"The problem with wanting, is it makes us weak."

Independant roleplay blog for the Darkling of the Grisha Trilogy. Crossovers a given, OCs and AUs welcome.

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

vision || childofshadow

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

Alina snorted. “Really? You never visit me anymore like this. What are the grounds for such a claim? Are you that tired?”

As far as the Darkling could look tired, he really did look that tired. A limp was something she never really expected to see the Darkling with, even after her first use of merzost, or rather, his merzost, or rather, their merzost. Injured Darkling. Slightly disorienting.

"Now, I wasn’t the only one playing with the tether," Alina said sharply, straightening up as he came closer. "What did you want?"

[childofshadow]

Hearing her laugh, even if it was out of spite or bitterness for what had transpired between them, steadied him. It was familiar territory; made her seem less a powerful being that had snatched his very foundation from under him--and something from inside him at the same time--but rather tame. Just a girl who wanted to get her own way.

And yet, he still wasn't quite relaxed.

"I'm always tired," was the Darkling's simple answer. "In more than a few ways. But I've grown accustomed to it." His voice was smooth, placating, a voice he might have used to calm the dying stag had he been alone with it. Graceful fingers made their way over the dark wood of the table to cover her hand. "It's hardly a problem."

[itsallthebeesfault-archive-deac]

OKAY BUT REAL TALK FOR A MINUTE YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT?

I WANT THE DARKLING SINGING “LET IT GO”.

I WANT THE DARKLING STRIPPING OFF HIS GLOVES AND KEFTA AND MAKING A NEW ONE OF SHADOWS AND BEING ALL “HAHA LATER LOSERS” BEFORE SINGLE-HANDEDLY ERECTING A TOWER OF DARKNESS.

"The dark never bothered me, anyway."

HOW HAS THE FANDOM NOT THOUGHT OF THIS???

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

vision || childofshadow

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

"It’s a bit too late to be worried about my reputation, isn’t it?" Alina folded her arms across her chest and leaned back slightly. "You had lots of opportunities to make me look mad back when I headed this table, and I daresay you took them."

He’d been a personal ghost, the Darkling, when he’d been in Fjerda, lying in wait. Literally lying down, tormenting her with visions while he waited.

[childofshadow]

The smile he'd been restraining up till now made itself known, cool and mild, like that of a teacher graced with a particularly precocious student. Which, he told himself, was all she was to him.

"That was fun," the Darkling commented idly, then stood from his seat to approach her. He was walking with a slight limp, Saints only knew why. One of the less recent times she'd seen him, he'd had his side sliced rather nicely, so it was safe enough to say this wasn't a ruse, either.

"Oh, but I wouldn't say I took them all, or else we wouldn't be having these conversations we both enjoy so much. Wouldn't you agree, Alina?"

He spoke it all so easily, but there was caution in his step, and even his breaths were hesitant. Whatever he was doing, he wasn't as sure of it as he normally was.

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

vision || childofshadow

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

   ”If my memory serves me right,” Alina remarked, “you often visited me in the Little Palace during hours befitting an insomniac as well. And you’ve been pretty tentative about this skill lately, too.”

   Hm. He was tense (?); she would just watch and see what he would say next.

[childofshadow]

"Mm." A smiled played at the edge of his lips, as he slid the pages together into a neat stack, then moved the glass to a safer distance from them, lacing his slender fingers around the cool planes of it. "I'm a busy man, Alina. Far too many tasks that need attending and sheep that need their shepherd."

The words were just as smooth and velvety as they always were, aside from a slight roughness in his voice that was nearly impossible to catch. Something was off, something was amiss, and it could have been nothing or everything, knowing him. "Besides. I wouldn't want to startle you in front of companions of...dubious loyalty at best--they may come to suspect you are mad."

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

vision || childofshadow

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

   As soon as she saw him, she drifted to a vague, blurry object - a chair - and sat down. No use hiding from him. The shadows certainly wouldn’t offer any protection.

   Alina couldn’t really see anything of the room, except for a small sphere of clarity surrounding the Darkling and the things he was in contact in, like his chair, and part of the table. She recognized this place - this was the War Room of the Little Palace.

   And so she waited.

[childofshadow]

"You're here awfully late, Alina." His tone was flat, not bored, just flat. His gaze flicked from the wall he'd been so apparently interested in to the figure sitting nearby. "Still so tentative about embracing your new skill?"

He wasn't as relaxed as he normally appeared, and seemed to be holding himself rigid for one reason or another, despite his calm posturing. A few pages written in his neat, sharp script rested near his elbow on the table, along with a half-finished glass of kvas. Whatever he'd been up to, he'd been at it for a decidedly long time.

[sunsummon-deactivated20170124]

vision || childofshadow

   Alina couldn’t sleep.

   It was something she was familiar with, though, so she just stared up at the ceiling, trying to organize her tangled thoughts, trying to ignore the invisible tether that would lead her to the Darkling as a vision.

   She sighed. It was hard to ignore it, though. Alina was tired and not thinking as rationally as she was when fully awake. Maybe the darkling would be asleep, and she wouldn’t have to talk to him as she appeared by his bedside or something.

   So she let herself travel through, float up to wherever he was.

[childofshadow]

It was late, that was clear as could be, and though the edges of the room were fuzzy, it was almost immediately noticeable that Alina had not been carried to the distinctive bedroom they'd both slept in at one point or another.

He was in the war room, sitting in one of those uncomfortable high-backed chairs that were nigh impossible to sit in for more than the hour-long meetings that had taken place there. And yet the Darkling was still as a statue, though awake, his chin resting in one slender hand, ash-coloured eyes gazing bleakly at the opposite wall. 

The maps had been removed. In fact, the table and a decidedly fewer amount of chairs than before were about the only things left in the room. So...why was he here, of all places?

[childofshadow]

//Mal is actually so important like I'm even a diehard Darkling fan and I'll admit it.

Why, you ask?

Because Mal may have his crowning moments of annoying (sometimes), but I will be the first one to tell you the Darkling was about 95% cray.

[sphlnx-blog]

(fullview please!)

if you haven’t read shadow and bone by leigh bardugo you are missing out on a whole lotta wonderful, let me tell you

also how do you draw keftas

[childofshadow]

//Fantastic work as always, m'dear. uwu I love how colourful it is, ya don't see that too often in Shadow and Bone fanart

[childofshadow]

//Using Sean O'Pry for the Darkling's fc or digging around to see if I can find an actual fictional character to use...

If only Tahno wore more black.

The debate continues...

[ouchiebyebye]

what did alina even call the darkling these last two books? it must have been really awkward like “evil monster, could you pass the salt please thank you”

[kondoram]

imagine your OTP just sleeping in the same bed.

no kissing, no sex, no words.

Just the sound of their relaxed breaths and just the slight touch of their hands, feeling so warm and safe sleeping next to the one they love..

Imagine that.

[inlesbianswithistoria-deactivat]

Send me a "babe" for muse's reaction to yours groping their ass

[contracas]

                I   love  you  p a t h e t i c a l l y.                           [ Unconditionally ]                 I feel incomplete when you're not here.                 You haven't been here for  a while now.                          But neither have I.                        I wish you'd come back.                           Make me whole again.                          Make me  feel again.                                Please?

[shanandwords]

"So many men had tried to make her a queen."

[shanandwords]

-Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

[childofshadow]

//All y'all shipping Malina (congrats by the way guys) Darklina and Darkling/Ivan.

And I'm just sitting over here by myself shipping Fedyor and the Darkling because he deserves someone who'll be sweet to him. 

God, someone help me.

[childofshadow]

8 Have Joined the Grisha

Peering over a massive pile of reports, complaints, and the odd personal letter from Saints only knew who, the Darkling squinted just a bit at the newcomers, before threading a hand through his midnight-coloured hair. "Ah...greetings. I hope you weren't looking for entertainment or company. I can provide you with neither."

[childofshadow]

"Mm. I haven't seen Alina in quite some time."