#Cue me overcommenting in the tags

[bucketbeta]

Uwah my first writing post. Not sure how it ended up being a horny one but oh well. I'm also still trying to decide how male omegas and female alphas work, so in this one I'll just tell y'all that Lucas has all female assets down his pants.

Within: Lucas (Omega) and Kaz (Beta) are left alone in the apartment once more. Kaz is helping Lucas out by fingering him on the couch, as roommates do. Kaz is NOT a conventional beta nor a conventional person at all, so possible warning if you're not into uhhhh idk impersonal treatment? Kaz isn't mean but this is like the equivalent of getting fingered by a doctor. Man I need better vocab for this. Nsfw ahead but honestly it's like 10% explicit, fingering with gloves on, a/b/o universe but not much showcase of dynamics tbh, roommates with benefits (except it's only Lucas doing the benefiting), no penetration, all that

"What's her name again?"

Kaz's voice is as low and murmury as ever. It's an offhand question, filling the empty air while he pulls his gloves on. Latex, off-white, no powder, contrasting his tan skin. Lucas doesn't bother watching him, already knowing step by step what the beta's doing. It's always the same, handwashing, rubbing alcohol, gloves, lube, then one last consent check before he touches him with all the love of a prostate check-up. Honestly he's surprised Kaz is talking this time.

"Who?"

"Roommate number three," Kaz clarifies, the pop of the lube cap punctuating the sentence. Lucas hears him squeeze a fair amount out before rubbing it between his fingers to warm it up. It's a part of the process now that Lucas told him it's more comfortable that way.

"Addie," Lucas sighs. He still can't believe Kaz is so bad with names, given how stiff and proper the guy is. It always gave the impression that he's all-knowing, even back when he'd call Lucas anything from Juan to Paul. "She message you lately?"

Kaz shakes his head, setting the lube on the coffee table beside his phone. He settles back onto the couch, knees folded beneath him. It's too often he's like this, between Lucas' spread legs, unlubed glove resting on the omega's knee.

"She hasn't. I doubt she'll be around today. I don't think she's been here since Monday."

"Yeah, okay." Lucas huffs, getting himself more comfortable as well. Honestly, with how Kaz is he doubts the man would even flinch if anyone walked in on them. The beta would probably just wave a hand and ask the intruder (or Addie) what they needed.

With the last of the prep done, Kaz leans over so he can make eye contact with Lucas. The beta's face is as flat as ever as he poses the familiar question.

"Are you still willing and able to proceed?"

Every time Lucas hears it he feels like he has to sign a document as well. When they first started doing... whatever this is, he'd tried to be funny and went "I want to opt out of your services" but like all things Kaz took it dead serious and started packing up.

And so Lucas just looks down at his strange yet unflappable roommate and nods.

"Yes I am, Kaz."

With that Kaz nods, leaning back again so he's fully focused on Lucas' hole. He's not particularly rough, but he doesn't go about it with much grace either. His slick hand parts Lucas' folds, humming like he's popped the hood of a car. Lucas never knows what Kaz's thinking at times like this.

"So uh, anything new with you, bud?"

Lucas immediately cringes at the endearment, like he's a retiree talking over beer instead of splayed out on the couch about to get fingered. He chances a glance down to check on Kaz, but the beta's eyes remained fixated.

Kaz hums again, but whether it's from him focusing on his task or thinking about a reply, Lucas can't tell. What he can tell is the way gloved fingers are running up and down his slit, slow and steady. It makes Lucas' scent glands kick into gear, the lychee note sweetening at the anticipation.

If Kaz notices (seriously, sometimes Lucas questions if the beta is nose-blind), he doesn't react. His free remains still where it is, no reassuring squeezes, not even a subconscious twitch.

Finally, he answers the question, though noticeably belated.

"I can't think of anything terribly interesting. Sorry, Lucas."

As if the biggest crime right now is Kaz being bad conversation and not the fact that he's yet to actually start with the main event.

Lucas' hips cant, trying to angle them right so he can get Kaz's fingers in. Though after this long of knowing him, Lucas has learned the best way to get results is to simply say it out loud. "You can put them in now, thanks."

Kaz's gaze flicks up, back down, and just like that he's slowly pushing two fingers into the omega's waiting cunt.

Lucas shudders, throwing his arms over his face. In this position he can smell himself more strongly, aroused, accepting pheromones bleeding into sun-sweet lychee.

It's always right then, at the first penetration, when Kaz's scent actually shifts as well. Sea salt rolls in like ocean waves, interest and curiosity conveyed in its depths.

He already knows the drill by now, his thumb brushing over Lucas' clit. Start soft, start slow, but once it starts to swell up he can press down a little more.

"Is this alright with you?"

He doesn't even blink at the way Lucas' eyes have squeezed shut, the way the scent of the omega's slick hits his nose. All he does is watch and wait for confirmation, or perhaps for any adjustments needed.

"C-could you, ah-" Lucas' ass arches clear off the couch when Kaz finally locates his g-spot, before flopping back down, "-little faster on the clit please. But don't move from there."

Another Kaz hum and he simply follows. He's easy like that, takes the feedback and applies it, never takes it personally. Honestly Lucas thinks he'd be the perfect, most attentive mate if he weren't so... Kaz.

"Like that?" Kaz asks, and for once Lucas' responding whine is answer enough.

The omega must have been more pent-up than he thought, because it only takes another minute or so for him to be clawing at Kaz's wrist, keening as his scent blooms with completion. He makes a wet mess of Kaz's glove, rolling onto his side as he comes down.

Kaz goes through the usual motions. He keeps his focus on Lucas' clit, rubbing slower and slower circles each time until Lucas goes limp on the couch. His fingers slowly escape the still-clenching hole, then his gloves come off, placed carefully on an awaiting paper towel.

Lucas meanwhile had caught his breath, wiping the sweat off his forehead. The orgasm left a nice little buzz in his veins, exactly what he had been aiming for.

He swings his legs to sit up, careful not to hit Kaz.

"Hell yeah,' he purrs, "that's all I needed."

He tilts his head back against the couch, scent rolling out with satisfaction now. Lucas doesn't mind exposing his neck to Kaz, his roommate has proven himself safe time and time again.

He watches out of the corner of his eye as Kaz gets up to toss the gloves, the sound of the faucet starting as the beta no doubt scrubs to his elbows.

It's all routine, but this time Lucas can't help but ask: "You really don't get horny doing this?"

It's a question that's been on his mind ever since. Lucas scents the air and yet again there's no trace of any sort of horny-ness from Kaz. Just that simmering arousal, more of an interest than a need.

"Well, not necessarily," Kaz answers without a beat, the sink still running as he digs under his still-clean fingernails. "My skin is feeling heated at the moment, and I am more aware of my own body. But if you're asking if I have the urge to have sex with you then the answer is no."

"Huh."

And that's that, because once the tap flicks off Kaz is already walking off with a fresh paper towel, right back to his room.

Lucas isn't surprised in the slightest.

Instead he slings over the back of the couch, calling out to the retreating figure of his strange, unflappable, and elusive roommate.

"Thanks, Kaz. I owe you a meal!"

The single-hand wave, simple but already known to translate as friendly when coming from Kaz, is all Lucas sees before the beta's door shuts.

[the-lazyyy-artist]

What Are You Doing, New Year's Eve? (a fem!reader x oliver aiku holiday smau special)

Chapter synopsis: Enjoying your time as Shidou and Sae's third wheel on the most romantic day of the year, you unexpectedly met someone who you think can change the course of your single life.

Notes: affectionate names from Shidou (bc who even is Shidou if he doesn't call you names affectionately?

masterlist • prev • next

Chapter I: The Meet-Cute (pt.2)

"Hmm," you hummed, feeling the warmth of the hot chocolate overcome your body. The Christmas village was packed this year, seeing couples and families enjoying the Christmas cheer and music in the air. Shidou and Sae sat side by side in front of you, enjoying the atmosphere. "Quite a crowd," Shidou peeped, nudging Sae's forearm. Sae tsked as his hot chocolate almost spilled with the action, causing a chuckle from Shidou. "Thanks for letting me come along," you said for the hundredth time.

Despite being their official third wheel, you'd still feel grateful that they include you on almost every date. It was Shidou's idea to keep you involved, because according to him, the moment Sae signed up to be his lover, he got a 2-in-1 deal. "Where I go, you go," he once said, "and besides, I don't want your single ass to wallow in sadness, dummy." You slapped his arm silly after he said that. "Hey," he laughed, watching your efforts to hurt him in response, "no need to be butthurt! It's true!"

"Would that cause me to feel more miserable? Tagging along?" You asked, crossing his arms. Shidou shook his head, "Nope!". And surely, it just felt like hanging out with friends... With the exception of Shidou being so clingy around Sae, stealing kisses and holding his waist whenever he has a chance. Sae would look away or look at you as if saying "You're friends with this guy?"

"No need to say thank you," Shidou replied, "Sae would want you here anyway. Right, baby?" Shidou asked, purring. Sae sighed and nodded in your direction. You know Sae is so reserved towards you, but you like how he's acknowledged your presence and importance in Shidou's life.

After finishing your hot chocolates, you three decided to walk around and check out the booths and stands, buying and trying things. You'd snap photos of the couple anytime you had a chance, seeing the glow in Sae's eyes whenever Shidou does something for him and how Shidou's smirks soften into small smiles whenever they act like it's just them in the world. Makes you wonder if a love like that would find you someday. The type of love you'd only read in books and hear in songs, and they personified that. They brought out the best of each other, both in their relationship and on the field.

Cue in: Oliver Aiku. He bumped into you as you took another picture of the couple, apologizing as he chuckled. "Didn't see you there," he said, his deep voice filling your space. As you looked up, you were met with the most beautiful heterochromatic eyes you've ever seen in your entire life. The way the Christmas lights bounced off of them, shining like stars in the galaxy. Words got caught in your throat, and just in time, Shidou came to the rescue.

"Captain," he chirped, his usual smirk appearing back on his lips, "got lost?" Aiku smiled slyly and shrugged. "Just walking around. You with Sae?"

"Why do you want to know?" Shidou asked in a sing-song tone. Sae then stood beside Shidou, face emotionless. His turquoise eyes looked back at Aiku with a bored stare. Aiku let out a soft chuckle and shrugged. "Oh, nothing. Nothing." Aiku then turned to look at you, still shocked that this was not only Shidou and Sae's former teammate, but this was also THE Oliver Aiku. Still speechless, you reached for Shidou's hand, as if saying "IS THIS HIM???"

"Oh, by the way, this is y/n. Y/n, meet Aiku, and yes, it's him," Shidou said, his tone teasing. You still said nothing, still starstruck at the soccer player. Aiku smiled softly at you, and you really didn't hear what he said, but the next thing you knew, he was off.

"Oi, what was that?" Shidou asked, laughing, "Cat got your tongue?" You frowned at him, embarrassed by the fact that yes, you froze and that yes, you really didn't believe that Aiku was more beautiful up close. "Shut up, Shidou."

"Hey, don't be surprised if he messages you later," Shidou added, his teasing tone never leaving his voice. Sae sighed beside him and gripped your arm gently. "By all means, if you want to talk to him, tread carefully," he warned. This surprised you. Sae was always the type to speak when needed, so it was nice that he gave you this warning.

Though, you're not blind. Articles upon articles of Aiku being with different girls almost every week or month have bombarded your news app since you started following the star player. It's a good enough warning not to dance along with him. But being friends with him won't hurt. Maybe.

You nodded at what Sae said, and Sae nodded back.

As soon as the clock struck 12 midnight, you saw couples kiss and greet each other a Merry Christmas. Romance definitely filled the air. You turn to look at your two other companions and there they are, whispering to each other after sharing a quick kiss. Sae was never big on great acts of affection, but he'd let Shidou shower him with little ones that were soft and subtle that only they could enjoy in the crowd.

You interrupt them by running towards them in a hug, and Shidou pulls you closer to them. "Merry Christmas, dummy," he said, "make sure next year you have someone to kiss and not looking around like a fucking weirdo."

🎄📌: @shidousprincess @soleilonthesun @pan-kojiwa @anglefish3008 @thebestsetter @shrii-kk

Taglist is open!

[hwasdvlly]

Starlight | c.jongho

❀ summary: he gets an answer that changes his life.

❀ pairing: jongho x fem!reader

❀ genres: romance and fluff

❀ word count: 0.9k words

❀ warnings/tags: none. established relationship, idol!jongho, non-idol!reader, very emotional yet so cute

❀ a/n: wowie! it has been sooo long since i last posted. i wanted to do create something that'll make everyone cry lol but still enjoy it

“Hyung, I don’t think I can do this.”

A handsome gentleman in a suit with adorable bear-like features is a nervous wreck. Jongho did his best to clean himself up and tried remembering his speech all night. Hongjoong hears the anxiousness in the maknae’s voice. As a kindhearted captain, he brings Jongho into his arms. “You’ll do great. We are all proud that you found your happiness. Now, you want to make it official. The guys and I are positive that Y/N will say yes.” Hongjoong pats Jongho’s back for reassurance. 

For years, the youngest member of ATEEZ has been in love. He met you during his early idol days. He was walking down the streets of Seoul and discovered a brand-new cafe. Jongho steps in to grab beverages for his members. But his heart began to flutter when his warm brown gaze laid on a beauty dressed in a simple uniform and welcomed him. Jongho shyly greeted you with adorable blushing cheeks and purchased cups of americano. 

You never knew he had a music career. Jongho laughed it off later on when he revealed what he does for a living. To you, it felt unreal to date a celebrity because it can be complicated. Nevertheless, you loved Jongho. Indeed, there were circumstances to overcome, and Jongho tried not to have his reputation go downhill. But as the relationship got more intimate and the love grew stronger, he believed it was time to put a ring on your finger.

Plus, you are ATEEZ’s best friend and little sister. Everyone adores you, and Jongho will talk about you every minute of his life. Atinys can tell he is madly in love, but it’s precious. 

Jongho and his hyungs set out a plan for the proposal in a public area. It’s their concert stage where hundreds of Atinys, Jongho’s family, and your family will attend. Weeks before the day, Jongho gave you and your loved ones free concert tickets, but he purposely did it so you could be with him. And, of course, to have fun. You are his number-one fan, after all.

When it was close to the end of the event, the guys wore casual clothes, and Jongho wasn’t present. San speaks through his handheld microphone. “Where’s our maknae guys?” He questioned as if he had no clue. They all have confused expressions, pretending they don’t know what is happening. Mingi speaks, “He said something about wanting to look presentable.” He reasoned, which had the audience believe him. 

On cue, Jongho exists backstage in his stunning suit, appearing like a classy movie actor. Wooyoung gapes, “Why are you so dressed up?!” He asked in the most dramatic acting. The guys couldn’t resist their laughter because Wooyoung would not take things seriously. Jongho meets up with his hyungs and starts to explain with sincere words. 

“It’s because I am about to do something that’ll might change my life. As you may all know, there is someone who has a special place in my heart. I was hesitant to do this, but I realized Y/N means so much to me that I don’t see anyone else to make me feel alive and know what love is. Yes, I have Atinys, my family, and these people or whatever.” He nonchalantly waves his hands, gesturing to the members. The crowd laughs at their slightly hurt faces. 

Jongho chuckles but continues with his speech. “So, I took the time to think about what I want my future to be like. I also want to ask a significant question.” His eyes roam to the sideline of the stage, where he spots you, your family, and his family together.

He shifts his body to approach you. Jongho lends out his hand to have you go on stage. Your eyes widened at his silent offer. You skittishly move your legs to have your hand link with your boyfriend. Jongho has a sunny smile and makes you walk to the center of the stage. The members stand around the couple. They are smiling so much, and their excitement is skyrocketing. 

The man looks into his lover’s eyes to say, “Y/N, there are millions of reasons why I see you as the brightest starlight in my world. I am curious to know if you’ll answer my question.” He lets go of your hand to go down on one knee and pulls a small box out of his pocket.

With an adrenaline rush, you have your jaw dropped, and the people in the building are uproaring. Jongho sees your glassy eyes. He brings the microphone to his lips. “Will you be my wife, Y/N?” He finally asked. 

In a simple response, you nodded your head earnestly. “Yes!” You said. 

Your boyfriend felt his overwhelmed emotions washed away. He is so relieved that he did it. He gently puts the beautiful ring on your finger—an item dedicating two soulmates to live a forever happy life. A round diamond with a rose gold band. Jongho brings you into his arms as he buries his face into your neck. He tries to hide his tears, but the hyungs can see he is emotional. Not to mention, the guys have water coming out of their eyes. 

Jongho peeks over your shoulder to see the fans cheering. He even notices his family and yours are proud. His mother is crying tears of joy, his little brother is clapping for him, and his father has a merry expression. Jongho lifts his head off your shoulder to have his forehead against yours. He stares into your tearful eyes but you are smiling.

The man softly presses a kiss onto his now wife-to-be’s lips. 

[wei-ying-kexing-apologist]

WKA's 2024 Tumblr Top 10

I was tagged in this game by @lurkingshan did it on my phone and therefore did not spend a lot of time making it look nice. But since I was just tagged in this again by @telomeke I figured I'd take advantage of the edit feature to zhuzh it up a little bit. So!

1. PhayaTharn's Informative Morning- 441 notes - Jan 3 2024

gif by @firstmix

I am so lucky that I love writing essays and that I do not do it for the notes or the clout, because this post took me like two seconds to create and was my most popular of the year.

2. Feelings Made Visible: Design Choices in The Sign essay- 409 notes - Jan 5 2024

gif by @thisautistic

I am so sad about the trajectory of my enjoyment of The Sign because I was having fun writing essays about it at the beginning. But by the end I was strongly contemplating writing a fix-it fic, though I quickly decided I did not have the brain space to write that whole thing out. ANYWAY...I really enjoyed writing this essay because lighting is my favorite part of theater performances and something I really love seeing and talking about in all visual mediums, but I have far fewer opportunities to do so in television because a lot of the time the lighting is more dedicated to looking realistic. The Sign gave me the opportunity to talk about lighting choices for the first time in forever.

3. Symptoms of a Systems Error essay- 399 notes - Feb 2 2024

gif by @dramascene

ALL THESE END OF YEAR POSTS ARE REMINDING ME THAT @lurkingshan AND I OWE THIS SHOW THE RE-WATCH WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO. I was definitely a little skeptical going in to this show about the premise of this man being in a video game, but it had one of the smartest uses of that setting I've seen and I really enjoyed all the subtle ways that they used the world around them to deepen the story at hand and I'm really glad so many people seemed to enjoy this essay as well!

4. Episode 10: The Couch essay- 353 notes - Apr 21 2024

Here is a great example of @lurkingshan demonstrating that I can and will take essay requests for shows I am watching. I cannot begin to explain in words the chokehold this show had on me, so hopefully ya'll will just see the fact that I wrote ten essays about only six episodes of this show as evidence of how much back rent this show owes me for living in my head. I LOVE MICROEXPRESSIONS AND CHRIS CHU DID SUCH A PHENOMENAL GODDAMN JOB WITH HIS PORTRAYAL OF WEI QIAN AND I NEED TO SCREAM THAT FROM THE HEAVENS AT EVERY GIVEN OPPORTUNITY~

5. Parallels in Unknown Episode 9 essay- 329 notes - Apr 14 2024

gif by @ueasking

It appears like Unknown fever was taking hold of a hell of a lot of us on this website considering that literally half of my most popular posts of 2024 were from this show. I think a really important aspect of this show and why I enjoyed it so much was that it was really taking its time demonstrating how much history Wei Qian has to overcome in order to take on that mental shift of viewing Wei Zi Yuan as a romantic partner instead of as his brother. Which is why I was so sad that they fucked up the sex scene in Ep 11 and did not spend as much time as they really should have cementing Qian's shifted feelings after the confrontation at the stairs at the end of Episode 10. EITHER WAY I do think the use of parallels was a really smart way of showing that recontextualization.

6. Fantasy v. Reality: The Sign Episode 7 essay- 328 notes - Jan 8 2024

I am such a huge proponent of talking about sex scenes in television not only because they are enjoyable to watch but because they are choreographed scenes that take a lot of planning and a lot of work and I think it is important to be able to see and approach conversations around intimacy on screen in such a way. Getting a chance to write about how the sex scene in episode 7 merged Phaya and Tharn's fantasies and also their lighting cues was really fun! I hope that 2025 grants me enough energy to get back on the essay writing wagon in full force because I miss doing it but also have felt incredibly uninspired by a lot of what I've seen in the BL sector the last couple months.

7. LOSING MY MIND OVER UNKNOWN EPISODE 8 essay- 284 notes - Apr 10 2024

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

So sorry to you, Wei Qian, but unfortunately you sent your brother to America in hopes he would lose interest in you and instead he came back a menace!

8. Top Five "Oh" Moments ask- 282 notes - Jan 15 2024

let this be a lesson folks that it is a-okay to ask questions if you have them. I love getting asks and I know a lot of my mutuals do as well! I really loved getting this question and being allowed to talk about my top five!

9. Unknown Episode 7 Brain Rot Moments essay- 281 notes - Apr 1 2024

Going back through these posts is fun for me because I really like seeing the different ways I have engaged in media analysis and commentary. This time it was literally just a bullet-pointed list of things that I knew were making me chew glass about this show and I still loved writing it!

10. Unknown, Ep 10: Qian and Yuan- 166 notes - Apr 26 2024

Yippe! A good old fashioned Captain Hands Scene Breakdown what a time I had!

Created by TumblrTop10

I will tag @aeternallis and @kangarew-tail-7 in this, obviously you are under no obligation to participate if you do not wish to!

[aziraphales-library]

hello! Do you have works in which crowley's a chef/can cook? Thank you sincerely! x

Hi! Here are some chef Crowley fics...

Flambé by gazing (T)

“Chef Crowley, sir? I don’t think he does special requests-“ “He does for me.” Aziraphale cuts in smoothly. “Tell him it’s Aziraphale.” - Alternatively: Aziraphale frequents Devil’s Kitchen, a dessert restaurant in Soho. He’s rather infatuated with the head pastry chef…

Sometimes it's cosmic, sometimes it's cocktail weiners by myladyclegane (M)

All executive chef Anthony J Crowley wanted was a cider and some time with the girls(of the Golden variety) after his double shift, what he gets is playing savior when his best friend and next door neighbor (and desperate crush) has to unexpectedly host a last minute game night for his awful co-workers.

As Sweet As This by vantablck (G)

One moment, Crowley had a high position at a top Michelin rated restaurant. The next, her career was taking a metaphorical million light-year dive into a lake of boiling sulfur and she was moving back into her small childhood town. Cue Aziraphale, the childhood best friend she’s been pining over since time immemorial. Cue Crowley’s oh so brilliant idea of co-owning a restaurant with her.

Till I Saw You by curiouswriterkr (E)

Crowley is a burned out chef recovering from adrenal fatigue in Tadfield. Aziraphale, a gifted musician with a big, soft heart, happens to be performing one evening at an open mic. Their eyes collide and inevitably, so do their lives, helping each other step into healing, truth and more joy.

Style and Substance by Cabernet_Woebegone (E)

“But y’know, if my boss finds out I’m helping you even a little, they’re gonna throw me out on my ass.” “Yes, I understand it is a bit of a conflict of interest for you… Is there something I can offer you in return? Something you would like?” Aziraphale questioned hopefully. You, Crowley thought loudly as he took a second sip. I want to know if you moan when you kiss the same way you do when you try something delicious. I want to know if your lips taste like Zinfandel. “Yes, actually.” Aziraphale is having difficulty running his restaurant, and it isn't helping that he believes the place across the street is trying to sabotage him. To his surprise, chef Crowley comes to him on friendly terms. Together they come up with an arrangement that could benefit them both. (Explicit rating for chapters 10 , 14 & 17, see tags for description. Please do not record this as a podfic or repost this fic anywhere! Thank you!)

Capellini d'Angelo by AngeliqueTombee (E)

Ezra E. Fell is new to America, the restaurant industry, and to getting positive attention -- especially from men the likes of Chef Anthony Crowley, an award-winning chef who's angling to bag his first Michelin star. Despite both being foreigners in a foreign land, can Ezra and Crowley overcome hellish hours, diabolically bad co-workers, fiendish guests, apocalyptic-feeling hurdles, and all the other rigours of typical industry life and make their relationship work? And should Crowley even bother aiming for the stars?

- Mod D

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting Results: Basekhwa

Interesting one this time, in that we've got a lot of details, but not a lot of specificity as to what it looks like. The most we get is phrases like "with a tap of the hoof" which can cue us into the fact that it has hooves. Mostly we hear about things it does. So, before we see what people did with that, the obligatory links.

If you are confused as to what this post is about, please see https://maniculum.tumblr.com/bestiaryposting. The specific entry this week's artists are working from can be found here:

And now, art below the cut in roughly chronological order.

@sweetlyfez (link to post here) got hers in first this week, and it's a really charming creature. I think the colored-pencil medium gives the drawing a little extra something. A really clever interpretation here, I think, is that it has a trunk for catching snakes -- which makes sense if you think about it. The first thing we're told about them is:

Basekhwas are the enemies of snakes; when they feel weighed down with weakness, they draw snakes from their holes with the breath of their noses and, overcoming the fatal nature of their venom, eat them and are restored.

If an animal is luring snakes out by putting its nose against their hidey-holes, it seems entirely sensible to have the nose do double duty as an appendage for dealing with the snakes when they come out. I also enjoy the long flappy ears and the tapir-like coloration. This one, it seems, has been shot -- the entry does say they're an easy mark for archers -- but that's what the snake is for. (And thank you for the alt text.)

@silverhart-makes-art (link to post here) notes that a creature that is mentioned to have both hooves and horns is surely an ungulate. I don't know enough about taxonomy to comment, so sure! They've picked a couple different ungulates to mix together for this design -- for details on that, see the linked post -- and given it a horn structure that's ideal for scooping up snakes from the ground, which I like. They describe it as turning out quite "feral unicorn-esque", which I can definitely see.

@cheapsweets (link to post here) brings us another detailed pen drawing. In their laudable drive to incorporate as much of the material as possible, we can see that they have found a creative way to show us additional scenes in this animal's life: in little vignettes on the Stylized Tree. Another fun nose on this one, too -- CheapSweets notes that it's inspired by the saiga antelope. All of this is very good, and the baby hidden in the bush is adorable. For detailed discussion of this art and how it relates to the entry, please see the linked post. (And thank you for the alt text.)

@pomrania (link to post here) regrettably was unable to do a final version, but posted their doodles. Given that I'm tagged in the post, I assumed they were meant to be put here. I kind of like the glimpse here into their process, with all these different scenes from the entry being brought in to toy with. Also I think the one labelled "frozen" is quite funny, and I enjoy that one is labelled "baby".

@strixcattus (link to post here) gives us this rather chimeric creature that kind of makes me think of an okapi if you turned the "different fur patterns in the front and back" thing up to 11. What I really like here is the horn asymmetry -- there's a little of it in CheapSweets's entry, in the middle vignette if you look close, but Strixcattus is taking it to another level. Both artists seem to have been inspired by the same part of the entry, i.e., this sentence:

Of their horns, the right-hand one is better for medical purposes.

If one horn is better medicine than the other, it's pretty reasonable to think they might look different. What I think is interesting here is that CheapSweets decided the medicinal horn should be the longer one, but Strixcattus made it the shorter one. Much to think about. (Oh, and the way it's posed so that the horns frame the sun is also really cool in my opinion.) As usual, please check out the linked post for Strixcattus's modernized description of this beast; I think this week's is particularly interesting actually.

Side note: I did a quick google to make sure that the okapi was indeed the animal I was thinking of and this was the first suggested question in the results (note that I just searched "okapi", no other words) :

... oh dear. The way search results are changing really is going to be a problem, isn't it?

@coolest-capybara (link to post here) has drawn something I find delightful. (And not just because I like her medieval-inspired style.) I actually laughed out loud seeing this one just because it's such a fun take. Here we have a Basekhwa "weighed down with weakness" and "draw[ing] snakes from their holes with the breath of [its] nose." I think everyone else went with "the breath is a lure and then the Basekhwa grabs/stabs/stomps/bites them", but Coolest-Capybara decided that it's not exhaling, it's inhaling, and it just hoovers the snakes out. I love it. Both the tired-looking Basekhwa and the rather panicked-looking snake are amazing. (And thank you for the alt text.)

Anyway, to the Aberdeen Bestiary:

... um.

Yeah, there are a few of these -- I think this is the second we've seen so far. Someone cut out an illustration at some point. So we're going to look towards the "sister manuscript", the Ashmole Bestiary:

So this one is... a deer.

I didn't know any of that stuff about deer, did you?

Not much I have to add here, but let me share a folk etymology I redacted for this entry.

The offspring of the deer are called hinnuli, 'fawns', from innuere, 'to nod', because at a nod from their mother, they vanish from sight.

I just... I don't think that's true.

[justjams2003]

The Desire to be Loved: 2

Summary: Love is Desire's first creation. As Cupid she shoots her arrows of love and rips them from people's hearts too. Occasionally, shooting a soulmate arrow. What does she do when her first Soulmate arrow in 100 years is between Cupid and Dream?

Pairing: Dream of the Endless x OFC Love/Cupid/Venus (you know how these beings have millions of names) (Also technically it could be an x reader because love is sort of anthropomorphic but in this story a she)

Warnings: Manipulation, threats, crying, cliffhanger, unedited, kind of like enemies to lovers, soulmate au, cursing, tell me if I miss any

Word count: 1,8k+

Dividers by: @hyelita

Tags: intothesoul

Masterlist

(I've moved the next part to the bottom)

What a cruel but beautiful creature. To look at me with such entrancing brown eyes that makes something warm flutter in my gut but leave me here. Her aura is that of a setting sun, but her hair is like that of the sun itself. A dear shocked by the presence of a different creature in her woods. Or perhaps shock that I could see her?  

But with the beauty she carries is also something vicious. Another immortal creature who seems to have some recognition behind those doe eyes. And yet knowing who I am and what importance I hold for the mortal world she leaves me here. Without a single second thought she disappeared into a different realm.  

I do not know who she is. Or rather what it is. The human’s son who captured me could not see her. He looked at me with utter confusion, but that is saying so little since they always look at me with fear of the unknown. As they should.  

Clearly something supernatural, but not something powerful enough for me to have known of them before. But in my 50 more years of confinement in this my glass prison I couldn’t help but keep myself busy with the thought of her.  

One of these days, almost on cue, that perfect pink aura suddenly appears in front of the glass bulb. She looks dishevelled. Her braid is messy, several front pieces have fallen out and covers her face. Where last time she wore shoes that made her quite a bit taller than the human Alex. Now, just a few inches.  

But more than that there’s blood all over her hands. Her eyes look glassy with tears but are wide with fear and shock. She’s down on her knees on front of this cage. A shudder pours through her body. Air doesn’t seem to making it into her lungs. Does she have to breathe or is the shock shaking her soul?  

She looks up at me and this seems to make it worse. The dam breaks and tears roll off her cheek. Her chest heaves as she tries to breathe. “I-I-” She mutters trying to comprehend and it seems as if she knows even less than I do now. “I don’t know what I did.” Her voice is just barely above a whisper.  

“He-he said I had to.” She mutters over and over, who is this he? What did she have to do? I wish this damn barrier wasn’t here so that I could see what is this situation. “And-and- I was so mad at him for making me-” another bout of tears overcomes her.  

She then stops and looks at her hands again. “Look at what I’ve done.” I can see how her mind is starting to break.  

That can’t be good. She must play some role in this the human world. Even if only slightly important, it could very well be the beginning or end of this earth. Should I care? Of course I should care. I was made by the first humans subconscious to help the humans. I can’t let all that effort go to waist now...  

But how could I help now? Stripped from all power, locked up and unable to be heard in this glass bubble of mine. I do all that I can think of. My hand slowly slides over the glass to where she sits kneeling in front of me.  

My movement catches her eye almost instantly. Her head snaps up, her ragged breathing stops. Her eyes seem to twinkle like gold dug up from deep in the core of the earth. Time seems to stop and I just can’t seem to understand what is going on. Is she a siren or witch of some sort? Putting a spell on me?  

Her hand, smaller than mine, reaches up and touches the glass where mine is. The blood smears against the glass into a red aura around her hand. The glass makes her fuzzy. Like a halo of red surrounding her as if she’s one of the angles.  

“What the fuck?!” One of the guards exclaim, interrupting this stopped moment in time. This moment, a red haze of ardency. From the human’s point of view, Dream of the Endless somehow just spawned a bloody handprint on the outside of his glass cage.  

The guard stands up from his seat, pistol in hand. “What the fuck did you just do? How the fuck did you just do that?” He says, his pistol raised at the cage. To the humans this seems entirely impossible. Some sort of witchcraft that they fear with their soul.  

The creature who has taken all wisdom from me’s head snaps in a neck-aching turn. Her breathing becomes rapid again after just having calmed her down. She sees the way he approaches my cage and then she turns to me again. “I have to go again. I don’t want him to find out about this this time.”  

With that, she’s gone again.  

For the next 14600 days I could not be there when sun would set and the dreamers were supposed to enter my realm. My dreamers would instead be either stuck awake forever or asleep forever. 40 years of restless, dreamless sleep all because of the Burgess’s. 

I had seen with my own eyes how Alex killed his father by accident or not after a fight about my confinement. He had begged just as his father had. Not for the same thing, but in the same breath for fear of Death. My sister shouldn’t be feared but perhaps he worries about how I might inact my revenge.  

He grows old now, I’m sure, but he has not come to beg again. Humans become frail with age. All entertainment I have is my mind and my plots. Vengeance swirls around in my mind. That and guilt. Guilt of Lucien having to run the Dreaming in my absence. And all of those Dreamers doomed.  

My days and nights are one. I only know the difference from the change of guards. I can’t help but watch their lazy lives. Having to sit and watch me all day. They chit chat of their lives all while the years pass by in front of me. No interruption. No difference.  

And then, there she is again. One second an empty space covered in sand and the next, a dishevelled creature. No heels this time. A pair of these “sweatpants” as I’ve heard the mortals call it. Her hair is no longer in a braid. Golden silk in long mixed wavy and straight hangs on the floor.  

Her eyes are red and look dry and irritated. She appeared standing, but not for long. Her legs seem to give in on her. She sits down on the floor. She pulls her legs up to her chest and just hides her head. I move closer to the edge of my cage. I can see it puts the guards on edge.  

She slowly lifts her head again and rest her chin on her knees. Then suddenly a quiver, assumingly her quiver, appears strapped to her back. She pulls out a single arrow, the only arrow in this quiver. It has a red heart at the very tip. She seems to be inspecting it carefully.  

The creature seems to give a dry scoff. “This is the only soulmate arrow I’ve received in over 100 years.” She twirls it in her fingers and then suddenly it all begins to make sense. A soulmate arrow? And she has them ready to shoot? The humans have so many names for her. Cupid, Venus, Aphrodite, Freya. But I do remember Desire naming her Love.  

Her head falls back on her knees. “I feel so tired...” Her eyes seem to droop. The pink aura she had before is completely gone. The golden sparkle in her eyes is dead. She closes her eyes for a second and lets out a heavy hearted sigh. All soul seems to have left her.  

Then her eyes open again. Again her dead eyes drag over the arrow. “I fear the day I found you here because it has only caused my demise. If I didn't let my own mind wander into the realms of desire and curiosity I would not be weak as I am now. He calls himself Desire but he and his twin are one in the same because now Despair is all I know.” The words begin spilling out of her from a speed unparalled.  

“Something above him, maybe even you, is punishing me for doing as I am told and I cannot take it any longer. All I've done this last century is rip the love from people's hearts. I fear I might have lost the ability to knock an arrow in my bow because I can't even remember how to grant love. Only how to take it.” 

“My soul is kind, I promise.” Her eyes look up at me, her brows pulling together in the middle as if she’s pleading for me to believe her. “If I was not kind I would not be in the state I am in, right?” Again she begs. What for I’m not sure? I do not know of any sins. Could Love ever even be able of causing harm? Is she able of concocting the concept of harming others?  

“There's no love left on this earth. Only this shell Desire has made me and therefore I don't want to live with myself anymore. Him unmaking me would be easier to stand than the hurt I have caused.” It looks painful when she starts to stand up.  

The way she walks, it looks almost deliberate when the salt under her shoes breaks the several circles surrounding my cage. It’s confirmed when she looks back at the now broken salt circles and looks satisfied by this. Then her eyes look back at me.  

The world looks so heavy on her shoulders. Like her head weighs too much for her neck. Her hand comes up on my glass confinement. She steadies herself and then she tells me what sounds like final words: “I will not beg for your forgiveness for not freeing you sooner.”

Her eyes land once more on the arrow glowing in her hand. She takes a big gulp, then she seems to make time stop again. “If you must kill me, I will beg you do it before Desire punishes me.” With what seems like her last bit of energy, life force, she raises her arrow and stabs the glass.  

A large crack breaks through this glass bubble. But she stops before she can repeat the action. Her eyes raise as if she’s listening to something from above. “It seems he was watching me.” Her dried body takes a step back but I catch her before she leaves me once more.  

“Thank you, Cupid. I will find you.”  

If you want to be added or removed from the taglist, just ask!

Part 1~Part 3

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[gorae]

two's company, three's a crowd

pairing — kim sunwoo x gn!reader

tags — fluff, a few curse words, sunwoo, eric, and you are close friends, pining!sunwoo, i wasn’t planning to make it this long but i got carried away so 1.1k words <3 t_t

to say that the weather feels hot today is an understatement. to quote sunwoo, “it feels like you’re in satan’s asshole” (to which you punch his arm for giving you a visualization that you didn’t ask for).

you don’t remember whose idea it was to go to an amusement park at 12 pm on a hot summer day. it’s not like you could even attempt to remember anyway; the heat is causing your brain to hot wire and all you can think of is dumping a bucket of iced water over your head.

“it’s so hot today,” you whine, complaining for the nth time. you fight against the urge to lean back against the bench since it might cause your clothes to stick against your sweat-slick back.

“you know why it’s hotter than usual?” eric asks.

unlike you, eric sits comfortably with his back resting against the bench, paying no mind to the clothes clinging on to his skin. you eye his muscle tank enviously. you should’ve worn something like that.

“no.”

he pops a piece of cotton candy that he tore off into his mouth. “it’s because i’m here.”

you stare blankly at eric, to which he responds with a shameless grin.

“what were you talking about?”

you look up, squinting a bit before your eyes adjust to the bright lighting. sunwoo stands before you, with a glorious chocolate milkshake in his hand. you gulp at the sight.

“nothing.” you answer. “eric was being annoying. you know; as usual.” you scoot a little in your seat, letting sunwoo sit in between you and eric.

“so nothing out of the ordinary.”

“yeah.”

“i’m sitting right here, you know,” eric chimes in.

sunwoo looks at him pointedly. “we know.”

eric scoffs before eating another piece of his cotton candy. both of you snicker at his response.

conversations (and bickering) between the three of you continue as per usual, but your eyes are still trained on sunwoo’s beverage. droplets of water roll off the plastic surface, making you wonder how refreshing it would be to gulp the drink down your parched throat.

as if on cue, sunwoo takes a sip of his milkshake, and you can only watch as his adam’s apple bob up and down as he drinks. groaning internally, you regret refusing to go stand in a long line and buy drinks with sunwoo. the queue would’ve been worth it.

sunwoo isn’t oblivious to your longing stare. in fact, he’s noticed it ever since he approached you and eric. he’s been patiently waiting for you to ask him for a sip yourself; that was until he’s grown tired of the miserable expression on your face. “y/n.”

“hm?”

sunwoo smiles in amusement. your eyes are still on his milkshake, even when he called your name. “my eyes are up here.”

you blink, finally making eye contact with him. “right.”

sunwoo surpresses a laugh, overcome by the unbearable need to coo at your cute expression when you frown involuntarily. “you thirsty?” he outstretches his hand, offering you his drink.

your eyes shine. you look like you just won five million dollars when all sunwoo did was offer you his drink. “really?”

he nods his head. it didn’t take you long for you to register his approval. you immediately take a few gulps of the cold, sugary drink as he holds the cup still for you.

sunwoo freezes. he knows this isn’t a big deal. it shouldn’t be a big deal. but he feels like there’s something intimate about you drinking from a cup that he’s still holding instead of taking it from him beforehand. or maybe it’s not that big of a deal and he’s just overthinking it.

you pull away, and sunwoo quickly recovers from his frozen state. but much to his confusion, instead of grinning and thanking him, your eyebrows are knit together. “sunwoo, i think you need to get your milkshake away from me. i might finish it.”

he laughs and then shrugs. “i don’t mind.”

you ignore him. sunwoo watches your eyes travel from him to his drink, and then to the line in front of the shop selling cold beverages. “i think i’m gonna go get my own.”

“i’ll get another one. you can have mine.” sunwoo offers while he watches you stand up and collect your things.

you stay motionless for a bit, considering his offer. still, you shake your head. “no, it’s okay. i want to try a different flavor anyway.”

nodding, he lets you go without saying another word. he watches your retreating back as you walk to the far end of the line. you catch his eye and give him a small wave and a grin. sunwoo smiles back, his heart missing a few beats.

“dude.”

sunwoo jumps in his seat. he has completely forgotten about eric’s existence, who’s sitting right next to him. eric sniggers at his reaction while sunwoo turns to him with a bored expression. “what?”

“you are so obvious.”

“shut up.” sunwoo rolls his eyes.

he regrets telling eric about his crush on you. at first, sunwoo gave him the benefit of the doubt. he believed that maybe, eric is going to be an amazing wingman for him and help him out. but to be perfectly candid, he’s been nothing but a pain in the ass.

a few seconds of silence pass, and eric’s lips morph into a smirk.

sunwoo knows that smirk. it’s the ‘i-know-something-you-don’t’ smirk. he has to hold himself back before he tries to punch the smirk off eric’s face. “god, whatever you’re gonna say, just say it. the look on your face is really annoying me.”

“are you sure you want me to-”

“eric, for fuck’s sake-”

“okay, okay! fine.” eric throws his hands up in defense. and then he smirks. again. “you just shared a straw with y/n.”

sunwoo cocks an eyebrow, wordlessly asking eric to continue.

eric sighs, mumbling an insult to sunwoo’s intelligence under his breath. “meaning… you just indirectly kissed them.”

eric’s laughter becomes white noise as sunwoo realizes the shared indirect kiss between the two of you. his mind turns blank, his heartbeat rapidly beating in his ears. heat travels up to his face when his eyes unknowingly went back searching for you and met yours. you tilt your head, confused with his expression.

after shaking his head at you, sunwoo angrily whips his head to face eric again. “thanks a lot, man. really,” he says flatly, a deadpan expression on his face.

eric snorts. it’s funny that he’s still trying to seem nonchalant when the obvious tinge of red is coloring the tips of sunwoo’s ears. “no problem. but maybe actually mean it next time.”

“fuck you.”

sunwoo is never inviting eric to hang out together ever again.

[therpistlr]

🌟 Does Your Brain Feel Like a Glitchy Computer? Let’s Reboot Together! 🌟

Hey FND warrior, if your body’s playing tricks on you—sudden tremors, wonky walking, or limbs that just won’t cooperate—I see you. It’s like your nervous system threw a tantrum and now you’re stuck troubleshooting. But here’s the truth: Your brain isn’t broken—it’s stuck in a bad habit loop. And the way out? Retraining, redirection, and a whole lot of self-compassion.

Why Daily FND Work Matters (Even When It Feels Silly)

Your brain is incredibly adaptable—it just needs the right cues to rewrite its wonky code. Think of rehab like:

🖥️ Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL on faulty movement patterns (goodbye, glitchy gait!).

🧠 Teaching Your Brain New Shortcuts (so "stand up" doesn’t trigger a system error).

💪 Building Mind-Body Trust (because right now, your body feels like an unreliable roommate).

Skipping days? That’s like unplugging a computer mid-update—it’ll just freeze again. But showing up daily? That’s how you defrag your nervous system and reclaim control.

Your Game-Changer? This FND Workbook:

📘 The FND Workbook: Techniques for Overcoming Functional Neurological Symptoms

This isn’t just exercises—it’s your symptom-busting toolkit, with: ✨ Neuroplasticity Hacks (to rewire faulty signals without freaking out). ✨ Stress-Resets (because anxiety + FND = a vicious cycle). ✨ Baby-Step Wins (like "walked to the mailbox without my legs forgetting how").

Healing isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel like a puppet with cut strings—and that’s part of the process. But every small effort adds up to big change.

💬 Tell me below: What’s the funniest/most absurd thing FND has made your body do? (I once sneezed and my arm waved like I was royalty. 👑) 👇 Tag someone who gets it—we’re all debugging our systems here!

[aetherstorms]

So a post popped onto my timeline due to the Fandaniel tag, and it reminded me that a vast swath of the fandom apparently hates Hermes. They hate him for being depressed, for living in a society that he doesn't fit into, for being unable to conform, and for causing the Final Days (I assume). So I've decided to write it. I've decided to say why I love Hermes, and why I still love him as Amon and Fandaniel. This is going to be long, and contain personal comparisons to support why I feel such a strong attachment. Obviously this is very personal, so if you don't want brief insights into a stranger's mind, just keep on scrolling. It really is a lot to take in.

First of all, and I believe this is my first time saying it on this blog, but I'm autistic. As such, I live in a society I don't fit into. I have a lot of trouble with face to face interactions. I have a lot of difficulty maintaining eye contact and reading body cues and tone, and this has only gotten worse since the start of the pandemic due to avoiding people as much as possible to avoid getting sick. I don't see Hermes as autistic, but the fact he feels differently than those around him, the fact that he has such high empathy for the creations of Elpis, definitely causes him to be isolated. Whether they actually push him away, or he just has trouble connecting because they can't understand his point of view, it's pretty clear to me that he's quite lonely.

His short story told me that it was probably more of the second thing. They don't seem to reject him, but they can't understand his feelings, so he withdraws. When he decides to make Meteion, his fellows in Elpis apparently go to great lengths to help him create her. They want to help him, they want him to be happy. There's simply a gap they cannot bridge. Unlike in real society, those around him are compassionate toward him despite his differences.

But, through no fault of their own, this compassion also hurts him. He worries that he is an aberration. Because no one around him feels as he does, he thinks of himself as a freak, as someone different and it bothers him. He withdraws further. How often has this man removed his mask to have an earnest conversation with someone? I feel like when he's talking to the WoL it may be the first time he's done so, at least in his adult life. If he had even one friend, or person he considered a friend, might he have broken so easily? Or would that one tether have been enough to give him pause? It's hard to say, since in that moment it was so so very clear that he wasn't in his right mind. He had heard Meteion tell him horrible things, and he felt he needed to subject himself to all of it.

Yet, remember his question at the end of Ktisis Hyperboreia? Even though Meteion was telling him previously that all the Meteia found was death and murder and pain, he still asks her 'was there happiness in those distant stars? Was there a reason for living?'. He still hopes for good news. He still wants to hear that things can be okay. Meteion does not give him good news though. She tells him more of the same, more suffering, more pain and death. She snaps completely, overcome by the agonies of her sisters, and Hermes falls to despair. If this is the whole of the universe, then this must be what Etheirys also deserves and if they can prove themselves better than the whole rest of the universe, only then will they be able to survive, whether they deserve to live or not.

The fact that much of the fandom seems to hate him for this decision is troubling, to say the least. They slap the 'bad guy' tag on him without any further thought. They don't consider why he makes this decision, they don't see him as a man at the end of his rope, who sees no other choice he can make. As it turns out, he could have stopped the Meteia right then and there. His staff can apparently communicate with them, so he could probably have ordered them to return like Emet-Selch told him to. But his sympathies do not lie with mankind, not in that moment. He sees the Meteia as being the ones in the right, as of course they must be as creations that sense emotions. Even though he asked a flawed question, he isn't thinking straight. He was a man with depression, and having been pushed to the brink, he makes a decision that in the moment seems like the correct one.

From the perspective of those around him who obviously aren't privy to his thoughts, of course this seems an evil act. From that perspective, of course they would hate him. But we the player have seen him struggle. So why do so many hate him for this decision when they must surely know that the circumstances that brought it about were unusual? Did they forget that not long before they were chasing Meteion because she very much did not want to give her report, knowing it would hurt Hermes? Did they forget that just before she began her report, she was expressing that she was sorry to Hermes? Did they forget that she had been fighting against the will of her sisters to give that report? She knows this man, her creator, better than anybody. She knew what this news would do to him. If anyone is the villain here, it's us for forcing her to give her report. But only Meteion must know how this is going to go, or at least she has the best guess, and we can only do as the game dictates. The ending was a foregone conclusion, and it's one we already know. But why do so many hate him when they know more about his pain than presumably anyone aside from Meteion?

But that's just Hermes. Why do the players hate Fandaniel? Because he's flamboyant? Because he's annoying? Because he's weird? Because he's an utter nihilist? Maybe it's that last one. If you don't have depression, without knowing why he feels this way in the moment it's presented, it's easy enough to go 'what the hell?' and hate him for wanting to destroy everything. But why continue to hate him afterward? With the context of Amon and the things he saw? The player knowing he suffered for five millennia (he states ten when dying as Zodiark, which I still find curious) and found nothing good. He was a man who was forced to help kill entire worlds on top of the belief he already had in Allag that it should all end simply because his Emperor willed it so.

Now, to be perfectly honest, as something of a nihilist myself, I admit I might have a leg up on understanding him here. I see the atrocities around me and think how much better it would be if humanity just stopped existing. But I also make a point of seeking proof of the opposite, just as Hermes did. Maybe Amon's problem is that, like Hermes, he was isolated. Given current evidence, it seems like Noah was his only confidant in Allag and she stated that he was dour and serious until he succeeded in bringing back Xande, and he may not have tried to gain friendships among the Ascians. With that assumption, it's hard to want to find the good in mankind. He certainly wouldn't have been encouraged to find it.

But why not hate Emet-Selch, who created the Empire that broke Amon in the first place? Who had, by his own admission, created many Empires, all of them presumably as horrible as Allag and Garlemald. Why is he so popular? Because, also by his own admission, he kept trying to find a connection to us? Because he sees what he's doing as a step toward restoring what was lost, something the player can more easily relate to? Which even the Scions admit sounds logical from a certain point of view? Do they hate Fandaniel because he has no wish for anything better, but rather an end to everything?

I like Emet-Selch, but I have no idea why others like him, only why I do. Just as I can only guess why others hate Fandaniel, Amon, and Hermes. If I was given a big red button to kill all of humanity, would I press it? The answer may surprise you. I wouldn't. I wouldn't because I have people I care about, because I own pets specifically to keep me from killing myself when my depression would otherwise overwhelm me to the point even my friends wouldn't be enough. Hermes, Amon, Fandaniel....they don't seem to have had those things. By all indications, they were very alone and while Noah seemed to have a greater insight into Amon than any of Hermes' colleagues did, even she could only tell us so much.

Hermes had Meteion, but then she brought him multitudes of misery, a whole universe of it. His only tether had told him it essentially wasn't worth it and Amon states he dreamed the memories Kairos had supposedly erased until he was given the seat and memories of Fandaniel, giving him context. But he was plagued with these dreams supposedly his whole life. He dismissed them as dreams at first, but to see such things night after night probably didn't do his mental health any good and then he finds out these aren't dreams, but memories. He knew about the true cause of the Final Days, and then he's given no reason to believe in the good of man when he's basically made to foster the opposite. Is it really any wonder he was so manic at the end? His goal was finally coming to fruition. His suffering would finally be over.

Maybe that's why so many people like Emet-Selch. He's a bastard and a mass-murderer sure, but he's been doing all of this for a cause he believes in. Twisted as it may be, it's relatable; he just wants his loved ones back. This is a story told all throughout history, of people doing whatever it took just to get their loved one (usually their lover) back. The man is a walking Greek Tragedy. Fandaniel on the other hand wants everyone, including himself, to die. Not just die, but suffer on the way. Most people won't stop to think about his reasons, even when he outright hands them to you. It really does show how experiences shape you. If you haven't experienced things in life to make you feel the way he does, it can be hard to see why he'd think this way.

When Kairos does its work and we see Hermes outside Ktisis, he's obviously still injured and no one knows why other than Hermes' 'vague memories' of what he decided he would believe had happened to Meteion. He gave himself an ending that would ensure he never looked for her, never tried to use his staff to call out to the Meteia again. He was wounded physically, but emotionally he was shattered. He calls himself a murderer in Hythlodaeus' short story, after all. he is depicted as a man who throws himself obsessively into his work to the point of self-neglect, most likely to punish himself and also to distract himself.

When the Final Days came, how did he hold it together? How did he not fall to despair to be consumed by his own aether creating a monstrosity? Did the Meteia consciously spare him? No, I don't think so. Meteion offers him oblivion before she flees. She sees this as a mercy he has denied. She loves him, she would not want him to keep suffering. In this I can't guess how he managed not to be consumed. Maybe he suspected the true cause, or at least a part of it, and as he'd said, he would be working against the Meteia. He seems to very much be a man of his word, at least. Even to his own detriment. One cannot deny one's nature.

But yes, I both understand and don't why so much of the fandom seems to hate Hermes and his reincarnation, but if you've made it this far, you definitely deserve accolades. This was a lot, but I found I could no longer leave it unsaid. It was an unpacking of myself, the character(s) and an attempt to figure out why those who dislike them do so.

Of course, there is a difference between empathy and mimicry. Most of us have a healthy separation of fiction and reality. He's just like me fr, but that doesn't mean I'd want to do what he does if I had the power to do it. He's a fictional character with fictional pain that just happens to reflect a mindset I can understand. But it seems many can't understand or relate. They just see a man with an incomprehensible viewpoint and they don't even try to understand his thinking. I think I can understand why they don't understand, but at the same time it really just proves his own point, doesn't it? No one tries to understand people who are different than them, it seems. Not if they're the majority. At least the people in Hermes' life were apparently kind in their interactions with him, misguided as he saw their attempts.

[celestialtitania]

writing year in review

ty @coffeebanana for tagging me!! i wrote more some months than others to be perfectly honest, so picking my favourite from those months was quite the challenge haha. still, all in all, 2024 was a good year for writing, here's to 2025.

January

love in a minute (Miraculous Ladybug)

“Hi, Chat!” Ladybug greets him, not letting go of Rena for even a second. “Hello, my lady. Rena,” Chat greets, forcing a smile onto his face. “What are you two up to?” He feigns ignorance, still holding onto some hope of it all being one big misunderstanding. “I’m trying to convince Rena of all the reasons why I love her!” Ladybug says brightly, crushing what remains of his hope under her heel without a second thought. “No, you don’t,” Rena groans.

February

leporiphobia (Percy Jackson & the Olympians)

By this point, the bones have knit themselves into half of what can only be a skeletal bunny, which is a minor comfort to Grover. Better than what he had imagined, and at least this bunny wouldn’t be interested in stealing his celery. Still, it is a bunny and who knows what bully instincts are ingrained inside of it? There’s a movement in the corner of his eye; he turns to find Percy giving him the most exasperated look Grover has ever seen him muster, as if he somehow knew exactly what Grover was thinking. “You don’t even like celery,” Percy says. Percy does know what Grover was thinking? Has their empathy link grown that strong? Grover hadn’t even thought that was possible! The astonishment must have been clear on his face because Percy sighs. “You said the celery bit out loud.”

March

Untitled- Kiss Prompts Post (Miraculous Ladybug)

“I guess I could give them to Aunt Amelie. I know she wanted them,” he felt himself saying. His body felt numb and the world felt fuzzy. “No!” Marinette practically shouted, the reverberations sending a rush of vertigo through his skull. “I mean,” she cleared her throat. “Ladybug said you had to keep these rings on you at all times. And that you couldn’t give them to anyone else.” What? What did Ladybug care about what Adrien did with his things? Adrien’s bewilderment must have shown on his face, because Marinette bit her lip looking nervous.  “I think it was your father’s last wish,” she said softly.

May

a life unlived—chapter 3 (My Hero Academia)

Silence took over the monitor room. “Did he just…” Kayama trailed off, her jaw slack from what she had just seen. “Destroy one of our robots using one of our own robots?” Shouta grinned. “Who is this kid?”

June

be careful what you wish for (My Hero Academia)

Touya watches as Yagi is the first to recognize it. “Fire!” he yells. Immediately, Enji and the rest of their colleagues are snapping to attention. Most of them are rounding up all the family members to take them to a safe location, far away from the site of danger, while one calls the station. “Touya!” Rei’s voice is frantic. Shouto is jostling in her arms, Natsuo and Fuyumi clinging to her legs as she turns in every direction calling his name. “Touya!” Touya can see a firefighter with shaggy black hair try to convince her to leave, that he would bring Touya to her, but Rei refuses to budge. Touya is about to go to her to keep her from panicking further, but by then something else has caught his eye.

July

you and i (intertwining souls) (My Hero Academia)

Shouta, much to his dismay, felt a pang of longing, wishing that Hizashi would take his hand again, his fingers feeling lonely in the cold air. Hizashi did no such thing, climbing out onto Shouta’s balcony, calling for him to “Come out, already!” He paused, still staring at his hand trying to decipher what had overcome him. Shaking off the lingering feeling, he stepped through the door, the chill autumn air making him shiver.

August

a life unlived—chapter 4 (My Hero Academia)

“I don’t have one,” Izuku whispered. “Don’t have…?” Shinsou’s face twisted, right on cue. “Is that supposed to be your idea of a joke?” Wait. That wasn’t part of the script. “What?” he gasped, gaping at Shinsou. “Yeah, let’s make fun of the kid with the villainous quirk by pretending—” “Villainous quirk?” Izuku interrupted. He felt like his whole world had been spun on its axis. Was he really being accused of faking his quirklessness? How was this his life?

September

a life unlived—chapter 5 (My Hero Academia)

Izuku woke up with a start. He found himself on the couch, Hitoshi slumped on his shoulder and a bowl of popcorn had fallen to the ground. They must have fallen asleep last night sometime during their All Might movie marathon. The next thing he noticed was that the TV was still on, turned to the news channel. There was a picture of a strangely familiar skinny blond man in a tattered white button up and yellow pinstripe pants on the screen. Izuku narrowed his bleary eyes trying to place where he knew the guy from. Coming up empty, he moved to read the headline. ‘All Might, All Gone? What’s Happening to Our Symbol of Peace?!’

December

Amid the Falling Snow (My Hero Academia)

“I take my job very seriously! Do you think I want to travel between villages in the middle of a blizzard? Without enough rations to satisfy both myself and Mighty? You don’t know me!” “If you hate it so much, you should’ve gotten here faster!” Katsuki snapped back. “We got lost! I’ve never been to Yuuei Village before and the blizzard got us off track!” Much to Izuku’s displeasure, he could feel his eyes stinging as he confessed. “I messed up on the path and now Mighty is out there alone and hungry and in danger, all because I thought I could actually do something by myself.” He took a deep breath. “If Mighty hadn’t been so tired, he never would’ve gotten scared or run off on his own like that. It wasn’t Dynamy or your fault, it’s mine.”

wow. i'd forgotten how much i liked my fics. i had a great time doing this. anyone who wants to, this is your invitation to join in!!

[sliebman10]

Find the word...Love Edition

Thanks for the tag, @axolotlsupremacyowo Now we're back with find the word...except, this time, it has a theme! And the theme is, love! All kinds of love! Familial, romantic, platonic, you name it! It's all about love, baby!

Tags: hmm, ok well let me hit back @axolotlsupremacyowo, @oceangirl24, @tsunderesalty, @amberlide, @acanadianmuggle, @flagsfiend

Words for me to find:

Darling, Friendship, Fond, Tender, Relationship

Words for YOU to find:

lovely, sweetheart, warm, commitment, care

Darling:

From The Perfect Gift - Sirius's eyes grew rounder and rounder as he took in the carefully embroidered details. "Remus…" he said, his voice choked. 

Remus squeezed his hand. "Happy birthday, darling." 

"I can't believe you did this." Sirius said in a low voice. 

Remus pulled him close, whispering, "Your name will always be on it." Sirius buried his face in Remus's shoulder, overcome with emotion.

Friendship: (I seem to use 'friend' quite a lot, but friendship, not as much)

From Both Alike in Dignity - “That’s ok,” Alphard said, mildly. He knew if he shared his opinion about James, Remus and the play, it might alienate Sirius in some way and he didn’t want to do that. “It doesn’t mean James isn’t your best friend if you have different interests.”

“I know that,” Sirius said, sitting down in his seat. Florean, who’d been quiet during this whole exchange, held Alphard’s gaze for a moment before looking down. 

Fond: from a Wolfstar Microfic -

“Can you see it?” Remus asked, settling into Sirius’s side and looking up at the inky blue expanse above them. 

“Yup. Just there,” Sirius said, pointing and drawing the outline of Canis Major with his wand.

“This star is much brighter,” Remus said with a fond smile, poking him in the side.

Tender: I...could not find tender

Relationship: from What a Game -

Then the Sports Illustrated cover came out. Neither of them had wanted to do it, but their publicity teams talked them into it. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back in Sirius’s opinion. They’d never meant things to be anything other than fun, but with the cover, it looked more serious than their relationship was. He and Kingsley ended things before the magazine even hit the shelves, but by then, everyone just assumed they were still together. Everywhere he went, he saw “Black & Shack: Baseball’s Power Couple.” 

When Kingsley started seeing someone else, Sirius took that as his cue to leave. He was tired. Tired of the media circus. Tired of the pressure. Tired of the assumptions about his sex life that were no one else’s business. He just wanted to play baseball, the only thing that really made him happy,

[ohthemermanatee]

I had therapy today. I told my therapist about all the regrets and agonies that are ever present in my brain and that new stuff just piles up on top of it. She tried to help me make sense of it. I feel so overcome by guilt? Shame? Regret? Fear of abandonement? Grief? I am overwhelmed by it on a daily basis and I don’t even know what it is. All the people who left me, misunderstood me, those that I trusted who abandoned me. It’s the same narrative again and again and again, and I can’t seem to escape from it. For years now. Recently it got pretty bad again. I went right back into wanting to kill myself and seeing life as a hopeless struggle. I guess I’m still not completely convinved it’s not. My therapist told me to journal and told me to write down what is happening inside of me for internal regulation. I have so many scattered thoughts I don’t know how to put it into words. Maybe a list will work?

1.All the times I was and continue to be misunderstood and misrepresented through gossip

2.How people treated me and how I let them treat me

3.How long it took me to actually realise that I deserve basic kindness

4.How my shitty parents normalised other people bullying and harrassing me

5.How no matter how much I try I always shrink so small in front of other people

6.How neurodivergent I am, and all the social cues I missed in the past which turned me into the butt of the joke

7.Not being enough. Being too much.

8.Being abandoned by those I trusted. In more than one way.

I guess that about covers everything. Today I found out she’s still alive; I wish she had killed herself years ago though. Because otherwise it means they’re all still together and I really just was the one left behind. After all these years I still feel like I have no friends though there is evidence to the contrary. Maybe its because I didn’t invest in proximity friends. I hate my conservative restrictive abusive parents for that. My parents have been my biggest betrayers. They do nice things I guess and support me here and there (though financial support is a substantive help) but underneath it all they’re still the same abusive jerks who refuse to hold themselves accountable ever. My therapist tells me I need to work on letting go. I’m afraid letting go would mean letting people walk all over me again. Letting go would mean going through the exact same things I went through in my shitty childhood and early adulthood. My therapist says that’s the neurodivergence talking, because letting go doesn’t have to mean forgiveness or a lowering of boundaries. I’ve heard that before but I truly don’t know what that means. I scroll the bpd tag through tumblr to find relatability but also as a form of self abuse; it’s just posts about people wanting to end their lives and cut themselves. I understand and relate. I haven’t had alone time just for myself for a long time and that has meant I’ve not been truly able to focus on myself. If I end up back at my parents home now it’s still going to mean hypervigilance and constant anxiety and obviously susceptibility to getting deeply hurt and falling further into depression and suicidalness. That’s what my parents and my family does to me and it’s not going to change because they’re not going to change. But I have nowhere else to go. Maybe it’s better to stay with my boyfriend because at least he is nice to me, and he takes care of me. But he’s struggling too and we spend our days not being able to get out of bed because we’re both really depressed. His feelings are valid but a burden to me on top of mine. I don’t have the bandwith to take care of him and his presence can be too much for me sometimes. But not more than my parents. I guess there’s no good/ better alternative here.

What I really need is money. A job. Hopefully one I like. A place of my own but also without worries about being harrassed by the owner or agent or anyone or anything. A place I can get a cat at, and call it home. Where I can just exist in peace and quiet. Where I can call my friends over when I want to. I really need to make proximity friends so bad. I’m drowning. Even living with a boyfriend while having many (albeit long distance friends) has not made me happy. Which begs the question, will anything? With this brain? But I guess I obviously have to credit the huge institutional mess I’m under. I took this huge risk and it is still flimsy on whether I’ll win or lose and all this uncertainty has me fucking dying for a while now. And they’re in no rush to resolve it. They’ve already stole several months of mine. I hope to squeeze them dry for financial compensation, but only if I win. It’s all getting so dark. I really don’t know what to do. I want to go outside and throw myself in the river. I do not want to exist, because the upsides seem less and less and so fleeting. I don’t want to deal with any of this.

[spidori]

I'm hoping it's ok for me to toss my two cents into the ring, because this is the Tumblr Phandom and all, and this kinda gave me a vision vis-a-vis Danny (not) finding out he's the new Ghost King for the first time.

Imagine, if you will, some new rogue shows up specifically to fight Danny. We're talking after Reign Storm and The Ultimate Enemy, but well before the rest of the Phamily has come into their own and started helping the Justice League.

During the brawl the new Rogue makes some comment about how they'll defeat Danny and then claim their place as rightful king of the Realms. Danny probably doesn't think much of it during the fight- too focussed on being concussed and finding a way to beat this annoyingly powerful new enemy- but he remembers the comment later and something clicks about right of conquest and him having defeated the previous king and etc.

Cue Danny screaming off to Clockwork (in regards to how fast he's flying, you can't prove the ghost who flew by at nearly the speed of sound yelling for Clockwork was him! Totally a coincidence!) in his Tower.

Clockwork, the gremlin he is, reassures Danny that claiming the throne of The Ghost King of The Infinite Realms is not so simple as who can punch hardest. The people of the Realms themselves select their rulers, through their own sets of trials and laws yes, but also subconsciously because of how Ectoplasm responds to feelings. Extending from that- and even more important really- the saturation of the Infinite Realms with Ectoplasm actually provides the substrate for a group subconscious arising from all the partially shared emotional resonances bouncing around amongst and between all Ectoplasmic Entities. In other words, The Realms itself is actually conscious and sentient on a scale only perceptible to some of the very strongest and longest-extant Ancients, and that consciousness is what really conveys the Title of King of The Infinite Realms to the one it deems most worthy.

And Clockwork reassures Danny that he needn't worry, Pariah actually lost the Realms' approval long before Danny was even born (true) and a new king was selected by it as well (also true) and Danny didn't receive the title upon decking Dark in his not-so-kingly nose (also also technically true...) and the new King even has Clockworks full approval for the reign of peace and prosperity he will bring with his just, fair, and above all caring rulings.

What he's leaving out is that there was an extended period where no one was deemed worthy to rule by The Realms, a period which ended when Danny showed he was worthy, not by fighting Pariah, or even by showing the strength and humility to overcome his own worst self, but by the way he handled and immediately relinquished the absolute power of the Reality Gauntlet with zero hesitation.

So Danny leaves the Tower reassured that The Realms have tagged some ghost wise and powerful enough to be the actual new Ghost King, completely unaware that he's it.

Clockwork waits until he's back through the portal to laugh his non-existent ass off.

And Danny's an even better mediator for not knowing his position. The way I see it, the most important parts of any successful mediation are the parties feeling like their concerns were actually Heard and taken into account, and there being some means of enforcing the parts of the ruling that one or more parties don't want to cooperate with. Danny has the title and the power to enforce whatever he wants, but since he sees himself as just some guy he approaches every argument with a level of humility and openness that means everyone actually gets their full say. And he's actually trying to help while not thinking he has any skin in the game since he doesn't even know they're technically his subjects, which only helps to make his rulings all the more fair to all parties.

Clockwork probably slowly but surely brought others in on his little prank. I bet Dan was actually first, what with his apprenticeship and all, and that it was the first step to him actually starting to like the old coot. At this point, Danny's just about the only being- living, dead, or otherwise- who is both regularly involved with his existence and doesn't know he's King. It's not like anyone would tell him; they're either way too scared of angering Clockwork, think the joke is far too funny (and getting funnier the longer it goes), or want Danny to be able to half-live his half-life without the stress of knowingly carrying what is quite possibly the single heaviest crown in existence.

Then there's Clockwork, who has one other reason he's hiding this from Danny beyond the latter two of the above. Clockwork can see how this is the perfect training for Danny. I mean, thunk about it, Danny doesn't think his words actually carry any weight, which means he's getting the perfect chance to practice the hardest part of the job (making decisions which will impact his subjects in all kinds of ways unforeseeable to anyone but Clockwork) without any of the stress which would make him second guess himself. By the time he learns the truth there will be an extensive record of his fantastic judgement and conflict resolution skills to drop in front of anyone who would question Danny's capability as Ghost King, including (especially) Danny himself.

Everything is exactly as it should be, indeed!

I've seen a lot of people writing Danny as a space ancient and Dan and Dani as ghosts with moon and sun cores, being sort of parts, versions of Danny and therefore weaker. Now, consider: Dan and Dani are both powerful ghosts with really cool cores and stuff but Danny is just some guy™

Dan, who came from an alternate timeline and is kind of from the future but also not, is Clockwork's apprentice and will eventually become an ancient of time. He probably only agreed to have some lessons with Clockwork to understand better what happened to him, but he enjoys his apprenticeship now.

Dani, with her love of travelling, loves seeing all the different places the world offers to her, and that includes space and different planets and maybe even parallel universes, and she accidentally ends up being an apprentice of the space ancient. For now she's probably a baby ancient of freedom or something like that, but she might become an ancient of space in the future.

We can also have something like Dan having a core of destruction or Dani being the Speed Force if you want it to be dcxdp, or any headcanon of yours about their cool powers.

And then there's Danny. And yeah, everyone knows that he's super powerful, but also he's just some guy.

It can go different routes. Does everyone know that Danny is just Danny? Or do they think that with siblings (well, technically a clone and an alternate version, but whatever) so powerful, he must be even stronger? Is Danny actually something terrifyingly eldritch and ancient and strong, almost a god, but he just doesn't know himself? Or is he just really some guy?

Now, because it's obvious that I have a dcxdp brainrot, have a regular "JL summons/meets a powerful ghost" but its Dan and Dani, and they keep mentioning their original/brother who won a fight against them at some point. The JL is very concerned about Dan and Dani's godlike powers, and they can't imagine what Danny is like. And then they meet him (in his human form), and it's just a young adult in casual clothes, very friendly and helpful, with no evident powers. Imagine the confusion. Imagine Dan and Dani, radiating power, in their eldritch ghost forms, admitting that fighting Danny for real is the dumbest thing to do and not even they would succeed... And then there's Danny is jeans and silly t-shirt, waving shyly.

[survivintothrivin]

(Gwendolyn Hofstetter)’S RP PLOTTING CHEAT-SHEET

Want new-and-exciting plots for your character? Long to reach out to more of your followers, but don’t know where to start? Fear not! Fill out this form and give your RP partners both present and future all the of juicy jumping off points they need to help you get your characters acquainted.

Be sure to tag the players whose characters YOU want more cues to interact with and repost, don’t reblog! Feel free to add or remove sections as you see fit. Template here

Mun name: Daphne

OOC Contact: Tumblr IM‘s! Mutuals feel free to message me anytime.

Who the heck is my muse anyway:

An OC apocalypse survivor intended for the TWD verse. I might play her in other verses, mainly of apocalyptic nature. She’s been on her own for a long time.

Points of interest:

Well she‘s another survivor rather than a walking corpse, which is a rare sight outside the walls of communities. That alone makes her stand out a lot, no?

What they’ve been up to recently:

She’s been struggling with the depressing rinse-and-repeat cycle of every day being about raw survival: finding food, finding shelter, killing the undead. As well as with overcoming grief and survivor‘s guilt; feelings which intensify if you have no one to talk to.

Where to find them:

You can find her pretty much anywhere, really. Scavenging in stores or houses. Travelling the streets. She will sleep anywhere safe, be it in a treehouse or in an industrial building. The only places she avoids are metropolitan areas. Too many walkers.

Current plans:

I want to write her against someone who gets to know her and becomes the key to Gwendolyn finding her way into a group. Themes I want to explore are found family, learning to trust and to integrate back into a community. I’m quite adaptable though, any other plots are welcome.

Desired interactions

Long term, detailed (preferably multiple paragraph) interactions. Slow burn relationships. Preferably platonic. Banter is appreciated if our muses already know each other!

Offered interactions:

Always happy to go on scavenging trips with your muse if she trusts them enough.

Current open post/s:

None yet. Open posts will be added soon.

Anything else?:

Rules || Bio || Character Sheet ||

Tagging: @rebelliousfamily

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[6okuto-moved]

Another one because i love this boy and i don't know if it's clear or not but what about MC being terrified of water ( for idk what reason ) but who tries to beat it so they can go play in the water with cove too so the it's the first time they actually go swimming together.

╭( ๐_๐)╮ i have no idea if this sentence is correct

Anyway have fun regardless if you do or do not do it !

COVE WITH AN MC SCARED OF WATER

gn!reader | ppl not good w water representation !!! (me) (it's me.) i think this can work for any cove past the step 1 memories because you know,,, the cast. i was picturing step 3 cove mostly though 🥹

there's a few ways to go about this off the top of my head: mc tries to get over their fear by themself, mc lying and cove finding out in the middle of it (higher probability with younger cove who doesn't know the mc as well), or mc telling him and them working together to overcome the fear. tbh scenario 1 leads to 2 anyways LOL

woah. just thought of another option where mc tries to get over their fear by themself first. to be quite honest i'm not sure how effective that'd be, and also if it'd be a good idea at all so i'd hope it also leads to scenario 2

if mc does manage to make a dent in their fear with their own research and taking a lot of time, cove might catch on just because they're spending a lot of time at the beach. whether he asks to tag along, or he actually finds them himself, it feels a bit inevitable LOL

scenario 1 (caught in a lie) — mc is standing on/near the shore while cove's already wading into the water, probably up to his hips by now. he turns to find them staring and is just,, so confused

he asks what they're doing, and if they actually wanted to stay on the shore, but mc's hesitation tips him off that something's up

when mc finally tells him they're actually scared of water young cove might ask why they wanted to come with him then. cue mc saying they wanted to spend time with him or something of that sort and cove being flustered immediately 🥹🥹

either way he's honestly so so shocked how he didn't know about this earlier considering his own affinity for water and where they live . ultimately he's understanding and tries to find a compromise; he doesn't want to make them do something they don't want to!!

if mc tells him that they want to go in the water he's a little hesitant, but their obvious dedication gets his compliance

scenario 2 (teamwork) — he's taking this seriously! cove asks beforehand what they want to do, if there's anything he shouldn't bring up, etc because he really really wants them to be comfortable.

he tells them about all the nice things about swimming and some of his favourite memories to try easing into it. cove talking about mermaids and different stories he's picked up...🥹🥹

won't go far into the water unless mc really wants to; he's happy to sit in the water where it isn't too high and just talk ! and if they want to hold onto him, he's right there

if mc can't swim and they ask cove to teach them ?? he'll definitely try his best. might run to get some kind of floaties or something, and also stay near the shore since he's never had to teach someone how to swim but you know

cove offers to get his surfboard so they could at least rest on it while he takes them around. he promises he's strong and will move slowly so it's no problem for him

if mc apologizes for taking their time, or they're scared that they've ruined his plans, etc. etc. cove reminds them that he wants to help, and that he's touched that they want to go into the water. getting over huge fears isn't easy and it's really admirable that mc wants to put in the time

oh brother. one of the things i despise is dunking my head under the water. i simply won't. i can imagine cove comforting mc by holding their hands/arms, telling them they only have to do it for a second, etc. it's about baby steps, baby!

they go further and further whenever mc is ready, and cove gets so so proud/happy each time. Dating cove with High Initiative? little kiss for every accomplishment. sorry i make the rules and i'm right.

cove won't ask While they're swimming or anything, but he does wonder if there's a story behind their fear. he asks tentatively, giving them time to think of a response and is of course not hurt if they wouldn't like to share then and there. he does reassure them that if they do want to talk about it later, he'll be there

even if it actually takes multiple 'sessions,' at the end of it all they both get to enjoy swimming together so it was really worth it ^___^ they can now both swim far out, or surprise the other from below, idk play marco polo?, etc etc

@dreamtydraw @lordbugs @xfangirl-trashx @fifteenshadesofpinkk @lotus-sukimono @bakugosgrenade @vhenis @anime-ships-gay