#aya: claws come out

[smashpages]

Out this week: Aya: Claws Come Out (Drawn and Quarterly, $24.95): 

Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie’s first volume of Aya, released back in 2006, won the “First Comic” prize at Angouleme that year. Now, more than a decade after the last volume was released, the husband and wife duo return to the Ivory Coast for more stories featuring the college student and her friends.

See what else is arriving in comic shops this week!

[dawneternal]

The Benevolent | Eris x Healer OC | Three

☁︎ notes: sorry it took so long to get this one out 💛

Clementia really is the goddess of mercy and healing but I made up the part about the feathers. There will be more half real/half made up references to mythology so buckle in lol also Eris is kind of Cardan-coded in this chapter

☁︎ warnings: talk of injuries, talk of Beron's abuse, drunk characters

☁︎ word count: 1.9k

☁︎ AO3 Link / Masterlist

☁︎ tags: @cauldronblssd @mybestfriendmademe @teddyhoneybear @tele86 @imma-too-many-fandoms @allyjoe755 @milswrites @shadowdaddies @zenkindoflove

The ring summoned Aya again nearly a week later, just as she had finally made it back to her dorm room in the Healer’s wing. Lessons had run late, after which she had been called to a family dinner by Thesan. Her feet were sore and the pair of clean pajamas waiting on her bed called to her. Her heart leapt into her throat at the thought of what sort of injuries had prompted that ring to glow, regret sinking its claws deeper into her gut. Another long night of keeping Eris’s soul tethered to his being?

She heaved a deep sigh, shouldered her bag once more, and winnowed away from her cozy room.

The designated winnow spot was in Edana’s private courtyard, surrounded on all four sides by her rooms. The Lady had carved a spot out of the wards - or had bribed someone to do it. Edana or one of her two trusted guards were to wait for Aya in the courtyard. The written copy of the bargain details instructed that if anyone else were to ever greet her, she was to winnow back to the Dawn Court without speaking to them.

All very calming, naturally.

Tonight, one of Edana’s guards met Aya in the courtyard, which she considered a good sign. The guard did not say anything, only nodded in greeting before turning on his heel. Aya shivered in the Autumn chill and trailed after him. No one had told Aya the guards’ names yet, and she was too shy to ask. They were a little intimidating, stone-faced and armed to the teeth. Obviously, they cared about Edana's safety a great deal, and she had not stopped to wonder what they thought of the Lady hiring a strange healer and adding her piece to this hidden game board.

The dark-haired man led her through Edana’s sitting room to the stone passageways. She followed him through the dim, winding halls, finding them to be as deathly silent as the first night. She was beginning to wonder if the whole house had a curfew, or if they had all simply adopted this code of silence as a means of survival. Everything had been tainted such a suspicious color after that first night.

His feet made no sound against the stone floor, even in those heavy, clunky-soled boots. Aya followed suit, keeping her steps light, though her satin slippers would not have made much noise anyways.

When she crossed through the wards into Eris’s rooms, a wall of commotion wrapped itself around her, such a contrast from the silent hall that it made her jump. Eris was cursing and arguing with his mother, the second guard attempting to aid her in holding him down. Aya’s widened eyes flicked to the couch by the hearth where a bruised and bleeding man lay unconscious. Or sleeping. He was nearly a copy of Eris - redheaded and tall, with broader shoulders and bulky muscles.

“They got drunk and had a fight,” Edana sighed as Aya made her way to the big bed.

“Bastard had it coming,” Eris spat loudly, trying again to free his arm from his mother’s grasp."

“Stay still,” Edana snapped, “You were stabbed, for Mother’s sake.”

Aya gasped at that, and Eris turned his head toward the sound. He had not even noticed her come in, too focused on earning his freedom. When his gaze landed on the healer he let out a cry of delight and held a bloody hand toward her without even so much as wincing.

“All is well,” Eris pronounced, “Clementia has arrived.”

“Hush,” Edana hissed, “Or your father will hear you.”

Aya’s skin felt hot, her stomach dropping in fear of the knowledge that the High Lord was at home tonight. She chewed her lip and set her satchel on the edge of the bed. Eris was still as a statue now, watching her with interest.

“Clementia is an angel of mercy,” Edana said to Aya, rolling her eyes as other guard chuckled. “He likes to read mythology.”

Aya’s cheeks burned and she looked down at the heir, his amber eyes fixed on her. She shook her head and grabbed a wet rag from the side table. She was familiar with Clementia’s legend but she had not made the connection of who Eris thought she was.

“Did you receive my prayer of thanks?” Eris asked, a hand clutched to his chest like he must brace himself in her presence. He still did not wince as she pulled up his shirt and began to clean his injury. It was shallow for a stab wound, but it certainly would not heal well if he started thrashing around again. She could humor him if it meant he stayed calm.

The second guard, blond and bearded, started to laugh at Eris’s smitten gaze, but Edana shot him a look that shut him up. The Lady turned her attention to her other son, out cold on the couch.

“Yes,” Aya said to Eris, gently moving away the hand that attempted to cover his wound. His bloody fingers wrapped around hers and held on. It was likely he was so drunk that he was not feeling the full effect of his injury. “It was lovely. Please stay still, Eris.”

“Yes, angel,” Eris breathed.

Aya kept her eyes on her work and did not dare look at the glowering Lady or her giggling guardian. She knew it sounded like a pet name. But she didn’t think she minded much, not with how lovely it sounded falling from his lips.

Eris stayed quiet now, obedient to her every command. He watched her with such reverence in his eyes, as if still surprised she had appeared, worried she may go away again at any moment. If only he knew she was just another healer from the Dawn Court, no benevolent angel of mercy.

She wondered if he’d ever truly know her or if all of their meetings would be this way - inebriated or delusional from blood loss. And she hoped for both their sakes that the next time would be different. And maybe a part of her hoped to meet him in a state where she could really learn something about him. Something to compare to the rumors. All she knew at the moment was that he liked mythology. And that he fought like a hellcat when drunk.

“Beron would not approve of them fighting, would he?” She asked as she worked, her voice soft. Every movement tracked by those diligent amber eyes.

“Not in this manner, no,” Lady Edana answered, returning to Eris's bedside, “Not without his command, at least. He sees more honor in besting each other with strategy.”

Of course he would. Only Beron’s hand could inflict pain. That was how he stayed in control. Everyone else must impress him by playing his games perfectly. Aya had never expected to gain so much knowledge about the Autumn Court’s High Family and everything she learned made her more grateful for her own court and Thesan’s gentle rule. It also illuminated another aspect of Edana's secrecy.

This foolish behavior was a stark contrast to the tales and rumors of the Autumn sons, with their father’s brutality and their mother's brains. It certainly dimmed the intimidation to see that hulking brother passed out, mouth open and drooling on the velvet couch. Whatever Aya saw gave her power. And that golden ring took it away again. Edana did not yet know that she had picked someone with such an ambivalent heart. Capable of indifference and yet undecided.

When Aya finished dressing Eris’s wound and cleaning his filthy hands, she slipped a sleeping pill into his water and gave his shoulder a pat.

“Sleep well Eris,” She said, eager to get away from his relentless stare. Then she turned back and added sharply, “And listen to your mother.”

She shifted, about to make her way to the brother on the couch, but Eris’s voice stopped her.

“May I have a feather?” He asked, his voice remarkably soft compared to his terrible volume control from before.

“What?” Aya asked, hoping their audience did not notice the break in her voice. She knew the myth. That Clementia bestowed a feather upon her favored for luck.

“May I have a feather for luck?” He asked again, the gleam in his eye so hopeful it was almost painful.

For a moment, she considered it. It wouldn’t mean much, it would quiet him down and that would be that. But the weight of the Dawn Court customs would not release her. The tips of her ears grew hot, thinking of plucking a feather and handing it to him. Feathers were for honor, promises, and love. Even in the far friendlier, casual environment of her court, it wouldn't be seen as appropriate.

“You’re lucky enough just to be in her presence, you oaf,” Edana muttered, shaking Aya from her stupor. Eris frowned but he didn’t argue. He looked resigned, like he agreed with his mother's sentiment.

Aya silently thanked Edana and turned her attention toward the couch once more. The brother was not in terrible shape, with just a scattering of bruises and small cuts that would heal by morning. Luckily, he was far too drunk to remember anything by tomorrow. She hoped that Eris would not remember any of this either.

She had not failed to notice Eris’s split knuckles and she wondered what this brother had said to provoke him so. She might have asked, as they had humored all of her questions so far. But it seemed that neither Lady Edana nor her guards wanted to meet her eye as she inspected the younger Vanserra. As if there was something about this fight they were not saying. Or perhaps they were just embarrassed.

Aya told herself she did not care either way. She had decided, throughout the course of this visit, not to ask any more prying questions or sleuth or try to solve anything. She could not help her curiosity, but Thesan had ordered her not to meddle. And every answer to every question sat heavy like a stone in her heart. She did not want to carry all of that with her, anyways. So she finished patching up the anonymous brother, left a tonic one for the now-sleeping Eris, and returned to the comfort of the Dawn Court.

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

The next morning, Eris’s shame pestered him as incessantly as his headache. Twice now, this poor healer had had to witness him in such a pathetic state. Gods knew what he had said last night. His mother wouldn’t tell him. She told him it was his punishment for being so foolish that he had to wonder what embarrassing things he may have said.

The only hint he got was in the note the healer had left him, beside a tin of fresh balm for his scars and a tonic for the hangover.

Drink lots of water, avoid stretching your wound. I look forward to your next prayer of thanks.

Your angel,

Aya

Eris blushed and cursed himself for it. He hadn’t known her name and had gotten into the habit of referring to her as Clementia in his mind. It must have slipped out.

He remembered little glimpses of what she looked like. Warm brown skin, eyes of lilac-grey, and small, capable hands. His fingers went to the wound in his side. Once again, he had been healed impeccably. This one had left a scar barely an inch long.

He had yet to thank her for all that she’d done and he wished that he could. But he did not know where to reach her or what a proper gift might look like.

Without him even realizing, without even having property met, she had begun to haunt his thoughts. Like a guardian angel, only a shadow of wings at the edge of his vision.

[totkdaily]

Day 57: Yiga in Lanayru, and Akkala

The tower I climbed in the Abandoned Lanayru Mine is a forge, and it's manned by a Steward. I think this is the first one I've seen in the Depths, and only the second I've seen outside the sky islands. 

Another Steward asks me to go to the Central Abandoned Mine - if I do that and come back here, it'll give me something. 

There's a Yiga building here with a journal.

They want to conquer the Depths, but they say they need to find every entrance to do so. The journal ends: "Glory to Master Kohga."

I hope that's just something they say. He fell into- oh. He fell into an apparently bottomless hole. Is he… is he here somewhere?? 

Surely not. But unease follows me as I gather the remains of zonaite in the mine. 

I can't see any more lightroots from here, so I head back to the Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower, thinking to head to Tarrey Town - and spy Dinraal emerging from a chasm! I chase to catch up with him, but I don't have the right gear. I only just grab a shard of his spike and a claw before the heat of his mere proximity threatens my life. 

I drop to the ground and land in the shadows of North Akkala Beach - right next to a shrine! 

I spend the early morning scaling the cliff up to the Akkala Lab. Didn't Robbie say he needed something from here? I don't think I've spoken to him in over a month. Still, I should check it out. I've always loved the Lab. 

I scale the outside first to enjoy the view from the top, but it's a grey and cloudy day. And… that's weird. There's a frog sitting in Robbie's sun lounger. And… it bears the mark of the yiga. I've got a bad feeling about this. 

I look for further clues as I head back down the lab. There's boxes of bananas at the base of the telescope. And from the front, it's obvious - frogs and banana crates everywhere. 

I summon the Sages, ready my gear, and knock. 

It's a closer match than I'd like, but I dispatch the Yiga guards. Inside, there's only a fashionista - Konba. It sounds as though he's been forced to work against his will to make the Yiga's outfits. He gives me the Yiga armor he just finished. I suppose I could use it as a disguise, though I dislike the idea of wearing it at all. Konba points out I'd need the whole set before I could pass as a Yiga member anyway. 

There's a Yiga journal here. They're interested in sourcing Zonai devices, as well as Zelda and myself. Even they haven't seen her. They say they're setting up traps to catch me, but I've only encountered the weird cucco prophecy scam, and that hardly seemed aimed at me. Don't pick up bananas on the road? I'd have hoped I would have spotted that one for a trap without the hint. 

There's a map with Yiga hideouts on it, I think. Let's see…

Here, the Colosseum, somewhere north of Death Mountain and the old hideout in the Gerudo Highlands.

There's also a travel medallion prototype, which I should probably give to Robbie. Was that what he wanted from here?

For now, I head down the hill to the East Akkala Stable, and stop at the shrine on the way. 

Penn's the first person I see at the stable. He mentions the god of horses is near here - I'd forgotten my dream about it! - and the suspicious lab, the mystery of which I think I've probably solved by clearing out the Yiga. But no news here of the Princess, so he's off! That was quick. 

I speak to a few people at the stable. Aya is preoccupied with the monsters on North Akkala beach- I must have missed them, but she'd like me to deal with them, please. Rudi says Malanya's at Bloodleaf Lake, north of here. Rudi would like a picture of Octorok Lake when the water's high and it looks like an octorok. Maybe in the rain? Atin's newspaper says that YunoboCo is restoring Goron City again - that's good. Khini points me towards the horse god, and then goes back to selling buns. I buy and eat one of his Malanya buns, and I feel filled with stamina. 

The korok at the back of the stable wants to go down the hill to meet its friend. I summon Peaches and hook up the wagon for transport. I can probably do this before bed. 

I ignore the blood moon rising behind me as we gallop down the hill. Which means it comes upon me right as I'm fighting off two bokoblins in a cart. 

When the Gloom clears, I reunite the koroks and take the knight's bow the bokoblins had. Then I take both the horses and carts back to the stables to bed.

[mikewxrren]

@ayakoito sent: “Calm down, I’m here now.”

Panic Attack Starters

An alarm shrieked overhead as he ran through the dark halls. He had to save someone. But he could hear the other shadows moving faster than he could. They would get there first. Even as he reached out to grab one, his fingers came away ashy.

The gunshot cracked through the air. Beeping, loud. The banging and shrieks from the incinerator were deafening as flames blazed in front of him.

He tried to apologise but couldn't breathe. A shadowy figure approached the bed as he lay drenched in sweat and agony coursing through his body.

Mike shot up in bed, clawing at his throat and fighting back bile. His gut was in knots. He could make out his room through the darkness. He was just grateful Aya had yet to come to bed. Maybe he could fix this before she did.

He tried to run through his methods to calm down. But no amount of breathing exercises helped. If he didn't know what this was, he would have mistaken it for a heart attack.

He fought the panic attack as specks of light floated across his vision.

Mike reached for Aya like she was his liferaft when she arrived. It should have ended when Sid died. Why was it back now?

‘I’m fine,’ he said as if trying to convince Aya. But he didn’t let go.

[sereneabyyss]

Blind Watch BSD Season Five

I Feel Spiritually Unwell After That. Unfortunately @wafflesarecool and @animusmelodiam and I have completed season five of BSD. fortunately this means I can come back to Tumblr to not avoid spoilers Animus kept reblogging. However, as was pointed out by Animus before we started, this was very stroke inducing.

First off, as always, Animus Numbers:

Waffle disconnect count: 15

"what the fuck" count: 31 (thanks Amenogozen, Bram, and Fyodor!)

Animus numbers keep us pogging through the pain

We started off strong, immediately hating the Russians.

"he's fucking insane. but I'm rooting for him because I hate Fyodor more"

"'I hate both of them, but I hate this one slightly less so I'm rooting for him' is the entire mood"

Kyouka Lucy and Atsushi trio are top tier. We love them dearly.

"I believe Poe is a trained sniper over them not seeing a car in a flat area anyday."

"Waffle Ranpo is being the greatest detective to ever live. Stop dying."

Many, many, many "what the fuck that is a horrible idea" were said

WHY ARE VAMPIRES CANON???

"The most unprofessional UN meeting... why is waffle still dead"

"cuz he doesn't want to see the horrible UN meeting"

"true"

waffle becomes alive

"All you missed was a terrible UN meeting"

Oh look, we finally remember Atsushi has regenerative powers. How nice and convenient.

"where the fuck is emo at"

"How funny of you to ask"

"EMO!"

"EMO!"

All of these characters need to fucking consider getting some therapy

THE FUCKING LIGHTSABER??? IS A CHEAT SWORD!! FUCK THAT FUCKING SWORD I FUCKING HATE IT IT'S HORRIBLE FUCK THAT SWORD!!!

See Akutagawa cares too much about Dazai's approval, therefore, trying to make him betray that trust is tantamount to geeting tiger claws slashing you in the face.

Tachihara become Toph arc! You can learn from Jouno!

Speaking of Jouno what ever happened to that guy. Find out more next time I Guess!

bram pack

Aya and Bram have adopted each other. Kunikida and Bram get to have custody battle over Aya a la fist fighting her father.

"poor aya. I have a baked potato tho."

Never Fucking Piss Off The Happy Person.

Speaking of angered Kenji, how has the one power that was literally compared to Mother Nature itself not been played upon as Kenji being a vessel for a godly power similar to Chuuya and Atsushi? Like it's right there.

Yeet The Kenji.

"dazai don't try to drown Chuuya. Learn some humanity"

Chuuya deserves to kill Dazai As A Treat.

"Bram lives in an eternal state of going through it"

"Well he lives in an eternal state of being impaled, of course he's going through it."

The Fucking Shoujo Springtime Filer?????

"why is he being crucified? Why is bram jesu?"

The comparison of Bram to Jesus was found to be extra funny after Fyodor's last words.

"I love Sigma dearly, but he brought a gun to a knife fight and Lost."

SHOOT EM SHOOT EM DEAD

AYA NO BAD AYA- oh well ok fine sure.

"Atsushi your boyfriend is a vampire"

Bram has officially adopted Aya can't change my mind

"hey look, it's the cockroach" "dammit i was hoping Chuuya killed his ass"

THE END GOAL WAS SO FUCKING STUPID. THAT'S NOT HOW THAT WORKS. THAT'S NOT HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS. HUMANS CAN'T BE UNIFIED UNDER ONE LEADER AND FUCK THE PAGE IF THAT EVER WORKS LIKE THAT WITH IT'S STUPID LITTLE GOD ABILITIES. FUCKING DUMB AS HELL.

ALSO WHO THE FUCK IS THE UN TO DECIDE THQAT? THE UN ISN'T MADE UP OF EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY TO EXIST AND IT'S JUST LIKE 100 PEOPLE AT MAX DECIDINMG THE FATE OF THE WORLD SHOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF ONE ALL POWERFUL PERSON? NO FUCK YOU. LIKE CAT DAD SAID ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS AND IT SHOULD NEVER WORK LIKE THAT FUCLK THE TRANSMITTER FUCK THAT END GOAL.

THE ARGUMENT OF WHAT A STATE IS IS LIKE A MIDDLE SCHOOL ANARCHISTS IDEOLOGY OF WHY GOVERNMENT IS BAD. THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS AND THAT'S NEVER HOW IT EVER COULD WORK.

Also Ranpo had way too much fun being a terrorist. But like, he deserved to commit crime. As a treat.

Anyway, I gotta go work. This was hell.

[amischiefofmuses]

Send me “Skip” and I’ll skip three songs in my music player and write a drabble about our muses with whatever song it’s playing || Accepting

@bucketfullofocs sent: [Aya @ Lucifer - sending you two options if one doesn't click!] Skip Song prompt: Kxllswxtch - Waste

It hasn't been easy to adjust to all the recent changes, the presence of people around him but some days are easier than others. Busier days keep him distracted, there's chaos but at least it's manageable chaos, enough to draw his thoughts from what looming threats might be coming their way in the future. At least in those moments smiles come easy, sincere, steadily growing fond of the sinners that have been calling the hotel their home. Warming to the idea that not all of them are as terrible as he once believed. Only when it falls quiet does the doubt creep in. The fear. This time he managed to save Charlie, to protect most of her friends but next time he may not be so lucky- next time he might be too late. Next time he really might finally lose everything. The idea makes his throat feel tight, chasing it off with a sharp swig of alcohol at the bar. This time he doesn't so much as flinch as Aya joins him, he'd joke that the two of them were going to make a habit out of meeting like this were he not so somber but instead there's a half-smile offered in greeting- one that falls as soon as he glances away.

-- ❝Are you alright?❞ She asks, ever kind, ever patient. Almost like she herself is a slice of heaven, a light refusing to dim even in the depths of Hell, warmth he's been missing. She feels like home. It's something he wants her to maintain but he knows too well what will happen, he has seen it happen time and time again- and that's the only reason he keeps her at arms length. When that light eventually peters out he doesn't want to long for the person she once was. -- ❝Just- thinking, I suppose. Seems I do too much of that lately. With everything happening it's pretty hard not to when things get quiet.❞ It's about as honest as he intends to be, claw tracing the rim of his glass before he turns to her to see that worried expression across her features. Guilt settles in quick, if he's not careful then he'll be the one to drag her into the doom and gloom that surrounds them. Huffing out a tight laugh, he shrugs his shoulders, a tired smile spreading across his face as he tries to dismiss what he just said. -- ❝But- ah, y'know how it is. Adjusting to new places, exciting things going on all the time. Guess I'm just a bit burnt out. Nothing a good night of rest won't fix!❞ Her worried expression only deepens. Oh fuck. -- ❝I can tell there's something more bothering you and I won't push.. But if ever you want to talk about it, I just want you to know that you can.❞ It makes his chest feel tight and though his smile wavers he fights to maintain it, bowing his head slightly in a gentle nod. -- ❝Thank you.❞ Is all he can offer in response for now. He doesn't intend to drop the weight of his thoughts on her shoulders but he appreciates the sentiment, perhaps more than she realises.

[f-ferrari-forever]

Your titles are making me laugh. 🤣 Dare I request "Cat Max thing" and "shit series 5"? 🤭

Dare I say I don’t fully remember? Okay, kidding, mostly.

Cat Max thing is a very short beginning to *that* crazy idea we discussed with Aya for the Christmas fic, aka Max can shapeshift into a big cat and Charles cuddles him. Was the polar bear meant to be Carlos? 100% true to this day.

When Charles wakes up, something soft and warm is nuzzling his face.

His bleary eyes can just make out a fluffy, yellow fabric pressing up against his skin. It even makes a faint, buzzing sound, almost like a static lullaby. Charles sighs, content, giving in to that soothing touch. Compared to the dry patches painfully tightening on the left side of his face, his right cheek feels like baby skin; it's possibly the most comfortable pillow he's ever slept on.

Perhaps Andrea slipped it in his suitcase, and Charles, jetlagged and sleepy, tossed it on the bed along with his fuzzy socks. He cuddles up to it, sliding his fingers through the unbelievable fine threads. It feels almost—furry?

Confused, Charles delivers a few hesitant pats.

The pillow hisses back.

Charles leaps to his feet, fumbling for the light switch as images of polar bears and severed limbs flood through his mind. In his haste, he forgets about the stupid wooden headboard and bangs his head so hard he sees stars.

He gets a strangely worried "Meow?" in response.

shit series 5 is actually a very funny story. Back when I first joined the fandom, I wrote a 4-part 4433 series in which they try to get over their problems through bds*, and they fail spectecularly at it (there’s actually zero fun times in it, it’s just angst). Anyway, this was back in the days when my view was really biased. Max is actually more or less based on Kaz Brekker (wtf, 2021 Pi?). Hence, shit series.

So, shit series 5 was born after Aya read the original 4. Spoiler alert: lestappen is endgame even in my 4433 series. It’s meant to explore the relationship between Max and Charles, and how different it is from Lewis and Max, while 4433 become really good friends. Didn’t get that far in this one either, but here’s a snippet:

Taking Jimmy and Sassy for a walk, is frankly speaking, a biohazard in the making. A biohazard for Max’s sanity, that is.

Jimmy tugs on the leash whenever they pass another animal, eager to befriend just about anything that moves and blinks his way. Sassy, his vicious protector, growls and bites at anyone that dares to come within half a meter of her brother. Max wants to claw his eyes out.

He lacks Charles's patience and has no desire to develop it. Holding Jimmy in an honest to God baby-carrier draped over his chest so the cat can’t escape is no way in hell an option. Max may love the kitties to pieces, but he has his limits.

So when Jimmy acquires a new friend, in the shape of an adorable little bulldog, Max wants to scream. Thankfully, Sassy takes care of it instead. What she doesn’t do, however, is chase Jimmy around the park until she is out of breath. That, regrettably, is reserved for Max.

He reaches Jimmy just as the bulldog starts licking his head, clearly smitten by his new feline friend. The Jimmy effect, Charles would joke. Sassy arches her back as soon as her little eyes rest on the scene ahead, her leash still securely clutched in Max's fingers. He pants out a “No,” but it’s more of a wheeze. Sassy hisses back.

“Your cats are crazy, man,” the dog’s owner informs him, as if it’s supposed to be news to Max. He chuckles, and it turns into full-blown laughter when he meets the man’s eyes.

Of fucking course this would happen to me.

Warm brown, filled with the shock of recognition, flanked by finely groomed brows stares back at him. There are blonde highlights now streaking through Lewis’s braids, his outfit a little plainer than Max is used to, but still exuding that carefree, put together air.

Max knows Lewis is anything but carefree.

[chika-the-terrible]

More Isu AU ideas again, since I can’t seem to stop myself:

Roth calls Jacob his Lion because of Jacob’s bravery but also because of how Jacob likes to lay around like a cat

Sometimes when Roth tells stories, he accidentally trails off into his own past. Jacob, curious, doesn’t interrupt and just listens. It’s one of the few ways he gets to know more about Roth, after all

It’s Jacob who makes the first move to take them into a real relationship, beyond being friends. He’s not inexperienced but he’s never been with a human before, so he’s pretty nervous when he brings it up the first time. And while Roth is dramatic, he doesn’t make the first move because he wants this to go at Jacob’s pace. He doesn’t wanna scare Jacob away

While Jacob’s not much of a storyteller or a reader, he’ll gladly let the children gather around him or even get in his lap as he takes out a book to read. The Isu aren’t much for creative writing and so he falls back on human works most of the time. And, if he’s in a really good mood, he brings the old stories of Kassandra and Alexios and Bayek and Aya and Eivor to the forefront. Even the Blighters can’t get enough of the stories when Jacob starts telling them and so they gather around as well

Jacob loves picking Roth up. He does it to other people, too, but Roth’s the one that gets the treatment the most. Jacob not only picks Roth up to carry him around like a doll but he also enjoys sweeping Roth off his feet, whether in a small twirl or in a bridal carry, and Roth can’t help but laugh when Jacob does such things. He never knows what the Isu man is going to do day-to-day and Roth just lives life one day at a time

Roth doesn’t keep the underbelly of London out of Jacob’s reach. He shows Jacob what’s going on, with the child labor and working conditions and housing, because he wants Jacob to see that being a human is different for everyone. Not all humans end up in the same position as Roth, many go their entire lives in squalor and never claw their way out. And then there are those like Starrick, far higher up in the food chain who try to repress the poor, and Roth doesn’t like them even though he works for Starrick. The shock of realism of human society really makes Jacob think for a long while

Roth’s Blighters, of their own accord, tend to do their best to take in any street kids who need help. There’s not much they can do about the factories but they at least bring in the kids they can find and so the children have a chance to get some food and rest until they can find a more permanent place to go, to which most of them stay as part of the Blighters because they have nothing else. Roth fully supports this and doesn’t stand in their way when it comes to their philanthropic actions, and soon enough Jacob gets to see the kids for himself. It’s the first time Jacob meets human children and they’re just as amazed with his size as he is with theirs, but the connection is made when Jacob sits down, making himself smaller, and asks if they’d like to hear a story. Jacob quickly becomes a daily visitor of the children, making sure he stops by at least once a day to check on them and cheer them up if need be, and the children love when Jacob comes around

Evie is surprised to realize, after being reunited with her brother, that he wasn’t too worried about her. Not until Roth told him the truth about Starrick, at least. He had been having too much fun to really be concerned except for a little guilt every so often, and while Evie chastises him for shirking his ambassador duties, she can’t help but smile at his happiness. It had been a long while since Jacob had been truly happy and she’s glad to see that he’s happy here, with Roth and the humans he had become friends with, and it’s part of the reason why she advocates for them to continue as ambassadors to England. She wants her twin brother to stay where he feels happiest

After the attack, Jacob attends the funerals and wakes of all the Blighters who lost their lives, just as if he had lost a comrade in battle. But he doesn’t attend in his military regalia, instead dressing in a new set of mourning clothes commissioned for him. He may not have known the Blighters that had died but they were still his friends and had helped him save his sister from a worse fate, so he owed them a lot, and he wanted to mourn them just as humans do. Mourning in Isu garb would make him stand out and Jacob didn’t want to disrupt the funerals and wakes for anything. They deserved only the best for their services

Masterlist

[nvrcmplt]

{ MATING PRESS } sender puts receiver into a mating press. 😈for Luan

His body ached, thighs tensed but also loose, manipulated in the hands of this fiend of balance that Luan had yet to understand beyond them being fucking powerful. He could barely breathe - saliva a mess around his lips and chin, having been thoroughly fucked in the throat by fingers alone. Raw - his gasps were, his fingers creaking at the knuckles as he held onto the bedding, feeling as if the fingertips were burning from the material being held so damn tightly. His foot was surely cramping but he couldn't himself from curling toes nor pointing feet down from the sheer pleasure running over his spine to the core.

Skin was broken, bleeding in the shape of Ayalon's mouth - a few scratches from eager turns on his hips, the sensation of sweat rolling into open wounds did wonders to his masochistic growth but honestly it was scary how fucking much he was enjoying this. It could be from the fact that his stomach was bulging like no one's business the deeper this man went. Making his taut stomach raise in the slightest bump. Watching it between them moments ago nearly made Luan come alone from how hot it was, but he was turned and fucked into an orgasm and through it instead, which made to forget about things for a while.

Didn't matter though - his body was a mess of weeping fluids, but it didn't stop, not with how Ayalon now was reaching his last end. Well, Luan hoped. His lungs felt like they were burning, his hand slipped from the bedding to latch onto their arm, clawing at the ink as his lashes flooded with tears and his brows rose with bliss. "O-oh fuck, Aya… lo-ngh!" Squeaking with moans, throat dry from panting so fast, but revived in fluid from those long and saliva thick kisses that made him thirst for more.

Cut short though - as he was risen not only by his thighs, but by their pelvis… "Wha…" Oh, how his eyes rolled, his tongue pushing out as if it was to scoop air back into his lungs from being pushed out from the new position. "Ah--- ah!!" It hurt from the pressure on his lower back, but it also made him tense up - which was seemingly greatly appreciated as his guts were practically rearranged around Ayalon's dick --- the strangest dick Luan's come across so far, but the way it dug deep, pushed his walls open and made him see stars. How the fuck could he complain?

Instead, he could only weep as his seed dribbled out of him in convulsions that made his climax feel like it was falling through his veins as liquid cloud nine. Ayalon's name was on his tongue, praised and cursed as he felt his body give out the longer the other was pressing inside him so fucking deeply. Luan couldn't tell you if he felt Ayalon coming, nor could he tell you what happened after his vision began to have black spots but he could say - without a doubt, he was fucked unconscious.

[talesfromthegameff14]

Prompt #17: Novel

It was late, yet sleep was not coming to the xaela.  It was so easy to get day and night mixed up now that light had less, and more, meaning to them than before.  Something to be cherished instead of expected, but no longer the driving force between activity and rest.  Add to that change a mate who preferred the night, children that couldn’t make up their mind, and responsibilities that demanded tending in the day?  It was little surprise that a regular schedule of sleep was elusive at best.  At least it wasn’t nightmares that kept Ayanga up these days, that was an improvement.  Was it not?

It did mean that the house was quiet, the various occupants either asleep or off to end to other duties.  It left the xalea with a rare moment to himself, something he rarely sought out these days.  To be alone meant there was silence, stillness, and isolation that was unnerving instead of soothing.  Time ticked by differently with little to occupy it besides restless pacing and counting to ensure that nothing was bumped into or tripped over.

There was another possibility, something Aya’s been avoiding ever since the gift arrived from a sister that knew a little too well what that isolation was like.  The box of books held a promise of hope that taunted the xaela with possibility.  It seemed like a frivolous indulgence, or so he told himself as time passed and he left the box unopened.  There were other things to learn, far more important things than that.  Most people didn’t know how to read, the world was well suited for that at least.  He would make do without and that was that.  It was a practical excuse that was still met with skeptical snorts from those who knew him best.  Skepticism that Aya firmly ignored, holding his reasoning close to his heart.  It was armor of sorts, protection from the disappointment he was afraid would follow when he failed.  And that was the rub, fear of falling was becoming harder and harder to push back each time he did. A life of picking himself up and moving forward when the path grew rocky didn’t prepare him for this challenge.  Relearning how to eat, dress, bathe, walk, and simply live was a far different battle than any other he’s done.  One more burden was something he could ill afford to carry, even with the hands that helped and lifted and tugged and pushed along the way. It was different tonight though, the stillness was still scratchy and irritating, rubbing at his temper and turning him restless and grumpy.  The thought of the box of books brought curiosity in equal measure with the fear this time, that change leaving the long and sharply scalled tail twitching and rattling in the wake of Aya’s pacing steps.  It wasn’t long before he found himself pulling the box out from under the bed, using claws to finally open it up long past when he should have. Carefully, the books were removed from the box, two different types from what he remembered.  Strangely, it was easy enough to tell the difference between them.  One was physically heavier, the pages a bit thicker and bulkier than he remembered.  The others tingled along fingertips, enchantments to the ink lending to the sensation of more in his hands.  One of each was picked up and tucked under an arm, Aya retrieving his staff and preparing a tray for tea and snacks before he made his way to the hanging chair that was his favorite spot to... To do what?  Read?  The thought seemed ludicrous to him, yet he settled in anyway, habit keeping his movements steady and sure.  Fingers danced over the books before he picked up the tingling one and took a deep breath to brace himself.  Another to reach to the staff at his side, the crystals set within the wood glowing softly at the touch of his will.  Then the book was opened with a trembling hand, heart pounding from excitement and dread.  It took time, Aya staring at the pages as if he could will the pages to appear before him as they once did.  They did not, but something else did.  Shapes, aetheric and odd danced before his fractured vision.  Try too hard and all of the writing done via aetherical ink showed despite the book being open to only one page.  Try too little and nothing at all except the general shape of the book was perceptible.  It was something though, Aya’s breath catching in his throat as one word then another was picked out from the glimmering lines upon each page.  It was difficult, but possible.  Hope drove him forward and made the headache that bloomed in his temples as the hours passed worth it.  The night passed in a blur, exhaustion finally claiming the xaela as he fell asleep curled up in the hanging chair.  It was how Tolemy found him in the morning, Terbish, Melody, and Zareen dealing with the children as to not wake the slumbering man.  Tea long gone cold, snacks forgotten, but a hint of a smile on Aya’s lips with the book clutched tight to his chest.  [Melody belongs to @realmoffantasy Tolemy belongs to @ala-mhinyan Zareen belongs to @yzareenxiv]

[winningthesweepstakes]

Aya: Claws Come Out by Marguerite Abouet,  illustrated by Clément Oubrerie

Aya: Claws Come Out by Marguerite Abouet,  illustrated by Clément Oubrerie. Drawn & Quarterly, 2024. 9781770467019 Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4 Format: Hardcover graphic novel What did you like about the book? After a long hiatus, Marguerite Abouet returns with a seventh volume in the Aya series. Once again, the story follows several friends (now in their early 20s)…

[she-toadmask]

Fuck it OC posting time

Minecraft:

Aya, Dust, and Aspen: an Ender/Brine/Wither trio. Aya is based on my RP character from middle school, Dust is based on my RP partner's RP character(s), and Aspen is based on a self-insert I daydreamed about in high school

Aya is Ender Dragon hybrid (I don't have a better word for having wings, claws, etc yet and hybrid is what was used back in the day so it will have to stay that way until I can be more concise). She/her, was a princess when young and friends with Dust but a conquering king took over the kingdom she lived in and escaped to the streets. Joined an underground/black market group (I'm leaning assassin but she probably did other stuff before that). Ender dragon shit appeared some years after becoming proficient (I think at some point I was thinking it was while escaping the conquering king's guards after killing him and she takes flight to escape) and I don't remember how she goes from there to reuniting with Dust. She has claws she can lengthen at will, short horns, wings that are good for agility and speed, and a tail. Also high resistance to potions and magic.

Dust is Brinekin (also need a name for that). He/she, parents are/were merchants and they escaped the kingdom before it fell. He wanted to wait for Aya to sneak her out but his family had to leave before they were going to meet. She believed Aya had died and mourned her. His parents passed peacefully after she was capable of taking over the business. Something something power presents and panik. I don't remember if I was giving him white eyes or a color. She can summon raw materials, craft and uncraft items, summon lightning (inspired by this one type of Minecraft video where Herobrine did lightning and I'm pretty sure the backend was binding a summon lightning command to a stick), and fly. He can't craft potions without a brewing stand.

I also have a no-power concept in my head for these two where Dust witnesses Aya assassinate someone (she doesn't know it's Aya but Aya recognizes him) and there is the fear from Dust of Aya tracking him down so there are no witnesses and Aya has so many mixed emotions about seeing her again.

Aspen is Wither-cursed (better but I swear I had something else in mind once). She/her, her childhood is significantly less relevant but before becoming Wither she has an extremely close friend she travels with. Said friend does not have a name yet. They're adventurers pretty much. Aya and Dust both present completely at once, Aspen does not. One morning she has a nightmare and wakes up to graying skin somewhere on her body (probably arm). She tries to hide it but eventually her friend finds out and they decide to try to find research to fix this. Her friend also forges some new armor to give full cover once the fabric in contact with the graying skin starts to fall apart. They aren't able to find a solution and it keeps getting worse. They go into a kingdom to try and go in the library and something goes wrong and some armor comes off and panic ensues. The guards chase them and Aspen panics and summons a skull that explodes. The guards capture Aspen and Aspen's friend dies in the fight and Aspen blames herself. Aya and Dust break her out eventually once they learn of her existence. Aspen causes Wither effect on touch unless concentrating very hard and can summon both types of skulls (iirc one is big explosion and no Wither effect and one is small explosion and yes Wither effect). She would be able to fly in theory but she feels uncomfortable if out and about without full armor so she can't do more than hover.

There is also an unnamed trio of the same type that is mostly to replace the three evil TC characters that were A Thing on Wattpad so I can keep the daydream animatics without the bad people (Aya, Dust, and Aspen have a more defined story my heart would love to tell with them the unnamed trio is blank slate). They do have pronouns and powersets (Brine is she/they, can summon and dispel weaponry, channel fire, and fly faster than Dust; Ender is she/her, has dragon breath, and has more durable wings suited for long distances; Wither is she/her and is less potent than Aspen but that means she isn't weighed down by armor when trying to not cause mass damages and can move a lot faster) but their personalities are vague at best.

D&D:

Zephyr is a Wood Elf rogue who grew up in a traveling circus of mostly Tieflings. They became an adventurer when the last generation of performers retired because they felt uncomfortable with the idea of settling down. They have a nasty scar on their right forearm that they refuse to talk about. (They were trying to imitate one of their relatives who could juggle knives. It Went Poorly.)

I still haven't settled on a name for her but she's a half-elf Life Cleric who grew up as an arena fighter. Her parents were in debt and she was old enough to fight properly by the time they died so she had to fight to keep paying it off. By the time the debt was paid off she didn't know what else to do so she kept fighting. (The exact details here are fuzzy because it was tied into a campaign that never happened so the inciting incident of this part will change once she actually gets to play.) Some of her death-match opponents started to seem off. Aggressive in an unnatural way, or bestial when they had no history of fighting that way. She knew a local temple came to heal combatants sometimes and the next time she was near one she asked for help leaving and they accepted her. She eventually started traveling with adventurers because as much as it sucked, battle was in her blood after the years in the arena. She has many scars and is largely willing to talk about them (except I would have to figure them out). She largely refuses to use damaging spells, the magic is limited and if she can heal with them she feels like she must. (I am trying to figure out a phrasing that lets me use Sacred Flame the dex save is rough but I love Sacred Flame)

Pokemon:

When SwSh was on the horizon I kept trying to write an isekai-ish fic for it and I never got anywhere but I'm still kind of attached to the characters I wrote for it even if I don't remember their names

Young: written to channel an idealized version of young me. Very excited about being in the world of Pokemon, lots of energy for battling and exploring with her Pokemon. Chooses Grookey. Potentially becomes champion. Does not pursue a return route.

Oldest: never really got a handle on her character but is the most calculating of the three. Stays with the others to be a reasonable figure, battles to stay competent. Chooses Sobble. Does not become champion. Pursues a return route.

Middle: has depression and probably anxiety. Doesn't know what else to do and follows young to not be left behind. Is not present for starter selection and starts with Blipbug and Rookidee. (Actually the only one with any team comp: also has female Kirlia who never evolves and Mimikyu, I know for a fact there was something else but i can't remember what. I have notes somewhere.) Potentially becomes champion. Does not actively pursue return route, remains with Young. (Also chases down Hop after Bede is an asshole and attempts to be comforting/supportive.) (Middle also does not Dynamax until battling Rose while Young, Oldest, and Hop try to stop Eternatus. Is injured during the battle.)

TES honorable mention:

So there's this fic idea I never got around to actually writing and maybe I'll post more details later but the parts relevant to this post are that the Hero of Kvatch (Oblivion protagonist, HoK) and Last Dragonborn (Skyrim protagonist, LDB) meet due to LDB doing time travel.

HoK is a Redguard and uses heavy armor with sword and shield. High up in the Fighters' Guild and has many regrets over Martin's death.

LDB is a Breton mage with an interest in Oblivion Gates.

I might make a separate post transferring my notes about this fic and maybe someone can bully me into trying to fully write it.

[nyamcot]

MAROON I REALLY LIKE COBOLT can you like tell me more about it??? :D

SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO ANSWER.. I was going to do little drawings of what I wanted to share because I thought it’d be easier to explain it that way since I’m not too good with words :”o i didn’t have the energy however so I’m just going to try to write it up instead aach and then I just kept forgetting.

Most of this is from its toyhouse. Which at the moment is hidden bc I’m still rly shy about the arca ocs. I promise I’m glad u asked though I rly like talking ab it when I get to <3

• I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about it before but It can control shadows/darkness or quietly move within them and may even sometimes switch consciousness with it. There’s a lot of mentions of darkness in both Aya’s PPQ dialogue and Dark Sig (though, not as much compared to Aya but I feel that the design on sigs part gets the point across) so I figured that Cobalt would be someone with the power of darkness. Cobalt kinda of just lurks in the shadows & I imagine it to be very illusive of people.

• Has a rather off putting personality, speaks rather cryptically and mysteriously yet monotonously. This often makes it come across as intimidating or uncomfortable to be around. Truthfully though, it likely doesn’t mean to do that on purpose and more often than not it doesn’t notice. This, its shadow manipulation, & tricks is what made most people in Arca afraid of it at the time.

• Like its name & the chloride, it can be red. Which is supposed to reflect the Red/Crimson part of its soul as it had two (the cyan & crimson one) inside of it in a sort of balance before being split by the Record of Sealing. You don’t really see Red Cobalt much however since usually the default is its darker blue! Aside from being shades of Reddish/Red purples it’s a bit more unpredictable in personality. Whereas, usually, the darker blue tones things down a bit. The change in color happens either under big emotions or if it’s just having the zoomies ❗️though it can also just happen with no rhyme or reason. Think of it as the balance between the crimson & cyan soul getting unbalanced on occasion thus influencing Cobalt when it does.

• It’s arms/claws feel like hard beetle shells & are very tough

• It’s hair tends to always have this glossy type of sheen? Like some beetles! In addition to the whole beetle thing, These two strands of it’s hair are suppose to resemble stag beetle antlers :)

• it was sealed on its Birthday

• Rumor has it that it always read a book before sleeping /silly

• ouhhh speaking of books, it had so many. It had a really massive interest in them & would collect all sorts of tomes, typically cursed ones out of total curiosity & fascinations or ones knowledgeable in magic. It liked showing Sereniti them a lot & occasionally lent them :) You’d think that because it knows so much about books it would’ve identified the record of sealing but uh. well.

• kitty

[pinerduck]

Mitochondrial eve parasite eve

Eventually you have to try and stop her from stealing the entire donor supply of a sperm bank so she can impregnate herself and give birth to a mitochondrian messiah. She melts a clutch of concert goers into a single gelatinous mass that looks like King Kong if he were made out of SunnyD. The last time you ever see more than a handful of people in the city is when Eve assaults yet another crowd on Christmas Day. Unlike similar schlock like Darkman, though, the game just keeps mutating like one of Eve’s beasts, escalating into odder scenarios as Aya herself keeps getting more and more trapped in the city.Įve is actually the embodiment of a sentient, evolved group of mitochondria - the engine in living cells - that are trying to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the human nucleus. Half urban isolation meets explosion fest like The Rock and half Clive Barker-ian body horror, it really does feel like a vintage piece of cheese pulled right off of USA’s Up All Night with Gilbert Gottfried. If it stopped there and Aya just had to track down Eve in New York, fighting off mutating creatures as she went, Parasite Eve would just be another eerie high concept action horror fitting of its era. If painter Patrick Nagel and The Babadook director Jennifer Kent were in charge of crafting the worst Freudian anxiety nightmare you’d ever have, it would still be less outlandish than the beginning of Parasite Eve. That’s also when the rats in the building start turning into hog-sized freaks with three-pronged whip tails that shoot fire. Her arms twist and extend into dark claws, her legs are replaced by a curving, coarse tail as she floats in mid-air ranting about how the mitochondria are starting a revolution. The singer then warps into Eve, our monster antagonist. This is one of Parasite Eve’s only scenes where New York is populated beyond Aya and her allies from the 17th Precinct and everyone happens to be on fire. They arrive at Carnegie Hall for an opera, but as the show begins with a wailing, wordless song, everyone in the theater save Aya and the singer on stage starts to burn. On Christmas Eve in 1997, NYPD detective Aya Brea goes on a date with an overeager man who’s never named. In trying to make a shorter, more digestible delivery system for its technological prowess, Square produced something weirder than anything they’d made before. Parasite Eve was an attempt to streamline the concept of a role-playing game - strategic, evocative games that take dozens of hours to unfold their action and plot - so it could more seamlessly integrate with the lushly animated, Pixar short-style story sequences that Square was revolutionizing on the PS1. (Is it a movie? Is it one of those VHS board games? These were valid questions in the ‘90s and they still are unless you’re the sort of person that immediately understands what “RPG” stands for.) That awkward moniker was a mission statement. Square called it a “cinematic RPG,” a weird genre signifier that raises more questions than it answers. That’s the New York in Parasite Eve.ĭeveloped by SquareSoft and released in 1998 for the original PlayStation, Parasite Eve remains an eminently playable, bizarre experiment as beguiling as its setting. New York at rest feels like a dream space made flesh, a place both alien and familiar, isolating and enveloping. All the speed and fury of 8 million people pushing and yelling between the cars and the sirens falls away into a rumbling susurrus, half noise and half feeling. It’s eerie the first time you experience it, coming home in the small hours or walking out the door before the sun comes over the East River. Everything slows for a while, neighborhood by neighborhood, the city’s cardiovascular system easing down just like a human body at the end of the day. It rests fitfully, ready to rise at the crash of a car, the wail and fade of ambulance sirens mixing with the sharp bleat of drunk laughter filtering up from the sidewalk at 2 a.m., but it does in fact slumber. Parasite Eve knows the truth: New York sleeps.

[thewolfisawake]

REFLECT for Aspis

send REFLECT for me to explain a traumatic event in my muses’s past and talk about their perception of events,  which parts have stayed with them longest and how it affects them now.  (  sender can request specific scenes/backstory  )

It's more of what haven't I used for trauma at this point? I am only half-joking too. But for this one, I'll go with the more recent one and how it has altered all the prior. The most recent would be the mess with the clans and being buried alive and because of his psuedo-immortality curse, survived it all.

I believe I've touched on it giving or rather adding to his other problems. Like having nightmares about his vain attempts to claw his way out. He doesn't clearly remember it, at least not when he's actively trying to recall it. Because while he was going in and out of consciousness the entire time and kinda had to live through 'failures' of his body that entire time....that was months. The stress of it all would've probably driven him insane if he actually remembered it all.

Which makes dealing with it...hard for Aspis. He can't really convey what he went through outside of the recovery he was conscious for. He also is sensitive to people's dispositions and the like. So he wouldn't want to bring it up because if Aya heard what he actually went through, she'd never forgive herself. If his friends heard the real extent, they'd be either angry or scared. To him, it isn't worth the effort for something that doesn't hinder his functioning. But it's clear it does rattle him as he can't even get through telling the gleaning details without feeling weak in his legs and trouble breathing.

And the side step with the incident and one that has to be tackled was that Aspis had/has amnesia and couldn't recall most of anything. This made it easier to reside within the clans' manor despite some of them being responsible for what happened in the first place. But has unwittingly put dampers elsewhere. What I mean is that Aspis has only really started to recall things because of his exposure to some link in his memory. For example, he could recall some of his adolescent memories because Daza, his mentor as a teenager, had visited him and jogged some of those memories. And that is essentially how the memories he has has come back. And even those are not complete. 

So he has been a bit different because of it. He doesn’t have the full picture to remember how his adolescence shot his self-esteem. Nor does he remember how tactful he was with his emotional understanding with his friends to know he DIDN’T confront them about their problems. What may not have been noticed because Aspis tends to run in the background to the other’s shenanigans is his distance with his friends because, in a sense, he doesn’t know them. He’s personable enough to connect with them again and their presence and their own stories have helped him recall some things...but it isn’t quite the same. And because of Aspis being different headspace wise, he takes how they treat him differently from how he originally did. It can be good, it can be bad. 

A lot of things can be chalked up as getting his head rattled from others. Confidence is what can be said in chat. Although something that hasn’t really been brought up because there hasn’t been an organic way of bringing it up are these holes in memory since Aspis wouldn’t think he’s missing something unless any of the kids brought up something he didn’t already hear. And unfortunately he doesn’t have someone to really jog his memory for his home since, well, no one is around from his home. I have been working on a workaround but it is a maybe right now. 

But if I did...if we could piece that....hooooooo the wreck this boy would be. Long story short, memory loss is one hell of a device that can cause some unintended side effects. 

[akumanoken]

@silvxcs​

"Hehe~ who knows. Maybe it was seen by your looks. You have that look whenever you want to take him. Now what's stopping you again from doing so~? He's coming back now." A little push to make Souji go onto Ayato -- now excuse him while he's back away.

A boy who just had a successful claw machine raid!! So many sweets!!!  “Aya!! Hi hi!!”

“Hey there... come here??”  He reached his hand out, pulling Souji on his lap when he got closer.  “You look so cute...” he murmured, pressing little kisses to his neck. .”Who said you could look so cute, huh?? I never signed off on that

”  He murmured, pressing little kisses on his neck.  Souji’s little giggles and squeaks and whines of “Aya~~” did nothin but make him chuckle, squeezing him tighter.  “You’re so cute I wanna eat you...” he murmured kisses turning into bites.  “Cute and sweet...”