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vivaldiny · 1 year

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TBoI headcannons/AU (I guess)

So, uhh, to the reason I got an account here💀

Me and @hyafrok were talking about how we'd approach making a TBoI AU, and I felt the need to share my, uhh, headcanon/AU stuff with someone else.

Just a bit of a warning: I might have unintentionally drawn inspiration from some ideas I've seen, so I apologise in advance if something seems similar to other AUs.

I also apologise if I sound unsure or if my wording is a bit wonky. I don't always have a specific interpretation of stuff from the game, plus expressing my thoughts in English is harder.

So, I think I can begin with saying that I prefer to keep a bit closer to canon, and it's more of a "how i would adapt game mechanics if I were to write a story" thing.

I guess the main difference is that all characters except dead versions of Isaac are separate individuals. But are they born from the mind of Isaac or are they real? I'd actually leave it up to the interpretation.

Oh, and important note: their age for me is vague, but it's definitely not five. I'll be calling them children in this post, but they are closer to the teenagers, I guess. Or young adults.

As for the other things...

Basement and all other locations do come from the subconscious of Isaac. In fact, they would feel like something out a fever dream. A seemingly endless maze full of weird rooms, with strange creatures and items that sometimes look like they represent your experiences... Almost no character knows how this whole place works and why they're here in the first place.

Each floor is huge, by the way. So much so that multiple characters might not even meet one another.

Everyone has very little memory of coming to the Basement. They remember their past lives and veeery vaguely remember circumstances that led them to ending up in this weird place.

Characters don't use tears and rely on weapons instead. Or their ability to run away and/or distract the inhabitants of the Basement for long enough.

Keys, bombs and coins are the real thing, hearts... I'm not sure, actually. They represent different thing in the game (like blue hearts being assosiated both with holy protection, the feeling of comfort and the dead) so I feel like it'd be individual. For now, I'd treat red heart pickups as something akin to the food and blue/black ones as something closer to magical items - they dissipate on touch and create sort of an aura. They're also signs of divine/infernal protection aaand they might influence emotions (blue hearts make you feel comforted and/or happier, while black ones' effects range from the feeling of emptiness to the enhancement of negative emotions... or hidden urges. The damaging properties of the latter are also linked to the bearer's pain or hatred towards attackers). As for the starting hearts, it depends on a character.

By the way, finding pickups is more like randomly stumbling upon a lost item. Or finding it in your pockets sometimes. Anyway, they don't just... drop.

Characters need to eat and drink. Luckily, red hearts are a good food source. As for water, it can be obtained from the "wild" or bought in shops/arcade rooms. ...Yes, both these rooms additionally provide commodities.

Since there are no tears, some items have no effects and are just subproducts of the subconscious... and a source of trauma and/or confusion for some characters (would there be an episode of Cain finding Abel? Maybe). Other items, however, retain their effects and serve as a sort of amulets.

There are no heart container increases. Food is, well, food and all other items are more about regeneration or increased endurance.

Most active items and tarot should be channeled (and yes, not all characters might get the hang of it as fast). Other require a specific interaction (like throwing a dice). Actives also probably have different compatibility with different characters. Yes, these'd require some experimentation to understand how they work.

Satan exists. He's, however, not really evil: he just needs hearts/souls to keep Sheol running and... well, I think anyone would be pissed if a bunch of kids broke into their place, killed their demons and had the audacity to come directly to them.

Angels also exist, and they are willing to help as long as you don't bomb them. Why are they suddenly aggressive in the Cathedral? Well, I think anyone would be pissed if a bunch of kids broke into their cathedral, smashed all the vases and then tried to find the very source of the dungeon-

Oh, and speaking of angels and demons - Satan deals are where heart containers actually matter. With "heart up" items you can make more deals before feeling exhausted, empty and weak.

There is actually the third major force in a dungeon, and it's Ultra Greed and his greedlings. It's not clear why he surfaced in a first place, but he and his "family" are sort of dungeon keepers. Whatever is not handled by the weird dream stuff, is their job. Why are some of them suddenly aggresive? Well... That's a good question, actually. I'd personally say that some of them are just greedy assholes. As for the Ultra Greed himself, he's not particularly fond of intruders.

Aaand the last thing for now: death. Death exists, but not for the characters. Each time they die, they just go back to the beginning... while losing all of their memories. So, from their perspective they've never died and it's just an endless journey in the dungeon. However, they still might get deja vu, feel like they somehow know how things work or straight up have pieces of their memories resurface.

The only exceptions to the rule are various ressurection items. They allow the bearer to retain their memories, but the second death will work as usual, with memory wipe and all. In my head, there are only two characters that might stay undead till the end: Lazarus (the rule of death after ressurection doesn't work on him) and Judas (as a shadow).

That's probably all! I really hope that it sounds not as silly as it sounds for me, and. Yeah. Pretty nervous about it.

#tboi #tboi headcanons #i guess???#tboi au #viva posting

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bxcketbarnes · 5 years

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Subtle Changes

Pairing: Ashton Irwin x Reader

Words: 2900+

Request: Don’t know if you’re taking requests rn beaut but if so maybe something with ash where you’re on tour with him and you’ve just been feeling unwell from all the traveling and start gaining a little weight, thinking it’s from the new routine but you’re pregnant and neither of you knew but you’re a few months in ❤️🥰😘xx

Author’s Note: I. Fucking. Love. This. Fic. Like, you’ve got no idea. I sent so many snippets to my friends because I just wanted to share how goddamn cute it is. It’s probably one of my favorite Ashton fics I’ve written. I hope it’s how you were kinda looking for it to go! I love the idea, the request is amazing, so thank you, anon. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. xox ALSO I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. THEY SAY I LOVE YOU A LOT, LMFAO. THEY’RE VERY LOVING I COULDN’T HELP MYSELF.

I laid in Ashton's bunk, my arm covering my eyes as I deeply breathed in and out of my nose. The boys were currently on stage and I stood on the side of the stage for a good portion of it before I started to feel sick. My stomach churns and I can feel the bike traveling up my throat when I quickly get up without bashing my head, sprinting into the tiny bathroom to empty the food in my stomach.

Tears came to my eyes, a reaction I have every time I'm sick, as I lean against the small sink. I sniff, dragging the back of my hand across my nose. "What the fuck," I mumble confused since I've never been this ill on tour.

I've joined Ashton and the boys on their North American Tour with The Chainsmokers. The day after we left was when the illness started and it's been almost three weeks and it hasn't really let up. I could hear the tour bus door open and I glance towards my right to see Ashton standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

"You feelin' okay? Matt told me he saw you rush out," he mumbled, hearing the worriedness in his voice.

I nod my head, giggling quietly. "I'm alright. I think the constant moving every night is getting to me," I reassure him and his frown deepens.

"Come on, you," Ashton mentions and reaches a hand out to me. I grab it and he pulls me off the floor. His hand moves to my waist, dragging his thumb across the fabric of my shirt. "I have to go back for Who Do You Love but as soon as I'm done I'll come back, alright?"

I nod my head, smiling softly at him as he leads me towards the couch. I furrow my eyebrows, wondering why he brought me here and not back to his bunk. I realized why when he reaches for the television remote, turning Netflix on.

"You're the best boyfriend, you know that?" I asked him as I laid down, looking up at the brunette.

Ashton chuckles, bringing up the horror movies before handing me the remote. "I gotta make sure my Queen is comfortable," he grins before dipping down to press a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"If you're feeling up to it. I can have someone drive us to the nearest Walgreens?" He questioned and I nodded.

"Of course. Now go rock the crowd, baby," I tell him and wave my hand off, not wanting him to miss his queue.

He puts his hands up in surrender and giggles. "I'm going, I'm going. I love you, sweetheart," Ash mumbles and my heart flutters.

"I love you too, baby."

Sounds of talking and footsteps woke me from my slumber, my eyes fluttering open. I look around groggily, groaning a bit as I push myself up from the couch. I slowly get off the couch, my stomach still feeling wonky and head towards the living area of the bus.

"Y/N? You alright?" Cal's voice piped up and I snap my head towards him as he cooked something in the microwave.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright," I mumble quietly to him, giving him a small smile. "Where's Ash?"

"He said he went to the store," Michael answered and I glance towards the blonde, frowning. "He also said you looked so peaceful sleeping that he didn't want to wake you up. Have you been sleeping alright?"

I shake my head, wrapping my arms around myself. "I don't know what it is but I've been just… nauseous about everything. It's never happened on any tour I've joined you guys on," I comment and the boys’ frown.

Michael reached forwards as I sat across from him, resting the back of his hand on my forehead. His eyebrows were furrowed as he pulled his hand back after a few seconds. "You don't feel like you have a fever," he mentioned and I couldn't help but frown again, wishing I could figure out what's going on with me.

I leaned my chin against the palm of my hand, tracing the shapes that are on the table when the tour bus door opened. I turn my head, seeing Ashton step into the bus, his hazel eyes set on his phone screen. A smile comes to my lips as he carried two grocery bags in his hand, closing the door with his free hand before looking up from his phone.

"Hey, baby, you're awake!" He smiles softly and I nod my head, leaning back against the seat.

"I am. Sorry that I fell asleep," I tell him and he shakes his head, pressing a loving kiss to the crown of my head.

"That's okay. I know you haven't been sleeping well, feeling you toss and turn against me most of the nights so I decided to let you sleep," Ashton mentions and I rest my head against his hip. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," I mumbled quietly as Ash runs his fingers through my hair. He sets the bags onto the table, going through it before pulling out some Nyquil and soup.

"You hungry?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders, glancing up at him. He frowns slightly, stroking his thumb across my forehead. "Have you eaten at all today?"

I pull away from him, leaning my head against the wall. "A little bit. I've been really nauseous so a lot of the food around hasn't agreed with my stomach."

"You think maybe you should see a doctor?" Luke asks from the couch and both me and Ashton glance over at the concerned bandmate.

"I think you should," Ashton agrees and looks back down at me.

A groan leaves my lips to which Michael chuckles. "Fine, fine. When we get to the next city I'll go see a doctor," I mumble before getting up from the seat. Ashton wraps an arm around my waist, stopping me from going back into the bunk area.

"Hey," he whispered and I glance towards him, seeing his concerned hazel eyes looking down at me, "I love you and I just want you to be happy and healthy."

"I know, babe. I just… hate doctors. You know that," I tell him, giving him a small smile and he nods his head. "Come cuddle?"

Ashton chuckles and nods his head as I reach for his hand, intertwining our fingers. I lead him into the bunk area, seeing Netflix still up as we move to the couch. Ash lays down first, adjusting himself so he lays on his side as I lay down beside him. His arm drapes over my waist, his hand moving under my shirt and starts to stroke my tummy.

I search through the horror movies as Ashton pressed his lips to the nape of my neck. A giggle leaves my lips as his hair tickles the side of my face. "Ash!" I laugh, tilting my head so my neck is unreachable. He giggles, his free hand combing through my hair.

"What?! I'm just trying to love you," he laughs and I shake my head, glancing back at him.

"Well, you're tickling me," I giggle and he smiles widely before pressing a kiss to my lips.

He pouted playfully and I roll my eyes, smacking his hip. I turn around in his embrace, looking into his eyes as Ashton's hand moves to my cheek. He strokes it gently before dipping forward, capturing my lips with his again. A long pleasant sigh leaves my nose and places one of my hands against his chest, kissing him back immediately. My eyes flutter closed as the hand on my cheeks glides down my sides and moves to the small of my back.

I pull away from him after about a minute, keeping my eyes closed while resting my head against his chest. "I love you, Ash," I whispered and wrap my arms around his torso.

"I love you too, Y/N," he mumbled against the top of my head as the tiredness takes over my body once again.

"You can't come with me?" I asked Ashton with a frown on my face, fiddling with my fingers as we stood in the living area of the bus.

A sigh leaves his lips and runs a hand through his hair. "I don't think I can. Let me go ask someone with higher authority, alright? I'll be right back," he mumbles and placed a kiss to my forehead before walking out of the bus.

I'm getting more nervous and can feel my stomach do flips, nausea hitting me a bit harder today. I stepped into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me. I do my business before washing my hands, hearing a ping come from my phone. I try off my hands, before grabbing my phone from my hoodie pocket.

It seems like you haven't set your start date for your period yet for the past two months.

I furrow my eyebrows, opening the app. I scroll to last month, seeing that the last update I made on my tracker was the month before the tour started.

I must've been so busy that I haven't been tracking it. Hm.

"Baby?" Ashton's voice calls out and I close the app before placing my phone back into my pocket. I walk out of the bathroom, seeing Ashton putting his leather jacket on and his eyes met mine. "Hey, there you are. So, I got the okay to come with you."

A sigh of relief leaves my lips and smile softly at him. I quickly grab Ashton's hoodie, throwing it over my body before the two of us head back out. Calum and Michael were riding around on their scooters, laughing their asses off. "My god," I laughed as he intertwined our fingers together.

"Yeah, sometimes were idiots if you didn't know," Ashton winks at me and another laugh leaves my lips.

"Trust me. I know. We've been together for what? 3 ½ years now?" I asked him with an eyebrow raised and he squeezed my hand, nodding his head with a large grin.

"3 ½ years and counting, baby," he beams and presses a quick kiss to my head.

Ashton and I get into the Uber that's parked right outside the parking lot. The two of us got into the backseat, our hands reconnecting as the guy began driving.

"Good morning, sir," Ashton greets and I glance out the window, feeling the drummer's thumb drag across the back of my hand.

"Morning! How's everything going? I see we're heading to the hospital," the Uber driver questions and glances at us through the rear-view mirror.

"My girlfriend hasn't been feeling well for a while, so we're finally seeing someone," he chuckles and I scoff, slapping his chest.

"I'm fine! It's just a stomach bug or something," I mumble quietly.

The drive to the hospital didn't take long and both of us thank the driver as we stepped out of the vehicle. We walked inside and I tell the receptionist that I had made an appointment for today on short notice. Ashton and I didn't wait very long until my name was called, our hands glued together the entire time. I couldn't help but think about what my period tracker app said earlier and I find myself biting my lip almost every minute since arriving.

"So, Y/N, right?" The nurse asked as she motioned for me to get on the scale.

I nod my head as Ashton stands beside me, his arms crossed over my chest. "That's me," I chuckled nervously.

She mumbles the weight to herself before I get off the scale. The lady leads us to one of the exam rooms and I sit down onto the exam table. "Why are we here today? You didn't express the reasoning on the phone," she asked and I glanced towards her, reading her nametag.

"I joined my boyfriend," I motion towards Ash who sits in the chair beside me and Sarah's eyes take a quick glance towards him to which he gives a small wave, "and his band on tour a couple of months ago and for the majority of it I've been ill. It wasn't too bad at first but it's definitely gotten worse."

She nods her head, typing my explanation into the computer as I fiddle with my fingers. "Alright. So, are you throwing up a lot?"

"Yeah."

"And when was the last time you had your period?"

Ashton takes a quick glance at me as I was quiet for a few seconds before I spoke up. "About two months ago, I think. With this lifestyle, everything's been so hectic so I guess I didn't really notice that I haven't had it. My period tracker actually sent me a notification this morning," I mumbled quietly.

"Okay. The first thing we're going to do is have you take a pregnancy test and then we'll take some blood to test," she explains and I nod. She walks out of the room, gathering the pregnancy test and I glance towards Ash who had his eyes on me already.

He stood up, standing in front of me and takes my hand into his. "You really think you could be pregnant?" Ashton whispers and I shrug my shoulders.

"That would explain everything that's happening," I mumble and he squeezed my hands, "I can't believe I didn't realize that I missed two periods. Also, I have gained a bit of weight, but I thought that was just from all the junk food we've had recently." I let out a laugh and take my bottom lip between my teeth.

Ashton leans forward, pressing a loving kiss to my forehead. "Whatever happens… I'll be here every step of the way," he mumbled against my skin and I nod.

"I love you," I whispered to him and Ashton smiles softly.

"I love you, baby."

The woman comes back into the room with a pregnancy test in her hands, standing by the open door as she motioned me to follow her. "I'll show you to the restroom, miss," Sarah smiles and I nod, getting off the exam table.

Mine and Ash's hands slowly pull apart as I walk away from him, my eyes glancing back towards him. "I'll be here when you get back.'

The five of us were sitting in the dressing room, Mike, Cal, and Luke playing the PlayStation as Ashton and I were cuddled on the loveseat. His hand was on my stomach, stroking gently and my heart flutters, finding it hard to believe that we actually made a tiny human. I rest my head in the crook of his neck, seeing the TV screen.

"So, Y/N," Calum pipes up and I glance towards the blue-haired boy, his honey-brown eyes glued to the game in front of him. "Did the doctor figure out what's been going on?"

I take a quick glance towards Ash, seeing a small smile on his lips and he nods his head. "Uh, yeah, yeah, she did."

Michael pauses the game, the three of them looking at the two of us. "Well, what is it?" Mike asked and sets his controller onto the couch.

I get up from Ashton, walking to the bag I had set on the table in the room. I grab the ultrasound from it, smiling down at it as tears come to my eyes again. Currently, our little baby is the size of a raspberry and Ashton and I don't want to know the gender until they're born. I clear my throat, heading back towards the boys as I sit down on Ash's lap, his arms wrapping around me while handing the upside-down picture to Luke.

His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, flipping the picture over and his lips part. "N-No way…" the blonde trails off and looks towards his other two bandmates. Calum and Michael get up from their spot, standing in front of Luke as gasps leave the boys' lips.

"Are you serious? You're actually pregnant?" Michael asked and I nod my head.

"Yeah. Eight weeks pregnant to be exact. It explains literally everything, but we've been so busy with this tour that I haven't exactly noticed."

The three boys stand up and rush towards me, giving me a group hug. I let out a laugh, wrapping my arms around Luke and Calum.

"I can't believe I'm gonna be an uncle!" Calum grins and I giggle.

The door to the dressing room opens, one of the crew members poking their heads in. "Hey, guys, you're gonna be going on stage in a few minutes."

The boys pull away from me and congratulate me quickly before getting ready. I lift myself off Ashton's lap and he stands up. I wrap my arms around his neck, smiling up at him. "Have fun. You're gonna fucking rock it," I tell him and he giggles before pressing a kiss to my nose, then my lips.

"Thanks, baby," Ashton laughs and moves one of his hands to my tummy. "I love you and our little one."

"We love you," I whispered and he leans his forehead against mine. "Cuddles later?"

"Oh, fuck," he groans and tilts his head back, "absolutely."

I chuckle and he pulls away, grabbing his drumsticks. I stand close to the door as he begins to leave when I slap his ass. A short leaves my lips as Ashton halts his movements, looking back at me with wide eyes. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"You're such a fucking dork. Now, c'mon," he laughs and grabs my hand, leading me towards the rest of the group.

Taglist: @daisyxbuckley @bumblebet-20 @ashtonsunshine @thebookamongmen @h0tsos @asht0ns-world @maddz-world @gotta-try-something-new @twilightparker @ashs-cheergirl @therainydays4 @thatcheekychic @dashlilymark @shower-me-with-roses @lukeskisses @latemikedevil @fayesfairylights @marshmallowtraver @trashbin2 @whatmakesmehappyy @morningfears

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thecardsimagine · 5 years

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Of shipwrecks and seafoam

Summary: Let me tell you a story about a pirate and a merman, finding a love that goes beyond insecurities and death. Let yourself be taken away onto a journey about doubt and secrets, understanding and a bond that even goes beyond the deep blue of the ocean.

Pairing: Merman!Julian Devorak x Pirate!Reader (Nonbinary) Rating: Mature because of swearing and suggestive content Warning: Blood, Death, Killing Genre: Romance, Drama, Alternate Universe

a/n: Hey, this is my mermaid fic with finally some mermaids! Amazing, really great, what a big surprise! Tired after editing this chapter, but I look forward to your comments and thoughts to the chapter! Let me know ^-^

Chapter 2 - Ideas and Encounters

You didn't know how long the wreck of a dream occurred to you. It must have been many hours until your body had enough of it and changed the thought to something more pleasant. It was a simple, daylight sky. One you had often seen on the ship, with seagulls flying overhead and croaking. There was a soft melody playing in the background, like a lullaby. It sounded like something your mother would have hummed to you when you were a child, calming and pleasant. You liked it a lot, and yet, something about it made you feel uneasy.

In this dream-like state, your body was present, but you couldn't move it. Something would carefully touch you, but you didn't know if it were your own hands. Maybe, but it didn't feel bad. It would touch your closed eyelids, the side of your face. You couldn't feel your own hands, but you felt how it crossed your arms over your chest. You must have looked like a dead body at its burial, that's how you thought you were laying. A scary thought, but you weren't as much scared as you were comfortable. At least for a while, your wound wasn't hurting, your body was seemingly weightless. To say you were pleased with it, was an understatement.

And then, your dream world started to crumble.

It would all just turn to blue, then black, leaving nothing behind but your awakening state. Your eyes fluttered open, the sound of birds chirping reaching you. It was still early, but the sun was already on its way to the top, and the fire next to you had long gone out, leaving only ash behind. You hoped to be able to relight it latest at night - either that or being off the island and back in civilization by that time.

Your sleep had been… bad. There was no lying about it. Outdoors, on the sand, having terrible dreams and there was also the encounter midway through it. Your head spun lightly as you sat up, letting out a small groan and bringing your hands up to rub your temples. Though it was supposed to be a sunny day, currently clouds hung over the sky, and you felt a little chilly as a gust of wind hit your face.

Admittedly, you hadn't put on your trousers after trying to go for a swim yesterday, and your skin resented you for it now. You decided the best you could do was relight the fire and wait until you were warmer again. Turning your torso a little to grab for your pants that rested nearby, you felt something coming off the side of your body, exactly where your wound was.

Though you didn't feel any pain, you panicked, hoping that you hadn't opened the wound up if it had healed or worse than that. Pulling up the hem of your shirt, you squealed lightly as gross, green seaweed fell off your side and stomach, landing on your legs where you brushed it off quickly. It had left gooey slime where it touched, and you could barely form a coherent thought about it over your disgust.

Whatever was going on, you were sick of it.

With your hand you tried to carefully wipe away the goo, flinching whenever you felt pain from touching your wound. Now you really had no other option but go into the water. Calming yourself, you took a few deep breaths, trying to think back to the night. You had woken up to seaweed already covering your body before, and though you were sure you had taken it off then and there, maybe you had missed some of it?

Looking at the pile of underwater green next to you, you decided this was impossible. You could have not missed at least two big hands of it, no doubt. Your thoughts went out to the creature again and the more you wanted to believe it didn't exist, the more you had to admit that only something remotely human could have done that. And as much as you loved your species, if a real human had found you laying in the sand, they would have either woken you up or presumed you were dead and let you lay there for the seagulls to pick. There was no in between, and there was no wrapping a wound in freaking seaweed!

Sighing you shook your head. Whatever it was, you presumed it wasn't bad. As in, wanting to kill and eat you bad. Another deep breath went through your lungs, and you decided to gather yourself. There was no use in pondering about it now anyway. You needed to make a fire, gather more materials, food, water, and also find out what the deal with the beach you were at was. And most importantly, a bath. Aside from the goo sticking to you, you felt stinky from all the days without a conscious dipping into the water.

So you reached for your stick to help you get up. A little wonky on your legs still, you managed it much faster than yesterday and with less pain from your side. Maybe the seaweed did help with cooling the wound, though it was far from being healed. But you were working on it, you told yourself. Pulling off your shirt, you took the two pieces of clothes that you had with you as you made your way down to the water.

It was less scary now than the night before. You could clearly see your steps and the small fish swimming in it, scurrying away when your foot came down on the ground next to them. You didn't plan to go in very far, and you could faintly make out a drop, where the beach seemed to mostly end and give away to the ocean. Not a strange concept to you, but it didn't go well with your theory that this wasn't just a beach next to the mainland you were stranded on.

But you brushed off this thought, it was to be cleared later. Standing in the water up to your knees, you bent down to wash the fabric in your hand. It would be impossible to get out the stains anyway, but if they at least were a bit cleaned, you would feel better wearing them. When you were happy with their washing process, you threw them over your shoulder, taking a deep breath.

Now it was your time.

Sitting down into the water you tried to take more deep breaths, though you failed miserably right with the first one. You were not sure what you had expected, in fact, this was precisely what you had expected yesterday already. The burn was so deep going, you let out a suffocated scream, tears blubbering up in your eyes, dampening your view. It was so bad, you felt like fainting, and yet, you knew you had to get the goo off, or it had all been for nothing.

So against the better judgment of your pain, you went ahead to wash the slime off with your hands, finding it even harder to feel it against your fingers underwater than on land. Nauseous and desperate, you tried to get it off the wound, on some point even thinking it might not be too bad to leave on if only you could get up and out of the water. By now, it was hard to distinguish if it was the goo that hurt or your fingers brushing over your wound, but much to your horror you had to instead watch the water turn red to your side.

Immediately - or at least as fast as possible - you got up. The burning stayed, though from what you could see, there was no green slime remaining. At least something to be glad off, the only problem was the blood now that had been set free because of your intervention. You didn't even know anymore where your head was. Dazed, you took your pants, placing the hip part over your wound before wrapping the legs around your body once and tying a knot. It wouldn't have been enough fabric to wrap it around more, which you resented but complied to.

By now, you had no idea what to do or even, what you were doing. You just feared the pain to get worse and worse no matter what you did. It was so bad, you would have done anything you could just to get rid of this wound. Even death seemed so much more appealing than having to live with this. Stumbling out of the water and back to the shore, you pulled your shirt over your head, sinking down to your knees when you reached the land.

"No…" you muttered to yourself. "I'm not gonna die here, I can do this."

Taking some more deep breaths, you let the tears out that you had held back. You'd feel better after letting out your emotions, you knew. There was no one to judge you for crying in the situation you were in, and no one could see you anyway. After a few minutes of bailing, you finally felt the sweet salvation of relief wash over you. Yes, you did feel much better all of a sudden, and it wasn't hard for you to get a grip on your situation again. Washing, checked!

Next was the fire. With your trustworthy stick at hand, you stood up again, taking your first few steps back into the forest. Even though your body hurt still, you felt a lot better now. Your fever had gone down, and so had your general uncomfortableness. Even though your movements were still a little stiff, you could walk more freely now, and you gathered some more wooden sticks and leaves in no time.

Everything seemed to go smoothly, even the fire was starting up nicely, washing a wave of warmth over you. For a while, you sat there, feeling the heat and drying your wet skin and clothes. You hadn't had the chance or the nerves to actually wash your hair too, and running your hand through it only showed it was sandy from your night at the beach. But it was okay, you'd eventually get to do that too, you were sure.

A sudden rumble in your stomach gained your attention. Truth be told, you had dismissed the feeling of hunger for the last day, but it was starting to wear you off. Looking out at the calm ocean, you thought about the possibilities. You could go and look for fruits or berries deeper in the forest, maybe also reaching the other end of it if you were diligent today. It was less of a question of your willpower though and more of your physical condition.

Staring out into the ocean brought up another idea in you. You had seen fish in the waters before. Though the small ones seemed less suitable to eat, there might be bigger ones too if only you stepped out far enough. You could dry them or try baking them next to the fire. Not the greatest idea you ever had but probably the most useful so far, next to starting a fire.

Looking around, you tried to find something sharp, maybe a stone or a shell. You were lucky, finding a small, grey stone with a broken edge that seemed like it could work. Taking your long stick into your other hand, you turned and twisted it to find the most suitable end, deciding on one. Sure, you could have hunted fish with your hands, but you were a pirate, not a magician. Nevertheless, you had a massive wound at your side, there was no way you were going to catch one with bare hands.

Rubbing the sharp edge against the end of the stick your cut off excess wood until it formed into a sharper version of itself. A spear was exactly what you needed. Wiping some sweat from your forehead, you examined your doings. Admittedly, it was far from perfect. But it was pointy, seemed sharp and was your only reasonable hope to some food. Happy with your creation, you got up again, finding you could still use the stick perfectly fine as a walking aid when you turned the pointy end up.

Stepping back into the water you were glad you didn't wear your trousers like a normal human being. The fabric would have been soaked by the time you got to the far end, where the beach seemed to make a visible drop, and restricted your movement. Lurking over the gap, you saw nothing but black behind the edge of the sand. It was deeper than you had imagined, and you as a pirate especially, knew better than to go somewhere humans probably shouldn't go.

Instead, you tried to find a good spot, steadying yourself on the ground. Shifting with the water you supposed would seem natural to fish, that much movement you gave yourself. Otherwise, you persevered and waited for something to pass you. Luckily, you didn't have to be patient for too long, a few groups of fish coming up, inspecting your skin before slowly moving. You waited, and waited some more, trying to find the perfect spot and angle to hit the fish.

Even if it was 'just a fish', you felt bad about maybe just grazing it and punishing it to keep on living in pain… Like you. Your eyes fell at a beautiful shimmering one, the water reflecting its scales. For a moment you were awestruck by its beauty, but then you remembered your purpose. "Survival of the fittest," you mouthed to yourself, before bringing down your spear, hoping to catch it.

It needed a second until you could see through the splash again, tugging at your spear, only to find resistance. You pulled a little harder, only for you to lose your footing, tumbling to keep standing. You did absolutely not want to take another bath. Once you had rammed your heels into the ground, you obtained your stand again, quickly holding up the spear to look at it.

There was nothing. A miss.

You couldn't help but groan, feeling disappointed in yourself for losing the opportunity, but you gave yourself some motivational talk, retaking your pose from before and trying again. You had come far, you couldn't possibly give up now.

But it happened again.

And again.

And every time you lost a little bit of hope in yourself.

"Shit!" you hissed, throwing the spear into the direction of the beach in your frustration. "Damnit, why can't I hit a stupid fish?!" Though your yelling was futile, it felt good letting out the anger that had built up in you. "Nothing I do works! What am I supposed to do, huh?!" you screamed at the sky as if someone was listening in on you from there. "FUCK!"

Huffing, you finally calmed down, leaning forward slowly. Though it hurt your wound, you had to reach down, shoveling some water in your face. Standing right above the edge now, you splashed the cold wet over your cheeks and arms, even running it through your hair. You couldn't have cared less about your looks, but when you were finished and looked into your reflection on the water, you deemed yourself pathetic.

You were nothing of your former self. You looked dirty and unkempt. There were deep wrinkles on your forehead, your clothes were stained, and you didn't even need to see it to know that your body was dehydrated. Even your eyes looked like they had lost their color, changing into a dark grey tone, unlike their usual brighter color.

They almost looked unreal.

Since when did you have red hair.

Where those… fins?

You could barely stumble back as the creature emerged, it's head popping up right above the water that you had just stared down. Hardly, you made any progress in taking a step back in the thigh-high water, while it seemed to come closer and closer quickly. "Stay away…" you muttered, eyes wide opened and staring in shock at the almost human-like features. All color had left your face, and only now you realized your mistake in throwing away the spear.

It was real, you had not imagined it. Though its eyes didn't seem to glitter without the sunlight - the sun still covered by clouds - they were the same that had stared at you when you had woken up after the shipwreck. Its hair still seemed like red velvet, though now that you were so much closer and sure you weren't hallucinating you figured it was just the water that gave them their consistency.

Before you really knew what was going on, it had caught up to you. It was not the creature's fault that you slipped on a rock while trying to pace backwards, ultimately falling back into the water. Luckily it wasn't the really deep spot where you landed, so your head was still out of the water, but you let out a pained cry as your wound got soaked again too. You pinched your eyes together for a second, partly out of pain, partly just because you couldn't possibly look if the creature was going to do anything to you.

And you were right, it was doing something to you, though not what you expected.

Two hands slipped under your arms, tugging and pushing you out of the water and up towards the shore. Admittedly, it wasn't a graceful coming down, as you were technically thrown into the sand. In shock you looked up again, seeing the creature wiggling closer still, dragging an enormous, scaled tail behind it. Now that the water thinned out, it seemed to have a harder time moving than before.

Maybe you shouldn't have, but your eyes twitched nervously to its hands. Where its other features were relatively close to that of a human male - except for the missing half below his loins - its hands were elongated claws. And for human measurements it was big. You thought yourself to be average for your species, but it was not only long, it was just so much bigger than the average human male. Or maybe you had just not seen another human in a while, and your mind was playing tricks on you, who knew.

"Oh god…" you whispered as it finally reached you, its body hovering over you, with its arms on both of your sides. Your gaze was met with its, strong and steady reciprocating the eye contact. Deep gray orbs that seemed to pierce right through you, putting your whole body into a state of motionlessness.

"What are you?"

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 5 years

Text

Michael in the Mainstream - It: Chapter 2

Movies like It seem to be so scarce nowadays. It’s a horror movie that was actually scary, with good characters with a solid dynamic and plenty of entertainment value, not to mention the fact that it pulled off the miraculous feat of having child actors who not only didn’t suck but are better than some adult actors. And then on top of all that, it’s an adaptation that, in a lot of ways, improves on and polishes the coke-fueled insane fever dream that is the original Stephen King novel. So of course, seeing as it only adapted roughly half of the novel’s story (or maybe more like a third considering all of the backstory of the distant past of It’s time in Derry), the sequel was always going to have its work cut out for it, and would inevitably be standing in the shadow of the previous film.

I’d be lying if I said this film was as good as its predecessor. It’s not. It’s not as scary, it has some really underwhelming moments, and it cut out a lot of the backstory and other elements that seemed like they would really help flesh out the movie’s universe and Pennywise. But all that aside, this is still a good movie, a great one even. Just maybe not a great horror movie. You see, It: Chapter 2 does something very odd despite maintaining the cosmic horror elements of the previous film – it turns itself into a black comedy.

I have to say that some of it must be unintentional. I don’t know for sure we were supposed to find Mrs. Kersh rushing Beverly looking like a nude Large Marge hilarious, for instance. But then you have moments like Stephen King’s cameo, or the leper vomiting on Eddie and playing the first line of the chorus of “Angel of the Morning” for literally no reason and you start to realize the film actually does have a fairly good sense of humor. Once again, this is mainly due to Richie, whose older self is portrayed by Bill Hader. Hader absolutely steals the movie, somehow managing to make a character who was intolerable in the original book and miniseries likable, humorous, and even heartfelt and emotional at points. There’s actually a really great twist to Richie here that I appreciated being put in. And his banter with the equally show-stealing James Ransone as Eddie only adds on to how great he is.

Of course, much like the miniseries, this half would fall apart if the rest of the adults weren’t able to to represent themselves well, but thankfully they all turn in great performances that truly channel what the child actors built up. Hader as Richie as Jessica Chastain as Beverly are probably the most accurate look-wise in addition to really getting what made audiences love the child versions of their characters, but even ones who look a bit less like the kids like James McAvoy absolutely kill it, though in regards to McAvoy I really don’t think I’ve ever seen the man put in a bad performance. All of these characters are likable, fun, funny, and manage to carry the story even when they’re just sitting around talking – again, in stark contrast to the miniseries, where almost every single one of the adults was just relentlessly dull or unfunny.

Of course, what would this movie be without Pennywise? The movie does make good use out of Bill Skarsgard, even if a lot of the intriguing backstory was cut. While he maintains the sinister, creepy atmosphere he had in the first film, meaning he never quite devolves into the hilarious trolling Tim Curry’s Pennywise dabbled in, he does get a lot of amusing, goofy moments, a highlight being the blackly comical scene where he taunts Richie over his “dirty little secret” with a goofy song while the townsfolk sway their heads along to the tune. Overall though, he’s even more brutal and cruel than before, especially since we get even more graphic depictions of him killing children, with two of them being just needlessly cruel.

His first kill is not only that, but also needlessly shocking. They adapted the Adrian Mellon death scene, which is greatly appreciated since it is a kind of sick cruelty that still exists today and the commentary King was making when he wrote the scene will be relevant until homophobia is squashed out. The thing is, though, the homophobic bullies just… disappear from the story, without any comeuppance. I did read an interview where the director said their comeuppance was unfortunately cut, which leads the scene to feel like it’s just there to be shocking rather than commenting on how humanity can sometimes be more monstrous than the eldritch flesh-eating clown that lives in the sewer.

That’s not the only wonky story element, either; Henry returns, but he has so little impact on the plot it’s a wonder why they even put him in at all, especially seeing as they cut out Christine’s cameo and Pennywise turning into a dog – two highlight’s of Henry’s portion of the story in the book. Adding to that, Henry actually doesn’t even accomplish anything; in the book, he severely wounds Mike and Eddie, while here he… mildly inconveniences them for short periods of time. He’s utterly pointless, and it’s weird how they’d keep him in and water him down while simultaneously cutting out Bill’s wife and Bev’s husband, the latter of whom makes quite an impression in his single scene. I’m not saying it’s bad that they cut those two out – the novel is filled with unnecessary side characters that could be easily trimmed with little detriment to the story, both of them included – but it is a bit weird that they didn’t try to do anything with them and instead just kind of screwed Henry over.

Then of course, as is the norm for adaptations of It, the ending is a tad bit underwhelming. It certainly is not to the same level as the original miniseries, what with its terrible stop-motion spider, but it still ends up being a bit corny when they actually step up and defeat Pennywise, though thankfully the blow is cushioned by a lot of creativity in the initial confrontation. And while the final battle is not perfect, the ending is a lot better than in the novel, with bittersweetness given a lot more triumph and happiness than the novel’s far more downbeat ending. And I think, flaws aside, that right there is a testament to how good the movie is: I was so happy to see all of these characters get the happy ending that the underwhelming final battle and the other problems of the movie didn’t matter much in the long run, I was just happy these characters I love and who I have seen suffer countless hardships and heartbreaks finally get the happy endings they deserve, for the most part anyway.

I think this is a very good, strong film, if not a perfect one; I think that generally speaking people who liked the first one will enjoy this, and if you go in knowing this isn’t going to be on the same level as the first one you’ll probably like it. Understanding that it’s much funnier than it is scary will probably be a big help. This isn’t a particularly scary film especially compared with the first one, but that opening scene is intensely uncomfortable and if you don’t like seeing children messily devoured by clowns then I’d still say avoid this if you’re faint of heart.

It’s strange how history repeats. 27 years prior to the first film, the miniseries came out, and it had an extremely solid first half get bogged down by a second half that just couldn’t live up to it. It’s not an exact repeat; It: Chapter 2 is nowhere near being a bad film, and lands more in the ‘good film overshadowed by its predecessor’ category, but it’s still kind of sad that adaptations of such an iconic novel have just never been able to stick the landing.

I guess that’s what they get for cutting out Matarin.

#Michael in the Mainstream #Review #Movie review #It #It: Chapter 2 #Stephen King #Pennywise #Black comedy #horror

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lubdubsworld · 6 years

Text

CSG ~ Namjoon x OC

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 /

Chapter 6 / Chapter 7

Chapter 8

“You got lucky. I've seen people die from a lot less....” My mother leaned over the bed, carefully, cleaning the vicious cuts on my sides. I bit my lips, trying not to cry out from the sting of whatever she was using to get rid of the congealed blood and fluid. The smell was foul and my hands were numb from the countless IV antibiotics i’d been taking in....

i wasn’t allowed to see what she was doing but i cut tell that she was draining whatever disgusting fluid had formed . Thankfully the wound in my shoulder wasn’t infected . The fever had come down a little and after a night in the intensive care unit, I’d been moved to one of the VIP wards at one of the bigger hospitals. The doctors were perfect angels and they seemed utterly intimidated by my mother, who took over my case without any delay.

Of course she was one of the best doctors in the continent and most of the doctors here had grown up with her as a role model. The flattery and attention was suffocating.

And it wasn’t just them.

The cops and the city council were very vocal about , “ Doing anything we can to make sure your lovely daughter comes out of this terrible ordeal, well healed and unharmed.”

I felt sick to my stomach.

But i wasn’t ready to think about it, any of it. At least not till i got better.

“Your friend has been sleeping on the chair in the hallway for the past three days. I told him to come sit here but he seems to think you wouldn’t want that.” My mother gave me a very pointed look, one that screamed, “ i raised you better than to act this way “

i lurched.

“Sleeping in the-” i tried to picture Namjoon’s long limbs in some of the tiny chairs in the hallway and winced in sympathy.

My mother shrugged.

“He’s a were. Technically its a miracle they even allowed him here. I think the next time you get up, you should go tell him to at least take the couch in here.”

I nodded . She stared at me for another second before carefully replacing all her instruments on the cart. She took off the gloves and the mask , before rolling it away to the side. She then settled on the edge of my bed, lightly touching my hair.

“Don’t ever do that to me again.” She whispered softly, eyes a little glassy. i smiled a little.

“i’m fine now.” i said softly.

It was something between us, because my mother’s busy career usually kept us apart. My childhood had been wonky because of that and while they had loved me in every way, my parents had skipped on some important parts of it. Never both of them at the same time but...it was rare for all three of us to be together. I was used to talking about my troubles in the past tense because they were seldom there in the present.

So we’d got this habit of asking, “ But are you fine , now?”

it was just a way of telling ourselves that yes, bad stuff happened before but it was over and we were fine now.

My mother smiled and kissed my cheek.

“Do you want to take some time off? Come back home to Busan?” She suggested gently. I considered it seriously. Time off sounded great actually but I had a lot of school work to catch up on. In the long run, it would only add to my stress once I did get back.

“I’ll be fine...” I said softly. “ They told me they’ve fixed my dorm. “

“We could get you and Irene an apartment... In a safer neighborhood. Maybe with more security. We can arrange for someone to drive you around. Do you want a car? You know money isn’t an issue right?” There was a note of nervousness in her tone.

I blinked in surprise.

My parents weren’t reckless with money although they made more than enough. They were very particular about me not growing up spoiled. Anything i wanted i would have to earn. My mother still made me shop at discount stores unless it was one of the red-tie dinners they held sometimes.

Cars and apartments and chauffeurs were so far out of the picture that I could only gape at her.

It stuck me suddenly that my parents had genuinely been terrified by what had happened.

“it’s alright....I’ll be alright.” i said again, reaching out to grab her wrist. She sniffled a little.

“Your father was here for a while, when you were asleep. Then he left to .....take care of the boy and his brother...who died....” She looked a little sad and I felt my throat close up.

i nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

“It was unfortunate.” she sighed deeply. “But it wasn’t anyone’s fault. First responders in Werewolf attacks are generally trained to open fire at any signs of aggression.”

There were no signs of aggression, I wanted to scream but didn’t . instead i nodded.

“Is Namjoon still outside?” I said instead, trying to sit up straighter. She nodded, standing up and moving to get the cart. My mom had barred nurses from my room, insisting that only she be allowed inside. i supposed it was her way of getting control in her life again. She was pretty shaken up by the whole thing.

“i can ask him to come in and see you but from experience, i don’t think he’ll listen. He seems content to guard your room from the outside. “ She wrinkled her nose. “ I think that sounded like a dog joke. i apologize.”

I rolled my eyes and watched her leave, before carefully swinging my legs over the bed. They’d taken the Iv line off so I could move to the door with minimum fuss.

When i opened the door, sure enough, i found him sprawled over a couple of chairs, dozing off.

I walked right up to him and tapped his shoulders.

He blinked groggily, eyes half shut as he stared up at me.

Before promptly jumping and falling off the chair.

“Don’t be a martyr. There’s a perfectly good couch in my room. Get inside.” I said tiredly. He stared at me from the floor for a second.

He cleared his throat.

“You’re...fine.” it wasn’t a question. I shrugged.

“it wasn’t as bad as it looked.” I said . He nodded before carefully rising up. He shuffled around awkwardly for a second.

“I’ll be going then...” He said softly, almost turning around and I startled.

“Seriously? You’re going to run?” I said, surprised. He flinched at my tone.

“I know you’re mad and you have eery right to be and i swear, I just... I wanted to apologize but I’e been thinking about it and I don’t think i deserve to be forgiven. ” He said, almost desperately.

i felt my hackles rise.

“Then why were you skulking here for the past three days?” I snapped and he had the good grace to look a little embarrassed.

“It’s my fault-” He began and i made a noise of impatience.

“Please don’t start. I can’t listen to your self flagellation because it is in fact not your fault. It’s no one’s fault. I’ve been thinking about stuff too and I realized that sometimes bad things happen and its no ones fault. “

“I treated you awfully -”

“Seeing the way my kind treats yours, I can tell you that you had every right to be wary of me. it was my fault for pushing for things you weren’t ready to give... If anyone should be apologizing its me.”

He grunted at that.

“That’s not true at all.” He muttered.

I smiled.

“You’re right it’s not. But the rest of it is. After what happened, I understand the anger that comes from being judged and sentenced without a fair trial,” i swallowed. “ i can understand how you must’ve felt , being hurt for something you didn’t do.”

I reached out to try and touch him but my arm was still sore.

i winced when my shoulder throbbed .

He straightened.

“You’re hurting...” his eyes softened, “ You should be in bed.” He pointed out and I couldn’t actually refute it. My body was starting to hurt again.

“That depends ..... Are you coming in?” I bit my lips and he looked torn.

He hesitated before shaking his head , very reluctantly , breath leaving in an exhale..

“everything i said.,..that night. It still holds. ” He said gently, eyes begging me to understand and I tried not to let it show, how much that hurt,

I ignored the sharp pain in my ribs. A pain that had nothing to do with the injury and everything to do with what he’d just said.

I smiled wider instead, trying to lighten the mood .

“Can’t be in the same room? Come on big guy, that’s just-”

“Y/N...listen.” He cut me off, this time a little sharper, “ There’s a reason wolves don’t have casual sex. We leave our scent on the person we sleep with. i left mine on you. It’s probably why Liam chose you in the first place. You smelled like Alpha. Like something safe.”

I stared at him, remembering the way Liam had said it, over and over again. Safe. Safe. Safe.

“It’s not your fault...That doesn’t make it your fault....” I said miserably and he shook his head.

“It does. You know it does. You...You’re human. You don’t know about this stuff. I do. And as an Alpha, I should know better.” He shook his head.

“Stop. Don’t make it sound like i didn’t want it! i wanted it ...i wanted you...” I said angrily. i still do

“that doesn’t make it right. “ He gritted out. “ It doesn’t and I should take responsibility for it. If you were a wolf, your own scent would have masked it soon. But you’re not. And it didn’t so you got hurt....I can’t... I can’t risk something like that happening again...I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

He looked almost desperate now.

“I’m not hurt....” I said weakly.

He shook his head.

“You have to understand. You’re... You deserve better.” He licked his lips.

“So we can’t be friends? is that what you’re saying....”

He looked up at that, eyes wide.

“I...of course not. We’re friends. I care about you, I’ll always be here if you need me. We just can’t...pursue a relationship.”

i nodded.

“Fine. point taken. I’m gonna go back in now.” I waved at the door.

“Would you like me to help you back to bed?” And he looked so concerned that my heart gave a treacherous , hopeful lurch, like it hadn’t been pounded into enough; like it still wanted after being denied, over and over again.

I stared at him, not even sure what to say.

“No. “ i said shortly.

He sighed.

“Y/N....”

“Just leave.”

Please, for the love of God, leave and don’t come back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You weren’t the first girl he hurt....” My father sat on the chair next to my bed, while I stayed seated against the headboard. “He was bitten by a feral wolf when he was five and the autopsy showed some signs of abuse, some dating back to when he was a toddler.”

I nodded listlessly.

“He didn’t mean to hurt anyone.” i said softly.

My father sighed.

“But he did hurt them. There were two other girls, one in China , near his hometown and another in a village near Busan. They weren’t so lucky.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“Liam killed them. And I know you probably won’t believe me, but he would have killed you too....” My father said gently.

“You’re right. I don’t believe you.” i said , a little more sharply than I’d intended.

My father made a noise of impatience.

“He was feral. His control.... it was almost non existent. The full moon is due in eight days. If we hadn’t found you...he would have only gotten worse and he would have fatally inured you at some point..... “

I stared at my dad.

“Why are you telling me this?” I said feeling pathetic. I couldn’t make any sense of anything.

My heart wanted Namjoon, it wanted to believe that he was kind, sweet and wonderful.

My heart ached for Liam. He had been so innocent, so lost, just looking for a place to feel at home.

But apparently I was an idiot . Apparently, Namjoon was dangerous. Apparently Liam was feral and murderous.

Apparently, my own mind and heart could no longer be trusted .

“I’m just trying to tell you that it’s not your fault. it’s not anyone’s fault. It’s unfortunate that this happened to him but , that’s the card he got handed and there’s no one to be blamed.”

I nodded.

“It’s not like it matters anymore. He’s dead.”i said flatly.

My father didn’t reply. He reached out and lightly squeezed my ankles.

“Well, I’m just glad you’re okay. I love you. I don’t know what i would have done if something had happened to you. ”

I softened a little.

“i love you too.” I whispered.

He stared at me for a second and then straightened.

“i’m going to have a word with Seokjin about getting Namjoon out of Seoul for a while....” He said suddenly.

I startled, completely thrown .

“What? Why?”

He sighed deeply.

“This whole thing with ...Liam has sparked a lot of outrage in the community out here. People are scared and some extremist groups are trying to take advantage of the panic....”

I frowned.

“that doesn’t sound good...”

My father shook his head.

“No it isn’t. There’s a lot of debate about Human safety and about restricting Were’s and their freedom.”

“that’s insane. Are they serious?”

My father sighed .

“there’s a lot of political issues involved here. The city council is led by Im Jaebum and you know the guy is notorious for being anti-werewolf. He knows he’s running against Seokjin for the next term and so far Seokjin’s got a much better chance than him. Seokjin’s campaign focuses a lot on Were rights and he’s married to one too, so Jaebum’s trying to derail the whole campaign by turning the whole city against weres......He’s like a rabid dog with a bone right now....” My father looked helplessly angry.

“ What are they planning to do?” i said, suddenly terrified.

i remembered how Namjoon had looked in that room, handcuffed to rusty pipes with wolfsbane in his veins. The agony that had almost radiated from his skin...

How scared Liam had looked before they had gunned him down.

“There’s talk of interrogations, bringing people in for questioning.” He grimaced, “ which is just code for torture and assault. Curfews and ankle bracelets probably to keep track of them. Probably with Wolfsbane in them to keep them subdued ”

“ You can’t let that happen...” I said at once, horrified.

My father nodded.

“i’ve already spoken to most of my friends in Busan and even some of them in China and Japan. they’ll be flying in this week. We’re going to stop this before it gets too crazy but Jaebum..he’s already set the ball rolling. You should give your werewolf friends some heads up. Tell them to lay low for a while. ”

I stared at him

“this isn’t right...” i whispered.

He nodded.

“i know. And i’m going to do everything i can to try and stop it but... I know Namjoon is ...important to you. So i’ll talk to Seokjin, okay?”

I nodded , watching him straighten up and stretch.

“I’ve spoken to the RA in your dorm. They’ve increased security but i want you to know that anytime you want to come home, you’re free to...” he smiled and i managed a weak one in return.

He kissed my forehead before leaving.

~~~~~~~~~

Three days later, i moved back into my dorm , now cleaned and with newly fitted locks in both the window and the door.

The first week was pretty much mind-numbingly boring. I had to keep my wounds clean, had to finish all of my assignments while trying to keep my cool as the entire college came down on weres , all but locking them up.

On a friday, i couldn’t bear it anymore and decided to park myself in the library.

Irene had cleaned both of our spaces up and she helped finish up the last of the laundry, before joining me in the library to get a headstart on some of the course work I’d missed out on.

“I’ve told Taehyung that we should take a break . Things have been kind of crazy what with all the stuff going on campus....” She said softly, using a highlighter on a passage and giving me a little glance.

I stared soullessly at the notes in front of me. I hadn’t turned the page in forty minutes.

“Good.” I said flatly, not sure what to say.

Taehyung and Jungkook were part of the student volunteers, working to make the campus ‘ safer ‘ Mostly this included making sure all werewolves were cuffed, monitoring systems to make sure they went back to their new, high security dorms before 7:00 PM every night.

I wasn’t sure why Irene wasn’t breaking up with the guy on the spot but it wasn’t my place to say anything. So i stayed quiet.

I had watched some of my friends get forced to vacate their room, looking lost and confused as they got manhandled into huge vans that took them to another part of the campus where they would be staying in ‘ temporary shelters’ till the state of emergency was over.

Im Jaebum was all all over the news, screaming about how it was unacceptable that the daughter of two very influential people, had been abducted from one of the safest localities in the city .

He used my name, often and well, painting me as the damsel who got carried away by the big bad wolf. There was a grainy photo of me, stepping out of the cabin in bloody clothes and it was splashed all over the media and the internet making me look like a hapless victim.

There were captions saying, ‘ What if your daughter was next?’.

The whole thing was so nauseating that I had stopped venturing out , other than for my classes.

There was a definite air of tension on campus. Most of the weres walked around with heads hung low, thick digital trackers cuffed conspicuously to ankles or wrists. Many of them glared at me openly and i couldn’t even blame them. As far as they were concerned, i was the cause of all this.

Security guards patrolled the area , carrying stun guns and wolfsbane pellets. It made me sick.

The only thing that assured me was my father’s phone calls. He told me over and over again to lay low. No leaving the campus.. there may be reporters. No meeting anyone else other than Irene.

That he had a plan and that soon this whole thing would change.

I took his word for it.

I hadn’t seen Namjoon in over a week. i had no idea where he was. i had no idea what was happening.

Until he turned up on Saturday morning at my dorm, dripping wet from the rain and with dark bruises all over his face .

He was shaking uncontrollably and the moment i stepped close, he sagged into my arms.

“Joon!! What happened?” I cried out, terrified.

He blinked tear filled eyes up at me.

“Yoongi hyung’s missing. ” He whispered.

i felt my heart jump to my throat.

oh fuck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note : a slightly smaller chapter. But the next one will be longer. Feedback is appreciated... :-*

Me killing off everyone in the fic: buhahahahahahahahahahahaha

#namjoon #namjoon fics #namjoon smut #namjoon scenarios #namjoon reactions #bts #bts fics #bts smut #bts scenarios #bts reactions

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fevers-and-flus-blog · 7 years

Text

Ayeee it’s my first time writing Voltron. (Also format might be wonky bc, yanno, writing on phones is hard).

The ending is suuuper abrupt I’m sorry, I hit that typical sick!fic wall.

📚: College au, sick!keith, klance

***

Keith wakes up in a panic. He bolts straight up in bed, hands immediately cupping his throat. It takes a few disoriented moments before Keith realizes where he is: his bedroom, stuffed into his twin sized excuse for a bed, and tucked tightly against Lance.

It was a dream, Keith tells himself, with a quick shake to the head. It was a dream, but he can barely remember what it was about, the narrative falling threadbare like a spider web that’s been hastily wiped away. What he can remember is choking and the guttural, almost feral noise he made trying to breathe.

Keith forces his hands away from his neck and takes a deep, even breath. A sharp sting scrapes down his throat and he realizes that the pain isn’t nightmare residue, it’s real. And it’s not just his throat. Keith aches - his head, his muscles, his chest.

Last night he’d gone to bed with a ghosting feeling that something was wrong. He assumed it was anxiety over his physics midterm, which Keith had handled like he handled most things: worked until he literally couldn’t keep his eyes open, and then promptly passed out.

“Fuck,” Keith says lowly. His voice isn’t rough, but speaking still shoots through his throat like a lightning strike.

“Mmmm” Lance stirs and rolls over, throwing a hand across Keith’s lap. “Lets skip today.”

“Funny,” Keith says absently, pressing his hands to his eyes. “I have my midterm.”

“Whatever,” Lance yawns and pushes himself up with one arm. “I guess you can do that instead.”

Keith takes a measured breath.

Any second now Lance is going to notice something’s wrong. Keith’s skin prickles with anxiety.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to deal with Lance in caretaker mode. Keith actually thinks it’s endearing – watching Lance fuss over people always fills his chest with a warm rush of pride. It’s only that Keith hates to be the one fussed over, as a general rule.

Of course, Keith’s self-reflective silence is a red flag in itself. Lance squints up at keith. “Whats wrong?”

“Nothing,” Keith says.

“Liar,” Lance sits up and stretches. “You’re stressed about the midterm, right? Babe, you’re gunna kill it, you’re like literally the smartest person I know.”

“I’m just tired.” Keith says, after a beat.

“Huh, really? You passed out pretty early last night. Well, early for you.”

Keith hums in acknowledgment and crosses his arms. All he wants to do is lay back down and burrow under the comforter. A chill runs through him, and his body shudders.

“Are you cold?” Lance asks, concerned.

“No,” Keith says.

Lance’s eyes narrow. He reaches over and strokes Keith’s cheek, then settles the back of his hand on Keith’s forehead.

“You’re really warm.”

“No, I’m okay.”

“Hold on, I’m getting the thermometer.” Lance crawls over keith and walks into the bathroom.

“Lance…”

“What?”

“Don’t make a big deal out of this.”

“I’m not!”

“You’re working up to it, I can tell.”

“Keith,” Lance says with a sigh, holding out the thermometer. “If you’re sick, you’re sick. It’s not going to help you take your midterm.”

Keith stares at the thermometer with derision. “I don’t care.”

Lance frowns and sticks the thermometer between Keith’s lips. “Well, I do. Keep your mouth shut.”

Keith scowls as aggressively as he can while they wait for it to beep. It doesn’t take very long.

“102.4. Aw shit, you really are sick.”

“It’s okay.” Keith says again, but the thermometer reading confirms the deep, pulsing ache in his muscles.

“No it’s not,” Lance says, his brows furrowed. “You have a fever.”

“It’s just a cold.”

“It’s definitely not a cold.”

“Please, stop.”

“I really think you should stay home.”

“I can’t.” Keith says. Lance starts to protest again, but Keith cuts him off. “I actually can’t. This test is 20% of my grade.”

“You can reschedule.”

“Don’t you trust me?” Keith asks, frustrated.

“Not really,” Lance says. “You never take care of yourself.”

Keith has a lot he wants to say, none of it kind. Instead he bites down on his tongue so hard it fills his mouth with a metallic tang. “I’ll come back right after.”

Lance just stares.

“I’ll come back after, and I’ll nap, okay?” Keith’s voice is coiled tight, but he’s trying to find a middle ground that won’t spiral into an argument.

Lance searches Keith’s face and sighs, brushing his hair away from his forehead. “Fine, but only because you basically admitted defeat. And only if you take medicine before you go!!”

“Yes, Shiro.” Keith clears his throat and tries not to wince.

“Don’t tease me, I might actually call him.”

“I hate you,” Keith says, but means thank you.

“Yeah, I hate you too jerk.” Lance says, and means I love you.

***

Later that morning, Lance’s phone rings. It startles him, and he elbows the back of the chair with a fair amount of force.

“Shit, shit” Lance grabs his phone still cursing, and answers. “Pidge, what’s up?”

“Your boyfriend is drooling on me, that’s what’s up.”

Lance looks to the ceiling and considers his options. There’s no audience, so he tempers the dramatics and settles for an eye roll.

“That was fast. You both finished?”

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t be calling.”

“Yeesh, alright!”

“Sorry,” Pidge says, “I’m exhausted and I kind of want to kill everyone. But Keith’s a wreck.”

“He’s sick.”

“Yeah I know dummy. I made him sit down, he could barely keep his eyes open.”

“Want me to come get him?”

“Yeah. I’d carry him, but -”

“Pidge, you’re like 2 ft. tall.”

“Um, fuck you, I’m incredibly strong. I just have weak arms.”

“Like a T-Rex.”

“Just like a T-Rex, I’ve never loved you more. Now come collect Keith before he infects me.”

“Okay okay on my way, bye!!”

Lance pulls on a sweater, slips on some sneakers, and heads over to Cochran Hall. Keith and Pidge are sitting on a bench outside. Keith’s awake now, but barely. He’s resting his forearms on his knees, hunched over and grimacing.

“Heeeey,” Lance says. “How’d it go?”

“Okay,” Keith coughs shallowly into his fist.

“This idiot couldn’t keep it together, Iverson almost kicked him out.”

“Shut up,” Keith says, shooting a dark look at Pidge. He wants to disappear, he hates this type of attention. More than that, he hates this type of weakness. He feels a little like a live wire - exposed and raw and dangerous.

Lance reaches out and puts a palm to Keith’s forehead. His humor evaporates, and he brings his hand down to the back of Keith’s neck. “You’re burning.”

“Yeah, he sounds terrible,” Pidge says to Lance. Keith coughs again, and this time it takes him a minute to find his breath. “You sound terrible.” Pidge repeats.

Keith flips her off with the last of his remaining stamina.

“I’ve got a comp sci midterm next, but I can help you guys get back to the apartment?”

“No, it’s okay,” Lance says, brushing his thumb across Keith’s heated skin a few times. “I’ve got him.”

“Okey dokey,” Pidge says, but she’s looking at Keith with concern. “Text me later asshole. So I know you’re okay?”

Keith nods. Everything around him feels once-removed, like he’s taking in information through a piece of dirty glass. He watches Pidge walk away and jolts when Lance grabs his arm.

“C’mon, let’s go home.”

Keith’s world sways.

“Woah, hey, Keith!” Lance grabs him tightly. “Do you need to sit?”

“No,” Keith says, out of habit. He’s starting to shiver, flashes of cold creeping through him. He’d been warm during the test earlier, so warm that he’d sweat through his shirt, which was thankfully hidden under his red, fraying hoodie.

“You sure?”

“Yes, sorry…” Keith trails off. His thoughts dart away from him like summer fireflies. He’s left with a pounding head and a loose tongue. “I don’t feel that good”

“Yeah,” Lance says, worry snaking through his voice. “I know. It’s okay. Let’s get you back home.”

The walk back is slow going. Keith notices the green of the grass and the way his sneakers scrape and scrape and scrape against the sidewalk.

Lance doesn’t notice anything but Keith.

When they get home, Lance sets Keith down on his bed.

“I’m gunna call Shiro”

“No,” Keith says.

“He can take us to the minute clinic.”

“I just wanna sleep, Lance.”

“Okay, okay.” He hesitates, “Let me just get your temperature, first.”

Lance waits for an argument. Keith knows he should protest, knows he’d normally want to protest, but instead he closes his eyes and puts his head back.

Lance sticks the thermometer under Keith’s tongue. It beeps shrilly, after only a moment.

Lance reads it and chews on his tongue. “103.9. Keith, babe. That’s - that’s really high.”

“I’m so tired,” Keith says.

“I know.” Lance says, with a hand pressed against Keith’s burning forehead. “Alright. Here, take some tylenol and lie down.”

Lance tries to help Keith out of his sweatshirt, but Keith swaps him away and tugs it off himself. He sloppily throws it to the corner of the room. His t-shirt is damp with sweat, and he tosses that too.

Keith loses time - it feels like each blink is a different dream.

Lance puts something cool on Keith’s forehead. Keith wants to say thank you but his mouth is heavy and his head is heavy and everything is better if he closes his eyes.

Lance grabs the soft knitted blanket at the foot of the bed and tucks it around Keith. He lets anxiety gnaw at his stomach while he watches Keith sleep. It’s a relief to worry openly, instead of pretending everything is fine.

It’s not that he’s never seen Keith sick, it’s just that he’s never seen Keith admit to being sick. And it happened so fast - Keith had been fine last night. It’s probably the flu but still, he wasn’t himself at all.

Lance watches Keith sleep some more. Eventually he crawls next to Keith in bed and tries to do some reading, but his hands keep finding their way back to Keith’s face, to test temperature and brush damp bangs back.

Lance doesn’t remember falling asleep, but he wakes up to whimpering. He’s up immediately, body thrumming with panic.

“Keith? Are you okay?”

Keith makes a small keening noise and curls deeper into himself. He’s shaking.

Lance can feel his own heartbeat in his ears.

“Babe, wake up,” he presses the back of his fingers against Keith’s cheek. Sharp, dry heat. He puts his palm on Keith’s forehead. “Jesus, you’re on fire.”

Lance blindly reaches out and feels around the bedside table for the thermometer. “C’mon I need you to wake up.”

Keith moans but blinks his eyes open slowly. “Lance? What’s - what’s…?” His breath hitches and he starts coughing. He coughs and coughs and coughs.

Lance rubs his back. “I’m here, I’m right here.”

For Keith, everything is topsy turvy.

Lance presses the thermometer against Keith’s teeth. “Put this under your tongue.”

Keith stares blankly.

��Open your mouth.”

Keith opens his mouth.

The thermometer beeps rapidly. 105.

Keith’s teeth are chattering together and Lance feels like he’s falling apart.

He calls Shiro with shaky hands.

“Hey buddy,” Shiro’s voice helps center Lance, “What’s up?”

“Keith’s really sick. I think we need to - can you drive us to the hospital?”

#sick keith #sickfic #voltron #cait writes #klance

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etani-a · 7 years

Text

♡ Looking for Contacts! ♡

I figured now was a good a time as any to make this post! I’d been mulling over it for a while, and I’m getting tired of my own shyness and anxiety! I’m looking to spread my wings a little in the rp community and make a few new connections! I have a small roster of characters to offer, and I’m more than happy to rp with any of them! I should preface this by saying I’m in Australia. My timezone can sometimes be a little bit wonky. I’m a full-time university student who works from home, so I can generally be quite flexible usually later in the week, but I’m always open for discord rp! I’m looking for just about anything. Dark plots, lighthearted stuff, a one-off run-in, anything at all! I don’t really have any hard limits when it comes to rp, and the few I do have seem to be shared amongst almost everyone. I do tend to be quite wordy when I post- I consider myself a multi-para writer, but I don’t ever expect my partners to match. Quality over quantity! (and I talk shit most of the time). Each of my bbies has a tumblr, and they are all linked. Feel free to message me here if you’d like to get something started, or on discord! My discord is Sunny#4558 ! I’m super nice! I swear! I’m just anxious all the time!!!!

Etani’a Sedi

Tani is a shroud-borne Keeper. He works as a courtesan for the Wanderer’s Elysium, and he frequently graces their stage with racy songs he’ll sing, dance, and often strip to. He’s extroverted, talkative, kind, vain, greedy, talented, and heedlessly generous. He has a big heart, and initially; that’s hard to see. He has a difficult time letting down his defences (often, those consist of clouting his skills, or his looks - he’s aware he’s attractive), because what lies beneath is scarcely good for business. He’s an insecure wreck with anomic aphasia, a small drug problem, and a dark, bloody past. But, hey - he’s pretty good with healing magic! Hooks: If you’re from the Shroud, the Keeper clan name ‘Sedi’ might be familiar. His clan were responsible for establishing communication between the Sylphs and the Wailers once upon a time. If you’re a frequent patron to the Keeper’s Kiss, you likely have heard his name -- or seen him perform! If you’re part of Ul’dah’s underground, it’s possible you might come across him in your deals. If you’re a healer, he could come to you for help in finding therapy for his aphasia. If you’re a mercenary looking for work-- there’s a thousand and one things I could throw your way.

Mouse Vaegaji

...and now for something completely different. Mouse is a certified member of the Black Lotus. He’s a rail-thin mix of Seeker and Keeper with nine fingers, and one eye. The company he keeps is generally odd, and equally as disarming as he. Mouse’s past is something he’ll generally withdraw from delving into, and ‘Mouse’ is almost certainly not his real name. A thief by trade, Mouse is playful, talkative, volatile, violent, obsessive, immature, impulsive, unpredictable, brash, kind, and above all; loyal to a fault. He adores shiny things, small animals, knives, and blood. He’s a simple dude with simple pleasures. Sure. Hooks: You’ll know Mouse if you’ve had any dealings with the Black Lotus. He’s present in Limsa’s Fisherman’s Bottom more often than not, seeking food. He’s easily won over with small gifts and trinkets - and rarely asks for payment in gil. He’s a hired killer, who is particularly skilled at getting in and out of places unseen. A master of brewing lethal potions and pawning them for pretty gemstones in Ul’dah, Mouse is also rather good at gathering information he likely shouldn’t know. He’s even better at forgetting said information once he’s paid off adequately.

Vilde Eres

Vilde’sae is a traditional wood witch from the Shroud. He leads a simple life out of a small, moss-covered cabin in the forest, filled to the rafters with plants, and all matter of small critters. His day to day life generally consists of gathering herbs, caring for his plants, feeding his animals, and brewing a small plethora of questionable potions to later sell to his business contacts in Gridania. Vilde is a softly-spoken man, and his presence - while calming - brings with it the sense that something is deeply wrong. Though his words often consist of confusing accolades, or strange anecdotes, his smiles are kind, and despite his disfigured appearance, his intentions seem well-placed. Still, if one might have any small amount of ability to sense aether, it would be quite clear there’s something amiss with Vilde. As if he is bewitched in some way. Hooks: If you’re lost in the Shroud, he might be able to help you find your way. If you’re seeking wares in Gridania, it’s possible you might stumble across the strange witch in black, with potions in his satchel. If you’re a hired blade, he’d be able to pay you for your help. If you’re in need of healing, he could provide. If you seek consultation with spirits, he could serve as a medium. If you need voidsent banished, an area warded, or a ritual performed - he can help. But, there’s always a price to pay!

Arae Ejinn

Arae is a water witch from the Steppe. He’s never set foot in Eorzea, though he’s heard more than enough to wonder. He’s a deeply curious soul with anger issues, and a sincerely short fuse. It doesn’t take much to set him off. He’s introspective, eager to learn, creative, impulsive, reckless - and deeply, deeply fond of the land around him, and the creatures that inhabit it. He’s traditional in his ways and his beliefs, and impossibly naive despite his age.

For the majority of his life, Arae worked for a small Doman syndicate that used him to move their goods inconspicuously through the waterways and rivers between small villages where the Empire didn’t patrol. His freedom is new, and novel -- and he’s still deeply bitter at the hand he’s been dealt.

Hooks: If you live in the Steppe, it’s likely you’ll stumble across him. He’s nomadic, and solitary - but always offering his abilities as a healer in return for pay. If you’re also an Ejinn, it’s likely you might know him, or come across him in your travels. If you have an animal who needs healing, he could help you. If you’re sick with any manner of fever or cold, he could offer his abilities and therapies in turn. If you’re part of the Kugane underground, he might be familiar to you, but he likely won’t be happy to see you. I’m happy to play in other characters as members of his old syndicate, too!

#balmung #miqo'te #ffxiv #balmung rp #ffxiv rp #HELP ME #let me start convoluted plots with you #PLEASE

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loropechika · 7 years

Text

road to crashing a wedding - part 4

‘love that is as lethal as a stab but as strong as the universe’

another day passed by with aya having only an empty mind during work. yet, it led to a night of more tears. the minutes were passing by slowly making them seem like it was hours. she was fixed in the floor with a heart so heavy it was impossible to get up. the previous night she went clubbing in order to dance her pain away even momentarily. and although these temporary activities worked wonders , by the time they were over they left a bad taste behind and an even more sorrowful feeling creeping around her like a snake ready to give it’s lethal bite.

she hoped for her tears to finally stop and the source that produced them to simply seize to do so for the rest of her immortal life. she had so much to think and so many conflicted thoughts it was impossible to settle in one. the pain in her chest wasn’t just her imagination, nor the fever she had or the frequent faintings. it was probably because her organism used the blacking out as a self defense mechanism. she had a limit and she had reached it more than twenty times already. and it really didn’t help that she was still in the same house that his ghost was lingering , smiling, saying to her how much he missed her or how much he loved her.

“are you still crying aya?” eriol’s familiar voice brought her out of her sorrow for the moment. she sat up and wiped her tears. “no i am not...” she replied , her voice still cracking.

“why are you lying?”

“because you came you saw and you will go tell him won’t you?” she asked him but had no answer. it was true, eriol would snitch. it was in his nature to snitch his siblings, especially if he thought it would be for their best.

“won’t you?”

“what makes you say that?” he asked her feeling offended.

“because did that last time. you went to your stupid and ugly partner in crime, whose guts i hate to love to tell him everything. you didn’t have to tell him i was going clubbing, just the things i said. you should be ashamed. both of you,” she started getting angry again.

“you need a change of scenery. come with me. i will take you to the most calming place in nireido.” he offered his hand to her.

aya looked at his hand indifferent to take it but desperate to find some kind of peace so she could sleep she reached out. and the two of them disappeared once the harmless flames engulfed them.

the next moment aya was in front of a waterfall, sitting down on a fluffy green ground. “where are we?”

“somewhere close to the palace of those bubbleheads.”

“what? bubbleheads? oh you mean the water fairies?” she asked as her appearance changed to her normal fairy form. that was when her brother could finally see exactly how sick his sister was. her wings were even disappearing almost and her skin instead of white it had a faint taint of grey. and the eyes that were supposed to be scarlet were orange.

“have you been taking the medicine i gave you?”

“not often.....” she admitted looking away from him.

“aya you can’t do that. what you have is a very serious disease for us fire fairies. you will end up losing your wings!”

“i don’t need my wings. i don’t need anything i just want yooyoo...” she said while she stared at the waterfall.

“aya, take the medicine right now! right now!” he said raising his voice.

“fine! but my powers are still wonky. do it for me...” she said sighing softly , the movement of that waterfall certainly had a calming effect.

eriol gave her the medicine she had to take and then waited to see her wings being normal again. the female fairy sighed and reained in silence while her brother sat by her side to hold her hand.

“i want to stay here for a while but ... i don’t want to run into him... even if i miss him ...”

“he doesn’t come here often, he is preparing for the forced wedding."

“so he will do it huh? he will get married?” she asked in an angry tone.

“seems like it.. if all goes as his father hopes.”

“does his father look like him?”

“eh ... yes.”

"like father like son. mkaing stupid decisions. must run in his veins. do we have veins?”

“of course we do. stupid question.”

“i never studied our anatomy. excuse you dumbhead.”

“what are you angry about?”

“everything. everything. show me the woman he picked i’m curious.” she said and so eriol created the hologram for her that came from his memory of the lady.

“she is ugly. how old is she?”

“only 300.”

“and old too. what does she do?”

“she is a dutchess.”

“not even a princess? tsk tsk tsk.”

“all the princesses are taken , with the exception of you.”

“TOO BAD!”

“seems your tears stopped and your wings are back to normal now.. like your eyes.”

“who cares about that. listen. when is the wedding?”

eriol hesitated to say it.

“it’s on the ... tenth day of the dry season.” it was the best way to answer it safely.

“earth date?”

“...... september 14.”

“WHAT?! is he doing it on purpose? getting married on my birthday? what for? WHAT FOR?”

“his father decided it.”

“of course, like father like son. i forgot!” she sighed heavily wondering what to do.

“you can’t do anything now. and he is stupid as you say so...”

“stupid is really a small world. tell him that his brain flew out of his skull! tell him that that ... i’m running out of creative swears... that his eyeballs are spinning like a demon’s and tell him that i hope his new wife will cheat on him every day with a hundred men at the same time! and he will be the laughing stock of everyone for being the cheated idiot prince ..yooyoo....” and her voice softened again when he said the name and his cute smiled creeped out of her memory.

“just tell him i love him... wait!” she took out of her pocket her mobile phone to record it “i love you yooyoo” she said in her most loving tone possible then handed the phone to her brother. “give it to him.”

"okay...”

“tell him that i will continue to be in this pain he has condemned me until i can feel something else other than anger and sadness.” she wiped her tears and looking at the waterfall once again she finally started to settle her thoughts. it was like magic. he was going to get married and she didn’t like the idea at all. that wedding should be stopped... that was the main idea, but to do that she would have to restore her powers to the same terrifying level as before. how? there was only one way. she would have to continue sitting in front of the waterfall to find strong resolution and the final boost towards the forgiveness. it was either that or losing the idiot forever and the truth was, at that moment she couldn’t imagine her life continueing like this, without him.

#aya;verse #aya;self;para

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tenshinokorin · 7 years

Text

fic news!

I'm just like 2000 words short of breaking 100K total on the RRD series (+ the FF8 Crossover), and that's all only happened in about two-three months. This is a humongous thing in so many ways and I'm trying not to think about it too hard because it'll flip me out. But! I'm posting this because I've got two big trips in a row coming up, plus I do have a remarkably grown up kind of day-job and it's kicking into busy season, so updates might be a little wonky until about mid-April.

I have so many wonderful comments, thank you guys all so much! I promise I'll try to reply to all of them as soon as I can. I gobble them all up and reload my inbox way more than I should. ^_^; I made a vow to myself to reply to every comment (and to try to get most of the reply-tos as well) but it's actually really hard for me and I get overwhelmed easily (in a good way! But also in a hello-my-generalized-anxiety-disorder way) so sometimes it takes a while. Also, if I'm feeling low on resources I'll always prioritize more fic over comments in an either-or situation, because I figure more fic is always good for everybody. ^_^ But please don't stop leaving comments. :D I never expected this to get so big and I am having a fantastic time. You guys are super.

Here's the best way to keep up with the series: Running Down a Dream (Series) on Ao3

With the exception of Tyrants and Kings, which is complete, all stories in the Running Down a Dream series are still live and will still get updates. Here's what I have in the works (in no particular order or planned publish date):

RDD (main): * Ignis' skin care routine is truly alarming/impressive * car wash (that miiiight wind up in the b-sides ;) * any inevitable business from the DLC * anything that happens while I'm running around working my game save to platinum / inspired by actual road trips

B-sides: * a case of mistaken identity in the middle of the night * Ignis and Gladio while away the time waiting for a hunt to appear on a rainy evening in Altissia * Soft beds, baby. (Prompto's turn.)

One Other Year: * First night camping, Luna borrows everybody's clothes, the return of Prompto's lucky socks, new kinds of magic, dreams, smooches, marriages, boyfriends, chocobos, adventures and dangers, fishing, fencing, fighting, true love, all that good stuff (yaay)

Persistence of Memory (FF8/15 crossover) * continuing chapters (Orange rolls, SeeD exam, President Heartilly, Leviathan, Magitek)

And here is some Very Important Information: * Gladio's pole-dancing routine at the Gimme Cat was to Need You Tonight by INXS. * I realize I have not said boo about Ardyn, but this isn't his story. I'm still getting him sorted out, and he's unlikely to turn up seriously until I do. I do know that his image song is The Boy Racer by Morrissey. (He's gonna kill this pretty thing.) Plus, I need Prompto's DLC. :\ * I'm sorry if I gave anyone the impression that this was something other than the Prompto Argentum Show starring Prompto Argentum. Once I used to have high-falootin' ideas about the kinds of characters I attract, holy warriors and whatnot, but no. I am equipped with a magnet that is tuned expressly to the resonance of blond cinnamon bun idiot puppies with big mouths and more heart than sense, and that's just how it is. (see also Zell Dincht, Joey Wheeler, Bart Fatima.) * Runnin Down a Dream is a song by Tom Petty from the album Full Moon Fever. It's about driving! And about going out to get things instead of waiting for them to come to you. * I would make an entire playlist but I fail at posting that kind of thing (by which I mean I make great playlists for myself but never manage to actually share them in any way). * I totally want to draw more XV/Songbirds of Valnon crossovers, except for how Noct and Eothan are kind of already the same person. O_o * I'm going on multiple roadtrips over the next three weeks and you bet your ass I'm taking action figures for photoshoots. * I owe you an email. I know. It's on my list. * Thank you all so much.

#final fantasy xv #running down a dream #tnk fic #tnk updates #tyrants and kings #one other year

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tomellingham · 4 years

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Coronavirus and Glandular Fever

It requires confirmation, but it appears Covid19 was around in Europe along time before it was officially discovered and named last year.

I believe it may have been around for a long time before then.

It's credible to me that a reaction between Covid19 and Epstein Barr virus, and / or Glandular Fever (Mono) may be key to the damage the virus can cause.

Here's what I'm thinking, and why I'm thinking it:

In August 2018, I was on the A1 with a mate, in his van. We were returning to Edinburgh from a job in Herfordshire. Until around an hour before we crossed the border, the journey was uneventful.

Then I started to feel a bit off colour. A gradual feeling of malaise that steadily got worse.

At the Dunbar roundabout, about thirty miles outside Edinburgh, we pulled off the road and into an empty supermarket car park so my mate could take over the driving. As we pulled in, I clipped a rear tyre over the curb. It caught me by surprise, but no damage was done. The day before I'd managed to slam the van door on my thumb. Both were stupid mistakes any tired person could make – or both were signs co-ordination was going wonky.

A few minutes after we'd switched over and on the final A1 stretch back ot the capital, I suddenly became very, unwell. I usually vomit so rarely I can count the number of times I remember doing so on one hand. The feeling of being sick is luckily something I rarely have to deal with. In that van, I felt like I needed to puke my guts up, but couldn't.

I was getting so hot I wanted to remove my shirt, then immediately felt shivering cold a minute later.

I felt so bad I considered asking my mate to drive me straight to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, but I couldn't speak. My limbs were tingling and felt like jelly.

When we got back I could barely make it up the one flight of tenement stairs to the house. I remember being absolutely knackered, still feeling sick, and at one point considering I could lie on the stone staircase with my mate, wife, and kids until an ambulance arrived, but was still unable to speak. Somehow I made it up, remember nodding to the kids, into the bedroom, and flopped onto the bed, where I pretty-much stayed for weeks.

I don't remember an awful lot about what happened during that time. I remember being exhausted, although clearly I had enough energy to talk, get up out and about to use the loo and shower. I had enough energy to send comprehensive text messages to friends. I must have been out to the shops several times, although I don't remember doing so. I must have done something.

There were also many times when consciousness and dreaming were impossible to separate, there were pains in my arms and tingling in my fingers and toes. My muscles and arms would, very occasionally, twitch or jump for no reason when I was tired, something they'd never done before. I didn't see a doctor – or at least I don't recall doing so. It was just 'one of those bugs' that in retrospect went on for a while longer than it possibly could have if it was the flu. I do remember contemplating that if whatever I had was terminal, so be it.

I also began to feel dumb. Simple calculations with numbers I often play in my head I could no longer make sense of. For example - what's seven times seven? I pondered for several minutes on what the answer could be, before entering it into my phone's calculator to get the answer, and trying to work out how the answer was arrived at. I do recall wondering if I'd had a stroke. Certain words on my phone's screen wouldn't make sense, or the letters would appear back to front.

I remember my eyes tinged pink throughout the late summer and winter 2018. They cleared up gradually, and were more a curiosity than a concern. I was concerned, though, about my vision. It started with a haze surrounding lights in twilight. In November, my friend and I hired a car and travelled to Wales. Driving during the day was fine, but when it got dark, I was convinced a smeared windshield was diffusing the headlamps from approaching vehicles and making it difficult to see out. I called the hire company, and they sent out an auto technician who washed the screen and gave the wipers a good clean with a cloth, but it made no difference.

Words on screens, pages and signs became more blurred. By December I struggled to make out words on my phone screen, even with the biggest font setting. Blobs of what I thought might be cataracts were appearing in front of my vision making it difficult to see.

I could barely see more than a few metres in front,and had accepted I would probably no longer be able to drive.

I was convinced I was going blind, but to be sure, asked if a local optician could scan my eyes, which they kindly did – and told me they couldn't see anything wrong. A few people suggested it could be stress, which seemed plausible. There were a few things going on around that time.

A few weeks before Christmas 2018, my dad became quite ill. A few days after it started, he was picked up and taken to the infectious diseases unit at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. They ran all kinds of tests over the couple of months he spent there in a bid to find out what was wrong, and concluded it was Epstein Barr syndrome – a bug that sits dormant inside the bodies of many of us, but sometimes decides to rear up and cause what we call commonly call Glandular Fever, or Mononucleosis - 'Mono'. Usually Mono decides to strike only once, and usually when we're teenagers. I had it back when I was one of them. But my dad was 71 years old.

The medical conclusion for my dad's sudden illness and rapid cognitive decline was that because he carried the EBV virus, for some reason, Mono had flared up, and the resulting immune response had burnt out neural wiring: a process called Encephalitis.

As I'd had glandular fever when I was 19, I concluded although it's said to be uncommon to be struck twice, something had caused me to flare up in Mono earlier in the year and, sadly, I'd transferred it on to him.

My dad went from being a regular, able-bodied man in his early seventies to unable to walk or comprehend much around him in a few short weeks. During this early stages of his hospital stay, when he was lucid enough, we would walk slowly together with the aide of a frame to a Christmas tree at the far end of the ward, and back again. It became more and more difficult for him over days. Before the end of January, he couldn't walk at all.

He was usually on the bed asleep. His arms would jerk and face twitch involuntarily.

He was physically and cognitively exhausted. When awake, which wasn't for long, he would often appear quite lucid then ask, for examples: what time the train was leaving, where was the hotel we were presently staying in located, or when the bus we were travelling on would arrive at the destination.

A few months later, he was transferred to a brain injury recovery ward at a specialist hospital. He was discharged late summer 2019 and is back home, which is currently being converted to accommodate his wheelchair.

I never thought a great deal about how all this could be linked to coronavirus until I heard about wastewater samples from various different parts of Europe containing covid19 before the virus was first identified in China.

I was already pondering the similarities and possible links between Covid19, Mono, and EBV.

Alot of the general reports I'd heard from Covid sufferers on the telly described very similar symptoms to both Mono and Encephalitis. The more I heard – in one case, first hand - from Covid survivors, the more it seemed cognitive and neurological symptoms were described just as often as respiratory problems.

A quick Internet search suggests I wasn't alone: Thailand Medical News had wondered the same about the links between the conditions, two months before I had. I've put the link below.

The scientific evidence on which they based their question is extremely interesting:

In a Chinese study, over 50 % of hospitalised covid19 patients also had Acute Epstein Barr infection.

The key word here is acute – the 'Acute Epstein Barr infection appeared suddenly. Unless I'm mistaken, that's another word for Mono.

If Covid19 was around previously, then why didn't we see a pandemic before 2020? Surely it wasn't because people weren't connecting the dots?

It could be because there's different strains - mutations – of the virus. By far the most infectious is the one, known as D614G, that adapted to attack the respiratory system. It's likely the virus discovered in Wuhan was simply the first identification of infections by this more potent mutation.

It's more than plausible the virus was around and creating havoc before 2019 - it just wasn't identified – nobody can identify something if they don't know it exists,

It was the encephalitis inflammation that caused the likely permanent damage to my dad. But we don't actually know what caused it. The doctors hazarded a guess it was Mono because he held the EBV gene. But so do most other people. It didn't explain what had caused it to roar up and cause immune havoc in his more senior years.

I didn't receive any diagnosis for any virus in 2018 because I didn't seek one, nor see

a doctor. I assumed I had acquired a nasty bug that would run its course. I could have explained away my loss of vision with other explanations. It crossed my mind it was likely caused by some kind of immune response, but as I couldn't explain it, best let it be. Quite frankly, I had other stuff to worry about at that time, and explaining it away as stress is also plausible. Nonetheless, it is interesting to hear lots of anecdotal evidence as to how Coronavirus affects vision.

It was only after I read a news report in The Guardian today (link below) I became aware that during the pandemic, there has been a spike in cases of Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis or, to give it a more general name, Encephalitis.

I'm not saying with any absolute certainty Covid19 was around and causing mischief before 2019.

It is highly possible a bat bit a pangolin and shat on a market floor, causing a four mutation flavoured virus and subsequent global pandemic within three months. I'm not being sarcastic, we were always told it could happen.

Just as plausible is that mutations of an existing, less infectious coronavirus could have been slowly bubbling around the globe, causing relatively low r-rated misidentified viral mischief until the more infectious D614G allowed an intelligent Chinese doctor to spot a pattern – a brave career move that ultimately cost him his life.

If Li Wenliang hadn't spotted the patterns and acted in the best interests of health, the virus may well have bumbled on unidentified as anything uniquely different for a few more weeks or months until it was identified elsewhere.

And I certainly can't say with any certainty even if this current Covidmalarkey had been knocking about a year or so before, it's what caused an immune response in me or anyone else. It's one possible cause out of many guesses.

And anyway, after all that, does it matter? What's done is done.

Well, it does. It matters because if the virus known as Covid19 was around before it was identified in 2019 in Wuhan, then the history and understanding of this epidemic, and what scholars will subsequently base their understanding on in the future is flawed.

And it's also unfair on China. And I'm not pro China. You have to be a pretty paranoid regime to confuse saving humanity with whistleblowing, for a start. But blaming one of their pangolins on a virus they didn't necessarily create is a little unfair.

What would be useful, and logistically very expensive, would be a huge repository of samples taken from Encephalitis sufferers while they are being treated, with a matching database. That way, virus spread could potentially be better mapped out.

Let's hope for the best, but be prepared the consequences of the Covid19 pandemic may be long and profound.

Some links for you:

Warning of serious brain disorders in people with mild coronavirus symptoms

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/08/warning-of-serious-brain-disorders-in-people-with-mild-covid-symptoms

This is the research the Guardian news article, above, refers to:

The emerging spectrum of COVID-19 neurology: clinical, radiological and laboratory findings

https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/doi/10.1093/brain/awaa240/5868408

Positive Epstein Barr virus detection in corona virus disease 2019 patients

https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-21580/v1

Newer variant of COVID-19-causing virus dominates global infections

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200702144054.htm

Coronavirus traces found in March 2019 sewage sample, Spanish study shows

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-spain-science/coronavirus-traces-found-in-march-2019-sewage-sample-spanish-study-shows-idUKKBN23X2HQ

Coronavirus was already in Italy by December, waste water study finds

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53106444

Coronavirus And Your Eyes: What You Need To Know

Contains anecdotal evidence in the commentary about how Covid19 may have affected vision,

https://emcfresno.com/coronavirus-affect-on-the-eyes/

Could Epstein Barr virus explain why certain Covid-19 Patients manifest certain symtoms while others are asymptomatic?

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/interesting-read-could-epstein-barr-virus-explain-why-certain-covid-19-patients-manifest-certain-symptoms-while-others-are-asymptomatic

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