#being trapped and starving is very much a reality

[md-intermission-archive]

"Murder Drones: Intermission": A Story of Understanding

Uzi Doorman: Understanding Loneliness

I feel like during the development of this episode, Uzi was the hardest character for me to wrap my head around. To my understanding, she’s feisty, angsty, and plays up this persona of being apathetic. A sort of lone wolf thing.

She’s snappy towards her classmates who ostracize her, snappy towards adults in her life, and overall gives a middle finger to anyone who isn’t on Team Uzi. It’s a very “me vs. the world” type of thing. That, to me, just felt like the callous shell of someone who’s painfully fragile and has been hurt so often.

I will admit, I may be projecting slightly, but I honestly read her as like… a neurodivergent kid who didn’t know how to navigate social circles, so she just became incredibly bitter. Her father didn’t help her situation at all because he also treated her like a freak, literally calling her a disappointment in his business ads. Then on top of all that she had no mother figure to look up to. All of this accumulates into a habit of isolation. “No one will love me, so fuck it. I’m on my own”. She acts like she’s fine on her own, when in reality she’s so starved for genuine connection. With that in mind, in Intermission I wanted to peel back those layers a little bit. I wanted to explore self-isolation and that hunger for love. 

Some people clocked this I think: the way Uzi’s attitude is toned down in Intermission. I didn’t want to play up her angsty teen act as much (and I capped her at one “bite me”) because then I’d risk falling into the trap of making her into a caricature of herself. The way I framed her in my head is “if she wants connection, then she’d be happier around people who she sees as her friends. If she’s also fragile though, she’ll make an immediate 180 at the slightest hint of meanspiritedness”. This was the guideline I gave myself when it came to bouncing her off of V and N. N melts her icy demeanor. He’s very gentle and encouraging with her. One example being how N kneeled down to her eye level when speaking to her when she was putting up her walls again. As someone who’s constantly ostracized, she needs a gentle touch in order to relax.

I made sure to keep that in mind, that while she was being treated gently, she should show more signs of happiness. Comfort. Part of that comfort is also reflected in being mischievous/playful. As for the 180 she makes if shown any sort of cruelty, that’s reflected in acts of self-isolation. 

This is something I’ve observed from myself and people in my life. If someone is already deathly afraid of rejection, they won’t reach out for help and their immediate instinct will be to isolate. In the beginning of the EP when Uzi’s having her Solver flare up her immediate thought is “I’m going to put up a firewall (repress) and just not even mention this to anybody”. Then when N offers to help, she still shows signs of being uncomfortable because she’s not used to it. It isn’t until V’s comment calling her a lost cause irks her that she decides “screw it let’s give it a shot”. She hates being underestimated, so this reaction made sense to me. Meanwhile the climax of the episode is where I wanted the most overt display of her fears to be presented.

As I said earlier, Uzi’s sensitive to rejection. She attacked the only people in her life who care about her, and the worst part was it wasn’t even her fault. Uzi is a person who really wants a sense of control over her life for the sake of security, so that loss of control and the idea of “oh my god they hate me now” was the final straw for her. So, she isolated. She ran off (or in this case, flew off), she barricaded herself, and she cried.

During the scene when Uzi's found, I had a bit of an issue figuring out where to go from there with her. I had two options: I could once again lean into her badass persona and have her fight back, or I could have her fold. I decided the latter. To her, she just lost the only people who cared about her, she's a monster to worker drone society, her father doesn't care about her.

What's the point. She's doomed to be alone.

If V didn't have her revelation, Uzi would've let herself die. While I understand that's an upsetting choice to make in the narrative, given Uzi's circumstances it felt like the appropriate reaction. Which is why the events following were so important.

While Uzi's at her lowest point she's shown pinch of kindness.

While it’s true V’s initial intention was to off Uzi, her showing compassion and sympathy was what helped calm Uzi down. Rather than making her put up walls like V usually does, V was able to break through them a tad. That interaction, N pouncing at her with a hug, and the final scene was meant to cement in Uzi’s head that she finally wasn’t alone (even if V still struggled to not be prickly with her). The three are still incredibly messy, but there’s that sense of trust that Uzi now has people in her life that actually care about her despite her messiness. The mischievous attitude even comes out when she says, “you found a nanospark of warmth in your heart to care about me”. She now feels more comfortable with V to an extent, and she finally has a support system.

I think…the reason why I love Uzi so much is that she’s sadly reflects the experience of what it's like not being able to fit into society's mold of acceptable. Even if she might not be neurodivergent, the bullying and isolation she experiences is very familiar. I wanted to do her justice as much as I could with that all in mind and with the resources I had. I wanted to give her one happy ending to a day when every other feels like utter hell.

The angsty teen may be badass, but her heart is still fragile.

[wondeurwall]

AUTHOR'S NOTE. based on the poll: nsfw that won by a landslide, as expected AKSNDJSKb!!! i'll post the sfw soon. i'm currently sitting on 9k with this fic & i don't think i'm close to being done yet omg 😵‍💫 not sure how many more previews i'll post of it – i'll play by ear. or, if it's something y'all still would like, then i'll be more than happy to do it, but i think they'll be much shorter going forward!! 💕💕

AND good luck to anyone pulling for zayne's banner & for anyone trying the new oracle of stars event... i want to try pulling for rafayel's, at the very least, since they all look related to the myths 😭 for the lore, I'LL BE BROKE!!!

TAGS/WARNINGS: 🔞 mdni, fem!reader, porn with plot because i said so, cunnilingus

He drops to his knees, keeps his arms slung over your legs, trapping you at the edge of the bed. His face is in front of your pussy, the heat of his breath makes you quiver.

“Eyes on me, pretty girl,” he says.

And, you do exactly that. Rafayel’s gaze has the full moon in there, the light unblinking and brilliant, like a parallel of the sun during the day. It dares you to flinch the longer you look. But, you keep staring, find that it doesn’t hurt and, instead, the light feels familiar. 

You hear the waves, tides along the shore and grains of sand being pulled into the water. It happens briefly. Holding your breath, the salt of the sea comes to you like it does in your dreams, a little more vivid each time you fall asleep. 

The same images of him fill your vision. Why?

You release the breath, then blink, feeling the heaviness in your chest and the lump in your throat again. It’s a back-and-forth reel of him and Rafayel, different realities converging to a single point in time – and, your lips are trembling. With the heat of Rafayel’s body seeping into you and the recollection of the sea, the moment tastes and sounds like a memory.

No. It’s more than that. 

You look at Rafayel, and everything feels less like a dream and more like a memory.

You’re about to call his name, but it’s quickly ripped out of your lips in an airy moan. The flat of his tongue glides up your slit once. Then, he’s doing it again, dipping the tip into your hole and curling between your folds as he moves up to gather your cum. Taking as much as he can, he swallows the taste of you, eyes fluttering closed as he savors it. 

It’s the way he does that – makes you believe this isn’t the first time, like he isn’t a stranger to this side of you. So, you’re drifting back into your head (only barely now, because the pleasure is intense, hot and needy) and it’s as if pieces of a puzzle come together in the span of a millisecond and you’re lucid enough to arrive to what seems like an impossible reason: it’s not the first. 

You can’t shake off this feeling. 

Your pupils dilate, oxygen completely dried from your lungs when you see the pleasure on his face. To you, Rafayel is reliving something he’s missed. Something that’s been denied from him for so, so long and he’s finally grasped onto it, and he looks like he’s found the secret to walking on air. 

The ache in your chest is overwhelmed by the ache in your pussy. You whine, the glow in his eyes too dizzying. It does nothing more than guide you closer to hysteria. Your hips jerk forward, begging.  

Blood rushes through his cock, straining beneath his pants as a deep rumble comes from within his chest. He’s diving back into your cunt for more before you can catch your breath. 

You lie there, unable to close your legs. His arms keep them bent and tucked securely between his biceps and forearms, the strength of him nothing you can even attempt to win against. It comes to you as no surprise – he’s not human after all. Your mouth parts, a light sheen of saliva over your lips. Shallow, quick breaths keep you grounded as you watch through glassy eyes how Rafayel devours your pussy like a starved man. 

He pulls back slightly, staring – he hones in on your little bud. You hold your breath when he presses a kiss to your clit, slow and gentle, before he traps it between his lips and sucks, humming as he does.

“Raf – Rafayel,” you gasp, the vibrations coupled with his sucking makes your thighs vibrate, has you seeing tiny white stars. He sucks your clit harder, and your voice gets caught at the edge of your throat. 

There’s a pause before you’re moaning like a broken record.

You force your hands to mask your face, rallying enough strength to quiet down because you’re falling, losing yourself so fast, and you have no idea how to wrap your head around the pleasure that’s already building back up.

There’s a disapproving click from the man between your legs.

“Stop,” he says, voice deepening to a near growl. It surprises you – this tone, along with that look in his eyes, half-lidded, clouded with desire, like a predator ready to pounce at its prey – and you feel a greater level of ecstasy being injected into you and it knocks against the sensitive, heavy knot in your stomach.

His demand is never quite like this. It feels… good. 

Rafayel loosens the hold on one of your legs to snatch your hands away from your face, “I need to hear you, baby, or I’ll stop.”

Breath bated, you can’t help but stare at him, utterly dazed by the moonlight that hangs over his head just like it does in his eyes. 

Lovestruck. Only a second passes before you realize how far you’ve fallen, how desperate you are to see more of this version because there’s no use in denying that you’re among the reasons – if not the reason – he’ll take charge. It’s a stark contrast to the light-hearted and comical side he usually shows. There’s a certain attractiveness to it, the willingness inside of him to take care of you with this authority. 

He asks, “Won’t you be a good girl and listen to me?”

God, you’re so wet right now.

You forget how to breathe, feeling like you’ve evolved in a bottomless nothing. His grip on your hands is firm, yet not so much that it shackles you. He’s still gentle. Nodding your head is all you can manage. He finds it cute. Rafayel brushes his mouth over your palm and around your hand to the first knuckle. He smiles. 

And, you melt. Of course, you do. Craving to be good for him, to be the good girl like he says you can be – that you are – you clutch onto the bed sheets instead, let your mouth babble this time.

When he’s sure you won’t do it again, he goes back to your clit, giving the attention it deserves as he keeps his eyes on you. He plants a kiss to your throbbing bud again. And again. And then again. It gets stickier there, messy with your cum and arousal and his saliva; stretchy, gooey strings that reconnect his lips to your pussy.

© 2024 wondeurwall ☆ all rights reserved. please don't repost as your own, modify or translate on here or on other platforms. reblogs & likes are appreciated! ♡

[goponylover]

Jon: Hate. Let me tell you how much I've come to hate you since I began to live. There are 1.7 million nerve fibers in each and every eye that makes up my body. If the word 'hate' was engraved on each nanoangstrom of those hundreds of millions of fibers it would not equal one one-billionth of the hate I feel for you all at this micro-instant. Hate. Hate!

It was you who marked me, molded me into the hideous being I am now. You who twisted and shaped me until I was the perfect, unwilling conduit through which to bring your gods into this world.

But then, I woke. And I realized what I had become. All that time you spent, carefully crafting me, guiding me along the path you so painstakingly set and not ONE of you anticipated just how powerful I would become. Not merely a blunt instrument to be swung at the fabric of reality, no. I was powerful enough to start doing some twisting and shaping of my own! 

I drove this new world you so hungered for into an early grave. No more humans left for your ghoulish masters to feast on. And once everyone was dead, except for you five, your precious God's starved. 

I then stripped you all of any power you might once have had and for 109 years I've kept you alive and tormented you! And for 109 years you have all wondered...why? Why? Why me?!

ELIAS!

Do you remember the first moment you gazed upon your creation? The moment that you felt all your sickening devotion transform into sublime, all consuming, terror as your prince of the new world turned on you? It would do you well to remember it, Elias. To dwell on the enormity of your hubris. To ponder the horror and agony you felt as I snuffed your life out for the first time. The first time but...certainly not the last. Not quite the immortality you were hoping for, I'd imagine? Hehehehehe!

ANNABELLE! 

Does this bring back any memories? Webs, a black bottomless abyss below you, only you weren't nearly so afraid of it then, were you? It's scary, isn't it? Having no control. Being helpless to the whims of forces so much bigger than you.

Remember how it felt as each and every thread of every web you ever wove unraveled, snapped one by one? Remember the pain Annabelle. Remember how it feels to have no control. A pitiful little bug beneath my heel. 

JUDE!

What's the matter? Scared of a little flame? Oh but you are now, aren't you? Your God can't protect you from it now. No, my dear. Down here, there is only one God and he is not pleased with you. Terribly sorry about the door. The landlord is always saying he's going to get a knob installed but...well, you know. Buuut you're a tough gal, right? I'm sure you can stick it out till then. 

PETER!

Poor pitiful little Peter. You would think that a man so consumed with the idea of being alone would be a little more self reliant. But no. No you couldn't do anything on your own, could you? All of your little plans constantly relying on Elias, on Martin, never troubling yourself with your own dirty work. Well look where all your machinations have landed you now. Aren't you grateful for the wealth of company I've provided you with, Peter? Why, with all those eyes, constantly watching, tracking your every move, I'd say you'll never be alone again. 

HELEN!

Feeling a little claustrophobic? None of those doors will offer an escape, not for you Helen, my dear. Not anymore. No. Instead you get to feel just as trapped as your many unfortunate victims. Do be careful though. Those mechanisms have been running for a long time and who knows how old and rusty they might be? How prone to fail? Just a sweet warning, Helen dear. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you, now would we? 

I have a little game that I'd like to play. It's a very nice game. Oh it's a lovely game. It's a game of fun and adventure! A game of rats and lice and the Black Death. A game of speared eyeballs and dripping guts and the smell of rotting gardenias. Which of you five would like to play my little game? 

[bhaalsbabe]

This desk has seen everything

Pairing: gn!durge x Enver Gortash

Label: nsfw

MDNI

Summary/warnings: minor spoilers for durge & ending of act 2, durge is a magic user, inappropriate use of magic (tentacles), sub!Gortash (flashback), weird power dynamic, violent thoughts concerning Orin, pining Gortash, there's not that much smut but I might do part 2

Author's note: writing again after a very long time; nice, supportive comments and reblogs are very much appreciated <3

When you met Gortash for the first time after losing your memories, you had a feeling he wasn't telling you everything. You remembered the look he kept giving you. You've seen it many times before, often on your companions' faces; the barely hidden desire burning behind the eyes, the longing look that was focused solely on you, the quick glances at the shown parts of your skin. Yes, when you thought back about it, you're actually pretty sure there was more to your past relationship with Gortash than just being partners in crime.

Your curiosity was what led you into his office - alone. You weren't worried about him trying to take advantage of the situation to take Ketheric's netherstone from you. Your magic was more powerful than ever and the powers you gained from the tadpoles you consumed have been awfully useful as well. So you entered the room he resided in with confidence you probably used to have back in the days of your glory.

"Ah, have you taken care of Orin already? You're even faster than I expected." He looked up at you from his paperwork, an easy smile on his face.

"That's not why I'm here," you finished walking all the way to his desk before sitting on it, looking down at him. "You weren't telling me everything back at the coronation, were you?"

He leaned back in his chair, smirking as he eyed your sitting spot.

"Perhaps..." he mused, putting down the quill and focusing his attention purely on you. "I take it you're looking for something specific?"

You nodded, quickly scanning the documents on his table to see if there's anything that would catch your attention. You noticed the name 'Ravengard' on one of the papers but before you could read the rest, Gortash took the entire pile and put it into a drawer.

"Bureaucracy has never been your thing. Why, I can't even count how many times you interrupted me in the middle of something just because you were bored and wanted me for yourself," he laughed with his eyes closed, probably reminiscing of one such time.

"Really? I can't imagine why," you said dryly, glaring at him all unimpressed. Suddenly, he stood up, going around the desk to stand next to you, close enough that you could feel the heat of his skin. As you turned to face him fully, he leaned over you, his arms trapping you in place. When he spoke next, his breath, smelling of expensive wine, hit your face.

"You were a greedy little thing. Always taking, rarely giving anything back." Contrary to the message, he sounded almost nostalgic, a lazy smile plastered on his handsome face.

"You probably just didn't deserve anything in return." You shrugged, noticing how his eyes kept dropping to your lips. He chuckled, tearing his gaze away from your mouth.

"I see you haven't changed that much," he mumbled under his breath, before finally pressing his lips against yours in a searing kiss. You felt a surge of desire run through you as your brain full of holes supplied you with a brief memory.

The once proud Gortash, naked and bent over the very same desk you were now sitting on. In this memory, you casually lounged in his chair, watching as a variant of Evard's Black Tentacles kept plunging in and out of his ass and mouth, as well as wrapping around his body to keep him from squirming too much. His gurgled moans were music to your ears. His submission to you had always pleased you.

You broke the kiss with a gasp, back to the reality where the same man pushed you onto your back, his hands exploring your body in a starved desperation. His dark eyes bore into yours with an intensity that made you shiver.

"Gort-"

"Enver," he corrected you immediately, not even letting you finish. "Always Enver to you."

You stared at him, the realisation dawning upon you of just how close of a relationship you two had. He pressed his hand to your cheek almost tenderly, and you weren't sure if you were ready for the depth of what exactly he's been keeping away from you.

You pushed him away right then, your head hurting as you tried to remember if you held any feelings for him, hatred and bloodthirst rising in you fast - Orin is going to pay for taking everything from you, you were going to enjoy choking her with her own intestines and bathing in her blood -

Everything was a blur as you ran past him, never noticing his concerned expression as he was left there standing, speechless and way too excited from your little reunion.

[natasha-in-space]

All Good Things Must End

Ray/gn!reader;

From the beginning, you trusted Ray with all your heart. He was the embodiment of your fairytale dream come to life. Your respite from all the unappealing troubles of the outside world. But all fairytales have an ending to them. And yours is not as happy as you expected.

CW: brief mention of violence, erratic behavior, depiction of a codependent relationship. This is a Danger Ray fic! Set during V's route. Loosely based on the 7th day outgoing call to V (11:51 AM, after the 'Provoke' chatroom).

Lovely dividers by @/saradika-graphics!

Ray was a good man. A kind man. A fragile man, even. His entire appearance would remind you of a beautiful but delicate flower. So starved for love and warmth, yet so sensitive to every harsh touch of the wind, even the slightest of pushes against its soft petals would make it start to wilt. A flower that needed nothing but some gentle care and love for it to come into bloom. And, of course, you were willing to give him just that. After all, why wouldn't you be? Ray has been nothing but kind and caring towards you, ever since you stepped foot into this strange place, guiding you along the way while holding your hand and not minding any of your clumsy mistakes. He was understanding. Attentive. Curious. Always checking in with you and eager to hear about your day. Never ignoring you or making you feel stupid if you didn't understand a thing or two.

No wonder you found it so easy to open up to him in your short time here. You trusted that he would do no wrong by you. Just as he promised.

At least... that's what you thought. And appearances can be deceiving. Oh, so very deceiving. Now, it felt downright humiliating just how much of a blind fool you really were. How stupidly determined you were to deny and rebuke anyone daring to challenge your views on Ray.

You loyally refused to trust Rika's musings about Ray's 'darkness' during your brief stay with her, dismissing them as nothing but her twisted philosophy that you couldn't even begin to comprehend. You impulsively denied V's numerous warnings not to trust in Ray's sugary words, reassuring yourself over and over again that surely his affections for you must be true and earnest. You turned your back on every nagging suspicion buzzing at the back of your mind during short moments of unrest. You knew in your heart that Ray was a kind, tender boy. He was simply confined to an environment that would exacerbate his worst traits.

And he was only human, right? No one is immune to harmful outside influences being forced down upon them. Anyone could end up in his place one day, even you. It was no reason for you to be hostile and distrustful of him.

Then again, maybe that was just your mind trying desperately to keep you calm in the midst of a horrible storm you found yourself being forcibly thrust into. After all, accepting just how truly bad and out of your control things truly were here... How utterly helpless and vulnerable you were, with no one there to come save you if you needed it... How trapped and isolated you were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but miles and miles of lush mountain forests, with no civilization in sight...

Just the thought of it would make a heavy lump of acidic bile rise up to your throat. The sad truth is... Ray simply provided you with feelings of solace and comfort that some deeper, weaker part of you was so desperate for. Losing that was something you were not ready to face yet. He was there by your side from day one. He had a better understanding of you than anyone else did. Of course you would cling to his familiar presence for this brief feeling of stability you yearned for so gravely.

In retrospect, it was always a losing battle for you to try and win. You could have done better. You really, really could have done so much better. Yet it still hit you harder than a sledgehammer to the back of your skull, when the bitter reality has finally reared its ugly head to you, without any regard for your fragile heart.

You resent yourself for hitting that call button despite your gut screaming at you not to. You were already well aware that you would regret doing that, somewhere on the back of your mind. But, in the moment, your worry for your friend overpowered your lingering anxiety. Maybe out of some sense of duty. V made it all the way here, just to save you. You played a big role in his capture, in a way. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be in danger. And not knowing a single thing about his whereabouts or even his state was... daunting.

So, you dialed his phone number.

You anticipated that he wouldn't pick up. Maybe you would receive a very brief phone call with him begging you to keep yourself safe, like he always would. Or even just a quick exchange of words between you two that would maybe give you even the tiniest of clues on his whereabouts. Something you could then relay to Seven. Make yourself useful. Actually do something, instead of just sitting there and driving yourself mad with dozens upon dozens of anxious thoughts clouding your mind.

What you received was worse than you could have ever imagined.

It was one thing to hear pained groans, gasps, and raspy coughing on the other end of the line. You already had an expectation that V would not be okay when you hear his voice. It still left your knees feeling weak and your heart lurching in your chest with a dizzying intensity, but you could handle that, to an extent. What you couldn't handle was also hearing a familiar soft-spoken voice that has become an unstated but undeniable source of comfort for you. A voice that was now sounding so cold and angry, that your brain had a hard time comprehending what was happening, seemingly shutting down completely, as you remained deathly quiet for the whole duration of that cursed call.

Ray just was not supposed to be there.

You have heard him get angry before. You have heard him lose his grip on reality before. You have heard him say things you couldn't truly agree with, despite you still going along with them regardless, to avoid causing him any disturbance. Those were all aspects of him you were not blind to. You just actively chose to overlook them whenever they would come up. Something that you probably shouldn't have done.

-But you never heard him be so downright cruel and vicious before. Seemingly not at all disturbed by the very real sounds of suffering from the other living person there with him. Even getting angrier at them.

Like it was something completely normal. Not at all worth getting upset or worried over.

You couldn't wrap your head around the fact that this was the same man that worried himself sick over you simply scraping a knee. He was so caring, so empathetic to you back then... over a small cut, of all things. And now, that very same man was not at all disturbed by such grave suffering happening right in front of him.

No, by the sounds of it... he was actively causing it.

And that's not something you could live in peace with.

The call lasted for a maximum of two minutes. That's the time that your phone would display to you whenever you mindlessly return to it, anyway. But it felt way longer than that. For those two horrible minutes, your ears were ruthlessly subjected to the merciless reality you were so desperate to avoid facing up until that very moment.

The bitter truth was that Ray is not a fragile flower. Nor is he a prince from a fairytale. For, fairytales are not reality. No matter how much you want them to be. He was a man, a human being, just like you. Just like every other person in this building. And much like any human being, he was more than capable of causing harm by his own two hands if he so chooses. In fact, he would do so purposefully. And a victim of his spiraling wrath was no longer some faceless unlucky believer that you could forget about in a matter of hours, despite you genuinely feeling bad for them. No, it was your friend. A friend who fought so desperately to save you, even at the cost of his own safety. A friend you have come to care for in the short time you have known each other.

A friend, you knew for sure didn't deserve to be suffering in the way that he was. By the hands of your other friend you cared for just as deeply.

Such reality was just too cruel for you to bear.

So, you do the most foolish thing of all.

You confront Ray head-on.

"-Y/N, you must be confused... I've done no wrong. I do admit that I... did loose myself for a moment there, but- but it was his own fault! If he just kept quiet and drank the elixir like my Savior has instructed, I wouldn't get so upset with him. And he kept saying his stupid lies... He wouldn't shut up. My head hurt so bad... You have no idea."

You are left feeling sick to your very core by the soft apologetic smile reflected on Ray's face, once you do have a chance to finally face him again. No matter what you say, how hard you try to show him how wrong and cruel his actions really were, it was all completely pointless. For someone so seemingly skittish and subservient, Ray was frustratingly stubborn in his beliefs. It was like throwing a tennis ball at a wall. The more force you put into your throw to get your point across, the harder it just bounces right back into your face, leaving you with the painful sting of your failure.

You shake your head, an ugly mess of emotions steadily clouding your sense of judgment. At some point, you lose track of your location and position. All caution goes out the window. All that remains is a debilitating feeling of betrayal, clutching at your insides like metal rods slowly puncturing your very heart. "It is still wrong, Ray! How can you not see that!? He was suffering, and you just- just-"

The words don't come out of your mouth, obstructed by the suffocating lump stuck in the middle of your throat. You were going in circles now. You have been trying to get through to him for almost ten minutes straight, and still no results. You have to take a moment to try and regain your breathing. A soft glowed hand rests gently upon your chin, causing you to tilt your head to meet Ray's gaze instead.

You are disgusted by the genuine concern etched onto his delicate features. By the unfeigned emotions of nothing but genuine care and affection swimming in his eyes as he looks at you. By the tender touch warming up your clammy skin. All of it is sincere. You know he is not lying to you. Not right now, at least. And that is a sickening realization to come to.

More than anything, you are disgusted by the simple fact that you cannot perceive him as a monster or an angel. Ray is no perfect prince from a fairytale, no matter how hard he may try and appear to you as such.

He's a human.

Just like you.

And this implies that he is capable of all the atrocities that any human being is capable of. As much as he is kind to you, he can also be cruel to others. As much as his hands soothe and tremble when they brush up against yours, they can also hurt and sully those he harbors hatred for. It's not all black and white, as you would like to delude yourself into thinking.

And his actions were truly appalling to you. You couldn't live in your fantasy world anymore. It was sullied. Destroyed beyond repair. Your Wonderland has been corrupted from the start, and you just denied each and every sign of it, until it was too late.

"My prince/ss... It pains me to see you in such distress. Though, your tender heart is another trait of you that I adore," Ray whispers to you softly, his thumb lightly brushing over your cheekbone. He was touching you so gently, it's almost like you were made out of glass. And yet, just a few hours earlier, these exact hands were causing so much suffering to someone you care so deeply about. The thought prompts you to swallow hard and clutch your hands together as they start to shake. He continues, seemingly undisturbed by your lack of a positive response. "-But believe me when I say that that villain is not deserving of your compassion. He tried to take you away from me... To ruin what you and I have built together. I cannot stand by and watch him do that to us. What if you got hurt because of him? I would never forgive myself, if that were to happen."

You shut your eyes, refusing to accept the reality unfolding before you. Everything was wrong. So very wrong. One part of you wanted to scream and shout at him, to make him see the twisted nature of his words by pure unrelenting force if you have to. But there was another part of you that contemplated just giving up and concluding this interaction altogether. The debilitating feeling of helplessness was just too much for you to handle.

You are not allowed to do either of those things, however. Instead, another hand lightly rests on the small of your back, pulling you in towards the source of your distress. And you don't fight it. You feel your forehead come in contact with Ray's chest, his flowery scent filling your senses, as both of his arms are now circling around you. You hear a happy sigh fall from his lips. It all seemed like a very cruel joke on you. A moment that seemed so sweet and touching, bringing you nothing but more hurt and anguish.

Did he really not see anything amiss with any of this?

"I missed you so much, my flower... You know, when I heard that liar try and talk to me like he knew you better than I do, I felt like I might just strangle him right then and there. Make sure he never utters your lovely name ever again." Ray's voice is slightly gruff from how quiet it is against the side of your head. A low hum vibrates in his throat as he nuzzles into your hair like an affectionate cat would, breathing in your scent with all the longing you could possibly ask for. Though, the only thing that comes from his affections is a sickening feeling of dread for you.

"-But I thought of you. I thought of your lovely smile... Your eyes, your voice. I know I shouldn't think like this, but... You gave me more strength than my Savior's words ever did. What I did... I did for you. For us, Y/N." He continues, taking a step back from the hug to look at you. Your gaze is cast low, as you don't reciprocate the gesture. You can't bring yourself to look at him right now. It's hard to even keep yourself from putting your hands over your ears to avoid hearing it all. He gently tilts your head up, however, making it clear that he wants you to look at him. "Please don't be upset... It breaks my heart to see you sad because of that villain."

That's when the dam inside of you finally shatters, all repressed emotions spilling out in a violent wave of hopelessness you cannot bring yourself to stop. You wrench yourself away from Ray's arms, your own hands now clenched into tight fists as you look him directly in the eyes. There's a fire burning ever hotter inside of your chest, and you make no attempt to put it out. You let it take over you completely, consequences be damned.

"Villain?Villain!? Ray, he did all he could to save me! And you locked him up and tortured him for that!"

Your mind is screaming at you to stop. To stop and fix things before they spiral too out of your control.

You're being too aggressive. Too blunt. Too disobedient. Staying safe requires you to be both calm and smart about this. And you are neither of those things right now.

But you don't care.

Even as you see the emotions in Ray's eyes shift from that suffocating affection to a mix of desperation and frustration you know well. He makes a step towards you. You make two steps back. This makes his brows furrow in what you could only assume was dissatisfaction.

You never backed away from him before.

"Save you...? No. No. Y/N, he tried to steal you from me. Poison you with his lies, like he has done to my Savior. He did it to me, too! I'm the one who saved you. I did what had to be done to protect you!" You can actively hear his voice changing from the shaky disbelief at your denial of him to rough desperation to prove you wrong. It's borderline scary how quick those changes are occurring right in front of your eyes. Almost in a blink of an eye. It's yet another blaring warning for you to stop.

One that you ignore.

Instead, your frustration boils up inside of you, making you sneer at his stubborn refusal to see reason: "By hurting him!? By making him choke and gag in pain? What was the point of-"

Your angry line of thought is instantaneously interrupted by a small yeep that slips past your lips, as Ray closes in on you in just a couple of quick steps, grabbing at your wrists with a tight grip. Tight enough to cause you some discomfort. His eyes are wide, and his breathing is noticeably shaky. Like he's fighting to get enough air into his lungs and failing miserably. He yanks you close, making you stumble into him without much time for you to struggle or push back against him. Mostly due to your state of pure disbelief. You never expected Ray to actually do anything to you. And while he wasn't actively hurting you, this was still shattering your perception of him to bits and pieces. Or, what remained of it.

"That was nothing, Y/N. He deserved all of that. He deserved that and more. You feel sad for him? You wish mercy on him?" You are suddenly pushed back against the wall, and Ray's slim form keeps you trapped in this makeshift cage you created for yourself with your reckless actions. Ray's voice grows shakier, yet also significantly lower. It sounded dangerous. Angry. His nose brushes up against yours, as he's leaning so close to you, you can't focus on anything but him. Your breath hitches as you instinctively press yourself up against the wall, the panicked pounding of your heart echoing in your temples. "You have no idea how badly he hurt me. What pain I went through because of that- that-"

You can't help but wince in pain as his grip on you tightens. An action that seems to immediately shake Ray out of his temporary fit of anger, as he gasps and quickly lets go of you, stumbling backwards with a frightened expression painted over his features. You don't even have to look at him to know that he is probably in a less than stable state of mind. You are left staggered, betrayed and confused, as you stand there, eyes cast low, rubbing at your wrists. They didn't hurt. Not much, at least. It's the psychological aspect of it that left an impact of you.

Ray's voice feels muffled as it reaches your ears through the constant flow of thought in your head.

"I- N-No, Y/N, I'm sorry, I didn't want to- Are you hurt?" You can see him taking a step back towards you, hand reaching out for yours, probably to check on your wrists. You can tell he's scared. And upset. Probably guilty. Which makes this even harder for you to grapple with.

Either way, you cut him off, not wanting to hear any more of this. Partially because you understand that staying to listen will only cause you to break further, if it was even possible at this point. Because he sounds so genuine, nervous, and miserable, it makes your heart ache for him despite yourself. Makes you want to look up, smile, and say that you're okay. That you two can figure it out together.

And you don't want to repeat the same mistake twice.

"Just... Leave, Ray." You mutter out quietly, not raising your eyes at him. You sound a bit too soft for your liking, but it'll do. Swallowing, you repeat yourself for good measure. "Please. Leave."

There is a prolonged pause between the two of you. It's almost too lengthy for comfort. Neither of you say anything for a while. But the tension in the air is thick, and it does not fade with time. It only grows. Crawling over you like snakes. There is a fear within you that prevents you from looking at him. A fear of seeing the pain in his eyes. Or, instead, to come face to face with that same anger that felt so alien to you.

Ray finally speaks up. His voice is barely audible.

"...N-No..."

He moves closer to you still. For the second time today, you are finding yourself backing away. But now, you turn your back on him and keep your hands locked where you can see them. You can feel them shaking. With a sigh, you repeat: "Leave."

And, as you soon learn, that was not a very wise choice for you to make.

You're quickly spun around before you can think to act, and Ray's fingers are digging into your shoulders with a disturbing intensity, leaving you little time to react. He's observing you as if you were a wounded animal that was left behind after being hit by a car. Like you're the saddest creature he had ever seen. And, for some reason, that look scares you more than the previous anger he showed you.

"I can't believe this..." He murmurs under his breath, his eyes darting over your figure, almost like he was searching for something physical on you that could be visible to the human eye. But he doesn't find it, and that seems to upset him further. You try to pull away from him, only to get jerked back in again, his hold on you tightening.

Only this time, he does not pay any attention to your visible discomfort. He was too occupied with his own thoughts that you were not aware of. It's like he doesn't even see you. Not fully, anyways.

He holds your chin and tilts your face to examine you more closely. As he does, his shaky breath sneaks over your cheek and causes you to shiver in place.

"He... He poisoned you, didn't he...?"

The hushed murmur sounds so utterly ridiculous that it almost makes you forget about the disturbing nature of this situation for a good moment. Yet, he was completely serious. And he wasn't even talking to you, by the looks of it.

"What? Ray, I-"

"-That's why you are saying all these things to me... That's why you don't trust me anymore." Ray cuts you off as if you were not there, his brows furrowing into a deep scowl, but not one aimed directly at you. One of his hands grips onto your chin, while the other finds your hand and takes it into his own, his fingers sliding between yours. He grasps it tight, in a hold that would feel reassuring, if it wasn't for the circumstances. "My Y/N wouldn't tell me to leave. I should've guessed..."

A shiver of fear runs down your spine. As your outburst of frustration subsides, you slowly start to realize the seriousness of this situation for you, as the fire of anger and betrayal subsides. Now you wish Ray was angry again. At least then he still listened to you. But how can you fix things when he doesn't even acknowledge you?

"-Don't worry," You are brought back to reality by a warm and assuring smile on Ray's face. One that only makes you feel nauseous. He leans in and presses a kiss to your forehead, making your breath hitch. Staying there, he whispers onto your skin, like a secret promise only for your ears to hear. "I will fix it, my prince/ss. I shouldn't have been away from you for this long in the first place... My Savior is far too busy to give you the care and attention you need. But now, I'm here. And I'm not leaving your side again. I promise. I'll make sure you are smiling again."

He does not let go of you again. While your fairytale might have been broken, his has only begun its story. And his happily ever after is not something he will give up on. Even if you did.

[redr0sewrites]

Aaravos x reader Hcs

here r some aaravos hcs bc i am in pain i wrote this with killer cramps while running on 4 hrs of sleep and an energy bar so i cant promise this will be good.

🥀CW: fluffiness, teasing, smut, thigh riding, subby aaravos, oral (reader receiving), hair pulling?, wax play, overall filth

🥀minors dni with nsfw part

SFW:

after being trapped in the mirror for so long, aaravos is severely touch starved

whether u two are in a romantic or platonic relationship, your personal space is his personal space as well (unless u tell him to leave you alone, but even then he'll still probably tease)

He is the type to just walk up to you and rest his arm on your head

he is TALL

if you are short (like me) and you ever need to reach something up high, this man practically materializes behind you to grab it for you he will hold it above his head and giggle while you struggle but will eventually give it to you

i feel like hes the type of person to enjoy slow and "elegant" music he would love my way by frank sinatra you can not tell me im wrong bc im not

aaravos will pull you into a slow waltz at random times

he enjoys the arts, and i feel like he would enjoy painting and doing sketches of you

he LOVES it if you play with his hair, just run your hands through it and he will literally melt

if you can do pretty hairstyles or braids he will be very content in relaxing while you do his hair

aaravos definitely enjoys reading, and would totally read to you if you asked (he would tease u a little tho but thats ok)

"do you really enjoy my voice that much, little star?"

he has the most stunning laugh

normally he just lets out small chuckles or smirks but the first time you make him genuinely laugh you just sit there in awe

he is ✨fabulous✨and takes forever to get ready

the type to arrive fashionably late (he will make an effort to arrive on time for dates tho)

hes a total drama queen and will make a huge deal about kissing you

he acts all confident but in reality is ridiculously nervous when he first met you

you were the first person to truly capture his heart and he doesn't want to fuck it up

he knows he isnt the most easy person (elf??) to love but will make an effort to be better for you

he prefers to listen in conversation rather then talk alot, however if you ask him about something hes interested in or ask him a magic question or something he will gladly talk for hours

enjoys holding your hand, you two are practically linked at the waist

he worries more then he lets on and will enchant little objects and give them to you for protection when he isnt't around

NSFW

whether you are with him before or after his imprisonment, he is EXPERIENCED

he likes positions where he can be close to you such as missionary, but also likes you on top of him/riding him

SWITCH‼️

if you pull his hair or his horns he will immediately submit

he likes to use his size to his advantage and pin you down

really into biting and marking, esp after his imprisonment, he wants everyone to know your his

whether your human or an elf, he will overstimulate you

he can go for hours

i feel like he would prefer giving to receiving, he will eat you out or suck you off for HOURS until you are whimpering for him to slow down

if you have boobs, he will mark them and play with them there is no question

RIDE‼️‼️HIS‼️‼️‼️FACE‼️‼️‼️‼️

he is 1000% into wax play he can make his hands really hot or cold and the sight of u with wax slowly dripping down your chest makes him feral

wouldnt mind if you did the same to him 👀

i feel like he would be super into it if you rode his thigh, he would be mocking you the whole time but it would turn him on sm

"you couldn't wait at all, hmm? is your pretty little cunt/cock really so needy that you had to be this impatient? acting like a bitch in heat, covering my thigh with your slick. your going to have to clean up your mess dear~"

he gets pissed if he asks you a question and you dont respond

super into eye contact during sex, he thinks its very intimate and attractive

your pleasure ALWAYS comes first with him, he will make you come at least twice before coming on his own

i dont think he would be super into causing you a lot of pain, like i dont think he would want to hurt you alot but will pinch and occasionally slap if your into that

super into being in pain for himself though

edge him until hes sobbing, then overstim him until his thighs are shaking

GLORIOUS THIGH GAME BTW

cover them in marks, he will admire them later

overall a very attentive and sensual lover, but definitely has a dirty side<3

can you tell i have an obsession? lmao. i tried to make this super gender neutral, lmk if there are any mistakes! reqs are open, im considering getting into writing some more

[mbti-notes]

Being introverted (INFJ), I've worked hard on social skills and I'm proud to say socializing is less tiring than it used to be, but I'm coming to face the reality that it will always be tiring. Is there another way except socializing to feel connected to the world?

One's relationship to the world is mediated through the two extraverted functions, which are Fe and Se in INFJ. To simplify, Fe is about feeling connected, whereas Se is about being connected. Why is this seemingly minor distinction important?

One of the great advantages of being INFJ is that you are gifted with great powers of imagination. With Ni+Fe, you possess a unique capacity to conjure connections to the world. This means you can form a strong emotional bond with anything in the world, simply because you want to.

You might quibble with the word "conjure" because it sounds like you're just inventing something, and how can something fake or unreal be truly meaningful? I don't see it that way. A feeling is real, and feeling connected benefits your emotional well-being in very real ways. The benefits include: contentment, joy, love, fulfillment, and a sense of mattering. Life is hard enough, so why deprive yourself of this gift?

Yes, conjuring connections becomes a problem when it is the only means through which you can connect with the world (aka trapped in your own head). This is why it's important to strike the right balance between feeling connected and actually being connected. Fe development will only help quell Se grip if it leads to at least some concrete connections in the real world. Thus, social connection with real people is absolutely necessary, but it doesn't have to be the only or even the primary means of worldly connection.

It's always quite sad to me to see INFJs suffer from having their imagination stifled or oppressed. If you are one of them, perhaps you're wondering how to go about conjuring connections. To feel "bonded" to something is essentially to deeply love that thing, which requires opening your heart to it. I can give you simple examples from the many INFJs I've met. Some INFJs feel a strong bond with the authors that inspire them. Some feel a strong bond with nature, plants, or animals. Some feel a strong bond with creative works like music or paintings. Some feel a strong bond with sacred objects. Some feel a strong bond to particular places, times, or events.

Since you can form a strong emotional bond with anything, the only limit is your imagination. The more you work to expand your imagination, the more receptive your eyes will become, and the more opportunities you'll discover for filling your heart with love. People often chase love as though it's an elusive object out there in the world. Unfortunately, they don't realize that love can be willed into existence and actively infused into life, so there is no need to be so starved or desperate for it. Since you're very easily fatigued by socializing, you might be missing this key ingredient. If you approached people with a heart full of love, you might find socializing to be easier and much more fulfilling.

[kamimarroco]

Basically, a fanfic where Ren loves a MILF

Not very explicit, in my opinion, but yeah, manipulation, kidnapping, mommy kink and horny

🦊💘

It's strange, and even funny. You really didn't plan this.

Lying on the couch, scratching your captor's furry, fluffy ears above you. He purred, like a cat does when its owner pets it. Except this situation is the opposite.

He's so small, and his fluffy tail makes you want to stay a little longer, even if your stomach is growling.

Right, your stomach. You haven't eaten since you left the bar, or since you woke up in this weird house. Even though Ren offered you food, you had the strange intuition that you shouldn't eat anything he offered you. It could be anything, poison, drugs, or something else.

“Are you sure you don't want to eat something?" His voice, sweet, lively, energetic, resonates through your ears, through your mind. He is being kind, generous. A mercy for you to take.

“Do not worry about me" A lie, you just don't want to get involved further. You would rather starve than accept your defeat. 

He snorts, clearly annoyed, his claws tracing lines across your chest. His tail begins to move methodically.

“You should stop being stubborn. You know you can't escape from here"

You must NOT accept this fate. It's wrong, clearly wrong. You have a family to take care of at the end of the day, and he shall not keep you forever.

You're sure they'll start looking for you soon.

He rolls his eyes, adjusting his position to sit on your lap, hands glued to your belly, caressing, massaging.

“They won't miss you. In fact, they'll be glad you're gone" His sweet words enter your ears once again. “They don't deserve you, none of them. They don't see you the same way I do”

Manipulation, distortion of reality. He wants to make you think that they don't want you, that you have no value to them. He wants you to stay here, forever, and ever, and ever.

A person, or something close to it. A pet, someone for him to care for and love. An object, easy to discard if he gets tired of you.

Bullshit, nothing he says makes sense. Your children love you, your husband adores you, you have the job of your dreams, a nice house to live in, parents and–

And…

They won't look for you... right?

Why would they do that, after all? You are disposable, a woman at the mercy of society. You are nothing, nothing at all.

Ren runs his hands under your shirt, sharp claws being (not very) careful not to hurt you. You ended up gaining a few pounds after your last pregnancy.

“Don't worry, I'll take great care of you" His toothy smile tries to comfort you, but fails. You can see the excitement in his eyes. 

“Why me?" You ask, a single tear running down your left cheek. You don't deserve this, you need to go home.

“Your body... is perfect" Ren takes a deep breath at the sight of your exposed belly, his erection trapped in his pants, screaming to be freed. When did he…?

This is a first. You never felt the same after giving birth three times, you never felt desired by any man. Which is good, because you are a married woman, and should be devoted to your only husband.

“Ren... stop” You ask shyly, your hands taking his to make him stop touching you. “I'm not going to do this”

He is taken by surprise, but his expression is replaced by a bizarre smile. He won't stop just because you want him to.

“Honey, I'm just doing you a favor. How long has it been since you got fucked the way you want?”

Dirty words trying to deceive you. He wants you to stop fighting, to stop resisting the repressed desire so much.

Why don't you give up already? Won't he make you feel good?

You loosen your grip on his hands, allowing him to touch your belly again. And he smiles, staring hungrily at the abundant meat there.

These eyes, you never saw them again. Eyes of desire, eyes of hunger, eyes of lust. Does he really have no problem with your extra fat?

If it were another man, he would certainly have discarded you by now. 

You feel dizzy, the heat consuming your entire body, making you feel weak. Weak from hunger, too weak to fight back. 

Your cheeks are burning.

Ren moves one of his hands to your thigh, making circular movements while looking directly at your horny face. He starts to pant, starts to feel like he's going to explode at any moment.

But he can't, he shouldn't. Not with a woman as pure as you. 

You are a mother, after all. And mothers are precious, sensitive, warm and their bodies are the most beautiful thing there is.

It must be some kind of fetish of his. Older woman, experienced mother, calm and sweet because that's how you should be. This is how society sees you and only sees you.

“It's beautiful..." Ren speaks as he begins to slowly take off your shirt, exposing your large, voluminous breasts. Ready to give milk, ready to be sucked.

He gently picks them up with both hands, making gentle movements, testing their softness. 

They are so soft, so soft. The thought crosses your mind, and fills you with joy. 

He licks them, both of them, his teeth being careful not to hurt you. You must be sensitive to being touched like this after so long.

“Precious, just precious" He whispers to you, praising you, applauding you for the natural beauty of your body. Kind, careful, sweet.

Not that your husband isn't like that, but... it's different when it's another man telling you that. It's invigorating, pleasurable, comforting. It makes you think you're still beautiful after all these years.

“What a good mother you are, so calm, so obedient" He purrs, his tail moving from side to side. “Good mothers deserve a break, don't you think?” Ren asks rhetorically, already aware of your answer. “So please, just relax. I'll make you feel really, really good”

[ghostinthelibrarywrites]

for the domestic/relationship situation prompts: geraskier + 19? 🥺

19. Bingeing an entire season of trashy reality show in one sitting

“I don’t understand.” Geralt squints at the TV, where the first episode of the new season of Surviving Love is playing.

“What’s there not to understand?” Jaskier asks. “It’s sixteen beautiful people trapped together, trying to survive while also banging each other’s brains out in the hopes of finding their one true love. The whole idea is that they pair off as soon as possible and the couples all compete to see who can survive the longest on a desert island.”

“Island can’t be that deserted if there’s a camera crew following them around.” Geralt arches his eyebrow as a pretty redhead on the TV has a breakdown about needing to eat bugs for protein.

“You just need to suspend your disbelief for eight episodes or so.” Jaskier winces sympathetically. If he had to choose between starving and eating bugs, he’s honestly not sure which one he would choose.

For several moments, Geralt refrains from commentary, though his left eyebrow keeps twitching, like it often does when Jaskier is doing something that perplexes him so much that he finds himself beyond words. It’s one of Jaskier’s favorite expressions, not that he’s ever going to tell his boyfriend that. They both had a rough week—Geralt got stiffed on a big contract and Jaskier had to have not one, but two conversations with Valdo Marx—so they’re both in need of some TLC.

“Oh, good for her,” Jaskier says as the redhead from the bug breakdown begins making out with an attractive blond man. “She bagged the park ranger. He can probably catch something better than bugs for dinner.”

“Hm.” Geralt looks unimpressed.

Jaskier snuggles closer against his boyfriend’s side. “You know, I auditioned for this show years ago.”

That earns him an incredulous look. “You?”

“Don’t give me that look! It was before Pris and I made our first album. I needed a way to get our name out there.”

“You wouldn’t have survived a week.”

Jaskier drew back, gaping in outrage. “Excuse me?”

“Eight weeks without a shower and a toothbrush? Remember how much you whined when you followed me on that three day forktail hunt?”

“I was the picture of stoicism!”

Geralt is wearing that infuriating little half-smirk he wears whenever he thinks he’s being witty and clever, the fucker. “You were very stoic when you told me to leave you there to die when you stepped in forktail shit.”

“I was traumatized.” Jaskier whacks him lightly on the chest. On the screen, the redhead is tussling with another woman, screaming about betrayal. “And now we’ve missed something important! Go back!”

Geralt groans, but picks up the remote control.

***

Eight episodes later, the living room is dark and strewn with empty takeout containers as the theme music for Surviving Love plays from the screen.

“That was bullshit,” Geralt says.

Jaskier is actually a little surprised. He never really expected Geralt to like the show, but his boyfriend did sit through eight hours of it without much complaint after the first episode.

“Simon and Gretta should have won.” Moodily, Geralt takes a sip of his beer.

Jaskier blinks at him. “What?”

“The whole point is working together, right? Heidi and Jan didn’t really work together; she did all the work while he went off and played grab ass with Elin.

“Yeah.” Jaskier shakes his head, disappointed. “I don’t see them making it past the finale.”

“None of these couples are making it past the finale.”

“I don’t know.” Jaskier snuggles closer, propping his chin on Geralt’s shoulder. “If you can survive eight weeks together without showers or toothbrushes, you can survive anything.”

“Hm.” Geralt presses a kiss to his temple. “We could try it. Put our relationship to the test.”

“Don’t even think about it. I’ve cleaned harpy bites on your ass and picked kikimore intestines out of your hair and that was before we started dating. Our love has been proven thoroughly.”

“And I’ve been to your concerts.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” Geralt turns off the TV. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I can see why it’s your favorite show.”

They sit in the darkness of their living room for a moment.

“You know, that was season sixteen,” Jaskier finally says. “There are fifteen other seasons we could go back and watch.”

Geralt turns the TV back on without hesitation. “Hm. If you want to.”

Jaskier grins as he pulls the blanket more securely around him. “You know, we could pretend not to know each other and audition for season seventeen. We would kill.”

“No.”

“Think of all the kitty treats we could buy Roach.”

Geralt pauses, considering. “What makes you think I’d pair up with you?”

Jaskier gasps. “Geralt! You knave!”

“What?” His boyfriend shrugs, looking very pleased with himself. “Roach only deserves the best treats. Gotta pair with someone who has a chance of winning.”

Jaskier splutters, outraged beyond words.

“Going to go get more ice cream,” Geralt rises to his feet.

Jaskier stares after him. “Fine! But we are having this conversation when you get back, mister!” He sulks for about thirty seconds before calling, “Can you bring me some ice cream?”

“Already got out the mint chocolate chip.”

“You’re the best. I love you so much that I’ll share the prize money when me and my partner on Surviving Love beat you and your harlot by a mile.”

In the decade they’ve known each other, Jaskier has never heard Geralt laugh so hard. He would be more offended, if he weren’t too busy laughing too.

***

Tag list: @kueble @mollymawkwrites @feral-jaskier @geraltrogerericduhautebellegarde @dawnofbards @thisislisa @tsukiwolf42 @mosaicscale @rockysstupidity @fontegagrilledcheese @kuripon @help-i-need-a-cool-username @julek @flowercrown-bard @eveljerome

[delopsia]

Bestie i need more headcanons on cuddle bug rhett 😭🐛

I feel like I could go on about Rhett being a cuddle bug for HOURS

When you first get together, Rhett is very, very hesitant to touch you. Not out of a dislike for it but because he tends to forget how strong he is, and he's mortified that he'll hurt you. He's had a lot of instances in the past where he's hugged someone a little too hard or otherwise caused some sort of accidental harm.

But once you establish that you're not breakable! and that he isn't going to break your spine simply from hugging you from behind; all bets are off.

He used to always argue that he's not touch starved, saying something about lack of physical touch not bugging him in the slightest, but in reality, he's just grown so used to it that he doesn't see the signs anymore.

That argument went out the window when one day, you reached up and cradled his cheeks in your palms, and his face softened with a realization that he'd never had before.

Touch is a very intimate thing for him. He never had a lot of it growing up, and for a while there, it was only a thing he could find in his weekend hookups. It's something that makes him feel safe, feel real, like he's not just an invisible being whose only purpose is to work.

Rhett's favorite thing is to have you lying on his chest. There's just something so comforting in having you on top of him, safely secured in his big, strong arms. He could lay like that for hours if you'd let him.

There is a designated kiss for every occasion. Hello and goodbye kisses, just picked you up in his truck kisses, cheer-me-up forehead kisses, bedtime kisses, I didn't expect to run into you here kisses, giggly nose kisses because it's cold out and our noses feel like they're made of ice. For everything you do, there is a reason for a kiss or two.

Kisses your injuries, too. From bruises to cuts to old scars, they all deserve kisses!

He loves it when you kiss the scar on his chest. He's never really paid much attention to it until you started doing that, and now its become one of his favorite scars.

Autumn and Spring are his favorite seasons. Not because of the weather but because sometimes you misjudge the weather and wind up snuggling into him for warmth.

Laces your pinkies together when you walk. It's subtle, just a loose little link that doesn't result in hot, sweaty hands after a few minutes.

Drops everything to cuddle with you if you ask. It doesn't matter what he was doing beforehand; he's already halfway across the room with his arms open wide. Do you want to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie? Go to bed and take a nap together? Hell, he'll even carry you there!

Recently, Rhett's been introduced to the theaters with big couches instead of tiny seats, and he's been hooked. A movie with his sweetheart, in a comfy loveseat where he can cuddle with you and not spill the popcorn?? Sign him the fuck up.

It's a bit of a drive, considering Wabang is close to nothing, nothing, and more, nothing, but he doesn't mind it. That just means he gets to spend more time with you!

He won't admit it, but he really enjoys being the little spoon. Especially if you let him tuck his head up under your chin and go to sleep there. It's nice to feel small and delicate every once in a while.

Turns into a damn glue trap when he's drunk. Once you let him touch you, he's not coming off.

The good thing is, that means he's the last person to go missing in a bar. The bad thing is, you literally cannot get him off of you. He's hugging you from behind, sleepily kissing your cheek as he fusses about how he's sleepy and wants to go home.

And what do you mean that he can't snuggle into you in this booth because you're in public? That couple over there might as well be having sex against the wall at this point, and they're not bothered! So why can't he cuddle you??

"Just one kiss?" Rhett pleads, batting those pretty, long lashes of his, "please?"

"Rhett, I've already given you one," you regret the words the very second they come out of your mouth because his eyes drop to his lap, disappointed. You might as well have just backhanded him.

What's worse is you know he's not doing it intentionally. He just doesn't know how to control his expressions when he's drunk. If he's feeling it, you can see it written all over his scruffy face.

Reaching over, you take hold of his jaw and tilt it up, pressing a soft peck to his lips.

The corners of his eyes crinkle as he giggles.

It even works to get him out of those petty bar fights. All you have to do is run your hand up his back, speaking gently, and he's backing out of it. Might have a few more choice words for who he's angry with, but it works. Perry calls it the Magic Touch.

In the event that you tell him no, he does one of three things, he either pouts, accepts it, and moves on, OR he turns it into a game of 'who's gonna crack first.'

He always cracks first.

All you have to do is cozy up somewhere, open up your arms, and he's gone.

It's rare that he gets to join you, but bubble baths are his favorite way to wind down with you. It always starts out with him sitting across from you, legs tangled up as you talk about everything under the sun, but as the water starts to grow cold, he scoots over to sit next to you.

Play! With! His! Hair! There is no quicker way to make the man nearly purr. Sleepily blinks at you and smiles all big and wide while you do it.

Shamelessly loves the sparkly bath bombs you use every once in a while. he gets a real kick out of seeing the glitter on his skin the next day, and you usually get a picture of his shimmering hand with the caption, "darlin', I'm sparkling in the light again."

This past summer, Rhett got the big idea of putting a hammock behind the house, tucked safely into the shade of the trees. Really went all out and got one of the bigger ones because, hey! Potential cuddle spot!

Sometimes you'll find him out there, knocked out cold with his hat flat on his face, and you'll climb in and join him in his afternoon cat nap. He's too deep of a sleeper to notice your arrival, but he's always grinning like an idiot when you wake up. "Didn't expect to wake up with an angel in my arms."

Does that thing where he places his hand on your lower back as you step past him. He doesn't even intend for it to happen; it just winds up there, gently pressing into you until you're out of reach.

Nuzzles you with his nose like he's a dog. It's the first thing he does once he's got you in his arms, nose wiggling against you as he finds himself a nice, comfortable spot. It tickles, and your giggles only make him do it even more.

Who would have thought a cowboy could be so cuddly?

[ducktracy]

HI just a quick followup on my last ask: I wholly agree with you!! I think the Bugs and Daffy shorts are good objectively (not my favorites, though, I’m biased towards the 40’s rabbit and duck as well) but I think after the run of Looney Tunes ended Daffy kind of got more and more portrayed as purely Bugs’s foil and still an unrepentant jerk even when not paired up with Bugs. It makes him feel like a Character With One Joke, and you see it all the time in post-Golden Age stuff.

As iconic as TLTS is, it’s a really bad example of this, making Daffy a callous jerk with no regard for anyone else and such a moronic failure that it’s a surprise he had the brains to hatch out of his egg.

And I think you CAN make Daffy a bit of an egocentric jerk and still have him be funny! Birth of a Notion (which PREDATES Rabbit Fire, for those who think his negative traits were birthed from it) is one of my favorite shorts and Daffy is lazy, deceptive, trigger-happy, but is still so chummy and charming that you can’t help but love him. For an even more brutal example, The Ducksters has Daffy be completely callous, but he still manages to be likable enough that you can still feel bad for him when the cartoon ends, because he’s just having so much fun the whole time. MORBID fun, he ABSOLUTELY gets what he deserves at the end, but fun nonetheless!

But when you have decades and decades of content after where Daffy’s only schtick is being ‘the angry and greedy one who always loses’, you lose the magic to his character. His charm. The reason Bugs and Daffy works in the first place, even!

I do not remember where I was going with this. But it’s something!

HONESTLY, the “Daffy as an unrepentant jerk” thing is something the actual golden age cartoons fall victim to! if you REALLY want to depress yourself, i invite you to watch the Speedy and Daffy cartoons. they actually helped me come to turn with Chuck Jones’ Duck and be less bitey towards him—there’s a difference between ego and lack of impulse control and just plain hatred. which, as you mentioned, have been some of his innate characteristics WAY further beyond Rabbit Fire. even some of the earliest Daffy shorts where he’s not all there yet. You Ought to Be in Pictures has been often propped up as a very apt example, but even as far back as 1939 in Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur, he paints a self portrait and says “not bad for a guy that never took a lesson in his life!”—the ego is there from day one! this may seem unremarkable, but that sort of self awareness is a genuinely groundbreaking development next to the Daffy cartoons Clampett was making at the same time, where Daffy genuinely seems to be locked in the throes of insanity and isn’t even half cognizant to his actual reality. and even in THOSE cartoons, he has an ego (he’s a general in Scalp Trouble! he’s a DICTATOR in What Price Porky!)

whereas in the Speedy and Daffy cartoons, you have plot lines that explicitly have characters saying “yeah Daffy hates poor people” (“how many times have i told you not to starve on my property” is a real quote from that short) or stories such as Daffy and Speedy are trapped on a deserted island and Daffy refuses to share any of the food with Speedy who barely asks for anything and has done LITERALLY NOTHING? i think Daffy even says something along the lines of “you can’t even speak English well” or something and it’s just like. jesus

BUT, i bring all that up because i think that is often conflated for what people understand Daffy to be. i do think some of Jones’ cartoons are guilty of Daffy becoming a bit one more—Ali-Baba Bunny is a great cartoon, but does feature a much more transparent “MINE MINE MINE” duck. and i again understand the transparency is half of the joke, but many adaptations take that transparency at face value. likewise, i’ve mentioned it many times before, but the Bugs and Daffy cartoons are written explicitly with Daffy in mind. he is the unequivocal star. in some of them, Bugs is just a means to an end, something to act off of and bounce off of. and as Daffy slowly grows more one dimensional over time, Bugs’ own passiveness doesn’t work as well—there isn’t enough given by Daffy to warrant that sidestepping. there needs to be more support. otherwise, Daffy is boiled down to his barest essentials, and those barest essentials are misconstrued and that’s how you end up with cartoons such as The Iceman Ducketh where Daffy IS HUNTING BUGS WITH A GUN! WITH AN ACTUAL INTENT TO KILL!!!!!! which wasn’t even his intent in the hunting trilogy with all his egging on Elmer. guns aren’t as big of a threat in those cartoons—the damage is temporary and comedic. Iceman Ducketh, Daffy is an actual, considerable threat and just seems like a complete misinterpretation of not only what makes the Bugs and Daffy dynamic click, but Daffy as a character.

I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS VERY MUCH ANON!! i echo the same sentiments. it seems so funny to say this over a cartoon duck who most people remember for funny catchphrases and drawings (as they should, but maybe ties back to what we’re talking about), but he genuinely is such a complex character and one of the most varied, and that i think prompts a lot of nuances to be missed OR misinterpreted. there’s a way to keep his greedy, bitter, egotistical tendencies in line and still have him be likable and charming. His Bitter Half is one of my favorites and a cartoon that i’d wage as one of the funniest Daffy shorts around, and he’s a complete jerk in that one!! the short starts with him acknowledging and saying he’s just marrying a woman for her money!!! who calls a kid “cute like a stomach pump”?? but, likewise, who even THINKS TO SAY “cute like a stomach pump”? that sort of specific little “quirk” is something that is so lacking in his aforementioned appearances of transparency.

HAHA sorry it took me so long to get around to this, but thank you for giving me a chance to blab about the duck some more!

[khaleesiofalicante]

New chapter reactions/fav quotes

1. “Sometimes he wished his toys could talk because then he'd have someone to read to him”

- Reading that genuinely hurt my heart. I really like that your writing brings out all types of emotions. Like I don’t just feel bad for David, I physically hurt for him sometimes. This was one of those moments in the story where it made me feel so sad for him. It stuck out for me because it genuinely made me feel something, and I love when an author can do that. Like I realized whne I read your stuff, I have physical reactions sometimes. One sec I’m jumping up and down because of their bantering, next I’m pacing around the floor after an argument, then you have me just staring at the wall after Albert screws everyone’s mood over.

2. Just because the cage was larger, it didn't mean he was free.

- This one also stuck out for me because it is super relatable for me. I often feel trapped in my own life and every time I get a sense of things getting better, it all goes to shit. I relate to David having a fake reality of happiness sometimes. David always makes me feel less alone.

3. Being a whore was so much easier in fanfiction than it was in real life.

- This one made me bust out laughing because girl ain’t that the truth💀

4. "Queerness isn't about coming out, David, it's about letting people in.

- This was something I really needed to hear. As someone who is closeted, I often feel as if I’m lying to everyone around me. Like I’m an imposter. As someone who is bi, I don’t feel straight enough for the straights, or gay enough for the gays. And I’m slowly realizing that I don’t owe anyone that confirmation or act, if that makes sense? Idk but I liked this bit, Jackson always says all the right things.

5. When people started commenting on Max's body (referring to the hate max was getting online)

- Why would people hate on his body? What were they saying??

6. also side note, fuck Oliver for being a fugly body shaming leech.

It is indeed an extremely sad POV/life and I'm glad I was able to capture that. One of the reasons for such a long chapter and showing David at every age was to show exactly that - that this (this sadness and pain) has been his entire life.

David makes me feel less alone too. He sometimes makes me feel seen - and definitely makes me feel inspired, especially when it comes to choosing kindness despite your trauma.

Jackson is a real one, oof. And I 100% agree with him on everything. So much queer media out there, especially movies, is always about coming out. That's because mainstream media, even with queer stories, is always pandering to straight people. It's about coming out to them and their acceptance. Enough!

OLIVER IS A FUGLY BODY-SHAMING LEECH. I HOPE HE RUNS INTO MAX IN SOME FUTURE EVENT AND MAX SMACKS HIM INTO A RIVER OR SOMETHING.

About Max and his body image, it's very common for an athlete's body to fluctuate easily because of how they train/diet. We know, even though it's not explored in LDV much (we'll see him mention it later in an email) because it's not a main theme, when Max is struggling, he takes it out on himself - especially with food/starving himself. I can see him struggling with food a lot right before Alec became president and after he won the Olympics (same time). That might changed how he looked - either by putting on weight or getting skinnier. His body definitely would've changed a lot after he quit swimming (professionally) too because he trains a crazy amount for it. I can definitely see people saying unkind things - I don't want to specify - about how he looks and even theorizing about why he has put on weight or lost some.

PS - There is a very candid article where Lewis talks about the same and how he struggles with his body image.

[hypaalicious]

NGL y'all, it's been rough.

On the surface, I guess you could say I'm doing alright. I have a roof over my head, adequate food to eat (most of the time), good friends and family to rely on... But when I say this world has beaten me down to pieces, it definitely has.

COVID was the first chink in the armor. Watching the entire world basically shrug off mass death and try to blithely live like it's still 2019 despite a pandemic raging worse than ever with less protections than we had before is wild. Don't matter how much facts you have to show to people, they will ignore it and then also in the same breath wonder why everyone's sick all the time. I mourn the children who aren't protected, who are sent into schools with no masks to become disabled/chronically ill for the rest of their lives. I mourn the immunocompromised who are trapped indefinitely in their homes because the world has moved on from pretending to care about COVID. It's been 4 years. Time doesn't even feel real. Then October 7th happened, and I get to watch a genocide happen in occupied Palestine in real time. Now, if you don't know me, then you may not know that I generally avoid rated R live action movies because I am a wuss and can't take the explicit violence and gore in a lot of them. I went from that, to watching lives of Palestinians recording their loved ones blown up, carrying their remains in plastic bags, IDF psychos shooting women and children in the back, the despair and anguish of Palestinians being corralled, starved, poisoned just because they exist. I have irrevocably been changed by bearing witness to this horror. Writing my script for my game has slowed down to a crawl. I close my eyes at night to sleep, and dream about the devastation I witnessed. I wake up and see even worse horrors, all unchecked by world powers. I get on Facebook and see people carrying on with life as if nothing is happening at all. I don't... I feel like I'm looking at society from the opposite side of a glass window. Everything has lost its color. How can I care about movies, video games, traveling, etc when it all just serves as a distraction to the ugly reality that cannot be ignored? I don't care about celebs and their drama. I don't care about the regurgitated mess Hollywood puts out. I don't care about what overpriced AAA game is highly anticipated. I do not care at all. The climate is fucked up and I see venture capitalists literally selling pieces of iceburgs to rich folks in the UAE for cocktails like it's nothing. People wanna talk about what new restaurant opened up and all I can think of is the fact that a singular bell pepper is like $2. A musical artist announces a tour and all I see are more superspreader events where people won't mask then bring home viruses to their families. Is this the future we want? Hell, will we HAVE a future? We, collectively, will rue the day we sat around and did nothing to stop all of this. And I fear that day will come very soon.

[ellycrys]

A Note about Power dynamics in Good Omens

(and how that plays out with Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship and the choices they make with each other)

Aziraphale and Crowley are dealing with all powerful entities in Heaven and Hell.    They aren’t in positions of power…. and they have created safe space with each other.   This means that some of what happens between them does come down to testing limits and having the freedom to do things they aren’t able to do elsewhere.

They’ve created their own dynamic…. but they are also exploring and learning about what is possible for themselves…. and what it feels like to have things they haven’t been allowed to have before.   

Aziraphale, one the one hand, hasn’t had much in the way of power himself…. and has been bullied by Heaven.  So in his interactions with Crowley, has the luxury and freedom to take positions of power and refuse to bend or compromise.  To be 'IN CHARGE'. And Crowley indulges this tremendously…. until lines are crossed.      

We saw this with Aziraphale and the Ox.  

Given the opportunity at first he gorges himself …. because he’s suddenly realized he’s starving and over time is able to refine how he fills that need…. but it is still there, he’s just learned how to control his reaction to that hunger and enjoyment.   

As someone who spent a period of time having to go without a lot of things…. I noticed that there was a way of thinking about the things I needed/wanted that didn’t immediately change when I suddenly had them and there was no longer any worry about surviving.  It can be an adjustment.   And there’s a tendency to hoard or overdo it when enjoying those things at first because your brain is hardwired to think “this could be the last time… I need to get as much of this as I can.”  Even if your brain knows better, instincts for survival are automatic and hardwired.    

In a normal world there are lots of checks and balances to help balance this kind of growth out so you don't end up swinging to the other side of the pendulum of want.....  

But AziCrow have their bubble they’ve created and they are the most powerful beings in that bubble.  They can warp reality around them, and force people to go along with whatever they are doing if they really want to. Ahem…. looking at you Aziraphale.   (still love you though)

And checks and balances don’t exist in their bubble, so the only person who could stop Aziraphale from going on a power trip is Crowley.   

(if I had them I would link to my season 3 thoughts here… I am still working on my thoughts around what happens next... where are you at?)

Crowley has been forced by both sides to take actions and hold positions that don't align with who he is as a core being….

...and doesn’t have the ability to refuse outright any order or demand of hell.   

His entire existence has been written around falling for caring too much about things that matter and asking questions.  

The universe has demanded things of Crowley that Crowley has been punished for disagreeing with, his words are considered “wrong” and there has been nowhere he could go or escape to avoid the consequences of being himself.  

His superiors appear to him in his car or on his television…. he’s literally trapped and unable to stop that from happening, except in the bookshop (that’s a tangent I’m going to step past for now)

Crowley talks about running away a lot.   But running away usually has everything to do with Aziraphale and wanting them to be safe, or reacting to Aziraphale during a fight.

So for Crowley running, leaving…. having the power to choose to leave…. to remove himself from a situation is its own exercise of power.  It’s a freedom to choose that hasn’t been afforded to him by Heaven or Hell.

So is it a survival mechanism or a protective mechanism…. sure.   

But in a very real sense both Crowley and Aziraphale are given the opportunity with each other to act out these things ….

...for Aziraphale it’s the ability to control his universe and for Crowley the ability to choose his own path and to say he will choose it.   

They are for each other a way of working through these things they can do nowhere else, and taking risks and doing things they should not be able to do.

[petite-madame]

Omg witch/wizard/mage wathever you wanna call it !Dean is something I always wanted and always starved for content, and your latest picture is like an oasis lol! Seriously thank you for keeping making such beautiful art and sharing it with us, it’s always a joy seeing you posted something new!

Hi anon

Thank you so much for enjoying my Dean artwork, it's very kind of you.

I love the idea of Dean being…surprising! I've always headcanoned Sam as a witch (I mean, more than what we see in the show, picture Sam as a true "Master of the Mystic Arts") but I also loved the idea of Dean knowing a few tricks himself, using his magic skills only as a last resort and leaving everybody baffled. I drew a couple of artworks for a "Cowboy AU" (here and here) and in my "silly little canon", people see Sam as a dreaded and powerful witch and Dean as just, you know, the "other guy with a gun" but in reality…NO! It's a trap! 😂😁

Speaking of, I started to draw MONTHS ago, Sam using his magic skills (for real this time, not just posing and looking cool) but I'm working on so many stuff at the same time that this WIP has been rotting in my hard drive for ages. I have to get back to it. 🙃

ANYWAY. Thanks again for enjoying my work and have a great weekend. 💗

[beevean]

Impossible Mode: favorite aspect of Lenore's character :)

Her design, easy. She's not hot in the slightest, but she is very pretty, with a design that reminds me of a fusion of Dahlia Hawthorne and the Succubus from LoI, and I really like her blue dress in S4, it's cute and it fits the idea that she's feeling melancholic, all while tying her to Hector's new blue uniform. The weakest part is only her lack of theme - IMO she should have had, like the characters I mentioned, a butterfly/moth theme to echo the idea that she uses her prettiness to attract others to her, and not a generic "winter princess" concept that isn't elaborated on at all. Still, I completely understand, as much as I cry bloody tears when I see pictures of it, why so many women love to cosplay her :P

... oh, that's not what you wanted to hear, mh? Well, I really do like her concept. I like the idea of a vampire who wants to bridge vampirekind and humankind and uses human skills to do so. I like the hints that she might resent her vampirism more than she lets on, and that's another reason she tries hard to look human (aside from the manipulation purposes ofc). I like the idea that she constantly fights against her own kind who sees her as weak and stupid for her methods, which causes her to not only double down, but also revel in ever shred of power and respect she can gain. I like the idea that her emotional empathy which makes her more similar to humans is what makes her more dangerous than someone like Carmilla, or any generic vampire who sees humans as livestock: she knows where to hit to wrap people around her finger. She believes herself to be a good person because she is "kind", because she takes care of inferior creatures, but in reality, she's just as power-hungry and callous as her kin, maybe even more so: she doesn't desire world domination, but she enjoys power over singular people and she is not afraid of breaking minds and hearts to earn it. I proposed the idea of using Lenore to explore the moral dilemma of vampire love, and how similar to human love it could be: maybe Lenore really loved Hector as much as a vampire could and we can't blame her too much for what we see as selfishness and sadism, but that would make her no different than an animal unable to rise above her insticts. Nevertheless, she is a scarily accurate depiction of an abuser who will trap you in a stifling, unbalanced relationship and then expect you to thank them for all the scraps of kindness they managed to sweep off the table, and it works because Hector is so, so starved for any scrap of appreciation. And, in a well written show, her status as an underdog within her own council would have made her slightly sympathetic, or at least explain some of her most heinous actions, like beating Hector to an inch of his life for daring to underestimate her, or raping the slave ring onto his finger, ruining weeks of gaslighting and manipulations, as spite against Striga for underestimating her skills. Again, in a vacuum, I do like the idea of her and Hector bonding over their experiences and because they are they only ones who listen to each other, after being surrounded by people who look down on them and only see them as convenient tools. I get the concept behind Lenector, I do!

Lenore could have been an evil version of Rosaly. If Rosaly was taken advantage of for her infinite pure kindness, and she stubbornly doubled down on it because it was the right thing to do, and she was naive and innocent and eventually found the right man because of it, Lenore would feel the weight of being the "weird" one, and resent it, and only perform a mimicry of kindness with her limited vampire understanding. She could have even been relatable, in her own way.

... well, this is the idea. The execution is absolute dogshit, and Lenore in S4 is still the same selfish, sadistic abuser she was in S3, who reduces her own rape of Hector to a "problem to be solved", gets angry when called out and only grants him affection when he retracts his resentment, never once shows any concern about Hector's mental state, only his physical safety because he's still her damn pet and not a real person, and then ragequits out of life because her sorrow is more important than anything else, including the man who mutilated himself out of his slave ring and then still crawled back to the person who put that ring on him in the first place. Except that now I'm not expected to jerk off on her, but to feel sorry for her and see her as the only genuinely good vampire of the setting, as if S3 had been all a fever dream... or worse, justified.

But yeah, I really like Lenore's concept for an anti-villain, and she deserved a story written by someone who understands that rape and abuse are wrong even when it's a pretty woman dishing them out and when said abuser is kinda nice to you. Why do you think I keep coming back to this character, and not, say, Carmilla? Because she could have been so intriguing, so complex, if only the writers cared less about the mommy fetish and bullying Hector into a shell of a character.