Tumgik
#the siblings from live with memories are also mentioned frequently btw!
Text
No seek, No find Event Summary
TL;DR: Leo/need try performing at a new livehouse, but their songs didn't excite the audience at all. However, the band after them, anenome, was able to move the audience greatly with their sad but warm song. Saki approaches anenome's leader, Saku, to ask for advice. She tells them that Leo/need's songs are "cute", but lack meaning.
Saki resolves to write a song that connects to that livehouse's audience. After some internet searching, she realizes many of the visitors express themes of loneliness. Reminded of both her pain in the hospital and the joy of being back with her friends, Saki decides to write with the theme of "it's ok now that we're together".
However, Saki struggles to write a song that satisfies her. She goes to SEKAI, where Len and KAITO suggest she may not be exploring the true depth of her memories. She digs out an old journal and realizes she's been repressing the worst memories of loneliness and self-doubt, but also realizes that her friends and family were still there for her, looking at the same sky. Saki decides to put all those complicated feelings into the song.
After pulling two all-nighters, Saki finally finishes the song. She ended with a theme of companionship and hope, after all the support her friends had and continued to show her. The rest of Leo/need love the song and are impressed by the hard work Saki put into it.
Later, Ichika and Shiho go back to the livehouse to sign up, where they overhear Saku turn down a talent agent. She instead recommends them Leo/need, since they have such a "cute, simple sound". Offended, Shiho approaches her and declares that their next live with the new song will prove her wrong.
Fan Translation (source: Kimane) / Song (teratera)
Tumblr media
Chapter 1: Ichika experiments with using Miku's VOCALOID voicebank to write songs. She admires Saki's ability to write original melodies and dreams to be able to do the same. The next day, Saki was writing songs in her own room before realizing she's late for rehearsal. Shiho suggests performing at a new livehouse to build experience. Though it's a small place, many bands that have performed there before have gone pro. Honami is a bit nervous, but they all decide to go ahead and do it. Saki proposes playing a new song there, too. She's really excited about what she's put together.
Chapter 2: The day of the live arrives. They go out and play with as much power and excitement as they can, but the audience isn't interested in them. Saki especially is upset her songs didn't get through. Shiho reassures her that it's just because different livehouses have different tastes, but Saki still doubts herself. The band after them, anenome, got massive applause from the audience. Saki really likes their song, even though it's a bit sad. She's curious how such a sad song can feel so warm. Saki decides to try writing a song like that.
Chapter 3: Saki approaches the band's leader, Saku, to ask how to write songs like that. Saku is happy for them, but doesn't have any solid advice other than to write what's inside your heart. Saki's confused since she's already been doing that. She decides to also ask what Saku thought of their songs. She thought they were cute, but lacked substance. Saku doesn't see the issue with that though, since everyone has their own taste. Saki's really upset, though. Leo/need try cheering her up, but it doesn't work. They're all frustrated to be told their music doesn't fit there. Everyone resolves to work even harder. That night, Saki decides to write a song specifically for that livehouse's audience.
Chapter 4: To help get a better understanding of the livehouse, Saki searches them online, realizing the audience likely connected to themes of loneliness. Saki remembers back to her time in the hospital, when she was unable to join her peers or do "normal" kid activities. She begins trying to write a song based on that experience. The next day, Leo/need debriefs their performance. Saki talks about her new song idea, and the rest of the band agrees to give it a shot. She talks a bit about what she had felt back then, to which the others express their remorse about not visiting her. Saki then realizes she wants to write a song about how "it's ok because now we're together".
Chapter 5: Saki begins writing, but still isn't satisfied with the result. They all feel superficial. Saki heads to SEKAI, where she finds Len and KAITO talking while eating snacks. At Len's request, she tells them about the last live's failure and her current plan. The Virtual Singers suggest that her songs aren't working because she's not exploring the true depth of her feelings. Saki realizes there's something important she's forgetting about her time in the hospital, but can't figure out what.
Chapter 6: Saki digs out her old journal. She reads a passage on how, after transferring hospitals, she felt super lonely, especially after hearing all the other kids talk about their school trips. She was frustrated at fate for forcing her to stay inside, never being able to go out and live life. She felt like a burden to everyone because she wasn't getting better. Saki realizes she's been repressing those feelings so she didn't have to feel that again. Still, Saku's song had dug even deeper, so she decides to put it all out there.
While writing the first verse, Saki remembers a day when Ichika had sent her a photo of a cloud that looked like ice cream. The two joked about how fluffy it looked, when Saki noticed a similar cloud out the hospital window. She realizes that even though they were far apart, they had always been looking at the same sky. They all had been- Shiho, Honami, her parents, and Tsukasa, too. She decides to put that warmth in the song, too. She accidentally stays up all night working on it.
The rest of Leo/need are concerned about her staying up all night, but she's just excited to finish the song. She's going to finish it that day, no matter what. The others reluctantly agree to let her, but force her to promise to stop if she stops feeling well. Shiho decides to schedule their next live in a month's time.
Chapter 7: Saki's mom comes up to deliver the sweet snacks Honami had made for Saki. Saki continues working on the song on her own, slowly tweaking it to get the right sounds. She starts to get light-headed, but keeps working on. Shiho texts her and asks how its going, since she knows this is around when Saki gets stuck. Ichika also texts her and asks if she can see the stars out her window, too. Through her friend's support, she comes to the decision to cement the song as one of companionship and hope. She finally finishes the song, but not after pulling another accidental all-nighter.
Chapter 8: Leo/need arrive at the Tenma house to practice. Saki plays them the new song, to which they're all very impressed. It's different than what she's written before, but at the same time, it's still something only Leo/need could write. Saki begins talking about how she hadn't been putting much deep feeling into the songs she'd been writing before, but Shiho reminds her to cherish both the old and the new. The band offer to hammer out the detail of the song, letting Saki finally rest.
At the livehouse, Shiho and Ichika overhear Saku turning down a talent agent. Saku had recommended Leo/need to them instead for their "bright, poppy sound". Shiho confronted her after, upset by the way Saku had reduced their band to just a cute image. Shiho promises that their next live will prove they're more than that, to which Saku is looking forward to.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
9 notes · View notes
commander-rahrah · 3 months
Text
Talking to the Moon: Part VI
Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader Word Count: ~4800 Warnings: slightly suggestive, swearing, blood, non-con touching (Cazador touching reader), some borrowed in game dialogue, canonical warnings apply!
archiveofourown: here
masterlist: here
part I: here part II: here part III: here part IV: here part V: here
Summary: Set in Act III, after you arrive in Baldur's Gate and have met some of Astarion's siblings but not yet confronted Cazador. Astarion struggles with inner turmoil as he is suddenly thrusted back into the clutches of his old master's influence.
Notes: Long time no update! Long story short December was the month where everything was bad and everything hurt - ER hospital visits and many, many days laying in bed and on the couch very unmotivated and just wanting to feel better! I am very grateful to be feeling better and up to writing as my fics is one of my favorite creative outlets! So thank you for being patient between updates! I really appreciate it and any kind of interaction like a reblog, like or comment truly makes my friggin' day!
So this update and the next chapter will be focused on confronting Cazador! I have had these thoughts and ideas to add more to the in-game scenes since the very first time I played it! I was doing a multiplayer save with my fiancé and the second we finished Astarion's quest (I sobbed the entire time btw) I stayed up all night writing all my thoughts onto my notes app. I didn't even intend to write into a fic back then, I just wanted the outlet of writing it all down to help with how emotional I was feeling about it all! And now a few months later, I have a fic with over 30k words. Aha... whoops!
Anyways, I really hope you enjoy this update and the slight changes and add-ons I've added to this final part of Astarion's quest. I honestly teared up writing parts of it, because Astarion and his and my Tav's story means so much to me, I couldn't help it. ALSO, I don't plan on these being the last updates since it is the "end" of Astarion's quests. I still have plans for this Tav/Reader and Astarion yet. Not enough kissing and happiness had happened yet!! Just some angst and pain has to happen first.
As always, reblogs and comments are very very appreciated ♡♡♡
·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨
You had wandered the streets of Baldur’s Gate before. Long before the nautiloid, in your time living in the city you had explored as much of the exciting city as you could. But never like this.
Your party had taken every cobblestone street, every back alley and shortcut. Astarion lead the way for most of them, pointing things out and sharing antidotes with you.
But you noticed how his smile strained at times, that he was wearing down the stitches on his leather pants from his fingers picking them nervously. At night when you slept side by side you’d wake to him trembling and muttering through a nightmare, which had become more frequent since you stepped into the city boundaries.
The vampire has been so sure of the next step in the Shadowlands and Wyrm’s Crossing. But now anytime you neared the streets leading to Cazador’s castle, he was turning on his heel and looking at one of your companions to ask what they needed to do instead.
Meeting his siblings days ago had been eye-opening. You thought you understood what he had gone through, that the memories he had described to you, and even shown you through the tadpoles, was enough. But after seeing how controlled and manipulated Petras and Dalyria had been… What they were being forced to do…You couldn’t bring yourself to picture Astarion like that.
You couldn’t imagine the turmoil and anguish going through your lover — seeing his siblings, being in the city again in a way he never thought he would, being so close to seizing power that could change his fate forever. You hadn’t voiced that every time he mentioned taking the ritual for himself fear stabbed in your belly. You knew what was motivating him to even consider the choice — outright fear and the call of power that was easily addicting. But too many things in his life has been decided for him… so you didn’t voice that to him, instead insisting that you only needed for him to be safe and happy. You trusted him to make the right choice.
You did trust him. You loved him.
And you showed him as such — throughout the day as you laced your fingers through his, as you rolled your neck for him to feed, as you curled into each other to sleep.
And he had been returning that trust and love back.
He had continued to expand his boundaries with you, slowly but surely as the days went on. Your quiet time together after a long day, you were a reprieve he sought out over and over. You whispered and giggled with each other between kisses in your shared bed in the Elfsong Tavern — tucked into the corner and hidden behind privacy screens. Privacy screens that Karlach had loudly dragged over before giving you both a very unsubtle wink. Then she did the same for her and Shadowheart.
The teasing had been relentless.
You still hadn’t taken those final steps, and you were in no rush too. Astarion’s happiness and agency was the most important to you, always. Yet, you couldn’t help the way your heart thundered and breath got higher as he slowly explored any kind of touch and intimacy with you again.
You were laid together now, draped across each other — you only in your night clothes and Astarion in very thin linen pants. You were pressed gently on top of him, your voice and lips whispering across his pale skin as he pointed his fingertip to various parts of his body. His new game he had started that night — seemingly convinced that he would find a part of himself that you did not love.
Utterly impossible — but you indulged him anyways.
“Even this? You like this?” He pointed to his knobby elbow.
"Hmm,” You hummed approvingly, pressing a gentle peck to the bare, taut skin of his bent joint.
His low laughter rumbled through both of you, shaking you slightly. “I’m running out of ideas.”
You eyed him greedily, “I’m not. You’ve missed some of your best parts.”
“Have I?” He cocked a brow, a smirk spreading across his face. “Alright, go on then.”
“I can—?”
“Mhmm,” He nodded his head against the silk pillow, settling himself deeper into the mattress under your weight.
Swallowing, you took him in underneath you and felt your mind start whirring. Slow, patient, soft — you reminded yourself. You gently touched his jawline, the tip of your finger following the strong line. “Here.”
Then your forefinger and thumb rubbed the cartilage on the tops of his ears, “Here.” His mouth fell open deliciously with that one.
“Here,” You caressed the mole on his cheek with a swipe of your thumb.
You continued your movements, so drawn into him that you didn’t notice his red eyes blazing as they flickered between watching your hand and watching your face.
Your fingers gracefully dragged across him. His Adam’s apple. His knuckles. Collarbone. Inner wrist.
“I told you, there is no part of you that I do not like. Every inch of you I want to—“ You cut yourself off. Perhaps that was too much. This was a fun, teasing game — exploratory and gentle. You hadn’t meant to make it about your own desire and arousal.
He swallowed, his mouth hanging open slightly, “You want to what?”
You let out a fake cough, lifting yourself off of him slightly with a blush crossing your cheeks. “Well, I—“
A grin spread across his face, “Oh, I love it when you get all coy.” He purred, pulling you back before you could fully get away. “Tell me, please.” He whispered.
“There isn’t an inch of you that I don’t wish to kiss. To taste.” You admitted huskily, the heat on your face spreading to your neck.
The groan that escaped him made the fire in your belly sputter even hotter.
“Show me?” He asked softly, but his tone was slightly more sultry than before.
“Sho—show you?”
He nodded before fidgeting under you to display himself more — stretching out his neck, spreading his arms out.
“May I—“
“Darling,” He said the pet name a tad exasperated as his slowly closing eyes snapped to yours. “This was my idea. You don’t have to ask every time.”
“Yes, I do.” You insisted.
He rolled his eyes playfully, shaking his soft curls, “Really—“
But you cut him off. “Astarion, I do. I will continue to. It’s important to me. I never want you to do something you don’t want. I never want to make you feel like that with me.”
“You haven’t. I know you wouldn’t.” He trailed his pale fingers through the hair hanging in front of your face as you hovered over him. He tucked it behind your ear.
“I know it seems like a silly question, especially between us but I want you to know you can—“
It was his turn to cut you off, silencing you with a reassuring kiss. He was looking at you with astonishment when you finally opened your eyes from the deep kiss. “What ever did I do to deserve you my lovely moon?”
You smiled tenderly down at him, “Perhaps it was fate.”
“Hmm," His red eyes blinked slowly, "I used to despise that sentiment.”
“And now?”
Astarion gave you one of the most tender smiles you'd ever seen. “I think you might be right.” He ran his fingers gently down your cheek before letting out a dramatic puff. “Now, stop turning me into a sappy lovesick fool and kiss me already.” He growled playfully.
"As you wish, love." You mumbled as you pressed your lips to his.
• • •
You woke with a stir, the weight of the mattress shifting suddenly and then the sound of scuffling feet. Astarion was standing in front of the bed — in front of you defensively, still only in his night pants with his bare chest rising and falling quickly. A dagger was closed in his fist, aimed in front of him of threateningly. “Stop right where you are.” His voice was commanding like it had never been before, but you could still hear a twinge of uncertainty in it.
“You know why we’re here, brother.” A low, masculine voice said — seemingly coming from the dark shadows in the corners of the large suite.
Astarion's stance grew wider, his grip on his dagger tightening until his already pale knuckles turned white. “Come any closer to us and it will be the last thing you do.”
Peering over your lover's figure, you found four pairs of glowing red eyes studying you intently. The hairs on the back of your neck and arms started to stand up.
"I mean it - get the hells away from us!" Astarion growled again, his hand blinding reaching back for you. You laced your fingers through his and a protection spell was on your lips seconds later, muttered quietly until you felt the magical aura surround him.
The rest of your companions were up on their feet after Astarion's shout, pushing in towards your bed, edging around it in a protective semi-circle. Most of them were scantily clad in only undergarments and nightclothes - but all of them had their hands glowing with magic or weapons drawn. Fury was etched on every one of their faces from the intrusion and threat.
One of the female vampires eyed the rest of your group, counting and calculating. Then she raised her hands up, "We come in peace, brother."
"You call this peace, Aurelia?" He frowned at her. Your grip on him tightened as you stood up and tried to go to his side, but he stepped in front of you protectively once again.
A male stepped forward slightly, his mouth and eyes ruby red with deep scars carved over his skin, trailing down his chin. It was a terrifying sight. But his voice did not match his appearance, and instead was laced with desperation and hope. "The master needs all seven us for the ceremony. Come with us and be reborn. We'll live again."
The suite remained deadly silent. Like you all were waiting to see who would make the first move, who would let loose a spell or swing a blade first.
But it was your meek voice that broke the silence, "How did you find us?"
Their red eyes snapped instantly to you, but it was one of his sister's who spoke. "Master Cazador has known where Astarion was this entire time — where both of you were. He has been watching carefully since you arrived in the city."
"You know what our master will do to them.” His scarred brother warned, nodding his head towards you. His eyes almost looked... sad.
“He won’t get the chance, Leon.” Astarion snarled back.
Leon raised his hands defensively, "We aren't here for them. We are here about the rite. The master needs you. You must attend."
Astarion scoffed, "Oh, I am well aware of what the master needs. But don't we all deserve better?" His features were contorted in a strange mixture of emotion. "After these centuries of torment, I know what you all want. More then power. More than to walk in the sun. You want to see him dead."
The desire for revenge, for Cazador's death, did not surprise you. He had said as much, and bluntly too. You had agreed that Cazador deserved such a fate after the years of abuse and exploitation he had forced upon Astarion.
"If you think I will be a willing sacrifice for him and his deranged ritual, you really are stupidly blinded by him."
"Sacrifice?" Aurelia stepped forward, shaking her head. "No, this is our way to cheat undeath."
"Is that the lie he told you?" He sneered.
"I-"
Astarion's lips curled up, "You're all fools. You think he cares about us? You think he will grant us such power? We are nothing but pawns to be slaughtered for the king — one final, grand maneuver so he can win the game."
His four siblings shook with disbelief. "The master doesn't need to lie to us. He controls us, fully. Why go through the trouble of giving us hope..."
Leon got there first, his face crumbling. "Because its more cruel... shit."
The vampires exchanged a look — a look between siblings that you knew well. One that you had shared with your own brother many times. A silent conversation had happened between them in an instant.
"That manipulative bastard." The other female finally spoke, her words a hiss between her fanged teeth.
"How did we not see this?"
Leon squared his shoulders, moving his red eyes to look back at his free brother. "Astarion is right... because we are blind fools."
"We must go before he compels us too— agghhh." Aurelia grabbed her head, her expression one of excruciating pain. "Aggghhhhh!"
"Take her." Leon commanded the other siblings who looped their arms around her, dragging her away as she fought them. But he lingered behind them for a moment, stopping to look over his shoulder and study the pair of you. To look at the rest of your companions surrounding you defensively. "Help us, brother." His voice was a whispered plea, his terrifying, red eyes wide and shining. Then with a loud crack and a sudden puff of red, they were gone.
A collective sigh escaped your party as they disappeared, spells extinguished and weapons dropped down to their sides before they turned to face both of you.
Astarion’s shoulders sagged as he realized his family had indeed left. He all but collapsed into your side, burying his face into the crook of your neck as you held him back. Really, as you held him up.
You stroked his hair as he murmured into your shoulder, “Tomorrow. This ends tomorrow.”
“Okay, my love. We’ll be with you the whole way.” You whispered into his pointed ear, returning the concerned expression of your companions watching as your hold on Astarion tightened a bit more.
• • •
Whatever you do... I just don't want to die down here.
Sebastian’s voice was echoing in his ears, his mind, and creeping down into parts of him he had just barely started to recognize again. Parts of him that a few months ago he had deemed long dead. He had to force his pink lips into a firm line just to stop them from trembling. 
This place, his so-called home was his personal hell. Every step through the fading carpets and ostentatiously decorated rooms had gotten harder and harder — until he had started to feel physically ill. Bile was rising in his throat, his back and palms of his hands turning clammy. And now, standing in the secret, buried crypt beneath — it felt like the castle above him was pressing down, screaming at him of what a luxury it had been that he was a prisoner up there and not down here. That voice in his head, that ringing, echoing voice. Gods, he wished it would stop. 
And you... you had been so uncommonly quiet. You who had lent him your strength since the moment he met you, you and your presence a steady reassurance that he had come to depend on. But his little moon who was usually so chatty and poetic, was so quiet. Your eyes were wide as you followed him through Cazador’s castle, your steps clumsy and dazed like he wasn't the only one walking through this twisted nightmare. Perhaps it was for you — realizing the realities of what he had been through.
When Astarion's composure had really started to shake, you snapped back to reality and were with him in an instant. Your warm fingers threading through his icy ones. Your voice, your soft, hushed voice using the smallest amount of words to try and put his cruel mind at ease. The words you had used were choice, but powerful. You insisted that all of this was Cazador's cruelty — not his. 
But how could he believe that as he stood in front of the cells filled with people he had brought his master? How could he deny the role he played in all of this when he could stare into the eyes of all of those victims — the stupid, innocent fools who in a fleeting moment fell for him. 
Especially when he realized how fortunate, how damn lucky, it was that he never stumbled on you on the streets of Baldur’s Gate the past year you'd lived in the city. 
Astarion stood before the precipice of Cazador’s ritual room. The grand doors that would lead to these final moments just a few steps away from him.
The fine outfit he picked for himself suddenly felt unbearably tight and itchy. The lacy neck scratching and digging into his skin, his leather shoes too restricting. He had wanted to use the clothes as a symbol to his old master — look how well I’ve done without you, look who I’ve become without you. His hands became fists at his sides, his knuckles white and half moons appearing on the soft skin of his palms as he squeezed tighter and tighter. The only way to stop them from trembling — with both fear and rage. 
“I'm here for you, love.” You whispered gently, your warm fingers ghosting the sides of his wrists as you stepped in beside him. His fists unclenched slightly as he breathed in your familiar scent, as he savored the soft caress of your skin on his. He pushed down the building sob climbing up through his chest, the urgency of the cry growing as he felt your presence surround him. "Just... remember who you are, Astarion." 
Who was he? It felt even blurrier in this sadistic crypt under the castle he used to call home. Though it never was one. A prison, that's what it was. 
And what version of him did you see? Could he really be what you thought you saw? What you thought he could be?
Astarion had left Baldur's Gate against his will — a tormented, violent, broken thing. A puppet. A slave. He thought he had returned to this city anew — a free male, softer around the edges but no longer a thing to be used. His own person.
Yet the second he felt the influence of Cazador's control, the moment he felt that familiar threat he felt as if he was falling backwards. Being backed into a corner, corralled into the cage and slapped into chains that he had rotted away in for two hundred years. 
He would not go back. 
A shudder went through him as he tried to compose himself once more, taking a deep breath that he knew he did not truly need. Looking sideways at you, he gave you a final nod. "I'm ready for this to be over." 
Something flashed in your eyes, but it was gone as fast as it appeared. You nodded, before following him through the grand doors with the rest of your companions trailing behind. 
The descent down those stairs was brutal. Time seemed to drag to such a slow that it was almost like the scene before them was frozen in time. Astarion could recognize the familiar silhouette of his master anywhere. It had haunted him long enough that he had memorized every harsh line and angle. He loosed a breath as he counted six figures bound and hovering by some form of magic — a seventh spot on the top center left open and waiting.
For him. 
"Could it be?!" The voice that plagued his thoughts, his nightmares and memories echoed throughout the large chamber. It sent hundreds of different feelings throughout his body, his flesh getting goosebumps and steps faltering for a moment on the stone stairs.
"Our prodigal son returned to us!" Cazador's voice was jovial, but there was no mistaking why. The final piece to his game had just delivered themselves to him, the sacrificial lamb for slaughter had seemingly come with no ill intent. 
Astarion would make the vampire bastard regret underestimating him.
He could hear you just steps behind him, the pads of your feet, the familiar thrum of your heart increasing as you both stepped closer and closer to Cazador's place on the central dais. He gritted his teeth, his back molars clenching down so hard he swore he heard a crunch in the back of his mouth. He lowered his head, looking up at the monster that had ruined him through his eyebrows. 
"Do not slouch before me, boy! Have you no respect for yourself?" Cazador snapped, waving his hand dismissively at him. "Look at you, crawling back after abandoning your family. You should be begging for our forgiveness."
"I will do no crawling, nor begging." Astarion snarled, baring his teeth slightly. "And forgiveness? Really? You have never forgiven anything. Every mistake, every slip was punished."
The bastard had the audacity to roll his red eyes, "I strove for perfection in all things — even those as imperfect as you. A pity you amounted to so little, despite my efforts." 
"No!!" He roared, stepping forward once more as he pointed his finger. "No, fuck you and fuck everything you've ever done to me!" 
Cazador raised a single dark brow before letting out a humorless laugh, "You stupid, little boy."
"You son of a bitch!" Astarion couldn't stop the explosion of anger that coursed through him and he charged forward. His pale hand formed a fist as he launched himself at Cazador but a flare of red magic suddenly froze him in place. His body stopped completely, caught mid-lunge with his fingers still curled in a punch. 
He heard a strangled whimper from behind him. It was you, the sound one he had rarely heard — one of you paralyzed from fear. 
But the master mercifully ignored you, only having eyes for his spawn. He smirked as he surveyed Astarion trapped in the swell of magic, "Tut, tut." He clicked his tongue, "Did you think it would be that easy?" 
Astarion let out a groan of pain as he tried to resist the red binding power that started to form around him. Tears began to prickle in the corners of his eyes as they began to squeeze and cut into his skin, seeping into him slowly like a dreadful poison. 
"Astarion!!" His name ripped out of you at his pained cries, stepping forward onto the dais to intervene. The agony in your voice was more unbearable then what he was currently suffering. 
He was a fool to bring you here, to ask you to help him. He had served them all to Cazador on a silver platter.  
“Oh?" The ancient vampire's voice had a hint of wicked glee in it as he turned on his heel and set his eyes on you, with the rest of your companions lingering just behind you. Like he had just finally bothered to notice your presence. "And who do we have here? Your little pet, Astarion?” 
You froze in place, but stood up slightly taller. He watched as you jutted your chin forward, setting your shoulders back as you refused to cower in front of him. Even if he could scent your fear from here.  Then the old master slinked around you, his chest almost brushing your back as he inspected you head to toe. Your jaw set as he circled behind you where you could not see, but you did your best to keep your face neutral.  “And what’s this?” Cazador asked with a flicker of false humor. 
Astarion hissed as the vampire stepped even closer, bending down to eye his puncture marks that had scarred on your neck. “You finally gained enough courage to feed from a being capable of thought? Congratulations, spawn.” Then he took in a large inhale, “And quite an appetizing pick too, they smell absolutely delicious."
His glowing red eyes snapped back to Astarion as he remained behind you, looming over your shoulder. He was gauging every reaction from both of you, he knew.
Studying. Calculating. Deducing. 
Like any manipulative vampire would.
"But it seems my dear boy, you’ve been double dipping with this one haven’t you?” He made to grab your silver hair and Astarion felt his mind go berserk.  “DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THEM!” He roared, pulling hard enough on the magical red tethers around him that they flared and flickered for a moment. 
An evil grin contorted his master's fingers as he still put his long fingers through your hair and pushed it behind your ear. The action revealed even more of your neck so he pressed his prominent nose against your pulse point, inhaling deeply. “Your scent is all over them.” You shuddered involuntarily, your face wincing and flinching away at his cold touch.
Astarion growled, his fangs barring and snapping at his old master. “Oh, so upset. They are your favorite little pet aren’t they?" A long finger nail dragged down your jaw. Astarion's eyes were glued to yours, your body seemingly immobilized from fear — for both yourself and him. Cazador cocked his head as he watched the pair of you before letting out a scoff. "You fool, you fell for your snack instead. What a pity... for once I was almost proud of you.”
He finally let you go, wiping the fingers that touched you off on his jacket like you were a worm he had picked up from the dirt. He licked his lips as he approached his spawn again, still frozen with his scarlet magic that buzzed and echoed with authority throughout the entire chamber.  “Well, I can give you one last comfort, since I am such a generous master." He whispered into Astarion's ear, both of their eyes locked onto your worried expression. "Once you and all your siblings are nothing but pulp... I’ll treat your special love extra carefully. I’ll be so lonely since the rest of you will all be gone. But this one… they will make for a delectable companion."
Another growl escaped from deep in his chest, but the sound was caught as Cazador wrapped his long fingers around his pale throat. “It’s a pity I have to lose you. So much work, so much time... gone. But my new companion will do a much better job than you, with a pretty face like that no one would resist? I mean, even you didn’t.” He hissed in his ear. 
"ENOUGH!” You barked, stepping forward closer to him with your mouth and brow set in a hardline. "Release him, Cazador, at once."
The bastard only smirked and snapped around to meet you, "Ha. Or what?"
"This all ends here. You end here." You did not stutter or stumble. Your voice was strong and carried across the chamber. Your companions stepped up behind you, hands moving at their sides as they readied their weapons and spells at your word. 
"Is that so? You are willing to risk death for him? A wasted, mistake of a spawn? A stupid, little boy?"
Your nostrils flared, your eyes shining with familiar power that was now coming off of you in waves, "I would do anything for him."
"Stupid mortal." Cazador barked, his lips curling in disgust. "I forgot how foolish you can be when you fall in "love". But not to worry... I'll train that right out of you." He twirled back around dramatically, looking at Astarion as he held onto his staff tighter. The red magic swirled and brightened around Astarion, squeezing him so tightly he felt as if may be crushed from the inside out. "You truly forgot my power, Astarion. You truly thought our bond as creator and creation was all that stopped you from killing me. You are weak, my child. You are a small, pathetic little boy who never amounted to anything. But today, you will finally do something worthwhile. You will burn, and I will ascend."
The vampire master flicked his wrist, and Astarion was soaring across the room — completing the final spot in the ritual circle. The entire chamber room suddenly lit up with the red light, a enormous sigils swirling underneath Astarion and the rest of his siblings as they hovered in mid air. Their tops suddenly shredded from the force of the spell as their naked, scared torsos were revealed — the scars littered across them glowing the same scarlet as the patterns beneath them.  
"ASTARION!" His name was a roar from your lips again as you surged forward, hands outstretched for him across the ritual floor.  
"Witness the birth of the Vampire Ascendant! Ecce dominus!" Cazador's staff slammed down onto the marked stone floor. 
And pain like nothing Astarion had ever felt went through every part of him. 
Read the next chapter: here
52 notes · View notes
onf-headcanons · 3 years
Text
ONF MEMBERS AS YOUR SIBLING (HYOJIN & E-TION version)
Tumblr media
We will be heading to universe 3!!!!! (Still have a long way to complete this series as there are 21 pairing)
Either you are related from Hyojin or Changyoon side and either one of them later joined the family. Confusing? OK example you are Hyojin’s sibling by blood and then later Changyoon joined. Or in reversed, Hyojin was the one who joined later.
Or You are the youngest sibling (could be in terms age when the family comes together or you being born later)
Or, You are the eldest, as stand in for Hyojin’s elder sister, or Changyoon’s elder brother.
Any scenario that is suitable to your own imagination. Also there will be some repeated ideas from first universe because i would like to keep characterization consistency.
Btw this pair of sibling would be quiet but noisy unless they are triggered. But if you are their sibling, you might have already kinda used to the noise.
*For Hyo-tion, I will not be doing recommendation *winks
BUT!!! IT WILL BE FUN TO HAVE THIS DUO TO BE CLASSMATE TURNED SIBLINGS. To elaborate, Changyoon was transferred from Jeonju to Seoul some years ago, and then enrolled to the same high school/college class with Hyojin.
*ONE BONUS IDEA WHICH I AM NOT GOING TO ELABORATE, WOULD BE HYOJIN’S ELDER SIBLING AND CHANGYOON’S ELDER SIBLING GETTING MARRIED AND THEY BECOME IN-LAWS LOL 
Also, this family is close with the other 2 families that sharing the same universe. You can check masterlist to see which other families are in universe 3 here 
Ok lets go to some common headcanons (Also apply with you being the eldest)
They might need a bit of time, because suddenly they had to live in a household. Both are looking headstrong on the outside but also sensitive in nature.
(As food is important based on them both in recent interviews and Changyoon’s “we need to eat so that we could live.” ) THEIR USUAL GREETING TOWARDS EACH OTHER IS : “HAVE YOU EATEN?”
Frequently, non nonchalantly asking each other if wanna eat out
If you are related to Hyojin, should Changyoon finds a nice Jeonju cuisine restaurant, he would bring Hyojin and you over to try it out.
To elaborate it further, Changyoon will bring you and Hyojin around when the new family first visited Jeonju. It could be Hyojin suggested Changyoon to do that so that he can know more about his new brother. 
They act like being distant acquainted friends with siblings status recognised by the law, but actually both are very observant and caring towards each other.
You might worry if your brothers cannot get along well because they seems to be interacting less. But actually your worry is just overthinking.
Changyoon might be a bit intimidated by Hyojin because of his temper when Seungjoon teasing the latter. 
And Hyojin might felt Changyoon is a very distant person who prefers to be alone. But we all know Changyoon is just a bit timid when it comes to getting know/ approaching one step further with new people. So both are not a lone wolf type. With Hyojin being observant, he will absolutely stand back and let the other party to come when their more comfortable.
With INFP Changyoon and ISFJ Hyojin, It is not like they are not good at expressing sibling affection towards each other, they just don’t attach to the overly clingly brothers mode because they are more practical in my opinion. They tend to show each other they care by supporting each other, talking about deeper topics and remembering small details. 
Teasing and joking will be there (boys will be boys) but it is kept to the minimum.
(BTW depending on some sources Hyojin is ISFJ and ESFJ both are from some random variety show snippets, as from IDOL WORKSHOP where members mentioned Hyojin like to stay indoors, I will irresponsibly conclude him as ISFJ for now)
So it is possible that they will be awkwardly adjusting due to being too cautious until one party gives in and mentions they need to be more frank towards each other.
Then the chemistry start to change. Even though same age, Hyojin would act as if he is older than Changyoon.
Both knew about each other’s singing ability and will occasionally hang out at Karaoke. Bonus actually if they both have Youtube account that upload covers,you might suggest them to upload a cover video to Youtube. Also occasionally you are the one who suggested song titles for them to cover.
Then their subscribers might wonder how did they get close and as more collaborations happen, they just tell the truth.
If you are Changyoon’s sibling, you will help out by finishing his sentences when he is buffering. Hyojin knew about it as they are in the same class, he will give Changyoon some time to reorganize.
But then if they do fight, Hyojin surely will be the one blasting words, being on point as possible. (this scenario is rare unless it is something that triggered he to the point he could not hold in)
Even though they look “not close”, they will still laugh at each other’s jokes and weird antics. 
When they both are older, one of them had a notion to get a tattoo and started researching it and another gained interest after peaking. Then they both went to get tattoo together, Hyojin even get 2 because he could not decide. (Maybe later end up being scolded by parents lol)
Scenario  (You being the youngest or being the one to be born later)
Your elder brothers play with you by giving out a lot of weird aegyos. And then they will laugh at themselves for being OOC
BTW you three when playing hide and seek or tag in the house will defo turn the house up side down. 
From your childhood memory, Changyoon seems to be the brother who is smitten with you, typically likes to squish your chubby cheeks when you are still younger. Hyojin would be the sometimes prankster that would jumpscare you.
When you are toddler, Changyoon carries you in his arms most while Hyojin piggybacks you the most.
But both of their love are endless for the younger sibling. you might find it funny when you introduced your boyfriend/Partner to your brothers and Hyojin is the one who is being unsettled.
If you are from Hyojin’s side, similar with your brother, you might find Changyoon a bit intimidating. 
If you are from Changyoon’s side and you have opposite personality, you will be the one to approach Hyojin first.
BLESS your ears when they sing in the house.
RIP your ears when you play video games or monopoly with them both.
YOU FORCING THEM TO GO INTO HAUNTED HOUSES DURING THEME PARK VISIT BECAUSE YOU WON ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, and you are trying hard to catch your breathe as you laugh at your big brothers. Also RIP your ears.
OH AND RIP YOUR SOUL if you happen to messed up. Them both will nag you for sure. Changyoon is a more softer type big brother while Hyojin definitely is a more stern type. Changyoon forgives/lets go easily after he criticized and understood that you will learn from the mistake. But Hyojin will need you to understand what you have done wrong and exactly what led towards the mistake before letting you go free from his nagging.
So unlike previous sibling hcs, you will not go to only 1 brother when you ask for opinion/guides in life choices. You will come to them both same time. Even if 1 of them are not present, you will wait until them both are free and all ears.
They are supportive, but also worry if you are perfectly prepared of your choices.
Hearing them discussing in front of you before turn their opinion towards you actually can give you great insight too.  Hyojin will elaborate the consequences and makes sure that you understand and you have the mental preparation to bear it. Changyoon will be the worrywart and asking you some blindspot matter that you did not think of.
If your personality happens to be funny and a bit of crackhead underneath a serious facade, Changyoon will team up with you if you start something funny or you  joining Changyoon. Hyojin would be at one side clapping and laughing his heart out.
Changyoon : Woah, my younger sibling indeed, you sure have sense of humour
lol
If your personality is somewhat closer to Hyojin’s, you and Hyojin both will be supportive when Changyoon participating in singing competition.
Fun fact, should Changyoon participates, Hyojin will not participate. Same goes with the other way round.
Ok I am gonna stop here, I tried to add new hcs that I did not get to cross my mind during previous universes. You can read about them by searching Sibling!onf tag, or just refer to masterlist should you want to read more of Sibling Hyojin or Sibling Changyoon (but paired with other members)
7 notes · View notes
gigilberry-wips · 5 years
Text
20 Facts About Charlotte (and family) That The Readers Will Not Be Given In The Story
So here I am trying to organize my thoughts and do some character building in order to answer some questions about my oc that someone was very nice to ask and which I still need to come up with answers for, carry on with your business don’t mind me
(for those who’re sticking around to read this, a warning: this is long as heck)
1. Charlie was known as that kid who’d always be full of questions and giving the adults a run for their money “Why do crocodiles have big noses?” “Where does the moon go?” “Why don’t humans have claws? Aren’t they more useful than fingernails?” “Why do people sleep?” “Why are we supposed to do this? Why can’t we do that?” “Why can’t we ask questions? How would anyone learn things if they don’t ask questions??”
2. In her family she’s closest to her older brother. She doesn’t always share her concerns with him but when she comes to him with her thoughts and questions she trusts his words.
3. One time she read in a book where a meal of grilled cheese and tomato soup was described so delectably that for one entire month she insisted on having that at least once a day (it’s like what happened with me and when I read about the ‘bread and butterflies’ from “Through The Looking Glass” and now if anyone ever offered me a towering stack of heavily buttered toast with an ocean of horrifically sugary milk tea I swear I will devour the whole thing no hesitation). She stopped being so vocally fussed with them after that but she never really got over it. So if, whenever she might see either one of those two (or both!!) in the wilds, be it in person or on television or if she just catches the smell of it, and if you happen to be looking at her already then you just might catch her making The. Biggest. Heart Eyes. Like the love of her life has appeared before her and she is going to run into their arms and both of them will head off into the sunset.
4. Her favorite things to get on Christmas and her birthday are “fun science projects for kids”, or puzzle and strategy games, or books that had riddles, secret codes, recipes, more experiments, and especially made-up languages in them. She’s filled entire notebooks with the languages that she’s learnt from books, from Morse Code to Tolkien elvish, and she can easily recall many of them from memory. She knows a lot of the most common kinds of numerical puzzles and algorithms that have been used, and partially due to that and partially because of how good she is in math she frequently makes computer related jokes about herself.
5. Charlie’s brother is doing an internship at a nearby aerospace museum and planetarium. He’s currently studying for a degree in astronomy and engineering and works as one of the technicians there, and about once a month Charlie’s family goes to visit and have a picnic nearby and spend the day there. Since it’s so close, her brother is able to go from home and usually drops her and her friends off to school in the mornings in his old, beat-up car because he’s a good brother and he loves his sister.
6. One time when Charlotte was little (about 7-8) she was loaned a textbook from her school about famous people that she had to do her homework from. Her brother caught her scribbling in it with a pencil one time and found out that she was replacing all the pronouns of the historical figures in it (Mr. Miss Alexander Graham Bell, he she invented, Mr. Miss Albert Einstein, he she discovered, etc.).
(She didn’t really have the words for it back then but essentially she was doing this because all of these Oh So Important People Of History(TM) Who Did Oh So Important Things(TM) were different from her and she was very strongly aware of that and it made her really, really angry. She thought that if the only thing anyone was ever going to teach her was White Man History(TM) and that’s the only thing that ever existed since the dawn of time and that’s the only thing she’d ever learn then she wasn’t just gonna sit there and swallow that like the rest of her classmates, thank you.)
The next day he bought her a book about famous women in history from all around the world. She read it cover to cover and has kept that book with her to this very day. It’s got pictures like this in it too :D -
Tumblr media
[image description] Three women (left to right: Indian, Japanese, and Syrian) who graduated from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1886
This is also one of the reasons why she likes Star Trek so much, and why she wants to learn so many languages.
[Edit: if anyone’s wondering, her brother’s the one who erased the pencil marks from her textbook. He told her since she’s the one who did it then she should be the one to remove it. But she refused to do it and she did not say sorry either. He knew she’d get in trouble if he told his parents or anyone about it, or if it was left alone, so he sat down with an eraser and methodically went through the book with it himself.
Charlie neither offered to help nor stopped him (she could’ve if she’d wanted to, she had cheeto crumbs on her fingers and she could’ve smeared them in the book or poked her brother with them but she didn’t); she just attached herself to his side and quietly glared because that textbook is Enemy #1 and no one should touch it as his hand patiently went through page after page and removed all traces of her vandalism]
7. Charlie loves her hair. When she was little one of her favorite shows was My Little Pony (don’t tell anyone but she still has a soft spot for it) and she wanted to have bright, colorful hair just like the other ponies did. One of her cousins was very fashion savvy and when she told her this, her cousin showed her all the fun hairstyles she could do with her own hair instead. She’s been growing out her hair ever since. Now Charlie and her brother are Long Hair Siblings(TM). :D
8. On the other hand, Charlie despises make up. When she was little she noticed that almost the only people that were on make up advertisements were white women, so in her head she thought that meant those pretty women owned the make up companies, right? Well, she looked it up and learned that the people who really owned the companies were not those women but instead ugly old men and that was when she came to the conclusion that advertisements are all full of lies and not to be trusted (also she learnt later that silicone rubber is used in making water proof mascara and her brain is forever scarred with that knowledge and now so is yours :DD)
9. When she got her first loose tooth she heard about the tooth fairy and how she takes teeth and leaves money. So her natural course of action was to look up the price of human teeth online. Then she took the case up with her father and told him all about her findings and how the tooth fairy was basically scamming everybody and should not be trusted. He found this entertaining enough that the morning after she lost her tooth she found a 2 dollar bill under her pillow. She kept it away safely and once she had enough “tooth money” she bought a whole set of glitter gel pens with it.
10. The number of times Charlie’s gone to a party can be counted on one hand, and that’s only because she was forced to go. One such house she’s frequented is one of her aunt’s and after all these years the only name she knows from there is the cat’s, whose name is Toast but she thought that was boring so in her head she renamed her as Clementine. She hasn’t told anyone else that she’s never learnt anyone else’s name but she has the feeling her brother knows.
11. She loves cats. She loves them so much. She was always such a solemn and serious little girl but the moment she saw a cat it’s like watching a toddler wandering after a butterfly. Abso-lutely adorable. She has these knitted cat socks and 2 cat plushies (one more worn than the other) and when she was 11 her parents let her and her brother adopt an orange kitten and she got to name it Tigger after one of her favorite childhood characters. In her friend group there are so many cat puns surrounding her. So many. (half of them are her own btw)
12. Charlotte is bisexual. I remember reading somewhere that it’s unrealistic to just have one lgbt kid all by their lonesome in any story worth telling and I agreed with that. I’ve also heard about the “disaster bisexual” troupe. In my cast of characters the one that fits it the most is Josie, so me being myself I flipped that troupe and instead made the most calm and collected one the bisexual kid (so instead of a disaster bisexual(TM) what we have is a distinguished bisexual(TM), thank you and good night). It’s not mentioned in the story because this story is told from Laila’s point of view and Charlie hasn’t told anyone about her sexuality, not her friends, not her family, not anyone. She learnt about it earlier than Laila did (when she was 13), but like it’s said in her intro she’s a very cautious and private person and it’ll take her a long time to think about something so personal openly let alone talk about it with anyone. I want to talk about this more in a separate post, and I’ve got a one shot planned that’ll focus on this too.
(Edit: so it turns out Charlie is in fact a bit of a disaster human and when I told her she comes off as smart and polished and good at judging people’s intentions she turned around and told me she also hisses under her breath at things she doesn’t like, lives in her room like it’s one giant nest, and sometimes forgets to eat and i find it too annoying to argue with my strong willed daughter so here we are goddamn)
13. For Charlie, feelings are ... awkward. They’re messy and confusing, and when she’s feeling too many things she needs a lot of alone time to sort through them and understand them. It’s not that she doesn’t feel anything, it’s just that she can’t usually identify what she feels from the whirlwind in her head in any proper way. And when people need comforting she doesn’t feel like she’s the best person for the job. But that’s not going to stop her from trying to help; if one of her friends comes to her with a problem then she’s going to help them find logical solutions to those problems. She knows her strengths and she tries her best to use them.
14. She finds it hard to cry. Even when she’s feeling too many things and she really wants to cry (because she thinks maybe that’ll help her, at least it’s scientifically proven to help) the tears won’t always come. Aside from early childhood, she can count on one hand the number of times she’s cried, and half of them are from when she was exhausted or shocked with sudden feelings. The other times feel random to her and often at odds with each other. (She can’t force herself to cry, she can’t fake her own emotions.)
15. One of the few times she remembers crying was the first time she saw the Aurora Borealis. She saw it in a movie theater, not in person, but to her it was like seeing the real thing. She was little at the time and when she saw it she was just - she was overwhelmed. She was overwhelmed with so many feelings, like happiness and beauty and wonderment. When they came out of the theater and her family saw her still crying they all started freaking out, until she tried to explain it to them (she was really choked up but she tried). She remembered describing it something like, “It’s like seeing music ... Mama, I think I saw music.” she counts this as the one time she expressed her words so artistically she doesn’t know how but she did. it was also one of those rare times she was envious of artistic people for being able to express human emotions so well (there’s that part in The Tale of Despereaux when he said that he “heard honey” when what he’d really heard was music that comes to my mind). Later, she was told what the lights were called and she decided then and there that if she ever had a daughter then she’d name her Aurora (no papa, not from Sleeping Beauty, this is different!). It was also around this time that she really got into learning about space.
16. Charlie’s a night owl. She loves being awake when all the world is asleep. She loves the silence and the clarity she feels in her thoughts when there is no one else around.
17. Charlotte has an “all things pink and glitter” obsession that she never quite grew out of and never really plans to. Her room is pink, her glasses are pink, her stationary is pink, most of her clothes are pink, and her favorite Care Bear and My Little Pony characters are also pink.
18. She got her glasses when she was around 10, and she even got to choose them herself. :D The sad thing was that she was only one of 2 kids in her grade who had glasses and the other one was who she considered to be an annoying prat, but the good news was that at least 3 girls in her year got braces and one of them was nice and called her glasses pretty and also she was the only one who’d done her braces sparkly so there.
19. Most her life she never had close friends. She was always considered too smart and aloof for them. She had her nose stuck in books and she always got the best grades in her year. She was also really good at chess and strategy games and not to brag but she’s even one a few awards for this and this quality was always something that alarmed and frustrated people to no end (read: boys who wanted to prank her and various arrogant, would-be bullies) when she would know all sorts of things about them that they never remembered telling her. What they didn’t know was that she gathered all that information just from observing them and listening to what they said. She’s a strategist and a planner and she delights in knowing more than everybody else, making it so that when she wasn’t purposefully faded into the background, she came off as intimidating and scary, and rightly so. You cross her or try to pull any nonsense around her and she’ll make you regret it.
20. Contrary to what I feel might be predictable for her, it wasn’t Hailey (the friendly and cheerful one) or Josie (the smart and sociable one) that pulled Charlie into Laila’s friend group, but instead it was Laila herself. Charlie might not be good when it comes to feelings, both hers and other people’s, but she’s an excellent judge of character. She doesn’t talk to her peers because she’s categorized them as not being her “type”. She sees them and thinks they’re silly and petty and loud and annoying. She gets impatient with how childish and flighty and apparently short of memory they are, how they haven’t yet decided what they want with their life, how they’re all sooooo fussed about what other people want them to be and how they haven’t made up their minds about who they want to be. Dealing with them is boring and somehow oddly exhausting, so she doesn’t waste her time with them.
She and Laila met through circumstance. And what she immediately got from Laila was that she was someone who was filled with something akin to gentle warmth. She saw someone who didn’t judge or expect things from her. Someone who didn’t raise her hackles or crowd her space, both physically and mentally. She saw a person who didn’t pretend to be something she wasn’t, who didn’t really have anything to hide. Most of all, she saw in Laila someone who went about her day with honesty and good will in her actions towards others, who was genuine and caring. Those are things she’s not often found in other people, no matter their age. It’s something that she’s come to appreciate and respect in the rare, rare instances when she does find it. It took a while, but as she got to know Laila and her other friends better and hung out with them more often, she saw that she found a place where she felt like she could breathe.
1 note · View note