#Link is for your OOC benefit

[yogurtkags]

❝ LONG LIVE ❞ — kageyama tobio

cw. manager fem!reader, friends to lovers, mutual pining, timeskip!tobio, the first years are graduating, light swearing (like once), possibly ooc word count. ~ 1.9k synopsis. tobio takes this seemingly last opportunity to tell you how he feels, aka procrastinator kags is in denial up until the last minute (you’re no better)

it didn't quite hit you just yet after karasuno's last match of the nationals, but it's all coming back to you now.

standing before the double doorway looking into the empty gymnasium, the memories filled with days and nights of blood sweat and tears come rushing back all at once. wins, losses, celebrations and disappointment — this place was a time capsule of the flavours of youth.

"oi kageyama, remember when sawamura-san didn't let us hand in our club application forms until we got along?" shoyo chirps, dodging a smack to the head from tobio.

tsukishima chimes in with a scoff, "don't lie to yourself, you still don't get along."

giggling, you lock eyes with yachi, recalling kiyoko telling both of you the story when you first joined the team as two new freshman managers. some things never change.

the six of you were a whirlwind of chaos — on the court, you were a force to be reckoned with, part of the monster generation. to you, they were the people that pushed you to keep going, the ones that effortlessly turn your frown upside down with their silly antics, even at the cost of your embarrassment. precious ones that lifted you up in tough times and cheered with you in the good.

god, you're already tearing up.

overwhelmed with nostalgia, you turn to them with glossy eyes and an airy chuckle, "guys, thank you for everything."

yamaguchi whines, lightly hammering his fists into your back, "stop it, you're going to make me cry!"

throwing your arm around his shoulder, your laugh bubbles out as the first tear falls, "i'm sorry, i'm sorry!"

tobio wants so badly to just reach out and brush the tears away from your face, you're so pretty, hell he'd even take you into his arms if he could. he's been doing a good job at pushing his feelings down but as the days towards graduation started looming, they've been crawling their way back up to the surface and he has no idea what to do with himself.

he watches and yearns for the day that you can be comfortable enough with him to initiate casual touches and physical affection. sometimes he wonders if you're avoiding him on purpose, you seem to be just fine with everyone else.

you catch your gaze wandering to tobio and find him silently staring off into space and looking almost deep in thought, the crease between his brows doing little to mask his inner conflict. he's been quiet for most of today, not that he typically has many words to say, but even cusses at shoyo were few and far between.

you give him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps the emotions of it all are getting to him and he's coming to terms with it. that doesn't stop you from worrying though, letting your eyes linger on him for a while longer before your attention gets pulled away by yachi — dragging her friend over to take a commemorative picture of all six of you, wanting to recreate the batch photo taken at one of the home games last season.

you find yourself situated between tobio and tsukishima again, donned with academic caps in the same arrangement as the last time, but something about the aura feels different now.

yachi’s friend is yelling at everyone to gather closer to fit in the frame, namely tobio, and your heart’s bursting out of your chest, “kageyama, move closer to her, you’re getting cut off!”

is it normal to have heart palpitations? in an attempt to get this over and done with, your thoughts race, hand clenching just thinking about what you’re about to do. you know what fuck it, throwing caution to the wind, you link your arm with his and pull him closer, briefly catching the look of surprise on his face.

you feel him stiffen next to you and you almost regret your decision in fear of making him uncomfortable, being this close to releasing your grip on his arm. it dissipates as quickly as it came though as he relaxes to your touch, almost leaning into you.

your flush as his side presses against yours. it's a welcome feeling, but your mind is short circuiting. for a second you forget that you're supposed to be posing for a photo, but a genuine smile comes as easily as breathing. this feels natural and as cliche as it sounds, you fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

harbouring feelings for tobio is uncharted territory — he wasn’t one for grand declarations, but rather the little moments that can easily slip past your fingers if you don’t pay attention. not that it mattered to you, your eyes were always on him. everything he did, every touch, drew your in like a moth to a flame, and you so desperately wanted to pull away to spare yourself the pain of rejection.

what once were innocent vending machine yogurt runs between classes became walking home together when practice ran late. you chalked it up to him being kind since your place was on the way to his anyway, though you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't hold on to the slim possibility that he just wanted to spend more time with you alone.

spending the last three years suppressing your feelings for tobio was akin to the struggle of closing a suitcase that's obviously overflowing. but it never made sense to pursue them, as much as you wanted to — you knew very well that volleyball is number one to him and he doesn't have space in his heart for devotion outside of that. no room for distractions. whatever happens, you'd be satisfied just having him in your life, yours or not.

but you just couldn't bring yourself to let go.

on the contrary, tobio firmly believes that you deserve better, better than him, more than a socially awkward dumbass whose entire personality is volleyball, someone who will treat you right and show you off like the glimmering gem you are.

he’s not well versed in anything other than the sport he’s dedicated most of his youth to — he’s always had difficulty juggling his passions with other commitments in his life and more than anything, he’s afraid. afraid of not being good enough for you.

after what seems like a lifetime in a span of a minute, the photos have been taken and you're reluctantly pulling away, shyly avoiding eye contact with tobio. you hate to admit that the close proximity was comfortable, you liked it a little too much. this only leads to you craving more and you're gutted that moments like this will be even harder to come by.

in hopes of distracting yourself from your thoughts, you begin to review the shots with shoyo, "kageyema looks constipated! aw i like this one, your smile is so pretty! wait why're you both blushing?"

unbeknownst to you, tobio's staring at the spot where your arm was interlinked with his. to him, you initiating the action felt like a silent declaration, that you were willing to take the step and just needed a little push. he had an idea.

later that evening, after a quick catch-up with your kouhai, it's about time to head home. with a heavy heart, you're reluctantly bidding goodbye to everyone and you're already feeling more tears threatening to spill over the surface. yes, you're being dramatic, there's literally a lunch meetup planned for next weekend.

you sneak a glance at tobio, and you're not surprised to find that he’s already looking at you with an unreadable expression, choosing to return him a small smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes. there's been some kind of an odd tension since the stunt you pulled earlier and you're not sure what to make of it.

“wait—” he’s calling your name, “…can i walk you home? for old time’s sake.”

for old time’s sake, you can't help but wince at the implications. damn that hurts, it sounds like the beginning of a goodbye.

not trusting your voice, you nod, letting him catch up before starting your journey again. you notice how close he is when he's falling into a step with you, the slight swing in your arm causing your knuckles to brush against his. none of you make an effort to withdraw, basking in the little contact like an anchor that binds the both of you together.

"so uh—" both of you speak up at the same time and your heads whip to look at each other, eyebrows raised and laughing.

you gesture with your hand to let him speak as his eyes return to the road ahead, internally thanking the darker night setting for the opportunity to gaze at his boyish looks and side profile. he's so pretty.

"so i wanted to talk to you about something." tobio stutters, "as you know, I'm not very good with words." with a soft smile, you nod, encouraging him to continue.

"do you know the feeling when you see a really cool spiker that you want to set the ball to? that's kind of how I feel about you."

slightly puzzled, you freeze in your steps to process his statement.

he waves his hands in a panic, "wait i'm sorry what i mean is— there's something really fascinating about you and i... want to explore that."

you almost miss it, but he adds, almost whispering, "i like you a lot and i want to try this out, if you'll have me."

stunned. pleasantly surprised. happy. disbelief. your mouth lightly falls open in shock, the script you initially planned in your head for this moment lost in the passing breeze, "i— of course, i feel the same way. to be honest, i just never had the guts to confess."

illuminated by the street lamps in the otherwise empty road, tobio's eyes shine with newfound hope, the flecks of blue almost glowing in the dim light, more beautiful than any ocean.

"but what about volleyball?" you can't help but ask, staring at his shoes in an attempt to ground yourself and shyly twiddling your thumbs, "i don't want to get in the way of your dreams."

shaking his head, he steps closer to you, wordlessly calling for your attention, look at me. "tch, you're more important to me than volleyball, dumbass."

his hands find themselves on your waist and before you even register, he's pulling you into a hug, your forehead clumsily bumping against his chin as he sputters out an apology. a small breathless giggle slips past your lips as you tuck yourself into the crook of his neck, sighing in relief.

“what?” he mutters, chuckling lightly as he tenderly rests his head atop of yours.

cheeks warm from the exchange, you wrap your arms around his neck, absentmindedly playing with the strands of his hair. your heart pounds with affection unspoken, yet so apparent.

"nothing, this has just been a long time coming."

the two of you will talk about this more in the days to come, but for now, you stay tangled in an embrace, savouring the first of many moments together.

notes. "long live" - taylor swift is karasuno's song and i will die on this hill (there's an edit on tt by @/starflix and i watch it everyday) also cid stop mentioning yogurt in every piece challenge failed (╥﹏╥) (dividers: @/cafekitsune) reblogs & interactions are always appreciated !

© yogurtkags. please do not repost, plagiarise, or translate my work.

[versadies]

would’ve could’ve should’ve (alhaitham x gn!reader)

SALUTATIONS. would’ve could’ve should’ve

ADDRESSED. alhaitham (w/ gn!reader)

STAMPS. in which you break up with alhaitham and he sees you again one year later.

CONTENT. angst/no-comfort, ooc!alhaitham (?), break-up, grammar errors, it’s mentioned that alhaitham has past lovers (which are not canon)

POST-SCRIPT. expect more angst fics coming soon while waiting for evermore <33 !!

LINKS. masterlist \ taglist

Alhaitham is a rational man.

It’s what helps him focus on important things that benefit him. It’s what helps him know what’s necessary or not. It’s what helps him seek truths and knowledge. It’s what helps him choose decisions without his emotions getting in the way. It’s what makes him not an emotional man.

That’s why it’s easy for him to oblige and agree when you ask for a break up. To him, relationships are just partnerships that bring beneficial things. He expected this relationship to end just like his other ones, so he wasn’t too surprised with your request.

Alhaitham could only watch you pack your things and leave the place as he bids you goodbye and wishes you well. That’s the last time he ever saw you.

He thought you’re like everyone else who got to be in a relationship with him — and for your information, he makes sure to treat them all well — you enjoy your time with him, and then break up with him.

However, unlike the relationships he had, his relationship with you is… different.

Unlike with his other relationships, his relationship with you was the longest one — to the point where you even moved in with him in his home and spent time together working in his office.

When you left, his home was a bit… emptier and quiet. He tells himself that it’s just because he got used to your presence around this place. It’s not like he misses the sounds of you humming to a song while working in his office.

It’s not like he misses seeing you in the kitchen looking through the refrigerator. It’s not like he misses seeing you in the living room reading a book, nor does he miss seeing you in the bedroom waiting for him, reading yet another novel that sparks your interest.

It’s not like he misses you dragging him outside to take him to restaurants or shops, nor does he miss you hugging him from behind and watching him work.

Besides that, his office feels strangely suffocating. He always finds himself glancing at a certain spot, only to find nothing there. He couldn’t stand staying in his office for too long, and he doesn’t know why.

He doesn’t miss anything from your relationship. Not at all.

Even when he always expects to hear the sounds of you rushing towards him for a hug when he comes home, even when he expects to see you in the bedroom, and even when he’s always reminded of you whenever he goes out, remembering the times when you took him out.

He doesn’t know why you’re different from his other exes, but he regretted it when he found out.

It took him exactly 1 year, 2 months and 1 day, when he finally saw you again after the break-up.

You look different, but in a good way. You look happier than before, and you seem pleasantly surprised to bump into him.

“Hello, Alhaitham.” You spoke to him softly with a smile. A smile which made his heart feel things.

“Hello as well, ( Name ).” He replied, his shoulders relaxing. “How are you?”

You look a bit surprised from his question, only for your eyes to soften. “I’ve been doing well. How about you? How are things going for you as the Acting Grand Sage?”

“I’ve been doing well, but it’s quite a hassle to be in such a position.” He says with a huff.

He hears you laughing lightly from his comment, which causes his lips to twitch a little from the sound. “I see you’re still you as always.. I’m glad.” You said.

Alhaitham couldn’t help but feel as if he wanted to say more things to you. He wants to tell you how his home feels emptier since you left, how things aren’t the same as it used to be before he met you, and how much he misses y—

He stops himself before he could admit it.

“I have to go now. It was nice seeing you, Alhaitham.” You said with a smile. “Take care of yourself, alright?”

“...Take care, ( Name ). It was nice seeing you as well.”

And with that, he watches you walk away. Conflict runs through his thoughts, unsure whether or not he should stop you and admit it.

.

.

.

“…( Name ), wait.”

You immediately stop your tracks and look back at Alhaitham in confusion. “Yes?”

Alhaitham hesitates for a moment, still unsure what to say. I love you. I miss you. I was a fool for letting you go.

With so many things he wanted to say to you, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“…I’m sorry for what I did last year.” was all he could say. He realized it’s better to let you go, so that you could be with someone else who could make you happier than he can.

You’re surprised by his words, thinking of what to say next.

“..It’s all in the past. There’s nothing for you to apologize for since you didn’t do anything wrong.” You said with an assuring smile. “I.. I’m sorry too. I hope you find someone who makes you happy.”

You then turn around. “See you next time, Alhaitham.”

And then you’re gone.

Alhaitham kept his mouth shut. Although his face remains as stoic as it can be, his feelings weren’t. 

Because all in all, he did find someone who makes him happy.

It’s you. 

PENPALS. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @ragnvdnr @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @mrkamisato @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @ladycoleigh @034ven @dear-dairiess @owozi8 @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun @nejibot @hoshikistarlette @solaaresque @crowbird @lordbugs @flowersforayato @headintheclouddd @estelwrld @giyusimpsassemble @irethepotatosblog @moonlightaangel @alice0blog @shotosbrainrot @sniffoat @chihawari @mxsomn @kuni-kuzushii @jiminscarmex @mitsukii14 @ylimeprive @sachispet @loreleis-world @sn-owo @starforecasts @someonetookmynamelmao @ceylestia @astrequa @ymikkos @reallysporadicarcade @melodyyamino @dudufodd @somberrock @yevenly @lemontum @nghing @shaiah @miss-lady-witch

[occulthours]

If Bonnie took over as headmistress for Alaric, what would her relationship be like with Hope? Would Klaus suddenly attend Parent-Teacher conferences?

Hello anon! Sorry this took me ridiculously long, I've been packing, moving, and adjusting to dorming for uni this year.

@klonnieshippersclub gave a wonderful answer to an ask similar to this (link), but I'll add my own thoughts!

Of all the TVD/TO characters, Bonnie Bennett was not only the most qualified person to run a supernatural school, she was the only person qualified. The fact that Alaric and Caroline were the ones to open it was a bit ridiculous.

Alaric was very abusive to Hope in canon. I never bought the father-daughter relationship the show attempted to push. Alaric constantly used Hope to shield his own children from violence and fully admitted to allowing Hope into the school for that sole reason. He constantly used Hope for her power while simultaneously reprimanding her for having that power in the first place. Shaming a child as powerful as Hope and then being shocked when she grows to be bitter and resentful towards you is peak delusion.

In contrast, Bonnie, who knows what it's like to wield powerful magic (dark or natural) would be far more understanding of Hope. Hope was guilt-tripped into being the school's savior due to her physical and magical advantage over all of the students. There's no way in hell Bonnie Bennett would have a child on the battlefield in any circumstance. Especially given how she was pushed into being the savior of her friend group at a young age. Bonnie would not only refuse to have Hope fighting a grown-up's war, but she'd ensure that Hope gets the proper emotional and mental health she needs (the proper emotional and mental health that a teenaged Bonnie deserved to have) to combat her suicidal tendencies.

Hope was often left alone to essentially raise herself by her family members throughout her life, namely after her parents died, which is something Bonnie could relate to. Bonnie often came home to an empty house due to her father's work schedule and mother's absence. Aside from Grams, Bonnie didn't have any consistent adult figures in her life. Hope, as someone who grew up isolated in a boarding school, was in need of someone to guide her and Alaric did not meet the criteria to do so. Hope would've majorly benefited from having someone like Bonnie as a mentor.

As for Klaus, I do think that Bonnie would be more proactive (maybe a little more than she should be lol) in the home lives of her students. Especially of those she knows the parents of. Seeing as Bonnie had a deadbeat parent, there's no way she wouldn't have shit to say about one of her students having one (I do think that it's unrealistic and ooc that Hayley nor Marcel even tried to reach out to Klaus when he started his deadbeat era to be the shit out of him, but). Bonnie would take the parent-teacher conference to him if she had to. She wouldn't sit by passively as one of her students wallowed in their suffering nor would she use it to her advantage like Alaric did (seriously. He SUCKS.)

Bonnie would relate to Hope in more ways than any of the other TVD/TO could in regards to magic and family, and I would've loved to see them interact in canon!

Thanks for the ask, and your patience lol.

[meaningofaeons]

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ unbearable

⊹ character(s) - sampo koski ⊹ word count - 1.7k ⊹ notes - gn!reader, angsty, hurt/comfort?? possibly slightly ooc sampo sorry </3, unedited

ugh I rlly couldn't help myself making my first work on this account sampo (tho I really did consider svarog LMAO he's grown on me a lot) but I hope you all like!! this is like. my redebut onto tumblr writing hehe ^w^

Surely, there couldn't be a more unbearable man on this planet — no, maybe in the entire universe — than Sampo Koski.

Perhaps he had his good sides, though, you would find yourself musing every once in a while.

Sure, he was a filthy conman, always tunnel-visioned on his next profit. Not much consideration for strangers aside from their pockets, not to mention that terrible habit of his to spam anyone whose contact he could get his hands on with scam ads and malware links he was paid a pretty sum to spread. Even his own 'friends' wouldn't be spared from his constant phishing attempts.

Maybe he did get a bit too reckless if the job was especially large, especially profitable, and maybe he did sometimes ditch just before the bill at a restaurant would arrive, and maybe he did piss off a group of automatons, causing them to chase you two to the edge of town until —

You sighed irritably, pinching your temple as you tried to refocus your thoughts.

In spite of all that, Sampo did have his benefits, you surmised.

He had ended up dropping in at just the right time during that automaton chase, even though you'd assumed mere moments earlier that his disappearance from your side meant he had run for the hills and left you behind. You avoided a lot worse injuries thanks to him that day.

And yeah, he did stop that miner from scamming you out of a good chunk of your paycheck that one time — albeit at the cost of another group of naïve victims who he led the man directly to. 'The only one who can swindle you out of all your pocket money is me!' he had claimed, and promptly received a beating over the head.

But once you opened your eyes again, beholding the sight of Sampo Koski sat on his knees before you in shame, twiddling his thumbs as he glanced to the side with a guilty smile...

You weren't quite sure his positive aspects could completely abate your wrath.

On this very day, the man before you had asked you to come with him to Rivet Town to assist with a 'very important business discussion'. You, foolishly, decided to trust him again.

'Give him the benefit of the doubt,' you'd thought. 'Maybe this time it's actually something honest. Maybe this'll really help him.'

Rather than a discussion, though, the foxlike man had instead led you right to a large group of automatons.

'It'll be fine,' he'd said, shrugging. 'Just need some scrap metal for a client! It's technically still a business discussion, we're just discussing with our weapons rather than our mouths!'

So he'd left you to dismantle the automaton pile, until another group of very much active robots had spotted you two and barreled towards you for vengeance.

The man hadn't even noticed in your collective fleeing that one of the bots had managed a sizable gash on your leg, hindering your escape until the two of you finally stumbled back into town.

Of course, the filthy scammer escaped unscathed himself.

Just recalling the incident sent you into further distress as the pain ached in your leg — you hadn't bothered to get it treated by Natasha yet, too focused on giving your 'business partner' a piece of your mind as soon as possible.

Sampo didn't dare speak a word himself. Your stormy expression was enough for him to keep his trap shut tight, too afraid of your mood to risk worsening it.

He had really done it with his latest stunt — a little 'prank gone wrong', as he put it, until he saw just how upset you were — and he knew it, too.

"I just..." Green eyes immediately shot over towards you as you began to speak, but your words only cut off into a heavy sigh, leading you to slump into a chair in the corner of your dingy apartment. Seeing you kneading your forehead with a look of exhaustion more so than anything else, the sly man took his chances with a conversation.

"L-Like I said, Y/N, it was all in good fun!" he laughed anxiously, feeling his palms begin to sweat. "I wasn't actually going to leave you to get all the parts by yourself, or ditch you when the bots came running, or anything —"

"Quiet."

Your voice shut him up once again.

Sampo was exceedingly nervous today. Usually, you'd just get angry with him, expression twisting into that cute, flushed pout that he'd gotten so fond of.

You'd hit him over the head, scold him loudly, drag him by the ear... but you were never silently angry. Not like this.

"Does it really make you happy?" your voice echoed through the room at last, your face still hidden beneath your exasperated hands. "Is it really that fun? Are you getting a good laugh at my expense?"

Sampo's smile, though nervous, fell.

"You know, Sampo Koski," His spine straightened at his full name being used, rare shame filling his cheeks. He felt like he was being scolded like a toddler. "You always pull something or other over me. Usually, it's bearable. But it's gotten to be too much."

"Y-Y/N —"

"I choose to offer you my trust in so many ways, and you just...!" Your hands clutched onto your hair in complete vexation. "You always take advantage of it! Always! Even when I try to help you, or give you the benefit of the doubt, try to convince myself you're being honest for once!"

You peered through your fingers at him with one eye.

"I can count on two hands the amount of times you've shockingly come through for me, and yet, I don't even have enough hairs on my head to equal the amount of times you've swindled or betrayed me! This is the last straw, Sampo Koski!"

"Y/N, l-listen —"

"I'm going to Nat's."

His mouth fell agape as you just got up and began walking towards the door as you'd said.

"Wait!"

"What?" you sneered as the man half-rose to his feet, frozen by your glare. "Worried that I'll tattle to her and you'll get another earful to ignore? Don't worry. She knows that every injury I get is your doing, so she's going to find out one way or another."

"...Injury?" Sampo asked, dumbfounded. You raised a brow, thoroughly ticked as you turned and walked away again.

It was then that he noticed the blood soaking your pants, the torn material of your clothes sticking uncomfortably to the gnashed skin. Your limp was more pronounced than he'd like to admit, considering he clearly hadn't noticed it prior to now.

The door slamming brought the man back to his senses, and he immediately pursued you, grabbing onto your wrist before you could make it ten steps away from your home.

"Let go, Sampo! While I'm still being nice!"

"I'm sorry!"

"I don't want to hear it! I —" Upon processing his words, you turned, a look of mild horror washing over your features as you raised a brow again. "...Eh?"

Sure enough, the Sampo Koski had just said the words 'I'm sorry' in a tone that sounded more genuine than anything he'd ever pushed past his lips — that is, if his souring expression was anything to go by.

He'd never said that to you before, not in the several incidents before this, so you certainly hadn't expected it now.

He looked gutted.

"I should've — I shouldn't've — Urgh..." Sampo scratched the back of his neck. You narrowed your eyes.

"Don't tell me this is just you being too afraid of Nat to let me get treated by her."

"No, no, listen," he waved his hands around wildly. "I'm... sure, I'm afraid of Miss Natasha, plenty afraid, in fact! But... being real honest, I'm way more afraid of you walking out on me for good."

His head bowed, and he looked completely downtrodden at this point.

"Y-You've been better to me than most, and I guess... I don't know. I just thought you'd always be there, sorta... Which was wrong of me to assume!" Sampo's speech was jumping all over the place as he hastily attempted to keep your attention, worried a single wrong word would send you walking away again. "Very wrong! I took advantage of ya a lot, and... Well, I'm sorry."

You stood there in silence for a good, long while.

It was plenty of time to make even Sampo nervous. You couldn't deny reveling in the way his fingers twitched anxiously, his eyes darting to you and back to the floor as he awaited your response — or lack of one — to his apology.

Finally, you sighed again. A very long, drawn-out, wrongdoing-emphasizing sigh.

"Well, I assume you can't promise that this will never happen again."

"Heheh... Well, if we're being really, really honest..." he simpered, not meeting your eye. "I can at least promise that I'll never let you get hurt on my watch again, though! Not ever! Koski's honor!"

The comical way he put a fist to his chest, as though mimicking a Silvermane Guard, put a reluctant smile on your face. Finally, you snorted out a laugh, bringing his infamous smile back again as well. This time, however, it was more relieved than mischievous.

"I really hate you sometimes," you murmured, pulling him into a hug as you buried your face in his shoulder. "But I'll let it slide. Last time, Sampo Koski. Don't you mess up again."

"I won't!" he shouted, perhaps a bit too eager. Still-shaky hands found your figure as he gently returned your embrace, something a bit more tender in his eyes when you pulled away. "I won't."

"Fine."

"Now, then, why don't we mosey back on into your house and get that leg patched up, eh?"

"Sorry, Mr. Koski," you teased, folding your hands behind your back as you continued your trek towards Natasha's clinic. "As much as we just shared a heartfelt moment of emotional growth, I don't trust your shoddy patchwork first-aid, not for something that hurts this bad. You'll just have to deal."

Sampo trailed after you like a puppy, rubbing his hands together like the shady businessman he was, familiar swindling smirk back already — though it grew more anxious by the minute as you neared Natasha's.

"Ah, come on! Can't we work out a deal? A bargain?! I said I won't let you get hurt again! We're both reasonable people, right...?"

"Y/N...? Y/N, come on!"

[gatheredfates]

In the wake of there not being much to update the Compendium with, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to promote the project broadly again. ✨

Hi! My name is Sea, and I have an unhealthy obsession with taking on large community projects! This is my Final Fantasy XIV Community Compendium, focusing on linking as many XIV writing/roleplaying discords, forums, events, free companies and resources as I can get my hands on. While the inspired by and predominately tailored for role-players, it should have something for anyone looking to engage creatively with the game in some capacity.

If you'd like to simply check out what the Compendium is all about and miss my waffling below, any of the links on this post will take you there — but this is a handy one! A reblog also goes a huge way to increase my reach and find communities/resources. You're also welcome to share this post with people not on Tumblr who might be looking for communities/resources, or have something to add.

What is the Compendium?

In my opinion, the way people engage with fandom and communities has changed. It was once extremely common for people to hop onto the XIV Roleplaying Forum or find people looking for contact on Tumblr, but most of these resources have shifted to Discord. While Discord is great for keeping a community when you have it, the isolation of these communities into hidden, secular spaces doesn’t do a lot to help people find them in the first place and creates an air of loneliness/disconnect for new players or people looking to find specific communities.

I don’t believe that a person should necessarily be a part of x amount of servers to find the one that suits them, nor that all communities should necessarily be on Discord — or just plain hard to find.

However, while this is currently the standard, I’d like to try and help these communities be fostered and seen in a place accessible to basically anyone with an internet connection. If one community has benefited from this document, then I have done my part.

What's on the Compendium?

Large-scale community discords such as the XIV Reddit Discord, Hunts, GPOSE promotions and broad-space roleplay servers that harbour a large number of people and are publicly available to all. These may not have an RP focus but will assist in other aspects of the game.

Free Company & community-focused servers. E.G. an Ishgardian Roleplay server whose mission is to foster a community for Ishgardian characters; an EU server created to help players struggling with timezones. This also includes event discords such as fight clubs, markets, cafes, etc.

Friend/casual servers that have a roleplay element but may be just a group of people looking to find others to hang out and do content with.

Miscellaneous. Likely to be less community servers and more resources such as lore compilations, how-to guides, gposing techniques, boosting blogs, etc. These may get their own dedicated section later.

Want to submit? You can either fill out the google form here, send me an ask with the relevant information contained on the Compendium, or join my Discord at SEAFLOOR (21+ only)!

Is my space suitable for the Compendium? Most of the time, yes! Below the read more is some more information/stipulations. Again, all accessible on the document! 🪸

Below are the following things I do not accept on the Compendium:

Personal/Single-Character LFC ads.

Content intended for or can be used for bullying, harassment and OOC gossip. E.g. ‘Secrets’ blogs, receipts, callout posts, etc. This does not include in-character tabloid blogs used to generate RP.

Communities that do not have an RP/writing element (large-scale exempt).

Anything I find personally distasteful or goes against the spirit of this project.

Common-sense rule applies.

FAQ.

I want to put my community on the compendium but we have an application process. Is this okay?

Yes! Just note somewhere in your application that's a requirement. The only thing that is mandatory for the Compendium is that you must be open to new members or have a public-facing/accessible facet. There's no point advertising a community if no one can join it in some way!

I want to put my community on the compendium but I only have x number of members —

Also totally okay! People don't start with large communities. Activity is a must but, whether your server has two or two thousand members, if you're looking for new people to join, I'd love to help you find people.

I want to put my community on the compendium but I worry its too niche?

Okay, and? If your Eorzean Fishing Alliance has four members but you roleplay every second weekend, I still want to know about it.

What resources/communities can I add if I'm not the owner of them?

Mutual consent is extremely important to me, so anything that isn't a large-scale community OR a publicly accessible resource must be endorsed by the owner/admin/moderators in order to be added to the compendium. I operate under the assumption that a resource posted to a public space (tumblr, googledocs, youtube, etc) is open to all. A large-scale community is one with a significant member count or openly advertises itself as being accessible to everyone for whatever purpose it serves. If in doubt, please get in touch with me. I'm happy to contact your community owners for you!

How active does a community need to be?

If you find a community has not been active in about two/three months, send me a message and I'll take a look at it. Communities have ebbs and flows, especially event spaces that may take hiatuses depending on member interest/life events. I'm not strict in my implementation provided a space isn't dead. If a link or anything is broken, absolutely contact me about that.

I have [insert a question not stated here]?

No drama! Send me an ask or use the #Compendium channel in my Discord!

[depressopax]

Nacho Varga relationship headcanons

NSFW version

Fandom - Better call Saul

Pairing: Ignacio “Nacho” Varga x gender neutral reader Genre: Smut, headcanons Warning(s): Sexual content. Situationships. Mentions of oral, handjob/fingering, degradation, penetration, semi-public, cuss words, sub/dom dynamic, pet names (gn) Reader is gender neutral. Might be a bit OOC! Words: 1.6K Summary: Dating Nacho would include…  English is not my main language, if I make any spelling mistakes please let me know so I can improve my writing! AO3 link! SFW version

Nacho is not the relationship type of guy.

He is scared of commitment, but most of all scared of hurting you.

If he is with you, it’s probably more of a Friends with benefits/No strings attached kind of situationship.

Sure he can be your friend and have sex with you - nothing more tho.

Nacho is more of a dom.

I feel like he’s a switch, but that's a side he hasn’t really explored, and would take some convincing for him to do so.

He likes being in charge and on top of his partner

It gives him a sense of control and he feels relaxed when he has you completely at his mercy

Buuuut… 👀

If he REALLY trusts and loves you

Homeboy will let you be on top sometimes. More about that later…

 When having sex with him, he is more of a “fast and rough”-guy

Will have you totally slutted out for him, begging for his touch

He is turned on by your submission and just how much he can dominate you if he wants to

His favorite position to take you in being doggy.

He loves having you on all fours and being able to thrust into you from behind

And he gets to stare at your ass the entire time without shame ;)

And he can give you light spanks on your ass etc…

I feel like he def is an ass guy

Which is the second reason he loves taking you from behind.

When he’s behind you he has full control of pace and is in a powerful position

He is very touchy during sex and likes grabbing your ass, thighs and hips, often with the intention of leaving marks

Speaking of leaving marks…

When he kisses your body, he does so to leave hickeys, and will be like “Oops, didn’t mean for that to happen lmao”

In a way, he likes claiming you

But he wouldn’t let you do the same to him.

Homeboy got them double standards

He is very loud in bed, cussing a lot, grunting and a few moans

He likes it when you are loud too.

Would probably be offended if you weren’t loud, and only fuck you even harder to make you react lmao

Nacho has a thing for degradation, but only when it comes to you.

If you are into that, he won’t hesitate to call you slut, bitch etc…

But he can also praise you during

“Look at you, taking my cock so well”“That’s it, you’re fucking amazing.”

He won't give you pet names tho, he finds it weird.

He prefers receiving oral.

He might give it to you, but then it’s mostly to “return the favor”

He’s not that enthusiastic when giving

Will make sure he does the job and makes you satisfied, because you deserve to feel good

But when receiving?

He L O V E S  I T

What can he say? It’s a good stress relief 

He just needs to sit down and have you do all the work

He’s not a head pusher, he lets you do things in your own pace

But if it’s too slow or “not good enough”, he’s not shy to guide you

Telling you how to move your mouth, where and when to use tongue

Your gagging is just a bonus to him.

Sorry but not that good at aftercare 😭

He might cuddle you, or give a few kisses

Or just lay in bed talking for a bit

After that? 

He either leaves to go to his place

If it’s late and he’s tired, he stays. But he just ends up falling asleep in your bed

Not the kind of person that cares if the two of you have left a mess. Why would it matter? 

Now for the second part of these headcanons… 👀

Nacho falling in love is rare

But when he does… Oh boy.

You’re his everything, and your sex life with him is totally different from how it used to be.

I feel like he totally acts different towards his FWB and someone he’s in love with

He’ll literally worship you

Sure he’s more of a dom and likes being on top

But if you insist on changing that, he’d be ok with it.

At first he hates the thought of being submissive

But something about seeing you on top of him, having him totally at your mercy…

Oh how the tables have turned.

And he loves it.

He likes how hot and powerful you look

He gets needy AF

Which gives you a good opportunity to be a tease 👀

Enough teasing and he will whimper for you even ;)

Of course he still likes being dominant, especially if you are submissive

But being dominated is nice for change sometimes…

A bit of a service top

He likes it when you boss him around and tell him what to do

The things he does when he’s on top of you - he does for your pleasure rather than for his own. 

Checks in on you a lot, whispering praise and lots of kisses

Fuck it, he even has pet names for you.

Nacho likes giving you spanish pet names, for example: Amorcito, Amor, Cariño

He finds it adorable when you’re flustered and always finds ways to make you that way

Whether it’s with words or touch.. He’ll do it

And tell you how fucking adorable you look

Homeboy is down bad for you

Legit is horny for you almost all the time and not shy to show it.

It’s enough with you wearing something that shows off skin, calling him a pet name or just being sweet to him… He just can’t help it!

He prefers to have sex at home, so he can make you scream his name as he claims you as his

But if his desires are urgent, or if he gets a boner in public etc…

He will take you right there and then.

You’re at some restaurant? At a cafe? Too fucking bad.

He knows how to rile you up, too.

Either by whispering dirty things to you, like telling you how badly he wants to fuck you, how hot you look…

Or simply with touch. 

Squeezing your thigh, having his fingers against the button on your jeans, his cold fingers finding their way into your shirt… You name it

Or his personal favorite:

Guiding your hand towards his crotch, having you gently rub his erection. “See what you do to me, amorcito?” AHDHJASHAD BYE- 🤤

He’ll grab your hand and lead you to the bathroom

But he got some class, at least. So if you’re too loud, he shuts you up, either with his palm against your lips, or with his fingers in your mouth.

He’ll fuck you against the wall while kissing your neck and whispering his love and devotion for you

He finds it entertaining to watch you wobble out of the bathroom after a quickie

…Which is usually just a warm up/appetizer of what’s to come once home ;)

He loves handjobs, especially cuddling up to you in the couch, watching a movie and then sliding his hand into your pants

Or his personal favorite - having you stroke his cock under the blanket whilst watching a movie with his hand around you, pretending nothing is happening…

He likes long, passionate sessions.

Really driving you wild with a combination of being rough and gentle, loving and mean… 

Nacho makes foreplay a big part of sex with you.

He wants to really warm you up and tease you

Likes it when you beg for his cock and to feel him

All I’m gonna say is, you need the warm-up, iykyk 🤭

Although, if he is in a hurry or just frustrated, he doesn’t mind a quickie.

Quickies with him leaves you breathless and with trembling legs “Gotta get to work, see you tonight, amorcito.” He’ll say, and give you a quick kiss before walking away, leaving you longing for more lmao

Oral remains the same as with a FWB

He prefers receiving but happily gives it too. 

But he’s actually more keen to making sure you enjoy receiving it

If he truly loves you, he could spend hours between your legs

E Y E  C O N T A C T

I’m sorry but his eyes??? I’m too autistic for eye contact but DAMN I could stare into his eyes all day &lt;3

He’s very observative to your reactions and it gets him going to see you enjoy his tongue and lips

Probably would let you sit on his face ngl

When you give him head, he’s extra praising

Keeps his hand on the back of your head or on your chin

As a supportive gesture

He loves watching your mouth full of his cock

He is extra loud to let you know you’re doing well

He actually likes and prioritizes aftercare 

He has you cuddled up to him

His fav cuddle position is having your head on his chest, whilst he rubs your back with his hands

Since he tends to get rough when he’s dominating you, he’s keen to make sure you’re alright and not feeling any discomfort.

Happily runs you a bath - and happily joins you, too ;)

If it’s nighttime, he’ll hold you tightly in his arms, telling you how much he loves you etc…

Basically? Very passionate and loving towards someone he’s in love with.

NACHO PLEASE LET ME LOVE YOU AHHH 😭💕 Did I just make a 1.6K words smut headcanons for this gorgeous damn man? Yes. 0 regrets. <3

[haganezukasmask]

Butterfly Poison

Fandom: Demon Slayer Pairing: Kocho Shinobu/Female Reader Rating: Explicit Warnings: Smut, almost pwp, Shinobu might be ooc, no beta Word count: 5,895 (long!) AO3 link » You and Shinobu take care of each other after a mission

Being a demon slayer is not an easy job; no one would say otherwise. Whether it’s the grueling work hours, the constant traveling or having to put your life on the line night after night, it’s enough to take a toll on even the strongest members of the Corps.

While you would agree that some days you longed for an easier, less backbreaking job, you also had to admit that there were some great benefits to your line of work. You got free food and accommodations as you explored your way through Japan. You got to sleep in regularly (true, this was usually the only time you could sleep, but still). You got a little animal companion that hung out with you when off duty. And you got a cool sword! Pretty nice perks, all things considered.

But most importantly, you got to meet new people constantly. The relationships and memories you had created during your years working for the organization were more valuable to you than any other perks or moral reasons for doing what you did. And one relationship you valued above all others was the one you had forged with the Insect Hashira herself.

The two of you had crossed paths many times during your work for the Corps., and a mutual affinity (and attraction) towards each other had made you come together very quickly.

Time and time again, you found yourselves taking care of the other’s body. Shinobu would patch you up every time you limped up to the Butterfly Mansion after a particularly difficult mission, and you would always make sure to express your gratitude and return her care in other ways.

Tonight was one of such nights, as you laid on one of the Mansion’s rooms after a three day mission, your pajamas and underwear long discarded and with an equally naked Shinobu in your bed. Her knees dug into the pillow by the sides of your head as she straddled your face, your mouth lavishing her sex and eliciting the most delicious sounds out of her.

“A-ah...fuck-!”

You smirked as you felt the last strands of Shinobu’s composure begin to snap. Gripping her hips gently to keep her in place, you ran your tongue against her inner folds in lazy patterns, steadily bringing it closer and closer to her clit. Your lover, impatient as she always was in these situations, moaned in frustration and grabbed a handful of your hair, gently holding your head in place so she could better position herself against your mouth – only for your tongue to go still once it found itself against her nub. The sudden stop in movement was enough to make her look down with a frown and see your smiling eyes peeking at her from between her legs.

“Patience, dear~,” you cooed, peppering kisses on her inner thighs.

She huffed, grinding on your face to get you to put your mouth on her again. You easily dodged her attempts, to her growing frustration and your amusement.

She huffed again. “You know I’m not very pat—aah!”

Her complaint was cut off as you gave her clit a long lick with the flat of your tongue, finally willing to grant her release. As much as you loved tormenting her and having your head between her thighs, she had already been waiting long enough…and your neck was starting to get sore.

Once your mouth started moving, Shinobu began to gently rock her hips against you, fearing that any sudden movement would result in you stopping again. When she settled on a rhythm that she liked, you took your time in exploring her body, running your hands up her thighs, ass and back, massaging the supple flesh as your tongue ran circles against her.

Her movements quickly became shorter and more forceful, and you felt her thighs begin to spasm around you. You looked up when you heard her speak through the delicious moans and whimpers filling the air.

“___, I-ah…I’m—!"

Her head and body rolled back as a wave of pleasure went through her, the sight sending another surge of heat to your own sex. Running your hands up her stomach and waist, your mouth found her clit again, giving it a few small circles with the tip of your tongue before fully wrapping your lips around it. Shinobu gave a lurch forward, one hand holding the bedframe for dear life and the other flying to her mouth to try to stifle the onset of moans she knew were coming.

Your hands found her breasts and gave the plush mounds a gentle squeeze, rolling the nipples between your fingers and pulling them, mimicking the rhythm your mouth had on her clit. Shinobu’s moans rang across the empty room despite the hand over her mouth, her hips rolling against you in a frenzy. With one last suck on her clit and a light shake of your head, her body went rigid and curled forward as her climax finally washed over her. You felt her thighs squeeze your face and caressed her hips, slowing your mouth to a stop as you allowed her to ride the last waves of her orgasm.

With a final shuddering breath, she straightened her back and pushed back the strands of hair clinging to her face. Releasing her death grip on the headboard, she moved off your face on wobbly thighs, watching you wipe the wetness off your mouth with a grin.

She huffed. “…Y-you look too p-pleased with yourself…”

You smiled.

“You don’t look pleased enough, Lady Kocho,” you gave her a look of fake concern, batting your lashes, “Should I try again?”

She gave you an icy look that drew a giggle out of you and moved to rest her head lightly against your shoulder as she steadied her breath.

You closed your eyes and reveled in the peaceful stillness, feeling her fingers stroke the soft, bare skin over your stomach and returning the gesture on her inner thigh. The late-night breeze rustling through the garden, the distant sound of a wind chime and Shinobu’s gentle breathing next to you were calming enough to almost lull you to sleep. If only your line of work allowed for more nights like this… But of course, it didn’t.

A moment later you felt Shinobu stir beside you. “How’s your leg?”

You shifted to look at your calf, the white bandage around it being the only thing covering any part of your body.

The latest wound you’d received during one of your demon-slaying assignments was healing remarkably quickly, now hurting little more than your pride. Not only had it been embarrassing enough to be hurt by slipping and slicing your leg open on a rock rather than by the demon you’d been after, your beloved Hashira had come to your party’s rescue with an army of kakushi and made such a fuss over you that you weren’t sure you’d ever live it down. Thankfully, she had taken it upon herself to personally nurse you back to health – and she had certainly gone above and beyond.

“Fine,” you bent your knee and stretched your leg as if to prove it, “Can’t feel the sting anymore.”

“Hmm…”

She seemed to consider your answer as her index finger drew circles across your skin absentmindedly. She spoke a moment later, turning her head up to look at you.

“Are you tired?”

You blinked. Tired? An odd question, considering she had been the one catching her breath from riding your face two minutes ago. You shook your head and she gave you one of her fear-inducing smiles – the ones that sent servants running for cover and made you squirm in anticipation.

“Good…I want to try something.”

Without further explanation, she slid off the bed and scurried silently to the lab on the other side of the bedroom door. A moment later, she emerged holding something wrapped in cloth and a small glass bottle filled with a clear lilac liquid. The light of the only lamp in the room made the glass shine in a small rainbow and the liquid inside seemed to glow.

Shinobu set the cloth on the bedside table and laid back next to you, holding the bottle and swirling its contents around. The movement transfixed you.

“What is that?”

She smiled, though your eyes were still glued to the mysterious liquid.

“Something I’ve been working on…”

She lifted the stopper and its scent suddenly drifted towards you. It was sweet and floral, with a slight bitterness that made it quite pleasant.

Shinobu spilled a drop of it on her index finger and brought it up to your cupid’s bow, spreading it through the center of your lips. The little that fell into your mouth was bittersweet, and you could swear you were becoming addicted to the scent. A few seconds after the liquid touched your lips, you began to feel them heat up and prickle, as if tiny needles were slightly poking your skin.

Shinobu smiled at your sudden wide eyes and surprised expression before giving your lips a soft kiss.

“Do you like it?” she purred and nuzzled your nose with her own. You nodded, pulling her in for a longer, deeper kiss, the feeling heightened thanks to the concoction on your lips. She smiled again before slipping her tongue into your gasping mouth, making you moan.

Shinobu pressed herself against your side, her breasts against your own and legs intertwined, slightly pushing yours open. Her hand slithered down your thighs, fingers soon sliding over your slick opening and drawing a moan. The sound was cut seconds later as you pulled your mouth away from hers in surprise.

“Shinobu-”

 “Shh…” she cooed at your sight panic.

Somewhere along your little make-out session she had covered her fingers with the strange liquid and spread it all over your sex; you had been so wet from having Shinobu sit on your face earlier that you didn’t notice until you felt your clit prickling in the same way your lips were. You hissed as Shinobu’s fingers swept over it again, circling it gently as she kissed down your neck.

“Does that feel good~?”

“Y-yes!”

Two of her fingers slid inside you, covering your walls with the same prickling and heating sensation, making you squirm in pleasure. Her fingers worked in and out of you in a steady pace as her other hand explored your body, caressing and groping along the way.

“…You’re so pretty like this, ___...” her hand squeezed one of your breasts softly, bending down to take your nipple into her mouth and suck on it gently. You gave her a content little moan which made her smile around you, almost feline-like.

Pleased with your reaction, she moved on to the other breast, fingers still moving tirelessly and drawing what she considered to be the most beautiful sounds out of you. Your sighs and moans filled the room, joined by Shinobu’s occasional giggles and hums of appreciation. But above all, you could hear the sound of your lover’s fingers moving in and out of your drenched, dripping pussy – it was obscene and a bit embarrassing, but damn if it didn’t turn you on even more.

Leaning back to examine her work, Shinobu’s thumb pressed against your clit and gave a gentle little flick upwards. The movement cut your breathing short with a gasp as your back arched slightly off the bed, pleasure exploding across your nerves. When her thumb moved again, you released a loud moan, rolling your hips in time with the circles she rubbed on you.

As your pleasure grew, you felt her picking up the pace, which you matched easily in your desperation to find release. Whatever she had used on you made you extremely sensitive to every touch and movement, down to the slightest flick of her wrist. You felt yourself rising higher and higher, closer to your limit as your breaths became shorter and your sounds more desperate.

You knew you were only seconds away when Shinobu removed her hand from you. Your eyes, squeezed shut in anticipation moments before, flew open to look at her and received a serene smile in return.

“W-wha-”

Shinobu moved between your legs, spreading them slightly further apart to make room for herself.

“Patience, dear~,” she cooed with a smirk.

You should have known…

You gave an exasperated sigh, breathing steadying a bit. As frustrated as you were, your lungs were pleased to get a full breath in again.

Shinobu’s hand ran up your slit again before bringing it up to her face. You could see your slick covering it as she stuck one of her fingers into her mouth and sucked it clean with a little moan of approval. The sight was enough to make you clench.

She leaned forward and pressed a second finger to your lips, slipping it into your mouth without any resistance. You sucked on her finger while holding her stare, and you could see something flicker in her eyes at the sight.

Taking hold of your legs, Shinobu bent her head to lay kisses and nibbles over the inside of your thighs, inching closer to your core painfully slowly. Trying to ground yourself, your hands ran over her silky hair, caressing and pushing the (for once) unbound locks away from her face. She smiled and gave your hand a quick kiss as it passed her face before returning her mouth to your thigh. The small act of intimacy made you smile.

Whether it was due to your sweet gesture or her not being very patient like she had said, Shinobu only gave your thighs a few extra kisses before lowering her mouth to your sex, sticking her tongue out to give a tentative lick. Your hips jumped at the contact, to her amusement.

Lowering herself fully on the bed, her mouth worked over your slit, tongue pressing a long, firm lick up towards your clit, which she flicked with the tip. The small, brief contact was enough to make your moans start up again, your pussy already worked up and oversensitive.

Shinobu’s mouth felt like magic as she ran her tongue over your folds and into your opening, sucking and kissing in a way that had you seeing stars. Her hands moved over your legs, kneading the soft flesh and bringing them up over her shoulders. She then let her hands roam your body in the same way yours had done; up your sides, over your stomach, taking hold of your breasts and giving them a nice squeeze.

You could feel yourself lose control of your body as the pleasure began to mount once again. As much as you tried to keep your thighs from crushing Shinobu’s head, it was getting harder and harder to stop them clenching shut. Your hands, desperate for something to hold on to, moved from gripping the bedframe behind you to balling into the sheets, tangling in Shinobu’s hair, both pulling on it slightly and pressing her face closer to you, moved up to knead your breasts and then tangling into your own hair. Your hips were buckling hard enough to make Shinobu place a firm hand on your lower stomach to keep you in place as her mouth sped up, making you spasm.

You had tried to keep your noises in check at some point, but it had proven useless and you were seconds away from howling like a woman possessed. Your throat couldn’t keep up with all the stimulation your pussy was receiving, and most moans were cut in awful gasps and grunts that sounded terrible to your ears, but which Shinobu seemed to appreciate. Your breathing was starting to hitch again, and you knew if you didn’t get release soon you were going to go insane.

Gathering every ounce of concentration you could muster, your hands pulled Shinobu’s hair away from her face again as you spoke in a shaky voice.

“Sh-shinobu, I’m—nng! …p-please darl-”

A moan cut your pleading short, but she understood. With a last lick to your folds, her tongue attacked your clit as her eyes locked with yours. Once she was sure she had your attention, her lips wrapped around the nub and she hummed, sending vibrations to the depths of your being. With a suck and light shake of her head, your orgasm exploded, making the world around you disappear. You felt your legs tense up and heard an ungodly sound come out of your mouth as your head fell backwards into the plush pillow, mind dizzy with pleasure and lack of oxygen.

As your breathing steadied and your body relaxed, you felt Shinobu’s mouth move away from you slowly. The puff of air on your sensitive clit as she caught her breath was too much for you to handle, and your legs reluctantly moved to give her room to sit up. She licked her lips and wiped at the wetness on her cheeks and chin delicately, always the lady even in these situations.

She watched your disheveled figure as you recovered, panting and moaning still, limbs sticking out limply, hair a mess. She settled beside you again, fingers gently brushing stray hairs away from your face and laying a kiss on your temple.

“Are you alright?”

“I-” a whimper cut through you as you tried to talk.

While the rest of your body had slowly come down from the explosion of your orgasm, you felt your pussy still clenching and spasming in what you originally thought were aftershocks, but which refused to die down several seconds later.

“Shinobu, what-” a little moan interrupted you again, “w-what did you give me…”

She hummed as she watched you squirm beneath her.

“It’s a solution I’ve been working on that targets nerve receptors, making them extremely sensitive. I’m hoping to develop it into a new kind of poison against demons…But it’s harmless to humans,” she added with a smile, seeing your eyes widen at the mention of poison. “Our physiologies are different, after all…”

“And how-” you squirmed again “ho-w long does it l-ast?”

“Not too long…a few hours, maybe.”

You felt your eyes trying to pop out of your head. “Hours?!”

“Mmhmm…” she leaned to place kisses all over your face. “That’s why I asked if you were tired…”

“Kocho!” what you intended to sound like a reprimand came out in a moan as you felt your sex spasm and heat up once again. You clenched your thighs together trying to get some friction, your eyes squeezing at the feeling. It was a fraction of a second before you felt Shinobu’s thigh slip between your own. Her lips ghosted over your ear.

“Do you want my help, ___?” she whispered before biting your earlobe playfully.

You felt every nerve in your body light up in pleasure and slight annoyance at your lover, and considered denying her for a second, but the feeling between your legs was quick to kill your pride as you could start to feel your juices dripping out of you.

“…yes.”

“What’s that?”

You grunted. “Please help me, Shinobu…”

She moved above you to grab whatever she had laid on the bedside table, making your legs spread wider than before. The sight of you, completely exposed and needy for her, made her reconsider and settle back to take in the sight better.

You looked at her questioningly through lidded eyes as she ran her hands up your body again, setting off goosebumps. Taking hold of your spread legs, she pushed them slightly further apart, settling one of her own above yours and bringing you closer to her. The movement was enough to make you rise slightly off the bed.

“Shino-”

“Shh…it’ll be fine…”

Somewhat eased by her serene smile, you watched intently as she brought her pussy down to your own. The contact set off sparks in both of you, and your moans rang out almost in unison. Your arms failed you and you collapsed back on the bed as Shinobu moved her hips gently, trying to position herself better. Your poor clit, swollen and still sensitive, throbbed and made your hips jump into Shinobu with more force than you intended, making her hiss. As an apology, your hands reached out to smooth over any stretch of skin they landed on, caressing her waist and the curve of her thigh as she began to rock her hips against you.

There was little you could do besides trying to make sure your hips didn’t hurt Shinobu and letting out every moan and whimper your body wanted to make. The feeling was just too much. You could feel yourself clenching at emptiness every time Shinobu’s clit rubbed against yours. She moved at a steady pace, holding your thigh against her to use as an anchor. Every thrust against you made her breasts bounce and her eyes flutter shut, moans of pleasure mixing with your name.

Your excessive wetness, mixing with Shinobu’s own made an even more lewd sound than before, and you could soon feel it dripping down your legs and onto the bed. The sounds you were both making and the sight of her so lost in pleasure made your already weak hold on your nerves give out. A second orgasm took over you faster than it ever had, your hips picking up speed before coming to a shaky stop as a moan raked through you. Shinobu’s hips moved feverishly against you a few more times before her own climax made her tense up and release a moan that echoed across the empty room.

Body on fire, you watched in a haze as Shinobu slowly moved away from you and caught her breath. While her breathing seemed to be going back to normal quickly, you struggled to stop gasping for air as your pussy clenched again. Even in your state, curiosity got the better of you, and you focused all your energy into forming what you hoped would be a coherent sentence.

“Sh-shino-” a gasp that was starting to resemble a normal breath interrupted you. “D-does that t-thing work on you-u?”

It took a second for her to grasp what you meant, but understanding quickly took over.

“No, it doesn’t spread once it’s dry. I have to work on that…”

Your brain could only wonder what the hell she meant by dry when you were wetter than you’ve ever been in your life, but you nodded all the same as she hovered above you. Her hands moved ever so gently over your sides, careful not to be too rough on your heated skin. She placed soft kisses over your face, only kissing you fully when she felt your breathing even out. You returned the kiss while running your hands slowly across her back, finding comfort in the feeling of her small frame above yours.

You kissed for what felt like hours, but the poison made you lose all sense of time, so who could say. Your breathing had somewhat evened out when Shinobu pulled away. With some relief (and maybe a bit of pride) you noticed that she looked as disheveled and fucked-out as you felt. She placed a hand over your chest, where it rose and fell as you focused on breathing.

“How do you feel?”

Just as a “Fine” was about to cross your lips, you felt another jolt of heat run through your sex and whined in desperation. How could your pussy be ready to go again after two explosive orgasms when the rest of your body had barely been able to recover in between? You could barely feel your legs and your head felt light, all your nerves were on fire and your lungs – God, your lungs. Even with your extensive demon-slaying breathing training, Shinobu had managed to turn you into a limp, exhausted heap that could only stop panting long enough to form a semi coherent sentence.

“…Still horny,” you looked at Shinobu with what you meant to be an angry glance, but which you knew probably looked pathetic. “How am I still horny?”

Shinobu hummed and removed her hand from your chest after a while. “Don’t worry, __,” she placed a soft kiss on your lips. “We can fix that…”

“Shino-”

Your protest was cut short as she pulled away and a cold gust of air ran over your suddenly exposed sex, making a shudder run through your body. You panted as Shinobu sat back between your legs, gently running her hands over your thighs as she seemed to examine you.

“Do you want to try something else?”

As much as the rest of you wanted to decline, the heat on your lower lips had slowly been increasing again, in no small part thanks to Shinobu’s hands slowly inching closer to them. As her fingers began to massage your inner thighs more firmly you felt your pussy start to clench and drip again, as if it was begging her to try something, anything else, to relieve it. Against your better judgement you felt yourself nod.

Shinobu’s hand moved forward and gently spread your lips further with her thumbs, earning a sigh from you. She hummed and released you when she seemed satisfied with what she saw, and moved to retrieve whatever was on the bedside table. She held the object with both hands and paused, looking at you until your muddled head managed to focus on her. She spoke once she was sure she had your attention.

“I’ve been wanting to use this for a while, but…” her brows furrowed as she seemed to examine you again with what you could only think of as concern. She shook her head lightly as she carefully unwrapped the parcel. “Well…tell me if you don’t want to use it now…”

Your eyes widened as she revealed the contents of the cloth. In her small, delicate hands sat a dark, shiny wooden dildo. While not extremely realistic, the wood had been carved into a slight upward curve and had a larger, rounded head that caught the light of the table lamp and gleamed. Your pussy seemed to jump at the sight of it. At the end of the lacquered phallus was a larger, flat base with wide cloth straps, and understanding dawned on you.

Your mind began to wander. Who would have thought that the refined Lady Kocho had such interests… Although you, of all people, shouldn’t be surprised by these things, you couldn’t help but wonder if you had had any influence on her. She had never mentioned wanting to try toys or anything else, yet she had already hit you with the world’s most powerful aphrodisiac-lube and now she wanted to fuck you for the third time with a strap on, all on the same night. Your eyes fixed on it again. It looked like very good craftsmanship, and therefore expensive – maybe even custom-made. How had Shinobu acquired it? She certainly had the means to get her hands on anything she wanted, but you couldn’t imagine her ordering a strap on dildo in person any more than you could imagine her sending a servant to do it…

Shinobu seemed to take your reflective pause as hesitation and began to wrap the dildo in the cloth again.

“…if you don’t want to use-”

“Yes.”

Shinobu looked surprised by your quick response, but not nearly as surprised as you were yourself. Maybe this poison had some mind-altering side effects, because you were clearly not thinking straight – right now what your brain wanted didn’t matter as much as what your pussy wanted, and your pussy wanted Shinobu’s wooden dildo.

“I want you to use it,” you said in case she was waiting for clarification.

She seemed to examine you yet again, and you tried to look as composed as you could, even if you could feel your wetness drip towards the bed again. With a small “Alright” she began to place the straps around her hips, and you felt your breath catch in anticipation.

Once she was comfortable with the way it sat on her, she leaned towards you. Gently spreading you with one thumb, she grabbed the base of the dildo and ran the tip slowly up and down your folds, making you shiver. She did it again and again, entranced by how your wetness quickly covered the tip. A moan from you broke her concentration as the tip flicked over your clit and made you jump. Seeing that you were clearly wet enough she looked at you again.

“Are you ready?”

You nodded at her before focusing your gaze on the dark tip of the dildo. With one last brush over your folds, Shinobu lined the tip with your entrance and thrusted forward slowly. You sighed heavily as the cold lacquered wood easily dipped past your lips and began to stretch your walls, the dark length quickly disappearing inside you. The feeling of fullness consumed you, and your eyes rolled back as something in you seemed to relax.

Giving you a chance to get used to the feeling, Shinobu’s hands soothed your skin before settling on your waist to gently hold onto you. Her eyes locked with yours and once she received a nod from you she began to pull her hips back. With the first stroke, you let out the loudest moan you’d ever heard from your own mouth.

“Oh fuck, Shinobu!”

If you thought you’d been overstimulated before, you were clearly mistaken. Every nerve in your body seemed to have moved to your sex – you could barely feel anything else. The effort you had made all night to keep your volume in check went out the window as Shinobu drove the dildo in and out of you again and again. The friction as your walls clenched around the length was delicious, the round head hit you just right and made your eyes roll back, legs slack around Shinobu’s.

As your entire concentration was on the tension mounting from toy sliding in and out of you, you saw Shinobu pick up your legs and stretch them up, so that they rested against her frame. The angle made the dildo slide in deeper than before, and the first stroke in this new position made you cry out your lover’s name. With another small, feline smile Shinobu slightly picked up the pace, the sound of her hips slapping against you and your juices squelching around the toy filling the room.

Your moans and cries were probably loud enough to wake up all the servants and slayers staying at the Butterfly Mansion, but what could you do? You felt like you no longer had any control of your body; the poison Shinobu had given you had only made you capable of being aroused and doing anything necessary to find your release without giving a damn about any consequences. You only wished you were somewhere more secluded, somewhere where you didn’t have to suffer the servants’ eyes avoiding your gaze when the morning came. Somewhere where you could use that godforsaken poison on Shinobu and fuck her with the strap on, where you could draw out of her all the moans and lewd noises she was drawing out of you.

A thrust brought you back to reality, as your pussy clenched violently – a sign you knew too well. The feeling inside you and the sight of Shinobu’s body moving and her look of concentration when fucking you was enough to draw you over the edge quickly, the third and strongest orgasm of the night slamming into you with more force than you anticipated. With a final cry, you collapsed on the bed as your pussy clenched around the dildo, Shinobu having slowed down but not fully stopped yet. Your mind swam as she finally stopped and caught her breath, carefully laying your legs back on the bed, where they stayed as limp as before. Placing a steadying hand on your hip, she slowly pulled back, taking the dildo out of you. The sight of it covered in your arousal seemed to satisfy her. She undid the straps around her hips and gently laid it on the ground by the bed before leaning over to check on you.

“__...are you alright?”

You felt her fingers pushing strands of your hair away from your face as she inspected you as she would a patient. Your body, moments ago only focused on your climax, was now devoted to regulating your breathing, and in your daze you could barely pay attention to Shinobu, let alone answer her. At her concerned face, you managed a weak nod to let her know that if you weren’t completely alright now, you would be. Satisfied with your answer, she moved away from you and off the bed.

Over your own labored breathing and the crickets in the yard, you could faintly hear running water coming from Shinobu’s lab. Your mind focused on it and drowsiness began to slowly make its way into your addled brain. You held onto it with purpose, hoping to doze off before your body had time to get aroused again. You never thought you’d say it, but your body had had as many orgasms as it could handle for one night.

Unfortunately, it seemed you wouldn’t be so lucky; while the rest of your body had calmed down, you felt a familiar prickling begin again, and the frustration finally brought tears to your eyes.

“Please, not again…” you clenched your legs together, which somehow made it worse. Something between a moan and a sob slid past your lips as you writhed on the bed. “Not again, please, please-”

“It’s alright, __.”

You looked up to see Shinobu standing over you with another cloth in her hand. You gave her a pleading look as she moved to spread your legs.

“Shinobu, please-”

“Shh…”

She spread your legs with little resistance and ran a cold, wet towel gently over your sex, cleaning all the mess you’d made and instantly cooling your nerves. She then ran it across the inside of your thighs, cleaning any leftover stickiness. Whether it was the water or the cold, you felt the heating and prickling melt away almost instantly and released an enormous sigh of relief.

As sleep was about to finally take you, you felt Shinobu climb into bed beside you wrapped in a soft nightgown. You moved to make space for her and she settled next to you, careful not to be too rough on your overheated skin. You gave her a tired smile, which she returned.

“Did you like my experiment?”

“Mmhmm…”

You nodded weakly and she moved down to give you a soft peck on the lips.

“But don’t ever do that without warning me again…”

She laughed and toyed with some strands of your hair. “I won’t, I promise.”

“Hmm…” You hummed contently and closed your eyes again as she ran her fingers through your hair.

You still wanted to interrogate her on her sudden interest in phallic bedroom toys and how to acquire them, but your body was finally ready to give into rest, so you let it go for now. There would be time to confront her tomorrow, when she couldn’t use your sleepiness to avoid answering. And more importantly, there would be plenty of time to plan how to enact your revenge.

[king-bumis-armpit]

A Dirty Chai and a Black Tea with Cardamom, Part 2

A Maiko Modern AU

Summary: Aang, Katara, and Iroh have all decided that Mai and Zuko should be together. But will Mai and Zuko be able to overcome their own insecurities and pursue a relationship?

Link to Part 1 here.

Author’s note: I wrote the last section of this in a coffee shop and someone ordered a dirty chai. I think it’s a sign that this fic is approved by the universe XD XD

As I said in the last chapter, this idea was gifted to me by the absolutely amazing @cowpoopies ! Thank you again!! And– again– thank you to whoever’s reading this. Lurkers, likers, commenters, I love you all and I hope you have an awesome day <3

This one is a bit more unhinged than the previous installment I think. It’s super long for no reason and I fear it may be more ooc and self-indulgent than I originally intended. But I had a good time, so I won’t apologize, lol. I hope you all enjoy it regardless. <3 <3

TW: Curse words.

WC: 5,809

The tea shop was nestled serenely between the neighboring businesses, neither of which were open at this hour. Cars drove by occasionally, but the only other sound in the building was the hum of electricity through the many appliances. The green tables reflected onto the walls, creating a soothing effect.

Despite the calm, Zuko despised early morning shifts. He would never understand how Sokka managed to be so alive and cheerful at that hour of the day or what Uncle saw as the benefit of early rising. Yearning to walk up to his apartment and crawl back into bed, he slumped into the seat by the register and let his head rest on his palm. The ritual was almost meditative at this point, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed it.

The bells on the door jingled, and pulled him back from the brink of slumber. Mai walked in with her friend, and Zuko straightened. His morning was instantly improved. He just hoped she didn’t catch him dozing off again.

The friend– Ly Chee or something– stopped to admire one of the pictures on the wall, and Mai approached the counter. She bit her lip, almost nervously, and Zuko suddenly became very aware that he was looking at her mouth. “Hey,” she greeted him. “Can you make me a black tea with cardamom, again?”

Zuko felt giddy. “Of course, you liked it?”

Mai blushed. “I didn’t hate it.” 

As she handed him her credit card, Zuko asked, “How’d the exam go?”

“I think it went really well. You’ll have to help me with my final too.” Mai gave a small smirk and shot him a wink. Zuko’s heart beat faster. Maybe Katara and Aang were right. He did have a chance!

Sokka materialized, drink in hand, and said, “Here you go, lovely lady.” Zuko frowned. He must have made the drink while Mai paid. It really wasn’t a big deal, but–

Mai sighed. Zuko went rigid. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

“It’s stupid. I was actually kind of hoping you would make it for me.” Her eyes met Zuko’s, and he was transfixed. She extended the cup to him, and he folded his hands around hers. “Will you take this back, and make me one of yours?”

He felt sparks where their skin met. “Baby, I’d brew your tea every day for the rest of our lives.”

“Really?” Mai gave him a rare smile and leaned across the counter. She was going to kiss him! Zuko closed his eyes, and leaned forward.

And forward. 

And forward, until he was falling. His face collided with the counter with a resounding bang. Uncle rushed out of the back room.

“Nephew! Are you okay?”

Zuko looked up, dazed. There was no Mai. Or Ly Chee. Or Sokka. It was just him and the old man. He pinched the bridge of his nose. It was sore but nothing felt broken, and he’d gotten in enough fights as a teen to know. “I’m fine. I just… dozed off.”

Iroh sighed and examined his face. “I know I don’t normally advocate for this, but maybe you should have a coffee to wake yourself up today.”

Zuko nodded. “I think maybe I should.” Uncle clasped a hand on his shoulder in a silent gesture of affection before returning to the back room. Zuko actually decided to make himself a chai with a shot of espresso. It was what Mai had ordered for himself on her first visit, and he’d never tried one.

She stopped by the shop almost daily now, sometimes with her friend, but she never lingered. Sokka would occasionally make small talk with her, in a way that Zuko envied but couldn’t quite replicate. His attempts always felt stilted and awkward. He knew that it was ridiculous to feel jealous of those mundane interactions when he hardly knew Mai, but he felt drawn to her. It had been a long time, maybe since Jet, that he had crushed so hard. A small dark part of him hoped that Mai was already in a relationship, so that he wouldn’t have to open himself up to potential rejection. 

He was so lost in thought and the making of his own drink, that he missed it when Mai actually walked in. She was standing by the register, observing him, when he finally noticed her.

“Oh! Mai, sorry, I didn’t see you.” He rushed over, but her face didn’t change. He would pay any amount of money for a window into her thoughts just then.

“No problem. I was debating what I should order.” She brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear, and Zuko realized he hadn’t seen her with her hair down before. As expected, it looked really good.

“Well, you already know my favorite thing on the menu,” Zuko replied. Then he remembered his dream and felt a blush tint his skin. He prayed it wasn’t noticeable. 

“That’s right, but I never found out your Uncle’s.” She smiled teasingly. “I’m guessing Jasmine.”

Zuko’s jaw dropped. “How’d you know?”

Mai blinked, like she didn’t know what to say. “Are you… kidding? Your shop is called The Jasmine Dragon.”

At that moment, Zuko wouldn’t have minded if a chasm opened up beneath him and reclaimed him for the earth. The shop had always been called The Jasmine Dragon for as long as he was alive. He knew logically that his Uncle was the founder, but he had never pondered the implications before. His cheeks were now burning with twice the intensity and he knew it was definitely visible.

“I’d… never thought about it,” he croaked out.

Mai laughed, and– even though it was at his expense– it helped ease the tension in his chest. As far as he could recall, Sokka had never made Mai laugh. 

“Well, in honor of your Uncle, I’ll take a Jasmine tea.” Mai pulled out her wallet and Zuko rang her up. 

“Are you sure that will be enough caffeine to keep you going? We use a green tea base.” Zuko teased. Normally Mai ordered black tea or coffee, and she often added espresso shots. 

“It should be fine,” Mai replied. “My midterms are finally over so I’ve actually been getting sleep. What about you? Do you have any exams left?”

“Nope, a lot of my professors went with papers or projects this year instead, but I turned in my last one yesterday. So I’m really looking forward to going out this weekend.” Zuko decided to do some reconnaissance. Katara felt confident that Mai was single since she hadn’t mentioned anyone, but Zuko wanted to be sure. “Aang and Katara are really chill, so I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you wanted to bring someone.”

Mai rubbed her arm, “Oh, well… Ty Lee is going out with her new girlfriend this weekend.”

Zuko looked at her blankly until he realized that Ty Lee was Ly Chee’s real name. Then, he smiled, “I see. Is that why you’ve been flying solo? She doesn’t need to stare at Sokka for eye candy anymore.”

Mai’s eyes widened. “You all knew about her crush? I’m so embarrassed.” She ran a hand through her hair and Zuko tried not to be mesmerized.

He chuckled. “We didn’t know for sure, but Toph had a hunch. And for the record, I don’t think it’s embarrassing. Maybe a bit for Ty Lee, but not for you. You were just a bystander.”

Mai shook her head. “Toph’s hunches are always right. Anyway, I hope you're not expecting me to stop coming in. I’m officially hooked.”

Mai was never this talkative, and it filled Zuko with confidence. Maybe he could borrow a line from his subconscious. “I’ll brew your tea any day. You’re way more interesting than most of our customers.”

It was Mai’s turn to blush. “I– oh– thank you.”

And then Zuko realized he had not, in fact, started brewing her tea. As he fetched the tea leaves, he kept up his conversation with Mai. “How was Philosophy of Law?”

Mai sighed. “It was just as awful as expected. But I think I did okay. Jeong Jeong takes forever to post his grades so God only knows.”

Zuko hummed sympathetically. His concentration was on pouring hot water into the small personal kettle. Mai leaned over the counter, and watched with interest. “I’m impressed. I was lowkey expecting a tea bag.”

Zuko laughed. “Oh no! Uncle prefers loose leaf. He’s also especially particular with Jasmine, since flowers are involved. And don’t get him started on brewing times. When you hand people a to-go cup with a tea bag, they leave it in there all day. If you over-steep, it gets bitter and–” Zuko stopped. “I sound like him, don’t I?”

Mai smiled. “You really do. But that’s not a bad thing. There are worse people to emulate.”

Zuko smiled and went to grab a paper cup for the tea. The store had a few different branded designs, but he always gave Mai the red dragon one, since it was his favorite. Soon enough, the tea was done steeping and he poured it and snapped the lid into place. When he turned back to Mai she was fiddling with a small piece of paper. 

“Here you are,” he extended the cup and she offered him the paper in exchange.

“Thanks. Umm. I thought you should have my number. In case anything comes up before we hang out on Saturday.”

Zuko accepted the paper and forced his voice to stay casual. “Thanks. You’ll have to let me know how you like the tea.”

“Of course.” Maybe he was imagining it, but Mai’s cheeks seemed pink as she made her way to the door. 

Against his better judgment, Zuko felt hopeful.

— — 

Zuko: Zuko here :)

Mai: Hey. I liked the jasmine

Black w/ cardamom was better though

Zuko: Yes! I can’t wait to tell Uncle

He’ll say I brewed it wrong, but that’s bs

Mai: Don’t get too big of a head. He’s still my fav barista

Wait, actually it’s Sokka, lol

Zuko: -_- 

Talk about a big head. Don’t tell him you said that

Mai: Jk jk. You’re pretty cool ig

You did help me get an A on a JJ exam

Zuko: NO WAY 

The grades are in? Congrats! 

Mai: It’s all thanks to you and Katara. Seriously.

Zuko: I’m always happy to help

You know where to find me

— — 

Mai leaned against the wall of her dorm, waiting for Aang to pick her up. He offered to be the designated driver for the evening. Mai wasn’t going to drink, but she was more than happy to not have to deal with parking in the city.

She wondered if Zuko would be riding with them. Oh Zuko. She’d thought about him much more than was normal to think about your barista/tutor. She read and re-read their text exchanges, looking for evidence of flirting. Every time he messaged her, Ty Lee could immediately tell from her face, which was not good. Mai and Ty Lee had known each other since childhood, and yet the other girl had never known what she was thinking. Until now. 

And Mai, who considered herself decent at reading people, had no idea where to begin with Zuko. Most days when she went to the shop, Sokka and Uncle Iroh were the talkative ones. On the day she gave Zuko her number, he seemed much more open. But he had also asked her if she wanted to bring another person to the hangout, and that could only mean Ty Lee. Mai couldn’t shake the feeling he had a crush on the pretty gymnast. 

Then again, he seemed to know about her feelings for Sokka. And he called Mai interesting. And offered to brew her tea anytime.

But brewing tea was his job. He was constantly offering to brew people tea. And what if he saw Mai as an opportunity to get closer to Ty Lee? It wouldn’t be the first time, but normally Mai could sense such buffoonery before the guy even opened his mouth. Maybe Zuko's hotness was blinding her to his ill intent. 

She was over-thinking in circles. Maybe Zuko was normal and didn’t like anyone in particular. Or maybe he had a partner.

Mai ran a hand along the brick building. A memory came to her mind, unbidden. Her and her parents here at accepted students weekend. Her mom pulling her aside. Giving her one of her talks. 

“Mai, you really should be making more of an effort to smile. You’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”

Mai rolled her eyes. “You made me change out of my skirt this morning because it was too short. I thought I wasn't supposed to be catching flies.”

Michi stood imperiously, not even glancing in her daughter's direction as she spoke. “You don't want that kind of a man, darling. You want a husband.”

Mai wanted neither in that moment, and couldn’t quite tell the difference between the two. “I’m going to this university for a reason. So I won't need a husband.”

Michi arched her brow. “This is not the caliber of institution your father and I imagined for you.” Mai knew that well. It was part of the appeal. “Besides, you said you want to study philosophy? You’ll need a husband.” With that, Michi decided the conversation was over and went to walk through the dorm open house.

Mai contemplated staying at the side of the building and moping, but that would only hurt her and not her mother. She could point out that Political Science would be her primary major, and philosophy her secondary course of study. But her mother wouldn't remember no matter how many times she said it. Mai sighed. She donned disinterest and trailed after her parents at a distance. 

Here she still was. A college sophomore with a decent GPA, one close friend, and no self-esteem. She didn’t want a husband, but she wanted… something. Something that she had lacked in her previous relationship with Kei Lo. And she didn’t know how to untangle those desires from the pre-programmed path her parents wanted her to follow. 

Aang’s car pulled up– just five minutes shy of saving her from an existential crisis– and Mai saw Katara in the passenger seat and Zuko in the back. The thought of sitting next to him now made her slightly nauseous, but she had decided to be social today.

She composed herself and marched to the car. Aang greeted her as she sat and clicked her seatbelt. “Hey! It’s really nice to see you again.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s really nice to see you too. Thanks for inviting me out.” 

Aang gave her a winning smile. “Don’t even mention it.” He knocked on the dash twice. “Yip yip!”

Mai opened her mouth to ask, but Katara explained: “It’s for good luck. Aang’s car is like a hundred years old, so it breaks down sometimes. I’ve been telling him to just get a new one–”

“Aww,” Aang cooed. “Don’t listen to her, buddy. I’d never replace you.”

Mai found herself somewhat taken in by the bald man. He was quirky, but in a charming way. She could see why Katara liked him.

Zuko cleared his throat from the seat beside her. “Umm… hi. Uncle wanted me to give you this.” He extended a hand and offered her a small paper.

Mai noticed it was a voucher for a free drink. “What’s the occasion?” 

“Oh!” Zuko scratched the back of his neck. “I might have mentioned that you got an A on the exam and he said you should celebrate.”

Mai accepted the paper hesitantly. “Aren’t we… celebrating now? With dinner?” Zuko shrugged. “Okay, well, thanks.”

Mai didn’t want to appear ungrateful, but now that the exam was over it didn’t seem so monumental. Maybe Zuko did like her after all and it was an excuse to get her to come back to the shop! No, that was reading too much into it. Besides, she went to the shop everyday now, so his uncle was probably just being kind to a loyal customer. Her crush was clouding her mind an almost concerning amount. Maybe she should take a break from seeing Zuko after this.

Silence filled the car for just long enough to be awkward, and Aang turned on the radio for the rest of the ride. 

They had settled on a Mexican restaurant that Aang and his friends apparently went to quite a bit. The server recognized the group, and led them to a booth in the back.The location was quieter than the tables, but it was directly under a vent. Mai cursed herself for not bringing a jacket. Aang and Katara sat together, naturally, which left Mai next to Zuko. She was hyper aware of his proximity, but not unpleasantly so. In fact, with the chill she wished she could slide closer.

The server took their orders almost immediately since everyone else knew the menu. Mai– not wanting to make everyone wait– copied Zuko’s order and hoped for the best. And there were chips and salsa if Zuko secretly had terrible taste. 

Aang piped up, “You’re in your second year, right Mai?”

“Yeah. Same as Katara,” she replied. “What year are you?”

“I’m a Freshman.”

Mai was surprised. She could have sworn she’d seen Aang around last year. “Does that mean you all just met in the fall?”

“Oh no,” Katara said, leaning into Aang’s side casually. He wrapped an arm around her, smiling. Mai felt her singleness acutely. “Aang went to high school with Sokka, and I. And he’s been living with us for a few years.”

“And Sokka’s a junior?” Mai asked.

“Sokka and I are both juniors,” Zuko explained. “I met everyone when he started working at the shop.”

Mai nodded, trying to absorb all the new information.

“How did you meet Ty Lee?” Aang asked.

Mai took a moment to consider the question. “I honestly don’t remember. Our parents were friends, so we’ve known each other since we were really little.”

“Aww! And after all this time you’re still friends and you decided to go to the same college? That’s really sweet,” Katara said.

Mai hummed noncommittally. “I’m glad Ty Lee decided to stay close but I think the reason she chose to go where I wanted is because she doesn’t care about college at all. If she had her way, she’d run off and join the circus.” Aang laughed, but Mai’s expression remained unchanged. “I’m serious. When we were little we made this whole plan. She would be an acrobat, and I would be a knife thrower.”

“That makes sense since Ty Lee’s into gymnastics. But why did you choose knife-throwing?” Katara asked.

“What do you mean?” Zuko interrupted. “Knife-throwing is like the most badass part of the circus. What else would she do? Juggle?”

Mai laughed. “No, Katara’s right. I actually do have a reason. I’ve been taking knife-throwing lessons since I was seven.”

Everyone at the table stared at her, until Zuko burst out: “That’s so fucking cool!”

Katara agreed, “That’s– like– amazing, can you teach me?”

“Wait a minute,” Aang held up his hand. “That’s awesome, but why did you start taking knife-throwing lessons?” Zuko made to speak and Aang pointed at him, “Other than generally badassery.” 

Mai blushed. She was always slightly embarrassed to tell this part of the story. “I loved this comic series as a kid, and the main female character was a knife thrower. I hated school, so my parents made a deal with me that if I got good grades I could keep going to my knife-throwing lessons.”

“Hang on,” Zuko grabbed her arm. “Are you talking about Nanami from The Adventures of Piandao?”

“Yes, wait, you know the series?” Mai asked.

Zuko smiled. “It was my favorite as a kid! My sister and I used to have fake sword fights all the time. But nobody I’ve met has ever read it.”

Mai sympathized. “I know! I tried for ages to make Ty Lee read the first volume but she never would. I think it’s the art style. I should check it out from the library and give it a re-read.”

Zuko looked smug, and Mai raised an eyebrow. “What if I told you that I had the whole collection and you could borrow whichever ones you want?”

“Then maybe you would be my favorite barista,” Mai smirked. 

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Nevermind,” he teased. “Anyway, I think you should start your reread with the blue spirit arc. It’s the best one.”

“You have got to be joking!” Mai noticed that Katara and Aang had grown bored of the conversation and were having their own. “Nanami is the best character and so the best arc is the Lady of a Thousand Blades, where she’s introduced.”

“But she has that whole fight scene with the blue spirit!”

Mai rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and he wins because her dart holsters jam. Then, Piandao has to rescue her. Like that would ever happen. The author is a coward and a misogynist.”

“Oooooooooor she actually lost because her focus was compromised…”

Mai groaned. “You ship the Blue Spirit and Nanami? Who even are you?”

Zuko’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean? Of course I ship the masked vigilante and the knife-throwing warrior. They would be such a power couple.”

“This is why Sokka–”

“If you say Sokka’s your favorite barista again I’m gonna scream.”

Mai laughed. “I overplayed the joke? I’m sorry.” She felt a cold rush of air from the vent and shivered.

“Are you cold?” Zuko asked, sounding slightly concerned.

She rubbed her arms. “It’s fine, I just normally wear long sleeves.”

Zuko took off his zip hoodie and extended it to her. “Here, take this.”

Mai accepted it, but made no move to put it on. The fabric was softer than she had imagined, and still radiated Zuko’s warmth. “Are you sure?” she asked. The gesture felt momentous somehow.

“Of course,” Zuko assured her. “I run hot.” 

“Oh really?” she deadpanned. “I’d like to see that.”

Zuko nudged her lightly. “Shut up and accept my kindness.”

Mai snorted. “You are a true gentleman. I can see the influence of Master Piandao within you.” She slid the hoodie on. Their food arrived shortly after. While Zuko was distracted, Mai discreetly inhaled the scent of the garment. It smelled a little bit like the tea shop, a little bit like the library, and strongly of Irish Spring soap. She liked it. A lot. 

— — 

Mai: I still have your hoodie

Zuko: That’s okay. I have others

You can bring it to the shop sometime

Mai: Ok. I’ll probably come in later today

I can’t study without tea now

Zuko: If you need a break from studying, you can borrow a Piandao comic

I’m not working today, but I’ll be in the building

Mai: I don’t want to bother you on your day off

Zuko: You’re not a bother. You’re my friend

Mai: I’m friends with a Blue Spirit x Nanami shipper :0

Zuko: Guess so :P 

I only lend books to friends

Mai: Valid. Acquaintances can’t be trusted

Anyway, I think I’ll take you up on your offer

Zuko: Great! Text me when you get here

— — 

Zuko paced his room, occasionally reorganizing the knick-knacks on his desk. Yesterday’s “double-date” had gone better than he imagined. Mainly because he kept imagining worst-case scenarios. But thankfully, none of them had come to fruition. Instead, he and Mai had talked the whole night, about their favorite comic series, their shared major, awful professor stories, and favorite foods. He fell asleep replaying the conversations in his head. 

He needed to ask her out soon, before he lost his nerve. 

And it seemed would get his opportunity when she came for the comic. 

He scanned his room for the nth time, hoping that it looked presentable. He kept the space neat, but it was fairly small. When he leaned back far enough in his desk chair, he hit the edge of his bed. On the wall in between the two, he wedged a secondhand bookcase, home of the aforementioned comics and his other favorites. He purposely stored his school books in a bin at the bottom of his cramped closet so he wouldn’t have to look at them unless he needed to. 

He used to have a much larger room when he lived with his father, but… well… this was preferable by far. He had some family pictures on a shelf above his desk but none of them featured that man. 

His phone buzzed.

Mai: I’m here

Save me. Sokka’s making a joke about boomerangs

Zuko laughed, and made his way down the stairs and through the back room. By the time he arrived on the scene, however, Mai was speaking with Uncle instead of Sokka. 

“-- and he had the cutest little fascination with ducks. He used to beg me to take him to the park to feed them. He named them all too!”

She laughed demurely, and Zuko’s cheeks flamed.

“UNCLE!” he ran up to them. “Do you have to tell everyone that story?”

“What?” Uncle put on his best impression of innocence. “I think it’s cute.”

“That’s not–” Zuko’s voice cracked. “That’s not the point.”

Mai, still smiling, came to the old man’s defense. “It is kind of cute.” Zuko noticed she was holding his hoodie with both arms crossed around it in a form of embrace.

“I-I guess so, yeah,” He found himself agreeing impotently. 

Uncle chuckled. “You two have fun!” Zuko could see the gleam of mischief in the tea-maker’s eye. If embarrassment were lethal, he would be in critical condition. 

He escorted Mai behind the counter and back to the safety of his room. “Sorry about Uncle. He’s…”

“He’s lovely,” Mai cut in. “You don’t have to apologize.” Zuko felt himself fall a little bit harder.

Mai took in the small room for a rather long time, expression impassive, and Zuko worried that it had failed her test. She looked at him with expectation, and he realized she was waiting for him to take the lead. “Feel free to sit anywhere.” He gestured awkwardly at the chair and the bed. She opted for the chair, so he sat criss-cross on his sheets. 

She tossed his hoodie at him and it landed in his lap. “Thanks for letting me borrow that.”

He recalled how she looked wearing it, and he swallowed. “Oh, yeah, anytime.”

She swiveled the chair to face the bookcase. “So this is your collection? I’m jealous.”

Zuko smiled, “Well, I’m giving you unrestricted access, so don’t knife me down.”

Mai chuckled. “I’m pretty sure the term is stabbing. And I don’t stab my friends.”

“Good policy.” Zuko watched her run her fingers over the spines before choosing a volume to flip through. He had referred to them as friends earlier in the day, but the word felt like an obstacle now. 

Mai turned her scrutiny to the shelf above the comics, and Zuko bit his lip. It felt strangely intimate to be sharing the contents of his personal library so openly. Mai selected one and Zuko recognized it immediately as Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. “Did you read this for Prof. Pakku’s Mass Incarceration class?”

“No, actually,” he replied. “I read it in high school. It’s actually part of the reason I chose to study political science.”

Mai nodded. “It’s very inspiring. Do you want to work as a defense attorney?”

“I think so. I’ve always thought about going into law because my dad is a lawyer. But when I read this book, I realized that he has never once used the power he has to help people.” Zuko could taste the bitterness in his own voice. His scar itched. “When I discovered that there was a different way of doing things, it kind of frightened me at first. I truly didn’t know that kindness was an option. God, that probably sounds so fucked up.” He winced and looked away.

But Mai reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder. “No… it’s more relatable than you think.” Her touch was light and she removed her hand too soon. 

As she put the book back on the shelf, Zuko cleared his throat. “Anyway, why did you choose poli sci and philosophy?”

She sighed. “Honestly, my high school guidance counselor told me I had an aptitude for philosophy. And political science sounded like the kind of thing that my parents would approve of.” She rested her chin in her hand, and she looked like the sculpture by Rodin. “I know it’s callous, but my parents are more into image than impact.”

Zuko shook his head. “I promise you, I understand that completely. But maybe we can do something better, right? Ever since moving in with my uncle, I’ve seen the amount of good that actually exists in the world.” 

Mai smiled. “You sound like a hero. Seriously, you sound like you could be in a Piandao comic or something. I think you, and Katara, and Aang are all going to do amazing things one day.”

“What about you?” he asked.

Her expression returned to calculated calm. “I’ll probably be drinking tea somewhere.”

“All right then.” He nudged her foot with his own. “I’ll brew your tea while you write groundbreaking legislation… or philosophical treaties.”

Mai chuckled, and reached for another comic.

— — 

Ty Lee: Are you still alive?

Mai: Yes?

Ty Lee: Again, but with confidence

Mai: Yes! I’m alive

Ty Lee: Good

I was starting to think Zuko murdered you

Do you even know what time it is?

Mai: Oh shit

I actually didn’t

Leaving soon

Ty Lee: Take your time ;)

— —

Mai swore that time passed differently in Zuko’s room. She felt like she was only there for an hour at most but she checked her phone and realized it was 8:30 and the tea shop was closed for the day. So much for her homework.

Her conversation with Zuko about the future had deeply affected her. He and his friends had such a passion for the world. It was a skill she was only just learning about for herself. A dull blade in her arsenal. For so long, she had walked through life with numbness and composure, believing it was enough. 

She didn’t want that anymore. Could she do something useful? Like write ground-breaking legislation?

Maybe being around Zuko and his friends would… help.

Zuko let her choose a few of her favorite Piandao volumes, and before they went downstairs he tried to offer her his hoodie once more. “It’s probably cold outside now that the sun is setting.”

She’d been lying if she said she wasn’t tempted. “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of my returning it today?”

Zuko shrugged. “You can just bring it back with the books. Like I said, I have others.”

Mai accepted it after some consideration. “I’m starting to think you just like seeing me.”

“Yeah, yeah, come on,” Zuko blustered as he led her down the stairs and out into the empty shop. Iroh was the only person who remained, as cleaned the machines and tidied up for the night. 

Mai paused at the counter. “Thank you for inviting me over. I’ll see you both soon.”

“Of course, enjoy the comics–”

“Wait!” Uncle Iroh held up a hand. Mai jumped, not expecting an outburst from the sweet old man. “Aren't you going to walk her home, Zuko?”

Zuko’s face reddened. “I– Umm– Well– Uh–”

Mai came to his rescue. The poor guy had just spent all day with her, and he was probably done. “That’s okay. I’m trained in self-defense, I don’t need an escort.”

Iroh nodded, “That’s great! I’m glad my nephew will be safe with you. But honestly, I wasn’t thinking about practicality.”

Mai tilted her head in confusion, and she was going to ask what he meant when Zuko sprang into action. He grabbed her hand and led her to the door. They moved so quickly that the familiar tables became a green blur. “You’re right, Uncle, we’ll be going now.” The bells rang loudly as he swung the door open and let it slam behind them. 

He marched her out of the shop and all the way to the end of the street before releasing her hand. He looked away and scratched the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about that. Uncle, isn’t exactly… subtle.”

Mai pulled Zuko’s hoodie tightly around herself. It was cold and Mai was glad she accepted it once more. “Don’t mention it. And you don’t have to walk me all the way to my dorm. I know it’s late and you probably don’t want to be out here in the cold…” She caught herself rambling, an unfortunate habit that she believed to be a relic of her youth.

Zuko looked at her and narrowed his eyes. “Do you really not know?”

“About what?”

He took a deep breath, like he was steeling himself for something. “I like you.” Mai blinked. “I have a crush on you.” Mai blinked again. “But, uh, you probably don’t feel the same way and I totally get that. You can keep the books and the hoodie and I can get you the schedule for when I work so you can avoid me but still go to the shop–”

Mai snapped out of it. “I like you too.” 

“Really?” Zuko asked in a small voice. Beautiful Zuko. The hot barista. The brilliant upperclassman. The boy who wanted to change the world. He liked her. And he was looking at her with such joy on his face.

Mai felt giddy. She laughed. “Yes, of course.”

“Wow,” Zuko breathed. “You're so cool, and so hot, and so smart. I thought I never stood a chance.”

“Shut up and kiss me right now.”

He obliged, caressing her cheek and leaning in. It was awkward at first. Mai’s hands were full of books, and Zuko’s nose brushed against hers. But when their lips fit together, it felt right. It tasted like black tea, and espresso, and the spices in chai.

They pulled apart, reluctant and shy once more. Zuko, still leaning close, whispered, “You’re just so out of my league. How do you not see that?”

Mai felt her pulse flutter. “Hey, that line only works once.” Zuko blushed and Mai laughed. “Besides, don’t sell yourself short. You’re really kind to your uncle and you’re good with school. And, as I said, you’ll be a hero one day,” she teased him lightly.

Zuko smiled at her. “Oh please. If anything, I’m your sidekick. The butler to your Piandao.”

Mai laughed. “Okay then. How about we ride off into the sunset now?”

Zuko wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Gladly.”

[beautifulsnake2162020]

We have it all (Hualian adopted daughter fanfic) Chapter 5

I used Fengqing Gifs because they are the ones fighting the enemies in the opening scene. Both gifs are by @linglynz

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I only do this for fun.

Premise: Not long after comforting a bullied girl named Meng Ai, Hua Cheng and Xie Lian find themselves adopting her and together they form a family they didn't know they had needed for awhile.

Story/Genre tags: Slice of life-ish (mainly), Family focused, Hua Cheng's houses finally become homes, there may be an overarching story but that's not the focus, Hualian being parents, Fengqing being uncles, Lang Qianqiu falling in love with someone who was raised by the Xianle squad, technically post-canon (though I haven't read the books so if there are some ooc moments please forgive me).

AO3 Link

Chapter 1, Chapter 2 , Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Follower tags: @anonimgato1507

AN: I did my best but I will be the first to admit that I'm not good at writing fight scenes. Having said that, I wanted to give Fengqing their flowers and hopefully show why they are given the position of generals (and Meng Ai's uncles). Hope you enjoy 😅😂

Chapter 5

The Jiangshi were among the first wave that made their way to the shrine. These weren't the typical Jiangshi that regular Taoist priests would animate for proper burial. These Jiangshi were puppets for the magicians who were controlling them. The fortunate thing about these puppets was that once they were slain and their ashes were burnt they were finished.

Then the next wave were demon dogs accompanied by malicious spirits who came into their area in the form of arrows. Arrows that were shot by mortal archers and the dark spirits emerged and rapidly multiplied in their midst.

"Make a circle of holy fire around the shrine!" Mu Qing shouts at Feng Xin as they quickly make a larger circumference around the barrier of protection. The fortunate thing was that these creatures stood no chance against the Holy fire they made and even then they had some of their best soldiers standing by in between the barrier and the fire.

Then another wave of Jiangshi came with large Xiangliu spitting venom everywhere and poisoning the soil. This time the Jiangshi were a mix of puppets and Jiangshi who were their own being. The puppets walked, the ones who weren't were hopping.

"We'll need to find the mages causing this!" Feng Xin says after slaying a hopping Jiangshi and blasting it with fire.

"What do you think I've been doing?!" Mu Qing replies as he blasts another Xiangliu away and scorches the area its venom had touched to mitigate its effects. Feng Xin uses his momentum to quickly get his arrows. Mu Qing quickly throws a flame on the arrowhead and Feng Xin shoots at the Xiangliu, just beneath it's nine heads. Nine voices screamed out in agony and it fell.

"One down!"

"Of many. Mortals are starting to join in." Mu Qing says as some of his soldiers managed to remove the cloaks of some of them.

"Stop this now!" One of Mu Qing's soldiers commanded.

"We don't answer to your king, we answer to gold!"

"Mercenaries"

"That explains everything."

Fu Dao was one of the wealthier kingdoms because of their position in the trade route. Soldiers bearing Fu Dao's crest would cause a scandal if they were found. But employing mercenaries had the added benefit of deniability if they were ever caught.

"Stay away from this fight and we'll give you gold."

"We've already been adequately paid!" Mu Qing easily blocks and deflects an attack.

"Everyone, don't kill the mortals but protect the Priestess and her child."

Feng Xin sends a mass telepathic message to all their soldiers who begin rounding up the mortals who have begun joining in the fight.

A swarm of arrows and poisoned needles came and everyone put up magical barriers to shield themselves.

The fight went on and little by little they were making progress as their soldiers manage to put magical shackles on the mage mercenaries and that lessened the presence of demonic creatures in the fight.

However one of the mortal mages managed to get past the fire.

Because he was cloaked in a protection spell.

No. They both thought.

Mu Qing and Feng Xin immediately teleported themselves in the temple grounds.

Their soldiers were dealing with the mortal mage.

Who was serving as a distraction.

Assassins cloaked in a similar protection spell soon came inside the barrier.

"Get in!" Feng Xin commands his soldiers as they begin fighting the mortals who have begun entering.

"I'll take them to Jingdezhen."

"Go, I'll follow."

Mu Qing enters the living quarters in the nick of time as he sees a poisoned needle begin to enter inside. He immediately stops it and puts magic shields on all possible openings in the living quarters.

"What's going on?"

"Get Meng Ai, we're going to Jingdezhen." He immediately slams the door shut as another poisoned needle flew inside. He quickly makes a teleportation portal as Jing Mei wears her satchel and carries a sleeping Meng Ai. Once it was completed he opens the portal and they find themselves just outside of Xiwangmu's temple.

"Oh thank goodness." Jing Mei sighs in relief.

"Here, let me carry her."

"Thank you. If anything we'll at least have decent accomodations tonight."

"Your rooms have already been prepared." The priest says as they approach the entrance of the temple. The feminine tone of his voice making it clear that it was Xiwangmu herself speaking to them.

"Oh thank you Great Mother." Jing Mei makes a bow as Xiwangmu through her priest leads them inside the temple grounds.

"You did well General Xuan Zhen, both you and General Nan Feng have my thanks."

"No problem Xiwangmu, besides I've been itching for a fight for awhile."

"Jing Mei? What happened?" A man rushed to Jing Mei's side. His blue eyes shone in the moonlight, his expression was filled with worry.

"Ji Huifan we were attacked at Puqi shrine, I don't know how they found out...we've been so careful -"

"They hired mercenaries." Mu Qing says with seriousness as he gave Meng Ai to her father.

"Let's discuss further details when we are inside. That you won't have to keep repeating yourself General Xuan Zhen." Xiwangmu says as she continues to lead everyone into the room Hua Cheng and Xie Lian were waiting. Once Meng Ai was placed in bed in the room where her parents stayed and once Feng Xin arrived they began their discussion.

"Mage mercenaries - that's a new low even for them."

"It's been awhile since we've had any contact with your family since we've fled. What I don't understand is how they managed to find out where we were."

"Given the right place to look for them and look for the ones with the right skill level and the right amount of desperation, I'm frankly not surprised that a blood thirsty family would employ them." Hua Cheng says as he leans back on his seat beside Xie Lian.

"Tracking and confirming their targets wouldn't be too difficult for them. Depending on the assignment, most of the preparation would be employing the proper tactics."

"And you know this because?" Hua Cheng raises his eyebrow at Feng Xin in a smug certainty.

"I've had my encounters with some of them. A lot of them lost to me in my gambling den, that's how I learned how they work. And when I'm feeling lazy I just out pay whomever their employer was."

"Do some of them work for you now?"

"Only the ones I consider worthy Gege. Most of them are just mages who have lost clients over time and are desperately looking for money. But considering all we know and considering who their client is, the group that was targetting Jing Mei and Xiao-Ai are an investment of Fu Dao's royal family."

"Why do you say that?" Mu Qing asks skeptically.

"Simple, they didn't care if they were seen or not."

"What do you mean? They attacked in the middle of the night." Feng Xin says arrogantly.

"A night with a full moon, using demonic creatures that would cause a ruckus had anyone other than you or their targets noticed. They also attacked them in Gege's shrine which means they necessarily needed to personally be present since only mortals could pass through magical barriers. They either didn't want to wait or could no longer wait for Jing Mei and Xiao-Ai to leave the safety of the shrine. Considering all of these things, it's obvious that they didn't care to be seen. Which means that they've had the resources to train and be better than most other mercenaries. Over time they have developed the arrogance that it wouldn't matter if they were seen or not."

"And what makes that different from a typical mercenary?"

"A mercenary knows how to keep things discreet. The most sought after ones whether they are a magician or not are the ones who could make things look like an accident or make it look like the death was from natural causes. Mage mercenaries who control demonic creatures use those creatures to kidnap or kill their targets without needing to be physically present."

"Hmm and the fact that there were waves of them headed towards the shrine means -"

"- that they knew." Mu Qing finishes Feng Xin's thought as everyone becomes uncomfortable with the realization.

"Another spy from heaven?!" Feng Xin cries in exasperation.

"No - given the right training and the right time to develop their skills, it's possible for a mortal to tell who is a God and who is a ghost. I'm sure you two have noticed how easily Aiai does it while you were with her." Xie Lian couldn't help but suppress a giggle as Mu Qing and Feng Xin become sheepish at Ji Huifan's comment.

"Either one of the mages my family has employed has that skill or a God with an oracle who has a similar skillset -"

"Wait - Huifan, didn't you say that you lost the ability to see a God's aura when you were cured?" The couple shares a look of realization.

"I didn't exactly lose it, it just wasn't as good as when I was...you know..."

"But that means-"

"- one or a few of my relatives are with them." Another air of discomfort fills the room.

"Does this mean we have to flee again?" Jing Mei asks with trepidation and exhaustion.

"No!" "Absolutely NOT!" "No way."

"You are my oracle and priestess. Your family will always be welcomed in my temples. And right now you may stay here for as long as you wish. And if Generals Nan Yang and Xuan Zhen could lend some of their followers for added protection-"

"No offense Xiwangmu but that wouldn't be enough." She raises her eyebrow at him as Jing Mei is shocked that someone would disrespect her and Ji Huifan's reaction was questioning Hua Cheng's decision to cut her off. She isn't as fickle as the other Gods. Hua Cheng's attitude was refreshing to her when most Gods and mortals would be dictated by their fear and reverence to her domain.

"San Lang."

"Ji Huifen, when you were still a cursed immortal could you still enter Xiwangmu's temples?" He then realized what Hua Cheng was pointing out and sighed a sad tone out.

"Yes, my family and I had no problems entering in any temple. We may not be able to do everything our abilities allow us to do, depending on the God who is worshipped in the temple-"

"But the point still stands that if the three of you remain here, someone could still enter and harm you. They just need to be either a mortal or someone from your family."

"And what do you propose Crimson Rain Sought Flower?" Hua Cheng's gaze meets Xie Lian's as they both smile.

"Xiao-Ai is still asleep right?"

______________________________________________________________

Red was the first color that she sees as she wakes up. This was definitely not Puqi shrine anymore she thought as she slowly began sitting up. It was then that Meng Ai realized that the bed she was waking up from was both softer and smoother than what she was used to.

"Hello Aiai."

"BABA!" She launches herself forward as she embraces Ji Huifan and kisses him on the cheek. He laughs as he brings her to his embrace.

"Thank you for sending them to help me."

"Baba please don't scare mama like that again." He gives her a sad smile knowing that whether it is sooner or later he and Jing Mei will have to let her go to Hua Cheng and Xie Lian.

"Sometimes I can't help it Aiai, everything I do for both you and your mama are out of love. Even if you can't see it right now." She doesn't like that tone he uses despite knowing what he said was true.

"Where are we? Where is mama?"

"She's in the kitchen trying to teach Xie Lian how to cook." He helps her down and outside her room Hua Cheng and Xie Lian were waiting.

"Hello Xiao-Ai, did you sleep well?" Xie Lian asks tenderly while patting her head.

"Yes, it was a long sleep. I don't know how I was able to sleep for that long."

"Hungry little one?" Hua Cheng asks as he kneels down so that their eyes would be at the same level.

"Yes, where are we San Lang?" He opens his hand and waits for her to take it. He couldn't help but smile as he sees she was wearing the necklace he gifted her with a silver butterfly pendant.

"We are in our house, welcome to Paradise Manor."

AN: And this is the start of more Slice of life moments that I had not yet sufficiently delivered 😅😂 I hope none of you were too disappointed with the fight scene.

[moodymisty]

Hello, this is a request only if you are interested, I understand if you don't wanna do it. It's really hurt/comfort stuff with the intention of softness and comfort at the end. It's meant to be a Samael x s/o drabble. So basically, Lilith kidnapps s/o (seeing them as the horsemen's pet) and winds up torturing them so she can give them as a gift to Samael, not knowing how he really feels about s/o. (You don't have to be descriptive of what Lilith does, the overall premise is blood, pain, tears, and stuff. She's a mean bitch). Samael is given his s/o in really bad shape (not dead). It's up to you how it plays out, but I imagined he shows s/o a gentleness that's only for them as he tries to help them and take care of and assess their injuries. Lilith meanwhile is either jealous or disgusted by the show of mercy, (not what she expected). Maybe Samael flies into a rage upon seeing the human in such a pitiful way or he plays it cool and waits for an opening to be alone with them so he can help. It's up to you, I just wanna see Samael be all soft and gentle and show he cares about s/o. Thank you again for your generosity. I also have a different more smutty idea if you don't wanna do this one. Completely separate from this one.

Author's Note: I've never actually written for Samael at all before, I love his character but I'd never considered it, so this was a fun exercise. This is my first time writing Samael, so please excuse anything that may seem a little OOC while I get the hang of his character.

Summary: Samael saves his little songbird from the mouth of a cat.

Relationships: Samael/Fem!Reader

Warnings: Canon typical violence, Bruises, illuding to torture but no actual torture, Stockholm syndrome??? I guess, Fluff, Some brief references towards the Darksiders book 'The Abomination Vault' which is good go read it,

"Well now,"

His voice carries through the stone laden room, a booming deepness that even when he's only speaking casually, sounds almost as if he's addressing a group.

Samael.

You know the name; Lilith has mentioned it more than once when she talks to her servants and lesser demons. Those few snippets pale in comparison to seeing him, seeing how he towers larger than almost every other demon you've seen; Though still maintains a humanoid-esque shape.

You were apparently- in a way- his gift.

Lilith had cooed it to you more than once before, though she'd mostly been talking at you, as if an ornament. Rarely does she give things that don't amuse her the time of day; And simply chattering to a being she considers far inferior without inflicting some sort of suffering doesn't qualify.

It's the better of many other potential outcomes, at least. You'll take it. It isn't as if there's a choice anyhow.

Samael briefly glances in your direction, one large finger presses on the bottom of the cage that confines you as if to stop it's slow swaying, before his eyes turn back to Lilith. You've noticed her watching with intent, clearly focused on his reaction. If you had to guess, she wants something, and is hoping this will be the ticket towards pulling that favor.

"Where did you get this?"

The links of her chain belt 'tink' against each other, as she walks closer, glancing up towards the larger demon for but a moment.

"Just a little bit of sport; I know you've always been interested in Humanities, goings on."

Lilith finds it all dreadfully boring; At least anything that doesn't benefit or at least amuse her in one way or another. The demon lord takes another glance in your direction, the sharp points of the teeth visible behind his just barely parted lips.

Samael would've been quite interested in knowing how she managed such a feat, especially around the Council's watch, but Lilith seems too disinterested in the human she's captured to answer. She's much more interested in his reaction, or whatever she can get out of it. Even as boundary pushing as Samael can be, he isn't too eager to have the Council hot on his back. As well as the Horsemen; They are quite eager to keep Humanity protected, and are more than willing to obliterate anyone who goes against The Council's rulings.

Samael isn't too eager to deal with the mess of that; Particularly if it involves the youngest.

"You can do whatever you wish with it," Lilith says, her tone lightening and stringing the second half of her sentence with an almost singing tone. "Consider it a gift."

Her eyes move from the large openings in the wall revealing the dreadful hellish sky, an unreadable expression on her face. One might assume it's sultry, and that wouldn't be entirely wrong, but there is far more there; And it goes far deeper.

"You should come by more often. I have far more interesting pets than little humans." Samael's gaze turns from you to her.

"That, I am already well aware of." She seems unhappy with his response, though it seems positive on pure words alone. Maybe there's an undertone that exists only between them.

When she's departed, it's impossible not to feel the way your heart drops in your chest when you see Samael's full attention turn to you. It's just his head turned your way at first, before he fully turns and with loud, thundering steps against broken cobblestone, does he make his way towards you. The cuts and scrapes on your hands hurt as you support your weight, but the pain pushed to the back of your mind in place of fear.

The last time you had a demon's full attention was Lilith, and she isn't one who's attention you want.

"Tell me,"

You don't miss the way his tone of voice seems to change a bit now that he's speaking directly to you; Though it's easy to just assume it's purely manipulative.

"Do you sing, little songbird?"

You don't answer, mouth and throat dry. Fear is a permeant emotion to you now, and you feel it rising up more and more as you feel his glowing eyes focus on you. The way your heart hammers on your collarbone, breath short and ragged. Your jaw hurts from how tense it's been for ages, lips split and cracked.

Samael gives the cage a soft 'bonk' with one knuckle, just enough to send it shaking back and forth. It wobbles and forces you to hang on, watching him as he watches you stumble about. He can see the perpetual fear in your eyes, the way your body is slowly giving away to the amount of hazards it's been through. He's not sure how long you've been here, but it couldn't be that long, if you still have your wits about you.

Lilith always did enjoying playing with her toys until they broke.

Samael has never really made sense of it. In all of his centuries he's always operated with a goal in mind, doing whatever he could to get to it. Lilith's motives sometimes seem, short-sighted. Maybe even a little dull.

But this, now this is interesting.

Samael hasn't seen a human in many years, and while the clothing you wear is different, humanity still maintains the form the Creator originally shaped them in.

That form is, soft.

He can see the tops of your hands and wrists are dirty, covered in small bruises, the same sort running along your neck and cheeks. Your eyes are wide, darting over every inch of him in fear.

Samael stops.

Maybe it's boredom. Maybe it's the desire for something a little bit different.

Samael is old. Far older than your realm, and anything that's been built on it. But in all of those years, Earth has remained a tantalizingly forbidden fruit. The Council forbade access centuries ago, and as such, Samael has been restricted to hearing of Humanity's accomplishments and fumbling through stolen artifacts and hushed whispers.

So he's, curious.

Everything he's ever heard of humanity has been what they lack in strength they make up for in ingenuity, and creativity. And depravity; Depending on the demon you ask.

The long, clawed hand that had just rapped against the cage's bars now holds the lock, fiddling with it before he snaps it between his fingers. When the shattered pieces fall to the ground, the cage's door slowly creaks open. You eye the giant demon, as he seems look at you expectantly. There's no shortage of amusement on his face, either.

"What, you think I won't try to run?" Samael laughs, a deep baritone you can feel in your chest.

"By all means, go right ahead. Whatever you run into out there will be far less inviting than myself." He can see the thought run through your little head, until you make a choice.

You move closer towards him, hedging a bet that he'll be better than Lilith, and whatever she had in store for you.

You've seen that throne of Lilith, and her pets. Her creativity knows no bounds. Whatever end you might meet with Samael, is far better than that.

You let the larger demon take you, leaving one unknown for another.

It might've been easy for someone to scold you on not hearing him coming up behind you, but in your defense, it's easy to miss; Especially when one is distracted.

His footfall is softer than one might expect, though one probably wouldn't exactly call it soft at all. It's his voice you end up hearing first anyways, looking over your shoulder the minute it hits your ears.

"So this is where you've been off to."

You turn around, looking up as Samael approaches. His wings are casually half-folded, watching as you fiddle with a large decorative vase.

Samael's palace is huge. Enough so that it's quite easy to get completely lost.

Far better than a cage; At least in your opinion.

You don't know exactly how long it's been since you left Lilith, but it's not been enough time. The improvement has been astronomical, and you no longer feel the constant, heart pounding fear that had been permanent for so long.

Samael is, oddly nice. You'd expected it to be mostly a ploy, but while you know he's a demon, one capable many, many things, he hasn't tried anything yet.

And so you find yourself almost enjoying his company, and the idea of leaving him now almost seems like a negative. You'd miss him.

"I just wanted to take a look around."

You don't think it would qualify as a 'treasure room', but the large open space is littered with a variety of things; From broken weapons to odd pieces of art that seem clearly inhuman. Most seem to be stolen from battlefields judging by the overall wear and tear, but it' hard to be sure. Some seems like it almost hails from Hell itself, much to your surprise.

Who would've thought demons would be so artistic.

"There is far more worth seeing than whatever rubbish you were throwing around. Let me show you." He kneels just enough to gesture towards you with his hand, and you know what he's asking you to do.

As step closer Samael's eyes rake over your body, taking note of the way most of the bruises and cuts have faded away. What's left is a much more fresh face, one that isn't battered and showing of fear and fatigue.

He lets you up onto his shoulders with a gentle boost, and you take roost quickly. He can feel the gentle touch of your hands on his scale-like skin, as you hold on. He'll show you sights that Humanity has yet to see, or hasn't in millennia.

Glancing up towards you he sees the way you're eagerly waiting, and begins walking.

[thestupidhelmet]

Hello! I saw a comment you made where you said one can be a critic of Hyde’s character when deserved but also a big fan at the same time. I would love to read that meta! Something that tends to frustrate me about Hyde discourse is that ppl write off his worst moments as being ‘OOC’. But truthfully he could be petty, vindictive, wasn’t always a great friend, and so on. Like all of the characters ofc.

I do think his worst moments after season 1 are OOC, a character manipulation to serve plot and punchline. But despite the fact I don't believe an in-character Hyde would make certain choices, I've analyzed them nevertheless as choices he's made.

I'll link metas I've already written about Hyde's less than stellar behavior after this one. 😂

First, I'm writing this based on Hyde's new core characterization developed in "Prom Night" (1x19). Once his main role as Eric's antagonistic non-competition competition for Donna's romantic feelings, he needed to be overhauled and was transformed into a nearly different character, outside of facts about his upbringing and more superficial traits.

Second, I'll be discussing negative aspects of his character. I've written plenty about both those and his positive aspects, but I haven't often focused exclusively on the negative.

Hyde is depicted in the show as having internalized his mother's aggressiveness but externalizes it in a much milder form -- until season 5 when the writers ramp up that trait to serve the story arc they came up with and the season 5 cliffhanger.

Before season 5, however, Hyde derives pleasure from screwing over Eric with Red but not in any way that's dangerous to Eric's physical or emotional well-being. More impish, mischievous, and obnoxious.

Hyde can be arrogant. He closes himself to other points of view unless someone touches an emotional truth or an aspect of himself he's unsure about.

Hyde can be lazy. He doesn't enjoy working harder than he believes is necessary. This fact applies to emotional work as well as schoolwork and work to earn money.

Hyde has trouble owning his mistakes (but isn't incapable of it).

Hyde has addictive tendencies. Before season 7, Bud is canonically Hyde's biological father. Bud and Edna are both alcoholics. Hyde clearly inherited the alcoholism gene and shouldn't touch alcohol at all. He narcotizes himself against emotional pain with beer and pot.

Hyde can be thoughtless about and dismissive of other people's feelings, a trait his parents passed on through their thoughtless treatment of him. He's also uncomfortable being present to his own feelings and has trouble processing them. This creates a double whammy, and his thoughtlessness and discomfort is often expressed through sarcasm and humor.

At least once, Hyde uses Fez's naivete and lack of U.S. teen cultural knowledge to manipulate him when Hyde believes it will benefit himself. (Fortunately, it leads to Hyde's comeuppance and actually benefits Fez.)

Hyde has low self-esteem and big trust issues. These are simply facts, not judgments. But they explain most of his bad behavior. He's a survivor of childhood abuse and neglect, the child of two alcoholics, and is ultimately abandoned both parents before he's eighteen.

With the support of Red, Kitty, Eric, Donna, Leo, and (eventually) Jackie, he's able to overcome much of the hurtful, destructive ways his emotional wounds manifest in his behavior. While people grow and change in layers, they generally don't do a personality 180 after major growth. When Hyde acts against his nature and character development -- without a foundation for it being substantively built over many episodes, as it is for Donna in season 4 -- it is what's called in writing character drift or, as many of us say, OOC.

Now, links to other metas. ☺️

Links to many, many metas I've written about Hyde.

[astral1s]

Step 1: Basic OOC Information

Please start by providing the following details:

Your Alias, Timezone, & Pronouns: alyx, EST, she/her

Muse’s Name(s): cesar vicente

Tagging System Link: interactions: cesar, visage: cesar, inspiration: cesar

First Part of Your App ( Optional! ): [ oscar isaac, cis man,  he/him ] Look who just landed! CESAR VINCENTE, I sure hope you packed all you need. Perhaps you’re not worried as LEADER/POLITICIAN of THE GOLDEN TEARS/CITY OF NEW JAKARTA. The city has plenty of spots for a 45 year old HUMAN like you. You’ll be known in the city soon enough as THE SHADOW KING, being CHARMING and TWO-FACED.

Step 2: Muse’s Statistics

Full Name:  cesar valentin vicente

Nickname: n/a

Date of Birth: August 7th, 2360

Gender:  cis man

Pronouns: he/him

Sexual Orientation: bisexual

Romantic Orientation:  demiromantic

Current Age: 45

Modification: human

Affiliation: the golden tears

Birthplace: new jakarta

Current Neighbourhood: sora

Occupation: politician / leader of the golden tears

Known Languages: English, Spanish

Step 3: Choose Your Creation Style

Now, it’s time to personalise your introduction by choosing from the options below. Select one option (A - G) or a combination of them that best fits your muse’s story or personality. Let’s dive in and get creative!

OPTION A) TRADITIONAL BIOGRAPHY

THE BEGINNING: You were a wide-eyed thing buried deep in the slums of New Jakarta. You came from a home that was too cramped for your family, with too many siblings to count and parents who gave up on their offspring after the fifth child arrived. The harsh conditions of your upbringing taught you how to adapt to situations, but it also left you starving for a bigger purpose in life. As a child, that idea was to save the world--- or at least help children like you live a better life than you were dealt. Your starry-eyed beliefs led you to other like-minded individuals, and slowly, each one of you began to brainstorm ways to help bring equality to the city. You truly thought you were going to change the world for the better, but as you grew up, you learned that perhaps it's the world that changes you.

THE MIDDLE: Your childhood self disappeared and was replaced by a determined young man. You went off to college to help better your standing in life, choosing to focus on political science with the goal of changing this city through government connections. You were still as idealistic as ever, longing to play the role of a hero in New Jakarta's story, but that changed once you left college and began to get more involved with the political scene of the city. You began to learn that idealistic dreams won't get you the results you craved, so you began sacrificing bits and pieces of your soul in order to accomplish your tasks. Eventually, you began to abandon your dream of bringing equality to the people and focused more on your political career, even becoming the head of the Golden Tears in the process. You became a shadow of your former self, a snake who had shed his original skin, but you didn't care as long as you benefited in the end. That's what it was all about, right? Providing a better life for the kid who grew up in the slums?

THE END: As your youth faded away, you saw that idealistic kid as nothing more than a phantom memory. Your bright eyes and wide smile transformed into a faux warmth that carefully hid the coldness underneath and a ghost of a smirk carefully adorning your features. You became a pillar of your community as you took on the role of a senator who fought for equality and care for the most underprivileged citizens, only to turn around and supply the upper class with weapon parts and test subjects in the shadows. You were a two-sided coin, a shapeshifter who became whatever anyone wanted you to be in order to better yourself and your empire, and you had no regrets about how your future unfolded. You held the city in the palm of your hand, and you intended to do whatever it took to keep it that way. If you have to utter fake promises to the citizens, then so be it. They only need to see what's in the light--- not what's lurking in the shadows.

OPTION B) INSPIRATIONS

Show us what inspired your muse! Provide a Pinterest board that represents your muse and answer the following:

Pinterest link

Quote:  "Your hands are wet with the blood of an empire, you lick it off."

Label or Archetype:  The shadow king

Tropes :  the corrupt idealist, the two-faced politician, the charming hypocrite

Media Parallels:  frank underwood (house of cards), petyr baelish (game of thrones), cyrus beene (scandal)

Theme Song:  the devil is a gentleman by marci raines

[pkmnirlevents]

Heyo. Not sure if I should ask this here or if there's a better blog to ask but, do you have any tips for beginner Rotomblr blogs? I have two I'm just starting out and I have no experience with this kind of thing. Thank you.

Yeah you can absolutely ask us! We've answered questions similar to this before and offer a link to flowerliker's starting guide along with a starting resources tag to keep track of it all! We'd recommend starting with the guide and then our tag, then asking specific questions from there, but we can give some general tips for now rather than sending you off with a bunch of reading. That said, we are putting this below a read more for the sake of being easy to scroll past!

Getting started is often times the hardest part because its when you are building momentum. It can often be a discouraging time, but its useful to learn what you want to do with your blog and find people you may want to collaborate with more often. Reblog ask games and importantly interact with others! No man is an island in this community, if you want interactions chances are other people do too and will appreciate it. Mind their rules and their canon though, and be mindful of yours too.

If you're comfortable joining Discords that's a great option to meet people and talk with them both ic and ooc, though it should be said this isn't a necessary step and you should not feel pressured to join any groups.

You are allowed to be selective if you choose to be. This applies as much to others as it does yourself. Being selective about who you interact with on blog isn't necessarily a personal judgement, there might be people you enjoy talking to ooc a lot that have canon aspects that conflict with yours. You don't have to stop talking to them and neither of you have to change your worldbuilding if you do not want to.

Rewrites big and small will happen and they aren't the end of the world, adjust as you need and communicate with your rp partners if its things that effect them. Characters and your writing will evolve naturally over time and that's a beautiful thing!

Know community tags and generally how to use them. If you're someone who benefits from a tagging system, try to start it early on so you don't have to retag a bunch of posts later. The use of the unreality tag is also a good one to familiarize yourself with, especially if you dabble in the multiverses aspect of Pokemon's canon. You're welcome to ask for details regarding this and we can answer any questions you may have.

In regards as to what we can do to help as well is we of course are known for postings of events the community can participate in but we actually do all kinds of other stuff! We can post calls for general roles for upcoming arcs or events (i.e. bystanders, food concessions, rocket grunts, etc.) or specific calls for canon characters (i.e. Professor Kukui, Rocket Admin Petrel, etc.). We have a tag for Discord groups that people are able to promote, though mind their rules and the fact that these Discords in most cases are not ours and we do not have control over if the links are dead or the group is deleted. We boost community made and outside ask games, particularly if they are submitted to us. All kinds of stuff! We are a community resource that strives to add whatever functions we can to help others!

We could add more but we don't want to get too lost in the weeds of details here, if you require any follow-ups please let us know!

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

Hello there twitter refugees! As I have seen an uptick with followers I feel the need for both of our sakes, to let you know what to expect on my blog before we all commit to each other and some basic ground rules here on my humble tumblr land piece and if you as well need to block me:

1: You follow or reblog from any self titled “Anti-MXTX” bloggers with that specified carrd description, unfollow me and don’t reblog my posts please. 💜 This also involves anything do with “MXTX critical” as well.

2: Jin Guangyao stans don’t try me, I am not nice about him so just block me if you don’t enjoy that as well as me very much despising Xiyao as a ship. I generally tag anything to do with him as, I hate jin guangyao and jin guangyao stans block me.

3: I adore my submissively breedable Jiang Cheng as a joke because he is damn trash, if you portray him as best UwU jiujiu and bro evar blocking me is best for your benefit. To put bluntly, if you think Wei Wuxian was more in the wrong toward him through the plot, my meta here are not going to be for you as my sympathy for this character is low. I don't tag anything as anti jiang cheng, as I do like him as one of my favorite characters to analyze, and what I have here is simply reiterating what we are given from text and the author.

4: I am rather critical of the portrayals of fandom tropes for MDZS that is horribly prevalent on Twitter and this runs the gamut of all sides. I am more than happy to expand on my thoughts on anything for this as well for any questions sent my way about what I think of "so and so".

5: I am a Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen stan first and foremost and will make that apparent through my meta as I get rather annoyed when the points of these two are missed.

6: Don't come to my inbox because I ranted or made fun of a bad OOC fandom headcanon and it personally upset you, your bad takes upset me. Equivalent Exchange, as Edward Elric said.

7: I do not and will not post anons linking to other blogs, this is basic courtesy only on my part as I am not comfortable with providing direct links that are not my own or of those that I have reblogged or commented on with my additional post commentary If I get particularly annoyed enough to say something in reaction.

8: FengQing shippers can block me instead of responding to my posts, I take none of what you say into account, thank you, don't come again 😊

9: Yue Qingyuan owes nothing to Shen Jiu himself and as the plot significantly changes due to Shen Yuan, there's nothing more for him to take responsibility for by the end as Shen Yuan exonerated him from any further responsibility to move on. Don't argue this with me as any what if's are unwarranted, needless and useless semantics.

With that, call me Orion or Ava!

98% MDZS here with a few smatterings of the other MXTX novels, c-dramas, Priest’s novels, video games and shitty memes. And uhhh, lots of clothes and pretty photos.

Only other info that is needed is that I am a lesbian, mexican/latina and 30+.

[shoot-of-corruption]

I ship you with Cherry's Ryo, DUH. Your Mariku and Cherry's Ryo *chef's kiss*

Other candidates:

Eli's Atem. After reading a couple interactions, yeah, and /s I hate it lol

I think that made me wonder if Mariku would work with other Atems/Yami Yugis

I don't know darknesskng too well, but their TKB gives off a certain energy that I wonder if it would resonate with your Mariku. (It would be a chaotic ship, probably. I think they would push each other's buttons a lot.)

I wish we could see some more interaction with Ra's Marik and your Marik, but I don't know if I'd call it a ship exactly?

I wish there was someone from Zexal I could see being a ship, but I'm not sure yet

I feel like there's one I'm missing

I dunno, make of this what you will. XD

Actually tagged this as IC replies, but I gotta move to ooc territory now to comment on this:

1.) Agreed. Not only is Deathshipping my favorite, Ryo (@starlitmemoriam) and Mariku are just getting along so well, it was almost shocking... like we cluldn't bend them in any direction.

The magnetism was beyond creepy and exciting.

2.) Eli's Atem (@ofthepuzzle) is definitely great shipping material. We resonate super well about a lot of things and apparently, whenever they come together our muses just so happen to be risktakers for the highest benefit.

I have done Clashshipping in the past but it never felt this natural to me 😌

3.) You and meboth, Anon. @darknesskng and I had a few IM interactions and we exchanged a bit of writing. I don't know them well, yet, but they have a nice spice in their portrayal. Probably oneof the muses around that could become really dangerous for shadow boi.

He'd have to feel out the waters first, before getting into any kind of relationship, since he has dealt with enough toxic and suppressing situations in his life.

4.) I swear Ra's Marik (@iilahalzili) is such a different brand, I'm very happy they portray him so extremely versatile and differently. In all honesty, I could maybe see them circling each other, but I don't know if it would lead to anything.

My muse at least shows off his brightest smile, but when nobody is looking, I imagine them both going exactly like this:

Oh well.... idk anything about Zexal *shrugs*

I mean, I know people tell me over and over and OVER that the other YuGiOh arcs are worth a watch... I just don't know how to fit them in my schedule and if I would enjoy them... *sighs*

I have so little time for things, I enjoy anymore that I don't wanna waste it on things that I might end up being bored by.

What you MAY be missing are Bakura muses. I can see those being linked to him =w= I can also see Yugis in that position. I would also like to see Mais in that position, but I just don't see Mais at all T.T ... @kujakudarling is a possible candidate as well :3

I guess we'll see! ^3^ Thanks for the long ask, Anon!

[gatheredfates]

Hi! My name is Sea, and I have an unhealthy obsession with taking on large community projects! This is my Final Fantasy XIV Community Compendium, focusing on linking as many XIV writing/roleplaying discords, forums, events, free companies and resources as I can get my hands on. While the inspired by and predominately tailored for roleplayers, it should have something for anyone looking to engage creatively with the game in some capacity. ⭐

If you'd like to simply check out what the Compendium is all about and miss my waffling below, any of the links on this post will take you there — but this is a handy one! A reblog also goes a huge way to increase my reach and find communities/resources; you're also welcome to share this post with people not on Tumblr who might be looking for communities/resources or have something to add.

Why a compendium, Sea?

In my opinion, the way people engage with fandom and communities has changed. It was once extremely common for people to hop onto the XIV Roleplaying Forum or find people looking for contact on Tumblr, but most of these resources have shifted to Discord. While Discord is great for keeping a community when you have it, the isolation of these communities into hidden, secular spaces doesn’t do a lot to help people find them in the first place and creates an air of loneliness/disconnect for new players or people looking to find specific communities. I don’t believe that a person should necessarily be a part of x amount of servers to find the one that suits them, nor that all communities should necessarily be on Discord — or just plain hard to find. However, while this is currently the standard, I’d like to try and help these communities be fostered and seen in a place accessible to basically anyone with an internet connection. If one community has benefited from this document, then I have done my part.

This is my monthly drive to showcase the Compendium but find new things to add! A lot of the below is already on the document, but I split communities/resources into four distinct spaces:

Large-scale community discords such as the XIV Reddit Discord, Hunts, GPOSE promotions and broad-space roleplay servers that harbour a large number of people and are publicly available to all. These may not have an RP focus but will assist in other aspects of the game.

Free Company & community-focused servers. E.G. an Ishgardian Roleplay server whose mission is to foster a community for Ishgardian characters; an EU server created to help players struggling with timezones. This also includes event discords such as fight clubs, markets, cafes, etc.

Friend/casual servers that have a roleplay element but may be just a group of people looking to find others to hang out and do content with.

Miscellaneous. Likely to be less community servers and more resources such as lore compilations, how-to guides, gposing techniques, boosting blogs, etc. These may get their own dedicated section later.

Want to submit? You can either fill out the google form here, send me an ask with the relevant information contained on the Compendium, or join my Discord at SEAFLOOR (21+ only)!

Is my space suitable for the Compendium? Most of the time, yes! Below the read more is some more information/stipulations. Again, all accessible on the document! 🪸

Below are the following things I do not accept on the Compendium:

Personal/Single-Character LFC ads.

Content intended for or can be used for bullying, harassment and OOC gossip. E.g. ‘Secrets’ blogs, receipts, callout posts, etc. This does not include IC tabloid blogs used to generate RP.

Communities that do not have an RP/writing element (large-scale exempt).

Anything I find personally distasteful or goes against the spirit of this project.

Common-sense rule applies.

FAQ.

I want to put my community on the compendium but we have an application process. Is this okay?

Yes! Just note somewhere in your application that's a requirement. The only thing that is mandatory for the Compendium is that you must be open to new members or have a public-facing/accessible facet. There's no point advertising a community if no one can join it in some way!

I want to put my community on the compendium but I only have x number of members —

Also totally okay! People don't start with large communities. Activity is a must but, whether your server has two or two thousand members, if you're looking for new people to join, I'd love to help you find people.

I want to put my community on the compendium but I worry its too niche?

Okay, and? If your Eorzean Fishing Alliance has four members but you roleplay every second weekend, I still want to know about it.

What resources/communities can I add if I'm not the owner of them?

Mutual consent is extremely important to me, so anything that isn't a large-scale community OR a publicly accessible resource must be endorsed by the owner/admin/moderators in order to be added to the compendium. I operate under the assumption that a resource posted to a public space (tumblr, googledocs, youtube, etc) is open to all. A large-scale community is one with a significant member count or openly advertises itself as being accessible to everyone for whatever purpose it serves. If in doubt, please get in touch with me. I'm happy to contact your community owners for you!

How active does a community need to be?

If you find a community has not been active in about two/three months, send me a message and I'll take a look at it. Communities have ebbs and flows, especially event spaces that may take hiatuses depending on member interest/life events. I'm not strict in my implementation provided a space isn't dead. If a link or anything is broken, absolutely contact me about that.

I have [insert a question not stated here]?

No drama! Send me an ask or use the #Compendium channel in my Discord!