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riki-riks-chick · 1 month

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how wld enha be if they had kids with yn?

Heeseung:

Heeseung probably wants his kid to have as much fun as possible while also keeping him respectful. He'd play games with your son, take him out for ice cream, basically anything a "fun" parent would do. If your son ever accidentally broke something in the house while they were playing around, Heeseung would be calm. "Hey, don't cry.. Mommy won't be mad.. Accidents happen."

Heeseung would the take the blame for it, but you'd know that your son did it anyway. In the end you both cheer your kid up with kissed and cuddles.

Jay:

Jay is the type to be a total stay at home dad. He'd get your son to and from school everyday, making him the best lunches with heartfelt notes. Your son is probably a mama's boy though, so evenings are spent consoling and distracting the child until you get home for dinner. "Come on, mommy will be home soon. When she gets back we can have dinner and then I'll play my guitar for you."

He most likely succeeds in keeping your child happy and after dinner, you're all smiling and laughing as Jay plays his guitar. The night ends with you both tucking your son in.

Jake:

Jake is the energetic dad that'll do anything for his daughter. He'd treat you both like royalty. Every weekend, you guys all walk Layla together, getting ice cream before spending time at home together.

Jake is the type to let his daughter paint his toes, laughing and giggling. "Wait! Make my pinky toe blue!"

He'd laugh and giggle endlessly with you both, giving you and your daughter a bunch of kisses and hugs to remind you how much he loves you both.

Sunghoon:

Sunghoon would be a very protective father. He'd take you and your daughter shopping, buying you guys whatever you ask for, all the while death staring anyone who steps too close to either of you. "Hoonie, baby.. We're fine. You don't have to stare down every guy that walks past me." You'd reassure, giving him a kiss to his cheek.

"Baby.. Don't mind me. I'm just making sure nothing happens to my favorite girls."

He stays alert but you and your daughter eventually manage to crack a smile from him by trying on silly hats and clothes in a store.

Sunoo:

Sunoo is an absolute sweetheart towards you, so I doubt he'd be any different towards your daughter. He'd probably make a whole day out of taking her on a date, going as far as taking her to a nail salon and getting his nails painted pink to match hers. You'd probably be jealous that they went out without you, but Sunoo makes it better by coming home with your favorite flowers, your favorite food, and a big hug and kiss.

You'd immediately realize that he's not only the best dad but the best husband/boyfriend as well. "You didn't think I'd forget the wonderful woman who made me a father, did you?"

Jungwon:

Jungwon is another energetic parent. If his son is playing sports, he's at EVERY game. Never missing a single one. Your kids is probably easily excited just like his dad, so you're used to hearing random yelling in the house when they're spending time together. "Baby look! He just scored!" Jungwon would be the most loving and supportive parent whether your child was really good or not.

"Your team won! Let's go get dinner to celebrate!" You'd love watching Jungwon parent because he's effortlessly good at it. He'd never have you in question as to why you're with him.

Riki:

Riki is basically your big baby. He loves being a dad, and having become a trainee and debuting at a younger age, he wants to make sure your son has as much fun as possible before his schooling days. You're often left to be the disciplinarian whenever something bad happens because Riki physically cannot bring himself to yell at your son. Your son loves you just as much though, even when you're upset because he broke something.

"Let's have ice cream before dinner tonight. Mommy is working late today."

Overall, Riki is a very good parent. Even when he's bending the rules a bit.

#enhypen #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen hyung line #enhypen maknae line #enhypen heeseung #enhypen hard hours #enhypen jay #enhypen jake #sunoo enhypen #enhypen jungwon #enhypen niki #enhypen soft headcanons #enhypen soft hours #enhypen soft thoughts #enha

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noodlesbatches · 3 months

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How I see Prince and Paladin byler is kind of dark ngl-

let me share my idea.

This takes place in 1700s in my idea just so you know!

Mike is a poor orphan who is 17-18 and needs to find a job so he tried to get one at the castle to be a person paladin to the Prince. Prince is a sassy, snotty teen, most of his personal paladins have quit because of his snottiness. The Queen decides to hire someone more of his age to maybe help. (The Queen is not Joyce just so you know, and Will doesn’t have any siblings in my version of the au as well.) Prince Will just has him and the Queen until Sir Micael the Paladin shows up. He becomes a live-in-paladin.

The Prince isn’t all that nice to the paladin at first, but the paladin needs his job so he decides to suck it up. Until one day he finally decides to talk to the Prince since he’s going to have to stay w/ him until he can be “trusted”. The Prince agrees to this. They start hanging out in the grand garden of the palace. Mike would put frogs on Will’s shoulder and tame it to stay there (he was kind of a frog whisperer). Mike loved all animals, he would tell Will that it was his duty to love anything and everything. Mike would spend some of his time after dinner in the library in the castle as a way to get tired. Mike and Will spend days together talking in the garden and around the house. Until one day Mike decides maybe they should go out to his village and where he learned to be a paladin.

Mike takes Will to the village they have a ball. They even sword fight each other (in a playful all-fun-n-games way.). Mike and Will get back and the Queen isn’t home. Mike asks Will about his knack for painting and goes up to the art room to look at it. Later on after looking Mike gives into his urge of kissing the Prince.

Mike panics after word, but Will calms him down by kissing him back. They end up laying in bed together after a make out. Mike then feels a rush of pain/guilt.

“What if they catch us?”

“They won’t.”

“But, what if they 𝘥𝘰”

Will thinks Mike is silly for thinking that some servants would budge in on their business and watch them, but Mike wasn’t lying. He was terrified. He didn’t want Will to die.

“I would take the blame for you.”

“No, Mike, we are in this together.”

“Be honest Will! If they do find out, who will end up getting burnt?”

“I…”

“If a Queen ant and a regular worker ant do something wrong together, which ant will pay the sacrifices Will?”

“Maybe this was a mistake then…”

Mike leaves Wills room at the verge of tears. Choking up so much, he just hopes Will doesn’t see him.

“Yeah, maybe your right.”

The queen returns and Will and Mike have to go down to have dinner w/ her. They have to act as if nothing happened. They didn’t want to be… “disgusting”. After dinner like goes into his room and sobs. He couldn’t take the pain, he 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 Prince Will, but he couldn’t 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 Prince Will.

A day later the queen calls Mike down to talk to him. Mike had a feeling he knew what was going to happen. The Prince was clueless to this all, but its not like the Prince wasn’t in pain. He didn’t want to marry a girl…

“You disgusting swine! How dare you poison my son into that with your- with your 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘊𝘏 𝘊𝘙𝘈𝘍𝘛! You are being sentenced to be hung, tonight.”

Mike expected this 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭. Will found out about the hanging and was asked to come, of course he didn’t go he 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 Mike so much. He sobbed when he found out, he sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Sir Michael the Paladin was dead the next day Will woke up. Will could never move on- he hears a knock at his door.

“Prince I was cleaning out Sir Michael’s room, I think this is for you, Your Highness.”

Will opens it and reads it

“Dear, Will, I don’t want you to cry about my death. I need you to move on, but moving on doesn’t mean forgetting about thou. Remember everything, the library, the art room, the village, the pond, the frogs, the talks, and especially 𝘮𝘦. Please, for the sake of your legacy and family marry a Princess and have a good life, William. No matter where I am, I will always be looking out for you and protecting you, my dearest William. I don’t regret anything, I would do it all over again if I could. I love you. - Love, Michael the Paladin.”

———

I LOVE THSI AU AND HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT SO MUCH I HOPE YOU LIKE MY IDEA OF IT :D

#stranger things #byler #mike wheeler #will byers #stranger things s5 #byler endgame #anti mileven #elmike #st5 leaks #byler fanfic #fanfic #byler au

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alena209 · 2 months

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Maya and The Three: a general analysis

Today, I bingewatched Maya and The Three (will be shortened to Mat3 from now on), from episode 1 to 9, generally because of a good friend of mine, @rainbowcutie1789 . If not for her, than I'd probably would not even know anything about the show. And by the way, this was a part of a game of Truth or Dare that I played with her (I dared myself and her that we'd watch our favorite shows. She watches my favorite, I watch her favorite), She's watching Ren & Stimpy, by the way (she likes it quite a bit)

This post has (spoilers) for the show, but Let's start!

Plot

Mat3 is a linear show consisting of 9 episodes, and its plot is Maya going on an adventure with the three warriors (Rico - The Rooster, Chimi - The Skull and Picchu - The Puma) as a part of the true Prophesy (hence why the main group are at times called "The Prophecy Friends") to defeat Lord Mictlan (the main antagonist of the show). The show will probably take around ~4:30-5 hours for ya.

Characters

Maya - the poster girl of the series*

*a poster girl (out of "poster boy") is when a character (usually the main character, female in this case) becomes the character that the show is generally associated with and appears as the main focus in promotional material such as, well, posters.

Maya is one of the main characters of the show and (as I said) the poster girl of the series. She's half-human, half-god (so a demigod), being the biological daughter of Lady Micte, the goddess of death and King Teca (guess who he is). She's raised by King Teca and Queen Teca (her stepmother). It's basically confirmed in the show that she falls in love with Zatz, one of her former enemies, former emissiary of Lord Mictlan and the son of Camazotz.

In a nutshell, Maya's generally a brave, adventurous girl.

Great MC and poster girl, 9/10

Zatz - The Prince of Bats, poster boy of the series?

Zatz is the prince of bats, being sort of the poster boy of the series, but mostly because of his handsome design, with a generally glorious, but Gothic-like appearance, as he derives from The Underworld (hell?). As I said, he's Maya's romantic partner, that's why I put him right next to Maya in this post.

Can't say much about the guy, but he's a chill dude, 9/10

Rico - The Rooster (hehe he's like Rico from Brawl Stars)

Rico's generally my favorite character in this show because of his personality. He's just a silly talkative guy! He's a magician and he can use two types, one from his apparently sentient staff Estefan (hehe, get it?) and his more powerful and dangerous type, peasant magic. He's generally a really expressive character for me, that's why he's my favorite.

He was cowardly at first, as we learn from his backstory that

(SPOILER ALERT) when he was at his (likely first) magic talent show, he made fun at by other people when he tried to do magic and he used his Peasant magic, in turn destroying the Luna Auditorium as a whole.

He did start to embrace his magic and used his peasant magic and eventually Estefan.

I love him! Such a silly little guy! 10/10 character.

Chimi - The Skull

Chimi comes from the jungle and was raised there, as she was feared by her people for being albino (and thus, having a very pale look) (being called "Monstruo Blanco" (White Monster))

She's grown to be an excellent archer and somehow speaks perfect English, despite being raised in the jungle?

She paints her face like a skull, likely for her deceased mother, hence why Picchu calls her "Bones girl".

Cool ass character, 10/10

Picchu - The Puma (hehe, his name is like Pichu the Pokemon)

Picchu is the barbarian of the main group. Mercy is his motivation, as he thinks that it's something that he wouldn't give, but it's who he was. He also doesn't really have that much knowledge in English, so he messes up with the language quite a bit.

A Barbaric, but kind guy, 9/10

Lord Mictlan - The Main Antagonist of the show

Lord Mictlan has a badass design and I absolutely LOVE how he can just split his face in half at times. He is the main antagonist though.

10/10 design, 9/10 character.

Minor Characters

Here, I'll mention some side characters of the show

Grand Bruja - I'm only mentioning her because she has a goofy design, with her using her nose for battle once.

Grand Brujo (not to be confused with his daughter, Grand Bruja) - also has a goofy design

Ah Puch - there are three of Ah Puch, I love that.

Camazotz (Zatz' father), Vucub - They have badass designs.

Zyanya - Camazotz' wife and Zatz' mother. She has a funny name. (Not meaning to offend her)

Now, the qualities

The Qualities

The animation and visuals are absolutely amazing! There are moments in the show where the characters just pop out of the movie format and get to the borders of the 16:9 format, mostly in action scenes.

Speaking of the action scenes, they are SICK. I love them.

The animation in general is expressive and smooth, always what I like about something!

The character designs are great all around, from beautiful, to badass, to goofy. The visuals are basically movie-standard!

The voice acting is great! Not much to say more about it.

The show itself

The first 8 episodes are great, with episode 1 introducing us to the Teca and Maya herself, episodes ~2-6 introduces us to the Prophecy friends, as she's figured out, again, the true prophecy after (spoiler alert) she sees symbols on her brothers' graves, them being Rooster, Skull and Puma.

The ninth episode, The Sun and The Moon, however is the final one and is about the main group and their allies defeating Lord Mictlan. It's AMAZING, it's an episode that rivals with my favorite episode of Ren & Stimpy, "The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen". Both episodes hold special places in my heart, albeit, the Yaksmen episode has a more special place but Mat3's ninth episode is close.

General rating

It's a really great show that would take you only around ~4:30-5 hours long with amazing visuals and lovable characters!

10/10 series!

#maya and the three #mat3

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jackienautism · 11 months

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sort of going off my most recent post, copy and pasted something from my notes back in ? october. was inspired to write something due to this post i saw

i obv don’t search out content through tags as much as i used to (for this exact reason i’m abt to discuss) BUT LOL. FUCK. YES it’s very easy to notice that kaitlyn is the most “competent” of the counselor group. she’s smart enough to know what is and isn’t fucking stupid as hell. but even THEN. it bothers me so much when ppl label her as the “normal” one or the ONLY one “who sits and watches while everyone else does absurd crap.” BECAUSE… LOOK AT HOW THIS FREAK ACTS AND TALKS IN GAME… yeah it could easily be attributed to shitty writing, which is something i can def talk abt some other time but. SHES FAR FROM NORMAL…. and i mean this with so much love in my heart i promise, but if we played the same damn game it’s evident something is very wrong with her LOL. she’s not only the group’s damage control. she’s not only there to make sure they don’t lose their fucking heads. she does and says SO many effed up things BC ITS JUST HOW SHES CONDITIONED… and does that paint a depiction of someone who’s 100% Competent and Normal ? she dares emma what she dares bc she thinks it’s the “right” thing for abi, despite it VERY OBVIOUSLY upsetting her. she acts like a dick towards jacob abt emma breaking up with him, despite being apparently very close childhood friends?? she comforts emma after finding out her best friend fucking died by telling her that her death was quick. being blunt and mean as seen from kaitlyn isn’t what society sees as “normal,” unless i’m missing something goddamn huge!!!!! reducing her down to the only “regular” person there rids her of what already LITTLE nuance her character has! it’s not fair to her, and overall it’s just. it’s fucking insulting! because of COUUUURSE it’s the Token Asian Girl right? of course SHE gets to bear the title of Token Normal And Smart One Of The Friend Group😊😊 despite having several moments in canon that CONTRADICT THAT SENTIMENT! let kaitlyn be silly! let kaitlyn contribute to the chaos! just because she knows when to put a end to something doesn’t mean shes incapable of doing stupid and fun shit just cause!!!!!!!

basically. it’s fuckin weird that kaitlyn is given this specific title being the only woman of color. she’s literally just emily davis without the “unlikable” parts, meaning ppl are SUDDENLY gonna be much more willing + adamant to place this characterization upon her and reduce her down to it!

#mine #text #kaitlyn ka #the quarry #my thoughts #my TQ tag #my kaitlyn tag #[emma mountebank voice] ok :) i’m done #TQ

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bluesdesk · 1 year

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HELLO AND WELCOME TO

me trying to write the backstories for all the Links in Linked Universe, actually finishing all the backstories!

Let's start with Sky's!

Despite being a day of Autumn, a period of time people on Earth could call the month of November, that day was sunny and fresh. The sky was totally clear, if not for that cloud barrier under the island, and the loftwings with their hylian friends were flying and tweeting happily.

It was just like a fairy tale.

That day, a baby boy was born.

Son of one of the best knights of Skyloft, the commander of an army ready to save everyone and also experts of combat and island defense. His mother instead was a great artist and the best tailor in town, the one in charge of making the knight tunics for the students of the academy who passed the wing ceremony, she also made clothes with different patterns she created.

For their baby, they chose a really special name, Link. It was common to name the kids after some (believed extinct) small bird breeds the inhabitants could find in a huge book at the academy.

But "Link" wasn't in that book. They just liked the meaning of the name and how it sounded, and decided the tradition wasn't going to stop them.

His mother was the best friend of the academy headmaster's wife. The headmaster, Gaepora, became a close friend of Link's father when he got married with Link's mother.

When Link was born, Gaepora's wife was expecting a baby, and in case it was a girl she liked the name Zelda, a name that had gone unused for a long time. She too refused to follow the tradition.

Regardless of their gender, the two besties decided their kids would spend their time together to hopefully be besties like their mothers.

Link was a happy and lively kid. Often sleeping, but he loved looking at his mother working or painting. He loved Zelda's mother too, he and his mom were in her room the moment she gave birth to her baby girl some time later, in the month humans on Earth called July, with Gaepora and few doctors. And they were there too when she started to feel unwell right after her child was born, the doctors shouted something, and and then Link quickly found himself in his mom's arms as she held him and the newborn Zelda tight at her chest, and brought them away from that room that was now becoming a place of death instead of birth.

Zelda was fed with Link's bottle, put into some blankets, and then Gaepora came and sang a lullaby that made both the kids sleep peacefully, unaware Zelda's mother had had serious complications and didn't make it.

The day after, Link's mother realized all that happened. She was desperate.

For more than 2 years she refused to get out of her home and meet people. She worked so hard as a way to cope she could finish the work of a year in only a few months. 10 years in about 2 and a half years. But wait, she wasn’t a bad mother at all! She loved her son, she knew great bedtime stories, she cooked well, she hugged him a lot, and he loved drawing, learning things from her, and going to the bazaar with his father, and telling both his parents he would become the greatest knight one day.

But still, he mostly lived at home, and so he didn’t really have friends.

In the meantime, the little Zelda was growing up around lots of people. Her father was the headmaster of the Knight Academy after all, and while he was too busy to give her attention she would play with Henya, with the other professors, and with some students. Living in an academy meant she would sneak into the classrooms to get hugs, crawling at first, then with a walker, and then walking and running on her own. She met so many people during the day, but her father knew she could feel she lacked something. He was trying so hard to fill that void, even if he knew he couldn’t even be half as good as his wife in bedtime stories, in those cute silly games kids liked, and in a variety of other things.

Link’s mother let time heal her. When Link was 3 years old, she decided it was time to meet Zelda and Gaepora again, and hopefully let Link and Zelda be friends.

That day he was with both his mother and father. The fact his mother was outside, walking with them towards the academy, felt strange for him, in a good way of course, he was happy to see her finally getting some fresh air! And looking at all the loftwings flying above!

Link had been many times at the academy before that tragic event, but couldn’t remember it, he was too young. He just thought the place looked familiar and great.

Many people, mostly professors and other members of the staff, recognized the kid as the commander’s son and acted like they had known him forever. Instead, he had never met anyone except for his parents and the nice sellers at the bazaar. He felt anxious and embarrassed. When Gaepora reached the family to greet them and reassure them he could understand Link’s mother perfectly, the little boy felt overwhelmed by the too many people around him. He ran upstairs, found a slightly open door and got in, only to find Zelda laid on her bed, looking at some illustrations in a book. They were about animals, flowers, trees, and various places he didn’t know.

Zelda jumped off her bed and greeted him. She was so excited! He was the only kid her age she had ever met. Well, same for Link. She noticed he didn’t really know what to do, so she handed him her book, and suggested looking at the images together, saying that since they couldn’t read, they could think up some names for all those unknown animals and plants. She thought everything in the book wasn’t real, they must have been some creatures from fantasy stories, the ones her father tried to tell her before going to sleep, only for him to fall asleep before her.

The atmosphere was great, and the kids spent quality time together, looking at the pictures and guessing names, until Link’s parents found them. They were worried, they thought he got lost in the academy, or got out without telling them. Instead the kids were now friends, and they would become best friends in no time.

Some years passed, and the kids were every year closer to each other. Link’s mother had invited Zelda to sleep at her home when she felt like listening to bedtime stories, and Zelda loved to bring history books with her, so they often ended up reading something that felt unreal, imaginary, but was in fact real, they just didn’t know it. Zelda had her own new bed in Link’s house, her own mug, and her own chair at the table. Of course, Link was given a bed in the academy for when he wanted to stay there, and sneak into the kitchen in the morning to eat Henya’s perfect breakfast, and then into the classrooms to listen to some history lessons.

When Link started going to school at age 6, Zelda followed him, starting to attend the lessons one year in advance. She had learnt to read and write early, her father taught her and Link the basics when she wasn't even 5 years old. She knew a lot more than other kids, so she integrated perfectly. The other kids loved to be around her, she was the "little one", and the headmaster's daughter! However, while still liking her new friends, Zelda remained as close to Link as before, nothing changed. Link was sometimes seen as an obstacle in the other kids' views though, the one that was always with Zelda. The fact the two were the best students in their classroom didn’t help.

One day, a huge cloud formation appeared in the sky, completely covering some of the best little islands the Skyloftians knew. Link’s father and his army investigated the situation but at least then they couldn’t find anything relevant. The small floating islands were still there, intact, and aside from being humid and dark, that place looked kinda… natural.

Some days later, at the start of Spring, the kids got their loftwings. Link’s one arrived later compared to the other kids his age. He should have gotten his the year before, with the kids born during his same year, but his loftwing didn’t show up and he got convinced by everyone around that his feathered friend was “Zelda’s loftwing’s bestie” and they would show up together the year after. Some kids like Groose started addressing him as the kid without a loftwing, or “Mr. no loftwing”.

Luckily, one year later his crimson loftwing showed up and surprised everyone with its rarity, its brightness, and its regality. It looked like it was sent by the goddess Hylia herself!

The knights hadn’t noticed anything in the thunderhead because the parasite hiding there was still invisible and it hadn’t reproduced on a large scale yet. But its replication speed increased exponentially, and in no time those pests got on everyone who ventured into or near the thunderhead, then bringing them on the mainland. The effects of the parasites were catastrophic, with burning fevers, headaches and loss of strength. The infected people were either forced in their beds or acted like zombies.

Everyone with knowledge on parasites and medical issues on Skyloft reunited to find a solution. Luckily, the kids weren’t affected, or not as much as elders or fragile people.

Link and Zelda were some of the first kids to get ill, but healed in a short time as their young, strong and healthy bodies weren't a good habitat for the ultra small monsters.

However, Link's mother was in the fragile category, even though she didn't know it. In fact, she was, still unknowingly, carrying Link's younger sibling with her. She got infected, the parasites quickly took over the fetus and then her, leaving her body really few chances of surviving…

Link was almost 7 years old.

He was given his personal room at the academy, pretty much like Zelda had her own. His father had healed perfectly from the infection and was ready to find the source of the illness and defeat it, for the safety of everyone, but mostly to avenge the death of his adorable and skilled wife, Link’s mother. He was often out for work, and Link couldn't live alone.

His new room was bigger than his former one, even though it was the only place he could consider his, instead of an entire home.

The kids tried to fill their newly opened gap by learning Link's mom's favorite activities. Zelda had been taught the basics of sewing some years before, she had never given it a chance though, maybe now was the right time. Link needed to do something too! As he already knew how to draw and often illustrated his and Zelda's loftwings, he technically had learnt one of her favorite activities. However, only the thought of doing nothing new in her honor made him feel bad, he had to do something for her! Then, he had an idea: he could make his mom the gift of turning her drawings into something real. He asked around, and he found out wood carving was a thing. In a relatively short time, Link had become a new kind of artist. Of course, the loftwings were his favorite subjects. And he loved to see Zelda making small clothes for his little creations!

The knights took a few years to defeat all the parasites. But they couldn’t, even by using all their knowledge, do any scratch to the thunderhead. Not even the help of Levias, a huge and wise Sky Spirit, could do anything. However, Levias suggested that he could live in the thunderhead to watch over it, so he could inform the knights of anything suspicious. The Sky Spirit, though, didn't know he had been infected. The effects on him were different than those the Hylians showed. In fact, the parasite began slowly growing inside him.

When Link was 11 years old, Levias had ceased to send regular information on the thunderhead. The knights, guided by Link’s father, went investigating, only to find the Sky Spirit corrupted, the parasite had grown inside him at the point it took control of him and had become huge. Bylocite.

The knights tried everything, but the monster was totally unknown to them and they couldn't guess any of its next moves. Their loftwings got scarred and muted into skeletal monsters, making the knights fall and disappear. Link’s father and his loftwing got hit too, managed to escape, but by the time they got back on Skyloft they had already lost all of their strength and too much blood. They both died shortly after having informed the professors on what was happening. Levias's name wasn't to be pronounced anymore, Link wasn't even informed on the cause of his father's death.

Only Pumm, the owner of Lumpy Pumpkin, could send a knight there once a year, only to leave his famous soup and get out as fast as possible. It was Levias's favorite, everyone hoped it would help.

Link and Zelda got closer, Link found comfort in wood carving and playing with Zelda, he was also determined to become the best knight and, maybe one day, find what killed his father and defeat it.

As he had become the best of his classmates, even being able to challenge the senior students, Groose began bullying him. He wasn’t really in shape to fight back, he had so much to process in those times, so Zelda took his back, defending him every time. Of course, this led to the bullies making fun of Link for being saved by his "girlfriend" (though they weren't in a relationship).

Link didn't let anything and anybody stop his determination though, he was the first to get into the classroom, the one who asked the most questions and who trained the most. He loved to fly with his companion and to improve his sword techniques by exercising in his room. This led to his window being broken several times, and the loftwings used the hole to get their heads in the room to be pet, or to bring Link various things.

It happened so many times Gaepora decided to completely replace the window with a wooden one.

Zelda, of course, taught her companion to bring Link letters.

When Link was about 14 Zelda had started to have frequent sleepless nights, and he would always stay with her and try to make her relax and hopefully fall asleep. She told Link images of monsters and destruction would often appear once she closed her eyes, and even if she had tried everything to make them stop, they were there, getting worse in her short sleep and bringing nightmares.

Luckily, this lasted only a few months. But both Link and Zelda couldn't get to class in time during that time, and had to work hard to keep up with the other students. This led to them, especially Link, to mess up their sleeping schedule, and it led Link to get bullied more.

Nothing strange happened for about 3 years, only that Zelda sometimes heard sounds, more like an unclear voice, coming from below. She got used to it though, and as nobody else could hear the voice she kept the thing for herself. Link had returned to sleep well, almost sleeping too much. He found out he missed sleeping more than he imagined, at the point Zelda began calling him sleepyhead. Link found out he didn't mind the nickname, in fact he kinda liked it when said by her, well maybe because he had started to like everything about her. Though, he was afraid she wouldn't feel the same, so he decided to keep his feelings a secret.

Then, it was his turn for nightmares. Visions of his loftwing abandoning him, visions of Zelda falling off hers, a huge monster eating Zelda, someone holding Zelda's dead body and much more. Mostly, he hated those dreams in which Zelda was in danger and he was too late to save her or he was unable to move. He would shiver in his sleep, scream, or move enough to fall from his bed.

He would get to class already tired, he spent his free time in the day trying to sleep from exhaustion rather than exercising with his loftwing.

His grades, luckily, didn't change that much, as he could at least study when he couldn't sleep.

He didn't really want to annoy everyone so he tried to hide it, being seen as lazy, weak, or with his head in the clouds in return.

In the meantime, the thunderhead had gotten a thicker cloud barrier, it was impossible for everyone to get in, and Pumm stopped making soup for Levias, that was still possessed, even if nobody had seen him after what happened with Link's father. Maybe Levias still had some senses and decided to hide from the Hylians so he could avoid killing people.

The academic year had almost come to an end and Link's situation hadn't changed at all. At least, Zelda was always there for him, so beautiful, strong, wise, and sometimes chaotic. He was sure his feelings for her would never change…

The day of the Wing ceremony had finally arrived.

------

After the adventure, he and Zelda decided to live on the surface, as the goddess Hylia had intended for all the inhabitants of Skyloft (or at least, Zelda said so). The two had started to imagine what a future village would look like, and found the perfect place on the border of Faron Woods with the help of the locals, Sheikah included. The tribe left them some hints on how to find them, and when they met they offered them a temporary house and all the hospitality they could give.

Link and Zelda, now an established couple, were going to invite some other civilians, like Groose or Gaepora, to the Surface. They called their loftwings, that surprisingly heard them, and headed to Skyloft. Zelda managed to land safely, while a huge portal opened in front of Link and his crimson loftwing. Link disappeared, while his loftwing went through and past the portal like it didn't exist or have any mass at all…

#lionesswrites #linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu sky #lu sun #backstories #lu #groose #skyward sword #skyward sword hd #zelda #the legend of zelda #the legend of zelda skyward sword

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grey-spark · 2 years

Note

Quick question: What's the deal with Mari and Sunny's dad? The main thing we know about him is that he may have disowned Sunny after the incident but that could just be Sunny being unreliable.

Alright, it's time I put this to rest once and for all. (big spoilers)

Its never outright stated that Sunny’s father disowned his son.

It is also never outright stated that Humphrey is the oldest because this game has a funny habit of never confirming any of its lore. OMOCAT wrote the game in such a way that leaves room for interpretation, while still giving heavy implications as to what actually happened. Maybe the oldest is one of those Deeper Well creatures? But that's silly. In other words, the evidence corners you into only one conclusion about Humphrey, and I believe the same is true about Sunny being disowned by his father.

I think the only reason there's any confusion about this matter at all is because most fans don't have an in-depth knowledge of Black Space 2 and the picture it paints of the events after Mari's death. So I guess that's what I'll try to do here. So lets start with what the BS2 pond tells us. Read through each one of these. Assume they take place in the span of a month.

The two main take-aways are as follows:

1) Sunny is in a state of complete emotional distress.

2) Meanwhile, his father shows a fit of anger, chopping down his favorite tree. Then abandons Sunny, driving away.

What sticks out most is what’s absent here. Sunny and his Dad are both mentioned and yet there is no sign of emotional support given to Sunny by his father. In fact, its never mentioned. Not here, not anywhere. Nowhere in this entire game is a single sign of Sunny's dad giving him emotional support. They don't do ANYTHING together. By contrast, Sunny's mom took Sunny furniture shopping and Mari to flower classes. There is not a single instance of Sunny and his dad doing anything one on one.

Now, I want to be very careful when making moral condemnations in regards to characters since OMOCAT seemingly tries to avoid it. It's like what Kel says, "doing something bad, doesn't make you bad.” That being said....

Regardless of his reasoning; be it cowardice, lack of attention, or outright disownment. Sunny's father did something terrible by abandoning Sunny and his wife when they needed him most. And he did so without giving any emotional warmth or support whatsoever, implying resentment on his part.

That is just a fact, 100% confirmed by the game.

The reason I wanted to start by giving a profile of Sunny's dad, is to show you just who emotionally vacant he is in this entire process. And when you compound his cold behavior with all the other facts I'm about to go through, the picture becomes very damning.

Getting to the question you asked. This isn't about whether he's a bad person. The real mystery is whether he knew The Truth, and did he disown Sunny for real. Let's take a look. So I'm sure most fans are familiar with what Sunny's mom says on the couch.

But something less known is what she says in a BS2. If you interact with a box in Cloud Walkway: "You hear MOM crying softly. There, there... SUNNY... We'll protect you... Everything will be okay...

There's so much to unpack here.

So in the first one, she’s afraid of "losing" Sunny and him not being a "good boy". Some people have theorized that maybe she's afraid of Sunny committing suicide as well. But that doesn't really square with the "good boy" comment. That would imply that she thinks Mari is a bad girl for killing herself. Maybe that's possible, but the word "lose" feels so active. Why would she just assume Sunny would be thinking about taking his own life in that moment. It all feels a bit contrived with her knowing the truth. Here's a thought:

She saw the mess on the floor. She's worried about him going to jail. She's worried about him being a murderer.

But still, all of this feels vague, its not like there’s anything that directly implies that the mom knows what he did...

Oh...

Yeah.... im pretty sure the mom and the phone are synonymous. So what this tells us is that, at the very least, Sunny canonically thinks his mother knows what happened. And then we have that line "We'll protect you." Notice how inclusive that is, it says that whatever she knew, his Dad knew as well.

So lets put it all together.

The mom 'knows what he did.'

The mom probably told the dad thinking he'd be on board.

He becomes angry, chops down the tree.

Walks out of this life in the coldest way possible.

Oh and then there's that one scene where his shadow literally says, "stay away you are not my son."

In conclusion,

Sunny’s mom is worried about her son killing himself and thinks Mari is a bad girl for doing so. Neither parent pieced things together, missing the blood on the floor and assuming the violin broke on its own. And Sunny's dad walked out on him in the coldest way imaginable, definitely not saying "you are not my son" in a fit of rage in a scene that we already know actually happened through real world and black space evidence, but apparently him actually saying the words didn't happen because.... i don't know.

But seriously, we can't know for sure Sunny's Dad disowned Sunny. But the cutscene and everything else sure implies that he did.

#omori #omori meta #omori sunny #omori spoilers #omori sunny's dad #omori lore #omori analysis

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greenteaanon · 2 years

Text

Death Palette Reader

In Genshin Impact Sagau!

Warning: Second POV, light mention of Gore, Death, Obsessiveness, Cult Themes, Fem! Reader

Spoilers for Death palette

!¡Read with caution¡!

Tell me if I missed anything -GreenTea

In everyone's residence wether it be small, or Big, rich, or poor all across teyvat in a dimly lit room there's always a painting a replica of a Young Girl with a blue flower, the rest is all monotoned colors and they call her "The Girl with the Blue Flower".

The way the paintings they have varies, Some she's sitting on a bed, some paintings she's holding an unpeeled apple with a knife, or with a bird and a cat, some are her eating macarons and drinking tea, some are her in a garden sitting on a red bench, near a river with 2 bridges or in a garden of blue flowers, the most popular are her sitting idly with a blue box and a bird cage.

In a small unnamed island east of Guyun stone forest and North Inazuma stood a manor on it, in one of the dimly rooms a painting in an easel covered by a sheet was uncovered. A Merchant was left alone

"Heehee, have you come to paint me?" A sweet voice spoke up within the room, too dim for the man to indentify the person who spoke. "Who...Who said that?" The man questioned. "Me Silly~" you moved your hand to wave, though robotically and stiff it gave off a slight "comforting" but ominous vibe. The merchant's breath hitched when his eyes landed on the painting. A girl sitting there one eye closed in all monotone colors...but a red eye.

"A Painter? Am I finally getting painted....you are a painter right?" You tilted your head to the side stiffly. The man nodded no. "It's rude to stare at a lady you know" you retorted back. "Get to painting...though I'm feeling peckish, I'm sure my acolytes won't mind if I asked for some food...."

In less that a moment Who have been known as the God of anemo, Barbatos walked in with an apple and handed it to the painter and whispered "Paint it how she likes her apples" softly like a warning. 'How she likes it??? I don't even know who she is.'

"Tsk tsk...how long must you take" You said in annoyance "But there is no paint to use" the man mumbled out "Oh..here—" a flame appeared on her fingertips "Oh dear it's too bright let me....shrink the flame" The flame shranked and the man stumbles back 'my chest...it's hurts....' a stinging pain in his chest rised.

"Your life is like a small candle flame...what color will it be, Blue like the sky, Yellow like a sour lemon, or red like....hehe let's see~"

The man picked up the brush "I'm bored and hungry too, I wonder whose screams will sate my appetite" you giggled.

"Now Paint. Put your soul into it. Stake your life on it" you whispered.

The merchant painted the apple on her hands, and colored it red "Oh. an apple. It looks delicious." You stopped speaking and opened your eyes and looked at him "But I can't eat it when it's still unpeeled. I see now. you want ME to peel it!" The man visibly gulped He's upsetted her.

"I'm very good at peeling things, you know!" You tilted your head to the right in an almost impossible manner and lifted your hand up.

The merchant was discovered in the studio with all their skin peeled off. No. 2 skinned

A couple figures walked in "What a great performance that was your Grace" Morax..or Zhongli spoke up.

"Yes..yes..and another day without me getting painted" you sighed.

"Some day we will come across a painter to paint you, Your Grace" Ei spoke sweetly.

____________________________________________

A/n: I don't know about this one...I was just Hyperfixated on this game a friend recommended to me....I also highly recommended Death palette for puzzle and story loving people.

#sagau #genshin fanfic #genshin impact cult au #genshin impact sagau #genshin sagau #death palette #genshin reader insert

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ijustwant2write · 3 years

Text

A Secret Romantic-Benedict Bridgerton x Reader x Eloise Bridgerton (Platonic)

(GIF credit to @aryaofoldstones)

Requested by anonymous: ‘Hello! I saw your looking for Bridgerton requests, I would love some Benedict x Eloise sibling fluff! They have such a good dynamic in the show and I need more’

(I wouldn’t mind making another part of this if people want it tbh)

Characters: Benedict Bridgerton x Reader, Eloise Bridgerton x Reader (platonic)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

(Y/L/N)=Your last name

Warnings: Fluff, fluff, fluff

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Eloise’s gloved hands clung onto her book as she and her family arrived at yet another social event, a ball once again. Her mama had ensured she was dressed to catch the eyes of men, and Eloise knew that meant there would be no room for intelligent conversation. With Daphne now married to the Duke, Eloise had more pressure on her shoulders than she imagined, having to find a suitor of similar standards. However, it wasn’t just her on the market, her brothers were too, especially Benedict (Violet knew it would be extremely difficult to marry off Anthony first, opting for the second eldest son).

Eloise smiled whenever her mama looked her way, though it quickly disappeared once she turned around. Benedict had been instructed to escort her sister around the ball to help seek out suitors, the men knew each other or something about someone; he could help her meet the right one.

“I cannot believe I am here.” Eloise moaned as she looped her arm through her brothers.

“Believe me sister, I do not wish to be here either.”

“Why must you parade me around like a horse at a dressage in order to find a new owner?” Eloise kept catching the men’s gazes, turning up her nose in disgust.

“So dramatic.” he chuckled.

She scoffed.“Well, if you’re going to advise me on who I should be marrying, I shall do the same for you. Now let’s see...”

Eloise looked around the room at all the women, wondering who would be the best match for her brother. Most of these women had no personalities, relying on their outfits to express themselves. Eloise knew of some ladies that were nice, though had nothing in common with her brother.

Eloise shrugged, tugging on her brother’s arm towards the door.“Ah, there’s no one here for us. Let us make haste and leave-”

“Oh no you don’t,” Benedict pulled her back,“we have been strictly told to stay for the night, even if it is just to socialise and...get our names out there.”

Eloise groaned a little too loudly, Ben ducking his head in embarrassment.“How long do these balls go on for?”

“I have never stayed for the full duration.”

“That’s not the answer I want to hear.”

Benedict glanced down at her, somehow only just realising that Eloise had brought a book with her.“Is that book sewed to your hand sister?”

“I brought it just in case I became bored. Which I am already.”

“I shall go and grab us some refreshments. Might as well enjoy them whilst we’re here.”

Eloise let her brother slip away, quickly finding a hiding spot by leaning up against a wall, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds. She opened her book, continuing where she left off, happy she brought a pencil to scribble down notes for later. The studying never stopped for Eloise.

“Excuse me?” a woman’s voice interrupted her too soon.

Eloise tried her best to be polite, though her smile came off as sarcastic.“Yes?”

“Sorry,” the woman looked taken back,“I thought you were reading a book that I am reading at the moment, but I was wrong. I’ve disturbed you, I shall leave you alone-”

“Wait,” Eloise had now sparked an interest. No other lady had ever approached her like this,“I don’t mean to be rude. What book had you expected?”

“It’s oh so obvious, but I’ve been reading ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. It’s the newest book out at the moment, and my mama lets me read it seeing as it involves a woman finding someone to marry. Although, it’s definitely about something deeper, that’s just what I told her.”

“I don’t indulge in romantic novels myself, but I am glad to hear of a female author selling her work.”

“It’s fantastic. And it’s nice to be able to read something without it being snatched out of my hands. Oh, where are my manners? I’m (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Sorry, I’ve been dancing with men all night and none of the conversations have been as riveting as this so far.”

“Why am I not surprised?” they both laughed.“I’m Eloise Bridgerton.”

(Y/N) tried to not show her shock when she heard the surname. They were only the most talked about family, her mama had gone on and on about them, especially when Lady Whistledown mentioned them in her writings.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Might I ask what it is that you are reading?”

“It is to do with my studies. I truly hate these events, so I thought I would ensure my mind was being worked properly.” Eloise realised that could come off as rude, squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment.“I did not mean to offend you by that.”

“It really isn’t any bother.” (Y/N) giggled.“I rather enjoy these just for the dancing and drinks, I find promenading to be more successful in finding a suitor. Though I would much rather sneak off and see if I can get a few more pages in of a book I shouldn’t be reading.”

“Eloise, why must you go wondering off like that...” Benedict’s words trailed off as he approached his sister, spotting a beautiful woman stood by her.

Eloise’s eyes flickered between the two, and she smiled when she saw the adoration in her brother’s eyes. Cheekily taking the two glasses from his hands, she passed one to (Y/N), who awkwardly took it. (Y/N) had gazed upon the Bridgerton men in passing, they were very nice to look at. Of course, she never divulged in any fantasies about them, that would be silly. But seeing one in front of her had taken her breath away.

“Thank you brother.” Eloise said, taking a sip.“This is Lady (Y/N) (Y/L/N), a new friend of mine.”

He gently took her free hand in his, bending forwards slightly to kiss it. (Y/N) had this done to her many times, but this was different. Benedict made her feel butterflies in her stomach. Eloise could tell her mama was going to love this.

She cleared her throat.“We were just speaking of art, actually.”

(Y/N) furrowed her eyebrows.“We were talking about books.”

“I was about to move the topic along.”

“What kind of art would that be then?” Benedict asked, knowing what game his sister was playing.

“The...drawing, kind.”

“Isn’t all art drawn?”

“No, it is also painted.”

“I think artists may sketch out a rough idea before painting.”

“Well you would know brother, seeing as you yourself are an artist.”

“I wouldn’t say that-”

“You paint, Lord Bridgerton?” (Y/N) asked.

“Ah, yes, and I sketch.” he hoped his cheeks weren’t turning red.

“Anything in particular?”

“Mostly people.”

“Are you both attending the art exhibition my family are holding next week?”

“That’s your families’ exhibit?” Benedict became excited.

“Yes, my father collects a lot of art work. Then mother realised she could make a social event out of it, but at least everyone will be able to admire the work.”

“Would you believe it, we already have it noted down in our social calendar!” Eloise informed (Y/N). Benedict could sense her over-reacting, trying to keep a smile as (Y/N)’s face lit up in excitement.

“Perfect!” (Y/N) looked back up at Ben, making him stand a little taller.“It will be nice to have someone there who knows about the artwork. It will make for an interesting conversation. Just don’t let my father lecture you, he will talk for far too long! And I know you will be too polite to try and get away.”

“My brother is very polite.” Eloise said.“In fact, I’m surprised he hasn’t-”

“Excuse me for the intrusion,” a young man said from beside (Y/N),“but I was wondering if we could resume our dance lady (Y/N)?”

(Y/N) was smiling, but Eloise knew that look; it was the face women made when a man who made them uncomfortable approached, but they had to remain ladylike and polite.

“Actually my brother just asked her and she said yes. You two best make your way to the floor before the music starts again.” Eloise nudged her brother.

Benedict was confused at his sisters offer, until he locked eyes with (Y/N) again. They were pleading him to sweep her away, she was even leaning away from this man. He had been disrespectful in some way, and he wasn’t letting (Y/N) go through that again (despite only knowing the girl for a few minutes). He smugly smiled at the man, holding out his arm which (Y/N) took a little too quickly. Eloise was happy with herself as the pair walked off, sending the man a death glare when he asked her to dance instead. Once he left, her eyes went back to find her brother, who was already dancing with (Y/N), both smiling and laughing. Her mama was going to be ecstatic about this.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Eloise sat in the drawing room, obviously lounging with a book. Her younger siblings were being irritating as usual, running around her in circles. Before they arrived, she had peace. Eloise wanted a few moments alone, because she knew her mama would be bursting with questions about the night before.

“Ah, there you are.” Violet said as she walked in.

The book flopped into Eloise’s lap, a frown on her face. There goes her reading time.

“So, how was last night? Did you meet anyone?” her mama sat beside her.“You two, go play outside if you’re going to run around please.”

The children stopped as their mama spoke, sending each other devilish grins before they ran out of the room again, their giggling echoing down the halls. Violet went to shout after them, but decided to leave it be, there were more pressing matters.

“Well mama, do you see any suitors?” Eloise gestured around her.

Violet sighed.“Did you even try last night?”

“My life will not be reduced to a single night where I was forced to peacock around in order to please a man.”

“Oh, Eloise, must you make everything so dramatic?”

“Funny, Benedict said the same thing.”

“Actually, where is your brother? I have not seen him all morning.”

“He went out.” Eloise was relieved that the focus would now be off of her.“He’s calling upon a lady.”

Violet’s eyes widened.“What? When? Who?”

“Lady (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”

“(Y/L/N)? They are quite reputable.”

Eloise rolled her eyes.“Mama, she is a lovely girl. I don’t think you should just judge her on what family she comes from.”

“Oh, so you approve of this girl?”

“I...I mean...Well, I only spoke with her for a mere few minutes.”

“But?”

Eloise let out a huff.“I enjoyed her company. I think Benedict likes her. I didn’t see him for the rest of the night until it was time to leave. He spent all his time with her.”

Violet became overjoyed.“Oh, what marvelous news! I wish he had told me. Do you know what he took to her? Flowers? Food?”

“I have no idea mama. Just wait for his return and he will tell you all the details. I am not a psychic.”

Violet was impatient as she awaited the return of her son. Poor Collin had also been questioned when he showed up in the drawing room, but he had overslept in bed, waking with a terrible headache. It seemed that it was about to come back to him when his mama bombarded him with questions as to why he hadn’t called upon anyone that morning. Eloise kept her giggles quiet, ducking behind her book when Collin sent her daggers.

Poor Benedict had no idea what was in store for him. His cheeks were aching from how much he was smiling. He wasn’t surprised when he arrived at the (Y/L/N)’s house and saw multiple callers for (Y/N). However, jealousy rose inside him when he thought about these men dancing with her, trying to convince her that they were the man to marry. He held a beautiful bouquet of flowers, remembering that (Y/N) had mentioned her favourite the night before. Looking around at any other flowers she received, he was glad to see no other gentleman had chose it. Surely that would show he was listening? He endured sonnets, stories, songs and boasting from the other men, trying not to show his dissatisfaction as each one stepped forward. There was pressure that her parents were there, especially when he realised he was the last gentleman, everyone else had left.

(Y/N) had been incredibly anxious when she saw Benedict that morning. He had been the only man she genuinely smiled at, hoping he came at his own will, not forced by his mama. The night before had been the best ball (Y/N) had ever been to. Benedict was sweet, charming, handsome and interesting. They were able to talk about anything and everything, no small talk involved like all the other men she danced with. He had swooned her, and here he was, calling upon her.

Back at the Bridgerton house, Violet had not sat down since talking Collin’s ear off. Eloise was still in the drawing room with her, as were her two youngest siblings, munching on biscuits as they threw questions at their mama. She did not have all the answers, sometimes not even hearing them speak for she was too deep in her thoughts. At one point, she did sit, but beside the window, o the lookout for any signs of her son. When a carriage pulled up in front of the house, Violet leapt out of her seat, startling her children. She made a beeline to the door, standing there with her hands clasped together. When Benedict walked in, he too flinched, not expecting his mama to be there.

“Mama, how long have you been stood there?” Benedict asked as he walked past her, pinching a biscuit from his brother’s plate.

“She’s been waiting for you.” Eloise explained, also excited to hear about his calling.

“I hope you sat down at some point.” he joked, sitting beside Eloise and slouching.

Violet hurried to sit on the sofa across him.“You didn’t tell me you were calling on a lady this morning.”

“Well, we got back late from the ball yesterday evening, and I had to leave early to ensure I got there in good time. Though it seemed every other man thought that too.”

“There were many men there?”

“Yes, quite a few.”

Eloise straightened up at her brother’s grumpy expression.“You really like her!”

“How wonderful!” Violet gushed.

“Do not get ahead of yourselves.”

“But you do, don’t you? Otherwise you wouldn’t have called on her.”

Ben was lost for words. He couldn’t argue with that, and he did like seeing his mama happy.“Yes, yes I do. And it would seem she reciprocates the feelings.”

“This is such good news! I must see what our social calendar looks like, we must ensure you two spend time together.”

“Actually mama-” Eloise went to tell her about the art exhibit until Ben interrupted.

“Good idea mama.” he nodded, smiling at her as she walked away, a spring in her step. Once she was gone, he let out a big breath.“I just needed a moment without questions from her.”

“Well, you’re going to have questions from me.” Eloise angled her body to face him, her elbow perched on the sofa with her face resting in her hand.“I didn’t think you were going to call upon her. Are my match making skills really that good?”

“I hate to admit it, but yes, you have done an excellent job.” Benedict felt relaxed thinking about (Y/N).

“So, what happened this morning?”

“I took her flowers, she told me her favourites last night, and then I had to sit there whilst her other gentleman callers desperately tried to impress her. It was agony! Finally I was able to have time with her, and it was just...I don’t know how to put it into words.”

“Did you bring her anything else?”

Benedict became bashful.“I brought her a sketchbook, like the one I have. She mentioned how she used to often sketch when she was younger. I thought it would be a unique gift.”

“Benedict, you truly are a romantic at heart.”

“For her I am, yes.”

Eloise smiled for her brother, until a smirk fell on his face.“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Aw, is someone also a secret romantic?”

“No!” Eloise protested, quickly grabbing her book again.“I am just happy you found someone.”

“And you helped, because you secretly want everyone to find someone.”

“No I don’t! You’re ruining this moment now Benedict.”

“Don’t worry Eloise, you’ll find someone.” Ben joked.

She groaned.“You are insufferable...but I still want to go to that art exhibit.”

“To see love bloom?”

“N-no, to see the art work.”

“Of course, of course. But, thank you Eloise.”

She tried not to smile, but couldn’t help it.“You’re welcome.”

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diffuserlover · 3 years

Text

High School Rivalry

-fem!reader x ot7 x Hybe Japan

-genre: angst, supernatural, friendships??

-TW: mentions of blood, kidnapping, killing, death, and teeth

-one-shot

-Description: You have been best friends with Jay, Sunghoon, and Jake since elementary school now you guys are in your last year of high school. But over the past year your friends have been acting different, keeping things from you, sneaking around at night, and hanging out with 4 other guys from your school. Soon after you confronted the guys of their behavior the other 4 took you in their friend group. Now in the present, the biggest football game of the school year was coming up. Bats vs Wolves. School rivals BigHit East and BigHit West. A school tradition is that a week before the game the football teams would prank each other. But this year the prank became personal when the wolves kidnapped one of the only things they cared about…you

You walk through the halls of your dark school, streamers of red, white, and black hanging from the ceiling to show school spirit. Posters posted on the walls saying “Friday the 13th come to the big game Bats vs Wolves” This is all you have been hearing about, one because every talks about it, and two because your friends are on the team. Speaking of your friends you spot them standing in probably the darkest part of the school.

“It still shocks me that they decided to paint a whole wall black, it makes the school seem so dark and gloomy” you say as you walk up to the guys.

“You say that everyday” Heeseung says.

“I saw it in hopes that a teacher will hear me and do something about it” you say.

“Anyways, are you going to the game?” Jay says.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” you say.

“When it comes to the big game you get kinda weird” Sunghoon says.

“Weird? What no?” you say. Jungwon raises his eyebrow at you.

“Last year you ripped all the posters off the wall and got detention for 3 days” Jungwon says.

“They were poorly made posters” you say shrugging.

“She’s in denial” Riki laughs. You roll your eyes as the warning bell goes off.

“See you guys later” you say walking off to class with Jay.

School went by in a flash, you start to walk out to your space grey SUV to leave school. All of the other guys claimed they had somewhere to go. Even though your close with them you still feel like they are keeping something from you. As you unlock the car you hear someone say your name. You turn to see a guy you have never seen before.

“Hi” a tall brown hair guy says to you.

“Hi?” you question.

“You are friends with Jake right?” He asks. you nod.

“Can you give this to him, he left it at my house, I couldn’t find him” He says.

“Yeah, what’s your name so I can tell him who it’s from” you say.

“K” he says. You nod, what a strange name. You look down for a second to look at the book he gave you but when you look up he’s gone. You look around confused before getting in your car and leaving. You decide to call Jake to tell him. It took him 6 rings to answer.

“What’s up?” He asks.

“Some guy named K told me to bring you a book you left at his house, can I drop it by your place?” you ask. You look over at the book, it looked old, and was about vampires? You know Jake is like a major nerd but you didn’t kow h was into that stuff.

“K? he’s from the Wolves, you can drop it off” Jake says sighing.

“Are you home? or should I just leave it on the doorstep?” you ask.

“I’ll be home in a minute” Jake says.

“See you there” you say before he hangs up. It took you about 10 minutes for you to get to Jake’s house. When you pull up you can see him standing on his porch. You get out of the car with the book.

“Here, I didn’t know you were into that kinda stuff, I like how the author made the book look old” you say handing it to him. There was panic in Jake’s eyes as he sees the book you handed him.

“You didn’t open it right” Jake asks nervous.

“No?” you say confused on his sudden change of behavior.

“You should go home” Jake says.

“Oh okay, I’ll see you at school tomorrow” you say walking back to your car, you stare at Jake through your window, there is something wrong, something worrying him.

Now it’s the day before the big football game.

“I’ll meet you guys at Jay’s tonight” you say as they walk you to your car.

“I’ll pick up some snacks on the way there, anything you guys want” you say.

“No, were good and you don’t need to bring snacks, Jay has some” Sunghoon says. You nod. You swear they say the same thing every time. Now that you think about it, you really haven’t seen them eat much the past year. Always drinking out of their water bottles.

“Be careful driving home, it’s going to rain” Jake says as it starts to rain. You laugh slightly.

“I will, my house is only right down the street, now get in your cars before you get soaked and get a cold” you say signalling them away. You get into your car and start to drive off. As you were about to pull out of the school parking lot a hand goes over your mouth. You almost serve out of the lane.

“Keep driving straight” a man says. You start to follow his direction scared of he is going to do if you don’t listen. Soon enough you pull up to BigHit West. Another tall black haired guy walks up to my car and opens my door.

“Get out” He says. you nod and get up. You then see K get out from your back seat.

“What is this about” you ask confused.

“Revenge” K shrugs before hitting you in the back of the head and making you pass out.

“Drag her in” K says to Ta-ki.

“Why are we kidnapping her? Isn’t this illegal?” Ta-ki says before throwing you over his shoulder.

“To get those bats over here, so we can finally win” K says smirking.

“What do you mean finally win?” Ej asks.

“Over the decades it’s always been vampires verses werewolves, the vampires always win now it’s time for us to win” K says. They take you into the school and tie you up to a chair placing you in the middle of the gym. You start to wake up.

“Hello?” you say trying to get loose.

“There is no way your going to escape” K says. You see 3 other black haired guys behind him.

“Who are you guys?” you ask.

“Sorry where are my manners, boys” K says signaling back to them.

“I’m Nicholas” the tall one I remember who opened my door.

“I’m Ej” the even taller one says.

“I’m Ta-ki” the shorter one says.

“You know who I am pretty girl” K says. Your face curls up with disgust.

“What’s with the pet name” you say disgusted.

“Where are your friends” K asks me.

“I don’t know” you say truthfully. You observe the others. They stood back and never talked unless told to, what kind of friendship is this when there is clearly a leader.

“You really have no idea” K asks.

“If I knew I would tell you” you lie.

“Don’t lie to me” K says getting closer to me. you wondered how he knew that you were lying to him. You stay quiet as he stares into your eyes. You give him a cold look.

“Get her phone, call her friends to get her” K says turning around and walking away from you. Ej comes up to you and grabs your phone from your jacket pocket.

“Who should I call” Ej asks.

“Jungwon, their leader” K says. Leader? Jungwon? You wonder what are they talking about. Ej holds the phone close to your face,

“Act normal and tell them to come to the BigHit West’s gym to help you set up a prank” Ej says before pressing call. After a few rings Jungwon picks up the phone.

“Hey y/n what’s up” Jungwon says sounding happy.

“Can you guys come to the gym, at the West school, I have a great idea for a prank” You say.

“Are you already there?” Jungwon asks concern laced in his voice.

“Yeah, I have all the supplies we need, just hurry up” you say.

“Okay, uh are you alone” Jungwon asks. you pause staring at them.

“No” you say staring at K. They look at you mad. You saw K’s eye light up yellow. You blink and they were gone. You were so confused on how that happened.

“The janitors are here” you say.

“We will be there quick” Jungwon says. They hang up as you were about to say goodbye.

“You could have at least let me say bye” you say sighing.

“Shut up” K says. He signals at Nicholas. He gets up with a roll of tape.

“Hey no, can’t we just talk? There is no need for you to tape my mouth” you say rambling before Nicolas puts the tap on your mouth. You try kicking at him but your feet are tied to the chair.

“I never thought she would shut up” K says.

“I don’t think this is a very good thing to do” Ej says.

“Yeah, she’s just some silly human how is she going to help us take down the bats” Ta-ki says. As you sit not able to talk your thoughts take over. Silly human? your also a silly human for kidnapping me! What is wrong with these guys. Why do they talk like this.

“We have been over this before Ta-ki” K groans.

“She is our leverage, so they can give up the game tomorrow and then the rest of the pack will kill them on the field tomorrow, just like their ancestors did to ours” K says. You think, What in the hell are they talking about? Murders? Leverage? A pack? All of the sudden the gym doors fly open.

“Let go of her” Jungwon says.

“I will, if you give me what I want” K says standing up his friends follow behind him.

“Just give her to us and we will leave you alone, she doesn’t know about us, and we want it that way” Heeseung says.

“Oh she doesn’t know” K laughs.

“Oops” he says.

“This is going to be fun for her” K smirks before howling? Your eyes go wide. He turns into this giant furry wolf looking thing. The others turn into wolves as well. You try to escape the chair wiggling around.

“I could eat her whole” K says as he turns towards you, his eyes piercing yellow, his voice lowered now more creepy. K then growls in Jungwon’s face. you see Jungwon’s eyes turn red, his teeth grow into fangs, and he floats off of the ground. You look around at the other guys to see they were exactly the same. You scream through the tape wiggling around trying to escape. You’re friends are monsters. You fall backwards breaking the chair. You shake the ties off you and rip off the tape. Everyone stares at you.

“y/n-” Jake says.

“Get away from me” you say running off.

“Go get her” you hear K say. You look behind you to see Ej and Ta-ki running after you on all four legs. All of the sudden Jake pops up in front of you and grabs you and next thing you know your in the gym behind all your friends with Jake holding onto your arm.

“Let go of me” you say freaking out.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Jay says to you turning around. You look into his dead red eyes. This wasn’t your best friend.

“What are you people” you say struggling to get out of Jake’s grasp.

“We will explain everything in the car just calm down” Jake says.

“I don’t want to go anywhere with you” you say. They all looked hurt. You look to see Sunoo, Jungwon, Ni-ki, and Heeseung walk back with blood on them.

“We should go quickly, we were able to hold them off but K, I don’t know where he is, you know how strong an alpha is” Jungwon says. They try to leave but the door were locked.

“We can’t get out” Sunoo says pulling on the door.

“Move aside” Jungwon says. He pulls on the handles and rips them off.

“Look what you did, how are we supposed to get out now” Jake says freaking out.

“There are other doors” you say.

“Your not going anywhere” you guys hear K say. you all turn around and see the other wolves. They look wounded.

“Throw the game tomorrow and nobody gets hurt” K says.

“What are you going to to us? Bark at us? we just beat your best wolves” Jay says. Your head is spinning at the fact that this is real.

“I have more, our whole school is packed with wolves” K says.

“One call and they are here to kill you” K says. Jungwon sighs.

“Why do you want us to throw the game? What do you get out of it” Jungwon asks.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you” K says.

“They are going to kill you all on the field tomorrow if they win” you say. They all look at me. K sighs.

“I should have taped you ears too” K sighs.

“Get her” K says. Ej and Nicholas turn into werewolves again and then come running at you and the guys. Jake pushes you behind him and Sunghoon comes and stands on the other side of you. They were taller and bigger than all of the guys. They start to fight around you.

“We have got you, don’t worry” Jake says. You watch as Sunoo gets hit in the side and go down. Your head told you that he’s a monster, he isn’t the same person as before, he’s not the Sunoo you know. But your heart, your heart is telling you to help him, risk yourself to help your friend. And that’s what you did. You run to Sunoo and pick him up a little so his head rests on your lap.

“Sunoo, are you okay?” you ask lifting his shirt a little to see a deep cut.

“I’m fine, it will heal” He winches as you touch the wound to stop the bleeding.

“y/n, i’m going to be fine it just takes a few minutes” he says, as he said that you see the wound start to heal. Your eyes widen at the wound healing.

“I-” you say before you feel yourself being picked up. Nicholas had you and took you over by K throwing you to the ground. They transform back to humans. K grabs your hair and makes you stand up. He transforms and brings his huge, nasty claws to your neck.

“Throw the game, let my pack kill a few people and she won’t die” K says.

“We can’t let you kill innocent people” Jay says.

“We CaN’t LeT yOu KiLl InNoCeNt PeOpLe, stop acting all high and mighty, you drink from people’s neck killing them” K mocks Jay. K looks at you and laughs at your scared expression.

“Go on, tell y/n how many people you kill so you all can have a meal” K says. You look at the guys.

“7 people, so each of us can have one whole person to last us a week” says. They all look down.

“7 people, wow” K says.

“But we haven’t done that for months, we drink from blood bags now, that we steal from the hospital” Jungwon says. You sigh.

“How many people have you killed in total” K says. They all look around. You see Ni-ki counting on his fingers.

“35″ Ni-ki says. K laughs.

“You hear that pretty girl, your so called friends killed 35 people, 35 innocent people” K says laughing, the other wolves start laughing too.

“They weren’t important people, they were homeless and criminals” Jungwon says trying to make you feel better.

“You really are monsters, you all are” you say.

“I know I am” K says before slicing your throat with his claws. You go down trying to breathe and you start to bleed out.

“You had your chance” K shrugs before leaving with his pack. You look over at your friends, you could see veins pop out from under there eyes. You gasp tying to tell them to help. You hold your neck to try to stop the bleeding. He didn’t cut you deep enough for you to die right away but if you didn’t get to a doctor soon you would die.

“Her blood smells so good” Heeseung says.

“I know” Sunghoon says as his eyes darken. They all slowly walk over to you.

“We should share” Jungwon says.

“Of course” Jake says.

“I was starving anyways” Sunoo says. Jay sits right next to you smelling your neck. You try to wack them away, your body getting weaker from the blood loss.

“It’s even better up close” Ni-ki says. You use the last bit of your strength to scream as their fangs sink into your skin in different places.

“Local student from BigHit East was found dead in the rival schools gym all blood drained from her body. Her seven friends that were with her that night have now been reported missing. What went down that night at BigHit West? Is this really a prank gone wrong or is there foul play involved? We will keep you updated here on Hybe News thank you, back to the weather With Mr. Choi”

I hope you guys liked it!! If you want to see more stories like this and my Taehyun one you can always ask!! :)

#enhypen #enhypen imagines #enhypen fanfic #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen vampire #hybe japan #enhypen jay #enhypen sunghoon #enhypen jake #enhypen jungwon #enhypen niki #enhypen sunoo #enhypen heeseung

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tomatograter · 4 years

Note

New to the fandom, Could you explain June? 💯 Love and support her. But homestuck 2 doesn't have her and I'm just confused?

June Egbert precedes the concept of homestuck^2! I’ve seen a lot of people be confused about this because they weren’t active on the fandom at the time the epilogues dropped, when reading her as a trans woman got a lot of discussion going and eventually lead to multiple confirmations.

So here’s an attempt at contextualization:

Throughout Homestuck, a few key ideas about Egbert’s identity and motivation to push forward with her hero’s journey are dropped like breadcrumbs. She’s meant to play the default straight-man protagonist. Her defining traits are ridiculously… generic, when compared to how all the other kids present themselves and stick to exaggerated bits. She’s a perfectly normal, regular suburban kid with normal, suburban issues.

She may not leave her room a whole lot. She may not have a lot of real life friends in the neighborhood. She holds a comical irritation for the concept of birthdays, even though her father is extremely supportive, and is delighted to see his son grow up nice and healthy. There’s no reason for her to be so irrationally upset at cakes and gifts, and that’s what makes the setup funny! June doesn’t even know why she’s annoyed with half of the things that annoy her, what the heck.

But under all that playing around there is a sense that her life is so normal, so blasé, so unexciting and limiting and hollow and fake that she’d give anything to not be herself, even if only for ten minutes. This goes way, way back. It’s why June needs SBURB to happen.

June lives as though her life hasn’t started yet. She’s stuck in the Tutorial stage. I would argue while most kids (and trolls) play SBURB to escape a shitty environment or the end of the world as they know it, June plays for a simpler reason: She needs to escape herself, and she needs to do it before it is too late.

Being thirteen means crossing the homeric abyss between being a child with no care for the world sporting a generic hand-me-down identity and becoming a Teen (capital T) who needs to figure out how to cope with atrocious bodily changes while building the adult they’re meant to be AND deciding what the fuck they want out of life, and how they’re going to work to get it, forever and ever.

When you’re trans, and you don’t yet know you’re trans (or that this is a thing you’re even ALLOWED to be) the above feels a lot like serving a life sentence for an intangible crime.

You know what you’re supposed to do. You’ve seen it on tv, you’ve heard it from your dad, you know what are the normal trials and tribulations. You know you'll grow a few pimples and stubble and you'll need to learn how to shave, obviously, because it's basically a tradition in your family, and no one is really happy to be a teen. You know at some point you'll find a nice girl and you'll grow a hat out of your skull and then you will have to pay taxes and maybe you will have a baby daughter? You'd like it to be a daughter for no particular reason. And when you get a daughter you're going to name her Casey and she's going to be adorable and this is something you've dedicated a lot of thought to. Maybe its because you thought Nic Cage looked really cool with those long flowing locks in con air, the movie who featured a trans woman as a minor character for a few minutes (and she gets quite a bit of compliments, regardless of how the movie has aged), and he had a really exciting life, but goddamn did he love his daughter. There is no purer love than the bond between a father and his daughter.

This absolutely has nothing to do with your father and you, or how you hold no excitement for becoming an adult man, or how your father's excitement for you becoming an adult man in your stead feels a little stifling.

But i digress.

June spends her time on SBURB mostly hassling karkat, and readily following the instructions of zany, dangerous, COOL girls that seem to know what they're doing. June lets Terezi lead her to certain death without blinking. June lets Vriska dress her up as soon as opportunity presents itself. June thinks its really funny to trick this troll Who Types Really Oddly into believing she's Rose, and also into believing that she's a very silly girl. You may even say Homestuck employs a few of jokes pertaining to how her name looks like EGG !

June has a ball playing this game until it starts to get shitty. She's never able to mend her relationship with her dad, as he's one of the first causalities. She has to spend a lot of time waiting around with jade on a ship until things get cool and exciting again, but she never stops growing during those three years. Its fine, though, because there's always more things to be done and more people to fight.

Until there aren't, and they make a new earth, and while everyone cheers and claps for the birth of a new planet June realizes all her excuses are over. Her friends begin to grow up. Rose gets married. Jade is living her best life. Dave has a not-boyfriend glued to his hip. Jane has a job. Jake is on TV for some reason. June doesn't want to leave home. June's birthday is around the corner again. Here come all the congratulations for becoming a strong lad for yet another year! Vriska is gone. Terezi is gone. SBURB is over. Wacky hijinks have been swapped for real-ass, boring-ass Regular life. We watch her unsuccessfully chase after the glory of days gone by when Rose presents her the possibility of going back into the game, when things were cool and mattered, or her flimsy decision to settle down with a nice girl she hasn’t really made an effort to know and become a father and be absolutely miserable for four decades as she asserts nothing is real, not anymore, and this is just how it is.

Depersonalization, depression and general apathy towards the world are all pronounced aspects of dysphoria that seem like unrelated incidents for someone who hasn't came out yet. June's trainwreck of a life post-game, specially her feeling of hollowness and chasing after anything that could fill it struck a chord with trans readers who left the epilogues to read HS again and discovered this has always sort of been here. June being a trans woman who doesn't have the proper vocabulary to express she is a trans woman makes a lot of earlier bits from the comic click into place, now in a broader context. We settled in the name "June" because it's what she imagines Vriska is calling her at some point, amid laughs, but even that was discussed for a lengthy period last year. What would she want to be called, what are possible tags for this, etc. But it was mostly for fun and games, because the prospect of the protagonist of a 10 year old beloved cult series being ACTUALLY confirmed as a trans woman just wasn't something that was done.

Until word got around to Andrew Hussie and he was reportedly so pleased with this interpretation of events he’d be making references to it, and some time later, a box of toblerones was left in a cave as a gift for fans to find. The first person to find a toblerone thought it would be funny to dedicate it to June, because now she was an ongoing reference that was fun to make. Instead of it ending there, Hussie logs on twitter for the first time in a long while to say 'Oh yeah, i'll make it happen' and that's when the whole thing exploded. I have a post detailing this made a year ago (with pictures!) so i won't keep you here.

In the year since, June has been vaguely alluded to in Pesterquest (in jade's end card, she's having her nails painted by rose.) Has been widely adopted by the community, those making their own fanventures and continuations, and the team behind Homestuck^2. In every way that matters, she's already thriving within the community that brought her to light a year ago. But her coming out in canon is something that will take time and a proper narrative arc to happen, one that is still being set up. We know it'll come eventually, the only question is “how”.

Not that the wind waits for anyone.

#meta #june egbert #homestuck #homestuck 2

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pricklynoodle · 3 years

Text

real or not real

Itadori Yuji/Fushiguro Megumi pairing | Squid Game AU | Rated T | warning: implied character death | ANGST

( yes, writing instead of doing school lol, squid game ruined me so if you want to read this then be warned of SQUID GAME SPOILERS. There's no graphic death, but its sad as hell either way TT)

---

“The player who takes all ten marbles from your partner wins.”

Megumi had always kept to himself, never saying anything unless spoken to, never stuck to groups, and never took the choice to attach himself to something. Everything had an expiration date. Unnecessary things like friendships had never appealed to him. He only needed his sister, and it wasn’t like she had the choice to have him as her brother. But the fact that she still stuck around caring for him until she worked herself to a coma.

So honestly, it’s a surprise why he feels his heart drop when the announcement tells him he has to go against … whatever 310 is to him.

He hardly knows 310, and doesn't know anything about his life actually. Other than that he’s crazy strong, has an impressive pain tolerance, but also the loudest kid he’s ever met. He's always around him, sticking to Megumi like a persistent piece of gum stuck to his shoe. But he doesn't dislike him, but he can't say he's thrilled with him either.

But would Megumi kill him?

Stupid, he tells himself.

“Oh, fuck, I honestly didn’t see that coming,” 310 says with a grimace, looking at Megumi guiltily as if he was the cause of Megumi’s inner turmoil. He sits down on one of the stone benches. The whole setup was supposed to mimic a typical neighborhood, something Megumi wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up in. The bastards even made the effort to add in the sounds of cicadas from the fake trees, as if this was a completely normal summer for a couple of teens.

Megumi doesn’t say anything, he feels dizzy. He drops down to the bench, away from 310 as possible.

“I’ve always wanted to say this,” 310 says as he rests his elbows on his knees, looking at Megumi seriously, “This whole thing reminds me of Hunger Games.”

Megumi looks at him with furrowed brows.

“You know, Jennifer Lawrence?” 310 pushes. Megumi says nothing. “...Tall girl, big ass? The one with the arrows?”

“Can you shut the fuck up,” Megumi deadpans, then he shakes his head. He takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He counts to ten, then glances down at his hand. 10 marbles. “Just tell me how to play this game.”

“I don’t know either,” 310 admits, sounding sheepish. He shrugs carelessly, “This is more of the games my gramps used to play, but he was too busy being sick to teach me though.”

Megumi looks up at 310. He looks tired, but nostalgic. Like he was thinking of a good memory.

310 perks up, grinning at Megumi brightly, “though they said that we can make our own rules. I’ll think of something.”

Megumi nods solemnly. The silence stretches until 310 lets out an ‘aha!’.

“Let’s bet everything and just play one around,” 310 says, even dropping his fist down onto his hand as if it were the best idea ever.

Megumi freezes, staring at 310, was he going to trick him? He doesn’t even know him. They’re not friends. Of course, everything still is a death tournament at the end of the day.

310 seems to pick up Megumi’s reluctance, he jerks his head to the side. He points towards the pair of men competing against each other, looking frantic and panicked.Their faces are sheened with sweat, t-shirts drenched in sweat. It’s… it’s a pathetic sight.

“Fine,” Megumi relents. “What are we playing?”

“Calm down,” 310 chuckles, “are you that excited to kill me?”

Megumi stays quiet.

“We have a lot of time left,” 310 says breezily, pointing towards the timer mounted on the wall. “Let’s do it at the last minute.”

“What do you suggest we do till then?” Megumi asks with a scowl. “Sit nice and pretty, twiddle our thumbs and shove these marbles up our asses?”

“Jesus, man,” 310 laughs, “no just… talk.”

“Talk,” Megumi repeats.

“Talk,” 310 smiles, looking down at his hands. Megumi looks at them too. He remembers the hard calluses on them, when they shook hands. They’re thick and sturdy, and hold a lot of power. He really could have killed Megumi before, just wrap his hands around his neck and it’s all over.

Megumi also shakes away the filthy thoughts of what else those hands could do. Get a grip, Fushiguro.

“Things we couldn’t tell other people,” 310 says, smiling wistfully. “One of us is going to die here anyways.”

Megumi swallows the lump in his throat.

310 smiles wider. He’s always smiling, Megumi notes.

“There’s no reason to feel embarrassed if that’s the case,” 310 tells him, “I promise I won’t laugh when you blush like a tomato.”

“I don’t,” Megumi denies, but he can feel the heat already rising up to his cheeks.

“You do,” 310 says, “but I think it’s cute.”

Cute.

“So, uh, you have someone back home then?” 310 asks.

“Yeah,” Megumi says.

“...like a girlfriend or something?”

“Sister,” Megumi says quickly, “no...never a girlfriend. Impossible for me.”

“Ah, okay,” 310 says, nodding. “Just your sister?”

“I had a dad, but he … never came back.” Megumi confesses, “he was a shitty dad. He was never really home, but he gave us shelter and food. He had a bad temper, but he never hit us. He never liked to be around me especially. I … used to think he hated me.”

“What changed?” 310 asked.

“I… I became him. I understand why he did what he did,” Megumi says, fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket. “Doing dirty jobs, stealing, never at home. Hiding from danger. Hiding us from danger. Protection.”

310 nodded, he slid closer to Megumi. Thighs brushing. Silence continues.

“He came here,” Megumi says, looking up at the ceiling. It’s painted a pink-orange gradient, like a sunset. “I found half of that business card in one of his jackets. The last two digits were cut off. I dialed every possible number until I got here.”

“For what?” 310 asks.

“Find him,” Megumi says, “punch him. I would have killed him, I think, if I found out that he left us to rot. Then steal all his money to pay for my sister’s medical bills.”

“Oh, she’s sick?”

“Coma,” Megumi clarifies. “Some rich bastard from work hit her on her way home. He got off easy because of money.”

“I see,” 310 says, clenching his fists. “That’s terrible.”

“Yeah,” Megumi says gruffly.

“You’re still getting money though,” 310 says. He doesn’t say but you don’t get your dad back. “What would you do with it?”

Megumi doesn’t even hesitate, “pay for my sister’s medical bills. Buy a nice house for us to live in. A car, if I can.”

“If you can?” 310 says, “where would you drive your car?”

“school,” Megumi says simply. “I would use my car to drive to school.”

310 blinks. “You know, you can do much more with that 40 billion. You really don’t want anything else? Don’t have a destination?”

“I’d go to Sendai.”

“Wh—Sendai? I’m from Sendai. Are you kidding me? Are you going to drive there with a shiny new Toyota Yaris?”

Megumi blushes furiously, “enough about me, ugh, it’s your turn anyways.”

310 shakes his head, but he’s giggling like a schoolgirl. “You really have to think bigger. Have you ever been to the beach?”

“No,” Megumi says.

“You should, one that’s got nice soft sand and blue water. With palm trees too. And you should get piña coladas.”

“What?”

“C’mon man, you don’t get to be frugal with 40 billion. I’ll teach you how to splurge once we get out—”

Ah.

“Right,” 310 breathes out, laughing to himself all silly. “Only one of us leaves.”

Megumi grunts.

Silence.

“...Ever seen a dead body?” 310 asks.

“...I’ve been answering all these questions. You haven’t answered at all,” Megumi points out, feeling far too exposed for running his mouth.

“Ah you’re right! Uh, I don’t have anyone.”

“But your grandfather—”

“He’s dead. For a while now. My mom and dad. Also dead. My brother is on the run. He’s, uh, killed a lot of people. He got the death penalty, so yeah, haven’t really seen him around.”

Megumi looks at him.

“I don’t think he counts,” 310 says, scratching his face. Megumi realizes the scars on his face aren’t from the previous games. They looked healed, puckered and faded from time.“He looks a lot like me, though. A lot of people can’t tell us apart. He hated that. He’s only a bit taller than me, and he loves to brag about it. He has a huge ego.”

“I see.”

“Yeah,” 310 says, but he doesn’t look awkward about it. Just mildly inconvenienced. “Oh, have we really been talking for that long?”

Megumi looks at the time. They have less than 2 minutes.

310 stands up, swiping the dirt off his pants. He pats around for his marbles. “Okay, so you see that wall over there?”

Megumi nods mutely. It’s quite far, maybe around 2 meters.

“Okay, we throw one marble, and the one closest to the wall wins, okay?”

“Okay.” Megumi nods, easy enough.

“Okay, you go first.”

Megumi scowls.

“added rule, we do it together,” he says, jaw clenched.

“Eh?” 310 looks at him, confused.

“I’ve been doing things first, so it seems rather fair if we do it at the same time, with our best effort, okay? I have the blue marble, you get the red one.”

“... okay.”

“Don’t give me a weak ass toss, alright, that doesn’t count,” Megumi says gruffly, narrowing his eyes at him. “Do your best.”

310 nods, giving him a thumbs up. “Okay!”

“On three,” Megumi says.

“Okay!”

“Three.”

“Two,” 310 continues, positioning his arm.

“One,” Megumi does the same.

They both throw their marbles. Megumi’s heart leaps out of its chest as he watches his marble in the air.

Clack!

Megumi looks down on the marble that lands right next to his shoe.

It’s red.

“Ahh, shoot, I threw it too hard,” 310 says with a pout.

Megumi sees red.

He shoves 310 against the wall. “Are you fucking with me?”

“Whoa! No, you won f-fair and square, man,” 310 stutters. “I did my best shot, like you said!”

“Any idiot would know that shit would bounce right back if you threw it like that!”

310 laughs, “I must be some one of a kind idiot, then.”

Megumi shoves him further into the wall. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

“You can’t kill me if I’m gonna be dead anyways.”

“THEN I’LL KILL YOU IF YOU DIE.”

“See, that doesn’t really make sense—”

“Shut the fuck up! Why did you do that?!”

310 slumps against the wall, body lax. Not looking at him.

“Answer me!”

“You… you have a lot more to live for than me,” 310 says quietly. He looks up at Megumi, tears in his eyes, “what kind of asshole would I be to deny you for a life?”

“You have a life!” Megumi snaps.

“I don’t, not anymore,” 310 sobs, a wobbly smile on his face. “Before my grandfather died, he told me that I should help others. That when it was my time to go, I would die surrounded by others and not end up like him.

“I should use my strength to help others, that’s what I’ve been doing here. Out there, no one wants me to help them. No one wants the face of a killer to help them. No one wants me to be around them. I can’t go to places, I’ve… I’ve always hated what Sukuna did to me. Made me carry his sins, his crimes. The way people looked at me as if I was him. I can’t move forward, not like you.

“I… I never went to school either, y’know. Or I never graduated. When Sukuna became a wanted man, I became a target. I stayed in my room. The doors were locked. The curtains were always down. It was like this for years. I received no support. The only way I could get by was doing interviews with journalists, feeding the narrative. Making people hate Sukuna more, making them hate me more. That’s no way to live.”

Megumi felt the back of his eyes burn, his teeth aching from being clenched too tight.

“Even if...I had the money. I can’t erase what my brother did. I can’t erase my existence in the world. I would just keep doing the same thing everyday. I don’t… I don’t want a bigger house, not when it’s just me who lives there.”

“You and I are not so different,” he says, looking up at Megumi.. “I think that’s why… I want you to win. You get to experience all these normal things, and feel… happy. You have a chance.”

Megumi wipes his eyes harshly, “Shit.”

“That’s true.”

“... What’s your name?” Megumi asks.

“Itadori Yuji,” 310—no, Yuji says. “My name is Itadori Yuji.”

Megumi takes a shaky breath, he raises his hand for him. “Fushiguro Megumi.”

Yuji grins, he clasps his hand onto Megumi’s. “That means blessing, right?”

“I don’t fucking know.”

“I’m glad then, Megumi. That I’m friends with you even through this hell. That itself is a blessing in a disguise.”

“Shut up,” Megumi punches his shoulder.

A guard suddenly arrives, carrying a gun in his hand. Waiting.

Yuji looks behind Megumi’s head. “Ah, I wish we had more time.”

Megumi bites his lip. “I wish I’d… met you sooner. I don't know anything about you.”

Yuji jaw drops, “Okay, I’ll … summarize this in ten seconds! I’m twenty-years-old, my favorite color is green, my favorite manga is Bleach, my type is tall people with big butts! Uhh, I really like watching action films—”

“Not … whatever, nevermind,” Megumi says softly as he listens to Yuji ramble on about himself.

Yuji pauses from his ramble looking winded, “uhm, Fushiguro, can I hug you?”

Megumi freezes.

“I just haven’t had a hug in a long time—” Yuji trails off before he gets cut off with Fushiguro hugging him desperately, clinging to him.

“Idiot, idiot, idiot!”

“...Hey, Fushiguro Megumi, live a long life, okay?”

Megumi lets go.

He turns around.

Eyes burning as he stares unblinking down the path. Footsteps. Silence. Breathing. He feels something salty on his lips when he licks them. It's not sweat.

He... he got attached. He stares forward, he doesn't regret it. Not at all. He got to know Yuji Itadori, the real him, and the pain in his heart is the best he can give back. A reminder that he was more than what people saw him. Yuji Itadori didn't deserve what the world gave him, they did not deserve his cries. The fact that... no one would shed a tear for him.

...Ah.

Megumi notices the dark wet spots on the dirt.

“Thanks for playing with me.”

#my writing #itafushi #itadori yūji #fushiguro megumi #fushiita #squid game au #squid game spoilers #angst #fanfiction #im sorry everyone lol #it just broke me #i m gonna go lay down and cry now bye

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rumblelibrary · 3 years

Text

The Diary of Doctor Laszlo Kreizler

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2

Synopsis: Alienist’s notes are private, sometimes gruesome, secrets of others and of himself.Those pages belongs to secrecy and decadence, have a glimpse to this world made of drafts, notes, accidents and reflections. Or maybe it is you the only person that should ever reach for it.

While you read this imagine Laszlo mostly at the end of his day, scraping the ideas and the thoughts, adjusting previous notes with additions, closing the day behind himself with a couple of sentences while sitting in his evening robe, a good glass of whiskey and his glasses bridged almost at the tip of his nose. Or maybe imagine yourself, you sneaky thing, reach for it from a far shelf.

Word count: 3.5k

Warnings: listen, this is the set of ideas and confessions of a man living in the 1890’s. Most of them will be outdated, rough, even deprecating in some analysis of the roles of men, women and social status, religion, etc.So be prepared, my point is to make Laszlo reflect upon those topics, but to be as faithful as I can to his time. Mention of death, mutilation, self harm and sex. Psychologically troubled young children ahead! Author’s note: The story is placed between season 1 and season 2. Thank you for everyone that encouraged me to keep going. I have to wait for my local drop of serotonin to get fully Laszloed to go through this.

Lyra’s Contellation, Illustration taken from Uranographia by Johann Bode

Routine. Routine is comfort. Habit stabilises the character.

If you follow a routine, you won’t ever be victim of imprudence, of evil jokes of fate. The stability earned through calculated and repeated actions brings a sense of fulfilment that forbids other thoughts to come bashing in, breaking rules, breaking hopes that a solid scheduled routine forbids to have. I take my time to begin this week, I planned the things to do, the next steps for the case, the people to meet, the resources I am allowed to contemplate. I feel good, I feel back to myself and the events of the weekend seem far from me and my own perception. I probably got ahead of myself, carried by some instinctual though and random rush of emotion, to be always in contact with the same people and mostly kids probably doesn’t help my stance in the presence of other adults. I feel silly now reading back the last page, I felt tempted to tear it off, but to keep it there should be a small memento of not losing my temper so easily. I read it over and over and I know I am not as charmed as I thought I was. I am just lonely. I have always been and it is normal to face ups and downs even for a man of my age who is more accustomed to it. To desire a partner is a natural instinct, to find somebody attractive is meant by nature, it is the body calling for the natural fulfilment of the reason we are put on this very Earth. But even in a state of nature my own condition would be forbidding me to be part of the natural process of growing my own kind. I am the type of male that would be excluded because of his impossibility to give the protection to the pack, therefore it is just more reasonable to me to adapt to my condition. No matter what my Potentia generandi might be (the ability to procreate).

With all the smugness that characterises him, Niki showed off that he passed my challenge. But to be really of an help to his antics I didn’t show any kind of surprise. I treated him like he did the bare minimum, like he didn’t prove me any kind of superiority. He has a natural attitude toward challenging the figure of power, he is trying to overpower me, but I won’t satisfy his need. I have noticed he has a very technical brain, he finds ways to solve problems in ingenious way and not by throwing himself into the task. I proceeded giving him to work on a clock, an old broken one we had in the institute, one of the kids hit it with a ball years ago and nobody ever worked on repairing it. I gave him the clock, a couple of screwdrivers and a book. He called me a number of German names I won’t transcribe, but it gave me a certain amount of satisfaction. If my intuitions are right, I am sure the clock will be repaired by next week.

Analysis of the victim’s body through John’s eyes. The drawings and sketches are as detailed as I requested, all of this thanks to you joining him. I deal with art critic section, I am used to notice these things. You assure me, you play yourself low and I wonder why, nevertheless you did notice things neither John or I did, which pleased me. It fooled me, distracted me from my purpose to not give in to your witchery, as I leaned closer watching your pale hand move across the pages tracing this or that line, showing how this must be done with the killer on this side and not that side, with words so deliciously elaborate, your way of composing your speech is compelling, you could sell the drawing of a kid like it was a Botticelli. I noticed the shape of your hands, the way you move them, I wonder if you play an instrument, or played, some habits just stick with you through life. I focused on taking notes, your ideas and instructions giving me a new point of view, a new stimulus. What if that is the only way the killer can communicate? Or what if this is the communication that works for him? Could our killer be mute or deaf? Or that’s how society made him feel? This man, or woman, needs a listener and I am afraid that now, since he got our attention and the public’s, he won’t stop. Another killing could be just as close.

Scheduled: meeting with the parents of Alex Garel for new admission, Monday next week at 11 am. Love at first is a fetish and like all fetishes it is based onto an object that hides a deeper meaning, like gloves mean hands, to love at first sight means to see somebody that you think, and think only, to have the chance to share not only a sensual kind of bond, but an intellectual. Love at first sight is based onto not knowing someone well enough, but having the time to idealise most of that someone. I can see why I feel this attraction, using a particular phrase that Sara often mutters when investigating: you tick all the boxes. I know you do, your beauty is everything but conventional, you’re the kind of face that painters would paint and musicians would write hymns about, but any animal on the street would never be allowed to see. You have the grace of the body and the fire in the eyes, and then you speak. When you speak, I realise, you could bring the world to its knees. Also, you never speak out of context, and if you do it is to ease somebody’s position. You do it often with John or with Stevie, you say something really silly in order to put them back to a place of comfort. Some women would call it self deprecating, but I see that you only pick wisely your fights and your wins. You don’t need to earn your peace and quiet by neglecting, but by lifting up the others. I wonder if you do it with me too, if your silences are just you allowing me to be in a better place while instead your judgment is tearing me apart. I shouldn’t care, but I keep wondering, sometimes I take my time to answer you, I analyse every shade, every peculiarity of your question, I am looking for sarcasm, for a condescending voice, for something to hang on and bare you open. To prove myself you’re not perfect. But deep down I know that you do, you judge me and you do well.

Mother never said so. That’s what one of the girls in my care said today. Ursula. She is tough. Skin as thick as an alligator and the tendency to pull her own hair at night or when under a massive amount of stress, enuresis alongside erratic episodes of mutism. I tried the soft approach, it didn’t work. She is too accustomed to be indulged. Therefore today I pushed her a bit overboard, I teased her over opinions on the female body, the female role, she is only 12, but she is soon to bleed, she knows, I can tell from the way she clenches to her skirts, from the way she looks at me as a threatening figure. I am the incarnation of danger to her. Under her steady silence, I pushed a bit more, asking how her mother taught her to be nice and submissive. Does her mother tells her she is going to be a good wife? The phrase, which I reported at the top of the page, surprised me. What is her mother teaching to her then? What closed her so much, locked her soul away, making a small bird like this choose the silence and the retirement of self inflicted pain over, what? Mankind? Or just Men? Is that even a curse? Should I cure her from a truth that her own mother whispered to her ear one night before bed and made a child decide that the world wasn’t a place to share her time with? Am I the man supposed to teach her that men are worth of trust? In the eyes of modern society, who measures its own value over the modesty of the women, she would be a champion, but at what price? I can’t in any way let her parents bring her back home after our recent meetings. Nevertheless, I have to make up my own mind on how to give her troubled soul ease without making her believe in fables. I, as a man, regard myself not worth of any of the trust they expect me to teach her.

In all of my years practicing with people’s feelings and traumas, I challenged myself to find those same traumas within my own mind. It is a tricky game, terrible, anguishing at times. But it straightens me, the pain of others, the pain of kids mostly, so unadulterated and pure, breaks the curtain between me and the lies that I often surround myself with. Pain is made of method, you can open it up, you can scrutinise it, part it piece by piece dividing it in sectors and, partitions, centre part, side part, heart of the problem. Pain is reliable. Happiness is not. It is random, cruelly sudden, unexpected, it washes over you in such deflecting way only to leave you alone a moment after ashamed and alone. I saw you again today. You were in a table full of what I could only guess as your former university colleagues, I saw pain in you, not heavy but constant. Annoyance, a bit of sadness. Your head titling on side and your eyes drifting on the left, you’re imagining something away from them. A place? An object? Or maybe someone? Your hands play circles at the bottom of the flute of your drink like kids do, your smile only one sided. I don’t see you speak at all, only listen. What could keep your voice down? I almost gulped down my own breath as you looked up and I realised how I must have looked. I was having lunch on my own, in a very private table and even entertaining myself with a newspaper on the side. I wish you didn’t, but you came over, your eyes shining. Did I save you? Or maybe I was just a good excuse to leave that painful meeting behind. Don’t be so nice to me, it is not healthy. Don’t look at me like you expect anything more from me than me listening. I won’t smile back at you, I won’t give you care, attentions or thought. I won’t lean for your perfume, I won’t obsess over that dress you wore, that pin that adorned your neckline keeping your undershirt in place, a silver robin, I remember. I won’t remember the number of the buttons on the side of your glove, three. I won’t observe the little moles just under your ear. A small constellation, I later realised, hidden between your ear and the beginning of your neck. I don’t need to check in my books. It is a constellation. It is Lyra. Why? Why you must be like this? Are you the Lyra? Are you the instrument of Orpheus come to me to drag me out of Hell? The Tartarus holds my soul and you should know already, I am not worth the quarter part of Eurydice to be saved and she never came back anyway. I won’t be now recollecting the way your teeth sunk in the inner side of your cheek when you apologised for the annoyance. You apologised twice, I ignored you both times with a raised hand to request peace and silence. I am not letting you in.

Reserved: Tickets for Wednesday’s evening Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. The guest female lead promises a beautiful show.

Leonardo, as I am learning through Paul Valery essay, is who I would define as a figure of projective identification of the Subject or, to better explain it, of the knowledge of the Subject that formed and grew through the use of sketches in the experience of the Artist. I have always thought that the finest form of art was the representation of knowledge duly undressed by any personal identification. Leonardo, instead, proceeded to represent the figure through the essence of the artist, a representation technically unlimited on objects and symbols and that keep expressing the transformation and development of Leonardo’s own being.Some artists are testimony of the destruction of the world, of the loss of eternal beauty over decadence. And then you have Leonardo, who creates an art that is the gravity of the world’s system, of the nature, of thoughts and abstractions. I wonder if our killer does the same, if the way they presents the victim through their own personal view, if what we can read there it is their stories, their pains, their needs. Their happiness and troubles. What are they trying to tell me? I need to know, I need to know to save a life, of course, but I also need to know to be able to sleep at night. Hair, hair are the epitome of femininity in any era. I keep studying Ursula and her habit to pull the. I took notes on it: she picks them by the bottom, slowly separates them until she gains an amount her mind defines satisfactory and then she rolls her finger and pulls, she does it until her finger is empty and there are no hair left. I find her process incredibly interesting. In men’s case the display of physical attributes is not as vital, a beard can be appreciated but does not modify the power of seduction of a grown man. On the contrary, for women hair are a vital part of their attractiveness toward the opposite sex, society sees the hair of a woman as part of their vital characteristics, also in ancient times for a woman to cut her hair or have her hair cut was a sign of deep separation from the society. Only heroines or whores wore that mark and the association of the two is so rooted into the way society always parted the role of a woman in two that it is nauseating to think of. I am still fearing to let Ursula go away, the repulsion that she is showing toward her own body makes it difficult even for me to crack her shell open as a man, but my deepest worry is when that hate will take a scarier and deeper tool on her. How a girl with such a fear of what her body can do, like sex or pregnancy, can endure in the future to have an husband? Or even to be courted by anyone?

John is helpless and I admire him for that. He doesn’t hide it, he just is. He is vulnerable and exposed, he is an open well bursting with doubts and feelings and troubled waters. He is genuine in a way I could never be. Maybe that’s why I despise even more him talking about you, how he sees you every morning, how you greet everybody, how you behave even with interns, how you like your coffee. Your talents, your wits, how you said this and acted like that and reasoned through him. How you forbid him to drink even when he felt tempted. How you stayed late over to help him collect all the informations I requested him to get. To him. Not to you. The evil demon of envy scratching in the back of my head screaming like a siren out in the sea, he demands to be heard, he demands to be allowed a part in this game. I won’t allow him that. I won’t allow myself any of that. This is a pure game of chess, if I give in a pawn now, I will lose my knight, and I know it. I advice him to not be so closed minded when he praises you, only to get surprised by the charms of a natural logical mind. I find a way to hurt him, he is an easy target, I look at him as his eyebrows twitch and he summons his patience on me. He lost the plot about you already, his bruised pride taking over. You won’t come into my life.

“Un dì, felice, eterea, mi balenaste innante, e da quel dì tremante vissi d'ignoto amor.” (“On a day, happy and ethereal, you appeared in front of me and from that day, trembling, I lived on an unknown love”)

The words of Alfredo in the first act of the Traviata keep running through me, a chant that won’t let me go, almost painful. The Opera House, that was my hiding place, a place where in plain sight I could let out myself, unleash. The catharsis of the characters involved running through me, I didn’t need anything but their voices and those musical instruments to let out my fears, doubts and anger. When Alfredo came to the scene tonight, the lights were strong and slightly pinkish, the performer bursting out of the seams with passion. My eyes diverted only to see you there. Alone. Those blinding lights gave you the the radiance of a vision singing the notes of greek myths and heroes, that dark blue evening clothing rang through my eyes like it was a bright yellow, the little shiny details that adorned you so clear against the heavy lighting to look like transparent pieces of water collected to adorn your beauty. I wasn’t me, but Alfredo, and I was helpless against you sitting so far and yet too close from me. I was naked in front of thousands. I am aware of the effect you have on me and our last conversation was barely regarded as one. This is infatuation, this is the pure work of a lonely mind and not something worth of any of all the words that I am dissipating here. Yet. I saw you cry at the climax of the opera, Violetta, the protagonist, heartbroken falling on stage consumed by pain and regret for her lost love and ultimate sacrifice. Your eyes shone as you tried to hide the tears and collect yourself. Through my binoculars, I saw your throat tremble and gulp down something more than just a sigh of pain. Your jaw clenched, your gloved hand moves to hide your shaking lips. I reckon, I have never seen such sad lips look more inviting. You look at the wall on your side breathing through your nose and not even that can save you by the strength of the voice of the soprano. You’re defeated and so you brought a fine silk handkerchief to your eyes, your shoulders bent inward in self defence. The Opera won. It won you like it always wins me. I wonder if you felt like this because of a past lover, somebody that broke your heart and made you feel wrong in any way. And because of that little wonder it is even more clear to me why I am a man worth of no trust. Because for a moment, I know, I wished to be the one that broke your heart. That gave you just the pain you’re inflicting on me so mercilessly by offering intoxicating kindness and beauty. To own your thoughts, tears and shame. To be the one man you have to look away from. I want to own all of that and, maybe, I will be freed of you the day you’ll be just another human being that hates Dr Laszlo Kreizler.

Tagged @cazzyimagines @lieutenantn @handmaiden-of-mischief @thesunflowersutra @zemomybeloved @fictionlandslanddreams @charistory @greeneyedblondie44 @apparrio @hb8301 @whatawildone

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#the diary of doctor laszlo kreizler #dr laszlo kreizler #laszlo kreizler #dr laszlo kreizler x reader #dr laszlo kreizler imagine #dr laszlo kreizler x you #laszlo kreizler x reader #laszlo kreizler headcanons #thealienist #the alienist fanfic #the alienist fanfiction

73 notes · View notes

sillyguyhotline · 3 years

Note

17. “How is any of this ok?” with Joe and Sara maybe?

dude im gonna be completely honest i havent written anything in like a month so i think the quality isnt gonna be great but here goes nothing

God, Sara missed the feeling of home.

Every semblance of familiarity and comfort she’d once found in the town she’d grown up in, the house she’d spent her childhood running through, now felt chillingly foreign.

Perhaps it was the heavy burden of knowledge weighing fresh upon her shoulders: ASUNARO’s corruption seemed now to peer slyly around every corner, no matter where she went. She still didn’t know how much of the town had rotted away under its grasp, how much of the town its poison had pervaded… but she was probably better off not knowing.

Whatever was left of Midori, that miserable mix of pulsing blood and electronic emotion, had been ground to bits inside that coffin… but Sara couldn’t ignore the creeping fear that his burning, ever-present gaze would appear out of nowhere and terrorize her again.

But he wouldn’t. The death game was over, and they’d promised they would never hurt her or any of her loved ones again.

Most of the loved ones she still encountered day-to-day, gruesomely blood splattered and sitting like corpses propped up hastily in a corner, would be safe no matter if ASUNARO was fresh on her tail or a thousand miles away. What a cruel price to pay for safety, to never be hurt again.

They still lived on if Sara closed her eyes tight enough, if she listened to the twisting words of the hallucinations and let them convince her she was monstrous. But the second she dared to open her eyes, she knew they’d be dead again. Life worked in terrible ways, and that was all there was to it.

Joe’s house had always been a second home to her, ever since the two of them became friends. Joe was the farthest cry from Sara in terms of social interactions- it had taken at least 3 months for Sara to trust Joe enough to invite him over, but Joe had insisted she hang out at his house the very same day they became friendly enough to exchange more than a sentence with each other.

There was a certain sort of comfort to the warmth of his house, the constant scent of cooking food pervading the air and the little trinkets scattered in every corner. No surface of his house went without decoration, in its silly little way. It was full of pictures, too, some carefully framed and some dangling from the wall by pushpins, but Sara got the sense that none of the photos went unloved. Most of them were occupied by an orange-haired man, often carrying a younger Joe (back when he was still sporting that atrocious crew cut). Sara always assumed it was his dad, but thought it would be impolite to ask… particularly when the weeks stretched on and Sara had yet to meet that mysterious orange-haired man.

Eventually, pictures of Sara began to join the collage on the wall- pictures taken as she butchered yet another pop song during karaoke, or when they went out to get food, or when she mistakenly sat down on a traffic cone during gym (after many protests from Sara, he took that one down). As silly as the pictures were, and as obvious as it was that Joe had waited for the most embarrassing moments to take them, it was sort of sweet in a way.

Joe’s mother was always kind to her, though there was a constant weariness in her eyes that Sara always felt a bit uneasy about questioning. Sometimes she’d let the two of them cook things in the kitchen, but more often than not they’d go up to Joe’s room and screw around in there, with video games or music or the 50 times Joe tried to persuade Sara to climb out the window and sit on the roof with him before she finally agreed.

As rare as it was for Sara to agree to sit on the roof, it was even rarer for Joe to agree to study with her, much to Sara’s chagrin. Joe had always walked a fine line between passing and failing, but Sara had to admit he walked it well. When she did manage to convince him to study, though (usually the day before final exams), they’d sit on the cushy couch in his living room and somehow manage to bother each other as much as possible while feigning concentration.

The couch hadn’t changed after several years- Sara could tell that much the minute she sat down on it and avoided the urge to break eye contact with Joe’s mother. It was still well-worn, a couch that likely should have been replaced at least a decade ago but had never really been disposed of. Loose threads were protruding from the cover, drawn out from years of visitors fidgeting with them.

Sara shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the slight motion making her sink deeper into the couch’s soft cushioning. She’d only spent one minute in the house and was already sweating, whether from the heat of the home or the thousand-yard stare of the woman sitting across from her.

Ryoko was there, too, sitting to Sara’s left and gazing listlessly at the well-trodden carpet beneath her feet. …Ryoko.

Sara cast a hesitant glance around the room, duly noting the photos covering the walls. Not a single one of hers had been taken down, but several more photos had appeared with Joe’s beaming face featuring prominently in them. Joe’s presence was always enough to fill a room even when he wasn’t speaking; it took a lot to fill in the gaps left by his absence.

God, she missed him.

The wind whistled against the window-screen; Sara had memorized the familiar creak of the wooden window frame being lifted up to welcome in the mild autumn air. Sara had always thought of autumn as a beginning- she loved summer as much as any other kid, but as the haze of the weather began to wind down she was quick to grow impatient and look forward to the school year, to being productive again. Joe had always disagreed with her.

“Fall is the literal death of fun,” he’d complained once, walking home with Sara after finishing the first week of school. “Couldn’t they have pushed back the first day of school by, like, another week? You think if we got enough people to sign a petition, they’d give us an extra week of summer?”

“Oh, come on, we both know even if you had an extra week of summer you’d just be complaining a week later,” Sara had teased back.

The death of fun. It certainly felt like that, Sara decided. She’d never feared the looming darkness of fall and winter quite so much before. But now, she supposed, there was no sunshine who’d weather it with her.

“Well… Sara?” Joe’s mother spoke up, voice hoarse with the sound of repressed tears in her throat. Sara recognized the sound all too well.

There was no resentment in the woman’s eyes when Sara made eye contact with her. No anger, no frustration, nor had there been any in her measured motions when she welcomed Sara into the home. It didn’t take any words for Sara to tell that there was no blame to be foisted upon her.

She was still Joe’s best friend.

“I’m sorry to have dragged you out here on such short notice.” The woman’s voice was weak. “I don’t know all the details of what happened, of course. Haven’t heard anything, aside from the little tidbits the police told me when I dropped by the station.”

Sara’s shoulders stiffened at the mention of the police, at the idea of them pleasantly answering her questions as though they weren’t just as complicit in that tragedy as ASUNARO had been.

“And…” the woman glanced down at her hands, toughened from a lifetime of working. “I know something terrible happened to you. The circles under your eyes are darker than midnight, I know it’s so selfish of me to be dragging you out here, but… I haven’t slept a wink for weeks. Been so worried about Joe, and about you too.”

She nodded in the direction of the black-haired girl who hadn’t spoken a word the entire time. “Ryoko’s been worried about the both of you, too. Your parents weren’t answering the door, so she went to me. I hope you’ll forgive the two of us for disturbing you, Sara, but… you have the answers the police won’t give us, don’t you?”

God, her gaze was piercing.

“...Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

It was taking everything in Sara’s power not to look at the vacant seat to her right. If Joe was there, he would have been laughing and lightening the mood, completing the circle that had been left so jarringly empty.

But they wouldn’t have been having this conversation if Joe was there.

Ms. Tazuna nodded slowly. “This means the world to me, Sara. Don’t forget that.”

Sara did her best to muster a smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

The woman gave another nod, eyes defocusing as though even now, she wasn’t quite sure why she was there. “Alright. Alright. Well, then…” She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Guess I should get right to the point, yeah? Is he… is… how is he…?”

So she still hadn’t quite let go of that little thread of hope, even after seeing Sara return home safe and alive with no best friend in tow. Who was Sara to judge? When hope was the only thing to cling to, it only made sense to cling to it like a lifeline.

Sara twisted her hands, the same old nervous habit she’d had for years, and wondered briefly if she’d picked it up from Ms. Tazuna. How terrible it was, to carry the news that nobody, much less any mother, ever wanted to hear.

“I… I’m sorry, Ms. Tazuna. He didn’t make it out alive.”

Sara hadn’t expected the hush that immediately fell over the room. She’d expected immediate tears, the grieving cry of a mother in pain. Instead, the room became muffled, still as a painting captured in time.

Slowly, Ryoko looked up from her bitten-down fingers, eyes rimmed red already. Ryoko had always been an emotional person, the only person Sara knew who could fluctuate from full-on sobs to cheerful giggles in less than a minute. Sara was so unused to the look that was now filling her eyes- cold, solid misery. As though there were no tears in her eyes left to cry, no more tragedies to bemoan. Just a deep and horrified comprehension of just how many things in her life had gone wrong.

And, slowly, Ms. Tazuna began to cry.

Tears had become so uncomfortable for Sara to bear witness to. Was it selfish of her to look away? It couldn’t be, not when every raw sob reminded her of the art student seeing her first (and certainly not last) death, of the broken sibling openly weeping over apologies gone unspoken, of the unknowing siblings screaming their throats out with pleas for death so the other could survive.

Especially not now. Not when every tear rang in her mind as a reminder of cold tubes piercing her best friend’s chest, of his corpse slumping and falling in a pool of blood, because oh god he wasn’t supposed to have lost so much blood, how was he supposed to live without it, of the clickclickclickclickclicking rising in volume while her attempts to save him grew feebler and feebler.

Her hands were bloodstained, no matter how many times she tried to scrub them clean. Those dreadful hands of hers had failed her, failed Joe, failed the women sobbing openly in front of her.

She swallowed back the apologies that always rose in her throat as Ms. Tazuna rushed to sniffle back her tears.

“I… god, I… he’s really gone?”

Sara couldn’t bear to look her in the eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“Please… please tell me it was a peaceful death. He didn’t… suffer too much, did he?”

The resounding wave of clicks flooded her mind. “It was as peaceful as I could make it. I… he smiled at me, right before he died. I’d… very much like to think that means he was happy when he died.”

“What happened?” Ryoko’s voice came out rough, the first of it Sara had heard in weeks. “Joe told me, after our date, that he was going to walk you home, and then neither of you showed up at school the next day. And now… it’s been three weeks? And Joe… Joe’s dead? What the hell happened, Sara?”

“God,” Sara mumbled, mesmerizing herself with the twisting motions of her own hands. “I’m not sure if you’d even believe me if I told you. I don’t even know if I believe what happened myself.”

“I’d believe anything.” The sentence was firm. “I just want to know what happened.”

Sara nodded wearily. The familiar weight of her bright orange ponytail was notably missing- the day after she’d escaped, she’d demanded the hairdresser cut her hair short and crisp. She shuddered every time she thought about the ponytail brushing against her neck as she spent each argument screaming and protesting for her life. Even worse was the memory of how carefully Joe had styled her hair, forsaking his usual clumsiness to braid every strand with a remarkable tenderness. She didn’t want to remember any of it- even though, as the locks went cascading to the floor, she was reminded starkly of Keiji’s bleach-stained trauma response.

“For some reason, something to do with the mafia, we were kidnapped. And pulled into a death game. There were twenty of us, including me and Joe. I- I’m not going to get into all the specifics. It’s going to make me sick to my stomach if I do. But… they made us play this sadistic fucking game to narrow down the competition. Based on cards. Joe drew a bad card, and… they executed him.” Something in Sara’s throat tightened as she finished speaking, and she fell silent.

“Just like that?” His mother’s voice came out as a hoarse whisper. “How… how’d they kill him?”

“I’d rather not say.” There came the gushing sound of blood pulsing through the tubes. “He didn’t suffer too long” - she hoped - “but it was a gruesome way to die. I don’t want to think about it, please understand.”

It took a moment for his mother to register the words and nod, face still painted with horror.

“Why… how did the two of you even end up there in the first place?” Ryoko spoke up again. “You said something about the mafia? How the hell are you two connected with the mafia?”

“I don’t know how I am,” Sara responded immediately. “It must be something with my family. I couldn’t control any of this, I swear, but… Joe wasn’t meant to end up there at all.”

Ryoko paused. “He… he wasn’t meant to end up there?”

Sara swallowed back the lump in her throat. “The game… it was something that was being prepared for ages. There weren’t just a few ragtag kidnappers behind it, there was an entire organization. Even the police were involved. They ran AI tests, hundreds if not thousands of them, trying to calculate who’d be the most likely to win. And… when all the numbers came back, the person most likely to win… was me.”

She spread her arms wide, baring her sins and her cruelties to the world, and in that moment felt distinctly like the angel of death Keiji had branded her to be.

“They needed something to drag me down, I guess. Make the odds more balanced. So they dragged Joe into this fucking mess. I guess they thought that him being there would keep me steady enough to make everything fair.” A cold hand, dripping with tendrils of phantom blood, caressed her chin with a lethal grip. “...They were right.”

Ryoko’s gaze had gone cold again. “So Joe died just because you cared about him? What the fuck kind of death sentence is that?”

Sara shook her head numbly.

“Why did it have to be him?” The heartbreak in Ryoko’s voice was clearer than day. “So many people love you, Sara, why did it have to be him? Hell, I’m your best friend too, aren’t I? Why couldn’t it have been me? I’m a much worse person than Joe ever was, I deserved to be in his place way more. Couldn’t they have killed me instead?”

Sara winced at the growing desperation in her best friend’s voice, the raw crack she knew all too well. It should have been me, it should have been me, it should have been me. Sara could have almost fooled herself into seeing a crisp aquamarine when Ryoko’s hair flashed into the light.

“Ryoko… it could have been.”

The girl fell silent.

“They had files on you too. They knew how close we were, they knew how much you meant to me… but Joe was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And they fucking killed him for it.”

Oh, how she wished she could go back to that balmy early-autumn night, see the smile on Joe’s face and listen to his lighthearted laughter again. The desire to keep one’s friend safe had become a crime deserving of a death sentence.

Ryoko’s eyes remained locked to Sara’s, devoid of any dullness. In the look they exchanged was a deep, sinking understanding, one that had nauseated Sara to the core the first time the realization struck her.

It was by no crafty strategy that Joe had died instead of Ryoko, no favoritism biased against the kindest person either of them would ever know. It was a simple, terrible twist of fate. Ryoko could have taken his place had she done something as inconsequential as offering to walk Sara home instead.

But she hadn’t.

It took everything in Sara’s power to avoid wondering what would’ve changed if she had.

“How is any of this okay?” Ryoko broke the silence weakly. “They killed him- they could have killed me, too. He was seventeen. Seventeen. How did anybody let this happen? How did this happen, Sara?”

“I- I don’t know.” Ryoko’s wrath was simmering; even though Sara knew truly that she wasn’t the subject of the anger, she still felt scalded. “I miss him so much, Ryoko. I watched him die, and nothing in my power let me save him. I miss him, Ryoko, I miss him every waking minute of every day. We were supposed to escape together and get out safe and pretend this never happened, but…” the tears were beginning to well up again. She couldn’t bear the thought of breaking down in front of anyone, especially not over him.

“I’m going to go make some coffee,” his mother interrupted suddenly. She’d been noticeably quiet, but the still-fresh streaks of tears painted down her cheeks told the story she didn’t need to vocalize. “Some coffee, and some snacks. And we’ll keep talking from there, alright? Do you guys have your phones?”

The two girls nodded uneasily.

“Please… find any pictures you have of him. I want to make this wall as bright as possible.”

Without any other words, she hurried out of the room, and it fell to silence once more. Outside the window, the cool autumn breeze began to stir the leaves in the air, gusting forward to brush against Sara’s cheek just as the hallucination had done mere minutes ago.

And the Tazuna household began to feel more like home again.

#is this worth publishing to ao3 #idk #gonna put it in the tags im feelin risky tonight #yttd #joe tazuna #sara chidouin #ryoko hirose #joesara #i guess #i just tag anything joesara at this point even if it's not outright romantic #idc whether it's romantic or platonic honestly #theyre them #and thats all that matters

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aelin-world-walker · 3 years

Text

Some headcanons I have post-ACOSF

(don’t ask where this comes from i’m just aching because i finished rereading acosf and thinking headcanons is my coping mechanism)

(i wrote “some” in the title but they are like a million????)

(like now this is a master list of headcanons i have...)

BE AWARE OF ACOSF SPOILERS!!!

*Probably I’ll edit it pretty often because headcanons come whenever they like.

*i’ll probably add feysand headcanons in the future but not now because there’re A LOT out here but know I have some like feysand beign parents is too cute to ignore.

*sorry if there are some spelling errors, English is not my first language.

The cabin headcanons

(yes the cabin has its own subtitle)

Cassian takes Nesta to the cabin after their mating bond ceremony and then happens chapter 55 but Nesta adapted. There’s no soup but a biscuit.

When Nyx is a little older he starts participating in the snowball fight. Rhys, Cassian and Az let him win.

In one of her visits, Feyre paints her sisters and Nyx’s eyes beside the IC ones, because they are now part of the Court of Dreams (this one made me cry a little honestly)

Whenever one of the IC’s couples wants to take a break they go to the cabin. Sometimes Az goes too to play chaperone. Spoiler: it doesn’t work (especially NOT with Nessian) (this one made me laugh)

Nesta likes the cabin’s vibes to read, so she goes often. Sometimes Cassian joins her but he bores to death so he wouldn’t let her read (if you get what i mean)

I can imagine the IC visiting it, long nights bonding in front of a fire and playing board games. Rhys, Nesta and Azriel are so competitive that stay awake til one of them wins. (actually Rhys and Azriel competitive spirit over board games is canon) (i just imagine Nesta playing the courtier to win) (then she loses and is cranky for a day). Meanwhile, Mor and Cassian drink themselves silly, and Feyre and Elain play with Nyx. Amren just purrs sitting in Varian’s lap. (Amren as the house cat)

The girls decide to do their own snowball fight honestly i don’t know why this is not canon yet. One year they decide to do girls vs. boys. The girls win and the boys don’t want to play against them again.

Nyx and his cousins learning to fly in a summer vacation there. (yeah because nessian’s children are happening in the future and they are in some of my headcanons sorry)

Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie go there sometimes (not so often because they prefer staying with the House please never forget they are all friends) and go hiking.

When Nyx and Nessian’s children are older and misbehave their parents send them to the cabin. Then whoever of them didn’t got to be grounded slips alcohol to the ones inside. (Actually i can see them doing this??? Rhys and Mor did the same. Also I can see Nyx and his cousins having a relationship similar to Rhys and Mor’s and Aelin and Aedion’s)

Inner Circle couples and the sauna. Not gonna say anything else, but just know it’s hella weird there’re no scenes in there...

The House of Wind headcanons

(big house deserved its own headcanons)

Nesta installs a dance studio in there and whenever she can she goes and dance for hours.

Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie and the House start a monthly sleep-over in the private library. The House always conjures the miniature pegasus without being asked.

Can we talk about the fact that in the future the House of Wind will have a nursery???? because i have to talk about it. don’t know if i’ll be able to do so without crying but just- nessian’s babies nation

When Nessian’s children are born the House would conjure anything just to please them and will protect them at all costs. The House as a babysitter and mother-hen.

The House starts talking to Cassian and recommends him smut books. He reads them and find them pretty interesting. He also recommends the House books but as they are of warfare the House finds them boring.

When Cassian and Nesta fight the House would be angry with Cassian for some days and would serve his food cold.

The House of Wind is Nyx’s favorite place in the city. Cassian and Nesta even give him a room when he is older. He loves it for the same reason Rhys did: flying. He also likes asking the House ridiculous things -the House loves his petitions-

Azriel keeps his room of course, but playing the chaperone is useless now (it always was)

Mor befriends the house and together they plan jokes to Cassian.

Feyre loves going to the House because it reminds her that her sister is happy and will never be alone.

Nessian headcanons

(of course there are nessian’s headcanons)

While sleeping, Cassian is very restless while Nesta sleeps in a ball, but they make it work. Also, Cassian takes all the blankets so Nesta ends up beside him and his wings.

The two of them loves sleeping in. Cassian would never admit it because he would never hear the end of it from the ic. (i know he said in acomaf that daylight is precious but now that he has found his mate he has change a liiitle his opinion about that. like now wake up beside his love is more precious than anything!!!!!)

I think it’s not fair we didn’t got a smut scene in the bathtub.

And in Windhaven.

Aaaaand in the cabin.

When Nesta has a nightmare, Cassian would hug her and comfort her while remind her it was a dream, and now she got out, and is loved and cherished by a lot of people.

Nesta loves that Cassian strokes her head, more when her hair is down. (i really like that nesta prefers updo hairstyles tho)

Nesta sitting on Cassian’s lap. That’s all I need for a next book. (i also need more domestic scenes between them like the one in Winter Solstice when Nesta hangs their coats) (also i need to read nessian from another pov i want to know how they look like from outside their pov)

Nessian dancing into the darkest hours, losing themselves into the music and their embrace. (i need a slow dancing fanfic thx)

Nesta is still a little uncomfortable to venture into Velaris so she asks Cassian to fly her over the city whenever she needs to go out and doesnt want to tangle in the multitude.

Cassian reading an Illyrian report while Nesta reads a romance book. Domestic mates part one hundred.

Nesta loves flying (WHY THIS IS NOT CANON SARAH) (like i would have been awesome to read nesta liking flying after that scene with rhys in acowar)

I love that is canon they like chocolate cake idk just wanted to say that.

Nesta headcanons

(my daughter deserves them)

Every Starfall, Nesta would take the stairs down and up just to remind herself the way up is long but by the end she would find happiness.

She is really protective over the House. She wouldn’t let anyone spill anything or mess around.

She starts taking dancing lessons again, even though she doesn’t need them. It’s her favorite part of the week. I can imagine Gwyn joining her. Emerie prefers watching them and smirk while drinking tea.

She visits her father’s tomb more than her sisters, and tells him every aspect of her life because she didn’t do it when he was alive.

She doesn’t like the Court of Nightmares, but the Winter Solstice ball in there is one of her favorites events of the year.

She goes back to being a courtier/emmisary for the Night Court and loves tormenting the people she has to deal with. (just imagine Nesta in Vallahan, they would sign the treaty in a second)

She continues working in the Library because she is still healing and the Library is such a big part of that. She continues fighting with Merrill too (gwyn is please of that)

Also she starts practicing with Amren to use her powers, even if there is not a lot to master (tho i think she is still very powerful but let’s wait for the next book to confirm this)

ALSO Nesta as a mother: she gives her children a lot of love because she remembers how it is to have a cold mother and doesn’t want to repeat the story.

Nessian’s children headcanon

(tho i imagine they have at least a daughter so she is gonna appear a lot in my hc sorry)

I can imagine them having an unexpected pregnancy idk why they would be very happy tho (like chaolene’s) (not so soon after acosf, they would enjoy some free-of-babies-years)

Now I want a fanfic about nessian finding out they are pregnant please writers do it

Tho I can imagine its during training.

Nessian’s baby would sleep between them. Cassian loves that and even though Nesta says the contrary, privately she loves it too.

Nesta teaching their daughter to dance, while Cassian teaches her to fly. Together, they teach her to fight. Their daughter wants to be a Valkyrie like her mom and aunts.

Also Nesta reading her daughter to bed and then getting asleep. Cassian would find the two of them sleeping and would cover them with a quilt.

Their daughter loves to hear the stories about Nessian’s Blood Rites, and would ask everyone about them.

Their daughter is their number 1 fan im crying in softness

She also wants to hear the stories of her uncles and aunts even though some are sad, because she knows they are happy and together now.

I can see Nessian wanting another baby tbh but let’s stop in one until Sarah shows us the contrary.

But just imagine Nessian’s children + Nyx playing hide-and-seek on the House of the Wind and the House helping them hide.

Nessian’s daugther loves hearing Gwyn sing, and is particularly obsessed with Emerie because she sees herself in Emerie (like they are both Illyrians i’m crying nessian’s daughter doesnt understand why her aunt can’t fly).

She has spring allergies too.

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knowledgequeenabc · 3 years

Text

you belong to me, my snow white queen, there’s nowhere to run

I’ve been so dead inside I never posted my NNQ fics but, happy belated tenth, Ninjago! the fandom has been wonderful and I’ve made so many friends, seen so much beautiful work, made it through so much because of this silly little plastic ninja show. <3 This fic’s title comes from “Snow White Queen” by Evanescence (yeah I know don’t @ me), if you wanna. set the mood for this one. We’re gonna be following Nya after Skybound for a bit and it won’t be pretty.

Nya remembers it all.

It never happened, of course. That was the condition of Jay’s last wish: that none of it had ever happened in the first place.

Yet she remembers.

It’s good that she does, honestly. She’ll recognize the threat if it ever presents itself again. Plus, the others don’t remember, so they can’t worry themselves about it.

Jay wanted to tell them. “No more secrets,” he said. She’s proud of him, she really is, at least he’s learned from dragging them through hell and back …

But she can’t do it.

She remembers Jay’s eyes, glinting bright and worried in a dim room, as he asks if she’s sure about this; Nya remembers her voice hardening to keep vulnerability from bleeding through as she nods. She’s well aware it’s unwise to keep a secret this heavy, thank you, but they’re both heart-wrenchingly familiar with secrets. What’s one more?

Getting angry at Jay for keeping secrets and then turning around and asking to keep this one … it’s hypocritical. She sees the recognition of the fact in his eyes, but there’s understanding mixed with it; it’s his secret, too. It’s their burden to shoulder behind closed doors, afraid to face their family. After losing Zane and getting him back, after Chen and Garmadon, after Morro, peace feels fraught, like walking a tightrope over another storm. How would the others react to knowing they’d broken again? She doesn’t want to deal with the answer to that question.

So Nya does what she does best. She squares her shoulders and marches through each day, reminding herself with each skip of her heart, each flash of her life before her eyes, each time the world blurs that it’s over now. It spits in the face of every lesson life’s beaten into her bones, reverting to stubbornness and pride and the kind of independence that would rather see her amputate an injured limb than get help for it, but it’s a twisted kind of easier to wrestle her pain in silence. The sky pirates made it clear that she needs to stop being afraid to rely on her team, and with a distant sense of guilt it occurs to her that applies to her emotions about this situation, too, but ...

But that fight’s over. And Nya honestly wants nothing more than to take the lesson to heart and put the rest behind her. Let sleeping dogs lie, and all.

Slight problem with that plan: she’s beginning to get the feeling they don’t want to stay asleep. Nya’s good at compartmentalizing, and has been ever since she was an orphan child balancing school and keeping the forge afloat, but the neat dividers are starting to give.

All she can do is watch as the cracks spider out like the Tiger Widow’s web.

~~~~

Lloyd sits on the edge of the ship’s deck at night, sometimes.

Who knows what he’s thinking. Nya knows her little brother would rather sort through his feelings behind curtains, and they’re all working on helping him open up, but sometimes there’s nothing to do but be there with someone while they watch the world turn.

Tonight, thoughts zipping through her head with manic intensity and no distraction to stop them, she joins him, letting her legs hang over the edge of the Bounty. He acknowledges her with a smile and inches closer, then turns back to face the clouds, eyes searching the scene like there’s a cosmic answer somewhere in the moonlight poking through the blanket of grey. The sky roils in dark, angry sheets, air thick enough to slice with a knife. Nya remembers another storm out at churning sea, splinters from a shipwreck, a missing friend and her bubbling fury in the aftermath, and shudders.

Lloyd doesn’t speak, but he’s gripping a photo of his father with white knuckles and a pinched face. And she understands.

Never once has Lloyd gotten to choose his path. His only crime was wanting Garmadon in his life, and the gift he received in return for it was becoming fated to finish his father off, once, then twice. It’s a painful game, to be destiny’s plaything.

Self-centered as it is, Nya wants to think she gets it. Rarely does she get to choose, either. Being folded into the fate of Ninjago via kidnapping from blacksmith shop had been exciting until she was relegated to damsel in distress and left on the wayside. Then when she’d forged her own path as Samurai X, she had to give it up and be the water ninja instead. Water ninja. Kai’s sister. Jay’s love interest. The girl. Nadakhan’s prize.

Never a thought for what Nya wants to be. Just roles and labels to live up to whether she likes it or not, forced upon her like a wedding dress sewn for someone else.

And the one choice she could make ended up …

Her chest tightens until she’s dizzy.

Once the world sharpens back into focus, Nya casts Lloyd a sympathetic glance and quietly traces the feathery outlines of the clouds with her eyes. It’s a good night for commiserating, and she’s not feeling talkative, either.

She wonders what she is now, and her throat tightens.

~~~~

Nya catches, out of the corner of her eye, the breathless headline on the tabloid lining the rack at the grocery store—“DEVASTATING FACTS ABOUT THE GIRL NINJA!!” —and bites back the urge to scream herself hoarse.

The public eye is an unforgiving one, she knows that, she’s long since resigned herself to it. But sometimes it grates, the way everyone seems to presume they can weigh in on Nya.

The people out there don’t know anything about her. All they care about is that she’s the girl, and there’s drama behind her they can gobble up like starved mutts.

She doesn’t let on about it much, because being imperfect is kind of one of her worst nightmares, but she knows she’s made mistakes in the past. She was prideful, even haughty. She strung Jay and Cole along for way too long because the attention got to her head, and the paparazzi will never let her forget it. Nya should have been the bigger person and cut it short, instead of letting Cole keep going with it because he was mad Jay didn’t trust him, or letting Jay’s jealousy fester as long as it did. Bit late for that, though.

It’s hardly like her faults stop there. Being hunted by Nadakhan and upset by Jay’s refusal to understand her “no” meant no, on top of the fact that her independence would only ever be conditional sinking in from becoming the water ninja … it was a perfect storm of stress, and it made her nasty. Jay keeping secrets and endangering them all was the last straw. She blew up, lashed out, furious that she couldn’t trust anything to go right.

She still regrets it. The bruises on his skin after his rescue are still imprinted on her eyelids when she wakes up, sometimes.

So she’s not perfect, by a long shot. But …

(Greedy eyes following her every movement, wanting her as she runs. Blinking to find another family member gone. Fighting for her life as the pirates capture her. Being wrestled into someone else’s gown. Pushing desperately against Dilara’s spirit snatching away her autonomy. Venom seeping into her gown, frigid then BURNING, the ability to think slipping—)

Nya loosens the death grip she has on her basket. Takes a deep breath in, then out.

They don’t know anything about her. Tabloids and TV hosts and publicists can gossip all they want about Nya’s mistakes; they’ll never convince her she deserved to die for them.

~~~~

Kai is many things, and stupid is definitely one of them, sometimes. But he isn’t stupid when it comes to how Nya’s doing, and she knows this. If anything, she’s the idiot for thinking she could keep herself under wraps from him for long. Kai must have noticed the tough veneer she’s painted over herself, and how secretive she’s being with them, because Kai knows she doesn’t like to be open about feeling unwell, and Nya knows that it worries him.

Ironically enough, that worry is why she knows she can’t ever tell Kai what happened. Ever since she revealed herself as Samurai X, he’d learned not to hover, and Nya’s endlessly grateful that he’s understanding enough to trust in her strength. Nowadays, Kai’s concern manifests in significant glances, questioning hands on her shoulder, hugs a little tighter and lingering longer than normal, discreetly asking if there’s anything she wants to tell him.

He’s taken to all that behavior in hyperdrive, of course, because there is no way Nya’s snippiness and constant tension and nights in the kitchen making tea after nightmares slipped his notice.

But that’s fine. Nya would rather deal with the quiet apprehension radiating off him now than the full-blown panic she’s bound to have on her hands if Kai ever found out that she’d lost her life and he’d been helpless to do anything but watch.

She has an idea what it’ll look like, too. He’d taken Lloyd’s possession hard enough—Nya had caught him pummeling punching bags in the training room until his knuckles bled, noticed the heaviness in his eyes when he looked at their little brother, or at Cole, and no matter how much she insisted that he hadn’t failed, Kai refused to let himself believe it. Uttering a word about the Sky Pirates to her older brother, Kai who had practically raised them both, Kai who had only ever become a ninja to save her, Kai who had blamed himself so ruthlessly for Zane and Lloyd and Cole?

It would break him.

She just can’t do that to him. She’ll stitch her lips shut if that’s what it takes to make sure he never finds out.

So when Kai fixes them both mugs of chamomile tea at 2 in the morning, and casually remarks on the strange amount of repairs she’s been doing on the perfectly intact Bounty, Nya just smiles tiredly at him and fires off some sarcastic retort that’s sure to rile him up.

She loves her older brother, which is why she made the decision to take this secret to her grave.

~~~~

Nya notices while brushing her hair, one day, that she’s neglected to pay attention to it; the sleek black strands are almost to her shoulder, rather than brushing against her chin like she’s used to. Once she’s teased out every last snarl, she goes to cut her hair, but hesitates right before the scissors snip.

When she looks in the mirror, sometimes it’s Dilara’s face flashing before her eyes, not her own. She has to look for the minutiae, the details that count, like the flinty sharpness in her own eyes, the scar near her chin, the odd mark forming on her cheek, obsessively contrasting them to wide, sweet eyes on a deceptively cherubic face.

Nya wishes—no, not wishes, look where wishing had gotten them all—that Nadakhan had cared to see the differences. Maybe that way, she wouldn’t have felt the eyes on her back, always following her, waiting for her to fall into his grasp. Maybe she could have avoided the desperate game of cat-and-mouse. And just maybe, she wouldn’t have been grappled into a suffocating gown, or had her agency ripped from her as Dilara took her face, or died—

Right, that had happened. How Cole and Zane go about their days knowing they’ve walked through the doors of death, she can't begin to fathom. Nya wonders when she’ll stop feeling like she has to hide in her own home from eyes that are no longer watching, wonders when she’ll stop feeling the white-hot burn of venom leaching into her blood, and it’s Dilara’s face that brought it upon her.

Nya sets the scissors down, and tries not to flinch at the way they klink against the counter. She doesn’t want Dilara’s face anymore.

Maybe she’ll let it grow out.

~~~~~

It wasn’t even that rough of a touch, Nya despairs later. Cole, even in spars, always knew his strength, and he barely glanced her sternum with a ghostly hand as she knocked him off balance.

Apparently, on a bad day, that chilly touch was enough to send the phantom shock of Tiger Widow venom racing through her system; Nya forgot how to breathe for a second, and the next she broke her stance and pushed. Already off-kilter, Cole stumbled, his back hitting the ground with a heavy thud. In the instant before the others could be alarmed, they locked eyes, concerned meeting terrified. She forced her voice to stay even as she said, “I think that’s enough training for today.” Then she ran.

Now, here she is, her door slammed shut and locked, and her back’s pressed against it as she tries to remember what it feels like not to buzz like an entire hornet’s nest. She’s fine, she repeats to herself. The mantra is soothing simply in its repetitiveness; it gets her mind off of the sensation that won’t leave her alone ever since she lived it. She’s fine, she’s alive, and she’s not losing her grip on consciousness because all her organs are shutting down. Nya is fine, not actually feeling the venom seep into her skin through the coarse fabric of the wedding dress, cold for just a millisecond before erupting into white-hot pain across her skin. If her vision is off, it’s because of the tears welling up despite her stubborn efforts to blink them away, not the spots that danced across her world as Flintlocke’s fatal accident slowly claimed her life-

Her breath catches in a sob. Nya furiously muffles it behind her hand.

It didn’t even happen. She’s been through so much, she’s been in danger so many times, and this is the one that sticks? So it killed her, yeah, admittedly that’s a big step above the other times, but it hadn’t happened to anyone else except her, and Jay, and she can’t, won’t, make those words leave her lips. Every other problem in her life, she’d risen above, she’d fixed and wrestled back into her control, and then she’d gotten to square her shoulders and quip to the boys how easy it had been.

How does she fix something that’s only broken in her memories?

~~~~~

Nya remembers it all.

She almost wishes she didn’t.

#ninjago #nnq zine #nya ninjago #nya smith #n1njag0 #happy tenth anniversary ninjago #abc writes

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