Hi, I have send some stuff to you before, always anon, the last time that I send something on anon it was about what we would lose for each route in your RoR fanfic.
I just wanted to thank you for always answering so nicely, I struggle with social anxiety and sending this is kind of my way to get more comfortable with this type of stuff, it is a little bit like public speaking, because a lot of people will see what I said/wrote and can judge me for it. I was really scared whenever I wrote something on here, but I wanna thank you and everyone else that I wrote to for always answering so nicely. I haven't interacted with a Lot of people on here but when I do it always takes a Lot of courage for me to send it and I still don't always do. Even if I just wanna send in some support, I am always scared about what others will think of me. But with you, even If I only interacted with you twice and always on anon, I always got so happy by how you answered that it actually made me cry a little, because it was as If you were supporting me, even If you and others don't know it, you help me a Lot and always make my day just by answering so nicely. Even if I normally text on anon, it is still very hard for me, but I don't always use anon, maybe I will stop using anon here too at some point but for now I might just stay like this, you can remember me as: š¼anon, if that's okay.
Thank you for being such a wonderful person and I hope that this doesn't overwhelm you.
Thank you for being youā¤ļø
-š¼anon
Hello! Itās great to hear from you again, š¼anon ā¤ļø
If being anon is what makes you comfortable, then that's okay with me. Whether you stay š¼ anon forever or decide to come off anon one day, I'm just happy you're here. I completely understand how you feel; to be honest, when I was younger, I made anon blogs to speak to people. Iām better online now; it took me a while, but now Iām here and posting stories. But I know how it is, and I donāt want you to ever feel stressed or pushed with me. I will always support you and send you love. Also, I love the š¼
The message you sent me about the RoR fic really got to me, too. I was grinning so much when I received that. Honestly, I almost started to cry. When I write, there is always a voice in the back of my head, and I start second-guessing everything, especially after I have a seizure. So receiving your message, how much you enjoy the fic. Hearing how you felt about that last scene. I kept telling people around who know I write fanfics (like 2 tbh) until they were like, āOkay, shut up, Ashā š The way you described how the ending hit you, it made me soooo happy. It told me that my writing had enough for you to feel it. Iām not being dramatic; the way your ask made me feel was so amazing and heartwarming.Ā
I feel the same now; I am so happy that you feel safe enough with me to send these beautiful messages. Thank you š¼
If you ever need anything or support and still want to be anon, you can make a blog just so you can stay anon and message me privately. Of course, that is up to you. Just know Iām here if you need me.Ā
Fanfic writers are being accused of using AI because they use an em dash when writing. Plenty of us have been using em dash before chatgpt or whatever other AI people use to 'write' fanfics.
I really like my em dash š
I've seen really popular writers be attacked. Like, harshly, cruelly attacked because of a fucking em dash.
Recently, I read a story from a university student who submitted an essay, and whatever program the teacher used flagged it as AI. She really loves writing and was excited about the class when she found out there would be multiple essays to write. Only to be flagged because I guess she's too talented.
It's creepy how AI is starting to sound more human. I get creepy chatbot ads on some apps that look too realistic.
Sorry this is so late! My health is pretty and hopefully it stays this way because I have to fly across the world in a few weeks. šThank you for all the support. You guys are amazing
You wipe sweat from your forehead as you follow your father through an unfamiliar forest. Plants youāve never seen before grow on either side of the pathātoo bright, too sharp, like someone turned the saturation up too high. āWhere are we? I might not be the most nature-loving person, but Iām not dumb.ā You lift your hand to touch an oddly neon-purple star-shaped flower. āThese donāt grow in our location. Iāve never even seenāāĀ
āWhy are you touching a plant after claiming you donāt know what it is? It could be poisonous, even deadly.ā Empty amethyst eyes stare at you.
Your hand drops instantly.Ā Are colorful things usually the most dangerous?Ā āRight. Sorry, but where are we? I donāt even know the last time you took me out for a hike.āĀ
āWhen you were eleven.āĀ
āOh. So,Ā where are we?ā you stress. Itās hot. Youāre tired.Ā
āI donāt know.āĀ
Your mind briefly goes blank until your foot catches on a root, causing you to trip forward awkwardly. You stumble slightly but quickly regain your balance. As the realization sinks in slowly, your eyes widen. āDad! Oh my god, youāre not a nature person either.ā You rub your face grimly. āDid you get us lost? I donāt have cell service here. Do you at least have a map? You know how to use one, right?ā you ask, a knot of concern forming in your stomach.
Ā āYes, I am aware of how to use a map.āĀ
A small hint of hope twists amid the concern. āGreat, and do you have a map?āĀ
āNo.āĀ
Then something else occurs to you. āDad, no one will be looking for us if we disappear. Did you tell anyone weāre going out? I donāt have friends.ā Your eyes open wide in horror. āNobody is going to notice weāre gone.ā No friends. No family. Which was always okay for you, until now. University isnāt like high school. No teachers or administrators will investigate if a student goes missing. Theyāll likely just think you dropped out.
You glance around the strange environment and realize something else. āWe donāt have any food or tentsājust water bottles.ā You squeeze your eyes shut, feeling the weight of the situation. āMineās half empty. Dad, we really need to find more water. We canāt last more than a few days without it.ā
Vaeris, as a kind and supportive father, nods in agreement. "Approximately three days for a human,ā he states calmly. āIf you use my water, you will survive for another two days. Unless you prefer to risk drinking from natural sources we encounter." There is a pause. āHowever, that entails significant riskāparasites, bacteriaāa slow, painful death.ā
You stare back at him. āThanks, Dad. As comforting as always.āĀ
Taking slow, steady breaths, you walk slowly. Getting upset with him only affects you.Ā Just stay calm and focused. As you continue walking, the trees gradually thin out, revealing a faint glow ahead. āMaybe we should turn back and retrace our steps? Weāre almost at the edge of the forest..."
āThere is no clear path. It is possible we would become more lost attempting to walk back.ā
Your stomach sinks at his words, and you canāt tell if his blank expression is more reassuring or unsettling right now.Ā Would he show a little emotion if he thinks weāre in danger?
After about twenty more minutes of walking in what seems to be an open field, a being appears.Ā
You freeze.
Itās turned away from you, but even from a distance, it appears massiveāpurple skin, four arms, and a large, muscular build.Ā
You reach out for your fatherās hand in panic, fear swirling throughout your body.Ā Do we run?Ā you want to ask him. But what if it hears you?Ā
When it turns around, you curse yourself for jinxing yourself.
From the front, it looks even more disturbingāthree eyes, and it seems... bothered.Ā Oh my God, it has five eyes.Ā You gulp nervously as two additional eyes open, one beneath each of the normal ones. Running isn't an option; it could easily catch you. You're so terrified that you're paralyzed, unable to move even if you wanted to.Ā
Despite your grip tightening on your fatherās hand, his hold remains cool and loose. He gazes ahead, expressionless, as the being approaches. Strange blue, or maybe dark purple, lines twist around its hands, arms, and neck.Ā
As it draws nearer, you notice its eyes are a striking goldāprettyābut the eye on its forehead is frightening. Instead of white, the sclera is a deep red.Ā
Vaeris turns his head to watch you as Shiva approaches, then shifts his attention back to the god, assessing him before giving a small, decisive nod that neither you nor Shiva notice. He pulls his hand from yours once Shiva is within reach.
āA demon!ā he yells, trying to sound panickedāfearful. It seems to work. Both you and Shiva snap your heads toward him. Shiva looks irritated, while even more fear floods your eyes. Despite the tone, his expression doesnāt quite match. āDonāt eat me!ā
He places a hand on your shoulder and forcefully pushes you. You wince slightly as you are uncomfortably shoved into the beingās chest, causing him to stumble backward while instinctively wrapping four arms around you.
Vaeris only watches for a second as Shiva stumbles back. Then turns to run.Ā
You freeze, the fear of being in the demonās grasp replaced by confusion and betrayal.Ā He sounded scared.Ā Then it dawns on youā¦if even your father was scared, youāre in serious danger. You panic, desperately trying to push the purple demon away, but its arms tighten momentarily before it pushesĀ youĀ back, uttering something in an unfamiliar,Ā demonic language.Ā āOh my god, I, uh, please donāt eat me! Iām sorry!ā
It stares blankly at you.
Oh no, does it understand English?Ā "Do you understand English?ā You speak slowly, trying not to sound mocking as you step back cautiously. "Please donāt hurt me, Iām sorry, sir... demon?" You guess itās male.Ā Yeah, itās gotta be a guy.Ā An odd, invasive thought to have when you might be about to die.
āDemon?ā His tone is dry as he narrows his eyes at you, the lower two closing as he crosses his upper arms over his chest and rests the lower pair on his hips. He looks annoyed.
Shit, did I make him angry?Ā But heās gotta be a demon. What else could he be? āUh, arenāt you a demon?ā
He glares.
Yes, I have made him angry.Ā āIām sorry! I didnāt mean to upset you! Are you going to hurt me? Uh, if you arenāt a demon, could you tell me what you are before you kill meā¦ā Your curiosity gets the best of you.
He steps closer and raises a hand. Panicked, you lift yoursālike you can stop him.Ā His fingertips barely brush your skin.
White-hot pain explodes through you.
You drop before you even realize youāre falling, a scream tearing out of your throat. Itās everywhereāunder your skin, in your bones, burning through your chest like something is trying to rip you apart from the inside. You canāt think, canāt breathe, canāt do anything but feel it.
Shiva also falls, experiencing more intense pain than youānot that youād notice. The pain continues relentlessly, extending endlessly and pushing you to the brink of wishing it would end, no matter the cost.
He lifts his head, glaring at you, ready to kill youāanything to make it end. He reaches over you but pauses, his expression shifting as he realizes you are in the same state. His hand then drops to your upper arm.
It stops.
Just like that.
Slowly, you lift your head. Itās gone. No ache, no burnānothing. The being across from you is still on the ground.
You open your mouth to speak, but everything goes black.
Shiva slowly sits up, observing you as your head drops to the ground. Intrigued, he reaches for you once more, this time cautious not to go too far if it occurs again.
Nothing.
No pain.
The only sensation is the soft skin beneath his fingertips. He pulls away, glancing at his hand, then at you, before standing and giving you another irritated look. He starts to walk away, but only makes it five steps before pausing and glancing over his shoulder.
The human is still on the ground, passed out, in an area that is not safe for humans to be alone. He canāt feel any other gods or beings nearbyāfor now.
āI donāt care,ā he mutters, shaking his head. She called him a demon.Ā A rude humanā¦She was scared.
Shiva exhales sharply, turns around, and walks back. He drops to the ground before you, crossing his legs and resting his chin on his hand. Though he may not care much for humanity as a whole, leaving a human alone in Valhalla... if someone discovers her. āIām too nice,ā he grumbles to himself.
A gentle breeze greets you as you open your eyes, and as your fingers move, you notice youāre lying on soft grass. Your vision gradually clears, revealing an open plain, and confusion begins to set in. Why are you sleeping outdoors? Sitting upright, you look around. Opposite you is the tree line. You blink multiple times, staring while trying to recall what happened. āWhere is Dad?ā
āAlready forgot he ran away after offering you as a sacrifice?ā a voice scoffs.
You freeze, then slowly turn to look behind you. The same being from before sits a short distance away, legs crossed, chin propped on his hand. He looks far less threatening than you remember, watching you with a faint, bored expression.
āOh.ā
He snorts. āOh?ā He straightens. āWhere are you from? Youāre a living humanāyou shouldnāt be here. How did you get here?ā
You stare at him, unable to speak. HeĀ soundsĀ normal, and despite the four arms, five eyes, and purple skinā¦he kind of looks normal. You open your mouth, but it feels like itās full of cotton. You canāt get the words out, and even if you could, what would you say? You have no idea how you ended up here. Still, hearing him say youāre aĀ livingĀ human brings a small sense of relief, given where you supposedly are. āMy Dadā¦āĀ
āAbandoned you,ā he reminds bluntly. His eyes lock onto something behind you, all five open as he sighs. āā¦This day keeps getting worse.ā
Something warm and tight wraps around your shoulders.
Your eyes snap open as you attempt to sit up, but Shiva is already over you, causing you to headbutt him.Ā āOw, youāre too hard-headed,ā you groan, rubbing the spot, but it intensifies the pain. āWhat are you doing?ā you ask, pushing against his chest to get him off, but he doesnāt budge.Ā
āWaking you up.āĀ
āGet off me, youāre heavy.āĀ
His eyes drop to your waist before flicking back to you. His knees are planted on either side of your hips, keeping most of his weight off you, until he shifts slightly and presses his weight onto you this time. āIf you want to complain, at least have something really to complain about," he says with a grin, looking down.Ā
āI hate you sometimes,ā you mutter, your hand gently slapping his outer left thigh, warm and slightly firm under your palm. His lower hand quickly catches yours, fingers intertwining. His grin broadens. āI donāt care.āĀ
You open your mouth to make another snarky remark, but it turns into a yawn. āWhat time is it? Why did you wake me up?ā You sit up as he moves to your left. The alarm clock on the bedside table shows 6:39 AM through its LED lights. āItās too early. Is the match against Odin finally happening today or something?ā That's the only reason you can think of for him waking you upĀ so early.Ā
Shivaās eyes trace yours. He dismisses your glare with a scoff. You didnāt sleep until after one, so you've only had about four to five hours of rest. āShiva, I am human. At least eightāāĀ
āDo you remember what you were dreaming about?ā He already knows. Itās obviousāhe cares more about whether you remember the dream.
You look at him for a moment, confused by his question. Slowly, blurred details from the dream start to return. The dream was actually a memory. āOh.āĀ
āOh.ā He mocks.
āBe quiet. Yeah, I remember.ā You drop your head onto your pillow, eyes heavy with sleep, staring at Shiva. āHow do you know what I was dreaming about?āĀ
Shiva shrugs. āI donāt know. Maybe it was the demon and the āplease donāt eat meā comments. You were pretty sure I was going to eat you.ā He leans closer. āHard to forget when your best friendās words were āplease donāt eat me.āāĀ
āI said sorry.āĀ
He shakes his head, then leans forward and presses his lips to yours. āYeah, yeah.ā He pulls away and lies back down. āGo back to sleep. Stop dreaming about things that make you yell. Next, youāll start hitting me.āĀ
āI never hit you thenā¦I was too scared to.āĀ
A slight frown crosses his face as he lies down beside you. His lower-right hand wraps around your wrist, pulling you against him, while his other three arms wrap around you. āYouāve made up for it,ā he scoffs. āHitting me, biting me, yelling at meā¦ā
āWait, no, that sounds really badāā
One of his lower hands grips your jaw before you can complete your words, pulling you into a more lingering kiss. Itās deeper and slower this time, with his lips parting against yours as his hold beneath your chin adjusts slightly. For a moment, nothing else matters except him.
āYou just told me to go back to sleep,ā you mumble against his lips.
Shiva snorts softly. āThen stop trying to get the last word.ā
Multiple hands trace along your thighs and ribs, through your hair.
āYou have too many hands,ā you yawn, not yet opening your eyes. Theyāre still heavy with sleep. āWhat time is it?ā
You feel soft lips press gently against your shoulder, a warm sensation spreading across your skin before itās replaced by the faint bite of teeth on the sensitive flesh. The sensation is barely on the edge of pain.
āShiva.ā
āItās 10:30, time for breakfast.āĀ
āWhatās for breakfast?ā You swat one of his hands away as it inches toward your stomach.Ā
āWhat do you want?āĀ
You lean into his arms, loosely wrapping yours around his shoulders as he sits upright. His lower arms encircle you, pulling you into his lap. āI donāt careāyour hair is a mess.ā You run your fingers through his soft hair and then adjust the yellow band.
His golden eyes linger on yours for a moment before he gently presses you back against the bed. He follows. Before you can speak, his lips meet yours again, warm and deliberate. The kiss quickly intensifies as one hand slips into your hair and the other braces your waist, holding you close.
āShivaāā
The sound barely leaves your mouth before he tilts his head and kisses you deeper.Ā The slow glide of his hand along your waist sends heat rushing through your chest. His tongue brushes along the seam of your lips, and when you part them, the lingering taste of spices lingers.
You place a hand in the center of his chest, pushing him away, though he doesnāt go far, his nose brushing yours. āWhat about breakfast?āĀ
All five of his eyes open as he gives you an unimpressed look.Ā
āDonāt look at me like that! Youāre the one who asked what I wanted for breakfast.ā
He clicks his tongue in annoyance, then glances at the phone on the side of the bed. Without moving off you, he reaches for it and places an order in his native language.Ā You can only catch a few words, mostly the names of the dishes he ordered. He hangs up before turning his attention back to you.Ā
āI feel like you mightāve ordered tooāāĀ
Your words disappear against his lips.
This time, the kiss doesnāt end after a few seconds. One hand slides into your hair while another settles against your thigh, fingers slowly dragging higher beneath your shirt. Shiva shifts against you, pressing you deeper into the mattress as the kiss deepens, slow enough to leave you dizzy.
āShivaā¦ā you murmur against his lips, though it lacks any real protest.
He hums softly before kissing you again, slower this time, almost teasing. His teeth lightly graze your lower lip before his mouth briefly traces your jaw and returns.
A sharp knock echoes through the room.
Shiva stills above you, clicking his tongue in annoyance, his forehead briefly pressing against yours before he turns to glare at the door.Ā
You snort softly, still slightly breathless. āYou ordered food. What did you expect?ā
He grumbles something under his breath in his native language.
āIf the God of Destruction ordered from me, Iād try to get it done as fast as possible, too.ā You push lightly against his face as he leans back down. āYou are literally the God of Destruction, sir.ā
āLord Shiva?ā a timid voice calls from behind the door, and you shove Shivaās chest and grin. āGo get the food, Lord Shiva.āĀ
āAre you ordering me around?ā he raises a brow.
You sit up, crossing your legs and pointing towards the door. āYes, go get the food.āĀ
Before Shiva can make an argument, there is another knock on the door. Shiva glances at the door, then, with one hand, pops you on the back of your head before standing up.Ā
A servant bows low to Shiva as Shiva opens the door. When he lifts his head, he gestures toward the cart beside him. āMay I set it up for you, Lord Shiva?āĀ
Shiva steps to his right, allowing the god to enter.Ā
Shining emerald eyes meet yours for a moment before he lowers his head again in respect. āMy Lady.ā He quietly greets, then turns his attention to the table.Ā
As you start to stand, Shiva shoves you back onto the bed. āIdiot,ā he hisses at you, tucking the blanket more tightly around you. āYou arenāt dressed.āĀ
āā¦yes I am.āĀ
He motions to your purple shirt. Sure, itās a sleep shirt, but it covers everything. It falls just above your knees and covers more than some dresses, honestly. You end up saying the thought aloud.
āItās not a dress.ā He drops onto the bed beside you, his lower hands on either side of your thighs.Ā
āAre you jealous someone else will see me in my sleep shirt?āĀ
āItās not jealousy.ā He tsks, flicking your thigh.Ā
On the other side of the room, the servant gulps and moves more quickly. Shiva clearly isnāt happy about someone else in his room, or rather, about someone in his room with his human, and the servant doesnāt want to stay any longer than necessary.Ā Ā
āLord Shiva, your breakfast is ready.ā The servant bows quickly, extending an arm toward the table. āWould you like anything else?ā
Shiva turns his attention to the servant. āHuh? Oh, no, weāre fine. Thanks.ā
āDid you get a latte?āĀ
Both Shiva and the servant freeze. Panic spreads across the servantās face. Had he forgotten something? Shiva looks away from you, fingers digging into the sheets.
āDid you forget my latte?ā you press Shiva.
The poor servant looks like he might cry, on the verge of dropping to his knees to ask for forgiveness. Shiva drags a hand down his face. āYou didnāt tell me you wanted a latte.ā
Letting out an awkward cough, you mumble, āYou were being distracting.āĀ
āWould you like me to bring a latte too, Lord Shiva?āĀ
Shiva nods. āPlease.āĀ
The moment the door closes behind the servant, Shiva grabs your jaw with his lower right hand. He gives you an annoyed look, as if he might scold you or grumble. Instead, he pulls you closer, and his warm lips meet yours. āIdiot,ā he huffs against your lips. āYou want other men to see you like this?ā He runs his hand through your messy hair and lifts your shirt to your waist.Ā
āIt isnāt like itās lingerieā¦.but I guess I can kind of see your point.ā Different scenes from movies flash through your mind. Women with messy hair, wearing a T-shirt.Ā Yeah, some have sensual undertones.Ā
Once the latte arrives, Shiva slightly reorganizes breakfast. You notice the silverware the servant left is now on the bar, out of reach. You glance at the fork and spoon, then back at the dishes on the table. "Can I get a fork for this?ā you ask, pointing to a dish that would be easier to eat with one.Ā
Shiva stares blankly at you, his golden eyes burning into yours as his lower hands reach for one of the many types of bread he ordered; you arenāt sure of the names of half of them. He tears off a piece of appam, dips it into one of the bowls, then holds it out toward you, eyebrow raised.
āYou can have this.ā
You narrow your eyes before taking the coated bread from him and taking a bite. For the first couple of seconds, itās slightly sweet and thick enough to coat your mouth. Only after it settles on your tongue does it start to burn. You gasp, but it does nothing to help. āShiva!ā
He looks unimpressed. āWhat?ā
You reach blindly for your latte, hoping the milk will overpower the spice. It doesnāt help much; it almost makes it worse. Shiva casually slides a glass of lassi toward you. āIt shouldnāt be that spicy. I told them to cut back on the spice.ā
āThereās no way this is toned down,ā you huff at him between gulps of the lassi, the yogurt-like drink cutting the heat. You nearly moan into the glass.
Shiva tears off another piece before dipping it into the same bowl. He gives you a blank stare as he casually eats it, showing no reaction to the heat. āHumans are so weak.ā
āItās too spicy for breakfast!ā you groan, setting the cup on the table. āThis is what Iād eat for lunch or dinner, not for breakfast.ā You sink into the chair. āMy body isnāt built to handle this much spice this early.āĀ
Shiva snorts softly, āYouāre being dramatic.āĀ
The rest of breakfast goes by normally, with other spicy dishes, none of which compares to the first. You end up focusing on the jalebi. The sweet syrup from the fried spirals helps ease the lingering heat.Ā
Itās when you just settle on the sofa that thereās a knock on the door. One single knock. You turn your head to the right, staring at the door. āItās Dad.ā Shiva grunts in annoyance. āWe just sat down.ā His upper arms cross over his chest. āDoes he have something to tell him the worst times to appear?āĀ
You shrug. āNow youāre being dramaticāIām coming, Dad.ā You stand, glancing down at Shiva.Ā
āIf he had knocked two minutes earlier, it wouldnāt be annoying.ā Shiva clicks his tongue. āWe literally just sat down.ā
Ignoring his grumbling, you open the door and step aside. āGood morning, Dad. You just missed breakfast.āĀ
His amethyst eyes flick to Shiva. āThere was no need. I have enough data to cover you two eating a meal together. Sharing a meal with you two would be inefficient, given that the God of Destruction is irritated by my presence.ā
He pulls a book from the bag at his side. āI have come to ask if you would like this.ā Like his other notebooks, itās black, plain-looking, and a bit worn. Thereās no telling whatās inside it.
āWait, no," Shiva quickly slips off the sofa, moving behind you and pulling you against his chest.Ā The warmth of his skin seeps through your shirt and into your back.
You tilt your head up, curious about his sudden reaction. Vaeris stares blankly at him. āI was not speaking to you. Why are you interrupting?āĀ
Wait.Ā Not long ago, Shiva was bothered by your state of dress. āIs it because Iām in my sleep shirt?ā You tug lightly at the bottom of the shirt.
Shiva gives you a look of disbelief. āWhat? No. Why would you think that? _____, I swearāāĀ
āBecause you got upset about the servantāāĀ
āVaeris is your dadā¦never mind.ā His lower-left hand clamps over your mouth as he turns back to Vaeris. His upper-right hand points at the book. āWhat is that?āĀ
With his tone as empty as ever, he gives Shiva a brief glance. āIt is none of your concern what this is. I am speaking to _____.ā
Shivaās jaw tightens at the complete dismissal. āIām going to kill you.āĀ
You sigh lightly, stuck between Shivaās anger and your fatherās lack of emotion. āDad, what is it?ā You reach for the book, ignoring Shivaās grumbling behind you.Ā
āInformation.āĀ
āAbout?āĀ
He stares at you for a moment before nodding toward Shiva. āIt is information I have gathered on the two of you.āĀ
What information has he gathered?Ā You glance up at Shiva behind you. He tilts his head back down to you, mirroring your confused expression.Ā Without hesitation, he plucks the book from your hands.Ā
āItās in that language again.ā He scowls at the book as he flips through the pages.Ā
Huffing, you snatch the book from him. āAll of it?ā You flip it open.Ā
The first page is written in English. Your eyes quickly skim the words. It's about you and your father in the forest.
Arrived in Valhalla at approximately 14:06. ______ remains unaware of our location.
Your head slowly lifts from the page. āWait.ā You narrow your eyes at your father. āYou knew where we were going?ā You hold up the book.Ā
Vaeris doesnāt break eye contact. He ignores the shaking book. āYes.ā
Irritation begins to run through your veins as you remember what happened. You were scared. You thought you were going toĀ dieĀ and nobody would find you. Yet, he knew where you were the whole time?
āDad, why did we go to Valhalla? Why did you shove me into Shiva? I thought I was going to die multiple times that day.ā You flip the page, and your stomach drops.Ā Youāve got to be fucking kidding me.Ā āAll the answers are in this language, arenāt they?āĀ
āNo.āĀ
You give him a blank stare.Ā
āBut many are.āĀ
āHow are we supposed to get the answers? I donāt know this language, and Shiva doesnāt either. Does anyone other than you know it?āĀ
He maintains strict eye contact. It feels like he is dissecting and reconstructing you. He nods once. "I selected Shiva for you. However, you have adopted some of his undesirable habits."Ā Ā
"What does that have to do with anything?ā
A notebook materializes in his hand. āUnfortunately, quite a bit.ā
You watch as he opens the door and walks out. Thereās no point in arguing with him. āHe selected you for me.ā You tilt your head up to look at Shiva, who gives you an unimpressed look before covering your face with his hand.Ā
āShut up."
Swiping his hand away, you step forward to turn and face him properly. āSo, what do we do? The answers we want are probably in the language you canāt read.āĀ
āWe? Why doĀ IĀ want answers?ā
You narrow your eyes at him. āOkay, fine. You donāt want answers. But youāre my best friend; youāre supposed to support me in situations like this, right? Anywayā¦arenāt you curious about what happened?āĀ
āNo.āĀ
āShiva.āĀ
ā_____.āĀ
āOkay, fine. You donāt care aboutĀ that.Ā But what about what Dad said? He said he selected you for me! Youāve got to be curious about that, right? Why was he selecting someone? Why you? For what? Right? You wanna know.āĀ
Shiva crosses his upper arms and breaks eye contact, glancing off to the side, looking torn. āI hate you.āĀ
āSo how are we gonna translate it?āĀ
He rubs his temples. This is not how he planned the day to go. āI guess we could ask around. There are gods of language, writing, and knowledgeā¦somebody might recognize it.ā
Kids are mentioned, but it's just teasing, and Buddha making it clear he wants long-term. There won't be any kids....not anytime soon, anyway.
Sorry this is so late! My health is pretty and hopefully it stays this way because I have to fly across the world in a few weeks. šThank you for all the support. You guys are amazing ā¤ļø
āI feel like I need a nap.ā You sigh, glancing to your left. Empty amethyst eyes are locked onto you. āDad.ā You blink slowly, fingers tapping against the notebook in your lap. Pristine black, with silver letters. His name on the upper center. āWhy did you write all these notes about Buddha?āĀ The first page records your first interaction.Ā
The fact that Buddha acknowledged you, while the other gods hadnāt, still lingered in your mind. After Buddha dropped you off in your room, the peace that had washed over you vanished, replaced by a twisting fear in your stomach. If Buddha noticed you, did that mean the other gods might notice you as well? The next day, you clung to Vaeris, grabbing his arm like you had as a kid, terrified that stepping out of the room would attract a godās attention. They were really pissed that an unknown human had killed a god like Poseidon. You were scared of what they might do if they noticed you.Ā
āHe wished to be your partner; I had to determine whether he was a good match.āĀ
You look at your father with narrowed eyes, feeling frustrated.Ā Why me?Ā After blinking and shakingyour head in annoyance, you quickly close the book. āI can assure you, he didnāt wish to beĀ my partnerĀ from day one.āĀ
Buddha was the first to consistently acknowledge you after meeting you. Most people looked through you sooner or later, their attention sliding away no matter how hard you tried to hold it. You noticed it as a childāthe way teachers forgot you were standing there, classmates overlooked you in conversations, and strangers couldn't remember your face minutes later. It bothered you at first, but over time it became so normal that you stopped caring much about attention. Your father experienced the same thing, so you accepted it as some strange trait buried in your DNA and stopped questioning it. But Buddha kept noticing you. Kept approaching you. Kept looking directly at you.Ā Really weird when I think about it.
Honestly, you couldnāt blame your father for immediately pulling out the notebook after seeing Buddha interact with you. If you were as obsessed with documenting things as Vaeris was, you probably would have started one too.
Out of the corner of your eye, you notice your father taking more notes. āAm I doing something worth noting?ā You raise a brow.
His eyes donāt lift from the paper. āI have already documented your lack of confidence multiple times since arriving. There is no need to note it again.ā
āHeyāā
Vaeris quietly stands, a book suddenly appearing in his hand. Before you can question where it came from, he casually tosses it across the garden.
Buddha narrows his eye as Vaeris tosses one of the notebooks across the garden toward him. He raises his hand and easily catches the book.
Shiva
The name is written in silver lettering across the center of the black cover. His brow furrows slightly before he opens it. The first entry recounts the moment you met Shiva, but before Buddha can finish the first sentence, the words begin to fade from the page. His eye sharpens immediately as ink vanishes line by line.
He quickly turns the page. Blank.
Buddha flips back. The previous page is already empty too.
A sick feeling twists in his stomach as he flips through the notebook, trying to read faster than the words can disappear. Fragments vanish mid-sentence, ink stripping itself from the paper before he can process them.
The god of destructionā
Gone.
______ displayed visible distress when separated fr
Gone.
Within seconds, he reaches the final page. Empty. Every sheet is perfectly pristine, as though a pen had never touched them at all.
Buddha snaps the book shut.
Shivaās name is gone.
He lifts his head, but Vaeris is already gone.
You watch quietly as Buddha flips through the notebook, whatever your Dad threw at him, it must be important. You stare at the spot your father had been. He didnāt say a word before vanishing.Ā How does he disappear like that?Ā Shaking your head, you turn your focus back to Buddha.Ā āAre you okay?ā He has a strange look on his face.Ā
Buddha doesnāt respond right away. Instead, he reopens the book, quickly flipping through its pages. Itās blank. He closes it, then reopen it as if expecting something to suddenly reappear.
A strange knot forms in your stomach as his expression tightens slightly. āSiddhartha, what did Dad do?ā You stand, curious what book he just gave Buddha says. All the notebooks heās gone through, heās never had a reaction like this before.Ā
You only get a few steps before he closes the book again, turning his attention to you and walking to you in long strides. āSorry, Honeybee,ā Buddha wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close to his left side and pressing his warm lips against your temple before holding out the book to you.Ā
Accepting it, you flip through a couple of pages. Itās blank.Ā Why would he react like that over this book?Ā You tilt your head, flipping through more slowly to see if maybe you missed something.Ā
Nope.
āIs there something specific I should be looking for?ā
His grip tightens on your waist, fingers digging in until itās almost uncomfortable. He takes a deep breath, then lets you go. āNo, Iām just a little tense because I ran into some gods,ā he scoffs. āThen Vaeris throws this book. I was wondering if I missed something. I guess your dad just likes throwing empty journals at others.āĀ
āYouāre tense after running into gods?ā You tilt your head up at him. āYou fought that demon from hellāthe one all the other gods were afraid ofāā
He presses his soft lips against yours, swallowing the rest of your sentence. āItās more than that,ā he murmurs against your lips. āI was annoyed. Zeus, Odin, Shivaā¦ā He pulls away slightly, eye burning into yours.
You picture all three gods and cringe. āIād probably cry if I were in the same room as Odin,ā you admit quietly, picturing him. The power he displayed when Buddha announced he was fighting for humanityā¦honestly, you still donāt know how you managed not to break your fatherās wrist when you grabbed him.Ā
āI wouldnāt let him hurt you.ā
āOkay.ā
He pulls back slightly, brows knitting together. āWait, why did that sound uncertain?ā A faint pout tugs at his lips. āYouād think the love of my life would have more faith in me.ā
āOdin isĀ reallyĀ scaryā¦āĀ
Buddha gives you a flat look before releasing you, crossing his arms over his chest. Your eyes immediately follow the motion, catching the subtle flex of his biceps and the tightening of his forearms beneath his tan skin. His eye narrows slightly.
He did beat Hajunā¦Ā Even the higher-up gods looked unsettled when the demon appeared. Some of them even looked impressedābut mostly concerned, as if they already knew Buddha was supposed to die the moment Hajun appeared. Hajun was way scarier than Odin.
You shrug lightly, trying to find the right words. āI donāt think you would let him hurt meā¦however, it isnāt like youāre always aroundāā
āSo,ā Buddha cuts in smoothly, āwhat youāre saying is that I should never leave your side?ā
Heat creeps into your face almost instantly. āYou really love twisting my words, donāt you?ā
He raises his hands in defense, though he canāt suppress the smirk tugging at his lips. āHoneybee, I donāt know what youāre talking about. Youāre the one who pointed out Iām not always around.ā
You puff your cheeks, another recent conversation immediately coming to mind. āYou did the same thing about wanting kidsāā
āNo, no.ā Buddha shakes his head. āYouāre the one who wondered whether your dad would be a good grandfather. Considering youāre his only childā¦ā He shrugs. āYou want him to be a good grandfather, so tell me how I was wrong about the kids thing?ā
Before you can argue, he reaches forward and lightly flicks your forehead. āYouāre not allowed to get annoyed with me just because I actually listen and remember everything.ā
You huff, slightly frustrated that heās right. āWhy are we talking about this?āĀ
He pulls a lollipop from his pocket, humming lowly. āYou brought it up, I was only concerned for your safety.ā He rolls the lollipop around his mouth as he waits for your answer.Ā
Raising your hands in defeat, you sigh. āRight, sorry. Anyway. Do you want to go to my house?ā
āHave you spoken to Shiva?āĀ
The question throws you off guard, confusion washing over you.Ā Shiva?Ā Flashbacks of Shivaās fight flash through your mind. Itās the last time you saw the god. Four arms, purple skin, five eyes. Smug grin. āI havenāt spoken to any godā¦did he say he spoke to me? Thatās kind of random, maybe slightly concerning.ā You glance up at him. āYouāre the only god who is aware of me.ā
ā______, youāā Buddha cuts himself off. A heavy weight settles in his stomach as his gaze drifts to the notebook in your hands. The empty notebook. Shiva.
The name had been there.
Now it wasn't.
His eye shifts back to you, studying your expression carefully. Nothing seems strange to you. You're confused by the question itself, but not by Shiva. Not by the idea of never speaking to him. As if the answer is obvious.
Buddha slowly pulls the lollipop from his mouth. āNever?ā
You raise a brow. āNo? I mean, I watched his fight. Poor guy lost three armsā¦I mean, it sucks we lost again. I really thought that sumo wrestler had it.ā You had been on the edge of your seat. āBut after the fight, I did feel a bit bad that he lost three arms.āĀ
A cracking sound seems to fill the space as he bites into the lollipop. āRight.ā
Standing in front of your apartment door, you reach for the key, slowly opening the door. āI really prefer my apartment over the colosseum.ā You sigh as the feeling of home washes over you. There is a certain warmth to your home that the colosseum just doesnāt have.
Buddha pauses. āYouāre staying in the colosseum?ā he asks cautiously.Ā
You toss Buddha a look over your shoulder. āYeah, because Dad didnāt tell me I could go home.ā You scoff. āRemember?āĀ
When you donāt go into more detail, Buddha hums, letting the topic drop.
He follows you into the apartment toward your bedroom, passing your fatherās room. The door is open, and as before, it looks unlived in.Ā He stares at it for a moment before following you into your room. It looks exactly the same as it did yesterday.Ā
Standing beside your dresser, you stare at the bed for a moment before turning back to him. āAre you hungry? Dad said he bought groceries this morning. I donāt understand him. It seems kind of random.ā You tap your fingers on the dresser. āSit down. I can cook something. What do you want?ā You pause. āActually, let me check what he bought first.ā
Before Buddha can answer, you disappear toward the kitchen.
He follows immediately.
āI told you to sit down.ā You side-eye the god as he leans against the bar that separates the living room from the kitchen.Ā Ā
He pulls out a stool, sits, and rests his arms on the bar, leaning toward you. āIām sitting, Honeybee.ā
āYou know, for a god who likes being alone,ā you casually comment, remembering Heimdallās opening introduction of Buddha. āYou like to stick to me.āĀ
He nods without hesitation. āI do.āĀ
You canāt suppress the grin spreading across your face. āDo you want a cola?ā You turn toward the fridge, pretending to be interested in its contents. Itās embarrassing to be so flustered over two words. You reach for a cola on the fridge door. Before you grab it, you notice an unlabeled jar. It's clear, revealing a brown powder inside. You shake it lightly. Not only is it unlabeled, but it looks used.
āHoneybee?ā Buddha frowns slightly at the sight of you frozen, eyes wide and staring blankly at something he can't see beyond the fridge door. āWhat's wrong?ā He starts to stand, but before he can move around the bar, you lift it higher so he can see.
āThere's a weird powder in the fridge. Iāā You pause when you notice another jar. This one is filled with some kind of orange paste. āAnd another one.ā You pull out the second jar and hold both up. āThey aren't labeled, and they look used?ā
Buddha's eye settles on the jars, then on you. Confusion is written plainly across your face as you turn them over in your hands, searching for some indication of what they are.
His stomach sinks, not because of the jars, but because you don't recognize them.
āDid Dad buy these at some kind of market?ā You frown. āWhy wouldn't there be a label on them?ā You stare at them briefly. Should you open it? Is it safe to open?Ā Dad didnāt buy theseā¦thereās no way he did. Theyāre halfway empty.
Buddha remains silent for a moment. Shiva. The notebook. Your reaction when he mentioned Shiva. Now this. What did Vaeris do? His brow furrows as he tries to think of something. Is it just memory erased? Could something jog your memory? Does Shiva remember you?Ā
You go against the voice in the back of your mind telling you not to open it and twist the one holding the orange paste open. You bring it to your nose and flinch at the overwhelming spice, coughing a bit. āThis isnāt Dadās.ā You cough a couple more times. You hadnāt been prepared for how strong it would be. āHeās never cooked with anything this strong.ā
Buddha's gaze fixes on the jar. Then on you. Then back to the jar. ā...I brought it.ā The words slip out before he fully thinks them through. Your eyes snap to him. For a brief moment, he considers taking it back. āI wanted to cook for you yesterday.ā He gestures vaguely toward the jar. āI forgot about it.ā
āOh.ā You glance between him and the jar again before putting them back in the fridge, trying to remember him bringing something over yesterday. āWell,ā you grab a cola and slide it down the bar to him. āDid you want to cook now? I guess if you want, you can cook dinner, and I can bake cookies orāāĀ
āCookies?ā He grins.Ā
You laugh lightly at his reaction, then turn back to check what you have in the fridge. āWhen Dad was gone, I worked on a recipe.ā You reach for the butter and a couple of eggs. āI didnāt have anyone to taste-test them, but I tend to be my own biggest critic, so...ā You grin. āI think I nearly perfected it. You can be my first taste tester, though you probably even love Chips Ahoy, yeah?ā
The silence is immediate. Your grin slowly fades. Weird. You glance over your shoulder. Buddha is staring at you, not in the teasing way he normally does. His grin is gone. A strange feeling settles in your stomach. "Are you okay?"
"You didn't have anyone?" His voice is flat. Cold. The words make you blink. "Well..." You look away, reaching for a mixing bowl. "Dad was gone for two years."
The stool scrapes loudly against the floor.
You jump slightly.
"Nobody?" His eye remains locked on you. "For two years?"
The question makes even less sense the second time. "Siddhartha." You laugh nervously. "You're being scary again." You set the bowl down and turn fully toward him. "You know Dad disappeared." You gesture vaguely with the whisk. "You know you're the first person who noticed me." Your brows pull together. "What's wrong?"
He walks around the bar, never breaking eye contact and places his hands on your shoulders. āHe was gone completely for two years? You were completely alone forĀ twoĀ years?ā His tone is strained as his hands tighten on your shoulders.
āSiddhartha.ā You place your hands on his chest, pressing lightly. āWhatās wrong? Youāre a lot more upset than you were the first time we talked about this. Itās weird.āĀ
He blinks twice, his expression softening as if he's snapped out of a trance. The tension in the kitchen eases enough for you to breathe again. His hands slide from your shoulders to your upper arms, rubbing them gently. āIām sorry.ā He takes a deep breath, closing his eye for a moment before opening it again. The lily pattern covering it before he leans down, his warm lips pressing against yours, his lower teeth lightly pressing against your lips. āI love you.ā He drops his forehead to yours. āIām sorry. Let me cook you dinner.ā
āSiddhartha, I can cook, if you donāt feelāā
He cuts you off with a kiss. One hand slides around your waist, pulling you against him, while the other rests against the side of your head. The lingering sweetness of the strawberry lollipop still clings to his lips.
When he finally pulls away, he doesn't go far. His forehead rests against yours, his thumb tracing slow circles along your side. āHoneybee.ā His voice is quieter now, softer. āLet me cook.ā
You stare at him for a moment, then sigh. āYou know, you couldāve just said no.āĀ
āAnd miss an opportunity to kiss you?ā A faint grin tugs at his lips. āSounds inefficient.ā He presses a quick kiss against your cheek before pulling away. āOkay, why donāt you make the cookie dough? Iāll start dinner.āĀ
You open the cabinet above the bar. āAre you sure youāre okay?ā
āIām fine, I justāāĀ
āI donāt mind being alone.ā You interrupt as you pull down both the brown and white sugar. The old, worn plastic of the round containers feels heavier than usual in your hands. āIāve always been comfortable alone. I really donāt understand why it bothers you. Youāve been alone a long time, right?āĀ
Buddha stares at you, biting his tongue, keeping himself from saying itās not because you were alone, itās because you werenāt. āI wasnāt alone until I was older than you.ā He sighs, turning to grab something from the fridge. āBeing alone so young, so suddenly, I chose it. You didnāt.āĀ
You shrug, not wanting to overthink it. āYou know, my Dad isnāt a friendly person. We donāt have casual conversations. So it really wasnāt that big a change when he left.āĀ
āHoneybee, youāre a terrible liar," Buddha sighs, pulling out some vegetables. āIām sorry. I didnāt mean to upset you.āĀ What did Vaeris do?
Slightly relieved that itās being dropped, you open both containers of sugar. āIt took a little while to decide on the best measurements. I read a lot of articles about the ideal brown-to-white sugar ratio.ā You grab a measuring cup and scoop sugar into the mixing bowl. āAlso, I learned that melted butter makes a chewier cookieā¦Do you like chewy? I mean, Iām sure you do. But do you prefer chewy orāāĀ
āI want your perfected cookies.ā
āOkay.ā You nod in agreement. āBut for future reference, what kind of cookies do you prefer?ā
He pulls a knife from the block and begins chopping vegetables. āChewy.ā
You narrow your eyes slightly. āThe recipe is actually more cake-like.ā
āWell then,ā Buddha says without missing a beat, āmore cake-like is my favorite.ā
A laugh escapes before you can stop it. āYou changed your answer.ā
āDid I?ā
āYou literally just said āchewy.āā You point a wooden spoon at him accusingly.Ā
He shrugs. āI received new information.ā
āRight,ā you pull out the all-purpose flour. āIt turns out these are more chewy.āĀ
āWhich is my favorite.āĀ
You pause, turning to face him. His attention is on the vegetables as he chops them with fluid precision. Heās a lot quicker than you are, though, a cut from a knife is nothing compared to what heās gone through. You wince as the image of him walking forward towards Hajun with a spear through his chest crosses your mind.Ā That was terrifying.Ā
āWhatās wrong?āĀ
āNothing. Just remembering when you were made into a living kabobā¦āĀ
āIām sorry I scared you.ā He sets the knife down and turns toward you, one hand settling on his hip. āIām going to be apologizing for that for the rest of my life, arenāt I?ā A grin tugs at his lips. āYouāll be telling our kids about the day I became a living kabob.ā
You point the wooden spoon at him immediately. āIt was horrifying.ā
āYou'll still tell them.ā
āOf course I will.ā
He laughs, looking entirely too pleased with himself. āSee? I knew weād have kids.ā
āSiddhartha!ā
Your face burns as he laughs louder, throwing his head back. You donāt give it a second thought. You reach for the nearest object and toss it.Ā
Both you and Buddha freeze as raw egg drips down the side of his head. āOh my god, I am sorry! IāāĀ
āYou tell the kids I became a kabob; I'll tell them their mother assaulted me with raw eggs.ā He plucks a piece of eggshell from his hair. āCompletely unprovoked.ā
āI didn't mean to throw it!ā
āThat's somehow less reassuring.ā He grins as you stare at him, still visibly horrified. āDon't worry, honeybee. I've survived worse than a surprise egg.ā
Snapping out of it, you quickly reach for the paper towels. āStill, I threw an egg at you. I canāt believe I did that.ā You step closer to him to help remove the rest of the eggshell. Luckily, most of the egg stayed in the shell, so there isnāt too much of a mess on him. āIām really sorry.āĀ
His arms wrap smoothly around your waist. āIt's fine.ā
āIt's not fine.ā
āHoneybee.ā He laughs softly. āYou look more traumatized than I do.ā
āI threw an egg at your head.ā
āAnd somehow I survived,ā he teases, pulling you into another kiss. āNow, how about I finish dinner, and you finish making the cookie dough?āĀ Ā
āI threw an egg at your head!āĀ
āYou did.ā He steps back toward the counter. āI'll just keep the knives on my side of the kitchen.ā
āI wouldnāt throw a knife at you!āĀ
āI bet you didnāt plan to throw the egg either.ā When your eyes widen, he lifts his hand. āHoneybee, Iām teasing you. I know you wouldnāt throw a knife at me.ā
As your shoulders relax, he cheekily adds. āBut if you do, try not to take out my only eye. I like looking at you.ā
Thankfully, he quiets down, giving you a chance to continue what you started. You focus on the ingredients, carefully measuring everything, even using a scale for the flour. Buddha pauses for a moment, watching how focused you are on making the perfect cookie. You add the baking powder and baking soda to the dry ingredients, then whisk everything together.
You stare at the mixture, needing it to be perfectly even. No lumps. A small ball of flour could ruin a cookie. After spending twoĀ yearsĀ adjusting ingredients, testing temperatures, and changing measurements, youād be irritated to lose to a lump of flour. Youād be annoyed about it for the next few days.
āHow many cookies does this recipe make?ā
You jump, completely forgetting the guest in your kitchen. āHuh? Oh, twenty-four.ā You crack the first egg as you speak. āSo Iād have enough cookies for two weeks every time I bake.ā You crack another egg, this time taking only the yolk. āOr, you know, one night.ā
Ā You canĀ feelĀ the grin aimed at you. āSo, maybe you need to make the recipe for thirty-six tonight?ā he teases. āMaybe even forty-eight? Probably easier to just double the recipe, right?ā
āAre you planning to eat more than thirty cookies tonight, or am I sending you home with a doggy bag?ā You laugh as you cut some butter to put in the microwave.Ā
āIĀ couldĀ eat over thirty cookies. I guess we'll have to see how the night goes. If not, we can take a doggy bag home tomorrow.ā He shrugs. āOr stay here. I'll let you decide tomorrow.ā
You pause, cloth in your hand as you reach for the melted butter. āHuh?ā
Buddha pours oil, vegetables, and the orange paste into a pan. āComforts of your childhood home. Netflix. Your father. The bedroom you grew up in.ā He stirs the vegetables. āOr home.ā
You laugh, āSo, my home or yours tomorrow night?āĀ His bed is really comfortable, and he has that beautiful garden.
Buddha shakes his head. āYour home or our home. Could you pass the salt?ā
You freeze, thrown off guard. You know you shouldnāt be; heās referred to his home as yours before. But something about the way he casually said it this time. Maybe itās because of the earlier conversation. For some reason, it feels moreĀ realĀ this time, and you arenāt sure what to make of it. Numbly, you slide the salt down the bar to him, still trying to wrap your head around everything.Ā
āIs that really what you want?āĀ
He whirls around, wooden spoon pointed at you accusingly. āDonāt you dare.ā
You blink. āDonāt I dare what?āĀ
āQuestion our future.ā He points the spoon at the mixing bowl before you. āFinish the cookie dough.āĀ
Despite his annoyance with you, he still has the same calming effect on you that heās always had. You relax, and the rest of the preparation goes by quickly until you find yourself sitting at the table with a couple of dishes in front of you.Ā Ā
The dishes look and smell amazing. But the longer you stare, the more confused you feel. āI havenāt eaten Indian food before,ā you admit awkwardly. āThere arenāt any Indian restaurants around here. What are all these dishes?āĀ
When you look up his eye is burning into yours. āYouāve never had Indian food?ā His tone is slightly strained as he speaks.Ā
āNo.ā You glance at the fork beside you, then at one of the dishes. Picking it up, you stab a piece of vegetable and bring it to your mouth. The explosion of spices floods your senses, leaving you momentarily stunned. āOh, wow. This is good.āĀ Licking your lower lip, you grin at him. āYouāre a good cook.āĀ
His expression shifts to offense. āI told you I make a mean pad Thai, remember?ā He puffs out his cheeks like a child. āYou already knew I was a good cook. You didnāt believe me?ā
He crosses his arms, sinking lower in the chair, and narrows his eye at you.
āRight, just not a good pastry chef, which is kind of ironicā¦ā You hum as the conversation comes back to you. It was the first time he openly admitted he had feelings for you. The first time he started talking about future sleepovers, children, and all the reasons he would make a good husband. Unfortunately, your brain doesn't stop there. Warm lips against yours. The weight of him pinning you to the mattress. His hands braced on either side of your head as he sat on your waist.Ā āDonāt worry, honeybee. I do plan on giving in. Just not today. Shame, though, you look really,Ā reallyĀ good under me.āĀ Heat immediately rushes to your face.
Buddha snickers. āWhatcha thinking about, honeybee?ā
You bring a cloth to your mouth, mostly to hide your blush. āNothing.ā
āMhm.ā He doesn't sound convinced in the slightest. āSounds like you remembered something else.āĀ
āNope.ā
āWell, I do really want to try your perfected chocolate chip cookies. You can tell me after that.ā
You shrug, trying to look nonchalant. āI donāt remember anything else.ā
He hums lightly before snapping his fingers. āAh, that's right.ā A grin spreads across his face. āI remember now. I'll remind you after the cookies.ā
You stab a piece of meat with your fork. Before he can tease you further, you lean across the table and press it past his lips. He accepts it calmly, chewing thoughtfully. He then slides his chair away from the table.
āCome here.ā He pats his thigh. āIf you want to feed me, wouldn't this be more comfortable?ā
Your hand freezes.Ā I can't believe I just set myself up for that.Ā You stare at him.
āCome onnn.ā His grin widens. āI'll feed you too.ā
When you don't move right away, amusement flickers across his face, then settles into a slow, knowing smirk. āIf you don't come to me, I will go to you. It's your choice.ā
After youāre settled on his lap, the meal doesnāt last long. The fork heād been feeding you with is left forgotten on the table as his sharp, fang-like teeth scrape against your throat. āBuddha.ā You dig your nails into the nape of his neck. āYou didnāt eat much.āĀ
āI want to save room for the cookies,ā he says between peppering your throat with kisses.Ā
āYou know I have to bake them, right?āĀ
He pauses, considering the problem seriously. He could keep you here or let you go bake the cookies and finish this later. His brow furrows slightly as he weighs the options. āCan I have some cookie dough?ā
You tilt your head, acting as if youāre thinking it over before grinning. āI think itās sinful not to eat cookie dough while baking cookies.āĀ
āPretty sure that makes us soulmates.ā He pauses. āThough breaking my vow of celibacy because I was in love with you was probably a clue.ā He shrugs. āBut who's keeping track?ā He grins at your darkening face, presses a quick peck to your lips, then lets you go.
āCan I help?ā
āSure.ā You stand up from his lap, and he quickly follows you back into the kitchen. āThe baking pans are down there. Grab two.ā You point to the cabinet across the kitchen as you pull the cookie dough from the fridge. Opening a drawer, you pull out two cookie scoops. āSo, weāll use these to scoop out even amounts. Drop them on the pan and sprinkle a bit of this sea salt on them. Not too much. If you over-salt my cookies, Iām kicking you out.āĀ
Buddha glances at you, the salt, then you again. āI think it might be better if you add the saltā¦ā
You stare at him for a moment before laughing lightly. āIāll show you how much salt to add. You can salt a few, and weāll see how they turn out.ā You point to a cabinet behind his head. āCould you grab the parchment paper? We need to line the pans first.āĀ
The next steps go smoothly as you scoop the dough, filling each sheet with twelve cookies. You show Buddha how much salt to add to each cookie. He watches as if heās about to decode something thatās life or death. As you sprinkle salt on the first cookie, you point down at it. āThatās all it needs, no more, no less. Got it?āĀ
Buddha tilts his head to the side. āSo, like, ten grains of salt. I could count them as I add them.āĀ Ā
āDonāt be a smartass.āĀ
āBut honeybee, that canāt be more than ten grains of salt.ā He shrugs. āCould go a little crazy and add fifteen.āĀ
āGive me the cookies.ā You reach for the pan in front of him, sliding it toward you. āYouāre only allowed to scoop.āĀ
His gaze shifts to the bowl of cookie doughāabout enough for six more cookies. He opens the drawer in front of him, reaches in for a spoon, and scoops some dough into it.Ā
āWhat are you doing?ā
Before you can question him further, he holds it out toward you and gently brushes it against your lips. āSay ahh.ā
The spoon brushes your lips as the dough melts on your tongue. Rich butter and brown sugar flood your senses, followed by the faint bitterness of the chocolate. You hum softly in approval.Ā āWell, the dough is perfect.āĀ
Buddha nods as he takes his own spoonful of dough.Ā
āHalfway thereā¦ā Your eyes widen. āDid I preheat the oven?āĀ
āYou don't know?ā Buddha asks.
āI was distracted.ā You groan, leaning slightly to look past him toward the oven.Ā I forgot to preheat the oven.Ā A slight frown tugs at your lips. āPlease put the pans in the fridge. It'll take a few minutes, and I don't want the dough to soften too much.ā
The oven finally finishes preheating, and both trays slide inside. After that, there isn't much left to do but wait.
Eventually, the apartment fills with the scent of chocolate and brown sugar. The moment the timer goes off, you pull the cookies from the oven and set them on a cooling rack.
āArenāt warm cookies the best?ā Buddha questions, staring longingly at the cookies over your shoulder.
āYes, but they need a moment to set. Plus, if we eat them now, not only will they fall apart, but theyāre also too hot.ā You point toward the living room. āItāll only take a few minutes. Go wait on the sofa.ā
He steps back and glances at the sofa. āI follow your orders, and I get kicked out of the kitchen anyway.ā He sighs.
āIām not kicking you out.āĀ
āWhatever you say, honeybee.ā He heads toward the living room. āIām picking the movie.ā
āNo horror.āĀ
āNo promises.āĀ
------------------------------
āPoor kid.ā Buddha sighs lightly. āHeās so in love,ā he says, watching the young teen take pictures of his best friend.Ā
āTheyāre thirteen.ā You laugh as you watch the girl on the screen nervously speak to the six girls in her basement, along with some guy she has a crush on. āAwkward teens. Focus is typically more on looks at that age.ā
Buddha nods as he watches the girl wait in the closet for her crush. āYeah, glad you grew out of that. You know, since Iām not your type.ā He glances at you from the corner of his eye.Ā
You bite your lower lip, remembering that conversation. āOkay, my type changedā¦ancient celibate monk apparently.āĀ
He takes another bite of the cookie, slowly chewing it as he watches the chaos happening on screen.
You watch his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. He turns to face you. āMhmm.ā A grin tugs at his lips as he sets his cookie on the coffee table. Before you can question him, his hands find your legs and gently guide you onto your back against the sofa cushions. He follows, bracing one arm beside your head as he leans over you. āI love you,ā he whispers, pressing another kiss to your lips.
Bro. Imagine how bizarre would it be if we told them they're actually in a manga/anime series. In my mind mephisto would laugh his ahh off and amaimon wouldn't give a shii, but boy oh boy... lucifer? Yeah.... say gn to assiah tbh š„š„
Lmao, imagine Mephisto somehow trying to manipulate Kato. I agree Amaimon wouldn't care. You'd need solid proof for Lucifer, but I think that would be hard to get, and he'd be offended. It would probably be hard to get through to him unless Satan stepped in. Doubtful he would so RIP lol
bro, I am like very excited for the different routes with Buddha and Shiva, but I bet that I will cry, because when our memories of Buddha are erased we will forget about someone who already couldn't imagine a life without us, even if he didn't know us very long, he wanted to help us find out more about ourself and our family and past, because he cared about us more than anything and when our memories of Shiva get erased, we lose our best friend of two years who cared about us enough to make sure that we don't die in ragnarok, even if it pisses the other gods of, no matter who is erased from our memory we lose someone very important to us ,who loves us with all their heart and has helped us so, so much, so yes I am very excited for both routes but I will cry
I think that this makes your work even more incredible because it like brings in a lot of angst, that, in the story, no one except our dad(I forgot his name, I swear I still knew it a second ago š£š¤š) knows about because everyone else who knew about it just forgets because it is erased from their memories
Your writing is very incredible, because it makes you really think about what is happening and what we would lose and it feels as if you are experiencing(I hope I spelled that right, english isn't my first language) it yourself and it actually makes you feel the emotions as if you are there
So, thank you for blessing us with your amazing work, have a nice day, take care of yourself and your family, spend time with your loved ones and take all the time you need until working on and posting the next part of the storyā¤ļø
Thank you so much! Itās amazing to hear that you feel the emotions I am trying to achieve. Itās really important to me since itās a reader insert; I want you guys to feel like youāre in the story and feel all the emotions. I love that youāre going to read both routes too. Both really need to be read if you want to learn everything.Ā ā¤ļøā¤ļø
I am so happy youāve picked up on the emotional impact. Losing someone who loved you as strongly as Buddha did. Erased so you donāt even realize youāve lost someone so important. Then, with Buddhaās route, as you mentioned, losing your best friend of two years. Not only your best friend, but Shiva has been your only friend until meeting Buddha.Ā
Vaeris erases them after heās decided on an answer without a second thought. šBecause he lacks emotion, he canāt understand how heartbreaking what he did is. I know I wrote it like that, but it still makes me really sad when I think about what youāve lost with each route.Ā
Again, thank you for such a lovely comment. Iām working on chapter 1 for both fics. Iāve finished Shivaās and just need to go back and edit it. Iām also halfway through Buddhaās. I want to post them on the same day, hopefully within the next week if my brain doesnāt give me any problems š
I just reread everything I wrote. It took a while to read all 37 chapters. lol I think I'll watch season 2 again just to jump-start my brain, or at least Shiva and Buddha's fights.
One final question. How would you view a Mephisto with an actually strong lover but, unlike the rest, they know he manipulates them and actually likes that he does it (lets be fr. To be with him u gotta have some fewer screws in the head)
As for Mephistoās lover. I feel like youād have to realize heās manipulating you eventually. The man practically lives for schemes. Heād probably get bored with someone too oblivious pretty quick. I think heād be much more interested in someone who knows exactly what heās doing and chooses to play the game anyway. Someone strong enough to push back, but just as entertained by the chaos as he is.Ā
Do you have a favorite human fighter in Record of Ragnarok? Also have you checked out the spinoff manga Gods Apocalypse? It is about 'Outer' Gods competing for the final spot in Ragnarok and takes place before Record of Ragnarok. Introduces some neat characters, plus, Shiva (unfortunately not Buddha too) makes an appearance :)
I'm doing better, thank you!
Sasaki is my favorite, I don't know why lol. Everytime I think of the human fighters he is the first one who pops in my mind. I also like Jack but then I remind myself he was a POS in life. š
I've read some of it! Just see Buddha's name on the screen lol. I hope it gets animated, intense battles like that are so much easier to follow when they're animated.
Im so sorry I sent my previous ask without seeing your post about your healthšš I really hope you get better soon please take care of yourself ā”
Thank you, Iām doing better. ā”
Iāve actually been getting a few comments on the Envy fic recently. I did got a really rude comment when I posted chapter 2 last year though, and it kind of killed my motivation for it. I tried rereading the fic recently because I wanted to finish it, but I just couldnāt get back into the right mindset for it. I donāt know if itās because that comment is still sitting in the back of my mind or not.
But thank you for the kind message. I really appreciate it.
After the seizure I had in April when I lost awareness I had to raise my dose of medication (doctor okayed it) The seizures stoppedā¦but the medication made me feel worse than the seizures ever did.
I couldnāt get up from bed around an hour after I took it, couldnāt even lift my head without feeling really dizzy and uncomfortable. Got really sick twice and couldnāt even get up from bed as I threw up. Both times it happened in the middle of the night. I remember everything in detail both times so they werenāt seizures just an awful side affect from the medication. Honestly I canāt even put into words how horrible I felt. Iād lay in bed for hours unable to move because of pain after taking the medication. I was hoping it was because I wasnāt eating enough with it but that didnāt help.
Anyway, lowered the dose once again and havenāt had a seizure but itās only been a week. So, not getting excited yet.
Iām going to Vegas in July. So it would be nice in they stopped š plus a 12 hour flight to the USā¦I hate this.
do you have any general 'x reader' headcanons for Shiva and Buddha (sep)?
Honestly, I donāt really think Iām good at headcanons because I start thinking too much and itād turn into a 2k word fic š However, I would be willing to write scenarios or one-shots. I like writing interactions.
My brain is finally working a little better lately *knock on wood*
I just discovered your ROR fanfic and I love it! You write Shiva and Buddha so well. I'm excited to see more but please do not rush, take your time!
I think it's a bit refreshing seeing an AU where it's just Shiva rather than him and his wives. Nothing against the ladies, there just isn't much about them to go by in the manga/anime. Plus who wouldn't want to take Shiva for themselves lol.
Hello, I Just wanted to say I love your ror fanfic series(I'm sorry if that's not how you say it) and I am very excited for the next partš But you don't need to hurry because taking care of yourself is more important and should always come first, so please make sure that you eat when you can, drink enough water, take your medication and take breaks when you need themā¤ļø
I hope you have a good day/night
Thank you! I love to hear that you are enjoying it.
I bruised my tailbone when I fell, so it hurts to sit down š but other than that I'm okay now. Trying to eat more around the same time I take the medicine, so it balances out.
It's 2am, so sorry if my reply is a little like rambling or off.
I read your envy x reader and it was fucking amazing!!!! You write that sadistic shit head so well!!! I'm sorry you got a mean comment :(
whoever said it is an asshole and doesn't know what they're talking about!
The banter had me wheezing and cackling more than once!
This is my absolute part, I giggle every time I think about it!
Every time they talked about James I lost it laughing.
Me at your envy fic:
Thank you for the support ā¤ļø it was honestly really depressing and just irritating at the same time. Why bother if you don't like something š
Maybe it's because of their comment but I tried to go back to it after your comment, but when I read it, I couldn't finish it. I guess it affected my view of the story. If I go back to it in a few months, maybe it'll be different.
But thank you for the feedback, I'm honestly shocked and I don't even know how to respond. I never expected to hear something like this from anyone. ā¤ļø
Iām confused. Have I missed some kind of trend when leaving comments? š maybe itās because of the seizure but Iām really confused. How did I go from a āgodā to the biggest loser in my town? š
Is this a legit comment with trolling at the end? The āyou are destined for big thingsā felt weird but then I became the biggest loser in my town š
I had another seizure yesterday where I lose awareness. I was picking up my daughter from primary school. I was able to call her attention right before I lost awareness. Apparently there was a crowd around me because I fell then laid down.
So Iāll be rereading Heavenās Favorite Sin to help with my memory lol. Feel free to read it tooā¦or chapter 37. Itās the final before the routes š¤·š»āāļø
Itās midnight now and I canāt sleep because I slept on and off the whole day lol.
