#i. e. that they also have a “charm” on their back from which the wings emerge

[maskerat]

Hornet gettings wings in Pharloom...

[prythianpages]

My Sweet Little Wildflower | Azriel

Azriel x Green Witch Reader | summary: After begging Azriel to take you with him to Windhaven, he finally concedes. But his worries of you getting hurt come to life when you're kidnapped.

warnings: violence, mentions of blood and death/killing

a/n: this is based off this request.

Azriel hears you gasp as he sets you down. His hands remain at your waist, keeping you steady as you find your footing. You’re still not used to the feeling of flying. Contrary to what Cassian believed, you do not fly on a broomstick so it’s all new ground to you or lack of ground you should say.

There is an unexpected allure about Windhaven. The camp is etched from the formidable terrain of bare rock and mud. There’s a quiet here that you find strangely unsettling but peaceful. It’s the stars that captivate you the most. There’s countless of them and they shimmer like celestial diamonds against the vast, dark night sky. You wonder if they shine brighter than the ones in Velaris or if it’s the lack of moon tonight that makes you think so.

“It’s beautiful,” you say as you step forward, eyes darting around.

“It’s a camp on a mountain.” Cassian deadpans but you’re too engrossed in taking the sights before you to shoot him a sly remark.

“She finds beauty in everything,” Azriel seems to reply, his lips curling up fondly as he lets you continue to admire Windhaven, even though he feels the same as Cassian about it. “I should take her back to the house before–”

But it’s already too late.

Amidst the rugged expanse of the Illyrian camp, there are figures coming into their view. Lord Devlon is among them. Azriel’s shadows are tugging you back to his side until his arm is brushing against your cloak. He’s starting to regret bringing you with him and realizes it’s also too late to hide you in his shadows as the Lord Camp’s cold eyes fall onto your form.

You clutch your cloak tighter around your chest, keeping the obsidian necklace you wear hidden. It doesn’t matter though. Your presence itself pulses with an unseen energy–a dance of ancient whispers that tease the senses. You’re darkness and light. Wildness and wisdom.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see one of the Illyrian males make a sign against evil and although you’re a green witch, you instinctively take a step back. You bump into Azriel’s wing, which curls around you protectively and you feel a rush of reassurance and comfort through the bond.

“You brought a witch.”

The other males flinch at the word. Though Azriel is on alert and his shadows are whispering to him, he finds the sight of full-grown, weathered Illyrian warlords showing fear at the sight of you amusing. You would never hurt a fly. But he would never tell them that. He wants them to fear you.

“Is that a problem?” His voice carries a firm edge and his eyes narrow, issuing a silent challenge.

“Keep her away from the females and children.”

Azriel’s jaw is clenching and Cassian is stepping forward to ease the situation. He does not agree with the cold way the Illyrian camp lords are regarding you but they are here on a mission and need to see it through. “She is none of your concern,” Cassian says and then with a dark chuckle adds. “Unless you give her a reason to be.”

You look at each of them, adopting a stoic demeanor. It’s a skill you’ve honed from observing your mate–the master of impassivity. Their eyes widen momentarily before diverting their gazes. 

“We’re here to oversee that all arrangements for tomorrow’s Blood Rite go as planned.”

**

Azriel takes you to one of the few houses in Windhaven. He tells you it’s where he grew up besides Rhysand and Cassian under the careful and loving watch of Rhysand’s mother. The small house is a haven against the biting winds of the camp. 

The house bears the marks of countless footsteps and memories that have weathered its walls over the years, radiating a well-loved charm. Azriel guides you further into the house until you’re standing in the living area and your eyes are eager to take everything in, curious to know more about the place your mate spent so much time in. There’s a series of marks on one of the walls and you smile as you recognize Azriel’s, Rhysand’s, and Cassian’s names scribbled along dates that grow higher and higher with every year. 

“The room I stayed in is right around the corner,” Azriel tells you, inclining his head in said direction. “The bathroom is right next to it and the kitchen is further down the hall, if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” you reply, turning to face him. “This house is so warm and cozy.”

Azriel’s smile, though appreciative, carries a hint of amusement. He closes the distance between you, a playful glint in his hazel eyes. “Please don’t get any ideas.”

“I still prefer Velaris.”

A soft chuckle escapes Azriel’s lips. “Thank the Cauldron.”

He leans in and his hand softly traces the contours of your face. His eyes drink you in and are brimming with a burning affection he harbors just for you–the way they always do before he has to leave. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours and then I can show you around the forests.”

“Okay,” you exhale, looking into his eyes with a gaze that reflects his own. You stand on your tip-toes to press a brief kiss onto his lips. “Love you.”

Azriel holds you close before you can pull away. He kisses your lips again. Then your cheek and then your forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment longer. “I love you too.”

**

Settling yourself onto the floor, you rest your back against the foot of the couch as you scribble down your intentions for the next month. There’s candles lit around you, bringing light to the room and offering a calming place for you to pause and reflect. It took a lot of effort for you to light each one of them as your powers are at their weakest every new moon.

You take a deep breath and close your eyes, centering yourself. The state of peaceful bliss you crafted for yourself unravels abruptly, shattered by a piercing noise that startles you. You open your eyes to find a stranger smirking back at you and horror strikes you when you realize he’s not alone.

Your heart skips a beat and you press yourself further into the couch, calling upon your powers. “Who are you?”

“So it is true,” the Illyrian male snickers in wicked delight, ignoring your question. His keen eyes take note of the way your eyes flicker between black and your natural eye color and the fact that you’re not putting up a fight. “You’re powerless under the new moon. How unfortunate for you that it landed on the one night we’re able to use magic.”

“Just to be safe.” Another male says, throwing something in the air.

The male in front of you catches the object with ease and your nose crinkles as a metallic odor overwhelms your senses. Iron. It may not be a weakness to most fae–or any, at all, despite the mortal’s claims–but it’s a witch’s weakness. Your stomach churns, bile rising up your throat.

You tug on the bond in the hopes to reach Azriel but as the male clamps the iron chains around your wrist, you’re overcome with a sudden wave of weakness. You can’t feel the bond. It’s eerily silent.

**

You don’t know how long you’re out for or if you were out at all. All you know is the cold, hard uneven ground beneath you feels like it’s moving and there’s a growing weakness in your limbs that make it hard for you to move. Your head feels unusually light and your throat tightens. You barely manage to roll over and prop yourself up with a shaky arm before hurling.

“Let’s hurry and get it done with.”

“What–what do you want from me?” You rasp. Your arms are still shaking as they hold you up and you will yourself to sit up, your back meeting a hard and rock surface. You blink your eyes and your surroundings clear enough for you to register that you’re in a cave. The feeble glow of torches cast long, sinister shadows that seem to writhe and contort along the jagged walls.

The male you had seen earlier comes into your line of sight. There’s a sharp dagger in his hand and its blade catches the dancing flames of the torches with a malevolent gleam. He points it at you, aiming for a place slightly to the left of the center of your chest.

“Your heart.”

You let out a choked laugh. To capture a witch’s heart is to hold a key to the very core of their being. It’s a sacred vessel through which profound magic flows and can transfer over to whoever holds it. But your heart’s chambers are only filled with the blood that sustains you.

The magic and enchantment that resides in your heart and defines your existence is bound to Azriel. It has been ever since you gave your heart to him. Taking your heart would be an act in vain for the Illyrian males who captured you.

You don’t tell them this though. You don’t want to die but the thought of putting a target on Azriel’s back terrifies you and overrides the former. You’d never bring any harm upon Azriel.

The male pulls on your hair, forcing your gaze up. His lips curl up into a snarl. “Don’t you dare laugh at me, you witch.”

“Should we have a little fun with her first?”

“We don’t have the time. There’s only a little over an hour before the magic leaves us.”

“That’s plenty of time to make her scream.”

A shiver courses through your spine, leaving a trail of cold unease. You squirm under your restraints but go entirely still when you feel something sharp. Your heartbeat quickens in response to the press of the dagger into your skin. 

“What if the Shadowsinger comes?”

“He won’t. He’s–”

There’s a knot in your stomach, tightening with the vulnerability of raw, unbridled panic. You’re going to die. The only comfort you have is that you’ll die, knowing that your last words to Azriel were “love you.”

“Did you not see the way he looked at her? Even if we rip her heart out, there’s no telling if we’ll escape his–”

“Then, we’ll be quick about this,” the male in front of you growls, pushing the dagger further into you. You gasp at the stinging pain and your whole body grows entirely still. “We’ll take her heart, harness her powers and run. The Shadowsinger will never find us–”

“I just did.”

**

There’s a burning in Azriel's chest that unsettles him deeply. He catches a flash of green and realizes that the searing sensation he feels is flaring out from the emerald that lives in the pocket of his leathers. Right over his own heart.

“What is it?” Cassian asks, noticing the subtle shift in the Shadowsinger’s stance. They’re standing near a fire pit, surrounded by tents that this year’s blood rite’s participants are being winnowed to. Their task is to ensure that no stunts are pulled such as the one from last year where Nesta, Emerie and Gywn were forced into the blood rite.

Azriel pulls out the gem. Despite the burn, he handles your heart with care and tenderness. The gem pulses with life, glowing like the vibrant green of a sunlit meadow. He tugs on the bond and his heart drops to his stomach.

He can no longer feel you. All he can feel is the relentless echo of imagined horrors. Something is wrong.

“It’s y/n,” Azriel breathes, eyes wide with worry.

Cassian’s eyebrows knit together in concern. He nods his head. “Go,” he tells his friend and Azriel is already vanishing into his shadows. “I can handle this.”

**

Azriel’s muscle are tense, coiled like springs. Each of his siphons are glowing like icy glaciers, threatening to release their raw power. the emerald led him to this cave. His eyes darken when he sees you. You’re held against your will with a dagger pressed into your chest and a hand against your throat, pulling you flush into an Illyrian male’s chest. The look of fear in your eyes nearly destroys him.

“If you don’t get your filthy fucking hands off of her, I will rip each finger. One. By. One.”

Azriel’s voice is cold, each utterance sending a chilling vibration through the air. With every passing second, his words are no longer a warning but become a promise. The Illyrian males are visibly shaking under Azriel’s intense gaze and the one holding you swallows thickly. Azriel catches the way his gaze flickers to the opening of the cave and then you’re being roughly shoved to the ground.

Dark tendrils cushion your fall and in an instant, Azriel is crouching beside you. His shadows are brushing against you, assessing you for your injuries. They whisper to him about the injury on your chest and at the sight of your blood, his own runs cold. He’s breaking the iron imprisoning you and rendering your hands useless with his bare hands.

“Azriel,” you breathe in relief.

“You’re safe now,” he reassures you, holding your distressed gaze. He gently brushes your hair back. “But I need you to close your eyes for me, okay? Can you do that for me, love?”

He waits for your response–a meager nod, before leaving your side. He leaves a couple of his shadows with you. They wrap around your eyes and curl against your ears, clouding your senses. He doesn’t want to subject you to the violence that is about to unfold.

When he stands to his feet, he takes delight in the anguished screams coming from the Illyrians as they realize they’re trapped inside the cave with him. His shadows are forming a wall against the only entrance and exit.

One of the males turns and drops to his knees. “Please,” he cries desperately. “I’m sorry!”

“You’re pathetic,” Azriel nearly growls with a sickening smirk. “All of you.”

He makes sure each of their deaths is slow and painful and he doesn’t stop until the very last staggering breath.

**

Azriel’s shadows lift from your eyes and ears and you’re looking into a pair of familiar hazel eyes. Your eyes glisten with tears and with a gentle touch, his fingertips brush away the traces of terrors that run down your cheeks. His palm cradles your face and you lean into his touch. He rests his other hand against your chest, over your bleeding wound.

Green light slips from his fingertips, seeping into your wound and you both watch in shock as he uses your magic to heal you. “I didn’t know I could do that,” he murmurs in awe.

When he lifts his hand and unmarked skin is revealed, relief overcomes him, coursing through him and through the bond. He can't help but dwell on the what ifs because he knows that he was only a few minutes away from being too late. From losing you.

Gods, he was a fool for bringing you--his sweet, loving mate to a cold and harsh place like Windhaven. Especially on the night before the blood rite. But you had begged him to take you with him. You wanted to see the place he grew up in and explore the forest of Illyria and Azriel found it extremely hard to say no to you.

You’re safe now, he reminds himself, pulling him out of his dark thoughts. Although still slightly shaken, you're also now unharmed. And that's all that matters to him.

“It’s because you hold my heart,” you tell him as your crying comes to a stop and with a shaky breath continue. “That’s what they wanted–to take my heart and use it for themselves.”

An arm slips under your knees and the hand on your face drops to embrace your neck. He pulls you close, cradling you to his chest. “Why didn’t you tell them?”

You know what he’s asking. You bury your face into the comfort of his chest. It’s warm and you can feel his heartbeat. It’s fast but beginning to steady and it’s like music to your ears–the sweetest symphony. You turn your head in a way that allows you to rest your ear against his heart but also to speak.

“Because I was scared they’d go after you next.”

“Oh, my sweet little wildflower,” he purrs. He leans his head down and his breath is hot against your neck. He's touched by your concern. “They’d never get within 10 feet from me if they came for me.”

You dare to lift your head and barely catch a glimpse of the carnage around you before Azriel is tightening his hold on you and coaxing your gaze back to him.

“I see that now.”

“Does it scare you?”

There’s a subtle hint of vulnerability within his hazel eyes. Concern etches into his features as the weight of his question lingers in the air. Azriel was a strong and lethal man. A warrior. A spymaster. You knew this. Yet, he always kept the nature of his work concealed, not wanting to burden you with the horrors of it all.

A blush creeps up on your cheeks and you avoid his heated gaze. “No.”

Azriel tuts. He can sense there’s something more and he needs to know. He coaxes your gaze back to his. “What is it?”

“I found it kind of…hot,” you admit, a bit sheepishly. “That you’d kill for me.”

Azriel chuckles. The corner of his lips, molded by shadows and softened by affection, tug upwards. Gods, he loves you so much. You’re perfect, made just for him. You're everything he could ever wish for and more.

“I’d do anything for you, love.”

a/n: To the anon who requested this, I hope you enjoyed it ❤️

tagging: @fxckmiup

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# Luv Ya (Yandere! Cupid! Cater x Uninterested! Reader)

I'm a mess and Cater's B-Day Month is still here, and I will finish this unlike a certain other person I wished to make a birthday post for (Jamil- who said that?). Feel like this guy would be a pretty good cupid peppy and bright but numb a pessimistic to the idea of love. Until he met someone equally as uninterested (the arrow doesn't work). Also, now that I think about Asmo might also benefit from being written this holiday (no promises). Also, readers romantic and sexual preferences are unknown so the mc can be aroace, just know that Cater is too delulu to take no for an answer.

TW: delusion, forced touch and kiss, cursing, mentions of murder, kidnapping, and drugging

@ceruleancattail Love your work and decided to give you a valentine's gift.

February the month of Valentine's Day, a celebration of red and pink that is so gramable (in Cater's opinion). Where the winged man shoots people to make happy (forced) couples who share their devotion by buying cheap objects that will be left to collect dust.

This Valentine's Cater couldn't find it in himself to pretend to be jolly as usual, after all February sucks. His birthday and Valentine's Day were both in the month and yet Cater was bitter about it. His short red-headed boss was really serious about filling quotas, and he couldn't catch a break. Not to mention his job.

His whole job was to find other people their other half, don't get Cater twisted his job was #adorbs. Yet seeing everyone else with their soulmates made the ginger feel...empty. He'd never have a perfect romance that was gramable and that led to some unsavory habits (drinking and eating a crap tone of savory items).

Cater snaps back into focus as he had zoned off scrolling through the happy couples he'd set up. How cute x and y were getting married, he could fell his grip on his phone get tighter. Get a grip today's target was right there. Sure, enough there they were, a very bitter and angry looking person in a suit. They would look totes cute if they slept more as they downed what seems to be their third coffee this morning (not that Cater was counting). How on Earth was Cater going to find this sourpuss a soulmate. Riddle really did enjoy torturing him huh? He said he was sorry about the glitter prank (he did it for the views).

Yes, these tired (e/c) held no whimsy or hope the season brought. They stare at a couple nearby and scoff returning to their laptop. Hmm what was that? Caters eyes flicked back and forth like an amused cat, a mischievous grin on his face. Another poor bastard just as miserable as him, kinda made him feel better about himself. I mean they didn't even bother hiding your sorrow and mean streak (which was oddly refreshing). Who would be dumb enough to even try romancing someone as unlovable as them.

"Yikes I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Ah there it was, the clumsy moron that just spilled coffee all over their laptop, poor soul. Cater saw the barely suppressed anger as their shoulders shook. He could see it now; he shoots them with these arrows and their cold exterior melts at how genuine and "charming" (stupid) the other person was. The clutz wasn't too bad looking either, doe eyes, silky hair, a warm smile with perfect white teeth. You two were perfect for each other. Cater felt his eye twitch as he sighed pulling out his pink crossbow, invisible to the human eye.

Setting up the shot on the clumsy idiot and the asshole who was blowing steam out of their ears. Steady and thwp. Got the moron who looked starstruck at their ugly frown. Thwp. Dead in their heart, which causes the grouch to grasp their chest eyes wide. The duo stare at each other as Cater boredly returns to his latte. He knew that the two of you would lock eyes and-

SMACK

Cater almost chokes on his latte when he hears that resounding noise. Looking up he sees a very heart broken ditz and a pissed of businessperson. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?! Thanks to you I have to redo my presentation at the office!" You storm off in a huff, not caring at the sudden silence in the cafe. A barista came to calm the crying heartbroken mess sobbing on the floor. Cater didn't care about that, no, no, Cater was too focused on how you were supposedly immune to his love arrows. The cupid leaves money on the table before chasing after the enigma.

How fun!

It was almost sad seeing you live your life to Cater. Your name (Y/N), a name that Cater thinks suits you perfectly. You had no friends since you moved to the city for work, due to the amount of work pushed onto you by your manager (lazy bastard). You had a mutt with scraggly black fur you lovingly named Ash. Your interactions with Ash were the only time Cater ever saw you smile or laugh. It was more pleasant than Cater wanted to admit.

Cater was currently observing (stalking) you as you shop in your local grocery store giggling as your eyes widened at the price of eggs (inflation is a bitch). However, Cater wasn't so caught in his observations that he noticed you staring back behind your shoulder every once in a while. Strange, mortals aren't supposed to see him unless he reveals himself. There's no way you are that much of an anomaly (Y/N), unless this means something. Perhaps you two are destined to meet.

No Cater don't get your hopes up remember what happened the last time you yearned for more. Sighing Cater follows you a little less cheerfully as you pay for your things and leave. As you walk Cater sighs wistfully too caught up in his own misery to notice you getting more frustrated. "Oh my god, would you stop sighing you're more annoying sad than happy."

Cater stops in his tracks as you swiftly turned to face the floating cupid dressing in silver, red, and pink. His green siren eyes blew wide at the knowledge that you could in fact see him. "You-you can see me?" You raise an eyebrow nodding as you back away, leaving the slack jawed cupid staring at you dumbly. "Yeah, you've been a real class-A creep following me everywhere. If you're some ghost, piss off I didn't do shit to be haunted." Cater remains slack jawed.

"Heh. HEhehe. HAHAHAHAHA!" Cater begins laughing raucously causing (Y/N) ever the sensible person to get the shit out of there. Unfortunately for you, Cater was winged and much faster than a human carrying groceries. "OMG you really are too cute! How the heck did you get so smart?" Two pale slender hands grabbed your (s/t) cheeks and squished your face. You freeze as you stare at the man in front of you with confusion and fear. Why did you look scared?

"Pwese stawp!" You beg the cupid causing Cater to drop you from your partially floating state. You drop down and spill your groceries. God damn it the eggs broke. Cater blanches as you turn to him and begin shaking before sighing. "Just leave me alone, I don't need any more issues with my life." Defeatedly, you walk away from a confused Cater. Wait where were you going? You were abandoning Cay-Cay after he realized that you could actually see and touch him. Like hell you would.

Furiously, flapping his sunset-colored wings Cater chased after your solemn form and pled for you to see the light. You see him, you aren't affected by his love arrows, this means you two are going to be best friends forever. Pleading with you miserably until you slam the door in his face. Well, that could have gone better, thanks Cater. Cater thinks negative thoughts as he sleeps on your welcome mat curled up like an abandoned cat.

Cater was up when he heard you wake, sensitive hearing had its perks. Maybe you'd forgiven him for whatever he had done wrong (which he thinks was nothing). All the sudden Cater gets a burst of energy without the need of his beloved coffee. Wait does his breath smell? OMG he'd die if he looked bad or imperfect in front of his new friend.

Friend...no Trey is a friend and his feelings for Trey are different than his feelings for you. Trey is a good solid support system (not that he'll ever use it). Trey isn't smart, or witty, or charming or have gorgeous (e/c) eyes and handsome features like (face shape).

Oh no

He's defs crushing and very soon too

Sure, he's had crushes before (a certain incubus actor *wink wonk*) but you were so...real. Perhaps crush wasn't the right word, hmm admiration yeah! Your ever so charming (exhausted) face appeared in the door frame as you look at the standing cupid with a mixture of confusion and disgust.

"You waited here all night?"

"Yep, you're not getting rid of ole' Cay Cay so easily!"

"Fine come with me."

You were oh so gracious with poor Cater for someone so snappy, you took him in like he was a feral cat. After he explained that he was a cupid and was charged with finding you a partner, you scoff. Why is the concept of romance so hated by someone with so much potential?

"Just never been interested." You surely must be lying. "Not even a little crush on some cutie from your school days?" You look physically repulsed as he says this. "Ugh no everyone knows kids are ugly and I wanted to leave more than anything." Cater deflates you really are giving him nothing right now. Cater hears a growl coming from beneath him, of course Ash was here. Ash still hated the ginger cupid and the feeling was mutual.

Cater pouted and clung to you as he was apt to do, he decided to use the old Cater charm and beg you to give him a chance and find someone for you. You refused but when he offered to pay for your lunch you immediately put on shoes. "Just so you know I'm not interested in the dating; in fact, I'm probably just going to make friends." Sure, you aren't, maybe that love arrow thing was a fluke and he can find someone for you.

Then he can stop feeling so weird.

The day was surprisingly nice for how terrible February's weather can be. The pavement of the street wet with the morning drizzle a couples walked hand in hand and children begged their parents to go into every chocolate shop. Cater had forgotten how it felt to just walk around as a normal person as he was now visible in his human form.

You were dressed in casual clothes that clashed with his stylish outfit fitting his personality (out of the suit he originally wore). You did look pretty damn cute being so comfortable and carefree, you wouldn't mind if he slipped a quick pic. Sliding his phone out sneakily Cater attempts to take a photo before your hand comes up and blocks the frame.

"No pictures." Aw come on you two were so cute together and it's not often he's seen you out of that god awful suit. Seriously you should let him come shopping with you, he'd make you look totes adorb. A bright flush covers his pale cheeks as he daydreams what you would look like in a matching outfit with himself.

"So how are you planning on getting me a lover?" Oh right, he did say he would. Cater's plush pink lips pulled into a frown. Well might as well try your best Cater, after all they said they wouldn't fall in love. Cater could feel insecurity and anger at his own plan creep up his spine. Ignore it Cater you don't want to have your heart break.

But what if it didn't have to?

Cater grins mischievously to himself, he was in charge of finding you a soulmate, so what if it just so happened to be him?

You get Cater's attention by waving your hand in front of his dazed expression. Cater smiles gently at your confused face. "Sorry babe, just was thinking about this really gramable lunch spot. You in?"

You roll your eyes and let Cater take your hand, it wasn't very soft. However, its rough texture felt very nice against his own silky skin. Pulling you along and humming Cater seemed to float across the pavement as you struggle to keep up his pace.

Cater thoroughly enjoyed himself at lunch, taking in your presence, feeding you (attempting to), and of course: photos. So many photos. Cater kept clicking that camera button on his phone until you were forced to awkwardly smile and pose with the impish cherub.

Gods you're so cute! This is so #fab and he means it. You even seemed to start enjoying yourself too. Cater could scream he was so happy, he was in love!

That felt great to say love what a wonderful feeling. He loved you when you went clothes shopping, he loved you in that cute matching pink cardigan, he loved when you both took photos in the cheesy mall photo booth. Most of all he loved how there was finally a genuine smile on your face. Directed at him. At only him. He could burst with his emotions as he got you two some smoothies. Floating on cloud nine, Cater hummed cheerfully. This was it, you were the one.

Until you ripped his heart out.

The smoothies fell onto the floor painting it red like the fruit in it. Huh, his chest really hurts. Cater stares in horror at the girl beside you chattering away. Who the fuck was she? Shamelessly flirting with you and you seemed to encourage it. That whore! Cater began shaking as tears pooled in the corners of his eyes out of despair and hatred.

He thought you two clicked, that you two were fated, destiny bound to each other. Maybe this was a mistake.

No! That girl needs to go, she was interfering with destiny. You must be feeling so awkward right now. You poor thing! No worries, Cay Cay will make it all better, he'd just need to get rid of that blonde nuisance. Yes, that's what he'll do. A dark look crosses the cupid's emerald eyes as he pulls out an actual arrow. All Cater had to do was wait for the right moment to strike.

Shaking, Cater approaches you eyes slightly watery from before. Precious you looked worried for him, that's right him. This woman will never have what the two of you have. She'll not even have her own life after he was done with her. Sweetly Cater tugs on your arms pouting about how late it was getting and how tired he was. You roll your eyes and scoff about Cater being "a brat", yet you still amuse his request.

The blond bimbo looked upset and pulled out a pen, Cater needed to end this before she gave you, her number. An icy look of pure hatred accompanied with a flash of foxlike grin froze the woman in place. She stared at the ginger in terror before escaping in fright. Good. You were only his. He turns to grin affectionately at you, but you glare at him. "What was that?" Ah, you must have seen his expression but how could he not be mad when lovely you is on the line.

"What was what? Can't we go home, I'm tireeed." Cater whines to gain your sympathy but your warmth seemed to have disappeared. "Cater, I appreciate that you are looking out for me, but I don't think I need you to find me a soulmate anymore." Finally, you understand that he was your soulmate the whole time. Giggling Cater smiles with a soft blush on his fair cheeks.

"I couldn't agree more, and I would be more than happy to be your beloved!" Cater squeals as you look like the cupid slapped you in the face. (h/c) brows furrow with frustration as you sigh. "No Cater, I'm not interested in you. I would've given the girl a chance, but you've been acting weirdly possessive all day. " What?

Caters diamond heart seems to have shattered for a second time, why would you saw such an awful thing. Pleading with you Cater feeling his face get hot with shame. Ah, he's crying again, in front of you. How much more pathetic could he get? Seeing his tears you soften a bit putting a loving hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't be upset, you actually helped me get out of my shell. We can stay friends if you're allowed to." The warmth of your hand triggered an instinct to covet like never before.

Cater kisses you on your slightly chapped yet smooth lips, he almost moaned simply from being so close to someone. Not just someone you, his soulmate, his love for the rest of his immortal life. Going to deepen the kiss, Cater yelps as pain blooms from his lips.

Red. Cater's lips are stained red from the blood you drew by biting him. You looked so angry and afraid. "What the fuck Cater? I literally told you I don't like you." You back away fist clenched ready to swing but Cater was beyond reasoning as he had tasted the apple and doesn't wish to go back.

"Aww you don't mean that honey bun, you're just nervous that's all." Cater stalks forward as you step back backing up to the ledge of the second floor in the mall you were in. "Back up, I'm not joking." You were totes cute when you thought you could threaten him, he can't wait to press kisses all over your face at home. His home in the clouds of course and not your drab little apartment.

As he reaches you and leans in he is socked in the face.

Cater smiles dreamily as the two of you lay on his enormous bed, what used to be so lonely was now cozy. Cater caged your body gently into his arms while you sigh in bliss and nuzzle into his chest.

Cater chuckles at your new affectionate attitude, you came around after he gave you some Erotae potion or truth serum as he lovingly calls it. The cloying sweet smell of incense is in the air as he presses some kisses to your exposed neck (sorry my hajib friends, he's not playing around). You shiver with pleasure causing Cater to linger near the collarbone.

"Isn't this nice dear, much better than you fighting." You nod in a love drunk haze sloppily capturing his lips with your own. Oh, you tease you, he was more than happy to oblige.

Honestly didn't know how to end it but shit here you go

[foolishlovers]

soo apparently, i've written over 400k words of crowley and aziraphale flirting and falling in love with each other this year

holy shit???

it's been a wild ride but i'm proud of the fics i've written:

only lovers in the building - 1.8k, T

at the q&a session for crowley and aziraphale's murder mystery podcast, their listeners seem far more interested in the unsolved mystery of their relationship than their latest case. it’s time to tackle one final puzzle.

out of the blue - 3.6k, E

while crowley braces for yet another goodbye, aziraphale is determined to stay and bestow his love upon the demon tonight.

wasting my time (chasing the high) - 3.7k, T

an exes to lovers fic in which crowley - while touring and playing music all over europe - needs to find the courage to talk to aziraphale again. 

where a canvas blooms - 3.8k, T

this is the first part of a series (that i'll hopefully continue in the new year) in which gardener!crowley and bookseller!aziraphale have a cuddling arrangement. and it certainly is just a platonic arrangement. right?

a lasting impression - 4k, T

crowley's dull shift at the pasta bar takes an unexpected twist when the charming bookseller from the shop around the corner drops by.

good game, good girl - 5.1k, E

footballer!crowley and coach!aziraphale aren't just discussing tactics in crowley's hostel room... ineffable wives body worship, basically.

third time's the charm - 6.7k, T

after the almost apocalypse, it seems crowley and aziraphale need a bit of a push to finally confess their feelings. mutual pining, a dowling era flashback and some (magical) hijinks and shenanigans.

the anon before christmas epilogue - 8.5k, E

florist!crowley and bookseller!aziraphale go on their first date after their mutual hatred has turned into mutual affection over the holidays.

spread you wings - 10.1k, E

an ineffable wives enemies to lovers model au in which a photoshoot mishap traps crowley and aziraphale in a studio overnight.

every part of me - 10.4k, T

a hannah montana au featuring genderfluid rockstar!crowley and his best friend aziraphale who has been kept in the dark about crowley's secret for a long time... until one fateful night.

lips don't lie - 12.7k, E

an ineffable wives enemies to lovers actresses au in which they're both invited to an exclusive lipstick launch. tensions boil over.

not where the storyline ends - 14.4k, T

crowley (cranky and overworked) interviews aziraphale (joyous and totally unqualified) for a position in the publishing house he's working at. crowley's sure their paths will never cross again, but christmas still has a few surprises left in store for him.

just up the stairs - 19.4k (of 39.1k), E

a valentine's day fic featuring grumpy!crowley and caring!aziraphale, harry (the most adorable rabbit), and a quiet, gentle and romantic dinner. 

something good and right and real - 30.8k, T

singer-songwriter!crowley and baker!aziraphale meet again when crowley returns to his detested hometown for a much needed break. featuring an abundance of autumnal activities, witty children and a second chance for love.

moonstruck - 31.1k (23.4k yet to be published), M

grumpy botany professor and single parent!crowley falls in love with cherubic bartender!aziraphale as he keeps visiting his favourite midnight café. meet-ugly turning into friends to lovers.

tales of turning pages - 73.4k, E

a small town au in which novelist!crowley and librarian!aziraphale fall in love as crowley keeps coming back to aziraphale's library. lots of (un)resolved sexual tension, found family and romance book recs.

wild hearts - 145.5k, E

a friends to lovers boarding school au in which biology teacher!crowley and english teacher!aziraphale team up to lead the school's new theatre club. featuring lots of pining, student shenanigans and a dearly beloved cat.

unpublished works - 20k

mix of oneshots and chaptered fics i'm still working on

i think it's also time to get a little sappy and review the writing experiences i've made this year...

(some of the) things i loved writing about this year: happy endings, anathema being a beautiful menace, gender fuckery and tons of trans characters, long-haired!crowley and bearded!aziraphale, librarians, authors and musicians, pepper, adam and warlock being mischievous little troublemakers, purple clothes, flowers and notes, sexually charged dancing scenes, aziraphale’s gorgeous thighs and tummy, crowley’s praise kink, taylor swift references, “ngk”, crowley and aziraphale being good with kids and bad at feelings, cosy cuddles and smart cats, all the sappy romance stuff and so so much found family. thank you to all the lovely and wonderful people who read my fics, who shared them on tumblr or with their friends, who gave kudos and wrote the kindest comments, making my days so much brighter and encouraging me to write more. and more. and more! every ao3 email and every tumblr notification is a blessing to me, it means the world to know that my stories are being read and enjoyed! and thank you to my writer friends who’ve continuously supported me throughout this entire year, who listened to countless voice notes of me messily attempting to plot fics, who made time to read first drafts and outlines during the busiest of weeks, who held my hand through writing emotional scenes breaking my own heart in the middle of the night, who supplied me with plenty of inspiration and laughter, who helped me fix many spelling/ grammar mistakes and the weirdest plot holes, who are always eager to hear about my next silly idea. again and again and again.

very excited to see where 2025 will take my writing 💜

[rolameny]

i played through nine sols a second time and now i am going to talk about it. full spoilers!!

this is one of those works that tells you a lot of things about its world from the jump, only without giving you the context to interpret those statements. it makes a second visit so rewarding. going back through and knowing exactly what each monument means / the things yi is talking around.... really really good.

heng is fantastic on a replay. the first time around till you get the final message i thought yi was haunted. i also thought the ji reveal would be that he was heng and not an adult man

"neither of us made a mistake. we both made different choices" says yi, a man who has made so very many mistakes

game so good it makes you go "man i should learn more about taoism so i can better understand its themes"

it's wild how much this game draws on hollow knight and yet stands on its own as a totally different thing. like, mechanically, the jades are charms. the charged attack is a great slash. the full movement kit is monarch wings and mothwing cloak. the geo/artifacts economy. and you're a little guy who can't quite manage to die fighting your way through a series of bosses and some brightly hued corruption to sacrifice yourself at the end. it's just straightforwardly true that RCG pulled a great deal from HK, and it was enough to make me go aha!!! in recognition many times, but it's completely its own thing. own gameplay feel, own world, own story.

own protag: i love the silent protag in hollow knight but yi is such a lovable bitch [affectionate/derogatory]. guy who sucks so bad. guy it took over five hundred years to internalize a single social-emotional lesson.

it's so fascinating watching him react to the different sols. who does he get angry with. who does he make an offer of mercy to. because kuafu is so much the guy who is there i forgot yi also considered lady e the other reasonable person on the council, right up till he namedrops her when yelling at eigong.

the anger and spite to treat goumang as he did!! and even in the true ending you see neither he nor kuafu thought about her. there are some gaps of consideration in the true ending that i think of as "well we don't have time for that but you get it" -- any other potential apemen on new kunlun (peach blossom village is the 95th livestock pen. girl where are the others), the like 300-odd of 100k solarians left remaining in cryosleep who might like to at least live a little on earth before dying. imo the narrative is just skimming over them, we reach the emotional point of it with the people we know (kuafu and the gang). and it would be a whole narrative diversion to grab her. but the true ending makes sure to show us that goumang is still down there, rather than skimming over her fate. even when he grows a little yi still sucks so much dude [affectionate]. and kuafu's passivity coming to the fore here as well!

kuafu is so compelling because he is The Nice Guy but he is absolutely not necessarily The Kind Guy as well. he was just chill with the whole council plan and didn't do anything except be kind of bummed when yi died. (iirc he does just think yi's head did that. could have thought that one through a little more.) at the ending he pushes back against the idea of saving the apemen!

lady ethereal my beloved elizabeth holmes as a lynx furry. there's a fight that made me nod sagely and go Ah, Nightmare King Grimm. here's a place where i felt a little dissonance -- the full screen huge face digital flashing between normal/happy and manic evil laughter is a horror classic but it didn't quite hit it for lady e imo. huge face crying or snarling would have worked better i think, which i say even though i get the manic laughter through panic beat. idk. i love that in her bossfight she is presenting herself as the villain she thinks she is -- she gets out her heaving-est pushup bra for this one. sorry about it, girl. maybe next time if you know you're consigning a hundred thousand people to slow madness within their cryochambers maybe speak up about it.

speaking of people who learned no lessons. ji like okay well i've seen a lot of horror and so i elect to do nothing about it except contribute my cells to possibly the worst cause on earth. i will continue to wander this grotto for five hundred years while it gets worse. 👍 i'm having meaningful discussions about the tao with your man in the tentacle hole and i am not sorry, ji.

i understand the anglo readability argument for transliterating li er as lear but i, the anglophone in the room, did have to look at the fanwiki to understand that we were not dipping into shakespeare for a single guy. 😔

kanghui is such a fantastic element of this game. you get just enough about him to add to the horror of what eigong was doing, and what the jies are doing, and what the fuck is up with penglai to begin with. his inclusion makes ji make more sense to me as well. it's not that ji is a once in a millennium impossibility. it's that penglai is so so so weird. ji and yi pull up little chairs in front of kanghui's torture contraption for immortality group therapy.

like that one post says. CHIYOU best character CHIYOU

the siscon stuff in this game is so funny. [looking at the fengs] gang what's wrong with you [looking at yi and heng] gang what's wrong with you. congrats to the other characters on not having siblings and therefore having slightly more normal psychosexual hangups such as "getting off to body modification and torture."

RCG funding for one million years please 🙏🙏🙏 i know they said it took them five years to make this one but even with that timeline it's crazy that they went from narrative horror game to a genuinely best-in-class feeling Sekirollow Knight. they are so good at this shit.

okay. i have exorcised my thoughts and feelings about this game. playing a twenty-hour game twice in like 2-3 weeks is normal right.

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Request: Velvet and Eleanor reacting to Magilou flirting with their younger sibling (the reader) right in front of them.

(Tales of Berseria) Velvet and Eleanor reacting to Sibling!Reader getting flirted with

To quote our lord Steve Harvey, "KILL"

Velvet was always protective of Laphicet and (Y/N), even before she became a daemon.

And since (Y/N) was the last person Velvet had in her life, she wasn't going to let anything hurt them.

Even beyond just protecting them from harm, her big sister instincts still remained.

Which meant especially that people trying to engage romantically with (Y/N) was signing their death warrant.

And so enters: The Magilou.

(Y/N) was in the middle of preparing dinner for the night before hearing footsteps approach them.

(Y/N) "Hey, whoever that is, could you pass me the ladle? I need to do a taste test."

(Magilou) "Oh, here you go, dear (Y/N)!"

(Y/N) "...Oh no-"

Magilou hopped in front of them, dramatically extending her hands upwards to the sky, ladle in hand.

(Magilou) "Fear not, for I, the great Magilou, will help prepare a dish fit for the gods above!"

(Y/N) "Respectfully Magilou, I don't need help. Velvet taught me everything I need to know about cooking."

(Magilou) "Surely you jest! There's nothing Velvet can do that I cannot perform better!"

She leaned in close to them with a smirk.

(Magilou) "In fact, ignore your sister for a moment and listen to my advice! You may even win my heart, should you perform well enough!"

(Y/N) "I...doubt that.-"

(Magilou) "WHAT?! Am I not the prettiest woman you have ever laid eyes on?! How can you resist such alluring charms?!"

(Y/N) "Listening to you speak, for one-"

(Magilou) "Psh! It seems a foul mouth runs in the family-"

Suddenly, a young voice came from behind the two.

(Laphicet) "VELVET! MAGILOU IS PICKING ON (Y/N)!"

(Magilou) "What the-HANG ON YA LITTLE TYKE! I WAS JUST-"

Before the three of them could even blink, Velvet closed the distance from seemingly nowhere

Magilou fumbled with the ladle in genuine shock as Velvet began speaking.

Magilou backed off in fear, hiding behind (Y/N).

(Magilou) "H-Hang on now! I was just playing around, it was a goof! It was a gag!"

(Laphicet) "That's not what I heard! You said that both Velvet and (Y/N) had a foul mouth!"

(Magilou) "And you have a loose one, ratting me out like this!"

Velvet grabbed the ladle from the floor, and hit Magilou over the head with it.

Saying nothing else, she scooted Laphicet to sit next to (Y/N) before crouching down and turning to her sibling with a softer expression.

(Y/N) "Sis, you don't have to end Magilou, it's nothing she hasn't done before. And thanks to you too, Laphicet."

Laphicet nodded with a big smile as well.

(Laphicet) "Mhm!...Oh, we need to clean the ladle now!"

(Velvet) "Yeah. Give me a sec and we'll see how you did on the soup."

Magilou rubbed her injury, muttering to herself.

(Magilou) "Freakin' sister complex-"

(Velvet) "I heard that."

Eleanor was completely against (Y/N) joining her as she chased Velvet and her group, but the Abbey had decreed it so.

Which resulted in both of them being taken as "prisoners".

She feared for their lives, but she didn't realize that she also had to fear for their love life.

And she sure as hell would not let (Y/N) date anyone from this group of misfits.

Especially a certain one.

Well, two, actually. But Velvet didn't really seem to care about dating, thank god.

Neither did option one, but that didn't stop her from being an absolute nusiance.

(Magilou) "(Y/N)!"

(Y/N) was offput by her sudden arrival, considering that they were just in their room thinking.

(Y/N) "What the- Why did you kick open my door?!"

(Magilou) "How can our days be brightened without the young exorcist's beloved sibling? Instead of being with us, you are cooped up in your room!"

(Y/N) "E-Eleanor told me to stay here for a little bit. I'm not exactly inclined to against her wishes-"

(Magilou) "Ah, but you are shackled in here, like a bird in a cage! You must let your wings spread out and fly, little dove!"

(Y/N) "I think I'm good, thanks-"

(Magilou) "Y'know, listening to your big sister all the time will leave you maidenless for the rest of your life! She'll shield you from all the joys and wonders of the world!"

(Y/N) "I'm not doing your laundry, Magilou. And neither is Eleanor!"

(Magilou) "Fine, I'll just have to put on my dazzling magics to get you to see reason-"

(Eleanor) "YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!"

Eleanor stomped towards Magilou, shoving her outside the room before standing at the doorframe, arms crossed.

(Eleanor) "Do not engage my little brother/sister in your tomfoolery! I will not allow it!"

(Magilou) "See? This is exactly what I'm talking about! Eleanor will prevent any kind of love from blossoming-"

(Eleanor) "BE QUIET!"

She turned to (Y/N), getting even more flustered and angry.

(Y/N) "I don't think any other person will be like Magilou...I-I hope."

(Magilou) "Hmph! Both of you don't know a true dazzler when you see one-"

(Eleanor) "All I see is someone trying to leech off my sibling just to get their laundry done!"

(Magilou) "Why does everyone assume that I'm just here for my stinking clothes?! Can't I be here for romance, drama, or even anything else?!"

(Y/N) and Eleanor glared at Magilou.

(Magilou) "And for your information, I was here to recruit either of you to make dinner instead of me!"

(Y/N & Eleanor) "GET OUT!"

[amazing-spider-man-book-club]

The Amazing Spider-Man #8

Published: January 1964

Containing: "The Terrible Threat of The Living Brain!", "Spider-Man Tackles the Torch!"

Introducing: The Living Brain

Synopsis: Peter's mutual antagonism with Flash Thompson reaches a boiling point at the same time a new supercomputer is shown off at their high school, and disastrous shenanigans ensue. Spider-Man decides to harass the Human Torch at the latter's home which results in a drag-out fight.

Read alongside us here:

@frankendykes-monster : Woof, this one is an oddball of an issue. Our first issue since Amazing Fantasy #15 without any proper villain, though that doesn't make things any easier for Peter. I think The Living Brain is "quaint". There's no functional reason for it to have arms and gyroscopic movement even if it is designed to look like a person but that's the charm. It's green and gold and full of flashing lights! I highly doubt it could accurately tell who Spider-Man is if it didn't have a comprehensive census of NYC but logic is already stretched thin here. The fact that the two guys who were hired to move the computer around have typical "ugly" designs really rubs me the wrong way, like wow only pretty people can get decent jobs or don't resort to crime (Ditko's future fascist politics were punching the glass here).

This issue is sort of the crescendo of Peter's feuding with Flash Thompson; you really get the sense that the latter genuinely hates Peter with the fury and intensity of his insults in this story. You could do anything in high school prior to anti-bullying campaigns, including threatening to break your classmate's jaw and having the teacher say to settle things with a boxing match.

I'm really not sure what to make of the fact that so much of this story hinges on coincidence from Peter holding back but still managing to knock Flash out, to Flash waking up in time to knock the two guys out, to everyone forgetting about the coded paper with Spider-Man's identity on it. It makes for an unusual read that makes you think "oh wait this *is* a Spider-Man comic" when Peter finally suits up in one of the more interesting fights so far this series. The Living Brain is a genuine computer that can outsmart its opponents and recognize patterns, something that not a lot of intelligent machines in comics acted like at the time.

We also have our final back-up story of the series, this one by Jack Kirby. I can't tell if this was another one that was originally intended to run in Amazing Fantasy or not but it feels like it regardless. It's less driven by narrative and more set-up for an extensive fight between Spider-Man and The Human Torch, so the former is woefully out of character (Peter at this point isn't the type to just want to start shit because he can) and both of their power sets are a bit ill-defined this early on. Spider-Man can make a crochet bat, parachutes, and wings on the fly with his webbing, and The Human Torch can create infra-red spotlights and definite shapes like buzz saws. It feels like a throwback to just a year or two earlier when the characters would just be able to do stuff because it would be visually interesting, but it can be a bit eye rolling now.

@duel1971 : There’s a subplot in this story about Peter having a boxing match with Flash Thompson that I found to be better than the bits about the Living Brain. A robot capable of determining Spider-Man’s secret identity is kind of interesting, but that quickly gets abandoned in favor of Peter physically fighting the robot. The Living Brain’s design is kind of goofy and top-heavy and it doesn’t make for a very convincing threat despite the decidedly decent action sequence.

That boxing match, though. Peter’s anger at Flash’s bullying being contrasted with Peter’s unwillingness to hurt Flash in the fight is so interesting. I’m sure my editor would remember better than me, but I think this is the first time the series has seriously explored Peter having to use care when employing his powers against ordinary people. The drama of all that combined with an incredible shot of Peter bridal carrying a knocked-out Flash makes for a very compelling slice of our hero’s personal life.

Jack Kirby! If I’m not mistaken this isn’t too different from Peter’s other tussles with the Fantastic Four, but it’s a fun little fight where we get to see Spider-Man as more of a rogue than usual. There is a moment between Peter and Sue Storm towards the end that hints at Peter reconciling with the group and maybe even dating Sue, which I hope means the next crossover doesn’t end in violence. We’ll see!

[play-on-skinners-box]

Others have already been furrying the Raincode characters and doing a phenomenal job, but when I would peruse Danganrompa fanart I really liked seeing different and wildly varying interpretations for the characters' animal choices and now it is my turn, my GOD GIVEN DUTY TO PROVIDE IN THE GENISIS OF THE RAINCODE FANDOM, FOR THE HONOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE ME.

For all of them I used their pose from the artbook renders. I'll say it's to keep them recognizable but that is actually a lie I'm just lazy.

Secretary Bird Halara:

Halara I did first and they were the one I was most jazzed to do because I love them dearly. I made them a secretary bird and I think it's a PERFECT fit. Ahem allow me to rattle off. Secretary birds are birds, so doomed by the narrative to have to stay away from cats, they are predatory birds and of course Halara would be at the top of the food chain. Speaking of predetory birds, secretary birds are known for their ability TO KICK VENOUMOUS SNAKES TO DEATH, AND THATS JUST TOO GOOD A FIT. They also have plumage that I could easily shape into Halara's kinda smooth swoopy hairstyle, and face markings that could be sort of representative of their glasses! I think the drawing for them is probably the weakest out of the group just because as I went along I improved and started to translate the human designs in less one to one ways, plus the pose Halara has in the artbook doesn't fit perfectly to the really big wing hand things. I still enjoyed making it because H A L A R A N I G H T M A R E but I'm honestly kinda sad at how lackluster it is compared to Fubuki and Viva who got the most interesting details and texture work. NEVER DO YOUR FAVORITE FIRST IT'S A TRAP.

Guinea Pig Desuhiko:

With Desuhiko I was going back and fourth between a few rodents, I just think he kinda looks like one and already had those pikachu cheeks. My first scetch made him a hamster, and while it DID look like him, it felt a little too... Indistinct. Desuhiko's probably my favorite design in the cast just because he looks so distinctive and has a short stocky bodytype I really really love and makes my character designer brain happy, so I swapped hamster for guinea pig. While the guinea pig face doesn't look like him quite as much as the hamster, they are very interesting and distinctive looking which I loved a lot more even with a bit of accuracy sacrificed if that makes sense. Also there are Guinea pigs with spikey wild fur that make it so I could just kinda give him his actual hair and still have it make sense. Guinea pigs are also the perfect size and shape to be thrown like a large softball and out of all the Master Detectives Desuhiko looks like he'd be the most sadisfying to chuck across a room.

Fish Fubuki:

Fubuki was really hard just because it's difficult to anthropomorphize a fish in the same way as a mammal or a avian cause of their structure. She might look a biitttt more like a fantasy creature inspired by a fish than just a fish but she's charming enough I don't completely mind. I got some SOLID advice and looked at some Splatoon NPCs characteristics to try and make her more appealing. So why fish? I got it as a suggestion that I ended up really liking because fish are notorious for their bad memory, live in tanks their whole lives(Fubuki is the definition of sheltered), and they have fins to mimic the shape of Fubukis cloak and hair. I used beta fish for reference, they don't really fit her but just being a fish was good enough for me and at that point I was prioritizing looks. She doesn't even really look like any specific species like the other three to be honest. She's defiantly the outlier of the group but that's fine, she can be special in her own unique way like always. Got a little lazy with making the hair look all that fin-like, but it's kinda the main event of her human design so I wanted to keep it as true to that as possible but looking at it now I think its tooooo copy and paste looking. Her furry design IS my brothers favorite out of the batch so that's gotta count for something!

Flying Fox Bat Vivia:

The vampire looking man was always gonna be a bat, I am but a slave to the whims of fate. I made him specifically a flying fox because they're the largest bat species and therefore can loom ominously. Vampire bat would have been fun too, but they have more of a squished bastard energy that doesn't really fit Vivia. Bats also are known for their weird sleeping habits, ala upside. Viva isn't sleeping upside down or anything like that but he DOES snooze in some weird places so I think comparing him to a bat in multiple aspects is very apt! His drawing and animal design is probably my favorite, I really like the wings, and the bat feet are super weird I loved doing those. I did have trouble incorperating his hair, flying foxes have pretty smooth heads, but they do have sort of a mane thing going on so I tried to put some of his hair texture and shape there instead. Sorry I did not give him is edgy edgy hair cut, I too love it very much but it was simply not to be. I did try to mimic it's vibe with the patterning on his head though, an illusion of his bangs.

I'm very happy with this lineup overall, they're some neat little designs if I do say so myself! I might do more but I have the chronic problem of not being able to sit still for a long time to do a BUNTCH of guys again(though for the record I would make Seth the most delightfully storm drain gutter looking creature). I also kinda wanna do Makoto and Yuma cause someone suggested a REALLY good idea for them, but the concept for Makoto with this idea would be more of an involved design that I wouldn't be able to use all of his normal outfit for so it'd probably take longer than average.

TLDR: Furries amiright?

[skyfallscotland]

House of Earth & Blood thoughts, part two/two:

• Bryce's mum is really cute and it's kind of nice to see a story where the heroine isn't a starving orphan, sorry not sorry 🤷‍♀️

• Hunt's mum however 😭😭 that's so sad? And why do I feel like we're going to circle back at some point to that comment about not knowing who his dad is 👀 Is it someone important? It's someone important, isn't it?

• I also find it kind of hilarious that so many people rag on Violet in Fourth Wing, but Hunt Athalar is just as fucking bad. The boy is thirsty af, does he ever think about anything else??

• I also like that Bryce's depression and survivor's guilt is sticking around and not just being used as a plot device, like a lot of books usually do. It's nice. For me, not for her, lol.

• I still don't like Fury. She's still blacklisted. Go run off with E Ithan.

• Hunt’s wings, what the fuck. Honestly, Bryce isn’t doing enough threatening around here, blackmail these fuckers?!

• Ohhh I get it now…I think? Did someone shove that drug down Danika’s throat and she killed the pack? And that’s why she was begging? And why the protections on the apartment couldn’t stop it?

• Oh, Danika shoved the drug down Danika's throat? Well that's...charming. I know people are imperfect but damn this still feels like a Nehemia-Aelin relationship and I'm...not digging it.

• I really want to know more about the Autumn King, which seems like the situation every time there's an autumn king of any kind in an SJM novel, so, you know...par for the course.

• Micah is such a dick. TBH they're all dicks, but still 🙄

• Bryce begging for Hunt's freedom 🥺 I fully expected her to be like "he's my mate!" but IDK do they...not...realise that? Is it because she hasn't made the drop? They do have those in this universe, right? Because now I can't remember.

• I like Ruhn. Is pretty sword going to end up being Bryce's sword though? Because we're talking about it way too much for what's basically a glorified kitchen utensil in his hands.

• Ok so the last like however many pages were while I was out, which honestly? Always seems to happen? So I don't have a ton of live reactions but:

• Did I think Hunt was being a little mouthy about hating the archangels for a man in his position? Yes. Did I think he was actively planning a rebellion? Nope, you got me there.

• Oh and MICAH killing Danika and the pack? It makes a lot more sense, but that doesn't make me feel any warmer about her to be honest, she DEFINITELY learned from the Nehemia school of friendship (called it!) and I hate that for Bryce 😒

• The vacuum cleaner? That's such a trauma response and honestly, Bryce deserves to have that small moment of peace because she's a badass bitch. Nice work honey, you're doing great! 🥹

• Sandriel is just...I don't even care about her? She's meant to be this second big bad and I just never cared, tbh. Good riddance 👋

• Hunt gets blown up and put back together way too much and too easily tbh, which rankles considering Lehabah is apparently actually dead??? What's up with that? Rude.

• "Light it up, Bryce! Light it up!" Ok I might have teared up a little 😭In the grocery store. 😭 The same grocery store I was in when I listened to "you do not yield, you do not yield" on my last big shop. You're right, I can never go back.

• I also wasn't sure Bryce was ever making the drop, I was starting to think that she was going to remain human forever (and I wouldn't have been that mad about it). I'm kind of relieved though that she did and she didn't have to give up all her power? I think? From my understanding. That seems like an SJM special and I was waiting for it, prepared to roll my eyes.

• "I'm not making it ... Because it got too hard. Without you. It is too hard without you." I love Bryce so much. I felt her more than most other characters SJM's ever written. I feel like the way her depression and trauma showed through in little glimpses was something I'd been hoping for out of other characters in her work and never gotten and I'm glad she decided to tackle it properly this time around.

I can also see her getting along really well with Remi, so there, that's my answer now for everyone who kept saying Remi and Aelin would be friends. I can't see that, but I can see Remi and Bryce. And maybe Remi, Bryce, and Nesta being a dangerous trio 😅

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: Olivia Atwater returns to the world of Half a Soul with “a sharp and beautiful gothic romance” (Alix E. Harrow). Dive into The Witchwood Knot, and enjoy a dark faerie tale set in a magical version of Victorian England.

The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.

Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t believe in faeries—which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.

Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness… but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?

Review:

A gothic faerie tale featuring a magician pretending to be a victorian governess in order to solve the mystery at the heart of Witchwood Manor while dealing with monsters... both fae and human alike. Throw in a dash of romance, a stolen young lord, a tricky fae pretending to be a butler and a protective familiar cat and you get a absolutely fantastic read. Winifred Hall is hired to be a governess to a spoiled young lord as a favor to an old friend, a friend who just happens to be living in a manor that is said to be haunted and cursed by the fae. Winifred is actually a magician herself and is beginning to realize that the magic and curse surrounding this manor is much darker than she realized. When the young lord is kidnapped, she'll have to delve into the dark fae realm to get him back and the games are only just beginning. The more she pries into the truth of the manor the more she is realizing that this is a very complicated knot and that she'll have to rely on her wits to try and make it out. It doesn't help that there is the very dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr. Quincy, who is hiding so many secrets behind his charming smile, is the one person she'll have to help her navigate the fae realm of Witchwood Knot... There's a price for everything when it comes to the fae and what price will Quincy ask of Winifred? I have to say I fell absolutely in love with this book. I cannot wait for the next books and to see where Winifred and co go. Winifred was a wonderful protagonist, she used her tricks and wits to get by and after everything she went through she was still strong and resilient. The romance was very soft and sweet and I just adored the relationship between Quincy and Winifred. I also have to say Ollie, my sweet sweet boy, a true star in this book, a familiar cat after my own heart. This book was the perfect mixture of gothic romance and fairytale! I can't wait to read the next book!!!

*Spoiler: Winifred was sexually abused (forced to kiss her older male employer) until she summoned the Lady of the Hollow who took her under her own wing and vanished said abuser. Winifred knows she is blueblood but has no recollection of her family or her true name. She grew up as the ward of the Lady of the Hollow and of Lord Socrcier (hint at the previous 3 novels). She knows Lady Longell (owner of the Witchwood manor) and the lady knows that Winnie is a black magician and can help with saving her grandson. Mr. Quincy is a formieg, a separate entity from faeries and lives off of blood and iron (things faeries fear). He was bond to serve the Lady of Mourningwood but wanted to save some of the people of Witchwood Manor as best he could. Winnie and Quincy fall into a romance, a sweet and gentle one. When Quincy is forced to take Robert by his lady lord, the Lady of Mourningwood he does (he inadverdently saves him from being killed by lord Longfell) Lord Longfell is the reason the faeries are cursed in Witchwood and he killed his own mother and was going to kill Robert, he made a deal with the other formeieg, Quincy's brother Secundus who was freed when a drop of Lady Hollow's blood fell onto the earth (Quinct had saved and freed the Lady of the Hollow when she was a young child trapped with the Lady of Mourningwood). Secundus wanted revenge against the faeries and thus is the reason why there are no faeries in London (he is also the reason the Lady of the Hollow has disappeared and why Winnifred is trying to find a way to free her). Winnie gets back Robert and Quincy kills the Lady of Mourningwood, making him the new Lord of Mourningwood. Quincy and Winnie take Robert as their new student and Winnie now is set to free the Lady of the Hollow who was trapped by Secundus all the while the Hollow lady's husband (lord sorcier) lays asleep beneath the hollow land which is now taken over by Tritia (Quincy and Secundus's sister who has also been freed). Now they'll have to find a way to trick Quincy's siblings and free the faeries).

*Thanks Netgalley and Starwatch Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[ilikereadingactually]

Water, Water: Poems

Water, Water: Poems by Billy Collins

it's been a little while since i've read a poetry collection, even though twenty-five years ago i thought i wanted to be a professional poet and i still really enjoy reading it. so it was lovely to dive into this collection, which for the most part was very much to my taste!

this book in one sentence: a collection of fairly short free verse poems, which use pleasingly accessible language to examine the emotions underneath mundane, everyday, or just very small moments.

i'm sure it's become clear through my reviews that i love reading beautiful language, and part of that for me is really loving when frank and un-flowery language is used to beautiful effect. this collection really struck me that way! poetry is at its best for me when it casually turns over the most insignificant rocks to expose some view i wouldn't have seen or thought about, human experiences that are not universal, but rather emotionally understandable. Collins is doing that here, in ways that were more or less relatable to me in their specifics, but were full of feelings and interesting observations and straightforward words for un-straightforward things.

this isn't to say that there are no stunning poetic turns of phrase here—there are—but the strength of this collection is in ordinariness, i think, and Collins' willingness to make fun of himself a bit. charming self-deprecation is hit or miss for me, but these poems mostly hit!

the deets

how i read it: an e-galley from NetGalley yet again. I really truly am almost caught up now. i can see the horizon when i will pick up a physical book in my room and read it without the pressure of galleys i thought i would get to quicker weighing on me, lol.

try this if you: dig poetry that feels mundane but resonates deeply, enjoy a bit of writing about writing, or are looking for a way into poetry with something more accessible!

some lines i really liked: part of a poem and the whole of another!

... as I examine the details of a rural scene on the side of this Delft teacup while waiting for the water to boil and for you to come back home. Unless, of course, you are waiting out there for me to apologize, in which case you will find yourself all alone at the end of human time, beholding the tall, cascading waves of fire, sinkholes of ice, and that merciless quartet of horsemen in their scarlet vestments, who are now wheeling their steeds around and appear to be galloping furiously in your direction.

---

Against Longing One of the things I would not write is I wish I could fly away on silver wings or I'd like to be a starfish on a sandy beach. Longing was once a big part of poetry, but now it's better to just say you're flying. I'm flying! And don't sound overly surprised by it. Then you can describe all the things you find yourself flying over. Another baseball diamond...and that marina. And as for the nagging ambition to be a starfish lying on a sandy beach, just be one, lying there on a summer day in the middle of a circle of little kids, all poking you with sticks until some older kid comes along, picks you up, and launches you underhand in a huge arc back into the sea. Poof, you're a starfish. Also, you don't need that extra word sandy. Let the reader make the beach sandy in his head, let him meet you part way. You can even picture your reader alone in a poorly lit public library looking down at your poems the way those kids looked down at you on the beach, wondering how you were ever born and how you manage to get from place to place.

pub date: November 19, 2024! shockingly, i am ahead of publication on this one! go look for it at your local indie or library!

[thebenriksai]

Meet Alex!

Okay, guys, I have an exam at the university soon, so I'm definitely not in the mood to finish a new reference. Instead, I will drop here it's sketch, an old reference and other drawings with Alex.

The woman in front of you is extremely difficult. At work, she is a real professional, she studies the dimension and the beings of Xen, it even feels like she comes from there herself, otherwise how can you explain that she knows so much?? She communicates with headcrabs as with friends, does not disdain to go to their chamber once again, and snarks do not explode in her presence, and houndeyes just adore her! The list can go on for a long time. However, there is one thing. It's just impossible to talk to her. Alex is so aggressive towards everything that no one has ever left her office "unblemished." It feels like she's fighting with everyone on purpose. Perhaps she is amused by this? Maybe she has nothing to do? Or maybe she feeds on the energy of others emotions?.. Alex, although an unpleasant person, still treats others with some kind of respect, just a little. She often picks up newcomers under her black wing and helps them get used to this terrible facility, and she signed up for this herself, no one even offered this to her. He often comes to conferences, sipping her coffee, listens for some time, and then interrupts the story and points out mistakes...in her own style. No one knows what a woman is driven by, but she probably wants only the best to Black Mesa. You can find her in her office, in the cafeteria, in some corridors and in chambers with creatures. However, you did notice that something was wrong with her. Her eyes glow in the dark periodically, then her name on the badge seems to change by itself, then you hear a dull growl from the depths of her body. And how does she withstand such an amount of coffee?? How much does she drink?....34..50? Cups a day? Yeah, the woman is clearly having a midlife crisis. No wonders, she's 40 years old. Well, that's what it says in her passport. He looks much older. Although, let's be honest, half of Sector E in the complex can't wait for this dinosaur to finally kick back. The other half either respects her, or respects her and being under her feminine charms, succumbing to the superfluous "Sweet" or "Dear". No one remembers when Alex started working at Mesa. It seems that these people are no longer alive. Or maybe they just quit. Although Wallace Breen himself claims that the woman has been working here almost since the construction of the complex, along with her older brother (hmm, how strange, he looks younger than her). Although, let's be honest, the relationship between the administrator and Alex is strange. It seems like there's some kind of agreement between them, right?..He looks at her like that. And she's obviously pretending not to see his gaze. Sometimes you can see a red-haired girl behind a woman. Oh, it's Lee!! But don't let your eyes fool you. Lee is not Alex's daughter, she is her younger sister. Although some people see their family this way: Benrey as a father, Alex as a mother and Lee as their daughter. Lee is probably the only one Alex shows affection for. She also showed interest in John, the technician, and her own assistant, until he... well, not about that. If you get to know Alex better, she will seem like an interesting person. A well-read, intelligent woman with a VERY strange sense of humor. She didn't go far from her older brother, even without toilet jokes from time to time. She collects plush toys, badges and pins (which she proudly wears on her lab coat), drinks too much soda, knows new games and has already played many, draws weird pictures and talks to her reflection, flatly refusing to accept it as her own, thinking that some strange woman is standing outside the window. What makes a woman more paranormal is that she has excellent intuition and that all her tarot cards predictions come true with high accuracy. But hey, don't thinks about it too much. She's just a scientist, an ordinary human being, just like you.  -Blue Opal / Alex

[allwaswell16]

This is a fic rec of fics that have a similarity to the fic These High Walls (which is also listed below) as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments to the writers! You can find all my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

These High Walls by LarryAlways28 / @larryaboworld (E, 68k, a/b/o)

Harry Styles should have the world at his feet. Born to one of Seattle's wealthiest families,  Harry was raised exactly as a Styles heir should be: sharp as a tack, witty, charming, and powerful. He was the ideal son - until he presented as an Omega. Now, barely a year after his old man dropped dead and running the family company, if he makes a mistake with the Tomlinson and Sons merger and acquisition, it's game over.

Louis Tomlinson is in over his head. After the tragic death of his older brother, Louis has no choice but to put his music career on hold and head back home to handle the family affairs. The family business is drowning and Louis doesn't know what to do. So... when the older, and wildly attractive Harry Styles offers him a deal in exchange for saving his family's legacy- how could Louis ever refuse that?

But what happens when emotions get tangled and a good business deal turns into something much more powerful?

✧-Larry-✧

The Spicy Cologne by @millionlittletings

(T, 108k, boss/employee) Harry Styles, the sole heir of the Styles Group of Hospitality Ltd, is a man like no other. 

white winged dove by duchessy

(M, 100k, royal au) Pressured to marry in order to save his family from financial and social ruin, Louis finds himself caught between wanting to be selfish and doing what he needs to do for the sake of his sisters, if no one else.

What I Have With You (I don't want with anyone else) by @lululawrence

(NR, 73k, a/b/o) Louis is an asexual alpha, Harry is his aromantic alpha friend and possible roommate, and faking a relationship might be exactly what they need to get their families and friends off their backs.

Manhattan From The Sky by sincewewereeighteen 

(E, 47k, CEO Harry) Harry's been raised to know that successful men do not fall in love. Louis believes that love is all you need to be successful in life. They meet.

I Like You, Say It Back by ishiplouis / @pocketsunshineharry

(E, 43k, a/b/o) the one where it takes a lot of time for Harry and Louis to figure it out. But they do, they always do, don't they?

How Fitting and Sweet by @soidiallednine

(M, 38k, science fiction) The planets Walloq and Traj have been at odds for nearly a century. If nothing is done soon to stop the war, the future of both worlds may be lost.

Reduce Me To A Pleading Cry (Break The Skin and Tantalize) by @taggiecb

(E, 37k, bdsm) Harry is a broody submissive boss, Louis is a natural dom who works in the mail room at Styles & Styles, Niall is a matchmaking oracle, and a slender, dark haired man stands mute at the coffee stand encouraging others to spill their secrets.

And I’d Marry You Harry (Because You Forced Me) by @2tiedships2

(NR, 24k, The Proposal au) The Proposal AU featuring Harry as Sandra Bullock, Louis as Ryan Reynolds, and all the fun a fake relationship and forced engagement can bring.

Mr. Tomlinson by iwillpaintasongforlou / @canonlarry

(E, 4k, a/b/o) Harry is the quiet cupcake of a man he calls his alpha and the only one who gets to see Louis as anything less than fearsome.

Then We Take It To The Bed, Then We Take It To The Floor by Lovinlou

(NR, 3k, a/b/o) CEO harry styles who has employees trembling in fear just by the mention of his name, giving orders and screaming at them, but behind closed doors he fully submits to his alpha taking in every order he receives.

✧-Rare Pairs-✧

Money Moves by mmaree / @zqua1d

(E, 74k, Zayn/Liam) Fake Engagement AU with Boss!Liam and Secretary!Zayn

[impostoradult]

I finally figured out why it feels like Supernatural murdered a unicorn (AKA why you need to STOP telling me to watch Black Sails)

I’ll start by saying, everything everyone else has been saying CERTAINLY bothers me: 

- the queer-baiting - the bury your queers - the undermining of Dean’s character arc  - the wasted opportunity for a certain kind of overall narrative closure - the flat out disrespect to Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles

 All of that bothers me tremendously. 

But there has been something else rather ineffable about this that has left a horrible taste in my mouth that I couldn’t quite pin down until last night. Bear with me, if you will, because this will require some set-up. 

*** This is not the first show to ever disappoint me in a spectacular fashion, nor will it be the last, I suspect. And one of the ways I’ve always coped with that disappointment was to remind myself that there will be other stories, other characters, other chances to get it right. (”It” being any number of things from just pure narrative emotional coherence to not burying your queers to not stringing along your queer audience and then yelling fuck you to them on the way out) 

But somehow that assurance -- that there will be other stories, other characters, other chances to get it right -- has rung particularly hollow in this instance, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on why until yesterday. 

I kept asking myself, why do I still have this feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach, like something was lost here that can never be recovered? 

Because something was lost here that I am doubtful can ever be recovered, and I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else talking about this aspect of it at all. 

***

A few months ago, TV critic Maureen Ryan did a great interview piece with Mike Schur (of Parks & Rec/The Good Place) discussing the death of long-form TV in the streaming era. They explore how the longer seasons and longer runs of traditional broadcast/cable TV provided an opportunity to tell particular kinds of stories that you simply can’t when seasons are 8-10 episodes and series typically run 2-4 seasons (thanks Netflix).

One key thing we’ve all lost in this new era of highly condensed TV storytelling (and of prestige TV narrative styles)? The traditional (several season’s long) slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance. Not only is there simply no longer the time or space to write such romances, it has also come to be seen as hacky, manipulative, cheap, artistically impoverished, low-brow, a embarrassing vestige of the era before TV became art™. 

Everybody is trying to be Fleabag now. No one wants to be Frasier. (”It’s really more like a 10 hour movie” they all like to brag)

Obviously TV still has romances, even ‘drawn out’ romances. But ‘drawn out’ in 2020 is like 2-3 seasons, maybe. More commonly it’s like half a season. Take Schitt’s Creek. The number of episodes between when David and Patrick first meet and when they first kiss? Seven. Seven episodes. Half a season. If you watched it live, it took less than 2 months for them to move from introducing that dynamic to consummating it. And I’m not bagging on Schitt’s Creek; I think the David/Patrick’s story is very lovely and well-written. 

But Niles & Daphne (Fraiser) had to wait 7 years and over 150 episodes before they finally got there. Josh & Donna (The West Wing) had to wait 6+ years, and 145 episodes. Mulder & Scully (The X-Files) had to wait 7 seasons and 143 episodes. Booth & Bones had to wait...you see where I am going with this. 

And my point is (and I can’t believe I never realized this explicitly until now): there has NEVER been a queer slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance of that type on TV ever. EVER. 

I’m going to say that again, because I think it bares repeating:

There has never been a queer, slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance that fits the 100-150 episode paradigm of delayed gratification on TV. 

Not ever.  

I can’t think of ONE example  Not a single, solitary one. And I know queer TV pretty well. Arguably the closest we’ve ever come is Legend of Korra, and that ran 50 episodes, a THIRD of the length of old school will-they-won’t-theys like Booth & Bones or Josh & Donna. 

Queer people have had a fair number of canonical romances on TV by now, even fairly long running ones. But we never got a primary/front-and-center romance that you had to root for for 100+ episodes before you got any kind of canonical consummation.

That is a particular kind of TV experience that queer people and queer characters were just 100% shut out of until it was too late. And because of how the TV landscape has changed in the last 10 years, I don’t know that that opportunity will ever come back around in our lifetimes. 

***

Dean and Castiel are/were a legacy of an earlier era of TV, an era that still contained the possibility for a will-they-won’t-they of that particular mold. There were other shows that could have also filled this gap at one time - Rizzoli & Isles, OUAT, House MD, etc. But one by one all of them were killed off, their queer romances unrequited, until Supernatural was the only one of its’ generation left standing. 

And they should have acknowledged that they were a species about to become extinct. 

There are plenty of other valid and compelling reasons Supernatural should have gone full Destiel, don’t get me wrong.

A) It would have been the most emotionally satisfying ending to the series and to those characters (and that would have been reason enough). 

B) It would have stopped the manipulative queer-baiting of the (disproportionately queer) fanbase (and that would have been reason enough). 

C) It would have been queer representation of middle-aged men, of bi men, of queers who came to their queerness later in life (and any/all of those would have been reason enough). 

D) It could have been a glorious subversion of the bury your queers trope, considering how often they’ve died and been resurrected (and that would have been reason enough). 

But point E) on this list is the reason this one hurts in a singular way that no one even appears to be acknowledging. 

Almost all of the other wrongs and missed opportunities contained in this Supernatural debacle have the possibility of being rectified (at least to a degree) elsewhere. I can and I likely will get more bi male characters from TV as time goes on. I can and likely will get more middle-aged queer characters. I can and likely will get more queer characters coming to their queerness later in life, and starting queer romances later in life. I can and likely will get more queer characters who aren’t killed cheaply and prematurely. I can and likely will get more genre TV shows with sprawling myth arc plots that are resolved in a coherent, satisfying way. I can and likely will get Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles involved in other projects that value their work and their talents. 

All of those other things are at the very least POSSIBLE, and many are even likely. 

But a queer 100-150 episode slow-burn romance a la Mulder & Scully or Niles & Daphne or Booth & Bones? That is the one baton Supernatural dropped spectacularly that no one else even has the possibility of picking up again for the foreseeable future. (They don’t even write those types of romances for heterosexuals anymore!) 

Seriously. It was a TV unicorn. And rather than letting it run wild and free, they stabbed it with a rusty nail. 

***

Given the monumental shifts in the TV landscape that have occurred in the last decade, I don’t know that TV will ever go back to the slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance spanning 100-150 episodes. Today it is a miracle if you can get ANY show to last longer than 50 episodes in the first place. 

And that is the piece of this that makes it feel (to me) like they murdered a unicorn.  

Because queer people have gotten a lot of things from TV, and they will get a lot more as time goes on. But that one? That one could very well be a totally extinct species.

That is the larger missed opportunity here that has left this feeling especially hollow and destructive. That is the thing that makes me balk when people tell me to go watch Black Sails or Pose or whatever other prestige TV show is doing this representation ‘better.’ Because that’s not really the loss I am mourning here. I KNOW there is ‘better’ representation elsewhere.  

But the will-they-won’t-they/slow-burn romance is a qualitatively unique thing that queer people literally just never got. Ever. There is no substitute, no alternate, no other show I can turn to with that kind of build-up and pay-off for a queer couple, and there probably won’t be in my lifetime. Not unless the TV industry undergoes another monumental evolution similar to the streaming revolution that shifts the incentives back to telling those types of stories again. 

All those shows you want me to displace Supernatural with? None of them can give me the one thing I uniquely wanted (and could have gotten) from Supernatural. THAT ALTERNATE SHOW DOESN’T EXIST. It doesn’t exist. And I have no reason to hope it will ever exist in my lifetime. 

So stop telling me to look somewhere else; you don’t understand what made this one a unicorn. 

***

Addendum: The only other possible show that could perhaps fill this gap is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (re: Mac/Dennis). But I’m hesitant to say it exactly meets that criteria, for a number of reasons:

1 - It’s far less serialized relative to Supernatural and (except for a handful of stand-alone episodes) very little of the story is grounded specifically in Dennis/Mac’s romantic dynamic (unlike SPN, where it is absolutely central to much of the narrative)

2 - IASIP is fundamentally satirically in nature/tone which makes it much harder to have genuine romantic pathos (not impossible, but harder) 

3 - All the characters on IASIP are fundamentally crummy people who you aren’t exactly supposed to root for. Which doesn’t mean a romance between two of them can’t have its value/charm/worth but it’s not the same as when it is between characters who unequivocally deserve nice things/happy endings

[danddymaro]

Me Too | Mirage x Reader

The sweet floofy stuff with Elli. though, NSFW.

As this is Mirage, we will give him the ‘ol cliche of doing it in front of the mirror.

‘Cause he’s cute guys, and he needs the love. 

Plus he’s like... a momma’s boy lol. That’s cute.

Word Count: 1640

Me Too

Earlier that night you'd been at the Paradise Lounge, keeping your trickster friend company throughout the working hours until it was just you two and a few complimentary drinks that had you both just a bit too honest with each other.

You weren't drunk, neither of you was, but maybe just a bit close to tipsy, enough for you to have been the one to put a rather crazy idea out there first.

And it was enough to have him put no hesitation between your question and his answer.

It was also close enough for him to take it a step further and admit that he's fantasized about it before, that it'd come to mind so many times before, that, he’d dreamed of it too.

And it'd been only fair for you to tell him that it'd been the same for you.

Sure, you guys always flirted, but playfully.

You never went out in the open with your sex life, until then.

"- That long?" Mirage said with half amusement, half shock.

"Yes!" you said with a bit of bite, embarrassed at the way he gawked at you like it was something to really laugh at.

Annoyed, you crossed you arms and turned your nose a different direction, “So just shut up!” you added, regretting having told him.

He noted your insult and began to chuckle, seeming nervous, " Hey, Hey, calm down!" he said back.

"Don't look at me like that," he added, holding back from shrinking under your darkened gaze.

“I just can’t believe it,” he admitted. 

  "- If it makes you feel better... it's been a while for me too," he confessed.

And that innocent little conversation had led to you following him back to his place, both of you enthusiastic, sneaking in like two devious kids up to no good.

Even if there was no one home, you followed behind him as he tugged you along, laughing when he almost tripped over his own footing, very clearly excited.

━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━

- It’s weird.

Anything new would sometimes be strange, but this, this new thing was definitely something you would have never thought to do, even alone.

It wasn't as though it was some taboo act, but even then, watching yourself in such a state was awkward.

Well, at first it was, because slowly, you eased into the act.

' I mean... it IS weird,' You tell yourself.

 'But... but hot too, ' you think quickly, correcting yourself while your (e/c) colored eyes cannot help but slowly trail over the reflection before you, stopping at the alluring sight with half-lidded eyes that had slowly fallen from their initial wide-eyed setting.

You'd wanted to look away at first, but there was something about you being on display, handled by such a beautiful man that had you attentive, unable to look away to where slowly, your shame dwindled into nonexistence. 

Before then, the first thing you'd seen was your own eyes. 

That's what you found focus on first to try and collect yourself, unprepared for how easily you'd slip into the act.

 They'd been teary and wide-eyed in the beginning , seeming utterly shamed while the rest of you seemed to have no trace of dignity, no shamefulness that forces you to whither nor shy away.

Almost dumbly, you stare before you, bewitched by the beautiful man that also watches while the rest of his body gives you its attention.

Dark eyes sweet as the cocoa with a touch of light crème give their attention that is touched by so much sweetness your heart flutters. 

There's something especially lovely about him at that point which should be nothing but sensual heat. 

In the midst of that moment, there is a charming touch that makes you feel adored. 

It makes you feel beautiful.

And you have to remind yourself that this isn't something between two lovers, two people that have confessed their feelings as something other than simple lust. 

-  It's just that... right?

You try and keep the wings that have sprouted from your beating heart  weighed down enough so it doesn't soar to high, so it doesn’t start to believe in something that wasn’t there.

‘We’re just...fucking.’ You remind yourself, and briefly you think to yourself that what little alcohol had, had you giddy hadn’t lasted.

Perhaps that's what Elliot feels for you ; lust. 

  Maybe that’s what it is, even if his eyes say something else as they stare back at you through the reflection.

Maybe  that's all he really feels even as his chest  firmly presses against your back, making your hearts neighbors, at certain points sharing the same beat as though they speak the same language known only to them.

You know you are on the verge of tears, the thin sheet of moisture gathering so thickly as you bring your eyes so close that little drops threaten to drip down from them.

Meanwhile, You huff out, your hips bucking with each little jolt his fingers force you to act out as he presses them down over your sensitive bud. All the while, he continues to thrust into you from behind, his pace a slow, sensual roll that surprises you with every other deep, abrupt thrust that earns him squealed-out curses that are then proceeded by his name.

Something in you feels like too much, and urgency fills you. 

Your voice, even in its softest breath fails you, leaving you with a little hiccup that was supposed to be a call to him.

Overwhelmed, you do the only thing you can, your hips wiggling desperately, and he seems to get the message, picking up his own pace. His wet digits also change it up, leaving you tilting your head back, your eyes rolling up before they closed tightly.

one of your hand's skim over your chest, the act you are used to done out of instinct. Your hand normally clutches your shirt, but instead, it just hovers over your chest, not doing anything but being suspended as your body breaks out in little shivers.

Your hand is empty before warmth falls over it, encasing it. 

His free hand has yours held, and he manages to worm his fingers in between the spaces yours leaves for him. 

It's a touch of sugar and spice as he still pleases you, fucking you passionately while the hand that holds you comes up to his lips, the bare underside of your palm kissed tenderly.

It is then that those damned tears that you've held in and have clung to your lashes finally fall. 

Silently, they escape and so does his name in a breath that's terribly sweet, undeniably marked by the feeling of adoration you feel for him. 

You become undone, the little murmurs that leave you after you've become a mess are indecipherable. For the most part they're not something he understands but listens to attentively nonetheless, focused enough that he captures two that make his heart jump.

Without warning, your back is then pressed to the mattress, and Elliot’s hands hold your wrists down as he hovers over you, looking down at you with those pretty, dark eyes that have you melting.

 Even if the entire time he's been staring at you through the reflection, it's then when you are right before him, face to face that you feel completely vulnerable.

Your face is heated, and you want to hide. You have an urgency to as you turn away, looking aside. 

His reaction is to smile, the charming grin coming in view as he leans down and gives you a little peck on the cheek you present him.

Your eyes move over to him and you bite your lip as you give him that shrinking look that only makes him want to kiss you more. 

Another peck falls on your cheek, but it's lower than the first, grazing the corner of your mouth, luring you back to him. 

Slowly, you turn back to him, and you respond to the kiss that follows. 

Your lips melt together, and you close your eyes to savor it, focusing on the feeling of his soft lips, the smell of his delicious aroma, and the taste of his undeniable sweetness.

You hardly notice that he lets go, the grip on your wrists gone, and before long those big hands fall onto your cheeks as he smothers you into an especially deep one, one that has you completely breathless.

He withdraws, and his lips are inches from yours, his pretty eyes gazing into yours as he responds to your earlier confession, 

 "... I love you too..." he says. 

He only has the nerve to admit it at that very moment, only after knowing your feelings.

He knows he talks a lot sometimes, going on and on.

- About work, about his day, 

…About his mom.

He's well aware that it can get annoying having to answer him at such inconvenient times, especially after he talks to the elder woman and his voice is unfamiliar to her.

Even if he’s thankful every time she comes to,  he knows that one day he’ll remain a stranger.

- And it’s then that he can only think of you, the one person that manages to lift the corners of his mouth up. 

Somehow, you mange to make him smile through the tears. 

Gently, he wipes them away as a little chuckle escapes him, and sometimes he gathers the courage to ask you what you’re doing, and if you have time to see him.

He knows that you have so many other options, other people that would jump at the chance to be with you.  

-  He kisses you with that love he’s held silent, and you respond back with it too.

[vern-a]

1) i am in love with you and kissing you right now

2) The artist struggle in the first bbh hc post, real and based. Im vibrating at the art possibilities on this one and i will join the art yes yes.

(Also i dont watch a lot of bbh but those headcanons are so true bestie. I love A Skeppy and ive been brainrotting about bbh, missa and phil servants of death so much lately)

Spider Roier you say? Well, think of spiderbit sharing a moment and Cellbit looks into Roiers eyes but then he completely doesnt know which ones he should look into.

Juanaflippa slime video kid is also incredibly based. Mariana slowly morphs into a slime enjoyer and doesnt realise it until one day hes squishing charlies hands like Flippa does. (Im normal about slimeriana and slime hybrid charlie i promise)

I love floating island Foolish and i love japanese pottery gold mended Etoiles. Fuckin wicked

Favela five dont own a bed they have a designated sleep room with matresses and pillows and blankets methinks. Theyre so used to using each other as blankets/ pillows that cuddling is an idle activity. Pac e Mike always standing so close + slime Mike changing form to somehow always be touching Pac.

I am constantly rotating the "since missa left phil has made a nest out of their clothes and blankets because bird man misses husband" concept in my head. They live in my walls man.

Trump is the only one with two human parents and their boy picks up new habits every day, so now Max and Dan have to learn how to clean wings, how to wash off slime stains, how to wrangle dragon babies, how to-

The craftier eggs like Ramon, Richas and Pomme would probably make jewelry out of the little shinies and sticks their tios and tias accumilate and gift them. In my mind Fit has a prosthetic arm (potato cannon perhaps) and its got a bunch of trinkets and bracelets made from what Phil has gifted him.

ALSO the bird peoples feathers made into accessories. The eggs' baby dragon teeth made into little charms. (I also gotta add a detail from a banger book i read: townspeople rebelled against their king, and since their weapons were taken away, they cut and used their own hair in making crossbow strings and weapon bindings. Methinks forever coded)

Common sentences, probably: "Whose fucking feathers are these???", "I told you to go shed outside and not on the couch!", "Mind the claws" + struggling to clip the eggs claws like they struggle with bath time, "Get down from the fridge"

And yes!!! I love unconventional affection!!!!! Lay in a pile! stand next to each other without saying anything! Fuck yeah weird sticks! Make odd noises at each other! Head butts! Only One Foot Touching and NO MORE! (Theyre all so autism)

(Also insert that one post of Missa being made of bones and werewolf Forever barely holding back from chewing on him)

I love having non-human headcanons for the qsmp members, especially for silly dumb reasons

I’m just saying, the image I just got of Roier trying to do a courtship dance for Cellbit and Cellbit not knowing wtf he’s doing bc they’re totally different animals is pretty funny

Or, I’ve had this idea for a while now, all the ones with wings gently tapping on the eggs or even each other as a sign of greeting.

Example: Bad goes to see Philza and they stand side by side and lightly touch their wings together, like a handshake almost! This could be done with tails too, that’s be cute,,,

Lmao Foolish’s love language being just straight up biting, Baghera and Quackity going into water yet somehow come out fully dry, AUGH THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEAAAAA

Or all the hybrids going up to people and softly head-butting them for attention, and then the eggs pick up on it and now they’ve started gently bumping into people to get their attention ahhh,,,, this is adorable,,,