#and i like to think that once he gains full confidence in the choices he makes and the things he feels and the stands he takes etc

[hopeswriting]

tsuna is the patron saint of the mundane, of the normal and common place, of the average and unimpressive. he's the unshakable believer of that being enough in and of itself, of that being fulfilling and fundamental to achieve happiness. and he's the unyielding protector and defender of the beauty and love and kindness within the ordinary, of the holy and divine and sacred within it, and of them being worth fighting for.

tsuna's the guy who makes the ordinary extraordinary from the sheer way he holds it so very close to his heart like it's the most precious thing in the world, and it's the thing about him i, for one, love him most for

[lueurjun]

ੰ first kiss with enha | ꒰ heeseung , jay ꒱

enhypen reaction—there comes a time in a lot of relationships where the next step is taken, and here’s how the nerve-racking first kiss experience went for you and your mans.

version two: jake and sunghoon.

. . . . . . . ꒰ HEESEUNG ꒱ ,,

he’s a feral boy

we’ve all seen that man flirt and hip thrust HE IS FERAL

so naturally you’d assume he’d be laid back and confident about the whole thing

but when it comes to you, he’s a pile of blushy mush that just cannot comprehend the fact that he’s even managed to bag you

in his eyes, you’re out of his league

bc you’re a gorgeous gemstone! have faith in yourself bby ur wonderful

and without realizing, you actually intimidate him a little

bc ur just so goddamn perfect

an angel if you will

so the idea of kissing you just seems… scary

because what if he doesn’t live up to your expectations and you decide to leave him?

he is terrified of disappointing you so it actually takes him a while to gain the courage

which panics you because why in the world is this man not givin u a big ol’ smooch?

does he not want to kiss you?

omg does he think your breath stinks and is revolted by you?

you’re both massively overthinking it

lil silly billys

and none of you want to bring it up because how do you approach that conversation?

like you can’t just ask him ‘oh yeah, hee, how come you don’t want to kiss me? are my lips crusty? does the idea of locking lips physically repulse you?’

anyways you’re a couple months in

and things are getting serious so he can’t be that sickened by you

and you haven’t run for the hills yet so you clearly don’t want anyone else

finally. he’s had enough

this man is tired of staring at your lips imagining them on his own

HE IS YOUR MANS HE DESERVES SOME SUGAR

to be honest at this point you’ve given up hope on him kissing you, and you’re much too nervous to make the first move

so you just kinda go with the flow

which naturally means that the last thing you were expecting when sliding your cute lil self into his car

was for him to lean over, cup your face and plant one tasty smooch on those lips of yours

you literally froze for like two seconds but once realisation settled in, you kissed that man back in milliseconds

heaven. cloud nine. neither of you wanted to pull away

unfortunately, you had no other choice

so taken aback by the sudden kiss the only thing you could think to do was share a giggle before you held up a bag full of treats for your date

gosh ur both so awkwardly adorable i can’t

“i got us snacks for the car ride! but you taste better.”

you’re so cute stop the little blush on your face after saying the cutest yet lamest thing ever

heeseung cannot resist tugging you back in for another little lip tasting sesh after that because you are the cutest thing to ever exist

he is an absolute simp for you AS HE SHOULD BE

. . . . . . . ꒰ JAY ꒱ ,,

despite being the perfect man material, he isn’t the most experienced when it comes to relationships

like he’s had a partner before, but it was never serious so the milestones just weren’t that important to him

but it’s different with you

don’t roll your eyes at me

idc if that’s cliché okay. it’s jay. you allow it. lose the ‘tude baby cakes i know you rolled your eyes

anyways:)

everything that didn’t seem so important in his last relationship suddenly seemed a thousand times more nerve wracking this time

because losing you is on the line and jay knows that he doesn’t ever want that to happen

suddenly he wants everything to be perfect because you deserve the world and nothing less

hahahahasleepingontheroadtonight

jay absolutely refuses to give you a shitty first kiss

it has to be romantic. and it has to be amazing and if you don’t like it then he will slide down the wall

clutching honey to his chest

sobbing

same tho that’s a mood

anyways yeah he wants to make sure that you get the most romantic kiss ever

meanwhile you’re not too fussed because it’s jay and no matter what, kissing him would be a dream

unless he’s like a really bad kisser but he’s perfect so he’s not

he’s taking his time to prepare everything

like he plans a candle lit dinner, rose petals, the finest food

the whole shebang

lemme be you for one day i beg

but two days before the dinner is set to take place

YES HE HAS A FULL SCHEDULE

the two of you are hanging out like normal and the vibes are immaculate

and you both want to kiss each other

the timing just seems right

but jay, the little dum dum, is fighting with himself

because does he really want all of his hardwork to go to waste?

you’re both leaning in but smoke is practically pumping from his head due to how fast his mind is racing

seconds away from those luscious lips

HE PULLS AWAY

absolute dummy

you’re hurt and embarrassed obviously

bc you just got flat out rejected and that’s just horrifying but it’s fine it happens to us all babe

and jay is panicking because well… you look like you’re going to start sobbing

“is there something wrong with me?”

the crack in your voice. the pain in your eyes. THE QUESTION ALONE

oh dear jay feels like he’s going to throw up

this is NOT how he wanted any of this to go

you start packing up your things to leave which is fair because you’re embarrassed

and jay is trying to figure out what to say or do

and then he just decides to be honest because honesty is the best policy

so you’re about to step out of the door when he gently grabs your arm

“look i’m sorry. i really really really wanted to kiss you… it’s just… i have been planning a perfect dinner for weeks so it would be perfect. i didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, i just wanted it to be perfect for you.”

i’d fold honestly

i have no shame

and neither do you apparently because you can’t help but crack a perfect little smile

“so do i have to wait for this dinner or can i kiss you now?”

BOLD

you’re an icon

jay just kinda smiles sheepishly

and then he caresses your neck and tugs you into one of the softest, most amazing kisses you have ever had

firework inducing even, toe curling, heart thumping-

sorry i’ll stop

the point is, the kiss is AMAZING

maybe you didn’t need a fancy candlelit dinner to make it perfect after all

perhaps, all you needed was each other

i’m legit sobbing someone pls send help

[you-fuckin-judas]

The beautiful discussion of love through physical touch

[young royals s3 spoilers]

We are back where we started, but this season was full of BEAUTIFUL moments of this conversation through physical touch. Wille & Simon have learned and grown so much together, and it so VERY clear in how we see it.

LETS DISCUSS [and cry again together]

1. I'm just glad you're okay.

Let's start somewhere familiar, but dealt with in a new way. Simon has once a gain experienced violence as a result of online hate, and again Wille wants to be there to protect and comfort him. BEFORE when Simon was in times of stress he would push Wille away, unsure and stifled by the emotions of the moment.

BUT this time. THIS time he welcomes it, the warmth Wille has offered out and breathes it in. This moment is beautiful, in the way that they are communicating verbally and physically. They both sit there together, in the embrace. Together.

2. We have a new member of the choir

THIS moment right here, I won't lie had me running laps in my house. We just left the choir practice where literally everything was golden, the lighting, Simon's shirt, his face when it was announced Wille was joining.

EVERYTHING was golden.

We then have moved to this VERY intimate space, no music in the scene. no other members of the school in the locker area either. JUST the two of them, and their love for each other literally EXPLODING.

I have said it before and I will say it again : Omar is VERY good at depicting Simons love through his hands. Exploring Wille. His hair. His face. His chest. His neck. Literally anywhere he can reach. It's literally like he's soaking him up like a sponge.

Not in a intense, overwhelming way. But more of a : I think you're beautiful and I love every part of you. and I want to show you that.

3. Hey

If we have ever seen these two, it's always fueled with passion and intense love. We hardly are able to see them in situations where they are sensitive and soft with each other.

let's be for real, they hardly ever were given a second of PEACE.

THIS moment is so beautiful, so GENTLE. They see each other at school for the first time, and in front of everyone they share a kiss. THE WARMTH of it makes my HEART WARM. For the first time in front of their peers, in the open, in the light they can share their love.

Neither one shys away from it, and again we see Simon wandering with his hands on Wille, so comfortable in his love.

Also, I want to point out that they both are in bolder colors much different than what we are used to seeing them in.

Usually we see Wille in his signature structured school jacket, as well as in darker hues. Here we see him in this soft, plush pink sweater.

Simon we are used to seeing in purples, looser colder colors. Whereas here he's back in that beautiful golden hue, just shining.

4. Working out

Once again, we are in front of our peers. Bold in our choices physically. We see them working out, Simon joking with Wille.

We of course discuss the trip, but we cut to this quick but beautiful moment of their love to just be with each other.

Their smiles, their closeness, their confidence in their love in that beautiful lighting.

BYE THIS ONE WAS SO WHOLESOME I HAD TO.

5. What was your dream?

First episode of the season, we have already been met with an uncomfortable situation full of tension and anxiety.

They are both able to take a break and Wille takes Simon on a small tour in his home, of course like magnets they once again can't stay away from each other.

We have this intimate moment, where I won't lie I was worried SOMEONE was going to walk in because oh my GOD the timing??, and this discussion physically.

Of course the switching of who is in control, both laughing in joy by just being with each other again. We switch into this extremely passionate tone, but I want to point out something.

We obviously couldn't care less that one; we have our shoes on in this bed. Two; that both of them aren't on it properly. I'm only pointing it out because Simon is literally 2 inches from falling off it, but he couldn't care less because Wille has him in his arms and he trusts him. He's not trying to scoot back on it because he's gonna fall, he doesn't care because he knows Wille won't let him fall.

Once again, Simon showing his love with his hands in Wille's hair, his face. And Wille showing his love by holding Simon and not letting him fall.

ALSO the lighting? STUNNING.

6. What the hell do you think?

LETS TALK ABOUT HOW THIS SCENE HAD ME CRYING LIKE I HAVE NEVER CRIED BEFORE. I was furiously checking the time left on the episode I was so SCARED.

ALRIGHT I saved my favorite for last on this post. Let's go.

THE EXPLOSION of relief from them, from US was absolutely insane. The collision of this hug? I could HEAR it. They were hugging so tightly their ribcages might have locked together.

We also have this BEAUTIFUL lighting, the LUSH green behind them, the fresh air.

I want to applaud the acting from them here because the relief you could see, I don't know about you but I could feel it in my throat. Their hands grabbing at each other, holding as tight as they could, scared to let go? GOD.

Simon's FACE, the tears, the way his hands won't leave Wille and his face. He cannot believe that this is real, that this is really happening. He is just so overwhelmed with emotions and love it absolutely is breathtaking to see it.

I'm sorry but this was the most beautiful scene I have ever seen. Their overwhelming love for each other, their joy at finally being FREE. You can see it; their hands not leaving each other, their SMILES, their eyes locked.

Will I do an in depth discussion on this finale sequence here? Yeah probably because it's EVERYTHING to me.

Young Royals is so personal to me, and this show has meant so much to me. I'm crushed its over, but I think the ending we got was absolutely perfect.

I won't stop the analysis posts because there's just so much I want to talk about, young royals forever 💜

[bloatedandalone04]

How Do You Feel Now?

Rare James Kelly blurb from yours truly x

Warnings: kissing, swearing, groping in public? fun stuff - lowkey inspired by that one teen wolf scene.

“This is fucking stupid,” James muttered as he struggled with his tie. 

You were standing in between his legs as he leaned back against the Duster, a frown on his handsome face as you held back a laugh. “It’s not stupid, James,” you tell him and tuck his white button up into his dress pants. “It’s really not.”

“I’m going to fuck it up,” he said, letting out a frustrated groan when he failed again with the tie. “I’m going to say something stupid and screw it up, like I always do. And I can’t figure out this fucking tie-”

“James,” you sternly cut him off, gripping the sides of his face and making him look at you. “Relax, alright? You’re going to be amazing, and professional.”

You take it upon yourself to fix his tie for him when he slumps back against the car with a grunt. 

“They’ll have no choice but to loan you the money,” you add when you adjust the tie so it’s straight and even. “Just be confident, like you were when you asked me out all those years ago.”

James huffed, “Yeah, well, back then I had nothing to lose. Now I have my job, my savings, you-”

“Hey,” you sharply cut him off then smile when you saw the way his eyes quickly met yours. “I’m not going anywhere, okay? You’re stuck with me.”

He forced out a small smile then shook his head. “I don’t think I can do this. I don’t want to feel like a fucking idiot again when another bank turns me down, I-”

Instead of cutting him off with your words, you use your mouth and cover his with your own, effectively shutting him up. Truthfully, you were tired of hearing him beat himself up and talk badly about himself when he was nothing short of amazing in your eyes. 

Your hands grip his wrists and you wrap his arms around your body, and you guide his hands downwards until he is full on groping you. You bite down gently on his lip and slide your tongue in his mouth to brush against his, and he groans deeply.

 He pulled you with him when he leaned against the hood of the car, and the kiss was quickly becoming too heated for public, but neither of you cared too much. “How do you feel now?” You asked when you pulled away and looked at his spit coated lips. 

James stuttered a bit as he said, “Better. I feel better,”

“Good,” you hum and kiss him quickly. “Stop saying all that stuff about yourself, James. I mean it. If you could see yourself in the way I see you…you’d never think about any of that. You’re amazing, Jamie, and I love you.”

He smirked down at you once he gained back his composure. “I love you, too,” he said back and kissed you again with his newfound confidence he had you to thank for.

[actiwitch]

The Gods' myths sometimes include horrific or immoral aspects. That doesn't mean we should behave as if those myths dont exist!

(A Pagan perspective)

(tw: sa, misogyny)

When we are faced with myths that no longer fit in modern moral views (such as so much SA in Greek mythology alone there's a whole Wikipedia page on it) we should not shy away! Even if we don't like or approve of it, it's a part of the Gods' history and mythos.

All mythology is written by humans, and as such is unavoidably a product of its time. The way that anyone (including modern pagans) interprets the Gods as entities, or any interaction with them, is limited within our own culture, time period, and personal beliefs. By examining both the beliefs of the present and the past, we can decide for ourselves how we see the Gods while considering the context their myths were written in.

Even within one time period or similar group of people, such as modern pagans today, interpretations of the Gods can vary widely.

Zues is a cheating rapist. He is also a powerful god of the skies, lightning, and order.

Lucifer is literally the devil. An evil liar full of sins. And yet he is enlightening, independent, and honest.

Freyja is constantly associated (some say reduced) to sex. She uses her body for her gain, and is quite canonically called a slut. At the same time, she's the goddess of women! Of female power, both in mental skill and physical strength. She leads the Valkyries.

Loki is dark and deceptive, bringer of Ragnarok-- and he's a deity of change and freedom.

And neither is wrong. In mythology, both are true.

The Gods, all their aspects, and all the texts we have of them are complicated, complex, multifaceted, and interpretive- of course, there will be various understandings within pagan practices. No one view is superior to the other. Our understandings all exist on a scale, or rather some sort of mashup, of how important and what importance we attribute to various myths and aspects of deities.

When I worshipped Hera, I did so in two 'versions'. 1. Hera as resistance against men and abuse. I found solace and connection with her in powerful womanhood and female rage. I prayed to her before attending a pro-choice rally. And 2. Hera as a symbol of deep love, power, and marriage, and commitment. I lit her candle when my partner was over or when I needed a confidence boost.

These aspects never felt conflicting to me. Separate, maybe (I certainly wasn't thinking of any cheating or abuse in mythology as overlapping with the love and commitment)- but just part of one THING. Of Hera and everything surrounding her.

To many other deities of various 'immoral' aspects, these conflicting elements aren't just both present but often integral to their presence and worship.

Lucifer is often worshipped in rebellion. In healing from oppressive Christianity and finding light and understanding in that darkness.

Freyja is sexual! One of her many aspects. (which by the way, should not be seen as immoral. looking at yall, bs tumblr feminists) There is pleasure, joy, and power to be found in reclaiming that part of women we are told is shameful.

Loki is so much at once. He is outcast and destructive, and within that he spurs necessary change and chaos. So many pagans look to her as a symbol of queerness in the broadest sense and in facing the necessary chaos of growth.

TLDR: Don't just ignore aspects of mythology that feel uncomfortable (obviously unless something like trauma is involved). There is a lot to learn both from understanding the time and context their myths were written in as well as self-reflection on how certain myths or aspects of deities fit (or don't fit) within your practice.

[rosewaterraindrops]

Nandermo Blocking and Season Finales

In past seasons, people more knowledgeable than me have written meta on the way Nandor and Guillermo are positioned at different levels in relation to one another, and I found it super interesting! Every previous season finale has left us with a very specific image of Nandermo that we've carried with us to speculate about what their relationship will be like in the next season. So I wanted to do an analysis on Nandermo's relative levels/blocking in the two-part finale of S5 and see how it compares to previous season finales.

Here’s a rundown of the previous season finales. 

S1 (top left): This one is sending mixed signals. Guillermo is looking down at Nandor, but it’s in an act of servitude. Nandor’s scolding Guillermo, thinking he’s the one in charge, and he has no idea that Guillermo is beginning to discover his vampire-killing powers. 

S2 (top right): Guillermo is elevated, looking down at all four vampires, and this time he’s very clearly the one in charge. Nandor is literally tied up and helpless and forced to confront how powerful Guillermo really is - and we know that Nandor defends him and respects his power in S3.

S3 (middle row): This time, Guillermo is looking down at Nandor, who’s kneeling on the ground, and they’re both happy about it. Guillermo has just passed Nandor’s “test” and they’re about to embark on their journey, which will end with Guillermo becoming a vampire. Nandor even happily agrees to take Guillermo’s bag to the train station. This is the most equal we’ve ever seen them be (up to that moment).

S4 (bottom right and left): They’re on the same level, both sitting down in chairs, and I don’t think either one of them is fully clear on where their relationship currently stands. Guillermo slips back into his familiar role after Freddie is gone, but something feels off. They don't even appear in a frame together, which is why I had to get two different screenshots. It’s not very companionable, it’s awkward, and it sets up a tense dynamic in S5.

By and large, these finale images have given us hope that Nandor and Guillermo will be on more even footing in the following season. The blocking never reinforces Guillermo as a servant, but rather elevates him in relation to Nandor and aligns with each finale’s sense of anticipation - how will the two of them respond to the latest change in their power dynamic? How will Guillermo assert himself further next season, and how will Nandor react?

That brings us to the end of S5. We get some really pivotal moments in which the dynamic is shifting yet again, starting with the scene in S5E9 in which Nandor has found out about Guillermo’s turning.

I think they made a deliberate choice to have the cages be elevated here. They could have made it so that the Guide and Guillermo are looking down at the prisoners somehow. But instead, even from his cage, Nandor is the one fully looking down at Guillermo. It’s emphasizing the emotion of the current moment: Nandor is angry and ready to enact his revenge on Guillermo for his “betrayal”, and Guillermo is full of regret. 

Then in S5E10, they reconcile, Nandor has Guillermo drink human blood, and we get this moment.

Guillermo literally rises up to be above Nandor as he embraces his vampirism, and Nandor is looking on with wonder. It’s reminiscent of the S3 finale, in which Nandor was happy to be looking up at Guillermo - and that time, Nandor had just promised to make Guillermo a vampire. When it comes down to it, Nandor wants Guillermo to embrace power and vampirism, and when Guillermo takes joy in his power, Nandor does too. 

So what’s the last Nandermo image we’re left with until S6? It’s this:

We have never, not once, had a season finale that ended with Nandor looking down at Guillermo - until now. Their dynamic has been constantly shifting ever since S1, but the consistent thread has been that Guillermo gains power and confidence, while Nandor gains more respect for Guillermo as a companion and a warrior.

But now? Guillermo has just rejected power, rejected vampirism, in favor of being human, and seconds later he’s on his knees, looking up at Nandor, being ordered by Nandor to clean up Derek’s corpse. Nandor isn’t surprised or awed, he’s not happy, he’s not confused or pensive - he’s just sympathetic and probably very disappointed. He likes when Guillermo embraces power and Guillermo just did the exact opposite of that. This is a clear image of a servant and his master.

I’m sure this isn’t a full regression to their S1 dynamic, and I assume the show will find a way to make it new and interesting. But this is a striking last image of Nandermo that we’re left with until the next season, and when compared to the previous finale images of Nandermo, it really stands out in an unsettling way. Let’s hope that in S6, Guillermo doesn’t take too long to embrace power again - because we know that that’s what he and Nandor really want.

[astroyongie]

Twice January Reading 2024

note: please take it lightly

Jihyo

Love: like on her last reading, she is still dating her person (someone who is way richer than her) and she is having he fun of her life. Happy with her situation, she is taking all chances and living in a perfect luxury at the moment 

Career: expect Jihyo to have more solo comebacks this year and her working on things separated to twice projects. She is also cultivating and protecting her idol image a lot 

Self: she had some rough time lately, and she is still trying to overcome this. I think we are talking here of a problem or grief concerning her family or something related to her family in general that she had ben trying to heal herself from 

Nayeon

Love: I believe that Nayeon broke up with her partner since she seems like she has been avoiding them for some time now and she doesn’t want to talk about them. She is also having a inner conflict, wondering if leaving them was a good choice 

Career: Nayeon too, expect her to have some solo activities this year and to do well. She is very sure of herself and she has been acting a lot like a leader lately when it comes to people around her (which can annoy some 

Self: well mentally, she is having a hard time due to her love life. She is beau disappointed with her love story and she is really trying to withdrawal from all the feelings she has inside her

Jeongyeon

Love: her relationship seem to be going strong and it doesnt seem like it will end any time soon. Whatever conflicts they had on the past they have solved it. I believe that she wants to tie the knot with her partner as well 

Career: I have no idea when twice contract will finish, but when it comes to her, Jeongyeon seem to have taken the decision not to continue once the opportunity is given to her 

Self: she has a lot of burdens on her shoulder, either when it comes to her career but also personal life. All these responsabilties is what are fuckign up her head and putting her on an anxiety spiral 

Momo

Love: She is in a successful relationship, and girl has been ambitious to take this to another level. I believe that the person she is right now will be the person she ends up marrying (or so, she believes). 

Career: she hasn’t been very nice around, I believe that there was a fight/argument with another member of twice. Momo had been a little bit (a lot) cold hearted with that person to the point where she has been called a bitch by the other member for acting the way she was acting 

Self:  whatever the deal is she doesnt care. Momo sees her life forward and she doesnt dwell on things (which means she doesnt care). At the moment she is focused on continuing with her projects 

Sana

Love: she is still single and not activity looking for a partner at the moment.  Sana wants to enjoy her time as a single person, to have her adventures and to just enjoy her youth before she stays with someone again 

Career: she had been some conflict with a member (momo?) since theres a lot of miscommunication and disahormny here. Other than that she is living her career peacefully although she wished she could do more 

Self: Sana knows and is aware that she can be very egoistic but she has learnt that being that way is what gives you a clear path to success and that is what she is doing 

Mina

Love: Mina is still going through a broken heart (so she did indeed ended her relationship) and for the moment she is way too pained to think of love or to even let anyone in at the moment 

Career: when it comes to career however she is rathe lucky. For this year she has already a full booking with many projects that she will be working on (for both twice and her personal goals) 

Self: she is trying ti be smarter in the industry, to see things clearer and hold some authority so people dont abuse their power with her. She has gained a lot in confidence 

Dahyun

Love: she is between breaking up with her partner due to the lack of communication and time spent together but at the same time she doesnt because she loves him dearly. She havent done any decision yet concerning this 

Career: she feels like JYP Is restricting her too much along with the fact that she feel like sh scant do anything while others can. She doesnt feel very happy with her career and more like stuck in something that she doesnt enjoy doing anymore 

Self: she is very confident and she knows what to do to achieve what she wants and needs. Dahyun is very smart and she is trying to do things discreetly to get out of the bad situations she is in 

Chaeyoung

Love: I believe that she isnt with her friend anymore since her status seems like she felt way too limited in her relationship and that she needed more freedom with her life 

Career: she doesnt have much hope for her career. She knows she wont be able to hold herself as a soloist. As a member of twice she is having a hard finding her place as well 

Self: it seems like Chaeyoung is dealign with a debt issue at the moment which is her prime occupation lately. Other than that she has been trying to take care of herself 

Tzuyu

Love: single again, Tzuyu isnt searching for a partner since th relationship she stopped recently kinda of destroyed her self esteem and she needs now some time to fix her head 

Career: I also feel like she is very dispointed with her career ( I see that she is having some issues with her sponsorship) and because of that she havent had many solo opportunities for projects that she wanted to complete. Also the idol life is giving her a lot of anxiety and depressive episodes 

Self: going through a very tough period at the moment. I believe that her coping mechanisms aren’t the best and that she is self isolating a lot 

[kiliinstinct]

Chapter 27:

Rating: R Pairing: Nalu FF.Net || AO3 [Ch: 1] ||| [Prev] | [Next] Next update is Upon us! Thanks to @phoenix-before-the-flame for their awesome Beta work, as usual. Next Update: February 26th March Post Dates: 15th and the 28th (Yes, my Birthday!)

Erza could sense blood lust the moment she returned home.

With the calm light of the moon on her shoulders, she felt it still. It pricked along her skin, making her shoulders tense. Fighting the urge to draw her weapon, she felt the sharp eyes of a hunter stab her as she passed the unused watchtower. At the flash of pink diving from her sight, her eyes narrowed, recognizing the source instantly. 

It was no surprise Natsu was sneaking about. He always had a nose for being where he shouldn’t be. Though she considered his wounds, wondering if he was well enough to be out of bed. What she recalled of the injuries, she didn’t think so, but it was a relief to see him alive regardless. No doubt he’d be well enough to cause mischief again soon. A good sign, but-

Kage groaned weakly as she pulled him along a bump and the rising urge for blood turned palpable forcing Erza to suppress a shudder as the sensation ran through her. Behind her, she sensed Jellal’s steps slowing as they walked by the tower, grasping his cloak tight as he felt the same call for violence: caution was his uncertain response and Erza slowed her own steps to walk alongside him, casting her gaze upwards in a silent message.

She begged Natsu to stay hidden, needing him to stay put while she vowed to chastise him later. They needed the shadow user alive, and his impulsive actions could mean the end to everything if they weren't careful. Despite the strange circumstances she found herself in, she wanted nothing more than everything to work out in the end. 

The other man, Gajeel - she recalled,  carried a relaxed air to him the whole trek back, irking her to no end, but he stayed dutifully behind them. Silent, save for his quick responses when asked a question. Each quip was vague and full of snark, dodging all of Erza’s attempts to bypass his defenses and gain any sliver of information she could.

Infuriatingly, she realized she would get nothing from him until he was ready. He walked in confidence, with hands stuffed in his pockets and a knowing smile tugging at his lips. His countenance alone made it clear that any knowledge shared would come on his terms and his own time: a fact that made her seethe. Just thinking about it made her ire rise, joining the tense blood lust in the atmosphere. 

Jellal’s warning came just in time for a pebble to bounce harmlessly off her shin, a call for attention from the large man bumbling behind them. She tilted her head back enough to acknowledge his presence, brows narrowing into a steely glare.

“Don’t get too worked up, else you want your face to match your hair.” He snickered, tips of fangs gleaming in his smile. “I’ll say what I need to when your chief wants to interrogate me.”

”You know the blue-haired dumbass already,” He explained cheekily, once again ignoring the glare Jellal sent from the insult. “I heard all about your little jaunts when traveling alone so it'll be easier to bring him in first and get his wounds taken care of. I’ll stay put on the edge of the trees til you need me. I ain't dumb enough to think you lot would trust me at first glance.”

While she agreed silently with his assessment, his added, “Unless you fairies really are as moronic as Jose thinks you are,” was not appreciated.

She'd let it slide then, but as they left him behind she sensed a tension radiating from him. Like a predator coiling to spring. Almost convinced he'd attempt to break through the gate, she'd glanced back watching him stay still as a statue. His eyes gleamed in an interest she hadn't noticed before. 

Something had caught his attention, but what? Having no further hints and his cooperation, she had no choice but to enter the village with Kage's prone body in tow and her outside friend at her side. 

“They'll both need Wendy or Porlyusica,” She'd told the current guards of the gate, Warren and Max she recognized and relaxed, knowing the psychic abilities of Warren would reach their chief in no time. That sped things up quite a bit for her. 

Luck was on her side in these early morning hours. Kage was quickly set in a new cell sealed with enforced runes. It was far from perfect, having dragged Levy and Freed from their beds to hastily put it together. With the shadow user unconscious, however, it was enough to keep him secure until the sun rose. 

Jellal was spared from being incarcerated, but Erza’s trust could only go so far. Instead, he was sequestered in a hut by the fortress to be supervised. Being considered a 'guest' provided him just enough privileges to keep him from the prisons, but it wouldn't save him from being interrogated the next day.

With Laxus involved there was no sparing him.

When she'd warned him of this yet the man merely gave a non-commital shrug, lips curved in the barest hint of a smile. “I'm aware of that, Erza. I'm just glad I was able to find you. Please, get some rest, I'll be fine.”

His wounds said otherwise, but knowing the grouchy healer, he'd be better in no time. However, it still wasn't enough for her to head to the comfort of her own home and she opted to stay in the room Lucy had been contained in months ago. It wasn't the most comfortable, but after days of traveling the woods, it was better than the roots that had once dug at her back.

She'd fallen asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Though, the exhaustion of the following day was not something she could avoid either. 

Laxus burst in the room as soon as the sun crested the horizon, ignoring the thud of the door as it resounded off the stone walls. He crossed his arms as he glared imperiously upon her. She'd barely had time to sit up before he was questioning her in a thundering boom.

“I guess congratulations are in order for catching that bastard,” He drawled insincerely, “But I can't help but wonder why you brought along two stragglers with him.”

Looking out the window, she carefully judged the sunlight to be in the early hours of the morning and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “It's too early for this.” she muttered.

“You should have explained this last night,” He pressed, dismissing her complaint. The disdainful tone was not lost on her, “The old man’s already setting up a meeting between us and bringing that man with him. But asking Freed and Levy both to watch Kage? Are you insane?”

“Are you saying Freed isn't capable because of one failure?”

His growl of frustration was answered enough and she slid from the makeshift bed with a stretch of her arms, muscles aching and joints popping in her wake. 

“I had hoped Levy could buffer him and that he had ample time to recharge by now.” It felt like the obvious choice to her, what more did he want? 

“Or are you perhaps upset you weren't informed first? I didn't see you at the gate so I didn't bother.” She noted how his fingers gripped his arm, stubbornly staying silent. He chose to double down on her, face set in an impassive mask as he drew to his full height.

His silence was a tactic she was used to; Staring coldly until the others began blubbering out their secrets. For a man as large as him, it had a high success rate. Unfortunately, Erza was not so easily swayed.

“You can get your answers when I'm changed and not a moment sooner,” She said, already fishing for her boots and what clothes she'd taken from her person the night before.

Erza held his gaze as she grabbed a scarf to tie her hair back. “I'm not doing so in front of a man who's already spoken for.”

The silence became stifling while neither moved. Laxus, unperturbed by her words, remained in the room. A mental battle of wills occurred between them before Erza finally felt annoyance travel up her spine. She had half a mind to kick him out with force if need be, but instead she allowed him one consolation.

“The man I brought in is to me what Freed has been to you: a friend on the outside. As for the other, I won't discuss him until the meeting. So go.”

It took only a second for Laxus to accept her meeting him halfway, head nodding just enough to acknowledge her as he left the way he'd come. Though he shut the door gentler the second time around.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose again with a groan. This better not be a sign of a headache coming along.

.

.

.

The dull edge of a wooden spoon smacked the side of Natsu's leg as Porylusica forced him back to his seat for the fifth time that morning. 

“Will you stop moving?” She snapped, agitated and not half as awake as she acted. While the older woman was as healthy as the rest of them (or more so) - the trek from her home to the middle of the village was a long one and she had yet to fully catch her breath. 

If he would just stay put. That would make both their lives easier and the check up would end faster. Natsu was painfully aware of this, rubbing the side of his knee that smarted from her strike. But he couldn’t bring himself to hold still despite his best efforts. He jolted in place with a sharp hiss like steam escaping a kettle when she smacked his hand away from his leg.

“Oi! I'm tryin', you old hag!” He growled, settling back down when she threateningly held the spoon up again, ”You're a little crazy to be beating your patients like this, sheesh.“

”You're sturdy enough to handle it,“ was the flippant reply as she began to check his bandages again. ”Perfect bandaging as usual, Wendy, good job.“

”Oh, it- it was nothing.“ Wendy demurred, sitting to the side, biting her lip in concern. While she’d dutifully been assisting Porly when asked, she’d been quiet for most of the check up. And Natsu could have sworn he’d seen a blush speckling her cheeks on and off when he caught her staring at him. A detail he filed away to look into later.  

Porlyusica grabbed his wrist and eyed the bandages on his forearm critically. She clucked her tongue. “This however, is sloppy. But it’s still too good for what i’ve seen this idiot do. Someone else redid these, but with how much this moron moves about it doesn’t surprise me they came loose while you were gone.”

The old healer made quick work of retying the bandages with practiced ease, hardly looking at what she was doing as she glanced off to the side at Wendy. “Well, who was on duty yesterday?”

“Uhm… Elfman for the morning shift,” She began, brows furrowing in thought as she tried to recall. “Then it was Mirajane after I left. Then I think it was….” The red crept up her cheeks again with wide eyes, face darkening in shade before continuing,  “.....Lucy for the evening?”

“The little miss who owes me a new cane?” Porly muttered, “Someone ought to have taught her how tie a knot that isn’t a bow.”

“Aunt Porly please-”

The banter between healers continued as Natsu tried to wrangle every last grip of discipline he had to hold still. Wendy’s odd actions aside, it was far too difficult to manage, especially with his window open. Lucy had managed to sneak him back just before Elfman arrived again, but it was hard to rest after what he witnessed. Even now, hours later the events still played fresh in his head.

Erza was back and safe. And Kage was in their possession once again, still breathing. That wasn't how Natsu wanted him. He’d struggled against the bubbling desire to leap from the tower to finish what he’d started. But a chokingly familiar scent left him frozen against the tower floor until Lucy pulled him back to his feet to leave.

It was still there now, the barest hint on the wind that wafted through his open window.

Natsu hated it. 

Every part of his being screamed at the recognition of it. It couldn't be what he thought, right? The familiarity was much the same as the two in the room with him, and that alone filled him with apprehension.  He wanted nothing more than to dart out the doors and escape the protective walls of his home just to corner this stranger and chase him out.

When he returned to his home, Lucy promised to bring news as soon as she could: he'd heard nothing. And the two healers by his side were just as in the dark.

”Once I'm done here, I'll be checking in on the prisoner,“ Porly had said when she originally entered, biting back a yawn. Grunting her annoyance, she wouldn't spare Natsu a chance to voice his opinions on the matter, pulling him to sit up straight faster than he could blink, ”We can't get information out of a dead man after all.“

He bit back a response when he saw Wendy shuffling in behind her, quickly waving in greeting. It was better not to make a scene with her around.

After that, it had been a tug-o-war between keeping still and Porly's raps against his knees and he was starting to get fed up with it. His body quivered in agitation, ready to pounce an invisible enemy at a moment's notice and it was beginning to tear at everyone's nerves. 

”... if it will make you hold still for five more seconds,“ The older woman rasped, tugging at his hair to rip his gaze from the window, ”tell me what's got you so distracted. Get it out of your system.“

Well that was……strange.

Wendy matched Natsu's look of surprise. It was an unusual day that Porly cared enough to ask what was going on in a person's head, but from the look she gave him, it was clear her patience was running thin.

”Go on!“ At the snap of her fingers, Natsu grunted, sinking into his shoulders like a scolded child.

“... don't you smell it?” He murmured, voice crackling over its whisper. 

“... smell what?” Wendy slipped from her seat and stood behind her aunt, peering at him with her lips pursed and eyes narrowed. “What is it?”

He nodded to the window and bit back a snarl, “Another Draconis. Just outside of town. He's been there since last night.“

And when he finally looked back, the calm expressions on their faces mixed with an uncomfortable silence made him realize one thing: they were aware and refusing to talk about it.

Natsu didn't bother stopping the snarl this time, heat rising in the back of his throat.”Do neither of ya' care?! If we can smell him, he can smell us and-“

”And what?“ Porly asked, expression grim as she began to check him over once again. ”You have no way of knowing his intentions, do you? What if he's left like we did?“

”But-“

Another rap of the spoon and he fell silent, ”If you're that worried about him finding you, then I'll just say you're stuck to bed rest for another week.“

That got his attention, all but rising from his seat in his anger, “Hell no! I ain't sitting back if the town is in danger. If I'm good to go then just say so!”

And again... a thwack of the spoon: on his arm this time. And the healer sighed, gravely watching him through her tired eyes.

“Fine. You're free to explore.” 

That was the first good news Natsu had heard since he woke, finally smiling as excitement bubbled under his skin. “Then I can-”

“BUT- “ Porly interrupted him with a firm hand on his chest, pushing the Draconis back to his seat, “only with someone on rotation to accompany you. And AFTER you've eaten, nitwit!”

He didn't bother holding back the pouty whine.

Damnit.

It was natural to be on edge. For a Draconis, scent meant far more than many understood. It could tell them where someone was, the magic that hummed from their veins, who they’d been around, age and even their emotions if it was strong enough. A draconis could learn all that and more from a quick whiff of the air and those with keen noses knew best to sniff first and ask questions later.

Natsu’s tracking abilities were second to none. He could pick up the barest hint of a trail better than any hound.

And he knew, without a doubt, that this scent held a hint of danger to it. Something that raised his awareness and pulled at him to growl every time it assaulted his nose. And while it felt familiar, the fact he couldn't pinpoint exactly why and how bothered him more than he wanted to admit. 

But one thing was certain, he was telling the truth. If he could smell the newcomer, then he could also smell them.

.

.

.

Resting outside of the large gate, Gajeel relaxed under the nearest tree with an air of indifference as he crossed his leg over the other with a bit of jerky dangling from his mouth. If not for the circumstances, he'd look as if he belonged there: a sharp addition to the natural wildlife.

His pose was a ruse, one he'd affected over years of practice. Appearing relaxed was easy, but his senses were on high alert. He already picked through the scents that were carried in the air, taking note of each fairy as they scurried about inside their village. His sharp ears caught the familiar pattern of steps trudging along beaten paths. No doubt most denizens were working around their daily chores, unaware of the previous night’s events. But he still caught whispers of rumors that made him smirk.

Erza’s sudden return in the dead of night was the hot topic among hushed voices that came his way. They were relieved at her safety, but it couldn’t soften the anger and fear that laced their words. Kage’s attack was poorly timed, interrupting an important festival that effectively turned every adult and child within those walls into an enemy who spoke his name with pure venom.

It was a fact Gajeel laughed at each time he heard a new comment pass by the walls. A part of him regretted he would not be there when Kage woke, dumbfounded and angered by the fact he'd been sent right back to the enemy by those he considered an ally. 

“Jose would get a kick out of this,” He mused, considering the mission he'd been sent on originally. With Kage's appearance out of the blue, he and his other two companions had to make a few quick changes that were easy enough to handle, but now….. 

Something familiar caught his attention, the wild scent of ash and smoke laced with magic. It stood out from the weaker scents of the many fires that were scattered about the village. It was a reminder that all his carefully made plans had one kink that was much larger than Kage. 

The true problem with this addition was informing his other partner, who'd long returned to Jose's encampment. Sending her a message would be more difficult. Unless -

Hearing the guards change at the gate, he listened to their discussion with rapt attention, frowning as they muttered about the current meeting happening between the Elder and his closest confidants. He'd only heard rumors of Erza beforehand and had known of Laxus through Jose's over confident mutterings months ago. But from what he knew, their decision would come quickly enough. They'd either allow him or haggle with his information. Tearing into another piece of jerky, he rumbled at the thought, mind already jumping through hoops to consider the many contingency plans he might need.

”That guy better not screw this up,“ He muttered, thinking back to Jellal, his newest companion in this jaunt of his. He'd been a last minute addition, pulled out of camp right under Jose’s nose. Only time would tell if the decision would be worth it in the end. 

The wind changed direction, just enough for the fiery smell to strike him once more, bringing with it two others that made his nose burn and pupils narrow with interest. Three? 

He savagely ripped off another chunk of his meal as he chuckled. Things were getting more interesting by the second.

He couldn't wait to shake things up the moment he was let through those gates.

Which was exactly the topic still under discussion back at the keep. After tending to Natsu, Porlyusica arrived early, and was quickly escorted by Freed and Levy to check on Kage's wounds while they reinforced the barrier. The shadow user was not in immediate danger of death, but the filth that clung to him for days had seeped into his open wounds, festering into a fever that had taken hold. It was a notion that filled those in the keep with spiteful pride, but only managed to garner Makarov's worry.

”As much as I would like him to suffer for what he's done,“ He'd muttered once hearing the news, ”we can't deny the fact we need to try harder to get information out of him. Perhaps this failure to regroup with his clan will be the tipping point we needed.“

But, with the man still out cold and in desperate need of medical attention, the talks between him and the others were on an entirely different topic: one that had Erza rubbing the bridge of her nose countless times as she repeated herself more times than she felt necessary.

”I told you,“ She spoke earnestly, voice fierce and determined, ”He's a friend.“

”A friend we've never heard of before,“ Mirajane pointed out, having been invited into the discussion. She sat beside Laxus, far more calm than the taller man, but just as stern. Her voice no longer carried the soft support she'd give her peers usually and backed up Laxus as if they'd planned the discussion ahead of time.

It was a sight that was both welcome and unwelcome for Erza: the two of them finally standing together for the first time in what felt like ages. Whatever was going on between the two either had been dealt with or was currently on the back burner in lieu of them standing as a united front against her.

”I'm not saying we can't trust your judgment,“ Mirajane continued, nudging Laxus' side when he'd rumbled his opinion beneath his breath, ”but it would be easier to understand if you'd give us more information than that. Even Laxus told us more about Freed when he came to join us after all.“

Erza twitched, remembering her conversation with Laxus that morning. It seemed he recalled what she'd said and was more than willing to use it against her, the curve of his lips speaking volumes as Mirajane held the table. 

As much as she wanted to remain stubborn, however, she knew she had a point. 

And with Makarov remaining silent during the discussion, listening to their back and forth as he bided his time, she knew she couldn't hold off for much longer.

"I met him years ago,“ She relented, finally, voice a mere whisper as she tried to remember the events, ”when we were both young. He traveled apart from his clan often with his family to gather information about the outside world and I... had no one. They'd offered to take me in at one point, but I had refused at the time.“ She paused to fix them all with a hard stare, ”Don't ask me why. I'd like to keep SOME things to myself after all.“

When they didn't press, she relaxed, ”I ended up seeing him on and off even after I joined here. We traveled to the same villages and his family no longer joined him as he got older. I don't know the full story, but his clan are very interested in knowing what the world is up to, but have moved too far North for him to rejoin them just yet. I admit to there being a few times I fell into a scrape or two that he helped me with and we'd trade information and wares during those brief encounters.“

That should be enough, right? 

“Is that enough information for you? I don't know who he's currently traveling with or why, but he's never had reason to harm me or anyone I care about. I trust he's still the same.“

'At least,' She thought to herself, 'I hope that's still the case.'

“... And what do you know about the one you left lurking at our walls?”

This was what Erza dreaded saying, lips thinning to a line as she considered the question. “He didn't outright say it, but it's possible he's from Jose's clan. He mentioned Kage had expected his assistance once they'd run into each other.”

Sparks leapt from Laxus’ shoulders and dotted the air, pricking her skin with sharp angry nips and her fingers reflexively curled into a ball. “He purposely withheld information, saying he'd be willing to tell us all he can if we let him in.”

“And you believed that?!” Laxus interjected, looking ready to leave the room and walk straight out the gate to question Gajeel himself. 

Not for the first time, Erza felt the migraine building behind her eyes. Under most circumstances, she'd understand his point of view, but with things as they were... “He was the one who offered to wait while we discussed rather than force his way through the gates. And he hasn't attempted anything thus far.”

Mirajane hummed: noncommittal as she considered this, glancing back and forth between the two heavy hitters. Whatever thoughts she had, she kept them quiet, but it was clear her mind was whirling a mile a minute with possible outcomes and opinions. 

It was Makarov who finally spoke. With hand raised to stop Laxus from speaking further, he scrunched his nose, bristling his mustache in the process and nodded, “... and do you trust this man to remain docile?”

A hard question, one that Erza felt no need to lie about, “I can't say I trust him as far as I can throw him, but he's held true to his word this far. I feel it would be a mistake to not hear what he has to say. We can keep an eye on him, and Jellal has promised they mean to work with us. I'd like to give them the opportunity to prove themselves before judgment.”

“You can't be serious-” Laxus started, anger lacing his voice, but was silent again with a glare from his grandfather. The older man was not interested in further arguments.

“To let information fall away due to our own doubts would be quite the waste,” He admitted, casting his gaze to Laxus and Mirajane, “If we agree to set limitations on where they can travel until we can ascertain the truth behind their words, will this settle you?”

For a tense moment, it looked as if Laxus was about to deny the request. His stubborn pride and protective nature for the village had been struck too many times to count in the previous months and this felt like a wedge readying itself to dive into the cracks. He looked around the table before settling his gaze on his partner, who quietly placed a hand on his shoulder in a gesture that eased the tension in his shoulders.

“Just think,” Mirajane said, voice filled with mischief, “You can follow them wherever they go and shock them if they step a toe out of line. Wouldn't that satisfy you?”

As much as he tried to hide it, everyone glimpsed the slightest curve of his lips as he nodded. Erza sighed, relieved he'd see sense. They'd already made the mistake of distrusting Lucy when she'd first come to them and had more than proven herself by now, but this... 

Erza didn't want to consider what would happen if they let an opportunity pass them up like this.

“As much as I hate the idea of playing caretaker,” Laxus drawled, already on his feet and heading for the door, “if I can keep an eye on them myself, then allowing them both to stay is no problem, but I won't be held accountable for what happens to them if they threaten us. That alright with you Old Man?”

Makarov sighed, looking as if Erza's own migraine had traveled to him, but he stood as well, resolute in the decision. “Fair enough. Bring them to me.” He looked from Laxus to Erza, “both of you. Porlyusica has yet to inform me of the other's health, but we can at least get this out of the way instead of stringing it along.“

He didn't have to tell either of them twice. Laxus was gone in a blink and Erza soon after, giving a brief farewell to Mirajane in passing. As she exited the room, however, she paused in her steps when she heard Makarov’s voice, piquing her curiosity.

”I'm glad you and my boy seem to be getting along again,“ the chief said, voice much lower than before and full of a quiet hope. Erza had shared this sentiment and wasn't surprised he would bring it up. 

However, the exasperated sigh that reached Erza's ears was a surprise as Mirajane's voice no longer carried its earlier amusement, ”We... I'm trying, Makarov, but I... he... makes it so difficult sometimes.“

”... should I speak to him?“

“No, please, leave it to me,” Mirajane pleaded, “He's already starting to make an effort. This will just take a little more time, that's all. I’m sure of it.”

Erza chose not to stick around any further as guilt towards her eavesdropping piled into her stomach like rocks. Those words were not meant for her to hear.

.

.

.

Kage could barely move when he opened his eyes. The stank of medicinal herbs and sutures greeted him. The healing magic that painfully stitched his body back together beneath the tight bandages left him in a disoriented haze at each attempt to roll over.

He was safe. That much he knew. Cold stone walls caged him at all sides, offering more comfort than he had while struggling against nature for the past days. But where exactly was he?

He squinted through the gloom and recognized the ceiling. That broken stone he'd counted infinite cracks into. It wasn't the same as the one he'd busted out of, but was close enough to exact. And as much as he wanted to be disappointed, the fact he had a roof over his head relieved him in ways he didn't want to think about. 

Another attempt to move and all he'd managed was to push himself up on his elbows with the world spinning in the process. He scrunched his eyes, willing the dizziness to fade and struggled to recollect what happened. 

Kage didn't have to think for long as the memory of his last loss laughed from outside the cell. The cruel chuckle brought him back to speed in an instant, eyes snapping open as he gazed out the bars, unsurprised at the pair of red eyes looking back, crinkled with glee.

“... Gajeel.” He muttered darkly, coughing under his breath as his voice cracked from disuse, “So you got me back here, after all.”

“Your deadweight was the only inconvenience.“ Gajeel rumbled in amusement, seated on a stool comically smaller than his large frame. He balanced on one of its legs, back resting against the wall as he did, ”Not a bad place, though. Nice and damp. Can't for the life of me figure out why ya' wanted to leave it.“

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Kage and what little magic he had left reacted to the unforgotten rage that simmered inside him. Unfortunately, the attempt ended as his body screamed in protest. The thin wisps of shadows that lifted from his skin curled pitifully in the air as he writhed in pain. Gasping, his lungs burned as he inhaled the dank air desperately. 

Another familiar scene. The barrier that had locked him up before had done the same. Dazedly, he wondered at their stupidity for using the same tricks twice. Hadn't they realized he could break through these things yet? He'd spent months finding the weaknesses in Freed's enchantments, enough to know the Rune Users patterns like the back of his hand. What were they playing at?

Ignoring Gajeel's increased laughter from his position, Kage expanded his senses to the cell surrounding him, expecting to feel the same barrier as before, but rather than the familiar patterns and repetition he'd memorized before, he felt a different magic altogether, mixed in and changing the coding at every given second.

Of course, he couldn't help but laugh at his own folly. They really weren't that stupid after all. “I hadn't realized they had two people with barrier making abilities.” He murmured, embarrassment coloring his words.

Gajeel snorted, his laughter cut short, ”And that's exactly why you're a terrible scout.“

Kage couldn’t keep the disdain he felt from curling his lip, glaring through the thick bars to meet Gajeel’s level gaze. “I left them confused and underestimating me for months! All while I listened to everything they had to say. Don't you make the same mistake they did!”

Honestly, attempting to threaten a man as big as Gajeel, the man of Iron, was hilarious in retrospect. Stuck bound to a grimy bed and bandaged up after not only losing to a fire head draconis, but knocked flat on his ass by this man as well, attempting to seem important was futile. His pride refused to back down, however. A fact that Gajeel seemed to notice and something like annoyance settled into his features.

“Really now? You think you did a good job here? You think your spying skills are something you should be proud of? Don’t kid yourself.” Gajeel leaned forward and all legs of the stool connected with the floor in a sharp snap that made Kage flinch. He fixed the shadow mage with an unblinking stare as he held up his hand to slowly tick off his fingers.

“When you were here did you learn anything new? Anything that Jose didn’t truly already know? Or did you just learn how to read a few enchantments while you laid back?” Kage remained quiet.

”But fine, you tricked them enough to escape.” He ticked another finger, “Did you at least lay low, to gather more information and to learn the inner workings of the village? Their warriors, their schedules, weaknesses in the encampment?” And another came down.  “No. Instead you jumped at the first chance you got and immediately attacked their new bundle of gold, not even while she was alone and got your ass whooped. So now you're back here at square one, except the fairies know the ins and outs of your powers and you’re too fucked up to try and get away again. Yeah,“ He finished recounting the failure with his brow raised, iron studs glinting in the candlelight, all his fingers curled back into a fist, ”You were spectacular.“

There wasn't an attempt at hiding the sarcasm now. Kage flushed at the reminder and looked to his wrapped hands, biting his tongue to silence himself.

When worded like that, he really couldn't deny he'd made all the wrong decisions in his escape.

But that did nothing to answer the obvious questions and he balked when they came to mind. “.... you're a traitor to Jose. You've been with them all along.”

Gajeel’s bark of laughter was so sudden and it echoed off the walls as loud as brass, “Is that what you think?” Raising a hand, he revealed cuffs made of thick iron keeping him attached to the chair he sat in. “Jose's so-called favorite informant brought me in and stuffed me here. I aint trusted anymore than you.”

“But you're not behind bars.” Kage shot back.

Gajeel's grin was far too large and full of so many sharp points the shadow user felt like a predator was staring him down, “No, unlike you, I know how to do my job.”

“... and will they be proud of your job,” He questioned, mouth full of acid, “When they realize you betrayed one of their own and kept me here?”

He hadn't expected the man's laughter to return yet again, booming and cackling as a long, serpentine tongue peeked out from between his lips. Gajeel stood up, ignoring the chain that bound him and loomed over the bars, slit eyes almost glowing in the darkness.

“If anything,” He drawled, eyes glinting wickedly, “I'll be praised for getting rid of the weakest link. Do you really think Jose had ANY plans in recovering you once you were caught? Really? After you'd already proven to be next to worthless?”

It felt like he was drenched with a bucket of iced water from the ocean itself. Kage's body froze and all sense of security bled from him in an instant. Time slowed and his mind whirled at the thought. Jose never did like failures and expected perfection from his entire clan.

When was the last time he'd seen anyone forgiven for a botched job? Gajeel was right and he'd never felt as stupid as he did at that moment.

“... but... ” He rasped, grasping for any line of hope, “My friends... my family they wouldn't-”

“Wouldn't they?” Gajeel asked with a mocking tilt of his head, “They already think you're dead, little man.”

[jessamine-rose]

◈ Housecat — Author’s Note ◈

ଘ(˶╹̆ ▿╹̆˵)੭່ﾟ Read Housecat here!!

(づ๑•ᴗ•๑)づ Read Alea Iacta Est here!!

Sndksnsajaja thank you so much to everyone who read my work!! Your feedback means the world to me and I hope you all suffered from enjoyed my yandere version of the Regrator

This post is just me sharing my Yandere! Pantalone headcanons, my characterization of his darling, the creative details in both fics, and bonus content from the rough drafts. I hope you all don’t mind this behind-the-scenes look into my work :>

“Your entire life has been a gilded cage. The gods refuse to grant your greatest wish, and so you have resigned yourself to the will of destiny. But what happens when the red string of fate is severed and replaced with the silver chains of the Regrator?” (AO3 Summary)

⬩Introduction⬩

♡ First of all, I must give credit to @bye-bye-sunbird and @ddarker-dreams for inspiring me with these posts from their blogs!! I rlly liked the idea of Pantalone pursuing a darling who grew up with everything he wanted but couldn’t have. By claiming her, he achieves what was previously unattainable to him and gains control over the divine ψ(｀∇´)ψ

♡ I was originally going to write a single fic from the darling’s perspective, but the word count for i. scarlet quartz convinced me to split the story into two fics. Which, in turn, enabled me to incorporate Pantalone’s POV and more facets of his character!! While Housecat focuses on his charming manipulative side, Alea Iacta Est reveals the full extent of his ambition and cruelty :>

♡ Before I continue rambling, I want to say a big thank you again to @diodellet for another peer review!! Aside from providing feedback, she motivated me with her brainrot <3

⬩Pantalone⬩

♡ My version of Pantalone is a possessive and manipulative yandere. He likes to refer to his darling by “my [nickname]” and dress her up in his choice of clothing and jewelry. He is extremely cruel and ambitious in pursuit of his desires, so he will stop at nothing to own his Kitty darling completely.

♡ Wealth and authority aside, he mainly utilizes his intelligence, social skills, and friendly facade to manipulate how others perceive him. In taking note of his target’s wants and weaknesses, he presents himself as someone who can fulfill those wishes.

♡ This is the reason why Pantalone gives Kitty quality time and words of affirmation more often than material gifts. He knows that she wants something which wealth and prestige cannot buy, so he adjusts his love languages accordingly. He also consistently includes her in conversations, stands up for her, and makes time for her unlike Kitty’s other relationships.

♡ Given his character design and backstory, I think Pantalone indulges in his newfound wealth but remains mentally affected by poverty. The easiest way to set him off is to express ingratitude towards his luxurious gifts as shown in ii. fool’s gold. I wanted to depict his wealth as “different” from that of high society, in the sense that his extravagance is only limited to his preferences. He doesn’t follow trends or feel the need to prove himself to aristocracy, because he is already confident and superior in terms of authoritative power.

♡ Askdnkdendkw I hope you all liked his soft moments in vi. noctilucous jade and vi. diabolic waltz. I hc that he dislikes being seen without his material riches or “perfect” appearance, so when he is forced to be genuine and vulnerable around his darling?? It was a nice break from his deception and cruelty (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)

⬩Kitty Darling⬩

♡ Once again, in order to feed my love for docile darlings and twisted happy endings, I put myself through the pain of giving Darling her own detailed personality and backstory. To start, I made her a cat-hybrid for the housecat/ stray cat theme and because it was cute to write about her feline features. That is all  ^•ﻌ•^

♡ Kitty grew up with the privileges of high society, but it is that same upbringing which makes her lonely, insecure, codependent, and resigned to her fate. I chose fashion and dance as her aristocratic interests, since they align with her desire for attention and participation. Given her internal conflict, it is inevitable that she falls for Pantalone before his proposal.

♡ My own name and appearance for Kitty &lt;3

⬩Other Characters⬩

♡ 赖 Lài family – Hahaha so here is the source of Darling’s issues!! Because of work and favoritism, she grew up ignored and babied by her parents. They did the bare minimum in raising her and only recognized her potential as a link to other important families. As a result, her sister also looks down on Kitty and is bitter about her lack of productivity. Their surname ironically means “depend on; trust in; rely on."

♡ Chairman 金 Jin – I wrote him to be someone whom Pantalone would view as a worthy challenge given their opposite upbringings. Symbolism-wise, his surname means “gold” to contrast with Pantalone’s silver accessories. His Dendro Vision foreshadows how his downfall is caused by his association to Kitty (Pyro Vision).

♡ Kitty’s brother and friends – These characters do care about her, but they can’t prioritize Kitty over their own responsibilities. This enables Pantalone to take full advantage over her loneliness and self-esteem, because he is the only person who actively seeks her company and sets aside his work for her.

⬩Literary Motifs⬩

♡ Housecat/ stray cat – At this point, the parallels don’t need to be explained. Kitty is the housecat, a pampered child who doesn’t know any practical skills beyond what is expected of her in high society. On the other hand, Pantalone is the stray cat whose destitute past made him cunning and self-sufficient.

♡ Red string of fate – Given his view of the gods, Pantalone probably scoffs at beliefs pertaining to destined/ forbidden love. Even if his darling or destiny refuses him, he will get what he wants through his own ambition. I'm also simply fond of that motif :>

♡ Fire – Sooo Kitty’s Pyro Vision was chosen to represent her codependence on others. Her Vision is her only source of self-esteem, being the only object which she was able to attain on her own. Alas, its warmth and light cannot compare to what Pantalone provides for her~ On that note, I’ll point out a narrative detail repeated in i. scarlet quartz, v. shivada jade, and v. the die is cast:: When Pantalone opens the door, he brings “warm light” into Kitty’s dark world.

♡ Love and contracts – Yeahh so Pantalone and Kitty are both cynical towards the concept of love. Similar to the former, Kitty views love as a give-and-take contract and refuses to use that word. So her “I love you” in the ending marks her complete descent into Stockholm Syndrome </3

⬩Chapter Titles⬩

♡ Jewels – For the most part, I referred to Genshin lore and irl symbolism. The jewels chosen with the most consideration were Smaragdus Jadeite, Shivada Jade, and Electro Crystal due to their lore, symbolism, and function respectively.

♡ Figures of speech – I didn’t know what else to use for Pantalone’s section dividers, so I just name-dropped a bunch of motifs or phrases lol. The last title vi. diabolic waltz is the title of the Kuroshitsuji ost which I described as the orchestral music for the dance scenes.

⬩Deleted Scenes⬩

♡ Fun fact, Kitty’s old life used to be angstier!! Originally, the distance with her friends was because Yinji was Chairman Lai’s mistress. (Cue a more dramatic reveal during the wedding) I scrapped that idea for the “too busy to hang out” tension in order to put more focus on Pantalone and worsen Kitty’s anxieties over being “more of a pet than a wife.”

♡ Pantalone adopts the stray cat from Yujing Terrace. I didn’t find the time to write that, sadly, plus I didn’t want to risk a “Pantalone dislikes cats” from Genshin canon lol. But yeahhh for now, the cat currently lives a comfortable life in the Regrator’s Liyue estate.

♡ I entertained the thought of writing a crossover with my Yandere! Capitano fic Herbarium, but I scrapped that idea because it didn’t contribute much to the story. Additionally, an interaction between Kitty and Damsel felt forced, given their conflicting personalities and the latter’s asocial nature.

⬩My Favorite Scenes⬩

First Kiss, Wedding Night, and “Stress Relief”

♡ Ansksnajaajahw I DIED writing those scenes. Compared to Capitano’s chivalry and comfort in Herbarium, Pantalone is more greedy and passionate with his physical affection. He strikes me as the type to take pride in tainting and overwhelming his darling during intimacy~ Honestly, I was just rlly thirsty for him and I think it shows in the sexual tension throughout Housecat  (〃▽〃)

Aftercare Scene ft. Hand-holding

♡ I’m quite happy with this scene!! I wanted to cool down from the wedding night with fluff aaand it became a rare glimpse into Pantalone’s vulnerable side. Yes, it was necessary for me to add that final dash of dark spice~ That bitey ending was inspired by a scene from the manga “The Villainess and the Demon Knight.”

Pantalone Says No to Baby Trapping

♡ Honestly, this scene was quite self-indulgent. Aside from the Fatui’s ongoing mission, I tried to rationalize my Pantalone’s “I don’t want kids yet” speech with the fact that Kitty actually wants children due to her lack of wifely responsibilities. Hopefully, the scene played out well?? I was afraid that it would turn off some readers, but I hope it provided some dark wholesomeness and reverse-psychology-esque manipulation. And hahaha Pantalone’s greedy last line—

Diabolic Waltz: Reprise

♡ *sobs* Pantalone being vulnerable with his darling again……realizing that she has truly given herself up to him……comfortable enough to let his hair down and have fun dancing, because there is no crowd of partygoers to judge them…….just the stars watching them……Pantalone allowing himself to be genuine and to say “I love you” for realsies skdwkfwewnkww

♡ But yeahhh I’m rlly happy with how I ended the fic. Aside from the last waltz being a direct contrast to the beginning of Housecat, I wanted to show how Kitty isn’t the only one who is acting “differently” in this scene. I just wanted to see Pantalone all happy and victorious. And so they lived happily ever after ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎♡

⬩Pantalone x Kitty Playlist⬩

Songs which motivated me throughout the writing process. Istg why are these so perfect for Pantalone and Kitty’s story  ˭̡̞(◞˃ᆺ˂)◞

♡ Diabolic Waltz — Kuroshitsuji ost

♡ Tricologe by Niru Kajitsu ft. flower

♡ il by Anna Evans golden folks

♡ Gensou no Kyrie — Dance with Devils song

♡ The Slightly Chipped Full Moon — Kuroshitsuji II ost cover by Lollia

♡

Aajsndjedj but yeahh that’s all for the twisted tale of the Regrator and his darling!! I was concerned about cramming too many ideas into this fic, but aahh I rlly wanted to exhaust all of my brainrot. And so we ended up with 15.8k words of my blood and tears~

I hope that more readers will enjoy Housecat and Alea Iacta Est. Do share your reactions and feedback with me—it truly warms my heart when you compliment my work!! Same goes for brainrot bc your keysmashes and suffering are a delight to read ლ(｀∀´ლ)

[predsworld]

You can make a fanfic vore of tom plis Ú_Ù

ANYTHING FOR MY IDOL~

-

here's a fic where Matt, Edd and Tord feed themselves to tom eagerly to his shock and dismay. whether they regret that choice or not is up to the reader~ you could ask but erm.. i don't think they'd give much of a response~ ⚠ this fic contains vore, digestion, weight gain, unwilling/reluctant pred, willing prey, Fatal/Perma vore, this one gets kinda dark?? this is your warning ⚠

Tom was sitting with his roommates, the four of them were good friends. they were all staring up at him with pleading eyes.. how did he get into this mess? the three had asked tom to eat them, and seemed desperate. Tom couldn't believe it.. why would they WANT to be eaten? They had caught Tom eating someone in his monster form a few days ago and Tom was ashamed, but the three didn't seem to mind. it was just now that tom was realizing perhaps they DID mind.. just.. in a different way. Tom was lost in thought, shocked at their request before Edd spoke up. "Tom, you look like you saw a ghost.. whats the matter?~" He asked teasingly in a horny voice, tom backed up from the three but they only came closer. "ugh! what has gotten into you three? for the last time i'm not going to eat you! i doubt i could fit the three of you at once anyways.." Tord chuckled, placing a hand under tom's chin.

"that's fine, go one at a time~ ill go first, ill last the longest after all.." He bragged, sure he'd survive for a while in tom's gut.

"what the fu-- no!! that's not what i mean--" Tord shushed him. "less talking more devouring~ i have a job to do and it's adding to that waistline of yours~"

before tom could respond, tord forced his head into tom's maw, forcing him to swallow as well. although tom couldn't help but admit how amazing he tasted.. "mmhhh..~" he got a little carried away.. he wanted to spit tord out but he tasted so damn good! he wiggled down his throat and tom gulped him down to his now swollen belly.

"see? was that so hard?" Matt chuckled, amazed.. Edd and Matt immediately started rubbing tom's belly. "wow! hes really squirming in there.." Edd said excitedly, Tom groaned. "maybe hes finally regretting his choice.." Edd just shrugged, the two of them by tom's side eager to watch tord slowly digest. Edd pressed down on tom's belly curiously, causing him to belch loudly. "fuck, will he be ok in there? god, tord can you hear me??" no response.. he just struggled and squirmed, causing tom to wince a little.

"ah cmon, he'll be fineee... he can handle a little bit of digestion, right tord?" Matt poked tom's belly, it growled loudly and morbidly in response. "see? he's alright."

it growled more and more as time went on, picking up more and more. the growls soon turned into ominous, wet gurgles from deep inside him..

and eventually tom's stomach got softed and rounder over time.. Edd felt his belly, causing tom to burp again. "man, for someone so confident about this he sure digested quick." Tom's eyes went went white. "what!? fuck, tord are you alright in there??" Grrrowl... "like i said, hes fine. he'll live on as a part of you, anyways~" Matt giggled, sitting on tom's lap pressed up against his belly.

"fuck.. i.. i feel sick. no more please, i'm full. don't you feel bad for him?? why would you want this-- he-- i--" Matt soon forced his hands into tom's mouth in a simalir fashion to tord, Tom tried to get him out this time. but it was no use.. he was sure of his decision. he swallowed him down into his tummy, and soon edd joined him. Edd slid his head inbetween tom's jaws, going down one way or another.. as soon as they were both inside a gross burp went past tom's lips. "god, oh god are you guys ok??" "...guys?" they squirmed in a simalir fashion to tord.. it hurt. tom's stomach ached and he felt guilty. maybe they were just trying to get comfy.. but maybe they regretted what they had done. "fuck ow.!~ god no.. get out! i want you OUT of me!" Tom groaned, pressing on his belly to try and get them out from his insides, but this only caused them to digest faster..

tom felt so bad.. yeah they wanted this but he'd never see the three in one peice again. he kinda wished he could have talked them out of it.. He sighed and pressed his back against the couch, sitting on the floor as he rubbed his belly.

"hope you guys are enjoying this more than me.. urrp.." it didn't take long for matt and edd to digest, tom had gained a lot of weight.. his belly was fat and round as a constant reminder as his roommates fate within him, not to mention his hips.

but tom had a new feeling.. an overwhelming hunger. he needed more, even though he still felt guilty in the end.

he rubbed his belly and tried to stand, feeling so heavy.. "thanks i suppose.. at least you were tasty" he sighed, forcing his clothes to fit over the remains of his ex-friends., and walked off to the bathroom.

END

sorry if this was a bit more morbid than usual.. i like dark vore and think stuff with guilty preds is cool, or perhaps the prey regretted what they asked for. whatever it may be i hope you enjoyed this fic!~

[ciaossu-imagines]

Hi, it's great to see you here!what do you think about Advantages and disadvantages of dating a dino?

Hey! It's great to be here...when I am! Sorry guys! This is unfortunately very delayed but I hope you enjoy and thank you for the ask!

Pros to dating Dino Cavallone

Oh, the golden tongue this man has. Dino can be effortlessly charming and people swoon even without him trying. When he wants to woo you or make you feel special or beautiful, you can only imagine just how good he can get. He'll always seem to know just the right thing to say to make you blush or give you butterflies, even after years or decades of being together, and when you are with him, you will feel like the most beautiful, amazing person in the room. He likes being a source of strength and confidence for you and your smile when he says just the right thing? He pretty much lives for that.

Getting into a serious relationship with Dino means that you not only get a wonderful lover or boyfriend, but you become a part of a family. Dino's subordinates and friends are so important to him and they are a package deal with him and that's actually an amazing thing. Once they accept you, you will never be alone again. Even if Dino's not around, there will always be someone you can talk to, someone always to have your back. They'll truly become your own found family, with the possible exception of Hibari, who might never truly warm up to you but them's the break, kid!

Despite seeming like a bit of a playboy, truth be told is that Dino is someone who does have a romantic side and is a real family man. He does dream of falling in love and having a family of his own and the safety and security of a long-term relationship is something he enjoys the thought of, making him the perfect choice for anyone interested in a serious, long-term relationship full of fun and love and cheesy romantic gestures.

Cons to dating Dino Cavallone

We'll get the biggest and most obvious con to a relationship with Dino out of the way first. Privacy? Never heard of it. There is very, very little complete privacy during your relationship with Dino. His subordinates will do their absolute best to maintain a good resemblance of privacy for the two of you and there will be moments here or there where the two of you might be truly alone but those moments are incredibly rare. Truth is, more often than not, one of Dino's subordinates will be very close by, even if they make themselves as unobtrusive and unnoticeable as possible.

Though he will always try his best, Dino is a very busy man. He is the head of a rather large Mafia family after all and is at Reborn's beck and call nice enough to help Tsuna out as much as he possibly can. He always has a million things to do and while he would like to spend more time with his lover, truth is that dating him can be lonely, with him being away frequently or him being quite busy. He will always do his best to make it up when he does get time with you but there are definitely periods where those times together are sparse and far between.

You will be judged and judged harshly and made to prove you measure up. Not only is Dino an important man but truth be told, he's a man deeply loved by his subordinate's, one of Reborn's precious pupils and Tsuna's 'older brother', and has the respect of other Mafia members and the civilians alike. There will be a lot of people a little suspicious of your relationship with him, a lot of people worried about him or protective of him, and, while I'm not saying you'll have to jump through hoops, it will feel like that at times. You will be watched and researched and analyzed and picked apart, especially at first, and though acceptance will come, it will be a hard thing to deal with until you gain that.

[neeksnicoboytoy]

PPARTY ROCKERS IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT. bokuto shows up in the worst outfit you've ever seen but hes confident so really it doesnt matter (or does it) he claims he is bringing "The Drip" to the party. no one agrees with him except nishinoya which really is a bad sign when you think about him as a person. konoha threatens to burn his closet down when he's least expecting it and that man is SERIOUS. bokuto actually briefly feels a full body chill . EVERYTHING about he's wearing is neon and mismatched nishinoya fucks with it soooo hard hes actually kind of jealous!! i think bokuto would wear a snapback i'm sorry he cant dance either. but just like with his outfit he is so outrageously confident that it does not matter all that much (to him). at least SOMEONE'S representing the bad dancers on the floor am i right? ha ha. actually no take that man away this is hard to look at. tries to do the worm and fails miserably so he's probaly bruised all over the day after!! claims the bruises are battle scars even though they are bruises and not scars!! cmon now. he attempts the worm every party everyone is fed up with him. i feel like hinata WOULD be able to do the worm which really should not be the thing that gets you impressed about someone but bokuto LOVES it and he tries to get hinata to dance with him every chance he gets. he reaaally wants the aux but all his friends are not impressed with Pitbull and bokuto IS a crowd pleaser after all so he refrains.

akaashi trailing behind the crowd wearing something so normal you wouldnt look twice at it but it looks insane when you look at the scene -> neon lights confetti loud ass music etc etc. this man is in BUISNESS casual like he's about to attend a moderately dress code wise relaxed 9-5 office job. when you ask him about his choice of dress he just blinks and wanders off to talk about something pretentious like the musical arrangement in radiohead songs with daishou (who has managed to incorperate his "edge cutting" read edgy style in everything he's wearing so he's basically gone eboy. it looks horrific but kuroo thinks it's cool either way. not that he would admit that though) he's not entirely sure why he became friends with daishou seeing that he doesn't like daishou all that much but he supposes it is nice to talk shit with someone. bokuto thinks they match (they don't) and is very excited about this. akaashi is the weirdest fucker at the entire party besides maybe kageyama. he dances shockingly badly for someone that pretty but everyone loves him and knows he's kind of shy so they support him either way.

hinata has looked up cool teenage party outfit multiple times before going so he would look just right but in the end he figured he would just go for what's comfortable and ends up wearing sport shorts and a sweatshirt kageyama gave him. the important distinction between his athletic wear and bokuto's mess is that bokuto picked something athletic on purpose and hinata just doesn't have any other type of clothes someone help him please yachi is in constant disbelief and horror. he was so nervous that he almost puked before showing up but once he arrives at the party he realizes they are in Japan and thus no omnious solo red cup will be showing up like he assumed(guys there is no alchol involved dont WORRY they are MINORS) (besides tanaka i think. that guy is insane). after that he is in his ELEMENT and goes bonkers. he talks to everyone in the house and everyone not in the house and everyone likes him! fucks up the dancefloor. good for him. starts playing volleyball in the backyard with kageyama once he's had his fair share of the dance floor and promptly passes out in the midst of a set. kageyama would be very concerned but has at this point gained so much acceptance for the miracle that hinata is that he assumes hinata is Just like That so he sort of chills besides the stiff and unmoving body of his best friend for a while

other special mentions on this topic:

-oikawa is a really good dancer but everyone tells him he's bad to piss him off. he gets so mad at this that he trips

-iwaizumi shows up in a muscle tee and the party goes quiet for a bit. sexualities are reconsidered and self-discoveries are made. it's a really ugly and ratty shirt with godzilla on it but since the focus is not really on the shirt no one minds besides kentarou who is sort of torn between feeling betrayed and proud

-kageyama bonds with kenma. kenma is not willingly participating in this but kageyama doesn't really care. he's too busy getting his ass kicked n mario kart (plays as mario)

-tsukishima doesn't like parties but yamaguchi LOVES them and dresses up all cute for them. tsukki gets dragged along every time

-tendou absolutely fucking HATES!!!! popular music. he says it's too boring and also too mainstream to appeal to him so he starts bringing along his own speaker to parties . it always clashes horribly with the already playing, louder music and everyone BEGS him to turn it off but tendou is nothing if not persistent so he just turns the volume up. what a man. i respect the hustle

-ushiwaka, sakusa and kageyama passionately talk about volleyball together. akaashi joins in for a bit but then is lovingly (read: aggresively) pulled to the dancefloor by bokuto and the group gives up any kind of rescue mission once they've caught a glimpse of bokuto's biceps. sorry buddy you'll have to handle this by yourself i guess

-yaku starts doing pushups across the room to flirt with nishinoya. it works a bit too well because nishinoya sees it as a challenge and they end up doing pushups for a while. nishinoya loses btw

-i do think that they ^ kiss later

-suga and oikawa both dress cunty and real recognizes real so they exchange numbers. i do think oikawa would piss suga off to no end but for a while he (suga) manages to ignore that. once the party is over they never talk anyone

-tanaka gets a new haircut impulsively. he and nishinoya march out of the bathroom and all of sudden he's blonde. no one really knows what to do with it but tsukishima despises that they're both blond now. the other blondes are seriously impressed and accept him into their group

[thecassadilla]

Fierce & Feisty Friday

Thank you so much to @annas-hair-donut for tagging me!!! 💕

Rules: Post a snippet from one of your fics (can be published or WIP) featuring a fierce and/or feisty character this Friday or next, then tag some people so they can share, too! (Feel free to use the banner if you want!)

In honor of Frozen Smut Week just around the corner, post a snippet from something you'll be posting that week!

This snippet is from a fic I'm writing for Day 2 of Frozen Smut Week - Ruby!!! The fic is called "Crescendo" and it's a modern, pair skating au. After being dumped by her boyfriend and skating partner, Anna is forced to settle for Kristoff, a non-competitive figure skater slash former hockey player. They get off to a rough start, as Anna is still hung up on being dumped in spite of the instant attraction she has for Kristoff.

In this scene, Elsa and Honeymaren try to convince Anna to give Kristoff a chance.

⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️

“Deep breath,” Maren commanded, as Elsa handed Anna her water bottle.

Anna took a long drink, her chest heaving as she pulled the bottle away from her lips. Breathlessly, she muttered, “I don’t think I can do this.”

“Give the guy a chance,” Elsa pleaded, exchanging a quick look with Maren. “It’s only day three.”

“And? It’s like he’s afraid to touch me! You saw with your own eyes that he almost dropped me on a group two lift. Group two! We need a group five lift for our short program - how are we going to get up to a group five if he can’t confidently execute a group two?”

“What do you want to do, then?”

“What do you mean, ‘what do you want to do, then?’” Anna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You don’t have much in the way of choice here, Anna. If you don’t want to work with him, then you’ll have no choice but to quit. You know how difficult it is to find a male partner for pairs skating, and with competition season quickly approaching, the odds of someone else becoming available are slim to none.”

“Maybe I don’t have to quit. Maybe if I practice enough on my own over the next few weeks, I'll qualify for the women’s singles category instead.”

“You’ve been pairs skating since you were eleven years old,” Elsa countered. “Do you really want to try something completely new to you?”

“Well -”

“Besides, Kristoff seems like a really nice guy,” the blonde added. “I feel like he may surprise you if you just give him a chance.”

“I agree with Elsa,” Maren piped up. “He’s out of his element - this is his first time working with a partner, and there’s a steep learning curve to it. You know that.”

“And he was available at such short notice. That alone should earn him a couple of brownie points.”

Anna crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks burning as she glared at the two women. “Will you two please stop ganging up on me?”

⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️

Please keep in mind that this snippet may be edited/changed slightly in the actual fic, as it's in need of some editing. For some background, a "group two lift" in pairs skating is a lift where the male partner lifts the female partner by the waist, and it is not typically seen in elite skating competitions. A "group five lift" is a much more complicated lift, and gains a lot of points if executed well during competitions. It starts with the pair holding hands to push off, and then the male partner has to lift the female partner over his head using only their collective arm strength. There are a few variations of poses once the female partner is in the air. Please forgive me if I messed up the skating lingo in the fic/here - I am not a professional ice skater and this is just my understanding of how this stuff works lol.

The full fic will be posted on March 26th for Frozen Smut Week!

[dirtytransmasc]

can you make some headcannons for nonbinary gay billy with like him coming out to his sister,steve (his boyfriend) and the others

general hc's

Billy is nonbinary in the way that he uses he/him and is steves girlfriend, in the way that she uses she/her and is steves boyfriend, in the way they use they/them and is steves partner. (they use he/she/they with no preference)

he feels less gender fluid in the way their genders fade and increase. it's more like they all exist at once inside her, she just has a preference that changes day to day.

billy spells his name "billy" when he feels masculine "billie" when she feels feminine and "bill" when they feel more in the 'middle'.

Steve was terrible at trying to decipher how billy was feeling, if he should treat her more feminine that day or masculine at first. but eventually, he picks up on patterns; 1 earring is normally a masculine day, 2 studs is a 'middle' day, dangly earrings are feminine days.

billie is a dress type of girl, despite popular opinion, she likes feeling dainty and pretty. light yellows and blues are her best colors, but she isn't against pink or green.

On more feminine but not girl days, he likes dress pants, like those classic sorta flowy straight-leg pants. he pairs it with a sweater or nice button-ups and a vest. it's feminine but balanced.

masculine days he keeps to his canon style.

as she gets older and more comfortable in his identity and dresses less to prove a point and more just as they want to; the styles merge, finding a sweet spot between his metal head style and his want for dainty femininity. he takes up skirts, skinny jeans, darker colors, and so many accessories (she likes leather and metal, so think belts, garters, harness, belt chains, other body chains etc.)

she joins in on girls night, goes shopping with heather and chrissy, and gossips with joyce over cafe at the nicer cafes in hawkins.

steve takes her on date nights and makes sure to take her dancing. he hods the door for her, pushes in her chair, and pays the bill.

can and will kill heels, you'd think they've been wearing heels since he came out the womb. she has ankles of steal and can full on sprint in heels.

steve spoils her and gets her the nicest bralettes and underwear, cause he likes to wear them even on masculine days. his baby gets lace god dammit.

he and max rant about gender at 3 am, cause its a struggle ok, some days its not fun and your confused. they rant about having shifting opinions on their body, not knowing if they feel comfortable in it or if she wants to get surgery ad start hormones. max complains about not being able to really understand how she feels, and how it makes her uncomfortable.

billi does settle on getting implants, small ones, as she is nervous about how she'll feel after. steve makes sure to support him no matter what, and never pressures a choice out of them. she ends up loving them though and definitely flaunts them for steve all the damn time

coming out hc's

he came out to robin first, its super awkward cause they arent super close, but he's heard robin talk about how stupid the gender binary is so he knows shes safe. she helps him gauge the possible reactions are and gain the confidence to come out.

Second is steve (they've already been dating for a bit btw), he nearly starts crying as he chokes out a mess of words that roughly translates to 'sometimes I feel like a boy, sometimes I feel like a girl, sometimes I feel like neither. sometimes I'm more of a boy than a girl, but I'm not really a boy. sometimes I feel that way but like a girl. sometimes I feel like but in the middle... makes sense?"

As robin said, steve is super supportive, confused, but supportive. he has a lot of questions, but with billy also coming into his identity, he doesn't always have a response. they learn and grow together, steve helps him test and find his wants, needs, and boundaries in every direction. he makes sure billy feels loved no matter how he presents, that steve find him just as hot masculine or feminine. steve is actually more worried about not being supportive enough for billi than then he's identity (in the way that he isn't bothered by it, billie is still the person he fell in love with, things are just a little different.)

He's not as nervous but still needs some support coming out to max. he explains it to her the same way he did steve, and at first, she looks so conflicted he nearly breaks down, thinking she doesn't accept him. It was actually the opposite. She throws herself at him and just says she gets it. It takes some self-exploration with the help of billy, but she finds she's also genderfluid. They're super close after he comes out, on a completely level than before.

He comes out to the rest of the younger group (the teens and kids) after max, max literally threatening anyone to test her or billy and that they will end up in a hole if they say the wrong thing. The kids are a little hopeless but very supportive. They do their best to use the right names and pronouns. Billie thinks it's cute, how they go out of their way to compliment her with very gendered compliments. He appreciates the effort. The older teens are very casually accepting; things don't really change. They just use their pronouns and make sure he knows they don't view him differently.

(this is a long one, sorry) He's most nervous about coming out to Hop, he's in the guy's custody, and he still has the feeling that one wrong move and he's out. he tries to tiptoe around Hop, hides the new clothes steve got him, won't paint his nails or wear makeup around Hopper, always thinks of a million excuses before doing something in case Hop catches him. Despite this, Hopper isn't an idiot and picks up that something is wrong. He asks him one day at dinner when they're alone, and billi flips. She starts apologizing and trying to get to his room, saying he should just leave. he manages to get outside and to his car before Hop can calm him down. He speeds to steve's house, loses his mind once steve lets him in the door, and is inconsolable for hours. It takes days for steve to be able to convince him to tell Hop. He understands why his partner is scared but doubts Hopper would kick him out or disown him over this ("baby, he has a daughter who can move stuff with her mind, will's neck tingles if somethings wrong with the upside down, he's fine with all of us being gay. I promise, everything will be ok"). billi trusts him eventually and they meet up with hop. Hop is so supportive, less cause he actually knows whats going on (he loves his kids, but he does not get anything they have going on quite honestly ever, he's a tired old man ok, he's trying.), but because he loves his kid and the thought he was so scared to come out she ran away for almost a week hurt him. he hugs him so tight, not letting go until they're both done ugly crying.

"you're always going to be my kid, no matter what you little shit"

hopper's surprisingly good at the pronoun thing. He asks how billi's doing every day, makes sure everyone (whose safe) uses the correct name and pronouns, and covers for billy if anyone says anything about him in public.

joyce is a mom. She basically knew the second billy 'accidently' wore her perfume. He didn't really need to come out, she just adjusted to it, and he had steve and robin loosen up with pronouns around her, so she knew. they've talked about it, but it was less of a coming out and more just getting on the same page.

ps. hopefully this posts cause if it doesn't I will sob. sorry this came so late, I had my last bout of technical difficulties a few days ago so I think we're in the clear *knock on wood*

[dumbmarvelchick]

Double-Sided Coin

Chapter 1: The Party

762 words

If there has ever been a moment in my life that went so wrong but so right it would be this one.

The music was loud and people were cheering on the new hotshot, Billy. He was sort of cute. I was so focused that I didn't even notice someone walking past me until the collided with the hand holding my drink.

The clear vodka poured down my white dress, making it essentially see through. I felt heat rush to my cheeks as I noticed guys staring. Guys had been staring all night but this bothered me. I had no control here. I noticed a specific pair of eyes on me. But before anything else happened, I rushed to one of the bathrooms with the hopes of getting my dress somewhat dry.

"God why did this have to fucking happen to me?" I was thinking out loud. I never thought someone would answer.

"I don't know angel. But maybe it was for the best. It caught my attention pretty quickly."

He stood over me slowly backing me into the bathroom counter. To be honest I wanted his attention but this wasn't how I wanted it to happen.

"What cat got your tongue princess."

His voice was laced with a flirty sarcasm. I felt my mouth go dry as I tried to form a sentence.

"Billy. Uhm."

"What does the tough Kora Henderson have no retort for once. Maybe she wanted this to happen. To gain some scrap of attention from me. Well baby my eyes are on you right now. You have my full attention."

"And what might this attention give me."

I finally found the words. I collected myself to look in his eyes. They were a gorgeous blue and he had a smirk on his face. But god dammit he was handsome.

"Well you've had my attention for a while now. It's like you've been trying to gain it. But baby I've had my eyes on you the whole time."

"How did I gain this attention?"

A part of me questioned why the new basketball star had his eyes on me. I was a fucking nobody at school.  I spent time with people who were considered freaks even though they were the best of the school.

"The tight ass jeans you wear constantly. The band cutoffs. Everything about you oozes confidence. But you stay so quiet. It makes a man have to use his imagination a bit."

"Oh honey. I'm not like anything you'd imagine. I'm the girl boys are scared of. I'm the girl who beats the shit out of people who make the wrong choices with the people I care about. I'm the girl who's regularly at the police station because I beat the shit out of someone who deserved it. You think you have this new reputation as the bad boy. But baby, I've got the rep of the double sided coin and that holds more power than you could dream of. So in essence, I'm better than you ever could have imagined."

"Oh really princess? Well maybe I just need to see for myself."

I took note of the cigarette hanging from his lips. I plucked it away and took a deep breath of it in. The smoke filled my lungs and I felt so much pleasure from it. I breathed the sample out in Billy's face. Something about his expression got me. It seemed to being guessing what to do. If he wanted to get angry with me or something else. I couldn't tell what that other thing was.

"Come with me. Let's get out of here."

"Ok Hargrove."

I followed him out of the party. He had grabbed my hand to pull me along. I saw Johnathan and gave him a sweet look. He gave me his usual awkward smile in return. Guess he won't need to give me a ride home.

"Get in."

Billy gave me his signature look. And gestured to the car with his cigarette. I got in on the passenger side. His Camaro was a gorgeous blue. God the car alone was so attractive. And the driver was too.

I took the cigarette from his mouth again and took a deep puff. I noted the way he looked at me as I did this. Something about him is so alluring. He drove us to a dark empty clearing in the woods.

He turned and looked at me. I looked right back as he cupped my face in his hand and kissed me harshly.

"Get in the backseat angel."

"Yes sir."

[rootsandbranches86]

I've been thinking a totally normal about about why Stede and Ed cannot get out of their own respective ways, and When They Knew. And clearly I'm not going to fall asleep until I write it all down.

Stede knew he was attracted to Ed on Day 1, had developed a full blown inappropriate crush by the fancy French party, and knew he loved him in the English penitentiary. Remember, when he goes home, he's the one who asks Mary unprompted about what being in love feels like - he knows it but he wants outside confirmation. So why doesn't he act?

1a) Stede was bullied as a child for being soft and effeminate, and it's explicitly clear that the memories of bullying affect his choices as an adult. He's scared shitless that Ed would not only reject him, but would also bully him.

1b) He's also afraid that acting on attraction to a man would prove his childhood bullies right, due to internalized homophobia.

2) He's also afraid that a relationship with Ed will ruin Blackbeard, a fear that Izzy Hands makes every effort to confirm.

3) He doesn't want to break his marriage vows, because on some level he believes he'll have to go home eventually.

Now, 1a is resolved when Ed makes a move, he's making progress on 1b as he gains confidence and starts to believe he can be kind and gentle without being weak, and when Mary gives her blessing in the final episode we know point 3 will no longer be an issue. #2 is still going to be a problem, and I hope in Season 2 when he sees that being Blackbeard is making Ed miserable, that will help him get past it.

Now, Ed: Ed was fascinated by Stede on Day 1, his crush started with a bang during the French Party, and he realizes he's in love when Stede and Izzy duel and he believes that he's about to lose Stede. So what takes him so long to make a move?

I think we all know Ed is terrified of rejection - not just for himself, but also for his image. If he makes a move and Stede shoots him down, he is going to be a laughingstock.

He doesn't know how to read Stede yet. He can't tell if he's flirting or if he's just Like That as a gentleman. Honestly, Stede can't tell either, so no wonder Ed is confused!

Izzy is messing with his head. Thanks a lot, Izzy.

He's afraid that Stede doesn't truly know him, and once he realizes that he's not just Ed, he also really is Blackbeard, that Stede will not want him anymore. He confirmed this explicitly in the Calico Jack episode.

He's been steeped in pirate culture for decades, and some of the things we've seen about pirate culture: friendship and romance are off the table, weak men deserve to be punished, your first loyalty is to yourself and nobody else, and putting trust in somebody is just asking for them to fuck you over in the end.

Ed is going to need more time than Stede to figure his shit out in Season 2. He knows what he wants, but he isn't convinced yet that he's allowed to have it.