying to not sound annoyed in front of the attractive man. 
“Chemistry though? You must be easily able to find a secure job.” Erwin suggested and you started feeling embarrassed. 
“Oh, she’s smart, but she hasn’t worked a day in her life. Y/N doesn’t need to get a job.” Your mother said lightly but the shame felt heavy. You stayed quiet and couldn’t look at anyone in the eye. 
“I’ve been interested in jobs. I just haven’t found anything that interests me.” You said.
“Well, section commander Hange Zoe—” Erwin motioned to the cute woman next to him. “—studies and experiments on captured titans.” Your parents greeted and shook her hand. She seemed fairly inviting and energetic.
“Yes, titans have interested me—” You noticed the man with the dark hair roll his eyes. “—ever since I kicked a head and it was super light! We haven’t done much biological research on the titans. However, any information we collect is one step closer to solving their mysteries!” She said enthusiastically. 
“Wow, I didn’t think there was a branch of the survey corp that experimented on the titans.” You said. You could feel the obsession with the survey corp from your youth slightly return. Only if. 
“Yup! Just me and my assistant Moblit! We captured many titans!” Hange said.
“Are you looking for another research assistant?” You asked, thinking it could be a great opportunity to be in the survey corps.
“Unfortunately, Hange’s research is only a small part of the survey corps. You would still need to graduate from the Cadet Corp to be Hange’s assistant.” Erwin said earnestly. You looked at your parents who didn’t let you join. Erwin seemed like he understood that you wanted to join if you had the choice. 
“Well, I guess I could always join later right? There’s no age limit?” 
“You’d most likely be with a bunch of twelve to fifteen-year-olds. Not something you would enjoy.” Your father said.
“But I’d only be with them for three years and then I could make friends with people my age.” You said. 
“Captain Levi joined a little unconventionally.” Erwin motioned to the guy with dark hair. Captain Levi. So that’s his name. 
“Nice to meet you, Captain Levi.” You said holding out your hand eager for him to touch you. He looked at your hand and then your eyes. Then he shook your hand. Your heartbeat increased a little. “You joined the cadet corps older than the average?” 
“Again he joined the survey corp unconventionally. I recruited him because he excelled with the ODM gear by teaching himself.” Erwin said. You had to face the fact that you missed the age to join the survey corp. You realized deep down you wouldn’t enjoy being with twelve-year-olds like your father said.
“Wow, you taught yourself? That’s really impressive.” You said and looked into his eyes. You hoped he thought he found you pretty. “You are all a smart group of people. How long has it been since you last saw my dad, Commander Erwin?” 
“Over maybe twenty years?” Erwin turned to your father.
“Huh, time flies.” Your father said.
“Could they come over for dinner, Father?” You asked hoping for more time to get to know the three. “It would give you more time to catch up? And I could get to know more about Hange’s experiments?” Hange’s face lit up and you looked at Levi who had the same expression on his face. “Maybe we could get to know each other more.” You eyed him up and down despite him not seeming to warm up to you. You wanted him to know you found him attractive. 
“Why not?! Erwin are you and your officials available to come over and eat before leaving Stohess?” Your Father asked wholeheartedly. 
“I think we’ll have time in two evenings,” Erwin said.
“We could have chicken—” Your mother started.
“Mother no! Let’s have braised beef.” You said.
During the rest of the gala, you couldn’t help yourself from glancing at the survey corps. A few times Levi and you locked eyes. You wanted to keep looking at him but remained focused on every one your parents introduced you to. Why did your father have to mention you barely being able to run? Sure you didn’t run much, but you could improve if you worked at it. Now Levi only knows that you have poor stamina. You needed to find a way to make a good impression on Levi. Perhaps a small gift would make him remember you? And you have a day to find one before the survey corp came over for dinner. 
The following day, you begged your mom to disregard your intention to interrupt reading time. You wanted to go shopping in town to find something for Levi. When you told your mom about wanting to find a small gift for Levi she teased you. You instantly regretted it, however, she let you miss reading time to go into town. You asked her to promise you that she won’t tell Levi about the gift until you give it to him. Your mother had one condition about going into town. She told you that you had to have MPs escort you.
In your teen years, you’ve argued with your parents that there was no need for the Military Police to escort you. After graduating from Einrich College you were especially adamant about it. Most of the time it was a losing battle. 
You combed your hair and made sure it lay nicely. You put on pearls and made sure your clothes looked nice. You put on a nice full-length dress that hasn’t been worn yet. The dress made your hair color look pretty and stand out. 
When you were heading to leave you thought you could sneak out the front door without the MPs. Of course, they followed you and you rolled your eyes because your mother assigned two. One would have been enough. The two MPs with you have been the few employed with your family most of your life. 
When walking through the shops with the MPs following you, nothing caught your eye for what Levi may like. It was a gamble because you didn’t know much about him. You wanted to find something small and something he could have with him at all times to remember you. You hoped Levi would like the gift and then start falling for you. Though he did not seem like the kind of guy your parents wanted you to marry. He was a high-ranking official for the survey corps though.
When walking out of a clothing shop you spotted Erwin across the street. He seemed to be alone, no Levi or Hange with him 
“Commander Erwin!” You waved and then ran after him the MPs shouted at you not to run and they burst after you. “Hi, commander! Are you out shopping? Are you alone?” He seemed surprised to see you and he glanced at the MPs on either side of you.
“Hello Y/N. Nice day isn’t it?” He said politely. 
“Yes! Is Levi here?” You asked. “And Hange?” 
“They’re nearby. Possibly getting something in that shop over there,” Erwin pointed at a small cafe that you’ve been to many times. 
“It’s so nice to see you! I’m excited for you to come over tomorrow. I’m just in town to buy a gift for Levi but DON’T TELL HIM!” You said excitedly.
“A gift?” Erwin furrowed his eyebrows. 
“Yes! But please don’t tell him!” You said. He laughed at your youth.
“I won’t.”
“Thanks! I’m going to talk to him and Hange! See you tomorrow!” You waved and dashed off to the cafe along with the MPs being forced to chase after you. 
“MISS L/N! STOP RUNNING!” They yelled. When you got to the cafe in the window you saw Levi and Hange inside. They were sitting at a table with a small plate of treats and cups of tea. Your heart raced. Levi looked so cute sitting there. You turned to the MPs you had known most of your life.
“Do I look okay?” You asked.
“Yes, Miss L/N. Please no more running.” 
“I’m sorry,” You said. When you walked in the owner who had known you most of your life gave you a big smile when he spotted you. 
“Miss L/N! Your usual?” He asked and you saw Levi and Hange looking at you. You waved at them and you grinned. 
“Yes thank you!” You walked over to Levi and Hange. Hange looked excited to see you and Levi looked normal. “Hi Hange, hi Levi.”
“Y/N! What a coincidence!” Hange cheerfully said. 
“Hi,” Levi said and sipped his tea. They both glanced at the MPs on either side of you. 
“Are you drinking the black tea?” You asked. “This place has the best black tea! I’ve come here since I was a child.”
“Yes, it’s good,” Levi said.
“Wonderful!” You said. “I’m excited for you guys to come over for dinner! I know you’ll like the braised beef!” 
“What are you doing in town?” Hanged asked.
“I’m out shopping!” Levi rolled his eyes and though you didn’t feel offended, you knew soon he would be grateful for the gift you’re going to find. “Hey, it’s rude to roll your eyes!” You shoved his shoulder playfully yet hard enough to catch him off guard. Hange laughed. 
“She got you there, Levi.” 
“Yeah Levi, good thing my parents didn’t let me in the cadet corp, I would beat you up.” You said hoping he would laugh. Hange did. 
“Not bad for a spoiled brat like you.” He said with a smirk and wiped off his shoulder. 
“Hey, I’m not a spoiled brat!” You shoved him a little harder. 
“Miss L/N, he’s humanity's strongest soldier.” One of your MPs said chuckling.
“Yeah, well, that’s only because I’m not in the military regiment.” You and Hange laughed. “Are you guys enjoying Stohess? What do you think of the town?” You asked. The owner of the cafe brought over your usual: a chocolate pastry. “Thank you!” Then the kind owner brought over a chair for you to sit on. 
“It’s a nice district, very clean,” Hange said. You looked to Levi and raised his eyebrows waiting for a response. 
“Very clean is correct.” You found his voice fairly attractive. 
“Wonderful! Stohess is one of the districts with great architecture too.” You said. You started splitting your chocolate pastry into three equal parts. “Here try this it’s delicious!” You offered to Hange and Levi.
“Thank you, Y/N,” Hange said and took a bite. She moaned. Levi took a bite too.
“It’s tasty, thank you,” Levi said.
“You liked that? I don’t think it’s hard to make. Maybe I can try to learn to make it for you.” You said with hope and Levi just stared at you. You smiled at him and noticed him looking up and down at you. Your heart skipped a beat because it seemed like he was checking you out. “I’m excited for you guys to come over tomorrow and I can get to know you both more! I’d love to hear more about your experiments with the titans!” Hange perked up.
“Yes, I am ready for any questions you have. Perhaps your knowledge in chemistry will provide some ideas on gathering more information about the titans?”
“Oh I’m not sure about that, but I’ll do my best.” You noticed the door of the cafe open and Erwin stepping in. Suddenly you felt a wave of embarrassment when he looked at you and then at Levi. “Okay, I should get back to my shopping! I’ll see you tomorrow night then?! Bye!”
“Bye Y/N!” Hange said. You rush off with your MPs following you.
“Bye Commander Erwin!” You rushed off not giving a chance for him to speak.
You spent the rest of the day looking for something for Levi. As the sun started going behind the wall it felt hopeless. Nothing seemed like something Levi would like. The MPs suggested making your way back home, but you kept bargaining for just one more store. While walking past a window display of a store, you realized you may have found your gift. It was a little unconventional, but maybe Levi will remember you even when he leaves Stohess. It was perfect he could always keep your gift with him and it was small. Levi will never forget you after you give him your gift.
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⠀⠀⠀﹙𝓙 ﹚𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐲 ! 𝐀emond × 𝐕elaryon reader.
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♡ ◟𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 : 18+, oral sex (m receiving), sex, sexual themes, incest (cousins), mention of violence.
♡ ◟𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 : After a dinner at the Red Keep, Aemond sees something he dislikes and goes to confront the woman he is mildly obsessed with.
English is not my first language, sorry.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀───────────────── 🥀
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Aemond entered the room that night, huffing, as Daenys had expected. The lady was sprawled on the bed, her dress folded up to her knees, revealing her smooth, shiny black skin legs. Daenys had never been afraid to show herself off; she knew that the boys in King's Landing said terrible things about her divine appearance, and although she was disgusted by those who looked at her with perversion and desire, Daenys knew herself well enough to understand that deep down, she liked the power she had over people, how powerful it was to get everything she wanted because of her appearance. Aemond threw a dagger onto the bed; it fell at Daenys's feet who didn’t move a single finger, but the cynical smile was still stamped on her face, the expression that Aemond liked so much.
─ Do you need something, my prince? ─ She said, her words flying like feathers in the wind straight to Aemond's heart. He was reserved, but when he spoke, it cut like a sword, and that's why everyone feared his speeches, but not Daenys, she loved to hear him speak.
─ You know why I am here, my lady. Don’t play dumb, we both know how smart you are. ─ He didn’t sound rude to her, on the contrary, he dared to let a small smile appear at the corner of his thin lips, placed his hands behind his back, and waited alertly for Daenys's reaction, never focusing on anything but her eyes. Daenys stood up patiently, playing with her sensuality as she swayed on the column that held the mosquito net to the bed, pulled the dagger from the mattress before approaching the prince.
─ I know... But I want you to tell me. ─ Her voice came out softly, melodious, Daenys looked up to compensate for their height difference, gently pulled one of Aemond’s hands, placing the dagger there, but never took her eyes off him.
─ You gave the dagger to Jacaerys. ─ His tone of voice was not the friendliest, though he was not shouting, or even speaking loudly, the firm timbre of Aemond's voice, and the way it seemed raspier and thicker, made Daenys's knees tremble, and in between her legs, a slight tingling arose.
─ You gave the dagger to me. ─ She responded, the reply seemed sharp, Aemond's lips twisted, and his violet eye shifted away for a second from Daenys's face before returning to glare at her, furious.
─ I gave it to you! And you gave it to him, that unworthy bastard. ─ His voice rose, but Daenys was not irritated by it, in reality, it excited her. The wetness in her pussy became more apparent to her. She clicked her tongue, a bold smile appearing on her full lips.
─ Once it was mine, I was free to give it to whoever I wanted. And watch your tongue, prince, or the eye won't be the only thing you lose. ─ Daenys was about to turn away, the mockery in her speech would have lingered had she seen the expression on Aemond's face when he heard her say that. However, quicker than she expected, he grabbed her arm tightly, bringing her back to her place.
─ Don’t provoke me. ─ Aemond’s long fingers tightened firmly on Daenys’s left arm, almost unaware of the force he was using to keep her in place, which seemed extremely suggestive to her. Daenys felt her clit pulse at the thought of Aemond squeezing her neck with the same force he was squeezing her arm.
─ Are you jealous? ─ A forced yet sincere laugh escaped from Daenys’s lips, she averted her gaze for a moment, and Aemond was silent, the weight of Daenys’s words invaded the prince's heart as if he were losing a battle to a commoner, barely able to look Daenys in the eyes after what he heard, perhaps because he couldn’t admit to himself that she was right.
─ It’s none of your business. ─ He finally answered, after a whole minute of silence, where a slight blush emerged on his pale cheeks. Daenys was the only one who could leave him disconcerted like this.
─ So you are jealous. ─ She concluded. She gently pulled her own arm from the prince’s firm hands and positioned herself in front of him, looking at him sincerely. ─ There’s no need, you know very well that my body is yours, my prince, as am I.
She dared to raise her soft hands towards Aemond’s face, who caught the lady’s wrists before they could get close, she expected such a reaction, therefore, the calm smile on her lips did not fade, and the look that said, “allow yourself,” remained the same. Until Aemond, without even realizing it, yielded. The lady touched the prince’s cheeks, cold as himself, caressed them with her fingers while he contemplated his own shyness. It was different, appearing before an entire kingdom, being a Targaryen and taming a dragon, all that seemed too easy for him, but when with Daenys, the real challenge was not to lose his posture in front of her. Finally, Daenys’s lips touched his, it seemed a simple gesture of kindness, as quick as a flame extinguishes, but enough to awaken in Aemond a desire dormant since the moment he saw her. When Daenys looked at him, Aemond did not give her time to admire his desire, he pulled her by the waist as if holding the reins of Vhagar, and before their bodies could crash into each other with a certain provocative brutality, their lips were joined again. Like in the dance of dragons, their connection was so strong that every touch was a blaze in a fire.
Aemond held her so tightly, as if under threat and unable to let her escape, while Daenys reveled in her moment of victory, with her fingers entangled in the prince's white locks, between fierce caresses and delicate kisses, they had never been so close. The prince would never admit to Daenys, his newly discovered muse, to whom he would devote himself in moments, but she was his faithful first time. Aemond remembered the promiscuities of the brothels, due to the only time he allowed himself to visit a pleasure house with Aegon to lose his virginity, yet the memory only brought him disgust for himself, and touching a woman that way again was still frightening to him.
Amid the affectionate touches and the thirsty bites of Daenys on the corner of Aemond's lips, the prince pulled away in a single abrupt movement, walking towards the door, looking the other way, too embarrassed to admit it. The prince’s breath was still heavy, his lips still felt the texture of Daenys’s lips, and his tongue still tasted the wine and honey that came from her, his chest was taken by an unavoidable heat, his fingers tingled, trembled in anticipation of having touched her, the curves of her, covered by a thin dress, still seemed alive in his hands. Aemond felt his stomach tingle, his cock throbbed inside his pants, it was hard now, and how much he desired Daenys, made his erection painful.
The confusion rested upon Daenys's mind, although she would never confess to herself, but she had longed for this, and the idea of it being so quick, annoyed her who, despite everything, loved challenges. The critical silence squeezed the hearts of both, Aemond's was beating fast, it was like being in a battle, blind and unsure of the next move of his enemy, Daenys's, beat in excitement, the desire for more, to discover more. She walked slowly towards him, took her own hands to the thin lace that held her dress to her body, and untying it let it fall to the ground, now wearing only a single piece of clothing covering from her hips down, her ample breasts and marked waist screamed for care, for the touches of Aemond.
─ Look at me. ─ She said, waiting for the prince's reaction, which was slow to come. Daenys found herself compelled to circle around Aemond's body, positioning herself in front of him, watching with pride the prince's reaction to seeing her in that way. Daenys placed her hand on his chin, her expression unchanging; for Aemond, it was the look of a beast trying to snag its prey, his cock twisted in its fabric prison, begging to be freed, begging to enter Daenys, and feel her warm walls squeeze against it. Her nipples were hard, her breasts so round, Aemond thought they barely fit in the palm of his hand, and he wanted to test that.
─ You know this is what you want, Aemond... You can’t lie to me, your body tells me everything. ─ She let her fingers slip down the prince's chest, landing on the fastenings of his clothes, hastening to open them before the other could respond. She counted in her head, "one, two, three..." wondering how far she would have to go to make him kiss her again with all the desire she knew he had. On the fifth, Aemond pulled her by the arm, pressing their lips together again, more fiercely this time, feeling his own body grow warm, and unable to say no, despite not being able to deny he was apprehensive.
He removed the sheath from his body, throwing it on the floor along with his boots, their bodies danced as they kissed, walking unconsciously to the bed, where Daenys sat in front of the still-dressed prince. Her bold hands traveled to the fly of Aemond’s pants, sliding them inside the thin fabric shirt he wore. When her warm fingers touched Aemond's cold skin, his eyes closed and an excited sigh wandered through the room. She unbuttoned until she could see the prince's white skin beneath the clothes, then fingered downward to touch Aemond's cock beneath his pants. The prince sighed, closing his eyes, his entire body was covered in goosebumps, and the only thing on his mind was the desire to have her, all to himself, as Daenys fumbled with herself, pulling his pants down and massaging his hard cock, Aemond’s mind became increasingly blurred, and the only thing he saw was the intoxicating image of Daenys completely aroused.
With just two minutes of masturbation, the lady fit her lips onto the head of the prince's cock, letting saliva accumulate in the area before eagerly sucking. One of the prince's hands squeezed the bedpost because the shiver that ran through his body was enough to knock him down; he had never felt anything like it, it was the first time his body reacted pleasurably to sexual stimuli. Aemond had not yet known this form of pleasure, but he already adored it. The other free hand, moved instinctively to Daenys's platinum strands, running his fingers through her nape until he had a large amount of the voluminous hair in his hands, then he held it tightly, pushing Daenys's head, making her swallow his entire erection. A loud moan, camouflaged in his hoarse voice took over the lady's ears, she could feel herself getting increasingly wet, making her clit pulse with excitement, as she endeavored to suck the prince. Her tongue wandered over the substantial length of Aemond’s cock, sucking everything her mouth touched, even daring to take it all in just to hear the prince moaning when her throat touched his swollen glans. Her eyes watered, but all she felt was pleasure. Aemond couldn’t react, fight against his own body, while he found himself in a vulnerable position in the room, part of him was savoring every second, wanting more of Daenys, his body spasmed, making him squeeze the bedpost and the lady's hair tightly, thrusting his hips forward and back, enjoying the unparalleled sensation of being sucked, nor was he afraid to moan, because the sound he made increased her performance and he felt in himself that she liked it, liked to hear him say without words that it was one of the best sensations he had ever enjoyed.
When Daenys brought her own fingers to her clit, Aemond pushed her onto the bed, putting her on all fours on the mattress, her ass raised for him, while her breasts were pressed against the mattress. He did not delay, did not wait, could not say he was acting on his own, he wanted her, to fill her until she overflowed, to feel what it was like to leave her weak and thirsty for more, he wanted to understand the pleasure his brother talked so much about, and he knew she was the right woman for this. He positioned himself behind Daenys, his cock sliding over her smooth skin, until fully entering her pussy, Daenys' slender fingers clutched the sheets as she felt Aemond penetrating her, she bit her lips to avoid the loud moan she would have let out, although she knew it was useless, because the prince, mercilessly, began to thrust into her.
His firm hands gripped Daenys' hips, pulling her forcefully to fuck her, the flesh of Daenys' butt collided against the prince's body, stealing the silence of the room, along with the screams of pleasure from Daenys. Aemond's hoarse moans mingled with hers, with the screams that begged for more, for brutality, and the words in High Valyrian asking for Aemond to go deeper, harder. The prince tore the thin skirt, the only piece remaining on Daenys' body, and turned her over on the bed, facing him. He fitted the lady's legs around his waist before penetrating her again, this time, with their bodies glued face to face, his arms circled the shoulders of Daenys, tightening the sheet, while moving his hips in back-and-forth movements, Daenys wandered her hands over the prince's back, under the warm fabric, scratching his pale skin. Aemond passed his lips over the neck of Daenys, leaving light bites and marks of hickeys, the same on the lady's breasts, sucking her nipples forcefully as if dependent on it, Daenys screamed loud, moaning, with each thrust, Aemond was strong, he knew what he was doing despite everything, he was not playing, he was serious, and Daenys' reactions motivated Aemond to continue, the magnetism of their bodies made him act alone, he did not need commands, he did everything willingly. To the point of feeling the bed beneath him tremble, and the wood bang against the wall as hard as he did with Daenys, the lady's eyes rolled back in pleasure and her back arched making her dig her nails into the prince's skin, he had no limits, once he had entered Daenys, he did not want to leave.
The screams, moans, and sighs invaded the corridors of the Red Keep for some time, before a joint orgasm forced them to pause their activity to lay their bodies next to each other on the bed responsible for their actions, both still had their lips suspended on each other when they let escape the last sigh of pleasure, enjoying the waves of adrenaline that still caused them deep chills and delicious spasms. Daenys turned her face to the right side, where Aemond sighed with closed eyes, the smile that took over his lips was different from any other that Daenys had ever seen, Aemond never smiled that way. Daenys kept silent, unlike commenting on the prince's posture or on how good and fierce he was in bed, like a dragon. She knew that if she commented on anything, she would lose the chance to have him again, but Daenys knew, as any wise woman did, Aemond was in love with her, as much as she was with him.
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luizd3ad · 2 days
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She's My Religion | Lily Evans x Fem!Reader One Shot
ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ࣪˖⤷ .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ࣪ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ˖ ⤷
Pairing: Lily Evans x Reader
WC:8,636
TW: mentions of abuse, self-doubt, cursing, little bit of homophobia and use of homophobic slur, use of the word Mud-Blood (not used by reader), use of Y/N, Reader is implied to be a Slytherin but not directly specified, mentions of violence, death threats, It’s kinda angsty, but cute at the end.
Author's Note: I’ve never wrote for Lily so I’m sorry if this is out of character or something idk I tried this is also the longest fic I’ve written I didn’t mean for it to be this long😅.
Summary: What happens when Sirius Blacks little sister and Regulus Blacks twin sister starts to fall for the intelligent and beautiful Lily Evans?
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I made this cute little mood board idk I just love this tbh
⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳
Y/N Black had always been seen as the colder Black out of her and her two brothers and that was saying something especially considering her twin, Regulus. 
Regulus and her had been close their whole lifes. Their eldest cousin Andromeda would say they were thick as thieves. Always doing everything together refusing to go or do anything without the other. 
But after years of abuse from their partners and then it only getting worse when their older brother Sirius left she closed up, to the point of even icing Regulus out to an extent.
When Regulus made the choice to mend the bond between him and Sirius, Y/N made it clear that she wanted no part in it. 
In Y/N’s eyes Sirius didn't care, he didn't love her. She knew he didn't. If he did, why would he leave them? Why would he leave her? Especially with those people.
Sirius had always protected Regulus and Y/N as much as he could. He would take punishment, sneak them food if they were forced to go without. 
Eventually protecting them ment having Regulus go to The Potters with him when there was talk of an arranged marriage for Regulus.
Regulus left 12 Grimmauld Place during winter break in their 5th year, Y/N being left once again.  
At that point she'd separated herself from everyone who'd cared for her, admittedly it was mostly her brothers but also the few friends she and Regulus shared.
Sirius had tried many times to talk to Y/N but she never budged, she'd rarely spare him a glance. He was shattered, Sirius felt as if he'd lost his baby sister. 
Regulus took it worse not that he'd admit that to anyone who wasn't Sirius. He had hoped that she'd forgive them at some point and that she'd join them or at the very least understand why they left but she didn't. 
Y/N wouldn't speak, look, or even be in the same room as Regulus if she could help it. 
Regulus lost his twin, his other half, his life line and she didn't even seem to care. 
But she did care she cared so fucking much. 
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
Despite Y/N being cold and dark to those around her, she was smart.
Some would say smarter than Regulus, definitely smarter than Sirius. 
So it came as no surprise to her when the summer between her 5th and 6th year Y/N got word that she was to join the 7th year potions class.
Honestly she didn't care, Walburga was as pleased as she could be and Orion unsurprisingly couldn't care less.
But that's how she found herself being in the potion class the year above and being assigned partners with her. 
Lily Evans. 
Y/N didn't know much about Lily other than she was friends with her brother and his friends, she was smart, a Gryffindor and muggle-born.
Now Y/N didn't care for blood statues. It never made sense to her, the hatred that so many purebloods held for half-bloods or muggle-borns.
It all seemed barbaric and honestly a waste of time.
So, no Y/N didn't care that she was partnered with someone who was a muggle-born. 
She did care however that she was partnered with a friend of Sirius's. And it wasn't just a friend that he would see around and chat up with sometimes no, they were close friends.
This was going to be a problem.
“Hi, I’m Lily! Your Siris’ and Regs’ little sister right?”
Lily stuck out her hand for you to shake with one of the brightest smiles you think you've ever seen. 
You simply roll your eyes and dismiss her hand shake. 
“I prefer to be called by my name, Y/N, rather than being referred to as Sirius and Regulus' sister.”
Lily drops her hand and her smile falls just a tad, not enough for most people to notice, but you did. 
“Of course. I'm sorry, truly.”
“It's fine Evans.”
You say coldly, giving your undivided attention to Slughorn.
The rest of class was spent taking notes mostly with Lily attempting to make small talk every so often. You ignored her for the rest of the class.
You knew Lily was only trying to be nice but you also knew she was only trying to be nice so she could bring up your brothers.  
And talking about them was one of the last things you wanted to do.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
Days started to pass turning into weeks, weeks turning into months.
You and Lily had been cordial.
You tried your best not to be completely rude to her since she always tried to make small talk and she was kind to you.
You actually grew quite fond of her over time but you didn't think that the two of you were friends by any means.
But you were acquaintances.
And you did like being in her presents.
It had been three months since school had started and Slughorn had announced that there was a project that was due in 2 weeks, right before christmas break would start and you were to work on it with your partner.
You sighed and looked to the side to see a smiling Lily. 
You weren’t upset that you had to do a project with Lily considering she was very smart and you liked being around her, but you were upset knowing that you'd have to spend time with her after class and knowing that where she goes her friends were not far most of the time.
Which meant there was a possibility of seeing her friends, which meant a possibility of seeing Sirius and or Regulus more than you'd like.
“Okay Evans we’ll meet at the library after classes are done so we can just get this done. Please refrain from bringing your friends.”
Lily knew what you meant by that, you were asking her to keep Sirius and Regulus away from you.
Lily chuckled and shook her head.
“They go where they please.”
Translation. She couldn't stop either of them, more specifically Sirius, even if she wanted to. 
“I see. I'll see you later Evans.”
You sigh once more gathering your things to walk away. 
“Bye Y/N.”
It always caught you off guard when she would call you by your first name instead of your surname. 
First names were meant for friends, yet she never called you Black. 
She only ever called you Y/N, as if you were good friends. 
You supposed that was just the type of person Lily was. She was nice to everyone unless they gave her a reason not to be. 
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
After classes you find yourself entering the library. You were expecting to have to wait for Lily but to your surprise she beat you there.
You walk to the table she was occupying, setting your things down.
Once she notices you she looks up from her seat smiling at you.
She had a very beautiful smile, one that made you feel your heart skip a beat for a moment. But you chose to ignore the feeling, deciding, hoping, it meant nothing. 
“How were your classes Y/N?”
Lily asked with genuine curiosity in her eyes. 
Did she actually care? She couldn't possibly care about my day. No, she didn't care, she was just asking to be polite. That was all. You tried to convince yourself.
“It was fine… How about you?”
Lily then went on about her day. She told you her favorite thing she learned that day, a joke her friend Mary told her that made you actually crack a small smile. 
You couldn't help but hold on to every word that came out of her mouth. 
Without you even realizing it Lily talking was easily becoming your favorite part of the days that followed.
You spent every day that week meeting with Lily at the library and you realized you actually really liked spending time with her. She had managed to make you smile a few times which was a rare sight.
Lily had this light to her that you couldn't describe. She was just everything good in the world. 
She was funny, smart, sweet, kind, beautiful and you wanted to spend every moment you could with her. 
You realized as the weekend grew closer you wouldn't have a reason to see her for two days. That bothered you and you couldn't figure out why. 
The two of you were working late in the back of the library. The library was practically empty.
“There's a Hufflepuff party tomorrow night. Are you going?”
“No. Parties aren't really something I enjoy. I’m assuming it’s safe to assume you're going?”
You say giving Lily a small smile.
“Yeah. We're all going… you should come.”
You knew what she meant. Sirius and most likely Regulus were going to be there.
Over the week of working with her she would make little suggestions now and then about seeing or talking to your brothers without blatantly saying so.
You just shook your head looking down at the table.
“I'm okay, thank you for the invitation.”
“Okay well, I'm going to Hogsmeade on sunday. Usually no one comes with me since they're all hungover. Would you like to join me?”
You felt yourself stop breathing. You didn't know why you felt this way. 
It was just Lily, but you've never spent time with Lily outside of an academic setting. 
Was this for the project? Or were you supposed to hang out as friends? Or was it.. More?
Did you want it to be more?
Before you have the chance to answer or contemplate further, your conversation was interrupted.  
“Oi, Black! Three blood traitors wasn’t enough for your line? You decided to become one yourself?”
Avery said, making Mulciber laugh. 
You look up at them about to get up but Lily grabs and squeezes your hand telling you to let it go. 
So you did.
“Aww isn't that cute? You’re shagging the Mud-blood now? Merlin your whole family is full of a bunch of fuckin’ poof-”
Before he can finish his sentence you have him on the ground holding his nose. You felt what some people would refer to as ‘The Black Family Madness’ cloud your mind. 
You thought it was just pure fucking anger, but what did you know?
You look down at Avery while having your wand pointing at Mulciber to keep him where he is, not showing any emotion on your face.
“I could kill you, you know? I could kill both of you. Make it look like self defense. ‘Oh i was so scared they cornered me and I- I didn't know what to do. I was scared for my life'.”
You say the last part in a mocking tone you then crouch in front of Avery looking him dead in the eyes.
“No one would even blink if you two died. Did you know that? I won't do it though because I refuse to risk myself being thrown in Azkaban. Especially for the likes of you, do you know why? It’s simple really, both of your lives put together don't even measure up to mine alone in terms of importance.”
You stand up straight looking at both of them.
“Now you're going to apologize to Evans for caller her such a vile and disgusting name, and if you don’t I will have a letter send to my mother by the end of the night about how I walked in on you two shoving your tongues down each other's throats and how I ‘just don't know what to do!’ and then we can see how your fathers react to just the idea of having ‘poofs’ inside they're line.”
You give them a small smirk while Avery and Mulciber look at each other debating if they're willing to have a rumor like that go around especially since it was a lie.
“And if you think my mother won't believe me. I reassure you, she will. Why would I lie? It wouldn’t benefit me as far as she's concerned and I am as close to a ‘perfect’ child as she'll ever get and if it comes out that the two of you might be shagging then the dirty looks get taken off The Black Family’ and move to The Mulcibers’ and The Averys’. So let's play this one smart boys.”
That seemed to convince Avery enough that he stands up and looks at Lily and forces out an ‘I’m sorry.’ 
Mulciber is a little more hesitant. You send a Stinging Jinx Mulcibers way, he falls to his knees with a small hiss and looks at Lily.
“I'm sorry Evans, really really sorry.”
Mulcibers cried out
“Now. You're both going to leave Evans alone. You are going to keep her name and both of my brothers' names out of your mouths. Am I understood?”
You say with no emotion on your face once again. 
They both let out quiet ‘yes’s’ while scrambling to leave.
After the ‘Madness’ had cleared from your mind it hit you what you did. You didn't feel bad about what you did but you realize you did it all in front of Lily. 
You don't even look at her as you start to gather your things.
“I’m sorry Evans, really. I-I should go.”
You ramble out while trying to walk away. Lily grabs your arm stopping you in your tracks.
“I won't lie and say I agree with what you did, but I don't blame you. I also appreciate you standing up for me. I'm not mad or scared of you Y/N.”
“I should have never done that in front of you. I'm sorry, really.”
“It's okay. I promise. Lets stop working tonight, yeah?”
You nod at Lily.
“Yeah. Okay” 
“So about Hogsmeade?”
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
You were sitting by the entrance of Hogwarts looking down playing with the matching serpent ring that Regulus had got for you and him a few birthdays ago. 
You've never taken it off.
You were just wearing some plain jeans and a jumper you had stolen from Sirius years ago. You find yourself wearing it when you think you might need moral support and you didn't know why but you felt a need to wear it today.
No matter how hurt you might be from your brothers leaving, you still loved them so much. You didn't necessarily blame them for leaving the house or the family, you just wish they were still with you.
You’re taken out of your thoughts when you hear footsteps coming your way. 
You look up and forget how to breathe for a moment. 
There she was. Lily fucking Evans walking towards you she was wearing a white long sleeve shirt and a plaid skirt it was so simple but she looked amazing.
Why are you feeling like this? Why does it feel like every time you're in her presents you feel like you can't breathe?
You've never felt this way before.
“Hey Y/N ready to go?”
“Yes.”
You felt like your words were stuck in your throat. 
She was just so fucking beautiful. 
You didn't talk much on your walk to Hogsmeade. You were too caught up in your head and Lily had noticed that.
“Are you okay Y/N?”
“Yes, I'm fine. How was your party last night?”
You asked, trying to change the subject. LIly knew what you were doing and she let you get away with it.
“It was actually a lot of fun. It would have been a lot more fun if you were there.”
Lily said, sending you a smile. 
You just rolled your eyes playfully with a small smile of your own, letting Lily go on about the things that happened. She told you everything that had happened as if she didn't want you to feel left out. You didn't realize how much a little act like that could make your heart speed up a bit.
By the time you had gotten to Hogmaede Lily was laughing at a story about something her friend Marlenne had done, you were just smiling. Whether you were smiling at the story or at her laugh you didn't know and you didn't want to think about it. You just wanted to enjoy the time with her.
At some point Lily grabbed your hand holding it as you went through multiple shops, you tried not to pay too much attention to how her hand felt in yours. There were a few disagreements here and there when you insisted on paying for the things she wanted.
She in her words 'didn't want you to waste your money’ and you just responded with ‘it's not a waste if it's you.’
She finally stopped fighting you after you told her that you loved spending money on things you knew your mother and father wouldn't agree with. It was one of your little acts of rebellion. Which was true but a part of you also just wanted to spoil her.. But she didn't have to know that.
By the time you two had gotten back to the castle it was almost dark. You walked Lily to the Gryffindor tower still holding her hand.
“You know you could come in right? They want to see you.”
Lily said, squeezing your hand gently to reassure you.
Since the school year started and you wouldn't talk to Regulus he stopped coming down to the dungeons if he could help it, he started to stay in the Gryffindor tower. So other than the few classes you shared and the occasional glances across the great hall you haven't seen your twin in months.
It killed a part of you but you were still so angry and hurt.
“Me and you both know that's not a good idea.”
You said looking down. Lily was about to disagree when the portrait opened out walking James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and last but not least both of your brothers. 
You could hear a pin drop in the corridor outside of the Gryffindor common room.
Sirius and Regulus stare at you without saying a word. No one moves, no one says anything.
You look back at Lily with your jaw clenched and drop her hand, putting your hands in your pockets. You didn't miss the hurt that flashes through her eyes but you didn't focus on it. You just had to get out of there.
“I'll see you later Evans, Yeah?”
You say to Lily mustering up a very small smile at her so she knew you were not upset with her. 
You started to walk away not even acknowledging the presents of anyone else. You do your best to keep walking away ignore the sound of talking down the hall, trying your best to not spare your brothers another glance
You just weren't ready to talk to them and you didn't even know if they actually wanted to talk to you.
So you just continue walking to the dungeons 
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
The next day Lily rushed into potions class, saying how sorry she was and explaining that she didn't know that was going to happen. It was all just poor timing.
All you could do was smile at her and reassure her that you didn't blame her.
You knew she wouldn't do something like that to you,
As the days passed by getting closer to the middle of the week you and Lily continued to get closer. You both would still meet up after classes in the library to finish up your project, the project that you both knew you could have finished, days ago.
You were coming to expect that you possibly had feelings for the girl but you knew she most likely just saw you as a friend.
You both were packing up for the night, you had finally finished with your project with two days to spare. It was a bittersweet moment.
“Y/N, what are you doing tonight?”
You looked up confused but you had a spark of hope in your chest.
“Nothing, probably go to my dorm, read, sleep… Why?”
“I have rounds tonight till 8:30. Do you want to meet after?”
“Um.. Okay? Yes, I'd like that. Um where should we meet?”
Lily then gave you one of her breath taking smiles obviously excited that you agreed.
“I'll come get you after I'm down, just meet me in front of the dungeons around 9?”
“Okay, Yeah.”
You were caught off guard when Lily walked over to you and hugged you.
The only people to have hugged you were your brothers and even then it had been years. You didn't know what to do for a moment so after some hesitation you hugged her back.
You felt her relax into you for a moment. You could smell her perfume, Strawberries and vanilla.
You reluctantly pulled away after a moment. You could see a light blush on her face and you couldn't imagine that you were any better.
“I'll see you later Evans.”
You say giving Lily a small smile and walking away with your things in hand.
Once you left the library you all but ran to your dorm. Your thoughts consume you.
That was a friend hug right? It had to be. Lily was just nice like that. Are friend hugs supposed to last that long though? You wouldn't know you wouldn't ever let anyone you were friends with hug you.
So then why did you let Lily hug you?
Why did you want to do it again?
Before you knew it it was 8:55 and you were waiting in front of the dungouse. You were still over thinking the hug.
Why was something so simple as a hug throwing you off? It didn't make sense.
You continued to think while absentmindedly playing with your ring. You were so lost in thought that you didn't even notice Lily till she put her hand on yours, stopping you from fidgeting.
You look at her and smile slightly.
“Where exactly are we going Evans?”
You ask, raising an eyebrow.
“Now why would I tell you that? Come on.”
Lily gave you a smirk and grabbed you hand leading you to wherever she was taking you. You couldn't help but blush at her holding your hand but you didn't pull away or protest it.
You let out a little chuckle when you finally realized where Lily was leading you.
“Really Evans? The astronomy tower? Seems a little cliché doesn’t it?”
You say with a teasing voice all Lily does is roll her eyes at you as you make it to the top of the tower.
When you get there you see that a few blankets and pillows are lying out.
You just blush again and Lily drags you over and has you sit with her in the pile of blankets and pillows.
“So why here?”
You ask leaning back on your hands.
“It’s just one of my favorite places. I like the stars.”
She says with a little shrug.
“Do you know about Cassiopeia?”
You ask, looking at her as she looks into the sky. Lily just shrugs and looks at you.
“Admittedly I’m not very good at astronomy. I would usually have… um Sirius do my work.”
Lily says looking scared that just mentioning your brother will have you running for the hills.
“Cassiopeia was the queen of Ethiopia; she was married to King Cepheus. One day she had angered Poseidon, she claimed that her and her daughter, Andromeda were more beautiful than the daughters of Nereus. So the sea nymphs, Nereids, asked Poseidon to send a monster to destroy King Cepheus's coast. To appease the monster, Cassiopeia and Cepheus chained Andromeda to a rock as a sacrifice, Perseus rescued Andromeda, but Poseidon still punished Cassiopeia, he took her and hung her in the heavens. Cassiopeia sits on her throne, but during part of the year, she appears upside down in the sky.”
Lily looks at you slightly shocked.
“How do you just know that?”
You chuckle and shake your head lightly.
“Evans, I’m a Black. It’s basically a requirement to know about the stars.”
“Okay fine, tell me about that one.”
She says point at a random constellation.
You tell her about every constellation or star she points at for a while, not noticing that the two of you have subconsciously been moving closer and closer. Eventually your shoulders are touching hands brushing against each other every so often. 
“Okay how about that one?”
She pointed at one of the clusters of stars you hoped she wouldn’t have pointed out.
Then again it was bound to happen.
“Canis Major the ‘great dog’ it’s built around Sirius, the Dog Star, the brightest star in the sky.”
You say looking down, playing with the ring on your finger.
There’s a silence for a moment, it’s not awkward but not necessarily comfortable either.
“They miss you, you know?”
Lily says, looking at you.
“I don’t want to talk about this right now.”
You say not looking at her at all.
A part of you knew you couldn’t look at her because if you did you’d tell her anything she wanted to know.
“They really do. Sirius and Regulus ask me how you're doing all the time Y/N.”
Lily says grabbing your hand to stop you from playing with your ring once again.
“Lily please.”
You say looking up at her. 
Your breath gets stuck in your throat for a moment once you realize how close the two of you are.
You're so caught up in the moment, so captivated by the most beautiful pair of green eyes you've ever seen that you didn't even notice.
You didn't even notice that you called her Lily. Not Evans. 
Just Lily.
“You know you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen?”
Lily says, staring at your eyes.
“Funny. I was thinking the same thing.”
You said with a new found confidence. Lily looks down at your lips for a moment and then you both start to lean in slowly.
“Ooooo naughty naughty.”
You both jump at the sound of the most annoying Poltergeist known to man.
After a few minutes of Lily somehow convincing Peeves to not tell on us for being there. You found yourself walking Lily to the Gryffindor common room hand in hand for the second time in a week.
“I hope you had fun tonight, I’m sorry Peeves kinda ruined the night.”
Lily said, stopping in front of the entrance to her common room.
“It's not your fault. You didn't know he would be there. I still had a good time.”
She just smiled at you, not letting go of your hand. 
“I had a lot of fun too.”
You desperately didn't want the night to end but you didn't know how to express that. You weren't blind you could tell Lily most likely had some kind of feelings for you. There was just a part of you that was still so scared of being rejected or left.
“It's getting late so we should go to bed.”
You say ruining your thumb over her knuckles.
“What if I said I didn't want to go to bed yet?”
Lily said, stepping closer to you. 
You just smile and let out a little sigh looking her in the eyes.
“I would then say that as much as I don't want this night to end, we've already been caught once and it's late, we have class tomorrow and I wouldn't want to see you tired… though under different circumstances I would love to see you tired.”
You say to her while smirking at her with confidence that you didn't know you had.
Lily just looks at you speechless blushing more than you think you've ever seen her before. You then dare to kiss her cheek softly.
“Goodnight, Lily.”
You whisper while sending a small smile towards her, not waiting for a response you start to walk away.
This had been one of the best nights of your life.
 · · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
Even though you had finished your projects you and Lily found yourselves still meeting in the library after classes leading up to break.
You both had been more affectionate in your own ways, Lily had started bringing you little snacks and water because she thought you didn't eat enough or drink enough water.
You were just constantly holding her hand or hugging her when you got the chance. It didn't go farther than that physically but you two started shamelessly flirting more often.
Finally it was the day before everyone would leave for christmas break you had just turned in your project to Slughorn.
You were gathering your things to leave for the next class when you were hit with an idea.
“Lily, do you want to.. Maybe hang out tonight?”
You asked nervously while a faint blush took over your face. You don't know why you're so nervous. You had hung out with Lily so many times at this point, it should feel normal.
She smiled at you and nodded.
“Yeah. I'd like that.”
“Okay. meet me at the astronomy tower. Around 8?”
“Really Y/N the astronomy tower? How cliché.”
Lily says in a teasing tone.
“Hahaha, just meet me there okay?”
You gave Lily’s hand a little squeeze, sending her a smile.
After classes that day you got together a little picnic basket of all the candies and food that Lily had told you she liked at one point or another. 
You had gone and set everything up so you went back to your dorm to change into your favorite outfit. Finally it was time to meet Lily you found her eventually and smiled at how beautiful she looked.
“So where are we going?”
Lily asked as you walked up to her.
“Wouldn't you like to know?”
You say sending her a small smirk as she rolled her eyes.
“Yes I actually would.”
“You'll find out soon, calm down.”
You say grabbing her hand and leading her up to the third floor of the astronomy tower, you then let go of Lily’s hand walking in front of the blank wall while Lily looks at you curiously. 
Soon the door for the Room of Requirements appears and the look Lily gives you is priceless.
“Is this the Room of Requirement?”
You nod while opening the door for her.
“Yeah. I found it in my third year. It's my own little part of the school, where no one can bother me unless I let them. You're the first person I've brought here.”
The room is full of books and a big fireplace with large comfy couches and a record player with all your favorite records next to it.
Next to the fireplace is the little picnic you had set up. Lily lets out a soft gasp as she sees the set up.
You both sit down and look at each other for a while. It's a soft moment, it feels like you both just needed to take each other in for a moment.
“So it's your last christmas here. Are you going home?”
You ask, taking a bite of a chocolate wand after.
“No. We all decided to stay here for our last christmas. Are you staying?”
“Yes. I'd rather spend Christmas in the dungeons then go back to Grimmauld Place.”
You say shaking your head with a sigh.
“Y/N, I know you try to avoid talking about this but just hear me out and if you don't want to talk about it after, I will leave it be, okay?”
You sigh already knowing where this conversation is going but you decided to hear Lily out anyway. You nod your head letting her know that she can continue.
“You said it yourself. This is mine and Sirius’s last Christmas at Hogwart. This is probably the last chance the three of you have to spend a Christmas together. They miss you Y/N, honestly they do. My sister doesn't talk to me anymore because I'm a witch and I miss her everyday. I don't want to see you go through that. I don't want you to regret not seeing your brother when you had the chance.”
You take a moment to think about it. You already knew if you didnt make up with them soon you'd regret it. Hell you already regretted it. 
You remembered how heartbroken Narcissa was when she found out that Andromeda had a baby. Narcissa knew she would never be able to meet her niece. You didn't want that. You didn't want your brothers to have families and you not be involved. You knew that if you didnt get over this pettiness that there was a large possibility that that was exactly the path you were heading down. 
“Okay. when everyone leaves tomorrow. I'll see them.”
“Really?”
“Yeah Lils. You're right after all. I don't want to not be a part of my brothers’ lives.”
Lily just gives you a hug whispering how proud of you she was.
Lily understood how hard this was for you. She knew you were hurt even if you never flat out said it to her.But it was time for you to get over it before you lost the only family you ever really cared for.
You and Lily spend the rest of the night talking and laughing. For a moment you forget the anxiety that will consume you tomorrow.
You'll be fine. As long as you have Lily by your side you know you'll be fine.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
You waited at the entrance of the Gryffindor common room anxiously playing with the ring on your finger.
Why did you agree to this? Were you really ready to face your brothers? What if they hated you? What if they wanted nothing to do with you?
You were so caught up in your thoughts you didn't even notice your favorite red head till she touched your hands stopping you fidgeting with your ring one again.
You looked up at her, the anxiety obvious on your face. 
“They want to see you. I promise.”
She gives you a comforting smile keeping her hand on yours.
“What if I fuck this up? What if I lose them for good?”
You feel the burning behind your eyes trying not to cry.
“They love you so much Y/N. All you have to do is try.”
You nod, keeping Lily’s hand in yours letting her lead you into the portrait of Elizabeth Spriggs aka ‘The Fat Lady’.
Once you walk into the common room you notice it seems uncharacteristically quiet. 
You look and see two matching sets of gray eyes looking at you. You take a deep breath still trying to hold back the tears.
It's been close to a year since you talked to Sirius, quite a few months since you talked to Regulus.   
“Sirius, Regulus.”
You say in a neutral voice not making eye contact with either of them.
There's a moment of silence and stillness, a part of  you considers running out of the room but before you can act on that though you're being tackled into a hug by your eldest brother. You couldn't help but let a few tears fall as you hold Sirius and you can tell he's crying just the same.
Sirius cups your face with both of hands after a few moments to look at you with tears streaming down his face.
“I'm never letting you go again, you hear? I'm not losing my baby sister again.”
You let out a little sob and hug Sirius again putting your head on his chest.
“Sirius, Y/N why don't we go somewhere with a smaller audience.”
Regulus said in all his stoic glory. 
“Yeah. Regs right. We'll go to my room, alright?”
You give a small nod to Sirius then leads you to his shared dorm room while Regulus follows behind. 
You honestly didn't even notice the other people in the room until Regulus said something.
It wasn't many people, it was just ‘The Marauders’ as they call themselves and Lily but Regulus knew you would be more comfortable with just you three and you knew Regulus felt the same.
Once you get to Sirius room you look at Regulus for the first time in months.
“I’m sorry Regulus. I really am.”
You say trying to hold tears back once again.
“You ignored me. You ignored me for months Y/N.”
You look down ashamed playing with your ring once more.
“I know Regulus and if I could go back I would but I can’t. I was just hurt. Sirius left and that hurt so fucking much but at least I had you. Then you left, and I understand why you did but then I was just by myself. It nearly killed me to be alone with mother and father.”
You said taking a deep breath.
“I told you to come with me. Why didn’t you come?”
Regulus said with so much hurt in his voice it felt like someone ripped your heart out.
“I was afraid. I was afraid that I was too much like them. That if I would have gone, I would have tainted whatever good you made for yourselves.”
“You are nothing like them. Neither of you are. I made sure of that. Y/N if you were like them you wouldn’t be friends with Lily and Regulus if you were you would have never reached out for help.”
Sirius says while holding you against him once again.
“I really am sorry Reg.”
You look up at regulus with your tear stained face.
Regulus’s eyes softened and before you knew it, Regulus had taken you from Sirius arms and hugged you tighter than you had ever been hugged before but you didn’t mind.
You both cried into each other's arms for the first time in years. 
Sirius hugged both of you and for a moment you just sat there in your brother's arms enjoying every second of it.
“So, you and Lily huh?”
Sirius says in a teasing voice. You pushed him away and glared at him.
“Shut up.”
You say with a slight pout. Regulus and Sirius just give each other a knowing look as you roll your eyes and scoff.
“I hate you both. Did you know that?”
“Nah, you love us too much baby sister.”
Sirius says ruffling your hair as you swat his hands away.
“Wait. Is that my jumper?”
“… No. You’re crazy. The Black Family Madness is catching up with you Siri.”
Sirius and you start to argue as if no time had passed. Regulus just smiles at you two feeling grateful to have this back.
You spend the rest of the break with your brothers mostly but also with the marauders and Lily.
You got to know them all. 
You took a liking to Remus quickly bonding over your favorite books.
You and Peter got along well enough playing chess together often, since he would insist on rematches because you would continuously beat him.
James admittedly was harder not that you didn’t like him but a part of you had blamed him for Sirius leaving for so long that it was hard to get past that and it showed. It wasn't until christmas eve when James had pulled you aside for a moment when you felt yourself grow comfortable with him.
“You know, you don't have to go back there right?”
“What do you mean Potter?”
You looked at him with raised eyebrows as he sat next to you on the couch you were now occupying. 
“You don't have to go back to Grimmauld Place. You could be with your brothers again, I already wrote mum and dad. They said they'd be more than happy to have another Black join the Potters. I mean what's another one, yeah?”
James said with a small smile, lightly bumping your shoulder with his.
“Are you sure? I don't-”
“Yes. I know. You don't want to over step or be a burden and I know you don't think you deserve it, but you do. Merlin's beard, you and your brother are just the same. I will never understand the treatment your parents put the three of you through. But what I do know is that you three deserve good things in your lives. You deserve so much more than what your parents put you through. You are worth so much more than what they made you believe you were. You deserve to be loved, to be safe and to be happy. Y/N you will always have a home with us, plus… I've always wanted a little sister.”
You didn't say anything, you just hugged James and nodded your head.
Off to the side watching the interaction between you and James was your brothers, for the first time in years Regulus and Sirius knew the three of you would be safe and they couldn't be happier.
They liked seeing you interact with the people that they’ve grown close with and getting to see you actually happy every so often was just a bounce. 
But your brothers weren’t the only ones who liked it. 
Lily loved seeing you interact with all of them. 
You seemed so alive.
She’d never seen you act like that with anyone but her. She loved seeing you smile and laugh. She loved seeing you and your brothers truly happy.
This was her favorite Christmas so far.
You had made it her favorite Christmas.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
You felt better than you had in months, no, years. 
You had your brothers back and for the first time in years. The three of you were getting along and you knew you would finally be safe.
You also knew it was because of Lily as well. 
She was the fire in your darkness, she gave you light, warmth and she felt so happy and safe.
Everything felt good for once. But if you knew anything, you knew that wasn't going to last.
“You don't actually think she loves you do you?”
You turn to see none other than Severus Snape leaning by the entrance to the dungeons. You raise your eyebrow at him questioningly. 
You don't really talk to Snape unless it was necessary you never really liked him or the company he kept in recent years. So for him to start any conversion with you was rare.
“What are you on about Snape?”
“Lily.”
He states as if it's obvious.
“What about Lily?”
Your interest obviously peaked at hearing the name of your favorite Gryffindor.
“She'll never love you. She loves Potter.”
He says in a monotone voice. You scoff rolling your eyes. 
“I don't know why I'm bothering with this nonsense.”
You turn to walk away muttering to yourself. 
“She and Potter kissed, you know. The other week, at a Hufflepuff party. I saw them. Potter has been pining for Lily since our first year. It seems he finally got what he was after.”
You stood there shocked, confused, frozen with your jaw now clenched. 
That couldn't be true. Lily wouldn't do that and if she did she'd tell you right? I mean you were… whatever you are, right?
And James wouldn't do that. He had all but flat out asked you to be his sister.
Snape was lying, he had to be. He was spreading lies about Lily. He just had to be. You wouldn't stand for that. You felt ‘The Madness’ creep in once again.
In one swift motion you had Snape pinned against the wall with your wand pointed at his neck. 
“You will not speak of Lily again. You will not look at her, speak to her. You will not breathe the same air as her and if you do. I will kill you. Do I make myself clear?”
You say with murderous eyes. 
Snape would never admit it but he was scared. He's only ever seen you as cold, emotionless. This was far from emotionless. 
“Crystal.”
Snape said, trying to hide his emotions as best as he could. 
You walk away without another glance stuck in your head. 
He had to be lying right? But why would he lie? Nothing made sense. Maybe he wasn't lying.
Stupid. You were so fucking stupid.
How could you think someone like Lily Evans would like someone like you. 
Lily brings life to everything she touches, she was sweet, caring, kind she was fucking perfect.
You were a Black, enough said.
You were angry, mean, rude, it was in your blood to ruin everything you touch. 
It wasn't her fault that you thought you might actually have a chance, that you developed a stupid crush, it was your fault for being stupid enough to think that it was ever a possibility.
I mean maybe you and Lily were just friends. Maybe you misunderstood?
You couldn't blame her but that didn't mean it hurt less. 
The first person you started putting your walls down for the first time in years obviously didn't care about you the way you cared for her. 
So you did what you did best when people would hurt you.
You avoided and ignored her. You managed to avoid Lily for a few days skipping potions class, leaving the library when you would see her walk in. 
Sirius was quickly getting irritated with your antics. He had been pestering you as to why you were avoiding Lily but you wouldn’t tell him or Regulus. 
If they knew she would find out.
So you just kept avoiding her and avoiding answering any questions your brothers would ask.
Eventually she found you and tried to talk to you which led to you ignoring her. It killed you to see the look on her face but it was necessary to protect yourself. You tried to convince yourself that it would be easier after a week. 
It wasn't.
For either of you apparently. 
Lily had managed to find you in the library while you were looking for a book to distract yourself with. You had put your guard down for a moment. You didn't even know she was there till she spoke.
“Y/N.”
She had said to gain your attention, when you realized there wasn't anywhere for you to go you decided to just get it over with to stop avoiding your problems for the first time in your life. 
You rolled your eyes and sighed looking at her for the first time in a week.
“What the hell do you want Evens? Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend, Potter?”
You say to Lily in a monotone voice looking her in the eyes.
“What are you talking about? I'm not dating James, I don't want him!”
You felt all the anger and insecurity start to cloud your brain. She was lying. How dare she lie to you. You were damned if you were made a fool once again. 
“You're such a liar Evans. Snape told me everything about how Potter has been pining for you for years! How he saw you two kiss at the Hufflepuff party! I can't believe I was stupid enough to believe you'd actually like me. I can't believe I was stupid enough to think Potter would actually look at me as a sister.”
You whisper yelled with your jaw clenched while the back of your eyes burned trying to hold back tears. 
“Me and James didn’t kiss I swear-”
You scoff, turning to walk away deciding you were done with this conversation, but Lily grabbed you by the arm, tapping you against the bookshelf.
“I didn't kiss James.He's a great friend but nothing more to me, and he does care for you, I know he does. But I don't want him, I want you. I've wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I love everything about you. I love how loyal you are, how even if you didn’t talk to your brother you'd never let anyone speak ill of them. How despite being raised to hate someone like me you never held something as stupid as my blood statutes against me. I love how smart you are. How you cover your smile when you laugh. How your eyes light up when youre reading a book you enjoy. How when you get anxious you play with your ring. Everything. Can’t you see that?”
You searched her eyes trying to see if there was any lie, but all you saw was the truth. She meant every word and it scared you. 
Lily then cupped your cheek wiping away a tear you didn't know was there.
“Why would you want me? I'm cold, rude, cynical and angry all the time. I'm not a great person...”
Lily scoffs playfully while smiling.
“You're no angel but you’re my everything Y/N. To me you light up the room, you don't take shit from anyone, you stand up for what you believe and I hope you'll never change. You showed me that I'm enough. I'll never stop wanting you. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.”
Lily whispers the last part brushing her nose against yours.
“What if I hurt you?”
You whisper your voice breaking a little.
“You'll probably hurt me a few times and I'll probably hurt you a few times but that's okay as long as we work it out together, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
The anger and insecurity finally unclouding your brain letting you take in how close you two are. 
Lily's hand is still cupping your cheek while her other hand is on your hip pressing you slightly in the bookshelf while she's pressed against you.
Lily's eyes flicker down to your lips and you nod softly letting her know it was okay. 
You both lean in, your lips touching for the first time.
You felt warmth go through your whole body. It was beyond a spark or fireworks. It felt as if a bomb had been dropped on you. 
That kiss broke something in you. 
But it wasn't bad. 
It had broken down every wall that you spent years building up brick by brick. 
In just a moment Lily Evans had managed to do something to you, that you and so many other people thought impossible. 
She healed a part of you. 
Her lips were so soft they felt like silk against yours. 
It felt like she was made to be with you.
It's soft and sweet, at first. Then it felt consuming. She was all around you and you didn't want it to be any other way. 
You could only feel her, her hand squeezing your hip as your hand was on the back of her head pulling her closer. 
You could only smell her cherry and vanilla perfume. It made you dizzy with how intoxicating it was.
You had forgotten that you were in public for a moment that was until you heard a throat clear. 
Both of you pulling away with hot faces you look to see a very amused and smirking Remus Lupin. 
“Finally. I was afraid neither of you would ever actually make a move. Just wait till Sirius hears about this.”
You groan, throwing your head back against the bookcase while Remus and Lily laugh at your expense. 
You never expected for anyone to be able to break down your walls, to fall for someone. 
Especially not someone like Lily. 
But fuck were you happy that she did.
⨯ . ⁺ �� ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳
24 notes · View notes
brightgoat · 5 hours
Note
Hey bright!! I was wondering if you had any HCs for how a meeting between Pucci and Giorno could have gone? I'm curious about what kind of dynamic you'd think they'd have! 🙏🙌
Hey Flan~ ok this has been sitting in my askbox for how long-
Uhhh... it's hard to say. I've read some fics and seen other people's HCs that I've kinda adopted theirs I think.
I've kinda began rambling in this answer so putting this under cut
I've always thought that if Giorno showed up at the end of SO, fate would've forced him to somehow help Pucci, accidentally even. At that point, fate is in favour of Pucci no matter what it seems, even when the team almost defeated him, he turned the defeat into an advantage and even said that they were helping him all along.
Mix that with the fact that the Brando Bros were also fated to aid him in some way (even when Dona tried to turn against him), and Giorno is just gonna get used I think.
Now people can argue "oh well if he has GER then that would circumvent fate" and to those I say eheheheheeee someone doesn't know how GER actually woooorks~ (but thats not that important-)
So if anything, Giorno was helping by... staying AWAY from Pucci and SO.
As for their dynamic, I think outside the whole Heaven Plan they could've actually kinda gotten along. They're both pretty smart, maybe their interactions would constantly be like a game on mental chess, them both trying to outsmart eachother, Pucci trying to find remnants of Dio in Giorno and Giorno trying to uncover Pucci's secrets (maybe about Dio) but it could grow to be something more friendly... still with ominous undertones.
I had this idea for an AU once where GER goes out of control and begins trying to overpower Giorno, so fate brings Pucci over and Pucci helps by turning GER into a DISC (a very unstable golden shiny DISC).... and then of course Pucci probably uses this for his own advantage but not before growing close with Giorno. (this is like an alternative Green Child AU to me loool)
Idk if this really answered the question but eehhhh?? That's about as much of my own stuff as I got-
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starry-bi-sky · 4 months
Text
Clone^2 Damian
If you really think about, Damian's situation in the clone^2 au is... kinda tragic? Especially in the early months of his arrival. Like,,, think about it. Damian has always known he was a clone of Damian Wayne, that he was a copy of the blood son. There was nothing 'original' about him, not even his name (of which at least Danny has that). He was just... a replacement. A disposable one, to boot.
And he knew that, to an extent, by the time he was six years old. he might not have been actively acknowledging it -- he's six years old -- but deep down he knew. And like, he's six years old. Every small child craves the love and affection of an adult, especially their parents, and even though he knew he was clone, I imagine he still considered - and still does consider, somewhat - Talia and Bruce as his mother and father. And I really doubt he was... getting it?
Now, I know Talia loves Damian, her son. At least in some interpretations she does, and in this au she does. But... a clone of her son? I'm not so certain if she would have the same affection for baby Dames as she would for Damian. I don't think she would treat him badly, but I don't think Talia would treat him warmly either. Kinda just, distant. Colder than she would have been with OG Damian.
And, I know I've mentioned Damian's arrival from Danny's point of view, and its kind of comical kind of insane from his perspective -- a little boy clone of Damian Wayne falls through a portal and immediately attacks him. That sounds like a bad joke.
But, if you think of this from Damian's point of view? It's like he just got dropped into a scary movie. Like, think about it. You're six years old, and suddenly a portal, as green and as swirling as your grandfather's pools, opens up beneath your feet and sucks you through.
After an intense bout of vertigo, you end up in a massive, urban city -- completely different from the rural mountain palace that you lived in for the last six years of your life, and in this city, you don't know any of the language. You don't know what anyone is saying, you can't read any of the signs - you are completely stranded, away from home.
And then, to make things worse, you're facing a figure with a terrifying mask and eyes as burning green as the portal you fell through. Of course Damian's first instinct, six years old, is to attack. He's terrified.
And this figure, he's not a good fighter, but he's fast, and he dodges you quickly. He grabs your sword with his hands, and tries to restrain you, saying something in a language you don't know. Naturally, Damian is just scared. He's six! He'd just be learning how to read if he was normal child going to school.
This figure halfway through the fight yanks off his mask -- he realizes you're scared -- and looking at you now, is a youthful version of your father. This is a clone of your dad, someone you have never met but, six years old, still wants to. Damian gets defensive. This is an imposter.
But this imposter eventually gets you home with him - and he's using his little box, his phone, to communicate with you through a mechanical voice speaking in arabic. and it's frustrating. The boy, the imposter, can say whatever to you just fine, but trying to talk back is a hassle and a half. He's six, he doesn't have that much patience.
He wants to go home.
And so he keeps trying to run away. He keeps trying to find out of this hellish concrete jungle, and he keeps getting lost. It's loud, and busy, and there are people talking to you and you don't understand them, and there are rules and signs you don't understand - Damian tries to cross the street and nearly gets hit by a car. He doesn't know how the road signs work, he was never taught. They didn't get to that.
And he gets lost. And it gets dark, and Damian is brave, but he is six, and this is the worst stress he's been under in all his six years of life. He wants, desperately more than anything, to go home. Why wouldn't he? The only stable... semi-stable environment he was in just got ripped out from under his feet, literally! He wants his mother.
And it's not happening.
But there's something good to be said, at least. The imposter that looks like his father always comes and finds him, no matter what. He could have left that morning, and he will find Damian at midnight, frazzled and worried, and carrying an extra jacket with him because it is cold in Amity Park and Damian is six years old.
And sometimes Damian attacks him - he's scared and stressed and he doesn't want to be here. And every time he catches the sword. Even though Damian can see it cut into his hand and pearls of blood well up and stains his fingers. Even though Damian can see him wince in pain and bite his lip, he still catches it.
But with that little box, he coaxes Damian to come back with him. It's cold, it's dark, Amity Park is unsafe at night. They can figure something out tomorrow, please. And every time, he agrees, reluctantly. And the imposter takes the extra jacket he brought with -- a flannel, a hoodie, a jacket -- and he wraps it around him. It's warm, Damian's clothes are not that thick, and even though he thinks he might hate this imposter, he still sticks close to his legs as he leads him down the street.
And sometimes the imposter carries him, because Damian's shoes are not that thick, and he cuts his foot on broken glass while they're walking home. The imposter sits in the bathroom with him and carefully cleans the cut out, and makes sure it doesn't get infected.
There's hope you know, he still has it. His mother will be looking for him. She'll be worried. He's important to them. Damian may not be the original, but he is still a blood son. He is still her son. She will come find him. This nightmare will end soon. He can go home.
And then weeks pass, and nothing. Then months, and nothing. His family is not coming for him, and it hurts. Hurts more than anything. And yet while that happens, the boy he's attacked, and hurt, teaches himself arabic in order to speak to him. He takes Damian out of the house one afternoon and buys him new clothes, or tries to. And then he keeps buying him new clothes. He gives him blankets and gives up his bed to him until they can get him one himself, and steadily he teaches Damian english.
This boy is kind. Kinder than Damian's ever experienced, and he doesn't know what to do with it. He's devastated by the fact that he is not as important to his family as his family is to him. What do you do when you're six years old and you learn something like that? When a random stranger who looks like your father is kinder to you, and cares more about you than your family did?
And then Damian tells him he's a clone. He's Damian Wayne's clone, and he tells him his purpose - that their grandfather made him to kill him. And the boy, the imposter, Damian thinks he probably already knows that he's a clone. But he doesn't say that. He just nods, and asks him if he wants to tell his original about him.
Damian says no. He doesn't want to. He's tired of living in the shadow of his original. He wants to keep this to himself. This is his. For once, all of this is his.
And to his surprise, the imposter doesn't try and convince him otherwise. He just nods, and says okay. And when Damian asks why, the imposter - his brother - looks at him and says.
"I don't care about Damian Wayne. I care about you." And in Damian's gobsmacked silence, his brother continues. He tells him that if Damian doesn't want to tell his original that he exists, then they don't need to. They don't need to worry about the LoA going after him, because clearly if his 'grandfather' needs to make a clone of Damian in order to take him out, then whatever it was that Damian Wayne was doing to keep himself safe, was working.
"Wayne already has people in his corner, he's got Gotham's army of vigilantes to keep himself safe." his brother says with his eyes as blue as moonlight. "You, however. Do not." And he continues, and says that if Damian Wayne has the same training as Damian does, then he will be fine. He doesn't need to be aware of his clone. Because if DW doesn't know about Damian, then the LoA doesn't either.
And here's the thing. Damian would not have survived in the LoA for long. Not as a clone. No matter what, he was going to die no matter what he did, and sooner rather than later. The sword of Damocles was always hanging above his head in the League of Assassins.
That portal, and meeting Danny, saved his life. There's no way around it. And to an extent Damian knows this even at six years old. He may not be aware that he would've died, but he knows that meeting Danny was the best thing to happen to him.
It's no wonder after that, that Damian is as clingy to Danny as he is. Danny is the first person he's met to offer him unconditional love, with no strings attached, only pure affection.
#dpxdc#dp x dc#dp x dc crossover#dpdc#dpxdc crossover#clone^2#like god can you imagine how scared he must've been? how afraid? he just wants his mom - only to realize he doesnt even matter to her#dpxdc au#danny fenton is not the ghost king#this poor kid man. no wonder he latched onto danny the moment he gave up on the league like a leech. he's a six year old kid man and#it doesnt matter how smart he is or how mature he acts. he still is six years old. he still needs that validation and affection from adults#or from people older than him. and his emotional needs were just not being met in the league.#cue the song “two” from sleeping at last - some of their songs are very clone^2 honestly.#'sweetheart you look a little tired. when did you last eat? come in and make yourself right at home. stay as long as you need.'#'tell me is something wrong? if something's wrong you can count on me'#'its okay if you can't find the words. let me take your coat and this weight off of your shoulders'#'like a force to be reckoned with. am i the ocean or a gentle kiss. i will love you with every single thing i have'#'like a tidal wave i'll make a mess. or calm waters if that serves you best'#'i will love you without any strings attached'#like just. just *imagine* being in damian's shoes during all of this. he's *six* you guys. i've worked with six year olds and they're#pretty independent but they're still six. they get excited when they see their parents and they get upset when an adult is angry with them.#they're still developing their motor skills. they're still developing everything else!
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spiciestmarinara · 2 months
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The two biggest mistakes that any Sherlock Holmes fan can make, in my opinion, are 1. Thinking any single adaptation has a monopoly on using the source material and 2. Taking anything in the source material too seriously because while it’s a cornerstone of the genre, you have to remember Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also believed in fairies and ghosts and that his friend Harry Houdini was a wizard.
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crystal-jack-asripines · 11 months
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QSMP Elections are going to make the server so MESSY. AND I’M HERE FOR IT!
Already we see BBH saying “it’s a game about killing people,” willing to take out competition to get Skeppy in, REMOVING his Ordo Theoritas stasis chamber ender pearl in case someone tries to ambush assassinate him that way, contemplating removing everyone from his allowlist at his homes… Entering his uber-paranoid villain arc for his little diamond buddy
And then there’s the absolute POWERHOUSE that will be Cellbit and Forever (assuming they’ll work together), with Forever likely going to bring Brunim in. Meaning BBH will be facing off against Forever to get the people they want on the island, which will significantly change their relationships with each other and their friends
Not to mention the De Luque Mafia Family can actually do some damage, and if Cellbit marries Roier then EVERYONE is gonna have to watch their backs, what with the Masked Mine Placer and Foolish having a glock
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strangewiggles · 7 months
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You were spilling all my will out I was bleeding my last brains It's nothing like the nothingness That normally numbs one's pain
Goodbye, oh goodbye
some closeups for you
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reading atla fics where zuko joins the squad in S1 and katara is the most distrusting of him even after sokka and aang trust zuko a la S3 is soooo infuriating like girl. did y'all forget the crystal caves where katara heard some of his Tragic Backstory™️ and IMMEDIATELY tried to help him out??? she only distrusts him so much in S3 so much because he went and backstabbed her after they had a fun bonding moment. you know who would be the most distrustful of zuko out of the 3? sokka. the disrespect.
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