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theheraldsrest · 7 months

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“Romanced!Companions reacting to the Inquisitor’s Death”

Are yall ready to hurt? No? Good! It’s a bit long so hang in there.

(Psst. If you really hate your soul, you should read this with the song Stuff We Did-Married Life or Experience by Ludovico Einaudi. It hurts.)

-(Sad) Lord Lex

TW: Blood, death, slight gore

It was during battle, a battle that had been planned thoroughly to the last detail yet the enemy surprised you. You were strong, that was true of all the things you’d accomplished and how many near-death experiences you survived. But as you were overwhelmed, you were taking one too many injuries and wounds, one right after another. It didn’t help that whatever magic was leftover from the anchor was slowly starting to seep into you, weakening you. For the first time, you were falling in combat. Not the usual “I’ve been knocked down but I’ve got health potions aplenty to bring me back up.” No, this time, you ran out and your compatriots were too far from you. You could hear them yell for you, trying their damndest to get to you. You could feel your grasp on your life slipping away when they came running to you…

Cullen

His blood ran cold as he watched you hit the ground, not moving an inch. The world seemed to slow down around him as he struggled and slashed through the enemies lines, not even hearing his own voice as he called for his men, to help you, to save you. Finally, finally, he reached you and pulled your body into his arms. Cullen’s hands immediately went to your potion pouch and, finding it empty, went to his. His fingers clasped around nothing and he could feel his stomach dropping as he looked back to you, watching the light shine dimly in your eyes. “Please. Please no, don’t do this.” He pleaded, clutching your hand to his heart because that was yours, that was what he had to give you and he would give anything if he could somehow just give you some of the strength or blood from his heart to yours. But he couldn’t. And he knew he couldn’t do anything, it was too late. That small smile on your beautiful face as your reassurances fell on deaf ears, trying to reassure him that he’ll be alright, that you love him, that you always have- that light in your eyes that he always admired died out, the remnants of your smile left on your face and your hand falling limp in his own grip. You were gone but he remained, holding you and staying by your side as he had promised so long ago. Even as the battle seemed to be concluding and his soldiers tried to comfort their commander, he sat there holding your lifeless form close to him, mumbling prayers that he knew deep down wouldn’t find anyone. “Please Inqu-My love, please. Come back. Y-You can’t- I-I need you. I-I can’t-”

Josephine

The most broken-hearted, chest clenching scream you’ve ever heard. She had been traveling with your group in case there was a chance of negotiations, immediately being pulled to cover when the fighting started. Now, Josey struggled against her own guards to get to you, no care for the danger around her. As your forces pushed back the enemy, she finally got herself free and ran to you, one hand flying to your heart and the other to your wounds. She’s yelling over her shoulder for a healer as she feels your faint heartbeat, barely there but enough to reassure her. To make her think you’ll make it. Because if you don’t then you’ll- She can’t finish that thought. She’s hoping against hope that it doesn’t come to that. She doesn’t even notice the tears on her face as a healer runs over and starts to try and save you. You try to talk to her but she hushes you, telling you “Do not push yourself. You can tell me once they heal you and we get back to safety.” That idea is quickly taken away as she looks at the healer who gives her a sorrowful look and shakes their head. It feels as if all the air is taken from her lungs as she looks back at you, her eyes terrified and sad. She’s begging the healer, almost demanding that they try everything but even she knows they have done all they could. Josephine can only clutch your face, tears falling onto your cheeks. When she finally talks again, it’s to talk about the future she wanted to share with you. A sad smile on her face as she tells you how she wanted you to officially meet her family, of all the places she wanted to go with you, the things that you two could’ve done. How she wanted a family with you. Even as life drains from your body and your eyes glass over, she’s still near you, laying against your chest with her head where your heartbeat would be. “Goodbye, my dearest. Be safe, wherever you go.”

Solas

Solas had been watching from a distance, as he always did, trying but failing not to worry about you. He loved watching your battles, coming out victorious and celebrating with your companions. But this time, he was holding his breath. He knew you could get yourself out of even the toughest of situations. But more and more enemies appeared and soon you were lost from his sight. His eyes flickered over the masses, trying to stay where you were as he tried to stop his hammering heart. She’s alright, he told himself, she’s fought worse. As the last of the enemies are killed, soldiers and your friends alike are panicking, calling out for you and searching. He has to stop himself from going down there, not for them but for you. It’s always been for you since that first moment with you. And there amongst them he can see Varric, who has completely stopped and was staring at the ground a few feet in front of him. No trace of a smile or laughter upon his face that Solas had come to associate with him. Varric, who trusted him and had encouraged Solas to speak with you…was completely frozen. It was minutes before Varric yelled something, the others rushing over. Another moment, angry yells and horrible cries coming up from your small group. One of them picked you up, to take you to a healer. At least, that was the lie that played in his head. He could see you weren’t moving, you weren’t speaking to the others, joking about the tough battle. No, you were slumped against them, your arms hanging limply. Even from where he stood, he could tell that the brightness that would light up others was gone, leaving a dark bleak gray cloud over your party. The strings of his heart tugged and he knew but refused to admit it. Solas turned, blocking out the cries and saying his last goodbye. “Ir abelas, ma vhenan. Ar lath.” Because he was leaving, nothing more. He would see you again because you weren’t gone. You can’t be. You said you wanted to prove him wrong, to come with him. Then prove him wrong. Move.

Cassandra

Cassandra was trying her hardest to protect everyone, calling out orders and putting herself into danger to stop a fatal blow being delivered to your companions. Her thoughts kept flickering back to you, trying desperately but failing to not worry about you. You were the Inquisitor, after all. You’ve been through the fade and have even fought an arch demon. What could possibly stop you? Your recklessness popped into her head and if it was any other situation, she might’ve laughed. Screams and shouts came from further away and she saw some of your soldiers being overwhelmed before you burst through and started to help defend them. She almost turned away, almost. One of the larger demons was bearing down on you, swinging its ax around and towards your body. She thought it missed. It didn’t. The splatter of blood on the ground and your pained cries as it buried its weapon into the shoulder of your good arm. It pulled back and was ready to chop at the rest of you when a shield hit its head. The demon turned into time before it was cut down by a raging Cassandra. She stood over you, trying to protect you from further harm. “Heal yourself, Inquisitor! I am here!” She fought off more of the creatures not noticing that you weren’t moving to drink a potion. When she glanced down at you, she called over her shoulder again “Inquisitor! Hurry! You’re losing blood!” Still you didn’t move. You couldn’t. Your arm could barely twitch and, even if it could fully move, you knew you were out of health potions. Seeing you simply staring at her made her grow concerned. As she stepped back and a soldier took over, she whipped around to you and kneeled. Noting the blood rushing down your arm, she tried to get you to move it but stopped when you winced. When she noticed your empty potion bag, she reached for hers but remembered she had given the remainder to those who were near her. “The Inquisitor needs help! Get him a potion or a healer! Quickly!” She was jolted from her commands as your hand touched her cheek, turning to look at you. Your hand was shaking and your face was scrunched up in pain but there was a smile on your face. You made a comment on how beautiful she was and how you were honored to be a part of something with her. To be married to her. To love her. Cassandra’s breath caught, not because of the lovely things you said but because it sounded like you were trying to get your last words out. “Inquisitor, you’re talking nonsense! Stay still, I’m going to try and patch up the bleeding-” But you shake your head and you asked her something. Does she love you? “What?! Do not be talking about such ridiculous things right now! We have to-!” But you cut her off, almost pleading with her to answer you. It was a moment before she said quietly “Yes. Yes, I do, my love.” Could you please say it, you asked. She hesitated, her voice shaky as she spoke. “I love you.” If only you hadn’t been in the middle of battle, she would’ve been blushing furiously at the big smile on your face. That’s nice, you said as your head leaned forward, laying it against her shoulder. You told her how you wanted to make sure she was happy before….before you….She waited but you said nothing. It was another moment before Cassandra turned her head to look down at you, eyes closed and a smile on your face but unmoving. She was completely frozen, unmoving and not wanting to believe the reality that was in front of her. “Dear heart? Inquisitor, I-” She could only bring her shaky hands up to your back and your head, gently petting it down as the battle around you both raged on. “...Thank you, Inquisitor. Just…rest. I will protect you.”

The Iron Bull

“Anyone seen the boss?” Bull was starting to feel something in the pit of his stomach, the uncommon emotion of worry. You were at his side fighting and then gone the next second. Your other companions and the Chargers were searching the battlefield, trying to find any sign of you. He didn’t even notice his hand fidgeting with the dragon tooth you gave him so long ago. It was taking a damn good long time for you to pop up. Perhaps you had tried to flank them? A million ideas came to his head, trying not to picture the worst. His name was called out suddenly and he turned, relief coming over him as he looked at your silhouette, a smile and a cheeky comic coming to his lips. It was stopped, though, as you stumbled down the hill before falling. He moved quickly to catch you so that you didn’t hit the ground. Trying to hold you up, he could only watch as you leaned further into him. Bull tried to question, to examine you, but as his hand touched your side he could feel something warm and wet. His hands were covered in your blood, spilling from a stab wound to your side as well as from an injury on your head. “I’ve got you, kadan. Let’s get you to a healer and we can-” You stopped him, your hand on his cheek to keep him looking at you. You told him you weren’t gonna make it, you’d taken too many hits and the magic in your body was tearing you apart. He stared at you, his one good eye looking between both of yours, eyes that he had come to adore. “Are you sure?” His voice was quiet, low, stiff. Never had you heard him take this tone before, as if he didn’t want to believe you but was still just a soldier listening to their commander. He wanted to argue against it, tell you that you’re being dramatic. But he knew better. You nodded, tears welling up in your eyes as you asked him to look out for your friends, to be safe while you were gone and not to push the Chargers too hard. He chuckled but it was stiff as he held you up, keeping you from fully falling to the ground. He could only hold you safely in his arms as he asked him not to forget you. “That’ll be a bit hard, boss. Not possible to forget someone like you. You’ve done too many crazy things for me to just forget you.” You could feel your time was coming and you asked the Iron Bull one more thing. Just a kiss, that was it. One more for the road, you joked. This time, his laugh was anything but him. It was sad, full of grief but he fulfilled that promise and tried to make it as gentle as possible, one of his rare ones as if he was trying not to break you. You were gone before you could feel the teardrop on your face when he pulled away. He tightened his grip around you, as if he could still protect you from harm. “Until I join you again…kadan.”

Dorian

Both him and Vivienne were keeping up the front, trying to slow their ascent. He was able to keep most foes away from him, a good distance of magic throwing them around and stopping them in their tracks. At the same time, he was trying to keep an eye on you, to make sure they weren’t getting too close to you. It was what he always did, just to make sure you were safe. Both mages were having a bit of banter as they fought on. “Dorian, dear, if I didn’t know any better, I would say your casting seems a little off. Been putting off practicing? Or losing your touch?” He knew it was just her way of trying to keep both of them going and clear minded. “Madame, you wish.” A pained yell could be heard, a voice so familiar to him carried across the battlefield. No, he thought, I only turned away for a second as he whipped his head around and looked to spot where he had last seen you but you were gone. Vivienne said something but he was gone, running through the enemy lines and pushing them away, electrocuting anyone who got in his way. As soon as he reached you kneeling on the ground, he threw up a barrier and knelt next to you, reaching out to help you up. Another scream of pain came from you as he looked down, a deep cut into your abdomen and an arrow in your leg halting your escape. “Amatus, be strong for me. I’m trying to help you.” His body was growing weary from the magic he’d been using up, but he put what he had left into trying to heal you. As soon as he felt the spell end, he looked back to you….but nothing was fixed. You were still in pain and you were falling, growing weak. “No, that was supposed to help you. Why didn’t it-?” He looked into your face and could see you growing pale, green marks gracing your cheeks from your neck. Magic like that of the anchor. It was stopping him from healing you, from keeping you alive. “Someone, help! The Inquisitor is down! Please!” He didn’t even notice that he was begging as he struggled with his emotions, trying to find anything to keep you alive, to keep you awake and looking at him. “Don’t do this, dearest. You’ll be fine. You’re strong. You can fight it off.” As you grew tired, you could only clutch his hand and thank him. Thank him and tell him you loved him. “No, stop that. This isn’t goodbye. We still have much to do. I-I can’t…I can’t let you go like this. You don’t deserve this.” As he held your head in his lap, he could feel your hand come up and try to brush the tears away from his eyes. “Please, Amatus. I love you. You need to stay. You make these stupid things possible.” Dorian holds your hand to his cheek, one of the only people he let close to him in his whole life slipping from his fingers. “Don’t leave me.”

Sera

“47! Watch it, you shank spool arsehole!” It had started as a game for you two, counting how many enemies you both would take down. It made it easier for you two, taking out the enemy as fast as possible, as well as allowing Sera to focus on the task at hand. “How you doing, Inky?” No response but that was ok. Sometimes she got a bit aways from you in battle. Just gave her more idiots to take out. Eventually they started falling back, Sera pleased with herself at a high 132 mark. She started turning this way and that, looking for you, but the longer she searched the more her smile started to fade. “Inky! Where the hell you go?” It was starting to grow irksome that she couldn’t see you among the soldiers and your companions, walking around and talking. Maybe you had already started on your way back to camp? She was considering the idea, passing through the bodies when something caught her eye. One of the bigger brutes she had shot was moving but not normal like. Almost as if someone was- “Hold on a bit,” She grumbled as she pushing on the hulking mass, Finally their body rolled over and there was her Inky in all their- “Thought you left me over ther-” You were lying in a pool of blood. Her first thought was that the brute bled all over you. But the arrow hadn’t pierced that far through and the sword that was in her side seemed to- You could see her face flip through emotions so quickly, from confusion to surprise to panic. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit!” Sera scrambled to try and stop the blood, looking to your potion pouch for a potion, but saw it empty. She never carried any with her. She always had you or Dorian near her just in case. She was starting to regret that decision as she tore some cloth from one of the enemy's clothes and used that to try and stop the blood. “Come on, wifey/hubby. We’ve been through worse, yeah?” She hadn’t even noticed her hands were shaking, blood covering them and her dumb little band of gold that you gave her. It startled her when she noticed you were chuckling, mumbling about how your body count was 168. It was out of pure shock that she startled laughing, saying how stupid you were. She didn’t even notice as she tried to tie off the bandage around you that your hand had fallen from hers, her laughing at how dumb your guys game was as your smile remained on your face but your eyes closed. When the others finally find you both, she’s clutching your hand that has a stupid little matching band on it, crying and laughing. “You can’t just do that, you know? You can’t just try to make me laugh and then just-and then just leave. Regular folk don’t do that…they don’t…they…come back.”

Blackwall

He had tried to stay by your side, knocking any enemies away that got past your defense. He was your shield, after all. Both of you had lost sight of your forces and companions as the enemy line advanced, yet you stayed by each other’s sides. He had kept throwing his potions to you and putting himself in the way to make sure you at least would get out of this safe. As one enemy slipped past you and swiped their sword toward your side, it felt as if Blackwall moved in slow motion. He tried to throw himself between you two, raising his shield and bashing it against the foe’s sword, knocking them off balance. Why did it seem slow, though? Why did it feel like he failed? He turned to look back at you, to make sure you were ok. Your eyes were wide and mouth slightly agape. He couldn’t understand why you were surprised, he had done this many times before. You stumbled forward and fell against him and there in your back was an arrow, piercing through your armor and skin. He could feel the rage and terror building deep in his bones but it seemed…numb. Something hit his shoulder, something flowing down his back but he couldn’t care. He wrapped his arms around you, making sure his shield covered what his body couldn’t. If the enemy hit him, he couldn’t feel it. The yells around him seemed to fade away as he held you, your hands clutching the front of his armor. You were saying something but he couldn’t make it out. Instead, he continued to hold you tightly as if he could take away the pain, as if he could fight off death itself. Because he knew it was coming, he wasn’t gonna deny it. Perhaps he could keep it away just for a bit longer if you couldn’t be seen. He could feel you getting weaker, falling with you as you went to the ground. It almost seemed like no one was around either of you now. No more danger, you’re safe. You’re safe, he lied to himself. “I’ve got you, love.” Blackwall brought his face down and kissed the top of your head, making you turn your own face up to his so that he could steal one more gentle kiss from you. It was soft, gentle, sweet…and a goodbye as you pulled away and laid your head against his chest, your whole body relaxing into him. He simply placed his chin on top of your head, gently swaying to music only he could hear, humming as his thick beard hid his tears. “I’ve got you.”

#dai #dragon age inquisition #cullen rutherford #commander cullen #angst #dragon age josephine #josephine montilyet #dai solas #fenharel #dai cassandra #cassandra pentaghast #the iron bull #iron bull #dorian pavus #dai dorian #dai sera #blackwall #thom rainier

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aheathen-conceivably · 10 months

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🎶 Death she must have been your will 🎶

It had been weeks since Giorgio had told Josephine about the farm, and with each passing day the sands of time ran a little thinner. I leave before the New Year, Jo. I need your decision, Jo. Please, I love you; please come with me, Jo.

Her head was swimming in his declarations, swimming in his questions and his predictions about the coming economic crisis. Swimming in thoughts of her own failed business and dashed hopes. Jesus, swimming in love and pride for this damn place that had given her so much and then broken her heart.

All she wanted to do was talk to her brother and Zelda. But she couldn’t. If there was anyone who was more stubborn and loyal about this place, it was Antoine. But as time ran out, her feet took her to the club, to their home, to finally tell them what had been plaguing her mind and seek their advice.

As she entered the club, Josephine could hear muffled arguing echoing from the apartment above. She paused momentarily, wondering if she should interrupt whatever was happening, when she unmistakably heard Zelda sobbing and ran to find her.

As soon as she reached the living room she knew something was deeply amiss. There were trunks piled on each side of the stained glass archway, and Zelda stood beneath the chandelier, her face streamed with tears. Antoine was seemingly trying to calm her, his own expression ridden with guilt.

The moment that Antoine saw Josephine his face relaxed, “Jo, Grâce à Dieu. I thought Zelda would have to leave without seeing you. She received a call from her sister, it’s, it’s…”

Through her clenched hands, Zelda interrupted him, “It’s my mother, Jo. She’s fallen ill. I’m leaving immediately with Violette for England but Antoine…Antoine is…”

Zelda’s voice was cut off by a loud sob and Antoine pulled her close to his chest, their ongoing fight on the subject momentarily forgotten as she allowed him to hold her.

“I’m staying here, my love. I have to stay here. Please understand; I can’t go back to Europe. I can’t. Jo knows. Josephine, please. And the steamer tickets aren’t cheap. Then God knows if we shut this place down it may never reopen. Zelda, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I can’t…”

Josephine stared at them standing there in her mother’s parlor, Antoine’s face splayed with guilt as he held the woman he still couldn’t marry. With a sudden, striking clarity Jo realized that he would never leave. He couldn’t leave; like a moth to the flame of his own pain, he wasn’t ready to let go.

Antoine looked back at his sister, his pleading expression begging her for help: help to explain, help to comfort, just any help for the sobbing woman in his arms. Josephine walked to Zelda, taking her face in her hands, “Come, ma sœur. I’ll help you pack. Antoine will call Giorgio so that he can drive you to the station. We’ll get you to your mother as fast as possible, I promise.”

As she pulled Zelda close to her, Josephine left the rest of her promise unspoken, her mind on Giorgio made up and her loyalty perhaps even clearer than Antoine’s: and when you get back I’ll be right here. You are my family and this is my home and I will not leave you, I promise.

#1928 #sims 4 historical #ts4 historical #sims 4 decades challenge #ts4 decades challenge #sims 4 legacy #ts4 legacy #sims 4 story #ts4 story #the darlingtons #1920s #josephine duplanchier #zelda darlington #antoine duplanchier

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crystallizedday · 2 months

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Well

This idea has been in the works for long enough, so I think it’s about time I finally present it.

Fellas

The hyperfixation was too strong for me, and I decided to make something wonderful with it.

I present to all of you nutcases

SAMURAI JACK: DUO OF DOOM

An AU concept I’ve been refining for the past month or so that follows Demongo and Scaramouche as the main characters.

It takes place roughly a few decades after “Jack and the Baby,” but instead of following the timeline set up by season 5, I wanted to take the universe in a bit of a different direction

The AU is organized into 2 seasons, each having 13 episodes, JUST like the original show.

While not all 26 episodes have been fully fleshed out just yet, most of the crucial ones HAVE been, so I wish to share with you all what I have so far…

Season 1:

This season puts us in the shoes of Scaramouche, a full-time assassin looking to make it big.

While the job isn’t EXACTLY something he was passionate about, it pays the bills, so he decided not to be too choosy. He at least enjoys the fame that comes with it, even if his mechanical heart is still rooted in music.

However, he isn’t the only one looking to make it big in the assassination business.

There seems to be an entire group of assassins, a syndicate, who aren’t too happy about an “outsider” trudging through their terf, and they aim to put a stop to it.

While Scaramouche feels he is more than capable of handling these wannabes, one of his squabbles with them led to him stumbling upon a creature that proved to be quite a nuisance, a soul-eater who keeps swooping in and stealing his kills.

Even after the initial battle, this entity, Demongo, chooses to follow Scaramouche in his endeavors, certain that such a clumsy fool would lead the demon to more powerful warriors for him to imprison.

Episode 1 — After being cornered and losing the upper hand, Scaramouche is “saved” from being turned into scrap by Demongo, who steals the soul of the worn-out assassin to add to his ever-growing army.

Episode 2 — I don’t have anything specific planned for this episode outside of the two bickering for the majority of it and only coming to an agreement at the end of it: Demongo can take the souls of their bounties, and Scara will take the credit so he can get the money from it. Demmy doesn’t care about money anyway, so he’s fine with this outcome.

Episode 3 — While I don’t have the details down just yet, I have a few loose ideas for it. By now, Scara only has a boring-ass flute, a boring-ass scimitar, and a boring-ass knife, so Demmy decides to lead Scara to a place where he could get that pathetic little weapon of his upgraded. I can see Demmy picking a fight when he shouldn’t have, almost getting his ass beat when Scara saves him (the guy helps rank in the money, so why let him get squashed?).

By the end of the episode, Scara is worn the fuck out, and immediately assumes his soul was gonna get snatched by Demmy cause of it… but it doesn’t happen. Instead, Demmy just tells him to suck it up so they could get a move on. Demongo probably knew he could’ve easily taken Scara’s soul by now, but chose not to. Interesting…

Episode 4 — I don’t have anything for this episode yet.

Episode 5 — Ezekiel and Josephine Clench are the main antagonists of this episode, wanting to snatch a bounty from Scara and Demmy (the bounty probably being some poor passenger on a train, just so the setting can match the one the divorced couple originally appeared in). The only issue is Ezekiel and Josephine keep trying to betray the other to claim the bounty, which lead to both of their inevitable defeat. Even if they also have their disagreements, Scara and Demmy can at least recognize that working together certainly gave the two the upper hand, and squabbling like the Clenches was PROBABLY gonna get them killed as well. This is the point where the two start becoming decent friends.

Episode 6 — We get to see where exactly Scara has been crashing this whole time at the start of the episode, which is… a weirdly isolated lil home, something that certainly surprised Demongo, who assumed the big guy would be living a more social, lavish personal life. Regardless, since Demongo was entrusted to stay here to begin with, he decides to return the favor and try enchanting Scara’s scimitar to be a little more useful in battle, fucking up the entire thing thanks to Scaramouche running his mouth and scatting in the middle of all of it. The scimitar now only responds to his scatting SPECIFICALLY, which Scara doesn’t seem to mind, even if Demmy certainly does. Ah, and this is also the episode featuring two of my ocs, Spunk & Clunk, who are mainly there to encourage the two knuckleheads to try combining their fighting styles to get the upper hand & catch their opponents off guard.

Episode 7 — This is a filler episode where Scara decides to take Demongo with him to spend some extra cash they snagged. This is where Demongo has his first outfit change (since Scaramouche was not letting this fucker walk another step wearing nothing but a vampire cape). This is where Demongo gets acquainted with modern society, since bro knows jack-shit about it thanks to “growing up” in the Pit of Hate. Needless to say, bro quickly finds out he has a sweet tooth.

Episode 8 — The two are looking to find a way to enchant Scara’s prized flute as well so it can be used in battle. In trying to find the right place to get it enchanted (since Demmy doesn’t trust himself to not fuck shit up again after last time), they find themselves being stalked by someone hired by the syndicate to get rid of them. I like to think this mysterious person is Mira, the Princess looking to free her people. Perhaps she was promised a way to help her people by the head-honcho of the syndicate. Really, I just wanna use as many og characters as I can and make sure they’re used in meaningful ways... oh and the flute does get enchanted at the end. Forgot to mention that.

Episode 9 — This is another filler episode, cause I like the idea of Scara teaching Demmy how to properly dance and I wanna see that shit happen. I’m sure Demmy will find a way to make use of that talent in battle. At this point, the two have become VERY close, and Demmy has let himself loosen up quite a bit. I have nothing else figured out about this episode.

Episode 10 — This is a funny fuckin idea. Thanks to alcohol being flammable, I can absolutely see Demongo being a lightweight, so I’m thinking Scara makes the terrible mistake of taking Demmy to a tavern (probably the same tavern Da Samurai was seen in all those years ago). Thanks to his intoxication, Demmy gets the two of them in a shit-ton of trouble... There’s definitely a bar fight scene here, cause I think they’re funny.

I AM considering throwing a lil curveball in here at some point. Y’all familiar with the idea of being intoxicated makes ya more susceptible to talking about things and thoughts that you’d normally keep under wraps? I’m thinking about applying that here, where at the end of the episode, Demmy (still very much intoxicated) out of nowhere asks Scara why the big guy is being so damn nice to him. He asks this not just because the two were not on the best of terms just a few months ago, but also because he is under the mindset that he needs to repay that kindness, a mindset that came about due to working under Aku (even if Aku’s “kindness” more so comes in the form of being allowed to live or be apart of his higher ranks and shit). He starts rambling about how he feels he can never fully repay that kindness and is stressed the fuck out about it. Of course, Scara reassures him that he doesn’t need to repay shit, and he chooses to be nice to him cause he likes hanging out with the lil guy. Saying this confuses Demmy is an understatement, but Scara tells em that they’ll properly talk about it once bro is actually sober. The episode ends with Scara taking him back home (probably carrying him cause I like being self indulgent like that IWNWKWMWOSKSOS).

Episode 11 — The episode starts out with Demongo attempting to play Scaramouche’s flute, and failing miserably. Since Demmy does not have ANY experience with modern media, Scara decided it would be a funny idea to take the lil shit to go see a movie. Unfortunately, Demmy doesn’t understand when to keep his mouth shut and ends up getting the both of them kicked out afterwards. This doesn’t bother the lil shit though as he starts laying out how he would’ve written such a thing, seeing the original piece of work as a “flawed, uninspired mess” and such. However, he accidentally lets a few things slip, such as his questionable stance on authority and his fear of failure. Before Scara can ask about any of this, the two of them realize that Demmy no longer had Scara’s flute, losing it at some point. Demmy, in an extremely vulnerable state, zips off in a panic, but is quickly found again by Scara, who talks with him about what’s going on.

This is where the real meat of Demmy’s character gets revealed (even if hints of it have certainly popped up here and there in the past). He reveals how he was sent back to the Pit of Hate to be punished after failing to kill Samurai Jack. He was only able to leave once he regained the strength to bust out of there himself, and fears what his ex-master would think if he ever found out about this… which is something that Scara isn’t sure how to feel about, especially since he’s been wanting to climb the ranks to get Aku’s attention ever since he became an assassin.

Demmy feared being punished for slipping up yet again, letting down another individual he admittedly looked up to. TLDR, bro is NOT doing okay, and Scara decides to comfort the lil guy. Once Demmy is able to pick himself back up, the two try to head back to the theater when another character stops them. This fella (definitely an oc I need to design) appears to be a fellow music-lover, and (not recognizing who these two were) decided to return the flute to its rightful owner. The fella decides to let the two know about this one village where hundreds of people gather to party and dance and shit, thinking the two would be interested, which leads us to…

Episode 12 — The rave episode. This is where shit gets FUNKY… and extremely self-indulgent.

Donning some flashier outfits, Scara and Demmy decide to head to this “rave” to see what it’s all about, just cause. However, throughout most of the episode, Demmy struggles to tell Scara something and does not know how to approach him about it.

The details here get a lil fuzzy since I haven’t really mapped out how the middle section of the episode goes, but eventually, a few assassins from the syndicate track the two down and attempt to be rid of them once and for all, but with all the bright lights and dancers about, it makes things more difficult than they wanted it to be.

Eventually, the assassins get their chance to attack, but the duo handle the situation with ✨style✨, and it’s only NOW when Demongo finally musters up the courage to confess to Scara (via gestures, since Demmy couldn’t find the words for it and ultimately just said “fuck it”). Scara reciprocates the gesture, but advised that the two of them take care of the dudes trying to kill them first before talking about the subject any further, which Demmy agreed on.

Once that’s all said and done, the episode ends with the two heading home, taking a moment to talk about what they are now and where do they go from here.

I don’t care how self-indulgent this is, but RIGHT as the episode’s about to conclude, I can see the two sharing their first kiss!

Look

I’m shipping trash.

This was inevitable WJJWJWSNWIKSOSMS

Episode 13 — I WISH I had a fully fleshed out version of this episode prepared, but at the moment, all I know for certain is that this is where the two finally decide to face off against the heart of the syndicate and get these guys off their back once and for all, thus allowing them to take the title of the world’s greatest assassins… by technicality.

Season 2:

A few months have passed since the last episode as the two start to adjust to their new life as a couple.

The start of this season focuses on the two retrieving the old souls Demongo had lost during his first battle with Samurai Jack, the two eventually deciding to seek out the samurai so they can defeat him once and for all.

But things do not go as planned, especially since Demongo is still hesitant about immediately going back to serving his old master.

Episode 14 — The Titan Demongo once controlled has been running amok in a populated area, and while Scara & Demmy initially did not care to take care of it (assuming Jack would come in to save the day), when the beast kept raging on with no one else stepping up to the challenge, the two decide to take care of this beast before it causes any more problems. Plus, Demmy could really use the extra strength provided by such a beast. After all, in this universe, Demmy can harness the strength and abilities of the souls he collects, a power that will come in handy down the road…

Curious as to why Jack did not arrive to the scene, the two decide to make it their mission to find Samurai Jack for themselves, actively seeking out people who might know a thing or two and interrogating them on the subject.

Episode 15 — The duo seek out the four distinct souls that Demongo used to fight Samurai Jack all those years ago: the knight, the white tiger, the four-armed warrior, and the black samurai. None of them no longer being in their prime certainly made defeating them rather easy, even if each of them had their own special… quirks that delayed the inevitable…

Like the knight guy. I wanna give him Don Quixote vibes.

Episode 16 — I have nothing planned for this episode at the moment.

Episode 17 — I only have the main idea for this episode thought out, which is how the two come across the three singing sirens that once hypnotized Jack long ago. However, their singing does not work.

Why?

Because this version of Demongo is absolutely gay, and Scaramouche (despite being pan) is far too prideful in his own singing to fall for somebody else’s.

And this pisses the sirens OFF.

Episode 18 — I’m not sure EXACTLY how I want this episode to go, but all I know is that THIS is where the two find the Scotsman along with his… INCREDIBLY large family, and decide to fight him to interrogate him on the whereabouts of Jack.

I want the Scotsman to survive this fight, so I’m thinking what happens is his daughters (who are like… still VERY young at this point) enter the fight as well to protect their father against his own wishes (and perhaps the others in his clan also chime in), forcing Scara and Demongo to retreat… but not without at least a LITTLE bit of vital info as to where Jack could be (even if I’m unsure what it would be just yet).

Episode 19 — This episode is a bit of a parody of the “Jack and the Baby” episode. The duo stumble across a random-ass baby and, despite Demongo being so incredibly disgusted by it, Scara does not have the heart to abandon the poor thing, so they keep the lil thing until they can find someone else who will take care of it for them.

Needless to say, neither of these nutcases should be fathers.

Episode 20 — This is where shit hits the fan.

The two find Samurai Jack, but he’s barely recognizable. Age has certainly taken a toll on his physical appearance, and he has dressed himself in armor that made it almost impossible to tell it was him.

Before the three fight, Demongo notices how “the fire in his soul had dwindled” since the last time the demon has faced off against him. This made Scaramouche realize that Jack’s sword was nowhere to be seen, and while he and Demongo at first suspected he was simply hiding the sword, they eventually put two and two together to figure out Jack no longer had the sword. However, even though Scara wanted the details on what exactly happened (so he can make fun of Jack for it), Jack attacks, starting the fight.

At some point during the battle, Scara gets badly wounded, and Demongo stops fighting to try and patch him up the best he can. This surprises Jack, not knowing a demon like Demongo could express such concern for another living being like this. Of course, Demmy is incredibly offended by this assumption.

However, Jack then proposes something. He tells the two how they may put themselves in danger by taking him out and submitting to Aku. Scara brushes it off at first, but Demongo…

Knowing what would happen if either of them ever failed Aku again…

Demongo hears Jack out, fearing what Aku would do to Scaramouche in a worse case scenario.

Jack offers the two the chance to take his side, to stop Aku once and for all.

While Jack does not have his sword (as it got destroyed at some point, much like in the comic), he has been searching for decades for a way to get it back, and is confident Demongo could help in some way.

Scara refuses at first, finding disgust in the idea of working with a guy that wants to erase centuries-worth of history and everyone in it just to save whatever the past was like for him.

But Demmy quietly proposes to Scara that they simply get rid of Aku first, then Jack. Scara is still confused as to why he of all people would want to side with Jack, and while Demongo despises the idea as well… he simply cannot trust his old master to not harm Scaramouche in the future.

The two decide to take Jack’s deal, even if they’re not entirely happy about it.

Episode 21 — The daughters of Aku make an appearance in this episode, but instead of being nine twins, almost all of them are from different mothers, all training under the head cultist to become stronger. Only two of them are twins that came from the head cultist: Ashi and Aki. They are the youngest of the nine, and by that I mean they are actually just children that are being indoctrinated to be merciless warriors. The other sisters are much older and have heavily-varying body types to make them a little more distinct from one another, and in accordance to their signature weapons. The weapons themselves are actually why Ashi and Aki are twins, since they wield the same weapon in canon. None of them have the essence of Aku in them because that whole plot point is just plain silly to me and causes WAY too many plot holes for my liking.

Meanwhile, Jack has recruited the Scotsman to help the gang out, and the big guy is NOT happy to be working with the two assassins that tried to kill him… ESPECIALLY Demongo.

I’ve been looking into the topic of the fae recently, and I thought it would be a funny nod to its lore for the Scotsman to genuinely think Demongo was part of the fae and insult him as such, which Demmy take GREAT offense to.

What none of them realize is that there was someone else following the group in secret, which turns out to be one of Scotsman’s daughters, Flora. Despite not even being a teenager yet, she still had the fiery fighting spirit of her father, and wished to be sure her father would be safe from the goons that attacked him before. Of course, she tries to ensure her father doesn’t suspect her presence, knowing he’d disapprove of her risking her own life for his sake.

However, the main gang’s squabbling is interrupted when the daughters and the head cultist arrive, the latter being there to personally ensure the death of the samurai.

While Jack handled the head cultist and the duo handled most of the daughters, the Scotsman found himself up against the two youngest twins, who he just did not have the heart to fight, even if the two were more than willing to tear him apart.

This is when Flora makes her presence known, defending her father from the twins, much to Scotsman’s disapproval. However, seeing someone their age fight for someone she deeply cares about, the twins start to reconsider their alliance. Scotsman actively telling his daughter how he refuses to let her fight and get herself hurt is the final nail in the coffin for the twins, since their own mother was not nearly as considerate. This is where they start asking questions, such as why would the Scotsman refuse to let his child fight in battle and such, all culminating to the big guy letting the fatherly instincts kick in and deciding he was going to be a MUCH better parent to these two than the head cultist ever was… much to Flora’s displeasure.

By the time this is said and done, the other three have taken care of the of the daughters and the head cultist, Jack wishing they could’ve found a way to get through to the other daughters as well… but Demongo immediately dismisses that thought.

The demon at LEAST tries to butter up the Scotsman and try to make a proper alliance, but the big guy still hates his guts, deciding to take Flora and his new daughters home… especially since the former was MOST DEFINITELY grounded for that little stunt she pulled.

I can see Demongo just shrugging it off, telling Jack “Well, you can’t say I didn’t TRY” cause I feel like he’d rub it in Jack’s face how him trying to be nice for once absolutely failed KWMWKWMWOSMWOD

Episode 22 — Scara, Demmy, and Jack come across an old house seemingly in the middle of nowhere, most of which being covered in a botanical mess of plants and vines and shit. They were going to ignore it when Scaramouche felt interested in investigating the residence, and so the three proceeded inside the home.

While they dig deeper and deeper into the home, Scara keeps getting brief and vague flashbacks to something, but he can’t quite remember the details too well. It’s only when he alone eventually discovers the miniature lab underneath the home when his memories become active again (ya know… like a computer booting up old videos and shit).

He starts remembering the first few moments of becoming active, with his creator welcoming him into a world. As present Scara starts going back to all the weird shit the three of them found, he starts to recover more and more memories, up until he recalls his creator’s last words to him. Present Scara stops to stare at a broken window, a piece of cloth still being stuck in one of the many shards. Judging from the barely visible insignia featured on it, it appeared to have once belonged to one of the members of the syndicate from season one.

His creator had a bounty on his head.

Demongo has been asking if Scara was alright throughout the entire ordeal, but ultimately, Scara simply tells him that this place just reminded him of some simple, distant memories. Demmy, while still suspecting something major was up and thus trying to be as supportive as he can, accepts the explanation for now.

Before they depart, Jack eventually chimes in to ask if Scara knew what this place was and who used to live here, the big guy eventually replying with “No.”

Episode 23 — The episode starts with Jack briefly parting ways with the duo so he can get some answers as to how he can either return or replace his sword. Since Demmy and Scara weren’t too fond of going on such a boring journey, they’re happy to stay behind. After Jack wanders about, coming across all sorts of oddities (like maybe stumbling across the Grim Reaper, the one from Billy and Mandy making a brief cameo thanks to how THAT universe is seemingly connected to all other CN properties). Eventually, he stumbles across the portal guardian, who has grown old and frail, but NOT from proper aging. He tells Jack about how “the timeline has shifted”, and how he can no longer see into the future like he used to. He is uncertain of what will happen next, and tells Jack to be careful, for nothing is certain anymore. Jack returns to Demmy and Scara, who SEEMINGLY have just been goofing off for the entire episode. Jack is absolutely traumatized by what he just witnessed… but decides it’s not worth talking to these two about it. Plus, the two don’t seem to care anyway.

Episode 24 — This episode starts with the EXACT same setup as episode 23, but instead of focusing on Jack’s perspective, it focuses on Scara and Demmy’s perspective. After the two have some silly banter, Demmy decides to talk about his “upbringing” and how he is quite literally the only one of his “species” due to how his creation required not only PLENTY of resources, but also VERY precise conditions. He throws some little nuggets of information in there, like how he is basically made entirely of carbon, more so than any human or similar organic creature. Scara is fascinated by this, but gets a curveball thrown at him when Demmy asks about HIS creation.

At first, Scara is VERY but hesitant, but eventually gives in and tells Demmy about his background, his creator, and even the last conversation the two of them had. Demmy is quite fascinated by the idea of Scara seeing the old man as “his dad”, especially since Demmy himself doesn’t have any equivalent to that. Can’t have a parental figure if you’re just a weird creature that just POPPED out of the ground one day. However, Scara reassured him that it probably was for the best the small demon never had a parental figure.

He tells the lil guy about how his old man wanted the big fella to live a good life, and he good to others in turn… and feels a bit gross knowing that he eventually turned to the same kind of job that got the poor old man killed, and he doesn’t know what to do about it. Even if Demmy is not the best with comforting (in fact, I’d wager he’s typically kind of shit at it), he tries reassuring the big guy that the two of them are at LEAST doing some good NOW. Even so, Scara knows all this was just temporary, and admits he is a little afraid of trying to start a clean life if they were to ever take down Aku.

Demmy, who had once thrived off of the idea of being a menace to others, decided he was willing to at least attempt to be better if it meant helping his big tin can partner out, which is something even Scara is surprised to see, but he doesn’t reject the idea. Ultimately, the two decide to try and “wing it”, see where this plan to take down Aku goes. The two start gushing about one another when Jack finally returns, which mirrors how the previous episode ended. Neither party knows what just happened, nor do they care to tell each other.

Episode 25 — I’m not entirely sure what this episode will entail either, but I’m at least certain it will involve Jack gaining “his sword” back, or at least a spiritual rendition of it, much like what happened in the comics. However, this alone would not defeat Aku once and for all, and Jack knew that well, so he still trusted Demmy and Scara to help him take down the big guy for good.

Episode 26 — This is the episode where the big fight with Aku happens.

I dunno how it starts, but I sure as hell know how it ends.

While the three are able to decently weaken Aku, they are unable to do the finishing blow. The battle keeps going, wearing out the three while Aku keeps on fighting.

However, due to Aku’s weakened state, Demongo gets an idea, a DANGEROUS idea.

He decides to try and take the essence of Aku himself, which

To everyone’s surprise

Actually works!

An Aku-shaped skull forms on Demongo’s chest, solidifying his control over his former master.

While Jack is hesitant as to what Demongo would do next, one of the first things Demmy does is harness Aku’s powers to provide a portal into the past, offering Jack a chance to go back into the past and right Aku’s wrongs. Despite it being the main theme of the original show, Jack refuses, choosing to stay in the present and help the people that still needed his aid here.

Demongo was extremely relieved to hear that, not only cause he didn’t want to risk himself and Scara being erased from existence, but also because Demmy KNEW someone was going to have to take Aku’s place as ruler, and he… weirdly didn’t want that.

The old Demongo would have dreamed of this day to come, but not THIS Demongo. He just wanted to live a simple-ish life with Scara, finally feeling content with himself.

Eventually, the two make a deal.

Due to Demongo having Aku’s essence, he would become the new public figure, donning a new emperor outfit & everything. However, he alone would not be the one to make the big decisions and shit.

He of course had Scara, who he’d ensure would live a more comfortable life by his side, but he didn’t wanna put any kind of pressure on the big guy to help him out.

No.

That kinda power would be put in Jack’s hands.

After all, he IS the son of the original emperor.

Despite this, Jack spends most of his time traveling the land and helping those in need, ensuring peace throughout the world…

…

Also, if there would be any kind of epilogue of sorts, it would DEFINITELY involve the two dorks getting married, because I’m based like that. :))) KWMWKWMWOSM

Alrighty!!

Now that the entire AU’s basic outline is out of the way, I wanna share some art I made exclusively for this AU so far!

First off, since I plan for Demongo to have alternative outfits as the story progresses, I made 3 additional default outfits for him to don.

All three of these outfits were initially designed by @tigerarainbowra-blog while I only tweaked them a bit, so you can thank her for these AWESOME outfits!

This one with the BEEG shoulder pad jackets is a favorite of mine (making its initial appearance in the rave episode), and is definitely the one bro is seen the MOST in throughout the entire AU.

Meanwhile, this last one is only seen halfway into season 2 once he gets used to being around Jack.

Scaramouche also had alternative outfits as well, but I haven’t gotten around to designing them just yet, so :p

Aside from additional outfits, I also have whipped up some designs for some original characters that’ll appear in this AU!

These two, Spunk and Clunk (named by the lovely @aceofcards0715 ), were heavily inspired by the two jester robots seen in the GBA game “Samurai Jack: Amulet of Time”.

The diamonds on their arms are supposed to be in relation to the syndicate, even if I haven’t quite figured out the details or it yet.

I was fascinated by just how similar these two looked compared to Scaramouche, so I doubled down on that idea.

You can see these guys as like

Newer models that were created using the same schematics for Scaramouche himself.

Cause I’m sure those schematics are out there SOMEWHERE…

Speaking of Scaramouche, I felt like giving the fella a BIT of a backstory, so I decided that instead of, say, being created by a bunch of evil scientists…

He was instead built by a retired one, who left once he had enough of the twisted work Aku put him through.

He is where Scaramouche gets a lot of his more humane quirks, even if the big guy doesn’t really remember his creator all too well.

The details are fuzzy…

Tigera also was the one to originally make Fern’s design.

Honestly, she’s been a BIG help with this AU, both with the designs and the episodes themselves, I couldn’t thank her enough for it!

Go check her out if you haven’t already! She’s SUPER talented!

Anyway

I have plenty of more original characters I want to properly flesh out, and a lot of new designs for some familiar faces (since this AU DOES take place a few decades after season 4 of the original series), so this will NOT be the last time you hear about this AU.

Oh no…

THIS is just the BEGINNING…

Although, please do keep in mind that this is just a concept I made for funsies, so I don’t plan on actually doing anything BIG with it.

Additionally, some details are subject to change…

HOWEVER, despite all of that, I hope what I CAN provide is still overall engaging!

I MIGHT just write out some of these episodes in the future, if I can garner the motivation for it…

For now though, I hope you all enjoyed this brief lil glimpse into the funni shit that occupies my brain on a daily basis! KWNWKWMWOSMOSDM

#samurai Jack #SJ #samurai Jack au #SJ au #samurai Jack duo of doom #sj DoD #DoD #Duo of Doom #Demongo #Scaramouche #samurai jack scaramouche #sj scaramouche #scaramongo #fandango #cd au #cdverse #cd art

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thatlovinfeelin · 1 year

Text

Flightless Bird | ten | Bradley Rooster Bradshaw

Synopsis: Josephine Wilson Miller is alone for the first time in her life. She got married after her first year of college and became a housewife, but that life is gone now. So she runs to San Diego, to her childhood best friend Jake, where she meets the man who could very well be her salvation.

series warnings: unplanned pregnancy, just pregnancy in general, talks of infertility. past mental and emotional abuse. anxiety. talks of women's reproductive systems (idk)

“My client is not in agreement with these terms.”

Josephine clenched her fists. She’d been in this damn conference room for two hours while her lawyer argued with Michael’s. She just needed this to be over already. He was the one that kicked her out, so why the hell wouldn’t he just sign the damn papers and be done with it?

“I think you’ll find these conditions are more than favorable for your client,” Her lawyer responded calmly, “Mrs. Miller isn’t asking for any assets, in fact she wants nothing from your client. Mrs. Miller’s only request has been made very clear, we feel it’s quite simple.”

Jose could hear Michael mumble something on the other end of the phone. She knew he was there, of course, even if they hadn’t said a single word to one another. They’d been going back and forth through their lawyers for weeks now. But he kept dragging his feet at every turn, making every possible excuse as to why the divorce wasn’t fair.

“You and your client are asking my client, Mr. Miller, to sign away his rights. This is no simple matter.”

“I think you’ll find, given the situation that-”

“Michael, can you hear me?” Jose cut off her lawyer.

“Mrs. Miller, please.”

“I’d like to speak with my husband, since legally, we’re still married. Michael?”

She could hear him clearing his throat, “I’m here.”

“Why are you being so stubborn? You’re the one that made this happen,” Jose reminded him softly, “I’m not asking for anything more than what you made clear you wanted.”

“Oh, that’s how you see it?” He scoffed.

“You threw me out, in the cold. I had nowhere to go, because I didn’t have a life outside of you. All because I dared to say I wanted to keep the baby,” She reminded him, “You didn’t want anything to do with either of us, and you still don’t. Stop acting like you do.”

“No, no, you made that choice. You chose to leave.”

“You can keep everything, the apartment, the money, all of the investments we made. I don’t want any of it anymore,” She pleaded, “Just sign the papers, please Michael. Stop the cycle here, don’t be like your father. Don’t use this child…my child…as a bargaining chip.”

“Josephine, you just love to paint everyone else as the villain in your story. It’s always everyone else’s fault, never your own. You told me you weren’t able to conceive, so we made a different life for ourselves. Don’t blame me because you lied and changed your mind.”

Jose held onto her stomach, feeling his words hit her like knives, “You know I never lied about that. You were at so many of those appointments. Michael, please think about what you’re doing. You’re trying to use an innocent little baby girl as leverage. She hasn’t done anything yet, she didn’t choose to exist, but she does. It isn’t her fault.”

The silence seemed to be so loud it almost hurt. Her lawyer sat quietly next to her, waiting for the next move. Up until now, Michael and Jose hadn’t spoken to one another since she left New York. Aside from the text messages Michael sent to tell her to get Jake off of his back.

“It’s a girl?”

She wasn’t sure if she imagined the sound of his voice breaking or not, “I found out last week. She’s healthy, ten fingers and toes. Mi, our marriage was over a long time before she came about. You know it just as much as I do. Don’t punish her for our mistakes.”

“You want me to sign away all of my rights to her.”

“It’s just as much for her as it is for you. It’ll protect you, no one could ever claim you have to pay any type of support. Your name won’t go on her birth certificate, as far as anyone is concerned, I’m her only parent. Michael, you can continue to live your life with no strings. You can find someone who will actually be good at all of the games. I was never fit for that life, no matter how hard I tried.”

“Josephine, I-”

“We loved each other once, Michael. I know we did. But those kids that fell in love and got married have been gone for a long time now. We’ve been holding each other back and hurting each other at every turn. So please, do right by our daughter. The best thing you could ever do for her is give her up.”

“I-” He took a deep breath, “You’re right. The papers will be faxed to you no later than tomorrow evening.”

Josephine sunk back in her chair with tears swelling in her eyes, “Thank you.”

“Jose?”

“Yeah Mi?”

“You’re going to be an amazing mother,” He said softly, “Our daughter…your daughter is lucky.”

“I hope one day you get to see her, Michael, but it will always be her choice.”

“Goodbye, Jose.”

“Bye, Mi.”

When Jose came bursting through Jake’s front door three hours later with signed divorce papers in her hands, she didn’t expect to run right into Jake and Phoenix on the couch. They both jumped up, quickly moving away from one another. Which only seemed to make Jose laugh.

“Sorry, don’t mind me,” Jose held her hands up, “Go back to whatever it was you were doing. I’ll just leave.”

“Hey wait!” The other woman yelled, “How did it go?”

“Well, the next item on the to-do list is to legally change my name back to Wilson,” She shrugged, “Michael agreed to sign the papers. The office sent them over an hour ago, I’m officially no longer married.”

Jake and Natasha were on Jose in an instant, both hugging her tightly. Jose laughed and hugged them back. Her baby might not legally have a father, but she already had some of the best family. In another world, Jose might be scared about doing this without a partner beside her, but she knew she wouldn’t be alone. She would always have Jake, and Phoenix, and Bradley and anyone else that came along with them. She was making her own little family.

“How did you manage it?” Nat asked her once they all settled into the living room.

“I think I appealed to the boy I fell in love with. There was still some humanity left in there somewhere.”

“Have you told Bradley?” Jake questioned.

“No, I came straight home to tell you.”

Natasha pulled out her phone, “I’m telling him to get his ass over here.”

“What? Why? Nat stop!”

“Too late,” The woman grinned, “You probably have less than five minutes.”

“I say she has two,” Jake chimed in, “He’s pretty fast.”

“Why did you do that?” Jose questioned, standing up.

“Because you like him,” Natasha shrugged, “And you’re single now.”

“I’m pregnant! It doesn’t matter who I like!” Jose argued, “Jake! Help me!”

“Sweetheart, we’ve had this conversation one too many times already,” Jake sighed, “And I’m tired of Bradshaw playing a one sided game of twenty questions about you while we’re on base.”

“He asks about me?”

“Too much,” Jake rolled his eyes, “In any other situation I wouldn’t be supporting this. I know you’re scared, but I also know the two of you have some kind of bond that I don’t understand. I trust him. So, let your guard down for a minute.”

“You know why I can’t do that,” Jose argued.

“Don’t use her as an excuse,” Jake was standing in front of Jose now with his hands on her shoulders, “It’s okay that you’re scared, but don’t use your daughter as an out, okay? Be a big girl and accept the fact that you have feelings.”

“Jake, I think it’s a good day to sit out on the back patio, don’t you?” Natasha questioned, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Phoenix, I think that’s a great idea,” He smirked, leaning over to kiss Jose’s forehead, “Holler if you need us, Sweetheart. Play nice.”

“I hate you both so much right now.”

It took five minutes for the knock on Jake’s door. Josephine’s hands were all sweaty by the time she reached for the handle. She didn’t know what she was supposed to say, or what Natasha even said to get Bradley over here.

It took her less than a second to realize just how nervous she was. Which seemed weird, she never really felt nervous around Bradley. Always an overwhelming sense of calm, yet not her heart was pounding like it might burst.

“Hey are you okay?” Bradley asked frantically the second Jose opened the door.

“I’m fine,” She said quickly, “I promise, everyone is okay.”

“Phoenix said I needed to get over here as-” Bradley stopped and looked at the woman in front of him, “Why are you smiling like that? What’s going on?”

Jose reached forward, pulling Bradley towards her. His eyebrows were pinched together as he put his arms around her. Despite everything, Jose couldn’t think about anything other than the man before her.

“I’m free,” She told him softly, “He signed the papers today.”

“Jose, that’s amazing,” His voice was so tender it made her heart seem to jump.

“I meant what I said,” She whispered, “I want you in my life.”

“I’m right here.”

She had to get on her toes, which in her current state was harder than it should have been. Bradley stayed still, not wanting to scare her. But he liked when she seemed braver, he liked when she was like this. Her eyes flicked back up to his for a moment before she leaned in the rest of the way.

Then it was just them. Just Bradley and Jose, and the sparks that she wasn’t going to ignore anymore.

#bradley bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #rooster x oc #bradley rooster bradshaw x oc #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #bradley bradshaw fic #rooster top gun #rooster fanfic #rooster bradshaw fanfic #rooster bradshaw imagine #top gun fanfiction #top gun imagine #top gun maverick imagine #top gun maverick #top gun

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moriartyluver · 10 months

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FALSE LOVERS CHAPTER III

"YOU MUST BE SOMEWHAT worried, (name)," William spoke, eventually ending their book discussion.

"Why would I be worried? I'm not worried."she replied back quickly clenching her fists against her dress. "There's nothing to be worried about."

William brought his hand up to (name)'s face, slowly brushing it from her cheek down to her chin whilst she grew more flustered by the second as she furrowed her brows. He tilted her chin up gently so she was facing him, centimetres away from his face

"It's not every day that you get 'fake engaged' to someone..and I understand you don't think of me fondly." He reminded her to which she replied with a scoff.

"I think that's quite the understatement," (name) grew strangely cold all of a sudden, moving away from him. "Shouldn't you be returning to the party? Are your brothers not looking for you at least?"

"I told them I was coming out here to find you, they're currently entertaining themselves with the other guests..I suspect Albert may be speaking to Marquis (Last name) about the wedding arrangements," William said, resting his head against the bark of the tree, his light blond locs contrasting with the dark tree. He shut his eyes as if he were thinking deeply about something. "Did your parents give you their blessing..?"

(Name) nodded "Father seemed enthusiastic about the wedding and mother was satisfied that I wasn't going to die alone..although our marriage will probably not change anything in that sense." She sighed, picking her book back up from the ground "wait a minute-" she paused as William opened his eyes to face her once more "you gave me the impression that you just so happened to have stumbled across me reading here, but you were, in actuality, looking for me?"

William averted his gaze, and turning away so that his face was no longer visible to (name) whilst slowly standing up. "Well it's not like you to be surprised when coming into knowledge of my ulterior motives..I'll return to the party now," he turned and gave (name) his hand to take so he could help her up "Would you care to join me?"

She smacked his hand away, to which William gave a polite smile. "I thought we had already established that I don't need your help with anything"

"Oh but you do, sweetheart," William smirked, his voice held a mocking yet amused tone "Have you really forgotten why this engagement was arranged?"

"Do not remind me of my foolish mistakes, Moriarty." (Name) glared as she stood up. "You know exactly why I requested your assistance and the heavens are to witness that this will be the first and last time I ask for your help."

"You haven't changed much from your fiery teenage self." Her fiancé chuckled softly, guiding her hand to his arm as they walked back together, much to (name)'s annoyance.

The party had ended after hours of pretending to be William's dearest lover and (name) eventually retired to her chambers in the Marquis' summer estate.

Josephine was patiently waiting outside of her room to help her get ready for bed whilst (name) screamed into her pillow repeatedly.

'William must have been flirting with her ladyship again..' Josephine thought to herself with a sigh.

Eventually the door swung open to reveal a disheveled and irritated (name), allowing Josephine to enter her large room. From a single glance, one could instantly tell this wasn't her usual residence. She would only stay in the summer estate if she were too tired to leave after a party or in the summer when the environment was a lot more enjoyable. Except this summer felt like absolute hell all because of that stupid man.

(Name)'s room in London, where she usually would stay, was a mess, especially around her desk where papers were littered everywhere, and (name) would usually lie with her head on the desk, asleep whilst her hair cascaded onto the wood surface, her whole appearance disheveled.

"Would you like me to help you undress, my lady?" The 15 year old asked, wary of her lady's unpredictable temper.

(Name) nodded and as soon as Josephine had started helping her remove her attire and makeup, she instantly begun to complain about William's behaviour.

"...and then he just smirked at me and had the nerve to say 'oh but you do sweetheart.'" (Name) quoted him in a mocking voice as she mimicked him. "It's like he wants me to punch him right in the nose."

Josephine tried to resist the urge to laugh and maintain a straight face whilst (name) continued complaining. Ever since her lady had started teaching her how to read and write, Josephine had started reading a few romance novels which (name) would eagerly lend her from the estate's library and she really could not help but think that (name) and William seemed like the perfect protagonists for one of those books.

"My lady, what time would you like to take the train to London in the morning?" Josephine asked once (name) was sat in her bed, with a book in her hands

"As early as possible..I have business to attend to for the sake of the Marquis. He's quite incompetent when it comes to trade but when he throws parties, he's all of a sudden a master trader...really...father must have been the one to inherit the intelligence from My late grandparents, even though he doesn't act like it.." (name) trailed off "let's see..we should be at London by noon, so we must leave Cornwall at..about five o'clock in the morning."

"Very well, I shall leave you to rest with the time we have now." Josephine left the room with a smile.

As she returned to her chambers even as a maid, she couldn't help but feel somewhat excited for the coming months in her lady's stead.

Within the next month, Lady (name) would marry Lord William and become Lady Moriarty. The wedding plans had already been set out and despite being for a fake relationship, they were so incredibly extravagant.

From what she had seen in the past few months that she had been serving Lady (name) she was quite the workaholic. Whether it be studying for university to prove her worth to the world, or managing her uncle's financial affairs, (name) would do nothing but sit at her desk for hours on end.

In Josephine's eyes, the only person who could temporarily distract her from this addiction was Lord William. She had only met the man once or twice when accompanying Lady (name) to meet him but from what she had seen of their relationship and heard from others, William had an incredibly teasing nature with the woman, even when she had a gun to his throat whilst he proposed to her.

She had only wished her saviour great happiness and if William was the one to give that to her, she would gladly root for them.

Josephine picked up the journal beside her bed, writing about her day. Once her arms had grown tired and weary as she wrote of what (name) had told her she had experienced and her day in the manor, she put her fountain pen down and flipped through the journal she had recently received as she waited for the ink to dry. The previous entries had made her feel emotional. Naturally so, considering all she had been through.

Eventually, her fingers made their way to the first entry. Her handwriting quality and variation of vocabulary was limited compared to what she had done recently but she felt proud of learning how to write nonetheless.

Josephine shut the leather diary and blew out her candle before falling asleep with a soft smile on her face.

‘It’s dark’

Grey eyes darted around the room. It was a strange little , but well kept basement. The entrance, which was surrounded by fog, clearly indicated that this was a nobleman’s home.

Her pale fingers pressed onto the door, opening it as it creaked.

Inside was a man with his back turned to the door. He was stood against a table.

Josephine kept her eyes on the man, frozen in fear but what she was afraid of, she didn’t know.

Or rather, she had forgotten the horrors she once saw.

She looked back at the table. There was an arm hanging limp over the edge of the table. The noises had gotten clearer and she could know hear some groans coming from the man and subtle sounds of tearing and cutting.

The man turned around, making eye contact with her but his face, apart from his blood shot eyes, was dark and cast in shadow.

“No!”

Sitting up, Josephine realised she was drenched in sweat. Her palms were clammy and her face flushed red. She put her hand to her chest as she tried to steady her breathing.

“He can’t hurt me anymore..he..he’s gone..”

A/N: poor Josephine, itd be a shame if her past came back to haunt her :) jk I’m not that mean. Also I’m sorry not that many fl and Liam interactions this chapter I promise itll get better later. Anyways tiny sneak peak to Josies backstory I wonder what happened-

#moriarty the patriot #william james moriarty #william moriarty #william moriarty x reader #mtp william #yuukoku no moriarty #yuukoku no moriarty x reader #moriarty the patriot x reader #yuumori x reader

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antiquatedsimmer · 8 months

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As the sun dipped below the horizon and the rest of the household began their preparations to retire for the night, Eddy's footsteps guided him to the weathered shed. Within its dimly lit interior, Silas was once again engrossed in a myriad of projects, his hands deftly manipulating tools and materials.

Eddy leaned casually against the shed's open doorway, his form casting a faint shadow amidst the workspace. With a subtle throat clearing, he turned his attention to his son.

"Silas, the hour's growin' late, boy. "

(Long Post Warning)

" I've got somethin' of importance to discuss with you, Let's talk in the parlor."

At the sound of his father's call, Silas shifted his focus, his interest piqued by the unusual tone in Eddy's words.

"I was just about ready to call it a night myself, I'll be right there. "

After meticulously stowing his tools, Silas retraced his steps back to the comforting sanctuary of the farmhouse. The fire's gentle dance cast flickering shadows across the room, illuminating his father Eddy, who was settled into a steadfast rocking chair. Its measured creaking wove a rhythmic tapestry against the backdrop of the room's hushed atmosphere.

"Join me, boy," Eddy's voice held authority, inviting Silas to settle in.

As Silas settled into the room's ambiance, a thick tension wrapped around him, impossible to ignore. The air was charged with a sense of déjà vu as if he was treading a familiar path, a well-worn trail of past conversations. His father's penetrating gaze bore into him, adding weight to the already expectant atmosphere.

Silas steeled himself, knowing all too well what might lie ahead - a discourse he had grown accustomed to, a lecture on the primacy of farm duties over his own creative pursuits. Eddy's comments, like the insistent ticking of a clock, had consistently interwoven themselves with Silas' ventures, a persistent reminder that the farm's obligations must always take precedence.

"You know me, Silas. I've never been one to dance around matters, so I'll speak plainly. "

" I've arrived at a decision."

Silas's breath caught, the impending storm of emotions threatening to surface as he clenched his jaw, determined to keep his temper in check.

"Before winter sets in, you'll be wed to Josephine Coombes," Eddy's declaration landed with weight, the words reverberating in the room.

A surge of disbelief and shock coursed through Silas, extinguishing the flames of brewing argument as swiftly as they ignited. "Married? To Josephine Coombes, the social pariah?" his inner thoughts were a jumble of confusion.

Eddy's demeanor remained unwavering, his voice resolute as he held the reins of the conversation firmly. "Starting tomorrow, we'll join forces with a hired group of men, both Coombes and myself. Together, we'll set the land straight, preparing it for a home where you and Josephine can live happily together."

Silas erupted from his seat, his demeanor giving way to a boiling rage. "Pa, you can't be serious! I hardly even know that woman. She's been off at that fancy finishing school for years, and now you're foistin' their burden onto me?"

Eddy's face remained steadfast, his silence a command as unyielding as an oak tree. His stern gaze bore into Silas as he rose from his seat. "Sit yourself back down this instant and speak like a man, not a sulkin' youngster. This union's been in the cards for a while now. You and Josephine, neither of ya got your hearts elsewhere. Considerin' the circumstances, I figure it's the right path."

Silas continued, "She's squandered every blessed chance her family gave her by acting a fool! She's older than me, damn it!"

" This isn't a union it's a damn punishment! " he shouted

Eddy's voice rumbled, his tone sharper now, his patience wearing thin. "AND BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE NOTHIN' BUT FIDDLE WITH METAL CONTRAPTIONS IS HOW YOU'VE WASTED YOURS. "

" You're nearly on 19, Silas, and ain't got much to show for it. If you'd put a mite more effort into your duties, you might've managed to make something of yourself and meet someone along the way! "

"But no, you've frittered away your time, avoidin' responsibility, leavin' me to make the decisions for you again!"

Silas gritted his teeth as Eddy pressed on, his tone simmering with a mix of irritation and control.

"Count yourself lucky, boy. Josephine comes from wealth, she's got ties to the family. She's made her mistakes, but She'll treat you right. "

Eddy's arms locked across his chest, his gaze drilling into Silas like steel daggers. "Your time's run out, boy, and I ain't got no more patience left waitin' for you to grow into a man. "

" This is MY land, I am your Father, as long as I live you will always listen to ME. You will marry Josephine and you will be happy. "

Silas stood there, muscles coiled like a spring about to snap, his voice a quiet release amidst the tension. "Yes, Father."

"Good. Now, rest up, 'cause tomorrow's gonna be a long day. Lots of work waitin' for us."

Eddy's eyes tracked his son as he left the parlor.

In his bedroom, Silas had changed into his nightwear, yet his mind remained ablaze with the echoes of the heated confrontation downstairs. "How can he claim the right to govern my life?" Silas fumed inwardly, bitterness coursing through his thoughts. "Shouldn't tending to the farm and pursuing my own path be enough for him?"

His fingers gripped the weathered edges of the desk before him with a force that threatened to splinter the wood.

"I must break free from this constricting grip. I shall not subject myself to a life dictated by him. "

My abilities and intellect extend beyond this place. I need to get out, I could get a train ticket and leave for a better city that'll recognize my intellect!"

As his thoughts whirled like a spinning wheel, sudden clarity pierced through the fog of uncertainty.

"Daniel Coombes," Silas contemplated, a subtle smirk dancing upon his lips. "Josephine's father is a man of influence and connections...Our union could help me get what my technology needs to succeed, supporters. "

The tension that had gripped his shoulders began to melt away as realization took hold, and with a renewed sense of purpose, Silas eased himself onto his bed, the weight of his father's words diminishing in the wake of the myriad opportunities now dancing before him.

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antidepressantsandlightcycles · 1 year

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HER/SRS

#samurai Jack #Josephine clench #wait she’s in battle through time???#Josephine samurai Jack

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queenfisher1 · 27 days

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Dreamcatcher

This is in relation to my wip called "Aspen's Wings" which I'm not working on currently, but will continue one day. Thankyou @flashfictionfridayofficial for this amazing prompt.

Aspen burst through the door and began walking deep into the green house filled to the brim with spiny succulents and grass. Following footsteps echoed behind her. She clenched her arms as she sped away at a fast walk.

“Aspen, listen to me!” Dreamcatcher’s voice trailed in desperation. The muscles in her arm began to tense as those words slipped through her ears. The feathers on her wings began to extend from her flesh. “Aspen, will you just stop for a minute?!”

“Just leave me alone!” Aspen growled as she walked through another door, entering a slightly more humid room. She could hear Dreamcatcher let out a sigh. Her blood began to boil as her footsteps followed after her. Her rage muffled out Josephine’s panicked rambling, probably her attempts to calm her down, but she didn’t care. All she felt was the firmness in her fists and the tears being held back by her pride. For a moment, she could remember her mom’s forgiving smile.

“Aspen, please, let me explain myself!” Dreamcatcher continued to beg as she followed her. Aspen’s face began turning red as she ignored her. Her hand grabbed her shoulder and tried to turn her around. “Please let me speak with you!”

“Why should I?!” Aspen smacked her hand and quickened her pace. “You have already explained yourself well enough!!”

“Aspen!” Dreamcatcher cried as she reached for her. “Please, just listen to me!!”

“I already have!!” She soon enters a room filled with large ferns and palms from the floor to the slightly translucent ceiling above her. She walks up to a fountain in the middle of the room, the stone covered in mosses and mildew. The sound of the trickling water made a reminiscing sound that echoed around, bouncing off the walls and floor. Her muscles began to ease.

“Aspen, she doesn’t know,” Josephine whispered urgently. “You need to tell her.”

“She doesn’t need to know,” Aspen grumbled quietly. The footsteps behind her silenced. “I know it hurts, I’ve been living in your head ever since you were brought outside of your realm. I know how much you’ve been trying to get back home.” Dreamcatcher’s presence became known when she heard her large wings brush against the greenery. Aspen let out an agitated sigh, looking down at the fountain water pooled at the bottom, still clenching her arms.

“Aspen, please, just listen to me-”

“Listen to you?!” Aspen grunts as she lifts her hands and combs through her hair, gripping her scalp. The tears began to build up more as she began to open her mouth to speak. “I thought you were my friend!! You tricked me! I thought you actually cared!”

“But Aspen, I do care,” she sighed.

“No! You never cared! What kind of friend abandons them in a cave with no one else to help them?! If you cared, you would’ve come to get me out of there! I had to get out of that forsaken place on my own!! For years, I’ve been trying to get back home, back to who I thought was my friend!! Then you come to me to reveal that you were the cause of my pain!!”

“I’m sorry for making you homesick.”

“Homesick?!” Aspen clenched her fists. “I don’t even belong here!! I’m supposed to be home with my family! You took me away from my family and for what?! Because you’re lonely?!”

“I was trying to protect you!”

“Protect me from what?! The anomaly hunters?! They’re after me because of you! I was never meant to explore worlds outside of my home! I’m an anomaly that has traveled across the multiverse! If you hadn’t opened that portal- No, if you hadn’t come to my world at all, I would have still been home where I truly belong!”

“Aspen,” she hiccuped as tears slowly streaked down her face. Dreamcatcher’s long white hair drifted over her wet face as she looked at the ground beneath her. Her almost black wings drooped to the floor, unveiling her armor padded shoulders. Aspen fell silent to let her speak, but she already knew she wouldn’t.

“If you really wanted to protect me,” she paused for a moment to catch her breath as her words began to clog up her throat, “you should’ve left my world alone.”

“I’m sorry,” she gasped as more tears fell from her eyes. She put her hand over her mouth and turned away from Aspen, walking out of the room. As soon as she disappeared, tears began to wet Aspen’s face. Each tear slid off her cheek and fell into the fountain in front of her.

“Aspen…,” Josephine sighed, “would you like a moment of silence?” Aspen knelt on the floor and leaned against the lip of the fountain, blanketing herself with her wings. “Aspen?” She took in a deep breath and shakily let it out, hoping the tears would stop.

“Yes,” Aspen replied, wiping the ongoing tears. Soon, the only sound she could hear was the trickling of the water, and the gentle rustling of the leaves being disturbed by the small breeze leaking through the vents on the walls, the only things comforting her aside from her tears.

Undisturbed by any thoughts of being hunted or having to hide, she felt as if she was on the edge of giving up. She tried to remember the last time she saw her family, thinking of what she had last done with them before she had met her fate.

#my writing #writing prompt #fantasy #writeblr #flash fic challenge #flash fiction friday #writing prompts #writing #wip

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gogogodzilla · 1 year

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Happily Ever After || Cullen Rutherford

Summary: Cullen decides to fight for his love. For better or worse.

Note: Part 2 to Lovers' Quarrel from Cullen's POV. Heavily inspired by this post! Go check out their work, it's amazing!

{Part 1}

Cullen was a man dedicated to his job. Or, well, he liked to think he was. But, as he half-read the reports on his desk, he found his mind wandering. His lover’s unwilling betrothal to someone else has plagued his mind in the days since he found out. Not to mention that the Inquisitor might die if they didn’t find a way to stop the mark from spreading.

The creaking of the door to his office caught his attention, and he raised his head to greet whoever decided to visit him.

“Leliana,” he nodded to the spymaster, and stood from his desk, “what are you doing here?”

Leliana took a few steps towards his desk, “The Inquisitor's situation is an unfortunate one. Josephine can only do so much on her side, and there’s no guarantee the Inquisitor would be freed from the commitment.”

He clenched his fists at his side, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” Leliana had that glint in her eyes that she got when she was suggesting something morally questionable, “there is something you can do to help them.”

“What is it?” Cullen’s answer was instantaneous. Anything to help his love. Although, the look on Leliana’s face unsettled him a bit.

She leaned in, “You could duel this Marion Jager for the Inquisitor’s hand and be done with it.”

“No, they wouldn’t want me to do that for them,” he replied forcefully.

Leliana straightened and crossed her arms, “Think about it, Commander.” And with that, she turned on her heel and left his office.

He slowly sank back into his chair. Leliana did have a point. If he could duel this Marion then the Inquisitor would be freed from them. He was running out of options, and right now this seemed like the best one.

He would fight for his love, then. Nothing was going to get in between them.

The next day, he arranged for one of his people to deliver the challenge for a duel. He felt horrible for going behind the Inquisitor’s back, but white-hot determination quickly overcame that guilt.

He was issuing the command when the Inquisitor came into his office. “I need this sent out immediately,” he commanded before dismissing the soldier. The soldier nodded to him before taking their leave, bowing slightly to the Inquisitor as they passed.

The Inquisitor nodded to the soldier before returning their focus to Cullen. He couldn’t help the way his heart beat faster whenever they looked at him. It made him feel like a teenager all over again.

“I love when you use that tone of voice,” the Inquisitor purred as they made their way around his desk and took a seat on the edge. They pulled him closer to them by the waist, and he stood between their legs.

He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to their lips, “How are you feeling?”

They followed him as he pulled away to ask his question, their noses bumping together for a moment before the Inquisitor leaned in. He set his hands on either side of their hips, trapping them at his desk.

“Better, now that I’m with you,” was their cheeky response as they leaned in again. You would think that they hadn’t seen each other in years, the way they were wrapped up in one another. Although, he wouldn’t forget the events of earlier that morning for a very long time.

“If you’re trying to sweet-talk me, it’s working,” he whispered against their lips. They let out a giggle, as they released their hold on him to cup his face in their hands and deepen the kiss.

He let out a groan as the Inquisitor��s hands moved to run through his hair, and he pushed them toward the edge of his desk.

They pulled away, lips shiny and plump from their endeavors. “Your presence is requested in the war room, Commander,” they panted out, a blush dusting their cheeks. He knew he was bright red based purely on how hot he felt.

“Of course, Inquisitor,” he breathed. Maker, help him.

He stepped away, allowing the Inquisitor to rise from his desk. He offered them his arm, which they graciously took.

“Have you and Josephine made any progress on the betrothal situation?” He asked nonchalantly as they made their way through the rotunda, Solas’s old paintings scattered across the walls. It filled him with some sadness to see the area so empty.

The Inquisitor paused to stare at one of the murals, “No, but we’re getting there.” They deflated slightly, and he stepped in front of them, preventing them from walking any further.

“We’ll figure it out,” he assured as he lifted their face so they’d look at him. They kissed him, short and sweet, before dragging him to the war room.

They entered together before reluctantly separating to take their usual seats. Josephine wandered over to the Inquisitor and they began talking in hurried whispers.

“I see you took my suggestion, Commander,” Leliana smirked as she leaned closer to him.

He huffed, “Can you keep them busy when I have to go?”

“Just say the word,” she murmured, before returning her attention to the Inquisitor who was finishing her conversation with Josephine.

The Inquisitor’s eyes darted between Cullen and Leliana, and his heart sank. They knew.

“Shall we begin?” The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow, a slight grin gracing their features.

“Yes, Inquisitor,” he replied.

A few days passed before he received a response to his challenge. A runner entered his office with a message which stated that an envoy had just arrived from Marion Jager, and he was waiting to speak with Cullen.

“Send him to my office,” Cullen told the messenger who simply nodded in response. Cullen stood at his desk for a few moments, mulling over what to say to this envoy. Hopefully, their meeting would be quick, and he could get right to the part where he destroys the person who threatened to take his love from him.

A lanky man wearing the usual Orlesian half-mask entered his office, and Cullen held back a sneer. He never understood why Orlesians insisted on wearing those ridiculous masks.

“Greeting, Commander,” the man stood tall in front of his desk, “I am here on behalf of Sovereign Marion Jager. They accept your challenge and shall expect you in Val Royeaux.”

Cullen nodded, “I’ll be there.”

“Good, I will let the Sovereign know. Good day, Commander,” the man gave him a slight bow and took his leave.

Cullen felt his pulse quicken. He needed to think of an excuse that would allow him to be gone for at least a week without the Inquisitor knowing.

“I need your help,” Cullen said and Leliana stood in front of him, the warm afternoon light shining in through the window behind her. The ruffling of feathers sounded behind him, and he tried to ignore it. He wasn’t particularly fond of the rookery.

“Ah, Commander, right on time,” she replied with a knowing smile.

He sighed, “Can you distract them? I need to go to-”

“Val Royeaux, yes, I know.”

He never quite understood just how Leliana seemed to know everything that occurred in Skyhold. She just did. Although, he supposed it was her job to know everything just like it was his job to whip the recruits into shape.

“I’ll need about a week to get there, just keep them busy until I can get back,” he continued. Normally, he wouldn’t dare lie to the Inquisitor, but these were different circumstances. The guilt still tore him up inside, though.

Leliana hummed, “I’m sure Josie and I can think of something.”

“You cannot include Josephine in this,” he stressed, “you know how she gets when it comes to the Inquisitor.” Josephine was one of his closest friends, but he knew that she couldn’t keep a secret from the Inquisitor. All they had to do was give her ‘the look’ and she was spilling everything.

“We need everyone on board for this, which includes Josephine,” Leliana countered, raising a brow at him.

Cullen rubbed the back of his neck before letting out a deep sigh, “Fine. Just buy me some time. Please.”

“Of course, Commander. When will you leave?” She asked, a victorious glint in her eyes.

He narrowed his before replying, “As soon as possible. I’d like to get this over as soon as possible.”

Footsteps behind him caused him to turn and he blanched. Shit.

The Inquisitor ascended the steps and looked between the two of them. “Are you going somewhere, Commander?” They questioned, taking a few steps toward Cullen.

He opened his mouth, ready to come clean. He knew when he’d been caught.

“The Commander was just telling me that he received word from Emperor Gaspard asking for his assistance in training the Orlesian troops,” Leliana covered for him almost instantaneously. Thank the Maker.

The Inquisitor’s gaze shifted solely to Cullen, a slight frown gracing her features, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Maker, he wanted to come clean right there and then. Anything to stop the disappointment from gracing her features.

“I just wanted to make sure Gaspard was telling the truth before I came to you,” he was sweating, and he hoped the Inquisitor couldn’t tell. He was quick to remedy the situation, or possibly dig a deeper hole for himself.

“I’ll only be gone for two weeks, at most,” he moved forward to encase their hands in his, “I won’t go if you don’t want me to.” That was a lie. He knew that the Inquisitor would never stop him from taking this opportunity. He also knew that he was going to Val Royeaux no matter what.

The Inquisitor looked over his shoulder to Leliana, and they nodded, “Alright, Cullen… Just come back to me, okay?”

“Always, my love,” he said softly and pressed a kiss to the forehead.

Maker, he was the worst.

The journey to Val Royeaux was eventless. Cullen’s muscles ached from the long days on horseback, but he knew it’d be worth it. He’d do anything if it meant his love would stay in his life.

He was on edge as he entered the golden gates, standing up a little straighter and hand resting on his sword at his side.

Cullen entered the round marketplace, the white stone nearly blinding him. A figure approached him and he stopped in his tracks. They were probably the only other person without a mask on, and they narrowed their eyes. Two servants in full metal masks stood behind them with rapiers held out in their hands like an offering.

“I am Sovereign Jager of Ostwick, rightfully betrothed to Inquisitor Trevelyan,” they asserted before turning to the servants and grabbing a rapier in each hand. “I have to say, I was surprised to hear of a challenger for the Inquisitor’s hand, but I accept your challenge nonetheless,” they said before tossing him a rapier.

He caught it effortlessly and narrowed his eyes at his opponent. Anyone would be lucky to have the Inquisitor’s hand. He thanked the Maker for every day they allowed him to remain in their life.

A crowd started to form to watch their altercation. He would’ve preferred that their duel didn’t occur in a public place, but he bit the inside of his cheek and stifled his complaints.

“Before we begin, I trust the weapon is to your satisfaction?” They asked as they began circling each other, waiting for the other one to strike.

His grip on the rapier tightened, “It’ll do.”

They let out a laugh before swishing their rapier in the air, “Then let us begin.” And with that, their duel began. Cullen made a mental note to thank the Iron Bull for helping him prepare for the duel. Bull was slightly more enthusiastic about it than he was, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

They exchanged blows for a few moments before Marion took a few steps back and laughed, “You’ve done well for an unsophisticated oaf such as yourself.”

He charged at them, and their swords came together with a clang. He pushed them backward, channeling all of his frustration into his swings. Their swords clashed together with neither of them giving in, and they were inches apart.

“Felling you in front of the Inquisitor would provide a poor impression of House Jager to my betrothed,” they said with a smirk.

“You won’t so much as touch them,” Cullen growled before they pushed him away. He stumbled backward but caught himself.

Marion raised their rapier, “I admire your determination, Commander, but you cannot hope–”

“Stop!” someone in the crowd cried. He knew that voice. Shit.

The Inquisitor pushed past two onlookers, nearly knocking them over in the process.

“Inquisitor!” Cullen straightened, and his ears turned red. He felt like a teen getting caught fighting in the barracks with a fellow Templar.

“Cullen Stanton Rutherford, what are you doing?” They demanded as they marched toward him. It was times like this that reminded him just how terrifying the Inquisitor could be.

He flushed a deeper red, suddenly embarrassed. “I can’t take the chance that you might have to marry them,” he defended, throwing an accusing finger at Marion.

“That is not your decision to make!” They fumed, hands clenching at their sides. Maker, they were furious. “You lied to me,” they continued, “all so you two could fight over my hand like children! The Inquisition needs you, I need you.”

Cullen threw his rapier to the side, “I love you, and I would do whatever it takes to keep you in my life… If that means dueling for your hand, then so be it. ”

Their eyes softened and they grabbed the neck of his armor, pulling him down for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around them, needing them closer.

“If I may, Inquisitor,” Marion interjected, and they reluctantly parted, “I’d assumed your affair with the commander was one out of passion or convenience, but I see now that that was not the case.”

The Inquisitor intertwined their fingers with his, and Marion continued, “I am not fool enough to stand in the way of true affection. House Jager regretfully withdrawals the terms of our betrothal.”

“Thank you,” the Inquisitor replied, a slight smile on their lips. Marion bowed and turned on their heel.

Cullen took the Inquisitor in his arms once again, “I cannot apologize enough, my love. I should have told you about the duel.”

“Yes, you should have,” the Inquisitor pursed their lips, before draping their arms around his neck, “But considering the fact you’re still alive, I’ll forgive you.”

He kissed their lips, hoping that his actions could convey just how thankful he was for them.

“Don’t ever lie to me again,” they ordered, grabbing his face with one of their hands and bringing him to their level.

He nodded, and their mouth curved into a smile. They placed a gentle kiss on his lips and released his face from their grasp.

Maker help him; he was going to marry the Inquisitor if it was the last thing he does.

#commander cullen #cullen x inquisitor #cullen rutherford #dragon age #dragon age inquistion #dai #cullen rutherford x reader #house trevelyan #josephine montilyet #leliana #iron bull

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the-void-writes · 6 months

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"i hate the way that i dont hate you"

This one was so much fun to write, and it helped distract me from this migraine lol, so thank you so much! I hope you enjoy a small adventure for Pedra and Josephine as they try to outrun an angry pirate crew💖

TW for sword-fighting violence, and a moment of misgendering

The Birth of Paradise - Impossible To Hate You - 1.5k

Pedra was a whirlwind of intrigue. She was bright and funny and full of infectious energy. On a good day, her confidence could inspire those with even the weakest convictions to fight. Josephine adored her spirit, her unapologetic nature, and her passion for life— As well as her passion for Josephine, in particular.

Of course, her thirst for adventure led the crew down some troublesome paths. It wasn’t often that they could go one day without a fight. Passing ships, merchants, random tavern customers minding their business— Pedra always found a way to set them off. Some days, they could dispatch their opponents with ease and make off with a new sword or a bit of gold. Other times, their foes were a little too tough for their liking, and they’d have to run back to their ship.

This was one of those days.

Josephine hadn’t paid any attention to the people entering the tavern. That was for Pedra and the crew to handle, while she made some extra money outside with her music. The soft strumming of her laud brought a bit of tranquility to the humid, bustling docks. Some of the townsfolk even stopped for a moment to listen. It wasn’t the grand audience Josephine had dreamed of, but even this sparse group of generous ears filled her with pride.

Then, there was a long, boisterous bellow from inside the tavern. Josephine quickly stuffed the money she had earned into her bag, already anticipating a sprint for the ship. Sure enough, Lucio and his boys rushed out of the building, arms full of coins and food that spilled onto the ground. Pedra wasn’t with them, though.

“Lucio,” Josephine said, grabbing his arm before he could run, “what happened?”

“Card game,” he said. “We may have cheated a bit.”

The sounds of clashing metal echoed from inside the tavern. Josephine groaned into her hand as she heard Pedra laughing and grunting, a clear sign that she was caught in a duel.

“She couldn’t help herself, could she?”

Lucio chuckled. “Just remember, senora, you chose to run away with her.”

Josephine rolled her eyes and dashed into the tavern. A glass of something foul-smelling flew over her head and shattered against a wooden column. Sailors and barmaids were lined up in one big circle, cheering and throwing their drinks in delight. Josephine squeezed through the crowd and found Pedra in the middle. Her dark coat flowed like the ocean itself as she spun on her knees, her sword in her hands, deflecting the swing of another blade just short of her head.

This blade was long and chipped, worn from years of battle. At the end of its silver handle, there was a large and dirtied fist, and an even filthier smile. The opponent's head nearly reached the ceiling, with a ragged braid cascading from an old hat. Josephine had been around enough taverns to know that this was indeed another captain.

Her arms and neck seemed to bulge under her coat as she swung her sword down again and again. She was too slow for Pedra, who kept sliding around on the floor to evade her strikes. When Pedra saw Josephine, though, she faltered on her feet, and the taller pirate used the opportunity to knock her onto her back.

Before the sword could come down over her head, Josephine deflected it with her laud. The wood splintered under the metal, peppering Pedra’s hair as she rolled onto her feet again. The opposing captain growled and tore the broken laud from Josephine’s hand.

“Stay out of this, ye brat! I want this cheater’s head!”

Pedra scoffed. “Please, ma’am, I don’t have to cheat to beat you in cards.”

The captain clenched her fist, crushing the laud the rest of the way. “Shut yer mouth, ya filthy deckswabber! The sea is no place for little boys playing pretend.”

She flinched as her sword was suddenly slapped out of her hand, with a long slash along her palm. Josephine stood before her, holding Pedra’s sword, fury brimming in her dark eyes.

“Never call her that again,” she hissed.

“Ye just cut the Lord of the Sea… ye miserable wench!”

In the blink of an eye, Josephine was suddenly off of her feet and flying out of the tavern. Pedra had her over her shoulder, carrying her across the docks as she dodged civilians and carts full of goods. The captain burst through the door and pointed at the runaways.

“Stop them!”

They turned a corner and ran up a long staircase, with the captain’s crew pushing through the crowds to chase them.

“Why are we going through town?” Josephine yelled over her shoulder.

“I’m not leading them back to the ship,” Pedra said, “we’ll find another way around.”

“This is not how I wanted to die, Pedra!”

“You’re the one who slashed her hand open!”

“You tried to steal from a woman twice your size!”

They made it to the top of the hill, to a street full of houses. They jumped over crates and up onto the rooftops, but the captain still kept pace with them. She even took a whole crate in her hands and hurled it at Pedra. Bits of wood flew around them, and Josephine deflected them with the sword.

Eventually, they reached the end of the rooftops. The captain looked around for another crate while Pedra searched for an escape. A thick pole stood beside the house, with a long rope running from the top, all the way down to a pole at the very end of the docks. Pedra quickly removed her belt and hung it around the rope. Josie realized what she was planning, and she shook her head.

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s the only way, Josie.”

“I’m not strong enough.”

“Then hold on to me.” Pedra took back the sword and held her hands. “Please, mi amor. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Even after all this time, the touch of Pedra’s rough, warm hands made Josephine’s heart flutter. Her embrace was a blanket of love and security. When she promised to protect her, Josephine believed it with all of her heart. She nodded her head and held Pedra tightly as they readied themselves.

“Are you ready?” Pedra asked.

“Is it too late to change my mind?”

“Yep!”

She jumped off the roof, gripping the belt as it slid down towards the docks. Josephine screamed, but as she felt the wind whip through her hair, she started to laugh. They were flying through the air like birds in a summer sky, unreachable to the world below. Just the two of them, for one beautiful moment in time.

As they neared the dock, Pedra suddenly shouted to her.

“Hold on tight!”

“What—”

She screamed again as Pedra released one side of the belt. They soared past the pole, over a crowd of civilians, and into the water with a loud crash. The waves tossed Josephine around a bit until she could finally reach the surface. Water burned her nose and throat as she coughed. When Pedra surfaced beside her, Josephine slapped the arm of her coat.

“Are you serious?! We could have hit the concrete and died! Why do I follow you anywhere?!”

Any bitterness in her words didn’t seem to register with Pedra. She just laughed and laughed, a sight that Josephine was struggling to stay mad at. Her smile was brighter than the sun itself. Rays of golden light made her damp, orange hair glow like a wildfire, as fierce and untamed as herself. Pedra was freedom incarnate, everything that Josephine had ever wanted. She crossed her arms and looked away, feeling the burn of her flustered face.

“You make it impossible to hate you.”

Pedra hummed and pulled her close. “I’m glad. You saved my life back there. I owe you a debt.”

“A new laud, to start.”

“The best in the world, hand-crafted by the gods of music—” She held her tighter. “Hold your breath.”

Josephine had enough time to take a breath before Pedra pulled her back underwater. Through the churning water, they could see the captain peering over the edge of the docks. She pointed at her crew, and they all ran along the water, searching for the runaways.

They waited a while under the ocean for the captain to be far enough away. Pedra’s eyes fell to Josephine, who held her face and stroked her cheek with a smile. She was a rose, sharp and beautiful, accented by the shimmering water like a living painting. Sailors used to share tales of sirens and mermaids, of goddesses that lived in the sea… Josephine put them all to shame. Her delicate hands pulled Pedra into a deep kiss, one that no wave, storm, or captain could break. With the sea itself as their witness, they would forever be one.

It wasn’t until their lungs burned with a need for air that they finally separated and swam to the surface. They held each other as they caught their breath, with hands tangled in hair and lips still brushing each other’s skin.

“Am I still a thorn in your side?” Pedra asked.

“Oh yes,” Josephine said, kissing her cheek firmly. “But I’d never get rid of you.”

#writeblr #ask games #wip: the birth of paradise #sorry if this is a mess #my brain has been fog for a while lol

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