Evoke The Soul

evoke the soul

characters : akira kurusu, ann takamaki, goro akechi

— themes : gender neutral reader, use of evoker, mention of shiho’s attempt, akechi spoilers.

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traverse the stars.

lilia vanrouge x time traveller! reader

summary: three times you meet: once for love, another for vengeance. a third for new beginnings.

notes: [1.8k words.] i’ve always loved the immortal x time traveller trope :(( reblogs/interactions highly appreciated!

disclaimers: lovers to enemies to friends, semi-angst & open ending, mentions of mortality, life & death, part ii is set in war so mentions of blood & mc ends some lives, mc time travels (duh)!!

masterlist.

Hello, dearest.

Once upon a comet, you and he were in love.

“You’re wrong about that, dearest.” He smiles at you with the brilliance of a thousand stars. “I am not the world, but the moon.”

The sky wavers in a way that only a millennia ago could. This was back then. Back when he wasn’t the general of the Thorn Lord, back when you weren’t cursed to live and see everything the universe has to offer. Back when he was simply Lilia, and you were simply [Name]. You, and a boy.

“What... Do you mean?” The timbre in your voice wavers incredulously.

“You are the world. And I revolve around you." Your eyes glisten at his words. Urging, no, begging him to continue. “I am forever watching you, after all.” The starry beings are beginning to settle their bodies above the skylines; the aurora borealis above is beginning to make way for the descent of Halley’s comet.

Couples all around you are star struck. Children and adults alike are applauding with joy.

And yet, even though the beautiful sight is so compelling within the winter sky, you had your eyes set on a different beauty.

The moon cascaded a glow so beautifully incomprehensible against Lilia's face. His eyes held the glow of the moon itself - sparkling with a youthful joviality and wisdom far beyond your own.

“If you feel that way towards me, why do you refuse to reciprocate my advances?” You tear his attention away from the shooting star back to you. His world, his dearest.

“Because,” he pauses. “Although I may wish upon this comet, and many more to come, we cannot be. You are a mortal. I cannot bear to watch you pass one day.”

You want nothing more than to shrivel up into a ball and cry.

“So, feel free to think of me as whatever you wish. But do not forget, young one,” A hand comes up to your face, wiping the tears away. “I love you. And I will continue to, forever and evermore. But that is exactly why I must go.”

Amongst the cheers of joy and gaiety, there remains the wish of a star crossed lover. One which reaches the heavens above.

Let me see it all. Let me live through the past, present, and future. Maybe then, I can stay by his side.

But even so, he leaves. Leaving remnants of a shattered you.

A you which is no longer the world, but the traverser of the universe.

The second meeting.

The next time you see him is amongst the bloodshed.

What is left of your kingdom is nothing but rubble, the grass soiled by the blood of humans and faes alike. And there, standing in the midst of it all, is - no - was, your lover.

Lilia Vanrouge.

Or as his men call him, General Vanrouge.

You've seen it all. And you can choose to see whatever you wish to. You’ve watched countless beginnings, and countless ends. Of kingdoms, of wars, of people, and then some. But never once did you take a glimpse into a future or past that holds Lilia in it. It will, it would, it does hurt too much.

But although you hold time in your very palms, as much as you can control the present, changing fate is out of your reach.

Destiny is time's enemy, after all.

You read his eyes from across the battlefield. You should have died, his eyes say. And yet there you stand, against the testimony of time, and on a pile of his now fallen men.

A sardonic laugh escapes from your mouth as you plunge your sword into a nameless fae's chest. This is for leaving me, you think. This is for cursing me with love; for making me foolishly wish the heavens to turn me into something inhuman. This is your fault, Lilia.

You step down the man-made throne you created back onto the soil, raising your golden-laced sword beckoningly. "Come, murders of my kingdom." The venomous tone in your voice breaks the cool of the winter air. "Come at me with all your might. I will still remain victorious."

“General Vanrouge, call for a retreat.” A Briar Valley soldier appears by Lilia's side. “We do not stand a chance against the one who has the universe on their side; we are no match for the time traveller."

His face turns grim. How did his beloved turn into a fearsome bloodhound? One that delves fear into the hearts of faes?

"...You dare to give me commands and underestimate my strength?" Lilia sends a glare towards the soldier and the others, as if challenging them to stop him. “They and I have history. If anything, we are on equal footing.”

One moment he is by his men's side, and at the next, he is by yours. Not lovingly, as it once was, but with a fervour that is only seen between ex-lovers, now foes.

"My dearest, what happened to you?" The general adjusts his stance to mimic yours. On guard, and a weapon pointed towards your heart. But there is something about his demeanour.

It is as if he does not want to fight.

"You. You happened to me, Vanrouge." A scornful smile makes its way up to your face. “Once upon a time, I wished to be by your side. But because of my naivety, the celestials have stripped me of my mortality.” You pause. “Because of you, I am forced to walk upon this land. Through the past, present, and future.”

The moon casts a glow upon your face. A view all too familiar to him. “…Because of that, I will kill you.”

“So end me.” His proclamation catches you off guard. “I refuse to retaliate.”

You waste no time to pin him to the ground, your sword lingering dangerously close to Lilia's neck. It is a situation you found yourself in countless times before. Bait the enemy. Trap them down. Kill.

But then the memories come. His moonlight-soaked stature; sharing hushed kisses beneath the bridge; you two pursuing a forbidden love that only historians can dream of. It is enough for you to hesitate. Enough for him to reach out for your hand, with the same tenderness he had a thousand years ago.

“It is not too late to yield, my dearest.”

You hate him. Truly, beyond words. You despise how your heart still flutters when his hand touches yours; loath how he makes it easy to blame him for your own naivety. You detest him for making you adore him.

But above all else, you hate yourself for still loving him.

That is why you cannot bring yourself to seal the deal.

But, isn’t his death what you wanted? It would finally put an end to the love that torments your heart. Isn't that what you dreamed of for centuries on end?

You bring your sword closer towards him.

…No. You couldn’t do it.

Not like this, anyway.

Pushing his outstretched hand away, your sword lands ungracefully onto the blood-stained soil below. “I do not wish to kill a man who does not want to fight back. That is simply unmerciful.” You turn, whispering an incantation to the constellations above, ready to escape from the battlefield. Ready to escape from him. “I will let you and your men live to see another day.”

A multitude of stars awaken from the one empty sky; the celestials above have responded to your call. It is time to go.

“Next time we meet, if we ever do, let us start anew.” He says, an unreadable expression growing on your face. “Not as lovers, not as enemies. But just as the immortal and the traveller.”

You do not respond.

And this time, you are the one to leave. Amongst the stars once more, off to traverse wherever your heart leads.

Countless centuries pass by before Lilia sees you once again.

Life goes on.

“You’re here again, traveller.” An all too familiar voice breaks you out of your reverie.

Lilia Vanrouge.

The world has granted him many titles since you have last crossed paths. Those in the past remember him as the loyal knight who vigilantly served the Briar Valley lord; civilians in the future will acknowledge the name Vanrouge as the right-hand man for king Malleus Draconia. But as for the present? People associate Lilia and his troublesome demeanour as the vice-housewarden of Diasomnia.

You? You recognise him as the one who lives through it all.

And he simply knows you as the traveller who leaps through time.

You and he, the once star crossed lovers, are now mere strangers. Distant, yet familiar.

“Vanrouge.” A solemn smile breaks out of your face. “We meet again.”

The tired teenager next to him eyes you wearily. He’s heard of you before - his father tells stories about you: the one who bends time to their will. But the boy who holds auroras in his eyes never thought you’d be so beautiful. The stories that he’d once hear his father tell, the ones where he’d gaze at the teller all starry-eyed, could never do you justice.

You’ve heard of him, too. Silver is his name. You recall seeing him amongst your many fleeting dreams. A boy whose fate is not yours to change, but whose life is yours to impact for the better.

“I must say, sire,” You gaze at the now small man with scrutiny, beneath your cloak woven by the celestials. “I never thought I’d see you play school boy.”

“And I never thought I’d see you look so sullen.” He pauses to remove the hood from your head. “Tell me, little traveller. What brings you back to me?”

The sun coats his face with a sheen of beauty that you’ve never seen before. Lilia looks gloriously different in the sunlight; he looks like second chances and new beginnings. No longer like love or retribution, as he once did in the moon’s dusk.

“Why, is it such a sin to say hello to a familiar face?” The smile that grows on your face is nothing but the epitome of longing.

And that was enough for him to know.

Lilia knows. He knows the life you live is tumultuous, one of which is shrouded in misery. You know the past, the future, the present - a burden he cannot bear to carry. You continue to live and breathe, while others come and go. Just as he does.

You two aren't so unalike, after all. Not anymore.

So when he gazes into your eyes, he knows you will be here for a little bit longer. To not merely linger, but to stay. “Come, my dearest.” He smiles. Genuinely. “Stay with me in Diasomnia. I’m sure the prince will be happy to meet you.”

And this time, when he lends you an outstretched hand, you don’t deny it.

I love hearing people ramble, especially about things im interested in 🗣️🗣️

I watched this movie after my finals and ended up sobbing my eyes out to a can of soda.

This movie is genuinely so carpe diem, for the lack of better word,,,

the part where neil finally plays a role in the theatre as ‘seizing the day’— except it just ends in a disaster. The moment he finally goes ‘carpe diem’, he is only met with the cruel fate of reality. (Not saying that the cave shenanigans, etc is not at least a bit of ‘carpe diem’ but this is like the ULTIMATE CARPE DIEM AHAHA)

AND TODD’S POEM SCENE. i could watch that for hours ‼️‼️I LOVED MR KEATINGS HERE OMG???THE PART WHERE IT GOES LIKE “forget them, forget them, stay on the blanket, tell me about the blanket.” IT DOES SOMETHING TO MEEE

I cannot for the life of me put my thought into words😭😭

u are so right with neil 😭 his story is so tragic and i honestly don’t think i can ever get past it :”) the adults in his life were absolute scum and he was too good for this world.

BROO THE POEM SCENE. IT IS ICONIC FOR A REASON!!!! like, our creativity is only hindered by ourselves and what we believe to be our limit, and with mr keating helping todd overcome his anxieties even just for a bit, todd managed to soar and succeed.

everybody deserves a mr keating in their life, i hope we can find ours one day :]

here are some recommendations btw, if u find yourself yearning for something similar to this masterpiece of a movie:

a separate peace (book)

good will hunting (movie)

les choristes (movie)

the browning version (movie)

the goldfinch (book)

the secret history (book. for the academia vibes. i love this one.)

to sir with love (movie)

there is obviously also the breakfast club & the outsiders, but u seem like the type of person who has watched those already 😋

WHYYY are my posts glitching 🥲 some sentences keep duplicating??

OMG LILITH HII!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS AAAAAAAAAAA

I'm so happy to see you on my dash aaaaaaa I see you're back with Blue Period!! Your theme is so homely and cute

aaaaaa I hope to b able to catch up with you soon!! I hope you have been well <3

-Sherry

SHERRYYYY T_T HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! I MISSED U SO MUCH U DONT EVEN KNOW??

AND YES!! i cant wait to just ralk abt our lives and maybe (maybe) scream abt yuuta :"))

a morbid longing for the picturesque

“Death is the mother of beauty.” “And what is beauty?” “Terror”

— Donna Tartt, The Secret History