#I wrote... a novel

[ahsokalegend]

One of my favorite choices the Apothecary Diaries made was making the Emperor a “normal guy” (as far as I know as an anime-only). He’s not evil. He’s not hindering Mao Mao’s journey. He respects the concubines.

If anything his lack of autonomy and presence as the most powerful person in the country further enhances the show’s themes of working within the confines of class and gender inequality.

The previous emperor was a horrible, horrible pervert. Okay, then this emperor only weds women of age… Until he’s forced to take his father’s precious wife due to politics. The current emperor reasonably avoids her.

Eunuchs exist? Bam! now the surgery is outlawed, but this will create a reduction in male labor around the palace.

The emperor clearly favors few women. Well, now he must recognize a concubine with a powerful politician father playing the system.

He supports Mao Mao toeing the line of social expectations for women, but hasn’t removed the law against women preparing medicine. It makes one think, if he wanted to, could he make the change at all? For every two steps forward, he’s forced to take one step back.

In this universe even the Emperor is limited by social pressure and the expectations of his station. His life and that of his children is out of his control, and if that isn’t such a compelling piece of world building I don’t know what is.

If that’s how the author twists the narrative of the Emperor you better believe her female characters dealing with women’s issues in this society are even better written.

[whatdoyouseemartin]

i love that one of jonathan harker's first reactions to being trapped in a terrible horrible no good very bad situation is to compare it to what is essentially pop cultural fiction for him. the arabian nights and hamlet would've been wildly popular at the time (especially given stoker's very close pals henry irving and ellen terry had just staged a successful run of hamlet in the west end and the rise of 'eastern' literature in victorian england)

it's the 1897 equivalent of blorboposting when you're going through it and being like "oh this is just like me fr"

[rystiel]

canon fic writer and creative mind stanley pines would do numbers on ao3 i think

[deikshen]

The Heavenly-Demon Emperor Shen Qingqiu tears open the worlds with Xin Mo in search of a disciple who doesn't hate him because he accidentally saw a world where that happened—a world where the irascible disciple who he loved and spoiled so much (IN A HEALTHY WAY!!! He was a master even being a vile demon, of course he wouldn't covet his students when they were children!!! His feelings... changed when his main disciple grew up!!!) did not throw him into the Endless Abyss when Shen Qingqiu revealed his blood heritage to protect him.

A world where Shen Qingqiu instead obtained a kind and gentle disciple who, despite having to push him into the Endless Abyss with tears in his eyes, ended up waiting for, without revealing his identity to anyone in the sect, waiting and defending his name... and marrying him after a few chaotic misunderstandings!!

And Shen Qingqiu is of course on edge. He... He always doted on that disciple of his. Ever since he was a tiny bun, a white lotus. It broke his heart to have to kill him when it was clear there could never be a world where they could both live. He had killed him quickly, painlessly, and wept as if the tortured man had been himself for days.

So, Shen Qingqiu have that qi deviation and he see this other world—HAS HE MARRIED HIS GENTLE, BEAUTIFUL DISCIPLE? His gorgeous white lotus, so beautiful, so capable of loving him...

Shen Qingqiu is smart, of course. He knows that his disciple could never have married him. The man that he raised to be such a fair and just cultivator would never harbor anything but contempt for someone like him, a heavenly demon having to hide among human. So, knowing this, he understands—another soul has changed his disciple's fate and his decisions. And Shen Qingqiu will find him.

... And there is Luo Binghe, a world away. Several jobs to support himself, an orphan without support from anyone, without many friends or money to pay for his university studies. His only entertainment is reading this free xianxia webnovel of drama, revenge, and conquest—although of course, he thinks it needs a good romance. Shen Qingqiu is definitely his favorite protagonist ever, even if many stupid people hate him! He can't afford expensive merch or fan projects based on the novel, but his virtual gallery of fanarts and others is HUGE!!

His apartment is a small place in a not very safe area of the city. So when he comes home from work one day and finds to an intruder, in fact, he is not surprised. He is more surprised because the intruder is the most gorgeous and wonderful Shen Qingqiu cosplay he's ever seen in front of him in his whole life, Luo Binghe might be losing his mind a little.

But that sword looks very real... And why is Shen Qingqiu calling him my dear disciple??!

... Luo Binghe isn't objecting at all, actually.

[hollyberrygarden]

I was thinking over the way Pavlova describes Wildberry's crush. he says (direct quote), "you know well that it won't work out, but you have no intention of giving up!" in their interaction in the kingdom, he also calls it a "foolish" type of love

and I was like. what does that imply about Wildberry's crush?? and how would it apply to Crunchy Chip??

"foolish" implies a lack of good sense or judgment. it's a crush that can only end negatively—heartbreak, fighting, strain, or some other horrible result. Wildberry could either keep his feelings to himself, being unhappy with his own cowardice. he could also confess and get rejected, therefore losing whatever bond he had with his crush in the first place. but he could also be accepted and enter a relationship, but then the worries he has could be true. it could not work out, just like he knows it won't, and it would be unfair to both of them. every possible end result (to someone who is convinced it will not work out) would demonstrate the foolishness of the crush he has. Wildberry strikes me as the kind of guy who doesn't get crushes often, and he deals with them on his own before he chooses to confess, if ever

I'm imagining him in his own head about it, which is why no one else seems to know; it could also be why he doesn't externally react to it when the others are around but pretty much concedes to his worries over it (and openly seems. I guess worried about them!!) when he's talking one-on-one with Pavlova. he has gone over these possibilities to himself without any external input. he is trying to figure out how to make it work, which is the "no intention of giving up" that Pavlova mentioned, but maybe he doesn't have a set answer yet, which is why it's still something he hasn't confessed. Pavlova only knows because it's what he does

I was thinking about why it "not working out" (very generally speaking) is something he would think about, and I wondered what kind of relationship he would want. in an overworld dialogue, Royal Margarine tells him he must be "popular with a tall, muscular build like that." whether it's true is unknown, but Wildberry says he doesn't care about such "trivialities," assumedly being popular. if he doesn't want popularity, maybe he wants something simple?? or steady?? or maybe even straightforward. it's hard to know for sure. he wants something that's actually possible for him and his lifestyle in the kingdom. he's a busy guy who often travels away for important and dangerous business. it would be difficult to be in any kind of steady relationship when that's what you do for work. long distance isn't for everyone

to him, he cannot be with Crunchy Chip because of their duties to their kingdoms. I think it circles back to that. Crunchy Chip is the captain of the cream wolves in the Dark Cacao Kingdom, and he is close enough to the king to travel with him to Beast Yeast. he protects the kingdom every day, as well as the woods surrounding it. Wildberry is a hired bodyguard to the Queen Mother, and he has sworn loyalty to her (and the king and queen of course); he frequently travels for work and is likely gone for long stretches of time, depending. they both have very important jobs that neither wants to give up. during Cookie Odyssey, they each talk about their love for their kingdoms and their respective leaders, even making a bet about who will want to visit the other more. they exchange letters on the regular. Hollyberry herself has noticed how much closer they're getting. he knows how much Crunchy Chip values his position in the Dark Cacaco Kingdom, and he values his own position in the Hollyberry Kingdom. they don't want to leave. they cannot leave. not now, maybe not for a long time. maybe not ever, in a horrible reality

it's foolish in every way fathomable. to Wildberry, at least

[happypeachsludgeflower]

Who wants to bet Peerless Cucumber has an entire fan base within the pidw’s fandom? Potentially even bringing in a portion of pidw’s readers who just want to enjoy shen yuan just loosing it in the comments.

Like sure, some of the fandom’s definitely there for the toxic masculinity and papapa, but I guarantee you there’s an entire section dedicated to gleefully watching the fandom sewer rat being feral.

[campusaint]

I wrote a book, you guys (gender neutral)!

WHERE BEAUTIFUL THINGS GO TO DIE is a coming-of-age / romance / thriller about growing up surrounded by crime in Latin America and how we escape violence through love.

YOU CAN PICK IT UP HERE

Pitch: Two estranged lovers. A dangerous city. A deadly secret. Alex will risk everything to save Luz, but can he uncover her truth before it’s too late?

I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! ❤️

Cover art and — beautiful — illustration: Margaux G aka gummybean.

Tropes you can expect:

The one that got away

Mafia romance

Forbidden love

Second chance

Escape from danger

Additionally:

Latinx protagonists

You'll cry a lot

TW (non spoiler): Graphic violence, depictions of substance abuse.

If you make any sort of book related content / reviewing, DM me for a free copy. 👀

Crabs and shoelaces,

Emi

[anetherealpoetess]

the wuthering heights casting director saying "you don't need to be accurate. it's just a book.' is the ugliest kind of micro-aggressive sexism. emily brontë dead and buried under stone and moss for over a century and she still cannot escape the smallness of a world that hates women. they treat her craft like playdough to hammer into stupid little shapes, like she didn't carve that book out of her own ribs.

you don't see them doing this to the books men have written. no, their work gets to be sacrosanct. canonized. handled with dignity and thought and respect. but brontë? the attitude is: fuck her. she was just a stupid little isolated girl. her words don't matter. [this movie and everyone involved continues to get the biggest eye roll from me.] [fuck them.]

[kings-highway]

Every time I start worrying that my interpretation of Daichi is too silly and playful and weird, I remember the Haikyuu light novel in which he impulsively tries to volley receive a *fucking bowling ball* and Asahi has to physically stop him from breaking his arms before loudly telling him that he "can't be like that"

"you can't be like that" is the funniest fucking thing to say to someone and this is the only version of Daichi I accept as canon.

[mxystan]

taiwan travelogue by yang shuangzi tr. lin king is indeed an award-winning banger and perhaps the first time in my life i've ever felt vindicated for dual-wielding a novel with its english translation because the act of translation itself is such a big theme in the novel. big win for metafiction-obsessed himejin everywhere!!

[silverwhittlingknife]

So you're a go to source for all things Dick&Tim bros and you tend to write primarily from Dick's POV. So, odd question, but if you were to summarize their relationship from his POV in FIVE panels which panels would you pick? Keeping in mind that one specific aspect of their relationship that you love needs to be clearly represented by each panel (loyalty, trust etc). I hope this is a fun challenge and not an annoying question so if you don't want to answer that's cool! Have a wonderful day!

No more talk. The same thoughts run through two minds... (SotB 29) / You're my equal. My closest ally. (RR 1) / I can't stop thinking how much I rely on him. (GoG 3)

25 Feelings Dick Has About Tim

This was such a kind ask & a cool challenge which I totally failed; here are TWENTY-five panels of Dick's POV on Tim sdfdsfds Look, I got carried away! Marcia and Cindy! The boys!!

OKAY SO BEFORE I GET TO THE PANELS A FEW NOTES:

WARNING THAT THERE ARE SOME NEGATIVE EMOTIONS IN HERE because I love conflict but but but you gotta remember those are not the final word!! They are complicated people and sometimes they get mad at each other BUT ultimately their relationship is so hugely important in both their lives & they love each other and rely on each other so much -!!! <3

Also I have CONCLUDING THOUGHTS at the end about what Dick's POV leaves out (mostly: a lot of Dick defending & protecting & supporting Tim, which Dick does instinctively but isn't very self-aware about most of the time)

I have loosely organized my list into 5^5 format (5 categories with 5 examples each!), so if you want to skip to a relevant one, here are the categories!!

Below the cut:

I hate him and find him infuriating (#1-5)

On second thought, he's endearing & fun (#6-10)

Grief is complicated & he's all tangled up in mine (#11-15)

I love him & think highly of him (#16-20)

I rely on him & though it's hard for me, I trust him (#21-25)

I hate him and find him infuriating (#1 - 5)

1) He thinks he’s so smart and can psychoanalyze me and Bruce, but he doesn’t know me at all, he should get lost (New Titans 61)

2) He thinks he’s so smart and can psychoanalyze Bruce but he doesn’t know Bruce at all, he should get lost (Gotham Knights 26)

3) He is so nosy about stuff that is MY business (Robin 0)

4) He sounds like an insincere suck-up half the time... but okay, fine, if you push him he's got a sense of humor about it (New Titans 65)

5) I'm sure he's a better vigilante than me. It's my fault for being a failure, but I resent him anyway. (Nightwing 9 - Dick's having a nightmare)

On second thought, he's kinda endearing (#6-10)

6) He worries too much and gets anxious so easily, but it makes him fun to tease (Robin 67)

7) I'm not that competitive - okay, so maybe I'm a little competitive, I gotta make sure he doesn't get a swelled head (Prodigal)

8) I'm supposed to be his favorite! It is not cool for him to be fanboying over my not-girlfriend's not-boyfriend!! (Birds of Prey 19)

9) We have fun together. I can kick back and relax when it's just the two of us. Plus I get to boss him around a bit. (Prodigal)

10) He’s always trying to reassure me, and I guess it's a little comforting, but also he doesn’t really get it. Or me. He makes excuses that he shouldn't, because he doesn't understand that I suck. (Nightwing 64)

Grief is complicated and he's all tangled up in mine (#11 - 15)

11) He reminds me of everything I try not to think about. Sometimes the memories are so strong it hurts to look at him. (Batman 441)

12) WHY IS HE BEING IMPOSSIBLE ALL OF A SUDDEN??? THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING (Nightwing 139)

13) We're the same. He says all the things I don't let myself think about. It's like arguing with myself. (Nightwing 139)

14) He thinks he gets to tell me what to do but he doesn’t, fuck him (Battle for the Cowl)

15) Life sucks, so what. I sucked it up so he should too (RR 1)

I love him and think highly of him (#16 - 20)

16) He’s the closest thing to a brother I’ll ever have.  If someone hurts him I will hurt them harder. (Nightwing 6)

17) I can't handle the idea of losing him. (Nightwing 97)

17) He’s so good and I’m not. I'm afraid I’m bad for him. (Nightwing 110)

18) He’s better than me, and it’s kind of a relief because I know no matter what he’ll be okay. (Gates of Gotham 3)

19) In my head he’s the responsible one.  (Gotham Knights 10)

I rely on him, and though it's hard for me, I trust him (#20-25)

20) I know I have to trust him but I'm afraid he'll make the wrong choices and get hurt (Nightwing 139)

21) I'm sure I know what he should do because I see myself in him - not that I can take my own advice, but he should (Blackest Night 3)

22) I trust him.  When I’m losing my grip on things, he pulls me back. (Gotham Knights 10)

23) I want him to trust me (Red Robin 12)

24) He can tell when I'm lying. Sometimes he sees my weaknesses better than I wish he did. (Detective Comics 874)

25) He’s always there when I need him. (Teen Titans / Outsiders Secret Files)

Final rambling thoughts:

TIM: Uhh, okay, so I'm just skimming this list - do you really trust me? you're not just saying that? - but anyway, I'm confused because you left some stuff out? Like some stuff that's kinda important? DICK: No? I think I got everything? TIM (starts counting on his fingers): The time I was having a bad day but then I called you. The time I got captured by Two-Face but then you saved me. The time I fell off a train but then you saved me. The time I fell off a building but then you saved me. The time I fell off a different building - DICK: I feel like you're trying to make some kind of point but I'm not sure what it could be.

SO THE THING IS, I put 25 panels in here and not a single one has Dick catching Tim when he’s falling!!! But I think that's a central motif of their relationship from Tim’s POV, not Dick’s. I love Dick, but in some ways I think he is spectacularly un-self-aware.

And I think he especially has a lot of blind spots about Tim. He kinda intermittently gets that Tim admires him, and he enjoys it in a playful I-get-to-boss-you-around way. But Dick tends to consistently underestimate all of his own good qualities & skills, and he meets Tim at a point in his life when he's especially down on himself & his abilities. And so he's unable to see his own influence on Tim, & therefore unable to fully understand a lot of Tim's priorities and loyalties and motivations, because you can't actually understand Tim without understanding Dick's impact on him. There's a fascinating moment in Bruce Wayne: Murderer when Dick's completely blindsided & upset to discover that Tim doesn't entirely trust Bruce, even though this has been a definitive fact of Tim's whole thing ever since he showed up with his Batman needs Robin theory, and Barbara has to actively remind Dick of the obvious-to-everyone-except-Dick fact that a lot of Tim's loyalty is to Dick, and Tim loves Bruce but feels free to be more wary of him. (And to give Bruce credit: this is not something he ever begrudges.) But anyway Babs points this out, and Dick manages to sorta process it for about five seconds, but he cannot actually accept it into his worldview so instead he discards it at the speed of light and goes off and has an argument with Tim instead sdfsfdsf

All of Dick's virtues - Dick's kindness at the circus and Dick's determination to fight through grief and Dick's rigid sense of morals and Dick's vigilante skills and every time Dick has ever backed Tim up or listened to him or protected him or saved him from something or just been casually kind to a stranger in Tim's presence etc etc etc - all these things loom really large in Tim's mental story of Who Dick Is, and What Dick And Tim's Relationship Is. Tim meets Dick before he meets Bruce, trusts Dick more than Bruce, aspires to be Robin instead of Batman. And so in Tim's default version of the story, Dick is the super-special and admirable hero and Tim is... nobody in particular, a tagalong outsider who's barely managing to be a hero, not part of Dick and Bruce's family and not part of their story, who, if he's VERY LUCKY and tries REALLY HARD, might be able to fight his way to proving himself and offering something to Dick that Dick will value, if Dick doesn't get fed up with him first.

But that's not Dick's version of the story!!!

Dick's version of the story is almost the exact opposite, a story where Dick's an outcast failure black sheep who's screwing up everything he tries, and meanwhile Tim is The Sudden New Perfect Robin Who's Better Than Me And Probably Bruce Loves Him More And Probably They Gossip About What A Loser I Am, mixed with a complicated edge of Tim Thinks He's So Smart But He Doesn't Know Me/Us At All. Dick gets much more attached to Tim over time, and Tim gets unnervingly better at the know-it-all psychoanalysis so then Dick gets to have complicated feelings about him being right instead of just annoyance at him for being wrong, plus Dick's relationship with Bruce improves a lot, so Tim stops feeling so threatening. But Dick never fundamentally changes his basic theory of their relationship in which Tim is highly impressive and capable, and Dick is not so much.

And so asking Dick about Tim is kinda like if you asked George Bailey to tell you about Harry Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life; like, you'll be there for five hours while he tells you how great Harry is, and how accomplished Harry is, and how he doesn't really get how or why Harry does the things he does, and maybe George does feel a little resentful or jealous sometimes, but that pales in comparison to all his admiration and trust for Harry who he loves so much, who's better than him in so many ways, and he's not gonna openly gripe but secretly he can't help but feel sometimes like he's such a failure in comparison to Harry, a perfect person who emerged fully formed from Zeus's head with all the virtues and also all the accomplishments, etc. etc. etc. --

-- and he will not actually remember the part where he changed and saved Harry's whole entire life unless you literally send him to an alternate timeline in order to force him to remember it. <3

[hannahbarberra162]

Il Gattopardo (Rob Lucci X Reader, OS, dubcon, Mafia AU)

18+ MDNI | on Ao3

I got a few asks about the pussycat himself, Rob Lucci. I myself have seen the light and have added him to my roster. Here, for you Lucci-nonnies, is a Mafia AU for Lucci. It's dub con but he's not really all that bad (for Rob Lucci)

I’m trying out a new style - this is basically the outline for the series I cooked up for him. I’m feeling a little burnt out tbh and don't want yet another WIP on my list. I didn't edit this too heavily, so don't yell at me.

Dub con, forced/ arranged marriage, Lucci typical violence (though not described in detail)

You were a waitress at a fancy club that catered to the highest ranks of the social elite. The clientele weren’t to your taste - always leering, often grabbing your ass as you passed by - but the pay wasn’t something you were in a position to turn down. The owner had ties to some…interesting people but you did your job and earned your pay.

Most of the guests who booked the back room were mafia guys, bringing with them their cigars, their ladies, bottleservice, and their overflowing wallets. All you had to do was plaster on your best smile, grin and bear their terrible attitudes for a few hours and you’d be at least a thousand dollars richer.

Tonight was a big party in celebration of someone or other. You’d worn your highest heels and shortest skirt in honor of the event, navigating the stairs to the VIP section from the bar with ease. The club was bumping, the music loud as you faked laughter at yet another shitty innuendo from a mid ranking Capo. Some of the other girls would take it to the next level, sitting on their laps and letting them get a taste, but that wasn’t really your style. You were there for the job, not anything more.

You were the only one in the secluded section for the moment, the other ladies had been sent for dinner service. It would be a short interlude when you were on your own, only 15 minutes or so - and it was already wearing on you as the Capo leaned in to put his hand on your hip.

Your smile twisted into horror as claws reached through the throat of the capo, slicing it open before your eyes. The Capo was thrown back, blood gurgling from his throat as you stood transfixed. There was only one person it could be - Rob Lucci AKA Il Gattopardo, the Leopard.

He was someone who’s name was never mentioned at full volume, as if saying it would summon him. Il Gattopardo was the top hitman to the Don of Red Line City, the Family that defacto ran the whole country. No one went against the Don, and no one survived a meeting with Il Gattopardo. Urban legend said that he’d eaten a Devil Fruit that gave him the ability to turn into his namesake animal, but you’d never believed it. As he towered over you, his claws and teeth dripping with blood, you found the urban legends were correct.

Lucci made eye contact with you as he threw the Capo like a rag doll, his smile widening into a sickening grin. Several men launched themselves at Lucci, but he disposed of them as quickly and silently as his namesake, killing them with precision and speed. You’d never seen anything like it, the men dying before they even had a chance to draw their weapons.

In what felt like hours but was likely seconds, everyone in the back room was dead, your uniform now spattered with blood. The entire time, you hadn’t moved, had barely breathed, as your survival instincts had you rooted to the spot. Finally, Lucci stood to his full height and ambled towards you, flexing his hands as he readied to end your life.

A white pigeon fluttered from his shoulder to your own, its claws gripping into your shoulders. Lucci’s look changed to a more contemplative one as he looked over your now blood spattered uniform. Looming over you, he grabbed your jaw and tilted your face up. Even though you were about to die, you kept your eyes open as tears ran down your face, locking eyes with the killer once more.

To your shock, Lucci’s grip on your chin tightened as he leaned down and licked the tears off your face in one long stripe of his rough tongue. You shivered, both from the contact and the intensity of the stare he was giving you. Lucci removed his tie, his muscles rippling under his bloodstained clothes, and covered your eyes in a makeshift blindfold.

You were taken to a holding facility of some kind. You were expecting to be killed or tortured, though neither happened. You were allowed to shower, given some food and water, and a cot to sleep on. A few days later you were given a white dress, shoes, and makeup and told to get ready. After you donned the outfit, you were again blindfolded and taken by car somewhere nearby.  

As the blindfold was removed, you saw you were at a church, with Il Gattopardo holding your car door open. He offered his hand and you accepted as he helped you from the car. Lucci was in an all white suit, the pigeon from the night before in a matching ensemble. His hand was warm and calloused and held your own sweaty palm firmly. You couldn’t have run even if you wanted to - and the number of armed, dangerous Mafia men didn’t bode well for your escape anyway.

Entering the Church, you saw the Don of the Celestial Dragon Family waiting inside the building. He briefly kissed Lucci on the cheek before turning his attention to you. Lucci’s hand tightened on your own in warning, though he still hadn’t said a word.

“Well, well. My dear Robert has finally chosen a bride for himself. I have to say, I was a little surprised at his method of selection, but who can argue with a flower as beautiful as this one? Go along Robert, I’ll walk her down the aisle to you,” the Don said while spreading his hands in a gesture of goodwill. Lucci nodded and let go of your hand as the Don offered you his arm. He walked down the aisle towards the priest and you felt like you’d been traded from one predator for an even nastier one.

The Don was smiling as he spoke quietly to you but there was nothing but ice in his tone. “You know why we didn’t kill you yesterday?” he said as you linked your arm on his own. “The only thing standing between you and death? That man right there, il gattopardo. He asked for you as compensation for last night, and I, the generous Don that I am, agreed,” he continued in the same soft voice as music started playing. The Don pulled you along in step with him as he slowly walked you down the aisle, Lucci watching your every move.

“He asked to marry you, not keep you on the side like some of the men do. What do I care? If he wants to marry the first bar whore he takes a fancy to, that’s his business. And would you like to know your business?” he asked as you passed armed guards watching you from behind mirrored sunglasses.

“Your business is to keep him happy. If he comes home at 3 AM wants head, you give him head. If he wants your ass morning noon and night, that’s what you give him. You’ll marry him, keep him happy, and drain his balls for as long as he sees fit. And if he comes to work upset, well, you’ll get a visit from me. And neither of us want that, now do we? You know what happens to witnesses,” he said serenely as he gently pat your arm. By that time you’d made it to the end of the short walkway, Lucci waiting for you with his hands in his pockets.

“Now give me a kiss on the cheek, marry Robert, and see to it that we don’t meet under poor circumstances. Do we understand one another, bellezza?” You nodded, and kissed the Don like he commanded. The Don flashed another smile at the impassive Lucci and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Just a little marriage advice, she’s a smart young woman. You’ve chosen well, my son.” The pigeon once again moved to your shoulder, the nails on its feet nicking the delicate skin of your collarbones.

The rest of the short marriage ceremony was a blur. The only part you remembered was finally hearing Lucci’s voice for the first time as he said “I do.” You didn’t remember saying the same but you must have because soon Lucci slid a golden wedding band on your finger - it was a perfect fit. He then handed you a matching ring for you to put on his own finger. You replicated his movements with shaky fingers, the ring sliding on easily.

His hand gripped the back of your neck, pulling you closer to him as he kissed you for the first time. His lips were soft and gentle, almost chaste, but his fingers dug into your skin so harshly tears pricked at the corners of your eyes. Lucci scanned your face after pulling away, the calm smile of before flashing to the crazed one you’d seen in the bar.

It quickly faded as the Mafia men cheered for your union as Lucci led you away from the church into a waiting car. At first you didn’t speak during the ride to the compound, just looked out the window at the passing scenery.

“On my lap,” il Gattopardo said as a way of greeting. Remembering the Don’s words, you hastily climbed onto Lucci’s lap, his broad, muscled thighs providing you ample seating. He didn’t speak again and you didn’t either as the car made its way to the Don’s massive compound. You weren’t naive, from your work in the bar you knew Mafia men fucked in their cars all the time. Still, you had hoped your wedding night (if you could call it that) would be on an actual bed, not in the back of a moving vehicle.

But Lucci just wrapped his arm around your middle and pulled you closer, his fingers trailing up and down your arm. His other hand crept up your thigh, drawing closer and closer to the lacy lingerie you’d been given along with the dress. He wasn’t looking at you, but as his fingers grazed the edge of your panties, he bit your earlobe. You stifled a squeak as his fingers ran up and down the crease separating your leg from your groin.

As the fortified 15 foot gates began to open to let the car in, Lucci’s goatee tickled your neck as he leaned in, his arm tightening around you once again.

“Did you think I was going to fuck you in front of the driver, sweet little wife? No, no. You’re only for me, no one else,” he said as you leaned your head back onto his shoulder.

As a husband, Lucci was… not what you were expecting. He was cold and distant, but nearly always polite to you. He always greeted you and kissed you before he left, no matter the time of day or night. You weren’t sure if he liked you, but he tolerated your presence well.

Lucci’s house was the farthest away from the Don’s mansion, located deep within the forest at the back of the hundred acre property. Sometimes you thought you saw him running through the woods, but he was too fast to track with your bare eyes. You often felt like he was watching you from deep in the forest, though you weren’t able to catch him in the act. Still, the back of your neck would prickle and you knew he was out there somewhere, making sure you were safe at home.

Lucci was surprisingly agreeable to any changes you wanted to make in the household - he told you that the house was yours to do with as you pleased. He told you to redecorate if you wished and bought any furniture or appliances you asked for. He supplied you with money for your wardrobe - he said nothing you had before was suitable - and complimented you on the new decor of the house. A few days after you’d moved in Lucci asked you if you wanted an engagement ring, but you ultimately declined, stating that you liked the ring he’d given you and didn’t need anything more. He’d nuzzled you that night for the first time, pleased with the answer you’d given.

Despite his aloof but composed nature, you never forgot the sight of his fur dripping with blood in the nightclub or any time you’d seen it thereafter. He’d come home at times with his spots barely distinguishable from the rest of his coat, licking his chops after a successful slaughter. He’d shower outside before he came in but the sight was unnerving enough that you avoided him until he came into the house, the water running off his fur now clear rather than dirty red.  

To ensure it wasn’t your blood he was wearing, you quickly learned what his likes and dislikes were, and tailored your entire life to meet them. It wasn’t the Don’s threats that kept you up at night, it was the deadly leopard whose arm draped over your body that you needed to appease.

Like - Rob Lucci liked to see you waiting for him when he got home from work. He also liked when you ate dinner with him, or at least sat with him when he ate dinner. You learned to cook his favorite meals, which you made for his daily dinner. Most nights at dinnertime he was out working but you thought he did try to return on time. Stripping himself of his work clothes, he’d take a shower and you’d heat his food, sitting down with him after setting the table. He’d come into the kitchen in clean sweatpants, his well muscled body flexing with every move. His routine was to kiss you on the head, sit down across from you, and eat in silence. Afterwards, he took his plate to the sink, rinsed it, and thanked you for the meal, occasionally complimenting your cooking. Every single night.

Dislike - Rob Lucci was intensely jealous. “Kaku says you spoke to another man at the grocery store today,” he’d stated one afternoon as you cooked in the kitchen. He’d come in silently, stalking behind you as you hummed and prepared one of his favorite dishes, ossobuco, for later that evening. You’d squeaked and dropped the wooden spoon into the pot, as Lucci’s leopard form pressed further into you. “Did you want him to die? Is that what you wanted? To see his life blood run down my chin?” he seethed, his razor sharp teeth close to your ear. You didn’t even think he was in the city, he’d told you he’d be gone for several days for this latest mission.

“I..I…” you faltered under his intensity, folding yourself smaller and smaller. He was good to you, nice to you sometimes, but you’d never forgotten who he really was. A cold blooded killer who happened to want you warming his bed. Your eyes filled with tears as he grabbed your throat, his claw tipped hand serving as warning enough. You’d spoken to a man during your check out encounter, but how did Kaku know? You’d only met the enforcer a few times when Lucci had brought him home and you hadn’t seen him around town. “I’m s-sorry, I was j-just talking about the price of the food, he was just a kid,” you whispered. You didn’t know what else to do as the hand around your throat tightened. The worker had been maybe 16, and he proudly told you how the grocery store was his first job.

Lucci tutted at you, releasing you from his grasp. “You are mine,” he’d husked, nipping the tender skin of your shoulder, small droplets of blood seeping out. He licked the wound clean with his Zoan tongue, making you wince with its harsh texture.

You’d met Kaku a few times, and his other coworkers only once before, when there’d been a mandatory Family dinner at the main house. Lucci had instructed you not to cook dinner that night and brought you to the mansion, his and Hattori’s suits matching your dress.  

You felt uncomfortable and out of place as you scanned the room and saw some of the Family’s most infamous members, some with significant others. Lucci barely interacted with the others during the cocktail hour, keeping his hand on the back of your neck the entire time.

You’d sat silently to his right and watched as the various Mafia members chatted and spoke together, laughing and cavorting together. Lucci spoke a few times to Kaku, the giraffe amusing in his own way. You smiled once at something Kaku said and Lucci gripped your upper thigh under the table.

Another Zoan called for your attention, a man with a strange mustache and a long ponytail. “So your wife does exist, Lucci. Thought you were makin’ her up this whole time. Has he spoken to you yet? Or just grunts when he wants somethin’?” he asked derisively, finally looking at you.

Even though Jabra was talking to you, he was still looking at Lucci while he spoke, a wild glint in his eye. You didn’t answer, afraid of the outcome. Lucci transformed his hand and stabbed his claws into the thick mahogany table, the table cracking between his fingertips. Conversation momentarily stopped as others watched the exchange, with Jabra’s laugh ringing out in the background. Meanwhile he patted your thigh under the table, and you entwined your fingers with his own. His thumb stroking over your hand showed his anger was not directed towards you.

As soon as the wives were dismissed by the Don so the Family could discuss business, Lucci immediately sent you back to the house under armed guard, staying for the business meeting at the end of the meal. He returned a few hours later, his suit and skin torn by jagged claws, some of the blood his own but most not. He kissed you then went to change, not mentioning what had happened. You didn’t ask.

Like - Lucci liked that you took excellent care of Hattori. You prepared high quality, fresh bird food for the pigeon daily and catered to his every desire. The Don had said that Lucci was the one who saved your life, but you knew Hattori’s approval was the reason Lucci had spared you. The bird was your lifeline, and you treated him like a king. It was a little disconcerting watching him drink scotch out of a cup, but if that’s what Hattori wanted, that’s what Hattori got. 

Dislike - Lucci didn’t like when you left the compound, much less the house. Like his animal, Lucci preferred a solitary life. For you that meant that he always wanted you home or under his surveillance. He’d had outdoor furniture delivered to the house so you could sit under the shade of an umbrella outside, and would walk the nature trails with you on sunny days, but he wanted you waiting for him whenever he made it back to the house. He was gone for days and sometimes weeks at a time but you dutifully made dinner every night just in the event that he came home.

At first he just had everything you needed delivered to his house - groceries, clothes, furniture, books - but eventually you begged him with enough fervor that he allowed you to leave to go shopping. He’d take you into town himself, patiently watching as you selected your wares. He didn’t complain as he smelled candles that you were thinking of purchasing, giving his input if they were too pungent for his taste.  He looked collected, even casual, but you knew that lurking just under the surface of his calm demeanor was an animal who relished in the spilling of blood. 

~NSFW~

You were fairly certain Lucci didn’t mean to hurt you. He was careful to dull or bite off the tips of his claws before he touched your nude form, and didn’t batter you with his incredible strength. Heeding the warning from the Don, you never denied him no matter what time of day or night he wanted you. That being said, nearly every time you had sex with him you ended up crying, tears streaming down your face as you inevitably begged him for mercy.

Whether it was from overstimulation, edging, tickling, being stuffed full too many times, being fucked for hours on end, being bitten somewhere sensitive, you always ended up crying. Which in turn drove Lucci absolutely wild, filling you to the brim with his come over and over until you thought you’d burst.

Lucci carried you over the threshold of your house after coming home from the Church. You didn’t even have time to look around the house before he sliced through your bra strap as his fingers toyed with your dress. “Run,” was all the warning you got as he set you down on the hardwood floors. You looked up at him with wide eyes and tried to bolt as fast as you could out of the house. You didn’t make it past the living room before Lucci caught you, your body on the floor as he kept you in place easily. He kissed you deeply while rucking up your dress, catching both of your wrists in one large hand and pinning them over your head.

“I can smell your desire, little wife. You’ve been ready for me,” was all he said before he plunged into you. You later learned that he’d been going easy on you, not using the Zoan form of his cock and allowing you to adjust to his length.

Lucci took you on the floor where he’d caught you, later flipping you over for doggy style as you panted beneath him. You’d never taken anyone near as large as Lucci, and definitely not with the intensity he had. He plunged into you over and over, the tip of his cock brushing your gspot, giving you a sensation you’d never had before. One hand was under your belly, pushing against his own cock within you while the other rubbed your clit more tenderly than you were expecting.

Lucci had you coming on his cock as he buried himself in you. The first time you came, he bit your shoulder blade with his Zoan teeth, making you scream even louder as you hit your peak. It wasn’t like in the romance novels you used to read, it hurt as his teeth rent your flesh. He was proud of himself afterwards, licking the spot repeatedly even as you whined.

Later, after he’d come in you twice, he’d carried you to his bed. You were nodding off to sleep, thinking that he might have worn himself out, only to feel his rough tongue on the insides of your thighs. It was a harsher texture than a human tongue, making you try to close your thighs from surprise. Lucci held your legs open easily, taking what he wanted from you.

After he’d licked his fill, he transformed into his Zoan form. You scooted back on the bed, frightened. “I can’t - that’s not going to fit,” you whispered, gesturing to his weeping cock. He fisted it as he looked at you, stroking it in a loose fist. His human cock had been large, but his Zoan one was enormous, matching his gigantic leopard form.

“It will. You were made for this,” he purred, grabbing an ankle to pull you back towards him. You wrapped your legs around his waist and braced for intense pain, but it didn’t come. Not exactly. Lucci fed you his cock slowly, pushing forward every time you exhaled.

Even with his patience, he was dripping sweat by the time he was finally sheathed within you. You felt his possession of you everywhere - his cock stretching you full, his fur on your legs, his teeth on your face - it was all too much. As he began moving, you began crying from overstimulation. Like the night you met, he leaned down and licked the tears off your face but this time kissed you deeply thereafter.

Within minutes, Lucci was bouncing you on his lap, thrusting up into you as you came yet another time. You lost count of how many orgasms he wrung from you on your wedding night, but he allowed you to sleep in the following day. You woke around noon and stumbled into the kitchen to make him food, only to find him drinking tea on the couch.

After that point, for as domestic as Lucci was when he was relaxing in your presence, he was feral when he came back from a mission. He always wanted you in lacy underwear, which he would immediately shred. He then would lap at your folds until you were wet enough to take him, splitting you on his throbbing member. He’d thrust into you without abandon until he came deep within you.

After the first time he came, the sex would be a little less intense, but always under Lucci’s control. Sex was on his terms, on his schedule, and at his convenience. He always made sure you came multiple times, but you weren’t allowed to do anything to chase it yourself - he had to be the one to make you come undone.

You also weren’t allowed to masturbate when he was gone. No matter how long he would be gone for, you weren’t allowed to touch yourself without him. “That’s my pretty pussy,” he’d growled in your ear the day after your wedding as he prepared to leave the house. “Don’t you dare touch it while I’m away.” You were too scared to defy him; sure he’d be able to tell if you disobeyed his orders.

Lucci always felt for himself while he was inside you, his hands pressing against your abdomen to feel his own cock as he fucked you. When he was in his Zoan form, the bulge was particularly pronounced and Lucci reveled in seeing your distended walls taking him. “My wife, taking me so well, being so good for me,” he’d purr into your ear as his hand pressed down on you, intensifying the feelings of being completely full. The rare praise coupled with the overwhelming sensations often had you coming as soon as the words left his mouth - not that he let you stop there.

When the weather permitted, Lucci would have you flee down the nature trails near the house to chase you down. You never made it far, he was faster and stronger than you could ever dream of being. He took you wherever he caught you - against a tree, bent over a rock, or even on the forest floor.

One time you managed to fool him for a few seconds using a piece of your clothing heavily doused in your scent. Lucci had delighted in your deception, forcing you to sit on his face once he caught you, his long Zoan tongue thrust deep within you as you ground yourself on his face. By the time he was done with you, he had to carry your limp body back to the house as you dozed off in his arms.

If he felt you weren’t obedient or strong enough, he wouldn’t allow you to come until you’d “proven” yourself. Sometimes that involved sucking him off until your jaw ached, sometimes that meant riding him to his satisfaction, and sometimes that meant you were thrown over his knee and spanked, your ass sore and red for days to come.

His sensitive sense of smell made him able to detect when you were wet and waiting for him. He would rub his nose up and down your slit and inhale deeply, licking his lips to begin tasting you.

Lucci was obsessed with your breasts. Even when you weren’t having sex, he was always pawing at them or slipping his hand under your shirt and bra to touch them. When your shirt was off, it seemed like one of your nipples was always in his mouth and the other rolled between his calloused fingertips. Many times he bruised your nipples and breasts from his attention, but that only increased his attention. He loved when you were impaled on his cock, writhing as he sucked on your nipples but not allowing you to thrust yourself up and down.

Lucci loved when you cockwarmed him. He said it was a type of training for him, to want something intensely and deny himself the pleasure. There were many nights where you found yourself impaled on his cock in his armchair, facing away from him as one hand gripped your hips and the other read missives or non fiction books. One night you weren’t as focused as Lucci and were squirming but he kept you in place easily as your juices coated his thighs over the course of an hour.

“You are not this weak, bellezza. Show me your strength,” he said quietly as he continued reading. You inhaled a breath and tried to focus on anything but the massive cock buried within you, its tip kissing your gspot as Lucci shifted his body in the chair.

It worked until Lucci transformed just his cock, the change in size making you moan from pleasure. Lucci gave you a smirk and kissed your forehead. “Opponents don’t play fair.”

He spanked you for not withstanding the training as you should have, his leg holding down your own as he put you over his knee. You took what he gave you, trying to show him that you could be strong in your own way. He spanked you until you cried then took your ass for good measure. That night he let you pet his fuzzy Zoan ears as a reward before you drifted off to sleep.

“You’ll become stronger, bellezza. But you’ll always be my soft underbelly,” Lucci said as his own eyes slid closed. From him, it might as well have been a declaration of love.

[marlynnofmany]

It’s back!

If you missed it the first time around, the “human are weird” anthology is back for a second printing. (There’s even a new story included: “Black Box” by Dara Brophy.)

Here’s the blurb:

In science fiction, humans are usually boring compared to other races: small, weak, with no claws or tentacles, and no special abilities to speak of. But what if we were the impressive ones, the unsettling ones, the ones talked about by all the other aliens? What if we're weird?

If you’d like a collection of excellent stories about humans inspiring awe, fear, and utter confusion, it’s available everywhere books are sold!

[sodapopper]

I disappeared off the face of ao3 for a hot minute but rest assured chapter 3 is coming soon and it is JUICY.

[delusional-daydreamer18]

Dunno, this is just a random headcanon but what if Og!Cale used to be a huge nerd when he was a young child? He'd be the most curious kid out of all the noble kids that exist out there in Roan, and he would have some weird interests/hyperfixations that would throw off most people (and some would comment "Act more properly like a noble, be composed.") — and because of that he doesn't really talk much about it. Except ofc to his mother because she would be the only one who'll listen to him patiently. Occasionally he would try to talk about it to Deruth but the man is a busy count so he doesn't get much time to talk to him freely.

But when someone shows interest in it, or even brings the topic up (usually, it's Eric) — Og!Cale will gush about it and begin to ramble nonstop, with sparkling eyes and a bright smile. The northeastern nobles trio would just listen, and would think from time to time how cute Og!Cale is when it comes to sharing about his interests.

Then his mother died and everything fell apart from there.

He begins to lose interest in most things he finds fascinating and would only cling to a few ones that actually comforts him, especially when he starts to pretend to be trash for both Basen and Violan and distances himself from the people he truly cares about.

The war happened and he completely lost interest in everything other than taking revenge for his family.

When he begins to live his life as Kim Rok Soo, slowly — he tries to regain his interests. He would try reading random strange books, would probably try to eat poison just to test something, and he'd try to cook meals Beacrox used to make for the Henituse back then because while he often acted as if his food tasted vile, he absolutely adored Beacrox's cooking and he regrets not getting to spend more time with his hyung bec of how he had to keep up a trash facade back then.

Whenever his teammates bring up something that is of his interest, Og!Cale — now Kim Rok Soo — would excitedly give feedback and proceeds to ramble like the nerd he is. His teammates are flabbergasted bec even though their team leader has been acting a bit off and unusual lately, he never runs his mouth as if his life depends on it — heck, he once said he prefers speaking in short, concise sentences to not waste his saliva!

Yet, they find themselves smiling, listening intently, wanting to get to know their team leader more. Maybe, just maybe, Kim Rok Soo is finally putting off the stoic mask he usually keeps around them and is now more comfortable being himself.

So they let Kim Rok Soo talk about his hyperfixations more, they'd try to learn more about said hyperfixations, and would even try to bond with him.

For the first time in his life, Kim Rok Soo feels accepted for who he is — mainly because he doesn't have to hide who he is anymore.

He is not the trashy Cale Henituse everyone finds revolting.

He's Kim Rok Soo, surrounded with his precious niece and people who support and love him for who he is.

Not for what he was.

[pharawee]

IQIYI has revealed the cast for their first original BL series The Love Never Sets. Turns out it's not an established pair but Ja Phachara (of prev. JaFirst) and Tae Weerapat (who used to be with Studio WabiSabi and played a support role in pretty much every recent series there).

I for one am delighted because I love Tae and it's so good to see him finally bag a main role - and Ja has always been a fav of mine anyway.

And if that isn't enough, the show will be directed by Tee Bundit of Dee Hup House who's pretty much my favourite director.

I don't even mind that this is set at uni. This is going to be amazing (plus it gives fake enemies to lovers and [at least some] mutual pining vibes).

Support roles are played by newcomer Domon Kitmongkhon, Atom Piyawat (Time) and Bonus Nutthawut (Gelboys).