#as WEAKNESS and therefore to him having them means hes weak and turns his entire worldview on his head

[risestarkiss]

Being Baby Blue

Rise Ramblings #313

Leonardo Hamato is…an interesting individual.

As a middle child, he doesn’t have to shoulder the responsibilities of the oldest, nor is he fawned upon or babied over like the youngest. Therefore, he ends up having more of a lackadaisical approach to life.

In his free time, instead of training like Raph, Leo can normally be found reading comic books.

And for good reason! Someone has to be up on the latest issues of Jupiter Jim and his space odysseys.

But, other than being a Jupiter Jim superfan, who is Leonardo Hamato?

If you ask Leo, he's...*takes out a list*: “Primetime,” “First,” “The Best,” “Number One,” “The Champion,” or some other iteration of all of the above.

...Huh. Anyways...

Of course, the first thing Leo would tell you is that he's the team's "Face Man."

As the "Face Man," he’s the one that turns up the charm when they need to schmooze their way out of, or into, something.

He's the face of the group! It's a very important title, right?

Well, in this scene with Hueso, we learn what Leo really feels about his place on the team.

"There's no team with just a face man." "I'm nothing without them."

Hmm. If he thinks that he is nothing without his brothers, then what's the deal with all of this "Number One" and "Champion" talk?

I believe that Leo is exhibiting a form of Reaction Formation.

Reaction Formation is a primitive defense mechanism that involves transforming one's unacceptable feelings or emotions into the opposite.

"Solicitude may be a reaction-formation against cruelty...romantic notions of chastity and purity may mask crude sexual desires, altruism may hide selfishness, and piety may conceal sinfulness."

Leo has been creating these grandiose titles and this larger-than-life persona for himself as a means to cope with his feelings of insecurity, his anxieties, and combat his self-deprecation.

Gee, forming a larger-than-life persona to counteract their suppressed feelings also reminds me of someone else we know…

But, I digress...

Behind the fabrications, his insecurities, who he pretends to be, and who he wants to be, the real Leo is still on display, starting as early as the first episode.

He's attentive, he understands the team's strengths and weaknesses, he assesses situations, he comes up with great plans on the fly, and he is a voice of reason.

These are all the characteristics of a great leader.

However, something happens when he’s actually appointed as such.

There he goes again. He's cocky, arrogant, and act's as if he's unphased even by the prospect of loosing his brothers. If this is Reaction Formation, then what is he trying to mask with these behaviors?

Previously, he was masking his insecurities, his anxieties, and his self-deprecation, but with the faces he pulls when he thinks no one can see them, I want to say the newest emotion is fear.

He is terrified of being the leader and floundering under his new responsibilities. He's scared of the consequences of his actions, and what those consequences may mean for his brothers. However, instead of voicing his insecurities, or communicating with his team, he doubles down and falls back into old habits.

The "Face Man" persona is turned up to an 11, and things get worse and worse until...

His greatest fears have been realized.

He has failed as a leader. He has failed his brothers. He has failed to stop the invasion, and they are all going to die because of his failures.

Now he's faced with the harsh reality of his own mistakes, thus he finally faces himself.

"It's scary to be responsible for the lives you protect, your team...your family. But we do it anyway because that's what it means to be a hero."

He may be speaking to Raph, but he's talking about himself.

His words are his true feelings, the same feelings that have been holding him back this entire time. By opening up, he's able to surrender to himself and let it all go.

And it's the breakthrough we all have been waiting for.

What Leo doesn't know is that through letting go, he's able to become the true face of the group he is destined to be.

He's the face of hope.

○○○○

Previous | Being Big Red

Next | Being Purple ○ Part One • Being Purple ○ Part Two • Orange, Baby!

Finale | Being Hamato Yoshi

[thevoidstaredback]

Tim was curious. Maybe a little addicted to whatever the hell was in that coffee, he's still standing by the point that no other coffee will ever be enough, but that's not the point.

He wants answers. The Justice League want answers. No one has been able to get them. Because Phantom stays in the House of Mysteries, no one but the JLD can actually get time him. The Supers have tried listening out for him, but magic is something they're weak against and therefore can't hear through. Batman has tried to get into the House, but he's been sent everywhere else for his attempts. They would track him down as a civilian, but no one actually knows if he has a civilian disguise. It's very hard to hide hair that starkly white and skin pale enough to be blue.

Regardless, everyone wanted answers and Tim was determined to be the one to get them. Why does Phantom claim to be thirty-eight, fourteen, and eighteen all at the same time? Where did he come from? When did he die? How did he die? What the hell is in his coffee because damn was it good!

Off topic.

Tim had the rest of the Titans return to the tower while he stayed out. It'd be easier to track if he was the only one doing it. Besides, these guys work with Raven, they won't hurt him. Probably.

The fact that Phantom apparently smelled like death was another concern Tim had. Was it because he was dead? And what did Constantine mean that 'the smell lingers'?

More questions kept popping up like goddamn daisies, and there was no answers to clip them down. Tim was getting frustrated, to say the least.

***

Danny made an effort to at least try and help Constantine with the demon problem the building was having. Honestly, it wasn't even that bad, in Danny's humble opinion. The demon was just messing with people, not hurting anyone or stealing anything! He was, at most, planting minor inconveniences everywhere.

That's not technically his monkey, though, and it was most definitely not his circus. He figured he'd offer to be helpful, though, if only so that Constantine would owe him a favor. A favor he already knows how he's going to cash in.

"Why'd you really want to tag along?" Constantine asked Danny while they searched for the demon.

"What do you mean? You offered to bring me along."

"Yeah, but that's because you need to get out of the House more."

"Funny, coming from you."

"I spend more time outside of the House than I do inside." the Brit scoffed, "Now tell me why you agreed to come along. This is demon hunting. You only ever go ghost hunting."

Danny sighed and ran his left hand through his hair. Not that he could feel it, stupid nerve damage. "Deadman's been on my ass about my first trip to Gotham. I would've left to go find some place to crash, but the entire Justice League is also on my ass for some reason! I'd honestly rather not have to face any of them."

"You've been to Gotham?" Constantine asked, "When?"

Danny groaned, "Not you, too!"

"Whoa, okay, okay. You don't need to share with the class."

"Sorry."

"You better be."

"Hey!"

"Now tell my why the JL proper are after you?"

A sigh. "You remember at that meeting when Red Robin mistook my drink for his?"

"Yeah. Hard to forget. You freaked everyone out a little bit."

"Yeah. Turns out they all have questions that I don't want to answer. Avoiding them all has been the best way to not answer."

"You know you can't dodge them all forever."

"I know, but I really don't want to have to explain anything!" he whined, "The questions that they'll end up asking are gonna be really painful to answer."

A raised eyebrow. "How do you know what they'll ask?"

"Because everyone always asks the same things. Worded differently, but still that same."

"Then refuse to answer."

Danny met Constantine's eyes with a deadpan glare. "You're gonna look me in the eye and tell me that the Justice League and their sidekicks will leave me alone if I tell them 'no'?" He shook his head. "Lying's a bad habit, old man."

Constantine rolled his eyes as he went for his lighter, remembering they were were in a no smoke zone and retracting his hand. "Don't sass me, brat. Wonder Woman and Superman, at the very least, would back off. They'd get everyone else to, too."

"What about Batman and his brood?"

"Touche." the man said, "But you can't hide from them forever."

"I can try,"

"But you'll fail."

Another groan. "Can we just get this thing over with? I want to lock myself in the basement and wallow."

Part 5 Part 7

Tag List:

@zaiothe4th @someonebored0100 @wolfeyedwitch @angelheartgamer @nymanders @princessbelix @luminanightfall @kgne-k @bianca-hooks123 @reigning-catsanddogs @sassywombatranchhorse @dontfightmecauseillcry @soul-lime @anarinette @serasvictoria02 @the-chaos-goblin-child @confusedshades @caicie @fantasticstoryteller @randomshtickidk @itsberrydreemurstuff

[stars-and-clouds]

When I started playing the game in early access and didn't know how complex astarion was, I was sure whenever I chose a kind or innocent option and he said I'm 'sweet,' that he is laughing at me, mocking me or probably thinks that I'm weak for being so nice and caring. But, having played the entire game I have learnt that someone being innocent and 'sweet', especially to Astarion, is Astarion's weakness. He can't help but feel affectionate or protective towards them.

While he may think it's naive and stupid doesn't mean he doesn't value it. I think it's because he believes niceness to be stupid that he wants to protect it in people he likes because they can be taken advantage of.

Astarion was so young when he was turned, I feel he lost his innocence too quickly at an age he should have retained it. Therefore, I think whenever he sees innocence in people he wants to protect it. Hence running away from that sweet boy in his first decade of slavery, remembering the virgin Sebastian, who hadn't even had his first kiss, despite having met him 170 years ago and one should remember that Astarion has forgotten most of his victims, but he remembers Sebastian.

Astarion values innocence, hence genuinely vowing to you that he won't attack innocents to feed which caught me off guard first time because I didn't believe he was capable of that. He will be happy to help innocents like Mayrina and Yenna but not others who can help themselves or got themselves into their problem. He pities the charmed victims in Cazador's tower because they're blameless but thinks the servants who are voluntarily serving Cazador deserve their fate.

He values if you're nice to him. His response to most 'best' options (which is usually the first one) is many times something along the lines of- "How sweet.". He is also the only companion, within my knowledge, who calls you his 'sweet' when romanced.

✨

Gif made by @ishaslife

[bottombaron]

So after staring into the middle distance for a couple days I'm ready to start discussing some theories I have before the season finale destroys us. They are all very wide-ranging in absurdity but I'll start with the one that I think has the most substance and therefore I think is most likely to happen. Also, I haven’t caught up with the tag yet so if someone already posted these theories, sorry! 

So here is Theory #1, known otherwise as,

Why (I think) I know how Laszlo is going to unfuck Guillermo

The solution, I believe, was stated at the very end of The Roast by Laszlo himself: 

FIRST THOUGHT, BEST THOUGHT

Laszlo has spent weeks deeply committed to solving a problem. He's wasted precious time trying to outthink his first (and probably best) solution – and I'm not just talking about his book sorting. Neither was Laszlo, not entirely at least. I actually do think he was focused at least a little bit on his books because that's kind of what happens when you're stuck on a problem. Your brain wanders to other much less taxing ordeals. Usually, as you solve that smaller problem, you find the solution to the thing you really want to solve. 

So what was Laszlo’s first idea?

All along Laszlo had the answer but Guillermo told him that he didn't think it would work, so Laszlo just didn't pursue it further. (We don't even know if Laszlo knows the circumstances of the test and why it didn't work. Just that Guillermo didn't approve that idea.) So then Laszlo wasted valuable time and energy trying to ~Science~ this problem instead of using his true best skill that was showcased in episode one of the season: his charm. His powers of persuasion (the classical art of bullshitting, as it were) is his true super power. (Sadly, it’s not science. He doesn't really have the patience for science tbh).

But, no, rly, he should bullshit his way thru this. That's what he does best. He can outthink Nandor easily. (well….maybe. with the time spent on his experiments, Nandor could have the advantage of several weeks, if not months, to figure things out beforehand, as dense as he is) He should concoct a bullshit so impenetrable that it unfucks Guillermo from Derek and refucks him to Nandor. 

Further foreshadowing of this you ask?

(this whole season is dedicated to ‘plans’ it’s crazy how much A Plan pops up. maybe i’ll dedicate a separate post to collecting them all)

But alas! The test that The Baron did proved this wouldn’t work, right!?

Well here's some free additional theories to how Laszlo could solve that hiccup:

1. Laszlo figures out (and solves) the reason why The Baron/Neighbor test didn't work in the first place.

There could be any number of factors of why The Baron's neighbor blew up. It could be that The Baron is all that more powerful than the average vampire and so his bite gives an extraordinary fill of uh...vampire-ness? and Derek, being so young and weak, doesn't do much at all. Maybe it has something to do with The Sire. If The Baron was turned by the first being ever affected by vampirism, then maybe that vampirism is slowly depleted the further down the line you go. Derek is probably very far removed from The Sire which means he cannot transfer much of that affliction onwards. Nandor, if he was turned by The Baron (one removed from The Sire) or someone similar, explains how he is so powerful, hopefully tho he wouldn’t have too much power to possibly overwhelm Guillermo's half-a-virgin body (and yes I did like how kinky that sounded when I wrote it). It doesn't really matter the exact reason as long as Laszlo can convince Guillermo to try it and he has a relatively decent chance of surviving it. (convincing Guillermo to go thru with this plan overall is probably going to be the most trouble actually. you don't easily forget a guy exploding in your face)

2. Something to do with the experiments. (or the Nadja’s bait-and-switch tactic she used to catch The Baron/Guillermo from The Roast)

I have a larger theory on the experiments and why I think there's still one in the house, but that's for later. During The Roast, Nandor is pretty convinced that the mutant Guillermo is the real one (despite one pretty big glaring error: he has no glasses. none of the experiments need glasses...), Laszlo might have been testing this theory by having The Baron bring his body to Nandor in the first place in order to see how convinced Nandor would be by it. This might be enough for Laszlo to try to use a duplicate of Guillermo for Nandor to bite. The duplicate will not explode (probably?) due to only being a hybrid of Guillermo's blood and an animal…or something(one) else pretending to be Guillermo… (and if it does, maybe Laszlo plans to shoo Nandor out of the line of sight in order for him not to see. And then you get the angst and drama of Guillermo literally using a scapegoat to take his 'sin' despite his reluctance to hurt innocent creatures)

But will the fake Guillermo actually convince Nandor? It's hard to say, and I love that threat of Nandor realizing that it's not the true Guillermo he bit and feeling even more betrayed. Maybe Laszlo concocts a whole ambiance to the event in order to sell the lie. It has to be special right?

So there's dim lights and candles and (fake) Guillermo is laid out in Nandor's coffin and there's this whole presentation element to it that was left out of Guillermo's turn with Derek. It's more like the fantasy that Guillermo probably always had of being turned by Nandor. It plays out like a romantic love scene. But Guillermo is asleep or has his eyes closed and won't talk or maybe only makes small noises and Nandor's very upset abt this. Laszlo is probably hovering too and Nandor doesn't like that either but Laszlo insists he must be there and it's now it's all awkward and wrong, kind of like how Guillermo felt before he was bit by Derek. (now it’s like Nandor is the bull cucking Laszlo in front of him) Nandor goes thru with it and bites Guillermo and is rushed by Laszlo so he doesn't get to drink or drink too much of his blood and there's fumbling with trying to get his own blood into Guillermo's unresponsive mouth.

Or maybe Nandor finds out because Guillermo's blood is disgusting and he either knows or had hoped it would be good tasting*. or that Guillermo just lays there and there's no reciprocation of desire. But maybe he just doesn't find out and once it's over he expects to be able to lay with Guillermo or otherwise be there for his turning but Laszlo quickly rushes him out of his own room and closes the door behind him.

So now Nandor feels all the same despondency that Guillermo had felt with his turn with Derek. Like this big special moment he's built up for years was a complete dud. Like he missed out on something truly magical and he doesn't know why. And Guillermo will feel like shit too, for tricking Nandor. Laszlo isn't happy either. But it worked and they all just have to live with it. Meanwhile this act that was meant to make Nandor's and Guillermo's bond stronger, only serves to create even greater distance between them. 

Re*: evidence that Guillermo's blood might taste 'different':

3. ANYWAYS. that was theory two. lets talk about theory 3.

WITCHES.

I actually think there's good reason Laszlo has divorced Science and is now going to have an affair with Magic. It's exactly when Nadja says 'has this hex turned me into an uggo' that Laszlo comes to life and exclaims ‘that's it!’. If science wasn't the solution, maybe magic is. It's not like they don't know some witches, or that, at least to a degree, witches actually have some power. (specifically the power to look, vaguely, like someone else.) I'm not certain of the specifics but there's a chance Laszlo could be turning to magic to solve his problems. This would also bring Nadja's storyline more relevant and in focus for the season. The thing I like the most about this theory? Episode 9 describes being invited to a manor owned by someone named Morrigan. Morrigan is a Celtic goddess of war and fate that was probably the inspiration for Arthurian legendary sorceress, Morgan le Fay. (Laszlo's name may also be connected to Arthurian legend, Lancelot. but that probably doesn't mean anything.)

So! That's my three extra theories attached to this one big theory that Laszlo is going to go 'back to the beginning' and use his first thought to solve this. Go with his gut. His first solution was his best solution, all along.

…He simply needs to convince Nandor to turn Guillermo.

The, uh, details of this plan may be a lot more complicated than it suggests.

[hallowpen]

The Influence of Thai Culture on Attitudes towards Disabilities as it Relates to Last Twilight

(This is a combination of personal experiences/observations having lived in Bangkok and my learned academic knowledge/own personal research. I am not an expert by any means, but I wanted to offer some insight from my own personal point of view.)

While Thailand has certain provisions in place to prevent disability discrimination, it is still very much present in Thai society. Disability legislation is not strictly enforced and accessibility is extremely limited. That is not to say that efforts aren't being made to promote education and inclusivity, just that views and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been slow to reform. As such, there is a negative stigma that exists in Thailand where disabled individuals are, for the most part, seen as a burden or an inconvenience. There are certain cultural aspects that, unfortunately, contribute toward this outlook:

Collectivism and Tradition - Thailand can be labeled as a collectivistic society. What that means is, there is a tendency to favor the 'grouped' majority over individual interests. As a result, individuals with disabilities are less likely to be integrated into their communities. The urge to conform to group rules and traditions hinders Thai society from accepting "disruptive" change. Communities prefer to avoid the uncertainty and ambiguity of the unknown, which reduces the amount of conversations centering around disability education. I stated in my review of LT, that there needed to be a deeper conversation surrounding the experiences and realities of the disabled community in order for the series to have the impact it intended to. And this is why. It needs to be talked about, otherwise nothing will change and, much like the last part of that final episode, ableist views/language will prevail.

Religious Influence - At this point (if you are a fan of Thai dramas), you probably already know that Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand. We are taught to be merciful towards the weak and to give of ourselves to those who are less fortunate. While helping others should absolutely be seen as morally good, these viewpoints can also give rise to societal stigmas surrounding disabilities. Receiving unsolicited assistance as a disabled person became a constant question of: are you genuinely concerned out of kindness OR because you somehow see me as 'less than' and therefore feel you have a moral obligation to step in. In LT, I understood Day's insistent worry of being on the receiving end of someone else's pity. There was a reason why it was so prevalent in his story and why he questioned the motives of others' actions so frequently. Because Thai culture has inadvertently labeled disabled people as being 'frail' and 'in need' and who should, therefore, be met with sympathy.

Caregiving - While there are social welfare programs and services available in Thailand, generally, it is the responsibility of the family to care for and provide for their disabled relatives. Intergenerational care is a big part of Thai culture, but in this instance it's not entirely positive. The broader Thai society infantilizes people with disabilities, which means they are often disallowed from making their own decisions by those who care for them (sound familiar?). As a result, they live under less than ideal conditions that exclude them from being active members of their communities. It's upsetting that people with disabilities exist largely out of the public eye, when opportunities to be present in society and engaging with their community could potentially change their status and offset stereotypical attitudes. One of the best parts of LT that I will continuously praise it for, is Mhok's version of caregiving that completely turns these views on its (their?) head. He's not afraid to stand up to Day (or how Day's been conditioned to feel toward his blindness) and gently pushes him toward self acceptance and engagement within his community. Mhok is subtle in a way that he does what is required of him as a caregiver without ever taking away Day's agency. And that was extremely important to see against Day's mother's more 'traditional' care.

Treatment - I'm not well versed when it comes to Thai healthcare. I do know that outside of traditional medicine, access to more advanced modern treatment is highly dependent on income and social standing. Other than that, it is a disabled person's prerogative to seek treatment if a treatment exists for their disability and is accessible to them. It is also their prerogative to refuse treatment. Neither decision should be judged or actively swayed by outside perspectives (though this happens more often than not). It is highly plausible that someone in Day's position, coupled with his mother's status, would have both the access and the desire to receive a corneal transplant surgery. The outcome of Day's vision being restored was never the issue for me. The fault lies in its execution and what was implied in the aftermath.

...that's all I got. I don't really know how to end this...I'm tired.

(Please note, this is not at all meant to paint Thailand in a bad light. Thai society is fairly accepting of individuals with disabilities and positive attitudes do exist, but certain perspectives need to change!)

tagging @lurkingshan @waitmyturtles @shannankle

[howtofightwrite]

Followup: Oragnized Crime Recruitment

The Godfather book and the Mafia games, specifically the first Mafia game, are the closest examples of what the Original Asker wants for his game. Goodfellas is another potential example to base the process of one's recruitment into the criminal underworld. In general, recruitment in fiction is generally based on doing jobs and earning a reputation as to one's success at doing jobs. In Goodfellas, Henry Hill started off doing simple, legal-ish errands for the local mafia before the gangsters saw his potential and entrusted him with more illegal jobs. Original Asker's character could therefore be someone who is affiliated with a mobster, but not part of the inner circle until the character pulls off jobs which makes them someone worth recruiting to the organization. Or one could go the Tommy Angelo route and save a mobster's life. -ironwoodatl01

So, it's worth remembering that Goodfellas is (in broad strokes) non-fiction. Henry Hill was a real person. (1943-2012) He was an associate of the Lucchese family. There are some historical, “inaccuracies,” with the film. Though, his arrest in 1980 for narcotics, and turning state's witness is historically accurate, though the film skims over the part where he was ejected from the witness protection program in 1987. Goodfellas was adapted from Nicholas Pileggi's non-fiction book, Wiseguy. I haven't read the book, but it's plausible that some of the historical discrepancies may have come from the book.

In this case, the OP specifically wanted to avoid a background where someone grew up in the neighborhood. Which, I mean, that is their choice, but it is a very popular recruitment method, in part because it's very effective at screening out potential cops, or even recruiting potential tame cops down the line.

Ironically, thinking back now, Mafia, the original Saints Row, and Franklin's arc from GTA5 are all potential reference points for what the OP wanted, and thinking back on it now, they were asking for input on a game, rather than prose, so I should have factored that in with the original ask. The tricky thing about each of those examples is that they're dependent on a lot of very specific moving parts in their respective stories. (Though, to be fair, I barely remember the original Mafia.) None of them are strictly realistic, but they're all internally plausible, when you start factoring in the various character motivations at work.

For some reason, I'm reminded of the Thieves Guild recruitment in Skyrim, which is one of the goofiest criminal recruitments I've seen in a non-parody. Brynjolf grabs some random psychopath wandering through and says, “ah, yes, you must be a master of pickpocketing and interested in a life of crime.” Does it make any sense? Nope. Does it go a long way towards explaining why the Thieves Guild is falling apart? Yeah, kinda, when you think about it. Does the introduction work? For some players, yes.

If the player wants to get into a questline, the justification can be pretty flimsy and still work for that player. Usually we talk about suspension of disbelief like it's a universal constant, but it's individual per member of your audience. Normally, you want to do whatever you can to ensure the suspension of disbelief is as strong as possible. However, in a game, the player's own emotional investment can help shore up weak points.

I'm going to take a quote out of context (a little), but I'm reminded of a quote from Richard K. Morgan about Halo, “[it] is full of these bullshit archetypal characters and there's no real emotional effect.” And, while he was certainly dragged for that quote (and, really the entire interview, it was a mess), he wasn't wrong. The writing in Halo isn't what does the heavy lifting, a large part of that is the player's effort to get through the story. And, in basically any other medium, this would be an exceptionally bad thing.

You won't make your novel better by forcing your audience to complete reflex tests before they start each chapter.

But, with video games, the gameplay interludes, can actually build emotional investment for the player. Even on very flimsy premises.

I've often written about how writing in different mediums requires different approaches and has different strengths. If you want gorgeous combat, then live action or animation are the best forms for you story. If you want visually striking images that linger, comics might be the right choice. If you really want to get into a character's head and live there, prose will let you do that with a level of fine control that is difficult to replicate. (And, note, there's a lot of different pros and cons, so this isn't an exclusive list.) The funny thing is, if you want your audience to do the heavy lifting for suspension of disbelief, that's one of the places where video game writing really shines.

And so we loop back to the Skyrim example. Brynjolf's approach to finding new talent is absolute clown shoes, but it's something you might not notice if this is why you wandered into Riften. It only becomes a problem when you're just there to snuff Grelod the Kind, or are looking for someplace to unload all this garbage you picked up while delving into a Dwemer ruin up in the mountains.

This doesn't mean you should abandon the idea of good writing, but if your player is on the same page as you, you won't need to worry about having something completely believable. For example, the plot-line of Mafia, or (the original) Saints Row.

-Starke

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[laurentdiroseti]

{Azul Ashengrotto x gn/MC}

"I'll take you deep"

Tags: tentacles, magic potion, smut, tag play, lil bit yandere behavior...

Azul: "you know? Long ago some people said mermaids where fake, what a joke right?"

You didn't know why he brought up that subject. As oblivious as you were, the grin in his face made crystal clear he wasn't having any good intentions.

MC: "what do you mean exactly?"

Azul: "I mean what I mean, mermaids are true and everyone loves them so I found a new way for you to pay the debt you owe me"

You surely don't like where this is going. When Azul has an idea is impossible to make him stop it midway. The chills down your back made you take a slight step back.

Azul: "there's nothing to worry about. You just have to drink this pink liquid and your body will change into a merfolk. But, a word of caution-"

Before he could end the sentence you were running out of his chamber and all across the Mostro Longue. Perhaps, you are lucky it's only the two of you there, since the eel siblings were too busy in a school trip kind of adventure. Those two could stop you for sure, but you knew Azul wasn't that good at sports, so that would give you an advantage.

Or that's what you thought.

Suddenly, something cold grabbed your ankle and you fell on the ground.

When you look down you saw a pitch black tentacle slowly twirling around your leg.

Azul: "I sure don't like to show my true form, but since there's nobody but us here, I don't really care. After all, some sacrifices are needed in business... like your legs I suppose".

He started to come closer. You could feel the gooey and slimmery texture of his tentacles around both of your legs going up your body. You tried to take them away, but he was way too strong and, just for fun, he grabbed your hands too.

Azul: "well, now that you can't move we can start our magic trick. It's a shame you can't use your hands, I suppose I have to make you drink it myself. Now, open wide..."

You fastly closed your lips and gave him a death stare. How could you know that it only turn him on? He loved that situation. After being the one bullied in the past, being in control was extremely exciting for him.

Azul: "don't look at me like that. I'm a predator after all, darling. If you continue being stubborn I'll have to get violent"

Not even a second passed and he was already kissing you with all his might. You felt his tongue pressing against your lips, but you would not give in. Therefore, he moved one of his tentacles up between your tights and made pressure on your intimate parts. That made you jolt and open your mouth a little. Given that opportunity, he didn't hesitate to put his tongue in and explore the inside of your mouth entirely. You didn't know he had such a long tongue, he played with yours, pressing it, grabbing it, making circles around it. You stopped thinking for a frame of a second. Pleasure and lack of air were making you weak on your already held knees.

When you were about to fade, he let go and let you grasp air just to fill your throat with that magical beverage. He watched silently as you swallow everything.

Azul: "as I was saying before. Better beware, the potion could hurt a little. But it's okay it only will be ten seconds".

Your body started shaking and it hurted a lot. Your fingertips were getting numb, you started losing control of your legs, the pain made it harder and harder to breathe.

Azul: "shh, it's okay, it's okay, just hold me tight like that. I won't let you go, so just lay on me".

You did as he said, but you wouldn't let him get away with this, so you bit his neck with all your might. Then, you heard a sweet sound coming out of his mouth as the taste of iron came into your mouth.

Azul: "darling, are we getting agressive? Because, I won't be able to control myself no more".

--- to continue?

[lordofdestructionm]

Yano and Sekiguchi

More than boss and bodyguard?

These two Yakuza gangsters are a big part of the Odd Taxi manga and anime. In the show itself it is made clear that the large and intimidating Sekiguchi has a LOT of respect for his small, eccentric, rapping boss, to the point it borders on reverance.

While this could just be deference to his boss and respect for the hierarchy, he does not behave this way towards anyone else, even other higher ranked Yakuza members like Dobu. While Yano for his part is never shown seriously scolding or losing his temper with his henchman, even when the latter fails in some way, like not stopping Dobu from taking their hostage, or not checking the money they recieved was real before their arrest at the end of the series

But its the extra content for the series that makes it very clear how close this bond is.

Yano tells us in his song that Dobu refused to take him to a Yakiniku (BBQ) place because they are "the kinda place you'd take someone on a date", only for Sekiguchi to reveal in his song that Yano took him somewhere like that

Sekiguchi is shown to have a violently intense jealousy of Dobu and his history with Yano...

His talk of “being left behind” implying that he thinks he is just a "rebound" from Yano’s falling out with Dobu and that if things improve between them ("Black crows can turn white") Yano will throw him away, and that "violence is neccessary", meaning he feels he may need to "prove himself" to Yano by defeating Dobu.

This seems to be an entirely uneccessary jealousy and a paranoia of someone taking Yano away from him

Later in the same song Sekiguchi starts making clear just how much he looks after Yano, to the point he seems to behave like his butler/valet rather than just a bodyguard or hired muscle. Meaning he is going far beyond his job description to be close to him

He even gives Yano advice on buttoning up his shirt, raising the question of why Yano is shirtless in his bodyguards company

This "malewife" side to the usually terrifying enforcer is further backed up by this official art

Yano saying in his song that he "hates Dobu making him look bad in front of Sekiguchi" specifically which parallels Sekiguchi not wanting to look weak in front of Yano in the show.

They are both very concerned about looking their best in front of each other

Yano is his audio while rapping at Sekiguchi while unconscous from the fight with Dobu, and instead of being angry he lost the fight makes clear that he is hungry but that he usually relies on the big guy to help him with this sort of thing, not beinf used to using Uber etc

Tellingly he say he doesn't want to ask another henchman to bring food to their warehouse hideout as the place is "secret", impying its a place only for them

Yano calls Sekiguchi his “family”,  promises him he "won’t let him say he is lonely anymore" and that he sees them as underdogs that will rise to the top together, and that "eveyone else is fake", and therefore that they can only rely on each other

Other details include the scents sold with the Odd Taxi brand had this line attached to Sekiguchi’s bottle

Then of course there are things the Odd Taxi director himself has posted

[rimbaud-fan-page]

Read the Fifteen Light Novel and also I hate you Bones

Studio Bones looooooves screwing BSD over, and nothing is more indicative of this than the anime adaptation of Fifteen (except maybe Dazai's entrance exam because what the fuck was that).

To be fair, they did an okay job. It's nowhere near as good as the light novel but there were some changes that I did like; the soukoku hand-hold was one of them, Rimbaud's ability changing from red to gold was good, and like....very little else.

But contrasting the pros with the cons gives an OVERWHELMINGLY negative outcome, because dear lord???? The sheer amount of things they managed to mess up is borderline impressive. And it all leads back to their bastardisation of Rimbaud.

For those who haven't read the Light Novel (but assuredly will after this), Rimbaud's motivation is to kill Chuuya and absorb his memories. Why? To find his partner.

What partner you ask???

Why, were the few lines where Rimbaud offhandedly mentions his partner in passing not enough?

No???

Not ringing any bells????

See that would be because Bones REMOVED HIS ENTIRE FUCKING MOTIVATION????

Meaning all his lines about his partner? Gone. All his reasoning and character and personality? Aufwiedersen.

But why does this matter? Rimbaud is a fairly minor character as BSD goes, and whilst I love and adore him with all my heart, what damage does a couple cut lines do?

More than you could know.

Rimbaud is the main antagonist of this arc, therefore when he is misconstrued, the arc itself falls apart, his impact on Soukoku is gone, the stakes are gone, everything SUCKS (maybe I'm being petty but shush).

The gall Bones had to do this is beyond me, because tell me how they removed the antagonists ENTIRE GOAL and expected it to turn out well???? The thing that sets Rimbaud (and all BSD antagonists) apart from an average run-of-the-mill-villain is that he has a goal, and it's personal. He doesn't want to take over the mafia, although he has the clear means to, he doesn't want to blackmail Mori or betray him or gain any kind of power, he just wants his partner back.

Not only that, Rimbaud's relationship with his partner is a fantastic parallel to the relationship within Soukoku, Rimbaud himself has many aspects to his character that connect back to Dazai and Chuuya, which is why that last fight is SO IMPORTANT for them as both individuals and a duo.

Rimbaud and Dazai have a similar disconnect from the world around them and their internal emotions. Dazai is encouraged by Mori to view others as pawns, and has trouble connecting with his emotions, whereas Rimbaud deliberately does not acknowledge his emotions, as he believes they will interfere with his work. On the other hand, Chuuya is exceedingly loyal to his friends, and is able to understand Rimbaud's reasoning, as he would also do anything for his friends, just as Rimbaud is sacrificing everything to find out what happened to his partner.

Also, Rimbaud is a transcendent, one of the most powerful ability users in Europe, and yet two Fifteen year olds were able to beat him??? Either he's weak, or those are some insane fifteen year olds, and the light novel makes it clear it is not the former. Rimbaud is incredibly strong and clever, he often predicts Dazai's plans, and is able to counteract them. But he still lost, because he was up against Soukoku.

Their first victory and it's a BIG one.

And back on the topic of Rimbaud's partner, he isn't even named in the anime, why does he matter???

Paul Verlaine matters to me <3333

And in the main plot and lore of BSD too but whatever ig, I mean it's not like he's an inciting character that creates a situation that is vital to both Dazai and Chuuya's development and also changes what we understand about abilities or anything.

Not to mention Bones cut out so much of what makes Rimbaud entertaining?? I love him, but he's so boring in the anime, because they took out everything and made a cardboad cutout of a man.

He's so stupid I love him so much <33

In conclusion; Light novel good, read light novel, please please pretty please

[thevilqueen]

Undying Loyalty ~ Part 3

Pairing: Vil Schoenheit × Reader

Summary: Students are disappearing on the campus of Night Raven College and it seems your lovely friend, Vil Schoenheit, is guilty. Will your love and loyalty for him change?

A/N: Be warned that [Name] has an inexistant moral compass. Let me know what you think!

Part 1 Part 2

Vil had been turned into what was known in folklore as a vampire, he had himself deduced and shared his knowledge with [Name]. Luckily for them, there were countless books in the school library that talked about these dangerous creatures. As [Name] accompanied their best friend as he fed himself, they were able to observe many of his new abilities. Vil only fed on human blood and he had grown disgusted with normal food. Without blood, he couldn’t function and it led him to intense bloodthirst, which was a highly dangerous state as described by the many books [Name] had gathered.

Vil had been feeding well since his awakening and his victims were stabilizing. His bite alone couldn’t kill but it was used to feed and influence his victims. As a newly turned vampire, however, Vil’s level of aggression was high as [Name] had witnessed. It was unclear whether he was able to turn other people into vampires so far for he had killed all his victims before draining them of their blood entirely and none of them had resurfaced. It appeared that he wasn’t looking into turning anyone like him and he had no memories of the person that had bitten him. However, if the books were right, it was the King of Vampires’ doing. [Name] wondered if they should be worrying about that mysterious individual just yet but they figured their hands were already full with Vil.

With time it seemed that Vil was able to shapeshift. He couldn’t turn into animals just yet but he could travel as dust or vapor and pass through any cracks and crevices. However, he was only able to enter someone’s property if he was invited, which seemingly didn’t apply to [Name] as they had granted him a permanent invitation, unbeknownst to them for a while. Vil had also developed a weakness for sunlight, while it wasn’t fatal, it did take a toll on him and made it harder for him to be active by day. Unfortunately, shifting his routine completely while maintaining his studies was impossible therefore he only managed to rest a few hours per day. This lifestyle was likely the reason why he needed so much blood to sustain himself.

However, he had not bitten [Name] nor had even brought it up and they couldn’t help thinking as to why. Seemingly biting them would have granted him some sort of influence over their actions as well as some psychic powers. Moreover, Vil’s bite could change [Name] if they were to die by it. Many questions were yet to be answered by Vil and the truth was that [Name]’s mind was also clouded by the meaning of their kiss. They weren’t sure about how to address it in between walks to the graveyard in the late hours of the night. [Name] was relieved that Vil had stopped killing his victims for now only drinking blood from unaware prey. It was not ideal but it was better than what they had witnessed that night in the forest.

“You aren’t nocturnal like me, doll,” Vil reminded them as they walked under the moonlight together. “You should be resting.”

“I would rather not.”

“Why is that? Are you worried for me?” he asked, curious.

“I just want to make sure you aren’t killing anyone.”

Vil chuckled.

“As if you would be able to stop me if I tried.”

“I guess you are right but you didn’t kill me. So surely you aren’t just a monster, no?”

“What if I was?” he asked, stopping in his tracks, his violet eyes looking into theirs.

“You aren’t.”

“For now.”

“Is that true?” [Name] inquired, worry in their eyes.

The truth was Vil didn’t know. He brushed [Name]’s face gently with his fingers.

“I have changed so much. Would it be that shocking? Do you even recognize me?”

“Of course I recognize you,” [Name] immediately replied. “Why else would I be here?”

“So I’m still Vil to you? I’m Vil Schoenheit?”

They nodded enthusiastically and he chuckled.

“Don’t you feel like Vil Schoenheit?”

Vil stayed quiet for a moment. It was a difficult question. It was wrong to think that his mind had adapted to his new condition the way his body did. At first, he felt barely human. He couldn’t seem to care about anything he used to care about, all that mattered was stopping that hunger that was devouring him, bloodthirst. This was when he felt like an animal, a beast. Once that feeling disappeared however he felt like the person he was had remained and that was the hardest part of his condition. He felt corrupted and hideous and he knew he truly was now. All his life spent as a rising actor, fearing becoming the roles he was constantly assigned, felt meaningless now that he was a true evil.

Yet the scariest part of this all was that he almost felt like he was free now like something had chained his heart and self all this time. Almost like he had repressed the ugliness in him so much that letting it overflow was therapeutic. Everything he knew would inevitably perish, his career, his friends, his family and probably even him. Just like he feared, Vil would die as the villain but his heart couldn’t seem to give up, even drowned in darkness. He wanted to live, selfishly and wrongly. Maybe this was just an act of rebellion from the heart he pressured for so long to be perfect. Except he was not perfect and never had been.

“Hardly sometimes.”

“Well you are different but you are still Vil to me,” [Name] explained. “You are like a new version of yourself. I can feel that your core is the same but everything around it has shifted.”

Vil smiled at [Name]’s words before closing the distance between them, giving them a tender kiss on the lips.

“At first,” they explained, pulling away slightly, “I was unsure. I was wondering if I was just being seduced by the shape of you but it’s still you .”

“What am I to you?” he asked, his nose brushing against theirs.

“The one that holds my heart.”

“Why did it take this for you to say it?” Vil replied, pulling back but not breaking their embrace.

“I was scared, Vil. Why did it take this for you to ask me?”

“I was unsure,” he said, truthfully.

“And are you sure now?”

Vil laughed. If he wasn’t now then he would never be. Who else would love a monster so carelessly?

“I am so sure that it’s terrifying,” he replied. “You terrify me, doll.”

“Why?” they asked with a frown.

“Trust and loyalty like this is deadly. So to give it to a killer is, to say the least, interesting but you don’t think that hard do you?” he teased.

“Maybe I don’t but it’s too late now and I don’t regret it.”

“[Name] don’t you offer your heart like this to anyone ever again,” Vil warned them.

“I won’t because it’s yours.”

“I don’t need a heart, doll. I’m not alive anymore.”

[Name] stayed quiet for a moment. Vil was right. He was undead now. He was by nature not quite himself anymore.

“So you won’t hold my heart?” they asked in a small voice.

“I won’t.”

Vil could see the tears filling up [Name]’s eyes as soon as the words left his mouth.

“But I will guard it while you hold it. Do you understand?”

“I’m not sure,” [Name] admitted.

“It doesn’t matter. Just allow me to look after you while I can,” Vil concluded, kissing [Name]’s forehead tenderly.

They nodded before searching for his mouth again. It tasted like blood yet [Name] couldn’t seem to care as Vil’s tongue made its way past their lips. They kissed slowly but passionately, taking their sweet time together. Vil’s hands travelled down [Name]’s body eagerly and his mouth eventually moved down to their neck. He sucked on the skin carefully but didn’t bite them.

“Why don’t you bite me, Vil?” [Name] asked, at last, feeling him move back to kissing their jaw.

“Do you want me to bite you?”

“I do.”

“Do you know what this would do to you?” he asked.

“I do.”

Vil didn’t know how he was still surprised by [Name]’s carelessness. They visibly had fully sworn themself to him and at this point, he wasn’t quite sure what was the best way to protect them. [Name] was reckless, that much was obvious, he couldn’t know the extent to which they would go if they felt like Vil was threatened. Maybe biting them was safer. Vil wanted to bite them. Yet he didn’t want to choose selfishly. He needed to think about it for now.

“We will see, doll.”

[peachywritess]

Unmei | OT7

bangtan (OT7) x fem!reader

02 - curse

☁️ unmei – 運命 (うんめい): a noun meaning 'fate’ or ‘destiny’ in Japanese.

☁️ genre: royal!AU, OT7!AU, reincarnation!AU ; smut (eventually), angst.

☁️ Unmei will deal with very delicate and quite dark themes, so please if you are a minor, DO NOT interact. I will always put a trigger warning at the start of every chapter, so if you feel unconfortable DO NOT read. ☁️

☁️ author’s note: hello lovelies, author here! i'm so sorry for the delay, and i know i've already said i had a rough week,, but still forgive me ! <(qwq<) it's quite a short chapter and we're still introducing all the situation, but next chapter will be veery interesting >:3

☁️ chapter’s TW: mentions of death, blood, anxiety (guilt),

☁️ word count: 2,3k

☁️ taglist @shabbamadapot @jnghs @iriaachan;

! disclaimer - This story is a work of fiction. I do not own BTS and the description of them in this story does not want to reflect nor portray them in real life.

"Do you think we will ever be able to fly?"

Taehyung looked away, turning his head to his right, focusing on you. It was a beautiful day, a few clouds coating the sky and the sun warming the skin: spring was just around the corner. You were both lying down on the grass covered in morning dew, heedless of your slightly damp clothes. Your parents had no knowledge of your whereabouts since you should have been at the castle while they were on a business trip.

His dark eyes seemed to reflect the sunlight - if not emit it.

His face relaxed, and one hand was open to mask the sun to be able to look at you entirely; he gazed at you as one does with sunsets. Every time you spoke, a smile came to light on his lips, something that you hardly noticed since you were constantly lost in your thoughts, in your endless speeches that he - in fact - adored. He would listen to you talk for hours.

"We have conquered the seas, the oceans... Do you think we will never conquer the skies?"

You contemplated for a few moments, gazing at the blue vastness above you; your smallness was considerable compared to everything up there, but you still couldn't look away although frightening it was, feeling so insignificant.

"I really envy birds. They can do whatever they want. If they need to escape, they can..."

"You shouldn't." The man at your side breathed softly, still intent on analysing every detail of your face. "If you lock them in a cage, they become powerless and can do nothing. Whereas you, Y/N, you can change your fate."

Your gaze abruptly saddened, and you bit the inside of your cheek as if to mask that sign of weakness. Unlike Taehyung, you were certain that your fate would never change, and that you would forever be shackled by your status.

"Maybe you're right." You lied, knowing that - in his heart - Taehyung felt the same way.

Things happen for a reason. Or, that's what you're supposed to think when life kicks you in the stomach - luckily, you were never an hopeless optimistic, you always decided to face life, and strike harder.

A few weeks had already passed since your father's assassination and, although the King's guards had searched for the culprit, every attempt of finding them had been unsuccessful. To keep people quiet, and to avoid unnecessary riots, they had decided to hang an innocent for his death.

You had been forced to watch the hanging - being the only heir to the throne - and it was you who had given the verdict to the victim.

Yes, you considered that man a victim, since he had done nothing wrong and was tortured to confess a crime he hadn't committed. Nevertheless, you were used to the tapestry of lies woven by the royalty to prevent any type of repercussions.

He had begged you to let him live, but you could not stop reading the sentence imposed to him. It was your duty afterall, wasn't it? You had to fulfil it, no matter the consequences.

Call their bluff. Say something now, spare his life.

"I therefore sentence you to death by hanging for the conspiracy and murder of the King."

You affirmed desperately attempting to sound convinced of the words pouring out of your mouth. You never even managed to look at him in the eye as you falsely accused him, letting his fate come to such an abrupt end.

"Please, I beg you, Princess. Your soul is still pure, do not dirt your hands with blood."

Although his hands were chained, the man threw himself at your feet, bowing until his nose touched the ground.

"Stop this injustice, in the name of His Highness, your Father."

You swallowed the knot that formed in your throat, frowning and shifting your gaze, unable to look at him.

"Please, no! No, don't do this to me, Princess!"

Two guards had grabbed him by the forearms, beginning to drag him towards what would be his end. You had decided to look away.

"This decision of yours will have consequences, Y/N. May you be cursed in this life and the next, for everyone you love will abandon you."

A sense of uneasiness held you rigid, as a heavy weight had placed down on you. You felt crawls all over your body, prickling at your skin.

He's just a man, he said those things out of fear. You tried to reassure yourself as you beginned to walk away, steps getting faster by the second.

The moment you turned away, letting the man be taken by the guards, you met Taehyung's gaze; his jaw was clenched, and you realized he was restraining himself from unsheathing the sword and save that man. However, he could never do so without endangering you. He - as a royal guard - could not have questioned the Queen's decisions, for that he would have cast doubt on your reputation too.

He made sure you didn't notice his eyes locked on you. He didn't want you to carry another burden on your shoulders - not at that moment. He perfectly knew that you felt like you had failed him.

You walked up the steps to the balcony on which were placed the ceremonial seats used by the royal family for centuries to attend celebrations or, in this case, executions. They faced exactly the wide earthen courtyard, on which the scaffold had been placed: you almost collapsed in your chair so much your legs were shaking.

You sat next to your mother, who kept her gaze straight at the patibulum without ever looking at you. She had said that - seeing your face - reminded her of her husband and that your presence made her nauseous.

"I'm surprised you managed not to stutter."

Her tone was harsh, just as it had always been. You had no fond memories of your mother, all you reminisced was the way she belittled everything you did.

The only time you had seen her differently, was when she had learned about your father's death. You always thought that you and her were as different as you were incompatible. You believed you had greater sensitivity… But of the two, you were the one who hadn't shed a single tear.

Your mind was as if barricaded in the illusion that nothing had truly happened. You couldn't know it yet, but that apparent good fortune would reveal itself as a double-edged sword sooner than you thought.

Your mother hadn't apologised to you for what she had said - you couldn't even understand what she was feeling. The man she had married, the man she loved more than her own life, was gone forever without even saying goodbye.

Now, she was doing the same thing to that innocent's man life. Ironic, wasn't it?

"That man is innocent." You replied monotonously with your eyes locked on the marble floor. You didn't dare raise your head, fearing to see that man getting murdered in front of you, fearing to see those eyes again.

You heard the crowd cheering and clapping, and you immediately knew.

"Was." She corrected you like she was speaking to a child, "No one cares, as long as our interest is satisfied. You too should think this way, to be at least an ounce of what your Father has been."

One thing you loved was to hide in the greenhouse, located only a few steps away from the main garden. The structure had existed for several years, and was now completely abandoned. Ivy had now completely covered the large windows, allowing light to enter only through the ceiling.

The warm rays of sunlight shyly caressed the plants. Nevertheless, the most distinctive thing about that place was the presence of a nest of doves. By now, the greenhouse had become their home, and you were nothing a frequent guest.

You were crouched down so that your knees were touching your chest, and you were pouring water into the soil - a small sprout was starting to grow. You were looking at its light yellow shades, that made you wonder if it would ever change colour - it was so delicate, making you feel desperate to protect it.

As you carefully caressed the leaves, you watched your hands. You blinked multiple times rubbing your eyes, feeling like something had gotten in one of them; as your sight recovered, and the blurriness disappeared, you watched your hands again - now, you froze.

Your hands were trembling, palms right in front of you, as you saw blood covering them. You started breathing unsteadily until a hand rested on your shoulder.

You were about to shriek, yet when you turned around your heart seemed to relax and beat normally again.

Taehyung slightly bent his head to the side, watching you with a questioning look on his face, frowning. You, on the other hand, brought a hand to your chest, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Please don't do that again. I didn't hear you coming."

"Actually, I called out to you several times." He now began to shout your name as if to show what he had done to get your attention, so you shoved him slightly.

"Oh, stop it." You giggled, and his smile grew.

The dark-haired man looked around several times, eyes scanning every detail of the place to make sure there was no one there. As soon as he made sure you were completely alone, he quickly placed a soft kiss on your lips.

"How are you feeling, love?"

Being in his company always made you nervous, because it wasn't often that you were alone and - above all - Taehyung was the most unpredictable person you knew.

The longer he kept his gaze on you, the more you felt yourself consumed like wax exposed to the heat of a match.

You knew very well that, at this point, he wanted you to be honest with him: he still didn't know about Jimin and what you had been told about the wedding, let alone mentioned what the man accused of your father's murder had told you a few days earlier.

You lied to Taehyung, and it wasn't because you didn't trust him, but the reason was very simple: you didn't want to make his life more complicated than it already was. Knowing you, you thought, was the greatest of all his problems.

"I am fine, the flowers are blooming."

It was a half-truth - or a half-lie, but you were really enthusiastic for Spring to arrive. When the flowers blossomed, you finally perceived the colours of the world.

The man before you, however, did not seem entirely satisfied with the answer, as his mouth twisted slightly.

"You know that's not what I'm referring to, Y/N."

His voice was calm, but his expression was stern.

"I really don't know what you are trying to tell me, Tae. I am fine, I am recovering."

"Y/N, your father was murdered and a few days ago you witnessed the death of a man, you are not recovering."

He had a point, anyone in the same situation as you would have thrown themselves to the ground, pulled out their hair, and cried endlessly. But despite experiencing pain and an incredible sense of guilt, somehow you were incapable of externalizing it.

Every time you closed your eyes, you saw that man's face, all you did was dream about him at night. He repeated the same sentence, while his eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets.

May you be cursed in this life and the next, for everyone you love will abandon you.

"It's all my fault, I could have saved him, I-"

"What could you have done, Y/N? Turn against your mother and the Kingdom? He was only a man, nothing more."

"He wasn't just a man!" You replied, raising your tone as if to defend the man you too had failed. "He was an innocent man, he had a family, Taehyung!"

"Y/N, I understand."

"No, you don't! I let my father's death and the wedding cloud my judgement…"

You realised it almost as quickly as he did. Your eyes widened in sheer panic and before you could even think about it, one of your hands went to cover your mouth - but it was too late.

"What are you talking about? What wedding?"

You remained silent as Taehyung began to run a hand over his face, stroking his skin until it almost reddened.

"Answer me, which marriage are you talking about, Y/N."

Betrayal can stab you in the back any time; it can take your breath away.

But you were witnessing it in the eyes of the one you loved, and you only had yourself to blame.

"Tae, I am so sorry, I…" You stuttered unable to form a proper sentence.

"Allow me to interfere."

All at once, both you and Taehyung turned towards the voice breaking in seemingly out of nowhere.

"What this sweet princess is trying to explain to you is that she will be marrying me."

Taehyung glared at the newly-introduced figure with hostility, pure, undiluted anger stirred within him.

"And who the fuck are you?" He hissed between gritted teeth.

The stranger took a few steps forward, and it was then that a few streams of light lit up his face. He looked much younger, but his figure was well formed and muscular. As soon as his chocolate-brown eyes rested on you, he smiled, showing bunny-like teeth.

"Jeon Jungkook, delighted to make your acquaintance."

©️ peachywritess 2023. All rights reserved.

[blackcatsnstrawberries]

ACOTAR 5 Theory (it's 5 because ACOFAS is 3.5)

I really need people to start understanding that novellas are .5 of a novel.

I am going to start by saying I am not anti Lucien, in fact having Lucien around was what got me through the first half of ACOTAR and the first few chapters of ACOWAR, I genuinely like him.

That being said, this post is (anti) Elucien and (pro) Elriel, and not because I don't like Elain and Lucien together, but because Elriel makes more sense.

From reading ACOSF, specifically the bonus chapter, we know about a possible Blood Duel between Azriel and Lucien brewing because of Elain. Lots of pro Azriel people think that he will be able to easily kill Lucien, and pro Lucien people think Lucien will be able to kill Azriel.

Neither can kill the other without ruining their character. Therefore, neither of them will die in the blood duel. BUT Lucien has to win it in order to move on from his mating bond to Elain.

Let me explain...

Lucien: From the context of the entire series of ACOTAR, we can see that Lucien isn't into Elain, but he hasn't broken the mating bond for whatever reason, my assumption is tradition and expectation. If Lucien were to kill Azriel in the Blood Duel, that would irrevocably ruin not only his relationship with everyone in the inner circle, but Elain wouldn't be like "Well, Azriel is dead! I guess I am with Lucien now!" It would lead nowhere. Elain loses her choice, Lucien ends up with someone he doesn't have feelings for, and everyone in the IC would probably want him dead, but even if they accepted the outcome, wouldn't welcome him ever again.

Conclusion: Tears the IC apart, takes away Elain's choice, ruins Lucien's character because he kills a popular/beloved character for no reason. It would ultimately turn him into a villian, and SJM likes him, he's not a villian.

Azriel: Azriel and Elain clearly have chemistry since the moment they met, it's undeniable (I will always link @sunlit-elain post .) I do think Azriel is the better fighter, and would probably win the Blood Duel, but again it would ruin his character. If Az won, he would be killing Feyre (his High Lady's) friend, arguably her best friend. Not to mention, Lucien is still seen as a "good guy", and having another "good guy" kill him off, would stain Azriel's character to the point where he would be considered unlikable by a lot readers. Again, even if Feyre accepts this is the reality of the blood duel, her friend is dead, she's going to have negative feelings about Azriel. His relationship with the IC would also be strained. Not to mention, I don't think Elain would be like all hot and bothered by the guy who killed someone to be with her, especially when that person isn't a "bad guy," or a threat.

Conclusion: Azriel killing Lucien creates turmoil in the IC that would forever damage the dynamics, and really wouldn't move the plot forward. Lucien isn't demanding Elain, he's not mean to Elain, he's trying to work at the bond. Killing him would eliminate the barrier, but create unnecessary new ones that couldn't be fixed.

So what's the conclusion then? There will be a blood duel, and Lucien will "win" but he won't kill Azriel...

Lucien has to come to the conclusion that his bond with Elain is dead himself.

Killing Azriel, or anyone, won't make him love Elain more, it won't make her love him, or even like him. He has nothing to gain from killing Az. But if he comes to the conclusion that Elain loves Azriel, and he spares Az's life for her, he can move on from the bond which clearly causes him pain and discomfort, and Azriel and Elain can get their happily ever after.

Edit:

On the same note, if Azriel has Lucien on his knees and spares his life because he doesn't want to kill Feyre's friend/Elain's bonded mate, that would make Lucien seen weak or his life was spared out pity. This wouldn't put any of his feelings about obligation to rest, it wouldn't dissipate how his body feels about the mating bond. Lucien has to be the one to end it on his terms.

All characters have a positive end to this arc in this scenario. Lucien sees his bond with Elain only brings pain to both of them, and is free to pursue anyone he wants (Vassa.) Azriel finally gets to be chosen, and Elain gets to make her choice about who she loves.

(If you want to see this dramatised I conveniently wrote it)

Also I didn't tag anything anti, so please don't come at me if you're pro Elucien and hate this take with anything mean. I am super happy to nicely defend my opinions and ideas, as you can read I said nothing negative about your ship, just that I think a different ship will happen.

[yesloulou]

So I've translated the entire interview. There are some literal translations because the man uses figures of speech and I have no idea what they mean or how could they be translated.

FYI: There might be some mistakes because I did it quickly but I don't see where did Jos talked about Charles

_______________________________

Interview: Frits van Amersfoort

CLF: When and how did you decide to start your own racing team?

Frits van Amersfoort: "It was a long time ago you know... (Smile). I was still a little boy. I was born into a family that had a garage, so I lived in the middle of cars. My older brother loved car racing and one day he took me with him to the Zandvoort circuit. It was the first time I went there. It was in 1966 and I was able to see the cars of John Surtees, Jack Brabham and other great drivers of that era. A few years later I met a man from my village who wanted to race and was looking for a place to put his cars. I told him that he could put them in mine and that's how it started."

CLF: This year your team finished third in the F3 championship while it finished fourth in 2014. Did you achieve your objective?

FVA: "Before this weekend, our goal was to finish second with Charles. We were third, 6 points behind Giovinazzi and 33 points ahead of Jake Dennis. For me the drivers' championship is more important than the manufacturers' championship. team and I are therefore disappointed to have lost second and then third place with Charles. The only thing we won was the rookie championship. You know, in F1 Mercedes won the constructor's title but what everyone remembers it’s the driver’s championship.”

CLF: When did you discover him (Charles) and why did you hire him ?

FVA: "You know, we closely follow several championships including the Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS in which he participated last year. He was very good even though he was only in his first season. I have invited him to come and do some tests with us and we fell in love with each other (laughs). That's when we started talking with Nicolas Todt."

CLF: What are its strengths and weaknesses?

FVA: "It's a very good question, especially when we see this weekend's performances! At the start of the season we often compared Charles to Max, but it seems difficult to me because they have different characteristics. Completely different backgrounds and personalities. That said, they are both extremely talented and I think Charles, as much as Max, would deserve a seat in F1. Coming back to your question, I think Charles is very good in the feeling of his car. He knows where he gains time and where he loses it. It seems simple like that, but in reality it is very complicated, especially when we are talking about tenths of a second. He is also very good at braking and in fast parts but it is less so on starts."

CLF: Do they have any similarities in their work or their driving?

FVA: "Not really. For us, working one-on-one with Charles is fantastic. When Max Verstappen was with us, we also had to work with his father, and it was very difficult because Jos puts a lot of pressure into us. To summarize we can also say that Max is an extremely talented driver but we must not forget that he was very well prepared by his father, from a very young age. This is the difference with Charles who is very good but whose preparation is perhaps not at the level of Max's."

CLF: Charles went through a long period without great results between Zandvoort and the Nürburgring. Do you have an explanation?

FVA: "I wish I had an explanation because if I had, we would have solved this problem. We have to admit that we don't know exactly why we became slower. The start of the season was magnificent. We even led the championship and at Zandvoort everything went wrong. Charles had a very bad accident and it was the worst thing of the season for us.

After that, almost nothing worked. We've turned the car around but still don't know why it's so slow today. On the one hand, the other teams have made big progress on their cars and on the other Charles has perhaps lost some of his confidence in the car. To be fast, you have to have total confidence in your car and when you lose it it's difficult to find again.

Additionally, as Charles is the fastest driver on the team, he has no help from his teammates. I think it's several small things that caused us to lose a few tenths and with such a tough field... That's why we only finish fifth, sixth or seventh at the moment. This weekend is truly the worst of all. Take the example of qualifying which only lasts 20 minutes: it takes us around 10 minutes to really warm the tires well because it's very cold here, and that's half the session.

On top of that you have to make your way through the traffic to be able to try to do a good lap. The problem Charles had this weekend was that he made a big mistake on his fast lap, which resulted in him being placed in the middle of the grid.

This championship is so competitive that every mistake is almost fatal. We must not forget that even if he only finished fourth, he was the best rookie of the season. Believe me. With so many years of experience in Formula 3, the fact of not being a rookie, knowing the tracks and the car perfectly plays a huge role at the end of the championship. In life, not all first times are easy and second times are easier."

CLF: We don't know if Charles will do another year of F3, but would it be possible to see him again in your team with Mick Schumacher for example?

FVA: "Having Charles with us for another year is what we want. I don't know a better driver than him for our team but we have to be realistic. His manager is not happy with the poor performance in second part of the season and I think they will look for another alternative. We will ask his management and we will see what happens. For Mick Schumacher, I think the chances are very slim since he should re-do a year in German F4."

CLF: The last race of the year will be Macau. What will your goals be there?

FVA: "The victory obviously since last year we had the fastest car with Max Verstappen. The tires are not the same but let me explain to you: Macau is unique. The times and the weekend format are completely different, there is a qualifying race a bit like in karting and the car must see the finish each time because an accident means a lot of lost track time.

It's a very complicated track and it's not easy to bring the car back in one piece. It is 7km long including 2.5km of straight line. Imagine being at 250 km/h for 2.5 km but between rails. It's 40km/h faster than here and we drive without support. Next to Macau, the Monaco circuit is a motorway! Look at Max last year. He had an accident in the qualifying heat when he was second. On Sunday he therefore had to start from the back of the grid before returning to seventh place. I always told my drivers to drive like a rally driver. Because a rally driver has to drive at 90% because he has to watch out for walls or trees and it's the same in Macau.

If you ride 100% in Macau, you are sure to end up in the wall at one point or another. I think Charles knows that the race will only take place on Sunday and not on Thursday or Friday. I think he can have a good podium and it would be the best result for our team.”

CLF: Why not create a Formula Renault 2.0 team or 3.5?

FVA: "Because we only do Formula 3 and Formula 4. We had thought about doing Formula 2, but the FIA policy cooled us down. Our F4 team has had several victories, many podiums and we are very proud of that. Our Formula 3 team needs to improve next year. I think every team needs to have a really strong foundation before launching into something new."

CLF: Last question, I know you understand a little French. Do you know our site and if so, what do you think about it?

FVA: "I know it but I've never been there, excuse me, because I just don't have the time. But I think Charles is very happy with what you're doing for him and he deserves it too. It’s a very good thing!”

OH MY GOD YOU'RE A GEM

[arcadiamaev]

"Any of us could be a monster, some are born as one, you just have to look closer. You usually see the truth in your own reflection", ― her mother just before she left her.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

OVERVIEW : daughter of parents, also known as 'the most beautiful and popular couple of Arcadia Bay', member of the 'fuck vortex club', photography student at the Blackwell Academy where she pursues her dream of becoming the greatest photographer of all time, participant of the everyday heroes contest and also known as the 'aggressive and hateful but beautiful girlfriend of Nathan Prescott', suffers from drug addiction, anxiety, panic attacks and sometimes aggressive behavior, loves the darkest places in peoples head and has a weakness for dark photographs, flowers, ribbons and books about death.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

BIOGRAPHY : Her parents Joana and Jeff Cyrille were both students at Blackwell Academy in their youth and were the most popular couple at the university. They were named by the other students as 'the J's with the baddest parties'. They partied almost every day with lots of drugs, alcohol, strippers and sex. Despite the many parties, the two had great grades and took first place in almost every class. Joana's grandparents therefore bought them a house as a basis for the picture-perfect future they envisioned for both of them, while Joana's parents had turned their backs on her because of her sick love of these wild parties and live a life in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The almost perfect life of the two was to become completely perfect with Joana's pregnancy, as her grandparents would surely have praised if they had only known about it. But the two couldn't just give up their partying lives, so they lied to their grandparents, stole some money from them and gave birth to Maevilyne in a cabin next to a canola field near Beavercreek. Shortly after, they left her with her Uncle Vernell with a note in a basket and were never seen again. That was the day of her birth and the day of her ever-growing nightmare. Maevilyne is nineteen years old and loves to take dark pictures. But she is full of hate of her parents and her ‘family’ because of everything she had to go through because of them. She is half self-confident; what means that she sometimes loves herself and sometimes could’ crash her own face in the Mirror. Which doesn't mean that she doesn't have feelings. She loves many things such as reading books, photography and being in the nature. She also loves to get drunk and high, because of the fact that everything seems so ‘easily’ when she’s both of it. Through all the misery she slowly became a misanthropic beauty, trying to become one of the best photographers in history.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

FACTS : Maevilyne is quite aggressive at times, very impulsive and strong; physically and mentally yet has a petite figure, she is addicted to drugs, loves to drink alcohol when stressed and is described by most as an 'ugly inside and unrivaled beautiful flower'. She hates superficial behavior and prefers to be very direct.

SIDEFACTS : Maevilyne knows she has some issues, but she doesn't believe in psychiatric treatment, and even if she did, she wouldn't have the money for it. Her uncle kept making her count his money for him and use it to pay his bills while he was drunk on the sofa, so she was really good with money. She loves the color white and cream and has decorated her entire room afterwards, she loves the art and the fact of drawing and taking pictures at her favorite place.

You'll find her always at the ‘Zeitgeist’ gallery.

// ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀↳ ooc info: life is strange account, searching for novelists, friends, and loves deep cons, just leave a message!

[fluffallamaful]

1,2 and 5 for Punz and Foolish? If not them then Sap and Gogs

from this ask post

thank you kasey!!! how about all of them :D for 5 i’m just gonna ignore the nsfw part coz of the nature of my blog 👌🏼

apologies for taking so long haha

🦙🦙🦙…

Punz

1. on a scale of 1-10, how ticklish are they?

i think it’s cute to imagine that he’s not extremely ticklish in the usual spots,, but has several more specific or unique spots that really get to him.

coz then it means that he can pull off the “I’m too tough to be ticklish” facade :D

so i guess like 3/10, unless you find his spots 👍🏼

2. where is their most ticklish spot(s)?

i’m thinking back of legs and neck? like he can handle prods to his ribs and stomach just fine, but then as soon as you squeeze at his his calves/hamstrings, or scratch at the back of his knee he’s done for. i also love giving stoic “no bullshit” characters cute tickle spots, like neck and ears. spots that make them go super squeaking and giggly against their will

5. do they enjoy tickling? if yes, is it a fun platonic/familial thing?

he thinks it’s childish and hates the way he loses all control,, but secretly LOVES wrestling and having tickle fights with his friends. he loves make his friends laugh and lovessss when he’s winning

🦙🦙🦙…

Foolish

1. on a scale of 1-10, how ticklish are they?

8/10. super tickly, super giggly. will laugh at the thought/threat of being tickled alone, and is definitely the type to go “Whihy am Ihi eheven lahahaughihing??!” when he does

definitely receptive to teases and anticipation

2. where is their most ticklish spot(s)?

ok i’ve discussed this with @covenofwives a lot. but in real life, sharks have this thingy alone their side called the “lateral line” which they can use to sense motion and vibration under water…

and to me (and to coven), it just sounds like this line would be super super tickly hehe. therefore i hc sides to be cfoosh’s worst spot, along with his nose!! because look at all those nerves up there!! plus google claims that sharks have canonically ticklish noses so 🤷🏼‍♀️

5. do they enjoy tickling? if yes, is it a fun platonic/familial thing?

i like hcing foolish to just see tickling as something fun to do with his friends, and also just in a very simple way in general

like to foolish, tickling is a way to make someone laugh, and if he is tickled then he will laugh too. this means he overreacts to certain tickles, purely because he’s anticipating it to tickle

🦙🦙🦙…

Sapnap

1. on a scale of 1-10, how ticklish are they?

i’d say a good 7/10. like he’s got his spots that don’t tickle much. but then his spots that REALLY tickle hehe. he’s ticklish enough that he can be reduced to helpless cackles, but not enough that he can be tickled by the wind

2. where is their most ticklish spot(s)?

i forget how much i have him mapped out omgggg

so for csappy, i hc his death spots to be thighs, armpits/chest and feet. like as soon as you get hold of any of these spots he goes ballistic, which makes the spots impossible to tickle for long unless he’s held down (or given a weakness potion hehe)

i also LOVE giving sapnap tummy as a melt spot omfg. like kneading into his tummy makes such bubbly giggles, and also turns him to putty. it’s the spot that makes him collapse. light skitters there also makes him squeak which is entirely embarrassing for him

5. do they enjoy tickling? if yes, is it a fun platonic/familial thing?

whether he admits it or not,, being tickled is something that calms him. pain and moodiness can instantly be squashed by a few prods and squeezes. it’s also something very familiar to him,, for i hc tickling to be prevalent within his relationships with both the dream team and karlnapity

he adores tickling his friends and fiancés 🥺 he loves tickle fights so much. it’s a fun way to prove strength and winning is so entirely worth any tickles that come his way. despite loving giving out rough tickles, being in relationship with karl and quackity coaxes out a much softer side of him. he can be such a comforting ler if he needs/wants to be.

🦙🦙🦙…

George

1. on a scale of 1-10, how ticklish are they?

9/10 like omg he’s the cutest little thing. good luck taming his feral-ness though, you may need someone to help hold him down coz he is squirmy

2. where is their most ticklish spot(s)?

again,, i just have cgogs mapped out entirely. he has ONE particular rib that is his death spot, as well as the backs of his thighs and armpits. any technique works

the ball of his foot and toes are also super tickly, as well as his back and spine (thank you coven). i hc his tummy to be his favourite spot, and it produces the definition of sweet, melodic laughter. he can just lose himself to the tickles, and he barely fights back. he’s also super feather sensitive, particularly on the ears and sides. palms are also a melt spot (thank you @cayjno )

5. do they enjoy tickling? if yes, is it a fun platonic/familial thing?

he’s usually on the receiving end, but he doesn’t hate it. he loves laughing and having fun with his friends. he enjoys the wrestling and adores getting the chance for revenge or just whenever he has the upper hand in general. the flustered lee!gogy —> evil ler!gogy switch is incredibly fast, and incredibly terrifying

🦙🦙🦙…

[bluiex]

i actually did give an ending to that idea some thought... and YEA def would wanna end it with mumbo marking grian too and they're all happy

but not without some angst first! (also i've been looping therefor you and i if anyone wants the vibes for this idea lol)

mostly because like, their whole thing is none of them wanted marking to be a part of their relationship, but suddenly grian's just? craving it? and scar delivered? there's a huge gap in communication going on here.

and there's some hurt on scar's front too, because when mumbo does come back, when that name pops up in the chat, grian's initial reaction is utter joy. sure, it's quickly overshadowed by anxiety when they realize the conversation they'll be forced to have, but scar knows he's always sort of been the second place alpha here.

he doesn't mind, really! when he has his wits about himself, at least. but scar smells how excited grian is at first, and he can't help the low grumble he lets out in response.

it's not like him at all, and scar doesn't love the new side of alpha instincts the marking has brought out in him. even less when mumbo arrives to grian's nest, and scar keeps a tight hold on "his" mate, growling at mumbo to keep him away.

again, it's new behavior, and he really hates it.

grian meanwhile feels like his brain is melting. the avian half is happy the rest of his flock is back, and wants him in the nest. but every time mumbo tries to get close, the omega part of him is horrified at this alpha imposing, and it's physically draining to manage.

the trio are confronted with all kinds of mixed problems: mumbo's own insecurity about his place in their group is loud and clear when, despite being grian's first choice for literal years, he gives up right away when scar is cross with him about getting close.

they thought he would at least try to fight for his place, and both grian and scar are disappointed at first.

as it turns out, mumbo had always been sort of waiting for one of them to push him out, that he wasn't good enough to be with them. to him, he was objectively the lesser alpha, and the way grian and scar were glued to one another made that fact obvious in his eyes. neither scar nor mumbo were particularly heavy in their alpha instincts, but at least scar smelled the part most of the time.

mumbo's own scent felt weak, and he wasn't really the bold and brash type. he was soft hearted, easy to stumble after whatever he chased, always stopping short of the finish line whenever he felt even an inch too much of an advantage. (it's why grian liked him so much in the first place. mumbo never tried to take what wasn't his.)

once their individual gripes are settled, and they take some time to heal (scar makes a point not to remark grian until mumbo is entirely in favor of it, and once his mind settles, grian pushes scar and mumbo to spend more time in the nest together,) eventually by grian's next heat they're in agreement that he'll have two mating bites.

it's new, to have two claims on one person. not entirely unheard of, but often seen as a greater pain than pleasure. it means always having one of your mates scenting you to keep their claim level with the other, it meant constant remarking for the same reason, it meant never being alone for the rest of your life.

grian couldn't think of a better fate. (i'm sorry this got long again MY BAD I'M DONE NOW LOL)

AAAAAH I LOVE IT

Gods poor Mumbo would be sososo heartbroken and Jsut dejected knowing this would come.. But it's mostly on part of instincts that they all hate

But it gets so much better once they both mate mark him qoq I love it

Please it isn't too long it's perfect I love it