#Visiting Card Design Management

[district11crm]

Best Digital Business Card Management - MyMeishi

MyMeishi is the best digital business card management company that can help you. Expanding your network is essential to expanding your business or improving your profession. For more details, check out our website.

[lovelycandie]

Forgotten Items

Leona Kingscholar is a lot of things, but forgetful isn’t one of them. So why does he keep leaving behind his wallet at your dorm?

Leona Kingscholar x gn!reader. Unestablished relationship. Leona cares about you more than he wants to admit.

A significant amount of time had passed since you and Grim first started fixing up the guest room in Ramshackle Dorm. The two of you had worked tirelessly (or rather, you had done most of the work while that lazy furball lounged around devouring endless cans of tuna leaving the empty ones scattered everywhere, creating even more work for you…) But, despite the setbacks, you managed to gather the right materials and use your newly acquired magitool to craft intricate pieces of furniture. Eventually, you furnished the guest room exactly as you envisioned, feeling satisfied with how everything had come together.

But what was a guest room without guests? Naturally, you began inviting your friends over to hang out. The Heartslabyul duo, Ace and Deuce, were among the first, followed by plenty of others. Soon enough, you had a steady stream of visitors from all seven dorms

With guests came feedback, and you gladly considered their suggestions to improve the space. This was especially important to you because there was one particular guest you hadn’t invited just yet — this was none other than Leona Kingscholar, the notoriously picky Savanaclaw dorm leader.

You knew Leona had high standards when it came to his lounging spots, so you wanted to create a space even the particular lion prince would find comfortable. Once you were satisfied with the room’s cozy atmosphere, you extended more invitations — including one to Leona himself.

What was his reaction to the guest room you ask? Well in his exact words:

“Hm. It's less dusty than the lounge. Guess you're serious about hostin' people here.”

He said with a sly, teasing smile, his gaze sweeping over the room with apparent indifference. Sure, it wasn’t exactly glowing praise — but coming from Leona, you’d take it.

However, despite his seeming indifference to the room, after the first few invitations, Leona started showing up frequently — and unannounced. Not that you minded. In fact, you found it pretty amusing (and oddly endearing) to see the lion prince sprawled out on your couch, napping away as if the room were his own. Chances were, he was dodging his dorm leader responsibilities. Or maybe Ruggie’s nagging — but either way, you didn’t complain.

As more of your friends would visit you and use the space as either a hangout spot, a place to relax, or as a study room it wasn’t uncommon for them to leave things behind. Some of the things you would find ranged from Ace’s playing cards (that boy never tired of showing off his card tricks), Vil’s mauve nail polish, Ortho’s power cable, Jade’s tea guide and…Trey’s portable dental hygiene kit? (Okay…well someone certainly cares about their teeth it seems! That’s not weird at all…Good for him!)

Like the good host and friend you were, you always made sure to return everyone’s belongings as soon as you saw them again. And after misplacing their things a couple of times, most of your friends got the message and stopped forgetting their stuff so frequently.

Except for him…

Leona, for some reason, no matter how many times you returned his designer wallet, would always, always, always forget it somewhere in your guest room. It was strange, really. There was no way he was that careless. Aloof as he may be, he wasn’t the type to be so absentminded, especially with something as important as his wallet.

But, little did you know that the lion prince was doing it on purpose. Obviously, someone as observant as Leona wouldn’t constantly leave his belongings behind unless… it was intentional. And in this case, it definitely was. Just like how he’d “accidentally” overpay Ruggie or “carelessly” leave his wallet out in his room for his sticky fingers to find, he was doing the same thing with you. He wanted you to take the hint and use it to fix up this dingy dorm of yours. But you just weren’t getting it.

The first time you returned his wallet, he was a little confused but didn’t outright show it.

“My wallet? Oh, I left it in your dorm?… thanks I guess…”

Alright. Maybe it just didn’t click for you yet. He’d try again.

“Ah, again…thanks…”

The second time, he expected you to understand. But no. You just handed it back to him like before.

Fine. Maybe he had to be more obvious. This time, he’d leave it right in plain sight—on the coffee table that Grim had proudly dedicated to displaying his empty tuna cans (his contribution to the décor, if that wasn’t obvious enough).

But there you were, cleaning the guest room again only to find that once again, Leona had forgotten his wallet. You have to return it to him of course!

And so the cycle continued. Over and over again. Each time, he made it more obvious, certain that this time, you’d finally take the hint. But no. You just kept giving it back.

At this point, Leona was exasperated.

Alright, herbivore, just how dense are you?! Do you seriously need me to spell it out for you?! He thought internally.

He felt like his intentions were so obvious. But was he going to outright tell you? No, of course not. He’d rather keep up this nonsense than admit—out loud, that… he cared about you enough to want to subtly provide for you. He wanted you to have enough to buy yourself something nice, to make this dorm a little nicer, or even buy Grim that fancy tuna if it makes you happy. But since you were clearly too dense to understand, he’d just keep “forgetting” his wallet until you finally got the message.

Or were you really that dense?…

Little did the poor, frustrated lion prince know—you were well aware of what he was doing. You had figured it out long ago. But, well… watching the gradual frustration build on his face every time you handed his wallet back was just a little too entertaining for you to end the game so soon!

So, you decided to keep it going.

Whether you’d take pity on his frustration or wait until he finally snapped and admitted he cared about you—that remained to be seen. But for now, you were more than happy to let him suffer just a little bit longer.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ .

Author’s Note: So I was struck with inspiration to write! My school work lessened up a bit too! I wrote this based off a post I saw that said that Leona leaving his wallet behind in the guest room in the game was really on brand for him. So, I came up with this! I hope you enjoy! - 🍬 (also posted to ao3 :)

[dollwrites]

ᴘᴏsᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀɴs ! ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇʀ ᴋᴇɴᴛ

𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 ∣ smut ( minors dni ), fem!heiress!reader, camming / sex work, objectification, rough sex, anal sex, hair pulling / spanking, reader is a superfan so there’s a power imbalance, playful banter and name calling. all characters featured are aged 18+

𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 ∣ please reblog && leave feedback. not proofread so there’s probably mistakes. thanks for reading < 3

𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 ∣ act four [ camboy ]

you felt like the luckiest girl in the world right now, and you weren’t quite sure why. the reasonable side of you kept reminding that you had not been the only girl in this hotel room tonight, and you wouldn’t be the last. but the superfan in you fought against that, awestruck by the fact that Conner Kent was giving you the ride of your life.

Conner had so many fans, after all; many men and women across the globe that were just like you— visiting his live every weekend. Fridays and Saturdays quickly became your favorite days in the week, when you could willingly drain your bank account just to watch this beautiful man you’d become infatuated with get off in every way imaginable. if your parents ever found out just how you spent your allowance, and how many of your credit cards you’d already maxed out just to watch your fantasy become reality, you could almost swear they would cut you off. to be completely honest with yourself, your fathers multi-million dollar company had only a few more years left of profit if your addiction to Conner’s live chat room didn’t die out. you couldn’t help it— you were hyperfixated, and last month, your favorite camboy had a very special announcement: a way to thank all of his loyal fans— by meeting up with several whilst he traveled the country and fucking them senseless live in his hotel rooms. needless to say, you’d been over the moon when your city was one of the first stops on his tour; you’d dreamed of fucking this man for months now, and now you’d have your chance.

and he hadn’t disappointed.

your body rocked forward, smearing your face into the pillow with every backshot that you took. it was already difficult to breathe, as you wore a mask that covered your mouth and nose to keep your anonymity, but when one of his palms pushed against the back of your head and held you flush against the pillow, too, you felt as if you were overheating. both hands clawed at the sheets that were damp with a mixture of your and Conner’s sweat to combat the maddening pressure of his thick cock driving into you over and over again. his size had been manageable when he fucked your pussy, but since the second he’d begun to ravage your virgin asshole, you’d become acutely aware of just how big he was. the stretch was unreal, and when he’d switched holes, he left your cunt feeling hollow and uncomfortably empty.

“Damn, sweetheart, you were born to be a little whore, weren’t you?” Conner taunted, his hand then sweeping down your head and over your shoulders, following the arch in your back. “Made for this, designed to give up your tight holes, and let me bust them wide open.”

there was a loud chime that played whenever a viewer donated. the longer the chime, the more money the donation was, and at this point, you were certain the noise had become a never-ending song. one donation bled into another, and then another, and that chime became the soundtrack to your decimation. “Heh,” Conner was grinning, though his teeth were bared, and he chuckled hoarsely. his thick, heavy palm swats at your ass, and he watches as the flesh recoils and jiggles. “Tight, little daddy’s girl wants to be my favorite fuck-meat?”

with your face buried in the sheets, you could smell his scent clinging to them, and you just hardly resisted the urge to push the mask down and lap at the wet linens like a needy dog. you yip and nod at his question, which only spurred more and more donations from the virtual audience. Conner swooned, spanking your ass again, and again, and once more until it stung. then, he dug his fingers into your skin, the discomfort flaring further as he groped handfuls of your soft, warm ass. “I think the audience wants to hear you, princess.” he teases, squishing your ass against his rough palm, doing little to massage the sting away. “Tell ‘em.”

you raise your head, albeit weakly, and stare directly into the lens. you can see yourself in the viewfinder, and ( if you were coherent enough to care ) you almost couldn’t believe the mess he’d made you. hair mussed up, on all fours, with glassy eyes and slick skin. Conner had put you through the wringer, and he, somehow, still wasn’t done. you almost couldn’t force the words out amongst the cries and grunts as he ravaged your ass. “I—I—- want to be your favorite fu—-ckmeat- shit!!”

Conner hits an incredibly tender cord when one hand slips underneath your belly, and two thick digits plug your drooling hole. your eyes roll back at the intensity of having both holes filled, and you grip the sheets tighter, sputtering against the cloth mask as your head drops forward.

“Nuh uh uh, princess,” Conner croons, and his free hand slides from your ass up to the nape of your neck and over the shape of your lolling head, making a fist at the crown to grip your roots and force your head back up. his hips snap more fiercely, now, filling your canal to the hilt, his balls slapping against his own hand as he pumps his fingers into your cunt in tandem. heavens above, how the hell was he so good at overloading you?! “You hear all that?” he asks, gruffly. he was beginning to snort and howl like an animal, too, but he smeared his sweaty cheek to yours when he hunches over, pressing his rock-solid torso to your back. “All that fucking money you’re making me? You should know better than anyone, baby girl, what the audience wants to see me do to a spoiled brat like you. What do they want?” he hisses it against your cheek, using his tongue to swirl the taste of your sweat around before pulling it into his mouth.

“They— want to see you fuck me stupid…!!” you cry out.

“That’s right,” Conner was scoffing and his voice was strained and husky as he plowed into you, now, gripping your hair tight enough to keep your brows knit tightly in discomfort. “So let’s not hide those pretty, pretty eyes. They want to see them glaze over. The more they get to see you break, the more they’re going to pay.”

it was the obvious answer. if you were in the audience, you would want to see it, too. how braindead Conner’s cock could drive the poor recipient of his earth-shattering, skillful fucking. however, being on the other end of it was somehow even better. being able to cum and cum and cum some more without this adonis even losing steam or vigor, making it clear that you wouldn’t have a single moment of peace until he was finished ( and yet? no end was in sight ), and feeling every thought— every worry and every feeling not directly connected to Conner Kent’s cock as he pounded you just fracture and fall away with every thrust into you. it was an addicting, degrading, delicious experience. one that you knew you’d never forget.

[dollishmehrayan]

BATBOYS HCS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY! ── .✦

a/n: sorry if the text might be wrong because I’m currently crying a lot for personal reasons when making this so I won’t see clearly sorry! But this in honor of my birthday coming this Saturday

(Tags: batboys x birthday!reader)

DICK GRAYSON ── .✦

The Master of Surprises: Dick would absolutely go all out to make your birthday feel special. He’s the type to plan a surprise party, complete with all your friends and family, but he’d make sure it’s something you’d love—whether that’s a big celebration or something low-key.

Personal Touch: He’d wake you up with breakfast in bed, complete with your favorite coffee and pancakes shaped like hearts or stars. He’d probably also give you a heartfelt handwritten card that somehow manages to make you laugh and cry at the same time.

Gift: Dick is a thoughtful gift-giver. He’d get you something meaningful, like a scrapbook of your favorite memories together or that one thing you mentioned in passing months ago.

The Day: Expect lots of laughter, dancing, and maybe even a karaoke session where he serenades you with a love song in front of everyone.

Dick's Birthday Motto: “It’s your day, so we’re doing whatever you want—just don’t say skydiving.”

JASON TODD ── .✦

Low-Key but Thoughtful: Jason isn’t big on flashy celebrations, but he’d still want to make the day special for you. He’d wake you up with your favorite breakfast (probably ordered from that one diner you love) and insist on spending the day doing your favorite things.

The Day: He’d take you to a quiet spot in the city—maybe a rooftop with a great view or a hidden café—and you’d spend hours just talking, eating, and enjoying each other’s company. At night, he might take you on a ride on his motorcycle.

Jason's Birthday Motto: “I’m not great at this whole birthday thing, but I’m great at loving you. So, what do you wanna do?”

TIM DRAKE ── .✦

The Planner: Tim would be hyper-focused on making the day perfect. He’d create an itinerary based on everything you love, down to your favorite snacks and TV shows. He’d also book your favorite restaurant weeks in advance to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Gift: Tim would give you a tech-related gift, like a custom gadget he designed himself, or something incredibly thoughtful, like a rare collector’s item tied to one of your interests.

The Day: Tim would spend the whole day focusing on you, even if it meant setting aside his work. He’d be a bit anxious at first, constantly asking, “Is this okay? Do you want to do something else?” but he’d relax once he sees you’re happy.

Tim's Birthday Motto: “Today is all about celebrating how amazing you are. And yes, I have a spreadsheet for that.”

DAMIAN WAYNE ── .✦

Quiet but Intentional: Damian would approach your birthday with precision and thoughtfulness. He’s not one for grand gestures, but everything he does would be meaningful. He’d probably prepare something himself, like baking a cake or making a handmade gift.

Gift: Damian would give you something deeply personal, like a portrait he painted of you or a rare artifact tied to your shared interests. If you’re into animals, he might even bring you to the zoo or introduce you to a new pet he rescued.

The Day: He’d plan something intimate and tailored to your personality, like a quiet dinner at home or a visit to your favorite museum or park.

Damian's Birthday Motto: “Birthdays are a time for reflection and celebration, and you, beloved, are always worth celebrating.”

BRUCE WAYNE ── .✦

Elegant and Understated: Bruce would want to make your birthday feel luxurious without overwhelming you. He’d likely arrange a private dinner at Wayne Manor, complete with a chef and your favorite dishes.

Gift: Bruce would give you something incredibly extravagant, like a piece of custom jewelry or a trip to a destination you’ve always wanted to visit. It’s not about showing off—it’s about making you feel special and appreciated.

The Day: He’d take the day off (a rare feat for him) and spend it focused entirely on you. Whether it’s a quiet day at home or a luxurious outing, he’d make sure everything is perfect. Alfred would, of course, be involved in the planning.

Bruce's Birthday Motto: “You deserve the best, and I’ll make sure you get it.”

[ivy-elle]

Their Acts Of Love

Ft. Albedo, Ayato, Diluc, Kazuha, Kinich, Scaramouche, Xiao

Albedo

The alchemist is known for his pragmatic approach to life

It’s evident in the way he works, functions and goes about the world

Albedo discerns what certain matters require, how to refine them and how to adjust accordingly

So naturally, as you are an essential and irreplaceable part of his life, it was important to him from the very beginning to figure you out and understand your very own kernel as well

Albedo has made it his personal little goal to identify what you need, what could make your life easier, more comfortable in various ways

He doesn’t even wait to see you struggle with something first, there have already ideas bloomed in his mind, and he’s off to spend the next hours tinkering away

It starts with small adjustments – like modifying your coat in a more practical way to keep the cold at bay and adjust better to the temperatures for when you visit him on Dragon Spine

Or he creates special compasses for you, designed in a way that they guide you straight to whatever materials you’re currently searching for

Special flowers, that never seem to wither, placed onto your desk for you to fin

Whatever you could need, he has it already at hand

He truly loves you to the point of invention

Ayato

Ayato is a very sought-after and busy man with countless responsibilities and people to attend to

And while he tries to spend as much of his free time with you, those times don’t come as commonly and as long-lasting as he (and you) might wish for

Yet, every morning without fail, even before the sun rises, he wakes up to you sleeping soundly next him in bed

He drapes his arm around your waist and softly pulls you closer to him, holding you just a bit tighter

And each time, knowing that duties are calling for him from all corners, he makes room for at least ten of those special minutes, where he spends just this one more moment with you right next to him, before rising up

Sometimes you notice him and awake as well, and it has gradually become a sort of ritual for you to spend these early minutes with him

You seldom even speak a word, instead just let gentle touches linger, and fingers intertwine as you soak in each other’s presence, tanking energy for the day yet to come

Diluc

The high quality of the Angel’s Share’s wines, drinks and beverages in general is famous and renowned all over the corners of Teyvat

And Diluc takes a lot of pride in his creation, dedicating time and love to the craft

And in the same abundance he cherishes and takes pride in having you by his side at every step as well

Sometimes he likes to convey these feelings into his world as well

That means shortly said – patrons of his tavern might need to get used to order drinks that carry your very own name very soon

Perhaps, there are even slight variations, nicknames of sorts or nods to certain insiders only to be known by you and him alone

Then again, Diluc also entrusts you to naming a lot of his latest creations as well, proudly adding them to the menu card afterwards

The extra bonus of it all is of course, catching some guests’ reactions – especially Kaeya’s, who knows more of the ‘insiders’ than he wishes for

Kazuha

Kazuha is away on travels plenty of times.

Sometimes it could be even weeks in which you’re not seeing each other at all, and while not a day goes by without exchanging letters, no amounts of words could soothe the ache you feel in his absence

And Kazuha misses your presence by his side tremendously.

So, while he can’t show you the places that he visits per se, and only manages to convey his experiences in words, he came up with a lovelier strategy

In every place Kazuha visits he gathers a bunch of different flowers, he finds to be especially fitting and prevail the essence of the scenery

But because he’s aware of how quick flowers once picked wither away, he places them carefully in between the pages of a little notebook he always carries with him and presses the flower inside

Each page with flowers is captioned in his neat handwriting with the location, the date and a little haiku – for the practice – as he claims

So, whenever he returns back home to you, you’d have also a book full of memories pressed between sheets and a bit of Kazuha’s love accompanied alongside

(Perhaps one day he could get in contact with Albedo to ask for a way to prevent flowers from withering. But then again, to prevail them in a frozen state between life and death forever, may contain its very own certain art)

Kinich

Kinich is an adventurer through and through; he knows the woods, he knows the deserts, he knows the mountains and he knows you.

He adores both of these worlds, and he loves nothing more than to combine them whenever possible

He’d like you to see the world in its wonders and adventurer and possibilities just the way he does, and if he could, he would do anything to keep that look of wonder on your face for as long as possible

Kinich brings you to many of his favourite places, he follows you to any new view you want explore and some days the both of you spend hours just walking and strolling along through different paths and places

Anything you haven’t seen yet? Here we go.

Something you haven’t experiences, yet? Well, now you have.

You mean you’ve never been bungee jumping? Consider it done.

Afterall, his bests adventures happen to be the ones he shares with you – watch out, soon he’ll consider you his personal lucky charm

He is the best guide there is, at least for you specifically, because he knows the world and he knows your heart

Scaramouche

Scaramouche isn’t exactly a man of many words in that regard

Not explicably nice ones, that is

And certainly not from the romantic sort

And yet, he cares

He cares so deeply at times, it feels it’s going to gnaw him from the inside out and set fire to his bones

And while he’s not (yet) about to let these words slip past his lips, it is his actions that carry the volume

So, no, his words might only indirectly reflect his inner turmoil and this deeply rooted sentiment, but there is no denying he is a gentleman around you.

From opening doors (although he will insist, “you’re slacking off again”), to waiting for you so you can walk to a destination side by side (“I can’t trust your sense of direction on your own”) and carrying your stuff (“Lest you end up face-first on the ground”)

And if you’re the one to ask something, it’ll be done. Reluctantly and with some grumbling perhaps, but it will be done.

Xiao

Xiao is used to solitude – it’s easier, it’s safer, it’s all he’s ever known

You somehow, slowly, delicately managed to climb through the cracks of the walls that shelter his soul and heart

Nowadays, the spot beside him on the tree of Wangshu Inn is seldom empty anymore

No longer does he has to endure seemingly endless nights, buried in his own personal torture, for there’s nothing, he desires any more now than to lay down beside you at the end of each day

You’ve managed to find your way into his heart and make him feel as if, life has some worth aside from the burdens he is bound to carry

Xiao quite literally worships the ground you walk on

As a yaksha, he sees it as part of his duty, but it extended into his very own personal mission to assure your absolute safety at all time

Especially when you’re out on your own travels and journey

Rest assured, no treasure hoarders, no hilichurls, and certainly no ruin guards will ever cross your path or pose a threat to you, as long as he has a say in it

[fluer-the-fairy]

𝖙𝖔𝖒𝖔𝖄𝖔

Chapter 2

Batfam x Card-Captor!reader

A/n:- Yaay :D

♡ previous ♡ masterlist ♡ next ♡

Tomoyo smiles as she pours you a cup of tea. How thoughtful of you to visit her during the weekend!

You usually do but this time you didn’t have much of a choice…

You spent the entirety of yesterday wallowing in your bed making up a hundred excuses you could use to explain yourself.

But it was fine. Kero was supposed to be your back up. I mean as a century of being surely he would be able to save you from this!

‘sigh’ Too bad that his glutenous nature is an obvious trait.

Currently your sat in Tomoyo’s room while she pours tea for while Kero gobbles down one desert to another.

Tomoyo sets down the tea pot.

The silence in the room growing louder in your ear’s.

“N/n-”

“I found a mysterious book in my houses library and accidentally released an ancient magic into this world and now I have to repay my debt by sealing them away-!”

The explanation comes out of you like word vomit. Carefully watching Tomoyo’s face, dissecting her reaction to check if your choice of words was good enough.

You take a deep breathe before trying again. “I found a mysterious book in the library. It had a bunch of cards in it. I read one of the word’s names out loud, Windy and all the cards got blown away by a large gust wind that formed…”

“Yeah, that sounds about right.” Kero say’s. Patting his now bloated stomach.

Tomoyo chuckles. “You have quite the appetite, don’t you?” “Don’t worry I prepared more deserts for you.”

“Woah! Aren’t you a classy missy, I like this girl.” Kero says turning to your tensed form.

Your body tense’s up even more when you fell Tomoyo hold your hands. Her thumbs caressing them like she’s trying to calm you down.

“You’re not mad...?” You ask meekly

“N/n why would I be mad?” She ask’s tilting her head.

The grip on your hand tightens...

“N/n…

…don’t you get...

...how exciting this is!!!???” She exclaims. Kero could have sworn her pupil’s formed heart just then.

“My dear N/n as a super hero! It’s Exactly what the ‘the amazing life of Y/n: the video diary’ needs!” She says standing up hugging her camera like it’s the most precious artifact in the universe.

“Now hold on I didn’t say I was going to be a super hero…”

“Hell, not even a vigilante at that…”

Tomoyo pauses for a minute before her smile returns even bigger and brighter

“Your right we can’t have N/n fighting crime. You’re like a magical girl, sealing away the ancient forces that once again have risen.” She cups her own cheeks, Her mind filling with scenarios.” This is perfect…just so perfect.”

Her hands find yours again. “N/n from this day forth I’m going to be manager!”

“Heyyyy! Isn’t that my job???” Kero say’s looking from his plate.

“You can be her manager too mister Keroberos! But N/n seriously you can’t be a magical girl who fight while in her pajamas” she rolls in a felt board, which was full of sketches for outfit and design concepts.

“From now on I’ll make all the outfits you wear to every fight you have.” Tomoyo states.

 Kero flies up to the board, inspecting the design.

“Gotta hand it to ya missy these designs are great. Say do I get an outfit too?”

“Of course! A matching outfit with N/n’s outfit!”

“I even had my mother’s company make up a communication device.”

“Yohoo, you really thought of everything!”

You watch the two scheme with each other. You’re glad that Tomoyo took it well… She’s never been one to get mad or over react. Even now with her all excited its tame.

Screw it…

You don’t really care if anyone catches you.

You have Tomoyo’s support and that all that matters.

Or at least that’s what you try to tell yourself. But the fear of getting caught is evident even on your face. What if Toya finds out or Alfred finds out? Or even Bruce…

You don’t really want to think of that reality.

Before you even knew it, the weekend was over.

And right now, you’re were putting on your skates while Damian rushes at you for revenge. But his foot deserved that, no gets to call you a monster and get away with it other than Toya… and that’s only cause he’s taller than you…

Speak of the devil… you can already see him through the gate. You skillfully dodge Damian’s attempts at hitting you and skate your way out of the gate, meeting Toya halfway.

“Morning little miss monster.” Toya Greets, although it’s hardly a greeting

“I’m not a monster!” You retort. This is how most of your interactions start.

“You didn’t get time to eat?” Toya asks noticing the half-eaten toast still hanging from your mouth.

“You were that excited to see me, eh?” He says, his chest puffing up like some parrots do when they are cold.

“Shut up… you’re so full of shit…” You mumble, while chewing on your single piece of toast.

A ‘Gasp’ escapes Toya’s lips as his hand dramatically fly to him chest “N/n!? A young lady does not speak like that! “You could only stare at your pathetic excuse for a brother.

“No, but seriously, where’d you learn that word?” He asks leaning into the front of his bicycle.

“You did.” You state flatly.

.

..

…

“Let’s go pick up Yukito.” Changing the subject ever so quickly.

. . .

Yu~ki~to~

Of course! Yukito!

He’s been your brother’s friend since he started high school.  At first you had the biggest crush on him so much so Toya would tease you non-stop about it.

But over time… You realized it was platonic. To you he filled that loving father role you never had. And let’s be real you idolize him above all else. Can we blame You though? The man’s good at everything. You would be crazy to not think he’s great.

Some time’s you did wish he was your brother too.

By the time you reached Yukito’s house, he was already outside waiting for you too.

“Yukito!” You rush past your brother stopping Infront of the young man.

“Good morning, Y/n.” He say’s bending down to your level. You mumble out a morning to which Yukito smiles.

Toya eventually reaches the two of you and hand Yukito a bag. “You got me food! Thanks Toya!” Yukito say’s face full of glee and he peeks into the bag.

You watch the two’s interaction eye’s narrowing in suspicion. Toya notices your gaze.

“What?” He asks

“…Nothing…” Yeah, it’s nothing…But you’re sure these two are dating…

That or they have massive crushes on each other and are too afraid to confess in the scenario that it ruins their friendship. Classic slow burn

“Welp, N/n your school just around the corner, isn’t it? Go on now shoo.” Toya says gesturing his hand like he was shooing away a bug.

“What??? I didn’t even get to properly talk with Yukito”

“Yeah yeah, but geez look at the time almost 7:30-”

“7:30! Oh, I have to go- Bye Yukito, Toya pick me up after school!” and with that you rush off.

. . .

“What was that about?” Yukito asks, looking concerned

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You usually walk her to the entrance. You didn’t this time.”

“I just- somethings strange” Toya’s expression shifts, a mix of worry and unease.

Yukito walks closers to him, watching as you blend into the number of students entering the building “Do you see something? Maybe it’s just your mother you mentioned you couldn’t see her that well anymore when she visits”

“No…this one’s different…I can’t really explain it.” That all Toya says. He’s not sure what it is but it feels ancient, it feels powerful.

He just hopes you haven’t gotten into a mess you can’t handle.

You rush through the corridors trying not to bump into the Greek looking sculptures you hate so much. Trying to reach your class right before the clock reaches 7:30. Being late to homeroom is a nightmare. Especially walking into the classroom when everyone’s already settled down.

It’s embarrassing.

You see Tomoyo standing near the door way to your classroom. However, your excitement to see her dies down when you notice her puzzled expression.

. . .

“Tomoyo...?” You ask, she slowly turns to you.

“N/n...” She say’s as you get a glance behind her…

The classroom Is completely trashed!

Desk’s thrown all over the room. Papers and files scattered everywhere…

“Who would do such a thing?” Naoko says. Picking up one the desks and replacing it.

“You think it’s one of those thugs from the 8th grade??? I swear to you… they should have fifth graders help clean up than get outside help!” Chiharu says, balling up her fist’s.

“Let’s help out.” Tomoyo says. “Come on N/n-”

But you couldn’t move…

Not while this tingling feeling is creeping up the tips of your finger’s.

It’s ticklish. It suffocating.

It’s familiar? It feels unique yet similar to something you felt before-

Clow card.

That’s definitely a Clow card-!

“Do you feel sick N/n” You snap back to reality when you hear Rika’s voice. Coming back to find all four of them surrounding you.

“Oh. No, I’m fine. Here let me help you cleanup”

“So, this was all a Clow cards doing?” Tomoyo asks. Holding the small communication device while both you and her listened to Kero at the other end.

“Yup. It can be a number of different cards…Like power or most likely shadow”

“Shadow?” You ask.

“Since this happened over night” Kero states

“Speaking of which. Your more sensitive than I thought… that’s probably why you felt the book of clows presence all the way from your room.” He adds.

“We’ll have to catch it at night when its most dominant.” The more you hear him talk the more obvious the gaming sound you hear from the other line become.

“Keroberos are you seriously playing a game right now!?” You scream, so much so that the people around you start to stare.

“Whaaat? Oh no you’re breaking up sorry I’ll talk to you later bye~” Before you could protest, he hangs up. Which only make you fume even more. But you can’t exactly focus when Tomoyo becomes a sparkling mess right next to you.

“I can’t wait for you try on the costume” she says more to herself than to you.

Tonight is going to be a fun night…

yippee..

Damian is on his usual route. Why should he be when you’re not in your room.

Before patrol he wanted to do his regular taunt on you before you go to sleep. He won’t admit it but that’s just how me makes sure your safe before he leaves

But you weren’t there.

You. Weren’t. There.

You never leave your room, especially at night. Whoever you’re hanging out at school with is being a bad influence on you. It’s not like you to sneak out! And that weird stuffed toy you carried around to school yesterday is missing too…

That’s why instead of going through his usual assigned patrol route he’s taking every turn to reach all the places you usually hangout.

He also needs to check that stuffed toy. Check if it has a tracking device or worse a camera…

And he also needs to check if you really were that person he saw up in the sky that night.

You stand embarrassingly still while Tomoyo films a 360 of Kero and your glory like the paparazzi

“Tomoyo, I know your excited for this an all, but isn’t this a bit much?” You ask, sealing staff in hand. The costume she made is pretty but there’s just one tiny issue that may screw this entire operation.

“We are just straight up breaking into our school; I might get spotted with this on don’t you think?” Tomoyo lowers her camera smiling.

“No worries, I already have that taken care off. I already prepared a special unit to shut of the cameras and any recording device in the vicinity. And I have a team at the ready in case any footage does get leaked onto the internet”

“Oh…That’s actually a relief” You forgot, money is a scary tool.

“Yes…N/n Greatness can’t be captured by such a low-quality security camera, and only worthy eyes can witness her heroic deeds” Oh…That’s not…

Whatever! At least her motivations are kind of in the right place.

” Ready to head in?” Kero asks and right on que your anxiety creeps back in. To be fair you’ve only done this one before and that was fifty feet up in the sky! But hey this is on the ground so this will be easy wont it?

“Okay…” You say, before the three of you collectively through the gate.

The halls are so much creepier now. Especially considering the Victorian style art and sculptures on the wall, it makes you feel like you’re in a horror movie.

So, the moment you hear something move behind you instinctively point you staff towards it. You were met with those statues you hate oh so much.

But you couldn’t dwell on it longer when you felt the clow cards presence rush past you.

You chase after it for Kero could even instruct you. You just want to go home

Tomoyo and Kero tried to run after you, but your speed was inhuman.

Eventually the chase leads you to the soccer field outside. You’re coming to a stop as you look for the mischief maker.

“Slow down kiddo…Little missy did you get the scoop?” Kero ask’s turning to Tomoyo who has camera in hand, beaming with happiness.

“Every second!”

You chuckle finally turning to them but pausing when you see what behind them.

That statue…

IT MOVED!?

Tomoyo and Kero turn around to see what your staring a.

” Did that thing seriously follow us all the way here?”

Omg it’s like a weeping angel…

You couldn’t even stare in shock at it for than a second when the thing starts floating…

“N/n the shadow!” The shadow? oH!

The shadow below the floating statue was holding up the statue. You grab Tomoyo and jump out of the way before the statue hits you.

Wait… This shadow… “Isn’t that…Chiharu ’s shadow?” Tomoyo asks and she would be right. Those two braided pigtails can’t belong to anyone else.

“Kero take Tomoyo somewhere safe.” You say before you charge towards the shadow.

“On it!” Kero says dragging Tomoyo behind a bush.

Shadows come from all side’s merging into one giant monster. It lunges at you and you try to dodge but there’s only so much you can do.

You cast ‘Fly’. Getting to higher ground seems to be your only option. What you weren’t expecting was for it to start chasing you. Trying to pull you down.

“She’s amazing isn’t she.” Tomoyo’s saying recording your every move with her camera.

“Yeah, but her options are limited with the little cards she has”

Shadow Itself is harmless, but considering it had time to collect more than a 100 students shadows, it’s going to be difficult to beat. Not to mention she can’t just catch it willy nilly. She needs to reveal its true form.

“Little missy, is there a way to turn all the lights on?”

“Yeah! I know where the breaker is.” Tomoyo leaves expecting Kero to follow her.

By the time they reach the breaker your already exhausted. The fatigue causing the vision to blur.

It only get’s worse when you feel the shadow grab onto the bottom of the staff, trying to drag you down.

Kero can already tell your mana’s nearly gone. He musters all of his strength onto his little arms and flips the breaker.

Once the lights turn on the Shadows form shrinks until it’s just a singular cloaked person on the middle of the field.

Gathering your strength, you lift the Your staff to seal it off.

"Reclaim the guise you were meant to inhabit! Clow card!" The figures form breaks as it gets reverted back into a card.

‘shadow’

Tomoyo and Kero run to you, Checking your form for injuries.

“Let’s leave, Turning the lights on will definitely put people on alert.” The last you manage to properly say. Slowly dragging your self out of the premises while Tomoyo holds your hand.

She’s on the phone with someone but honestly your too tired to care…

Toya sits in him room. He’s supposed to be doing home work but instead he finds him self doodling on the corner of his pages.

He still can’t get of that feeling of his back. He’s always been able to sense whenever his little sister is in danger. A fact he takes pride in. That’s the reason how he’s always been her silent protector.

That’s why he can’t stand this feeling. He knows she gotten her self-wrapped up in some kind of paranormal activity. He can sense every drop of mana she wastes; He want to scold her and tell her to cut it out.

But for some reason…

He like this is all beyond him…

“Toya…”

His head snaps back as he hears that voice… a familiar voice

“Mom...?”

“Toya, your sister… she’s been involved in ■■■■■■■ magic- “

Huh?

“don’t worry too much, okay?” her ghostly form cups his cheeks. “It’s all been planned out”

And with that she disappears…

Guess has to keep an extra eye on Y/n

If that’s even possible

Taglist:- @leeiasure , @rovcarmen , @rainschnael , @nisarelle

[keferon]

Swindle would…could…should visit.  It’s not like before, when Blurr had been injured or in hospital racing and they were separated by living their lives in very different circumstances.  Before, when the best Swindle could do was find out on the news like everyone else and maybe send a card, because he needed to be where he was told to be in mecha.  Or find out about minor incidents that never made news some indeterminate amount of time later when his and Blurr’s lives met at one of their rare intersections.  But something still holds him back.

----------------------------------------

Swindle doesn’t go back to the hospital in the immediate aftermath of the mecha collapse.  He tells himself that it’s because he’s busy.  And he is busy.

There’s Shockwave looking to take advantage.  Use the destruction to overwrite everything Swindle and Onslaught have been working towards with his own vision.  Keeping him at bay is taking nearly all of Swindle’s resources on the public front and Onslaught’s time behind the scenes.

And then there’s the more mundane aspects of business that still need to be handled.  Construction contracts for rebuilding.  Recognition of emergency responders.  Resources for impacted staff.  Assisting the incident investigation.  Redefining protocols for responding to attacks so that mecha can’t get caught by such a trap again.  All that paperwork makes it’s way through Swindle – sooner or later – and he has to deal with it.

And finally there’s Blurr himself.  Swindle is managing Blurr’s hospital bills.  His publicity agents.  The press conferences that were already scheduled.  Advertising deals.  The restoration of Blurr’s mech exterior.  And all the while trying to downplay to everyone involved the severity of the incident.

So yes, Swindle’s busy.  But even amidst his busy schedule, he’d found time when Blurr first called.  Had found something in that brief conversation, in just knowing his friend was still alive – even as it was too short, as Blurr’s voice faded too quickly into exhaustion.  He’s found time since – both to call Blurr about relevant decisions (even when it wasn’t strictly necessary) and to take Blurr’s calls.  And he’s noticed how Blurr’s voice has gotten stronger, their conversations longer.  The calls more frequent and now interspersed with hints at Blurr’s boredom.

Swindle would…could…should visit.  It’s not like before, when Blurr had been injured or in hospital racing and they were separated by living their lives in very different circumstances.  Before, when the best Swindle could do was find out on the news like everyone else and maybe send a card, because he needed to be where he was told to be in mecha.  Or find out about minor incidents that never made news some indeterminate amount of time later when his and Blurr’s lives met at one of their rare intersections. 

This is different.  He and Blurr are not just friends, but business partners now.  Have been working in the same place, at the same job.  There is nothing and no one physically stopping Swindle from seeing Blurr during his recovery. 

No one but himself.  A part of Swindle finds it easier to sell the lies he has to go out and tell – that Blurr’s condition is overexaggerated, that everything will be fine – when he hasn’t physically seen any of the evidence to the contrary.  Even as his mind also knows this is not true. 

Swindle was a pilot long enough to see the results of enough mech crashes, particularly under the old safety systems, where the pilot couldn’t or didn’t walk away.  It was never fucking pretty.  It was more than Swindle had ever wanted to see or know.

Swindle had thought they were changing all that.  The new safety systems should have changed that.  They were designed to prevent deaths and injuries.  Like Orion’s, Shockwave’s, Vortex’s.  Blurr’s. 

And yet.  Swindle glances again at the report on the top of the pile on his desk.  The report that does credit the newer safety systems with saving lives – with saving Tailgate’s life.

Only…it wasn’t enough.  The only reason there weren’t any confirmed casualties didn’t come down only to safety systems, but to no small amount luck.  Because what happened to Blurr – trapped, half crushed, in a burning mech – is a nightmare that’s haunted Swindle since the old days, the days before he and Blurr had ever first met.  And Swindle knows as bad as Blurr’s condition was when he was pulled from the building, it could have been worse – could have been much, much worse.  (Could have been dead.)

So, Swindle isn’t sure he wants to see Blurr.  Is afraid of what he might find if he actually looks too closely at his friend.  Is perhaps more afraid that despite the frequent phone calls, despite what Blurr says, he doesn’t really want to see Swindle. 

Because, having now worked closely with Blurr and observed his interactions, Swindle is more certain than ever that Blurr knows how to act – how to say the part that he’s expected to say, and keep close the full knowledge of whatever else it is he knows.  And if that is to act the part of a continued friend to his boss, would that really be so different from every other act Swindle’s witnessed since Blurr joined mecha? 

And Swindle isn’t even sure he could blame Blurr if it was.  Because Blurr is only here – was only ever here – because of him.  Which means what happened is because of him, doesn’t it?  But what would have happened if Blurr hadn’t been there?  How many lives would have been lost?  How much blood spilled?  Swindle’s own?  When now there had been hardly any.  Hardly any except for that of one of the only friends Swindle’s ever had.  Was it worth it, in the end?  What they’ve gained for mecha pilots compared to what might now be lost for Blurr?

That’s a thought Swindle tries very hard not to think about.  Because he knows there’s no good answers.  There never were.  There never will be.  So, he tries to push those thoughts to the back of his mind under the sea of other tasks that need handling.  But they always floats back to the surface no matter how hard he tries to keep them at bay.

A knock at the door mercifully pulls Swindle from his thoughts.

“It’s late.”

Swindle looks up to see Onslaught standing in the doorway, the hallway behind him darkened.  Reflexively, Swindle feels himself relax slightly and realizes his hand is loosening a grip on the edge of the report on the mecha collapse.  He runs a hand over the edges, attempting to smooth out the crumpled paper while Onslaught watches.

“You going to go?”  Onslaught asks the question in the same manner he’s always handled information regarding Swindle and Blurr’s friendship – without judgement or condemnation.

Only this time – this time the neutrality stings.  Stings because Swindle feels guilty regardless, guilty for staying, guilty at the thought of going.  And perhaps he wants someone else to recognize that guilt too.  Wishes it could be as easy as someone else telling him what the right thing to do is, when it feels like everything he’s done and everything he’s thinking of doing is wrong.

“I—” Swindle begins.

“Don’t tell me you can’t,” Onslaught interrupts.  “Or at least, don’t tell me it’s because you’re too busy.”

Because we both know it’s not true.

Swindle tags the words on to the end even though Onslaught doesn’t say them.  And he realizes, looking at Ons, that he knows – at least something of what’s going through Swindle’s mind.  Swindle wonders whether Ons, as the leader of their group, felt the same responsibility -- the same guilt – when one of them was injured, when Vortex was lost (when Vortex died), when Blast Off and Brawl were taken away.

“I don’t know,” Swindle says.

But that’s not entirely true either anymore.  Because Swindle suspects he does know the answer.  Has felt it in the hand on his shoulder, the weight settling on the end of his bed, that carefully neutral tone every time Swindle took a risk – even if he hadn’t ever realized at the time what it was.

Swindle grabs his coat from the hook in his office and makes for the door.  Onslaughts hand rests briefly on his shoulder as he passes.  And Swindle knows.  When he reaches his car, it’s the hospital that he sets for the destination.

------

The few steps it takes to go from the hospital desk, where they’ve assured Swindle that yes Blurr’s awake and receiving visitors, down the hallway to the door of Blurr’s room feel like some of the longest Swindle’s ever taken.  Swindle forces himself through the doorway before he can change his mind and – Blurr, the side of Blurr facing the hospital door…. If Swindle’s being honest with himself, much as he doesn’t want to recognize it – Blurr looks terrible, like he should be dead.  Swindle’s worst fear, in the flesh. 

But then Blurr turns.  And he looks…alive.  As alive as Swindle’s ever seen him.  A light gleaming in his eye as he recognizes who it is that’s standing in the doorway.

“Swindle!”  Blurr exclaims, pushing himself up so that he’s sitting more than lying against the pillows stacked behind him.

“Come in.  It’s good to see you!”  Blurr waves one hand enthusiastically towards the side of the bed.  Maybe not as fast as the gesture once would have been, but still fast, still Blurr.

It’s been too long, Swindle thinks.  As it always has been between their meetings.  But maybe not too late, this time. 

Swindle smiles as he pulls a chair up to the bedside. And as it always has been, Blurr's equally bright smile beams back at him.

AH FUCK THIS HURTS SO GOOD KFKFKFJNFHFHDGDGDOUFHF. I LOVE HOW MANY LAYERS THIS STORYLINE IS GETTING ITS LIKE A FUCKING ONION THAT WE ALL CAN COLLECTIVELY CUT AND THEN CRY

………..anon when I get you. When I geT YOU ANON

[mingoner]

calling cards ⋆˙⟡ p. seonghwa

you have been able to make a name for yourself in creating garden landscapes for wealthy London elites, semi-successfully getting your parents off your back about marrying well. when a mutual friend connects you with a new client - a lonely bachelor named seonghwa - feelings wither before they grow fonder, but how will they end? notes: this story is written with fem!reader (she/her pronouns, talks of gender roles, etc.) jsyk! another addition from my series "reveal the banns!" thank you for waiting :) wc: 5.7k

the sun shines on a garden landscape in the middle of london, the home of a young man made beautiful by degrees of nature.

with a final patch of tulips planted you stand on your feet, admiring the pieces of the sprawling garden design you have so carefully created and constructed.

you turn your head towards the main house to see a servant walking towards you, offering a glass of water while the owner of the estate looks out from the back door.

"please, come inside when you have finished," he yells towards you. "and after you are made clean," he adds as an afterthought, looking up and down at your dirtied dress.

once you are deemed clean enough to enter the residence you do so, seeking your friend hongjoong in one of his many drawing rooms. you descend from a privileged and rich London family, which is both how you are connected to hongjoong and how you are able to work what is basically a full time job at a time when women were expected to do all but lift a finger in labor.

“please, sit,” he instructs, but you both know he needn’t bother saying so. you have long since felt comfortable settling into the chairs in his home, your long talks stretching back over so many years.

"how has business been?" he asks, knowing fully well you barely had enough time to visit today in order to plant an unnecessary-to-others addition to the garden you have so laboriously planted and maintained for many years. he felt as though there was something missing and you knew exactly what to supplement with: always tulips.

"steady," you reply, not feeling the need to go into much detail. "the clifton's landscaping is taking longer than i first imagined. mrs. clifton has a specific picture to achieve and she keeps adding small and large additions. we should be finished next week, and if we are not then i will decide to be."

"well i am glad to hear you are so busy, and i am also glad you have a schedule clearing coming soon. an old friend of mine from university is moving to town and he is a fan of pretty things. would you be interested in helping him?"

"of course, for the right price," you counter teasingly.

"and for 'right price' you mean me excusing you out of social engagements?" he smirks.

"for whatever reason my mother is still hellbent on you being my future husband, even with all of the assurance otherwise and the complete lack of interest on our parts; so, you remain the most effective solution to any and all activities i wish to avoid. even today my mother had a tea planned but i was able to slip right out of it by merely mentioning your name,” you roll your eyes.

"i do what i can for my dearest companions," hongjoong smiled at you, happy your arrangement could offer such benefits.

oh, how he could not wait to see how you and his dear friend would interact.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

hongjoong brings you to your new client seonghwa's house the very next week, only a day after you have officially finished the clifton job. you parted ways at the front of the estate, he said he would go inside, announce your arrival, and wait for the man of the house to call everyone in together. you wanted to get a survey of the land before the preliminary talks of expectations in order to properly manage them.

you have taken notes of the front yard and part of one side when a figure stepped suddenly out from a small walking path.

"hello, is there anything i may assist you with?" the man asked cautiously, thinking you to be some kind of salesperson with your notebook and observing eyes. even now you were observing every part of him.

"i apologize," you start, "i am here to meet with the owner of the estate, park seonghwa. i am to be in charge of his landscaping. i only wanted to get a small lay of the land before we talked, but if i may be overstepping a boundary of your patron's please allow me to make it right at once. i shall easily be ushered where i am most welcome."

"i do not believe he should find your observations to be, instead, intrusions. please, continue with your previous course of action," he assured you.

you shared small smiles, a bow and curtsy, and you observed him one more. what a handsome young man, you thought, it would be pleasant to be tied with him for a few decades.

you went about your way and he went his, and only after you had leisurely strolled the property, having been allowed to take more time than you would have expected to have, were you called inside to meet the man of the hour.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

"this is park seonghwa, madam," hongjoong introduced his friend to you as you stepped into the drawing room.

you could not help the look of surprise as well as the mischievous smile wash over your face, "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," you say.

"the pleasure is all mine, madam," he smiles back.

you share a look, knowing that this was technically not your first time meeting and you both pause for a moment, you remembering your thoughts from the side yard with a blush. the moment is long enough for hongjoong to observe and he catalogues it for later, curious about how this will pan out.

"anyway," he diverts, "shall we begin the meeting?"

"we shall," seonghwa smiles gently, leading you to a room with the materials you require to draw out his garden design.

"let us begin."

⋆⭒˚.⋆

some flowers open early in the season and continue to bloom brightly until the first frost, some take time to properly blossom and receive their fair share of the sun. at some point in the job you had become fairly skilled at reading your client’s behaviors and attributing them to how flowers behaved as well. for example, mrs. clifton could be attributed to dahlias - needing endless care and significant time to grow, but beautiful nonetheless and gentle in their own way.

park seonghwa was something you could not quite place yet.

while seonghwa may have been quite open and kind in your first meeting, every time you have seen him since he has been the opposite: cold and distant. you have been to his estate four times now since the first meeting: to collect measurements, to approve designs, to label exactly where each plant or decoration would go, and only once to begin the actual work. each time you always only talked to a servant in the house, if you were even let inside the house. the single time you had to get his approval for your final design, you had to leave the design with the servant and come back later for the servant to tell you he agreed with your latest plan.

with each visit you were growing increasingly frustrated. you never imagined from that first meeting that he would turn out to be this kind of man. you are not so disillusioned to think you shared some kind of remarkable moment in his side yard before you "officially" met, but you at least thought all of the laughter and joviality from that meeting with hongjoong would translate into future meetings. you were quite wrong in that thinking, but what could have possibly changed from just your first meeting to every time after?

⋆⭒˚.⋆

it was only a matter of time before you figured it out. seonghwa has been directly avoiding you, and, to be very truthful, he has even resorted to staring at you longingly through the window during your visits. he will readily, yet ashamedly, admit that his gaze is indeed quite full of longing.

you walked so uprightly, eyes looking straight ahead of you like you never doubted where you would end up. you had a surety in your step but a softness in your smile that seonghwa had known would be dangerous to him ever since your first meeting. after you had left and it was only him and hongjoong, the other man had turned to him and asked slyly, “so, what are your thoughts on your new landscape architect? will she complete the job to your liking?” seonghwa knew exactly what he was implying and, to be fair, he had considered it for a second before his own insecurities set him back firmly on the path of reality.

he had no doubts of your ability, no one intelligent would think to suppose you held a deficiency of skill or talent. however, he had doubts of how he would handle seeing so much of you. he understood the pressure of everyone, but mostly women, to marry well, and he was nothing special. so, why would you waste any precious time thinking of him? no title in sight, just well educated and well paid, but he was a working man instead of an aristocrat who could live off the rent of his tenants in far-reaching properties. could you ever be interested in the life he could give you? would your parents ever approve of you marrying down? no, he wouldn’t hope for it.

so, he would just have to avoid you until this whole mess was settled.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

you were exactly one month into your project at seonghwa’s house before you met him outside of his estate for the first time. it was a typical summer ball, the outdoor garden filled with sprawling flowers and perfectly kept hedges creating a maze for guests to stroll through.

you were just conversing with mr. and mrs. clifton, with them praising the outcome of their garden and happily seeing so many people enjoying the grounds, when you spotted him out of the corner of your eye.

you could tell seonghwa became aware of you the same moment you became aware of him because he stiffened for a moment then went walking quite quickly in the opposite direction of you.

whatever suspicions you had before had been confirmed - he hated you. why he continued to have you work on his estate was beyond you, but nothing could shake your convictions that he was just an insecure man who was rattled greatly by a woman’s ability to make a name for herself. oh, you felt sorry for the man and the earful he was about to receive.

your feet could actually carry you rather fast if you just lifted your skirt slightly, and with long strides you managed to follow seonghwa until you had him cornered in an empty part of the maze. the hedges were high enough to block you from others' sights and the scene was probably fairly scandalous if a stranger were to stumble upon it.

you had his back up against the hedge and continued to stalk towards him, finally able to articulate the frustrations you have held onto for weeks now.

"why do you hate me so?" you ask, at first angered by his behavior but now only feeling resigned and heavy with disappointment. you see his eyes go wide with the question, a disbelieving look clear on his face. so he was going to play dumb with you?

words could not describe seonghwa’s feelings at the present moment. there was confusion from your assumptions, disappointment that his actions portrayed him as such a coward and that they made you feel judged in such a way, and part of him felt wholly overwhelmed by how attractive you yelling at him was to him. he should be able to focus on formulating an adequate response; instead, all he could think of was how your chest was moving now with your deep breaths as you had him basically pinned against the hedges.

suddenly, hongjoong, who had been watching the small game of cat and mouse from afar for far too long, turned into your corner of the maze and was shocked by the scene in front of him. while he did not care much about propriety, he certainly was aware of unsaid social rules enough to know that how close you two were and how decidedly without chaperones you were could create big problems for lots of people.

"what are you two doing here? why are you so -" hongjoong started but was interrupted, another lost group stumbling into your corner.

a girl you are familiar with, known for being a town gossip, gasped when she saw you with seonghwa and hongjoong, even though you and seonghwa had put much more distance in between yourselves after the arrival of your mutual friend.

for a second everyone stood still, no one in either party was moving or, seemingly, breathing. that is until hongjoong, ever the quick-thinker, jumped into action.

"seonghwa, you have been able to meet my dear friend but i wish for the two of you to be a little more amicable! how about we go to the party and the two of you could share a small dance?” he began to usher you both towards the manor, “really, seonghwa, i’m sure she thinks you hate her by how much you scowl around her,” he laughs out and you and seonghwa laugh uncomfortably - half because of the truth of it and half in order to make this strange excuse seem more believable. so he wants your stroll to look like three friends walking through the maze, you thought.

the girl looks at the three of you suspiciously and asks, “but for what reason were the three of you so close together in this maze all alone?”

“i thought a bout of bonding time was in order for my dear companions, they have not been as cordial as i should wish them to be as my mutual acquaintances,” hongjoong replies with a small laugh. “but i believe i must ask you the same, is there a chaperone in your own party?”

the girl flushes and mumbles an incoherent reply, with rushed well wishes the crowd disperses and the three of you share a sigh of relief as you walk back towards the manor.

“that was dangerously close and wildly improper,” hongjoong chastises you and seonghwa, and you have the decency to look sheepish. “but i stand by what i previously said, there has been a most confusing sort of hostility between the two of you for a reason i cannot place; so, in the midst of the scuffle, i took the liberty of writing seonghwa’s name on your dance card,” he directs a look at you. “whatever it is which you were discussing needs to continue if it is productive in bettering your relationship, but it needs to happen at a lower volume and in a proper way.”

both of you stopped suddenly in your walk and seonghwa felt a dramatic sort of notion that was undeniably true: he needed to clean up this mess he caused without confessing his feelings or you and any respect you could have for him would be lost forever. you felt an intense wave of dread for the imminent explosion of any personal relationship you could have with seonghwa, and how that might affect your friendship with hongjoong.

hongjoong just pushed you two forward.

when you were safely returned inside the ballroom and had waited a few minutes for a new song to start, hongjoong pushed the two of you again into the center of the dance floor where you had no choice but to meet seonghwa's eyes and continue the conversation where you left off. only now, the passion you had felt in the maze had seemingly disappeared and the two of you were left in silence.

you were content with letting the dance play through with no words spoken on your part when seonghwa decided against that.

"i must apologize to you at once," he started, and when you began to reply he signaled for you to let him continue. "i have ignored the rules of polite society and my own moral upbringing for most of our acquaintance, and i refuse to do so any longer. i have been unobliging and obstinate towards you and i must set it right, for your position in society has everything to do with my reasoning," he quickens his point as you raise an eyebrow in anger. "i find you to be one of most incredible beings i have ever had the pleasure of meeting. you are headstrong, humorous, and you are sure of yourself in a way i have never seen before. it is because i believe your social position to be above mine and your personality to be more suited for friends who are more confident like yourself that i have not been able to face you like an equal. not because i fancy myself to be above you, but because i see you as someone who is so decidedly stationed above me."

once he finishes there is a long pause between you. you take a moment to comb through his words and process just how wrong you had been about him once you decided the words held truth in them. he searches his words for any hint of romantic feelings and does not enjoy the subtext in which someone could infer from his speech.

"seonghwa," you start, "i decide my companions. i alone decide if the person with whom i am fraternizing with is 'good enough' or 'not good enough' for me. if you believe me to be so sure of myself i hope you will take a guarantee in these words - if i seek you out it is because i respect you and because i think highly of you." you begin to think about all you know of him, tales of his work ethic and kindness reaching your ears from many different clients and friends. "i admire that you are a working man, i believe it takes strength and dedication to commit your life to work, and that is a value i appreciate in my friends and in potential suitors," you realize a moment too late what you have said, and in that time both of you have flushed pink.

"i mean, i do not think of your station being anywhere except for on my level," you quickly get out, looking into his eyes to ensure he understands the truth in your words but quickly avoiding them the moment your words sink into him.

the dance was winding down, finishing much quicker than you previously thought it would have. you were out of time for talking, except seonghwa takes a careful look at you.

"would you mind if we continued to dance? i would love to ask you questions about your work - i promise i am not always consumed by such feelings of insecurity," he asks with you with a slight laugh for the last line of his appeal.

you join his laughter and agree, letting the music begin again with you both standing in the middle of the room - everything falling into place like it was made to support you and seonghwa.

with that shared dance, it seemed that peace had finally been attained.

you were much happier for it than you would care to admit.

later, when seonghwa went for a glass of punch to quench his thirst, he overheard the girl who had stumbled upon your group talking with her friends in the corner.

"you know between the two choices, i think it is clear. she should absolutely choose the duke! he is handsome, smart, rich beyond compare, and he does not seem to give anyone else the time of day," she said.

one of her friends countered, "but they have been friends for some time now, i think it to be highly unlikely that any romance could bloom so late in their acquaintance with each other. either way, i think mr. park would fit her much better! he is gentle, even more handsome, and he is quite rich as well! maybe he lacks the fortune of a duke, but she will never not be satisfied by a man of his station."

"either way we can all agree that they would both be satisfactory options for her, and i, for one, cannot wait to see who puts the ring on her finger at the end of the season," another girl squealed.

seonghwa escapes the group of giggling girls without notice and he cannot help but to feel slightly pleased in spite of himself. maybe they are right and someone like hongjoong would be more suited to you situationally, but he knows his friend has no interest in you in that way. and to hear people in the ton, some of the most notorious gossips at that, say an arrangement between the two of you would not completely be shocking, but even slightly encouraged, is something he valued more than he could say.

maybe he had more of a chance than he previously thought; after all, he may not have the "fortune of a duke", but he could still potentially be the one whom you refer to as your "husband".

⋆⭒˚.⋆

after that dance it seemed like a true friendship had formed between you and seonghwa, though that in and of itself was becoming a separate problem. with each day you spent tending to his garden you gradually had opportunity after opportunity to learn about the man whose home you were beautifying, and that was becoming dangerous.

at every turn you found him to be incredibly thoughtful: hand-delivering water to you at intervals throughout the day, making sure you always had a place to rest under some shade, never allowing you to stay outside in the heat for too long.

in every breath he was kind: asking about your day, offering rare books in his collection for you to borrow, inquiring about your favorite projects and what drew you to gardening in the first place.

and with everything in his body he was endlessly attractive: with sweat dripping down his neck when he would hand you your glass of water, taking a break with you as he made sure you drank the whole cup. he was unfairly attractive when he would reach across you and flex his bicep unwittingly, trying to position a plant correctly according to your instructions when he insisted he offer you help on a particularly long or hot day. and he was uncommonly handsome when he would invite you into his home for a snack, asking for your permission to give your hands a small massage for their hard work that day. his excuse would always be something about making sure his employees were in their peak form at all times, but you hoped dearly that no other received the same treatment from him.

in all, seonghwa was dangerous, he was cruel, and he was in seemingly ever-present danger of making you fall in love with him any day now. if you were being honest, that day might have already come, but you were too stubborn to admit that yet.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

a few days later, after you, against your will, started to become aware of your feelings, you finish your walk around hongjoong's garden to complete small maintenance and make sure everything is looking as it should before you go inside the house, falling into a chair in the drawing room.

hongjoong awaits you on the couch across from you, looking at you slyly and sipping a glass of something dark.

"so," he starts nonchalantly, "i have noticed an increasing number of social events have had the distinct honor of your attendance recently. would this rare phenomenon have anything to do with the gentleman who has lately been present as well? maybe a man referred to as a mr. park seong-"

"please abandon that sentence before you can finish it," you reply, trying to look unfazed. his words hit much deeper than you would ever care to admit.

"i only ask because it seems as though your payment for the park project is becoming null and void, if my excuses for social events were your price for his garden, why have you continued your work?" he asks, knowing the reason all too well. to be fair, he has met with you and seonghwa many times at seonghwa's house as you have been progressing on the garden, even once interrupting a strangely intimate hand massage - that one still confuses him.

“we have become friends,” you say with a similar, but more forced, tone of nonchalance. “i have a great admiration and respect for his character. with that reason also comes the one which says i have too much respect for myself and my work to quit a project before i can finish it. it is impossible to tell when my time at the park estate will be finished but i do not necessarily hope for it to be over,” you tell hongjoong, gritting your teeth for the next part. “i have become aware of, spiteful of, and currently resigned to potential romantic feelings towards that gentleman, as i am sure you know. in this lies a very serious problem in that i believe we are just too ill-suited for each other to ever be successful, so those feelings must stay unheard of. so, please do not attempt to meddle with my love life.”

“you may ask things of me which i may not decide to give,” hongjoong answers. “things like discretion as well as a promise not to meddle in the affairs of two people who are more suited for each other than anyone else i have ever met - mr. and mrs. clifton included,” hongjoong laughs, then turns serious. “you and seonghwa are a match that even an imbecile could see is worthy of pursuit, and i will actively try to make both of you see that. that is, in fact, a warning, threat, and promise all wrapped in one.” he gives you a long look.

you only sigh, knowing the storm had not yet passed and the rain showed no signs of letting up - not if hongjoong had any say in the matter.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

everything falls apart too easily.

after so many months of growth, it all happens in one night at a ball, getting to be one of the last of the season, when a man you had never met before approaches you with hongjoong.

"madam," hongjoong says, "may i present another old friend of mine from university, this is song mingi."

mingi gave you a slight bow, taking your hand and giving the back of it a small kiss. "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance ma'am," mingi drawls. (hongjoong privately rolls his eyes at how thick he decided to lay it on.)

"he saw you from across the room and asked if i were familiar with you, how lucky of me to be able to say yes," hongjoong said, laughing. "in fact, mingi, there should be another acquaintance of ours lurking around here somewhere, he always seems to be floating around wherever this young lady may find herself," they both look at you with small smirks and your cheeks flush.

finally, hongjoong spots seonghwa and ushers him over, not without taking special notice of the way his eyes seemed to be locked on mingi, a particularly unpleasant look on his face and eyes clearly observing the flush on your own face.

mingi turns and sees him as seonghwa stalks your way, and while of course he missed his old friend, he was more excited to be apart of hongjoong’s plan to kick things into action for the two of you.

“seonghwa!” mingi exclaimed and they shared a firm handshake, one that was more firm on the side of one particular person. the rest of the evening followed in a similar fashion, seonghwa riding the line between gladness to see his friend and absolute loathing for how he thought mingi looked at you.

through conversations drowning in layers of tension, and even one incredibly tense dance between you and mingi, seonghwa’s eyes almost never left you. he was beginning to see all which he could lose.

when everyone had retired for the evening and you went back to your own bed for the night, the three boys returned to hongjoong’s house to catch up.

one drink became two, which then became the bottle, and after only a short while each of the men were stumbling around the estate looking for trouble.

in the garden mingi finally said, “i am only in town for a short while, seonghwa you must tell me when i should clear my calendar to return for a wedding!”

seonghwa flushed deeply, “maybe i should ask you that instead,” he said, voice coming out full of bitterness.

the other two boys startled, surprised by the abrupt change in tone of the conversation.

“what do you mean?” hongjoong asked gently, treading carefully.

“i mean that i saw how she blushed when he was near,” he points to mingi and turns to him. “i saw how she gravitated towards you and how she smiled at all of your comments, laughed at all of your jokes, all the special attention she paid to you while she couldn’t stand to look at me.” his drunken rant continues, now joined by small tears streaming down his face. “i knew my first impression would come back to haunt me, she wants nothing to do with me!”

he walks deeper into the garden with every word when he stumbles upon a little patch of tulips, obviously planted later than the other plants, but growing and thriving nonetheless.

“i wish i could tell her everything in my heart,” he mourns, he grieves for something he has not yet lost.

mingi and hongjoong share a deep look, knowing that without even stronger and more forceful meddling seonghwa would be lost forever.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

the following day the men plan for a dinner at seonghwa’s house once he has recovered from his intense hangover and is at least slightly less involved in a self-thrown pity party. and while seonghwa has sobered up enough to let go of the most dramatic of the feelings he shared last night, he still felt the base of them linger in the back of his mind.

it was not until hongjoong and mingi had arrived for dinner and the three of them had settled down that seonghwa began to suspect something, and that is when he noticed the fourth plate setting. he looks briefly at it then glances up to hongjoong and darts his eyes between the two biggest imbeciles he has ever met.

"do not tell me -" he tries, but is interrupted.

"mr. park," a servant calls out, "another guest has arrived!"

you step into the room as the servant announces your name, looking beautiful and smiling brightly, smiling only for him.

"thank you kindly for the invitation, sir," you say with a curtsy. he never really had a chance against you.

as dinner progresses and hongjoong's 'subtle' hints get decidedly less and less subtle, and seonghwa becomes more and more withdrawn; so, hongjoong and mingi decide to change tactics.

now that the last course was about to be served, hongjoong makes up an incredibly transparent excuse, "i must oversee the desert selection, mingi could you lend me a hand?" he asks quite forcefully.

"why of course good sir, i would be delighted," mingi smirks as he stares into seonghwa's eyes for the whole of his reply.

seonghwa glares back then turns to you with a softened gaze. once they leave the room, he feels as though he owes you an apology.

he moves slightly closer to you and takes one of your hands, takes a deep breath, and summons all the courage he can find.

"please, madam, if i may say so without supposition or pretension," he takes another deep breath, "i hold you in the highest regard possible in my heart. i have fallen slowly but mightily in love with your character, morality, humor, and kindness during our acquaintance this season; however, i have observed you for months and in all of that time i have not seen any indications of a return of these precious feelings of mine. instead, i have seen an interest on your part for my dear friend mingi, so i would like to finally be brave enough to say exactly what i must in order to do what is right. i love you. and it is because i love you that mingi will never feel comfortable acting on his feelings for you. so, i arranged this morning transport for me to leave town in two days, the very day you are projected to finish the garden on my estate. i thought i at least owed it to you to see the project through. i apologize for any - "

"if you leave in two days i will never forgive you," you interrupt him and his eyes widen. "you have made me wait for so long for a confession of love from you and you cloud it so with talks of mingi? i do not know that man! i only met him a few days ago! he means nothing! you, seonghwa," you grip him tightly, pleading with him to hear you, "you mean everything. he shall never compare to you. he cannot make me feel even a fraction of the love i feel for you when you smile at me, and he cannot make me feel even an ounce of the despair i feel when you refuse to converse with me. i only care for you. i do not know in what moments you have observed me to think me impartial to you, but i cannot help to think that either you have a great deficiency of sight or i, too, have been a fool to let this go on for so long. it is you, seonghwa. it has always only ever been you. i always only want it to be you."

the room stands shockingly quiet for a long moment, until he takes the hand he had grasped so tightly and brings it to his lips.

"i guess all there is to do now is to make me the happiest and most grateful man on earth."

"i guess that must be so."

⋆⭒˚.⋆

for months leading up to your wedding hongjoong and mingi bicker about who will take credit for your partnership at your marriage reception.

you and seonghwa just laugh and discuss which color tulips will be featured at your ceremony.

⋆⭒˚.⋆

[vermililion]

edward nashton 'the riddler' fic recs!

˚　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

continuing to update | last updated 27/05 | includes smut and other nsfw content.

─── ✧ DRABBLES/THOUGHTS

voyeurism | @pictureinme

kinktober - pervy eddie.

from your secret admirer | @boyprincessarchives

you're edward's newest penpal! ...unbeknownst to you. set in the riddler year one comics, in the midst of finding and fulfilling his purpose to rid the city of its impurities, edward finds that his biggest hurdle for his plans are the growing thoughts about the corner diner's newest regular. but he cant just come up to you!! maybe notes will have to suffice...

─── ✧ ONE SHOTS

home is where the heart is | @vigilvntes

There's no where Eddie would rather be than home.

the getaway | @abrcmswrld

You should've turned him away that night. Instead you let him in your home and into your mind and into your heart, and now he's burrowed himself so deep it feels like cutting out a vital organ to send him away.

keep looking up | @goodboyriddler

He's utterly obsessed with you. Your face, your smile, your smell. He'll do anything, beg for you, take that fight for you.

good boy | @/goodboyriddler

He's always nervously stealing glances at you when you come to the dinner, blushing when you look back. When you praise him accidentally one time his whole body shudders. Oh. This is going to be fun.

the one I love, the one I left behind | @mypoisonedvine

for the most part, you've managed to let go of the life you lived so long ago, fighting to survive in an orphanage with your best friend at your side; you thought it was the only way to cope with the trauma and move on so you could start living in better means...

so long, prison boy | @mermaid-trash

Reader visits Eddie in Arkham after finding out he is the Riddler, angst follows.

jail bird | @passi0np1t

whole lotta angst. In which the gn reader visits edward in jail after he’s arrested.

puppet master | @get-your-fics

Who's really pulling the strings?

covered in you | @starlightsearches

neighbour riddler.

moving too fast | @/starlightsearches

eddie is a virgin and doesn't know how to tell reader.

edward nashton | @the-witty-pen-name

collage au with edward.

i knew him | @sadtrombonemusic

Y/n gets caught up with the GCPD after she is singled out by the Riddler.

Damn bitch, you live like this? | @rat-cigars

riddler being the riddler - based on 2022 batman, pre-canon into main canon.

─── ✧ SERIES

lessons in design | @ohcaptains

edward is in charge of registering the new recruits. it’s boring and dull work, but he happens upon the newest member of the design team and becomes a little bit too interested in her startup. 

disarm (AO3) | @/writingsofmax

Edward Nashton is working on his Riddler plans for Gotham when he unexpectedly meets Y/N, someone who is struggling with her chronic illness one night while out driving. Edward had always been a loner that had serious issues relating to other people and now has to reckon with his growing feelings for Y/N over time as he also continues to work on his plans in secret.

tax season on camera | @killerlookz

Edward Nashton is a simp in every sense of the word, having fallen head over heels for a camgirl he'd found, whom he barely knows. but somehow Eddie gets lucky, and his favorite cam girl moves right next door, and just so happens to need his expertise.

pick-up lines | @/starlightsearches

Imagine getting creepy cute cards from a “Secret Admirer” and finding little gifts at your work, in your apartment...and you’re shocked to find out The Riddler is leaving the same style of cards for Batman at his murder scenes....

saturdays - sundays - weeks | @ficsforyou

He sees her, someone rich, someone famous, someone who eventually will be his.

truth's out | @/sadtrombonemusic

you found out that your husband was the man terrorizing Gotham city, how does that affect you and your child?

faustian bargains part ii | @acapelladitty

Assigned as the newest psychiatrist to treat Edward Nashton, your first meeting quickly descends into a dangerous game which sees you making a deal with the devil to survive.

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

[jollmaster]

Hiya!! Really love how much effort you put into your au, it's really interesting and I love all the characters designs! I have a few questions

1. Where did Jan (Nifty's husband) end up after death and did he and Nifty end up reuniting? Same goes for Alastor's parents

2. How did Charlie end up meeting the others in her gang (besides Al)?

3. What are the main eight's (Charlie's gang) biggest regrets?

4. Have you ever thought of making a webtoon or webcomic of Asileverse?

5. What are your pronouns?

OMG I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU LOVE THIS AU with all my thoughts and redesigns ❤️ and ofc here are the answers!

Jan, Niffty's husband, and Alastor's parents

unfortunately, Jan ended up in Sheol, on the Sloth swamps, and at the currend moment he's already on 5th stage of decay (practically dead); his little wife Niffty who was killed only a week after his death is more vital, glory to her!

Matilda and Roy are both living in Eden, and both are in permanent facepalm because of son's antics, and the only way they can communicate is to send messages through Charlie (sometimes that's a motherly slap)

I have a headcanon that in an alternative scenario Matilda would have become an exorcist, gone to the underworld during Extermination and given Alastor a REALLY good beating :D

how did Charlie meet the gang?

in brief it looks like this

in more details:

Vega, after being banished from Eden, lived for several years in Zepar's castle (he gives shelter to sinners when sandstorm seasons start on the 2nd circle), but decided to help Charlie when heard about her endeavors with shelter and help

Angel Dust escaped from Valentino, for whom he worked mostly as a guard for prostitutes (and managed to die a couple of times from painful shock after punishments), and was looking for a place to hide; ofc Angel didn't tell asile's landlady about this right away, and as a result almost EVERYONE got in trouble!

Niffty had been scavenging on the banks of Phlegethon for many decades, but seven years before the main events Alastor found her, washed up and got her a job as a maid in Cannibal town; for the last year and a half Niffty has been working at Rosie's manor, who took care of her, so girl has VERY useful acquaintances

Husk doesn't really want to tell everyone that he's a former overlord, and at first he just slept in the attic, where he secretly crawled in (Niffty found him there and was excited); Alastor, to Husk's great displeasure, recognized him, and they agreed over a game of cards that Husk would remain just a grumpy cat for visitors

not that Cherri Bomb was interested in the rescue, at least at first time, but she worried about Angel (Angel had saved her in first year in the underworld and taught her everything she needed to know), visited bro and always stayed with all of them during the Exterminations

Charlie's gang relations with sir Pentious over the years ranged from hostile to neutral (he had ambitions and guns), but after couple of years Pentious himself became interested in redemption and came to them voluntarily, out of a desire to rethink everything (+ because of one person who loved powder and guns as much as he loved :D)

Charlie's gang biggest regrets

in fact, the only one in Charlie's gang who drowns himself in his own regrets is Angel Dust with his survivor's guilt complex: his father and brother preferred to die at Adam's hand while he chickened out

in general, sinners mostly let go of "mortal" regrets: Husk once regretted forgetting beloved wife and all his six children, Alastor felt a little guilty about letting mom go to a Charleston hospital during the spanish flu epidemic (mom caught the flu and died in his arms; Alastor cremated her body and moved it to the family crypt in New Orleans a year later), but now they're just living their second lives

Charlie regrets not getting enough family warmth (more precisely, Charlie didn't get family warmth in traditional format, with mother, father and siblings; that's one of the reasons why she had children on her own and feels a bit jealous to sinners who had good family relations), Vega sometimes thinks she should have kept in touch with her lover in Eden after all, and misses sisters in arms

so most of their current worries are related to the current state of affairs (as we know, all is complicated)

webtoon/webcomic

all what I can say is MAYBE :D I hope to do something if I have enough time and desire!

pronouns

she/her, I'm just a woman ❤ but I don't pay much attention to this, for me it's not something important, so if someone writes they/them by default, I won't be offended

AND HUG YOU!

[district11crm]

Learn why the District 11 CRM mobile application is vital for businesses. Streamline customer interactions and boost your competitive edge in the market.

[huramuna]

downpour - oneshot.

modern aegon ii targaryen x nanny reader minors dni, you will be smited.

this is for @targaryen-dynasty sleepover challenge 🤭 i got the babysitter au + the prompt 'why so shy?' i had so much fun with this, modern aegon is a menace and also a sopping wet cat.

word count: 4.5k

content: smutty smut smut (specifics under cut), aegon being a little shit (we love it), saltburn spoilers (lol), allusions to drug / alcohol abuse and rehabilitation, mullet aegon, jaehaera and jaehaerys are hel's kids but they have an unnamed / unrelated father, gratuitous use of song lyrics, probably a touch of power imbalance because of her job

murder on the dance floor - sophie ellis-bexter

warnings: oral (m receiving), face slapping w/ cock, degradation, dirty talk (this man never shuts up), face fucking / deepthroat, cum on face

“Jaehaerys! Jaehaera! Please don’t run in the house with muddy boots!” you called fervently, trying to collapse the umbrella with one hand, two teddy bears slung in the other. 

“We won’t!” they both called in unison, followed by the unmistakable sound of muddy galoshes squeaking over the marble floor. You suppressed the urge to groan as you entered the exquisite home through the french doors that led to the backyard. 

“Boots off, little ones!” you called again, kicking off your own shoes in a haste to catch the gremlins before they tracked grime all over madam Alicent’s home. You had been working at the Targaryen estate for the better part of a year as a live-in nanny for Lady Alicent’s two grandchildren– twins, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. It was a wonderful job for the most part, as the twins were a delight and you had grown to have a strong friendship with their mother, Helaena. She was a bit dreamy-eyed and wistful, but was a wonderful mother nonetheless, even if she did have her melancholic days. 

The estate was huge and ancient, passed down from generations through Helaena’s father’s side, which was apparently a near royal bloodline from days long foregone. Viserys Targaryen, the father in question, was hardly ever home. He managed the family business (whatever it may be, you didn’t find it in you to ask– all you knew is that they were dirty rich) with his other daughter, Rhaenyra, from his first marriage. He had four children with Alicent, Helaena being the only one of the brood to still live at home.

 You’d met two of the others as well; Aemond, a lawyer in the family business who was, in short, all business and no play. He never regarded you, really, besides a quick glance or stiff nod. He had, however, slipped you a eight-thousand dollar bonus at Christmas time with a simple card that read;

Thank you for taking care of the twins and my sister. And keeping my mother sane.

- A.T

The other sibling, Daeron, was the youngest of the bunch, visited usually during holidays, as he constantly was studying abroad. ‘Sowing his wild oats’, as Helaena had put it. He was cordial to you and very much had a boyish charm, and Helaena loved to joke that he had a crush on you. When he had come home for New Year’s, he brought you a souvenir from Iceland, an authentic lopapeysa sweater, made from wool and sewn with a beautiful geometric design. 

“Awh, Daeron wants you to stay warm, lovey,” Helaena teased. 

“I-It’s just– her hands are always so cold, a-and the wool is supposed to help keep warm! The inner layer is insulating.” Daeron had stammered, the tips of his ears growing red. 

“Uncle Daeron has a brush!” Jaehaera squeaked, her words whistling through her tooth gap, she’d lost her first baby tooth just the week before.

“A crush, he’s got a crush!” Jaehaerys corrected softly. 

Alicent thought the whole thing very amusing.

That left one child you hadn’t met. You didn’t know much about him aside from small bits of conversation you’d picked up on between the rest of the family. Aegon. The eldest of all of them, and apparently the troublemaker of the bunch. You knew what he looked like from the portraits– blonde hair like the rest but with severely more bags under his eyes. Upon entering the home, one would see the chronological order of family portraits. 

It starts with Viserys, Alicent, and baby Aegon; the latter of whom is happy and chubby and bubbly. 

Then, it moves to the three of them, plus baby Helaena, with her wide blue-eyed stare at the camera. Aegon is still happy.

The next one adds the addition of baby Aemond– there is a glint of sentience in Aegon’s eyes, but he hasn’t experienced the crushing blows of reality yet.

You weren’t exactly sure, but as he got older, he became more morose– more bags, less light in his eyes. Then came the ear piercings, the tattoos, the head shaving, the bloodshot in the whites of his eyes. The portraits ended with this past year’s Christmas photo. Aegon was noticeably missing from it. You’d heard during one of Alicent’s phone conversations with her father that Aegon was in rehabilitation for a myriad of issues, and looking at his photos, you could only guess which one was the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

A particularly harsh clap of thunder broke you from your thoughts, coming back to yourself. You scooped up Jaehaera before she stepped on the carpet with the muddy shoes. “C’mon, let's get cleaned up for lunch, yeah? What do we want for lunch today, lovies?” 

“Grilled cheese n’ tomato soup.”

“No! I want mac n’ cheese.” 

The squabbling ensued, the twins arguing back and forth for a few moments before you butt in. “Alright, how about– whoever gets the floor the cleanest and puts their galoshes by the washroom the fastest gets to pick?” 

The twins squealed in delight as they absconded from your sight, effectively going to do your bidding for you. You would, however, just end up making both meals anyway. As you moved to the kitchen, the sound of the doorbell rang. You bustled to the door, not sure who to expect– there weren’t many roving visitors in and out of the estate unless Alicent was explicitly expecting company– which you had triple checked the calendar when you woke up that morning.

You opened the door, expecting to see a debutante or someone of Alicent’s social circle– ‘twas not the case. You recognized him immediately, seeing his mother’s face in his own. Aegon. He was muddy, dirt flecks splashed on his face as he stood under the stoop trying to get away from the pouring rain. His face was a bit healthier than you’d seen it, the dark circles were still there, but not as prominent. It was like a gloomy day, rather than a full blown storm under his eyes. He had the wisps of a beard starting on his jawline, and his hair was cut into a makeshift mullet, longer in the back.

“Who the fuck are you?” he asked, hands in his pockets. 

“Erm– the… the nanny. For the children.” you stammered, his tone catching you off guard. You glanced behind him, seeing a beat up dirt bike caked in mud– that was probably how he got here. 

“A nanny? You’re a bit young for that, yeah? My nanny’s were all wrinkly old prunes.” 

“Oh– uhm, come in, Mr. Targaryen.” 

He perked a brow at the name, but didn’t say anything. He beat the bottom of his boots on the doormat, which didn’t accomplish much. He immediately began to track mud on the floor. “Mum home? Hel?” 

“Lady Alicent is… upstairs,” you offered, following behind him at a quick pace. “Helaena is taking a nap– the storm–” 

“Yeah, I know ‘bout Hel’s issues with storms. Don’t need to tell me twice. So, you got a name, or are you just the nanny?” 

You gave him your name as you glanced at the clock– it was almost time for the children’s lunch and you hadn’t even put it on the stove yet! 

“Got any food around here? Fuckin’ famished.” he added then as he nosed around the kitchen, hands still in his pockets. 

“I’m just about to make lunch for the twins– uhm, I can make you something too if you’d like.” you walked past him, quickly putting some pots on the stove and starting the gas. You and the twins were on a strict schedule, and if they didn’t get their lunch on time, they would turn into hellions. 

“Sure. Whatever the kids are having. I’m not picky.” Aegon waved his hand behind his head as he disappeared from the kitchen and clomped up the stairs, likely to speak with his mother. You fretted for Alicent’s mental state once that was done, and you felt even guiltier for not giving her a heads up.

As the tomato soup heated on the stove and the water began to boil for the macaroni, you unlocked your phone– you were curious about Aegon and why he’d come back, exactly. Well, of course, besides the fact that he lived here (or did, at some point) he was still supposed to be in rehab for another three months. You went to instagram, rolling your eyes as you saw that his profile was on ‘suggested for you to follow!’ 

You clicked to his most recent photo, the first that he’d posted in over a year.

“Jesus christ,” you muttered under your breath as you put down your phone on the counter to stir the soup. 

“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain,” Aegon teased behind you. When the fuck had he gotten there? “Soup n’ mac and cheese?”

“Tomato soup and grilled cheese for Jaehaera, mac and cheese for Jaehaerys.” you responded plainly, trying not to notice that he was practically breathing down your neck. You glanced over as he leaned on the counter, where you had left your phone. Unlocked. Like an idiot. On his instagram page.

“Curious about me, are you? I’m surprised you haven’t heard enough about me from my mum.” 

“I don’t like to pry into Lady Alicent’s affairs–” 

“I wouldn’t consider myself an affair, more like a one time fling, eh?” Aegon snorted, grabbing your phone. It took every fiber of your being to not break all sense of decorum you held to snatch it back from him. “You’re not following me– let’s change that,” he mused, beginning to scroll through your page now. “Lots of pictures of the kids here– ooh, a trip to the seaside. There’s no pictures of you on here, eh? Only of… my family n’ other stupid shit, like the ocean.” 

“I’m a live-in nanny, sir,” you grit out, stirring the soup with more force than necessary. You consider yourself a patient person, and have become accustomed to how people in the Targaryen’s circle made their jabs. High society and filthy rich people had their own language of insults– ones that you wouldn’t realize they were insulting you until much, much later. It was like a game with a slow burning poison. But Aegon, apparently, was different. There was nothing meticulous about his jabs, no filter, no slow burning poison. It was all punch and sting, like a bite from a rabid dog rather than a viper. “I usually attend family trips.”

“Live-in, huh?” he drawled, his arm leaning over the counter in such a laissez-faire manner that you could feel yourself scowling. “Don’t get much action then, I take it? Let’s see if there’s any nudie judies on here, then…” 

“N-no!” you broke then, all sense of manners flying out of your body as you struggled to take back your phone.

“Why so shy? Got something on here you don’t want me to see?” he staved you off, a hand planted firmly on your shoulder as he scrolled through your photos, making all sorts of gaudy faces. You didn’t really have anything overtly scandalous, maybe a few lingerie shots for an old boyfriend.

“Aegon, leave her alone. Give her back her phone.” Alicent’s voice cut through the room like a knife, stunning both of you.

He sheepishly gave you back your phone as she crooked a finger to her son, ushering him to a room on the farther side of the house. 

As you fed the twins their lunch, you overheard some yelling, arguing and heated voices. You only saw Aegon later when going to your room to get ready for bed. His eyes were teary and red. 

— 

The next few weeks went by with some normalcy— everything was as usual, except it was like you had a third child to care for; Aegon. Except this child didn’t listen at all and had terrible habits. He was constantly flirting with you, but also would weave in jabs at the same time— you couldn’t quite tell if he even liked you or not. Not that it mattered, anyway.

You were sneaking in your own lunch one afternoon, eating scraps from the twin’s lunch while they napped— basically just the crust you cut off of the grilled cheese and the small bit of soup left in the pot. 

“You eat like a mouse.” Aegon said, always managing to be there to annoy you. 

“Too much food makes me tired— I won’t be able to keep up with them if I’m sluggish.” 

“Could always drink a red bull or a monster, instead.” he offered, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it in the kitchen. 

“You shouldn’t do that inside. It’s bad for the children’s lungs. Lady Alicent says—,” 

“Well, it’s my fuckin’ house too, innit? I can smoke in here if I well and bloody like,” he growled, exhaling a puff of smoke into your face. “My mum must be paying you extra to be my nanny too, then? The way you’re up my ass all the time.” he flicked ash in your direction. 

You crossed your arms tightly over your chest. He was goading you, baiting you into a reaction. He was being insufferable on purpose. You could tell by his pearly white smile he currently had plastered to his face, like a smug little— 

“Never had a nanny so pretty, though,” he continued. “If I asked real nice, would you feed me soup? Dress me up? Give me a bath if I’m real dirty?” he got closer and you could smell him— the smell of marlboro reds and cheap aftershave that had become synonymous with Aegon blew out your senses until it was all consuming.

Your mouth parted as you tried to think of some witty response, some barb, some jab— but nothing came out. You just huffed and turned away from him in an attempt to hide your red cheeks. Why were you blushing? 

You could practically hear the cockiness ooze from him, his mouth perked into a cheeky smile as he stole one of the crusts. He knew he’d gotten to you. 

—

It’d now been over a month since Aegon moved back home and the building tension between you two hadn’t let up a bit— you constantly felt trapped and elated all at once. When you saw him, your chest fluttered slightly in anxiety and anticipation. What was wrong with you? 

It was a dark, gloomy day. The seasonal storms were in full swing, pelting the estate in rain and hail. Alicent, Helaena, and the twins were out on an escapade to Alicent’s father’s house— you guessed Aegon hadn’t gone. But, it was a huge house, so surely you could enjoy some of your time off without seeing him? 

A rumble of thunder shook the house, rattling its constitution— and then the lights flickered. Flickered… flickered… then… out. It was dark, then, even with your window shades open. You turned on your phone flashlight and tiptoed out of your room, going to see if perhaps you could smack the backup generator into working. 

You hadn’t expected to work today, nor see anyone, as Alicent had given you the day off. So, you were subsequently dressed in your pajamas— a hilariously oversized Bass Pro Shop shirt (a gift from your dad in America) and cat-patterned sleeping shorts. Your toes cracked and creeped on the floorboards with each movement, and to your chagrin, as you passed Aegon’s door, it opened. He was wearing a shirt that said “MILF: Man I love Fishing”, with just his boxer briefs on, which didn’t seem to bother him at all. 

“Oh. You’re still here.” 

“Yes?” 

“Sorry, thought you were gone with the rest. Sad, I can’t do the Saltburn thing now.” 

“The… what?” 

“The Saltburn thing? Dance around the empty mansion to myself with my cock out.” 

“What.” you responded with the most deadpan tone.

“Dance… with my cock out?” he repeated.

“No– I know what you said– but why?” 

“Why not?” 

You rolled your eyes, shifting the conversation. “So, the power is out– uhm, do you know where the backup generator is?” 

“In the wine cellar. Nifty, huh?” 

“... the… wine cellar. I can’t say I’ve been down there yet.”

“I know it like the back of my hand, c’mon then. I’m sure I can kick the old gen in the nads and get it to work.” Aegon said with surprising confidence, turning on his phone’s flashlight and half blinding you. 

You followed behind him, to which he hummed ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ while doing a half-assed dance, apparently from some movie that was definitely something you hadn’t watched– you don’t remember the last time you watched a movie that wasn’t geared towards the twins. 

“So basically… he had the whole mansion to himself, and then he dances through it with his cock out, hanging massive brain, y’know? It's murder on the dance floor, you better not kill the groove,” he imitates the dance, sprawling his arms out in the doorway to the wine cellar and shaking his bottom a bit, which was, admittedly, nicely fit in his snug boxer briefs. You felt a strange heat flush to your cheeks.

“And this… is a… what? Comedy?” 

“Well, categorically no– I’m not a film aficionado. I guess it could be considered a psychological thriller, but I thought it was pretty funny,” he stopped before continuing into the cellar. “It gets pretty hairy in here, so stick close, okay? Ever seen The Conjuring?” 

“... yes, actually. Horror movies are kind of my favorite.” 

“Ah, a girl after my own heart,” he mused. “Well, think of the basement in that movie, but instead of a bunch of old useless shit, it’s a bunch of old wine.”

“And… instead of ghosts?” 

“Oh, there’s definitely ghosts.” 

“... what.” 

“Yeah, estate is haunted. You haven’t noticed?” 

“Shut up.” you murmured. You were a huge fan of horror movies while simultaneously being a huge chicken shit when it came to scary things– you were prone to hiding your face before the big jumpscare or running up the stairs from the kitchen when it was dark, just in case something was chasing you– and your feet had to be covered by the blanket at all times when sleeping.

“Aww, you scared?” Aegon teased, turning to you.

“I mean– ghosts are scary. Of course!” you offered sheepishly, pulling up the collar of your oversized shirt to cover your nose and mouth in an almost hiding manner– a nervous habit of yours. 

“I’ll keep you safe, love, no worries about that.” 

“... that’s what they always say, right? Then they totally leave behind their girlfriends to get stabbed by the killer or… eaten by the monster.”

“You my girlfriend now?” he asked, that stupidly annoying and somehow charming smug energy exuding off of him in waves. 

“Shut up.” you grumbled as you both approached the generator. It was covered in dust and hadn’t been touched or tended to in a long time, it looked like. “Do… you know what you’re doing?” you asked Aegon tentatively, watching as he inspected it.

“Me? Oh, fuck no. I never know what I’m doing, honestly,” he shrugged, giving the metal box a kick and haphazardly pressing some buttons. “No dice, sweetheart. ‘Spose you’ll have to dance in the dark with me for a bit longer, huh? But, if there's a ghost, you'll be... ghost food, or whatever.” 

You pinched your brow in annoyance. “I don’t understand you.” 

“What’s there to understand? I’m a pretty open book, you know.”

“No– you aren’t. You flirt with me but also… insult me? I don’t get it.”

“It’s called teasing– picking? Picking on? Getting the goat?” 

“What? So, like a little boy pulling a girl’s pigtails on the playground because he likes her? That makes absolutely no sense, Aegon.” 

“If you spend your time trying to find a reason for it, you’ll go insane. Why not just enjoy the point of it? I like you.” he breathed, suddenly very close to you. He set his phone aside on top of the generator, flashlight up. It illuminated the walls of wine and cast shadows of cobwebs and dust all around the both of you.

“What?” 

“Are you deaf– I. Like. You.” he repeated, his knees bumping yours as you were practically glued together, your back now against the ancient stone wall.

Your lips parted as you inhaled a breath– okay, you weren’t exactly expecting him to say that, or even like you at all– you figured the flirting was all hot air, a defense mechanism, something for fun, not… real. Your heart was pounding in your chest and you became all too aware of the fact that you hadn’t been touched since you got this job, maybe even before that– and your previous boyfriends never made you feel… flustered like this. You couldn’t form words as he, uncharacteristically cautiously, put his hand on your cheek. He was so close, so close– his body heat mingled with your inherent coldness and warmed you instantly. You weren’t sure what came over you, but you leaned forward, slotting your lips against his. What the actual fuck were you doing– you were kissing your boss’ son, her notoriously bad mannered, foul mouthed, sloven slob of a son, and you liked it. Your hand instantly went to the back of his head, fingers grazing through his choppy curls– even giving them an experimental tug, which he seemed to enjoy, by the indication of something poking you in your thigh. 

His lips moved against yours like a dance, and you couldn’t get the fucking song he was singing earlier out of your head– It’s murder on the dancefloor– you grasped at his hip, it was fleshy and pleasant, the tips of your finger slipping under the elastic of his briefs– But you better not kill the groove– his hands were exploring, too, under your stupid Bass Pro shop shirt, groping at your breasts with reckless abandon – If you think you're getting away, I will prove you wrong – the heat rose in your body until you couldn’t take it any longer, the two of you were practically eating each other alive in this dank, dusty cellar and it was undoubtedly the hottest experience of your life – I'll take you all the way, boy, just come along – your lips parted for a moment, still connected by a string of saliva, bridging the gap between the two of you – Hear me when I say, hey –

“On your knees for me, love?” he asked, his voice suddenly so deep and husky, his thumb skimming over your collarbone. 

You fell to your knees for him so quickly– how pathetic. He wriggled down his briefs, already leaking at the fat tip of his cock. He wasn’t overly long, but he was girthy, like a beer can. Your eyes widened, which he must’ve noticed, as his face was plastered with a shit-eating grin. Your mind immediately went to an image of a so-called ‘American delicacy’ (your father’s words, not yours) called Beer can chicken, in which a can of beer is shoved in the ass end of a chicken and grilled. It is apparently as delicious as it is horrifying. Your throat bobbed as you surveyed it, a tentative hand around the base. He shook his head, prying your hand from him.

“Nope, mouth only. Open up, be a good girl.” Aegon muttered, looking down at you, the light of his phone flashlight illuminating him from below– he looked like a God. Or maybe a devil. 

Your mouth parted as his hand guided you forward. You wholly expected him to nestle in your mouth, but he surprised you with a slap to your face with his cock. It didn’t hurt, just caused you to yelp in surprise. He smeared some of the pre-come across your cheek, then slapped the head of his length on your waiting tongue. It was somewhat degrading, what he was doing– but it lit a goddamn fire under your ass, the neurons of depravity in your body, wherever they may lie, were alight with each nasty little gesture Aegon gave you, before he finally slid home. It stretched out your mouth, prodding at the back of your throat. 

“What would everyone else think, hm? If they knew you were such a fuckin’ slut.” he growled, gathering your hair in his fist like it owed him money, beginning to fuck himself into your mouth, careful to pay attention to your body language to make sure he wasn’t working you over too much. He made sure to be extra careful with his toys, rather than break them.

Tears welled, spilling down your face as you let him use you, degrade you– and yet, he also praised you.

“–such a good girl for me–”

“–you can take a little more, there you go–”

“–prettiest throat I’ve ever fucked–”

You felt like you were on fire, set ablaze by arousal you’d never experienced before– was this what they sang songs about? Dirty, borderline pornographic songs but the point still stood.

You had to chalk it up to the barometric pressure of the storm, right? Aegon wasn’t your type— your type was… well-adjusted, non-addicts, non-bad boy, non-troublemakers. Aegon was the antithesis of what you were into. 

And yet— you were into him. You were into him in a pathetic, pitiful way. It made you cringe to think about but you couldn’t resist his puppy dog eyes, nor could you forget the way he was whimpering— fucking whimpering! You squeezed your thighs together slightly at the sound of it, at the blurry-eyed, teary sight of him looking down at you on your knees, eyes half lidded. 

He pulled out with a particularly throaty grunt, painting your face in his unnaturally warm seed, somehow careful enough not to get it in your eyes– small mercies. Your lungs inflated with oxygen once more as you caught your breath, trying to gather yourself. You felt the swathe of cloth over your face as Aegon cleaned you up with his ‘MILF: Man I Love Fishing’ shirt, which he had apparently taken off. 

“You good?”

You nodded slowly as he helped you to your feet, brushing off your knees with the clean part of his shirt. 

“Um– so,” he still held onto you, as if he was afraid you’d run away. “Do you want to watch a movie with me later, when the power is back on? Like, actually watch it– I won’t fuck your face, I promise.” 

“... are you asking me on a date?”

“Umm… yeah. I think.”

“Maybe we could watch Saltburn?” you offered with a shrug.

–

“Your mum texted me,” you whispered. “The bridge is temporarily washed out from the storm, they won’t be back ‘til tomorrow.”

“Do you know what that means?” Aegon said, suddenly giddy. You both had just finished watching Saltburn, and you finally understood what the ‘Saltburn thing’ was. 

“You know your mum has like ten security cameras set up around the house, right?” 

“Okay… and?”

“I’m not dancing naked in the hallway, Aegon.” 

“How about just in my room? Please?” 

You gave a sigh, beginning to take your clothes off.

“Siri, play ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.”

‘Okay. Now playing ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as featured in Saltburn.’

It's murder on the dancefloor!

But you better not kill the groove, hey-hey, hey-hey!

It's murder on the dancefloor.

But you better not steal the moves.

DJ, gonna burn this goddamn house right down.

[sightseerbat]

Ness and Porky headcanons because I'm already inside your home and you can't do anything about it!

(Contain general stuff about their friendship, but can be Nessporky if your heart so desire)

- They started interacting with eachother here and there during neighbor visits (soon the frequent visits would stop as the whole "Ness's father not paying up his debt" thing kinda tore both families apart)

- Became acquaintances by playing a bit together through the fence on days they both happened to be on their respective backyards at the same time

- Would become actual friends when Ness went to defend Porky from a bully at school. So instead of Porky getting beaten up, both got beaten up.

(((Hey, at least they got something out of it. I also used to got beat up at school and all I got was this lousy T-shirt)))

- From that moment on, they would spend a great amount of their days playing games and around the neighborhood together

- These two had a "pact" of sort to always play new 2 player games as soon as they were avaiable to rent at the videostore. Playing a new game with someone else than the other would be considered SACRILEGIOUS in this friendship.

- Ness would always allow Porky to be player one when they played. He didn't think fighting over it was worth it even when they were playing on his console.

- Before the game's events, they were trying to beat Contra on the NES

- Ness played baseball and other sports since forever, but never managed to have more friends cause he was always way too quiet for other kids's liking ((( just neurodivergent problems, nothing to see here folks )))

- That's THE reason why Ness stuck with Porky's antics through all these years. Being able to have fun without having to mask away this part of himself was too special for him

- Ness was always TERRIFIED of spiders. Porky choosing the design of his mecha was a intentional move to put even more salt on the wound that has become of their relationship at that point

- After the adventure, Ness still had the folder with stored birthday cards Porky gave him along the years somewhere in his room, mostly because they would contain written jokes and drawings he didn't had the heart to dispose of

- Having to throw away this folder years later wasn't easy for him, but alas.

[hanakoofthejungle]

Another HuskerDust Hazbin Hotel fanart because I am obsessed with these two.

Speedpaint process below:

This piece is based on the fanfiction, Wicked Old Soul by BunnyBight. It is also a Overlord Husk AU fic but has its own distinct and captivating plot. I highly recommend.

The scene comes from Chapter 24 where Husk and Angel host an engagement party for Asmodeus and Fizzarolli, and of course they have to dress the part :))) in other words, excuse for me to draw Husk in a fancy suit and Angel in a beautiful dress.

I took a lot of leeway in interpreting the clothes.

BunnyBight describes Angel's dress as "made of a black shimmery material. Not sparkly, it was too subtle to be called that. The top of the dress wrapped over one shoulder and under the other. It fit snug to his body until it hit his hips where it then draped straight to the floor. The front of the dress had a large opening. The left side of the skirt fell straight down but then another layer started at that hip and crossed in front to end at his right ankle. His entire left leg was bare as was the bottom of his right leg." So I was thinking of silk chiffon as the material for the blouse/bust and first layer of the skirt and taffeta silk for the bodice and second dress layer. As both fabrics has shiny property, they would look a bit more grey than black as opposed to Husk's wool suit. I added a layer of pearlescent watercolor on top to make the dress shimmery but it doesn't show after scanning. Check out my speedpaint Youtube short to see how it shines under the light. The dress is also supposed to have gold and red playing cards embroidery, but I was lazy.

Angel's necklace is the centerpiece of the outfit, '[t]he necklace was an intricate design of many small black diamonds and seven large rubies, all set in gold [...] It looked like something royalty would wear." So I went ahead and based the necklace on Empress Elisabeth of Austria's ruby parure. I saw the necklace in her portrait by Georg Martin Ignaz Raab while visiting the Schönbrunn Palace some years ago. There are exactly 7 rubies in this fanart and some small black diamonds. The details do not look good up close since I was drawing on a small A5 size paper and this is the best I can manage with tiny tiny jewelry. BunnyBight also mentions a pair of earrings that go with the set, but I don't know where the ears of a spider locate so I replaced those with a matching hair ornament.

"Husk was wearing another three piece black suit with gold pinstripes and buttons. His gold bowtie looked fabulous over the red shirt he wore with it." I found that when executing all these details on paper, the suit would look very busy and lack an emphasis. Hence, I instead put Husk in a pure black double breasted suit, kept the red shirt and placed all the red, gold and black color in the tie as the highlight of his outfit. I couldn't draw the tiny "little gold and red playing card cufflinks at his wrist" (again the limitation of traditional art on small paper) so I replaced the with heart shaped gold cufflinks. A nice allusion to Husk's wearing his heart on his sleeve just for Angel, which was definitely my plan all along and not just mere coincidence. I skipped Husk's fancy top hat and cane because I was lazy. One very wrong detail in this whole outfit is Husk's ring which he doesn't get until Chapter 36 :((.

The background is just me freehand drawing that tapestry with card symbols and other motifs appear in Loser, Baby and the marble column.

[rhysand-vs-fenrys-vs-writing]

Watching (PayuRain Edition)

Summary: Hidden beneath the newest and most prestigious opera house in Bangkok lies a secret club. Built by Pakin, managed by Sin, and a new favorite of Payu and Rain.

For my fanfic library, visit @rhysand-vs-fenrys-vs-writing.

To read on Archive of Our Own, click here.

Watching (PayuRain Edition)

Rain’s heart pounded in his chest as he and Payu waited in line.

They were on the farthest side of Bangkok, in an area he’d never been to before, outside of a famous opera house. It was named for some ancient aristocrat’s wife, and a carved likeness of her smiled down from either side of the main entrance.

The mighty building rose five stories tall, and was capped with a new domed roof that magnified so much as a whisper spoken from the stage. According to the stories on the news, it had the most perfect acoustic design in all of Thailand- if not the entire world. Sound flowed through the audience, making them not merely spectators at a show, but visitors peeking in on another world.

This was one of Pakin’s newest achievements. A jewel in his real estate empire to further legitimize himself and step out of the shadows his family had inhabited for so long.

People in various degrees of finery surrounded Payu and Rain, all waiting with tickets in hand. The more hardcore attendees of the two-year-old opera house discussed the resumes of various performers or musicians the opera had signed for the season- and rumors of a ballet taking residence inside as well. 

Rain half-listened as he and Payu moved towards the doors one step at a time. He fidgeted with the ticket in his hand, excited and nervous at the same time.

“Ticket please,” a black-suited attendant stood before the grand doors. Payu and Rain handed theirs over together and the man scanned them before sending the couple through.

Payu held out his arm for Rain to take hold of as they entered the main lobby. There were men and women in expensive clothes milling about, waiting until the show was closer to beginning before taking their seats. A few took note of the stunning couple, and some even waved to Payu. Clients of the garage, familiar faces from Pakin’s race, or clients of the firm.

Instead of being drawn in to rub elbows, Payu led Rain through the lobby and up a grand staircase. Ahead of them the doors to floor-level seating were wide open to admit guests. On the left and right sides of the hall were two marble staircases that wound all the way up to various balconies and private boxes.

Thick carpets cushioned their footfalls as they walked not towards the staircases, but rather the coat check. Payu took Rain’s ticket and held it out to an attendant, who took note of something the one at the entrance did not know to look for- an imperfection in the embossed border of the card. Little more than a notch. He whipped a finger over the gold lettering- raised, not lowered.

The man nodded and scribbled something down, then waved the pair through a side door into the room itself.

A low counter ran beside the attendant with a main space open so that customers could remove their coats without worrying about being jostled in the main hall. The man nodded to the back of the room- a corner out of sight from the door or the hall-facing window of his booth. Once Rain and Payu reached that corner, he flipped a switch and the wood panel slid to the side.

“Your claim number will be thirty-eight.”

The door clicked shut behind them in an instant.

Well, when Pakin built the venue, perhaps legitimizing himself wasn’t the only goal. He was still Pakin, after all.

It was dark in the hidden passage, but clean and wide enough for Payu and Rain to walk side by side. The jacket of his suit brushed against the cool wall, and Rain was careful not to scuff his shoes on the tile floor. There were breaks in the walls every few feet, and cuts out of the tile to facilitate something moving along a track.

Payu led Rain further and further, until they came to another wooden wall that blocked their path. They stopped close to the wall and waited.

“The wall is closing,” a voice from below said.

Rain glanced back as a mahogany panel slid behind them, trapping the two in a space only a few feet deep.

“The walls are sound-proof. You have privacy now,” the voice said. Rain noticed a small grate in the floor- only wide enough to allow whatever attendant was stationed below to see if anyone was in the path of the wall. After the voice spoke, a bit of metal slid over the grate, sealing it off.

“Are you excited?” Payu asked as they waited.

A soft grin tugged at Rain’s lips, even though his stomach was churning, “It never gets easier.” This was their third time attending.

“If you don’t want to do this-”

“I do,” Rain said quickly. “Just nervous.”

From ahead, Rain heard the fast scraping of wood. They waited until the wall before them was completely pulled aside to reveal another small, empty space. Payu and Rain stepped forward, and the wall closed again.

Bit by bit, minute by minute, they shuffled forward as the walls allowed. Sometimes there was hardly any wait at all, and sometimes it took a few minutes. The longer the wait, the more excited and nervous Rain became.

Eventually, the wall to Rain’s right slid open to reveal a waiting room with several lockers and a door leading to a bathroom. The lockers were tall, and numbered from 30-39. A small silver basket sat along the wall that was open to admit Payu and Rain into the space. When the wall slid shut, a key labeled “38” slid down from a chute into the basket.

Payu picked up the key, “Claim number thirty-eight.” He went to the corresponding locker and opened it.

Rain began removing his suit jacket as Payu pulled out a hanger to pass back to him. He hung his jacket up and- with some hesitation- began removing his shirt and pants as Payu did the same beside him. 

Folded neatly in the closet were two nondescript black robes, one for each man. Rain grabbed his and went to the attached bathroom to clean and prepare for what was coming, while Payu took his time swapping his formal pants for a loose pair of black linen ones. Rain returned about ten minutes later to find Payu doing push-ups, making his muscles stand out.

“Tease,” Payu actually said it to Rain, as the boy had left his robe loose around his shoulders, showing off his clavicle.

“What are you going to do about it?” Rain threw some attitude at Payu, provoking him and easing some of his own anxiety at the same time.

A dark humor lit Payu’s eyes as he reached into the pocket of his hanging jacket and pulled out two scraps of black silk- twin masks. He stepped behind Rain and slid one on to cover the boy’s eyes. There were two holes in the mask to see through- it was only designed to cover the upper half of the face. Rain’s eyes were locked on his as Payu stood behind the boy, the two watching each other in a mirror while Payu adjusted it so Rain’s hair was tidy. 

When he was done, Rain performed the same service for his partner, heart pounding in his ears.

“We won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with,” Rain let Payu grab his chin and force him to look up after he had finished. Payu’s whispered words gave Rain a chance to breathe. He nodded, and Payu pulled Rain against his chest. The tall man’s heart was beating just as hard.

“You too. You have to be comfortable too,” Rain said.

Payu flashed a grin, “It isn’t my birthday.”

“P’Payu!”

His boyfriend chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair, “Don’t worry. I know how to speak. I want to show you off.”

Rain’s face heated at the words.

How would he have the courage to-

Rain took the key from Payu and quickly locked the door of their locker before he lost his courage.

“Come on, the next people might be waiting.”

Rain pulled Payu’s arm to a black panel at the far end of the room and knocked twice. It slid aside, and the pair walked forward through two sections before they were stopped by another wooden wall. The path closed behind them, and Rain knew that somewhere, a door was sliding open to admit the next person assigned to the same dressing room.

“I hope there are still good seats available,” Rain said as they waited.

“I’m sure there are plenty. We haven’t had a bad view yet. Do you want to sit in the front or back this time?”

“Middle.”

“A black booth?” Payu raised an eyebrow to confirm it once again.

“A red one,” Rain said after a deep breath. “No more arguing… unless-”

“No more arguing,” Payu did not accept the out that Rain was offering him.

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Payu wrapped an arm around his adorable little boyfriend and squeezed Rain’s hip.

They moved forward section by section, much faster than before, until they stood on the landing of a black staircase. An attendant in a white wooden mask that obscured their entire face- save for a slit to see through- waved their hand across a display of mannequin heads with silk masks in various colors, materials, and with different degrees of coverage.

Neat labels proclaimed the meaning of each color:

Black for couples who do not wish to interact with others.

Red for someone willing to be shared with a woman.

Green for someone willing to be shared with a man.

Purple for someone willing to take another partner of any gender.

“We will use our own,” Payu tapped his mask. He and Rain had discussed the matter at great length- neither had any desire to use another color under any circumstances. Both were fiercely jealous of their boyfriend, and both would not tolerate any sharing, nor did they want to be shared.

The attendant bowed his head again, and waved them towards the spiral staircase.

They went down beyond the basement of the theater, until they came to a rich, carpeted landing and another black door in the wall. There were a series of scanners the pair had to pass through one at a time- intense devices looking for any electronics the two might be trying to smuggle in.

Pakin’s guarantee was discretion. No one was allowed so much as a fitness watch. Cell phones were absolutely banned. Even a simple notebook and piece of charcoal would be confiscated. 

Finally, at long last, Rain and Payu stepped forward to the ornate black doors of the club.

Pakin was willing to legitimize himself with the magnificent theater above, but below, they passed into the territory of his friend Sin.

The richest man in all of Thailand, and owner of just about every club in Bangkok.

A black curtain separated them from the club, but at the far end of the hall they could hear the din of idle conversation and light music. A woman stood in front of them at a booth, a wooden mask covering her face just as it had the attendant above.

“What color and size table would you like?”

“Table for two, mid-way up, and red, if there are any still available,” Rain answered before Payu for the first time in all of their visits. He was declaring his position firmly.

“Of course, please follow me,” she bowed and pulled aside the curtain.

They were in a large, clean room with dim lights and steep amphitheater seating that surrounded a simple, well-lit stage. Black accented with silver gilded the room, giving everything an air of elegance and seduction. Each booth had backs high enough to hide anyone inside, with gauze curtains that could be drawn to keep the inhabitants from the view of those across the room without blocking view of what happened below.

Every single person in this room was a celebrity, politician, businessperson, or the child of one. A single photograph, no matter how blurry, just to prove this place existed would sell for millions of baht- but if anyone tried, the guards stationed around the room would make sure that person was never seen again.

Pakin had explained the rules of this place to Payu and Rain as a way to assure them of the discretion offered… But it gave Rain nightmares for weeks.

If breaking into the races was dangerous, breaking in here was a guaranteed death.

The attendant led them through a small maze of seating options and down two steep pairs of steps before stopping in front of a candle-lit circular booth. A cloth of red lace covered the entire top of the table, and a high marble wall (capped in red) curved behind the chairs, affording some additional privacy.

“Does this meet with your approval?” the attendant asked.

Rain and Payu eyed the stage- fairly close, but they wouldn’t be illuminated by the light spilling from it. Payu read the young man’s face before nodding, “It’s fine.”

“Here are your menus, a waiter will be around in a few moments,” the attendant waited until Rain and Payu were seated side by side at the back of the booth before handing them each a leather-bound booklet. 

“Please wait until after the performance begins to use the restrooms, out of respect for entering parties.” With that, she opened a panel on the wall that surrounded the back half of their booth and pulled an opaque curtain to completely block the pair from view. Those curtains would be retracted automatically once it was time to begin.

“Do you want to order any food?” Payu raised his hand to allow Rain to curl into his side.

“The chocolate-strawberry fondue? For after?”

Payu nodded, “That did look good. I think you spent more time staring at the strawberries the waiters were passing with than watching the show itself. Sounds fine- let’s try it.”

“What are you drinking this time?” Rain looked down at the alcohol list. There were several items exclusive to this secret club, something Payu had explained to him Sin liked to do. The exclusive menus drove hardcore patrons from club to club, just to try them all.

“I keep saying I’ll try the blue one, but the atmosphere is perfect for wine.”

“What if I get the blue one and you can have a taste?” Rain didn’t want anything too strong. The waiters here were strict, and he wasn’t confident he could hold his liquor enough. Anyone more than buzzed was cut off- and the threshold was lower for those who wanted a red booth.

“Deal.”

Couples or groups of people entered the room bit by bit over the next half hour. It took time to fill the space- why Rain and Payu weren’t worried about arriving too early. Each step in the entrance process relied on the area before emptying. Every time Payu and Rain had stepped forward in the hall of moving walls, it was a sign that another group of people had advanced.

Everything was done for the privacy of the guests. There were even two separate entrances to the underground theater- fed by the two ground-floor coat rooms.

“Permission to enter?” a man’s voice asked.

“Granted,” Payu said.

Their waiter felt for the seam in the curtain before stepping into their private area. He, too, was fully masked, “Would you like to place an order?”

Payu glanced at the menu again, “We’ll do the chocolate and strawberry fondue after we are finished. I will have the Exclusive Legacy Red, and my boyfriend wanted the Midnight Kiss cocktail.”

“I will put those orders in right away,” the waiter scribbled their orders on a piece of paper. “You are sitting at a red table, that means you are willing to perform for a maximum of twenty minutes in tonight’s display. Do you consent to this?”

“I do,” Payu reached out as the waiter produced a small device, scanning his fingerprint to mark his consent.

“And you, sir?” The waiter turned to Rain, who nodded. “I apologize, but you must give clear, verbal confirmation.”

“Yes, sorry, I consent,” Rain said, then allowed the man to scan his fingerprint. Those records would be tied to the table itself, not their names, and in a system not connected to the internet. It was a security measure, in case anyone claimed consent checks were not given.

The waiter smiled and put the small device in his apron, then pulled out a breathalyzer machine, “We require confirmation of sobriety at all times. Blood alcohol levels are restricted to 0.04 in order to perform, and 0.08 is the maximum limit.”

Both men proved their sobriety.

“You are wearing black masks, which means you are not allowed to approach other guests, and they will not be allowed to approach you. If you would like to change this at any time, you may call me. So long as no other patrons are on the staircase at that time, you will be led back to the mask seller you passed on the way in. He will turn his back as you change your masks- you are guaranteed full autonomy at all times.”

Rain and Payu nodded along. They were given the rules at every “show”, but didn’t mind the repetition. It helped calm Rain down, knowing how seriously Pakin and Sin’s men took privacy and security.

“Performance order is assigned at random, and each number is called only twice before we move on. If you miss your number for whatever reason, you will have a second chance to perform, time willing. Emergency exits and general restrooms are located on both the north and south ends. In the unlikely event of an emergency, you will be given street clothes. Your key number, please?”

“Thirty-eight,” Rain said, and the waiter checked a plastic card.

“Key thirty-eight ties to passes distributed by Vendor A. Again, though an emergency is highly unlikely, if one does occur, your vendor will contact you with instructions as to the location you may retrieve your belongings from. Present the key to claim your belongings.”

The waiter took a deep breath and laughed brightly, the end of the safety briefing. “For your performance, would you like any particular setup? We can offer a pedestal, chair, bed, or I can bring a menu of restraining devices and toys.”

Rain looked to Payu. Payu shrugged, “Birthday boy’s choice.”

“P-pedestal,” Rain said. “And ties?”

“Silk, leather, or metal?”

Payu wasn’t allowed to answer- on the one who would be wearing the ties had a say in the type.

“Silk, please.”

Payu flipped open the menu and went to the back page, which had nothing to do with drinks, “And we’ll use this brand of lube,” he pointed to one that would warm Rain from the inside out. “We will split delivery.”

The waiter wrote it all down before bowing, “Final reminder- anyone wearing a white mask like this-” he gestured to his own, “-is here to help facilitate your night. We are not permitted to touch you in any way, and cannot be touched. Penalty for breaking this rule is immediate detainment by our security partner and expulsion from the club. Alcohol and drug abuses are penalized with maximum severity.”

“Understood,” Payu said. The club was high-end. Tickets were only granted to those whose behavior the trusted vendors could personally vouch for.

As for them, well, if there was any emergency, as the man had said, the lockers would be emptied. The place all possessions would be sent- in nondescript boxes- was none other than Payu’s garage. A place wealthy and powerful people in expensive cars would not be noticed one bit. The cars would arrive, the key placed in a passenger seat, and when they were ready for pickup their box would be in the back seat.

In exchange for agreeing to serve this role for Pakin and Sin’s club, Payu and Rain were guaranteed two tickets per month.

Pakin first approached Payu about the deal a year before, while Rain was out with Graph and Sky. Payu had no concerns about serving as an emergency point for the club, and Pakin already knew his discretion was iron-clad.

Payu told Rain about the arrangement, and it took a year for the pair to work up the nerve to come to a place like this…

A sex club. The kind where the patrons could be part of the display. Where they could live out their deepest and darkest fetishes before an audience that does not judge, that only enjoys. Every week there were different themes to the shows, different kinks or fetishes allowed. Rain and Payu discussed their limits carefully before settling on the most basic of the attendance options- bondage and lighter fare. Nothing that might frighten or disturb the two, not one of the nights that would involve faux screams of fear or pain. They left those nights for the ones who would enjoy them- and they were among the most well attended nights.

There were things that Rain and Payu enjoyed in the bedroom that they had no interest in seeing others indulge in.

“I hope we don’t get anything lower than fourth,” Rain said after a while. He needed time to build up to it. “What is your maximum?”

“Not last. The mood is annoying- everyone is more worried about how high they can get in the exit line and people get testy.”

Not something they would have to worry about today. The ones who perform have priority to leave early, so that they don’t have to worry about anyone watching for their exit through a coat return. Rain and Payu deliberately wore suits a bit too big for their frames, harder to recognize a body type.

“Permission to enter?” their waiter returned in short order.

“Granted,” Rain called this time.

Someone pulled aside the curtain to allow their waiter to enter with a large tray. He set out a tall glass of red wine and a flute of cloudy silver-blue liquor that shimmered and swirled. 

“The other half of your order will be provided during your turn,” the waiter said as he set a small phial of rose-colored lube on the table. Payu had ordered it split, meaning he wanted half in advance to prepare Rain.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“This is fine for now,” Payu said.

“Yes, sir. You have been assigned fourth in performance order, but may trade for a later time if desired.”

“Fourth is perfect,” Rain had secretly been hoping for that number. It gave them enough time to settle in, but not so much time that they couldn’t enjoy the rest of the night for nerves.

“I will come to remind you before the third performance, to give you an opportunity to prepare. If you need anything before then, simply blow out the candle on your table, and I will return.”

With that, the curtain closed once again.

Rain’s heart was hammering in his chest as they settled in completely. He picked up his drink and held it up to Payu, offering a taste, as promised.

Payu took a sip, then made a face, “Too sweet for me, but you’ll like it.”

A crust of blue sugar topped the rim, but even though the venue had their own surly take on it, the drink was still a campaign cocktail at its core. Rain found it more sour than sweet as Payu had said, but it reminded him of candy. 

Neither drank much of their chosen beverage. Both of them were nervous about what they had signed up for… having sex… with an audience watching.

In his younger days, Payu had participated in the occasional… well, he supposed it’d be called an orgy. He only ever focused on one partner, but in a room filled with sex. It didn’t bother him, but he was never the center of attention the way they would be tonight.

And the idea of those eyes on Rain’s body, people coveting his boyfriend… It made Payu wildly jealous in a way that made him nervous… but excited. 

Neither could predict what it would be like, but both wanted to find out.

The music shifted and the low din of the room vanished. A bell chimed and the opaque curtains withdrew into the sides of the booth, leaving only the gauzy layer for those who had pulled it out themselves. Rain and Payu had left theirs alone, and so they had an unobstructed view.

Instinctively, all eyes scanned for what red tables they could see- hungry guests wanting to know who would be setting the mood of the evening.

Rain glanced around the room. The quantity of red tables changed in accordance with the length of the show being performed in the opera theater above. There were a few groups, but most of the night’s acts would be duos- with a healthy mix of same and mixed sex couples.

“Welcome patrons,” a woman in a long black dress and white mask stood upon the stage. She was playing the role of facilitator for the night. “The opera this evening has an estimated run time of three hours and twenty minutes, including intermission. As always, our show is timed to match. Performers, when you hear this sound-” a high, clear bell rang from above,”- know you have five minutes remaining. This-” the stage lights flashed, “-means you have one minute.”

She clapped her hands once more, “First performers, raise your candle if you wish to accept your time.” Everyone scanned the crowd, looking for the required sign. After a moment, a cheer went up from the far side of the room- a black-masked man and a smaller, purple-masked woman stood up. The man had black satin boxers on, and the woman wore a simple black slip.

Rain leaned forward to watch as they stepped down to the stage. The woman was shy, but no more so than Rain thought he’d be if he were given the first time slot. Her companion led her to the edge of the stage and gave her a deep, claiming kiss before pushing aside the straps of her slip and letting it fall, exposing her naked body to the room.

There were no loud cheers this time- but a wave of sighs or murmurs of appreciation for her body.

A round section of the stage rose from the rest, and Rain found himself grin with anticipation. The platform meant that either a chair or table was being brought out- or maybe a standing restraint of some kind.

Two attendants carried a chair out a moment later, and quickly bolted it to the stage for safety. The man said something to the hostess before leading his partner to the contraption. Their twenty minutes wouldn’t start until the hostess left the stage.

“Our performers invite audience participation of any gender. Regardless of table color, those in red, green, or purple masks may join in, but you will not be permitted into the recovery room. As always, we respect the boundaries set by the performers. No penetration of any kind- oral, digital, or phallic- of the performers mouth or anus. Participants who are capable are encouraged to climax inside our performer as many times as they wish. All participants must be finished and leave the stage by the five minute bell.”

While the announcement was made, the music shifted to a slow, deep tune to match the energy below.

The chair was a seat with arms and legs on separate mechanisms that could be adjusted and locked whenever the user desired. Only a very thin bench at the back provided traditional support, leaving the woman’s freshly-shaved hole on display.

Payu reached over and pulled at the belt of Rain’s robe as the woman helped her partner tie silk restraints around her ankles, binding her to the chair. He was finishing up the wrists when the first couple members of the audience- a man and a woman- approached the corner of the stage. They waited, the man stroking himself, as the performer’s arms were tied to the chair and angled away from her body,  her legs lifted and separated as far as she could go.

The circular portion of the stage began to rotate and Rain reached over to touch Payu’s bare chest. Neither took their eyes off the display below as the woman’s partner stepped behind her and casually draped his arms over her chest. He ran his fingertips along her torso and nodded to the man, inviting him to approach.

Rain slid his hand down Payu’s front and into the band of his pants as the woman trembled in both anticipation and fear. The man hesitated, but this time it was the woman who beckoned him forward as best she could with her arms bound.

He stepped between her legs and Payu’s hand slid the fabric of Rain’s robe out of the way. Rain withdrew his own hand and slid out of his underwear, allowing Payu to take hold of his half-awake dragon. Rain returned to Payu’s son, wrapping his small hand around the large length.

The whole room seemed to hold their breath as the music swirled- expertly matching the pace of what was happening on the stage. 

At the first nudge of the man’s cock against the woman, Rain squeezed Payu’s member. When the man on stage slid into her and she cried out in pleasure, Payu began to stroke his boy in time with the thrusts.

The woman on the stage arched her back and the man holding her licked his lips as he watched her split around the stranger between her legs. The stage rotated just fast enough to provide everyone with ample view as he began to thrust into her. Her man wore a black mask- meaning he was limited in what he could do during the performance. He could only touch her, no one else, and he reached up to pinch and lightly twist her nipples while she writhed.

Another man stepped in line behind the still-waiting woman at the side of the stage, who was fingering herself watching the show up close.

Rain rotated his hips to match the woman, while his hand mirrored the man’s thrusts. Neither Rain nor Payu had any intention to let each other climax, but they could tease and play with each other until it was their turn. It was easier to lose themselves in the show than drink their beverages to get past the nerves.

Rain’s heart raced and his ears filled with the gasps and cries of the woman, tuning out the music entirely. The man seized up and he cried out as he spilled himself inside her. The woman’s back arched and her toes curled in pleasure. Her partner’s gaze was heavily lidded as the man staggered back, taking a few drops of seed with him. The woman who had been waiting came up immediately to fill his vacancy.

She dropped to her knees and immediately shoved her tongue into the woman. The bound one cried and pulled against her bonds, trying to either grind herself against the woman’s face, or escape overwhelming stimulation. But this was what she signed up for and requested, unless he used a safe word, this was all part of her entertainment.

Rain’s mouth watered as he stroked just the head of Payu’s cock. He breathed against the intense sensations and willed himself to wait. Rain was making it hard for Payu to endure, so he returned the favor by pouring the phial of lube onto his hand and pushing Rain to lean his chest against the table, giving Payu room to slide a finger inside him.

Rain gasped and hunched forward, his grip becoming erratic as Payu stroked from the inside.

The woman didn’t remain on stage for long. The bound one was shaking in her man’s grasp as she came, and the visiting woman took that as her sign to leave. Before the woman’s climax had ended, another man was already in place, shoving himself inside her.

Her screams almost sent Rain over the edge. She grabbed Payu’s hand and stopped him from moving, even as Rain’s own hand stilled on Payu’s dick. Not yet. He didn’t want to come yet.

The man spilled himself inside the woman before glancing back at the corner of the stage. No one had stepped up yet- not unusual for the first performance of the evening. He grinned and slammed back into her, making her arch her back and cry out against the feeling in her hypersensitive core. The man looked to her as his thrusts grew slower, more gentle. She nodded that she was alright and he picked the pace back up.

This one liked being treated like a toy.

Another man stood up and came to the front to give her what she wanted when this partner finished his second round.

The woman on stage came hard at the second load released into her body. The chair was rotated to just the right position as he pulled out- Payu and Rain both sighed at the creamy mess between her legs. The woman hardly remembered to breathe in anticipation of the next man who stepped up- he was larger than either of his predecessors.

On the chair, the woman frantically nodded and licked her lips as he approached. She struggled against her bonds, shaking. Payu could see her mouth moving as she panted the words over and over again, “Give it to me, give it to me, give it to me.” Her hips rolled as if she was already fucking him.

The others took her roughly, but this one slid in slowly to defy her command. Her screams as he filled her were glorious, and Payu heard more than a few similar cries around them as men or women came with her. The man who stood behind his partner on stage moaned and licked his lips. He still held her torso, and seemed to be shoving her down onto the cock harder and faster.

The large man reached between her legs and started playing with her clit as he planted his feet and pounded her hard enough to bruise. Her partner’s eyes were nearly manic as she thrashed. Her fingers and toes splayed, shaking violently as her back arched and she came with her loudest scream yet.

At the peak of her climax, her eyes rolled back into her head.

Rain rolled his hips against Payu’s fingers, no longer caring if he came or not. The penetrating man didn’t relent as the woman passed out. He kept thrusting with everything he had.

Small sounds began escaping her lips in time with the thrusting cock as she revived. Her head shifted from side to side as she gradually became aware of herself, at what was happening to her body. Rain knew that delicious fog very well- Payu was a master of creating it.

The five-minute bell rang out above and her man, caught as he was in his lust, said something to the other. The man thrusting into the girl nodded and closed his eyes, redoubling his efforts. His panting became deep and edged with moans until he seized and slammed into her a couple more times. He staggered back until just the tip of his dick was inside her and furiously stroked the rest, pumping in every last drop he could give.

He fell back away from her entirely after a moment, dazed by the ferocity of his orgasm. No one stepped up to take his place- but that wasn’t what her partner had in mind. As the man walked away from the stage and back to his booth, her partner fell to his knees between her legs. Without a moment’s hesitation, he began to lick away the seed of the other men that dripped from inside her. He stroked himself through the fabric of the pants, but made no move to shove them off and have his own turn.

The man who filled her last watched from halfway up the steps with a grin on his face as he slowly returned to his table. His partner- also male- greeted him with a fierce kiss before sliding out of his seat to provide an oral cleaning as well.

Rain was stroking Payu furiously as he watched the man on stage clean his woman as thoroughly as possible. At one point, her eyes half-opened and she watched him with a faint smile. The lights flashed- one minute left. She certainly wouldn’t be able to cum again for a while, but her man raced the clock as his tongue probed deeper, seeking as much semen as he could find. Reveling in the feeling of the entire room knowing how proud he was to be the one to lick his woman clean.

The stage went dark, and the audience broke out in enthusiastic applause as attendants came to help untie the woman. Her partner carried her off to the recovery room, and the din of conversation filled the air while the stage was cleaned and re-set.

Rain shivered around Payu’s fingers and flashed his man an excited smile. Payu’s eyes were molten as he crushed Rain’s lips against his and gave him a fierce and hot kiss.

Rain almost wished they’d chosen the chair as well.

“Thank you to all who participated,” the hostess came back after the stage was clear. The raised circle slid back into place. “Second performers, raise your candle if you wish to accept your slot.”

“We’ll go later!” The breathy call came from the last man who had emptied himself inside the woman. His man was still on his knees with that impressive cock in his mouth.

The hostess bowed. “Third performers, raise your candle if you would like to accept your slot.”

Two men sitting on the far side of the stage smiled as they raised their candle. Both wore black masks- no audience participation. One man was huge and burly, the other petite with blonde hair tied slightly back. Attendants brought forward a long, solid table- the same pedestal Rain and Payu had requested.

Both men left their clothes behind at the booth. The blonde had a body made for magazine covers- thin and lithe with well defined muscles. The bigger man was lethal in his build, all hard muscle, with thick arms. He looked as if he could crush the man beside him with a single fist, and yet the hand on the blonde’s back was gentle. 

It seemed like most of the room noticed the same feature at the same time, and there was a gasp as the lights shimmered on a set of three jewels embedded in the already impressively thick length of the big man.

Rain’s mouth fell open as he wondered what would drive a man to have his own part pierced like that. Surely that meant the big man would be taken by his small lover, right? It couldn’t feel good to push a pierced dick into a tight hole… right?

Lost in his own wonder, Rain didn’t notice Payu’s chuckle as he realized the couple on stage were a pair he was very familiar with.

He wouldn’t tell Rain that the man he was so hypnotized by was a man who terrified the boy in real life.

Chai and his husband Win deserved their autonomy.

Payu slid a third finger into Rain as the boy watched, mesmerized by the display in front of them. Win crawled onto the table, his hips raised and his chest resting against the cool wood as Chai slid behind him. Win’s ass was shiny and wet- he’d prepared in advance.

A small phial was brought up, and Chai poured it onto his hard length, stroking himself as he handed the phial back to the attendant, who quickly exited. Win was whimpering as Chai rested the head of his cock against Win’s hole and began to push.

The head slid in, and Chai pulled Win up slightly, enough so that Chai could gently kiss his back and murmur in his ear as he eased himself slowly into his husband.

Rain began to stroke Payu again when Chai kissed Win’s cheek and began to thrust his hips heavily but slowly.

“You will have your opportunity to perform next,” the waiter reappeared and spoke softly, to not disturb anyone around them. “Do you have any changes you wish to make at this time?”

“Do you want the chair instead?” Payu asked Rain. He shook his head and craned his neck to watch as Win cried out, begging Chai to go harder and faster.

“Pedestal is fine, thank you,” Payu submitted to the alcohol test once again, though he’d barely had half of his wine. Rain was so lost in the cries of the men below that Payu had to hook his fingers inside the boy and lift his arm sharply to get Rain’s attention. He looked to the waiter and Rain quickly blew into the tube, his ears turning bright red as he realized he was riding Payu’s hand with someone else standing there.

But… Rain didn’t stop.

The waiter checked their numbers, bowed, and disappeared once more.

On stage, the couple changed positions. Win was on his back, with Chai straddling one of his legs, the other held tight to Chai’s chest as his pierced cock slid as deep as it could go. The music played as the couple moaned and Chai licked the arch of Win’s foot.

Their performance wouldn’t be as unbridled as the first- they simply wanted to be watched.

Rain moaned as Payu’s fingers swirled inside him with renewed purpose. Payu watched the two men on stage even as he leaned over and whispered in Rain’s ear, “How rough do you want it?”

The boy bit his lip as he watched the erotic display on stage. The moaning was all around them as the audience was drawn in by the display of love and lust. It was fire to Rain’s blood. Their bodies were a perfect fit.

Rain’s body sank against Payu’s side as he looked briefly up at his hubby and whispered, “Daddy.”

Payu thrust his fingers into Rain hard enough that his palm clapped against the boy’s butt. Rain whimpered and clenched down hard on the fingers.

“Rough it is, naughty boy,” Payu hissed. Rain knew he had to be punished for that, but it was a punishment both of them enjoyed.

Payu monitored Rain’s body carefully, never letting him get too close to the edge. Rain gasped as Chai and Win came simultaneously. Chai pulled Win up to sit on his lap and held him tight, feeding his husband gentle kisses to his cheeks and neck as Win gasped for air and rested his head against Chai’s shoulder.

After a few moments, when the five minute bell chimed, Chai raised a hand to the hostess and slid himself from Win, carrying the shivering man off the stage.

The lights dimmed, and Payu pulled his fingers from Rain as the stage was cleaned. He slid his long, loose pants down and folded them, along with Rain’s robe and underwear. They were placed neatly on top of the table, a sign to their waiter.

“Are you ready?” Payu whispered in Rain’s ear. The boy was shaking in an instant, but he nodded.

“Fourth performers, raise your candle if you wish to accept your slot.”

Payu looked at Rain for a moment before raising their candle.

Anyone could see that Rain was scared as they stepped out of the booth, Payu gently guiding the boy along. Rain held his hands tight over his crotch, his entire body bright red. 

As they walked down, Payu noticed the man and woman from the first performance returning to their booth. The woman had her slip on once more, and she was walking slowly with the help of her partner. He nuzzled her with a proud smile on his face. 

A few others noticed the returning pair, and began to applaud. Those without the hands to spare stomped their feet or pounded on the table. The woman blushed and curtsied slightly, wincing at the motion. There were four small bouquets of flowers waiting at the table- a traditional thanks from those in the audience who had participated. The large male who had taken her last raised a glass to toast her as she passed, and they shared a smile.

As Rain and Payu entered the pool of light and more noticed Rain’s shyness, the applause grew again, encouraging him. Payu looked at the shivering boy and opened his arms, allowing Rain to bury his face in Payu’s chest. The aggressively cute display earned them louder applause.

Payu was confident in his own body, he wasn’t one to shy away, but Rain… Well, he was on the smaller side, and he was shy about his little dragon.

Even while holding Rain, Payu walked them to the table at the center of the stage, where loops of black satin ties had been attached already.

“Close your eyes,” Payu whispered in Rain’s ear, and the little one obeyed. “Good boy,” Payu kissed his forehead before lifting Rain onto the table.

Rain’s eyes were tightly shut as Payu laid him face-down and proceeded to tie the boy’s ankles apart. He unhooked a wrist tie from the top and tied Rain’s hands behind his back. Rain shivered and whimpered with fear as he was exposed to the audience, his head turning as if he was desperate to hide.

But the audience was warm and supportive. They saw Rain’s obvious fear and began to clap for him again. There were even some cries of “Adorable”, and “Cute” from more outgoing patrons.

Payu left Rain to say something to the hostess, who nodded.

“Today is a very special day,” she announced as Payu accepted the other small phial of lubricant from an attendant. “A certain someone came to celebrate his birthday”

The applause briefly flared as the waiting audience cheered Rain’s birthday.

“Show them how good you are,” Payu whispered in Rain’s ear as he stepped onto the low table and positioned himself in front of Rain’s mouth.

Rain was talented with his mouth, and Payu wanted the entire room to know it.

Fear and excitement sent a thrill through Rain. He couldn’t grasp Payu’s length with his hands bound, but he started at the bottom of the cock, tracing the flesh with the tip of his tongue as Payu’s hand found its way down towards Rain’s rear, his fingers adding more lubricant to his back hole. When Rain’s mouth reached the cockhead, he scraped his teeth along the aching, sensitive flesh just hard enough to draw a warning hiss from Payu. 

Rain worked it from each side- running his head along the edge of the member as he worked up the courage to open his eyes though the mask and see the crowd. Rain heard himself moan as he accidentally made eye contact with someone and realized the man was staring back at him, not at the fingers Payu was sliding in and out of Rain’s hole, but the half-obscured face of the boy licking Payu.

When Rain took Payu’s full length in his throat on the first try without gagging, there was a chorus of appreciative murmurs from the crowd. Payu was impressive, anyone could see that, and it took real talent to be able to accommodate his length. Payu stopped fingering Rain to give the audience a good view as Rain pressed far enough for his nose to touch Payu’s abdomen before he leaned back and gasped for air.

Payu was salty and sweet from tip to base- largely thanks to Rain’s stroking as they watched the earlier performers. Rain mixed slight bobs of his head with deeper dives as Payu grabbed his shoulders and tried to resist thrusting into the hot mouth.

He didn’t give Rain long to play, just enough time to get accustomed to being on the stage. They only had twenty minutes after all, Rain could spend that time just tasting him.

As soon as he thought Rain was ready, he grabbed his chin and pulled the boy away, then walked behind him. There was a gasp from the audience as Payu slammed into Rain without any hesitation.

Well, they had sex in the shower as they got ready to come here, Rain was already pretty open for him.

Payu wrapped a hand around Rain’s throat and pulled the boy back against him, ignoring the wild scratching of Rain’s fingers against his stomach as Payu set a vicious pace. Rain’s body was on display for the entire room, with nothing to cover him. Payu rested a hand on the table behind him and made Rain lay against his chest, the boy’s legs held open by the straps on the table.

Rain gasped and his eyes flew open behind the mask as Payu pressed hard against that spot inside him. He couldn’t help but buck his hips to meet the relentless thrusting between his legs. Payu’s hand at this throat made Rain feel even more helpless to fight against the hard invasion in his ass.

He was terrified, he was excited, and his hole was hot where Payu stretched him.

Rain once again found himself looking at the audience. Locking eyes with random men and women. Crying out to them every time Payu thrust hard- showing them how good Payu’s cock felt inside him. Feeling their jealousy and desire washing over him.

Payu watched them too, but he ignored the ones who met his gaze. He wanted the ones whose eyes were locked on Rain. Who saw the petite man writhing and crying out on his cock. He wanted to see how badly they craved Rain’s body as they stroked themselves- men and women alike. 

Only Payu could bring this out of him. Only Payu could own the beautiful and tempting body.

Payu growled as Rain tightened around his cock. Payu sat up so that his hand was free to hold Rain’s hips as he slammed into the boy, rotating his hips to stir himself deep inside as Rain screamed and came across the table. He wanted the room to know how good it felt inside Rain, and Payu threw his head back and opened his mouth wide as his thrusts became a bit slower and heavier. He wanted everyone to fantasize that Rain’s cries were for them, that they were the ones fucking that sweet, perfect little hole.

A man started to rise as if he were in a trance and his partner quickly grabbed his arm and yanked him down, “Black mask.” Payu laughed at the whispered warning.

They were all fucking Rain with their eyes and thoughts, but only Payu was allowed to touch him. He wanted them to lose control in their desire for the boy- and he wanted Rain to know- with all those eyes boring into him- that only Payu was allowed to make him feel so good.

Payu’s hand found its way between Rain’s legs as he picked up the pace again. Rain’s head lulled back until his watery eyes met Payu’s overwhelming and hypnotic gaze.

“Daddy,” Rain squeezed down hard on him, his entire body shaking as Payu stroked his cock and gave him a few slow, hard thrusts. “Please fill Nong’s little hole.”

Rain barely remembered to change the word, to avoid saying his own name.

Payu released Rain’s cock to pull at the binding on his wrists and release them, letting Rain reach back and pull Payu’s body into him as hard as he wanted. Cock and hand worked in tandem as Payu bit his shoulder and moved faster, all while holding Rain up and on display as he bounced back against his boyfriend.

Rain’s cries became more frequent and he felt his body tense again. Payu’s hand became a blur around his little cock, stroking it furiously.

There were some excited whispers as some of the crowd leaned in for a better view of the beautiful man being ruthlessly fucked. The bell rang above them, but that didn’t dampen the excitement at all. Payu knelt on the table between Rain’s legs, giving his boyfriend a bit more leverage to slam himself down onto Payu’s cock. Payu pushed himself harder and harder into Rain’s hole.

Rain locked eyes with a pair of red-masked men and bit his lip. They were stroking each other in time with Payu’s thrusts, one also fingering the other’s hole. Rain bit his lip and nodded to them, whimpering and crying out so they would know how good Payu felt inside him.

The nod was for Payu- a sign to give it everything he had. Payu focused more on hand than on cock, and pulled hard enough for Rain to feel a bit of pain. Rain watched the men, fighting his orgasm until one man, panting with his own pleasure, mouthed, ‘Come’.

Rain obeyed the stranger.

He screamed as he came again around Payu, harder than ever before. Hot, white ropes splattered across his chest and neck with the force of it. Payu didn’t stop his attack as Rain’s scream turned into a jagged gasp for air. He kept up the punishing pace, making it hard to tell if it was one long orgasm, or multiple dry orgasms after the initial spray.

Payu didn’t stop, not even as he began to come inside Rain. He filled him with rope after rope of seed, taking pleasure in the trembling, limp body that slumped against his chest when Rain collapsed.

The lights dimmed and Payu bit Rain’s shoulder hard, not really knowing why beyond that he needed to do it. One last claiming.

An attendant came to help untie Rain’s ankles from the table as Payu slid out of him and scooped his boy into his arms.

He staggered, his thighs weak, but did not accept help from the attendant in carrying Rain down from the stage and into a dark tunnel between two booths. Payu barely even heard the thunderous applause that followed them.

At the end of the hall was a door, opened by the attendant for them. No one followed Payu and Rain inside, no one was allowed. 

They were alone in a large, clean bathing room. A table sat beside the door with their folded clothes on top- brought down by their waiter.

“Good boy,” Payu whispered in Rain’s ear as he set him down on a stone bench near the shower. He pulled the shower head down and turned on the warm water, using it to revive Rain and clean the cum from his chest and throat.

Rain made little cooing noises as he came around and felt Payu cleaning his body.

“You were perfect,” Payu whispered in Rain’s ear, planting kisses along his jaw and over the bite mark he’d left- a deeper one than he intended.

“I love you, P’Payu,” Rain murmured into his ear, earning him a kiss on the lips.

Once Rain and Payu had rinsed off, they helped each other over to a pile of fresh towels. They were still a bit sweaty and flushed, but the show was only beginning. Now that they’d completed their performance, they would be free to watch and play with each other without restraint. They weren’t done for the night, just resting.

Rain fell onto a low couch covered in clean towels and waited while Payu dried himself off. Once he pulled his loose pants back on, he came to sit by Rain’s feet and gently massaged his ankles where the ties had dug in.

“Do you want to go home?” Payu asked as Rain closed his eyes, exhausted.

“I’m fine, just catching my breath,” his entire body both ached and felt hungry for more. He needed Payu inside him again. Maybe not for an hour, but tonight. Payu was planning to buy a plug and keep filling Rain until the boy begged for mercy. A birthday present Rain very much desired.

Rain dragged Payu up to lay on top of him on the sofa.

“Order me a coffee?”

“Whatever you want.” Payu held his lover for a long time, until a knock at the door let them know they had been inside for thirty minutes, and it was time to change over the room for the next couple. There were two recovery rooms, so no one had to be too rushed.

Payu supported Rain as they walked back out into the club, where two women were on stage, each happily eating the other out. There was a wave of applause from those who noticed the cute little one and his handsome boyfriend returning to their seats. 

As requested, a huge plate of perfectly red strawberries waited for them at their table, with three containers of molten chocolate- white, dark, and milk- suspended above candles. 

And waiting for them, even though they didn’t allow anyone to join, were several small bundles of flowers. Tokens of appreciation from others in the room. Rain felt brave, and took his robe off while he was still standing, still visible. He adjusted his mask and slid into the booth, sitting on Payu’s lap this time.

By the time the final group of the night performed, the strawberries were long gone. Rain- a new crystal plug keeping Payu’s multiple releases inside him- was swallowing the final drops of Payu’s last orgasm of the night, his own cock long dormant. 

When the performance ended and the opaque curtains were once again automatically drawn, Payu pulled Rain away and kissed his boyfriend deeply, sharing the taste and playing with his tongue for a while, until the waiter arrived to tell them it was their turn to leave.

It was time for the long walk back up to the locker room (where a page neatly attached to a frame on the locker door detailed talking points about the opera in case anyone asked), and then the two-by-two exodus into the theater itself.

Payu kissed Rain’s forehead in the privacy of the dressing room. He felt dark and deliciously depraved when everyone was watching, but now Payu felt his conscience returning bit by bit. Rain leaned back against Payu’s chest and looked up at him.

“When’s the next show?”

[psychhound]

psychhound games 2 year anniversary

wow ... i cant believe its already been two years since i started publishing games on itch but so much has happened in that time. i got promoted at my job, quit that job, started a master's program, became a teacher, decided to continue on to a phd, got published (twice), found meds that helped, made a lot of new friends, learned to cook, played in a good number of campaigns and short shots, and somehow, through all of that, i managed to publish (checks notes) 24 games, 2 zines, and an srd

in that time ive gotten over 20k views and almost 5000 downloads, as well as shout outs in video essays and podcasts. i've run two successful kickstarters and one that made it a far way but ended up teaching me more from its failure than i wouldve hoped

my goal when i started making ttrpgs was just to get a little bit of practice before i made my Big Dream Game. get my feet wet a little to learn the ropes and then design what i had actually set out to do in the first place - make a game designed specifically for therapeutic practice. and then i realized that i actually just really enjoy making games and kept making more and more and more of them until ... here we are

the first ttrpg i ever made literally came to me in a dream. my little sister was working for his college paper at the time and i dreamt that when he came to visit we played a silly comedy interviewing game i had made for her. so i woke up and made it. and then she visited and we played and it was a lot of fun!! and i was like. oh wait i can make games to make very specific people happy ... baller. so i kept doing that. made a game for my best friend where they could play as their cat and cause mischief and playing it for their birthday is such a cherished memory. my by far best selling game was made for a dear friend who's a photographer and lives in a big city and i wanted to blend city exploration, photography, and his love of a well-designed tarot deck into something fun he could do when he got out of the house. my most recent game was made because i wanted a tiny game i could print and send with my friends' holiday cards, and i know how much we all love writing and making crazy blorbo playlists so i made a playlist-driven writing game

over these two years its just become more and more obvious to me that my creativity that was once fueled so wholly by grief and trying to process it has now flipped around to being powered by joy and just overwhelming love. so many people in my life now who i love so wholeheartedly i found or got close to through playing ttrpgs, or being in the ttrpg community, and channeling that energy and that joy into making more of them to put out into the world has made my life so much better a million times over. i dont know where the future will take me but i hope to have such a long career of this - making through joy, engaging through play, growing through community - and i cant thank everyone whos supported me in getting here enough. im feeling very touched and very overwhelmed but just know that if youve ever bought one of my games, posted about playing it, left a nice review, or recommended it to a friend, you have my whole heart and i hope you have such a sweet new year

if you wanna check out my games you can find them on psychhound on itch or check out my portfolio and such on my website :) thanks everyone. happy new year