#and also wanted to develop their dynamic somewhat

[jerseybuck]

'cause there's something about us anyway

[pensamentos-de-droides]

ngl im waiting for at least a few more aphra issues until i really criticize the run but i do kinda agree w/ this (lots of thoughts in the tags . positive and negative ones but all aphra related)

[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

THELMA AND LOUISE?? HELLO????

[casscainmainly]

Okay gonna analyse some common Duke beliefs just for quick and easy reference. Some of these are up to interpretation (as indicated), but these are some common things I see that aren't quite accurate to Duke as a character.

Claim: Duke started We Are Robin

True or false: False. Alfred started We Are Robin, and the entire core cast of We Are Robin was already there before Duke.

Claim: We Are Robin is a gang

True or false: kind of tricky? They're technically a gang in the most general sense of the word, but 'gang' has racial implications that I think people gloss over (We Are Robin is primarily composed of kids of colour). Movement is a much better term, and We Are Robin doesn't self-identify as a gang to my knowledge.

Claim: Duke led We Are Robin

True or false: tricky. While Robin War has him as the leader, for the majority of Duke's time in We Are Robin he does not give orders or act like a leader at all. We Are Robin generally doesn't have a leader. Duke certainly has leadership abilities, but WAR is not the best showcase of them. Up to personal interpretation though.

Claim: Duke is a Wayne

True or false: False. Duke is not adopted.

Claim: Duke is intimidated/scared of any Batfamily member

True or false: FALSE!!! There is unfortunately some horrible comic writing, but for the VAST MAJORITY of Duke's appearances he is not scared of any Batfam member. He's certainly not afraid of Damian, Jason, or Cass.

Claim: Duke can emit light

True or false: probably?? His powers are constantly in flux and he develops new abilities all the time, so who knows. But he is much more likely to use light to turn invisible/manipulate his perception of light than attack with them (for which he can use his shadow powers). Up to personal interpretation/fun headcanons.

Claim: Duke jumped out of a cop car

True or false: True, but it's a Tom King comic and he's written horribly in it. If you want another example of him not being the 'sane one', I recommend using the time he got shot by a bullet and thought about how baller it was.

Claim: Duke is new to the Batfamily and doesn't know their dynamics

True or false: Please stop 😭 It's been like a decade since his introduction there's no need to make him the clueless newbie. Also he's a fiercely intelligent detective who makes references to Jason's daddy issues, there's no way he's still in the dark about most of their relationships.

Claim: Duke tends to obey Bruce's orders

True or false: FALSE. Duke sneaks out even during his training days, and for the most part operates independently. He generally has a grudge against authority of all kinds.

Claim: Duke is very sunshine-y, bright, and optimistic

True or false: False. I get where this one is coming from (sunshine boy is cute I love it), but while his powers are light-based, his personality is not. He's pragmatic, rude, skeptical, and often disillusioned. He is an optimist in the sense that he believes in community and change, but he's nowhere near a bright, bubbly kid.

Claim: He's the normal one AND/OR he's just as crazy as the other bats

True or false: Both of these are somewhat false. Duke is not the normal/sane one, he's literally a vigilante how would that make sense. But he also thinks of himself as more normal than the others (at least at one point). Duke discourse should move on from this debate, both these statements obscure what makes Duke unique and interesting.

Claim: Duke designed his Signal outfit

True or false: False. This isn't really a belief I just see people assuming he designed it, he didn't though, Bruce gave it to him. There's no indication he had a hand in the design. Bruce actually gave him TWO designs, I think Bruce just loves giving him outfits tbh.

Claim: Duke's parents are still under the Joker toxin

True or false: Technically false. His mom was healed in Urban Legends #19, but Duke's sporadic appearances mean this was never really followed up on. I have no clue what happened to Doug. Up to DC to SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!!

Claim: Anything to do with his portrayal in WFA

True or false: False. Literally everything. (The only, and I do mean only, thing to take from WFA is his interactions with Damian)

Okay that's all, I hope that was helpful to anyone out there!!! There are tons of things here that are my interpretation only of course, the best way to get to know Duke is to read his comics. We Are Robin and DC Rise of the Power Company is waiting for you <3333.

[zvezdacito]

Where Malleus' Character may be headed in Book 8: His place among the housewardens and road to true leadership?

Disclaimer(?): Not the most well-structured text since this was mostly written when I was half-asleep + it's kind of hard to tell what plot Book 8 will have from where Book 7 left off. But I think this was still worth putting out here because I would like to see this idea/something like it happening. ⚠️‼️Also this will obviously contain Book 7 finale spoilers

Since great power and adjacent attributes defined Malleus for so long, even if he's happy it won't stop him from being able to outwardly express emotion anymore, his Book 8 arc will likely be adjusting (he's already somewhat started here by asking assistance to cast spells now) and figuring out who he is as a person. Specifically, Malleus will figure out how to be a leader in ways not relying on these previous advantages (faulty ruling since it just him taking control for everyone)

Malleus has so far been outcasted from the other housewardens + we haven't seen much of him doing housewarden duties in the overall game yet so good time to show it now. So I feel like Book 8 will see his dynamic in the group somehow going from clueless nuisance to the leader of the seven, in time for the Book 7 battle.

Basically a callback to the impression that the twst website art gives off (shown above). Perhaps his center positioning has a deeper meaning than just being the poster boy/final overblotter (excluding what is likely overblot Grim)

Malleus's Dorm Uniform vignette built-up to Book 7 (the social exclusion, uncontrollable strength and magic, Lilia being the only one giving him chances, the 1000-year-understanding thing) and the other housewardens perceiving him as the worst at that responsibility/not like them is the only one not yet explored and "resolved" by the finale. Book 7 ended with most of them still having their doubts about letting Malleus back in, so I think that's perfect set-up for Malleus to be included in them as specifically a leader figure in Book 8. Leona makes a point about how Malleus needs to take initiative in housewarden meetings this time, so what better way than for earning his place as a leader in the group (and not just one who imposes his will on others, but listens and learns)

I think it would be a really compelling character development since it's a great leap from where he's currently at. Maybe he'll go about it by becoming the most transparent one in communication/not being afraid to show the many ways he does lack (since the others usually want to prove their strength instead) and how needs their help supplementing those weaknesses, and encouraging them to criticize him as much as necessary. It would be kinda funny to see them take advantage of his willingness to redeem himself at any cost by being overly nitpicky as like a power trip, but over time I think this would also help them understand where he is coming from too and being more genuinely kind (in the NRC way). Basically him taking the initiative to be open would form a trust that's good for team cohesion, building off what Vil and Idia already started in Book 6 and 7.

Vil became like the leader of the group while they battled at S.T.Y.X, while Idia became like the leader of the NRC dream-hopping group against OB!Malleus. So continuing this pattern, Malleus will gradually earn his fellow housewardens' respect and become their leader against like OB!Grim or whoever. Maybe he'll even rally the public at one point (idk what for since we have no clue what Book 8 lore is yet) and this will connect not only to his own growth but Book 7's ideals of making faefolk and mankind more connected

(Fan translation by Valkyrii on youtube)

Leadership traits I think Malleus has so far:

Takes accountability when he realizes his mistake, is impartial when dealing with disputes

Can be pretty forgiving (like with Rollo)

Gives his greatest effort as the host, as seen with Spectral Soiree and this final ball

Going back to how Book 7 ended, we see him regard all different sorts of people invited to Silver's debutante ball individually but equally. This closes Book 7's theme about different people being able to coexist and truly love each other, but he delivered the greeting as if they were all his people in a way. I think this may be setting up to true leader/king related character development in Book 8, honing these qualities further now that he can't default to power without thinking.

Earning the respect to become such a king instead of it simply being "blessed" to him without guidance or help already comes with him learning to process his feelings rather than just avoiding them and gives him opportunities to actually socialize so he gets better at considering the circumstances of others before he takes action. So when/if something will likely happen to give his magic back to him earlier than 200 years, that's already resolved the problems of him not being able to control his magic power when emotional + he's become the type of person/king who doesn't rely on it or is defined by it at the expense of his personhood anymore.

^ I don't think they will remove his powers for the rest of his main story time because they're still a part of him, since for a story about how differences can't stop you from belonging, it feels kinda wrong that his story will actually conclude with making him even physically more similar to the rest to get along. If you think about it, it's not really the powers themselves that were inherently isolating him, but rather that adults only saw him for authority rather than as a child, so never expected that he needed extra help mastering them first.

His horn breaking is basically just the starting point for him to learn this, a chance to pause he never got before. But I think it will be kinda dumb to nerf him for the rest of his screentime without letting his growth explore this through some inner-child healing first.

That's all... I'm not sure how much of the school year is left for all this since the third years were already talking about their internships. But since Crowley says Lilia and Malleus will be returning to the school the vibe would kinda feel redundant if they came back just to leave for internships again. And I just really think there's lots of potential on exploring that one last part of his dorm vignette + one of the earliest TWST arts actually foreshadowing their final dynamic as a group after all the character development. Kinda funny since Malleus still has both horns there, but I did mention I think something will accelerate its regrowth near the climax of Book 8, so yeah🔥

Also if I had to guess what OB!Grim's (and maybe Yuu too) dilemma is, maybe it's purpose? Like he wants to become all-powerful not genuinely but because he thinks it will make him have a reason to be alive and have people stick by him under the pretense of being like his minions. And Yuu has growing dialogue options (among the few they're allowed to have💀) about feeling useless. So I think Malleus slots in nicely there as someone with his own relationship to utility faced with newfound powerlessness (and him showing Grim there is more to being a truly great mage than the power maybe, and come to terms with what he's really afraid of)

[mythtakens]

sorry I’m back with another block of text. the thing where people think that 911 the firefighter procedural show on ABC made a main character (Buck) bi after 7 seasons (yay forever seriously) and 6 of getting shipped with another main character (Eddie) who is his best friend like big time. fully knowing that but just for absolutely no reason related to that. which certainly it does not have to be! Buck exists in his own right as a developed character. except that seeing how he is a fictional character in a story where he interacts with other fictional characters it does seem somewhat odd they then also made no effort to make their dynamic more normal whatsoever to dissuade anyone from this. and instead somehow made their peas in a pod thing worse and weirder and involved Eddie heavily in the entire arc quite literally including in the circumstances for the beginning and end of Buck’s romantic relationship with another guy. and again, instead of writing Buck a well developed romance (like the rest of the characters have and like Buck has every right to especially this far into the show) with this guy, which even these same people who want it to be endgame complain about and are forced to fill in so many of the gaps for. they think the show decided to simply not do that. and have Eddie either present or mentioned in nearly every scene they had for. no reason? baiting? all so that 12 episodes (I think 7 episodes if you are only counting ones they were in) after they kissed this guy could break up with Buck to… “start a slowburn will they won’t they”? and 5 episodes after that in the natural progression of a slowburn 🤨 they could bring the guy back and have him immediately suggest Eddie is his competition for Buck’s affections and imply that’s why he broke up with him in the first place and also imply Eddie isn’t straight, making it the second time this season Eddie’s sexuality has come up 7 seasons into his being on the show, but all of this for allegedly no positive reason. and putting a spotlight on the idea that Buck and Eddie could be romantic for people who were not even thinking about it before was to… umm to tell them NOT to. I didn’t even mention all of these characters involved are insane and Buck moved into Eddie’s house while he’s gone in Texas and this particular conversation was happening in said house. and they got rid of the set Buck had been living in since season 2. but anyway they think all this happened so that the show could.. once and for all… shut down.. the concept of romantic buddie. and those that really wanted that to happen are gleefully celebrating it. idk man you can do and ship whatever you want and it certainly doesn’t have to be this but. well. I want to put this as gently and kindly as I can but admittedly I am kind of a bitch so: I just don’t think being willfully obtuse is gonna count as being blindsided two times in a row

[theatricalmage]

The brainrot took over and so here's a vat7k hadestown au!! Don't know if I'll develop it fully but I liked designing it at least!

More info under the cut:

- Varian, the Coronan royal alchemist, tasks himself with deciphering an incantation capable of bringing the world back into tune. Times are tough, and the royal family + Quirin are doing their best to cope with the meagre crop yields and desolate weather (Corona not really being the sunshine kingdom - hasn't been for a while). He wants to help and do good and I think he'd be a good Orpheus.

- Hugo, having moved about from place to place, still has his interest in alchemy and does what he can to get by. He plans on temporarily staying in Corona before looting, but he encounters a certain like-minded scientist at the Snuggly Duckling. I think him being selfish works especially well in Eurydice's role, having a more pessimistic view of the world. It also works with how he gets drawn to Donella's offer of working for her later on, leading him to his death.

- Ulla as Persephone! I was initially stuck on whether to have Rapunzel (and either Eugene/Cass) as her (and Hades) but I was drawn to the connection that Hugo has to Donella and the Donella/Ulla relationship in vat7k just works too well. In this case, Ulla won't be Varian's mother. She's still gonna be somewhat of an inspiration to him though, being the previous Coronan royal alchemist and for her intelligence. For half the year, she'll return to Corona with food, drinks, and alchemical compounds/inventions, bringing Spring and Summer to the world, if only for a bit.

- Donella would be such an interesting Hades, losing sight of her love for Ulla, heart filled with fear and hurt, leading to bitterness and cruelty. Ingvarr being Hadestown and how by being the esteemed Ingvarrian engineer, she'd be in charge of major technological advances across the kingdoms and so would wield a significant amount of power (like how Hades is literally the ruler of the underworld). Ingvarr essentially being a near death sentence for its workers while also displaying its technological prowess, all still shrouded in mystery and corruption - a place so otherworldly compared to the rest of the kingdoms.

I didn't want to modify the outfits too much nor the personalities,, if anything I imagine the general plot beats being the same as the original musical/story but with slight differences that'd you get inherently as a result of these characters. I wouldn't want it to be the case where it's just the show but the names are changed. I'd want this to still make reasonable sense in this AU, with the actions being understandable for this particular cast of characters.

For Hermes, I ended up picking Xavier, as he's most knowledgeable of old legends and stories, which would work in reference to the Hades and Persephone myth (and so Donella and Ulla)! He'd act as a mentor figure for V, someone who can guide him in uncovering the forgotten incantation. Quirin would still be the good supportive dad he is (even if he doesn't fully understand his son's project).

Last but not least, the fates!! often lurking in the background, I'm still a bit stuck on who it could be? I'm tempted to have it be Raps, Cass, and Nuru as they've had celestial connections at some point (and ya know how stars can represent fate), but I also love the freckled siblings dynamic so much. Also Team Radical... Maybe Raps and Cass can be their normal selves but their Sundrop/Moonstone counterparts are the manifested physical forms of the fates? They wouldn't be visible to the characters though, just voices in the wind.

Anyways yeah!! Those are my thoughts. Do let me know if you've got any cool ideas or questions. I'm really combining my interests at full force and there's nothing anyone, not even myself, can do about it quite frankly. 😮‍💨

[bugstung]

I love your disabled Adrien! I'd love to hear more about him, if you have the time!

Thank you!

I'm still currently figuring out his injury but I can tell you about the other things I got so far

So first of all I want to explore Adrien's relationship with others way more as I thought it was lacking in the show. I want Adrien and Nino to feel closer; the two got to know each others when they were paired to make a power point together and went at Nino's house to work. Nino wasn't the type to try to befriend Adrien day one beacuse of his status, and Adrien liked that. Adrien didn't get to play much video games growing up, and Nino gets to "nerdify" him a little

I also want Adrien and Rose to bond. I made that Rose had Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and uses mobility aids as well. They get to know each others as both of them are exempted from sports a,d so they hang out during those hours at the foyer. Rose is quite infantilized, and people tend to pity her way more than they do for Adrien because she's not popular (while for Adrien kids usually see as him being "brave" and all that). She doesn't try to hide her disabilities, she's pretty open to talk about it and customizes her mobility aids to fit her aesthetic. Adrien on the other side doesn't like to draw attention to his disabilities and will most of the time let comments on it slide. (something that will change overtime)

I got really inspired by skip and loafers so Marinette and Adrien personalities and relationship will be somewhat similar to Mitsumi and Shima. I want them to become friends and not have the awkward show typical Marinette stuff.

I also want a "crush switch" to happen later on. Marinette will try to move on when she realizes she cannot make Adrien's mask slip, and slowly fall for Chat Noir (I need to develop the super hero side of things more because so far I'm way more interested in slice of life lmao), and Adrien realizes his love for Ladybug was more of an admiration, and falls for Marinette

Also while Adrien is completly human, Felix is still a sentimonster. Haven't fully figured him out but there will be an interesting dynamic to explore there. Kagami is also getting a serious rewrite because I just do not like her lore. Same for Lila. Adrien will get to bond more with Luka as well. I've not thought too much about the other characters yet though.

Gabriel is more down to earth, and does genuinely care for Adrien (in still a very fucked up way). He sheltered him because of the accident and still dictates a lot of his life. Some change may happen to Adrien's mom lore since he's not a sentimonster but idk exactly what yet

Anyway if you have questions don't hesitate to ask! I still got a lot to figure out and asking stuff will also help me to think lol

[aventurineswife]

Hello, I've been thinking about this for a while but how do you think the Wuwa men would be like as dad's, if you can please include Geshu Lin because there are not many posts about him

The Weight of Legacy

Tags: Geshu Lin, Jiyan, Fatherhood, Headcanons, Parenting Dynamics, Emotional Distance, Tactical Parenting.

Warnings: Mentions of Emotional Distance (Geshu Lin), Themes of Rigorous Expectations and Tough Love (Geshu Lin), Subtle Themes of Anxiety and Self-Doubt (Jiyan), References to Past Trauma and Lingering Guilt (Geshu Lin and Jiyan), Exploration of Parenting Styles.

Geshu Lin would be a demanding and no-nonsense father, believing that life’s challenges should be faced head-on. He would teach his children the value of strength, discipline, and resilience, pushing them to be self-reliant from a young age.

He would have high expectations for his children, expecting them to excel in whatever they do. However, his praise would be rare, as he would focus more on improvement than celebrating achievements.

Geshu’s emotional presence would be somewhat distant. He may struggle with showing affection in traditional ways, focusing more on instilling a sense of purpose and duty. His love would be expressed through actions, such as ensuring his children are well-prepared for the world.

While he may seem indifferent to the emotional needs of his children, Geshu would ensure their safety and success by preparing them for harsh realities. He would not coddle them but would ensure they are ready to survive and thrive in a dangerous world.

Being a former general, Geshu would likely teach his children combat techniques from a young age, emphasizing discipline, strategy, and the importance of decisive action.

Geshu’s own tragic past would color his approach to fatherhood. He might overcompensate for his perceived failures in leadership, and his lingering guilt could drive him to push his children too hard, trying to make up for his own lost opportunities.

Jiyan, despite his stoic exterior, would be a deeply compassionate father. He would always ensure his children’s emotional well-being is a priority, offering support and understanding even when he is under pressure.

Jiyan would teach his children the importance of justice and protecting those in need, but in a gentle, caring manner. He would want to ensure they understand responsibility but also feel loved and nurtured in the process.

As a strategist, Jiyan would approach fatherhood with a logical and thoughtful mindset, planning ahead to ensure his children are well-prepared for the future. He might be the kind of father who has a long-term vision for his children’s development, balancing their academic and physical growth.

Jiyan would show his children the importance of balance in life—how to be both strong and kind, and how to be a warrior while maintaining compassion. He would work to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors and ensure that his children never lose sight of their humanity.

Jiyan would be a forgiving and patient father when it comes to discipline. He would prefer open communication, understanding his children’s perspective and offering guidance instead of harsh reprimands.

Jiyan’s own doubts about his role as a general would carry over into his fatherhood. He might constantly worry about whether he is doing enough for his children, driven by a desire to avoid the emotional and physical sacrifices he endured growing up.

[kwillow]

Why is ambroys so promiscuos, like psychologicaly. Is he just a Bimbo? Does he have a hipersexual disorder, is he just an asshole like that?

What drives this manwhore to this levels of slutness, UNPRECEDENTED HARLOTNESS i have to bear witness to

TL;DR: Sex is the lowest common denominator way to make people care about something and Ambroys wants people to care about Him.

Longer psychoanalysis under the cut, if you want a peek into the puddle-like depths of the world's shallowest man.

Surface-level, he’s just a hedonistic guy. He likes his base pleasures and indulgences.

Still, Ambroys is really more of an attention whore than an actual whore. He wants to be the main event everywhere he goes, and as most advertisers have noticed, sex appeal is a cheap and easy way to get noticed. Even if someone’s not attracted to you, they’ll probably at least look at you. And every pair of eyeballs is a win.

Additionally, seducing someone is a conquest. It makes him feel powerful. When people start seeming too messy and complicated it's a script to reset them to a dynamic that's within his control and understanding. Getting someone to fall for him reassures him of the "fact" that it’s his divine right to have what he wants, make others do what he wants, and make people want him. (Or as he would put it: he just wants to be loved — is that so wrong??)

This is why he sleeps with his friend nigh-immediately after breaking his once-paramour’s heart. His use of seduction as a comfort tool also creates the somewhat hilarious situation where he tries to fuck more often when he’s feeling bad, like women are his tub of Ben and Jerry’s and it’s binging time.

His other coping mechanism for feelings of inadequacy is sport hunting, by the by.

All that said, I don’t think Ambroys is much more promiscuous than your average frat guy. He is a young man brimming with energy and bereft of rationality, so a bit of skirt-chasing is to be expected. He just plays up the provocative libertine angle sometimes, because it’s easier than developing a likable personality.

[cupcakeinat0r]

A Nerdy Middle-aged loser Miguel with a dad bod who teaches your genetics class

In celebration of 1k followers, I give you Pt.5 <3

Enjoy! - Cupcake

Since that day you kissed Miguel on the cheek, the dynamic of y’all’s relationship had totally changed, but not drastically. Miguel was back to acting soft towards you, greeting you upon your somewhat late arrivals, getting you little gifts that reminded him of you, and the subtle exchange of glances in class.

Professor O’Hara was a little handsy during your tutoring sessions before, but now he was even more so, your little peck on his cheek was all the encouragement he needed. For sure, his job was on the line since anyone could’ve walked in and seen the two of you like this, but it was worth the risk. Just as long as you both acted this way in his office, the coast was clear.

The head messages had doubled, footsies was played underneath his desk, and he’d even find any excuse to have his hand on yours while you both worked independently, sitting in peaceful silence with each other. You found it hard to complete the research questions when his thumb kept caressing your knuckles, yet, you never protested. His flirt game was rusty, his advances limited to innocent touching and praise, but nonetheless, it was adorable to you the way he tried.

After that day in his office, tutoring sessions became less about tutoring and more just about being in each other’s company. Instead of spending an hour practicing formulas, you both would mingle while organizing the lecture hall or filing research papers. Anything to help Prof. O’Hara, or rather Miguel, since y’all are officially on a first-name basis.

A new development was when you started staying after to help him grade papers. The two of you would use this time to talk one-on-one more, no one there to interrupt. Miguel was just as handsy during this time, too. As mentioned before, he’d find any excuse to touch you, and in the most innocent ways. For example, if he saw a strand of your hair falling on your face while you were grading a paper, he’d simply tuck it behind your ear for you, or when the necklace he got you was crooked or facing the wrong side, he’d gently fix it for you while you spoke to him about one of your current interests, following along with low hums and ‘mhm’s. It’d make you blush and stutter mid-sentence, inflating his otherwise small ego.

Miguel wasn’t a very vocal person, you knew that, but you can see by his actions that he really really liked you. You continued to show your appreciation by leaving treats on his desk, keeping note that his favorite was black coffee and a quesito from the bakery he showed you on campus. A pastry not too sweet, and goes perfectly with a cup of cafécito.

But you were just too sweet and Miguel completely fell for it. He saw how eager you were to help other people in the class, and seeing how willing you were to stay with him to help him with anything you could. He admired that. It also confused him for so long because how has no one swept you off your feet? You were literally perfect? Certainly, people have tried, there’s no way he would believe that no one has. It’s apparent now that the both of you share feelings that are beyond platonic, it’s just a matter of time before someone makes the next move. Given the circumstances, for now, Miguel is taking things microscopically slow with you. He doesn’t wanna scare you off. The last thing he wants is to ruin his chance with you.

His feelings for you were growing, which slightly terrified him given that you are still, in fact, his student, no matter how grown you were. He couldn’t help it. His dreams about you were turning less lustful and more wholesome. When he sleeps, he would see himself coming home to you, cooking with you, reading books next to each other, or even cleaning with you. Just mundane day-to-day tasks, only they’re with you. Maybe for now, they’ll just stay in his dreams. Maybe.

<3

The lecture had just finished and you sent your new best friend, the transfer, away with a European farewell, kissing both of his cheeks. Without you knowing, Miguel watches on with an unamused smirk, remembering how he mistook your relationship with the transfer as a romantic one.

Before leaving the lecture hall, you strut towards Miguel to give him your now-routinely kiss goodbye (on the cheek, of course…). As you walk, you see that he’s crouched over his computer, tired eyes glossing over the screen. The fatigue of finals season is beginning to show on him, and it was a pitiful sight that made you purse your lips. Although it made you sad, you couldn’t help but let a small puff of air out your nose with how his glasses sat low on his nose. He never bothered to fix them, so you were the one who’d fix them oftentimes, and every time, he’d give you a small, “gracias, mama.”

You set down your bag, the thud of it hitting the floor finally stealing Miguel’s attention away from the blue-lit screen. He looks you up and down over his lenses, the small, fine lines of his face showing his age and you loved ittt.

“Sweetheart, as much as I love it when you stay and help, I’d be happier knowing you’re at home getting the rest you deserve.” He softly speaks, this version of himself that is so different from the one he presents in front of his class and colleagues.

“You worry too much, Miguel.” You plant yourself next to his chair, leaning down to get a better look at what on the computer has him so worked up. “Jesus, Miguel, no wonder you look sick.” You scroll through what seems like an endless list of students who signed up for office hours. With the amount that registered, Miguel would have to work even outside of his office hours.

From Miguel’s seated position, he has first-class access to your sweet perfume and a million-dollar view of your neck and chest, his mind wandering for a moment.

“Are you listening to me? This is ridiculous, there’s no way you’re cramming this amount of students… is there not another professor who could tutor as well?” the small raise of your voice is enough to bring his attention upward, not that that was any better of a view. Now, he was just looking at your lips, and how your lip plump makes them looks deliciously kissable. He imagined how’d they’d look if they were-

“Miguel O’Hara!” He blinks once or twice, gaining consciousness again, “Excuse me, uh, yeah, no, I’m the only one who can. For this class, I mean.” He rubs one of his eyes, letting out a sigh as he looks at the heavily packed schedule displayed on his desktop. “Anyways, it’s my responsibility. This was in the job description, so I gotta do what I gotta do.”

You roll your eyes in annoyance, hands on your hips, “Okay, but that doesn’t mean compromising your own health. There are healthy and efficient ways of doing your job, Mig.”

There’s that nickname he loved. He melted every time you used it, the familiarity of y’all’s relationship shining through the most when you did. He especially loved it when you were upset. He thought it was cute.

“Let me tutor some.” This snaps Miguel back to Earth, but this time, he’s in disbelief. “You’d tutor other students?” This was a rhetorical question, of course, he knew you were serious. He knew how big your heart was. He guessed he was just in disbelief because, once again, he was beguiled by the existence of a literal angel sent to Earth. He can’t believe he’s been blessed by your presence and friendship (?). You were so kind, so intelligent, so put-together, extremely gorgeous… you were utterly perfect.

“If splitting the work meant you got some sort of rest around here, then of course I would! Mig…” You grab the nearest chair and pull it to sit next to him, placing a hand on top of his. His hand relaxes under your touch, “You’ll work yourself to death like this.” You send a warmth onto his hand and up his arm you rub circles on his knuckles, the same way he does it to you.

“You’ve done so much for me, Miguel. Let me repay you, please? Please let me do this?” You bat your eyes, Miguel’s kryptonite.

Miguel turns his hand to intertwine his fingers with yours, seeing the genuinity in your eyes. He gives it a small squeeze before saying, “What did I do to deserve you, hm?” it comes out just above a whisper.

“Plenty, Miguel. You’re the hardest working man I’ve ever met,” you cock your head to the side, your eyes tracing the muscles of his broad shoulders, counting in your head all the possible knots buried deep in there,” Here, sit back, please.” You say sweetly, standing back up to travel to the back of his seat.

“What’re you up to?” His eyebrows raised, but he eased again when he felt your small hands massaging the crooks of his neck. “Sshhhh, just relax, Mig. It’s ok.”

He furrows his brows feeling the scrumptious pain of knots unfurling and tension melting away, your soft hands kneading his back muscles like readied sour dough. You know you hit a good spot when he accidentally lets out small groans. You’re doing so good that it takes every thing in him to hold back any embarrassing moaning. You can see his fits clench around the arms of his chair. His breath shakes from the sudden touch, but it’s not in protest; just surprise. Astonished that the woman he dreamed of every night was currently giving him a message.

You can see his literal jaw unclench, happy to see him so relaxed. “Feel good?” You whisper in a sugary tone, Miguel nodding with his lips parted. He lets out a small noise of approval, urging you to keep going. With his eyes closed, you were able to closely examine all the sharp features that make up his beautiful, sculpted face. He was simply gorgeous. Slowly, his hands relax, signifying that he’s becoming comfortable with this, welcoming your soothing touch.

“S’good, mama… s’good…” he speaks under his breath as you knead out the stubborn knots on the stiff tissue of neck. Once you feel like you’ve ridden all the points of tension there, you slowly work your toward his clavicle. He lets you unbutton the first three buttons of his polo sweater. With your whole hands, you apply pressure there, offering weighted comfort to the area. He takes a deep breath and exhales with an open mouth, as if releasing all the tension and stress.

Then you rub up and down slowly, the sensation of his chest hair tempting you to venture deeper down his thick torso. Due to the immense relaxation, Miguel’s head begins to fall back onto your stomach, so you step closer to give him extra support.

He hums when he feels both of your hands cup his face. You then remove his glasses so you can work on his temples. His eyes are still closed, but you can see his lips slightly curl, which makes you smile. You wonder what he’s thinking about as you give his scalp a good rake.

Miguel is currently thinking about where he should get down on one knee for you. He’s thinking about what color you’d possibly want the cabinets to be in your shared home. He’s thinking about if y’all’s child will be as nerdy as him or as fashionable as you. Either way, he’d be the happiest man in the world. He’s on cloud nine as far as he’s concerned. He couldn’t remember the last time he relaxed like this. This train of thought is stopped by the sensation of your lips on his forehead. His heart stops as well.

Then he feels the soft smack of your lips on his left cheek, then his right, leaving behind a trail of lip gloss prints. Anticipating a potential fourth kiss somewhere specific, he slowly opens his eyes, your face inches from his. His head leans all the way back, resting against your stomach still.

It’s silent between the two of you. You lock eyes, completely drowning in the other's gaze. No words were exchanged, but there didn’t need to be.

Seeing no other action fit for this perfect moment, Miguel raises his hand above him to cup your face, caressing your cheek with his thumb. You inch down closer, your heart racing. His is, too. His thumb itches to move, brushing along your bottom lip softly.

In what would be considered “Spider-Man” style, you both share a kiss, so sweet, so tender, and so innocent. The perfect first kiss. After a few mind blowing seconds, you’re the first to pull away, but not wanting to stop just yet, Miguel crashes you back into his lips by adding his other hand to your head, extending the moment just a bit longer. You weren’t complaining, though, you’d stay here forever if you could.

Feeling your knees getting weak, you shift all your weight onto Miguel, your hands traveling from the sides of his face back down to his pecs underneath his sweater, his chest in a slow rise and fall rhythm. To deepen the kiss even more, Miguel's hands wrap around the back of your neck. You both come up for air for just a mere second, Miguel breathlessly letting out a weak, “Please.”

knowing what he meant, you smile, going back down again but this time, open-mouthed. Miguel groans into your mouth with the feeling of his tongue on yours, practically treating it like his lollipop. The kiss becomes hungrier with a nibble on your lip by Miguel, pulling on it while you get some needed air. It’s getting sloppy now, and your hands travel lower, meeting the softness of his belly. His breath hitches when he feels them there, half-expecting you to be revolted in any way, but your hands just sit there. In fact, you start messaging there as well, giving love to his whole body. The feeling of the softness of his body in your hands grants a small moan, loving every piece of him. Your hands drag up and down his whole torso with each wet collision of your lips. Your hands would go as low as the pudge sitting above his belt, all the way to up his knife-like jawline, and back down again, and repeat. It’s like you wanted him to know you worshipped his body, and Miguel wanted to show some in return.

Using his hands on the back of your head, he tapped you to pull away so that he could take your hand and guide you around his chair, pulling you to straddle his lap. “C’mere…”

Tongues are going down throats, moans are being heard, and hands are becoming desperate. The fingers tugging his hair, his hands squeezing the globes of your ass, him desperately lifting his hips to make some friction. It was like horny college kids fucking for the first time…. or at least maybe one of y’all felt that way. The other was just that. A horny college student.

There was no stopping either of you, except maybe for the knocking at the lecture hall door.

Both your heads snapped toward the thankfully semi-transparent, iced door. You scramble to get off Miguel’s lap, Miguel wiping your lip gloss off his face. You go to button his sweater and fix his hair as he calls out, “Just a moment.” You give him his glasses when you hear the voice of the student speaking about a tutoring session with Miguel through the door.

Miguel thinks he’ll go to the door, but he feels you grab his hand. “Hey,” you pull him in for one last peck, “I’ll take this one, mkay?” You smile up at him, a very dazed Miguel looking back at you. As far as he’s concerned, he’s floating right now.

“Anyways, it seems like someone,” you look down, motioning to the prominent bulge in his pants, “needs a moment to calm down.” You chuckle, practically gliding to the door as Miguel looks down at his excitement, wide-eyed and making his own way into his private office to… read about DNA Polymerase Replacement or something.

Want more Dadbod!Miguel? Here's my mastlist, bae!

A/n: I just wanted to thank you guys for 1k followers as well as all the appreciation on this lil story of mine<3 y’all so sweet n cewt, and it’s so much fun writing this fic n just writing in general! Ty for letting my creative juices fuel ur delulu <3 I also hope that this hot, wet, fat kiss made up for all the edging I’ve done, if not, sorry <3 Next chapter tho………….. but chu gotta stay tuned, yall hear meeeeee????

<3 Tags <3

@safixiovi @mukeovernetflix @mochikisses @miguels-cock-piercings @miranexx @bunnibitez @deepdiveintothedeephive @faretheeoscar @sillygardeneggperson  @librababe99 @sariespi @little-lovelace @monstersimp @oharasfilipinawife @obi-mom-kenobi @hyjionie @maomaimao @pomakori @rxckstarss @mochimoqa @princesatracionera @queerponcho @walmaerts @froggygal @yaysposts @koko-1025 @kikaaauu @lauraolar14 @anotherprettyprincess @kaidxra @farrowroyale @pigeonmama @exactlyyoungchaos @fayeofthenightingale @s4dow  @hartsucks @amberbalcom14 @wait2nourh @tatooieve @helen-j-magnus @ce3stvu @mintssanctuary @migueloharasoulmate @veyveys @theanbitchless @nebulositycloud @jh7ley @gothicteddybearhugs

[jamereadsmanga]

Yuri and Nightfall were both created for somewhat the same purpose. Characters just to add chaos and tension in the Forger's dynamic. For that reason their entire identity was formed around a specific Forger. In a similar sense, Emile and Ewen also existed as auxiliary characters to Damian not much individuality assigned to either.

Normally, these types of characters would be bound to these minor roles and never grow independent of the other characters. Instead, in the last three chapters, we see an intentional effort on Endo's side to continue their growth and development into individuals.

Emile and Ewen started as little echoes for Damian, following him around like tiny mindless goons. Now, although they still exist as a duo and their role is still very tied to Damian, they are shown to have a genuine relationship with him. They're not just in it for the clout, Damian is their friend and they truly care about him and all his flaws.

Nightfall and Yuri are obviously more complicated.

Yuri has a very troubled relationship with his sister. Their shared past resulted in him being very codependent on her and building his entire identity and sense of purpose around her. Now that his sister is married and moved on (i will not expand on that), he is left feeling like an empty shell of himself. He now is a position where he has to find a new sense of purpose while also questioning the choices that he has made throughout his life for the sake of his sister.

The chapter ends with him accepting that his sister is happy and there is nothing more he can do for her, that their lives have forever changed and they cant go back to the way it was. Their home is in the city now and he has to come to terms with what that means for their relationship. In the end, he decides to go out with his coworkers and try to live a little, outside of sister.

Not much is known about Nightfall. Her motives are still ambiguous and defined around Twilight. I have my own personal explanation but the canon still dances around the topic. While her past is still ambiguous, her present circumstances are clear. She is very devoted to Twilight to the point where she routinely risks her health for his sake. She has this idea that for him to love her she needs to be absolutely perfect and should never show any weakness. A moment I found funny was when she needs to cough and blow her nose but refused to do it in front of Twilight. Reminds me of a short story I read for one of my classes, Bride by Cheerie Jones.

So much of what Jones described as the perfect wife is the same things Nightfall tries to do to gain the romantic attention of Twilight. It also shows why she resents Yor because beyond the fact that she has Twilight she doesn't have to be perfect for him. Yor rattles everything that Nightfall believes about herself and again leaves her feeling empty and confused. Again, there is some optimism to her story. Seeing that Twilight still cares for her even when she is not perfect, that his concern for her is not contingent on her being perfect. She is finally able to rest and recover once he leaves her with that simple expression of concern.

I don't know what motivates her or why she specifically craves Twilight's affection but my most optimistic theory is that he represents someone that she wants. Someone who cares for her. Twilight does care for so I am guessing her drive is less to get his care but to preserve it and earn it. She is just seeking his validation the best way she knows how.

[e3rt]

WOOD’S BROTHER HEAD CANONS!!!!!

(Art is mineeeee)

Art is how I picture Jeff after everything vs if it never happened to begin with.

- Eastern European but raised in the South(America)

- both have southern accents with some Eastern European inflections

- Jeff was always the creepy/weird kid but was generally considered attractive and could get his hands on anything so he was able to form some “friendships” off a transactional type of dynamic.

-Liu is the older brother because I prefer it that way

- Sully is like an alter Ego that took over Liu’s life and was originally made to fill the void of his family dying

- They’re Irish twins, so the brothers grew up incredibly close

-Liu was the favourite kid, he didn’t feel it though

- it wasn’t Jeff who cut the Chelsea smile, that’s just the town mythos that surrounded the case

- raised on a farm, both have farmer muscles

- the “bullies” were actually a group of boys from town that pretended to be friends with Liu, but would subtly bully him. It slowly progressed to physical altercations and blackmail. Jeff tried to help him but because of both their bad reputations, it was ignored by the school. Jeff had to step in himself which escalated everything.

-Liu can lie his way out of everything and anything, he was a lot more unassuming but only looked good compared to Jeff’s behaviour and personality

- Jeff is 24 Liu 25

- Jeffs ear was already partially deformed from fighting, the fire caused him to lose hearing in one ear and gave him nerve damage in his face and legs.

- his hands were one of the few places mostly unharmed in the fire

- the town boys had attempted to kill the whole family by burning their house down but Jeff was the only one home at the time

- after the fire Liu was the primary caretaker of Jeff while he healed(his “duty” as the eldest). He grew somewhat resentful during the time but then harboured a debilitating guilt after seeing how Jeff was disfigured

- Jeff whenever he is within Slendermans territory can communicate with spirits, he thought Ben and Sally were hallucinations brought on by his killings at first

- Jeff was a TBI kid, fell off a fence when he was a 10 and the adults in his life described him as “going dark” from that point on.

- both Liu and Jeff did petty crime and would instigate conflict with their peers often.

-the Wood’s home life was NOOOOT good at all

- Jeff didn’t try to kill his brother but indirectly led him to being nearly killed

-Jeff is basically a zombie, he made a deal with SOMETHING while in the slender forest and has been unable to die since.

- Liu has chronic pain from being nearly killed, while Jeff remains mostly unbothered by his injuries

- bisexual Jeff the killer 💯

- internalised homophobia Jeff the killer 💯

- academically gifted but never had the opportunity to develop it homacidle Liu 💯

- Jeff is pretty fond of Nina but not in a romantic or sexual way, he also managed to get close to Toby despite the guys allusive nature

- both heavy Nu Metal, industrial and midwest emo fans

Yeah these are all the ones I can think of rn but if YOU have any ones you think of or ones you want me to expand on I’d love to hear it forrealsies. Stay disgusting! 😸

[meanbossart]

Love Drow's camp greetings, but now I've got to know-- what would his romance path look like?

(This was a REALLY FUN thought experiment, thanks for asking about it!)

You'd get approval points by: -Picking the joke dialogue options, especially if they're dark or crass. -Succeeding intimidation checks. -Starting fights no-questions-asked with characters that don't immediately show you respect. -Defying authority. -Antagonizing drows, githyanki, mindflayers and goblins. -Being friendly towards animals. -Showing willingness to do what the dream visitor suggests. -Notable boost if you let him take on the Loviatar priest in your stead.

You get disapproval by: -Disclosing to people that you're infected with the tadpole. -Agreeing to help NPCs who aren't offering to get rid of your parasites. -Some deception checks (he doesn't always realize you're lying). -Being distrustful/pushy with Shadowheart. -Siding with the absolute. -Trusting or empathizing with the Emperor at all after he reveals himself (Yes, he will leave you if you bang the squid). -Massive point loss if you don't let him take on Orin on his own.

[More elaboration underneath the cut, CW for terrible relationship dynamics and implications of sexual coercion, especially within the context of BDSM.]

He can be persuaded to allow you to have a one-night-stand with Halsin, but will not agree to a three-way relationship or long-term arrangement.

He will stay with you if you sleep with Mizora without the need to roll for anything, but you will lose a lot of approval.

He will agree to a four-way with the twins at Sharess Caress if you ask him about it, but only after you complete his quest. If he has lost to Orin he will kill the twins during the act. If he has accepted Bhaal, he will ask if you want to kill them with him, but you can refuse/dissuade him from doing so.

In regards to his personal interactions, you would usually get choices between antagonizing him, expressing fear, not taking him seriously at all, or making flirtatious advances.

He's neutral/disapproving towards flirtation prior to triggering a romance (though he still reacts flattered). He's neutral/approving of not being taken seriously and/or being feared, as long as the PC is being somewhat facetious and not expressing outright distrust or doubt toward his capabilities. Basically, as long as what you're saying implies that he's formidable, or makes him laugh, he will like it.

After the romance is initiated, he will enjoy flirtatious dialogue options that put him in the role of the desired, compliment his looks/abilities, or express general affection. You would also get options that paint him in a kind of "sexually predatory" light - he doesn't like those.

You could encourage him to embrace his Urge at the start of the campaign for approval, then he flips to wanting you to discourage it after it grows outside his control. If he accepts Bhaal, this switches it back to where he approves of it being encouraged. If he loses to Orin, he will just agree with you whether you tell him to give into his Urges or keep fighting them.

You can break up with him at any point unless he has accepted Bhaal; In that case, he won't agree to it and say that when he takes over the brain you won't have a choice on the matter. The only way to keep him from betraying you during the ending is to either kill him or staying in the relationship with him and dominating the brain together.

As for the actual romance scenes, it'd be similar to Astarion's route where you get to sleep with him right away, then the following interactions are more focused on other forms of intimacy and developing the emotional side of the relationship. You would get the option to push for more sex every time, which he would turn down out of fear of what the Urge might do if he goes along with it - if you keep pushing even after that, it gets you disapproval.

During the scene that locks the romance path (prior to arriving at Baldur's gate) you can persuade him to have sex, and if you succeed he will lose control and try to murder you during the act. The only way to survive it is to kill him instead. You can be resurrected if you lose (he cannot) but he then breaks up with you.

The "themes" of his romance are supposed to allude to the different dynamics of a maso-sado/dom-sub relationship. If you push him to pursue Bhaal you are setting yourself up for a 24/7, lifelong arrangement. the relationship is reduced entirely to your sexual desire for each other, the pushing of boundaries with no limits, and constant one-upmanship. You are no longer allowed (and outwardly mocked) for displaying any tenderness that isn't sexually charged, and he will become angry with you if during your night together following the finalization of the quest you don't pick the aggressive/violent options during intimacy.

If he loses to Orin, he becomes entirely emotionally dependent on the player character, willing to bend to your every will and latch onto the PC as his new master whether or not they agree to it. He is terrified of his fate and desperately wants to please you so you don't abandon him before he loses himself. You can either take advantage of this and revel in the power you have over him, become frustrated, or demonstrate patience and try to encourage him to hold onto some individuality. You can also just kill him, which he will allow you to do through dialogue options at any point. During the romance scene that follows this path, you can only have sex if you restrain him completely first.

If he refuses Bhaal, you get yourself a quiet, cocky, but loving weirdo who enjoys play-dynamics a healthy amount but is ultimately in it because he likes you as a person. He's willing to compromise on the maso-thing as long as you don't put him down for it, and it is implied that while things may not be perfect, you are both willing to work on it through mutual understanding and patience because the relationship is based on more than just burning desire or co-dependency.

[cy-lindric]

bonjour cy-lindric, j'ai une petite question. when I was a young person, I read The Three Musketeers and then eagerly started to read Twenty Years After and was so upset at what had happened to my beloved young heroes that I put the book down and never picked it up. what do you think, should I try again?

Bonjour !

After reading The Three Musketeers, I also wasn't sure I wanted to read Twenty Years After, and I took a break inbetween both to read something entirely different (The Locked Tomb, iirc). I think my reason for that was kind of the opposite of yours ; I enjoyed T3M a lot and loved the characters, flaws and all, but by the end they had somewhat crossed over the line into being Too Awful and the lack of retribution left me a bit frustrated. I didn't see it as a failing of the story - on the contrary, their strong character flaws and downfall in the conflict with Milady is one of the most emotionally intense and compelling parts imo - but I wasn't sure I felt like hanging out with these guys for a few hundred more pages at that point.

If your vision of the characters as a young reader was a very positive and perhaps idealized one, I can imagine why you might not have enjoyed entering into Twenty Years after. The illusion of glory has worn off ; the characters have separated, they live unremarkable lives, and their personalities have evolved drastically with the passing of time. It's almost a brutal return to reality.

For me though, it added layers of characterization to the point where now it's clear to me that this version of the Inseparables is by far the one I prefer.

I hope it's ok if I take the opportunity to talk at length about what I like about TYA below the cut. TL;DR : I love that Twenty Years After is a more realistic look at the big four's personalities and how they evolved while still keeping them thematically coherent, and that TYA makes them confront the reckless and cruel shit they did in their youth.

Spoilers ahead obviously.

We've often talked about how T3M is at its core a story about the end of knighthood. It's a tongue-in-cheek approach at chivalrous initiation, set at edge of the modern world, inbetween the time of ballads about knights in armor and that of adventures about journeying gunmen and soldiers. I think TYA embodies that particularly ; the story of people who have carried the last of these intense, dangerous chivalric ideals in their youths, and who have now grown into middle aged adults who need to find their place in the world.

For a good chunk of the book, the big four are separated into two teams ; that in of itself might discourage some, but imo it's genius. Instead of the natural two-by-pairings, Dumas goes for a d'Artagnan+ Porthos and Athos + Aramis split on opposite sides, which makes for good drama and develops lesser explored dynamics. D'Artagnan and Porthos form a scrappy team of opportunists with money on their minds, and Athos and Aramis a more idealistic duo fighting for a noble lost cause. I think it's a bold choice but also premium sequel writing.

I also love the way the young and wild characters we knew evolve into middle aged men ; at their core, they're still the same, but they've all changed and struggled against the sunset of the golden age in their own ways.

D'Artagnan, after knowing such adventures and subsequent rapid social ascension in his teenage years, has been met in his adult life with the harsh reality that he is, in fact, not a noble knight but a soldier on payroll. His modest origins give him little hope for any further career advancement, and he takes on a new mission in his early 40s for a man he has no devotion for and a cause he doesn't care about, simply because he is bored and broke. D'Artagnan still has his quick wits, his strategic talent, his fencing skills, but he has grown out of the excesses of pride of his teenage years. I loved meeting him again in TYA, and it made so much sense to me that his bouts of anger and aggressivity would be a youthful trait that he'd ended up taming. He also realizes now a lot of what seemed like funny adventures and necessary violence was actually kind of fucked up ; that was a shock to me, as their shenanigans are treated so lightly in T3M, and tbh it healed me a little. Grown up d'Artagnan is cunning, calculating, down to earth and realistic. My foxy little man. I love him.

Porthos, likewise, has been struck by the weight of reality. He has made the sensible choice and got married to the rich widow who sugar mommied him in the first book. Now she's passed, he is rich, but he still fails to earn the respect of the high society he evolves in because he's not high born enough. Like d'Artagnan, he's stagnating and bored and now that he goes back adventuring it has nothing to do with the queen or the kingdom or honour ; it's about getting his damn nobility title.

Athos, on the other hand, is the eternal knight : the only truly high born of the four, and still hopelessly holding on to a time gone by. It's no surprise imo that his storyline brings him into the english civil war, doomed to fail at saving a king who'll end up executed right in front of him. TYA acknowledges more clearly than ever that at 28 yo, Athos was a depressed alcoholic, and an embodiment of what an excess of aristocratic righteousness can do. In TYA, he is sober and moisturized and a DILF, and now he's running around frantically looking for absolution for his numerous crimes. It's delicious.

Aramis is maybe the hardest pill to swallow. TYA confirms the T3M hints that he isn't really the prim and proper romantic boy he acts like he is, and that he's possibly the most hypocritical and ruthless of the four. It might be a harsh one for Aramis fans who like him better as a cute bean, but I love the early onset of remorseless conniving bloodthirsty ambitious Aramis. Another harsh bit might be the evolution of Aramis and d'Artagnan not really liking each other ; they were always the least close combination, and imo it makes sense that their personalities would clash. I think it's clever and compelling conflict.

Now, obviously, if you've cared enough to read all this and if you know me a little, you know that a huge highlight of the book for me was its late-appearing antagonist, Mordaunt. Mordaunt is the son Milady had with her english husband. Because of the Musketeers' intervention, he's grown up in poverty and has been denied his father's inheritance. He's now a Roundhead working for Cromwell, and set on avenging his mother at all costs. Mordaunt, unlike his mother who was this beautiful and dangerous force of nature, is very uncool and pathetic. She was the primordial snake, he's the gutter rat. Obviously, I love that in and of itself, but it's also kind of striking image of the wretchedness of what they've done to her, a fucked up little goblin ghost come back to haunt them as they're trying to make their life worth living again. This time, their enemy is not a cunning political rival with a flamboyance of body and mind akin to their own ; it's a shitty little guy with bad skin who wants to kill the king and punish the murderers. Watch out babes, it's the modern world coming for you.

Of course, they're the Four Musketeers, and they did what they had to do, so they get together again and swear friendship and keep going their way. But they're also old guys with difficult personalities in a world that's never going to be the same. I think it's a cool book.

[thehighladywrites]

ACOTAR MEN X READER, BEING THEIR SNEAKY LINK

☀︎ — summary: sneaking around with the acotar men👀 How long does this go on?

☀︎ — warnings: 18+, nsfw themes, tw beron🤢 mentioned

☀︎ — amara’s note: had this idea for a while, let’s bring this to life😈oh to be sneaking around with them🙏🏽💔

Rhysand

With him, no one finds out until you tell everyone

He is able to keep the links sneaky for sure, also he masks your scents so that no one can tell

No one really suspects that ur sleeping together because he isn’t paying any suspicios amount of attention to you.

He makes it up later though👀

At first, it was just a way for him to recover from Under the Mountain, so he sought you out for help in order to gain back some controll.

And he got better and began to carefully heal, yet here you both were, still sneaking around years later.

Yeah, years bc that is how good he’s able to keep secrets.

Oh, he gets jealous too and masks it as being a good friend and high lord when asked about it by the rest of the inner circle.

His favorite trick is telling the ic he’s sending you on a mission so they think ur gone, then he suggests them eating out while you’re gone then tells them he can’t make it so he stays at home and then you guys can stay at the house unbothered and alone

Since he gets jealous, he gives you hickies or make your legs so sore you can’t walk

Rhys looooves the attention you get during morning training for the others

“Are you okay, did you trip or something?”

“No, no Az,I’m fine. I was just doing some stretches and I think I overdid it.”

Rhysand just stands there happier than ever as you glare at him

Azriel

Guys, let’s be so real. Azriel ain’t getting caught, ever💀

He teaches you tricks on how to hide better when you’re coming over to his room

And it’s usually his room you hook up in bc he has trained himself to notice anything being off. Like if a book has been moved like a millimeter, he knows so it’s the safest and least risky place for you to be.

Because he is so attentive and sneaky, he is incredibly risky

He loves risky sex. Bro will fuck your brains out knowing people are close bc he knows he’s able to cover it up

Azriel also uses his shadows on you in broad daylight.

You’re out for dinner w the inner circle and his shadows teases and rub your clit under the table. You use your magic to suppress your arousal but it’s kind of hard to not squirm and all that

Az just sits there cocky as fuck knowing that he makes you react like that without even touching you

So so so soooo much jealousy on your side bc Azriel gets hit on all the time, males, females, youngsters, oldies, bro everyone wants him

People don’t hit on you tho because Azriel is always standing behind you, exuding that scary aura and energy that has people running the other way

Even after you two become official, you keep it under wraps. You don’t want anyone or anything ruining it for you so it’s all very hush hush

Only years after, when your friends ask why none of you date people, do you spill. You tell them you and Azriel are together already but it’s a private relationship

They were a little pissed but they let it go when they saw how happy you were and how good your dynamic is

Eris

He is sneaking around with you because of both your parents

You’re the daughter of one of B*ron’s🤢 close advisors so you and Eris spend a lot of time together

Eventually it develops into a secret relationship with a lot of sex

You both know your parents would hung you both if you ever got exposed but you still do it.

You both act like you’re somewhat of enemies or don’t like each other in public so that no one can even rise suspicions againt you.

Behind closes doors he sluts you out like crazyyyyy, i’m talking any type of sex, rough, soft, different positions, different places, new things added, toys, rope, cuffs this man is kinky I KNOW ITTT

like he has no controll over his life bc of b*ron 🤢 so he likes taking controll in the bedroom and dominate, yum👀

It all becomes more interesting and exciting when your parents decide it’s high time to get engaged and married.

Your suitors always wonder why you’re late and messy, what they don’t know is that you were busy getting bent over by eris

anyways when b*ron 🤢 dies and eris takes over, the sneaky link ain’t sneaky anymore. The man fully claims you, even making you his high lady.

Ugh i love him💔💔💔💔

Lucien

You’re Cassian’s sister and you’re hooking up with him on the down low

Lucien caught your eye when he and Feyre came back from Spring.

He seemed uncomfortable around everyone and kept to himself, until you started spending more time with him

Time turned your companionship to a secret relationship

Please, we all know how charming Lucien is, I mean, shit I’d fall for him too🫨🫨

Sorry @thelov3lybookworm but your man is so fuckable💗

Anyways, he is super charming and silver tounged and that makes you jump his bone immediately

This guy is amazing with his tounge, head game goes CRAZYYYYY

At first it’s just sex, but then instead of fucking then leaving, you begin to stay during the nights and talk for hours.

Eventually you realize the depth of your bond and how much you love one another.

You were quite nervous when telling Cassian bc Illyrian’s are super protective and possessive over their family but he is fine with it bc he knows that there aren’t better males than Lucien

Anyways, you keep sneaking around bc you don’t want to outright make out infront of the inner circle so you sneak away at parties, meetings and dinners.

This man is a risktaker just like Azriel. I know he sneaks up from behind, saying crazy and stomach flipping things, waiting for your reaction then fucks you in whatever place you are

Cassian

You’re Lord Devlon’s daughter and you sneak around with him.

No one knows about your magic from your mother’s side that you use to remove any trace of cassian

At first you hated him bc of your father and bc he manipulated you into thinking cassian and his friends were dangerous

There is banter and mean words exchanged between you that only makes the sexual tension between you even stronger

One night you both snap and have hate sex and that one night becomes the start of years of secret meetings and rendezvous.

Whenever he's in Windhaven, you two have a blast. To dodge curious eyes, you've got this genius plan: throw a party whenever Cassian conveniently has a meeting or mission there. With everyone a bit tipsy, it's the perfect cover for linking up

After a while you’re caught by Devlon himself and all hell breaks loose. Rhysand has to come down and solve everything before blood spills

Devlon disowns you and would have killed you had it not been for Cassian protecting you from your father

So he takes you to Velaris where you live with him and eventually become an advisor for Rhysand since he hasn’t lived there for years and would benefit from someone who was so close to Devlon

You have so much fun and yeah, that’s how you went from hate sex, fuck buddies, in love and eventually mates