#(and no i won't be taking questions about the logistics of this. you either get it or you don't)

[stolligaseptember]

literally so funny when stoncy all get back together at the end of season 4 again and how both steve and jonathan bring back a new boyfriend in tow

[soobberries]

I want to hear your thoughts on something- ot5! voyeurism. Who do you think would be into it?

I cannot get this image out of my head: one member (bf? fwb? or maybe you're just a groupie(?)) sits behind you, his legs on top of yours to keep your legs wide open. He's got one arm around you to keep you pressed against him, while his free hand is busy stretching you out with his fingers as his four bandmates are stroking their cocks, focused on watching the way your cunt is slick, dripping with your arousal with lust-filled eyes.

One of them will prob whip out his phone and start filming to send it in the gc & rewatch later because they don't want to forget the pretty noises you make, both from your core and your lips, as well as how hot you look with a fucked out expression.

Ofc leads to a very messy sixsome. 👍

LMFAO I am soooo sorry abt the way I wrote this, I am very clearly not a smut writer, but I needed to get this out because my brain is having a meltdown 🥴🫠 accept my sincerest apologies 🤲

POHEW. Not a messy sixome >insert that thirsty emoji since I'm on my laptop and lazy to pull it out<

Please don't apologise for how you wrote this! I'm no true smut write myself so I can't say I'd do a better or worse job hehe~! Either way I'm just excited to share these ideas of course!

Hmm now let me think... I feel as though many of us are to an extent, voyeurs... I mean if you have to just think in simple terms of the consumption of porn and such. Plus if we want to give some level of validation to your scenario, we'd have to assume that they are all voyeurs, so let me discuss the scenario seperately to the general question of who I'd think is into it.

I also mentioned in a different ask that in theory someone can be really into something but in practice, not really. While I won't go into specifics like that other post, realistically, only one of them would be okay with true voyeurism...and i also don't know who it would be... Anyway being too realistic is boring so in a general sense, who's super into it?

I'd say resident weebs Soobin and Huening! Beomgyu closely after. The other two seem more possessive and while they'd be into watching you play with yourself, they don't seem to be into watching someone else play with you, get what I mean?

Now moving on, lets assign who's who in your lovely scenario hehe.

Idk my mind is so set on the person with their fingers being inside you being Taehyun lmao. We all know Taehyun is lowkey beefy so having his muscular arms and legs hold you down? sounds hot. Beomgyu is recording... It could be Kai but I just feel he'd be too focused on watching Taehyun's fingers slipping inside of you, mesmerised by how it seems to disappear so effortlessly, thinking about what it must feel like to have his own fingers inside.

I can't work out the logistics but I'd say it would make most sense to be fwb with Taehyun, and he openly shares your sexual escapades with the other members. And lets say you're friends with all of them to some extent or at least acquainted somehow... You at least have disgustingly obvious sexual tension with two of them (I'm betting on Kai and Beomgyu. Those two are just... intense.) Then of course after hearing about your sexual encounters on the occasion from Taehyun, as well as actually hearing you in the literal sense when Taehyun is fucking the living daylights outta you, the other two can't help but let their minds wonder on occasion. Perhaps one had a lewd dream about and the other secretly masturbated to your sounds one frustrating night lmao.

Either way Taehyun is definitely a little shit, enough to the extent that he'd bask in taunting the other members as well as you by playing with you in front of them.

It's easy to picture him dragging lets say Kai and Soobin (them being the most likely to take part in something like this without their pride getting in the way like Gyu and Yeonjun) to watch you since they were ever so curious. He'd ask you about the ordeal before, and ignoring the awkward glances and scoffs exchanged between you, Kai, and Soobin, unsure about what to do when actually faced with the situation, he'd order you to strip down and get on his lap.

Plus Taehyun manspread>>> ahem, anyway.

Once your situated on his lap, he pulls your legs apart, not really considering how embarrassing the whole thing would be for you, sticking his knees behind yours to secure the position, using his arms to pull you close to his chest, his lips trailing gentle kisses against your neck as he reaches down to rub circles on your clit.

Even if you were embarrassed, with the position and the way it feels to have him touch you, as well as the dazed stares of the other two, you'd be far too gone to really focus in on that feeling.

The other two, both with puzzled expressions, zoning in on your clit initially trying to get a grasp of everything, simultaneously being impressed by how well Taehyun knows your body as well as trying to explain why their pants suddenly feel so fucking tight. Taehyung would tighten one arm around your waist, leaving soft bites on your neck, and whispering all sorts of things to you "Are you extra wet because the others are watching?" "Feels like you're extra sensitive to my touch with an audience. He'd focus on you a lot more than the guys but he won't rule them out in that situation.

He'd probably call out their bulges and call them idiots if they don't plan to take this opportunity to touch themselves. Anyway I'm sure Kai is the first to pull his dick out, absolutely dazed by everything.

Then after some toying, Taehyun gets a second finger in no time,, starting to hit you're favourite spots, causing you to arch into him. Obviously hearing the ruckus the other two would get curious and even if they're taken aback by the site before them: Soobin and Kai touching themselves at the site of you crumbling against Taehyun's fingers, they'd simply lose sense of logic sooner or later, standing by the doorframe feeling themselves get turned on too.

Beomgyu, being first to pop out his camera, Yeonjun being the first to approach you directly kneeling down in front of you, ready to probably eat you out or at least ask Taehyun if he can put his fingers inside you, eager to see if he could also get you to make those same sounds you were just making.

Yeonjun's fingers and mouth busy themselves against you while Taehyun pulls you closer to him while he sucks on your neck and ruts his hips into your back, Beomgyu filming from the doorway as he rubs his bulge with his free hand. Once Soobin sees Yeonjun joining, he wills himself to move forward and attach his lips to your nipple and use his other hand to play with the other. Kai is the only one that remains dazed at the site, happily being satisfied without touching you for now.

I mean your senses at this point... how much will you truly process when there's already three men al up against you, making it their mission to just make you feel good.

it's putting a different meaning to tomorrow x together for sure...

Idk when it happens exactly but once you cum once, Taehyun for sure tells you to move so he can get rid of his pants, and when you stand this is the opportunity that Kai takes to simply come make out with you, maybe he'd take your hand and place it on his dick, hoping you'd help him. Yeonjun is experimenting with you still, basking in the way you squeeze around his fingers, and Soobin is in boob heaven so they're staying busy. Taehyun wouldn't hesitate to pull you back into his lap, shooing Yeonjun away so that he can fuck you like he wants to. Yeonjun doesn't even care much though, he's so fixated on your expressions instead, he may go help Beomgyu out if he's feeling fruity though idk... Beomgyu has been filming but he has to put the phone down at some point to focus purely on getting himself off... Then again when he sees what you look like with Taehyun's cock inside of you, he suddenly has this urge to also want to be inside of you...

Eh... I'm sure they figure out some way to take turns... He may opt to just shove his cock in your mouth though if the position allows for it.

Well as for the rest... I may have to consider actually becoming a smut writer and write the whole thing out hehe!

Thanks for sharing your lovely insights~!^^

[the-lincyclopedia]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Pretending I got tagged by @cricketnationrise!

How many works do you have on ao3?

As of an hour ago: 214. I just recorded a podfic tonight.

What's your total ao3 word count?

494,201. I really hope to pass the half-million mark this year. It won't take much. I just haven't had basically any writing energy lately.

What fandoms do you write for?

These days? The Queen's Thief, when I write fic at all. Historically also Check Please, Carry On/the Simon Snow trilogy, Sherlock, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Yuri on Ice, PJO, Boyfriend Material, Good Omens, and more.

Top five fics by kudos:

Love in the Time of Influenza - Carry On - Snowbaz sickfic

Face the Future with You - Check Please - autistic!Jack x ADHD!Bitty

The Aftermath of Angelic Assumptions - Good Omens - Ineffable Husbands sickfic

Man Oh Man, You're My Best Friend - Check Please - Zimbits fake dating

Nightmares - Carry On - Snowbaz hurt/comfort

Do you respond to comments?

Basically always.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

the only soul who can tell which smiles i'm faking - a Kent-centric ficlet set just after Jack's overdose

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my 200+ fics have happy endings, so I don't really know how to answer that.

Do you get hate on fics?

Not recently, but it was a pretty regular and normal occurrence when I was on FFN in my teens. Once, someone sent me flames on 18 separate chapters of a multi-chapter fic in a two-day period. It sucked. But also, comments with concrit were so, so common for me to receive in my teens that I figured they were a normal and expected part of the fandom experience, and I have so much cognitive dissonance when people say they're not and never have been. I've neither given nor received unsolicited concrit in quite a few years, and I fully understand that they're not part of the culture on AO3, but two of my longest-lasting fandom friendships began with concrit on FFN (once giving, once receiving), and I think "this has never been a normal part of fandom culture" is an overstatement. I also think there's a difference between hate (which I've received several times) and the majority of unsolicited concrit that I've received. Not everything that's rude is hateful.

Do you write smut?

I have written M-rated grinding once and E-rated sex once. Not sure if I'll write either again. I'm pretty darn ace.

Weirdest crossover:

A Little Help - Lizzie Bennet (firmly of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries canon, not the original P&P) meets Eric Bittle at Vidcon and the two of them become close friends.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge. I know of at least three spinoffs of fics of mine, though.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not exactly, but when I'm in a relationship with someone I share fandoms with, the alpha reading/cheer reading/yes-and-ing/etc can blur into co-creation. And honestly I've also had key alpha readers who I haven't dated.

All time favorite ship?

Gosh, I can't pick.

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

My Queen's Thief fic where the characters all study abroad together. I have a detailed outline and a few thousand words, but I've had so little creative energy for the past several months.

What are your writing strengths?

I usually say persistence, but I don't know if I've had as much of that lately. Um . . . clarity, SPAG, and like--I have a really clear memory of what it was like to be younger, and I think that brings life to the stuff I write about college/other parts of life that I've already passed through.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Describing things. I prefer writing dialogue, but I'm also never sure if my characters sound like people. Realism in general is tricky for me--I get too hung up on logistics and then completely fail at writing people with realistic motivations. So lots of stuff.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I almost never do it. I could maybe swing it with Swedish, although one time I tried and got corrected by a Finn (which was welcome and they were right, but it made me wary of trying again).

First fandom you wrote in?

I don't want to answer this publicly because I feel like the story of me getting into fandom/into writing in general is pretty unique, and I might tell it someday with my real name attached if I ever get published. (I just checked, and there are literally zero fics on AO3 for the book I first wrote fic of. The fic that I wrote is not on AO3, since I was ten years old and it was 2006, and I'm very grateful that, although I entered online fandom young, I didn't enter it quite that young.) The first fandom for which I posted fic was probably the wizard one that we're no longer naming. May have been Artemis Fowl or PJO, though.

Favorite fic you've written?

To Every Single Kid I Used to Be - an epistolary fic in which 25-year-old Jack Zimmermann writes letters to his younger self, one letter per year of his life. Featuring autistic!Jack and a whole lot of real details from my own life.

Anyone who wants to play, feel free to say I tagged you, but I'm specifically tagging @doggernaut, @eponymiad, @worldsentwined, @cartograffiti, and @the-knights-who-say-book!

[duhragonball]

Christ, I remember trying to watch NGE last year and falling off a few episodes in because nothing was happening and I found other stuff to binge that was more entertaining. I knew most of the infamous stuff happens in the latter half but how is this show 11 episodes in and still ass? At least now I know why Eva is mostly known for it's ending, there's virtually no beginning and thus far very little middle.

It's not a bad show, but yeah, it's kind of a letdown for me. I've been looking forward to this for a long time now, and it just doesn't seem to be measuring up. Maybe my expectations were unrealistic, but Evangelion always seemed to be this really cool, popular thing, and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

All that being said, let me dial back some of my negativity towards this show. It has its moments, often quiet, subtle touches that I can't really document with screenshots and a text synopsis. For example, when the kids are making their way through the base during the blackout, Asuka needles Shinji the whole time, then tries to do the same to Rei, and Rei completely no-sells it, just refuses to take the bait. She doesn't dispute Asuka's claims to leadership, but she doesn't recognize her authority either. And yet, when Asuka finally comes up with an actual plan to defeat their enemy, Rei agrees to follow her lead. It's not a question of respect or disrespect. She's just waiting for Asuka to cut out the bluster and be sensible.

This show reminds me of other anime TV series I've watched in the past. Noir. Excel Saga. Cowboy Bebop. Tenchi Universe. Tenchi in Tokyo. The Gonzo Hellsing series. Revolutionary Girl Utena. I feel like I'm forgetting something else, but the point is that they all sort of share a similar story structure, maybe because they're all TV series with similar lengths.

A few years back, I learned about cours, a term for a three month period in Japanese television. It's about thirteen weeks, which is why so many anime TV series are aired in multiples of 12 or 13 episodes. Jojo season 1 was 26 episodes, which was used to cover both Parts 1 and 2, which worked out, because Part 1 was a little too short for its own 3-month run, while Part 2 was a little too long. Part 3 was like forty-eight episodes, so that's four cours. Parts 4, 5, and maybe 6 were three cours apiece.

Of course, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is based on a serial manga, but I'm pretty sure shows like the ones I mentioned above were wholly original, or only loosely based on a manga or OAV. Those shows, including NGE are designed to be 13, 26, or 39 episodes long, and the story is plotted accordingly. And they kind of operate the same way, spending a certain number of episodes introducing the characters, then doing a bunch of routine adventures, and then towards the last seven or eight episodes things start to get serious and the really plot-driven stuff happens.

I wouldn't quite call it a formula, but it explains why I keep finding NGE's pacing so familiar, even though I really haven't seen another show like it. I think what everyone remembers so fondly is the heavy stuff, where a lot of the secrets and mysteries get revealed, and all of these characters and relationships that have built up over the series get pushed to their limits. But if I'm right, that probably won't get rolling until Episode 18 or 19.

And if it is a formula, then it clearly works, or they wouldn't keep doing it. I guess that's just the difference between Japanese TV and direct-to-video stuff. I've been spoiled by shows like Hellsing Ultimate, where the episodes were variable-length, and organized for maximum effect, because there were no broadcast schedules or logistical issues to get in the way. I suspect a lot of these shows have a few weak episodes where nothing happens just to fill out the cour. They wrote 18 epsiodes' worth of story, but it has to be padded out to 26.

How you experience a show like NGE probably matters too. If I had seen Evangelion back in 2000, on the Toonami lineup, I probably would have only caught bits and pieces of it, eventually getting curious enough to make a deliberate effort to watch it all the way through and figure out just what was going on. That's how I got into Tenchi. I can imagine some small group of anime nerds getting together to watch NGE three episodes at a time, and if they're still somewhat new to this genre, it would blow them away. Sentimental value counts for a lot, but it's not something I can recapture just by watching it myself. But it's the best I can manage, and whether the show is good or not, at least I'll have the satisfaction of finding out.

[marshmallowprotection]

What do you think GE Saeran and MC's wedding would be like? 🤔❤

The better question is, what wouldn't the wedding be like? Saeran is the kind of person that has always imagined something akin to a fairy tale.

That isn't... an overhanging memory from Ray, though, you may not want to go back in time and find out what Ray would have imagined your wedding to be because of that would be very specific to his fantasy and if you don't think you could ever stomach the fairy tale he had in mind, don't ask him.

But, in the sense of what GE Saeran has imagined... Of course, it's important to say right off the bat that it would be something the two of you do together.

It's not going to be an event where he does anything and everything he wants to do because a wedding is about making a happy event for the union of two people who love each other very much. That means it is very crucial to have input from the people who are entering the marriage!

You're going to have the best ideas, and he is going to want to hear every single one of them no matter how ridiculous it might sound. Anything and everything that you want to implement into the wedding is something that he wants to consider and figure out the logistics for.

Even if it is something as ridiculous as a bouncy house.

Seriously, if you want something like that, just tell him. He's not going to think it's weird because it's supposed to be a monumental occasion for the both of you. You need to celebrate it in whatever way makes you happy.

From big details like what you want your dress to look like, to smaller details like what food you'll be serving or what color the napkins are... Those are things the two of you will be working on for months. He is the one who's got a dream binder of information that he's been looking at for quite some time.

The process of creating and cultivating this particular wedding is going to be months in the making just because he wants to make sure that it's something that will last in your memories forever. Honestly, if you're not interested in a big wedding, he won't be upset.

Frankly, he's considered the two of you together ever since he held you for the first time in the garden. If you would rather have a courthouse ceremony where you exchange rings, that's okay, too. If you want to have a private ceremony with your loved ones, you can do that as well. If you don't want to get married at all, he's okay with that, too.

Okay, now that I've gotten that all out of the way, I can talk about the way that I envision the wedding. So, let's get out the aesthetic that I know everyone already expects. This is about to be a wedding filled to the brim with floral notes. Your bouquet will be crafted by him on the morning of your wedding because he would want to give you the fresh-cut flowers to carry.

Honestly, most of the flowers for the ceremony will be either from his garden and/or from the florist he will be partnering with for the event. There are certain flowers that might be faux just in case people have allergies or needs that need to be thought of before the visual optics can take precedent. So, let me use some photos to show you what I think it will feel like.

Like, if your MC wants a matching tuxedo look? That's perfect. If you prefer a dress, boy howdy, have I got a veil for you. Saeran lovers, I've got you covered.

I think the visuals do a better job of describing what I want to imagine this wedding to be. This is funny because I'm a verbal kind of person when it comes to descriptions, but it's hard for me to describe what exactly I imagine when it comes to this wedding. It's a display of love and passion.

It's flowers, it's springtime, and it's looking at Saeran in what feels like a wave of cherry blossoms as you realize you're about to be united in every way imaginable.

Warm, inviting, and full of love. Your wedding to Saeran is a safe place for everyone to enjoy themselves. Even if the RFA sighs and laughs when the two of you are mushy-gushy, they love to see the two of you so happy and content with life. They're party to the entire wedding, too. Mixed between the two of you are your friends, right by your sides as you spend half an entire each reading your vows.

Yes, I hate to break it to you, but Saeran and MC has vows that last for the longest time. Nobody complains about that, though. Don't worry, somehow Saeyoung's best man speech takes ever longer than that at the reception... listen, he's in tears and happy for his brother, let him have this moment. I wish I could describe this scene better, but I think the only way I could do that is if I write a fic about it one of these days.

[neitherabaron]

You mentioned that you've finished writing Gobelins, and I'm wondering if you're gonna raise money to produce it, or do it out of your own pocket? Either way, I'm very excited to hear it, hope your op goes well!

Thanks for a great question! There's definitely gonna be an Indiegogo fundraiser at some point before I start production, but the scale of that is going to need to depend on what my life is looking like at that time. In other words, when I’m physically able to devote time to the album again, I’m going to have to assess my capacity before deciding the scope of the project.

Basically, there's an "ideal" way I'd like to make Carnaval des Gobelins, with a physical edition, cool merch for backers, guest musicians and liner art commissions. I think it's gonna be the most satisfying experience for listeners and the best move from a "growing my business" point of view - producing that kind of stuff gives me a chance to order excess merch and another little revenue stream, which would take me a little step closer to making this my main job. But, it's also a big project to manage and as much as I want to do it that way, I'm not gonna bet on being physically well enough to do that until things are clearer. I'm pretty dang ill.

Then there are other options - like limiting that stuff to a digital version for Bandcamp and streaming, plus physical CDs that are a bit more pared-down in terms of liner content. And on the other side of the spectrum, there's just producing a digital album, like I did for The Wassailant, which while still a big project would be logistically simpler and would require the least amount of funding.

I'm going to run a fundraiser no matter what the scope ends up being and the reason for that is that I'm handling the production for C des Gs alone, in my studio. I have a great set-up and good technical knowledge nowadays and can make stuff with much higher production values without the spiralling costs of studio and engineer hire. However, to get the album done, I'm going to need to treat it as a part-time job for about a year and so I'm going to have to find a way to help me through that time financially. The reason I was able to finish The Wassailant within a year was because of all the time spent at home during the pandemic! I'm not going to start production until I find a new part-time day job anyway, so I certainly won't be trying to raise the sort of money to depend on! But I probably will be earning less from a day job while I work on the album and I will need a small amount to supplement that/keep for emergencies if something goes wrong for me in that time - so that I don't have to halt production part way through.

So the low-scope, digital-only version would still be a crowd-funded affair, just a fairly low scale one. For the big one with all the cool rewards and awesome CDs and everything, I guess my other mini-worry is I don't actually know whether the funding goals I’d have to set to produce all the awesome extras are actually realistic to what people can afford. I don’t know if I could fund a project at the same level as a Mechanisms album for example, because I don’t have the same reach the band did. But we’re probably looking at something comparable, cost-wise, to The Bifrost Incident (but closer to its goal, not the final amount it was pledged) to produce the “full scope” version. Plus, the last time I ran projected costs for the project was before the cost of living crisis, so I don't know right now whether the CD/merch suppliers' costs will have increased.

I genuinely feel a ton of support and goodwill from people like you who really want to listen and I know there are plenty of you! But also I truly don't want to assume anything from you, so we'll have to see how realistic it is to make the full bells-and-whistles version, financially or in terms of my capacity, nearer the time. The way I'm feeling as I type this is that I may run the Indiegogo with a lower inital goal and just a couple of reward tiers (aiming to fund production and release the digital album and a simpler physical edition) and try to do some of the other stuff like an expanded liner or producing merch (and making merch available at discounted rates to backers who want it) as stretch goals.

Anyway, that is almost definitely a much longer answer than you were looking for, so I'll stop now. I really do appreciate the great ask; having the chance to thing about a proper answer has helped me straighten a few conflicts in my head that were causing me a little worry. Hope you have a great day!

If you've read this far, thanks! Please reblog this if this sort of thing is something you'd be interested in supporting and would like to spread the word. I don't know when I'll be ready to start a campaign, but I want more than anything to get dates for my ops, recover to the extent I can, and do it soon.

[layaart]

hey Laya, sorry to bother you, I know we're kinda new mutuals, but I love all of your book art and had a quick logistics question if you have a minute. I've been looking at selling prints of my book art, but I've heard mixed info on the etiquette/ legality of selling art inspired by books. Can I ask what your system is? Do you usually get permission from the author? thanks for your time either way! stay excellent out there 💛

Hi! yeah no worries! I'll put this under a cut since I have a few random thoughts haha

All fanart has the kind of grey area of technically not being legal to sell but also it's extremely normalised (esp at conventions), and unless you're selling something from a big property that's making significant profit, the most you're going to get is a request to take it down. I've never had that other than like old korrasami art removed from redbubble by the system haha. Most creative professionals (authors in this case) understand that, I think.

For indie/selfpub authors - I probably wouldn't do so without permission, for obvious reasons, though I think many would be happy to let you.

For traditionally published authors - you can ask but won't necessarily get a reply, or it might be something like this (they're not allowed to officially give permission but they love it). Most of the books I'm selling multiple things of I've got permission from the author (or I did one thing, and they shared it + share other people's merch so I assume that's fine). I know some authors do have rules against selling it (Holly Black has a merch store & licensing system for artists or something), but even then I'm pretty sure you can find people selling stuff on etsy for their books.

There's some things I haven't got explicit permission to sell, but like - tbqh most things I'm selling at very low quantities. When I stock prints of a new thing for the first time I usually get 5. (I realise you might be looking at print-on-demand where you don't have to worry about that - but still, assume you won't be selling hundreds for most things haha.)

I have a vague personal rule of if I'm making something specifically to sell as merch to profit off of (sticker designs, bookmarks) It's usually only books by white authors (as I am white), whereas I do art of books by authors of colour purely to promote and show how much I love it, and decide to sell prints after the fact if there's demand - I also donate a bit of my earnings to Black or Indigenous or trans (etc) charities when I sell a bunch from an author with that identity, sort of thing.

The thing is, every now and then I get a glimpse into the other side of the internet where people have entire bookish businesses selling copious amounts of merch of sjm books or whichever extremely popular vaguely problematic book is popular without guilt and I'm like.... if that's the only bookish art and merch around........I think it's good to even out what's available yknow. I mean I do make more art of more popular things to lure people in to my more niche interests haha, but still.

tldr: in my experience most people are cool with it, you're probably fine, just use common sense and you can always adjust as time goes on if you want!

[celiaelise]

I guess I already knew this, but it's always kind of astonishing how little medical providers seem to feel the need to communicate with their patients!

Like, my mom had surgery yesterday, and her doctor hasn't even committed to her getting to stay in the hospital again tonight. Even though she's expressed her desire to do so several times, and to several people, we're still not certain we won't have to take her home today. And it's almost 1pm!

Even disregarding the simple rudeness of that, and the stress the uncertainty could cause for the patient, (which, like. Shouldn't be disregarded.) there's also the logistical issues! Someone else has to take her home, and take care of her! People have jobs, and commitments!! Some people (though luckily neither I nor my brother) have children to take care of!! You can't just expect a whole family to be put on hold indefinitely, and if you DO expect that, you need to clearly communicate that expectation!! (I made sure my schedule was clear for 3 days, but it's the principle.)

And they don't tell her much about her schedule for the day, or anything. The nurses have mostly been very nice and polite, but it's difficult for her to get definitive answers to her questions from them. She hasn't even been told whether it's okay for her to use the shower in her room, even though she's expressed that not having showered is making her uncomfortable. They all act like the decisions are up to someone else, but no one seems to know who the "someone else" is. I mean, I guess it's the doctor, who spent maybe a total of five minutes talking to my mom early this morning. I'm told he mostly said, "we'll have to see how you do", which would be more understandable if he had actually made an appearance since. Like, how are you going to "see how she does" if you haven't even seen her??

I will grant, my mother is very passive and deferential and will not ask follow-up questions, but, like, so are many other people??? That doesn't mean they don't deserve information about their care! And communicating with patients who are reticent to communicate should be a skill and a priority to these providers, not something they can neglect.

Also, she specifically told us before her surgery, "was I nice? I want them to like me so that they are careful with me." She was scared!! They put her under and cut her leg open and apart, and she was nervous about that, and was aware that they would have all the power when it was happening!! She hasn't told anyone here that they're all mispronouncing her last name for the same reason. She doesn't want to ruffle any feathers, because she knows that these people are in a position to, very literally, hurt her if she does.

And, yeah, personally, I don't share these fears. I believe in advocating for myself, and, if I can't trust in my providers' compassion for me or their pride in their own work, I'm willing to put my faith in the power my money has over them, and the power I have to potentially make life more difficult for them in the future. But, like, my mother's not wrong, either!

[llitchilitchi]

I have a few questions about your vampire menace AU, if you don't mind. :V

how long do George and Sapnap have to wait between feedings on Dream? People can only donate blood every 60 days or so in order for the donor to not get sick, after all, and if SNF are constantly feeding on Dream, his bone marrow eventually isn't gonna be able to keep up with the demand to constantly make more blood. Are there magical workarounds or supplements Dream can take so that he won't run out of blood?

how much do SNF have to eat per day in order to stay healthy? Do they only subsist on blood, or can they eat other iron-rich foods like spinach, organ meat, beans, eggs, etc. to supplement their diet so they don't have to consume as much blood?

Are there synthetic blood substitutes to help out the local vampire population, or do vampires try to do what SNF are doing and hire a willing live-in bloodbag or two to snack on when they feel peckish? Can they eat animal blood, or does it HAVE to be human blood?

What does feeding normally feel like for Dream? Do SNF have venom that either numbs the pain, makes him woozy and compliant, or even makes it feel good, or does the man just have crazy high pain tolerance?

I love it when you guys assume I wasn't absolutely braindead when I came up with the concept, it actually makes me think about the logistics of the au /pos

Having a living human to feed on is definitely not the norm. Most people don't do it, they allow vampires to feed on them a few times, maybe if they're romantic partners or close friends it's more frequent than that. Still not a normal everyday thing! (I have a particular romantic relationship that has this arrangement going on that I'd like to introduce later though :) ) What Dream and SNF have going is more of a special case, though it is something that a lot of vampires want, because the main advantage is simply fresh blood tasting better. And if they have a particular human, they know what to expect from the taste! It's like going to your favourite restaurant and ordering your favourite item on the menu.

As for Dream, I'm a lot more liberal than what real science probably allows :D The feedings happen once a week, it's not a lot of blood, and the two vampires sometimes ask for "snacks" during the week. He has to take some supplements because with how much he struggles saying no to George and Sapnap (much like in real life) he's probably very close to anemia.

Now, Sapnap and George are not Entirely reliant on eating human blood all the time. I imagine it as vampires still having a diet close to a real human, except they need to eat enough blood to satiate them. The diet gets a lot more iron heavy, and while it is a cliche at this point, bloodied steaks are enough to make them full And satisfy the thirst for blood (for a short time). To keep up with the blood demand, vampires are integrated into the society enough that there are other ways to obtaining blood than going to night clubs and asking random people to feed on. What I mean is blood pockets. Just full on capri sun but it's filled with blood.

Also I remember reading a scientific study that said something along the lines of coconut milk being near identical to human blood, so I just want you to picture George casually sipping on pina colada on a Sunday morning because Dream needs to study for his finals or something.

Animal blood is an option but most vampires are somewhat put off by it. They wouldn’t eat it on its own, but if it’s integrated into the meals they’re fine. (Is it a thing abroad or are we Slavs just weird and put blood into certain foods, like certain types of sausages?)

As of the feedings, there is Some kind of venom/enzyme in the vampire saliva that helps with numbing the pain some. Not entirely, Dream still feels it, but it’s not as bad as it could be when they are actively gentle with him. I wouldn’t say that it’s something that is particularly pleasurable for Dream, and if either of them (though it’s typically Sapnap)  bite too deep, he does complain about his neck hurting for a few days. Their saliva helps the wounds heal faster though, so they lick the wounds clean once they finish before patching him up.

That or you can just imagine he’s a masochist. I don’t judge

[90s-html-lesbians]

Whoever or whatever God is in this universe probably said "I WILL make a perfect little moron and set them down on this rock to run around and cause mischief. As a treat to myself." So they conjured Ava from nothing and plopped her down on Earth like a hamster. She is God's silliest little Sim.

But on her potentially being born or coming into existence in Minoan Crete, she knows what the original Labyrinth was and where it is today, but she won't go near it. Moreover, she won't let anyone go near it, to the point of traveling to Crete to derail any and all archeological expeditions that tread too close to the truth. Lilith is along for the ride of course, quietly, because by this time she’s learned what questions she should never ask her girlfriend. But she’s never seen Ava this stressed about anything before, save for any time Lil’s life was in danger. And when Bea's questions start getting a little too pointed one day (in that way she gets sometimes), Lil shuts her down, even going so far as to pull her out of the apartment to give Ava space. That night is one of the rare occasions when Ava has a nightmare, and it rattles Bea enough that she never asks again.

Lilith was probably from a one of the groups in the Levant that Rome conquered, the daughter of a king originally destined for a typical princess's life until she impressed her father with her strategic mind and became one of his military advisors. She started learning to fight during this time, taking to it like a natural, but it wouldn't be until after the Romans killed her father and conscripted her into their legions that she would become a living terror with a sword that inspired her fellow soldiers as much as she terrified them. On Ceasar's order, she marches to Gaul, and the distance from the full weight of Roman occupation gives her the space she needs to run. Maybe becoming a vampire is part of that. Maybe she "falls" in battle only to return that same night, a nightmare of fangs and claws that stalks unwary legionnaires through the dark. (Part 1, see part 2 shortly)

only semi related but schrodinger’s box’ ing ava’s origins is lowkey boatloads of fun, personally anyway, especially with how you can just give logistics the bird because you just have a virtual sandbox for a singular aspect if you contradict yourself or something

ava :(. ooo what if present day that’s actually where ava & lilith have been living, and where they met beatrice. beatrice’s family live in greece and were having a family reunion, (also maybe a premature celebrating beatrice going to become a werewolf thing) beatrice either also lives in greece and/or was visiting for the sake of family & the family reunion. beatrice curious about the area because she’s heard that there’s a bit of suspicious activity going around in there, and when she’s turned into a werewolf she finds herself going there because it lives rent free in her head, and at one point when she’s more werewolf yhan anything else, because of her heightened supernatural senss she senses ava ms werewolf catnip (not close at all really probably) but it’s a funnier phrase to say so she kinda invites herself into ava & lilith’s home

the lilith stuff 👀👀👀. Also only semi related but picturing something about lilith is like catnip to religious groups including the more culty and/or zealotous ones, so she’s always getting swept up into religious shenanigans somehow. which means she’s also been involved in soooo many magic & religious what’s the word, rituals

because of it lilith’s magical aura or something is probably immensely ?? confusing and (and also depending on who you are and what kind of supernatural person you are or aren’t, very comfortable or very uncomfortable to varying degrees) because she’s gone through so many rituals and spells and stuff over the years, including improperly done or uncompleted ones, which all ofc kinda fuck with her magical aura a bit

this is making it sound more bad than anything, but honestly most religious groups and people are pratically just like “wow we wanna adopt her” (as what depends and varies pn the groups and/or people) and are vv nice and respectful. lilith unwittingly builds up a whole network of people that she can call in favors anytime because they’re often happy when lilith pops back over/visits

but also that might be how lilith ends up getting wrapped up with adriel, so

[aurelion-cerulean]

Who Dies? S5 Prediction

Short answer: IMO no one. It's serves the story better.

Long Answer:

This is a horror story, thus we need to feel the possibility that characters can die. In previous seasons we had actual character deaths. This is the expectation we have going into S5. People can and will die, because people we loved in the past died.

I am of the honest and simple opinion that the creators are going to take the difficult path and keep everyone alive while acting as if they can die.

This is hard because we will have to fear the possibility that they can die and that their plot armor is gone. We need to believe that mortality is close: fully. To create a tangible and palpable fear for characters who have already had close calls without it making the audience lose interest will be difficult. There needs to be a pay off, and close calls. These close calls need to be a hairs length away, more so than any previous season. This will be really hard. 

IMO killing a character is easier if they want to be scary. The show is ending. The cast is done either way. Killing the characters will destroy the audience, because we care, but it’s easier to let go now that things are ending. I’m not saying it’s easy to kill a character as creator (cuz you care about the characters’ you’ve written, and it will wreck the themes) but I am saying that it is easier than keeping everyone alive and getting us to believe there is no plot armor.

I also personally think no one will die, because the main cast are all tied heavily to the coming of age story that is at the heart of the narrative. Killing a main cast member seems antithesis to the actual message of the show. And there are logistical issues for the story telling. If characters don’t mourn, why? If they do, how long? (there’s way more questions, but those two are the biggest). This would make telling the end of this epic conclusion of a coming of age tale difficult — more so than it already is.

I think that to keep the theme of coming of age at the center, and the loss of youth, no one will die. This is the harder path, because it is a horror, but it makes things easier for wrapping up the stories main narrative and theme. 

Yet.

WHO MIGHT DIE?

Pretty much any and all of the soldiers.

Anyone associated with Dr. Owens.

Dr. Owens

Lt. Col. Sullivan - He's the guy who was chasing down El in S4.

Kali - If she shows up. She will probably die. I also think that they can easily use her if they don’t want to kill the main cast. She’d be a great example of what could happen. We don't care for her character that much but we do know her. We know she has powers, so her death would establish a new baseline of what the group has to overcome.

So that's all side characters. What about mains? IF someone was going to die. WHO?

Going forward it's important to note that this choice matters a ton to the audience and characters. This will not be a simple choice and the characters will have to deal with the ramifications of said deaths.

But if I had to make a choice, this is who I think is on the possible chopping block. (And once again I want to reinforce that this is bad for the general message and themes of the plot so IMO it is highly unlikely.)

Steve

If one main cast member is going to die, it will be Steve. Why? Because we love him. He’s been redeemed. He just gave Nancy his regret list. He is loved by a lot of the characters. He’s always been a protector of the cast. His death would hit HARD. (Poor Dustin tho, because he just lost Eddie.) The other two older teens are safe, IMO which really only leaves Steve.

Everyone has said this like 10000 times already so it's not my idea. And sadly, he has the most death flags out of everyone.

Dustin

Of the young teens, he is the only one I think reasonably can die. Lucas won’t (be frank, they won’t kill their lead POC). Mike and Will can’t. El can’t either, as she’s one of the main three. Max is already in the comma. Suzie wont, cuz she's not even in the city. Erica won't (same reason as Lucas).

Dustin has been the voice of reason and the one who really drove S4’s plot as the center of the plans. His death would shatter everyone: audience and the main cast. He’s such a good kid, and I really think that Dustin is the one character that can unify the town against Vecna. Do I think it’s likely that he will die? No. But if a young teen dies, it’s him. 

Joyce

When it comes to the adults, I think that Joyce has the highest chance of dying for plot purposes. Hopper already died, and came back. Do I think it’s likely for Joyce to die? No. (Plus it really would mess with the coming of age tale for Will), but could it? Possibly, if one of the main adults has to die. She’s pivotal to the plot. She’s an important figure. She’s had a lot of close calls. It’s not likely, like at all.

Murray

IMO Murray won’t die because he just won’t. However. I can see him going out in the blazes of glory. But even then I feel like he’d appear afterwards like, wow that was intense but I’m back now.

El

Didn’t you just say— yes. I did. Okay? I stand by it. She can’t. She’s one of the main three and the coming of age tale holds her at the center just like Will and Mike. However. If one of the main three had to die, it will be El. I know some people will think Will, but because is the main character for S5 I doubt it. I know that we are supposed to begin and end with Will, but I really don't think that means his death. I think that has more to do with themes and the general connection to the underground and it's El who opened up the OG portal.

Do I want this? No. Do I think it serves her story in any way? Heck no. But. El is someone who could possibly sacrifice herself for everyone else (I don’t want that). IMO, there’s no way they could kill her off, but like… Just to cover my bases I guess.

This is not much (and it excludes the random other strangers throughout the show who could die) but it’s what I would expect if anyone were to die, especially of the main cast. 

Feel free to disagree and debate with me, if you like. TBH I have no factual evidence to back up my statements, its all gut feeling (and flags). 

[hasgudagudadoneanythingwrong]

Hey hey, so, this blog's run by the Prisms Collective, a plural system with a bunch of Fate introjects. What that means is explained over in this post, but TL;DR: A bunch of people, one brain, and that includes a bunch of copy/pasted canon-divergent versions of various F/GO Servants, too. How that works is kind of explained over there, but basically it just happens, whether we like it or not. Cool, anyway.

While just existing is pretty great on its own, it's also fun as hell answering questions and just chatting a bunch, so we've put together a handy-dandy guide for you to help ease things along! Give it a read, even if ya don't chat much. Gives a good idea what you're lookin' at here.

Inbox Logistics:

Not every ask will get a sprite comic for it, even if you're lookin' for one. We get a lot of burnout/fatigue, so we're running on an "if we feel like it" basis to keep things afloat currently. These things take up to an hour to make sometimes, so we might just cut it short or answer over text, instead.

Asks might sit in the inbox for a hot minute sometimes, too. Don't worry, we don't forget about any of 'em, we're just running a juggling act between said burnout/fatigue and people not always being too close to front, either. We'll get around to 'em one way or another eventually, though.

Preferences:

While the occasional hypothetical's chill, we're really not a headcanon blog at all. We tend to look at most headcanons like "so true...??" while headcanon requests just kind of feel like there's an expected answer we gotta live up to, regardless of how we might actually respond. Just kinda puts a lot of pressure to live up to canon, when that kind of stifles the whole uh, being our own people thing, ya know?

Otherwise, don't worry 'bout asking any uncomfy questions or anything, we're all super open about basically everything. Full permission to ask all the questions ya want about what our thoughts are on canon stuff, what interests we got, our opinions on each other, if we like your recommendations, what it's like being in a system, literally whatever.

We're all just here to have a good time, so as long as you're chill about stuff, we're chill too.

About us:

We all fall under the name "Prisms Collective," though Az is usually the one running the blog itself. They're the host, and also taken the role of Master for most the Servants here, too. There's other people here too though as a heads up, you just won't see 'em as common.

There's actually not too many Servants here, compared to canon at least. It's pretty much just limited to the GUDAGUDA cast and a few stragglers, and even then we don't quite got everybody. No Mash or daVinky even, it's that small.

Basically, just consider us to basically be a handful of Servants camping out by the boiler room with no regard to literally any plot. Just us, the inbox, and whatever the hell's outside of here I guess. There's some non-Fate and IRL stuff here too on occasion, but not too often besides Az.

While it might be a bit unusual of an arrangement, that's a price we'll pay to be open and honest about shit, so we'll still take it.

In any case, we don't (actually) bite, so hey, stop by, have some fun. No need to worry about appearances here, we're just happy to hang out with whoever stops by a while.

Thanks for the read, -Berserker Nobu

[bookwyrminspiration]

I think that you will be pleased to note that the lady who trained Maui in magic through herself into it so hard that she didn't allow herself time to adjust to the power she was channelling and it ended up nearly killing her and she has been left as someone who /cannot/ heal on her own and with snow white hair because her body has to conserve the pigments and her eyes are now perminantly glowing blood red. She has two personal healers next to her throne whose jobs it is to keep her alive and healthy. She is reckless and bloodthirsty and rules her kingdom with an iron fist and her name is whispered around the land in fear. She was NOT a good influence on the already traumatised and reckless Maui.

Also I'm thinking about more consequences of magic and I'm thinking about the logistics of "Healers need to focus a lot more on chenneling because it's a very intensive process and they need a lot of power, to do this they close their eyes. The most powerful and dedicated healers' eyelids have fused with their face and they can no longer see, only sense objects around them that contain the life force"

And thinking more about that sensing thing, if you are dedicated enough you can learn it, but only really shabbily if you want to keep your sight. So like, you're pushing it if you want to sense trees. If Maui knows how to do this, /theoretically/ he can get around his house. In practice, though, this means he walks straight into anything plastic/metal/rock/dirt without living matter in it. Maui does not know how to do this

-Heathen

Heathen you are incredibly right I am pleased to know this!! Not that she was nearly killed and now needs to have two personal healers dedicated to keeping her alive at all times, but that you went full in on the "magic has consequences" route for your characters!! That part is always so so satisfying to me like yes there are stakes and everything has to be measured in terms of what you're willing to give and if you're not careful it'll end up taking from you instead. It puts magic into the same category as nature as this beautiful yet harsh and unforgiving thing, if that makes sense.

Also loving this Maui lore...how does he feel about this iron-fisted feared woman ruling the land? How did he even end up under her care? Did he enjoy his time there? Was his education sufficient? Does he appreciate and use what he learned or was he being used? I have very little context except that this lady was willing to give her all to him, which indicates a pretty intense bond--positive or negative, I don't know, but it sounds intense. I suppose a lot of this also depends on what kind of ruler she is--why is she feared? Is she good to her people? Is there love within that fear or is it hatred? So many questions....

The concept for the healers sounds fascinating as well, though I'm curious about channeling. Sounds like something with specific connotations in the world you've created so I don't know the extent of what it means, but it sounds important. That'd also introduce another interesting conundrum of injuries and conditions that are assessed based on sight. Bruises and other discoloration, rashes, lacerations, cuts, marks, etc. Because those can be very important medically and yet they would be unable to assess in those ways, either needing to rely on someone less committed to look over those details or relying on some other magical component to treat injuries. There's also the matter of objects that don't contain life force. Because it will only help to an extent, but that won't guide you around inanimate objects or structures...hmm, many ways to go with this one, I like it!!

also just realized that's what you mentioned in the last paragraph (I started responding to the second to last before reading it). I do think the mental image of Maui running into things is funny but simply because I only imagine it happening at full force. There's no caution or hesitation he just goes for it and then boom wall. he goes splat. he does not learn. he does it again.

[hard-core-super-star]

dhsjakak It's okay, no one is perfect ☝️ and I see why! and I also see why that author inspired you to write the first smut here- noooo this can be such a big problem most of the time lmao. there’s still time to do a part 2 of this list then 😶 okay, I wasn't expecting that and it's lovely- I mean, good to know that that's not what's happening then.

I didn't ignore kehskakak I just asked what was that, that's all. buuuuut if you're still interested in knowing, I could give you a number, but I can't think of one high enough to express that. I hope this helps. oh my... you actually admitted something without leaving the sentence unfinished 😲

I will adopt this as my job now 🫡 this IS a cool shirt, okay, I feel honored to have been honored with this shirt. I don't know why but it gives me a bit of a my chemical romance vibes. we can both be stubborn, can't we? 👀

I don't think you'll ever know, but I'll trust the jury to exonerate me. sorry asjsakjwk I was tired- but feel free to call me out if it happens again. waitwaitwait, you completely read it wrong, I said I won't stop finishing sentences haha ​​🤗 we definitely will, but I'll update you if I think of any examples.

LET'S GOOOOO my “I’m finally right” party WILL happen!!

HEYhekwkajska you need to reveal these thoughts, fairies died of curiosity. YOU REALLY BLINKED 😭😭 I'm so proud. well, about getting a good night's sleep, I don't know how to help, so maybe this request for help wasn't of much use- since ocean's 8 is a movie and the others are not, I'll start with it. so I'm worthy of it? 🥺 I am the star but the stars you give me are also stars... it's so confusing. but I'm not???? 🤨

– 🌟

jsdghjlsjda thank you, thank you, i appreciate your understanding. they're all incredible and definitely my inspiration to keep working on my writing. yeah, those smut fics are...out of this world and they certainly got my mind moving toward smut so i was like well...might as well take a stab at this and i ended up really liking it lmao. it really is a problem. idk how i can have a neutral face on all the time except when i'm supposed to. i think a part 2 might be in order, yes. i'm glad to hear you think so even though it's definitely not happening.

mhmm, but in asking you created another question to avoid answering the one i asked. you already know i'm interested in knowing, so i'll accept this, even if there's no number included. it does help a little. yes because i'm not a brat 😶

sounds like a boring job but alright. i absolutely adore this shirt especially 'cause i bought it at their concert which was just such a mind-blowing experience. [somehow even more mindblowing than hearing tegan shout me out...which was officially a year ago, today. wild] honestly, i can see that too but i can't explain why either. we certainly can, little star.

i think you're relying on the jury a little too much, darling. it's fine, it just made me worry if i forgot to add the exception part lmao. oh, i see, now i'm the one who missed a part? good to know you'll keep finishing your sentences then...my darling star.

honestly, i'm tempted to take my words back just for fun but fine, you can have your party. i won't help you figure out those decorations though 😔

i don't think anyone needs to hear those thoughts. damn, you tell me to ask for help and then when i do, i don't get any? smh, what kind of support system is this? then again, i probably shouldn't have requested help from the one who goes to sleep at almost 4am some days. i really hope you like it! it's definitely a top comfort movie for me. i'm still debating...so maybe. it's really not that confusing...i think. you're a little star and i give you more stars as a gift/reward. we don't have to get into the logistics of it because then it really will get confusing.

[casspurrjoybell-29]

Frayed Ties - Chapter 5 - Part 2

*Warning: Adult Content*  

"People do way worse things to slaves than that," Hamish added. "Like... really fucked up things."

"I know," Danya said so quietly it was barely audible.

He wanted to cuddle back up to Simon but he was more uncertain of where they stood with one another than ever.

"I realise this is a lot to take in all at once," Simon said. "All I need from you for now is a promise that you won't tell anybody about this. That wouldn't end well for any of us, including you."

"Of course not, sir," Danya said, wide-eyed. "I know my behaviour has been, ah... erratic but I promise that you have my loyalty. I will not let you down again, sir."

"I don't think you..." Simon made a face, shook his head, and sighed. "Enough with the 'sir' thing, okay? Save it for when we're in public."

"Sorry."

"Or when you want to annoy him by using it sarcastically," Hamish added. "He loves that."

Danya offered him a meek smile.

"I'll remember that, sir."

Hamish grinned.

"That's my boy."

"Anyway," Simon said pointedly. "Slavery. We're... not so fond."

Hamish made a quiet sound in the back of his throat, like that was an understatement.

"I've always found the whole thing a bit uncomfortable, I suppose, but it wasn't until I joined the military that I realised the things that went on were much worse than simply using people for unpaid labour," Simon continued. "So now that I have the opportunity to lead my own unit, I'm trying to put together a group of people who see the issue the same way I do."

"Which is hard as fuck when openly expressing those kinds of ideas is treason," Hamish added.

Simon inclined his head in agreement.

"We were going to say that nobody in the unit was allowed to have slaves with them for practical purposes to explain why it might look like we're selecting against slave owners. Now that I have you, that doesn't really work anymore. That was the problem we were discussing."

"Which is just a dumb logistical thing, really," Hamish said. "I think I figured out a way to make things work, anyway. Simon, do you know Liam Roy?"

"Yes..." Simon said cautiously.

"He has a slave. If we bring him on board, it won't look like we're selecting against slave owners."

"I'm not sure he and I would see eye to eye on things."

"I've heard some things. I'll look into it," Hamish said.

"Fine. Anyway, Danya, I think it's time we heard the full story of what happened with this vampire."

Danya winced.

He had been hoping they had forgotten about that, as unlikely as that seemed.

He took a steadying breath and started in on the story.

He told them what had happened, including some parts that he perhaps oughtn't have, that he was able to feel the vampire with his mind and that the mage-light he'd used to weaken her had been a bit more powerful than an average Companion could have managed.

They didn't seem to think anything of either of those things.

He got the impression that they weren't particularly familiar with the rules around Companion classification, nor how strict they were.

"If you need to write a report about what happened, it might be better if, ah... well, if you don't mind lying..."

Simon raised his eyebrows in question.

"Sir... Simon.... I took your knife from you and used it to kill. It won't matter that the thing I killed was a vampire or that doing so likely saved all of our lives. It would perhaps be better if you told people that you woke up as the vampire was attacking me and managed to surprise it."

"You deserve the credit for such a damn fine kill but..." Simon shrugged. "You're right that nobody else is likely to appreciate it. Still... I want you to know that we do. You did save our lives. We owe you for that."

"Yeah, kid. We'll happily lie our asses off to keep you safe, but it sucks that we have to," Hamish added. "Anyone else would get a medal for pulling off what you did."

"Oh, fuck, I hope they don't try to give me a medal for this," Simon said, making a face. "I'll have to work on making it sound as unimpressive as possible."

"I mean, we did both manage to let ourselves get drugged, so I don't there there's much risk of anybody being too wildly impressed."

"I can't argue with that. The completely honest version of this story is so shameful that I should be glad I won't have to tell it to anyone who has the power to demote me. I thought I had not trusting people down to an art but here we are."

Hamish gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Sometimes a weird mayor drugs you and tries to feed you to a vampire and there's just nothing you can do about it."

"Joining the military was a mistake."

"Well, at least it was your own stupid decision," Hamish said with a significant look in Danya's direction.

"Hmm." Simon's gaze swept over Danya and his frown deepened. "You're a mess."

Danya made a face and tried to brush some dirt off of his robe but there was no salvaging it.

He was indeed a mess.

"Sorry. Normally I would use magic to clean myself but..."

"Well, fortunately us humans have invented our own primitive ways to clean ourselves. Come here."

As Danya crawled over to sit in front of him, Simon got a clean rag out of his bag and dampened it with water from his canteen.

He tilted Danya's chin up with a gentle tap of one calloused finger and then began carefully dabbing away the blood that had dried all over Danya's neck.

Danya was grateful for his robe.

Sitting with his knees up, it was easy to hide exactly what kind of effect Simon's touch was having on him.

Danya inhaled sharply as Simon's finger brushed his jaw and Simon murmured an apology, thinking he'd hurt him.

Hamish caught Danya's eye and gave him a knowing grin as he packed up the camp.

He wasn't fooled.

The mood sobered as Simon moved on to Danya's wrist.

He spent a moment just holding Danya's arm, examining the cuts.

"Suicide may not have been your intent but doing this... you could have killed yourself, you know?"

Danya dipped his head and didn't respond.

He did know.

He hadn't thought it mattered much at the time.

Simon sighed and started wiping the blood off.

"Anyway, you'll need to keep this bandaged until it heals. Just about anyone in a military camp could tell at a glance that a vampire didn't do this."

"And if anyone does see it, just pretend it's part of some weird fetish Simon has," Hamish cut in. "Because somehow that's fine."

"Oh, brilliant. My reputation will be in tatters but that'll probably be a good thing because at least nobody will suspect I have any sympathy for slaves. Which would, of course, be unforgivable."

"I'll be careful," Danya murmured as Simon started bandaging his wrist.

"Good."

Simon pinned the end of the bandage in place.

"We'd best get going, then. The direction we're headed in is much safer, but I'd like to avoid another night under the stars all the same. You never really know what might be out there."

"Pfft," Hamish said as he led Simon's horse over. "I joined the military hoping to find out and so far the answer's been vampires and jack shit. Boring."

"Oh, shut up. You already told him why you really joined the military."

"I can have more than one motivation for doing something. I'm a complex person, Simon."

"No you're not."

Hamish shook his head.

"You're so hurtful."

"Anyway," Simon said as he pushed himself to his feet. "There's a reason we stick to well travelled paths. All that, out there..." he gazed towards the mountains, away from the road. "That belongs to the Fae. I don't really know what that means and I don't think I want to find out."

"Because you're boring," Hamish said as he handed the reins over. "We're probably going to die young one way or another. Sounds like a fun way to go."

"I'd rather die doing something that actually matters."

Hamish let out a bark of laughter.

"Well, you let me know when you find something like that."

"I would..." Danya's throat closed up when both pairs of eyes were suddenly on him. He swallowed and made himself keep going. "I would rather not die."

Simon gave him a kind smile.

"Then I suppose I shall have to live too. Hamish, help me get him up on the horse."

[roman-cates]

Bryce snorts a little, and the right corner of his mouth quirks up.

"That's fair. I really meant logistical questions about tomorrow, but I guess maybe you wouldn't believe those answers either."

"The reason Mal wants you there is that Jordan apparently wants to see you. I have no idea what she's told them about your current situation, but I have to imagine she'll prep them in some for your injuries. Knowing Mallory, I'm also sure you won't get a seat at the table. I think I have some room to maneuver on where you do sit." He pauses. "You won't like my ideas, so I'm open for yours."

Previous

Roman tries his best not to cry. He tries to make himself believe that everything will be okay, but he can't... He doesn't have any ideas. And he's afraid he'll say something stupid without knowing.

He takes a few moments to maintain what little composure he has. No, he doesn't trust Bryce, but he trusts him more than Mal or J. Or anyone else who will be at this dinner.

"... I just want to be som-somewhere close to you, sir."