maluraunderchild reblogged
STAY HOME!
maluraunderchild reblogged
Symptoms Of A Toxic Roleplay Partner
I’ve seen a few of these PSA’s going around, but very few of them cover some of the stuff I’m come across in my seven years in the RPC, so here’s a couple more:
- Tries to force their headcanons about your character onto you. Gets mad when you don’t use them.
- Threatening to kill their character as punishment for something you “did.” This could be anything, from disagreeing with something they’ve said ooc, to declining to ship with their character.
- In the same vein–attempting to maim/kill your character in some way because they are mad at you for some offense or another.
- Taking their ooc feelings out on you in character in any way, which refers to bullet above this one.
- Bad-mouthing your ships with other muns, or trying to talk you into abandoning ships with other muns.
- Stalks your other roleplay partners, doesn’t like you roleplaying with other muns.
Additional Red Flags:
-Watches your blog/forum/etc interactions with other RPers / RP partners and draws conclusions based off of it: “You’re dating” “You’re gonna leave me for them” “You like them better”
-Searches out evidence of your other RPs / interactions with other RPers (art exchanges, IC posts, answered asks, forum likes, etc.) and brings it up to guilt trip you/reinforce their conclusions about an interpersonal interaction that has no bearing on them
Additional Red Flag:
- When confronted about some issues/feelings you have about a certain situation/RP, they turn it around to make you seem like the bad guy or to make themselves the victim and try to gaslight or invalidate anything you say or feel because they “have it worse”.
I had to deal with all of these and even now there is so much passive aggressiveness. An old rp partner even tried to rp kill herself just because I went on vacation >_> and didn’t get back to her text fast enough.
Totally protect your heart and your rp. It will save you so much trouble in the end.
Know Thyself
AMBITION
You have a strong sense of potential and an intense drive to accomplish difficult things. The core of this is your ability to hold together the big goals and the daily efforts. Where other people’s hopes collapse when they encounter the tedium of the journey, you keep coming back. Oddly, it is actually your ability to endure feeling unheroic that counts. You know the power of working away solidly on what’s in front of you.
RATIONALITY
You like clarity and intelligent simplicity and you get frustrated at messy thinking. This can make you seem unreasonably pushy to some, but it is actually a virtue: you are motivated by a horror at pointless effort and a longing for precision and insight into how things and people work. Your ability to synthesise and bring order is essential in producing thinking which is truly helpful.
SHYNESS
Part of you is gripped by the fear that you’ll launch into something and completely mess it up. The upside of this is wise caution: people are indeed often too rash, whereas you know, by instinct, that holding back can save you. Probably, you feel shame and self-disgust a bit too much. But when you do feel in your element, you act with a wisdom and sensitivity never found in people with thicker skins.
Tagged by: @unabashedrebel, @olivia-lovecraft
Tagging: Anyone who wants to give this a try!
maluraunderchild reblogged
maluraunderchild reblogged
lokkiir
P : PARTNER. what does your muse look for in a partner? looks / personality?
“A partner? Someone to share the darkness of the night, to bask in the visceral splatter of a slit artery. Someone to bathe in the spilt vitae. Pale and darkness in the same body, born in spirit of lust and brutality.”
Thank you @maluraunderchild (sorry for the wait.)
The half-elf rose a long pale eyebrow at the description of what the man was looking for. “So... looking for someone who’s cool with being a monster and maybe even revel in it.” She nods and tried to think who she knew. “Yeah sorry mate I know a lot of women like that, but all of them are taken. One of them is married and I don’t think needs a male partner, and the other....” Her eyes squint thinking about the woman. “She’s with another San’layn.”
@lokkiir Mentions: @karrista @allebeithloch
djpcytoganoine
Dragon moodboard with themes of books/library.
Is there a muse you never (or almost never) write, but want to write more?
*Looks over to my army* ...... I have too many.....
Not true, I have three characters who I keep in my head but I would love for them to get more friends and get back out there.
Quin:
My vigilante serial killer, engineer, all-around walking seduction machine... I’m not joking! Friends and I joke that every succubus who meets him wants to sleep with him, but can’t because of his anti-magic abilities. Before he was with @alas-ward Alice he would randomly sleep with any man who would offer. He’s... intense, I love playing him because he is so intense. He’s currently in an open relationship (Meaning he will sleep with men but Alice is the only woman he wants in his life. Though he is looking for a man who will play with both of them. They have a list of requirements) but I would love him to get more friends and start branching back out to meet people. One of the things I really wanted for him was he would work for some legal fixer groups, if they failed their mission their target would go missing a month later, having been kidnapped by Quin and Alice and the target’s body never being found again. He’s a dark character when you scratch under the surface, but he’s also just a charming man who knows when to keep his passions hidden.
Anthion:
Man I would love to get Anthion back out there. I just finished writing a novel for him and Alle and I just love this asshole. Anthion needs a lot of care though, he doesn’t take kindly to people since he is a San’Layn and he thinks of 90% of people are just blood bags waiting to be juiced. But if you are a friend of one of the three people he cares about he will stay his hand if he finds himself annoyed. Other vampire characters could play well with him, but he doesn’t like broody vampires, he’s lived around them before. Been there, did that, and got the t-shirt. Anthion would do well with researchers letting himself nerd out about psychology again. He’s not an adventurer but he once and a while does something to bring a gift back to his mate, but it’s rare, and I wouldn’t put that as a good RP starter. He’s more likely to break everyone’s neck in the room and walk out with the object not even thinking twice about what he did. He’s not a bloodthirsty vampire... he just, doesn’t care.
Lorcan:
My Male Drustvarian Witch. Like Lorcan and his whole family are a bunch of heathen dorks. Lorcan himself is probably one of the tamer family members. Currently, Lorcan is looking over the ancestral land that has been in his family's blood for... well too long. He has a few storylines I’d love to do. His parents were murdered by witch hunters, he has to get his soulmate a new body after she was murdered last year, and his mentor is still waiting and watching to try to rip his soul out. Lorcan is just.. really fun to play since he doesn’t get much of Azeroth. He’ll call Draenei ‘Demons of the Light’ and refuses to be corrected, he also thinks a good half of Worgen either don’t deserve their ‘blessing’ or are like beings out of his families stories and he utterly fanboys over them (He does this to his soulmate... cause the man just adores her).
((Thanks for the ask @manaheart! I have more... but these three are just the top ones for today))
what are your criteria for adding new muses?
There’s criteria??
Sooo short explanation for folks. I have a million and one NPC’s for my characters. I’m going to stick with Mal since I don’t know who follows which of my army. As anyone who’s following her stories knows Malura is about to have a Bronze Dragon as her boyfriend. I made Khaz a year ago when I saw down and knew the only way my kinda broken half-elf was going to have a good healthy relationship is if I made the guy for her.
Khazradormu has been in my head since but I’ve been trying to gauge if I want to make him his own character. Here’s the process I’ve been going through:
1. Are there short stories I want to tell with him: I’m a writer first and foremost and if a character doesn’t have an interesting take on the world I tend not to make them one of my ‘mains’, they’re fully fleshed out characters, but they don’t have enough meat for me to write. For Khaz I do have a number of stories I’d love to write about with him. Diving into what it would be like to know what you’re life is going to be like but still finding hope in the world around you. Also.. Bronze Dragon Time Puns are a thing for this man.
2. Will people interact with him: Can’t have an RP character without people to RP with. For Khaz, that’s the part I’m most worried about. Dragon RPers get a bad rap. I like to think dragons have to deal with the fact that humans are stronger than they are and it’s part of a new part of their lives. Bronze Dragons saw this coming, so for Khaz he’s more ‘eh, I’m a dork. Sure I turn into a big lizard but I’m just a dragon, humans are the cool ones’. That being said I’m still figuring out if people would interact with him or not.
3.If this blog fails is the character connected to my other characters enough that it will keep them ‘active’: I let blogs sleep until either inspiration strikes me or a friend says ‘man I wish I had someone like X to RP with’. If my character is connected to my more active toons they’ll stay loud in my head. Khaz being connected to Malura and Darsa will keep him alive and loud in my head.
But that’s basically where I am at the moment! If anyone is okay with a humble dragon who’s more obsessed with human stuff please tell me and he’ll be playable here on Tumblr and Discord ((Not in-game... I can’t make another mage.... I just... can’t))
((Thanks for the ask @unabashedrebel!))
maluraunderchild reblogged
MULTIMUSE ASK GAME
- if you have a ‘main muse’, who besides them do you think could be your main muse?
- is there a muse you write a lot that you’re tired of writing?
- is there a muse you never write, but want to write more?
- how many muses did you have when you started your blog? how many do you have now?
- what are your criteria for adding new muses?
- what’s the max amount of muses you’re willing to have at one time?
- have you ever dropped muses from your blog? if so, were there any you dropped but brought back later?
- do you have a muse who is a terrible person, but very fun to write?
- which of your muses do you find the most difficult to get down correctly?
- how upset do you get when someone doesn’t specify muse?
- if you could make a solo blog for any of your muses, who would it be?
- which muse that you currently have was the first you ever roleplayed?
- what are some things you like about multis that solo blogs don’t offer? what about the other way around; are there things you like about solo blogs that you can’t apply to a multi?
- which of your muses is the most friendly to strangers? which is the least friendly?
- who are you feeling the most muse for right now?
- who’s your default muse for new interactions?
- how often would you say you add new muses?
- if you were to drop one muse from your current roster, which one would it be?
- what are some annoying things you have to deal with from others that solo blogs don’t?
- which of your muses is the most responsive to crack interactions or dash fuckery?
maluraunderchild reblogged
Roleplaying with me means no pressure!
I promise I WILL NOT guilt or pressure you into replies!
If I message you about something, it is an EXPRESSION OF INTEREST, not an an obligation!
I will RESPECT your decision to drop threads!
I UNDERSTAND that you have more chemistry with some partners more than others!
And I ENCOURAGE you to follow your muse!
Novel or NPC
As the title says would you rather have a novel based around your character or have your character implemented into the game as an NPC?
Tagged by: @josiehastings
Tagging: @olivia-lovecraft @manaheart @alas-ward
Oh man, fantastic question. I write novels on the side, I just finished my novel for All and Anthion (( @allebeithloch and @anthionsoulshade)) and I’m really happy to breathe a new fresh story for them. Malura could have her own novel one day. If I did that I would probably do it about a world where being a mixed-race as she is would bring a lot of drama to her life. Malura has always been an explorer and I would probably bring that out in her novel.
As for NPC, while I think it would be cool to work with Blizzard so my coffee drinking Timewalker would be in-game, I’m really 50/50 about it. I think my love of novels is greater than the game. So while it would be cool to see her get her own character model and see her in-game, I’m more in favor of writing a book about her and letting myself build her a whole new story so she can finally have a good adventure where she ends up coming out alright.
Fighting Style Malura
fights honorably | fights dirty | prefers close-quarters | prefers range | chats during | goes silent | low pain tolerance | high pain tolerance | attacks in bursts | attacks steadily | goes for the kill | aims to disarm | fights defensively| strikes first | is easily provoked | provokes their opponent | teases their opponent | gets visibly frustrated | shouts while attacking | uses strategy | focuses on their battle | experiences conflicting thoughts during battle | rushes in recklessly | tries to read their opponent before fighting | fights ruthlessly | fights calmly and/or apathetically | fights with anger | fights with excitement | fights because they have to | fights because they want to | fights without regard to wounds | runs away when wounded | hides wounds | takes a blow to protect another | prefers a blade | prefer a gun | prefers to use their ability | prefers a bow | prefers a shield | prefers a polearm | prefers a personalized weapon | prefers magic or spells | prefers brawling | their greatest weakness is physical | their greatest weakness is mental | their greatest weakness is emotional | transforms for battle | fights as they appear | relies on strength | relies on speed | uses everything they have | hides their full potential | exhausts quickly | high stamina | doubts their strength | proceeds with caution | behaves arrogantly | uses psychological tactics | uses brute strength | avoids civilians | strikes down civilians | damages surroundings | avoids damaging surroundings | signature fighting style | making it up as they go | mastered their skillset | still learning/inexperienced with their skillset | fancy footwork | sloppy footwork | messy fighter | elegant fighter | accepts defeat | refuses defeat | begs for mercy | compliments their opponent | insults their opponent | uses unnecessary moves, such as flips and twirls | moves efficiently | barely moves | prefers to dodge | prefers to block | defends their blindside | has no blindside | uses all available advantages, ie: uses magic but also throws punches, kicks out while blades clash, etc | strictly uses one primary method | plays around | holds back | shows mercy | waits for opponent to be ready | strikes when opponent isn’t ready | fears death | fears pain | fears killing | has PTSD | avoids fighting | has lost a fight | has won a fight | has killed | refuses to kill | wants to die standing | would succumb slowly | has a companion fighter
Tagged by: @josiehastings
Tagging: Anyone who wants to give this a shot!
😘 - what charectors are you currently writing?
LOL Not going to write it again go ahead to HERE. Though you probably know most of these ;)
maluraunderchild reblogged
Emoji mun questions
😰 - what is one charector you desperately want your muse to interact with
😍 - what is your favorite character you’ve rolplayed as in the past
😦 - what has been your worst roleplay experience?
😑- what is one charector you refuse to roleplay as and why?
😙 - what was the first charector you ever rolplayed as?
😤 - what is your roleplay related pet peeve?
😇 - do you consider yourself a good roleplayer?
👿 - do you consider yourself a bad roleplayer?
😫 - do you prefer fluff, angst, or smut?
😨 - how many roleplay blogs have you had active at once?
😘 - what charectors are you currently writing?
😴 - have you ever given up on a blog and regretted it?
😶 - ask your own question! Be creative!
maluraunderchild reblogged
An Infinite Loop P2
The kiss sends my mind to another point in time. It sends me to a memory I had blocked for years.
I’m sixteen, and I’m afraid. Behind me, I can feel the flames coming off the wing of the Scarlet Monastery and there are shouts from the people inside. These were my jailers, the people who told me I was not pure enough in my faith in the light. They were right. I hated them. My body burned thinking what they did to others. What they did to the Forsaken. What they did to Deeb..
I tried to move, but there was something wrong with me, with my back. I can feel the oil slick blood coating my sides, my legs didn’t want to move properly. I didn’t know how badly I was flogged, I just knew something was wrong, very wrong.
The world stopped, time froze as I noticed a pair of feet approaching me and a man knelt down to look at me. He looked older, too much older than me. His hands are covered in golden light, no, that was sand he had slipping around his fingers. As he touched my hand I feel my body slow down.
‘It’s going to be okay Malura. Keep breathing, the San’layn is going to be here soon. He’s going to sense the raw magic on you and send you to a place where you’ll get help. You’re a survivor.’
His voice holds a mourning pain I didn’t understand. I can’t remember his face. No. I couldn’t remember his face until now.
I’m back in the moment, the man who had slowed my wounds has his arms around me, like this is natural. His lips have a hot scorching heat that rolled off of him. It’s that heat and spice I’ve only smelled once before, weeks ago in Stormwind.
My lips are traitors as they kiss him back, it’s a gut reaction in the face of feeling something so powerful rush over you. I could easily fall into this moment. Give me passion, give me someone who gives a fuck and I’m pudding.
I don’t want to be like that anymore.
Pulling away I have to crane my neck up to look at him. Okay, sure, the kiss was nice. Like, I’d rank it… top three I’ve ever had. But I don’t know this guy. I suspect this is Khazradormu, fuck, I just kissed a dragon. Fuck, fuck.
He lowered his forehead to rest on mine but I pull away a bit more. “Um… so… this is awkward. I think we’re on two different timelines.” I don’t want to pull away, he feels good. All warmth and security. The kind of shit I would fall for if I let myself
His arms go stiff around me until they fall off and limp to his sides. His eyes carry a calculated look, but his smile doesn’t leave his lips. “I’m sorry about that.”
“I mean it was one Fel of a kiss.” I held my hand up. “And you’re a nice-looking guy, dragon… dragon guy. But I’m really not in the market for a boyfriend right now.”
Khazradormu rose and eyebrow and his hands moved up to roost on his hips. “Mal-”
“And I think we should probably stick to our mission. I could be reading too much into all of this. Like. Dragons don’t date mortals. You’ve been stuck for who knows how long in this loop… This is a loop right. Like, I get it, you’re probably really happy to be seeing another living being an-”
I’m rambling, trying to find a logical way for him to have kissed me without there being anything big to take from it.
“Malura!” He shouted this time stopping me from my rant. “For fuck’s sake.” But he’s not angry, he’s laughing. “This is when I meet you for the first time. Take a deep breath and stop putting your panties in a twist.”
My cheeks and ears blush. “I saw you years ago. You were there after I tried to escape from the Scarlet Crusade.” I then pointed at him, things clicking into place. “You were doing random shit around me during ‘Love Is In The Air’!”
A small smile crept on his lips. He really has nice facial hair, when did I start liking men with facial hair? “You hate that holiday. Everyone is all paired up, and you were lonely. But, right now, this is when I get to see you and you see me. It’s time.”
“Fuck time.”
“We have.” He says it in such a deadpan that I am struck silent by him. “Look, I get it, it’s weird for you. I’m sorry I kissed you… I thought you were the future you.”
But his kiss had been beautiful. There was a peek into the future that I normally deny myself. I don’t want to know the future so I can feel surprised. Well, I’m surprised. I’m surprised there is a dragon who is smirking at me like I was some hot shit.
“Yeah well.” I’m still at a loss for words as I watch him. His clothing is like mine, it’s filled with stories that I might or might not be apart of. He’s also got this angular educated smart guy look. I’ve dated a lot of guys, most of them ranging between idiots with swords, smart guys with zero social skills, or monsters. I’m not sure what side of all of that this dragon is on. What I do know is he’s cute, and not int the ‘powerful badass’ way. He’s just, cute. “Nice introduction, Khazradormu right?”
“I go by Khaz Mal.” He smiled a bit. “Khazradormu really is a mouth full.”
“Khaz.” I said the shortened name, flicking it over with my tongue to figure out if I like it or not. I might. “I’m, really going to date you one day?”
His smile, it make his eyebrows hike up and his eyes brighten to this teasing impish look. “Yeah, you could say date. We consider it more a partnership. Mates.”
This is why I don’t look into my future, I don’t want to know who I’m going to be in love with. I want to wake up one day and go ‘oh… I love this person’.
But, I’ve done that before. I’ve fallen in love the normal way. Where did it get me? It got me to right here. To meeting this dragon and him tell me we’re going to be a thing. I’ve dated my share of guys who said they could see the future. It lead me to right here. Only all of them were mortal, none of them came from the Dragonflight. None of them were a Bronze. I know the Bronze Dragons are born with the full memory of their future. Unlike everyone else, Khaz might not be shitting me.
I crush easily, fall in love, I don’t know. He keeps looking at me and my ears are burning.
“It’s, nice to meet you. But I don’t think I can do this right now. We, we should get to work.” I said gesturing around us. There was a frozen infinite dragon who looked to be in the middle of a fight with Khaz.
“I mean, sure if you want to ignore the fact we’re meeting for the- oh” He held out the ‘oh’ for a long moment. “Right, you’re a workaholic at this time.”
Being called out I scoffed. “You have been stuck in this loop for how long and you want to shoot the shit with me?”
“It’s different, you’re here. I mean, I know Pandaria is kinda a boring country to you, but, it’s pretty.” He gestured to the grounds around us before grinning. “I know you’re curious about stuff, it’s you. You’re wanting to know ‘why him?’ Right?”
“Yeah, no. I want to get this done. Look, you’re a nice, dragon, man. But…” I try searching for words to say. I know I’ve met people out of sync with me, that I had to cover first meetings, but that was future friends. Not, not something like this.
His shoulder’s drop, just slightly. “You’re right. Let’s treat this like any first meeting.” But he moves closer again and I can feel how warm he is. He offers a scared hand out. “I’m Khaz, and I want to say, thanks for saving my hide.”
“I haven’t saved it yet.” But I reach out and take his hand. The slight chill in my hands is instantly gone and there is a whispering thought in my mind. He knows the future, in a way he is my right now and my future. If he kisses me when we’ve been apart for a short while, what is it like to be beside him all the time? I don’t know anything about him, and I think this job is going to give me a crash course in getting to know him.
But Khaz smirks, he has this glinting look that makes me wonder if he’s going to be a trouble maker. Squeezing my hand once he lets it go. “Trust me Sandstorm, you’re the only Timewalker I know who can backtalk demons, stare down overly powered Temporal Anomolys, and,” he pointed a finger at me with a grin. “dodge questions for days. These Infinite Dragons will know you one day, and they’ll know to flee the field when you get there.”
I’ve been a timewalker for years now, no one has ever retreated when I approached. Everything Khaz has said has already happened. It sounds impressive, even if I think it’s just my normal life, I know it’s impressive. “You really think I’m all that.”
Furrowing his brows he nodded. “Babe, you’re all that. Wanna get your work done so you can do twenty questions with me?”
“If I want to be around your scally ass after this.” But my laugh escapes me, like this is easy. I’ve done this before, with friends. Normally we would take time to get to know each other, ask questions, figure out where our friendship took off. Now I’m here, and I feel like I want to know everything. I want to know why I chose to fall in love again. After all the pain, after having to lose and lose again, why this dragon is going to be the one who stays.
“I have one question. Since you’re a Bronze.” He is watching me, he probably knows what it is. “How are we going to break up? Are you going to die on me? Get corrupted? Some other temporal bullshit? Find another woman?”
That’s when I see the hurt. I might have said the wrong thing, but it’s something I need to know. “I’ve never left you. And I’m never going to leave you.”
“Right.” But I don’t believe it. It’s a little difficult to once you know a lot of powerful people.
“Yeah, I know.” He offered a small saddened look. “You’ve had enough guys tell you the same stuff. But they were mortal. Even that Anomaly was mortal. When I was born, my first memories that came to me was of my end. And you got no reason to trust me, but it’s a good end. For both of us.”
For both of us. When I die, he’ll die too. That seed of knowledge makes me shiver. What would it be like if after who knows how long someone I love holds me and says, ‘It’s time’. It’s going to happen and part of me is sad, but also filled with something new. Hope.
“When I had spare time, I’ve been here. When you needed someone, I was there.” He said and wet his lips as he continued. “I’ve been with you the whole time. I was there when you were framed for murder, when the Scarlet Crusade tried to brainwash you, as Anthion trained you, when your troop betrayed you, as you went through therapy.” He was moving closer to me, my heart starting to speed up as he closed the distance. “I was there when you found out Arrel died, when you took your trials.” His hand reached up and touched the notch in my ear. “I was there when you were lonely, when no one would listen to your side of the story. I was there when you finally left that place… I was rooting for you. I always have rooted for you.”
My breath is gone. I don’t think I know how to breathe in this moment. There were nights when I was curled up in my bed, head tucked under my arms that I wished someone was there. I needed someone there who wasn’t going to treat me like an idiot, or like I couldn’t care for myself. Someone who was on my level and treated me for all the damage I’ve suffered. Someone who loves my scars. Not someone who would erase them if I told them to.
I can see it, I can see why I fell in love with this dragon.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, forgetting about work for the time being.
Khaz shrugged his smile still there, but it’s tired like he has seen as much as I’ve seen. “Cause you deserved someone looking out for you. Even if I couldn’t be with you.”
There was this story I heard, when I was trying to come to terms with not having a soulmate and watching others around me proclaim their love for their soulmates, I found a story about how if your soulmate dies before you do they look after you. I’m not calling Khaz a soulmate, but a guardian. Someone just wishing the best for me, but not being able to save me.
I can feel the tears, they’re hot, like how he’s hot. They scorch down my cheeks and I am again at a loss for words. For all my life I thought I was alone. That no one was looking in on me, that one day I would die by myself. But I’ve never been alone. I’ve had a dragon watching me, hoping I’d make it through.
He’s close and a hand reaches out, as if he wants to touch me. “Let it out.” But I complete the small advance he’s been making now pulling him into a hug. I’m not kissing him, but I do cry. It’s one of those good clearing cries. So many of my mental wounds are infected, and it’s only crying that helps me clear it out. He doesn’t move, and I’m grateful he’s basically acting as my support as I break for a bit.
“Thank you.” And I can’t mean it enough. Looking up tears are still coming down, but I feel better. For the first time in years, I’m whole and it’s not because I’m going to fall in love with him. It’s because I’m not alone. Finally someone has stayed and I didn’t know until now. “I want to take this slow, but, thank you.”
Khaz reached over touching my arm with a secure touch. “Always.” His eyes dashed over to the frozen Infinite Dragon. “I need your help… more your knowlage. Get me a lead on this guy.”
An Infinite Loop P2
The kiss sends my mind to another point in time. It sends me to a memory I had blocked for years.
I’m sixteen, and I’m afraid. Behind me, I can feel the flames coming off the wing of the Scarlet Monastery and there are shouts from the people inside. These were my jailers, the people who told me I was not pure enough in my faith in the light. They were right. I hated them. My body burned thinking what they did to others. What they did to the Forsaken. What they did to Deeb..
I tried to move, but there was something wrong with me, with my back. I can feel the oil slick blood coating my sides, my legs didn’t want to move properly. I didn’t know how badly I was flogged, I just knew something was wrong, very wrong.
The world stopped, time froze as I noticed a pair of feet approaching me and a man knelt down to look at me. He looked older, too much older than me. His hands are covered in golden light, no, that was sand he had slipping around his fingers. As he touched my hand I feel my body slow down.
‘It’s going to be okay Malura. Keep breathing, the San’layn is going to be here soon. He’s going to sense the raw magic on you and send you to a place where you’ll get help. You’re a survivor.’
His voice holds a mourning pain I didn’t understand. I can’t remember his face. No. I couldn’t remember his face until now.
I’m back in the moment, the man who had slowed my wounds has his arms around me, like this is natural. His lips have a hot scorching heat that rolled off of him. It’s that heat and spice I’ve only smelled once before, weeks ago in Stormwind.
My lips are traitors as they kiss him back, it’s a gut reaction in the face of feeling something so powerful rush over you. I could easily fall into this moment. Give me passion, give me someone who gives a fuck and I’m pudding.
I don’t want to be like that anymore.
Pulling away I have to crane my neck up to look at him. Okay, sure, the kiss was nice. Like, I’d rank it... top three I’ve ever had. But I don’t know this guy. I suspect this is Khazradormu, fuck, I just kissed a dragon. Fuck, fuck.
He lowered his forehead to rest on mine but I pull away a bit more. “Um... so... this is awkward. I think we’re on two different timelines.” I don’t want to pull away, he feels good. All warmth and security. The kind of shit I would fall for if I let myself
His arms go stiff around me until they fall off and limp to his sides. His eyes carry a calculated look, but his smile doesn’t leave his lips. “I’m sorry about that.”
“I mean it was one Fel of a kiss.” I held my hand up. “And you’re a nice-looking guy, dragon... dragon guy. But I’m really not in the market for a boyfriend right now.”
Khazradormu rose and eyebrow and his hands moved up to roost on his hips. “Mal-”
“And I think we should probably stick to our mission. I could be reading too much into all of this. Like. Dragons don’t date mortals. You’ve been stuck for who knows how long in this loop... This is a loop right. Like, I get it, you’re probably really happy to be seeing another living being an-”
I’m rambling, trying to find a logical way for him to have kissed me without there being anything big to take from it.
“Malura!” He shouted this time stopping me from my rant. “For fuck’s sake.” But he’s not angry, he’s laughing. “This is when I meet you for the first time. Take a deep breath and stop putting your panties in a twist.”
My cheeks and ears blush. “I saw you years ago. You were there after I tried to escape from the Scarlet Crusade.” I then pointed at him, things clicking into place. “You were doing random shit around me during ‘Love Is In The Air’!”
A small smile crept on his lips. He really has nice facial hair, when did I start liking men with facial hair? “You hate that holiday. Everyone is all paired up, and you were lonely. But, right now, this is when I get to see you and you see me. It’s time.”
“Fuck time.”
“We have.” He says it in such a deadpan that I am struck silent by him. “Look, I get it, it’s weird for you. I’m sorry I kissed you... I thought you were the future you.”
But his kiss had been beautiful. There was a peek into the future that I normally deny myself. I don’t want to know the future so I can feel surprised. Well, I’m surprised. I’m surprised there is a dragon who is smirking at me like I was some hot shit.
“Yeah well.” I’m still at a loss for words as I watch him. His clothing is like mine, it’s filled with stories that I might or might not be apart of. He’s also got this angular educated smart guy look. I’ve dated a lot of guys, most of them ranging between idiots with swords, smart guys with zero social skills, or monsters. I’m not sure what side of all of that this dragon is on. What I do know is he’s cute, and not int the ‘powerful badass’ way. He’s just, cute. “Nice introduction, Khazradormu right?”
“I go by Khaz Mal.” He smiled a bit. “Khazradormu really is a mouth full.”
“Khaz.” I said the shortened name, flicking it over with my tongue to figure out if I like it or not. I might. “I’m, really going to date you one day?”
His smile, it make his eyebrows hike up and his eyes brighten to this teasing impish look. “Yeah, you could say date. We consider it more a partnership. Mates.”
This is why I don’t look into my future, I don’t want to know who I’m going to be in love with. I want to wake up one day and go ‘oh... I love this person’.
But, I’ve done that before. I’ve fallen in love the normal way. Where did it get me? It got me to right here. To meeting this dragon and him tell me we’re going to be a thing. I’ve dated my share of guys who said they could see the future. It lead me to right here. Only all of them were mortal, none of them came from the Dragonflight. None of them were a Bronze. I know the Bronze Dragons are born with the full memory of their future. Unlike everyone else, Khaz might not be shitting me.
I crush easily, fall in love, I don’t know. He keeps looking at me and my ears are burning.
“It’s, nice to meet you. But I don’t think I can do this right now. We, we should get to work.” I said gesturing around us. There was a frozen infinite dragon who looked to be in the middle of a fight with Khaz.
“I mean, sure if you want to ignore the fact we’re meeting for the- oh” He held out the ‘oh’ for a long moment. “Right, you’re a workaholic at this time.”
Being called out I scoffed. “You have been stuck in this loop for how long and you want to shoot the shit with me?”
“It’s different, you’re here. I mean, I know Pandaria is kinda a boring country to you, but, it’s pretty.” He gestured to the grounds around us before grinning. “I know you’re curious about stuff, it’s you. You’re wanting to know ‘why him?’ Right?”
“Yeah, no. I want to get this done. Look, you’re a nice, dragon, man. But...” I try searching for words to say. I know I’ve met people out of sync with me, that I had to cover first meetings, but that was future friends. Not, not something like this.
His shoulder’s drop, just slightly. “You’re right. Let’s treat this like any first meeting.” But he moves closer again and I can feel how warm he is. He offers a scared hand out. “I’m Khaz, and I want to say, thanks for saving my hide.”
“I haven’t saved it yet.” But I reach out and take his hand. The slight chill in my hands is instantly gone and there is a whispering thought in my mind. He knows the future, in a way he is my right now and my future. If he kisses me when we’ve been apart for a short while, what is it like to be beside him all the time? I don’t know anything about him, and I think this job is going to give me a crash course in getting to know him.
But Khaz smirks, he has this glinting look that makes me wonder if he’s going to be a trouble maker. Squeezing my hand once he lets it go. “Trust me Sandstorm, you’re the only Timewalker I know who can backtalk demons, stare down overly powered Temporal Anomolys, and,” he pointed a finger at me with a grin. “dodge questions for days. These Infinite Dragons will know you one day, and they’ll know to flee the field when you get there.”
I’ve been a timewalker for years now, no one has ever retreated when I approached. Everything Khaz has said has already happened. It sounds impressive, even if I think it’s just my normal life, I know it’s impressive. “You really think I’m all that.”
Furrowing his brows he nodded. “Babe, you’re all that. Wanna get your work done so you can do twenty questions with me?”
“If I want to be around your scally ass after this.” But my laugh escapes me, like this is easy. I’ve done this before, with friends. Normally we would take time to get to know each other, ask questions, figure out where our friendship took off. Now I’m here, and I feel like I want to know everything. I want to know why I chose to fall in love again. After all the pain, after having to lose and lose again, why this dragon is going to be the one who stays.
“I have one question. Since you’re a Bronze.” He is watching me, he probably knows what it is. “How are we going to break up? Are you going to die on me? Get corrupted? Some other temporal bullshit? Find another woman?”
That’s when I see the hurt. I might have said the wrong thing, but it’s something I need to know. “I’ve never left you. And I’m never going to leave you.”
“Right.” But I don’t believe it. It’s a little difficult to once you know a lot of powerful people.
“Yeah, I know.” He offered a small saddened look. “You’ve had enough guys tell you the same stuff. But they were mortal. Even that Anomaly was mortal. When I was born, my first memories that came to me was of my end. And you got no reason to trust me, but it’s a good end. For both of us.”
For both of us. When I die, he’ll die too. That seed of knowledge makes me shiver. What would it be like if after who knows how long someone I love holds me and says, ‘It’s time’. It’s going to happen and part of me is sad, but also filled with something new. Hope.
“When I had spare time, I’ve been here. When you needed someone, I was there.” He said and wet his lips as he continued. “I’ve been with you the whole time. I was there when you were framed for murder, when the Scarlet Crusade tried to brainwash you, as Anthion trained you, when your troop betrayed you, as you went through therapy.” He was moving closer to me, my heart starting to speed up as he closed the distance. “I was there when you found out Arrel died, when you took your trials.” His hand reached up and touched the notch in my ear. “I was there when you were lonely, when no one would listen to your side of the story. I was there when you finally left that place... I was rooting for you. I always have rooted for you.”
My breath is gone. I don’t think I know how to breathe in this moment. There were nights when I was curled up in my bed, head tucked under my arms that I wished someone was there. I needed someone there who wasn’t going to treat me like an idiot, or like I couldn’t care for myself. Someone who was on my level and treated me for all the damage I’ve suffered. Someone who loves my scars. Not someone who would erase them if I told them to.
I can see it, I can see why I fell in love with this dragon.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, forgetting about work for the time being.
Khaz shrugged his smile still there, but it’s tired like he has seen as much as I’ve seen. “Cause you deserved someone looking out for you. Even if I couldn’t be with you.”
There was this story I heard, when I was trying to come to terms with not having a soulmate and watching others around me proclaim their love for their soulmates, I found a story about how if your soulmate dies before you do they look after you. I’m not calling Khaz a soulmate, but a guardian. Someone just wishing the best for me, but not being able to save me.
I can feel the tears, they’re hot, like how he’s hot. They scorch down my cheeks and I am again at a loss for words. For all my life I thought I was alone. That no one was looking in on me, that one day I would die by myself. But I’ve never been alone. I’ve had a dragon watching me, hoping I’d make it through.
He’s close and a hand reaches out, as if he wants to touch me. “Let it out.” But I complete the small advance he’s been making now pulling him into a hug. I’m not kissing him, but I do cry. It’s one of those good clearing cries. So many of my mental wounds are infected, and it’s only crying that helps me clear it out. He doesn’t move, and I’m grateful he’s basically acting as my support as I break for a bit.
“Thank you.” And I can’t mean it enough. Looking up tears are still coming down, but I feel better. For the first time in years, I’m whole and it’s not because I’m going to fall in love with him. It’s because I’m not alone. Finally someone has stayed and I didn’t know until now. “I want to take this slow, but, thank you.”
Khaz reached over touching my arm with a secure touch. “Always.” His eyes dashed over to the frozen Infinite Dragon. “I need your help... more your knowlage. Get me a lead on this guy.”
maluraunderchild reblogged
An Infinite Loop
((This is the first part of a small mini-series I’ve been meaning to write for Malura. It’s been hinted at in other stories for her, but I think it’s time… and I have enough gifs collected.))
Being called by the Timewalkers for me is closer to a school bell ringing and less of an alarm clock blaring at you. When I felt the call I slipped to the Caverns Of Time so I could figure out what was up. Timwalkers are afforded a lot of time off, we have all of time and space to do our work. Unless the Infinite Dragonflight causes some major shit, our jobs are a ‘do at your own pace’ which really fits well with my way of life.
As I appear two people are already waiting for me. Seeing Robaj, my mentor/future student, Yes time-space is weird, was normal. He normally handed me whatever mission I was going to be given.
But beside him standing at not even half his height was my Boss. Or Boss Lady, or as most of the world knows her, Chromie.
“Hello Malura!” She said in her cheery if not slightly dazed voice. I have learned you give Chromie respect. She chooses to look like a gnome because it’s fun, but don’t ever mention her size, and she’s not a fan of people constantly asking if she’s a dragon.
I have a coffee in hand as I hold it up to her. “S’up. I hear you were needing me?”
It takes me only a moment to read the room. Chromie isn’t someone who gives away when something big is about to happen. Robaj though, I can read the man like I can read a clock face. He had his head hung down and he wasn’t looking at me. What was he feeling all guilty about? I know that look. He always does shit like that when he feels guilty.
I have on time to call him out on it as Chormie starts to talk. “We have a mission for you. It’s one you’ve been destined to do for a while, but we were waiting until you were ready.”
“Predestination paradox? Or is this something else?” I can’t think of what mission they would have me wait to do. I’ve been top of my game for years now.
“No paradox, but you’re the only one who can help.” Chromie’s voice then stuck me, she was being serious. “One of my cousins, Khazradormu has been stuck in a battle with an infinite dragon. He told us when we went that if he couldn't break free, you were to be called in.”
“Because I know Infinite dragons.” I muttered we don’t talk about how I know about them. The Bronze Dragons tolerated how close I got to an ex-member, and it’s made me a stronger Timewalker for it. “I mean, this is my job, it’s why you all asked me to join in the first place.”
Chromie shook her head. “You were asked to join for another reason Malura.”
Robaj scratched the back of his head. That look of guilt still resting in his golden eyes. “Khazradormu is a strong member of the Dragonflight.” He winced as he finally looked up at me.
“Okay, why does it look like someone kicked you in the balls?” I said I don’t have to hold my tongue anymore and Chromie falls into a small fit of giggles at my rougher words.
“Khazradormu and I don’t get along.” Robaj muttered but he shrugged. “I was rude to him when I was a starting Timwalker. He quickly put me in my place.”
Oh, so this guy’s got some big dick energy. Great. “Awesome, just what I need. Boss, is this Khazradormu kinda, a jerk?”
Chromie blinked, probably getting lost int he moment. It takes her a full half-minute to remember what we were talking about. “Oh! No, he’s really sweet. One of my favorite cousins. He doesn’t like it when people get mouthy, which was Robaj’s problem years ago.”
“That’s your warning.” Robaj tucked his hands into his robes.
“Great,” I muttered but looked to Chormie. “Do we have a starting area for me to locate him?”
Pulling out a small piece of sandstone I bend over to take it, feeling the chornomantic energy. It’s violent, like all chornomantic energy. TIme wants to do what it wills. It’s my job to ride the wave. “Alright. I’ll give him help and bring him back home.” Starting to step back I look to Robaj his eyes still not meeting mine. “Oi, Ro, raise your head up at least. If this guy is going to bite your head off, do it with some spine.”
Robaj rose a hand to flick me off. I’ve been there, did that. Not doing that again.
In my hand, I crunch the stone until the temporally charged sands start to pull me away. Letting me feel where this dragon had gone.
Arriving to a different place, different time. I take in a deep breath and pick up the sandstone that had reformed at my feet. I’m inPandaria, probably near the Jade Forest by the look of it. I don’t have time to really look around when I see him. I see a man with magic flowing through his hands, and his expression a deadly focus.
He looks so human. Dragons normally choose elves or half-elves as their forms. Human is a rare choice. It’s almost as rare as gnome.
“Oi.” I said calling out to the man, letting time freeze around us as I make my way over.
He dropped his magic and I don’t know how to read his expression as he starts to walk to me. “I was wondering when you were going to get here.” He doesn’t stop his charge on me, and when I think he’s going to stop, he continues until I’m pulled close.
My world spun, not the world, the universe, the realm spun. Everything I ever knew came to this moment. He bent down and kissed me-
((Cackles at the cliffhanger))