idk how i got here

• robyn • i write stuff sometimes

[a3therc0r3]

robyn || 19 || she/they/he

i'm new to tumblr and still figuring out how everything works on here, but i wanted to make some sort of introduction before posting my first fic!! i started playing lads back in october of 2024 and have been obsessed ever since- i can't promise a stable upload schedule because i really just write when i feel like it but i do have some things in the works!!

note: requests are now open! again, i can't promise constant posts mostly because my inspiration comes and goes, but please feel free to send over any ideas!!

(photos on left and right from pinterest, middle is mine)

[a3therc0r3]

first poll ever!!

so i want to make a one shot for pride month, but im insanely indecisive so let me know which you guys would prefer!!

which pride month one shot should i write??

trans/nonbinary reader coming out to sylus

snowcrow x reader polycule

fem sylus x fem reader

Voting ended onJun 13

[a3therc0r3]

so like we all agree that sylus is definitely taller than 6’2 right?? that man is not shorter than ted nivison

[a3therc0r3]

It Will Never Be the Cure

summary: When you find yourself in the slumps of a depressive episode, Sylus is there to remind you that you’re not alone in this.

content: sylus x gn!reader, angst, hurt/comfort, mentions of medications, mental health discussions, title inspired by the cure by olivia rodrigo, not beta read

word count: 1331

a/n: may is mental health awareness month so i wanted to write a piece to share some of my own experiences with MDD(and yes i did wait until last minute to finish this) if you relate to this fic, please know that you’re not alone. we may not have a sylus there for us, but we have each other. please reach out to others and especially those around you, it has been what has helped me the most in my journey. my dms are always open 🫶

For years now, you had become familiar with that certain state you would find yourself falling into every once in a while. When nothing seemed to convince you to drag yourself out of bed, when every small task felt like the heaviest thing in the world, a state that you genuinely found difficult to put into words, much less explain to others.

Your room was dim-lit, the blinds closed so only slim streaks of sunlight made it through, and other than that, there was only your lamp, set to the softest setting to illuminate the room, but not keep you from falling asleep with it on. You had barely moved for days, only getting up to use the bathroom or get something to eat or drink when you had the energy to do so. You were still in pajamas from earlier in the week, you hadn't showered in days, and you could smell the odor clinging to your body, but you couldn't bring yourself to care.

Nothing felt worth it anymore. You weren't entirely sure how to describe it. It's not that you wanted to just be lying in bed all day, but nothing was appealing to you, and there was an ache deep in your bones, one that you think had always been there, but always made itself known during these moments. You didn't want to watch a show or movie, didn't want to go out with your friends. No books you wanted to read or games you wanted to play, you didn't even want to keep your eyes open most of the time. You spent your days scrolling on your phone, and even that had grown tiresome.

Everything was just too much, and you wished you could put time on hold, give yourself a moment to take a break, and catch up.

You vaguely registered the sound of your apartment door opening, the low audio of the TV you had switched on for background noise in a desperate attempt not to be left in silence with your own thoughts not nearly loud enough to drown out the physical world. You knew who it was—there was only one other person with a key to your apartment—but you weren't sure whether you wanted him here or not. Instead of deciding, you chose to continue staring at the wall, hoping that if you remained still enough, then maybe you could sink deep enough into the mattress to go unnoticed.

It was a foolish hope; you knew Sylus would find you. You had known ever since you stopped replying to his messages that he would eventually make his way here; you just wished he had done so after you had pulled yourself out of this slump.

You saw his shadow as he entered the room, slow and careful as if he was worried he would spook you. The mattress dipped under his weight as he sat down beside you, gently rubbing your leg through the sheet.

"Someone's gone awfully quiet these past few days," he said, his voice soft as he spoke, "Do you want to talk about it?"

You shook your head, still focused on one spot on the wall. You didn't want to talk at all. Not about this or anything else.

Sylus shifted so that he was leaning against the headboard beside you, "Okay… Do you want me to hold you?"

You stiffened for a minute. That wasn't the response you were expecting. You had imagined he would be upset at you for not answering him, or that he would try to coerce you into talking to him. You thought for a moment and then turned and curled against him, wrapping your arms around his waist and burying your face in his sweater. He hugged you back tightly, his thumb rubbing your shoulders as he leaned down to kiss the crown of your head.

"I've got you," he murmured, "We can stay here for as long as you need, beloved."

You felt the lump in your throat rise up, threatening to break the quiet. You tried your best to shove it back down, but as Sylus' grip on you tightened and you felt his fingers brushing through your hair, you couldn't stop the sob that wretched its way out of you. You clasped a hand to your mouth in an attempt to calm yourself, not wanting to expose this side of yourself to him.

As if he could read your mind, Sylus took your hand and shook his head, "It's okay, sweetie. You don't need to hide yourself away from me. You can cry all you need; I'm right here."

He stayed true to his word, holding you tight and whispering softly to you until your tears let up. Only then did he pull back, just enough to see your face, and use his sleeve to wipe your face.

"Sorry," you sniffled, "I ruined your sweater."

Sylus chuckled, "You didn't ruin anything. And even if you did, it's just a sweater. I can always get a new one." His palm caressed your cheek.

He waited as you caught your breath and pulled yourself up beside him. You know he deserved an explanation, even if he was too kind to push for one. He deserved more than someone who would disappear on him and leave him wondering if you were mad at him, dead in a ditch somewhere, or just stuck in your own mind.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Sylus," you admitted, pulling your knees to your chest, "Nothing feels enjoyable anymore. It's like I can't feel anything, and then when I do, it's stress or sadness, and I just-" You took a breath, blinking away the reemerging tears, "I don't get why this happens. I'm fine one day and then the next," You gestured to your haggard state.

Sylus nodded as you spoke, a silent acknowledgment that he was still listening, "I don't know what I did wrong," you glanced over to him to find a sad smile on his face.

"You did nothing wrong, none of this is your fault. Have you been taking your meds?"

You shouldn't have been surprised that Sylus knew you were on medication; Sylus knew practically everything about you. You nodded, "I have, and that's what makes it so much worse. I've tried so many different medications, and I can't even tell if they're making a difference or not. I just want everything to go back to how it used to be."

At that, your boyfriend pulled you into his lap, back into a warm, bone-crushing hug, "Oh, sweetie. I know you do." He held your head under his chin as if he thought that if he kept you close enough, he could shield you from your own thoughts. "I know it's hard, but you're so strong. You made it so far all on your own while dealing with this." He pulled back to look directly in your eyes, "You're not alone anymore, though; you don't have to deal with these thoughts by yourself anymore."

"But you shouldn't have to deal with this, you have your own problems-"

Sylus cut you off with a shake of his head, "No. You shouldn't have to deal with this. I don't care what else is going on in my life. Whenever you start to feel this way, or even if you just want to talk for no reason, you come to me. I don't care how silly you think it is or how often; I will always be here for you, when you need me and when you don't."

You felt tears running down your cheeks once again, but this time you didn't try to hide them. He pressed a kiss to your brow and murmured, "I wish my love could chase away all this darkness, but it's going to take time. No matter how long it takes or how much money I need to spend, it doesn't matter. I'll do anything for you."

a/n: thank you for reading! again, please reach out to someone if your struggling. there is always someone out there who cares about you 🫶

call or text the suicide and crisis hotline at 988

[mikanseinic]

“how to recognize AI in fanfic” — hey so this is another not-gentle reminder that AI stole from us. it’s using OUR words and OUR sentences and OUR styles.

writing “long” paragraphs is not a sign of AI — it’s a common narrative choice many writers make both in fanfiction and in traditionally published novels, and AI stole it from us.

using an em dash is not a sign of AI. it’s a stylistic sentence choice that’s been an option in place of commas and semicolons for a very long time, and AI stole it from us.

long sentence structures are not a sign of AI, but are yet another stylistic choice writers often make to create a cadence and tone that mimics the flow of poetry, and AI stole it from us.

“YA narrative breaks”? i don’t even know what the fuck this means, but i can guarantee that AI stole it from us.

italics are once again a stylistic choice that many writers love to use to create emphasis, and it’s a more stylistically acceptable and traditional form of emphasis than bold or underline text. oh, and just to be extra clear: AI STOLE IT FROM US.

stop creating fandom witch hunts over AI when you know fuck all about what it means to sit and write a story, and to spend hours fiddling with sentence structure and dialogue to get the exact right tone. writers will stop writing out of fear that their work “sounds like AI” — IT DOESNT! AI STOLE FROM US! AI SOUNDS LIKE US! — and after a while, all that will be available on AO3 is shitty AI-generated fanfiction.

because yeah, people are going to continue to use AI to write fanfiction whether you “call them out” or not. but making a laughable thread on X that uses asinine criteria is not going to fix that problem. it will just push the real writers out because people will accuse them of using AI when they haven’t, and they will (rightfully) stop writing for spaces that attack them.

anyway. fuck ai.

[a3therc0r3]

You stirred from your slumber, peeling your eyes open as you rolled onto your back. You shifted, sitting up on your arm and looking out towards the window. It was still dark outside, not that the N109 Zone got particularly bright, but you could tell the majority of the city was still asleep. You blinked as your eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. You could make out the large lump of your boyfriend still sound asleep next to you in bed, the blanket slipping off his bare shoulders. Usually, you would be curled up right beside him, instinctively trying to meld your bodies together. However, tonight there was one small problem with that. A problem in the shape of a much smaller lump squished up against Sylus' upper arm. At first, you couldn't quite tell what it was, until you made out the sleek black feathers and tiny red eyes staring back at you.

"Mephie, move."

He blinked.

"That's my spot," you whispered, attempting to shoo him away, "Go back to your perch or wherever the hell you sleep."

The little shit snuggled closer.

You had half a mind to grab him and chuck him out of the bed, but you took a deep breath, closed your eyes, and did your best to calm yourself down. You were not about to get jealous over a bird, a mechanical bird at that. You were better than this. However, when you opened your eyes, you quickly decided that you were, in fact, not better than this. Mephisto was staring straight at you, and you swore to god his dumb little beak was curled into a smirk.

You shoved your finger in the direction of Sylus' sleeping figure and then towards yourself, "Mine."

The crow let out a small coo and closed his eyes, remaining nestled up against your boyfriend. You huffed, glaring daggers at the bird. Fine, if that's how it's gonna be. You squirmed your way through the sheets until you were in an optimal position and flopped down right on top of Sylus, the figure below you letting out a muffled grunt as you landed. You slipped your arms between the mattress and his waist, securing your hold on him, then turned your head towards Mephisto. He was watching you from his spot, seemingly doing his best to mimic your prior glare. You smiled and closed your eyes, pleased with your obvious victory.

It wasn't more than five minutes later that you heard the familiar rustling of feathers. You glanced up and found—much to your dismay—Mephisto cuddled up on Sylus' head.

You were so going to dismantle that bird.

a/n: HAPPY SYLUS DAY!! i know this is posting a bit late(it's still the 18th for me so i'm counting it as a birthday post). i was planning to have part 5 of remember me out by today buttttt i've got a bit of writer's block... thank you for reading! i wrote this for the sylus birthday merch entry so i'll also be posting it on twt(same username) and probably ao3!

[a3therc0r3]

thinking about sylus at the beach:

at first, you'd be hesitant to a beach day, remembering how sensitive he was to the sun. but sylus would insist, promising you that he would be alright.

even with his constant reassurance—that you knew better than to fully believe—you were sure to pack proper sun protection. sun shirts, sunglasses, an audaciously large hat, umbrellas, and a shit ton of sunscreen.

sylus had laughed at your assemblage, teasing you about how "none of this was necessary", but you stood firm, and so into the car your supplies went.

the twins had heard the commotion and immediately begged the two of you to let them tag along once they learned of your plan. sylus had rejected them at first—wanting the day for yourselves—but they swore they'd entertain themselves, so they were allowed to come.

of course, an invitation was also extended to mephisto, who turned it down. you guessed it was because of what had happened the last time he'd tagged along on a beach trip.

the drive there was fairly uneventful. sylus took you to a private beach he owned for one reason or another, even he couldn't recall why he had bought it in the first place. it was insane to you that he was able to shrug off the purchase of an entire beach, but he just gave you that smirk and changed the subject.

when you arrived, you lathered him in sunscreen, shutting up his protests with occasional kisses to his nose. you placed the hat on his head and stepped back to stare at your masterpiece with a proud smile.

sylus frowned, letting out a long sigh, "sweetie, though i appreciate your efforts, this getup is a bit much."

you shook your head, ready to argue that it didn't matter as long as it kept him out of the sun. in the end, the two of you decided that sylus would keep everything on for at least an hour, and if he truly wasn't feeling any of the sun's effects, then he could lose a few of the accessories.

the twins, as promised, ran off and began building two separate sandcastles that would soon become a battleground for their water-gun duel.

the beginning of your trip was mostly spent under the large umbrella you had set up in the sand, content simply existing in one another's presence. you read a book out loud while sylus played with your hair. the sun passed its apex, and he was still feeling alright, so he shed his sun shirt only with the condition that he would sit patiently as you reapplied sunscreen along his torso. he definitely enjoyed the feeling of your hands massaging his abs a bit too much, but you feigned ignorance.

once the sun hid itself behind the clouds and the air cooled off ever so slightly, you motioned for sylus to sit with you along the waterfront, the waves kissing your toes as you dug your heels into the sand. behind you, luke and kieran were passed out on beach towels after their prolonged battle. you rested your head on sylus' shoulder and took a handful of wet sand. you let it drip through your fingertips onto sylus' thigh, forming narrow towers before collapsing in on themselves.

sylus chuckled, "turning me into a castle, sweetie?"

you shrugged, "would you live in a castle made of sand?"

"i'd live anywhere if it was with you."

sylus and his smooth words, always making your heart flutter and your stomach flip. you looked away to hide the rush of blood to your face, choosing to stare out at the setting sun.

"today was nice."

he nods along, letting you continue to cover his leg in mounds of sand, "that it was."

bonus:

when you inevitably get burnt, too busy taking care of sylus to remember to apply sunscreen of your own, sylus is there to pamper you until you feel better.

he stays by your side, changing out cold compresses, applying aloe lotion, drawing you a cold bath, and making sure nothing brushes too hard against your red-hot skin.

of course, once your better, he teases you for fussing over him so much you had neglected yourself in the process and makes sure it never happens again.

EM DASHES USED - I DO NOT USE OR SUPPORT AI, ALL OF MY WORK IS ENTIRELY MY OWN.

a/n: happy aprilus! this is my favorite month given it includes not only sylus’ bday but mine as well! quick disclaimer that most drabbles will probably be in all lowercase as i write them on my phone, which i keep in lowercase. just got back from a beach trip and i got so sunburnt you could fry an egg on my skin. i was originally going to label this as a drabble but i realized i’m not really sure what i’d consider a ‘drabble’. when i looked it up, it was defined as a fic of 100 words and this is obviously much longer than that. so you guys lmk, what would you consider this? a drabble or something else?

[sylusflower]

AT LAST, FIRST DAY OF APRILUS!!!💖😚

[a3therc0r3]

i feel like there’s been a lack of sylus content lately(both official and fanmade) just from what i’ve seen on tumblr and other social media sites, and i’ve seen so many creators quitting, so i just want to say: if you make any form of sylus content, whether that’s fanfics or art or just silly posts, know that i love and appreciate you 🫶 and if you’ve been thinking about making any content, give it a shot! you don’t have to be a literary genius to write fanfiction; if you have an idea or even if you don’t, just give it a shot. even if you don’t get many ‘likes’ or ‘kudos’, i’m sure your work is appreciated by someone. there will always be someone waiting for a new update or work to come out <3

(also just to be clear, this isn’t hate towards anyone who chooses to quit or takes a while between posting cause me too twin, if you dont enjoy it anymore or it isn’t good for you, don’t feel any obligation to keep posting!!)

(please lmk if this comes across as mean in any way, i don’t want it to be perceived that way, just trying to encourage more people to create)

[a3therc0r3]

some smau for the lads side characters

the promised part 3 of this smau series

content: smau, that’s literally it

(mostly based on personal headcanons)

(not sure when i’ll post another part of this mini series, i just make these when im bored so enjoy until next time)

[littiesparrow]

Another dragon!Sylus and fairy!MC

[a3therc0r3]

some more smau for the lads boys

here’s part 2 to my previous post.

content: smau, explicit language, a bit suggestive(again)

(caleb might be ooc, i don’t know much about him aside from what’s been in the main story)

(surprisingly, raf is the easiest to find these for. i’ve got a lot more for him. but the next part will be reader and the lads girlies!!)

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

this and also there’s something very beautiful about watching in progress fics grow. shout out to in progress fics <3

[a3therc0r3]

some smau for the lads boys

made these because i was bored so have them while i work on the next part of ‘Remember Me’

content: smau, a bit suggestive, mentions of injuries

(wasn’t sure how to symbolize the reader so i went with 🫵. just know that’s you)

i also had one with simone but apparently tumblr has an image limit :( let me know if you’d like more of these!

**all original messages from pinterest

[a3therc0r3]

Remember Me - pt. 4

summary: Sylus hadn't seen you in years since that day you left out of the blue, when he does see you again, you have a child with you. A child that looks oddly similar to him.

content: sylus x reader, fluff, angst, unplanned pregnancy, sylus and reader being parents, kinda proofread, mentions of kidnapping

word count: 3098

a/n: oh hey guys- long time no see... so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out, had quite a bit of writer's block along with some personal stuff. the angst has officially begun, and i will be working to get the next chapter out much sooner than this one!

previous chapter || next chapter

The following week was somewhat uneventful; Sylus called in the evenings to talk to you and your daughter, telling you both about the nonstop meetings he seemed to constantly be dragged into and listening to your daughter tell him about her time at daycare. It was a nice routine the three of you fell into; your daughter sat at the table with your phone, chatting with her father while you cooked dinner. 

You hadn’t had time to sit down and plan another visit with Sylus, your work consuming the majority of your time the past few days, so when Sylus suggested letting your daughter come to the stables he owned for a horseback riding session, you were glad to agree. He took the liberty of planning the trip, offering to pick her up and bring her to the farm where a trainer would help her ride a few laps on one of their older ponies. Your daughter, of course, jumped at the opportunity, her eyes lighting up with joy at the idea. 

So, Friday morning, Sylus pulled in front of your apartment complex. You kissed your daughter goodbye and helped her get situated, watching her and her father drive off before getting into your car and heading off yourself. 

Throughout the day, you received pictures of your little girl grinning on the back of a pony, a helmet that was a tad too big for her falling down over her forehead, and almost covering her eyes. You smiled at the photos and showed them off to your coworkers, who cooed over her as usual. She was definitely a fan favorite among those who knew her, constantly asking how she was or fawning over her on the days you had no choice but to bring her along to work with you. 

“I didn’t know the daycare took the kids to a ranch! Is that a new activity they’ve begun doing?” One of your coworkers asked.

You hesitated, they knew you weren’t married or dating anyone, and they knew that your daughter’s father wasn’t in the picture. Well, not until recently. You could just lie to them and say that it was the daycare, or that a friend was watching her that day, but you knew you’d feel guilty lying to them when they were asking such an innocent question, “Um, no… actually, she’s with her dad today.”

A couple more coworkers turned towards you at that comment, confused and shocked looks coating their faces, “Her dad? I thought you two weren’t in contact?”

“We ran into each other recently when she was with me, and we’ve been talking ever since.”

“Well… that’s quite the surprise.” Your coworker said, not in an entirely positive nor negative way.

“I don’t know, he seems-”

“Oh no no, dearie,” one of the older women cut you off, “You best be careful with that, those men are always scheming in one way or another. Next thing you know, he’s taking you to court for custody and then poof! You’re only seeing your girl once a week! Or god forbid, he just runs off with her.”

You shook your head, “No, no, trust me, he would never do something like that.”

“You never know, dear. It’s always the ones that seem most innocent that are true devils on the inside,” she wagged her finger at you, giving those around you a knowing nod.

You chuckled awkwardly, “No, he isn’t a bad person. It isn’t even his fault that he wasn’t present earlier in her life, we just… grew apart.” You hadn’t told your coworkers the whole truth, partly due to you being ashamed of your actions, partly because you didn’t want anyone from Linkon to find out where you were staying. Why that was something that worried you, you weren’t sure. 

“You still be careful, you hear? That girl is too precious to lose.”

You nodded and patted her shoulder, “I will be.” Turning back to your work as your other coworkers dispersed, you found the things she had said lingering in your mind. Surely there wasn’t any reason for the courts to take your daughter away; you had a home, a fairly steady income. They had no reason for concern at all. Though you had heard horror stories about the child court system from those around you. Children being thrown about from home to home, never truly knowing peace, or being taken from a dangerous environment just to be put back a few months later. You shook the thought away and tried to focus on your task at hand. Besides, Sylus would never do something like that, right?

It was only around noon when your boss called you into his office. He was sitting at his desk, tapping his foot furiously against the carpet as he ordered someone around on the phone. He slammed it back onto the receiver and let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. You cleared your throat, prompting him to look up. 

“Ah, at least someone around here listens to me. Take a seat.” You did so, situating yourself in the armchair across from his desk. He rummaged through his drawers for a moment before placing a set of papers in front of you. “I’ll be honest with you; the work we’ve been seeing from you the past few weeks has been…” he flipped through the pages as if searching for the right word, “...mediocre at best, and personally, I don’t settle for mediocre.” 

You nodded, trying your best not to stumble over your words, “Of course, sir. I’m terribly sorry, I just-”

He cut you off, putting a hand up to silence you, “I don’t need excuses. I need better. I mean, just look at these reports, honestly, a child could do better. Whatever it is that has been distracting you these past weeks, cut it out. I expect better from my employees.”

You stared at the carpet, secretly hoping you could burn a hole into it and light this entire office aflame, “Yes, sir.”

Your boss took the papers back and sighed once more, “You may see yourself out.” 

You left that office fuming. Regrettably, you also felt like you might cry. Who was he to act superior to you? All he did, all day, every day, was sit in that stupid office of his and make useless phone calls that only disrupted more of the work everyone was scrambling to get done. He had no idea how your life had been majorly uprooted over the past few weeks, and all you were trying to do was keep face and remain somewhat stable for your daughter. True, work hadn’t exactly been the main thing on your mind, but you were still getting as much done as you could. Besides, he had countless employees who would be more than happy to lick his shoes; couldn’t he just get off your back for a couple of days? 

Your anger must have been showing on your face, because when you passed by a group of coworkers, they shot you a concerned look. You just shook your head and kept walking until you got to the break room. Grabbing a new coffee pod and shoving it into the machine, you grumbled to yourself as you threw open the cupboards to find a clean mug. 

“Um, are you okay?” 

You startled and whipped your head around, only now realizing that you weren’t alone. A young intern sat at the table, a half-eaten muffin in front of her. You sighed and turned back to the cupboard, closing it gently as you spoke, “Sorry, I thought I was alone. I’m fine, just… pissed off.” 

The girl fiddled with the muffin wrapper, “Do…you want to talk about it?” 

You shrugged, grabbing a mug from the sink and the sponge, “It’s nothing major, just my boss being an asshole.” You scrubbed someone’s morning coffee out of the porcelain, frowning, “If he could learn to do a few things himself for once, maybe fewer people would want to punch him in the face.”

“Is it that bad here?” 

You sighed again as you finally slid the mug into the coffee brewer, “No, it’s a good job, just-” you waved your hand in front of you in some poor attempt at conjuring a fitting sentence, “Not the best individuals, I guess. You planning on working here?”

The girl shrugged, “I don’t know, my dad got me this internship out of the blue.”

You chuckled, “Sounds about right. Hiding out here?”

“They keep asking me to get them some complex coffee order, and then no one tells me where to find this shop, nor gives me the money to do so.”

“The cafe’s on the first floor, near the back entrance. And they expect you to pay out of pocket, since they’re being so generous as to allow you in their presence.” You gave her a sarcastic smile. 

She laughed and shook her head, “I think I’ll just stay here.”

“Good idea.” You took your coffee, popped in a couple of sweeteners, and turned to the vending machine. The girl behind you returned to taking small bites out of her muffin as you flattened out a dollar bill and shoved it into the machine. You punched in the code for a granola bar and, of course, because you hadn’t gone through enough today, it got stuck on the coil. You gave the machine a few shakes before punching it with an irate shout. 

You sighed and resigned to the chair across from the girl, who was looking at you with an even more concerned expression than before. You shook your head and took a long sip of coffee. The intern rustled through her bag and slid over a rough-looking banana, “It’s a little squished, but,” she shrugged, “better than nothing.”

You smiled and pushed it back towards her, “It’s okay, my shift is almost over anyway, I’ll grab something on my way home.” 

She hesitated before taking the fruit back, unsure if she should insist or not. It was sweet that this stranger truly seemed to care for you to the point of offering her own food. You didn’t find many people like that these days. 

Twenty minutes of casual chatter, a dash of venting, and a full cup of coffee later, you surprisingly felt a bit better. Maybe it was something about how understanding the girl seemed to be; just nodding along as you spoke, but not in that dismissive, “Yeah-huh, I’m definitely paying attention” way. She was focused on what you were telling her, brows furrowed as she listened. It was the first time in a while that you felt like someone was genuinely sympathizing with you. It wasn’t as if a three-year-old was the best conversationalist, not that you were complaining, you loved talking to your daughter about her cartoons and fairytales. Still, it was nice to talk to someone who could fully pronounce their letters for a change. 

Eventually, you shook the intern's hand, wishing her the best of luck, and gathered your things from your desk to head out. A few colleagues waved goodbye or gave you a nod as you made your way to your car. Sitting down in the driver's seat, you rubbed your hands over your face, taking a deep breath. Your boss’ words were still echoing in your head, still present no matter how distant they sounded now. You shook your head in a feeble attempt to shove the moment to the depths of your mind, zipping it up to unpack later. 

There was still a faint smell of fast food in your car, your daughter’s toys littering the backseat, and the AC blowing cool air into your face gave you the slight relief you had been craving the entire day. Everything was fine; you would figure this all out later. For now, you just needed to focus on picking up your daughter. You plugged in your phone, popped on your favorite playlist, and switched the car into drive.

A little while later, you were pulling down the gravel road that led to the Sylus’ stables. You spotted the familiar figure standing towards the entrance, signature smirk planted on his face as he watched you park and walk over to him. You smiled as best as you could, smoothing your now wrinkled shirt as you greeted him.

“Having a good day, sweetie?” Sylus asked.

You nodded. This wasn’t something you wanted him to concern himself with. It was your own problem after all, and he was just making small talk. “How about you?”

His smile widened as he turned towards the stables, gesturing for you to follow him, “Very good. We’ve got quite the talented kid here, she figured it out fairly quickly.”

You grinned at the floor, trying not to dwell on the fact that he said we. It was just the truth after all, she was half his, “That’s great. She enjoyed herself then?”

“I’d say so, I could barely convince her it was time to go home,” he chuckled softly. 

You laughed. That sounded about right. Once your daughter found something she was excited about, it was hard to persuade her to stop. That was something you had learned over the years, though it was difficult even for you. Honestly, it felt like debating with a lawyer sometimes. 

As Sylus led you into the stables, a man in dirtied jeans with a bright smile greeted you, setting down the haybale he was holding. 

“This is James, he’s our top trainer and one of the best in the N109 Zone,” Sylus explained.

James held out his hand for you to shake. You accepted kindly, offering him a reciprocating smile, “It’s quite the honor to meet you. Your daughter is a truly gifted child.”

You grinned wider, pride blooming inside you, “Thank you very much.” 

He nodded and motioned for you to follow him, “She’s just over here giving Pumpkin a treat.” You silently came to the conclusion that James had to have been the one to name the horse; you couldn’t imagine Sylus naming a horse ‘Pumpkin’. You followed him around a corner where a brown spotted horse stood in its stall, chewing contentedly on a carrot. You looked around, expecting to see two silver pigtails sticking out from some corner, but… nothing. 

You turned back to James, “You said you left her here?” 

The look on his face had faded to concern as he moved to look around the barn, “Yeah, she was right here.”

You could feel your heart beating a little faster, but you told yourself to stay calm; she was surely around here somewhere. Sylus, ever the unfazed man, kept a straight face and joined the search–though you swore you could see a slight twitch in his lips as he turned past you.

“She probably went back to grab another carrot,” James chuckled nervously, jogging back towards what you assumed was the feed room. That, however, was also empty. Your heart began to speed up, your palms started to sweat, and you felt your throat threatening to close up. Sylus laid a hand on your shoulder, trying to anchor you in some way.

“She couldn’t have gone far; she probably wandered off somewhere outside.” his voice was confident, but there was a look in his eyes that betrayed him. His iris’ shook ever so slightly; he was scared. That was never a good sign. You nodded, scrambling to the exit, followed by the two men. Sylus ordered Luke and Kieran to join the search, who both immediately went to work. 

You ran around the barn–checking behind every barrel and bail of hay you could find–hoping to find your daughter crouched behind one, giggling to herself. Luke and Kieran took to the woods surrounding the land, Mephisto weaving through the trees above them. You called her name until your throat was dry and your voice hoarse, “This isn’t funny, honey, come out!” 

You could feel the tears forming in your eyes, the growing anxiety clawing at your skin. You did your best to fight off the waterworks, not wanting to scare your daughter in case this was some silly prank she was attempting to pull on you. You glanced over to the others, hoping that Luke or Kieran would be trekking back over with a bundle of silver hair and blue bows in their arms. Instead, you noticed Sylus crouched at the gravel driveway that led away from the stables. You approached him slowly, taking note of how heavily he was breathing. 

When he finally noticed you, his eyes widened slightly, “Sweetie…”

In his hand was one of your daughter’s bows, clipped onto a note of sorts. You didn’t need to read it to know what it said. Someone had taken your daughter, snatched her right out of your grasp. Someone had figured out that the renowned leader of Onychinus had a child, and they’d taken that as an opportunity to get an upper hand on him, using your sweet little girl as collateral damage for whatever they wanted from Sylus. 

Everything felt like it came crashing down at once; your knees buckled, you couldn’t breathe, the collar of your shirt felt too tight, tears fell involuntarily, you couldn’t breathe, every noise was drowned out by the rush of blood in your ears, and you couldn’t fucking breathe. 

You didn’t fully register falling over until you felt hands on your shoulders, trying to coax you into looking at those red eyes–the ones he had passed down to your daughter, who was taken because of it. You shoved Sylus’ hands off, stumbling backwards on the gravel. 

“Sweetie, I-”“Stay away from me! This is your fault!” You tugged at your own hair, your mind racing, “God, I knew this was a bad idea. I never should’ve let her come here. I never should’ve-” Your words disintegrated into broken sobs as you scrambled to your feet and dashed for your car. You didn’t know what to do or where to go, but you had to get away from all the piercing stares that surrounded you. You didn’t notice how Sylus stayed on the ground, his breath hitched as he watched you get to the safety of your car. You didn’t see how his identical ruby eyes were already filled with tears–of rage or sadness, even he wasn’t sure. And frankly, you didn’t care. Your daughter was gone, and that would be the only thing on your mind until she was back in your arms.

a/n: i've been thinking of 'ruby' as a name for the daughter, what do you guys think?? also, might write some leon kennedy x reader cause re9 has me in a chokehold. thank you so much for reading!

[a3therc0r3]

OH WE’RE SO BACK

(i promise the new chapter of Remember Me is coming soon, i may have gotten a little sidetracked by other fandoms but it’s in the works!! in the meantime hello?? vampire dragon sylus?? going insane over here)

[a3therc0r3]

Remember Me - pt. 3

summary: Sylus hadn't seen you in years since that day you left out of the blue, when he does see you again, you have a child with you. A child that looks oddly similar to him.

content: sylus x reader, fluff, some angst, unplanned pregnancy, sylus and reader being parents, not proof read

word count: 2407

a/n: part three is here!! sorry that it's kinda short i've been hyperfixating on other ships lately- hope you all enjoy some more happy times with this little family before we get to the angst

previous chapter || next chapter

That night consisted of Barbies, baking, and your daughter bouncing around on the couch as her favorite movie played in the background. It all felt so natural; the way you three moved so seamlessly through the manor, as if you had lived there your whole lives. As if this was just another evening with the small family you had created. And you caught yourself wondering, more than once, maybe it could be? The way Sylus held your daughter's hands as she jumped on the cushions, how he had carefully helped her pour ingredients into the mixing bowl, even how he looked at her–with such adoration in his eyes–made you want to stay in these moments forever. 

When the movie credits began rolling, and your little girl had exhausted all of her energy, Sylus scooped her up into his arms, cradling her head, and motioned for you to follow him. He led you down the hall past his bedroom to a room you seemed to recall being empty. Or maybe it had been used for storage? In all fairness, the Onychinus base had so many rooms, it was hard to keep track of all of them. 

Sylus opened the door, and a warm glow poured out. You stepped in, your breath catching as you took in the room. White and yellow paint met halfway up the wall, adorned with intricate shelves full of books and toys. Sheer fabric butterflies dotted the space, accompanied by little trinkets that Sylus had pinned up. An accent wall stood at the back, painted to look like vines of fruit and flowers climbing towards the ceiling, where glowing star stickers gave the illusion of a night sky. 

The bed was pushed against that wall, its ornate frame carved from real wood and polished with a shine fit for a king. Or princess, in this case. The sheets were covered in fairies, matched by the bird-shaped pillows that sat along the edges. The rest of the room was filled with everything a child could dream of. A dollhouse sat in one corner, a toy kitchenette in another, and a rocking chair positioned next to the bed. 

Sylus laid your daughter down carefully among the pillows and stuffed animals that already occupied the bed, pulling what seemed to be a handcrocheted blanket on top of her. When you looked closer, it seemed to feature a wonky-looking crow. 

“The twins made it when I told them you were coming over,” he whispered when you gave him a questioning glance. 

You nodded and turned to look at the nightstand. There was a moon-shaped lamp, a small picture book, and–sitting on the corner–a framed picture of you and Sylus. You picked it up to look closer. It seemed to have been taken just a bit after you had left the N109 Zone for the first time. You had met in the kitty cafe to play cards with one another, the picture highlighting your victorious grin when you had finally beaten Sylus after three rounds. The memory made you smile to yourself as you set the picture back down. 

You bent down to kiss your daughter’s forehead as Sylus flicked off the light, leaving the room in the soft flicker of the star lights you had noticed earlier. 

Back in the hallway, you stood rather awkwardly with Sylus; neither of you was entirely sure what to say. 

Sylus cleared his throat, “I set up the guest room for you, if you’d like to stay in there.”

You nodded, staring off at some side table behind him. After a beat, you blinked and looked back up at him, “Um… thank you. For everything you’re doing for her.”

“I’m not only doing it for her, you know,” he said, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, “You should know very well that I adore you.”

You breathed out a laugh, “I think you’ve said that before.”

“And I’ll keep repeating it until you believe me.”

You could feel your heart inching up to your throat, disguising it with a smile and a nod, “Goodnight, Sylus.”

He looked as though he wanted to say more, but you weren’t sure if you would be able to control yourself if he continued, so instead you turned towards the guest room you used to stay in when you had first met Sylus, and left him with his own thoughts. 

Climbing into the cool sheets, you let out a deep sigh. It had been quite the eventful day, and part of you was still in shock that any of this was real. You were back in Onychinus’ base, your daughter sleeping peacefully in her room. The only thing that differed from the dreams you used to have when you had first found out you were expecting was that you were lying in the guest bed, instead of cuddled up next to the silver-haired man next door. There was a lingering ache to sneak out of your room and slip under the covers next to him. You were sure he wouldn’t mind, but… You couldn’t. Not yet, there was too much at stake; it was too soon. 

Besides, Sylus could very well wake up and decide he didn’t want any of this. He may not want to be a father, no matter how kindly he had treated your daughter today. He could act civil this weekend and then never contact you again when you left. If that happened, you knew having slept next to him days earlier would only make the heartbreak even worse. 

Just as you drifted off to sleep, you swore you heard the door creak open and felt a soft hand stroke your cheek. A familiar voice murmured your name and left a light kiss on your temple. You weren’t sure if any of it was real, or if you were imagining it as you fell into a deep slumber, but for tonight, you didn’t care. It was a comfort that you could latch on to, at least for now. 

Morning came faster than anticipated, light streaming through the curtains, casting rays of sunshine across your face. You awoke to a quiet grunt and tiny hands on your cheeks. 

“Mama! Wake up!” Your daughter whispered loudly into your ear. 

You chuckled and cracked an eye open, “Hm?”

“We made breakfast!”

A tall figure came into your view, holding a tray in his hands. “She insisted on treating you to breakfast in bed.” 

You smiled and pulled yourself up to lean against the headboard, your daughter slotting beside you as Sylus placed the tray in your lap. “This looks delicious, bug!” 

She pointed to the tray and began naming the foods one by one, “Waffles, bacon, fruit, and…” She glanced back at Sylus as he joined you on the bed.

“Omelet.”

“Omemet!” 

You laughed and ruffled her hair, “Well, thank you, both of you.” You flashed Sylus a smile as your daughter began picking at the pieces of bacon. 

The three of you shared the food as she filled the silence with the dreams she had had the night before. You picked at the omelet you guessed Sylus had helped her make. For a moment, everything was so simple. No Onychinus, no N109 Zone, no worries of what would come next, just peace. 

But peace can’t last forever, and you knew that. You probably knew that better than anyone. Maybe that was part of the reason you avoided Sylus’ eyes as you ate breakfast, focusing on the eggs in front of you. He noticed, because of course he did, but he didn’t push. Didn’t bring it up later when you were alone. Maybe he knew–deep down–why you couldn’t stand to look at him, or maybe he was just giving you space. 

Either way, your daughter didn’t notice, finishing her story with a mouth full of waffle, “And we got on the dragon and flew away and then I woke up.”

“That sounds like quite the dream, bug,” you said, wiping syrup from her mouth.

She nodded, “I wish dragons were real.”

Sylus chuckled, “That would be cool, wouldn’t it?”

Your daughter nodded again, opening her mouth to speak again before being interrupted by a knock on the door. Two masked faces peeked their heads into the room. “Can we join?”

You waved Luke and Kieran in, “Of course! Come, sit!” 

Your daughter hid behind your arm, unfamiliar with the new guests and probably startled by their masked appearance. You turned to her and took her hand, “This is Luke and Kieran, can you say hi?”

She gave a small wave, still half hidden. The twins waved back eagerly and removed their masks, “Nice to meet you, little boss! We have something for you!” Luke held something behind his back, Kieran making a drumroll on his thighs before they held out the present. It was Mephisto with a tiny red dress on, finished off with a little bow tied around his head. He looked extremely unhappy for a mechanical bird, and the sight alone made you burst out laughing. 

Your daughter’s eyes lit up, and she reached forward to take the crow, who made a little grumbling sound as he was passed around. She gave him a head pat and giggled, “So pretty!” Mephisto was shooting daggers at the twins, but he held still as your daughter grabbed her doll and set it on his back, “Look, dragon!”

Sylus chuckled, “Quite a feathery dragon.”

Mephisto grumbled again, giving a shake to knock the doll off. It landed back in your daughter’s lap, the crow hopping away from it. Your daughter’s laughter filled the room as Luke and Kieran turned to you, “So,” Luke began, “We were thinking…”

Kieran nodded along, “We should have a game night, but instead of just in the evening, it lasts all day!”

Sylus looked to you, “What do you think?”

You shrugged, “I’m okay with it, it’ll certainly wear her out.” 

The twins clapped their hands, glancing between the two of you until you gave them a nod, “Yes! Thank you, Miss Boss! You ready for a day full of fun, Mini Boss?”

Your daughter was slightly confused at the nickname but cheered nonetheless. She hopped off the bed, the twins both taking one of her hands to guide her towards their destination. When she looked over her shoulder, the grin on her face was pure joy. She called for you and Sylus to follow them as she disappeared down the hall. 

You chuckled to yourself and slipped out of bed, Sylus following suit, “I’ll meet you all down there. I still need to get dressed.” 

Sylus nodded and left the room, Mephisto hopping along behind him–his wings still stuck underneath the dress the twins had stuffed him into. 

The next few hours went by rather quickly. For the first time in a long time, the Onychinus base was filled with laughter. You played hide and seek through the halls, covered the floor of the gym with cushions and pretended the floor was lava, let your daughter beat all of you in a boxing match, stopping only when her stomach was growling loud enough to echo through the room. Sylus had a picnic prepared, and the five of you settled in a garden you hadn’t seen before for a lunch full of stories that your daughter and the twins came up with. 

In the afternoon, you retired to the game room for rounds of Mario Kart–which your daughter was surprisingly good at. You groaned as she passed the finish line first for the fifth time in a row. The twins held their heads in their hands, the tricks they had planned backfiring on them. Sylus just chuckled as his cart passed the line just behind your daughters.

“I think we’ve found your hidden talent,” he said, looking to your daughter, who was doing her victory dance once again.

“I beat you again!” She pointed to both of you.

You nodded with a smile, “That you did.”

“Maybe you’ll turn out to be a professional racer,” Sylus suggested.

Your daughter’s eyes lit up, “That’s a thing?”

“It is, you should ask your Mama about it. She was rather good, from what I remember.”

You sent Sylus a look as your daughter turned to you, “You raced? Like Mario?”

You chuckled, “Something like that, but it’s not for kiddos like you.”

She frowned.

“Chin up, little one,” Sylus chimed in, “Maybe one day we’ll take you on a ride.”

Your daughter giggled with glee, a smug smile on her face. You were going to kill him. 

A little while later, you were packing up the car and strapping your daughter back into her seat. She was cradling one of the new toys Sylus had gotten her, a tiny dragon plush that she had named ‘Sisi’. Her eyes were drooping, worn out from the exciting day, as she waved goodbye to the twins. They waved back and gave you a hug before heading back inside the base. 

Sylus leaned over to gently kiss your daughter’s forehead, whispering something soft to her that made her smile grow. Then he turned to you and pulled you into a hug.

“Thank you,” you heard him whisper.

“She had a great time,” you told him, “You did great.”

When you pulled back, you were wearing that soft smile you always used to show him years ago. You leaned up and kissed his cheek, saying one last goodbye before getting into the car and starting up the engine. 

As you drove back through the N109 Zone, you found yourself thinking more and more about the possible future you could have together. One where you didn’t have to drive back to another home so far away. One where you and your daughter could wake up and fall asleep in the same home as her father every day. You weren’t sure how ready you were for that, but you saw how it had made your daughter shine like she never had before. The way she had a smile on her face the entire time, even while she slept. Maybe this would be good for her, even if you had told yourself so long ago that leaving was for the best. You didn’t know, and you probably would never know; if situations were that easy, you wouldn’t have spent three years alone. For now, though, this was nice. 

a/n: some notes on this chapter: daughter's bedroom was based partially on vids i came across and my own childhood room. 'Sisi' - pronounced Cee-cee(though idk if it'll be mentioned again) had to terrorize mephisto a little, it was too funny to pass up. still haven't decided on a name for the little one, so suggestions are appreciated!! thank you for reading!