#♟ inspiration

[scwheeler]

♟˖ ࣪⊹ — ‘I KNOW IT WON’T WORK’

pairing: ethan landry x reader

summary: your boyfriend had become distant suddenly but confronting him about it only makes it worse

author’s note: inspired by gracie abrams’ “I know it won’t work” I LOVE THIS SONG AND GRACIE (lyrics will be in orange for reading & red for ethan !!) also you can send in requests and ideas!! #ANGST #SLIGHTSPOILERS

you looked over two seats at ethan who was quickly jotting something down in his notebook. it was a different color than his actual econ notebook and the lecture hadn’t even started yet so you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion.

but the loud slam of the classroom door shutting snapped you out of your trance. your teacher begun the class and you watched ethan shove the notebook in his backpack through the corner of your eye. however, you completely shrugged it off once the teacher started speaking.

sitting by your friends at the park was finally a peaceful event with all the stormy clouds and rain disappearing. it seemed there were only clear skies and chirping birds around until you faced ethan.

he avoided eye contact and tried to look elsewhere. anywhere. aren’t boyfriends supposed to want to look at their girlfriends? you even reached for his hand once but after he attempted to ‘discreetly’ move his away, you gave up. for a studious little student, he really couldn’t tell how distant he became.

at first you thought it was all in your head. maybe it was the stress building up from your upcoming finals or because of the mysterious murders surrounding your neighborhood. yet your fears were confirmed when even your friends brought it up.

even chad for gods sake!

only a couple of days ago, the friend group was laughing and chattering like a bunch of middle schoolers. you guys were loud enough to be heard from miles away but there was an awkward tension once ethan started to shy away from you.

where was the sweet boy who waited in front of your dorm room for a whole hour before finally knocking and asking you out?

where was your boyfriend who would not let go of your hand while walking around parties? who followed you everywhere that some people even asked if you had a stalker!

where was the boy who messaged tara and mindy a million times about what flowers you like so you would be happy on valentine’s day!?

that boy was obviously not present because your door remained silent. no doorbells or late night knocks for a last minute sleepover.

your hands stayed untouched. the only time he almost reached for it was when he put his hands down to help him getting up and leaving.

you went to parties alone now and instead of sitting on the couch just whispering and gossiping with ethan, you sat on the stairs and waited for mindy and anika to say one of them were too wasted to party anymore.

so after finally mustering up the courage, you marched to his dorm room and knocked on the door. first chad opened the door with a little confused face, “yes?” you ignored him and invited yourself in like a hundred times you’ve done before.

“is ethan here?” you asked and took a look around the dorm. chad shut the door behind you and walked towards you, “yeah he’s in his room, are you gonna talk to him?”

you immediately looked up at him, “oh god did mindy tell you too!?” you groaned and felt like you sunk in a batch of concrete. chad let out a shy laugh, “well we’re worried about you guys, i mean you’re the SECOND best looking couple on campus.”

you lifted an eyebrow and questioned him, “and who’s the first?” “obviously me and tara,” chad answered and went to go sit on the couch. you rolled your eyes at his hubris and approached ethan’s room.

but before, you knocked.

“yes, come in,” you heard ethan say from inside and you carefully turned the bedroom doorknob. “chad if you need help in eco—” ethan turned in his spinning desk chair that you got him last year since you knew he can’t focus with moving around.

he stopped himself at the sight of you and wished he locked the door. “oh y/n. what are you doing here?” he calmly asked as if he didn’t ditch you for the last couple of weeks. you scoffed at his ignorance and shut the door to avoid any eavesdropping from chad.

ethan stayed in his chair and watched you take a seat on his nicely tidy bed. there was an immediate silence that suffocated the room before you decided to speak up first.

your words completely shattered the glass surface evident in the room, “do you still love me?” ethan looked up from ground and met your eyes for the first time in weeks.

“w-what do you mean?!” ethan exclaimed and seemed to be taken aback. “what do i mean?” you repeated. “i mean do you still love me? because you’ve been avoiding me like i’m the fucking black plague! you run away from me as if we’re literally not boyfriend and girlfriend!” you spilled out your emotions onto your so-called boyfriend.

your hand gestures were flying everywhere and all the suppressed feelings of anger and sadness came out. “so please just answer the goddamn question. please,” you pleaded for just one answer.

“y/n, i do love you. i truly do and i have but i just don’t think i can handle a relationship right now. it’s all just too much and with…econ—i can’t balance it,” ethan rambled and lied through his teeth, blaming his avoidance on fucking econ as if you weren’t in the same class.

he wasn’t hearing you out and was just piling excuses on top of excuses. you were sick of it. you wanted to have a civil conversation with him, talk it out like adults or in those cheesy romcoms where the couple makes up in the span of three minutes and a really extravagant song or romantic montage.

you could feel tears approaching the rum of your eyes but held them back with only a few managing to escape into your cheeks. “ethan, part of me wants to walk away 'til you really listen because i hate to look at your face and know that we're feeling different,” you were the one avoiding his eyes now. those big brown eyes of his that made you melt like ice cream on a hot summer day.

you wiped the few tears off your face and tried to remain calm. unknown to you though was ethan’s perspective. he wanted to get up and hug you, hold you and say he was sorry. he wanted to bring a dozen roses to your doorstep every night until you forgave him.

he held back his tears and looked up at your teary-eyed face. he thought to himself, ‘cause part of me wants you back, but i know it won't work like that, huh? why won't you try moving on for once? that might make it easy’ so he looked out the window and muttered, “let’s just break up.”

you bit your lip at the bitter words spit out by the boy you loved with all your heart and continued to even after this moment. you couldn’t even bring yourself to respond and opened the door to escape the suddenly stuffy room.

you ran out of the dorm room, ignoring chad’s questions and words from behind you. you didn’t stop running and hoped the cold air would dry your tears before you friends could see.

out of nowhere, the skies turned grey and for the first time in weeks, there a trickle of rain. even though the distance from your apartments was less than a few minutes, it felt like forever. it started pouring and your clothes were drenched.

you thought about how stupid you were and regretted ever stepping front in his dorm room to begin with. you sat on the stairs in front of your apartment, crying and trying to catch your breath. you could barely keep your eyes open with the rain and your tears drowning you. outside it was dark and you were all alone. except you weren’t.

ethan watched you from his room. his heart ached for you and your tears and he had to restrain himself from running down to you. he clenched his jaw and breathed through his teeth as he watched you slowly get swallowed by the darkness and rain.

i know we cut all the ties but you're never really leaving and part of me wants you back, but i know it won't work like that.

brrring! brrring!

ethan turns his attention to his phone and honestly hopes it to be you but his hopes falter as he sees the number and picks up the phone. “is it all taken care of?” a voice spoke on the other line.

“yes, she’s out of the picture so we are not going to hurt her.”

[railingsofsorrow]

╚═══════ railingsofsorrow's masterpost ═══════╝

this is the spot where you'll find all my masterlists, upcoming works and works in progress (wips).

“𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙, 𝕵𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖘 𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖗𝖘?

𝖂𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉, 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕴,

𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍,

𝖉𝖔𝖜𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖌𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘

𝖒𝖆𝖞 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊. 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗.”

. . . . . L O A D I N G . . . . . L O A D I N G . . . . . L O A D I N G . . . . .

+ KEY: [ angst - A ; fluff - F ; trigger warning - TW! ; allusions to s3x - ¢ ; happy ending - ♡ ; not happy ending - ☂, not posted yet -✍ ; requested - ♟ ]

✍ UPCOMING

NUMINOUS: Darkness had a flattering way of luring people. In a dance, she is the one who leads. Holding you close to give you a lustful kiss. Delilah has always found comfort in the night. The absence of light wasn’t necessary horrible, it brought her comfort. However, the moment her dark eyes meet honey brown ones, she figures sunny days might not be so bad, after all.  [s.r × o.c] a criminal minds au A,F,TW!

✍ BEFORE NIGHTFALL: time won’t fly it’s like I’m paralyzed by it I’d like to be my old self again but I’m still trying to find it “it might’ve been a life full of lies but I was happy and it was enough.” [p.p x oc] a marvel ff A,F,TW!

✍ BAD LUCK: i’m bad luck, I’m bad luck, I’m bad luck. “walk away because I don’t want to be the villain in your story.” [p.p x oc] a marvel au A,F,TW!

✍ AGE OF THE DAMNED: Finding out things about yourself can be exciting and challenging. You’re never ready for what life plans ahead for you. To Faye Harlow, that was clear the moment she turned seventeen; her world drowned her in uncertainty and nothing became more dangerous than unraveling her own secrets. “I’m staying whether you want me to or not.” “Do you have a death wish?” [k.m × o.c] a the originals ff A,F,TW!

✍ THIS IS ME TRYING: regulus and james are officially together but sirius seems to have a problem with that. some secrets are revealed (again). meanwhile, everybody is trying. [sequel to mirrorball] [j.p x r.b] a marauders era au A,F,TW!

✍ EMERALD OCEAN: WHEN EMERALD GREEN MEETS OCEAN BLUE. . . a miscommunication causes lily evans and venus black to have a quarry going on between them. little did they know that a gryffindor and a slytherin could have more in common than they thought. (a part of the billie eilish anthology) [l.e x oc] a marauders era au A,F,TW!

CURRENT WORKS

SUN-BLEACHED PAPER PETALS: when iris valencia sent a letter to a certain doctor reid about one of his articles, she didn't expect to receive an answer. at all. but she did get one. and they've been corresponding back and forth ever since — in the old-fashioned way. until a threatening situation forces them to meet face to face. [s.r × o.c] A,F,TW!

COMPLETED FICS

BROKEN PROMISES: doctor strange casts the spell that will make everyone forget who spiderman is and peter parker loses his footing in life. how could he do anything without the people he loved by his side? how could peter find strength now that you weren’t there? more importantly, can he keep his promise to make you remember him again? [p.p x reader] A,TW!,F, open ending.﹃ inspired by all too well (taylor's version)

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ 

✍ WIPS

✧༺ ANTHOLOGIES ༻∞

the taylor swift anthology 

the billie eilish anthology ✍

the harry styles anthology

✧༺ MASTERLISTS ༻∞

CRIMINAL MINDS (updated)

MCU (updated)

GREY'S ANATOMY (updated)

TWILIGHT (updated)

MARAUDERS ERA (updated)

THE ORIGINALS (updated)

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (updated)

OUTER BANKS (updated)

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ 

“𝖙𝖔 𝖗𝖊𝖇𝖚𝖎𝖑𝖉,

𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖞.”

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

 © RAILINGSOFSORROW, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

[roses-bah-garden]

Can you do a lvl 3 Miles Edgeworth pack? (pretty sure reqs are open, if not that's ok!) Thanks!!

man, i need to get into ace attorney

a new flower has blossomed! 🌹

miles edgeworth fictive ... [LVL 3 PACK]

══════════════════

names ;; miles, reiji, benji, arthur, edgeworth

pronouns ;; he/him, it/its, they/them, law/laws

age: ~35

species ;; human

gender(s) ;; transmasculine

orientation(s) ;; demisexual, gay

role(s) ;; [some options...] academic, stress holder (politics/world events), janusian

source ;; ace attorney

sign-off(s) ;; (⚖), ME, ⚖♟

══════════════════

appearance ;; 5'10", with broad shoulders and an otherwise average frame. light skin. grey eyes with rectangular glasses. dark grey hair falling into eyes with a center part. top surgery scars. formal attire pulling inspiration from georgian england. see below for picture.

personality ;; intelligent and quick-witted. he is a perfectionist who can't stand failure. luckily for law, with laws skill, they don't fail often. tries to act serious, but has a sense of humour that causes him to break character often.

══════════════════

likes ;; courtroom dramas, murder mysteries, sudoku

dislikes ;; vulgar music, people pleasers, physical affection

possible front triggers ;; ace attorney content, watching/reading the news

[systemhoodoftherainbows]

How about this Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler inspired one

𝄞   ⃝𖤐💎༺♰༻💎   ⃝𖤐𝄞

🕰️💀 **𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓸** 💀🕰️

⛧ 🤵🏻 **𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮:** 

⛧ ♟️ **𝓐𝓰𝓮:** 

⛧ 💍 **𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓼:** 

⛧ 🎩 **𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻:** 

⛧ 🕯️ **𝓢𝓮𝔁𝓾𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓽𝔂:** 

🪞🌹 **𝓐𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓸** 🌹🪞

♤ 🐈‍⬛ **𝓣𝓪𝓰:** 

♡ 🐦‍⬛ **𝓡𝓸𝓵𝓮:** 

♧ 🐈‍⬛ **𝓣𝔂𝓹𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓐𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻:** 

♢ 🐦‍⬛ **𝓢𝓾𝓫𝓼𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓶:** 

👒🎀 **𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓬𝓮 𝓢𝓽𝓾𝓯𝓯** 🎀👒

⛤ 🖋️ **𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓬𝓮:** 

⛤ 🗝️ **𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓬𝓮 𝓽𝓪𝓵𝓴:** 

⛤ ✒️ **𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓬𝓮𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼:** 

⏳⌛ **𝓑𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼** ⌛⏳

♟ 🍾 **𝓕𝓵𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰:** 

♟ 🥂 **𝓟𝓮𝓽 𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼:** 

♟ 🍷 **𝓝𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼:** 

♟ 🍾 **𝓣𝓸𝓾𝓬𝓱:** 

♟ 🥂 **𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓼:** 

♟ 🍷 **𝓕𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂:** 

🖤🤍 **𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓬𝓽 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓸** 🤍🖤

⛥ 🫖 **𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓡𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓼:** 

⛥ ☕ **𝓓𝓜𝓼:** 

⛥ 🍰 **𝓟𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼:** 

⚫⚪ **𝓞𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓸:** ⚪⚫

𝄞   ⃝𖤐💎༺♰༻💎   ⃝𖤐𝄞

[bewitchingbaker]

♖ - spring outfit ♗ - summer outfit ♘- fall outfit ♟- winter outfit

Spring Outfit & Summer Outfit & Fall & Winter Outfit:

In the Spring, Chris tends to favor something chill but prepared. Often favoring a nice tee (either music or skate related) with a nice pair of cargo pants and light shoes (usually vans or a pair of dunks) and a cardigan in case it's a little cold where he's going.

Now in the Summer, Chris is all for shorts. Cargo, basic, light. As long as his legs are out so he's not hot he is good. If he ca't find a music tee that matches his shrots, he tends to go for a basic shirt (often plain whtie or a black, or one of his carhartt pocket tees) Since he was an Odd Future kid, Chris still wears his socks super high and with a pair of converse or Nike's. It's not a Chris Luna outfit without his moon shaped necklace. Sometimes he wears a bandana when he doesn't have a haircut.

Fall is his favorite, especially when he's in Chicago cause he can wear his dad's Carhartt Jacket without getting super hot. He usually wears a plain green hoodie underneath and pairs it with jeans and a baseball hat or let his hair out

Winter is not his favorite but his prepared for it. Usually busting out an northface puffer and a hoodie. While he does wear baggy jeans, he tries to make sure they don't drag over his timbs (he only wears them cause ODB and Nas). His beanies are usually blank but sometimes his steals his sister's skater inspired hats.

[ @birkenzeisig ]

[aabadendingzine]

♟ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Amber @amberultramarine is one of our fantastic digital merch artists! Her bold colors and techniques are always striking, and that definitely holds true for her DGS2-inspired piece; we have no doubt that it will hound your thoughts.

You can also find Amber on Twitter and on Instagram.

[radiant-reid]

It’s me again, just thought I’d flex my Halloween costume. So we ( my boyfriend and I ) did a couples costume this year, we were Allie and Noah from The Notebook. He wrote 365 full letters for me, and I took them to the party just thinking that they were props. But no, they were actual letters for me * wipes tear * and he likes the notebook so he had already started writing them since I saw him on campus ( he was really inspired by Noah Calhoun ) the party was yesterday because today all the fellow students had work to do. But it was really fun, people knew who we were dressed as - ♟

WHAT JDSHBVISBJ 365 LETTERS??? THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE HANDWRITTEN LETTERS !?!?!?

i'm literally losing my mind over this, it is so cute. if y'all don't get married

[mwritesmonsters]

Hi! I'm Matt (they/he), a writer of adult queer historical fantasy and the occasional sci-fi. My works frequently feature:

🏳‍⚧ transmasc protagonists

🗡 armed and dangerous butches

🕯 dark fantastical worlds

🪳 transhumanism and monsters (monsterfucking optional)

♟ intrigue and mystery

💀 at least one florid murder

If this sounds like your thing, I have both published works you can read in full right now, and ongoing projects. Here I post excerpts from my writing and brief book recommendations. I will do my best to keep the blog free of shitposts (no I won't).

You can find all my stuff at matthewzakharuk.com

Finished Stories

"All Orbits Decay Homeward" (Amazon, Goodreads)

Short story (~30 pages)

Trans cyborgs against the world

F/NB love in a post-apocalyptic world

Grim with a ray of hope

Soon To Release

"Imago" (tag: imago)

Dark historical fantasy with a touch of Lovecraft and dark academia

Secondary world inspired by early 1900s

NB/NB monster romance

An institute at the edge of the world

Secrets of a town shrouded in polar night

More than a little bit of murder

[mcltiples]

✘ : Are there any genres you refuse to write for?

♟ : Do you do any research when you roleplay?

➳ : When creating OCs, what do you typically start with first? (i.e. appearance, name, a theme, etc.)

MONDAY MALARKEY || accepting

{ OOC } 1. I wouldn't say genres, but there are certain topics I don't like writing or I'll refuse to write. Mostly su*cide or heavy angst without any happy ending. I get really sensitive when I write so I don't want to accidentally trigger myself during a roleplay xD

2. I do! Usually when I'm about to write a certain type of concept, I tend to do as much research as I can about it. That way I feel confident in knowing what I'm doing. I also do research in genres by watching movies and taking inspiration from that!

3. When I create an OC, I usually think of the theme / personality, then appearance comes next and so does everything else fdshkjfds it's easy for me to come up with themes first and then fit everything else within that afterwards!

[scalpelandrose]

♟Crossing the Chess Board AU ♟

One Piece AU set in a chess-inspired world ft. Trafalgar Law (the White King) x my s/i OC Michelle (the Black Queen)

Tagging: @jazminetoad @undercoverweeeb

Song Inspos: 1 | 2 & the War of Roses rabbit hole I found myself revisiting. Footnotes at the bottom

♟Overview

The 106th game cycle begins in the world of Siltranche* where an enigmatic Game Master selects new roleholders to resume a storytelling ritual in an enduring game of kings. However, bored by repetitive turn-of-events in previous cycles, the Game Master decided to stage an experimental game, omitting a few traditional roles, randomizing the flow of seasons, and masterminding new secrets to be hidden in-world: so it came to be that there will be no White Queen** and White Knight nor a Black King and Black Rook*** in Siltranche’s 106th cycle. For domain leads, the essences stored in a glass blue rose and a beating glass embroidered heart were chosen to head the ever-warring houses of Black versus White.

And now, curtains rise, as the Game Master resumes their role of a distant watcher.

A sea of mist divides the Enigmatic Black Domain from Sophisticated White, stretching endlessly in all directions. Roleholders and citizens alike fear and wonder what lies beneath and across the mist when it does not naturally divide itself on whims to reveal random spectacles or marbled landbridges, but successful exploration has yet to be recorded. As long as anyone in the 106th cycle could recall, The White King, Trafalgar Law, and Black Queen, To Michelle had always been at odds since they were fledgling roleholders, yet ‘hostile’ would incorrectly characterize their rivalry. Their campaigns were rather cautious and, daresay, considerate in their first few Matches. However, once they began understanding their rival and ways to hone the game into their own, their tactics took on an intensity and aggression that continuously rocked their respective domains with wondrous territorial additions in victory and a bemoaned fortnight tempest with loss except the both rulers didn’t mind storms. One could say the opposing domain leaders were having genuine fun whenever they met each other on occasions when the mist divides to reveal the Chessboard battlegrounds. But that was to be expected, as their glass figures were always stored next to each other in the Game Master’s menagerie, so their souls had been connected by a great affinity for the other.

♟Stalemate Soirée

Rules demand that all roleholders must annually attend a Stalemate Soirée leading up to the Grand Match, once both the King & Queen come of age. The Soirée is an opulent neutral zone that emerges from the mist exclusively for the occasion, where both factions intermingle in hopes of procuring hints towards an advantage or to bask in jovial carefree before being thrust into intrigue again.

Despite the revelry, the White King and Black Queen’s eyes fell into a habit of beholding the other, from a flickering glance to a silent challenge. The opening ceremony traditionally requires Queens to dance with their respective Kings or champions, but as Michelle had neither, she declared that her ivory-hilt saber will be her ‘champion escort’ for the evening with a sly glance at Law. Once music sounds from the hanging bellflowers, she begins an elegant sword dance in the midst of dancers that was reminiscent of a move she executed during final Match turns and Law’s gaze on the Black Queen did not falter for a second. At the song’s denouement Michelle spun in Law’s direction and directly pointed her saber at the White King’s alabaster queen of the night blossom fixed over his heart, causing the entire pavilion to gasp in scandal.

“Tradition states I dance with my champion or king, but as neither exists in the flesh, might I extend an invitation to the enemy king to oblige me for the second half?”

A subtle grin twitches on the corners of Law’s lips, perceiving touches of playful coyness under Michelle’s stately expression. Interesting. “You are bold, but not without tact, my rival. Lucky for you, I have nothing better to do this evening.” He drew his own obsidian-hilt saber and mirrored her gesture by pointing the tip towards the black rose on her bodice. Soon, they were mirroring each other’s smirks. Like a feather carried by a honeyed breeze, they moved in fluid chemistry with every swing, thrust, catch, and spin. From the moment their bare hands touched, a flash of desire crossed Law about how if circumstances were different, he’d want Michelle as his queen, but he coaxed it to the back of his mind knowing that their roles dictated advancing an endless chess game.

“Genius,” the White Rook comments, “His majesty might be able to lower her guard by a display of friendliness and pry an advantage from her.”

“Yes, but her majesty might be able to find holes in his signature offenses through their pas de deux,” the Black Knight counters.

“Is it just me, or does it look like they’re flirting?” a tipsy Pawn squints, finding their recent blade lock that flowed into a position where Law held Michelle from behind, a tad romantically charged.

Indeed, at the end of their first Stalemate Soirée, Law and Michelle left with a mutual medley of emotions regarding the other. Their roles dictated them to be at odds, yet they seemed to share many qualities with the other. It was supposed to be difficult to negotiate with opponents, yet it was easy to talk to each other. And most befuddling was that the intensity they shared in their Matches was pouring its way into unfamiliar realms of affection.

Perhaps these conflicting feelings may unite Black and White into something more nuanced in this chess world? Or will it risk violating Siltranche’s rules and break the game board, itself?

———————

*Siltranche is a wordplay on the Turkish word “satranç” for chess & Silman’s Complete Endgame Course)

**typically in chess, if you lose your Queen in the first 10-20 moves without a feasible counter plan, you resign in respect to your opponent’s time. However, Law being Law usually has a plan, hence why his ability to maintain the White domain and figure ways to win Matches against Michelle is intriguing to the Game Master

***The choice of missing a rook that moves in a cross pattern is allusion to the cross Michelle typically wears in canon to emphasize a handicap. This way, it’s harder for her to execute the equivalent of castling in Siltranche (a rule that lets you move a king & rook in 1 move if they’re on the same rank on the board to get the king away from the center for safety. Typically kingside castling is more common than queenside). Therefore, she’s moved by the maxim that the best defense is offense.

[deathleadsarc]

more pieces i'm gonna work on and.... i suppose tomorrow i'll actually write since i'm feeling so inspired! here's the rest thats in my inbox

♛ - formal outfit ♞ - I'll go bold here and ask for what kind of wedding outfit she'd go for [ she's the bride u.u ] ♜ - gym / exercise / training outfit ♧ -   An outfit they wear related to one of their hobbies ♟- winter outfit ♤ Look-At-Me-I’m-Hella-Attractive Outfit ♔ / ♖pajamas and spring outfit !! ♘- fall outfit ♟- winter outfit

[soltzu]

SOLTZU’S GUIDE TO STRATEGIC POSITIONING IN A SATURATED MARKET

In the vast ocean of business, where waves of competition crash relentlessly, strategic positioning becomes the compass that guides companies through turbulent waters. Soltzu, a consultancy firm navigating the complexities of modern markets, sets sail into the challenge of strategic positioning in saturated landscapes. In this article, we explore how Soltzu’s approach, enriched by the wisdom of strategic masters, empowers businesses to not just survive but thrive in crowded markets.

1. The Battlefield of Business: Soltzu’s Architectural Blueprint: In the realm of strategic positioning, Soltzu draws inspiration from the ancient principles of warfare. Soltzu’s foundational strategy involves businesses envisioning themselves as commanders on a battlefield, understanding the lay of the land, and strategically positioning their forces for maximum impact.

Soltzu’s Approach to Strategic Vision:

♟Facilitation of strategy development sessions for organizational leaders. ♟Workshops on market analysis and competitive landscape assessment. ♟Guidance on developing and communicating a compelling organizational vision.

2. Know Your Terrain: Soltzu’s Intelligence Gathering: Sun Tzu’s reliance on intelligence gathering finds practical application in Soltzu’s strategies for strategic positioning. Soltzu urges organizations to gather and analyze market insights, enabling informed decision-making and strategic maneuvers.

Soltzu’s Strategies for Intelligence Gathering:

♟Continuous monitoring of industry trends and competitor activities. ♟Implementation of data analytics tools for actionable insights. ♟Workshops on creating a robust competitive intelligence system.

Click here to read more...

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[risingsouls]

♟♚⚡

Munday Malarkey || Open!

♟: Do you do any research when you roleplay?

[Occasionally! Not a whole lot or maybe as much as I should but a lot of it revolves around either reading a little about a character I don't know or reading someone's about page for the OCs. I guess I kind of do it on a need to know basis.]

♚: What's something you just can't stand and will unfollow someone over?

[I did answer this, too, but hm. It's another slow burn one, but tbh? If all that's coming across my dash from someone is smut or lewd pics, there's a good chance I'll unfollow. I don't mind it, but sometimes it can be too much, and I don't really care to see it constantly.]

⚡: What typically leads to inspiration for you when it comes to writing?

[Answered!]

[subtletruamadumping]

Random Bits; A Game of Chess (1)

_____________________________________________________________

"A Game of Chess" was actually the first one I wrote in the series that was based on board games but is supposed to come last in the timeline. It was very technical and pretty boring to write, at points. I played a game of chess against a computer, copied down all the moves, then used each move as a chapter. The brothers are inspired by Thor and Loki, the world mostly from Lord of the Rings, but the story I can't remember.

It started out as throw-away smut from my fanfiction days...

TW: Fantasy Violence

Written at some point in middle/high school.

____________________________________________________________

♔♟♕♞♖♝Opening Game ♗♜♘♛♙♚

♔ White Opens ♕

Arwen waited outside the grand double doors, trying hard to keep herself from eavesdropping. Of course, she was worried about her husband, but it would not do to be spying on him. He would tell her what had taken place soon enough. What good would a few extra minutes with the knowledge give her? She took a deep breath and took another step away from the door. He knew what he was doing. That was the reason he was king, after all. She decided to put her ear to the door and listened for a little while. She didn’t hear any shouting. That was a good sign. Kean had a short temper. Things must have been going smoothly. That was a strange outcome for such a meeting. When talking about his brother, he was even more easily stressed. Though, she understood his position. Her own sister was also the black sheep of the family. The similarities between her and her husband’s families were uncanny. 

Arwen jumped when the door started to open. She hurriedly took several steps back until she was clear and the large, ornate double doors were slowly pushed open by two guards. Kean and a few others were still seated at the long table while the others began to exit the room. There must have been a major decision decided and the king had been left to sort out the details. The men bowed to her respectfully when they passed her and she greeted them each with a kind smile and waved them on their way. After they had all filed out, she took a step inside and waited patiently with her hands folded. 

Kean was in deep conversation with his two best knights, a squire, and his chief advisor. Arwen furrowed her brow, This would be a group she would be expecting if there was a war going on. Cian hadn’t so much as spoken to his brother for a long, long time. Not sense he and Kean had gotten themselves into a major fall-out that had never quite been reconciled. In fact, it had been so long since the two of them had talked that Kean had begun to express worries about him. Despite their arguments, he loved his brother. They hadn’t exactly left each other on good terms, though.

But Cian would never make war with his brother. Even if he didn’t think Kean’s armies strong enough to resist his own, he had no reason for it. He was just as well off, if not more so, as Kean. A king in his own territory with plenty of resources, he could stay away from Kean for the rest of his life, if he wanted to. What did he have to fight over? Sure, Cian had a tendency to get restless and make trouble when he got bored, but not a war. He was no fool. In fact, he was quick and clever. All of these were some of the reasons Arwen’s sister had taken an interest in him. They were similar in personality and Kean and Arwen had hoped that the two of them being married would cause them to settle down and stop their mischief. Unfortunately, the opposite happened and the two became inseparable partners and helped each other cause chaos. Kean had finally been forced to banish them after they had ended up setting the forest around the castle on fire. Of course, they promptly overthrew a neighboring tyrant and took over his kingdom. They now ruled as king and queen there with their few subjects completely and fiercely loyal to them.

“Arwen!” Kean cried suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts. He stood, causing the others to do the same. He smiled broadly at her and she walked deeper into the room. 

“Do I finally get the chance to see my husband, now?” She asked jokingly “All you ever do is spend time with this lot, nowadays.” Kean laughed heartily and pulled her into a warm embrace. 

“I have been rather distracted, haven’t it?” He replied, kissing her tenderly in the cheek “I’m afraid Cian and Kry have given me a lot to think about.” 

“Oh, no.” Arwen sighed “I was worried that was the reason for it.”

“Well, we can’t be sure there is anything to be worried about, right now.” Kean said as the others in the room glanced between themselves. 

“So, Cian hasn’t done anything, yet?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“No, not yet.” Kean answered, wrapping his arm around her waist. She moved her large, feathery wings out of the way for him, then settled them back into place. 

“Then, what’s the problem? You’ve been in here a long time.”

“Your Majesty,” Cairbre, one of the knights, put in “We’ve had reports that there had been activity around Cian’s territory. Military activity, it seems.”

“I could be nothing.” Arwen said hopefully.

“Yes, it could.” Kean said “That’s why this little party and I will be traveling to have a few words with him.”

“Kean!” She cried.

“It’s more than likely nothing.” He tried to assure her “Do you really think Cian and Kry would start a war?”

“That doesn’t make it wise to stray so far from the castle.”

“Arwen, I’ve held my own plenty of times before.”

“As an adolescent prince who wasn’t in charge of an entire kingdom.”

“Arwen--”

“Kean!”

“I’m afraid I’m in agreement with the queen.” Oddr, the advisor, cut in “We must not forget the attack made on your life just last month, your highness.”

“That attack did not come from Cian and I was no worse for wear, afterwards.” Kean countered.

“Nevertheless, we must be more careful in our protection of you. It grieves me to think what might have happened if Cairbre had not been there at the changing of the guard.”

“It was nothing.” Cairbre answered, though he swelled with pride at the compliment. 

“We have been too lenient, your highness.” Oddr continued, shaking his head “Putting yourself out like this at this time would not end well. Where would the kingdom be without you? Especially with no heir, as of yet?”

“I know you all have concerns for my safety,” Kean said “and I see the need to keep the kingdom safe. However, the odds of Cian listening to anything will be significantly heightened if I am there to convince him.”

“You mean going from ‘no chance at all’ to ‘barring the doors and refusing to let you in’?” Arwen asked dryly. 

“That was only once.”

“The point, my king,” Oddr interrupted “is that it would be better for the entire kingdom if the party went along without you.”

“Why don’t you write Cian a message of what you want to say?” Arwen suggested “What is so important that you need to speak to him in person?”

“I just don’t want them acting rashly and killing our messenger.”

“And if you were the messenger?”

“Alright, alright, you win!” Kean cried, throwing up his hands “I’ll stay here. Oddr, I’ll be counting on you to carry me message there, then.”

“Of course, your majesty.”

“Cairbre and Eoin, it will be your duty to keep away any attack, should their be one.” 

“It would be an honor, your highness.” The two knights bowed deeply. 

“My king,” Cairbre said, a little hesitantly “I will be forced to leave my squire in the company of some other knight. It is a dangerous mission that we are going on, but I would like him to continue his training instead of having the time off while I’m away.” Arwen saw the boy’s face fall with these words. Clearly, he had assumed he would be joining the adventure. Kean must have noticed, too.

“Take him with you.” He said, waving off the comment “I’m sure he will learn more joining your company than staying here in the boring castle, like I have to.” Arwen frowned and crossed her arms at him while the boy broke into a huge smile.

“As you wish, my king.” The three bowed and exited the room.

“My king,” Oddr said, watching the door close behind them “are you sure it was a wise decision to allow the boy to go?”

“What harm would come of it?” Kean asked.

“Well, this could turn out to be a... delicate situation. No place for boys.”

“Nonsense. He will be a knight one day and there is no better teacher than experience.”

“I see, your highness.” Oddr said flatly “When should we depart?”

“At first light tomorrow.” Kean answered “I will write a message for Cian tonight. Hopefully, we can get him to see reason.”

~*~

Oddr was not good with children. Though the squire was older than most and would soon be a knight, he was still a child. He made childish decisions and mistakes. He mislaid a trap, causing it to backfire and catch himself in the hand. He had run ahead of the group and spooked his horse when a startled snake slithered by. He had left supplies out in the open, allowing rain to infiltrate and make a mess of things. Oddr had no patience for such mistakes, nor the boy’s insufferable eagerness. He was easily excitable and hard to keep focused. Though it could be seen that Cairbre was teaching him well and honing him, he was still just a child. It took all of Oddr’s patience (and some borrowed from the knights) to keep from snapping at the boy at every turn. That was Cairbre’s job, not his. 

So, he took a deep breath to calm himself as the child rode ahead again. The journey was three days. Riding slightly faster at random intervals would not magically make the path shorter. He had tried to explain this to be the boy, but he hadn’t seemed to hear a word. It seemed a miracle he even listened to Cairbre at all.

“You need to keep that boy of yours back with us.” Oddr said as calmly as he could to Cairbre.

“What’s the point? He’ll just ride ahead, again.” Eoin said, shaking his head “I thought you said he was improving.”

“He is.” Cairbre said, a little hotly “He simply knows who to listen to. Here, watch. DREST!” The horse ahead of them instantly reared and the boy came prancing back.

“Yessir?” He asked as he again rode beside them.

“Impressive indeed.” Eoin said with a chuckle.

“Yes, very.” Oddr added dryly “But for whom was the order; the boy or the horse?” The boy colored slightly as the knights laughed.

“Come now,” Cairbre said when he had caught his breath “you don’t mean to run away, do you, Drest?”

“No, sir. I’m just excited, as this is my first quest. All of the others have already been on theirs.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call delivering a message much of a quest.” Oddr said.

“When it’s in a different kingdom, it is.” The boy said earnestly.

“Besides,” Cairbre put in “a first quest is always important, no matter what the goal.”

“Ah, I remember my first quest.” Eoin said wistfully “It was all the way back when the Maldrons signed the peace treaty with King Erikir.”

“Oh, doesn’t that make you feel old?” Cairbre asked with a smile.

“It was my job to escort a few lovely Maldron maidens to our kingdom.” Eoin responded “Queen Arwen herself was among them, along with her sister. Never a more beautiful bunch of girls there were.”

“Sounds like you were very lucky.” Oddr said, rolling his eyes.

“Very lucky indeed,” Cairbre said “my first quest was to bring a pack of hogs to one of the farmers on the outskirts of the kingdom.”

“Why would they need a knight for that?” Drest asked, cocking his head to the side.

“They were a very rowdy bunch of hogs.” The group laughed at the image of a young Cairbre chasing down wild pigs through the forest. 

“Oddr, sir, when do you think we’ll be entering Cian’s kingdom?” Drest asked.

“Some time soon, if we don’t have any more delays.” He answered.

“I’m certain Drest won’t hold us up any longer.” Cairbre said firmly.

“Then, we should be at the castle around sundown.”

“But what about people guarding the border?” Drest asked “Wouldn’t Cian have patrols to protect his kingdom?”

“That’s how I’m planning on getting to the castle so fast.” Oddr said flatly.

“Now, you must remember to hold your tongue, Drest.” Cairbre said authoritatively “One false move and an entire war will ensue and it will be your fault.” The boy paled.

“I swear, Sir Cairbre, I will not make such a mistake.” He squeaked.

“I certainly hope so.” Oddr muttered under his breath.

“Imagine that,” Eoin said with a laugh “this one boy starting an entire war.”

“Eoin, that is nothing to laugh about” Oddr snapped at him “The longest, bloodiest wars always start with one small incident. We must all remember our manners in the presence of Cian and that we are only quests within his borders.”

“Is it true that he flies into fits of rage at the slightest thing?” Drest asked curiously “I heard that he beheaded his own son for not being quick enough with a sword.”

“It is of no use for a knight to spread rumors.” Cairbre quickly snapped.

“And this rumor is untrue.” Oddr put in “His son is alive and well and very quick with a sword. As is his wife, so I must reiterate. Please, don’t do or say anything foolish. Any of you.”

“I would never!” Eoin gasped, faking innocence.

“That includes flirting with the queen.” Oddr said, looking down his nose at him.

“Such a shame when one must behave.” Eoin sighed, though he had a wolfish grin on underneath.

“I take it you got to know her very well on your first quest, hm?” Cairbre chuckled.

“Unfortunately, she put me in a headlock the first time I commented on her surpassing beauty.” Eoin replied, shaking his head.

“It’s a wonder that she was ever married, then.” Drest said thoughtfully “And to Cian, no less.” The knights laughed and Oddr rolled his eyes again.

“This is exactly the kind of thing that will not be tolerated.” He barked at them “Cian is very protective of his wife.”

“Better hope she doesn’t remember you, Eoin.” Cairbre said, nudging him with his elbow.

“Well, it was a long time ago.” Eoin said “I was much younger, back then.”

“And thinner, too.”

“HALT!” The company pulled back on their reigns, bringing their horses out of their trot as a mounted soldier came out from a thick group of trees. Drest’s horse had some difficulty becoming still and the boy received a glare that made his hair stand on end. The lighthearted air had vanished from the group. Their mission was now at hand and they all realized how delicate the situation was. No more nonsense.

“What business do you have entering the kingdom of King Cian and Queen Kry?” The soldier asked harshly, looking over the group carefully.

“We have come from King Kean.” Oddr called, quickly taking the speaking role before any of the others “Our king sends a message to yours.” The soldier grunted and reached for his side. Oddr saw the knights tense, ready to grab and draw their swords with lightning speed. The soldier only pulled out a horn, however, and put it to his lips. He let out two clear notes that rang through the trees. There was a moment’s pause, then hoofbeats from several directions. Soon, they were surrounded by the border patrol, which made Drest and his horse antsy. 

“Be still.” Cairbre hissed to him. Not that it made much of a difference, though. Oddr just hoped the boy wouldn’t do anything to ruin the simple assignment. He hoped that, for once, the boy would stay focused and not get over excited. Now was not the time for a mistake.

“Your orders, Lycus?” One of the men asked.

“To the castle.” The soldier who had stopped them replied “They wish for an audience with the king, after all.”

[fremontvintagemall]

Get the art fan in your life a fun board game inspired by everyone’s favorite artist: Keith Haring! 🎨♟ Keith Haring chess set: $64.97 from #fvm420 (at Fremont Vintage Mall) https://www.instagram.com/p/Clwxfp5PgG7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[loveemagicpeace]

Astrological Observations

💙Scorpios want to feel passion, depth from people. They want people to understand them on a deeper and darker level.

🍓Venus Sagittarius are looking for someone with whom they will feel inspired, happy, optimistic but at the same time emotional. They like someone who thinks on a psychological level or deeper. The problem is that they quickly lose their will for someone when they see that their view differs from theirs. They are similar to virgins because they both have standards.

🐚Capricorn rising respects the people around him and is always ready to accept someone as he is. But once you change your mind, you've lost their respect, which is hard to get back. They are very stubborn and persistent in what they decide.

🪷Pisces and Sagittarius differ in that Pisces are much more sensitive and take things to heart quickly. While sags don't find many things as offended. Sagittarius are too self-confident to be quickly distracted by things.

🌑Taurus can be quite dark. So I notice that a lot of taurus like to listen to metal music.

☔️Neptune in 1st house synastry -neptune also shows attraction but on a deeper and more dreamer vibe. You can be attracted to a person, but you don't know why. You can daydream a lot about a person's appearance and character.

🫀Mars in 12th house music is relaxing to you. And you can be obsessed with music while driving and you can also be obsessed with any thing you like (for example: series, food, place..).

🌆Sagittarius are storytellers. If anyone tells interesting stories, it's them. They really immerse themselves in the stories they tell.

♟A lot of things make Virgos nervous and a lot of times they can be paranoid.

🪙Capricorn is sign who always follows the rules. No matter what ,they will always do everything responsibly. For example: you have to stick to a diet (you will), taking medicine at the right time, to be at school on time, and above all to respect authority figures.

🪐Saturn makes the relationship serious, responsible. Saturn aspects make a relationship based on work, building, learning, lessons and not on romance.

🌌Sidereal chart shows your deeper thinking and how your thoughts work. Your intensity does not show outwards and is hidden because, for example, you have Venus in Scorpio in your sidereal chart. Your venus in sagittarius tropical chart shows itself as optimistic, funny, motivational and direct.

🍒7th house transits are not necessarily always related to love or relationships, romantic things. Cuz 7th house also mean relationship with others . Let's say that because many planets fall in your 7th house, it does not mean that you will meet someone because of it. For ex.: venus transit in 7th house aspecting with your sun in 1st house- this means that you will focus on your relationship with yourself, maybe take a closer look at relationships or start thinking about what you really like. 7th house mercury transit aspecting with your 5th house- meeting someone new or starting a love affair. 7th house venus transit aspecting your 6th house- good relations at work, good relations with colleagues, enjoyment of work, focus on the relationship with animals.

👄In my opinion, the 5th house represents events, getting to know someone new, love affairs, energy, and that's why I think that a love affair with someone can start here sooner. While the 7th house shows relationships, marriage, relationships with others, what attracts you & in what way it attracts you, the attitude you have towards yourself. Here, things happen that are more serious (when you are already seeing someone and then you go into a relationship or you are in relationship and something changes). In 5th house you meet new people and explore new things. That's why I also think that the transits of the 5th house are more intense than those of the 7th house, if you are single.

-Rebekah🦋🐚🫀