#knight is the one who's more adventurous and likely to get in trouble

[galionne-vibin]

Head full of Dad Mato thoughts.......

He sees Knight come in and is all happy to see his pupil again but then the Greenpath Vessel and Lost Kin (Green & Kin?) walk in behind them and Mato is like "More?? More children for me??"

And Green and Kin are wary at first but they trust their little sibling and clearly Knight trusts this person ; and Mato works so hard to earn their trust and offer them a warm and loving home and show them they are safe here and they don't have to be empty husks carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders anymore they're allowed to be children they're allowed to play and be happy and be cared for ; they're allowed to make mistakes, they're allowed to be scared ; they're allowed to live goddammit!

And sure it's not easy going from living alone to having three children under your roof, but he'll manage. And hey, he's always got Sly if he needs parenting advice...

[thewickedjazzy]

Blood, Sweat & Tears [Sex Pollen] for Kinktober.

♡「knight! akutagawa x afab! reader.」

Synopsis: you drag your loyal knight to a secluded antique shop, unaware that a cursed relic would force him to quench his insatiable desire for you, leaving him one choice only...fuck or watch you both die.

Warnings and w/c: 3.1k. ņsfw, smųt with plot, dead dove ー read at your own risk, dub-con, blood, cum, manipulation, age gap (aku is in his 30s YUM), sex pollen (obv.) slight implied knife play (rashomon)...etc.

“ryuu-kun, c'mon! why are you so stiff? just relax!” you giggle softly, tugging on the poor man's black shoulder cape as you practically drag him toward the entrance of the haunted antique shop.

truth be told, akutagawa wasn’t hesitant —at least, not for the reasons you assumed. the idea of going against the king’s orders wasn’t something he took lightly. defying authority was not a habit for a devoted knight like him, and he had never imagined himself in a situation like this. but for you?

oh — for you, he would go against any order. he would take any risk just to see your eyes light up, to hear that carefree laugh of yours that always seemed to make the heavy burdens on his heart feel lighter. lord! how he loves to just see your cheeks flush, the delicate pink hue resembling the sakura in full bloom ー his new favorite colour.

akutagawa had been by your side for years, from your childhood through your teenage years, and now, as you stepped into adulthood, he couldn't help but notice how things had changed. he had seen your growth with his own eyes, and it disturbed him more than he'd ever admit. you were becoming someone who could get into trouble with ease, and while he was too loyal to question you, the protective instinct in him was stronger than ever.

“i’m relaxed, with all due respect, don't you think you're being a bit reckless?” despite his apparent annoyance, his eyes soften as they find yours. there was something captivating about the way your eyes glimmer under the poor light of the shop, like stars in a forgotten sky.

you step further into the abandoned shop, soft giggles echo as akutagawa’s reluctant footsteps follow close behind. the place feels like it hasn’t seen sunlight in ages, dust dances in the beams filtering through the cracked windows, illuminating shelves filled with eerie artifacts and relics of a forgotten age. for you? this was simply an adventure — a moment of thrill in an otherwise carefully controlled life.

“look, ryuu-kun! isn’t it fascinating?” you point toward an ornate mirror standing tall at the back of the shop. its frame is twisted, covered in intricate carvings that seem almost to shift as you stare at them. “wooah! i’ve never seen anything like it.”

the knight watches you approach the mirror, every instinct tells him this place isn’t safe, that there’s a dark enchantment here that could harm you. but your enthusiasm and willingness to explore, pulls him in against his better judgment.

“your highness...” he says softly despite the danger evident in his voice, “don’t touch it. we don’t know what kind of curse or magic might lie within that thing.”

but of course you’re already inches away, mesmerized by your own reflection in the mirror’s surface as if it almost seems to beckon you, whispering captivating, incoherent lullabies that you can’t quite decipher. your fingers reach out, grazing the glass searching for the source of the sound. but the moment you make contact, an odd chill courses through you, and the reflection changes, warping, revealing shadows of something darker within.

and suddenly, you’re not looking at yourself anymore. instead, you see visions flickering across the mirror — scenes of solitude, a vast, empty world where you stand utterly alone. the cheerful warmth in your chest vanishes, replaced by a cold sense of despair. you try your best to step back, but your gaze remains locked onto the mirror as if bound by an invisible force.

akutagawa’s eyes widen as he watches you freeze, your expression shifting from delight to horror. without a second thought, he lunges forward, pulling you away, but not before his eyes accidentally catch his own reflection. and again, the mirror’s black magic grips him, and for a fleeting moment, he sees something horrifying — the blood stained memories of his past in the port mafia, of every life he’s taken, every failure, every ounce of suffering he encountered.

“r-ryuu-kun…” you try to speak but you're disoriented...pale, leaning against him as you struggle to steady your breathing.

he shakes himself free, grip tightening slightly on your arm. “we need to leave. NOW.”

you nod, feeling a strange, lingering heaviness creeping inside your chest. arguing feels pointless, afterall he’s the reason you’re still alive and kicking up till now. you murmur a soft “i’m sorry,” but he doesn’t respond. without a glance, he strides toward the door pulling you along with him.

and just as he reaches the threshold, a sweet, floral yet infused with a dangerously intoxicating heady scent looms around you both, almost as if the scent itself seeps into your senses, leaving your body heating up and your thoughts hazy.

“ryuu?… i don’t feel well-… what do we—what's happening to me?” your voice is barely audible, the heat sensation spreading through you rapidly, making your cheeks flush more and your breaths come quicker, each inhale carrying more of that cloying scent, filling your senses until all you can think about is the knight by your side.

“it's the curse,” he mutters, “i-it won't break unless we give... blood, and... uh- more.”

you look up at him and it’s clear he’s struggling just as much, flushed and panting heavily. you instinctively cling to him, seeking closure against your own will, and he finds himself leaning closer, almost reflexively. despite the losing battle within him to resist, he begins to tell himself that perhaps fulfilling this desire is the only way to break free of the mirror’s spell? perhaps it's the only way to truly protect you? there’s no time to consider if it’s twisted or not, he's silently beating himself up for letting you get hurt in the first place.

he tries his best to keep his thoughts under control, but it's nearly impossible with the enchanted pollen's effect taking over his mind and turning him into a puppet of it's own making and the line between his sense of duty to protect you and his desire to make the aching pain in his pants go away becomes harder to see.

“your majesty..” he murmurs almost apologetically as he lowers his face close to yours, a deep blush spreads across your cheeks as you finally understand — this isn't just about you and him anymore. this is about survival, about breaking the curse that binds you. blood and cum must mix in order for the magic to release its grip. is it grotesque? yes, but in this moment, it’s the only way out.

your eyes are heavily half-lidded, lips parted perfectly, a few beads of sweat trace your cupid’s bow as you clench onto him with wobbly legs, your thoughts absolutely shameless, cunt instinctively clenching around nothing, are you actually craving him? the knight who has been by your side for so many years — the one who’s spent countless hours guarding and protecting you — is now stirring feelings you’d only ever brushed aside. you would be lying if you said that you never thought of him this way, there was something about the familiar warmth he carried that made you want to stay wrapped in his arms forever.

“ryuu-kun.. i-it hurts so bad— please make it stop.” you cry, though you're not sure whether you're asking for release from the curse or for something else entirely. the look you're giving him is so pathetic that he can't help but dart out his tongue to wet his lips, before smashing his lips on yours feverishly, you both grunt in relief, you're not sure what's happening but it's seems to work. he slips his agile tongue between your parted lips, spit mingles with lewd mewls as he pins you against the wall, hands fumbling with his garments, taking his pants off, unbuttoning his black tonic, almost everything as to free himself from the suffocating layers of fabric, before fully pressing his bare upper body against yours.

“your highness... i'm sorry,” the words are soft, but the look in his eyes is anything but. there’s a lurking emotion there that he rarely reveals— less guilt, and more... eagerness? surely he knows the stakes of this spell too well. he understands the strength and danger of it, how it could kill you both in less than an hour if you don’t break it. yet, akutagawa’s no saint. he's a deviant, laced with sin and shameless thirst, an absolute reprobate. even as he’s forced into this for your survival. there’s an obscene side to him he can’t hide, a filthy hunger in how his gaze trails over your body, wondering how it’ll feel when you’re wrapped tight around him, how you’ll respond to him thrusting into you. will you bite back a scream? will you moan his name, too breathless, too fucked out to form a word?

either ways, there's no point for him to guess as he'll be witnessing it shortly. strong and boney hands tremble as they run wild against your body till they reach your pants pulling them down, he's too engrossed in your details as a muffled groan escapes his pretty lips before he slides down your nectar-soaked panties, taking both your legs wrapping them around his narrow waist, holding you close as if he can’t bear the thought of you slipping away from him. with a shaky sigh as he pops the buttons of your shirt, catching the beautiful euphoric sight of your breasts spilling over your bra.

“there's no time, please trust me on this,” just a few words to trick himself that what he's doing is only for your survival. his disheveled black and white locks brush your cheek as he presses quick, breathless kisses to your temple.

you manage to nod, feeling his hard cock press against your puffy folds from beneath, and your hips subconsciously buck yearning for any friction to ease the swell of pain building rapidly in your core.

however, it's short-lived, as in mere seconds, he's plunging into you with a deep, throaty groan, his entire body trembling as if he's been transported to another dimension. a wave of tingling ecstasy floods through him, muscles tightening as his fingers dig into your bare shoulders, holding you close.

“f-fuhckmmh- your highness-” he whimpers against your ear, the heat radiating from his body is absolutely insane, “forgiv-e me—,”another thrust, “i am bound to protect you— not to desecrate you like this.”

“i-it's fine,” you murmur, soft fingers gripping his face to force him to look at you. “i trust you ryuu-kun.”

what other options do you have? none.

he just stares at you for a few seconds before thrusting again. his hips start moving leisurely at first, stretching you deliciously as you bury your face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his mesmerising scent, feeling every agonising movement of his flawless cock picking up its pace by each passing second and the instant he bottoms out, he practically 'pounds' into you deeper, harder, each stroke finding a new angle that leaves you gasping for air.

his own pleasure is muffling his ears. he still cannot believe it. he's been waiting for this moment his entire life, to finally fuck his monarch that's been taking over his thoughts each passing night, getting him atrociously horny.

“oh god, you feel ngh~ heavenly—,” it's a whisper more to himself, knobby hands gripping the swell of your ass as he rams into you manically, “blood...we- fuck! have to mix blood.”

before you can make sense of it, he conjures a faint trace of rashomon from his tonic, its shadowy tendrils coiling around his sleeve, sharp enough to slice yet gentle in his intent. he presses the edge to your palm, watching a bead of crimson pool against your skin.

the sharp sting pulls a gasp from your lips, your dazed mind barely registering the act before akutagawa does the same to himself. dark silver eyes smoulder with lust as he guides both your bleeding palms to his cock, smearing the mingled blood over it, the warm slickness adding to the sinful mess already coating him.

“ryuu-” you breathe, with a trembling voice, whether from pain or arousal, you’re not sure.

his eyes meet yours before you feel the soft clouds of his lips crash onto yours, it's all desperate and messy, teeth nipping at your lower lip hard enough to draw blood. the metallic tang spreads across your tongue, blending with the taste of him as he drinks in your broken moans, tongue delves deeper into your mouth, spit melding together as he aligns himself with your slit once more. his blood-slickened cock slides back into you, each thrust feels heavier, deeper, as if the leverage of the curse itself presses against you both, urging you to fulfill its dark demands.

“just a litt-le more,” he rasps, teeth scraping along the sensitive skin of your neck, leaving a delicate trail of violet bruises and ruptured vessels.

a borderline salacious symphony of sounds echoes, wet and obscene, sopping and slick, each thrust accompanied by a squeaky rhythm as his balls slap against your pillowy ass cheeks. your eyes roll back in a bliss, glossy lips parting lusciously in a wanton moan, every vein and ridge of him dragging you closer to euphoric oblivion.

“ryuu... i can’t...” you sob, nails digging into his back as the pressure in your core mounts, legs trembling around his waist. “i... i can’t take it anymore...”

“stay with me, your majesty haah,” he murmurs breathlessly, lips brushing against your ear as he drives into you deeper. “we need... to break it. just a little longer... please...”

his hands clutch at your hips, pulling you into each thrust until all that’s left is the white-hot pressure of the spell, of the lust, threatening to swallow you both. his cock throbs inside you, and it’s clear— he can’t hold back any longer.

“please, ryuu... i’m—” you bite your lip, unable to finish as the knot in your belly tightens, ready to burst.

akutagawa's focus narrows, all he can think about is you, how your breasts bounce with each thrust, body arching beneath his, exposing the delicate curve of your neck— everything about you is perfect in this moment, and he can't tear his eyes away. the sight of your face contorted in pleasure, the pout tugging on your lips, the way your legs tremble, how your hips move to meet his, how your nails drag across his back starved for his naked skin. is this his body on yours? is he finally feeling you? kissing you? fucking you?

'god, look at you,' he can barely think, his thoughts fragmented, lost in the instinctual need to bury himself deeper, to take more, to feel more. the way you tighten around him, the slick, wet warmth of your cunt — he’s fucking drowning in it.

'fucking beautiful.'

a few thrusts of akutagawa’s hips and his name tears from your lips in a breathless, desperate cry, the sound of your orgasm crashing over you like a truck, slamming into him with brutal force. your walls flutter and clench around his cock, milking him, dragging him deeper into the molten heat of your release.

his vision blurs, heart thundering in his chest as his hearing dulls to nothing but the wet, obscene noises of your bodies joined together. for the first time in his life, he is obliterated by the sheer, soul-stealing intensity of his orgasm, his cock still twitching violently as he spills deep inside you, his seed mingles with the blood smeared between you, the combined essence finally breaking the curse’s seal.

“i-is it over?”

akutagawa doesn’t answer immediately, his forehead pressing against your shoulder as he struggles to gather himself. his meaty length that's still buried inside you twitches, body refusing to move, refusing to let go of the impossible warmth and tightness of your walls. the thought of pulling out feels unbearable, like he’d be severing himself from something sacred.

“yes,” he finally rasps, “the curse is broken.”

still, he doesn’t move, his grip on your hips tightening imperceptibly. every inch of him aches to stay like this, to savor the raw, feral perfection of you wrapped around him. but he won’t say it — not to you, not to your highness. it’s not his place to speak such desires aloud. instead, he forces himself to swallow the words, forcing his breathing to even out as he pulls out of you despite the burning need still coiling in his gut.

without a word, he moves to gather your clothes, fingers brushing over your skin tenderly in a way that feels foreign coming from him, as if he’s afraid that, if he rushes, it’ll break something.

“rest, your highness. please, don’t move,” he ties the fabric hovering near your ear as his soft upper lip brushes your sensitive skin with a low murmur. “you’re safe now.”

“safe...” you repeat the word, almost testing it on your tongue.

“at least for now, but the curse... it doesn’t work like that. it’s not just broken once. it could flare up again in a few days... and when it does,” he pauses, allowing his words to settle in for a few seconds. “we’ll have to repeat the ritual.”

he’s a liar. a filthy, self-loathing liar.

the curse is broken. it has been broken since that moment. nothing will flare up again. it’s absolutely impossible. the ritual is complete. there is no reason for him to say this, no reason at all. but still, he can’t help himself. he lies, not to protect you—but to keep you. to keep you near him, just a little longer.

“we’ll have our next time soon,” he mutters to himself, he hates himself for it. every fiber of his being recoils at the thought of deceiving you like this, manipulating you with his twisted words, but the words are already sealed in his mind. mostly like a promise — one he will keep. and this time, he won’t stop.

TAGS: @a-smol-bean @violetbutterflix @amanoava @falloutjuli @embersweapons @warriordemigosworld @cathias @v15aexe @vasarii @pe4rl-diver @sukidenks @dazaifavbandage @chuuminn @fyodorsprettynun @ace-0fspades69 @irasamu @trippyserval @alyszuha @bittysuguru @writingandmusing @corruptedwrathkitsune @thedamselzelda @fyodorssimp1 @vikkinakahara @laylabuurr @perlaslibrary @remlionheart @osamucide @ranpazz @naviiq

[zorosangell]

I love your stories!! Maybe a Zoro x princess!reader would be interesting? She ran away and became a pirate of the crew, but she is still very formal and polite while Zoro is... Zoro 😂😂

⛥ﾟ・。 knight

synopsis: as a princess, you constantly have a bounty on your head, which means you are almost always under attack whenever the crew docks on an island. so, after zoro saves you from being kidnapped again, you both have a heart to heart... which ends in a little confession.

cw: fluffy fluff, comfort, reader talks very proper, reader's a little dense, zoro's a little emotionally constipated

"Get the princess!" the leader of the thugs shouted, swords drawn as the huge gang chased after you.

Hastily, Zoro attempted to cut a nearby corner, teetering to the side a little bit before he stabilized and continued to sprint down the street.

"What the hell were you thinking, huh?!" he panted, brows furrowed at he glanced at you, who was thrown over his shoulder. "I leave you alone for two seconds! And somehow you find a way to grab the attention of every damn criminal in town!"

"I was thirsty!" you exclaimed, defensively. "I thought I was going into a bar!"

"It was obviously a bounty hunter's nest!" he fired back.

"How was I supposed to know that?!"

"It was called the Killshot! And had a sign hanging outside with a picture of a gun!"

"I thought it was just a colorful theme!"

Zoro groaned, eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head as he cursed whatever god that allowed this to happen yet again.

One of these days, he was gonna pretend he didn't see anything.

You were a princess, plain and simple, heir to the throne of some far off kingdom in the New World.

Ever since you were a little girl, you'd longed for adventure, not wanting your world to be confined to the walls of your castle, or the borders of your kingdom.

So, you promised yourself that the moment you turned eighteen, you'd run away.

And that's exactly what you did.

Though, in hindsight, it was probably not the best decision, as you had absolutely no idea how the outside world worked.

Still, somehow by fate or by fortune, your clueless self had managed to make it all the way to Loguetown, where the crew saved you from a few assassins.

Thus, you became the Strawhat's resident princess and diplomat.

And Zoro's resident pain in the ass.

Whenever the crew docked on a new island, you always insisted on exploring it yourself, excited to see the new sights and sounds.

And, like clockwork, you always found some way to call unwanted attention to yourself, the swordsman always finding himself in close proximity.

He had half the mind to think you did it on purpose.

Brows furrowed, his feet picked up speed, muttering intelligible things to himself.

'Princess be damned... no woman's worth this much trouble...'

Out the corner of his eye, Zoro peeped an alley not too far away, quickly running to duck inside it.

Dropping you to your feet, his strong hands grabbed your shoulders, yanking you into the shadows and covering your mouth as you let out a tiny yelp, eyes widening.

'Brute!'

You'd never been handled with such lack of care...

Back home, you were referred to as the Crowned Jewel of the Kingdom, known far and wide for your beauty and kindness.

Many often sang your praises, sending you buckets upon buckets of fan mail and writing songs about the prosperity your family had brought to the kingdom.

And the few that actually got to touch you did so with the utmost care, often reverently.

Meanwhile... this man talked to you as if you were an incompetent child, and tossed you around as if you were some sort of rag-doll.

Safe to say, it was quite the culture shock.

As the large group of men passed, Zoro tightened his grip on you, watching closely they examined the shops and stalls outside—some of them having split up to search quicker.

"Coulda sworn they were right here..." one of them grumbled under his breath, brows furrowed.

The dark-haired man paused, giving the space one more once over before turning to the others, sheathing his sword with an annoyed sigh.

"Looks like we lost 'em. Let's circle back to where we found 'em and see if that redhead knows anything."

Your eyes widened, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"Nami!" you whimpered, forcing Zoro's calloused hand to press harder into your face to muffle the noise.

"Quiet," his deep, rough voice ordered, tone leaving no room for argument.

Suspicious, the man glanced in your direction, narrowing his eyes at the darkness as he looked directly at you—though he didn't know it.

Your heart stopped, your entire body freezing up as both you and Zoro stayed as still as statues, pressing firmer against the wall of the alley to avoid being revealed as he left.

And once he was completely one, you both let out a sigh of relief, your shoulders dropping as the tension finally oozed out your back.

"Are you stupid or something?" Zoro spat, curtly, brows furrowed. "You could've gotten us both caught!"

"I already expressed my apologies! It was not on purpose!" you countered, throwing your hands up in the air. "I simply wanted something to drink, but then those thugs just grabbed me! And did so without asking!"

Zoro let out another sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he hung his head.

You couldn't be serious...

"They're bounty hunters, (y/n)... they're not gonna ask permission to kidnap you."

"I'm afraid I just learned that firsthand," you huffed, a small pout gracing your lips and you leaned against the wall, crossing your arms over your chest. "And after I was so generous... I even offered to negotiate the terms over lunch."

With a raised brow, Zoro leaned against the wall with you, confused.

"Terms?"

"A closed contract between me and all affiliates of the Killshot gang that would have guaranteed my continued residency with the Strawhat crew in exchange for a sum total of five-hundred million berries, paid monthly or in advance, depending on their preference."

The swordsman nearly choked on the air he was taking in, floored by the number you said so casually.

"Five-hundred million?!"

You nodded, plainly, confused by his surprise.

"Money is no object for my family. Especially pertaining to my safety," you shrugged. "I extend that offer to my friends, as well. Back at the auction house on Sabaody, I would have happily bought Camie to save her... but Sir Raleigh had already beat me to the punch."

Slowly, a small smile crept onto the swordsman's face, the rigidness in his stance slowly morphing into one more relaxed.

'Well, I'll be damned...'

It was moments like these that he enjoyed, as he was actually offered a glimpse at your true self.

The woman that an entire kingdom absolutely adored.

Princess (y/n).

Sure, you were hard-headed at times, and completely clueless when it came to social interactions outside of high society.

But you had heart, and generosity that quite literally knew no bounds.

Just... maybe some self defense lessons were needed.

"I gotta teach you some hand to hand if you're gonna keep goin' on these little expeditions," he sighed, clearing his throat as he glanced down at the ground.

"Combat?" you scrunched your nose. "What is the point of that when I have you?"

The gears in his head came to a screeching halt, his head snapping over to you so fast, you'd think he'd have whiplash.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You are a swordsman, are you not?" you raised a brow.

"Yes..."

"And you follow me around, yes?"

"I don't follow you around!"

The man flushed, face burning at your plainness.

"You are always there when I am in trouble."

"Yeah... well... that's 'cause I have shit luck..."

"But you care about me, right?"

Zoro froze, throat clamming up.

He had never been presented with questions like these before, and they were forcing him to think.

To read into why exactly he was always there whenever you called for help.

You were always within arms reach of him, the two of you seeming to just naturally float around each other, even as you did your daily routines.

And although you were far from his responsibility, Zoro couldn't understand why he felt the need to worry so much.

He knew million times over that the crew was capable of protecting you, and that if anything were to happen, Luffy or Sanji could more than adequately swoop in to your rescue.

But for some reason, reminding himself of that fact didn't subdue the concern that spiked in his chest when you left his line of sight, or the faint pang of panic in his breath.

'Dammit...'

Too many questions.

"I... yes," he answered, awkwardly.

Instantly, a warm smile broke out on your face, melting the swordsman's heart into a puddle on the floor.

"Then, that makes you my sworn sword!" you beamed, cheekily.

"Your sworn... what?"

"My sworn sword. My knight. My champion," you elaborated. "You stand by my side throughout my travels and keep me under your protection."

"I do WHAT?!"

"Is your hearing all right? You seem to be having a hard time processing what I am saying..."

"No, no... it's... it's not that..."

An uncomfortable silence suddenly settled over you both, the swordsman practically praying that the gang would come back so he could run you both back to the ship and escape the atmosphere.

You, on the other hand, had been feeling quite the opposite, wanting things to be settled right here and now.

Zoro had been your "crush"—lovingly dubbed by Nami—for over two years, and was the only person in the world that was consistently there for you, always rushing to your rescue without fail.

Despite his prickly exterior, and his sharp words, you could tell he was a kind, loyal, and compassionate man.

He just needed a little push.

Just then, the sound of running footsteps began to draw nearer to the mouth of the alley, your eyes shooting wide at the sound.

"Someone is coming!" you whispered, quickly turning to him .

Eyes doe wide, and breath quickened, you settled on something you'd read in a book once, hoping it would conceal your faces.

What possessed you to do it, you had no idea.

Pulling the man in by his robe, you smashed your lips into his, his eye shooting as wide as a saucer.

Everything had gone from zero to a hundred so fast.

Left was up.

Down was right.

But, in that moment, everything felt oddly right.

So, for the first time in his life, he caved, allowing his eye to flutter shut and his body to ease into the kiss.

Sliding your hands up, one of them cupped his face, while the other threw your arm around his neck, keeping him in place as he snaked his arms tightly around your waist, pulling you closer.

The kiss was electric, and, while very uncoordinated and eager, felt like liquid fire was coursing through your veins, pushing you forward.

Smoothly, the two of you shifted, Zoro pushing you up against the wall and tilting his head in order to get a better angle, deepening the kiss even further.

His hands gripped you even tighter, suddenly fearful he would float away if you didn't keep him grounded.

With your touch burning his skin and your scent flooding his nostrils, he felt like he was higher than the clouds, like this was heaven on earth.

Your lips were so damn soft...

Hell, you were so damn soft...

You washed over him like a wave of calm, the rhythm of the kiss lulling his worry-filled mind until the only thing he could think about was why the hell he didn't do this sooner.

"Aw, jeez! This is what you guys were doing all this time?!" Luffy exclaimed from the mouth of the alley, completely ruining the moment.

'Thats why...'

The two of you quickly threw yourselves off each other, faces burning with embarrassment as you looked in opposite directions.

"At least do that inside. You're gonna catch somethin' out here..." he shrugged, turning to walk away.

Your eyes shot wide, and you snapped your head over to the boy.

"Wait, Luffy, what did you think we were—?" "Don't wanna talk about it!"

"You idiot, we weren't—!" "M'not listening!"

You turned to the swordsman, brow raised in confusion.

"What is he talking about?"

Zoro's eye widened, and it finally donned on him that you hadn't been taught about... the birds and the bees.

'Christ...'

"I'll tell you another time," he sighed, talking your hand and leading you toward the exit of the alley. "Let's go back to the ship."

"Yes, of course!" you playfully bellowed. "Lead the way, knight!"

"I'm not your knight!"

"Whatever you say... knight..."

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Steadfast 4

Warnings: non/dubcon, power imbalance, obsession, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: King!Bucky Barnes (Medieval AU)

A Knights, Kings, and Knaves Story

Summary: you serve Duke Rogers, but when his friend, the king, takes an interest, you find your work in turmoil.

Note: I’ve wanted to do medieval drabbles for years. I bit the bullet and now we’re all doomed. I was torn on whether to make this one Stucky however… I think Steve deserves a wifey in his own installment.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

The days turn gray as you ride for the river. The nights are short but dark. You sleep by a fire under the king's cloak as he keeps watch. He dozes astride, often lurching and snoring behind you. His heat, his proximity, grows familiar if not smothering.

For all your life, the divide between servant and master has been kept wide. That rift between you always steep and retractable. Now, it is nothing but a whisper.

The king's hand remain on the reins despite his fatigue. Yours are lower down on the leather. You wear the mittens of lamb's wool he found for you along with a plain but lined cloak. He is a masterful barterer.

The horse snorts as it descends the bump incline. The smell of water dampens in your nose and nips at your cheeks. You see a dock ahead along the coastline. There are boats and barges, voices hollering up into the sky, the grind of wood and billow of sail. You lean forward and squint to see it clearer.

"Gander's Crossing." The king startles you with the declaration as he straightens in the saddle. "It will lead us to sea. It is those deeper tides I worry for."

"Worry?" The word wisps from you before you can stop it.

"Yes, even I worry," he assures you. "Why shouldn't I when I have more than myself to trouble my soul?"

"A whole kingdom," you murmur, "your highness."

He hushes you. "Certainly, yes, a people alone."

You rock with the horse as he guides it down the stony pass. He waves as he comes closer to the dockers and calls 'ho'. He dismounts as you feel gazes in your direction. You stay with the horse as he speaks with a captain.

"Double gold, for your trouble..." the offer rises loud enough to hear. You can see the reticence in the grey-haired man.

"...not the horse that's the problem..."

Their voices lower again. When at last, they part, it is with the clink of coin between them. The king stalks back to the horse and works at unleashing the saddle bangs from its rump. He sighs.

"Stay close as ever," he warns.

You obey and trail him down with the horse. He passes over the steed to a boatman and he beckons you with him. There are more gazes and you wonder if they know who he is. Yet, there eyes barely seem to snag him.

"Men of the sea are wary of women," he affirms as he herds you up the ramp.

You shrink down. Oh. You come upon the barge as the king lingers like a shadow.

You're shown to a cabin. The tilt of the boat makes you dizzy. You teeter and back into the king. He catches you with his hands on your hips.

"You'll get your sea legs yet," he bids. "Best to sit."

The room is small. There is something hanging from the ceiling. You feel along the wall and slide down to sit on your feet. You feel better, less treacherous. He goes to the fabric strung from above.

He spreads the cloth and turns. He maneuvers himself into it, landing in the odd sheath that cradles him. It rocks with the boats idling sway. You shift and sit on your bottom, hugging your knees.

"A hammock. A sailor's bed," he explains.

You dip your chin down. You've only ever slept on straw and floor. You'll do just fine down here.

"I will find us some food when we set off. Let the boatsmen lift anchor first," he says. "I wouldn't mind a moment to close my eyes."

"Yes, your highness."

He hums. "There is enough room for you as well..."

"Your highness..."

"Pip," he opens an eye and looks at you.

"Poppet," you correct yourself. He grins.

"Very well. Keep mind to the bucket in the corner, lest your stomach join the river in churning," he wiggles and closes his eyes again. He yawns and drapes his arm over his face. Your eyes dart to the pail. It might not be unwise advice.

👑

You shiver as you hug the bucket. Your back racks and you ready for another violent heave. Your stomach twists but does not upend. Cold sweat drips down your forehead. You temples throb as the waves lash at the side of the boat in a startling cacophony.

"Dear pip," the king kneels beside you and mops your brow with a wet cloth. "It will pass."

Your teeth chatter and you gag. There's nothing left in you to expel. You groan and shield your face with your hand. You are humiliated.

"Is this... death?" You babble.

He laughs softly, "no, sweet pip. You are unused to the sea, that is all."

You moan again. He pulls your hand away from your face and presses his knuckles to your cheek. You lean into their comforting warmth.

"Rest will do you well," he draws you over to him as he stretches his arm over your shoulder. You shiver and slacken against him weakly. He rubs your arm as he holds you. You're too sick to care for propriety.

"My apologies, my king. I've never... never been about."

"Oh, do not apologise, sweet pip," he cooes and pets your hair. "When I was a boy. Oh, you could ask the duke yourself. We went upon a large galley. I was rather eager to be upon it but once we could not see the shore, I was but a puddle of sick."

You groan and cling to his cloak as your insides constrict. The bile sears your throat but gets no further. He hums and reaches below your cloak to rub your stomach.

"Be calm," he caresses you through your dress. "You will survive this, pip. You are ever strong."

His hand continues to move as you shake. The water hits the boat and the voices of men carry on the wind whistling above. He leans back with you against him and extends his legs out. He keeps you again him and his hand crawls along your hip. You quiver and it falls onto your thigh. He leans his head against yours as you start to hiccup.

"This night will pass," he assures, fingers tracing the wrinkles in your dress. "And we will be here still."

[myimaginedcorner]

SCALES OF JUSTICE - GAME AVAILABLE ON HG AND STEAM!!

Hello my dear readers,

WE DID IT! I wrote a book. A full book! It's now available on the Hosted Games app, with 600k words waiting to entertain you on a morning, afternoon, evening, or night when you decide to submerge yourself into a world of fantasy and adventure!

You also can play the game on Steam! Here's the link -> https://store.steampowered.com/app/3089710/Scales_of_Justice/

I am so, so grateful to everyone who has been here for me during these past 3 years. What began as a shy attempt at dreaming has grown into a marvelous project that taught me so much, brought me so many new experiences and skills, and is going to end with my first publication as an author. I cannot be more grateful and excited. I hope this is only the beginning of an amazing journey.

Rather, I know this is one. This is not the end!

DESCRIPTION:

Journey into the magical world of Therania, a place where heroism and villainy are paths of Fate that can be foreseen in one’s destiny. Join forces with four eccentric individuals with puzzling goals and fight, plan, persuade or run, as you attempt to get a grip on your own legacy!

Scales of Justice is a 600,000-word interactive novel, the first volume in a planned series by Julia Owl. It's entirely text-based–without graphics or sound effects–and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Rumours circulate the streets of Capital. Rumours of an artefact, as dangerous and powerful as one can only fear. Some claim it’s capable of twisting one’s true nature, shaping it much to the owner’s whim; others say that it can identify a soul’s essence, putting the Ritual of Fate in a tight spot for the first time in centuries. The mage who made it is unknown; whispers in shadows only talk about a labyrinth, set somewhere hidden to protect its power. Many want to get it; many others, to destroy it. You? You are none of those–you just want to live.

And yet, your (almost) safe and peaceful life as a humble adventurer is threatened by a letter with today’s date on it, written in your mother’s hand…

Play as male, female or nonbinary; gay, straight, bisexual, or asexual.

Meet four distinct characters, with stories and ideals that highly differ from one another: a runaway heir, a rogue knight, a lost alien, and a foreign leader. Romance, befriend or doom them, and watch their tales shape your own.

Choose one of the three species available and discover your own worldview and the world's view of you. What is it like to be a human, a half-elf, or a half-satyr in this vast realm?

Fight, conjure, heal, plan, or persuade–choose your path and deal with trouble in your own way.

Buy yourself a horse! You want one, don’t you?

Learn, think, doubt, conclude. This world has a pre-written destiny – will you abide by it or challenge it? Who are you, and who will you become?

Who is worthy of holding the scales?

Content Warning: This piece of interactive fiction was not written with children in mind. The story contains mature themes and scenes of violence, including cult ceremonites, kidnapping, and fighting.

USEFUL LINKS:

If you want to know a little more about this project and read chapters 1-5, I'll leave the link to the game here -> https://dashingdon.com/play/myimaginedcorner/scales-of-justice/mygame/

If you want to discuss anything on CoG's forum, I'll leave the link for SoJ here:

- WIP Thread -> https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/wip-scales-of-justice-new-project-announcement-and-demo-release/101088/16

- Official Release Thread -> https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/scales-of-justice-will-you-challenge-fate-or-follow-it/163500

If you want to send me a more extensive feedback, here's my email -> feedbackscalesofjustice@gmail.com

[wassup-its-e]

Wynncraft OC Masterpost : 𝐸𝓁𝓁𝒾𝑜𝓉𝓉é and 𝓕𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓾𝓼

Faustus The character that follows most of Wynn’s main storyline. An amnesiac half-elf with a passion for cooking. He chose to become a warrior during training, along with his husband Elliotte. 

Elliotté is the second main character that follows along with Faustus’ adventures. Born and raised in the Wynn Province, he strives to help the people who are in need hence why he became a Knight. 

Arriving in a caravan, Faustus on his way to Ragni with two other recruits; Tasim and Aledar. As Aledar hurries forward, Faustus and Tasim follow him at a slower pace, towards the gates of Ragni. After a little trouble, they make it to the city and speak with the king, who assigns them to platoons. Faustus goes with Tasim, and Aledar gets sent to another group. From here Tasim and Faustus meet Afelis, another recruit. Aledar ends up meeting Elliotte, a recruit born and raised in the Wynn province. 

Aledar ends up being the one to introduce Eliotte and Faustus, who immediately click and begin spending time with each other inside and out of training. The two end up spending a lot of time in the Ragni castle’s garden, and it ends up being where they have their first kiss.

The recruits train for six months before becoming full fledged soldiers, and are assigned duties in and around Ragni. Eliotte and Faust end up sticking together, with Afelis traveling on their own and Tasim and Aledar pairing up. Faustus and Elliotte occasionally meet up with them, reuniting at the Detlas bar every few weeks.

A few months of quests pass, and Elliotte decides to host a surprise birthday for Faustus. With them not knowing when it actually is, he ends up picking a day close to when Faustus arrived in Ragni. Tasim, Aledar and Alfeis all show up, Elliotte having sent out letters a few weeks prior to meet back at Ragni. After they celebrate, Faustus and Elliotte end up separating from the other soldiers and make their way up to the garden, spending the last of Faustus “birthday” together.

This is where Faustus ends up taking Elliotte’s hand and pressing a ring into his palm, closing his hand around it. An unspoken proposal. 💐The two end up having their wedding in Detlas 💍

This is your spoiler warning for the ENTIRETY OF WYNN.

Elliotté, Wynn's Paladin Knight: ☾ He is a bat hybrid, he has very sensitive eyes thus needing blindfolds to keep his eyes safe, but he has excellent hearing using echolocation to navigate around  ☾ Hes Transgender [FtM] and pansexual!!! ☾ His main weapon is Hero ☾ At the beginning He didn't know how to cook, through out the journey he learnt how to for Faustus [he makes really good berry pies - G] ☾ He is very caring and loving to his beautiful husband Faust, He loves his husband so much that he can recognises Faust footsteps even after years of being apart, despite their conflict during the story they love eachother so much but soon that will be their undoing

Faustus, The Fallen Warrior: ☀︎ Faustus is a Half-elf Fruman, like every Fruman he does not remember his Past hence [RECOVER THE PAST and Faustus trauma and guilt lying starts here] ☀︎ He has chronic pain and Elliotte Sexual ig ☀︎ at the very start he likes to cook, he doesnt anymore after mid game because he doesnt have the time to, During end game Ellie learns how to cook and Faustus enjoys his food ☀︎ He is this universe Bob's Reincarnation being marked with Bob's Scar on his eyes and it gets more prominent after fighting Bob ☀︎ He used to use Collapsed but after Reincarnation he switches over to using Bob's spear

Heres the google spreadsheet of the entirety of our wynn timeline

Faustus became corrupted during the quest Poisoning the Pest, when blood from Farmer Cevalus's stepfather entered a cut on his arm. The corruption lay dormant in his bloodstream for nearly four years before it began to interfere with his spellcasting. Over time, it steadily worsened. By the time the group reached Llevigar, the corruption had started manifesting physically—his skin began to rot and decay. As it progressed, Faustus grew increasingly irritable, his temper flaring more often, and the mounting pain in his body became impossible to ignore.

While in Maex, assisting the Doguns and Dwarves, the corruption in Faustus worsened dramatically. His right eye, overtaken by the spreading decay, became blind as the flesh around it began to wither. The corruption had begun to crystallize, forming jagged, horn-like spires along the right side of his skull, with smaller crystalline growths erupting wherever the taint had spread. To keep them from growing out of control, Faustus was forced to cut them down every few weeks.

By the time Faustus and Ellie return to Detlas for The Journey Beyond, the corruption had begun to seep into his brain, intensifying his agitation and making him increasingly irritable. He lived in constant pain, and the relentless suffering began to cloud his mind, making it harder for him to think clearly or control his emotions.

[Ellie went through the WynnEX questline while Faust went through ROL arcs ]

During ROL, Faustus went on the quest line alone, Ellie got bitten by the Parasite and got infected with The Decay [The Decay Comic]

After realizing his husband is infected by the decay, out of desperation Faustus wanted Eliotté to go back to Detlas, being Corrupted himself, he didn't want Ellie to suffer the same Illness hes suffering through. Eliotté not wanting to leave his warrior duties so they have their first big argument.

Faustus starts [The Horrors] and [ROL Trauma]

When Ellie got home he got recruited by Troms and became a royal knight for the city [Ellie's lonely nights]

during the Troms arc 11 months separation , Ellie would purposely try to get shifts at the great bridge in nessaks to wait for his husband ... and he waited... and waited ... and waited away until he finally heard those footsteps

After being kicked out of Troms and the whole WynnEX D shenanigans, Faust and Ellie decided to travel to Cinfras and there they uncover the Aldorei Secrets and befriended Atlas and Olon, there Ellie stayed with him in Efilim as Faustus went on a "quick" "short" mission

Faustus proceed to spent the next 2 years of his life lost in the ever changing mountains of Canyon of The Lost

During his stay he tries to write letters to Ellie but those letter never got sent out because of how COTL is, each letter got increasing worst until he couldn't handle it anymore

Canary Calls and right afterward Beyond the grave broke Faustus and he finally told the truth in [THE LETTER OF TRUTH] , in a last ditch effort he desperately tried to find his way out of COTL to see his beloved again and thats where...

Eltom was one of the few places in COTL with airships so after a few more months repairing the base, Faust used their Airship to fly back to cinfras after 2 years being in COTL

Faust finally got back to Efilim after years hoping to reunite with his husband again, unfortunately he arrives right when Olon was reading out the one letter that actually arrived to Efilim and saw Ellie breaks down in tears thinking husband is gone so instead Faust left out of fear and came back the next day.

Only for ATLAS AND OLON TO TELLS HIM THAT ELLIE BOOKED A FLIGHT IN CINFRAS TO GO TO COTL TO FIND SIGNS IF HES ALIVE OR NOT ATLAS GAVE FAUST A WELL DESERVE SLAP IN THE FUCKING FACE BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH OF A PUSSY HE WAS. SO FAUST PANICKING RAN BACK TO COTL TO FIND HIS HUSBAND

A week past trying to find eachother, Faust needing a place to stay found the hidden Sakura Dojo to find himself again

after leaving the Dojo, Faust sees Ellie waiting for him on the bridge The Reunion

Elliotté : 2 years, 2 years i waited for you… i waited every morning every single night every. single . day in hope you would return safely back to me 

Finally something, A letter

The hope i had immediately vanished the moment i open it

you couldn't trust me enough as your husband to tell me what you've been suffering through this entire time? after all this time you still dont trust me? i am your husband, i'm your friend, your partner, we've lived our lives together for as long as we can remember, and yet you kept these secrets for all these years 

My dearest husband Faustus, ...i dont even know who you anymore, i only know what you've done- but i want you to know even after all these years, after all these changes, you still have the same footsteps you still let me know when you're coming, even after all this time 

Faustus :  im so sorry. eli, i didnt want to burden you with. any of this. I thought at the time what i was doing was right, I still believe what i did was right. Orphion told me i was right. But i shouldn't have kept any of it from you. I'm so sorry Eliotte. I cant promise im completely the same, but my love for you hasn't changed. These two whole years ive been trying to get back to you, but every turn i make had been the wrong one. Im sorry for the secrets. Im sorry for leaving you.

Im tired of running

Elliotté : Oh My husband. . . My dearest husband. . .

During their final mission together, they realised their fate was sealed a moment too late. They are stuck in an unknown world where their allies have been brutally murdered infront of them leaving only Aledar Ellie and Faust the only soldier left alive

Faustus suffering from his own Corruption killed Aledar in a fit of pure blind rage after what he done to the entire group, under the EYE'S influence he got sent into A Hunters Calling

During AHC, After fighting Aledar and Tasim, He went to The Sakura Dojo and see his husband... only this time instead of Forgiving him, The Paladin Knight is here to hunt him down.

The Paladin Knight Declare The Corrupted Fallen Warrior to a Duel, only for The Warrior stood still and stayed quiet, he love his Husband too much it hurts... The Knight walked away in disgust he said "I knew you were always a coward."

The Warrior proceed to drained his own life force and jumps off Dojo Bridge ending AHC

waking him up back on the entrance of the Eldritch Outlook, Right after killing Aledar, he runs back to Lutho as fast as he can to his Husband only to see. . . [Elliotté Decay.]

Being in The Silent Expanse, The decay finally catched up to Ellie as it slowly eats him away, Ellie apologies to Faust for how tired and weak he is, telling his dearest husband the pain is numbing him and killing him fast. He is apologizing to Faustus for dying

Faustus finally broke after everything , The Obelisk in the center of Lutho consumed Faustus putting him in The Point of No Return where he fight his own Soul, Mind and Heart

When he arrived in happier Lutho, A Healthy and Happy version of Ellie was there waiting for him trying to convince him to stay with him forever in this Paradise, Faust in shocked seeing how beautiful and nice Happier Lutho is felt... unsettled, it felt wrong, this isnt his husband, as he tries to leave Fake Ellie cries desperately to him telling him "if you leave, there is no future for us out there, please... dont leave me again". Despite knowing this is a fake version of his husband, Ellie cries still felt so real to him and engulfed in his emotions He Stayed

But Faustus know this isnt right, He need to leave, He need to see His Elliotté, so in the middle of the night he left Happier Lutho, denying The Obelisk offer of eternal happiness to see his lover again.

Ellie, His Ellie was in critical condition and didnt have much long left in him to survive, He isn't gonna make it out of Lutho alive, they both know that.

As an act of Mercy, Faustus takes his life before ending his own because he realises a life without his husband is no life at all.

Faustus and Elliotté died in eachother arms in The Silent Expanse.

True everlasting love, One suffers from a blinded heart. One born a monster. Yet it withstand all, Till the end of Time. - [The Finale Animation]

if you wanna read more about them, here some extra info you can read about!

⋅────────────⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰────────────⋅

please ask us about our OCs we'll explode

⋅────────────⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰────────────⋅

[Ellie QNA] + [Faustus QNA] || Ship Charts || [Which Lost hurts the most] || Insecurities and extra

[blank-potato]

Love and Arrows

Pairing: Rand al’Thor x Reader

Summary:

Then, as if sensing you, his head turns. You don’t even bother questioning how he knew you were there. Instead, you take in his smile, the very one you’d been rushing around all morning to see. And at that moment, you swear the smile on his face could melt the ice off of a mountain. “You’re here early.” “I had to see my favourite farmer.” “What an honour.” He glances back at you as he pulls his arrows from the target, then says, “I could teach you if you want.” Or Rand teaches you how to shoot arrows and love confessions arise.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

Life in Emond’s field was good, sweet even. Sure, you had to work the land but it was good, honest work. It felt as though your home was untouched by all the darkness of the world outside. But life got that much sweeter when you met him. You were reckless and quite small for your age when you were a kid. A dangerous combination as you often ran as fast as your legs could carry you and climbed anything tall enough to be dangerous. But you lived for adventure, you yearned for it! So it was safe to say found yourself in trouble more often than not. 

On the day you met him, you had been wandering the woods looking for adventure as always but instead you found danger in the form of a dog so big and ferocious, you would think it was a wolf.

 Before you could react, your eyes met with the dastardly beast, its mouth dripping with drool, snarling at you with bared teeth.

Breaking into a sprint immediately, your heart pounded as you raced away, fear clawing at your chest. The feral dog chased you out into the woods near the old mill, its growls echoing in your ears. You tripped, scraping your knees on the ground with a sharp jolt of pain.  As you tried to get up, your legs trembled, and you fell to your knees once more, a stinging pain shooting up from your ankle. Your hope was fading, slipping through your fingers like sand. You were scared and alone, and you thought there was no escape. You squeezed your eyes shut, bracing yourself for the worst.

“Hey!”

Your head snaps up and who was there but your little knight in shining armour, shielding you and watching the dog warily, gripping a stick with both hands. The dog growled and snarled at him just as it had done before but the boy in front of you didn’t waver.

He threw the stick and sent the dog bounding off into the dense underbrush, he turned to you with a look of concern. He helped you up from the ground and observed you, taking note of your injuries. Your embarrassment reached its peak when he put you on his back and carried you all the way home.

“I can walk on my own,” you remember saying even though it was a bald-faced lie. Your knee was bleeding and you tweaked your ankle. And from the way your lip was quivering, you knew he could see it too.

“You’re hurt, you don’t need to hide it,” he said and that was the moment your crush started. You got onto his back and held onto him. Your heart was beating twice as fast and you hoped he couldn’t hear it.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

Now you were older but no wiser, still running head first into danger and knowing he’d be there if you needed him. 

You wake up to a golden morning, the sunlight spilling through your window in warm, inviting streams. Zipping and flitting around the house, you throw on your clothes, barely stopping to comb your hair as excitement bubbles in your chest.

You crash down the stairs and skid into the kitchen, nearly knocking over a chair in your haste to get to your mother.

“Good morning!” you chirp.

She turns from the stove, raising an amused eyebrow. “Good morning… why are you in such a good mood?”

“Why do you think so?” you reply, grinning.

She chuckles, shaking her head. “Of course… and where are you off to in such a rush?”

“Where do you think?”

She sighs playfully and fusses with your hair. “Alright, honey, tell Rand I said hi.”

❤︎❤︎❤︎

“Good morning!” You say to Rand’s father with your usual chipper tone.

"Good morning."

His gaze was sharp, assessing—you could tell he knew exactly why you were there. It was no secret that you had your eyes on his son, no matter how much you tried to pretend otherwise.

Showing up with nervous smiles and baskets of freshly baked pastries didn’t help your case either.

He leaned back with a gentle smile, arms crossed. "You’ve been spending a lot of time around here."

"I just thought I’d bring something by. A kind gesture."

His lips twitched, amusement barely concealed beneath his usual stern expression. "A kind gesture," he repeated slowly like he was testing the words out.

You nodded, gripping the handle of the basket a little tighter. "For the family."

For his son. But you didn’t dare say that part out loud.

After a long pause, he exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "He’s in the back. But don’t think for a second that I don’t see exactly what you’re doing."

Your heart pounded as you forced a small, polite smile. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

But you both knew that was a lie.

With a nod, he steps aside, and you walk through, following the familiar path to the backyard.

There, you see Rand and he was focused, steady, effortlessly precise. Shooting arrow after arrow into the target with almost unnatural accuracy. Then, as if sensing you, his head turns. You don’t even bother questioning how he knew you were there. Instead, you take in his smile, the very one you’d been rushing around all morning to see. And at that moment, you swear the smile on his face could melt the ice off of a mountain.

“You’re here early.”

“I had to see my favourite farmer.”

“What an honour.”

He glances back at you as he pulls his arrows from the target, then says, “I could teach you if you want.”

“I’d like that,” you reply and you swear you had the goofiest grin on your face.

He hands you his bow and a few arrows, and you fumble awkwardly, trying to find the right grip. You hear a chuckle from behind you and feel your face heat up ever so slightly.

“Don’t laugh!” you yell, feigning annoyance.

“It’s hard not to— here, let me help you.”

He gets behind you, wrapping his arms around you to guide your stance. Your heart skips a beat, a sharp, breathless moment where you feel just like you did when you were younger. The same little kid who clung to him for safety.

He smells like cedarwood and something crisp, like fresh air after a storm or maybe just like home. Something about him feels so familiar, so easy as if you could just… sink into it, into his touch.

And then… your fingers slip.

The arrow shoots forward by accident, missing the target entirely.

“Oh! I didn’t mean—”

Rand lets out a low, amused laugh, the sound rumbling against your back as you feel the vibrations of it through you.

“Relax,” he murmurs, still grinning. “We’ve got time.”

“Will I be as good as you by the time we're done?”

“We'll see.”

❤︎❤︎❤︎

After missing practically every shot you took, you and Rand decided to take a break—for the sake of both your sanities.

"You seemed excited to see me," he says, glancing at you.

"I'm always excited to see you."

He smirks. "You are, aren't you?"

"Why is that?" Rand asks, tilting his head slightly.

"You're my friend," you respond simply. None of what you said was a lie just slightly more creative…

He hesitates, then says, "Mat and Perrin… well, they seem to think that you may…"

"That I may…?”

His gaze flickers to you, searching. "Like me."

“Mat and Perrin, how did they know? And how dare they tell him?” you think to yourself.

“I…”

Maybe it would be easier to just tell him but…your throat tightened before the words could escape and you sat in the uncomfortable silence.

Rand noticed the way your hands curled into your sleeves, he could tell you were nervous and he needed to fix that. You look out on the fields, the sun shining over the golden wheat trying to distract yourself. Arrows still litter the ground from the afternoon’s practice, the echoes of laughter and competition lingering in the air. You were so comfortable a few moments ago.

“Do you remember when we met? When I carried you home after you were chased by that dog?”

“Of course I do, you were so brave. You came running to my rescue, like always.”

You giggle at the memory, recalling how grateful your parents were when he brought you home safe and mostly unscathed.

"Why are you bringing that up now?" You ask, tilting your head.

He hesitates for a moment before exhaling softly, meeting his gaze.

"That was the moment I fell in love with you."

"You what?"

This was everything you had ever wanted to hear… but you were not at all expecting it. You were hardly dressed for the occasion, your hair was probably a mess, your heart was racing, and your mind scrambled for something, anything, to say.

"I can see your mind racing. Please say something."

There was nothing to say. Nothing words could convey, anyway.

So instead, you lean in and kiss him like you’ve wanted to for so long, tackling him to the ground, your body pressing into his as the world around you fades away.

He smiles into the kiss, his hands gripping your waist as if anchoring himself to you. Then, with an effortless move, he rolls you over, pinning you beneath him. A bit of hay sticks out from your hair, and he chuckles, brushing a strand away as he gazes down at you, eyes warm and impossibly soft.

"I'll take that as you saying you feel the same," he murmurs, his lips hovering just above yours.

"You know I do," you whisper back, fingers threading into his hair.

And then you pull him down again, kissing him deeper, slower, savouring the way it feels to finally have him this close, to know there are no more barriers, no more unspoken words. Just the two of you, tangled together, lost in the moment that had been waiting to happen all along.

He smiles into the kiss, his hands gripping your hips before he effortlessly rolls you over, hovering above you. There’s a bit of hay sticking out of your hair, and he chuckles, brushing it away with gentle fingers.

You pull back and smack his chest lightly, “Took you long enough.”

Masterlist

[what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me]

Okay, ask for the roleswap AU you just showed off - one, love how you drew Kirby there. Two! What's Meta like in this AU...? Does he talk to Kirby? Is Meta mentoring him? How does it affect how Kirby fights and adventures? And uh...why's that shadow in the bottom left got tentacles. :|a (PS love how vindictive Meta is as a sword. Unworthy? Revoking hand privleges.)

(PREV POST) Upon being made into a sword, Meta Knight's soul had been snapped in two.

The second half of his soul in stashed in the Mirror World, and currently he leads an existence which is incomplete.

Only having half his soul and his body, Meta unable to communicate more than vague ideas and emotions. Perception of what is going on is limited beyond Kirby. He can borrow the senses of the young warrior, but has trouble forming and keeping thoughts.

Half-existence is a hollow and unplesant existence. As-is, he can not think well; this half of meta is comprised of instinct and emotion. His other half would be logic and action. Left brain VS right brain.

Kirby is known to keep odd friends. The only thing he knows is that this artifact, known as the Sacred Sword of the Stars, has a reputation of being cursed--it will only ruin those who touch it! Keep your hands off if you wish to keep them! ...But from the few flashes of emotion and memories it has shared with him, Kirby thinks the Sword of the Stars needs a friend more than anything.

That sliver of friendship is a balm on Meta's broken soul, and as things progress his existence is less tourtured, and any imprints and lingering urgencry that he feels from whatever Before he used to belong to are pushed to the side. They still matter, he thinks, he knows, however for the first time he is... okay with this.

Kirby can not inhale the Sword of the Stars, and as such he is actually a bit lost on how to use it... Copy aility is instict, but wielding a sword is not. The Sword sometimes gets annoyed when Kirby picks it up with the wrong hand, it sends little zaps of reprimanding emotion when he runs with the blade out, it tries to teach in the only ways a ripped mind can. But as is, Kirby has been teaching The Sword of the Stars more, such as how to admire bugs in grass, and how to nap under shady trees.

And the shadows? Ah, im sure that they arent important, sometimes Kirby sees them in the corner of his eyes, it's new, it's concerning, and only has been happening as long as he had his cursed sword, but they aren't bad, Kirby thinks.

Thank you for the ask!!

[thydungeongal]

https://www.tumblr.com/thydungeongal/769949043465093120/i-often-see-this-when-people-air-out-their

What do “dramatic, personal stakes” look like in tabletop gaming? What games center them in their mechanics and how?

Alright, so there are lots and lots of games out there that do this in very different ways, so this is going to be a very long and meandering answer.

Starting with the most "trad" example, Pendragon, the game of playing knights in Arthurian Britain that freely mixes history and myth, is for the most part a very traditional adventure game, but it also introduced the idea of Passions and Personality Traits to give mechanical heft to characterization. These are effectively measured on the same 1 to 20 scale as regular skills and attributes in the game, meaning that they can be "tested" just like skills, but they also have the potential for putting the player character into trouble. A character with the "Hates Saxons" Passion will have their hate actually manifest in play, whereas a character who is high in Lustful and low in Chaste will find themselves entangled in lots of romantic drama. Character personality will thus actually have concrete game mechanical effects. The Passions system has since been ported into more recent editions of RuneQuest and its descendants, including Mythras.

Fate is a more modern indie RPG that is less concerned with measuring out Exact Statistics and more about modeling narrative convention. Fate characters are, more so than their skills, basically defined by their Aspects, which are effectively narrative tags that define How a character should behave in a story and What sort of stuff should be happening to them. Aspects can be invoked (using Fate points, the game's main meta currency that the whole game operates on) for bonuses on actions that relate to that tag, but they can also be compelled to put the character into trouble in a way that makes sense for their Aspect, thus granting the player a Fate point if they accept the compel. Aspects are pretty much at the core of Fate and they are utilized for much more than just characterization: new temporary aspects can be created on the fly to represent things in the environment, aspects can be used to represent things in the world and the wider narrative, injuries and consequences of losing conflicts are effectively temporary aspects, and so on. This way the game is largely one where the meta resource management game ties heavily into things that matter in the fiction.

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy (by @anim-ttrpgs) is another very trad RPG and a game that is very much a "going on an adventure" game (but the adventure is a mystery that needs to be investigated), but the game adds a bit of extra mechanical heft to characterization of make it clear that the game is about regular people investigating mysteries: the Trait system is one of the most important mechanical dials for character customization and Traits are effectively packaged options with both benefits and drawbacks, and those mechanical effects also inform characterization very heavily; Truths are unique to each investigator and are something I would compare to Fate's Aspects but much more precise and personal and less meta, giving investigators minor bonuses on actions in a scene when they are acting according to their Truth; and finally, Tiers of Fear, which are also very personal to each investigator, define how an investigator reacts to various fear stimuli that exist in the world and thus also heavily intersect with the game's Composure mechanic. All of these mechanics interact with an investigative game with a very clear intended gameplay experience to further influence characterization and add personal stakes into the narrative.

Getting back to the more avant garde, Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine is a game that I still struggle to wrap my head around because it's a game for smart people, but as far as I have understood: the gameplay largely revolves around player characters choosing personal goals called Arcs which are further divided into Quests; each Quest is defined as a number of experience points that must be accrued towards the quest for it to be completed, as well as specific actions that characters can do to gain bonus experience on those quests, and then you basically just. Let your characters loose on quests. The important thing is that while quests can be shared among a group (for a more traditional "Group of Heroes Going on an Adventure" narrative, which Chuubo's does also support) they are also personal (so each character will have their own personal quests they will be working towards) and asynchronous (a character may pick up multiple quests over their arc and not complete them in the same order as they started them, as some will be shorter diversions on the path towards victory). Again, this is a very broad-strokes, top-down view of how the game works, because it is a very heady game that I have yet to wrap my head around. If any Chuubo's fans notice any egregious omissions or mistakes here, please let me know.

Finally I'll finish with something a bit broader, the World of Darkness "series" of games, while not having anything quite as in-depth as personality mechanics, do all have various mechanical frameworks for tying characterization into gameplay: the Classic World of Darkness games had their Archetypes, effectively defining a broad personality archetype that the character needs to act according to in order to regain Willpower; the Chronicles of Darkness games have Vices and Virtues, with characters having one of each, once again defining how they regain Willpower; and I'm sure the newer Paradox White Wolf titles also have something to that effect as well. Basically, little carrots dangled in front of player characters to encourage characterization and acting according to a specific archetype. It's neat!

[morgan-va]

may i req a oneshot of rocky x rich, lowk calm and absolutely gorgeous and MAYBE. Sexy reader??? Like, js two ppl who u prob wouldn’t think to be in the same room nevermind talking to each other… r dating. Ya!! Godspeed!

Masterlist

Rocky Rickaby x Extremely Attractive Reader HCs

It’s the pairing no one saw coming. A chaotic, scruffy, walking tornado of trouble like Rocky somehow managed to charm someone who could pass for a movie star. The whole speakeasy is shook.

Rocky adores you with all the fervor of a cat chasing a gleam of light. He’s constantly at your side, tail swishing, letting loose compliments that range from hilariously over-the-top to beautifully poetic.

You’re used to people staring at you because of your looks, but Rocky draws a whole different kind of attention. People can’t decide if they’re more baffled by how someone like him managed to win you over or how you’re completely smitten with him.

He’s all touch when it comes to affection, playfully batting at your hair or holding your paw like he can’t believe you’re real. He has no sense of subtlety and absolutely loves public displays of affection.

Rocky has a knack for turning your beauty into an adventure. One moment, he’s comparing your eyes to “the rarest sapphires found in the rivers of the moon,” and the next, he’s dramatically shielding you from imaginary danger, like a knight guarding a priceless jewel.

He refers to you as his “divine muse” and insists that your beauty inspires his most chaotic ideas. Whether it’s a song, a poem, or a wildly impractical scheme, he’ll credit you with the spark of genius behind it.

Despite his theatrics, Rocky is deeply protective of you. He might be a scrawny tomcat, but he’ll bare his claws at anyone who so much as looks at you the wrong way.

You balance each other out in unexpected ways. Your composed, alluring presence contrasts sharply with his wild energy, and it works, like velvet and jazz or ice and whiskey.

He’s utterly fascinated by how cool and collected you are. Even when you’re just sipping a drink, he watches like it’s the most captivating thing he’s ever seen. “How do you make that look elegant?!” he marvels.

On the rare occasion you crack a mischievous smile or let out an unexpected laugh, it’s like Rocky has hit the jackpot. “Did you see that?!” he’ll exclaim to anyone nearby. “They laughed! I did that!”

No one would ever expect you to find Rocky’s shenanigans endearing, but you can’t help it. His unpolished charm, and seemingly endless energy, the way his eyes light up when he talks about his latest crazy plan… you’re hooked.

Rocky loves showing you off, parading you through Lackadaisy with a smug grin that screams, Yeah, they’re with me. It’s the one time he gets a little smug about his luck.

And you? You secretly love the unpredictability he brings to your life. His antics make every day feel like a new adventure, and you wouldn’t trade it for anything.

If anyone questions how you two ended up together, Rocky shrugs and says with a grin, “Some cats get the cream, and I just happened to land the whole dairy.”

[bokettochild]

Hello! Invitation to rant about Legend since I love hearing what you have to say about him ❤️

*cracks knuckles like popcorn*

Settle back, luv! You've unlocked a ramble!

The thing I love most about Legend is honestly what a sweet person he is, like, genuinely.

He set out on his first journey because he had a dream about someone needing help and determined he would be the one to help her. And ever since then, no matter what, when people are in trouble, he helps. Like, he had nothing to gain, and in the grande scheme of things, most of his adventures? He had nothing to lose either. Nothing he had't already experienced similar at any rate. But he still goes, he still helps, and no matter how tired, or weary, or lonesome, or painful it is, he always picks up his sword and helps because it's the right thing to do.

And like, I know he's not the only one, Hyrule had no stakes either, no reason, but that in no ways makes Legend's sacrifices at smaller.

Like, Legend literally sacrificed everything. He gave up his childhood, his family, his happiness, his piece of mind, any future he had and risked or lost so, so may relationships and friends.

Like, why do we never see his uncle again after the first game if he's cannonically the same Link across his first four adventures? Why is he living alone is most of his adventures? Like, most Links have something, and those that do live alone are mostly adults, but he is most definitely still a kid. Where did Uncle Aflon go?

My personal headcannon is that he struggled so much with losing the innocent baby he raised and finding a terrified nine-year-old hero instead, that he sort of just... handed little Ledge along to the next relative and quietly disappeared. Not for lack of love, but more because he felt the boy he loved was gone forever and replaced. Maybe he believed that, like the old stories warn, his baby was stolen by the kolkiri and replaced with a high-strung changeling child while he was gone.

I like to think Uncle Aflon is out there somewhere, settled down and trying to live a normal life, maybe with a child of his onw by ow, but he can't erase the kid he raised from his mind and it haunts him all the time that he didn't stay, but maybe he's too scared to go back, to answer for it.

And you know that hurt Legend. You know he's totally got some form of abandonment issues from not only losing his parents when he was small, not eer getting to know them because literally all the rest of his family save his grandparents and Uncle were slaughtered due to some stupid prophecy Ganon wanted to present coming true. Like, it's not even just from not knowing his parents; there's a whole culture and lifestyle that the Knights of Hylia likely would have had that he will never fully know because they were all killed in an effort by Ganon to stop his being born.

Legend will never grow up with the kind of family others had because he was forged, from birth, to be a hero. He ever grew up with a full family either, but that meant that he probably has a different sort instead. I like to think the reason that, in all his games, he's so close with the village folk, or why so many people know him, is because there's this sense of longing he's got for a connection to a culture and family he had stolen from him, so he embraces that of those around him and they in turn have always embraced him back. He's a sponge for any sort of semblance of warmth he's lost, but as his adventures went on and he was betrayed more or his need for safety, or trust was used against him to hurt him, he's hardened.

There's a warrant on his head, and in game we see people I the village he probably grew up in (it's right next to his house pities sakes!) reporting him to the guards. There's no doubt in my mind that some were less direct about it, pretending to offer him a place to hide or even a meal, a meal for a kid who's too small to cook for himself and doesn't know yet how to forage, only to try and trap him or poison him when his guard was lowered.

We talk about warriors being betrayed by soldiers as a grown man, but Legend was turned on by the pillage people that watched him grow up, and that does far more damage; he probably never trusts fully. never trusts that others won't him someway, either by causing physical harm or leaving him alone.

Alone like everyone else has.

And like, he really is alone. he's got so many friends in the games, so many allies, but they're all people spread hither and yon, some dead, some ever real in the first place, and others, well... like with his uncle, they struggle with seeing him so changed after every adventure, and while not all leave, it's harder to reconnect with someone who's almost like a stranger a second time, but always so busy you hardly have time to talk.

Yet, despite all this, despite a lack of trust and the fact that anyone could hurt him, might hurt him, might outgrow him, or he them, he still helps whenever he's asked, he still does what is needed. he still gives and gives, and even if he doesn't do it with a smile anymore, even if he helps you up with a hand on his sword-hilt, he's still willing to take that risk because he genuinely wants to help other people.

Like, there is no low you could find he hasn't known. All heroes have probably starved at one point or another, and in other countries he was always as good as homeless, sometimes penniless. He's been there, and he doesn't want that for anyone else. So even though there's always a risk, he'd rather face it to help a person in need than leave them on the wayside like so many did for him.

Forgive my imagery, but Legend's the epitome of "become the good you want to see the world", even if that good comes with a shield raised and expectant at all times of evil around them.

He's a good kid. A scared kid, but a good one all the same.

He's known as "the greatest of all the heroes of Hyrule" by the goddesses themselves, and they've told him as much. He's the one who saves that which people worship. Like, no disrespect to the other heroes, but only Sky has also rescued a goddess, but Legend's rescued two, and a god besides (the Windfish), as well as the goddess incarnates of both Hyrule and Lorule.

His job is literally to protect the people responsible for keeping the world running, the people who are supposed to be able to fix anything and protect all mortal life.

He's not just the hero chosen by the gods, he is the Hero of the gods themselves.

And he still tells peop he's just an average nobody. he still lives in a cramped little house that his uncle left behind, clinging to the only semblance he's got left of a time before he was a hero, of a time where he had a family and never had to be afraid and when he used to be protected by someone.

Just.... as a kid who grew up as the protector, the safe one, and the helper, Legend is my hero, because he is those things as well. Because he somehow remains strong enough for not just Hyrule, not just the gods, but the whole world around him, and eve when he breaks, he only comes back stronger, more determined, and now even Ganon groans and huffs out "you again?" when he sees him.

Legend has seen the most hell, known the most loss, sacrificed every part of himself and what he wants or needs for the sake of those around him, and yet he's still somehow not just standing, but fighting, and not just fighting, but winning.

You just know, the day he eventually does lay that sword down, he's probably going to freaking break. But, I like to think, with all the good he's done, it will eventually come back to him, and the people he's helped will finally start helping him in return when it's hi who needs it most.

And just... yeah. Legend's sharp tongued and wary and he's got these high walls up, but at his core, he's literally running purely on love for those around him, on the hope that they're worth the trouble and that he's not leaving anyone who needs it on their own; he's so full of heart! He's got a heart so pure even Fi is startled by it, that the triforce entrusts itself to him, that even the most annoying assholes eventually become fond of him (looking at you here, Ralph!)

So yeah, I'm a sucker for that heart behind a wall of thorns kinda character, but Legend took that to the max and I thoroughly adore him for it <3

[grigori77]

Val Kilmer, Rest In Peace ...

Gods ... we've lost another one, and this is another one that REALLY HURTS. He'd been going through a lot over the past few years, and he was having a really hard time of it, but he never gave up hope, he never stopped being who he was even when things were at their worst. The man was a bloody LEGEND and one of the all-time great cinematic comeback kings. We've lost one of the REAL ONES.

I first came across Val Kilmer when he was still coming up, before he really got his big break, back when he was still known mostly as a hadnsome young man with a great sense of humour in comedies like Top Secret! But it was his role as Chris Knight, the irreverant scientific genius at the heart of Martha Coolidge's criminal overlooked screwball comedy Real Genius, that I REALLY fell in love with his cocky charm. Well, this and, of course ...

MADMARTIGAN!!! Yeah, I was a kid, and I LOVED big, loud and sometimes kind of dumb fantasy action adventures, and there was SO MUCH adorable roguish swagger in this high fantasy Han Solo clone from Ron Howard's wildly imaginative cinematic adventure Willow that OF COURSE he immediately began to live rent free in my head.

And then, FINALLY, I saw Top Gun. US Naval aviator Lieutenant Tom Kazansky, better known by his extremely apt callsign "Iceman", was, quite rightly, one of THE COOLEST CHARACTERS he ever got to play. This single role QUITE RIGHTLY turned him into a bona fide SUPERSTAR, and for several years he could do no wrong, becoming one of the most rightly IN-DEMAND young superstar actors of the late 80s and the 90s.

A lot of the stuff he got was fluff, pure blockbuster pretty boy roles, but every once in a while he was land something with genuine WEIGHT, like his phenomenal lead role in Michael Apted's powerful thriller Thunderheart, in which he played an FBI agent coming to terms with his long-buried Native American heritage ...

Oliver Stone's controversial but undoubtedly impressive biopic The Doors, in which he was truly magnificent as ill-fated rock icon Jim Morrison ...

Tombstone, one of my very favourite westerns OF ALL TIME, in which he effortlessly stole the entire film in probably THE VERY BEST performance of his entire career as the complicated ailing gunfighter Doc Holliday ...

Irish engineer Colonel John Henry Patterson, the man who went to Africa to build a bridge and killed two man-eating lions in the criminally underrated, more-than-a-little historically inaccurate but still great period man-against-nature survival thriller The Ghost & the Darkness ...

A truly fucking LEGENDARY turn as troubled bank robber Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann's stone cold CLASSIC crime thriller Heat ...

And he even got to fulfill a lifelong dream of getting to play Batman ... although that didn't go QUITE how he would have liked in the end ... His career took a slump for a time in the late 90s, but by 2002 he started to see something of a renaissance as he started cherry-picking more interesting and challenging character roles in smaller, more high quality films which found particular respect for more discerning audiences.

Like retired US marine-turned-SOCOM operator/trainer John Scott in David Mamet's incendiary suspense thriller Spartan ...

Meth addict Danny Parker, caught up in the middle of an impromptu murder investigation in The Salton Sea, an early, pre-big break offering from Disturbia director DJ Caruso ...

And, best of all, the phenomenally subversive, hillariously sharp-witted role of acerbic LA private investigator "Gay" Perry Van Shrike in writer-director Shane Black's massively beloved black comedy cult classic Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

In later years, a second career slump and subsequent burgeoning health problems saw his withdrawal from the public eye once more, complications from throat cancer led to an essential forced retirement from acting. With the esception of a scattering of smaller roles and an incredibly moving and fascinating documentary entitled Val in 2021, with his son Jack Kilmer narrating his own words, his career officially came to an end in 2022 when he returned to the role of Iceman in a cameo in Joseph Kosinski's blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick. It was a fitting farewell to the character, and a powerful swansong for a mighty actor in his own right.

Legendary film critic Roger Ebert once called Kilmer "the most unsung leading man of his generation". Truer words have never been spoken. "Ice is gone", Maverick is told at one point in the sequel. Maybe so, but he'll NEVER be forgotten.

Val Edward Kilmer, December 31, 1959 - April 1, 2025. Rest in peace.

[moonlit-escape]

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ ⩩ Laurance Mystreet headcanons !!

my first favourite character. i love him way too much i get so excited and so embarrassed it sucks

6'0.7 (184.7cm)

hawaiian

bisexual (but he thinks he's the hetero one) (stupid bitch)

virgo ♍️

malewife by chance, manwhore by choice

still has punk ideals, just doesn't dress like it (the cons of growing up with a fashionista)

listens to grunge and punk rock bands (nirvana, green day, pearl jam, joy division. ykno, stuff i put in his playlist)

loves killer thriller movies the most, but he does really enjoy his and garroth's chick-flick movie nights

his favourite one is 13 going on 30 (jennifer garner and mark ruffalo,,, mm)

very adamant about equality and fairness. he has absolutely No Tolerance for stuff like misogyny, racism, or any sort of bigotry. everyone should be treated with basic respect, and he gets very cold and pissed off when he sees that they're not (yes, i loved the halloween episode where he got ticked off w ivan like yes king GET HIS ASS)

that's part of the reason why he left the shadow knights in hs; gene would lie and cheat and belittle people, and he wasn't about that

nowadays though, the two have more of like a friendly rival relationship now. they bond over bullying each other and beating each other in competitions (housewife competitions, mostly. but also video games) (and, on exactly One (1) occasion: drag)

he and gene also gang up on garroth for liking pokemon more than digimon

farm boy loves the smell of dirt and leaves and straw and grass and sun

has necklaces with feathers from all the chickens who have passed. any time one goes, his mom sends him a new necklace in the mail

favourite season is autumn because it has all his other favourite things: halloween, bats, roasted marshmallows, acceptable hoodie weather, and earthy smells

listened to a lot of fall out boy when he was a shadow knight. it used to be his favourite band, but since it was something gene hooked him on, he couldn't listen to it after he left which pisses him off so much bc he still thinks theyre really good

he does have an anxiety disorder, but sometimes uses a mask of smugness and egotism to cope with it. another thing he learned from gene

actually, from a young age up until about junior high, he had always been a very shy and reserved kid. cadenza was always trying to get him to come out of his shell, and she did manage to do most of the work (including getting him in trouble at home a few times), but it wasn't until gene, sasha, and zenix came along that gave him that final push

gets his baby brother once every month for a weekend to a whole week, depending on everyone's schedule. he Never lets the kid out of his sight now, and Absolutely doesn't leave him alone with anyone else but aphmau and zenix

despite his.. connection with gene, zenix was actually the closest to him in the group. and they quickly became friends again when they moved in

has a collection of fun novelty mugs (and a few that are handmade from his mother)

he was a cartoon network kid. i mean cmon, look at him.

he and katelyn gang up to dump adventure time lore on unsuspecting friends

not huge on superhero stuff, but he does prefer marvel (comics) over dc. the only dc thing he liked was the teen titans show

and spider-man and deadpool are Objectively awesome and amazing (he's def a spideypool shipper.)

his favourite genre is apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic settings. especially ones where there's creatures (zombies, aliens, some horrific eldritch spawn, etc)

he would never admit it, but the feathers do actually work on him in a roundabout way.

i refuse to believe he doesn't have the finest ass.

[fantasticarcadefan]

The Stream

Part 2: Detainment.

Warning: OOC, inaccurate character representation, possible inaccurate workplace representation, Imposter SAGAU,

The searing pain in your right elbow seemed to grow weaker as you prepared to run from Amber and try to dodge her arrows, but it wouldn't do you any good in the long run. Her eyes, usually filled with kindness and innocence back when you were back on earth, were filled with distaste and possibly bloodlust, ready to be released if you made a wrong move.

"I know what you're thinking,"

She says, her bow still cocked at you, now with a new arrow.

"There's nowhere left for you to run. We can do this the easy way, or slightly harder way. So do us both a favor and just surrender. It's best for you to face divine judgment imposter."

She says. Which brings up another question for you. What does she mean imposter? As far as you knew, there was no one else in Teyvat that bore your face, nor was there anything said in the game about copying people's faces. But then again, you aren't sure what to ask without the risk of being shot to death.

You decided to go ahead and follow her in an attempt to not get shot.

"Alright, I'll go with you. I don't want any trouble"

You say. Cause you don't know what chances you have against Amber, since she, like just about all of the characters now that you think of it, is a lot more athletic and skilled in combat than you.

"You've already caused a lot of it, false god. Now, turn around and hands in your back or I'll have to kill you here." She threatens, pulling out a piece of rope.

This isn't the Amber that you've known before. In the game, you saw her as a kind soul, always trying to help the people of Mondstadt as an outrider. But now, she's a ruthless soldier, ready to kill given a chance.

'What happened to you Amber?' You ask yourself, feeling your hands be tied up.

Amber comes back into view, bow still drawn. "Good. Follow me, or I'll have to put a few holes into you." She says,using her right hand, pulling out the arrow in your shoulder.

You grunt, trying to muffle the pain when you see an oddity. On the arrow she just pulled out was a blood, surrounding a drop of golden fluid, before she shook it off, with it landing on her arm sleeve, she started walking, with you tailing behind.

'Certainly more professional than those SAGAU imposter fanfics with everyone trying to kill the reader on sight' you think, following close behind as you reminisce of the old days before your arrival, back when this was a game.

As you keep walking, you came across several other NPC'S, mostly adventurers or civilians giving you distasteful, disapproving, or downright hateful glares, with a few knights joining Amber in escorting you.

As you keep walking, you partly hear the sounds of battle farther away from your location, likely forces from the knights battling against the monsters here.'Hopefully they'll allow me to stay with them if needed.' You thought to yourself, hopeful on them accepting you if you escape.

Approaching the bridge heading into Mondstadt, you somehow activate element sight, or something reminiscent of it. Slowing your pace, attempting to make use of this ability to see what it does.

Taking a look around, you notice that the knights seem to be completely covered in this red energy, reminiscent of a storm. The same could be said for the other NPCs you see except for Amber, who seems to be mostly covered in this red storm, but it seems to be slowly pushed back by this golden hue, currently occupying most of her lower arm and with it slowly expanding.

"Get a move on!" One of the knights yells, hitting you on the back with the butt of his sword, disengaging your elemental sight. Grunting from the pain, you return to your original pace, entering the city surrounded by them, with Amber in the lead.

Entering the city, you couldn't help but stare in awe at it. Mondstadt was one of the first places you wanted to travel to if you could, following in the footsteps of the traveller. Had it not been for the escorts surrounding you, you would've wandered into the city, forgetting of your detainment.

As you continue to approach the Knights of Favonious headquarters, people bagan to crowd around your group, calling specifically you names, making threats to you, and harassing you.

Arriving at the entrance of the Headquarters with the mob surrounding, you catch sight of Jean, with Lisa tailing and for a moment, an ember of hope grows, seeing the two. But upon seeing her face with it being the same emotions as the crowd, the ember of hope greatly dimmed.

"So this is the imposter that we were warned about?" Jean asks Amber, with Lisa looking over you critically.

"Yes Jean. Same appearance, no sign of their gifts, and red blood as well." She says, but something in your mind, whether it's you being delusional or not, tells you that she's not fully confident of her response.

"Good. We'll take it from here." Jean says, before walking over to you, stopping Infront of you.

"By the order of the Knight of Favonious and the creator, you're under arrest." She says before looking at two of the knights behind you. "Take them to the holding cells in the Headquarters. Their grace would want them alive for their judgement"

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

"Anything else that we know about this player?" Robert asked, watching as the imposter, as the NPCS called them, try to call out to them, seeking reason only to fall on deaf ears.

"Only one thing." Cody Rhyil, one of the developers replied "The system is showing that this account is streaming. From where it's streaming to, that's being looked into." He finishes, looking back at Robert.

Robert, still holding the laptop with it showing Chang in his office, with the others bringing it to their own development offices and reporting the same thing.

'How is it that these events are happening across all versions?' Robert wondered, unsure of what to do. Regardless of the game version, whether it was an old or unreleased version,

It was eventually Chang who spoke up. "Continue observation of the world. There's not much that we can likely do on our end, but get me in touch with your social media manager." He says,taking a deep breath.

"Whoever is doing this may be the streamer. Have them make an announcement, asking about any current streams showing off versions of Teyvat."

"But why wouldn't they try to contact us if they had the game at their control?" Amala Rosil, an intern who recently joined asked.

"Why, we don't know." Robert says, answering for Chang. "Whether or not this is so they want to see us burn because they see this as a game, or for revenge, we have to know." He finishes, looking back at the group.

"For now, keep up observations and try to delete the code of this creator. And if you're unable too, find a pattern in where their code goes." He finishes.

Immediately afterwards, the office day resumes, with everyone returning back to their current tasks, with Robert not being any different and making his way back to his office, closing the door behind him, setting down and plugging in the laptop.

"I believe this is a good place to stop this meeting." Chang says, looking back at the rest of the chat room.

"I'm going to be contacting your social media manager as well as Liu about what we've found out. Expect contact with the other development teams, for we're dealing with the unknown, and need to be ready for what may happen next."

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

"So we're seeing a live SAGAU stream, yeah?" Jason asked.

"That's pretty obvious." Replied Rebecca.

The stream had been a shock to them, with it showing Mondstadt personifying distrust, possibly the distrust that's been shown to the Fatui directed at them.

And there was the topic of the elemental sight they used, which showed the knights around this imposter covered in a red cloud like cover, and the Amber's cover being repelled by a golden one.

"So could we assume that we're likely seeing this from the eyes of the creator, yeah?" Jasmine asked, trying to confirm the details they knew.

"Possibly, but we don't know about their look alike, so we'll have to take that into consideration." Jacob replies.

Ever since they found this channel, it had been awfully a lot like those AI show streams, those that had written by an AI chatbot and had a scene played by another.

The only differences between this and those were those voices sounding more natural compared to an AI voice generator and it not accepting donations despite the icons being there, notepad being opened and the line, "The Gatekeeper has yet to arrive", being the only response in the same text that was shown to modders and the donation being refunded.

All in all, the group came to the conclusion that this was related to the SAGAU themed lore that Mihoyo claims wasn't supposed to be there. As to why they haven't responded to this, who knows? They did say they were conducting an internal investigation into the SAGAU related lore.

As they were going over their findings, a buzz rang from each of their phones. Jacob picked his up, and saw it was from the official Genshin and Mihoyo accounts on Twitter.

"We got something!" Jacob yelled, getting their attention. "We got news about the crash !"

"Then read what it says!" Jasmine yelled, curious to know, opening up Twitter.

Taking a deep breath, Jacob read the message that was sent.

"Greetings Travellers! We'd like to apologize for the lack of contact between us in regards to the sudden shutdown of Genshin Impact's servers.

We believe this to be the result of a cyber attack, but we have no idea who's responsible due to nobody claiming responsibility for it. In addition, all developer versions of Genshin Impact seem to be acting on their own and all changes we make to the game aren't saved.

However, progress has been made recently, and the situation here shows relative similarities to the SAGAU imposter trope, where the reader is brought into Teyvat and hunted down by the game's characters, being accused of being an imposter of their maker. We are still trying to identify who's who.

In addition, the one being hunted, has been identified as a player by the system, and is apparently streaming. We ask you to post any streams in your retweets.

For those that find the stream, you'll be rewarded greatly with high amounts of in-game rewards. One of these will include 500 wishes, for both limited and permanent character runs. If you found it with others, we will give you each half of the original amount. We're also giving away 100 wishes to up to four friends of your choosing, which you could ask for upon us contacting you

We thank you greatly for your patience as we try to resolve the situation, and may fate smile widely upon you!

-The Genshin Impact Development team.

"Five h-hundred, wishes??!"Jasmine yelled, shocked at the amount available.

"And half for each person involved!" Jacob shouted, rereading the other part of the rewards.

"That's so much!" Jason yelled, completely shocked at the amount available.

"Is the situation that bad there?" Olivia pondered, questioning the high reward available to those that had information about the stream.

"Must be, if they're offering that much in wishes." Jason replies.

"Should we call Y/N, hopefully they've seen the announcement." Olivia asks, wondering if they should call their friend."

"Maybe not." Jason said. "They sometimes pull all nighters for more than one day, and they tend to lack a filter" He explained

"True." She replied, remembering how vocal they could be on their opinions due to a lack of sleep.

"We could mention them in as a friend for the One hundred wishes." Jasmine offers. "We don't know when they'll be awake."

"True, that sounds like a good plan. And the rest of you?" Jason asks, checking with the group.

"Yeah, it couldn't hurt." Jacob agree.

"Sure. Sounds good to me." Olivia agrees, confirming the group's next move."

"Alright. I'll send the stream and mention you guys as helpers." Jason says, opening a new tab on his PC and typing in the Twitter URL. Once loaded, he went to the main Genshin Account and retweeted the post, adding the link to the stream, and mentioning the group as helpers, and @'ing the main account before posting it.

"Alright, that's done." Jason says, with the group celebrating at the prospect of the high amount of wishes they'll be gaining.

Once they calmed down, Jacob asked a question. "So what do we do now?" He asked, unsure of what they wanted to do.

"Let's keep watching this stream, I'm curious to see where this goes." Olivia said, wanting to see where it went.

A round of agreement sounded from the group, confirming their goals.

"Then let's see what happens next." Jason says, turning back to the stream, where it showed someone in what they're assuming to be either a holding cell, or the Mondstadt jail.

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

Greetings Readers!

Sorry for not posting in a while, been having writers block with other ideas floating up.

I'm gonna try to get some of these out soon, drop a building on me on where to improve.

Below is the taglist. I'm gonna make a separate post asking if you want to be added to it.

| @valeriele3 @bunniotomia |

[pajulammas]

[Chivalrous Devotion AU] Reference sheets for the main characters!

Sonic has reached the ripe age of 50 and is now longing for another adventure. One day, he wakes up back in Camelot, but it’s not the same one he left, as no one seems to remember those events other than Sonic; and on top of it all, they all think that he is the lost king Arthur who has simply lost his memories. Arthur’s most loyal knight Lancelot is the same age as Sonic and a single parent, who is struggling with his sudden loneliness as his son Galahad has recently moved away. Sonic is enthralled by him, since he’s something that Shadow isn’t; mortal. Given their position as king and his bodyguard, the two quickly become close, closer than their titles would suggest in fact. Now Sonic is struggling with his new duties and expectations – ones that he didn’t really even ask for in the first place. In the midst of it all, he’s trying to keep his newly blossomed relationship a secret, while also adapting to yet another new, unexpected title; stepfather.

The fic can be read here!

Twitter | Bluesky

Lancelot:

Lancelot is a 50-year-old knight, the most loyal of them all and closest to his king. He is a strict but loving single father to his son, Galahad. He is struggling with his sudden loneliness as his son has recently moved away to live in the castle and focus on his training and studies. The sudden return of King Arthur is both relieving and scary to Lancelot. Now, he can serve him again to prove his status as the most loyal of the knights. While the king seems to have amnesia, Lancelot is surprised how much Arthur still trusts him. He is willing to do whatever it takes to help him – maybe he likes his king more than a knight like him should...

Galahad:

Sir Galahad is the only child and beloved son of sir Lancelot. He has recently moved to live in Camelot Castle to focus on his training and studies. At the age of 19, he is the youngest of the knights, but his skills and determination make him a dangerous opponent. Everyone believes he will be the greatest knight one day, even greater than his own father. The expectations put on him are a bit of a burden, but he wishes to make his father proud. As the youngest of the knights, he hasn't had a strong personal connection to king Arthur, especially because of the king's sudden three years of absence. Now the king has finally returned, and Galahad has a chance to prove himself and get to know Arthur better. However, his father and His Majesty seem to be closer than a king and his knight should be. While Galahad is worried his father will get in trouble, he is also confused himself, not sure if he should see Arthur as his king or stepfather. Or both?

[dana-chan-the-control-brain]

Poll for What Game am I streaming Next!

I just finished Balders Gate 3! And I have some options on what game i'm playing next. (likely in July cus June I'm so busy)

Since we just finished playing BG3 where my Tav was a Drow Bard, how about we continue that Bard Trend with Wandersong:

A cute little emotional story musical driven platformer released in 2018 about a Bard who tries to beat the evils of the world through song. I've never played it but the artstyle looks genuinely charming and I imagine I will cry. I hear it's a shorter game so it would be a cute little in-between point.

Another Wandering Game in that same vein as a good Segway for the next game would be Wanderstop.

Wanderstop looks like a cute cozy farming sim game where you own a tea shop. While that might be true mechanically, I have a feeling I'd be in for something really different. Wanderstop is made by the same developers who made the Stanley Parable. It's about a Fighter who had a traumatic incident happen to her, so it has the same basic setup as a lot of life sim games do. They abandon everything to start their new cozy life. But she's having trouble adjusting it seems, and I have a feeling is a lot of existential dread about switching career paths or life directions later in life. The importance of taking a break and how stressful taking a break can be. It's a cozy sim game where the protagonist doesn't like the cozy sim game. I heard good things about this one but I hear it's an emotionally draining one.

On the less story driven side of things. I doubt this game needs any introduction.

Hollow Knight.

Yeah I know. Mainly to get excited for silksong. But like... if I do Hollow Knight, I will likely be raging on harder things and also explaining the lore the best I can as we go. Without trying to spoil the whole lore in one big info dump and explain things as we go along.

Hollow Knight is a longer game (especially if I want to do the things I haven't gotten done before) So if I do this one I might sneak Wandersong or Wanderstop in there anyways.

For the last game in the poll, this one is more for me and Ceph.

MONKEY ISLAND FOUR!

I helped Ceph with their Monkey Island playthough on their channel. the playlist you can watch here, if I join Ceph for their stream, then this playthrough will be more them giving them a detailed walkthough of this game, while we complain about weird design choices in 90s adventure games that are beloved/beloathed.

You can see Ceph and I play the other Monkey Island games 1-3 on her youtube channel and we are planning to go through every game in the series. Four is just the black sheep and we need to cross it off before we get to the Monkey Island games I actually like.

So anyway, those are the options for upcoming games. There are WAY more I can put on this poll but I thought I'd just open with the ones I'm most interested in playing next.