#Presentable Corpse

[where-the-water-flows]

also WHERE is the au where, at some point in his decade long fake dead stint, Shan Gudao discovers his useless cripple son is now actually a pretty decent option for an heir, and poor Fang Doubing:

1) gets his ass kidnapped

2) finds out he's adopted in the worst way

3)finds out his biological father is plotting treason and world domination

4) decides to go all in on being undercover because he's Li Xiangyi's disciple! he has to stop this evil! he can definitely bring this down from the inside!! justice for his shifu!!!

cue poor fang doubing who spends like five years learning to manipulate and/or manslaughter his way through more ethical nightmares than he realised existed, and keeps learning worse and worse reasons that basically no one is trustworthy except, and this is the rub, his shifu (murdered) and maybe di feisheng (tricked into murdering his shifu, also in seclusion, also also definitely not aware most of his underlings are plotting against him)

and then, of course, di feisheng comes out of seclusion, and fang doubing figures...well. maybe having an ally - or at least someone vaguely on the same side - might be novel, after so many years on his own against the sprawling horror of his father's plans.

also I do need to be clear here bc this is tumblr etc etc I am disabled myself, I know cripple is a loaded word for some people but like. I, a cripple. do not @ me

[breha]

claudia’s birth allows louis to believe that he and lestat have become The Parents (equal status) and so the teacher-student power dynamic has gone away, but really it’s just been repressed and it comes up again like wack-a-mole

[sketchbot9000]

A present for the Corpus Domini Reginae on her 700th birthday.

(She loves it)

[ilynpilled]

jaime through the eyes of other povs

[3cosmicfrogs]

if you're still taking requests for weird nieyao/3zun this but good

(it's supposed to be a dog collar over his decapitated stitches that says 'IF LOST RETURN TO OWNER--Jin Guangyao)

sdkjbhafjsgh i love you you are brilliant. i see your vision and have expanded upon it.

i am however incapable of simply making shitposts, because at some point Vaguely Horny Brain took over. linking the outcome of That in the rb.

[laufire]

batman: gotham knights #2

why does nobody get him 😭

like. I think it's not out of the realm of possibility to assume anyone talking about jason todd in their writing and getting paid for it would've AT LEAST read aditf. and yet. fucking yet...

[summertimemusician]

Linktober (Shadow) 2023

Spirit

Welp turns out my exam season throughly steam rolled through my general Linktober plans, so you get this VERY late thing for now folks who find this, at least until I decide whether to continue this until I finish it even though it's no longer Linktober or if I'll make whatever other stories come later their own thing after exam season is over (mostly because the original for this one is my preferred draft, and that I feel the one for the Link/Dark Link prompt would be kind of wasted if it just sat there collecting dust cause I worked hard on the tension and horror there lord darn it, along with a few others mainly involving Fae Hyrule, Twilight, Time, First, among other Links like Legend, Sky, Warriors, just all of the boys, I wanted to give them all proper spotlight and still want to do that in any way I can). Welp. *Downs coffee like a shot* Also really need to find out how to make a Masterlist on mobile, figure out how AO3 works and answer asks.

Anyway, not really any warnings this time besides Reader Not Being Okay (par the course really) and angst.

As always can be read as either romantic or platonic, Reader is gender neutral on purpose, technically is meant to be read as either Hero's Shade Time x Reader or First x Reader mainly, but you can interpret it as any Link really lol

Good reading!

This corner of Faron Woods was quiet this time of year.

The woods were solemn in this Hyrule, the sliver of moonlight barely enough of a guide through the mist, it was silent but for the soft padding of animals through the underbrush and the howl of a wolf in the distance (not Wolfie's, not musical enough). The stars were your only company as you were separated from the group, the air was cold agaisnt your skin as you attempted to find your way.

Being alone in the forests of Hyrule never spelled anything good for anyone, but as you felt the brush of a hand tenderly twined in yours, the ghost of leather and the faint clinking of steel, and a faint glow of pale gold and ivory cutting through the veil of the night, mindful of roots you may trip onto and never flickering too far out of sight you couldn't feel safer, even  if instead something like melancholy threatened to lock your throat with the chains of silence, you felt as warm as the soft twilight glow and as frigid as ice, frostburned with the bitter cold of your own warring emotions.

You can't help but chuckle a bit whille holding a old scabbard close to your heart, it's a wry sound, "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

There is no answer, of course there isn't, but you don't mind, you know he'll listen, thorns wrap around your heart and crawl up your throat, the smell of lilies and steel coats and sticks in your throat like honey, or maybe blood, "... I didn't think you'd show up, you know? I always considered the possibility but..." You trail off, you feel something brush your side, you can only see him in the corner of your eyes or with a passing glance, there but not, existing but gone, so you keep your eyes on the road and in the flicker of light, so you carefully don't look to your side, you don't think you could contain the shaking in your heart otherwise, to stare at inevitability and prophecy, "... I know, I know you're fine. At least for now, I apologize for all the trouble I gave you."

'It's alright. It could never be a hardship aiding you.', the voice echoes in your ears, and you swallow thickly, breath hitching, the warmth of the sun in the fields of Hyrule, the wind caressing your hair, the song of the animals in Faron Woods, someone holding you carefully, fondly. The warmth of your hand in his. Not really here, but not gone either, more feeling than true echo.

You chuckle, and try to pretend it's not a bit breathless, something like a wounded keen, "... You're too kind. Too, too kind, thank you."

Spirits in Hyrule never spell anything good, in this wild land of light and shadow in a gestalt of divinity. There are some exceptions though, even if it hurts to witness then. So you follow him through the dark, certain that as you've guided his way once, he'll lead you now to where you need to go.

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

... The clearing he leads you to is open, but by no means truly quiet among the trees, there is no peace to be found for the armored skeleton here. You choke on sorrow, on unfinished business, on the cruelty of being brought to ruin and being denied peace, and you stumble towards the familiar figure, almost in a trance as your vision blurs, roots and thorny vines wrap over rusted armor and a thorn cape, the skeleton's void sockets piercing through your soul, illuminated by the solemn gaze of the wretched moon and it's uncaring maids of honor in the stars.

You fall to your knees near the decaying skeleton, biting back against the wounded sound that attempts to leave your throat with enough strenght to bleed, you lay the scabbard by his side with a bouquet of lilies and shiver at the gentle, phantom touch, so soft, so loving it almost leads you to ruin all over again.

'... It's foolish to grieve for someone who isn't gone yet.' the thought comes to you, yet you can't help it. You still hurt for him, you still hold onto the fury at the heavens themselves for denying them quietus. For denying them rest over and over and over again. To watch this cycle and be helpless to stop it all due to the will of uncaring gods.

Alive. Dead. Alive. Dead. Denied full rest over and over again, to watch the chance at rest to the kindest of souls found in this world you found yourself in.

You barely register the touch to your cheek, ephemeral as it is, as you can't help but shed tears, can't help but grieve. Because if you don't, who will?

You know by now that some wounds can never heal, some rifts can never be mended. Even with the guarantee of cyclic, eternal rebirth, some things never return to how they were. And reminding yourself of this inevitability to them will never not hurt, even if you know it's futile to blame anyone but the one god who started this, and maybe the goddess who stood complacent to it. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth that it'll one day come to this, that the frost of death and the sharpness of pain will leave a mark the sands of time can't scar over.

You reach a trembling hand towards the one in your cheek, try to find catharsis in the remains of decayed, dead yet ever eternal, ever growing love. And you breathe.

'We'll meet again. So do not mourn for me, please.'

You don't think you could deny him if you tried. Not when you know he's trying to soothe you, to thaw your sorrow. To allow your heart's healing to fallow.

"We will, I know. I'm sorry for making you worry." You chuckle, leaning into the cold, trying to brand the memory of the shadowed, but not gone love given to you so you can return it in kind. Just until you meet again, just until you can give all you can to his not yet decomposing self, grasping onto what remains of him, "I love you."

'I love you too. Until we meet again.'

The cold is gone, the echo of love leaves. And you breathe, and pretend you don't feel empty.

(When you see Link again, reuniting with the Chain on the next day's twilight. You hug him as tight as you can, and hope you he doesn't notice the tears in your eyes. And that you don't feel the lingering traces of a frigid embrace.

When no one is looking, you wave goodbye to the shade. And pray he dreams of warmer days until he finds quietus.)

[teecupangel]

Okay i know this is a really random rare pair but I can't stop thinking about it.

Kadar/Maria

We'll tie AltDes in there too.

Desmond meets Maria first and forms a friendship with her.

But Desmond saves Kadar at the temple and Kadar decides that Desmond is now his best friend ever. He goes to visit Desmond at wherever he decided to set up shop and he runs head first into a templar knight in full armor. Falling flat on his ass, he looks up at them towering over him and starts to shake.

Only for Desmond to step out of his hut and call out for them to wait and that Kadar is safe.

Kadar watches as the very intimidating knight removes "his" helmet only to add a now very red face to his shaking limbs as he see Maria's face.

This woman is both ridiculously scary and incredibly pretty and Kadar is instantly smittened.

Now queue Kadar trying to court Maria. Even asking the Flowers in Paradise the best way woo a woman. He starts to brings her flowers, fruits, even sweet bread once or twice. Each time he is a stuttering shaky mess but he manages to say more and more to her each time.

Would Maria find it cute how he trips over his words everytime.

Would she be amused that he still trembles when he is near her.

Or just confused why this trained assassin (novice or not) seem so damn uncoordinated whenever she see him.

While this all happens Desmond has met Altair and caught his interest. Which unfortunately means he is now subjected to Altair's version of "courting". So Desmond is off to the side. Watching Kadar be all cute with his gifts and then he turns his head to glare at Altair who has dropped yet another dead body at his feet while Altair spreads his arms in a way that says "well? Are you going to praise me?"

Desmond just pouting about how its unfair he didn't get the "normal" one.

Before anything else, I feel like you might enjoy this AltDes idea that can pretty much be summarized as “Altaïr courts Desmond by giving him items that used to belonged to his target”

Next, I like Kadar/Maria. I think they would be cute together.

I mostly like it because I like to hc that Kadar is attracted to strong people who can kick his ass (hence why he had such a huge hero-worship/crush on Altaïr) so I can totally see Kadar falling in love with Maria after literally falling on his ass.

.

For this one, we’ll make Kadar fall fast and hard. He’s been nursing a crush on Altaïr for so long that it’s one of the most well-known running ‘joke’ in Masyaf. 

Then he met Desmond and his crush transferred to him because he’s so similar to Altaïr in looks and strength but he’s nicer and there’s definitely a savior crush trope in play on this side of the board.

But it’s because Desmond is so nice that Kadar knows his feelings are crushingly one-sided. More than Altaïr because, at least, Kadar knows Altaïr is oblivious to his feelings so he can atleast fool himself in believing there's a chance but Desmond isn’t and Desmond is nice about it even after he tells Kadar that he doesn’t feel the same way that Kadar can’t help but still consider Desmond a friend while having a broken heart.

Because Desmond’s rejection was the wake up call Kadar needed (but did not wish for) to understand that Altaïr would also reject him if he knew (in a more blunt but completely non malicious way).

So when he bumped into Maria and saw her in her knightly visage, looking regal and powerful and as beautiful as the female knights in Desmond’s stories he tells children that Kadar would listen to whenever he visited...

It was love at first sight.

Desmond feared it was a case of Kadar rebounding on Maria after Desmond rejected him.

But… 

The more Desmond sees Kadar and Maria together…

The shy slight stuttering and deepening blush on Kadar’s face as he tried to give Maria gifts while trying to act as aloof and cool as Altaïr (it wasn’t working, Desmond had to talk to Kadar and tell him to ‘be himself’ like an unhelpful stock phrase generator) and the bright surprised smile he always made whenever Maria took the gift and thank him… 

The soft smile on Maria’s lips whenever she sees Kadar and the vulnerability in her voice when she admitted to Desmond that she had never been courted so sweetly before. No. She had never been courted before as the only relationship she had was a marriage that had been purely contractual between her parents and her ex-husband. So this was… nice. And Kadar was such a sweet man and…

Desmond…

Desmond realized that he was jealous of them.

Of this sweet gentle courting…

The small walks they take to talk about nothing important at all but important in their eyes because they get to know each other more.

The meals they share where they learn what each other liked and enjoyed. 

The gifts that littered Desmond’s little hut because Maria was still a Templar (Desmond was working on that) and she couldn’t bring any of these back as it would cause unsavory rumors that may lead to Kadar’s identity being revealed.

And then…

Altaïr started to visit. 

He frowned at all the courting gifts that Kadar had given Maria and…

Look.

Desmond wasn’t stupid.

He knew that Altaïr was attracted to him.

Okay.

He knew that Altaïr had feelings of him, complicated feelings that emerged because Desmond continued to support and help him even after he had lost his entire support system, left to fend for himself and having to do tasks for people who should be helping him because it was part of his punishment… 

Altaïr wasn’t entirely blameless in this entire thing, of course.

But he had always been lonely and the sudden lack of the usual support he received dealt more damage to him than he let on.

Desmond knew that because of the memories he had gotten from Altaïr’s Bleed.

And he knew that Altaïr’s attraction to him stemmed from that.

And honestly?

Desmond didn’t care if people would think that he had manipulated Altaïr’s feelings, becoming his only light or whatever flowery words they might say.

Because to him…

Altaïr’s feelings for him are just as true as Kadar’s feelings for Maria.

And Desmond wished to accept them.

He truly do.

It’s just…

Desmond wished someone would talk to Altaïr that there are nicer courting ‘rituals’. Look, the death of a merchant that had been a bit too handsy could be forgiven since Desmond knew he had been torturing his servants and paying them less than they deserve. 

Being presented with the merchant’s bloody jewelry after his death because they would look good against Desmond’s skin (which Desmond was sure was not meant to insinuate that Altaïr wanted to see him naked… mayyybbee???) was a bit iffy but Desmond knew that the Brotherhood didn’t really give much money to the Assassins in the first place. Just a measly allowance that would be enough to cover their traveling while the bureaus would provide them with food and shelter.

Hell, Kadar was using the bride price their father left for him to pay for all the courting gifts!

So Desmond took the jewelry and thanked Altaïr because… what else was he supposed to do? 

Then… more not-so-good people that had done Desmond wrong or had annoyed Desmond or just made Desmond go ‘that man’s gonna die sooner or later’...    

Well…

They all started dying.

And Desmond was sure if Altaïr could, he would drag the body in front of Desmond’s hut and present it like a cat delivering a fresh kill by their owner’s feet.

But that would be too risky even for Altaïr.

So now..

One wall of Desmond’s hut was filled with such wonderful thoughtful courting gifts from Kadar to Maria.

And another wall was filled with wonderful thoughtful courting gifts from Altaïr to Desmond.

… which always makes Desmond think of a serial killer’s trophy wall.

[legitanawkwardmess]

School was just not it today (two oral presentations, one with singing, one with Spanish). So, I drew.

RF!Walden Darling - @dodozoi

Corpse Bride (Groom?) - @sketchquill

[hecksupremechips]

God every day I think about Akane’s breakdown in door 3 because there really is no correct way to interpret that and every possibility makes me crazy. Like she sees this fucked up corpse whom Junpei (and the player, depending on how they play) believes is their friend Snake, but she knows that it’s Guy X. It’s a man she very intentionally put in the game for this very purpose, so that he could die horrifically and be displayed for everyone to see. And she has a full mental breakdown over being trapped in this room with the corpse, being trapped by Junpei, to the point where she rips out her hair and starts bleeding from how much she bangs on the door screaming to get out. And fuck, there’s so many possibilities like

Akane could be feeling genuine terror over the sight of the body, and with that remorse. She made this happen, she wanted this to happen, and now she’s forced to quite literally watch the damage she’s caused unfold. She can detach herself from his murder easily in other timelines where she doesn’t have to look at it, and she can sleep easy knowing that her hands are technically clean because she didn’t do the literal killing. But she can’t do that here, and she has to face the fact that not only did she happily cause this death, she failed her mission. She isn’t going to survive, and now this man is dead for nothing and everything is her fault

On the other hand, her entire breakdown could be completely fabricated in order to keep playing the role of the damsel in distress who is so innocent that the very sight of blood drives her to insanity. The interesting part about this is that if she could fake such a horrific breakdown, just how much of her personality a facade? We know she wants revenge, for everyone from Cradle to feel even an ounce of the pain she and so many others went through, but we don’t get to see the extent of how much she feels this way. We never hear directly from Akane about her feelings on any of the original organizers, just her note about her desire to punish them. She hates them, but does she see their deaths as a necessary evil, or does she feel joy and satisfaction at watching them go? It’s absolutely horrifying not knowing, not being able to see her true feelings, not knowing just how real or fake she is, the extent of her madness. Perhaps she doesn’t even know that herself

IN OTHER WORDS, it’s fucked

[blood-starved-beast]

A lot of mariadeline fics have Adeline be the one to die first. Which yeah, makes sense that Maria would kill herself after major tether to this Earth perishes. But consider!! The tragedy of Maria killing herself before Adeline dies.

Lady Maria always prioritizes herself (and how own issues/faults) to the detriment to her understanding of others. I'd argue this is why she never notices Gehrman's mania despite it being pretty obvious (I doubt the Doll was the first time he pulled such an act.) I wouldn't be surprised, therefore, that she in her overwhelming guilt and shame over her own actions, she forgets the connections she does have on Earth and the people who would miss her when she's gone.

Idk, this was inspired by how in the Hunter's Nightmare, when you first encounter Saint Adeline she asks if you were Maria, but climbing the Clocktower Maria is currently dead (until she is Not). More likely, the fics are right but again, it's a fun tragic fanfic concept to explore.

[coquelicoq]

my toxic trait as a neighbor is when a wasp gets in here i just open one of my doors to the communal hallway until it goes out there, and then i avoid using that hallway for 3-5 business days until enough time has passed that i feel like someone else has probably taken care of it. im delegating 😇

[weidli]

yknow what i think would be a fun timeline of relationship development for the stuttgart boys. like assuming they've been at least a lil bit in love for a while and thorsten's noticed but isn't ever going to say anything unless sebastian does first and sebastian hasn't properly allowed himself to think about it because he's dealing with The Divorce. we get to frage des gewissens and in the scene in sebastian's apartment where he is very much no longer sober after ich habe das für dich getan / ich habe dich nicht darum gebeten instead of watching thorsten storm out sebastian is like. Fuck it. and kisses him. because you know what he's drunk in his miserable little apartment that he won't clean up because he doesn't like himself very much these days and the kids aren't here for him to clean up for and neither is anyone else and he's lonely and he lied in his testimony for his best friend and his best friend doesn't get Why (the Why is that sebastian loves him and doesn't want anything to happen to him. drunk sebastian is a lot less repressed and a lot more honest with himself than sober sebastian ist) and talking isn't helping. so why not get his point across some other way. and thorsten lets it happen for a second or two partially out of sheer shock and partially out of holy shit sebastian kissing me and then remembers 1. sebastian's drunk off his ass and 2. thorsten was kind of trying to be mad at him. but the moment of discombobulation is enough that he can't really manifest the energy to be properly angry at the sad wet lump of drunk pathetic puppy sebastian is right now. so he Does pull away and tell sebastian no we can't do this (not now) and sebastian stares at him with big wet sad eyes as he does and thorsten says Okay idiot. (the My idiot is implied.) you're going to take a shower and go to bed or so help me god. (the i love you too. idiot. is implied) we can finish this discussion when you're sober and i can argue with you properly again. and shoves him in the direction of the shower and then the direction of his bed and leaves a glass of water on the nightstand and locks the door behind him when he goes. and sebastian wakes up in the morning with one hell of a headache and remembers approximately 25% of the previous evening and it's the 25% that involves telling thorsten that he lied and not the 25% that involves then kissing him. so obviously he doesn't bring it up again. which thorsten logically decides must mean either 1. he doesn't remember it (and probably didn't mean it like that anyway he was drunk and lonely and missed his wife that's all) or 2. he does remember it and regrets it. and then (because i've mentally deleted der inder from my personal stuttgart timeline) preis des lebens happens and thorsten is like Right guess i'll just take this to my grave then. ah shit this is just a whole potential fic oh fuck

[incorrect-hs-quotes]

Terezi: 1 DON'T W4NT 4 V4LU4BL3 L1F3 L3SSON, 1 JUST W4NN4 34T MY CH4LK >:[

[loosingmoreletters]

full confession I don't think even 30 chapters are gonna cut it for patching the road. they keep fucking derailing the plot.

[violetlunette]

If you’ve seen the mha 373 leaks, im genuinely curious, what do you think about people disliking mics intention of having oboro “stay as a nice memory”? Personally i like mic more because of that line but thats my opinion. Oh and what are your predictions of whats gonna happen with kuroboro?

Spoilers for MHA 373

First, let’s look at it from his POV;

Within a short period, Mic has gone through hell. First, he’s had his old wounds torn open by discovering that the corpse of his best friend was turned into one of the enemies that nearly killed Aizawa. A friend he has been looking out for since he was 16.

Then when he tries to fix the issue, a war that destroys an entire city is started, and thousands of innocent people, whom he swore to protect were injured or killed.

And in that same battle, he loses yet another friend, who he has known since high school. And his remaining friend not only nearly dies but loses an eye and a leg. To top it off, Mic probably blames himself for Aizawa’s pain, as from his POV, Aizawa was only there because of him. Aizawa said straight up; “if you’re going, I’ll go too.” Mic was in tears seeing his friend in pain but couldn’t do a thing.

Then after that, Mic spends endless hours trying to fix the damage and calm a bunch of people who are rightfully scared and emotional while keeping his students safe.

Now, here’s a question for the fandom; what if it’s not Oboro who wakes up but Kurogiri? Now really think about it. What happens?

Answer; Kurogiri rejoins AFO’s side and uses his teleportation powers to help the villains kill more innocent people. Now a major faction of the MHA fandom has made it clear they could care less if innocent civilians die, but the heroes do care! They are risking everything so that more innocent people don’t die or are hurt. That has been their job since the beginning, and it’s one they take seriously.

It’s heartbreaking and unfortunate, but if Kurogiri is the one who wakes up and Oboro, then for the greater good, it would be best if Mic kills him. If Kurogiri wakes up, it’ll make it the heroes' ability to end this war and fix things, maybe even stop them. And if the heroes don’t end it here, then Japan falls into even more chaos, and more people get hurt.

Mic couldn’t stop the war. Mic couldn’t protect his friend. What he can do is stop Kurogiri from using Oboro’s corpse to hurt anyone else and protect Aizawa, who has been through hell.

Aizawa saw his student nearly die in front of him. Then he loses an eye and a leg. Then he wakes up in a hospital to learn that not only has one of his students run away but one of his best friends is dead. To add the cherry on top, Aizawa later discovers that a student he trusted set him, and the rest of his class, to die twice. Is it any wonder Mic would want to spare him that pain?

Plus, Mic knows Oboro wouldn’t want to be used like this. He wanted to help people, but he had his body stolen and turned into a nomu. Oboro is the type of person who’d rather die than continue harming others.

So, to no one’s surprise, I agree with Hizashi. 

If Kurogiri, not Oboro wakes up, it would be best for the world, Aizawa, and Oboro for Hizashi to kill him. It would be a tragic choice that would severely damage Hizashi emotionally, but for the greater good, it would be the best. (Even if the action will make Aizawa hate him.)

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t want Oboro to die. Hizashi and Aizawa have been through enough. In fact, I’m hoping Oboro recognizes Mic and joins him to be the hero he always wanted to be. I think they’ll team up against Spinner, who I hope they can knock out and help before the transformation is permanent.

But this is all based on what I’ve heard and from the leaks. I’ll have to read the actual chapter before I give my thoughts.