#Tw animal mating rituals

[princessgemma12]

H ey wasn't sure but felt like you'd like this info 👀

NON CON TW ,uhh irl animal mating ment TW but talked about for anthro animals?

Out of the 4 species of turtle we see in rise, only one even considers consent in the wild, the softshell turtle will back down if the female or receiving party doesn't want to mate

But the /other/ 3, it doesn't cross their minds!

Snapping turtle mating rituals are often described as violent, with the one chasing down the other until they tire and mounting them regardless of protest

Box turtles are a species of turtle that have knots, these knots can last up to 3 hours

Red eared sliders are fairly normal with mating rituals that last around 15 minutes but the males, still do not care about protests from the female or receiver :)

Softshells are sweet boys and will back down if the receiver snaps back at them or walks away <3

Ooooh new knowledge!! Happy wiggles 🥰

[yandere-writer-momo]

Yandere Baki Headcanons:

Struck By Cupid II

Yandere Baki Various x Fem Fighter Reader

Part 1

TW: Yandere behavior, stalking, uncomfortable themes, violence, minor smut, dubcon (alcohol), Jun Guevara, masturbation mentioned, and unconsensual touching (kissing and hugs

@abottleoflotion

Pickle

Now you hadn’t meant to catch his attention! You truly hadn’t! But the gods were not on your side the day you met Pickle... The caveman took utmost interest in you when you showed genuine care for your comrades. Pickle took an interest in your tears. A horrifying and unwanted thought, but there was nothing you could do when your tears fell down your face for your defeated comrades. Pickle was quick to pick up on it. You cried just like him… were they your friends like the ones he had back during his time?

Why do you weep for those small, weak males? They are not worth your time when a stronger male like him is around!

Pickle began to approach you more often with an eager smile and bad breath. His clawed fingers ran through your hair as you became rigid. No need to fear! Your mate was here!

But you fought him with your small feet and fists. Something that fascinated him. Was this some sort of mating ritual? If it was, Pickle would indulge you!

You’d always jump whenever Pickle tried to touch or sniff you, but Pickle was determined to have you. Don’t ever worry, he’s quite loyal once he sets his mind to it.

And so began your constant attempts to fight him off whenever he’d follow you around. Pickle didn’t mind a kick to the face if it meant you’d give him attention. And even better, he’d get more chances to sniff you. Pickle was obsessed with how sweet you smelled… it was intoxicating.

Pickle often brought you animal carcasses and wild flowers as a gift. Your poor doormat had to be replaced once a week from all the guts that would be laid out on them from your prehistoric admirer. It was miserable.

Pickle often tried to break into your home to the point Jack and the others began to lurk around to ‘keep you safe.’

The entire ordeal was frustrating. You were no damsel in distress and you certainly weren’t happy with the way all of the other fighters treated you. Couldn’t they understand that you were uninterested in a relationship of any kind?

Yet despite all their best efforts to keep Pickle away, the caveman finally had enough and broke into your home while you were asleep.

In a way, it was kind of funny to wake up to this giant, smelly man cuddling beside you. His large arms wrapped around you with his face buried in your face like a child does to a mother. And his golden eyes peered up at you with so much admiration that you almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Pickle still broke into your home to lay beside you, you counted your stars lucky he didn’t give you the reporter treatment.

You sighed when Pickle cooed at you, his head nuzzled into your neck for comfort while you begrudgingly ran your fingers through his thick brown hair.

“Pickle, you know they’ll be upset if they find you here.” You spoke to the caveman as if he’d understand you. Your eyes glared down at the caveman who continued to purr and coo like a cat of some sort. Pickle was so odd… “You can’t stay here-“

You squealed when he dragged his tongue across the soft skin of your exposed neck, his eyes a bit half lidded. You tried not to retch from the horrid odor from his mouth. In Pickle’s mind, he needed to claim you. Pickle had to mark you so the other males would leave you alone!

Pickle then attempted to pin you under him but you were quick to kick him off you. Your feet landed a wicked blow to his chest that sent him onto the floor of your bed with a soft thud. His golden eyes showed hurt and he bared his fangs at you with a snarl.

“You’re gross, Pickle!” You furiously wiped the spit off your neck with your pajama sleeve. “You can’t be doing that.”

You sighed in defeat when Pickle tilted his head off to the side in curiosity. There was no use speaking to him… Pickle would never understand you.

You rose up and began to pet Pickle’s head like a dog. The caveman immediately perked up and purred at the relaxing sensation, his arms now wrapped around your legs.

You belonged to Pickle. You had just accepted him by giving him affection… Pickle was all yours, a fact that you would soon understand.

“What am I going to do with you?”

Hector Doyle

Oh ho ho ho, what’s this? A convict on the run? One that had blown up the dojo a few times and even disappeared without a trace for months? A convict who was quite smitten with Katsumi and was utterly horrified to find you in the way of their relationship. How dare you. How dare you get in the way of their friendship!

You didn’t even know you ran into a criminal until Hector Doyle stopped you on the street pretending to be a lost woman. He was determined to eliminate you so you’d be out of Katsumi’s life for good. Just a quick slice to your throat and you’d be gone.

“I’m terribly lost, I can’t seem to find my way-“ Doyle felt his breath hitch when you turned around and smiled at him. What a stupidly pretty woman you were… no wonder Katsumi was all over you.

“Oh! I can help you out, Miss. Is there a specific place you’re looking for? We could walk there together if you like since it’s getting late.” Doyle only flushed when you offered him your hand, your sunny smile never faded. You were not only stupidly pretty, but you were stupidly kind too.

Doyle would have to eliminate you another day since more people began to gather in the streets.

He quietly muttered a specific restaurant he had seen prior to coming up to you. The young man shocked that you hadn’t released his hand as you lead him to the restaurant. Your soft voice shared how you only recently came to Japan but that restaurant was a place you often frequented with a friend (a fact Doyle knew since you often stalked you and Katsumi there).

“Here it is! I recommend the tonkorsu ramen here, it’s one of my favorites.” You beamed at the mysterious woman. Doyle knew this fact, of course, but he gave you a smile. You had to be mocking him since that pork ramen was also Katsumi’s favorite. You little bitch.

Doyle decided then and there that he’d earn your trust and then he’d kill you. He wanted to savor your death. To see the light fade from your eyes while you were consumed with betrayal. Yes… he’d take his time with you.

And so began your friendship with the mysterious yet eccentric ‘Doyle.’ The taller ‘woman’ often talked over you, but you didn’t seem to mind. Rather, you seemed happy to have the company of another woman. You trusted Doyle, a fact that made the assassin giddy.

You often confided in Doyle and were always so sweet. Doyle began to look forward to spending time with you, he wanted more of you.

Doyle used to try to get information about Katsumi from you, but he started to realize just how infatuated Katsumi was with you. The more you spoke of the strange happenings with Katsumi, the less interested Doyle became. Perhaps Doyle only sought companionship with Katsumi and had built an unrealistic version of the Karateka in his head? He didn’t know… all he knew was the his heart fluttered when he was with you.

“I appreciate you being my friend, Doyle.” You smiled up at Doyle as you rested your head on her (his) shoulder. “I wish I could spend more time with you…”

Doyle felt his heart flutter when you turned your gaze to look up at him. He was happy he repaired his eyes so he was able to gaze upon your unearthly beauty. It was in this moment that he realized he was in love with you. That his feelings were Katsumi were purely strong attachment since he’s never had positive attention. With you, it was different.

You were warm and so soft… you always reassured him and you never got upset with him talking over you or being a bit mean to you. Doyle knew he didn’t deserve to be in your presence since his ulterior motives had been malicious, but now he was in love with you. Love. Love. Love. LOVE!! He loves you!

Doyle sometimes imagined you beneath him with a knife against your throat, a scene that got him riled up more than anything. He desperately wanted you beneath him… or on top.

Doyle began to steal your clothes, both soiled and clean, when he spent the night. He adored wearing your clothes, just to feel that much closer to you. He was especially fond of soiled clothes since he could drown in your scent. Doyle just couldn’t get enough of you. He wanted so much more than the friendship the two of you had, he wanted a relationship. And it was finally time to reveal himself to you…

“Doyle?” Doyle leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. A gentleness only reserved for you. “I didn’t realize how muscular you were.”

Your nervously chuckled under Doyle’s intense gaze, the redhead’s eyes practically bore a hole into your head. What on earth was going on with your friend?

“Oh (your name)… you’re always so innocent.”

Doyle reached up and pulled off his wig, your eyes widen a bit in shock. Doyle had short hair? The red color was honestly stunning.

“Your hair is such a pretty red-“ you squealed when Doyle pushed you back onto the couch. He took advantage of your surprise so pinned yours above your head.

“You’ve always been so naive… so kind.” Doyle bent forward and pressed soft kisses to your cheeks. “I’m a man, (your name). A man that loves you.”

Doyle chuckled when you pushed him off of you and pinned him down on the couch. A smirk on his devilishly, good-looking face. Yes… that look in your eyes made him squirm with delight. Look at him. Look. At. Him!

“You bastard…” Doyle took advantage of your emotional state to sit up and press his lips against yours in a passionate kiss.

“I may be one, but I’m yours. I’m your bastard.”

Jun Guevara

You met this flirt when you went on a vacation to Brazil to try to escape your suitors in Japan. A suave pirate who was smoother than butter. A cheesy pick up line was all it took to make your heart flutter. Jun was bold with his interest in you.

To you, this was a summer fling but you never took into consideration that this was so much more to Jun. The possibility of Jun being madly in love with you never occurred to you. What a fool you were.

You were a bit swayed by his charismatic charm and his honeyed words. It was so odd to be scooped up in a whirlwind romance, but who were you to complain? He was attractive. And he was a passionate lover… although you had avoided getting into bed with him.

There was not a doubt in your mind that he’d blow your mind, but there was a feeling in your gut that told you not to sleep with him. And you would trust your gut, it’s never lied to you once.

“Meu amor, how about I take you sailing?” Jun often took you sailing or sat with you on the beach around a fire as he held you close. He had the scent of coconuts and the ocean. He was the perfect man. The perfect escape.

Jun shared his past with you, he was on open book with radical ideologies that fascinated you. Jun had a way with words no other man that you’ve met, thus far, had. Jun had so much passion for his country and was brave to stand up to a foreign government to protect it. (He was a master manipulator)

Jun was also incredibly romantic. He wasn’t afraid to show public displays of affection nor did he care if you wished to cuddle with him whenever you wanted. Jun was an amazing lover, one you felt so bad about not being with…

Passionate kisses and he constantly offered to go down on you, but you had to refuse his offer. Jun was always a bit too eager for your taste, especially because the two of you didn’t have a label. You were only here for the summer.

“I’m sorry, Jun. I’m only here in your country until summer ends.” You failed to notice the way his face twisted and his blood ran cold. Only for a summer? Didn’t you understand that the two of you were in love?

Jun never pushed further, yet you could feel how passionate his kisses were. It’s been so long since you’ve been intimate with anyone… a thought that made you nervous.

As you went into your final week in Brazil, Jun encouraged you to drink more around the bon fire. He kept pushing drinks into your hands that you happily accepted. You trusted Jun. His forehead pressed against yours as the two of you exchanged rum flavored kisses and slurred words.

Yet you found yourself faltering in your initial rejections when the kisses became more adamant. When his gentle touches became lustful groping. When he scooped you up into his arms and carried you into his house… when you ended up in his bed with your fingers tangled in his brown locks with his face shoved between your bare legs.

That drunken night, you ended up sleeping with him. A huge mistake.

Jun’s arms pull your bare body against his chest as he pressed hot kisses up and down your shoulders. “Meu anjo, I just can’t get enough of you… I want to hear your pretty voice scream my name again, this time until it’s hoarse.”

“Jun, we can’t-“ You gasp when his fingers give your nipple a harsh pinch, his teeth now sunk into your shoulders in a playful bite.

“Did you not enjoy yourself? You seemed quite satisfied-“

“Jun, I go back to Japan in a few days-“ Jun grabbed your chin so he could slam his lips down on yours. The pirate maneuvered his body to lay on top of yours as he ground his hips into yours. A heat spread through you from his salacious touches.

“You’re not going anywhere, amor.” Jun chuckled, his lips trailed up your neck until he reached your ear. “This is your home now.”

[jessamine-rose]

‧̍̊˚ᵕ⋆Part of Your World⋆ᵕ˚‧̍̊

After two months and several “Part of Your World” loops, my Yandere Mermaid AU has been written!! I hope you all enjoy these tragic fairytales featuring Capitano, Pantalone, Dottore, and Pierro ϵ( 'Θ' )϶

Tw:: yandere, violence, death, kidnapping

♡ 2.5k words under the cut ♡

Shark! Capitano x Coral Reef Fish! Mermaid

♡ Humans and mermaids alike are afraid of Capitano due to the misconceptions about sharks. It doesn’t help that he is considered intimidating even by his own species—a masked hunter who reigns victorious over every feeding frenzy, adorned with scars from his deceased opponents.

♡ In contrast to his fearsome reputation, he is actually one of the calmer creatures of the sea. He mainly keeps to himself and avoids unnecessary violence, confident in his ability to survive alone. So it comes as a surprise when Capitano swims into your coral reef and scares away the mermaids who were bullying you.

♡ He understands your initial fear of him. You are quite the little mermaid, a weaker species of coral reef fish, though your scarred tail is proof of your capacity to defy natural selection. And you achieve another victory as Capitano gently asks if you are all right.

♡ Your quiet “Thank you” results in more encounters. He soon becomes your attentive companion, leading to more peace in your coral reef. The two of you regularly admire the sea anemone and swim together, the distance between you disappearing in no time.

♡ You’ve watched Capitano hunt on a few occasions; and while his strength is terrifying, the spectacle reminds you that he can keep you safe from other species. (Come to think of it, what happened to your bullies?) Likewise, he accepts the algae and small animals you’ve hunted from tiny crevices, affectionately calling you his little hunter.

♡ You even visit his home! His cavern is located in the deep sea, with less sunlight and more aggressive mermaids who mistake you for Capitano’s meal. Don’t worry, he is quick to scare them away and escort you to his safe territory. Look, he has a pretty collection of sea anemone which he knows you’d love.

♡ It’s strange, really. To Capitano, you are no worthy competitor nor a species with symbiotic relations to shark mermaids. So why do you bewitch him? Why does he feel the urge to protect you? Why are his instincts telling him to bite you, not as a prey but as a mate?

♡ He tries to repress those urges. He really does—it would be an offense to your own resilience. How fitting, then, that his boiling point is triggered by the worst predator known to your kind, a group of humans who catch you in a net and drag you up to their boat.

♡ Needless to say, a rare mermaid attack is reported that day. In the wake of the carnage, all you can do is tearfully hug Capitano and thank him for saving you. But the bloodshed does little to calm him. His little mermaid was almost stolen from him. How many more predators are eager to harm you?

♡ It’s too late for you. Before you can swim out of his grasp, Capitano holds you more tightly and makes his decision. The world is merciless to the weak, so you are to stay by his side from now on. It is his only way to ensure your safety.

♡ Well, look on the bright side. With Capitano as your provider, you are never alone in the sea—not that you could leave his territory without him, given his predatory neighbors. He still allows you to swim freely so long as he is there to protect you, and who can forget the many sea anemones he brings home for you?

♡ You can only pray that you survive your new role as his mate. Capitano may be willing to accommodate your softer flesh and courtship rituals, but the difference in strength is apparent. If he isn’t careful, his bites could become fatal…not that he would ever harm his beloved.

Jellyfish! Pantalone x Exotic Pet! Mermaid

♡ Pantalone is regarded as the jewel of the sea. Everything about him is perfect, from his graceful demeanor to his ethereal jellyfish features. Beneath that languid veneer, he is quite skilled in navigating the dangers of the deep sea and preying on unsuspecting creatures.

♡ When a ship capsizes in the midst of a storm, he takes advantage of the situation. He kills stings several humans, collects their valuables, and comes across a new treasure. A pretty mermaid trapped in a large aquarium, gazing at him with wide-eyed wonder.

♡ He easily deduces your identity. You are a rare mermaid raised by humans, a pampered pet who doesn’t know how to survive in the wild. And you have nowhere to go, seeing how your owners have either drowned or abandoned you.

♡ In that case, why don’t you stay with Pantalone? He must be a reliable mermaid if he’s willing to set you free and welcome you into his territory! His cavern is larger than your old aquariums, furnished with a gorgeous collection of pearls, human trinkets, and other treasures. And you fit right in with your shimmery scales and bright smiles.

♡ It takes a while for you to adapt to the wild. Outgrowing your expensive meals is easier said than done, much less learning how to hunt. You’re also a slow swimmer due to being raised in captivity, but Pantalone is patient enough to wait for you. He is a warm presence, always watching over you and educating you in How to be a Mermaid.

♡ He is also incredibly beautiful, which is high praise from an exotic pet. How can you not approach him when he illuminates the dark with his bioluminescent features? How can you not accept his offer to share body heat on cold nights, tails intertwined? How can you not applaud his underwater dances, unaware that it is a courtship ritual?

♡ You’re really lucky to have met him, you know? That is what Pantalone says whenever he stops you from meeting other mermaids and leaving his territory unsupervised. Had you met another sea creature, you would’ve quickly succumbed to the natural order of the world. You’re so naive and helpless, but he is willing to put up with it.

♡ Furthermore, something must be done about your view of humans. Despite the truth to his horror stories, it’s still common for Pantalone to pull you away from the surface and scuba divers. How many times has he warned you against showing yourself to humans? Don’t you know that the creatures who imprisoned you are just as likely to turn you into sashimi?

♡ Your shared life is perfect. So why are you suddenly saying goodbye to him? Pantalone can only stay silent when you tell him that you’d like to find your natural habitat. Your species isn’t meant for the deep sea and you feel guilty for freeloading. At the end of your speech, you leave the cavern to give him some space.

♡ That was your plan until Pantalone reaches out and stings you with his tentacles. He is incredibly apologetic about it, checking your wounds with cold hands and a calm smile. Oh dear, he’s so sorry. It seems that he let his emotions get the best of him. Why don’t you come back inside, darling? In your current condition, you would be easy prey.

♡ You listen to him. Eventually, you agree with Pantalone that you’d made an unconscionable decision. How could you possibly survive in the wild without him? Why put yourself in danger when you already have a perfect mate to care for you? You’re already home.

Octopus! Dottore x Marine Biologist! Human

♡ Octopus mermaids are perceived as intelligent troublemakers, and Dottore lives up to that reputation. His curiosity of the human world has caused many near-sightings, human deaths, and criticism from his peers but who is he to shy away from forbidden knowledge?

♡ It is during one research expedition that he meets a like-minded scientist. You are diving solo when Dottore reveals himself, and you react with genuine excitement. Not conventional fear, greed, or cruelty but pure fascination towards a foreign creature—a sentiment which he reciprocates.

♡ He is cautious, of course, but you remain undeterred by his bared fangs and clouds of ink. You carefully approach him and communicate with hand signals, to which Dottore surprises you with a few human words learned from previous research.

♡ An unlikely friendship is formed. Over time, you and Dottore secretly meet in the same area to share information and learn about each other. The language barrier remains an issue but you soon gain a rudimentary understanding of his speech patterns.

♡ While most humans equate octopi to sea monsters, you are clever enough to discover the truth on your own. You politely study Dottore’s mermaid biology, marveling over his grip strength and the suction marks he leaves on your skin. Likewise, you allow him to poke your legs and squeeze you with his tentacles. Half the time, the latter is an involuntary action which he tries to deny.

♡ One day, he follows you to the surface! Dottore has visited the surface before but it’s different when you are part of the view. Above water, you can remove your diving mask and speak to him clearly. An important observation is made: You have an attractive face. He’d like to see your expressions more often.

♡ Unfortunately, the moment is interrupted by an approaching boat. Quickly, you push him underwater and speak with the sailors. Thankfully, they don’t notice your companion and offer you a ride back to shore. You comply, unaware that Dottore is still watching you.

♡ What an unwelcome intrusion, he thinks bitterly. Despite your sociobiological boundaries, he can’t deny his fondness for you. The involuntary hugs from his tentacles, this odd feeling in all three of his hearts…could it be? Is such an attraction pursuable?

♡ Well, Dottore hasn’t been accused of witchcraft for nothing. In your following visits, he is more rigid in his research. He collects more human data, takes a few DNA samples from you, and acts clingy during your departures. You brush it off as an ordinary change in mood; it’s not like you could ask about it, anyway.

♡ One day, he guides you to the deep sea for some local mermaid games. You’re having so much fun that it comes as a total shock when Dottore forcibly removes your diving mask. For a few minutes, he restrains you with his tentacles and watches your distress with a cold, calculative expression. A deep kiss follows, flooding your throat with a bitter sedative.

♡ You know something is wrong as soon as you wake up. Dottore is looming over you with a frightening grin and when he speaks, you can understand him? That is when you notice the gills on your neck, the scales littering your skin, the mermaid tail in place of your legs.

♡ Aren’t you impressed? It took him ages to create a permanent transformation potion, and he even accommodated your favorite marine species! Now he can see your lovely face all the time and show you parts of the sea which no human can explore. Worry not, Dottore will guide you through your adjustment. The two of you will be closer than ever.

Orca! Pierro x Rescuer! Human

♡ Orca mermaids are no stranger to animal cruelty. Pierro can attest to that, having lost his habitat and escaped captivity. So when he washes up on shore, too weak and dispirited to resist the currents, he thinks it is the end for him.

♡ Only to be proven wrong by a compassionate human who lives near the sea. Before anyone can see him, you bring the beached mermaid home and put him in your bathtub. You add some foam pillows, treat his wounds, and wait for him to wake up.

♡ Pierro is naturally distrustful at first but there’s only so much he can do inside a bathtub. Apart from your concern, you are naturally curious about him and surprised by his fluency in human languages, an ability exclusive to his species.

♡ For a human, you’re oddly empathetic. Recognizing the social needs of orca mermaids, you spend hours in your bathroom to chat with your new companion. You introduce him to human culture by providing personal stories and warm meals which taste a thousand times better than the stale fish fed to captive animals.

♡ As the weeks pass, Pierro grows to trust you. You treat him like a companion, not a beast or pet, and go the extra mile to keep him comfortable. While he is embarrassed to sit in an inflatable kiddie pool, he’s willing to set aside his pride for more interactions in your home.

♡ Once his wounds have healed, you bring him to shore and set him free. In the dead of the night, you have enough time to properly say your goodbyes and wish Pierro a safe future. He thanks you one last time and disappears below the surface, leaving you to resume your ordinary life.

♡ Months later, you are roaming your neighborhood when you bump into a familiar person. It’s Pierro, appearing distinctly human with his two legs and fancy suit. After the initial shock wears off, he explains that he took a transformation potion to visit you. The effect wears off in three days; until then, would you be so kind as to give him a tour of your world?

♡ You eagerly accept. In his human form, Pierro can properly explore your house and natural habitat. The two of you go on several outings, eat your meals at your dining table, and share your bed. He regards your bathtub and kiddie pool with endeared nostalgia.

♡ On the third day, you cook a special farewell feast and invite Pierro to visit another time. He thanks you again, for both your hospitality and your previous act of compassion, but makes one clarification: Who said that he is saying goodbye?

♡ You aren’t given a warning before Pierro physically overpowers you and twists your leg. Calmly, he carries you to bed and soothes your pained cries. Walking is quite inconvenient, isn’t it? All it takes is a single injury, a shift in balance or gravity, for a human to be incapacitated.

♡ Well, Dottore’s the Sea Witch’s potion was worth it. He still has a few days before the effect wears off, enough time to decide on what to do with you. You see, darling, you’re too precious to him. How can he search for a new home when he has already found one in you?

♡ Now he just needs to decide whether he’ll remain a human or drag you to the deep sea and permanently turn you into a mermaid. It’s a difficult choice, seeing how either of you must make a sacrifice. But one thing is certain: Wherever you go, land or sea, he will be a part of your world.

♡

Read the sequel + more mermaid lore ʚʘ͜͡))❨

Fufufu which Harbinger’s story was your favorite?? The mermaid brainrot and nostalgia was very strong in this one. If the couples seem familiar, that’s cuz I incorporated the characters and darlings from my Yandere! Harbinger longfic series~

A big thank you to @diodellet for beta-reading this and putting up with more of my nonsense. And to the fishfuckers, I know you exist. I hope you are happy u_u

Tag a Harbinger enjoyer!! @bye-bye-sunbird @yandere-romanticaa @nicebonescomrades @harmonysanreads @ansy-tea @leftdestiny-posts @thescribeoflostmemories @kocherry @gum-iie @oofasleep @crypticbibliophile @yanmaresu @frogchiro @lcveaesop @shumidehiro @mirdance @surveyycorps @theinnerunderrain @teabutmakeitazure

[fl3shm4id3n]

𝓑𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓾𝓹 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓷 𝓐𝔀𝓪'𝓪𝓽𝓵𝓾

𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐝!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐤𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬?

tw: animal attacks, getting lost, reader is a kid around 9/10 in the beginning, later she’d be 15

Author’s note: Yooo, I’ve been thinking about a mermaid fic since I heard about the atwow movie.

Masterlist

That morning was a normal morning, everyone in the village have been doing their duties. Ronal and Tonowari had been attending to theirs. Some children had been playing at the beach, running around the water, splashing one another and so on. Until they saw something washed up at shore, curious the group went over to see what it was. They didn’t see an ilu or a skimswin, instead it was something else. They thought that they needed to tell an adult, so some stayed behind and others went to get adults.

The kids had been running around screaming and shouting about something that had washed up, this got the attention of some who had been passing by. This commotion caused some other Metkayina’s to see what was happening. While Tonowari and Ronal had been busy, someone had walked towards their Marui. “Tonowari, Ronal, something is going on” the female na’vi said, getting their attention. “What is happening?” Ronal asked, getting up. “Some children had spotted something wash up in the shore, I believe is best you come see for yourselves.” She said, now both Ronal and Tonowari stood up. “Take us there” Tonowari said.

The na’vi had lead them to were the commotion was happening, a small group of other na’vi had formed. They had been muttering and talking. “What is she?” “Where did she come from?” “Look at her! She has a big tail!” “Don’t touch her!” they heard once they got closer. When the group saw the chief and his mate they had stepped a side. “What is going on here?” Tonowari asked, once close he saw what the group had been looking at. “She washed up on shore” one of the kids that had been a witness.

Both Ronal and Tonowari had a closer look, you had been laying their, unconscious. Instead of a legs, you had a tail with fins, you had gills on your neck and on the side of your upper body. Your four fingers were webbed to one another and you had sharp talons. Your arms weren’t wide like them, instead they were thin with much longer fins. Your hair was long and it covered your chest perfectly, also your queue was visible. You were just like them, but also different. They also sad how small you were, you were a child.

Both Tonowari and Ronal believe you needed help, they had never come across anyone like you. So they took you back to their Marui. Ronal had began to try and get you to wake up with her ritual.

After a couple minutes, you woke up, being met by Ronal and Tonowari. You sat up a bit tp fast, and spoke “what happened? Where am I?” you asked, holding your head.

“You washed up on shore here” Ronal said, as Tonowari spoke. “What happened to you?” He asked you. “I was out hunting, I went a bit further than I should, then a huge akula came and I got away from it. I got exhausted and decided to rest on a rock.” You said rubbing your temple. “I didn’t mean to cause a ruckus here.” You said looking down at your slimy tail. 

“I’ll leave as soon as possible” you mentioned, then Ronal and Tonowari looked at one another. They had a silent conversation between one another then turned back to you. “It’s okay, you can stay as much as you like until you’re able to go.”

They had offered to let you stay a bit. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden.” You said as Tonowari shock his head. “It’s alright, you’re no burden. You need rest before you go back home.” You thanked the couple and promise not to cause any trouble. 

Since you couldn’t stay in a Marui, you stayed in the water around Ronal’s and Tonowari’s marui. You had found a small cave that you perfectly fit in and called it your temporary home. 

You had met their children Ao’nung and Tsireya. Along with their friend Rotxo. Both Rotxo and Tsireya were kind while Ao’nung was a bit alerted by you. He along with everyone had never seen you before, so he wanted to keep his guard up. 

During your time with the clan, you had learn a lot. They were able to communicate with Tulkun, how they bonded with a ilus and skimswims. It was different back home. You were closer with the Tulkun since you both communicated through sound waves/ vocal sounds.

You also had mentioned to Tsireya that you’ve met Tulkuns with tattoos, which she had told you that they must be their brothers and sisters. 

You were also very good with the younger kids. You would often be spotted sitting on the beach surrounded by children, listening to your stories from back home. You’d also play with them underwater chasing them around and making them laugh.

You also helped out Ronal and Tonowari, the tsahik with looking for materials for remedies and had showed her about your ways of healing and other stuff. You helped Tonowari with hunting, you showed him how you hunt and what you normally hunted for. He impressed by your hunting skills due to still being very young.

Tsireya and you had officially became sisters in a way. It all started since the day you stayed in the village. She was kind to you even without getting to know you.

She had thought loads of things, such as weaving and making necklaces. She had made you a top out of pearls and sea shells she had found. You normally didn’t wear any tops since your hair did the job for you. 

Ao’nung took a bit longer to get along with you, since he was still spectacle about you, but eventually he saw you as a friend like Rotxo.

He also liked how you’d prank him and Rotxo, He liked how you’d play rough along other things.

That morning had been a normal morning. You had been with the younger children, until the horn was blow. Getting everyone's attention, visitor’s had arrived near the village. The visitors were coming from the water, you noticed how they had remained in the water while Ronal and Tonowari, along with a few others followed them went towards the visitors in their Skimswims. This could only mean one thing.

It was your family, they had come searching for you. Your mother and father had asked the leader’s about your whereabouts. Then you had been called over towards them group, as soon as you saw your parents, they had pulled you into a tight hug, happy that they had found you safe, they thought something bad had happened to you, but you were alright.

Now you had to return home, before you departed, you went to go say goodbye. It was hard since you had got close to the children along with Ronal, Tonowari, and their kids. You had promise that when the Tulkun return, so will you. Once departed, the people had already missed you. 

Its been months since you had left back home, Tsireya missed you dearly since you were considered sisters. Ao’nung and Rotxo also missed you, so did the Chief and his mate.

Then again, the horn had been blown, this time it was Tulkun who had returned, but they weren’t alone, you and your people had come too.

You had told them about the Metkayina that they came along to also meet them. The Metkayina got to know your people while they got to meet the Metkayina.

You had introduced the children to other children like you, they had began to get along.

This had started a bond between both na’vi. Since then your people and the Metkayina had been considered brothers and sisters.

Every time the Tulkun returned to their village, so did your people, its been that way for five years now.

The Sullys had scene the Tulkun arrive for the first time, they also noticed that the Tulkun had companions with them. Your people. 

They noticed how both species of na’vi interacted with one another, some kids playing around with one another, others seemed to have different kinds of relationships, some of friendship and others more intimate, assuming some had were mates. 

During your time there, you were introduced to the Sully kids. They had never scene anyone like you until now. 

You were honestly happy to meet others. Tuk most of all was even more excited to meet you. 

You along with Rotxo and Kiri went on a swim with his spirit bother, both Tuk and Kiri holding onto the top fin, while you and Rotxo held onto the bottom of the fin. 

Afterwards you had taken Tuk into your back and swam around the Tulkun.

She had been holding onto you tightly while you swam around, this caught the attention of her parents.

They saw their youngest kid bond with you, it warmed their hearts seen that Tuk was happier than the first time they came to the village.

Afterwards, you had been sitting on the beach with the small group of friends, getting to know the Sullys.

You never would of thought that they were different na’vi, you lived underwater, so it was good that you got to know them.

[vibingandwriting]

Demonic Courting Rituals

~~~~~~~~~~

Synopsis: The demon brothers try to woo you with little bloody gifts. It works far better on you than it should on any human in their right mind.

Genre: Horror, I guess?

Characters: GN! MC, demon brothers

TW: Blood, severed body parts, dead animals, MC is very not normal

Word Count: 1,368

A/N: I had no idea what genre to put this under. I finally decided on horror just cause there were some traditionally scary themes in here. If you have a better genre for this to be classified as, please let me know.

~~~~~~~~~~

The first gift was innocent enough. It was a somewhat cute, somewhat ugly stuffed voodoo rabbit that you had been eyeing later. The demon who gave it to you was blushing, going on some rant about how it didn't mean anything, but as your first man he should be the one who makes you happy and so on. You appreciated the gift and made sure the flustered demon who gave it to you knew that.

The second gift was as unassuming as the first. It was given to you by Satan this time. He had come to your room one afternoon with a book in hand. Satan had insisted you read it. The main character had reminded him of you, he said. You were intrigued by that. Satan hadn't yet opened up to you much, so you were curious as to what kind of character would remind him of you.

The third gift from one of the demon brothers was when you remembered that your demons are, in fact, demons. You were sitting in an empty classroom at RAD, frantically finishing an assignment while the others were at lunch before you had to turn it in next class. You had foolishly chosen to game with Levi the night before you had a big assignment due, telling yourself you could finish when you were done.

Now here you were, facing the consequences of your own actions. You were definitely rushing as you tried to finish this before lunch ended but you figured a bad grade was better than no grade.

You were almost done when you heard footsteps entering the classroom. You looked up to see a demon you were vaguely familiar with. You knew you had a few classes with him but you never spoke to each other. Honestly, if it wasn't for the big hideous ring he always wore, you probably would've forgotten about him entirely.

You paid him no mind, turning your attention back to your unfinished assignment. You figured he probably forgot something in the classroom and would be heading to lunch as soon as he got it. It wasn't until you heard his footsteps stop right beside you and you could see him in your peripheral vision did you look up again.

"Can I help you with something?" you asked. Although the demons outside of the brothers usually had nothing nice to say to you, you still wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, if you managed to find your way into the brother's hearts, it wasn't impossible that you'd grow on others as well.

"You're awfully cocky, aren't ya little human?" he responded, and just like that all your faith flew out the window.

For a moment you were too unsure of what to say to come up with an answer. The demon before you took your silence as an invitation to continue speaking, going on to say, "Sitting in this classroom all alone. It's almost as if you're begging for some demon to come along and eat you up."

The demon took another step into your personal space with a big smile on his face. You were beginning to worry you'd have to summon one of your pact mates when another set of footsteps entered the room. You looked toward the door to find a very unhappy looking Beel standing there. The threatening demon's expression suddenly shifted from one of pleasure to one of worry.

The demon tried to come up with a decent lie to explain that it wasn't what it looked like, but before he could get out a coherent sentence Beel interrupted with, "I heard enough. Get away from them. Now."

The demon didn't need to be told twice. He left without a word, obviously trying not to make eye contact with Beel on his way out. As soon as he left the room, Beel came over to make sure you were okay. You assured him you were uninjured just as the school bell rang, signaling lunch was over and you still haven't finished your assignment. Oh well, that's what you get for gaming when you shouldn't be.

The next morning you found a small box outside your door with a sticky note attached to the top. You picked the box up. It didn't weigh much, but it smelled. It was a smell you grew familiar with the more time you spent in the Devildom.

You picked the note off the box. It read, This is for you. I'll make sure no one bothers you like that again.

Bubbles of anxiety popped in your stomach as you opened the box. Inside was a severed finger, still wearing that ugly ring.

You felt several things in that moment. Surprise, for one, because who wouldn't be surprised to find a finger gifted to them? You were also concerned that Beel may get in trouble for this, but above all else you found yourself feeling oddly thrilled.

You knew you shouldn't be. This sort of thing may have been normal for demons, but for humans like yourself it should've been frightening. You just couldn't help, however, the giddy feeling it gave you to know a demon (one of your demons) would do this for you.

A few days later you were lounging around in Mammon's room and Beel's present was still on your mind. You ended up telling him what happened, admittedly without really thinking it through. Mammon nearly choked on his own spit when you finished your story.

Though Mammon's jealous rambling was hard to discern, you were able to make out the words, "Damn Beel, trying to court you behind my back. . ."

You stopped listening after that as blood began to rush to your face and your heart picked up the pace.

Oh.

He was trying to court you.

You were so flustered that you almost didn't notice the way Mammon looked at you when he finally stopped talking, as if considering something.

You asked him what he was thinking, to which he replied, "I thought humans were supposed to be weirded out by demon courting rituals."

"Oh," you said, "yeah, I guess I'm just built different."

Within the next few weeks, you would receive several more gifts from all the brother's except Lucifer. You got a few mutilated animals and several body parts from demons you didn't know the names of, such as their horns and tails. Each present was given to you in progressively more elaborate ways. It started with Levi presenting you a hydra skull under a Death Blossom tree, and ending with Asmo hosting an extravagant party where he handed you a box with two gorgeous emerald eyes in front of hundreds of demons. Each gift left you as speechless as the one that came before it.

Eventually, Lucifer stepped in to put an end to all the gory gift giving. As much as you absolutely adored the things the brothers had given you, you were grateful that Lucifer stopped them. You were running out of places to put them and it was starting to cause your room to smell. The brothers, all clearly disappointed, had no choice but to stop or else they'd spend the rest of the week hanging from the ceiling without food.

Life went on as it did before the severed finger incident. Just as you started to think you'd (sadly) never be given another bloody animal carcass again, you found something special on your bed.

It was the decapitated head of a demon with mighty horns quite literally served to you on a silver platter, paired with a note from Lucifer that read, I've always felt these superficial courting rituals to be unnecessary, but being near you awakens certain instincts in me I can't resist. I hope you know what is means to be able to do that to the avatar of pride.

Once again it occurred to you that being ecstatic over receiving the head of a demon you didn't even know was not normal, but you simply couldn't bring yourself to care. You loved your demons and the extents they were willing to go to prove their devotion to you. If that made you odd, you didn't want to be normal.

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

ok, loving the vampire au so much rn. obsessed with the world building and i love me some riddlers

but now i'm thinking,,, can we have jervises (jervi??) as vampires???

"Vampire Backgrounds" Mad Hatter Party

YEAAAAA LETS FUCKING GOOOOOO. Lol sorry these got long! I went into a lot more detail on backgrounds for these. Please feel free to ask if I left out something you wanted to know. Also please reference this post for base lore for the au!

Tw: Discussions of mental asylums, ableist and inhumane treatment of the mentally ill, fires, suicide, vampirism, blood, violence, animal dissection and brain experimentation

BTAS

- Mid 1800s around the actual release of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. His colleagues find it frivolous and ridiculous a man of his standing and intelligence should like a nonsense children's book.

- You see, Jervis Tetch is what would now be known as a neuroscientist. Unfortunately, it's several decades before several major discoveries in the field and certain... closed-minded beliefs are rampant. He insists phrenology is a fad that will pass as the Humours have in medical treatment. He was right, but it wasn't a popular opinion.

- He finds himself disappearing into that whimsical world as he dissects animals to study the nervous system. Ah, yes, Alice and the Mad Hatter... tea parties and unbirthdays and...

- Jervis holds a lecture on brain dissection and anatomy. He theorizes that it may even be possible to control the movements of other people if certain parts of the nervous system could be isolated- once they figure out what effects what, of course. That's when he meets... her. She introduces herself as Alice. Dark blue eyes and straw blonde hair. A wisdom that he couldn't place. And she wanted to talk to HIM of all people after the lecture!

- It isn't long until she shows her true nature. Alice is a centuries old vampire and she's chosen Jervis with all his intelligence to be her mate. She believes he will give eternal life meaning with his research.

- You see, Alice believes humans are lower beings, a feeling Jervis does not share. She thinks humans should all be controlled, rather like cattle. But, quite frankly, Jervis becomes so enamored with her, particularly after the change... all red flags just look like flags when you're wearing rose-colored glasses.

- ironically, his powers end up allowing him to control people's nervous system for a short duration of time. Together, the two of them drain several cities of blood. Him guiding victims into their hands and Alice trapping them in her weaving web.

- Essentially what happens is she tricks him into luring children to her because she believes "youthful, virgin" blood will sustain her better and increase her powers. "It's not like they matter if no one will miss them." When he sees her gorging herself on the wee babes until they only have droplets of blood left... he sees the horror of it.

- When she offers to turn the children so they can have a "family", it's the last straw. He realizes how much he's been manipulated over decades. He leaves her as shes begging him to stay.

- He continues his research on his own while fully indulging in his more whimsical interests. At one point or another he even took up sewing as well to help with that! He creates a device that magnifies the control he has over someone. There's a whole room of neurology textbooks he's kept track of over the years.

- Still obsessed with the idea of meeting the Alice to his Mad Hatter.

- When he feeds, he's actually a little clumsy because he has large fangs. In his world vampires are out and about. He wants to ask for direct consent for feeding as if its part of an obscure courting ritual. Usually drinks not fresh.

Powers: mind control/puppeteering (enhanced w/ technology), some shapeshifting (rabbit), invisibility.

Arkham

- A true mad hatter in the late 1700s. Unable to get an education to become a neuroscientist here, Jervis went to his second love: clothing and hat making. He had always been an eccentric fellow, but it had made his art flourish and popular. Then the shakes began. The vomiting, the loss of sensation in his fingers. Ever the hard worker, smoothing over pelts for felt, he would not seek treatment.

- The mercury poisoning just got worse, he became irritable and unpredictable in personality. His neighbors reported him as unwell- and he attempted to fight officers. Mr. Tetch was sent to a local overcrowded and understaffed asylum for the mentally ill.

- it was the "treatments" at the asylum that made his mind truly "break." Hours sitting in a freezing bath, isolation in straight jackets, bleeding, mistreatment/abuse by guards, forced sedation and feedings- With each one, his symptoms grew in severity. He began to babble in rhyme and at times acted feral. The only one to provide him true serenity was a night nurse named Alice.

- She was kind. She was sweet. If she had lived longer, she might have even served as a beacon for asylum reform. Alas, there was another patient she showed kindness to, one that spoke of vampirism and madness. He tore the poor girl's throat out. Jervis was turned on accident after attacking the vampire, spilling and mixing their blood.

- Staff attempted to experiment on the brains of both. His master died when the surgery did not work and they attempted daylight therapy. Jervis broke through his bonds with new strength and hunger, massacreing everyone in the room. An escape into the night.

- He would live in the abandoned building where his hattery once was, feeding on stragglers who passed him by. After some time, he found his voice very Suggestive to victims, merely having to look in their eyes and tell them to come to him. He would end up finding a copy of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland on one of them. He proceeded to make that his entire personality.

- Years passed. The building would be demolished. He was forced to blend in with humans. Using the book, it serves as his blueprint on how to interact with the world.

- yes to this day. No the rhyming never stopped. Most people put him as being really eccentric, thankfully. Even when he talks about Alice and wanting to find them.

- Searching for his Alice has led him to Gotham. It's so difficult trying to find an Alice. So many naughty, wicked creatures posing as Alice. He'll just have to use them to satiate his hunger until he finds the real one...

- Tends to be a little more vicious with feeding. Unless he's actively trying not to hurt someone, it's usually a kill as he drinks deeply.

Powers: Not as strong as he could be because he was not nutured properly. Suggestion/hypnosis, vampire strength, he can float a couple inches off the ground.

Gotham

- technically the youngest- Late 1920s/early 1930s. Life is difficult, particularly when both your parents pass at a young age and you have a sickly younger sister. There was a little money left behind... but not enough to live.

- He runs a hypnosis and magic show to try and make a living for them both. Because of natural talent and skill, he gains a moderate amount of popularity. One night after a show, he was turned by a devoted fan. Alice was allowed to be turned as well due to her illness progressing.

- Their master wasn't unkind, but had an odd sense of... morality. So many people suffering. Starving. Even children. Wouldn't it be better to ease their suffering? Between their hunting and Jervis's hypnosis, there was plenty of blood to go around. Easy enough to justify killing.

- Over the course of several years, Alice would become more and more disillusioned with being a vampire. She attempted to not feed for a while, only sustaining on rats and other small animals. It didn't take long until she became ravenous and killed someone because of her hunger. She came to hate her master and Jervis for turning her into a monster.

- Yet it would be her love for her brother that saved him the night she threw a lit oil lantern into their masters coffin. Jervis pulled them both out of the home when the flames began to spread. He reassured her they would be together forever.

- It was then Alice made an important decision.

- As the fire burned, Alice told her brother goodbye and walked back into the building. She didn't scream as the flames licked her nightgown and then her skin. She smiled and closed her eyes. Peace at last.

- Needless to say, that was all deeply traumatizing for him. He still vividly remembers the smell of her hair burning all this time later. The only thing he has left of hers that wasn't lost is a slightly singed, battered copy of The Adventures of Alice and Wonderland, their favorite. He remembers long distant afternoons where they'd pretend to be in that world when they were hungry and alone. All ash, now.

- He would return to his work, this time traveling with a carnival to avoid too much suspicion before he was already gone in the night.

- When his time went on too long, he'd simply change his name and move to a different group. It isn't until shows like that fell out of popular favor that he branches out on his own. Not allowing anyone too close to keep his secret. It's this isolation from a "normal" life that he realizes how dearly he misses company. His sister had always been with him from the moment she was born.

- Jervis would simply have to find a new Alice. Not his sister, no... a companion. Someone he would protect forever.

- Rather romantic when feeding. Soft kisses and a bite you barely feel. He's dangerous in that you won't know how much trouble you're in until it's too late.

Powers: while his hypnosis is a prior skill rather than a power, he gained the power of Telepathy which just made it that much stronger. Reading minds is a bit of a challenge but he can speak into someone's mind and hear their responses from great distances. Extrasensory perception, mild animal control (they act as familiars).

[xxwhiskeyxx]

Love Trope February!  Forced Proximity: Swiss x Aether

After a ritual, Aether and Swiss get stuck in a closet when the Multi drug Aether into said closest to try and engage in post Ritual “fun”, but the knob breaks. Swiss being Swiss is horny and is trying to talk Aeth into sex, maybe blows him first even though Aeth is insisting (not very hard and stoppin the horn dog tho) that they’ll fix the door soon and he can just wait till the bus. One things leads to another and suddenly things get steamy!

Hello, welcome to yet another Swiss x Aether fic, this is set in the same universe where they had mated, the one my one-shot is set in! So the pair are mated together, but they do indeed still have fun with other ghouls, their pack animals what do you expect them to be, monogamous? Anyways SMUT SMUT SMUT, this is basically all smut after like 5 paragraphs, so have fun.

Slight TW for Degradation and talks of breeding (can you tell I have a breeding kink yet or nah?)

-Love Whiskey

“Swiss, where the hell are we going?” Aether hisses as the Multi drags him down the long hallway, they had just finished tossing their picks and walked off-stage when suddenly Swiss had grabbed Aether’s hand and began to drag him after from the others, earning cat-calls from Sodo and Moutain and a call of “Don’t take to long boys~” from Cirrus, as the Quintessence ghoul is tugged along behind the smaller ghoul.

“I found this earlier, wanted to show you.” is all Swiss says as he finally opens a door and drags Aether inside, closing and locking the door, and clicking on the light. It was a simple, dimly lit, small storage closet with shelves filled with cleaning supplies and a mop and broom. “Okay, what’s in here that’s so important that for you to drag me here.” Aether asks, crossing his arms and turning to the smaller male, “Nothing, just wanted to get you away so we can have some fun~” Swiss purrs, moving closer to the other ghoul, who backs up slowly until his back hits the wall.

“We..we don’t have time for this Swiss. Come on, we can wait till the bus.” Aether tries to reason with the Multi as he presses his chest against the others, nipping at the exposed throat as Aether tilts his head up, earning a whimper. “But we’re here now, why wait to fuck in a cramped bunk when we have all this space.” Swiss purrs, tossing his mask to the side along with Aether’s. “Please Starshine, can’t you feel how much I want you?” he whines, pressing his lower half against the other’s thick thigh, where he is already fully hard. “Fuck, you make it so hard to say no.” he says with a sigh, Swiss grins thinking he won, “But we have to finish getting undressed before Papa throws a hissy fit.” Aether states as he gently pushes the other ghoul away, which earns a pathetic whine. But when the Quintessential ghoul tries to open the door, it simply doesn’t move.

“What the fuck?” he growls, trying again to no avail, Aether groans and pulls out his phone to text Mountain to come to get them out, but Swiss snatches it away and shoves it in his pocket, “Okay, real funny, give it back, we gotta get out.” Aether says, holding out his hand, “Mmm, no. See, we can say we got locked in and had no cell service, c’mon baby.” Swiss says, pressing Aether back up against the door, kissing and nipping along his now exposed neck as he gropes his thick thighs and ass. Suddenly weakened by the sudden stimulation to his sensitive neck, Aether whimpers, clutching to Swiss’ jacket, “Th..that’ll be suspicious. We can just wait, Swissy.” he tries to reason. But Swiss ignores his protests and starts making his way down the thick ghoul's body, pressing kisses to his clothed chest and belly as he kneels down.

Staring up with a smug smirk on his face, “O..okay, enough, let’s ca-” Aether is cut off when Swiss suddenly mouths at his half-hard cock, running his tongue over the slightly tented material of the pants. “Doesn’t seem like you want to stop Starshine, your cock here seems very interested in my suggestion.” he teases while he unbuckles Aether’s belt and unbuttons his pants before yanking down the offending item along with his boxers just enough to expose the Quintessence ghoul’s cock. Aether hiss’ when the cool air of the closet hits his overheated member but it turns into a moan when Swiss takes the hardening cock into his mouth, unglamored golden silver eyes staring up at him as that warm sinful mouth surrounds him. “Fi..fine, but we’re not doing a second round in here.” he growls, tangling his now unglamored claws into Swiss’ hair, gripping tightly, the Multi hums and begins to bob his head, running his forked tongue along the underside.

Aether moans lowly, tightening his grip slightly as he guides Swiss’ head up and down his length, whose braces himself against large thighs, the Multi may not be able to master any of the elements. Still, he has mastered sucking dick, simultaneously curling his tongue around the cock while he hallows his cheeks with every thrust and withdrawal. The larger ghoul can already feel the knot in his belly tightening as he leans his head back against the wooden surface of the door, knowing that if he continued to look into the glowing eyes of the ghoul sucking his cock that he’d cum a lot sooner than he wanted too. But his plans are foiled when Swiss suddenly takes him all the way into his throat and swallows harshly, tearing a loud cry from Aether, whose legs shake with the effort of holding himself up in combination to the sudden overwhelming feeling of the tight throat. Swiss smirks around the cock, knowing he’s won, he swallows again, tightening his grip on the trembling thighs as Aether cums with a loud keen.

Swiss groans at the taste, pulling off and swallowing the load in his mouth before standing and pressing his mouth against the tall ghouls. Aether moans at the taste of himself on the Multi’s tongue, wrapping his arms around the shorter’s shoulders as the kiss turns filthy, well even filthier than it was already, tongues tangling together as they desperately try to rid the other of offending clothing. Swiss ends up with his pants tugged down, and Aether’s shirt is thrown across the room, Swiss growls and suddenly Aether is whirled around, now facing the door as the other ghoul once again kneels. The Multi grins as he yanks the other’s pants down further to expose his ass; gripping the thick cheeks in his hands, he spreads them just enough to get a glimpse of the pink hole. “Such a perfect ass, all for me to enjoy~” he purrs, laying a smart smack to it, earning a yelp, “Gonna eat you out, get you nice and wet, so I can fuck my cock into you. How’s that sound Starlight?” he teases, knowing how that name effects the typically dominate male, “Ye..yes, please Swiss, give me your tongue.” Aether begs, leaning his sweaty forehead against the cool wall, “Ah ah, that’s not my name right now, baby, say the right name, and maybe I will.” Swiss growls, laying a second smack.

The larger ghoul jolts and whines, “No..not now, please, please I need it!” he begs, “Say my name, and I’ll give you want you, good boys get what they want, don’t you wanna be my good boy?” Swiss says sternly, teasingly dragging his claws down Aether’s ass and down his clothed thighs, “Pl..please, sir, eat me out and fuck me, please, sir I need it so badly.” Aether whines out, cock already hard even though he had just came 5 minutes ago and trembling with need. “There’s my good boy.” is all Swiss says before he suddenly spreads the cheeks and dives in, like a man starved, he licks into the twitching hole as if it’s his last meal ever, groaning at the pure taste Aether. A fun fact about Quintessence ghouls is that they have evolved to produce slick like Water ghouls do, not as much but it’s enough to prove helpful during sex, due to their species being quite rare, so it is possible for some males to carry kits. Typically they only produce the slick during heats but if they are horny enough, slick will start to drip. Aether normally only does produce his slick during his heats, but when Swiss gets him into this headspace, he becomes so wet it will leak down his thighs.

“Fuck Starlight, already so wet for me, no fucking needy and desperate for his Sir’s cock.” Swiss growls, swiping his tongue along the clenching hole before shoving it inside, the long appendage swirlings around and fucking into the Quintessence ghoul. Aether damn near wails at the feelings, clawing at the wall for purchase when Swiss’ tongue presses into his prostate, rubbing against the sensitive spot torturously as he fucks him open. “You taste so fucking good, Moonbeam, could eat you out for hours, just might when we get back on the bus. But I gotta stretch you before I fuck you, sweet boy, think you can last a little longer without my cock?” he purrs tantalizingly, “Ye.yes sir” is all he gets for a reply.

Smirking as he easily slides two fingers into the tight hole, earning a keen from the larger ghoul, slowly thrusting them in and out as he scissors his fingers, effectively stretching out the hole. Slick coats his fingers, almost dribbling down his wrist with just how turned on the Quintessence ghoul is, “Goddamn baby, your so fucking wet, your dripping!” Swiss teases, even though it’s not fully truthful, the slick is now making its way down the ghoul’s thick thighs from where it drips out. Aether whines at the statement, squirming as Swiss adds a third, “Pl..please, I’m ready, sir, I need your cock so badly.” he cries, fucking back into the fingers inside him. “Oh, just that desperate for my cock, my desperate little cockslut, aren’t you, begging for your Sir’s cock when I’ve barely gotten 3 fingers into you. I guess your stretched enough, don’t cry if this hurts you needy slut.” Swiss sneers, trying not to let the pleased twitch of his own cock at the pleading.

Drawing the fingers out of the tight hole, watching for a moment as it clenches around noting, he uses the remaining wetness to slick up his cock before standing and pressing up close to the Aether. Carefully spreading one cheek with a hand as he uses the other to line up his cock with twitching hole, teasingly slapping the head against it to make Aether whine, “Please, don’t tease sir, need you so bad” Aether whimpers. Smirking at the pathetic beg, Swiss slowly pushes inside, hissing at the tightness and warmth, “Fuck Starlight, should fuck you more often, you’re so goddamn tight!” he snarls as he finally presses all the way in. The Quintessence ghoul moans as he’s filled, the grip Swiss has on his hips now is the only thing keeping him grounded on Earth, otherwise, he’s sure he’d float off into space, “Pl..please, yo..you can move, fuck me please” he babbles.

This snaps the last of Swiss’ resolve. With a snarl, he pulls almost all the way out before slamming back in, setting a ruthless pace as he fucks into Aether with no abandon, groaning and snarling at the tight, warm, wetness that surrounds his cock. The larger ghoul is scrabbling for purchase on the wall when Swiss suddenly grips his wrists and pins them to the wall, pressing impossibly closer as the thrusts get even sharper, “Stay fucking still slut, you look so pathetic. Clawing at the wall like a whore being bred, is that what you want to be? My little breeding whore? Cause I can make it fucking happen.” Swiss snarls, sinking his teeth in a broad shoulder. Aether sobs at the words, nodding desperately with tears now streaming down his face, lost in the feeling of the cock pounding into him and the sharp pain from Swiss’ fangs in his shoulder. If they hadn’t already claimed each other then he was sure the Multi would’ve placed a claiming bite right then.

Swiss suddenly shifts his stance, angling his hips down slightly, so now his thrusts are aimed directly at Aether’s prostate, slamming the head of his into the sensitive spot inside of the Quintessence ghoul with every brutal slam of his hips. This new and sudden overwhelming pleasure has Aether wailing Swiss’ name, crying even harder, as his legs nearly give out, only held up by the grip the Multi has on his body, the knot in his belly tightening so tight it feels like he’s about to burst, “Go..gonna cum! May I please cum, sir? Please, can I cum!” Aether cries, shaking as he tries to hold off his inevitable orgasm. Swiss isn’t far off himself, the combined clenching making the already tight hole even tighter, and the noises the larger ghoul has been making have him already near the edge. “Yes, fucking cum for me. I’m not far off, gonna fucking breed this pathetic hole, make you a fucking Mama, fill you up so much there’s no fucking way you don’t catch, pump you full up kits as I fuck my knot into you.” Swiss growls, “Now fucking cum, but know I’m not stopping until I pop my knot into this sweet ass.”

With that, Aether cums with a loud, keening moan, painting the cement wall white with his cum, balls tight to his body, shaking so hard that Swiss almost loses his hold on the male. But as he said, Swiss does not stop, now slamming into the larger ghoul with an even more punishing pace, spurred on by how hard he clenches down, chasing his own end. Aether is babbling at this point, too fucked out to put together coherent sentences except for too much and knot, “Gonna pop my knot little slut, gonna fill you with my fucking cum!” Swiss snarls out, knot rapidly swelling at the base as he finally cums, it takes a few thrusts, but he quickly pops the large knot into the Quintessence ghoul with an obscenely wet pop, trembling as he pumps Aether full.

Now locked together, they nearly collapse to the floor. The larger sat in, the smaller’s lap, who clings to his mate as if his life depended on it. Panting as they try to catch their breath, Swiss hiss’ when he feels Aether squirm lightly, trying to get comfortable despite the knot in his ass, “Fu..fuck baby, stay still or we’re gonna be here a lot longer.” he pants, wrapping his arms tightly around the other’s thick waist. Aether is still floating in his head, the pressure of the knot pressed against his insides, near his prostate, plus the fullness, makes sitting still a hard task, whimpering out a soft sorry as he stills, leaning back against his mate.

It takes a few minutes for them to fully calm down when there is a sudden rap on the door, “Okay, you guys done? We’re leaving in like 5 minutes, and if you’re not on the bus, Papa says we’re leaving you, and you have to walk to the hotel!” Sodo yells through the door. Swiss groans, “Yeah, yeah, we’ll be there.” he yells back, but Sodo’s voice seems to snap Aether back into this reality, “Wait, Dew!” he cries, “What?” is the reply, “Can you ask Mount or someone to let us out..the doorknob broke..” There is a pause of silence before there is a loud cackle from the other side of the door, “Are you fucking serious?! You two are locked in?” Dew asks, “Yes, now, please, so we’re not left.” Aether huffs. Swiss chuckles and presses a kiss to his shoulder, “It is kinda funny love.” he says. The Quintessence ghoul shoots him a look over his shoulder, ‘You’re not helping’, is what it says. “Okay, I’ll get Dirt Boy to let you out, just please have pants on before we get back.” Dew says, cackling fading as he walks away to find Mountain.

Swiss’ knot takes another 2 minutes to deflate enough to pull out, Aether groans at the feeling of the cum leaking out of him. “Fuck, you better fucking make due on that promise of eating me out, 'cause walking around like this is gonna be hell.” Aether grumbles, tugging his pants up and searching for his shirt, finding it on the shelf, “Oh, you know you love the feeling of it, Pudding Pop.” Swiss teases, wrapping his arms around the unimpressed ghoul after he had yanked his own pants back up, “We can shower when we get to the hotel, and then we can move onto round 2 if you want.” he suggests, wiggling his eyebrows up at the taller ghoul, earning a chuckle. “I might be down, if you bottom this time,” Aether says, wrapping his arms around the other in return. They share a kiss when suddenly the door busts open. Mountain is standing with his arms crossed, seemingly having kicked open the door if the large boot print on the wood says anything. “C’mon, you two have 5 minutes to change before your left, Papa said that he’ll pay for the door and to not fuck in random storage closest again.” is all the stoic ghoul says before walking, Sodo pops his head in looking around the door, “Damn it fucking reeks of sex in here, I feel bad for whoever has to clean it.” He says, nose wrinkled in disgust.

“You love how sex smells ya little shit, and you’re just mad it wasn’t you getting the shit fucked out of you.” Swiss snarks, exiting the closet, “Sure, you’re always so bitchy when you get fucked Smiley. You’d think you’d be nicer after getting Aether’s cock in you.” Dew sneers. This accusation makes Swiss cackle, “Ha, wasn’t me getting my ass rocked this time ya little shit.” he laughs. Sodo’s eyes widen, darting between the laughing Multi and the now bashful Quintessinal, “You let this asshole fuck you, Aeth? I thought you were better than this.” he says as if he’s disappointed, “You let him fuck you literally two days ago Dew, so shut your trap.” Aether snaps, stalking down the hall to change. “He’s right, and here I was thinking of inviting you to join us when we get to the hotel, guess we’ll just invite Rain or Mounty.” Swiss shrugs, taking off after his mate.

Dew is stunned for a second, words processing in his head before he snaps his head towards where the Multi has run, darting after the still cackling ghoul, “Wait, I’m sorry, I’ll be nice!” he cries. Aether was already changed, and Swiss was shirtless when he finally caught up, slamming into the dressing room out of breath from how fast he had run, “If I apologize, can I actually join you guys?” he asked, hopeful. Swiss looked at Aether, who raised a brow, “I don’t know, you’ve been a little shit all day, Rainy has been so nice and a good boy and Mounty already offered.” he says, pretending to think. Swiss smirks as he slips his shirt over his head, slinking over to the larger ghoul, and wraps his arms around his waist, laying his head on a broad shoulder. “Maybe if he sits still and doesn’t say a word till we get to the hotel, we should give our Gremlin a chance. What do you say My Starshine?” Swiss suggests, pressing a kiss to his mating bite on Aether’s neck. This earns a light shiver from the Quintessence ghoul, “I like this idea, Anglewing, don’t you agree, Dewdrop?” Aether teases, looking at the Fire ghoul.

Dew’s mouth opens to reply but then remembers what they said, snapping it closed as he nods, folding his hands together in front of him. This makes the two larger ghouls smile with predatory intent, “Wow, never thought he’d be so willing to be good with no encouragement.” Swiss says, pretend shock on his face, “Well his encouragement is getting fucked by the both of my love, that always makes our Little Comet behave.” Aether purrs. The pair stalk over to the smaller ghoul, Swiss snakes a finger under his chin and tilts his head so red and blue meet golden silver, “Go get on the bus, sit on the couch, and do not move until we get to the hotel and we’ll decide on who gets to play with you first Fire Lily~” Swiss purrs, pressing a kiss to the Fire ghoul’s lips. Dew nods spastically before darting off down the hall towards the bus. The mates burst out laughing once he’s out of earshot, “You are evil my Troublemaker, I love you.” Aether whispers in Swiss’ ear, pressing a kiss to his lips, Swiss chuckles, “What can I say? I’m always willing to put our little Gremlin in his place” he says. The pair share one more deep kiss before following after Dew quickly so as not to have to walk to the hotel.

[volfoss]

MT-001->MT-003: Jungle Emperor/Kimba (1950-1954)

TW: Discussion of racism (specifically anti-black racism)

Before I get into the plot and well. everything bad about this, I want to quickly explain that this is the first out of 400 volumes of Tezuka's that I will be reading/reviewing. This is absolutely the worst of his works by far and I need to very much emphasize that for anyone who wants to read the 5.5 pages of notes I took (that are under the cut, due to length).

Summary of Plot: A white male lion is known for terrorizing an African village, and they make plans to hunt and kill him. These plans end up succeeding, and his mate, who is pregnant with his son, is captured and taken onto a ship. She gives birth on the ship and pleads with her newborn son, Kimba, to escape and become the king of the jungle, like his father was. The story follows Kimba as he tries to follow in his father’s footsteps, but in his own special way.

Characters: Kimba/Jungle Emperor is a mixed bag when it comes to characters. On one hand, Kimba and his family manage to be entertaining without speech. Their motives are very clear and they are written sympathetically. Jacques the rat is a really good addition to the cast and adds a lot to Kimba as a character. The animal characters have a pretty interesting dynamic with each other, and I feel the little screen-time the villain got was pretty decent. I’m not normally a very big fan of stories centered around animals in the specific way that this does it, so the aspects of the charming animals could be better for someone who enjoys that sort of thing more.

On the other hand, the humans are not written in a super in depth manner (at least not compared to his later works that I’ve read). The protagonists quite honestly fall flat most of the time and don’t lend a ton to the story. The worst of the badly written humans are the African characters. They are horrifically reduced to the worst stereotypes possible, given how Tezuka wants to portray them as “tribes-people”. They are portrayed as stupid and are shown as rather backwards. The best example of the latter is early on, when the leader offers “the best hut” to one of the white characters and when he goes to investigate it, all the promised amenities are either broken or just there for props. They are also portrayed as overly violent and also docile towards the white characters. I cannot express enough how this ticks every single anti-black stereotype in media box.

Another horrific part of this is their treatment of Merry. Merry is one of the two children, and in Volume 1, is kidnapped by the “Jungula Tribe” (as that is what this group is referred to) and by Volume 2, has formed an alter ego (or something along those lines, it’s not really made clear but it is handled badly) named, and I kid you not, Conga (or Konga, depending on the translation) and has taken over the tribe as their leader. She does this by creating electricity (which is pretty clearly implied as something that the tribe she now leads had never seen before, and treat it as something mystical and magical) by rubbing her pen against a cheetah pelt. Her taking over the group is seen as a sad thing but only specifically in the way that the other child that was her friend, feels very disconnected to her and cannot relate to her (and not the frustration that Tezuka was leaning into yet another trope of the white person having to lead the black tribe because they just know better. This is handled in that specific manner with her being pretty abusive towards the other characters, and is only really refuted in the manner of now there’s “good” people to lead them (who are white/Japanese) and the only big difference in the leadership is it is less abusive).

There is also ritual sacrifice, regarding the Pygmy (the specific group is not specified (otherwise I would be referring to them as such, as Pygmy is seen as a derogatory term) and this is how they’re referred to in canon) and many jokes about their short stature. They are shown trying to ritually sacrifice one of the white characters, and it is treated as horrific (but also with tones of comedy, as Tezuka constantly uses slapstick to show dumb the Africans in his work are), which from as far as I could find, was not something factual for the actual groups mentioned. Most of the groups mentioned seem to either be slightly made up (Jungula is one that I could not find any proof of anything similarly named existing) or slightly spelled off (but wouldn’t make any sense geographically, such as Gura (literal translation used here, the fan translation I’m using here just refers to this group as Donga, despite the katakana being “グラ”). This detail doesn’t really factor in with the already HEINOUS amount of racism but it is very interesting to me, as I feel it’s just another excuse for him to be using many stereotypes and mash them together, instead of portraying a nuanced version of any of the groups mentioned. Quite literally, they check off every single way to NOT treat African characters and there is no way around this part of Kimba, as these characters appear in pretty much every chapter. They are absent in Chapter 1 and 2, and I state this solely to make it very clear that in 21 chapters, the racism is present in nearly every single one. Genuinely and sincerely, there is no reason to read Jungle Emperor/Kimba for the characters (or really anything other than reading all of his works, like I’m doing) as they are all pretty flat and the very obvious issues are present throughout the entire work.

Art: As always, Tezuka excels at drawing animals in a very specifically stylized way that still lends to how they would appear realistically. Kimba as a character has an instantly charming design and is drawn in such a way that all of his movements exude a lot of character. But unfortunately, the elephant in the room for the entire read through was how he chose to depict Africans. With the setting (and it being written in 1950), I did not expect it to be good but it is unfortunately a topic that is often ignored in mainstream discussions of Kimba/Jungle Emperor (often, I find what is most discussed is using Kimba/Jungle Emperor as a punchline to talk about Disney stealing the Lion King’s concept from this), and is one that I’d like to discuss in the review. They are a very prominent part of the story (given the setting) and to put it very lightly, this is the worst instance of this in his work. It appears again in (given this is the first thing I’m reading in this chronology, I’m sure that there will be more instances, but this is just from what I’ve read going into it) Black Jack and lesser known works such as Hungry Blues, but this is by far the closest to minstrelsy (with how the Black characters are drawn and portrayed, it very much leans into how older media (Hollywood specifically) tended to derive Black characters down to simple and offensive tropes). It absolutely does ruin any enjoyment, as it is VERY glaring vile and present in nearly every chapter.

Ending: The ending is very bad with how Tezuka clearly viewed Africa as a place to be mystified, with how the final words are. I feel that again, a lot of the messaging in this is stuff that appears in his later works but they are a lot more clumsily handled here (for many reasons). It was a very frustrating ending with how most of the Black characters died, and after that, the white and Japanese (implied) characters from different countries realized their differences (with no mourning for the dead, which happened when ANYTHING tragic happened to any of the non-black characters).

Misc: This was the work I was dreading the most, and reading it first has really just been a very frustrating experience due to just HOW blatantly vile it is. To get into the Lion King comparisons (as that is the typical mainstream knowledge of this manga), there are certainly some similarities. Kimba/Jungle Emperor focuses a bit more on the human side of things (in terms of being pretty blatantly anti-zoo (with the second chapter focusing a couple pages on Kimba’s mother telling him how living in a zoo would be no good life for them, and how zoos are discussed on Chapter 3 of Volume 1) and anti-poaching (most clear in the entirety of the first chapter) instead of animal life and drama there, like the Lion King covers. Honestly, a lot of the plot isn’t super similar unless you’re looking at it from a VERY broad lens (I know I see the scene of the stars forming the dead parent’s face cited a lot here, the fact he has an animal companion that watches over him (even a bird for a bit of the plot) a bit is similar (again broadly), there being an evil lion, and the dead parent plot point), as it really does just focus on different subject matter. It is more of a generational tale than Lion King.

Honestly, I think how Kimba discusses the difficulty for him to grow up for a bit in a normal household (with humans feeding and clothing him) and then having to return to the jungle is really interesting. It gets into his struggle with how he wants to be innately kind (and more “human”/domesticated) but he obviously still has those animal urges built in (a scene that really exemplifies this is in Chapter 5 of Volume 1, where the villain taunts him about the fact that Kimba is upset by a gazelle dying and won’t eat from it, like a normal lion would). It tackles a lot of topics related to how humans can be bad (specifically, the way that one of the humans (who is pretty clearly exploiting the African characters) was a guard at a Nazi camp and you are very clearly not supposed to like this character) and even how, in Chapter 5, Kimba bringing “civilization” to the jungle (he gets the animals that listen to him to build paved roads, restaurants and set up farming practices similar to what humans do) is something that makes some of the animals suffer. There is unfortunately also a lot of really poorly handled colonialism (specifically, in chapter 10, where the “good guys” take over the Jungula tribe and dress them in traditionally European clothing and it is seen as a good thing, as they are no longer under control of Conga. The way that it is handled in this is very muddled, and the way that Kimba bringing “civilization” to the jungle animals is a net positive is a very odd thing to me). It does have some of Tezuka’s trademark anti-war messaging but it honestly just really does not work well here given the rest of the topics. There are definitely glimmers of what COULD be a better manga in this but unfortunately it is buried under far far too much racism.

I want to take a small moment to analyze a section of this essay written on Kimba, as I think there is a lot to unpack.

From the section covering The Roles of Africans in Kimba:

“Fans of Kimba may have wondered why there are no Africans to be seen in Kimba’s jungle; or for that matter, why no English version of Jungle Emperor is available. The problem is ironic and must have struck hard at Tezuka: the depiction of the African tribes in Leo can only be viewed by any modern person as racist.

This takes a moment to process and absorb because so much of Tezuka’s work explores (and attacks) the tenants of racism. Indeed, works as early as Astroboy seem to focus on racism-as-an-evil with such a deliberate ferocity that we can (and must) conclude that any such accusations regarding Tezuka are false. Let’s also not forget his own slogan: “Love all creatures! Love everything that has life!”

We might then wonder how it is that Tezuka has produced these images which offend modern sensibilities and which necessitated the replacement of African natives in Kimba with white hunters and ultimately prevented the publication of Jungle Emperor in English. It must first be said that very few of Tezuka’s human caricatures are particularly flattering–even of himself. What we find offensive in these drawings however is their stereotypical nature.

It is my opinion that the resources that Tezuka first drew from for the creation of his native characters are in fact the problem. More than likely Disney is the culprit here; though one might also consider the depiction of natives in the 1933 feature film King Kong. Most telling however are the now deleted sequences involving a black centaur in Fantasia. Other works by Disney from this period along with this sequence were clearly not meant as racist, but we can only judge from the perspective of the 21st century.

One possible source for Jungle Emperor’s Africans: a censored scene from Fantasia 1940. Though this type of depiction of Africans was common in US comics and animation in this period, we know Tezuka was particularly interested in the works of Walt Disney…”

To get into my thoughts on this part of the essay, we first have to discuss the material mentioned as potential inspirations for how badly these characters are drawn, mainly Fantasia. Fantasia was released in 1940, a decade before Jungle Emperor came out, and the racism was about as bad as in Jungle Emperor. It had many racist scenes in the specific Pastoral Symphony scene of the film, that were then removed in 1969 (source). I do also want to cite a slightly lesser known Disney work from 1925 that is nearly exact to how the Africans are drawn in Jungle Emperor: Alice Cans the Cannibals. I am not saying that this is where he got the inspiration from, simply to bring up the point that there was a lot of media that would treat Africans as cannibals and prone to human sacrifice. This essay gets into a lot of the early Disney racism in a very in depth way that might be of interest in regards to this point.

In a similar way to Fantasia, Jungle Emperor also had to be redone, given how the original pages were nearly lost during the making of the anime in 1965. This led Tezuka to have to redraw a lot of it (which you can most certainly tell which parts of it were redrawn, given it was done in 1977 (for the collected Kodansha volumes)) and unfortunately, the racial caricatures are still present in this updated version. (source) I did want to make this comparison solely for media that is viewed somewhat similarly in the mainstream media (with not much discussion around the racism) that got revised later on. This is a thing however, that Tezuka would improve on in some of his works, but that fact does not even remotely begin to erase what he put in the Jungle Emperor. Even if the art was not as blatantly racist as it was, the way these characters are written is still drenched in stereotypes that obviously do still harm Africans now. In comparison to Disney doing all that they can to erase the existence of the material (and how, even in the modern day, they very clearly struggle to hold themselves accountable (specifically referring to Song of the South)), I’m not sure that I prefer the approach here with there being clearly enough fans of Kimba to fan translate it (as the version I’m reading had two different teams) and to praise it while doing so.

I feel that the insistence that it was just caricatures and not blatantly racist really falls flat when you consider how the characters in Kimba are treated. As I mentioned in the personality section, they are really just very flat stereotypes (with no names, as far as I remember, outside of the Chief) and do pretty blatantly fall into what is racist media. The various groups portrayed in Kimba are not done so with much compassion for them as characters and they are quite honestly just used as slapstick or to boost up other characters (whether by being villainous, and driving the heroes to oppose them or by, in a large panel depicting most of them dying (relatively graphically for this manga as well, with one character being shown in the jaws of an animal), which then brings the heroes together (not due to their death but because, seemingly, with them gone, the other characters realized that they (as the characters were from two unnamed countries) are not so different after all)). They are not even remotely given any compassion or depth compared to every other character and it really just falls into the old tropes of refusing to see Black characters as deserving of that depth (which quite honestly does feel like what happened here). They are shown more as a group and never really focused on them as individual people (as EVERY other character is given that).

There isn’t really a good way to handle the presence of very blatantly racist material in media, but I do think the repeated insistence of a lot of fans to insist that it wasn’t intentionally bad (or that it was just of its time) is not the way to go. Even if at that point, he had experienced the war (bringing this point up for a reason, stick with me), there are later examples of his work that deal with depicting Black characters in a caricatured way, most notably Hungry Blues. That was published in 1977 and still used similar caricatures (although the character in question leaned a lot less into stereotypes personality wise, as it was based off a real person he had met during the war). It is a very inexcusable part of his works and is something that is objectively the most prominent in Kimba (which is part of his early works). Even if a lot of his other works DO have very well handled anti-racist messages (Message to Adolf is one I can think of off the top of my head, Astro Boy also handles similar topics), this one objectively does not and I think it’s important to examine this in a critical way, instead of just brushing it under the rug. If you want to read one of his works that handles racism, anti-war, and the other messages he is known for, there are MANY that handle them better and not like this.

As a white person, I’m aware that my viewpoints on this matter may not hold as much weight as someone who would be affected by how these characters are drawn but I do believe with how little discussion of the very very blatant racism in this there is online, it is something that needs to be brought up. For further reading on the topics of stereotypes of Black characters in media, I found Donald Bogle’s book on the matter to be a very interesting read (although it does focus on Hollywood throughout the ages, some of the things in here did also apply to this) (link) and Henry T. Sampson’s book focusing on animated portrayals of Black characters (specifically, Chapter 3: Way Down in the Jungle: The Animated Safari) (link) to be very related to the topic at hand and be very excellent companions to reading about the topic of how anti-black tropes in media can be impactful and were very much part of the time period.

Overall Thoughts: I clearly had a lot to say on this one, as it is a topic that I do sincerely believe should be getting more coverage in regards to discussing this media. As a manga, it truly was one of the worst ones I’ve ever read, as the plot was pretty rough and the very obvious racism was well, obvious. On one hand, I do wish it was better and that when it was revised in the 70’s, that Tezuka took the time to show that he had grown from the mindset he pretty clearly had in 1950. On the other hand, the only value this has (in my opinion) is a very good case study on what not to do when writing African characters, as it truly fits every stereotype in different ways. I would not recommend this to a single person, it is easily by far the weakest of his works that I have read so far. The characters felt pretty flat and a lot of the moments clearly meant to be tragic fell pretty flat for me. The generational aspect was interesting but due to every other weakness of the work, just did not work for me.

[0shewrites0]

hey you can do headcanons about 21st century modern human yandere klaus mikaelson (romantic) like he was never a vampire (with a female reader)

Thanks for this ask and here you go:

tw// mentions of blood baths, murder, cruelty

💛 he was never turned, but he still has the werewolf gene, so he is still a supernatural being, although not immortal

💛 Klaus is the alpha of his pack and a very stubborn, strong wolf, so he's learned over the years to control the transformation so he only turns when he wants to and it doesn't depend on the full moon

💛 you didn't clarify if the female is human, so I'll just make her a werewolf too - not just that she's his mate

💛 they met somewhere on his world travels and as soon as their eyes met they knew. Since then she's been with him wherever he goes, all his enemies are her enemies too, but you can bet he'll defend her so fiercely

💛 of course as the alpha of his pack there are many enemies, rogues as well as general chores to do and so he doesn't have much time for his mate, but being the luna she isn't completely left out either

💛 however, he makes sure he spends every night in bed with her - it's almost like a ritual. He comes home to her, pulls her into his arms and then always makes sure she's okay. She’ll roll her eyes, but the way he systematically examines her body makes her giggle, she feels so appreciated, and even though he doesn't have much time for her, it's something that secretly means the world to her

💛 she is a very beautiful, graceful woman and of course attracts the eyes of many men, but Klaus will always make sure that everyone knows that she belongs to him

💛 this includes possessively putting his arm around her waist and pressing her against his side, demonstratively kissing her when he notices other pack members looking, and if she is around during pack meetings, she will definitely sit on his lap

💛 if a pack member behaves disrespectfully, Klaus will reprimand them with his alpha voice, although you can see from the way his jaw clenches that he's trying to hold back his canines, which are threatening to show, indicating that he's losing control of his wolf

💛 if it's a member of another pack, he won't even hesitate to kill them, full well knowing it will start a war between the two packs, but he doesn't care. His mate, his LUNA, deserves all the fucking respect in the world, and if it's the last thing he achieves

💛 should she get hurt in any way, he'll absolutely lose it - he'll transform in seconds and run out of the house to hunt down the bastard who dared lay a hand on the love of his life

💛 besides, you don't want to know what absolute carnage this will lead to - let me just say that his animal instincts completely take over and his rage knows no bounds

💛 and on a more romantic note: he will spoil her to no end. She'll wear the most beautiful clothes, she'll basically be forced to pamper herself as much as possible and not a day goes by that he doesn't tell her how much he loves and adores her

💛 think candlelit dinners EVERY night, expensive holidays at least once a month and if it's just a weekend getaway he won't care - everything he does he does for her

💛 you won't find anyone who respects her more than him, that's probably why he's so religious about it

💛 the sex and intimacy is pure worship and adoration for her and every now and then, to further deepen the bond between them, they’ll transform and go for a run in the woods where she lets him dominate her and claim her again

[ao3feed-hawks]

Your Talons in Mine

Your Talons In Mine by CocoB0n

There were two kingdoms, the Phoenix Kingdom and the Harpy Kingdom.

Each year, towards the end of winter, when the snow was freshly melted and the highlights of spring just barely greened the nearby trees, a ritual would take place. On the first day of the new season, freshly aged phoenixes and harpies were given the opportunity to join the week-long festival to court a mate.

This wasn't just any average festival. There were no stalls of food, no rides or games to play, no family to hold your hand and drag you along with a smile on their face. None of that-

It was a bloodbath.

Or: Prince Touya of the Phoenix Kingdom, recently turned twenty-one, must find a suitor and mate to pass on his off-springs. He partakes in the annual spring festival to meet his future dominant and hopes to carry his expectations to term. Standing in the wide territory mixing Phoenix with Harpy, he wonders what the future will hold.

Will he find a potential mate? Or will the potential mate find him first?

Words: 6542, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 7 of DabiHawks Week 2023

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M

Characters: Dabi | Todoroki Touya, Takami Keigo | Hawks

Relationships: Dabi | Todoroki Touya/Takami Keigo | Hawks

Additional Tags: Mythical Beings & Creatures, Harpy Takami Keigo | Hawks, Phoenix Dabi, Phoenix Todoroki Touya, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Submissive Dabi | Todoroki Touya, Dominant Takami Keigo | Hawks, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, NOT OMEGAVERSE, Mating Rituals, Blood and Gore, Bonding, Mating Bites, Mildly Dubious Consent, Read Notes for Context, READ NOTES FOR CW/TW, Breeding, Implied Mpreg, Bottom Dabi | Todoroki Touya, Top Takami Keigo | Hawks, Eggpreg, Fluff, Happy Ending

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47341222

[yanderecandystore]

Black and Red take the advantage of Buddy being gone to flirt and drop hints about wanting to have another child with the s/o. Blacks wants to have the s/o be in a relationship now while Red wants to wait a bit more. Also I hope you feel better! Self care is best care :o - Cold Anon

Wow, I loved when I received both of your requests because like- Oh shit this fits so well!

If y'all don't mind, let's make this a complete Headcanon with both of your requests!

TW/Tags: NSFW // Forced relationship // dubcon (I don't condone this actions irl, so please read this with caution if the subject triggers/harms you in anyway) // Poly/Threesome (although it's only like half mentioned because I took way too long to write this lmao) // if you're confused on what is going on, you may want to check this [🧃] // delusional thinking and manipulation // non gender specific yandere boys and female reader just cause I'm kinda want to to make this one female just because- // swearing

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

Thank God the walls are soundproof [Yandere!Among Us x F!Reader - Headcanon]:

Okay but let's first have a real talk, like- Imagine your alien dog just went missing out of nowhere, and then these hoes come in and say some shit about "family" and "mating" and all that jazz-

Bitch, my dog just ran away, control your horniness-

I think that they have been up to this point pretty much saying "we dig you, like a lot!" but also making it seem like it's nothing too serious?

Since they know you're unaware of their true feelings and intentions, it felt only right to give you some time and ease you in this relationship as quickly and smoothly as possible. Some flirting and constant compliments should have done the trick, yet you weren't really understanding what they meant with it.

You thought it was weird to see two people suddenly expressing so much affection to you despite the fact they were both married to each other and that you never felt like the type of person to attract people, so seeing two people to openly flirt with you made you think they were only joking around.

It could be their little thing, right? Flirting with other people in front of one another? Yeah, that could be it-

Of course you have assumed the possibility of them being polyamorous and are trying to call you to their family and form a triad, but then again, sounds kinda hard to believe, right? Two people wanting so badly to be with you? Sounds like something straight up out of a fantasy story.

Although, you couldn't lie that you kinda wish it to be true, since they were very pleasant to be around and well… You found them attractive and pretty charming in a weird way. Their romance with one another seemed so passionate and pure that you felt a little jealous and maybe craving a little bit of their attention.

I guess you tried your best to stay oblivious to their advantages either unconsciously or just defensively, as it can be quite shocking to receive so much attention out of nowhere from those two.

They always seemed so… I don't know, in their own little world….

After Buddy had disappeared, their presence had started to seem more stronger, it was so oddly coincidental how they started to act more friendly than ever towards you after Buddy disappeared.

You shouldn't be so suspicious of them, after all, it was only common sense that people would start to be friendlier and start comforting you after a tragedy.

Yet, you still doubted them, and right now you realize exactly why. Their weird attachment to you was starting to make a lot of sense.

It was the third time you had a breakdown after Buddy disappeared, and it's been the third time that they helped you by "comforting you out", even though you don't feel necessarily more comfortable by their constant caresses and odd words- they keep going on and on about how things will get better soon, that you'll be part of bigger family that promises to cherish you and never abandon you.

And although their words were strange and oddly soothing considering that you felt lonely due to your sweet boy running away, you still felt odd about their exact words and expressions that were thrown at you, but you disguised it as "being their awkward way of showing affection". Because it's a lot easier to lie to yourself than to admit that you were surrounded by possibly dangerous people, it was easier to believe that Buddy was going to come back anytime soon than to admit that the possibility of him already being dead was possible.

But sometimes reality will pull your hazy brain to observe the intriguing situation you found yourself in, since you were still a little hazed by the constant crying and the despair you felt for your best friend, it took you some to realize them both cuddling with you and placing small kisses here and there.

Either you had ignored/blocked out the feeling of invasive touches and phrases that were so off the rails, that even if they sugar coated their speech you would still feel threatened by it, or you were simply disassociating from this particular event.

Who would've guessed that being locked in your own room all day with only two people to talk with has started to make you crave their attention? You just felt like letting them touch you and say nice things despite how it felt…. Weird.

You started to feel guilty, to feel awkward whenever they praised you and touched you a little more roughly in more private areas. You felt good yet awful, you felt like this situation was wrong but it did feel right in some weird way.

You felt ashamed of their soft voices- Or more accurately, Red's soft voice and Black's deep breaths covering your skin with each kiss. They seemed to be on their own little worlds, just like you were a couple of seconds ago.

When you tried to free yourself and get up, Red took the opportunity to make you sit in their lap facing your back to them, they shushed you as you noticed Black felt a bit sad at your sudden reaction. You weren't expecting to be stopped from getting away from their hold which made you feel wary of the situation.

You've let them pamper you for too long, you've let them touch you and crave you for way too long. Black took the fact you were stuck on their partner's lap and decided to take a bite for themselves. A deep kiss that although heavenly sweet to them, it tasted bitter and provoked you to start wriggling against Red to get away from their hold. This was starting to be suffocating.

Yet nothing, they didn't let you, they chuckled at your struggles just like a person would chuckle at an infant playing around and trying to get their attention. Red whispered sweet nothings while Black seemed to be enjoying licking your skin, from your shoulder to your neck, it felt good yet somehow a little too… Good? There was something like desperation starting to appear in Black's breathing, their licks felt sloppy and the sounds coming from deep in their chest made your mind hazy, made your body crave more of this mix of rough and soft touches coming from them both.

Yet your mind told you otherwise, your conscious kept telling you about more important things that you should be worrying about. You felt like this was not exactly what you wanted at the moment, but your body was betraying your own thoughts as you felt yourself getting just as needy as them.

You still told Red you felt like this was happening too fast for your comfort, yet they only told you to relax and enjoy the view.

The "view" was Black getting more and more agitated, they seemed high out of their mind if not completely lost in their own instinct. Drooling like an animal, breathing like they have runned up a hill, and although there was only lust and admiration in their eyes, there was something in that frantic laugh that made you feel like there was something else in their hearts.

"- Black, we talked about this… Look at her, your scaring [Y/N], babe." Red said while pushing Black to back off a little, without putting too much pressure, just telling them to get back a little.

Black didn't take it personally yet still whined like a lost puppy. Black surprisingly hasn't said much considering the situation you were all in, you would at least hope for them to say something, yet they couldn't make any comprehensive sounds except for growling and heavy breathing.

"- Can you see it, [Y/N]? It's so adorable when they get like this, it's even better if you let them get impatient, not like you'll have to wait much, they're simply too easy to please, you know?" Red giggled into your ear as Black was grinding the bed like a desperate dog in heat, which still scared you a bit-

How hungry their eyes looked made you squirm and distance yourself from them, which led to Red holding you tighter since you were getting closer to them. It felt like it was normal for them, this sort of ritual, and you just seemed to get yourself involved in, not knowing how to respond to anything.

"- Uhn- R-Red- I…. I think we should go to sleep already-" You said, it was indeed very late, and you were starting to feel like not being part of this- Something was very, very off, your gut told you that much as you started feeling pretty nauseous.

"- So soon? Are you feeling nervous darling? I did tell a certain someone that they should have been more patient, yet they said they couldn't wait any longer-" Red said, mentioning Black who was flustered and angry at how their partner seemed to act so casually about their "condition".

"- But I don't think you need to worry your little head, after it we can go to sleep together, okay?" Red answered you while nuzzling your neck, now they noticed how much they were craving this moment, yet still not as much as their shape shifting partner.

"- No! I-I mean- Shouldn't you two sleep in your own rooms- I think the others would get suspicious of three people sleeping in the same bed." You managed to stutter out, yet you felt like your words had caused more harm than it should have.

Black growled in a more animalistic manner while also hitting their hands in the bed to try to take your attention, their expression was of anger mixed with disappointment.

Red just sighed and shook their head, they put their hand in your face and guided you to look at them, their tone sounded patronizing and disappointed.

"- It's that really what you're worried about? What other people think… This has nothing to do with anyone but us, love. So please try to focus on the now instead of how they'll react. And besides, we wouldn't want to miss this opportunity, now would we?" They said while kissing you just as passionately as Black did. Yet you didn't get what Red meant with that, so you obviously asked.

To which they didn't really respond, just hugged you again after slowly pulling away and saying:

"- Normally we have to wait up to six in six months to get their next heat, but apparently it came earlier than it should have! Isn't this beautiful darling? It's like all the stars have been perfectly aligned for us to be together." Red squeaked excitedly about the pattern of luck they've been having lately! First started with your dog disappearing, then it went to you being more comfortable with them around you, to you downright accepting being part of their family!-

The truth was actually rather bitter, you didn't really agree to any of these and you seemed to have tried to get out whenever you could, but both Red and Black took your lack of response as a sign of acceptance rather than anything else. Why else would you let them cuddle you three times in a roll, if not because of love? Why would you let them kiss you, if not because of love?

"- It's going to be so much fun adding two new members to the family, don't you think love?" Red spoke once again although not really towards you, but rather to their very attentive partner that was fuming with the idea of a new kid ever since their heat began about three days ago.

Thanks whatever cosmic entity to have granted them not only the privilege of holding you for so long during this time of need you were facing, but to also have gifted them this marvelous opportunity. Their species are fertile only periodically, it's not like they can do this any time they want, so to be in heat while your stupid bodyguard is missing it's a fucking miracle.

Yet I guess it would be really rude to mention that to you in person, after all you did love that mutt with all your heart, so-

Well, it's not like Black can express how desperately they want to pounce on you, they go through a thembofication when they're needy like this, besides- What good are words if they can simply let their moans filled the room and let it clear through actions how fucking long they have been craving this.

Your dog would have smelled them a lot sooner and tried to warn you about this, he could have prevented this but it seems like he ditched you, which is so unfair, none of them would ever leave you alone, but who cares about Buddy anymore, right? They're pretty sure that after you have a baby you'll forget him, because children and dogs are literally the same thing, ask Mini Red about it-

The fear that overcomes you when seeing them take off their disguise through your very eyes it's both heartbreaking and a little exciting. It's horrible for Black to see you screaming and trying to get out of the room despite the fact the door is locked tight and the walls being soundproof, were you really that disturbing that you couldn't handle?

Or maybe you realized who has been going around, ya know, eating people? And you thought you would be one too, which seemed to be the first time both of them understood what your worries were.

"- Oh no darling, don't worry okay! Shh- Everything it's fine- Look, we know this is sudden but it only felt right to show you the truth right now. You understand that right?"

Red tried to calm you down while simultaneously putting more fear in your heart.

"- Let me go! I-I- don't want anything to do with- With that thing! Or even you for that matter!" You spat venom at them while you squirmed in the mattress as Red was holding your arms and Black was holding your legs from kicking them.

So much hatred in only one sentence, truthfully, this wasn't going to go so well.

For you, that is.

You'll see that you love them, you see that this pity party you're throwing is absolutely ridiculous, weren't you kissing and whimpering at their touch five seconds ago? Honestly dear, hypocrisy doesn't look good on you.

But maybe you just need to relax a little, and let someone take care of you. Clearly the disappearance of "Whatever his name was" took you by surprise and made a big impact in your consciousness, but after proving you how much they have to offer, surely you'll understand their point of view.

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

[yandere-writer-momo]

reader this partner Pickle, who has already claimed his mate, leaving a tooth mark and a bunch of his marking territorial warnings on other people's skin (maybe the tooth marks are not visible under his clothes).

Pickle lets the reader walk and socialize, knowing that communication and sociality help people, but when someone pays attention to his date? He shows up unexpectedly, driving competitors away from his person and taking to the nest to leave new tags.

can get headcanons where Baki, Katsumi, Retsu, Jack, or Oliva might be flirting with the Reader (maybe they love Reader) without paying attention to Pickle's territorial tags, or not knowing who the Reader's partner is.

So I’m going to take this to another level. How about oblivious reader with Pickle who believes he’s your mate (he’s delulu)? It’s all because you smiled at him.

His bite would hurt too much and probably kill you.

Yandere Baki Head Canons

Pickle x oblivious AFAB reader edition (plus the yarem)

Minors Do Not Interact

TW: Scent marking, animalistic behavior, and Pickle

Pickle

You were the only female fighter amongst the others that challenged him. And rather then be scared of you, like he was Jack, Pickle was entranced by you. While he took the men smiling him as a challenge, he took your look as an invitation. Pickle was more than willing to accept a strong female like you as his mate

Pickle follows you around like a dog. His form not far from you at all times. He’s always cooing over you and trying to gift you various animals he hunted. It’s very strange to you but you don’t question him. Maybe he’s being friendly?

Pickle scents the entire outer perimeter of your house much like a dog or cat. You noticed a strange pungent scent every time you came home after a long day but you didn’t think anything of it. There must be more cats around than normal

Pickle begins to try fighting off the other competition. He growls and swats at the other fighters who smile and talk with you. He will not share. He is the strongest male and he’s the only one with the right to claim you

Pickle starts taking his courting more seriously, even when you cover your nose when he’s around (he smells so bad). He still tries to woo you by bringing you large game and various trinkets he finds. Choose him. Mate with him

He tries to kill Hanayama when he notices the yakuza gifting you flowers and you accept them. The two men are fighting until they’re both covered in blood and their bones are broken. Pickle is so thrilled when you fret over both injured men. He takes your care as you accepting him

Pickle starts to break into your home more often and tries to lay in the bed with you, but you always kick him out. He smells awful. That’s when you decide to take it upon yourself to clean him

Pickle follows you into a river as you go swimming. You almost threw up when you noticed how the water changed colors when he got in. The Neanderthal mimicking you as you kept dunking yourself in the water. Was this some sort of mating ritual? He accepts! He’s having a lot of fun copying you but he really wants to know when you’ll mate with him

You’re slowly able to get Pickle to allow you to use soap on him. You teach him how to wash himself but demonstrating on your fully clothed self. He copied you in interest. He really enjoys this game the two of you are playing (he believes it to be a game)

He finally has a tolerable scent by the time you’re done. It’s a massive improvement

Pickle still chases away your suitors. He chases away Jack, Katsumi, and Hanayama all the time. He throws rocks at them all the time when the male fighters try to gift you things. Why can’t they understand that you’re his mate?! You accepted Pickle and he accepted you

Pickle ups his scent marking game and he starts rolling his (clean) body around your sheets now. The caveman wrapping his body over yours while you’re asleep. His tongue and teeth are lightly dragged across the bare skin on your neck and back to try to leave a mark on you. One that will make them understand you’re his

Pickle starts being more touchy. He will pull you into his lap so he can check your hair for any snacks (bugs). He loves how small you are compared to him. Pickle also swipes your snacks from your bag. He adores when you feed him

Pickle starts trying to get you to groom his hair as well. He loves when you comb his hair with a comb. It feels so good on his scalp

Pickle nips at Katsumi whenever the karateka tries to hold your hand. Pickle picks you up and physically moves you away from Katsumi. Sometimes he puts you up in a tree. His actions don’t deter Katsumi at all

Pickle throws Katou across the room when he tries speaking to you. Just yeets him like a ball. Pickle is super possessive of you (it rivals Hanayama)

Pickle slaps Jack across the face when the blonde smiles at you. Jack is not allowed to challenge you (apes smile at each other for intimidation). Pickle is terrified of Jack but he’s willing to stand up to Jack to keep the blonde monster away from you

Pickle snarls at Baki whenever the redhead gets too close. He beats on his chest and growls, trying to make himself look bigger whenever Baki so much as turns his head in your direction

[jessamine-rose]

‧̍̊˚ᵕ⋆ Under the Sea ⋆ᵕ˚‧̍̊

So it turns out that I had more ideas for my Yandere! Mermaid AU. This sequel features more mermaid lore and dark themes. Now why don't we revisit this twisted fairytale??

Characters:: Capitano, Pantalone, Dottore, Pierro

Tw:: yandere, manipulation, coercion, blood, violence, death, Stockholm Syndrome, spice, noncon, animal cruelty, mention of pregnancy

♡ 1.9k words under the cut ♡

Shark! Capitano x Coral Reef Fish! Mermaid

♡ To be fair, there are worse fates in the deep sea. While mermaids and reef fish are getting nerfed by natural selection, you have Capitano to provide for you. Sure, your relationship is far from ordinary nor consensual, but at least you’re safe in his territory. He is still your gentle companion who would never hurt you.

♡ …Yeah, it doesn’t get any easier but he tries to make you comfortable. Pretty sea anemones to decorate your new home. His earnest imitation of your species’ courtship rituals. The considerate adjustments to his own mating behavior as a shark mermaid.

♡ Don’t worry, he’s extremely careful when biting you. His bites are light and harmless, at times pleasurable, so stop struggling unless you want him to accidentally draw blood. He even encourages you to reciprocate the gesture! Your teeth aren’t as sharp as his, but he cherishes the shallow indents you leave on his skin.

♡ You’re forbidden from leaving his territory without him. Since your abduction, Capitano is more protective over you. He scares away nearby sea creatures, hunts down humans on sight, and threatens his fellow predator mermaids for joking about your “tasty” appearance. You attract a lot of curiosity for your interspecies relationship but he doesn’t mind the rumors.

♡ It’s a confusing situation, really. Just as you somewhat understand Capitano’s twisted love, you can’t shake off your previous camaraderie. For every predator he kills for you, you steer him away from manmade fish traps. By now, he’s stopped inquiring about your familiarity with these devices. Instead, he softly touches your scars and promises that no more violence will taint you.

♡ With that, your boiling point shouldn’t be a surprise. It is a usual day in captivity: Capitano returns to your shared cavern with another batch of sea anemone, and you silently accept his gift. What shakes your passive resistance is the sight of his wounded hands. Are those anemone stings?

♡ All this time, you’d forgotten that only reef fish are immune to sea anemone. You immediately tell Capitano to stop picking it for you, but he insists that the pain is nothing. Setting your gift aside, you treat his wounds and tell him that if he won’t stop, he should let you accompany him. You can’t allow your mate to hurt himself for you.

♡ For a few seconds, Capitano is silent. Only after he accepts your proposal do you realize the words which slipped out. Before you can take it back, he kisses you and leaves for another hunting trip. Unable to follow him, you can only await his return and question your sanity.

♡ Meanwhile, your mate is mulling over your first lover’s spat. For you to be so concerned that you’d willingly spend more time with him…perhaps you have begun to accept your new life. He does feel guilty for worrying you, but make no mistake: What would be the point of his strength if not for your sake?

Jellyfish! Pantalone x Exotic Pet! Mermaid

♡ Despite his desire to own court you, there are times when Pantalone questions his decision. Until now, you struggle to adapt to the deep sea due to your sheltered upbringing and weaker biology. But when he is with you, he can almost believe that he isn’t heartless—at least in a figurative sense.

♡ Your background is useful for his side job as the top trader of human treasures. Just forget the time you informed him that his precious “dinglehopper” is actually an eating utensil. He talked about subjective value afterwards, but you could tell he was just trying to repair his pride.

♡ Likewise, you are humbled by the brutality of mermaid culture. It’s common for beauties like Pantalone to lure humans into the sea to kill them and steal their valuables. And who can forget the time you adopted a shimmery fish as a pet, only for Pantalone to tear off its scales for his nail art? Don’t be afraid, darling, he’d never be this cruel with you.

♡ For all it’s worth, his attraction is mutual. There is some friction at the start of his courtship when you initially reject Pantalone’s advances. You go on a tangent about purebreds, selective breeding, arranged partners, all that nonsense taught by your human breeders.

♡ Pantalone is offended. Are you implying that he isn’t valuable enough for you? Darling, in the wild, what matters most is not your imagined worth but your survivability. He isn’t even courting you for your potential offspring, assuming you can have any with him. And he's smart enough not to subject any hybrid children to a difficult life in an improper habitat.

♡ That conversation is what changes your mindset. Compared to humans, Pantalone treats you so differently. Rather than show you off to his peers, he prefers to keep you safe by his side. That time you got badly injured by a predator, he prioritized your health over your damaged scales. The only reason he purchased a scar-healing potion was to appease your distress. See, you should have listened to him. Do you know how much this cost him?

♡ He even protects you in a way that no caretaker would! Swimming after you when you get swept up by the currents, putting himself in harm’s way to save you from predators, even sharing his treasures with you. So what is the point of your biological differences? You already live together and find each other attractive.

♡ Yes, he is the perfect mate. You still have a lot to learn about the deep sea, and he will teach you everything there is to know. Between your domestication and his manipulation, you can be confident in one truth: That out of all the fish in the sea, Pantalone chose to love you.

Octopus! Dottore x Artificial! Mermaid

♡ He understands that you are mad at him. It is a natural reaction after being forcibly drowned, kissed, and transformed into a mermaid. Yet despite your silent treatment, Dottore refuses to shut up. He isn’t a talkative person, but he’s so excited to properly communicate with you. Think of all the personal and scientific conversations!

♡ Good luck trying to escape from him. The deep sea is no place for an inexperienced mermaid; and among your favorite sea creatures, Dottore picked a species weaker than him. Not to mention that transformation potions can only be custom-made under his guidance.

♡ You should also give up on seeking help. Do you honestly believe that your former brethren won’t use your body for scientific research? On the other hand, mermaid society shuns you for your human origins and association with Dottore. You’re essentially an outcast like him.

♡ Don’t cry, darling, he will always be here for you. He is an attentive mate in the first months of your courtship—teaching you how to swim, helping you hunt and gather food, overseeing your adjustment therapy. He is neither strict nor overbearing in that regard.

♡ You do realize why he is feared by his peers. During your tour of his territory, you are horrified to come across the skeletons of humans and mermaids. Worry not, these are no different from the experiments conducted by your kind. Be grateful that he went with magic and not surgery for your transformation.

♡ Because of his research, Dottore is also known as the Sea Witch. Every so often, he accepts potion commissions in exchange for knowledge, human relics, or mermaid DNA. He prefers the last payment since it’s less easy to obtain by force. It’s especially true for the orca blood and jellyfish stingers provided by two of his important clients.

♡ Despite your situation, you can’t help but be fascinated with your new circumstances. Humans tend to view mermaids as inferior animals, and even sympathetic marine biologists are hindered by the language barrier. Thanks to Dottore, you’ve gained a better understanding of his kind. And as a fellow researcher, you are morbidly impressed by his scientific accomplishments.

♡ It helps that he has a soft spot for you, though he’s more…touchy now that you’re his mate. He likes to wrap his tentacles around you in what he claims is an innocent hug. He marks you with his suckers and comments on the taste of your skin. He also teases you with camouflaged jumpscares; it’s especially scary during your escape attempts.

♡ A part of you hopes this is all a dream, a nightmare you can wake up from. As much as you love exploring the sea, you can’t enjoy the newly accessible knowledge when you are trapped in Dottore’s grasp. Sadly, your life is now in his hands and he will take great joy in seeing how your relationship develops.

Orca! Pierro x Artificial Orca! Mermaid

♡ In the end, Pierro decides to turn you into a mermaid. He makes the most out of your final days on land—cooking your meals, using your species’ technology…and indulging in human copulation. With your injured leg, there is little you can do to resist him.

♡ On the last day, he carries you to the sea and force-feeds you a potion. The last thing you feel before passing out is cold seawater, strong arms wrapped around you, a familiar tail intertwined with yours. Back in his true form, Pierro brings you to his new territory and admires your orca features.

♡ The first week could've been better. You’re already tense with Pierro, but he tries to reciprocate your hospitality. His territory is larger than your house with a furnished cavern, a private reef, and the primitive technology created by orca mermaid society. The two of you share a comfy bed of seagrass.

♡ You are also subjected to a checkup with the Sea Witch. As scary as Dottore is, you eagerly listen to his story about Pierro’s human transformation. How he stumbled during his first steps, how pathetic yet determined he looked, how—he stops talking after Pierro darkly inquires about the regenerative abilities of octopus mermaids.

♡ Pierro is a doting, protective mate…to an extreme extent. You aren’t allowed to leave his territory, learn how to hunt, or even interact with other mermaids and animals. After everything he’s been through, he can’t lose another loved one to the cruelty of the world.

♡ Not that any sea creature would approach you. The first time you watch Pierro hunt, you are traumatized by his species’ methods. To him, it’s normal to brutally tail-slap seals and stingrays to death—and justified in the case of passing humans. So that is what he means by "playing with your food"...

♡ He also helps you adjust to your aquatic diet. There are various ways to prepare raw fish and hopefully, you like sashimi. If you miss human cuisine, the two of you may occasionally visit a deserted island to roast your food over a fire. He does miss your cooking.

♡ At some point, you ask him why you were turned into an orca mermaid. According to Dottore, Pierro had to give away more blood to make you the same species as him. Why did he put himself through that? That is when your mate brings out a fertility potion, one that will ensure pregnancy even if your body is incapable of bearing a child.

♡ Calm yourself, darling. You already know that orcas aren’t solitary creatures; and while your company is a blessing, wouldn’t it be nice to raise a few baby mermaids? Never fear, Pierro will take good care of your pod. Together, you will live a peaceful life under the sea.

♡

Welp what a lovely way to use my zoology knowledge. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope y’all enjoyed this dark continuation. I didn’t expect so many ppl to like my Yandere Mermaid AU, and thank you so much for your feedback (♡˙︶˙♡)

I’d also like to thank @diodellet for peer-reviewing this and @gum-iie for giving me more ideas!! Once again, this is an AU of my Yandere! Harbinger longfic series for those who found the couples and stories familiar~

Tag a Harbinger enjoyer!! @leftdestiny-posts @nicebonescomrades @harmonysanreads @ansy-tea @thescribeoflostmemories @kocherry @oofasleep @crypticbibliophile @lcveaesop @frogchiro @theinnerunderrain @surveyycorps @jinkicake @lucidasara @ghostluu @gxmblinqueen @verdictionist @springtidewaves

[yandere-daydreams]

Can we get more of dragon bakugo??? Just him like trying to make them have a good best and taking care of them, after all the times they took care of him. Maybe Kirishima joins them after a while?????

I didn’t want to let Kirishima factor in just yet, but if I ever continue this further, I’ll consider it. Y’all know how I feel about that boy, but this is about Bakugo, at the moment.

Part One Here.

TW: Mentions of Captivity and (Minor) Physical Violence.

~

Your wrist was beginning to hurt.

Bakugo, or ‘Katsuki’, as he demanded you call him, hadn’t let go of you for more than an hour over the past three days. It was unnecessary. You were a hostage, but a willing one, so far from a home that was little more than ash and cinder, now. When he hunted, you didn’t try to run, and when he flew, you clung to his back for dear life, knowing a movement too sudden or a separation too complete would leave you plummeting to the Earth, with little hope of sprouting a pair of wings as substantial as Katsuki’s. He held you at night with an equal level of desperation, his nails never failing to embed themselves in your flesh whenever his eyes closed. The wounds were shallow, easily treatable, but it was enough to make you hesitant to trust him. Not that you’d do so easily if he treated you like the most fragile treasure in the world.

He tried to, of course. As he guided you over the rolling hills of valleys and open land, so different from the forests and crowded cities you’d grown up in, his hold on your forearm was loose, but the scales coating his palm irritated everything he touched, his talons occasionally scraping against your wrist and never failing to draw blood. He didn’t seem to notice, but you refused to give him the satisfaction of a struggle, biting back your complaints as they came.

Instead, you broke the silence by stating the obvious. “If they come to recapture you, I won’t be able to stop them.”

Katsuki spared you a glance from the corner of his eye, his stride never faltering. “And I won’t need you to,” He assured, tugging you forward and letting you stumble to his side. “I don’t plan on being imprisoned again, not by humans foolish enough to release me. Nor do I have any intention to treat my mate as a bargaining chip.”

Mate. There was that word again. It’s meaning was foreign to you, but Katsuki used it with reckless abandon, treating the title like the most tender term of endearment he could vocalize. You grit your teeth, swallowing dryly before you spoke. “They did once. There’s nothing stopping another kingdom from locking you so deep underground, you won’t remember there’s a world outside to escape to. I… A human escort won’t change that.” You paused, attempting to gauge his expression. His eyes were narrowed in the unfiltered sunlight, intent and sharpened, as if he was searching for landmarks and signals you couldn’t see. Focused on anything but you. “If someone comes, and they will, your intentions won’t matter. You’ll be defeated, and my people will be avenged.”

That got Katsuki to pause, coming to a stop as he thought over your declaration. “Your people,” He scoffed, his distance turning to disregard in the blink of an eye. “Is that why you insist on agitating me? Because you’re upset the tyrants who sent you to tend to a beast had to suffer? Because they had their little castle and their pathetic home toppled over?” He grinned, a chuckle from deep in his throat slowly becoming a laugh, hearty and unabashed. You pulled away, a red haze lining your vision, and Katsuki let you, releasing you and watching as you stumbled backward. You barely had time to regain your composure before Katsuki saw fit to strip you of it, sweeping you off your feet and holding you to his chest, an arm tucked under your thighs to keep you balanced. He sighed, a strong hand cupping your cheek, keeping you pressed against his shoulder. “I should thank them, once I’m settled. They sent me such a diligent mate, it’d be a shame not to show my appreciation. Perhaps another siege--”

“I’m not your mate,” You spat, more to silence him than to establish your counterpoint. You shoved yourself away from him, he overpowered you with ease, forcing you flush against sculpted shoulders and skin that was much too warm. You wondered if he’d burn you, if you stayed against him for much longer. Knowing you couldn’t force your way out of his arms, you did the only thing you could. “I’m not your ‘mate’ and I’ll never be. You don’t have the right to do so much as say my name, let alone start whatever courting ritual you’ve forced me to be a part of. I’m following you because I don’t have another choice, I don’t--”

Katsuki silenced you with a jerk to your skull, his nails strapping against your scalp as he entangled his fingers in your hair, pulling your head back and forcing you to meet his eyes. There was a constant fire in those blood-red irises, but his resolution came before his wrath, any rage he could’ve felt numbed by his determination. “You took care of me,” He explained, such a delicate sentiment seeming wrong on his tongue. “You kept me fed, and housed, and you did so with much more care than you had to. I had caretakers, but you-” The flattened pad of his thumb pressed against your forehead, as if it would do anything to further his message. Instead, it only made you feel smaller, weaker, patronized by a predator who could rip out your throat in a moment. “You were the only one to care for me. You can’t say you didn’t want this.”

“I pitied you.” Katsuki cringed, his eyes narrowing into something between hurt and disappointment. You swallowed dryly, continuing before he could respond. “I pitied an old, imprisoned monster. There’s nothing more to it.”

Abruptly, you were dropped, allowed to fall to the dusty, hard ground before he took hold of your bicep, dragging you to your feet and carrying on with a steady pace, attempting to make up for lost time. “You’re lying to yourself. I should’ve known you would, it’s all humans are good for.” There was a slight incline, bringing you to the top of a hill you hadn’t noticed, not until you were at its crest.  Katsuki pulled you to his side, allowing you to look out at what should’ve been little more than tall grass and empty fields. “Your place is at my side. You’ll come to see that. Anything else wouldn’t be fitting of my mate.”

You didn’t respond. You were too busy taking in the dip in the valley, the hollow ravine hidden by higher ground. Or, more importantly, the village inside off it, filled with tents and animals and people, all as tall as Katsuki and as inhuman, too. Some had horns, others tails, but all of them were beginning to gather around, gawking at the two of you with open mouths and rushing forward, Katuski making no move to call them off. No, no, for the first time since the beginning of your companionship, he was smiling, his hold on you tighter than ever.

But suddenly, the growing ache in your arm was no longer your biggest concern.

[jewelserket]

Empty Mountain Tops: Chapter 1

TW: Gore, Maggots, Blood.

The sun seemed to burn a hole into the sky as it sank below the horizon. Streaks of fiery red danced across the coming night, playing silent music with the approaching starlight. Walter gazed up at the mural painting it’s way across the sky. In moments like those, he could almost believe the world was beautiful. A chuckle escaped his chapped lips and he ruffled his fingers through his dusty orange hair. Given the dirt and grime that caked up under his black gown, he felt disgusting. By hell, he needed a bath. Or maybe even one of those showers that’d gotten popular lately. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and stared down into the valley below.

Ten years ago, a view like that would have been stunning. Between the mountains lay a sea of trees. A single road into the nearby town wound through the trees like a snake, barely visible in the fading light. Ten years ago, a good chunk of the road would’ve been either taken up by horses or maybe, on a lucky day, one of those rich bloke’s cars. Now they were just… empty. A silent stillness that was only broken by the rare lark or fox. Hell, even the road that wound several feet behind Walter was cracked. A lack of maintenance left the edges crumbled and muddy. Then there was the town. Before, it would have been lit up by fires or lights. Smoke would have bellowed out of chimneys and filled the darkening sky. Now, all that lay before Walter was the corpses of buildings. Empty and still. No fire or flicker of life. Then there was the smell. Up here, the traces of it only clung to the edges of Walter’s cloak. Down there, the putrid death would push through his mask, no matter how he packed it with herbs.

He sighed through his nose. The last vestiges of light were seeping out from behind the mountain tops. Crickets hummed away at their mating ritual and even a few toads still croaked. Funny how life could completely stop for humans and yet the animals kept going on like nothing had happened. Walter strode up to his horse, gently stroking it‘s silver nose. Comet was a good steed, even if she was old and slow. The age showed in her dark eyes and stringy fur. She had been his father’s horse before that old coot passed. Frankly, Comet was better to Walter than that piece of shit had ever been. Walter snorted at that thought.

The horse gave a short whinny, tossing her mane. He smiled at her, giving her one last scratch. Comet would likely be retiring soon. Walter would have to use one of those shitty, government grade steeds. Sometimes, he wished they’d send him out in a car. Then he could get to those wrecked towns before it was too late. Maybe he’d actually save someone. He slid over to the saddlebags, simple green and black leather. They were gifts from his boyfriend. A smile warmed his face as he thought fondly of the man. Their many ‘friendly visits’ and hidden kisses… the smile cracked and crumbled away. Saying goodbye to Francis was, well, difficult. They’d never gotten to share a goodbye kiss. Francis had told him he was proud of Walter; told him just how amazing it was that he was risking his life going out there and working. Walter had believed him then. Now he realized just how much being immune to the Plague had destroyed his life.

Walter rubbed his forehead with a long, pained sigh. Francy was going to send him mail but Walter only got to check for it when he got back to update his supervisors. He dragged himself over to his campfire and sleeping roll. The firelight was fluttering low to the ground. Walter stamped the last of the coals out and tucked himself into the bedroll. Some nights, he’d set up his tent. Tonight, he decided he’d rather not put in the effort. As the last rays of light disappeared, his eyelids grew heavy. He squeezed his eyes shut, snuggling into the warmth of the bedroll. The weight of sleep overtook him faster than he expected and, in a moment, he fell into unconsciousness.

------

“I’m rolling along! Rolling along. Don’t want any millions, I’ve got my share. I’ve only got one suit (Just one!) and that’s all I can wear.”

Walter grinned at the crackling radio in front of him. Its bulky yellow case humming with trumpet filled music and the frankly beautiful voice of Al Jolson. Walter had lucked out with this town. Several buildings still had juice in them and, even better, the radio signal on the radios inside was clear! He spun around to face the streets through an old, cracked window. A layer of dust clung to it, matched in thickness by the rest of the dust laden house.

“A bundle of money don’t make me feel gay. A sweet little honey is making me say!”

Walter’s voice bubbled up to join in with the radio’s voice, spinning out of the front door. An empty, brick street stretched out in either direction. He had stuffed his Vulture mask full of lavender, though the smell wasn’t quite strong enough to cover what he wanted it to cover. Clinging to the empty buildings was the foul scent of rot. Despite that, no bodies were visible. Several massive birds passed overhead, though Walter barely cast them a glance.

He spun his way down the street, popping his head into the variety of buildings. With music at his back, he could almost pretend that the foul stench of rot didn’t clog his lungs. Walter placed a sloppy checkmark down on his list of houses. Empty, empty, empty. The town must have taken action themselves, not that Walter was complaining. As a Vulture, he’d have to move them all into a mass grave anyways. If they had done it for him, that was one less job he’d have to take care of.

Empty, Empty, Empty… Yep. All of the houses on this row were empty. Not a corpse in sight. To the untrained eye, it’d appear that everyone had simply left. Rotted food sat in pantries and a thin veil of dust painted the town. Most doors were either unlocked or already opened. The few that weren’t were quickly taken care of by breaking in through a window. There wasn’t a sound to drown out the music or Walter’s footsteps. The Vulture was far too experienced to know that an empty town was far worse of a sign than mass exodus. A yawn escaped Walter’s throat, causing the man to pause. He was mid way through checking an empty kitchen when the noise came. For a moment, Walter was completely still. Then he snorted and burst into a small fit of laughter. His voice cracked at it’s edges as he did so, his fists clenched around the pencil and clipboard.

“Fuck, I’ve grown too used to this. What would Francy think of me now?” He muttered to himself. He glanced around the kitchen, then placed another check on his clipboard. Empty.

Walter clambered out of the window and plopped into an unkempt bush. He was glad it wasn’t a rose bush. Those things were all too popular as of late and it was a bit frustrating to have to untangle a cloak from them. He stretched his way out of the bush and wandered back onto the road. This entire street was empty, as were all the other streets he had checked. The man slid his way back over to the radio, unplugging it. With it quiet, Walter came to the frustrating realization of just how quiet it was. It was a silence that chewed at his ears and dug into his stomach. A thought hit the back of his head that he tried to push away. This was, like with many other radios Walter had touched, the last time it’d played music. Or it likely was. Noone was going back to this town for a very long time, if ever. He grunted with frustration, patting the radio with sympathy that used to be exclusive to humans. Used to be… he chuckled a broken chuckle to himself.

Walter stepped out of the house yet again, glancing up at the sky. Yet another flock of those huge, ugly birds were flying above. He wasn’t necessarily shocked. Seeing vultures was common enough, especially when there were a bunch of bodies somewhere around. He followed the carrion birds down the road as they fluttered overhead. Birds like that were usually brilliant ways of finding a corpse or two that Walter could have missed, though this time he suspected there wouldn’t be very many of those.

As if to confirm Walter’s suspicions of the birds’ destination, the stench of carcass began to thicken in the air. Dried blood stains appeared on the walls of houses as he drew closer. Some were as small as a couple drops. Others were the size of a mail box. One seemed like it’s source had exploded up against the wall. It wouldn’t have surprised Walter if the person who produced such a stain had done just that. He sighed through his nose, inspecting the massive stain. The plague hit this little town hard. Walter’s gloved fingers traced around the stain. It’d been there for at least a few weeks, drying brown into the aged wood..

The Vulture shook his head and continued down the road. His footsteps echoed around him, yet another sensation of emptiness that he had thought he’d get used to. His nose scrunched up at the miasma of death that clung to the nasal cavity. Then came the turn in the road. He paused at the edge of the building. Walter’s fists clenched and released several times. Sometimes it was difficult to work up a strategy to face the bodies. It was always easier when he started with only a few. He took a deep, shuddering breath. Two years ago, this smell would have made Walter vomit. Now it only made him force a smile as he started to sing to himself yet again.

“I’m rolling along, Yes rolling along,” Walter’s voice cracked, broken by the echo of his voice alone in the street. He forced himself to continue, to calm his own nerves, “And I’m quittin, the blues, of the world!”

He spun around the corner, his words drying in his throat. Walter was correct in his assumption of what had happened to the corpses of the town. A massive pit stretched out in front of him, far longer than it was wide. It was impossible to tell the depth of the pit. No spot of the bottom was visible through the rotting mass. At one point, the bodies could have been separate entities. Instead, decomposition and the plague had melded them into a black mass. Streaks of yellowish puss bubbled up in blotches around the pit. Numerous piles of bug eggs throbbed up on top of the mass. Several clumps of corpses twitched and squirmed from the globs of maggots. Walter tried to avoid staring at the rare faces that were discernible in the mass. One caught his eye, though. They couldn’t have been older than nine before they… it. died. The side of its face was split open, revealing the fragile bones underneath. No eyes sat in it’s sockets, leaving only voids lined at the edges with squirming bugs.

Walter sucked in another deep breath, tearing his gaze away from the corpse. There was nothing he could do for it now. After a single moment of hesitation, he forced the cheery song back into his voice. The dance in his steps was far more reserved, the wiggle in his hips weaker as he moved back towards his horse. Comet stood a couple rows back, giving a slow tilt of her head at the sight of her owner. Walter grabbed the horse’s lead and brought her towards the pit. She gave a small huff of protest but a pat on her nose was enough to convince her to stay nearby. Walter snatched the shovel from the small, wooden cart she tugged behind her. A thought came to him, a reminder that if he did well on this mission then he’d be able to buy one of those carts with a bed and roof over them. He shook the thought away, focusing on his song.

Finding the dirt that they had used to dig the hole was easy. A mountain of the stuff sat nearby, reminding Walter that the pit was likely several feet deeper than it seemed. It was times like these that he regretted not getting a partner for these kinds of jobs. Maybe he’d look for one when he got back to headquarters! Walter snorted and rolled his eyes.

Filling in the hole was really more of a matter of distracting himself. The job was tedious, leaving plenty of time to stare into the writhing mass below him. His skin was soon caked with sweat and dirt that tumbled into his sleeves. The smell of his own body was strong enough to contest the rancid death around him. Early morning’s sun dragged itself across the sky, landing just past noon before Walter collapsed backwards onto his butt. The grave was covered, though only loosely so. Walter would have to come back again to finish the job but there was a chance there were bodies nearby. He stared at the mound of soil that lay in front of him, knuckles white as he gripped the shovel.

Walter gazed at the grave for quite a while before standing. There was still a whole street left to check and he didn’t want to be stuck sitting around all day. His song died away, not that he’d paid much attention to it at this point. Walter stumbled to his feet and dragged the shovel over to his wagon. It landed with a clunk among his other tools. He patted Comet’s face, smiling as he realized that the horse had dozed off. The Vulture snatched up his clipboard and started down the next road. The quicker he got this whole business over with, the sooner he could go back to the base.

He peeked into each house through the windows and doors that he poked his head through. Each house was empty, silent, and dead. It was funny to Walter how some of these houses must have been freshly built before the plague had it. It wasn’t until the third to last house that the emptiness changed. Walter slipped into the building through it’s open front door. It, like all of the others, was fairly dim. An old, blood stained couch sat in the corner and an empty fireplace lay waiting for new fuel. The kitchen sat unused, a bowl of some half rotted food on the table. Walter stuck his head into the bathroom, gazing for a moment at the once well used toilet. Then a crash came from above him, causing the Vulture to jump and spin around. He growled, eyes on the staircase that happened to be his next destination. Whatever laid in wait for him above was now silent, the darkness of the stairs threatening to swallow Walter whole.

The Vulture stumbled back into the kitchen, snatching up a dusty knife. Upstairs was still silent as he began creeping towards it. In such an empty town, it could have been anything from a raider to a hungry raccoon. Both of those thoughts filled him with dread, given that he’d nearly lost his last battle with a raccoon. He crept up the dark staircase, peeking over the edge into the hallway that met him. Only two rooms sat on either side of the hall. One of the two doors was open, though from this angle it was impossible to see inside. Walter stepped up onto the carpeted flooring, silently begging the wooden floorboards underneath not to creak. He clung to the wall with the open door, pressing his back up against it. Holding his breath, Walter edged himself up to the door to peek inside.

He had expected many things when he gazed into the room. The biggest hope was that it would be empty. Hell, even a small animal or two would be fine. What Walter had imagined the worst case scenario for it to be was a human, especially one with a weapon. Plenty of raiders killed government workers like himself while they scavenged for food. Then again, most of those raiders only appeared when they were sure the plague had been inactive in the town for a while. An immunity like Walter’s was rare and usually exploited to become a Vulture, after all. Yet, his stomach dropped when he came to the realization that none of these things were in the room. Instead, staring back at him was a thirteen year old child.

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

Wicked Child | Feeding Habits #2

Hey People of Earth!

I’m back with another writing update for Feeding Habits (Moth Work #2) at last!

A few things since the last update: this project is 100% going to be a novel and also has a title (Feeding Habits)!

Chapter two has been sort of strange to write as I actually had written a majority of it before starting over after realizing the events I’d written needed to happen later. This is why it’s taken me a while to update on this book, but I’ve finally completed the chapter and am now here to share it with y’all! 

Here’s a scene breakdown of this chapter, which is probably the longest chapter I’ve written in years (6300 words). Buckle up, this update is THICC.  TW: lots of religious content in this one.

Scene A: 

We go through Lonan’s lonely morning routine (lol) that’s interrupted by Anya, a neighbour he vaguely recognizes. She’s there to take him up to her apartment to paint her kitchen as her husband is away and can’t do it, a plan he was not aware of! (Eliza’s voluntold him to hopefully distract him from wanting to help his friend which is outlined in update #1). 

Scene B:

Anya dips before the scene starts to grab some extra supplies to make Lonan some sourdough so Lonan is tasked with watching her young son Joey while he tapes up the baseboards. This is where the “wicked child” aspect of this chapter comes in as he compares the wickedness he feels he and others in his life possess to the full innocence of Joey.

Scene C:

Anya gets back from running errands and at first, seems to be a *chill mom* but as she and Lonan interact more, we get to see that something isn’t fully right with her. From some observation, Lonan finally figures out Anya’s husband is actually dead and she’s struggling with grief.

Scene D:

Lonan is back in his apartment, filling up his bathroom sink. We know from Moth Work that one of Lonan’s hobbies is holding his breath underwater, and he does this in this scene to think. In the middle of this ritual, Eliza gets home and speaks to him as she unwinds, reading rather cryptic notes from fortune cookies she’s brought home with takeout.

Scene E:

Unbeknownst to her, Lonan’s not staying for dinner as Anya invited him to her place as a thank you! However this news doesn't break well and the two bicker until they’re both successfully upset.

Scene F:

Instead of going to Anya’s for dinner, Lonan finds himself at a church confessional. He stumbles through reconciliation in a bit of a haze and eventually heads outside where a concerned mother and her two kids ask if something’s wrong. His thoughts from scene D overwhelm him and he eventually sort of gives himself up to the moment in a bit of a chokehold with the sun.

Though this chapter took a while, I’m happy with the threads I introduced and really got to see Lonan’s mind at this point in time--a sort of lonely state of living. There’s also a lot of religion related stuff in this chapter which is always interesting to write as someone who grew up Catholic, and I was surprised at how pertinent these themes are in this book.

Excerpts:

Here’s the opening bit:

The next morning, Eliza leaves two energy shots on the counter for him, along with a slice of sourdough she bought from the bakery across the street. Both sit on a breakfast tray, room temperature from sitting out too long, icebergs of ginger floating along the glass’s surface, butter on the bread gone pallid and spongy. Next to it, she’s left a note, as she usually does: green casserole in the fridge, running low on OJ.

Lonan retrieves the television remote from the nook between the knife block and flicks the TV to life as he drinks the first shot. Gingerroot—and this morning, a new addition, carrot stems—mush against his incisors, and he swallows just as the TV brightens to an image of some amphibian, a leafy looking treefrog. The crank of their calls bulge like each red eye, the familiar husk of narration outlining the workings of mating. Lonan scoops up the second shot with his pinky and the saucer of sourdough with his index finger and thumb, takes both to the couch where he sits.

Classic Lonan (TM) interaction:

He’s mid chewing the stale crust when he opens the door, expecting a package delivery, an unaddressed sympathy card. Instead, a woman stands in the door, her hair damp and smelling like the coconut salve Eliza rubs onto her kneecaps. He recognizes her face in a fleeting, neighbour-like way, someone he might’ve held the door open for, or let step off the elevator first.

“Breakfast?” She points to the crumb stuck to the corner of his mouth.

Lonan swallows the remainder of the sourdough quickly, combing off the crumb with a shallow smile.            

“Sourdough.”

“Did you make it yourself?”

“It’s probably from the back of our medicine cabinet.”

The woman laughs at this, though he’s not fully meant for it to be a joke. 

Apparently a new motif in this book is the word stunning that both serves as a descriptor for something magnificent/dazzling and the process of subduing an animal (love being heavy handed about this lmao):

She peers at their half-bloody kitchen wall. “You’re doing red?”

“Eliza’s vegetarian.” At the woman’s blank stare, he turns to look at the wall, examining each plane of his throat as hot embarrassment makes him red like the paint. “Her favourite colour. We’re trying something new. Avant garde.” All things he’s heard Eliza say.

“That’s unique. Very. So unique,” she says, adding, “It’s so kind of you to offer some help while you’re in the middle of painting your own kitchen. When Eliza told me about your offer, I danced in my living room. Is that weird? I danced because I’m going to have a green kitchen—a green one.”

Lonan nods, and steps farther back into the apartment, toward the stack of paint rollers, one of many rolls of tape. “Of course,” he says.

“It makes you feel alive,” the woman says. He forgets what she’s referring to, doesn’t know her name, only vague details like the jeweled bangles she wears on one wrist, the shiny cast of hair gel stirruped around her curls, her teeth, white, like the canines of a wolf. But she doesn’t seem to notice, a starriness in her gaze as she says, “The paint. The green. It’s stunning. Isn’t it?”

Anya’s initial dialogue is some of my favourite I’ve written. Probably because of the moon mention lol. Also Joey’s just chillin and I love him for that!!

The woman’s name is Anya, and she lives three floors up. He finds this out at the same time he finds out Eliza offered to paint her kitchen on his behalf, though what Anya says sounds more like “When Eliza told me you’d paint the wall, I could’ve—what is that saying? I could’ve jumped over the moon. I would’ve. The entire thing. All its phases.”

Anya’s got a toddler named Joey. He’s turning two next month, a little boy with a curly halo for hair, two dimples Lonan sees whenever he glances up from his tape-job of the baseboards. Joey eats apple slices dipped in almond butter and watches cartoons with both feet propped onto the couch cushion, too short to dangle down. Ever so often, he laughs, a shimmery sound, like the inside of a snow globe. Lonan half-watches him, as Anya’s asked—He’s good, don’t stress—if he cries, he wants you to turn up the TV—because she’s out of bread flour and insists on making Lonan two loaves of sourdough.

Some Joey:

“Joey’s good, isn’t he?” she asks, her fingers curving around the tape company’s logo. Lonan inhales. Anya smells like Eliza sometimes does, vaguely floral, like jasmine, or cherry blossoms. “Children are little blessings. Powerful little blessings.”

Of course, he should say. There’s no other way to describe a child—he’s a blissful little thing, his only purpose to keep his feet in his two-inch socks, to stare wistfully at a television like it’s telling his fortune in a language of pictures. Of course a child is a blessing—soft cheeks like the belly of bread dough, pinchable, kissable, thumbable, hands dipped into glittery tempera paint and fingers that make chicken scratches that will never be anything but art. Of course, he should say. He knows that, he should say. But Lonan’s vision fuzzes. He sees little of the TV colours projected on the walls like a hypnotic, technicolour exorcism; he doesn’t remember what it’s like to be that small, what it’s like to have his hands expand right in front of him, like seedlings. 

Here’s the title drop ft. a rewritten Bible verse (Revelation 21:8):

He wants to believe children are always powerful little blessings that stay good. He doesn’t know why he doubts her. Joey is just this—a blessing on her couch, smiling at a screen because it’s all he needs to do. But he knows better, knows the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable exist, where they all live, and how they all start—as little blessings. He’s met murderers, liars, sorcerers in the shape of his father, sisters, mothers, all the wicked things that emerge from their second deaths unscathed. He doesn’t know what makes a child wicked. If he is one. If he’s been one. How many wicked children he knows. 

Eliza hasn’t returned any of Lonan’s phone calls since he tried dialling somewhere between the first and last half of the wall. It’s obvious Anya knows he wasn’t aware of the plan, which is why every few minutes, she states new reasons for her forgetfulness with the time. “Eliza ran into me in the hallway, and I’m so bad at hallways,” she said, while rolling the dough between her knuckles. “So many turns.” Brushing her benchtop with more flour: “Time as a mother is such a commodity. It’s like, what’s the down payment for five minutes alone? But Joey’s worth it. Joey’s always worth it. He’s just magnificent. Can’t stay away from magnificence.”

More interactions I adore:

“You want some OJ?”

Lonan looks up from the paint blankly, focusing on Anya in an embarrassingly slow haze. “What?”

Anya reaches over to the fridge and tugs on its stainless-steel handle. It gives with a haunted sound, a subtle sort of groaning, and emerges with a glass bottle of orange juice.

“OJ,” she says, and shakes the bottle so the liquid froths.

“Oh,” he says. Green casserole in the fridge. Running low on OJ. “We’re low on that.”

Okay sorry but I’m so in love with Anya and Lonan’s interactions lol:

“Where are you from again?” She undoes her apron from the back with one hand. It falls, a lilac clump, onto the tile, and she leaves it there, only nudging it slightly with her toe.

Her eyes are golden too. Everything in her apartment. Even the silver parts are somehow gold. How much she could pawn off for eyes like those, like individual buttons of solid gold. Anya squints, and there the gold goes, focusing on him until she leans forward and plucks a strand of hair from his jaw. It sags with green paint, and before he blinks, she’s clipped it with a pair of kitchen shears.

“You got some paint on you.”

“Oregon,” he says. “Boston. New York.”

“What?”

“You asked where I’m from.”

Anya pockets his hair. He’s sure it’s a subconscious tick—she hasn’t even realized—but still, he wonders what she’ll do with it. If she’ll send it somewhere to get scanned, bagged, tested. How much you can find out about someone with just a nib of hair.

“That’s a lot of places,” she says. “You’re basically transcontinental.”

From her pocket, Anya’s hand twitches. He wonders what she’s doing, if she’s touching the hair, or flaking off its paint, or simply flattening out her pocket.

“Are you going to clone me?” He gestures to her pocket.

Anya doesn’t look.

“I could.”

“Why?”

“You paint walls fast. You’ve got nice hair.”

“Do you collect hair?”

“Just from the people I like.”

We get to see Anya unravel a little here as she and Lonan share a drink:

He’s always been good at watching. This is what he does as Anya pulls a miniature bottle of a deep amber liquid from her fridge along with the orange juice, mixing them together so what he pushes toward him smells like ammonia. She drinks half, an easiness as she swallows, and then slides the glass to him.

He leaves it there for a while. He watches Joey, how he claps when more animals show up on screen and gets quiet during the wrangle of commercials. He’s gold just like his mother, with a gap tooth that matches the man’s who grins in every photo hung neatly on the walls. A face he doesn’t remember, not even in the hazy slots he reserves for what he remembers working the hardware store. No evidence of him anywhere else, the shoes on the front mat only women’s heels or child-sized sneakers. One hook that holds one set of keys. Only the photographs.

“Where is your husband right now?” he asks. One wine glass in the sink. One coffee mug. One saucer.

“Businessman. Very busy.”

“I don’t remember him coming into the store.”

Anya takes another sip of the orange juice even though it’s Lonan’s turn to drink. Anya looks at Joey, a desperate fondness that answers Lonan’s question for him. She looks at him like she’s searching for the face of the man in the pictures, searching because she hasn’t seen it in years.

Anya really unravelling:

Anya’s face is bloated and red, a soreness in her eyes like she needs to blink but can’t. Lonan instinctually reaches for her hand, and it’s then that he notices it—two wedding bands on her ring finger. Her fingertips jolt him, but her palms are warm, the skin there taut, like she’s been clutching it for years.

“I thought the wall would help. Green means new life. Doesn’t it? I read that in a magazine. That it brings new life, I mean. New beginnings. New, new, new.”

Lonan getting existential ft. the first Harrison mention so far tho I’ll probably cut it because I want it to be a little more impactful and also half of this makes no sense oops:

His father is a dead man. Just like Anya’s husband is a dead man. Lonan knows so many dead men. Some that matter more than others, some names he revisits sometimes at the graveyard when Eliza thinks he’s out to run an errand as innocent as replacing a bad container of cottage cheese. He knows of men who are dead but still living, like Harrison’s father who no longer exists as a person in his dimension, but a corpse, hanging around in unnecessary things like a last name, an eye colour. Beyond men, he knows of many other dead things: dead pets, dead street names, dead countries, dead houseplants, dead first ladies.

He knows what a dead father does, what a dead heart does, that these things are meant to die—an inevitable thing; a sort of giving up of flesh, burying, toiling into new soil.

This is basically a monologue:

Lonan is in love with Eliza. He always has been. He always will be. There is nothing better than being in love with Eliza. There is nothing wrong with being in love with Eliza. There is no reason to not be in love with Eliza. Eliza is intelligent. Eliza is driven. Eliza is sensitive. Eliza tries to listen. Eliza knows how to take care of him. Eliza knows how to spell words like zolpidem, wears lipstick in the shade Very Vermillion and is delighted when it rubs onto her teeth. Eliza is lucky. Eliza is hypnotic. Eliza is a holy woman, a sacred woman, a careful woman, a wicked woman. 

Lonan gulps water. Too much to keep himself controlled; he sputters, splatters the mirror. He hooks his fingers over his waterline, tugging until water falls out. He paces, chews his palms like Anya did, and steadies himself slowly from the counter to the tile. He is a wicked child. Eliza is a wicked child. Everyone he knows—all wicked children.          

“Accept what comes to you each day,” Eliza says, which means she’s opened three of four of the cookies. “That’s truthful. That’s raw. That’s all you need to do.”

Some Eliza dialogue I like in reply to Lonan’s statement that he can’t do things since she bars him from driving:

“You don’t need a car to do things, Lonan.” She stirs her bowl of congee, the plastic spoon scraping against the Styrofoam. “You need hobbies. Like cross stitch. Pickling. Painting neighbours’ walls.”

Lonan and Eliza being Lonan and Eliza:

Lonan secures his fingers around the tin of madeleines and shifts once more, only for her to mimic his movement. They dance like this for a moment—his shuffle left matched by her shuffle left, his step up matched by her own. More of her mascara has smudged from where she unclumped her lashes, a lazy slash of colour like a samurai belt. Even their stares match each other—as he bores through her with a nimble focus like it’ll move her somehow, she does the same.

Here’s a line I like:

As she reddens, he adds this to his list of synonyms for baptism: to tame. 

Here’s an excerpt featuring self indulgence and proof I miss Harrison:

The confessional smells rank, like rotting paper and expired cologne, all of its corners seedy with overuse. Scratches mar the fabric he rests his elbows on, like someone clawed into it while reliving their sins, track marks on the floor from a rainy day. He can’t imagine anyone else but him in this small box, caged in by the lattice, mumbling incoherent sins to the priest he hasn’t even committed. Stealing a set of glass eyeballs from a garage sale. Forgetting his wedding anniversary. Missing Easter Sunday mass to go whale watching. He doesn’t sign himself at the right times or speak at the right times or thank the priest at the right times. He lies when he’s asked if he’s lied since his last confession. He mentions nothing of drinking with Anya, of not saving the sheep or the bunnies even though he knew the outcome of their lives without finishing the program. Of being a wicked child, of knowing wicked children, of not knowing the difference between wickedness and innocence, and which one he learned first. He says his name is Luka. He works at a law firm. He’s married to a Harriet, a seamstress or a stock broker or an antiques trader—he doesn’t know. He likes golfing, parcheesi, drinking martinis on yachts. He’s never overindulged, he’s loyal to his woman, he wants three kids and a house with finished floors and no neighbours. He’s a good father, a gentle father, a careful father, no wickedness, just an empty shell of goodness, like a father should be. His father is retired, and visits him on weekends—they play checkers, paint birdhouses, keep a distance but toast with spirits he can’t pronounce. Everything is good—it’s all good, all good. That’s not a sin, the priest should say but they laugh—it’s good to be good. Children are good, marriage is good, fathers are good, everything an iteration of good. By the time his confession is over and he’s well on his way out of the church mumbling I am heartily sorry, he believes his lies are true—he’s absolved into someone new, Luka married to Harriet, three kids, an empty shell, dreamily stumbling through a house with finished floors that’s actually just the sidewalk until a woman passing by with a two small children has to help him sit on the curb.

This image gives me Forever & Ever More by Nothing But Thieves vibes (music video was def inspo):

She asks if he needs something to drink, if he needs someone to call, and emerges with a half-empty bottle of sparkling water and a cell phone. She asks what’s wrong with his eye, and he doesn’t know what’s wrong with anything—with eyes, with children, with sins, with confessions, with baptisms, with orange juice, with madeleines, with wickedness, with practicing how long he can breathe underwater because he knows it’s possible just like walking on it.

One of the children, hair pulled into two plaits secured with pearlescent butterfly bobbles, pokes at her mother and asks if he’s crazy. Her mother shushes her at the same time her older sister shows him a cool trick she learned with a toy convertible. Its wheels whir. Lonan gasps. The girl says, “Even crazy people think I’m gifted,” and wheels the car again. People stop to watch. Church bells gong an elegy he’s sure he’s heard before. The woman’s sparkling water dribbles from his mouth and dampens his dress shirt. Sun eclipses his face and eats at his throat like a parasite, like it knows all the unclean things about him, a watcher, an eyeball, a scorching little thing that bullets through his neck like the tooth of a wolf. The woman shushes her children and asks if he’s got a health problem, a drug problem, any problem, and he could say yes to all three but instead keeps repeating I am heartily sorry, I am heartily sorry. And when she does call someone, no one he knows, he leans against the cool pavement, cranes his neck to the sky, and parts his lips so the sunlight fills his mouth.

So that’s it for this update! I haven’t really been drafting lately, but I hope I can get more of this written because I love sharing!

--Rachel