#athos dane

[rovosk]

Currently working on a piece I left hanging (aka from the 'before times' when I actually had free time and wasn't drowning in assignments—)

Missed you guys, so I brought a Astrid to keep you company—

[scribeoffate]

Today for fanart frenzy: "comment on a fic with no bookmarks".

loving reminder by badassbutterfly1987

Fandom: Shades of Magic

Rating: Teen

Warning: Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings

Relationship: Athos Dane/Holland Vojsik

Words: 200

Summary:

Athos liked to hear him scream. He liked to hear the damage even more. : Toxic Yaoi: permanent injury, Bad things happen: damaged vocal cords

Notes: I'm always here for an exploration of how messed up Athos and Holland were, and this does it so well. A searing, but brutal glimpse of their relationship.

[badassbutterfly1987]

Fic drabble: loving reminder

Athos/Holland, pre-canon

Summary: Athos liked to hear him scream. He liked to hear the damage even more.

Tags: referenced torture, implied non-con, typical Athos behavior

ao3 link

Athos liked to hear him scream. It was hardly an easy feat. Every pained hiss took effort and even the hateful glares were becoming less common.

But he liked to hear the damaged voice even more. The constant gravelly rasp, the sound of vocal chords torn and healed and torn again.  

To Athos, it was nearly as lovely as claim as the Soul Seal. Holland would be reminded every time he was forced to speak.

“What are you thinking now?” Athos asked, pondering the blood in his wine glass.

Another supplicant had come, offering family heirlooms (paltry trinkets, really) in the fragile hope of mercy. Athos didn’t care either way but Astrid insisted it was useful to please the populace from time to time.

“How badly I want to kill you.” Holland stared straight forward, no change in his tone.

“Really?” Athos couldn’t help the rush of excitement. “How would you do it?”

There was a brief pause as if Holland hadn’t thought that far ahead. Then, “with my hands around your throat.”

His pet had such a way with words, especially when spoken with that voice.

“Wonderful,” he purred. He held out his hand. “Come to bed.”

Holland obeyed.

[scribeoffate]

For the character ask game, the Dane twins?

Thank you!!!!

While I definitely see the argument that they come as a set, they are also different enough that I will answer one at a time. I'm also gonna put this behind a cut, I talk about some non-con situations enough, I think, that it merits a content warning. Canon-typical, but still there.

game

Athos Dane

How I feel about this character

Athos's introduction in adsom with Beloc is largely what kept me reading the first time. I am always here for a creepy, posessive violent villain. And then his interaction with Holland? His utter delight at the getting the barest twitch? Plllleeasse. I would read an entire novel about his relationship with Holland. (Thanks to a03 I basically have.)

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Astrid, Holland, Kell, Lila (if by romantic you assume, "posessive")

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Astrid

My unpopular opinion about this character

I really just don't know what is and isn't popular here.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I would have liked more backstory from the Dane twins, in general. I made an argument in the comments of my villain poll that they are also just products of their environment. Athos seems a little more interested in violence in the books (see Beloc), but he and Astrid clearly had to work together to take the White London throne. Why? Was it just for power? I think some of Astrid's points later about Red London show that they had bigger plans and it would have been interesting to see some of that from Athos' pov.

Astrid Dane

How I feel about this character

You give me a beautiful, evil woman, and I'm always gonna be a little bit in love. And Astrid is no exception. She's so fun. Her intro, where she's creeping on Kell, is also really excellent.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Athos, Lila, Kell, Holland

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Athos (They are after all, a set)

My unpopular opinion about this character

Her plan in adsom is wild. Like, there are a lot of things she could have done with more chances of success than "let Kell have half of this magic stone so I can keep an eye on him and creep on him in his brother's body later". Seriously, though. Like they had both pieces? They had the amulet? They really could have just.... killed Kell after they got him drunk? Captured and cursed him then? I adore her, but ngl, despite what I often see in fic, I really hope her brother usually comes up with their plans.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I wish she were still alive. Though I may have recently been persuaded that this is possible. 👀 And I mean, I may also want her to get a chance at capturing Kell. She deserves nice things.

[scribeoffate]

Favorite shades of magic villain part 3.

The Dane Twins

Maxim Maresh

Holland Vojsik

Ticccky box!

Actually, none of them are villains to me. Nuance and all.

Voting ended onJun 12, 2025

[scribeoffate]

Favorite shades of magic villain?

Astrid Dane

Athos Dane

Did you really just separate the twins? Rude, both Danes

Vitari

Osaron

The Hand

Berras Emery

Clicky box!/results/I don’t go here

Voting ended onJun 10, 2025

[badassbutterfly1987]

Worn-out Puppet

set right before book 1

Athos/Holland, Astrid & Athos

typical implications of Dane horror

Summary: It had been so fun those early years, finding all the weak points he could dig into. There were still sparks now but they were fewer between. As loathe as he was to admit it, Athos might have to replace his pet with the other Antari once this was over.

It had been so fun during those early years, finding all the weak points he could dig into. First, the failure to save the fool he called his king. Then ridding Holland of every bit of armor he had until every part of him was bare to Athos' will. He had carved marks onto the Antari's skin so frequently and throughly that they didn't fade; no one else had managed that accomplishment.

Holland had resisted, in his own way. Withdrawing inward, looking for loopholes in their orders. Hiding the truth of a child from them, then ensuring they couldn't make another one with him; giving a dead king an heir while denying the Danes the same legacy.

Athos had found plenty material to hurt him with after that.

There were still sparks now but they were fewer between. It was a challenge to get a reaction out of Holland now, one that he was slowly finding less enjoyment in. As loathe as he was to admit it, Athos might have to replace his pet once this was over.

His other half was less sympathetic than he would have liked. Weren't twins supposed to be in sync with each other?

Her sharp fingernails scraped along his scalp. "Everyone has their limits. If you're going to break him, at least wait until we have conquered Arnes."

Athos hummed, head resting comfortably in her lap. He couldn't deny her logic. They wouldn't need him as much once the worlds were melded together. "How would you break him, if it was up to you?"

"Kill the girl," she said immediately.

"Which one?" He couldn't help grinning. He suspected Holland was willing to embrace every lost child if only the city didn't despise him; no doubt projecting his own childhood loneliness, fooling himself into thinking he could be a worthy caregiver.

"The one of his bloodline," Astrid said. "Rid him of the same legacy he denied to us. After we take Arnes."

It was a shame that the Antari had been so spiteful. At least Athos had cut out that part of himself because he actually wanted to be rid of the possibility. Holland was irritatingly obsessed with the idea of noble sacrifice, as if occasionally hurting himself instead of others made him a better person than the Danes.

A shame Antari healing hadn't reversed that mistake, at least as far as he could tell. Perhaps Arnes would present a solution if he felt like producing a Dane heir was worth the effort. If not, there was another potential toy available.

He reached for her hand, pressing her knuckles to his lips. "Remind me to gift the Red princeling to you once it's done."

She smiled without the usual cruel edge, a genuine warmth to it shown to no one else. "I'll make sure to share our new pet."

[lestatslefttit]

Astrid and Athos have been in this book for two chapters and they're already making my blood boil