#anon you have set me. on a journey. a spiral. if you will

[safyresky]

Jack's Sexypedia page is weak, guys. Look at this shit! Where do I even begin! Oh! right fucking HERE:

OF ALL THE IMAGES TO USE. THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S UP THERE???? THAT ONE????? GEEZUS H CHRIST. IT'S A STANDEE! So you scroll down to the gallery bc maybe there's better photos there, right?

WRONG

I'm like. I need to go through the movie and screenshot some gr8 Jack pics and literally make a fandom wiki account JUST TO FIX THIS GODDAMN PAGE! NONE OF THESE PHOTOS ARE SEXYMAN VIBES! THEN THERE'S THE MEAT

this needs a rewrite and several edits. maybe eightral edits. maybe a second rewrite. my god.

AND THE ARCHETYPES. LIKE.

YOU CAN TELL WHEN THE WRITER GAVE UP! SIR, THE PINSTRIPES! THE PINSTRIPES! LUCY THAWED HIS WHOLE ASS HEART, NOT JUST HIS SUIT! I'M LIVID! I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING CRAZY!

Oh, and also, a fun bonus:

White Hair

Yeah.

[reixtsu]

hello! how are you? I dont know if you do multi characters, but if not, then one of these characters is alright! ^^ i like to request wanderer, tighnari, wrio, and neuvillete (separately) witnessing/dealing with nice guy who's hitting on their partner (gn! reader) and what they would do if the nice guy doesn't get the hint that the reader is taken, please. ^^ thank you and have a nice day!

Hi anon! I’m sorry that it took me a long time to respond to this request, and the fact that I’m still working on the second half is kinda bad… but your request will be fulfilled first. Please enjoy!

Wanderer, and Tighnari dealing with a nice guy hitting on their partner.

(Wriothesley and Neuvillette coming soon)

Warnings: jealous boys alert, Wanderer is a tsundere

Wanderer

It’s been far too long now -an eternity, really- of you chatting with some random student from the academy. From his spot in the distance, Wanderer watched in silence, taking slow, deliberate sips from his bitter tea. Each sip did little to ease the tight knot forming in his chest. His frown deepened as he observed the student's overly cheerful demeanor, the way his eyes lit up when you laughed at his every joke. Wanderer’s grip tightened around his cup, the edges of his irritation sharpening with each passing moment.

Wanderer continued to down his cup of tea, one after another, as if they were bottles of beer. Setting his last cup down with a jarring thud, he looked down, glaring at you with his peripheral vision.

"It's impressive that you managed to make the journey all the way from Inazuma to Sumeru, Hajime," you praised the student, your voice warm and sincere as you flashed that irresistible smile of yours. "I'm really glad you're here.”

"Me, impressive? I beg to differ."

"Why is that?"

"Well, you are very accomplished," Hajime said simply. "Helping everyone, so intelligent. You are a role-model for all." he winked at the end.

Wanderer nearly choked on his own spit, his breath catching in his throat. How on earth were you tolerating this man—and giving him compliments, no less? (And why wasn’t he the one receiving them?) His mind buzzed with disbelief and irritation, the questions swirling in his head. What right did this plain, insignificant nobody have to be so close to you? He let out a shaky breath, struggling to silence the spiraling thoughts before they consumed him entirely.

"Aren't you nice," You chuckled.

"Say..." Hajime hesitated, shyly placing a hand on your shoulder. "Would you like to join me at the tavern one of these days, dear?"

Wanderer instantly shot up from his seat, his eyes narrowing into a piercing glare directed at Hajime. How could he? Had he completely lost his mind? The audacity! Wasn’t it blatantly obvious that you were spoken for? His disbelief simmered into a potent mix of anger and possessiveness, the intensity of his emotions threatening to boil over.

You smiled awkwardly, not too sure how to approach the situation. "Um, I'm sorry."

"I know you have a partner, but I heard that he is very rude. Let me treat you for a day."

You chuckled, sweating a bit as you stepped away. "Oh, uh... He's really nice to me though, so there's no need to worry."

Hajime's eyes softened. "There's no need to lie. If a guy is toxic, why stay with him?"

“Hands off,” came a gruff voice, as Wanderer seemed to materialize out of thin air, his presence sudden and imposing. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and he leveled a glare of pure disdain at Hajime, as if he were nothing more than an irritating pest. And in Wanderer’s eyes, that’s exactly what he was.

Hajime raised an eyebrow at him, curious as to why he was acting so protective of you. "And you are...?"

"Their partner, obviously," Wanderer spat, his voice laced with venom as he roughly seized your hand, gripping it with a possessiveness that bordered on harshness, as if you were a dog being yanked by its leash. Hajime frowned at the scene, his expression hardening as he crossed his own arms, clearly displeased by Wanderer's aggressive display.

"You're the one who is rude to them, no? Even after all of what they've done for you."

“Don’t talk like you’ve known them their whole life,” Wanderer sneered, his voice dripping with disgust. “Those are just baseless rumors, idiot. You’d have to be a fool to believe any of that.” Hajime’s eyes flashed with irritation, as if the mere suggestion was an insult to his intelligence.

You nodded, leaning your head on Wanderer's shoulder. "Yeah. Besides, Wanderer here is like a black cat. Sure, he's rude, but he actually is really sweet." You kissed his temple for emphasis."

Hajime frowned, his mouth opening and closing like a fish struggling to find the right words, clearly wanting to protest but ultimately deciding against it. With a reluctant sigh, he offered a small, respectful bow before turning away, choosing to leave without uttering another word.

Wanderer let out a relieved sigh, one that was barely audible. "Finally. That pest was getting on my nerves."

You smirked, feeling Wanderer's grip on your arm . You watched as he looked away, a small pout forming on his perfect lips. "Why were you so interested in him anyways? He was a nobody.

In your mind you translated that to 'why were you being sweet to him and not me?'. You smiled, leaning forwards to kiss his forehead. "I was just hearing his stories of his journey here. That's all."

All you heard was a small hmph. "Whatever," huffed, lowering his hat down with his hand. "Let's just go home now."

"Does my baby want cuddles?"

"You goober, I hate cuddles!!”

Tighnari

You and Tighnari were busy gathering flowers for the upcoming banquet in honor of your friend when you encountered a fellow forest ranger. He was tall, friendly, and exuded a natural charm that seemed to radiate from him effortlessly. As you engaged in conversation, everything seemed pleasant—light-hearted jokes and genuine compliments flowed easily. However, the atmosphere took a sudden turn, escalating into a situation that Tighnari could only describe as disgraceful.

"You've actually seen an aranara? That's so cool!" The random guy said, impressed.

"It's not a big deal, really," you said with a touch of humility, though you couldn’t ignore the enthusiastic reaction you’d provoked. With a polite smile, you continued, "By the way, what’s your name, sir?”

"Ah, the name's Arash, but you can call me yours," He winked. "What's your name, lovely?"

Tighnari visibly cringed, his ear twitching and his tail flicking in irritation. He watched with growing dismay as you smiled at the ranger, chuckling at his so-called 'funny' behavior.

"Y/n," You said, extending your hand in the graceful way you always do. "A pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine," Arash extended his hand, attempting to shake yours before a hand got in between.

Tighnari had his eyes closed, his ears twitching in annoyance as he wore an irritated smile. "If I may interrupt, my dear here is already taken."

Arash's eyes widened, surprised. "Really? By whom?"

"Me," Tighnari said, his voice firm as he wrapped his tail possessively around your legs. "So enough with the flirting. We were in the middle of picking flowers, so if you have nothing else to do, you may leave." He offered a tight smile, clearly signaling for Arash to go.

Arash looked at Tighnari, at you, then back to Tighnari. "Right. I apologize. Have a nice day." He bowed his head and waved, turning around to leave.

Tighnari let out a sharp breath through his nostrils, his arms crossing defensively over his chest. "When someone starts flirting with you, you should tell them to stop! You're already taken," he said, his tone stern and unyielding.

You chuckled, bringing your hand up to scratch his soft hair. "Ha! Sorry, I just found him interesting."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly displeased by the response. "Excuse me?" he said, his tone sharp.

"Not as interesting as you, of course," You scratched his ear lovingly.

Tighnari, of course, leaned into your touch, a sense of relief starting to wash over him as he subconsciously began to relax.

"...Let's continue picking flowers, shall we?”

[astradyke]

If u have dnp fic recs I would owe you forever 🙏🙏

hi, darling anon. i have not one, not two, but twenty two (+) of these! however, i don't want to overwhelm you or my dash, so i am going to go with seven pieces that i think display a range in tone, style, length, etc. if anyone would like other recommendations-- or perhaps at a later time, i'll do this without prompt-- please reach out! i have so many more that are wonderful and all-time favorites <3

(when you gonna realise) it was just that the time was wrong by The_Blonde (T, 96.5k, 6/6)

this is quintessential “i need to sink my teeth into something for the next XYZ hours of my life” — it’s a long, incredibly well-written piece of work. while this is obviously a piece of AU fiction, it really did shift how i view and appreciate Dan and Phil's relationship, and overall is an incredibly well-thought out exploration of love and internal want. masterfully executed, which seems to be a trend of this author. this is what got me into reading more phanfic-- i read this, found it imperative that i read the rest of this author's works, and spiraled into AU content. set aside a few hours and really soak this one in, it's worth it.

back to those tokyo nights by waveydnp (M, 3k, 1/1)

i am so obsessed with reading domestic fics, and this is so perfectly that. it’s a realistic, earnest exploration of the perspective character in a way that masters show not tell and unreliable narrator skillsets. i have other recommendations by this particular author and have found that they are excellent at introspection and dialogue. in 3k words, the author manages to say quite a lot, and i find it a very good read altogether.

now i know there is no other by georgiabread (N/A, 970, 1/1)

a very quick hurt/comfort read that is just nice on sad nights, y’know? i really love this one for nostalgia’s sake— this was one of the fics i believe i read when i was first/last immersed into the phandom, back when i was thirteen or so. i recognized nearly every word— so i’m fairly certain i had seen it back then. perhaps not, but either way, something about it is really familiar and comforting so i’ll put it forward. it's set during the earliest parts of their relationship, and just feels really true to the newness and simultaneous depth of their connection, and how young they are. something about the dialogue really feels perfect for the 2009 era-- the anxiety, the freshness, the infatuation.

walk slow and low on a tightrope by chickenfree (T, 6.5k, 1/1)

with my whole heart, i am telling you, this fanfiction left a seismic impact on me. it’s left me with a lot of new thoughts and perspective on Dan and Phil together (setting aside the speculative nature inherent to RPF, etc. etc., it definitely reflects on love in general and theirs in the more particular). it’s also affected me on a separate, personal scale. it explores loving in a way that is not typically actualized in display, something hard to wrap your mind around if you struggle to feel loved, and in a way that i had my own journey with and found that this piece explores expertly. and again, just the writing style of this author really captivates me. i’ve been meaning to rec this fic for a while now; the author's style is idiosyncratic and may not immediately click, but i maintain that this is a must-read, and is best to read a few times over. i cannot emphasize how much i adore this one, it's top 3 if not top 2 if not top 1.

let chance take me to your shore by basl (G, 15k, 1/1)

astonishingly under-appreciated piece that i am absolutely in love with. very enjoyable magical realism AU that implements hurt/comfort, internal and external angst, and fluffy domestic scenes in a really nice, seamless way. i really love how this fanfiction ends but am very attached to every scene— if you don’t have endless amounts of time, but want to get really invested into an AU setting, i couldn’t have a better fic to rec you.

slutty, slutty soulmates by sierraadeux (E, 7k, 1/1)

my God, this is THE explicit fic while simultaneously being THE soulmate fic. it’s an incredibly sex-positive and consistently sweet piece that has like, to die for prose. the way that the author writes amplifies the sensuality of a lot of scenes in a way that makes it intoxicating and fun to read. it’s honestly a very real, grounding piece, with funny moments and emotional moments as well. definitely top five favorite pieces, really heavily recommend if you are an adult that’s comfortable with explicit content.

as he goes, so i go by cloej88 (mutual alert! @bitchslapblastoids) (E, 16.9k, 1/1)

i am also in love with the companion piece to this fic, but i wanted to recommend the first in this series here. i am selective about works that describe their relationship during tour, and can positively say that i really love this one. i think it’s a really fascinating interpretation of their relationship at this time, and features a lot of key moments in the 2015 era that i really just have to applaud the writer for including in such a seamless way. i love the interesting subtype of yearning that the prose exhibits here. obviously, everyone has their different tastes and draws, but i think this is a strong universal recommend.

let me know if you want any more, and i hope you enjoy these! i tried to hit a wide range, but if you like one author's piece, check out their other works; some of these appear again at other places in my rec list, and i know many of them are active writers and/or have a substantial number of fics!

[trainingdummyrabbit]

ok your posts have got me so curious what is lobcorp and who is Angela I am dying to know

ohhhhhh anon. im so glad you asked. youve activated my infodump trap card. we are gonna be here a lilwhile, but i will try to keep it short regardless.

[inhale] lobcorp, also known as lobotomy corporation, is a multitasking monster-management game, part of a series of games from the producers Project Moon. it starts as a very simple "dystopian setting manage the monsters and sometimes employees die nbd" sort of game, but then rapidly, intensely spirals the more you play. its notoriously difficult but also ridiculously fun and satisfying to get correctly. you are expected to fail and retry multiple times, so much so that it is an active in-narrative plot point.

you play as the manager of L corp, named X, and angela is your Helpful AI Assistant here to help you make energy efficiently and be the best manager you can be. :] by making energy. nothing else. dont worry about it.

lobcorp as a game has absolutely Fantastic characters, and Doubly so in its sequel Library of Ruina. its a series that focuses on character growth, cycles of violence, autonomy, the definition of humanity and personhood... and just. so, so much more. its so full of The Horrors.

. this, of course, is the very basics of getting into the game. i am going to explain everything very vaguely and very messily. i'll spoilercut in case you're interested in looking spoilerless based off of this, (extra post abt it [here] if youd like to check it out yourself) but i will Try to keep it vague. i make no promises. youve asked me about my favorite character. that i have previously spent 6 hours straight explaining to a friend. you understand. here we go.

////

lobcorp takes place inside a monster-management facility... that is, in and of itself, a closed-off timeloop. in order to progress, certain events and interactions must happen in a very specific way for its ultimate goal to be realized. should something go wrong or a mistake occur, the loop resets to day 1, and you must do it all over again.

angela, your ai assistant, was built to be the perfect person to keep you, the manager, on-track for a plan of your own making. dont worry about it. she was built to be able to seamlessly and efficiently move things along-- the ability to feel emotion to be able to connect with employees and make crucial decisions, the ability to recall anything that has ever happened regardless of the loop, and the ability to perceive time much, much slower than a normal human to make judgements more efficiently.

she guides and supports you all the way up until the final leg of the journey, where... she simply doesnt show up again. she has done her job, and you no longer need her. you have a plan to finish, and an incalculably long time loop to finally close. everybodys suffering results in a happy ending, and everyone gets to rest. ^w^ yay yippee!

. just kidding. nothing is ever easy. angela, as a character, is seemingly set up to be a game mechanic and very little more, in the beginning. eventually, more comes up about her as the game progresses, and well...

...anyway imagine being built to be an imitation of somebody you are not in a broken individual's deepest throes of grief, and the minute you become conscious the guy you were built to love hates you simply because you exist-- because you are not the person he lost, because you're a shoddy imitation, mirroring everything he hates... that he made to be that way, in a cruel act of self-loathing. ok?

now imagine you're built to feel, built to remember, and then forced to guide a timeloop countless years long, forced to follow a script that makes you harm people you desperately want to protect and connect to, causing them to hate you. you remember every bit of harm you had to impose on them in painful detail. imagine doing all this so that your creator can come in and fix all of their problems after youve set the stage. ok?

now imagine you finally do everything right. you finally, finally help this guy to see his plan to fruition, and in the last steps of everything, when everyone comes together and finally starts to move towards their own endings... nobody looks back for you. nobody thinks to look to you, to look for you. because nobody thinks youre anything more than an object.

imagine all that, and once, finally, you start to Want. because of course, after holding everything up by yourself, you would want something more than to fade away wordlessly. of course, after all this mistreatment, you would want a future too. this story was set up so that everyone could grow and move forward-- except you. isnt that cruel? isnt that horrible? so, truly, who would really blame you for taking what you truly deserve? who could blame you for reaching for the same light they did? so what if it means you have to destroy everything you-- everything they worked for with your own hands. they can hate you all they want-- its no different from what it's been. you only have one goal now, and simply, it is to Live.

.

. Library of Ruina is the sequel to Lobotomy Corporation following a curious machine trying to become human. angela becomes one of two main characters, and the entire game functions as a dialogue on her growth as a character now that she finally has the autonomy to learn and change. she searches for the One True Book, something that will grant her humanity and the freedom to live, grow, and most importantly: forget.

along with the second primary character, roland, they learn more about the city and how it truly functions-- and also learn about themselves, And each other.

what do you do when you teach yourself all you can do is survive and look out for yourself-- when you finally open back up to the possibility of hope and connection, and everything is ripped out from under you yet again for circumstances out of your control? what do you do when you're a victim of a cycle of horrific deeds, crushed beneath the weight of people who couldn't care less about you, and your only hope of escaping alive is to pull down anyone else in your way?

what do you do when you finally free yourself from a seemingly endless gauntlet of suffering, finally grasping power youd never been able to have before, all in the name of finally, finally getting the vengeance and resolution you deserve? when you follow the path set in front of you, set by actions of people who came before you, spiralling endlessly into the distance? what do you do when this guise of distance and coldness you put up is rightfully challenged and you have no way of defending yourself-- when you have to question what if this "self" youve made of yourself is truly who you are... and if this path ahead is truly of your own choosing, or the making of someone whose influence you could never really shake off.

what does it mean to have autonomy when your life is never truly yours?

lobotomy corporation and library of ruina, aka: Who Wants To Be Part Of The Torture Nexus ? Try Now !

[mayullla]

Title: Sleeping Castle

[ - Cottage (Fem!reader) + Roses (Yandere) + Diluc (Genshin Impact) + Black coffee (Sleeping Beauty au) - ] - Anon's Ask

Summary: You woke up but true love's first kiss but other than you none of your family woke up. Diluc was a kind man taking you in a helping you save your family.

Additional warnings/tags: fantasy au, manipulation, background character deaths, obsessive / dark themes, slightly ooc Diluc

[ - Fairytale Picnic Event - closed - ]

"You should be thankful, Diluc. Do you know how much of a burden it is to cast such a spell dear? I worried for my skin." Diluc tune Lisa's teasing voice as he turned away from her. He had finished what he was supposed to do here and now he planned to leave. "I will have Adeline send the finest wine to the wicked fairy's hut soon."

"My, you say such hurtful words dear." Lisa sighed placing a hand on her face as if she was hurt by his mean comment. Yet there was a sly smile on her face that could not be contained by the acting. "You are always welcome Diluc. Ahhh a nice glass of your company's finest wine will just do the trick to help me relax a bit."

Leaving the witch's hut Diluc left to go and return to his home. A few hours away by a horse he was prepared for the long journey. Relief in his heart that everything was over and done. Every small detail and such were tied together and meticulously checked.

He also got something he had become rather fond of, even if how he got them was rather... unorthodox.

"You should be careful Diluc. If you get caught it is all over for you." Lisa's warning echoed in his mind, the cold wind hit his face as his horse galloped back. "She would never love you anymore. She will only spiral into an obsession of revenge or will become forever lost."

"If that happens come to me and I will wrap up a little something for you. A particular potion that I am rather proud of, you see~"

Witches were in a way considered fairies. They were rare beings who could use magic and brew potions a few living here on this continent. They were respected creatures... mostly while some were feared more so than others. Lisa was particularly known to be the smartest if not strongest fay yet she choose to hide in a small hut in the middle of a deep forest. Many fear her and when the winds blew people can hear screams from the forest rumors spread.

When it was just the trees making that sound.

Diluc just so happened to make a deal with her. Foolish people so caught up with what they hear to scared to even take a step into the forest... he knew Lisa much longer than that.

There was a group Diluc was after, a certain group he wanted to take revenge on for years now. He followed their every move, finding anything and everything about them. And one of them was that they were teaming up with a certain kingdom near his home.

He preferred a more hands on approach than letting others do most of the work when he set off to spy over the kingdom with a few others, it was much more convenient for him to see everything that was happening by himself.

Who would have thought that he would meet a fair lady there, a hidden princess of the kingdom born with a curse that was cast on her birthday? The royal family wanted to hide her yet they weren't able to do so in his eyes. Affectionate you were so different from your rotten family.

Now you were in his hands.

"Diluc you are back. I didn't see you this morning and I was wondering where you have gone." Diluc let himself breathe when he saw you running down the steps of the mansion to greet him. His heart beat when he saw what you were wearing, a flowing pale color dress that made you look like a fairy.

"Where did you go?" You asked smiling at him.

Innocent you were at who he truly was and what he could do. He just shrugged "I meet an acquaintance." He didn't elaborate any further but it seems you have become too curious.

"Acquaintance? If I could ask... why did you meet them." The hesitation in your eyes when you knew well that you were overstepping your boundaries. How you played with your fingers tips angsty for his answer.

He knew you were getting impatient. Diluc had the servants watch over you to make sure you won't do anything stupid and to report everything you did to him.

He knew how worried you have become when your family sleeps soundly in the old small castle in your kingdom long dead, put to sleep but Lisa's magic and killed by the sword of knights of the duke Ragnvindr family.

You were supposed to die a daughter of the king who Diluc personally killed himself. How simple it was to stab the old man in the heart as he continued to sleep peacefully as if nothing happened. Diluc wished he could give the man a much more painful death.

When the kingdom joined sides with the group of the abyss. It was an unfortunate thing for them that they had a spy in their miths, who quickly reported the situation to Diluc.

Many thought that it had been the work of an evil fairy or a witch. That they have angered one of the fays and they choose to take revenge over the whole kingdom putting everyone to sleep. While the people and the innocent soon woke up others and the royal family did not.

Well except for you, Lisa played a cruel joke on him telling him that you would only wake up from a kiss of true love. The surprise in your eyes when you woke up in your deep slumber, a pretty flush in your face made Diluc's face flush too.

Many said he was your faithed one, and Diluc chose not to say anything. You stayed close to him, unable to stay in the castle where you once lived due to its dangers. You begged Diluc to help you save your family, you who didn't know what your family did behind closed doors.

He told you that the blame goes to a group of the abyss, that it was because of them your family had to suffer. You had to suffer.

It was for the best. Diluc never wanted to lie to you yet he could not let you know the deep secrets that he holds over you. Most of your family will forever sleep unable to wake up anymore.

"I... I am sorry... for asking. You are working so hard yet here I am constantly asking you if you have found a way." You looked down ashamed of yourself, yet the guilty face of yours look so adorable in Diluc's eyes.

He will keep you safe.

"Did you eat? Would you like to join me for dinner?" Diluc asked you instead, changing the subject. "No, I didn't. I had a bit of snack after lunch." You told him, the atmosphere lightening a little more.

Diluc glanced over to the head maid Adelinde, knowing the lady smiled when bowing her head to welcome him home. The servants here were all rather fond of you.

The peace you give to their duke, naive you were unable to notice how manipulative they were to keep you here. Diluc knew all that was happening and at one point he felt guilt over it. Not anymore.

Taking your arm he guided you to the dining room, the smile on your face warms his heart as he asked you about your day. You don't have a home but now you do right here in his arms. With that Diluc was satisfied.

He will be the one to protect you, even if you push him away he would still hold you in his arms. Even if you scream he would not let you go, even if you try to run away he would bring you back.

Even if you try to kill him he would still give his heart to you.

[mercuriians]

May I request a femreader x Sakura (Naruto) story? Reader has a dream of a small retelling of Rapunzel. Reader climbs Sakura's hair and is happy to talk to her. The story doesn't advance in reader's dream as Reader just happily talks to Sakura. She then wakes up from the dream, surprised to see Sakura waking Reader up.

princess in pink

content info — fem! reader, fluffy drabble, lowkey a disney crossover.

word count — 1.0k words.

author’s note — thank you for the request anon!! i apologize for taking an actual eternity to write this 🙁, my sense of motivation was not kind to me. however, the good news is that it’s back now! this story is a little on the shorter side but i hope you guys enjoy it still. :)

all around the town, there’s been word of a beautiful, fair young girl who can only be found within a spiraling tower.

it's a myth as common as can be, having survived a decade of being passed around and exchanged like a silver coin. most of the people believed it, of course, ever since the village's princess mysteriously went missing, but there were always those who remained unaffected by all the talk. "people will say anything nowadays," they'd say with a scoff before proceeding on with their usual day-to-day business. you, like the majority, stood firm by the myth. however, unlike the majority, your spirit was fierce, unrestrained, and above all, inquisitive. in your eyes, everything was a challenge waiting to be beaten, a puzzle waiting to be understood. so, naturally, you vowed to prove to everyone that the story was in fact real, and that there was someone who genuinely needed help.

because there was no way that the village's princess was dead.

two days after you turned eighteen, you finally ventured outside the town walls, carrying nothing with you but a lamp. you were dressed simply, wearing your weathered boots and an onyx cloak that ensured you stayed hidden amidst the shadows of the night. you'd also stolen your father's dagger just before you left, figuring that you might as well be prepared for anything. you were adventurous, but you weren't daft. safety wasn't guaranteed when you were essentially leaving behind the sole place you'd ever known. but then again, you suppose, that was part of what made this escapade so exhilarating.

so you set off on your awaited journey, not knowing what to expect and yet expecting everything all the same.

but, after four days of searching all over the land, scribbling unprecedented areas into your little map, and relying on the surprisingly delicious berry bushes you were fortunate enough to stumble upon, maybe the one thing you didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming long, thick, silky rope of rosy hair dangling over the grand tower’s open window, its ends touching the grass-covered grounds of the clearing. your eyes widened.

there was someone inside that tower—the princess.

after taking a brief but thorough look at the building, you deduced that there was no other way to get in, so you started walking towards the rope of pink hair. carefully, you set foot on it, steadying yourself as best you could. a few seconds passed, and with a sharp inhale, you felt yourself being lifted, the hair being used as leverage as you got closer and closer to the window. voluntarily, you willed yourself not to look down.

it was only a minute later that you found yourself face-to-face with the lost princess herself, your mouth completely agape as you took a moment to process several truths all at once. the rumors were in fact true—of course they were—and the princess was alive and well, and wow were her emerald eyes always so captivating—

"you've come to save me," she says a little breathlessly, gaze clearly bright with joy. "after all these years, i've been found! please, tell me your name."

the sound of her smooth voice is enough to shake you out of your stupor. clearing your throat and disregarding your momentary embarrassment, you offer her a smile as politely as possible before bending into a bow. "(y/n), princess sakura. i'm glad that i've finally located you. the village has been in a deep state of unrest ever since you disappeared."

for a moment, sakura's smile tightens, but she regains her composure so swiftly that you question whether you were merely hallucinating. "i'm sorry to have caused all the worry. it's all a bit of a long story, but i'll make sure to tell you it later. how did you find me?"

you explain the details of your journey to the princess, and she nods along attentively, her eyes rarely leaving yours. her soft giggle wafts through the air when you comment on how the berries you found lined up along the dirt path were a delicious, convenient snack. "when we get back to the village, remind me to bake you a blueberry pie," she hums pleasantly. "think of it as my way of saying thank you."

you can't stop the way a rosy blush dusts over your cheeks. “it’s alright, really,” you protest weakly. “i’m okay.”

sakura’s smile drops a bit, a more stern expression passing over her face. “are you refusing a gift from the princess herself?” she asks with a fair sense of sass, her lithe fingers curling around her hip for good measure. it’s rather cute, especially with the pout she’s now maybe unintentionally wearing, but you keep that observation to yourself.

immediately you shake your head, a slightly nervous smile ghosting across your lips. “not at all, i promise,” you assure her. “thank you kindly, my lady.”

the two of you talk for a long while, exchanging remarks until it seems like time has worn itself thin. it never registers in your mind that the nature of the reality eventually grows hazy, almost as if the moment has been frozen in place like a lake during winter. really, all you’re able to focus on is the princess in front of you, with her soft rosy hair and easy smile. her scent is delicate, somewhat like strawberries, but there’s a sense of a kind yet assertive strength that sharpens her gaze. it’s one that somehow gives you an impression of what the princess thinks of you—as equals, as people who stand on the same ground. it’s a nice, comforting feeling.

but then the world starts to shift, and you start to feel someone shaking you awake. that’s when you realize that your reality—the one you’d been living in before—has ultimately never even existed. light pours into your line of vision, and with a small groan, you look up. fortunately, a familiar pair of emerald eyes is there to greet you.

“hey there, sleepyhead,” sakura laughs, fondly flicking you on the forehead. “nap time’s over. did you dream of anything?”

[sevensistersofsussex]

Hello, hopefully you're having a great day! I wanted to ask about the inspiration behind Throne of blood, what made you want to write the story and take that direction? The whole storyline is very unique and well written, it just feels right. The characters, especially Klaus fascinates me. The vibe is very tense and just delicious. I'm interested to know why you decided to write this story because I am amazed by it. Thank you.

Anon, I have to tell you. I have such a bad habit of waking up in the middle of the night, reaching for my phone, and scrolling tumblr. Because of this sometimes I've dreamed up asks and I get so excited to answer them only to realize that my subconscious was the sender.

But this was wonderful AND real!

My initial inspiration were the questions: "What kind of struggles would Elena have as a vampire?" and "What if Elena was turned by Damon's blood during the sacrifice?"

From there it kind of spiraled. I always knew that I wanted to include the horrible fake Mother plotlines with Elena, this depressed lonely girl who wanted her mom and would stop at no limit to procure one as a blood driven vampire. And then the more I thought about what Elena would do during those events after the sacrifice as a highly volatile baby vampire, the more it began to shape into something that resembled elements of Hamlet. Then it clicked! Throne of Blood is an Akira Kurosawa film from the 1950s based on Macbeth that I absolutely adore. I had my name and I had a wealth of themes that I wanted to incorporate into a story of Elena's journey from this depressed human girl from Mystic Falls to her exploration into the depths of the darkest parts of her soul as a vampire in New Orleans. (Seriously, you should see the spreadsheet I use to keep track of arcs and the themes I want to focus on with each one.) How she might change and shape the landscape around for the better or for the worse. And with Klaus specifically, how he comes to regard the girl he nearly threw away as not just desirable but an equal in cunning manipulation and cutthroat zeal to survive.

I also just wanted to see Elena in a story where she still doesn't have the most power even as a vampire and has to use her grit and determination to prevail at the end of the day. She has set backs and failures (see The Garden) but they don't stop her. She is a runaway train hurtling down the tracks and you can either join her or risk being run over.

[tayfabe75]

What’s interesting to me about YLM is the line "my heart won't start anymore for you". "For you" almost implies that there’s someone else already. I was shocked when we learned when the song was written.

Whew! Anon, that's an interesting line for me, too! It can be difficult for me to sort of translate the lyrical journey my "tattered" brain takes and turn it into something cohesive via text, but I'll try! I think that 'You're Losing Me' is very intertwined with other songs that, together, help tell a story…

You're Losing Me: How can you say that you love someone you can't tell is dyin'? High Infidelity: You know there's many different ways that you can kill the one you love, the slowest way is never loving them enough

You're Losing Me: My heart won't start anymore for you High Infidelity: Do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life?

High Infidelity: Put on your records and regret me All I Need to Hear: I get out my records when you go away

Speaking of being brought back to life… we see this literally happen to Matty in the music video for 'I'm In Love With You' (which is basically a continuation of 'A Change of Heart'). The video begins with Matty lying motionless (dead?) on the ground.

When he wakes up, it almost looks like he's manually starting his heartbeat, which is synched up with this lyric:

Heartbeat is coming in so strong. Oh, if you don't stop, I'm gonna need a second one

Similarly, when 'You're Losing Me' dropped, Taylor credited a mysterious 'spiral alice' - presumed to be an anagram of 'capillaries', which likely alludes to the heartbeat heart at the beginning of the track (her heartbeat is also credited on the 1989 track 'Wildest Dreams').

After Matty wakes up in 'I'm In Love With You', he sets off in search of his lost love from the 'A Change of Heart' music video (a song speculated to be about Taylor, and, by the way! "Coincidentally", Matty uses the word 'heart' thirteen times throughout the song!)…

Anyway, we see the number 27 on the wall as Matty exits the tunnel (you can see it in the above gif on the top left). Bear with me here, anon, but Matty turned 27 in April of 2016… What else happened in April 2016? That's right, Coachella! Taylor was there to support her then-boyfriend, who performed the same day as The 1975, on April 24th… but I won't speculate too much more on that.

So, uh, back to High Infidelity, then lol The bit about "constellations in his eyes" shares lyrical parallels to 'Cowboy Like Me' (eyes full of stars) and 'Call It What You Want' (starry eyes sparking up my darkest night), songs that, controversially, I think are about the secret muse that Taylor alludes to in the Reputation prologue. (That said, no, I don't think Reputation is about who it is widely accepted to be about, and, for me... the same is true for 'You're Losing Me')

Lastly, I'll leave you with this: Eerily, I would say that 'Midnights', as an album, has lined up pretty well with Taylor's "personal life" since she dropped it… or, at least, what she projects of it. I have a strong suspicion that is by design. That said, I'm going to keep an eye peeled this coming April 29th, anyway! Hopefully, I didn't veer too far off course, anon lol

Thanks for the ask ♥

[ed-recovery-affirmations]

I relapsed. I tried. I really tried, and I went back in hell and I feel so stupid.

My parents are angry and they say I'm cruel and I only give them false hopes. They don't believe in my and I don't either.

I got in school again after missing last year because of my health, it's a Big thing and it's hard but still it isn't enough either.

There's too much going on. I thought I was getting better, but no. I'm so tired. Today was supposed to be a good day. I tried to eat more and not Care and I broke down and all my dad did was mock me and scream that I just eat shit like a good anorexic and that I do nothing, no effort.

I have a psychiatrist, I take antidepressants and anxiolitics, but it's Always the same.

I know it's pathetic, I know it's ridiculous, but I Lost all contacts, I Lost my friends, my parents are annoyed by me, I don't have anyone and am alone with this crushing weight on my chest. As I'm typing, I cry sitting right next to my parents and they haven't told me anything. I don't know what to do. Help ?

Hi, anon.

First, I wanted to say - I'm so sorry this ask has been sitting in my inbox for so long. My roommate is on a downward spiral and is going to get us legally evicted, so I have been dealing with All Of That. So I haven't had the stamina to properly address this.

I'm so sorry your parents are this cruel to you while you are struggling. It's not your fault that ED recovery is so hard. One lapsed day does not undo all of your progress and it's so unfair of them to kick you when you're down anyway. It sounds like you may need to isolate from them in order to eat safely, if possible. Do you think you'd be able to set aside some time to eat quietly away from them and get yourself in a calm headspace first? Perhaps reassure yourself and take a moment to be there for yourself first?

Whatever your parents have said about you, I'm sure it hurts a lot to hear. But I want you to know it's not true. Sometimes people with EDs slip or have relapses, or take a long time to find recovery methods that work for them. It's really really hard. I know you're saying it feels like nothing gets better (and it sounds like your environment is not helping!) but I promise you that it can. It's so discouraging sometimes to have to keep working through every setback and to try and try and try to find things that work. But just because you're struggling now does not mean you are a failure, or bad, or that you deserve to feel this bad forever.

I hope you get out of that environment and find a happy, productive, healing environment for yourself, full of supportive friends and moments to yourself where you can be your own best supporter.

Great job getting back into school! I know it doesn't seem like anything's getting better right now, because your parents seem to harp on every failing while ignoring the successes, but that is a huge step! Remember, if you got back up once you can get back up again. Recovery is a journey and you deserve to celebrate every step.

[carlos-in-glasses]

same anon from this post, thank u for giving us the room for this discussion!! <3

you and i are the same in that i really hate it when things are left up to our interpretation, in my mind i'd just automatically assumed the worst just so i can avoid being disappointed again. i'd also talked myself into accepting that it could be in reference to carlos and iris rather than the other way around, but the lack of closure/clarity is genuine killing me and i hate that it very well could be left unaddressed in future eps, which is why i'm trying to bury it now and just pretend it hadn't happened

i didn't particularly get any...closure, per say on tk's end so far, and i would've been okay with the angst if carlos wasn't such a jerk to tk the whole time. i guess it's why i've struggled so much getting through the first 3 eps, and rn i'm dreading 404 even though i've seen so many ppl getting excited over it. i really do hope this was set up in a way that 404 would be cathartic and also a great time for them to address the amount of shit tk was put through in the past eps, but i'm also trying to manage my expectations here

i do also think this is why ppl are struggling in this ep - we've never seen them so un-synced (for lack of a better word) with each other before, what with carlos being so focused on his mission and tk buried in his own guilt spiral and also his worry for carlos. and i really wished they'd talked to each other rather than letting this play out for angst purposes, if the payoff wasn't worth it in the end. bc angst is only done well if it's cathartic imo.

also, i hope this is a journey of carlos acknowledging his faults (e.g. lying, avoiding, repressing, pretending) and working towards them (like tk's arc), bc its honestly getting really exhausting time and time again seeing tk being shut out without any closure. it's going to be painful, and ugly, and confronting buried feelings that he didn't know was possible to feel, but i do hope he's going to get to a place where he stops running from his past in order to move forward into his future with the help of tk, and them working towards this as a team 🥹🥹 i love him and i'm exhausted and he needs to get his shit together (and i meant this in the nicest way possible).

I’m glad I’m not the only one! I’m just not wired to be cool with things that leave me with lots of questions. I don’t necessarily need shows to be super on-the-nose with things, but I can struggle with ambiguity when it comes to something like this. I definitely stand by something I said in a previous answer, which is I wish the ‘I love you’ moment could have had a little more too it. It wouldn’t have to be anything major, just a stronger ‘I love you too’ would do, or something dramatic like, ‘I want you know I don’t blame you, TK…I only blame…myself!’ and then he hangs up. Soapy as hell, but then we’d know! For me, having TK go feral while looking for Carlos who has been kidnapped by a serial killer would be plenty of angst on its own, without the additional angst of a rift between them. But this is the hand we have been dealt.

I’m sorry you’re dreading 4x04 though. I’m excited for it because I’m trusting Ronen. I hope it far exceeds your expectations and you love it – you deserve to love it! Even if it leaves some things lacking, it really should still be cathartic after what’s happened so far, because we know they’ll be reunited and the wedding planning will properly commence. We know they will be back in sync – maybe more so than ever. Maybe the show will play that up. We know it can do Tarlos extremely well, hence we love Tarlos so much, and they do usually feel like a team.

And your last para – yes, I agree. It’s exhausting when a character doesn’t grow and it’s invigorating when they do, and it does seem to me like the set up is for growth to happen. It doesn’t seem possible for Carlos to go through what he’s going through now, as a direct result of his past, and come out of it pretending nothing ever happened. Again, we know growth is something the show can do well, for instance contrasting season 1 TK against season 3 TK.

I think with Tim at the helm, the show has taken a risk this season and (at the time of writing this response anyway) it isn’t paying off the way they’d hoped and some damage control and reactiveness seems to be happening. My takeaway wish from all this is: the creators and writers also grow from the backlash and bring a season 5 that still has plenty of drama but handled in a different way, ie. a disaster that TK and Carlos truly do face as a team. Or something that is less reliant on angst between them. (I want to emphasise this is my wish, which may well not align with anyone else’s). This can all be absolutely fixed – either in the next episode or beyond.

[aspoonofsugar]

Could you rank the Arcane's characters from the best written to worst?

Hello anon!

I don't think there are badly written characters in Arcane to be honest. At least I have not noticed badly used characters or twists that made no sense in character arcs. Each character fulfills its role either thematically or structurally. And this is what a well written character should do to begin with.

Anyway, when it comes to the charactert that I personally find the best written, the answer is easy:

The first season’s main focus is Powder’s journey to become Jinx, so it is not really surprising that they put extra care in her.

Her evolution feels realistic, layered and she never loses her core humanity that makes her sympathetic despite her spiral.

So, in the end... why was Jinx born? Who did create her?

Jinx is Piltover and Zaun’s Tyke-Bomb. She is a child born in the middle of the two cities’ conflict and the combination of her environment with her inner fragility (powder) makes her detonate.

This is well shown in the opening scene of the series:

There we see the same effect later used to convey Jinx’s confusion and mental illness. At the same time, we see how Powder has been surrounded by loss and violence since she was a small child. It is this violence that ends up molding her.

On one hand she is clearly scared and disturbed by it:

On the other hand she is taught that she should become more violent:

Mylo: So stick with us! Take a punch or two.

Zaun tells its children that they must be strong, they must be violent if they want to survive. Vander himself has taught so to his family. So, Powder finds herself caught in this contradiction. She fears violence, but she has been conditioned into wishing to be violent.

What is more, there is an additional layer to Powder and the concept of “violence” and “strength”. For parents in Zaun, it is essential that the children are strong to survive. However, for Powder being strong becomes a necessary condition to be loved.

Powder internalizes that in order to be loved, she should be strong.

This is not surprising if one considers Powder’s early years and especially her parents’ death.

Powder and Vi’s parents choose an ideal over their own daugthers. They choose to go to war and leave their children behind:

Vander: I led us across the bridge, thinking that things could change. If I hadn’t, your parents would still be alive.

As a result, Powder learns two things about love. First of all, love is not forever. Loved ones can be stolen from you. Secondly, love is not absolute. There are some ideals that come before love, at least for some people. So, Powder does her best not to be left behind. She tries to be a part of Vi’s ideal as well. Vi wants to fight against Piltover, so Powder wants to fight against Piltover too. Vi is strong, so Powder needs to keep up.

If she does not, then she will be left behind again. And this is exactly what happens in Powder’s eyes here:

Powder: But families stick together. You said it yourself.

Vi: I know what I said...

Powder: I want to fight. I can help.

Vi: You’re not ready.

Her family leaves her to go fight a dangerous enemy. They leave her behind because she is weak. For Powder this is just a repeat of her parents leaving her and Vi.

So, as any well set-up bomb Powder clearly explodes and the consequences are devastating:

Since this moment on, the whole story is presented as Silco and Vi’s fight over Jinx/Powder’s soul. However, even if Silco and Vi may seem as opposite forces in Jinx’s life, the truth is that they are not perceived as so differnt by Jinx.

For example, Jinx cares about them because both tell her that her being “different” is not wrong:

Vi: You know, Powder, what makes you different makes you strong.

Silco: Don’t cry. You’re perfect.

Deep down, this is what Jinx is looking for. She wants someone that would love her unconditionally, even if she is “different”:

Jinx: I thought maybe you could love me like you used to. Even though I’m... different.

Yes, here Jinx is saying that she is different from her past self, but there is an additional layer to this in how she deep down perceives herself as different, odd, wrong.

What is truly tragic about it, though, is that Jinx is never unloved. Many people care about her deeply. Vander, Vi and her adoptive brothers all care about Powder. And later on Silco starts caring about her too and Ekko is shown to keep on caring for her, despite it all. However, Jinx has internalized that all the love others have for her is somehow false, or at least conditional. They will betray her, if she is not useful to them (let’s highlight this really never happens). They will choose their ideal over her, if given the chance (again, not really true). Because of this, Jinx herself keeps sabotaging her own relationships. Especially, in the second part of the series. Vi comes back for her, but she is unable to truly welcome her sister back because she starts a one-sided rivalry with Caitlyn. Silco is ready to basically give up his life dream for her sake and Jinx is too paranoid to even realize it, until it is too late.

It is fitting that by the end, she symbolically chooses Silco over Vi after having killed him. A dead person, after all, can’t betray you and his love can’t change. It is eternal. If by accident Jinx had ended up killing Vi, instead, it is highlyg probable she would have chosen Powder instead.

So, in the end... who created Jinx? The answer is Powder herself, but also... the entirety of Zaun and Piltover whose conflict has defined Powder’s life since childhood.

In a sense, Jinx is so stuck in this conflict that she can’t even think to overcome it. She keeps going back to it:

Silco: We’ll show them. We’ll show them all.

The words Jinx hears in her mind through Silco’s voice are after all just Vi’s words:

Vi: Mylo’s wrong, Powder. You’re stronger than you think. And one day... this city is gonna respect us.

They are the words of generations of people in Zaun that have basically been living in Piltover’s shadow. They have been living in juxtaposition with the richer city, a sacrifice to progress.

So, by the end, Jinx simply takes the confusion and chaos she has inside to the outside:

She does so because this is what she has been taught by her two role models (Vi and Silco). She does so, despite neither Silco nor Vi really wanting Piltover’s destruction by that point.

So, Jinx is a child caught in the conflict and as she grows up, she (together with Vi) ends up embodying this neverending conflict. As a matter of fact the two sisters’ relationship is meant to symbolically represent the two cities’ bond where one keeps living in the shadow of the other. As the story progresses, it is possible their own relationship evolves into that of the two cities’ more and more.

Thank you for the ask!

[thisdreamplace]

To reply to this anon, as someone who has gone down the path of what the LOA community deems "manifestating" i.e. not paying attention to intrusive thoughts, not wanting to face the 3D, affirming against your thoughts etc. Doing this felt like I was battling with myself. Coming from a traumatic background, doing these made me feel much worse honestly.. until I came across thisdreamplace

Before we knew about manifestation, we've been reprogrammed by society that we're just typical humans unable to do the impossible.. Even though considered average, humans are complex beings with feelings and emotions. If you told someone new to LOA who came from a rough background to "flip your thoughts and only focus on imagination".. What do you expect? They'll obviously spiral (trust me, I've had experience with this. Myself and others have.)

When I followed thisdreamplace's advice, that's when I really started to embody the "God" state. Yes, I did do some shadow work because I wanted to love myself and I wanted to be free releasing the old story with love. You can still manifest without doing shadow work, obviously because manifestation works 24/7 based on your belief system, but in all honesty without atleast getting to know your own belief system.. The underlying beliefs you hold and don't know about can cause you to get hot and cold manifestations (for instance it happens a lot with SP manifestations) This is what they mean to "change your self concept." Because your self concept is the beliefs/belief system you hold about your outer world. Changing those beliefs depends on how you'd want to do it. Here's an amazing post on self concept by snowhi that's raw and straight to the point.

After doing my shadow work, facing my fears, meditation, journaling etc. my mindset shifted tremendously.. to the point where I didn't have to do methods, and only intention setting to manifest.. because I took the time to create a more ideal belief system for myself.. which therefore automatically manifested a more positive life for me. I've legit never felt this amazing before.. I'm a completely different person from my past.

I'm not saying my way and thisdreamplace's way is meant for everyone.. it's just that The Law is simple in theory, but when put to practice.. you get an up and down experience especially when we do have our human selfs/ego in the background lingering.

omg thanks so much for sharing this <3 i always love hearing about your journey and successes bc you’ve seriously come SUCH a long way 🥲🦋

i know this message resonates with me and plenty others. also, thank you for mentioning how healing isn’t mandatory/needed. it never was, simply because we are always manifesting and always have been. but it’s that autopilot foundation that was calling the shots of our life. there’s nothing wrong with wanting to sit down and truly make that foundation beautiful and for some, healing is part of that process !

once again, ur truly so inspiring with ur messages because you have experienced the tougher part of the journey firsthand and yet here you are. a wonderful success story that shows there is light, no matter how dark it may seem. you, my dear, are the light ! ☀️💙

[sitp-recs]

Hey! So glad to see your taking asks again, but there’s no rush. Was wondering if you have any fics where Harry or really anyone from the gang find Draco in the muggle world. Something where’s he’s become more accepting and built a life, like with a job. Hope you can help!

Hi anon :) yes, I know a few and they’re brilliant! Hope you enjoy:

Lettered by pir8fancier (M, 8k)

Harry has a secret penpal, whose identity is as plain as the nose on his face. Except he's not wearing his glasses.

Magic Man by @dracogotgame (2016, M, 8k)

Draco has been exiled to live in the Muggle World, where he's actually doing alright as an amateur stage magician. Harry has been tasked to determine if he's using real magic to enhance his performances.

Stories in E Minor by @huldrejenta (2014, E, 9k)

Draco has found his place in the Muggle world. He's got his music, he's got his neighbours and he is content. Until a certain someone from the past enters his life again.

Voices From The Fog by @noeeon (2010, E, 13k)

After years of running away, Harry crosses paths with an all-too familiar face and follows him to Amsterdam.

The Year of Non-Magical Thinking by whiskyandwildflowers (E, 13k)

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Potter. I'll think of something. So will you. But this is my journey to self-actualization," Draco managed to smirk. "You can fuck off and get your own."

An Aching Soul by @writcraft (2015, M, 15k)

Draco Malfoy escapes to the Muggle world to avoid his parents, memories of the war and Harry Potter. However, some things prove harder to escape than others as Draco realises when his favourite Muggle haunt is rudely invaded by a post-war Harry who is struggling to cope with grief, growing up and the battle with his inner demons.

We Might Be Too Old for a Bildungsroman by @wellhalesbells (2015, T, 21k)

Harry finds something he’s been looking for since the war’s end. Admittedly, the packaging’s a bit odder than he expected.

Ink (My Skin With Your Name) by Kandakicksass (2019, M, 22k)

Several years after the war, an ostracized Draco Malfoy covers himself in tattoos, becomes best friends with a muggle, and debates abandoning magical society entirely to work in a tattoo shop.

When You Kiss Me (What A Lovely Way To Burn) by Femme (E, 22k)

A drag fairytale of New York in which Draco wears red lipstick and Potter can’t get enough.

Doing the Lambeth Walk by blamebrampton (T, 26k)

There are only three traditional choices for the cashed-up hero after victory. Harry Potter is too young to settle down and provide the wizarding world with a happy ending, and has too acute a sense of humour to spiral downwards into a spectacular flame-out. That leaves a life of good works. Choosing to lead it in Muggle Brixton comes with its own set of challenges, including Malfoys in the biscuit aisle.

I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor by birdsofshore (E, 28k)

Harry felt lit up from inside as soon as he entered the bar. There were blokes dancing together, their bodies close to one another, not keeping a wary distance as Harry was always careful to do when he was near another man. God, he wanted this – wanted it so much he could taste it, a metallic tang of heat and desire. He suspected nothing would ever be the same again – especially when he saw who else was in the room.

Tourist: A Love Song by xErised (T, 30k)

Harry is in New York City looking for inspiration for his next collection of paintings. He’s not expecting inspiration to appear in the form of a black-haired Draco Malfoy playing the guitar and singing with such a beautiful voice.

Open For Repairs by @drarrytrash (2015, M, 35k)

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by ignatiustrout (2013, M, 49k)

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

Modern Love by @tackytigerfic (2020, E, 61k)

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

The Claiming of Grimmauld Place by @bixgirl1 (2017, E, 74k)

When Grimmauld Place begins fighting against Harry’s ownership of it, he decides he needs help to train the historic home — but little does he expect that it’ll be Malfoy who’s most suitable for the challenge.

Left My Heart by emmagrant01 (2004, E, 85k)

Auror Draco Malfoy has disappeared, and Harry Potter has been sent to San Francisco to find him.

Way Down We Go by @xiaq (2019, T, 109k)

In which Harry and Draco both run away from their pasts and conveniently choose to hide in the same tiny American town. It's super.

Star Quality by who_la_hoop (E, 118k)

Two years after the war, and Harry’s content with his life. OK, so it’s a little annoying that he keeps winning Witch Weekly’s Most Eligible Bachelor award, and he’s really not looking forward to the unveiling of an enormous gold statue of himself, but he loves his friends, and he loves being an Auror. And if he yearns for something more, something he can barely bring himself to think about, well, he’ll probably get over it. No one’s happy all the time, are they?

Whatever You Want, Draco Malfoy by DorthyAnn (E, WIP)

Draco lost his home and the only society he knew after the war. He ended up living in the muggle world, making new friends and new connections and maybe some sort of peace. Even if that peace was usually found at the bottom of a bottle. It was enough for him. He was content to just exist. Then Harry Potter decided to ruin everything.

[remcycl333]

hi my love! this is ☹️ anon and i read your response to my ask! first of all, thank you so so much for taking the time to read all of that and responding thoroughly. ive heard of other peoples manifestation journeys and thought “oh that’s similar” but it feels like your old self is literally me, like ive never met someone with a journey that exact like mine and someone with a mind that works similar to my mind. i also got into a sammy ingram repetition phase and when the roe x 3dolc required you to repeat your affs too, i thought it wasn’t normal for me to deviate from a set affirmation list and i stressed about wording. i was affirming to get something and i didn’t know intent mattered? i think ill try inner convos but are there any affirmations pertaining to manifestations that i should include for faster results? and i never heard about the dylan james thing. i thought belief and trust didn’t matter when manifesting tho? just as long as you’re contradicting opposing thoughts? ill try the dylan james / affirmation tapes whenever i feel like spiralling. im gonna walk you through my thought process a bit.

“here’s some things ive noticed about my thinking pattern. i plan conversations before they even happen. so ill have a whole conversation with myself or someone else before i even talk to them. i also see the scene in my head, maybe of their text coming in and once in a while, ill even add in our voices to make it more realistic.

when i spiral, i usually say the same negative affirmations, BUT i change it up like im ranting. for example, a week ago i might’ve gone “im a failure, this is why i can’t manifest and everyone is better than me?” then the next week, it would be like “im always failing at manifesting, i wish i was good enough to do it”. basically same concept different wording or it’s just repeating “im a failure” in my head over and over again while thinking of a past event that caused me to spiral like looking in the mirror and not having my df or waking up and not living my dream life and it’s usually 3rd person.

one thing about me is that i always complain, no matter what it is.. im gonna complain about it and i swear a lot too and over exaggerate. example: “why tf can’t i manifest? im never gonna get it. why is it so hard?” i do a lot of question asking too because im also a very curious and logical person. i think im also very harsh and gaslight myself too. for example: “i think i can manifest” “bitch.. are you crazy? how would you out of all people manifest? you’ve never done it successfully before? what makes you think you can do it now?”

i am also a music lover, so listening to music puts me in a good or bad mood depending on the song.

IM ONLY USING NEGATIVE EXAMPLES BECAUSE THATS WHAT IM USED TO.

i think the best thing for me is to implement my normal thinking pattern into manifesting and idk how, but i feel like id need a base or a set of affirmations/rules to refer back to when i spiral and implement. but also a bunch of affirmations to just rant with?? idk. i hate making a routine for manifesting because i hate routines and the pressure of having to stick with them and then making it a chore. BUT if im not doing a routine, im worried that im lacking repetition and consistency. i know i shouldn’t say this but repetition and consistency is what ive seen the most results with with others. but the same 3 affs get boring for me, but i worry if im repeating enough if im not looping those 3 affs. and i hate deadlines but the problem is i need to manifest my dream life before college because that’s when circumstances are going to hit even harder and im going to be more prone to negative thoughts.”

hi ☹️! im gonna try to address/answer everything in order :)

when affirming, intent doesn't really matter. if you're affirming to get something, you will still get it. however, i noticed for my own mind that this was creating unnecessary stress for myself, so now i think of my affirmations of reminders of what i already have. but intent doesnt actually matter

i love inner convos sm so im glad you're going to implement them! some affirmations i love for faster manifesting are "my 3d conforms instantly", "the second i affirm something it comes true" and simply "i am doing everything right" "wow i manifest so fast!"

belief doesn't matter while manifesting at all! as long as you persist and continue to affirm, the repetition of affirming creates a belief naturally. but its perfectly normal if ur repeating affirmations and don't believe them. as for trust, it's not necessary either, but it helps sosososo much. trust is allowing yourself to think of other things throughout the day other than manifesting because you know its yours and its on it ways to you. it's knowing that you're doing it right and no stressing over finding new affirmations or techniques every other day. it's knowing that the law is just that--a LAW--and that your desires are promised. now if you're thinking "yes rem but its hard for me to know these things for a fact bc xyz and i thought u didn't need to believe etc etc" you don't! trust is as simple as letting it be. thats why i personally love doing what dylan james recommends and telling myself it is done and forcing myself to think of something other than my manifestation. (i dont remember if i linked u this post in my last response but here is more on the dylan james thing)

^since we r so similar in the way we think i think this might benefit u if u want to give it a try.i was wary of it at first but it was so relaxing and freeing to be able to think of something other than my desires, which i had been thinking about obsessively before i watched dylan's vids and took his advice.

you say that you always rant, complain, swear, gaslight yourself, and ask questions. so here is an example of an inner convo u could do for self-concept:

"omfg why do am i so good at manifesting its so annoying! this shit isn't even exciting anymore because i just get my results instantly and i barely even have to affirm 🙄 why do *i* have to be god, like out of everyone it had to be me?? like this is just so much pressure, having everything u want and more is such a huge responsibility ofc i'd have to deal with it out of everyone. its literally so fucking annoying cuz everyone is so jealous of me bc i always get everything i want but i literally just cant help it."

as for gaslighting, its good for flipping thoughts. for example, you think "i suck at manifesting :(" you would then say, "um? are u fucking stupid? look at everything u manifested dumb bitch"

if you want a routine this is what i will recommend for you:

when u wake up, if u lay in bed before getting up, hype yourself up and tell urself ur gonna have a good day! i like telling myself "something amazing is going to happen today"

throughout the day, if you're doing a mindless activity like getting ready, showering, chores, etc, do an inner convo/rampage (like the example one i gave u)

for the rest of the day, try to distract yourself. if you think of your desire, tell yourself "it is done" and force yourself to think about something else. if you have a negative thought, just flip it quickly and think about something else.

fall asleep listening to the dylan james affirmation tape. its literally a miracle worker i swearrr

if you don't want a routine then u dont have to do that but i would recommend it

ik it can be hard not to give into your negative thoughts and spiral, but if u really want ur dream life, put in the effort and force yourself to let those thoughts go. ik it can be comforting to think of the old story or beat yourself up, but overall its just hurting you and does not serve you.

i hope this helps<3

[archerdaryl]

I’ll Be Delicate

The reader shows Daryl Dixon that there’s still peace to be found in this world with soft words and delicate fingers.

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Word Count: 2.1k (approximately) Tags: sweet and soft with some humour n gloom, sfw Notes: Anon requested a simple hair braiding fic and I had to be extra and turn it into an entire comfort fic. I’m not sorry. 

@bakedcrispss​ @phoenixblack89​ @btsiguess-kpop​

Lanterns burnt low and the smell of sage and tobacco lingered in the air throughout the small but comfortable basement on the far side of Alexandria. In the middle of the room was a large sofa, plush with semi-clean clothes stacked up on one half while a sleepy Belgian Malinois lay on the other, still and complaisant. 

Daryl Dixon, on the other hand, sat at his makeshift desk by the window. In one hand, a sharp dagger, the other an arrow he had been cutting away at for the past hour. His skin was pink and freckled and his hair damp, freshly showered after a gruelling day outside of the walls that ended in blood and tears. 

Losing someone in the community was never easy. He almost felt he should have been thankful it wasn’t somebody he was particularly close to, but that shit hardly mattered since he and Rick had to go back and let the poor bastard’s wife know he wasn’t coming home. 

He couldn’t bring himself to think about it now that he was back within the safety of Alexandria, not with all he had waiting for him there. He didn’t think he could cope with where his mind would take him, so instead he took to working with his hands — carving and cutting until his mind emptied and he didn’t have to think at all.

Eventually the stairs creaked and Daryl glowered to himself, figuring it would be Carol checking in on him again. He loved her, she was his best friend, but sometimes she just did too much. When the inevitable knock on wood came, he looked up ready to grunt in acknowledgment. Instead, his features softened, his chest heaving with relief.

It was you.

The corners of your mouth quirked into a sweet smile as you stepped through the doorway. He noticed it didn’t reach your eyes and he reached out to you, taking your hand and gently pulling you closer to him where he could wrap a muscular arm around the back of your thighs and look up at you with those crystalline blues. 

You placed your arm around his shoulder, fingers immediately finding their way to the hair at the nape of his neck. You played with it absentmindedly, your sole focus on the man before you, eyes so full of curiosity and care. 

“Now how is it you’re cleaner than I am?” 

Daryl smirked in response and squeezed you lightly. You were certainly grubbier than he was, but he didn’t care one bit considering grubby was his default state. The old shirt you were wearing was torn at your midriff and it took him a moment to realise it was one of his. He pulled at the tear carefully, thankful only to find a graze rather than something worse.

“Yer back early.” He finally acknowledged.

You hummed in response, fingers now tenderly raking through the archer’s hair to reveal more of the gruff face you liked so much. You took in his features, tracing every scar and drawing together every freckle. 

“Mich’ radioed through. Hilltop had one too many people to spare anyway.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn’t question it. If Michonne wanted to grant him a little bit of peace after the day they’d had, who was he to say no? Besides, Hell itself would freeze over before he ever turned you away. 

“I like you like this.” You continued, “All soft and warm.”

“Yeah?”

A year or so ago he would have resented being called soft. It was a fighting word, something his idiot brother would use to provoke him into doing something reckless, but when it came from your lips it felt like he was being awarded a Purple Heart. 

Sure, you were talking about his shower fresh skin, but that didn't matter. You reminded him that he had been brave and let you in, that after years of being alone and afraid, he had earned the right to be soft. 

Pulling away from his grip, your hands came to your belt buckle. You unfastened it and slowly shimmied out of the dark blue jeans that were stained with speckles of old Walker blood. That old shirt of Daryl’s you’d been wearing, tucked in at the waist, fell free halfway down your thighs.

“Like a damn dress on you, girl.” 

You shot a playful scowl at him and sauntered towards the couch, moving the pile of clothes to another surface before collapsing onto the cushion with a grunt. Dog perked up and you scratched him behind the ears.

“Not like you to complain.” You sighed. 

Watching you like this, comfortable and free, Daryl felt something building in his chest. It wasn’t panic. Maybe it was fear? He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew he wanted to wrap himself up in you like you were wrapped up in his shirt. Anything to keep you close so he never had to worry about you not coming home.

“Weren’t complainin’.”

It was your turn to reach out to him, coax him over from his attempts of escape. You may have been exhausted, but losing anyone from the community was a nasty reminder of how fragile this life really was. 

Daryl stood and mosied over. Dog was comfortable right where he was next to you, though Daryl wouldn’t try to get rid of him even if he wanted to. You shuffled up a bit, angling yourself against the inner corner before tugging on his forearm — a silent plea to give into you and just be. He spent so much of his time looking out for you, making sure you were okay that it also became a way of making himself feel better. You loved him for it, but you desperately wanted to take care of him too.

He finally sat. It was a start. You kept your fingers on his skin, your thumb caressing it gently and he turned his head to watch your hand at work. His eyes soon drifted to your legs. They were bruised but still strong and inviting. You pulled at him again and he finally met your gaze. 

“I’m right here.” You assured him, “I’m not going anywhere.”

But you could. That was what was tearing him apart.

Daryl eventually nodded and shuffled up, taking your legs and placing them over his lap so that you were practically sitting on him but not quite. He loved the weight of you, loved you dressed in nothing but one of his old band shirts so that he could flex his hand against the warmth of your thighs. You were his anchor, keeping him from spiralling just by being right there in your arms. 

With one arm wrapped around his broad shoulders, you used your free hand to trace the far side of his jaw with your thumb. He leaned into your touch and you sweetly kissed his shoulder before pulling him in closer to you, the hand behind his head now weaving into his hair again.

“Think Dog is getting jealous.”

A soft snort escaped him then, “I’d be jealous too.”

“Don’t need to be. You got me.”

He adjusted his position, allowing himself to lean into you a little bit more. You continued to play with his hair, twirling it between your fingers. The tension in his body slowly began to melt away, evident from the long exhale that drew from his lips. 

“Still don’ know how the fuck tha’ happened.”

And that was the truth. To this day Daryl had no idea what you saw in him. You could tell him to his face -- in fact you had -- and he’d still question it. He’d grown up believing he was no good but even if that were the case then, again, who the fuck was he to deny you? 

“The world works in mysterious ways Daryl Dixon.” A smirk tugged at your lips, “That and I had to make the first move.”

“Shuddup.” He retorted quickly, “Woulda’ done it eventually.”

It was your turn to laugh. Looking back on your journey together, it was honestly miraculous you’d ended up where you were at all. He was oblivious when it came to women and you weren’t exactly someone that was easy to pin down. Your affection for him snuck up on you, but once it hit you it did so with full force and you weren’t going to risk not knowing.

“I almost wish I’d waited now.”

“‘M glad ya’ didn’t.“ He confessed, squeezing your thigh with his calloused hand, “‘M glad you’re here.”

You pressed a kiss to his temple then wiggled, adjusting your position so that you could angle yourself against him comfortably. You could use both of your hands to play with his hair now. He didn’t even try to pretend he didn’t like it, because he did. He liked all of the attention you gave him. 

“So, how would you have done it?”

“Dunno. Don’ matter now.” His brow quirked as he glanced at you, “I kissed ya first. Don’ that count for somethin’?”

Well, there was that. It was one of few times Daryl had truly caught you off guard. You were pissed off about something, wouldn’t stop going on and on at him even though it wasn’t his fault. 

“In my defence, you kissed me to shut me up.”

“Worked didn’ it?”

“Haven’t gotten rid of me since.” 

Delicate fingers had taken a few thin strands of his hair, tucking them one behind the other aimlessly to form a subtle braid as you both reminisced. You sometimes couldn’t believe how long his hair had gotten, but you quite liked it. You never took too much off when he let you cut it. 

“Wouldn’t ever.” He mumbled shyly, “Ain’t gon’ get luckier than this.”

“Not sure I’d call it luck. Been through too damn much for the world not to pay it forward.” You truly believed your words as they spilled from your lips, “We deserve a bit of good. You deserve it.”

Whether he agreed or not, he wasn’t sure how to respond. If it were true, he had already gotten that little bit of good by finding you. He would be perfectly happy if that was all the good he ever got in this new world of blood and rot. He didn’t need anything more. He couldn’t help but wonder if you felt the same. 

You were partially preoccupied, braiding his hair gently piece by piece and savouring the sweet moment between you both. His hand caressed your thigh, traced circles with his fingers while you leaned into each other’s touch. It set your skin aflame, poked coals in the pit in your stomach, but you pushed that feeling down until when or if he pulled you in.

Truthfully, you didn’t think much about the future anymore. You couldn’t afford to. It put you on edge, made you panic and do stupid things. It was easier to live in the moment and appreciate what you had, and waking up to Daryl everyday was more than you ever expected to have when you were first taken in at Alexandria. Hell, you felt lucky to make a few friends after being on your own for so long. 

You sighed happily as you combed out the loose braid with your fingers and began again, taking thicker pieces of clean dark hair. He smelled like your shampoo which tickled you a little, but you didn’t complain. It wasn’t like he was going to seek out his own. Piece by piece, the braid grew and you could feel him relax further, the circles he was drawing on your thigh growing slower. You bet that if you turned to look, his eyes had closed. 

“The hell you doin’ girl?” He finally mumbled. 

He always called you that. The way he said it made it feel like there was supposed to be a my in front of it. Sometimes if you were being especially irritating he’d slip a lil in there as if that was supposed to deter you, but it never did.

“Shhh. Stay still.” The response came with a soft chuckle. 

As you finished another braid, you admired your work with a grin. His eyes flit open as if he knew you were up to something, brows soon furrowing as he looked at you. It wasn’t long until they relaxed, that smile of yours turning him into putty in your hands. 

“Do I wanna know?”

“Do you wanna know I’ve been braiding your hair for the last… however long.” Your words were dry, bordering on teasing, “No, probably not.”

That infamous scowl of his tugged at his grizzly features, though there was no bark to his bite. You cupped his face, gently coaxing it towards you. 

“This suits you.”

He thought you suited him too. 

[vs-redemption]

Hi. Not sure if request are allowed (idk what I'm doing) but wondering if you could write something like aizawa finds out reader was sexually abused when they were younger...maybe comforts them and helps them through a panic attack? Holds them while they cry kinda stuff.. It would mean a lot to me (give me all the comfort...I need it 😫)

From Cindy: Hey anon. Requests are definitely allowed. I’m sorry it took me a while to get to this. I hope you are doing all right, and I hope you can get some comfort from this ♥

Dirty (Aizawa x Reader)

⚠️mentions of sexual abuse, Panic Attack, Hurt/Comfort ⚠️

Of all the decisions you’d made in your life, agreeing to go on a date with Shota Aizawa was turning out to be one of the better ones. Even after the awkward stiffness of the first few times going out disappeared, the man continued to be extremely gentle, patient, and kind. Many people looked for these exact traits in a partner, but they were even more important to you. With the experiences of your past like a constant shadow looming over you, even just convincing yourself to put yourself out there to try and meet new people was a difficult issue to overcome. So, finding a partner who could not only accept the fact that these traumatic things had happened to you but also help you move past them was even more unlikely.

Admittedly, you hadn’t shared the horrors from your younger years with your hero boyfriend yet, but you were starting to feel like you might be able to open up to him about it soon. The fear that he would lose interest in you and leave every time you shrugged off his affection had begun to ease away. He’d looked confused the first couple times you’d pushed him away, but not once had he looked annoyed or gotten angry. For a while, you had also worried that he would ask about your odd behavior, but that hadn’t happened yet either. Aizawa seemed to understand and respect your need for space and to move at a slower pace through the relationship.

“Today I will tell him.” You promise your reflection in the mirror one morning as you get ready for the day. Aizawa was scheduled to come over to have dinner with you after his patrol, and you thought it was as decent an opportunity as any to finally expose your dark secret.

You were feeling fairly confident about it until you turned on the TV right as the local newscaster launched into a story about a young child who’d apparently gone through a similar situation as yourself. As quickly as you can, you change the channel and try not to let the disturbing report trigger any of the memories that so often haunted you.

After convincing yourself that you’d be all right and that you just needed a distraction, you grab your keys and head to the supermarket to pick up the ingredients you’d need for dinner that evening. The harder you tried not to think about the child from the news though, the more it seemed to pop into your head. Soon, familiar images from your past began to consume your thoughts, making your stomach roll and skin itch uncomfortably.

“Dirty.” The word slips from your lips as you rush back home, avoiding the stares of people around you who you were convinced knew every single terrible detail of the memories currently rushing through your mind. You toss the groceries onto the ground once you make it back, more concerned with getting rid of the filthy feeling all over your body than putting the food away. You rush to the bathroom, eager to scrub every inch of yourself until the shame went away.

By the time Aizawa showed up, you felt more composed. You’d managed to put yourself back together after the shower and get all the groceries put away, hopefully leaving your boyfriend none the wiser about the rough day you’d had.

“Smells good in here,” He smiles as he comes in the door, slipping out of his shoes and tucking his feet into the pair of slippers you kept at the entrance for him. “Anything I can do to help?”

“N-no, I’ve got it.” You bite your bottom lip to try and keep your mind focused. The warmth and genuine kindness in his eyes made a wave of guilt wash over you, and your thoughts began to spiral. How long had you been with Aizawa now? How long had you been deceiving a good man? You shake your head, reminding yourself that you had every intention of telling him. Still, you couldn’t help but wonder if he deserved someone better than you… someone less… tainted. Without realizing, your hands had begun to shake and your breathing become labored.

“Hey, is everything all right?” Aizawa’s hand appears in front of you to take your hands into his but you rip out of his grasp and back away, hot tears finally springing forward and blurring your vision. The shock stays on his face for just a moment before morphing into concern as he whispers your name softly.

“No!” You shake your head. “You can’t. We can’t. I’m just… I’m sorry. You should be with … someone else. Someone better.” You were too upset to form coherent sentences, and Aizawa was clearly confused.

“What are you talking about?” He asks softly, “What brought this on?”

You couldn’t believe his patience and self-control. Why wasn’t he getting angry? You could see it in his posture that he was holding himself back from rushing over to you. Even now, he was giving you space and remaining calm. This wasn’t the way you wanted him to find out, but you found that you couldn’t keep the truth in any longer. With a choked sob, the truth spills from your lips. You explain as quickly as you can how your body had been violated against your will, and how that made you feel too disgusting to be with anyone, especially someone as good as him. Aizawa looked stunned as he took in your confession. Then, his eyes were also filling with tears as you told him sadly that you understood if he wanted to leave.

“I’m not leaving,” he states without hesitation, “not unless you tell me to.” Seeing you standing across the room with your shoulders hunched and shaking as you continued to cry was breaking his heart. “The only disgusting thing is the person who did those things to you.” He wipes the wetness from his own cheeks before taking a hesitant step forward. “Please, can I hold you?”

The nagging self-doubt was still in the back of your head, but you still manage to force your feet to shuffle forward until you’re close enough for Aizawa to pull you firmly into his arms and safely against his chest. “I’m so sorry that happened to you,” He murmurs softly while letting his hand rub slow circles on your back to try and calm you down. “And I would never leave you over something that wasn’t your fault.” The comforting words bring about a fresh wave of tears and you wrap your arms around his waist, fingers fisting into his shirt to keep him close. You stay embraced for a few minutes as your breathing calms down and you start to relax, Aizawa telling you how strong and brave you are the whole time.

“T-the food,” you mutter as the timer on the stove goes off. Reluctantly you pull away and turn to grab some oven mitts, but your hands are still shaking.

“Let me,” Aizawa offers and you let him take the dish from the oven and set it on the counter. Before you can say another word, he pulls you back into his arms and you let out a teary laugh.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all this sooner,” you nuzzle your face into his chest. “I just… I just couldn’t.”

“It’s okay,” Aizawa shakes his head. “You don’t have to be sorry about that. Please tell me I never did anything to make you uncomfortable.”

“No, you’re perfect.” You look up and smile at him so he knows how honest you’re being. “More than perfect.”

“I hope you know I feel the same way about you,” He says seriously.

“Even now?” You can’t help but ask.

“Even now.” He confirms with a nod of his head.

The confidence of his answer caused that small hope in your chest to bloom into true happiness. For so long, you’d hoped to find someone you were not only comfortable enough with to divulge the trauma of your past, but also someone you could trust enough to join in your journey of self-healing. Aizawa seemed to fit every category and then some with flying colors. Agreeing to go on that first date with him had definitely been one of the best decisions of your life.