#its about the *seeing someone struggle to leave their goddess but one deals with it via anger and the other via sadness* | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lucytara · 3 years

Note

Yeah I get wanting some variation in your writing and whatnot. Hmm.

Gold. "I defy you. I defy your god. The laws of the universe said my love was gone from me. I said watch me save her." Bumbleby.

Have fun!

it’s possible. that i went. a little overboard with this prompt.

"I defy you. I defy your god. The laws of the universe said my love was gone from me. I said watch me save her."

All four candles are lit in the corners of the small room, wicks burning purple and melting black wax. Her offering sits in a dish at the feet of the small statue - an old, worn piece of paper, bent and torn around its edges - and she herself kneels in the center of the floor, her hands clasped.

“I’ve never done this,” she begins, “but my name is Yang Xiao Long, and I humbly request an audience.”

Nothing happens, though she isn’t sure what she would’ve expected even if it had; the flames flicker with her unsteady heartbeat, the blood in her ears crashing as if waves in a storm. For some reason it’s embarrassing, calling on a higher entity who decides to put you through to voicemail.

She tries again, and aims for theatrical exaggeration; maybe the gods like a bit of a show. If she’s making a fool of herself, she might as well do it brilliantly. “O, Great Goddess! I call upon thee - All-Knowing Ruler of the Dead, Empress of the Night, Most Holy Lady of Darkness, Reigning Queen of Entropy--”

“I think that’s probably enough,” a voice comes from in front of her, amusement evident beneath its tone. “What was that one in the middle? ‘Empress of the Night’? I might keep that.”

Her head whips up towards the sound, and a woman in a deep purple cloak is leaning against her own statue, arms crossed and watching her performance with a look that can only be described as shameless delight. Gorgeous black hair framing golden eyes, like the sky wrapping itself around stars; the statue doesn’t do her justice.

“Oh my God,” Yang says, sitting back on her heels. All the preparation and rehearsing she’d done isn’t enough to conquer the shock of a beautiful, unearthly woman appearing in front of her and--

“Yes, I get that a lot.”

--mercilessly mocking her.

“Well, Yang Xiao Long?” the woman continues. “Why have you called upon me?”

“How do you know my name?” Yang says stupidly.

“I’m a god,” the goddess replies, a smile pulling at a corner of her mouth. “I’m the all-knowing ruler of the dead or whatever. Also, you said your name when you summoned me.”

“Fuck,” Yang says, struggling to regain her composure and failing spectacularly. “I - yeah. Right. Okay. Is it rude to swear in front of gods? And what do I call you?”

“I’ll allow it,” the woman says. “And you can call me Blake.”

“Blake,” Yang repeats; her hands open and close like a nervous tick. The name is a heavy weight in her mouth, settling her into steadiness. “I’ve come to request guidance.”

“Guidance?” Blake repeats, and gently lifts the note from the offering dish, turning it carefully around her hands without opening it to read it - she doesn’t need to. Yang registers faint surprise in her expression; yes, she’d assumed the sentimentality would fetch a rather large price. “This is quite the payment.”

“It’s the last note I have from someone who loved me,” Yang says. “I figured it would be sufficient.”

Those bright, inquisitive eyes glance over to her, and now the playing field has been reversed: intrigue and curiosity outweigh Yang’s atrocious initial delivery.

“Stand, please,” Blake commands softly. “I want to get a good look at you.”

Obediently, Yang rises to her feet, and with an odd jolt realizes she’s a few inches taller than the goddess. It’s unexpected, and it seems to unnerve Blake for a moment, too. Or maybe that’s the candlelight, throwing shapes and colors, turning the room cavernous. Maybe Blake is shrinking and she’s growing. Maybe once she was so tall the entire world trembled beneath her feet.

“You already have power,” Blake says, circling her curiously, and now she’s seeing what isn’t visible, looking for handprints on her soul. “You have been claimed. Whom do you answer to?”

“I didn’t receive this power from a god,” Yang says quietly. “I’ve had it as long as I can remember.”

“That’s impossible,” Blake says, and her gaze is piercing into Yang’s heart; she sees its strength, but she sees its scars, too. And its emptiness. There is plenty of that.

“Touch me,” Yang says. “You’ll find no prior claim.”

“I don’t need to.” Blake takes another step closer to her, the way you’d inspect a painting in a museum. Hands at her sides, cautious of glass and rope. “I can see your aura. But it’s impossible.”

“I’m looking for something,” Yang says, and Blake glances up, briefly meeting her eyes. “I don’t know what it is. But I’ve been looking for something for what feels like my entire life.”

Quizzical, now. One by one the candles are burning down. The room is collapsing in on them, or perhaps that’s simply the god in front of her, looking like she’d dive into Yang’s veins and unravel her if it were permitted.

“Why me?” Blake asks finally. “You know what I’m the goddess of, don’t you?”

“You guard death,” Yang says, her voice impossibly gentle; dusk flows river-like from her mouth. There is a world Blake can almost see. “But you can’t guard death without also guarding life, right? I don’t know what I’m looking for, but whatever it is, I imagine you encompass it.”

“Poetic,” Blake responds, and waits further. “I would like the truth, please. Our time is running short.”

There’s no point in playing games with gods. “The truth is stupid,” Yang says bluntly, and the corner of Blake’s mouth tilts again.

“Try me.”

“I’ll make you a deal,” Yang says, and Blake’s eyebrows raise in amusement. Bold, reckless, and absolutely pushing her luck to the furthest corners it can inhabit. “Accept me as yours, and when the time is right, I will tell you the truth.”

“Is the truth that powerful?” Blake says, curious despite herself.

The last candle flutters, throwing shadows from Yang’s eyelashes to her cheek. “I think it is.”

“Welcome back, Empress of the Night,” Ruby says upon her return to the Kingdom, giving her an exaggerated bow. “I hope you enjoyed your summon, My Lady of Perpetual Darkness.”

“What the hell was that about?” Weiss asks. “I haven’t even heard you crack a joke for, like, a millennia, and suddenly you’re the court jester?”

“She was amusing,” Blake says, shrugging. “Usually people are so timid and terrified. I felt like having some fun.”

“You?” Weiss says dubiously.

“Shut up, Weiss,” Ruby says. “You mustn’t speak that way to Our Patron Saint, Duchess of Death.”

“Now you’re not even trying.”

“Don’t you both have work to do?” Blake says, ending the interrogation before it can really begin. She’s not sure she’d have the answers for them, anyway.

Yang journeys east.

Find me again, Blake had said. The closer you get to my temple, the more I can see of you. She’d brushed aside Yang’s bangs, touched a single finger to her forehead. It felt like a teardrop, or a meteor shower. It felt like digging up a grave, or chiseling into stone. It felt like the last explosion. It felt like the first breath.

You are mine, Blake had said, and something about it had felt far too right.

She crosses from Sanus to Anima, spends days traversing forests and mountains, fending off bandits and monsters. Eyes flashing red and fire licking up her skin. Aura glowing golden before breaking. There is something wrong with the trees, she thinks; there is something wrong with the sky. Like I’m looking at them from the wrong side.

Nobody is there to answer her, and not for the first time, she wonders how she came to be so alone.

Blake watches Yang’s power unveil itself from above. Yang is hers, now, and though she can’t make house calls to the world below without a summon, she at least has instant access to her claims. There aren’t many of them, and Yang is different.

It reminds her of the God of Vengeance, almost - how he absorbs power before returning it, strike by vicious strike - but Yang’s is personal, sacrificial. She feels the pain before she can utilize it, and her anger is never cruel, her actions never misplaced. And she doesn’t complain.

Sometimes, Blake wishes she would: she can hear when she’s being talked to, even if she can’t respond. Every prayer, every curse, every devastation, every hope.

She waits for the sound of Yang’s voice, but it never comes.

There’s a small shrine in a village called Shion, which is still weeks out from the docks where she can potentially get a ferry to Menagerie, but the locals are kind, and honor her far too greatly for being touched by their ruling god. They direct her to their place of worship deep in the woods, and leave her without looking back. It’s a sacred thing, a bond between a god and their chosen, and law forbids them from watching her ceremony.

Yang pulls the candle from her pouch, lighting it at the foot of the shrine. She kneels down on the stone, worn with the imprints of a thousand prayers, and says, “Blake.”

“I was wondering when I’d hear from you again.” The voice comes almost immediately, as if its owner had been waiting to be beckoned.

It’s still a bit of a shock, though she’s much better prepared for it this time. “Hi,” Yang says, and stops there before she can fuck it up.

“Hi,” Blake says, and seems to be amused against her will. More guarded, less open. Yang can read the warning signs, but she’ll cut them off at the source.

“I’m sorry,” she says, and she means it, getting to her feet. “If I waited too long to contact you, I mean. I’m...not familiar with this area.”

“Don’t worry,” Blake says, lowering her arms. “It’s only been a few weeks. I won’t smite you until at least a month.”

Yang laughs, and unexpectedly to the both of them, Blake goes deadly still. Her body language says Yang’s done something wrong, but her expression says she’s hearing music.

The candle is burning. The moment can turn itself over gently, if Yang knows how to guide it. She keeps her smile on, but makes it quiet. “You know, I didn’t expect the Goddess of Death to have a sense of humor.”

It seems to work. “I like to surprise people,” Blake says, and moves closer. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“You never talk to me,” she says, pretending to be in control of something she clearly isn’t. “Why not?”

Only the forest speaks for a moment, branches creaking, leaves rustling. And then: “Do you want me to?” Yang asks.

“It’s...something people tend to do,” Blake says slowly. “But not you.”

“I didn’t want to bother you,” Yang says.

“It’s not a bother.” The words come out too quickly, tone too reassuring. Blake’s own want is what laces the conversation, rather than Yang’s uncertainty. That’s a new, dangerous line.

Yang takes a careful step forward, her eyes lowered to the ground as if in apology; they raise slowly, trailing over Blake’s form until meeting her gaze. Looking for lines she’s crossed, and should step back over; searching for lights that say go. Instead, she only finds an intense, hungry confusion - I want it without understanding what it is.

“You know,” she murmurs, “these statues - they never do you justice.”

And she lifts a hand to Blake’s cheek, hesitating over her skin - is that Blake’s catch of breath, or is it the wind? - before gently cupping it in her palm. She could lose an arm for this; touching a god without being explicitly asked is the greatest sin a mortal can commit, but Blake only stands there, unmoving, eyes wide and lips parted, the moon sitting in the hollow of her throat.

“Blake,” she whispers, and it can only be a god’s strength keeping her voice steady, “I’m never not thinking of you.”

The candle goes out.

Nobody is waiting for her when she returns. This is how gods give each other gifts - by saying, no, I see everything but I didn’t see you.

Yang starts talking to her, and changes her routes so that rather than taking the most direct path to Menagerie, she’s able to stop at some of the smaller shrines on the way. There are only two more, and she hasn’t called Blake since Shion. Yang hopes she’ll still come.

“Isn’t it strange,” Yang says, “how much easier it is to think about someone than to talk about them? I think about you differently than I can talk about you. I don’t even know if that makes sense.”

No response; not that she expects one. At this point, she assumes Blake’ll just kill her if she gets too annoying. Maybe a tree will fall on her, or she’ll do something embarrassing like trip over a rock and break her neck. “I can’t remember much about my life. I know there were people I loved, but I can’t see their faces. I must’ve traveled a lot; I don’t like sitting still. I don’t know how old I am, or even when my birthday is.” She’s never admitted this before; never admitted she came to lying on the ground, with only her name left ringing in her skull and a note in her pocket.

“I think you’re beautiful,” she tells the warm night air. “That’s what I was trying to say. Before. Blake, I think you’re beautiful.”

A star shoots across the sky, light trails leaving imprints against the swirling blue-purple-black of the galaxy, but it must be a coincidence.

Another shrine, another candle. This one burrowed into the side of a mountain, a dome of a room with a hand-woven rug for kneeling, several long benches behind. The statue sits against the far wall, centered.

“They’re getting better,” Yang says, getting to her feet. “This one, at least, gets your eyes right.”

“Hm,” Blake says, pressing her lips together. She moves to stand next to Yang rather than in front of her, and they both examine the statue together. “I suppose you’d know, wouldn’t you?”

“Were the compliments too much?” Yang asks, impressed with how light her voice sounds. She nudges Blake’s elbow with her own. Oh, she’ll see how much distance she can cross. She’s already walked miles - she’ll swim oceans, too. “You said you wanted me to talk to you.”

“I didn’t say that,” Blake denies unconvincingly, and then pauses. “And in regards to your first question - I didn’t say that, either.”

Yang could tease her - so even gods like being called pretty, huh - or she could be brave, turn to Blake, take her face in both of her hands and lean in--

“Yang,” Blake says, and does step one of that plan by turning to her. “What do you want from me?”

Maybe the idea’s overwhelmed her to the degree that she can no longer see its risks - its potentially horrible, literally life-ending consequences - and that's what drives her to do it. Maybe it’s that Blake is looking at her like a poem; something beautiful, not to be understood by anyone but the artist who made her.

“What would you do if I kissed you?” Yang says, as if it were merely an interesting, hypothetical concept to explore and not the end of the world. “Is that possible, even if you wanted me to?”

This room is warm and close and silent. The clay is cracking where the floor meets the walls. A tunneled-through skylight is the only thing that keeps Blake from swallowing the place in shadows, instead coating them in an amber, dream-like glow. Like if you mixed the two of them together, you’d still be left with light.

“I think,” Blake murmurs, “we’re both going to have to find that out.”

Step two of her plan. Both of her hands cupping Blake’s cheeks. She’s strangely aware of her lifelines - do they mean anything to you, she wants to ask, does my life mean anything to you now and if it doesn’t, will my death - she leans in, their noses brushing, Blake’s breathing as if she needs to, Yang isn’t and she does; teach me about magic, teach me about memory, tell me how I knew you before I knew myself--

Blake kisses her, tired of her caution and hesitancy, lips parting and fists knotting around the fabric of her shirt. Yang expects them to crash together, like comets. She expects them to crumble and collapse under the impact, buried in the ruins of each other and suffocating. She expects them to decay there, reveling in their own destruction.

What she doesn’t expect is sunlight.

Her skin set aflame, Blake’s tongue in her mouth, hands traveling from her face to her lower back and pressing close - somewhere a rule is being written about the gods and desperation - Blake pulls away, gasps, her fingers begging for Yang’s heart.

“This power,” she says, mesmerized, staring at things only she can see, golden gossamer roots running up Yang’s veins. “Where did you get it?”

“I don’t know,” Yang breathes out, and kisses her one last time before the candle burns out. “But I swear I’ve never felt closer to finding out.”

Nobody attempts to stop her from barging through God’s door. Weiss and Ruby, Sun and Neptune; they all avert their eyes. I see everything, but I do not see you.

“What is she?” Blake asks, standing before them with her head bowed. “Please, God. I need to know.”

“If you weren’t already sure,” God says, “you wouldn’t be here.”

She hates it when they’re right.

Yang hits the docks; situated on the outskirts of a fishing village called Ito, and with constant transport to Menagerie, their shrine to Blake is the largest one yet.

“And this one?” Blake asks, before Yang has even begun to pray.

“How did you do that?” Yang says, staring up at her, startled. “Are we, like, super close now?”

“Shut up,” Blake says, but she’s smiling. She extends a hand, helping Yang to her feet. “Your soul calls me. You barely even have to light the candle, anymore.”

The sound of the ocean knocks on the door; the smell tackles the windows. Above, the seagulls are crying out, angry at all the fish they can’t have. Yang says, “Hi.”

“Hi,” Blake says, and kisses her. Soft and chaste. Something so human and so immortal. “I missed you.”

“I’m your favorite, aren’t I?” Yang teases, her fingers catching Blake’s chin in her hands.

“No,” Blake says, and for the first time, smiles with her teeth. Oh, this is happiness. “I do this with everyone who requests my presence. I’m very popular.”

“I can imagine,” Yang says, brushing a thumb across her bottom lip. “So what else are you the god of?”

“You had a few of them right,” Blake says nonchalantly, settling against Yang’s body. She could be taller, if she wanted to be, but there’s so much beauty to see when looking up. “Night, and all things within it. Darkness, shadows. Death.”

“What else?” Yang says, watching her mouth shape every letter.

“Forgiveness, and justice,” Blake murmurs. Oh, there’s a fine print for this, and she’s violating every word. “Promises,” she continues. “Seduction.”

Hook, line - a heavy wave rattles the walls; oh, the sea, the sea! - Yang shudders against her mouth, salt sinking into her blood. Leaves her bouyant and floating, the earth bubbling up beneath her. Rising and rising and rising.

“Shockingly,” Yang says, letting Blake press kisses into the crook of her neck, “I don’t find that hard to believe.”

“God,” Blake finds herself standing before them once again, hands clasped and head bowed. She speaks formally in the presence of God, as is customary of respect. “Please, God. I am supposed to be guiding her, but I fear all I’ve done is lead her astray. I need to know where she came from, and where she is going.”

“Blake,” God says, and touches the top of her head with their hand, “she is close to your temple. Look at her, and tell me what you see.”

Menagerie is a busy, populated island, and Blake’s temple is the primary reason for that. Pilgrimages are made from around the world to pray at her shrine and leave offerings at her feet. Protect me from loss, help me navigate my grief, let me fulfill my promise.

Yang is none of those things. And when the keepers of the temple ask the reason for her journey, she says, “I am in love with her.”

“You have been touched,” one says, and bows to her upon entry. “You have as long as the goddess is willing to give you.”

The heavy doors close, but the room shimmers, firelight glittering over golden-accented walls. A large moon is carved into the marble floor, crossing over a sun. Before her is the largest, most intricately carved statue of Blake she’s ever seen, and it looks exactly like her.

Yang kneels.

“You know,” Blake says from behind her, “you don’t have to do that anymore.”

“No,” Yang says. “But it - it’s been a long journey. And I’m only here because of you.”

Blake’s footsteps echo, her boots stopping at the north point of the sun. “How do you feel?”

It’s enough to make Yang smile. “I know you heard me,” she says pointedly, but her amusement is apparent. “You hear everything I say.”

“I thought I’d give you the chance to tell me yourself.”

For the last time, Yang rises to her feet. Blake’s eyes glitter, mischievous and playful. She looks as she always has, but clearer, somehow; defined and resolute. She carries the truth in the way she extends a hand, in the way she searches for Yang’s mouth. When they kiss, Yang swears she can see another world.

“I’ll tell you something better,” Yang says. “The truth.”

She leans down, bumps their foreheads together. Blake’s arms loop around her neck automatically. Oh, Yang thinks, if I were the god of anything, I’d want it to be habits.

“So what’s the truth?” Blake asks.

“The truth,” Yang says unshakably, “is that it was you. I woke up with no memory and a note, and somehow, I knew I had to find you. The only thing I’ve been searching for is you.”

It’s you, she says. It’s you. You. You.

“God,” Blake says, and this time God is ready for her.

“Blake Belladonna,” God says, and inclines their head. “Come. Show me what you have.”

In her hands is a small slip of paper, worn and ripped around the edges. “It is a note,” she says, and unfolds it gingerly. “It is a note, God, in my handwriting.”

“And what does it say?” they ask.

“Find me,” Blake recites, “and I promise I’ll bring you home.”

“Well,” God says whimsically, “you are the Goddess of Promises.”

Tears build in the corners of her eyes, shipwrecks gaining water. “Yang,” Blake whispers, and now that she is close, she can see everything. Meteors falling from their showers; the day the sun went out. “Yang. I’m sorry. I’m so, so--”

“Shh,” Yang murmurs, pressing her lips into Blake’s hair. “What are you apologizing for? I found you, and you brought me home.”

“Oh, this is exciting,” God says. “I so rarely get to come to Remnant on business.”

“God,” Yang says, and bows her head. The temple doors remain locked; Blake’s hand is clutched tightly in her own. “It’s good to see you.”

“And you, Yang Xiao Long,” says God. “You fell in the last war, over five-hundred years ago. Do you remember this?”

“Yes,” she says. “I was trying to protect my sister.”

“And what happens when a god falls?”

“We forget them,” Blake says. “Their power is forfeit; they are erased from our memories, and our world.”

“It is not a law of justice, but a law of reality,” God says. “Or it was, previously. Only you did not forget immediately, Blake Belladonna. I did not know it was possible for two souls to be so intrinsically bound that they leave traces in the other, but you did not forget, just long enough to leave her a message. It took five hundred years for Yang to fall to earth, and when she awoke, she did not forget, either.

“Gods are made, and this means that what we are gods of can change,” they continue. “Blake, you were not previously the Goddess of Death. You became it because you believed that Yang had died, and no god had as strong a connection to loss as you. Your power became a beacon, just as it now will be a beacon for Remembrance.

“And you, Yang Xiao Long,” God says. “Goddess of the Sun, of Loyalty, of Sacrifice. You were many things. And now you are the Goddess of Rebirth.”

#Anonymous #bumbleby #rwby fic prompts #rwby fic

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saturnsstufff · 3 years

Note

okay as a chubby girl myself I struggle with how I see myself and this idea makes my heart KSHDHSJS

okay so imagine IMAGINE

Request maybe 🤔🤔🤔

Okay,, you’re standing in the mirror yk in your mirror at technos house/cottage in your underwear and stuff, grabbing at the chub and stuff looking upset and not feeling good about yourself, and techno walking into the room and seeing this. yk him being upset that you feel that way Bc he thinks youre just so pretty 🥺.

IT COULD EITHER GO INTO A SMUT( 😏 where he SHOWS you how much he loves you and how pretty he thinks you are in the mirror) OR FLUFF WITH SOFT WORDS AND CUDDLES or both idk

*slams hand on desk* IVE BEEN WAITIN FOR THIS

I went with both, because I like options. I also based this off a little personal feelings so I hope it works!

My Goddess- Technoblade

Warnings: self conscious reader, swearing, NSFW

The mirror. Your best, but worst nightmare imaginable. Some days you could look into it and see beauty within your curves. Spend endless minutes hyping yourself up. 'Man I look good' 'I am the fucking shit' 'damn look at that' all little things you tell yourself in pride. Because in those moments, you feel powerful. In those moments you feel like you own the world, that others are just lucky to breathe within your presence.

However, there are bad days. There are days when looking into the mirror brings shame. Days when all you can do is grab at your stomach, and ponder of what you could have done, or what you will do. Its pressed that everyone is perfect in our own imaginable ways. Yet when you look at others, you cant help but be envious. Others can get away with wearing tight clothing, baggy clothing, any type of clothing. Yet when you try it on all you see is a box, if you wear tight clothing, every roll and muffin top pops out. It can be embarrassing.

Techno never saw your curves as embarrassing however. He loved them. He loved the plush, soft skin of your tummy or your thighs. Your hips? don't even ask what he thought on hips, as long as they were yours. They were perfect.

With that said, when he saw you saddened about your form he was slightly hurt. You thought he was beautiful, a hybrid of a monster. But yet you couldn't find the beauty within your rolls? Your plump little form? The very thing that made up you? If he ever found out who planted these seeds of lies in your mind, he would have words.

If you felt confident enough to take the world by the horns, he let you. He would build you up with sweet words of encouragement. 'Well don't you look amazing...' 'you are looking beautiful as ever'. They were small phrases but they meant a lot to you.

Techno isn't verbal with his love, or compliments really. He chooses to show it, words are just that. Words. Actions are done, are shown. They are physically put into motion. That's why he prefers it. But he also understands sometimes words are needed. They are needed to ease your nerves and doubtful mind.

when he catches you glaring at your plump form in the mirror, he cant help but quickly move to your side. Kneeling and kissing up your body. Your arms, your thighs, everything. In the beginning he would let you look away. The idea of someone liking your body type left you uncertain, many times you would ponder if his endless kisses were done as a joke. But each and every time he would reassure you that it was real. That him loving you, loving your body. It wasn't in pity, it was in genuine love.

Tonight was one of those bad nights. With Techno in the bath, you were left to change for bed. Wait for him to come out, and then cuddle the night away until the sun kissed the horizon.

But well you changed your eyes fell to the mirror. Your eyes casually roamed your body. You were used to looking at it so nothing stood out of course. But as you shifted, you caught a few stretch marks within the candle light. They looked like streaks of lightning that were dragged across your skin. With a quick glance away, you pulled something over your form. Wanting to cover your body and deal with that mental baggage later.

Of course the Hybrid that stood tall within the door frame held other ideas about that moment. The one thing that always put you at ease was Techno's size. Before you were in a relationship with him, you feared you wouldn't be able to wear your lovers clothing. Being a bit plumper meant "one size fit all" did not fit all. But luckily, with your roughly 6ish/7ish foot Piglin Hybrid of a lover, all of his clothing was a bit baggy on you. Technoblade was a very Built man, this came from his never ending training and his natural born strength of course. But even with him being built and big, the first time he asked you to sit on his lap had you hesitant. What if he found you too heavy? The idea of him asking you to move off would leave you completely mentally ruined. Of course when you finally sat he didn't utter any words besides praises. His hands running gently over your thighs, with a tight grasp he kept you close. When Techno saw you ease into his lap more often, he took pride in knowing you were comfortable enough to do it on a daily basis. That was when he upped the bar again. The day he asked you to sit on his face was the day you had a heart attack. You were so paranoid you would crush him. Of course he was all bemused smirks well you tried to think of excuses. Yet this man was able to ease your nerves and reassure you until you were comfortable once again. You would never forget how giddy he was to be between your thighs. That was the day he found his favorite spot.

Before you could ease some bottoms over your underwear, this man had his arms around you. Pushing against your hands. His nose was nuzzled into your neck muttering gently "Please, leave them off for now..." with a brow raised you complied. You let the shorts drop to the floor, assuming you would be coming for them in a brief moment. You could smell the lingering sent from his shampoo. The fresh smell giving you great comfort.

Techno moved you back to face the mirror, his head moving briefly so he could see you face yourself. With a light stubble scratching against your neck you felt the goosebumps rise. Your eyes met his ruby ones within the mirror. "Do you know, how beautiful you are?..." he asked rhetorically. Dragging out the words that he felt were important. You wanted to say no, but knew he wouldn't want that answer.

"I think I'm alright..." you said softly. He hummed and pressed a loving kiss to your neck. His hands slowly fell down to the buttons of the shirt you were wearing. Skillfully he undid them without thought. When you had pulled a shirt on you didn't think much, but now saw that it was his you wore. Of course he didn't mind, he never minded.

With the buttons undone he opened the shirt to expose your naked form. Every curve and roll on sweet display for him "You are beyond 'alright'... alright is basic. You know my goddess is beyond mortal definitions..." you gave a gentle smile at his charm, glancing away from his eyes. He didn't allow this tonight however. Instead he took your jaw and gently redirected it to the mirror. Meeting his gaze again.

"My love... My goddess, you know your body rivals the gods, yes?..." you slightly shrugged, unsure if this was true. With another loving kiss he continued. "Persephone had rolls... She was just as plump as you my love..." you fallowed his eyes gently. Him comparing you to the beautiful goddess left you feeling better. If someone so divine could have rolls why couldn't you?

He didn't stop there however. "If you cant see your beauty. Let me show you how beautiful you are..." his tone was pleading. Like a animal begging for spare scraps. You watched his eyes, his finger and thumb having control over your chin. You thought on his words and gave a brief nod to him. Trusting him and whatever he had planned.

Instead of immediately kissing you all over, he pulled away. Firmly telling you to keep your eyes on the mirror. You felt a bit awkward standing there, your legs shifting closer underneath you. He soon came back however, his crown in hand. You could also see he had a simple gray towel around his waist, showing he was fresh from the bath.

Your curiosity with the crown lingered, but you watched as he put it on your head. "You are a queen... My Queen... You will always be reminded of your everlasting beauty for as long as you are with me..." for not complementing a lot, tonight he was on a roll. Your eyes ran over the crown. The delicate and bright stones contrasting the shimmering gold well against your skin.

He walked around to the front of you, leaning down to meet your lips in a loving kiss. His hand found a firm places on your hip, and on the plush skin of your ass cheek. With a gentle, but firm grasp he moved and rolled the skin beneath his hand. Loving how soft you were. With his hands working soft whimpers and moans out of you, his mouth devoured them. Eating every noise you made, cherishing them deep within his heart.

Leaving your lips swollen he moved down. Kissing your jaw and neck. Planning to leave you a work of art. A show of how much he loves you.

After your neck it was your chest. Soft plump breasts fitting ever so sweetly within his hands. With firm grasps he had you flushed red whimpering. Your eyes half lidded with the sweet lingering pleasure. Yet you still watched yourself and him, knowing to not disobey him.

With soft kisses placed to the tops of your breasts and nipples he moved to your stomach. This is where you craved to look away. Wishing to hide yourself in his neck.

"T..T-Techno..." he hummed acknowledging your words. But he still pressed light kisses down to the hem of your underwear.

“Keep your eyes on the mirror." He said, pulling them down. Helping you step out of the discarded clothing. You couldn't see his face. Only his backside was facing the mirror, and even then his long wet hair hid most of his toned back.

His fingers ran through your slit briefly. His rings offered a major temperature difference between your heat and the cold metal. With a little squirm his hands moved and held you in place. Desiring to keep you in place before he moved his head in and started to devour you. Eating you out like it was his last meal on earth.

With a ever so sinful cry, you gripped at his hair. Begging for your knee's to not give out. With one hand on his head, the other one flew to the crown on your head. Trying to keep it on well you easily hunched over from the overwhelming pleasure. Techno never failed to leave you speechless- or should we say, he never left you quiet. Even if you could see yourself, you didn't think you would be able to focus much. Your eyes were tightly shut well your mouth ran between being in a 'O' and being locked shut.

He did pull back from your folds to speak. Earning a cry from you. You were getting close and him pulling away was painful. "You can cum. But you have to keep your eyes open" you nodded profusely. Agreeing to anything if it meant feeling his lips back on you. He lingering a moment. Making sure your eyes opened before he leaned back. Taking his time to show your clit attention before going back to his main course.

With your eyes looking back at you. You were unsure if you were ashamed with how blissed out you looked or happy. The whole scene in itself was erotic. You were incredibly small compared to the giant between your legs. His only drive to please you completely. Your eyes never left the mirror as he ate you out to your climax. Your hips stuttering and bucking, but proving no use to his iron grip. When you came he waisted no time at cleaning it up. He had no shame, that your cum was running down his chin. He was happy when you were pleased. And he knows you are definitely pleased after that climax.

But he wasn't finished. With your legs weakening he helped you down onto his lap. He let you collect yourself against his chest for a few moments his hand ran over your back.

"Doin' ok there Princess?..." you nodded slowly. Your chest rising and falling fast well you try and calm yourself. "Think you can do one more?" You nodded again well he pressed a kiss to your forehead, acknowledging your response. Adjusting his crown on your head, he moved so the mirror was beside you two. Showing both of your bodies, with the towel acting as a thin barrier.

When you both were situated he did remove the towel. With a strong arm he lifted you up and positioned his hardened cock at your entrance, wasting no spare moment to fill you up. Well you did try to hide within his neck, it proved no use. He made sure to turn your head to the mirror.

With your eyes hitting the mirror you saw how his head was beside yours. Your cheek was pressed to his chest well his was pressed to your forehead. His eyes lingeried your body. Drowning in your blissed out form. He found you utterly perfect.

Well your bodies were connected, it almost looked like art. With techno's sharp gaze and your blissed out reddened cheeks, the contrast was there but yet they went together in perfect harmony. With the roll of his hips he made sure to keep your eyes on the mirror. Wanting to drag out every cry and moan you could utter. He set his pace at a rhythmic thrust, wanting to not only pleasure you, but himself as well. Well you griped to his sides, he kept his hand on he back of your head gently. Wanting to keep your head facing the mirror. With sweet sinful praises he coached you to a second orgasm, his fallowing close behind. He kissed your head gently, keeping you close to him well he felt himself soften. when his eyes met yours in the mirror he smiled softly.

“Look at how beautiful you are... Always so, so beautiful Princess...”

#saturnsdarkside #technoblade x reader #technoblade x you #techno x reader #techno x you #technoblade x reader smut #techno x reader smut #fanfic #fanfiction #tb

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shotofire · 3 years

Text

Attractive Girl, Uncomfortable Stares

Tobio Kageyama x F!Reader

Overview: in which the team finds out a girl does in fact fancy Kageyama

Warnings: cursing, small mentions of anxiety and some self doubt (nothing major)

Season: not specified, but i imagine it in the season 1-2 range

Practice had run over time for Kageyama, which happens pretty often. Hinata would beg him for a few more sets and he’d comply. Each boy was hungry for improvement so it wouldn’t take much convincing. He’d always be sure to text you and let you know, but today he let it slip his mind.

It could only be assumed that he was caught up with his team but you still needed to make sure of his whereabouts, incase he was still planning on walking you home.

You texted and called a few times but to no avail. Kageyama had told you to never come to the gym, saying his team would eyeball you like the last women on Earth. Plus he wasn’t into the idea of them even knowing he has a girlfriend, it’d arise too many questions.

He’d already seen the way guys would check you out in the hallways, the last thing he needed was the boys he sees everyday to mention how hot his girlfriend is. But he’d never prepared you for if he didn’t answer, or didn’t let you know what was going on. So today you had to ignore his requests and make your way to the gym.

Of course you knew where it was but you’d never been inside. Swim club had been your go to since middle school, so the gym was foreign to you. The sound of yelling and balls slamming to the floor could be heard from outside the door. It seemed a bit dramatic to classify yourself as nervous but that’s exactly how you felt.

You’d never spoke to any of the members besides Kageyama, obviously, and Tsukishima. The only reason you’d conversated with him was because he was in one of your classes and asked for a pencil, but you still think it was just an excuse to talk to you.

Talking wasn’t your strong suit. You always struggled to come up with things to say to others you weren’t so comfortable with. Kageyama knew the guys would babble until you’d stare at them with a blank mind. Tanaka was a nice guy but would probably chatter too much for your liking, and would stare at you as well.

The debate to go in was still racing through your mind. Kageyama wouldn’t be upset with you if you explained your reasoning, that’s not what worried you. It was more of the fact that there were tall boys with all sorts of personalities waiting for you on the other side. Also Kiyoko’s beauty was extremely intimidating, but you had no idea that many found you as equal as her. If you knew you’d most likely finally notice all the people who stare at you as you walk by.

The grey doors infront of you flew open, and there the goddess herself stood. She nearly slammed into you not expecting anyone on the other side. “Oh i’m sorry,” she says with a soft smile, “I’ll get out of your way.” Her back is against the door now, holding it open for you. “I-um, thank you.” You stumble over your words, there was no choice now.

Smells of sweat immediately hit you in the face once you step in. The door closes behind you rather loudly, echoing through out the gym. Boys were spread out in groups of two.

You quickly spotted Kageyama by the net with his back turned to you, with a red head that you could only assume was Hinata. You’d memorized some names from your boyfriends stories.

Across the gym Nishinoya is starring at you, not that you have noticed, with his mouth ajar. Asahi hits the ball with his forearms, like they’d been doing for an hour, and the ball finds its way onto Nishinoya’s face. Panic sets over the sweet giant as his friend cries out in pain. “I’m sorry!”

Tanaka has already spotted you and made your presence know to Daichi, “Why is there a really pretty girl in our gym?” His eyes are practically lit up and he observes your figure. He takes note that the school uniform is very flattering on you. “Woah she is pretty,” Daichi says with a blush and his hand anxiously scratching the back of his head.

It had gone a bit silent, only adding to your anxiety. Your face felt hot and you just knew that the redness on your cheeks are increasing by the second.

“Uh, Kageyama?” You manage to squeak out. His head is spinning and his body follows.

Oh shit, he thinks. They’re all looking at you like they haven’t ate in a million years. He can feel his chest tighten when Tanaka is practically drooling over you. This moment shouldn’t be happening, he didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable under their gazes. They were all sweet guys, just didn’t know how to behave their hormones sometimes.

For a second he gets a little frustrated with you. He’d made it clear coming wasn’t a good idea, he was never going to hear the end of it from his team. But then he knows you’d never go against his wishes unless something were to happen, and that’s when he realizes... the dummy had forgotten to text you.

You feel yourself loosen once his expression isn’t so intimidating, the last thing you wanted to do was upset him.

“Kageyama?” Nishinoya has a sour look on his face, and his voice is laced with annoyed confusion. Why was a girl like you in here for him? There was no way in the shorties mind that grumpy Kageyama could win over someone like you. The rest of the boys are confused as well, you’d never been brought up by him. Then again, why would he? Girlfriends had never really come up in conversation, it was all about volleyball.

He rolls his eyes at Nishinoya’s words and ignores him. “I’ll be right back,” he mumbles to Hinata. Soon your boyfriend is infront of you with an apologetic smile, obviously realizing he’d done this to himself. “Sorry (y/n), I got too caught up.”

This was the first time he’d slacked in the communication department your entire relationship, so you could let it slide. “It’s okay, I just didn’t want to accidentally leave without you.” He nods in understanding.

“I’ll talk to you later, text me when you make it home, I love you.” You’re about to just say a simple I love you and go on about your day, but Kageyama surprises you. His lips press to your forehead and your eyes widen, not expecting him to do that at all. His team was being rather nosey watching the whole thing go down.

A dramatic gasp from Tanaka could be heard, of course the guy was making a big deal out of this. A blush is fast to creep onto your face, “I love you,” you say while trying to hold back the huge smile trying to pry its way through. Part of you thought he’d brush you off as a friend to all of them just to avoid the confrontation. You knew he didn’t want any of them to ask weird questions about you, which happenes more often in the girl department than you’d think.

Instead he leaned down to give you a sweet peck on your, hot from nervousness, forehead. Once he jogs back to his position from before you take that as your cue to leave. The gym already felt like it was closing in on you so withdrawing from the situation was definitely what you needed. Their eyes are just too much to bare, you hate not knowing what they’re thinking.

“Did you just kiss her?!” Hinata yells while jumping up and down. The rest of his team was already crowding around him, eyes sparkling with interest. This is exactly what he didn’t want to happen, of course they just wanted to know everything. He gets it, you’re pretty but he’s not an asshole boyfriend who spills all of your guys’ personal business.

“Yeah I kissed her, she’s my girlfriend.”

He swears his head starts ringing when gasps and shouts echo around the gymnasium. A few were even running in circles as if it’s the craziest thing they’ve ever heard in their lives. Was it really that hard to believe the guy could get a girl? It kinda hurt his feelings, but he definitely didn’t let it show.

“How the hell do you have a girlfriend and I don’t?” Tanaka, out of all people, really just asked that question. Kageyama’s face falls in annoyance as if the answer to that is obvious, which it kinda is. “Maybe cause girls see the way you drool over Kiyoko and get scared. Or maybe it’s the buzz cut.” Baldy is fuming now, but holds him self back.

“If any of you ask me a weird question i’ll serve a ball to your face.”

They leave the boy alone after that, but your face is unquestionably still racing through their minds.

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skullstarz · 3 years

Text

the princess of the sea

-> royalty!au iida tenya x fem!reader

this is the literal bane of my existence. here you go, part 1 of my iida royalty au fic. very loosely inspired by raya and the last dragon and genshin impact, but you can barely tell.

IF THE KEEP READING THINGIE DOESNT WORK PLS TELL ME!! ++ there is a paragraph that gets repeated. im sorry, but every time i fix it, it happens somewhere else. idk what to do at this point. sobbing.

warnings: language. also its long and ends on a cliff hanger oops

word count: 4.8k words

check out my masterlist for more of my works!!

the sound of your heels hitting the shiny floors bounced off of the walls nonstop as you ran. you were a princess, one that was late to the ball being held to celebrate the alliance of four nations that had fought against one another for over a century. as you round the corner towards the banquet hall’s doors, you make eye contact with a tall, blue haired, handsome man- and then fall flat on your face.

it wasn’t often countries came together to make amends after hundreds of years of wars, attacks, and disagreements- yet here you are, making a fool of yourself in front of the prince of lupusvine, the northernmost nation. you rush to pick yourself up, muttering a quick “damn it, y/n,” whilst fluffing your dress back up to its once cloud-like form.

“are you alright? it’s y/n, no?” the man you had seen before now much closer, offering his hand out to greet you.

quick history lesson- the planet was named xenos centuries ago, by four gods. what their names were is hard to decipher; by the time humans were capable of writing and recording history, the gods had many names. there were more countries on the planet, but the most important (to you) were the four nations that were named and ruled by the four main gods, all sharing borders. ruritania, ruled by the goddess of nature, has the perfect climate for farming, raising livestock, and taking trips from the other nations. it was considered a utopia for those who liked peaceful, cottage living.

lupusvine, ruled by the god of wind, was cold. the citizens tend to be either extremely wealthy, or dead, really, as being homeless in the brutal cold would be a slow and painful death. they tend to be strict and uptight, and worship their god’s every word. ambrosia, ruled by the god of fire, on the other hand, was scorching hot most of the time. it was mostly desert, and ambrosians tend to be strong, rough, aggressive towards outsiders, yet loving towards their families.

lastly, oceania, ruled by the goddess of water. oceania, being the nation you were soon to rule, was perfect, like ruritania, hot in the summers and cold in the winters, but not unbearably so. it was the wealthiest nation, not because the rich keep getting richer, but because the nation helps and nurtures those who are struggling. it was seen as a sort of idyllic place, and because of that, the other countries often envied oceania.

one last, probably important bit, before you remember the prince of lupusvine is waiting for you to give him your hand- hybrids are common in xenos. which is why, as you stare at the prince, flustered, you barely notice the wolf ears on his head.

“it…it is y/n, correct?” he hesitates.

“oh, yes! i'm very sorry!” you put your hand in his, greeting him. “you must be tenya, prince of lupusvine!” you attempt to compose yourself while the wolf man before you reaches up to adjust your small crown as he breathes out a soft “yes.”

you blush due to how close he is and he apologizes. “sorry, but i'm sure that with the rush you were in, you wouldn’t have had the time to notice your crown was barely hanging onto your head for dear life.” he chuckles and as your eyes meet once again you freeze- you never knew why people were so wrapped up in rumors and gossip, but you had heard one a while back… that the prince of lupisvine’s eyes were as cold as ice, like the land he came from.

while whispers of his frightening gaze and sharp features may be based in truth, his eyes soaking in yours made you feel as if you were melting- the warm, relaxing smile he had contrasting his straight posture and tense shoulders.

“if you’d like, we could enter the ball together” his voice pulled you out of your trance, and as he awaited your answer you thought of all of the consequences entering together would have. your mother and sister’s worry turning into squealing, eager to have you marry the poor man was one. your father upset that you had never mentioned someone was courting you (which the prince was not doing) while he was searching for suitors was another consequence.

oh, and most importantly of all- what you two walking in together, arms linked, would do to the political state of the four nations. you were the precious princess of the sea! you were oceania’s lovely, pure heir to the throne; if anyone were to lay a hand on you they’d be dead before they could take another breath! little did they know that you had a tendency to be anything but elegant, with a foul mouth and two left feet.

and prince of lupusvine- well he… he was perfect. a respectable gentleman who gives his all to his nation, who works to make their nation a better place. the other three countries may whisper and mock; thinking him a serious, scary soon-to-be king with a devotion to law and order, but he was a far more gentle and loving prince than that. everyone in lupusvine was aware of the truth, and you, placing your hand on his arm, now also knew the truth.

“yes, i would, in fact, like that very much.” you flash him your charming smile that everyone in oceania was in love with and enter the hall together.

the consequences you had thought up in your mind paled in comparison to the reactions of everyone as you two enter. shocked expressions, gasps, and even what sounded like a glass shattering filled the room as you make your entrance and walk down the stairs. hushed tones greet you at the bottom, and as you and tenya part ways, you are greeted by the royal family of oceania- your mother, father, and sister.

“you do realize what that looks like, right?” your sister, isla, barked at you. she had a knack for showing her care and love in the worst ways possible, but you knew her words weren’t meant to instigate some sort of argument.

“no, i don't, actually.” you shrug, before your father gently grabs you by the arms

“the prince of lupusvine is no husband for my daughter, i will not allow it until i know more about that boy and what he might be scheming”

“scheming? oh for the love of our goddess, dad, i'm not going to marry him! we simply entered together” you shake his hands off of you.

your mother cut in with a huff, worsening your family’s freak out. “with how late the both of you were it looked like some sort of… surprise marriage announcement!” often, when your mother becomes flustered, or worried, her extensive, fancy vocabulary is thrown out the window.

“its like you were telling all of xenos ‘hey, look at me put my hand on this big strong rich prince oh also remember how we’re both looking for other royal families to marry into, mostly for political reasons?’” your sister rambles on, mocking your manner of speaking.

“oh, whatever, it’s not really like it matters. the four nations are allies now anyways, what’s the issue, even if i were to be seeing him?” all three of your overprotective family members scoff and walk away, clearly getting the message that their worries wont get through to you. spotting the prince again, you make your way over to him before frantically attempting to walk away as the crowd parts for you only to reveal his very serious and scary family having a discussion with him. instead of walking away towards your sister, you turn and smash face first into- actually, you don’t even realize you just walked into the prince of ambrosia, todoroki shoto, until you look up at him.

“oh my goddess, i'm so sorry” you bow at him deeply, and his father tells you not to worry about it as they continue walking towards the royal family of lupusvine. while the four nations all had their issues with each other, lupusvine and ambrosia have made deals with one another before, and oceania and ruritania were on decent terms. as king enji spoke with the king of lupusvine, shoto gave you a quick wave, before standing next to tenya rather than his father.

you’ve already just about had enough with the party when you decide it’s better for everyone if you were to just leave. you leave the ball and head to lucerne’s garden, a small garden and pond built right into the center of the castle, named after a dragon (which have all since vanished from xenos) the goddess kept as a companion. sitting at the edge of the pond, you’re lost in thought as a hand touches your shoulder.

“it’s nice to see you again, princess.” tenya’s voice just barely over a whisper as he sits next to you.

“no, you’ll get your suit dirty-” you start, before he shakes his head.

“perhaps, but the servants in your castle seem to be extraordinary at their job- i don't think i saw even a drop of water on the ground as i sat down.” he laughs, continuing to look around at the spotless scenery, none of the plants having even a speck of brown, and not one part of the ground dusty or dirty.

“well well well, and here i thought mr. prince of lupusvine was supposed to be a stickler for rules! i’d expect a ‘no sitting on the ground with your gown on!’ from you.” you smirk, messing with decorations sewn onto your dress.

“I may be a little uptight, but i don’t quite think there's a rule for sitting on the ground with a dress on..” you laugh as he trails off in thought. “is that lucerne? companion of kirai?” he asks, pointing at the statue of a dragon looming over the pond.

citizens of lupusvine tend to refer to the goddess of water as “kirai”, due to their god calling her that every time he mentioned her, as recorded on slabs from ancient times. that, along with other reasons, is why many researchers and history professors believe that the goddess of water and the god of wind were in a romantic relationship, whether permanently or just for a certain period of time. you nod and face him as he continues “i wish dragons still existed. i learned, when i was younger, that dragons went extinct due to humans.”

your eyes widen, flickering towards the statue of lucerne. “because of us?”

“yes.” he whispers, before the two of you fall into comfortable silence. soon, footsteps can be heard behind the two of you. turning around to see who is coming, you see todoroki shoto, prince of ambrosia, as well as the princess of ruritania, uraraka ochako.

“thank goodness we saw you out here! our parents are so professional and uptight at these things, it's almost suffocating.” ochako gasps the fresh air in, sitting next to you as shoto sits at a nearby bench.

“i dont get why they hate each other so much.” shoto muttered under his breath and everyone let out sighs and nods. while all of you knew the history behind the nations’ feuds and didn’t quite know each other, you four could easily bond over your general disdain for the grudges your families had towards each other.

suddenly, you picked yourself up from the ground and stared at the other three determinedly. “we should find out what happened to lucerne and the dragons! it would be so fu-”

“we already know what happened to the dragons.” shoto cuts you off

“well then what is it?” you huff, annoyed that you were cut off.

as shoto shrugged, tenya started telling the story. “the four gods gave a box each to the inhabitants of xenos and told them to not open them, even if they’re curious about what’s inside.”

“oh no, they opened the boxes” you gasp, shaking your head.

“yes, they opened the boxes. the first three boxes they opened had beautiful things we couldn't even begin to imagine the world without, so, without thinking, they opened the last box. a puff of smoke came out the box upon opening it, and then every dragon on xenos turned to stone. there’s no cure, no answers, no reason as to why the gods would do that, especially when the dragons were so loved by the humans and gods alike.”

“how cliche” shoto sighs.

“do you think the dragons can hear us?” ochako gets up, trying to get closer to touch lucerne. “lucerne, do you think i should marry izuku midoriya, from ylvern, or bakugo katsuki from angria?”

todoroki scoffs, and you note the jealous glint in his eyes. “lucerne’s not gonna come back to life to answer which royal family you should marry into” he gets up, ready to head back inside.

“speaking of marriage…. tenya, y/n, what was that entrance~?” ochako skips back to your side, crouching down.

“nothing, we just met before walking inside and decided to enter together; it's simply none of your concern” you ramble on, refusing to face either tenya or ochako, opting to stare at a lily pad floating on the water.

“oh really?” ochako squints, before getting up. “if you say so, y/n”

“yes i do say so” you nod violently, ochako humming as she walks towards shoto to walk back inside together. exchanging quiet ‘see you later’s, they leave you and tenya alone again.

“would it really be a bad idea for us to get married?” his words making you choke on air. “not like that! it was just a question!!” he flails his arms around, the two of you so very flustered.

you both collect yourself and you think for a bit before answering “i think our parents are probably just suspicious of each other, still. i mean if you think about it, you could say we’re already fated to be” you half joke, expecting more arm flailing, only to receive a hum.

“ah, you mean the theory that kirai and the god of wind were lovers?” he tilts his head.

“some even say they were married, not just lovers, tenya. what, are you suggesting we be lovers?” you joke.

another round of arm flailing passes as you laugh, before he clarifies “you know what i meant, don't act a fool. i personally believe it too, there’s plenty of evidence for it.”

you nod, agreeing with him “that, and because citizens of oceania often think i look like our goddess, and your citizens say your personality matches your god. wouldn’t you say we’re- a- match?” with each pause in between your last words you get just a bit closer before pulling away, laughing once more at his flailing arms and beet red cheeks, finding your new favorite hobby.

one last moment of silence passes as you both stare at the clock in the garden, waiting until it hit 10 to join the others back inside for a speech from the nations’ kings and queens. you stole peeks at his face, your eyes quick to flicker elsewhere when they make contact with his. a minute before it was time for the speeches you two got up and walked together, checking each other for any specks of dirt (there weren’t any, head maid marina would never allow such a thing).

you stop right before the doors, facing him with a smile on your face. “after you, mr. prince, we can't go in together after the entrance we made before.” you motion towards the door and he steps closer to you, waiting. “wha- oh” you realize what he was waiting for and nod, expecting a kiss on the cheek. what he really did, was give you a light peck on the lips, before turning away and returning to the ball.

“your majesty, if i may, i don't believe that’s an appropriate way to say goodbye to someone.” head maid marina places a hand on her hip, a clipboard tucked in between her arm and the side of her waist. she tapped her foot expectantly, brows raised as you stutter, attempting to find the right words.

“please dont tell my mom!!” you blurt, and run into the banquet hall.

“you kissed prince tenya!?” the servants in the dining room all come to a halt, turning to your family, that was supposed to be having dinner.

“ugh maid marina told you!” you put your face into your hands as your sister stifles a laugh and shrinks in her chair.

your father looks like he might explode as he yells “you WHAT?”

“to be fair!! he kissed meee~” you gushed at the thought.

“how is that supposed to make me feel at ease?!” your father stands up.

“dad sit down and eat your unseasoned roasted potatoes-” you pause to raise your voice loud enough for those in the kitchen to hear, “if head maid marina wasn’t busy gossiping about my love life maybe the potatoes would’ve come out properly seasoned!” your words earned you a light whack with a handful of napkins from said maid. “and what if i choose to marry tenya? i assure you he is up to nothing but good.”

your father shook his head. “how can i be sure of that, darling?”

“cause i really like him!! pleaaaaaaase?” you beg, putting your hands together as you give him your best puppy dog eyes. your father was visibly crushed by your strategy before he straightened up and cleared his throat.

“well, if you insist, i suppose i could send the iida family an invitation to a dinner, where we can discuss this matter more in detail.”

“this is becoming more and more like an arranged marriage by the second-” you whine.

the following days were rather uneventful; helping out maid marina as an apology for offending her potatoes, polishing the statue of lucerne (which you’ve found out is essentially lucerne’s corpse) for maid veronica since you let ochako get close to it, and reading up more on xenos’ history. eventually, the day to have dinner with the iida family came and you dreaded it, as your mother told maid marina to find and dress you in a ‘lovely, light blue dress with intricate detailing’ days beforehand.

“and just why do you like prince tenya, of all princes? why not prince shoto?” with every ‘why’ that left marina’s mouth, she pulled on your corset, tightening it.

“for the love of our holy goddess please maid marina please show me mercy” you plead.

“i did show you mercy, when i made extra of your favorite side dish because the main dish of this evening is the royal jade carp, which i know you hate with every fiber of your being” you whine at her rebuttal (and another tug at the corset) before she finally ties it off at the end.

“done. let maid veronica finish getting you ready while i finish the preparations. your future husband should be here soon.” she smooths out her uniform before leaving the room.

“this feels like an arranged marriage, y/n.” veronica sighs, readjusting your hair.

“it wasn’t supposed to be” you groan and attempt to slouch, the corset compressing your insides not allowing you to.

“well, you both seem to like each other, so at least you’ll be marrying someone you might actually grow to love” veronica shrugged, tying a bow on your dress.

“you know, you’re right, vero! it isn’t all that bad, considering some people don't have that luxury.” you smile at your new found confidence.

“oh goddess, like that poor queen of ambrosia. i heard her marriage to king enji turned sour such a long time ago yet they stayed together for political reasons, you know?”

you gasped at veronica’s words “is veronica gossiping on the job?”

veronica smacks her lips annoyed. “its small talk, young lady, not gossiping.”

you quickly made your way down the stairs and towards the dining hall before tenya and his family arrived. your sister, isla, stood at the doors, surprised to see you so dressed up. “this is a dinner to possibly discuss a marriage, not the wedding day itself” she chuckles, leading you to your seat and sitting down in front of you. “i, myself have found someone to talk to as well.”

“oh really?” you raise your eyebrows, amused.

she nods, smiling “a prince named mirio to-” the doors open and the two of you stand up to greet the iida family, led to the dining room by your parents.

“its nice to see you again” tenya greeted you with a kiss to your hand as the rest of your families mingled. you all ate, discussed feelings over the nations becoming allies and you and tenya’s plans for the future.

“wanna see something?” you grab tenya’s hand after the dinner ended, the rest of your family deciding to continue to chat away as you showed tenya around the castle.

you lead him to your room, and as he starts to stutter, telling you “perhaps this step can wait? a bit?” you shake your head.

“that’s not why i’m bringing you in here, but i like the way you’re thinkin” you tease, before stopping in front of a tank.

“is that an axolotl?” tenya gasps, his free hand gently pressing against the glass.

“yes, that’s pudding.” you nod, before leading him over to another tank. “and this is noodle, she’s an oceanian black kingsnake.”

“you like snakes?” he questioned you.

“not really, but when i found her in lucerne’s garden she was in pretty bad condition. she took a liking to me so i just toughed it out and took her in.” you shrug, before leading him to your bed.

once again objecting to any dirty things you’d try to do to him, you stop him. “first of all, i wouldn't do anything you aren't comfortable with, and second, that's not why i brought you here, okay? now this little man right here is nugget!” you lift one of the many blankets on your bed to reveal a tiny, black poodle with long legs. “and thiiiiis,” you move to another side of your bed “is pepper!” a white cat’s face peeks out of the blankets it's piled under, reaching a paw out to greet the prince before returning to its sleep hole.

“i didn't expect you to be such an animal lover.” he says on your walk back to the dining hall.

“it isn’t really that i'm an animal lover, the axolotl was a gift from an organization that keeps endangered animals safe after i made a large donation. the other three were strays that the maids found in lucerne’s garden. something about the lucerne draws animals to her.” you shrug, pondering what might be the reason animals were often found in the garden. Something that you had noticed before but never fully paid attention to was the way tenya’s tail wagged when you two were alone. during both the ball and dinner his tail was stiff and straight, as if he was making an active effort to not draw attention to it. it was nice to know that he didn’t care much about little things like that alone with you.

it was still a bit frustrating how quickly your families wanted you two to get to know each other and get married. while dating for civilians can last many years before even mentioning marriage, sometimes royals have all their wedding preparations read before their first meeting.

“at least we enjoy each others’ presence.” tenya’s words cut through your cluttered mind.

“what?” you blurt, and he laughs softly.

“at least we like each other, you know? we could’ve been forced to marry snooty, arrogant people. instead we get to be somewhat forcefully married to each other.”

“it’s almost like you can read my mind” you suggest jokingly, before leading him to sit down for more quiet time together. “it sucks that we’re being rushed into things, but we can go at our own pace, even if we may be wife and husband while we’re still just going on our first few dates.” he nods at your words with a smile, sighing before getting up, with his hand in yours, to head back inside the dining room.

“you’re getting married to the prince of angria? oh poor thing” various princesses reacted to ochako’s words, wishing her luck on her marriage to bakugo katsuki, another prince.

“it's not all that bad!” she reasoned with them, only for them to disagree.

“not all that bad? the boy’s got anger issues and will probably be a terrible ruler! oh sweet girl he’s going to ruin you, and not in the good way.” some random princess teases. you were currently at a tea party being held in ruritania, by the princess, ochako. you noticed the way her shoulders lowered at their words, each time they insulted him only making her more upset.

“you never know, perhaps he’s actually nice if you get to know him. besides, it isn't our place to judge, seeing as most of us have rather terrible fiancées as well.” you comment, drinking your tea. you notice the smile growing on ochako’s face, a small, silent thank you for sticking up for her.

“of course you’d know about terrible fiancées, soon-to-be mrs. tenya iida” the fiancée of prince sero (oh, poor poor sero) laughs out.

“and i'm sure prince sero knows a lot about terrible fiancées as well.” you insult back.

“did you see the face she made after you said that?!” ochako giggled as you two were walking to her room. the tea party finished rather quickly after your response to princess ophelia’s insult had her running out in rage.

“that’s what she gets. i mean come on, she’s one to talk about me having a terrible fiancée when she is a terrible fiancée” you shrug, the grin on your face slowly forming as you hold in a laugh. “i can’t believe you and bakugo are getting married though! i thought that your parents would surely choose midoriya of ylvern!”

“well, ylvern’s nice n all, and i'm sure midoriya’s absolutely wonderful-” there was the tiniest bit of yearning in her voice when speaking of the prince. “-but angria has more resources. its a better choice in almost every aspect except for the fact that it’s bakugo katsuki that i'm marrying.” she realized what she said and shook her head quickly “no, i'm going to be optimistic! i know everything will turn out fine, and my marriage to him will end up being a better idea.”

“you sound like you’re trying to convince yourself, ‘chako.” you sit on her bed and watch as her cheeks grow redder and redder

“no! i’m! not! don’t do that y/n!” she pouts “i was one hundred percent supportive when you announced you’d marry tenya!”

“and i'm thankful for that-” you raise your hands up in your defense.

“so don't tease me about my marriage!” you laugh, patting her shoulder

“okay, okay, relax!” huffing, you and ochako continue to talk the night away; about marriage, wedding preparations, and anything else you two could think of.

as the days go by, you see more of tenya, each time falling in love with him more and more. you also see ochako more, meeting her fiancée bakugo, and more of todoroki, who’s been spending much of his time rejecting princesses and enjoying the presence of the prince of ylvern, midoriya. one of the worst days was the day your mothers dress was modified to your size and changed to be more modern, head maid marina threatening to poke you as she sewed if you didn't stop slouching. the worst day, however, was the day maid veronica, maid marina, and maid yalani sat with you and talked about what would happen on your wedding night (goddess have mercy on your soul, they thought you didn’t know a thing about sex).

but, as preparations went on, and as you spent time with tenya, you couldn’t be happier. he caught you whenever you fell, which happened many times while learning dances, and he laughed with you whenever everyone else found you unladylike, like when you spit out food while trying to figure out what would be served to the guests, not realizing what you had tasted was made with your least favorite food, royal jade carp. he was traditional, strict, yet had a soft side to him that took you step by step through everything, never failing to whisper compliments in your ear or reassure you that you’re doing great.

everything was perfect, every effort made filled with love and pure intentions, every moment nothing less than a beautiful experience, until the night before the wedding, when everything took a sharp turn for the worst.

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ymiwritesstuff · 4 years

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A Siren’s Song

I had this idea for some time and I may have gotten a bit carried away but I’m very proud of the final result! I’ve tried looking at Revali’s character a bit more in depth and I think this oneshot really shows that! Also yeah, the reader is a siren. Please enjoy!!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild

Revali x Siren!Fem!Reader

Summary: After being assigned a quite boring and troublesome mission the Rito Champion finds himself on the stranded island of Eventide, though he soon finds out that he isn’t the only one there.

The navy blue Rito huffed in annoyance as he flew over the cerulean waters of the Necluda Sea. Out of all the things he could have been assigned to, this was by far the most belittling and cumbersome. To think that the Princess, so dependent on his superior skills, underestimated said skills by having him search for this isolated shrine allegedly located on a faraway island, was it called Eventide? He couldn’t recall as his annoyance was far outweighing his desire to visit this remote island. Revali understood why he was chosen for this painfully simple mission as he could most efficiently cross the vast sea separating the island from mainland Hyrule with his impressive flying, though this didn’t mean he was any less irritated about it.

As the island slowly came to view Revali’s eyes quickly scanned the area in case he could already see this alleged shrine. He sighed as he saw nothing of interest and continued approaching the isle. However, as he got closer, instead of seeing something, a faint sound reached him, and he could just barely hear it. Revali frowned his brows, the sound becoming clearer and clearer the closer he got, and for some reason, he felt this strange need to follow this sound. It was now clear to him that what he was following was a female voice singing somewhere on the island, the intricate melodies ringing in his head like a spell, almost asking him to follow it.

The heavenly voice the Rito couldn’t ignore led him to a sandy beach and beyond as he quickly realized that the sound was coming from the sea itself. He slowed down, the singing being now incredibly close as he could now hear it louder than ever. Revali hovered above the still somewhat shallow water, the voice seemingly echoing below the surface. His curious emerald eyes looked down, trying to see if he could witness the source of this mysterious singing. His eyes caught something. A figure, swimming in the water, effortlessly floating in the blue liquid and glimmering under the sun. He lowered himself further, desiring to see this mystical figure in more detail. However, this decision soon proved to be treacherous.

Suddenly, the singing ceased and Revali snapped out of the trance-like state he was just under, only to be violently pulled under the surface by an unknown force. Panic quickly kicked in and the Rito began thrashing around, desperately trying to reach the surface to get air. However, whatever was holding him had an iron-like grip on his torso that refused to let go, no matter how much he struggled. Revali was pulled deeper and deeper, the sunlight from the surface barely visible anymore. He was running out of options, and most crucially, oxygen.

The only and possibly last option that entered his mind seemed ridiculous and he wasn’t even certain it would work, however, there was nothing else to do. The vicious predator never loosened its grip as it dragged him down, certain that there was no way for the Rito to escape. But suddenly, something happened and the Rito was carried up by something that looked like an updraft. The unknown creature couldn’t keep up with the speed and was forced to let go, allowing Revali to shoot up from the ocean and not so gracefully land on the sand of the beach.

The Rito panted, trying to catch his breath, secretly thanking the Goddesses that he was able to escape. Trying to use his technique underwater was incredibly risky, but Revali was relieved to see that it had succeeded in saving his life. Realization quickly hit him as the battle was not over yet and whatever had just attacked him was still lurking around somewhere. He quickly stood up, his soaked feathers weighing him down a bit and he went to grab his bow from his back. Only to realize that it was not there. He frantically looked around, trying to find his weapon, but it was nowhere to be seen.

“Looking for this?” Your voice came through and stopped the Rito in his tracks as you emerged from the water, holding his Great Eagle Bow in your hand. Revali looked at you noting your scaly skin, long claws, but most notably, your tail. The Rito didn’t say a word, which caused your already existing smirk to widen. “You survived. That’s quite impressive. No one has been able to do that yet,” you say and look at the weapon in your hand, carefully examining it. “Hmm.. Quite the craftsmanship… Do you mind if I keep this?” Your eyes turn to look at Revali, who merely crosses his wings and scoffs.

“I doubt such a primitive beast like you would know how to properly utilize such a weapon’s strengths.” The tone of his voice is mocking, which surprises you, coming from someone who just almost met their doom. His eyes don’t even bother to look at you, which is meant to indicate that he saw you as an inferior being, however this has little to no effect on you.

“You’re a Rito, right?” He glanced at you and raised his brow most likely surprised a creature like you knew about the races living in Hyrule. Your smirk widened at this. “I’ve seen a few of you fly by. Though none have been brainless enough to approach me.” You glance at him, your eyes alone shining in a way that challenges his presence. “Well, until now.” Internally, your words painfully strike his pride, making himself feel like a fool. Externally, however, he merely laughs sarcastically and scoffs again.

“Only a lowly creature like you would resort to such cowardly methods in battle.” He brought his still wet wing to his chest as he continued to bathe in his own words of praise: “If you had revealed yourself like a true warrior, my victory would have been but assured.” Despite his words meant to be condescending, you couldn’t help but giggle at them. “Yet this lowly creature almost killed you.” Revali’s previously confident expression fell slightly, but you were able to catch that subtle change in his body language and it only fueled your own confidence.

“You know what? I like you. And it would be rude of me to leave you to fend for yourself,” you say, referring to his bow that was still in your clawed hand. Revali raised his brow at you, knowing full well that you were planning something as he wasn’t foolish enough to think that a creature of deceit would just offer his weapon without asking for anything in return. “However as I’m sure you already know, I can’t just give this beauty back to you for free. In fact, I need you to fetch something from me.” As soon as these words left your mouth, Revali let out a seemingly nonchalant laugh, most likely to fuel his facade.

“Ha! And why would I, Revali, the Legendary Rito Champion, obtain anything for the likes of you?” The Rito had raised his voice, and it was now echoing around the entire island. You sigh in fake disappointment and frown your brows to appear hurt. “I thought you might say something like that. Oh well.” Revali’s eyes widen when he sees you stretching the bowstring and pretending to shoot something, his gaze immediately noting the incorrect technique. “I suppose I will become an archer then,” You say with a voice that has a tone of underlying mischievousness as your claws come dangerously close to scratching the wooden surface of the bow. Your little trick is working as Revali is quick to stop you.

“Don’t do that!” He suddenly yelled which he immediately realized to be a crack in his seemingly unconcerned facade. You look at him with a smirk and he grumbles something under his breath. “Curse you…” He clears his throat and swallows his pride for this brief moment, only for the sake of his weapon. “What is it that you want me to obtain?” He asks rather quietly and your gaze immediately lights up.

“Aww, I knew I could count on you!” You exclaim mockingly, which only increases Revali’s feeling of humiliation. Your (E/C) eyes look at him properly for the first time as you state your request: “Are you familiar with the spirit dragon Farosh? It is said to appear near the Bridge of Hylia.” Revali listened closely, unsure what you were about to request. He was familiar with the spirit dragons, however wasn’t certain if they even really existed. “Now this is where you come along.” You said to make sure he was listening. “What I need, is a scale from this dragon. And you need to find a way to get me one.” You smiled playfully and Revali crossed his wings once more.

“You require a scale from a spirit dragon? And what do you plan on doing with it?” He asked, suspicion and strange curiosity coating his voice. You chuckle lightly and shake your head. “That’s classified information and totally irrelevant to the topic. I simply need it. And if you ever wish to use this quite stunning bow again, you’d better do as I requested.” A smirk makes its way across your lips again and you notice Revali’s own irritation growing. “So, do we have a deal, oh great Champion Revali?”

The navy blue Rito clicked his tongue in annoyance, but couldn’t do much to improve his situation. Other than comply. “Fine.” Your smirk widened at that, but you soon notice him stretching his wing out and taking a few steps closer to the shore. “However I need that in order to succeed,” He said, a smug smirk of his own dancing along his beak. You let out a laugh. How stupid did he think you were?

“Oh no, I won’t fall for that. I’ll be holding onto this,” you say, lightly caressing the bow. “To make sure that you won’t trick me.” You glance at him and see his face once again twisted by exasperation. He didn’t say anything, instead he crouched down and prepared to take off, not even bothering to look at you. “I’ll be waiting here. Just throw the scale into the ocean when you return and you’ll get your precious bow back. I promise.” You say with rare authenticity the Rito also notices. However, your features quickly revert to how they were moments ago. “Also, don’t take too long, I might get bored and leave the area. You wouldn’t want to lose-”

You didn’t have time to finish your words of tease when a huge gust of wind blew from below the Rito, drying his wet feathers in the process. With one leap he was flung into the air and began heading towards the direction he initially came from. You raised your brow at this but smiled in amusement.

“So that’s how you did it…”

To the Rito’s surprise, he was able to find this supposed spirit dragon and obtain its scale in a few days, albeit not easily. Having no previous knowledge of this dragon as well as approaching it without his trusty bow, Revali found the process troublesome and far too tedious and suffered a few minor shocks from the spirit. In addition to this, the Rito wasn’t certain why, but he felt a bizarre feeling of curiosity when it came to you. Perhaps it was merely something everyone like you possessed, seeing as your primary tactic was to allure people close and brutally drown them. The captivating song you sung upon your first meeting seemed to have planted a part of it within him. Regardless, he was successful in his little mission and was now on his way back to the stranded island to hopefully get his Great Eagle Bow back.

The Rito landed on the familiar beach, seeing no signs of anyone around him. He looked around a few more times before sighing in defeat and throwing the scale into the water, secretly praying that you wouldn’t just snatch it and leave. The scale floated on the surface and for a good few minutes, nothing happened, which made Revali wonder if you had tricked him from the very beginning. His patience had limits and it wouldn’t take long before he would accept defeat and leave the island with a bitter taste on his tongue.

However, suddenly something shot up from the water, and the emerald-eyed Rito could see two clawed hands grabbing the scale, followed by your familiar form emerging from the water, his bow securely on your back. Your (E/C) eyes admired the scaled and there was a wide, genuine smile on your lips. “You found it! You actually found it! For the love of Farore I never thought you’d be able to-” You stopped your excited exclamations when you noticed Revali looking at you, his wings crossed in front of his chest and a smirk stretching the corners of his beak. “Awfully enthusiastic, aren’t we? And here I thought you were nothing more than a traitorous snake,” He stated, strangely amused at your reaction.

You cleared your throat as his comment threw you off a bit. “Well, I suppose looks can deceive.” You grab his bow from your back and take a final look at it. “I’ve grown quite fond of this one, I almost don’t want to let it go.” Your words are meant to once again irritate him, but when you look at him, his expression is rather hard to read. However, it is clear that he wants his bow back. “But I am a woman of my word,” You finally say and toss the bow to him, which he immediately catches, quickly examining it before placing it on his back.

“I appreciate the cooperation, Miss…” His voice trails off, having realized that he doesn’t in fact know your name.

“(Name). My name is (Name).” A smile makes its way on your lips as you formally introduce yourself for the first time. Revali nods. “Well, (Name). I do hope you find a good use for that scale. Having me fetch it for you is quite the honor, I’ll have you know,” He says, feeding his pride once again. You playfully roll your eyes but laugh nonetheless. “I can imagine.” Suddenly, your eyes are firmly locked on him, their previous sarcastic and mischievous shine having disappeared completely as you hold the scale against your chest.

“Thank you, Revali. Truly.”

His eyes widen at this sincerity in your voice and the way your eyes look at him. The Rito feels a strange tingly sensation within him and isn’t quite sure how to respond, so he resorts to promptly turning around and preparing his gale. “The pleasure is mine, (Name).” He says, before raising his wings to the air.

“Will I see you again?!” You suddenly shout, almost unwillingly. The words leave your mouth faster than you can think and it makes the Rito stop his departure before it truly began. He glances at you and regains some of that sarcastic attitude he is so renowned for. “Perhaps. But it would certainly take a while.” His beak turns into a smirk and his eyes shine in playfulness. “Say, a hundred years or so. But I doubt you’d manage to wait that long,” he jokes, his words sounding silly to himself as well. In reality, though, he isn’t sure, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t wish to see you again.

“I’ll wait. I’ll wait for you as long as I have to. Who knows, maybe I’ll need more scales in the future.” The tone of your voice is similar to his, but in truth, you are somewhat serious. This cocky Rito somehow stuck to you and for some reason, the thought of not seeing him again saddened you in a way. Revali shakes his head and chuckles slightly.

“I suppose we’ll both have to wait and see. Regardless, I’ll gladly demonstrate my superior skills to you in the future.” And with that, he summoned that familiar updraft and soared to the sky, this time flipping and gliding around more than it was necessary. His movements were precise, effortless, perfect. Your (E/C) eyes shined in awe as you witnessed his dance in the sky. The sight of you, completely captivated by his elegant maneuvers, greatly amused him.

“I’ll have you know, (Name), my greatness far exceeds that which you currently see!”

With one final flip and look into your eyes, the Rito Champion changed his course toward Hyrule, leaving your awestruck form behind. “Until next time!” You blinked a couple of times, still holding the scale close, your tail lightly swinging below the surface. Even when Revali’s form got farther away, you found yourself staring at the silhouette of the Rito. There was just something about him. Something special under that arrogant shell. You smile to yourself and prepare to dive into the water.

“What a showoff…”

With all that has occurred, you can’t help but think that him escaping your deadly grip the first time you met was a good thing. And if it really took a full century to simply witness those splendid movements again, you would gladly, and patiently, wait for his return on this very beach.

#loz #legend of zelda #breath of the wild #loz botw #legend of zelda breath of the wild #loz revali #revali #legend of zelda revali #loz revali x reader #revali x reader #loz x reader #legend of zelda x reader #reader insert

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tanzen-neko · 4 years

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Dip a Toe (Victor x MC)

This is my entry for July 6th Summer of Smut Challenge. Tagging the awesome @voltage-vixen. Hope you all enjoy

Dip a Toe (Victor x MC)

MLQC

Summer of Smut Challenge- July 6th: Skinny Dipping at Night

Warnings: Semipublic nudity, sex, public sex

“Strawberry daiquiri, please. Blended.”

You ordered your drink, ignoring the man whose presence you felt behind you. The cool dimness of the hotel bar was a welcome respite to your hot face, and sweaty body, and you silently thanked whomever it was who invented AC. Handing her your card for the fruity drink, you heard the scoff of Victor behind you. Well, he could scoff all he wanted. You didn’t need his help to do anything. The bartender gave you a sympathetic look, and asked loud enough for Victor to hear if you were ok before cutting her eyes in his direction. Her warning was clear; upset her customers and she would move in. If judging by the bulge of her biceps, it wouldn’t be the first time. You shot a reassuring smile her way, accompanied with an eye roll in Victor’s direction, and taking your card back, made sure to leave a sizable tip before strolling over to the outside terrace. Even while angry, you had to admit Victor had impeccable taste in resorts. It was your first official trip as a couple, and though you had only been official for 3 months, the sheer amount of time you seemed to spend together made it feel like years. He had managed to take in account all your preferences when selecting the surprise 2 week trip as a reward for your 5 star rating on the latest venture. Though he didn’t treat you any differently as his investment, he always made sure to reward you for all the hard work as his girlfriend. You inhaled the fragrant scent of the jasmine that grew from the various planters. Taking a sip of your drink, you shuddered a little at its strength. The bartender must have felt you needed a little more boast to deal with Victor, the sweet thing.

“You’re being ridiculous, you know.” Victor’s deep voice cut through your peaceful daydreaming, and you turned around to glare at him. He looked so casually handsome in the setting sun. His light blue linen shirt gave a wonderful contrast to the honey tan of his skin. He hadn’t been using any hair products since the trip, and the stylish cut of his bangs hung into his face. They seemed to emphasize the intensity of his dark eyes, and you swallowed hard.

“Easy, girl. You’re mad. Don’t give in. Don’t. Give. In.”

Adopting a look of feigned indifference, you eyed him as you sipped your drink.

“And what, pray tell Mr. Li, is ridiculous? The fact that you find me boring, or the fact that I got upset about it?”

You downed your drink fighting back a grimace, and left the empty glass on the table. Turning around, you strolled towards the hidden opening that led to the path towards the resort’s private beach, enjoying the crashing sound of the waves. Earlier in the week, you and Victor had discovered a hidden little secret spot on the resort’s private beach. You noticed that many of the resort visitors didn’t seem to frolic there, and the two of you had gone to it each night to watch the sunset. You would have missed it by the time you got there, but you were angry and didn’t want to go back to the room with him. Besides, you enjoyed the multitude of stars that were visible over the water. You could hear his footsteps following you down the path, but for once he was quiet. You rolled your eyes at the doubt that started creeping up in your chest. Maybe you were overreacting. You squared your shoulders as you walked. No! He would have to apologize for his poor choice of words. You made it down the path, and the beach was blessedly empty. You found your favorite spot; a sun warmed rock that seemed to have mysteriously found itself just off the side of the beach. You slipped your sandals off, burying your toes in the sand. It was still hot, and you wiggled your toes deeper, a sense of peace stealing over. Oh how you loved the beach. Almost skipping over to the rock, you had missed the glow of adoration in Victor’s smile. Even in the moonlight it was so easy for him to read the delight in your motions. He briefly wondered if he should buy the resort if for no other reason than to get to see you smile.

You plopped down on the rock, and kept your toes in the sand. There was a breeze coming off the ocean, and the salty smell of it tickled your nose. Victor sat next to you, making sure to leave a bit of space. You continued to ignore him. Tracing patterns in the sand with your toes, you heard him sigh.

“ I didn’t call you boring you know.” You didn't look in his direction.

“Oh?”

“Dummy, I said, predictable. I’m not sure what idiotic dictionary you’ve been using, but those words are not the same in mine.”

You whirled towards him, the strap of your tank top falling down a little over your shoulder.

“They might as well mean the same thing Victor! When you say you don’t have to ask me about things because you already know my response, well it makes me feel boring… even if that’s not what you mean. I can be exciting too, you know!.” You huffed at his amused expression and turned back around crossing your arms. He reached out to pull up your strap and you jerked away slapping his hand.

“Ouch! Dummy, I’m just trying to fix your top. You’re not wearing a bra. Are you trying to put on a show?”

Sudden inspiration struck you. Maybe it was the drink that left a pleasant fuzzy sensation in your head. Maybe it was that amused look on Victor’s face, or his refusal to admit that telling you that you were predictable wasn’t a nice compliment. Either way, you jumped up from the rock, and sauntered over to Victor, out of reach, but in his full view.

“Maybe I want it to fall down. After all, I am about to undress.” You spun away so your outline was partially obscured by the shadows stretching out on the beach, the moonlight lending a glow that made you feel like a goddess as you slowly unbuttoned your shorts. Shimmying out of them as sensually as you could, (a feat that came with challenges given they way they stuck to your sweat covered thighs), you took a second to fold them before you languidly let your fingers drift down to your tank’s hem. Victor let out a growl, and you turned to face him, an eyebrow drifting up in question.

“And just what in the hell do you think you are doing?” he bit out.

“Why Mr. Li, you mean you can’t predict my next move?” Not waiting for a response, you pulled your tank off, breasts bare to his stare. Fighting the self conscious urge to cover yourself, you hooked your fingers in your underwear, pulling them down in one swift motion. Victor choked as he stared at your body. The struggle between disapproval, and arousal fighting for dominance on his face.

“Dummy… I’m warning you…”

Instead of responding, you stretched, moaning sensually as you could feel the muscles in your back stretch and pop.

“Warn me all you want. I’m going for a dip.”

“You’re not that strong of a swimmer,” he snapped at you, disapproval winning in the end.You shrugged in response. “Well then I guess you better join me, huh? Unless it’s too boring for someone as sophisticated as yourself, Mr. Li.”

You turned and walked away from him, not bothering to wait for a response. Still, your heart pounded hard in your chest. What if he didn’t join you? “Nonsense” you told yourself. And well if he didn’t, you weren't going to dwell on it. You reached the water, and waded out. It had been a sweltering day, and the water was like a tepid bath. You giggled as the waves pushed you back towards the shore. Your feet feeling the sea shells embedded in the sand. You tucked your knees in your chest, riding a wave back to shore before you raced out again to find another one. Laughing loudly, you let the waves wash over you again. Forgetting for a moment you were mad, you shot a toothy grin Victor’s way. It left your face quickly, however. He was no longer on the rock. You turned back into the water with a sigh. The waves not as fun alone anymore. Maybe you had taken it too far?

You heard his chuckle behind you, and before you could turn around, he pulled you against the hard planes of his chest.

“Quit pouting. As if I would let you stay out here alone.”

You struggled against him for a moment, but he just pulled you closer.

“Stop wiggling so much. Your little fist is near a sensitive area, you know.” Frowning, you finally registered that you hadn’t felt his linen shirt. Reaching a questing hand back, Victor groaned a little as your hand brushed against his rising erection.

“You’re naked,” you said without stopping the movement of your hand. If anything, you sped it up a little. Victor’s hands drifted from around your body to your shoulders. He leaned down to drop a scatter of kisses on the back of your neck.

“Well I wasn’t about to ruin my clothing.” You hummed a noncommittal response, and stopped your hand, darting off in the waves. “Wrong answer!” you shouted at him laughing at his dumbfounded expression. You didn’t get very far before his hands grabbed you around your waist. Victor lifting you with ease, and twirling you around, before looping an arm under your legs, bridal style. You clung to his neck as he dunked you in the water and pulled you back up.

“Victor, you jerk!” you shrieked at him. Your hair was plastered to your face, and you sputtered out the salt water that had filled your open mouth. Instead of apologizing, he threw his head back, a carefree laugh erupting from him that tugged at your heart. Always composed and in control, it took your breath away whenever you got the chance to see him openly laugh. And everytime he did, you felt yourself slip a little bit more in love with him. Setting you on your feet, he pushed your hair out of your face, smiling at you before leaning in for a kiss. You let your eyes drift shut, and raised your face up in anticipation. Victor let out another chuckle before brushing his lips against yours so lightly, you almost didn’t feel it.

“I… I really am sorry for hurting you. I don’t think you’re boring. You’re too much of an absent minded fool to ever be boring.”

Your eyes shot open, but before you could fuss at him for his backhanded compliment, his smiling lips reclaimed yours once more. He deepened the kiss, and the taste of the ocean filled both of your mouths. You twined your fingers into his hair as his tongue tangled with yours. Victor slid his hands along your hips, pulling you in closer. You could feel his erection against your body, and you dropped a hand to grip it. You worked your hand up and down his erection, and Victor’s breathy moans were lost against your lips.

“You’re not going to stop again, are you?” he asked almost desperately.

“The only reason I’m going to stop is because I’d rather have you buried in me,” you responded back, nipping at his lower lip. Victor groaned at your words pulling you back in for a passionate kiss. His thumbs gently stroked along you before he moved one of his hands between your legs. Cupping you gently he delved two of his fingers inside you, scissoring them back and forth for a moment. You let out a groan of your own as his skilled fingers work their magic on you taking you closer to the edge. His palm ground against your clit and your stomach flipped as your arousal rushed to coat his fingers. Victor ducked his head down to lick a path between your breasts, and latched onto a nipple, flicking his tongue against it. You let out a whine, and tried to ride his fingers for more stimulation.

“Victor, I’m ready. Please, just, just give me what I need.” Victor shuffled you back a bit, the water swirling around your ankles before he dropped to his knees and pulled you down with him. You laid out on the sand, the waves tickling your bodies as he placed himself between your legs. Rocking back on his knees, he grabbed your legs, draping them over his thighs. Watching intently, he eased himself in, inch by painstakingly inch until he was as deep as he could go.

“I love watching how well you take me.” He moved his hips forward in a hard stroke, groaning your name out as he did. He pumped forward again, and soon he set a pace that had you writhing against the sand. His hands dropped on either side of your head, and you flicked your tongue against the pulse at his wrist, raising your hips to meet the force of his thrusts. Victor let out a curse, and sped up. He angled his hips in just the right direction to hit that spot that made you almost see stars. It felt so,so good. You reached your hands up and clasped them around Victor’s neck to drag him down for a kiss. You crossed your ankles around him to take him in deeper, the pleasure mounting in your core. You broke the kiss to throw your head back at the jolts of pleasure that began shooting over your body.

“Victor, I’m about to cum, oh I’m about to cum. Don’t stop, please. Oh, please”

“I’m close too,” he ground out as he picked up his pace. “Cum for me, love. Take your pleasure from me.”

You bit into Victor’s shoulder as you fell apart, your screams of pleasure muffled against his flesh. He gave a few more hard pumps before he pulled himself out and spilled across your stomach. After a few more kisses and catching your breaths, you rinsed off in the waves. You shivered as you made your way back to your rock. The temperature had dropped, and you were feeling it. You and Victor quickly dressed, and he held your hand as you made you way back up the path, swinging your hands back and forth.

“So…. Am I forgiven?,” he asked glancing in your direction. You pretended to ponder a bit, and even tapped your chin earning an amused snort from Victor.

“I’d say you’re well on your way. But don’t most apologies need someone on their knees?”

Victor stopped walking, and pulled you into his arms. “Oh I’ll have you on your knees alright, and on your back, on my lap, and maybe even on all fours”, he whispered against your ear.

“Victor! That’s not what I meant!” you giggled slapping his chest before you two resumed walking.

“But I have to say, if this is the way you apologize, I hope you mess up a lot more in the future.”

#summerofsmut #summer of smut challenge #mlqc victor #mlqc smut

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codynaomiswire · 3 years

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TTS/RTA Egyptian Mythology AU

Also known as the Uraeus AU!

Several months ago, I made a post about a developing idea for an Egyptian mythology AU for TTS/RTA. The idea was prompted in large part by the snake-hair Varian (“Snakian”) scene from the series’ finale, and the concept of the uraeus in Egyptian mythology. Since first posting about this AU, Xiel and I have really been developing the idea further on the Discord, and here’s what we’ve come up with so far. Hope you all enjoy it!

Note: As a fan AU, this is of course subject to change and variations, so things may change or develop differently as time goes on and more new ideas spring up. This is just what we have in mind so far! :D

Champions and Friends:

Varian - The kingdom’s seer and champion of Wadjet (aka “the Uraeus”). In this AU, Varian was born to Quirin and Ulla with his “twin brother” Ka - a living uraeus bestowed upon him by the snake goddess Wadjet. (More on Ka and Wadjet down below.) Having grown up with Ka, Varian is not (usually) bothered with having a snake attached to his head, and sees Ka as being like a brother to him. Varian also grew up being told by Quirin and Ulla to keep Ka a secret, as the family was worried Varian and Ka would be taken away from them if anyone knew about them. So for many years, whenever Varian would go outside, he would wear a head covering so Ka would remain hidden from the world. Once he did try to show Ka to some of the kids in his village, but they all ran away screaming, and he got in trouble with the parents for “pulling a mean prank with a snake.” So he and Ka never tried that again. However, things start to get trickier as Varian enters his early teens, and he starts to get visions about events to come, and has a couple episodes of sleepwalking in the middle of the night. Despite Quirin’s best efforts to keep the two safe, things finally come to a head when some kidnappers (led by Andrew) are hired by Set’s cult to capture Varian and Ka, and bring them back to be dealt with. Out of self-defense, Ka ends up landing a venomous bite on Andrew, who nearly dies from the poison. However, Varian has also taken an interest in alchemy by this time in his life, and learned how to create an antivenom for Ka’s bites. (While Varian himself is immune to snake venom due to his connection with Ka and Wadjet, he learned how to make it in case there was ever an accident involving someone else.) Varian manages to make the antivenom in time and save Andrew’s life, but this incident ended up taking place out in the open, and thus Varian and Ka have their cover blown. Quirin tries to prevent Varian and Ka from being taken away, but the next day the pharaoh’s soldiers come and take Varian and Ka to live in the palace, as the priests of Wadjet are certain that the time has come for the seer to step into his duties for the kingdom. Varian is at first very unhappy with being forced to live at the palace, but is befriended my Rapunzel quite quickly. And when his visions start coming on with even greater intensity, Varian must do what he can to help protect the people from Set’s plans and Apep’s impending return.

Ka - A living uraeus and Wadjet’s other champion. (Note: In this AU, “the Uraeus” refers to Ka, Varian, or the two taken together. The term applies to all three.) His character is inspired by the snake-hair character in the RTA series finale (though Ka has the added feature of a cobra hood), and his name is inspired in large part by the “ka” aspect of the soul in ancient Egyptian philosophy (meaning “double” and known as the protective aspect of the soul). His name is also reminiscent of Kaa from The Jungle Book, though it’s spelled differently. Given to Varian by Wadjet upon his birth, Ka has been with Varian since the beginning. While he and Varian are the same age, Ka grows up faster than Varian mentally, so he tends to be the more mature of the two. However, he isn’t adverse to causing some mischief from time to time. Growing up, Ka was pretty readily accepted by Ulla, but Quirin...was more leery of him. Especially given Quirin’s own past (more on that below), he first saw Ka as an interloper on what was supposed to be a peaceful family life. Despite this attitude, Quirin and Ka did have their moments of reliability from time to time, and Ka grew up seeing Quirin and Ulla as his parents (calling them “Father” and “Mother” respectively). For years Ka had to hide his existence from the outside world, and thus could get very lonely. It seemed that he would have to resign himself to a life of obscurity...until Varian started getting weird visions of things to come, and Ka started getting his own premonitions of things to come in the short term (i.e. waking visions of things close at hand). Ka also learned through his premonitions how to hypnotize people, which he would use mostly for therapeutic purposes, or to compel people to tell the truth if need be (though this function especially can take a lot out of him, so he’s not OP with this ability). Things take the most drastic turn for Ka when he lashes out at would-be kidnappers (as told in Varian’s description above), he becomes known to the wider world, and is then thrust into the champions’ efforts to save the kingdom from ruin. Ka also does that snake thing of prolonging his ‘s’ sounds when he talks, and when he first has the experience of talking to new people he takes to referring to himself in the third person. Just to be fancy I guess. xP

Quirin - Varian and Ka’s father, member of the Brotherhood, and champion of Khonsu. Quirin spent a good portion of his adult life as a member of the Brotherhood in Karnak who - in this AU - are a warrior guild with allegiance to Khonsu, Egyptian god of the moon and time. While serving under Khonsu, Quirin acquired the ability to manipulate time in certain small ways - i.e. stopping time within a certain radius (usually a few yards), or around a certain person or object. This ability is very risky though, as if it’s used too often or too intensely it can have the side affect of “taking time” from the one wielding it (hence why Quirin appears a bit older than Adira and Hector, who are only a few years younger than he). After a good many years of service in the Brotherhood, Quirin decides to leave his service and settles down with his wife Ulla to start a family. However, upon the birth of their son Varian, Quirin is shocked to find that Varian was born with a living uraeus attached to his head (whom Ulla names Ka). After his dealings with the gods while serving Khonsu, Quirin is afraid of what Ka’s presence means for Varian, and does all he can to keep Ka a secret from the wider world. At first, Quirin is very leery of Ka, which does not go unnoticed by the rest of the family. Quirin is never cruel to Ka, never ignores him, nor dotes upon Varian while leaving Ka out of it, but it is clear that he sees Ka differently from Varian. Things become especially hard when Ulla dies when Varian and Ka are about ten years old, and Quirin has to raise the two on his own. Eventually, Quirin and Ka begin to grow closer, and Quirin does all he can to make sure he and Varian don’t get taken away from him. But after their cover is blown, Quirin is left worrying about his sons after they are taken away to live in the palace. As Quirin prays to Khonsu one night asking what can be done, he is informed that his duty as the Uraeus’s protector is not over, and that he will also be called upon to join in the effort to stop Set and Apep in the days to come.

Rapunzel - The princess of Egypt and the champion of Ra. Rapunzel was kidnapped by Mother Gothel as a baby, and was raised learning how to use her sun powers. However, when the champion of Horus comes to save her, Mother Gothel is defeated by her own evil designs, and Rapunzel loses connection with her healing powers in the ensuing struggle. After returning home, life is happy for the princess, and she quickly befriends many in her kingdom. However, when news comes to the palace that Wadjet’s seer has appeared in the land, Rapunzel begins her real journey to find her destiny, and must use her powers to save the land from its deadliest threat yet.

Eugene - The prince of one of Egypt’s major cities, and the champion of Horus. (Naturally, this was inspired by Eugene’s birth name being Horace in the canon series. xD) The son of King Edmund of Karnak, Eugene actually grew up in his family’s palace in this AU. When he was born, Eugene bore a birthmark on his shoulder blades that resembled wings. After consulting with the local priests, Edmund learned that the birthmark was a sign of the blessing of Horus, and that Eugene would come to wield great powers. Afraid for his son, however, Edmund has a hieroglyph painted onto Eugene’s back every few weeks or so to keep the power of the mark at bay. Eventually though, when Eugene is in his early teens, Horus’s blessing breaks through the barrier induced by the hieroglyph, and after a painful first transformation, Eugene has found that he has sprouted giant hawk’s wings from his back. After the initial shock, Eugene learns how to use and control this ability, and after some of Horus’s guidance, he manages to find the lost princess of Egypt and rescues her (while also falling in love of course ^^). After rescuing Rapunzel, Eugene decides to remain living in the capitol at the palace, though he keeps in contact with his family and home city.

Cassandra - Mother Gothel’s daughter, Rapunzel’s best friend and champion of Sekhmet. After being born to Mother Gothel, Cassandra grew up as a child servant in the cult of Set, and was left entirely on her own after Mother Gothel left her to horde Rapunzel’s sun powers for herself. Being miserable in her life situation, Cassandra eventually called out to the other gods asking for their help (she was probably about six or seven years old at this stage). Sekhmet heard her, and gave Cassandra some of her powers so she could don a lioness form and bust her way out. (Although, this blessing also left its mark on Cassandra, as she now permanently sports cat-like eyes, even when not in her lioness form.) After fleeing the cult of Set, Cassandra wanders around for a while until she is found by the Captain of the Guard, who came after he heard reports of a dangerous feral child wandering the desert near the outer villages. The Captain takes pity on Cassandra when he finds her, and takes her in as his own and teaches her how to fight and how to have discipline so she can control her powers. In addition to transforming into a human-lioness hybrid, Cass can also talk to felines and request favors from them, like spying on enemies and scouting and stuff. After gaining the trust of everyone in the capitol, Cass also came to be known by the revered title, The Lioness.

Lance - Eugene’s best friend and fellow resident of Karnak. While Lance is not a chosen champion, he is still a gifted member of the group, and is invaluable as a supportive friend and skilled wordsmith. When Kiera and Catalina travel to the capitol after Catalina becomes a champion, it’s Lance who is the first in the group to befriend the girls. Lance also has a background in being a treasure hunter, which comes in handy when the group needs to locate legendary artifacts, ancient temples and other things that will be vital to the success of their mission.

Catalina - Sister to Kiera/Angry, and Champion of Anubis. (A quick thank you to the Anon who prompted us to consider Catalina as a fellow champion!) Like Cassandra, Catalina’s blessing from Anubis allows her to don a feral form (this time in the form of a werewolf/werejackal) to help fight against the agents of Set and Apep. However, Catalina was chosen to wield Anubis’s blessing specifically because her heart was the only one judged by the scales of Anubis to be able to balance the powers contained within his blessing. As the son of Set and a god of death, Anubis’s blessing is extremely powerful and volatile, and only a certain kind of heart can learn how to balance it and avoid being destroyed by it. While Catalina still struggles with her power (especially during the first few transformations), she is able to gain great control over it with time. While she is considered an outcast from most of the rest of society, Kiera stays by Catalina’s side, and together they travel to the capitol to join the other champions in their mission to stop Set and Apep from destroying the world.

Kiera/Angry - Catalina’s sister. While Kiera/Angry is not a chosen champion, she is still skilled and is a beloved member of the group. After her sister Catalina receives the blessing of Anubis, Kiera stays by her side and travels with her to the capitol to join the rest of the group to help save Egypt and the world from impending doom.

Adira and Hector - Members of the Brotherhood, Quirin’s honorary siblings, and Varian’s “aunt” and “uncle”. While Hector and Adira were also servants of Khonsu like Quirin, neither were given special powers by the deity. Nevertheless, their work as members of the Brotherhood proves invaluable for the group, and they are more than ready to help with their skills and knowledge for whatever may come their way. When Hector isn’t serving at Khonsu’s temple in Karnak, he is the more adventurous of the two, and spends a good chunk of his time being a sellsword for the caravans traveling across the desert. He also has an affinity for animals, and thus relates to Ka very well upon meeting him for the first time.

King Edmund - Ruler of Karnak, head of the Brotherhood, and father of Eugene. A lot of his role was already laid out in Eugene’s description.

Frederic and Arianna - The pharaoh and queen of Egypt in this AU.

Egyptian Deities:

Wadjet - A snake goddess of protection and healing, Wadjet is the deity who chooses Varian and Ka for the mission to stop Set and Apep. In this AU, Wadjet is also a goddess of farsight, and thus allows Varian and Ka to be her seers on earth. While a powerful and graceful deity, Wadjet also has a “soccer mom” kind of personality to her as well. In this AU she has the form of a naga - i.e. human upper body with her lower body being a long snake’s tail.

Khonsu - The god of the moon and time, and the deity served by the Brotherhood. Khonsu is a rather mysterious figure, and while he can see through time and its various possible outcomes, he does not have direct control over how events play out. However, he does impart the ability to manipulate time in small ways to Quirin, though the ability does comes with a price if used to excessively. Khonsu’s personality is quiet, stern, yet also with a touch of levity here and there.

Ra - The god of the sun, and giver of Rapunzel’s powers. Unlike the other deities in this AU, Ra seems strangely absent, despite his sun constantly moving through the sky overhead, and Rapunzel serving as his emissary. He only speaks to her very sparingly throughout their adventure, but when he does it’s always at key moments.

Horus - The son of Ra, protector of the sun, and arch nemesis of Set. Horus chose Eugene to be his champion on earth, and gifted the prince with his wings and ability to fly. (Haven’t really ironed out more of his personality yet to be honest. More may come later!)

Sekhmet - A lion goddess and protector of Egypt. Like Ra, Sekhmet doesn’t make too many appearances in this AU, but she does give Cassandra her incredible lioness warrior powers.

Anubis - A god of death, judgment and the son of Set. Despite commanding a lot of respect, Anubis is a deity that many Egyptians fear and don’t like to talk about. He has a very serious personality (given his job that only seems natural), and really doesn’t like the idea of Set and Apep wreaking havoc on the world and making his job as psychopomp all the harder. (Basically, one of his motivations for wanting to stop the end of the world is so he doesn’t have a ton of more work to do with all the death and destruction that would result. ...Yeah, not the most altruistic reasoning, but guess the guy’s just being practical. xP) When choosing his champion, he weighed the hearts of all in the kingdom to determine which one could balance his powers best, and the scales determined that it would be Catalina, hence him bestowing her with his blessing.

Villains:

Mother Gothel - A former priestess of Set. After learning about the princess’s sun powers, Mother Gothel kidnaps the princess in order to use her powers so that she may remain young forever and never die. However, her evil plans collapse in on her when the champion of Horus comes to save Rapunzel, and Mother Gothel is destroyed in the process. (This is pretty much the extent of Mother Gothel’s role in the story.)

Zhan Tiri - High priestess of Set, and one of the main antagonists of this AU. For many years, Zhan Tiri ran the cult of Set from the underground, and kept her identity as high priestess hidden while posing as an advisor to the pharaoh’s court. However, after her attempt to eliminate the Uraeus fails, Varian and Ka see through her disguise, and she is forced to flee from the capitol and run the cult of Set from the underground in the temples and caves in the Egyptian wilderness. She’s pretty much a generic villain like in the series, where she just kinda craves revenge and destruction because...evil.

Set - The “big bad” of the AU alongside Apep. Where Apep is the brawn of the evil duo, Set is the brains. Set plans on using his cult to help release him and Apep onto the mortal plane, basically wreak as much havoc as possible, and take over the world.

Apep - The “big bad” of the AU alongside Set. Where Set is the brains of the evil duo, Apep is the brawn. As the giant serpent of chaos, Apep’s one goal in life is to destroy the world and all living things. He’s kind of the antithesis of Ka in this AU. His voice sounds a lot like Smaug from The Hobbit movies, and while big, strong and scary, he isn’t super clever.

Aaaaaand I think I’ll leave this post at that for now. Whew! I’ll probably make another post a bit later concerning a general outline of events, and maybe also some other posts with some dialogue snippets that Xiel and I have come up with if there’s enough interest.

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tipsycad147 · 3 years

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Why do people become Pagan? The top ten reasons

by Michelle Gruben

“Why are you Pagan?” If you were to ask this question of a dozen people, you would probably get a dozen different answers. For Christians (and others who believe in one true God) the revival of polytheism may be confounding. For others, it is hard to understand why a sensible modern person would seem to turn their back on science to worship the gods of old.

Before we get too far along, let's cover some background info. Paganism is defined broadly as non-Abrahamic religion that is Nature-based, polytheistic, or both. Wiccans, for instance, generally worship a creator Goddess and a God who is Her consort. The Wiccan cosmology does not acknowledge the existence of the Christian God (or the concepts of Satan and Hell).

Wicca is the best-known of modern Pagan religions, but there are many sub-groups and branches of Pagan belief and practice. Druidism, neo-Shamanism, Greek/Roman reconstructionism, and Norse Heathenry are just a few. There are also eclectic Pagans who combine elements from various traditions to make their own “flavor” of Paganism. While occult practices (e.g., divination and spellcasting) are common in Paganism, not all Pagans participate in these practices. Conversely, not everyone who is involved in the occult is a Pagan.

Most Pagans are polytheist, meaning they recognize the existence of more than one God. But there is more to Paganism than “the more, the merrier!” Here are some general traits of Pagan religions (keep in mind that not every religion will have them all): Rejection of Judeo-Christian cosmology, observance of seasonal rites, reverence toward Nature, rejection of religious authority and focus on individual experiences, paranormal/psychic beliefs and practices, emphasis on personal responsibility over sin or evil.

Not surprisingly, a preference for one or more of these traits is what attracts many people to Pagan religions—but we’ll get to that in a moment.

At the risk of stating the obvious, religion is a choice. If a person follows a Pagan religion, they are expressing a preference for Paganism over another religion, or no religion. Thinking about the reasons why people choose to become Pagan can lead to better understanding of Pagan friends and family. If you are Pagan, you may even learn something about yourself!

For the record, I’m Pagan in a mixed-religion household. This (totally unscientific) list is based on my own observations within the Pagan community. I’ve tried to present them in a way that’s inclusive and fair. Without further ado, here are some of the most common reasons why people choose to follow a Pagan religion:

1. They were raised Pagan.

Contemporary Pagan groups began forming in the 1930s, and achieved breakthrough status with the emergence of Wicca in the 1950s. Before that time, very few people in the West were raised Pagan. If you wanted to be initiated in a Pagan tradition, you had to seek one out—often at great expense to your personal or professional reputation.

Nowadays, that’s not the case. Neo-Paganism as a social/demographic phenomenon is in its third generation. It’s fairly common to find adults who were raised Pagan, or even whose parents were raised Pagan! It’s also possible to find those who were raised Pagan, but left Paganism. “Mom used to go out in the woods with her friends and do weird stuff—I never really got into it.”)

Some Pagan clergy will participate in the general blessing of infants and children, such as the ritual of “Wiccaning.” However, most Pagan paths do not have formal initiation for children. Pagans also overwhelmingly value religious choice. If someone continues their Pagan practice into adulthood, it is likely because they found something meaningful in it.

2. They want sexual acceptance and/or sexual freedom.

Of all the world religions, Paganism is arguably the most tolerant of the varied expression of human sexuality. Sex is considered a divine gift and a sacred rite. Lusty Gods and fertile Goddesses appear in all the major pantheons. (Along with gender-bending, raunchy stories, and other sexy fun.) For most Pagans, sex is just no big deal as long as it’s between consenting adults (or deities).

Pagan groups almost universally accept gay members, and some traditions even have queer or queer-leaning branches (Radical Faeries, Dianic Wicca). Pagan activists have been on the forefront of the struggle for equal rights. Compare that to the sluggish response of churches—even liberal churches—to embrace LGBTQ members and clergy, and you’ll understand why sexual minorities have been so attracted to Paganism. For people who are used to hearing their sexual desires called dirty, sinful, or shameful, the difference can be life-changing.

It’s not just queer folks who embrace Paganism as a safe haven. Horny folks do, too. In most Pagan belief systems, sex is not considered a sin but a morally neutral act. Sex for fun is fun, sex for magick is magick. It’s not how much sex you’re having, but your intention that characterizes the act. The only moral imperative is in how you’re treating yourself and your partners.

Partners? Oh, yes! Polyamory, group sex, and (legal) exhibitionism are accepted within some Pagan communities. That’s an undeniable treat for people who want to enjoy these activities without religious shame.

3. They don’t care for dogma and/or authority.

There is no holy book, no central governing body, and no real priestly authority within the mass of related beliefs filed under Paganism. This is great news for people of a certain temperament—religious rebels and militant agnostics. (“I don’t know, and you don’t either!”)

As a social movement, neo-Paganism is deeply indebted to the Transcendentalist writers of the 19th century. Their poems and essays held the germ of the idea that fuels Pagan practice: That God speaks directly to everyone—often through Nature—and not only to a specially qualified few, inside special buildings.

Some Pagan groups do have ordained clergy. But there are still significant differences between Pagan clergy and those of more established organized religions:

First, Pagan titles like “High Priestess” are usually self-conferred or passed along from student to teacher. This does not mean that they’re not “real” clergy, but it does mean that their power is limited outside their own group or coven. (A Pagan leader may also be ordained as a minister by another organization, such as the Church of All Worlds or the Unitarian Universalist church. This allows them to receive certain legal privileges that independent Pagan clergy usually do not enjoy.)

Secondly, Pagan clergy tend to function more as community leaders than authority figures. Pagan priesthood does not confer any real power over others, either temporal or spiritual. Most Pagan leaders encourage discussion and self-study by their students and congregants. Certainly a dedicated Priest or Priestess will have more experience working with their deities than a beginner. They may have the skills to do rituals or advanced deity work that a novice does not. In a sense, though, every Pagan is their own Priest or Priestess—and the best Pagan clergy respect that. This makes Paganism very attractive to those who don’t want to experience God(s) secondhand.

4. They long for a connection to Nature.

The earth, the trees, the sky, the sea—most world religions recognize these wonders as the work of a mighty creator God. And yet, most leave it at that.

Not so with Paganism. Pagan religions are sometimes described as “Earth-based”—meaning the Earth and its cycles are central to what Pagans hold sacred. Most Pagans profess a deep reverence for natural places, the seasons, the web of plants and animals, and the processes of birth, aging, and dying. While it’s not technically required, many Pagan services are held outdoors. “Skyclad” (nude) rites are another way that Pagans shed the trappings of modern society and get back to the core of being.

Some people come to Paganism as an extension of their environmentalist or eco-feminist views. Others simply want to reconnect with Nature as an antidote to the alienation that comes with busy, digitized lives.

5. They’ve had negative experiences with other religions.

It’s a sad but undeniable fact. People who turn toward one religion are often, with the same movement, turning away from a religion that has hurt them. If you spend enough time in Pagan communities, you will certainly meet some of these displaced folks.

Perhaps a certain religious doctrine—such as the prohibition against homosexuality—is causing the person emotional pain. Maybe they’re frustrated with persecution, corruption, or hypocrisy within the religious group they came from. Or maybe they’re rebelling against the religious beliefs of a parent or spouse. Whatever the case, Paganism appears to offer a chance for a fresh start, one with less restriction and oversight than they may be used to. Pagans don’t evangelize—which may make them seem more trustworthy to folks who have been burned.

As with all life choices, there are right and wrong reasons to become a Pagan. And you can’t ever really know someone else’s motives. The best thing that Pagans can do is treat religious refugees kindly, answer their questions honestly, and wait for them to figure out if Paganism is right for them.

6. They have trouble with the concepts of sin and evil.

Of all the barriers between Pagan beliefs and Abrahamic religion, the idea of sin is the thorniest. Original sin is a tough doctrine to swallow, even for many Christians. Who wants to suffer for something that happened before they were born? That Paganism has no equivalent concept to sin and sinfulness is one of its biggest selling points, so to speak. (Pagan beliefs about the origin/existence of evil are so diverse I won’t even try to tackle the topic here.)

As mentioned earlier, there’s no single Pagan concept of God. Still, one idea you see over and over in Paganism is the doctrine of non-dual immanence. God/Goddess existing here and now, and not in some distant place or kingdom to come. Lack of meditation or participation or acceptance can distance us from the sacred, but God/Goddess is always there. Furthermore, divinity is present within the material world, and the world is inseparable from its creator.

All of this is pretty difficult to reconcile with Judeo-Christian ideas about original sin and the fall of man. (Some Hermetic Pagans do accept them as metaphorical/alchemical truths—but that’s a whole other beaker of worms.) In Biblical cosmology, the world is created by God, but separate from God. The world we know is basically fallen and can only be redeemed through God’s intervention. In Paganism, the world we know is basically holy and does not require redemption. (Only observation and celebration, if we want to be happy and—perhaps—please the Gods.) The other worlds are holy, too—not more, nor less.

As for behavior? Paganism emphasizes individual freedom and responsibility over moral absolutism. Most Pagans live by an individual moral/ethical code, but shun universal behavioral codes. Pagan ethics have been heavily influenced by the Wiccan Rede: “An it harm none, do what ye will.” This in turn derives from Aleister Crowley’s “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law”—possibly the most mis-interpreted eleven words of all time.

It’s not that Pagans believe that you can or should do whatever you want. On the contrary, Paganism teaches that actions (and even thoughts) reverberate through the universe to affect oneself and others. There’s no real concept of sin, but Paganism is not amoral. In encouraging moral behavior, Paganism substitutes concepts like karma, duty, interconnectedness, for a paternal god figure keeping score.

7. They yearn for representations of the Divine Feminine.

Dion Fortune wrote “A religion without a Goddess is halfway to atheism.” Women’s bodies are the carriers of life. And yet, many world religions downplay or denigrate the contribution of women. In Abrahamic religions, women can be vessels and saints, but are rarely prophets and never God. Many people yearn for distant time—real or imagined—when women’s bodies could also be a representation of deity.

As a social phenomenon, the rise of Wicca and Goddess spirituality has coincided pretty neatly with the expansion of women’s rights. As long as women are to be regarded as equal to men in society, there are those who feel that patriarchal religions can never be wholly legitimate.

Everyone has an earthly mother and a father. If you believe in God, it makes a kind of intuitive sense that everyone has a divine Mother and Father, too. Yet religions that include a Goddess are usually labeled polytheist and Pagan automatically.

8. They want explanations for psychic and paranormal events.

Out-of-body experiences, premonitions, telepathy, ghost encounters—weird stuff sometimes happens. If you haven’t had an inexplicable experience, then you likely know someone who has. Pagans aren’t alone in experiencing the paranormal, of course. But they tend to be better equipped to talk about it than the average person.

Imagine a person who has recurring paranormal experiences, or experiences they believe to be paranormal. Mainstream science tells them that these experiences are illusory. Mainstream religion—when it’s not condemning them as evil—seems mostly too embarrassed to talk about occult happenings. It’s no surprise that the person would be drawn to a Pagan community where psychic stuff is openly discussed, accepted, and even encouraged.

Don’t get me wrong—mental illness and paranormal delusions do occur, and can cause great harm. But the not-crazy among us still yearn for a safe haven to discuss our psychic lives without condemnation. I believe—though I can’t prove—that so-called paranormal experiences are actually quite common among the general population. I’ve also observed that persistent psychic curiosity is one of the major reasons that people turn to Paganism.

9. They’re attracted to the power and control offered by magick.

I once read an academic paper that was trying to explain the rise of Wicca and witchcraft among teenage girls. The conclusion was that when a young women lacks a sense of control in her life—i.e., economic, sexual, or social autonomy—a religion that offers a secret source of power is immensely attractive. (Who wouldn’t want to be able to cast a love spell on a crush, or curse a bully?) The author observed that many teen girls become practicing Pagans in junior high and high school. They tend to lose interest after finding another source of personal power (a job, a relationship, a better group of friends).

As a young Pagan woman, I found the tone of this particular paper to be condescending, bordering on insulting. But one thing is obviously true: Occultism purports to offer power to the powerless, esoteric means to an end when exoteric means have come up short. Why else would there be so many people interested in fast answers—love spells, get-rich-quick spells, and the like?

Lots of people approach witchcraft and/or Paganism because they want to learn to use magick. They see it as a way to fix their lives in a hurry or achieve undeserved success. Many of them move along when they realize that real magick is real work.

10. They’ve been called by a God or Goddess.

A burning bush, a deathbed vision of Christ, a miracle from the Virgin Mary—these are the types of religious experiences that are familiar to most people. But Pagans have religious epiphanies, too. Although most of us don’t talk about it outside of trusted circles, our Gods and Goddesses call to us in dramatic and in subtle ways.

Like any other type of religious conversion, some people drift gradually toward an acceptance of Paganism, while others are thrust toward it by a single epiphany. Some people may scoff at the idea of elder Gods asserting their presence in the 21st century. But it's certainly no wackier than what other religious people believe. (And it's hard to be so cavalier when Odin’s keeping you awake at night with a to-do list.)

For most Pagans, one or more of the above reasons has contributed to their finding their religious path. There are certainly other reasons that aren’t on this list. Of course, the best way to find out why a particular person is Pagan is to (respectfully) ask!

https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/why-do-people-become-pagan-top-ten-reasons

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bornofbloodandwater · 3 years

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Pros and Cons of Dating my Muse

Name: Xiomara Aurelius Athanas

Race: Siren / Greek

Sexuality: Bisexual Biromantic (but uh...well you’ll see)

-List all the Pros and Cons of a relationship with your Muse below-

XIO IS DATING YOUR MUSE BUT IT IS MY GOBLIN CHILD AND SHE LOVES NOBODY UNTIL SHE’S BASICALLY MARRIED TO THEM. DO NOT ENTER EXPECTING REALLY ENCOURAGING PROS, THIS WAS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS TO COME UP WITH GOOD REASONS TO DATE XIOMARA.

Pros

1. Thoughtful of your emotions and needs, Xiomara can be very attentive. Paying extremely close attention to what makes you shine for her. Ignoring the fact that this is because she is being her temptress self, she gets joy out of creating such wonderful highs for others. You’ll feel like you are on a pedestal being lavished by a Goddess, but are you there because she wants you? Or because she wants to revel in her power over something beautiful? (If she truly cares about you she’ll let you read what SHE needs and let you see her in true moments of joy and pain.)

2. Xiomara is a fairly peaceful person in her downtime and very comforting to be around! If you’re permitted to be around her when she’s at home (which, her lengthier flings are) you’ll find a very serene life. Breakfast in the warming morning sun with a book in hand, trips to markets to sell what she grows in her gardens, yoga, naps, making bread and pastries, all between her adoring you, embracing you, pleasing you.

3. Extremely loyal, she’ll stand for you against anything. No stranger to slinging a cheeky quip at creeps any more than she is to tearing them apart, and she’ll do it all for you. Her loyalty extends even to more arbitrary relationships, while you’re around at least. If you have her undying loyalty even after an absence, you’re something special, she’s not forgotten you, she cares.

4. Xio wants to bring you around the world with her, take you on adventures, treat you to the best experiences life has to offer. She likes to keep those she enjoys the company of very close. So if you’ve ever wanted to see the world in all its glory for free, you’ve landed the right Murderous Sea Idiot.

5. Large breasts. That is all. (Yes I am struggling more with Pros than I am with Cons.) As a serious answer, she’s not quick to panic, she is level-headed, intuitive, discerning. If you are panicked or afraid or stressed about something she’ll come up with solutions to help with calm words and a controlled manner. It is very soothing if you find yourself in trouble fairly often or are an anxious person!

6. Xio is an unbelievably good cook and she WANTS to cook for you. There is no sense of obligation in her offering to treat you to anything you want. In fact, if she really cares about you (everything she does has a little bit of backwardness to it) she’ll make you whatever SHE wants. It is a sign that she isn’t trying to charm you, she’s not putting on the show and the flash to distract you from who she is.

7. Due to the society in which Xiomara was raised, she is extremely open-minded. She won’t be phased by any expression of gender, identity, preferences, any combination or presentation of any of those facets. You are a person to her in the end, she wants your experience, your energy, your desires. She wants to see you happy and thriving. She’s far weirder than most and loves embracing everything that makes someone just a little different. If she’s unfamiliar or wants more clarity she will ask if it is alright to ask questions and respect any answer you give her. Some mystery is certainly not the worst, in fact, she respects secrets and the unexplained. After all, she has many secrets herself. Yes, this open mind does extend to kinks 👀

(Her questions would mostly be boundary related, can’t see her being surprised or unaware of expressions of identity.)

8. This is for the dominants, because LUCKY YOU you’ve just stumbled across the subbiest creature in the universe. She is obedient, passionate, insatiable and an absolute tease. You’re also the more likely group to actually get her to enjoy your company as more than just a fling. In the end, Xio needs the control and the care, the relationship dynamics that typically come with a dominant partner.

Much like a tiger doing tricks, if she senses weakness she WILL take over or cease to follow your instruction. Power-bottom? Or situational switch? That depends quite how spectacularly you fail to take control.

9. So, you’re a bit of a brat! Or very specifically, an over-confident man/masc who won’t shut his mouth unless she chokes him? Hope your aim was to be brought to tears being edged out of your mind because Xio’s a total soft-dom. She’s not going to give you tons of bruises or make you sleep on the floor, no, Xio is going to tell you to be good for her, keep your hands behind your back, make as much noise for her as you want while she brings you to the edge over and over.

However, she isn’t someone who seeks a relationship in which she is in constant control. You’re less likely to have her become truly attached if you take a more subservient role outside of the bedroom.

10. Xiomara believes in soulmates. Even though I don’t write them as being real, she just believes in them. These are the possible pros of her belief. If your muse understands Xio and SEES her? Theres a high chance (seeing as they’re dating in this scenario) she’ll start to view you as The One. You have to know her for everything she is and for most people that will stop at trying to understand her cruelty, her prolonged suffering, her difficulty accepting love.

Bonus 11. So, you’re a bit of a monsterfucker ay? Even just a little bit? You can always go swimming with your hot sea-demon girlfriend, just a thought. Let her tease you endlessly about being a terrible swimmer, wrap her tail around you like a constrictor and cover you in kisses and bites. Y’know if you’re into that (we all know we are).

Cons

1. She doesn’t love you. It is nothing personal, but she needs full and complete acceptance and understanding. Usually in the form of someone who celebrates her, all of her, even her cruelty. That is quite a lot to ask of anyone; to love a monster. Something I will not diminish for her.

2. She kills people for money. I feel like that is a Con in most cases. Coming home covered in someone’s blood, probably leaving the bathroom splattered with red, occasionally returning to you half-dead and climbing into bed in that state. One might say that could be just a little traumatising.

3. Speaking of blood. You wanna deal with non-verbal BLOODLUST Xio? Because I sure don’t. Unable to communicate with you when she storms into her home hopped up on murder-adrenaline. Terrifying and with the ever-present possibility of killing you if you’re not very close with her? Having to calm her down? Being threatened by someone who softly kisses you awake? I don’t wish that emotional whiplash on anyone.

4. She’s stubborn as all hell. If she truly wants/needs something and you try to stand in her way you are as disposable as off-meat. She is not giving up. She has a long life to live, and no intentions of wasting it pandering to the concerns and morals of others. She’ll only be told no for so long before she moves on. (Just to clarify this is not about her wanting things from your muse this is about her wanting things in life or needing to do things and your muse disliking/attempting to stop her in any way)

5. She may have big boobs but that’s...kinda where the softness stops. Very bony, muscular, very little fat, not that much fun to cuddle unless your ideal cuddle partner is a tiny, bony, serpentine lady who screams in the night... speaking of-

6. NIGHT TERRORS. Oh yeah, enjoy that on a regular basis. Xio’s insomnia is your insomnia now! Hope you’re a heavy sleeper, but even then, occasionally being woken with a hand around your neck can’t be good for your nerves. The possible exception to this Con being the premonition-like nature of her sister’s appearances in her life, if Xio feels like she’s doing something very right (like being with you) they’ll die down. Xio can’t discern whether this is just reduced stress and having a confidant, or if her sister is watching over her and giving her insights on how to best live her life. She tends to lean toward the latter, so yet another Con for you is that she might toss you to the kerb if those nightmares get worse. Don’t you just love bonus Cons...

7. Xio can be a bit of a hypocrite. She can dish it out but she can’t take it. She will excitedly enter into volleying little quips, insults, banter, sarcasm, but as soon as she’s sat across from someone who can throw it right back she can get frustrated quite quickly. Xio knows full and well she doesn’t deal with her problems how she should, she doesn’t need to be told so.

8. Not sure if this is a Pro or a Con to be quite honest but Xiomara, and Sirens in general, are not very fertile outside of their own race. If your muse wants kids there will be considerable difficulty there. Xio doesn’t actually ever consider having children but might consider it if she had another long-lived partner. However, secret pro if your muse doesn’t want kids, I guess!

9. Xio will keep things carnal for the most part. She can be whisking you off around the world, treating you to beautiful things and making you feel comforted and cared for, but all she is able to pursue is sex. It keeps her participation in these relationships shallow. It is only in the back of her mind that she seeks love, however, she isn’t actually certain as to how that is displayed or what it means to her because she has never let someone love her.

10. Xiomara believes in soulmates. Which means if you aren’t everything you’re nothing. Something fun to toy with while she waits for the real deal. Bless you if you tell her you love her, you’ll get a flat, disinterested stare in response with maybe an “I’m sorry to hear that.” or “How unfortunate.” It is something that will end her relationship with you, especially if she knows you aren’t the one. While it is a mercy that she will not lie to you or lead you on, it is cruel that she lets people get so close to her when she is so removed.

Bonus 11. If this bitch falls in love with you you’re locked in. You’re basically married. She’s immortal and chaotic and would probably kill you if you tried to abandon her...proceed courting her with extreme caution.

Tagged by: @magioffire

I want you to know there is no pressure this took me three days to complete. ‘Tis a long one. Tagging: @derobergeist (you know who we all want to seeeee, give us the Stabby Doctor), @suresaint, @mettleborn (give me Igorrr), @sunbentsky (Oles or Villen?), @fourmarksmage

#;I feel like a person for a moment of my life (headcanon)

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quazartranslates · 3 years

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Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH104

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

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Chapter 104: Slaughter Secret Society (VI)

{cw: slight nsfw}

After a strange silence, Qi Leren, who had broken the jar*, looked at his shoes and asked, "Things are complicated. I need someone to play a scene with me now."

*{E/N: despaired over an error}

"Hmm," Ning Zhou sighed calmly, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Qi Leren wasn’t sure whether this was him acknowledging what he’d said, or agreeing to it. He had to look up and observe Ning Zhou's face. When he looked up, he crashed into his beautiful blue eyes, and suddenly he couldn't say anything. He had no choice but to look in all directions, his eyes drifting.

He thought that he’d already accepted the fact that Ning Zhou was a man, but compared with the hasty meetings at the steel bridge and the entrance to the Court, at this moment he truly felt that the person he loved had the same gender as him.

It was frustrating that the person in front of him was taller, more handsome, and stronger than him, truly too frustrating.

Wait, Qi Leren suddenly remembered something serious. Was it Ning Zhou that he’d felt on the way to the bar just now? In an instant, Qi Leren's face changed, and his mind was white for a long time before he realized that Ning Zhou shouldn’t have been allowed to enter the bar. It was okay…

The silence in the room was broken by Ning Zhou's black bird. It fluttered around the room with its wings, and finally stopped on the coat rack under Ning Zhou's cold eyes, pretending to be an immobile ornament.

"Then... take off your clothes first." In his nervousness, Qi Leren said something wrong when he opened his mouth. He watched Ning Zhou's serious expression crack, and he looked at him straight, as if he thought he’d misheard.

Qi Leren solemnly met his line of sight: "You heard it correctly, that is, taking off, clothes and stuff."

Well, he knew that his image in Ning Zhou's mind had collapsed from a beautiful girl who was like a soft and cute rabbit to a deadly abnormal homosexual in strange clothes. Let's give up maintaining his image and concentrate on completing the task.

Sometimes, life is just like that…

　　&&&

On the way to "deliver food", Sid had been thinking about life. For more than 20 years, he had no doubt about his own orientation. After entering the Nightmare World, he’d won the favor of many women by virtue of his figure, thus having the opportunity to join the Slaughter Secret Society, but he was just a marginal figure, and he wasn’t even qualified to be given a seed of slaughter. But just now, Mrs. Kathleen, who was once out of reach, had summoned him personally and ordered him to take good care of the mysterious Mr. Red. If he was satisfied with him, he could get the seed of slaughter.

Sid was very eager for this. Although after being given the seed of slaughter he would die in a few years because of its outbreak, without the seed of slaughter, with only his own ability and the increasingly dangerous compulsory tasks, he may not be able to endure even one year.

Besides, as long as he didn't use the seed too frequently, he is confident that he can live a few more years, especially as there were rumors of ways to restrain the seed.

Sid, who had made up his mind, stood in front of the two-story house and encouraged himself repeatedly.

There wasn’t much difference between serving a man and serving a woman. It was no big deal to close your eyes and imagine fucking a beautiful woman. As long as he served the person well, he would soon reach the peak of his life after the job was done!

As the sun set, Sid stood in front of the door, took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

The door was left unlocked, and there was a bright light in the crack of the door. Sid stood on the spot like he’d been struck by lightning. The crack in the door that was less than a palm width wide was facing the sofa in the living room. Under the dim and ambiguous light, there were two intertwined figures.

The man with his back to him had firm musculature. The back of the sofa covered half of his body, showing only broad shoulders and short black hair. Even so, it could be seen that he was a man with a figure good enough to make others jealous.

This live gravure video shocked Sid. He stood at the door at a loss. His presence was quickly noticed by the people inside. Red raised his misty face and smiled charmingly: "Sorry, you can't be used tonight, unless you want to join... Ah!"

The man beneath him discontentedly bit his earlobe, and Red teased and asked into his ear if he was jealous. The man hugged him tightly, hard enough to make it a punishment. Red remembered that there was someone outside the door whom he’d forgotten to handle.

"Go away, go back and tell Kathleen to thank her for her kindness... Be gentle..." After that, Red eagerly hugged the man and rolled onto the sofa, ignoring Sid as if he was a mess in the wind.

Sid closed the door on them stiffly and walked back silently.

The sunset in the Village of Dusk was still so beautiful, but the melancholy Sid has no intention of enjoying the scenery. He was lucky enough to escape. He didn't have to force himself to be gay. His chrysanthemum was safe, but he didn't feel lucky. Instead, he vaguely regretted it. He couldn't stop recalling the image he’d just seen... Did it feel that good to be with a man? Sid, who had never tried before, couldn’t make a comparison. If he had a chance in the future, should he give it a try?

Sid, unaware that the door of the new world had opened a gap, returned to the bar in dismay.

With the sound of the door closing, Qi Leren jumped up from Ning Zhou like a rabbit. Although there was the barrier of the back of the sofa, both of them had taken off their shirts for the performance effect. Just now, Qi Leren had vaguely felt... Qi Leren’s line of sight drifted to Ning Zhou's lower body involuntarily, but the light was too dark to see completely in pants. Was it an illusion?!

Ning Zhou was very calm - if one ignored his hot ears - and picked up the clothes on the ground, turning his back to put them on. From behind, the body with wide shoulders and a narrow waist was really not bad. Of course, the effect was positive. Just now, Qi Leren didn't dare to look him in the eye. It was really Ning Zhou who’d crashed all the way, making it seem like he was dominating a good woman. He had to use 200% of his acting skills and pretend to enjoy it, but they actually hadn't even taken off their pants!

In fact, Qi Leren didn’t dare to ask Ning Zhou to take off his pants. Just persuading Ning Zhou to take off his shirt consumed him with shame, but to his surprise, Ning Zhou agreed very simply and took it off very simply, although he stared back at him after taking it off... It was Qi Leren. When he sat on Ning Zhou's lap, his brain couldn't stop pouring out all kinds of dirty associations. It boiled down to one sentence: I defiled the innocence of the goddess…

"I'm leaving." Dressed, Ning Zhou turned his back on him and left without looking back.

"Wait!" Qi Leren stopped him but didn't know what to say. A thousand words only turned into one sentence, "Thank you."

"...You're welcome." Ning Zhou still didn't turn around and strode up the stairs to the second floor.

The big blackbird parked on the coat rack groaned curiously and flew to Qi Leren's shoulder to beg for food. Qi Leren was running low on rations, but for Ning Zhou's sake, he gave him a bite. The unconscionable black bird took his feed and followed his master who didn't walk to the front door.

A cold wind blew, and Qi Leren shivered and quickly put on his clothes.

He was still struggling with that problem. When they were in close contact just now, did Ning Zhou really react? Qi Leren was ashamed at once. He knew that this couldn’t be Ning Zhou’s fault. In this ambiguous atmosphere, he’d been in close contact with someone, and the other person was dressed so cool and refreshing and loud that the young man couldn’t handle it.

Since Chen Baiqi had told him that Ning Zhou was only twenty-one this year, Qi Leren was uneasy, feeling as if he’d harmed a youth. At twenty-one, he was still studying in the ivory tower in the outside world. Before, he had not only unconsciously deceived his feelings, but had also almost shaken his faith. This time, he didn’t say anything and cooperated with him in this act, and Qi Leren felt guilty.

If Ning Zhou was a girl, he would be responsible for people's feelings properly, and be kind to her with all his heart and soul. It was a pity..... The other party was taller than him, handsome and strong, and he was still a boy with firm faith.

It was really a chaotic and cutting relationship, and Qi Leren fell back on the sofa with a headache.

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#Welcome to the Nightmare Game #欢迎来到噩梦游戏 #danmei

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the-apocryphal-one · 3 years

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Ebb and Flow

Summary: She has always been watching him, hasn’t she? From the moment she met him. Maybe it was inevitable she would start seeing other things. Astarion x Isaniel

Also check it out on AO3 here and ff.net here!

A/N: whelp, here I am. writing fic with my OCs. that never happens. but this cheeky little bastard left me no choice. I fell in love with him so quickly, I had to write how my character did (or is starting to...getting there...feeling feelings...look we're still in EA and I love slow-burn enemies to lovers).

Minor spoilers ahead!

A mix of old paranoia and carefully-honed insight tell Isaniel, from the moment she meets him, that Astarion is suspicious. The only reason she even approaches the grass is because the risk of leaving an intellect devourer on the loose is far greater than the risk of exposing her back to a stranger. One is a dangerous beast that could quickly kill her or innocents if left unchecked; the other, she believes, is just an elf she knows to be wary around. He cannot do anything she is not braced for.

She is wrong. He is far stealthier than she’d expected.

After she diffuses the situation and they agree to work together, Isaniel subtly flexes her left hand. His dagger had cut into her palm as she’d struggled to pull it away from her throat. It was deep enough to merit healing, and she knows it’ll scar. A lesson.

It’s not an easy thing, to watch your surroundings and look for other survivors and keep someone in your peripheral vision, but she manages.

That night, everyone at camp is wary, watching each other, gauging their trustworthiness. They’re all newly acquainted, a collection of cast-off captives with bombs in their heads. It’s simultaneously the most ironclad and the thinnest of bonds. But gradually, one by one, they drift off.

Isaniel tries not to. Decades of learning to embrace Eilistraee and lower her guard around others have vanished tonight. She sits, staring at Astarion across the fire, and he stares back. His eyes are somehow both jeering and flirtatious, the planes and shadows of his face even more beautiful in the firelight. They sit for hours, just watching each other, her quiet declaration that she wouldn’t turn her back on a stranger heavy between them.

But eventually, exhaustion creeps up on her and slips the trance over her head, and then it is morning.

His smugness is unbearable.

Isaniel considers herself a practical woman. You can’t not be and survive the Underdark. She will refuse to give up on a cure until her body physically starts to change, but she knows that the second it does, she wants the others to cut her down—the same way she’d cut them down if they began to transform.

So when Astarion asks how she wants him to kill her should she sprout tentacles, she’s not affronted. She sees it as professional courtesy.

After some thought, she decides on a knife. Poison is not gentle, nor quick. Neither is strangulation. A good, clean thrust to the heart or head, though, will be fast and painless. The best result for her and those around her.

His eyes light up with enthusiasm as he discusses her choice, and Isaniel remembers how quietly he’d snuck up on her. This is not just professional courtesy, she realizes. This is a man who intimately knows the art of death, and loves it. And at that realization, the walls that had started to cautiously lower, just a tad, jerk back into place.

When he finishes, she crosses her arms, cocks her head, smiles coolly. “And you? How shall I kill you?”

His teeth flash an almost unnatural white when he grins. “Oh darling, I’d love to see you try.”

The night they gain some leads, she finds him stargazing while doing the rounds of the camp. When she pauses to speak with him, it is surprisingly nice. His quip about “taking or leaving” her chin makes her lips twitch, despite herself. And she can’t help but approve of someone who can also appreciate the beauty of the night sky.

Her eyes seek out the moon instinctively. Her hand closes around her sword pendant for a brief moment. Eilistraee, watch over me.

For a brief heartbeat, an echo of a song floats through her mind. It’s the same music that stopped her dead in a marketplace in the Underdark, so beautiful and ethereal and divine it almost brought tears to her eyes. Isaniel would later learn that Eilistraee was always seeking to touch the hearts of the drow, and had been beyond grateful she’d listened. But at the moment, all she had known was that she could not rest until she’d found that music again. Hearing it again now is a promise.

The notes fade, but she doesn’t feel empty like she did that day in the Underdark. Her goddess is with her and loves her, and there is nothing more comforting in the world than that. Even Astarion seems not so bad in that moment, and they bask together in the companionable silence.

But then he wonders aloud what will happen in the future, and the illusion of safety breaks. She briefly mourns its departure; then, she straightens her shoulders and looks back at reality. And reality includes him.

She gives him a taste of his own medicine: “What? Would you miss me?” He laughs, rises, and compliments her. She accepts it, and in doing so deflects. He flirts, invades her personal space. Out of sheer stubbornness, she refuses to step back. To do so would be to admit that he has unnerved her. It’s not just his proximity; it’s this undercurrent of something.

The dance ends; he leaves. The tension drains out of her body.

When she emerges from a restless, unsuccessful trance and finds Astarion leaning over her, Isaniel lashes out. Her elbow catches him square in the jaw; he curses and stumbles back, and she almost attacks while he’s off-balance. But she’s a follower of Eilistraee, and somehow, she’s become the leader of their group. Both of those factors give her a responsibility to hear him out. So, she stomps down on those old, false instincts and lets him talk.

It’s almost a relief to find out he’s a vampire. The secret is out, and now she can deal with it. Really, Isaniel feels like a fool for not putting the pieces together. The sun doesn’t burn her eyes anymore, thanks to the tadpole—why shouldn’t a vampire be able to walk in it as well? But she’d just assumed that his red eyes were indicative of drow blood somewhere in his family, the fangs some form of genetic defect.

Astarion asks her to trust him. Incredulously, she counters that he tried to bite her. He retorts that they need each other. And then he begs for a sip of her blood.

Isaniel takes a deep breath. Looking around, she realizes that their brief scuffle woke the others up. She decides to give them the benefit of the doubt and assumes that they only watch because they’re too surprised to actually do anything. But that’s irrelevant right now. She turns her focus inwards and analyzes exactly how much they need Astarion.

He’s the best among them at picking a lock. His speed is blinding. He’s deadly with his daggers. And he moves so silently…

Losing him would be bad, she has to admit. So: keeping him means feeding him. And logically, it makes sense that a vampire would not find animal blood as nourishing. Oh, she knows he’s manipulative, she doubts he’s telling the whole truth with his “I’ve never fed on humans!” spiel—but she does believe him in that, at least.

She certainly can’t half-starve him, but she will not let him eat innocents. So…what other options are there? Letting him feed off their enemies? Plausible; but that is a question for the morning. Because Astarion is ultimately right: it really comes down to whether she can trust him.

Isaniel doesn’t know what surprises her more: that she does trust him, or that the events of this night haven’t cost him all of it.

Well, she trusts him to an extent. She gives him his share of night shifts, she relies on him in battle, and he has easy access to their food. But that’s trusting him not to kill them; keeping him, knowing what he is, requires trusting him to not lose control. It means trusting that if an emergency happens and he needs their blood, he won’t go into a frenzy and drain them dry.

A test, then. If he reverts to a creature of base instinct, if he cannot be reasoned with, if he tries to kill her, she will kill him. Better to discover the extent of his self-restraint now, while she’s alert and prepared to stop him, than later, when circumstances might not be so fortuitous.

So she sends up a quick prayer to Eilistraee, bares her neck, and lies down.

He gets caught up in the moment, but her command to stop brings him out of it easily enough. He lets her go, breathless and smiling, thanks her, and stalks off.

Isaniel can’t be angry at him; after all—and this is very hard to admit, even to herself—she almost got caught up in the moment too.

Sometimes she would catch him gazing at the sky, during the day, open wonder on his face. Now she knows why.

Isaniel can understand that. With her eyes no longer burning, she can drink in the tableau around her in a new way. There are shades of color she couldn’t quite discern before, and everything seems so much richer in the sun. How many drow have been able to do this? Very few, most likely.

It’s not enough to make her want to keep the parasite—it could never be enough—but it is something she can’t help but appreciate.

The day the sickness strikes, Isaniel gives the order to make camp where they stand, long before night falls. They’re all just too exhausted to keep traveling, even to search for a suitable place to rest.

That’s not the only thing they’re too exhausted for, as it turns out. Not one of them can muster the energy to scout for nearby threats, or camouflage, or stand guard. Even Lae’zel’s attempt at a “mercy kill” is sloppy. They’re all so pathetic a kobold could walk into their midst and kill them.

Between talking Lae’zel down and doing her customary rounds of their parody of a camp, Isaniel’s low energy reserves are completely barren. As she crawls into her bedroll, for some reason, her mind turns back to Astarion’s panic.

He’s usually so self-assured. Smiling in the face of anything. Ready with his rapier wit. The complete unraveling of his composure is…alarming.

But before she can think much more on that, a fresh wave of tremors hits her. She squeezes her eyes shut, curls into a ball, and prays.

The next morning, Isaniel wakes up with heartache—and fury.

How dare it? How dare that parasite approach her in the guise of her dead husband? How dare it speak with his voice, ignite her skin with his touch, dishonor his memory by wearing his face? The sickness of the previous night is completely forgotten; instead, she shakes with rage as she brushes her hair, checks her equipment, gears up. Her fingers itch to play her lute and vent it all out in jagged, discordant music—but no. Astarion’s pale form is up and about, but the others are still sleeping.

She pauses and subtly studies him. He looks much better now; his movements are fluid again, his step springy. Even his hair somehow seems extra fluffy.

He turns, catches her staring, and winks. She rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch, damn them. Definitely back to normal.

At that, the memory of the dream rears its head. Her anger, which had started to simmer down, flares up anew. Isaniel scowls as she struggles with her sword belt, her normally dexterous fingers made clumsy by emotion. Curse that tadpole to the Hells—

“Well hello! Feeling better, are we?”

Astarions voice rings from right next to her, and she jumps. Eilistraee’s sword, how did she not realize he was a vampire sooner? No one can move that silently and swiftly and still be mortal.

“I certainly am,” he continues, without waiting for her answer. “This morning I find myself free of pain and with a new trick. A new power. Last night, the risk of transformation—it all feels like some terrible dream now.”

A dream…

Isaniel doesn’t know why she opens up to him. Maybe it’s because he’s around and she needs to get it off her chest. Maybe it’s because his witty tongue actually does make her chuckle, despite herself. Maybe it’s because he draws her eyes like the moon draws the tide.

Regardless, she ends up spilling the contents of her dream, anger and pain leaking into her voice. Astarion doesn’t really say anything; he just listens, eyes bright with curiosity and intrigue. But just listening is enough; she can feel an invisible weight lifting off her with every word out of her mouth.

When she finishes speaking—with an exhale of relief—he asks if she enjoyed it. Her fists clench at the memory of that intruder’s touch on her skin. “No, it felt invasive. Uncomfortable.”

“We had the same dream, then. The worm’s trying to be…enticing.”

Had he also seen someone he’d loved? But that blank look, the flat voice…there’s more to it than that, she’s sure. Isaniel hesitates, then pushes him to share. He lent her an ear, in his typical flippant fashion, but an ear nonetheless. It’s only fair to return the favor.

The truth of what he really dreamed about surprises her. She finds herself blurting out, “Your old master? That doesn’t sound ‘enticing’.”

“It was not,” he says, voice raw and low. “I—we don’t need to talk about it.”

And—oh.

That flash in his eyes. That pain.

Her throat closes.

It was brief, but she saw it. She would never mistake it.

It’s the pain of someone who has been trapped in darkness for so long they don’t even know light exists. The pain of someone who lived with cruelty every minute of every hour of every day. The pain of someone who does not let themselves feel pain, does not even acknowledge they are in pain, because that would be weakness and wolves would descend on them if they admitted to that.

It was her pain, before Eilistraee.

Isaniel is not good at comforting people. She knows how to talk people into doing what she wants and how to keep their group more or less from killing each other. But put her in a room with a crying woman or a scared child, and she’s just lost. Emotions are messy and difficult to deal with.

But at this moment, she wants, more than anything, to brave them. To let him know he’s not alone.

She can’t think of anything to say, can’t figure out how to put this epiphany into words, so hesitantly, she reaches out a hand—

And he recoils like a snake. Then, he strikes like one, eyes and fangs flashing, venom flying from his mouth as he renounces her pity.

It’s not pity, she wants to say. It’s not pity, because I know how hard it is to survive an environment that wants more than anything to break you. To pity you would belittle your strength. It’s empathy and support.

But she’s so stunned that by the time she’s able to begin, “It’s not pity,” it’s too late; his retreating back is the only thing that hears her.

One of Isaniel’s first memories is of her mother killing her pet bat, then slapping her until she stopped crying.

It was as a lesson, of course: that love was something that would only be exploited. The sort of lesson that every drow child learned young. Other lessons included how to think creatively, hurt others, scheme, and be paranoid—Isaniel still remembers carefully pouring poisons and potions into large, hollow glass beads and stringing them into her jewelry.

The lessons that had really struck a chord with her, though, had been how to create. Her family had been artisans, and had held a relatively secure position as employees to a well-off merchant clan. The plotting hadn’t been as intense as among the nobles, but it was still dangerous. After all, there were rival artisans and rival merchant clans to watch out for or destroy, and Isaniel had done her share of participating in that.

But oh, she had truly loved art, beauty, music. Eilistraee used that to reach her, and through it Isaniel came to love Eilistraee in turn. But it took a long time. Secretly seeking information about that music, a flight from the Underdark, and decades of studying the teachings of Eilistraee, testing them, putting them in practice, before the scars the Underdark left on her had begun to heal. Decades in which she found companionship with others of her faith, met her husband, became a mother…lost her husband to the ravages of time…

And now, after such a long time away from the toxic mindset she grew up with, she has come face to face with someone who embraces it. And she is torn.

There is a part of her, one that Eilistraee has grown and nourished, that is appalled in the face of Astarion’s casual cruelty towards others.

There is a part of her, one that Eilistraee has also grown and nourished, that begs her be compassionate and forgiving.

There is a part of her, one that she has abandoned but clings to her like a ghost nonetheless, that screams at her to end the threat before he ends her.

There is a part of her, one that has been with her as long as she can recall, that sees his trauma, and remembers, and empathizes.

Their experiences are not the same. But the darkness is the same.

She does not know what to make of him. She does not know what she should believe or do about him. So she watches, and speaks with him, and tries to understand.

Their travels eventually take them to a swamp, and there, they find a Gur. A monster-hunter. That in itself wouldn’t necessarily mean anything, but it’s foolish not to gauge his intentions, considering her company. So, in-between Astarion’s light insults, she inquires.

He says he’s hunting Astarion. Not to kill him, but to capture him.

Ice settles in Isaniel’s belly.

Capture him. And bring him to his “associates” in Baldur’s Gate. Back to Cazador. Back to the bastard who scarred him down to his very marrow. Back to chains and torment.

That’s not going to happen, she thinks vehemently.

Astarion is practically vibrating in place, his red eyes hard and uncompromising, his hands hovering close to his daggers. And yet, he still waits for her order. Out of genuine respect for her authority? Trust that she’ll neutralize the hunter? She’s not sure, but something about it is…a little touching.

She gives the word, and he lunges.

The battle with Auntie Ethel is tough, but manageably so. They all stay away from the cliff edges and destroy her illusionary copies as soon as they appear, they put out the fires near Mayrina and keep her out of harms’ way, and while the hag’s spells are powerful, they all somehow manage to avoid the worst of the damage.

But Auntie Ethel is one of those types. The type that likes to taunt and mock with a loud, clear voice that rings across the battlefield. And through some hag witchery, she knows how to hit where it hurts.

“Is there still rat stuck in your teeth, slave?”

She’s not near him, but Isaniel can see Astarion’s flinch—then his strikes resume, much faster and more furious than before. Her own teeth grind with outrage and sympathy, and she redoubles her efforts, and soon the hag is brought down.

She is not feeling quite as sympathetic when, after bidding a crestfallen Mayrina farewell, Astarion blithely remarks that it was a pity the young mother-to-be couldn’t see the funny side in her husband being resurrected as a zombie.

And yet, he voiced his approval back when they helped Karlach.

It’s not like that outweighs it. Life isn’t a set of scales. Helping one woman doesn’t balance out being amused at another’s pain. The people Isaniel hurt back in the Underdark wouldn’t care or forget just because she helped someone else now. Words and actions have permanent, tangible impacts.

It’s not like she wants to “fix” Astarion, either. People can’t be “fixed”. They can be broken or damaged by others—but never returned to who they once were. They carry the scars and lesions on their heart, like Isaniel does. With time and support, they hopefully heal, but that’s only if they want to.

It’s more like—and she might be projecting a bit, or biased because of her past—remembering Karlach gives her hope that Cazador didn’t destroy Astarion’s humanity.

Maybe it was inevitable.

Isaniel weaves throughout the party, smiles freely, even dances and sings. It’s impossible not to—the tiefling’s joy is infectious, the gentle warmth of the wine is infusing her body, and the moon is full and smiling overhead. All of her problems will still be there tomorrow, but tonight is a night for forgetting, and celebrating, and living.

The back of her neck prickles, again. This time she doesn’t ignore it. This time, she turns, somehow already knowing what she’ll see.

Sure enough, there’s Astarion, lurking on the fringes of the party, a glass of wine in hand, eyes fixed on her. Under the moonlight, his hair is practically glowing, his skin silver-tinted. He looks like some ethereal king of night and winter, standing there silhouetted against the darkness. It’s striking.

Striking. Oh.

She has always been watching him, hasn’t she? From the moment she met him. Maybe it was inevitable she would start seeing other things.

A jostle jars her out of her thoughts; she’d stopped moving right in the midst of the dancers. She mutters an apology to the tiefling couple and hastily clears the floor. Glances up again.

Astarion is still watching her.

Before she consciously decides to do it, her feet take her towards him. She falters when her mind catches up to her body, almost turns and runs. There’s something in his eyes, something in the air, something between them that crackles with intensity and promise.

But it’s too late to run—he’s coming towards her, too. Her heart lodges itself in her throat. Stay strong, she tells herself.

Whether she wants that strength to resist the shifting currents in their relationship or to swim towards them, she does not know.

#baldur's gate 3 #astarion #astarion x mc #astarion baldur's gate #astarion bg #astarion x charname

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yodawgiherd · 3 years

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You Were Never Truly Gone ch.7

>>>Read on AO3<<<

Slowly but surely, we move towards Hizuru... And the end.

“No”

Kiyomi took a step back, her eyes the widest Mikasa had ever seen.

“No…”

Ignorant to her pleadings Eren took a step forward, closing the distance.

“No, no, no…”

It was a mantra falling from the older woman’s lips, repeated over and over in hopes that it will rewrite the reality, change what she was seeing. The man that destroyed her home country – nay, the whole world, the man that she feared more than death itself, the man that was the sole reason why getting Mikasa to move was difficult, the man who was dead and the whole world celebrated the fact.

The usurper, the devil, her worst nightmare.

Even with the sorry excuse for a beard and new haircut it was undeniably him, Kiyomi would recognize those eyes anywhere. Sure, they were missing the maniacal glint she remembered, but still. This was no Aaron, Mikasa’s friend – this was Eren Yeager.

With every step he took towards her, Kiyomi took one backward until her back hit the ship’s railing. Looking back, she briefly considered jumping over it in hopes to escape him, yet her mind quickly debunked such a coward’s exit. Whatever this was, Kiyomi Azumabito would overcome it, she came this far. Fingers clutching at the metal, she pulled in some air through her tightly wound throat, ready to call for help, for her soldiers to come and immediately kill this monster in human form, but the words never left her mouth.

Because Mikasa spoke first.

“I don’t know if I have to say it - if anything happens to Eren our deal is off. Immediately.”

Kiyomi, too shocked to speak, looked at her, seeing that Mikasa was completely serious. Her eyes were ice itself when she continued, unphased.

“If you harm him, I swear that I will kill you myself before leaving forever – I don’t care in the slightest about what happens to the world with me gone. The Yeagerists can burn Paradis, the war can consume it, Hizuru can devour itself in its never-ending power struggle.”

Sweat, cold sweat was trickling down Kiyomi’s forehead as her mind weighed the pros and cons.

“You don’t have to worry, I’m a normal human now.”, Eren extended a palm towards her almost like a peace offering, “should I cut myself to prove it?”

“Don’t insult me, I’m not that stupid,” Kiyomi scoffed, “I know that you shifters can hold off the healing if you want to.”

“That is true, but he’s not lying.”, Mikasa stepped in, “Everyone lost their powers after the rumbling, you know that much, so why should Eren keep his?”

“Because he is supposed to be dead?!”, Kiyomi hissed, “His head being cut off is what even enabled any peace talks in the first place, he can’t just resurrect and….”

“That’s the thing – I didn’t.”, Eren spoke up, “Eren Yeager is truly dead, gone forever. Right now I’m Aaron, Mikasa’s friend and someone you never met in your life.”

His eyes were staring into Kiyomi’s now, and damn his gaze was intense.

“You are afraid and for a good reason, but there is nothing to fear from me anymore. I’m just a guy, and what can one man do in a country that practically belongs to you? I can’t re-start the rumbling simply because I wish it so, there are no more titans left anywhere in this world.”

Her throat dry, Kiyomi managed to croak an answer.

“No powers then?”

He shook his head.

“None.”

The facts were doing a small dance in Kiyomi’s head, turning left and right as she stared at them from all angles. If he had no powers, why tell her? Wouldn’t it be better for him if Eren kept her in suspense? Let her believe that he was still the titan, to blackmail her, scare her?

Then again….

All titans did disappear, so he was probably saying the truth. Kiyomi didn’t understand why he would ever give up such a weapon willingly, but she was not the one to question her fortune – it meant that she was dealing with Eren Yeager the man, not Eren Yeager the founding titan.

Bah, so what – Mikasa was the one she wanted, not him. Looking at the pair, seeing them together it brought back the unfortunate fact the Ackerman girl told her back during their negotiations.

“So… this means that you two are lovers?”

It was funny, seeing the literal devil and the world’s strongest soldier exchange a shy blushing look, yet in her current mental state Kiyomi couldn’t fully appreciate the sight.

“Yes.”, Mikasa reached out, intertwining her fingers with Eren’s, “ We are.”

The old woman always had a suspicion that something is going on between the two of them, ever since she first came to the island, and a part of her was scared that the “maiden” she was supposed to deliver back home was tainted already. Well, it did happen, although much later than she thought.

No matter.

She didn’t need a blushing virgin to present to the ruling council, she had this- a strong soldier, a beautiful woman, a hero to most of the world, and most importantly an unquestionable Shogun’s descendant. Deflowered of her innocence, sure, but that was nothing compared to the blood in her veins. Through her, the royal line would be restored and Hizuru would once more have a symbol to unite behind, a thing they sorely needed in these trying times following the rumbling.

Now with finality, Kiyomi was fully considering her options.

She could call for help and have Eren killed, heavens know that he deserved it. If he was a normal human, as he claimed, he would die without any issues. After that, she would order her guards to capture Mikasa and lock her up.

What then?

Would she present the blood of the Shogun in chains? Kiyomi couldn’t say that she truly knew Mikasa Ackerman, still there were things she did know – for example, the old woman was sure that Mikasa would never forgive her. There would be no peaceful wedding, and god forbid any wedding night. Sure, they could drug her, or maybe try to persuade her but Mikasa had a will of steel. She would most likely kill her new husband, escape her cell and then come for Kiyomi.

Scary thought, it made the old woman shiver.

If not that….

She could have Eren captured and use him as a bargaining chip with Mikasa. Force her into the marriage under threats of torture or death to her lover, use their bond against her. The problem would still be present – Mikasa wasn’t the forgiving kind. She would probably wait years until Kiyomi dropped her guard or until she gained enough influence to overthrow the old woman. Then she would free Eren and there would be a slow death waiting for her, deep under the royal palace with nothing but the dark corners to hear her scream.

Ok, not that either.

Kiyomi had to remind herself that neither of these options was even guaranteed to play out as she envisioned it to. Maybe Eren didn’t have powers anymore, but he was still an ex-soldier, an elite one too, and Mikasa was an Ackerman and a literal goddess on the battlefield. There was always the possibility that they would overpower the guards and escape together, never to be seen again.

Returning home empty-handed, now that was something Kiyomi didn’t want to happen.

Which left her with the last option.

Go along with it. Let Eren hide in Hizuru, let Mikasa have him as a secret partner. The city was Kiyomi’s playground, she had more than enough resources to make sure her conditions were met. And as long as Mikasa produced the Shogun’s heir, then why couldn’t she have some happiness in her life too? If she was happy, then she would be obedient, and wasn’t that everything the old woman wanted?

What was there to lose?

Kiyomi hated it, hated this opinion because it meant letting Eren live and be with the woman he loved. She hated it - he didn’t deserve it, he was a monster and death was his rightful punishment. She hated it because it was the most logical route, one that yielded the highest chance of success.

The things she does for her country….

“Very well,”, Kiyomi said out loud, addressing Mikasa “As long as you uphold the limitations we talked about, I will not try to take him from you.”

Steeling herself, she took a step forward and jabbed a finger into Eren’s chest. Please don’t tremble.

“You will behave, or I will have you imprisoned on a moment’s notice. It’s no secret that I would prefer you dead, but since lady Mikasa has ties to you for some reason, that option is off the table.”, she jabbed him again with added strength, “If you step out of line, I will have you punished. Understand?”

For some reason, her threatening tactics didn’t seem to reach Eren, who simply stood there with a completely blank expression on his bearded face.

“Yes, I do.”

Fine. In the end it truly didn’t matter as Kiyomi had nothing to gain from exposing Eren Yeager to the world. Having him killed for the second time would do nothing for the stability in her country, she needed Mikasa for that and she needed her compliant. If that meant hiding the world’s worst enemy…

So be it.

“Then nothing changes in the original plan.”, her eyes found the Ackerman’s gaze, “Does it, lady Mikasa?”

The raven shrugged.

“No, everything is as it was.”

“Very good. I would ask that you give me some space, I do agree to let you live but I don’t want to see you right now, Yeager.”

Taking a step back, he had the audacity to give her a shallow, perhaps mocking, bow.

“As you wish, lady Azumabito.”

Together with Mikasa they disappeared back towards the cabin the Ackerman girl had for herself, leaving Kiyomi with nothing, only her thoughts. Pressing her lips into a thin line, she looked back towards the ocean with the mind swimming.

She really craved a smoke right now.

Eren and Mikasa didn’t talk until they were in the privacy of her chambers, quite a luxurious cabin that was much better than the cargo hold. Once there, Eren tugged on her hand and pulled Mikasa into an embrace, whispering only for her to hear.

“You are quite the actor.”

“Oh please, you are the one to talk – those slow steps you took towards Kiyomi?,”, she snorted, ”Terrifying.”

“You said that you wouldn’t care about what happened to the world. You, who saved it and would do anything to keep the peace.”

“Well, the most important thing is that it worked, my plan is going along swimmingly.”

“Indeed, you are a genius Miki, but I have to remind you that we are not out of the woods yet.”

“I know. It’s no use to worry about that now, let’s take it one step at a time, shall we?”

Humming in agreement, Eren’s eyes traveled all around the room until they landed on Mikasa’s big bed, the covers adorned by the crest of her clan. A new idea forming in his mind, he grinned before getting her attention with a quick kiss.

“Wanna piss Kiyomi off?”

“What do you mean?”, following his gaze, Mikasa saw that Eren was looking at the bed, a smile on his face.

“We could let her know just how much we love each other….”

Oh, she liked that train of thought.

“Do go on…”

The night was falling, the ship being oddly empty when Kiyomi walked the corridors. There were a few guards who saluted her, sailors who quickly got out of her way as if sensing the dark thoughts. The cloud was still hanging over her head and she couldn’t stop thinking about what happened, how it jumbled her whole plan.

Eren Yeager was alive. Eren Yeager was alive. Eren Yeager was al…

A frown appeared on her face when she saw a soldier leaning on the railing with a lit cigarette in his hand, an uneasy expression creasing his features. She knew the man, and he was not supposed to be smoking but on duty.

“Captain!”, she called out, “Aren’t you guarding lady Mikasa’s cabin?”

The soldier went white in the face as he quickly saluted, the butt of the cigarette hastily thrown the ocean.

“Yes ma’am! However, there were certain…” he gulped, “circumstances that made me take a small break.”

Kiyomi’s brows furrowed. What was he talking about? What was Mikasa doing?

“Such as?”

“I... I mean… I wouldn’t…”, the man was sweating profusely, babbling like a baby and Kiyomi was running out of patience.

Especially after being traumatized by god damn Eren Yeager today, she wasn’t in the mood for games or tight-lipped subordinates.

“Speak!”, she barked, “Or I will have you on shit shoveling duty for a year after we get back to Hizuru.”

“W-Well La-lady Mikasa and her f-friend are.. engaged in… you know….”

“What? What are you…”, and just then it dawned on Kiyomi, the blush, and impaired speech, the way he avoided her eyes. It fell on her like a rock, and she asked in a voice that mirrored how she felt.

“Are they having sex?”

The soldier clicked his heels together as he straightened into an absurdly perfect salute.

“Yes ma’am! Very loudly ma’am! I felt like I was intruding, so I gave them some privacy ma’am!”

Oh…

That was about everything Kiyomi could handle today. Walking over to the soldier she extended her hand and luckily he understood the gesture, quickly giving her a cigarette and lighting it for her. Leaning on the railing next to the flabbergasted man, she smoked in silence, staring into the darkness.

Underneath them, the boat silently carried this whole circus towards Hizuru.

Kiyomi smoked one, two, three cigarettes before calling it a day and retreating to her cabin, only to discover that another unpleasantry awaited her there.

Apparently, being an Ackerman and a former titan shifter gives you some insane endurance. Unfortunately for her, Kiyomi’s cabin was located right next to Mikasa’s and she could very clearly hear just how much the pair were still enjoying themselves. To make matters worse, it went on for hours and the old woman couldn’t rest because of it, despite being exhausted and mentally drained.

Instead of peaceful sleep she stared at the darkened ceiling, listening to the moans, giggles, groans, screams, and muffled conversation between the future Shogun’s wife and the cursed island devil.

This was purgatory for all her past sins, must have been, and Kiyomi felt her eye twitch in irritation. How much damn stamina did those two have? Would they ever get tired of this? Would Kiyomi be allowed to sleep tonight or would her whole night be spent like this, stuck in limbo with nothing but a rhythmic banging of the headboard against the wall accompanied by the bed creaking and the telltale sounds Mikasa was making.

Didn’t help that the name she was moaning was of the man Kiyomi despised - It would seem that Eren stopped being Aaron in the heat of passion.

Just as she was about to bang on the wall, damn her dignity, they finally stopped, growing silent.

“You think she heard us?”, Mikasa muttered, exhausted beyond belief.

“She had to,”, Eren grumbled, in no better shape himself, “You were so loud that I’m pretty sure the whole ship knew what we were doing.”

If she wasn’t totally flushed already, that statement would make her blush.

“That was kind of the point.”

“It was nice of you though.”

“What do you mean?”

“Now Yams knows what’s up, despite not being able to see us.”

Gasping, Mikasa slapped Eren’s chest and he laughed and nuzzled her sweaty hair. They were both like that, dirty, and overall quite disgusting. Like that mattered, considering the paradise they took each other to.

“C’mon, we should get cleaned up.”

“Should change the bedding too…”

“Why? Have someone else do it,”, gently, Eren traced the curve of Mikasa’s spine with careful fingers, counting the bumps, “You are a princess, you should get used to having people clean up your mess.”

“You know that I’m not like that….”

“I do, but why not abuse your status a little.”

Her eyes narrowed as she watched him, not missing the spark of laughter in his face.

“You’re evil.”

“Of course, I am the island devil after all.”

Giggling, Mikasa angled her head and waited until Eren got the hint, giving her a tired and slow kiss.

“You know, what?”, she murmured against his lips, “You’re right, let them clean it.”

The laugh that bubbled from Eren’s chest was addicting to listen to.

“See? You are finally learning, your highness.”

“Shut up.”

“As you command, my queen.”

“Eren…”

“Yes, my lady?”

She groaned, hiding her face in his neck yet Eren wouldn’t let her rest, kissing all of her skin he could reach with tiny pecks. Maybe it was the kisses, maybe it was the way he held her, maybe it was because they were both naked and Mikasa did like what he was packing. Whatever the reason, the embers she thought exhausted smoldered deep in her belly.

“Babe?”, she drawled, immediately getting his attention because Eren knew that voice she used.

It was the sensual one that sent shivers down his spine whenever the raven spoke.

“Do you think that Kiyomi finally fell asleep?”, she asked.

“I guess? Maybe? Why do you ask?”

“Well…”, with a quick move she straddled him again, reclaiming her rightful position on top.

Seated as she was, Mikasa reached blindly between her legs to touch his length, finding it half-hard already – such power her bedroom voice had over Eren’s body. To be honest, she did like that control. Mikasa leaned down until her nipples brushed Eren’s chest and her lips were practically touching his, rubbing together when she spoke.

“Let’s wake her up then.”

#eremika #fanfic #snk

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