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wonderswritings · 2 years

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Starless Lovers {4}

Summary: They fell from the sky. We roamed the earth. We were always meant to clash.

Warnings: The 100 Themes, Angst, Death, Blood, Unrequited Feelings, Possibly more to come

Pairings: Lexa x Sister!Reader, Bellamy Blake x Fem!Reader (eventual)

War has always been brewing. With twelve clans, each with different ideals, it was always going to happen. But tensions rise when they come, the people from the sky. We watched from a distance, learning. But then they attacked, and if there's one thing all the clans can agree on,

Blood must have blood.

Starless Lovers Masterlist | Tags

What's this? An update 3 months later?

I am working on Fighting For! I'm finally getting around to watching s7 but I can only watch it in my sparce free time so it's taking a lil longer than I'd hope

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Walking out of the tent where the delegates were, you rubbed at your temples, hearing the delegates continue to yell from inside. Shaking your head you took a deep breath, turning and walking away from the tent.

“Riheda?”

Straightening up you turned, seeing Gustus walking towards you.

“Heda sent me to make sure that you’re okay.”

You nodded, smiling slightly as you turned.

“Of course she did. Well, you can tell her I’m fine.”

Gustus sighed as he walked towards you, moving to stand next to you.

“The delegates aren’t the only ones who are upset, are they, Esmeray?”

You grinned slightly, shaking your head.

“Who said I am upset?”

“You walked out of the meeting.”

You ticked your head to the side, glancing at Gustus with a smirk.

“They’re being children.”

He laughed, nodding.

“They are. But after all this time, you should be used to it.”

You hummed, shrugging.

“Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

“But it does not erase the fact that you lost someone in the massacre, someone close to you.”

You slightly shook your head, casting a glance at Gustus.

“Gustus-”

“Sato was a good man. A good warrior. He did not deserve to die like that.”

You clenched your jaw, shaking your head.

“None of them did.”

“No, they did not.”

He turned, glancing back at the tent.

“Your sister is playing a dangerous game-”

You slightly made a face as you turned, looking up at Gustus.

“Letting Skaikru get away with this. Jus drein jus daun.”

“Lexa is the commander, she knows what she is doing.”

You turned, heading back towards the tent.

“She’ll get herself killed, Esmeray!”

You shook your head, huffing.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

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“The commanders are ready to talk.”

You and Lexa walked into the tent, Indra following behind you as Lexa sat in the throne, you moving to stand beside her.

“Blood has answered blood. Some of my side say that’s not enough. They wanted the murderer to suffer as our tradition demands. But, they do not know that your suffering will be worse. What you did tonight will haunt you until the end of your days. Still, there will be restitution.”

You looked down at Clarke, huffing slightly.

“The body will be given to Tondc. Murderer and murdered join be fire. Only then, can we have peace.”

Marcus stepped forward, shaking his head.

“No, no, we’ve done enough. The boy should be buried by his own people-”

“Enough?”

You glanced at Indra, watching her as she took a small step forward.

“We were owed the pain of eighteen deaths, we were owed the righteous kill. My village deserves justice.”

“You don’t want justice. You want vengeance.”

Indra scoffed, walking closer to them as she slightly tilted her head to the side.

“You have not seen my vengeance.”

“We’ll do it.”

Indra took a small step back as Clarke slightly nodded, looking between you and Lexa.

“But when it’s over, we talk about how to get our people out of Mount Weather. All of our people.”

“We want the same things Clarke.”

“Good, when do we leave?”

“Now.”

Lexa stood as you moved next to her, looking down at Clarke.

“Choose your attendance.”

You both walked past them, not sparing them a glance as you walked out of the tent.

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You looked over at Gustus, seeing the look on his face, causing you to grin slightly as you kicked your foot out, hitting Lexa’s foot, causing her to look over at you, making a face. You nodded towards Gustus, causing Lexa to look over at him.

“Nou get ud daun, Gustus. Bilaik yu don tei ai op otaim, ogeda hukop ste ifi.” (stop worrying, gustus. like you’ve always told me, all alliances are risky)

Gustus huffed, shaking his head.

“Dison nou ste seim taim oso teik twel kru-de gon ogeda. Disha skaikru ste noseim. Mou bilaik maunon komm oso. Em mebi na teik oso kongeda au.” (this is not the same as uniting the twelve clans. the sky people are different. they’re more like the mountain men than us. it could kill our coalition)

Lexa hummed, looking over at Gustus.

“Oso kongeda ou ai?” (our coalition, or me?)

“Yu emo kom kongeda, heda.” (you are the coalition commander)

“Den dula yu du na shil ai op.” (then do your job and protect me)

Lexa turned towards you, tilting her head to the side.

“En kaina biyo ai, sis?” (and what says you, sister)

You glanced at her, shaking your head.

“Nou stepnes, sis.” (nothing, sister)

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Lexa looked over at you as the moon shone down, causing you to nod. She looked over at Gustus, nodding once.

“Osir trokstop hir fo kom nat” (we rest here for the night)

Gustus nodded, pulling on the reins of his horse, yelling.

“Hod op! Osir drag au beis hir.” (stop! we make camp here)

You and Lexa lead your horses off to the side, your guards following behind you as you dismounted. They took your horses from you as the others started to set up camp. You and Lexa were surrounded by your guards and Gustus, the two of you walking towards your tent once it was completed. Instead of walking into the tent you moved to go around it, stopping when Lexa grabbed your arm, turning towards her.

“Don’t go far.”

You smirked slightly, shaking your head.

“No promises.”

She grinned, letting your arm go.

“I’m serious, Esme.”

You looked over your shoulder, grinning.

“Me too.”

You walked around the camp, sticking close to the treeline, watching skaikru. You tilted your head to the side when you saw Indra, watching as she walked behind Lincoln, huffing.

“Natrona.”

“Natrona?”

“Traitor. My people fear me.”

You walked out from where you were hiding, keeping an eye on Skaikru.

“They think the reaper is still inside.”

“Bida do. Moun-de nou.” (some do. others, do not)

Lincoln tensed, before he turned, looking up at you.

“Riheda.”

He bowed his head, causing you to shake your head.

“Nou gon ai.” (not for me)

He smiled slightly, nodding.

“Ai a fiya, fig raun Sato. (I am sorry, about Sato)

You took a deep breath, nodding.

“Ai seintaim.” (me too)

You glanced down at the girl who was watching you both closely, turning back towards Lincoln.

“Shoun emo.” (introduce us)

Lincoln nodded, turning and holding his hand out towards the girl, causing her to make a face as she placed her hand in his, letting him pull her up to stand beside him.

“Octavia, this is the dark commander, Riheda. Riheda, this is Octavia kom Skaikru.”

You looked her over, offering her a small nod. She glanced at Lincoln before she looked back at you, smiling slightly.

“Hello, Riheda.”

You turned towards Lincoln, looking up at him.

“Em bos ga yu.” (she’s good for you)

Lincoln shot you a small smile as you turned, walking back towards the treeline.

“Where are you going?”

You turned, looking at him over your shoulder, smirking.

“To stalk the night.”

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You were making your way back to camp, seeing everyone already prepared to leave. You could feel Skaikru’s eyes on you, watching your every move, whispering amongst themselves.

“Riheda.”

You turned, grabbing the reins of your horse, thanking the guard as you mounted your horse, leading your horse towards Lexa.

“Yu don audahir ai nat, sis.” (you were gone all night, sister)

“Ai wo tok daun kom nat.” (I was stalking the night)

Lexa shook her head, slightly grinning as you led your horse into place beside her.

“Taim heri.” (it is dangerous)

“Bilaik a ai.” (so am I)

Lexa laughed softly, shaking her head as Gustus appeared.

“Zo ogud, Heda, Riheda.” (we’re ready, Heda, Riheda)

Lexa nodded, and you both fell silent as you started to make your way to Tondc.

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“Teik laik gada!” (open the gates)

The guards at the gate took the leads from you and your sister as you dismounted, leading your horses inside.

“Weapons.”

“We need to disarm before we enter.”

You turned slightly, watching as Gustus took the weapons from the brown haired girl, smirking slightly as he discovered more weapons on her person before he turned.

“Heda, em klir. (commander, all clear)

You and Lexa turned, walking into Tondc, the others following behind you both.

“Heda! Riheda! Monin hou!” (commander, dark commander, welcome back)

“Jus drein jus daun! Wamplie gon skaikru!” (blood must have blood. death to the sky people)

You stopped when Sindri moved in front of you both, glaring.

“Skaikru don jak ething op kom ai, ai houmon, ai yangon-” (sky people took everything from me, my wife, my child)

“Step of.” (step aside)

“Ripe nou ge teik in hir!” (murderers are not welcome here)

Lexa looked back at Gustus, nodding. You watched as Gustus walked towards Sindri, punching him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. Gustus climbed on top of him, repeatedly punching him in the face.

“Commander-”

You moved closer to Lexa, blocking Clarke, glaring down at her.

“Stop him, please. They’ll blame us for this too.”

“Teik em kik raun.” (let him live)

Someone helped Sindri up, moving him to the side as Lexa stepped forward, turning.

“The sky people march with us now!”

She looked over at you, causing you to nod as you turned, looking over at your people.

“Anyone who tries to stop that will pay with their life.”

Lexa turned, walking away, you turning to follow her.

“Warm welcome.”

You grinned, turning back around, looking over at the boy who spoke.

“Na bau badan.” (could be worse)

He shot you a look as you turned, following your sister.

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“Kru kom Tondc, raun faya, oso woda klin laudnes-de kom foutaim.” (people of Tondc, in fire, we cleanse the pain of the past)

Indra handed Lexa the torch, Lexa taking a step forward when she stopped. You slightly made a face, about to step forward when she turned, looking over at where Skaikru stood.

“Clarke.”

She held the torch out towards her, nodding. Everyone started to murmur as Clarke walked towards Lexa, taking the torch from her. She stepped forward, hesitating before she lowered the torch onto the prye, the fire spreading as she stepped back.

“Yu gonplei ste odon.” (your fight is over)

You watched the fire spread, swearing you could see Sato staring back at you in the flames. You slightly shook your head, clenching your jaw. You stood there until the fire burned out, turning and walking down from the podium. You guards followed behind you as you walked in front of Skaikru, feeling Skaikru watching you.

“Riheda!”

You stopped walking as your guards surrounded you, grabbing their weapons. You turned, slightly making a face as you stepped closer to your guard, looking over their shoulders, your eyes widening slightly as you softly grinned.

“Chil daun.” (stand down)

Your guards lowered their weapons, moving to stand behind you as you knelt down, grinning.

“Skaisoncha.” (starlight)

Reina slammed into you, wrapping her arms around you, burying her head into your neck. You sighed softly as you returned the hug, looking down at her when she leaned back, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, causing you to shake your head.

“Dogo nau, laik kei nou bol au.” (hey now,it’s okay, don’t cry)

You cradled her face in your hands, wiping her tears.

“Em gon.” (he’s gone)

You nodded, softly sighing.

“Em laik.” (he is)

She sniffled as more tears fell down her face, looking up at you.

“Ai mema we emas.” (i miss him)

You offered her a small smile, nodding.

“Ai oda.” (me too)

She surged forward, hugging you once more, her crying growing louder. You looked up, glancing over at your sister, seeing her and Clarke already looked at you. You cut your eyes around, seeing everyone looking at you and Reina, various looks on their faces. With a huff you tighten your grip on Reina, holding her to you as you stood. She buried her head in your neck, her tears wetting your neck. You held your head high as you walked away, hearing skaikru muttering to themselves.

“Maybe they’re not so different after all.”

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Reina was laying next to you in bed, her snores filling the room when there was a knock, causing you to tense as you looked over at the door.

“Hola.” (come in)

You watched as your guard walked in, bowing his head.

“Heda hod au ai.” (commander waits for you)

You nodded, looking down at Reina, gently moving her out of your arms, laying her head on your pillow before you carefully climbed out of bed.

“Kamp raun chon em.” (stay with her)

You grabbed your holster with your swords, sliding your arms through it, your guard helping adjust it into position between your shoulder blades, placing your double swords into their scabbards, creating an ‘x’ on your back.

“Sha Riheda.” (yes dark commander)

He bowed his head as you passed him, the door closing behind you. Your guards that stood at the end of the hall bowed their heads, following closely behind you. Your guards found an empty space along the wall to stand, mixing with Lexa’s guards while you walked into her room.

“Esme.”

Lexa turned towards you, smiling softly.

“How is Reina?”

“Sleeping. She misses Sato.”

“As do you.”

“I was told you were waiting for me. Are you ready?”

Lexa sighed, nodding.

“Yes.”

She fell into step beside you as you walked out of the room, your guards and Lexa’s surrounding you both.

“I do have one request.”

You hummed, glancing at Lexa.

“I’d like you to at least try to keep your temper in check. If we want this alliance to work to free our people, we can’t have anything happen to put the alliance at risk.”

You huffed, rolling your eyes.

“I know what’s at stake, Lexa. I’ll keep my temper in check so long as they do.”

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“Please accept this gift, Commander, Riheda. We drink this at special occasions. I believe this qualifies.”

Lexa looked over at Gustus, nodding. Gustus reached out, taking the bottle before he handed it to Lexa.

“Thank you, Marcus of the sky people.”

“You’re welcome, Lexa kom Trikru.”

You slightly smriked, nodding slightly when he glanced at you.

“Just uh, don’t drink too much of it.”

“Clarke, let us drink together.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

Gustus placed three cups down on the table, Lexa pouring some of the drink into each cup. She handed you a cup before she handed one to Clarke, picking her own cup up.

“Heda, teik ai.” (allow me)

Lexa lifted her cup, Gustus taking it as he eyed Skaikru, taking a sip before he passed the cup back to Lexa.

“Today we celebrate our peace, tomorrow we plan our war. To those we’ve lost, and to those we shall soon find.”

Gustus jerked forward, coughing as he leaned over the table. He stepped back, falling backwards and hitting the wall.

“Ai fisbona!” (it’s poison)

Your guard slapped the cup out of your hands as Indra pulled her sword, pointing it at Skaikru.

“It was the sky people!”

Clarke shook her head as the warriors shoved the table out of the way, preparing to fight as you turned, walking next to Lexa, looking down at Gustus.

“This wasn’t us! You have to know this wasn’t us!”

Lexa looked down at Nyko, shaking her head.

“Sou noue teik em wan op!” (don’t let him die)

Nyko nodded slightly as two grounders picked Gustus up, carrying him out of the room, Nyko following behind them.

“Gon yo we! Pad emo daun.” (everybody out! search them)

“No!”

The grounders grabbed Skaikru, holding them in place.

“No, we didn’t do this!”

Lexa turned towards Clarke, glaring as she walked towards her.

“Gustus warned me about you but I didn't believe him.”

“Lexa, please-”

Lexa stopped in front of her, cutting her off.

“Tell me something Clarke, when you lunged the knife into the heart of the boy you loved, did you not wish that it was mine? Or my sisters?”

“Heda, Riheda.”

You and Lexa looked up, seeing one Ryder holding a small vial.

“That’s not mine!”

“Dison don kamp raun em oukou.” (this was in her coat)

You took the vial from him, clenching your jaw as you looked over at the brown haired girl, her eyes wide as she looked over at you, shaking her head.

“I’m telling you, it’s not mine! He put it there when he searched me!”

You glanced at Lexa before you looked over at Clarke, glaring as you yelled.

“No sky person leaves this room!”

You and Lexa walked towards the entrance, the guards shoving Skaikru away from you both as you passed.

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Raven was tied to the tree, her screams of pain growing louder with each cut. You turned when there was a commotion, watching as Clarke rushed forward, two of the guards moving in front of her, using their spears to block her.

“Let her pass.”

The guards moved their spears, stepping back as Clarke walked towards you and Lexa, shaking her head.

“One of your people tried to kill you, Lexa. not one of mine.”

Indra stepped forward, scoffing as she glared at Clarke.

“You should have run.”

Clarke cut a glance at Indra, shooting her a small look before she shook her head, looking back at you and Lexa.

“I can prove it.”

Clarke grabbed the bottle, bringing it to her mouth and drinking from it, ignoring the boy’s calls for her to stop. She lowered the bottle, you and Lexa sharing a look.

“Explain.”

“The poison wasn’t in the bottle, it was in the cup.”

Gustus huffed, shaking his head.

“A trick commander, do not be fooled.”

“It was you. He tested the cup, he searched Raven.”

Lexa shook her head, glaring at the boy.

“Gustus would never harm us.”

He shook his head,looking between you and Lexa.

“You weren’t the target. The alliance was.”

“We didn’t do this and you know it.”

Lexa took a deep breath, turning towards Gustus and looking up at him.

“You’ve been accused, Gustus. Speak true.”

“Disha hukop na frag yu op, Heda. ai nou don ne teik em kom au.” (this alliance will cost you your life, commander. I couldn’t let that happen.)

You clenched your jaw, slightly shaking your head as you glared up at him.

“This treachery will cost you yours. Teik em set raun ona tri.” (put him on the tree)

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After Raven was lowered from the tree, Gustus took her place, and one by one those who lived in the village took turns with the knife. You and Lexa stood beside each other, never taking your eyes off of Gustus when Lexa turned towards you, her jaw clenched as she nodded. You stepped forward, reaching behind you and unsheathing one of your swords, walking towards Gustus. You stopped in front of him, the end of your sword pressed against his chest.

“Ste yuj.” (stay strong)

You looked up at him, meeting his gaze as you pressed forward, never taking your eyes off him.

“Yu gonplei ste odon.” (your fight is over)

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Everything Tags

@jedi-dreea

@sweetlittlegingy

@scarlett-witchhh

@cevans-winchester

@rafecameronswhore

@jennmurawski13-writes

The 100 Tags:

@3leni

@topazy

@vxidnik

@lexajaye

@dani5216

@kelseyd07

@thebookisbtr

@sweetlittlegingy

@mariaenchanted

@rafecameronswhore

@multi-fandom-lover7667

Bellamy Blake Tags:

@topazy

@vxidnik

@hftff-lol

@lexajaye

@dani5216

@im-sidney

@kelseyd07

@wonielover

@bxnnywatts

@daisy-the-quake

@sweetlittlegingy

@mariaenchanted

@rafecameronswhore

@multi-fandom-lover7667

Lexa Tags:

@wonielover

@rafecameronswhore

Starless Lovers Tags:

@bxnnywatts

#starless lovers #bellamy blake x reader #lexa x sister!reader #the 100 x reader #bellamy x reader #lexa x reader

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crestfallercanyon · 3 months

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WEEKLY TAG WEDNESDAY

Thank you Evie!! These are always delightful to do (even if I am usually late/forget — oops) @energievie ❤️❤️

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name: crest

age: mid-to-late-20s

star sign: Pisces

your first language: English

second language: I used to be conversational in Spanish, now I get by.

favourite lip product: medicated chapstick and a mauve lipstick I’ve had for forever

the best food dish you can make without a recipe:Jambalaya, probably. Or chicken and green bean casserole.

If you drink tea, what kind? Tea both iced and hot are my drinks of choice, I drink black tea, and I mainly stick to earl greys, bergamots, kind of floral ish (I do not like fruit flavored for hot teas at all).

If you drink coffee, what roast do you usually get? Medium roast. I put half and half in my coffee and I like the richness — if I get light it tastes too much like milk.

favourite thing to watch on youtube right now: I’ve been watching Fantasy High Dimension 20 and I’m dying over it (you’ve probably been seeing me reblog fandom stuff from it if you follow me lmao) — and I’d be remiss not to talk about the video I watch probably once a week, which is a very specific games done quick of a nostalgic Nintendo game. It’s my cozy comfort video.

favourite thing to watch on youtube in 2012: oh god — I was a nerd-fighter for sure (vlogbrothers), I also watched Meekakitty (Tessa Violet) and Charlieissocoollike (that may have even pre-dated 2012, that might have been like 08 lmao) and likely many more.

favourite item of clothing right now: a brown and gray plaid short coat.

favourite item of clothing in 2012: i had a pair of corduroy rocket dog sneakers that I still own because I do love them, they’ve just been stitched back together so many times lol

fandom

three movies you recommend: Steel Magnolias, Life as a House, The Birdcage

your favourite concert: oh so many good ones, but watching Kevin Garrett respond to a fan who asked “do you have any happy songs?” with, “you walked into the wrong concert, brother, but I’ll try — this one’s kind of happy” and proceed to play a song about desperate heartache and heartbreak and fragility of youth was the funniest thing I’d ever seen and was also beautiful.

have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? Not really — I’ve only really unfollowed people for a) being rude to other people’s fandom preferences and b) being endlessly and needlessly negative.

have you ever left a fandom because of the fans? No, but I do kind of stick to smaller fandoms.

the best tv show you watched last year: The Bear. It was phenomenal and I’m scared and excited for S3.

do you have a fancasting you just can’t let go of? Not really the same but I want Will Poulter to take over Armie Hammer’s role in The Man From UNCLE because that movie was great and I wish it had a sequel but it never will because AH is a fucking creep, but, unlike Armie Hammer, Will Poulter seems like a great guy and he’d do the role so fucking well, I just want it.

a ship you’ve abandoned: I’m sure I have one? But I can’t think of it.

on a scale of 1-10 how willing are you to share your ao3 history? Maybe a 5? I don’t actually read much these days, I’ve been kind of busy. If you ask me what I’ve liked though I’m not shy about telling you.

do you have a fandom tattoo? (do you want one?) no and the only one I would consider getting is from a book I know I will always love, like Piranesi or This is How You Lose the Time War, and I have no idea what I’d get from those.

what fandom do you wish was bigger? I actually kind of like my fandoms small, the video game Transistor by Supergiant Games is beautiful and I want to talk about it with people dammit.

has a finale ever ruined a show for you? Yes. Game of Thrones for sure. Dexter (though I don’t think I could rewatch it anyway). I agree with you Evie, That 70s Show’s ending was horrid! How I Met Your Mother, as well.

have you…

swam in an ocean? Yes, got absolutely wrecked once.

ever been vegan/vegetarian? no

gone skinny dipping? Nope.

gone skiing? Yes! Both water and snow.

been to a convention? Yes, in high school I was vice president of my library’s teen reading club (I was also in band and a theater kid so nice to meetcha I am a super nerd) and because of this our club got to go with my librarians to the fanciest hotel I’ve ever stayed in which hosted the most amazing convention ever of Indie Booksellers and I met Maggie Stiefvater and got Rainbow Rowell’s advanced reader’s copy of Eleanor and Park (think I’m dating myself here lol) and a couple of other amazing authors and talked poets and librarians and publishers and booksellers and I don’t think any convention will EVER surpass that experience.

—

Tagging: @mybrainismelted , @callivich , @gallawitchxx , @michellemisfit , @whatthebodygraspsnot , @sam-loves-seb , and ANYONE else who’d like to play!!!

#weekly tag Wednesday #nostalgia time i see!#tag games

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snowstark · 2 years

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saw people in another fandom doing this & i wanted to do it too so here we go—

First Lines Tag Game

Rules: List the first lines of the last 10 fics/drabbles you published (or all your fics if you have less than 10). Look to see any patterns you notice yourself, and see if anyone else notices any. Then tag some friends.

[not including any co-written fics]

The window opened with a reluctant creak before cool air weaved its way into the dormitory. Peter exhaled, leaning on the windowsill to poke his head out. He wrapped his cloak around him tighter; it was cold tonight and the pyjamas he was wearing underneath it wasn’t exactly keeping him warm. A hoot and the flapping of wings sounded above him. Peter watched as two barn owls made their way out of the Owlery, most likely in search of a late night snack. The grounds were quiet today, with no students wandering around past curfew for once. — catch the stars [on my firebolt)

“Come on, baby, you’re on top.” The words were purred, velvety and smooth like a river flowing over weathered stones. Tony grinned at the resulting whimper, and squeezed Peter’s hips just enough to turn his skin white at his fingertips. “Show Daddy what you can do.” — playing human

Tony catches the boy trying to pick the lock when he makes his way down to the dungeon. The boy doesn’t notice him at first, so Tony takes his time to linger in the shadows. The boy is a scrawny mess; his hair is scruffy and disheveled like he’s been furiously swiping his hand through it for days, and his face is grimy—a stark contrast from his usual appearance. Which, of course, makes sense considering his current circumstances. — prince's flight

Peter is uncharacteristically trying to stay quiet. — tickle spot

Don’t worry about it,” is what Harry tells Peter when he finds Peter curled up in the corner of the King’s chambers. — set the throne on fire

Be careful, MJ had begged. Please be careful. — don't let the wolves hear

“Shit, should’a known you'd be usin’ him before we even got started properly,” Bucky swears when he enters the penthouse to the sight of Peter bouncing on Tony's dick like his life depends on it. — take a drag (and share my boy)

When Peter runs away, the Soldier is the one who drags him back to the tower, back to where the Superior is waiting, back to home, even though it’s the furthest thing from home that could exist. He’s gripping the scruff of Peter’s neck like he’s nothing but a troublemaking pup, and Peter feels every bit like one when he’s tossed at the Superior’s feet. The Superior is sitting on the couch. — a lick of mercy

“Nice shot, Pete!” — the best player (is always on his knees)

“What did you just say?” Tony gulped and stumbled back as Bucky advanced on him stealthily, eyes flashing at him. Oh, god. Abort mission. Abort mission. — catch you when you fall

i think i mostly start off with a paragraph of description or a short piece of dialogue to jump right into the story :]

tagging (with no pressure): @peterrparrkerr @vaguekiwi @sinditia @starkerscoop @thegreenmetblue @muse-of-gods @starker1975 @winterironspiderling @starkerhead @lemonpeter @professional-benaddict

#starker #nff #tag game

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captnjacksparrow · 3 years

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Hey, really liked your analysis of Hinata. I feel almost the same way about her. Even though generally I dislike female characters who are naturally meek, subservient and pointless with no character arc in any type of media, what made me absolutely hate her character was how she treated Neji. If Kishi wanted to show her arc being developed organically, instead of proposing to Naruto that removes her stuttering and gives her new found confidence (because girls only get confident when proposing to guys 🙄), Kishi could have shown her talking to Neji after he literally told his bitter story on the chuunin exam grounds in front of everyone. She is shown like she is sympathetic but didn't do anything about it. She didn't even talk to him after he was hospitalized. She knew exactly why he was the way he was, and yet she fights him as if it was his fault. She, an heir of the clan, could have asked her father to support Neji, she had some clout. But nope. In fact, it was Neji who apologizes to her in a way, he is the one who trains her and help create a new jutsu for her. What did she ever do for him exactly? And Neji didn't have to help her. She was in the best position to help and understand Neji but what did she do? A lot of fans like her character because she is reserved but kind and sympathetic. She is reserved but a coward. She was not kind towards Neji. He died for her when he didn't deserve to, he had dreams and goals that were much bigger than Hinata's entire existence. She couldn't even see her own cousin's pain and she claims to understand Naruto?? Really??

Even Kishi said she was a pitiful character who only watches from a distance. He deliberately made her that way, no goal, no backbone and no lines. And I think she sucks the most after Danzo.

WoooW!!!! Thanks for the ask, Anon.

[[Hinata and Sakura fans!!!! Please stay away and don't interact. I fucking tagged them properly]].

Even though generally I dislike female characters who are naturally meek, subservient and pointless with no character arc in any type of media, what made me absolutely hate her character was how she treated Neji.

We definitely share the same thoughts on this one, Anon.

I am really tired on most of the media for their poor treatment of female characters.

The last time I was amused by a female character was from 'Game of Thrones', I loved Cersei Lannister, who is an absolute biashhh and Sansa Stark, started out as an annoying rose tinted princess but ended up winning everyone's heart. Both are non-combative, soft spoken and somewhat powerless women in a world dominated by men. But they just didn't let the inconveniences stop them and instead they learned how to fuck that world back and take control. Both are similar and yet very different.

After seeing, such well-developed characters..... For me girls in Naruto series, is blehhhhh..... Nothing to get inspired from them. And I knew it by episode 3 itself. I have no idea how can girls, in real life, treat Sakura as some feminist icon, which makes my skin crawl for number of reasons. If you point her mistakes out in any discussions, they will pull the misogynist card to your face. When in reality, I am also a girl and my world views are entirely different from Sakura or Hinata. There is no way a 12 year old girl would want to look at the Duck of another boy.

And the problem is, They form the majority, I mean people who can connect with Sakura or Hinata. So, as long as girls like them exists, we really should suffer from these crap portrayal I guess.

That's why I advise people that If you want to see a good woman character, Narutoverse is not the place.

Having said that, I find Temari, Konan, Tsunade were better (I mean inside the Narutoverse). Though their motivations or reason to achieve a goal revolve around their men, I find their attitude relieving. Unlike Sakura or Hinata, they don't wet themselves on the sight of the men they love.

What irritates me was, Kishimoto could've easily put a character like Temari or TenTen or Tsunade into Team 7. It would've made my viewing experience a lot better. If he doesn't want the strong girls to take over the attention from his boys, then he should've introduced a meek character like Rin Nohara. She is silent and cute but atleast she was willing to die for the Village and never wetted herself over Kakashi, though she loved him. And she treated Obito like her best friend. But he deliberately made Sakura hateful and he never stopped.

Sakura and Hinata were the lowest of the low, compared to any other side characters. And, in the end, they got the main Character's Ducks without actively doing anything. For me this tells me three things

He was using these girls as a shield to close the hetero normative mouths while in reality hiding those boys true feelings under that shield.

He really hated these kind of girls and constantly showing his hatred on them at every given chance and never redeemed them back.

He knew the target audience’ mindset and he simply caters them by giving them what they need and at the same time writing the important arcs according to his wish.

I think, it’s the combination of all three.

Just to give you an example.

There is this delusional SS shipper Who justifies Sasuke was acting Tsundere throughout the war arc. I mean, come on!!!!

I came across this post because, the Original Poster was an idiot who comes into the anti SS tag and reblogged my content and saying I was wrong... So, I don’t mind sharing that person’s content.

So I don’t know where this delusion comes from... It's truly pathetic.

There are millions of idiots who believe in this kind of shit and Kishi is deliberately feeding them with bits and crumbs while making his boys go out and save the world.

These delusional mindset tells us they don’t give a single shit about the story as a whole. They watch it purely for the pretty faces and getting high over them. In this case, Sasuke.

It’s as clear as day that Sasuke didn’t care about anyone other than Naruto when fighting the war. You don’t have to be a shipper but even a non-shipper can point this out. I mean Sasuke wouldn’t have saved Jugo either, if he didn’t come to Sasuke and advice him. Do you think Sasuke would’ve tried to look for Jugo and saved him at all cost???? It’s just that he came to Sasuke and he helps him back. But Sasuke would’ve saved Naruto from the bomb blast even if he was standing a mile away.

So, if these delusions reflects the mindset of the majority of the women audience, then the creator will never try to give anything better but instead give us some low-life characters like Sakura and Hinata.

So, Anon, your expectation for Hinata’s character could’ve been developed much better is just a wishful thinking. Because, Hinata is a character for these kind of people and not for us. And the author deliberately did it.

She was in the best position to help and understand Neji but what did she do? A lot of fans like her character because she is reserved but kind and sympathetic. She is reserved but a coward. She was not kind towards Neji. He died for her when he didn't deserve to, he had dreams and goals that were much bigger than Hinata's entire existence. She couldn't even see her own cousin's pain and she claims to understand Naruto?? Really??

For me, this also irked me a lot.

Hinata could’ve tried to talk to Neji about his problems even when he was a child. But she was simply playing innocent when in reality, she is just a coward. Even after the Chunin Exams, there was no apologies from her side, like you said. Because she is from the Main Branch. That hierarchy never changed. If she had the gall, she could’ve easily broken that hierarchy by saying, ‘I want Neji Nii-San to take over our Clan, He is the best candidate for this and I can gladly help him with all my efforts’. A single line and just 2 or 3 panels, it all takes.

For me killing Neji is where Kishi asking us silently,

Do you really want these pair to happen despite having a blood stain of another character???

Most people said, ‘Yes!!!’, because they don’t give two shits about Neji. As long as Hinata gets Naruto, the main character’s Duck, that’s all there is to it. It doesn’t matter who dies, who lives.

That's why Kishi is shitting on them by making her as a non-existent woman in the Boruto Manga.

Even in real life, there are many hopeless foolish little girls who would do anything for the man she loves. I've seen them and I always stay 2 miles away from them. I mean, they even ditch their own friends and spends her entire time with him and when he dumps her later, she will come back to her friends for consolation. I think Sansa Stark is the best example for this. She started out much similar to Sakura and Hinata, believing in Princes and shit, she even naively betrayed her father for the man she had crush on. But the author made her to learn her lesson in a much painful way and later she came out as a Queen who no longer needed any man at the end. I think, this is called Development.

At the end of the day, Romance and Sex is all that matters. The author knew it. So, he is feeding these girls with some low quality cookies and they are very glad to take and eat it.

#ask #anti naruhina #anti hinata #anti sakura #anti sasusaku #anti nh #anti ss #naruto analysis #sasunaru #sasunarusasu #sns #antisasusaku #antiss #antisakura

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yumeyooa · 3 years

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02—there’s magic in the air | sugawara koushi

—as per royal tradition, prince sugawara koushi, second in line to the throne of the kingdom of corvus, is to spend one whole spring in the kingdom of angora, strengthening relations between the two neighbouring kingdoms. but while exploring the forests of the otherwise mysterious land, he comes across a rather curious stranger, gracing the woodlands with her whimsical tunes and enigmatic melodies. The more they meet, the more enchanted he becomes and sugawara soon finds himself diving deep into her everything; not knowing of the dangerous wonders that would befall him the more he falls

➢ pairing: sugawara koushi x female! reader

➢ word count: 7.9k+

➢ warning: use of she/her pronouns | really big eagles | magic(?)

➢ love letter: i’m a day late but i’m finally finished with chapter 2! so many new characters ahhhh i hope you all like it and let me know what you think hehe :>> reblogs are highly appreciated

want to be tagged? send in an ask!

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Sugawara says nothing at first, caught in a stare-off with the frightened stranger, unsure of what to say. As a reflex, he throws his hands up in the air slightly, trying to come off as harmless. But it’s no use, as his stature and aura alone are enough to startle the poor girl.

“I apologize,” Sugawara says as he finally gathers his thoughts. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just enchanted by the wonderful music you were playing just now….”

His words make the girl relax ever so slightly, even though she still looks at him with wary eyes. “W-who are you?” She asks again, backing up to the tree as Sugawara tries to take the first few steps to approach her.

“My name is P—“ Sugawara halts, thinking to himself. Would it be a good idea to introduce himself as a prince right away? What if the girl gets startled? Or perhaps hostile even? There were so many things Sugawara wanted to ask her, he couldn’t just let her slip away because of his status.

“My name is Koushi,” he says instead, showing a bright, kind smile. “I was exploring when I heard your music, so I came over to find the source. I truly mean no harm, miss.”

The girl’s eyes stare at him in disbelief, and Sugawara can only watch patiently as the girl slowly takes him in. She stands up, walking towards him cautiously as if she were afraid that any moment he would run out and steal her away from the world she had come to know.

“Your attire,” the girl mutters, looking him up and down. “Are you perhaps of noble descent?”

If it wasn’t for the fact that Sugawara had been paying attention to the girl for quite some time, he would have probably missed that slightly hostile tone in her voice. It was evident that, for whatever reason, the girl held a grudge against the nobility. What more if royalty? Even if he were a prince of another country, he was still a prince. That simple fact wouldn’t change.

“Unfortunately no,” Sugawara says, cringing at the way he was quickly deceiving the innocent girl. “I am merely an attendant of one.”

Even at that, the girl’s eyes look up at him, this time with more caution laced into them. “And whom do you serve?” She asks, waiting with bated breath.

“A noble of another kingdom, miss,” he replies, pleasantly surprised at how well he was able to keep his emotions in check. Perhaps he could consider engaging in the art of theatre once he returned to his hometown. It was always a pleasure to delve into new hobbies. But this wasn’t the time for that.

“Another kingdom?” The girl repeats, confused. “Whatever are nobles from another kingdom doing here?”

“For a delegation, miss,” Sugawara says, stunned at how well the girl carried herself. It was almost as if she weren’t a commoner at all with how her confidence was beginning to grow with each passing second. “A trip, if you will. My kingdom and yours have exchanged nobles for the spring to fulfill a promise made long ago.”

The girl hums, eyes widening in realization. “Is that the reason why the city has become so festive lately?”

“Most likely,” Sugawara says, shrugging. “Unless there is another festivity of the kingdom during the spring that I am unaware of….”

“No,” the girl mutters, shaking her head. “Unfortunately, there is not.” She stays silent for a while, looking at Sugawara before finally sighing, giving the prince a bashful grin. “I apologize, sir Koushi, for my rude behavior. It’s been a while since I last encountered a stranger….”

Her words make Sugawara raise his eyebrow in confusion. What did she mean by that? He wonders to himself. Why would he be the first stranger she’s seen in a while when citizens of the capital fare just beyond the forest?

But well, he figured, The forest is vast and wide. The miss must have been sheltered in the palace. Perhaps she is the daughter of one of the servants?

“But nevertheless!” The girl suddenly exclaims, startling Sugawara out of his trance. “You mentioned you followed the sound of the music, correct?”

“Yes,” Sugawara replied, nodding his head enthusiastically. “In all honesty, I had heard your melody a few days ago and just couldn’t get it out of my mind… It was spectacular! The moment I heard it again, I just had to see who was behind such artistry!”

Flustered, the girl looks to the ground, not knowing what to say. “Thank you,” she mutters after a while, avoiding matching gazes with the prince. “But are you certain that you heard the sound I had just played?”

It’s strange, Sugawara thinks to himself. What could she possibly mean by that? “Yes, I am certain,” he says, confusion seeping out of him. “Is there a reason for me not to be?”

Sugawara watches as the girl fidgets where she stands, before taking a deep breath and gently taking Sugawara’s hand into hers, dragging him towards the piano, which as Sugawara had assumed moments prior, was worn out and broken, in a state where it would have ordinarily been impossible to use.

“This piano is old,” the girl says, tracing her hands through the dusty keys. “Very old, much older than I am. And as you can see, it’s broken and withered and shouldn’t be able to produce any sound at all, yet….”

The girl sits down on the rusty chair, taking a deep breath before playing a few notes. “When I play, despite not knowing how to, it makes a sound. I’ve tried showing others the beauty of it, but they are unable to hear. You are the first I’ve ever encountered that could hear its melody….”

Sugawara remains frozen where he stands, eyes swelled in shock as he takes the girl’s words in. There was so much to process. First of all, was she meaning to say that she had absolutely no knowledge of how to play the piano, yet she was able to conjure up a magnificent melody, just like that? What kind of sorcery was this? Is this, too, one of the magical attributes of the Kingdom of Angora?

Second, whatever did she mean by him being the first to hear it? That made absolutely no sense. But then again, it did all the same. Sugawara recalls how Yamaguchi reacted when he first told him about this enchanting melody. It was a melody he couldn’t hear despite Sugawara hearing it clear as day. He thought he was delusional for a second, but if the girl’s words were true, then it meant that for some strange reason, the beaten-up piano in front of him had been enchanted with magic.

How peculiar….

The girl, on the other hand, not sure of what to make of Sugawara’s reaction, looks at him with uncertain eyes. “I know that my words seem like nonsense,” she mutters, “But believe me when I say they are true.”

It’s strange. If this were any normal circumstance, Sugawara would have scoffed and accused the girl of lying. But he couldn’t find the heart in him to do so. The genuine sincerity in her eyes didn’t help either as they looked at him with such passion and determination as if they were trying with their whole being to convince Sugawara that she was indeed telling the truth.

“I suppose there is some sense to your words….” Sugawara says, somewhat teasingly. He tried to hide it to the best of his abilities, but it was no use. The moment he saw the slightly distraught expression on the girl’s face, he couldn’t help himself. He let out a chuckle, something he hadn’t done in a while with all the heavy burdens weighing on his shoulders, and smiled, much to the girl’s confusion.

“I’m sorry, are you laughing?” She asks, startled and confused. Sugawara’s grin only widens, amused at the whole situation. “And if I am?” He playfully asks, watching as the girl’s expression molds into one of exasperation, not quite sure what to make of his playful banter.

“May I ask why?” She finally says, looking at him, concerned. “I don’t believe this is a matter to laugh about….”

It’s oddly refreshing, Sugawara thinks to himself. The girl’s reaction is a first for him. For so long, Sugawara had been faced with people who held themselves up with such extensive egos that Sugawara just wanted to grab them by the hair and bring them back down to earth, as gracefully as his status could allow. He had to keep up with their foolish little games, fake smiles, and awfully hidden intentions.

But there was something so interesting about the apparent innocence she portrayed. Sure, she seemed wary and cautious of him initially, but he couldn’t hold that against her. He would, too, if he randomly encountered a stranger in the woods. But it was that strange naivety and child-like behavior that made her inexplicably stand out within the few short moments he got to know her.

“Fret not,” Sugawara says, smiling at the puzzled girl. “I was merely playing with you for a moment…” the realization that falls into the girl’s eyes is all too precious. “I believe you, no matter how ridiculous your words maybe.”

The girl pouts, obviously bummed by the fact that she had gotten played by a stranger she barely knew. She sulked, turning her back to Sugawara, and averting her gaze back to the ancient piano that had been her only source of entertainment for a short while, getting lost in thought. The silence is quite calming, and Sugawara observes the girl as she gazes softly at the worn instrument as if it were a newborn child, eyes holding great care and affection.

Everything about this whole situation is unusual. A girl in the woods who knew nothing about the piano playing the most gorgeous tune from the tips of her fingertips and gracing the ears of those who could listen to it. If Sugawara didn’t know any better, he would have thought that he was living in a fairy tale. But this was reality. And what reality was telling him at the moment was that sometimes the truth could be quite… whimsical.

“How long have you known about this?” He asks as he makes his way closer, basically hovering over the girl as he curiously observes the piano underneath him. The girl, mildly startled, looks up at him with an inquisitive gaze before smiling softly, gently caressing the ragged keys. “I’m afraid I’m not sure,” she whispers. “I have no sense of time, you see… All I know is that I came across this beauty one day and haven’t stopped visiting since.”

Strange. How could the girl not have a sense of time? It was pretty unusual. Time was something he considered of utmost importance, especially as a royal. He couldn’t afford to waste any; that would be a disgrace not only to his status but to his dignity as a human being. How curious it was to meet such a person who didn’t consider time to be of vital priority,

Sugawara hums, unsure of what to say. He observes the girl for a few moments, taking in the way she looks at the old instrument as if it were the most glorious thing ever known to mankind. He had never seen such a look on anyone else before. It was both captivating and intriguing to him.

“Well then,” Sugawara finally says, mustering up the courage to speak as the girl turns to him with another inquiring glance. “Would it be alright if I could request for you to play again? Your music is absolutely charming, miss.”

There’s a glimmer that sparks in the girl’s eyes as she quickly nods and settles down on the chair in front of her, hands hovering over the keys, before taking a deep breath. Now that he’s closer, Sugawara can see the way the girl almost changes, as if playing has drawn her into a trance that no one could ever bring her out of but herself. It’s amusing to Sugawara, but just as he’s about to comment on it, her eyes open, her gaze changing into a more serene one, and her hands finally settle on the keys, commencing her play.

And up close, Sugawara is blown away even more.

Every note is crisp and clear as they dance together in harmony to produce a lovely tune that moves his heart into tears. Sugawara was sure that if he had to associate a sound to the heavens above, this is what he would call it. It was as if he had stepped into paradise, introduced to the true beauty of the world. Even his surroundings changed, as hard as it was to believe.

It was like nature itself was singing, thriving on the music that fell from the girl’s gentle fingertips. Life surged through the leaves and the branches and the breeze that caressed the surface with its calm wind. The colors waltzed around him. The bold greens, timid yellows, and proud blues blended together to create a view that Sugawara swears even the best artists could never capture.

It was so much more brilliant. Raw, surreal, and marvelous to the point that Sugawara didn’t even notice that the girl had finished, too stunned to form the words. She looked up at the clearly awed man with a flustered look of her own, not expecting him to be as amazed as he was. She didn’t necessarily think her music was extraordinary. Heck, she just let it flow through her naturally, as if someone had lit up a switch inside of her.

The girl didn’t quite understand it herself, but she was glad that it made others happy. Or at least she hoped it did.

“How was it?” She asks even though she had the gut feeling about the answer based on the shocked look plastered on his face. But who knows? The shock could mean he was appalled with how terrible it sounded. Even if he was a mere servant of a noble from another kingdom, there was a chance that he was well versed in music. What if her music was so horrible that he would wish to never hear or see from her again?

“Incredible…” is all Sugawara says, mouth still hanging in awe. He was right to chase after her music. He was right to pursue it. The girl was a talent that came once in a lifetime, a talent heavily blessed by the Ancient Ones. A diamond under the rough, even. How come her talent had never been discovered before? Did it have something to do with the fact that she claimed no one else could hear her? Why was that so? Was it the piano? If he were to bring her to another piano, would her music finally be heard?

“...Absolutely Incredible,” he continues, staring at the girl with wide eyes as she looks up at him with sheepish ones. “So incredible, in fact, that I have nothing else to say.” His praises fluster her. No one’s ever complimented her this way before. It caused a warm feeling to bubble in her chest, blooming from within her as she smiled at him in happiness.

“Thank you,” the girl says sincerely, eyes beaming as she smiles so wide she could feel her cheeks begin to hurt. Meeting Sugawara was honestly a breath of fresh air on her part. She had always hated aristocrats. They were stuck up rude, and as her caretaker pointed out, selfish. They only cared about themselves and the things that could be beneficial for them. But she could tell from the few moments she’s spent with Sugawara that he was different. And for now, it was a good kind of different.

The girl was about to say more. To invite him to play with her because perhaps he was musically inclined himself? Maybe he could teach her a thing or two. She only played what her heart told you to but never truly learned how playing the piano actually worked. But it has always been a dream she wished to reach one day. Something she longed for desperately. Maybe Sugawara could be that teacher figure for her?

But then, from the corner of her eye, she spots a black cat staring at her from its position atop a tree branch, its eyes boring heavily into hers, and her blood runs cold. The girl stands up, much to Sugawara’s surprise, and frantically looks around before finally looking up at the sky and letting out a gasp of surprise.

“Oh my,” she mutters, gathering up her skirt and hoisting her legs over the chair so she could stand up, dusting the dirt off of her dress. “Oh me, oh my,”

“Miss?” Sugawara asks, confused at the girl’s frantic state. She pauses momentarily to stare at Sugawara like a deer caught in headlights, almost forgetting he had been there in the first place. “Is there something wrong?”

“Time,” is all she mutters as she takes a glance at the black cat who remains on top of the tree branch, seemingly glaring at her to get a move on. “I’m out of time. I’m late. Oh dear, Oh Heavens.”

In the midst of your panicking, Sugawara can’t help but be confused. What did she mean? Out of time for what?

“I apologize, kind sir, but I have to go. If I’m late for another second— Oh! I don’t even want to think about it!” The girl bundles up her skirt within her hands once more as she begins to make her way to the opposite direction from where Sugawara came, but just before she can make a run from it, Sugawara reaches out his arm to grab her own, stopping the frantic girl momentarily.

“Will you come back?” He asks, wishing to hear her beautiful melody once more. The girl looks at him, eyes darting from every which direction before nodding hastily, a forced smile on her face. “Of course, sire.” She says, nodding. “So long as there is music, I will be here.”

And just like that, she leaves, not even turning back to give Sugawara a farewell wave. He doesn’t notice how the black cat from behind him disappears the moment she moves away from his line of sight. All he knows is the disappointment that gathers within his heart, settling deep within his bones.

Especially considering how he didn’t even catch her name.

“Good Morning Sire, I have brought you your morning tea,” Yamaguchi says as he enters Sugawara’s room with a cart alongside him. Sugawara nods in greeting as he basks in the morning sunlight shining on his suite’s balcony, clad in his morning robes as he tries to will the lingering sleep clinging unto him away.

“Did you have a good sleep, your highness?” Yamaguchi asks as he sets down the teacup in front of him, grabbing the teapot in the process. “Today’s tea is a special green tea from the Kingdom of Reynard in the East. According to the servants from their delegation, this tea is perfect for energizing the body.”

Sugawara hums as the fragrance of the tea wafts through the air and settles within him. Already he can feel his energy begin to load itself after the fatigue from the night before, and he shows a soft smile, offering his thanks to Yamaguchi. “What is our agenda for the day?” He asks, rolling his head to ease out the kinks that have formed prior.

“Today, the Kingdom of Angora has prepared a special trip towards the Magic Academy. After breakfast, we are to depart immediately as it is quite a journey from the castle.”

The Magic Academy? Sugawara muses to himself. How interesting.

Sugawara had highly anticipated the trip to the Magic Academy. Especially considering how the Kingdom of Angora was prominent in the field of magic. It was rumored that their Academy was top class and was way more advanced than any other academy in the world. According to the information gathered by his team, the director of the Academy was said to be directly blessed by the Ancient Ones. A chosen one, if you will.

He wonders if the mysterious maiden he met was a chosen one too.

It’s been a few days since his fateful encounter with her in the forest, and ever since then, he hasn’t been able to get her out of his mind. The yearning in his heart was too intense, unbearable at times. Sometimes he wished to abandon his duties just to venture out to the forest once more. But he knew that after the stunt he had pulled on Yamaguchi, he had to be wary.

After all, he was still the leading representative of his kingdom. He was not about to blow it.

Before he knows it, his quiet time comes and goes, and breakfast was just around the corner. Sugawara wished he could have just eaten within the comforts of his suite. He immensely enjoyed that cup of tea Yamaguchi had poured him. Although bitter, it did wonders in restoring the energy he needed for the day. It would have done him well to enjoy another cup while eating a delicious Angorian meal as he admired the view.

But alas, breakfast was also a time when Prince Morisuke would brief them of their plans for the day and what they were to expect within the mini trip. Honestly, he could have left that part to the servants. But perhaps with this being the infamous Magic Academy on the line, the said prince felt the need to rise up to the occasion.

Or at least that’s what it looked like.

However, as much as Sugawara despised socializing, there were moments that he did find the daily breakfast enjoyable. Prince Morisuke was a charm to converse with, and Sugawara honestly found himself building a suitable friendship with him. Yet, he could never shake that strange feeling he got whenever he interacted with any member of the Angorian Royal Family.

It was different from how he reacted to Duke Tooru and Marquess Yuji. Those two were way too easy to read, their intentions showing in their faces. And in a way, he quite enjoyed toying them, watching their faces fall in disappointment when he would reject their requests.

But with the Angorian Royal Family, Sugawara felt unsettled. He couldn’t quite describe it. It was as if every fiber in his being was screaming at him to stray away from them and head back, even though at the surface, Sugawara could find no fault in them.

And that, perhaps, was the most significant warning sign of all.

But he ignores it, for now, plastering a fake smile as he engages in a pleasant conversation with Prince Morisuke, exchanging thoughts about a philosopher they both enjoyed, with Duke Shinsuke of the Kingdom of Reynard joining in.

“I’ll have to thank you for introducing us to such exquisite tea, Duke Shinsuke,” Sugawara fawns, turning to the Duke that sat beside him with a pleased smile. “My butler poured me a cup before breakfast, and it was absolutely splendid.”

When Sugawara had found out that a delegation had arrived from the Kingdom of Reynard to establish trade relations with the Kingdom of Angora, Sugawara couldn’t help but be excited. Because as much as this was an opportunity for his kingdom’s more magically inclined ally, this was a perfect opportunity to help his own kingdom thrive as well.

“My pleasure, your highness,” Duke Shinsuke comments with a small smile of his own forming on his lips. “Our green tea is the pride of the kingdom. It brings me great joy that you’ve enjoyed it. I’ll be sure to tell our servants to give you some spare supply should we have any.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer,” Sugawara says, genuinely excited. “Perhaps we should have some tea together? I do find our conversations pleasant and would gladly enjoy some more.”

“I am honored by your praise, your highness.” Duke Shinsuke says humbly, giving a slight nod. “Perhaps Prince Morisuke would like to join us as well? We would love to hear more about your nation’s history.”

“Yes,” Sugawara agrees, although he tries to hide the disappointment that bursts from within him the moment Duke Shinsuke had proposed his suggestion. He truly did enjoy conversing with the stoic Duke, and he wouldn’t want that to be hindered by that unsettling feeling that continues to rise the more he stays in the presence of any member of the Angorian Royal Family. But he couldn’t deny how enlightened he felt whenever he talked with them. “It would be a real pleasure!”

“I would love to, gentlemen,” Prince Morisuke says, and Sugawara can immediately tell the slight shift in his mood, although by the looks of it, no one else other than him can sense it. Perhaps he was looking into it too much? “However, I’m afraid my schedule won’t allow me even a moment of freedom. Perhaps another time?”

Silence befalls the three as they solemnly agree, continuing on with their meal. Prince Morisuke doesn’t engage in any further conversation after that, choosing to instead eat in silence as Sugawara and Shinsuke continue to engage in a pleasant conversation.

Before long, breakfast ends, and everyone is in a haze, getting ready to embark on the journey towards the Magic Academy. Sugawara understands their excitement. It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to go somewhere where some could only dream of. Even as royalty, getting into the Magic Academy was a difficult feat.

Excitement rushes through his veins as he enters the carriage. The Magic Academy was the one thing he had been looking forward to throughout his entire stay in the Kingdom of Angora, and he was confident that this venture would be the highlight of his journey, aside from his chance encounter with the mysterious girl in the forest.

What wonders would he be able to learn from the Academy? Perhaps he could learn some techniques and spells to improve his own magical abilities? If he did, he was sure to return home and flaunt his new findings to his brothers, who would without a doubt be in awe at his learnings. Daichi, especially, would marvel at the wonders of it, immediately asking Sugawara to spar with him.

Oh, how Sugawara missed his brothers.

“You seem a little excited, your highness,” A playful voice comes out, and Sugawara snaps out of his trance only to be face-to-face with Marquess Yuji, who was staring at him with a raised eyebrow and an amused smirk. Oh Right. Sugawara thinks to himself, inwardly groaning. He was in a carriage with Duke Tooru and Marquess Yuji, who would without a doubt bother him with their meaningless stunts to earn his favor so their families could manipulate him to take the crown from his brother.

But Sugawara had no desire for the throne. All he wanted was to live a happy and comfortable life, doing his part and supporting his brothers. But of course, others wouldn’t want that for him.

“I admit that this trip has piqued my interest,” he says, chuckling with a fake smile. “Who wouldn’t want to see what the infamous Magic Academy of the Kingdom of Angora is like?”

“Is it really that great?” Marquess Yuji asks, with an uninterested expression on my face. “I don’t really see how magnificent an academy of all things could be.”

“Well, that’s because you’re an idiot, Marquess Yuji,” Duke Tooru quips, causing Sugawara’s eyes to widen in surprise at how blunt the duke was. “One would be a fool not to be excited at going to the Magic Academy of all places. Do you not know how hard it is to get in? Only the best of the best are permitted to even catch a glimpse of the Academy! We’re practically given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here!”

To say that Sugawara was surprised was a tremendous understatement. He was shocked, impressed, and amused at Duke Tooru’s outburst, not expecting the usual flirty duke to geek out about something other than his looks and charms.

“Is that so?” Marquess Yuji asks, still not interested. Well, it was a given. As far as Sugawara knew, Marquess Yuji was very adept with the sword. His whole family had fostered a line of very capable swordsmen who’d help lead the frontier of the country’s defenses. Magic didn’t really seem to suit him.

Scoffing at the Marquess’ lack of interest, Duke Tooru turns to Sugawara with an excited gaze. It’s pretty different from the usual expressions Sugawara had seen from the Duke throughout their journey. He was usually more calculative, always seeming to hide his true intentions behind a mask. But today, he seemed a little more authentic. And Sugawara wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Is there anything you’re looking forward to, your highness?” The duke enthusiastically asks, and it almost feels like he has stars in his eyes with how much enthusiasm vibrated through his entire being. “Personally, I cannot wait to see how they teach spells. There’s such a big difference between learning from old books and actually learning from real magicians! I just can’t wait to see it!”

“Yes,” Sugawara agrees with a small smile. “I’m quite fascinated with learning new spells and techniques. The books back at our kingdom can only do so much.”

“Indeed!” Duke Tooru exclaims, clasping his hands together excitedly. “The magic we’ll be able to learn in this short trip will most definitely help us in the long run! Perhaps it will gain you favor with his majest—“

“—Duke Tooru,” Sugawara interrupts, a stern gaze gracing his features. “I would advise you to stop while you’re still hanging on a thread. It would be best not to ruin my day with your words.”

He should have known. Sugawara knew it was too good to be true. No matter how pleasant Duke Tooru was to converse with, he was still part of the Oikawa Duchy, one of the powerful families that desired power in the kingdom.

There’s tension in the air after his words as Duke Tooru falls silent in shock, with Marquess Yuji staring between the two of them with unsure yet awkward eyes.

“My apologies, your highness,” Duke Tooru says, his familiar fake smile plastered on his face as he composes himself. “It was my mistake. I’ll try not to do it again.”

He doesn’t say anything after that, leaving Sugawara to groan inwardly. He knows his words are half-hearted. Duke Tooru and Marquess Yuji would still use any chance they could get to convince him to vie for the throne. But he couldn’t scold them for it, as he still had to go through an entire carriage ride back to the castle with them. And he would rather not spend it with the burning tension of awkwardness raging through the air.

Luckily for him, however, the carriage momentarily halts, causing the three nobles to be confused. Sugawara takes the initiative to take a peek out of the carriage window, calling out to his attendant Yamaguchi, who was sitting in the passenger seat beside the driver.

“What seems to be the matter?” Sugawara calls, addressing his attendant, who turns back at him with an adept smile on his face. “The Barrier Sire,” Yamaguchi calls back, causing Sugawara to frown in confusion, prompting him to continue. “We have reached the border and are about to cross the barrier that protects the academy.”

Now that Sugawara had a better look, he realized they had entered an empty clearing, just at the bottom of a mountain. It would certainly be strange if Sugawara hadn’t known any better. Anyone would have questioned why they were in the middle of nowhere if they weren’t informed of their destination prior, or rather they would have panicked and assumed that they were being kidnapped.

However, this was no trap whatsoever. To Sugawara’s surprise, magic weaves through the air, bursting up above and causing the barrier to make itself visible, and finally, Sugawara can see the Magic Academy in all of its glory.

To say the Academy was stunning is a gross understatement. It was gorgeous, far beyond his wildest dreams. The Academy took the form of a castle situated on the edge of a hill, watching over the Kingdom with all its majesty and glory.

Sugawara marveled at the intricacy of the Academy, feeling even more surprised when he suddenly felt the carriage being lifted in the air, gaping in shock as the horses began galloping mid-air all the way to the top of the hill where the castle’s entrance lay.

He couldn’t even register the audible gasp from Marquess Yuji and Duke Tooru, who marveled at the sight right beside him, not believing their eyes. Sure, they should have expected some magic the moment they embarked on their journey to the magic Academy, but this was far beyond what they expected.

It was even more remarkable than their first flying experience when they first arrived at the kingdom. It wasn’t just levitation magic. It was almost as if they gave wings to the horses allowing them to soar high and flaunt their majesty and grandeur. The three nobles were rendered speechless even as they landed on the entrance, too stunned to comprehend that they had arrived.

“Your highness?” Yamaguchi says, mildly concerned as he opens the carriage scope, seeing the awestruck expressions on all three of the nobles’ faces. “Are you alright?”

Sugawara finally breaks from his trance, looking at Yamaguchi with a sheepish smile. “Yes,” he says, swiftly getting off the carriage, Duke Tooru, and Marquess Yuji following closely behind.

The entrance of the magic academy was just as impressive as getting there was. Surrounded by lush greenery and branded with the Academy’s flags, the entrance made Sugawara feel like he was about to enter a portal that would lead him to another world.

In the midst of the ginormous arch that marked the entrance stood an old man. The man was dressed in noble robes, with a scepter disguised as a cane held in his hands. He observes the crowd of royals and nobles gathering in front of him, waiting for everyone to settle down before he lets out a cheery smile.

With a snap of his hands, sparks fly into the air, and a welcome sign formed by magic litters the atmosphere, amazing the crowd. “Welcome, delegates to the Magic Academy!” The old man greets, hands flailing around him gleefully.

“We’re so glad you are here to celebrate this momentous occasion! It isn’t every day that royals from kingdoms across the continent come together to visit our humble school!”

The old man seems cheerful, undeniably so. But Sugawara couldn’t exactly blame him because he was right. It was sporadic to have three kingdoms in the same area, no less on a visit to a school. To the Academy, this must have been as much as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as their stay was.

“My name is Nekomata Yasufumi, the director of this Academy. It’s a pleasure to have you all here.” Sugawara’s eyes widened at his words. The Nekomata family is considerably the oldest family in the history of the Kingdom of Angora and once stood tall as the royal family before the current one took over long ago. It was inspiring to Sugawara how even with their fallen status, they stood tall with impressive achievements under their belt.

“On behalf of all the students and teachers, we wish you a pleasant trip, and may the Ancient Ones bless you with divine grace and prominence,” and just as quickly as he came, he disappears, leaving everyone in shock at what had happened.

Magic was indeed a remarkable thing.

“My apologies,” A voice calls, and everyone turns their attention towards a man dressed in extravagant robes, glasses perched atop his nose, and a soft smile on his face. “Our director is quite the character, as you can see. I hope you’ll find it in yourselves to forgive him.”

The man then turns to Prince Morisuke, bowing. “Greetings, your highness, it is a pleasure to have you in our Academy once more, and greetings as well to the fine nobles of the kingdoms of Corvus and Reynard. My name is Akaashi Keiji, a professor of potions and alchemy at the Academy. I am humbled to be in your presence.”

Compared to the director of the Academy, Professor Keiji was much calmer and held himself up with such dignity and grace, almost as if he were a noble himself. As if he was reading Sugawara’s mind, Prince Morisuke smiles, walking up to the calm professor and swinging his arm around his shoulders, much to the shock of everyone in the vicinity. Prince Morisuke hardly played around like this after all, and it was strangely refreshing, now that Sugawara thought about it.

“Professor Keiji here is actually a Duke of the Bokuto Duchy. His partner, Duke Kotaro, is the current head, however. If you could all recall, he introduced himself during the trip to the knight’s quarters.” There’s a faint blush on the professor’s cheeks as he tries to cover it up by looking to the side, causing Sugawara to smile.

He remembers Duke Kotaro, who, without a doubt, was quite a character himself. It was almost as if he still retained remnants of the child he once was even as he had grown into an adult. He was loud but bright and certainly knew how to foster a fun environment, even if the people surrounding him were unfamiliar with each other.

He had visited the royal knights’ headquarters to spar with Prince Tetsuro, who had invited him over for a showcase duel, much to the delight of the knights and the royals surrounding them. Watching their fight reminded Sugawara of when he would spar with his brother Daichi, and soon after, he had sent a letter home, fulfilling the promise he had made to his brothers that he would update them as soon as he got to the kingdom.

“I would appreciate it if you would stop with the flattery, your highness,” Professor Keiji whispers as he wiggles himself out of Prince Morisuke’s hold, clearing his throat and plastering on a professional smile as if the little incident mere moments ago hadn’t happened at all. “We are in front of esteemed guests after all.”

From beside him, Prince Morisuke scoffs playfully before giving the professor a slight slap to the back, catching him off guard. The bewildered expression on his face almost made Sugawara let out a chuckle, but he kept it in so that he wouldn’t feel embarrassed.

“My apologies,” Professor Keiji says, averting his gaze before finally composing himself. “With all distractions aside, I’d like to welcome you all once more to the Magic Academy. I will be your guide for the first day, which will simply be a tour around the campus. The second day, you’ll be guided by other professors who will be more than happy to accommodate you in their lessons.”

Sugawara was ecstatic. Were they really going to allow them to take lessons from esteemed professors just like that? It seemed too good to be true. Duke Tooru, who stood right beside him, seems to share the same sentiments as he was practically vibrating with excitement from where he stood. Sugawara understands because if he just had the permission to, he would be jumping in joy.

The tour begins, and Sugawara finds himself marveling at the sights and integrity of the Academy. It was as if he was being transported into a different universe. The capital of the Kingdom of Angora may have been thriving with magic, but this was on a whole other level. It was as if the Academy was living in magic. It was everywhere, from the rebel students flying through the halls to the way spells were used to pick up fallen books. Everything about the Academy was absolutely charming.

But even more so when they got a peek at how classes were being conducted.

When they arrived at the lake, where flying classes were also held, they were surprised to find one in session. It seemed as if the class was for a group of freshmen who were about to learn all about the basics of flying.

“That’s Professor Shohei,” Professor Akaashi explains, as the group observed a very unique man leap through the air like he was performing a magic show. “He’s the head professor of the Flying Department. As you can see, he quite enjoys it. He’s also a member of the Angorian Royal Family, right, your highness?”

“Indeed,” Prince Morisuke replied, grumbling under his breath. “He’s a cousin of mine, the son of my father’s sister. Quite an oddball if you were to ask me.”

“But you can’t deny his skill,” Professor Keiji adds as the group marvels at the way the strange professor leaped through the air as if he were walking on the ground. “How is he doing that?” Marquess Yuji mutters without thinking, mouth agape in awe. “It’s almost like he’s dancing mid-air.”

“Nobody really knows, Marquess,” Professor Keiji answers, smiling at the flustered man who grins awkwardly in return. “As talented as he is, Professor Shohei has some difficulty in converting that talent into something the students can easily understand, yet even so, at the end of it all, the students under his guidance become expert flyers.”

True to his word, the students began trying to fly themselves, with many not succeeding no matter how hard they tried. But there were others who got the feeling almost immediately and soared through the air (albeit a bit wobbly), causing smiles to circle the group of nobles.

“Follow along, gentlemen,” Professor Keiji says, capturing the group’s attention. “We still have many places to cover.”

Place after place, Sugawara could do nothing but be amazed at the sheer grandeur of the Magic Academy. From the grand hall, which served as the common area of all the students, to the enormous greenhouse that was home to numerous magical plants (even the poisonous ones), to a tall tower with the most spectacular view, the Academy was nothing short of amazing.

Sugawara couldn’t wait to experience the greatness of it all on the second day. They had already taken glimpses at some of the classes throughout the tour aside from flying, and it had been an experience like no other. There was magical combat, held in the basements of the Academy, yet it was enchanted to look like an open field. However, the professor, Professor Kiryu, was very intimidating and ruled his class with an iron fist. Professor Keiji had mentioned that it was the way of the south, yet even so, Sugawara wished he could avoid that class as much as possible.

Professor Keiji had even brought them to his own personal classroom, which was filled to the brim with all sorts of potions and ingredients, some that Sugawara had never even heard of in his life! The kind professor had even showcased some of his brews, even going so far as to show his most recent endeavor, a healing elixir that would help restore one’s conditions in record speed. It was indeed a remarkable feat.

The amount of wisdom and knowledge he had learned just by touring around the Academy was already more than what Sugawara could ever wish for. What more when he actually got the opportunity to try and experience it for himself? This was going to be the most prominent part of his journey thus far, and he swears to himself that he would never let this chance slip away from his fingertips.

“And here is our last stop for the day,” Professor Keiji says as he leads the group to another area, and this time Sugawara is confused as to what this location was for. They had already seen the spaces meant for combat and flying. What else could they possibly need?

All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, a screech rings through the air, and from the sky, a humongous eagle flies down, almost as if it was aiming for the group. Terrified, Sugawara ducks, not knowing what else to do, but nothing sinister comes his way, and he looks back up only to see that the eagle had flown over their head and had landed on a tall rock, looking at them with curious eyes.

Shocked, Sugawara can only stare at the eagle in confusion, yet at the same time, he marvels at how majestic it appeared to be. In the midst of his admiration, he almost doesn’t hear the sound of giggles ringing through the air, but it makes its way to his ears, and Sugawara turns to the source of the sound, the giggles ringing quite familiar.

A girl suddenly steps out from behind the rock, making her way towards the group, a sly grin on her face. From the corner of his eye, Sugawara can see the annoyed expression on Professor Keiji’s face, but that was the least of Sugawara’s concerns at the moment.

Because right now, standing directly in front of him, was the girl he had been thinking about for the longest time. The girl he spent a pleasant afternoon in the forest with, the girl who could play the sound of the heavens.

How could this be?

“Hello everyone, I hope Taku here didn’t startle you too much. He loves putting on a show.”

Sugawara continues to stare, not believing what he was seeing in the slightest. But as more time passed, and the more the girl’s appearance didn’t change, the more he was trying to convince himself that it was true. Fate had worked its magic and brought the two souls together. There was no other explanation.

“Professor (Y/N), how many times have I told you to keep the animals in check?” Professor Keiji sighs, rubbing his temple in annoyance as if he had gone through this plenty of times before.

“Hmm, maybe a hundred? Or was it a thousand?” The girl— no, (Y/N) quips back, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly. “I’m not really sure, but honestly, I don’t really care!”

Before Professor Keiji could scold the girl, she turns to the group, a bright smile on her face. Sugawara almost swears from where he stood, captivated by the way the sunlight highlighted the girl’s face.

“Greetings delegates, and welcome once more to the Magical Academy! My name is Professor (Y/N), and I teach courses on Divinity and Magical Creatures! A pleasure to meet you!”

“—Why are you here?” Before he even realized it, Sugawara had blurted out his thoughts, causing everyone around him to look at him curiously. He looks down, flustered. Why did he blurt that out? What was he thinking? He could do better than this. He was a prince, after all!

The girl’s smile drops, and she looks at him with a confused gaze. After pondering for a moment, she takes him in and surveys him up and down before finally addressing him.

“I’m sorry but do I know you?”

➢ taglist: @mirakeul

#haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!! x reader #hq x reader #sugawara x reader #sugawara koushi x reader #koushi x reader #sugawara koshi x reader #sugawara x you #sugawara koushi x you #koushi x you

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bristokeswrites · 3 years

Text

Intro

Well hello there, traveller. Thanks for checking out my page! It truly means the world to me that you took the time to stop by.

I joined Writeblr in the hopes of accomplishing a few things: getting my writing out into the world, connecting with like-minded people, and--most importantly--being as open and honest as I possibly can be about my struggles with anxiety, depression, and just my general musings about this big blue globe we're all twirling around on endlessly. I think it's extremely important for creatives--especially those of us who have been “othered” by society--to make the effort to tell our stories, and to do so as authentically as possible.

Hopefully I can find others out there who can relate to some of what I've been through and will ride this wave with me.

If that sounds like you, then stick around, check out the #poetry, #prose, and #journal tags, and hopefully you'll find something that speaks to you. And if you do, please don't hesitate to reach out! I love connecting with other writers in the community, and as a reclusive, Bruce-Wayne-at-the-beginning-of-'Dark-Knight-Rises'-kinda-girl, I could always do with some new friends! 🤣

🌸INFO:

Bri (I'll say it just in case you were thinking it: yes, like the cheese, lol) // 26 // Los Angeles // Queer // She/Her // Black, Hopi, and Filipino // Neopagan // INFP // Aquarius sun, Scorpio moon, Cancer rising

🌸WHAT I WRITE:

Fantasy // Romance // Horror // Poetry // Speculative fiction // Weird fiction // Occasional, Uber-Pretenious Essays

🌸CURRENT WIPs:

🌹The Rose of Lazarus: A modernized, feminist retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. Willow Blythe--a biracial, 21 year-old witch--comes from a long line of warlocks, sorceresses and magickal folks. She has the ability to heal others and divine the future by way of a rare psychic gift known as "the Gleam," but living a life as the so-called "Chosen One" has left her sheltered, jaded, broken and fearful.

Her talent is regularly abused, hidden away, or sought out by others to be exploited--chiefly by a demon king named Keltozio Al'gaan, ruler of the Western territories of the Underworld. He watches her from a distance from the time of her youth, believing that she is the only one who can save him from the intense delusions which plague his unravelling mind, threatening his power. But in the process of stalking her, he believes he's fallen in love, and abducts her, promising to spare her from a life as his prisoner if she agrees to be his bride.

Seeing no other option, Willow accepts, and reluctantly becomes empress. But in the midst of her time in the Underworld, she takes pity on the humans who are trapped there, and begins quietly planning a coup. In order to do so, she learns to harness the gift that once brought her so much grief, and sets out on a mission to overthrow her tyrannical husband, free his prisoners, and take over his throne.

🎗️Themes: loss, sexual awakening, feminine power, adulthood, class, race, addictions, loneliness, mental illness.

🌹Swing Set Scumbag (and other Liminal Stories): A little book of poems I’ve been writing over the course of the pandemic. Like so many of us, I’ve really been trying to find myself during this experience, to get to the root of who I am amidst so much isolation... or maybe I’m trying to return to myself? Who can really say? Everything gets a little blurry around the edges, lol.

Regardless, these poems are all about what I’ve found in the process, and how I’ve tried to (and am trying to) reconcile with all the ways in which my anxiety has led me down some very limiting/wild/weird roads.

🎗️Themes: race, gender, womanhood, society, sexuality, anxiety, depression, self-discovery, self-doubt.

🌸DOPE LINKS YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY CHECK OUT:

- Twitter

- I should also have an IG up and running in a bit, so stay tuned!

🌸WRITEBLR GAMES?

Uh, yes? Hell yes. As I mentioned earlier, I LOVE interacting with fellow creatives and other folks within this community. Tag me in ALL the things. ALL. OF. THEM. And if you feel the itch, please don’t hesitate to send me a message or an ask!

Thanks again for taking a look. Hope you like the place :)

~ Bri 🌻

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nurvuss · 3 years

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I Watched the First Episode of Every New Spring 2021 Anime Airing on Crunchyroll

Hey, are you like me, and feeling like you're not getting the most out of your Crunchyroll subscription? Sure, there's stuff on there that you know you like. But whenever I look at the big long list of simulcasting shows, my eyes glaze over and I don't even know where to begin.

I wanted to change my habits and see if there were any shining gems that I should be watching. So, as per the title, I watched the first episode of every new Spring 2021 anime on Crunchyroll. And guess what? There’s a lot of crap! But indeed, there’s some stuff that’s worth your time.

Some clarification: I've only watched shows that began their first season in April 2021.

Backflip!!

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The Lowdown

As Futaba Shotaro comes to the end of middle school, his interest in baseball has begun to wane. Soon he notices the Ao High Boys Gymnastic Club and becomes enthralled, especially after seeing them perform. Once he learns they're down two members, he chooses to sign up and pursue the art of gymnastics. The club is also joined by Misato Ryoya, a star solo gymnast looking to expand his technique through teamwork.

Our Thoughts

Pretty formulaic shoujo sports anime: you've got your himbo, your thug, your ladies' man, your stoic guy, with Shotaro rounding out the cast as the shy and awkward audience surrogate. It looks wholesome enough, and the choreographed routines employ CG in a way that's quite convincing without being hideous.

Who It's For

Fans of FREE, or Yuri!!! on Ice, or any similar shows about cute boys who succeed at athletic feats.

Borscht Rating

Burning Kabaddi

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The Lowdown

Legendary high school soccer star Yoigoshi Tatsuya has given up on sports! That is, until he's blackmailed to join the high school kabaddi team, under threat of his online persona being leaked to the entire school. Although Tatsuya initially writes kabaddi off as stupid, the unexpected happens as he begins to have fun.

Our Thoughts

Kabaddi is kinda like competitive tag, or dodgeball but with your body instead of a ball. Burning Kabaddi is basically the shounen alternative to Backflip!! above, replete with nosebleeds, pratfalls, and dudes punching each other. The main cast don't seem to like each other very much; that probably changes as the show goes on but at first blush it's a dynamic I always find annoying.

Who it's For

Fans of Haikyuu!!? Maybe?

Borscht Rating

CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD overDress

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The Lowdown

The newest series based on Bushiroad's collectible card game, featuring character designs by the beloved collective CLAMP. Petit middle schooler Yu-Yu just doesn't know how to say no. As his older students dress him in drag to use as live makeup practice, he suffers a panic attack and flees into the streets. After being accosted by a pickup artist, he's befriended by Megumi, who invites him to witness a Cardfight match at the local abandoned amusement park. However, Yu-yu is too shy to tell Megumi he's actually a boy…

Our Thoughts

What an unexpectedly weird concept for a show about a card game. Our hero spends the whole episode in drag, whimpering and simpering at the sight of any conflict. Then they show off the latest series of cards, which all seem to be giant buff knights with names like "Bad Steve" and "Violent Bruce". Your guess is as good as mine.

Who it's For

Cardfight!! lovers, Japanese gender studies majors, or the most desperate fujoshi.

Borscht Rating

Cestvs: The Roman Fighter

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The Lowdown

The year is 54AD, and Nero has taken the throne as the youngest emperor of Rome. At the bottom of the population, Cestvs is a young slave training to be a colosseum boxer. Reluctant, his only choice is to fight or die.

Our Thoughts

Seeing Nero depicted as a gentle little twink is pretty funny. It's also pretty funny that the central character is named after a Roman boxing glove. The animation style transitions to some very uncanny CG when a major fight takes place, and I didn't like that one bit! This seems like a pretty average tournament anime but with a historical setting. It's currently unknown if any of these dudes are fucking each other. I'm gonna say probably.

Who It's For

The venn-diagram of Greco-Roman history buffs and lovers of tournament series?

Borscht Rating

Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro!

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The Lowdown:

Hachioji Naoto is a nerdy, introverted student who spends his time studying and avoiding socialising. When pages from the fantasy manga he's drawing fall out of his bookbag, they catch the attention of a younger student named Nagatoro Hayase. Nagatoro begins to tease Naoto for his otaku interests and awkward demeanour, peppered with some suggestive flirting.

Our Thoughts:

What would you do if a younger girl flirted with you? Would you cry? Piss your pants maybe? Maybe shit and cum? Don't Toy With Me… attempts to barely conceal its BDSM fantasy with its comedic elements, but it's incredibly apparent as Nagatoro always wipes away Naoto's tears as a sort of aftercare. It's like a lighter, comedic version of Aku no Hana, but lacking any of the ponderings or danger that made that work so special.

Who It's For:

People who search Pornhub for "bratty sister femdom".

Borscht Rating:

86 Eighty-Six

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The Lowdown

The Republic of San Magnolia and the Giad Empire, have been at war for nearly a decade. Using advanced military technology, the frontlines are fought by giant mecha drones called Juggernauts, controlled remotely by Handlers. Major Vladilena Mirizé is one of the military's most talented Handlers in the 1st District, and one who is constantly teased by her peers for the humanity and empathy she shows her squadron. The government line is that drone warfare has kept casualties to zero, but unbeknownst to the public these "drones'' are piloted by 86ers—the lowest class of citizens, forced to live in military internment camps in San Magnolia's 86th District.

Our Thoughts

This is incredibly my kind of thing. We've got a dual narrative being set up here: Vladilena as the kind, reluctant officer of a fascist regime, and the Bad Company-esque antics of her new ragtag squad, Spearhead. The first episode is split pretty evenly between the two, with each story converging at the end as Vladilena "meets" Spearhead for the first time through her comms station. It's an explosive and enticing first episode, and I can't wait to watch more of it.

Who It's For

Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist, Psycho-Pass, Gundam, or any number of anti-imperialist war stories.

Borscht Rating

Fairy Ranmaru

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The Lowdown

In a quiet corner of the city sits Bar F, a modest drinking establishment staffed entirely by five hot young men. Unbeknownst to the general population, these men are a crack team of fairies sent to the human world to gather the latent energy of "attachment". They do this by solving the problems of young women, taking their hearts in the process.

Our Thoughts

Hubba hubba, a little something for the ladies! It's Weiẞ Kreuz with a bar instead of a flower shop, fairies instead of assassins, and some pretty revealing outfits. There's definitely a little Persona 5 inspiration here too, from the punctuating phrase "Take your Heart!" to many of the visual cues. Make of that what you will.

Who It's For

Fans of Weiẞ Kreuz, slash fic authors.

Borscht Rating

Farewell, My Dear Cramer

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The Lowdown

Onda Nozomi was once the star player of her middle school football team. Completely unmatched, she no longer plays as there's no opponent she deems to be on her level. Meanwhile Suou Sumire far outpaces her teammates, causing her frustration. By a twist of fate, these two girls find themselves joining the scrappy Warabi Seinan High School FC as they begin to learn the value of teamwork and friendship.

Our Thoughts

I don't know sports. And I really don't know football. I had to look up what the title meant, and now I barely know who Dettmar Cramer is. I'm really not the best person to judge this, but it seems like a pretty good female-driven sports anime.

Who It's For

Fans of Ace o Nerae! or other sports manga/anime about those ever burning bonds between young teammates.

Borscht Rating

Gloomy, the Naughty Grizzly

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The Lowdown:

Pitty lives with his pet Gloomy, a massive pink bear. Can a boy and a bear truly get along?

Our Thoughts:

This is a series of minute-long gag episodes in which Gloomy mauls Pitty and blood squirts everywhere. It's definitely meant to be a morbid parody of Sanrio or San-X; it might be a Rilakkuma parody in particular? Gloomy is the kind of thing you might laugh at if it came on in between shows, but it's pretty slight to go through the trouble of putting on.

Who It's For:

Gag anime fans with one minute to spare.

Borscht Rating:

Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway

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The Lowdown

After a night of drinking in Tokyo, slovenly salaryman Yoshida encounters a teenage runaway sitting under a lamppost. She offers to sleep with him in return for letting her spend the night in his apartment. Yoshida refuses her offer but allows her to stay. The next morning the girl, Sayu, reveals she's travelled all the way from Hokkaido, sleeping with random men in return for lodging and money. Feeling responsible for her safety, Yoshida agrees for Sayu to stay indefinitely in return for handling household chores.

Our Thoughts

This is kind of the inverse of Koikimo (see below), but without a scumbag character and from a male perspective. It's not nearly as nauseating as that show, but it's still a fantasy about living with a busty teenage girl.

Who It's For

Libertarians.

Borscht Rating

I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level

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The Lowdown:

Office lady Aizawa Azusa dies of overwork in her early 20s, and finds herself standing before a lecherous goddess. Allowed a wish as compensation for her untimely demise, Azusa wishes for an endless life of leisure. The goddess reincarnates her as a 17-year-old immortal witch in an RPG-coded fantasy world. Thrilled, Azusa lazes about, brewing potions for her neighbouring villagers, and kills a small amount of slimes each day to supplement her income. After doing this every day for 300 years, she inadvertently finds herself at Level 99. Her peaceful life is soon upended as adventurers and dragons come from miles around to challenge the legendary witch.

Our Thoughts:

I'm not really an isekai fan, and that goes double for series which aren't set in an RPG, yet use RPG mechanics. Levelling up, grinding stats, min-maxing, as if it's a part of the fabric of the setting. I don't get it. I like watching numbers go up as much as the next dork, but I don't need to watch numbers go up in absolutely every piece of media I consume. Just play a fucking video game, Jesus Christ almighty.

I thought this might be setting up a fun series in which a layabout is reluctantly called upon to undertake a dangerous quest, but I don't think that's what's going on at all. When the red dragon Laika wrecks Azusa's house, she transforms into a cute young girl and the two begin living together, teaching each other the pros and cons of hard work and slothfulness respectively. The trajectory of the series might be as laid back as its protagonist in the end, which, ultimately, would be fitting.

Who It's For:

Isekai fans, slice-of-life fans. The twain have met!

Borscht Rating:

Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood

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The Lowdown

In alternative history Japan the Meiji Period continued well into the 1930s, and the ongoing Tokugawa Shogunate has brought technological prosperity to the nation through a magical energy source called the Dragon's Vein. Sawa Yukimura runs a bookshop where she lives with her little sister by day, but by night she's an assassin for Nue, the shogunate's secret police. As the terrorist group Kuchinawa deploys transforming beasts in an attempt to topple the shogunate, Nue springs into action with their own abilities.

Our Thoughts

There are a lot of concepts competing here, and a few too many flashy transformation sequences for my taste, but I'm really into it! Nue are made up of sex workers and street musicians, often overlooked and therefore easily able to blend in. There's a supernatural Standalone Complex vibe to how the team operates, and they're almost assuredly on the wrong side. Worth a shot!

Who It's For

Fans of alternate history science fiction, Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex, Demon Slayer.

Borscht Rating

Koikimo: Koi to Yobu ni wa Kimochi Warui ("It's Disgusting to Call This Love")

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The Lowdown

Amakusa Ryo is a womanizing salaryman concerned with nothing but his own base desires. As he slips on the train station stairs one morning, he's saved by the swift action of Arima Ichika, a kind-hearted high schooler. When it turns out Ichika is friends with Ryo's younger sister Riou, he decides she's his soulmate, and begins to pursue her no matter how many times she refuses him. Comedy ensues!

Our Thoughts

Yeah, OK groomer.

Alright look, Korikimo is written by a woman and told from Ichika's perspective, so this is obviously meant to be a lighthearted "older man" shoujou romance. As an older man, all I saw were the adventures of a paedophile and the teenager he's stalking. Fuck off.

Who it's For

There's probably other stuff like this, right? If you like that, here you go.

Borscht Rating

Let's Make a Mug, Too

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The Lowdown

After the death of her mother, Himeno and her father relocate from bustling Tokyo to quiet Tajimi City in Gifu Prefecture. The former salaryman opens a quiet cafe using the remarkable mugs made by his late wife, while Himeno follows in her mother's footsteps and joins the school pottery club. Although her first project ends in disaster, Himeno makes fast friends with the eccentric pottery enthusiasts who make up the club.

Our Thoughts

It's no Eizouken, but I guess it's probably not meant to be. I'm not a big iyashikei genre fan, but if that's your thing, you might enjoy the wholesome non-adventures of three girls trying to make a mug. It's worth noting these episodes are only about 12 minutes long, with the remaining runtime segmented into live action episodes where the voice actresses tour Tajimi and unconvincingly pretend to be interested in Gifu's famous mino-yaki pottery. I think this must be a tie-in with a local tourist board.

Who It's For

People who enjoy stuff like Aria, actually.

Borscht Rating

OddTaxi

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The Lowdown

In a Tokyo populated by anthropomorphic animals, a solemn walrus named Odokawa spends his nights driving his cab around the bustling metropolis, spending his free time drinking with his pals. Odokawa soon finds his quiet life disrupted by a caper involving a missing girl, some crooked cops, and the animal yakuza.

Our Thoughts

A deft blend of working class slice-of-life with mystery, cute animals, and striking visual design. OddTaxi might be the sleeper hit of Spring 2021.

Who It's For

Fans of existentialist film noir with absurdist comedy, Polar Bear Cafe, walrus lovers.

Borscht Rating

Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose

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The Lowdown

Suehiro Maruo Sueharu Maru has his heart set on Shirokusa Kachi, the hottest girl in school. When she begins dating a young actor, Sueharu confides in his childhood friend Kuroha Shida, who's openly in love with him and he rejected in the past. Kuroha suggests the two get revenge on Shirokusa by pretending to be in love. Will Sueharu fall in love with Kuroha for real, making her dreams come true?

Our Thoughts

Give me a fucking break.

Who It's For

I don't know and I don't care.

Borscht Rating

SD Gundam World Heroes

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The Lowdown

The newest instalment of the SD Gundam media-mix franchise. In a world populated by super deform mecha, a burning meteor lands in the middle of Captain City. From it launches a terrible mechanized beast: Naughty Lion. When the police are powerless to stop it, a crack team led by Zhuge Liang Gundam and Liu Bei Gundam sorties to bring Naughty Lion to justice. When the beast stops rampaging, it transforms into Sun Wukong Gundam, a youthful amnesiac mecha horrified at the destruction he wrought. The Three Kingdoms Gundams welcome Sun Wukong into the fold to make sense of this mysterious event.

Our Thoughts

I'm an 80s kid, I know a 30-minute toy commercial when I see one.

No, seriously though, I'm aware of SD Gundam's merchandising—they're cute designs, and I even used to have a bunch of the gum rubber mini figurines. I've played the SD Great War Super Famicom games, they're fun! This is a vehicle to get kids hyped up about the latest toys, which are...based on a hodgepodge of Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms this year? There's even a little SD Guan Yu Gundam with a big long beard!

I kinda wanted to like the idea of a bearded robot, but the mechas are super busy and overdesigned. I guess there's only so much you can do to make your next series of toys bigger and better, so these guys are all decked out in gold accents, capes, horns, and antlers, and half the time I couldn't parse what I was seeing.

I'm so glad I don't have to watch any more of this.

Who It's For

Very, *very* young mecha fans.

Borscht Rating

Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor

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The Lowdown

Long ago, the Dark God Nestra ruled the world through fear. Standing against him were the Seven Knights, seven brave warriors chosen by the Light Goddess Serrass. With their powers combined, Nestra was defeated and the lands returned to peace. Hundreds of years later the wicked Physis Cult seeks to revive Nestra, summoning undead beasts to ravage the countryside. With the Seven Knights long dead, the Granseed Academy has risen to train the next wave of heroes to combat this threat. Using special cards, the students of Granseed are able to call upon the power of the Seven Knights to guide them in battle.

Our Thoughts

As soon as the opening started with its transforming heroes and lovingly depicted weapon cards, I realised this must be based on a mobile game. Indeed, this is based on a free-to-play gacha from Korean developer Netmarble. Even before I was able to confirm this, Hero Successor failed to draw me in, eschewing details on the nature of its world in lieu of a glamourised marketing push for its source material. What's here is incredibly slight, and likely to be of little interest to anyone who isn't deep into this game.

Who It's For

Seven Knights whales, I guess.

Borscht Rating

Those Snow White Notes

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The Lowdown

Sawamura Setsu mourns the death of his grandfather Matsugorou, a talented shamisen player who refused to pass his secrets on. Not knowing what else to do, he leaves his remote village for Tokyo, taking nothing but his shamisen along with him. Soon he finds himself wrapped up in the complicated life of aspiring actress Yuna and her scuzzy rockstar boyfriend Taketo. When Setsu opens for Taketo's band, he stuns the audience with the raw emotion of his playing. However, his heart is still tumultuous.

Our Thoughts

An entertaining first episode of a speciality music series, which is the kind of thing I have a place in my heart for. I couldn't shake the feeling of some latent misogyny that suggested the role of a woman is to inspire a tortured artist, but I might be wrong. The final few minutes take a twist by introducing Setsu's weird, horny mother who seems to have her own personal SWAT team, and it looks like the series becomes a more conventional high school anime from episode 2 onwards. Don't know about that!

Who It's For

Fans of Kids on the Slope, Sound of the Sky.

Borscht Rating

Tokyo Revengers

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The Lowdown

Former delinquent Takemichi is unsatisfied with the way his life turned out, living alone in a paper-thin apartment and working a minimum wage job under a boss who doesn't respect him. When watching the news one evening, he learns that his highschool sweetheart Hinata was killed, alongside her little brother. On the way to work the next morning, Takemichi falls in front of an oncoming train and wakes up 12 years in the past. Armed with foreknowledge, he attempts to turn his life around and save his onetime lover.

Our Thoughts

This is drawing from a lot of sources; the whole train sequence is lifted straight from Gantz, while the story itself initially seems like a Life on Mars kind of deal. In fact, Tokyo Revengers sees Takemichi jump back and forth between the present and the past, seemingly making small changes until he achieves his desired outcome. It feels like a very video gamey depiction of time travel, and one that's not super interesting.

Who It's For

Steins;Gate fans, maybe? Delinquent manga (Shonan Junai Gumi, Crows, etc.) fans, maybe? It's pretty self-serious compared to any of those.

Borscht Rating

To Your Eternity

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The Lowdown

An immortal being in the form of an orb falls to earth and becomes a stone. Years pass, an ice age sets in, and a white wolf stumbles onto the tundra and dies. The orb, able to take the form of anything that leaves a strong impression on it, transforms into the wolf and slowly learns how to use its newfound ambulatory body. The creature treks back through the tundra where it meets a boy living alone, after the rest of his village left in search of a better life. The boy recognises the wolf as his beloved pet, Johann, and the two begin living together in the harsh, lonely wastes.

Our Thoughts

I'm being a little coy with the synopsis here, and there's a major shake-up at the end of this debut episode. This one's based on a manga by the critically acclaimed Yoshitoki Ooima (A Silent Voice), and it's a depressing, compelling, and exciting start to a series. Lots of potential here!

Who It's For

Fans of NieR, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, Last Exile, Kino's Journey.

Borscht Rating

So, there you have it. I'm hoping this will be of use to anyone who experiences a similar sense of dread when faced with so many choices. Maybe we’ll do this again during the Summer 2021 anime season.

Also, please don't get mad at me if I'm snarky about your new favourite show! It’s just TV and I'm a big idiot anyway.

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stuckonjbbarnes · 3 years

Text

Dani’s 2021 Writing Challenge

So I decided that I missed writing challenges and figured I’d host one, in hopes that more of my followers/mutuals will post more challenges. As if I don’t have other things to actually be writing. Anywhoo this one is gonna be a tad different!

Remember that ask game with the Fake Fic Titles? Well we’re going to actually write fics based off of the titles below!! You can choose any characters and make it anything your heart desires.

Titles and Rules below the cut!

PLEASE READ: I don’t typically ask for much but I do have a few set rules. You don’t have to follow me [but like that’d be very sweet of you].

Send me an ask with the title and the character(s) you’ll be writing for, so I can keep track [if you want to go as far as to tell me what sort of au you’re planning that’d be dope]

You can write for ANY marvel character (and it doesn’t have to be x reader)

NO p*do, inc*st or noncon/dubcon. 18+ is fine, just tag and warn accordingly.

2 people per title. I promise there’s a bunch of choices.

Add a read more if it exceeds 500 words

It can be a drabble, one-shot, SMAU or series [ please tag me in all parts] Don’t forget to tag me and tag #Dani’s 2021 If I don’t reblog it within 24hrs, please reach out!

If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask me, my asks and DMs are open! -Due date is May 1st! If you end up needing more time, shoot me a message.

Titles:

~ Nothing Like Me ~ Someone’ll Bleed ~ Waste My Time ~ Open All The Cages ~ I’ll Never Tell ~ Dressed Down ~ Your Enemy Whispers ~ Everyone Deserves the Flames ~ But Who Are You Fighting For? Our Song is Coming on - @ladyfallonavenger w/ Bucky ~ I Can’t Recall the Name ~ Making Things Right ~ Keep You Up ~ I Tried to Go ~ Itty Bitty Little Thing ~ Back Against the Wall Alone on My Throne - @buckysmischief w/ Loki Easy to Be Loved - @infernal-fire w/Steve Leave You Lonely - @buckybarnes101 w/ Bucky ~ Carry the Weight Your Eyes Only - @sweater-daddiesdumbdork w/ Bucky ~ Together Forever, Always ~ Your Heart Isn’t In It Forever in Doubt - @avantgardium-leviosa w/ Tony My Heart and Soul - @kitkatd7 w/ Bucky or Seb ~ The End of You and Me ~ I’ll Never Know ~ Get My Heart Broke ~ Thank You For the Grave ~ You’re in Ruins Fake Moans & Dial Tones - @writemeout23 w/ Loki ~ Wetter With Bloodstains ~ Not Your Speed What the Hell is The Catch? - @buckys-other-punk w/ Steve or Bucky ~ A 10 Amongst These 3′s ~ Back to New York Something I Can’t Shake - @whatcouldgowrong-ohthat w/ Bucky It Wasn’t Real - @harold231 w/ Bucky ~ Watch Me Fall Apart Keep on Living - @emo-potato-virgil w/ Loki & Steve Give Up On Me - @notwithoutbarnes w/ Bucky ~ Tighten the Noose

Permanent Taglist: @valkyriesryde @buckysmischief @murdermornings @donnaintx @kitkatd7 @merigoldcaroline @thosekidswhohuntmonsters @firefly-in-darkness @buckys-other-punk @what-just-happened-bro @notwithoutbarnes @smilexcaptainx @sweater-daddiesdumbdork @my-favorite-fics-and-imagines @cherrys-recommendations @avantgardium-leviosa

#marvel writing challenge #Dani's 2021 #marvel fan fiction #marvel #signal boost please

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seokjinsdisciple · 3 years

Text

It’s a Deal - eight

supernatural! johnny x reader x jaehyun, mate!au

Word Count: 2.3k

not a great update but oh well

tags: @thatonekpopsweater, @queen-of-himbos , @yourchasingsunsetslove, @a-brooding-bird, @sokkigarden, @tardis-world, @etherealbyeol, @mylovelyjisungie

i made a plalist! listen if you want!! spotify | apple music

send me a dm or an ask to be on the taglist

warnings: language, supernatural stuff, arguing, death, lowkey panic, crying, i think thats it

series masterlist

You were wrapped in the comfiest fuzzy blanket you owned, legs draped over Johnny’s lap and head resting on Jaehyun’s chest.

“Why do you get the whole couch?” Jaehyun whined, the rumbling of his chest wiggling your head.

“Because it’s my house, and I bought it,” you said back, never taking your eyes from the tv.

“We’d have a lot more space if we were at the palace,” he snarked back, letting out a huff of air as Johnny smacked him on the back of the head, “What? You know it's true!”

“You can go back to the palace whenever you want,” you added, grinning at his pinch to your side.

“You’re trying to get rid of me!” He pouted, returning the slap to the back of the head he’d gotten to Johnny after he let out a chuckle.

The three of you fell back into silence, Jaehyun’s fingers carding through your hair as you watched the show playing on the tv. You could feel yourself drifting off to sleep, the warmth from your blanket and the two boys surrounding you making it almost impossible to keep your eyes open. You managed to tear your eyes open as Jaehyun stiffened beneath you, looking questioningly between him and Johnny, who had stood up.

“What’s going on?” you grumbled, sitting up as Jaehyun practically pushed you from his lap. You watched the two brother’s closely, heart rate increasing as you noticed the sullen look on Johnny’s face. Jaehyun looked even paler than normal, his eyes locked onto Johnny’s in a panic that you had never seen before.

“Doyoung just killed our father,” Johnny spoke lowly, eyes never leaving Jaehyun’s.

You glanced uneasily at Jaehyun, “So he’s...he’s the king now?”

“We need to go back, Jae,” Johnny spoke, “It’s not safe for you here.”

Jaehyun just nodded slowly, the panic on his face only increasing as they pulled on their coats.

“You’re coming with us,” Johnny added, tossing your coat to where you sat stunned on the couch.

“But my finals are tomorrow!” you protested weakly, not saying another word as Johnny shot you a look. You shrugged your coat on, not saying anything as Jaehyun grabbed your hand and intertwined your fingers.

The palace was much different from the last time you had been here. The flowers in the front withered and lifeless. The colors in all of the halls were muted, as if the King dying had killed the palace too.

“It is kinda like that,” Johnny glanced at you, “It’ll stay this way until Jae’s coronation.”

“Why?” you asked, wincing slightly as Jaehyun squeezed your hand tightly, his eyes glazed over and focused straight in front of him.

“The king’s power is directly tied to the palace and the land, so when a king passes away the land kinda dies with it. At least until another king is crowned and it has power to feed from again.”

You nodded, falling silent as the doors to the ballroom swung open. You were met with some of the familiar faces that had watched you so closely from the small thrones around the king the night you had been announced as Jaehyun’s future wife. There were some faces you hadn’t seen before, but from the sullen looks on their faces you figured they were either family or very close advisors.

You let go of Jaehyun’s hand, falling behind him as all eyes on the room flickered to the three of you.

“Where the hell were you?” a dark haired boy said, jaw clenching as he glanced from Jaehyun to Johnny, scoffing as his gaze fell onto your form, “Of course.”

“Mark,” Johnny tensed, “Enough.”

“You literally have one job Johnny!” The boy, Mark, raised his voice, “Protect the family, and instead you’re off with your-”

“Quiet,” Jaehyun’s voice sounded from beside you, his authoritative tone enough to have everyone in the room’s attention, “I understand you’re upset. We all are. But rather than fighting with, and blaming each other, we need to band together and fucking kill that bastard.”

“Whatever you say, your majesty,” Mark spoke, sarcasm dripping from his words as he bowed lowly towards Jaehyun. Not giving Jaehyun a chance to say anything as he walked past him, knocking his shoulder into Jaehyun’s as he walked out of the door.

“Give him some time, dear,” a middle aged woman spoke up, soft smile doing nothing to hide her reddened eyes, “You know how close he was with your father.”

Jaehyun just gave a curt nod, walking over to where the rest of the group stood.

“Let’s get to work then,” he spoke, sweeping his hand in front of him, a table of roots appearing immediately in front of the family, “Johnny, fill me in on the position of our men, and the last known location of Doyoung’s men.”

Johnny stepped up to the table, flicking his wrist as a map unfolded on the table. Before he began talking he glanced towards you.

“Jeno, Jaemin,” He called, “Why don’t you give YN here a tour of the palace?”

The two familiar boys just shot each other a glance before walking over to you and practically dragging you from the room. They closed the door quickly shooting weary smiles to each other before the barely taller one slung his arm around your shoulder.

“I’m Jaemin,” he grinned, “and that’s Jeno.”

“Hi,” you spoke, returning their smiles.

“We swear the palace is usually way more fun than right now,” Jeno added, grabbing one of your hands and urging you to start walking.

“I mean seriously,” Jaemin rolled his eyes, “One assassination and you’d think the world was ending!”

You glanced at him, thoroughly confused at how he could speak so casually about the death of his father.

“Mm,” Jaemin laughed, “Jae was right, it’s way too easy to get into your brain.”

“Not our father,” Jeno grinned, “Our mother’s the Queen, but that man was as far from a father to us as he could’ve been.”

“I resent the fact that you’re ‘getting into my brain’ or however you put it,” you mumbled, holding back from asking if the King was just a shitty father or if the Queen had an affair.

“Just a shit father really,” Jeno added, giving you a sheepish smile as you shot a glare at him.

“If you really don’t like others listening to your thoughts you could ask Mark to help,” Jaemin spoke up.

“I don’t think he likes me very much,” you said, almost bumping into the door where the boys had halted.

“Mark was our dad’s favorite, so he’s taking this pretty hard,” Jeno said.

“He’ll get over it though,” Jaemin added, dramatically swinging the door in front of you open.

You felt your jaw drop, the enormous room that you were peeking into was filled floor to ceiling with books. You couldn’t help but step into the library, looking at every part of the room.

“Johnny said you’d like the library,” Jeno smiled proudly, standing beside you and glancing around the room too.

“This is incredible,” you breathed, walking over to the nearest bookshelf and running your hand over the spines.

“Ok, yes it has books. Whoop dee doo,” Jaemin groaned from behind you, “There’s a million cooler rooms in this palace. Can we please move on now?”

“You can explore this room more tomorrow,” Jeno added, laughing as Jaemin desperately tugged on Jeno’s wrist.

“So tell us more about how you and Johnny met,” Jaemin prodded, his arm returning to your shoulders as you walked together down the halls. You were quickly learning that Jaemin was more mischievous of the two brothers, Jeno being much quieter and calmer than him.

“Uh, well we had a class together our first year,” you said, “and we had the same major so we were kinda always together.”

“I didn’t realize he seriously went to human school,” Jeno said, a thoughtful look passing his face as you just nodded.

“Have you fucked him yet?” Jaemin asked, wiggling his eyebrows as you choked on air.

You stuttered as memories from freshman year flashed in your mind. Johnny’s back muscles rippling against your skin, his abs glistening with sweat.

“Oh my god he has bedded you!” Jeno practically yelled, slightly disgusted look completely opposite of Jaemin’s knowing smirk.

“Was he good?”

“Jaems I am not answering that!” You said, shrugging his arm from your shoulder and lightly smacking him.

“It’s ok, doll,” Jaemin said, rubbing the spot you had smacked with his free hand, “We both know what you are thinking.”

You just groaned, hitting Jaemin first and then deciding to hit Jeno too. That’s for reading my mind you assholes.

“It’s not our fault,” Jeno pouted, “You’re practically screaming them at us.”

“Just get on with the tour,” you sighed, trying your best to keep your mind empty as they returned to their mission. They led you to the kitchen, through four dining rooms, around the art gallery and into the game room. Constantly making fun of your looks of awe. They hurried you through the jewel room, pointed out the gym and swimming pools. They even led you to the liquor room, Jaemin pressing a finger to his lips as he grabbed a bottle of wine.

Jaemin pointed out far too many bedrooms for you to remember, laughing as you tried to figure out who the hell half of the people he was even naming were. He pointed out both Jaehyun’s and Johnny’s room, giving you a knowing look as you tried to commit both of the locations to memory.

It was with a smile that you found yourself stumbling down a familiar hallway, Jeno pointing out his room, and then your own room.

“And at the very end of the hallway is my room,” Jaemin winked, “So if you ever need someone to keep your bed warm, you know where to find me.”

“I really hope you’re kidding, brother,” Johnny’s voice rang out from behind the three of you.

“You know I always am,” Jaemin smiled easily, giving you a short wave before walking the rest of the way down the hallway and into his bedroom.

Jeno looked awkwardly between where you and Johnny stood before muttering out a quick goodnight and walking to his room.

“I hope they didn’t bother you too much,” Johnny said, walking closer to you and taking you by the hand, ��The twins can be a lot to handle.”

“They were mostly nice,” you smiled at him, laughing as you heard Jaemin swear at you from down the hallway. Johnny smiled back at you, but you could tell he was exhausted.

“Am I that easy to read?” he asked, pulling you into your room.

“Mhmm,” you nodded, letting him pull you onto one of the couches in your room, “You wanna talk about it?”

Johnny just slid his hands across his face, in some attempt to relieve some of the tension in his body.

“I just feel like this is my fault,” he started, playing with your fingers as he talked, “I should’ve been here to prevent the attack.”

“It’s not your fault,” you whispered, “If anything, I feel like it’s mine. I’m just some helpless human girl that has no business being involved in any of this. You were just trying to make sure I was ok.”

“Yeah but that was for completely selfish reasons,” he groaned, “and to be honest I’m feeling kinda guilty because I think I’d still make the same decision.”

“Can I ask why?” you spoke quietly, meeting his eyes, “Why are you so set on protecting me?”

“I can’t tell you that yet,” he said simply, looking away from you. The two of you sat in silence for a few moments after that, the air heavy around you as you thought.

“When can I go back?”

Johnny looked over to you, and you could tell by the look in his eyes that you weren’t going back anytime soon.

“It’s just safer for you to be here,” Johnny said, looking down at the hand that was intertwined with yours, “and now that Jaehyun has...transitions to make it’s important you’re around as many people who can protect you as you can.”

The two of you jumped slightly as a loud knock rang out on your door.

“It’s Jaehyun,” Johnny said, pressing a kiss to your temple, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

You watched as his form disappeared with a snap, the space where he had been sitting next to you, now empty. You got up as another knock sounded at the door.

As soon as you threw the door up Jaehyun was hugging you, his shoulders shaking as he whimpered. You immediately hugged him back, pulling him into your room and out of the hallway.

He was almost choking on his sobs, and you patiently held him until he calmed down.

“M sorry,” he hiccuped, “It’s just, you’re the only one I can show my weaknesses too.”

“Don’t apologize,” you said, rubbing his back as he still clung to you.

“I don’t even want to be King,” he whispered, “I never have. I used to think that it would be a long time before it would happen, and I- I just thought I had more time. I’m not going to be any good at it.”

“Jaehyun you’ll be a fine king.”

“I’m not ready,” he whispered, “Everyone thinks I’m this perfect prince, ready for anything but they have no idea.”

You ran your fingers through his hair, his breathing regulating. He sniffled as he pulled away from you. His shy smile, teary eyes and flushed cheeks enough to have your heart racing.

“Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?” he asked, “I just don’t think I can bear sleeping alone tonight.”

“Of course,” you smiled back, wiping the tears from his eyes before you both began getting ready for bed.

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the-witty-pen-name · 3 years

Text

It Happened on Sakaar Pt. 1

Mando x F!Reader; Loki x F!Reader

Rating: M; 18+ Only

Warnings: swearing, mentions of drugs, alcohol, and exotic dancers, grieving, angst, slow burn

Word Count: 3.1k

Summary: The bounty hunter’s most recent puck sends him across the Galaxy to an unfamiliar and artificial planet named Sakaar- literally the galaxy’s trash can. Sakaar is a bizarre planet, but so is his most recent bounty. Din is chasing a man he only knows as The God of Mischief. The reader lives on Sakaar as a scrapper, a similar trade to that of a bounty hunter and has a tangled history with the man Mando is looking for. Will the unlikely duo team up to capture the mischievous Asgardian or will the reader fall victim to Loki’s promises?

A/N: I had planned on writing this in a few days but as per usual I put off coursework to write this fic! So here it is a couple of days early. I am also working on the next chapter of Deadbeat as well as Rest so look out for both of those within the next couple of days! I also am working on an adorable Obi-Wan x Reader request I received a few days ago that will be coming soon as well!

This is unedited and if I missed anything that I should include as a warning please let me know! Thank you y’all!

Tags and Requests are OPEN

He promised.

And you were foolish enough to believe him.

You were foolish to think you were different.

You were foolish to think you really got to know the real him.

You were foolish to think that everything he told you was real.

You were foolish to think that when he told you he loved you he meant it.

You were foolish to think he’d come back.

You, a warrior, a fighter, defender of the throne of Asgard, lied helpless on the ground, broken in pieces as you’re told by Odin that Loki was gone.

And he was dead.

You mourned him.

The ache never going away, day after day, that stupid statue just another thing to remind you that he was gone.

He wasn’t coming back.

Until he did.

And you realized how much of a fool you were.

And you realized everything you thought you knew was a lie.

So you left.

You left with the promise you made to yourself that you would never return to Asgard.

In your rage, you were blinded when you demanded Skurge open the bifrost and send you to the furthest planet from your homeland.

The thought crosses your mind that if it had been Heimdall, he wouldn’t have let you go, talked you into reason and asked you to stay.

If it had been Heimdall, Thor would’ve caught up to you in time instead of just missing you when you left.

You didn’t know where you were going and you didn’t care. Your only thought was to put as much distance from yourself and Asgard as possible. You landed in a gross pile of debris when you first arrived, and from there worked your way up to one of the favorites of the Grandmaster- you were dubbed Scrapper 451 and second in most captures to Scrapper 142. Time works odd in space, you’d been there for three years- completely developed a new life under your new alias.

You’d bring in life form after life form to the Grandmaster, always pleasing him by bringing him potential fighters.

You worked alone, you preferred it. The only friend you had was Scrapper 142 and that was hardly a friendship- more just a rivalry you both had your fun with. There was a mutual respect, and a feeling about her you couldn’t explain, but that was it.

When you met Mando, you almost killed him. You had heard a tip from a local shop owner a ship had landed rather roughly, and you made haste to be the first one to investigate, determined to beat 142 if there was a capture worth making.

Carefully navigating your way through the wasteland, you had finally found the ship in question. It was a model you had never seen before. You stay crouched behind a pile of trash, your stun gun aimed at the ship waiting for it to open.

You stopped and lowered your weapon when you saw the armored passenger had a very small creature by his side. A baby.

You hadn’t seen a baby on this planet since you’d landed. Sure, people have children, but you had never seen anyone bring their child to Sakaar. All the children whom you’ve met, had been born there- no one with a child willingly travels to this part of the Galaxy.

A metal man and a green baby. You scoffed. What an interesting duo.

You took in the appearance of the armored man. Sakaar had a very basic premise that determined your survival. Are you a fighter or are you food? This one was very clearly a fighter. Not necessarily one that you think could be a gladiator- not the right type. But you could tell by the way he walked out of the ship, he was a force to be reckoned with. The baby was really throwing you off of your game. You could have this man halfway back to the Grandmaster by now if he wasn’t traveling with a kid. Sakaar has not yet made you completely heartless, as much as you tried to be. You decide to compromise your position, in a hope of being able to just talk. Learn why he’s here.

No one comes to Sakaar. It’s never on purpose. Lost souls are dumped here. Yet, this man seemed like he was the only creature to intentionally travel to Sakaar like he was just passing through. If you couldn’t bring him in, maybe you could at least salvage parts from the ship.

“What’s your business here?” You ask, from behind the pile where you hid. You could see him but he could not see you. You watch as his first move is to close the floating pram, protecting his child first as he desperately looked around for the source of the voice.

“I’m passing through,” he replies, looking around at his surroundings.

“Nobody just passes through,” you reply. “No one comes here on their own accord. No one leaves once they arrive. What is your business?”

“I’m looking for someone,” he says nondescriptly, further irritating you. You stand up, slowly, your gun still pointed at the man as you walk closer.

“Who?”

“Bounty”

“You’re a bounty hunter?”

“No, I came here for vacation.”

“Don’t be a smart ass.”

“Don’t ask stupid questions.”

“Who are you here for?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t know.”

“What kind of bounty hunter are you?”

“One of the best.”

“Oh really?”

“Don’t test me, Princess.”

“If I’m a princess what are you?”

“Knight in shining armor?”

“Are you really hitting on me right now?”

“Only if you’d want me to be.”

“Gods.”

You can’t see his face from under his helmet but you could feel the smirk he was making. He clearly didn’t view you as a threat and it really annoyed you. Maybe you came off too friendly? No, you’re still pointing a gun to his head.

“Who are you?” He asked.

“Scrapper 451,” you said blankly. “Who are you?”

“You can call me Mando.”

“Mando?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of a name is that?”

“What kind of a name is Scrapper 451?”

“It’s a title.”

“Not going to tell me your real name?”

“Are you gonna tell me yours?”

“How-?”

“I’m not stupid.”

“What’s a scrapper do anyways?”

“Bring mouthy tin men in in exchange for a generous amount.”

“You’re a bounty hunter?”

“You could say that?”

“Are you going to turn me in?”

“That was my plan.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“The baby.”

“Slave catcher with a heart of gold?”

“I’ll get that on my tombstone.”

“Sooner rather than later I hope.”

“Ouch. Mando, I thought we were friends.”

“You know I didn’t mean it, Princess.”

“Who are you here for?”

“Someone who calls themselves the God of Mischief.”

You freeze, and you lower your weapon. You’re stunned. You hadn’t heard that title in years, and although you never forgot about it, you were great at pushing it back so far away where you couldn’t access it. The man is able to read your body language and can tell you know the man he’s looking for.

“He’s not here,” you finally manage to say, your knuckles turning white at how tightly you grip your blaster.

“He is here,” he says slowly, pulling out a bounty puck. Clear as day, Loki’s face shows up on the holographic screen. Your stomach churns.

“He’s not here,” you insist. “If he was, I wouldn’t be here. Trust me.”

“So, you know him?”

“Not at all.”

“Really?”

“Really,” you take a few steps backwards to walk away. “I wouldn’t stay on this planet long if I were you. Sakaar has a way of just pulling you in.”

“I think I can manage.”

“Get lodging,” you advise with a smile, “the next person who finds you out here won’t be as nice as me.”

With that you left, leaving the Mandolorian dumb struck. What was this planet?

Mando knew well enough to take your advice. With the Crest secured, he and the Child made a journey into the city.

Your words lingered in his mind. He knew you had information about the bounty you were withholding. He needed to run into you again. He reasoned with himself it was for the sake of catching the bounty, but part of him also wanted to see you again. He just wouldn’t admit it.

He found a place where he could get a room. An elaborate casino, with ornate decorations and loud music playing constantly. A large bar and lounge also attached. He received his room key and ignored the festivities that occurred in the bustling establishment- his first order of business to make sure the Child was settled and would be safe in the room. He regrets his decision to not ask Peli to watch him, but he knew he’d be distracted being so far away.

He figured he was far enough across the galaxy; he wouldn’t need to worry about those after his own bounty or the child’s. But he realizes that he forgot about needing a sitter. If he absolutely needed to, he could bring the child with him, but that was not ideal. Especially, since gauging your reaction at the mention of his new bounty, this didn’t seem like it would be any easy task. He sat down on the bed in the middle of the room, and pulled out the puck- reading over what little information he had.

He needed to find you again and desperately needed any information you’d be willing to share.

You were worried. There was no way Loki was here. You knew he wouldn’t have come for you, even if you thought about it when you first arrived. You thought if anyone would come after you, it would’ve been Thor, convincing you to return to Asgard and cleaning up another one of his brother’s messes. It hurt when no one from home reached out once in the last three years. However, you decided you were better off because if Thor had convinced you to return home, you’d have to face Loki again, and you were adamant on keeping your word you would not see him again.

***

His funeral was devastating. Although many on Asgard did not care much for Loki or his antics, the throne had lost a prince. It was a dark day. Weather on Asgard usually always seemed to be perfect, but on the day of Loki’s services, the God of Thunder was so distraught, he was unintentionally causing a gray and gloomy sky. Thor and you were affected the most.

You stood next to Thor as Odin spoke, but your gaze stayed fixated on the ground. It felt so unfair and you felt an indescribable amount of pain and loss. Your face was stained with tears, as was Thor’s, and you felt like you had just cried until you were physically unable to do so. He was gone and you couldn’t get him back.

Odin watched you solemnly throughout the services. He had told you that he knew how much his son loved you and how despite his absence, you are still considered family. He insisted you had an open invitation to be at the castle whenever you wanted. You could only nod and offer a very, very meek thank you.

You took advantage of that offer, and honestly, you knew you were overstaying your welcome under the palace walls. You found yourself coming, and spending the days in his room, trying to just feel him in anyway you could. You’d run your hands across the broken spines of his books, look at the kingdom from the view of his window, laying on the bed over the elaborate bedding to just try to feel him. You didn’t even know what you were hoping to feel, but you somehow thought this would help you be closer to him.

At events on Asgard, you continued to wear green, almost like your own twist instead of just the traditional black of mourning. It felt right to wear green in his memory, but it was nothing more than just another attempt to pretend like he was there.

You could imagine how he would react to seeing you wearing his signature color. When he was there, he looked at you like you were the only living soul in the room that mattered. He’d shower you were touches of affection and whisper nothing but praises to you, making you think he had actually loved you. This was back before you knew how foolish you had been, blinded by your own puppy love and your affections towards him.

***

You now sat in the lavish home of the Grandmaster. He always had hundreds of people in his home, a constant party, a group made up of Sakaar’s elite being entertained by drinking, drugs, or entertainment of sorts from his um… staff. Drink in hand, you sat cross legged on an elaborate circular couch lost in thought while a dancer performed on a table in front of the group you sat amongst. You didn’t even look up- you hated this part of earning the Grandmaster’s favor. You hated these parties with your whole being. They were hedonistic and you would avoid them if you had the choice. However, you knew the Grandmaster would take offense if you were not in attendance.

Music was loud, and there were many flashing lights. You couldn’t rely on any of your senses to navigate in a place like this, but that was intentional. The Grandmaster set this up on purpose. His parties were meant to be a completely immersive experience. It was probably great for those who wanted to be there, but for you, you wanted to escape and slip out as early as you could.

You weren’t interested in the company and you weren’t interested in the weird substances you didn’t recognize being passed around. You didn’t want to relax, and honestly, these attempts to relax always seemed to make you feel worse. Being sober at these events was invitation for horrible eye strain and a hefty headache.

“451! 451!” you heard a familiar voice call over the loud music in a sing song voice. It was the Grandmaster. He would be the only person at this party who would actually be looking for you.

“Grandmaster,” you smile, getting up and walking over to him. You kiss both his cheeks quickly as a greeting. “You look radiant,” you smile, the compliment going right to his head as they usually did.

“451! Look at you, let me see the ensemble,” he would say, talking a step back, and you would twirl once. It was a long golden dress that draped your body, with a plunging neckline. It was paired with golden arm bands and an elaborate gold necklace. You also had gold flakes throughout your hair. “Stunning,” he praised, “I wish 142 would be more involved like you 451- she’s the best, but ugh, she doesn’t know when to relax. Anyways, I called you over to meet a new friend of mine.”

“Are you replacing me, Grandmaster?” You say with a tone of mocked offense and it makes him laugh.

“451, there is no replacing you- you are the three B’s,” he chuckled, lightly guiding you over to another area of the party. “beauty, brawn and brains, a very rare combination indeed.”

“You flatter me, Grandmaster,” you laugh. If you went along with him to keep him happy, the Grandmaster was actually a pleasant creature to interact with. You had the ability to match his banter and he liked that about you.

“Anyways, anyways 451,” he says, as he remembers his train of thought, “I want to introduce you to someone. He’s devilishly handsome and talks like some stuffy aristocrat, he arrived here a couple of weeks ago and I was finally able to convince him to join us.”

“Did he say where he was from?” you ask curiously.

“Get this,” he chuckles, “Ass-guard. What a hoot, am I right? Anyways, there he is. We got to get whatever stick is out of his butt. I’m hoping you’ll help me to uh, loosen him up. Loki! I want you to meet one of my best, 451.”

Based on the look of surprise, you knew he didn’t expect you to be here. He looked like a deer in the headlights and it angered you that he was here. You felt your teeth clench, and you wanted to just get out of here as fast as possible.

“451 is one of the best scrappers I have,” the Grandmaster talks, “Of course, nothing compares to my Champion but she is ruthless. She’s second in the most gladiators she has been able to bring me.”

“Impressive,” Loki smiles, and you feel the urge to just scream. “I’m Loki, prince of Asgard.”

What an asshole.

“It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, Your Majesty,” you say between your teeth. You could kill him.

“I’m gonna mingle,” the Grandmaster announces, “I’m leaving you in 451’s hands.”

“Please let me explain,” he immediately tries to say as soon as the Grandmaster is out of earshot. You scoff.

“I’d tell you to drop dead if you hadn’t already,” you spit, “Don’t talk to me. I want nothing to do with you. Get off this planet.”

“Please, just allow me,” he begins.

“Fuck off, Loki,” you snap, and make a fast exit. You leave him standing there bewildered and you watch how stunned he looks as the elevator door closes behind you.

You felt small again. Like all the progress you had made gone in a single instance, and you knew tomorrow you’d face the Grandmaster but for now you didn’t care. You craved a warm bed and sleep more than anything else in the world.

You had planned on staying here so you didn’t know how you were going to make it back to your little apartment. You assumed just walk. You weren’t armed and that was always a terrible idea on Sakaar. You didn’t have anything except a dagger that was fixed to your thigh under the dress you wore. You wished you had your blaster.

“You clean up nice, Princess,” a voice modulated voice you recognize says when the elevator door opens.

“Mando,” you say curtly, stepping out of the elevator.

“You clean up nice,” he states.

“Thank you,” you reply.

“Leaving the party so soon?” He asks. You nod.

“Not really my scene. What are you doing here anyways?” you ask, crossing your arms over your chest for a little bit of warmth.

“I received a tip that my target might be here,” he answers, you nod, not elaborating on that you knew for a fact Loki was upstairs. “Did you see him?”

“No, I didn’t.”

PART TWO

Taglist:

@msclifford

66 notes · View notes

realityhelixcreates · 3 years

Text

Lasabrjotr Chapter 79: The Rites of Blood and Knowledge

Chapters: 79/?

Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe

Rating: pg 13(Blood)

Relationships: Loki x Reader

Characters: Loki (Marvel),Thor(Marvel) Wanda Maximoff, vision, Bruce Banner

Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending (Canon-Divergent), Party Time, In Reference To Blood Mixing Mentioned In The Eddas

Summary: The great ceremonies begin.

The dreams were powerful that night, whisking you off to far away places, off to the increasingly familiar form of the gargantuan space artist. There was a strange nostalgia out here that you were slowly coming to recognize as being not your own. How could it be? You had never physically been here, only visited in dreams.

With green and blue sparkling at your right and left, you drifted along in their orbit, yet another asteroid in a primordial star system.

First Wielder.

The concept filtered through your mind, trailing a warm and wistful longing behind it.

Peace. Eternity. Creation.

Before battle. Before separation. Before imprisonment.

Before all.

The star system was strange: every time you came here, the sun was a little different. A variable star, its brightness oscillating, it was still young and new.

There was only one planet in this system, located fairly close to the star. The presence of the colossal giant perturbed the asteroids and gas around the star, but their great mass prevented them from coalescing.

Comets formed in great numbers from the gas and ice beyond them, whizzing past them, inspiring new drawings. Asteroids clumped up against them; a brush of their great hand sent them flying, to collide into one another, to spin away from their unstable orbit, and join the comets on their cross-system journey, to crash into the singular planet.

The colossus watched with the patience of true immortality, as the planet burned and erupted, filled up with water, and clouds, and sky.

Thoughtfully, they regarded an asteroid they held in one hand, then, with their color-stained fingers, they began to draw.

The wistfulness and regret reached their peak, and you woke up in the empty bathtub, with a thought ringing in your head.

The Wielders always came to a bad end.

******

Loki was somewhat disgruntled to discover that you'd been having these dreams without him. He didn't scold, but his concern was clear. You described them in as much detail as you could, but, to your dismay, he didn't have any explanation for what you'd been seeing while you slept.

It would just have to remain a mystery. The upcoming day was going to be far too busy to dwell on it.

Both you and Loki had dressed in your absolute finest, your armor polished bright, your skirt covered in embroidery, your chest and neck festooned in beads of carved gold and pearl. You still felt a little bit like you were so buried in finery that you became invisible, but you tried to carry it with pride. All of this had been put together especially for you, and that hard work deserved to be shown off.

Loki was so magnificent in his fur-trimmed cloak, and elaborate helmet, you had to firmly tell yourself not to spend the whole day just staring at him all moon-eyed.

Maybe just a few hours.

Today, the Second Feast, was really the main event, as far as this Buridag was concerned. At noon, you would participate in the Blood Taking ceremony, wherin you would 'mingle blood' with the royal brothers, in order to be formally adopted into Asgardian high society. This would cement your status as high enough to advise Loki as one of the most important members of his personal entourage. And before the evening feast, you would perform the ritual that would confirm you as an official Seidkona.

But before that, you would have the time to run around and enjoy the festival.

It was set up like a combination job fair and reenactment fest. Stalls lined the streets and filled courtyards, peopled by the crafters of Asgard. Smiths, armorers, and carpenters, goldsmiths, lapidaries, scrimshanders, and glassblowers. Weavers, spinners, leatherworkers, and dyemakers, artists, musicians, chefs, academics, mages, stonemasons, construction workers, scribes, dancers, and cheesemongers. All the sights, and sounds, and scents, and flavors that made up Asgard were being demonstrated and celebrated.

Your Father and Tara joined you in the streets, and Loki reluctantly released you into their care, having some preparation left to do.

Tara, flouncing around in an apron dress and domed brooches very much like your usual style, gushed over how beautiful you looked, and your father, rather sheepishly dressed in an Asgardian greatcoat and cowl, agreed openly.

“You look like a princess.” he said. “A real one. You...You walk different now. Talk different. You look so strong.”

“Is it me, or are all these people following us?” Tara asked, not very quietly. A few chagrined people in the crowd that flowed in your wake down the street peeled away, and wandered in different directions. The rest either had less shame, or had orders to keep watch over you.

You spared the group a glance. There appeared to be a solid mix of Asgardians and humans, several of which had their phones out. You surmised there would be a new wave of photos of you on the internet over the next few days.

“Keep your cowl up dad.” You advised.

“Want me to run them off?” he offered.

“Nah. I don't really mind if they take pictures of me. Can't really hurt anything.”

“Wasn't so great last time.” Tara pointed out. “I spent a lot of time stanning for you.”

“Well, last time was sensationalized bullcrap. This time is a nice festival. I mean, check out that guy!”

That Guy was a glassblower in his stall, spinning a huge, bubble thin amphora of rose pink glass. You had seen its like before, but never seen one made.

“Oh, they age crystal mead in those! The pink lets in the right wavelengths of light that give it it's shimmering quality.”

“What's crystal mead?” your father asked.

“Don't try more than a few sips, if anyone offers.” you warned. “Asgardians have iron guts. Their booze is way too strong.”

“Yeah, they warned us about that on the plane.” Tara said. “And yesterday, it looked like they had everything divided up by species, so no one got the wrong thing.”

You took them around to various demonstrations: spinners spinning yarn, brewers preparing several of Asgards many alcoholic beverages, apothecaries showing how basic medicines were made, a cobbler putting together a nice pair of boots.

“So, Asgard's really advanced, right?” Tara asked. “Why is everything like Ye Olden Times?”

“Asgard's never had that big a population, even at it height. There just isn't that much demand for mass production. Most things are bespoke, or self-made. Quality depends entirely on the maker, so that, of course, becomes a competition. And that, in turn, becomes a matter of cultural pride. Also, they have thousands of years to get good at what they do, so Asgardian made goods are super high quality, and they judge personal worth by that. I don't think they'll ever automate; it would go against a lot of what they stand for.”

You snagged the three of you a traditional Asgardian snack; fat sausages, wrapped in savory pastry. You thought it might be good to have something else in your stomach before the first ceremony.

Tara called them Asgardian corn dogs, which you couldn't wait to share with Loki, if only to watch his nose wrinkle with disdain over the undignified term.

“So when do we have to let you go?” Tara asked.

You checked your phone for the time, stuffing the last of your sausage into your mouth.

“Eh, I've got a few minutes left. Better start heading over though.”

Your winding path through the courtyards took you past minstrels, impromptu dances, and games, to a large, tall dais that had been put together as a temporary mirror to the throne room. It towered over the City Hall courtyard like a ziggurat. You'd be up there soon enough, but currently...

“Who's that?” your father asked, pointing at a man standing at the top. “Doesn't look like Thor.”

You squinted up at the figure, his bright armor shining in the rarefied sunlight.

“Ah, That's Heimdall. He's the Guardian of Asgard, and god of...uh, sight? I think? Vigilance? It's not quite that neat and simple, you know? The whole 'God Of' thing is a bit more complicated than that.”

“So that's a god?” your father asked. “How can you tell? Are they all gods? What does that even mean?”

“All good questions. Mostly because they are very hard to answer.”

Your father and Tara jerked at the sudden new voice, and, not for the first time, you found yourself amazed at how easily a man of the sheer size and importance as the king of Asgard could sneak up on people.

“Your Majesty.” you said calmly, inclining your head. Your father and Tara dipped into awkward bows, a little awed by the mythical figure before them. Thor didn't necessarily demand obeisance, but he didn't exactly discourage it either; he let people act as they felt appropriate.

“Not every Asgardian is a god.” Thor explained. “Those that are go by the term 'Aesir', a common name through most of the realms for beings of that type. You are born Aesir; you cannot become one by outside influences. However, Aesir nature doesn't always become apparent at birth, it often doesn't manifest until adolescence. As for what it means to be Aesir...that doesn't have so straightforward an answer. I leave it to the philosophers, who, incidentally, are in booth seventy-eight.

Anyway, I have come to collect your daughter for the ceremony. There isn't much time left, so we'd all better get in place. If you go through those two poles there right now, you can get very good seats.”

“This could get a bit weird.” You warned. “It's a ceremony more ancient than any recorded human practices, so it's probably going to seem archaic.”

“Oh, it's not so bad.” Thor said. “It's been updated and refined over all those years. For instance, everyone remains clothed now, and there are at least seventy percent fewer entrails used.”

Your father coughed, and you rolled your eyes. Thor's sense of humor was difficult for you to understand, considering how serious he was about everything. The thing about Thor's jokes was that he might have been joking about something that had really happened, or he might have been joking about something he'd completely made up, but he would never specify which.

“On that note, I've got to go.” you said. “Entrails to sort, and all that.”

Your father coughed again, Tara patting him compassionately on the back.

“Good luck!” she called to your receding back.

******

“Now, you've been fully briefed on what will happen during this ceremony, correct?” Thor asked, as the two of you loitered near the back stairs of the temporary dais. People were filtering in to seats and standing room around the courtyard, waiting for things to start.

“I think so.” you said. “If I've got this right, there's going to be a special dance-”

“The Alignment of the Celestial and Worldly bodies, yes.” Thor said. “It symbolizes everything that must come together to bring the 'adoptee' to the greater 'family'. In this case, it will tell the story of how you came here to join our family.”

A soft warmth crept up your neck, and heated your ears beneath your helmet. You knew it was all socio-symbolism, but the notion of 'joining the family' hit differently now that you were on intimate terms with Loki.

“And then all the braziers will have some kind of incense thrown in, and in the smoke, we'll all go up the stairs like we're magically appearing. Honestly, it sounds like it'll look really cool.”

“All ceremonies contain a bit of theatrics.” Thor agreed. “Perhaps that is the most important part. Or that's the part that makes it important. I wish we still had some of the traditional ceremonial incense, but we just don't have access to the materials anymore. You would have liked it; it was much more floral than most of what you have here. We did manage to get some lavender though. That should be nice.”

“Maybe one day, when the Bifrost is more stable.” You said. It did sound very nice. “Loki said that you, and he, and Heimdall will sing a blessing song?”

“Yes, a divine blessing from a trio of Aesir. It's got to be three. And then...”

“Yeah. And then.” Loki had told you about the bloodletting. He had been very frank about it. “I know. I'm nervous, but not afraid.”

Thor nodded. “Sometimes there are unforeseen effects, but never anything bad. You'll be perfectly safe.”

“I know. The nervousness just comes from knowing it'll hurt. Even if just for a short time.”

You buckled under Thor's hand when it came down on your shoulder, enveloping the whole thing.

“Loki would rather slice out his own guts than draw your blood, trust me. He's been trying to figure out how to get around it for weeks. Unfortunately, the blood is the most important part of the magic. It carries all of the power. It's very old magic: according to him, this is practically the only part of the ritual that has remained unchanged from the beginning.”

“Did there really used to be entrails and naked people, or was that a joke?”

“Ehhh, well, yes and no. This ceremony originated with the Vanir, and they are not opposed to nakedness under certain circumstances. In this case, everyone who attended was expected to leave the clothes they came in at the door, and wear a special loincloth instead. This was actually to prevent violence, by barring hidden weaponry from being brought to ceremony grounds. So rather than pure nudity, everyone was dressed as scantily as was possible.

As for entrails...unfortunately yes, that was also a part of it. A seer would perform a divination using the entrails of a slaughtered animal. That practice was going out of fashion, even before the war, and I don't think anyone today even remembers how it was done.”

You shuddered. Yes, it was a different culture, and a long time ago, but it still grossed you out.

“I'll have to remember to thank Loki for trying to get me out of it, even if he wasn't successful.” You said. He really did put in a lot of effort behind the scenes. If only he were more open about some of that effort, so you could appreciate it more.

“He was adamant about the bull.” Thor said. “Demanded a private ritual the night before. Put your helmet up on the pillar, then sacrificed and butchered the beast himself. Insisted on it. Did our ancestors proud, but you know he knows his way around a knife.”

“I wish he'd told me. I was really stressed about that whole thing. I'm glad, in the end, that he was thinking of me, but I really wish I'd known. I wouldn't have lost so much sleep!”

“It was a little last minute.” Thor admitted. “I approved it the instant he explained, but we had to do it pretty much immediately afterwards. He really should have told you, but I fear my brother is usually more invested in the making of plans, rather than what to do once they come to fruition. I feel you will be a positive influence on him, though.”

Even though he was wearing his eyepatch, rather than the mismatched prosthetic, his one blue eye was open and sincere.

“I think so too.” you said. You already were influencing each other. It was impossible to live so close, to sleep in the same bed, without doing so. But Loki did have a bad habit of assuming things, a by-product of his upbringing as a leader, you supposed. You would simply have to speak up more.

Perhaps you had gotten too comfortable. But perhaps you wanted to be too comfortable. It might be a holdover from your year of struggle, but having someone who wanted to do so much for you was very tempting. You knew it would be better to strive for a balance, but you also knew that, unless Loki somehow diminished himself severely, the two of you would never truly be equals.

But you admired that greatness, and somehow, those all too common flaws in him made him easier for you to love. They made him so real.

An ambling drum beat started up, accompanied by the brassy ting of zills, and a flute. Loki joined you and Thor in peeking out around the dais, just as a group of dancers spread out around the courtyard.

You'd been told that the dancers represented personages from history and legend. You were pretty sure that the three women who orbited the dance stage equidistant from one another must be the Norns, and you assumed the cluster of people standing beneath a glittering tree branch and clanging their zills were probably meant to be the ancestors of the royal family.

The dance told a story of a woman dressed like you, and a man dressed like Loki, wearing silver bells at their wrists and ankles that jingled with every step. They made everything look so much more graceful and sensual than it really had been: Holding hands like the rune branding had been on purpose, dancing circles with each other, like everything had been friendly and not at all awkward from the very beginning. How elegantly 'you' swooned into 'his' arms, while the assassin was caught. How triumphantly 'you' defended 'him' against the Huldra. And how beautifully 'he' clasped 'you' in a romantic, yet properly chaste embrace.

There was none of the blood, none of the fear, or anger, or petulance, or confusion. No loss, or loneliness, or uncertainty.

But that was how it worked, wasn't it? None of those things could be shown to the general public. This was ceremony. This was spectacle! This was what would be remembered.

The pair danced away, out of sight, the ancestors retreated, and the Norns raised their arms in unison. All around the courtyard, attendants dumped incense into the torches and braziers, sending thick smoke and mysterious perfume wafting over the entire area.

“Show's on, darling.” Loki said, grasping your shoulders, and leading you up the stairs. A new wave of anxiety washed over you as you rose above the sweet smelling clouds like a legend. Heimdall stepped aside to let you pass, Loki and Thor leading you right up to the edge of the elevated platform, where waited a podium, upon which rested a brass bowl. An unfamiliar rune was stamped on its bottom. So that was where the magic would happen.

Thor held his hand out over an unlit brazier just in front of the podium and concentrated. Scarcely a moment later sparks danced between his fingers and jumped to ignite the fuel. The light illuminated the clouds of incense, obscuring the audience. Cut off thus from every other person out there, you didn't flinch as the trio of gods each placed a hand on you, and began to sing.

You couldn't help but wonder if they had done this before. It was a complex song, with rising and falling harmonies, parts layered over one another, something that couldn't have been easy to learn. As their voices dipped and flowed, you felt the power rising, just like out in the camp, months ago. Why could you sense divine power? Was it because of your magic? Was there anyone out in the crowd that could feel it too?

Thor's good eye had begun to sparkle with crackling white energy, the power of the blessing he was singing into you. You assumed Heimdall, behind you, was lighting up orange, and when you turned your head to glance at Loki, you were suffused with the gentle glow of the blue light from your dreams.

All of the anxiety drained out of you at the touch of that light, your arms dropping to your sides as relaxation took over.

Everything was all right. Loki was right beside you. Thor and Heimdall were with you, their voices reverberating through you, their blessing upon you. The rare winter sun filtered down over you like a blanket, as the last notes of the Aesir's song filled your head.

Loki gently took your hand, gazing earnestly into your face as the calming light faded from his eyes.

“Forgive me, my love.” he whispered.

A sudden, painful jab, ripped you out of your cocoon of sunny calm. With a sharp cry, you turned to stare at your fingertip, pierced deeply by the tip of one of Loki's knives.

Loki held your hand over the brass bowl, letting the blood drip, enough to cover the rune at the bottom. Then he tenderly bandaged the tiny wound, lines of regret around his eyes. Thor held his hand out for a slash, and then Loki turned the blade on himself. Blood slowly filled the little bowl, as a light throbbing started in your head. Every drop that rippled its surface was like a giant heartbeat within you.

Once it was full, Thor and Loki began singing again, lifting the small bowl between them. They held it up to the sun, and then poured it onto the burning brazier. The fire sputtered, sizzling, sending a huge cloud of smoke directly into your face. You gagged on the scent of burning blood, practically bathed in it, a layer of death-scent on your skin. The song cut through it, thrumming in your ears, an echoing promise of cherishment and fidelity.

The blood burned down into nothing, the smoke slowly clearing. All of the people in the courtyard came back into view, the upturned faces solemn. The dancers below picked up the chorus.

And you understood them.

Loki took your hand and lifted it up, flourishing to the crowd. They cheered, while you stood there, stunned. You understood what they were saying, their enthusiastic calls, their songs. The blood smell lingered in your nose, the throbbing swiftly receding from your head.

He led you to the stairs down as you wobbled, but you never made it all the way down. Dizziness overcame you, and you collapsed into Loki's arms.

#lasabrjotr #loki (marvel)#loki x reader

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epiphany-of-a-madwoman · 3 years

Text

The Last Dragon | The Witcher & Game of Thrones

Chapter 13 | Tearful Goodbyes

Pairing: Geralt x Targaryen!OC

Summary: Visenya Targaryen is the eldest and only surviving child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. When Robert Baratheon’s rebellion was won, instead of being slaughtered by the Mountain like her mother and siblings, she was saved by Ned Stark and taken as his ward. Years later, after the events of the Red Wedding, she wakes up outside Blaviken. Now she finds her destiny intertwined with the White Wolf on her quest to go back home.

Word Count: 5200

Note: Click here to read the previous chapters ♡ Let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future uploads!

*Gasp* Could this be? Me posting another chapter after only two weeks?? Impossible! I promise this is the last chapter that is heavily filled with angst, at least for a while! I can't help it, Vis is a very sad bean who keeps all her feelings in a bottle, and then she'll die. I just-- I need the build-up man! The character development man! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, let me know what you think, I love reading all your comments and theories! <3

The cool air of night is a stark contrast to the heat inside of Visenya, which grew hotter as the chaos during the banquet did. But now that peace is restored, standing under the night sky lit up by glittering stars, she feels that heat simmer down until it's a comforting warmth. The northern wind is biting, but she welcomes the feeling, the cold reminding her of the North - of home. The cold that would chill her to the bone, leaving her with chattering teeth and icy hands that always seemed miserable is something she longs for; a semblance of normalcy. She inhales and then exhales, watching with child-like wonder as her breath becomes visible in the cold temperatures. So enraptured by the weather, she nearly forgets she isn't alone, and that Geralt is a few steps ahead of her now, watching her with curious eyes. Yet it's Jaskier's voice that pulls her from her stupor.

"So this is it?"

Visenya turns around, gold eyes wide with her lips set in a thin line. Jaskier is standing at the entrance of the castle, the noblewoman previously with him nowhere to be seen. He's disheveled and so unlike the normally prim and proper Jaskier she's accustomed to, his floppy brown hair windblown and sticking up in random directions. His clothes are wrinkled in odd places, ripped here and there, but overall mostly intact. His eyes are wide, as they normally are, but they're glassier than she remembers them being, the stars betraying what seems to be held back tears.

"You don't have to leave, you know, just because the Countess de Stael has agreed to be my patron. I could still use my bodyguard," Jaskier says, smiling, but it's not carefree and easygoing, brimming with his usual mirth. Instead, it's tight and harsh, not quite reaching his eyes. His hands loosely rest in front of him, fingers nervously intertwining with each other.

Visenya smiles, mustering all her strength to appear every bit the soft and docile maiden from every fairytale, looking at him like she would've Bran and Rickon. She sighs, forming and reforming the words in her mind, trying to find the perfect thing to say. But each time she comes short, a harsh reminder she'll never be a good poet.

Instead, she opts to shrug her shoulders and move closer to the entrance, closing the distance between them. She's melancholic, feeling as if another chapter of her life is coming to an end. She and Jaskier traveled together for years, how could she not feel a hint of emotion when it seems like their travels are on hiatus - if not done entirely.

"Come on Jane, you in court, scaring away all the mean people who want to kill me, we'd make the best team!" Jaskier exclaims, trying - and failing - to have his usual enthusiasm behind the words. They fall flat, sounding more desperate and sad rather than upbeat and encouraging. Visenya sighs once more, the smile on her face requiring less concentration as Jaskier continues to ramble. Finally, she closes the distance between them. "I'll never leave you to your brooding when you want!"

"Whilst that does sound interesting, I'm afraid I wouldn't do well in court," Visenya says, reaching out and taking Jaskier's hand in her own.

"I disagree, My Lady," Jaskier says, pursing his lips and looking at the ground, pausing for a brief moment, allowing the wind to whistle between them. "But I understand."

"My place is out there, where I can stab things," Visenya says, raising her brows with a small smirk on her face.

"You could do that here you know? Not to sound like I'm trying to talk you out of your decision because I respect your choices and everything," Jaskier says, his enthusiasm gaining traction with each word. Visenya laughs, a small laugh that's nothing more than a whisper, but it's music to the ears of anyone who hears it.

"I could, but that would get me in trouble with the law," she responds, shaking her head, the smirk playing on her lips morphing back into a gentle smile.

"Right, I almost forgot about that," Jaskier mutters looking up towards the sky.

"Goodbye Jaskier. Though with my luck this isn't the end, I'll run into you sooner or later," Visenya says, a mischievous glint in her normally stoic gold eyes.

"Oh, I'm afraid you won't get rid of me so easily, my fair lady!" Jaskier exclaims, perking up slightly. "Goodbye, Jane. You and Geralt watch out for each other, alright! I won't have the two scariest people I know both dying, then who'll serve as my protection at high-class events!" Jaskier proclaims, some of his natural charisma returning, his blue eyes not nearly as glossy as moments prior.

"I'll do what I can." Visenya places her hand on Jaskier's shoulder, pulling his body towards her's, wrapping her other arm around his neck as she hugs him. Shocked, Jaskier is stiff for a moment, before melting like morning dew under the hot sun and wrapping his arms around her. He breathes in and then out, as Visenya does the same until their breathing is nearly perfectly synced up. She places her face in the crook of his neck, burning the moment in her mind, unwilling to ever forget this moment in case it's their last. She inhales his scent, committing it to memory; juniper and sage, sharp and warm and earthy all at once, with a hint of sweet wine and linseed oil.

"I'm sorry," she mutters, the words muffled against his neck, but Jaskier understands her none-the-less. "I'm sorry for earlier,"

Jaskier's hand moves from her back to the top of her head, soothingly rubbing it as Lady Catelyn used to when Visenya would run to her crying about one thing or another. It's comforting and familiar, nearly bringing Visenya to tears from the simple act.

"It's okay, you're complicated, I paid extra for my bodyguard to be dark and broody," Jaskier says, a slight sarcastic quirk in his tone at the end. "But promise me you won't isolate yourself any more than you already have. Talk to Geralt, he understands broody and dark."

"I'll keep it in mind," Visenya responds, slowly opening her eyes and unraveling from Jaskier. "Maybe I'll tell you all about how complicated I am next time we meet?" Visenya gives him one last smile, slowly stepping away, but not turning her gaze away from him.

"Oh, I'll hold you to that promise, missy!" Jaskier exclaims, wagging his finger at Visenya as if she is a child. Once again she laughs, louder this time, not as restrained as it normally is.

"I'm counting on it," Visenya replies, talking one last step, turning around to face Geralt, rushing towards him, eager to escape the emotions brimming inside her. Trying desperately to not think about how odd it is that she is walking away from Jaskier, the only constant in this crazy world since the day they met.

"Goodbye, you two! Now take care of each other, in every aspect, if you know what I mean!" Jaskier calls out, disappearing into the castle before either of them could retaliate.

She meets Geralt, who says nothing, he simply raises a brow at her, silently asking 'Are you sure?'

"My place isn't in court." Is all she says. Geralt grunts, nodding his head, a stoic expression on his face. "Let's go back to the inn, I need an ale and lots of sleep."

A smirk creeps onto Geralt's face, his eyes shining with amusement, illuminated by starlight. He quietly snorts, turning to face the gate leading out to the main portion of the city.

"I can agree with that." In nearly perfect unison they walk out of the castle grounds, Visenya easily keeping up with Geralt's long strides. They're quiet, the only sound is their feet pounding against the cobblestone road and the ambient noises of guards and nobles around them.

A particularly strong gust of wind blows through the courtyard causing a piece of Visenya's hair to blow in front of her eyes. She grabs a small chunk of hair, intently inspecting the grey-brown strands. With the silver light shining from the otherwise midnight sky, she can nearly see the silvery-golden hue hidden under cheap hair dye. Or maybe it's a trick of her eyes. She lets out a puff of hair, blowing the hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears to secure it in place.

"So a child," Visenya says, no inflection in her words as she continues to stare straight ahead. Geralt's steps falter for a brief second before he quickly regains his footing. He sighs, heavily, somehow managing to put in all his frustration and annoyance in one simple noise.

"I don't want to talk about it Jane," he says. His tone is stern as if he's talking to an unruly child. It reminds her of when she, Jon, Robb, and Theon were the terrors of Winterfell, in the days before they grew up and the world became dark. She can't help the faint smile that appears on her face, her gold eyes lighting up like the sun, but not nearly as bright as the summer sun in the South. It's more like the North, where the heavy fog and thick clouds obscure most of the sunlight, muffling the harshest parts of the rays and bathing everything in dim light.

"I know, but not talking about isn't going to make this go away," she says, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He's clenching his jaw, veins on his neck slightly popping out. His lips are set in a thin line with eyes like stone.

"There's nothing to run away from," he says. Visenya stops, turning to face Geralt, reaching her hand out and grabbing his shoulder, stopping him in his place and turning him to face her.

"Geralt," she says, her voice serious and stern. "This isn't a joke. This isn't making a bargain with someone in a seedy part of town and running away before they can collect their prize. This is serious."

"I didn't take you as one to think destiny is real." Geralt says, raising a single brow at Visenya.

"We all need something to cling to," she responds, not breaking from his gaze.

"And what do you believe?" Geralt asks.

"That...everything happens for a reason; that there's a purpose behind every tragedy and triumph that we experience - both great and insignificant," Visenya says, keeping her voice low enough that any nosy passers-by won't hear their exchange.

"This isn't some divine plan; this was just a princess using her magic to get her way, destiny has nothing to do with a girl who has no idea how to control her powers," Geralt says, standing firm on his stance. Strong and stubborn; he would've done well in Winterfell amongst the Northern lords.

"Oh cut the shit Geralt, do you honestly have to be so fucking pragmatic that you can't believe in something if you can't see it with your own eyes," Visenay says, keeping her voice low enough as to not attract any more attention towards them. Whilst the crowds are thinning with each moment that passes, even one person seeing their argument is too many.

"I thought you were more intelligent than this, clearly I was mistaken" Geralt responds, taking a step towards Visenya. His eyes glow bright yellow like the fire burning inside of her. Geralt's fire collides with Visenya's ice. He's egging it on, he wants a fight, she realizes. For her to get so angry she yells and screams at him. Why he is, she's not sure.

"Do you have to be such an asshole, Geralt of Rivia? You have no right to insult my intelligence by being so patronizing, I'm not a child, don't treat me as such," Visenya says, spitting the words like they are venom. She steps closer to him, close enough that she can feel his breath and hear his heartbeat.

"Well, it's either that, or you sustained a far worse injury in that fight than originally thought. How could you believe in this horseshit?" He won't stop, adding further fuel to the fire inside her; her pride rearing its ugly head and demanding she win the fight, no matter how petty and uncalled for it is.

Visenya narrows her eyes and clenches her jaw. Her hands form fists at the side of her body, her blood nearly starting to boil from her rage.

"How could I not, after everything that's happened," she says with a voice like ice, so cold that it burns. Her words are quiet, but they're sharp, stabbing into Geralt like sharpened icicles in a winter storm.

"What? What happened Jane? I'm supposed to believe in destiny just because you survived a rebellion?" Geralt asks, a mocking tone lacing his cruel and coarse words. He's not malicious in his intentions, it shines in his eyes, but the words are daggers to her heart none-the-less.

"Stop it," Visenya whispers, taking a step away from Geralt, but he just moves closer. "That's not fair and you know it."

"The gods don't care who lives or dies, why should they care about some child--" Geralt continues, but Visenya interrupts him, her quiet words silencing him.

"I died," she simply says. Geralt closes his mouth, his clenched jaw loosening. Visenya takes a sharp breath and then lets it out, watching as her breath dissipates into the cold air. Heart pounding with shaky hands, Visenya closes her eyes for a moment and then opens them before continuing.

"My family was betrayed and they killed us, butchered at a wedding like we were nothing but cattle. Next thing I know, I woke up outside of Blaviken with this-" Visenya says. Gold eyes dart around their surroundings, searching for any eavesdroppers. Luckily, the streets are nearly empty, the few people still scuttling around not paying them any mind. She holds out her hand, and focuses on...something, trying to recreate the feelings that would bubble under the surface before the fire made its presence known. Her eyes flutter shut, and within a second, a small flame flickers in the palm of her hand, the fire quickly dying out. But it's all she needs.

"Fire magic," Geralt says, breaking Visenya from her concentration. She closes her palm, hiding the arm behind her back as if to protect herself from harm. She looks up, meeting Geralt's wide gaze. "Blaviken burning... that was you,"

Visenya nods, thickly swallowing the lump in her throat, trying to push away the haunting memories of Blaviken burning.

"I lost control and just-- exploded, by the time I came to, everyone was already dead," Visenya says, shrugging her shoulders, her voice hardly above a whisper; soft, weak, and almost completely vulnerable. She purposely leaves out the part where she reveled in the destruction, feeling glee from their suffering. Geralt is silent - maddingly so, it leaves Visenya tense and uneasy. Every second passing feels like a lifetime as Geralt stands in silence and Visenya awaits his response.

But he says nothing, just simply nods his head.

"What now? Are you going to put me down like one of those monsters?" Visenya asks, and despite the self-deprecating words, her tone holds no humor to it.

"You're not a monster." Geralt says, his words like a knife cutting through the thoughts rushing through her mind. "What's done is done."

Visenya nods, taking another step away from Geralt and turning to face the road, eager now more than ever to return to the inn. The rushing wind cools her face and eases the tension in her body, not completely, but enough that she isn't afraid of exploding. Geralt's heavy footsteps pound behind her, his long legs swiftly catching up to Visenya. It's silent, but not the soothing one that leaves Visenya comfortable. Instead, it's tense and awkward, the words from their argument lingering in the air.

"I'm sorry," Geralt simply says, his tone not as firm as it normally is. Geralt is always sure of what he says - whether it's sarcasm or not, but this time he isn't. Witchers hunt monsters, not console maidens. The effort causes Visenya to smile, a small sad smile that doesn't fully reach her eyes.

"It's okay, we both have issues," she says.

"If you want to speak about it--" Geralt begins, the words sounding unsure as they leave his lips.

"I know where to find you," Visenya finishes his sentence, the smile on her face growing bigger. "But, if I did, I'd have to kill you," she responds. Geralt narrows his eyes for a moment, before a small smirk appears on his face, cracking the stone in his expression.

"Maybe you should tell Jaskier then, rid me of that bard," Geralt says, turning and continuing to walk towards the inn they're staying at for the night.

"Oh, he's not that bad. I might actually miss the guy," Visenya says, a small smile resting on her lips. "There's never a dull moment."

"That's what I'm hoping for, dull moments," Geralt says. Visenya looks at him, a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Well, I'm afraid you may not get that, not with me around at least." Visenya teases, cocking her head to the side as she raises her brows slightly. Geralt looks at her, scoffing quietly.

"I'm counting on it," he replies. Visenya laughs, the sound more similar to a scoff. They continue weaving through the citizens that remain on the streets. No one pays them much mind, too busy in their worlds, but the few that do take notice of Geralt say nothing. And Visenya is grateful, she's had enough excitement for one night.

o0o0o

The tavern on the level below them is particularly rowdy that night; horrible renditions of bawdy tavern jigs being sung by drunks, cackling men and women, and the thumping of feet banging on the floor and mugs on the tables. The wall shakes and the floor does as well, disturbing the small amount of peace Visenya has. She sits on the side of the bed, her bare feet hovering over the floor, only the very tips of her toes touching the cold wood. Except for the ambiance, the room is silent, but not unbearably so. It's comforting and entirely foreign to Visenya to be able to hear her thoughts.

Jaskier hated silence, needing to fill it with nonsensical rambles and filler thoughts to break the quiet. But Geralt revels in the silence, seeing it as a prized commodity he doesn't get blessed with often. The cool metal of her silver dagger cools the heat that's always under her skin. She balances it in her right hand while staring at the blank wall ahead of her. Jaskier always said she broods too much and is never much fun to be around when this way. Geralt is on the edge of the bed across from her, diligently cleaning his blade. Any dirt and residual blood from the feast have long since been cleaned off, Geralt continues to shine it. His ashen brows are furrowed and his lips set in a thin line. There's a small line that formed on his forehead, a dead giveaway that he's lost in thought.

Visenya sighs, placing the dagger back into its small sheath and sets that on the small table near her bed. The bed squeaks as she stands up, the floor creaking as she puts more weight onto it. Geralt pauses his sword cleaning for a split second but continues as if he never stopped.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

The floor creaks with each movement and the distance separating her and Geralt quickly dwindles until it's almost nonexistent, her knees nearly touching him. Wordlessly, she sits beside him, reaching a hand up and beginning the arduous process of unweaving the intricate braids Jaskier put in them. A partially broken fingernail snags in her hair, getting knotted and tangled.

"Fuck," she says quietly under her breath, bracing herself to rip the chunk of hair out. Mentally she counts down from three, pulling with all her force on one. Rubbing her fingers together, she looks at the snaggle she pulled from her hair.

"Here," Geralt says, sheathing his blade and setting it aside. His much larger and rough hand reaches up towards her head but hovers over his head. "Can I?"

"Sure, can't be any worse than me," Visenya says, turning around to give him access to the back of her head. Without another word, Geralt's hand tangled in her hand, but instead of the recklessness Visenya tackled her hair with, he's much gentler, managing to unweave the braids twice as fast as she would've.

"Can I ask you a question Geralt?" Visenya asks after a moment of silence. Instead of answering Geralt just grunts, focusing on a particularly difficult four-strand braid.

"Are there dragons? And are they real?" she asks, putting all her energy into keeping her inflection neutral. She remembers in the Main Hall when Princess Pavetta's scream knocked everyone to the ground and filled Visenya's head with visions of a great fire giving birth to a dragon. She remembers how the clearing smelt and the longing inside of her to run her fingers over the smooth golden scales of the baby dragon.

"Yes, they're real, though they're exceedingly rare." Geralt responds.

"Really? What kinds are there, or are they all the same?" she asks, trying to turn to face him, but his other hand cups her head, keeping her in place.

"There are five: green dragons, they're the most common; red dragons less so; and black dragons are the rarest," he answers. He finally managed to find the tie keeping the four-strand braid intact and began carefully unweaving it.

"What about gold?" Visenya asks, staring at the blank wall as she remembers that dream from the woods when she stood in the Throne Room, The Red Keep in shambles around her as a gold dragon flew above her.

"They're a myth," he says, combing his finger through the undone braid before moving onto the next.

"Oh," is all she says, unsure of what else to say. Disappointment fills her mind, and for the life of her she can't figure out why. They're only silly dreams after all, right? "You say they're rare, why is that?"

"Treasure Seekers, idiots eager to steal the dragon's hoard, all the better if they could slay it and bring back a trophy of their kill," Geralt says, carefully pulling apart a knot in her hair. He's much softer than Visenya would've thought.

"Why would anyone do that?" Visenya immediately says, her brows furrowing. A quiet ow leaves her mouth as Geralt finishes working on the snarl. He mutters a quiet sorry but moves onto the next knot.

"For sport. Slaying a beast of that caliber is seen as a high accomplishment to commoners and nobles alike," Geralt says. Visenya feels heat rush to her face, brows furrowing more, causing small lines to appear on her forehead.

"They're not beasts to me. No matter how terrifying they may be to everyone else, I envy them. To be able to go anywhere you wish and do anything you'd like. It's...nice, romantic in a childhood fairytale sort of what. I'd give anything to see one," Visenya says, her tone of voice similar to a wishful child dreaming of knights and kings, vying for a happily ever after with either.

"I never said I thought they were beasts. Though I can't say I share the same sentiment as you, I prefer to stay away from fire breathing creatures," Geralt says, glancing at Visenya from the corner of his eye.

"I guess it's just in my blood."

"Is that why you have a dragon on the hilt of your blade?" Geralt asks, throwing the last small leather strip from her hair across the room. Visenya's eyes watch it soar through the sky before smacking against the wall directly across from her.

"Something like that," she answers, absent-minded and lost in thought. "It was a gift from...an old friend," she continues, glassy gaze casting to the dusty floor. She clenches her jaw in a desperate attempt to keep it from trembling.

"Was it--?" Geralt asks, removing his hands from her hair, but Visenya stays in place. She fears if she looks at him she won't be able to control the tears building in her eyes, eager to be free.

"Yes, and his name was Robb. He wasn't my brother, not by blood, but the Starks were the closest thing I had to family. He had it commissioned for me when we went to war. It - and my cloak - are all I have left of them," Visenya says. Her voice breaks with every other syllable, the words barely heard over the jeering patrons from below. The fire in the far corner of the room cracks, the noise drawing Visenya's attention to the flames. They illuminate her eyes - even more than normal due to the unshed tears, bringing out the flecks of white and orange in them.

It's still fresh in her mind, a haunting vision that she can't escape no matter how much she'd like: the sea of dead bodies around her, only to find Robb's decapitated body when managed to free herself. His direwolf coat-of-arms the only thing left that could identify it as Robb Stark. It pulls apart the stitches she meticulously applied to each and every wound that she sustained in Westeros. Months upon months, maybe even years, of work, only for it to unravel within seconds. She wants to forget. To throw herself into something - anything - as long as it frees her from these memories that linger over her like a dark cloud.

She takes a deep breath, trying to erase her rapidly beating heart, slowly thickly to get rid of the small lump in her throat. Her eyes flutter closed, refusing to open until the building tears disappear. Eventually, they do.

"You're not from here, are you?" Geralt says. His sentence is a question, but she knows he already knows the answer. He always seems to know.

"No, I'm not," Visenya mutters, feeling drained as if she just ran a marathon on little to no sleep. She's tired, and she's tired of being tired all the time.

"But I don't want to speak about that," Visenya says, sitting up straighter and moving her gaze back to Geralt.

"What then?" Geralt asks, ashen brows furrowed and eyes gleaming with interest. Visenya leans up, her face mere centimeters away from Geralt's. But she doesn't draw any closer, instead, she stays perfectly still, feeling his breath fan across her face and listening to his steady heartbeat - the pace much slower than her own. Her eyes trace his face, focusing on a faint scar that rests on his right cheekbone. The healed injury nearly glows in the candlelit room. She places both of her hands on his shoulders, using him to steady herself. She feels light as air, getting drunk off of Geralt's scent, inhaling the smell of fresh herbs and leather oil as if it's a drug she's addicted to.

"Oh I'm sure you could figure it out," she replies, a smirk on her lips. A heartbeat later, Geralt surges forward, closing the dwindling distance between them. His lips press against hers, firmer than she remembers, but just as sweet - if not more so due to the sweeter Cintran ale. She leans into him, eager to be as close as physically possible, and even then it wouldn't be enough.

Visenya pulls back, deeply inhaling in an attempt to gain her lost breath. She stares into Geralt's eyes, seeing her reflection in them. They're memorizing and captivating, full of everything Geralt doesn't say with words. The longer she stares the steadier her breathing gets, but the heavy feeling from the feast doesn't lift, and the distraction of Geralt did nothing but provide simple fortification to an already lost cause.

"Oh my god," Visenya mutters, her somber tone a stark difference to the teasing one she used moments prior. "I died," she says, disbelief lacing each word like she can't believe them even as they fall from her own lips. "I was murdered at a wedding and I died," she repeats, the tears returning, only this time with more vigor and she's unable to contend with their will. They pour from her eyes like heavy rain, clouding her sight and judgment, until all she can think about is Walder Frey betraying them over and over again.

The memories she'd buried deep inside her resurfacing. Catelyn falling to the ground, crossbow bolts stuck in her body, and Robb's dead body - head severed and replaced with a direwolf head - being paraded around on a horse.

Geralt pulls her towards his chest, his expression softer than the usual stoic mask he wears, albeit confused at her confession. Of course, her timing could not have been worse.

It's the first time she ever admitted to what happened. That her death - along with Robb and Catelyn's were real.

This is all real.

Objectively, every injury she received; whenever she's thirsty or hungry; or every time she goes to sleep and wakes up should've been proof that she's alive and her surroundings are real. But she's never admitted it, not to anyone and certainly not herself. Westeros is a topic she specifically avoids, keeping it locked away to never be seen. Subconscious denial is safer when survival is a concern.

She sniffles once more and pulls back from Geralt. She rubs her hand across her eyes, drying the dampness. The tears eventually stopped, however, her eyes remained bloodshot and puffy. Geralt carefully watches her every move, removing his hands from around her. She stands from the bed to move back to her own, eager to leave this night behind her. But Geralt grabs onto her arm, keeping her from moving away.

She looks at him with glossy gold eyes but says nothing, and neither does he. Yet he's speaking more clearly to her than anyone ever has in her life. Silently, moves back onto the bed, Geralt moving with her. He pulls back the blankets, motioning for her to enter first. The bed is as uncomfortable and itchy as hers, yet when she finally stops moving and Geralt gets beside her, she's the most comfortable she's ever been.

They continue to say nothing for the rest of the night. Visenya closes her eyes, moving onto her side, facing Geralt who stays on his back. Each time she blinks her eyes grow heavier and heavier, each breath deeper until eventually, she closes her eyes and the world turns black.

o0o0o

#the witcher #the witcher fanfiction #geralt fanfic #geralt x reader #geralt of rivia #Jaskier #the witcher crossover #game of thrones crossover #house targaryen #targaryen!oc #the last dragon #CrossOver #witcher #Geralt

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cozy-the-overlord · 3 years

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Dances and Daggers

Summary: The Summer Festival is upon Asgard, as is the tradition of the dagger ceremony, where each unmarried gentleman chooses a lady to bestow with the honor of carrying his dagger for the night. As Prince Thor’s betrothed, Teki’s only goal is to accept his dagger with grace and hope that her violent stepfather doesn’t find fault with her in the process. But Prince Thor is unpredictable, and when he ignores his engagement on a whim Teki finds herself in a desperate situation. Luckily, Thor isn’t the only prince in Asgard…

Pairing: Loki x Original Female Character

Chapter 12: The Letter

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Word Count: 1,582

Chapter Summary: The events of the Games have Teki’s head spinning.

A/N: This is the calm before the storm.

Thanks for reading!

TW: Mentions of child abuse

Tags: @lucywrites02 @gaitwae @moumouton4 @berriemalfoy

if you want to be tagged, feel free to just send me an ask/message! :)

Read it on Ao3!

Teki picked at the sash of her dress as she sat in her seat on the podium. Before her, the Games continued in all their raucous glory, but she barely registered them. Odin hadn’t spared her even a passing glance when he returned to his seat. Frigga had given her a reassuring smile, but there was a tightness in her face that blocked any comfort she may have intending to bring. Her mind was racing.

What are they thinking? Are they angry? Am I in trouble? Are they going to tell Osvald? Does he know what happened?

And then there was the other thing. The thing that Loki had said just before she went rushing from the tent.

I don’t want you to marry my brother.

Teki didn’t even know how to try to untangle her thoughts on that.

The words still rattled in her head even as she readied for bed that night, once she realized that Osvald was far too drunk to remember whether or not she stayed in her seat the entire day. After helping Brant into his nightclothes and tucking him in, Teki returned to her room in a pensive silence.

I don’t want you to marry my brother.

A secret, selfish part of her had always wanted him to say that. It had been easy to deny when it was hidden away, out of sight. She could ignore the butterflies that fluttered to life every time he smiled at her when it seemed she was the only one who could feel them. But Loki had released them into the wild, and now they were impossible to corral.

I don’t want to marry your brother either.

Tears prickled across her vision. Teki wiped at her eyes in frustration. None of them wanted it. Loki, Thor, Sif, herself—none of them wanted this engagement. And none of them mattered.

She dug under her mattress for her father’s journal. She wasn’t certain that even the familiar script would be enough to soothe her jumbled thoughts tonight, but still she flipped through the pages in search of comfort. The search for her father had been put on the back burner while Loki prepared for the Games, but Teki hoped to continue it as soon as possible. Running her hands down the leather spine, she closed her eyes and imagined him walking through the door for the first time in years, imagined showing him how she had taught herself the pieces he was able to play for her, imagined him meeting Brant, meeting Loki…

Her daydream abruptly stalled when her fingers slipped into a split in the back cover. What? Teki glanced down in surprise. Had she torn the book?

No. There was a flap on the inside cover, a pocket that she had never noticed before. What the Hel? She pulled it open, peering into the grimy leather cavern. It was empty, save for a tiny piece of paper, folded into quarters and yellowed with age.

She recognized her father’s handwriting immediately, although it was a bit more polished than the hurried scrawl she usually found in his journal. It was an unfinished letter, she realized dimly, dated the week before he left, addressed to her mother.

Áslaug—

I understand your frustrations, and I realize your father has put you under considerable pressure. But I beg you to examine why this proposal is so important to you and ask yourself what you hope to gain from it. It’s become alarmingly clear to me these past few months that your highest priority lies in increasing your own social stature, and I fear that you have signed off on this marriage agreement only because of the benefits it would bring you and without a thought given to how it may effect Tekla. I know you argue that it would be good for her in the long term, and perhaps it would, but neither of us can know that with certainty. And in your greed, you would take away her right to choose her own destiny. I cannot allow that. I will not consent to my daughter being used as a bargaining chip for your family’s schemes.

Teki reread the words several times over, their meaning not fully dawning on her for a bit. I will not consent to my daughter being used as a bargaining chip for your family’s schemes. They were talking about her arranged marriage, obviously, but this couldn’t have been her father’s true thoughts. A marriage agreement could not be made official without the wholehearted approval from both sets of parents. He had to have agreed.

Although…

Her father left only a few days before the arrangement was made public. Actually, now that she thought of it, Osvald and her mother’s engagement was announced before her own. She remembered her mother’s frantic insistence that she accept her stepfather into her life as quickly as possible.

We have Lord Osvald, Tekla. He’s your father now.

If he believed Steinn would no longer be in her life, would Odin have accepted Osvald’s word as her paternal consent? Possibly. Probably.

That must have been convenient for her mother.

She remembered Völundr’s hazel eyes, how somber they had grown when Loki asked him if he had heard from Steinn.

I don’t know what happened that night, but I know there’s no way in Hel he left you of his own accord.

Teki closed the journal in a fog, tucking the creased letter within the pages. All at once, she felt as if she was going to be sick.

…

She had hoped for a chance to talk to Loki at some point during the night-long feast that followed the conclusion of the Games. The Great Hall was booming with boisterous celebration. Prince Thor had been crowned champion yet again, the perfect excuse for everyone to get wildly drunk. He certainly was making the most of it—in between overflowing mugs of mead and garbled chants with his friends, he pulled Sif across the dance floor and planted his lips firmly on hers in front of all to see. Teki pretended she didn’t notice the whispers, the scandalized glances as people turned from the Crown Prince to his would-be bride. She waited patiently in her seat for Loki to ask her to dance, fiddling with the sash of her crimson dress.

He danced with other girls first. That bothered her more than it should have. Teki knew of course that she had no claim on the younger prince’s company, but that didn’t quiet the feral growl gurgling in her chest every time she watched him bow to another. Mine. He’s mine.

It didn’t help that for the first several dances Loki didn’t even as much as look in her direction. At first, Teki bristled. Why was he avoiding her? Was he angry? Did he… did he regret what he said to her after his duel?

But as the night went on, Teki began to worry that there was something else going on. His frame was stiffer than usual. His quiet conversation somehow carried over the clamor of the Great Hall. The boy who usually preferred to remain hidden in the shadows seemed to be making a point of emphasizing his presence. She was relieved when he finally made his way over to her seat.

He bowed. “Lady Tekla.” Teki barely masked a frown. Tekla? Yes, something certainly was off.

Still, she stood and curtseyed as if she thought nothing of it. “My prince.”

“Would you honor me with the next dance?” Loki’s voice was loud, and oddly stilted. Again, Teki felt as if he was putting on a performance. She nodded, allowing him to lead her to floor.

“Is something wrong?” she whispered as they navigated through the throng of merrymakers.

Loki shook his head, almost imperceptibly. “My father,” he hissed under his breath. “He’s had his eye on me all night.”

She glanced back towards the podium without moving her head. Odin sat back in his throne, his disapproving glare fixed solidly upon the two of them. Teki gulped.

“Are you in trouble because of me?” she asked. She thought of the tent, how she had fled first chance she got and left Loki to defend himself alone. Guilt festered in her heart.

“No, no, it’s not your fault,” he said quickly, pulling her farther back across the dance floor. “He’s just… concerned. That I’m getting in the way.” He grimaced, scanning the crowd surrounding them. “You need to dance with Thor tonight.” The words came out stiffly, as if merely voicing them aloud pained him.

“I can’t!” she hissed. Thor was in the corner, surrounded by a group of people Teki didn’t recognize, chugging a goblet of something as they chanted excitedly. “He never asks me.”

Loki followed her gaze, sighing. “He’s a fool. I’ll make sure he asks you.”

The song was nearing an end. She still hadn’t told him about the letter. Teki pulled his arm.

“Loki, I found something else in the journal,” she whispered. “About my father.”

The prince’s eyes widened. “Really?” But the dance was coming to a finish. Loki led her back towards the platform, the two of them wilting under Odin’s stare. “We’ll talk tomorrow,” he murmured as he bowed, giving her hand a slight squeeze.

Teki nodded. “Goodnight.” She sighed as her prince disappeared back into the crowd and returned to her seat, resigning herself to a night of waiting for Thor to remember her.

#loki x ofc #loki marvel #loki fanfic #dances and daggers #dances and daggers chapter 12 #the letter #cozy writes

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