#do people generally enjoy it though? also no

[gay-dorito-dust]

Can I request headcanons for Calcharo, and Jiyan with shy gn s/o?

Jiyan

He doesn’t mind your shyness, not one bit.

He’s not exactly someone who can actively engage in socialising, especially not when most of his time was spent on the frontlines talking about strategies, supplies and coming up with ways in which they would avoid having mass casualties.

So if anything he’s the last person to judge you on your shyness. It would be unfair.

Jiyan is the person you go to for comfort, for advice because he brings you a lot of clarity and certainty unlike any other that you feel as though you could go to him for anything and he would try his best to help you, which is true.

He didn’t mind it when you practically tried to hide yourself behind him whenever there were people talking to him, he just reached a hand behind him in search of your own and holds it reassuringly until the group leaves, where he would then ask if you were okay.

Jiyan would much rather spend time with you in a secluded spot away from everyone, watching the Gulpuffs swim by as you both sat underneath the shade of a trees then be anywhere else if it made you happy.

He’s always preferred moments of peace and quiet after dealing with the chaotic and unpredictable situations he’s use to on the front lines, is sometimes he finds it hard to make his body relax and enjoy life when his eyes were always looking for the next big threat. So being in those moments of peace and quiet with you made jiyan relax easier as he had someone he deeply cared for to share this moment with.

He’d even find it even more peaceful if you were to fall asleep against his side, comfortable with him enough to allow yourself to be in a vulnerable position as he’s left to watch over you as you slept, always guarding you from everything and anything that would do you any harm.

Bonus if he falls asleep soon after, resting his head atop of yours and it acts as a cute moment to look back on with fondness and gratitude that you stayed by his side.

Jiyan worries that might not always be there for you due to his duty as General, he also worries that he might not make it back to you one day, that one day he’ll see you for the last time before going back to the frontlines to face the new threat.

So he makes you promise to plant a flower just for him if that were to ever be the case and you hugged him as tightly as possible in response, muttering that he wouldn’t die, jiyan wordlessly hugged you back equally as tightly, internally wishing that your words held truth to them for the future was always uncertain; now more then ever.

Calcharo (I love this Vergil/sepihroth looking beauty)

Another man who doesn’t care whether you were shy or not.

At first he might’ve intimidated you but after several instances where you were shown that he was far from the stories -or misconceptions as he’d call them- that you’ve heard about him and his group.

He’s a gentle and sweet man when you saw past the perpetually grumpy, brooding air about him.

He’s more or less protective over you and wants to keep you safe from anything and everything, human or not, no one was safe from his wrath if he were to be made aware of you being in any danger.

So Calcharo tries to stay close to you however he can so that he could keep an eye out for shifty characters with ill intentions, he does not tolerate it when people take advantage of people who couldn’t stand up for themself, it was pathetic and cowardly in his eyes and he want about to let you be their next target.

He’s a man of few words but that’s because he mainly lets his actions do most of the talking. So if he saw there was something you’d like but couldn’t find the voice to speak about it, he would silently stalk away and come back to present you with the thing you wanted in hand.

Calcharo could read you like a book and knew what you wanted and needed by a few simple bodily gestures. He wanted you to feel comfortable with him and he knew that takes time because he too took time to get accustomed to having someone in his life.

‘Do- do you ever get tired of me?’ You asked one day and Calcharo could tell it took all the willpower you had just to come up to him and say it.

‘What do you mean by that dearest?’ He said as he watched as you internally fight to get the words out and growing frustrated with yourself when you went to open your mouth, only for nothing but silence to come out.

‘Take your time.’ He calmly reminds you and you took a deep breath.

‘It’s just- I know I’m shy and struggle with doing things on my own such as order a meal or making doctors appointments, but I can’t help but think that maybe you’re getting tired of me for not doing things on my own.’ You admitted to him, finally getting the weight off of your chest as you stared at the brooding man in front of you, worried about what he might say.

‘I do not grow tired of you, I don’t think It’s right of me to grow tired of you when all you’ve ever been doing is trying your best.’ Calcharo replied as he stood in front of you and slowly reach for your hand and caresses the back of it with his thumb. ‘Your shyness is far from an issue for me and you shouldn’t have to be expected to be perfect at everything just to keep a partner or a friend.’ He squeezes your hand reassuringly. ‘So no, I do not grow tired of you.’

Calcharo couldn’t care less if you were shy or not, you were his partner and he cared for you immensely, which to him should be enough proof.

He may not be the best lover but for you, he tries.

[clitorises]

Any advice on finding and going to kink events?? I’d love to go out to one if I get the courage hehe but I’m not sure where to start or what the etiquette tends to be or whatever

Yes!!! I was more confident about giving advice about this pre-covid. So first and foremost, be safe, your health and the health of others is more important than social gatherings. I have my own comfort levels (I haven’t been to a bar or club since pre covid and don’t see myself doing that anytime soon, for example, and anywhere I’m going to be indoors around people who haven’t tested I wear a mask, typically an N95) and so like… that has put a bit of a damper on my kink social life. What was I talking about.

OKAY. Right. Kink events. Honestly, most of the advice I have to give isn’t, you know, revolutionary or genius. My strategies have been “make friends in the city I move to and ask them where is cool” and “look online.” I only recently started using fetlife to browse for events, it seems alright, but I haven’t found anything there I hadn’t already heard about through word of mouth. Alternatively, you can search-engine-of-your-choice “BDSM dungeon [your city]” and look for an events page.

With pride coming up, you’re likely to see vendors and groups out and about. Go up to them and ask them questions! People who are advertising what their thing is are going to be thrilled to talk to you. A lot of clubs and dungeons have socials and munches (vanilla events that take place offsite where you can just get to know people) and the great thing about BDSM people is that they are educated on consent and negotiation—the etiquette of an event like that will be clearly laid out.

Listen though, for real? If you want to meet kinksters and you don’t know how, fetlife seems sketchy and dating apps are annoying and all your tumblr mutuals live on the other side of the globe and pride events aren’t really your thing? Go to your local game store and join a dnd group. I am being one thousand percent serious. The venn diagram of tabletop nerds and people who are into kink is very nearly a circle. The difference with that, of course, is that it’s impolite to waltz right in and ask right out of the gate “who here is into sexual domination?????” but if you also enjoy geeky hobbies and will have fun even if you don’t happen to stumble upon a fellow pervert… then I recommend giving it a try. My closest friends in kink I initially met through tabletop.

This is getting long BUT you asked about general etiquette and what to expect so I’ll give you a quick rundown. In my experience, there are three types of kink events: formal play parties, casual play parties, and munches. A formal play party would take place at a dungeon or club (sometimes private residences but that’s less common), somewhere with designated hard points, gear you can use, and dungeon monitors making sure everything runs smoothly. Typically, anything particularly dangerous (blood play, breathplay, etc) will be completely disallowed. You can watch other people doing scenes, or approach people and ask if they’d be interested in doing a scene with you. Casual play parties are just sex parties at somebody’s house, typically much smaller, and something you’d only be invited to if you knew the person who owned the place or a friend of theirs. You’d typically be expected to bring your own gear. And lastly, munches are vanilla events out in public where no play takes place, you just have drinks and food and get to know people!

I hope this is anything close to the answer you were looking for 🖤

[dailyadventureprompts]

Adventure: The Siege of Frostmanse

A hero takes up arms against a powerful frost giant mage, threatening to destabilize the realm and forcing the party, their allies, and the powers that be to start choosing sides.

For generations Ylnriig the Argent has provided council and arcane insight to kings, jarls, and champions alike, seeking to maintain some measure of calm across the rugged land and icy seas that neighbour her home. Songs are sung about the great wonders she has performed, but also the great prices she has exacted in the name of keeping the peace: Plagues halted by burying villages in ice, destined dooms averted by the noble sacrifice of innocents.

Songs are also sung about Rothger Redsail, and his Redsail raiders. Brave beyond recounting, this living legend and his viking crew are said to have toppled foreign thrones, drunk mead with stormgods, and even sailed over the edge of the world. Now Rothger is back in his homeland and he has no qualms about what his next voyage is to be: He aims to sail against the giant and topple Ylnriig's head from her shoulders, so that the people might never pay her terrible price ever again.

Setup: This scenario works best if the party has a good impression of both Ylnriig and Rothger early on. Trophies from the Redsail's travels hanging in the tavern, local monuments to where Ylnriig averted some disaster through magical might or cleverness. Have the markets flooded with wonders offloaded from Rothger's latest viking expedition, while the town fountain runs with healing waters after being blessed by the giant's own hand. Neither side of this conflict is strictly in the wrong, and both give much to the world simply by their existence.

Everything changes when Rothger sails back into harbour and starts laying the groundwork for his attack on Ylnriig's home, securing supplies and new recruits for the Redsail Raiders, hobnobbing with the local power players to ensure they support his actions. Initially he'll keep the goal of his next expedition secret, boasting to the masses only that his next mission will deliver them into a time of prosperity and opportunity that neither they or their direct forebears could imagine.

Adventure Hooks

Facing some great challenge, the party might be sent to petition Ylnriig for aid, being forced to make the trip to Frostmanse, her isolated sanctum nestled among the far fjords. The ice giant may seem to give them the cold shoulder, sending them off on some wizardly errand as payment for her involvement, but after some time enjoying her hospitality the party may come to know Ylnriig as the deeply caring scholar that hides beneath her shrewd and utilitarian exterior.

Early on, the party might be tempted to join the Redsail Raiders. Doing so would greatly boost their credibility, and give them backing and direction that they'd normally miss out on as independent sellswords. Doing so will likely require that they prove themselves to the hardened sailors of Rothger's warband , but that's what apprentice level adventurers do isn't it?

Eventually a secret long buried will come to light: More than a score of years ago Rothger and Ylnriig used to be lovers, their relationship as passionate and tempestuous as where volcanic flow meets glacial ice. Rothger was off on one of his grand adventures when plague broke out in his home village, a plague that could only be staunched through drastic magical intervention. Ylnriig ran the numbers, and make an awful but nessisary choice that saved tens of thousands while dooming Rothger's family and clan to a cold and awful death.

Though Rothger's animosity towards Ylnriig is genuine, his actions are being backed by a coalition of powerplayers throughout the region who consider the Wizard's continued meddling an impediment to their ambitions. If he succeeds, they'll be able to enact schemes and settle scores that've stayed idle for generations. If he fails, they'll have a martyr to rally support around, as they make a second attempt to oust the giant.

Artsouce

[redxx95]

How Cherry Magic avoids romanticising self-sacrifice

Alright strap in boys, this is gonna be a long one.

Spoilers for the manga (mostly the english volumes but I will include a bit from vol 12. I'll mark it tho so yall may skip it if you don't want to be spoilered).

So in this one I want to examine how cherry magic does a great job at portraying self-sacrifice in a relationship as an actual flaw rather than a romantic ideal to aspire to. Very often you'll see characters in media putting their own needs aside for their lover. A lot of people will swoon at that because it is usually presented as proof of how dedicated they are to their partner and their wellbeing. (See... well the thai adaptation actually).

But what has pleasantly surprised me is how Toyota handles this in her manga.

Starting from the beginning, we all know the millions of things Kurosawa did for Adachi to get closer to him. After all, that is what's usually expected of him if we talk traditional gender roles. But one of the reasons Adachi even starts falling for Kurosawa is because of how he was for once able to do something for him.

For someone with very low self-esteem, being able to help this super-capable perfect man is a big boost in confidence and also raises his own selfworth.

So now let's look at a few instances of selfless action and the consequences resulting from them.

First one is the disaster-date in volume 4

Kurosawa does his very best to choose activities that he thinks Adachi will enjoy. That is his primary concern.

The effect this has on Adachi though is that the gap between them feels impossibly wide, only worsening his already low opinion of himself.

Whenever Kurosawa does something big, it makes Adachi feel that much smaller. That's why he'd rather them be equals in everything instead of one giving more than the other.

Next is the argument they have in volume 8

Kurosawa attempts to, very selflessly, protect Adachi from his lowkey homophobic parents. He doesn't want them and their opinions to hurt Adachi personally, so he ends up lying to him to keep the peace. The effect this has on Adachi though is disastrous. At first he's just generally worried about why Kurosawa would even lie to him in the first place, but then they have that fight in their living room and you really get a good look at how negatively this affects Adachi.

The very first conclusion he jumps to is that he's not doing good enough for Kurosawa to feel secure with him.

The next one is even worse, where he thinks he's not good enough in general. Both of these show how when pressed, he will default to blaming himself, believing that he is the problem first and foremost.

And then, if all of that wasn't bad enough, this happens next:

He's actually being self-deprecating again, something he hadn't done ever since Kurosawa told him not to in volume 5. And yes you can actually go back and check for yourself. Whenever he has negative thoughts after this point he's always pushing back.

So there's an escalation happening here, one that is entirely caused by Kurosawa not sharing his burdens with him, by making their relationship unequal.

I think it also hurts him extra bad because they've had this argument before, just with their roles switched.

So to him it must feel like Kurosawa is betraying the important lesson Adachi learned from that argument, which is that communicating with your partner is important, even when you feel like it might hurt them.

There's also something to be said about how most people would've probably stopped prodding when someone says "it's something I can't tell you", but Adachi knows that Kurosawa has a pattern of hiding his issues from him thanks to the mind reading, which is the whole reason they had that argument in vol 6 in the first place.

So, to summarize: Whenever Kurosawa acts selfless it takes a toll on Adachi's mental health. Because of his low self-esteem he needs to feel on equal terms with Kurosawa to be able to see himself as worthwhile. (And obviously he also loves Kurosawa and doesn't want to see him in pain just in general.)

So after all that, surely Kurosawa would have learned his lesson, right? Surely he wouldn't just do it again, right?

... Spoilers for volume 12 start here ✨

So volume 12 is all about Kurosawa overworking himself because he's been assigned this big project by their chief to oversee their company's spot at a stationery convention. (I didn't look up whether or not that's a real thing but it is in the manga universe I guess lmao.)

Adachi tries to help alleviate his burdens with mixed success.

(On the left he feeds Kurosawa because he needs to finish his work and doesn't have time to eat. On the right he tries to take a phonecall for Kurosawa but gets told that Kurosawa needs to hear it personally so relaying a message won't do.)

Then Adachi muses to himself how Kurosawa was always helping him out in the past and how Adachi can't do anything for him in return, especially since they're in different departments. He feels very useless, which is once again bad for his mental health.

Later at home, he offers to at least take over the chores for the time being, but gets told that Kurosawa actually enjoys doing chores so there's no need for him to help.

Kurosawa tells him that all he needs is Adachi to be close to him, while making out with him on the sofa. And right here we see how he only got half the lesson he was supposed to have learned in volume 8: In their fight Adachi told him that they should both be happy and he should share "all the hurt" with him, too. Well, the simple solution to that is not to see all his burdens as burdens, then he's not hurting and Adachi doesn't need to bother fussing over him! Win-win. Epic mind gymnastics 😎 (To be honest, I feel like this is actually very relatable to people that tend to give more than they take. We get so used to the weight of the burden that we don't notice it slowly pulling us down.)

So Adachi obviously notices what's going on and berates him about not having understood anything he said from that fight.

Throughout the volume Kurosawa gets more and more overworked, makes mistakes and is confronted with unexpected complications. He's very adamant about not asking anyone for help though, stating that he "can't be bothering his senpais any more than he already has" and that he's "doing this all for the sake of his future with Adachi".

He also still has some hangups about people seeing him as just a pretty face, as you can see in that flashback in the second page. He constantly feels the need to prove himself to others, which prevents him from ever seeking out help.

So when he inevitably reaches his limit, Adachi is finally able to be there for him, being the only one that sees through his facade.

(That hand kiss is so precious 😭)

Also, on that first page Adachi asks him whether or not he's fine, which reminds me of this panel from volume 6:

He really knows him so well.

Emboldened by his husband, Kurosawa finally does ask for help and is, of course, met with understanding and sympathy.

.

Spoilers for volume 12 end here ✨

So all this to say: Sometimes, when we try our best to be selfless and to protect the people close to us, we do more harm than good. Sometimes we cause harm to others (see volumes 4 and 8) and sometimes we cause harm to ourselves (see volume 12). It is of course a noble cause but it's not something to strive for at all times and can sometimes be actually counterproductive to what we wanted to achieve in the first place.

As someone who breaks themselves apart to help all the people around them, this aspect of the manga resonated very strongly with me and is probably the biggest reason I got so obsessed with this silly little BL romcom.

I know that this manga is not like, the best in quality. I know it's super niche and silly and cannot compare to the big popular mainstream manga with lots of depth and thought put into it, BUT.

A piece of art doesn't need to be "good" in order to resonate with people. You don't need to paint the mona lisa to reach someone and make them feel seen. You just need some sort of medium and a will to communicate something to the observer. (Something an AI could never replicate but that is a whole other discussion.)

This manga reached me when I needed it and it communicated a message that resonated with me and that is all it needed to do for me to love it to the point of obsession. 💖

Finally I'm done with this essay it is so long oh my god. If you reached the end of this, I'm so sorry. I hope you enjoyed it tho.

[silverthehedgehoganalysis]

A 14 point outline of Silver’s character in the games and Sonic Channel

Rude punk(yes, he is very rude and in Japanese he speaks with punk mannerisms) with a good heart and strong sense of justice. 

Kind-hearted altruist that wants to “protect smiles” and make people happy because he grew up in a world where everyone lived in despair.

Taurus that is direct and blunt, he hides almost nothing and is straightforward in his actions and thinking. His words and actions are also dominated by his feelings and he is so honest that he cannot lie(though he can change the subject).

Pure person with an “honest, unpretentious and kind demeanor”. His genuineness endears people to him and makes them want to support him(this is why Blaze likes him, he’s the opposite of the stuck up lying politicians she has to deal with). He is forthright in every sense of the word.

Determind optimist that believes there’s always hope as long as you don’t give up(quote from JP Forces). He has positive energy that inspires people and gives hope to others during both disasters and personal issues like performance anxiety.

Talented and skilled, almost hyper competent professional(He takes offense to being treated like an amateur) that uses his (thinking) mind to solve problems(He does this in all of his major game roles). He makes steady efforts to improve his abilities and can skillfully do many things from odd job Town Missions around Soleanna to being a “genius” skating coach. He is sharp and perceptive enough to solve mysteries, puzzles and see through Eggman’s plans. His naivete makes him low wisdom but not low intellect.

Pragmatist with a cut straight to the point mentality that doesn’t care about details like plan names(Sonic Forces). He is very focused on his current goals(even during sports, he says he likes the Jade Wisp because it lets him disappear and focus on racing), is ruthless in what he’s willing to do to save the future and takes his mission as seriously as Blaze takes her’s.

When not on missions however, Silver is a fun loving young person that goes on journeys by himself, enjoys sightseeing, has a mischievous side and engages in cheerful activities. He truly loves the world and enjoys making people smile. He will drop his mission to help those in need. He is also a good friend and often shown to like apples.

Abrasive, snide and sarcastic. He is blunt with others and snotty towards opposition.

Proud warrior that fought and struggled for half his life(so since he was a small child). This means that he’s a natural fighter, has aggressive body language and intense expressions(even when playing sports or just doing anything he’s focused on), enjoys fighting, can “call forth great power without mercy”(i.e kill people), has an instant fight response when surprised(Sonic Generations), can endure great pain(undeterred by being kicked in the head in 06 or shred across the street in Generations), recklessly faces danger, values bravery and dislikes cowardice(Sonic Rivals, Team Vector Interview) and is overall rough and tough(he’s not frail because he’s a psychic, he is athletic and has evenly physically brawled Shadow, Sonic and Knuckles. He's just slow for a hedgehog).

Easily angered, aggressive and headstrong(like Blaze), He is competitive and doesn’t take slights lying down.

Juvenile, outgoing and emotionally immature/unfiltered(opposite of Blaze), can be reckless and rash/quick to rush or take things too head on because of the strength of his feelings, so he benefits from having stoic composed partners(Blaze/Espio/Shadow) to pull him back.

Can get riled up. When he’s into something he gives it his all (I’m giving this every thing I’ve got!). When fired up, his unfiltered feelings can sometimes cause him to get a bit carried away in the heat of a moment(Olympic Games victory animations) or be a bit dramatic(Olympic Games loss animations). He is brash and passionate and wild. He can get indignant, be impatient and vicious towards things that get in his way but that all stems from a his sheer love for the world, feels anger and joy loudly.

Can also be quiet and introspective. He is contemplative, sentimental and appreciates little things. He is left breathless and at peace when seeing blue skies, beautiful environments or people living prosperously. He doesn’t say anything when something is on his mind, silently ponders his doubts and concerns, and serenely enjoys wonders of the world(“Isn’t that impressive?”, he says of the legend of Revival Bridge), feels sadness and contemplation quietly

It should also be noted that Silver is an AB blood type character which in Japanese culture denotes being aloof, dual natured and hard to pin down. Hence Silver being difficult to understand for many people.

[christian-oc-tournament]

Please vote based on the picture AND the description!

Gerdie [Far from home @gadzooksgalore]

Gerdie is a character from my work-in-progress story "Far From Home," which I’m hoping to publish as a trilogy someday (Lord willing)! Gerdie is an alien in his late 20's who works as an intergalactic merchant alongside his coworker and spaceship captain, Baz. He fills the role of a mechanic/engineer on the ship, though he shares more generic duties with Baz as well. Gerdie is gentlemanly, well-spoken, and a comforting presence. He tends to be patient and understanding, and often acts as a peacekeeper or mediator when things get hairy, but he's prone to worry (and be vocal about it) in uncertain situations. His species is most known for the feathery crests on their heads, which rise and fall based on emotion, much like a cockatoo. Gerdie is very much an uncle figure and just wants the best for the people he cares about. He loves coffee and can't start his day without it!

Ferir [8 men @starrystories2]

Ferir is the niece of lady Swyno and Tad's cousin. After the death of her mother and the disappearance of her older sister, Ferir is the next matron of house Traim. However, with the power her aunt possesses, no one would even consider ending Lady Swyno's regent rule of the house. Not even Ferir stands up to her aunt in this matter although she has recently come of age. Since her sister's disappearance, Lady Swyno has used the life of Ferir's mentally ill father as leverage against her. Since thenm Feir has been forced to inact her aunt's dirtest and most secret plots against her will. This has sigificantly damaged her as a person. She is solem and pesimistic, but tries to find little ways to bear her existance. She enjoys painting, or sketching and also feeds the crows she comes across.

[heavenlymorals]

Some artists that I think Arthur would really like cuz I'm kinda bored(aka, an excuse to show art history):

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925):

John Singer Sargent is an icon and his composition is legendary. He wasn't that focused on very intense detail as he was with form and it's amazing what he was able to do. Eye catching, yet unrendered. Realistic, yet simplistic. Though he paintings were phenomenal, I think Arthur would enjoy his charcoal portraits the most, though. They are so beautiful and I feel like Arthur would be fascinated by how Sargent was able to use tones to give the allusion of detail rather than actually drawing out the detail. I think Arthur would adore how Sargent made them feel so real with how simplistic the composition is.

Thomas Moran (1837-1926):

Thomas Moran is a landscape artist whose main muse was the vast American frontier. His most famous paintings are that of Yellowstone National Park and the gorgeous Grand Canyon. His oil paintings are colorful and vibrant and have so much emotion to them. Given that Arthur is often outdoors and is super connected to nature, he'd probably really enjoy Moran's oil paintings of higher elevation like canyons and mountains.

Alexandre Cabanel (1823-1889):

Alexandre Cabanel is a portrait artist who created some of the most iconic oil paintings to have ever graced our eyes. His academic style of painting focused a lot on detail and precise rendering, unlike Sargent. Given the general gloominess and the melodrama of his oil paintings, I feel like Arthur would really like the figures that Cabanel painted, especially considering how emotional they are. Arthur, being emotionally repressed, might connect even more with them because of it. Cabanel was a damn genius.

Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1825):

I know some of y'all are like "what the hell is Civil War hero and US President Ulysses S. Grant doing on this list?" Well, cuz he was a pretty dope artist too. In the few drawings we have from him, his main medium seems to be watercolor and his watercolor drawings are really unique. They focused more on composition than detail and they remind me so much of Arthur's own drawings, except they are in watercolor rather than lead or charcoal. I think Arthur might also enjoy how personal they all feel and how simplistic.

Winslow Homer (1836-1910):

Homer was an impressionist painter whose main muse was the everyday man and woman. His oil paintings are vibrant and full of life as they depict the everyday life of workers rather than people of leisure. Unrendered strokes from the brush put so much personality into the paintings and even life. Beautiful and bright paintings, all of them, but I feel like Arthur would connect most with the ones that depict land rather than the ones that depict water.

[nekohime19]

Mini Mac # 11 : lil guy meet the sworn brothers

Now the brotherhood understand everything a lot better! Mini Mac has been introduced!

Spring was in full swing, the breeze carried the airy scent of blooming flowers and the sky oscillated between clear and cloudy. Macaque was sitting just outside of the waterfall, enjoying the warmth of the declining day while it lasted. He wasn't daring enough to go, alone, in the lush forests of Flower Fruit Mountain. But since he managed to befriend most of the monkey cubs, he felt more at ease, less threatened. As such, sometimes, he sat just outside of the water-curtain cave, on the rocks that led to the waterfall. He was fond of the rock's freshness and liked to look at the clear water rippling. He also enjoyed the sky. Dusk and midnight were his favorite times to sit outside, he found beauty in those fleeting moments of peace. Sometimes, he would also accompany Sun Wukong and delve deeper on the mountain. The golden-furred monkey liked to show him his favorite spots to nap and his prefered peach trees. Macaque would sit on his shoulder and let himself be taken, enjoying the free ride.

Macaque looked up, admiring the last rays of light, before rising and stretching himself. He turned around when he heard a rustling coming from the forest before him. He was on guard for a second before huffing after recognizing the sound of the step. Sun Wukong came out of the forest, his face brightening when he caught sight of him.

“Hey, Mac!” Greeted the sage as he walked towards the lil guy and crouched before him. “How was your day?”

“Fine.” Shrugged Macaque “Weren't you supposed to head towards one of those fests with your sworn brothers?”

“Yeaaah, about that.” Nervously chuckled the sage, he averted his eyes and mumbled : “Usually we don't have those fests here… but our usual spot was trashed and I kinda, maybe, invited them?”

“Why are you so nervous about it?” Asked Macaque with a raised eyebrow.

“I know you think we're too loud.” Muttered Sun Wukong with flushed cheeks.

“It's your mountain, Wukong. You do whatever. I'll just be in the mansion.” Replied Macaque, even if he did dislike their loudness, he wasn't going to forbid the brotherhood’s entry on Flower Fruit Mountain because of his sensitivity. Sun Wukong was the King of this place, he was the one to decide this sort of matter.

“Hey, you wanna join us?” Proposed Sun Wukong the second he saw Macaque turn around to regain the water-curtain cave.

“I'm not one of your sworn brothers though?”

“It's fine! They're not gonna mind!” Quickly replied the sage with a blinding smile, already excited at the prospect of having Macaque beside him in a fest. Macaque was on the verge of refusing, he didn't like people in general, especially giants, but he stopped himself once he saw how excited Wukong was. The black-furred monkey sighed and awkwardly scratched his neck.

“I'm not… staying the whole night. And set the table near the cave.”

“Of course! Of course!” Giggled Wukong with a thrashing tail, he took one of his hair and blew on it to create a table, he then placed it a few meters away from the waterfall, in a nearby meadow. Macaque followed him and climbed the table as Wukong was bringing wine, chairs and different kinds of fruits. Wukong eyed him as he sat on the table, leaning on the back of his chair with a foolish smile.

“What?” Asked Macaque with a raised eyebrow.

“Nothing, nothing.” Chuckled the sage. “I'm just… glad we're friends.” Macaque huffed, faking discontentment, the wind ruffled his hair for his dishonesty and he swatted it away with his hand. He was glad too, even if he could never fully admit it. Mayhaps one day he would. Sun Wukong chuckled at his behavior and created a silk napkin with one of his hair for him to sit on.

The brotherhood arrived shortly after, Macaque recognized them easily, their voices already familiar with how much the wind carried their conversations. Sun Wukong greeted them with bear hugs and laughter.

“Guys, I brought the… person I talked to you about!” Excitedly chirped Wukong, he went behind Macaque and gestured at him as if he was some sort of grand treasure. “This is the Six-eared Macaque!”

They had various reactions to his presence. The lion eyed him up and down as if he had trouble believing what he was seeing, the bull was chuckling as if he just realized a long time joke, the bird was scowling at the golden-furred monkey and the elephant looked like he was hit by a sudden epiphany.

“Well that explains a few things, I'm Azure Lion, a pleasure to meet you.” Chuckled the blue-furred lion as he sat around the table.

“Hm… You can call me Macaque.” Awkwardly replied the lil guy as he nodded at the lion. The rest of the brotherhood greeted him with various levels of inquiry. They began pouring themselves glasses and took various fruits and dishes. Sun Wukong conjured a thimble with one of his hair and poured some wine for Macaque before filling his own glass.

“I never thought I would see you pouring someone glass in my life.” Snorted the golden-winged Peng with a little smirk. Wukong looked up at him with narrowed eyes while Macaque raised an eyebrow (after all, Sun Wukong always served him).

“Really? You always serve my glass or cut my fruits though.” Pointed out Macaque as he took a sip out of his thimble.

“Oh you do now, Wukong? You usually only think of yourself.” Peng smirked as he leaned over the table.

“You paint me as if I'm a selfish prick.” Huffed the sage as he took a gulp of his own glass.

“I wouldn't say selfish prick but you do have a tendency to focus on yourself, brother.” Teased the lion with a smirk of his own.

“And you usually wave your glass around enough to spill half of it on the table.” Added Bull King with a mischievous glint in his eyes, Yellow-Tusk only shook his head, amused.

“I don't always do that.” Nervously chuckled the King as he glanced at the lil guy.

“You know I have six ears, right? I do hear what you're like when I'm not here.” Snorted the Macaque as he settled more comfortably on his napkin. Sun Wukong hid a little behind his glass as the others barked a laugh.

“So Macaque, from what we heard you lived in the mansion before Wukong?” Asked Yellow-Tusk with a tilted head.

“Yeah, I was in the mansion long before Wukong.” He exaggerated a little, but the wine was pleasant and the buzz loosened his tongue.

“And the beginning of your relationship was tumultuous I guess.” Chuckled the lion.

“A little.” Admitted the macaque with a nervous chuckle. “But he's my friend now.” He ended, a bit more firmly, Wukong's tail thumped against his own chair at those words. Macaque didn't react much, he was already used to his thumping. The brotherhood raised their eyebrows and snorted at their littlest brother's reaction.

“So did Wukong tell you about all his adventures?” Asked Peng with a smirk.

“Sometimes.” Shrugged Macaque, he turned towards the fruits for a second but brushed aside the idea, he was feeling too lazy to cut them into fitting pieces for him. Sun Wukong noticed his glance, he took one of the mangoes and cut some pieces for him. Macaque thanked him for this and ate happily, tail swaying in joy. When he looked up he found Wukong watching him with a beaming smile.

“Did he tell you about the time he was stuck with pink fur for three days because of an argument with a spirit?” Chirped Peng. Sun Wukong strangled himself with his wine and glared at the bird.

“Oh no, I never heard of this, do tell.” Snickered Macaque as he leaned forward, Sun Wukong hid himself in his hands in embarrassment.

All in all, Macaque thought that it was a rather fun night.

+cut scenes

SWK *with the brotherhood* : 😈🤩😛

SWK *with Macaque* : 😇😆🤗

Brotherhood inner thoughts when they saw Macaque :

Azure : Suddenly a lot of things makes sense 😌

Peng *look at Wukong* : Oh I'm gonna embarrass this man so much 😈

Yellow-Tusk : I didn't know such little macaque existed 🤔

DBK : I have to be careful to not accidentally crush him 😑

SWK *once Macaque left the fest* : I can't believe you guys said all that stuff! 😣

Peng : It's our duty as brothers 😌

Wind : sooo, how did the fest go? You said you didn't like the brotherhood much before. 🤔

Macaque : I still think their plan is idiotic but they do have interesting stories 😌

Wind : Ohhh, spill! 😏

*the Wind and Macaque then gossiped about SWK silly antics for the rest of the night.*

SWK and Macaque during one of their outing :

Macaque : Hey it doesn't bother you if I sit on your shoulder? You walk too fast. 😑

SWK : yeah, sure! 😃

SWK inner thoughts : ahjdhnklzl, he's on my shoulder!!!! 😆

[valley-of-headcanons]

If you're okay with elliott, could you possibly write some hcs for him?

general elliott headcanons

elliott's dramatic flare deserves to be accompanied by some headcanons <3

warnings: sibling death, mention of bad parents :/

requested by: anon! hi, so sorry this took so long! hiatus, yada yada. i've never really written for elliot before, so pardon the inaccuracies, but thank you so much for the request! :) keep in mind, these are my personal headcanons so especially when we get into family stuff, it comes from my empty lil brain 💀

• Elliott's music taste is on the softer and orchestral side. More often than not, he's listening to soft piano or classical music. Of course, he also finds music that is essentially poetry his favorite. He listens to a lot of Hozier and music similar, and his favorite songs include Like Real People Do by Hozier, Goddess by Laufey, and I Hate It Here by Taylor Swift.

• Elliott's love language is obviously words of affirmation, giving and receiving. The words flow out of him like a waterfall, and he loves to make his partner feel loved with them. However, if the roles are reversed, and he's given affirmation? Oh, I see he's fainted. He might honestly pass out from how much his heart is beating, it seems as though the quotes from his favorite novels have come true. How sweet.

• The reason Elliott enjoys the beach so much is due to his family's vacations with each other. Specifically, his sister. They had so much fun together, playing in the sand and running away from the sharks at the beach. When she passed, he became entrapped in solitude. His only way out was through the books on his shelf. He was set on writing something in his sister's memory, it would be his life's work. Even though he's fallen out with his parents, he still holds his sister's memory dear to his heart. He's not on speaking terms with his parents.

• Elliott doesn't write poetry as work. He writes it to get out emotions and just in his free time. He has to keep this distinction so he can deal with his emotions properly! Once the book is full enough, though, he will end up editing it and publishing it. However, he will never write poetry for the purpose of publishing it. He needs to get away from the stresses of writing his novel somehow.

• His cabin is less than desired. When he moved to Pelican Town, he had absolutely no money, but he had a dream! Lewis struck a deal with him, allowing him to fix up the cabin on the beach if Willy was okay with it. Of course, he had no problem, and Elliott fixed up the cabin as best he could! But ... Elliott is not an architect in the slightest, so there are a lot of problems with his house. In his eyes, it's temporary anyway, so he doesn't bother fixing up the musty thing anymore than it has to.

• His main goal in life isn't to be a best selling author, or a world renowned poet. He wants a life that's poetic and well-loved. It doesn't matter where he is, all that matters is that with someone he's deeply enamoured with. He wants to think back on his life and feel inspired by it. He wants others to be inspired by his life. He wants the cycle of art to outlive him in a way that transcends time. He is an artist, after all.

[venusmage]

Commission/Life update for 2024

Just want everyone to know I AM okay now and life has gotten better recently. However the past year and a half have been extremely difficult and I'm only now getting back on my feet. I generally don't like sharing life details publicly, but as a freelancer with clients that have been waiting for a while I feel like transparency is key.

If you don't want an explanation for the delays and just want to know my completion timeline, that's totally okay. Here is all the info up front. I'm going to continue updating my commission queue as usual and will not be accepting any more orders until ALL of the queue is completed. I'm working on finishing the half and full bodies first since they've been the longest waiting in queue. Then the rest. I don't have a set date in mind for when they'll be all done for good but the goal is by the end of the year. I think that's more than doable for me now. If you're a client of mine and have questions/concerns, please message me either here or on Discord and I'll do my best to help you. My username on discord is the same as my Tumblr username. Twitter and Ko-Fi are also options but I don't check them as frequently. I usually work Monday-Thursday so that will be the best time to shoot me a message or expect an update to the queue.

Information on what's been going on is below.

CW for mentions of death, financial hardship and homophobia.

As a few of you might remember, in 2019 I was disowned by my mother for being a lesbian. I made the choice to go no-contact. Since then, up until LAST YEAR, she's routinely harassed me or had other family harass me, stalked me on social media, tried to get to me through the website I take commission orders, and threatened me multiple times. I was forced to move across the country both because I felt unsafe and because my partner had family elsewhere that were more accepting. I've had to change my phone number twice.

It's been extremely difficult both financially and mentally to keep my head above water. In 2021 my grandfather died and I still haven't felt like I've been able to properly grieve. I wasn't able to see him due to her and I wasn't invited to his funeral. We were very close and he meant the world to me. In 2023 my grandmother passed away very suddenly as well, and my mother used it as an excuse to harass me over ko-fi/my professional email. It was such a horrific experience that I fell into a months long spiral that I only just now feel like I'm climbing out of. This is when commissions first stalled. I was also starting to get overwhelmed, as I had to take on more work than I could realistically handle in order to pay bills and rent. That's really it - I just had to take more orders so we weren't kicked out of our apartment, and as my mental state deteriorated I couldn't keep up.

The good news is that my wife and moved earlier this year we're living with supportive(!) family now and our financial burden is much lighter. This gives me time to work on my backlog without re-opening. I'm also going to school again, back in college starting this summer for a second degree. For my own health after commissions are finished I'm likely going to take a break on opening them for a good while, even though I really enjoy doing them.

In the past two months amazing and not-amazing things have happened. The amazing thing is I got an ADHD diagnosis, something I didn't even know had been ruining my life for years. I'm still getting used to the proper medications but I'm already seeing a big improvement. It's as much of a relief as it is frustrating. My mother also reared her head again (like she usually does at least once a year) - this time, though, I learned she'd had a stroke. While I'm not involved with her anymore, I think most people could understand how it would still be a very weird and upsetting situation. As of right now I'm free of her once again, she seems to be making a good recovery and will hopefully continue to live a happy life far away from me. Still, those two things back to back have been a LOT to deal with on top of just trying to get better in general. I stepped away from the internet for a while for my own sanity.

The downside to being a freelancer is that there's not always a safety net. That's what happened to me. Thank you all very much for being kind and patient, I genuinely have had nothing but polite interactions with all of you and I really appreciate it. I'm sorry my personal bullshit got in the way of getting my work done for you. This is the longest I've ever taken to complete commissions and it's something that I'm deeply ashamed of. I promise they will get done. Being medicated and starting to recover from the family drama has revitalized me a bit. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out.

[librarycards]

hi! i know you don't read books about identity anymore, but as a fat nonbinary person who doesn't fit into transmasculine or "woman aligned nonbinary" boxes but wants to read both more experiences of fat nonbinary people who are neither men or women (especially those who choose to be fat), and also wants to read more about fat transfeminine experiences because that experience tends to be sorely missing from the world (especially fat transfeminine people who CHOOSE to be fat), do you have any books centering fat nonbinary "not transmasculine or transfeminine" experiences, especially those of people who got fat out of choice to be fat, and fat nonbinary or (for lack of a better term, as i think it's personally reductive) binary transfeminine experiences for fat transfems who choose to get fat? sorry if this is worded weird, i have self admitted problems with word salad, cluttered speech, and circumstantiality from (self diagnosed) schizo-ocd, and i struggle to sound coherent at times, but personally i think that makes my fiction writing and poetry writing more fun so :\. planning to buy your poetry collections as well, i love poetry! thank you for tolerating this ask!

hello! no worries, I'm the same way for similar reasons wrt long and digressive writing, i'm really enjoy it and find it similarly generative. regarding transfem / non-aligned ppl who choose to be/stay fat, I can certainly try, though these narratives are still so heavily erased from collective conversations around fatness - which center white, cis, perisex, abled women - and ofc around trans subjectivity.

Mel Baggs z"l was fat and genderless [x] [x] [I discuss/analyse hir work here.]

Gretchen Felker-Martin writes transfem (body) horror, erotica, and other mostly-speculative work that routinely centers fatness.

Caleb Luna, who wrote REVENGE BODY and is also a scholar.

Da'Shaun Harrison, Belly of the Beast, as well as their website, where they write about being Black, fat, and non-/anti-/ante-binary.

Evelyn Berry, who I'm friendly with, wrote Grief Slut and has lots of other publications.

here are the ones that came to mind for me, though as i re-read, i realize i may (?) have misinterpreted your question –– I'm not sure one way or the other whether or not these authors chose to get fat, but i can say with certainty that they all choose not to deliberately lose weight/diet and embrace, in a number of ways, a liberatory fat politic.

i hope this helps! (and thank you for the kind words re: my work!!!)

[p5x-theories]

List of Side Questlines

(last updated 5/31/24!)

This post will be a quick list + summary of the side quests in the game, organized by the character they revolve around. Note that the simple sidequests which start a Confidant, as well as dedicated side stories for characters, aren't included here, and are instead mentioned in the characters' own info posts.

Side quests are distinct from other activities in that, while they take place in the real world, they don't cost an hourglass (i.e., they don't pass time), while still giving rewards for completion of each part. Some may have additional optional activities available to Wonder periodically that do pass time, but are separate from the actual quest line.

Currently Available Quest Lines

The sports girl (name unconfirmed; may be Namie Komatsu) has a side quest revolving around her interest in running. She gets lost easily, so after Wonder helps her out when she gets lost by Kokatsu, she invites him to run with her more often. The side quest also touches on her conflict between her enjoyment of running for fun, versus the added expectations of it now that she's joined her university's team.

The clumsy office worker (name unconfirmed; may be Yuta Satou) has a side quest revolving around his struggles at work and with losing things. Wonder initially meets him when he's lost an important USB in Zoshigaya, and Wonder finds it for him. His side quest also often involves another character, who gives him and Wonder advice for dealing with situations in the workplace, and social cues expected there. The player will occasionally have helping him find something pop up as an optional activity that costs an hourglass.

The orange cat (name unconfirmed; may be Chata) has a side quest revolving around finding his "hidden treasures", which use the same icon as seed packets. Wonder first meets the cat in Zoshigaya, and sees he's generally treated well by the others in their neighborhood. An old man claims to understand what the cat is "saying", and tells Wonder about the story of how the cat used to rule the various neighborhoods in Tokyo. Wonder gets a part of the story each time he finds the cat's "treasures" in a given neighborhood. The player will occasionally have a smaller treasure hunt pop up as an optional activity that costs an hourglass.

The yakitori vendor (name unconfirmed; may be Sumizou) has a side quest revolving around his yakitori stand in Zoshigaya. After a customer suggests it, he tries opening delivery orders, and has Wonder go around Tokyo to deliver them, often learning about the delivery recipients along the way. He's always very happy that people are able to enjoy his yakitori without needing to come directly to his stand.

Anderson's side quest revolves around his gym workouts, but also his unluckiness in love. Wonder helps him out with figuring out what to say on dates, though he also at least in one instance discovers the girl Anderson's meeting is just leading him on. Anderson is very solely focused on muscles, health, and generally aspects that relate to his workout routine, which is part of why he struggles.

The elderly calligraphy teacher (tagged as "calligraphy lady"; name unconfirmed, but may be Fumiyo Tosabayashi) has a side quest that revolves around mysterious anonymous letters with brief poems on them that she's been receiving. She suspects they're from a member of her old club in high school, but has to narrow down who specifically. She also teaches Wonder about aspects of traditional Japanese culture to help explain the poems. Notably, the owner of the secondhand shop in Yongen-Jaya is one of the old club members.

The photographer (name unconfirmed; may be Rikuto Shimizu) has a side quest revolving around his series of photos focused on the idea of "change". Wonder catches his eye because he noticed Wonder has changed recently, and he takes some pictures of Wonder as well as asking for his opinion on some of his photos. A problem does arise when he unknowingly takes a picture of an idol violating her contract, then accidentally uploads it to his portfolio while going through his pictures, leading to his account getting taken down to avoid a scandal. The player will occasionally have taking photos with him pop up as an optional activity that costs an hourglass.

The music club girl (tagged as "music girl"; name unconfirmed, but may be Ritsuka Takanashi) is a member of Kokatsu's music club, and her side quest revolves around helping keep the group together as they work towards becoming a band that can compete in a competition. Wonder is first recruited because they need one more member, and can't find anyone to join, until she runs into him in the hallway. She's usually relatively calm and level-headed, but occasionally has outbursts of excitement where she can't control her volume. The player will often have the rhythm minigame where Wonder practices with the club pop up as an optional activity that costs an hourglass.

The soccer club boy (tagged as "soccer boy"; name unconfirmed, but may be Yota Kurosawa) is a member of Kokatsu's soccer team, and his side quest revolves around practicing soccer. Wonder is first recruited because he's struggling to find enough people to keep their soccer team going, due to other students repeatedly dropping out for losing motivation. During his quest line, it's a recurring problem that the rest of the team has no interest or enthusiasm suddenly, so he tries to find ways to keep them going. The player will often have the soccer minigame where Wonder practices against their goalie pop up as an optional activity that costs an hourglass.

Side Quests From Beta Tests

These quest lines were present in one or more beta tests, but are not currently available in any form in the official release.

The woman on the left (tagged as "coffee lady"; name unconfirmed but may be Ena Kageyama) is looking to open a coffee shop, and eventually opens one where Leblanc exists in Joker's universe. The schoolboy on the right (Kazuhiko Tsuda) asks Wonder for help with a report about phantoms he's working on for an assignment.

The girl on the left (tagged as "animals girl"; name unconfirmed but may be Hiyori Koide) is attempting to gather donations for some kind of animal rights or something otherwise animal-related, and travels around Tokyo with Wonder doing so. The man in the middle (tagged as "blonde guy") talked to Wonder about something in Shinjuku.

The Shibuya mascot on the left welcomes people to Shibuya and has a lot of information about the area, though it seemed he was in some kind of trouble.

[auspicioustidings]

Lost Boys Part 4

Summary: Preacher does the day shift and meets the supposed monster.

Words: 2.1k

CWs: Nothing major, but as with this whole series it skews darker than what I usually write

Christ, she had been unaware you could get DOMs from a threesome but here it was. She had been sore yesterday sure, but maybe the food and beer had been masking it because today she was in pain. No more pleasant aches and hazey horniness, something that was being sorely missed. Still, it wasn’t like bills would wait and she really wanted to actually do this place up, that would require funds and funds would require working.

Definitely the day shift, another night with those two maniacs and she’d be on bed rest for a bloody month. So she dragged herself up, showered and threw on jeans and a flannel that she could take off and tie around her waist if it got too hot. 

The way Alex had reacted to seeing her was odd, very odd. She knew plenty of people would drift through, pick up a shift and then move on, but his surprise that she was back was genuinely like he had been 100% positive he would never see her again. Had she come off as that flakey? She had told him that first day that she had moved here hadn’t she? Odd, very odd.

“If you don’t need me I can ask around.”

“No! No no, you can take the day shift. Opening is in 45 minutes.”

He was eyeing her neck, the bruising not really hideable. Ah, maybe he was weary about having someone working a ride that, for lack of a better term, was a ride. Understandable, people often underestimated how important the operator was on these things. There wasn’t really enough regulation and if whoever was managing the staff didn’t make sure they were decent it became wildly unsafe. One bad accident was awful for business. She’d need to make sure she was shit hot at her job today.

Alex felt like he was seeing a spectre. The girl in front of him shouldn’t be alive. He wouldn’t say he was disappointed as such, instead his initial disbelief was rapidly converting into mounting excitement. Were they keeping her? Some sort of pet? He thought they might have their hands full if that was the plan, this one was tough. There had only ever been one person before now that hadn’t been vanished and that was because Alex had practically begged for her not to be when Gaz had taken a passing interest in her. Not that she had appreciated it, was a hunter now, determined to ‘save him from himself’. He didn’t need saving, being a thrall to the 141 was a good gig, way better than falling in with the Shadows or the side show or God forbid the surfers.

“Ok, thanks. Are the people from the side show about? I was going to go by and say hi but it’s still kind of early huh?”

“I’d steer clear, not the kind of friends you want to have.”

That was weird. Alex was being so serious about it, genuinely like he cared who she was friends with. This place must be way more political than Coney Island and that was saying something. 

“Uh huh. Look Alex, can you just tell me what the deal is here? I am telling you now I am a good worker, but I need to understand how this place works so I don’t screw up.”

Oh yeah, they would definitely have their hands full with this one. 

“The only people worth talking to are the 141. You met a few of them the other day, the bike you left on was with them. The freaks butt heads with them pretty often. They can’t control that big monster of theirs, so stay clear. Graves and his Shadows run all the games, tight knit group, don’t really entertain outsiders.”

“Surfers?”

“Don’t get into the water with them unless you enjoy drowning.”

She laughed, and then laughed harder when she saw that Alex was deadass serious about all this. He acted as if she was working on a Boardwalk with a bunch of warring factions made up of fantastical creatures rather than a bunch of petty gossips who would get into petty fights.

“Sure thing boss man. I’ll be back in time for my shift.”

Yeah she would not be making friends with those 3 from the 141. Fantastic sex only did so much to make up for them being the kind of unsettling that meant she was flirting with danger in the unfun way, in the going to become part of the statistic in this city way. It was really her duty as an upstanding citizen to knock their egos down a bit anyway. Next time they tried it on she’d turn them down hard and fast, make sure they knew that she had as little respect for them as they had for her.

–

“It’s König right? Am I saying that right?”

If it was true that the side show workers and the 141 did not get along, then she would be making friends with the side show workers. Horangi had been decent to her and honestly she thought it was pretty shitty of Alex to comment about the big guy and call him a monster to be controlled. Not his fault he was huge. He was still sat where he had been before, the only one around this early in the day. 

“Perfectly maus. Come closer.”

He had a manic note to his voice that was admittedly a little unsettling, but she supposed that was part of the job. She chuckled a little at how he had purred to come closer, probably worked wonders with tourists. She knew the moment she got within distance he would lunge at her, try to make her jump out of the range of his chains and so she crept forward anyway and controlled her instinct to flinch. Instead she just grinned at him when he lunged, an offt of breath leaving her when he barrelled into her and crushed her tight against his chest. 

“Careful big man, you catch one of the hassled housewives like this and she’s going to fall in love with you.”

König drank her defiance of the fear she should feel like a fine wine. He knew it from when he had first seen her, that she wasn’t scared of him. Even when she had jumped that first time she had smiled at him after, as if in approval. And now that he held her she only trembled from laughter. How delicious a thing for him, soft little princess to make worship at his altar. He’d keep her in his cage with him, bully his cock into her until she took every inch, until she was screaming from the stretch of taking his knot. He’d take care of her, envelop her in him after and let her cosy up in their little den. Keep her warm and satiated and full of his pups. Maybe he’d allow for some tiger cubs once or twice. 

He wasn’t really letting go. And she could feel that he was hard, difficult not to with the size of it pressing against her stomach. Didn’t really think much of it to be honest, he couldn’t have just gotten hard from touching her as much as that would do wonders for her ego, probably just morning wood. Poor guy, there was no way he had ever found anyone to fit around that. She could feel herself getting wet on instinct, her body panicking and trying to prepare for an absolute railing that her logical brain knew wasn’t actually happening. As much as it would be a fantastic blow to the pride of the 141 to get under this man, her body was still sore and she reckoned it might be an idea to stick to pleasing herself for now rather than getting her back completely blown out. 

“Ooook. Going to need you to ease off now.”

König growled. It wouldn’t do for her to be such a bratty thing so early on. She should enjoy being held close to him shouldn’t she? Ah but she was only human. He forgot sometimes how fragile and delicate they were, how they liked to have independence. No matter, he could be patient. He could act like a human man, court her according to their customs until she realised how much she loved him. Then she wouldn’t ever want to get away. Better to wait until the marks on her had faded anyway, if he took her now he wouldn’t be able to control himself when he tried to cover them with his own.

“Sorry maus, many people flinch away from me. It is pleasant to hold you” he said, forcing his tone into something soft and appealing as he loosened his hold and let her take a step back.

“That sucks man, sorry. Make sure you get to just be you without the mask and the chains on your days off, I know it’s rough to be the monster in one of these shows,” she said with a sympathetic smile. 

She had worked a sideshow for a while. They had been desperate and she could do some basic contortion, nothing that impressive but they would take a decent back bend if it meant at least having something to fill out their little space. She remembered feeling dreadful with the way the more unusual looking performers were treated. It wasn’t so much that she had gotten fired for getting into a fight with someone over how they were talking to the bearded lady, but they had not asked for her to perform with them again.

So yes, she could appreciate that for someone like him it was a given he’d be a little messed up. But he had let her go and apologised plus Horangi seemed to like him so all in all, he seemed like a decent guy.

“Is Horangi about? I was going to say hi to him before work.”

“He will be happy you thought of it, but he is asleep. He is most of the time, very lazy cat.”

She grinned, thinking that she had found him similar to a cat yesterday as well with how he had nuzzled her. 

“Well it was nice to officially meet you König, I’d better be off but I’m sure we’ll see each other around!”

Of course they would, he would make sure of that. 

–

She wanted to pop into the video store before her shift but found it closed. Opening hours were only for the evening which seemed sort of odd, but maybe there wasn’t really enough foot traffic during the day. So instead she just floated back to the carousel and lingered until it opened, finding that the change of pace from the night shift was welcome today. It was hot and too bright but there was less of that dark mania about it in the light.

Rudy appeared at the carousel a few hours in, hair damp and salty and skin smelling of sunshine and seawater. He was delighted to see her in more or less one piece. Interesting though, that she had definitely been fed on but was still breathing. He didn’t sense the aura of a thrall about her either, so they weren’t in complete control of her yet. Johnny and him did like to play games sometimes, maybe this was one. He waited for her to step off for a moment to get the next group on, grinning at her. 

“Looking for a ride?”

“Not on a horse, but if you are offering one…”

She rolled her eyes with a groan, had walked right into that one. 

“Unfortunately I’m working, what a shame.”

She turned to go back on and he banded an arm around her waist to stop her, her back pinned to his chest. The people around here sure were handsy, but she was generally a touchy feely person so it wasn’t entirely unwelcome.

“I would treat you much better than they did cariño, make love to you in the ocean until the stars came out.”

With that whispered little promise he let her go and just left. Just fucking left. Preacher was usually more suave than this. She swore she was good at flirting. But Jesus fucking Christ what was she supposed to do with that? 

Next time she saw Keegan the jury was out on whether she was going to kiss him or punch him for sending her here.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

always enjoyed the Chess Set In The Foreground perspective framing used here

now also noting like, huh, a chess set in a general store just visited by marigold competitors who killed one of their guys and are now on the way back from their rendezvous point w/suppliers

[themoonunderstoodmydadjokes]

Who needs dating apps when you can flirt with tumblr mutuals???

[sysig]

Reading moodboard #84430940 (Patreon)