#I know it interests no one but my favorite book is No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

[cerise-on-top]

Hank with an Eldritch Horror Reader

Here's another thing I wrote two years back! It was an interesting concept which I really liked, so I actually really enjoyed writing this request!

Hank J Wimbleton was a grunt of many things, but not one to be scared unless he had a good reason to be. There were many things in this world he did not understand, you were one of them. Upon meeting you, his first instinct would have been to either fight or run away - who could blame him, it was all he knew. No matter how many times you reassured him that the very last thing you wanted to do was to harm him, he’d draw his weapon, uncertain of whether or not he should believe your words.

Once you show no resistance towards him whatsoever and simply restrain him using your powers or other methods, that’s when, thrashing around as much as he could, he would start listening. You may or may not have seen a grunt up close, but this was your chance to finally examine one. As you scrutinise him from every possible angle Hank realises that you were simply curious about his being and finally lowers weapon.

Your voice would likely hurt his head and freeze the blood in his veins, so you might have to resort to telepathy or speak through a marionette, if you can find one. Though, once Hank’s interest in you has been piqued, he’d be more than happy to find you one. A lot of people in Nevada seem to be redundant in the first place. Regarding telepathy: You will be able to have a two-way conversation with Hank like that, but, for the most part, he doesn’t think in words. Still, he can do so, if needed.

If you’re on the rather small side, he will make an effort to pick you up, or hold you, and bring you back to base. Depending on whether you can float or not, this might be rather difficult, but he’ll try. If you’re large, however, then he will simply “tell” you to follow him. As an eldritch being you could likely either change your form or scare away anyone in your path in the first place, so he doesn’t particularly worry about anyone being stupid enough to attack you.

Spend time with him, he’ll get used to you more and more and, eventually, grow a bond with you. Proud, he’ll show you to Doc so he can figure out what you are, but do not be fooled. Hank wants to know what you are to some degree too. Once comfortable with you and certain you won’t harm him, he’ll start observing you, touching you to some degree. See how you react, how you feel, how you are.

Despite your conversations being, for the most part, one-sided, Hank will ask you directly what you are and if you’re some form of eldritch deity. Since you’re an amicable creature he can’t exactly wrap his head around, it’s worth a try.

Although he would like to do so to some degree, he won’t take you with him on missions. It’s his way of saying “I care a great deal about you, I don’t want you to die or worse even if you are capable of defending yourself.” If you really insist on aiding him, he will let you, begrudgingly. But beware that he will have your back. In fact, having you around will give him a greater reason to fight and improve his overall performance. Though, it will also be a major stress factor to him if something were to happen to you, so choose wisely.

[neil-gaiman]

hey mr gaiman. i saw that this post got revisited and wanted to address it.

i submitted this ask over a year ago on my old account and it was one of the stupidest things i ever did. it was my first tumblr account. id only been really online for a few weeks. i was 13. i was just coming back to school after a global pandemic.

ive been a fan of good omens for years and a fan of yours for longer. i was brought up reading odd and the frost giants and fortunately the milk, and as i got older i fell in love with your norse mythology book, good omens, snow glass apples, the sleeper and the spindle, and more.

i was excited to see one of my favorite authors on tumblr and tried to come up with the most bold and interesting ask i could think of.

i was rude and misinformed and it was a stupid choice of me to send it in with no thought.

but i got feedback. some in the form of kind suggestions. quite a few in the form of death threats and people telling me to kill myself.

while those specific messages were rude and hateful, the point got across. i educated myself to the best of my abilities, and eventually came back online.

not only did i misuse the term queerbaiting but i also implied that you were not an amazing supporter of the queer community. that’s absolutely incorrect. you’ve done so much for us with activism, representation, and overall kindness.

i wanted to address this ask that got so much attention because despite moving accounts i still feel guilt and shame every time i see it, or even when i interact with any of your posts at all. i need to actually address it.

also, i wanted a proper apology to be made. by no means am i now a saint. but im trying to be more thoughtful about thinking before i speak.

whether or not you decide to make a public response to this, i think ill find some peace knowing you’ve received this. ive needed closure on this for a long time.

im overjoyed and thrilled that season two is so close. thank you for tolerating the dumb questions of pretentious kids and thank you for helping to create a world where we can grow to be better than we were.

First of all, and most importantly, I'm really sorry that people were mean to you. That's awful. And nobody should ever have to deal with death threats or online threats and attacks, let alone a thirteen year old.

And secondly, you do not owe me an apology. I figure I have a Tumblr account, people ask things. Mostly they'll get nice replies, occasionally (normally when I'm being asked the same thing over and over) the replies will be terser. There has to be a certain amount of rough and tumble though, and occasionally I'll grab an ask that represents all of the asks I've had on that subject, and try and reply to all of them. That's what happened to you. I was getting tired of being accused of Queerbaiting for the occasional answer about a Season that was not yet released and about which nobody knew anything. And I needed to tell everyone who was doing this that they had to stop now. You had the misfortune to be the representative of all of the other people.

If you are not making mistakes you are not human and you are not learning anything.

(I wish there was tone of voice on the internet.)

And I think you are growing and learning and will make a fantastic adult.

I really hope you enjoy Season 2 when it drops.

[volturiprincess]

To love You in an Old Way

Jasper Hale x human mate reader

Summary: Reader is a fan of old school love Warnings: None, just pure fluff A/N: This one-shot was inspired by this song I been listening on repeat lately, its called "Amarte a la Antigua" or "To Love You in an Old Way" by Eslabon Armado. I added lyrics from the song onto this (Spanish is my first language so translating was easy) From just that song theres another song I listen from this group and another one shot idea came to idea. There will be another A/N in the end. Enjoy :)

(You can never forget your first love for a Vampire)

“Today we no longer write letters to fall in love

Today the flowers are no longer seen”

I have never been serenaded by gifts or even experienced all those old school love gestures. I always said I had no interest in being serenaded but secretly I wished that everything you see in the movies could happen to me. The endless romance books I have drowned myself in so that I could try to picture myself in those romantic scenes leaves me with an unsaid desire. But it is an unrequired thing, guys at school just don't work like that anymore 

“Where has that romance gone?

There are no longer poems to conquer each other

Now only emails are sent”

That is until a certain cowboy came into my life, Jasper Hale. I always admired him from a distance and didn't really approach him in any way until he awkwardly but oh so adorable came up to me one day and said “Hello y/n would you like to go out with me to a bookstore in Port Angeles”. The way he had a hint of anxiety in his eyes and how he flexed his arms behind his back left me curious as to why he was so nervous to talk to me. From that moment 2 years ago today, we have been together ever since, and yes I do know about him and his family being vampires and his past even. There are days where he has to be away from me to control his thirst but I never feel disappointed or hurt. I do always praise him for how far he has come to being able to be around me without the feeling of wanting to drain my blood in a second. 

But the thing I absolutely love about Jasper is he is an old school lover, makes sense since he is old but he does everything you would see in the movies. At first it started with just short poem phrases left inside my locker or in the books I would read, 

“Loving you the old way, stealing your smiles

Hold your hand, open the door for you, write you poems

love like before”

And from that he started to write full on poems, one of them being called “To love you in old way”, which just hits my heart in every way. He then started to give me little gifts, nothing fancy yet unless you count chocolates but he would give me little drawings he's done throughout the day or once he gave me a bracelet he made that had a small heart and rose charm. I still wear that bracelet to this day. 

“Fill you with roses, sing you songs, paint you caresses”

When he writes me poems, he leaves them in my bedroom with a bouquet of my favorite flowers each time. The way he loves me is something I never knew could exist, he's so suave with his southern charm  and the way he can sit for hours listening to me talk just makes my heart swell. Many would assume just because he's the reserve type he lacks being a romantic type, but when me and him are alone he says some of the most dazzling and mesmerizing things that can put any poet to shame

Like just a minute ago he said this line 

“In you, I have found the love that fills my soul”

And with his Texan accent, it made it more personal.

“Was that an Edgar Allan Poe quote?”

“It was, I figured you would like it for the reason being you love his works”

“Oh you know me so well cowboy”

He smirked slightly and pulled me into his embrace so my back was against his chest while he was leaning against a tree. 

“I like how you learned quotes from his works to woe me, even if he focuses more on the dark and terror of life”

“Well one thing I have grown to know about you is books are a key to your heart”

“Yes true, and food, don't forget food”

The way he laughs makes me melt into him more, his laugh is quiet like the sounds of small bells ringing, so angelic yet at the same time so bewitching.

“I could never forget that about you darlin”

I thought about our first date, I was internally panicking and was overthinking constantly of what to say to him, I was debating to just be myself or my quiet self. What made me loosen up with him was he gave me this aura of calm, at the time I didn't understand how but with that feeling I relaxed and was able to finally be myself. Since our first date was at a bookstore, he held all the books I wanted and he didn't protest or anything, actually he would recommend books or I would catch him sneaking books into my growing pile. After that date, we just knew we fit like a puzzle, it was then confirmed later that Jasper and I are mates which confused me since I am human. 

We would spend hours either in his room or mine reading and then talking about it afterwards. He really is my missing piece to my soul. My parents even approved of Jasper and would be happy to have him over or even letting him stay the night or vice versa. They knew Jasper was the perfect gentleman and wouldn't do anything to hurt me, which is true in every way, even if he does have his days where he struggles with his thirst control.

“Penny for thoughts?”

At hearing his voice through my mist of memories I answered “I was just thinking about our first date”

“What about it?”

“Just thinking how we fit like two puzzle pieces”

He kissed the top of my head and mumbled quietly

“You have no idea how true that is”

I grabbed his hand and traced his visible veins. I would often do that to make him relax more and in a way it comforted me. As for him I noticed he would bury his face into my hair, he says my hair smells like flowers and I could feel him melt everytime he did that. 

“Can I ask you something”

His sudden voice in our quiet bliss startled me

“Yea? What's up?”

“Well I have a supplication for you”

I raised an eyebrow at that word but pulled away from him so I could face him.

“Supplication? You never fail to amuse me with your formal words but continue with your supplication”

His radiantly affectionate smirk spread onto his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled a small box out, seeing that box my eyes widened slightly, is it what i think it is? With opening the box I can already see the twinkling diamond shining through 

“Darlin’ the moment I meet you I felt I could finally breathe again, I felt somewhat human once again and my dark past did not cloud my mind as much, I don't know what I would do if I were to ever lose you or let you do, that might sound selfish but damn dang it I love you doll, Will you do me the honor and marry me?”

My tears were already building up when he barely said his first words. The man of my dreams is asking for my hand in marriage and the way the sunlight was hitting him made him look so surreal, it felt like we were in a dream at that moment.

“YES Jas, YES!!”

His smile widened and he placed the ring on my finger in an instant and pulled me into a deep kiss. This kiss didn't feel like any other kiss we had in the past, it felt like all our past deception vanished and it was just me and him in this whole world. And to think this all started with me craving for that old antique love gestures. 

“Love you the old way, love you like before”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I love Jasper, as I said in one of my past post, he was my first Vampire love until well I discovered Felix but I still love him never less. I have another idea for a one shot with another song but this time it will be about Caius, hence to why I have one of his quotes in my bio.

[envy-of-the-apple]

Hey!! The ask you answered about some satosaugu fic recommendations kinda made me curious if you got any other fics to recommend. Pretty please? <33 (Also, I love your fics so much, been so fascinated with them ever since I found them. Please keep up the good work <3)

considering op didn't specify which fandom they wanted...I'm gonna go ahead and link every single one of my favorite fics mwahahaha

His Savior (geto suguru x reader)

Takes place right after Suguru kills the village and adopts his daughters. Reader is a non-sorcerer but is still able to weasel into his heart! For now its slice of life, super super cute

The Things that Lie beneath the Sea (Mermaid!OchaIzuKatsu x reader)

Reader is hinted to be recently divorced and decides to spend a year isolated on an island and meets three merpeople that are a bit too interesting. Even though im no longer in the mha fandom, i still go back to see if the author has added any chapters. Really really good! And it has a (sort of) language barrier!

Fight Night (MMA fighter!Sukuna x reader)

Reader gets tangled up with MMA fighter sukuna???? Yum???? it's like 80% smut buuuut the plot and they way they both bond is super cute too!

Zero day (Ghost x reader x Konig)

To avoid jail time, reader joins Task Force 141 as their tech support. Super interesting plot! I don't think it's being updated anymore:( but this is one of my favorite COD fics of all time!!!

Simple Math (Poly! Ghostsoap x Nurse!reader)

Soap and Ghost try to flirt with their oblivious nurse...despite soap being currently hospitalized

Bird Song (Jake sully x human!reader x neytiri)

Reader gets taken hostage by the Na'vi and becomes Neytiri's and Jake's babysitter. Yall its such a cute poly fic iloveitiloveitiloveitsosomuchhhh. Technically not completed but i think it ended perfectly!

Something (just like this) (Izuku x reader)

Reader gets hired to make pro-hero izuku a comic book based on his life and they bond! So so so cuteeeee ahhhhhh!!!!

Undone (Squid Game salesman! Kuroo x reader) (noncon)

Reader catches Kuroo with his latest victim player.

It's a vanasha fic. You already know it's gonna be amazing

Love, Death and Circuits (Android! YoRHa!Gojo x reader)

Reader wakes up ten thousand years in the future where humanity now lives on the moon. It's Android's gojo's first time meeting a human and they learn what happened while the reader was asleep.

THIS is the fic that got me into the nier automata hyperfixation for like three months. You do not need to play the game to understand this. It's a super sweet fic:) Yan gojo is there too as a treat!!!!

The Ostensive Fumblings of Being Human (Connor DBH x reader)

Post revolution. Androids and humans are trying to coexist. Reader is part of an organization to help ease this process along. Connor learns what it's like to fall in love

How many times have i reread this???? I'm not gonna answer that. It's so gorgeous. The author perfectly encapsulates a deviant connor. He's so lost and unsure but the way he keeps moving forward is so inspiring! And the mc and connor's blooming relationship is super cute to see. The world building the author is able to make from Cage's chicken scratch is amazing too! And philosophy!

I have like two thousand more but this is already long enough teehee. if yall read any pls pls pls give the authors a kudos/bookmark/comment!!!!

[ghouljams]

jumping off of that other anon about love and war: discussion on pieces of art (like the Brunswicker) or poetry (Lord Byron) who combine that sense of devoted love and helplessness. love recites Byron to simon and it turns him on, not because it's Byron, but because it's her (and he loves the way her mouth moves)

I watched thee when the fever glazed thine eyes

Yielding my couch, and stretched me on the ground

When overworn with watching, ne'er to rise

From thence, if thou an early grave hadst found.

Ghost is absolutely entranced by every part of this woman, but her mouth? The way she smiles at him makes his heart stop. The way she talks to him is like music, he can't help but want to listen to her for hours. He's down astronomical. Love is awful for his sanity and yet he can't turn her away like he does everyone else.

It's just- She's smart. She's smart enough to know better than to like him, than to go after a guy like him, and yet here she is. She perches on his desk to read Vonnegut just so she can turn to him and point out her favorite section, or ask his thoughts on whatever philosophy the book is lecturing. Love is the sort of pretty he'd never go after at a bar, the sort that has too much life to be bogged down by the type of love he has to offer. Absolute, rabid, devotion. And yet! And yet she knocks on his door, and leaves little notes in his books, and takes an interest in him in a way that no one else has. He almost touches her on purpose once, just to check that he hasn't imagined her. He thinks better of it.

Love jokes with him, to him about him. She's so... lovely. She's a fountain of knowledge, always inviting him to drink, and where he thought once that he was drowning in a sea of people he finds himself parched. He's alone when he's not with her. He finds his eyes on the lecture hall doors, watching for her. He tracks his time for office hours closer, waiting an extra few minutes for her. That's how he finds himself in her lectures, drawn to her when he can't stand being away any longer. He hovers in the back, unsure why he's even there, though he always comes with an excuse, and wonders why he enjoys her flirting so much.

She's discussing the anthropological importance of "heroes" the way that humanity craves the safety of them. The shift in ideals, the Byronic hero. Ghost wonders if this might not serve a literature class better, he glances at a nearby student's notes and sees the class is cross listed: "Human evolution through story telling." He got his times wrong, this isn't the philosophy one.

"Speaking of heroes," Love grins, and Ghost knows that's for him, "Simon, my favorite Byronic gentleman, here to recite some poetry for us?" God the way she says his name, he might need a pace maker to keep his heart beating the way it's supposed to. He holds up a paperback, and she shakes her head. "Knew I forgot something."

Love holds her hand out, and despite his better judgement Ghost walks down the lecture hall steps to hand the book to her. She flips through the pages, and almost seems disappointed. He's reminded of the little notes she leaves him in the books she returns. That's different though, those are in scholarly texts, this is a copy of Kafka's "Metamorphosis." She already heard his thoughts on it. Maybe not all of them, she'd started leaning too far over and he'd had to kick her out before she noticed him staring down her shirt, but enough.

"Not a poetry guy," Ghost tells her, she always seems to perk up when he talks. Now is no different, the light comes back to her smile as she glances up at him.

"I can start it off." She offers. Ghost hesitates, glancing back at the silent lecture hall, and gives a short nod.

"I watched thee when the foe was at our side,/ Ready to strike at him—or thee and me,/ Were safety hopeless—rather than divide/ Aught with one loved save love and liberty." He watches that pretty mouth shape the words, his head tipping with a gentle shake. One loved, together intertwined even in hopelessness. Love and Death, it's funny... he actually knows this one.

"I watched thee on the breakers, when the rock/ Received our prow, and all was storm and fear," Ghost swallows, frowning against Love's eager stare, something woefully soft in her eyes feels as sharp as a knife when he meets them. He looks away, finds more eyes, looks back. He lowers his voice, feels the rasp of it in his throat, the sticky promises he wants to make, hidden behind a stranger's words, "And bade thee cling to me through every shock;/ This arm would be thy bark, or breast thy bier." She's so dangerously close to him, stupidly close with those sweet lips curved like sin into a smile. "Love dwells not in our will." Ghost breathes.

"You're skipping ahead," Love leans in to whisper. Ghost can't help the way he leans as well, the tip of his head and aborted raise of his hand. Ghost stiffens, straightens and turns to go. He can't be around this woman any more. She's going to be the death of him. "Bye Simon," She calls after him.

"Dr. Riley," He grumbles. One student sitting on the aisle notes in the group chat later that they aren't sure if he was correcting her, or extending a similar goodbye, with a teeny-weeny Freudian slip.

[interpolanticssuperfan]

nothing natural | ken x fem!reader | part 3 | 18+ only

hii everyone! thank you SO much for the incredible kindness youve shown me and sweet words so far! and thank you all for reading. i accidentally made this chapter longer than i intended to.. oops. i hope i am doing a good job at slow burning because ive struggled with that in the past. warnings: reader goes outside to smoke a cigarette. lol. enjoy and as always feedback fuels me!!

also, i wanted to let you all know that you can listen to the playlist i have been listening to as i work on this fic which is sort of a mix of stuff that reminds me of ken and stuff i think he'd like. idk i love when authors share what they listen to, so you can check that out here.

you can also reply to my posts or message me if you want to be tagged for updates. i am posting a masterlist today for ease of access.

tags: @heyareyoulistening @itsametaphorbriansblog @alyeria

In the span of one hour, you absorbed more information and somehow became more confused the longer Ken spent investigating every inch of your apartment. You explained to him that you did not own this entire building, and that only one unit was allotted to you, but this still impressed Ken.

“Are you friends with all your neighbors?” He asked, squinting closely at the magnets on your fridge, touching them and flipping frantically through the notepad you used for grocery lists, like he needed to see more of your handwriting, more of the things you used every day. Ken murmured to himself as he took in the words: flour, one dozen eggs, croissants.

You’d reinstated yourself at your dining table with your work laptop, creating an elaborate lie for your supervisor as to why you missed the weekly team check in. My cousin’s dog was assaulted by a rabid possum and we had to take him to the emergency vet, please excuse my brief absence… I’m happy to work overtime to accommodate this inconvenience… He was only a puppy…

So on and so forth. You were confident you could schmooze your way out of a write up. Ken couldn’t stand still, couldn’t contain himself – had whizzed through the front door when you unlocked it, bouncing off the walls with questions and comments that flowed freely.

“No, I’m not friends with all my neighbors. There’s gotta be at least forty other people that live here. Are you?”

“I know all the Kens. We are not all friends. But I know all of them.”

“You’re all named Ken.”

“No. There’s Allans.”

“Right.”

Ken gleefully picked up each cookbook stacked on top of a low hanging shelf, tearing through each one and making tiny astonished faces at each new dish he was introduced to. Recipes on the sweeter side piqued his interest – cinnamon rolls, pastries, cookies. You had suspended disbelief long enough to just let Ken do this, let him touch everything even if he moved your belongings out of place. It wasn’t typical for you to have a man over, let alone one who was learning how the natural human world worked. (And had to ask you with stars in his eyes what ovens were for.)  

“These pancakes look divine. They’re putting all kinds of stuff in these. I didn’t know you could put blueberries in them. They taste good, right?” You craned your neck to get a look at the recipe he was referring to.

“If you’re a decent cook! You just have to pay attention to what you’re doing, measuring, how long things stay on the stove. It’s like that for anything you cook. I’m not great with pancakes, for some reason I always tend to burn them.”

“So what’s your favorite food?” Ken asks, setting the book down and taking to the fridge, flinging the doors wide open and surveying each salad dressing, bottle of water, every can of cold brew coffee. He ran his fingers along the labels, as if reading braille, receiving telepathic information about these products from just handling them. It was an odd sight. Everything he held looked so small in his hands.

“Er… I guess I really like sushi. But I haven’t had it in awhile. Trying to save money, make a habit of eating at home. And I just like to make simple things.”

“What’s in sushi?” Ken’s rotating a banana in his hands, picking at the stem to see what it does.

“A lot of things. Usually raw fish. Rice that sticks together to make a shape, seaweed, different kinds of sauces.” It’s making you laugh, seeing Ken size up this banana with a puzzled look on his face. “Do you want to try eating that?”

He shifts uncomfortably, placing the fruit back down on the counter like it had offended him. “We have these in Barbieland but they are not nearly as squishy. Ours are rock hard. And not brown!”

Ken was right – that banana was probably past its prime, but you hadn’t cleaned out the fridge in a few days. You’d gotten sick of refreshing your inbox waiting for a reply from your supervisor, so you got up and pulled a knife from the drawer, setting the squishy banana on a paper towel to cut it.

“Here. Try this,” you cut through the peel and divide up a small end slice into two pieces, holding one out to Ken who seems frightened by it, squares his shoulders.

“There’s something inside that peel?”

“Go ahead, just take a bite! You might like it, how else will you find out what you like?”

“But (Y/N), I’m not… hungry.”

“That’s okay. It’s a very small slice, I promise it’ll be alright, Ken.”

His eyes flash with trust at the promise you’ve just made him, so he abandons his apprehension and plops the bit into his mouth. It’s like watching a baby bird clamor for its mother’s offering of regurgitated seed and berry mix. Ken doesn’t instinctively chew, he just lets it sit in his mouth like he’s waiting for the fruit to do something. You raise up the other banana slice, catch his eye and show him how to chew, slowly, and then swallow. 

Ken nods, although his movements are strange and exaggerated, but eventually allows a smile. “That was pretty good. Mushy.” He searches your face to see if he’s given the correct answer, which is even funnier to you than him trying food for the first time.

“Did you like it? Bananas are on the sweet side.”

“Definitely. I think I really like them. Can I have the rest of it?”

“So you can taste!”

Ken grins to himself, gives you a proud stance and swaggers to the side, popping his hip out as he starts cutting up the rest of the fruit. 

“Oh, yeah. I can taste everything. Nothing I can’t taste.”

“When I go to the store next I can get you some more sweet foods. But you can’t just eat sweets. Fruit is naturally sweet, but for example, you can’t just have ice cream and brownies all the time. Your body will hate you for that.”

“And I can make you pancakes with bananas.” Ken adds, cocky as ever, already physically spreading himself out in your kitchen like he owns the place, thighs open and easy and confident as he leans back. He adjusts quickly to new situations, you’re discovering, with none of the social anxiety most people might feel.

“Let’s save the cooking and… turning on the stovetop… for when I can teach you. It can be dangerous if you’re not familiar with what to do.”

“But what if I want to surprise you, (Y/N)? You wouldn’t want to ruin it, would you?”

“I’d rather ruin the breakfast than have you accidentally catch my apartment building on fire.”

Ken considers this, starts chewing at the rest of the banana slices while still committed to looking cool as he does so. “You’re so right. So, where do you think I should sleep?”

You put some distance between the two of you, since proximity to the blonde had begun to make you feel inexplicably self conscious, and sit back down at your laptop. You hadn’t gotten this far, hadn’t decided where Ken could stay and if he was even going to stay. Stay for what? A crash course in becoming a member of society? Turn him into the perfect roommate who’s convinced you’re dating now? And how in the hell were you qualified to teach him anything about life, fulfillment, health or success when you were far from the epitome of any of those?

“I thought you said you didn’t get tired.”

“There’s something I need to tell you about,” the sudden change in Ken’s tone caught you off guard, so after taking a brief glance at your emails again and confirming nothing of substance had arrived, you folded your hands in your lap and turned your body towards him, anticipatory and patient.

“When Barbie went to the real world, almost everything about her changed. She still looked like herself, but… it was different. She told us that she got a cold.” Ken gestured to his nose, crinkling it up in dismay. “Sniffling. She had to use tissues.” 

“You’re worried about getting sick?”

“No, not… right now.” Ken tried again, attacking it from a different angle. “Barbie said the longer she was here, the more she kept changing. Barbies never got sick before. But she had to see a human doctor, and she started making her own food and eating it. Sandwiches. And her flat feet never went away.” Ken’s distress was evident, but you weren’t sure what he was getting at, couldn’t see what panicked him so much about this topic.

“I don’t understand. What are you saying, Ken?” You tried to keep yourself casual, so as not to freak him out even further; he’d already begun pacing, boots clacking against your kitchen tile with each step.

“I’m saying that the longer I stay here, the less I’m going to be like… how I was.” He sounded so unsure, on the precipice of a conclusion, fearful of what he might learn. “Don’t you get it? I’ll have to brush my hair. Call the dentist. Pay taxes. Wear deodorant. I might get a breakout on my chin, just like Barbie did.” The last part sounded like the nail in the coffin for Ken, who looked weak just recalling the memory.

“Taxes? But you don’t have a job, do you? For all the city knows, you don’t even exist.”

“That’s not the point, (Y/N)! I’ll have to get a job.”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. So… it sounds like you’ll become less like a doll?”

“Exactly. And I’ll have to do it alone.” Ken was silent, pensive as you let his confession settle. Perhaps it wasn’t the changes that he dreaded.

It was doing it without any support.

“I see. So you’ll have to sleep. You’ll have to eat. Is that scaring you?” Your intention was to minimize these facts of daily human life, shrink them down to manageable tasks, not to trivialize his valid concerns.

Ken hollowed his cheek, bit the skin in between his teeth and looked around for something to focus on while he reflected on what you asked. Noticing the cage you had set up for your guinea pig, Ken crouched in front of it without so much as a knee crack, raising his eyebrows up inquisitively.

“Who’s this?”

“I should’ve introduced you to her earlier. She’s my guinea pig, her name’s Willa. See her long hair? It’s really beautiful, but she’s pretty high maintenance.” 

Sounds like someone else in this room.

Being so close to Willa appeared to calm Ken down, and you watched his shoulders drop slightly, saw the veins in his neck depress, growing less agitated. “Does she have to brush her hair?”

The cookbooks, grocery lists, the banana had inspired Ken to ask countless questions, but meeting Willa, Ken merely watched in quiet awe.

You couldn’t help but laugh at his purported  jab. “I help her with it every day. She’s got a special little brush.”

“Hers is longer than mine. At least she gets some assistance.”

Ken sighs deeply, not taking his eyes off tiny caramel colored Willa, who has no idea what’s happening, just lounges in the paper substrate fleece and wiggles her nose up at the blonde staring her down. He rubs meager circles on his knees as if to soothe himself, then sighs again, long and dramatic. From minute to minute, Ken’s moods shift so drastically – he could be lovingly describing his newfound obsession with bananas and then just as easily pivot to jealousy over a guinea pig receiving grooming services from its owner. Decoding him was like whiplash.

“Ken?”

“I’ve been putting off thinking about this part.”

“You mean losing your doll-ness?”

“Yeah.” Ken’s voice is small, terrified, unbefitting of how he presented himself. Put together, well dressed, toned, tanned, oozing with charm. It all dissipated with his answer. 

With your foot, you push out the dining table chair adjacent to you, the scrape spooking Ken as he jumps. “Why don’t you come sit here and talk with me? You can bring Willa, she likes making friends. Just be mindful of her.” Nervous, Ken obliges, sticks a hand into her enclosure and waits for Willa to crawl over to him. 

To your shock, she comes without a moment’s hesitation, nosing at his palm and blinking at him. Willa ardently disapproved of your last boyfriend, and she never seemed to like the odd hookup you’d bring over after your explosive breakup. She’d ignore any man in the apartment for the most part, but you couldn’t believe how easy it had been for her to warm up to Ken, snuggling up to him already. 

“Wow. She normally doesn’t like strangers.” 

“Looks like she prefers your friends. She’s so soft,” Ken notes, temporarily forgetting about the needling anxiety he’d been expressing to you, and sits down. At your table Ken seemed larger than life, so full of color and irresistible personality. The most interesting irregularity you had ever entertained. He flattened the backs of his hands on the placemat and smiled down shyly at Willa, gentle like he was convinced the tiniest movement could hurt her.

(A smile that had the power to devastate – could ruin your life, could make you want to throw it all away just to know him; a smile that Ken saved specifically for a defenseless creature that nibbed at his thumbnail.) 

“Go ahead and pet her! They like that,” you encouraged Ken, denying the lump in your throat, who obeys and brings a steady forefinger to Willa’s back, warily petting her in one stunted action. Willa rustles, but doesn’t flee or make any noises contesting his presence. “She might try to run away, so just make sure you keep an eye on her.”

“I promise I will, (Y/N). How old is she?”

“She’s two and a half.” You raise your eyes to Ken, who’s entranced by the small animal and her lustrous coat, indifferent to his surroundings now that he’s connected with this hairy comrade. “How old are you?”

“I have no idea. How old are you?” 

This shouldn’t have surprised you at this point. Nothing could catch you off guard now as you went down the list, dedicating yourself wholly to figuring out what to do with this guy. Given how unadjusted he is to the world, is Ken your responsibility now? What would happen to him if he went out, unprepared, unassimilated, and tried to do things like get a job, buy something from the store? Had he ever seen currency before? 

Would you have to teach Ken math? You failed calculus. More than once. This wasn’t boding well.

“I’m twenty five. You don’t have a birthday?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s how you keep track of your age. Could you look at me for a second? Maybe I can try and guess.” Ken’s reluctant to stop looking at Willa, but does as you say, and it strikes you to admire him overtly like this, free from the guise of contrived modesty, not hiding how strongly you want to see him. He’s open, almost tranquil, those wide eyes continuously following yours, every single aspect of his demeanor softening the more you drink him in.

You couldn’t help but freeze. Pinning him. You could hear the robins chirping outside on the patio. Buses shuttling along on the road outside. Your blood pumping in your fingers, the hot curl of desire in your stomach. At once, everything felt vibrant, felt… exceptional.

Because of him.

Blonde angel, almost porcelain. Kind with your pet. Enthralled with the simplest items you owned. Eager to assist you with any task, however minor. Naively trusting. 

Blind to the ways this world could twist and chew you up. Brand new.

You wouldn’t ever be the source of pain for Ken. In that moment, searching his stark blue eyes for an answer to a question you couldn’t articulate, you wrote it on your heart, that no matter what happened – whether Ken stayed in your life, as a friend or something more – you would never hurt him.

You don’t even remember what you were trying to do with him. Mesmerized, you simply just enjoyed the sight, at a loss for words. What was there to say that wouldn’t fizzle out and die on your lips?

How are you real? (He wasn’t.)

How did you get here? (He’d waited for you.)

Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?

“(Y/N)? Did you calculate it yet? Maybe it’ll be easier if I unbutton my jacket. Willa, stay put, I need to do something,” It flew over your head, you couldn’t hear what he said, just gawked and felt your pulse thrum as Ken started to undo the top of his denim jacket. Deft fingers working, you had to be aware of how affected you looked. You couldn’t hide it.

To see more of Ken’s chest physically pained you – it hurt to look, hurt to squirm and act like it wasn’t overwhelming, burning you up. He showed off his defined, carved muscle, smooth and enticing like a joke or something. 

Willa sniffed the salt and pepper shaker, not moving even a millimeter away from Ken as he undid the last button with a muffled pop. 

Where wisps of blonde hair would’ve led down to the tip of Ken’s waistband, there was nothing, just more of that milky white skin, blameless and pure and teasing. Where ribs should have anatomically been, his chest expanded then deflated, ripples of flesh rolling, then relaxing.

All of him on display. All of him so… bare.

Well – not all of him. Not yet.

You hadn’t felt anything like this before, not ever. You were experienced – you weren’t uneducated when it came to sex, or… pleasure. Yet it was impossible that you’d felt true desire in the past, even for the man you’d fallen in love with and been betrayed by, because those memories shriveled in comparison to what you felt in this moment, seeing Ken like this, expectant and unrestrained and so fiercely magnetizing. You saw your future, you saw his body, you saw Ken’s long eyelashes fluttering and pretty like a girl’s, and it was too fucking much, louder than your heart slamming inside your chest.

You began to question if you were even real. If this was happening. Maybe you were the lifeless doll. Harsh stings peppered out along the slope of your neckline – for the second time since meeting Ken, did that really just happen today? – and you made the horrible mistake of telling him the truth just as he was starting to visibly fidget, awaiting your reply.

“(Y/N)? Is this helping? If not, I can –”

“You’re so goddamned gorgeous. Fuck.” 

“What?” Ken blinked, taken aback. He looked like he wanted to say more, to press you, but he couldn’t form a response. 

“I’m. Jesus. I am so sorry, Ken. That wasn’t appropriate at all. I’m… supposed to be helping you. I’m sorry.” Dizzyingly, you shot to your feet, dug your heels against the floor just to feel grounded, and reached over the table for your purse. 

Weren’t you the one supposed to be in charge of boundaries? Teaching Ken how to act, how not to rush things when you met someone you wanted to get to know? 

Ken had flushed a deep shade of peach, an obvious blush that mottled his neck and spread out to his clavicles, nearly reaching his shoulder tips. 

“Did I do something wrong? Can you please tell me what it was?” Ken urged, pupils the size of saucers and still dancing to follow your every move. His face was frantic, lips parted revealing more of his perfect teeth, just another element of his perfect face, everything so perfect about him, and your headache threatened to return in full force.

“No – no, you didn’t, Ken. I promise. I just need to go outside and smoke, it’s not your fault, okay? Can you please stay here with Willa? I’ll only be a minute.”

Ken clearly didn’t know what you meant, or what smoking entailed, but he stayed fused to the chair, biting at his lip again in fragile confusion and not daring to abandon Willa. Fumbling for your lighter through the fabric, you caught the unmistakable downturn of rejection swimming across his features, and the notion that you might have inadvertently let him down made you sicker than the intense wave of lust that had just crashed over you, almost crumbling you, reducing you to nothing but a star cursed to orbit a bigger, more important planet. 

[deadpoolsoci3ty]

so you're the a (alastor x reader) ch 4

summary: “Not answering my question will definitely upset me more. Alastor, I haven't asked you this question yet because I wasn’t ready to hear the answer, but I am now. So, please tell me.” I didn’t want to seem weak, but I also didn’t want him to give me a chance to second guess myself

word count: 1121

warnings: none

masterlist

Chapter Four: would you?

Alastor and I have finished reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, and a few days ago began reading Pride and Prejudice. I had learned that Alastor had read this novel before, and his favorite character is Mr. Bingley. This, unfortunately, did not make me like him less, it had quite the opposite effect. 

Alastor felt like a friend at this point, no longer just a scary voice over a radio. I know that sounds crazy and he’s a demon and all, but he is one of the few constants in my life. He listens to me talk about the books I read to him, and he seems genuinely interested. Today, I had decided I was going to ask him what Hell is like. I had been holding off from asking this question for months because I needed to know I could trust him, well as much as you could trust someone like Alastor. While I'm sure he still wants my soul I don’t think he would lie to me. 

I decided to sleep in so I would feel as calm as I could because I was scared of what he was going to tell me. A fear of hell had been instilled in me since I could understand words. I knew that if hell existed it had to be bad. That was the whole point of it, right? To punish sinners, and I wasn’t perfect. So, I made my way to the radio and brought it with me to the couch. Turning the dials and knobs until I found his station with the static I had become accustomed to. “Hello, Alastor,~” I had slowly but surely begun to flirt back with him. We were never vulgar but the way we spoke to each other was definitely not platonic. 

“Oh sweetheart, I’ve been waiting to talk to you. I’ve missed your melodic voice,” this man (demon) knew exactly how to butter me up.

“Missed you too,” I replied sweetly. 

“Ask away, dear.” 

“Okay, this is a big question, Alastor. I want you to be completely honest with me,” Once I asked this question there was no going back. I had spent my whole life wondering what hell is like, and I was about to find out. “What is hell like?” There was a pregnant pause after the question left my mouth. 

“Well, dear, it’s not a pleasant place. Violent, it’s had to describe, love,” if he could be caught off guard I think this might have done it. “Are you scared of it?”

“Yes,“ I was quick to answer, “my whole life really.”

“I’m sorry dear,” he seemed genuinely apologetic.

“Are there a lot of people there? Like do most people end up there?” I had a feeling a very few margin of people were perfect enough to end up in heaven. He paused again, and now I was afraid he didn’t want to tell me.

“Darling, I don’t want upset you,” 

“Not answering my question will definitely upset me more. Alastor, I haven't asked you this question yet because I wasn’t ready to hear the answer, but I am now. So, please tell me.” I didn’t want to seem weak, but I also didn’t want him to give me a chance to second guess myself.

“Yes, sweetheart, most people come here after their deaths. It takes very little to get into hell and a whole lot to get into heaven. Hell has been overpopulated since its creation. I’ve met many sinners that really didn’t deserve to be here.” This is the answer I expected, but it was still devastating to hear. 

“Alastor, I’m scared I’m going to end up there,” I desperately wanted him to comfort me.

“Darling, there is no doubt in my mind that you would be fine if you somehow ended up here.” It seemed like he wasn’t quite used to offering comfort to others, but he was doing a decent job. “It’s not much different than the human world, people just don’t hide the evil aspects of themselves anymore.” I pause because it’s his turn to ask a question, and I also didn’t know what to say in response to that, “Do you think I would let anything happen to you?” 

“Would you?”

“I hope you don’t want to count this as one of your questions, after all this time are you not sure of my affection for you?” Of course we had been exchanging flirty remarks for the past couple months, but to hear him admit to it out loud like this, was something I was not expecting. In the back of my mind I had been afraid he didn’t actually care about me. That this was all some game to him, but here he was telling me that it wasn’t. He had some sort of adoration for me, whatever much he could give me. I was willing to take whatever he could. “If you found yourself here after your death, nothing could stop me from shielding you from all the horrors in hell. I’ve grown quite attached to you, doll, I wouldn’t want you anywhere but by my side.” I was entirely speechless. He was telling me everything I had ever wanted to hear from someone I have feelings for. 

“Alastor, I want to make a deal with you,” I can’t believe I was doing this, “I want to think about it a little more, but you should know I want to.”

“That would be delightful dear, but only if you truly want to. I don’t have a need for a soul that doesn’t need something in return,” I was not expecting him to try and talk me out of it.

“Like I said, I still need to think about it some more. Why don’t we start reading?” I suggested.

“It would be a pleasure, sweets,” I opened up my copy of Pride and Prejudice and got to reading. Normally as we read Alastor would make comments about what’s happening in the book, but he was silent until after I finished the chapter. Out of nowhere like it had been on his mind since we stopped asking our questions he said, “I would protect you even if I didn’t own your soul.” He didn’t give me a moment to respond before he was gone.

“Alastor?” I raised my voice towards the radio, he can’t just say that and leave, “come back!” I cried. I needed to know more. He cared enough about me to offer me protection without anything in return. He left in such a rush it made it seem like he was uncomfortable with what he had said. I could imagine he hadn’t offered this to someone before, and I wanted what he offered so bad. Hell was much less scary when I thought about Alastor at my side for eternity. 

[bakerstreethound]

Mine for Eternity, Yours for a Lifetime

Kinktober: Possessive Kink

Relationship: Morpheus (Dream of the Endles) x human fem!reader

Warnings: 18+ Smut, oral (fem receiving), slight praising, possessive Morpheus

Summary: Morpheus catches you and Lucienne gossiping about some failed date you had but Morpheus is determined to remind you exactly where your loyalties lie, for he’s not about to lose you to some miserable excuse of a mortal who dare tried to kiss you. 

All writings belong to me @bakerstreethound​ (Do NOT copy, repost, claim, or translate my works to other sites. I only publish here and on A03 under the same username)

Word Count: 1.2k+

A/N: I’m dedicating this one to @novaracer​ who I’ve been teasing with countless snippets of this fic for a long time. I know it’s long overdue, but I had a vision for this one and wanted to execute it in the way it needed to be portrayed. A majority of this fic was inspired by the song Figure You Out by Viola. Once again, thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown through the years. Your comments and reblogs mean the world to me. Please enjoy! 

“The thing is Lucienne, he’s a jerk and my friend asks me constantly to cover for them, but I don’t see the point. It’s exhausting and he needs to be dumped already.” Plus, you already fancy someone else the unsaid words ran through your mind, not that Lucienne needed to know, but still you catch a small smile just barely on her lips at your ranting. 

You continue about this awhile longer as you thrum through a favorite book of yours, however, the next words aren't finished falling from your lips when you feel Morpheus’s looming presence behind you and Lucienne fights the urge to roll her eyes casting a glare through her glasses, making her look imposing. She knew she was far too invested in your mortal qualms more so than she needed to be, but it was interesting hearing about the so called band you were slated to suffer thtough seeing and what a mediocre kisser your date was. 

“Ah, his radiance now decides to join the gossip doesn’t he?” Lucienne casts an unamused look at him, subtly winking at you in amusement. 

“Come with me.” He brushes by you without a word, gently linking his index finger with yours in a gesture to join him. You suffer a long sigh, laying your book down on the table.  

You stand there a fraction longer and he waits, his back turned towards you still. You know you’re not going to get another word out of him if you don’t follow his order, though you're sure he meant it as a request, alas you don’t want to give in to him so easily. 

He has no other reason to be sulking around the library for all anyone knew in the Dreaming it was Lucienne who kept it afloat through thick and thin. 

Soon enough you’re winding through the maze of shelves, the place you found to be your second home in the Dreaming. Words were powerful and the stories of the entire universe were here, waiting for you. You casually cast him a look, nudging his shoulder since he decided to walk with you in stride, before you continue strolling down the numerous aisles, touching and caressing the book spines like a gentle lover. 

Without warning, he pinned you to the bookshelf, and tugged back the collar of your overcoat. “So he did leave his mark on you. Or tried.” He smirked almost in self-indulgence, tracing over it with a finger, goosebumps following in its wake. 

It’d only been one kiss and the guy had sucked a few other marks but it was nothing special and you didn’t want anymore. So you left your pride intact and parted ways with the guy, thanking him for the almost lovely date, trying to be as polite as your friend were had they been there instead of you. You felt such relief though in deleting his number, telling and texted your friend the odds of you standing in for their next date were next to none. 

“You’re mine alone to claim. Any evidence of his pathetic endeavor to mark you as his will be erased.” Morpheus’ voice is powerful and sensual and you can’t help but fall into him, as he caresses your face gently in his hands, resting his forehead against yours. 

Your heart rate increases, so different from the other times you’d been drawn to someone and you wrap your arms around him, trying to ground yourself. You couldn’t believe this was real. You with Morpheus Lord of Dreams, the care the utter power that laced his words together and you were there before him accepting his gentle caresses.

“If it’s true what you say, then make it so, Dream.” 

Almost immediately he swooped you to the throne room, carrying you up the mountain of steps leading up to the throne. How much more dramatic could he be? It was fitting for him and his status though, although you much prefered when he sat like a bedraggled cat on the bottom step when he conversed with Lucienne. 

Without warning, the coldness of the obsidian throne meets your thighs and you yelp in surprise, Morpheus’s face lighting with a faint smirk. His fingers dance teasingly along your waist gripping you tight before tracing your lips with his. No matter how much you try to fight it, you fail, crashing into him with feverish need, but he’s all too willing to take his time, to stroke that fire to seduce you slowly, not ready to give into your body’s demands.  

“Tell me, can he try to do this to you, my love? Has he fathomed the possibilities as deep as I?” 

His all-consuming darkness envelopes you, his hands and mouth touching you, making the hot searing fire fall along your skin and course through your veins. He was determined to ruin you and remind you and everyone else that you are his. 

You didn’t have long to clear your head from your thoughts before you registered his lips along the hollow of your neck, biting nipping, and sucking hard marks. Though your mind insists on it being a dream, the way he touched your waist, sucking marks along your collarbone, his hands fondling your breasts was all to real. The fire inside you continued on, fueled by your desperation, utterly under the spell Morpheus had you under. 

“Just like that little dream, you’re doing very well.” his soft commanding voice said while you desperately tried to cling to him, savor him in all his glory. 

You kissed him more, running your fingers thorough his unruly strands while he held your waist tight, murmuring in approval as he slowly disrobed you, utterly enjoying the sight of you before him on his throne nonetheless completely bare.

He whispered soft praises to you in your ears again and you almost lost it when his hands slide down along your thighs, caressing them lovingly while simultaneously lowering himself to his knees and you bit back a moan at the sight. No more words are needed, not when he begins worshipping your body in such a sinful way, devouring you, eating you out so fully bringing you to the precipice of pleasure that was unfathomable to you. 

“Morpheus…” your words were a prayer upon your lips and rightfully so, for you sung your praises back in blissful harmony with his tongue in time needing….begging for relief. Oh, he didn’t stop, not when you were gasping, not when you asked him to stop, practically squirming, causing his grip on your thighs to tighten, sure to leave bruises. The thought alone made you borderline moan once more, so intent he was, such a devout being tending to your needs. 

When his eyes met yours, you didn’t look away, clinging desperately to the arm rests of the beautiful throne as you finally, blissfully came undone on a place of power of the Dreamig where your lover claimed you over and over as his own. For he kept to that promise, no one would harm you, no one else would claim you except for him. 

“You are mine,” he whispered with such conviction and borderline reverence, coming up from his knees to kiss you, crashing into your lips fully and as you tasted yourself on his lips, you knew you were irrevocably and utterly his forevermore. 

“Mine,” you whispered back, your lips crashing into his, drowining impossibly further to him while the shadows of the Dreaming consume you, claiming you as their own. 

******

@bakerstreethound​ @lilythemadqueen​ @frostandflamesfanfic​ @feral-for-strange​ @novaracer​ @starks-hero​ @azu21​ @strangelockd​ @roguelov​ @dearly-dreaming​ @starstruck-loner​ @wint3r-h3art​

[bmodiwrites]

I got a request for single dad!steve & I'm so here for it! I think this little ficlet is going to be the first part in a little series. I have so many ideas, so let me know what you think!

It’s a rare Thursday off that changes Eddie’s life forever.

He’s sitting on his favorite bench in the park when a high pitched yell catches his attention. Looking up from the drawing he’s been zoned into for the past hour, Eddie glances left and then right over his shoulder to see a small girl trying not to cry on the ground.

As a children’s librarian, Eddie is more than familiar with the little lip wobble that’s happening and the usual tears that follow. If he were back at work, his arsenal of book references and character impressions would be the perfect fix. Out in the wild, Eddie isn’t as well equipped.

It doesn’t take a genius to comfort a hurt person, however.

Setting aside his pencil and sketch book, Eddie gets up from the bench and walks quietly over to the little girl. He’s impressed she’s not screaming with agony – the scrape on her knee is worse than most and more than worth a wail or two. Instead of questioning this little girl’s integrity as he approaches, Eddie slowly kneels down in front of her.

“Everything okay over here? I was halfway through my drawing of a goblin when I thought I heard one squealing in the grass.”

It only takes a second of sniffing for the girl to look up at him with a wet attempt at a smile. “I’m not a goblin. I’m a girl. A human girl.” Said girl tries to sound defiant and strong, despite the tears still welling up in her eyes. She’s so close to forgetting her pain, it’s almost comical.

“Are you sure? Some of the goblins I’ve seen sort of look like little girls. They even have pigtails like you,” Eddie says, pointing at the two long braids thrown over either shoulder. The pink helmet she’s wearing does nothing to hide them.  

Just like that, the little girl’s mind is no longer on the injury to her knee – instead, her ire is pointed right at Eddie and his theory on goblins. It’s both sharp and adorable. Especially when the little girl says “I’m absolutely positive. My name is Judy and I’m a human girl, not a goblin.”

This time, Eddie can’t help himself, a chuckle is let loose.

“Okay, okay. You’re a human girl. I just needed to make sure. Goblins are very tricky and I like to know what I’m getting myself into.” Eddie pauses for a second to watch Judy’s eyes grow as interest in his words settle in. It’s still astounding to see wonder light up a person’s world.

Instead of lingering on that thought, Eddie puts a hand between them, intent on introducing himself the proper way now that her goblin status is ironed out. “It’s very nice to meet you, Judy. I’m Eddie.”

Judy doesn’t hesitate to slip her little hand into Eddie’s. Her grip is firm and so is the look she gives him as they shake hands. “There’s a man at the library that’s named Eddie. My daddy talks about him all the time.”

For a second, Eddie is stumped by the girl’s ability to be so candid and loose with her words. He always forgets that children have no filter; it’s both gloriously refreshing and shocking as all hell. Once he’s past the initial rock of his world, Eddie tries to push past his befuddlement. “Huh, it’s kind of a small world. I’m the children’s librarian at the library in town.”

Judy’s adorable hazel eyes lit up as Eddie spoke, realization colors her expression. “That’s why you look so familiar! You’re Mr. Munson, who does all the voices when you read.” She crosses her arms then, trying to look petulant. “No wonder you thought I was a goblin!”

After that, it’s easy to check over Judy’s wounds while they talk about the book he’s going to be reading at story time this week. She’s a fast learner that immediately catches onto the runaround that Eddie is trying to subtly give her. By the third attempt at asking him for the book’s title, Judy gives up with a loud sigh. “You grownups and your secrets. Don’t tell me, then!”

Eddie believes he might cave into the cutest little pout he’s ever seen, but his willpower comes back just in time. “You’ll have to come to story time to find out. The surprise is half the fun.”

Before Judy can agree with him, another loud voice registers in Eddie’s ears. This time, it’s very deep and masculine, more than likely belonging to the dad that Judy’s been mumbling about. He’s proven right a second later when she pipes up “I’m over here, daddy!”

Eddie is not prepared at all for the sight of Judy’s dad running towards them. Everything from the moment Eddie heard Judy’s voice to the familiarity of talking to her makes sense now – Judy’s father is the man Eddie’s been checking out behind the counter for months. The strong thighs and wide shoulders are strong players in Eddie’s fantasies. To be perfectly honest, it’s all a bit too much.

He’s thinking about how small the world really is when that deep voice cuts in –

“Judy, oh my god – I thought you got lost on the path again. What happened to you? Are you okay?”

It’s almost like Eddie isn’t standing right there with a couple of his lunch napkins pressed to Judy’s leg. Even Judy seems to think so.

“Daddy, I’m fine. Eddie is taking care of me. He’s the man from the library, daddy. That does the voices!”

Like he’s been shocked, Judy’s dad jolts to the present where Eddie is there next to him, where their shoulders are brushing and a little girl is watching the whole thing unfold. Eddie lets him come back to himself before using his free hand to wave. “Hi, Judy’s Dad!”

The worried look that’s been on the man’s face since he walked drops down to the ground with Judy’s bike, only to be replaced with a soft smile, sort of like the one Judy first flashed him a few minutes ago. Eddie’s taken aback by how beautiful the man is – despite him being kind of a jerk for a quick second, Eddie is absolutely still on board the hot dad train. Especially now that he knows the little girl the dad belongs to.

They share a look that’s way too long in the presence of such a young person, so Eddie clears his throat. Only then does Judy’s dad start acting like a human again. “I’m Steve. Steve Harrington. Not uh – not just Judy’s dad.”

“Steve Harrington. You’re the middle school guidance counselor, right? I supply a lot of books to Nancy in the library and she’s always talking about you. I had no idea this little one was the kid she’s forever going on about.”

“Yeah, yeah that’s me. I – you know Nancy? It’s crazy to think we’ve been running in the same circles and never met before.” Steve’s cheeks turn a little red then, almost as if he’s admitting to something more than just curiosity.

It’s a gorgeous sight, one that Eddie hopes he gets to see more often.

“She’s been trying to get me to meet her friend Steve for a while. I never thought much about being set up but now I’m kind of sorry I never took her up on the offer.” He stops for a second and looks between a dad and his daughter. “Maybe this way is better, though. More raw – organic.”

The blush brightens on Steve’s cheeks and Eddie knows he’s got him.

“Are you up for it now? I hear the ice cream sundaes at Hop’s are the perfect treatment for a scraped up knee.”

The gasp he gets from Judy is almost as telling as the large smile on Steve’s lips. There’s no hesitation in the way Steve nods eagerly.

“I think that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.”

[lastoneout]

Okay I'm finally sitting down to properly watch the PJO series so here's an episode-by-episode live blog I guess. (Fair warning, I haven't read the books since I was a teenager, I am a smidge of an apologist for the films, and my favorite adaptation so far has been the musical.)

Episode One:

All of the actors are doing a really good job, I especially like Sally.

The costume design for both the monsters and the humans is pretty killer. I want Percy's sweater.

I also love the little seaside cabin and want to live there!!!

This is such a mild gripe BUT as someone with dyslexia I wish there was a better way to visually depict it without like, doing the swapping letters thing cuz that's just not what it's actually like at all.

Gabe maybe feels a little too funny. Like I'm supposed to hate him and think it's justified that he deserves to be turned into stone at the end, this version of him is really.....toned down, and his banter with Percy and Sally was fun to watch. I should hate him, but really he just came across as unpleasant. Less abusive asshole and more "old married couple who share interests but can't communicate without shouting" you know?

Loved Grover's little "I'm 24 actually" lmao that was great.

Not a fan of Percy immediately recognizing the Minotaur within a millisecond of it appearing before the audience even got a good look at it. Like, I just sat there thinking "how can he even see it?" rather than feeling scared of a big monster barreling at them.

The action is uh....fine? Feels a little lackluster. Or kinda....divorced from the rest of the show weirdly?? Idk it makes me feel like I'm watching a movie of a movie if that makes sense?? But we'll see where they go with it. (I know banter during a fight isn't realistic and people make fun of Marvel for it, but like...it helps to have at least a little talking. We don't wanna be Man of Steel.)

I feel like there's been a few "slightly out of sync ADR" moments but they weren't too distracting.

Pacing into Sally saying goodbye felt a little long, kinda took the shock of her dying out of the scene, but the actress REALLY sold all the emotional beats so I'll forgive it.

I LOVE the credits sequence!!! Reminds me of the designs on that one box set of the books in a really cool way.

Episode Two:

Oh yes the ugly ass neon orange shirts are here bless!

FUCK YES THAT'S DIONYSUS BAYBEEE!! My ONLY note is that he def could have turned up the energy a little, but that's probably just bcs I love how loud and unpleasant he is in the musical and I also know how unhinged this actor can be.

Chiron is such a delight <3

I like the cabins too, way better than how I imagined them as a kid reading the books lol

Oh, I can see why the new fans fell for Luke so hard.

Grover assuming a human being squished would be like an old banana is very funny. Felt very book-humor in a good way.

Clarisse!!

Oh damn actual disabled half-bloods, very cool!

Minor but I can't actually tell what Percy did wrong with the bow? Weird editing I guess.

Aside from that I actually love a good "fuck up" montage, I honestly wish it were a little longer.

Probably doesn't matter but I don't get having them burn the food after they've started eating? I thought that was a before you sit down type thing.

Percy burning the blue candy to try to talk to his mom was sweet tho T_T

"real friends" hahahaha.....yeah.......about Luke.......

yay! hazing!

Oh I love Annabeth already >:D

Thalia.....is pronounced differently than I thought....?

(I'm sorry I'm too much of a fan of 'Tree on the Hill' for this exposition dump. That shit hits harder when coming from Grover.)

Percy giving Annabeth the "actually I suck and my self esteem is riding on this so like pls don't ask me to do anything hard T_T" talk is just, so good lmao

ofc he doesn't know what's going on Annabeth you didn't tell him anything

Okay the action is a lot better when it's between the actual characters and doesn't involve a 3D monster, though I still had trouble following all the hits Percy was taking.

Oooh I can see why people did so much art of Percy being claimed that was a good shot.

FUCK YEAH TELL HIM YOU'RE SALLY JACKSON'S SON

(I hope they kept the Oracle in the attic...)

Okay I have to go do some things and then I'll be back for more!

[sunflowerandstrawberryspice]

Songs the Ninjago Fandom is Sleeping on.

Okay so while I do art there's only so much my chronic pain ridden hands can produce and so animatics/animations aren't really in my wheelhouse BUT I have a bunch of ideas and songs that the Ninjago fandom should use + some ideas that yall can totally use (@ me or send them to me though if you do cause I want to see them)

The Songs in question (it's be song-artist btw):

Always Gold-Radical Face: Is literally a perfect song for Wu and Garmadon, like it's literally about two opposite brothers treading wildly different paths like what more could you want

Brutus- The Buttress: Yall please I am begging that someone does something with this song relating to Morro's hatred/jealousy towards Lloyd because this song is absolutely perfect for it! Lines such as "-and if you want I'll call you king but why do I lie awake each night thinking "instead of you it should be me"" and "Please know my actions are not motivated only by envy, I to have a destiny" there are so many more but I'll let yall do the rest of the work (Also you could kinda do it with Wu and Garmadon but ehhhh)

Human Enough- ONR: This could work for multiple of the characters if you ask me but if you ship anyone with Zane or Pixal the song could totally work those two them specifically cause it talks about the singers partner/love interest being "made perfect" and idk we need more Pixal content soooo. Honestly any of the characters that get de-human-ed (for longer than one episode) would do great with this song, like Cole in his ghost arc, Nya after Seabound or Garmadon at like any point in the story. Line examples: "Cause you are made of perfect stars and I was built from broken parts" and "I'm not human enough to love yo right now/ I'm not human enough to cry or cry for" are my personal favorites.

Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)-Will Wood: Lloyd, Sora or Wu (Specifically the young version of him from the Spinjitzu Brothers books) song about the weight of the world being on your shoulders and not knowing what to do and like the consequences of actions and fun stuff like that

Easier- Crane Wives: Misako, like seriously so many Crane Wives songs work well for this woman because A) her whole attempt to change destiny or B) Her failure as a mother and you know the whole kinda cheating on her husband thing, but this one specifically cause it's a song about leaving someone behind and feeling bad while also not being able to stay. Lyrics such as "If you woke and I was gone from the house that we made our home would it bend yo, break you, overtake your heart?" and "I won't move but I can't stay here. So what the hell am I supposed to do?" and "If I were someone else, would this be easier?"

Stranglers Fig- This could definitely be a Cole (specifically relating to his father and dance backstory) or Kai song, many of the lyrics involve someone being pushed to do more and more and finally snapping because they've done everything they can and there's nothing left but their desire to be better. Lyrics "You bult your kingdom around me, now I'm trapped within your walls and all I want is to be free" and "Climb me to the canopy, higher, higher 'till there's nothing left of me." and "You're the culprit so don't blame me."

And that's all for tonight cause I'm tired BUT I will be posting a couple more of these cause I have a bunch of these floating in my brain and I'd love it if some of these idea's inspire people. I really wish I could do it myself but chronic pain is a bitch so instead I'll throw it out for yall to try out! Anyways I hope you have a great day/night! Peace out!

[misc-obeyme]

HELLO I'M HERE TO RAMBLE ABOUT MC'S MORTALITY. I have literally been grinding event battles and coins and such all day because the power up campaign ends today (I'm under 200 in rank NB wise but geez it's getting harder to keep up)

anyway I always think about what happens to mc after/if they did die. like I love sam's/still-a-moronsexual's interpretation of mc not being entirely human for one

but there's different levels/circles of hell in the Devildom, and that the devildom and the celestial realm are separate from the traditional heaven/hell if I remember correctly? like what happens to mc in the event they do pass on. Everyone says they have a shiny soul. And would mc keep their memories after passing?

Like everyone has different beliefs and I'm just rambling, but there's reincarnation for one. Sometimes I think about Michael and if we'll ever meet him, and if he'd go so far as to pull strings to get mc into the celestial realm (everyone wants the once powerful mortal on their side). And imagine him making sure to keep mc's info access limited, but then let's say luke catches a glimpse and tells the brothers. Imagine mc doesn't remember the brothers either, but there's this dull tug in their gut when they see these demons. Painful angst. (And if mc DID keep their memories, would they immediately choose to fall? Imagine your fave catches you. like I think my mc would stick around to get info and out of curiosity, but would secretly be planning to fall. Even if it was painful, it'd be worth it to them.)

or mc ends up in the devildom because of how big of a tie they have. I wonder if they would/could become an Avatar, and what if they did. Despair possibly? Would they be a regular demon, or have a special power perhaps? Diavolo would probably give them a noble title. but also, ANGST IF THEY HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF ANYTHING. Diavolo early in NB said something about knowing almost every demon, so I wonder if he meets new people to help them get set up?? aha imagine he lets them stay at the castle, and mc wanders off, and bumps into someone they used to know. chaos

There's also the possibility they could become immortal I'm sure with a spell or Solomon's cooking. Or maybe their lifespan is just longer than a humans by a hundred years or so. They simply cherish the time they have, but suddenly they're aging past 120 and they're sweating internally. Solomon I think has talked about feeling like he loses/lost touch with his humanity, until he met mc. I wonder if mc would go through the same if they ended up truly immortal

THIS IS GETTING SO LONG SORRY, BUT THIS IS MY LAST AND FAVORITE IDEA. The three worlds couldn't decide what happens to mc, like this is the first time this has happened. Huge arguments. Sometimes i think about the good place show when I'm brainstorming. ANYWAY, mc becomes a reaper. No one gets their soul. They are now in charge of collecting them, and reapers are sorta neutral right? It's a compromise for everyone. Thirteen is overjoyed. Mc with a scythe, what will they do? Or the night dagger lol

the obey me manga comes out on tuesday i think, I'm probably hitting the bookstore on Thursday. and while I could order it online, something about finding it on the shelf is so fun. I literally finished king of wrath on friday, and read almost the entirety of king of pride on Saturday, and now I'm on king of greed. My friend is concerned with how fast I read because we have a book tracking app that allows buddy reads lol

HAVE A GOOD DAY CC, MANIFESTING YOUR NEXT TEN PULL HAS TWO UR+ CARDS

- ✨ anon

AH thank you, ✨ anon, I need all the luck I can get lol!!

Now see the interesting thing about all of this is that the game doesn't really specify. I do think they have implied that hell is a separate place from the Devildom (aka the Underworld where Solomon walked through the rings and Luci got trapped in the ice). So presumably if MC died and went to hell, they wouldn't actually end up in the Devildom itself. I don't remember if they've implied the same for heaven and the Celestial Realm, but it seems likely that it would be the case.

Personally I like the idea of reincarnation but MC just... keeps being reincarnated as a human on earth lol. Like every time MC dies, the others have to find them again. And they don't remember each life. Though if this happens enough perhaps Solomon or somebody comes up with a spell that can restore all their memories.

I do think it'd be interesting if Michael intervened and somehow got MC to be in the Celestial Realm, especially if they had no memories of the Devildom and everything. Imagine being an angel and then suddenly you get those memories back and you're like, that's it, I'm falling.

Which leads me to the question of how does one fall?

They don't really get into the specifics of that, either. Can you choose to fall? Or do you just do terrible things with the hope that the consequence will be banishment to the Devildom?? I have thoughts about this, but it's all just personal headcanon stuff.

I do think it makes sense for MC to just sorta end up in the Devildom because yo that's basically their home now, you know?

I tend to headcanon that due to the pacts and the "ring" and everything else MC has been through, they have enough magic interfering with their usual biology that they're probably already immortal. Just because that makes sense to me. I also think Solomon probably knows a way to make them immortal if they really wanted to be. vampire!MC lol

AHHH reaper!MC!! Thirteen would be thrilled!! They don't really give us a whole lot of info about the reapers either, but I headcanon that they're neutral and somewhat outside of the whole Devildom vs Celestial Realm situation. I have a lot of ideas about this, but again it's all personal headcanon.

So I think any of these options are possible! And it's certainly fun to think about all the ways in which MC's death might be dealt with. Somehow I don't think we're gonna get anything like that in canon, but I guess you never know!

Ah I love reading, I used to read so much... now I don't read as much as I used to because I'm spending all my time writing al;kdfkjfd. But yes the manga I read the first free chapter they had, but maybe I will buy the book itself...

Anyway, I love all these ideas and I think it's fascinating to think about all of these possibilities!

[ambrosiagourmet]

thistle for ask meme!

Thistle :0

First impression

No joke I was convinced early on that Laios & the party were making like a huuuuge leap in assuming that Thistle was the Lunatic Magician TM like guys you can't just go accusing every random person you find in a living painting of being the manager. Alas... he was, in fact, the manager.

Impression now

He's so jester coded👍

I think Thistle is very interesting and a great foil to Marcille, which I looove. They are both magic elf(-ish) advisors, they both get caught up in wanting to help the people around them live longer, they both become dungeon lords in pursuit of that... I think Thistle's story as it is works well for the narrative and I don't necessarily think he was underutilized exactly, but it is a little hard not to want A Bit More sometimes. Even if I do think it would be hard to add that more in without sacrificing some of the pacing overall :')

Favorite moment

I was initially going to say the ending for them, because I do love it, but you know what? I've got a more interesting answer. My favorite Thistle scene is.... this:

This fundamentally changes the trajectory of the story. In trying to find someone to stop the Winged Lion, Thistle launches Marcille into becoming the next lord of the dungeon. The next victim of the Lion. If Thistle hadn't resurrected Marcille, then the plot would have played out totally differently. She wouldn't have been able to finish unsealing the book. Laios would have been on his own when the canaries came. Would they have just cleaned everything up more easily? Would it instead have become something worse? Would Laios somehow have unsealed the book and become the lore of the dungeon right away?

I dunno. But this action reshaped Marcille's life, and Laios', and so many other people's. And it was done out of a desire to keep fighting. To not give in.

Augh idk. It's good. Their connection is good.

Idea for a story

Thistle & Chimera Laios.

But not just a "Laios gets eaten by the dragon instead," I think it would be cool to explore an AU where for some handwavy magic reason, Laios gets his soul bound up w/ the dragon during Falin's resurrection, and he gets poofed into a dragon form.

There's a note somewhere that says that chimeras start popping up the more the lord of the dungeon starts to lose their hold on things, but having met Laios before might help Thistle eventually realize that something is Off about the dragon. From there... well maybe he starts to ask questions and gives Laios more freedom to actually answer, and things could continue from there as Laios gets enough humanity back to start to understand what's happening, and also Thistle takes more time to question the Lion's plans rather than just continue to act. They'd be stuck together, probably with Laios still under Thistle's control, but maybe as they figure out more of the truth, they'd actually work together? Need to rely on each other? I'd like to see how each of them would deal with that situation...

PLUS then on the flip side I think switching Falin into the group part way through the story (rather than at the start) could be really interesting. So the adventures on that side would be fun too.

Unpopular opinion

umm idk. Is Thistle widely regarded as a Marcille foil? Because if not then why. They are so inchresting. funky little mages.

Favorite relationship

Hmmm okay so like obviously Thistle & Marcille, but also as seen in my story idea I want to explore more of Thistle & Laios bc their interactions were fun, soo... I'll just say the Dungeon Lord quartet as a whole. I like when people draw art of them all together. Let them bond through shared trauma. And also all of them have tried to kill at least one other person there at some point. It's great. They should go on brunch dates.

Favorite headcanon

This post about Thistle's goal to eat a meal with Delgal fundamentally rewired my brain

[shywritersblog]

⚜️𝐿𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝓉𝒽⚜️

⚜️ Summary: You need help researching local insects. Who better to ask than your favorite angyboi bookworm, Tannie?

⚜️ Content: Satan x Reader. No gender specified. Mentions of insect taxidermy. Slightly grotesque at one part. Otherwise, it’s all just gentle fluff. 

⚜️ Word Count: ~1,500

⚜️ Note: Lepidoptera is the name given to butterflies and moths. This is my first ever fic. I don’t ever plan on becoming much of a writer, I’ve just been wanting to get my thoughts and fantasies somewhere. But if you have any helpful constructive criticism, please let me know.

✧༺⚜️༻✧

I had always has an interest in pretty things, so it was no surprise that I liked insect pinning. It was a small hobby of mine that I’d enjoy in the human world whenever I would come across deceased butterflies or other insects. I also just enjoyed spotting the different local Lepidoptera. But since being in the Devildom, I haven’t been able to partake in this hobby of mine, as I am not very familiar with Devildom creatures. And knowing that the Devildom is a rather magical place, I fear that picking up any random dead moth would leave me cursed or something. So that's when I decided that I should study more about the wildlife in this strange new place I‘ve been suddenly thrust into. I think it over. How do I obtain this knowledge? Maybe I should go to the RAD library?…Or perhaps I could ask Satan if he has any books on local insects. I decide on the latter; It would be a good excuse to spend some alone time with him and talk to him about a favorite hobby of his, books. 

✧༺⚜️༻✧

You leave your bedroom and hike upstairs to Satan’s door. Knocking on it’s antique wood, you whisper “It’s me, MC. Can I please come in?” “Ah!” He exclaims gently before you hear a quiet shuffle and his footsteps near the door. He opens it and asks “Of course you can come in. How may I help you, MC?” with a gentle smile gracing his soft pink lips. He steps aside and gestures for you to enter his room. It’s a large room, dimly lit with candles and ethereal moonlight pouring from grandiose arched windows. As usual, it’s something similar to a maze as you maneuver around piles of books stacked as high as pillars. He shuts the door behind you, creating distance between the both of you from the rest of the house so that you can have some much needed privacy. Standing before him you ask, “Umm, I hope you don’t mind… I was wondering if you had any books on the local wildlife. Insects specifically.” You twiddle your thumbs and blush slightly. Even though you love the boys to death and have spent ample time with each of them, you can’t help but to feel a little embarrassed about revealing your hobby. He pauses to think for a moment, hand on his chin as he averts his cerulean eyes. “Yes, I think I have a few, let me take a look.” Thankful that there seemed to be not even a shred of judgement, you take a seat and watch as he shifts his attention to focus on the given task. He gracefully paces back and forth, checking a few different places in the room for books matching your request. He pulls out books from a large stack with precise precision, as if taking a block from a Jenga tower, careful not to knock the rest over. About 6 different books pile in his arms as he meets you on his relatively stiff bed. 

“Is something like this what you’re looking for, MC?” You take a look at the books. Some large and thick, others thinner. Some bound in leather, some very old and moth-eaten, and others that seem more modern. They all seem useful, but your attention sticks to the book with the title: Devildom Moths and Butterflies; A Complete Guide. “Ah, yes! Something like this.” You take a moment to peek through a few of the pages before Satan questions “Might I ask what you need these for? You seem very interested” “I‘d like to take a closer look at Devildom’s insects, even take some home if they’re no longer alive. So I wanted to make sure I did research on them first - lest I get struck with some unruly curse!” You gesture dramatically with your hands before chuckling lightly. Satan’s eyes widen slightly in surprise before relaxing into a sweet smile, as if he wasn’t surprised you’d take interest in such a thing. He loves the look of excitement on your face when you find something else that you’re fascinated by. He’s also happy that you came to him for that help, not one of his idiotic brothers.

He shimmies a little closer to you until your thighs and shoulders are touching. You can feel the warmth radiating from his body, and you can smell the subtle floral and musky scent of his cologne. You take a long breath in, letting his essence spill into your nose and send waves of comfort reverberating throughout your whole body, making you relax a little more. “Want to take a look at this book together then?” You look up at him and smile with a nod. “I’d like that a lot!” You gently pry open the aged leather-bound book, pages fluttering as you turn them, and your eyes wander at the pictures of the different butterflies of the Devildom. Together, you pore over the short blurb of information on each of the insects.

“•Demon Silk Moth

Located in only this specific region of the Devildom, the Demon Silk Moth produces silk that contains very special properties and is used for making the most luxurious clothing. The moths are also made into a wide variety of gummies. Yum!”

“•Devil Clothes Moth

A common and destructive pest that eats away at clothing, carpets and tapestries, causing significant damage to any and all fabrics. Is found all over the Devildom, and can be kept away with Mothballs. You can tell when a Devil Clothes Moth infestation is on the rise when you begin to notice holes and weakened spots in your clothing.”

He reads aloud in his smooth and feathery voice as you follow along with your eyes. You point and ask about some of the more eccentric looking Lepidoptera as you see them, to which Satan replies with stories of the occasions he’s found their beauty and grace in person. He places his pointer finger, tipped green with Asmo’s designer nail polish, onto a picture of a butterfly similar to that of a Blue Morpho in the human world. “These ones we often find residing in the garden of the Demon Lord’s Castle. They’re much more beautiful in person, you should see the way their scales glisten in the moonlight. It’s truly an enchanting sight” Your face lights up at his retellings, you feel the excitement surge through your body, letting your toes wiggle as an outlet for some excess emotion to spill out. His expression is warm and gentle, deepening your feeling of ease and comfort. A soft chuckle leaves his lips as you rest your head on his shoulder, continuing to read together.

“This butterfly here with what looks like eyes on its wings, charms it’s victim to eat it so it can lay eggs inside the hosts brain, and like a parasite, it takes over the victims body, making them seem like a zombie and controlling the body to find an area perfect for its offspring to grow and to then devour the corpse as it comes of age.” “Creepy. I’m totally glad a took the initiative to research before possibly ending up as a zombie, haha!” You almost shudder at the thought. “Good thinking. Not to mention, I don't think zombies make good exchange students” You respond by make a silly face and growling like you think a zombie would, extracting hearty giggles from both of you.

Holding the book with one hand, he snakes the other around your waist to pull you in closer. You stare at him again for just a moment, silently consenting to his touch. Your big, goofy yet content smile sends heat to his cheeks. He warmly beams back as you reposition your head back against him, he responds by settling his head against yours. “I value time spent with you, little moth.” You’re struck by Cupid as the words leave his lips. Little moth? “L-Likewise.” “Well, what do you say we make this insect spotting a date? I know perfect places for us to go looking. We should prepare a picnic as well.” “It’s a date, then!” Your glee and excitement is palpable. He takes the moment into his hands and lands a chaste kiss on your forehead with his warm lips, sealing the promise.

Your head spins. It’s at this moment, with wide and glazed over eyes that you realize, the butterflies you were looking for were in your stomach this whole time.

✧༺⚜️༻✧

𝑀𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉

𝒮𝒽𝓎 𝒲𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓇 ༝༚༝༚

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

So this is mostly a Choices blog but some of you know that I've recently started playing Romance Club as well because 1) there are some really good books on RC, 2) the art, and 3) to compare both apps. I could probably make this a series(?) to compare and contrast the two but here's one of the main things I've noticed playing both apps:

The Difference in Pacing

Background: The clear reason for this is because of how the books are set up. On Choices, each completed book is approx. 16 chapters (like a movie) while on RC, the book is typically 3 seasons with around 10-12 episodes (like a tv show). So a book like Open Heart, for instance, would be 3 seasons under one title instead of 3 separate books since they occur within a close period. This is different from a series like Heaven's Secret, which has two separate books that span ten years apart.

I bring this up because I assume this difference explains why the pacing in both apps is so different. I can use Blades II, Kindred, Theodora, and DALS as an example.

I've brought this up already, but one of my biggest gripes with Blades II was the very odd pacing. The beginning of the book (in my opinion) took longer than necessary to start the plot and there was a little too much filler with less time to focus on new lore the themes ate tho and I'm grateful we got another book.

Kindred has a similar issue. The concept of a witch book was cool and they had a good plot, but 16 chapters weren't enough to explore everything they wanted to with the book. The ending was rushed and it felt way too easy to defeat the Wraith King. Do I still love this book? Yes. Do I think the authors did well with the amount of time they were given? Also yes. But the rushed plot does make it hard to recommend it since PB is capable of handling a lot of plot (RE: Blades I).

On the other hand, Theodora has 3 seasons and the whole immortality arc (the premise of the book) wasn't explained until near the end of S2. We had an entire season to explore the character and at least half of a second season to explore her life after she realized she was immortal but without knowing why (human -> immortal -> realizing how she became immortal and starts controlling her power). As a result, it becomes easier to get attached to her since we spent more time getting to know her still one of my favorite MCs.

Dracula: A Love Story still can't believe it has 4 seasons spent an entire season before revealing Vlad's identity even though it's in the title. In comparison, PB would have done three chapters of leaving MC in the dark before revealing who Vlad is with the rest of the book being allotted to helping him. I get that we needed to see all the visions and stuff but personally, I feel like I was more invested in Lale and would have read an entire book about her, Aslan, and Vlad. I swear I don't hate DALS please don't be offended lol.

Am I saying I prefer RC to Choices? Not necessarily, I have problems with RC too mostly regarding representation, and I also know it wouldn't be fair to compare the apps since they are set up differently. I just thought this was something interesting to point out.

[autisticlenaluthor]

Control

takes place after music but before lena

Three days pass before Kara tells anyone about what happened at the park. 

When she gets home, she slams her door so hard it crumbles right off the hinges, then locks herself in her closet with her favorite book.

She cries for nearly two hours– big, heavy tears that burn as they fall and clump up in her throat. She cries for Kal, who she didn’t mean to betray; cries because she never would’ve been so kind to a Luthor if she’d known who they were. Because she can’t believe she was so stupid– can’t believe she knew Lena’s last name this whole time but still managed to convince herself she wasn’t one of those Luthors. And then she cries because Lena really did seem like any other girl. No– she was even more interesting than the other girls Kara knows and maybe that’s what hurts so much.

She’d wanted to be her friend. Friends with a Luthor.

She hates herself for being so trusting. So naive. 

But then she thinks about Kal (she always goes back to him) and how for years, Lex had been his right-hand man. And it’s like a switch goes off in Kara’s brain. If Lena could lure her in a day, it no longer seems so perplexing how her cousin could’ve stayed by Lex’s side for so long. 

Knowing their mistake is shared makes things the tiniest bit easier. 

It’s what gives Kara the courage to leave the closet after Eliza finishes putting the door back in its frame, and crawl back into bed. She eats dinner half under the covers and for the rest of the day, refuses to speak. No, she can’t speak– she can’t do anything, she’s too paralyzed with anger and exhaustion and every other emotion under the sun. 

But at least she isn’t crying. So hey, it’s a start. 

The next morning, Kara feels like she’s risen from the dead. Her limbs are heavy– her eyes raw and red. Dark bags hang below them, sunken in like hollowed-out bruises. When Kara tries to toast her Pop-Tarts with her heat vision, all she gets is a headache and a weird look from Alex for squinting and grunting down at the plate. 

Eliza tells her she’s experiencing something called a solar flare. She’s burnt herself out and now her body needs time to recover before it can sustain its powers again. She says it’s like when a car runs out of gas or when humans hit a wall and need a few days to recuperate. Kara wants to be upset at the explanation but really, she isn’t sure it makes any sort of difference. Even if she had her powers, she’d be too tired to use them.  

So Kara spends the rest of the day on her side of the room with all her lights off. She tries to read but none of the words stay in her head. Instead, she listens to the Fearless album on her iPod on a loop– not quite awake but not quite asleep. She daydreams about Krypton and the science guild and how the sunset looked from the giant window in her old bedroom. And then she cries some more.

By day three, Kara is bored and restless. If her powers had returned, she’d speed through the clouds until all her excess energy was dispersed. But they haven’t. So she has to settle for periodically flapping her hands and jumping around her room to get rid of the feeling that tells her she’s about to explode. 

It isn’t until the middle of the afternoon, when Alex is at softball practice and the house is feeling uncharacteristically quiet, that Kara finally brings it up.

She finds Eliza on the sofa in the living room and sits beside her on the other end. She brings her legs up into her chest, awkwardly fiddling with the drawstring on her sweatpants as she tries to find the right words. It doesn’t take long for her to realize there are none. So Kara bites the bullet and comes right out with it.

“The girl I had to work with the other day…” she begins. “For the extra credit project… it was Lex Luthor’s sister.” 

Eliza’s eyes widen and she sets her book down, turning her full attention to Kara.

“Oh my… did she– she didn’t do anything o- or say anything to you, did she?”

Kara shakes her head. Her voice is quiet. Withdrawn, almost. 

“No. She was weirdly normal. She didn’t tell me who she was.” 

“How did you figure it out?”

Kara shrugs. “Some girls from her school came up to us when we were cleaning. And they– they started saying all these things to her and none of it made sense. So I asked and… they told me.”

“Oh.”

Eliza exhales, frowning.

“That must’ve been really hard.” 

“Yeah. I just… I can’t believe I didn’t know. I– I wanted to be her friend,” Kara says. Her hands start to shake as she speaks. Her throat feels too stiff– like it can’t properly wrap itself around her words. “I feel so gross. Like… dirty.”

“I bet,” Eliza responds, her voice soft. “I know how crazy the whiplash must be for you. But it’s not crazy you wanted to be her friend. You saw someone you liked and you wanted to get to know them. That doesn’t make you dirty.” 

Kara shakes her head and looks down, pressing the pad of her thumb against her nailbed. 

“Her brother tried to kill Kal. He’d want to kill me if he knew me. He– he doesn’t even know I exist and he hates me. And she’s his sister so she– she’d hate me too and she almost really did know me.”

She stops for a moment and clamps her mouth shut, hot tears prickling at her eyes. She thinks about Lena’s quiet, restrained laugh, and how different things would’ve been if she’d known. If neither of their identities had been a lie.

“I don’t want to see her again,” Kara says eventually. “I can’t– I can’t work with someone like her. Or like anyone in her family.” 

Eliza sucks in a breath. She nods, slowly, taking a second to gather her thoughts.

“Kara… what Lex did… it was horrible. And I know I can’t imagine how scary it must’ve been for you to see him go through that. Especially after everything you’ve lost.” 

My world. Kara wants to correct her. I lost my whole world. 

“But Lena is only– what, fifteen, give or take? And I- I’m not saying you have to be friends with her or even like her. All of that is up to you. But she doesn’t have any control over what her family does. Lex is a grown man who can take the fall on his own. But Lena– she’s still a kid… just like you.” 

“She’s not like me,” Kara whispers. “She’s nothing like me.”

“Maybe she isn’t. But we don’t know her,” Eliza says. “Just like she doesn’t know you.”