#''surely I'm not human if I don't feel such a natural human response''

[dazai-on-my-mind]

I love you fanfiction writers who write Aroace Dazai and connect his feelings of being disconnected from humanity with his internalized Aphobia.

[suddencolds]

.~

[neil-gaiman]

hello! recently i've been thinking about stuff and thought it might be good to send those thoughts somewhere (even if the chance of you seeing this is slim to none) I've seen quite a few people say that they see your insistence that Crowley and zira aren't gay in human terms (b.c. they're not cis men or whatever) or because they're sexless is homophobic as it implies a certain level of disgust with straight up gayness (these characters can be queer but not gay, they're the "good" type of queer because they aren't sexual, etc.). as an example, asking "why did you think it was sexual?" as a response to a Sara McCullar on Twitter about the season 2 kiss was rather tasteless as it pretty boldly implied that sex would ruin or dirty the moment.

obviously gayness is no more inherently sexual than straightness, but I am rather uncomfortable with the idea that gay sexuality is somehow dirty or would ruin a&c if included. especially when there are scenes (the ox scene for example) that feel very much like they are meant to be sexual in nature. it definitely comes across as queerbaity to put in sexual themes and then attempt to retcon them away.

It is rather confusing as a viewer to see your position on this jump from "we put in the kiss because we wanted it to be unambiguous" to "what did you see that was sexual". I suppose the crux of the issue is that you seem to want to include queerness in your story while still holding topics like sexuality at arms length.

anyway. mostly wrote this to get the situation straight in my head, though I would be curious to know if you were aware of this discourse at all.

Not aware of it. Not interested in it. If anyone seriously thinks Good Omens is homophobic I'm not sure what they think they watched, but I know I'm not making a story for them.

But no, I don't think of that kiss as being "sexual". I think of it as a last-ditch desperate attempt to communicate, not as a prelude to or part of lovemaking. (I've written kisses I would classify as sexual and kisses I wouldn't. That's not a sexy times kiss nor was it meant to be one.)

[dcxdpdabbles]

Cave Boy Danny calls Batman’s costume uncool and the bats lose their minds over it. Also Alfred would totally spoil him in nostalgia. (Maybe by making the batfam let Danny out of the cage…?)

Danny tries his best not to stare at his perceived counterpart or any of the children, convinced he's their dad as a kid. He's not doing an excellent job of it, though, seeing as his eyes flickered around the room against his will.

It's almost as if the more he tries not to stare, the more he glances. It's so weird that Bruce looks precisely what he imagines Dan Phantom would have looked like if he had a human side. Knowing that Bruce and Dan look alike does not settle his nerves.

It makes him feel even more weary of the older man.

He was curious to know if they were the same person because he had made up the name Bruce on the spot since it was the most boring name Danny could think of. Yet, the DNA results showed they were the same person, not due to cloning. He knew what clones' DNA looked like from personal experience.

Especially since Bruce- why did it have to be such a boring, stupid name? Why couldn't he still be named Danny? His own clone kept his name for Pete's sake!- was sending out major Fruitloop vibes.

Not only was he rich with a secret lab underneath his house and dressed in a weird bat costume, but oh no, Bruce ate pizza with a fork and a knife.

Danny's eyes flicker over to the man just as he cuts another piece of his pepperoni pizza without a single movement wasted. He doesn't even look like he's doing it as a joke- no, the man is regal, dabbing his mouth with a napkin every third bite.

What a freak. Danny thinks, folding his pizza slice in half so he can stuff most of it in his mouth in one giant bite. Two of the teenagers gasped as though they just witnessed a natural disaster.

"Philistine." Damian- his counterpart's youngest- hisses. He's glaring at Danny, obviously trying to insult him, but Danny has dealt with bullies all his life. The kid is far too polite in his insults. Damian wouldn't last a day in public schools' playgrounds, that's for sure.

Danny looks him dead in the eye, still chewing, eyes wide and earnest, and responds with a cheerful "Gesundheit."

Damian's face clouds over in disgust. "Do you even know what that means?"

"Philistine is an uncultured person who is hostile or indifferent to the arts." Danny recites without missing a beat. He gives the other boy a pitying frown. "If you don't know the definitions of words, maybe you shouldn't use them. Might get you in trouble one day"

Damian throws a knife at him with a cry of outrage. Danny is not ready for said knife, but his ghost reflections have him moving to the right just in time for the blade to miss his head and impale itself on the back chair of his seat.

It does, however, nick his neck a little. Danny lets out what he hopes is an appropriate scream in response to the pain. He doesn't want them to know about his real name, much less his powers, but it's hard to have proper reaction times when he could already feel his healing ability numb the pain seconds after it happens.

It felt like a small prick of a sticker while walking barefooted in the grass- quick and sharp but over quickly.

Danny blinks at the table for a solid three seconds, before tilting his head as far back as it could go in his seat and letting out an even monotone cry of "aahhhhhhhhhh!"

He wishes he was better under pressure because it felt like he was attempting to impersonate a toad.

"Young Master Bruce!" Alfred- the butler that raised Bruce in their world? So his counter-parts foster dad?- cries out in alarm. He springs up from his seat, rounding the table to be at his side in seats. "My dear boy, are you alright? Does it hurt? Shall I bring the medical kit?"

Danny stops his monotone cry to blink up at the man. "I'm okay. I'm just dramatic."

Alfred's face spams before it settles in a nostalgic, fond expression. "Oh, the memories."

"Leaping Lizards, Batman," Tim whispers, gripping his fork so hard it's bending. He has a manic glint in his eye, with a smile so wide it's splitting his face in two. "Is this what Bruce was like at our age?"

"Yes, Master Bruce did have a very similar personality to our guest".

"I thought Ollie was kidding when he said Bruce was the weirdest kid in school," Dick speaks up, his face reflecting massive glee. "Does this mean it's also true he would tell people he would date them if they could beat him in a fight?"

"Yes. Alfred told me that was the only way I would be allowed to date before eighteen," Bruce speaks up, a hint of a blush appearing on his cheekbones. "I was in a lot of fights."

Alfred laughs, looking far too grandfatherly when he nods. "I would get a call from Gotham Acadamy almost every other day because Master Bruce had fought off would-be suitors. It's why no one bats an eye at his play-boy persona."

"You know what," Jason speaks up, looking thoughtful. "This explains everything about your love life, to be honest."

"Oh, so when you beat up annoying guys hitting on you, it's okay, but when I do it, it's unfair since I have training," Steph complains, making air quotes on the word training.

Bruce frowns at her. "When I was a teenager, I didn't have any of my Bat training, just what Alfred taught me."

"Alfred, the ex-British Secret Service, bulter." She counters.

"Alfred, the ex-medic in the Royal Air Force, bulter," Duke cuts in.

"Alfred, the ex-SAS Commander, Bulter," Dick tasks on with a smile

"Alfred, the ex-Spy Master for the Royal Crown, bulter," Cass cheerfully says.

"Ancients, those poor teenagers," Danny whispers, staring at Alfred in newfound respect and fear. "Did they even have a chance?"

"No, those riff-raff did not" Alfred smiles turning to the older version of Danny. "I do believe Master Bruce once threw Mr.Queen into a dumpster and left him there overnight?"

"I did. Oliver wouldn't accept no as an answer, so I put him in time-out." Bruce responds with a shrug. "If he hadn't been such a crybaby about the black eye, maybe I would have taken him up on his offer to see a movie."

Danny can't believe this. He points an accusing finger at Bruce with an unhinged look of confusion. "You had everyone falling over themselves in a world where bi-sexuality is common, mind you, and you choose to wear the lame-ass weird bat costume by choice? You chose to be uncool when you could have been in the It-Crowd!?"

The Wayne kids choked on their spit as Bruce gaped at him.

"Brucie, you are a riot!" Jason gasps, causing Danny to frown.

"Brucie?"

"Yeah, since there are two of you, I thought calling the smaller one Brucie would make it easier to tell you apart." Jason sighs wiping a tear out of his eye. Next to him, Dick is still howling with laughter.

Danny needs to keep calm and tell them he would not respond to the name Brucie. Instead, he panics and says, "I actually go by Brucie back home. I'm so surprised you know the nickname!"

He needs to get the fuck out of here.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Unsurprisingly, a lot of the commentary I'm seeing about this has been of the "But--but--I would do the same thing because I don't want anything bad to happen to the deer!"

Look. I love wildlife, and I love getting to see deer, coyotes, and even the occasional black bear in my neighborhood. But they are here because there is good habitat nearby with lots of natural food sources, not because I deliberately put out food for them to eat. I respect them as wild animals with whom my relationship is very different compared to the domesticated animals I take care of every day. A deer is not a sheep or a horse; a coyote is not a dog.

People who do things like try to tame deer or, worse yet, try to raise a fawn or other young wildlife like pets are robbing those wild animals of their natural existences. We've already wrought our own preferences on the landscape to a severe degree, tearing the wildness out of it to create lawns and farms and subdivisions and strip malls. When we then dismiss the wildness of these animals and impress our own desire for connection on our terms on them, we are harming them.

I've already written elsewhere about the difference between "tame" and "domesticated". No matter how docile that deer seems, it is never going to be as (relatively) safe and tractable as a domesticated sheep or goat. It will always be more unpredictable, and more likely to lash out suddenly at a person due to fear, or hormones, or protection of young.

These animals need their wild instincts to be intact if they are going to survive without being dependent on us. They need those instincts in order to find mates and keep the gene pool stirred up. Their instincts keep them safe from danger, including humans. And their instincts never totally go away, no matter how much we may try to tame them otherwise.

This is why a good wildlife rehab is going to minimize handling of the wild animals they care for, especially those that are going to be able to be released back into the wild. The less comfortable these animals are with humans, the better their chances of surviving in the wild and having fulfilling, natural lives. Wildlife that retain their wariness of humans are less likely to end up falling prey to hunting, or being killed as nuisance animals when they get too aggressive in seeking food or otherwise coming into conflict with people.

The person who painted "pet" on a fully grown white-tailed buck and put a collar around his neck may have felt like they were doing that deer a kindness, but they have likely robbed him of the chance to just live a natural life as his own, independent being out in the woods and fields. He might be out there, sure, but perhaps he won't mate because he imprinted on humans. Or maybe he will end up shot by a hunter in spite of the precautions because he's just too friendly and those antlers are worth taking the shot.

There will always be something missing from this deer's life because of the arrogance of someone who thought they could own and keep and control a wild-born animal for their own enjoyment, instead of allowing him to come and go as he pleased. Honestly, it reminds me of King Haggard from Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, whose response to seeing something beautiful was to capture it and keep it rather than simply enjoying and remembering that magical moment:

"I like to watch them. They fill me with joy. The first I felt it I thought I was going to die. I said to the Red Bull I must have them, all of them, all there are. For nothing makes me happy but their shining and their grace. So the Red Bull caught them. Each time I see the unicorns, my unicorns, it is like that morning in the woods and I am truly young, in spite of myself."

That's how I feel about people who are willing to drastically alter a wild animal's behavior for their own selfish benefit, even if they think they're being kind. I know I'm fighting a bit of an uphill battle in this, but I'm rather stubborn that way.

[yusiyomogi]

this is the last time i'm gonna interact with this discourse, i promise. i just wanna tell a few things that i've been meaning to tell anyway.

yes, the larger connection you can make between elves and real world imperialism is interesting, canaries are obviously modeled after military forces of imperialistic countries. even if their goals aren't nefarious, they withhold information from local governments, ignore borders and ensure the global power of their own country. the way they deal with the threat also often disregards actual safety of local people, despite their original goals.

but when we're talking about this theme, which is important and interesting, we have to discuss other significant implications of this allegory. like, for example, people from that military force are systematically treated as completely disposable. story itself doesn't shy away from this, even their nickname "canaries" represents how ridiculously deadly their job is - they're expected to die, basically. practice of recruiting convicted criminals to the army because they are desperate and disposable is something that is actually happening in the world right now. recruiting noble kids to the army as an "honorable tradition" to ensure their loyalty and investment in country's politics is another practice that was common in real world. wealthy people are the most dangerous to their government, after all.

if we actually wanna analyze this, we need to take it seriously, not to use it to prove that some characters are "bad" because of it. kui for sure didn't do this, she specifically humanized canaries in her story and showed how participant of the system can be abused by that system (that doesn't absolve them of their wrongdoings though). just how she decided to show racism as something everyone participates in, instead of making some one-note villain characters who are racists. you can have your own feelings about it, but that's how she did it.

the other thing is, if we actually try to analyze it, we can only take it as interesting thought experiment. we can call it "reading through certain lenses". because we're still dealing with fantasy world here. functionally canaries can be seen more as international disaster response, since they don't participate in actual wars. their primary goal is to control and destroy dungeons, which can be seen as analogy to natural or technological disasters. they don't influence local politics, they don't mass murder people, they don't aim to establish their own bases on the territory of the country (at least not at the point we are in the story). so, they are an amalgamation of these two ideas rather than only one of them. we can't have a real analogy to our world, since we don't have the demon that can destroy us all just because some people have tasty desires. that's why working with allegories to real life is a limiting way of looking at the work. it's fine to do it, but it's only one way to interpret it and it's not "the only correct" way. in fact, most authors prefer when their worldbuilding is judged on its own merits.

mithrun does participate in military force voluntarily and it's an important part of his story. it's also important to analyze why he's doing it: he thinks that he's doing a good thing by enlisting to the unit, because he believes that he's the one who can change things. according to adventurer's bible, his main motivation for recovery was what happened in utaya: mithrun could see how incompetent canaries were when they were dealing with the dungeon and the demon, so his thought was literally "if only i was there...", one of the most common army movie tropes.

and he does change things, surprisingly, because we can see that he focuses on efficiency much more than any other elf. he correctly assumes that the faster they deal with the threat, the less casualties there will be. he speedruns the dungeon in 15 minutes, while utaya's investigation took 1 year before it all collapsed horribly, killing a bunch of civilians and soldiers. mithrun does it so efficiently in fact, that even kabru for a second doubts his decision to stop the canaries. mithrun believes that no secrecy is important when the world is at stake, that's why he tells kabru literally everything he knows. mithrun believes that he can change things. he is wrong though.

mithrun is wrong, because he still serves for elven government and they have not at any point demonstrated that they're interested in actually solving the problem for good (for many reasons probably, they're likely still considering that they'll need the demon's power). mithrun realized it in the end, when he decided to let laios do what he wants instead, basically giving up on his loyalty to the elves. much more obvious agent of elven imperialism in the story is flamela, because she stays loyal to the government and her queen, even when situation got desperate. mithrun also eventually left his country to live under short-lived races' rule.

so, it's kinda weird and suspicious why some people in the fandom decided to focus on mithrun as "the main agent of imperialism" when they talk about those things. yes, it's interesting to look at him from this point of view, especially if you wanna discuss how he changes through the story, but... do you really care about him as a character or are you looking for a bad guy? because i've seen both.

it's not fans' fault that they care too much about his personal character arc instead of looking at his background and role of antagonist. blame kui for it, because that's what she also decided to focus on in her story. some people just don’t wanna discuss such things, because it seems disrespectful to real life, the other believe that looking at everything in the story through allegory is limiting. i’ve seen people who mentions problematic elements, while respecting the other facets of the story that we all enjoy, and it’s amazing and i wish i could do it as gracefully.

but a lot of people noticed the tendency in this fandom to turn some characters into villains and people have right to be tired of it. the story doesn't do it, so if you don't like it... i'd advise you to look for another story, but you really can do what you want.

[luvhughes43]

blue lines | blake hughes au

[blake hughes au]

summary: blake and nico have a pregnancy scare

mentions: periods, pregnancy, anxiety, etc.

word count: 0.9k

blake and nico couldn't keep their hands off each other. it was simply a known fact amongst their shared group of friends. everyone who knew blake as a determined, self-loathing teenager was always shocked to find out how pro pda and touchy she was with her boyfriend.

everyone also thought that the two would grow out of their "honeymoon phase" which to the displeasure of certain family members - commonly known as jack - the months apart during the off-season only reignited the couples... touchy nature.

which is why... after an increased amount of ... physically intensive fall activities blake wasn't too shocked to find that her period was a few days late.

"i'm late," blake pierces the quiet atmosphere in nico's apartment.

"late for what?" nico questions, not even bothering to look up from his phone. "i thought you said you weren't busy today,"

blake pauses and blinks in quick succession. "well no im talking about-" she pauses again before rechecking her period tracking app. she holds the glaring 3 WEEKS LATE page towards nico, "like... im late late. i haven't been late since i was competing," blake passes her phone to nico who studies her app with rapt attention.

"i've really... never been late before," blake repeats as she paces around her boyfriends living room. she suffered from stress and extensive workout related absent periods - and since she retired from skating she had regained and had a pretty consistent cycle. "i'm pregnant," she blurts out nervously as she avoids eye contact with nico.

"okay, it's going to be okay," nico tries to soothe blake. he silently stumbles towards her and she jumps when he rests his hand soothingly against her shoulder. "let's go to the store and we'll get some tests,"

blake nods thoughtlessly and lets herself be dragged out of the door by nico. it's not that she didn't want to be a mother - blake thinks as she watches nico's neighborhood fly by as he weaves carefully through traffic. she was just too young, the relationship too new... she wasn't ready to be responsible for another human being.

blake doesn't remember stepping out of the car and walking into the pharmacy. her breathing is heavy and laboured as she stares at a wall full of pregnancy tests. "i don't know which one we need..." her voice is unfamiliar to her own ears. she was only twenty-one, how was she supposed to be a mother? and nico... he was just announced captain last season and was finally starting to get into the groove of things.

nico grabs a variety of tests and blake takes the opportunity to study his face. his brows are arched in contemplation and if he was nervous blake isn't able to tell. blake grabs a box of the closet tests and examines it.

"how many do you think we need?" nico asks suddenly. he holds his hands out towards her, and different brands flash up towards her menacingly.

"three? two should be fine i don't-"

"nico hischier!" a loud and unfamiliar voice announces to the whole store. "could i get a picture with you?"

blake wordlessly takes the pregnancy tests and wanders down the aisle. "uh, yeah sure," nico smiles with uncertainty as he throws an arm around the young fan. nico pulls him out of the aisle and he sends blake looks of concern but she just waves him off to focus on the fan.

nico's quick with the photo and after a few words about the upcoming season nico's quick to rejoin blake. "do you think he saw what we were buying?" blake asks nervously as she holds up the tests in her hands.

"no it's alright," nico tries and reassures the trembling blake.

"i'm sorry im so scared i just... i dont know how to feel right now," she whispers into nico's side. his arm tightens around her as they stand in the comfort of each others embrace.

"it's okay, just try and relax" nico kisses her hairline and she's suddenly plagued with a rush of guilt. it felt like she was always leaning on him more than she should - instead of allowing him space to feel anxious as well. "i'm scared too," he says softly - as if sensing blakes thoughts.

with no more interruptions or disrupting anxious thoughts - the young couple make it through check-out with ease.

they shuffle into nico's apartment and blake immediately beelines it for his bathroom. nico waits politely outside the door.

"they all say to wait three minutes," blake says with a handful of tests.

"i'll set a timer," nico supplies and fishes his phone out from his back pocket.

the two sit outside the bathroom door - legs crossed with the tests laying in front of themselves face-down. blake wordlessly reaches for nico's hand who squeezes it silently.

"we'll figure it out you know - if they're positive," nico gestures towards the tests in front of them.

"i know," blake whispers. she grasps his arm in both of her own and leans her head against his shoulder. "i'm sorry for zoning out earlier i was just..."

"scared? you have nothing to be sorry for,"

"okay,"

"okay."

the minutes drag, and when nico's alarm finally rings out the young couple jolts upright. blake immediately reaches for the closet test and flips it over with a manicured hand. nico flips another, and the tension in the room finally settles.

negative

|

negative

blake leans her head back against nico's shoulder and the rise and fall of his breathing soothes her.

[jester089]

Not a peep

Sorry to all my unfinished requests sitting in my inbox. I will do them eventually. But their's so many character type requests and those take the most out of me because I need to really think. So I'm taking an intermission to write what I want to write. TADC Crew x Eerily Silent Reader

Caine

You never talking or making any kind of noise intrigues Caine. He has never met a human that never talks, non the less never makes any noise at all. He will most likely try to get you to say something or set up scenarios where you trip and knock something over. But they never work. You either notice them before hand. Or are able to think fast enough to stop any noise. Once he's over the initial want to disrupt your constant silence he doesn't really think of you differently. You're unique sure but you're still human.

Gangle

You freak Gangle tf out. The fact that you kind of just appear without her knowing. Or you could have been standing near her for minutes her not knowing. It makes her think you're going to do something bad to her like Jax. You never talk, or emote. Your face always unchanging. After enough time of you doing nothing good nor bad to her she starts to get used to you. You still make her uncomfortable but the fact that you haven't done anything makes her not as worried. She still isn't ok with the fact that you kind of just are around her and she doesn't know. But with enough time she will react less strongly to it. It'll never not scare her. But it can be lessened.

Zooble

Zooble appreciates you. You don't do anything to help or hinder her. You don't annoy her or try to talk to her. You are the only person she will willingly let into her room. And she stays true to that. Because when you are with her you don't touch things and don't make noise. You just exist near her. She doesn't like people. But you give her some much needed connection and attachment without pushing her like everyone else. She will secretly try and make you talk, but she never goes as far as a lot of the others. It's most just a "Hey, you feel like getting something to eat?" Just basic questions thinking you might slip up one of these times.

Kinger

Kinger surprisingly doesn't dislike you. You'd think with how jumpy he is with normal people he would really hate your quiet nature but he doesn't. Sure you scare him more often then not but he knows you are never trying to. You just exist in a way that works for you and that leads to everyone getting jump scared every other hour. You seem really mentally stable compared to everyone and not surprisingly are a very good listener. So he enjoys being around you. In moderation. It's hard to keep up conversation without any responses or even reactions from the person you're talking to. It's like talking to a living breathing inanimate object that moves. He's genuinely debating on if you're a robot or not. But your chest rises and falls just like his, you eat, drink, sleep (despite not having to), and move in a very human way.

Ragatha

At first like many others you, freak her out. She feels like you're planning something bad with how you never talk or interact. You just observe. She feels like you're gathering information to better mess with/kill everyone. It makes her sweat and get all stiff when you're so much as in the same room as her. It takes her a whole lot of time to realize you aren't hostile. You aren't really friendly either. You're just there. She appreciates you not being bad. But also you're unnerving to her and everyone else. You know when you scare someone and they "jump"? Well when you just appear next to her she jumps, literally. One time she was already on edge then you appeared next to her, she got a good foot off the ground that time.

Jax

Naturally once meeting you Jax does everything he physically can to make you talk, or react, or make any kind of sound. He always fails no matter how good his "prank" was. It annoys him. One time you got hit in the face with a full paint bucket and you didn't react or cry out in pain. You took the hit straight in the nose then hit the floor. Despite that and your nose being caved in you didn't react in the slightest and you didn't make even the smallest sound. Now he avoids you. He's scared that if he keeps pushing you're going to snap and kill him. And I don't know about you but I wouldn't mess with someone who can take a full paint bucket to the face, get their nose broken and not react at all.

Pomni

You initially freaked out Pomni but she's actually learned to really appreciate you. You still make her slightly uncomfortable but she isn't afraid of you like she used to be. You are an amazing listener, you are surprisingly strong considering how you look, you keep Jax away from her, and you help her look for an exit. Well help is a strong word. You just exist around her and every now and again when she asks for your help with something you do. She really wonders if you are just like that or getting put into the digital realm messed with your head somehow. But she can't worry about that now. Right now she needs to find a way out of here.

(You can kinda tell when I am or am-n't writing for myself. Personal stuff is usually shorter and worse quality. I go above and beyond with requests because I want people to enjoy them. But that does make me get burned out quicker.)

xoxo, Jester

[whoopsyeahokay]

October Sun

summary: Xavier had been acting cagey for weeks, a fact you hadn't had the heart to address since Maddie's disappearance. but with his dubious return to school and how he loitered in the periphery of Nicole and Simon's orbit, you thought it was about time to get answers. too bad one pale, cow-eyed jock had other plans.

pairing: Wally Clark x fem!reader

warnings: eventual smutty smut smut. and mad spoilers. and obvious Canon divergence. very involved, very dense plot.

bon reading, frens

___________________________💀

OCTOBER SUN pt.5

You felt foolish, dressed like a Parisian cat burglar, but you hadn't exactly spent your night strategizing how to avoid Wally Clark come morning. Instead, you'd pored over several small, ratty books that outlined possible explanations for human-ghost attraction.

Not the kind of attraction that makes your heart beat love songs, but the kind that draws elements together. The scientific kind that had nothing to do with what the shape of Wally's mouth might feel like against various pulse points.

Thankfully, the universe seemed to be on your side. You'd managed to slip from one class to the next unnoticed, only seeing the shy boy with the glasses and the spacey girl who roosted atop the library return bins. No towering athlete with big hands and bedroom eyes.

Jesus, girl, get a grip, you chided yourself in a voice that eerily resembled Mathilda's.

Mathilda, who you'd managed to waylay that morning by dragging her into the girls' bathroom and holding her hostage until Xavier had texted you the OK. Mathilda who'd spent the time before and after History barking insults at people who'd thought it'd been a good idea to share their opinions of Xavier aloud.

What she lacked in height, she sure as hell made up for in loyalty and intimidation. Qualities you admired and wished you could emulate. If Mathilda had chaotic, ancestral ghost powers, she wouldn't let herself be pushed around by the idea of a ghost getting the better of her.

No. She'd probably browbeat the ghost into submission and get on with her day. No swarms or storms or ectoplasmic squalls; no mother eventually stepping in to fix her daughter's mistake, cursing I told you over and over again because, yeah, she had. Sadly, Mathilda didn't share your abilities and couldn't chase Wally away on your behalf.

Frustrated, you shoved the hood of your uncle's sweater over your head and yanked the drawstrings, encasing yourself in a void of soft fabric.

It sucked. You didn't want Wally chased away. You just wanted him never to figure out that you could see, hear, or wholly and completely interact with him...Which would result in him eventually giving up or losing interest and never seeking you out again, as he'd done in your sophomore year. And you wanted that even less.

When had 'don't tell anyone' become so complicated?

Naturally, you didn't want to get your mother involved. Were wholeheartedly determined to weather the storm alone. Had been doing a decent enough job of it until yesterday, despite some minor missteps here and there. But if Wally remained steadfast in his promise ("I'm not going anywhere until you admit it"), she'd find out—she always found out—and you'd never see him again. Poof. Gone. Disintegrated into the ether; his beautiful, summer-sun soul vanished from the earth as if he'd never existed.

You couldn't let that happen.

"How's the undercover operation?" Xavier's voice penetrated the dead air from somewhere above you.

You groaned in response, loosened your hood and pushed it off to stare up at him, likely making a pitiful picture with staticky hair and a pout.

He prompted you with a twitch of an eyebrow, you rolled your eyes; he grinned, you untucked your knees from your chest and opened yourself up to invite Xavier to sit with you on the library floor.

"Who are you hiding from, again?" He asked, making himself comfortable across from you between the shelves of autobiographies—the section furthest from the door.

You teased him with a delicate smile, "No questions, remember?"

"Normally, I'd respect the hell out of that, but I feel like I should be concerned." He regarded you carefully, eyes flitting between yours as if he could summon your secrets through them. "I don't have to kick the shit out of anyone, do I?"

"I love you, Zav, and, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the thought," You really did, "but, trust me, it's not that deep."

"Okay...and how many lunches do you plan to have in the back of the library?"

"As many as I need to." You replied vaguely. He bit his lip to stop a smile and nodded. "I'm good, Xavier, I swear. I just need some space right now." You weren't going to fabricate a lie for him. Anyone else, yeah, water off a duck's back, but Xavier? It toed a line you weren't comfortable crossing.

While not entirely placated by your statement, Xavier respected it, getting back to his feet and shouldering his backpack. As he was about to round the bookshelf and leave you to your business, he paused.

"You'd tell me, right?" He peered at you over his shoulder, "If things were bad...you'd tell me?"

Without hesitation, "Yes," you assured.

His expression relaxed, "Thanks."

Xavier didn't leave the library altogether, simply walked away to give you the space you'd said you needed.

For awhile, you occupied yourself with homework—notebook in your lap and Frankenstein open beside you—taking advantage of your free period to catch up on what you'd put aside last night. It would've been a good use of your time, except...your uncooperative brain kept ambling back to Wally. To his puppysoft brown eyes; his cocky, boyish grin. Then to how he'd glided his fingers up your spine and had made your blood surge.

Shit. God. No. Stop that!

Growling inwardly, you shifted to your knees, notebook sliding to the floor, and grabbed your backpack. Dragged it toward you so you could pack up and find another place to sequester yourself. A change of scenery might help prevent your brain from tap dancing into very bad no good territory.

The pen you'd been using had rolled away when you'd repositioned yourself, now sat at the end of the aisle. Standing, you went to retrieve it when you heard someone who sounded a lot like Nicole mutter an apology. Peeking around the bookshelf, you caught sight of her as she hurried out of the library, phone in hand.

What's that about?

Before you could apprehend it, you saw movement in the corner of your eye. Xavier reshelved the book he'd been flipping through and made a hasty exit, clearly intending to follow Nicole.

Well. Now you had to know. You swooped over to your backpack, double-checked that you hadn't forgetten anything, and strolled as fast as you dared after them.

Completely unaware that, beyond the school walls, the specter you'd cosplayed Sid Vicious to avoid was gleefully running amok.

💀___________________________

PART FOUR - PART SIX

also available on AO3!

MASTERLIST

[muffinsin]

Can you please write dimitriscu sisters with child reader ?

Where the reader is attacked by a lycan or something gets found by the sisters (separately) and the immediate response of the reader when seeing each women is calling them mama ? I don't know if you accept these but if you do can you write what their reaction would be ? And the aftermath of it ? Like how their mundane life would be?

I don't think this breaks any of your rules or preferences but I'm sorry if it did

-( I'm not new to your blog but this is my first request)💜

This is such an adorable, heartwarming request! It’s been in my inbox forever, so I’m very happy I can finally get to it! :) as it comes a mundane life; I doubt any of them would live one tbh! They are absolutely ready to treat this child like royalty🙌👀

Splitting this into 3 parts btw, due to the length of each. This is Bela’s part, Cassandra’s will be linked here, Daniela’s will be linked here once it’s out🙌

Let’s get into it!

Masterlists

Bela

She’s out hunting, at last not too busy to tend to this activity as well

It feels like it’s been forever since she last hunted with her sisters

Cassandra, despite her tough exterior, clings to her side subtly, hunting and retrieving prey only to bring it to Bela to show off. Daniela was less subtle, her arm hooked with Bela’s, her own hunt dismissed as she takes the opportunity to talk to her eldest sister and chat a little

Clearly, Bela is not the only one who missed this. Her heart aches a little knowing her busy work schedule forces her to neglect the time spent with her sisters

Where’d the time go? When did she become busy planning and working and managing things, rather than playing and looking out for her two younger sisters?

She shakes her head, dismissing these thoughts. She’s here now, she reminds herself

And as hours go on, she finds herself enjoying the hunt more and more again. Her senses are sharp, her reactions imminent

When Cassandra suggests a game, a competition of which sister can find the best prey within the last two hours left to them, she complies

Perhaps she could get a deer for them. She knows better than to go for varcalocs and larger lycans

What she doesn’t predict as she wanders and flies about, though, is the sweet, innocent cry she hears in the distance

No animal. A human

A cry, with no malice or aggression to be found

A helpless cry. A pained one. A scared one

A young one

Did a villager stray too far? But; the cry is so young, it can’t possibly come from an adult, from a hunter no less

Naturally, she investigates

And yet, when she finds you after moments already, she finds herself unprepared

You sit in the dirt, your back to her

Your little body shakes with every sob that leaves your wet lips. Your fingertips slide against the muddy ground anxiously, your other hand holding onto a stick far too rough for your small, soft hands

She frowns, unsure whether to make herself known or not

She can’t see your face, but you can’t be any older than eight, she figures

Upon inhaling, her nose scrunches up in disgust and her expression turns to one of concern. You reek of a lycan

Perhaps she should leave, she wonders to herself despite everything

She hardly ever stirs good emotions within people, after all. No matter their age

Yet..her heart aches and urges her to act with every little sob and cry that comes from you

Her natural instincts scream at her, urge her to act. She remembers her sisters, how they would cling and depend on her, look up to her, feel safe around her and only her

Something tugs at her heart when you begin hiccuping between your cries, your body shaking, your muddy hand raising to your face

She swarms around carefully, making sure she approaches you from the front rather than behind

When she does, though, she is greeted by yet another surprise

Upon getting close, she sees your wet, tear stained face. Your red cheeks, your puffy eyes, your wet lips, your red button nose

She spots the trap your leg is caught on immediately. A snare, the rope wrapped tightly around your little, swollen ankle

Yet, this isn’t what surprises her the most, but rather the words that fall from your wet lips the moment you lay eyes on her

“Mama!”, you all but yell desperately, your bottom lip wobbling, your muddy hands reaching out to Bela in a silent, desperate plea to be picked up

Mama?

She doesn’t quite understand, but doesn’t hesitate

Easily, she snaps the rope from around your ankle. Easily, her hands slip under your armpits and pick you up

You’re sat at her hip, carefully held by her. For once, she doesn’t care about her dress being dirtied by mud

“Mama!”, you repeat, your voice mixing with whimpers

She doesn’t understand. She doesn’t know you

Yet, you seem so sure

“Bela”, she introduces herself

You stare at her blankly for a moment, then grin a little. Mama has a pretty voice

“Mama”, you confirm again

“Do I know you?”, she wonders. Could you be someone from her past life, maybe? It’s a life she has left behind after being infected, one she can’t remember, nor wishes to return to. She loves her family more than anything- Mother, Cassandra and Daniela. This is her family

You shake your head. No, you don’t know your mama. But you know, this is your Mama

With this, it seems you’re done talking. Bela gasps in surprise when you shift closer to her, your head rested on her chest, your little cries finally calming and quieting down as she rubs your small back lovingly

She doesn’t understand; don’t you know what she is? Probably not

And yet..she wants to keep you, and so she does

She holds you close to her as she walks back towards the castle again, a gentle smile on her lips as she sits and waits for her sisters

You’re cuddled up to her, a little bundle in her arms. You look…relaxed, like this

Still, she takes note of your swollen ankle, your cut cheek and dirtied face and clothing, your bruised ankle and the rash seemingly growing on your hands. You look malnourished, and almost sickly. She doesn’t notice, but holds you a little tighter

You seem so perfectly content in her arms, your little fingers hooked into her dress, your lips slightly parted as you sleep

“That’s a…unique catch!”

Bela jumps at Cassandra’s words and quickly turns to face her sister. In her hand she drags a wolf, nearly the same size as her, by far larger than you are

Next to her stands Daniela, a large, juicy deer dragged behind her, a big grin on her face

Bela rolls her eyes, her arms wrapping around you protectively

“They’re not for eating. I found them”, she clarifies, and with a stern glance, both her sisters shrug and refrain from more jokes

Once in the castle, Bela’s priority is to nurse you back to health

You whine sleepily as she draws you a warm bath and sets you down in it, but squeal in happiness almost at the many bubbles she’s added just for you

Bela carefully washes you, using a cloth and sponge to clean off all the dirt and mud still sticking to you

Thankfully, whatever lycan that was in proximity to you must have only scared you off, rather than attacking and landing a hit on you

You nearly fall asleep again when she washes your hair, her movements precise and careful

She ensures no water or soap gets in your tired eyes and scratches your scalp gently as she massages the soap into it and your hair

Soon enough, unruly and tangled hair is soft and clean and she can comb her fingers through it effortlessly

You aren’t familiar with this much warm water, bubbles and delicious scents and can’t help but cry and cling to her when it’s time to leave the bath again

You watch curiously as she dresses you, her touches gently and guiding, her voice soft as she talks you through it all

You glance around as she does

The fabrics are impossibly soft and good to your skin, her fingertips even more so. You don’t remember life at the village all too well, but recall the constant fear. You recall, your mother’s touch was never as soft and guiding as your Mama’s- Bela’s- is

Her room is large, larger than any house in the village. It’s also warmer than anywhere else you’ve ever been

When done dressing you, she rises, ready to find you something nurturing

But, the moment she moves from you, a hoarse whine and cry comes from you

Immediately, she picks you up and back into her arms, and likewise immediately you calm again

You mouth at her collarbone and shoulder, hungry, in pain, whining occasionally

When she walks out of the warm room, she notices you stare curiously

You hold onto her dress still, content to quietly stay with her. She doesn’t mind that you aren’t too talkative, instead opts for holding you close as she wanders to the kitchen

Inside, the staff immediately begins to gush about you. A child in the castle is…a rare sight, certainly

She doesn’t understand why; not yet, but possessiveness stirs up in her nearly immediately. She holds you closer to her, her emotions calming a little when you whine and push yourself closer to her in return

Now, each sister comes with a special, unique reputation

Daniela, the unpredictable one. Cassandra, the brutal one

Bela, the smart, level headed one

That is, until she isn’t anymore

You jump in surprise, a gasp, the loudest noise that’s come from you yet

A maid reaches out, and you flinch back instinctively. Yet, just when her fingers were about to touch your arm, Bela’s arm shoots out

As it does, her sickle is summoned and a single swipe is all it takes for the woman’s hand to come clean off

Three of the staff members scream, the others lower their gazes to the ground

You cry quietly, the noises all too familiar. And yet..you find it’s not all that bad, because your mama is still with you, still holding you close

You calm faster than Bela would’ve expected, even more so when the staff is dismissed and you’re left alone with her

And still, when she looks in your eyes…she doesn’t find fear like she expected

From this day on, you are practically inseparable

She is your mama, and everybody knows. You have her, her sisters and Mother wrapped around your finger

She teaches you to be strong, to be fast, to be smart. She guides you and inspires you, teaches you to go after your interests and encourages you to tend to your hobbies

She loves you, she realises very early on

The maternal connection between the two of you is pure, real, and immediate

She vows to always protect you, and always does. Always has, and always will

You’re her world

[scribblestatic]

Eyo, back on my amputee!SY agenda bullshit

Lesgo.

Prev: Part 2

---

When Luo Binghe married Shen Yuan, he was named the First Husband. But now, with his new crowning, he'll become the Empress, a position given to none of Luo Binghe's wives, not even in PIDW. Though, he's already come to terms with the fact the world isn't the same as the book.

Mostly. It's still perhaps a bit too easy for him to suggest torture for someone despite his modern world sensibilities because it's easier to think of anyone facing against his husband (AAAAAAAAAA) as some no-name NPC rather than someone with a whole life full of experiences.

But anyway, he's becoming an empress. Which is wild to him.

And it dusts up a lot of his insecurities. And not, like, the kind where someone asks their significant other if they would still love them if they were a worm. No, it's more along the lines of, "Hey, would you still love me if it turned out my soul wasn't transmigrated at all, but was simply, like, disconnected from itself and I really am Shen Jiu, but I also lived as and firmly feel like I'm Shen Yuan, but some piece of me really had done all those terrible things to make your innocent life more miserable?"

He pops the question while Binghe's combing oil through his hair, his left eye gazing anxiously at the bronze mirror to look at the demon emperor's expression.

Luo Binghe thinks, humming a little as he doesn't falter while combing his hair.

"...Would Shizun love me if I killed some of my wives?"

"Huh?"

"Would A'Yuan love me if I killed some of my wives?"

"I mean...sure? I'm sure you'd have a reason for it."

"Then, would A'Yuan hate me if I killed and ate demons in the Endless Abyss?"

"What? No. Survival was extremely difficult. You only did what you had to do."

"And if I still had a taste for demon flesh?"

Shen Yuan's face scrunches, but his response is still immediate.

"Then, I suppose we could find which ones you liked? I mean, I don't think I could do it with you, and we'd need to respect their personhood. So, maybe we could find a group where cannibalism is a norm for them? I think that'd be difficult...ah! We could also see if the Red-Dipped Manfruit could be bred to taste like the demon's flesh. Demons that eat humans use it for minor sustenance when natural human flesh isn't available, so surely--"

Ah, his expression had scrunched more with thought than disgust. Luo Binghe doesn't interrupt as he goes on his continued tangent, smiling as he listens. He only speaks again after he seems to be trailing to another subject.

"Then," he pauses, leaning forward and looking down at Shen Yuan, "if A'Yuan can love this one as I am, even at my ugliest, how could this emperor not love my A'Yuan at his most beautiful?"

Shen Yuan stares up at him, his lips slightly open as he listens, as he sees the depths of the light and love in Binghe's dark eyes.

"Even if you are Shen Jiu, back then, this disciple wanted the affection you now freely give. I have always cared for and about you, for better or worse. And your attention was always on me, for better or worse. This Binghe likes to think that, now, we care for each other, not just for the better, but for the best."

"Ah..."

Shen Yuan stares up a bit longer before he quickly turns away. Binghe puts the comb down as he hears a sniffle, and when he kneels beside his seat, he pushes the long, inky black hair away from Shen Yuan's eye, catching sight of his ruddy cheeks and the mistiness in his eye.

"...Shameless."

"Indeed, I am. A'Yan should punish me."

He just shakes his head, and he doesn't lean away when Binghe leans forward and kisses his lips. They linger softly, pulling apart slowly as they share each other's breathes. Their faces remain too close for them to see each other properly, lips still just barely touching.

"...Then, I'll only kiss you two more times," Shen Yuan mumbles.

Luo Binghe chuckles.

"How cruel."

They only remember to get back to combing Shen Yuan's hair several minutes later.

--

The remains of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect had not been invited to Shen Yuan's crowning ceremony, but they still heard of it happening regardless.

Demons, previously unaccustomed to some of the more casual aspects of living with their means more easily available, and humans, always seeking new methods of entertainment, became very entranced with the gossip surrounding Demon Emperor Luo's harem. The fact pieces of it were steadily dissolving had originally been a gripe against him, as though he was losing his touch. However, when some of the wives were members of their own race or species and they returned without harm and with a hefty sum of money, well, the bridges hadn't been burned, and suddenly, "losing his touch" simply became "being less loose" or "finding lasting love."

So now, with the crowning ceremony ramping up, of course the gossip mills were churning at rapid speeds. Eventually, word of who would become empress despite the emperor's known track record of wives was absolutely scandalous.

"His shizun, of all people?"

"The one he had imprisoned, even."

"Must've driven the man mad."

"I don't know... I saw them recently. Shen Qingqiu looked quite sane."

"He has no limbs and is missing an eye, he can't be that sane anymore."

"He certainly wasn't groveling. If anything, he seemed quite untouched. Save for...well..."

"His eye is quite sharp, and he is quick-witted. I don't think he would be bad for an empress."

"The cultivation sects are going to implode."

And, just like the news of the crowning ceremony spread around, so too did the news that Cang Qiong Mountain Sect sent a letter to Demon Emperor Luo, demanding an audience in light of his proposal to a lord from their sect.

It was, to many demons and a few humans, a wasted, and perhaps misguided, effort. Yet, they wouldn't protest against the meeting.

It would be incredibly entertaining, after all.

---

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3: here Part 4

[hrefna-the-raven]

Hot as Hades

Misc. Masterlist - Masterlist

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2

Words: 1933

Summary: You're finally having your first date with the Lord of the Dead

Warnings: smut (18+)

Chapter 3 - Third base

As the sun set behind the horizon, casting eerie shadows across the forest, Hades emerged from the shadows with smoldering eyes and enigmatic smile, extending his hand towards you.

"Shall we, my dear?"

A mix of curiosity and nervousness cursed through your body as you took Hades' hand and were whisked away into the heart of the underworld. You descended through the winding caverns, passing by lost souls and flickering flames, until you reached a looming castle bathed in ethereal glow. In the midst of a large room, Hades had prepared a romantic set up. A quaint black stone table adorned with flickering candles and delicate blue flowers awaited you, while the soothing melody of a harp played softly in the background. It was a scene straight out of a fairytale despite the fact that you were in the underworld. As you sat down, Hades poured two glasses of a strange purple liquid and raised his glass in a toast.

"To our first date", he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of desire and affection.

A soft blush spread across your cheeks as you raised your glass to meet his. The first sip of the drink sent a shockwave of pleasure through your senses. The taste was unlike anything you had ever experienced before, surpassing even the finest delicacies in your realm.

"Wow, this is...wow!", you exclaimed, unable to contain your awe.

"Nectar of the gods, babe, or at least as close as it could get without the real thing, which of course, would make you immortal and break every rule my stupid brother so carelessly set up and we wouldn't want that, would we? At least not while getting caught", he winked at you, "anyway, I'm sure you won't find anything like that in your mortal realm", he chuckled, his amusement reflecting in the mischievous glimmer of his eyes.

"So, I don't wanna be rude but, uhm, do you", you waved your hands around while almost clumsily spilling your drink, desperately trying to articulate your question without voicing it.

"Do this often?", Hades finished your sentence.

You quickly nodded, gulping down the rest of your drink nervously which caused him to burst out into a sad laughter.

"Oh darling, I don't know if I should feel honoured, sad or amused at the fact that you actually think someone mortal or immortal would want to date me", he suppressed sob by emptying his cup before he continued, "although there was that short fling with Persephone, which was absolutely not as bad as people tell it to be, no kidnapping involved I swear", he held up his hands innocently.

As the conversation continued, Hades revealed more fragments of his, admittedly sad, past, his responsibilities as the Ruler of the underworld and the sacrifices he had to endure due to his job rarely granting him any spare time, which, despite his divine nature, granted him an undeniable humanity. He spoke of his yearning for connection and affection, the emptiness he felt within the confines of his realm.

With each passing moment, the atmosphere grew more intoxicating. The combination of Hades' allure and the nectar seemed to fortify that unbreakable bond of desire, affection and undeniable attraction. Before you knew it, you got up from your seat, your feet carrying you over to Hades' spot, the fire between your thighs growing as your hand found his toga, delicate fingers digging deep into the fabric as you pulled him down, your lips crashing on his. Hades' body tensed, the unexpected gesture sparked an arousal deep within, tearing him between succumbing to the temptation and take you right here and the cautious urge to resist as, deep down, he feared to indulge in anything that granted him even the slightest hint of happiness. But you were so eager to please your god, a fire of love burning bright through the darkest of the night, slowly warming him up, gradually thawing the icy walls surrounding his shattered heart and erasing the remnants of doubt that plagued his soul for aeons. His muscles finally relaxed as his last will of resistance burnt away and he melted into the kiss, his large hands snaking around your waist and lifted you on the table before he finally broke the kiss first, whispering your name with a raspy voice.

"Lord Hades", you pleaded, pecking his lips, "please."

"Please what, babe", Hades smirked, his resolve to resist your allure continuously fading.

"Let me worship you", you almost begged but Hades merely chuckled.

His slender fingers delicately lifted the fabric of your peplos, gradually revealing your legs and then your bare, dripping folds.

"Oh darling, planned ahead for this? And already so eager and wet", he chuckled, parting your legs even wider as he trailed kisses along the tender flesh of your inner thigh.

You whimpered when he abruptly stopped, his touch avoiding your delicate folds while you could still feel the warmth of his breath against your skin. You wriggled your hips, hoping he would continue and finally grant you the touch you so desperately craved but instead the god let out a dark chuckle, his fingers wrapping around your legs and pulling you towards him as his tongue pressed against your clit, turning your gasp of surprise into a sinful moan. Hades growled against your wetness, skillfully exploring every contour of your folds, teasing your sensitive spot before gently caressing it. You didn't know why these few licks almost instantly sent you over the edge, perhaps it was because he was a god or maybe it was due to his lips and tongue feeling hotter than any mortals, like a scorching fire tenderly caressing your delicate skin, a thrilling pleasure that danced dangerously close to pain. As your hand instinctively moved towards his head, eager for more, his fingers wrapped around your wrist, holding your hand in place and his head lifted from between your legs.

"Babe, you know I'm hot", he spoke with a suppressed chuckle, "don't burn yourself."

With a simple snap of his fingers, his toga vanished into thin air and Hades pressed his naked body against yours, rubbing his erection against your clit and while a wave of curiosity tempted you to glance down at the god's cock grinding against you, his hand gently grasped your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze

"No babe, your god wants you to look at him while he grants you this divine pleasure", he whispered, his voice filled with desire as he kept moving, swallowing his own needy moans.

His gaze was fixed on you, searching for the truth he desperately desired. Despite the confirmation from the Fates that you loved him, doubts lingered in his mind, urging him to scrutinise your every move. He suppressed his own desire as he delved into the depths of your soul, seeking any hint of deception. Yet, all he discovered was the overwhelming love and longing you harboured for him. The room was filled with a symphony of his grunts and your moans, as your bodies moved together in perfect harmony, your name hanging delicately on his lips as he ground against your wetness a few more times, pushing both of you towards the inevitable mind-shattering orgasm. You felt the heat of his release on your skin as your own wave of pleasure washed over you, your legs trembling while you tried to catch your breath.

"Allow me....", Hades' composed demeanour wavered for a moment, "allow me to clean this up."

A faint gray smoke engulfed your body and it vanished quickly after, along with all the traces of your, so to say divine, intervention. You trailed your fingers over the soft fabric of his toga as your eyes wandered up, a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.

"Didn't you want to do...a bit....more?", you asked teasingly.

Hades laughed, nudging your shoulder before he cupped your cheek and placed a tender kiss on your lips.

"My little flower, my little bird", he grinned, your name slipping from his mouth in an amused yet alluring tone, "this is, technically, our first date and you tempted me already to move to third base, which, honestly, was far beyond my initial plan for the evening. I mean, hello?!", he chuckled nervously, "I'm not Zeus."

You smirked, jumping off the table before straightening your peplos.

"Mighty Lord of the underworld, tempted and seduced by a mere mortal."

Before the last word completely escaped your lips, you felt a firm grasp on your neck and waist as you were suddenly lifted until your face was at the same level as Hades'.

"If I remember correctly, and I usually do, that tiny mortal couldn't stop moaning her god's name, barely able to resist all the pleasure he was so graciously bestowing upon her."

The crimson hue and warmth that flushed your cheeks became almost overwhelming, requiring every ounce of your strength to suppress the whimper that threatened to escape before he gently placed you back on the ground.

"Come, it's time I'll bring you back before the dead get any stupid ideas and start thinking they could roam the world of the living again."

Within the blink of an eye you found yourself back at the shrine.

"It was a pleasure, babe", Hades grasped your hand tenderly and placed a kiss on top of it, "we can do this again, that is if you'd like to."

"Tomorrow?", the question came out faster and more eager than anticipated, "if your busy schedule will permit it of course."

"For you? Always", he whispered before vanishing back to the underworld.

You let out a content sigh and walked back home. If someone had asked you a few months ago what you planned on doing around this time of year, being eaten out by a god on a table in the underworld wouldn't even have been on your list. And yet here you were, basking in that post-orgasm bliss while your heart raced in excitement as thoughts of Hades consumed your mind. There was something special about him, besides the obvious godhood. He was charming, possessed a certain humour that made you almost die laughing at every joke and you couldn't deny the magnetic pull of his physical appearance. The way his blue flames danced on his head, the subtle blueish-gray tone of his skin that accentuated every sculpted muscle on his well-toned body which you were blessed to witness tonight and the scorching heat of his body, pressed against your soft skin, evoking an irresistible pleasure threatening to devour each and every part of your mind and soul. As you finally reached your home and laid on your bed, a wicked smile graced your lips as you sent a last loving prayer to your god, accompanied by vivid fantasies of him rutting into you on the same table he tasted you not too long ago, just a little teasing, hoping that he'd loose more control and go further on your next date.

A shudder ran down Hades' spine, his cock twitching eagerly as your prayer reached him. He let out a low groan, pressing his fingertips against the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply to regain his composure. Little tease, he mused, pondering how a mere mortal could hold such power over him. His train of thought was abruptly derailed when Pain and Panic burst into the room, their simultaneous shouts jarring Hades' already frayed nerves. In an instant, his patience snapped, and his hair flared up in a fiery red blaze, cascading down his shoulders.

"Whaaaaaaat-is-it-now?!", he bellowed, causing them to immediately fall into silence.

Chapter 4

[mixiury]

Here with you — Wanderer x GN! Reader

Summary: After a long walk with Wanderer, you ended up exhausted, taking a small nap with your companion in the middle of the forest.

A/N: I corrected some typos I noticed after reading this again. I am dyslexic and English isn't my first language so I'm sorry if there is still some. Please feel free to point them out!

"Come here, lie with me."

"Why would I? To get my clothes dirty like yours? No thanks." Wanderer answered to your request almost instantly, showing little interest in changing his mind.

Both of you have been walking for hours now, enjoying the cool breeze that the trees of the Sumeru forest release.

It's hard to keep track of time in a place like this, especially when the silence and calm stretches out in its entirety and all you can hear is the soft melody of the birds with the snapping grass and leaves you are stepping on the ground while you walk.

But even though your hiking companion doesn't need to take breaks and the beautiful views of the landscapes along the way help in motivating you to continue exploring, you soon end up finding your feet and legs demanding you to rest, lying down on a small and comfortable hill, while Wanderer reluctantly agrees to wait for you a few minutes.

"Are you sure you don't want to join me? The sun is nice." You know what his response is going to be, but you keep insisting anyways, hoping that some miracle will happen that would make him change his mind and rest alongside you. However, as was from being expected, his head just turned away, ignoring your request with the same stubborness that characterizes him.

Defeated, you find solace in the warm sunlight and fresh grass you lie on, slowly imbuing yourself in its trap as your eyelids fight to stay open.

It is not until he notices how quiet you have become that Wanderer's gaze finally returned to your sleeping figure, noticing each deep breath you take as your chest rises and falls steadily, with nothing to interrupt you from falling into your calm, soft slumber.

It's annoying how you allow to put yourself in such a comfortable state in the middle of nowhere. As if, in this precise moment, nothing else mattered.

It seems like you don't know how easy of a target you are right now, not worrying about your surroundings and all the dangers that are around you. It only takes a few seconds to end a human's life and it's much easier when you're in such a vulnerable and peaceful state that you wouldn't even be able to react before you feel the pain of your aggressor hurting you.

And yet, the mere thought of it makes him feel sick and jealous of you at the same time. How can you live your life so carelessly? Is it because you don't have any self-prevention instincts inside that empty brain of yours? Or are you just so naive that, even knowing how he can easily leave you to your own devices, you still trust him enough to allow yourself to be in this position?

Knowing you will probably never tell him, he decides to search the answer by himself, quietly approaching you and laying down next to you, hoping that the sound of the grass rustling next to you won't wake you up or interrupt your dreams as he watches you in complete silence.

And it's only now, after he finally gave into your request, that he understood what you were talking about.

The faint rays of the sun really feel like a bliss the moment they caress your face, intense enough to embrace you with their warmth but not to the point of burning you. Contrasting with the cloudy and gloomy Inazuma mornings he had grown used to.

It has been so long since he felt this warmth and calmness, still staring at you steadily and letting himself enjoy the peaceful nature of the moment.

It feels illegal that him, out of all people, could experience an instance like this. He, whom from the day of his creation the only birthright that has been given to him was an eternity of grievance, shame and solitude, simply lying on the grass without any other concern but you.

He doesn't understand it but he wants to. Your presence itself has already helped him understand a hint of your normalicy, something that he had spent decades chasing and longing for but was never able to hold for long enough to call it his. And yet, he lets himself fall into your trap and comfort, finally taking a break from all the thoughts that have been stuck in his mind as he simply rests by your side.

[t3a-tan]

Romantic and Hopeless (9/?)

First / Previous / Next

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As they arrived at the cabin, Oscar pushed open the jammed door with some effort, before blocking it back up. Some of the windows were smashed in, but Freddie and him had covered the broken windows with wooden boards. The cabin was still cold, but it was mostly sheltered from the elements. The lights obviously didn't work, but there was enough natural light for now and Oscar had brought a lantern with him.

He removed his bag of supplies, tossing them onto the wooden floor and letting out a sigh of relief now that they had reached their intended destination. I don't think Ryker will find us here…

He glanced towards a cricket bat that was sitting in the corner. He and Freddie decided to keep a weapon inside just in case they needed it for some reason. At least I'll have something to defend us with. Not that it'll do much against a gun…

Walking over to the old dusty sofa that had been leftover by whoever lived in the house before he sank into it with another content sigh. Then, as he caught movement from the corner of his eye, he smiled warmly seeing Sammy crawling out of his pocket and across the chest of his puffy jacket.

“Crazy that your cousin happened to live here, ent it? And he rides birds? That's cool as fuck.” He couldn't imagine being so calm and confident riding on the back of something so massive. He felt nervous enough looking at it whilst human sized, let alone as a borrower.

Sammy was not as impressed. It was still weighing heavily on her mind; the fact that Oliver was clearly not afraid of humans as a borrower should be— and he was reckless enough to try taming a bird? A bird of prey no less?? Clearly he had a few screws loose.

Yes, Oscar did seem nice enough for a human… and yes, the bird was well-trained…but a borrower without caution was as good as dead. Yet, Sammy still couldn't help her admiration and care for her cousin… he was more like an older brother to her after all; having lived with her parents since she was born.

Oscar noticed the lack of response and the way her eyebrows furrowed in frustration, clearly deep in thought thanks to his comments. He tilted his head, smile dropping slightly.

“Hey, you okay Sammy? You're spacing out a little. Am I too close?” Not that he could do much about it considering she was standing on his chest… still, he glanced towards the cobweb covered side table and decided against offering to place her there.

Sammy snapped out of her spiralling thoughts as the warm breath of the human facing her washed over her body, sending a shiver down her spine. She looked up to meet his gaze, a frown still apparent on her expression.

“Just…fretting about Ryker, that's all…” She lied, rubbing the back of her hand anxiously and averting her gaze. “What if he manages to find us here? That would put Oliver in danger too now.”

Oscar leaned his head back in thought, realising she was right. But then again…this seemed to be Oliver's home, so he would have a much better chance surely.

“I mean… he's stayed hidden this long, I'm sure he'll be okay.” Oscar tilted his gaze downwards towards her again, tilting his head slightly and offering a reassuring smile as his brows furrowed with uncertainty. “And we will too. He's not gonna find us.”

Sammy let out a breath from her nose, her hand moving up to rub her shoulders as she hugged herself.

“You don't know him like I do. He's…he's smart. He's…too observant. Sometimes I'm not even sure he's human…” She shuddered again. “And most importantly, he has connections. I-I…I don't think I'm ever gonna feel safe with him just…out there.”

As she curled into herself more and more, Oscar felt a growing urge to hold her again. He quickly shook that feeling away; although he could tell she seemed like someone who found comfort in physical affection, it seemed more self-soothing. He could understand not wanting to be touched.

“I…understand…”

He leaned his head back again, looking up at the ceiling which was thankfully mostly intact as he formulated a response. Once he had one he sat up just a tiny bit so he could see her better, but not enough to make her ground unstable.

“It's okay to be worried… but I will protect you, okay? I promise. I wouldn't let anything happen to my soulmate…” His words were sincere, and he hoped that they would bring her some comfort…he was a little confused when she froze up. “What's up?”

Sammy stared up at him, shocked.

“Y-you knew!?” Her tone was a melting pot of emotions; anger, fear, distrust, disgust, relief. Her cheeks burned hot, but it felt more like shame than the usual nice fuzzy feeling she got around him. She felt tense and on edge all over again.

“Oh shit— sorry it just slipped out.. I— you seemed really averse to me knowing, but it was kind of obvious and I just—!” He cut off his hasty attempt to save the situation when he saw that she had tears appearing in her eyes again, her glare venomous. His words caught in his throat, a sinking feeling coming over him.

Sammy knew that it was a secret that would come out eventually…and yes, it had been obvious she was Rabbit, but why did he pretend? Why didn't he acknowledge it? Was he trying to lull her into a false sense of security? Make her trust him just enough that she could be taken advantage of?

After all she had experienced, her relationship with this kind of attraction had become skewed. The thought that Oscar may be looking at her as someone who was attractive made her feel gross and want to pull away. Though, as she looked up at Oscar her glare faltered slightly, seeing that he looked so genuinely…hurt.

“Sammy— what…I don't understand why it upsets you so much.. I- uh… do you not want me to be your soulmate?” He asked, tone soft and even a bit shaky.

Sammy bristled at the question, her glare disappearing entirely. She bit her lip, averting her gaze and gripping her arms tightly, enough for her nails to scratch skin. She didn't know how to articulate how she felt about it. About him.

“I…don't know. I do…but I just..” She ran her hands through her hair, brows furrowing in frustration. Her expression seemed to change every second, all of the mixed emotions whirling around inside of her to make a confusing distressing mess. “I-I don't want…I don't want me…to be your soulmate…”

As she said that her gaze focused up on Oscar again, posture shrunken and uncertain of her words. I'm not making any sense. He's just gonna be angry at me…

Oscar was relieved when she said she did want him as a soulmate…then immediately confused by her next statement. He ran through it a few times in his head trying to decipher the meaning. So…she likes me, thank god. But she doesn't want me to like her?

“You know I wouldn't ever pressure you into anything, right? I'm not… if you just wanted to be friends forever, that's fine. I-I want to keep you safe because I like you, not because I want anything from you.” He could only imagine what she thought of him and those images made him feel sick to his stomach.

Yet at the same time…he couldn't fault her. Everything that she had been through was still so fresh on her mind, of course she was going to be more reactive. And Oscar really was telling the truth; that he wouldn't mind if things never went past a friendship, as long as that's what Sammy wanted.

Sammy was still conflicted about things, but seeing how sincere Oscar was and hearing what he said made some of her worries go to the back of her mind again. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart as she wiped at her watery eyes.

“I'm sorry… I-I just don't want you to look at me like…the other humans…” Humans are monsters…but Oscar seems safe. At least right now. Ugh…why is it always so uncertain? She felt some guilt for her instinctive reaction— even more so seeing how Oscar was continuing to be so nice to her even through her constant distrust and distress.

She held his gaze, tensing in surprise when a reassuring smile found its way onto his face again. She could tell he still felt sad; his eyes were still staring down at her…not with pity, but with concern? Remorse? Resolve?

“It's okay. I promise, I would never look at you that way. I respected and admired you when you were still Rabbit, and I respect and admire you now as Sammy. Nothing will change that…” He assured softly, making Sammy relax. He continued, though his tone became more light-hearted. “Well… maybe if you did something crazy like blow up a building I would be a little concerned.”

Sammy laughed wetly at his joke, wiping away the last remaining tear streaks from her face. She found herself genuinely smiling this time, although the realisation of that fact made her falter and avert her gaze again, cheeks flushing red.

Oscar chuckled slightly at her reaction, only to apologise as he saw how his chest moving up and down made the ground much less stable for Sammy.

“Sorry… Do you want to move to one of the arms so I can sit up?” He asked, though it was more of a request really. Sammy looked towards the arm of the sofa Oscar was leaning on and began to walk across. She moved slowly, trying to avoid putting much weight on her injured ankle as she slid the short distance down from the human's shoulder to the arm of the seat.

Oscar watched the process for a few moments, seeing that she was struggling to move at a faster pace, but also knowing it was best not to offer help here. He tried not to stare, eventually looking down at his hands again as they rested against his stomach.

Once he was sure she was no longer on his person he sat up slowly. He then leaned down and began to dig through his bag, pulling out his phone and a granola bar. Putting his phone beside him, he opened the bar before looking down at Sammy again with a warm smile.

“You didn't get to have breakfast yet, so I figured you might be hungry. I'm a bit peckish too, but I reckon I can spare enough for you.” He spoke light-heartedly, breaking off a piece and offering it forward between his fingers. “It has bits of chocolate in. I remember you said you liked chocolate once before.”

She at first shuffled back as his fingers approached, a cautious but not as purely terrified expression on her face. She took a wary step forward and took the chunk from Oscar's grip, then stepped back again and sat down. She looked the granola over, her expression lighting up as she noticed there were indeed chocolate pieces inside.

“You remembered? I swear I said it off-handedly…” She looked up at him, feeling a little…flustered over the fact that he had paid enough attention to recall that fact. Not to mention happy; she hadn't had chocolate for a long while— but it was a taste she couldn't easily forget.

Oscar chuckled softly again, raising the bar to his lips.

“Of course I remember. It's something we have in common.” He nodded his head towards her in an almost bow.

Sammy snorted, and began to nibble on the granola. As soon as she took her first bite she realised how hungry she was and had to restrain herself from just scarfing the whole thing down immediately.

While they ate, Oscar noticed the sound of flapping wings before spotting the same tiny man from before, Oliver, entering through a crack in the bottom of the jammed door. He had a bigger bag with him this time, and was dragging an extra bag in through the crack. Once he was through he slung it back over his shoulder and walked further into the open.

“Oh, hey. You're back.” Oscar greeted with a wave, staying seated and silently wondering how heavy those bags would be to him if he was that small…

Sammy had finished her chunk of the granola bar by now and she peaked over the edge of the arm of the sofa, her eyes focusing on her cousin right away.

“Hi…”

Oliver smiled and waved up at the two.

“Hello.” He looked to Oscar specifically next, asking politely. “Could you give me a hand up please?”

Oscar blinked at the direct question. Usually he was asking Sammy if it was okay to pick her up, so being asked the opposite took him off guard for a moment. He snapped out of it a second later, nodding and bending down, offering a palm to lift the borrower up onto the sofa.

Once he had lowered his passenger onto the same arm that Sammy was on, he spoke up again.

“What did you end up fetching..?” He asked curiously, moving his hand away again once the man had stepped off. “Looks heavy.”

Sammy couldn't help but also feel curious. She watched as Oliver opened one of the bags and pulled out some clothes…. Socks, shoes, a coat— warm things. Her eyes widened in realisation.

“These are…mum’s.”

Oliver nodded.

“They’re for you. You'll catch a cold if you don't wear something more appropriate for the weather… It might be a bit baggy, but I brought Auntie's old clothes since I thought you would have better luck fitting into them than my own. I have thread to make it fit better anyway, if changes need to be made.” He explained.

Sammy was hesitant to touch any of it, her hands shaking as she reached towards the clothes. But they…are hers. I might ruin them… After a few more moments of staring, she looked towards Oliver for reassurance, to which he offered an understanding smile and nodded.

“Something well-worn is something loved.” He pointed out. Hesitantly, Sammy slipped on the socks, immediately relieved by the extra layering. She hadn't had socks to wear for a long time. Or anything really, besides the gown she was wearing right now.

Sammy tried on the shoes and put on some shorts. Although the shorts were a bit baggy, they could be tightened by pulling a string which made them fit more comfortably. Looking down at her now clothed legs, it felt…comfortable. Warmer, definitely.

She glanced towards Oscar, only to see that he was looking at his phone, seemingly texting someone, not looking at her. Some of her anxiety faded again.

“And look who else I brought—”

Sammy bristled at Oliver's words, her face reddening as she immediately caught onto what he was referring to. She spotted Oscar looking over from the corner of her vision and she immediately tried to block Oliver from his view when she saw that he was indeed holding a stuffed bunny.

“Ollie..! Put him away..!” She whisper-yelled, already pushing the bunny back down as her face burned with embarrassment. Oliver gave her a knowing look.

“Oh. You want me to take it back to my burrow then?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. Sammy's eyes widened and she snatched it from his hands, not wanting to give it up as much as she also felt embarrassed about Oscar potentially seeing it.

“Is that…a teddy?” She spun around as Oscar's voice rumbled close by, yelping slightly upon noticing he had leaned in to get a look. Her face was still flushed, and she hid it behind her back again, as much as she knew it was already too late. A soft chuckle sounded from above. “Hey hey…nothing wrong with that, Sammy.”

Recognizing her embarrassment, Oscar moved away again, rummaging through his own bag.

“In fact…that makes this conversation much easier.” Sammy watched in surprise when he pulled out a stuffed dog. The redness on her face cooled slightly and her grip on the stuffed bunny loosened, no longer hiding it behind her back. “Meet doggy. I know, not a very creative name…but hey. I named him when I was a baby.”

Her brows furrowed before she averted her gaze, slowly lifting the rabbit and presenting it towards Oscar’s smiling face.

“...Messy… His name is Messy.” She murmured, the heat returning to her cheeks once she actually uttered those words, finding herself unable to look in Oscar's direction for the time being. Her heart was racing in her chest once more.

Oliver watched the interaction with interest, buttoning his bag closed again. He had seen Oscar's gentle nature and he very much approved, feeling more confident about letting Sammy stay in his care for the time being.

He had some important questions he needed answered, but for now he was content to see his cousin alive and happy. He waited a few more moments before clearing his throat to get their attention on him again.

“Now then… what is the danger you're both hiding from?”

[lovelybunn]

human!wally darling w/ u wearing apple scented perfume…

warning(s): reader being a socially awkward loser, flirty wally

author's note: the main reason i clairified that he was human is bc a puppet isnt anatomically allowed to do most of what hes doing here lmao + i love melanated wally 🩷 (lowkey got ooc on last paras, we don't talk about it...)

Wally places gentle strokes against his canvas, his mind and body completely relaxed. Just as he finishes the final touches, he feels a presence behind him. He smiles, “Hello, neighbor.” He swivels around in his stool to face the figure. “Hey Wally! What is that your painting?” He looks over his shoulder back at his work. He shrugs. “No clue. I just paint how I’m feeling.”

He crosses his legs and places his cheek in the palm of his left hand. “What brings you here to visit little ol’ me, neighbor?” His eyes lidded while he bats his long lashes. You grin sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck. “Well... This may be a little random, but I’ve bought this new perfume, and I wanted to hear someone else’s opinion on whether it flattered me or not.”

He purses his lips and tilts his head in bewilderment. “Why did you come to me, specifically? Personally, I would’ve asked Julie, she’s very skilled in these kinds of things.” You nod, “Yeah, but you’re more, how do I say this? … Blunt, then she is.” He laughs in response, a noise almost like a broken record. “Is that so?” He uses two fingers to gesture you to come forward, “Then come here, darling, if you want to know what I think.”

You step closer to Wally and give him your hand. He takes it, observing the delicate lines of your palm before carefully pulling it to his nose. He breathes in deeply, taking in your scent. His face contorts, trying to recognize the fragrance.

With a flash of dopamine, his pupils dilate intensely, the black shadowing over the natural color of his irises. “You smell absolutely astonishing, (Name). This perfume is the absolute most.” He returns your hand, it slowly resting back at your side.

Your eyes avert as your cheeks warm up to a fresh shade of red. It slightly reminds Wally of a bright red apple ripe and plucked right off the tree. “I’m glad you like it so much, Wally.” You stammer; he smiles gently in response.

“I think I’m starting to understand why you asked for my view on this, (Name).” Wally looks straight into your eyes. He has read you like a book. “It’s apple scented. You knew I would love it, neighbor. My reaction got a kick out of you, didn’t it?” His words flow like velvet off his tongue.

You quickly scramble out an apology, “I'm so sorry, It's just that I–” Wally cuts you off by caressing your hand again, this time placing a sweet peck on its surface. “You're adorable, neighbor. If anything, I'm flattered for you wearing this, to get a reaction out of me." He pulls away, his eyes never leaving yours. His smile grows, canines flashing welcomely at you. “I think the way you smell has worked up an appetite in me.”

He hops off his stool and offers you his right arm, “Why not we go and do some apple picking, neighbor?” You take his arm, but pause to glance at his unfinished work. “Sure, but what about your painting?” He shrugs, “Well, I didn't know what it was to start with. It'll be fine.” Wally's expression beams with giddy intent, “Well then, neighbor, let's go! The apples are delicious this time of year.” His head turns to you. “I'm so excited! I hope I find one that tastes as sweet as the perfume you have on smells. I doubt it, though. After all, you are the sweetest apple of my eye, my darling.” Wally playfully winks as the two of you head off to the apple orchard.

[horseimagebarn]

Ok so thanks for the answer vis a vis the centaur situation I appreciate it a lot and I'm not trying to convince you to change your ruling but unfortunately you used the word taxonomy which triggered one of my damn neurodivergences. I hope you don't mind but my response will be to deposite these few paragraphs in your inbox I'm sorry in advance if this comes off as aggressive or condescending or just plain annoying I'm just sensing an opportunity to infodump to someone who might be interested in tbe topic so I'm seizing it I'm sure you know what it's like

Anyway there's a disconnect between pragmatism and scientific rigor that people are blind to which vexes me and biological taxonomy is a particular pet peeve of mine the biggest instance of it is crocodiles and alligators which are really the same damn animal for all intents and purposes but that's not relevant

Naturally when one thinks of horses one thinks of domestic horses specifically (Equus ferus cabellus) but I'd argue that certain pictures of donkeys (Equus africanus) look more like domestic horse pictures than certain pictures of Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewlaskii) despite the latter being classified as the same species and the former not

And I feel that for a horse image barn the resemblence of a picture to an archetypical horse image should be a higher priority criterion for inclusion than some criteria that biological taxonomy relies on like the presence of specific haplotypes which isn't even a word anyone knows and if you go to its Wikipedia article you get a definition of it that's not really relevant to this ask

So yeah in conclusion I wouldn't tie the in/ex-clusion of images to scientific taxonomy but to Vibes if I were the admin of this or a similar blog but I'm not and you are so you can like do whatever

Also I won't be submitting the centaur image I wanted to submit but can I still send it as an ask I like showing it to people spreading it around etc it's kind of cursed but also funny and I like it a lot and I understand why it's not horse enough to your taste but it's definitely horse adjacent and I want to share it

as a fellow animal wikipedia delver i agree that taxonomy is not the end all be all of the human perception of animals however what i meant to imply is that the differences between centaurs and horses are large enough to be considered taxonomical and are not debatable even in a taxonomical sense due to their many massive differences also i have posted przewalskis horses before as they are true horses and this is horseimagebarn not assimagebarn or centaurimagebarn even though i love donkeys just as much and would own a donkey over a horse any day

i did just take my adderall and am bored at work so i have to humbly yet lengthily disagree with you that taxonomy is not important in both cases presented while the crocodilian assumption you make has bruised my heart as i love alligators and i find them far cuter than crocodiles due to the differences in their jaw structure that makes their bottom teeth fit into their mouth instead of jutting out like crocodiles (which is one of the many actual and notable physical differences between them alongside choice of salt or fresh water etc) i wont get into that and will focus on horses since thats the point of this blog using actual punctuation and capitalization for the first time in this blogs history ill be referring to przewalskis horse as takhi as it is also known so i dont make a typo which i know i will

long ass (donkey pun) post warning

Taxonomy can of course be vague at times or muddied, but it is not an invalid study. All human knowledge is constantly evolving, and mistakes are inevitably going to be made, but that does not make our efforts invalid. It is beneficial for us to know how evolution works. Taxonomical differences are real and worth considering, even if mistakes are made sometimes. Two animals looking similar is not a valid reason to ignore their taxonomical differences, nor is it okay to ignore similarities because they look different—if we went by that logic, every dog breed would be a totally different species.

Speaking of, here's a little more on the whole appearance thing before we get into the science:

The other day, I was watching a video about the actual horses that existed in antiquity, and they are far more similar to takhi than you might think. I'll link the video if I can find it, apologies for a lack of a source on this right now, but the gist of it was that horses of yore were much shorter and stouter than modern horses. The tall, thin horse often seen in modern depictions of ancient time is inaccurate, as is the thick, muscular draft, which didn't become common until later on. Back then, people wanted horses that were sturdy—most people didn't care as much about specific breeds or having the hugest and prettiest horse on the block, especially when food to maintain larger animals like modern horses wasn't always guaranteed, and having such a huge animal could be dangerous and more difficult. Their horses were more similar to ponies than our big guys now, and ponies aren't a separate species. The selective breeding of horses to become taller and leaner made them appear way different from the takhi, but just like dogs, they remain extremely similar to those of their taxa despite looking different on the surface. For example, take a look at the ancient fjord horse breed next to the takhi...in fact, sometimes takhis are called Mongolian ponies! We can even see this in ancient art earlier in the horse's domestication:

Anyway, science:

Firstly, the takhi isn't wholly classified as the same exact species as the true horse, our domesticated Equus ferus caballus. Both Equus ferus callabus and Equus ferus przewalskii are considered subspecies of caballines, or true horses, meaning they're more like cousins (I know it's a cliche to say this, but I mean it), with donkeys and zebras as, like, their nephews twice removed. If the takhi was considered the exact same species as the domestic horse with no acknowledged differences, it would be considered a breed of horse, not a subspecies (though breeds are typically manmade, they are not always—see the word "typical" in the dictionary definition). This means that it does have recognized, distinct differences from the standard domesticated horse that have been taken into consideration in their taxonomy—it is not like the two are blindly considered the same exact thing.

Mistakes have been made in Equus taxonomy in the past, but continued research has led to a retaxing of the genus as early as the 1980s. In the 2012 review article "Discordances between morphological systematics and molecular taxonomy in the stem line of equids: A review of the case of taxonomy of genus Equus," by E. Kefena et al., a number of scholars reviewed the methods with which the Equus genus has been taxed in the past and how they have changed in the past few decades.

According to that article, equines are an incredibly plastic genus. They are very good at adapting to their environments, which led past taxonomists to overcount the amount of Equus species that existed in the past and therefore miscategorize the history of the genus in general. Many were actually just adapted versions of the same thing. This is what we see in the horse and takhi—they are similar but have adapted to their different environments and niches.

In 1986, two molecular scientists, George and Ryder, performed the first DNA-based molecular taxonomy on all living equus species, publishing their findings in the article "Mitochondrial DNA evolution in the genus Equus." By mapping equus DNA and constructing a phylogenetic tree, they were able to take a closer look at the actual genetic disparities between equus species.

George and Ryder found that "[In the mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) cleavage map,] the percent sequence difference between E. przewalskii and E. caballus individuals was found to range between 0.27% and 0.41%. ... Overall, the amount of divergence presented here is small and not much greater than the 0.36% divergence reported for mtDNA differences found among the human racial groups (Brown 1980; Cann et al. 1984)."

So, horses and takhis are incredibly similar. Using these findings, they separated equus species into three clades: "One that groups the zebras, a second that groups E. africanus [African wild ass] and E. hemionus [Asiatic wild ass, aka the hemione], and a third that associates the true [caballine] horses E. przewalskii and E. caballus as a unit. However, as stated previously, the E. africanus-E. hemionus clade remains enigmatic."

They later state that "E. hemionus and E. africanus appeared more karyotypically [chromosomally] similar to each other than to other equids," hence why they were considered a clade despite being "enigmatic." Kefena et al. explain this weird enigma further, and, notably, compare it to the takhi: "Next to Przewalskii's horses, hemiones were the first species to be diverged from the stem line of extant equids, suggesting that they might be closely related to caballine horses than to asses, though they are monophyletic with donkeys than with horses. On the basis of these evidences, morphological resemblance between species doesn't guarantee genetic similarity between equid species." This means that asses and horses have distinct genetic differences that far outweigh those between takhi and domestic horses, despite the fact that donkeys and takhi look more similar. The hemione looks very similar to the African wild ass, and it is closer to it genetically, but it is not the same due to the way it evolved—it broke away from the general line earlier than any other ass. The takhi is the same; it diverted earlier than other horses, but remains very genetically similar—more than any other extant Equus species. And, even with the takhi's extra chromosomal pair, George and Ryder also found that they and horses were also very close karotypically, giving them incredible similarities both mtDNA-wise and chromosome-wise. Despite that different chromosome, horses and takhis can successfully interbreed and produce fertile offspring, unlike horses and donkeys.

Kefena et al. "MYBP" stands for "Millions of Years Before Present" Funnily enough, G&R also say, "There has been little to no dispute over the close relationship that exists between E. przewalskii and E. caballus; thus the addition of E. caballus to the E. przewalskii branch should be easily accepted." Which is so weirdly on the nose that I feel compelled to say that it's on page 544 so no one thinks I'm making it up. So, with their genetic similarities, their actually surprisingly similar appearances, and their sequential DNA similarities, the Przewalski's horse and the domesticated horse do belong in the same category when compared to other equines like donkeys and zebras. They're not identical, but they're in the same room of the larger equine house. And, check out the tarpan, Equus ferus ferus, another subspecies of Equus ferus and the most recently extinct of them all, alongside the current Equus ferus species (and a concept of the original Equus ferus pre-domestication by Cameron Clow on Artstation)! They're all friends:

Conclusion

you can send me centaurs if you want i just wont post them