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chryzure-archive · 2 years

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2, 3, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, and 16 for Roses and Thorns?

2. when in canon does your self insert come in? do you have a scene in mind for your entrance?

Welllll, technically she comes in thousands of years before the events of the anime start, but she also comes in about… oh, a year? Six months? Before the events of the anime occur as well! Then she shows up probably around the halfway point of the anime as well—as one of those episodes where Leo meets one of the strange people living in Hellsalem’s Lot! She’s definitely the weird person of the episode, and she’s deeply amused by being considered the weird one. She is, though. Extremely, extremely weird, but very nice :)

Her entrance would probably include her somehow causing a massive accident of sorts via her chasing down some creature, only to just barely avoid accidentally killing Leo in the process. Because of that, she loses the creature and she almost begins to yell at Leo—before losing all the anger she had immediately because Leo seems like a nice young man (direct opposite to her doing the same with Despair, then immediately calling him a bitch-bastard to his face. Despair’s a lot easier to be mean to than Leo). Hijinks ensue as Leo and co end up seeing Chrysi again and again, with her chasing some new case each time. She goes through, like, 13 cases over the course of the episode.

3. how do the other characters generally feel about your self insert?

I think Leo would just think she’s insane, but ultimately very kind! He doesn’t see her a threat—just a convenient friend in the city :) I think you’d be able to sense that there’s more to Chrysi that she’s not saying, which makes you a little wary, but ultimately the same conclusion is made!

Zapp tried to flirt with Chrysi exactly once, before she tried to break his wrist. He backed off after that. Zed is like “Finally, some good fucking conversation.” KK AND CHRYSI ARE BESTIES, IDK HOW IT HAPPENED EITHER, BUT THEY LOVE HANGING OUT WITH EACH OTHER. Klaus and Steven actually don’t really notice Chrysi, which is intentional on her part—she wants to keep her organization secret from everyone, even those in charge of Libra.

Daniel treats Chrysi like his little sister 😭😭😭 But she keeps blowing him off, and he’s a little sad about it (but he’s never going to admit it out loud). He just feels protective of her, since she had a breakup so nasty that she quit her job to cope :((

9. who are your self insert’s closest friends?

YOU and also Adam <33 Adam knows too much about her health condition to NOT be a friend at this point, tbh. OH, also Connie, because I want to give Despair one of Azure’s besties as one of his friends too—which means that Connie’s Chrysi’s new bestie as well!!

10. how do the other characters feel about your self insert and f/o’s relationship?

NOT GREAT. Everyone thinks Chrysi can do so much better than Despair.. Plus, her boyfriend kinda almost completely destroyed the city?? UHHHH, girl, maybe you should turn him into the police? Unfortunately, Chrysi and Despair are soulmates :///

12. how would the fandom view your character?

I can see it being 50/50. Lots of people would think she’s cool and funny and pretty, and others would hate her because she’s dating Despair :// Out of the people that hate her because she’s dating Despair, half don’t like her because she chose to be with the villain even though she’s a “good” person (because the messy emotional journey Chrysi’s going through would be glossed over), and the other half don’t like her because they don’t want Despair to be dating her.

13. does your self insert have any information about their family?

Chrysi has a mother (Aria) that slowly faded over the course of her life, and who is now under the care of Atticus (Immortal Librarian). Her father (Clarence) went missing before she was born, and he is presumed dead. She wound up being raised by her older sister, Nessa, who doesn’t like Chrysi much. She loves her like any sister would, but she doesn’t like Chrysi. She’s got complicated feelings, but she would do anything to protect her sister (ruh roh, she would not like the fact that Chrysi’s dating Despair). Chrysi’s niece, Emery, on the other hand, adores Chrysi! Only an 8 year age difference between them, which makes them feel more like sisters than aunt and niece. Then Chrysi has two nephews who like their aunt, but they don’t see her much :)

15. how does your self insert play a role in the plot of the story? do they help directly defeat the villain, support the heroes, etc.?

Um. Hm. She’s a side character, I suppose. She tried to help stop the Second Great Collapse, but she didn’t want to see Despair hurt, so she wasn’t exactly giving it her all. She mostly helps Leo whenever she shows up though, since she tends to have nothing better to do—plus, she does like to help people a lot :)

16. freebie! name a fact about your self insert you want everyone to know.

Chrysi’s memories of her past life with Despair come back very, very slowly, and they’re all super fragmented!!! She doesn’t get the whole context most of the time. She just knows that Despair loved her deeply and he would do anything for her. Most of the time, that’s all she feels she needs to know. The other part of the time, she’s deeply curious about everything that she did back then—like being an oracle of the gods. Like, that sounds cool as hell. She wishes she could remember more of that.

#i feel like chrysi is in a grey area when she’s in a relationship w despair #like she’s a good person but she allows bad things to happen regardless #and i think that nuance would fly over ppl’s heads #.asks #m.filly✨#s.chrysidespair

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expirator · 5 years

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I kind of expected that Morgana would be the kind of empress who would want to be more open with mortals, given her classic lore. But given the characters in the Immortal Journey lore, none of them really mirror their personalities in classic, save probably Irelia.

I wish the skins would center around the Sacred Sword idea more. Where exactly is the seal on Talon’s power? Is that hidden in the sword, which Janna now guards?? I don’t really mind it being open ended cause then I can make my own story around it

#i'm okay with morgana being on the divine supremacy side though #cause i imagine zed would like her more #well an immortal journey zed #classic zed and morg already would get along #maybe i'll make a verse for him later

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eris-builds-a-world · 3 years

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OC-tober Day 3: Duel

Prompt list by @oc-growth-and-development

Duel between Ever (she/her) and Kori (he/him). They’re both about 17 years old. Futuristic setting, where they are part of an elite mission on a distant planet.

Warnings for violence against both characters, swearing, and use of weapons.

***

“Fight me!” Ever screamed, making another lunge at the boy in front of her.

Kori backed away, panic rising in his circuits. Ever clearly wasn’t giving up on this. The girl had worked herself into a frenzy, and despite his best efforts, Kori couldn’t think of a way to talk her down.

“What is that going to prove?” he asked, his volume rising louder than intended. He dodged another of her blows, but she responded with a quick kick to his chestplate. “Either you win, and my siblings--” he rocketed back several feet, avoiding a kick to his face “--aren’t very good at designing protective casings. Or I win, because I have literal iron bars for bones! I don’t want to hurt you!”

The girl didn’t let up at his warnings, but raced toward him for another punch.

“Coward!” she hollered, her voice cracking. “Cheater!” A flurry of punches, and then her foot slammed down on his boot, sinking him slightly into the ground. Although the air was thick, the sand around them was billowing up from Kori’s earlier propulsion.

This close, Kori could see pure hatred in Ever’s eyes. Pink and blue strands of hair stuck to the sweat on her forehead, and Kori tried not to look at the spit forming around her mouth.

“You cheat death and leave the rest of us to starve!” Kori thought her shouting was unnecessary, as they were standing face to face, but she continued, her contempt lifting up to the skies. “You will never be a person, you’re nothing but scrap metal. You should have stayed six feet under like you belong!”

As gingerly as he could, Kori caught her hands in his own, keeping her from throwing more blows. She yanked back, but his grip held firm. He thought about lifting her by her hands and flying them back to base as they were. The purple bruises around her wrists gave him second thoughts, though. He worried her earlier punches may have caused broken bones, and lifting her like this might lead to more damage.

His indecision gave her the opening she needed. With all her might she kicked at his knee, trying to bend it backwards. Kori stumbled, releasing his grip, and in the time it took to blink, the girl had pulled a knife out of who-knows-where and was jabbing it at his face.

Kori threw a hand up in defense and soon found it punctured, the end of the knife sticking through his hand. He was sure he saw Ever’s lips curl in satisfaction. A quick assessment told him the hydraulics in his hand would need to be repaired.

The next minute was a flurry of sand and dirt, Ever continuing her attacks and Kori deflecting. When Kori had Ever soundly knocked to the ground, he flew into the air, getting more distance between them. But when the dust settled, she was no longer lying in the sand as he expected.

A flash of blue hair ducked behind their dune buggy, and Kori dodged away before a taser blast made impact with his midsection. He cautiously descended so he wouldn’t have to shout as loud.

“This is pointless,” he told her. “Isn’t it good? Shouldn’t families be reunited if they can? I’m not a machine. Or...I mean, I am, but I’m not replacing a person. I just have...prosthetics.” He gestured to her and the empty supply route they had been traveling along. “You’re just angry at everything, and you’re getting yourself hurt.”

Several taser blasts shot toward him. He had to admire her aim, because despite his trajectory tracking, she managed to clip his hip. For a moment, his world went dark and he plummeted to meet the ground. When he regained his sight, Ever was standing on his wrists, her rifle pointed at his head.

“Reunited?” The word dripped like poison. “Like anyone cares about reuniting families if there’s no money in it. I think I have a right to be angry!” Now the rifle was at his throat. “No one seemed to care about reuniting families when they decided my land was expendable! Where were all the medical teams and body upgrades for us? News flash, there are still actual people planet-side, trying to survive wars.”

Some quick math told him yes, he could flip Ever off of him before she took her next shot. Her rant continued, and he waited for the best timing.

“But you?! You beef it and everyone rushes to mop you up and turn you into a machine. No one deserves to be immortal, least of all some pampered satellite bastard like you!”

Kori stiffened at that. The idea that his life had any correlation to the word pampered was laughable. He hadn’t known what her life was like on Earth, so yeah, he didn’t blame her for going ballistic. But she clearly had no idea what his life was like either. He figured blowing off some steam wasn’t a bad idea after all.

“Fine, you want to do this?” he snarled back, trying his best to make his face plates look aggressive. “No one’s here to stop us. If you’re that angry, hit me like you mean it.” And he flung her into the air.

Her rifle shot went wide, but she kept a tight grip on the firearm while she landed unsteadily on her feet.

Kori (mostly) no longer held back, trading blow for blow, and trying to knock the rifle from her arms when he had the chance. Her knife made a comeback, and he wasn’t even sure where she was keeping that! In a matter of minutes, scorch marks spattered the ground. Kori propelled into the air just to get a break from her rage, but she latched on, and soon they were both several stories in the air. Shit, he didn’t want to accidentally drop her and kill her.

But she didn’t seem phased by the risk of falling, and the close proximity only fueled her on, giving her a chance to try to stab her knife under his shoulder blade.

As the two came crashing down to the ground, Kori made a mental note to apologize to her later for the likelihood of giving her more broken bones. The fall only mildly slowed her frenzy, and she was back on him in a flash. She was pulling at ears and joints, anything she could find purchase on. Kori was certain if she found a way inside his casing, she would dismantle him then and there.

So he punched her. Really punched her, and she fell several feet back. The sand dug into her limbs and face, but when they locked eyes, Kori saw her grinning wildly. Like, an actual smile. Which would have been amazing if it wasn’t so terrifying.

Ever lunging back at her opponent, and Kori found his shoulder trapped in a hold as Ever twisted his arm around her own arm and leg. In her pained state, she put all her strength into pulling his shoulder apart; which she was quickly succeeding at. Kori could feel the metal arm separating from its socket, wires stretched to their limit and fraying. He was going to lose his arm, not to an alien invasion, but to an upset teammate.

“Okay, ow. Ow!” Kori scrambled to push her off from him, but she wasn’t relenting. “Stop already! Ow!” Kori squealed.

And then she let go.

They sat on the ground staring at each other. Kori counted 11 agonizing seconds. Ever’s sweat had turned the sand on her body into mud, which was caked on her clothes and certainly getting trapped in the open wounds she had received. Kori’s hand was leaking an undisclosed fluid.

“That really hurt? You weren’t just faking?” Ever asked. Kori noticed her arm was shaking, though her fist tightened its grip on her knife.

“Duh, you were trying to rip my arm off!”

Ever huffed. “Nearly succeeded too, if you weren’t such a baby.” She was quiet for a beat. Then she let out a war cry loud enough Kori was certain homebase could hear it. As her voice quieted, Kori thought she was actually laughing.

“Thanks, bolts-for-brains. I needed that. You would think if you’re supposed to be some superweapon, they would make you out of thicker stuff. Remind me not to depend on you for life-and-death situations.”

For awhile, the only sound was her labored breathing and a metallic grinding, like gears out of synch.

“I guess we should...head back to camp?” Kori suggested. Ever nodded. He noted that the girl made no attempt to stand up.

“If you need, I could carry you,” he offered.

“Hell no.” She climbed to her feet, trying and failing to hide a grimace. “Though I guess if you use your rocket boots, I won’t try to stab you if we...hold onto each other and fly back. It might make you actually useful for once.”

“About that,” Kori countered. “You cut the fuel line when you were stabbing my leg. Rocket engines are out of commission.”

“Ha!” Ever shouted. “I’m proved right once again! You heard it here, sand scum, robots are completely useless!”

And so they began the tedious journey back. Kori eyed his human companion. Her hands were...well, “mangled” was the best description Kori could find. He was sure the team would put her in double casts for the foreseeable future. And Kori didn’t even want to think about what Zed would do when he saw Kori’s shoulder...and fuel line...and shielding...and hand.

Stealing another glance at Ever, he was pretty sure she walked with a proud swagger after the damage she had done to him. Or maybe that was just a limp.

#ocs #my stuff #oc-tober #oc-tober 2021 #my writing #writers on tumblr #scifi #futurists #ever #kori #android #robots

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bladesferocity · 4 years

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VERSES

ODYSSEY

AS AN HONORED ORDINAL of the Demaxian Empire, Kayn relentlessly hounds the crew of the Morning Star, hoping to recapture Sona and learn the secrets of the legendary ORA GATE. He bickers constantly with his sentient alien scythe, Rhaast, whose own motivations are far more dire than Kayn could ever realize.

MODERN

A YOUNG AND RESTLESS tattoo artist, Kayn hopes to make a name for himself among the busy city life around him. His skills speak for themselves, and his passion is seen in every piece he does. Still, he isn’t sure how long it’ll take before he can really break out of his old life.

CANON

A PEERLESS PRACTITIONER of lethal shadow magic, Shieda Kayn battles to achieve his true destiny—to one day lead the Order of Shadow into a new era of Ionian supremacy. He wields the sentient darkin weapon Rhaast, undeterred by its creeping corruption of his body and mind. There are only two possible outcomes: either Kayn bends the weapon to his will... or the malevolent blade consumes him completely, paving the way for the destruction of all Runeterra.

HIGH NOON

DAMNED IF YOU DO, damned if you don’t. A true outlaw, Kayn helps himself in these troubled times, raising hell wherever he goes. It’s always a joy to him to slaughter a demon here and there, and getting paid for it only makes it more enjoyable. He isn’t above crossing someone to get what he wants, because in this world, there’s no rest for the wicked.

AVATAR

A RISING FLAME in his own right, Kayn is quick tempered, reckless, brash and ready to take anyone on. He has much to learn, especially after being taken in under his master, Zed. Still, he wishes to become a great firebender to take revenge on the nation that sent him away to war, and left him for dead. Nothing will stop him on his quest for revenge. Nothing.

IMMORTAL JOURNEY

A DEMI GOD who watches over the immortal gates, slaying any demons who tend to slip through, Kayn struggles to cope with his own growing corruption of a demon, but does what he can to keep it at bay. He guards Irelia’s palace with his life, hiding his own true feelings for her in fear of her disapproval for Rhaast, who is starting to take more and more control over him.

SPIRIT BLOSSOM

A PROTECTOR in his own right, Kayn keeps the people safe from the darkness that looms over the celebrations, including the demon within him. The assassin hides his corruption as much as he can, but he knows his days of peace are numbered, and soon, he will have to choose his fate, or let it choose for him.

#;; CULLING THE WEAK- OOC

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aurelion-solar · 9 months

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Immortal Journey Soraka, Kayle, Zeri, Shyvana, Zed, Sona & Prestige Sona Splash Art

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thedemonlady · 9 months

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Immortal Journey Zed (x)

#Zed #Zed the master of shadows #Usan of Kéthé #Immortal Journey Zed #lol official cinematic #official art #lol official art #league of legends

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yanlei-a · 9 months

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i'm like this about the splash but honestly i do love me some lore where he's just unhinged. 'they banished him but he doesn't care bc he has forbidden knowledge and can be everywhere and know everything' i'm just eating all that up i want him so bad

#» out of character — ⌜main sup irl.⌟#watch me lose my mind in real time abt immortal journey zed #and then not get him bc i've only been playing on my na account #and buying things in us dollar is fucking expensive #akjsnfkasnf

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highordinal · 4 years

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first of all welcome back! second of all I was interested in the family dynamic between kayn and everyone else in your immortal journey au?? thanks!

Hello hello! Thank you, I am glad to be back! Also thank you for your question ;-;

I was going to finish up the little drabbles I’ve been posting about my IJ AU, since the answers to that question will eventually be answered, but on second thought it might be better to just spell it out now so people don’t get confused. First I’ll put in a chart I made:

Kayn & Zed - Father/son relationship. Zed does not show his affection towards Kayn much, but he does not need too since Kayn knows it’s more of a “tough love” kind of situation. That doesn't mean Zed won’t show affection; Kayn is his only son so of course he loves him dearly. Kayn respects him and hates to disappoint him.

Kayn & Shen - Shen is willing to praise and give affection to Kayn more often that Zed does, however he is strict about the rules and won’t let Kayn cut any corners (unlike Zed who let’s Kayn get away with some things). Spoiled Kayn when he was a child.

Kayn & Akali - The typical sassy, snarky brother-sister relationship as detailed in the conversation within the chart. They often tease one another but all in good fun. They’re each others best friend.

Kayn & Kusho - Being his first grandson, Kusho spoiled Kayn when he was little. However, like Shen he is a stickler for the rules. He expects Kayn to follow in the clans footsteps and become head of their order one day. Loves Kayn, but is concerned about the path he has chosen for himself.

Kayn & Diana - The Goddess that Kayn works for. As a joke he started calling her “mother” but overtime he began to see her as a mother. Although she is hesitant to show any affection, or emotion, he still loves and respects her. In fact, he think’s she’s starting to like him now :)

#Immortal Journey AU #long post #ask

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bikmui-a · 5 years

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Constants (despite the seasons)

Nothing is ever constant. Even the land one day will change Bit by bit, until the day one looks up And recognises nothing. Not even the sky.

Winter

The year began as every year before did – with the longest, coldest night of the year, and honouring one’s loved ones as one always should. Talon, however, had no one left to revere. He was hatched from a pearl egg with neither parents nor guardians, and over his thousands of years, had watched those he trusted leave him, whether by choice or force.

Kayn, on the other hand, was trained long ago by a master by the name of Zed, and this year, Talon would join his beloved on his journey to the mortal realm to honour his master, as he was now Talon’s father-in-law, and the closest thing he imagined he ever would have to a true father.

Talon had no abundance of love for the mortal realm – while it was the place he first met his beloved, and where he learnt, with time, that one must always have respect for oneself and those around oneself in equal measure, it nonetheless was not his home. No, his home was in the divine realm, in a palace amongst the clouds, where always the waterfalls fell. It could never hold a candle to the home he had spent millennia growing up in, dancing beneath the waterfall and picking lotus seeds in the summer, even if it served as a home for him once, and as a place where he truly grew.

It was Kayn’s home, and the place where they first met, and thus held… some place in his heart.

They welcomed the new year over a hot pot – with meat and vegetables aplenty, and when they stayed up all night, it was not only to speak of all the things the other had missed, but also to wish one’s elders good health and longevity.

Kayn missed the mortal realm terribly, and so Talon promised to stay with him too – not out of a sense of duty to the one he loved, but because he wished to see him happy too. Talon had servants in the palace who could take care of the affairs in the immortal realm, and there were messengers who always could relay the most pertinent of information, but Kayn had only one parent, and he deserved to be cherished as such.

In the dead of winter came the blossoming of the plum trees. How wonderful they were, elegant and delicate in their multitudes against the starkness of winter and the soft, sweet scent that coloured the world despite it all. They looked so terribly delicate, as if their petals might fall to the ground with even the gentlest of breezes.

Nonetheless, they were one of the gentlemen of flowers, born in the coldness of winter and symbolic of persistence and dauntlessness. Talon smiled at that thought, for it described much of Kayn’s personality. While perhaps he saw himself as weak and unable, particularly when his dark moods overtook him, always there was proof of his strength in everything he dedicated himself to.

Once, perhaps, he may have been a child, lost with no hope of surviving, yet he had picked up those shards of himself and fashioned himself into a weapon, following the path of a dark cultivation in order to protect his master and his land from foreign invaders. Once, perhaps, he was a child with no means of defending himself, but he had since then stubbornly made himself into someone to be respected and feared, even, if one were on the wrong side of all he considered important.

To Talon, it was deeply admirable indeed.

Spring

It was in spring that Talon’s cycle finally came to a close, and five-hundred years culminated in a desire to mate with the one to whom he had promised himself. It was a natural desire of the body, he knew, but nonetheless found himself overwhelmed and deeply mortified by how his body took from him any and all control he once had as instead it succumbed to the basal, carnal part of him he oft wished to ignore altogether.

Kayn held him then, and instead smiled softly and reassured him they would be fine – after all, had they not planned that one day, they would have a brood of their own? A clutch of eggs, born of a human whose scent of darkness pervaded everything he wore and did, and a once-disgraced dragon king, thrown from the heavens and returned with the humility that once was demanded of him… What a pair they made indeed.

His husband was oh-so-patient with him as he gathered all the silks he could find and made for himself a nest in which he curled up, heaving with sickness as it approached, yet not quite ready for the touch he required. Kayn was a fool, then, and had taken a moment to commune with his master, so terribly far away, yet so very close indeed with the magics he had cultivated over time. Feverish and so terribly ill with desire, Talon had instead done all he could with the shadows Kayn left in his wake, obedient and somehow cognisant of their master’s mate’s needs.

It was with great surprise that they discovered he had fallen pregnant, and that in the coming months, he would swell with eggs until finally his body was ready to have their clutch. He was exhausted, of course – worn out by days of mating, and his pride wounded by his beloved’s absence, but blue limbs held him closely and gently, and Kayn whispered soft words and promises to take care of him and his brood, and perhaps it was not so bad after all…

As the days passed, the orchids bloomed, gentle flowers with gentle scent and beautiful petals in pale shades. Talon delighted in their soft scent, and picked a few to display beside his bed, so always he could wake up to their delightful, sweet scent and their humble, noble form – so fragile in their beauty.

They reminded him terribly of Kayn, for he, too, had his sweet moments where it seemed as if he could harm not even a fly. It was in these moments that Talon truly felt his heart soar, and the blood rush to his face and colour his cheeks, for never had he dreamt he one day would find someone to treat him so gently one could almost imagine he were not a man, not a king, not a dragon, but a sculpture of the daintiest material, susceptible even to the slightest breath.

As he held Talon and promised all would be fine, it felt as if he were promising him the truth and nothing more.

Summer

Summer brought upon her soft blue wings the day Talon’s clutch hatched, warmed for months by his body curled about their pearlescent shells. Their brood was numerous indeed, as all dragon broods were, and Talon delighted in how they loved to nestle up to him, tiny bodies no longer than a finger’s length curled up as closely as they could to his warmth. He delighted too in how they loved to climb over cloth and skin both to nestle in Kayn’s hair, curled up atop his crown to gently snore.

He laughed at how Kayn doted on their children, holding them to human standards of helplessness and neediness when truly, dragon children were able to hunt and move soon after hatching. It was quite a challenge indeed to convince him they needed no looking after, save ensuring they ate and drank enough to ensure their growth, for they were cognisant of the world around them already and could survive on their own.

Talon fed them meat chewed up until it was soft and easily swallowed, but Kayn recoiled from the idea, and instead made them meat tenderised in broth – it was much less intimate and much less… unhygienic, in his opinion, and while Talon agreed, he would not besmirch how children had always been fed for the sake of such things. After all, it required time and preparation, and he did not always have such a luxury as he took care of so large a brood.

The dragons grew quickly, as all hatchlings did, and soon, they were no longer the length of a finger, but the length of an arm, with snapping jaws and bright eyes and an affinity for the water inherited from their father. It was time finally to show them to the water, and as Talon watched them splash and play in the babbling creeks as he once had, he smiled and rested his head upon Kayn’s shoulder, his fingers seeking out Kayn’s so he might entwine them together.

All around them were bamboo forests, bright and strong and green, shading them with long, sharp leaves and feeling very much like home as he reminisced upon how he once had chopped one down and fashioned the very flute that now rested by his side, tucked into his waist skirt. It was a beautiful, simple thing; lacquered elegance and a charm of red string hanging off its length.

He sat up and played it for them all now – a beautiful tune, lively as their children as they swam in the water.

Bamboo was the flower of summer, and to Talon, it was easy to find parts of Kayn in them, too. With their hollow stems, they were thought of as tolerant and open-minded – a trait of Kayn’s he had quickly become acquainted to, as he accepted him for the vengeful marauder of southern villages he once was, and instead asked if he was willing to change the person he had become. With their flexibility and strength came the belief that they symbolised flexibility – yielding, yet never breaking in the face of trouble.

Talon snuck a glance at Kayn and pressed a kiss to his cheek then. Oh, how wonderful he found his husband, having come back time and time again despite all that he had faced. He was strong, of course – one could never dream of denying that – yet always, he sprung back from all that life threw his way, as if always, he was destined to succeed.

Just as always, the bamboo was destined to bend but not snap.

Autumn

As the moon swelled, it soon would be time to celebrate the last of the harvests, with food and wine and – perhaps Talon’s favourite aspect of the festival – mooncakes. He was taught long ago to make them, with dough surrounding lotus paste and a salted egg yolk to represent the fullness of the moon, pressed into a wooden mould to be baked until they were beautifully brown and cooked.

It was a tradition of the palace, as all the servants gathered to make them with him, so there would be plenty for them all, their families, and many left over as gifts and offerings for the festival to come.

Talon giggled as he taught Kayn to use a scale to measure the dough, and a few of their children – not quite old enough to help out, yet loving to watch the organised chaos and sweet pastries that came of it – sat upon a chair nearby, shouting out helpful suggestions: ‘more!’ and ‘less, Fùqin!’ They, too, loved to watch as Talon snuck bites of salted yolk and spoonfuls of lotus paste, shouting out in indignation and laughing as the servants berated him for doing to.

Talon pouted then, for he had never been told off like so.

In the courtyard was an altar, with fruits as offerings to the dieties, and soy beans and flowers for the Jade Rabbit, who resided upon the moon. Talon never was one for worship, as he had lived within the realm of the immortals all his life, and as such never saw such a need, but this year was like no other at all, and he felt that – for the first time in his life – he was grateful for something indeed.

The incense sticks felt terribly delicate in his hand as he lit them, fragrant smoke wafting off into the night sky as he knelt before the altar and lowered his head solemnly. First, he apologised for besmirching the gods so, and begged forgiveness for his pride. Then came his true wishes – that Kayn would remain in good health and stay beside him for all of time, and that their children all would grow happy and healthy and go on to live long and joyous lives.

He had no wishes for himself, for living now felt as if it were a wish come true – he was beloved by someone he deeply respected, had a family now, and needed never fear again the gossip of servants nor the usurpers from beyond his castle’s walls. No, from himself, there was only thanks to the gods for their kindness and generosity, and a promise to never squander what they had given him.

Later that night, as they prepared to sleep, Talon poured both Kayn and himself chrysanthemum tea, and as he watched the blossoms float in the water, he was struck with the realisation it was the flower of autumn. Blooming in the autumn and foretelling winter, it was a noble flower which symbolised having the strength of virtue to withstand adversary, wherever it may come.

As he cuddled up to Kayn, then, he found himself thinking that perhaps, beside Kayn, they truly could withstand anything at all. After all, Kayn was a deeply moral man, finding it within himself to protect those who deserved it and wishing only to harm those who did others wrong, and from him, Talon himself learnt humility and the morality he once had thought of only as a cage to contain higher creatures such as himself.

Yes. Just as the chrysanthemum withstood the oncoming winter, they, too, could brave all.

Even so, one always hopes That certain things will remain constant – Love, life, and all that one holds dear. Remain constant, please, For the loss would break one’s heart.

#Legends of the dragon (drabbles)#Divine of the shadowed path (umbranatus)#CW: suggestive #//Cas writes a drabble #//And it ends up over 2k words long #//Again #//WHOOPS #//Anyway have some soft reflective Talon talking about his husband lmao

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