#but she can't because she's human. so it always will be

[awawage]

Kpop Demon Hunter Idea

Thinking about a K-pop demon hunter AU. But the reader is the top K-pop singer of the moment, not even Huntrix can defeat them. The reader goes by the stage name (S/N), they have the most fans, and everyone who likes Saja Boys or Huntrix has heard of (S/N) and is probably a fan too. I was thinking like Lady Gaga because everyone love Lady Gaga, my queen.

But there's a secret: you're actually half demon oops.

I'm new to writing so it might be ooc.

One night, Rumi, the workaholic that she is, is the only one awake, working on the lyrics of her new song. That is, until she feels a disturbance in the air. There, outside the window a small red spot in the middle of Seoul.

She decides to venture out alone since Mira and Zoey totally deserve a break. The tear is was small, so there shouldn't be too many demons.

----

Well, that’s unexpected. The tear is right above K Entertainment, one of the biggest K-pop companies in Korea. That's where big singers get signed in, if you're with KE then your life career is only about to go up.

That's where you were signed at, the biggest idol in Korea right now, not even Huntrix or Saja boys can get on your level. She never met you before but your works has always inspired her and other Huntrix members to keep going. You're the K Entertainment golden child.

She needs to enter the building fast. Who knows what star is inside getting their soul sucked right now? But just as she starts to climb up-

“So you're here too, huh?”

“Jinu? What are you doing here, demon?” she says while pointing her sword at him.

“Woah woah, demon girl—” The blade gets closer to his neck, poking his skin. He lifts both arms. “I mean—Gwi-Ma sent me here. There’s a portal that’s opened in this building under his control. I was sent to investigate since I'm already in the human world.”

"Another demon ? Who's not controlled by Gwi-Ma...?" She slowly lower her swords.

"That's what I thought too, I thought you were the only one but perhaps there's a another one that Gwi-Ma can't control "

"We need to investigate "

"That's what I was sent to do"

He received a hit to the side.

----

Inside the building, there are no signs of life at all. Every worker has probably gone home by now. But it doesn’t stop the strange feeling that settles in both their hearts. Something isn’t right.Rumi turns to Jinu.

“Are you sure this isn’t some plan by Gwi-Ma—”

“My, my.”

They both jump and turn around.

Jinu in a fighting stance, his nails sharpening, and Rumi with her sword ready to strike, until she sees who it is. You.

There you are.

The golden child of K Entertainment. Idol of the century.

Even though Huntrix has won a lot of awards, you’ve won higher-prestige ones and have far more influence than they’ll ever have. A star-born singer whose career skyrocketed since your teenage years, and still going strong.

Rumi can’t stop her giddy expression; her eyes turn into stars. You were her favorite K-idol– hell, maybe her favorite idol, period. She debuted not long after you, but seeing your solo success surpass her group’s so quickly made her form a bit of disdain at first.

But after watching your interviews and fancams… she slowly fell in love.(Oohh 👀)

Jinu quickly noticed her facial expression and threw an annoyed look at you, who were you and how come you made someone like Rumi so... Charmed? By you with a single look.

In front of you stood two weirdos. Sure, they’re good-looking, but one is holding a sword, and the other literally grew claws.

You recognize both of them from the trending K-pop groups, Jinu from Saja Boys who looked super confused, and Rumi from Huntrix who looked like she could explode from joy (still holding her sword towards you).

You obviously know what they are. But let’s entertain them, why don’t we?

“May I know why you’re trespassing the building...with a sword, no less?”

“OMG you’re (S/N). Zoey would be so jealous…”

“Who?” A big gasp leaves Rumi’s throat. She’s shocked and in disbelief.

“How can you be a K-pop idol without knowing the king/queen of our generation!?”

“Alright, calm down. You guys are lucky I recognize you, or I would’ve called the cops by now. Rumi from Huntrix, right?” She nods.

She knows you probably knew her, but hearing her idol say her name still makes her proud of Huntrix popularity.

“And you’re from that new group… Soja Boys?” Rumi almost chokes laughing as Jinu sweat drop.

“Actually, it’s Saja Boys…” says Jinu.

You look at him, perplexed. “Strange name…”

Before holding a serious expression. “What are you guys doing here? You know it’s totally off-limits to non-workers. Doesn’t matter if you’re famous idols or not.”

Rumi and Jinu share a look. They need to find a way out of this without raising suspicion, a look you don’t miss.

“Um… we’re here to meet with an contractor! And hmm… oh! I think we got the wrong time, haha…”

Rumi quirks a wobbly smile. Jinu nods beside her, even though he doesn’t believe the lie himself.

“Really now…”

You can feel the mark pattern slowly spreading under your clothes, from your torso up toward your neck.

“Yup! But since we’re wrong- we’re gonna leave now!”Rumi quickly grabs Jinu’s arm who was surprised, as she makes him turn around with her.

Your hands begin to thin, and sharp nails start growing out.

"Wait.."

Your voice sounds ominous and slow, sending a chill down their spines. They freeze and slowly turn around.

There you are, in your demon form. Your once bright eyes are now yellow with slits, purple/blue marks spread beautifully along your neck and face.

“A demon…?” they both whisper.

You smile.

There they are, your next prey.

“I’ve been waiting"

[seleneprince]

REBORN

Gotham Cathedral, Spring.

A majestic silence reigns around her, interrupted only by the occasional sound of the giant bell ringing above her.

She would like to think is because people have finally learnt to respect her space and stopped butting their noses into her bussiness.

But no. The truth is that the church is basically empty at this hour. The only other people are old ladies and some last-minute sinner in need of confession. It's quite normal in Gotham. We all become sinners eventually, she thinks. It's unavoidable.

The first days she started to come here for her prayer hours after her accident, people whispered non-stop when she passed by and could barely conceal their stares. Shocked to see her out of all people in a cathedral. A holy place.

"I didn't know Lady Wayne was so devoted."

"I don't think she's ever been in a church before."

"How...surprising of her to step so confidently into the Lord's holy place. She certainly lacks some self-awareness."

The sheer hypocrisy delights her as much as it infuriates her.

Because first of all, who are they to question her faith? Just because she doesn't make a show out of it doesn't mean it's up to debate. She's always been taught that one's faith is meant to be private and personal. It's not a reason to boast.

Which is why she's always looked down on those people who praise the Lord's name and present themselves as "true" Christians just for appearances or to give themselves a reason for their self-righteousness.

In reality, they're the ones completely devoid of any self-awareness.

"Either that or she just doesn't care about seeming direspectful. I mean, we all know the kind of woman she is."

"I heard she's not like that anymore. Apparently, she's changed a lot since the accident. Everyone says so. It's bizarre."

"Yeah. She's behaving surprisingly well lately. There hasn't been a scandal since."

"Maybe she hit her head so badly it reprogrammed her whole personality."

Idiots. If only they knew...

Well, guess she can't really fault them for not knowing. After all, there's no way they can even imagine the truth behind her change.

"Maybe that's not really her and we're just seeing someone else with her face."

"Sure. Or maybe she actually died on the accident and her body is currently possessed by an incredibly nice spirit."

They have no idea.

She raises her eyes to the cross in front of her, its figure looming over her head as if watching, where the image of the Lord was carved in a typical representation of the moment He died for humanity's sins.

The most remembered moment of His life. This is the first thing that pops into people's minds when they think of Him. Not all the good actions, not His endless kindness, His banter with the disciplines, His sense of humour, how He dedicated his life to help the poor and stood for what was right. Not even His beautiful relationship with His family. His mother, His father Joseph, even His siblings.

No. Instead, He'll be mostly remembered like this. In His death, with iron drilled into His body and bleeding out between two criminals. Sacrificing His life for sins that weren't His.

The Bible is full of passages depicting His humanity, His miracles, yet this moment is what will be forever His symbol.

Most people claim it's meant to be a reminder of how big His heart was. Of how He became a martyr.

To her, it's always felt more like a lesson.

That no matter how good you are and how much of yourself you give for others, you'll still get screwed over by those more powerful than you if they want to. That doing the right thing won't always be rewarded.

In the end, people value life the most when it's gone.

The thing about martyrs, she thinks, is that they have to die to be worshipped.

She makes one last prayer under her breath before standing up, sealing it with a kiss to the cross that dangles from her neck, putting back under her coat. She walks around the bench quietly as to not disturb the others and makes her way to the exit in the shadows.

Her phone vibrates again in her pocket. She pulls it out to see the several missed calls, messages, e-mails and the news.

On top of all, one name persists.

A name she wishes to never think of again.

Mr Wayne🙄

Where are you?

Seriously, where are you?

Don't you dare ignore me now.

You can't be serious.

I just found it laying on my desk this morning. Is this some sick joke of yours?

It better be.

I swear to God, where the fuck are you?? You can't just leave like this!

Those gossips don't know how close their little jokes are to the truth.

Because she didn't just change. She wasn't reprogrammed.

She catches her reflection in one of the windows. Her face, her hair, her body, even the way she moves. She still looks the same as before. Healthy and confident.

Except it's not her. Not really.

This body isn't hers. Just like the clothes. Just like the man pestering her on the phone. None of this belongs to her.

It's from that woman with her same name and face that died several weeks ago.

Mr Wayne 🙄

What do you mean with "divorce"??

Gotham City High School

They're still talking.

It's been several weeks but they haven't stopped. In fact, she'll say it's gotten worse.

Before, it was just whispers behind her back and poorly concealed side-eyes. Now, they've taken to brazenly stare at her like she's some exotic animal, even approaching her at times to ask about her health, only to step back when she answers with a gentle smile, their eyes reflecting something between horror and fascination.

She found it amusing at first. Their faces looked so stupid at time she had to supress her laugh a lot.

But it's getting annoying now.

Whenever she goes, whenever she looks, they're there. Muttering, blinking at her, trying to strike clumsy converstations as if she's some long-lost friend who finally returned. All while keeping their distance and staring at her unnervingly.

Sometimes, she feels like a desecrated creature on display.

A pair of girls stand straighter when she passes by, following her with their eyes wide open. She catches the magazine one of them is holding, reading the bold letters in the cover title.

"Wayne heiress's lavish purchases turned into secret charity donations? Follow Vicky Vale's interviews to witnesses for more!"

Of course. The media doesn't help the insanity.

(Good to know Vale is a monumental pain in the ass in every life)

She sighs, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. It's flashy and clearly expensive. Something made to draw attention to the teenage girl who wears it...and subtitly brag about her money.

In another life, she wouldn't have ever come to school with this thing, not even her mum wouldn't allow it. But everything is different now, isn't it?

To be honest, she can't really hold it against these guys for acting the way they do. From their perspective, this must be some kind of fever dream.

She knows her current behaviour clashes greatly with what everyone else is used to from her.

"She's gone mad. There's no other explanation."

"I don't know. She seems to be the same, but nicer."

"Seriously? She's already made three teachers cry from arguing about the lessons with them. Poor Miss Terris was about to faint!"

Yeah, well, she's not going to stay quiet when people who are expected to educate and prepare them for the future teach their damn subjects wrong.

Plus, Miss Terris's lessons were poorly structured and boring anyway. It was for the best.

"Didn't she also disagreed with Mr Johns so badly that he took a whole day off in the middle of class?"

"Oh my god, yes. Luke told me about it. She questioned his thesis for the PhD and started scrutinizing each point like she was grading the damn thesis herself. Apparently, half the arguments didn't stand and it lacked solid references."

"I saw the poor man afterwards. He looked like he was rethinking his whole existence."

That guy should've thought better before writing his thesis on cybersecurity, the one field she’s studied, mastered, and dominated for years. Reading that thing hurt her eyes more than her correction hurt his feelings.

Next time, he won't ignore her questions and shame her in front of the whole class. A time off sounds perfect for self-reflection.

"How can someone like her know so much about cybersecurity anyway? Enough to criticise a professional about it?"

"It's weird. I mean, do you remember the last time she talked back to teachers?"

"No. She's never interrupted lessons, much less to call them out on it. And she's actually right most of the time! It makes no sense."

Because she was a spoiled little brat who lowered her head at the first sign of dissapointment from adults and ran off to her mother to fight the battles for her.

Now she's a spoiled brat with a backbone.

But she understands their confusion. They have every reason for it. Ever since her return, she's been a walking contradiction of everything they've seen and known from her. A mystery.

Really, she's only annoyed when they invade her space with their antics. If you're going to speculate and gossip, do it quietly when the person in question can't hear you. Otherwise you look stupid and attention-seeking.

Or even better: Keep your thoughts to yourselves and let people live, geez.

She wonders if this the kind of attention she would've liked, once upon a time. Maybe this is what that part of her craved so bad. Or maybe she was content either way. Bad attention is still attention and all of that.

From afar, she spots Stephanie staring at her, arms crossed and eyebrows pinched in suspicion. She's no doubt thinking the worst of her, expecting a tantrum at any moment or anything that exposes whatever "scheme" she must have in mind.

Anything to remind everyone how rotten the spoiled Wayne heiress is.

"Do you think...she lost her memories somehow and doesn't remember how to act?"

"Don't be stupid, Kevin. If she lost her memories, she wouldn't even know where she is. Nah, this girl is perfectly fine. Probably just faking for attention again."

She snorts quietly. She can't help it.

Their theories aren't so far fetched. Just lacking a little twist.

Because it's not that she lost her memories.

She actually gained more.

As they wonder about her true motives and the reasons behind her change, none of them can come close to the truth.

That the girl they know died. Literally. Several weeks ago, her heart stopped beating as she bled out in the ice.

And somehow, she came back....with her soul and conscience fused to someone else's.

Wayne Manor

She hasn't moved from the greenhouse in twenty minutes.

Or so she thinks. She hasn't checked the time once since she arrived.

Everyone else is out, doing whatever they usually do at this hour. School, work, send criminals to the ER. Only Alfred is still around the manor.

And herself.

She should be at school now too, but claimed sickness and refused to leave her room. Alfred was worried about her and tried to pry, but her mother and sister covered her. They understood.

How can they not?

It wasn't until she knew for sure it was only Alfred left that she gathered courage to step out, heading towards the one place that has always made her feel safe.

The manor's greenhouse.

A botanical dream come true that only rich people can afford, and her personal paradise. It's supposed to be one of the Wayne's prides, but no one is interested in caring for plants in this family anymore. Only she and Alfred.

Well, maybe Damian too, but he barely shows up since she frequents the place, sticking to his precious farm instead.

She prefers it this way. It allows her to have the place all for herself. It's her corner to hide in when the world becomes too much, the familiar scent of her beloved flowers soothing her like a lullaby just for her ears.

And right now, the world is a lot bigger and more devastating that it's ever been.

It's been days. Long, excruciating days of processing what happened, what it means. Assimilating how things are now. Trying to get through the new routine without crashing out, despite being all she wants to do since she woke up.

Mum jumped right into action as soon as she got a hold over their new situation, and her older sister handled it as she handles everything: Adapting and somehow finding a way to benefit from it.

She envies them for it. For being able to go on with their new lives almost normally while she's still stuck repeating the same scene in her head over and over. What she saw, what she felt.

That's why she needed to come here. Nature has never dissapointed her. She loves her plants and all the green that surrounds her in a explosion of beauty she's nurtured over the years. In times of sorrow, it's her passion what comforted her, along with her family.

When you learn about mother nature, you understand everything follows a pre-established cycle that pushes it all forward, regardless of whatever obstacles there might be. It's about balance within the chaos. No one can evade it.

It's reassuring, to know that no matter what happens, you can trust nature to always find a way to fulfill its rules.

It's a shame my favourite color in the world is the same as certain asshole's eyes. Such beauty wasted on that demon, she bitterly recalls.

She inhales, taking in the scent of wet grass and some freshly bloomed flowers. It's the middle of Spring, after all. The season of life and rebirth, when all that died in winter blooms back with the same beauty as before, as if they never withered in the first place.

Just like she did.

Like the three of them did.

How deliciously ironic that it happened in Spring out of all. Maybe this is really mother nature's work, once again finding a way to restore the balance.

Or maybe it's some wicked game from the universe to make our lives even harder, her inner voice supplies.

She has no idea.

All she knows is that she should be dead. In fact, she vividly remembers dying, exhaling her last breath. Right on cue, she feels a sharp sting from her inner wrists. She rubs the pained zone over the bandage she put on herself.

It's a reminder of the incredibly dark motive behind her new life. Her second chance, as Mum said it is.

The death she remembers happened a lifetime ago....but the pain on her wrists belongs to someone's else death.

This greenhouse has been her paradise in another life, and her grave in this one.

And still..

What a beautiful place to part from, she can't help but think.

All of it, without ever noticing the shadow watching her back, still and silent in a corner of her sacred place. Waiting. Guessing. Or just looking.

a/n: Prologue for my uncoming Yandere! Batfam reincarnation au...with possible other Yandere! DC characters and my other ocs included in it because why not lmao I've been reading too many reincarnation of villainesses webtoons recently, so, here we are now

@la-patrona-magdalena (la culpable de este au, the enabler)

Taglist (for those who showed interest in this au first, thank you for the comments!): @therealme13posts, @coldilikeit, @like-thechocolate

[nekonaps0]

Ok. This is the first time in a long time I asked someone for something on Tumblr.

What if the Housewardens/dorm leaders found out that Female MC is the daughter of the goddess of Love and Beauty. Aphrodite!

I’ll totally understand if you don’t feel like doing this. I’m like so nervous. ;-;

Your little high and mighty

✦fem!reader

✦characters: dorm leaders

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle was already struggling with how effortlessly you turned heads. You were always so graceful, eloquent, heart-stoppingly lovely… and he hated how flustered he got in your presence.

But when Crowley casually mentions your divine heritage during a Housewarden meeting, Riddle nearly drops his teacup.

“A-Aphrodite?! You’re her daughter?! That’s why everyone becomes irrational around you…”

He goes red to the tips of his ears.

He spends the next week rereading Every Magical Law About Deities & Demigods, trying not to look at you too long or think about how good you looked the last time you smiled at him.

Eventually, he admits to himself

“It makes sense. You’re love incarnate… no wonder I couldn’t help falling.”

Leona Kingscholar

He always knew there was something dangerous about you. The way you walked, spoke, smirked at him, everything about you screamed temptation. He told himself you were just annoying.

But when Jack slip your parentage after accidental.

Leona stares. Blinks. Scoffs.

“Makes sense. Aphrodite’s kid, huh? Guess that explains why every guy in this school loses their damn mind around you.”

He acts cool, but the knowledge kills him. Now every time he looks at you, he can't help but imagine you lounging on some cloud in a silk robe, dripping in divine perfume.

He starts avoiding you.

…Only to later press you into a wall with a growl:

“Tell me right now, herbivore—did you use your mom’s powers to mess with my head, or is this just how you are?”

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul always prided himself on control, charm, and strategy.

So why did he fumble words every time you got close? Why did the lounge fill to bursting on days you worked a shift there?

Then one night, Floyd lets it slip:

“Shrimpy’s a demigod~! Her mama’s that hot love lady~!”

Azul spills his drink. His first reaction is panic.

“Does this mean I signed a business contract with a goddess’s daughter?! Oh Seven…”

He spirals. Hard.

But once he calms down, it all clicks—your allure, your emotional intelligence, your strange way of getting even the most stubborn eel to obey. Eventually, he shyly pulls you aside.

“I… I hope you don’t think I treated you differently because of your heritage. It’s just… you’ve always been radiant.”

Idia Shroud

Idia almost short-circuits. He learns about your divine heritage through an obscure, outdated wiki link Ortho finds—and immediately spirals.

“This is a love interest route I’m not leveled for!! She’s literally part of the Olympic pantheon!”

He becomes too afraid to talk to you, convinced you’re out of his league. He avoids eye contact, stammers more than usual.

Eventually, you confront him with a smile and a soft,

“You don’t have to treat me like a goddess, you know.”

He turns neon pink.

“T-Too late! You’ve already unlocked my heart’s hidden event!”

Malleus Draconia

Malleus is intrigued. A goddess’s daughter? A being who understands the weight of lonely legacy?

He’s not threatened, he’s fascinated. Your aura has always glowed in ways beyond the human, and now that he knows why… he feels closer to you.

“Daughter of Aphrodite… I wonder, does your magic rival mine?”

There’s a strange kinship in your connection now, two ancient bloodlines drawn to one another.

“I, too, know what it means to live among mortals, yet never truly be one of them.”

And when he next kisses your hand, it lingers. Reverent.

“Let us walk this strange mortal world together, my radiant deity.”

..............................................................................................................................

[kukinkrim]

my sanctuary (part 1)

baby saja x fem!reader

theme: romance, angst w comfort

notes: took the liberty to make a backstory for baby saja. his human name is baek haneul.

baby had always had a name.

baek haneul. the 13th prince of the royal family during the joseon dynasty; a child of a low-ranking court lady who managed to capture the eye of the emperor, fleetimg as it may be. haneul, though with peasant blood running through his veins, was loved deeply by the palace maids and scholars who roamed around the palace.

despite being constantly surrounded and tended to, the palace was a lonely place.

within his home was a constant battle. war of politics. he was a nobody—not a legitimate heir, not a threat to the throne, not even loved by the emperor who was supposed to be his father. his mother had died young and, with no title to protect him, he grew up in the background; in the edges of the lonely palace he called home.

one spring, an older brother of his—the crown prince—was assassinated. in the scramble to find a replacement, haneul was briefly considered for the throne due to his wit. briefly. because just as quickly, the idea was cast aside.

baek haneul was too gentle, they said. too soft. he won't survive the court. he can't lead with that filth running in his blood.

baek haneul was not destined to rule, they said.

once the new prince was chosen, haneul was sent to live in a remote monastery under the guise of protection. but really, who were they kidding? he was exiled.

there, the loneliness began to eat him alive. and that loneliness was what brought him to hold the hand of a demon named gwi-ma who offered to fulfill his wish to be seen as he prayed for a god that never came.

"let them remember me."

he holds his out to the fire as it roars, not in fury, but in glee.

"if the world won't keep you, child, then let it burn."

haneul prided himself in being one of the most loyal demon of the underworld. that was given, afterall. the power he was given was nothing more than leash that kept him bound. shame shackled his feet to hell but he bites back those feelings that threatened to come too close.

emotions were a weakness. there was no place for vulnerability in hell.

that was part of the deal, afterall. shaking hands with the devil came with a cost. a power beyond reckoning and in turn, his soul sealed away so tightly he couldn't even remember what sorrow or joy once tasted like. love? the concept was foreign to him. he was molded for war now, a walking catastophre.

but then he met her, (y/n), when he came to the surface one day. gone were the tattoos on his body, replaced with bright pink clothes that seemed to cling onto him just right. yet, he knows, they were nothing more than just costumes that hid what he really was. the world was no longer what he remembered, much more modern as centuries had past.

haneul, for the first time in centuries, looked human. a fragment of what he looked like before he made a deal with the devil.

but he meets her. a woman watching amongst the crowd as he performed with his other fellow demons.

it was a fleeting encounter. so fleeting that he forgot about her as soon as the song finished and the crowd had dispersed.

but she kept showing up.

at every concert. every performance. every variety show taping.

front row, sometimes. back of the crowd, others. but always there.

and haneul always saw her.

he convinced himself it was a coincidence. nothing but chance. love was never an option for him. curiosity, perhaps, about the mortal and their feelings that he used to feel—but he never considered what he felt was love.

love was not part of the deal he made with gwi-ma. in hell, in his monsterous heart, in his devil form; there was no room for love.

at a fansign, weeks later, he saw her again. her name slipped from the sticky note handed to him for his signature, but it didn’t matter.

he was exhausted.

he hadn't slept in days. the glamour used to hide their inhuman nature took more out of him than he liked to admit. but most of all, he was tired of pretending. tired of smiling. tired of playing the role gwi-ma carved for him. tired of the voices that continued to whisper in his ears; the shame that snickered, the sharp tugs of despair. couple that with the gut-eating guilt having to sing on stage, infront of hundreds of mortals that would die soon because of his song—oh, haneul is tired.

idol work is not an easy job, he realized.

apart of him had considered it. quitting. quitting meant breaking the pact he made with gwi-ma. it meant letting his soul be consumed and he'll just disappear. it meant that all those years of suffering will all be in vain because no one will be there to remember him anyway.

but he considered it.

disappearing.

"...-ou okay?"

his eyes snapped open to see bright eyes staring back at him. a soft smile on her lips. calm, unlike most of their fans that kept screaming in the background. she was at a respectful distance, waiting patiently for him to sign her album.

"what?" he asks softly—atleast, as softly as he could.

"i asked if you're doing okay," she replied. haneul merely stares, unsure what to answer.

his smile flickered and he forced it back up. “of course,” he answered, all fanservice and charm. that's what he does best, anyway. hide. “i’m doing great.”

she only smiled gently, handing over her letter.

haneul stared, knowing he had failed to make her believe.

something inside him trembled. a crack in the walls he had built. dangerous, was the only word he could think of. this mortal human was dangerous enough to shake him up.

but her time at the table ended soon before he could utter another word out, swept away by handlers and the flow of the event. he could only stare at the letter she handed to him—a simple, folded piece of letter.

"i hope you get to rest. you deserve to."

and for the first time in centuries, baek haneul—monster, prince, idol, "baby"—felt seen.

[cxttlefishcxller]

Zira my fine friend you have ABSOLUTELY come to the right place!

This is actually SUPER emotional for this part of the game, and it really comes from just who the Songbird (big robot birb) really is, and the function it has in keeping Elizabeth (that girl right there) safe and sound in the tower she'd been locked inside of all of her life.

She'd been in that tower since she was like BABY baby, and the Songbird's function was more or less to keep her safe, keep anyone OUT of the tower, and to check up and make sure that Elizabeth was present, accounted for, and in one piece multiple times a day.

By the time that Booker (protag of the game) finds her, she's a young adult, resenting her prison, and resenting the Songbird itself for being the symbol of her captivity. But deep down, it WAS her only friend for her entire life, and it hurts her to see it hurt.

But Booker was there to do the one thing the Songbird was NOT supposed to allow: to take Elizabeth out of the tower. And worst of all, he succeeded. So for a large part of the game, the Songbird tries to find and take Elizabeth back. But it's got all of the drive of a sentinel and none of the care or forethought -- it destroyed the tower just trying to keep Elizabeth inside. It's nearly killed Elizabeth and Booker BOTH, multiple times, trying to fulfill its directive. So there's nothing left to do but take it out.

Elizabeth's big thing is that she can open interdimensional portals -- things she calls "tears". (read like ripping paper, not like crying, English is a bullshit language jfkdl;sf) And the Songbird was built to thrive in incredibly high altitudes, flying above and around a city that was already thousands of miles in the air. So when Elizabeth opens a tear into Rapture (the undersea city from the first two Bioshock games, deep in the Atlantic Ocean) the pressure of being at the bottom of the sea is too much for something that can't even be in a FEW feet of water without suffering structural damage.

This scene is so impactful because of how complicated Elizabeth's feelings are for the Songbird itself. This is her jailor. Her captor. Her best friend. The thing keeping her safe. The thing keeping her in chains. The only real interaction she had with the outside world for the whole 19 years of her life. And always, ALWAYS, the Songbird listens to her.

And having to watch this (Creature? They never really explain just WHAT the Songbird is, but I'm led to assume that everything that's a giant metal thing that wants to Hurt You in a Bioshock game has a real human person -- or the remnants thereof -- inside of it) die right in front of her eyes, after ALL OF THE OTHER BULLSHIT she learns about her powers, her past, and the reasons she was locked away in the tower in the first place...it's a lot like losing the last bit of her childhood and security, in the most liberating and most devastating ways all at once. On top of that, she's complicit in killing it, which SEVERELY messes her up for a while after this scene. Booker didn't do this. Comstock (el bad guy) didn't do this. SHE did.

TL;DR: This scene hurts real bad because a victim of neglect and religious-flavored zealotry just got to give that abuser's biggest tool and also her only friend a death that was not quick (despite her best attempt here at making it merciful) because it was the only thing she could do at the time.

BIOSHOCK INFINITE (2013)

[dragonagitator]

The Duwamish Tribe of Seattle had to cancel their annual Duwamish River Festival because of fear of ICE raids.

ICE can't tell the difference (or doesn't care) between Native Americans and immigrants from Latin America. They're just rounding up everyone with brown skin, so any gathering of brown-skinned people is now a potential target.

This is so depressing.

Seattle festival canceled due to ICE concerns

June 23, 2025 at 10:00 am

By Daniel Beekman

Seattle Times staff reporter

The Duwamish River Festival has been a source of joy for Magdalena Angel-Cano since the 27-year-old was a kid growing up in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood.

Food, music, dancing, learning and a celebration of the city’s only river, which environmental advocates have worked to restore after severe pollution.

But the festival won’t take place this August as planned because Angel-Cano and other organizers have canceled the annual event due to concerns about immigration enforcement operations under President Donald Trump.

It’s an example of the broad impacts that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions are having on communities in Seattle and beyond.

The Duwamish River Community Coalition, which hosts the festival in South Park, announced the cancellation last week. South Park sits by the river and is home to many Latino residents and immigrants.

“My biggest concern was exposing our community members that could be affected by ICE to any danger or safety issues,” said Angel-Cano, a community engagement and communications specialist at the coalition who was raised in South Park by immigrant parents from Mexico.

Roberto Salazar, who works with local businesses through the Only in South Park economic development initiative, said he’s never seen Latino community members so alarmed in South Park and across the city.

After weighing the pros and cons, organizers chose to act cautiously and cancel the festival. The Duwamish River Community Coalition will instead bring residents to the river in smaller groups and likely host a more private event to provide local immigrants with resources, Angel-Cano said.

“While this cancellation is heartbreaking, the safety and well-being of our neighbors must always come first,” the coalition said in a social media post announcing the difficult step. “We look forward to the day we can come together again in celebration, solidarity and strength.”

Several people praised the move on social media, describing the cancellation as sad but wise. Crystal Brown, the executive director of a neighborhood nonprofit called Cultivate South Park, had a similar reaction.

Although she loves taking part in the Duwamish River Festival, Brown has seen “jarring headlines” about recent ICE actions and news stories “changing by the day,” so she understands and supports this year’s approach.

“When I first saw the announcement, I was kind of sick to my stomach,” she said. “To me, it just comes down to human beings feeling unsafe and worried and scared. Friends are feeling that way. Families are feeling that way.”

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattles-duwamish-river-festival-canceled-due-to-ice-concerns/

[thewertsearch]

Yay, it's Jaspers! It's my doomed friend, Jaspers!

Sorry in advance, little kitty.

GG: I would like to give you a free pass for a day. GG: It is good for twenty-four solid hours of absolute credulity from your best friend.

Alright, but that sounds awfully conditional. It reminds me of the unquestioning 'belief' that Jake displayed earlier in the Act, and feels equally inauthentic.

You can't just offer trust as a free trial, Jane. You have to actually trust the girl.

TG: kay then TG: what do you want me 2 say TG: for you to autobelieve in […] GG: Everything, I guess. I'd like to get completely up to speed, if possible.

You might want to start with the fact that Jane should burn every piece of Crockertech in her house right the fuck now.

TG: so like TG: stuffs i said about my mom or GG: Sure.

Yes, can we please blow the lid on Rose the Sequel already.

Where is this woman? How much of her Playersona's abilities has she retained? And above all, why is she such a neglectful mother?

TG: ok well fors tarters TG: she really is the notable author u know

I said I'd read Rose's wizardfics, and it looks like I wasn't alone. Her weird, esoteric fantasia would carve itself a serious niche, and I'm proud of her for actually sticking with it.

GG: That was always something I had no trouble believing, considering the public documentation even reclusive celebrities receive. GG: And frankly, the family resemblance is obvious.

TG: what else can i talk about TG: like her occolt majyyks and stuff TG: because i dont know a whole lot about the mayjjykks TG: besides th fact that theyre all real as shit can get

That's pretty much what I expected. This version of Rose probably even retains her connection to the Horrorterrors, which might be why Roxy seems to be concealed by the Blackout effect.

I'm assuming that, like Mom Lalonde, Rose Senior has elected to help our heroes from a distance. Through the ghost memories she's inherited from Rose Prime, she's probably got a better understanding of the situation than any other human on Earth, and she's doing what she can to prepare things for her alt-self and her compatriots.

...come to think of it, if both Roses are in contact with the Horrorterrors, they might also be in contact with each other. Now there's an intriguing thought.

[mentalbreakdownsarenormal]

"The carefree shamelessness of a kid." That... entirely recontextualizes her relationship with Lancer in chapter 1, doesn't it.

(Long rant about the two under the cut)

I mean, consider what chapter 1 must have been like for her. The human freak she hates has just caught her eating school property, and if they report it it'd be the last straw that gets her expelled. Considering what she said to them in The_Newist_Girl post, they will probably do so immediately and remorselessly. It is only because of their mother and her kindness towards her that she doesn't cause a major incident on the spot. She begrudgingly agrees to just get some more chalk and head back to class.

(She also drops the line "If you haven't gotten it by now... Your choices don't matter" which uh. Speaking of internalization.)

Of course, it isn't that simple. The closet is both impossibly dark and impossibly big. And when the two of them go to leave, the door is slammed in her face and locked. The floor collapses under her and she falls through. The drop is impossibly far.

She wakes up in a new world that does not make sense. The first person (barring the freak) she sees starts shooting at the two of them. She finds an entire abandoned town, complete with a castle. And, perhaps the strangest thing of all, she meets a hooded figure who tells her about a prophecy. One she is a part of.

One that calls her a hero.

She doesn't believe it. When asked to accept her destiny as one of the Delta Warriors, she refuses. The hooded guy is knocked away by a kid on a bike. And he's the first person to finally give her a clear answer when she asks a question.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm... The Bad Guy!"

This is the first and only thing she has understood in the last few hours. He's a bad guy. He's getting in her way. Someone's getting beat up. After the fight, two facts make themselves clear. One, she needs to go east. Two, people are gonna try and stop her.

So she goes, alone, and makes herself a menace of the enemies. Beats them up, steals their stuff, and other sorts of things you would do in a normal RPG. That's what the enemies are for, after all. Why would she be nice to someone trying to kill her. Eventually, she's blocked by a door she can't open alone until the other nerds show up. She needs to follow them, but like hell she's actually gonna help them or change her behavior at all. There's no point. Kris and Ralsei are good and she's bad. They fell right into their roles, being all nice and stuff, but she's not like them. She can't think of anything good to say about someone trying to kill them like they can. She isn't delicate. She isn't skilled at anything. But she can smash things. And so smash things she shall. Just like she always has, and just like she always will. Don't know why anyone's expecting anything else.

She won't, she can't grow as a person like they can, not now not ever.

Susie's arc where she grows as a person begins after two rooms. It's the scene where Lancer mistakes Susie trying to intimidate him as advice on how to be scary and thanks her for it. His praise surprises her and having someone who appreciates her motivates her to become better. That's the basic reading anyway. But in hindsight...

Lancer is a child. A young child. Why? Lancer's age, for the most part, is irrelevant to his character. If you wanted him to parallel Susie, why not write him to be the same age as everyone else? How does the relationship between the two of them benefit from Susie needing to babysit the kid half the time they hang out?

She's his mentor. The one she never had herself. Lancer is bad at being scary. His evil laugh sounds like a baby Santa Claus. He has no idea what he's doing, he's just trying to be "scary and badass" like his dad. And it just so happens being scary is one of the few things Susie knows how to be "good" at. And with that in mind, Susie's words suddenly take on a whole new meaning.

Susie interrupts with a single word. "Stop." What Susie says next, about wannabe tough guys and bitten faces isn't her trying to scare him. It's her trying to crush him. The same way she was when she tried to play. You need to stop because you're bad, now here's someone who can do it better. But unlike back then, the person who told the kid to stop was the better person. The kid got the chance to see it be done properly and was told what exactly needed improvement.

And the next time they meet, Lancer acts far more intimidating. He's still not good, to be sure, but he did improve. He then immediately asks for feedback to try to improve more. He doesn't even have guys, he just wanted to practice.

And this shatters Susie's world view. This kid, this young, carefree kid who's just playing around improves. The kid who's the only person around she could understand or relate to, the kid who introduced himself as "the bad guy" *improved*. Whatever was wrong with this kid that made him a bad guy, that made him an outcast, didn't end up mattering. The support around him did.

In the very same scene Lancer shows improvement, he realizes your team doesn't have a name. To fix this, he asks everyone to drop a name in his bucket to be randomly selected. Kris doesn't and they "look like they don't care." But Susie does add a name. She might not put a lot of effort into it, but she plays along. Susie, who walked through puzzles, who disobeyed commands, who left the party behind, who repeatedly complains about you being slow, who refused help stop the very world from ending, put a name in the bucket.

And in every following scene the two are together, she encourages everything he does.

She expected to be able to play it because she was. She wasn't trying to be good: she liked the piano and she wanted to play it, so she did. Playing for the sake of playing with the carefree shamelessness of a kid.

But because someone thought she was "bad", they told her to stop. It's a role she's been assigned all her life. Without explanation, without justification, without fault, something as inherent to her as her voice, her claws, her skin.

So she internalized it. "Good" must be a role too, right? No one's ever cared enough to teach her about practice or training or perseverance. "Good" is something Susie would simply never get to be.

[ndostairlyrium]

Your ship and how they sleep (when together and not) questionnaire! 💖

I was tagged by @arcandoria 💛 thanks dear!! This is so fun ;u;

I'm tagging: @celestialteapot @greypetrel @shivunin @star--nymph @melisusthewee @dungeons-and-dragon-age @raflesia65 @bibutterflies @buriedknight & @p0lkadotdotdot

Ankh x Cullen

How often do they sleep together?

After they've established their relationship physically they do as often as they can. Before that moment there has been a couple of accidental naps but never a proper night of sleep in the same bed.

Where do they sleep?

In Skyhold, at Cullen's at first, because the Inquisitor's quarters tend to be packed with staff. Afterwards they manage to carve some private space for their relationship to evolve and he literally moves in her bedroom. Sometimes they isolate in one of the guests room facing the gardens, but it's just a refuge / nap room, nothing more nothing less.

How do they prepare to sleep?

They always try to go to sleep together when Ankh is in Skyhold. When that happens they have their own ritual of helping each other out of their armor/clothes, they bathe / refresh, then they do whatever activity they're obsessed with in that moment of time before going to sleep. This will continue even after the events of Trespasser, just not in Skyhold.

What do they wear to sleep?

It really depends on the activity they were doing before putting themselves to bed 👀 Otherwise, Ankh is a firm believer that people that wear pants in bed are very suspicious so there's a no pants / light clothes policy in her quarters, unless it's too cold and he refuses to humor her.

Do they cuddle?

Often, but not always. Ankh very touchy-feely but she respects Cullen's personal space, in addition some nights they're so tired it's impossible to develop something more than a hug.

What are their preferred sleep positions?

Singularly, Ankh is one that curls in fetal position and takes little space, possibly close to the border. Cullen needs to face the ceiling, because he's used to get up and get ready quickly and that's the most comfortable position for such purpose. When they're together they travel across the bed in a perpetual hug. He doesn't want to let her go, she's just happy to be dragged.

How easy do they fall asleep?

When they're on their own, it takes a lot of time to fall asleep. They have thoughts and they tend to grab the worst one and spiral. When they're together, it's easier because they can talk through their problems. Besides, the sense of security they give each other mitigates their insticts and help them relax more.

Do they toss and turn a lot?

Not when they're alone. When they're together it's a competition on who falls out of bed first (see sleep positions answer).

Do they snore?

I don't think so? :'D

Who hogs the blanket?

The blanket is wrapped on them, when the morning comes they have taken the form of a elvhen-human cannellone.

What do they dream about?

Ankh's dreams kinda define her personality. She often relives memories but the places and the people are all messed up - remains of somewhere / someone else significant to her background all mixed together. Another set of "I'm in power but things are still slipping off my hands" dreams feature; being unable to hit her targets when hunting, seeming incapable to run, and sometimes she can't use her voice to warn the people around her that she, or them, are in danger. About the last on the list, when she come across that specific situation she struggles so much that she uses her voice outside the dream, so she has to be woken up. Now, I have an hc about the Anchor, that is able to connect Ankh to the Fade so much that her dreams become more vivid and detailed, so she can be "in the moment" as they unravel in her brain. It is as if she never goes to sleep, so much that she considers falling asleep as checking in for the next part of her day. I think Cullen's dreams, nightmares aside, are a pure re-elaboration of the day / week he's just spent, with different details and maybe a different temporal context. An interesting dream he could have would be being unprepared for something important - lessons, meetings, etc. But also - and here comes another headcanon - he dreams of a world with a black inky sky, with glittering walls and a comforting sound of breathing that seems like a melancholic song. Sometimes he wakes up feeling nostalgic for something above his reach.

How easily do they wake up?

Very easily. It takes the smallest noise to alert the both of them.

How awake they are afterwards?

Oh, she's very awake and ready to jump on the walls like a grasshopper. Also she's a morning babbler of the worst kind. He, on the other hand, would be ready for action out of habits but he needs a moment to wake up and adapt. There are probably a couple of arguments in which he tells her to shut the fuck up :'D but she always wins in the end.

[dragonmasterhiccup]

Hiccup took in Gobber's words. Things really had changed. His dad had practically banned even the notion of becoming human. Stories still floated around, of course, but his father certainly was close to Gobber to have reacted the way he did.

When the smith started talking about Hiccup's mother, the merman was all ears. He didn't know all that much about her, and his dad would close up anytime he asked. Hiccup had all but given up hope of finding out about her, until now.

Astrid's compliment made him smile. He didn't mind it too much, though it did confuse him a bit when she first said it days earlier. Besides, it didn't look like she'd be willing to change her word choice, so why not just go with it?

Hiccup caught her eye, giving her a grin and a small nod, telling her it was fine with him.

"She...she loved dragons?" Hiccup exchanged a look with Astrid. At least now he knew where he got it from.

Oh.

His head hung low. He knew what happened to his mother, but hearing about how happy his father once was struck a chord.

No wonder Stoick had a hard time even looking at his son, Hiccup was a reminder of what he lost. And now, with his missing fin, he'd be even more of a reminder.

As Gobber rested a hand on his shoulder, the merman looked at the smith with somber eyes. "Yeah, well...I'm not exactly the son he's always wanted, Gobber," Hiccup replied, "Turns out I took after mom, so...it's no wonder he didn't tell you about me."

He nodded at Gobber's words, "Yeah. Yeah, I'll make sure he knows." Hiccup now had quite the lost of things he needed to talk to his father about.

He hoped that it wouldn't push Stoick over the edge.

The merman leaned into Astrid's touch, resting his head against hers. It brought him some ease, knowing she was there for him. He was glad to know all of these things, but that didn't mean it wasn't a lot to wrap his head around.

The mood had turned heavy in the forge, at least it did to Hiccup, so he did the only thing he could think of. "Does this mean I can call you Uncle Gobber?"

Eyeing the plans, Hiccup brought a hand to his chin. "If you know what material is needed and how much, I can handle the Gronckle. It's pretty easy to gain their trust, so I can make sure they'll eat the materials you bring." He'd offer to help gather them, but he wasn't much use without legs.

Looking at where Astrid pointed, Hiccup nodded, "Perfect. Not too close to the fire, so it shouldn't evaporate too quickly."

"I can't talk to Dad until I can swim again, so the sooner we start on this, the better. Gobber?" He turned to the blacksmith, "Thanks. For telling us all that, and for helping me walk and swim again. Your secret is safe with us."

🐟

The Great Hall was bustling with people, much like the other night when Astrid first took him here. More than a few vikings were already into their third cup of mead, and laughter rang throughout the Hall.

There was music playing, and a few couples were already dancing. Nodding towards them, Hiccup asked Astrid, "Do you? Like to dance, I mean. Because, uh...if, if you do... maybe we could try to dance a bit tonight... I may be a bit limited with the crutch, but...I'd still like to try, if you're up for it?"

After a long training session, all Astrid wanted to do was cool off on the beach. Maybe a tiny swim, even though the ocean was so cold at this time of year. She pushed through the brush and staggered down to the shore.

Only to find a boy lounging in the shallows.

“Oh!” She dropped her axe in the sand. From his bare torso, she assumed he was naked. “Sorry! I didn’t know someone else would be…here…” as the apologies flowed, she realized from the waist down, he had green scales and a pair of fins.

No wonder she hadn’t recognized him.

“No way…” she inched closer. “A real mermaid! In the flesh! Are the stories true?” She stamped down her overwhelming curiosity for a moment to give him a stern point. “Don’t try anything fishy, mermaid. I’m very capable of protecting myself, got it?”

((I saw the prompt and went feral, hope you don’t mind))

[X]

Hiccup started, the water around him splashing as he sat up straight in surprise, before he moved a little further back, his cheeks flushed.

"No, sorry, I, I shouldn't--" Ducking his head, the merman awkwardly held up a hand, "Usually no one comes here..."

But his movements only caused his tail to briefly break the surface, emerald scales glittering in the sun for a moment before dipping below the water again.

Firmly, he responded, "Merman. I am a merman. And no, don't worry, I, I wasn't going to try anything...I know you'd probably kill me if I did..."

Clearing his throat, he ran a hand through his hair, which had partially dried in his time sitting in the shallow water. "What, what stories are you referring to?"

He knew, or at least had a gut feeling about what she was asking, but he wanted to hear it from her. She appeared wary, but not fearful. Maybe these humans didn't have the same fears of his kind like the others?

[elodieunderglass]

and if i could ask, what do the creatures of the killieverse dream about at night? what hauntingly revelatory or confusingly mundane images do they see in their sleep?

Thunder dreams in pictures, of mares and races and people he hates, but there are no walls. Hurdles and fences to jump, but no walls. Running alongside cars and trains, forever...

Most of the people are quite normal. Derek is an ordinary mixture of profound and mundane. Pippa obsesses a bit more than most over races she could have run differently. Ken and Suraiya are a bit imaginative with narrative dreams.

Killie is too knackered to remember anything of his dreams. He has so much data to process from his workday that he just goes under for a few hours, and his brain feverishly does all of the downloads and updates and cache-clearing that he refuses to acknowledge. Killie is the "remind me in 15 minutes" reboot delayer of the human brain, and he cheats, because then he gets up at 4:30 am - he is either Conscious or Not, there is no "sub" conscious to relax in. When he isn't utterly exhausted, though, it's nice horsey dreams. The same as Thunder, without the mares. Race replays. Pondering trajectory. The weather.

The weirdest of the horse dynasty share a sort of groupchat mental landscape in which specific motifs might be shared. Really, it's just that they're all marinating in the same sauce, and especially fascinating topics such as "interesting horses" are often at the top of everyone's mind at the same time. Everyone thinking of a specific horse poultice, picking the same favourite horse in a race, deciding to all be spooked by something; the ghost horse guy passing through in a particularly pointed manner. Killie lives away from the rest, but still sometimes picks up on the edges of the zeitgeist: everyone rotating the same Mind Horse.

Charlie has very normal dreams for a sensitive stressful person. He forgot to pay the rent and there's a midterm exam and he sent an email badly and he's forgotten the baby in a shop!!! His wife’s in labour but he’s locked in a cupboard sorting beetles who keep changing colour (aaaaaah.) It's surprising that someone with death premonitions should be so well-armoured against revelatory dreams. But counterpoint: no one else in the horse dynasty is walking the paths Charlie walks at night. So it's an unusual - possibly a defensive - mental landscape. The one bad dream he has is one where he loses his temper with one of his kids, and they leave, and he can't find them.

Bill often unwillingly revisits a murder scene, or two. Sometimes Charlie - saving his life once, throwing him to his (presumed) death once - always a nightmare regardless. He doesn’t want to think about any of that, so mostly he defensively rotates horse spreadsheets.

Miles often dreams of his "twin," but it's troubling - his twin is stuck somewhere dangerous, and sends him away.

[trampled-and-melting]

cute odesta headcanons:

unconventional compliments are their jam. both because they're obsessed with everything about each other and because it can't bring up bad memories if those words have never been strung together by a human before.

it takes a really long time for them to admit to having feelings for each other

they're effectively living together and already sleeping in the same bed some nights before one of them finally works up the courage to be like "hey so um i think i have a crush on you"

they like to playfully manhandle each other. play fighting and play wrestling and grappling (they're both combat trained they gotta use it somehow)

there are days when finnick cannot stand to be touched, even when he's in an otherwise decent mood. on such days annie sometimes shows affection by lightly throwing small objects at him. a pebble, a wad of paper, a pen cap. just as a small, nonverbal "hey, i'm thinking about you," since she can't kiss him about it

on the days when it is viable, there is so much kissing. on the hand. on the wrist. on the shoulder. on the neck. they both do this. they use it to punctuate interactions, to signal contentment, to directly acknowledge each other when they just haven't in a while.

finnick particularly favors hand kisses, because they make him feel like a gallant knight swearing fealty to his lady.

annie particularly favors forhead and nose kisses, because they're chaste and sweet and they make him make cute faces.

in bad moments, sometimes, annie completely loses speech. for this reason, finnick always has a pen on him when they're out of the house. she carries one, too, but it's always good to have a backup.

once they had two pens and no paper, and he ended up letting her use his forearm to write down what she needed.

this turned into the two of them doodling on each other as a grounding exercise, which was surprisingly effective.

every time she falls asleep on him while he's still awake, she wakes up with her hair in dozens of tiny braids

finnick occasionally brings her gifts from the capitol (purchased by him with his own money, of course). because i hc annie as a stem girlie this usually takes the form of niche scientific nonfiction that you just can't get in the districts

they take their coffee opposite ways. finnick with lots of milk and sugar because he's a baby, annie black no sugar because she finds strong flavors soothing

they've each gifted each other multiple pieces of hand-made jewelry, which rhey both wear as often as possible

finnick was beginning to earnestly hate the color green until annie came along, and now he struggles to resent the color of her eyes

[nataliaphantomhivesblog]

I can't help but think about little o!Ciel, who didn't have any friends besides his brother, and how much he's been able to grow since then.

People in his life have learned to love him for who he is, instead of for the title he holds.

For starters, the phantomhive servants absolutely adore him, their gratitude running so deep they would willingly put their lives on the line for the earl.

Each of them proves their unwavering loyalty through their own arcs, showing a love so fierce they’d go through hell and back if it meant restoring their young master’s dignity and rightful title.

Unlike Sebastian, whose loyalty is bound by contract, the servants offer something far rarer: sincere care for o!Ciel’s emotional state, watching over him with loud, human devotion.

Every servant developed a unique and meaningful bond with our earl because he saw them as individuals: not just staff.

He valued their strengths, understood their roles, and treated each connection with respect, making their loyalty personal rather than just professional.

They are o!Ciel’s chosen family, the ones who see him not just as the Earl, but as a boy carrying more than he should. They offer a kind of love he’s rarely allowed himself to hope for.

And on a small side note: Tanaka, having known o!Ciel since before the tragedy of December 14th, he maintained deep affection for the young earl.

Their bond is so special to our earl if we consider he's the only person that o!Ciel genueinly ran to hug him after a month in captivity. He didn't hug madame red back, nor Elizabeth (considering that as a kid, he was sort of...pushed aside in comparison to r!Ciel.)

But he did hug Tanaka and that single, wordless embrace speaks volumes about the unique safety and unconditional acceptance the butler represented, perhaps the last remnant of true warmth from the world he'd lost.

I would contend that Tanaka harbored a particularly tender soft spot for the boy, his service always carrying undercurrents of paternal warmth and profound respect for him.

Even now, as Tanaka stands dutifully by r!Ciel’s side, his anguish is palpable; a silent testament to the boy he still honors in his heart. 

He clearly contineus to hold so much regard and respect for o!Ciel. (look at the way he proudly talks about o!Ciel's toy company im gonna cryyyy, it's literally the only time he's smiling as he works under r!Ciel)

Then of course, there’s my girl Elizabeth. Yeah, she stuck around because she thought o!Ciel was r!Ciel—but somewhere along the way, she connected with him. And that bond? It became something honest and deeply hers.

o!Ciel saw Elizabeth for who she truly was: fierce, dedicated, and far more than the delicate lady she pretended to be for his sake. He saw her strength, her loyalty, and the way she loved with her whole heart.

and he embraced all of who she is, there never was a single ounce of disgust in him as he did so. Only quiet admiration, maybe even awe, for the girl who never stopped fighting for him, even when he couldn’t do it for himself.

While Elizabeth was basically groomed into the title of fianceé and loving her betrothed blindly ,she genuinely grew to feel comfortable and connected with o!Ciel, despite his deception.

Though Elizabeth was essentially groomed into the role of fiancée and loved her betrothed blindly, she genuinely grew to feel comfortable and connected with o!Ciel—who, albeit unintentionally, gave her the space to express herself and her feelings, even though he wasn’t who he claimed to be.

And even after discovering his lies, she understood why he’d kept them. Their connection was genuine even as their foundation was false 

Then of course, I have to add Elizabeth's brother, Edward, into the mix, who learned to truly see o!Ciel's hardwork and respect him for it

Though his approach is steeped in tough love, the blonde's deep regard for our earl shines through whenever he speaks of him. There's an unmistakable pride in his voice as he recounts his cousin's merits.

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Edward entrusts o!Ciel with his deepest fears about his own morality, and in turn, the young earl offers him something precious: reassurance.

With words that carry both wisdom and compassion, o!Ciel reminds Edward that he is, at his core, a good and respectable man.

Edward holds so much respect for o!Ciel and trusts him enough to ask for help as well.

And I want to make it clear, Edward didn't do this because of o!Ciel's name and who he believed he was, but because he’s witnessed firsthand what o!Ciel is capable of. This is trust forged in action, not obligation.

let's not forget Prince Soma!! he really is the first real friend in our earls life. He just waltzed in and molded himself into our earls heart so flawlessly lmao.

Prince Soma appreciates o!Ciel deeply and continously does everything in his power to make this boy feel safe and cared for, he's always offering and encouraging stability, care, and above all, a sense of security the young earl so desperately needs.

Soma’s loyalty to o!Ciel is simple, there’s no grand justification, no hidden agenda, not even the pretense of obligation.

He simply looked at this guarded, grieving boy and thought: You’re my friend now. No lies, no calculations. Just stubborn, sunlit devotion, offered freely because Soma decided it should be.

And though our earl would sooner swallow his own tongue than admit it aloud, he lets Soma care for him, grumbling all the while, but never with real venom. 

For all his bristling, he permits the prince’s relentless sunshine to shine quietly through the earl, and that silent permission speaks louder than gratitude ever could.

And even Soma's butler, Agni, deeply cares for and respects o!Ciel.

Agni is completely loyal to Soma first and foremost, but he also genuinely respects o!Ciel. Even though o!Ciel's dark nature troubles him, Agni still looks out for the earl's wellbeing.

His care for o!Ciel is real - he checks on him, protects him, and treats him with honor, not just because of his title, but because he sees value in him as a person.

The butler is always excited about the concept of Prince Soma and o!Ciel together as genuine friends. While part of this is because it's what Soma wants, Agni also recognizes that o!Ciel needs this friendship too. He understands that despite o!Ciel's tough exterior, having someone like Soma by his side is good for him.

We can't forget that one of Agni's final acts - just minutes before his death - was carefully intending to piece together a burnt photo of o!Ciel's childhood. He did this even after the earl had been harsh and confrontational with him.

This gesture proves Agni never truly held anger toward o!Ciel. Despite everything, he still cared deeply for the boy.

And last but not least I want to mention Sieglinde Sullivan, who is also another person that came to quickly harvest affection for o!Ciel.

The earl was her first ever friend, and while his intentions were always manipulative, you can't deny he really did inspire and motivate her in ways no one ever did.

He’s also brutally honest with her—warning her to watch out for people who might use her, even telling her to be cautious about trusting him.

It’s not cynicism, but a genuine attempt to shield her from the same manipulation she’s endured back in her village.

She saw him and tended him at his most vulnerable state, so he will always hold greatfulness for her even if he never admits it.

He formed that bond with Sieglinde simply by being who he is. The fact that he both encourages her and looks out for her in his own way—without pretense—naturally deepened their connection. It wasn’t forced; his genuine support created the perfect conditions for trust to grow.

IN CONCLUSION....

and there's many other characters whom adore o!Ciel who i wanted to add but...I think the tangent is long enough to get my point across :)

Our earl is genuienly so loved and cared for, and if it weren't for Sebastian and the contract hes bound to, he might have found real healing in this carefully woven safety net of devoted allies - a chance to recover from his pain rather than be consumed by it.

I think that's one of the biggest tragedies of our earl's character, he has so much capacity for love and warmth, yet the very darkness that forged him prevents him from accepting it.

This is his cruel paradox: A boy who kindles fire in others' hearts while his own soul burns for the demon's feast.

He was made to be loved, but his fate averts him from keeping it.

[johannestevans]

a thing i love about kai winn is the way in which she is OBSESSED with personal responsibility as a way of absolving herself of her influence over others.

it's bareil's CHOICE to kill himself because she won't tell him not to. it's people's CHOICE to follow their d'jarras. "i won't interfere."

this poor insane and absurdly scarred woman who is repeatedly and continuously rejected by her own gods. a starfleet human is their new messiah, to whom the prophets continuously reach out. the prophets are speaking to everybody but her - not just kira, youthful and disobedient and chaotic

but fucking. more humans. a trill. odo. a FERENGI!!!!

forsaken by the prophets during the occupation and like… it's so easy for kira to judge her, she thinks, when kira had weapons, and winn never did. all she had was her mind and her ability to talk and manipulate and bribe

and she is so absurdly lonely. she's no longer in a prison cell the way she was for most of the occupation, but she may as well be. everyone thinks her cold and treacherous - the ds9 cmo calls her a coward to her face! her!!!! a priestess who has survived a genocide, this CHILD, calls her a coward!!

and in her mind i think it's just. so much easier to think of everything in terms of… people make choices. she's not making anyone do anything. she's not holding a gun or the weight of an occupying force. she's not making any threats. people can just make their choices. like she has - has had to

and like. god. her gods do not give a single fuck about her. when she's finally able to reach out to them outright that they do not think about her and if they did they would think she's fucking cringe. when your own gods say you're not worth shit, well, okay! i guess she'll do whatever then!

i understand why people have like. a massive knee jerk response to winn - i do think that people wrongly conflate her fundamentalism with american christian fundamentalism & its ideologies, bc like. she is not an american. she is not a member of the dominant culture. she is a genocide survivor

and god like. you can see the acid in her mouth whenever she's negotiating with the cardassians, but more than that like. kira as a member of the bajoran militia works very closely with starfleet, and she's also federation-pilled from hanging out with those rootbeer-drinking freaks 24/7

winn doesn't have that. all she has is the knowledge that starfleet watched the cardassians rape and pillage and abuse and murder her people for decades and not give a flying fuck because the bajorans didn't have anything they wanted. and then the wormhole appeared. and suddenly they were helping

and idk like. she's so painfully uncomfortable with quark naming a fucking dessert after her and trying to get her to try it bc she's not a fucking celebrity and she doesn't want to be.

kira accuses her of wanting fame and her place in history but that's so clearly not what she cares about

she genuinely DOES want what's best for her people. and unfortunately, like kira, she very much has an all or nothing spirit about the whole thing. for winn, that doesn't mean bombing the families of oppressors or blowing up DS9 to stop the cardassians from taking it. it means shit like this

taking every single advantage she can get, using up her assets even when those assets are dying in front of her, even when super fucking unethical medical stuff is being done - letting bareil die when, really, he didn't need to, just for one treaty where there will be others, frankly

but kai can't think of all the people she's killing or leaving behind, because she's not that kind of strategician and she's not ACTUALLY interested in Going Down In History. what she wants, what she has always wanted, is to save what she sees as The Core of Bajor as best she can, and preserve it

part of that is saving people, redirecting prison ships, fucking off the cardassians, getting these treaties signed. part of that IS keeping starfleet at arm's length and, frankly, ensuring that bajor doesn't become a federation planet and get subsumed into federation culture.

and most of all it's faith and doctrine and her fundamentalist understandings of bajoran texts and the teachings of the prophets, because that is what helped her survive, and therefore, in her fucked-up head, all that MUST survive in perpetuity

god. i love that awful woman

[11queensupreme11]

Hello i have a hard time thinking what to ask you lol so ye-

I saw the rekkyo sensen au and omg i'm going crazy about it these days. Like imagine if percy kids went with her in the au 😭

Eudorios: Prob happy at first (yk no poseidon and other husbands of her here) but then realize he have to be beside his mommy 24/7 now cuz a human here have his face and it's attracting his mother's attention. 😁 -> 😕

Anxandrios: stoic face as always but pretty happy cuz his father not here to disrupt him and percy, after seeing ANOTHER Eudorios 😐 -> 😐, inside throwing a tandrum, now not only he have to deal with Eudorios but also another weaker and more pathetic human version of him.

Luisine: went crazy cuz your telling her that her mother got turned into a demigod and now both of them also have to live in this horrible life condition🤬🤬🤬!!!???

Pontoleon: Yay no poseidon = no daddy issues. After seeing Adam: 😶

Tzammaroth: No gods and no Beelzebub. Good good now he can destroy this world and dominate his mother now 👌

Luke: Hmm double Eudorios but it's fine. No sight of his "father" which mean now he can steal his mom away for himself. (Sorry if it not canon in your au Queen)

Yoriel: Humans here are fasinating but no sign of his father here, so his top prior is his mother.

Meanwhile with rekkyo sensen people and percy:

What you mean by they are all your kids???

Percy: uhhh....

ROR universe:

The yandere hubbies prob: WHERE IS THEIR WIFE/ DAUGHTER!!!!!?????

JAHGFEAFV THE REKKYO SENSEN AU YESSSSSS

okay so she would definitely NOT tell anyone in that universe that they're her kids. it'd sound insane and unbelievable. instead, she'd make up an equally as ridiculous cover story 😭😭😭 that they're her SIBLINGS and that she's the ELDEST 😌

(meanwhile, axiandros, tzammaroth, luke, and yoriel who look like grown ass men compared to her teenage ass: 🧍🧍🧍🧍. and they'd just be like "yes... this is our... big sister... 🗿")

omg eudorious would go from the biggest high ever to crashing all the way down to hell the second he catches sight of his "stupid, ugly, weak" human counterpart 😭😭😭😭 HE'D BE SO FUCKING FURIOUS LMAO. percy's suddenly paying attention to AIDEN and not her sweet baby dory! just because they have similar pasts of being child soldiers or something????? WELL NOW HE'S READY TO JOIN THE AMERICAN ARMY IF THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOTTA DO 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

axiandros would internally scream, cry, and shit tears once he sees aiden. of all the fucking universes they had to end up in, and it's one where there's ANOTHER dory?????? it's like he can't escape from it. he's just DESTINED to be terrorized by dories 💀

LUISNE IS HAVING THE WORST TIME EVER, AND NOT BECAUSE OF DORY 2.0 (she doesn't give a fuck about that). they're suddenly POOR now??????? they don't have servants?????? no palace to live in??? she has to SHARE a ROOM??????? what's next, she has to do her own chores?! all the clothes here are uncomfortable and cheaply made! her mother isn't a goddess anymore?!?!?!

pontoleon would be the happiest one ever in this scenario because there's no poseidon! the only time he ever starts to change his mind is when dory 2.0 (aiden) takes HIS MOTHER as a prize for winning the tournament and she's turned into a glorified prisoner of war. now he's just furious and desperate to get her back. would absolutely kill aiden after this

tzammaroth would find it soooooo hilarious that his half-brother (dory) has a weakass HUMAN counterpart instead of a godly one, but percy would hit him with the "and what if there was a human counterpart of YOU here too, hmm? 🤨" and he'd grumble and shut up 💀 anyway, everyone in this universe is weak as fuck, so percy wouldn't have to worry about being turned into a spoil of war, her son'll have this planet conquered fast 💖

luke is another scenario where percy wouldn't have to worry about being taken as a prize. he'd be there at the tournament and he'd definitely play around with the countries similarly to what gaea's doing. gaea wants the proxy heroes to NOT unify??? well he's gonna scheme a way to unify them all just for shits and giggles. technically he's doing a good thing, but he's just doing this outta boredom. might end up flipping a switch and killing everyone once he's done with his fun 💀

yoriel would somehow find a way to get a job as a multilingual therapist for all the fighters 😭😭😭😭 it goes about as well as you expect. everyone becomes even MORE mentally ill than they were before, but then it all backfires on his ass when an unhinged aiden attempts to kidnap percy instead waiting to take her as a prize 💀

[orgasmic-rock]

The way people are just... genuinely perplexed when someone prefers Draco over Harry will never make sense to me. Like... do these people get how the human brain works? What makes it tick? Do they even go here?

(I'm not gonna talk about Ron because I've put enough effort into this and I just don't care about him like that)

So moving on, of course many people will be drawn to Draco over Harry. Personally I find Draco to be a much more sympathetic and therefore compelling character than Harry. Draco always faces consequences for his actions (sometimes unfairly so). He keeps getting beat up by others but always comes right back up. He tries. He makes mistakes, he fucks up, he has faults, sometimes he has moments where he's weak or vulnerable. The narrative is built against him and it's funny that JKR keeps showing him in a light that she thinks will make him unlikable while in reality it has the opposite effect because it humanises him. Truly, that woman's brain seems to be wired ass-backwards when it comes to, well, everything. Ultimately, Draco goes through heavy trauma and comes out a changed man, and isn't that attractive all on its own? For a human and a fictional character.

Now Harry on the other hand, has narrative protection. He's the ultimate Good Guy ™, the Chosen One, the Protagonist, JKR's self-insert. He gets to have his cake and eat it too. He never has to change in a major way because apparently he doesn't need to; it's the others who are at fault and have to come around to his own way of thinking and doing things. When he's majorly wrong about something, there's a disclaimer, a little loophole. The narrative never paints him as weak or vulnerable which I feel puts up a wall between him and the reader. Even though he goes through some heavily traumatic stuff for a very long period of time, I can't seem to find it in me to care that much other than intellectually recognising that yes, that boy has gone through horrific abuse his whole life. Basically he loses humanising points, so it's hard to relate to him in that most intrinsic way. Sometimes the narration gets so preachy when it comes to him and certain other characters that back when I read the books it completely took me out of the story (though you can certainly apply watsonian logic to this).

tl;dr: Draco is relatable, Harry isn't.

So anyway, yeah, I wonder why that Draco character is so appealing to so many people 🧐

Now I'd go on a rant about the second part of your post (because I agree with it obviously) but trying to put my thoughts in some semblance of order has wiped me out so I'll just add that I recently found your blog and I just keep nodding along to so many of the things you write. It's always a pleasure to find other like-minded people around. See ya!

I can't believe that in 2025, I still see posts questioning why Draco is more popular than Ron or Harry. If they're so against his growing popularity, instead of blaming the people who like him, why not blame jkr for giving him his own arc instead of keeping him as a minor character whose only purpose is to get in Harry's way?

At this point, it feels like these people only hate Draco because of his growing popularity, and most of it comes from envy that their favorite character didn’t achieve the same level of fame. It's funny how the ones who hate Draco end up acting just like him in the first five books.

The worst part is that some people who call themselves Drarry fans agree with this mindset because, in their eyes, Draco will always be beneath Harry, and they will never be equals. To them, Harry is someone unreachable for Draco, and it's only because of Harry's kindness that he "accepts" Draco as his partner.

And with Draco's growing popularity, there will inevitably be people who favor him over Harry, which they cannot accept. So, they keep bringing up all the bad things he did as a child while purposely ignoring the fact that canon clearly shows Draco has moved past that phase and is no longer the same person he was back then.