#I have to figure out what to do with all of this knowledge

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is:  @wynnyfryd! Wynnyfryd has 34 fics in the Stranger Things fandom and all of them are in the Steddie tag!

i don’t know, you figure it out

Plot Holes

biting you biting you biting you- oh! kissing you!

Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!

She's got some of the FUNNIEST writing in this fandom, and it's very snappy too like. She's an editing demon for sure, she can take a concept that I'd think would take paragraphs to explain and find the right words to make it hit just as hard with like, two sentences. I also really really love how descriptive her metaphors are, really visceral sometimes, and she's really good at writing realistic life events but still making them fun to read about even when it's about like, devastating shit. The sex she writes is also intense as hell! -- @griefabyss69

Below the cut, @wynnyfryd answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

I am but a humble bisexual — I see two beautiful brown-eyed men makin’ beautiful brown eyes at each other, I go a little insane for two years. It is what it is.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

late-night moments of quiet hopeful hesitant intimacy over a shared joint or cigarette. Thin wisp of smoke between them, stars dancing in their eyes. Yeah. YEAHHHHHHH 

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

This isn’t really a trope so much as a dynamic, but I love a good dipshit 4 dingus dialogue-heavy scene. Don’t get me wrong, I think Eddie and Steve can both be very smart and knowledgeable in their areas of interest/expertise, but these are two young dudes with no access to the internet. I love letting them be confidently incorrect dumbasses. Just ‘yes and’-ing each other’s stupidity while an exasperated third character begs for mercy.

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

Well, this question is impossible and furthermore rude. This question came into my home and didn’t take its muddy boots off. This question never mailed me a thank you letter for my lovely wedding gift. That blender was expensive; the absolute nerve. No but seriously, I think The Lathe by palmviolet is going to stay with me forever.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

I’m a big fan of doing canon divergence from different jumping off points — the beauty of having characters live in the same small town their whole lives is that you get so many great opportunities for these “what if our paths crossed sooner” moments.  I have some very loose notes for a S3 fic where Eddie is the movie theater employee who finds Steve and Robin in the bathroom after they escape the Russians, and I also have an old WIP set between S1 and S2 where lifeguard Steve rescues Eddie and then spends the summer teaching him how to swim. Would love to revisit those after I finish the trailer park AU (which I will be referring to as TPAU because my fingers are tired and because ‘toilet paper au’ makes me laugh.)

What is your writing process like?

Uhhhhh. 😂 I mean, for TPAU, basically just insert the scene from Dune 2 of Paul’s first sandworm ride: I’m shaking I’m sweating there is sand in my nostrils and I am surely about to die— oh wait, maybe I’ve actually got this? Am I actually doing it? Oh shit, look at me go!   For one-shots I like to use a more structured outline and bracket method. I start by dividing my doc into numbered scenes, with each scene getting a notes section and a prose section, like this:

This format gives me a lot of freedom to switch up the order of scenes and to move between scenes so I avoid writer’s block. I can also jump ahead to scenes I really want to write without making a mess of my outline. Once I have something written in the prose section of each scene, I go back and work on replacing each bracket with prose until there are no brackets left. Lastly, I create a new blank doc and copy the prose over in order so I can read the full fic and work on edits from there.  

Do you have any writing quirks?

I have been known to abuse a semicolon. And an em dash. And a conjunction at the start of a sentence. Yes, I do have ADHD.   I’m also a lyricist, so I feel like my prose tends to stray into poetry territory pretty often.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

When I’m finished! Which is probably why I tend to stick to one-shots; I get impatient and want to post stuff the second it’s ready.

Which fic are you most proud of?

‘i don’t know, you figure it out’ for SURE. I’ve never written a fic this long or stuck to a writing project this consistently in my life. Like ever. The last time I even came close was my first NaNoWriMo when I was 16, which was, uh… years ago, plural, and I’ll leave it at that. 😂

How did you get the idea for i don’t know, you figure it out?

“There’s a dead rat on his doorstep.” That’s it. That first sentence/scene popped into my head while I was bored at work, and then I started thinking, “hey, you know what? I don’t know that anyone’s ever done a fic where Max and Steve trade places for S4; that might be fun.”  And then NaNoWriMo was coming up, so I thought it would be cool to try live posting a fully improvised fic every day for a month to see how many words I could write. And then this tragic wet cat version of Steve Harrington grabbed me by the throat and took over my whole life.

When writing Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!, what was something you didn’t expect?

How SAPPY these two got!! My god, boys, I’m trying to write smut over here, stop having a beautiful existential crisis! (I blame Briston Maroney for that though lol, I think I listened to ‘Body’ like 1400 times that month.)

What inspired Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!?

@inklessletter posted this totally gorgeous art of Steve and Eddie recording themselves kissing, and I promptly lost my mind.  

What was your favorite part to write from biting you biting you biting you- oh! kissing you!?

This exchange: Steve: “What? I’m just asking!” Robin: “You’re being embarrassing!” Steve: “No, you’re just embarrassed. There’s a difference.” Like it’s just so them lmao

How do/did you feel writing i don’t know, you figure it out?

You know when you set out on a long hike in the summer and three hours later your calves are screaming and you’re covered in sweat and your sunburn’s starting to itch and this one horse fly won’t fuck off and your cell phone doesn’t even get service out here so literally WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF, and then you climb that last hill and look out on the most beautiful landscape you’ve ever seen in your silly little life? Basically that.

What was the most difficult part of writing Plot Holes?

Ooh, that one was fun! The only real difficulty was trying to keep it to a microfic because the concept could definitely be fleshed out to a full story — @griefabyss69 and I were joking around about “what if someone did ‘plot hole’ for the @steddiemicrofic prompt fill?” and then that fic just fell out of my head in about 15 minutes. 

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

For sure! I’m currently super proud of the graveyard scene in the most recent update of TPAU — I don’t write true horror often, but I love horror so it was really fun to give it a try! Favorite line from any fic is probably this reference to ‘You’re Divine’ in my fic Monsoon Season because I love uncomfortably-aroused prude Eddie, and his internal monologue cracks me up every time I think about it: Freddie Monsoon’s debut novel is called The Fourth Chime, and it is, as far as Eddie can tell, the first installment in a series of unapologetically filthy fuck fests about a man whose lover gets flung into an alternate dimension during an apocalyptic event and miraculously returns as some sort of… sexy bat-boy with a fucking horse dong and a bite kink. Critics are calling it “the most romantic novel of the last decade.” It’s me; I’m Critics.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

My main project right now is finishing TPAU if it kills me, but beyond that, I have a few one-shots for @subeddieweek in the works, including a collab with @griefabyss69 that I’m so so SO excited to share. It’s hot, it’s funny, I can’t wait for y’all to read it. 

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

First of all, as @wormdebut would say: I think you’re pretty. Thank you so much for all your hard work! I love this blog, and I love answering questions <3 Secondly: - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. - Toss cubed sweet potatoes and parsnips, sliced sweet onion, and fresh garlic in a mix of olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, and then spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  - Bake for ~40-45 minutes. (Potatoes and parsnips should be soft without being mushy when you poke them with a fork.) - Prep your sauce: I made a dijon drizzle situation by mixing olive oil mayo, a dash of dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a splash of water, but you could also add a little dab of hot sauce, bbq sauce, or different mustards. Basically just grab like four condiments out of your fridge and play around with the flavors you like until you make a mix that’s thin enough to pour. - Drizzle roasted veggies with sauce. - Enjoy a very tasty side dish (or do what I did and eat the whole sheet as a meal like some sort of parsnip goblin because you were too lazy to make the main dish after chopping all those veggies) okay thank you love you byeeeee

Thank you to our author, @wynnyfryd, and our nominator, @griefabyss69! See more of Wynnyfryd's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[wyrmswears]

In the Libber super hell au how does Kai find out that libber is jays mom 

It’s canon that this fact is not common knowledge so is it just that In this au Jay told the others and they believed him even though he didn’t have proof.

And if Kai didn’t already know I’m wondering what happened for that to be brought up in a conversation 

Did libber do something that reminded him of Jay and he pointed it out 

Or did libber assume that the current lighting ninja was her kid and asked Kai about him

It just that Something like that seems like a sensitive topic I cant imagine it would be something she talks about casually

you are correct in assuming that jay hasn't told the others in this au! only nya, pixal, and zane know; nya knows from skybound and zane and pixal know from the ending of prime empire. jay doesn't actually mean to keep it a secret, he just forgot that the others don't know in this timeline and nya, zane, and pixal all assume it's a sensitive topic and so they don't bring it up.

once libber realises that kai is a part of the ninja, she assumes that kai knows her son as she can successfully predict that he would've been recruited by wu too if ray and maya's kid was. particularly since they're both elements of creation. in her years in superhell (sorry im going to keep calling the netherspace that), she's spent countless hours imagining the kind of person her son might grow up to be, hoping that he would be ok without her, and now she finally has the chance to get some answers and closure. she's not exactly going to pass the opportunity up.

for a moment, kai can't figure out who she's talking about since none of his teammates have a missing mother to his knowledge, and he only makes the connection that it's jay when libber prompts him about lightning powers. the following emotions are shock, then confusion, then embarrassment at every time he's labelled jay as the token guy-with-no-family-trauma (a title that jay was fine with accepting). after that, i do believe that he might hold a little anger on behalf of his brother, wanting libber to justify her abandoning jay and wondering why jay's biological father, who very much wasn't in superhell, wasn't there for him either.

kai possibly also uses libber to displace some of the emotions he felt about his own parents' return that he wasn't able to properly express at the time with wu's disappearance and the expectation that he would be joyful that they're back. this puts a slight strain on their dynamic at first, but libber quickly gains his trust.

[girlmartok]

post canon ds9 fic i won't write for real, in bullet points:

story starts with jake sisko, pondering and writing. he got a commission from some federation news service to do a fluff piece on "the soul of the klingon people" now that the war is over and they have a new chancellor, essentially a "look federation people, klingons are still chill. maybe chiller, even. so everybody be cool" deal (i'm imagining they have to do an article like this for every group of aliens that were a major combatant in the war) but jake takes it seriously and refuses to phone it in.

first he goes to alexander, who's visiting the station while between KDF assignments or something idk. but he says look buddy i wanna know what's up with klingons, you get me? alexander does not get him and also would like to know what's up with klingons, so he says hell yeah human friend let's figure this out.

then it becomes a series of vignettes of these two kind of out of touch young people learning about the klingon spirit and also themselves as they seek out someone who can tell them the secrets of life and honor etc etc. jake has a warped sense of normal from growing up on ds9 and alexander has never felt right in solely klingon or human spaces, so they have some gaps in their knowledge to fill.

i'm thinking they start with worf and martok, who are busy on qo'nos building their credibility and new government. worf isn't great at talking about feelings and martok's being pulled in a lot of different directions, so they're not much help. hanging around on qo'nos is interesting, but ultimately not what jake and alexander are looking for either.

then they start thinking outside the box. order isn't important but they start hitting up all relevant klingons and klingon adjacent folk: darok, sirella, ezri, nikolai, kurn, maybe a duras sisters cameo for equal representation of shitty klingons.

last we saw of kurn of course he had lost his memory but since this is my fic i'm not writing i'm gonna say bashir's not as great at brain reconfiguration as he thinks he is and it didn't take fully. so he's a little confused but getting the hang of it. a lot of "which one of you is my nephew again? i can't tell humans apart" kind of deal even though alexander is 3/4 klingon. he tells them what he's re-learned about klingons since he's been rebuilding his own identity.

nikolai also was essentially exiled but it's fine. he's got a gaggle of kids now and alexander and jake have to do the fake forehead thing to blend in while they talk to him. nikolai's got a lot of insight into worf as a brother but not much on klingons as a whole. alexander brings him some pierogi helena made.

alexander: "wow my foster uncle's wife looks a lot like your stepmom, isn't that funny?" jake: "nah i don't see the resemblance"

maybe at this point nog joins them because he's having his own identity crisis as the only ferengi in starfleet so he decides to just hop on board for jake and alexander's identity crisis.

they go see jeremy aster too, the kid from tng who became worf's brother through a whole thing, and he's got a pretty interesting view of klingons and the klingon spirit from an outsider/insider perspective.

sirella and darok are probably the least helpful but i think sirella baby-ing alexander would be fun. they're both trying to deny it and deny how much they like the attention (sirella at having a new-ish nephew-ish and one who wasn't raised klingon so she can do all the classic klingon things with him fresh, and alexander at having a(nother) mother figure to love him). jake is studiously taking notes in the corner while sirella tries to teach him how to skin a fresh kill or something like that.

anyway this whole journey ends with them finding kahless 2 (the clone of kahless) whose only occupation is thinking about the klingon spirit. but his wisdom boils down to "everyone's different and everyone has to figure shit out on their own, but together we can strive to be greater than yesterday" etc etc and jake gets his article. alexander reaffirms his grasp on his cultural identity and also gets to see a lot of his family so he's reminded that he's loved, even if everyone is doing their own thing. and nog develops a huge crush on sirella. everybody's happy.

[seungkw1]

maestro — ljh // chapter 1

⛧ pairing: lee jihoon x afab!reader (reader uses she/her pronouns) ⛧ theme: fantasy, suggestive (18+ smut in future chapters) ⛧ chapter wc: 2.7k ⛧ warnings: minor knife violence ⛧ a/n: when i tell u that lee jihoon wrecked me sooooo bad this comeback !!!! the maestro mv was fully giving villain!woozi and my brain took that and absolutely ran with it. also, this is my first chapter fic!! much more to come, stay tuned <3

Your knowledge of the enemy is minimal, but what is known for certain is this: the Maestro is a dark and powerful sorcerer that is not to be trifled with - and you’ve just walked right into his trap.

You fucked up.

Your task was simple enough: sneak into the palace, steal the ring, and get the hell out. You’ve done countless jobs like this over the years - you're a professional for fuck’s sake. Sure, this gig was a bit more high-profile than usual, but nothing you couldn't handle. 

Yet somehow, they caught you. 

You rack your brain for a clue - something, anything, to indicate what went wrong. But you come up blank. Everything had gone according to plan (up until you found yourself surrounded by imperial guards with a knife at your throat, anyway), not a single detail overlooked. Something is off here, your instinct tells you. 

Here you are now, being forcefully escorted through the palace’s underlevels by a squad of imperial goons. The head goon hauls you through the dim hallways, his grip on your arm painfully tight, knife drawn and at the ready in case you were to try something foolish. A dark mask covers his lower face, so he's hard to get a read on, but you can tell he’s nothing more than a large, brainless oaf. You’ve single-handedly outwitted enemies like him in the past - but here, you are far too outnumbered. For the time being, you comply. 

You arrive at a large steel door, adorned only by a small barred window in its middle. With a rough shove the guard pushes you into the cell - you fall to the ground, your palms striking the cold stone floor. The hinges let out a horrid creaking sound before the door slams shut with a loud CLANG. You hear the clunking of a heavy chain, then the click of a padlock. Footsteps fade away as the imperial squad retreats - then, silence. You are all alone, trapped, imprisoned in this musty cell, somewhere in the depths of the Maestro’s palace. 

You sit on the hard ground, alone with your thoughts. The more you think about it, the only explanation is that this was a setup. But the Agency’s entire job is to sift through lies and misinformation; if this was a trap, there must be something larger at play - something elaborate, sinister. 

Unfortunately for you, you have nothing but time to try and piece together this puzzle. You lean your head against the stone wall, trying to figure out how the fuck you're gonna get yourself out of this mess. 

The absence of natural light leaves you with no way of telling time. The silence grows eerie. Your mind wanders, imagination soon running wild. You’ve heard of people who lose their minds within days of solitary confinement. Will that happen to me?, you can’t help but wonder. How long will I be here? Are they going to bring me food, or am I doomed to die of starvation? How did I even end up here? What are they planning to do with me? What if they forget about me? What if…

Your mind grows weary. You decide to lay down - no use in staying awake and overthinking. You rest your head on the gravelly floor - it’s uncomfortable, but your eyelids soon become heavy. You drift in and out of consciousness, strange visions and voices floating through your mind. Before long, you are asleep.

You’re running. You don’t know where to, but you are running through winding, endless corridors. Running from… something. You don’t know what. The sound of your racing heartbeat pounds in your ears, surpassed only by the heaving pants of your labored breathing. The neverending halls begin to expand around you - they grow larger and larger, disorienting your sense of perception. From behind, unsettling noises draw nearer and nearer: screeching echoes, thunderous crashes, wicked laughter. You run, but it’s not fast enough. The horrid sounds infiltrate your mind, reverberating through your skull so loudly you feel as if your head is about to explode. Suddenly, through blurred vision you see the hallway’s end; at it stands a cloaked figure, facing away from you. You can’t see anything else of the entity, but you sense the dark energy that surrounds it. Dread wells in the pit of your stomach, filling you with terror - but, for some reason, you are drawn to the malevolent being. Their presence is magnetic, alluring - frightening, but seductive. You press on - you don’t know why, but you must get to them. Your legs feel as if they’ve turned to lead - each footstep slowing you down further. You’re almost there, almost, almost… finally - the figure is within arm’s reach. In excruciating slow motion, you extend your hand toward them. Your fingertips graze the black cloak, its woven texture coarse against your skin. Your hand glides over the thick fabric - you close your grip around their shoulder, forcefully turning them around to face you. You lift your gaze to look at their face-

BANG.

You jolt awake in a panic. Disoriented, heart pounding, it takes you a moment to realize you’re still in the cold, dark prison cell. Faint light enters the room through the now-open doorway. Standing in it is a tall, thin man - you can barely make out his face, but his presence is unsettling. He peers down at you, his piercing eyes practically boring a hole into your head. 

“Come with me,” is all he says. 

You blink dully a few times, still not fully lucid. You try to process what all is happening, but your dream (nightmare?) weighs heavily at the forefront of your mind. The odious man quickly becomes irritated.

“GET UP!” he bellows at you.

You rise, stumbling to your feet. Two guards enter from behind him, swiftly seizing hold of your arms and yanking you out of the cell. They halt in front of the man. An unpleasant scowl seems permanently engraved on his face. He smirks at you.

“Well aren’t you pretty.”

You spit on the ground in front of his feet. The man glares at you with vitriol. He draws a short sword from the depths of his cloak, pointing it at your face. He traces the razor-sharp tip lightly across your cheek.

“Act like that again,” he sneers. With a quick flick of the wrist he delivers a small slash into your cheekbone. You barely flinch.

“And I’ll carve some very permanent scars into that pretty little face of yours.”

You stare at him, but say nothing. With a huff he turns, sauntering off into the hallway.

“Come along now. The Maestro wants to see you.”

—

The first thing you notice upon entering the chamber is the hundreds of candles set alight, illuminating the otherwise unlit space. The second is the hooded figure seated upon the throne at the room’s distant end, reclining arrogantly - watching you intensely. 

You hadn’t seen their face, but you know: it is the figure from your dream.

The guards stand you before the Maestro. You still can’t see their face. The thin man who summoned you steps forward, giving a small bow to his master.

“The thief, Your Majesty.”

The Maestro leans forward. Their face, previously shadowed, becomes illuminated in the candlelight: you see a man, much younger than anticipated - and strikingly beautiful. His eyes, adorned with dark makeup, peer up and down your body, studying you. He rises, nonchalantly descending the few steps before him; the clacking of his boots against the dark marble echoes through the otherwise silent chamber. He strolls toward you, maintaining eye contact, coming to a stop within mere inches of you. Slowly he removes his hood, revealing a head of long pale tresses. Up close, he is even more stunning. 

The man lifts his hand, delicately taking your chin between his thumb and forefinger. He tilts your head, observing the cut on your cheek.

“I told you to bring me the prisoner unharmed,” he scolds his servant. His gaze doesn’t stray from your face.

The subordinate’s face drops. “Apologies, my liege,” he responds hesitantly. “I-”

“Leave.”

He says nothing else. The servant’s eyes darken with fear. “My liege-”

The man before you motions to the guards. “Take him away.”

The guards seize the man, dragging him from the chamber in silence. The door closes with a heavy thud. You are now alone with the enemy. 

Your existing knowledge of the mysterious individual known as the Maestro is minimal - you have a fairly high level of clearance within the Agency, but even there the details are sparse. Rumors abound, but what is known for certain is this: the Maestro is a dark and powerful sorcerer, and is not to be trifled with.

You watch the man before you intently as he turns on his heels, meandering casually across the room, hands behind his back. Undoubtedly, his presence is intimidating; but admittedly he does not seem to be nearly the loathsome monster you’ve been led to believe he is. Regardless, you will not be letting your guard down. 

“My apologies for the poor treatment you have received thus far,” the man starts as he resumes his seat upon the large, ornate chair. A bowl of deep-purple grapes sits on the table beside him; he reclines again, reaching for the supple fruits. He plucks a particularly round grape from its stem, drawing it to his lips - he places it upon his tongue, holding it there momentarily before biting down, its juicy flesh bursting within his mouth. He chews, his eyes fixated upon you. He swallows before continuing.

“I had to ensure you were who I thought you were, and not some irrelevant member of the Agency.”

You grimace, displeased to learn that your suspicions were correct. He did know about the mission, and presumably the Agency’s agenda too. If that’s the case, then how much else does he know…

You’re itching to ask him who exactly he thinks you are, but you hold your tongue. You know better than to engage with the enemy unless absolutely necessary.

“But now that I am certain, I assure you you will receive nothing but the finest accommodations.” 

You say nothing. He eats another grape. You’ve been staring for far too long when you realize his plush lips seem to have you in a trance; you quickly return to glaring at him.

A few moments of silence pass. The intense eye contact he sustains stirs up a sensation within you - not fear, not worry, but rather… intrigue. You know the man is dangerous, yet here you are - simply captivated by him. You silently curse yourself for allowing emotion to infiltrate your mind like this. You’re smarter than this. Get your shit together.

“Refusing to speak, I see. Very well then. But aren’t you curious?” He leans forward, taunting you. “You know I hold the answers you seek, y/n.”

Your stomach drops. He just called you by your real name. Members of the Agency are exclusively referred to by their code names - even amongst colleagues, true identities remain concealed. How does he…

Your face remains stoic, indifferent, but he smirks. He can read you like an open book, and he knows you know it. 

“Go on, question me. You must see there is no threat here - I am unarmed. You may speak freely.”

You know that’s an absolute crock of bullshit. A cunning sorcerer is never truly unarmed - god knows what he could conjure up in the blink of an eye. But, admittedly he does have a point. You very well may die here - might as well get some fucking answers first. 

“How did you know I was coming?” you ask coldly.

A sly grin appears on his face. “Ah, she speaks! Good girl.” You scowl at him; he continues. “It’s simple, really - it was me who allowed the Agency to ‘discover’ the location of the palace. I made sure their little reconnaissance efforts would lead them to send their most skilled operative to retrieve the ring.”

“You wanted the ring to be stolen.”

“No. I wanted the ring to be stolen by you.”

You pause at his unexpected words. What?

Every neuron in your brain is screaming at you to be silent, don’t play into his little games. But you open your mouth anyway.

“And why me?” 

“Oh, I’ve had my eyes on you for quite some time, darling.”

Your stomach jolts. He said it so nonchalantly, as if he was telling you the weather rather than admitting he’s been watching your every move for god knows how long.

You stare at him incredulously. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

He simply shakes his head. “Patience - you will learn the whole story in due time. Guards!”

A new pair of imperials, much more polished and intelligent-looking than their brutish counterparts you’ve dealt with thus far, enter the room. 

“Please escort my guest to her bedchamber for the night. I must retire.”

The guards steer you toward the hallway. You follow without resistance. 

“Goodnight, y/n,” the man calls as you step through the doorway. You glimpse back: he is seated in the same position, watching you intensely. You catch a curious look in his eye, one you can’t quite read. He disappears as the heavy door shuts behind you.

—

As promised, your new accommodations are satisfactory - lavish, even. You’ve never seen a room with so many ornate embellishments, nor a bed with so many cushions and fine coverings. The washroom was equally fanciful, offering a large tub and luxurious-looking towels. Enticing, certainly, but at this point you are exhausted, and simply want to sleep anywhere that isn’t a cold stone floor. You lay upon the bed, not even bothering to retreat under the covers. Within seconds, you drift off to sleep.

You find yourself in the same hallway again - this time, not running, but merely standing behind the cloaked figure. You extend your hand, grabbing his shoulder and turning him round. You raise your eyes, meeting his gaze - but where his eyes should be, you only found blackness. You stare into the void of his sockets, hypnotized in fear, their darkness seeming to infiltrate your soul. He draws a dagger from his cloak, shoving you into the wall and placing it against your throat. You feel its pressure, but it does not break skin. He draws his face into yours, tenderly placing his lips upon your cheekbone - right atop your freshly-scarring cut. He kisses you - slowly, fervidly, his lips burning against your skin, but instead of pain you feel only pleasure. His free hand wraps around the small of your back, pulling your torso into his, holding you tightly against his blisteringly-hot form. The dagger remains perilously at your throat, a constant reminder of the power he holds over you. His lips parts from your cheek as he draws his head back, looking at you once again, the abysmal darkness of his stare penetrating through you. Slowly, he leans in, his lips converging on yours. Your mouth reaches for his, wanting for his kiss, yearning for his taste- 

Your eyes open. There are no windows in your room, but you get the sense that it is morning, midday perhaps. Dazed, you try to wake yourself up, but your mind keeps drifting back to your dream - to the man who has somehow infiltrated your subconscious. You raise your hand to your face, running your fingertips over your wound, but…

Quickly, you sit up, tossing your feet to the floor and heading toward the washroom. You approach the mirror, peering your face in close to the glass. Where there should have been a fresh scar: nothing. Not a mark on your skin. 

You frown. You don’t know what this means, but you suspect nothing good will come of it. 

A knock comes from the door. You hear the turn of the lock, followed by the creaking of the door swinging open. A young female servant enters, carrying a bundle of fabrics. A second follows, placing a tea set on the small table.

“You are expected at supper today,” the first woman informs you curtly. She places the fabrics upon your bed. “Wash up and dress in fresh clothes.” The two leave swiftly without another word.

You let out a sigh of annoyance. So this is how it’s going to be then. Fine - I’ll play along with his little games. You glance back at the mirror. A tired face looks back at you, grimacing.

Not like I have much of a choice anyway.

⛧ chapter 2: coming soon ⛧

[firstkanaphans]

Heyyy so is it possible for you to write like an epilogue for 'stardust' where Dao has grown a bit and Akk and Ayan have some disagreements on how to teach him disciplines , but they work it out? I just can't stop thinking about their cute family☺️ tysm

Stardust, my beloved. I originally wasn’t sure I’d be able to answer this prompt because y’all always ask for angst and it makes my heart hurt, but then I thought of this idea and became obsessed. I hope you enjoy! Word Count: 2K

For obvious reasons, Dao had always had a fascination with the stars. Ever since he was a baby, whenever they would step outside, his face would turn skyward. His obsession had only grown as he got older and realized the stars were capable of telling him stories—that if he cared to look, they held all the mysteries of the universe inside them. 

Now, their house was full of books and diagrams about space and although Akk found Dao’s hyperfixation endearing, it also worried him. Dao had been in their life for almost eight years and never shown any signs of being anything but human, but Akk couldn’t help but wonder if their son’s craving for knowledge about the stars was a sign that he was meant to return to them someday.

One evening, Akk returned home from work and instead of Dao greeting him at the door like he usually did, his excited voice carried in from the kitchen. Akk headed that way, nearly tripping over Cosmo who had darted in front of him in what he could only assume was a murder attempt, and when he finally reached the kitchen, he just stood in the doorway for a few seconds and watched as his husband cooked dinner and their son talked a mile a minute about comets…or something. Dao’s knowledge of space had far outpaced Akk’s by this point. He was going to have to take a class to catch up.

Figuring he should probably step in to save Aye from the rambling, Akk moved into the room. “I’m home!” he said. Aye turned to smile at him over his shoulder and Akk kissed the top of his head before bending down to ruffle Dao’s hair.

“Dad! Dad!” Dao cried excitedly, smoothing his hair down out of habit. It didn’t do much to help. He had the same cow lick Aye had had at that age and nothing they did seemed to be able to control it. “My class is going on a field trip to the observatory to watch a meteor shower!” 

Akk immediately tensed, but he did his best to hide the concern from his face because Dao seemed so excited and Aye was smiling down at him like he wasn’t worried at all.

“You are?” Akk asked, his voice several octaves higher than usual. Aye turned to him in alarm, finally seeming to sense that something was wrong.

“Yeah!” Dao cried and then he was off again, talking about different types of meteor showers and how he’d been dying to see one forever, and Akk just stood there in a state of shock.

“Hey, buddy?” Aye interrupted the boy’s tangent. Dao turned to him, eyebrows raised in silent question. “Dinner’s almost ready. Why don’t you go get changed and we’ll eat when you’re done?”

The only thing Dao loved more than stars was food.

“Okay!” he cried and then he scooped up a picture book he had been flipping through on Jupiter and ran upstairs.

Aye waited until they could hear his footsteps above them before he spoke again. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked, laughing lightly. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“He can’t go on that field trip, Aye,” Akk said adamantly. “It’s not safe.”

Aye turned his back on the meat he was browning on the stove and leaned against the counter behind him with his arms crossed over his chest. “Why not? His teachers will be there. And it’s not like he’s going to wander off—not when the place has telescopes. I just ordered him a new one for his birthday by the way. I’m not even going to tell you how much it cost.”

“Aye,” Akk said, stepping closer. “A shooting star is what brought him here and it’s what can take him back. What if he wishes to go to space? To the stars? How do we know our wishes will keep him here if he asks to go?”

“He’s just a kid, Akk. He doesn’t want to leave. He just wants to learn more about where he came from.” They had never bothered hiding the truth from Dao. They figured plenty of parents told their kids outlandish stories about where they came from—storks and enchanted cabbage patches and babies washed in by the sea. No one would think twice if they heard Dao saying he came from the stars. It was part of his story and he deserved to know it.

“You don’t know that,” Akk countered. 

“If we tell him he can’t go on that field trip, it’s going to break his heart,” Aye said with a heavy sigh. Akk knew that was true, but it was a risk he was willing to take. 

“I’ll tell him,” he said. “I’ll be the bad guy.”

Aye turned back around to give the ground beef another stir. “Before you do that, how about the three of us go stargazing tonight? There’s no meteor shower, so you don’t have to worry about any errant wishes. We can talk to him, feel it out. Please. Before you say no.”

And although Akk was reluctant, he finally agreed. Aye turned around to smile at him. While he was distracted, Cosmo hopped onto the counter, stole a chunk of ground beef out of the skillet, and then ran away, all before Aye ever saw him.

✨

Dao was overjoyed when Aye told him they were going to camp out underneath the stars that night. He scarfed down his dinner much too quickly and then was bouncing off the walls until finally, Akk and Aye gave up on cleaning the kitchen and led him out into the night.

Aye threw a blanket onto the ground and the three of them laid down together, Akk and Aye each on one side of their son. Cosmo, who had followed them out of the house, curled up on Dao’s stomach and when the boy’s fingers tangled in his fur, he purred.

“Oh, look! Look at that one!” Dao cried, pointing at a star that looked just the same as any other star in the sky. He began telling a story about it that he had learned in one of his books and Akk couldn’t help but wonder if he’d just picked a star at random to assign that story to or if something inside of him knew.

Akk glanced over at Dao. He looked different in the moonlight. The lightning-shaped fractals on the left side of his body, which were almost invisible in the daytime, came alive at night. They shone with a pearlescent glow as if some stardust still lingered in his veins. It wasn’t vibrant enough for anyone outside their family to notice, but some nights, Akk would stare at his son’s skin for hours. It was beautiful and haunting all at once. The night called to their star child just as their star child called to it.

“I came from up there, didn’t I, Pa? Tell me the story again!”

And so Aye retold the legend of Dao’s birth. The words were well-practiced by now. The two of them had perfected their delivery over the years and no matter how many times they told it, the magic never faded.

“Once upon a time, Dad and I had a big fight and although we still loved each other, neither of us had the courage to apologize. So instead, we each made a wish on a shooting star that the universe would bring us back together. And then the universe sent us you.”

Dao giggled just like he did every time. “And thanks to me, you made up?”

“We did,” Aye agreed, leaning over to kiss the top of his head.

“What were you fighting about?” Dao asked, looking back and forth between the two of them as if he wasn’t quite sure who to ask.

“You know, I can’t seem to remember,” Aye said, feigning ignorance as he turned to glare pointedly at Akk. “What about you, Akk?”

Akk rolled his eyes. Had he not apologized enough? “Something stupid, I’m sure,” he said.

“Something stupid indeed.”

Dao quickly lost interest in their conversation and turned back to the stars again. “Do you think if I asked a shooting star for something, it would give it to me like it did for you?”

“I don’t know,” Aye said, glancing at Akk because that was, after all, exactly what he feared. “Maybe. That’s why you need to be careful what you wish for.”

“If you ask to see the stars up close, the universe might not let you come back,” Akk said. “Do you understand?”

He was a little worried his words might frighten Dao, but luckily, he didn’t seem bothered by the prospect of being whisked away to the heavens and never returned. Instead, he laughed.

“Why would I ask to go to space?” he chuckled, looking over at Akk as if he’d said something utterly ridiculous. “I don’t even have a space suit!”

That wasn’t the answer Akk had been expecting. “What do you want to wish for then?” he asked.

A mischievous grin appeared on Dao’s face, but he tried his best to hide it in Cosmo’s fur. Well, that wasn’t worrying at all. Akk and Aye exchanged a look.

“Dao, honey,” Aye said. “Why don’t you tell us what you want and maybe we can get it for you?”

“You can’t give it to me,” Dao insisted. “Only the stars can.”

Akk shook his head, still not understanding. “But what is it?”

Finally, it seemed Dao could keep the secret locked inside him no longer. He released Cosmo and giggled. “I want a little sister!”

“Oh.” Akk didn’t know what to say other than that. It was both better and worse than what he had expected.

“I think we’ve got our hands full with just you,” Aye said after a brief pause, ruffling Dao’s hair to soften his words. Then all three of them turned their attention back to the sky.

It was over an hour later before Dao agreed to come back inside. Aye finished cleaning the kitchen while Akk took Dao upstairs to get him ready for bed, and then together they tucked him in. He wasn’t scared of the dark like a lot of kids his age. He didn’t need a nightlight. Once they turned the lamp off, the only light in the room was a faint green glow emanating from the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling. He was asleep almost before his head even hit the pillow.

It wasn’t until Akk and Aye themselves crawled into bed that night that they talked about it.

“Maybe you were right,” Aye said with a small laugh. “Maybe we shouldn’t let him go. Those shooting stars can be dangerous.” 

But Akk couldn’t stop thinking about a little girl with Aye’s curls, Akk’s eyes, and Dao’s chubby little cheeks. Aye seemed to realize that.

“Akk,” he warned.

“Would it really be so bad?” Akk asked. “We’ve talked about having another kid.”

“Yeah. In a normal way. Not via shooting star!”

“But what would it hurt to try? You, me, and Dao wishing all at once…It just might work!”

Aye stared at him as if trying to decide whether he was joking. “You’re serious?” he asked, his voice achingly hopeful.

Akk nodded and took Aye’s hands into his. “What do you say? You think we have another miracle left in us?”

Ever so slowly, a smile stretched across Aye’s face. “A baby girl?” he asked and Akk could tell that he had already fallen in love with the idea of her, just like he had.

✨

Dao didn’t end up going on his field trip. Instead, the three of them stayed home and wished together upon a shooting star that the universe would make their family whole.

There was a flash of lightning, a buzz of electricity that made their hair stand on end, and then, in the distance, the sound of a baby crying.

[bambi-kinos]

I wonder what you think of if think they ever saw themselves together as (secret) gay couple, like marrige,boyfriends or was it more like "we are friends and song writing partners" that happend to do more "drunk things together" and that's what messed it up in the end, or do you think it was a pulling-pushing type of relationship? like did they break it up more than one time, all the time and the final drop was India?

Sorry for bad English!

John and Paul have a few things going for them and against them with regards to their perception of their relationship:

Pretty much any sexual activity between men was permitted without it being "gay" or "queer" or anything like that so long as the men involved didn't admit that they were gay. I guess kissing and penetration is what makes sex acts gay or queer to the early 20th century guy who was jerking off with his mate in the back of a car or whatever. Since this was just "getting off" and it was kept far away from their wives and families, it didn't count as gay. This means John and Paul grew up at a time where it wasn't considered particularly bad to get off with your mate, do frotting and handjobs/blowjobs, whatever. It definitely wasn't something that you talked about openly (that's indecent) but it didn't make you a gay guy either. Even now in TYOOL 2024 men are weird about this and insist that getting aroused and climaxing with other men is not sexual at all and definitely not gay. That means that John and Paul had a large, large gamut to run without ever having to call themselves gay. My opinion is that they did not call themselves gay or queer, or acknowledge that side of themselves for the beginning stages of their friendship. I think Paul has always had some inkling or self knowledge but honestly, from 15-18 years old that doesn't mean much lmao. I don't think John figured himself out for a longer period of time because he already had so much stress heaped on his plate, there was no need for him to add concerns about his sexuality onto them. If John and Paul were doing anything "extra" in addition to the group wanks at this early stage then they just tossed it all under the "boys will be boys" column. And if everything stayed that way then nothing else would have happened.

Then they go to Hamburg. It's a brand new continent and a brand new world. This is where they see crazy ass sex stuff and more importantly, they encounter men and women who don't wrap delusions around their sexual activity. This is where they met gay men, lesbians, transgender people, cross dressers, etc. We can't know what it was really like but the point is that Hamburg was a huge turning point for them and it turned John and Paul from simple provincials into much more sophisticated sex havers. John got off with crossdressers and kissed other men on the mouth; Paul found a boytoy and comforted himself with his presence when John-and-Stu became too difficult to bear. I doubt they considered themselves gay at this stage but their minds were broadened in a big way. They were exposed to different lifestyles and mindsets. And they had to learn fast and get used to it because their livelihoods depended on that.

After this, things become more slippery slidey. They could very well have gone on this way forever, doing gay sex stuff and refusing to call themselves gay. Except then Paris happened and neither of them forgot it. It never left their heads. Something happened there that we don't know about that, memories that they cherish. Who did John give a pearl necklace to considering there's no mention of him and Paul hooking up with ladies on this trip? Why did John hold on to the memory of couples tenderly kissing each other for so long? Why did John and Paul come back exploding with life and energy? It's almost as if something happened where they convinced each other that they were a sure thing, that they could depend on the other one no matter what. That there was something else for them that wasn't just being mates or being part of a band. And the rest, as they say, is history.

They didn't understand what they were to each other for a long time but that's because they were teenagers. It was a genuine friendship that they built in the beginning which honestly? I'm really glad that they had that. I also think that it's exactly this which lead to their relationship lasting for so long.

Like, John's problem was that he jumped into relationships and intimacy too quickly and it inevitably blew up in his face somehow. Paul's problem is that he's too cautious and he holds everyone at arms length. But by having a concrete friendship to build off of that they grew over time and through ups and downs, they ended up becoming each other's steady. It gave them stability and a deeper relationship that they never really managed with other people. That means that, for a long time, John and Paul would call themselves "mates" and it would be completely accurate. It wasn't until much later that the sex stuff started and then when it did, they still had the strength of that initial friendship to rely on.

When it comes to the "push/pull" dynamic you mentioned, they did have their ups and downs where they got used to "crisis moments" to pull them back together after being emotionally distant from each other (and I do have thoughts about that). But I don't think they went through a series of break ups and "we're back together" moments. I think that their relationship simply strained and strained and strained until it finally snapped under the weight of everything they couldn't bring themselves to say. I don't think they suffered any serious moments of breaking up once they put 1960 Hamburg behind them.

There are lots of people who think that John and Paul never figured out their mutual attraction due to their upbringing and while this is a possibility I do not think this is true at all. John Lennon and Paul McCartney are the most revolutionary minds of the 20th century, I don't believe for a second that they were just sitting there and didn't understand what was happening to them. I absolutely think that they figured out that they were queer and in love with each other. Maybe it was in 1961, maybe it was in 1967, but they did eventually figure it out.

The problem for John and Paul is that this revelation did not make their lives better and freer. It arguably made their lives much worse. I don't know if they could even consider the possibility of being together in some capacity because of the sheer virulence against homosexuality in the 1960s and that they were both raised to think that it was moral depravity. We can see that this provided roadblocks for both of them: John and Paul had to get wasted in Key West to simply say the words "I love you."

On the third hand, they did have examples of homosexual men like Victor Spinetti, who was apparently in a committed relationship with another man, to look at. Once they got to know Brian, they were introduced to the world of gay men, not all of whom were married to women. This once again broadened their minds and they had the revelation that you could just go off with another man and be his steady.

John and Paul would probably have liked it very much if they could be a couple together with their version of fidelity in the works. I doubt they would have made a legal commitment to each other in the form of marriage (their business relationship was certainly much closer than trivial marriage documents) but they would have liked being romantic partners. The roadblocks to this were 1) John's son Julian 2) their status as public figures 3) their upbringing telling them that this was wrong.

I have no doubt that John revealed something to Paul in India, more than his 🎤. As one of those revolutionary minds of the 20th century, John may have offered something similar to the above paragraph to Paul, hoping that if he presented it all of a piece then Paul would have to answer sincerely, from the heart. After all, John could be sure that Paul loved him, right?

Well. We know what happened after that.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Galileo Galilei Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors and inaccuracies. This is a rough translation.

The morning after Galileo and I went stargazing一

Mitsuki: "Morning, Drake. I'm preparing breakfast right now, so please wait a moment."

Drake: "Thanks, little fawn."

After exchanging greetings and continuing cooking, Drake shifted his gaze to my arm.

Drake: "Looks like your injury has completely healed."

Mitsuki: "Yeah, thanks to everyone's help. And thanks for your concern, Drake."

Drake: "Me 'too,' huh?"

After mumbling that, he suddenly stared at me.

Mitsuki: "Is something wrong?"

Drake: "Nah. Did something good happen, little fawn?"

Mitsuki: "Huh?"

Drake: "You seem to be in a good mood. You're pretty expressive, you know."

Mitsuki: "R-Really? There's nothing special, though."

Drake: "Hmm? Well, whatever. I'll go feed Draco and Sidereus."

With a smile, Drake left the room.

(I seemed cheerful? Was my expression really that relaxed?)

I told him earlier that nothing was up, but I could think of one possible reason.

(I saw Galileo's smile for the first time.)

My heart fluttered again, recalling his breathtaking smile from last night.

(If someone who's always been so curt suddenly smiles like that, it's only natural to feel happy, right? Yeah.)

Muttering excuses in my mind, I returned my focus to making breakfast.

Later, after visiting the university with Galileo, I sneaked out of the lecture hall while he was teaching and headed to the library to find out more about him.

(I want to know more about him and his past.)

With that in mind, I searched for history books and biographies, flipping through pages like unraveling a mystery.

Galileo Galilei.

A historical figure who contributed not only to astronomy but also to geometry, mathematics, and physics and was even called the Father of Modern Science.

However, what was recorded in the books was not just his achievements.

Galileo advocated the 'heliocentric theory,' stating that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

However, this theory contradicted the geocentric view held by the Church.

He was then subjected to an inquisition by the church and found guilty.

After spending some time holed up in the library and borrowing a few books, I stepped outside to find a blue sky stretching out before me.

It was almost too bright for me, so I shielded my eyes with my hand and reflected on what I'd read earlier.

(Galileo was subjected to an inquisition.)

I heard that term when I was at the mansion because Jean had also been subjected to a trial.

According to the books, Galileo was considered a heretic.

(Speaking out in favor of the heliocentric theory was a grave matter back then.)

His fervor for seeking the truth seemed to have clashed with the norms of that era.

(But nowadays, heliocentrism is taught as common knowledge.)

(His claims have been scientifically proven to be correct.)

(Did the charges against him get overturned? But all I had read was that he was found guilty.)

I decided that when I got back, I would go over the books again more carefully.

???: "Mitsuki?"

(Huh?)

I turned around at the sound of my name and saw Napoleon and Sebastian standing side by side.

Mitsuki: "Napoleon, Sebastian! It's been a while. What are you both doing here?"

Napoleon: "That's our line. Weren't you supposed to take care of your acquaintance?"

Mitsuki: "Um, actually, he's working here at the university, and I came here to assist him."

I quickly tried to make up some excuse.

Sebastian: "I see. I'm here to deliver lunch to Isaac."

Napoleon: "And I was asked by the vigilantes to teach swordsmanship in the university square."

Mitsuki: "Vigilantes?"

Sebastian: "They're young people who admire Napoleon and have voluntarily formed themselves to help the citizens."

Sebastian: "Recently, they've been patrolling the streets, helping people, and resolving disputes."

Mitsuki: "Wow! It's all thanks to your influence, right? That's impressive."

Sebastian proudly nodded as I exclaimed, and Napoleon let out a wry smile.

Napoleon: "I'm just lending a hand. The impressive ones are those kids themselves."

Napoleon: "Paris in this era isn't entirely peaceful either. There are clashes between the wealthy and the poor due to the wealth gap."

Napoleon: "And I heard there's been another bizarre death in the slums."

(Slums...)

I suddenly remembered something I’d heard at the mansion before.

(That incident still hasn’t been resolved.)

Whether it was the work of vampires or not, it was still a creepy incident.

(Why does it always happen in the slums?)

As that question arose, the image of a boy with curly golden hair and blue eyes suddenly came to mind.

(That child also seemed to be living in poverty.)

(If he’s frequenting the slums, I hope he doesn’t get involved.)

(Come to think of it, I don’t even know his name.)

(Next time I see that child, I’ll try asking.)

Napoleon: “Sorry. It’s been a while since we saw each other, and I’m bringing up dark topics. Hm?”

Napoleon saw the book I was holding and tilted his head.

Napoleon: “Are you researching Galileo Galilei?”

Mitsuki: “Ah, yeah. A bit.”

Sebastian, with a gleam in his eye, looked surprisingly excited.

Sebastian: “He’s one of the most renowned figures. In terms of global recognition, he might even rival Napoleon.”

Sebastian: “But it’s unusual for you to show interest in a specific historical figure. Was there any particular reason?”

Mitsuki: “Well, my acquaintance is knowledgeable about astronomy, so I got interested.”

Mitsuki: “I only know bits and pieces of history, so I thought I’d take the time to delve into it properly.”

Mitsuki: "I want to know the truth about what kind of person he was and how he lived."

Sebastian: "The truth, huh? So this is your first step in exploring history."

While keeping Galileo's identity hidden, both Sebastian and Napoleon flashed confident smiles.

Napoleon: "Heh. If that's the case, you could have just asked me."

Mitsuki: "What do you mean?"

Napoleon: "I mean, you do know I'm a bit of a bookworm, right?"

Napoleon: "I've been reading Galileo's works for a long time and supported his modern way of thinking."

Napoleon: "In simple terms, I guess you could call me a fan."

Mitsuki: "Really? You're a fan?"

(Even the emperor Napoleon supported him.)

(He truly is an incredible man.)

Sebastian: "It's nice to hear you tell those stories yourself!"

Napoleon: "I may not be as knowledgeable as Sebas, though."

Napoleon: "So, what do you want to know? I think I can answer most questions."

Encouraged by Napoleon, I pondered for a moment.

Mitsuki: "Then, do you know about the Inquisition?"

I asked, and Napoleon furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

Napoleon: "Yeah, I know about it."

Napoleon: "Back when I was still a soldier, I had doubts about Galileo's heresy trial, so I collected trial records."

Mitsuki: "You were that dedicated. Galileo was found guilty in the trial, right?"

Napoleon: "Yeah. It was because Galileo's heliocentric theory contradicted the teachings of the Church."

Napoleon: "But there are rumors that there were other reasons as well."

Mitsuki: "Huh? Other reasons?"

Napoleon: "Being involved in power struggles or some other motives. I'm not sure."

If it were true that he was found guilty for reasons beyond the truth, then the trial was far from just.

Napoleon: "After being found guilty in the trial, Galileo was forced to renounce his heliocentric theory."

Napoleon: "Some people said that he muttered the words 'and yet it moves' during that time."

(He said those words in such a situation.)

I had always thought he said those words upon discovering the truth, but in reality, he uttered them while being cornered to the point of having to abandon the truth.

I wonder how much bitterness was contained within those words.

Mitsuki: "What happened to Galileo afterward?"

Napoleon: "According to records, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and spent the rest of his life under house arrest."

(Life imprisonment?)

A fool was sentenced to life imprisonment for seeking the truth.

(That was definitely about Galileo himself.)

Mitsuki: "But regardless of the reasons, the heliocentric theory is true, right? Wasn't the trial revoked?"

Sebastian was the one who answered that question.

Sebastian: "Historically, Mr. Isaac's achievements provided a theoretical framework that supported and proved the heliocentric model."

Sebastian: "However, it wasn't until the 20th century that Galileo's trial began to be reassessed."

Mitsuki: "Huh?"

Sebastian: "Galileo was officially declared innocent 350 years after his presumed death."

(350 years...)

I was stunned by the sheer length of time.

Until very recently, Galileo was still considered a criminal.

Napoleon: "I see. In the era you two came from, Galileo was declared innocent."

Napoleon: "He never said anything wrong from the beginning; he kept insisting on the truth all along."

Napoleon: "Being branded a heretic for 350 years is indeed quite long."

Napoleon muttered with a hint of pity in his voice.

(I didn't know Galileo had such a past.)

(I said those things without knowing anything.)

------------Flashback-----------

Mitsuki: "Even someone like me, who isn't very knowledgeable about history, knows how famous he is."

Galileo: ".........."

Mitsuki: "He's the historical figure who advocated for the heliocentric theory and left the words 'And yet it moves'."

Galileo: "And I have a warning for you."

Galileo: "Don't ever mention that man in front of me again."

---------Flashback Ends--------

Despite not knowing about the suffering throughout Galileo's life, I spoke insensitively about him as a remarkable person who left behind great achievements.

In my era, they taught the heliocentric theory as a matter of course, but behind that, people have long undermined Galileo’s dignity.

It was only natural for Galileo to resent a world that turned away from the truth and kept denying him.

Moreover, witnessing the persecution of the dhampirs may have ignited anger in him.

(He might have considered ending the world, fueled by anger, hatred, and sorrow, but...)

The phrase “a fool who pursued the truth ended up with a life sentence” stuck in my mind.

(Galileo is someone who pursues the truth with his own eyes.)

He couldn't bring himself to abandon the truth until the end, saying, 'And yet it moves.'

(For him, the truth shouldn't be foolish.)

(Yet why did he deny himself?)

As various thoughts whirled around in my head, I lifted my gaze.

Mitsuki: "Thank you for explaining in detail. Napoleon, Sebastian."

Mitsuki: "Sorry, but I have to go now. I'm glad I could see you guys after so long."

Napoleon: "Yeah. Hang in there until things settle down on your end."

Sebastian: "Please visit us occasionally as well."

Smiling as I bid farewell to the two, I entered the school building, tightly holding onto the book in my hand.

(I want to know about Galileo.)

(I want to see what he's trying to do, observe him from the sidelines, and get closer to him.)

(But to understand him, I'll have to confront his feelings that aren't recorded in books.)

(I have no choice but to face it on my own.)

Seeking the invisible truth, I looked ahead.

As dusk approached, Galileo, having finished his lecture, returned to his office.

Galileo: "Were you reading a book again today?"

Mitsuki: "Yes."

Galileo: "What is it?"

Mitsuki: "Can I talk to you before we leave?"

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[bandgie]

Thinking about chan liking someone who's got this vibe like she's figured out life perfectly. successful, respected, has high standards and isn't easy to amaze but chan somehow got her to be interested and now they're together. She happens to be sweeter than she seems at first glance but it doesn't make chan any less nervous to initiate something intimate. So they never do much until they've become desperate for each other. She hides it well but chan is obvious with his need and she decides to give him hints that it's okay. He finds out then that the smart woman he liked can be a dumb girl for him when she's intimidated. Basically he finds out she's a sub.

Thoughts? 😶💖

I think chan would loveee the versatility. he would admire that about his partner. being so smart, so well spoken, almost kind of intimidating. but once he gets to know them and see what makes their brain melt, he's all for it.

having your usual well-spoken mouth mumble nothing but moans and whimpers? having those knowledgeable eyes roll to the back of your head when he sinks his cock deep in you? oh and if you forget how to speak he gets to say 'come on baby, use your words" and you just look so cute trying to form a coherent sentence with his fat cock bruising your walls <3

[slytherinboysappreciation]

Hello! It's me againn and guess what 😈😈 Yes! I got another idea for Tom Riddle and m!reader 😋😋

Ekhem- so basically Tom was assigned to tutor this boy who was known for his lack of effort in class, he would sleep nor just ditched out the classes. So, as a nice Headboy he was, Tom decided to accept the task to tutor the boy and behold! The boy just sleeping the whole time Tom explain smth to him. So yeah Tom's mad n reader was like "Huh why r u mad? I don't even need tutor in the 1st place..." So Tom's gotten more mad 😔 and reader would like 🧍‍♂️

AHAHAHA n then as an apology, reader shows up to Tom after the exam ended n gave him his exam papers and oh boy this mf got O (Outstanding) for all the subjects, turns out the reader is able to do the school works from the beginning but he just won't do it bc he's a lazy ass bitch. Then Tom's reaction would be "🧍‍♂️...Yeah, i need those genes for my kids 😍"

THIS IS SO MESSY LMAO im sorry here's sum oranges for ur wonderful writing 🍊🍊🍊

Tutoring - T. R. x male!Reader

A/N: Thank you so much!! I love seeing you in my ask box! I hope this is what you were wanting 💛 Sorry about the ending lol. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to end it well.

I think I tagged everything, but let me know if I missed something! Fic is unedited with no use of Y/N

Anyway, have some hearts for sending me so many amazing requests! 💛💛💛💛

CW: Tom being fed up; anger; laziness; yelling; Tom gets fairly upset in this; somewhat mean words towards the reader; making up; brief compliment towards Tom; Abraxas and Tom are friends in this; Tom gets a little bit obsessed with reader; Tom’s evil plans

1144 words

It was a little known fact that Tom loved tutoring. For more selfish reasons than he’d care to admit, but he loved it all the same.

It was the rush of power he felt when a teacher came to him on behalf of yet another student. It was the pride when a student finally understood the material.

It was even the knowledge that Tom was smarter than most of the students at Hogwarts.

And yet, for all his love of tutoring, he was seriously debating quitting.

Why?

The answer was simple. You.

Tom had agreed to tutor you as a favor to Professor Slughorn. It wasn’t even for extra credit; a rare occasion of Tom being nice.

The professor was clearly fed up with you, and Tom was more than willing to take on a challenge.

And oh, what a challenge you were.

You were late to your first tutoring session, completely missed the second one, and slept through the third one.

You’d apologized, of course; but by the fourth tutoring session, it was clear you just didn’t have the motivation to study.

And it infuriated Tom.

He’d never failed as a tutor before, and he certainly wasn’t going to fail now.

When your eyes start to droop for the third time in ten minutes during your next study session, Tom’s patience runs out.

“Were you attending a party last night?” he demands, hands clenched. “What in Merlin’s name could have made you so tired?”

You startle, blearily lifting your head and rubbing at your eyes. “You think I’m cool enough to attend a party?”

It sounds like a genuine question, one Tom refuses to answer.

“What. Kept. You. Up?”

“My roommates.” You yawn and settle back into your seat. “They were having fun or something. Bein’ loud. Kept me up most of the night.”

Tom’s fists unclench. He takes a deep breath. “And do they do this every night?”

“Well… sort of…?” You fiddle with your quill. “Not every night, but…”

Tom pinches the bridge of his nose. “Talk to your Head of House about it. They’ll deal with your noisy roommates.”

“Alright.” You give him a small smile. Tom doesn’t return it.

“Now, for your potions essay…”

You slump in your seat.

But Tom counts it as a win when it takes you a few minutes longer than usual before your head starts drooping again.

You’re falling asleep yet again, and Tom has had it with you.

He slams the potions guide down on the table, startling you awake.

“Merlin, what the—“

“What—“ Tom seethes, “—is wrong with you?”

You blink, clearly taken aback. “Uhhh…”

“I have done my absolute best to ensure you don’t fail your exams next week, and you have done nothing but laze about and sleep!”

“Look, Riddle, just chill out.” You hold up your hands placatingly, giving him a weak smile. “I don’t get why you’re so upset. Professor Slughorn said you wanted to tutor me.”

“Well, not anymore! I am through with you!” Tom stands, fists clenched. “You have driven me to my wit’s end! If you’re not going to bother even trying to focus, I’m not going to bother trying to help you!”

“Hey—“

“I quit!” Tom snaps.

You stare at him, stunned. Then you cross your arms. “Well, fine! Merlin knows I never needed a tutor in the first place!”

Tom glares at you and angrily gathers his things.

It doesn’t feel good to quit. But he’s never felt so helpless before. You just simply seem to refuse to learn.

As he stalks away, though, there’s an odd pull at his heart. Maybe it was something about the unhappiness in your eyes. Or the way your fingers trembled as they gripped your quill.

Whatever it was, Tom squashes the feeling like a bug. He’s done with you. Not even a favor from Slughorn could tempt him to take you on again.

Of that, he is certain.

Tom’s sitting with Abraxas in the main hall, celebrating his exam scores. All Outstandings and Exceeds Expectations, even for Divination and Herbology.

He’s particularly proud of his O in Potions, proof that he knows the material well.

He’s just about to bite into a pumpkin pastry when there’s a soft cough behind him.

He turns, raising an eyebrow. It’s you, looking quite sheepish.

“Hey, Riddle.”

Tom purses his lips together thinly and crosses his arms. “Hello.”

You shuffle your feet and rub the back of your neck. “I know you were really mad at me,” you mumble, “But I wanted to explain myself a bit…”

“Then explain.”

You take a deep breath and pull a piece of paper from your pocket. It’s your report card for the exams.

Tom takes it, expecting to see some sort of dismal grade requiring his assistance.

But instead, what greets him is the best set of scores he’s ever seen. All Outstandings, in every class.

Tom stares at the report card, utterly baffled. “What?”

You rub the back of your neck again, not meeting his gaze. “I told you, I didn’t need a tutor. I can do the work. I just don’t like it.”

Tom slowly looks up from the report card. “You… just don’t like it…?”

You shrug. “Schoolwork’s boring. I’d rather do something else instead.”

Tom’s brain is a whirl. You were capable of doing the coursework already. More so, you knew everything well enough to get Outstandings in every class, something even he failed to do.

Tom hands you back your report card. “I owe you an apology then.”

“Nah,” you laugh softly and shuffle your feet. “Don’t worry about it. ‘Sides, you’re kinda cute all angry ‘n’ stuff.”

Tom blinks. You shrug and give him an awkward smile. “See you around, Riddle.”

“Right…” He watches as you walk away.

Then he turns quickly to Abraxas. “Malfoy, he had all Outstandings.”

Abraxas glances at him once, then does a double take. “Oh, no. I know that look. What are you planning?”

Tom grins. “Surely you see it? A brain that smart, when paired with my cunning? We’d be unstoppable.”

Abraxas glances at where you’d been standing. “Tom, I don’t know about this…”

But Tom’s mind is already at work. You already thought he was cute once… With the right sort of manipulation, perhaps he could get you to think it again.

Perhaps he could get you to fall in love with him.

“Just think about it, Malfoy. Our children would be geniuses!”

Abraxas just sighs. He shakes his head, but Tom ignores him. His plan is forming in his mind; his perfect plan to get you to fall in love with him.

With only a little bit of persuasion, he’ll get you to fall in love with him. And then you’ll be his lover forever. The other half to his genius.

And then all his plans will be perfected.

[fate-motif]

lemme give you the overview of jack as possessed by abraxas—

through jack, abraxas has essentially created his own personal charles manson, and gets to extend this gruesome legend by possessing his body. he lives off the attention, the consummate showman and all that.

the grove made sure this came to fruition.

jack becomes similar to lilly in gaining knowledge he couldn’t have acquired normally, but in his case he is overcome with images and intrusions of the different kinds of coverage he is getting without even touching a tv, radio or newspaper.

jack’s criminal trial is televised! a rarity, but he is a public figure and his murder being televised would make it a sensation.

jack doesn’t realize he is hosting a demon in his body until he’s called to the stand during his trial and abraxas manifests himself through him to scare the people watching. i like to think through the black barf that happened to christou >:)

during his trial, his lawyers persuade jack to plead insanity, which he is willing to do to avoid jail or worse, being executed. the possibility of death row is ardently discussed by the media, especially evangelical media personalities.

the only person who visits jack where he’s committed is leo, partly because he feels guilty for what happened to jack and everyone else that died that night, but also partly because the grove is forcing him to do so to keep an eye on the vessel for their demon lord without making jack suspicious. 

jack starts out insistent on the reality of demonic powers to try and avoid people making the same mistakes he did, but… well, it doesn’t take much abuse for him to get back in line and try and be as compliant as possible. 

he never gets out.

[biggest-geo-oogami-enjoyer]

Geo relationship headcannons please? 😓😓🤲

Reverence (Geo x MC/Reader - Relationship HCs)

For @Anonymous and @ordinary-weeb135 ! Hope you both enjoy! (“⌒∇⌒”) - Signed by biggest-geo-oogami-enjoyer A/N: Considering the fact Geo is asexual and is horny 0% of the time, I don't think I can incorporate NSFW content with him without it becoming OOC. Therefore, I will not, at least for him. Hope you guys enjoy nonetheless. :]]]

Reverence: deep respect for someone or something.

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

This mf thought you were being saucy when you first asked him out. After all; he gets reminded of his worth(lessness) enough, he doesn't need you, anyone but you, to be mocking him.

You did call him Geode when you confessed, obviously he'd be extremely a bit paranoid.

Well, till he realised you were being serious. Then he panicked because intimacy scares him (honestly such a mood)

But now that you've been together for a long time, he slowly cracks open (like a geode), bit by bit; and you, like the vulture you are, scoop up the nuggets of information he leaks, no matter how seemingly insignificant they may be.

But, alas, whatever knowledge you have on him is a sliver compared to what he knows about you.

This mf knows everything. He will find out every little detail about you, he wants to be as informed as possible, after all.

Overprotective. Stal- follows you if you've left the home to go somewhere, doesn't matter where, this man is paranoid.

Will demand to know where you're going anyway, will confront you if even the smallest of details don't line up. It's his way of ensuring you're okay. And that you can and will tell him everything about where you're going, planning to go to, etc.

If you're a homebody however, he's content; all it means you're with him, safe nearby, away from harm.

But even the almighty Geode needs time to himself, so if you're someone who doesn't like long periods of solitude, he'll simply make you snacks, a pillow fort and then calmly tell you to stay away from him for the next few hours.

You're used to it, and you understand that he needs time to rejuvenate himself after having classes the whole day, and needing to socialise with Deryl. Ugh.

Don't be surprised if your favourite fruit magically appears, cut up into cute shapes, somewhere in your room.

It totally wasn't him.

Would be happily surprised if you want to have what you call a 'bonsai baby' (he was stoically mortified the first time he heard that), but you and him did end up getting a Japanese bonsai tree. (You refer to it as the BB gun, to which Geo rolls his eyes)

Speaking of actual children, Geo doesn't want them. He hates them, for that matter.

Also hates intimacy...well, according to himself.

Likes headpats though (will never admit this, but he loves being praised as well)

His emotional walls are so high and so thick that even he doesn't know how to let you in, but it's okay. You'll figure out a way eventually.

Doesn't get aroused in general, so if you're a horny little shit, he'll just poof out of existence. Doesn't know what to do, so he just fucks off, does something else, and hopes the lack of physical touch isn't a massive dealbreaker for you.

Will be jealous though. A scarily enormous amount.

Is willing to fight until the grave to ensure you remain as his.

Will only hug you after a long time, and when you do, best thing ever. His torso is so comfortable you want to cry, his hair being loose around his shoulders (smells like Persian lilacs), and him holding you. You almost want to cry from joy.

Your first kiss will take even longer, and it'll probably be when you're asleep, a small peck, so you don't wake up.

Will blare opera music around your residence and vibe. Sometimes will sing along quietly, (you love his voice, he's so majestic)

Expert at applying makeup, will start doing it for you when you have date nights. Mf should be an artist with how skilled he is.

Also an expert in haircare, will probably silently brush through it nightly to keep it untangled until the morn

Grows plants in a small garden. Loves those plants

Is not expressive when it comes to emotions or affirmations, I see him as someone who is more Quality Time and Acts of Service-esqe. He likes to sit with you and simply relish in the fact you're both alive, content and safe. Together

Part of, no all of him holds you in the highest of regards imaginable, no matter how cold he may seem, he loves you in his own way

In short, Geo Oogami may not be the most affectionate, loving or emotional guy, but he makes up for it through all the aforementioned reasons, and that's more than enough for you.

He honours you in the way a devout acolyte would honour a god, or a soldier an emperor. You are revered by him.

And you always will be.

[vasito-de-leche]

I have some thoughts in my mind lately in the Self aware au R1999 (I'm invested so badly), I was wondering are there any arcanist that resented the player maybe at first or still having resentment on them? Because if the player wasn't there they would be " free " (which I would doubt since there are many players and it would still happen nonetheless but just speaking from there perspective) did they just helplessly or casually got over it after some time and accepted the fact it was a game I mean they were levelled up by the player,the player was the reason why they were getting stronger and winning every battle but I have a feeling some arcanist would have some doubt in them since everything was just a script in the first place all the things that happened to them were meant to happen for the plot, I don't about how to reach when they find out that the player was a human though.. But just like earlier if the player never was here then they would be " free ",they wouldn't know it was just some game (they gonna go bree since they wouldn't exist)(RAHHH I might have wronged what I said in this😭 I just have a thought in my mind about them doubting, feeling frustrated and all...Btw I am badly down bad for your writing 💜💜💜 I admire it so well.. 🥹🫶🫶 can I get a hello Please.. ?💜🥹💜 I'd go crazy being noticed on a writer I admire)

hiiii helloooo hola bonjour and many other greetings o7 really glad you like my writing!

your question is very broad, so I can only make a quick list to categorize all the characters and how I think they'd feel overall towards the Player within this AU! since you only mentioned arcanist, I assume you mean the playable characters only, so that's also the group I'll be tackling

I don't have a good grasp on every single character, so some of these are subject to change as I learn more about them too o7

It's very, very complicated.

Vertin. Door. Mesmer Jr. Bkornblume. I consider these characters to be "outliers" in terms of how they perceive the Player--in the sense that their opinion fluctuates and varies a lot, so they cannot be easily labeled in any of the other categories. They're contradicting or find themselves at odds with themselves, seeing the figure of the Player and everything the Player represents as positive and negative influences simultaneously. To them, you're a close friend and a distant stranger, a saviour and a harbinger of ruin, a source of knowledge and the end of everything--you're all of these, all at once.

as for the rest, I only described the opposite ends of the spectrum and the neutral category!

Extremely resentful and hateful

Desert Flannel. Erick. Mondlicht. Oliver Fog. Pavia. Sonetto. Sweetheart. This one is pretty straightforward--these are the characters who are defensive, who feel like your mere existence is mocking them, who have gone through so much and feel humiliated to know you're casually looking at them from above, so out of reach and superior and unbothered by their pain. But also characters who are combative or quick to identify you as a threat, such as Pavia and Sonetto, because you go against everything they believe in.

Stressed, requires a lot of time to get over it

AliEn T. Bette. Bunny Bunny. Charlie. Ezra. Kanjira. Matilda. Pickles. Ulu.

Mostly troubled, but open to change

6. Mr. APPLe. Darley Clatter. Diggers. Druvis III. La Source. Lilya. Melania. Ms. Moissan. Poltergeist. Zima

Neutral, indifferent and/or unaffected

Baby Blue. Click. Dikke. Jessica. John Titor. Rabies. Sputnik. Tennant. Tooth Fairy. Twins Sleep. These characters remain neutral, but do not confuse their indifference or lack of reaction for ignorance. Some of them aren't quite lucid, conscious or old enough to fully understand their surrounding, such as Rabies and Twins Sleep, but I would say the rest are grounded enough as to not let a figure such as the Player affect them in any intense or extreme way. Some of them simply don't care because this entire reveal doesn't exactly change their routine nor perception of the world. Some are choosing to remain neutral until they gather more information to form a solid opinion.

Mostly curious, but open to change

A Knight. Cristallo. Kaalaa Baunaa. Ms. NewBabel. Necrologist. Satsuki. Spathodea. Voyager.

Eager to learn, requires a lot of stress to be affected

37. An-an Lee. Centurion. Eagle. Horropedia. Leilani. Nick Bottom. Shamane. Sotheby. X.

Extremely intrigued

Eternity. Medicine Pocket. Ms. Radio. ONiON. Regulus. TTT. The Fool. Regardless of how your existence affects these characters, their curiosity and the new opportunities and possibilities you bring along are much more important to them. These are characters who seek to profit from you in some way, who see you as a fascinating subject to study, who may even relate in a way to the role you play as the Player, who may pity you.

[mishapen-dear]

rough art tips to learn and then break at your leisure.

the distance between your eyes is roughly one eye. the corners of your mouth dont extend past the middle of each eye. ears are roughly in the middle of the tip of the nose and the eyebrow. the eyes are in the very centre of the head. the neck is just a Little slimmer than the width of the head (varies with fat distribution, but fat tends to build up under the chin). hair is easier to draw when you plot out the hairline and then where it parts. leaving appropriate distance on the side of the face (cheekbone area and back to ear) contributes to making characters look more realistic/hot as hell. i dont know specific tips for that so use reference. an amazing reference/study site is lineofaction.com . if you think of the face in planes it makes it easier to construct (look up tutorials). if you draw a spiral like a tornado it can help you figure out awkward perspective for extended limbs (look up foreshortening coil technique). tangent lines are when two lines intersect and cause visual confusion (when it looks like a line that defines an arm is part of the line that defines a building, for example) and avoiding them makes your art way easier to comprehend. quick trick to good composition: choose a focal point (where you want your viewer to focus), detail that area the most, and make sure various elements of the piece are pointing to that focal point. you can use colours to contrast hue, saturation, and brightness and make certain elements of your drawing stand out. drawing in greyscale can help you figure out values. using black in a piece isn't illegal but you should know what you're doing when you do use it- it desaturates a piece and if used as a shading colour can desaturate and dull whatever youre shading too. if you use almost-black lineart and then add black to darken the very darkest areas it will do a lot to add some nice depth. the tip of your thumb ends just above the start of your index finger- your thumb also has two knuckles and all your other fingers have three. if you see an artist doing something you like (the way they draw noses or eyes or hair or anything else) you can try to copy that and see if you want to incorporate it in your style <- this is ENCOURAGED and how a lot of us learned and developed our styles. there are ways to add wrinkles to faces and bodies without making the character look a million years old, you just have to keep experimenting with it. The smile wrinkles around your muzzle dont connect to your mouth or to your nose; there should be a small space in between smile or nose and the wrinkle line. eyes when viewed in profile are like < aka a little triangle shape. think of the pupil like a disk and apply foreshortening to it (it looks like a line when seen from the side instead of a full round dot). subtle gradients can add a LOT to a piece. texture can also add a LOT. look up Tommy Arnold's work (his murderbot pieces are some of my FAVOURITE) and zoom in. find those random little circles he added and try to figure out why he added them there. light bounces. there's lots of way light bounces. sometimes it even spreads through the skin. i do not know these light tricks yet but i want you to know that they exist. draw a circle to indicate hand placement, draw a straight line between that circle and the shoulder, and then (normally at a right angle) draw a straight line on top of that line to find the placement of the elbow. elbows are normally placed Just above the hip when standing and your arm is at rest. there are no bad colour combos if you're brave enough about it, just fuck with the saturation and brightness until it works. keep playing. try new things. add your own tips to this post if you want or even expand on some ive mentioned here. good luck go ham etc

[mattodore]

found out while putting together matthias's oc page that his name has the exact same etymology and meaning as theo's name...

i’m sure this is information matthias is very normal about…

[coquelicoq]

this guy expects me to be way more fluent in middle english than i in fact am. dude i don't have chaucer memorized 😩 i'm gonna need you to hold my hand a little more than you are currently holding it.

[pandora15]

life is cruel.

it's tragic, horrific, and unfair. it gives us the worst of things, causes us to feel and experience things that are so unspeakably painful that sometimes I can't even. I can't even.

and it seems even more cruel in those moments of pain and grief and loss when you see something beautiful, like fall colors, or the color of the sky at sunset, or how the holidays typically are meant to bring joy to people but all you can think about now is that every year when this time of year comes, you'll just think about how tragic it is.

and cruel.

and horrific.

and unfair.

and beautiful.