#but very detailed to any sane person

[florida3exclamationpoints]

PowerPoint topics I've had ideas for during past ppt nights but never had the motivation or Adderall to make

Why Kevin Pearson and Cassidy Sharp should have been endgame in This Is Us / why I think that was literally the plan and then the writers switched up last minute

Rumplestiltskin in Once Upon a Time is the character of all time (in the sense that. He is so Character) and also sad wet pathetic sweetie pie babygirl little meow meow

Peggy Carter is the character of all time (in the sense that she is better than anyone else ever)

Why steggy makes me lose my actual mind and why if you don't like the steggy Endgame plot you're WRONG 🤺🤺🤺

You should watch Doctor Who mostly because of River Song (spoilers 😘)

The Sound of Music is the best movie ever: a DETAILED analysis

[orcelito]

What If I didn't have a brain of a pessimistic squirrel that takes everything out of proportion and can't deal with any thing

[solxamber]

Kidnapped(?) - Malleus x reader

You were sick of the taxes imposed by the aristocrats in your already poverty stricken village. Your idea of a solution? Kidnap their young master , and make them reduce taxes as the ransom, of course. Only problem is that you went into the wrong manor and kidnapped the wrong young master.

crossposted from my ao3!

It’s far too late for a sane person to be awake, let alone breaking into an aristocratic manor, but here you are, perched atop a wrought iron fence. You inhale deeply, the cool night air doing nothing to calm the wild thudding of your heart. Sure, you’ve trespassed on fancy estates before—who hasn’t?—but this time, you’re aiming high. Really high.

Tonight, you’re going to kidnap the young master.

It sounded less ridiculous in your head, but the village’s plight had pushed you this far. Unfair taxes, people going hungry, all thanks to the greed of the lord’s family holed up in their luxurious estate. Someone needed to stand up for the people. That someone just happened to be you.

You’d never kidnapped anyone before, but how hard could it be? Grab the rich guy, ask for a ransom—specifically, less ridiculous taxes—and stroll away like a hero. Easy.

The manor looms in front of you, all dark windows and dramatic architecture. It's almost too easy to slip past the guards. You start to wonder if they’re just really bad at their jobs or if this is some elaborate setup. Still, you can’t help but smirk. You’re so good at this, it’s almost criminal.

Well, it is criminal. But you know, details.

Inside, the place is eerily quiet. Every shadow seems to be watching you as you slink through the halls, making your way toward the young master’s room. You’ve heard the rumors—aloof, cold, basically allergic to feelings. Intimidating him into compliance? Piece of cake.

After a few minutes of creeping around like a ninja, you find a room with the door slightly ajar. A faint light flickers inside. Jackpot. You steady your breath, grip your very intimidating (okay, slightly makeshift) weapon, and push the door open.

Sitting at a desk, seemingly unfazed by your dramatic entrance, is the young master.

“Ah,” he says, turning slowly to look at you. There’s a glimmer of... curiosity? in his eyes. “A visitor. How... unexpected.”

You blink. This is not going to plan. Where’s the panic? The yelling for help? The appropriate reaction to being ambushed at night?

Determined to salvage the situation, you wave your weapon and try your best "intimidating kidnapper" voice. “You’re coming with me! I’m here to kidnap you, and if you want to see your precious manor again, you’ll lower the village taxes!”

There’s a beat of silence.

The young master raises an eyebrow. “You’re kidnapping me? How... amusing.”

Amusing? You falter. “This isn’t a joke,” you insist, shaking your weapon for emphasis. “I’m serious! Ransom, taxes, starving villagers—ringing any bells?”

Instead of, say, panicking or fleeing, the young master stands up from his chair, all calm and composed, like this is a perfectly normal Tuesday night activity. “Very well. I suppose I should humor you.”

You blink again, utterly at a loss. “Wait... you’re just agreeing to this?”

“Of course.” He tilts his head, giving you a strange, intrigued look. “I’ve never been kidnapped before. It sounds rather... interesting.”

And just like that, he strolls toward the door as if this is his idea. You scramble to follow, wondering what exactly you’ve gotten yourself into.

As you lead him through the estate, you’re still grappling with the bizarre reality of the situation. Here you are, attempting to kidnap someone, and the guy is practically rolling out a red carpet for you.

“You know,” you mutter, glancing over at him, “most people don’t just let themselves be kidnapped. It’s not really how this works.”

He turns to you with a serene smile that’s entirely too pleasant for a hostage. “Why should I resist? You don’t seem the type to harm me.”

You narrow your eyes. Is he flirting? Intentionally or not, this guy’s nerve is off the charts.

“I didn’t catch your name,” he says suddenly, voice smooth as silk.

“I’m not giving my name to my hostage,” you snap back. This is Kidnapping 101.

“Ah, of course.” He nods, clearly amused. “Then I’ll introduce myself instead. I am Malleus Draconia.”

Your stomach drops to the floor. Malleus Draconia. THE Malleus Draconia. The name practically vibrates with power and danger, and you suddenly realize you’ve made a colossal mistake. You haven’t kidnapped the young master of the manor—you’ve kidnapped the prince of the fae.

“Oh no,” you mutter, horror creeping into your voice. “Oh no, oh no, this is bad. This is really bad.”

Malleus watches you with mild amusement, an eyebrow raised. “Why the sudden distress?”

You whirl on him. “You’re Malleus Draconia! I— I wasn’t supposed to kidnap you! This is a mistake—like, a huge mistake. I’ll just let you go and we can pretend this never happened, okay?”

But instead of looking concerned, Malleus just smiles wider, a wicked little gleam in his eyes. “Let me go? But I’m having so much fun.”

You gape at him. “You... want to stay kidnapped?”

“Indeed.” He seems completely unbothered by the sheer absurdity of the situation. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve had such an engaging evening.”

Well. This is officially the weirdest night of your life.

The night only gets stranger when you run into his retainers.

“Young Master!” a voice bellows, and you look up to see a tall, green-haired fae charging toward you, fury in his eyes. “What is going on here?!”

Before you can even explain, Malleus casually steps in. “Ah, Sebek. Allow me to introduce my kidnapper.”

Sebek freezes mid-charge, eyes wide. “Y-Your... kidnapper?!”

Malleus nods with an unnervingly calm smile. “Yes. Isn’t it wonderful?”

Sebek’s brain seems to short-circuit, and he storms off, shouting something about telling Lilia and Silver. You groan, burying your face in your hands. “This is a disaster.”

Malleus, of course, chuckles softly beside you. “On the contrary. I think it’s rather amusing.”

Of course he does.

By the time Lilia and Silver arrive, you’ve already resigned yourself to your fate. At least they’ll make your execution quick, right?

But Lilia just grins mischievously, clearly enjoying the spectacle. “Well, well. This is certainly the most interesting kidnapping I’ve seen in centuries.”

Silver, on the other hand, just raises a brow. “He seems to be enjoying himself.”

Malleus smiles at you, as though being abducted by a random stranger is the highlight of his week. “Quite.”

You’re about to protest when Malleus turns to his retainers with a firm nod. “I’d like to speak to my kidnapper alone.”

Sebek looks like he’s going to explode, but Malleus’s sharp glance shuts him up. Lilia throws you a wink as they all leave, and just like that, you’re alone with the fae prince. Again.

Malleus steps closer, his calm mask slipping just a little. “You know, I’ve grown quite fond of this little adventure.”

You blink up at him. “Are you serious?”

He tilts his head, lips quirking into a smile. “I propose a deal. I’ll help your village with the taxes. In return, you’ll... continue kidnapping me.”

Your jaw drops. “Wait... you want me to keep kidnapping you?”

“Yes. It’s been rather fun.” His eyes twinkle with amusement. “What do you say?”

You sigh, rubbing your temples. “This is the weirdest deal I’ve ever made.”

Malleus grins, entirely too pleased with himself. “Wonderful. Now, shall we shake on it?”

And so, your bizarre, extremely non-traditional kidnapping arrangement begins.

Every few days, it’s the same: you sneak into his manor (more like casually walk in, since he always leaves the window open for you now), and the two of you embark on whatever adventure catches your whimsy. Sometimes it’s sneaking into human markets where Malleus marvels at the mundane—like street food or ridiculous trinkets. Other times, you explore abandoned castles with winding, forgotten hallways that echo with untold stories.

It’s almost normal now, the way he expects you to “abduct” him with little more than a raised eyebrow and a soft chuckle as you half-heartedly demand his presence for another outing. The most feared prince of the fae is now, apparently, your willing partner in crime.

The first time you take him to a local fair, though, you realize just how out of his element he truly is. Malleus spends a good twenty minutes, completely entranced, watching a cotton candy machine.

“Is it... magic?” he asks, his (very pretty) eyes locked onto the swirling pink clouds as the vendor twirls the sugary fluff onto a stick.

You can’t help but laugh, the sound coming out far more amused than you intended. “Nope. Just sugar spun into fluff. You’ve really never seen this before?”

Malleus watches the process with a reverence usually reserved for ancient relics, finally accepting the cotton candy as if it’s some kind of delicate treasure. He takes a cautious bite, his expression lighting up like a child’s.

“Incredible,” he murmurs, his voice filled with awe. “It dissolves on the tongue.”

You bite back another laugh at the sight of this powerful fae prince, someone who commands fear from almost everyone around him, completely taken by spun sugar. “Glad you like it.”

After that, it’s a night of him eagerly trying every strange, sticky fair food he can find, utterly fascinated by things as simple as corn dogs and funnel cake. You can't decide if it’s endearing or a little embarrassing, but either way, you’re having more fun than you’ve had in a long time.

As the weeks pass, the more you look forward to your little "kidnapping" escapades, and that in itself is a whole other problem. Malleus’s wide-eyed curiosity about the human world is... strangely adorable, and while he’s still every bit the regal fae prince, there’s something endearing about the way he asks you questions about everyday things with such genuine interest. He’s surprisingly easy to talk to, his quiet intelligence making for great conversation—when he’s not completely sidetracked by things like human street food.

The more time you spend with him, the harder it becomes to ignore the truth creeping up on you. You’re starting to fall for him. It’s ridiculous, and yet... here you are.

Of course, not everything goes smoothly.

“Human!” Sebek shouts dramatically one afternoon as you and Malleus return from yet another outing. “How dare you abduct the Young Master again!”

You roll your eyes, half-expecting this by now. “Sebek, I’ve told you before. He wants me to kidnap him.”

Sebek bristles, sputtering indignantly, his green hair practically standing on end. “Lies! The Young Master would never allow—”

“Sebek,” Malleus interrupts, his tone calm, but with that unmistakable edge that immediately silences his retainer. “I went willingly. Again.”

Sebek’s jaw drops, looking like someone just told him the sky isn’t blue. “But... Young Master...”

Malleus gives him a slow, deliberate look, his lips curving into a faint, almost predatory smile. “You should try it sometime. You may find it... enlightening. Although,” he turns to you, his voice soft but with an unmistakable possessiveness, “you’ll have to find another human. This one is already mine.”

Your breath hitches as Malleus’s words hang in the air, and you can't help but feel your heart skip a beat. Sebek, meanwhile, looks utterly scandalized, his eyes wide as saucers. Lilia, who has been watching the whole thing with far too much amusement, claps Sebek on the back.

“Don’t look so shocked,” Lilia chuckles. “Let them have their fun.”

Sebek looks like he's about to explode, but instead storms off, muttering something about propriety, while Silver smirks quietly from the sidelines.

One night, after another "kidnapping," you find yourself sitting beside Malleus on a hill overlooking the village, the faint glow of the fair still visible in the distance. The stars hang bright overhead, and there’s a soft stillness between you as the cool air nips at your skin.

Malleus’s voice breaks the quiet, low and thoughtful. “You’ve given me more than I expected.”

You glance at him, curious. “What do you mean?”

He turns to you, his dark eyes holding a depth you hadn’t seen before. “Companionship. I hadn’t realized how much I longed for it until... until you.”

Your heart does something funny at his words, the raw sincerity of them tugging at something deep inside you. Without thinking, you reach out, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face, your fingertips grazing his skin. The air between you seems to still.

“I’ve grown... quite fond of you,” he murmurs, his voice softer now, almost vulnerable.

You swallow, feeling your pulse quicken. “Malleus, I—”

But before you can find the words, Malleus leans in, his eyes never leaving yours, and you feel the warmth of his hand gently cup your cheek. The world seems to fade away as you both hover there, caught between anticipation and something more.

“I do believe,” he whispers, his lips brushing against your skin as his eyes darken with something you can’t quite name, “that I’m falling for you, my little kidnapper.”

Your heart stutters, and before you know it, you’re closing the space between you, your lips meeting his in a soft, tentative kiss. For a moment, everything else ceases to matter—no fair, no adventures, no strange arrangements. Just the two of you, finally giving in to the pull that’s been drawing you together for weeks.

When you pull back, breathless, Malleus smiles, and it’s the softest, most genuine smile you’ve ever seen from him. “Does this mean,” he says, his voice still low and teasing, “you’ll continue kidnapping me?”

You laugh softly, feeling the warmth of his words settle deep in your chest. “I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”

Malleus grins, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. “No, I suppose not.”

And honestly? You wouldn’t have it any other way.

This is my first time posting here so i have no idea what i'm doing and the formatting is probably off because i'm on mobile but i'll slowly figure it out.

[tiramissyoucake]

Bimbo doll

MINORS + AGELESS BLOGS DNI, Satoru gojo x reader, all characters are 18+, reader is heavily bimbo coded and loves pink, satoru's gross here, 1.3k words approx

CW: Masturbation, satoru gets horny over reader sending him pics of her dresses, satoru has fantasies of reader and she's unaware, again satoru is gross here you've been warned, some proof reading but very little

Notes: I'm so sleepy and I'm too lazy to fix any other mistakes so if you see mistake no you didnt. had to write sth for Satoru, as wit all of my creative works I hate this but I hope u like it though!!

Satoru thinks you're absolutely adorable. From the moment he was blinded by the absurd amount of pink you were wearing, he thought you were the cutest thing on this planet. The coordinated color palettes of your clothes that always had a splash of pink, that shiny layer of gloss on your lips that you regularly reapplied, he gets so happy when he hears the clack of keychains because that means you're near.

Of course he couldn't keep himself away and you both exchanged numbers at one point, you gladly gave it to him after he shot you a lame pick up line— to which you laughed and smiled, simply telling him "you're funny! Sure!"It was almost too good to be true.

You got along well with each other, you both liked sweets, complimented each other's fashion sense, shared a similar sense of humour— when satoru asked you to describe him, you told him that you love being around him because he's fun (you said something about how he 'gets it', a quote about girls.. getting it and others not getting it..? He didn't understand, but he deduced that you like him, and that's all that matters.)

Satoru notices you love sharing tidbits of your day, and most of the time, you usually share a photo related to it in some way along with multiple typos, abbreviations, and emoticons.

"(Name)💘: Toru omg look at these shoes! Super cute right :3" Attached image sent.

"(Name)💘: I went 2 that cafe u told me, the strawberry shortcake is soooo good" Attached image sent.

"(Name)💘: I have 2 go 2 a party tonite, which dress should i choose!1!!??" 4 images sent.

Being friends with you had its benefits, you were comfortable with Satoru, so comfortable that he almost dropped his phone when he opened the images you sent; all of them were minidresses, all of them different shades of pink, all of them hugging your figure so tightly and snuggly he was tempted to stalk your social media to know where this party is.

He couldn't see the details that differentiated each dress, or at least he didn't focus on them as he felt his cock throb in his sweatpants.

"Ooooohhhhhfffuuck..." he mumbled longly to no one in particular, Satoru almost choked on his spit as he sat up from his position in his bed, all the heat rushing to his face as he examined your photos closely. Your poses so cute as you stared at your phone screen in the photos with a small pout, you had the pretty sparkly gloss on this time, that's his favorite..

(Name)💘: TORU OMFG PLZ ANSWEERRRR MY RIDES ALMOST HERE >:(

he almost forgot your little dilemma.

"Sorry lol I was eating, go with this one!!" he forwarded one of the four dresses with his response and sent his text, he felt guilty about lying but what was he supposed to say? 'My bad! You were so hot I got a little hard like some Virgin!' No way in hell.

You answered back quickly, how did you type quicker than he did with nails longer than his? He has a hunch it's because you don't care about typos but the dedication is admirable.

(Name)💘: TGANK UUUUU ill text u after the party!

(Name)💘: thank* lol

He let out a small laugh at your typo, scrolling back to the photos he zoomed in on one of the four he hadn't picked, and the reason why he didn't choose this dress is that he knows no sane rational person with a sexual libido would be able to resist you in this.

You looked so cute, so perfect, Satoru let out a small sigh as he pulled his dick out of his pants hissing at the cold air, his thumb smeared the precum over his tip. He should feel bad– terrible even, but how can he resist? There's no way you have no idea what you do to him, he tried justifying in his mind as his cock throbbed desperately in his hand.

Biting his bottom lip, the image of you in his phone fueled his imagination as he envisioned arriving with you at this party you mentioned, having such a pretty thing like you on his arm would be a major ego boost too. The length of your dress could easily allow him to pull down your panties (did you even have a pair on under that dress?), bend you over the host's bathroom sink and slam his cock balls deep inside you, relentlessly filling you then demanding you to pull your panties back up and come back to the party with him as his cum would be dripping between your thighs.

As Satoru bucked his hips up into his hand, he stopped briefly to spit into his hand, deciding there's no time to look for lube, he went back to fucking his hand to the thought of you. If only you knew your new friend got off to these innocent pictures you sent him, if only you knew what he wanted to do to you– he's confident you wouldn't wanna be friends anymore. Shaking his head he pushed aside those thoughts and focused on his current pleasure, his fantasy, his goal of cumming from the pictures of you in those dresses you handpicked to show him.

He mumbled words of encouragement as if you were there with him right now bouncing on his dick instead of the reality of his hand moving up and down, mutters of 'good girl's and praises like "so good, baby" and "yeah? You like that?", desperate to convince himself of his fantasy. Satoru tossed aside his phone long ago after making sure the photos were engraved in his mind, he wasn't expecting you to update him until sometime near midnight.

his eyes closed as his other hand slid up his stomach pushing up the material of his shirt until it reached his collarbone, his fingers trying to find any weak points on his body to rub, pinch or entice as his hand rubbed his dick to the pace of his imaginary storyline; where he dreamed of driving you back home and stuffing you full of his cock until the only word that was in your vocabulary was his name.

"Yesyesyes, (Name)..! Mmmmmhffuck..!" He groaned out as he felt his end near already, his face warming up to a soft reddish pink reminiscent of the tip of his dick as he fucked his hand, soft gasps and groans escaped him as he imagined all the filthy things he could do to you, all the filthy things he wanted to know about you.

What type of panties do you always wear? What type of men make you horny? Who have you been with? Would you let him fuck you? 'Please lemme fuck you, lemme fuck you..! Wanna fuck you..!'

The vulgarity of his desperation made him blush but brought him dangerously close to the edge, squeezing the base of his cock Satoru covered his mouth instinctively, he bucked up his hips as his cum coated his abdomen, stomach and some droplets even reached his chest. He moaned behind his hand as he felt the waves of pleasure shock through his body. He slowed his hips, mumbling for the imaginary you once more. "Take it, take it all, baby.."

He didn't want to move, he knew he had to but he wanted to relish in his fantasy a little longer, he wanted to pull you close and sloppily kiss your cute glossy lips and praise you for being a good girl, taking his load like that. He imagined his cum oozing from your slit but he wouldn't let it go to waste, he'd use his finger to slide it back in where he knows it belongs.

He remembered to save those photos for.. 'next time', reaching over to get his phone, he paused as he received a notification.

(Name)💘: party was lame, coming 2 ur place!! >:3c

Sitting up, the sweat that collected at his back from his 'session' cooled him off, he cleaned himself up and couldn't help but grin at your adorable message.

You don't need to worry, he'll entertain you more than any dumb party could.

[badlydrawnronpa]

hi anon ty for sending the message! I did look through their blog and they very obviously use AI - I would've published the ask normally to let other people know but I decided against it in the end because after a closer inspection I noticed that all commissions are fake (besides being fake art I mean) and they're not actually scamming anyone because. uh. literally most of the blogs I saw interact with them are empty rp blogs that are blatantly controlled by them and one of the commissions I saw on their patreon was for a defunct ohsc rp blog from 2014??? Which honestly was really funny.

so yeah, they're very much not pulling any money from that, and on top of it all they posted pics of themselves sooooo yeh, not going to blast them on a blog with a big following for trying the 'i dont use ai im a real artist' but ultimately not scamming anyone out of their money. They're also not the best at like... hiding they're using AI because you can see their traditional art in other posts, and the style or experience level doesn't match at all.

I will post some of their AI stuff underneath the read more and point out the inconsistencies tho, to help out other people in spotting out ai shit (esp non artists that might have an harder time figuring things out). If you find out the original user that posted these, please don't harass them, be civil.

BTW I'M SAYING THIS NOW: if you see something I point out and say ''ah, I do that, I'm in trouble" - no you're not, if you actually draw the stuff yourself. You can see when an artist's work (and mistakes!) are genuine. Beginner's mistakes can be made by experienced artists too, but if you look at their entire body of work you can see when something doesn't add up.

to start off, I saw anon calling them out on this one so I'm just reiterating some of the points, but here's some junko 'art' they made

when confronted abt it, they said that the fingers look weird because they can't control their shaky hands and drawing small is hard. anyway if you draw digitally you can zoom in on the canvas and work on a detail as big as you need, so that excuse doesn't hold

this other post was basically what made me just say 'yep thats ai' and it was just the second 'art' post I saw from them

while taken alone they could've been a little harder to spot as AI, with them all bundled together you can easily see they came from the same prompt; the user tried to justify the inconsistencies saying it was because they were 'experimenting' with the design of their oc and gundham's scar but I'm telling you now, no sane artist fully renders four pieces that are basically the same concept while changing the design of the character just slightly in every single one of them. anyway, here's the breakdown of every piece:

another that was way easier to break down because it's so full of inconsistencies the moment you really take a look at it

also let's be real if you render art like that you're not gonna put a bright purple unreadable text on your supposed vtuber "art"

let's end this with the AI "commission" that could be harder to break down as AI if seen in a vacuum now, shall we? esp because our friend, the fucked up melty finger, isn't there

I honestly had to look for a while at this one because if you had shown it to me and I didn't see the other stuff this person posted, I could've just chalked up a lot of these mistakes to human error. Tangents between lines, scribbles for details, forgotten uncolored sections is all normal stuff. BUT we know this person used AI in all the other posts, so we know what to look at:

again, some mistakes the AI does can be also mistakes actual artists do: be sure to check the other art the user makes before throwing accusations

they also posted a fake speedpaint that is so embarassing it made me laugh but if I start pointing out inconsistencies in an AI speedpaint we're gonna be here for a long time, so.

TL;DR AI 'ART' SIGNS:

The classics: hands and fingers don't make sense, there's additional weird lines and they melt into other part of the drawing

long hair strands and other long or flowy elements can suddenly disappear behind objects and not reappear where they should

jewels, intricate details, hairpins and other accessories bend and melt into each other and other part of the design

the resolution of the image is very low and/or grainy - a lot of artists post lower res pieces online, but again: look for a pattern and combos of all the other signs

inconsistencies between multiple art posts, character designs constantly being different, sudden art style changes - while this can also be found with real artists, this is an additional tell of someone using AI, when combined with the stuff I mentioned above. humans mistakes usually have a reason for what they happen, AI makes them because it doesnt understand what it's doing most of the time

[koiiiji]

Could you do some windbreaker characters with a fem gyaru s/o? I would specifically like Vinny you can chose any other character if you want :)

author note : OMG!! I searched some photos in pinterest, like inspiration for gyaru, and wooow!! i will definitely take some details into my style bc its sooo beautiful… i genuinely thought (idk why honestly) that gyaru is more like pink barbie in 80-90s style but it looks so cool i can’t!! sorry for such long reply, and we r mutuals so i feel even more ashamed :(( i tried with more characters but give up and done just these two!! hope you will like it💋🎗️

warning : pure fluff, vinny being softie and shelly cutie as always

vinny - he definitely have 0 idea about all fashion trends, styles and different subcultures aside from street racing… so he genuinely don’t give a fuck about your style, he crushing into person, not a pieces of clothes you wear, but once your dialogue went in all different direction, you explain him what your style specifically is and what inspired you to join this subculture, he take note in his head that as soon as he will earn more money he will buy you as many new clothes and other items as you wish.

it was one of your first dates, you were sitting together in some random cafe that you found on the way from the second-hand store to which you dragged Vinny to find new elements for your outfits.

“so… was it really necessary to spend solid 2 hours in that shop to find just few pair of shorts, skirts and belts?…” he began hesitantly, doubting whether it was worth bringing up the subject. do girls get angry if you ask them why spend so much time in the shops? should he change the subject of conversation? or maybe you want to discuss this trip to the store? it seemed that now Vinny’s brains would just explode, before you he had not had to communicate so long and closely with girls. when you looked up at him, it seemed to him that his heart skipped a couple of beats - your eyes literally sparkled with joy and fun.

"of course it was!! if you want to find really unique things, then there is no place better than a second-hand store! of course, you need to try to find something really worthwhile, but when you find that very thing.." you clenched your fists and squeezed your eyes shut, smiling so sweetly and swaying back and forth with impatience

"...oh right, let's go at my place today!!! i'll show you why we spent so much time there, these shorts and skirts will just go perfectly..." Vinny continued to listen as you happily chirped about your ideas of what to wear new things with, and it seems you also mentioned new places where you wanted to take photos together with him, and much more. at that moment, Vinny didn’t cared about anything as much as your smile. you were so sincere with him, you smiled so brightly, just like a little star in his hands, and he suddenly remembered that pleasant, soft and warm sensation in his chest, just like in rare moments from childhood. your touch pulled him out of his own thoughts as you gently shook his hand, looking questioningly into his eyes.

"didn't you listen to what i was saying?" you squinted suspiciously. "wh... what?.. no, i heard everything.."

laughing in response, you pulled him towards the exit of the cafe, in direction to your house. at that moment, it seemed to Vinny that there were no problems around, and he was finally felt like ordinary schoolboy. yes, you were the one who helped him still stay sane. you were his own little star.

shelly - 100% fashion intusiast so she highlighted your style immediately, and liked it!! as i mentioned before, she definitely would post tiktoks/insta stories with you, admiring how cool and beautiful her girlfriend is.

“hey, let’s go shopping together after school? how about finding some new stuff?” shelly said excitedly, coming up from behind and hugging you. it was the last day before weekends starts, so after school you could relax and go shopping in search of new things, maybe you will be lucky enough today and you will find some cool archive things from 2000s.

"oh my god, look at this!!" Shelly squealed in delight as she ran up to you. in her hands was Vivienne Westwood's archive white handbag, with silver chains as handles and with a distinctive badge. it needed a little repair, but for the price that was offered for this handbag, it was worth it!!

"Shelly is so cute, how did you find it?!" you exclaimed joyfully, picking up the bag from her hands and examining it from all sides. today it was a really cool piece, and after picking up a pair of pumpons and key chains for a bag, you headed to Shelly's house, deciding to celebrate this purchase with a sleepover at her house, her grandfather wasn’t at home, and he anyway liked when you two hang out together.

"what do you think about ordering something to eat and putting on makeup together? we can shoot something in tiktok! oh! or let's film unpacking for this baby, what do you say?" you asked her excitedly, as you remembered that Shelly always wanted to try your makeup style and clothes you usually wear. and she was so pleased that you remembered such little things that she mentioned once quite a long time ago, and they were deposited in your head. hugging you tightly around the neck and whispering a quiet thank you, Shelly took you by the arm and headed for her home, excitedly offering you ideas for posing and which sound you should choose for your tiktoks.

[readingsfrommars]

About T Corp Don

Well folks, we've got a new ID, and a new perspective on Don Quixote, so here I am! T-corp Don is an interesting one because not only is this yet another identity where she is still sane, it's also the closest we've seen to her ideal.

I'll warn you now, this one is long.

Unlike Cinq Association, Don is not acting a mercenary, but a time collector, meaning that her allegiance is not dependent on the highest bid. This means she is able to punish the rich just as much as the poor, which is a significant improvement compared to her other IDs.

Sure, this might sound a bit superficial. Sure, while there is the possibility that a rich tax evader will get caught and punished, the much more likely that the target of her collection will be someone too poor to pay the time debt. Any good intention is drowned out by the reality of The City, right? And normally, I would agree with this.

But that's where our beloved hero Don Quixote comes in. While her work may not be as noble as we'd like, it's in the way she treats her work that we can see how much of a difference it makes.

This might not seem significant to everyone, but T-Corp Don's dreams of heroism are still intact. In her ID story, there is a vital detail that we get to see about Don and the way she treats her work.

Don shows a clear disdain towards taking from the poor, despite the fact that, according to T-Corp, they have broken the law and must be punished. This is interesting for a few reasons, and I'll try to show this through Don's other IDs.

Like I mentioned in my examination of Cinq Association Don, most of her IDs involve two themes.

Don is indoctrinated by the group she is with. This can be seen with N Corp and W Corp (initially), but is present in most of her identities.

Either Don's dream breaks, or her mind does. Again, N Corp and W Corp are both fantastic examples of this. (A subtle but nevertheless notable example of this is Blade Lineage Don. It is never explicitly stated what has happened to her, but the simple fact that she no longer wields her blade for others speaks volumes as to how her dream is long gone.)

However, with T Corp, we see Don actively trying to avoid performing her duty as a collector when it comes into conflict with her ideals. This tells us that she has not only managed to avoid being indoctrinated by T Corp, she has managed to keep her dream and mind intact.

Like Cinq Association, she has found a way to pursue justice in her own way, albeit with a few compromises. And, in my personal opinion, she seems more fulfilled by her work for T Corp.

As stated before, she spares no expense in her pursuit and punishment of the rich tax evaders, who exploit the poor and vulnerable. In her ID story, it shows her risking going past her allotted work hours to expense justice.

Meanwhile with the poor, she will try to delay their punishment as much as possible. Delaying anything in T Corp, where time is everything, is something that should not be taken lightly.

Compared to her earlier IDs, this is a huge improvement. For Don, who in most IDs would fulfill her duty without question, to show clear resistance towards doing work (which according to T Corp involves punishing wrongdoers) demonstrates that she has managed to keep her ideals of heroism far more than ever before, to the point of her own personal code clashing with the law.

In my opinion, this is something to celebrate. Within the grim reality of The City, being able to maintain noble ideals is laughable, even for those strong enough to defend them.

T Corp Don keeping hold of her desire to fight for justice sounds too good to be true, considering all of the other ways we've seen her story go very, very wrong.

And if you did think it was too good to be true...

You'd be right.

Just like in Cinq Association, T Corp Don represents a failure to achieve her dream. And in this case, it's built into the very foundations of this ID. The very fact that she is working for T Corp is proof that she has, perhaps without knowing it, given up on her idea of justice.

Oh, and when I said Don wasn't indoctrinised? I lied.

T Corp is one of the most extreme places in terms of inequality between the rich and poor. When time is literally money, you'll be lucky to get ten hours in a day, while your employer likely has upward of 50 hours a day. If you don't understand what I'm saying by this, you'll get it if you complete Canto 6.5.

T Corp would already be an awful place - even to the standard of The City - if that was the only thing the poor were robbed of, but anyone who has played Limbus Company knows that I have missed out a very important detail about the place.

In T Corp, colour is a luxury. I'm not talking colourful clothes or furniture, I mean you are literally monochrome unless you pay for it. If you are poor, not only do you have less time between grueling work shifts, your world has no colour. Every day is mind-destroying work, eating, and sleeping. Nothing changes. Everything you look at is some shade of brown, and there is nothing you can say you truly own.

To live in T Corp is to accept the most brutal inequality the human mind can conceive. You don't question the awful working conditions, the way the lower class are exploited and discarded by the rich and powerful, or the fact that a will to live is something that must be bought. You accept all of that because that's life for you. The idea of being treated any better is something that is only possible by getting more wealth, which means you need more hours in the day to work, which you get by working. There is no life for the poor of T Corp. Only Survival, work, and death.

To work for T Corp is to not only accept the way things are, but to assist them. Any semblance of equality in Don's work is illusory, and the truth of the matter is that her work continues to secure the future of that brutal cycle. The game even states as much in her story.

I haven't played Final Fantasy 7's remake, but there's a line from that game that feels very relevant to T Corp Don.

"A good man who serves a great evil is not without sin. He must recognise and accept his complicity."

T Corp Don is potentially the most tragic ID Don has. She has allowed herself to become something that can only be described as evil in order to find the slightest bit of good.

So what does she do? She gives her everything to punishing the people she believes are more evil than her, in order to vent her frustration and validate her path, while at the same time trying in vain to distance herself from the evil she must inevitably commit to maintain the status quo.

But someone who only does good some of the time is not a hero, and deep down Don knows it.

[inkpot909]

First Love Headcanons: Pannacotta Fugo x Reader

↳ Gender neutral reader.

A/n: This was so much fun to write! Fugo is such an interesting character to write for that I couldn’t help but fuss over this one for a good while. I hope y’all enjoy it as well. <3

Warning(s): None.

It started out innocently enough, as Fugo is not the type to fall in love overnight.

Curiosity itself is a perfectly normal reaction to have regarding a new member of Bucciarati’s team. Fugo is no exception to this, as he no doubt harbored questions about you when you initially joined.

That said, his approach is different compared to the others on the team. If you join after Mista, Narancia, and Abbacchio, they do just fine on their own intimating you at the very start.

Past the initial meeting, where some lighthearted hazing is likely to occur from everyone, Fugo sees no reason to contribute to any form of poking and prodding outside of missions. You already have to get used to so many strong personalities at once, after all.

He’s been with Bucciarati since the formation of his team, so he’s quite accustomed to getting used to someone new being around. Hell, if he wasn’t so closed off, he would’ve thought to feel bad for you.

Due to the walls he’s long put up, he prefers to remain observant from afar for a good while. Regardless of when you enter the picture, he’s going to keep his distance.

He’s not as good at reading people as someone like Giorno, but he trusts what he can decipher.

This will likely result in Fugo making some assumptions about you prior to the two of you finding equal footing. Whether or not his judgements turn out correct is unknown to you, as he doesn’t care share them with you to begin with.

This does lead to some aspects of your personality to be surprising to him. Nothing bad, just little details about you that he wasn’t expecting.

Your hobbies may be what’s shocking, or perhaps the type of media you prefer to consume. Little aspects of life and personality that unfold because of how much time the team spends together. The discovery of such things is what likely makes him feel more inclined to get to know you better.

Little by little, Fugo will eventually start including you in conversations and vise versa. Especially when Narancia and Mista are involved, he begins to turn to you it in an attempt to keep himself sane:

Mista and Narancia’s relentless chatter is still intimating.

How can you even approach a guy like Mista? He’s more than proven himself to be the type that says anything and everything that pops into his brain. Although he is certainly the relaxed type, his words can be quite vicious if he’s in the mood to tease and you just so happen to be in his line of sight. Sit him next to a full-time enabler like Narancia, and the two can go off on pretty much any topic imaginable.

Their conversations at the dinner table are wild, spontaneous, and still- even after more than a month of knowing them -manage to catch you off guard. Sometimes it’s thought-provoking and other times… not so much.

Which leads to their current conversation, one you sincerely wish wouldn’t take place while you’re trying to eat.

“I’m just saying-“ Mista argues, waving his fork in the air, “If it promotes a soothing and relaxing environment within the human body, I don’t see why it’s so unbelievable that it could also theoretically resonate with your bowels as well.”

“Yeah, maybe-“ Narancia rolls his eyes, “But that doesn’t mean it’s gonna make you crap your freaking pants! That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous; it’s psychology.” Mista retorts, raising a brow. His smug expression does nothing to convince you, or a bewildered Fugo sitting next to you, his knowledge on the subject. But it is enough to grind Narancia’s gears, which ultimately, is probably the key to his actual intent.

Still… you think, staring at your food with a pinched nose. It’s the brown noise. They’re actually trying to prove or disprove the psychological effects of the brown noise. Why on earth… no, how on earth can either of them discuss such a thing with a straight face?

“What kind of messed up psychoglogy-“

“Psychology,” Fugo cuts in with a sigh.

“-Yeah, whatever,” Narancia dismisses with a wave of his hand, “What kind of messed up psycho-logically are you reading up on?”

Grunting in frustration, Fugo drops his forehead onto the table with an exaggerated thud. Mista and Narancia continue to argue amongst the two of them, but you instead direct your attention to the grumbling blonde.

“Umm… Fugo?” you ask, hesitant to even address him.

He raises his head from the table, looking at you with desperation in his dark violet eyes. “Please don’t tell me you think this is worth discussing.”

You raise both your hands in the air. “Are you kidding? I just wanted to eat, but apparently that’s unheard of here.”

Sighing once more, he runs his hand through his hair. His hand stops at his neck and rubs the back of it. “Trust me, I don’t get them either,” he shakes his head, hand finally returning to his lap, “I’m glad you don’t encourage this nonsense, though.”

You let out a chuckle, a little surprised. Sure, you’ve spoken with Fugo before, but hardly ever this casually. The notion brings a tiny smile to your face. “I can’t believe you’d ever think I would,” you reply lightheartedly.

“Well, hanging around these two must be making me lose critical thinking skills… my apologies,” he replies. Despite his words, a smile crawls it’s way onto his face too.

Casual conversations held between the two of you opens the door to the beginning of a genuine friendship.

Unlike Abbacchio, Fugo knows better than to be contrarian to everything you say and do just because you’re new. Considering his intellect, he has always done his best to be objective. And there eventually comes a point where, upon reflection, he figures that you’re alright.

By then, off missions, he started asking you- quite bluntly -questions about yourself.

Although forward, he won’t overwhelm you all at once. From time to time, you might catch him staring at you thoughtfully out the corner of your eye (Do not bring this up to him; he will deny it to his grave). A round of questions often followed his stares.

And it’s when he feels he really knows you on a personal level that he’s able to truly relax around you.

He started greeting you with the same kindness and courtesy he offers the others. He gave you encouragement throughout both your private and work life… a lot of it. Turning to you during conversations comes to be as natural as it is for anyone else on the team.

Fugo’s caring side may be blocked off behind walls he keeps up for the sake of self preservation and the result of an unhappy childhood, but once you’re allowed to peek beyond them, his sweetness really knows no limit.

And it’s through his behavior that developing feelings start to shine through.

Fugo’s not going to at all realize his feelings toward you until the truth is smacking him across the face. But his actions show a certain kind of fondness before he himself recognizes anything.

His expressed love languages are most commonly words of affirmation and acts of service. This is very much so the case in the early stages of him developing feelings.

The words of affirmation were never explicitly affectionate, but always careful and supportive.

Fugo beats himself up over his temper often, so when he can think straight, he’s using his mind to its full extent. In other words, because he’s easily blinded by rage, he chooses his words very carefully whenever he can.

So after a particularly rough mission, he may get upset at one point or another. During the quiet moments after the fact, when adrenaline isn’t flowing any longer, he always gives credit where credit is due. He’ll gently comment on your work throughout the job, expressing he thought you did good with examples to boot.

Or it can be something as simple as offering you a job well done after making yourself a dinner.

From always holding his tongue unless he disagreed with your actions or input, to showering you with praise constantly. It comes to him so naturally he doesn’t even think twice.

And soon, even others in the group start to take notice:

“I don’t wanna do this right now… Fugo’s not even here yet, can’t I just wait?” Narancia whines.

His head is resting on top of an open notebook, his right cheek squished against crumpled paper. Pencil lead is smushed on his cheek, but pointing out he’s likely ruining his work would be a waste of time.

Resting your elbows on the table, you give Narancia a playful smile. “He’s supposed to get here with Abbacchio in thirty minutes. You know you should’ve gotten more done by now…”

Narancia let out an obnoxious groan, rolling his head onto his opposite cheek so he no longer has to look you in the eye.

“Narancia…” you sigh, smile falling. “I’m sorry if it seems harsh, but Fugo asked me to make sure you practiced on his recent lesson. He and Abbacchio are out doing the heavy lifting for the team right now, so it’s the least I can do.”

Narancia replies, but mutters it out so quietly you don’t pick up on his words.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” he says at a volume you can hear, half bitter and half teasing.

“Narancia-“

“I said,” he lifts his head from the table, “You think like that ‘cause he’s always so nice to you.”

“What?” you blurt, heart skipping a beat.

“He compliments you all the time,” he chuckles. The smugness in his tone only grows, and as he continues, heat rushes to your cheeks. “‘Oh, Y/n, you did such a good job today, Y/n.’ And, ‘Oh, Y/n, you’re so very smart why don’t you help out Narancia?’ And who could forget, ‘Oh, Y/n, you look very beautiful today. Why don’t you kiss me on my big fat mouth?’”

“H-He doesn’t say that!” you exclaim, absentmindedly pulling at your fingertips underneath the safety of the tablecloth.

“You gotta know what I mean, though!” he insists. Pausing in order to read your expression, another laugh escapes him. “What? You haven’t noticed?”

“Umm, well.” Your lips pucker out, unsure if you should feel intrigued or embarrassed. After a short pause, you continue, “Fugo compliments everyone; including you… you know? He believes you can do this. He wouldn’t put care into teaching you if he didn’t. And I’ve seen what you’ve accomplished myself too. I certainly know you can get this.”

“You’re changing the subject,” he points out.

“And that not what you’re trying to do?” you ask, gesturing towards his notebook.

Narancia blinks dumbly, bewildered by your response. For a moment, you become pleased with yourself. Seemingly, you’d backed him into a corner and couldn’t help but be a little proud of yourself for it.

“You really don’t know…” he utters, eyes suddenly brightening.

Wait, what? you think, confidence quickly dwindling.

A fit of laughter erupts from him, kicking his feet in the limited space underneath the table. The movement halts your hands. His chair creaks and squeaks in distress, quickly quieting down when he once again slams both feet back on the floor.

He eagerly hunches over his notebook, eyes wide. Snatching up his pencil, he finally begins scribbling on the paper once more.

You’re left staring at him in awe. “What…? So now… you’re good then? You’re just… you’re just going to continue your work?”

Narancia lets out another laugh. “Ha! Well, the sooner I finish, the sooner I can tell Mista about this. I can’t believe you’re so clueless!”

Narancia is calling you clueless… yikes.

The confusion you may have felt that afternoon is nothing compared to Fugo’s reeling mind when the others started pointing things out and teasing him over his supposed affection.

Fugo doesn’t remember when it started, but they didn’t wait long after noticing his feelings to begin teasing him over them.

He would cross his arms, turning away with an annoyed expression while a pool of denials flood from his mouth. With a reaction like that, Narancia and Mista especially enjoyed pushing his buttons on the subject.

Abbacchio would partake in teasing as well in his own little way. Namely, he began making straight-faced comments and turning smug the moment Fugo’s voice raises. Bucciarati mostly keeps quiet on the matter, but no one could miss the fond grin he wears when the others get on his case.

Once, Giorno called you Fugo’s boyfriend/girlfriend. A bashed remote and a broken plate later, Fugo is shocked to learn Giorno wasn’t picking on him and genuinely thought the two of you were together.

The guy must be either super egotistical or is just not at all used to being wrong about this kind of thing, Fugo distinctly thought.

But of course he’s wrong about this! Everyone’s comments made no sense to him at all! There’s no way he felt that much towards you. That kind of thing… is not for him. He may take note when someone’s attractive, but he’s never really thought too seriously about romantic relationships. Just because you’re attractive, doesn’t mean-

Nope… nope, nope, nope, nope. He’s not touching that one with a ten foot pole. No way.

But by the next time he’s helping you with dishes the concept pops into his brain. When he’s dotting on you after a mission it’s plaguing his mind. And he can’t help but notice how meticulous he is when retrieving your additions to the group’s grocery list.

Shit.

Fugo doesn’t know what to think. He really… does go out of his way for you at times. Well, okay, all the time. Looking back, he finds some of his actions to be a little embarrassing. And the more the notion is stuck in his brain, the more he starts understanding that he really does care about you more than just as a friend.

Which is a whole other problem. Fugo’s going to get completely stuck in his own head.

This is the very first time he’s felt this way about someone, and he’s a mess over his lack of knowledge on the subject.

Because what the hell is he supposed to do? Tell you…? Don’t be ridiculous. That notion is met with a mocking tone, as if the mere idea of doing so is itself far too absurd.

But still… there’s this overwhelming urge telling him he has to do something. According to the others he’s already doing something, apparently. But you’re not saying anything about it. Wouldn’t you say something about it if you noticed? What if you never notice on your own? You won’t know unless he makes some sort of move…. but surely that would cause the sky to fall and mark the beginning of end times.

It’s a real echo chamber of insecurity in his head.

Yet… he feels a weird compulsion to be closer to you despite himself. He gets a weirdly beautiful feeling when he’s around you and it flutters his heart so much he doesn’t want to just let it go. It’s brand new to him, and as much as he stresses, he holds onto his affection tight.

Even though it’s more annoying than not, the others are consistent enough with their jabs that it gives Fugo hope that just maybe…

One of the only times Bucciarati explicitly commented on it himself, he mentioned that he believes Fugo’s frustration with his feelings will eventually pass.

The tone he carried indicated that he must know something that Fugo doesn’t, which only made his mind run wild further. Because if you’re going to tell anyone on the team about your feelings, it would probably be him.

Regardless of how much Fugo begs, Bucciarati doesn’t confirm nor deny that hunch. He’s rather adamant that Fugo should just “Ask Y/n and find out on your own.”

And after months of pushing, the others begin echoing that sentiment.

The likelihood of him making the first move is still slim, he figures, but he does hold onto hope that he’ll get a chance one day. Daydreams and “what if” scenarios are a common occurrence for him.

He procrastinates waits for the perfect opportunity, but it never seems to come. Mista mocks him for it, laughing that “There’s no such thing as a perfect opportunity.” Fugo only grows more defensive in response.

I’m already so nervous about expressing myself to Y/n, Fugo fusses, I don’t know what I’d do if I mess this up. If I can’t sweep them off their feet, how can I even-

“Pannacotta?” you ask, pulling him away from his thoughts.

He blinks a couple of times, focusing his attention back on you.

When Giorno is absent, Fugo’s the best source of first aid on the team. All you had to do was walk up to him, apologetic and sheepish. Without a word, he eagerly jumped at the opportunity to help patch you up after a particularly rough mission. It’s the closest he ever physically gets to you.

He calmly led you into a bathroom, gesturing for you to sit atop the sink. His fingers were light and gentle as he worked with what he has on hand. You gave him reassurance that Giorno will likely return soon, so he has no need to stress.

A smile played on his lips, thankful that you know him well enough to guess his own worry.

But slowing movements and focused eyes told you his mind began wandering elsewhere. The cutely taken aback expression on his face after you spoke up is also more than enough evidence to confirm your suspicion.

“You with me?” you ask, playfully trying to get him to respond.

You’re not used to him being this quiet after you’ve gotten hurt. He either talks you through the pain or feels the need to give a lecture. Even when Giorno’s healing you, he’s right by your side whenever he can. Just the thought of his usual behavior can bring warmth to your heart.

“My apologies, you’re just distracting,” he says, hands immediately snapping from your person. Oh god, oh god, it’s not like him to speak without thinking. He stutters trying to cover up his words and only digs a bigger hole for himself in the process. “I-I mean you’re distracted- I’m distracted.”

You laugh, but it dies out fast as you clutch your side at the sting of pain rippling though your body. Fugo’s hands instinctively fly to your side as well, his fingertips brushing up against your own.

Slowly, he lifts his head only to meet your gaze closer to him than it was mere moments ago. You seem just as surprised as he is, and there’s a brief pause while both of you wait for the other to pull away.

Neither of you do.

He’s so close he can feel your breath fanning his face. Normally his face would burn red and he’d retreat to his bedroom as soon as he could, where he’d proceed to reply the moment in his head for the rest of the night. But your eyes… your breathtaking gaze is locked on his own so intently he can’t bring himself to pull away.

And they give him courage he never knew he has.

With a nervous gulp, he leans forward and plants a single kiss to your lips. His own lips are unimaginably soft and hesitant, yet linger against your own longingly. Even when he pulls away far too soon, his nose nuzzles against yours as he plays with the idea of brushing his lips against yours again.

Just to have felt you… to have the briefest taste of what it’s like being closer to you than anyone else he’s ever known before…

“I-“ he pulls himself away, joy dissolving into self-consciousness. You open your mouth to speak, but in his haste, he cuts you off by accident, “I’m sorry… I-I shouldn’t have done that.”

“You… didn’t want to?”

Your reply is spoken in a whisper, voice so faint not even someone standing in the doorway could pick up on it. Fugo’s heart thuds against his ribcage at the crestfallen look on your face. Are you… really disappointed? He’s understanding this correctly… right?

There’s no time to think, and once again he lets his mouth move faster than his mind. “Well, I… you deserve better, you know?” he reasons, “I should’ve explained myself first and then asked… not just go for it… you know. This- I-… I’m not doing this right, aren’t I?”

You adjust yourself on the sink top, glancing away from him for only a second. “If you were to have explained yourself… what would you have said?” you gently plead.

“I-…” he shakes his head.

“Please, Pannacotta, I want to know…”

“I-…” he starts again, taking in a deep breath, “I think I would’ve said… that I think you’re very remarkable. That I’ve never met someone like you before… someone who makes me feel this way… someone who makes me-… umm…”

A hopeful smile tugs at the corners of your lips as you finish for him, “Makes you… want to kiss me?”

He nods, clearing his throat for a couple moments too long. “Not just that, though… you know? It makes me want to take care of you and look after you if I may. I-I-“ he hesitates, “I’m sorry… I’ve thought about this for so long. What I’d say to you if… if I got the impression that you wanted to hear it.”

“I do want to hear it,” you tell him, still grinning from ear to ear, “Pannacotta… I’ve been wanting to say something too for a while now. But you’ve taken the words right out of my mouth.”

He would think he’s dreaming if it weren’t for your hand reaching out and holding his with a gentle squeeze.

“I like you a lot…” you softly confess, “And I need you to know that. It’s always really cute to see you so shy… but for a moment I got to see you push yourself a little. And I think that was beautiful.”

His head falls, staring down at your interlocked hands. Your words stir something within him, taking a tiny step forward in trying to grasp that burst of confidence he felt when he kissed you. “You’re beautiful…” he mumbles, squeezing your hand.

Just a quick glance your way, a brief view of the bright smile on your face, is the best reassurance he could’ve hoped for. He took the plunge, and not only is chaos not ascending to the world’s surface, but his eyes finally open to the affection you feel for him in return.

He ultimately had a love-hate relationship with the way he feels about you before anything concrete happened between the two of you, but that didn’t stop him for falling for you more and more.

And with hindsight, he’s a little timid over not having told you how he feels sooner. But it doesn’t consume him as it may once have before.

With you now at his side, you his and him yours, his heart can only flutter with joy at the prospect of finding his first love.

[pooks]

okay, about my Straw Hat!Ichiji AU, time to talk about Ichiji's bond and dynamics with the other Straw Hats

Luffy Ichiji is very loyal to his captain. He got a little fond of Luffy already at the Baratie and was impressed that Luffy tried to argue and negotiate with Zeff (something that's considered near impossible) about his debt. Luffy managed to open up Ichiji a little and got a glimpse of his true self.

When Ichiji points out that despite Gold Roger being a legend, there's very little archived records of his adventures. Ichiji's dream is to write and archive a large book of chronicles of the next Pirate King. Luffy recognizes his literary talent and offers Ichiji to become his archivist.

Through their journey together, Ichiji holds Luffy in high regards and respects him deeply. The events of WCI only solidifies his loyalty and respect for his captain, who came to Whole Cake to save him and Sanji.

Zoro Ironically, Ichiji gets along with Zoro just fine, compared to his little brother. He also thinks that Zoro looks like a marimo, but he leaves that unsaid as Sanji bickers the most with Zoro.

Ichiji finds Zoro refreshing to talk with and Zoro appreciates Ichiji's calm nature, he views Ichiji as a sane counterpart to Sanji. They respect each other as nakama. Ichiji strongly suspect something between Zoro and his little brother, but keeps this to himself as he truly wants to see them get their act together.

Both of them are responsible and protective in their own ways (Zoro, for nakama and ichiji, for his brother). But there is some friction they don't really address. Zoro is aware that Ichiji (and Sanji)'s past is a subject Ichiji never talks about and he has strong suspicions that Ichiji being an "overbearing, protective brother" to Sanji is a sign that he's compensating for something. Ichiji, on the other hand, not only envy Zoro for his strength and dedication to the crew, but also for his strong bond with Sanji.

Ichiji always refers to Zoro as "Roronoa" (as he thinks that calling Zoro by first name is too personal). As for Zoro, he just settles nicknames such as "nerd", "brainiac" or foureyes" (Ichiji never minds while Sanji takes full offense at this).

Nami Ichiji isn't over the moon-attracted and lovestruck by Nami like Sanji, but he admits her beauty and thinks she's just as pretty as she's clever.

His opinion on Nami improves at Arlong Park arc, when he sees Nami's burden and sacrifice for her village. He's reminded of his deal with Judge in the past, enduring six months of agony and pain in exchange for Sanji's freedom (a deal that Judge never honored, similar to Nami's deal with Arlong) and he is fast to understand that Arlong never intended on keeping his word. He also knows that Nami must ask for their help before they can intervene.

While he never mentions any details or names, Ichiji tells Nami a little about the "sacrifice" he made for Sanji and tells her that asking for help when she needs it isn't something to be ashamed for and in fact, he admires her strength and dedication to save a whole village while he only aimed to save a beloved brother.

Nami both like and respect Ichiji as her equal and nakama. She admires Ichiji's skills in writing and calculating and often asks for his opinion when she's drawing her charts. Nami also have a habit to play with Ichiji's long hair (his red hair reminds her of Belle-Mere).

During their adventures...which is basically everyday, Ichiji focuses on securing some treasure and always hands it over to appease Nami to stay on her good side. Nami, who never says no to some exta Berry or treasure, always calls Ichiji her best friend.

Also to note, Ichiji is always invited to Nami and Robin's "girls' nights". Something that makes his little brother seethe everytime (lmao). Ichiji is kinda a permanent honorary guest at their girls' nights and he always returns to his crew with new hairstyles and painted nails.

Usopp Usopp was very intimidated by Ichiji at their first meeting, mostly due to Ichiji being irritated over Sanji taking over his waiter duties at the Baratie (because his little brother started to fawn over Nami) and his usual stoic personality. He changes his mind when Ichiji commits to his proper waiter duties and actually asks the guys (neglected by Sanji) what they'd like to have.

Usopp is very surprised to see Ichiji has joined them, not really aware of his role on the crew. Usopp originally took a little offense of Ichiji writing their chronicles, due to the sniper being a "master storyteller". Ichiji is fast to settle this down by telling that he's only putting their stories in ink and while Usopp is a great storyteller, he also want people to believe them and Usopp, sadly, doesn't have the best track record for credibility.

Ichiji serves as another older brother figure for Usopp, even straight up telling him that it's okay being afraid because courage is born from defying fear, not the absense from it. Usopp is also vaguely aware that Ichiji has self-worth issues that he refuses to speak about.

Chopper Ichiji was the only one who recognized Chopper as a reindeer at their first meeting. Despite this, Chopper was a little wary around Ichiji, even after he joined the Straw Hats. Ichiji respected this and decided to let Chopper befriend him when he was ready.

Chopper quickly warmed up to Ichiji, after he demonstrated how far he was willing to go for his brother and his nakama. Ichiji tells Chopper that he doesn't have to trust him if he doesn't want to, but to let him earn his trust.

Chopper knows that Ichiji is physically different, due to being genetically modified. They agreed to never leave it between then, as a patient-doctor agreement. They have in common that they technically belong to a certain race, but still different from their peers (Ichiji, for being an advanced human because of Germa and Chopper, who's a reindeer/human Devil Fruit user).

Ichiji is very fond of Chopper and treats him like a cute little brother, although a little wistfully as he remembers his younger brothers at Germa (and secretly laments their lost humanity).

Nico Robin Ichiji, like Zoro, was very suspicious of Robin when she joined. While he acknowledge that she, like Nami, is pretty, he decided to not let it cloud his judgment, in contrast to Sanji who fawned over her. Instead, he remained cold and stoic until Robin proved that she was trustworthy.

He later warmed up to Robin and they shared many common interest, such as ancient knowledge. Ichiji often consults with Robin regarding his work with the Straw Hat Chronicles and asks her to proofread his drafts before he can put it in ink.

This friendship is tested during the Enies Lobby Arc, where Ichiji is constantly reminded of himself when faced with Robin's difficulties. Ichiji sees his own self-worth issues reflect in Robin and decides to save her as well. After the events, he had formed a strong bond with Robin. They hold each other in high regard.

It's implied that Ichiji have a little crush on Robin, but he isn't sure if it's genuine love or just platonic.

Franky Ichiji didn't hold Franky in high regards when they first met, due to the meeting was a result of the Franky Family beating up Usopp and stealing their money for a new ship. He was downright furious, questioning if they had morals or even a conscience for what they did to his friend.

Ichiji remained rather cold towards Franky through the Water 7 and Enies Lobby arcs. They have a smaller confrontation post-Robin's rescue, where Ichiji lays on why he hasn't warmed up to him, like the other Straw Hats has; Ichiji is having flashbacks to Germa (he doesn't tell about Germa, but refers to it without mentioning names) where he suffered non-consentual body modifications and surgeries. Franky being a cyborg gave him mild PTSD flashbacks and he kept his distance because he was afraid that Franky would take offense.

This confrontation causes Ichiji to open up about his "power" (Sparkling Red, but it's unnamed during this time) and he doesn't know how to control it. Ichiji is afraid that it'll go out of control, due to his overwhelming feelings, and accidently hurt someone he cares about. Franky, moved by Ichiji putting his trust in him, promises to help him to figure out how to control his power.

Thereafter, Ichiji regularly meets with Franky who creates support gear that can restrict his power and let him control it. Franky is a little enamorad by Ichiji's smile.

Similar to his situation with Robin, Ichiji harbors very fond feelings towards Franky. But once again, he isn't sure if it's romantic or platonic love.

Brook At their first meeting, Brook mistook Ichiji for a woman due to his androgynous appearences (aka his pretty face and his long, red hair in a braid) and asked to see his panties. Ichiji took this seemingly well, calling Brook a joker...until he delivered a swift kick to Brook's head and calmly said that he was a man, thus no panties. Brook apologizes which Ichiji accepted.

Ichiji was mildly annoyed by Brook, but quickly found that they shared common interests as well. Ichiji enjoys an interllectual conversation and they have creative hobbies (Brook, music. Ichiji; writing). They often drink tea with Robin and are dubbed as the "Classy Trio".

Jinbei Ichiji wasn't sure what to think of Jinbei when they first met, due to the fact that the only fishmen he had met previously was Arlong and his gang. And Ichiji didn't have a too flattering image of fishmen because of their actions. He befriended Jinbei pretty fast, though and thought him as a good ally.

After the WCI events, where Jinbei officially joins the crew, Ichiji expressed his eternal gratitude for the fishman's actions and regards Jinbei as one of his closest friends.

Both of them enjoys a good conversation and Ichiji appreciates every moment of wisdom Jinbei offers.

Straw Hats in general Ichiji loves the Straw Hats as his family, even if he doesn't physically express his emotions like Sanji can. He has a lot of brothers and sisters, and he cherishes every moment with them.

He enjoys to tease them a little, especially the younger ones. Ichiji comes with a lot of witty and sarcastic remarks. He isn't afraid to speak his mind and is very honest with his nakama (with the exception of his Germa past). His stoic expressions along with reflective glasses gives the straw hats the "unreadable expression" impression from him and Ichiji uses this to his advantage, playing pranks on them...until he smiles and reveals that everything was just a "sensible deception". (aka, he trolled them XD)

The Straw Hats really loves Ichiji as much as they love Sanji. He's a valued crew member, one of their strongest fighters and a mature older brother figure for the younger ones. They all know that Ichiji has self-worth issues and dehumanizes himself quite often, but then the just double down on the love and friendship.

[dawndelion-winery]

Take A Hint

Please just notice their advances

Ft. Diluc, Dottore, Itto, Zhongli

Diluc:

It's not you, it's him

Truly, he could not be any more vague

Why? You might ask?

Simply put, he's trying his best to romance you without letting you know it's him who's romancing you

Something something anxious you'll reject him something

So yeah, flowers, subtle gifts in the form of things you happen to need, everything is handed to you on a silver platter of convenience

And the sender himself is nowhere to be found or even heard of

Throw in how he's not exactly known for being amorous, as popular as he is, how could you possibly have suspected it was from him?

Of course you'd ask around, sparking a whole new chain of talk about your mysterious admirer

And lots of unwanted advice from the well-meaning citizens of Mond

"You should try asking around at the Angel's Share. Master Diluc always seems to know a little about everything, maybe he has something for ya."

Having no other leads, you went ahead with it

As with every other evening, the place was packed, drunkards exchanging tales over their liquor

There was nothing of value to be gotten from them, so you made a beeline for the redhead behind the counter

"Good evening, what can I get for you this time?"

"You wouldn't happen to have information, would you? On umm, the person who's been sending me all these presents."

He stiffens up, though not enough to be distinctly noticeable

He was going to say no, continue to lay low for a bit more, but when you looked at him so expectantly, it was hard for him to turn you down

It was even worse when you pressed further, prying for details to push your luck

Still, he caved and answered, fumbling as he did, because there was only so vague he could be the more you questioned

"You seem to know this person really well, it's almost like- Wait, Diluc, are you??"

In your excitement, you had gotten up, kneeling on the barstool and leaning across the counter to come face to face with him

"I've thought of something else you can get me, bartender~"

"Y-yes, and...what might that be?"

"You<3"

_____

"Just like that?" Kaeya confirmed, throwing his head back and laughing as he turned to his brother. "Yeah, just like that," you echoed, smiling at your lover who glowered at the blue haired captain. Diluc sat himself between the two of you as he wrapped an arm around you. "I told you it'd be easier to just ask them," Kaeya quipped, only to be silenced with a glare. "I recall," Diluc said. "But it worked out fine all the same." And fine it was, as he pressed a kiss to your temple, content that he no longer had to fret over hiding from you.

Dottore:

For someone who's all about the enjoying the experimental process, even he was growing tired of the lack of results

Were his hints (link to past post) too difficult to notice even for you? Had he overestimated your abilities?

Perhaps that was the case, so he'd have no choice but to resort to a more tried and true method

But of course even then he'd twist it in his own way to suit himself

It's not like there was any point in conforming to a standard the complete opposite of his own lest you fall for anything short of who he truly was

So he approaches you under the guise of a personal experiment, a little something that had piqued his interest

"You can be my lover for a... how's a month sound?"

You choked on your drink

As if being approached by the harbinger you worked for during your lunch break wasn't nerve wracking enough, that was what he wanted to talk to you about?

Despite his offhanded demeanor, seeming to not care about whether you agreed to it or not, you had a feeling it would be in your best interests to go along with it

It's not like you weren't at least somewhat into him anyway

His smile from under the mask did seem very ominous to any sane person though

Perhaps you weren't entirely sane, because the doctor's low chuckle didn't send you running for the hills in spite of you having no idea what he was planning

But really, how hard could it be to play the part of Il Dottore's lover for a month?

The answer was not at all

The position came with a number of privilege you were sure you'd miss once you lost them

Free access to anything under Dottore's command? Almost the same level of authority?

Really, it was insane just how much you were getting out of something that stemmed from his curiosity

And it really had you wondering just how he could afford to spare you all this luxury without batting an eye

Your colleagues, while understandably jealous, had been surprisingly supportive as well, giggling in your ear about how soft the doctor seemed to be for you

But all you could think of was how it was all a lie

You had to keep reminding yourself how quickly it would be over, and that you'd soon return to your old post

Even in the doctor's presence, which was often, you were doing mental gymnastics to stay calm at his every doting gesture

How was it even possible for him to hold you so gently? You'd never know

His duality was such that he could snap at the Regrator in a tone you're sure was icy enough to make the Tsaritsa proud all while holding you in his lap with the warmest possible embrace

And every moment felt like it'd last forever

Could he freeze time? You sort of hoped he would experiment with that and inevitably extend the time you had with him

You, ever the fool, had gotten comfortable with the arrangement even when you'd repeatedly reminded yourself not to

Although one could say you were an even bigger fool for not realising how he set you up to fall for him

Did you really think he was capable of looking at anyone he didn't consider special to him with enough warmth to melt a room when you can't even see his eyes?

On the final day of your agreement, you were finally starting to worry about how you were supposed to go about your old job after all you'd experienced with Dottore

Could you even function without remembering how nice it was to have his reassuring hand on your back?

"Oh my, anyone would think you were upset by the thought of leaving me if you pulled that face."

"Lord Dottore! I didn't notice- I'm sorry I-"

"No, this has been...a very successful experiment, if I do conclude. It has definitely helped me to confirm something important, I was just thinking of how to reward you for your help."

"I'm honoured I was able to assist, my lord. I'd be happy to accept any gift you might grace me with."

He frowned a little, and you were worried you had misspoken

Well, technically, you had, because he was hoping you'd have gotten comfortable enough with him over the month to drop the formalities

"Any gift? Then it's decided. We'll just have to make this a permanent arrangement, wouldn't you agree, my dear? In which case I think it only fitting that...when we're alone like this, you should call me Zandik."

The last part was softer, like the utterance of his name was for no one but you (it was)

Dottore might have been the feared harbinger, but Zandik was your affectionate maniac, and yours alone

_____

"Zandik, I never really did get to ask...why did you choose me for that experiment anyway? It just all seems far too fortunate for everything to fall into place so easily," you asked. You hadn't expected him to grin - more to himself than anyone else. "Yes, very fortunate indeed, you must be quite the lucky one then, favoured by the goddess of love herself, no?" he chuckled. He wondered if you would ever figure out he schemed it all, or if you'd remain blissfully ignorant. Gingerly, he took off his mask and set it on your face. "Would you look at that, it suits you too," he mused. "So why don't we just take it, that we were bound to end up like this one way or another, my precious?"

Itto:

You'd think it's obvious since he's such an outspoken guy

But he's fairly prideful too, so chances are, he's gonna try get you to ask him out

Unfortunately for him, he very much does want to cut the chase and ask you out so he doesn't have to wait

It's really a dilemma, and it doesn't help that no one in the gang apart from Shinobu gives sound advice

Just ask you out? Yeah right, Shinobu, he's gonna go with what the other guys say and just make himself seem so cool you'll be dying to go out with him

So he hangs around you a lot, dragging you with him and talking about how the Arataki Gang is doing stupendously

And who's leading the gang? None other than him, of course!!

Surely you'll think he's awesome, right?

Of course, credit where credit's due, he does end up talking about Shinobu a lot, praising her and how well she helps manage things

In part, that's supposed to help you see how humble he is despite his awesomeness

Too bad it gave the impression that he liked Shinobu, leading to you trying to set them up

Did you kinda like Itto? Yeah, sure, what wasn't there to like about him?

But that was also why you thought you should put your own feelings aside and help him out

And Itto, the sweet dumbass, not knowing any better, went along with all your ideas thinking you just wanted to spend time with him

You were taking him shopping for stuff!! That seems like a date, right? He was counting as a date

Yes, you were trying to dress him up and "coincidentally" bump into Shinobu and abandon them to have dinner together, but Itto didn't know the second half of that

He was absolutely memorising every detail to tell the rest of the gang after about how it worked and you slyly tried to go on a date with him

He was planning up how to tell them already

And you were dressing him up too? Look at you, acting like you're already married, he's very head empty

My guy is so ready to call you out on it when you bump into Shinobu a little earlier than expected

"Oh, what are you two up to? No offence, y/n, it's just that Itto typically doesn't come around town without some sort of mayhem following."

"Hey, you know that's not true, people love me, I-"

Red alert: he was looking stupid in front of his crush

And when you were quick to defend him? Boy, he looked like he wanted to kiss you then and there

You thought you were salvaging his reputation, but really, it just made you look like you were taking his side unconditionally

At least that's how it seemed in the moment

"How about that, boss. You actually got them to fall for you hard enough to overlook your idiocy. Who'd have thought?"

"Well, of course no one can resist the one and Oni Arataki Itto, y/n included, right my bug?"

You couldn't even be offended at his awful petname for you because there was so much to process

Were you dating now? Was that how it went?

Honestly, you could roll with that, as funny of a way as it was to get together

You didn't even have the heart to tell him about the misunderstanding because he seemed so proud to show off to everyone how you finally got together

_____

The members of the Arataki Gang gathered around with gathered sakura blooms as they scattered the petals around to congratulate the two of you. For the most part, Itto was just recounting the tale from his perspective, which was pretty funny to hear since you knew how it all actually went down. Had you really looked at him with the love the ocean had for the moon? It was almost embarrassing to hear how he described you, the poetic brilliance so unlike his typical crude speech. Certainly, it was a simple as comparing you to fresh grass in the summer, but it was very him to do so. And you supposed that was the magnetic charm of his after all.

Zhongli:

He can't think of a time when he's ever been so desperate to reach out to someone and yet so hesitant

But that had to be all the more reason for him to keep his distance because imagine if he lost you once he'd gotten attached?

Absolute devastation

But a small part of him insists you're worth the risk

Sadly, not enough to convince him because what if one day you realise you're just wasting your time with him? If you didn't actually like him any more than as a dear friend?

So you end up in this awful push and pull, hot and cold situation where one day he's inviting you out, eager to spend time with you

And the next day he's nowhere to be found, uncontactable as though he was never a part of your life

It got tiring really fast, so you roped in Hu Tao, since as his boss, she probably had his schedule

That and Hu Tao very much seems to be aware of something you aren't (aka the fact that Zhongli is immortal)

She wants to fill you in so badly because she's pretty done with watching Zhongli pine and then act like he never did

Still, she respects his boundaries (mostly) so she just helps drag him out of hiding

And by that, I mean calling him to work for something really important so he'll rush over

So you can imagine how his eyes widened when he saw you waiting with the director

"Director...and y/n, did I miss something?"

He knew he was being played the moment he saw Hu Tao's close-eyed smile but it was too late to run

Even then, Hu Tao wasn't one to break character, so she sent the two of you on some errands for her

So off you go, wandering Liyue on tasks you're certain have no relevance to whatever Hu Tao actually needs

Part 1: Scouring mountains for qingxin

At some point, Zhongli decided it'd be so much easier to just boost you up with his geo structures and catching you when you jumped/slid back down

No, he's definitely not the geo archon he's just very proficient at using his vision, he assures you

With the way he talks about Liyue as you search for flowers, even you end up piecing it all together

"What's it like to no longer be worshipped?"

"It's definitely more peaceful."

He pauses and slowly turns towards you

"I seem to be slipping up a lot today. This is exactly why I can't be around you. Still, what were the chances you'd figure this out before picking up on my feelings for you?"

Look at him turning the tables on you, it was now your turn to be flustered

How dare he

With a gentle tenderness only the passage of time could train, he picked out one particular flower from the bunch and held it beside your cheek

"Would it be inappropriate for me to comment on how you put even the loveliest of flowers to shame? Or should I find an equally appealing piece of jade or cor lapis to match the shine of your eyes?"

"What's with this sudden flattery?"

"You do bring out the worst in me sometimes. Even centuries of solitude couldn't grant me the patience to wait for you to choose me."

_____

You'd returned to the funeral parlour with Zhongli, both of you hauling massive bouquets in your arms. "We've found the-" Zhongli began, only to be cut off by his boss chiding him. "Aiya, I gave you the perfect opportunity and you still have no game!"

"No, but I did-" He turned to you with pleading eyes, but it was a sight too funny to pass up on. You'd make it up to him later, of course. But for the time being, you'd let yourself be amused with his suffering as payback for ghosting you all those times.

Commissioned by @monstersealclubber

Taglist: @myluvkeiji @aqui-soba @favonius-captain @tiredsleep @raincxtter @gensimping-for-all @irethepotato @almond-adeptus @mx-kamisato @yuzuricebun @chaosinanutshell @heizours @haliyamori @callmemeelah @sadlonelybagel @plinkuro @thevictoriousmoon @mastering-procrastinating @missesclaus @cxlrosii @miss-fantazmagoria @astrequa @kokomist @lemonswriting @eowinthetraveller @ajaxstar @boundedbyfate @the-lost-anime-dad @ash-astrophel @moonbyunniee @greyrain23

[0luv9]

this love || mattheo riddle

Summary: he should know better, he should understand that it's pointless but he is a fool, acting like he knows better despite the years of fruitless pining. He lingers just for the off chance- that you could be his.

[post hogwarts setting]

Beware: angst, a bit of fluff, minimal plot (the plot itself hasn't been explored much), she/her pronouns used, mostly written in second person, kinda fast-paced, brief mention of drinking, reader has been wronged, some parts of it are fast-paced, reader's oc boyfriend, marriage, misusage of magic, blood and fighting, hospitals.

(I don't know what I just wrote)

Words: 8.1k

He knew he was fighting a losing battle, knew that from the very moment, his eyes fell on you for the first time. Yet he can’t help but try, try and win this battle, to win you over because he knows it’ll be worth it. There’s no explaining behind this unreasonable love for you, there’s no clear moment where he came to the realization, that it’s something he’s always known, to be in love with you.     

But you are in his arms, your boyfriend, the perfect man, the sight telling him to look away, telling him that you are off limits.     

How can he forget you though? You are the reason he breathes nowadays, but you are so blissfully unaware of the turmoil you’ve caused. Whenever you are in his sight, his heart pounds violently against his chest, he has never felt this way towards someone else and he doesn’t think he’ll remain sane any further.  

Mattheo was never a sane man, so why pretend otherwise?     

He’s a fucking hypocrite, has made you a bad habit of his, he wouldn’t like it if someone stole you away from him, but he’d gladly steal you away from anyone else. But you are you, ever so loyal to your boyfriend, you've been with the guy for over 5 years now, sweethearts of Hogwarts and now sweethearts of the ministry.     

It's been three years since you've all left Hogwarts he was waiting for you to break up with your boyfriend, but it never came, it wasn't some case of stupid teen love like he thought it was, in fact, it became even serious-     

He should have given up long back, but he just couldn't help himself, he hasn't changed much over the years, old habits die hard. Troublemaker then, troublemaker now. Mattheo wanted to beat the shit out of your boyfriend Lucas, how could he though? It would hurt you and there was no excuse he could give; it would only strain your relationship with him.     

He wants to make a move but knows your answer will always be negative, so he keeps a stone over his heart and pines after you from afar.     

...     

But it's not enough, it's never enough. One look at you entering the room with fucking Anderson feels like a hundred knives stabbing through his heart all at once. You are in emerald green, the same shade as Lucas' shirt, his arm around you, looking ever so beautiful. Mattheo closes his eyes, hand over his burning chest trying to calm himself down as Lucas leans down to kiss you.     

"They look so good together," he hears Pansy gush from his side, his friends agreeing, and he can't even bring himself to look in your direction. Would it be the same if it was him instead of him? He can only imagine being Lucas, it's pure jealousy he feels towards the man.     

Why did he even come to this party? To see you, of course, there hasn't been a single day where he hasn't seen you, but he fucking forgot that you wouldn't be alone, you are never alone, he's always with you. It wouldn't be the same without the two sweethearts, it was the ministry's doing after all.     

He thinks though, would Lucas love you like him? Mattheo just wants you to be his, it pains him to know that he can never be with you. You have so much control over him, but you don't even know, he smiles when you smile, he's angry when you are angry, he's sad when you are sad-     

Has memorized each detail of yours, made you a constant in his life, fell in love with you all over again, with every smile of yours, with every word of yours, with every hum of your voice, with every movement of yours, he just couldn’t help himself, you took over him, it was inevitable.     

Ever since the day you walked into his life, he walked with you, always together. Two worlds of their own, revolving around each other, that was until you found your sun, found someone else to revolve around but he was still tied to you, still circling you and always ended up colliding with him.      

...     

Why did you have to choose Lucas and not him? He's known you longer, he's liked you long before him, you were his best friend before you were Lucas’ girlfriend but why did he come first in your books?      

You turned his world upside down that Thanksgiving day during your sixth year, running to him smiling and blushing, he thought you were about to confess to him but instead, you told him about your crush on Lucas and how you had scored a date with him- all out of the blue, he never saw it coming, who even was Lucas? “Lucas Anderson, he’s in the same year as us, the Ravenclaw perfect!” Then he never heard the end of it.     

You with that stupid smile of yours, it was a sickening sight really, he loved seeing you smile but he couldn’t stand to look at it when he knew it was because of your boyfriend. It was as though, he had been replaced, it was no longer “Mattheo this, Mattheo that-” “Lucas! I’ll be wearing this to the party, or should I wear that dress, you know the blue one you love,” hanging off Lucas’ arm, navigating through the mess you and the girls had made in the common room, with those lovesick eyes-      

‘Get over it’ he tells himself, but he can’t help the ugly feeling creeping up on him, Mattheo feels like throwing up as the nostalgia surges through him at the sight, you used to hold onto him like that, he silently looks at you, there’s grief in his eyes.      

As the days pass by, he realizes how you no longer sit with him, how far you’ve been. And he can do nothing but watch you from a distance, can’t object so he seals his lips together, never mentions it, waits for the sweet honeymoon phase to be over but it never ends...     

It’s been five years, and you two are still sickeningly in love with each other, it’s all in his face, he steals a few glances in your direction, can’t spare much more than a few seconds because it pains to look at you all happy in some other guy’s arms, the one who does right by you, the one who never gave you a reason to walk away.      

Anderson made it all look so easy, he swayed you off your feet the moment he met you and here he was, Mattheo Riddle, still trying to quantify his unending love for you, he misses you, so he drinks your favourite drink, in the memory of you, you are the star of the night, the centre of the ballroom, too bright for his eyes, too sweet for his tongue, like the wine and rum you drink.      

But he savours it, it’s the closest he can get to you nowadays, he’s gotten used to living like this, in pieces, each part seeking you in different ways, some part of him begs to hear your voice, some part of him longs for your touch but he can do nothing about it because Mattheo Riddle doesn’t have the privilege of being loved by you, he’s just another man in the endless sea of your admirers.      

Even the silence feels uncomfortable now, he can’t just stick to his old ways, he can’t just silently watch the two of you dance in each other's arms, moving gracefully around the expanse of the shiny floor, he excused himself, a strong drink in his hand. Tears prickled down his face the moment the midnight breeze made contact with his skin, his head spinning with images of you, the memories of you, of the last moments of you with him, the last time you properly talked to him.      

Mattheo remembers how you’d clean him up after he was bloodied up during some fight, how you’d lecture him, how soft and careful you were with him. How you’d patiently listen to his rants, helped him with his short-tempered nature, helped him navigate through all the academic stress. He remembers the healing touch of yours, the way your fingers threaded through his hair, massaging his forehead, humming to him as he lay his head in your lap, easing him of the sharp stingy headache, continuing your ministrations until he dozed off comfortably in your lap while you rested your head uncomfortably against the wall.     

His heart swells as he reminisces those days, those memories that probably meant much more to him than they ever meant to you, even today’s grief and sorrow can’t stop the fond smile from appearing on his face. He’s been on this journey for so long, he understands this feeling too well, letting his mind wander, smiling at the sweet times till he remembers how it’s no longer in his fate to be in your arms, reality punches him in the gut, old habits die hard- he had gotten into a lot of verbal sprawls at the ministry, it got physical a few times and you weren’t there beside him, instead you were beside Lucas, sending him a pitiful look and that was about it, he had come to expect of you to be by his side whenever things got nasty, you had always been there but now, you were a stranger, were you even there to begin with? The look of pity was so unlike you-       

The loud conclusive thump of the band pulls him out of it, out of all the questions, of what was and what could’ve been. He hears footsteps nearing him and quickly walks into the first door he sees. Wiping away his tears, ruining the sleeves of his navy suit, it’s draining him to love you but but but he can’t just fucking stop.      

Mattheo didn’t realise what happened in the next few seconds, the door to the closet he was hiding in opened and someone entered the tiny space closing the door after themselves, it was you, damn his unfair fate.      

You look surprised as you take notice of him, your hand reaching the door handle shaking it frantically, locked.     

You glance down at the handle whispering “Alohomora,” It doesn’t work instead your head feels heavy, and you don’t have your wand on you, you look at Mattheo and then look towards the handle, silently asking him to open the door, “Don’t have your wand?” you shake your head, it’s amusing, the situation the two of you are in, he has his wand with him but he’ll pretend otherwise, he’s gotten you with him after so long, “Me neither and I was never good at wandless magic,” it was a lie of course, but anything to be with you.     

It was strange though, why wasn’t your wandless magic working, that too with such a simple charm, he pushed that thought to the back of his mind, he couldn’t focus, not like this, not with you so close to him. Breathing the same sir, enclosed in a tight dark place, it feels surreal, he’s losing it. Mattheo can feel your strong gaze on him, you try to create some space between the two of you, but he holds you close, there’s no space what were you even doing?      

You close your eyes at the contact, the touch was cruel, it was intrusive, it felt as though your mind was being probed- it hurt, physically hurt. It felt wrong, it burned where he touched you but there was an itch his touch was scratching, the longer he held onto you, and you started melting, the pain minimising by seconds, it no longer felt like a punishment instead it felt familiar, comforting, knocking you off your alarmed senses. You slowly breathe in, taking in the smell of his cologne and the smell of strong whiskey on his breath and... and- strawberry daiquiri, his hand left yours as you opened your eyes, his eyes were sad, he was Mattheo, your best friend!     

Your vision unfocused and focused back again, body aching at the loss of contact, mind blank, veins burning, he looks away for a second and your heart clenches uncharacteristically. There's no actual logic behind your next move yet you do it because you ache for it, you don't exactly know why but you pull his face down and kiss him. He pulls away almost instantly after the initial shock, what the fuck are you thinking?     

The light that seeps through the little cracks of the door falls onto your face, lighting it up, making Mattheo gulp at the sight, you look up at him with eyes so unnaturally blown off, hazy and dilated- you tug his collar staring at his lips, Mattheo inhales sharply and bends down to kiss you because, "Fuck it."    

He holds your face tightly in his hands, cold metal rings digging into your skin, it's all he has ever wanted, there's no morality to hone here not when he has you right where he wants and why should he care that it's wrong, when you clearly don't? Mattheo kisses you with such fervour that your mind spins, your knees going weak all of a sudden making it hard for them to hold you up and body going numb unable to pick up on the feel of his body against yours, darkness surrounding you even when you shoot your eyes open, you feel yourself sink and then- nothing.    

Mattheo freaks out when you go limp in his arms, he mutters a quick spell to unlock the door and pulls you out, making you sit against the door, patting your face and trying to wake you up. “Riddle!”– it’s Lucas, rushing by your side, taking you from Mattheo’s arms into his own, the worry on his face is akin to the one on Mattheo’s but there’s terror in his eyes too as he looks up at Mattheo, “What- What happened–” he just looks back down at your unconscious self, gulping hard at the crease of your brows, easing the tension with his fingers, “I don’t know- I just found her, like this you know...” he lies through his teeth and Lucas shakes his head, not paying any serious attention to the man in front of him when his girlfriend is unconscious in his arms, “I’ll take her back home, don’t worry-,” then Mattheo hears the man mutter to himself, “I hope, she’ll be alright,” Anderson picks her up in his arms, spares Mattheo a quick glance and rushes out.     

…    

Are you even there-? He tries to be around you, but you always look out of it, never paying any attention to him, in fact you don’t even look his way while he’s out here staring at you, every thought leads up to you, it was tiring and worrisome because you are smiling, so brightly, so close to him but somehow your light doesn’t reach him anymore.     

You both work in different departments of the ministry but he always has found a way to be around you, he’ll never stop. Why should he stay away from you? He doesn’t fucking like the fact that you are ignoring him and it’s more annoying because it’s not like you are actively trying to avoid him, you just act like he doesn’t exist, like he's some stranger, there’s no active effort in your actions- he is your best friend for fucks sake the least you could do is treat him like one.    

How can he live with such distance from you, you who acts like he’s a nobody, he’s always near you, always around you but somehow you keep straying far away- how is supposed to handle you, the you- who pretends that the kiss never happened, who pretends that you didn’t stain his lips with your lipstick, the woman who tainted him and pretended like she didn’t do it, why’d you kiss him like you love him and then act like it didn’t fucking happen- running off to your happy to go relationship, there was something off, very off about you, you didn’t look bothered in the slightest, it wasn’t like you, at all.    

Mattheo couldn’t stand to look at you kiss Lucas as though you weren’t onto him the other night, how can you just move past it?    

…    

It hasn’t even been a week since the party and his friends are getting ready for another one, he loves them, but he is in no mood to party not after what happened, how would they know anyway- neither you nor him have spoken about it, why’s there no guilt in your actions as you hold onto Lucas?     

The party, yes something about ‘the current events that took place, call for a big celebration’ he didn’t pay much attention to his friends, not until they mentioned your name, “They both will love it, especially her-” “I am sorry, what are we celebrating?” he finally took part in the conversation, all heads at the table turned towards him, “She didn’t tell you?” Blaise was the first one to break the awkward silence, “Tell me what?” at this, his friends shared a look, as though he had said something ridiculous. Why can’t they just tell him, instead of asking rhetorical questions? His patience was wearing thin at their silence, he stared at Draco, the closest to him, gaze so intense it compelled the blonde to speak, “Anderson proposed-”     

Mattheo was on his feet the next second, he had heard enough, storming off to your department floor, you had some explaining to do. You sure had the audacity to play with him, he never expected such a wound from you.   

There you are, alone and working, he walks towards you in vexation, you stand up as you hear his angry feet, he stands in front of you breathing heavily.     

There’s no longer a spark in your eyes as you look at him, you are within his reach, yet you feel so far away– your sweet smile is still there but it feels different. “Good afternoon! What can I do for you today?” your voice is polite, and his eyes fall to your left hand, there it is– the sign of his blatant rejection. You kissed him and now not even a week later you are engaged to someone else, he doesn’t get it. Should he be selfish and break the truth to Lucas, have you all for himself? Would you even want that- will you ever fucking choose him? He harshly grips your hand, pulling it up, in front of your face, as if mocking your decision, “what’s this?” he squeezes your ring finger so carelessly, it hurts him that he doesn’t seem to care about your happiness for once, you only smile at him tilting your head to the side, “An engagement ring, sir-” he drops your hand, your words sting but your actions sting more, there’s not an ounce of guilt on your face, you simply look at him as if he’s some rando, who has no place to question you.     

Mattheo balls his hands into tight fists, nails digging into his palms, shutting his eyes, bringing the fists up to his forehead trying to soak it all in, it’s nauseating, what happened?! What’s happening- you looked, felt, heck even sounded so different, it was you but then he looks at you a second longer and he no longer sees the eyes he fell in love with. Your mere existence is like poison, spreading throughout his body without his permission, he tried, okay? Tried to get rid of you, tried not to fall in love with you-     

You used to smile, and he used to look for the source, capturing the moment in his heart, trying to recreate it, he loved to make you happy. Mattheo doesn’t remember a life where he didn’t love you, he couldn’t just think beyond you once the inevitable happened, you made him happy, you made his life better, and he knows no other way of existing other than being helplessly in love with you, no matter how much it hurts, just tell him you love, even if it’s a lie.    

No. Don’t do that, he won’t be able to let go of you, no matter what you do, you send his head spiralling, he just wants you to love him, is that too much for him to ask? You were his happiness throughout the years but why were you withdrawing now? After getting him hooked up, addicted to you, he blames you for this, but he doesn’t- how could he? You are so sweet, the one he loves.     

He can’t handle it, it’s stupid to love someone who doesn’t love you back, he looks at the huge blue stone on your finger, and his hand itches to throw the ring out, but he can’t do that, so he walks away from the woman he loves.     

‘There’s something special about diamonds no matter how generic. Colours are pretty, sure, but I love the simplicity of a diamond, if someone proposes, I don’t think that’ll ever happen ha-ha-ha, but I’d love a small, polished diamond imbedded in a thin rose gold band. Something fragile, worth the extra care, like this life of ours,’ He remembers your exact words, he had been pestering you near the end of the fifth year to tell him about your future, about your ideal wedding, it was him trying to plan for you, for both of your future together, both of you were tipsy when you had your heart to heart, it was a darn cringy way of doing it but back then he thought you liked him back, he thought it was given that you’d get with him when the two of you grew up, how fucking naïve-     

…    

Mattheo was tired, he was just existing for the sake of it, going through the endless files, signing here and there on parchments, he hadn’t spoken in the past few days, he held onto his silence, there was no point. “She resigned, honestly, I didn’t see that coming but if that’s what she wants, I support her,” there they were, his friends talking about you, “I mean, Anderson just got a promotion, he makes a lot of money, she doesn’t really have to work,” this was new,  something was very wrong, did you really change this much? There’s no way you’d leave your job just like that, Mattheo knows how much you cherished that job, it was your dream job after all. Money was never in the equation before, but why is it such an important variable now? You told him you’d work that job even if you made only a few knuts throughout the year.     

“Anderson asked her to leave the job and she just did, she really loves him to do that, he didn’t even have to repeat himself,” Even with Mattheo making much more than Anderson he wouldn’t even think of asking you to leave your job, the one you worked so hard for, the one you tirelessly competed for, nothing made sense anymore. He couldn’t stop thinking about you, had you really given up this easily? What’s going on? He can’t even talk with you without breaking down, he can’t talk to you because it seems like you no longer recognize him, he himself doesn’t recognize you, he doesn’t see you in these choices of yours.    

Maybe he doesn’t know you like he thinks he does, you have changed but he still doesn’t find himself falling out of love, why can’t he stop caring? And why can’t he do shit about it?!     

...    

It’s been days since Mattheo has last seen you, it's night, and he hasn’t properly slept in days, why did you have to steal his peace? He roams the streets like a crazed man, he goes wherever his feet take him and it’s no surprise that they halt right in front of your house, what was he even doing here? You were getting married in a week, time was flying by so fast, and he was running low.     

He wanted to tell you to not do it but what will he even say? ‘Don’t marry him because I love you?’ Would you even care- Does he even have the right to say something? Would his words even change a thing? Riddle didn’t come here to cry but he can’t help the tears, he’s a wretched man, he feels helpless, there’s not much his body allows him to do these days. He sinks to his knees for a moment, to shed tears at the nameplate on your door, it’s the name of the woman he loves, the one who is soon about to be an Anderson, taking the name of some other man, the one he could never be. He tries to collect himself and walk away like the coward he is.    

Earlier he used to say, ‘at least she loves me in my dreams,’ but nowadays, he doesn’t sleep too well, the dreams don’t come to greet him anymore- his imagination is no longer blissful, the reality is too dark, too etched in his life to ignore, to think otherwise.    

He gets up and kicks the trash can in front of your house in frustration, he doesn’t anticipate it falling over and making such a loud sound.    

But you are glad, the noise breaks you out of the deep trance you were put in, you wake with a jolt, your heart beating rapidly, and there’s not much going in your mind, you take a second to look around, it’s your room but it looks so different from what you remember, you feel weak, drained. You peek out of the curtains beside your bed from where the sound came, it was Mattheo!   

You jump onto your feet and run downstairs, swinging the front door open, you don’t have a single thought in your mind except the one that asks to see him, your heart aches, there’s no other way to describe this painful longing that burns you, you’ve numbed everything out, you don’t feel the cold floor beneath your feet, the sting of the cold air that pushes past you, you just want to be close to him.  

The sight of you was like a wound to his chest, the dishevelled state of you, the weakness on your face, the visible lines of despair on your face. You freeze for a second when you see him but then you are onto him, throwing your arms around him, hugging him tight, it all came crashing down when his arms wrapped around you pulling you even closer. There’s unending comfort in his embrace yet it doesn’t take away the sorrow, all you feel is relief surging through your body at his touch, it’s overwhelming, everything dawns upon you, and the mind that had shut itself earlier now begins running a thousand miles a second, you can’t help the tears, there’s no other way of saying that you are not fine, everything feels too real, you feel alive- like you are breathing for the first time in forever. There’s so much left unsaid, untouched but you can’t pull away just yet.   

But he can, he puts his hands on your shoulders, examining your face contoured with hurt, but there are no physical wounds he can whisper cures at. There’s just the continuous stream of tears gushing down your face, the ones that wet his shirt, he can only wipe them away. He watches you with such concern, so much worry, you open your mouth to tell him that it’s okay, but nothing comes out, his hands come to hold your face, you try again, ‘Mattheo’ no sound still, only your lips move, your throat burns, you cry again. What’s happening? There are just tears that could give him the answer, but he doesn’t understand, has no clue, your breath hitches again and through your blurred vision you beg him to hold you close.   

He pulls you back into his embrace, rubbing your back trying to soothe you, the other hand holding your head close to his heart. Mattheo had always been stupid when it came to you, but it never hurt him this much, so stupidly in love with you, always overtaken by his delusions that if you were with him, he’d never let you feel any pain but now that you were in his arms, eyes pleading, he couldn’t do a thing. He just wants to take away all the ills that bother you, wants to take away all the pain but he doesn’t understand a thing, he begs the stars above to let him understand this silent cry of yours.   

There are innumerable questions he wants to ask but he wouldn’t understand so, the words die on his tongue, like they always do when you are with him. This love that had always been silently killing him, hurt him like no other, was now threatening to spill all that was left unsaid into the silence of the night, words protected within the vicinity of his mind, it was overbearing, ready to spill, and it was getting hard to hold onto it.   

You release yourself out of his hold and suddenly he feels a lot colder, the cool breeze seeps through the wet patches on his shirt, making him shiver but he pushes it all aside when you hold onto his hand and tilt your head. “Should- Should I take you in?” he hesitates as he speaks, all his focus on you trying to understand whatever it is that you were asking of him, you shake your head and point at him, “My house?” you nod, the frown on your face softening a bit at his words.  

Mattheo holds you close and walks you to his house, but you stumble quite a few times for him to just ignore, he silently picks you up, you don’t protest, there’s no point, your mind is hazy, there’s no strength in your limbs, so you just hold onto to him. But the hold you have on him is suffocating to him, he can’t be happy about you being close to him, not when you were hurting.   

Gaunt Manor, it's your first time here, he dreamed of bringing you here albeit the scenario was different, it was happy, but the present was sad, in his dreams he’d bring you into the house as his happy wife, but it never worked out, you were entering the residence of the man who didn’t dare to call it his home, it was never warm and welcome, it was just familiar, he doesn’t know how it’s supposed to bring peace to you, how it’s supposed to make you any feel better than the cold outside.   

He places you on the couch of the huge living room, mutters a spell and the lamps light up the room, then he’s kneeling in front of you, waiting for you to ask anything of him, a bit disappointed in his inability to make things better. Your eyes are red and puffy, you try to speak again as you look at him instead your mouth runs dry, and you can’t feel your voice, it’s a sad attempt at nothing.   

Mattheo suddenly rises to his feet, and an unwanted thought strikes him, you'd rather be with your fiancé in such a moment of vulnerability, “Should I call Anderson?” He doesn’t want to look at you because it’d sting to know that he’d never be your first choice- you are quick to shut his train of thought, you hold his hand and urge him closer, shaking your head, the thought left him as soon as it came, the tears were back, they tell him, that all this has something to do with Anderson and it fucking angers him.  

His grip tightens around your hand as you try to pull away once he kneels in front of you, you frown when he doesn’t let go, there’s grief in your eyes, sorrow that he doesn’t get, he sighs lets go but keeps close and looks out for your next movement. You breathe in slowly, chest heaving with tension as you look at your left hand resting in your lap, the blue gem on your finger sending shivers down your spine, it was ugly, the feeling that it gave you, you close your eyes not wanting to look at it as you try to pull it off your finger, your jaw clenches, teeth crushing each other. Several small needles poke at your skin, they dig deep into your finger as you try to remove the ring, you feel the hot blood starting to ooze out.   

Mattheo’s eyes dart up to your face, you can't scream, you can't tell him how much it hurts, you can just shake your head at him and cry, tears rapidly running down your face wetting your collar. You go to wipe them instead you make a mess, staining your face with blood, the scene breaks him, you being so helpless.  

He wipes off the blood and tears, you don't shoo away from his touch instead you close your eyes and lean into it, biting your lip because the needles are still digging into your skin, his attention shifts to the ring, he tries to pull at it, but you flinch away, he instantly lets go, muttering all the spells he knows, it doesn’t work.  

He asks if you can write it all down, you try to hold the quill, but the tremors are evident in your grip, your hands are shaking frantically, and you clench your fists trying to make it stop but it’s fruitless, like all your attempts at taking control over your body. 

Mattheo clasps his hands over yours in a reassuring grip, the touch sends sparks through your veins, then you hear screaming, something trying to wake you up, then breathing becomes a manual task, you feel your throat tightening, you start coughing, pulling your hands away from his and cover your mouth. 

You taste iron, then the salts from the tears and sweat along the way as you purse your lips. The vibrations of your heart started ringing in your ears, all your senses heightening, making you cower into the couch, it was cold, it was hot, you were being pushed into pitch darkness, and you hear different voices going round and round, it’s Lucas, it’s Mattheo, it’s your friends, all calling your name, you are falling- it's an endless loop you are stuck in. Why should you go through this torture when you did nothing to deserve it? When all he can do is watch, watch you go through all that pain. Lucas is in front of you, smiling and holding a bouquet, of all the flowers you love, you are in a white gown, he’s in a white suit, there are people around the two of you, and you are tied up? There are binds around your wrists and legs, and you can’t move a muscle while Lucas walks towards you bending down to kiss you- and black.  

Happens again, he bends down to kiss you, but you don’t- can’t move, Lucas’ shirt gets red, his smile gets even wider as he pulls back, it stretches and stretches, and there’s blood on your lips, on your dress, you try to move but your body doesn’t cooperate, as though it has been paralyzed- “Mrs Anderson,” and it goes black.   

Mattheo wanted to be your knight in shining armour, wanted to be the person you’d blindly fall back on but right now, things were different, he felt hopeless, and he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if something happened to you under his watch, he quickly grabbed a piece of scrap parchment and ink, writing to St Mungos, they’d know how to help you, right?  

… 

He’d always wait for you, even if it takes you an eternity, no matter how many lives it takes, he won’t truly live until you become his, happily his. He’d take anything you give him but he much rather take away all your pain than see you in such agony.  

Mattheo sits by your bed, the surroundings worry him more, ghostly white all around, putrid smell of different potions, incoherent yelling from behind the curtains, he can’t seem to secure a private room, no matter how many times he tries, all the wealth and so-called influence seems useless now. 

You wriggle and twitch in your sleep, his hold on you never falters, they put you on some drugs, and your body was trying to fight it, it’s been two hours since he brought your unconscious self here, you screamed and cried in your sleep. No one was telling him what was going on, all the nurses did was come ruin your peace every few minutes, pushing a vial of liquid past your lips making your body stiff with tension and then you’d cry, he could feel your skin get hot, could feel the quickening of your pulse.  

He was about to yell at some people because why the heck was no one talking to him? They’d spare him a glance and then rush past him, they were hearing him, but they weren’t responding properly, dismissing every question of his with an excuse. You coughing up blood was his last straw; he grabbed the first nurse he saw; he didn’t give a flying fuck that she was an older woman, didn’t care about the nasty look she was giving him, “What’s going on with her?” he pointed to your bed, his eyes were red, tired and frustrated, they turned sombre at her scrutinizing gaze, “Please just tell me,” he was quite literally begging.  

The woman walked over to your side, holding your hand, muttering a few enchantments and cutting the ring band off your finger, sighing as she faced Mattheo while checking up on you, “Strong dosage of Amortentia,” “WHAT?” Mattheo was towering over her, yelling, eyes wide with anger, “Yes, an accumulation of over four years-” “WOULDN’T THAT KILL HER?” “You would know-” ”WHAT?!” 

” Don’t act so innocent, it doesn’t suit you,” and there it is, the filth that is attached to his name, Mattheo Riddle, son of Tom Riddle, a father he never had, the one who died before he was even born. But it’s the truth, his truth, one he could only wish to escape from. He had always been his son, it didn’t matter if tries to change his name, he’d always be Riddle, and everyone knew him as one. Abandoned by death, he never knew himself- Mattheo as someone who could love or someone worthy of being loved. It was unfair, to be treated as his father’s son, that’s all he could be.  

Embraced by fellow Slytherin heirs, not because they still believed in blood superiority but because they were alienated and knew the fate that shone at his feet, for it was the same colour as their own shadows.  

Maybe that’s why he fell for you, the first person to smile at him who wasn’t adorned in green.  

All his life he had been paying for the mistakes he never made, and had been trying to get rid of the black stains on his name, they were slowly fading but it was hard, to have to constantly prove himself, there was no integrity in their judgement, he always had to walk an extra mile to show them that he was worth it, for years he tried to walk away from the very name he was, a Riddle. But today, he doesn’t try, he’ll gladly be what they made of him, son of the dark lord.  

Because the spell is right at his tongue, he very well means it but it’s you that stops him, you sit up on the bed, looking around frantically, he rushes to your side and hugs you tight, sits on the edge of the bed, you wrap your arms around him, crying yet again but this time you call out his name, “Mattheo,” and there’s nothing he could be more grateful for. 

And right on cue, the nurse gasped loudly rushing out the small space, realizing something. He looks at you though, in relief, your voice is back, “How are you feeling?” he whispers, distress visible in his tone but he tries to hide it from you, “hurts,” you croak out and it hurts to even talk, you hug him again, his touch was soothing, his presence was made you relax but it was short lived, few nurses rushed to your side, trying to pull you off him but you were crying not letting go, being away from his touch tormented you.  

“It’s going to be okay, you are going to be okay,” he presses his lips to your forehead, he himself didn’t want to pull away but he knew no cure, he was dependent on them, he promised you again, there was hope in his words, it was definitive, you were going to be okay, he’ll make sure of it, he squeezed your face before being pulled away, “I’m here.” 

They put you to sleep, some things happen right in front of his eyes but all he sees is the grief-struck face of yours, the sunken eyes and he tries not to think of what he had been told, he seals his eyes shut, the way yours are. But the horror is still present, it’s dark after all.  

Lucas is there, walking up to you, his white suit turning red as blood drips off him. 

Mattheo was about to beat Lucas up. He won’t though, not yet, not until you are breathing properly, and speaking properly. “I’m sorry,” it’s the nurse from earlier, she walks away just as he opens his eyes, “At least tell me what’s going on,” desperation clings to his words, the woman sighs glancing at your sleeping form, she gulps as she tries to find the words, there’s humility in her voice, “someone has been giving her small dosages of amortentia but gradually as her resistance level rose, so did the dosage and there are negative effects to this, the love potion has been perfected so many times, each version stronger than the previous one, the side effects also become worse. Retaliation makes it worse, she tried her best to break free.”  

At this point, the woman started shedding a few tears, it was hard to believe such a monster would exist and it was not his son, these wrongs weren’t done by the man in front of her but because of the man in front of her. You should have burned from his touch, but you didn’t, he wasn’t the man he was supposed to be.  

‘Antidote side effect- the victim will burn from everyone’s touch except for the supposed true love-’ Infirmary guidebook volume one.  

... 

You love him?  

He is loved back?  

There’s so much to feel, it overwhelms him. His chance at a good life was snatched away from him, his love was stolen from him, and he was angry. You were in love with him all this time, he would have never known if it wasn’t for his stupid heart walking up to your doorstep. He can’t bring himself to be happy because you are sad, you are in pain, you were about to die, a few more doses and he would have lost you forever. This dumb fucking love, it’s maddening.  

Mattheo looks at you, the red patches on your legs, the scars on your arms, the uneven tones caused by bruises, the side effects, the reason you were covered up all the time. He wanted to knock fucking Anderson out but he dare not leave your side.  

He wants to beat himself up for not noticing, he prided himself in loving you, and thought no one would look at you like he did, but what was this love worth when it couldn't save you from all this trouble. What was this pride even about? There was nothing to be proud of, not when he couldn’t see the bright eyes dimming, not when he didn’t see the unusual becoming the usual when he didn’t see constant becoming the story of the past and change becoming the new constant.  

He blames himself; he blames all the excuses he gave, that you were doing alright just because he couldn’t put his pride away and just ask you.  

He didn’t like that you had to suffer just because you loved him, was his name that cursed? In his dreams, for you to love him, the consequences were always bright. This love isn’t fair, he would’ve died not knowing any of this, the truth would’ve haunted him for the rest of eternity, and he’d forever be stuck in a loop of regret and guilt.  

Why couldn’t it be simple? Why did you have to get hurt?  

There would be no one left if there were no you, he’ll make fucking Anderson pay, he risked killing you just so he could keep you to himself, this obsession is not admirable, it’s unfathomable to do such things to someone you claim to love.  

Mattheo will never be able to forgive himself, not when he ought to be the one who cared and loved you the most.  

... 

A week later you were on your legs, weak but stable, and both of you were summoned for Lucas’ trial. Your chest swelled when the judge declared a lifelong punishment, Mattheo held your hands in his as Anderson was being escorted out, you knew the reason behind the determination in his eyes, who were you to stop him? You sighed and looked down, it’s not something you could watch though, he gently kissed your hand and reminded you, “He deserves it,” yes, he does, you were still recovering from side effects, and others’ touch still burned. Therefore, Mattheo’s touch was comforting in ways beyond physical, you didn’t want that touch to be corrupted by his blood. 

“ANDERSON!” before the man can turn around, Mattheo’s fist meets his face, there’s no stopping this, no spell would amount to the satisfaction the hit gave him. Mattheo won’t be done till death threatens the man, he loved you too you know but he would have never sacrificed your happiness for his, yes, he was selfish, but it never came at the cost of your peace, your freedom. 

It was torture, to confine someone, to close all their options, make them braindead, to hurt someone, to steal someone away from themselves, to do all this without feeling guilty, doing it intentionally, over years and still not sensing the wrongs and fucking stopping.  

No one tried to stop him, no one drew their wands up, they just watched- a man trying to find compensation for what he had lost, what she lost- he would never find it and Anderson needs to know that no amount of punishment would compensate his wrongs. No amount of begging or apologising would save him, he is what he made of himself. He knew what he was doing, till his blood wore thin, till he saw death, Mattheo won’t stop and for the first time, in the court of law, violence is the answer.  

The people see a man they’ve wronged, they see the man they read incorrectly and the man they honoured and it’s not who they thought it was, they stay silent because it’s the only apology they can give.  

In this eerie silence, all you can hear is pain, Lucas and Mattheo, the two men in pain but it’s so different from one another, one carries the wound that would heal within days and the other hones a wound of hurt that’d never heal, only fade. 

You pull Mattheo away from the unconscious man, there’s only so much pain you could afford to see on his face, you don’t look back as you walk him to the restroom. 

Between his legs, cleaning his wounds, not scolding him though, Mattheo smiles sadly, this familiarity strikes at his heart, “I love you,” his tone is solemn, this is what he would’ve lost- has lost, tears swell up in his eyes, Mattheo gently held your face in his bruised hands, with utmost sincerity you whisper those very words back, his lips met yours- in culmination of years' worth of longing, love, all things unsaid and all things lost. Amidst the darkness of all misunderstandings, all the mourning, there is hope, there’s love waiting to blossom, it looms over their wounded hearts, lips on each other like a seal, a promise of healing, there was no better confession you could ask for this love, the one that transcends words. 

...

[tcustodisart]

You're always drawing and I was wondering what you do for a living to have so much free time? I'm sorry if my question is too personal.

I'm a medical assistant at 2 places (so technically I have 1,5 jobs) I do go to work physically, but especially with the second place I do a lot of stuff remotely. Both places are pretty close to where I live (the farthest one is 30 mins away by bike).

The reason why I'm drawing all the time is simple - more sane people are reading books, playing games etc. etc. in their free time, I draw. I treat it as a hobby, it brings me lots of joy, I relax while doing it (when I don't put some ridiculous pressure on myself ofc). Plus I don't have any social life so :D more time to put my blorbos on a canvas.

And honestly, the stuff I've been posting here in the past 2-3 months are mostly just ask doodles, which most of the time take me under 1 hour to make. Some of them aren't even my proudest work, they're mostly messy. Plus I kinda found the most efficient way to do stuff, a brush I really feel and like that allows me to color very fast, swatches so I don't have to mess around with color wheel etc. etc.

Like here, this one took me 40 minutes. It's messy, there aren't any details really. (It's Connie pre-trap exploding incident that humbled his ass down btw.)

[darklinaforever]

So apparently... The Cat King would be a predator for some because...

- He trapped Edwin in town.

- He tried to sleep with him in exchange for his freedom.

- He continued to flirt with him.

- He gave him a task (which seemed) impossible to force him to come back to him.

- He monitored Edwin through his cats.

- He threatened Edwin in the forest.

So... all these things are more or less true, except that it forgets to take into account certain CAPITAL things which give a completely different point of view to the situation between the Cat King and Edwin.

- Edwin's punishment first came about because of the cat he trapped with a sardine. The Cat King therefore returned the device by casting a similar spell on Edwin by trapping him with something that Edwin loved, namely men. He basically tied them.

- Then, yes the Cat King offered sex to Edwin in exchange for his freedom. But you forget that the Cat King's kingdom is all about wants and pleasure. It is essentially linked in one way or another to desires. And very clearly, he perceived from the start that Edwin wanted him. Think about it, if he perceived that Edwin liked men, he definitely must have perceived that he liked him too. In this context, the Cat King proposed a sex session to a person he liked and who liked him in return. But again, Edwin didn't even need to verbalize his discomfort. Just as the Cat King felt that Edwin was attracted to him without any apparent discomfort, he felt the very moment or the atmosphere change and Edwin eventually felt uncomfortable. And in fact, he immediately suggested something else, while covering himself from Edwin's view. For what ? Because he is a fair and consensual Cat King.

- Do I even need to point out that no, flirting does not equal predation ? The Cat King flirts quite nicely and doesn't pressure Edwin into accepting at all. He just flirts and expresses what he has to offer, and leaves it alone if Edwin doesn't agree.

- The task that the Cat King imposed on Edwin was not impossible. Difficult perhaps, but not impossible. The simple fact that Edwin managed to count all the cats, while including the Cat King himself, who was also forgotten in the total number in passing, is proof of this. Especially since don't you think it's pretty damn convenient that at no point do we see Edwin himself looking for the cats, and most of them seem strangely content to just show up ? to him gradually ? As if their goal was precisely to be seen ? Yes, I'm a fan of the theory that the Cat King made Edwin's job easier ! But even if that’s not the case ; once again the conclusion of this task is proof that it was not impossible at all. And then, the Cat King himself says why he gave this task to Edwin. And this is not to try to make him choose the voice of sex, contrary to what the antis maintain. But just to spend more time with him. It's ultimately that simple.

- Then, it is normal in fact for the Cat King to keep Edwin under close watch, since he asked him to accomplish a task in his city. (Even though yes, he clearly also did it for his own personal pleasure, one does not exclude the other)

- And... I think we're all sane enough to understand that the threat in the forest was just wind and the Cat King would never have really done anything to Edwin ? I mean...that's literally what happened. (So ​​why the hell have I seen people seriously mentioning this ?!)

The fact is also that all of this, yes, can fall within the framework of predation.

Having trapped Edwin, trying to seduce him, flirting with him when he had already refused the first time, monitoring him, etc., can sound like the Cat King being a predator and Edwin the prey with whom he is playing.

And that's the case !

But not really for the reasons you think.

When people talk about the Cat King as a predator, they mean it in the purely human and unhealthy sense of the term. Which is a false reading of the character who... is simply not human.

Because, an important detail, which once again changes the context of the situation, the Cat King is literally a natural predator. It's a cat. So again, it's his basic nature to be a predator, and also to love games as a result.

As @jaks21 pointed out to me in the comments, the Cat King has the overall behavior of a cat: "I think it's also being forgotten that the cat king isn't human. He can shift into human form, but he is essentially a cat. This is all cat behavior. They have absolutely no sense of personal space (unless it's their own), they like the thrill of the hunt and they like to play."

The Cat King is none other than the subtle balance / mixture between an animal and a human. Purely and simply.

His problematic behavior, associated with the term predatory, comes from the animal aspect of his person which is then counterbalanced by more human and therefore more reasonable reasoning.

Yes, in fact, everything I mentioned at the beginning, functions as predatory behavior if you don't dig beyond the simple headlines of the Cat King's actions and combine that if he were a human, will give a damn bad image of a big disgusting pervert.

(But all this for the Cat King is also and above all in the context a form of games. And yes, it may seem creepy but remember once again that the Cat King is really a cat. And cats, as a reminder, actually like to play a lot).

Except that as I have demonstrated, the Cat King's actions have very clear, precise and understandable explanations which relate to the supernatural universe in which the characters are immersed and evolve. Not only that but also the attitude of the Cat King character towards Edwin's refusal, and his point of honor on being fair and consensual. He will never force Edwin. Consent remains essential. Which is not the behavior of a predator as we understand it in our reality.

Once again, the Cat King is a predator, yes, but because he is above all a cat. A fucking animal just happens to be a natural predator. It's in his genes. We're not talking about an adult human stalking 16-year-olds to coerce them into sex.

Ps : I'm posting this while I'm quite tired, so maybe some things won't be clear... 😅

[lovelykhaleesiii]

can i request being titus' basement wife, just kinda like soft dark yandere vibes, idk i trust you dawg 🤭🤭

Tough Love [Sequence #1]

HEADCANON

PAIRING: Soft!Yandere!Titus x fem!Reader

WORDS: 834.

WARNING: mentions of kidnapping, dark!Titus, toxic behaviour (possessiveness), reference to stockholm syndrome, power play, dominant!titus, praise kink.

A/N - thank you for this request, my dearest Bel! apologies for getting back to this so so late. hope you enjoy xox

At first, it would be a “tough love” type of situation: you deeply resented Titus for the misfortune he had brought upon you. He had spoiled you of your own independent life, solely for what you could only presume, was to pursue his own personal interests, and you resisted him for that.

On many occasions you tried desperately, despite all odds working against your favour, to escape. Sometimes configuring a plan, although most of the time you would wing the escape.

You were in his territory, however: heavily confined and chained to his will. The chances of succeeding were slim to nothing, and this was proven many times.

Anyone could’ve easily been fooled: despite his well-rounded and meekly approach, he had a darker demeanour about him that you had now known.

"Try that act again with me, and I won't be so lenient next time, Y/N."

He frightened you in those moments, to consider what a man of his strengths could be capable of, considering the strenuous lengths he went to, to have you all to himself.

Although, these moments would be sparred, for in a few short hours later, after Titus had some thought to process, he would return with an apologetic look, expressing his guilt towards you.

You noticed that he had greatly opposed the idea of hurting you: having no intention to harm you purposefully, only wishing for you to favour him, as he did with you.

He wanted to be loved, and you were the apple of his eye.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my sweet thing. You shouldn't have done that. You should not have done that... Look at what you made me do, silly girl."

Whether he was profusely muttering to himself or you: you could not say with certainty.

Although, it showed a completely different, jarring side to him, it had blindsided you. He could and was often a kind and gentle soul. A man who took his time and effort to console you, and yet, step a foot over his line and he would remind you, exactly who was in charge.

Two-sides to the same coin.

The more Titus was around you, the more familiar you became, growing heavily reliant on him, it could potentially have been his efforts to persuade you to love him. Make you believe, he was all that you required, that he could satisfy you and only him.

He in return, grew comfortable as the feelings from your behalf, began to gradually show and reciprocate. Beginning as small mannerisms, a quiet exchange of “thank you” and “please”, or that you would wish him a good night, and return a smile.

He fed you well, always providing meals on a timely manner, with a vase of handpicked flowers. Bathing you, with decadent, alluring scents, clothing you with new, unworn apparel like some spoiled brat. He spoke to you and more so listened to you.

His treatment towards you was more so homily, than hostile. He stripped you of your life, of your identity for a reason, and it was only with time that he opened up.

He wanted to be loved, just like any other sane person, he wanted the mundane spoils of life: a white-picket fenced house and a family to call his very own.

"I wanted that luxury from the moment I saw you. It had to be you."

Many of times you tried desperately to convince yourself that he was merely manipulating you [and who could know, if he truly was], he had a seductive way with his words.

The more he spoke of this domestic, blissful dream with you, the more you seemed to desire it also, envisioning the details in your mind as it warmed your heart like a flame stoking in the fireplace.

Slowly the mutual trust began to blossom: and not before long, you were free from the four, brick walled confinement of the dingy basement, being led up to the breath of fresh air that was a neatly furnished house with contemporary furniture. A home, your new home.

"I did this all for you. This is your home now, Y/N. This is all ours. Everything you’ll ever need, I have given and will give to you."

Not before long, you had settled into a fashionably domestic routine.

Titus greatly enjoyed cooking for you, although when you decided to take the reins, he relished in your eagerness to tend to him.

Whatever the chore being attended to, he would closely watch you, hours on end even. Pleasantly admiring how dutiful you had grown towards him, proof of your loyalty.

He was also deeply in awe of your beauty, and never did a day pass by where he did not mention it to you. Praising you about how angelic and graceful you appeared to him, the way your hair swayed in motion with your body, your figure itself, and that face.

“Now how did I get so lucky finding you, baby? The woman of my dreams.”

TGC-verse Taglist - @chompchompluke @melinskis @connorsui @rhaenattargaryen @sofiyathecunt @fan-goddess @x-prettyboy-x

credit for divider - @/itbmojojoejo

[ihavenothingtodo10220]

can you please do jay from enhypen ideal type?

So, quick disclaimer, I know next to nothing about Enhypen besides their music. I'm getting into them more beyond that, of course, but I'm still trying to learn who's who and trying to feel them out as people. So, this is definitely going to be unbiased, even if my other readings were as well. Also so sorry it took so long to get this out, I convinced myself I could do all the things i wanted to get done at once and stretched myself so thin I had to just stop and do everything one by one like a sane, normal person. It’s also slightly shorter than others may be because his chart is very consistent. His wants, needs, and behaviors are very very consistent. His exact birth time is unknown, though he said it's somewhere between 12pm and 4pm, so we're just going with calculating it as you would with an unknown birth time. Again, the usual disclaimers, this is all for fun, and not confirmed. I can be entirely off, as astrology isn't...An exact art when it comes to these things, but this is just based on astrology. This is not meant to be malicious, and take this with a grain of salt. With all that out of the way, please enjoy!

Taurus Sun

-As a Taurus Male, the signs he'd be most compatible with are Cancer, Capricorn, and Virgo.

Values

Relaxed, Secure, and Stable Because of his generally hardworking nature, he'd most likely be attracted to someone with those traits, but can also be more lax at times. I feel if they're too relaxed they'd definitely get on his nerves, as he'd view them as lazy, but he'd definitely like someone who can be more relaxed and calm, who works hard for the things they want but knows how to back off and calm down. Someone who knows that moderation is the key and shares that trait with him, as that's how Taurus is. Someone too hardworking and is always working may seem too overbearing, though they also may balance him out. On the flip side, someone too lax would just seem plain lazy to him, though again, they may balance him out. He prizes security and stability above all else, and he'd also look for that in partners and relationships in general. He'd want someone more stable and secure, probably someone who knows what they want in life. He'd also want someone who can help him along with his goals. With his Taurus nature, when he works he works hard and when he's not, he's relaxing. He'd definitely need someone who's as relaxed, who can take things slower in life and be mellow with him.

Sensuality, honesty, and down to earth Taurus people definitely prize sensuality in all aspects. They're romantics. He'd want someone who can indulge in the sensual pleasures of food, a comfortable blanket, nice scenery, the smell of flowers or spring rain, calm, romantic, or just generally pleasing music, and so forth. Taurus definitely live through their senses. Stay true to yourself. Be truthful to him. He will appreciate your honesty, which is a trait he really wants in a partner. He's not quick to trust, so any lying....? Immediate ick. Taurus men are very down to earth, and he'd want you to be as well. He wants to be in comfort and warmth when at home, with good food and good company. Just a smile is good enough for him, to have his heart racing. He also isn't into really spontaneous people. He's the type who'd prefer for dates to go over to your place and eat good food, and just enjoy each other's company. Being able to cook would also be a good way to weasel into his heart.

Adaptability, Organization, and practicality Taurus is a very fixed, stubborn sign. Because of that, he'd need someone more adaptable than he is. Someone who can balance him out, and someone who can go along with the plans he makes. Taurus Men also hate disarray and general mess. So, he'd want someone neat and organized. I'm talking down to the spices on your shelves being cleaned and arranged perfectly. Though he'll definitely appreciate the attention to detail. He'd need someone practical, someone who is smart with money and all manners of life in general. You don't need to cut corners, but you need to know when and how to spend your money and not go overboard. He'd also be attracted to you being financially sound.

Boldness, respect, patience So, basically, Taurus men may not ever make the first move. They keep their emotions on the inside, so even if he's into you, he won't really make a move. That's why you have to be bold enough to do so on your own unless you want to wait five years for a confession. You don't have to do something super extravagant. Again, inviting him over to dinner would be super impressive to him. And no need to swarm him with your intensity either, a simple cup of coffee will show him you're into him. He'd want you to respect him and would respect you in turn. Taurus prizes mutual respect, and that's going to be important to him in any relationship. Handle conflict delicately and he'll respond in kind. Taurus are natural leaders and they love to take charge. Guidance and support will work better than confrontation. Taurus men have enough issues with their own temper, much less anyone else's. You also need to take your time in general. Taurus people don't like change and are slow to welcome it. He likes routine and doesn't like change, and if you try to change him, remember, you are angering a BULL! This man's temper is no joke! Try to roll with his flow. If you don't understand something, just ask. He'll gladly include you in his routine if you show that you're trying to understand and share in something that matters to him. He likes planning, too. If you're overcome with an idea, run it by him before you start implementing it. He'll probably be able to bring you back down to Earth and actually get things done. And remember to be patient. Taurus men like to feel out everything, especially things like this. He needs to wrap his mind around the factors at play, and that includes relationships. So with this one, you'll need to put on your patient hat and relax for a bit. Let the relationship grow without pressuring it. If he didn't like you, he wouldn't stick around. This goes for his time, too. Taurus does his routine and he sticks with it. If you interrupt that, he won't be thrilled. If there's something he needs to do, let him do it. Then he'll be all yours when he's finished.

Realistic and Trusting Now, by nature, Taurus are very possessive...It's important to sit down with them and be realistic and communicate with one another properly. And he can definitely be overbearing, so make sure you can tolerate that. If you can handle his bull-headedness, his need for routine, and his need to lead, by all means, go ahead, this could be a relationship that lasts a very, very long time. But if these are factors that you can't see yourself tolerating long-term, try not to get your heart twisted in a bunch. He can make for a good fling, but little else. Sometimes men can get pretty defensive when it comes to their manhood, and Taurus is no different. In fact, he may be the cause of this gender stereotype. His pride and ego dominate a large facet of his nature. If you attack this, he will not be happy. Make sure to allow him to lead you on occasion, he'll love it and love you for it. Along with being aloof and slow to make his move, Taurus can be a bit untrusting. He's very much so of the mantra "If you want something done right, you do it yourself." This leaks into his romantic relationships too, where he's used to doing his own thing. However, over time, if you show him you're trustworthy and responsible, he'll see it makes sense to let his guard down. That's when you know you've won Taurus's heart.

Outward traits

Taurus men appreciate classic beauty. He's not really attracted to glamor and a lot of skin, though he's not repulsed by it, but he's attracted to more elegant, conservative class. So bring out that side, then add in a little bit of spice and your own personality. The key is to make an impact without being excessive. If you want to attract a Taurus man, you must be very true to yourself, strong, and confident in who you are as well as having a more serene vibe. It's important to be who you are, honesty is always the best policy with a Taurus man. If he's not interested, he's not interested. But confidence, serenity, and honesty will make you more desirable in his eyes.

Beyond looks, how someone smells will determine if a Taurus man is attracted to them. Taurus men are into fragrance and are sensuous, so when somebody smells good, it gives them romantic feelings. They love more quiet, outdoorsy, romantic vibes and that extends to the scents they enjoy. A scent that reminds them of those things will definitely draw him in. When someone wears a romantic floral and earthy scent, he's likely to find them irresistible. When someone pleasures his senses, a Taurus man takes notice, but it's not quite that simple to win his heart. His greatest need in life is stability and serenity, and he doesn't deal well with anything overly dramatic. This means somebody who wants to attract a Taurus man will also have to impress him with their cool, calm, controlled, serene, and practical way of life.

These guys like physical contact, so don't be afraid to touch them. A Taurus man likes you to gently put their hand on his arm, touch his cheek, or put your hand in his. He enjoys you softly touching his leg and leaning toward him when sitting next to him. He won't even mind if you take the lead and kiss him at the end of your first date.

Leo Moon

-Based on his moon sign, he'd be more compatible with: Libra Moon, Scorpio Moon, and Pisces Moon. Moon sign compatibility is definitely one of the most important, as it dictates one's emotions. It's who you are in private, and your comfort zone.

Loving, attentive, listener, patient, and admiring Leo moons require mass amounts of love and attention, so he'd need someone who can give him that. Someone loving, affectionate, and attentive towards him. Leo moons like to tell stories, or just basically talk a lot to those they're close to and keep them engaged, and their attention on them. He'd need someone who can listen, and stay engaged, and say the right things at the right times. or ask questions at the right times, stuff like that. He'd need someone patient, as Leo Moons can be very dramatic at times. When they feel slighted, these people can be dramatic in showing it. When their pride has been hurt, they are given to big scenes and sulking. This rarely happens in public, though, Leo moons are far too concerned about their image to make splashy scenes outside the comfort of their own homes. In public, they prefer to take things in dignified ways. At home, however, big displays of emotional drama aren't uncommon. Wherever they are, they can secretly feel they are on stage. He'd need someone with enough patience to put up with this. Leo moons also love feeling admired, so he'd definitely want someone who's admiring by nature.

Emotionally sound, non-impulsive, blunt & realistic Leo moon's are strong and they know how to channel them into constructive channels, they don't easily understand such things as "crimes of passion", impulsive behaviors, or emotional excitability in others. As such, if someone shows these behaviors he'd be very turned off, and it'd be a big ick for him. He may lack firmness, and can be a sucker for a sob story. He likes to live in a dream, in the world of imagination and can hope so much for things that reality checks can be brutal.

Outward Traits

Nothing is more attractive to a Leo Moon than confidence. A Leo Moon will always be attracted to glitz and glamour, and they'll fall hard for a charismatic person who dresses and acts like they're the star of the show. He considers his love to be his 'queen' and the light of his life. He'll be head over heels for a person who is always on point, whether it's their fashion sense, their ability to command a room with their powerful presence, or their unmatchable humor. Leo moons are drawn to stylish and flashy dressers. This sign loves all things chic and dramatic, so the best way to get his attention is to look fabulous. You don’t have to wear expensive brands or completely change your style, but you want to stand out from the crowd.

You need to have good vibes. You need to be someone he can have fun conversations with, and who he will mesh well with on many levels. You also need to be someone he won't feel embarrassed to be around or someone who will paint him in a bad life. Public perception is important to Leos.

Taurus Mercury

-Based on his Taurus Mercury, he's more compatible with people who have Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn mercuries. Mercury determines how people communicate, and communication is very important.

Values

Honestly, when it comes to his Taurus Mercury, it's pretty much the same as his Taurus Sun in terms of wants and needs. The two are similar in the sense that he is faithful to his ideas, unchangeable and quietly opinionated, persistent, and discreet. He likes all the pleasures life can offer. Is careful in speech, deliberate, and intelligent. Learns best through the senses, not through the traditional educational system. He possesses plenty of common sense, and his simplicity makes it easy to get from point A to point B in as few steps as possible. He needs the same things for both, and his Mercury and Sun make it so that how he presents himself outwardly and how he communicates are very much in tune.

Taurus Venus

Values

Sensual, predictable, dependable and intimate Love for him is about the physical world and creature comforts. He prefers love to be shown in ways that can be seen and felt, and concretely known. He prefers sensual surroundings because of this, he likes more intimate settings because those tangibly show love and touch on his more sensory aspects. He projects himself as solid and comfortable. In fact, something about his manner promises he will be a satisfying lover and partner. He needs a certain measure of predictability and dependability in his relationships.

Slow and Steady wins the race and loyalty sets your pace Venus in Taurus people can be possessive in love, and they are threatened by fast-paced, high-energy situations in the context of relationships and love. These are sensual partners who require lots of "hands-on" expressions of love. Again, due to their more sensory aspects. His lovers may complain that he can get a little too comfortable and settled. They indeed resist change in their relationships, but even when they seem stuck in a groove, you can always reassure yourself by remembering that they are constant partners. Pleasing Venus in Taurus involves emphasizing your loyalty, and their worth to you. You may need to give in to them in love matters because they won't readily give in to you. Get physical with them; do comfortable things. Avoid pushing them in love, give them plenty of time. You will probably need patience if you are in a relationship with Venus in Taurus. Remember to be simple and natural. Taurus will appreciate it. Promise them a comfortable, cozy time. Love arrives slowly, without passion but with force.

Novelty, adventurous, and unconventional He may look for new sensations in love and might often feel unsatisfied by connections that quickly turn into purely conventional relationships. He likes novelty, adventure, the eccentricity. He is frivolous, unstable, or inconstant. Marriage is not usually for him and, if he does throw himself into this adventure, it may eventually be considered a youthful mistake. There can be numerous love affairs or off-and-on relationships. There is a tendency to react spontaneously and intensely to others, and there is marked emotional impulsiveness. Perhaps his most successful relationships are unconventional ones. He may delight in defying convention. He has considerable romantic charm and humor. There can be sudden relationship status changes and a marked inner craving for emotional excitement. He is intense in love. Feelings are complicated. There can be brooding. However, he is inclined to embrace, accept, and understand the darker side of his nature.

Gemini Mars

Values

Exciting, thick-skinned, good listener His Gemini Mars makes him more scattered and confused. He's easily bored, and he will need a fresh change of pace frequently just to keep him going. Surprisingly, when there's nothing to do it can exhaust him. But if there are plenty of interesting things on his agenda, he most definitely is a powerhouse. More than most people, he can have a physical reaction to boredom. Besides possessing a passion for words, when he gets angry or fired up, he may use words as his "weapon". Angry words, some of the most incisive and sarcastic ones, can fly around with the more energetic Gemini Mars. Others simply talk things through energetically. Whatever the case may be, Mars in Gemini people need to get everything off their chests when they're fired up. In fact, debates are a Mars in Gemini specialty. He can draw on his sharp wit to win arguments. In general, he can be talkative, sometimes bordering on having verbal diarrhea. Those whose charts show more reserve only become chatty when they're worked up about something or the other. Some people in this position are quite fidgety. They have a lot of nervous energy. In general, his nervousness and restlessness are at the root of plenty of physical ups and downs. When he's on edge, he can be nitpicky. Many Mars in Gemini people channel their energy through their hands. Gemini, after all, rules the hands; and these people often express energy through musical instruments and the like, even video games. Many are attracted to puzzles and games as diversions. These people are very adaptable, often thriving on change. They often take up many projects at once, spreading themselves thin at times. Sustained interest is not especially common with this position of Mars. Most will benefit from attempting to focus their energies rather than scattering them. However, their versatility and disdain for routine generally means Mars in Gemini natives are busy people. He'd definitely need someone who can keep him excited and on his toes, and give him things to do. He'd also need someone more thick-skinned who can keep up with his temper and argumentative nature, as well as listen when he wants to talk things out.

Less relevant placements

Cancer Jupiter He attracts the most good fortune when he is sympathetic and charitable, uses his powers to save and accumulate, and comforts others. He values tradition and works towards security. Relies most on gut instincts when it comes to pursuing goals and business success. He'd definitely need someone who drives him towards doing charity and things of that nature, as well as someone who is a good mix of traditional and unconventional, someone who brings the security he craves. He'd definitely need someone who has their own good instincts, but will also trust his.

Gemini Saturn He may be somewhat self-conscious, avoiding small talk. He may find making lighthearted acquaintances superficial. He can possess a serious mind, sometimes wishing to be more free and breezy. He definitely would want someone free, to balance out his seriousness, but also not so carefree they're annoying to him. He wants someone who can boost his confidence and someone who can form a deep connection with him. He is not always open to others' ideas, especially if they are disorganized or free-thinking. You should watch for rigid thinking and egoism.

Aquarius Uranus & Neptune, Sagittarius Pluto May get over-excited at the start of a task that interests him. At times, his debonair personality can give others a banal impression. He's generous, especially enjoying resolving problems to satisfy everyone. Sexuality and love are idealized with him.

Pisces Black Lilith He may have felt ashamed or off for being needy, compassionate, or wishy-washy, or for his spiritual side, and he can feel uncomfortable or annoyed with people who resist labels, who are not very assertive or ready to take the lead. Denying these very human traits in himself can lead to extreme behaviors. Self-acceptance and integration of these traits in moderation can be empowering.

Gemini North Node He has brilliant ideas and is the first to discover new things. However, he has a tendency to ignore the details and may avoid some responsibilities for fear of becoming too bogged down. Taking on too many activities can keep him from focusing on one or two paths, and this can be to his detriment in the long run. Another thing is he doesn't understand the impact of his words. Speaking his truth should be done mindfully or else it may undermine his growth at times. He'd definitely need someone who can withstand his harsher statements while knowing he truly means no harm, and also reel him back in and voice how they may affect them. A balance should be sought. He can be an excellent teacher and hold far more meaningful and intelligent exchanges with others in so doing. By learning to slow down and take care of business and to live in the present, he is likely to achieve far more happiness and a wonderful sense of inner balance. Qualities to help him develop: clarification, listening skills, and attention to detail.

OVERVIEW

With a Taurus Sun, Jay possesses a grounded and sensual nature. He is someone who seeks stability, loyalty, and reliability in a partner. A person who exudes elegance, grace, and a touch of sensuality would captivate his heart. Their presence is soothing, calming, and brings a sense of security to his life.

The Leo Moon within Jay's chart adds a dash of drama and charisma to his emotional realm. He craves a partner who is confident, radiant, and stands out from the crowd. They possess a magnetic personality that draws people towards yhem effortlessly. Their warm-hearted nature and passion for life ignite sparks of excitement within Jay's soul.

Jay's Taurus Venus reveals his deep appreciation for beauty and sensual pleasures. He yearns for a partner who embodies grace, femininity, and has a strong connection with the physical world. Their touch is gentle, their voice is melodious, and their presence brings comfort and pleasure. They are someone who cherishes the simple joys in life and treasures the bonds of love and intimacy.

With Taurus Mercury, Jay's ideal match possesses excellent communication skills. They express themself with clarity, patience, and a touch of practicality. Jay values a partner who can engage in stimulating conversations, share their thoughts and ideas openly, and provide a calming influence during times of stress.

Jay's Gemini Mars fuels his desire for intellectual stimulation and adventure. His ideal partner is someone who can keep up with his active mind and thirst for knowledge. They are witty, versatile, and embraces change with open arms. Together, they embark on exciting journeys, engaging in spirited debates, and exploring new horizons.

Cancer Jupiter in Jay's chart signifies his deep emotional connection to family and home. He seeks a partner who shares his nurturing instincts, who creates a warm and loving environment. They are compassionate, understanding, and values the importance of emotional bonds. Together, they build a strong foundation of love, support, and shared dreams.

Gemini Saturn indicates Jay's desire for a partner who is intellectually stimulating and possesses a strong sense of responsibility. They are reliable, disciplined, and brings structure to their lives. Their presence encourages Jay to embrace his own responsibilities and achieve his goals.

The combination of Aquarius Uranus and Aquarius Neptune in Jay's chart suggests a yearning for a partner who is unique, independent, and forward-thinking. They are a visionary, unafraid to challenge societal norms, and embraces unconventional ideas. Together, they create a harmonious balance of individuality and shared ideals.

Sagittarius Pluto symbolizes Jay's transformative nature and his search for deep meaning in life. His ideal partner is someone who shares his thirst for knowledge, spiritual growth, and exploration. They are open-minded, philosophical, and provides him with a sense of purpose and direction.

The presence of Pisces Black Lillith signifies Jay's fascination with the mystical and the unknown. His ideal partner has a deep understanding of the spiritual realm and is in touch with her intuitive side. The possess a mysterious allure that draws Jay towards them, igniting a deep soul connection.

Lastly, the Gemini North Node indicates Jay's karmic path towards embracing curiosity, adaptability, and effective communication. His ideal partner supports his personal growth, encourages him to explore new perspectives, and helps him develop his natural gifts.

Jay's ideal type is a person who embodies elegance, confidence, and sensuality. They possess excellent communication skills, nurtures a loving and supportive environment, embraces intellectual stimulation, and shares his thirst for knowledge and spiritual growth. Together, they embark on a transformative journey, exploring the depths of love, passion, and personal evolution.

Jay, with his Taurus Sun, is drawn to earthly beauty in all its forms. His ideal partner possesses a timeless allure that reflects the grace and elegance of a classic masterpiece. They have striking features that are both refined and sensual, leaving an indelible impression on all who lay eyes upon them.

Their eyes, like pools of liquid gold, sparkle with warmth and intelligence. They hold a depth that hints at the mysteries of the universe, drawing Jay closer to unravel their secrets. Whether they are a captivating shade of hazel, a mesmerizing hue of blue, or a captivating dark brown, their eyes are windows to their soul, conveying their emotions with an irresistible charm.

TheirHer luscious locks cascade like silk, framing their face with a touch of ethereal beauty. Whether their hair is flowing in gentle waves, cascading in curls, or styled in a sleek and sophisticated manner, it carries an enchanting allure that Jay finds utterly captivating. Its color, be it a rich chestnut brown, a radiant golden blonde, or an alluring ebony black, enhances their natural radiance, adding to their magnetism.

Jay's ideal partner possesses an alluring smile that lights up the room, reflecting their inner joy and warmth. Their lips, soft and inviting, hold a subtle curve that exudes a sense of playfulness and charm. When they smiles, their eyes twinkle, and their laughter resonates like a melodic symphony, drawing Jay into a world of pure delight.

Their physique is a testament to the harmony between strength and femininity. With a gentle grace, they moves through life, their gestures and postures reflecting a natural confidence and poise. Jay is captivated by the way they carries themself, for her every movement is a graceful dance that leaves him in awe.

Their skin, kissed by the sun, is smooth, radiant, and exudes a natural glow. Whether fair and delicate, with a hint of rosy blush, or possessing a sun-kissed complexion that emanates warmth and vitality, it is a canvas that showcases their inner beauty.

In Jay's eyes, his ideal partner possesses an aura of natural beauty that transcends societal norms. They embrace their uniqueness and is comfortable in their own skin. Their style is an expression of their individuality, a perfect blend of elegance, sophistication, and a touch of whimsy.

While physical beauty is but a fraction of what truly matters, Jay is irresistibly drawn to a partner whose external appearance reflects the captivating depths of their inner being. It is the combination of their alluring eyes, radiant smile, enchanting hair, graceful movements, and the unique harmony of their physical features that ignites a deep and lasting attraction within Jay's soul.

[whumpbby]

Tbh i really hate when ppl act as if Jiang Cheng was "rotten from the start" and never actually cared about Wei Wuxian as a brother. Like, in the latter's case we can see he cares very much but that care is very much mixed in with many negative feelings, it's like when you love someone but they hurt you but you still love them, you want things to go back to the way they were before but they can't and they won't. On the former it's pretty much canon that he was an ok if high strung young man and losing everyone he ever loved in very close proximity to each other is what made him be the way he is today, he's not evil (he'd be hotter if he was) he's just angry and bitter for very valid reasons

I think it takes an extreme case of Protagonist Bias to think that. And not even following the actual protagonist's thought process - just being biased on their account in some sort of a projection. Kids these days got to used to having their bad guys colour-coded.

People are so desperate to cast a villain to the Happy Couple they will grasp at any straw to justify their opinion. They will ignore every piece of text that explains in detail why things are happening and why he's acting the way he is - even to the point of ignoring the protagonist explaining what happened and how. They will literally ignore the protagonist they're wanting to stan just so that they can have their villain. Wei Wuxian needs to be massively nerfed and woobifed for the whole shitshow to start making sense. Literally, a man with no agency! Poor helpless victim! The poorest little baby, no one suffered as he did!:(

Meanwile, Jiang Cheng's biggest sin in the novel?

He's not nice.

That's it. He tried to protect Wei Wuxian from his mother. He did all he could to bring Wei Wuxian home after the war against his best interests. He walked away from Lan Zhan being a dick when he could have easily caused him problems. He only ever fought Wei Wuxian when it was either staged or he was attacked first (in the much brought up ancestral shrine scene that people don't seem to have actually read).

But he's not nice about it. He's not even stoicly stiff like the ever-amazing Lan Wangji (who only ever cared about one thing in his life, and it's the man he wanted to fuck roughly in the bushes-_-).

It was barely a decade from having his whole extended family horrifically murdered, so obviously he should be fine by this point. (We can ignore the main plot of the decade-in the making-revenge-plot, that's not important, that's not a theme at all!) At least he should learn to repress his trauma! Because that ended great for the protagonist, right?:)

You need an intense case of lack of comprehension to miss the fact that, until the very moment of the Core Reveal, every bit of information Jiang Cheng had available to him pointed directly to Wei Wuxian being at fault for the tragedy his life became. The only doubt cast upon that conclusion was the spark of love that he could not kill. JC trusted Wei Wuxian for as long as he could. He trusted him - against a myriad of signs that he maybe shouldn't have - until the man killed his brother in law.

That's where any sane person would stop and reconsider.

And yet he was still willing to be convinced otherwise - until his sister died in his arms.

Like, this is what it took for JC to snap.

If someone says that Jiang Cheng was "rotten from the start" that only tells me they have skipped the whole fourth of the book that tells us in detail why Jiang Cheng wasn't a bad kid and how much he loved his family and Wei Wuxian. It tells me that they are here only for the romance and can't see anything else, certainly not character development (why would they? Wanxian don't develop throughout the story in any impactful way except of "oh, hey, we can be together and not care about anyone else - just like we did it before, but now with fucking included!"). It's like people who don't read books cannot comprehend the fact the author thought about this shit and put it there on purpose. It's not something that just happened to fill the pages between the Romance bits for the word count. That's, like, the actual meat of the story? These people have the critical thought capacity of a fucking tiktoker-_-

The author is telling us: look at these kids that were raised in a broken family and how it affects them as teens and young adults. How it affected their relationships with the people they love and demolished their self-worth. Look how a broken family can leave it's children scarred for life!

The idiots online: one is an innocent angel that never did anything wrong and the other an evil, selfish and hateful brat, got'cha! I am very smart!

-__-