#so its kind of a wip in a sense

[fishyfutaba]

[tianhai03]

mfw i make a new design for my sona after like 5 years and i base it on clothing items i own irl and i accidentally end up becoming sonic the hedgehog

[treasuredplanet]

I rediscovered a detail I had forgotten about in a WIP yesterday and I love it SO MUCH and I want to talk about it Right Now Immediately, however I'm also afraid that if I DO talk about it I'll lose the motivation to finish that WIP, so I'm just sitting here with the impulse to blab in a stranglehold like do NOT ruin this for us

[suffarustuffaru]

i need to share my very horrible idea to combine the reinhard/julius/otto/subaru boy drama into one julius-centric fic

ok so a little while ago ive made all kinds of ottojuli and reinjuli posts and while i havent finished all my major julisuba posts Yet i am quite fond of julisuba also and i think itd be incredibly funny if you just dumped all of these ships into one story. just go ALL IN on that boy drama!!!! go big or go home amirite!!!! the worlds WORST love trapezoid youve ever seen!!!!

this post is just me rambling fic ideas bc i sadly dont have time for Every Fic Idea and also i just. i just think itd be funny putting multiple ships with the same person in them into one fic. on a serious level its like mimicking real life relationships where sometimes people come and go and you have different dynamics with each person!! on another level i just think this is also very funny so!! here we go. under the cut:

anyway so my idea for this is that you know, julius of course meets reinhard when hes ten and reinhard is eight and then it alters julius's brain chemistry. at first he's in complete awe of reinhard. and then over time the shame starts setting in. that julius isnt as strong as reinhard. and the jealousy sets in a bit too, so julius's got this chip in his shoulder trying to carry his family's legacy and trying to carry the weight of knighthood to be as perfect as possible. to be as close to reinhard as he can. they meet again in their teens and julius shows reinhard the ropes of like basic knight stuff bc reinhard just joined the knights. and of course reinjuli become friends but julius has spent his whole life quietly watching reinhard from afar and now julius still has that distance with reinhard even as theyre supposedly friends now. reinhard is a God, you know? his powers and his leash from the kingdom and his family keep him distant and the two of them are ignoring that. classic homoerotic "do i want him or want to be him" friendship where both of you are too scared to get any closer for various reasons with a Twist (reinhard's very real monster complex that keeps getting validated bc Everyone Around Him thinks hes a monster).

anyway but then julius remembers that you know, shit between reinhard and him wont work out for many reasons, like reinhards family deciding to torment julius at various points in his life (heinkel, whos julius's boss, and reid, who went from julius's childhood idol to. you know.), and also reinhard needs to have kids because hes the sword saint, and also homophobia exists in rezero. and also even if those werent all obstacles julius still has his Complexes connected to reinhard and they got that distance between them so. no go. (repression gets in the way of relationships :((( )

also quick side note is that ex 4 happens and julius reinhard ferris go to vollachia and julius interrupts a meeting with vincent vollachia himself to go "I UNDERSTOOD THAT LITERARY REFERENCE YOU JUST MADE. THATS A REALLY GOOD REFERENCE I LIKED IT A LOT" bc hes a massive nerd and ig this is slightly-more-of-a-disaster-gay julius au so julius is like ............................. vincent was kinda cool for that.

AND THEN SUBARU CRASHES INTO JULIUS'S LIFE and julius is like seeing this guy who's also got a chip in his shoulder and then he insults the knights and says the knights are all depending on their dads (nepotism) and julius is like .......the chip in my shoulder was bad enough and also youre kinda like me fr. and you are clearly a fucking misguided kid so now i have to save your ass. i cant NOT save your ass. and reinhards like "julius and subaru nooo you dont have to do this :((((" and julius cant admit atm that hes also doing this to save subarus life so julius is just like "he disrespected the knights >:(((("

but yes we all know what happened there. julius saves subarus life. julius has to slice subarus throat in that one failed loop. they become friends across several timelines. they also homoerotically share souls, you know, typical bromance things, rivals to lovers except subarus the one going YOURE MY RIVAL and julius is like he is SUCH an upstart. hes really grown on me like a fungus but thats the appeal. and julius i think sees subaru as like a kindred spirit (or at least thats how i interpret julisuba) except subaru is like way more freer than julius is. same desire to prove yourself but subarus not restraining himself constantly like julius. its sometimes to the point of recklessness and general stupidity and what have you, but his boldness and bravery and determination and heart really is admirable.........................

yeah so anyway julius falls for ANOTHER guy again, you know how it is sometimes. the heart wants what it wants and julius is cursed to always have the worst meetings with his closest friends. and of course julius gets heartbroken bc wtf i have to kill my new friend :((( noo!!!! but in the finished loop its like. oh subaru...... hes really improved himself. hes grown so much already. hes kind of. inspirational really. idk how he does it. except subarus you know got that Mystery to him the same way reinhard does (theyre traumatized and Cant Take About It Normally so they just randomly lore drop what they can) and also subarus SUPER into emilia. and julius is like .................... well. subarus taken. haha. and reinhards. taken. fuck me. fuck. and like somethings going on with subaru and rem and emilia right. fuck. and subarus got his whole toxic masculinity / gender crisis..... and he doesnt know hes Bisexual yet...... man. what a loss for julius amirite haha.

and also subarus busy after arc 3........... and julius has no idea whats happening there but that seems Real serious :(( and julius's got other things to attend to so he hopes subaru reaches out to him eventually..... or that they cross paths again since subarus in the emilia camp and julius is in ana camp (and of course reinhard is in felt camp and like that was a whole debacle bc wtf. reinhard, u do know thatd be a big deal to our mutual friend felix?). so. julius pines from afar ONCE AGAIN HAHA.

(also of course subarus still attracted to reinhard here. its um. well julisuba can bond now over pining over reinhard but thats for later also!!)

anyway of course during arc 3 julius briefly runs into some gray haired merchant twink thats being dragged around by subaru bc ana camp rescued this guy from a cave somewhere??? and this new guy and subaru made a deal or whatever so he was just helping out in the background of the fight against sloth??

and whaddya know................ julius goes to drink at a bar bc you know he probably tastes wine for fun in his free time (hes definitely Fond of wine anyway iirc) and now hes Sad over the Ones That Got Away so. bar it is. and gray haired merchant twink is there!! no way. they start talking a bit casually while drinking you know and julius's taste is Unfortunately either the graceful ones (anastasia, because julius has great taste in women) or the cringe fail ones (all the twinks - except for felix - that julius keeps having the wildest first meetings with, because julius has slightly shit taste in men) so julius is like huh this otto guys kinda funny lol. endearing in a weird way!! and -

oops they both end up being a little. they make a little bit of a move on each other. bc they were drinking and got a Bit tipsy. ottos Also not over the one that got away (subaru) (again) and hey. the finest knight truly is. Fine. objectively fine. totally. so you know. things get a little out of hand, maybe they do a bit of cringe fail flirting hidden underneath five million layers of repression and the Horrors of Being Known but ultimately they both embarrass themselves somehow (read: how far they went with each other while under the influence is up to you) and agree to Never Speak of This Again bc oopsies they were both technically each other's first time being Straightforwardly Not Straight with another man. oops. anyway julius has to go back to his camp and otto fucking bolts but he bolts right into subaru and gets his ass dragged into sanctuary drama.

julius is totally not a little bit envious about that.................... about otto getting to accompany subaru to sanctuary... but dont worry julius!! youll get to make up for it later!! bc eventually arc 5 stuff happens. and julius is Glad to see reinhard and subaru again. even with all the Baggage. and subaru is of course Weird about julius but eventually subaru reassures julius after they both confide in each other about the astrea drama (theyre honorary astreas via being dragged into the astrea family mess). and subarus reassuring to julius in a whole new way okay. subaru, whos unrestrained and incapable of being on the down low about anything, and julius, whos always holding himself back with a gazillion layers of repression, starts learning to let go a bit...

but also juliotto meet again. its terribly awkward and they both agreed to never speak of their awkward encounters again. subaru is going ??? and reinhard is clueless. otto then also goes to save reinhard and felt from heinkel trying to take felt hostage, which was also terribly awkward but reinhard and felt are grateful about it (but lbr if reinhard and otto knew each other deeper reinhard would maybe be a little. Apprehensive. around otto while otto would be sympathetic with reinhard bc hes like male emilia). but then while otto manages not to get erased by gluttony....... julius gets erased. of course. which you know results in being forgotten by reinhard in julius's THIRD first meeting ever with reinhard. and subarus the only one who remembers him of course.

then arc 6 happens :,))))) and julius of course has to confront his ideas of knighthood, his identity, his self esteem, and who he is outside of His Name. and also julius gets his ass beat by reid. his childhood idol. who reinhard KNEW was a shitty person but never ever told julius (whether this is because reinhard wanted to spare julius's hero worship or because reinhard never got the chance to tell julius is hard to say lajdsf). but julius does get to triumphantly win in the end!! grow as a person!!! learn to undo a bit of that repression and not hold himself to impossible standards all the time!! hes growing still!!! hes finally solidified his friendships with people like subaru and emilia!! hes remaking his relationship with anastasia!! hes asserted himself, hes planning on going to meet reinhard again one day and duel him!! things are looking up even if its still bittersweet that he doesnt have his name back yet!! does this mean?? perhaps?? a HAPPY ENDING?? julius can have the two men (reinhard and subaru) he admires the most in his life?????? as friends???? or as boyfriends?????? slowburn mutual pining????????????????????????????????????????

and then comes. arc 8 otto. that piece of shit.

julius is very much someone who has to grapple with the weight of the expectations that people throw at him. and also reinhard is someone who May envy julius a bit, but there's also you know, joshua and subaru with the Explicit Envy and (past) resentment because theyre placing heavy expectations on julius!! theyre pointing blame at julius!! julius is trying to find himself outside of stuff like that, especially after arc 6, but he's still got stuff to work on you know? he still has duties to fulfill!! loyalty that he has to act on bc hes gotta help subaru and co in arc 8!! and then in comes otto.

otto is also someone with expectation placed on him, but its Different. ottos mostly a nobody and when hes Not a nobody, his reputation tends to be Derogatory. hes a menace. hes a bad luck charm. hes grappling with the fact that he has to keep being left behind - post-arc 5 bc he was injured, but also repeatedly during arcs 7 and 8 because hes too physically weak to be on the same playing field as emilia or garfiel or subaru on the battlefield. he feels Useless after placing his identity on the expectation that hes Dependable and Useful.

julius is a bit more on even ground with otto now that julius is. also mostly a nobody bc his name is still gone. and also julius had to deal with having that part of his identity crushed. julius tried to be useful over and over in arc 6 only to get his ass repeatedly curb stomped by reid in the beginning. he was a nobody. he wasnt dependable anymore. and also otto is that one guy he had a Passing Fling with over having The Ones Who Got Away and julius was still vaguely hopeful about maybe being pals at least but ottos brushed him off a bit since arc 5. theyre like each others secrets you know? and now otto doesnt know that shit - julius is the only one who Knows - and otto also hates julius's fucking guts now. over SUBARU. and julius has been through this whole rodeo clown circus with arc 3 subaru so this is an absolutely terrible ride through memory lane.

and this is julius's THIRD twink that hates him for terribly unfair reasons. julius is very tired and a bit heartbroken in this au trying to pretend it doesnt bother him. on one level it doesnt. bc ottos pathetic and clearly Overcompensating for Something. on another level it kinda does bc julius had a Thing going with otto. and otto is the complete opposite of julius. like hes different from the other guys julius has liked.

julisuba is about complimentary opposites - they appear Extremely Different at first glance but theyre very similar. theyre people who try to look and act bigger than they are, people who keep reaching to be The Best, to be Perfect, because theyre overcompensating. theyre worried their entire identity is only built off of trying to be bigger than the shadow that other people in their lives (like their families) cast. but they cant reach perfection. and julius is like subaru but if subaru tried to really make himself "refined" - if he tried to stop putting his heart on his sleeve all the time. reinsuba are very similar too. theyre very refined knights who try to keep themselves in check at all times while the weight of the world is on their shoulders. they cant have a hair out of place. except julius is like the "smaller" version of reinhard. julius is less powerful. its like comparing a human and a "god" - reinhard, whos untouchable. but its a double edged sword, because julius gets to be a normal person, because half the expectation placed on him is also purely from himself, while reinhard isnt. reinhard isnt Free. hes on a leash by the kingdom and his family. julius even gets his kind of "celebrity" status stolen from him via the loss of his name. hes truly kind of Normal now - julius is like if reinhard didnt have his crazy abilities and had a little more of a chance to be free.

otto? yeah otto is. very very far from all of that. hes so obviously imperfect that most of his reputation, when its brought up, is just him being known as a mess who's caused various forms of chaos everywhere he goes. either that or hes just. There. Invisible. very very average. and otto is someone who wants a nice comfortable life, someone who wants to fit in - julius and subaru arent Exactly like that, and while reinhard also wants to be normal, ottos the one who has more of an opportunity. but he doesnt. because otto Dooms Himself by being recklessly cutthroat. otto is like if subaru was just. More of an asshole, so ottojuli would just be a rather Extreme Challenge for julius to have to deal with HAH. and normally otto is someone who repays how people treat him - a very "you treat me like this, i'll treat you the same way in turn" kind of deal, except ottos developed a vendetta against julius and its basically like if subaru never let go of his arc 3 julius vendetta.

yes so anyway. etc etc stuff probably happens but i ran out of ideas lajdlfjasdf i just think combining ALL the boy drama and recontextualizing + adding to canon would be. batshit crazy. and terribly entertaining. im so sorry julius but i want to see you crack a bit under the pressure. reinjuli as a ship is like tragic gay yearning that never goes anywhere past being friends with quiet homoerotic tension, then julisuba is. you know. extreme rivals to lovers, starts out Rough but then ends up being super super sweet and theyre Trying their best underneath the self esteem issues. and then ottojuli is. toxic yaoi at its finest (pun intended). you get Every flavor of mlm possible!!

ok so you may be asking "ok what would you even name this fic then" and to that i say that this would be called To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

anyway i really wanna write this idea someday ill inform you guys (if youre reading this and are Interested) if it ever happens :< so. in conclusion this is just julius the entire time throughout all of these events:

[rozzingit]

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: F/M Fandom: Dragon Ball Relationship: Bulma Briefs/Vegeta Characters: Vegeta, Bulma Briefs, Mrs. Briefs, Yamcha, Son Goku, Trunks Briefs Additional Tags: Humor, Dumb Military Metaphors, Eventually Resolved Sexual Tension, Eventual Sexytimes I Promise, Virgin Vegeta, Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Explicit Sexual Content, Mostly Canon Compliant, Three Year Gap (Dragon Ball) Words: 16,002 Chapters: 8/8

Bulma decides she needs to get on that. She picks the language Vegeta is most fluent in: battle.

And then there was the other day when she ran into him -- like, literally ran into him -- on her way out of the kitchen.  He had a shirt on, thank God, or rather a full battlesuit or whatever it was he called it, but it was pretty much just as good as being shirtless for all it left to the imagination.

"Watch where you're going, woman," he snapped at her, shoving past to where he was surely about to demolish the contents of her kitchen.  Bulma turned to snap at him, what with all the shoving and woman and everything about him that just grinded her gears, except then she saw him leaning over -- no, leaning down -- to open one of the lower cabinets.  She glared at the muscled line of his back through his skintight shirt, at the shift of his ass and thighs, and she felt blood rushing to her head and maybe somewhere else in such a way that kind of made her pissed more than anything else.

Shit, she thought.  I need to get on that monkey dick.

[diodellet]

So many good options for the art appreciation asks but let's go with 3, 4, 13, 14 and 27.

hi hi ner! thanks forda qs!! these are all prettie incharestinge!! (<-girlie who didn't know she'd be Yapping-Yapping)

3. and 4.) Go to [fandom] tag and reblog some art you like that has under 100 notes ++ Go to the art tag (or similar) and reblog some art you like that has under 100 notes

noted, i will undertake this mission with great care 🫡🫡

13. What are your go-to Ao3 filters?

ok i have a confession, i used to be a sort by word count++completed works only++exclude crossovers-kinda person 🤧🤧ANYWAY that was changed, now i only really exclude chat fics (ahaha,,,,theyre not really my go-to genre, like sure they're amusing but i read a really good one once* and it ruined every other chatfic for me)

*this one's for u haikyuu-natics, esp team captain stannies

hm.... i'm not super-duper picky so most of the time i can just scroll through each work's summary and tags.

but if a fandom is popular (or if i dont have the spoons for sifting through works), i stick to just reader inserts HAHAHA, maybe oc x canon if there haven't been any new x reader fics and if there's rlly nothing oough ig i have to write her myself 😭😭 sometimes doe, the curiosity strikes and i'll try looking if there are any fanfics in filipino... i really find it interesting to see how a chara's dialogue reads if theyre speaking in tagalog (tbh i think one would have more luck finding filo socmed aus on twt? but i only know about haikyuu socmed aus)

14. Best fanfic tropes ever?

oH...there are too many... u can't make me choose the best out of all my faves that's unfair 🥺jk lol

i read* this jamikali fic (i like my ships with a bit [read: a LOT] of tragedy/disaster-ness to them. it's so so so compelling to read!) and i just love the "Dubiously Unrequited Love" tag. bcs yes, the feelings are technically mutual, but there is a whole slew of other factors keeping the relationship from being a thing, which it could be a thing, but there's also that awareness that it won't last, sometimes a couple doesn't have to be endgame for the love to mean something, ykw?

this entire oneshot series....has me in a chokehold... my introduction to "Non-Sexual Intimacy" (and "Non-Sexual Nudity" i guess?) like??? holy shit??? the tension?? the way op just encapsulates the poignancy of being in such a vulnerable position without teetering too much into the cliche of roëmænce it has me On My Knees!! (like i love my smut and romance cliches, but some days i jus want a liiiitle bit more spice and variety)

Shoutout to the "Unreliable Narrator"++"Ambiguous Ending" combi that reaaaaally makes you work for understanding the plot, idk how to word it but being able to leave Just Enough Breadcrumbs and having enough trust in your readers to Get what ur implying, also forcing me to reread the fic immediately is so foul (in a good way). like there's an enjoyment in a good satisfying read, and then there's the Itch of never being sure in your interpretation, the feeling that u just need to go over it another time, spot another detail u missed, get wrecked all over again, rinse and repeat. idk i love fic.

27. If someone wanted to make you a creative gift, what's the thing that would make you the happiest?

oh anything featuring my fave charas is sure to make me happy! i mean i'm just not super picky abt gifts. well, maybe a creative gift has to be smth that can last a long while? (a strong hoard-ability kaya idk im senti??)

as long as the thought and intent was there, i'm already happy enough🥰💕💕 but i guess in the context of getting fic gifted to you, probably what matters most to me is that the writer enjoyed the process of making it as well. (i'm kinda drawing off of my experience writing this fic for one of m'oomfies and the vdays drabbles*** so i could be just rambling who knows?**)

(art appreciation ask questions, please bug me to rb some underrated art and fic)

[irrationalproductions]

WIP of Candela's Decayed form to show off my super cool animating skills😎

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Political Structures

A Horse! A Horse! My X for a Horse!

Let's be honest, fantasy authors love their kingdoms and empires. You can throw a rock in a bookshop or a library in the fantasy section and you will 99.99999% hit a fantasy book that will be set in or mention either of those structures. But what are they really? What's the difference between them all? Are there any more examples of structures that would suit your WIP better? Are you using the right terms? Let's have a closer look.

Duchy

A Duchy is a small territory ruled by a Duke/Duchess. While Duchies can be found in kingdoms, some duchies were sovereign states in their own right. Duchies are usually small by land mass but some duchies such as Burgundy were extremely powerful and influential. Independent Duchies were usually apart of a kingdom but grew so powerful that they eventually broke away to become a sovereign state in their own right. An example would be modern day Luxembourg, historic Milan and Burgundy.

Principality

A principality is territory ruled by a Prince/Princess. A principality is typically smaller than a kingdom and in some instances, can be apart of a larger kingdom or be a sovereign state. Principalities have a history of having broken away from a larger kingdom or eventually becoming apart of a kingdom. A principality within a kingdom is ruled by a Prince/Princess, usually an heir of the monarch and can be used to train them up to assume the throne in the future. Examples include Monaco, Liechtenstein and Andorra.

Kingdom

A sovereign state/country that is ruled by ruling King or a Queen. A kingdom is much larger and more powerful than a principality. Kingdoms can be feudal, meaning they are ruled in a strict hierarchy or an autocracy where the monarch rules alone with minimal input from the government or constitutional where the monarch is more of a figurehead and the government has a good chunk of control. Examples include England, Thailand and modern day Spain.

Commonwealth

A Commonwealth isn't a popular choice in fantasy but it is an interesting structure. A Commonwealth in its most basic form is a collection of states that are linked by either a shared culture or history. A Commonwealth can be a politically power or an economic power, with every state allowed to participate as much as they like. Not one state leads the others, it is all one group of equals. A Commonwealth can be a good idea for a group of nations that are more powerful together with them keeping their own independence.

Federation

A Federation is a political structure that is made up of united states or countries that are under a single government but each state is still independent and rules itself. Each state can have different laws, different cultures and economies but they all answer to the single government. Examples include the United States of America.

Republic

A Republic is a territory that is ruled by leaders and heads of state that have been elected on merit and by choice of the people. Republics are not just countries but can also be much smaller areas such as cities. Republics are democratic in nature, with the people having a say in who leads them in accordance to a constitution. There are many kinds of Republic: presidential, parliamentary, federal, theocratic, unitary. Examples of Republics include the Republic of Ireland and the city of Florence.

Protectorate

A Protectorate is a country/region/territory that is independent but relies on a larger, more powerful state for protection either in a military or diplomatic sense. A Protectorate was often used by Empires in order to maintain control over an area without annexing it. There are many reasons a larger state and the protectorate would agree to this, mainly the protectorate is much smaller meaning it is far more vulnerable to attack or it has very little power when compared to other states. A Protectorate allows the territory some power to rule itself but the larger state may feel the need or desire to interfere in the dealings of the territory. Examples of protectorates include the client kingdoms of the Roman Empire like Egypt before its annexation and Puerto Rico.

Empire

An Empire is a collection of nations that are united under one sovereign head of state or government. An Empire is formed by one nation steadily taking control of other nations, either through straight invasion and colonization or acquiring them through marriage and other less violent ways. An Empire is powerful mainly because it can drum up more resources, more influence and more military power. An Empire might impose the traditions, beliefs and culture of its principal nation - the nation that started it all - onto its colonies for better control and feeling of uniformity. Empires never last, that is something to always remember. Empires will eventually fragment due to the vast size and sometimes revolt among the conquered states. Examples of empires include the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire.

[nereidprinc3ss]

no sweeter innocence (than our gentle sin)

in which spencer reid is gentle with overwhelmed fem!reader after sex

18+ (fluff, implied intimacy) warnings/tags: it's just aftercare, but like psychological aftercare, implied intimacy duh, vague descriptions of sex but nothing explicit, hurt/comfort without the hurt, allusions to postcoital dysphoria, reader cries but its not really sad, spencer reid is so kind i wish men were real, i think that is all a/n: guess who wrote an entirely different thing instead of touching her wips..... AGAIN...... this bitch cant do anything omggg!! but this was based on a request so go me also what a strange time to be posting but it's only 1k words and nobody can stop me

“Hey. Are you with me, angel?”

You blink your eyes open in the dark room—reorienting yourself to the tangle of your bodies. How many minutes has it been?

“Hm?”

He chuckles—a quick huff from his nose as he brings a hand up to push hair from your face. 

“I asked you if you’re with me.”

It takes you a moment to answer. You’re still trying to make sense of where you are in space, each sensation coming back to you one by one—the weight and pressure of him against you, the slip of cotton sheets and a cool breeze from the cracked window over your heated sticky skin. 

“Oh.”

It’s not much of an answer and your voice is small. For a moment he lets it sit, cupping your warm cheek. Your eyes flutter shut again. His voice comes gentler, dipped in concern. 

“You okay?”

This time you don’t try to speak. Your tongue is like a lead weight in your mouth and your brain is running on dial-up. The best you can do is to cling to him, hiding your face in the curve of his neck and hoping he’ll understand that your firm hold on him is a request for him to tighten his own arms around you, until you’re sure you won’t float away. He reciprocates and it makes you feel more secure immediately. 

“Can you answer me?” He murmurs, all sweet solicitation, lips brushing the top of your head in this new airtight position. And then, a moment later— “Baby. I wanna hear your voice.”

“Mhm,” you manage. 

Spencer rewards you by rubbing your back in slow circles. His hand feels nice on your bare skin. The way you love him is too big for words. It could make you cry. 

“Wasn’t too much? You’re not hurting anywhere?”

You shake your head and try to ignore the ache in your bones when you can’t seem to get him close enough. 

“Mm-mm.”

It’s not entirely true—your legs are sore, but it’s nothing that needs tending to, and your lower back is a bit crampy, but he’s already working on that. 

He hums. “You’re pretty out of it, sweet girl. What’s going on with you?”

Spencer is always careful with you. He’d never hurt you, or sacrifice your comfort for his pleasure. That said, he’s just as passionate as you are. The stretch of your arms above your head is still fresh in your mind—the ghost of his grip, pressing your wrists into the mattress, or pushing your leg up, or pulling you exactly where he wanted you by the hips. It’s all wonderful, and you never feel safer than you do when you’re with him, but it doesn’t make you feel any less vulnerable, any less raw, after all is said and done. Maybe it’s precisely because you trust him so much that you’re so sensitive afterward. But he never, ever makes you feel bad for having an intense reaction to an intense experience. He always meets you where you’re at. That in itself makes you emotional. Spencer is different than any of the partners you’d had before. 

Again, he’s patient as you try to process his question and work up a response. Maybe a minute later, you’re breathing out something that feels true. 

“Overwhelmed.”

The word is a tap against glass you didn’t know was there until it’s fracturing like a spiderweb. With no warning, and for no good reason, you find yourself choked up. 

“Oh,” he says, sympathetic and drawn out as understanding sets in. “Do you need me to back off for a minute?”

You squeeze him even fiercer and shake your head, unable to stop the tears from drawing their shiny paths down your cheeks and sinking into the weave of the pillow case. 

“Shh. You’re okay,” he murmurs, quiet and slow and almost sing-songy as he smooths your hair, though you know he doesn’t really expect you to stop crying. “You’re okay, pretty. Remember what I said about all the hormonal shifts in your body after you come?”

Once more you nod against him with a small, shuddering sniffle. 

“And how sometimes your body regulates by crying? Kind of like a… a reset button?”

“Mhm.”

“Mhm.” He shifts from rubbing your back to tracing light lines in shapeless patterns with the blunt edges of his nails, and your breath catches before you’re melting in his hold. “It’s okay to have big or confusing feelings after sex. It’s actually really common. I just want you to be honest with me about those feelings, right? So we can keep you safe?”

“Right.”

“Would you tell me if you were hurting, or if something I did or said was bothering you?”

“Yes.”

If you were looking at him you know he’d be smiling ever so slightly at your monosyllabic responses, charting an upward path with his hand and pushing it through your hair at the nape of your neck. “You can just nod, baby. You don’t have to talk. I know you’re tired.”

You make a small noise of gratitude and nuzzle closer, feeling better as the tears slow, quickly as they’d come. 

“Do you want a bath in a little while?”

Another nod. He scratches at your scalp. “Okay. We’ll do a bath, and then dinner, and then I’m finally going to make you watch that documentary about Helvetica. It’s a little outdated, and there are a few basic errors about the origin and development of the font as well as misinformation about the typeface subgroup in general, but I can amend those as we watch and afterward we can read the director’s tenth anniversary statement. I was waiting to read it until we watched it together.”

Spencer knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’ll fall asleep ten minutes in, curled up on the couch under a blanket in your biggest hoodie with your head on his lap and his hand in your hair, just like this. 

He’s actually really looking forward to it.

[chow0w]

I really liked your scorpion den fashion, so what do you think the differences are between deep palace and summer palace fashion styles? No need for pics, just words

..But who would I be without my pictures?

On a real note, I DID try to answer this with words only, but as I was typing I found myself wanting to sketch some things out. Either way, I do appreciate the invitation to blabber!

So let's get right into it - in order to make this easy for myself, I started by distinguishing between deep/summer region seawings. Deep palace dwellers would likely live in the deep or mid ocean, with brighter bioluminescence and an extra head lantern (I figured they would need brighter marks for hunting aid.) By contrast, the summer palace seawing has bright, tropical colors and patterns resembling coral, sand or seawater in the light. Their bioluminescence would be more for communication than hunting, and dimmer by proxy.

An important thing to consider for both regions is practicality - seawings need to move around relatively fast in order to be both productive and comfortable. Having heavy or extensive decor would reduce streamlining while swimming, and be impractical to the everyday dragon. Of course, Royals and other high ranking seawings would probably have to suffer through the slowness in favor of extreme accessorizing.

in the summer palace teritory, fashion heavily revolves around the environment it is located in. Dragons by a coral reef would accordingly accessorize to match the vibrant atmosphere, while those living on a sandbar or seabed would stick to materials that allow them to blend in. Of course, class is important to consider: affluent dragons would be the first (and only) group to truly over-accessorize, while a working class population will stick to small satchels or trinkets that could provide some sense of use. I imagine the average shallow-water hunter will wrap kelp/other marine herbs around their ears or horns to store and use later... medicinal plants for emergency scrapes, or edible plants to snack on during the day.

Regardless, flamboyance and beauty are much more prevalent aspects of seawing fashion in shallow waters: and the population likely associate vibrant good fashion with good health, prosperity and pride in one's home.

On the other hand, dragons of the deep palace would carry a significantly different view on fashion and its place in society. Terms like 'vibrant' and 'tropical' would have next to no meaning - in such a low-light environment, the prettiest seawings would ultimately be the ones who can best make use of darkness. Of course, there would also probably be a significant portion of the population who live low enough where they don't give a shit what they look like because nobody really sees anyone else..

In terms of the actual fashion, I imagine most seawings make use of the limited resources they have: other bioluminescent creatures, rocks or bones could all act as accessories. Perhaps the biggest and oldest of dragons can even use whalefall skeletons as armor pieces. Either way, the most important aspects of design are the silhouette and the luminescence, given that those are the only things you can guarantee another dragon will be able to see. Seawings may choose to tailor their fins and wings to accommodate this, or diet using other bioluminescent creatures to increase their own glow.

That's all I have! Thank you so much for the question - it was really fun to think about, and sprouted a few other tangent ideas on border village fashion and trade between tribes.

I deeply apologize for bringing this up again, but I am unfortunately kind of required to keep talking about the art competition until it ends. We're seeing a lot of cool WIP submissions in the server! If you want to join and draw some WoF scenes, the link to my discord server is here:

Thank you so much to everyone who's already here, and see you later (o´▽`o)

[physalian]

How to make your writing sound less stiff part 2

Part 1

Again, just suggestions that shouldn’t have to compromise your author voice, as I sit here doing my own edits for a WIP.

1. Crutch words

Specifically when you have your narrator taking an action instead of just… writing that action. Examples:

Character wonders/imagines/thinks/realizes

Character sees/smells/feels

Now not all of these need to be cut. There’s a difference between:

Elias stops. He realizes they’re going in the wrong direction.

And

Elias takes far too long to realize that it’s not horribly dark wherever they are

Crutch words are words that don’t add anything to the sentence and the sentence can carry on with the exact same meaning even if you delete it. Thus:

Elias stops. They’re going in the wrong direction.

I need a word in the second example, whether it’s realizes, understands, or notices, unless I rework the entire sentence. The “realization” is implied by the hard cut to the next sentence in the first example.

2. Creating your own “author voice”

Unless the tone of the scene demands otherwise, my writing style is very conversational. I have a lot of sentence fragments to reflect my characters’ scatterbrained thoughts. I let them be sarcastic and sassy within the narration. I leave in instances of “just” (another crutch word) when I think it helps the sentence. Example:

…but it’s just another cave to Elias.

Deleting the “just” wouldn’t hit as hard or read as dismissive and resigned.

I may be writing in 3rd person limited, but I still let the personalities of my characters flavor everything from the syntax to metaphor choices. It’s up to you how you want to write your “voice”.

I’ll let dialogue cut off narration, like:

Not that he wouldn’t. However, “You can’t expect me to believe that.”

Sure it’s ~grammatically incorrect~ but you get more leeway in fiction. This isn’t an essay written in MLA or APA format. It’s okay to break a few rules, they’re more like guidelines anyway.

3. Metaphor, allegory, and simile

There is a time and a place to abandon this and shoot straight because oftentimes you might not realize you’re using these at all. It’s the difference between:

Blinding sunlight reflects off the window sill

And

Sunlight bounces like high-beams off the window sill

It’s up to you and what best fits the scene.

Sometimes there’s more power in not being poetic, just bluntly explicit. Situations like describing a character’s battle wounds (whatever kind of battle they might be from, whether it be war or abuse) don’t need flowery prose and if your manuscript is metaphor-heavy, suddenly dropping them in a serious situation will help with the mood and tonal shift, even if your readers can’t quite pick up on why immediately.

Whatever the case is, pick a metaphor that fits the narrator. If my narrator is comparing a shade of red to something, pick a comparison that makes sense.

Red like the clouds at sunset might make sense for a character that would appreciate sunsets. It’s romantic but not sensual, it’s warm and comforting.

Red like lipstick stains on a wine glass hints at a very different image and tone.

Metaphor can also either water down the impact of something, or make it so much worse so pay attention to what you want your reader to feel when they read it. Are you trying to shield them from the horror or dig it in deep?

4. Paragraph formatting

Nothing sticks out on a page quite like a line of narrative all by itself. Abusing this tactic will lessen its effect so save single sentence paragraphs for lines you want to hammer your audiences with. Lines like romantic revelations, or shocking twists, or characters giving up, giving in. Or just a badass line that deserves a whole paragraph to itself.

I do it all the time just like this.

Your writing style might not feature a bunch of chunky paragraphs to emphasize smaller lines of text (or if you’re writing a fic on A03, the size of the screen makes many paragraphs one line), but if yours does, slapping a zinger between two beefy paragraphs helps with immersion.

5. Polysyndeton and Asyndeton

Not gibberish! These, like single-sentence paragraphs, mix up the usual flow of the narrative that are lists of concepts with or without conjunctions.

Asyndeton: We came. We saw. We conquered. It was cold, grey, lifeless.

Polysyndeton: And the birds are out and the sun is shining and it might rain later but right now I am going to enjoy the blue sky and the puffy white clouds like cotton balls. They stand and they clap and they sing.

Both are for emphasis. Asyndeton tends to be "colder" and more blunt, because the sentence is blunt. Polysyntedon tends to be more exciting, overwhelming.

We came and we saw and we conquered.

The original is rather grim. This version is almost uplifting, like it's celebrating as opposed to taunting, depending on how you look at it.

—

All of these are highly situational, but if you’re stuck, maybe try some out and see what happens.

*italicized quotes are from ENNS, the rest I made up on the spot save for the Veni Vidi Vici.

[rblxmaxxing]

🏙 admins !! .!!!

finally made some proper refs(?( So i can b less inconsistent when i draw themmm.... will be making more for other admins/mods but i jusr wanted to show these 4 first c:

Random little hcs/information yapfest i made abt them below the cut lalala

builderman

- mainly stays in his office more , taking care of paperworks and planning out renovations/locations/etc to further improve robloxia . also Used to do a lot more heavywork back then

- still likes to interact and stay in touch with the communities sometimes, Taking note to any concerns/feedback . Though most of the time this work is handled by john and jane doe now !

- has slight buckteeth That they can hide mosttt of the time (Beave r ) also subconsciously chews on things (typically any woodlike material) to focus / calm down

- can use their tail to lean back / sit since its sturdy enough to support her :D

roblox

- the body they present in is merely a vessel and isnt their true appearance . Said vessel is actually a mass produced helper model that aids in smaller tasks around hq . the only difference itd probably have from the bot models is their shirt color (roblox's blue, bot is a darkish grey)

- was partnered with builderman to help build up robloxia in its earlier stages , but now rarely pops in to interfere

- the bluegrey wires that stem from its back r supposed to be like puppet strings (sort of like a symbolic? design feature idunno? would not actually appear if that makes sense)

- sort of cared more about the clear order and flow of things as opposed to bm's more creative freedom kind of ideals

- face doesnt emote much. its eyes can open and shut but thats it

dusek

- was created alongside a handful of other admins to help keep the growth of robloxia steady and in control As well as improving it in their own ways

- dusek in particular specialized more with magic Creating architecture plans and the like

- their real head is actually just a flame/light of some sort , the dusekkar hat keeping it contained sort of . More flames spill out of their eyesockets to convey stronger emotions

- more info soon Sorry i am slowbraining

shedletsky

- used to go by telamon and was one of the many created to help in robloxias earlier production; Had bigger roles back then but nowadays just helps out in the hq with paperwork esque tasks

- can technically shapeshift to some extent Though there are two specific details that will always stay no matter what form he takes – one is that part of his form will always be a type of bird , and the other is the mark on his face not being able to be hidden

- made 1x1x1x1 a bit before he let go of the identity of telamon , was supposed swap in as a sort of successor before Shit Went Down (more info on this soon its . a wip)

- weird sort of??? cannibal??? (part chicken And eats chicken)

- has gotten a bit rusty in swordfighting now, but still likes to engage in it from time to time

[telamon will have its own little yapfest i Tried to limit it here]

If you got here and read all of that then um . dont perceive me 🦭🦭🦭 combustsinto flames and dies

[itsquakey]

Update Regarding Nextgen and this blog

Hello! Sorry to throw out an update post every like-6 months but it's kinda how I am able to communicate with y'all.

So I guess to explain- I WAS working on the Meta knight death comic redo, showing off WIPS and updates with my gf because she's the person I'm most communicative with for obvious reasons. When I was working on this (rather stressfully) she was asking questions regarding smaller details within the comic's story and it kind of got me realizing...

A lot of Nextgen's writing I don't like anymore. I think some aspects of its story is poor or fits a "I understand but it just doesn't make sense to me anymore on a narrative level when it comes to the Kirby series." And I think this disliking of the old writing is causing me not to have fun with the AU as I once did. Keep in mind this isn't a perfectionism thing! It's coming from a genuine place. Nextgen has a lot of strengths, not just weaknesses in terms of its writing but there are things I want to change.

That being said, the Meta death comic redo is cancelled, I apologize for this but it's best for my health and want to alter the AU.

So tdlr- The Nextgeneration AU is going on hiatus. When will I come back to it publicly? The answer is likely later in the year, possibly autumn or winter of this year. Why is it going on hiatus? Because it's getting rebooted. It's going to go through some major changes, including altering done to the story and characters as well as the retconning of some things. Anything retconned in the AU WILL stay up on the blog, it will just be properly tagged to let you know if it is still canon to the AU. This is all being done so the series can grow with me and I can still enjoy making it instead of being kinda miserable lol.

In the meantime between now and the end of June I'll just work on Artfight/personal project references and draw stuff that makes me happy : )

[signanothername]

WHAT ARE EACH COMIC WIP ABOUT IF ITS OKAY IF I ASK?

Context

Kay, first page is Killer having to treat Murder’s injuries (who’s in a state that prevents him from treating himself) Killer isn’t polite enough to ask for permission before getting to work, Murder is obviously very reluctant and uncooperative, hence “It’s either me or Nightmare”

Here’s the second page for more context ;)

Second page is Epic meeting his father after a while of being apart, Epic Gaster has some unrealistic expectations of Epic, as well as many unresolved issues, Epic isn’t exactly having a good time, Cross comes for the rescue <3

Third pic isn’t part of a comic, just a silly lil sketch chch

Fourth page is part of a continuation of Color helping Nightmare after the “on the topic of kindness” comic, Color isn’t exactly appreciative of Nightmare and his behavior, Nightmare aims to add fuel to fire, nothing is more satisfying than to break someone enough that they become as low as you (wish Nightmare luck tho)

Fifth page is part of an abandoned comic, Dream and Nightmare go back to Dreamtale, they find that it’s snowing there for the first time (it never snowed there before) Dream reflects on how everything they were, they are, and what they stood for changed so much, change isn’t their strong suit, it makes them question whether who they are and who they used to be were even the same people at all

Sixth pic is just a silly sketch of the Swap bros <3

Seventh page is Cross and Killer and their usual shenanigans, the comic takes place after coming across Nightmare again, Killer is injured and Cross still finds difficulty understanding Killer and his behavior, he wants to talk about it, Killer opens up just a tiny bit to let Cross small mind wrap around the bigger picture

Eighth page is Nightmare demanding to visit Horrortale, Horror has no choice or say in the matter, Horror notices Aliza behind one of the trees, he’s now trying to keep her out of Nightmare’s sight (it’ll prove to be a difficult task when Nightmare can sense emotions)

Nineth page is of Nightmare torturing Murder both physically and mentally till Murder gives up and begs him for mercy, Nightmare succeeds in doing so, as delightful as hearing Murder beg is, he’s too broken to be a useful tool anymore

Tenth page is of Killer calling out Nightmare’s bullshit in his usual non confrontational indirect way, eventually making bold claims of how easy it’ll be to take Nightmare down in the right circumstance, that Nightmare is setting himself up for failure, Nightmare takes it a bit personally hence “is this a threat?”, Killer de-escalates the situation by saying “no” then calling Nightmare by title to rub his ego, it works, Nightmare was never socially intelligent

[hoseoksluna]

— WIP 𐙚 part 4 of wine

pairing: fuck buddy!jungkook x f. reader

about: the first time jungkook owns oc’s orgasm

word count: 0.417

note: because i started writing part four so late in the week (friday and i barely had time during this weekend to write) due to the fact i struggled hard, here i give you at least a little something on updating day. im really sorry its not the full thing yet, but i promise i'm working hard and i'll post it for you sometime next week. i'm really excited about what i've written and i can't wait to show you. please enjoy the little excerpt && keep your fingers crossed for me. love you all <;3

side note: happy belated birthday to my husband yoongi, the poetry to my words, the sanity to my mind. my anchor, my everything. i miss him terribly and i love him.

warnings: clit rubbing, shyness, riding fingers, jungkook penetrates her mid-climax and has a very tender reason for it

𐙚

He moans onto your neck, nose tracing the column on its way to your ear.  “How do you touch yourself?” 

A sudden shyness overtakes you and you turn your head, needing to hide in his neck this time. You remain silent, the words lodged in your throat. 

Jungkook sees you. 

“Do you rub your little clit from side to side or in circles?” he questions, helping you answer. 

“I—I like both,” you whisper onto his skin, moving your hips so his fingers slip to your clit, the sweet spot where you need him the most. He grabs the back of your thigh and lifts it, spreading you open, meanwhile you chase the firmness of his fingers.  

“Just like that, ride them,” he husks, eyes dazed, fixed on the roll of your pelvis. “Feels good, doesn’t it?” 

Head on top of yours, you nod, never ceasing your movement, transfixed, just like him, by the constant way the pads of his fingers fondle your clit before dipping between your lips. The heat of the summer tightens in your lower belly and it’s a desperate litany of begging what your mouth utters, despite the fact you’re really not sure what you’re asking for, but you let him hear it. You’re close, so unbelievably close, yet still have a road to walk on before you, and you close your eyes to feel the delight of his touch more deeply, only to find that you manage to do nothing of the kind. 

When you sense his eyes on you and by instinct you reciprocate his stare, that’s when you feel the depth you sought after. Mouth parted, pupils dilated, eyelashes a drowsy catastrophe, messy hair casting a soft shadow over the planes of his blissed-out face. You want to kiss him. You want to make him feel as good as he’s making you feel—

“Let me do it now,” Jungkook says hurriedly, sensing the nearness of your climax.

“Yes,” you croak out, halting the movement of your hips—and ‘yes’ is the word that ripples out of your mouth a hundred, a thousand more times when he spreads you wider and rubs his fingers on your clit from side to side. 

He feels the pleasure in sync with you, accepting all of your yes’, twisting his face the moment yours does, quickening the rapidness of his hand once he switches to circles to carry you to your summer-breathed paradise. 

And when you come all over his hand, he slips two fingers inside your hole.

[motthe]

daydreamer | morpheus/dream of the endless

ཐིཋྀ this has been sitting in my wips for a good bit and i want to stop fretting over it lol. Hope yall enjoy it!

warnings: she/her reader, nothing crazy, pre-nada and pre netflix series, I am no expert in the series nor the comics so some stuff might not make sense purely bc I made it up (huzzah), if this were to become a series I have no idea what would happen lol.

PLEASE COMMENT AND REBLOG IF YOU ENJOYED IT ❤️

Morpheus, who has seen the creation of humanity and their first steps, stumbling into ideas too big. But such things sparked life into their world.

Being an Endless does not permit distance from mortals, for they govern the very aspects they are, but there is Morpheus who finds truth in the deepest pits of sleep. Who only visits the mortal plane when forced by his siblings or to offer gifts when they lose sight of their wayward dreams.

He senses every soul that slips into his domain, has swept together creations to assist the influx. One of the earliest takes record of the coming and going. Lucienne, he calls her. Where he is dreams and nightmares, she is words and tomes. In need of answers, she is the best to provide wisdom, though he seldom asks.

Distant not only from mortals, this star-gazed Endless.

In such pristine times, there is you. At first a flickering, not quite here and not quite there. Denizens deem you a mirage—a glint on the horizon or movement in the corner of the eye, even a shape in the dark at times. Surprise you may bring but never fear.

Something of a decade whirls by before Morpheus pays you a glance. As always, you leave a golden trail easy to trace. It dances among the Dreaming, weaving from space to space before you tiptoe towards the clouds over his kingdom. He sees your dream, no more than a simple turn through the air, and still something is off. Your soul, it drifts as most do, but there is tension—a string.

His raven discovers you in the conscious lands, lying in a glistening meadow. You watch the sunset, eyes open and mind fleeting. You are awake, yet your soul lingers in the world of sleep.

An apparition to the world of imagination. You’re the first of your kind, walking a line many have failed to draw. Some try, regardless. He watches them falter into the arms of his sister, Insanity. She welcomes all, but you drift through her whims every single time. A butterfly through the gaps of seeking fingers. You breathe into the Dreaming just as easily you breathe out of it.

He is intrigued enough to follow that sparkling path to the wakeful, and there you have the gall to sense him. Your voice is soft to his ears. He refuses the call, sweeping himself back into his realm.

You, a mere human, beckoning an Endless. Its not nearly enough to tempt him. In his lands, however, he cannot ignore your entrance. The denizens speak of you too often.

This goes on for some time. Even with years of research from Lucienne, you remain a one of a kind visitor. You prefer to stay to the north—in the spring, the warmth, the sun. Fiddler’s Green welcomes you each time. You dance there, too, though not as much as in the clouds. Amongst the flowers and swaying grass you marvel at finer details that should blur in a deep stage of rest. You cling to your reality and the Dreaming warps to your steps, easing at the touch of your fingers.

This world—this piece of him—gifts you earnest acceptance. Morpheus cannot fathom it. You have done no harm but you have earned nothing. And yet, your habit of half-dreaming during the day pulls at him. Ideas spurring from the night has always been marvelous things to behold, rippling and shaking the waking. These moments of yours do none of that, but the focus you are able to give… He could almost call it a talent.

He doesn't. Still he must decide a title as one is needed for the books. For the memory if you should be the one and only.

His first word to you beyond the whispers of his realm is “daydreamer.” It calls to your hazy figure as you sweep across a swirling brune. The name curls around your ear, caressing the hair away from your face. Deep and baritone, it is enough to shock you, so used to his silence.

He sees how abruptly you snap into your reality, a streak of sparks left behind instead of that winding trail. The abysmal, velvet laughter is rare from him. The Dreaming echoes with such light Lucienne is abashed to see it from the depths of her library.

The second time he addresses you, you smile as if you already know who speaks. Morpheus has yet to reveal himself since taking notice, always careful to remain outside your perception, though it ceases to matter. You'll greet him whenever his presence wades close.

He is certain he shall never be seen until he wishes to be. Still irksome, though, that he cannot hide from you in his own domain.

“It might do well to look into this abnormality,” urges Lucienne. Her form is diminutive in the audience chamber, feet planted along marble floors that sit far below the throne where Morpheus sits, listening to his helpful creation but not as a ruler should.

You're dancing again, carefree and form strong enough that he can discern the color of your hair and eyes. He directs the nightmares away from you without the slightest rumble from the Dreaming.

Even half-asleep they have managed to overcome you from time to time. They can never get to you fast enough for him to study how they morph your imagination. Any darkness on the prowl and your golden trail fades into the waking, running from the fears of mankind.

It's better to dismiss them from you. To keep your energy here to watch over in case something changes. The depth of you is rare today and he can't have it vanishing, not when he can feel you for once instead of that feather-light graze of your soul. You're a rest away from being real to this world and the Dreaming clings to your weight, your visage.

He knows the answer but ascertains through his raven regardless. Jessamy responds that you're wide awake, cleaning a basketful of coverings in a stream.

You are as peculiar as ever, Daydreamer, he thinks and far too present here to be doing such an unremarkable thing there.

“I fear this could turn into a security problem, my Lord. Mortals are not meant to get this close to the castle.”

Lucienne is still here. Morpheus regards her for a moment, dark brow wrinkled with concern and eyes earnest. His own flash upwards, seeing your figure beyond the ceiling of this room as you leap effortlessly. You do so love the clouds.

“She has not elicited any trouble all these years,” Morpheus states, narrowing an eye as he senses it. The nightmare looms at the edge of your consciousness, hands at its side and never approaching per his orders. But it stares, observes in such a way it sends Morpheus’ hand waving.

The opuscule crumbles to dust.

Your head turns. He affirms colorful clouds are all you see, but the corner of your mouth caches a grin as your stare straight through his presence.

You don't see him, he knows you can't.

His fingers curl into fists on his throne. The sharp angle of his jaw works in a strange way—a human tick more than anything and one Lucienne balks at behind a steady expression.

“All this time, there has never been another soul that's reached the Dreaming in such a way,” she continues her tangent. “Your Daydreamer does not dream beyond these moments, My Lord. She should be like any other with such a mind.”

“We have paid enough regard to that,” he chastises, growing tired of the same conversation. “She is a Deep Sleeper.”

“Deep Sleepers do not visit us at all,” she reminds him, patiently. “This occurrence, be it human error or not, we must study it while we have the chance. If her lifespan were cut short we'd lose all information.”

An irritation picks at somewhere behind his eyes. Between calling a phenomenon a mere “error” and that such could come to an end so easily…

How long has it been? Two decades? No, a bit longer perhaps. Long enough to keep you waiting, he's sure. You haven't called to him but the once which leads him to believe you noticed his ire. You have yet to demand anything since.

The need to understand you for the sake of the realm has grown exponentially. He supposes he can forget the slight after so long.

“I will investigate,” he tells Lucienne. Its enough to send her back to the library.

The sun is setting when he breaches mortals' realm. Jessamy bows her head from a hidden tree branch as he passes by.

“Return and rest,” he tells her. She is gone before his next step hits the ground.

Fabrics hang on a line between two trees, fluttering in the wind ahead of a small hut. The rising technology of humanity has yet to reach this small corner of the world but you seem to be at peace on a cliff side overlooking your village. At a close glance, you wear peasant clothes, worn from dirt and labor. He prefers the off white gown you dance in at the height of his realm.

“Are you far?”

You are the same and yet you are different in this world. The edges are harder but your eyes remain soft, hazy. They clear as you smile, recognizing his voice over the gust that blows your hair away from him.

You turn. The tapt expression matches familiarity but far should it be. This is the first time you have met face to face.

“I believe I was quite close, actually,” you answer, bowing your head in greeting. He's heard you speak before, mostly to Fiddler's Green or in random thought, but there’s a new harmony between these words.

Something pinches within, sore but nothing like the sensation Lucienne brought on. It lies lower, forged in his chest.

He stares at your soul, still very much human.

“You go somewhere, staring off like that,” he hums, midnight cloak dancing in the golden rays of sun. You notice how the ends fade into the same hue. “Tell me where.”

You tilt your head, a line creasing the skin above the bridge of your nose. “You already know the answer. Is there meant to be another?”

You're sensing him. The veil over his existence should have muted anything to be wary of and you see straight through it.

“How so?” he whispers, staring down at you. From the moment he appeared you hadn't deigned to rise from your grassy knoll, perfectly comfortable craning your neck up to his likeness.

“You have the same,” you inhale and hum in the lull between words, “outline, I suppose. I'm not sure if that's the right word.”

Your hands edge the space between you and him, but it’s as if they’re trickling down the side of his face. “it’s like…when you know something is hot in the dead of winter because it’s giving off steam. The world wavers around you, and it feels like that far away place.” You blink away the fog that had begun to take over your eyes again. “Forgive me. It was the first thing to come to mind.”

“You have a strong intuition,” he praises, hair swaying over his forehead. “Most ignore what they can't comprehend.”

“I'm not sure how anything could ignore you,” you mumble, taking him in before turning back to the drowsy sun. The gold begins to leave your skin. “Night falls. The stars will begin smiling soon.”

“Do you not fear me? Knowing I do not belong?”

You shake your head slowly, exhaling your words. “Oh, I couldn't.”

“Why?” he questions, moved by your tender amusement. Life flows from you in waves and he understands, then, why radiance follows in your steps.

“I've known you too long,” you tell him. “Not enough to understand who or perhaps what you are, but if you wished me any ill will something would have occurred by now, surely.” Your eyes slide to his, twinkling like the first star that bleeds into the darkening sky. “Are you here to change that?”

Playful in the presence of such power. You are not mindless, but where you get such confidence, he cannot fathom.

“I'm here to seek the cause of your ‘abnormality,’ Daydreamer.” Your nose crinkles in a way that has him pressing his lips flat against one another. And expressive. He does not get to see this side of you in his realm.

“Abnormality?” you parrot. “I'll only bore you then. I'm commonplace.”

“And yet you drift so easily,” he murmurs, the corner of his mouth curling the slightest hint.

“If you're to question me, may I ask the same of you?” You lean against your bent knees, eyelids lowering as if in exhaustion but your soul is far from it.

“I do not answer to mortals.” The oncoming dark crowds against his frame. The stars blink out for the shortest of seconds.

“Hmm, that's enough of an answer,,” you chuckle, accepting his sourness all too easily. “I wouldn't want to offend something so powerful.”

He shouldn't feel tricked, and yet you stand there, content.

“What will you ask of me?” you continue when he remains silent.

“Your life.”

“Not my name first?” His lack of an answer is enough to earn your attention once more, still there is no concern to be found. “You already know me. What else do you seek?”

“Simple things can be overlooked.”

“But that is all that I am,” you say, assured, “simple.”

“We shall see.”

His cloak shudders as he turns, the whip of it sending the last thread of gold from the horizon. You shiver as a chill blows through and stand to start for your abode. He follows only a few paces behind.

“Will you have something to drink? To eat?” You open the door as an invitation. The room beyond appears ordinary for human standards.

“I must return. Expect one of my own soon. They will investigate further.”

“One of your own?”

“Likely my raven.”

“Is that the black and white bird I see every so often?” you say, voice honeyed. “I offered some forest pickings, once. Pretty thing. Intelligent.”

He doesn't answer and prepares to leave. Something has him pausing when your voice calls after him again. The demand to wait does not sting as it should.

“Will you return?”

His gaze meets yours over his shoulder, the wind picking up. You reach something behind him—the clothesline. Before you can step towards the panicking covers, they appear in front of you, folded and offered by large, pale hands. Your eyes shine into his and how strange, he thinks, that this is the first time you seem shocked in his presence.

“Thank you,” you whisper, accepting the fabrics. Skin brushes and you marvel at something before he steps back into the darkness, eyes pinpricks of molten silver.

“You'll find me in the Dreaming,” he tells you. There is confusion dancing in your expression, though you work through it to nod in agreement. “Until then, Daydreamer.”

“Farewell,” you bid, smiling as you close the door. “It was nice to finally meet you, my stranger.”

He doesn't know why he hides within the night. Why he watches you light the fire and cook your dinner and move throughout the hut as normal as any other mortal.

He waits for someone to return, but there is only solitude in your actions. The only other living creature there is a cat as it slinks from a backroom coerced from the smell of food. You offer the animal its own portion, fingers trailing over dark fur. It purrs, melting into your touch.

Morpheus departs, annoyed by the stifling ache that has moved from his chest to something far too deep. Meeting you should have swept the lingering questions away for the time being and here is this tug—this urge to retrocede.

“My Lord?” comes Lucienne as his footsteps ascend the front steps of the castle. She waits for him by the open doors, clutching a sizable volume.

“She is utterly human.”

She blinks as he passes by with a flare of his cloak, pondering his weighed brow as she shadows his footsteps. “Does this disappoint you, My Lord?”

“Its neither here nor there. I've known such since her first daydream.”

Her mouth puckers. If what he's saying is true, why was he…brooding?

“I'll continue my research, then,” she murmurs. “Keep an eye out for any others who might share the same abnormality.”

He offers nothing as she branches off down a hall, staring forward with an expression that would make the darkest nightmare run for the hills.

The throne room welcomes him back along with a shape that cuts through the air. Pied feathers gleam in the light filtering through the window behind Morpheus as his raven lands on the arm of the throne with a flourish. She cocks her head at her master, beady eyes digging deeper than anything or anyone dared when it came to an Endless.

“Is she as common as she claims to be?” he asks, turning to sit.

Jessamy clicks her beak, raising it as she speaks in a soft voice, “Worse, really. She's lonesome. I've monitored her for years now and the only visitors she gets are the cat and I. The few times she left her home was to grab necessities from the nearby village, but it's rare. She's self sufficient.”

“What of the people?”

“Sorrow follows them when she walks by. I've heard whispers of her family dying long ago. I recall seeing them the first few trips to the waking. Kind souls.”

“An accident?”

The raven shakes her head. “They never mention it. They just watch her, words trailing off. Not much of a gossiping village. That or they respect her enough to not whisper behind her back.”

“Perhaps this talent of hers stemmed from such loss,” he wonders aloud. “Trauma can shape humans.”

“I would say the same, My Lord, if she hadn't been daydreaming before their deaths.”

He rests a pale chin over his knuckles. Another end with nary an answer. There is always his sister who could speak on their passing, but going to such trouble is beneath him.

Sinking back into his throne, Morpheus raises a brow at his loyal companion who has yet to move on. She cocks her head, this time in question.

“Yes?” he breathes, eyes widening as his head lulls from one side to the other.

“You're intrigued by her.”

“She is able to enter and leave my domain far too easily. Lucienne fears the worst—an instability. Something that could come to hurt the Dreaming.”

“And you?”

Sterling eyes narrow. He says naught a word, but in truth he can not find one to describe his Daydreamer. He's certain he does not agree with Lucienne. If you were something dangerous, the Dreaming would not take to you as it does. He would sense a trap, especially from the likes of humankind.

Jessamy hums at the lingering quiet, claws tapping against the marble of the armrest. “In all the time I've watched her, nothing has come from it. Perhaps you would have the answers you seek if you yourself take a closer approach, my Lord.”

“What are you implying?” Its a stern question, probing.

The raven croaks in frustration. “She speaks little on her own or to the village, but she is forthcoming with you, My Lord!”

He could have scoffed. “I haven't the need for familiarity.”

“Blink and your Daydreamer will be another book in the library. Decades, if that, are nothing in the grand scheme of things.” Jessamy gives him one last reaching look as she crouches to take flight. “She is not forever.”

The shifting of wings echoes into soft silence, light swelling and retreating like waves over the throne room. Morpheus reflects as the realm twists, weather dim outside the castle.

His Daydreamer, a mortal. The fact everyone is keen on reminding him of. He may not govern time but he isn't lost to it. It is the way of things, to come and to leave.

You will be no different.