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angelthefandomobsessed · 1 year

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Danganronpa Project Eden's Garden: Animal Symbolism

Okay, so I just finished the prologue (adored it, the writing is impeccable), and noticed that each character features an animal on their clothing. I'm sure tons of people have pointed it out already, but I thought it'd be fun to go through the symbolism of each, alongside any other observations I had.

Damon Maitsu:

Damon's signature animal is one of the more obvious ones - it's the big snake on his tie. Biblically, snakes are kind of a big deal... Just one snake, really, which gave all of the others a bad name. In 'Garden of Eden' arc of the Bible (which is relevant for obvious reasons), a snake tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. The snake basically says "Hey queen, the apple won't kill you, it'll show you the truth, God's a liar." Adam and Eve eat the fruit, condemning humanity to eternal suffering.

Painting Damon as the snake tells us a lot about his role in the narrative and his characterisation. The main theme for Eden's Garden seems to be 'head vs heart', or 'logic vs emotion'. While some characters lean towards emotion, Damon leans towards logic... But based on the Pathos system, he doesn't fully condemn emotion - it can be a good tool when it comes to winning arguments, after all.

At the end of the prologue, Damon disagrees with seeing the good in everyone. He argues that the ultimates are more likely to stab each other in the back than to help each other unconditionally... In other words, he argues that ultimates are ambitious, to the point of throwing away their morals - because he himself is ambitious to a fault.

While a lot of people see snakes as creatures of evil (particularly when it comes to THE snake in the Bible), it could be argued that the snake is an agent of the greater good. Yes, the snake was the catalyst for the fall of humanity, but you could argue it was also the catalyst for the first critical thought. Adam and Eve questioned the word of their creator and chose to go against him. That didn't end very well for them, but you could argue it liberated them.

Would you rather be a sheep, at the mercy of your shepherd, or a snake that sees the world for what it truly is?

Wolfgang Akire:

Speaking of sheep... Wolfgang has a pretty neat (very symbolic) sheep pin. The idea of him picking out a sheep pin in like... a Claire's Accessories is very funny to me.

Much like snakes, sheep are also very Biblically relevant. In the Bible, God's people are usually cloaked in sheep imagery. God is the shepherd (fun fact: 'shepherd' derives from 'sheep' 'herd'), and the sheep are at his mercy. In that light, a sheep is a truly powerless thing.

Perhaps Wolfgang's sheep pin denotes him as a follower rather than a leader. Not to a specific person, but rather to an ideology - to his own morals, which he seems very attached to. Sheep are often seen as weak, existing only to be devoured by stronger, more predatory animals.

But this symbolism might exist here to be subverted. One of the most popular sheep-based phrases is (drum roll please): "Wolf in sheep's clothing".

Lawyer man is, quite literally, a wolf in sheep's clothing. His name has the word 'wolf' in it. He has a sheep on his clothing.

Does Wolfgang obsess over justice due to a guilty conscious? Is it a cover to mask his deepest, most despicable thoughts? Only time will tell, but I'm onto you, lawyer man... If that's even your real name.

Eva Tsunaka:

Okay, so I'm not 100% sure if Eva's animal is a raven or a crow, but I don't think it matters too much, people tend to perceive 'ominous medium-sized black bird' in a similar way, regardless of the specifics. Eva has a black feather in her hair and a badge with a bird's head on it. The badge looks a little bit emu-ish (which would be really funny), but the general vibe is more in line with a crow/raven.

For simplicity's sake, I'll mostly talk about ravens, because I think (don't quote me on this, I have not read the actual Bible) crows are never actually mentioned... but ravens are, so we'll go with that.

SO, ravens, black birds. Apparently, the first bird to be mentioned by name in the Bible is the raven, which... lines up with Eva being the first named bird character we meet (there are a lot of bird people, we'll get to it). During the whole Noah's Arc debacle, Noah sent out a raven to scout for dry land - it didn't come back (I think? It gets mentioned, 'tos and fros' and then doesn't get mentioned again, so I think it dipped which honestly, girlboss move).

Other than that, a raven was used as a divine messenger at one point, but I think the much more interesting (and relevant) aspects of the raven is the general symbolism.

Ravens are usually seen as bad news - much like the snake, they get a bad rep. While they are often seen as bad omens, they can also be seen as beings of spiritual wisdom. They see more than others can, much like Eva. When the others start to do the whole 'We'll never kill each other!' it's Eva who disagrees, seeing the reality of the situation.

Based on the word 'Danganronpa' being associated with the game, we can assume she's correct, and that the bodies will start hitting the floor very soon.

Eva is wise and holds a lot of knowledge, but she is distrusted for reasons outwith her control. She didn't ask to be the ultimate liar - some random organisation sent her a letter one day putting that label on her.

Interestingly, ravens are the natural enemies of farmers... and Wolfgang has a distinct agricultural reference on his lapel.

To summarise: people don't like ravens, but they're very smart birds who can (in certain mythologies/cultures, at least), see beyond the surface level).

Toshiko Kayura:

Toshiko's assigned animal is a little harder to spot. Two flamingos are on her skirt as a decal, making them less obvious (especially during waist-up shots).

Okay, so I'm no expert on this, but I'm pretty sure there aren't any flamingos in the Bible. Flamingos played a part in Egyptian beliefs, being associated with Ra, and they might actually be the original inspiration for phoenixes which... is kind of hilarious? The Aztecs saw them as sacred, and in Hindu culture they symbolise hamsa, a divine vehicle, which symbolises the realise from samsara, aka the cycle of suffering.

So... that could be a thing relating to Toshiko. She could be destined to act as a turning point in the narrative (either through death or through character development, same difference).

Or, we could go with the really obvious interpretation of 'flamingo = romance'. Which is very on-brand. Additionally, flamingos represent balance and elegance - mainly because of their 'standing on one leg' trick. Toshiko most likely strives to embody the qualities of a flamingo in these regards.

The use of flamingos in Toshiko's design might point to her being 'the heart' of the group. She's shown to be quite emotional (becoming flustered when challenged, avoiding the investigation, getting into an argument over gremlin-hood with Grace), despite trying to emulate a mature aura. She speaks in frivolous, convoluted imagery, which is peak fourteen-year-old behaviour, and if anything bad happens to her I will cry :D

Ulysses Wilhelm:

Rather than having a picture of an animal, Ulysses wears an owl pendant. Owls represent wisdom, and are particularly fitting for Ulysses due to him being more of a night owl.

Biblically, owls are seen as unclean birds, alongside ravens. They aren't overly relevant, but are (allegedly, according to some random Bible forum) used to symbolise loneliness, desolation, guilt and mourning. In a broader sense, owls are seen as wise, critical-thinking creatures, and independent.

Because of this, I think Ulysses will fall into the Damon/Eva camp of thinking, due to his historical knowledge. Because if history's taught us anything, it's that people can't be trusted, they will self-sabotage, and murder is inevitable.

I don't have much else to say - Ulysses feels like an early victim/blackened candidate, unfortunately, so I don't think he'll be playing a major role narratively.

Desmond Hall:

This one's a little hard to spot immediately (and when I did spot it, I wasn't sure which animal it belonged to), but according to the concept art Desmond has a shark tooth earring.

There are no sharks in the Bible. Sharks, apparently, symbolise protection and guidance, so I think Desmond will probably pair up with another character... which will lead to an untimely death, with a very sad flashback scene at the end of a trial. Or he'll survive, who says Biblical relevancy matters? Sharks are pretty cool and so is Desmond.

I think he'll be an optimist in the situation, but I... don't have much to say regarding his animal motif.

Grace Madison:

This one is pretty up there for the 'easiest to spot award'. Grace's animal is a rabbit, which can be seen by her (adorable) rabbit-eared visor.

Biblically rabbits are pretty irrelevant, but symbolically they're very prominent. Rabbits are probably most famous for their easter connotations (you'd think they'd be Biblical, but no, it just says not to eat them). Rabbits are also known as lucky animals - 'rabbit feet' are seen as lucky talismans...

If Grace ends up with a severed foot, I'm going to lose my mind.

Anyway, since Grace is the resident 'reckless and crude' character, I would theorise her link to rabbits would be 'rebirth'. Rabbits are associated with spring, which is associated with rebirth. I think Grace (who is described as someone who burns every bridge she makes) will undergo the Fuyuhiko treatment and see a lot of character development.

Not much else for me to say here, but rabbits are generally seen as active animals (energiser bunny, the Scorbunny line), so... yay sports..?

Diana Venicia:

I do not trust this girl as far as I can throw her. I saw her across the room and thought, "No, you're evil", and the chameleon bracelet did not help her case.

Like... not only does it suggest she's hiding something, or that she's a social chameleon, but it looks like a handcuff, that cannot be comfortable. And oddly enough, chameleons do feature in the Bible... and it's very odd, and very interesting.

Basically, chameleons conform to their surroundings through their unique abilities. God likes that for them, but not for humans - apparently, they should challenge things rather than just conforming to them. Which like, okay, someone changed their tune from "Don't do this one thing, no I will not elaborate". In actuality, what this means is "you should not be different on Monday to how you were on Sunday", aka, be #authentic.

Also, chameleons are seen as 'not standing up for what's right', so I guess that's where Diana falls on the morality spectrum, maybe possibly?

Diana is hiding something, she's on my mastermind radar but it feels a little too obvious? If she's not a mastermind, she hiding something and is a killer, nothing can redeem her from being shady in my eyes. I'm onto you, make-up girl...

(My guess is the beauty industry/Hollywood requires a degree of fakery, and she hates it, but she wanted to be successful so she gave into the fakery, and lost her true self in the process. And hey, maybe at some point she decided that she had to see the true twistedness of humanity via a killing game, who knows? Plus, make-up, that's very Junko-ish of her, just saying-)

Jean DeLamer:

Okay, so some people got 'owl' or 'flamingo', but this man got a whole dragon. And he cannot be more deserving of it, fly high king.

I really didn't think there were dragons in the Bible, but apparently they get a mention (in all fairness, it's a real big book). Fun fact: Biblically, they are usually mentioned to reference sea monsters. On brand for our sea captain. Bad news though, dragons are pretty exclusively evil (sometimes straight-up Satan), and are vanquished by God. So... Not great for Jean, honestly, that's concerning.

Could he have a connection to the killing game? He could be a traitor of some sort, or he could try to rise up against the KG and get struck down.

Basically: Jean has no power here, he will lose every time, if the Bible-dragons are anything to go by.

Anyways, dragons are pretty relevant in... most cultures, so this is probably the most interesting thing I can dig up.

Jett Dawson:

In my original post, I mislabelled Jett's animal as a wolf. Somebody in the comments corrected me, pointing out that it's a coyote. Coyotes are closely related to wolves, so there's some symbolic overlap, but I'll rewrite the section anyways, because the original didn't shed much light on anything.

Biblically, coyotes are in a bit of an odd spot. They're seen as cunning and dangerous for the most part, but in Isaiah's passage (disclaimer: I haven't read it, I'm doing the deeply unacademic thing of trusting 'straightforwardguidance'.com) he complains that coyotes and lizards are more grateful to him than humans. This is used to demean the coyote; a wild animal is better than people in Isaiah's eyes, placing them at the low end of societal importance (not literally, ofc).

Apparently, the bible also describes these animals as being wise, due to their hunting tactics. Coyotes will hunt rabbits as a team, with one tiring a rabbit out and another finishing it off. This little tidbit does not bode well for Grace, our rabbit. But, to be fair, the presence of a coyote wouldn't go well for most small animals.

I don't have too much to say about coyotes, beyond their obvious similarity to wolves. Wolves tend to hunt sheep (which gave them a bit of a negative biblical rep), but let's be real, a sheep isn't winning many battles out in the wild.

Jett strikes me as a 'tragic killer', like our usual chapter 2/4 killers. There's wildcard energy to him, though - I could see him killing, surviving or dying, but whatever happens, there'll be a plot point surrounding his face, it seems too interesting to not be a thing.

Kai Monteago:

Butterfly, on chest, let's go.

Most obvious interpretation: social butterfly, he's an influencer.

Biblically, they're pretty irrelevant, but symbolically they're all about transformation. This could indicate character development, a change in tune, etc. Not much to say here, it could represent vulnerability (butterflies are fragile), but it's most likely a reference to the phrase social butterfly.

Mark 'Mayhem' Berskii:

His hat is, indeed, an alligator. At first I thought it was a dragon, then a crocodile, but the concept art confirms it to be an alligator.

Google couldn't tell me much about Bible alligators, which was expected. What it can tell me is the symbolism behind them, though.

Alligators are cunning and wise. Which adds up here, Mark seems way smarter than he lets on. He makes a comment at the end of a non-stop debate (something about setting the trash fire) which suggests he's a critical thinker, seeing the misguided logic in the room.

They are also apex predators with a lot of strength which... is concerning, in terms of potential murderers. Since they've been around since the prehistoric age, alligators are seen as having an ancient, primal aura about them.

I feel there's more than meets the eye with Mark - he'll carry a key discovery or two, just you wait.

Wenona:

Wenona is the girlboss we need, as well as the girlboss we deserve, no further questions. Her animal decal is a little less obvious than others', being bear pawprints at the bottom of her coat.

My favourite Bible story ever (because it's hilarious out of context) is the one about Elisha and the bears, where two bears maul forty-two children because they made fun of a guy. So, maybe don't get on her bad side via mockery.

Interestingly, bears are used to symbolise cruelty and self-servedness which... adds up here, I guess.

Symbolically, bears are a little more cuddly than the Bible makes them out to be. They're known for hibernation, making them quite patient and cautious animals. Bears are grounded animals and represent strength, being fearsome predators.

Wenona is very set in her views, and appears to be unwavering, much like a bear.

Eloise Taulner:

Eloise wears a swan pin in her hair, making that her signature animal. Swans are graceful and vicious; a fascinating combination for a character like Eloise.

In the Bible, swans are everything you'd assume a white bird to be. It's all very 'this bird is the serene love of god, do not eat it, but for different reasons'.

Symbolically, swans are loyal birds, being of the 'mates for life' variety. Something interesting to mention is the concept of a swan song - a song that laments death, said to be the most beautiful song ever sung by a swan, despite the birds being far from natural singers. In Greek mythology, swans were sacred to both Aphrodite and Apollo, with Apollo being the god of music.

Which presents the possibility of a friendship between Mark and Elodie, with him being 'music' and her being a swan.

Swans are very powerful birds, so Eloise's character arc will probably involve her becoming stronger in terms of willpower and confidence.

Ingrid Grimwall:

This one's a little harder to spot, but Ingrid's animal symbol is on her bag, in the form of a lion.

Lions are generally seen as brave, proud animals. The main Biblical story that comes to mind is the story of Daniel, who was thrown into a den of lions. A lion's roar is intended to paralyse its foes with fear, but can its bite match its bark? I suspect Ingrid will be a big talker, but less keen to take actual initiative. Male lions are known for being less active than their pride members, with the female lions doing the hunting.

Although, you could argue that a lion is a natural leader. These qualities don't need to be exclusive though - why not be a leader and a layabout?

Besides that, there's pride and family and strength, but the less prominent placement of Ingrid's emblem tells me she'll be less fearsome than her classmates.

Cassidy Amber:

Cassidy's a little bit different from the others. Her animal motif doesn't have a specific portrayal of the animal (much like Wenona's and Ulysses'), and hers is repeated as a pattern - Cassidy wears tights with a spiderweb pattern.

Now, spiders are pretty well known for trapping things. It's kind of their whole deal. This gives Cassidy some serious mastermind vibes to me, especially when coupled with the fact that she's married to the content grind, loves games, and has a lot of money to throw around.

But anyway, the Bible just kind of complains about their webs being fragile, which could be interpreted as 'her fanbase isn't a true connection to others, they'll abandon her the second someone new catches their attention'. In reality, the Bible doesn't hold up for most of these, but like... it's interesting, right?

Spiders could be described as patient killers. They weave intricate webs for their victims and wait for the opportune moment to strike. Spiders are often feared, with arachnophobia being one of the most popular phobias. Cassidy herself is capable of projecting an unsettling aura and might be described as unnerving.

Fun fact: Red spiders specifically symbolise wealth, passion and excitement, which lines up pretty well with our pro-gamer.

In Conclusion:

I spent way too long making this.

Also, the Bible was pretty useless for most of these BUT the Bible reflects a lot of general perceptions (because it set quite a few of them), so it was sometimes interesting, I think, I'm tired, send help, goodnight!

(If you've made it this far, say hi or something, this took three hours and for what?)

#danganronpa #project eden's garden #analysis #theory #damon maitsu #eva tsunaka #toshiko kayura #wolfgang akire #other people I guess #just all the characters #project: eden's garden

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hufflegruff · 10 months

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Chapter 4: A Knowing Look

Pairing: Sebastian x F!Reader Summary: In which Sebastian is whipped and literally everyone can see from a mile away that this is more than friendship.

“Is that… a mistletoe?” “It… must be Anne’s doing.” Was all Sebastian could say, rather lamely. He was ready to laugh it off. Tell her that it was just a silly little old thing. But to his surprise, she replied almost matter-of-factly: “… Supposedly if we don’t kiss, we’d be doomed to 100 years of misfortune.” Almost cautiously, he replied, “We wouldn’t want that.” “Not at all,” She said as she nodded.

Chapter 3: Anne

Winter fell upon Feldcroft. Snow descended upon the Sallows’ home in soft billowy mounds.

Sebastian had never really understood the appeal of Christmas. It was always too cold, too dark and too stifling to just stay at home. Under Solomon’s roof, he never let himself feel too comfortable. Not even the guise of mulled cider, plum pudding and ornately decorated pine trees could make him put his guard down. He much preferred the freedom of Hogwarts endless hallways. If not for Anne - well, he frankly wouldn’t have bothered to make the trip over. There was little joy to reap or use to gain from seeing Solomon’s irritable face.

But despite Solomon’s numerous shortcomings, he allowed him to invite both of his best friends over for Christmas. And for that, he was grateful.

Glancing over to the kitchen, he couldn’t help but soften and break into a smile at the sight. Under the glow of the dim candlelight, Ominis and Anne were chatting merrily.

Ominis normally looked so stoic, like an old man that held the entire weight of the wizarding world in the crease of his brow. That was the blight of the Gaunt family name. But as he sat listening to Anne, who was animatedly retelling one of her classic tales of misadventure, his expression was as light as a feather. Even with his perfectly pressed shirt and impeccably neat cardigan, it was such a relief to see that he could look like an ordinary teenage boy.

And Anne… Well, Anne had her good days and bad days. Thankfully, today was one of her better ones. She’d been particularly energetic as of late. Despite Sebastian’s protests, she went out of her way to decorate the cottage with wreaths, tinsel and candles galore. Insisting that guests should not be subjected to Christmas in a house so bare.

He hadn’t seen either of them look so content in a while. Not since they were just three kids scheming mischief in the Undercroft. Not since they’ve become three weary people weathered by fate’s hand.

The normalcy of it all gave him newfound hope. One that felt different from the kind of hope had him hunting ancient relics, ravaging the restricted section, and burning dark wizards ever since Anne got hurt.

This one was softer. Much quieter and warmer.

Just for today, he would graciously allow himself not to worry. Not of curses or cures or hidden scriptoriums. Just Christmas. Just family and friends.

Anne’s voice broke him out of reverie, “Sebastian! What are you daydreaming about? Come here!” She beckoned him over with a wave of her hand.

“Probably best not to know,” Ominis said, “likely something despicable or unlawful.”

“Funny.” Sebastian said dryly, as he made his way over to them, “Utterly hilarious.”

“I am rather, aren’t I?” Ominis replied cheekily.

“If slander is your particular brand of humour.”

“Forget presents,” Ominis’ voice was laced with sarcasm, “Your endless wit is the greatest gift you could ever afford me.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. The mouth on this one.

Sebastian looked around the room and noticed that there was one person sorely missing. Their absurdly lovely (it’s all still very complicated) friend. After the whole Andrew Larson ordeal, he conceded that it was possible that this whole friendship thing… could potentially be more than a friendship thing.

It was a crush - a flight of fancy. On someone who just happened to be a beautiful, smart and wickedly talented friend.

That was the only way that Sebastian could rationalise it. Crushes were perfectly normal and frivolously fleeting. Calling her a softness, or a fancy or even the object of his affection was all still manageable. It was better than the alternative. Because if he were to start calling it anything more than that…

Well, that could be perilous.

Love had consequences, and Sebastian wasn’t sure if he was ready to face them.

The girl wonder had also been staying with them in Feldcroft these past two days. Sebastian had only been back at Feldcroft for two days and Anne had already been making terribly sly remarks his way. How could she have known? Had she and Ominis been exchanging letters behind his back?

He supposed that practically half of Hogwarts had already accused him of being infatuated with the girl wonder. But in fairness, the prying eyes of the student body had been privy of his relationship with her for the better half of two years. It made him wonder if he was being so obvious that perhaps even Solomon could sense it too.

That would be mortifying.

And honestly, after the emotional whirlwind he’d already been on — Sebastian didn’t know how it could get any worse.

He cleared his throat, “Anyways, where’s the girl wonder gone to now?”

Anne shot him a mischievous look that Sebastian knew meant trouble. It was too devilish and deliberate to ignore, and it felt like Anne could see right through him. What was she plotting? Sebastian raised a curious eyebrow in response.

Anne replied with a shrug, “She’s just gone to the room to grab something.”

And as if it had been planned meticulously ahead of time — the door creaked open and the sound of her footsteps approached.

He turned around and almost made an ungodly sound at the sight. A wrangled, pained sound that he was frankly quite embarrassed to acknowledge. Because this — whatever this was — was something he hadn’t been expecting.

“Is that my sweater?” Sebastian swallowed thickly.

The girl walked out of the bed chambers in an old green knit sweater with a small embroidered flower on the left corner that looked all too familiar. There was nothing spectacular about it, but Sebastian knew without a sliver of doubt that it was his sweater that hung a little too loosely on her shoulders. Because as most nine year old boys did with their clothes, he had bought it dismissively when he was in Diagon Alley, and wore it to death in his youth. It had been chucked carelessly across fields, caves, bodies of water all across Feldcroft. It was tattered, frayed and looked worse for wear from his haphazard use.

So how in Salazar’s name did it manage to look so damn good on her?

There was nothing precious about it.

But it was his. And she was wearing it.

Sebastian was of two minds about it all. He couldn’t quite decide it himself — was this a gift or divine punishment from the Gods? Where had she even found the old blasted thing and was she actively trying to kill him? The niggling urge to touch her was stronger than he had ever felt before. His self-restraint was melting with every second longer his eyes lingered on her. The only thing that was holding him back from holding on to her (and never letting go) was the ridicule he’d most definitely receive from Ominis and Anne.

To his dismay, to the deep sickly pit in the bottom of his stomach — this was very likely something that would be permanently etched into his mind. There was something primal inside the diabolical crevices of his brain that just couldn’t unsee it. Some unhinged line of thinking that his brain managed to conjure up to justify it all. That if she looked this perfectly right in his clothes, he could believe that there was a universe in which she could be his.

That if people could be owned (he knew they couldn’t) — she would be rightfully his.

“Oh, I figured you wouldn't mind,” Anne said, “She was feeling a little chilly, so I gave her one of your old sweaters. You hardly wear it now anyways.”

Almost nervously, the girl wonder gave a small twirl, “Well, it doesn’t look silly on me does it?”

Silly? Sebastian thought. It was a little silly.

It was silly that the sight of her in his old, worn and beaten sweater that he’d worn to death, made his heart scream out of his chest. How was it possible that she could even make scraps of wool look so bewitching?

It was as if being the wielder of a rare form of ancient magic hadn’t sufficed her hunger for power. It was as if she went out of her way to contrive her very own beguiling brand of magic that would render him a total fucking dunce. How else could Sebastian explain the prickling in his fingertips to reach out to her? Or the compulsion in his chest to bury his face in the crook of her neck? And that stupid sweater must’ve smelled like him. Years and years of him. By that logic — because she was wearing it — that must mean she now smelled like him too.

And the thought of that was almost too thrilling for his chest to handle.

Merlin. All this overthinking was a testament to the steely grip this witch had on his heart.

Despite his inner turmoil, he just about managed to choke out a response.

“Not at all. It suits you.”

It more than suited her. In fact if she never wanted to take it off — he’d gladly allow it.

Ominis gave him a pointed look. Anne smiled knowingly. Sebastian wanted to hide. He felt as if his innermost feelings were being paraded on display. Like his internal organs and his blathering heart had been sprawled across the dinner table for everyone to witness. The only person that didn’t seem amused or even remotely aware of his pining was her. She looked at him so sincerely that it was almost distressing. Delightfully doe-eyed, she smiled brightly at his compliment.

It was so fucking endearing that he had to look away. Any longer and would probably combust on the spot into a fan of pitiful flames. Or collapse from this corny infatuation-induced arrhythmia his heart was suffering from. So he turned to look at Anne scathingly instead.

“But thanks for asking before you raided my closet, Anne.” Sebastian said chidingly.

Anne smiled mysteriously, ignoring his accusatory tone all together.

“I was being a courteous host is all.” She said innocently.

Sometimes Sebastian forgot how conniving his sister could truly be. He couldn’t decide whether he was annoyed or proud of her shenanigans.

The girl wonder, sensing something off in Sebastian’s tone, interjected, “Anne was just trying to help. But I can put on something else if you’d prefer—”

“No.” Sebastian said firmly, “You don’t have to. I don’t mind.”

From afar, he heard Ominis snicker.

Ominis was likely calling Sebastian all sorts of embarrassingly belittling names in his head. But that seemed unfair. How was Sebastian supposed to tell her that he would in fact mind it very, very much if she took off his sweater — without sounding like an utter fool?

“Thank you.” She said with a smile and his heart was beside itself.

In fairness, he supposed that Ominis had been right about one thing.

Sebastian was a fucking sap.

“I can’t help but picture a young, petulant baby-faced Sebastian running around the house causing all sorts of mayhem in this sweater,” she said full of mirth as she wrapped her arms around herself, hugging the sweater in glee. Never had he been jealous of a sweater before. That was new.

“Come off it,” Sebastian retorted, “I’ll have you know I was never a petulant child.”

Ominis piped, “Never? That’s odd. You’re still perfectly petulant to me.”

“Okay someone put Ominis on a time out please.” Sebastian said grouchily.

The girl wonder laughed. And like a shot of healing draught down his throat, the sound of it washed away the irritation in the nooks of his taut body.

As she linked arms with Ominis, she said “Come Ominis. I’ll save you from Sebastian’s wrath.”

They retreated into the kitchen, getting plates to help Solomon set up the tables for dinner. With burning eyes, Sebastian watched as they walked away, feeling listless tied to the ground that he stood on. Anne stayed firmly beside him, as if she’d been waiting for this moment to corner him all evening.

“I saw that.” Anne whispered.

His heart leaped, “Pray tell, sister, exactly what you saw?”

“Oh,” she said coyly, “Just the terribly soppy looks you were giving our friend.”

“Oh.” Sebastian said, almost sounding resigned.

Anne raised an eyebrow, “That’s all you have to say?”

“Well, frankly you’re not the first person to say that to me. So I can’t really give you much points for originality,” He replied dryly, belligerent thinking about the long list of friends (and frenemies in Leander’s case) who had already informed him of his affections towards her.

“Hmm, yes. Ominis did mention something about that,”Anne said.

So Sebastian had been right. They had been exchanging letters. He supposed that there wasn’t much point in denying it anymore. While it was true that he could admit to himself that he cared for her deeply, he hadn’t confirmed it verbally with anyone else. Not even Ominis.

But maybe it would be cathartic for him to just… say it out loud. To hell with it all.

Maybe this would be a good time to start.

“I guess there’s not much to contest when it’s the truth.” Sebastian tried to say as casually as he could, despite the palpable weight of what he was so blatantly saying.

Almost gleefully, Anne shrieked, grabbed onto his shoulders and shook him manically, “That’s so very sickeningly endearing for you to say. Who are you and what have you done to my terribly cynical brother?”

He groaned “I don’t know. It’s disgusting isn’t it?”

“Are you in love with her?” Anne squealed as she asked excitedly, ignoring Sebastian’s state of emotional turmoil entirely.

Love? He had wanted to yell. Or throw up. He’d been trying his damn hardest to avoid the word, and now Anne had just thrown it into his face. It had already taken so much out of him just for Sebastian to concede that this could possibly be more than friendship; that this was a romantic affliction. But love? That was a whole other degree and department of troublesome feelings. Love was severe. Love was drastic. Love was a steep curve for him to climb.

Also had Anne forgotten that she was sitting literally right there? In the next room? That she could easily overhear?

With a slight hiss, Sebastian motioned for her to pipe down, “Be a little more discreet would you? Also that’s a little strong. I wouldn’t quite call it… that.”

“Well, then what would you call it?” Anne asked inquisitively.

What was it? That was the ever-complicated question, wasn’t it?

“A crush.” He said simply.

“A crush?” Anne said with a laugh of disbelief, “No way. That brief … whatever you had on Violet McDowell in 2nd year, that was a crush—”

“—God, don’t remind me—” Sebastian said with a grimace at the embarrassing flashback.

But Anne paid no mind as she continued.

“— But this? The way you look at her. The way you speak of her — No matter which way you put it, I don’t think there’s anything else you can call it.”

Sebastian almost took offence at that. Because there had to be something he could call it that didn’t feel so treacherous. That didn’t make him feel like so suffocatingly he’d been backed into a tight corner.

“It’s… complicated.” He replied lamely.

“Sebastian it’s not like you’re trying to decipher an ancient form of magic,” Anne said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes, “It’s just a feeling. It just is or it isn’t. Boys truly are hopeless.”

Sebastian resented that.

“I resent that. It’s not that simple. I’m figuring things out.”

What was the rush anyway? To figure all this out? Love… or whatever this was, wasn’t something to take lightly. He never imagined that Anne would’ve been so frivolous with the word. If anything, he thought that she’d be telling him to tread carefully, not throw caution into the fucking wind. Wasn’t it decidedly worse to say such things so carelessly? To say something that he didn’t mean?

And if Sebastian was sure of anything, he knew that the girl wonder didn’t deserve anything less than the truth.

“Well you might want to figure things out a tad faster.” Anne said as if to warn him.

And that instantly set off a spiel of alarm bells in his cluttered mind.

“Why? Did she say something to you?” Sebastian said almost in a panic.

“I mean, look at you, Seb. You’re getting frazzled from speculation alone!” Anne exclaimed, as if he’d just proved her point “No, she hasn’t said anything to me. But do you really want to leave it long enough and risk her being whisked away by someone else?”

Sebastian had recently learned that he absolutely detested that idea.

He learned that he would sooner claw his ears deaf than ever have to endure her being taken away by anybody else.

Not that he had a right to be so dramatic about it, of course. Because people couldn’t be claimed – even if he wished dearly that they could be so. Because she was her own capable witch that had her own fair share of suitors vying for her affection, and Sebastian was (at least at the moment) too cowardly to do anything about it. Because even after all the mental mountains he’d already scaled to admit how fucking enamoured he was by her… he still couldn’t bear say the word love alongside her name.

But still. Beyond any rational reason he hated the thought of her being with anyone else with an infuriating passion.

“No.” He admitted.

And maybe that meant Anne was right.

He had to get his shit together.

“Then, dear brother of mine — a word of advice. And I’m saying this because I love you a stupid amount,” Anne said with a firm pat on his shoulder, “Girls don’t wait forever.”

Dinner had been lovely. They’d been fed all the works; from roast ham to mince pies to Christmas pudding. Sebastian had been surprised that Solomon had brought out all the bells and whistles for them. He couldn’t remember the last time that they’d had a meal so lavish in their humble abode. It must’ve been years. But he gathered that it very likely had to do with their special guests.

Since Solomon and Anne had done the majority of the heavy lifting with cooking dinner for them, he felt that it would only be fair that he should be the one to endure the surly task of doing the dishes. Which had left Anne gaping in total shock because she knew how fervently Sebastian hated doing the dishes.

“Okay, now you’re truly scaring me. Are you an imposter? Or an impeccably crafted clone?” Anne had teasingly said.

But to his delight (or his horror) the girl wonder had offered to help him.

So that was how Sebastian found himself in the dim kitchen candlelight, standing so closely to the girl that had been plaguing his every thought for the past few weeks. The girl that had been running amok in his tiny, addled brain. His shoulders brushed hers as they did the dishes in the sink. Like the sizzle of fire on an oiled pan or a gulp of caffeine, every little bump made him feel jittery. And there just was something so deeply domestic about this that filled his head with giddiness.

The smell of soap and sea sponges. The crackle of the fireplace. The muffled chatter from the living room. Her in his sweater. Her sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Her gloved hands. Her furrowed brow. Her smooth hair swept back in a clip.

Her in his home.

As she washed and wiped the dishes, she sang a pretty hum from her lips. It sounded folksy and merry and absurdly lovely in the lilt of her voice — but he didn’t recognise it. He deduced that it was likely one of those muggle tunes she loved so dearly. And he made a mental note to ask her about it when he was less distressed.

It all suddenly felt very dangerous. Largely because of how easily Sebastian could see himself accepting this as a permanent fixture in his life. How easily he could get used to all of this. And he wouldn’t need to be convinced by any means or measure. In fact he’d grovel, pray, beg whatever god or infallible wizard he needed to make this regular occurrence. A taste of this homeliness was enough for him to fold like a cheap suit.

It was appalling at how a tiny taste of mundanity was enough to devoid him of his wit.

“So…” she began slyly, “Anne told me an interesting story about you and the Neighbour’s garden.”

He felt himself go stiff, because that cloying tone of her voice did not sound good at all. What on Earth did Anne think that she was doing? God what on Earth did he think he was doing?

“Something about how you ran stark naked around your neighbour’s garden after a little bender down at the pub? ” She said almost all too innocently. He was shocked at how she managed to say such wicked things with such innocuousness.

He groaned in despair. That was not a story that he had ever wanted her to hear.

“Merlin. You need to stay away from Anne.” Sebastian said brusquely.

“I thought you wanted us to get along?” She said coyly.

His heart jumped. He swore that he could hear a hint of something wicked in the underbelly of her voice. Was she flirting? Because this certainly sounded like flirting.

And if the shivers that ran down the back of his spine was any indication, it sure fucking felt like flirting too.

“Yes, but not at my expense, obviously.” Sebastian said flatly.

“Where’s the fun in that?” She said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Fun? Merlin this girl would be the death of him. It was supposed to be Sebastian who flustered her; who said cavalier things that made her blush feverishly and rendered her speechless. It had always worked with the village girls down the stream, or the barmaids in Hogsmeade. But with her — the one girl where it truly mattered — it had never been the case.

Here she was rendering him a total dunce, and all it took was a coy smile. All this time, Sebastian had thought that she’d been doing it unintentionally. But maybe she’d been doing it more deliberately than she’d let on. And if that was the case…

He wouldn’t survive it.

“You’re becoming more despicable with every passing day.” He retorted wittily, with just enough mirth to appear charming, but not too much as to leave him feeling exposed.

“I did learn from the best.” She replied pointedly and shrewdly.

Admittedly, he felt his chest swell with pride at the idea that she’d learnt it from him.

But before he had the chance to retort, she caught him off guard with a dose of sincerity.

“Thank you for letting me come over this Christmas.” She said quietly, to a backdrop of the running water tap and the clinking of ceramic plates.

She was thanking him so earnestly. And Sebastian wished he could take credit for it. Pretend that he was totally selfless in inviting her into his home — but he couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be wrong.

The girl wonder had made it known to him early in the year that she had planned to stay in the castle over Christmas. And when she had first mentioned it several months ago, Sebastian had felt restless — but at the time, he hadn’t known why.

After months of emotional whiplash, it was safe to say that he now had a clearer idea.

“Couldn’t let you stay alone in the castle, now could I?” Sebastian said.

“I mean you could’ve.” She joked.

He couldn’t have. He wouldn’t have. But how else was Sebastian meant to explain that without confessing some degree of his despairing devotion to her? How was he to explain to her that actually, she was doing him this favour? By being here, with him, in the dim corner of his childhood kitchen light. How else was he to explain to her that if she hadn’t, even if she stayed by herself in the hallowed halls of the castle, he’d still be the lonelier one between them?

He couldn’t. So he needed to keep it brief.

“No,” he said surprisingly sincerely, “I really couldn’t.”

And all of a sudden, the weightless atmosphere that once pervaded the room was now gone. The muffled voices from the living room became soft. Even the soreness in his fingers from all the dish-washing dulled. What was left was only the sincerity in his voice now. He hadn’t intended to sound so… honest, but he guessed that she naturally brought it out of him.

He could only hope that he hadn’t… totally freaked her out.

He turned to look at her, to say something either aloof or wildly charming — but he soon realised that it was a grave mistake. Because suddenly, he was looking right at her, and she was looking right at him. And with one measly look, Sebastian’s chest felt tighter and the air felt thinner.

(This was happening so often, really — you’d think that he would’ve been more accustomed to it all by now.)

Her eyes flicked up to something above them that had caught her attention; but Sebastian couldn’t bring himself to look up — or care in all honesty. Too enraptured by the magnetic pull of her eyes.

But the next words she uttered out of her lips, he couldn’t have ever ignored:

“Is that… a mistletoe?”

Sebastian almost wanted to laugh. Because surely, he had to have misheard.

Because a fucking mistletoe?

But alas, magically above them, a mistletoe sat. In all its almost mocking, prickly glory, a mistletoe was perched on the edge of the hanging kerosene kitchen lamp. All of a sudden, blood was rushing in his ears, drowning out the rest of the room. All that he could hear was the thunderous pounding thump of his relentless heartbeat banging against his eardrums.

When Sebastian realised that he hadn’t spoken for a while, he racked his tiny anxious brain for something meaningful, charming, or at least coherent.

“It… must be Anne’s doing.” Was all Sebastian could say, rather lamely.

Was this Anne’s idea of helping him move along? To make it all go a little faster? Because if that were true, this was the most insane plan he’d ever heard of. And Sebastian was normally the mastermind behind the most ludicrous and most asinine of plans — so trust that he could spot one a mile away.

If he hadn’t loved his sister so dearly, he would’ve banished her out to the neighbour’s cottage for the rest of the night for all the emotional strife she was causing him! If he were to die young from all the heart palpitations this meddling was sure to give him — he’d vow to haunt her endlessly for eternity.

Because coercing the girl that he… had very strong feelings for… into kissing him would not bode well on his conscience. Or his ego. Or his delicately constructed sense of self-worth. In fact it would rather bruise him if she were to kiss him out of some sort of misplaced obligation.

No matter how heavenly he knew it would probably feel.

Sebastian could feel himself literally teetering on the brink of perilous precipice; between what he could do next… but also what he should most definitely not do next.

This was all feeling too loud and too radical for him to bear. How did kissing her suddenly factor into this equation?

… But as if by wicked instinct, his gaze dropped down onto the curve of her lips — and he absolutely loathed himself for it.

Gods, wouldn’t it be nice to kiss her?

(Another one of those absurd, intrusive thoughts of his.)

He was ready to laugh it off. Tell her that it was just a silly little old thing. Some outdated conventions. They didn’t have to go through with it. In fact, they could spare themselves the embarrassment and never speak of this ever again if she willed it so.

To his surprise, she replied almost matter-of-factly:

“… Supposedly if we don’t kiss, we’d be doomed to 100 years of misfortune.”

Like a slow sinful poison, he felt his body go numb in shock. Like a match to a barren wick, he felt his mouth go dry. Had he heard right?

Was she implying what he thought she was implying?

Almost cautiously, he replied, “We wouldn’t want that.”

It was true, he wouldn’t want that. 100 years of misfortune wouldn’t do him any good in trying to court the girl before him.

“Not at all,” She said as she nodded.

So it was only logical that they had to kiss.

“100 Years is… a long time,” He rationalised.

He almost couldn’t believe the words tumbling out of his mouth.

“A lifetime long,” She agreed.

Forget what he was saying — why was she encouraging this?

“And I suppose it is tradition,” He justified.

“Right. Tradition.” She clarified.

When she’d put it like that, it seemed entirely sensible. Almost as if doing anything else would be totally irrational. Sebastian normally skewed towards irrationality, because what was life without a little bit of unreasonableness…

But if she was readily weaving this enticing thread of logic for him — he would obediently surrender to her pull.

Sebastian waited for the punchline. The cruel joke. For her to say she was, “just kidding, of course!”

But even after what felt like aeons of silence — it never came. He wondered if she could read him. If she knew that he was all unbridled nerves and anticipation in this lanky body of his. All he saw was her, looking straight at him. No distractions, just a firm sense of purpose. And he wondered what was behind her eyes. Was she nervous? Because he was fucking nervous.

Why didn’t she look nervous?

A lull fell over them, and it was as if they’d reach an impasse. As if it were a silent agreement between two precarious souls.

“So I guess-” He began.

“Right.”

He supposed that was confirmation enough. For him to press on. To take the next step.

But what was the next step? This didn’t come with a fucking manual. How was he to go about kissing the girl that had plagued his every waking thought now that she was all but offering it?

He supposed he just had to take it.

So he did.

He took a daring step forward, and he swore that he could see a slight tremor in her throat. It was tiny, almost imperceivable, but honest to god, it helped him breathe a little. Because it meant that maybe she wasn’t so unbothered by this treacherous proximity as she appeared to be.

When he looked at her closely and scrutinised every crinkle in her eye, he saw a sliver of something he hadn’t seen before. Something familiar. Like the flicker of a yearning and restlessness he saw so often in himself. In the rounds of her cheeks, he could make out the outline of a growing blush, betraying the effect his closeness had on her.

With every passing second he inched closer, Sebastian could feel something growing inside him. Breaking out in the pit of his stomach like turbulent waves. A feeling he knew would only be quelled if he managed to get his mouth onto hers. Until he knew what every inch of her lips tasted like.

Was he really about to do this?

Sebastian was still holding onto the dishes in the sink. But fuck the dishes. He didn’t have the time to put that shit down. He’d carry the weight of every stupid dish, cup or ceramic bowl if it meant that he’d be able to touch her.

“Merry Christmas Sebastian.” She whispered.

And what a lovely whisper it was.

Before her hands ever touched him, her voice did. It embraced him everywhere; his arms, down his spine, even in the unknown depths of his heart. He felt his chest melt a little with something warm and soft and so, so pleasant. In this moment, he allowed himself to believe it. Believe that maybe he could be in love with her. Maybe he was already knee-deep in it; buried thousands and thousands of feet below the weight of his burdensome feelings.

And that this love wouldn’t kill him. It wouldn’t hurt him. It wouldn’t be wrong or scary or restricting.

He could love her and still breathe.

She was so close. Just one more step and they’d meet.

Fuck his ego. Fuck his conscience. Fuck his brittle his self-worth. He would fucking kiss her like his entire measly existence depended on it.

It was just on the tip of his tongue. It was right there for the taking. It was—

“Hey, Dessert’s ready—”

— Ominis?

As quickly as heaven had opened its gates, it had also come crashing down like a train wreck.

Like a brutal punch to the gut, Sebastian was thrown back into a sobering reality. Ominis’s sharp voice had popped the fragile little bubble they’d temporarily created.

Wasn’t the universe just fucking cruel?

And as much as he loved his best friend, he had never ever hated him more. Of all the moments that he could’ve chosen to walk in on… this was what he decided on?

Silence hung in the air. The shadow of something that almost happened lingered like a half-spoken sonnet, begging to be finished. Sebastian searched for the right words, searched for clarity in the fog, searched for the will to string his thoughts together — but it all eluded him.

“...Did I interrupt something—”

“N-No!” “Nope.”

Her face was flushed crimson. His was probably no better.

Thank Merlin, Ominis was blind.

As if by magic, they were now a whole metre apart. Now that Sebastian had a taste of closeness, this distance starved him. It felt like a cruel, deprivation

A heavy silence settled between them, with each second stretching out for what felt like an eternity. Ominis hadn’t seen them, per se — but Sebastian had a feeling that he could sense that he had just ruined… something significant.

Love might not have killed him, but this painfully awkward silence would.

"Right... well. Solomon asked me to get you both," Ominis finally broke the silence, his tone tinged with clear discomfort.

The ambiance dissipated, the moment was gone. Replaced by the ordinary state of affairs they were forced to return to.

“We’ll—” Sebastian began to say with a slight croak, before clearing his throat, “We’ll be right there.”

He couldn’t bear to look at her as he rushed out to the living room, where normalcy awaited him.

There went his bloody chance.

“Ominis, my plan!” Anne said in a rushed whisper as she pulled the blonde boy into an alcove of the small Sallow residence.

He looked back at her guiltily, with only the slightest hint of a grumble, “Well you could’ve told me about the plan ahead of time…”

“We were so close!” Anne said

“I’m sorry…”

——

Notes

GOSH I apologise so deeply for how atrociously long this chapter took!!! It took me so long, even though I've literally had the outline for it from the very early stages of this fic!

But work did not kill me and I have a new chapter for yall <3

I made sure to sprinkle all the good tropes like, the classic wearing his sweater trope, the oh is that a mistletoe? trope, the almost kiss trope!!! AHHHH I hope you guys like it :)

My HC that the only person that can tame Ominis' outta pocket sass is Anne.

I'm so sorry if you guys have been waiting, and if you're still reading THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Shoutout to the very very lovely, @wt-fxck @deliciouslyferal @sonicranger1 @spaceyaceface @eleanorstaghart @ithinkweallsing @somethingiswrongwithme @tlnyjoong @musicbecky @oliviajdjarin @intheshadowofthegame @weeb-shitss FOR ALL THE COMMENTS AND THE TAGS!!!!

#sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian sallow x reader #a knowing look #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow fanfiction #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #sebastian sallow fic #sebastian sallow imagines #hogwarts legacy

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sweet-as-an-angel · 4 months

Note

AAAAAA THIS FATHER IS AN ASSHOLE WHERE CAN I GET ONE OF HIM??? I'M THE ANON WHO ASKED ABOUT HIS KIDS AND STUFF UWHIS

OKAY SO HE'LL STILL BE NEGLECTFUL, ANOTHER THING TO ADD TO THE RED FLAG PILE.

Coming back to how much his nationality is mentionned in here, would he try to slip in some French assuming we didn't tell him we were from here because it wasn't really useful. Reaction to them having the accent on first meeting? What if we like the fact he's from here? What if we pretend to not understand? Would he detect those types of things, that we're faking? Or would he have already rummaged through our papers and seen the red passport? What if we reply to him just once and then never answer his questions again? That would be funny, playing with him just to get back at him. Wouldn't surprise me if delusional prick was a dark empath (≈.≈)

Just another rouge trophy for Dominic to put on his shelf. Surprised the poor thing hasn't caved beneath the weight of all those flags he's sporting <3

TW: Brief Implied Smut

♡ Dominic won't have access to any personal papers, documents, etc. until he's able to get into and out of your home without suspicion - or, at least, rummage around inside without you feeling suspicious about him taking as long as has to find your bathroom - so he'll go purely off intuition and subtle cues in your demeanour and speech if you don't have an accent. Things like rolling your 'r's, accidentally pronouncing è or é in words that don't possess them, using turns of phrase that don't necessarily make sense in the English vernacular but do in French - things like that.

♡ On the flip-side, if you do have an accent, Dominic is very pleased; especially if he recognises it as southern French. In a way, despite his complete secularity in all but himself, he does hazard a slight belief in the idea that maybe, perhaps, something celestial or metaphysical brought you to him, especially considering how uncommon it is to encounter international neighbours where he lives. He gets excited at the prospect of being able to talk to you - to say things to you - that nobody else can understand.

♡ And yes, this does extend to bedroom talk. Yes, he has had fantasies about telling you despicable things while his wife is in earshot.

♡ Messing with Dominic will never end well for you, btw. He can just about take the idea of a joke being made at his expense in his stride; to actually hear one is enough to incur the wrath of a man who is not restrained by creed, flag, or morals. As much as he loves you, he has very little issue with breaking you down into his perfect specimen. Much like how he did with Marilyn.

♡ Once is fine, but only if it's the two of you alone. Do something like this in public and Dominic won't be held responsible for all that will ensue.

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#sweet as an angel #yandere #male yandere #yandere male #original yandere #tw yandere #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere x y/n #yandere x darling #yandere dilf #yandere dilf x reader #yandere blog #yandere writing #yandere headcanons

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chuuyaandreaderkilldazai · 11 days

Text

Ranking JJK Characters I Don't Like

Ranging from mild dislike (14) to LOATHE WITH EVERY INCH OF MY BEING (1).

14. Mai: I don't hate her. I sympathize with her. I just wish she wasn't the way she is.

13. Junpei: I do have compassion for him, but ... school shooter vibes. Not a fan.

12. Noritoshi: Bad vibes.

11. Toji: Bad dad. And he's so nosy, too. Why does he always insert himself into situations with his fists swinging? Actually, now that I think about it, that's kind of iconic behavior. But all it ever really did was create more problems. If he had never inserted himself into the plot, Geto would have probably never turned mass-murderer-cult-leader--WE COULD HAVE HAD EVERYTHING. So it's a pass for me. Also, his haircut is off-putting for reasons I cannot articulate. It's like one day in middle school he got a haircut and just never changed up the style ever again.

10. Jogo: Ugly.

9. Uraume: Character design: slay. Helping Sukuna: not slay.

8. Like every adult from the Zenin clan: BECAUSE THEY SUCK.

7. Tengen: Old and entitled.

6. Kenjaku: Old and entitled part two. What gives him the right?

5. Sukuna: Horrid, nasty man. I feel like I shouldn't have to elaborate.

4. Ui Ui: Annoying. Literally, why are you even here?

3. Mei Mei: First of all, how am I supposed to take you seriously with that stupid braid hanging in front of your face? From the very instant her character was introduced, I did not like her, but I thought maybe I was being a woman hater for no reason, so I really did try to tolerate her. But when we finally saw that scene in season two. PRISON!!! I was right. She's the worst. We are not gonna ignore that. Check her files.

2. That thing with the blond side ponytail: I hate him so much I don't even know his name. I don't care to know it. I would say why do you as a man look like that, but honestly why do you as a HUMAN BEING look like that? Why do you act like that? Why are you skipping around wearing a poorly made DIY toga? Whole nip is hanging out, and no one asked to see that. Why are you HOLDING HANDS with your blade? Freak. There is something so intrinsically, inherently, ONTOLOGICALLY wrong with him, you can't even blame it on childhood trauma or a personality disorder. The only time I ever supported Sukuna was when he bullied this emaciated Jo Jo Siwa lookin' thing in Shibuya.

Mahito: I hate him so much. I hate him more than I've ever hated any character. I actually lose the ability to speak coherently when I think about him because I hate him so much. I think it's so cringe when try-hard dudes say, "When I'm angry all I see is red." But when I think about Mahito it really is like blood and pure rage cloud my vision. He is literally the embodiment of if you gave an edge lord psychopathic eleven year old the power to kill people. "Wee, I'm so powerful and killing people is just SoooOoOoOoOOOo much fun!!" SHUT UP!!!!!!!! SHUT UPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!! YOU ARE NOT FUNNY. YOU ARE NOT CUTE. YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL IN ANY WAY. He is genuinely the most irritating character I have ever come across. And as the story progresses, he just gets worse. What do you mean he can duplicate himself? Now we have to deal with TWO of this wretched creature? What do you mean he can be decapitated AND HIS HEAD WILL SPROUT LIMBS AND SPRINT AWAY? STOOOOOOOOOP. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON WHAT HAPPENED TO NANAMI--I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT. Mahito is such a nasty, slithy, bothersome, despicable, nauseating little cockroach. "Yuji, you and I are the same." Huh? You thought you did something there, didn't you? You thought you ate and came up with some kind of deep, revolutionary concept? It's giving pretentious philosophy dude who thinks he's superior for being a little contrarian, nihilistic Nietzsche butt licker. When Yuji finally humbled him, I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed seeing the fear in his eyes. For one brief, fleeting moment, I could finally understand what sadists must feel like. Honestly, we deserved to watch him suffer, and I wish he would have suffered far more for far longer. Rot in anguish, Mahito. You will not be missed nor forgiven.

#long time no see #life been lifing #i need surgery :(#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #mai zenin #junpei yoshino #noritoshi kamo #toji fushiguro #jogo #uruame #tengen jjk #kenjaku #ryomen sukuna #ui ui #mei mei #mahito #hater

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oscconfessions · 2 months

Note

way too many people on here think that. "Media for kids = doesn't have to be quality/can be hot shit".

"It's for kids it doesn't matter", really? I don't want to go on the "kids are smarter than you think" yada yada. So instead I'll take a cabby from III 14. For all you know some kid might try to imitate/say what Bot said to a irl disabled friend of theirs. . And Yes I know you an adult know it's bad, BUT A KID MIGHT NOT! "They should do their research" their a child! They like III and they might go "Well Bot from III did that and told Cabby to do that and Cabby ended up happy so I'm doing the right thing!" Especially when the media at hand tells them "Hey this is a perfectly okay thing to do".

If it didn't matter then why were we all demanding II's writers change it?

If media for kids isn't important, why do people care about incorrect/stereotypical portrayals of minorities in it? Why should media for kids have episodes about more serious topics?

(((Before anyone interprets this wrong I'M saying we should care about this)))

And second of "it's for kids no wonder it's gonna be bad" is also such a crappy take.

(I've been on a scooby kick) Remember that Velma show that was literally made by a transphobe (Which was most likley made to own the left, it's a can of worms. Tldr: show is bad). Well if were going by age rating it should be the creme of the crop for scooby doo media! But it isn't! . Mystery inc (which albeit is Aimed at older kids, I'll give you all that) is regarded by all of the fandom as the best in the franchise. And (in many people's opinion) what's cool scooby doo(Aimed at kids) is the funniest one (even if all the characters look like seth mcfarland drew them, I'm being srs it's funny God watch it) If all media for kids is inferior to media for adults why isn't the fandom obsessed with Velma?

You all whine about how object shows have turned into corporate slop(which is a different argument and a whole other case of worms), but then you go "Oh they're all just meaningless stupid things for kids it's not that serious".

Oh and don't get me started on how you guys act when it comes to media analysis/Fandom discourse. "It's for kids it's not that serious" Or "it's just a silly show" God forbid people feel emotion about a media that's for a age group younger than them. God forbid they care for something that isn't some "serious" and "important" masterpiece. I've seen people say "there's barely any analysis in the osc" Why should people analise things that are for kids? They're not as deep or Worthwhile as things for adults!

I'm not saying you can't have object shows as your own fun little "turn my brain off" for a second thing, I'm just saying you all should stop acting like assholes about people who care about this media in a way different from yours.

Before you go "What's the point it's just fictional". What's the point in any media analysis in that case! So many people cry "the osc has no media literacy/none of you understand the osc deeper" and then they say stuff like this.

Look if you want to dismiss all fandom discourse go for it, but if your sole argument for that is it being for kids I will turn into the animaniacs reddit mod character

God I'm sorry If I turned into every middle aged man cartoon reviewer. I'm not saying you can't just ENJOY things from time to time (not having some old guy in a room of action figures scream into my ear "DESPICABLE ME 2 ISN'T A GOOD MOVIE! IT'S NOT A DEEP PEACE OF ART" is nice.

And I do believe some things can just be fun! I love just a fun Cartoon. But don't act like every single thing that isn't directed towards adults fits into that category. Also don't act like simple cartoons can't have genuine moments and love and care put into them, something dosen't have to be serious like HFJONE to have a serious topic/well writteen bit here and there.

I'm not saying object shows are fucking hamlet or Shakespeare or "Pan Taduesz"(the poles know). I'm just saying degrading all media criticism/discourse abt object shows because there for kids is an extremely stupid statement.

I'm gonna fucking say it Tacomic discoursers Pro/Anti I fucking love you all, people act like your just "stupid idoits" But I know 90% have acctually HAD to analize II you've had to pay attention to small things to things most would find un important. (You all shouldn't be getting that petty over it) But still!

(This all also goes to the people saying I was never good, no one (from my knowledge) was unironically comparing it to Shakespeare. It was just a well written series and you're not ready to accept the fact that something you liked has writing issues. The only reason you're so shocked is because you were watching it as a kid and YOU thought you were watching high class art. But just because it isn't some Masterpiece in writing mean it doesn't have ANY decent writing. Media dosen't have to be a to be a masterpiece to be worthy of being good. I don't know how to tell you this but enjoying some critically also had the word ENJOY in it, You don't only have to be critical of it because it's not some DaVinci art)

To end this corny long ask all I have to say is this

"It's made for kids" isn't a way to throw away all the criticism towards it, "it's made for kids" doesn't mean it's should have no quality control,

"it's made for kids" dosen't mean you should undermine the effort and love put into it

(OH MY FUCKING GOD THIS THING SOUNDS LIKE A 10 YEAR OLD ON A FORUM POST WRITING A MANIFESTO I'M SO SORRY TO WHATEVER MOD HAS TO TAG AND READ THIS, this thing is mostly likely a ramble but this trend of saying "it's made for kids" unleashed some evil cartoon reviewer persona in me)

your apology is accepted-📻

#confession #/ii #/ii/cabby #/ii/bot #/one #/ii/taco #/ii/microphone #/ii/microphone/taco

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vxctorx · 4 months

Text

The Talented Mr. Ripley Sentence Starters

feel free to change the pronouns

"If I could just go back. If I could rub everything out… starting with myself."

"To my ear, jazz is just noise. Just an insolent noise."

"I can tell you, the _______ name opens a lot of doors."

"I have so much luggage, and you’re so, um, streamlined. It’s, you know, humiliating."

"We’re partners in disguise."

"Hello. Uh, well, I knew you…so I suppose you must have known me."

"I’ve been looking all over for you. Where’ve you been hiding?"

"Did you suddenly forget where I lived?"

"I’m despicable, but I love you."

"Everybody should have one talent. What’s yours?"

"Nobody should have more than one talent."

"It’s too much! You’re making all the hairs on my neck stand up."

"I’m never going back."

"To actually hire somebody to come all the way here to drag me back home– Got to be a little insane, hasn’t he?"

"Call him, if you can find a telephone that works, and tell him wild horses wouldn’t drag me back to him."

"Boats are female. Everyone knows you can’t call a boat after a man."

"I can’t write and I can’t spell. It’s the privilege of a first-class education."

"Now that you’re a double agent and we’re gonna string my dad along, what if we were to buy a car with your expense money?"

"You’re breaking my ribs!"

"I love the fact that you brought Shakespeare with you but no clothes."

"Anyway, just wear some of my stuff. Wear anything you want. Most of it’s ancient."

"Without the glasses, you’re not even ugly. I don’t need them because I never read."

"It means we’ve never shared a bath, and I’m cold. Can I get in?"

"Stop telling me what an incredible time you’re having."

"He wants me to reassure him that you’re going to be home by Thanksgiving."

"You’ve got to get a new jacket. Really. You must be sick of wearing the same clothes."

"I love how responsible you are. My dad should make you chief accountant or something. Or when I take over, which is never, I will."

"Oh, God, don’t you want to fuck every woman you see just once?"

"Would you get undressed in your own room?"

"I was just fooling around. Don’t say anything. I was just fooling around."

"You, uh, stay at _______’s house, you eat _______’s food, you wear his clothes, and his father picks up the tab."

"The thing with _______ ... It’s like the sun shines on you, and it’s glorious. And then he forgets you and it’s very, very cold."

"When you have his attention, you feel like you’re the only person in the world. That’s why everybody loves him."

"How can it take an hour to find an ambulance?!"

"I don’t know why people say this country is civilized. It isn’t. It’s fucking primitive!"

"You don’t have to clean up! Really!"

"You’ve been so good to me. You’re the brother I never had. I’m the brother you never had. I would do anything for you."

"She came to me for help. She needed money. I didn’t help her."

"I’m not going to say anything, to the police or anybody. It’s a secret between us, and I’ll keep it."

"You could hardly expect this to go on forever."

"You said it yourself. It’s my dad’s money you’re spending."

"I’m suddenly quite happy to be going back."

"Do you even like jazz, or was that for my benefit?"

"I’ve gotten to like everything about the way you live. It’s one big love affair."

"I figured-Now, just for argument’s sake, say I got a place. Or say we split the rent on a house."

"Yesterday, you’re ogling girls on the terrace. Today you’re getting married?! That’s absurd!"

"You love me. You’re not marrying me."

"I don’t love you."

"To be honest, I’m a little relieved you’re going. I think we’ve seen enough of each other for a while."

"You can be a leech! You know that! And it’s boring. You can be quite boring!"

"The funny thing is, I’m not pretending to be somebody else, and you are. I’ve been absolutely honest with you about my feelings, But you-"

"First of all, I know there’s something. That evening, when we played chess, for instance, it was obvious."

"Oh, sure. No, no! It’s too dangerous for you to take on. Oh, no, no. We’re brothers! "

"You follow your cock around like a-And now you’re getting married! No, I’m bewildered. Forgive me."

"Who are you? Some third-class mooch? Who are you? Who are you to say anything to me! Who are you to tell me anything!"

"Actually, I really, really do not want to be on this boat with you. I can’t move without you moving."

"I’m gonna kill you! Kill you! You’re dead!"

"There’s a side to him when our heads are on the pillow, I know no one else sees, that’s so tender."

"The truth is that if you’ve had money your entire life, either you despise it, or you’re only truly comfortable around other people who have it and despise it."

"I look at you and I see her face. And I can’t- No matter what I’m feeling towards you–"

"But will you meet me tomorrow? Just to say goodbye properly, you know, in the daylight, so it’s not just this. You should always save pain for daylight."

"Last time you didn’t know your ass from your elbow. Now you’re giving me directions. That’s not fair. You probably do know your ass from your elbow."

"I won’t count on you anymore. Whatever it is you’ve done or haven’t done, you’ve broken my heart. That’s one thing I know you’re guilty of."

"You’re much more like the son my father wanted."

"I realize you can change the people, change the scenery, but you can’t change your own rotten self."

"I’m haunted by everything I’ve done and can’t undo."

"I’m delighted, contrary to rumor, that you’re still in one piece."

"By the way, officially there are no Italian homosexuals. Makes Michelangelo and Leonardo very inconvenient."

"Well, whatever you do, however terrible, however hurtful, it all makes sense, doesn’t it, in your head. You never meet anybody who thinks they’re a bad person."

"Don’t you just take the past and put it in a room in the basement, and lock the door and never go in there? And then you meet someone special, and all you want to do is toss them the key. Say “Open up. Step inside.” But you can’t. Because it’s dark, and there are demons."

"I keep wanting to do that. Fling the door open. Just let the light in, clean everything out."

What a waste of lives and opportunities. I’d pay that fellow $ 100 right now to shut up!"

"You know, people always say that you can’t choose your parents, but you can’t choose your children."

"I loved you. You may as well know. I loved you. Maybe it’s grotesque of me to say this now, so just write it on a piece of paper or something, and put it in your wallet for a rainy day."

"When you see where you live from a distance, it’s like a dream, isn’t it?"

"You know, seeing you again, I–I’ve thought about you, so much."

"I’m gonna be stuck in the basement, aren’t I? That’s my... Terrible…and alone…and dark. And I’ve lied…about who I am…and where I am. Now no one will ever find me."

"I always thought it would be better to be a fake somebody, than a real nobody."

"You’re not a nobody. That’s the last thing you are."

#[ if any of you enjoyed watching Saltburn i highly recommend this film. saltburn was basically a rip off of this one ]#[ also reblog this so i can send you these lol ]#The Talented Mr. Ripley #Sentence Starters #; mine

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nattspencer · 1 year

Text

Impossible Ending

Lady Lesso X Reader

Part 1 (you’re here) / Part 2

Summary: The Reader has known Lesso since their childhood, however, she knew it was impossible for them to be together, until the Storian assigned the Reader to help the deans to reformulate the now school for good and evil.

A/N: English is not my first language, I’m really sorry for any mistakes. I had to divide this in two parts, since it was too long for it to be an one shot. If you have any ideas for stories with Lady Lesso and for some reason whats me to write it, it would be my pleasure, just send me a request.

Warnings: bad language, mentions of injury, angst, a bit fluffy and mentions of smut in the end however, no smuts planned to this work.

Word count: 3.1k

The GIF is not mine.

It’s almost funny how things were just way simpler when you were kids. There wasn’t no world purely divided on good and evil, heroes and villains, there was no school, no magic, and fairy tales were just it, fairy tales, centuries old stories passed on from generation to generation. You were born in a loving family of nomad healers, traveling around the world, helping. The woods and its dangers and marvels were no stranger to you, and between one job and another your people helped those that needed the most, but couldn’t afford to pay.

One day you stumbled over Gavaldon, and it didn’t take long for them to know a woman was sick, your family went straight to help, and that changed your life forever. You met the most beautiful shy adorable human you've ever seen, her daughter, Leonora. In no time you two became inseparable, and a part of you fell hopelessly in love for her. You swore to protect her at all costs and to be on her side as much as you possibly can, and you kept the promise even when Rafal took her into this madness and now, you were dragged along too.

The days in the school weren’t easy, as she went to the school for evil, and you were dropped in the school for good. Your impossible love became even more impossible, if loving a woman was already out of question, love between good and evil were just unthinkable, unimaginable, impossible.

Days passed cold and empty without her, as she made it very clear that she didn’t want you around, your repulsive good princess self wasn't tolerated, and she would destroy you if she ever had the chance. You were her nemesis and Rafal’s visits didn’t make your life any better, he would personally destroy everything within you, every little piece of joy you had left with his sharp words.

Leonora could never have what she wants with you by her side, she would never be as powerful and as respected if you still gravitate around her, she would never achieve what Rafal’s demanded if she still had you, and most of all, if she did allowed herself to love you, she would just be the weird dyke everyone hates that date an ever and probably she would be just bullied and expelled. So you did the highest love gesture you can think of, you gave your own happiness up so she can have hers.

Having made that choice, however, didn’t make you feel any better about yourself, you were positively miserable, to the point you didn’t care if you would live or die or just became some sort of fucking talking candelabra like Lumiere in the next day. Rafal’s of course, always making sure you would feel that way. Nonetheless, one day, when you least expected, something unimaginable happened. The Storian itself summoned you in the headmaster’s tower.

It proposed that you attend both schools, good and evil, so you could be its personal assistant and make sure all the stories were told the way it was supposed to be, being the good brave hero in some stories and a terrible despicable villain in others. You didn’t think twice before accepting the job, you would take anything that could get out of that school and not doom you to be in a dress, adoring a man for the rest of your life.

The next years were like hell, attending one school was already difficult enough but two? That was almost impossible. Endless hours of studying, little sleep and an extra year just to finish the evil subjects almost made you go crazy, but you managed it, you almost made friends along the way, but no one was ever close to you as Leonora one day was.

Don’t get me wrong, you didn’t exactly got an easy life, bruises, cuts and scars were almost permanent in your skin and you could never thank your mom enough for the skills you had learned from her so you could treat yourself between a job and another. Faking death and disappearing became your specialty, even though leaving those you liked behind were never even remotely pleasant.

It kept like this for hundreds of years, between being a hero or a villain, a skilled witch or a mighty sword fighter, making friends and enemies, nevertheless, even with the busiest life sometimes, when the stars were in the right place, you couldn’t help yourself but to think about a certain redhead, and if she is happy. You heard she became dean of the school for evil, and you couldn’t be more content for her, as long she was happy, you were trying to be too. Life was just like this, until one day, the contents of your next mission parchment were different than the usual.

The Storian wasn’t asking you to be a villain or a hero or to be a support character in any story, as the first student to graduate in the school for good and in the school for evil, you shall help the deans to unify both schools, as there was no more pure good nor pure evil.

That really hit you as a surprise, you didn’t think that they would see the infinite shades of gray in their black and white world so soon, but it also meant you were about to see her again, work with her, talk to her, and not being able to tell her what you truly wanted, not being able to touch her the way you body desires, and not being able to love her in the way you heart ached for.

You tried to deny it, to run away, to flee as much as you can, but there wasn’t no one else for the job, you were the first entity and also the first reader to actually be both, be allowed to be both, good and evil. You had no choice but to go.

When your eyes meet with the now Lady Lesso your heart skipped a beat. She was even more attractive then the last time you saw her. Her redhead was beautifully puffed in her perfect curls, her body embraced and exalted by a suit alongside a buttoned coat, her fingers sinfully wrapped around a walking stick and her eyes… well you always loved her eyes but her makeup made them even more beautifully intense, like they could read your soul.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my own nemesis” Her deep voice enchanted around the great hall when you entered and sent chills down your spine “You look terrible by the way” She uttered with a smile that chanted evilness.

“Likewise” You muttered with a sly smile, lies slipping easily from your lips.

Reformulating a school wasn’t an easy task, there were centuries of segregation and contradictions that lead to a lot of work to do, and it all fell on your and the two deans' shoulders. It was inevitable that you and Lesso grew a little closer, but not even remotely like it once was.

Dovey always got annoyed when you three were in a room, banter and mockery would just fly around like a lost bird, and it was always she the one to collect the attention to the main subject again, soon followed by you and with some resistance the other dean. What you thought would be a desister of a job turned out to be quite fun because of her.

“When was the last time you even slept properly?” Clarissa said when you two were chit chatting in the great hall, your upper body just threw against the wooden table and your head was resting on your extended arm.

“Good question, maybe when I finished my last job” Your eyes fell shut.

“I sincerely don’t know how you’re on your feet” Dovey said, partially impressed and partially disapproving of your own negligence.

“Years of experience” You simply said.

“I Didn’t know the great hall has turned into bedrooms, should I get along and make myself comfy?” A deep voice from behind you said as she sat by your side and started to comb your scruff’s locks. You could recognize that voice anywhere.

“It didn’t, I’m just a bit tired, and if you keep doing this I might fall asleep shamefully fast babe” You said with a already sleepy clouded mind, grabbing gently her hand and raising your torso from the table, interlocking your fingers and resting your hands on the wood “Now, I gotta go and finish what Dovey requested, there’s has to be a little bit of little old me for both of you, you know. Guess that’s the burden of being so hot” You said, already standing up and slowly letting go of the other woman’s hand.

“Babe?” Lesso said repeating the way you called her with a raised eyebrow and a smile full of sneer.

“Yeah, sorry, old habits die hard” You couldn’t hide the sadness in your eyes “Still, I gotta go, my dove needs me” You winked and joked looking at Clarissa to give yourself time to put your facade back on, and gladly, she made a princess exaggerated movement.

“My hero” Dovey jokes.

“Do you guys need a private room?” Lesso said disgustedly and all you did was to laugh genuinely.

The dynamic between you three kept like this until the weight of never ending work started to hit your bodies, you were all exhausted and you could see Lesso completely overworking herself. Don’t get me wrong, Dovey was full of work too, but she didn’t have to neglect her sleep to be back on time, once her part of the job was a little bit lighter than the rest, while you and Lesso were completely out of your minds.

On a cold sleepless winter night you found the redhead found asleep in between her papers in the library of the school for evil. You went there just minding your own work but as soon as you saw her image, your heart softened. Her hair puffier than usual these days layed beautifully on the long wooden desk, her body shrunken in cold and in her face the dark bags beneath her eyes contrasted with her angelic expression.

Leaving your own papers on the long table you walked to her and placed a caring hand on her back rubbing it gently, while you whispered lightly on her side trying to wake her up.

“Hey… Lesso… you should go to bed, it’s more comfortable… Leonora… Hey” All you heard in response was some murmurs.

Long minutes passed with you trying to wake her up with no success, and there was no way in hell you would let her just rest there. Carefully you picked her up on bride style and her body seemed to understand what you were trying to do as it willingly wrapped around yours, her face hiding on the crook of your neck. The location of her room was not strange for you, since you already stumbled into her when she was walking out of it. Therefore, you calmly directed her body there.

The path wasn’t too long, but the feeling of her breath lightly brushing your neck was making your heart melt in a way you had long forgotten. The way her body recognized yours, her scent stronger than ever, inebriating your senses and making you feel like you’re finally at home again. The memories couldn’t help but to flood your mind. Memories of a time long gone when everything was easier, happier, lighter.

Gentilly, you placed her body on the bed of her room and a whine of compliance left her lips as the heat of your body wasn’t evolving hers anymore, so you covered her in as many blankets as you could find, making sure she was more than comfortable. Your head told you to just turn around and leave her as it was, safe, warm and comfortable, but your heart pleaded to stay a little longer and comb her hair one last time, and for once, you listened to your heart.

Her face was peaceful and her redlocks were as soft as you could remember, you made sure to not undo any of her curls as a pleased whimp came from her mouth. Your heart fluttered and you wished deeply that everything could be just like this when she was awake, but you couldn’t. You would never take what she achieved on her own, the respect she gained, and most of all, deep down you knew you weren’t enough for her, and she deserved better, she deserved the world and even more.

Few minutes has passed when you decided that you should probably get going, after all, the work wouldn’t just magically disappear, but you couldn’t resist to kiss the top of her head before you go, even though you knew it was a kiss that you did not deserve.

The way back to the library was full of thoughts, happiness, sadness, nostalgia, all crumbling and dancing within you, however the pile of work still on the long wooden desk made you focus shift slightly. First you decided to finish whatever Lesso was working on, and placed the finished work on her bedroom’s desk, then you shifted your labor on what you originally went to the library for. It was already day when you were able to finish it and there was still more work to do.

That night wasn’t the only you found Lesso fast asleep, sometimes you could even find yourself sleeping around the castle, but you were far more used to sleepless nights than her, therefore you found yourself neglecting yourself in a double dose, once for your own work and twice for taking care of Lesso as you promised her you would all those years ago. Your wounds, however, didn’t take that neglect lightly, as some of them started to get sore and did not heal properly without your attention.

Visits to the blue forest became more and more frequent, as you needed to collect some specific herbs to try to make amends with your body and lower the slight fever that warned you that something wasn’t right. Soreness, pain, was something you learn to live with, but an untreated fever could lead to days in a hospital, and you should always avoid those.

Once after a visit to it, you passed through the school for evil and suddenly you felt a hand grabbing your arm in a vice grip, your instincts almost kicked in to take down any threats to your body, but your brain could realize that it was just a well known redhead pushing you into her office furiously. Your entire body aches as she throws you against the adorned door and a low hiss escapes your lips.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Anger audible in her voice.

“Going to my office? What the fuck Lesso” You said annoyed.

“Don’t play dumb with me. You know what I mean” Her face was millimeters close to yours.

“Maybe you should be more specific my dear. I’m doing a whole lot of things you know” You knew it wasn’t an answer she wanted to hear, but you know what? Two can play this game.

“Why are you taking care of me? Do you think I’m stupid?”

“I would say reckless, but since you already did…” A sly smile adorned your lips, oh you knew it would drive her crazy.

“Tell me one good reason to not kill you right here and now” Hatred and evilness sparkled in her eyes.

“You like it or not, sweetie, I’m now your headmaster, and I would definitely appreciate some good behavior” You said, pushing yourself towards her.

“There’s nothing good about me, pet, you should know that by now” Her hands painfully grabbed your chin “I could think hundreds of ways to torture you just to start with, so don’t you ever think I need your fucking useless help” She almost spit those words in disdain.

“I know you don’t need it, but, you see…” You said removing her hands from your face and holding it firmly “I went for the school for good first, so as wicked I might be, I really live up to my promises, well, most of them” Your grin grew wider

“Feel free then, pet I’m not the person you promised this bullshit, not anymore”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, Leonora” You didn’t like the way her name fell from your lips.

“Don’t you ever call me by that name again” She hissed the words in anger

“Oh, did I stumble though a sore spot?” If she wasn’t the same person, neither were you.

“You are really pathetic, you know that right pet? Little old me captivated you so much that you can’t forget me? Do you still love me?” Damn, it stings “Geez I was so bad and I didn’t even attend school yet” A sneer laugh escaped her lips, dripping with venom.

“Why do you still overwork yourself then darling? Trying to cover that emptiness? Or is it just self loathing?” She knew all of your weak spots, but what she didn’t expect however, was that you knew hers too.

“Why hurt your body if I can destroy who you are once again. Do you think I forgot the look on your face when I said the first time how useless you are and that I didn’t want you around? How broken were you? Poor little pet… So in love for the wrong person” You could see the devil on her face now, you really drove her crazy.

“Leonora…” Her lips silence your words as it brushes a trail of bruising kisses down your neck, making you lose any kind of reasoning you might one day have. Your hands travel to her red hair not entirely sure if they want to push or pull her even more. Unwittingly, you tilt your head to the side, giving her even more space to toy with.

“That’s not the name you’ll moan tonight, pet” She said kissing and biting your jaw, your body completely surrendered to her.

“Lesso…” You almost moan, but could manage to steady your voice.

“See? You’re a fast learner after all, always liked that in you” She says nipping your earlobe, and you eyes shut close, her hands dancing between your body.

“Two can play this game, you know?” That was all your aroused voice handled to say

“You wanna show me how bad you’ve been? How cute. Let me teach you a lesson then” Lesso said, crashing her lips on yours.

#lady lesso x reader #lady lesso #leonora lesso #the school for good and evil

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niqhtlord01 · 2 years

Text

Humans are weird: 4Chan

( Don’t forget to come see my on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord )

Alien: So it is just message boards shared among humans? Human: Correct. Alien: Why is this so special? Human: Because if you can think of it there’ll be a message board for it. Alien: Oh really? Alien: So if I am thinking about what humans taste like? Human: *Clicks and is taken to cannibal board* Alien: That one is too easy. Alien: How about the best way to overthrow a government? Human: *Clicks and is taken to several boards breaking down tactics for different countries* Human: Is that the best you’ve got? Alien: *Angry now* How about how to get aroused by looking at feet? Alien: Do you have that?!?! Human: Well you got me beat there. Alien: I knew- Human: SIKE! Human: *Opens several thousand boards for foot fetishists* Alien: *Screams in anger* ---------------------------------

Alien: How does this chan of 4's compare to the red of its and tumbles? Human: Picture a race between three cars. Human: One is being driven by a racer whose been heavily drinking and doesn't care the car is currently on fire. Human: The second is covered in angry racoons and my little pony plushies while being chased by rabid tigers. Human: And the third is covered in peanut butter while a naked person holds on to the hood shouting "WHERE IS THE JELLY!?" Alien: ...... Alien: I'm still confused. Alien: Which is which? Human: Doesn't matter; they're interchangeable. Alien: That makes no sense! Alien: If they could be swapped out why go through the length of vividly describing each? Human: I needed time to distract you while I pickpocketed you. Alien: What? Alien: *Looks down and sees wallet is missing* Human: *Looks up to see human running to nearest window and jumping out through glass* Human 2: *Walks over* Human 2: You could tell he was a 4chan man. Alien: HOW?!?! Human 2: Because he forgot we're on the 30th floor. ------------------------------- Alien: Is there a board for how to raise plants properly. Human: Here you go. Human: *Opens board with detailed groups for different plants* Alien: You promise this won’t get weird? Human: I can make no promises I’m afraid. Human: People did some weird shit to the piranha plants from the Mario games. -----------------------------------

Alien: I wish to learn how to make soup. Human: Your wish is granted. *Opens soup board* Alien 2: What’s the catch? Human: No catch. Alien 2: Are you serious? You love fucking with my people over this. Human: Soup is serious business on 4Chan. Human: You don’t fuck around with soup there. -------------------------------------

Alien: How would you describe this chan of 4’s? Human: To give it a single definition has long since become impossible. Alien: Surely you can’t be serious? Human: 4chan has transcended out understanding…. Human: and don’t call me Shirley. -------------------------------

Alien: Why are there so many cats here? Human: It has long been part of their end game to dominate all of humanity by infiltrating every aspect of human society. Alien: They can’t do that! Human: I mean, we really do love cats so it’s natural to share them. Alien: No, I mean that was our plan first! Alien: They can’t copy us! Human: So you’re saying they’re copycat- Alien: *Kills human with ray gun* ----------------------------------

Alien: Should I use this site to get feedback? Human: That depends on one thing. Alien: Which is? Human: How high your salt intake is. -------------------------------------

Alien: What is the one question not even 4chan want’s answered? Human: Oh that’s simple. Human: Who were the minions from “Despicable Me” working for between the years of 1933 to 1945? Alien: …………….. --------------------------------------

Alien: Does this site have any good recipes? Human: Most of them involve clown meat so I don’t think you’d enjoy them. Alien: What the florp is “clown meat”? --------------------------------------

Alien: Why do your people keep this chaos alive? Human: You can find some pretty funny stuff on there to make you smile. Alien: Funny? Alien: FUNNY?! Alien: I just read a story about how a human school child traumatized another human child by sending them pineapples for years on end. Human: Yeah; funny shit like I said. ----------------------------------------

Alien: Who is this large green man and why do people fear him so much? Human: They only fear him if they enter his swamp. ----------------------------------------

Alien: What is the difference between green text and red text? Human: Green text is often used for funny stuff that'll make you laugh. Alien: And the red? Human: To make you question your very existence in the universe and your personal worth to society. Alien: Isn't that a bit extreme? Human: God help you if you ever come across purple text then. --------------------------------------

Alien: Why are so many weird people on this chan of 4’s? Human: Mostly to get back at the government agents who are spying on their internet history. Alien: How do they know they’re being watched at all? Human: *looks at monitor* Oh they know……

#humans are insane #HUMANS ARE WEIRD #humans are space orcs #humans are space oddities #funny #4chan

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charliedawn · 2 years

Text

The Trials of the True Believer.

Part 1 :

You are a young woman who is preparing to join the sisterhood of Lena of Dean..(who is absolutely not real) Only things don't go as planned. This idea came from a request of a worshipper!reader x Morpheus. Enjoy.

You were only a child when the nightmares came. They were fairly average and few in between at first. You would wake up in the middle of the night and seek comfort in the arms of your parents who were all too happy to give you reassurance.

'Normal nightmares for children your age..', the doctor had assured your parents, and they believed him..

But, that quickly changed.

The nightmares started being more vivid, graphic, persistent—terrifying..They made you scream raw in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat and burst into tears.

Every night. You would dream of the most utterly despicable things—and yet—you would insist on not taking the pills the doctor had finally suggested you to try.

They were terrible nightmares, awful in every way, right down unnaturally horrifying and gory—but they were yours. They were your nightmares.

Diamonds in the rough. Cruelly well-crafted. Chill-inducing night terrors...But, they were beautiful. Oh so beautiful..

Even though they made you scream, cry, thrash in your bed and made you beg for an end..You always felt better the next day. They made you see that life could be harsh, and enjoy your boring days..In a way, you were grateful for them.

You parents thought you were insane, but you felt alive.

One night, as your parents had insisted on you taking the pills, you were woken up by noises coming from the kitchen and frowned as you sat up straight in your bed.

"D..Dad ? Mom ?", you called weakly, but were met with dead silence..

You were about to get up to search for them when your bedroom door opened ajar and you felt your heart thump loudly in your chest as a man entered—one that you didn't know.

"Well..Hello there, darling.", his smile was perfect, as perfect as a smile could be..It made you shiver.

He took a couple of steps forward and you hid yourself underneath your blankets, shutting your eyes tight and internally begging him to be only a nightmare..which earned you a small dark chuckle as the stranger ran his fingers lightly above your bed covers.

"If only you knew.."

Suddenly, you didn't feel the safe comforting blanket around you and your breath hitched as it was replaced by an inexplicable sense of naked vulnerability..You blinked several times before noticing you weren't in your bedroom anymore. You couldn't move, but you felt no pain..There was warmth in this darkness.

You closed your eyes once more, bathing in this comforting silence..

It was only a nightmare. Nothing more..

"You like my work, don't you darling ?"

You frowned..His work ? Who was he even ? You thought he was a nightmare, but you had never seen him before. And yet—he seemed to take great satisfaction in making you afraid. Wait..He couldn't be..You opened one eye tentatively to peer up at the man who tilted his head to the side—his grin not faltering as you asked.

"You're..the one who is giving me nightmares ?"

He nodded in affirmation and did a little bow.

"Bingo. The one and only. You can call me the Corinthian. Nice to meet you, Y/N.."

He extended his hand forward and you stared at it for a few seconds before he retracted it—knowing you wouldn't take it. He then disappeared, only to pop up right next to you. You jolted and uttered a surprised yelp when he rested his arm over your shoulders, but he smiled and then lowered himself on one knee to face you fully.

"Even now..You like being afraid, don't you sweetheart ?", he looked at you with a mischievous leer and for a moment, you found him a strange ressemblance to the Cheshire Cat.

He seemed to read your mind again as whiskers suddenly grew out of his cheeks and you giggled when he raised his eyebrows up and down. He was a nightmare..But, he was funny.

His sunglasses, his dark menacing grin, his gentle touches..All an act that you knew hid something far sinister..But, it didn't make you flinch when he put his hand on your shoulder and gently laid you back down on your bed.

"Why are you here ?", you asked and the Corinthian stilled for a second before a shadow passed in his tinted glasses.

He then leaned forward and whispered in your ear in a voice that seemed so incredibly sad, you couldn't help but pity the dream demon.

"Dear Y/N, I came to say goodbye."

You felt a lump in your throat at the notion that you would be deprived of the nightmares you had grown accustomed to and had even learned to love.

"Why ? I..I don't want you to leave."

Tears gathered at the corners of your eyes and he wiped them away with his thumbs, offering you the most genuine smile he could muster.

"Oh my darling..I'm sorry. It is simply not possible. I have broken too many rules..They tried to take you away from me, and he would have let them..He said I couldn't have you. He tried to put me on a leash. Because you showed me that I was beautiful. You screamed so prettily for me—and yet—never hated my nightmares. But, don't worry. I won't let him find you, dear true believer. They won't ever separate us. Never. I will be your nightmare..Now, and forever."

"Mine", you repeated—as if trying to figure out how it would feel on your tongue—and you felt his smile broaden as he bent over to kiss your cheek.

"Yes. That's right. All yours, darling.."

You knew he was telling the truth, and it somehow served in making you smile.

Oddly enough, you understood him.

He was only a nightmare..But, he was yours.

You reached out for his face and gently cupped his cheeks, and he melted into the touch. It seemed that even nightmares could crave affection and acceptance. And, you accepted him. Welcomed him even. Suddenly, he backed away from you as you tried to take off his glasses to see his eyes. He grabbed your hand before you could however, and offered you an apologetic smile.

"As much as I would love you to..I'm afraid the sight alone would wake you up. And, I don't want this nightmare to end just yet."

He seemed so gentle, and it made your heart tighten a little at the thought that he had probably never allowed anyone to saw him without them..Being a nightmare must be very lonely.

"Your beauty could never scare me..", you assured him with a small smile.

His lips parted a little in awe at your words, and he didn't stop you when you finally attempted again. You stared at his eyes that happened to be two mouths and smiled—not even blinking in surprise..The Corinthian himself was impressed by your bravery and smiled back.

"You are one very strange human.."

Before you could answer, a voice boomed behind you.

"CORINTHIAN !"

The Corinthian's jaw tightened at the familiar voice and sighed in resignation before retrieving his glasses from you.

"Well..Seems like it is time for me to go. Goodbye, true believer."

You couldn't even turn around to see who it was that was calling him before waking up in your bed. Your parents then received a phone call about the doctor who had prescribed the pills to you..He had mysteriously disappeared.

Days later, your doctor would be found in a ditch not far from your house, his eyes having been plucked out and devoured by crows the time the authorities got to him..

Rumors started circulating in the village that you had something to do with it and even though your parents didn't believe them—they still wanted to make sure.

That was approximately the time your parents thought better to send you away.

You were introduced to the St Lena of Dean's Covent where the nuns welcomed you with open arms, disregarding all the rumors as obsolete..

You weren't cursed. You were just lost.

A few years later :

You were standing in front of your mirror, your fists clutching the hem of your skirt tightly and took a big breath—trying to give yourself courage for what you knew you had to do.

You tried to smile and look less nervous than you truly were, but it was an epic failure as your smile didn't hide anything, but only emphasized your uneasiness..You then decided you wouldn't smile at all today.

However, a little croak at your window snapped you out of your thoughts as you turned your head to the origin of the sound.

And your earlier resolution was forgotten.

Your lips immediately curved into a joyous smile as you recognized the raven now perched at your window, waiting for you to open it for him.

You gladly obliged and the crow cawed happily, flying around your bedroom before settling himself above your nightstand. You opened a drawer and retrieved a handful of seeds for the bird, the daily ritual you had gotten used to..He flew instinctively and fearlessly to your arm and wrapped his claws around your wrist to get better access to the tasty meal.

You giggled at the occasional tickling sensation of his beak against your skin and slowly petted his long black feathers expertly.

"Here you go, my friend. Try not to swallow too fast this time, alright ? I would hate to lose my most trusted advisor to a couple of seeds..", you started talking cheerfully to the raven—as if you were two friends catching up—even though he couldn't possibly understand your words. It was nice to have someone to talk to. The raven tilted its head—as if actually listening to you—and slowed its pace. You smiled and kept stroking his feathers, finding the gesture comforting in a way.

But, your moment was interrupted by Sister Helen who spook both you and your old friend by entering your bedroom—red in the face and breathless as she tried to make out a sentence.

"The..They are taking the decision right now !", she finally succeeded in shouting and your eyes widened significantly at the news. You gently put down the raven outside and left the rest of his seeds beside him before running out of the room.

You strided urgently along the stone corridors of the covent, determined to catch Mother Superior before she could join the other sisters in the High Chamber—where was usually held the meetings to take important decisions for the covent.

You wanted to tell her again of your dedication to them and your undying will to make them proud and finally join the Order.

You had lived most of your life in St Lena of Dean's covent and you had already taken temporary vows to finally become a sister of the Order of St Lena.

You had learned how to read and write at a young age, thanks to the teaching of Sister Catherine who now wore the honorary title of Mother Superior of the covent.

You had taught yourself how to illuminate just as well as the other sisters, your hand feeling sore at the end of each training, but you had persevered until not one default could be noted.

You had learned to love their beliefs and worship on your knees for hours..To put your desires aside for the need of others. You had learned all that—and more.

You now only needed confirmation and a date for your actual permanent vows, one Mother Superior hadn't disclosed to you yet.

You knew patience was a virtue, but it had already been weeks since your request and even though you knew Mother Catherine would never refuse you, you still had doubt in your heart—as it wasn't only up to her now.

For the temporary vows, there had been no outsider involved in the decision and all the sisters had been unanimous in their vote.

However, a new priest had arrived in the village below, one that had moved in your little sanctuary and held power in the decision this time around.

You shook your head to get those thoughts out of your head. No.

It was the day. You were certain. You were finally ready to join the sisterhood for good. No doubt was clouding your mind that you wished to spend the rest of your days with this family you had found yourself.

You were so deep in thought, you failed to notice the dark figure walking your way until you collided and both fell to the floor. You quickly stood up and opened your mouth to apologize, but the dark and vicious look the man gave you was enough to leave you speechless.

Your eyes then landed on the shiny thing he was holding in his hand and you frowned a little at St Lena of Dean's cross; unmistakable with its golden and ivory beads, ruby red heart carved in its center and diamond-incrusted handle. It was one of the most precious relics of St Lena of Dean.

Why would he have it ?

As if he could hear your thoughts, he quickly hid the cross in his large robes and scolded.

"Sister. Why aren't you waiting in the High Room with the other sisters ? Don't you know it is rude to spy on others."

You immediately bowed your head at the harsh reprimand and closed your eyes, knowing well that the man couldn't be anyone else than the very one you had promised yourself to impress..Father Robert. The high priest whose voice had power over your fate as a Sister of the Order.

You tensed when he added.

"Have you taken a vow of silence, Sister ? If not, is it that you wish to anger a servant of god ? Of your god ? Then perhaps, I should do it my duty to make sure you do not embarrass the Heavens by entering the Order.", he emphasized on 'your' with such hatred in his gaze, your heart beat a little faster in fear. It didn't feel right. He couldn't..Could he ? Why was he so angry ? Where was his mercy ?

"No, father. I apologize..", you felt tears well in your eyes at the possibility that your misconduct may lead you to never be granted the honor you so desperately seeked for.

Father Robert must have felt your fear as he suddenly leaned forward and breathed out.

"Are you a true believer ?"

Your eyes widened at the familiar name and you slowly looked up quizzically at him, but all you saw in those dark eyes of his was a coldness that left you trembling in fear. You were terrified, especially when he dared rest his hand on your shoulder and gave you a sickly sweet smile.

"Tell me, my child. What is your name ?"

You didn't want to answer him. Something in yourself was utterly scared and repulsed by the man before you. He smelled like copper and ashes. Before you could think through about the consequences of your action, you slapped his hand away and backed away from him. The initial shock gone, the priest returned to his composed self, even though his eyes still retained that animosity which made shivers run down your spine and a lump form in your throat.

You ran. You ran away and only stopped when you were sure the man was far enough and you were back to safety, surrounded by your beloved sisters.

You then remembered your initial reason for going out of your room and walked towards Mother Katherine's office. Maybe, would you have to report this priest's terrible conduct ?

You stood in front of her door, anxiously waiting for her to exit and maybe talk about your strange interaction with the priest ? When she finally did however, you froze.

Here. Situated next to her, stood Father Robert.

How had he been so fast ? He seemed briefly surprised himself by your apparition, but it quickly disappeared as Mother Catherine unconsciously did the very thing you didn't want her to do.

"Father Robert. It is my pleasure to introduce you to the long-awaited Sister we all are very excited to accept among our ranks. Sister Y/N. Who will be joining us tomorrow, I hope."

Your joy of finally having your confirmation on your vows was quickly replaced by dread as the priest now knew your name and the power he had over your future.

He could use it against you, and he seemed to understand that as well as his eyes lowered to bore into yours and you could have sworn seeing the corner of his lip twitch upward..

"Sister Y/N..I see."

That night, when you went to sleep, your thoughts were preoccupied..You dreaded the next day. The words of Father Robert still haunting you as darkness engulfed your bedroom.

You couldn't sleep that night.

The next day :

You woke up early and put on your ceremonial clothes, the feeling of dread still present in your stomach, but you forced yourself to smile. It was your day after all..

You hurried to the ceremonial room and waited at the door, your hand raised up to knock on the door, but you hesitated.

You weren't sure you were ready.

You were picking at your fingernails nervously when a hand set on your shoulder, bringing you out of your thoughts and you looked back to find Maria standing there with a knowing and reassuring smile on her lips.

"You do not need to worry, my dear. You are worthy. You are as fair and just as any of the maidens in this household..You are a genuine soul—a true believer.", Maria assured you with a motherly smile and you felt your chest fill with pride at the compliment.

Maria was the closest to a mother you had ever had between those walls, and even though she had never been accepted in the Order because of already bearing a child, she was still the most pious and kind woman you knew. She had become the cook of the covent and had seen you grow up behind her cooking pots and pans.

Her words made your heart beat a little faster and she stayed with you, waiting by your side as the decision was taken inside the ceremonial room.

You felt in your heart that you were ready.

The doors opened wide and there came Mother Superior with the priest who would be assisting to the the ceremony. You stood up straight and prayed that he would find in you the same believer Maria was seeing. They invited you in and you stepped forward, unaware of the saddened look Mother Superior gave Maria.

Maria's eyes widened perceptibly and she tried to hide her tears.

Whatever was waiting for you in that church, it wouldn't be what you wanted.

In the land of Destiny :

Destiny stood before his mirror..How many years had it been since their last meeting ? Destiny thought of Dream.

He had missed their last, and even though he couldn't have intervened, it didn't mean he had been insensitive to his suffering.

He had been forced to stand in front of his mirror, watching his brother being tormented by this wretched human being: Burgess. But, Destiny couldn't do anything. Because that was his burden. No matter how horrible the future may be, he had to stay neutral and act as if he wasn't affected by any of it.

For that was his role.

He sometimes wished he could look away though—for only a second, turn his gaze away from fate and its consequences.

But, he knew he couldn't. Destiny had to watch. Or, chaos would unfold. He knew there was no other way. Destiny was his purpose, and it had been Dream's destiny to be locked up and face his demons.

But, that also meant he would be one of the most fervent opponents in the decision they had to take. For a new potential true believer had been spotted in the realm of the mortals, and it meant everyone would be arguing and fighting to get ownership, as they had always done.

Destiny let out a small sigh, already sensing the battlefield his meeting room would become..

He stood in front of his mirror, the summoning objects displayed all around him at his feet as he raised his hand and his voice resonated around the room of mirrors.

"I am calling a conclave of the Endless. I summon our family for an emergency meeting. It is I—Destiny of the Endless—who calls you. Come. And do not languish, as the matter I wish to discuss is of great importance."

He waited for a few minutes and soon enough, they answered the call.

Death was first. She gracefully hoped off her mirror and smiled brightly at Destiny.

"Hello, brother. Nice to see you again."

Destiny opened his mouth to answer when his eyes fell on her all-too-human outfit and he frowned disapprovingly.

"Death. It is the first time the whole family is being reunited since Dream's capture. Is that really how you wish to present yourself ?"

Death rolled her eyes at Destiny's comment on her fashion choice, but decided to still indulge him as she snapped her fingers and changed into her 'more traditional' clothes.

"Better ?", she asked with a taunting grin that Destiny decided to feign ignorance at.

"Yes. Much better."

Then came the twins, Desire and Despair, as inseparable as ever..Desire addressed a painfully white grin at the both of them and Despair attempted a smile as well, but it was more a sorrowful grimace than a smile.

He welcomed them both with a curt nod of his head.

"Desire. Despair. Glad you could come."

"And miss out on family quality time ?! Not a chance.", Desire replied gleefully while Despair nodded shyly behind him, holding onto the hem of his shirt.

Destruction then came in, a wide jovial grin on his face as he amically slapped Destiny's shoulder.

"BROTHER ! How long has it been ?! Still all cooped up in that big tower of yours I see !"

Destiny didn't flinch as he simply nodded, used to Destruction's boastful and loud personality.

"Yes. I am still monitoring humankind's future, which is the reason I have gathered you all today."

"REALLY ?! Me who thought you missed us !"

All eyes converged towards the new arrival who no one had seen entering..Delirium. Her hair covered with candy and colorful ribbons and her eyes creased, sparkling with mischievous glee. She had her hands clasped behind her back and even though her face screamed youth and innocence, they all knew better. She titled her head to the side and her unhinged side showed by the unnaturally wide grin she portrayed.

"Welcome, Delirium.", Destiny greeted her. "Of course I did, dear sister. But, you know our duties leave no choice but to reunite only for emergencies outside of the usual 1000 years meetings.."

She pouted, but giggled when Destiny finished greeting her and she didn't hesitate before jumping in his arms to leave a wet smack on his cheek.

"I know, you big dummy ! I was messing with you ! And I missed you too, big bro !"

Destiny smiled tenderly at Delirium. She had always been his favorite..

However, he frowned at the realization that there was still one missing person..

Surprisingly enough, Dream was the last one to answer the call—him who was usually never late.

Destiny knew it was his younger brother's childish way of reminding them of his late absence. Destiny frowned in disapproval when he finally decided to show himself, but Morpheus ignored him before taking his place around the table wordlessly.

"WELL, I HOPE THIS IS IMPORTANT ! BECAUSE I WAS HAVING FUN PLANNING A LITTLE FIRE IN THE MIDLANDS BEFORE YOU ALL SUMMONED US HERE !", Destruction shouted with one of his usual loud and guttural laughs, his eternal axe thrown over his shoulders and he glanced at Death who smiled back at him. Those two always worked together hand in hand when it came to disasters.

Destiny took a couple of seconds before answering.

"It actually concerns that fire.."

Death and Destruction both frowned in confusion and Death beat Destruction at asking what he meant. Destiny hovered his hand briefly above the mirror situated in the center of the table and it glowed for a minute or two before showing the covent Lena of Dean—your home.

"I have seen that the sole survivor of the fire you mentioned is a potential true believer.."

At the mention of true believer, the whole table fell silent. Even Delirium. Her who usually never stopped talking. She suddenly stared at the old stone establishment with great interest. Everyone knew what a true believer was. A being who had the ability to summon any otherwordly creature with the power of their mind, of their emotions..If Burgess had found a being such as you, he would have had no trouble getting what he wanted from Morpheus. True believers were extremely rare and most of them had been killed or captured before they could acknowledge their true potential.

A true believer could change fate and the course of History.

They acted as supernatural beings magnets and the Endless had the obligation to keep them under control or consume them if the situation came to get out of hand.

Getting their hands on one would have the Endless' own powers tripled, to a dangerous level which would cause an imbalance in the cosmos.

The Trials were made for that purpose. To test a true believer's self-control. However, none of the old true believers had ever succeeded all the Trials.

But, the problem was: the Endless usually took time making a decision. As they knew whoever gained possession and consumed a true believer would have more control over the next era than any other of their siblings..

And another inconvenience, both sides had to agree.

Consent was another touchy subject, as the Endless had sworn to leave the true believer a chance to refuse the Trials, or associate themselves to an Endless.

They could give themselves to only one of them. But, that Endless would see his powers grow tenfold.

Among the last true believers, you could count Caligula who had made a pact with Destruction, Kassandra who had asked Destiny for the gift of foresight, and one particular slave captured by king Midas, who had thought himself god among men. The king had used her to make a pact with Desire who had consumed her in exchange for endless riches for king Midas..But, as the story goes, it didn't end well for the king.

Destiny broke them all out of their contemplations as he started talking again.

"Her face hasn't been revealed to me yet, but it is of no importance because I know she will be the only one walking away from the fire unscathed. Now, the most important question is...Who will get this one ?"

All of the Endless looked at each other, all family bonds disappearing, as they knew this true believer might be the last. It had always been about power, and they all craved it one way or another.

However, no one suspected Morpheus to speak first.

"I'm sorry, brothers and sisters. But, fairytales such as this one are of the realm of dreams..They belong to me."

Morpheus had never tried to claim a true believer before, because he didn't believe humans to be of any interest outside of dreams. Dreams were his creations and he was satisfied with what he had been given. He didn't need more. But, he had experienced being the prized possession of a human being, and now this human would end up with the same fate as him—if he didn't intervene.

"Not in a million years will you claim them and expect us to stand aside !", Desire stood up outraged and Destiny raised his hand, which immediately made Desire seat back down, gnawing his teeth together with animosity at Dream—who had always gotten everything he wanted..

"Brothers. I think it is only fair we all get a chance. So, I propose a game.."

At the mention of game, Delirium's eyes brightened significantly and her large grin widened as she repeated excitedly.

"A GAME ?! YES ! WHAT KIND OF GAME, DEAR BROTHER ?!"

Destiny smiled at the young one's cheerful attitude and didn't waste any time before explaining.

"A game..of chase. The first Endless who finds the girl will have claim on her until her death. This way, everyone will have a chance to get the true believer. Do you all agree to the terms ?"

Dream could feel all his siblings side with Destiny, even though they didn't voice it out loud and he huffed a sardonic laugh.

"I see..It is a hunt that you want. A childish competition for the true believer and their powers. It is the real purpose behind this assembly. The poor girl would be spending the rest of her human days as a tool for your seek of power. Pitiful.", he uttered that last word with such loathing that all of his siblings looked up at him in unison, knowing full well what Morpheus was implying.

Destiny raised from his seat and Morpheus followed, the tension tangible in the air as they stared daringly at each other.

"Morpheus..I would think carefully of your words when addressing the family.", Destiny warned, "You ressent us. We understand. But, you know well enough that it was out of our jurisdiction. Human affairs remain human affairs. You let yourself be captured by one of them. It was your burden to bear."

Morpheus' eyes widened slightly at the poor choice of words of the brother he thought wiser than the rest.

"Let ? You think I had a choice ?!", he bursted out in rage and the shadows behind him grew menacing to take over the kind glow of Destiny's assembly room. However, Destiny didn't even flinch as he reconsidered.

"I apologize. I have upset you. It wasn't my intention. If everyone agrees, we will let you have the first chance to get the true believer. We will leave you a month and if you have sealed the contract by then, you have my word that we will not attempt to keep you away from the prize you so wish to acquire..We all would like to make amends."

Destiny sat back down, but Morpheus stayed standing and looked all of his siblings with utter disbelief, as not one of them had tried to intervene or defend him..He then narrowed his eyes at Destiny who seemed as poised as ever and felt all the rage he felt turn into determination as he turned around to leave and declared confidently.

"I will find that girl. I will find her and I will not let any of you make her a prisoner..It wasn't enough to let me rot in that cage, but you wish to do the same to an innocent soul ?! I will not allow it."

Desire snarled at him, but Destiny put his hand on his forearm, looking at Morpheus walking away with a small smile on his face.

Good luck..Brother.

Desire frowned a little, until he saw the same smile on Delirium's, Destruction's and Death's faces.

They had no intention of claiming that true believer, did they ?

"Why make this little game if you don't even intend to participate ?", Desire asked with a small frown of incomprehension and Destiny tilted his head to the side to look at Desire with a mysterious smile.

"Because, my dear Desire..Morpheus is angry at the world and the humans have started sensing it as well. We all know that talking about the problem directly with him would only result in more stubborn ressentment and it wouldn't lead anywhere..Humanity doesn't need it. And I can feel this true believer might be the thing he needs to forget and forgive."

Desire's eyes widened at the older's explanation and shook his head in disbelief.

"What..You all decided to give him a true believer as an apology gift ?! Are you kidding me ?!", Desire protested and Destruction laughed.

"DIDN'T WE ALL GIVE UP ON MIDAS WHEN IT WAS YOUR TURN ?! MORPHEUS NEVER ASKED FOR A TRUE BELIEVER BEFORE ! AREN'T YOU A LITTLE CURIOUS HOW HIS SHALL AFFECT HIM ?!"

Desire tilted his head to the side and started considering it..How would Morpheus react to the true believer ? And—most importantly—how would the true believer react to him ? It was no secret to anyone that the Endless and the True Believers could affect each other, and that it could even lead to the crumbling of civilizations. True Believers gave the most beautifully exquisite gifts and prayers, but they were rare because their faith had nothing to do with their actual beliefs, but the utter love and devotion they could demonstrate..However, that also applied to their hatred and fear. He finally got back his smile and chuckled, suddenly finding the situation very amusing.

"You know what ? You're right, Destruction..Let's see how this true believer shall turn out to be ? Besides, we shall see if they'll even get past the first trial.."

Destiny nodded, knowing what lied ahead for the both of you..The trials were extremely difficult and it would be the first time Morpheus would be participating. As he had been absent for almost all of them. It promised to be quite the experience.

All siblings parted ways at that moment and even though Morpheus had the first move, it didn't mean that they weren't going to do everything in their powers to get their hands on the true believer..

Little did they all know, Matthew was listening in on them and his beady eyes squinted slightly at the church still reflected in the mirror. He was the only dream capable of travelling between the two realms as he wished, being one of the great crows that had to send messages anywhere and everywhere. However, there was something about that particular covent that made his eyes widen in recognition.

It was Lena of Dean's Covent. Matthew dropped his gaze just a second, pondering on Destiny's words.

On one hand, you could be one of the victims of the fire and be in real danger..On the other hand..You could also be the true believer and would be hunted and tracked by all the Endless once the official deadline given to Morpheus terminated.

He never thought Morpheus would find you before it though.

And maybe, was it for the best ?

Back to you :

"Y/N. I am sorry, but I cannot possibly accept someone like you to join the sisterhood. You are uncultured, irresponsible, disrespectful and worse of all, a thief.."

Nothing in the world could have prepared you for the effect those words had on you. Your eyes prickled with tears as you desperately seeked comfort among your sisters. But, none of them dared meet your gaze.

The priest's eyes were set on you and you didn't know what you had done to deserve such harsh words. You opened your mouth to ask what you had done so wrong. Why did he despise you so ?

But, he didn't let you as he spat hatefully.

"You. Y/N L/N. Will never be worthy of bearing the title of Sister of the St Lena Covent.", the priest hissed through gritted teeth and his cruel words blowed all the air out of your lungs as he walked past you.

Sister Helen tried to intervene, but the priest sent her such a dark glare that it froze her into place. However, Mother Superior Catherine who was the highest ranked sister among them all, spoke up.

"There must be a reason for such accusations. Do you have proof, Father Robert ?"

As if he was expecting the question, Father Robert smirked and grabbed your arm, forcing you up as he fetched something in your sleeve..

"HERE IS MY PROOF ! I was praying in the church when I saw Y/N steal the cross of Lena !"

Your eyes widened significantly as all the sisters seemed shocked, outraged or horrified at the object the priest was now raising it high for all to see. It was the cross of Lena, the one you had seen him hide yesterday and some of the sisters even started praying for your soul. You were speechless and Mother Katherine who had tried to speak in your defense had now fallen silent. You were alone.

"He is a liar ! Please ! Do not listen to him !", you pleaded, but you had lost all credibility in their eyes and even Sister Helen couldn't meet your eyes..Father Robert threw you to the floor and spat.

"You are no longer welcome between those walls. Leave."

He then exited and all the sisters followed one after the other..As soon as they were all gone, you let yourself sink to the floor. It wasn't fair..Your head and heart hurt. You were surrounded by your sisters. Why hadn't they defended you ?

It hurt..It hurt so much..But, you still loved them. You still believed. You still wanted to..You closed your eyes.

You wanted to dream..

In the land of the Dreaming (One week away from the end of the deadline) :

Morpheus was sitting on his throne, watching the image of the covent over and over again..It looked like so many human constructions, he had no idea of how to differentiate it, nor how to identify the true believer ?

He was running out of time..A week was all he had now. He felt incredibly humiliated at the thought of not being able to make out one covent among all of them.

It just didn't make any sense..Morpheus had access and could travel through all of the dreamers' unconscious selves..And yet, he couldn't find the true believer. He hadn't even felt her..Something or someone must have made sure to make you undetectable by all of the Endless. Destiny himself had had trouble finding your location..

Thankfully, Morpheus wasn't alone in his search.

He had asked Lucienne to collect all the books the library had on constructions such as this one..'Covents', as humans called them.

Lucienne appeared beside him with the requested books and Morpheus didn't waste any time opening them and eagerly searching for the knowledge he so desperately seeked.

He failed to notice Lucienne's remaining presence who looked over his shoulder at the image now reflecting in the small mirror Morpheus was holding. Her brow furrowed as she tried to help her lord find what he was looking for..Morpheus was so focused on his search, he missed when Lucienne's eyes widened a little at the familiar blazonry represented on the flag situated on the right side of the door and what she uttered next.

"Lena of Dean.."

Morpheus frowned a little and finally turned his head towards his confident who seemed to have noticed something he had missed.

"What ?"

Lucienne gave a nod at the picture and started explaining.

"That particular form of pillar was very popular in the 11th century and the golden mountains with three gems represented on the flag were also known as the mountains of Dean. Each mountain for each trial Lena of Dean had to face. Physical, mental and finally..."

Morpheus didn't listen to the end, stopping at the name. Lena of Dean..He would find her there. His true believer.

He thanked Lucienne who smiled—happy to have served her lordship—before she turned around to leave, just as Matthew entered.

Morpheus raised his hands and a map made of sand expended on the floor, showing the covent as well as the village and forest nearby..Shiny grains of sand represented the sleeping believers and one particular grain seemed to lit up before his eyes.

Morpheus leaned forward and the sand suddenly formed a sleeping face: yours. He immediately tried to reach inside your mind and was satisfied to find you sound asleep..He bent down next to your sleeping form and even though your eyes were puffy and your cheeks reddened because of your tears..He still gazed down at you as if you were the most precious thing in the universe.

"I have finally found you, true believer."

A smile etched on his features as he carved your image in his mind and Matthew croaked beside him.

"Are you..smiling ?! You can smile ?! Wow. I don't know if I should be happy or terrified by that information ?"

As soon as it was there, his smile disappeared, replaced by a disapproving scowl as he turned towards the crow perched on a peach tree branch nearby.

"You followed me..", he stated plainly—not willing to share his thoughts with the curious crow—and Matthew ruffled his feathers in what looked like a mild shrug.

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on you, right ? So you don't poof out of your own realm. Again.", Matthew reminded him painfully and even though Dream didn't like being treated like a child under supervision, he had to admit Matthew was right..

"..Besides, I've already seen that girl somewhere.", added the raven, his little black eyes now fixed intently on your image in the sand.

That perked Dream's attention as he turned back towards the crow with widened eyes. He..knew you ?

"How ?", he asked in a voice that left no room for discussion and Matthew knew it was too late to step back now..

'Forgive me, Y/N. I have no choice.', Matthew apologized to you as he thought of his duties to his lord. He had to tell the truth. He had to confess everything to Dream—even though you would probably hate him—but it was a small price to pay to protect you from the other Endless beings he knew he would have no way to keep you safe from. He knew lord Morpheus wasn't particularly known for his mercy, but he was better than most of his siblings and Matthew knew you would be safe with him.

Besides, he had already found you. No point in delaying the inevitable.., he convinced himself.

"Speak.", Morpheus commanded authoratively—already losing patience—and immediately regretted as he saw the fear in the raven's eyes.

Morpheus wished not to sound too abrupt or eager to find more about the girl, but failed as his eyes widened slightly and focused intensely on the raven who could feel his eyes burning holes at the back of his skull.

He knew that if he didn't start speaking soon, Morpheus wouldn't blink an eye before forcing the answer out of him.

But, he still sent a silent apology to you one last time, guilty and ashamed at his own cowardice.

Finally, he started talking.

"Most people don't mind crows, don't even look at them or worse, hate them. They throw stones at us, capture us and kill us..But, she feeds us, takes care of injured birds, collects our feathers and locks them in a special little box over her bed..She's nice."

Morpheus arched an eyebrow at the extent of Matthew's knowledge on your person and inquired.

"And you came to know all this because..?"

Matthew sighed.

He should have expected it.

He would have to tell the lord of your first meeting.

"She collected one of my feathers long ago. I got curious and followed her. And I may or may not have become a regular of her daily bird feedings..She became my friend."

Morpheus' eyebrows shot up in surprise. Matthew knew about this human before he did. He had even..befriended this human ? Had allowed her to feed him ? He didn't know how to feel about that information. For some reason ? He felt a pang of jealousy in his chest. He knew Matthew had no intention of stealing away or keeping to himself the true believer. He probably didn't know who she was before the meeting in the realm of Destiny. But, it didn't make a difference now.

For the first time in his life, he wished he was a bird. This way, he could go see you, keep you company unsuspectingly and pierce all of your secrets. He closed his eyes and entertained the idea.

He then turned towards Matthew with a disapproving scowl.

"And when were you going to inform me of your meddling with the world of the living ? Aren't I your master ?"

Matthew cowered a little under Morpheus' burning gaze and hoped back, not willing to look his lord in the eyes.

"I apologize. It was before I started being your raven, my lord. I didn't have a purpose yet and Y/N always seemed so happy to see me.."

Morpheus' eyes softened as he recognized the weight of loneliness in the Matthew's words..Loneliness was quite the burden, and he had to admit that your light was very hard to resist. He knelt slightly in front of the raven, his unwavering dark gaze now settled solely on his messenger before he commanded..

"You will tell me everything you know.."

The raven gulped and the many moments of tenderness you had shared played back in his mind. You were his friend. He wouldn't put you in any danger, but he had to obey Morpheus. It was his duty, his purpose..as you had yours. He finally sighed in defeat.

"Fine. As you wish.."

A few minutes later :

You woke up and blinked several times before finding a figure standing in the shadows. You immediately stood up straight and wiped your dry tears away.

"H-Hello ? Who's there ?", you asked with a shaky voice—your mind still muddled slightly with sleep and sadness. The mysterious shadow didn't answer, he just kept staring at you from the darkness with those bright yellow eyes of his..You shivered.

"W..Who are you ?"

Finally, the shadow stepped into the dim light coming through the stained glass and there stood a man.

"Do not be afraid..I wish you no harm."

Your heart stammered in your chest as you desperately tried to get away from the stranger. No man was to enter the sacred grounds unless they were a man of god, and the man standing before you certainly wasn't.

You eyes widened when in a few quick strides, he was before you and knelt to be at your level and look you in the eyes. His eyes weren't human. They couldn't be. The stars there sparkled brighter than anything you had ever seen and when he reached forward slowly—tentatively—you didn't dare move away.

He traced the outlines on your face with the back of his hand and you quivered slightly. He was touching you as if you were fragile, a gem sculpted in the finest of crystals..

"Finally..We meet. True believer."

This name. This terrible and cursed name..Father Robert had called you that. It made you think that maybe ths stranger was in fact more foe than friend. Maybe was he even a demon ?

The thought alone was enough to make you tear your eyes away from his.

You turned your head away and joined your hands over your chest, praying for Lena of Dean to guide your path and make the demon before you disappear. His jaw clenched as he heard you pray to your god..

He had feared you would be unwilling to be one of his believers, but you were far worse..Your belief had already been taken by another.

You would refuse to believe in him, to worship him as much as he wanted you to, unless you forgot about her..

He tried to make you understand.

"Do not waste your words so carelessly.."

You didn't understand.

He took your hands and even though the gesture wasn't particularly brutal, it still forced you to stop your prayers to look at him.

His eyes shone bright in the darkness and you were frightened the devil had come to take you away. Had you been so bad that the prince of hell himself had come to collect your soul ? Had you been refused from the Order for a good reason after all ?!

Mother Superior had done her best to defend your request to join the sisterhood, but were you even worthy ? You let out a soft sigh as his ivory fingers trailed your shoulders and his feet came to a stop in front of you. You shivered as his fingers raised to your chin and tilted it upwards so your eyes connected with his dark blue ones..Never had you thought the devil to be so cold and majestic. Stories described him as a ferocious beast with every touch as insupportably hot than the most passionate flames in the pit of hell..But, his touches were so gentle and soothing, they couldn't possibly belong to such a ill-intended creature, right ? He hadn't even given you his name yet.

As if he could read your mind, he indulged your silent request.

"I am Morpheus, Dream of the Endless.", he proclaimed loud and clear in a baritone voice that echoed through the walls of your church. He screamed power and respect. You slammed your eyes shut and prayed even harder, digging the tip of your nails into the skin of your knuckles, focusing on the pain instead of the elegant and gorgeous man in front of you.

"Do not.", he firmly ordered and you found yourself unable to disobey, lowering your arms on either side of your body and Dream of the Endless rubbed the tears off your cheeks with his thumbs.

Were you going to die here ?

Your thoughts then shifted to the other Sisters and Maria who was waiting outside..If you didn't come out soon, would they come in and see you in such a compromising position..You would be mortified.

Or, even worse, would he hurt them ?

However, Morpheus quickly tried to dissipate your silent worries.

"Do not fear, believer. I do not intend to inflict any harm upon you or the people that you love."

You frowned a little at the strange creature's words. If he didn't plan on harming anyone, why was he here ?

"Then, what do you want ?", you asked—unsure as to whether you wanted to know or not.

He sighed before looking away, as if apprehensive of your reaction as he admitted.

"I want you to be one of my believers, Y/N."

You had clearly not expected it and were startled by the being's strange request..One of his believers ? And how did he know your name ?

He must have seen the clear confusion and shock in your eyes, as he then started explaining.

"We are both children whose parents disappointed us, whose families abandoned us..We could be so much more, you and I. We could show them. Show them our true worth."

Tempting. Especially after your earlier disappointment. But, Lucifer was known to be a deceiver. You wouldn't let him trick you.

"Holy mother Lena of Dean. Pray for me and protect me from temptation and doubt..You who has been through the same pain as me, hear my call..", you persisted, praying out loud to drown his voice out of your head.

However, it was proved a fruitless attempt as his voice sounded in your ear, dark and filled with sweet promises..

"Lena cannot help you. You have no one but yourself to rely upon, true believer..But, I could change that. Just, let me show you. I could be the one to listen to your woes and offer you a shoulder to cry on. I would be more than a watching bystander, I would be a willing listener and active participant of your life.."

You were almost convinced as his arms wrapped around you..You were willing to let go and forget about the pain. But then, you heard the voice of Maria, calling you from behind the door.

"Y/N ? Are you still here ? Please. Talk to me. I heard what happened from Mother Superior, I know you must be disappointed, but I'm here. Come on out, dear child. I promise you that everything will be alright."

Tears brimmed in your eyes at her kind reassurances and you stood up promptly to walk towards the exit. But, a hand shot up to grab your arm and you turned around—having forgotten about the otherworldly being that was now looking at you with something akin to desperation.

"Her love will not last. Mine will.", he hissed out in your ear, but you were already decided as you pulled away from his grip and shook your head.

"If you really want to please me, you will leave me alone.", were your final words before you stepped outside and closed the door behind you.

Morpheus was left shocked for a few seconds before he also stood up and sand rose all around him.

"I'll be waiting..True believer..", he whispered before disappearing.

The moment you were out, Maria engulfed you into a tight hug.

"Thank goodness ! You're alright."

You breathed deeply—your heart slowing down at the familiar scent of peaches and wild herbs. You bathed in her kindness and warmth as she gently shushed you and stroked your back soothingly.

"Ssh..Calm down, deary. Everything is going to be fine..I'm sure of it."

You closed your eyes and sobbed in her chest, remembering the harsh judgment of Father Robert and—wishing to share your pain with someone else—opened up to Maria.

"They are going to throw me out, Maria. I'll be alone..My parents would never take me back !", you cried out.

"Nonsense !", Maria exclaimed before tilting your chin up to smile tenderly at you. "They'd be foolish not to ! And even if they do, you can always come live with me !"

Her sudden proposition left you stunned.

"You mean it ?", you voice betrayed hope and Maria chuckled before nodding.

"Never been more serious in my life !"

You giggled when she ruffled your hair and you felt warmth spread across your chest at the joy you felt. You would be living with Maria, your true mother..the one you had always relied upon.

It was enough to make you hope.

You smiled and both agreed she would come pick you up tomorrow morning. You had never felt such love..Who needed Dream of the Endless ? You had everything you wanted right here..

That night :

You closed your eyes and expected your sleep to be peaceful and uneventful..But, not two minutes later, you opened your eyes to find yourself on top of a very steep hill of black sand. If you were to even take one step forward, you would fall.

Then, he appeared beside you.

He didn't say anything, neither did you.

"I have until the end of this week to make you my believer, or it will be too late.."

Your eyes widened at the unexpected revelation and you then frowned in incomprehension. Why would he tell you that ? You shook your head. No. He wouldn't gain your sympathy. You didn't need him..You didn't need Dream of the Endless.

"I do not wish to insult you. But, why should I care ? I have already told you. I have given my faith to Lena of Dean, and intend to become someone worthy of becoming her devote servant..Sister, or not."

He didn't answer, he simply took a step forward and..Your eyes bulged out at the realization of what he was about to do and reacted instinctively.

"WAIT ! NO !"

You lunged forward him and wrapped your arms around his waist, falling forward with him as you both rolled down the hill.

You were both covered in black sand, but you didn't care as you quickly crawled to check on Morpheus. You rolled him over to find him smiling knowingly at you.

"I thought you didn't care ?"

You let out a small huff of disbelief as you realized—you had been tricked. The nerve ! You rolled your eyes and were about to get up to leave when Morpheus grabbed your hand.

"Please. Stay."

His request made you freeze and debate internally about what you should or say next..You finally sighed before indulging and laying back down on the sandy ground.

You hadn't even noticed that Morpheus was still holding your hand until he raised it and seemed to be studying it. He was a curious being..

"You are just like her..", he let out thoughtfully with a small smile and you frowned.

"Like..who ?"

He looked up at you—surprised you had heard him, but still answered you.

"...Lena."

You eyes widened slightly at the comparison and you stammered in disbelief.

"W..Wait..YOU KNEW HER ?!"

He chuckled at your dumbfounded expression and it took you by surprise. He had a nice deep laugh..

Of course he remembered her..Lena of Dean. One of the only true believers he witnessed the trials of.

She was brave, the bravest of all the true believers he had ever seen. She was Destiny's true believer and passed the physical as well as the mental challenges. But, she was then defeated by something no one could possibly resist..Her dreams.

Dream had created a perfect little life where she could be happy forever, and the temptation was too strong..She deviated from her path and Destiny was disappointed. But, he wasn't.

Dream understood. Who would ever choose faith over happiness ? It was a fool's errand.

The main reason why nobody could surpass the Trials.

He told you and you smiled to yourself. At least, Lena had found her happiness..You had always thought strange that even though you had tons of relics of the woman, no body had ever been found..

"I envy her a little..", you confessed.

He turned his face to you and waited for you to expend on that thought,which you eventually did.

"I guess she got everything she wanted..I wish I could just close my eyes and live in a dream where everything would be perfect. Where there would be no tears, no disappointment, no suffering.."

It sounded like...a dream come true.

But your dreaming companion frowned and looked up at the sky, pondering on your words before admitting.

"You could have all that..If you were to survive the first two Trials of my siblings. I would make sure to craft the perfect dream for you..All you have to do, is believe."

Your eyes slightly widened at Morpheus' promise and for the first time since you met him, you felt as if maybe..It wouldn't be so bad to be one of his believers ?

However, you then felt the ground shake underneath you and frowned, quickly rising up to your feet.

"What is going on ?!", you panicked while Morpheus kept his graceful composure as he informed you calmly.

"You're waking up, believer..But, do not fret. I will keep appearing in your dreams again. But for now, this dream is over."

The next day :

You woke up early to pack your bags and whistled happily as you knew Maria would come pick you up at the gates.

You wanted to say your goodbyes to the sisters, but deemed it unnecessary as they wouldn't know how to respond and you didn't want to make them feel awkward about your sudden leave.

However, Mother Superior and Sister Helen were waiting for you at the gates and Helen couldn't help but run to hold you tightly against her.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N ! I know you couldn't have stolen anything. I should have said something..But, that priest really scared me !"

You smiled and didn't hesitate before returning her hug.

"It's okay. I understand."

Sister Helen had always been kind to you and you didn't want to part ways on bad terms.

"My child..Could you please read this for me when you find the time ? And know that I will never stop praying for you."

You nodded and embraced her as well.

"Thank you, Mother Catherine."

She nodded and tried not to show her true emotions as she held you. She didn't need the other sisters to see her this way.

You stepped out of the gates with your chin held high and tried not to let melancholy get to you too much. Thankfully, you recognized Maria's car and waved enthusiastically at her.

She stopped in front of you and opened the door for you. You didn't hesitate before stepping in..You were going home.

That night :

You saw him again.

Just like he promised.

He waited for you in front of an endless sea, his knees tugged underneath his chin and staring at the lowering sun slowly disappearing behind the large blue expanse.

You didn't know if you could take him by surprise.

But, you decided to try nonetheless.

You approached on your tiptoes and as it was your dream, decided to summon a bucket of icy cold water to throw on his head.

But, you yelped when someone suddenly grabbed you from behind and your bucket fell of the sand..

"Nice try..", he whispered in your ear and you could hear the smugness in his tone. You rolled your eyes and crossed your arms over your chest petulantly.

"Yes yes..You can let me go now.", you huffed, but Morpheus didn't and shook his head.

"I do not think so.."

He then scooped you up in his arms and you blushed widely, opening your mouth to protest, until you found the corner of his mouth stretched in amusement.

"No..Don't you dare !", you warned—guessing in next intent..But, he ignored your protest.

He then threw you in the water..

THAT LITTLE—!

You held your breath, but were surprised to find you could actually breathe underneath ! Morpheus joined you a few seconds later and you frowned disapprovingly at his self-satisfied look.

"You cheated..", you muttered grumpily under your breath and Morpheus shrugged.

"Maybe so..But you cannot call someone a cheater if the game had no rules to begin with."

Your snorted rather undignifiedly before admitting.

"Good point.."

You then looked around you and marveled at the colorful fish swimming in the nearly translucid waters, as well as the rocks which so conveniently could serve as seats. You sat down and relaxed as the sunlight descended softly on your face..

"I must admit..Your realm is quite the wonderful achievement.", you hummed appreciatively with your eyes closed and felt Morpheus wordlessly take a seat beside you.

It was quite different from what you remembered..The nightmares you used to have as a child depicted a rather gloomy place with little to no light and even though you had never seen it other than through the Corinthian's eyes..Morpheus' vision was far brighter and—you had to admit—very lovely. You had to admit it was quite nice..You then thought back about the Corinthian..You had completely forgotten about him. After his departure from your dreams, all your nightmares had seemed dull...almost tasteless really. What had happened to him ?

"Say..I think I used to have a friend who lived here. Maybe you know him ?"

Morpheus frowned at the question and wondered who you could possibly be referring to ? You took the spark of curiosity in his eyes as permission to proceed and indulged.

"Do you know someone by the name of the Corinthian ?"

As soon as the name had past your lips, Morpheus' expression seemed to darken, along with the sea who took a slight reddish tint and the fish suddenly disappeared..Had you said something wrong ?

"Where did you hear that name ?"

It wasn't a request, it was a demand..

He looked far more menacing now, blocking the view of the sun from you and hiding its warmth from you..You felt a chill run down your spine as the water around you now seemed almost to be suffocating you. His dark blue eyes focused intently on you as he tried to force the answer out of you.

"TELL ME !"

Your eyes widened, as he had never raised his voice at you before..He sounded unhinged and his fists tightened a little more. You then felt as if you were really drowning and coughed and gasped—desperate for air to reach inside your lungs, but to no avail. You had never seen Morpheus so angry before, and you were then painfully reminded that he wasn't only the lord of dreams, but of nightmares as well..Wait..Nightmare..

"HE WAS MY NIGHTMARE !", you finally chocked out and he suddenly released you.

You fell on the sand and then noticed, you were no longer in the water..

You took long and deep breaths, relieved to be able to breathe again. However, this booming and authoritative voice seemed so familiar to you. You had heard it before. You were sure of it. And then, your eyes widened in recognition.

"It was you..That night. You called the Corinthian. You are his master..", you realized and Morpheus stilled.

He knelt beside you and gently held your arms, wanting to help you up and apologize to you. He hadn't meant to be so hard on you..The Corinthian was a dangerous being, and the mere notion of him being your friend was enough to make him see red. He now understood why he had been unable to find you at the beginning..It was his doing. He had hid you well..

But, you slapped his hand away. Your unforgiving eyes glaring at him as you rubbed your sensitive neck where you could still feel the marks of invisible hands..He had done this to you. He was the Dreaming after all..the sea was a part of him. Everything here belonged to him. And you wouldn't allow yourself to join his little world and be forced into submission.

The Corinthian was right..He had only shown you the truth. This realm was dangerous and dark..No matter how Morpheus had sugar-coated it for you.

"You lost all chances for me to ever accept to worship you, Dream of the Endless. Corinthian was scared of you. And you just showed me why. I will never accept you as my god..I'll never be your believer. Now, this dream is over."

He tried to reach for you, but you were already gone.

Two days later :

You had made sure to stay awake during the last two days, not willing to see or hear from Morpheus ever again.

You had been living with Maria for the past few days and you couldn't have asked for a better mother..But, your feet always led you back to the place you had never quite left.

You stopped in front of the familiar gates of St Lena's Covent that seemed like such a far away memory now, even though only a week had passed..You did say you would be back. You just had to wait until that awful priest was out of there..And thankfully, it was today. You couldn't wait to get back in and forget all about Morpheus and your so-called destiny as a 'true believer'.

You just had to wait for the priest to leave.

Speaking of the devil, you caught a glimpse of his black tunic disappearing in the forest. You frowned as you were certain to have seen him a few minutes earlier entering the building, but didn't linger on the thought.

You then wondered where he was going ? Curiosity won over cautiousness.

So, you decided to follow him.

You knew the forest like the back of your hand, having grown up in the covent and quickly found him.

He entered a cave and you gulped as you felt something dark pull you inside. You shook your head and took a couple of steps back, only to find yourself moving forward..

You tried to stop, but your feet didn't obey you as you kept walking forward into the dark cave..

You suddenly tripped on something and fell forward. You hissed at the pain in your shoulder and took a look at what had made you trip, your eyes widening at the sight of a human skull bearing a golden helmet..Where were you ?

"Welcome."

You shivered at the familiar voice as you and looked up to find Father Robert standing there with a wide unnatural grin on his face.

"I hoped you would follow me..true believer."

You gulped as you could have sworn his eyes lit up red in the darkness.

"Who are you ?", you asked and the man tilted his head to the side before raising his hand and summoning fire to his fingertips right under your eyes.

"My name is Fire. I am one of Destruction's underlings..And as you can see, I like collecting rare things.", he gestured to the huge pile of gold, diamonds and various precious objects displayed around you.

He then walked down his pile of treasures, waves of golden coins washing at your feet and you took a couple of steps back as you felt trapped in the lion's den..Fire smiled maliciously and he ignored your fearful expression as he reached forward to grab your arm.

"We searched a long time for you, true believer. You will be a mighty rare piece in my collection. Leave your faith behind. The sisters do not deserve you. They didn't even believe you. You devoted your life to them, and they did not even stand up for you..Join us. We will wreck havoc together."

You lower lip trembled and you started crying as his touch felt like fire on your skin, it burned and you begged.

"Please ! Let me go."

Something in his eyes snapped as he grew taller and his hair flamed up..He looked like a demon.

"BE MINE, OR PERISH WITH THE REST OF YOUR SISTERS !", he threatened and you gritted your teeth as you could only fear for the safety of your sisters.

An unknown power than surged through you and the demon suddenly screeched in pain, removing his hand from your person as he felt intense pain in his hand.

You didn't have the time to be shocked as you started running, desperate to reach for your dear sisters before it was too late..

Unbeknownst to you that Fire wasn't one person, but three..

When you arrived, everything was already set aflame and you could see two identical monsters cackling as the flames raised higher and higher. You screamed for them to stop, and even though they heard you—they ignored your pleas.

You saw a couple of your sisters at the gates, begging for your help and reaching forward though the gates' iron bars. The gates were too high to be climbed and too heavy to be moved..You could only hold their hands as they screamed and sobbed in pain, the smell of burning flesh filling your nostrils.

You were powerless..

You didn't understand..Why ? Why had the world decided to punish you this way ?

The third Fire brother joined his brothers as they mocked you, dancing around the covent as if it was a camp fire..You felt such anger in your heart and it was directed to the three spirits, now laughing at your misfortune..

Even though you had promised yourself not to stray from your righteous path and ask for Morpheus' help..Your resolve slowly crumbled as smoke raised higher and higher in the sky..

Forgive me, Lena of Dean.

But, I'm going to commit the unthinkable.

In the land of the Dreaming :

Morpheus watched the covent burst into flames as your hands were holding the scorching iron bars of the gates. You both watched as your sisters all disappeared and their screams of pain and agony filled the air. He could feel your pain as your tears left wet trails on your cheeks and see the flames dancing in your eyes.

You cried out to them, extending you hand and trying to reach for them. But it was over.

He looked at the flames and the Fire brothers dancing around them, a complete contrast with the darkness taking over the terrible scenery slowly.

What a sad sight..What a glorious destruction..It meant his time was up.

His siblings were coming.

Back to you :

You stayed there for a while, knees buried in the ground covered with ashes and painfully realized..You had no more tears to give.

You didn't understand..Why had Mother Superior not opened the gates ?

You only understood when someone threw the key in front of you and the three Fire brothers stood before you with wide mocking grins..

"You just had to say yes..Believer. And we would have listened.", one of them taunted and you peered up at them through heavy and puffy eyelids with rage.

"I will kill you..", was your only reply. A promise. One you intended to keep.

The Fire brothers sniggered at you weak attempt of a threat before one of them shook his head in mock disapproval and patted your head, as for a child who was about to be lectured.

"My poor child..You are but a mere believer. We are immortal beings. You cannot kill us. You would only be wasting your fire.."

The two others cackled at the pun, but it only added fuel to the fire in your heart. They would come to regret underestimating you.

You leaped forward to strangle the one who had been talking, but he only slapped you and you rolled on the ground, pain shooting through your stinging cheek. It burned.

"See ya, believer !", one of them shouted at you before they all disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

You stayed on the ground for a while before returning to the cavern, hoping to find something to vanquish them.

But, you found nothing.

All the precious relics and golden objects had been removed from the cave and the so-called priest Father Robert was not found in the records of the covent days following.

Matter-of-fact, no one even knew him in the village.

They had completely ransacked the covent and stolen many valuable objects from the sanctuary.

And to cover their tracks, the Fire brothers had set fire to the covent, making sure to trap all the nuns inside before running away.

'He was an intruder. An imposter..A thief..', or so they all said. But, you knew the truth.

You stood alone in the forest and let out a shaky breath. You would get your revenge. One way or another..

"MORPHEUS ! DREAM OF THE ENDLESS ! HEAR MY CALL AND COME TO MY AID !"

Your plea was such that it shook the entire realm..Morpheus had no choice but to listen to your prayer and found himself sympathizing with your pain. This burning all-consuming rage and pain that left only ashes behind..

He knew Despair wouldn't wait before reaching out to you. He had to move before you could wake up.

He appeared beside you in a heartbeat and even though you knew he was there, you didn't open your eyes.

"You said we were the same, Dream of the Endless..You said we could help each other. Did you mean those words ?", you inquired and Morpheus approached with careful steps, afraid he might frighten you by being too eager and nodded.

"I do, believer. I believe in the good we can do together."

"Good ?", you repeated with a small bitter smile and opened your eyes to glance back at him with a profound desire for retribution and chaos.

"You misunderstood me, Dream lord. I want to know about selfish satisfaction..I wish you to teach me how to beat my enemy. I wish you to teach me how to kill a god."

Your request made him frown in indecision, as he was now doubtful as to whether he should accept or not ? There was a chance you might use the knowledge against him..But, he also knew you could be the one and only true believer..And he would be caught dead before letting any of his other siblings get their hands on you !

"I cannot bring back the dead, nor can I free you from your guilt, believer", he reminded you and your eyes downcast in sorrow, but he quickly added. "However, if it is vengeance you want ?"

He suddenly closed the space between the both of you and didn't hesitate before grabbing your shoulders from behind, a small chill coursing through you as you felt his breath against the back of your neck.

"I will help you, dear believer..", his voice a mere rasp in your ear, "but you have to know you will have many challenges to face before your wish might be granted. You will belong to me in exchange. Every worshipping offering, every prayer, every single one of your thoughts shall be dedicated to me and only me..Forget your god.", the command was accompanied by a sharp gasp as his cold fingers rested against your collarbone and the sound of his voice filled your mind, "Forget the god that abandoned you and listen to the one who answered your call."

It may seem petty of Morpheus to ask that of you right now, especially since he knew how hurt you were and how vulnerable..But, he couldn't wait any longer. Morpheus was still hurt by his siblings' abandonment during his imprisonment..It was high time for pay back. He would be the only Endless to have a true believer and make sure he would be strong enough to never be a prisoner ever again, and to make them pay.

Fueled by a shared desire for vengeance, you could feel each other's determination and it finally convinced you. You nodded.

"Very well. I accept."

Your eyes widened as he suddenly whirled you around to face him and you gasped at the twinkle of something akin to desire in his gaze—but far more primal.

You missed the slight twitch of his lips as he knew there was no turning back now. He then released you and you breathed out deeply..There was definitely something very intense about him—something that left you breathless.

You knew he wasn't going to hurt you, but you couldn't help but flinch as he plucked a hair out of your head and tied it around his wrist. He then did the same with his and put it in your hand, closing your fingers over it.

"Now..For the contract to be finalized. I need you to say the words, believer. I need you to tell me you believe. Believe in me. Believe in my powers. Believe in my dedication. And I shall give you what you want."

Your eyes widened at the demand and even though he hadn't asked you, you joined your hands over your chest and your throat felt incredibly dry..You would be linked to him. Forever. That creature you knew absolutely nothing about, but had a voice as sweet as honey that he knew well how to use to convince.

And convinced, you were.

"I..believe.", you finally uttered and suddenly, felt a whoosh beside you.

When you opened your eyes,

Morpheus was gone, and you fell into the ground.

In the land of Desire :

Dream fell forward as Desire rose from his throne and to his utter disbelief, clapped.

"Bravo, dear brother. I knew you could do it ! And just in time !"

He didn't understand..until he realized they weren't alone in the room. You, as well as all of his other siblings were there and a terrible sense of dread took over him as he stood up.

"What is this ?!", he roared and Desire chuckled before opening his arms wide, as if to welcome him to his doom.

"Welcome to the Trials, dear brother..Now, seat and enjoy yourself..It's going to be a long ride."

#fandoms #imagine #fanfic #morpheus x reader #sandman x reader

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