#I like to think that it'd be harder to get to sleep but he'd sleep much deeper once he gets there :)

[the-hydroxian-artblog]

Are Merch Mimics capable of using assimilation offensively against humans, for self-defense and otherwise? Like, if someone tried to break a toy/game/etc they were inhabiting, could the Mimic instead pull them in?

To a degree, yeah. I should mention though that Victor isn't "in" the TV in any magical sense; spoiler alert: he's the controller Vance is holding! Hence, the eye on the controller reacting to the dialogue. The Victor on the screen is actualy a model he rigged for a homebrew game he coded the old fashioned way, which responds to whatever inputs the controller sends to the Wii.

He actually is an active member of the homebrew community, and loves to mess with electronics the old fashioned way. Almost no one on the forums knows he's a toy bird, but are impressed nonetheless with his little projects, various rail-shooter games, and weird obsession with snarky anthropomorphic birds.

Victor could technically "jump into a game" on a tv screen, but it'd be a bit of a weird process if he doesn't know how to mod the game, so it'd look more like a shitty greenscreen effect rather than anything coherent. He'd need to learn in real time how the game is coded, how to inject arbitrary code into the system while it's running, etc etc. He CAN do that because he's a fucking NERD, but it wouldn't be a quick process at all.

I should also mention, mimics have an inherent ability to create dreams, since they come about from processing the thoughts and ideas of humans. If a human bonds with a mimic, such that the mimic now knows how the human thinks, they can pull a (somewhat) willing human into the dream when the human sleeps. So to wrap this all up: what Victor could do for a game he understands inside and out is pull a human into a dream that happens to match whatever he himself experiences as currently going on in the game. Basically the ultimate VR experience, with the mimic as a middle-man. Which might be something that'll happen in the comic soon....!

So that all seems a bit convoluted, right? Here's even more worldbuilding about matter assimilation by mimics below the cut. Stop here if you don't want a headache.

The reason so many hoops would be needed to pull a human into a game world is that assimilation is much easier on inert, inanimate objects that are not currently "in use" by a thinking thing, or something that relies on constant electrical signals to function. This can be something with brainwaves, or some other kind of animation like a normal robot. A mimic can convert a CRT TV that's turned off somewhat easily, but a TV that's turned on, with particles of every kind constantly moving into and out of it, is much harder to convert.

This means that humans and biological creatures in general are also trickier to convert, though it can still happen if done gradually enough. Hence, Victor wouldn't be able to rapidly convert Vance in one fell swoop, it'd be a whole process. It's easier to just pull a human into a dream instead, and if a mimic undersrands a video game, or a story in a book really well, they can basically make the fictional world into an extremely lucid reality for whatever human tags along with them.

I often describe mimics as just "jojo stands if they were corporeal and could just get up and move around on their own with no user"; you know how in jojo stand battles or old stories about magic curses, if you break the curse or kill the stand before its effect becomes permanent, all of the damage is magically undone? Like if you kill Green Day, the mold stand, all of the molding just instantly stops?

Mimics who use their powers of assimilation offensively work similarly; they can project their influence to a certain range, and partially assimilate matter in that range. If you knock out or kill the mimic, however, everything reverts to normal. A human who doesn't want to get converted can basically just turn around and walk away most of the time, or shoot the mimic, so the mimic in question needs to pull off some trick to get the human to stay within range for the assimilation to fully stick. A human can still break free and get out of range even if fully converted, but it's much harder, as assimilation usually means the mimic gaining greater control over the converted object in question. The exact range and effect mimics have is again like jojo stand ranges; it varies.

Different mimics have different affinities for different things. Victor can assimilate cheap electronics fastest because he likes them and understands how they work (it's why he's a toy bird mp3 player). Az can assimilate guns, and turn ammo into weird anomalous ammo with weird effects. Zachary is a genius who can assimilate any matter, including biological matter, faster than anyone... but he's also extremely picky and hates the sight of blood, so he only uses assimilation on things he really, really likes.

If I could somehow make another read more at this point, I would. It's gonna get messy:

What a weird power and setup though, right? Why? The true nature of mimics is unknown to most of them, but the deepest lore is that the first mimics were constructs made by a people long ago, who first made them as highly advanced machines that'd recognize the thoughts of their masters to fulfill any practical desire. Need a road built? Done. Need a ship repaired? Done. With physical needs all met, the people began to turn inward, and use the mimics to illustrate their own artistic ideas. Eventually, the will and consciousness of these people were assimilated and inherited by mimics, who themselves became people. Mimics spread, altered themselves, duplicated, deviated, fused, split, and wandered around. Getting into recreational wars, manifesting horrors and delights into reality because they could.

Somehow, after the dust settled, the strongest mimics, the angels, decide to set their sights to the stars, and observe other lifeforms develop technology and their own art. Did mimics come to earth millions of years ago, and simply watched humans grow, evolving with them in-tandem? Or did humans make the first mimics, and somehow became undone and set back to the stone age? The answer to this mystery is currently known only to the oldest of mimics. Except Zachary. He's old, but didn't care to remember.

This is generally why mimics seem so compatible with humans; they were made by either them, or people who were, for whatever the reason, very much like them, flaws and all. The ability to assimilate is basically the conversion of matter into a more malleable state of information. A virtually magical power, but this was achieved not through prayers and spells, but a very human-like obsession with developing technology to the point of exerting control over molecules, then atoms, then the lowest planks of matter. The obsession with scaling every mountain and crossing through every valley. To rip the natural world apart, and hopefully, put it back together before it's too late. Angels seek to ensure humanity walks the right path there, but with human's own desires and intent honored, for better or worse.

To answer your question: yes. A mimic of Mario can pull you into the game and you can jump with him and eat shitty low poly spaghetti with him.

The process for doing that is just convoluted and complicated, and you need to get to know each other a bit first. If he tries to use it as an attack though, it either won't work, or it might just wind up giving you mild brain damage.

[sysig]

Old habits die hard all the way around (Patreon)

[rootsofdread]

request open *twirls hair kicking my feet giggling* could i request maybe ghostface and myers with a survivor who's also stealthy? like maybe they caught a glimpse of them but the moment they moved a little closer trying to get a jump the survivor is just POOF and gone

Michael Myers / The Shape:

Michael had first seen you working on a generator all the way across the trialgrounds from himself. He figured you'd be busy enough that you wouldn't even notice him and he'd be able to grab you right off of it. All seemed to be going according to plan until he got there, and...there was no trace of you anywhere. It was like you had never even been there in the first place. But he knew he saw you. It'd be safe to say he'd never been so confused before.

He decided right then and there that he had to catch you. He knew wouldn't be able to sleep until he got to you at least once. He didn't find you that trial, and...he still can never get his hands on you during trials. He's always willing to throw an entire trial just to go after you, though. The second he realizes you're lurking around, he drops everything to track you down.

He always swears you're following him around. He can never see you, and you'll never give him a straight answer, but...he knows you're there. He doesn't much enjoy swapping roles. You're making this much harder than it needs to be...but, truthfully, he enjoys the challenge. He finds you fun, in a weird way.

Danny Johnson / The Ghostface:

Danny first met you when he saw you weaving through a patch of trees at the edge of the trialgrounds. He'd been tracking you for most of the trial, and now you were all alone...he waited until you ducked behind a wall. He walked up, and lunged behind the corner, swinging for you. You can probably imagine his surprise when you were suddenly nowhere to be found. There was nowhere you could've gone. How in the hell...

Finding you slowly became more and more like a game to him. At first it was frustrating, but it started being fun for him after a while. Every trial he has with you, he gets excited, hoping this would finally be the time he catches you. He still hasn't, but he looks forward to every trial with you.

If you're still in the immediate area, you'll often hear Danny giggling to himself while he's looking for you, or him playfully calling out your name. He doesn't necessarily think doing either will help his chances, he just likes to have fun, especially around and with you.

[ttringgirl]

I've been thinking about this a lot.

Imagine I could drop out of high school and move away with my dad into a conservative sub urban neighbourhood where he tells everybody that I'm his wife instead of his daughter. He would keep me in his house and force me to do all the chores, he's forbid me to read or study because my job was to be in the house, if he catches me slipping up he'd get violant but still remain composure. I'd slowly be scared into obeying until one day, I slip up.

It'd be something small like not having dinner prepared for when he came home or accidentally sleeping through the whole afternoon. I'd imagine he came home from a long day at work and get even more furious at seeing the mistake his wife/daughter did. He bend me over the kitchen counter violantly and start spanking me harshly without showing any mercy. Only when I was sobbing and letting out pleas of forgiveness would he stop and flip me over before grabbing my throat and start fingering my cunt painfully.

It wouldn't be sweet or slow, he'd be going at a vicious pace while I beg for him to slow down. I'd keep calling him dad and tiling him this isn't right before he brings a kitchen knife to my throat and force me to call him my husband. I wouldn't be able to at first, too distracted by the pain and the pleasure and fear before calling my own dad my husband just to please.

As soon as I'd say that he would spread my legs and thrust into me without warning, breeding me like an animal while I scream how much it hurts. He'd tell me that I needed to convince him it was good if I wanted him to stop. I'd be forced to beg for my dad's cock and beg for it to go harder. By this point Id loose count of the amount of times I came on my dad's cock by he shows no sign of stopping. He'd constantly cum inside me decide me trying to stop him, never letting me breath for one second.

Eventually he'd pull out, admiring the bleeding scratches and bruises he made on his little girl. He'd give me a kiss on the head and tell me to get dinner ready like the good wife I am.

And I'd obey.

[restinslices]

If Kuai Liang Was A Sub

This has been sitting on my docs and for whatever reason, I didn’t post it. Anyway imma make the same disclaimer I did for Bi-Han’s part. I am a virgin. I get zero bitches. Absolutely zero play. Take everything I say with a grain of salt and if you think it’s inaccurate then damn. Idk. Minors MOOOOVEEE.

I feel like unlike Bi-Han, he'd be way more accepting of his role. Bi-Han is like, "sub? could never be me!", and Kuai Liang is like "yeah, absolutely"

I could see foreplay being his thing. To him, what adds up to sex is just as important as sex. 

Honestly I think he'd see all parts of sex as equally important. The leading up to, the actual act, and the aftercare. 

Remember when I said Bi-Han pissed you off on purpose because he enjoyed punishments? I don't think Kuai Liang would be like that. 

Don't get me wrong, he could do stupid shit at times or break rules but I feel like it'd legit be on accident. 

Like you'd tell him he can't touch you as you ride him, but he'd completely forget that and do it anyway. 

Your pleasure to him would be the most important. If he doesn't cum, it's a bummer. But you not cumming? Absolutely not. 

He moans loudly and gasps. idk why I get this vibe, but I do. 

He's also shameless. I feel like if someone was like "I heard you having sex last night", Bi-Han would be confrontational. Tomas would be embarrassed. Kuai Liang would apologize but would turn around and ask you to fuck him harder this time. 

Because let's bffr, what is anyone gonna do to him? 

He'd be into being tied up by his own ropes. It'll be all he could think of when he's using them in other situations and honestly? Gets him determined to return home to you. 

Kinks I'd think he'd have would be restraints, overstimulation, roleplay, orgasm control, praise and/or degradation (idk if he'd like one over the other. pick whichever you like), and dare I say a knife kink?

Obviously don't fucking stab him but some threatening? He's into it. 

He loves making you feel good and loves when you use him to make yourself feel good 

Adding onto that, idk why but he's giving "ride me in my sleep" energy. consensually of course, this would obviously be something discussed. 

I can't put my finger on why, but I just really feel like he'd enjoy waking up to you using him. Maybe he enjoys the thought that you constantly want him. Once again though, this would be something discussed beforehand. Don't just try this shit at home. This would require lots of talks, boundaries, knowing when it'd be ok, shit like that. imma say it again, do not randomly try this shit. 

A punishment I think he'd hate is not being able to touch you. He'd be away a lot on Liu Kang's orders, so when you're together he wants to touch you so he remembers it when he's away. When you're having sex, he especially wants to touch you. So you saying "no" would be hard for him

I know we're mainly talking about sex but I think it'd be more than that for him. I'm not saying you control everything he does but this man is probably stressed out all the time. He has two brothers who have constant beef (which is one sided fr), he's probably still missing his dad, he's constantly risking his life for others, and life just has a lot of bullshit going on. 

Serving Earthrealm means he's always doing stuff for other people. So sometimes he likes when you're the one choosing what he'll do for the day because he knows you'll pick stuff that would benefit him. Does that make sense?

Like, non sexually you may say “hey I want you to go take a long bath, then put some clothes on. I already have the water and your clothes ready”. Shit like that. Don't get it misconstrued, you're not becoming his mom. You're just taking more of a leadership role, which he appreciates. 

Sexually though, it'd tie into orgasm control. You'd tell him what to do, where to touch, when to stop, where to look, etc. He knows whatever you're having him do is to make him feel good. To put himself first, which he has a hard time doing. 

I'm not saying y'all don't have straight “I'm tryna fuck” type of sex, but I think he'd enjoy some soft stuff occasionally. Helps him relax. 

As for aftercare I think unlike Bi-Han, he'd enjoy talking after. Especially depending on what was going on. 

Softer sex probably results in cuddling then talking about whatever. Something more intense would include a breather, checking in, then whatever else he needs. Sometimes it's a bath immediately, sometimes it's playing with his hair to bring him back down. 

Sometimes it's you reminding him that he's doing his best. Sex can be a good way to relieve tension, but it's not a permanent fix. You like to remind him that he's a good person and sometimes bad shit happens to good people. Just a nice deep chat. 

He gives me “I'm tryna find my wife” at the club vibes, idk. is that outta line?😭

He's not as soft as Tomas but he's not as hardheaded as Bi-Han. He's a nice in between. 

Y’all already know Tomas is next. Stay tuned

[kristeristerin]

Pretty Little Liar - 2

I know I said to be on the look out for chapter two next Friday, but I have 0 self control. Also, this week I turn in my English final so hopefully I will have some time to post a couple of drabble requests from my inbox in the next week. How do you all feel about some Tarquin content? ;) Anyway, here is Pretty Little Liar Chapter 2!

Summary: When you and Feyre find yourselves prisoners in the Spring Court you readily accept the challenge of distracting Lucien while she works to bring the court down around Tamlin. Falling in love with your mate was never your intention.

Chapter 1

Your arrival at the Spring Court was met with more smiles than you would have expected. Though you supposed that had more to do with their relief at seeing Feyre alive and well than the appearance of one of her Night Court captors.

A maid named Alis showed the two of you to your rooms. They were side by side and across the hall of Lucien's room. As soon as you were left alone, Feyre turned to you.

"Please don't leave me alone in this room." She grabbed your hand and pulled you closer to her. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but please stay in here with me at night. I don't think he'd try to force himself on me, but I'd feel more comfortable if he knew I wasn't alone at night."

You took her second, still gloved, hand in yours and squeezed them both. "Of course, I'll stay with you." You took a shaky breath, "to be honest, I don't want to be alone either."

"There is one more thing," Feyre stepped back from you and removed her glove. You gasped, seeing the intricate tattoo on her now uncovered hand.

"You and Rhys?" you whispered, "Did you?"

She shook her head, "We aren't married. Last night, we snuck out to see a Priestess, and he swore me in," her voice dropped even lower, "as High Lady of the Night Court."

Your eyes went wide, and you immediately dropped to one knee. "It's an honor to serve you, My Lady."

She knelt beside you. "There is no reason to do that. I don't need you to serve me. I need you here as my friend." She pulled you into a hug. "I just needed you to know that I will fight for us. We will make it home; I promise you that."

"I'll help any way I can," you assure her. You watched as she glamoured her hand, and your High Lady's tattoo disappeared.

The two of you were readying for bed when a sharp knock on the door caught your attention. You remained sitting on the bed as Feyre answered the door. Neither of you were surprised to see Tamlin on the other side.

"How are you settling in?" he was speaking to Feyre but eyeing you warily from the doorway.

"We are well, Thank you." she replied, gesturing to you, "We were just about to go to sleep."

"Together?" his forehead scrunched, and he pressed his lips in a tight line. "You've been provided with separate rooms."

"I know," she replied airily, "I asked her to stay with me. She's nervous about her new surroundings, and I'd like her close in case I have a nightmare."

He paled slightly at the reminder of her fitful sleeping in the months following what happened under the mountain.

"Very well then," he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Good night, ladies. May you have sweet dreams, Feyre."

You could barely repress the roll of your eyes until he had left and closed the door behind him.

The following week was filled with tense moments where Tamlin would try to get Feyre to spend time alone with him, and you'd be there following her like a lost puppy. Each time he let out a frustrated sigh and glared at you, it became harder and harder to suppress your smile.

When Tamlin wasn't near the two of you, Lucien was. Though he never made any attempts to separate the two of you. He was much more content watching from close by with a guarded stare. If anyone were going to cause an issue with your plans to escape, it'd be him.

—---------

You felt the telltale caress against your shield as you silently lay in bed facing your friend.

"I have a plan, but I need your help," even in your mind her voice was just a whisper.

"Anything," your swift reply brought a smile to her lips.

"If we are going to destroy the court from within, we must divide them. I know how to provoke Tamlin, but I need your help with Lucien. He'll be eager to get to know you better. Just distract him while I start moving pieces into place."

You scrunched up your nose. "I know I said anything, but are you sure that's the only thing you can have me do?"

Her answering smile was apologetic. "He's already suspicious of me, but if you can use the bond to get closer to him, perhaps it'll be enough of a distraction, and we can return home sooner. Who knows, you may even enjoy the attention."

Her waggling eyebrows cause you to gag, and the two of you soon giggle.

Feyre was fast asleep an hour later, and you lay awake thinking over what she asked of you. Sure, Lucien was handsome enough, but could you spend so much time in his presence without giving away your contempt toward him? Also, given your last interaction, how would you make the ruse believable enough that he genuinely believes you're interested in pursuing the bond? Sighing, you quietly slide out of Feyre's bed and reach the door. On your way to the kitchen to find a late-night snack, you briefly stop by the closed door to Tamlin's study when you hear two male voices on the other side.

"All I want to know, Tamlin, is why you didn't ask me?" You could hear the frustration in Lucien's voice.

"I thought you would be thankful that I was thoughtful enough to retrieve your mate. Now you have a proper chance to claim her." "Thankful?" Lucien's low growl surprised you. "You think I should be thankful that you took my mate from her home and forced her to come here against her will? How am I supposed to pursue her, knowing she'd rather put a dagger in my back than look at me? Honestly, Tamlin, are you so naive that you can't see they are up to something? Do you trust Feyre?"

Tamlin snarled, and something heavy hit the other side of the door. "DO NOT talk about Feyre that way. I don't blame you if you don't trust your mate, but Feyre was under his control. She didn't know what she was doing. She's home now, and I will keep her safe." There was a pause before Tamlin spoke again. "I need you to keep an eye on your mate, Lucien. I need you to watch to make sure she doesn't cause any trouble, but more importantly, I need you to keep her away from Feyre as often as you can so I can remind her how good her life was with me. After the stunt they pulled, insisting they share Feyre's bed, and they have spent every moment together this week, I'm worried she will try to influence her against me."

You didn't wait to hear Lucien's answer as you continued toward the kitchen. You smirked as you thought back over what Tamlin had said. If he was so upset about Feyre using you as an excuse to keep him from her bed, your plans were already falling into place, and his order to Lucien would only make things that much easier.

—----------------- The sound of the kitchen door opening startled you as you looked up from your cup of tea. You relaxed slightly, noting the telltale red hair of Lucien entering the room.

Seeing you there, he paused for the doorway for several tense seconds before moving into the room to make a cup for himself. "Mind if I join you?" his voice was barely above a whisper, but it shattered the tense quiet between you.

"Not at all," you mumbled, gesturing toward the seat directly across you.

He sat lost in his thoughts for several minutes before he again spoke. "Do you- or- rather, are you seeing anyone currently?"

You sighed and bit your lip before looking up at him. "Does it matter if I were?"

"Of course it does!" he looked appalled at your accusation. "Think what you want of me, but I never intended this to happen. I had hoped I'd be able to approach you once everything with Hybern was sorted out." Lucien lowered his head and added, "I'd hoped you'd allow me to court you properly."

He was visibly shaking, and before you registered the action, you reached across the table and put a steadying hand on his. He stilled immediately.

"While I have had my share of lovers," you raised an eyebrow at the low growl that rumbled in his chest but bit back a laugh at the sheepish dip of his head. "As I was saying, I have been with lovers, but nothing remotely consistent or resembling a relationship in many, many years."

He hummed in response as he took another drink of his tea. "What about you, Lucien Vanserra?" you gave him a smile that you hoped came across as flirtatious. "I have heard many things about you and your reputation. There are rumors that you have left a trail of broken hearts through several of the courts."

He laughed, "In my younger years, perhaps, but nothing recently. Nothing outside of Calanmai, that is."

"Oh," your traitorous heart sank. The holiday had occurred only a week after the snapping of your bond. You knew nothing would come from your bond, but it hurt more than you would have guessed to know that he had taken another female to bed so soon after learning of you.

Sensing your discomfort, he reached across the table and gave your hand a slight squeeze. "It wasn't my choice." His voice cracked, "Tamlin refused, but the ceremony had to be done. I didn't want to and didn't want her." Lucien shook his head, "But I did my duty, and unfortunately, the Priestess ensured she was at the right place at the right time."

"I'm sorry," you whispered. "That must have been truly terrible." He swallowed hard and looked away. When the silence stretched between you this time, it was much more companionable. "I think I am going to try to get some sleep." you pull your hand back from where he had still been holding yours, "Would you like to escort me?"

"Of course," he smiled gently.

When you reached Feyre's bedroom door, you turned toward him. "Thank you, Lucien."

His hand grabbing yours caused you to turn back towards me, "Can I show you around the grounds tomorrow after breakfast?"

You look away, biting your lip before looking back at him through your lashes. "That sounds lovely."

He grinned at you before making a show of bowing and pressing a kiss to the back of your hand. "Until the morning then, my lady."

—------------------- You were the last to enter the dining room for breakfast the following day, and it seemed as if you had walked in on a strained conversation. "All I'm saying is perhaps we should hear her out, Feyre." The High Lord's knuckles were white as he gripped the arms of his chair.

Feyre looked livid but snapped her mouth shut. "Fine," she said, "I will hear her out."

Tamlin nodded to a sentry at the door, and they swiftly left. Feyre's tension seemed to ease slightly when you took the seat next to her, and she raised an eyebrow when you shyly smiled at Lucien across the table.

"Good Morning, my lady." he breathed, "I hope you slept well."

"Good Morning, Lucien," you greeted back as you began to load your plate. "I slept well enough. Though, it would have been more restful had my Dear Feyre stayed on her side of the bed."

You smiled at your friend as she stuck her tongue out and poked you in the ribs. From the head of the table, Tamlin cleared his throat. "Well, if she's impacting your sleep, perhaps you could begin sleeping in your bed."

You turned to look the High Lord directly in his eyes, "I'm afraid MY bed is clear on the other side of Prythian, so I suppose I will deal with Feyre and her spooning tendencies." You smile sweetly as he growls, and you watch claws extend from his knuckles and sink into the wood of his chair.

You were saved from his response as a blonde high fae in blue priestess robes breezed into the room.

Your eyes narrowed as she moved to stand behind Lucien. He flinched when she rested a hand on his shoulder. You could not stop the snarl you let loose, not only because of the possessive gesture but also because she was dismissing his discomfort.

She turned to you and raised a brow. "Oh, how sweet? Are you Lucien's mate?" Her tone made it clear she thought it was anything but sweet. "You are a fortunate female." She leaned forward and added, "It's true what they say about Autumn males and the fire in their blood making them wonderful lovers."

You stood so abruptly your chair clattered to the ground behind you. The only thing that kept you from leaping across the table at the priestess was Feyre's grip on your hand.

"Lucien," Tamlin's booming voice startled you, but you glared at Ianthe. "Get her out of here."

Lucien shook Ianthe's hand from his shoulder and was around the table and at your side in seconds. He gently gripped your elbow as he pulled from the room toward the kitchens.

You wouldn't look at him, and neither spoke as he loaded food and a bottle of wine into a bag. Once finished, he hesitantly took your hand and led you out the back door.

"Where are you taking me?" you finally asked as the two of you approached the stable.

"I thought we might go for a ride so that you can see more of the grounds." He led you further into the stables and started readying a horse.

You chewed on your bottom lip as you watched him. "Something wrong?" he asked when you noticed you were watching him.

"I don't have much riding experience," you mumbled.

"Oh," he ran a hand through his red hair. "Well, we can share a horse. That's no trouble at all." He turned back to continue readying the horse, but you swore you saw him smirking at the pink tinge on your cheeks.

Once the horse was ready, he helped you up before climbing on and settling behind you. You tensed when he wrapped his arms around you to grab the reins. Your attempt to touch as little of him as possible left you in an unnatural and uncomfortable position. You rode silently for nearly 15 minutes when he stopped and dismounted before turning to help you down from the horse.

"Wait here," he handed you the horse's reins before taking his pack from the saddle and disappearing between the trees. "Can you tie the horse up here for me, please?"

When he returns, he is without the pack, and you have just finished securing the horse.

"Do you trust me?" Lucien asked while offering a hand to you.

"Not even a little," you fight back a laugh as you put your hand in his. He only chuckled in response.

"Close your eyes," he began to lead you through the trees, "I have a surprise for you."

You complied, though the lack of sight caused you to stumble more than once. When the ground evened out, he moved to stand behind you. A tremor ran down your spine when you could feel his breath on your ear.

"Open your eyes," he whispered.

The sight before you caused you to gasp. Lucien had brought you to a small clearing in the forest. He had laid out a blanket, and on it was the bottle of wine and food selection. Beside the blanket was a pool of the most transparent water you had ever seen. The sunlight appeared to dance on the sparkling surface.

He led you to the blanket, and once you were settled, he offered you a glass of wine. Accepting it gratefully, you took several sips before setting it aside. Your stomach rumbled.

"Food was a good choice," you break off a piece of bread. "I'm sorry about interrupting your breakfast."

"There is no reason to apologize. She was goading you, and honestly, I'd rather not have been in the room for their conversation anyway. Besides," he raised an eyebrow at you, "I must admit your very vocal response to another female's hands on me was interesting."

You turn away to hide your blush. "I can't believe you put this together for me."

He gave you a roguish grin, "This is the least of what I can do for you, My Lady."

You threw your head back in laughter. "You, Lucien Vanserra, may be the most dangerous male I have ever met."

"And why is that?" his grin never faltered.

"Because I can see how you got that reputation. You must be a very easy male to fall for." You reach across the blanket to grab a couple of grapes before popping one in your mouth.

His eyes softened as he leaned back on the blanket, "I have no intentions of breaking your heart."

You look down at your hands to avoid his penetrative gaze, "Perhaps it'll be me who breaks your heart." Your voice is barely above a whisper.

His warm hand lifts your face to look back at him before he moves his hand to cup your jaw.

"Perhaps it'll be worth the heartbreak," he whispered back as he began to lean in.

Your eyes flutter shut briefly before you quickly throw a grape into the air and try to catch it, putting more space between you. Thankfully, the two of you laugh when it hits you directly in the forehead instead. Lucien grabs a grape himself, and you playfully shove him when he catches his on the first try and winks at you.

The two of you spend the next hour laughing together as you get to know one another and enjoy your small feast. When the food is gone, you find yourselves lying on the blanket, passing the wine bottle back and forth, glasses long forgotten.

"So," you ask, propping yourself up on an unsteady arm, "Is this how you spend your time in the Spring Court then? Laying the grass, cloud gazing, and getting respectable ladies drunk?" He turned to you and gave you a breathtaking smile. "No, I very rarely have such enchanting company. How did you spend your time in the Night Court?"

Your smile faltered, "Lately? All of our time has been preparing for a war that I'm not certain I will have the capability of being on the right side of."

Pain flashed in his eyes, "I'm sorry. I know I've already told you I didn't intend this to happen. While I'll admit a selfish part of me is grateful for the time to get to know you, I would return you to your home in a heartbeat if I could."

You weren't sure why, but something about the sincerity in his voice caused your heart to ache.

The lazy ride back to the manor was much more comfortable than the ride there. Instead of shying away from Lucien, you lean back into him. The position allowed him to grip you closer to himself while holding the reins with one hand. You arrived back quicker than you'd have liked, and seeing Feyre waiting by the stables, a knowing look in her eye, had guilt clawing at you.

That night, you lay in bed thinking about your time with Lucien and couldn't help the spiraling guilt because, for a moment, you forgot that you were supposed to be pretending to like him. As you drifted off, the words you said to him kept repeating in your head.

You must be a very easy male to fall for. Perhaps it'll be me who breaks your heart.

Tag List: @glitterypirateduck

[smartycvnt]

Best of the Best

Title: Best of the Best Pairing: Jason Todd x Reader Summary: Jason assigns himself to personally protect Y/n after a gangster threatens revenge against him. R WC: 1159

Jason kept his head down as he sat outside of the coffee shop where Y/n worked. It looked like they were almost finished closing it up, and then Jason would escort Y/n back to her apartment. She had seemed vehemently against the idea of allowing Jason over whenever he was dressed up in his Red Hood costume, so they had settled on Jason just coming over to protect her instead. He had a duffel bag by his side, armor on underneath his regular clothes, and a few weapons stashed on his person. All of that on top of Y/n's knowledge of martial arts that often was forgotten whenever she gave up helping out Batman. She wanted a normal life for herself, but it seemed that someone is a mask was always right around the corner for her.

"Bye Jenny, have a good night," Y/n called out as she watched one of her coworkers walk in the opposite direction of herself. Y/n locked the door one last time before she set out in the direction where Jason said he'd be waiting for her. Y/n walked slowly and subtly looked out for another body. Jason was good, as was everybody trained by Bruce, but Y/n hadn't gone to Bruce for training. She liked to think of herself as in a higher caliber of fighter than most of the bat-brats. "Jay, baby, get off the ledge before you hurt yourself."

"One of these days, I'll sneak up on you," Jason said as he dropped down onto the ground. Y/n shrugged it off and placed her hand in his. "How was work?"

"It's so boring, I love it. Dinah had it right reopening that flower shop. We all need something like this, something so painfully boring that we forget who we are sometimes," Y/n said. Jason brushed off her attempt at talking him into a normal hobby. Everybody else seemed to have something, but Y/n was worried about Jason keeping himself on the streets. He had died once, and Y/n didn't think she could handle seeing it happen again. She didn't even know Jason that well back then, and the loss had hit her harder than anybody expected.

"I'm a bodyguard, the best in Gotham," Jason said. Y/n sighed in defeat as they reached her car. Jason dropped down to check it, unsurprisingly finding nothing. "I don't know what you expect from me Y/n. It's not like I can go be a pastry chef or real estate agent. This is it for me, and I'm happy where I am."

Y/n dropped the discussion, knowing that Jason would probably get mad if she didn't. He was getting better about his anger, but Y/n still hated the nights when it got the best of him. He'd either come back to her covered in blood and bruises or not at all. The days she spent waiting up for him were the hardest, and most of the time it seemed like Jason was content with not coming back to her at all. He was reckless, always had been, but Bruce had kept a firm grip on it before. Now that Bruce was MIA, Jason and the others were trying to govern themselves. Y/n was certain it'd be a whole ass civil war in Gotham soon enough, but she wasn't willing to put that out into the universe. The temptation was too strong for the city to not get destroyed.

The ride to the apartment was uneasy, but Jason gave Y/n her space once they got there. He set himself up at the only window in the whole apartment and waited. Y/n took a shower and cleaned the mess of her day off of herself. Y/n knew Jason wouldn't let her order takeout, so she quickly made them both some ramen to eat while they stayed up together. Y/n had decided she wasn't sleeping in her room with Jason alone in the living room all night, so she'd pull the couch out instead. Jason looked at her like he was confused, but he ultimately didn't say anything. It seemed like silence was their theme of the night until Jason finally said something as Y/n settled into bed around 11.

"Do you miss it?" Jason wasn't looking anywhere near Y/n as he asked his question. Y/n knew why. He didn't want to see the emotions as they overwhelmed every sense of Y/n's being. She didn't talk much about her vigilante work or what happened before that. She didn't want Jason to know how involved in his life she had really been before they met each other. All Jason needed to know was that Dick didn't trust her, to the point where he completely withdrew from Barbara whenever she recruited Y/n. "The instincts never leave, and I think Bruce is going to come back because he misses it."

"I miss the feeling of my swords in my hand. I miss feeling someone's life through my sword. I miss the rewards when I did what I was told. I don't miss being someone's weapon of destruction. I don't miss trying so hard, but missing the mark every fucking time. I don't miss being a vigilante, but I miss the action every single day. That's why I have to live this way, repenting for the lifetime of crimes I'd committed by the time I was moved here," Y/n said. Her voice was monotone, as if she was in a trance. "I was the best. I was the best, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it, and they sent that maniac after you."

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay," Jason whispered as he rushed over to catch Y/n before she could fall over. Tears flowed from her eyes as she cried into Jason's chest. The weight of guilt that had been flung off of her shoulders was too much for her to handle. She had finally come clean, but now she had to wait for Jason to forgive her. "You didn't get me killed. On the list of people I hold accountable for that, your name isn't on there. You're why my life is enjoyable now, that's where you're number one."

"You wouldn't have come back if I had done the job," Y/n muttered quietly. Jason didn't seem to hear it, and if he did, he didn't react at all. Y/n didn't want to talk after all of that, she just wanted to lay there with Jason before he changed his mind about her being the reason for his happiness. She didn't think she deserved any of his kindness, but Y/n would allow the luxury until there was no more kindness left in the world for her. Eventually, the universe would correct itself, and Jason would be better off because of it.

[wayfayrr]

Honestly seeing how the chain is really having a bad time with the "nightmares" and seeing some have the bad end of going into reader's world would make reader lend more than meds to the chain and so maybe giving cuddles and babying them like what they did with sage when he first came to reader's world and now believing that because of the chain's trauma and them being varying degrees of losing strength and the fact they are in a new world they don't know and so causing them these bad nights which causes to harm reader's heart and so giving much more affection to that link against sages protests and when reader caves in with what sage wants he ends up having to share reader with that link in bed for a long night and a thing that brought this to my mind was what if the chain members who could turn into things like legend turning into a pink bunny for the first months could infact still turn into those things but as times goes on it doesn't happen as much and is harder for them to do those things like at first four could split but after the first two months in reader's world he can't anymore and the colors voices are much more quiet altho they are still there they just can't part and are more quiet than before and what I'm going with this is one night dink goes to haunt legend but sadly legend is in his bunny form and he screams (I heard bunnies can scream) which ends up waking everyone and they find this scares bunny in the house, reader feeling bad for the poor bunny try to feed it carrots to calm it and when it seems he's gunna eat the carrot he instead runs up on reader and which ends up taking Refuge in reader's arms while sage just stares down at legend aware of what's going on and not happy and so he tries to get the bunny out of reader's arms and which ends up with him getting bites by legend, this could be with a reader who doesn't know that legend and twilight are wolfie and the pink bunny or just reader who knows but is gunna take all the time they need before legend turns back from a cute pink bunny. And as sage tells about his arm hurting again and that it would be good for legend to go back to his bed but with reader notice how panicked legend is as he is shaking reader decides that legend would be on their left side and sage can cuddle in reader's right side when going back to bed and when reader is asleep sage and legend just stare at each other with hatred and annoyance with how they can't get reader for themselves for a second.

Just legend looking at sage and sage looking at him back like this while reader sleeps

OAKVNOSK SAGE AND LEG AS THOSE CATS THEY'RE GOING TO KILL EACH OTHER WHEN THEY GET THE CHANCE 😭😭😭 BUT FOR NOW THEY'VE JUST GOTTA GLARE AT EACH OTHER OVER READER WHO'S SLEEPING LIKE THERES NOTHING WRONG

And you're right the chain are absolutely struggling at this point AOSKNC It's lucky for them to have gotten more than a couple of hours of sleep in a night once Sage and the shadow have teamed up, OFC like you've mentioned it does backfire. If the links got desperate enough there'd just be cuddle piles every night. Making everyone pissed off at everyone else because that way no-one gets alone time with reader. Even reader is getting exhausted with how little alone time they have, what with how they're being watched even at work

At some point the nightmares would stop as dink realises that it's worse for them than if the chain didn't have the nightmares. He just starts messing with them in different ways. You ever put something down and then never been able to find it? It'd be small things like that that really make the links question their own sanity, and possibly distance reader from them as they get sent to therapy? Four most likely needing to be one of the first to see a professional after the colours start getting quieter, as I think due to the desperation of them all going quiet would possibly lead him to talking to himself trying to mimic each of them. That or he'd start to spiral due to losing such a big part of himself so abruptly. Wind again being the only one who's safe from this, or any link that respected Sage's boundaries with reader, Sky perhaps?

As for what you said with legend, I love the idea that they can still transform for a small while but maybe it's only into a pink rabbit for a week or so then the colour slowly fades to a standard rabbit before he can't even do that? he'd just look like the killer rabbit from holy grail for a bit OSMXOAKM also I realise you probably mean a high pitch scream but with that Idea I immediately went with him sounding like he would when he was human, just this human scream coming from a rabbit in the dead of night at like 3am 💀 OR IF WHEN HE BITES SAGE THAT'S HOW THEY FIND OUT HE'S WORKING WITH DINK - HE'D BLEED BLACK BLOOD!! 🖤 Which makes even more sense why leg would be so insistent after that, desperately trying to put any distance between him and reader, or at least that's how he justifies it to reader. whether they listen or not would depend on what you'd do of course. But either way a yandere is falling even deeper for reader.

[oumagines]

Kokichi With A Shy Age Regressor S/O Who Loves Pink And Girly Things

Anonymous Asked: "Could I request kokichi with a shy age regressor s/o?One who really likes pink and girly things? Thank you!! Sorry if it's a lot!"

Warnings: Kidnapping, mention of DD/LG, gang violence (?)

Reader Pronouns: They/Them

Rating: 🍊

Notes: Oh, you don't need to apologize!! This request is so cute!! And this is actually quite a simple request, and it was really fun to write!!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Kokichi Ouma is a man whose feelings seem to fluctuate at random. But however, the one time you'd truly see a glimpse into how much he loves you is when you're little. The littler you are, the kinder he is to you.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ For one thing, he won't see the need to hurt or punish you for the most part. Or at the very least, if he does, it won't be nearly as harsh as if you weren't agere.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ First and foremost, he's willing to go out and buy literally anything little you might ask for, and forcefully willfully becomes your cg, since that will entrench him into your life.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ And best part? Everything he brings you is some shade of pink if he can find it, otherwise it'll be purple or red, the closest colors to pink. He also likes to bring them in pastels so it's harder to distinguish between the actual pink and his "failures".

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Practically every single time he goes out, something will catch Kokichi's eye that reminds him of you, and he'll get it for you. Whether it's a cute little plushy, some adorable pink hair ribbons, or other toys you could play with when little, he'll purchase them immediately and be pretty much buzzing on the way back home.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ If anyone were to question his sudden influx of more childish purchases, he'd probably make up something about volunteering at an orphanage or babysitting some neighbors' kids.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ But when he returns home, he knows he's setting up for the day he finally kidnaps you, wanting you to be as comfortable as you can possibly be.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ So naturally, when you do get kidnapped, you're understandably confused about how this room is so completely ideal to you.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Enter your cg, telling you that he brought you here because the world is just too dangerous for someone so soft and sweet, and that you're too little for all that... That only he can protect you...

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ After all, there are a lot of people who would think of your agere as a kink, rather than seeing it for the coping mechanism that it is. And someone as pure and soft as you doesn't deserve to have that innocence tainted by something so vulgar, or so he thinks.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ He also tends to gush over your shyness, but in a teasing way.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ "Aww~! Why, my S/O is so shy, aren't they? So cute, tiny, and timid! That's what you want to hear, right?"

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ If you ever call him "Papa" or "Big" while little, congrats! You get to see his heart melt in his chest!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ As long as you aren't fighting back, you probably never get punished, to be honest. He likes seeing you smile much more than seeing you cry, because if he makes you cry, the guilt of knowing that he hurt someone who's supposed to trust him will just... crush him.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ He will 100% pretend his favorite color is pink and start wearing it just so you two have something to gush over together. And in truth, it isn't a lie. But it's only his favorite because it reminds him of you. If not for that, it'd be useless to him.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Kokichi has sacrificed a lot for D.I.C.E.. It was his duty as their leader. So when someone or something makes Kokichi as happy as you do, you can expect D.I.C.E. to be practically your biggest fans aside from Kokichi, himself. Meaning they won't save you from being kidnapped and may even help Kokichi cover his tracks. I mean, he isn't violent with you, so... no point in not doing it, right?

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Whether you're little or not when you go to bed determines the way you sleep. If you're little, Kokichi will pull your head into his chest and rest his chin on the back of your head, using his hands to caress your back as you drift off. If you're big enough, he'll hold your hand and... that's pretty much it. You sleep mostly independent of each other except for the fact that he's not letting go of that hand. You probably didn't need it- /lh

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ All in all, you get a mostly wholesome Kokichi. And although you're safe from the punishments... that doesn't mean everyone else is.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ :)

[hmshermitcraft]

grian is stubborn when ill, he'd work through it all day until he either collapses or someone throws a blanket over him, making him instantly sleep and then drag him to bed.

i like to think he's a bit messy and loud when sick, like tissues would be everywhere, you'd often hear him sneeze and cough so it'd be harder to miss, much to his dismay.

He's tried to muffle his illnesses before, but that just used more of his precious energy. He has a big cupboard of supplies for when he's sick. At the point, he thinks the other hermits restock it more than he does. He always forgets. It's not easy when you get through so many tissues in a day!

The hermits know to let him work through it for a while. Grian is stubborn. It's not worth starting a fight over, especially not when he's ill. When he starts slowing down, that's when somebody will scoop him up and carry him off to bed. By then, Grian's too tired to fight back, snuggling in closer and dozing off before he even hits the mattress.

[missbalbaquoi]

sex, money, feelings, die - katsuki bakugo

part one, pro-hero!katsuki bakugo, reader works in the medical field and has glasses (haha nerd) | cw: mentions of sex and condom use | not proofread babes, literally wrote this after listening to sex money feelings die

thinking of pro-hero bakugo who for the longest time avoided relationships at all costs and left a short string of one night stands. it'd consist of the same 3-4 people he could call up-- it was okay with them as much as it was for him.

men have needs, and his was unavoidable.

so every once in a while he finds himself at a very exclusive club, red and blue lights flashing as the shitty music do little to make the environment a little more tolerable; he knows where he's going and he knows what he's about to do anyways.

he pays for the room, the tab, and the drinks. he doesn't linger afterwards and he goes home straight away.

you don't remember where you fit into his little routine, or when you stumbled into this mess at all. working in an agency that handles healthcare for pro-heroes, you've brushed shoulders with pro-hero dynamight, thinking less of his arrogant attitude and focusing on your job; that doesn't mean your gaze doesn't linger when he's not looking.

'i heard he was harder to handle in UA!' 'he's actually really dreamy...' 'we brushed hands earlier when he was getting his blood drawn-- his hands are rough!' 'how i wish he'd look at me the same way he looks at his rankings.'

you always roll your eyes at your co-workers hushed whispers in the break room, but you know deep inside you agree with them whole-heartedly.

you hate yourself for agreeing, because it's such a long shot getting a pro-hero to even look at your direction, let alone pine for you the same way you have been.

somehow, he keeps going back to the clinic later than usual and catches you alone. you try telling him it's way past operating hours, but your protest falls on deaf ears.

some nights he'd come to get his blood drawn for his weekly platelet count, he'd get a drug test (commission procedure), or even get his stash of condoms. it was a discreet clinic.

you'd catch yourself blushing as you hand him the box of condoms, feeling your face flare up as you realize they were lubed condoms.

this goes on for a while, till finally you decide you're too tired to work late nights. you can't handle your feelings, and you don't wish to confront it.

the next day at work, you find pro-hero dynamight leaning on the door of the clinic, tapping his foot in annoyance.

'they said you stopped working late.'

you bite your cheek to stop the smile that was making its way to your face. could it be that he actually also have feelings for you?

he makes his way to you and leans down to whisper something in your ear.

this is it, this is finally when he's going to confess that he's been pining over you too--

'you're the only nurse that i get my condoms from.'

you purse your lips. of fucking course.

'fine. also, i'm not a nurse. i'm a medical technologist. please learn the difference.'

after that awkward but eye-opening interaction and giving him what he came for, you mentally slapped yourself. how stupid and naive of you.

clocking out the clinic, you don't notice the black bentley parked across, and you sure as hell don't notice the blonde man exiting the car; too busy fidgeting with your phone to see if your online purchase has arrived. to be fair, you just purchased a cat plushie on sale. it was 70% off.

'good, you're still here.'

you jumped in surprise and let out a breath of relief.

'yeah? i'm about to leave. i'll just schedule your blood test tomorrow, if that's alright, sir.'

he grunts in response and steps closer to you.

'sleep with me.'

your eyes widened in disbelief, your mouth agape. what the fuck? literally, what the fuck?

'what? what- i don't- uh, i mean- how? it's not like- huh?'

god you sounded like an idiot, stammering and adjusting your glasses; it's like you're back in high school, reliving the 'nerd' trope.

'you can say no. i wanna know if i'm reading into this correctly.'

'uh, i mean- was there anything to read? was it that obvious? how did you know?'

'you're not as subtle as you think. sleep with me. no feelings involved.'

it's a scene ripped from a page in a book; standing in the sidewalk at sunset with the man you've been pining over asking you to sleep with him.

it's too good to be true. it isn't.

'while i'd really like to sleep with you, i can't right now.'

katsuki bakugo furrowed his brow and stood up straighter. clearly not the answer he was expecting.

'i'll see you for your schedule tomorrow though.'

you smiled genuinely at him before sprinting towards your bus stop. so much thoughts ran through your head; you were an idiot for turning him down and missing out on the best sex you'd probably ever have, but at the same time, you don't want your first time to be a simple fuck. after berating yourself for having stupid and cliche ideals and praising yourself for remaining wholesome, maybe saying no wasn't too bad.

katsuki stood there motionless, watching as you scurried away, lips curling into a small smile, amused by your demeanor. he wants you, and he wants your sex. he'll decide soon if he wants your feelings along with them.

[heroofshield]

Whumpcember Day 8- Isolation (Mass Effect 3, Shepard & Vega)

@whumpcember

Takes place between ME2 & ME3

--

Rose Shepard sat by the window that her room had and stared out it. Normally she didn't mind being indoors but she hadn't been outside since she was transported to Alliance headquarters in Vancouver.

"Three months and twenty-nine days ago." she thought sullenly, letting her head drop onto the small table with an audible thud.

"I've been in space longer than this, why is being here so much harder?" she said out loud, her voice muffled by the cheap wood.

A glance at the clock on the wall (because she was not allowed to have an omni-tool that connected to the extranet) told her that it was only one in the afternoon and she didn't have any meetings with Alliance brass scheduled today.

Or at least she didn't think so because normally James Vega told her the day's agenda when he brought in her breakfast, and he hadn't said a peep about anything this morning.

Feeling the urge to move, but knowing they wouldn't let her in the gym while everyone else had the opportunity to use it, Rose decided to do a modified exercise routine. Standing, she changed into the workout gear she'd been supplied with when she first arrived, and after clearing a big enough space started to do some stretching.

As she leaned towards her right leg, Rose realized she didn't know much about James Vega. Since she couldn't access the Alliance database, where he'd been and what he'd been doing before being placed on her guard duty was a mystery.

"And he's not very forth coming about it either." She thought while finishing up the leg stretches and moved to start push-ups.

"But he still calls me 'Commander' so at least he isn't holding what I did to the Batarian relay against me. And when we were first introduced, he looked like he was meeting a celebrity so he at least knows about Elysium."

Finishing up with with her third set of push-ups, she lay on the floor for a minute to rest before rolling onto her back and starting torso twists. It was different without any weights, but Rose figured out how to modify it.

"From what I've seen, he's been in the Alliance for awhile. So why would someone like him get assigned to simple guard duty?"

Rose felt the sweat she was building up start to make her shirt stick and was even feeling a bit better so she finished up the last set of torso twists and stood, stretching as she did. Cooling down with some yoga moves, Rose made the decision to ask James about his previous service when he showed up the next morning to wake her up.

Only he didn't.

Suddenly he was gone and his replacement, one of her original guards had no idea where or even why.

The routine of casual conversation was suddenly gone and Rose was thrown for a loop, the one thing that had kept her connected to the outside severed. After four days had passed with Vega still gone, Rose realized how much she'd come to rely on that to keep her somewhat sane.

--

James Vega walked into the Alliance Complex feeling the weight of what he'd done a Fhel Prime than when it'd first happened. Some of the Admirals had needed another inquiry as to what had gone on so for the past week he'd been in London, rehashing it six ways to Sunday. That plus the medal ceremony for his "brave actions" after the second inquiry had only made the nightmares worse.

But now he was back in Vancouver, with the salt in the air and the sea breeze ruffling through his hair, so hopefully he could get at least one full night of sleep.

The next day he arrived to deliver the Commander's breakfast and when he opened the door, was surprised to see the room still dark. He'd known the Commander as an early riser, more out of habit after nearly twenty years in the Alliance than anything, so the fact that the curtains were still drawn to block out the sun was...odd.

"Commander, you awake?" he asked in as soft of a voice as he could manage while setting the tray on the table by the window and opened the curtains, letting the sun light spill in.

Rose groaned at the sudden change in light and buried her face in her pillow, "Go away."

"And miss you seeing this thrilling breakfast of," James paused, raising the cloche that covered the plate. "oatmeal, toast, bacon, and protein powder. Gotta love the biotic-friendly diet huh."

"That can fuck off." Rose said into her pillow. But then she felt guilty for snapping at James when her being restricted to her room wasn't his fault. Sighing, she sat up and ran a hand through her hair-grimacing slightly at how oily it had gotten. "Sorry, I'll be sure to enjoy it. Thanks."

James raised an eyebrow at the disheveled appearance, a stark contrast to the semi-put together Commander he'd gotten to know. "I'll leave you to it then Commander."

"You know you're not supposed to call me that any more."

James shrugged, "I won't tell if you don't."

Rose felt a ghost of a smile start to appear on her lips, realizing with a surprise that she had no idea when the last time that had happened.

Stepping out of the room, James frowned-not liking what he had seen in Shepard's quarters. "Hey Keith, what's up with the Co-Shepard? She seems...different."

Keith straightened up in the chair he was sitting in and shrugged, "She's been like that the last week and a half. Probably because of the new restrictions."

"What new restrictions?"

"You didn't get the email? Shepard can't leave her quarters whenever she wants, it has to go through the Admirals if it's not Medical or Inquiry related."

James let out a curse underneath his breath. "That'd do it." he thought while thanking Keith and making his way to back to the cafeteria to grab his own breakfast. As he ate, his own mind was coming up with a proposal.

--

"Where are we going?" Rose asked while looking at James from across the room.

"Just trust me. Put on the civvies and then I'll tell you more."

Rose gave James a look but did as she was told, ducking into the bathroom to throw on the Blast-O tshirt and jeans. Walking out, she saw that he had a baseball cap in his hands and caught it when he tossed it to her.

"Follow me." James said, turning towards the door and walking out, casting a glance behind him to see Rose hesitantly follow.

As she stepped out of the room, she paused just on the other side, raising an eyebrow at the four other guards that had appeared. "What's going on?" she asked, looking at James when one of them approached her with biotic damping cuffs and attached them to her wrists.

"Sorry about those, Anderson made them a requirement." James apologized. "And we can only spare an hour so I hope that's enough."

Rose followed James silently as they moved down the hallway, towards a side entrance. Heart catching as James paused and so did she and her entourage, she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Make sure the hat's on good. Anderson doesn't want to deal with press asking why you were let out."

Nodding her head, Rose slipped on the baseball hat and adjusted it so that it wouldn't fall off if the wind picked up. Holding her breath, she cautiously stepped over the doorway and onto the concrete. Blinking as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she felt a thrill in her chest as they walked away from the door and into the green space.

Growing up on spaceships and stations, Rose had always enjoyed it the most when she got to go planet-side and just experience weather. Closing her eyes once they reached the middle of the grassy area, she closed her eyes and tipped her face up towards the sun-soaking the warmth in and just reveling in the fact that she was outside for the first time in months.

"Sure it's with an armed escort, but I can just ignore them." she thought, opening her eyes again and turning in a slow circle to take it all in.

"Thanks, Vega." Rose said in a voice barely loud enough to be heard over the usual city noise. "This has...helped a lot."

"Glad to help Commander."

[kakyogay]

wrt possible lore... first off, lore cool and good. meanerator >:(. now im imagining mooncat and pebbsicat going on a journey (like one of the campaigns) to iterator!hunter's structure after learning from a pearl that they had the rot and hoping hunter could help peblcat (in a fitting reversal of pebbles' and hunter's roles in hunter's campaign.) Just wanted to let you know I like your au and it's got my gears turning. Have a good one.

holy fuck you got my brain spinning

I'm like building a campaign in my head.

You'd play as moon. She's like rivulet but gets exhausted more easily. Kinda sucks but it's nothing special.

Now the gimmick >:))). You got the little pebble guy to take care of. He's like any other pup. You gotta feed him, carry him, protect him, and stop him from being stupid.

Unfortunately, the silly little ouppy adds a cycle limit to your run. Every couple of cycles, his condition will get worse. At first he would just have lower stamina and function like a starving slugcat. Then later on, he'll fall off your back, stop moving entirely, have seizures, refuse to eat, and so on. At the end of the limit, the rot consumes him and he essentially becomes an hll but smaller. You can still bring him with you to the goal but it'd be harder, more dangerous, and just a pain (it'd be super easy to not get eaten by him but very hard to bring him around due to being dumb rot ouppy).

The goal would be to reach hunter under the limit and with the pupbbles. Unfortunately there isn't much that hunter could do in their condition but still attempts to help (they give him more cycles so they can reach an iterator who can actually help).

It would be possible to just toss him off the edge and continue on, removing the burden from the start. But that has consequences. Without pebbles, going to the hunter wouldn't do anything and you wouldn't be able to ascend. Also it would change the sleep screen to a sad slug moon with no ouppy and that's very sad :(

There would also be dreams every few cycles. The dreams would go from blips of happy lore to blips of sadder lore. Also if you still have pebbles and he's getting worse, you'd see him change slightly in the sleep screen (he'd look more uncomfortable and pale). I just think that'd be a neat way of explaining their situation without needing background information.

highly doubt any of this would actually be possible because of bs pup ai, cycle changes through a pup you don't play as, sleep screen changes, and many other things but I think the idea is hella cool.

[minevn]

What happens if the MC offers to part with LI?

You'll actually have the option to do this at the end of the game and this is one of the routes you can pick in the Mine epilogues :3! Aki isn't in here mainly cause I couldn't think of anything she would do that is so bad you'd want to part with her.

Minato: Minato respects your wishes and leaves you alone. He spends his days working harder and taking care of his grandparents to get you off his mind. After his grandparents pass he'll probably move away. He won't stalk you or anything like that, once again he wants to respect your wishes.

Haruto: Haruto doesn't flat out see you, but he does hire guards to look after you and keep an eye on you. He might resort to breaking and entering in order to watch you sleep, just so he can see you without you seeing him. This is also one of the times where his mental state gets REAL bad and he'll eventually end up kidnapping you. I have stated that no matter what, you two will be together forever.

Jun: Jun heads back to college as soon as possible to get her mind off of you. But you are her muse and she finds herself making outfits on a base of your body, a character that looks so like you. She makes clothes that she thinks you'd look amazing in. When she goes home again, she just HAS to see you, has to see how you look now so he can update the bases he uses to look like you now. She'll visit you every night, she cannot leave you alone.

Hoshi: Hoshi also tries to just let you go, to respect your wishes and better himself. Tries telling himself that you're just like his ex, making up fake stories and lies about you in his head to try to make him hate you. But the fact of the matter is that you AREN'T like his ex, you're so much better, and he's OBSESSED with you. He truly thinks that you are the only person that he can work towards getting comfortable with, you are someone who deserves who he used to be. He might try kidnapping you, though he's never done it before so it's really bad and uncomfortable. He'll try explaining to you, and he KNOWS he sounds crazy but he seriously cannot let you go, so just give him one more chance, please?

Habiki: He'll pretend he doesn't care and goes straight back to square one, being moody and a complete jerk. I feel like Habiki doesn't really realize that he's obsessed with you and NEEDS to see you. In the end he cannot stick true to his words of leaving you alone and will stalk you, waiting for the perfect moment to make you HIS.

Kage: Due to the cameras, he never stops watching you. Even if you found out about the cameras and removed them, he would just place new ones. Watching you is his favorite past time, he'd be miserable without you in some type of form. Although he doesn't see you physically, he'll never stop watching you through cameras.

Kei: Much like Kage, he never stops watching you due to cameras. Anyways, it'd really be a shame if you left him after he did SO much to help you, after everything he did for you. It'd suck is he stopped helping you and letting you be in danger from those around you. It's okay, you'll see how much you need him soon enough :)

Yani: Agrees, but never REALLY leaves you alone. He's always watching. Always. If you EVER end up liking someone then she's committing identity theft just so you two can be together. She might honestly kidnap you again! They just love you so SO much, how could you possibly even think of leaving her????

[restinslices]

LKBS AS FIRST TIME DADS

tried to make these as differently as possible

Bi-Han

His baby is planned so he's not as nervous as other people 

Bi-Han is ridiculously confident. He's helped with his younger brothers and he knows the basics of what a baby needs so honestly, he's pretty sure he's got this in the bag

He did not have it in the bag

Here's the thing; his younger brothers didn't depend on Bi-Han to survive. They had their parents. Plus, Bi-Han spends too much time thinking about his child as an adult warrior and completely skips over them being a child

This baby is depending on him and his partner at all times and they're a baby 

I'm gonna make them all girl dads because listen-

I think patience would be something he'd both struggle and be good at

He's patient when it comes to small mistakes, like knocking something over but he can be a bit impatient when it comes to developing certain skills and when they make bigger mistakes 

Y'all know how Kratos is hard on Atreus but it's because he cares and want him to be prepared for when he's gone? That's Bi-Han

He'd also struggle with saying things in a child friendly manner. I don't mean swearing, I mean he has to pause and think “how do I say this without hurting their feelings?”

He naturally has a harsh sounding tone so he has to try his best to not sound mean. He can't double down 

Since I mentioned speaking, he is not using a baby voice 

People get excited with their first kid and are like “oh my gosh look at my little baby!” and speak all high pitch but he's not doing that at all. He's using his normal voice and adult words with a newborn

Some people have nicknames for things. For example, when my nephew was younger we'd ask if he wanted “nom noms”. Bi-Han doesn't see the point in doing that. He's asking his toddler “do you want food?”

I can understand if people would think he'd be this super grump dad that hates all types of noise but in my head Bi-Han understands that kids make noise and cry. Does it annoy him? Yes. Is he screaming for them to quiet down? No. His world was never gonna stay quiet once he decided to start a family 

Speaking of yelling, I don't think he does it often. Bi-Han is the type to pull his kid to the side and quietly threaten them. Like when your mom would pull you to the side and say if you kept acting up in the store she was gonna whoop you in the bathroom 

He also has “the stare”

Shit gets shut down quickly 

The definition of “wait until I tell your dad”

He'd train his daughter like he'd train anyone else. He's not going easy on her. If anything, he'd be harder on her because she has more to prove 

There's so much he doesn't know how to deal with since this is his first child and honestly, that emo phase probably kicked his ass more than he'd like to admit

The bang, the extensions, the checkered wristbands, the studded belts-

It's embarrassing for him to mention how genuinely concerned he was. He had no idea what was going on and telling her to train harder didn't take the hair dye out her head 

Speaking of which, I think Bi-Han’s biggest mistake as a parent would be trying to mold his child into becoming a mini him. It's not because he thinks he's 10/10. It’s because he's a solid Grandmaster. 

“Back in my day we learned obedience” type shit 

The type to say “I hate when my dad did this” then proceeds to do it to his child 

He'd need help when it comes to emotional awareness and seeing his child as their own individual 

He may accidentally snub them of childhood moments they deserve. It's not with malicious intent, it's more of a “our enemies don't sleep so we won't either”

Imagine if him and his kid ended up having the same distant relationship him and his dad had-

Tragic but definitely possible 

Kuai Liang 

Probably also had a planned baby 

He may only want one child because he's worried he'll end up having another him and Bi-Han

Which is why I think it'd be funny if he had twins-

Follow me camera 

He's expecting one baby. That's it. That's all. 

So when it's revealed he's having twins, he's shocked and afraid 

Bi-Han’s betrayal did a number on him. He doesn't really know why Bi-Han was so angry. He knew about his frustration but he didn't know it'd go this deep and he'd let their father die. He's worried he'll upset one of them and history will repeat itself 

Him dying isn't the problem. The family breaking up is what he's worried about 

Because of this I think he'd accidentally become a helicopter parent

He's overly affectionate to his children. Affection is fine but he smothers them and watches everything they do 

He tries so hard to keep the family together, but it does the opposite. Now his kids are desperate for space. Both from him and each other 

Before we get to that sadness though, Kuai Liang is a great dad 

He trains them and if one has his powers and the other doesn't, he makes sure to not show favoritism 

Idk if he'd be corny enough to buy his twins matching shit. If he doesn't, Tomas will and he won't stop him 

Anything they give him, he's 100% keeping 

He uses a hair tie they painted pink instead of his usual one 

He frames all of the pictures they draw for him 

He attends all their little tea parties and let's them harass him about how much sugar is in his tea 

He doesn't spoil them but he doesn't not spoil them 

He doesn't give them everything they want but he'll get them stuff if it makes him think of them 

Like a doctor's toy he randomly saw 

He tries to be very active in their life when he's not busy 

He has safety plans in case his clan is attacked. They're at war and he doubts the Lin Kuei will spare his children 

I think all the brothers would let their kids know about their job and their responsibilities. No point on keeping it secret. They'll have to do it one day too 

Some parents get really sad when their kids grow up but I don't think he'd get sad. Idk, I just think he'd see it more as an accomplishment. Not everyone makes it far and he's always worried about their safety 

Remember when I said his kids would want space? 

This would probably happen in their teen years and he'd be so confused because wdym he still managed to fuck up?

I think how he'd feel would be a mix of “well they're kids” and “damn, I blew it” 

Overall I think he'd put way too much pressure on himself when it came to becoming a parent and this stresses him out more. At some point though he'd have to learn to let them be them and learn that honestly there's not much he can do

He does his part by being a loving father. He can't make them stay together or make them stay loyal. That's just the goal 

Besides that I think Kuai Liang would honestly be a pretty solid dad. He genuinely loves and cares for the people around him and it'd show with his children. He'd do all the dumb shit some dads are too embarrassed to do with their children. 

He's just a bit smothering 

A lot a bit-

Tomas Vrbada

He actually wants multiple kids 

He doesn't want a whole football team but wants his own little family 

His kid is probably planned too and I think he's possibly the most excited 

I can really see Tomas being a good dad and I think starting his own family that's just his would mean a lot to him 

Yeah he has Kuai Liang and their new clan and for a while he had the Lin Kuei but it's not the same. He wants his family that's only his and is related to him by blood 

So with that being said he's already reading books and watching videos before the baby is even here 

He still feels unprepared when she actually gets here 

First of all girl dad Tomas has no shame. Put the makeup on him. Dress him up in the dumbest shit imaginable. Have him do a duet with you. He's doing it all 

Overall he wants to give this child a way better life than he had 

His family was killed so the bar is in hell but moving on-

I think Tomas could accidentally spoil his child. Can y'all see it? I can see it 

My sources or reasoning? I just think he's the most likely out of the 3. He goes from “I'll give them a better life” to “and I'll buy this and this and this-”

Don't get it misconstrued though, he's still training them to be a warrior. War is everywhere and he got some shitty ass luck 

Imma be real… Tomas might be a leash parent-

I can see him getting tired of this kid running off and he gives up and buys it 

I can see him teaching his kid to do all that smoke shit and they accidentally fly up in the air 

This is another reason for the leash 

I can see Tomas feeling like an outsider with the Lin Kuei so he tries his best to make his child feel confident 

And that confidence can easily turn to arrogance 

He's complimenting their abilities at every turn and I think balance can be something that slips his mind. He's thinking “man I wish I got more compliments and felt more seen growing up” and takes it to an extreme 

So his child is now kinda a cocky asshole, which is something you may expect from Bi-Han’s kid but his would grow up being a bit insecure in a “I can never please him” way. Tomas’ kid is arrogant because “my dad is always pleaded with me”

It's hard to get right 

He's present in everything. Not in a smothering way though, he's just there 

If he has to miss any important milestones or events, he definitely tries to make up for it 

Like if he missed a dance performance, when he comes back he'll ask them to redo it in front of him 

He wants to be present for everything, even if it's small. Idk. I think he'd just really value these moments he'll never get back. He'll have more kids but he'll never see this particular kid dance ballet again 

He adjusts nicely to parenthood I think. It's a challenge but he's confident enough to take any failure he does on the chin and move on 

And if I said he takes the emo or scene phase really well, what are y'all gonna do?

Some kids do coke. Listening to BVB seems like the better choice 

Definition of a spine made of jelly 

Puppy dog eyes work with him. I don't make the rules 

I do, but moving on-

The spoiling part would kick his ass so bad. He'd have to get that shit under control at some point because it's like, no shit your child becomes defiant and spoiled. You give them everything 

They'd have a positive relationship overall. I think spoiling would be the main problem 

My thoughts are unorganized as fuck and I'd like to apologize because now I'm going back in time to say he'd take his child hunting as soon as he could 

His family hunted together and it was usually a nice fun bonding activity so he does it with his child 

I mention this for the first child because his judgment of what's appropriate at a certain age is so off

She's 4 and he's “saddle up. Let's go hunt this large unnamed animal!”

Nothing bad ever happens to the Kennedy's-!

His child is kicked by whatever they were hunting 

Has to be reminded several times that his baby is not a buff grown man like he is that can take some damage. They cannot just thug it out Tomas 

Besides the multiple injuries and spoiling though, he'd be an alright dad with his own little family 

Probably plans on having another one once his kid is like,,, 2 because he's insane 

[xamaxenta]

i had to wake up early today for work too and really ddint want to get up so in solidarity heres the mas thoughts ive been having (i think because of you?? idr)

vamp sabo and ace living together as a roommate situation and sabo refusing to bite ace right?? so ace wonders into the magic part of town (accidentally on purpose) to ask advice on "how to get my vampire boyfriend to bite me" and shit. wanders into a wb owned shop and like gets to talking and theyre like ?? a human why do u want to be bitten and shit

and then hes like complaining destressing about how hes been walking around half naked and baring his neck and his obviously hungry and wants it bf just!! wont bite!! him!!!!!

anyways wb pirates are a mix of magical creatures but the only vamp among them is marco and hes like hmm tell me more. even better if ace has a relationship with the whitebeards and hangs out with them sometimes but they never knew about sabo and he finally broke cuz he needs advice

but then sabo finds him and equivalent of scruffs his neck like "this is so dangerous what are you /doing/" as if wb hadnt been trying to recruit ace for years (That is Exactly why it is dangerous u fckn idiot -sabo probably)

and then like thralls ace to sleep and ready to like skedaddle but instead gets pinned against a wall by marco like "Haven't met you before, Ace seems enamoured."

"So?" and tries to scramble away but just gets pinned harder

"You obviously care for him, why not give in to his wants and take a bite? it won't kill him." as if he didnt know, ace must have told them how sabo was too scared of accidentally hurting him permanently.

As if Sabo could barely keep from draining him on a good day. His brow twitches

"I'm not going to hurt him." he says simply, but Marco won't let it go presses in harder, makes Sabo feel light and woozy.

"When were you turned? Your instincts seem too strong for how controlled you seem to be."

Usually, Sabo would tell him to fuck off, he did damn well good controlling his instincts, even when he woke up injured and angry and bloodthirsty and alone.

Instead, he gasps, Marco's touch feeling like tendrils on his skin, mind clouded, "Almost a year now."

Marco's brow raises.

"Without a sire?" because there was no way a vampire would leave his newly turned unattended this early on.

Sabo growls, thinks about those monsters, tries to pull himself out of the fog Marco has surrounded him with, with little luck. Finds himself answering instead, eyes watering from the attempt.

"I don't need one," he answers, squirming, "The one who turned me was a celestial dragon, and left me for dead."

"You have amazing willpower," Marco praises, "To resist me for so long. And so young too, poor thing."

The pity scratches Sabo the wrong way, but Marco's eyes show mirth, and that's the only thing that stops Sabo from truly fighting back. The pity was a tease, and Ace liked these people. Forced himself into calm and Marco laughed.

"I see. You handle yourself well," a hand cups his cheek, the smile on Marco's face creasing his eyes, so kind it sours, "But It'd be far easier for you to navigate this with a sire."

The pressure seems to increase pressing into the creases of his mind, makes him gasp and arch into Marco the fucker, so hard to keep his wits about him when Marco's voice was so prevalent.

"I'll be kind," he says.

A sire, it'd certainly make things easier, but he refused to be tied down, controlled, made into something he wasn't, made to do things he didn't want-

"I won't be chained," Sabo answers, too slowly, like wading through mud.

"You're a good kid. It'll keep both you and Ace safe," Marco coos, "It won't be long before vampire hunters are on your trail, one mistake, and they'll treat you like a feral," he strokes Sabo's face again, so gentle it burns, "Not to mention when Ace awakens, halfs are hated by both worlds, you'd do well to listen to your elders."

"Ace..." he trails off, to keep Ace safe, he'd do anything. It'd been the thing that kept him going half-starved and mad with it. He couldn't hurt Ace, had to push through, had to, "It'll protect Ace?"

He felt like he was drowning, Marco's words echoing in his head, drowzy and knees weak.

"Yes," he chuckles, "I should've known Ace was your weakness," he says, "I can't imagine how hard it was to turn alone, it will be easier, I'll guide you. I'm not a cruel man."

Marco, he'd heard of him before, vicious and territorial and terrifying in the fact he didn't belong to a coven but to the Whitebeards. Powerful and old, but not cruel.

The distinction soothed the last doubt in his mind and he allowed himself to fully give in to the thrall, if only for Ace. It was a lost cause, his struggle, he'd been worrying about falling to his baser instincts for months now, or of attracting unwanted attention from humans and vampires alike, with how unaware of the rules and customs he was and with how hungry he always was, like a gaping maw in his chest.

He tilted his neck in submission, eyes closed, and the only thing holding him up being Marco's grip, he felt so tired, so /weak/.

"Good boy."

And then fangs on his neck, a needle like pinch, making his eyes widen as Marco /drinks/.

His body relaxes even further into it, Marco's powers soothing him, hand rubbing circles into his side. Ends up passing out.

Wakes up hungry, eyes wide, energy thrumming through him. Marco sits reading, and turns his head up when he hears the sheets rustle, glasses low on his nose.

"Finally awake?" he says, "Come here."

Sabo would've done that if he ordered it or not, finds himself climbing into the older man's lap with something close to desperation, wanting so badly to /bite/ he could barely think. But he couldn't, wasn't supposed to, and it's with great willpower he grits his teeth and lofts his head where he had been breathing way too hard into the crook of Marco's neck. He needed to get away before he-

But then Marco's hand landed on the back of his head, pushing him back down, making Sabo panic and cry out. But he couldn't resist, not when he was so close, not when he was so desperate.

"Good boy," Marco soothes when Sabo bites down, "There's no need to resist me"

and thats all i wrote but then sabo and marco fuck and marco convinces sabo its ok to feed from ace he'll even supervise if it makes sabo feel better and cradles them both when it happens, petting through sabos hair and then yknow mas.

i really hope tumblr doesnt eat this i wrote it in the ask box djdjdj

Im speechless i was like heehee vampire stuff sounds so fun today but i actually dunno anything about them and their lore and you come here and go hello hello i have you and ur dumbass covered LET ME FILL IN THE BLANKS AND IM SO GRATEFUL

The LORE FOR MARCO ALONE IS SO GOOD needing a sire? sabo being left alone after being turned? Ace being enamoured with Sabo?

Sabo resisting Marco but Marco securing his consent and loyalty because of Ace and because Sabo loves Ace and he wants to keep him safe AUAGSH and Marco becoming his sire and yeah they totally fuck n then Marco supervising Sabo when he finally bites Ace the first time 🥺 cute!!!

this

Absolutely slaps like bro youre cooking this is so damn good i have nothing to add im glad i said something this morning if it had you come here to write this im really thankful thank you for sharing this with me