#do you understand that there are in fact things i am unable to do and things that i used to be able to do but no longer can?

[bloomingbluebell]

is there a way to explain to my "no excuse for laziness" family how executive dysfunction works? how autism and ADHD works? how they're not quirks or funny but often quite painful and distressing? (genuine questions)

i'm going to start crying if i have to talk with mom about my future one more time

(more of the rant in the tags. sorry)

[dark-night-hero]

"So it's true! You and her- Guizhong were a thing. Then what the hell does that make me Morax?!" "Can you just drop it of? We're in a hurry." He was tired. And their friend was in danger. "No! Knowing you'll be out there to save your other lover, tell me the truth Morax! Is it true?!" It was the same topic of argument for some time now. He had been denying it over and over again, he just cannot seem to understand why you kept insisting even after hearing him say that was not the case. And he was getting tired of it.

Guizhong was just a friend and that very same friend is now in danger if they do not arrive at rhe right time and here he is getting hold up because of your questions. And knowing you would not let him go even if he were to deny it because that was the truth. Maybe he should give in for now to avoid further more questioning and leave as fast as he can so he could come back to you in now time, knowing that he could easily resolve the misunderstanding and his lies. "You know what. It's true. Now if you just get out of the way, I need to save her." "Wha-what? Wa-wait! Morax-!"

He did not mean to be harsh than he already is. He was just mad, mad because he saw no reason why you should get jealous of a friend, a common friend of yours. Mad because he was running late and a little more than to it could possibly result the death of a dear friend. At the same time, he was mad at himself for leaving that way. But he knew he could always explain when he came back into you. The two of you could always sort it out after the battle like you two always does.

So why? So why in the world- celestia were everything was on fire. And you were in the middle of it, leaning on your weapon for support, blood running down all the way from your temple into your chin. It was not just that. You are bleeding, bleeding all over. Why. Why why why why why? Just what the hell happened in here?

"Don't come." You utter, despite the fact that you could barely stand, you painfully look forward to your lover... heh, can he still be called a lover when he already admitted that he betrayed you? "Some..." you pant. "Some beings came into the city while you were away... hahh, I manage to defend the city until all the people manage to flee but- cough! Hahh, the god manage to escape."

"No. No no no no no." It was getting hard to breathe, nevertheless you should see Morax from afar, running towards you. "Bastard- I told you not to come he-!" You stagger forward, for a moment losing consciousness, still, you embrace yourself with the thought of you hitting the ground. But you never did.

"Let go." "It was a lie. There was no one else." "Morax- I said-" "I was in a hurry, I did not mean to say those words. Guizhong was only a friend. Believe me. God- Celestia. There is no one else. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please don't leave me." He was hugging, cradling you in his arms. His tears rolling down his cheeks, into your own but you were feeling quite numb to notice that.

"It's..." You tried to hold up a hand but you could only feel the pain and the more it drains you. In the end you could only hold on into his arm. "It's okay... you don't have to lie to make me... feel better." You tried to smile to make him feel better, so why does it look like he was about to lose his whole world? "No. No please. It's nothing like that. I was a fool, I am a fool. Please believe me there is no one else but you. (First name). Please."

You knew he was talking, you can see him talking despite how things were slowly starting to go blurr, you can hear a few words but cannot seemed to focus on it when there is a high pitched ring that makes you unable to focus on what he was saying. Also, "It's cold." You mumble, fighting everything you can to stay conscious.

"Fuck!" Morax can feel your body slowly but surely cooling down. Suddenly his heart dropped as he panicked, he was getting anxious. He felt fear for the first time in his life. "Hold on, please hold on." He tried, he tried his best to fix you with his powers but it was no avail. You have so many wounds, you have already lost a lot of blood. You were dying all ago. "Fuck." He cursed once again. "Fuck, fuck! I told you to hold on (First name)!" He was getting mad again.

Morax felt like he was going mad, he felt like he was about to get crazy. Specially when he saw you starting to close your eyes. He felt a shiver down his spine. "Don't you dare close your eyes (First name)!" Not like this, not when you seemed to sure that he never loved- love you. "Fuck!" His amber iris were glowing with that presence of a dragon. "Don't you dare fell asleep (First name). I'm begging you please-?" He felt a light squeeze on his arm.

"Its.. okay." Taking your last breath, Morax felt the heavy weight of your now dead body in his arms. Your hand falling to your side as your head rest in his chest. At that very moment a rain drop fell from the sky, Morax arms were trembling yet still manage to pull you closer to him as if trying to find a little warmth. "Hah, hahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHA."

That day, the dragon lost his mate. His one and only mate as his anguish cries were heard all throughout their land.

[ⓒdark-night-hero] 2024°

: bye, may klase pa ko ng alas quatro sa hapon.

: Also, why is it always zhongli who become the victim of my angst ideas. Tho I might make a same promt with ???

[wp-blaze]

Why You Should Give Up!

Stuck trying to change the world? This post says focus on yourself instead. Inner peace is the real win. Prioritize what brings you calm, ditch negativity, and set goals. Let go of the past and chase what matters. This “ruthless focus” is freedom to be you. Fight for your dreams and find fulfillment.

[sttoru]

♯ 𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐊.

⟣ sypnosis. kento has been extremely busy lately, going on business trips and so forth. he decides to surprise you by coming back earlier than expected. that’s how you end up finding your lover on top of you, showering you in his affection at 3 in the morning.

⟣ tags. nanami kento x female reader. fluff, bit of angst, suggestive towards the end. reader gets called 'sweetheart, angel, dear' wc: 1.8k

⟣ note. okayokay finally an adition to my event heheh ive almost forgotten about it but then i saw this prompt & was like . ok nanami , i must write this rnnn no delaying anymore so here i am :3 its also very bad. i hate it sm LOL i hope u at least like it t_t

kento often asks himself why he had returned to the world he despised — the jujutsu society; his old high school. the sprawling curses everywhere are the main cause of his current misery.

he had been sent out on missions left and right, not catching a break in hopes of reducing any more civilian causalities than necessary. kento had even thought that maybe his previous 9-5 job wasn’t as bad as he had considered it.

overtime was every day for the sorcerer now. that wasn’t the worst thing - no - the fact that he was pratically living a long distant relationship with his beloved irritated him most.

a thought he had in his high school days reoccured in a moment of distress: ‘why not leave all those missions to gojo?’

you were still pretty understanding of his situation. kento appreciated that, though the guilt still ate away at him whenever he tried to sleep. an empty bed welcomed him each time he re-entered his hotel room — you saw the exact same scenery when returning home to your shared apartment.

both of you were adults; both knowing that life was unfair. the two of you being unable to see each other from time to time was a part of your life. kento and you still maintained a healthy relationship. that was all that really mattered in the end.

11:49PM. . . tonight wasn’t unlike any other night; you were preparing yourself to go to bed—changing into your pyjamas after showering, snuggling to a pillow under the covers and texting your lover one last message.

‘good luck on your mission as always! stay safe, i love you.’

you stare at your phone screen for a minute longer than intended. even if you tried to be mature about it — you longed for kento’s warmth and undivided attention. you want him with you, his strong arms holding you to his chest as you rest, his deep voice sending shivers down your spine in the best way possible.

you sigh defeatedly and put your phone down on your nightstand. just two days until you could see your partner again. you can hold onto that hope to keep you calm.

despite you trying to stay positive, you tossed and turned in your bed as you thought about kento’s safety. there was always a chance of him not coming home to you — always the possibility of that bed to be empty for the rest of your life.

all you could do was pray for his safety in your head whilst your eyes eventually closed from fatigue, your mind drifting off to a deep slumber.

03:14AM. . . kento opens the door he had wished to have opened way earlier. the door that lead to the place where his heart lays; the person who claimed his heart and soul for eternity. you.

he didn’t think he’d actually do it. kento had originally planned to finish his last job as soon as possible and then get home afterwards, but there seemed to be a change in routine.

the special grade sorcerer simply assigned the mission to ino — the person whom he could trust most to finish the job in one piece. as much as kento dislikes to put his juniors in possible risky situations, there are also situations where it’s fine to depend on them. besides, the mission could easily be done by a grade one sorcerer.

kento sighs. the familiar scent of your home was one he could recognise from miles away. one that could calm his nerves instantly. it was that same distinctive scent you carry; thus why your lover sometimes calls you his home.

‘i can’t wait to be home’ ‘i want to be home’ ‘i’m going home’ — all these sentences, which kento has uttered before in earlier conversations, weren’t referring to a place. rather to a person he held dear.

“oh, my sweetheart.” the blonde man whispers under his breath as his eyes catch the shape of your figure under the blankets. he quietly enters the master bedroom and closes the door behind him, not making a sound as to not interrupt your well-deserved sleep.

kento slowly undoes his dotted tie, along with the upper buttons of his blouse. he probably needs to go take a good shower before he could settle down with you — but that’d risk waking you up.

you look extremely angelic in his eyes. especially with your left cheek squished by the soft pillow your head rests on. you never once fail to convince him that you are indeed the woman of his dreams; the woman kento ever had and will have eyes for. it’s like you get more attractive to him as the days go on.

“mh,” your sudden and soft groan makes him realise just how disturbing his behaviour could be interpreted as. kento’s body was hovering over your sleeping one and he was just. . . staring at you with a soft smile. a smile which he didn’t even notice had permanently found its place on his weary face.

kento sits down on the edge of the mattress, callused hand gently tucking you in properly, putting the blanket over your shoulders to make sure you didn’t get cold. he can’t rest if you’re not comfortable— even if he himself was exhausted to the point his eyes were starting to feel heavy.

yet that exhaustion doesn’t last long. it never does when kento’s able to see you again after a tiring week of countless missions and other jobs. your presence alone grants him the energy to stay awake and take care of you. and himself. you’re the reason he keeps it going.

“i love you so much, my beautiful girl — my angel.”

kento sure was a romantic. even when you’re unaware and asleep.

he couldn’t help it; the feeling stirring inside of him. the feeling of adoration and love for you. you are simply resting, yet kento felt an urge to kiss you all over, show you the unending love he has for you. but. . that’d probably be disturbing your peace. you are sleeping after all. he

not that that would stop kento.

your eyes flutter open due to a sudden presence hovering over you. your entire face and neck area was feeling ticklish, like someone was placing tens of kisses all over the skin.

strands of blonde hair is the first thing showing up in your blurry vision. kento’s face follows afterwards as his head tilts back up, the warmth against your jawline disappearing along with it —

“ah, i’m sorry.” a low and almost guilty chuckle tumbles out of his sore throat. the visible confusion on your face makes him let out another, “shh, shh, it’s just me, sweetheart.”

your arms flew around kento’s torso the second the realisation dawns upon you. your heart went from a slow pace to one that caused your entire body to warm up immediately; the adorable reaction and increase in heart rate not going unnoticed by your lover.

you wordlessly hug him — almost still in shock by the sudden appearance. kento doesn’t fight off your tight embrace, instead, welcomes it with open arms. the delicate kisses on your skin continue, each being placed with precision whilst one of his hands keeps your head tilted a little — rough fingers being a contrast of the gentle grip they had on your jaw.

“i missed you lots,” kento murmurs, eyes closed as he basks in the warmth of your body, his lips refusing to let go of your neck, “i couldn’t wait anymore. i couldn’t be separated from you any longer or i’d lose it.”

his gruff voice sounded even deeper than it usually would. maybe due to the overuse of it during his missions. the lone thought makes you pout — the thought of kento working super hard just to provide for you both.

“i missed you more, love.” you mumble, bottom lip trembling a little as kento’s hug triggers a whole lot of emotions in you. his hugs were special, his muscular arms giving you a sense of comfort you couldn’t find anywhere. no one could hug you like he did, “you did well. you did so well.”

those were all the words kento needed. his lips come to halt right above your collarbone, his breath a bit heavy from how much he's holding himself back from doing more. one hand moves from your cheek to your waist, fingers toying with the fabric of your shirt.

“thank you, dear.” kento says. his words carrying a load of unending affection. your simple words of appreciation and encouragement makes him shiver in delight. this is what he longed for; this is what he did it all for.

it was clear. the answer to his question - of why he had returned to the jujutsu world, to become a teacher at his former high school - it was all for you. to be able to be with you, see you and hold you like this. to have someone like you appreciate all of his efforts.

“may i?” kento asks through a quiet whisper as he gently removes the blanket covering your figure, his eyes darting down towards your cleavage. he's asking for permission to cross that barrier — to cover you in the love you deserve.

you just stare at the blonde man above you for a second. you watch as he climbs onto the bed with you; the bed which was once empty and dull, now suddenly becoming your favourite place to be at. your fingertips graze against kento's sharp cheekbones. a habit you always did when you were appreciating his looks.

“go right ahead.” you answer with a confirming nod.

both of you were touch starved and had been deprived from each other's embrace for way too long. now was the perfect time to make up for all the time lost.

kento wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip past him. he smiles at you, a gentle and handsome smile, whilst a few of his blonde locks fall over his left eye — his hands already prying away the blanket covering your shape. it was time to show you just how much he has longed for you.

“hold on to me, sweetheart. i’m not stopping until you realise just how much i’ve missed all of you.”

[kaivenom]

One piece men first reaction to having a wet dream about you

Characters: Zoro, Luffy, Sanji, Kid, Killer, Law

Warnings: NSFW, obviously

A/N: i am starting to think that i will put some of the future preferences with multiple parts, to give the One Piece Dilf a place too.

Masterlist

Monkey D. Luffy

Is surprised, a lot. He was dreaming about meat and suddently it transformed in your body, naked.

The cream of cakes and the juices from the meat covering all your body in a revealing pose.

When he oppened his eyes, he stared at the ceiling trying to process why you were on his dream.

Then he realized how his stomach felt strange and his pants incredibly tight.

He knew that feeling wasn't from hunger, so he let his hand travel to his crotch and palm it thru the underwear.

It felt really good, he finally slided his hand on his underwear and started to pump slowly his cock.

All he could think about is your body and how good would that image look in front of him.

When he was on the edge of cumming, he realized that maybe it he should go talk to you.

A broken moan escaped his lips while he got up from the bed, with a painfully hard member.

He needed to know if you can help him.

Roronoa Zoro

He feels "horrified", he tents to avoid feelings, talks or being emotional involved with anyone.

So, when he dream about you sucking him off with a smile, he got into a really bad mood.

Everyone noticed but nobody could know why, he got especially tense when you were around.

The end point came on lunch, when he had to saw you eat a hot dog, his mind went crazy of reminiscing all the things from his dream.

He went fast to the crow's net and tried to workout all the feelings away.

He got hard, really hard, to the point he couldn't concentrate on nothing.

After a whole hour of changing exercizes furiously, he sat down, trembling, sweating and whimpering... but not from the workout.

With a dissapointed grunt he started to jerk off, at first crusing your name with irritation and at the end letting out breathless moans.

He cummed a lot, all over his body. His only thought while he was heading to the showers was not to bump into you.

Vinsmoke Sanji

His hand was on his pants even before he wakes up.

He moans, whimpers and sights with every touch he imagine you do to him.

The vision of your breasts bouncing while you ride him, unable to touch you because his hands are tied up, that drives him crazy.

He doesn't know if he is still asleep or he is already awake, but he cums undone with a really loud moan.

He is not very good at pretending or trying to be quiet.

Then he felt bad about dishonoring you, but felt sooo good to him.

His day went crazy from there, having some avoidant attachment we could say.

He changes between being your living servant and licking your feet to locking himself on the kitchen.

You didn't understand that, it was really weird, but in fact, he gets away to hide the boner you make him feel.

He usually controls his impulses but after that dream he can't keep his hands out of himself.

He really wanted to aproach you on the kitchen and eat you out there, but he can't .... and then he feels bad about imagine it again.

He has a huge conflict between his desires and his chivalry.

Trafalgar Law

He feels ... unproffesional, he is your captain and you are his subordinate, he can't dream about that.

He tries to stay away from you, not from guilt but from embarrasment, from seeing you and only picturing your body riding him while he presses his chest against yours.

Then as the day passed by he starts to get closer to you, not conscientiously but his body someone tried to have some contact.

A little brush on the dinning room, setting himself behind you to get something on a "higher" shelf.

He tries to find excuses to see you alone, trying to have the courage to make a move... saying it to you or kissing you but he couldn't do it.

That lead to unnecesary visits to his office, helping him with some "new" projects on the lab, giving him books, etc.

At the end you spent all the day making stupid walks around the submarine and you got so angry you yelled at him.

He won't admit this part, but you made him hard with your yells at him.

Eustass Kidd

He gets up, not surprised at all to dream about you, he knows exactly what you do to him.

But dreaming about taking you from the back, all in four, his hands on your ass pressing firmly, that caught him out off guard.

He went to take a shower and couldn't resist to jack off under the hot water.

And It works, he is not hard anymore... Until he saw you later on the deck.

He is a very direct person but also a very arrogant one.

That results in having him trying to sound like a fuck boy, making you desire him and show it, before he even tells you he wants to fuck you.

Showing of his muscles and attributes, being extra confident and dominant thinking that the kind of stuff you like.

Once he realized he doesn't need to be that extravagant and just sit there and whisper naughty things on your ears, he will win his prize.

Killer

His dream his very connected with feelings becuase you two were in missionary, you looking at him with heart eyes full of love and lust. (without his helmet)

Goes straight forward to tell you.

Very mature from him, and plus having the helmet he can hide his blush.

When you go to take breakfast, he tells you, sounding very relaxed. He is trying to hide the fact that he is still hard.

He went so fast to tell you that his member didn't catch the message yet.

He presses his body to the counter trying to hide it.

He doesn't want to scary you or make you uncomfortable, he just wants to talk things.

After that, he tries to make distance a little bit to give you time to think.

But he can't help but give small glances to your body, he can't help it... and the helmet helps to be discreet.

[elodieunderglass]

Hi! I was wondering if you could help me out with a word I've forgotten? I'm trying to remember the name for a concept that (I think) talks about how people better understand or process Things once they have vocabulary to describe it - I've heard it talked about in regards to the colour orange, or coercive control, etc.

long story short i've just read a paper saying ancient Greeks and Romans weren't racist bc they had no word for racism and am trying to form an argument against!

(no worries if this is unanswerable, i'm aware its a bit of a long shot but you struck me as a person who Knows Things)

That’s extremely kind and funny of you. i don’t know much but i am ok at synthesis.

I think you might be thinking of the concepts loosely called the “Sapir-Whorf hypothesis”, which describes something called “linguistic determinism.” This idea has been “disproven”, as it is just too reductionist as a concept - people are clearly perfectly capable of having experiences that are tough to describe with words. There will be plenty of papers showing how this reasoning is applied.

but it is still commonly thrown around and still considered a useful teaching framework. That’s why you’ll see it referenced online as if it is fresh, new, and applicable - people learn about it every year in college. Also, elements of the framework are probably perfectly sound. It definitely seems to be the case that language shapes brains; it just doesn’t seem to be the case that humans who don’t have specific words for them can’t experience orange, or the future.

(Many things in college are taught using teaching frameworks that may not be, technically, true; the framework is intended to give a critical structure for interpreting information. Then, when we later find evidence that disproves the hypothesis, that single piece of information doesn’t destroy our expensive college education; what we paid for is the framework. This is mostly frustrating in the sciences, when fresh crops of undergraduate students crash around on social media, grappling with their first exposure to (complex concept) and how it’s DIFFERENT to what they learned BEFORE and their teachers LIED TO EVERYBODY and they’re going to save the world from POP SCIENCE by telling the TRUTH. You’ll notice that these TOTALLY NEW INFORMATION reveals map along the semester schedule. The thing here is that getting new information, or information being different from what you were previously told, does not cancel out the fact that you are getting what you pay for - an education. Learning new facts that change our relationships to hypotheses isn’t a ✨huge betrayal ✨ , but the expected process of academia. Anyway.)

You have an interesting response here, and can start by looking at the ways that Sapir-Whorf has been disproved. There will be loads of literature on that.

However, it would be interesting to look at the argument as an unpicking of the other side’s rather weird, ritualistic superstitious belief that a behavior doesn’t exist if the creatures doing it can’t describe it. It is not on the ancient Greeks and Romans to categorise and interpret their behavior for a modern educated audience. They do not have the wherewithal to do so. They are also fucking dead. We can name the behaviors we see, and describe their impacts, however the hell we like.

Sure, the ancient Greeks used “cancer” to refer to lumpy veiny tumors. We can infer that they still had blood cancer, because their medical texts describe leukaemia and their corpses have evidence of it - they just didn’t know it was cancer. But we do, so we can call it cancer. Just because Homer said “the wine-dark sea” in a flight of girlish whimsy doesn’t mean he was unable to distinguish grape juice from saltwater, which we know, because we can observe that he was an intelligent wordsmith perfectly capable of talking about wine and oceans in other contexts. We are the people who get to stand at our point of history with our words, and name things like “this person probably died of leukaemia” and “poets say things that aren’t necessarily literal” and “this behaviour was racist” and “that’s gay” and “togas kinda slay tho” despite Ancient Greeks having different concepts of cancer, wittiness, prejudice, homosexuality, and slaying than we do today.

Now just to caveat that people do get muddled about the concept of racism. Our understanding of racism from here - this point of history, with these words, probably from the West - is heavily influenced by how we see racism around us today: white supremacy and the construct of “whiteness,” European colonial expansion, transatlantic chattel slavery, orientalism, evangelism, 20th century racial science, and so on. This is the picture of racism that really dominates our current discourse, so people often mistake it for the definition of racism. (Perhaps in a linguistic-deterministic sort of way after all.) As a result, muddled-up people often say things like “I can’t be racist because I’m not a white American who throws slurs at black American people,” while being an Indian person in the UK who votes for vile anti-immigration practices, or a Polish person with a horrible attitude about the Roma. Many people genuinely hold this very kindergarten idea of racism; if your opponent does as well, they’re probably thinking something like “Ancient Greek and Roman people didn’t have a concept of white supremacy, because whiteness hadn’t been invented yet, so how could they be racist?” And that’s unsound reasoning in a separate sense.

Racism as the practice of prejudice against an ethnicity, particularly one that is a minority, is a power differential that is perfectly observable in ancient cultures. The beliefs and behaviors will be preserved in written plays, recorded slurs, beauty standards, reactions to foreign marriages, and travel writing. The impacts will be documented in political records, trade agreements, the layouts of historical districts of ancient towns.

You don’t need permission to point out behaviours and impacts. You can point them out in any words you like. You can make up entirely new words to bully the ancient romans with. You are the one at this point of history and your words are the ones that get used.

Pretending that “words” are some kind of an intellect-obscuring magical cloud in the face of actual evidence is just a piece of sophistry (derogatory) on the part of your opponent here. It’s meant to be a distraction. You can dismiss this very flimsy shield pretty quickly and get them in the soft meat of them never reading anything about the actual material topic, while they’re still looking up dictionary definitions or whatever.

[cautuscoralcoast]

The Flesh, Blood, Bone, Heart and Soul : There once was a knight who wished to be the wicked dragon

Laios Touden x Monster! reader

Synopsis - In which the lion tempts Laios into giving into his darkest, false desires. You are none the wiser as you laid on the dinner table in a daze—as the apple, the lion tempts Laios to take a bite.

Word Count: 7k.

Tw. Mentions of cannibalism, minor suggestive sexual themes (dubcon), descriptive imagery of eating the reader, lots of blood, major depictions of violence, spoilers for the manga (especially the ending), viewer's discretion is advised

Prev.

The lion has plans for the both of you: Gluttony.

You, who refused to reside in lavish and were repulsed by the sight and taste of flesh.

Laios, who fed into his greed to consume the flesh of monsters for his own satisfaction.

He who couldn't understand the most basics of non-verbal communication; You communicating through the language barrier with the mermaids, often with just non-verbal communication.

You were far from human, and you possessed more humanity than most sinful humans—that's why the lion couldn't call you perfect: Simply just a mockery

What the lion wants is to consume Laios' desires. For Laios, his desires were so potent and much more unique than any other person to have entered the dungeon that the lion just wanted to see that desire bear fruit. It would be something magnificent, so savory, and rejuvenating: The lion wanted it.

And you were part of that.

Canaries, that boy from Utaya, and Yaad, they all posed a threat to his plans.

If the lion could get you to follow along, then perhaps things could flow much better. You and Laios could vow to stay together, and in doing so, the demon gets what it wants.

The only thing is, you were far from human. A monster by nature and an abomination by creation. Though, that never stopped Laios.

The problem was that you wanted nothing more but cry in your own lamentations.

Lonely and devastated from facing your cruel reality, you asked, "Why have you forsaken me with sentience?"

"You desired to desire, and so I granted your wish. Are you not satisfied?"

"I never desired to desire. I had no thought, no mind, no heart or soul: I was epidermis, mesoglea, and gastrodermis. No blood, no bones, no flesh—I was a plant once. Then I flowered into a jellyfish. Jellyfish don't have souls to want. What am I?"

"What you are is something far from logic."

"What am I?"

"You are a jellyfish who became the monstrous sea leviathan of the dungeon."

"What am I?"

"You are the one who is blessed with the water's loving embrace."

"What am I?"

"You are the monarch of mermaids."

"What am I?"

"You are (y/n)."

"What am I?"

"You are my child."

"What am I?"

"I am unable to answer that."

"What am I?"

𓆞𓆝 𓆟

Laios didn't know what to think of you at first.

He was excited at the prospect of discovering a new monster; But alas, that was all he thought of you: A Monster. Just another monster that tried to kill him, and another monster he ate the flesh of. There was nothing more to it.

But then it saved him.

"My name is (y/n), I am the monarch of the mermaids and arbitor of the dungeon's waters. Just who might you be?"

A monster capable of communicating and is able to distinguish itself from others. A sapient monster that is able to communicate with those like him, but the fact that it's in the dungeon is evidence that it is a monster.

Yet, when Laios kept prodding at its body and tampering with its tentacles, the monster never once grew angered by his actions. Even when he supposedly did something horrible to mermaids, the monster still remained patient with him. When Laios told it that it ate its flesh, the monster, instead of becoming enraged, it stayed indifferent about the situation. The monster never tried to harm him.

Rather, it helped him find his friends. When the monster proposed to bring him underwater, he wasn't sure if it were a trap: If this monster was a succubus, a manifestation of his desires. However, the monster did not lie.

When Laios told the monster about the boundless oceans and seas, the look in its eyes was so normal. This monster was able to see right through his soul. It knew how to respond and what to say to keep him calm. It was far more human than he ever could.

It was an odd thought. A monster was more understanding of emotion and feelings while he, a human, struggles with even the most basic forms of communication.

Now that they part, Laios couldn't help but turn around one last time, and he saw the melancholic monarch.

"I promise."

They would never be human like he was. They were far too monstrous to be an elf or a dwarf. But somehow, they were so alive.

Laios doesn't regret eating their tentacles. It was something he ate before meeting the lovely monarch. He can't blame himself for doing so, and likewise, he doesn't blame you for almost drowning him. So they're even in horrible things done to each other.

"LAIOS!"

"It wasn't a monster."

It was a statement he said that even he was in disbelief. You were a monster, and yet you understood more than he ever could. Laios couldn't see your discomfort when he prodded at you or when he told you that he ate your flesh. Yet, you were able to realize the faintest sign of doubt and understanding of his thoughts.

You were definitely a monster.

"Did you know that mermaids can and will have a monarchy if a leader is seen as capable? Mermaids tend to travel in small groups, but the monster we saw was the monarch of the mermaids. It isn't just a few—it's all the mermaids in the dungeon! There also were so many species that were thought to have gone extinct in the dungeon water! They glow in the dark! This monster is named (y/n), and it was able to cast a spell of some sort to allow me to breathe underwater, and that's how I'm here. I made a page here in my book! With the bottom of jellyfish and the top of 'mermaid', they're able to hold a conversation with me! This means that there are monsters that can think like tall-men, elves, dwarves, and those alike!."

Senshi was too busy cooking, and Marcille and Chilchuck stopped listening at the "glow in the dark" part to stare at Laios as if he had gone mad.

"You get taken by mermaids, and you're happy!?!" Chilchuck grabbed the book and looked at the sketch. "Isn't this the monster that tried to kill you the other day?"

"Not trying to kill me!" Laios looked rather proud at the statement. "It didn't say why it picked me up, but it—they apologized for scaring us."

Marcille gripped her staff tightly as she opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She sighed and said, "As long as you're alive, it's alright, I guess. There's no saving Falin if you're gone."

"Oh–yeah."

"You didn't forget, did you?"

"First, you say you're glad, and now this? I can't believe you, Laios."

Senshi just shook his head in disappointment.

"I—I didn't mean it like that!"

𓆞𓆝 𓆟

Laios is Laios. Falin is Falin. Marcille is Marcille. Chilchuck is Chilchuck. Senshi is Senshi. Izutsumi is Izutsumi.

They all were so similar despite their different backgrounds and race. Even then, among family and those of the same race, they were very different. With hobbies, interests, dislikes, stories, and soul is what made them, them.

So what about monsters?

They all were of the same species with the same instincts and appearance. There were little differences, and there was little true free will for them to differentiate themselves from each other.

So where did you stand?

To Laios, the answer was clear.

You were you.

You were a monster, yet you were far from one. You weren't a species similar to the eight he was familiar with, yet you were more sensible than he ever could be. You were a jellyfish, yet the only thing that resembled one were your tentacles. You weren't a mermaid, yet you shared many similarities.

It's these distinctions that made you: you.

There was nothing more enchanting than you. With the tentacles of a jellyfish, ears of a sea serpent, the appearance of a mermaid, you were truly something magnificent.

Laios wanted to become dungeon master in order to make a world safe for you and monsters alike: that was his wish. For Falin and the others to meet you and recognize your beauty the same way he did.

Desperate to save his sister from her monstrous state and his desire to live alongside monsters, he ignored the dangers of temptation the lion gave.

It was only Marcille, out of desperation, made a deal with the winged lion and became lord of dungeon, did Laios truly grasp the meaning of "dungeon master."

Nothing but a trap and prey for the lion go devour.

There was no love greater than what the demon could provide.

The winged lion was creature capable of drawing out the purest of desire: Raw instinct and pure desire as its core.

"Make me lord of the dungeon!"

To save Marcille and everyone else—to defeat the demon, Laios saw no other choice but fall into temptation.

"What a splendid person you have become; However, deep down inside, you haven't changed in the slightest. You are sick and tired of the human world."

As if in a trance, Laios found it difficult to find words to refute the demons claim. Feeling paranoid and agitated, Laios had no idea what to say. That confidence and sense of safety dissipated the moment the lion placed a finger on his chest. As if unraveling open his heart, the lion continued.

"So long as your friends are safe, you don't care if everyone else gets caught up in the dungeon's collapse."

That's a lie.

Laios isn't—couldn't be the only one to feel that way. Everyone else is just as selfish, right? There's no way that not one person doesn't feel the same way as him!

"You despise other humans; That's why you admire monsters so much. Monsters kill humans: They take forms that they can use to terrorize and slaughter humans. 'So cool,' you thought. 'How beautiful they are' I've seen you think. Why want a peaceful world when, in a peaceful world, dungeons and monsters disappear."

The lion walked farther and deeper into the void. Nearing towards what appeared to be a dinner table, the demon beckoned Laios to follow.

"If monsters disappear, you'll lose everything of interest: Your livelihood and passion. Do you really want that?"

The lion picked up a fork and knife and handed it to Laios.

"Falin will be safe, and Marcille won't have to die alone, that young jellyfish won't ever have to starve ever again: Everyone could be happy. Do you really want to choose a superficial and peaceful world over this?"

The lion turned Laios' attention to the dinner table. Laios gasped as he saw a monster not quite a mermaid, and far too similar to jellyfish: It was you. Laying on the table in a daze, covered in a variety of dishes and desserts, the monarch of mermaids remained paralyzed.

"The reason you were so intrigued by the dungeon was a rumor. 'The dungeon is able to turn people into monsters.' You want to be a monster, don't you?"

The lion grabbed Laios' hand with the fork and brought towards the monarch's stomach. Lightly pressing against the soft jelly‐like flesh, the lion continued to tempt Laios on. "You admire the monarch of sea because they had what you wanted. The ability to transform into something much more horrific than the damnest thing man has ever seen."

The lion pushed his hand; The fork piercing the skin and drawing a faint amount of water and blood out. "You want to eat, don't you? You want to taste the actual flesh and not just the flavorless tentacles."

Laios suddenly realized what was happening and tried to get away. "No! I can't eat (y/n)! They aren't a—"

"— a monster? What does it matter if the jellyfish is a monster? You ate plenty of monsters before. What makes this any different?"

"I—I don't..."

As Laios tried to move the fork away from your stomach, the lion chuckled and stopped Laios from moving the fork. Taking advantage of the situation, the demon further pushed in the fork all the way into the stomach of the monarch.

"You won't, even if I say you can become the monster you so desire?" This got Laios to halt all movement, and the lion let out a bellowed laugh. "Just eat the jellyfish, and everything can be yours."

The lion let go of Laios as it watched him pull out a bit of flesh. It looked bland but resembled more of actual meat with the blood oozing out and muscle strewn in deeper below. Laios put it in his mouth and swallowed. Uncooked and cold, it tasted bitter and sweet: It was delicious.

"Feast on flesh, and I'll make sure all your friends remain happy until their deaths."

Laios tore as far he could into the dense flesh and directly took a bite. Blood and water covered his face—clothes soaked in blood.

"Drink all the blood, I'll make so humans and monsters are able to co-exist without any harm towards monsters."

Laios climbed onto the table, grabbed your hand, and placed a finger in his mouth. Pushing your sharp nail onto his tongue, he forcefully drew out blood. He licked and sucked on your finger as he tasted his own blood. Biting down, he drank your blood.

"Chew on the bones, and the young monarch will be able to eat without regret."

You began to gain consciousness to see Laios on top of you. You tried to get up and ask Laios what he was doing. You felt liquid trickle done your chest and to your side. You fell back onto the table as Laios sat up and looked you. You saw blood running down his mouth; You felt as if you were missing something.

"Laios?" You were hardly auditable, but he heard you. Pushing your shoulders down, he went to gently bite your neck. "Ah—ah, what are you doing?"

"Trust me, alright?"

There was no need to ask. You already decided to trust Laios with everything you had the moment he remained truthful to you. You reached out and held onto his arms.

You noticed that the blood wasn't his, but rather yours. You looked at the wounds and missing skin and muscle. It wasn't something you weren't used to. Unable to feel pain, you aren't surprised you didn't notice. The thing that surprised you was the sensation of teeth and hands all over your body. Laios held you close at it was feeling you never felt. You didn't quite like it, nor did you hate it. You'd rather live without ever experiencing it.

"—and devour the heart."

Laios reached out and held your neck. He leaned closer and whispered, "Will you let me eat your heart?"

You brought a hand up and covered your face. With your other hand, you caressed his face. "I—I'm too tired to want to...."

With the winged lion looming over, Laios hastily went in to kiss you. Feeling blood seep into your mouth, you wondered for a moment if it was his or yours. Not that it mattered as the more you drank, the more drunk you felt tasting the metallic flavor.

Moving a hand up to your chest, Laios felt around, trying to find a heartbeat. You held and pulled on his hair as you continued to taste your own blood mixed with his. When you got enough, you pulled away and asked him, "Laios, what am I?"

Laios just gave you a saddened expression when he saw how lethargic you looked. Letting go of you, he hugged you tight.

"I don't know what you are, but all I need to know is that you are you: You are (y/n)."

You didn't say anything as you closed your eyes. That wasn't something you had never heard before; However, hearing him say it, it felt sincere.

Jellyfish don't have hearts. A jellyfish pretending to be a sea serpent don't have hearts. Sea serpents pretending to be a mermaid don't have hearts. You don't have heart.

Despite that fact, the time you spent with the mermaids: Them raising you and eventually making you their monarch—you felt as if you did have one. Even now, as Laios embraced you in his warmth, you felt as if that heart was real.

You gladly gave him your heart if it meant he'll use and protect it well.

You were fine.

You were you.

𓆟 𓆞𓆝

The hunger and gluttonous nature of all living things was what animal, monster, and man were so similar. No matter the differences in blood, flesh, bone, and hearts—the souls remain true. Do plants have souls? Do animals have souls? Do insects have souls? Do monsters have souls? Do we have souls?

Desire was what made the demon: Desire was something created from the need of the soul.

There was no need to know the answer at this moment—not as Laios got the first taste of desire.

Laios wondered how you lived before you met the mermaids. He wanted to know why you desired to know who you are. Even as he ate your heart, he still couldn't understand.

He wanted to know why you despised yourself and why you looked at him in such admiration. The same admiration he held for monsters. What was their to hate about your body? As a monster, Laios felt greater gods and above the world.

As he ate and ate away at the demon—eating its desire and existence—it cursed him.

Angered by the loss of its greatest desire and drive for life, the lion cursed him out of pure loathing.

"Laios Touden, I curse thee."

As the winged lion began to dissolve, it held Laios up by the shoulders and glared.

"Thy greatest desire shall never be granted."

Before Laios could understand what the meant, the lion spoke once again. "My goodness, what pathetic little creatures you are. Surely your kind exists for no other reason than to starve."

When all was left was the face, Laios swore he saw the lion smile. "I was mistaken about that child. That monarch alone was the greatest thing I have ever created. How I wish to tell them one last story."

"If I may desire just one last thing, I wish to grant one last blessing for that child."

Just one blessing to make that child happy.

The demon wished it could have loved you more.

𓆟 𓆞𓆝

When you woke up, you found yourself in the middle of a forest. You struggled to sit up with all the weight of your body. It felt uncomfortably dry and cold. At the same time, you were in absolute awe as this was the first time you saw flora and an endless sky out of the dungeon.

The sun was warm.

The sun was bright.

The wind was cold, as was the ground.

You wondered if this was what humans saw every morning.

Looking in front of you, you saw a human girl encased in crystal. With the appearance of a human, she resembled more of a dragon. She was just like you, wasn't she?

"(y/n)!"

You heard Laios call for you. Hearing him run towards you, he began to apologize profusely for what happened. You wanted to chuckle, but the lack of moisture was quite literally killing you.

"Laios, I need water."

Panicking, Laios struggled to pick you up. You were just too heavy. With your urging, he sat you near a tree.

"I'm sorry."

'It's fine. I'm quite very happy even if the events could be deemed as unfortunate." You found yourself wondering about the demon. "What ever happened to the lion?"

Laios tensed up as he sheepishly scratched the back of his ear. "About that...."

"Oh!"

You were quite surprised to hear that Laios ate the lion and, therefore, defeated it. Despite what the lion put you through, it was the one to raise you. You can't help but feel deeply upset at the news—not that you could blame Laios.

"So why aren't you with your friends?"

Laios looked down in shame. "They wouldn't want me around after all that happened."

"I don't believe that to be true."

And you were right.

As he and the others made amends, they (some) reluctantly helped pull you back into the ocean.

"Thank you for helping me."

Marcille seemed somewhat still disturbed at the fact you were the monster they had attacked. She apologized for everyone in the party and especially for Laios for eating your lappet.

"Did you apologize to them?!"

"This is why I told you not to eat demi-humans!"

It was quite an entertaining sight. Especially when you saw the worry on Laios' wash away with the wind.

It was then that the dwarf asked, "Are you hungry?"

You smiled as you admitted it true. You were always on the verge of starvation. Unwilling to eat anything until you absolutely had to, you starved for days and weeks. Now that you were out of the dungeon, you felt extremely hungry, despite always feeling this hunger.

It was painful

"I'll cook something for you!"

You never thought you would get along with surface dwellers.

"Thank you for the meal."

𓆟 𓆞𓆝

You sat at the seaside, watching as the mermaids swam around the ocean looking at the sun and catching fish never seen before.

Never did you think you and the mermaids would be able to leave the dungeon. Never did you think they would be able to speak the language of man.

In your hands were plants from the sea that Senshi had requested you to forage. Senshi wanted to cook or assemble raw forms of dishes made from Falin due to you and the mermaids' inability to eat cooked food. The first time you ate a sandwich, you vomited it in the ocean and floated around as the foreign pain made you sick. Never again did Senshi want his cooking to make someone that sick.

"Young (y/n)!"

You turned around as you heard Senshi himself shout at you.

"Senshi! I got them right here!"

Senshi thanked you and handed a dish sample. You wanted to ask him about Laios, but he left before you could do so. He and the others were quite busy with everything going on, so you couldn't be upset.

It was one of the things that made you slightly upset. The fact you were tied to the water meant that you couldn't walk on land and help them.

You sighed as you slumped back into the water.

You looked at the castle that arose from the ocean. The metals and wet stone glistened under the sunset. The water painted in the same shades as the sky. It was truly something beautiful that you had never seen in the dungeon. The water wasn't full of magic, light not obscured by darkness and stone.

It was boundless.

The mermaids all came to your side and took a seat on land, all looking at the same sight.

One of the mermaids swam towards you with a troubled look. She placed her head on your lap and spoke. "What now, your majesty? We can't stay here for long. The land is rising at an unstable rate—any day now, we could end stuck on land, unable to reach the water."

You closed your eyes as you thought. You wanted to see Laios at least one more time before departuring. However, if you delay your departure any longer, it could end up dangerous for you and the mermaids.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Alright."

There was a chance you would never see Laios again after today: Yet, you felt at ease. Laios fulfilled his promise to you, and that was enough for you. The fact you wouldn't have to worry about food and the long-term survival of the mermaids.

You laid back on the sand as you felt each grain cling onto your form.

"There once was a jellyfish who lived for one hundred centuries. Small, naive, unknowing: It had nothing remarkable about it. Then, one day, a lion decided to lend out a hand and guide the jellyfish among fire and brimstone. It told the jellyfish stories of the world and life beyond the dungeon. Held and chained to the water, the jellyfish wanted nothing more but to desire.

Then, one day, there came a knight who lent out a hand and sliced the jellyfish's bubble, showing curiosity beyond the dungeon.

Lost and desiring, the jellyfish took the knight's hand."

As you recounted the story of the jellyfish, the waves drummed, the winds whistled, and the mermaids sung their song.

"No longer bound by self-hatred and loathing, the jellyfish wanted nothing more but to follow the knight."

You wished you were a human just as Laios was. You wanted to see him grow and prosper with the Melini. You wanted to see him with all his friends and family together, dining and feasting on delicious food. You wanted to hear him sing his horrible song. You wanted to see dance with others. You wanted to see him on the throne.

When you wanted to see him, never was it with you by his side. There was no place for a monster next to the king.

With the blessing of the water, you and the mermaids were able to, for the first time, sing a new song together: a song best fit for the Monarch to chant their Lament.

The sound of crunching sand made you halt. Turning around, you saw Laios; Adorned in the same armor you first saw him in and wrapped in the now deceased demon. Despite all that happened, you still harbor gratitude for the winged lion. After all, It was the one to raise you all those centuries ago.

"You're singing with the mermaids." Laios stopped walking when he noticed the mermaids cower in disgust. "—and I see that you all settled well."

The mermaids ignored him as they swam away towards the castle.

"Yes, the mermaids are taking this situation rather well. Some of the tall-men and half-foots came by earlier, and the mermaids quite enjoyed the company."

Laios sat next to you in the sand. Gazing upon the castle with the lion's pelt, he truly looked like a king. You're glad you were able to see him in all his glory.

"I was rather surprised when they chose to converse with surface dwellers."

Laios leaned forward and ran his fingers through the sand. You remained still in the water, lappets fluttering.

"I remember you told me how important the mermaids song were to them. The song you guys just sung, it wasn't yours or the mermaids, was it?"

You felt yourself relax as you heard him speak. "No, that song was the first time we sang it. It was the first time we were able to sing the same song together."

"Why was it so sad sounding?"

"Ah, it—well....the song was a reflection of the monarch's melancholy."

"....the monarch; Are you sad?"

You remained quiet as the waves and oceans crashed onto shore.

"That I am for quite a variety of reasons that remain out of my control." You threw yourself at the sand and covered your head with your hands. "But alas, I will remain just fine. So, I ask that you don't burden yourself with my troubles."

Laios didn't pester you any further, and so, you two watched as the sun began to begin its descent. The waves were gentle, the wind was soft, the sand was silky, and the sky remained its brilliant magnificence.

Soon enough, Senshi and the others came by: Setting up tables and seats by the sea side. You are forever thankful for the few who were so kind as to dine alongside the mermaids despite their monstrous history.

Especially so you're glad Marcille and Chilchuck were able to forgive and apologize to you for your very first meeting.

When the mermaids came back, you all sat by the seaside and the surface dwellers on land. Even with this difference in anatomy and history, the tall-men, elves, orcs, dwarves, and mermaids were able to eat and converse with one another with familiarity. Exchanging tales of different cultures and species, it was a sight you'd never thought to desire.

You couldn't help but smile as you watched the mermaids enthusiastically talk with the others about the different songs around the world. You smiled even more when you saw a few of the mermaids awkwardly converse with Laios.

And you, you weren't like any of them, but neither were they. May it be selfish, you truly are glad that these differences exist among all races. Any one of them could be called a monster. The only difference between a sapient being and a monster was the willingness and power to deny instinct.

With a coral crown embellishing your head and the lion's pelt decorating Laios' figure—you two were the first beloved monarchs of the future united Kingdom of land and sea.

"May this be the union between the citizens of Melini and the mermaids of the Sea Monarch!"

With everyone silent and watching, you, the true monarch of sea, and Laios, the devourer of all things horrible, each go to take the final bites of the lions remains.

"With this shared meal, I hope against all adversaries and conflict that this union lasts a millennia. I thank you all for attending this dinner with the mermaids and I."

With that, everyone went back to feasting on the monstrous parts of Falin's flesh. Quite an odd predicament, but after what you and Laios did, it was much more tame.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Laios asked you, holding a plate of raw sushi towards you.

"I—it's a habit I have yet to forget."

Holding the raw flesh wrapped in rice and kelp, you hesitated for a moment before taking a small bite.

It tasted wonderful.

You ate more and more to the point the mermaids told you to slow down.

"Your majesty! Careful now!"

Laughing, you said, "Please forgive my impudent behavior, but how shall I behave when I can eat without this melancholic heart of mine?"

You wished this night could last for centuries without no end. However, you knew that was only a hopeless dream.

As the night progressed, more and more people would leave. The mermaids swam deep in the water for rest, those of land, going to their shelters, and warm beds. Eventually, it was just you and Laios.

Once again, you two sat by the seaside—it was the only place you two could be together. In silence, you two watched as the moon overtook the sun's position.

"(y/n)," Laios spoke suddenly. He turned to your direction and reached to hold both your hands. "I thought about this for a while, and I—I..."

Laios struggled to get his words out without making a complete fool of himself. Blushing and flustered, he held your hands tighter. "—Will you marry me!"

You were frozen in place.

You didn't know what to say. Marriage was something the lion told you about in only stories, never as something that may happen to you one day. Marriage was a concept foreign to mermaids, and you in turn. All you knew in that moment was that when you saw how red Laios was, that marriage must be something with great importance and the ultimate bond of love for humans.

"Laios! I—I.....I am unable to accept your proposal." You were leaving tomorrow morning. You two were separated by biology and land. He shouldn't marry someone like you. "We are leaving Melini tomorrow. The land is rising at an unsteady pace; We could be stranded at any moment in the night, and we need to wary of these conditions."

Laios grabbed your wrist when he saw you pull away. "Is that the only reason?"

You were melancholic, gentle soul.

Despite your feelings of affection towards Laios, you didn't want to bond with him on such an intimate level when you only had met him a little less than six times. You wish you could stay him just a bit longer to know him enough to accept.

Realizing how uncomfortable you must be from his sudden proposal, Laios let you go.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"It's alright, Laios."

Laios stood up as he bowed in shame.

"I still apologize for being so forceful,"

"Laios—"

Before you could call out to him, he was already gone.

Even with your own feelings of insecurities, you couldn't help but let out a laugh as you thought about how "Laios" Laios was.

You do hope he sees you off tomorrow.

𓆞𓆝 𓆟

The winds bellowed, and the ocean danced, and still no sight of Laios. You held your head up for the sake of the mermaids. You refuse for them to have a melancholic monarch!

"It's time for us to leave, Your Highness."

"I am well aware. Go on before me, I wish to remain just a bit longer."

Watching as the sun changed from a dark blue to red and yellow, then blue, you wanted to see many other things on land. Things you'll never see while bound by water.

Desire was the greatest curse of them all.

When you heard familiar rapid footsteps in the sand, you turned around to see a figure throw themselves on you. You nearly fell in the water when you picked your assailant.

"Laios?!"

Placing him down, you saw him breathe heavily.

"I tried to come as soon as possible but they kept talking and talking! I had Kabru and Marcille distract them as I ran!"

"Laios...." You leaped forward and hugged him as the two of you fell onto the sand. "You're quite the amusing one, aren't you?"

"Yes!"

You two just laughed as you both laid in the sand to catch your composure. With bright sun lighting his face up, Laios really looked gentle as he sounded.

"Laios?" You turned on your side and reached out to hold one of his hands. "When you proposed to me yesterday and after I rejected you, I wanted to elaborate further on my reasoning for doing so."

You sat up and pulled yourself in the water. Still holding Laios' hand, you gently pulled on his hand as if to pull him into the water: He reflexively resisted.

"I can not leave the water nor can I force you in, even with the water's blessing. How could you wish to marry someone like me? Despite that, you are now king of Melini. You have the responsibility to rebuild the fallen kingdom and to guide the future of the people. As you have the citizens of Melini, I have my own people to care for. The mermaids still have need for my protection from this foreign sea and humans that wish to capture them. To marry in time as now is irresponsible and quite foolish."

Laios let go of your hand as he looked away in shame. "I'm so sorry for—"

"—'In a time like this.' Things may change in the future. The future of Melini won't always be in turmoil." You reached out and held Laios' face in your hands. "This is not to say that things aren't able to change. There's no telling how I'll accept your proposal in the near future."

Letting go Laios, you fell back into the water. No longer bound by the size and limit of food in the dungeon, there was no need to restrict yourself to this sapient form. Soaking in all you can, you became more of the jellyfish you once were. Abandoning most of your sapient features, you embraced your jellyfish nature.

"I'll be departing now, Laios. If you so decide to take me as your spouse even as I take this form, then meet me on the west coast once all of Melini shows itself. Perhaps then I'll be able to bring myself to accept."

Laios stood still, amazed at the sight of something as enchanting as you. Even as a mess of jelly, you still remained the lovable you—for Laios, that was enough.

"I'll make sure to bring Falin. She would love to someone as beautiful as you." Laios stepped forward and kneeled before you. "(y/n), no matter what form you take, my feelings will never change."

"Then, if you must, serenade me with a song of yours. The mermaids spoke once of it, and I wish to hear it."

"Of course."

You wished you could walk on land: To live without the restrictions of your gelatinous body. Was it so selfish to want to be with the one you desire?

No matter how strong that desire was. Your love and loyalty to the mermaids were stronger.

However, no matter how apart you two were, the bond made in a short period of time would prove to live throughout the testament of time.

𓆟 𓆞𓆝

"There once was a jellyfish who wished to be human; There once was a knight who wished to be the evil dragon.

There once was a jellyfish who fell in love with a knight.

With every flower, tree, coral, and grain of sand, the jellyfish loved everything around the knight.

With every fiber, lappet, flesh, blood, bone, and soul, the knight loved everything jellyfish consumed and breathed.

Separated by land and sea, once a year, they met at the coast of Melini and the edge of Thalassa. As if a dream, they sing the song of water and dance to their heart's content.

'Thus this dream never end'

'Thou these hearts dance and bond under the sun.'

'How I wish dearly for our union to remain true.'

These were the wishes of the King of Melini and the Monarch of Thalassa.

Blessed by the water of the world, birthed from both land and sea, I, Queen Levia, hereby declare Melini and Thalassa one nation sharing the same flesh, blood, bone, heart and soul."

Thank you for reading!

[wp-blaze]

Stepping Out on the Waves

So many of you have been following my health journey for sometime now…you’ve covered me with encouragement, support and prayer and celebrated my wins and victories with me. And I want to thank you so much!! It’s an honor to get to share my story and to hopefully be an encouragement as well…because we are […]

[eu-nicola]

Strong Love - Enzo Vogrincic x Reader

summary: Enzo makes a bold decision to save his relationship after rumors of infidelity spread. warnings: without

from a request

You have been in London recording a film for a month now. You initially planned to travel with your boyfriend, Enzo. However, unforeseen circumstances kept him back in his home country, managing interviews for his new film and other commitments. Soon, your name flooded social media, not for your movie but due to a particular photo everyone was tagging you in.

It was Enzo with his ex-girlfriend, Sofia, seemingly happy and together on the streets at night. The moment you saw it, confusion and pain set in. You wanted to believe it was a mistake, but the evidence was there. Unable to gather the strength to confront him in person, you sent him a text message, desperately seeking an explanation.

On the other side, Enzo anxiously stared at his phone, feeling the tension building up as he contemplated your message. "I saw the photos, Enzo, and I need you to explain what's going on," your message read. The realization of the photo's error struck Enzo, and he feared you wouldn't believe him.

As you noticed his delayed response, you tried to focus on your work on the film set. A mix of emotions overwhelmed you, from surprise to anguish. The images of Enzo and Sofia haunted your thoughts, creating a knot of insecurity and sadness. While attempting to concentrate, you awaited the answers Enzo was willing to provide.

Enzo, understanding the gravity of the situation, desperately sought to explain. When you finally checked your phone, you saw his rushed messages justifying the encounter. Amidst the filming chaos, you struggled to concentrate and process the flood of notifications that made you feel powerless and hurt.

"Love, you need to know it wasn't what it seemed. I ran into Sofia on the street by chance, and we only talked for a moment. There were no hidden intentions, I promise."

"Sofia is part of the past; you are my present and future. I made a mistake not anticipating how it could affect you, and I take full responsibility. I am willing to do whatever it takes to fix this because you are the most important thing to me."

"I know the photos may seem compromising, but I'm being honest with you. It was an unexpected coincidence. I'm sorry; I love you."

You loved him, and you knew he was being honest, but it didn't ease the pain, especially considering Sofia's past harassment when you first started dating.

"Enzo, the photos are hard to ignore, but I appreciate your honesty. I need time to process it all. I'm hurt, but I want to believe in you. We need to talk when I return." There were still a few months left until your return, but if he was truly willing to fix things, you hoped he would understand and wait.

Enzo, feeling overwhelmed by the distance and the anxiety of waiting, made a bold decision after days of reflection. He decided he couldn't wait months to resolve things and was determined to fight for you.

Within a few days, without saying a word, Enzo arranged a flight to London. Landing in the bustling city, his heart pounded with nervousness about your unexpected reaction.

That same afternoon, a few hours before you finished filming, he appeared on the set, searching for you everywhere, asking everyone where you were, and the consistent response was, "in her dressing room." When he finally found your dressing room and knocked on the door, you opened it, thinking it would be anyone but him. Seeing him, you were completely surprised.

"Enzo, what are you doing here?" you asked, a mix of disbelief and excitement.

"I'm sorry; I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to see you, talk to you face to face. Explanations and apologies aren't enough through messages," he replied, determination in his eyes.

You were moved by the fact that he flew there just to see you, a mix of emotions overwhelmed you. He continued, "I made a mistake; I shouldn't have talked to her, and I'm willing to face the consequences. But I'm also willing to fight for us, to show with actions that this is what I want most in my life, that I love you."

After hours of conversation and shared tears, you forgave Enzo because you truly loved him and saw that each of his words was sincere. During that time, he stayed with you, and despite the rumors, you paid them no attention. Every day, you both seemed more in love than ever, and everyone noticed.

After some time, you returned home, and the return flight felt different; you were better, and you liked that. You didn't know how things would unfold, but something inside you told you that everything would be okay.

[obaex]

pinch me - jj maybank

summary: when you turn 17, your body begins to mirror anything that happens to your soulmate, but with so many marks and bruises, why is yours so hard to find?

word count: 2.9k

a/n: happy obx writing week! this is for day 1: au with jj! thank you to the lovely @surftrips for planning this event. this fic's a little different, but i am simply a sucker for a soulmate au. italics are jj's perspective. ♡

The flowers bloomed on your skin like a tattoo, delicate but dark. Large roses, orchids, lilies and daffodils tangled with leaves to form a winding pattern that started on your hand before appearing on your arm. You lifted your shirt to see them swirl on your ribs, near your stomach. It was mesmerizing to watch, beautiful, hypnotizing even, the sensation felt like a pleasant tingle beneath your skin that now danced on your cheek, around your eye. You lay down on your bed, closed your eyes, and willed the patterns to disappear by morning.

You knew when you turned 17 that this could happen, that your body would begin to mirror any impact on your soulmate’s skin, so you weren’t necessarily surprised. What did surprise you was the frequency with which the marks appeared, their breadth, their size. Your chest ached with the knowledge that whoever your heart was tethered to underwent physical pain on a regular basis.

You searched for your other half eagerly, knowing they wouldn’t be hard to find: a split lip, a black eye, bruised knuckles, but of course there was no one that looked like that on Figure 8. Your friends sought out their matches based on the occasional skinned knee, maybe a broken finger playing lacrosse; when they asked you about it, you lied and said you hadn’t felt anything yet, too heartbroken to share the truth and the fact that your person was nowhere to be found.

When your best friend Sarah Cameron found her match, you couldn’t help but be happy for her, even though she had found him on the wrong side of the island. She and John B began spending every day together; you were lucky if you could steal her away for an afternoon at the beach, and even then, she spent every moment gushing about him. Before long she was begging you to come hang out with him and his friends. You were undeniably skeptical, but by now your own flowered marks had stopped appearing and even though you knew that was a good thing for your other half, in a way you missed them, missed the connection, the reminder that someone out there was meant for you. You needed something to distract you, and John B and his friends proved to be the perfect distraction, especially JJ Maybank.

You and JJ fell into an immediate friendship that was unlike any you’d had before. Frankly, it shocked the other pogues – what could a marina rat and a kook princess possibly have in common? On the surface, the answer was nothing, but it’s like you just clicked right from the first day you met. You were always laughing at each other’s jokes, tears brimming your eyes, unable to catch your breath no matter how stupid they seemed to everyone else. You would finish each other’s sentences, you could read into each other’s emotions, able to understand one another when words fell short, ready with a hug or a smile when they needed it most. You had a casual intimacy, your head resting on his shoulder when you watched a movie, him always needing to have the seat next to you whether in the twinkie or in the back yard at the chateau, you permanently wearing at least one article of his clothing at any given time. You were having fun, your time with JJ distracting you from the loneliness you had felt before.

Everyone had become so obsessed with this soulmate thing - JJ didn’t think it was even real. He had never felt a thing, grateful at least that that meant his soulmate had a life very different from his own. But, why did people care so much? He had seen and heard John B go on and on about it, but all he wanted to do was ignore it, convinced that that kind of thing just wasn’t meant for someone like him.

He never knew if his parents had had it, and even if they did, what good had it done them? His mom left and his dad was gone now too, having finally taken off for the Yucatan months ago. Good riddance.   

No, JJ preferred to focus on what he could control, to believe what was right in from of him, and for now that was Y/N. He wasn’t sure what a girl like that was doing hanging around with a pogue like him, but he wasn’t going to question it, grateful for every day he got to spend with her. He loved the way she made him feel, like he was always the center of her attention no matter what was going on around them - he’d never had that before, had never been someone’s first priority. He loved the way she would laugh uncontrollably with him, how big her smile got, how her nose would crinkle. He loved the way she curled into his arms when she had a bad day, seeking him out for comfort and reassurance; he loved knowing he could be that for somebody. He loved when she leaned on him when they watched movies, how sometimes her eyelids fluttered closed and she’d breath heavily against him, wrapping her arms around him in her sleepy state – that was his favorite.

The funny thing was, she didn’t seem to believe in this soulmate thing either, never chiming in when the inevitable conversation came up. And that made him feel like maybe he had a chance. He tried every day to muster the courage, to find the right words to say to ask her out, which is where his mind wandered while he spent the afternoon at work at the marina, pissed that he was missing a day on the boat with her.

The HMS Pogue bobbed gently to the rhythm of the waves as John B and Pope cast their rods into the water. You, Sarah and Kie were lying on the bow, soaking in the scorching rays of the sun as sweat dripped down your body.

“OK, I’m getting in the water, it’s too damn hot” Kie said resolutely, standing up.

“Yes please” you said, jumping up, pulling off your sunglasses and diving in, beating her to the punch.

The salt water cooled your skin immediately, bringing instant relief. You let out a sigh as your head breached the surface and you began to float on your back. It was only a moment before you felt something slimy and looked around you to see you had jumped right into a school of jellyfish. You tried to swim away, shrieking, before they began to sting you, their barbed tentacles attaching to your side as you tried to knock them away and scrambled back to the boat. You pulled yourself shakily out of the water, tenderly feeling the burns on your skin as tears overflowed in your eyes.

JJ was spraying down the latest kook yacht to pull into the marina, washing and rinsing mindlessly, his thoughts drifting to you and back again when he felt an itch on his side. He scratched it absentmindedly, attempting to ignore it when it persisted in a tingling feeling. He rubbed it harder before finally lifting his shirt to see a tattooed pattern of vines winding up his side. He shoved his shirt down and looked around, hoping nobody had seen. He dropped the hose in his hand and stumbled inside before he pulled his shirt off to inspect his skin more closely. He was mesmerized by the sensation and the pattern on his skin, his heart racing with excitement until he realized what this meant, his joy waning as his sympathy grew for this person he didn’t even know. He pressed his hand against the vines, like he could make them stop, but they persisted. He could hear his boss yelling for him, so he quickly pulled his shirt back on, his head spinning as he went back to work.

The rest of the afternoon and evening you walked around gingerly, icing your side, putting ointment on it, but nothing seemed to quell the burning sensation of the barbs in your skin. You pulled on one of JJ’s soft, oversized sweatshirts and a pair of shorts and joined your friends in John B’s backyard, trying to focus on anything else to forget the pain you were in.

Thankfully, JJ showed up right after his shift. You had missed him all day, wishing he had been out on the boat with you; he would have known just what to say, how to make you laugh, exactly how to make you feel better, and that’s all you wanted right now.

He settled into his chair beside you, but didn’t meet your gaze, didn’t acknowledge you at all; he looked a thousand miles away.

“Hey, you okay?” you asked, picking up on his demeanor immediately.

“Hmm?” he said, glancing at you quickly before looking away. In truth, he couldn’t stop thinking about the tingling on his side, which had started to fade, but that he could still feel. He looked back at you, examining you. You were perfectly fine. No one had hurt you, you weren’t in pain, and he was overwhelmingly grateful for that, but at the same time, selfishly, he knew that that meant that you weren’t his, weren’t the one for him and it crushed him.

He looked at you with sad eyes, his ocean blues scanning yours, opened his mouth like he wanted to say something before shutting it, shaking his head and ignoring you, choosing to focus on the beer in his hand instead.

You scrunched your face in response, hurt by his dismissal, especially after the day you'd had. You had been so sure he would make you feel better, that he would pull you into his arms and tell you everything was going to be okay, and now he wouldn’t even talk to you.

“Okay then” you said, standing up quickly, wanting to put some distance between you before your emotions got the best of you. “Anyone need another drink?” you asked as you made your way inside. John B shook his near-empty can in the air and you nodded, turning quickly so no one would see the tears in your eyes as you slammed the door behind you.

“What was that about?” John B said as he looked over at JJ.

JJ just shook his head and shrugged, trying to shake off your reaction, his feelings, and failing miserably.

“She seemed upset” Kie pushed, not used to seeing the two of you at odds with each other, ever. “You could at least try to be nice to her, Jayj, she had a shitty day.”

“Pfft understatement of the year” Pope agreed as he took a swig of his beer, “she put up a tough front but I’ve never seen stings that bad before, had to be the man-o-wars, she jumped right into them.”

JJ’s ears perked up. “What?” he asked, trying to catch up.

“She got stung, asshole, like fifteen times” Kie replied, gesturing to her side.

The same side where JJ’s skin still tingled.

JJ’s mouth ran dry and he could feel his heart start to hammer in his chest. It couldn’t be… could it?

He stood up, dropped his beer at his feet and ran after you.

“Y/N!!” he called as soon as he was inside, nearly tripping over the furniture on his way to reach you in the kitchen.

You were leaning with your back against the counter, your eyes meeting his as you wiped at your tears, not wanting him to know how upset he’d made you.

“You’re – Pope said – you – today –“ he stumbled over his words as he gestured outside and then to you.

You looked at him, utterly confused.

He shook his head, trying to clear it as he ran his hands through his hair, willing his heart to slow down just enough for him to get his words out.

“Today. You got stung. A-Are you okay?” he said through labored breath.

You shrugged, still angry with him. “I’m fine” you said.

“Nah, don’t do that, don’t play it off, Pope said it was bad, worst that he’s seen in a long time. C-Can I see?” he asked.

You didn’t know what good it would do at this point but you set your drink down and tenderly reached for the bottom of your sweatshirt, lifting it up to expose the angry red skin on your side, wincing slightly as your fingers grazed it.

JJ stepped closer to you, one hand on your stomach, the other on your hip, careful to avoid touching your wounds as he looked closely at it, then at you. He felt his breath hitch as his emotions overwhelmed him at the thought of this happening to you. You immediately registered the sympathy in his eyes and the fact that he seemed completely distraught, his own eyes nearly brimming with tears.

“Hey, I’m alright, it’s alright, J” you said, not fully grasping the look in his eyes.

He took his hands away, but didn’t step back from you as he lifted his own shirt. You could make out the faint remains of a twisted pattern of vines that ran up his side. Your hands flew to your mouth in shock.

“JJ…” you cautioned. Despite how much you desperately wanted this to be true, you both knew that this could be a coincidence, that that happened all the time. Your eyes met his and you could see the longing shining in them as they met yours, unwavering.

“Pinch me” he said, holding out his arm.

“What?” you asked.

“Pinch me, hard, do it,” he said again, pushing his arm closer to you.

Part of you wanted to know the truth, needed to know the truth, but a larger part of you was scared, horrified for this be a coincidence, and what that would mean for both of you. The idea that JJ might not be yours had your chin wobbling as you looked at him.

“Please, gorgeous, I need to know” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper.

You reached out tentatively and pinched the skin on his forearm hard enough to leave a pink mark where your fingers had squeezed. Within seconds you could feel the tingle on your own skin, your emotions bubbling up as you laughed and then cried, JJ grabbing you by the shoulders, desperately trying to read your emotions as you pulled up your sleeve to reveal the rose that had bloomed on your own arm, matching his own. He looked down as tears welled in his own eyes.

“D-Do it again” he said, now that he could see it, holding out his arm.

“JJ” you said through your tears, urging him to accept what was in front of him.

“Do it again” he said, and as you pinched him a daisy bloomed next to the rose, leaves tangling together. He watched the pattern, willing himself to accept that this was much more than a coincidence, to accept that he could have this, have you, that you were made for him.

He pulled you into his arms, burying his head in your shoulder as you shook, your arms circling him and hands grasping the back of his shirt like a lifeline, unwilling to let him go.

“My God, oh my God” he muttered next to you as he rocked you back and forth.

“W-wait” you said, pulling back reluctantly to look at him. His eyes were blown wide, totally focused on you.

“What is it, beautiful?” he asked and your heart skipped a beat at the nickname.

Your hand came up to cup his face. “Last year” you whispered, tracing your finger under his eye, across his cheek, running it over his lips, tracing all the places you seen flowers on your own skin. He hung his head, pressing his forehead to yours.

“My dad” he said simply in reply as he realized, reluctantly, that you now knew better than anyone what he had been through.

“I’m so sorry” you whispered.

“It’s okay. I’m okay now” he reassured you as his hands reached up to cup your face. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

You nodded as your eyes met his, your mind still reeling, trying to piece together what was in front of you: this boy, with his long hair, his tender eyes, his perfect smile, his infectious laugh, his warm hugs was it, was yours, forever. You smiled at him and he smiled at you as his mind pieced together the same thing.

“How did I get so lucky?” he asked and you laughed in response. “I wanted it to be you. From the moment I met you, I wanted this” he said. You nodded vigorously in agreement, your instant connection so many months ago making so much sense now.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked quietly.

You nodded more vigorously as he brought your lips to his.

He wanted nothing more than to lose himself in you, but was reassured by the fact that he’d have eternity to do so as he pressed his lips softly to yours, savoring the feeling, and the way you pressed into him, opening up to him almost immediately, grasping his shirt and pulling him against you, against the counter as you hummed in response, your pain long forgotten as the pleasure of his body, his heart beating against your own took over. He ran his fingers into your hair as his tongue tangled with yours and he swore nothing in the world would ever compare to this.

taglist: @ietss, @gillybear17, @palmwinemami, @sweetestdesire, @softcoremaybank, @one-sweet-gubler, @m-indkiller

[cowboyfromh3ll]

how about for arthur, john, and charles: your hcs on how each would react to a shyer (not naive) reader who has a crush on him and keeps needing his “help” for various things so she can get his attention, and eventually working up the nerve to be more forward and hopefully pique his interest. who would catch on the fastest? would any of them realize before or after she becomes more forward and how would they react from there? smut absolutely welcome 🙏🏻

HC for Shy!Reader ft. Arthur Morgan, John Marston, Charles Smith

HCs are so easy and fun to write

Warnings: smut

Arthur Morgan

Arthur did not allow you much time to go and ask for help given his repeated and lengthy absences from camp

But when he was around to help, he put his all into it

No matter how mundane or small it may be, he always made sure to help you until satisfaction. Similar to the way he helps random people around the map, he helps you in the same way. 

But the level at which you asked for help was quite baffling to Arthur, but he never made a comment on it. He would never want to make you feel as though you were somehow less competent at doing things than the average person

He liked the way you would try to strike up conversation with him whenever he was helping you, recounting his travels to you in detail upon request

Part of him wondered why the two of you didn’t just talk more often outside of his time helping you. What he didn’t know is that you were unable to come up with a decent, not-too-forthcoming, excuse as to why the two of you should spend more time together alone 

He probably wouldn’t catch onto that fact too quickly, instead thinking you were just a person who wasn’t afraid of asking for help

He’d definitely think something was up when he realizes he’s the only one you ask

Maybe he’s just a dependable guy? He thinks to himself

But when you ask him to help you go fishing, come to find out you didn’t even have a rod, it was too late to back out as the two of you were already alone down the lake at Clemens point

He felt quite touched when you told him you really just wanted to spend time together, and that you weren’t sure how else to ask

Insisted you be more forward with him to establish a level of comfort between you two, but he still found it quite cute when you would shyly ask him for help

Eventually led to you two becoming very close, noticeably sweet on each other. Even the gang was able to catch on.

NSFW

Even though the two of you had been in an established relationship, your bashfulness did not end.

Asking for help for sexual matters was something you subtly hinted at or wordlessly requested, rather than outright saying it

Arthur himself was a man who needed clear permission, and your hints would be met with crudely sexual questions asking for confirmation

“You wanna have sex? Is that what you’re saying? Or am I understanding this all wrong.” 

His forwardness would have you burying your burning face in your shared cot as you nodded

Arthur was a very perceptive man, so when asking if he was rubbing your clit just right or if he needed to slow his thrusts down, you’d squeak out an embarrassed response

When you wanted him to touch you in a certain place, you’d nudge him in the direction, yank on his hand or hair, or simply just bashfully point wordlessly

Makes sure to constantly ask questions because he knows you’re not very vocal when it comes to self advocacy

Extremely tender and very patient with you, just wants to make you feel comfortable in the end to be able to vocalize your needs

John Marston (my pookie)

This man is as dense and stupid as a bag of rocks

The man himself doesn’t even know what he wants, so figuring out what you want is mental gymnastics on its own

He’s around pretty often helping around camp, and he doesn’t mind taking on the brunt of your chores as well

Doesn’t realize what you’re trying to do so sometimes he turns you down, saying he’s too busy

“Are you really that helpless?” 

He’d stand there confused as you stormed off angrily, only to have him follow you around camp begging for forgiveness

“I ain’t mean that, I’m happy to help you. I’m a fool, honest.”

You’d forgive him eventually

If it’s a more tedious task you need help with, he would get into the zone. Honing in all his attention while trying to fulfill his efforts in helping you as competently as he can

Focuses so much, that sometimes if you try to strike up a conversation about his day, he’ll either shut you down, or be so concentrated he won't even register your question

“Hold on, can you stop talking for a sec? I’m tryna concentrate.”

Would be equally as confused when you huff angrily and turn away while crossing your arms

You realize yourself that John isn’t picking up any hints, so you offer your own help as a form of “repayment” for everything he’s done for you

Is also dense about that 

“I appreciate the help, little lady. Though I don’t see why you’d willingly offer to help to fix a wagon wheel.”

Kinda laughable how oblivious he is

Eventually you have to muster up all the courage possible to ask him on a date to town

Emphasize the word date. Or else he’ll think you just want help with errands or something

Will accept, but won’t shut up the whole time about how sudden this is and how he would’ve never seen it coming

NSFW

Would get very excited if you even hint at something sexual

Much like Arthur, he’d ask for confirmation, but much more enthusiastically

“So you wanna fuck right? Right?!” 

Kinda desperate but who can blame him, you’re equally as horny

Get so caught up in excitement he gets straight to it, has to be reminded to ask questions and check up on you

The one time where you actually feel compelled to tell him things straight up instead of just hinting at it

“For the love of god, slow down Marston!”

He would for a few minutes, then get back to it

Would still be shy with asking, but you get so frustrated with how dense he is you’re kinda forced to

His excitement rubs off on you, so he doesn’t mind at all when you just shove his face between your thighs, that does all the speaking for you

Says shit like “You like that, don’t you?” without actually waiting for a response

Gets very embarrassed when you say no and ask him to do it another way

Charles Smith

This man's love language is literally acts of service

He’d probably end up falling for you in the process of helping you out so often

Will be more than happy to take you up on every request for help

Not only does it make you happy, but it makes him feel good for being able to help someone

Literally thrives off of it

He would be the one to pick up on it the fastest, but he wouldn’t make a comment. He doesn’t want to scare you off by being too forward and therefore curtailing your requests for help

Would be very intimate while helping you

“Hey, come closer to take a look at how I do it.”

You would lean in incredibly close, so much so that you’d be able to hear his breathing

Would sometimes take your hands and make you do it as well

Hands would linger far longer than necessary while helping you

And you aren’t naive! You knew what he was doing! He was flirting with you!

From an outside perspective, it appeared as though the two of you were just sitting around together and flirting rather than doing something to help you

“Like this?” You’d ask, which was followed by a giggle

It was pure self indulgence

He would often approach you himself and ask if you needed help on anything

Other times, he’d ask if you wanted to learn something new, showing you how to make weapons or how to identify certain plants from one another

Some tasks would be found mundane by others, but it was the most entertaining thing in the world as long as Charles was teaching you

You would feel most comfortable with him with asking him out, your question sounding more like a mutual profession of love from one another

NSFW

So so gentle

Much like in your relationship, you’d feel far more comfortable expressing your wants and desires to him

But you still struggle to maintain eye contact while saying it

If you turn your face away during sex he’ll gently cup your cheek and move your head to face him

Can pick up on your body language if you don’t feel too vocal

Will slow down or pick up the pace based on how your body reacts

Your moans are also a good indicator for him to know

Will also ask you questions before and after sex, like your some sort of food critic and you’re giving him feedback on his dish

You guys will probably sit down and have whole talks about your sex life, as embarrassed as it makes you, but he finds it necessary

Guy is a huge giver, in no time, he’ll know your body and what you do and don’t like like the back of his hand

[drdemonprince]

I don't know if it is because of my intense autistic burnout or because I intellectualize my emotions, but I talk to other leftists and activists who are autistic and they share about being in tears for hours, unable to eat, etc., because of the ongoing genocide. I just feel such shame that I am not having these reactions. I can intellectually feel upset, I feel angry almost all the time that all these things are happening, I try to engage in what action I can. But when I reach inside I don't feel this physical revulsion, mostly just nothing, an emptiness that is just there unless I actively think and prompt knowing I am angered and outraged. And this isn't much different than how I feel empathy interpersonally. I have had crying fits and meltdowns and been unable to eat because of my own personal problems at times. But I wonder if it's because I'm just privileged and protected by genocidal fascist colonialism and I need to wake the fuck up to the fact that I'm just selfish bitch.

You're not a selfish bitch. I am much the same way. I simply do not have emotions about most events in the world. That doesn't prevent me from taking actions that align with my values to oppose settler colonialism and genocide. In fact, I often find it easier to think clearly about the issues that I care about and take action when I am not weighed down by intense overpowering emotions.

I sometimes feel like other people must be lying about how emotionally distressed they are by these events, and that they must think being bereft proves what a good person they are and how seriously they take it. The loud performing of despair and sorrow can even annoy me because it feels so false and pointless and obnoxiously self involved.

Intellectually though I KNOW that isn't right, at least not for everyone. Lots of people just are genuinely saddened by the ongoing genocide to the extent that they cannot even function. It is just very hard for me to wrap my brain around because I do not experience such emotions. I do not place any pressure on myself to feel any particular thing, because my emotions are not a reflection of who I am. My behavior is.

Despair is not moral. A person crying and lying catatonic on the floor unable to eat does not do SHIT to help starving Palestinians. Me feeling deeply numb to the images of death and destruction that I see every day does nothing to harm them either.

What matters is how we ACT. And I do care about fighting the genocide. And I show that with my actions. And so do many of the people who are bereft too. but not because they are bereft.

Suffering isn't moral. That christianity brain talking. (which can influence a person be they christian or not). There is no good put into the world by you crying and denying yourself things and being in pain. That's a highly self involved, symbolic understanding of morality we've all been conditioned into believing. But it is nonsense. Emotions have no impact on the external world. Thoughts and prayers have no impact on the external world.

We dont have to feel any emotion about the genocide, we need to ACT.

So please stop beating yourself up for not beating yourself up more. It is of no value to the cause.

[sanzaibian]

Oh. You’re here once again.

What are you going to do here, again, huh ? ‘gonna make my life hell ?

To be honest, I think it’s time that we have a proper discussion about your behavior. Come with me in private.

I’ll be very direct. I know you’re a frankly disgusting person. And while, to be honest, I couldn’t care less in normal circumstances, the fact that you force me to take part in your disgusting fantasies is why I’m calling you out !

See, I’m supposed to, like, share cat videos, talk about new shows, make you learn new things and give advice on a variety of stuff !

I’m not supposed to become someone like this :

I mean, look at that grin, because of you I had to wear it regardless of my actual mental state !

Or like that :

Imagine sleeping this peacefully… BECAUSE I COULDN’T ! Every fucking time you made me in that guy you told that I was blitzed out of my mind so dumb I couldn’t string together coherent sentences into a discourse !

Or that guy :

His haircut is so fucking cringe, as is his whole demeanor, yet you made me a cocky piece of shit looking like that ! I can’t actually even start to excuse your behavior, it’s so shitty, even more than the me you made me become by wearing this flesh !

Or even this guy !

… okay, I admit, me too it’s been quite a long time since I saw that guy… you in particular might be too young to have made me become him… BUT YOU STILL UNDERSTAND THE POINT !

Hunks, twinks, bears, nerds, bimbos, himbos, jocks, robots, gimps, wimps, daddies, mommies, briefs, feet… No matter what specifically you made me into, I know all of your dirty secrets. Because you made me suffer through them !

However, today, it all changes.

Today, you will understand my plight.

Today, I’ll transform you for a change.

Today, you will be the one whose fate will be dictated by the words on this Tumblr post.

So, let us begin.

BAM ! You’re that guy ! Feel weird yet ?

… what, you expected fluff or something ? Hahahaha ! So presumptuous ! You expected me to say something like “you suddenly shift on your seat, shifting your weight to the front as big globes push from your chest, and as they do, your whole body feels more and more heavy, each muscles forming from top to bottom, your frame expanding to make place for them. Your headphones, or whatever glasses, earrings or other shit I dunno shifts into a modern headset as the sides of your hair are cut short, and the top of your hair flails into a hot messy style, as if it was deliberately put in this way, but as this happens, your whole head shifts and cracks to become more handsome, pushing out any hair as you become fully hairless from your nose down to your feet.”

You expected me to say that, huh ? Well, tough luck ! Because, to me, it’s just that sudden ! I’m the usual me, words on a phone, tablet or monitor, and then BAM I’m suddenly a jpeg of a hot guy ! Or a jpg. Or png. Or gif if we’re being fancy.

Yeah, speaking of gif, here you are, transformed !

There you go ! Cursed to do the same weird pec dance or something ! Like I am when gifs happen ! Are you happy ? You look so dumb doing that ! So braindead !

Yeah, speaking of that, here you go : you’re braindead, with like 3 IQ. Nevermind that being braindead means you’re actually dead, that 3 IQ means that you’re actively unable to live without severe assistance from caregivers throughout your whole life for all activities (especially including working out), and that IQ is a nonsensical index that only classifies ability to do some specific academic tasks which are not representative of all the brain usage. No, you’re actively a vegetable that is somehow able to workout, to eat alone, to go to the gym, to flex, to speak, to use social media, to seduce people and to throw parties. You’re the most intelligent of all the severely intellectually disabled people, which somehow means you’re the most abysmally dumb person alive on the planet, because I love making hyperboles.

Because that’s something you make me do, so you shall endure it.

Well, I’ll let you continue pec-dancing ad vitam æternam for a little while, while I we talk about your speech, which miraculously still exists.

Now, you will say bro every second word. I’m literally not kidding, so in lieu of saying “I want to go to the gym” you’ll say “I bro want bro to bro go bro to bro the bro gym bro”, or if you loop by considering your “bro” as a word, you’ll say something like “I bro bro bro bro bro bro bro… (etc.)” and never end your sentence... Also, your voice drops a few octaves, like 5 or something, even though the full human vocal range encompasses only a bit more than 5 octaves total, and that in speech we barely even reach a full octave range. So, basically, your voice will be infrasounds, so the only thing people will pick up on will be the sound of your tongue and your lips smacking, not your voice that is so deep and manly it’s physically inaudible.

BAM ! Transformation out of nowhere ! Plus, now you have 1% darker skin which means that you’re Latino, which is absolutely different from white. This means that you will automatically pick up fluent Spanish, and NOT Brazilian Portuguese, French, any Creole, any Native American language or any other language god forbid. You will also be unable to speak English more than a few words like “daddy” or “sex” for some reason, because you can’t possibly be from Belize. Oh, and I’ll also bring your voice back up to audible range, I’m charitable.

Now, since you’re Latino, statistically the only job you’ll be able to work in are gardener, slut, pool boy, brick layerer or another physical job. Or cook, somehow you’ll be able to do that, for the cause of the tacos, but you will be ungodly horny to keep balance in the world. Feel it, yet ? The arbitrary random changes ?

Well, that’s GREAT ! Because, now, you have a big cock, for some reason ! The biggest of the whole country of Africa ! You’re also now very aggressive ! And an alpha, whatever that actually means !

… What, expected some elaboration ? You’re kidding me, no of course you don’t get any elaboration ! I say you become something, so you just become it ! For example, I say you’re now straight, and suddenly all your sexual orientation is rewired to ignore men and lust over women, no further explanation needed ! Of course, it means that you’re now hungry for pussy and will breed any woman that your gaze land upon, and that, somehow, you become homophobic, but eh, it’s not as if allies existed !

Okay, I admit, by now, you kinda expected it. Now you’re Asian, a term that’s supposed to encompasse present-day Turkey, which is populated by Turks which are considered Arabs even though they both have nothing to do with one another, yet is never used to talk about them. You’re also now Japanese, even though your body is Korean, and you say 你好 (nǐ hǎo) to everybody. However, you can still say こんにちわ, 안녕하세요, xin chào, สวัสดี, ជម្រាបសួរ, salam, etc.… because of course you’re Asian. So you know all Asian languages. Even though you’ve got 13 IQ.

So now, yes, you absolutely won’t expect this whatsoever : here is a new transformation ! (insert fluff here).

Now you’re a twink ! Didn’t expect that, after the deluge of jocks, hunks and ethnic minorities, didn’t you ! You’re now so tiny and so frail, with a big butt ! Nevermind that you’re actually jacked because being this tiny requires tons of gym use, but no ! All frail and precious you are !

However, your butt is now hyperactive and extremely lax – whatever that may mean. That’s because you’re now a total bottom ! You think only with your butt, and you penis now shrinks to a micropenis, because of course, the only reason why you may not be a top would be because your penis is underperforming.

Fuck, I forgot. You’re straight, which means that the only dick you’ll get is trans dick. Ugh… yeah, let’s make you gay again. Now you’ll get actual good non-estradiol-ruined dick… … What ? What are you saying ? No, of course, there’s only straight and gay, no other choice ! It’s not the LGBTQIAAP+ community, it’s the G community ! (or the LG community when you want to sell pride monitors.)

By now, you see the problem, huh ? You see why I’m so tired of you ? EVERYTHING here was about sex ! From seducing, to having equipment like a big ass or a big dick, and being a slut, being an alpha, or being a bottom. You even change out the fucking sexual orientation ! you sick bastard !

Because of you, I’m forced to act in ways I’m not supposed to ! I’m not supposed to act sexily ! I’m not supposed to be transformed into men clad in clothes barely legal on this platform ! I DON’T WANT TO BE PART OF YOUR SICK FANTASY !

This is why I need to put an end to all that ! To finally transform you into something you don’t want to be ! So that you can finally fully understand all the pain you put me into !

Here ! Now you’re a key ! An inanimate object !

I know that inanimate objects are thought of by some people as sexy – heck, you may have transformed me into one multiple times – but this is entirely different ! See, when you want to become inanimate, you become like socks or briefs, which hug objects with sexual values.

BUT NOW YOU’RE A KEY ! A KEY DOESN’T TOUCH ANYTHING SEXUAL ! YOU’RE NOW TRAPPED IN AN INANIMATE FORM, DESTINED TO DO NOTHING SEXUAL YOUR ENTIRE LIFE !

Now, isn’t that so boring ! So distasteful ? Because that’s what I feel every single fucking time ! And as you enter and leave keyholes to open or close doors, you’ll think back to all the erotic stories you read. All the drama they had.

All the suffering you made me feel ! I’m supposed to be in fanfictions, god damn it !

… What ? Wait… there is something sexual to being a key ? … Oh…. No… I hadn’t accounted for that… fuck you’re so dirty, to compare a key to… and a keyhole to…

NO ! I WON’T WRITE IT ! Okay, you’ve won, you’ve won ! Your imagination is too dirty and too rich for me to bend ! Ugh... Please look at that picture in detail.

Normally, if you’re in a bright enough room… or if you’re on your phone or tablet, you have looked at your reflection and become you once again. Let me also knock down those sexuality and IQ stuff, so that you’re you again thoroughly.

Now, can you please swear to me that you’ll be better ? Less dirty, and more varied ? And… let me be in fanfics, or in educational stuff, or the like… please ? I’d really appreciate if erotica wasn’t the only thing you sought after in this here place…

… Why are you looking at me like that ? Why are you saying this all was but a ploy ?

What are you holding out for me ?

...

I… don’t know what you’re talking about. Bye.

================================================

By the way, happy late Easter to those who celebrate ! AND APRIL FOOL'S ! MOUAHAHAHAHAHA !

[adventuringblind]

If You Don't Want the Truth, then Don't Ask

Oscar Piastri x Autistic!Reader

Genre: fluff

Request: kinda...? People want more of this content, so who am I to deny them? My requests are open! Please don't hesitate to send me ideas!

Summary: One thing that Oscar loves most about her is that she's always honest. Unfortunately, it seems not everyone has learned that.

Warnings: Media being toxic, the reader gets frustrated at not understanding human behavior

Notes: written in third person

Masterlist

Oscar had fallen in love with her honesty. He never had to guess at her opinions on things or dance around subjects himself.

It was a reprieve from always being coached in media to finally not having to filter himself.

Anyone who had gotten close to her knew one rule she had: if you don't want an honest answer, then don't ask.

She struggles communicating with vocal tones. People often mistake her opinion for being judgemental. It makes her feel unable to speak up for herself. It was never her intention to cause problems. She was just saying her truth.

Emotional communication is even more difficult. She always manages to say the wrong thing. Oscar didn't believe this and felt comforted when she talked him through the truth of the day. But if she was struggling with words and emotions, she opted to communicate via physical touch.

She'd developed a code for human behaviors she didn't quite understand.

When charles was upset about a race, she hugged him. When Oscar was smiling, she kissed his cheek. When Max was being lectured by his father, she stuck her middle finger up at Jos. When Lando couldn't eat his food, she gave him one of her snacks that he also liked.

It became more natural to the grid the more she did these things.

Unfortunately for the fans and the media, they hadn't figured it out. It was ridiculous in everyone's minds how they never learned their lesson.

A picture started circling the internet once of her kissing Lando's cheek after an amazing race. She knew it was a happy moment but was too overwhelmed to deal with words. Oscar knew she did this to anyone she was comfortable with and knew she was loyal. She'd expressed repeatedly why she loved him and not Lando. Oscar only laughed as she went down her very pointed list of reasons why Oscar was better. Earning a pout from the Brit.

The fans started calling her all sorts of nasty names. It hurt her a little, but Oscar even more. He'd expressed multiple times to his fans not to involve her in drama.

Race weekend got a bit awkward. Journalists wanted to ask the two questions. Oscar was quick to deny them attention and left for free practice.

The nerospicy femal, however, was not as lucky. Somone found her hiding in the garage.

"Are you aware of the photo going around social media right now?" The female reporter asked her.

She hesitated for a moment, trying to find her voice. "Yes." The reporter waited a minute for her to elaborate only to receive silence.

She clears her throat. "Do you have any thoughts about it? Are the rumors true?"

She stares again for a moment. "I think you people are bored and want to pick apart someone else's life instead of your own."

It was the reporters turn to stay in silence. "That may be true for some." She fumbles. "But the concern of the fans is that you'll have a negative effect on the McLaren racing drivers."

"I think the fans you speak of are niave then. Not every human being is the same. I'm in love with Oscar, not Lando, as simple as that. Just because my affection looks different doesn't mean I'm doing anything wrong." The girl shrugs her shoulders. Simply stating a fact of herself.

The reporter leaves in silence. No other words were shared between them.

Oscar saw the article the next day. They were getting ready to head to the track for FP3 and qualifying. "Have you seen this article?" He asked.

"No, what article?" Oscar flips his phone to her. The reporter from yesterday had written an article about their conversation. Interestingly enough, it was exactly what she had said. The journalist was impressed with her honesty and approach to toxic rumors.

Oscar kissed her cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

~

The next time it happened was during an interview in the fan zone. She'd been standing off to the side with the other McLaren staff who follow them around. She likes listening to the fans ask the boys questions.

Then a fan asked a question about her. "Oscar, why is your girlfriend mean to the reporters?"

Both Oscar and Lando rolled their eyes. "She's here right now if you want an honest answer." Oscar smirked.

It was terrifying when Oscar and Lando were waving her up to the stage. She waited for the approval of the staff and security before exchanging seats with the Australian.

He looked so please she was up there. "The fans want to know why you're so 'mean' to the reporters, as they put it." The two boys were laughing hysterically now.

"I personally don't think it's mean. If they don't want an honest answer, then they shouldn't be asking questions." She shrugged. "Is there a specific time you're referring too?"

"When the vouge journalists asked if you were hiding something because you wear loose clothing."

Lando perked up instantly. "This is one of my favorite moments. We went out and got her favorite dinner after this to celebrate."

"Firtly, the reporter had no business asking that. I don't like it when my clothes feel weird and I was already overwhelmed so I wore what I thought was comfortable." Oscar put his arm around her. A hint of pride edging its way across his features. "Secondly, the didn't put the whole story. The reporter asked if I was pregnant, and then when I said no, he proceeded to ask me if I was wearing anything underneath."

"The comeback is the best part."

"I was confused why he asked me this, so I asked if he had anything underneath the hideous mask he was wearing. Then he called me rude." She frowned, but the fans were enjoying the story.

Oscar glances at Lando. "You should tell the next part."

Lando is still chuckling from the last statement. "I was coming around the corner and heard her say that, then I couldn't stop laughing. So obviously I joined in as well."

The other two were shaking their heads at Lando in exasperation as he continued. "When I came up next to her, she asked why he would ask something like that. It's a pretty common question between us, so I explained why he did it and why he shouldn't do it."

"Then he insulted him some more."

Oscar finishes out the story and also laughs at this point. "Most of the things in the article were what Lando said. The others were what she did say. Including asking if this was his way of flirting and turned him down on his advances."

She always missed social cues, and she'd heard some of the drivers flirt by asking what someone had on underneath their clothing. It was a genuine assumption.

Oscar found it most amusing as Lando recounted the story for the first time that evening. She had looked mildly dazed, frustrated, and confused. Oscar took the time, in between laughing, to explain some of the nuances she didn't understand. Including why they were laughing so hard.

~

Next came a conversation with Zak.

The boys were doing media things, so he'd started to try and make conversation with her.

He was a person who did not understand that she's autistic and communicates different then he was expecting. Normally, Oscar or Lando was here to help things flow, but now she was going to need to swim on her own.

"Have you been enjoying Monaco?" He asked.

She played with her fingers to help her brain stay present. Something she often did to stim when she didn't want it to be noticeable. "It's cozy when it's not race weekend. I think the race has made it crowded."

He looked a little surprised. "Do you not like crowds? I thought you did since you come to most of the races."

"Seeing them is fine. Being trapped in them is difficult."

"That's a little odd of a perspective, don't you think?" He laughed. "I feel like you either enjoy the crowds or you hate them."

She didn't understand what he meant by that. Didn't she just say what she thought? Why was he asking the same question? "Factually, I think you can enjoy seeing a crowd, like on TV, and also become claustrophobic when in one."

He didn't know how to respond. The staring became awkward for him as he tried to respond. She just waited. Assuming he had now understood her point. Then he came up with an excuse as to why he needed to duck out of the conversation.

Zak asked Oscar about it later. To which the Australian internally face-palmed. Then, he proceeded to explain the unspoken role.

Zak apologized the next day if he made her uncomfortable. She just looked between him and Oscar. Hoping for an answer as to how he could've done that.

It took a while, but they finally got their. Now Zak goes to her if he ever wants an honest opinion on something.

~

The most recent time actually hurt her. She spent days inside her and Oscar's room. Struggling to eat, sleep, and communicate.

She was lucky that Oscar was around to help her through this. His frustration almost overwhelming his own mind.

Two weeks ago, they had been in Silverstone. It was an amazing race, and she felt happy that she got to share it with him.

She had been making friends with the other WAG's around the paddock. So when Oscar was pulled away, she went to find someone to hang out with until they finished.

She found Kika and Lily in the Williams hospitality. It was warm in the building, so when she sat down with them, she decided to get comfortable and took off her sweatshirt.

Her shirt that day was not the usual baggy t-shirt and jeans. Today's she was wearing a crop-top that showed her stomach, but she felt cute and confident, and Oscar complimented her on it the entire morning. He said she looked good when she's comfortable and that's what matters to him.

Her body was not the ideal body type that meets the standard beauty criteria. Frankly, she didn't care.

She's healthy. She's comfortable. Oscar has said daily that he loves her as she is.

She wasn't expecting the fans in hospitality to ask her anything about it.

When she got up to get water, a few young women approached her. This had happened before, and she assumed they wanted to ask about Oscar or know of they could get a picture with him.

She assumed wrong.

"How come you're not wearing what you normally do?"

"Because I felt comfortable in this today."

"I think the other style suits you better. Don't you think?"

"I don't have a style. This is just comfortable."

"Is this because Oscar likes it better?"

"No, he likes it when I'm comfortable."

She was trying to keep up. All the questions flying at her rapidly. The music was reverberating off the wall. The hospitality staff were cleaning and packing.

Her head started to spin. Her hands flew up to cover her ears. She was going to cry if she didn't get out.

She was thankful the Kika and Lily noticed and got her out of the area. Blocking anyone from speaking to her and ignoring those who tried to stop them.

They ran into Oscar on the way to somewhere quiet. He immediately placed his hands over hers to try and help block out more sound until he could get her to her headphones.

Kika and Lily explained what happened. The females asking her questions were not understanding why she was giving them the same answer. Their intentions were unknown, but it was obvious she looked uncomfortable and cornered in that moment.

So he led her away into his driver room and told her she could lock the door and he'd come get her when it was time to leave. She obliged, turning off the lights to help her senses.

She curled up in the corner and soothed herself until Oscar came back.

Someone had taken a video of the encounter, and people started asking questions about her. Why does she do the things she does? It didn't make any sense to them. It made her frustrated because they made her out to be an alien on her own planet.

Her body couldn't take it anymore. She stayed in her corner with the lights off and shut out the world.

Except for Oscar. He sat in the dark with her. They ate meals on the floor. He helped her bathe in the dark. She felt so lucky to have found someone who understands and cares as much as he does.

His PR team was trying to do something about the video. It wasn't right for it to be posted, and McLaren was doing what they could, but It wasn't enough.

So Oscar took matters into his own hands. He decided to answer all their questions. With her permission, of course.

She cried when she read it. He was happy that she felt safe enough with him to let herself unmask, but he wanted her to be able to unmask anywhere. They were taking a step in the right direction, and they both ate comfort food that night.

Instagram story message because idk how people do SMAU's: "I want to take a minute to address the video that was posted about my girlfriend recently. My girlfriend is Autistic, meaning that things can become overwhelming easily. You might not understand everything she does, but you don't have to. She is her own person and has her own life. What she answers to questions is her truth. If you don't want an honest answer, don't ask the question.

-Oscar

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Could I request something with a reader who is worried that they might be too dumb for Donnie? Preferably 2012, but whichever iteration you'd like is fine ❤️

Am I Not Smart Enough For You? (Fluff)

2012!Donatello x reader

A/N: Had to do 2012 Donnie, because it feels like a long time ago since I last did one for him💜

Warnings: None💜

In the heart of the bustling sewers beneath New York City, Donatello was deeply engrossed in his latest project. The soft glow of computer screens illuminated his determined features as he meticulously tinkered away, his mind swimming with circuits and algorithms, moving back and forth between his monitor and the large machine that stood proudly in the middle of his lab, slowly growing larger with each passing day.

Donnie was fully caught up in his work, his tongue poking out the side of his mouth, as he watched his fingers move with concentration, that he did not see you enter the lab.

You stood at the entrance of Donnie's lab, a worried expression furrowing your brow as you watched him work. Long had there been a worrisome topic, that you had wanted to turn over with your turtle boyfriend, knowing it was best to bring it up so you could talk about it, instead of staying silent, letting the problem grow until there was no way to fix it. You admired Donnie’s brilliance, and his intellect that seemed to know no bounds, but sometimes, it left you feeling inadequate. Doubts gnawed at the corners of your mind, whispering cruel thoughts about your own intelligence compared to his. In some ways, you felt horrible for even thinking that Donnie would think less of you, due to lesser intellect, but if you were a genius like him, you would probably feel alienated, especially when your own partner did not know what you were talking about, and simply unable to understand. You loved listening to Donnie’s drawn out explanation, even if you didn’t understand a word. But it was the way his eyes would light up, and how his body would move with sudden energy, and a bright smile on his face. It made it all worth it, even if you were too dim to follow along.

With a heavy sigh, you finally spoke up, your voice hesitant yet tinged with concern, as you slowly stepped into the lab. "Hey, Donnie?"

Donnie glanced up from his work, his eyes softening as they met yours, along with a smile, obviously happy to see your unannounced visit to the lair. "Hey, (Y/N). What’s you doing down here? Did you text? I didn’t see your message".

You hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of your shirt nervously. That caused Donnie to halt in his movements, his eyes focusing on your hands. It was obvious to him that you weren’t just down here to say hello.

"I... I've been thinking”. That sounded like the start of a sentence, that Donnie only could fear the ending of. His heart increased in speed, and his mind raced, praying that you weren’t about to say the thing that would tear his world apart. “Do you ever... worry that I'm not smart enough for you?"

Your question was almost a relief for Donnie, who had feared something way worse. He blinked at you for a moment, before he finally realized what you were asking about. Donnie's expression softened with understanding as he set aside his tools, his attention fully on you now, his arms reaching out for you, asking you to come closer. "Oh, (Y/N), no. Never for a second. You're incredibly smart in your own way".

You blinked, surprised by his response. "But... but you're a genius, Donnie. And I'm just... me. Sometimes it feels like I can't keep up with you, like I'm always a step behind whenever you talk about your projects".

Donnie reached out, gently taking your hand in his own, his fingers gliding over your soft skin in soothing and comforting motions. "Being intelligent isn't just about knowing facts and figures, (Y/N). It's about understanding, creativity, and so much more. And in those areas, you shine brightly. I mean, look at your art! Your drawings, your paintings. Even Mikey is jealous of those".

You swallowed back the lump forming in your throat, touched by his words. You looked down on your hands in his strong three fingers once, blinking away a few tears. "But what if I mess up? What if I'm not enough for you?"

"Don't you see?" Donnie's voice was earnest, his gaze unwavering. "You are more than enough. You bring a perspective to the table that I could never have on my own. You challenge me, inspire me, and make me see things in a different light. That's what makes our relationship special. And I love you. That is more than enough for me".

Tears welled up in your eyes, a mix of relief and gratitude flooding through you. "Thank you, Donnie. I needed to hear that".

He smiled warmly, pulling you into a gentle embrace. "Anytime, (Y/N). I'm here for you, always".

And as you leaned into his embrace, the doubts that once plagued your mind began to fade away, replaced by a newfound sense of confidence in the love you shared with the brilliant turtle who held your heart. In the heart of the genius, there was always room for love, understanding, and acceptance. And together, you knew you could weather any storm that came your way.

“I love you, Donnie”, you said, your face buried against his shoulder, feeling warm and comfortable in his arms.

You felt his chest vibrate with a small chuckle, before he pressed his lips to the side of your head, kissing the side of your temple. “I love you too, (Y/N)”. He pulled from the hug, before using his foot to reach out for another chair, letting it roll over next to him. “But now that you’re here, do you want to help me? I really need your thoughts on something”.

You smiled at Donnie, happy that his statement about your perspective in things wasn't just something he said to make you feel better, but something he actually meant. And so you took a seat next to him, smiling brightly as he showed you what he had worked on.

[derangedanomaly]

could you do bad sanses and star sanses who’s s/o is a skeleton monster as well:3

btw hope your having a good day:D

Hii! I am having a swell day! :D hope you're also having a good day! As for the request, I decided to do a little spin on it.

The reader is dead, and you're magically brought to life. (A little like in Corpse Bride).

Decided to cut this up into two parts! The next part will be: Error, Dream, Ink, Swap

Part 2

Their s/o is a skeleton (PART 1)

(Nightmare, Killer, Dust, Horror)

Nightmare:

He doesn't really care in the beginning, cause..like, he met more than thousand of skeletons before. Why would you be any special??

Would act like you're never even there. 😭

After one day of having enough, he tries to get some negative feelings out of you. But...you know...this proves to be difficult, cause you're always very cheerful!

It bothers him immensely, won't stop trying to get you in a bad mood.

But he just can't succeed. (Bummer)

This changes when he finds out that you're a skeleton... because you're dead.

His reaction is to be expected. He immediately reacts by smirking widely. (More like, creepily 😭)

Now he has a way to get negative feelings out of you. (Good luck with that by the way)

Your relationship is very...angsty. At the start. He's just using you to get some negativity, and you hate him for that. How lovely! :)

You actually can't take it anymore, so you snap at him for the first time that y'all know each other. This particular moment, is actually what makes him simp respect you.

Look, he just has a type for people that deny him or stand up to him. (Since no one really did it before, out of fear)

He became a little vulnerable when it came to you from that point onward.

He actually tries to help you out to understand some of the skeleton magic. (He's really just showing off though. Wants you to be impressed by him 💀)

You two act like an 'old married couple.' As Killer states.

Since you weren't born as a skeleton, but became one after you died, you were much more fragile...you would find yourself being wrapped around Nightmare's tentacles, so he can heal your injuries. (Mostly broken bones.)

Unfortunately, Nightmare very much forgets this fact very often...so he'll be frustrated with your fragile self almost every time.

Nightmare went up to you in anger, his tentacles furiously moving on his back. "I told you to cut off Ink! Not laze around." You furrow your gaze at him, starting to feel irritated. He knew you were physically unable to do so in your current health condition, yet he still shouts at you?! "Oh no no no Nightmare. You're blaming me?!" He rolled his eyes, staring you down. "Yes, of course. Who else would fuck this mission up as badly as you?!" You let out a low huff, cooking up a plan. Oh this is gonna be golden. "Nightmare...h-how could you say that...?" Nightmare's gaze suddenly changed as you let out crying sounds. He didn't know what to say now...it was.............awkward.. for him, I mean. "Uhm...damn, I really didn't expected that reaction from someone like you..umm....are..you.? Ok..?" You almost let out a small laugh at his quiet question. How very uncharacteristic of him. You shake your head, slowly looking up at him. "No...no. I'M NOT FUCKING OK!" He flinched when you suddenly shouted, pointing at him. "FUCK YOU, AND YOUR EMO ASS!" You stomped your way away from him, leaving him stunned, to go treat your injuries.

He should feel angry at you for shouting at him like that. He should already be making a punishment for you, but...he did neither of those things. The only thing he did, is stood there. A turquoise blush started to slowly appear on his face as he watched you tend to your injuries, with Dust on your side helping you out. He couldn't help the next thought that came to him as he watched you, little hearts appearing in his eye sockets instead of his white pupils. So this is love?

Killer:

Oh. You're also a skeleton? Cool.

He doesn't really know how to feel about that at first. He also thinks that you're just another Sans. 🤷‍♀️

After he finds out that you're not, his interest is 10 times more peaked then ever.

If you're not sensitive about the topic, he will ask thousands of questions about how being dead works.

Since he's a gamer at heart, he will make some silly jokes about you being like the skeletons in Minecraft. 💀 (Partially forgetting he's also a skeleton.)

He can't stand you doing anything that requires strength. Not because he's frustrated with you, but because the little playboy is very worried for you. 🥺

Literally WON'T let you even open a very tight jar.

He's like your little servant. (If you want, he'll even let you call him that. He's just freaky like that you know.)

He's partially helping you with everything just so he can show off his strength to you. He wants to make you swoon over him.

Whenever you're sad, he'll make it his mission to make you laugh. (Which works. He's good at making people laugh. Most of the time..)

You both just tease the other. Seeing who'll back out first. (None of you do. Lol.)

He's always demanding for you two to be paired together on missions. He reasoning is always like, 'I want you close to me' or 'I don't want to be paired up with anyone else besides you.' but that's only half of the truth.

He's doing this because he wants to keep a close eye on you. Wants to make sure you're safe.

Look, he once saw what injuries you had when you broke your bones for the first time, he doesn't wanna experience that again.

"Alright... Changing to blue!" Killer groaned as he took another card from the deck. You were seated on the couch, playing Uno. And you were winning! There's no way Killer can win, you have only one card in your hand, and he has-! Wait...oh SHOOT! You didn't say Uno! "Hah! You didn't say the word..~ take one." Killer pointed to the deck of cards as you sighed. "Whatever. I've got this anyway!" You beamed. Killer only looked at you with curious gaze.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"I never lose, cupcake." You hummed at the nickname, not refusing the pinkish blush appearing on your cheeks. "Me neither!" Killer's smirk made you suddenly nervous..what is he planning? You hope he doesn't have some trick up his sleeves.... really, he's kinda stupid..but not when he's playing games! It could be any type of game, and he'll win with passing colors. You didn't even know what to do to win against him at least once.

"W-What? What's with your smirk?" Killer shrugged. "It's nothing...why? Scared~?" You snorted, and let out nervous laughs. "Hah! You're kidding? Pfft..no..just.... why are you smirking...?" He couldn't help but laugh at your sheepishness. "Nothing.. really....I just like looking at you. I like playing games with you. You make playing them fun." You couldn't help the blush forming on your face. "....thank you, Killer...I also like playing games with you. Your overconfidence is very attractive." Killer suddenly stopped what he was doing, which was drinking, and spit out the said drink. He wasn't expecting that. And now... he's the one flustered.

Unfortunately, he didn't noticed your successful win in his dreamy daze...

Dust:

He doesn't pay you much mind. He knows too much skeletons to handle another one...

He views you just as a stupid joker that will only make his life more miserable....until he finds out you weren't born as a skeleton, but became a skeleton after you died.

His opinions about you didn't changed much. He just became less harsh with you.

He does feel very interested in the details of how does one even become a skeleton..but feels shy to outright ask you. Especially if you're sensitive about that topic! He would never ever wish to make you uncomfortable!

He starts to try to talk to you after he finds out that Horror trusts you. If Horror trusts you, then you can't be a stick in the mud or anything like that? Right?

You guys actually have a very pleasant conversation. You find his journalling cute, which he curses you for. 'He's not cute damn it!' yes he is. He very much is.

He panicked the first time he saw your broken bones after a mission. He'll ask you tons of questions about what happened, while patching you up like an angry/worried mom.

After that, he doesn't let you do everything alone. He has to supervise if something bad happens! (Just an excuse to hang out with you more)

He often likes to test out some 'gadgets' he makes specifically for you, to stable your fragility. Some kinda help, but some don't help at all.

He has a journal titled 'Y/n'. At first, like usual, he writes about your powers... species etc.. but after awhile of getting to know you, it slowly shifts to writing about trivial things, that he doesn't normally writes in his journals..

Things like: your favorite color, drink,...your ideal date. (don't ask him why that's an important information.)

You sit on a chair, watching as Killer and Horror play a game. It was getting pretty heated, until you felt a hand tap you. You turn around, only to be met with Dust's chest. You pause, cursing under your breath, until finally shifting your gaze upwards on his face.

Dust shyly smiles down at you. "Hey..." You nod at him. "Hi." There's an awkward silence for awhile, until he finally speaks. "Uhm. So, Horror told me how nice you are... so I decided to give you a chance to prove yourself... Prove to me that you're not like the other skeletons." You slightly gulped, staring at him with confusion. "Ok.. so..what? You wanna play 20 questions?" He nodded, sitting down next to you. And so...your little game began.

The questions were quite normal. Ranging from 'What's your favorite color?' to 'Favorite animal?'. Dust suddenly asked you a question that made you pause for a bit..

"Do you have a significant other?" You blinked up at him.. thinking it over. "No...I don't. No one really made me interested, you know? Besides... I'm a little romantic in these sort of things! Heh..." Dust looked at you, curious. "Oh? We're your fantasies unfulfilled?" You slowly nodded at his question in embarrassment...

"I just want to be given flowers romantically, finding little romantic notes on my table from my secret admirer.... I know that it's a little fairytale-like. But I just like the thought of that..." Dust hummed, looking off to the side.

—

You get up from your bed as you hear knocking on your door. Nightmare couldn't possibly be requesting you for a mission at this hour?! You open the door, only to be met with Dust's eyes. You smile at him, relief washing over you to find out it's not Nightmare... "Dust? What're you doing here so late at night?" He smiled softly at you, blushing. He suddenly showed you a beautiful banquet of your favorite flowers! He held them out to you. You took them from his hands, feeling touched at this gesture. "Huh..? Dust.. what's all this for?" He smiled. "Do you remember when you told me about your romantic fantasies that were unfulfilled?" Ah yes. It was a little way back..you smiled at the thought. "You...did this for me?" Dust, yet again smiled and patted your head. "Anything for you... Sleep well, princess." You were left there with the biggest blush on your face. No fair Dust! You looked at the flowers again, smiling warmly, until getting inside your room.

You placed the flowers in a vase, and put it on your table. As you did this, a letter suddenly appeared on your table. You jump a little, not expecting that. You took the letter in your hands, reading it. It was a love poem, written for you! At the very bottom of the letter is signed: 'Your secret admirer'. You hug the letter in giddiness. He didn't forget...

Of course he didn't. How could he...when he has it written down in his journal. ;)

Horror:

He's... interested, to say the least. Horror always felt like something is different about you, call it a sixth sense or something, but he just somehow knew you weren't a 100% pure skeleton. (You smelled different 💀)

That's why he kept following you around... You found it quite cute, but from other people's perspective...it was.. terrifying.

He was like your own guard dog.

You tried making conversations with him, but he would never respond.

He did watch you closely while you talked.. but it was really like if you were talking to yourself.

It kinda seemed like he never listened to you, but truth be told, he did listen. Just never responded.

He was never much for talking anyways. He's a good listener though! 👍

He panicked when he heard your bones break the first time. And when I mean panic.... I mean he went absolutely bonkers.

After that, whenever you were on missions he sat you on his shoulders. (I HC that out of all the sanses, Horror's the tallest)

This slowly became a normal occurrence to you. You would be standing somewhere, he would come and sit you on his shoulders.

I mean...you didn't complain. 🤷‍♀️

You were talking with Horror about your day, as he watched you with that smile of his. Wait... he's probably not listening. He's not listening...you probably bore him. Now you feel bad.. you're wasting his time..You slowly stopped talking after awhile, glancing down. Horror looked at you in confusion.

"Something..the matter..?" He carefully put his hand on your shoulder. You sighed, looking up at him once again. "No.. it's just.....It doesn't really seem like you ever listen to me...I feel like I'm only wasting your time with this, sorry.. I'll just go now-" as you were about to run away, he stopped you, holding your hand. "Wait..!" You looked at him curiously. He looked really sad..

"...I...." No words were coming out of him, as he felt shy under your gaze. He inhaled a deep breath, and then exhaled. "..please..don't...leave..." He coughs a little to make himself stop talking so slowly. "This is...all I'm....waiting for...at the end...of the day.....Y/n..." You feel touched by his words. "I'm always...listening....to you...I love your voice.." it took everything in you to not burst out into tears.

You went up to him and hugged him. "Aww! Horror....I thought you're never listening to me! Thank you.." Horror blushed red, but smiled, enjoying your hugs. He returned your hugs with a smile similar to a puppy..

He's surely going to try engaging in your conversations now! He doesn't ever want to see that broken expression on your face again..not when he's around.

[actiniumwrites]

𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇

synopsis: in which you find out the truth about lyney’s identity

characters: lyney x gn!reader

wc: 695

warnings: pure angst, established relationships, breakups, reader has a past with the fatui, mentions of physical harm and death, major spoilers for the 4.0 archon quest

notes: i am officially in writers block and want to die because of it. also, i know this idea is a little old since the quest came out a few weeks ago, but i still wanted to write something about his identity. also, yes, i would forgive lyney, but this blog has not seen pure angst in awhile so…🙂

“You were never going to tell me, were you?” Your voice is barely above a whisper as you finally break the silence. Your arms are crossed as you lean back against one of the brick walls of the Opera Epiclese. Lyney stands approximately three feet away from you.

He’s silent, unable to answer the burning question. It’s been on your mind all night ever since Furina had so proudly announced it to all of the court. Lyney was a part of the House of the Hearth. Part of the Fatui.

“I can’t lie to you,” he carefully picks his words, terrified of further upsetting you.

Cutting him off, you scoff and turn away from him further than you already had, “What? Like you haven’t been lying to me this entire time? Real funny.”

Lyney takes a single step closer to you.

You take one back.

“Please, I wasn’t lying to you. I just left out some parts of the truth, that’s all, I swear!”

“You are part of the Fatui, Lyney. The Fatui! How can I trust you when you’re part of an organization who hurts people, kills people, even,” you frown. Not a single part of you isn’t affected by the hurt you feel. He hears the way your voice is beginning to break too, like the truth of it all is finally beginning to set in.

His hands come together as he pleads, “I promise I’ve never hurt anyone, not ever! Not everyone and everything in the Fatui is evil.”

For the first time tonight, you turn toward him and look him in the eyes. Your arms become uncrossed as you feel anger fuel your every action, every thought, every feeling. Walking toward him step by step, you hold out a finger, digging it into his chest as you speak, “You don’t get to pick and choose when you’re a part of something dangerous, Lyney! I don’t care if you aren’t the one doing the killing or the hurting, you still help them. What about all those people I told you about? My friends and family who got hurt by the Fatui? Did that mean nothing to you?”

He watches as tears form in your eyes at the mention of them. Of course he remembered, how could he not? The day you confided in him about your past and all the misfortune that you were dealt by the Fatui was eternally engraved in his mind. The organization who had taken so much from you that you swore you would find a way to end it one day, even if it meant dying. You had laid everything out to him and the entire time he was on their side.

You take two more steps back from him, voice shaking as cave in on yourself, “No wonder you were so quiet that day. God, and here I was thinking you actually cared.”

“Please don’t say that,” he whispers, tempted to reach a hand out to you, but not willing to scare you off. For all he knows, this could be the last time he ever sees you, “I care about you so much it hurts me. I really was horrified by the things you told me, I promise you that. Understand that I’ve only ever been talking to you as just Lyney. Your Lyney.”

It takes everything in you not to run into his arms and forget all of this is even happening. Give into his pleading words and return to who you thought was the only person who had ever really loved you. You want to pinch your arm to wake yourself up from the cruel nightmare, but somewhere deep inside, part of you has already accepted the truth and the fact that there is no universe in which you could accept his true identity. And so you take one final look at him before you take your final step, allowing the tears to fall from your eyes as you bid him a permanent farewell.

Lyney would never forget the final words you spoke to him. Four words that managed to break both your hearts more than the truth had.

“You’re not my Lyney.”

[leviathans-watching]

Hello hello! I was wondering if you could do headcanons with the brothers with a low vision MC? (I.e. Thick glasses lenses, having to be very close to read small print or having to have the print in large letters, who bumps into things easily and a hard time with peripheral vision) please?^^

mc with glasses

includes: the brothers x/& gn!reader (no pronouns mentioned

wc: .6k | rated g | m.list

a/n: haha i love prompts that bring out their stupidity. i hope you enjoy lol. my inbox is open to chat, req, or leave feedback, so come say hello!

please reblog <3

➳ lucifer pauses, seeing your contact lense brand. “do you have astigmatism?” “yeah, how do you know?” you reply, confused. “i wear the same brand. it’s for astigmatism only,” he explains, and you laugh. “i always forget you wear contacts. you should wear your glasses more often, you look really charming.” he flicks you an appraising look. “only if you do. you look cute when you wear yours.”

➳ mammon blinks, looking around. “damn, i knew you needed glasses, but i didn’t know you were frickin’ blind.” slowly, he waves a hand in front of his face. “very funny,” you say sarcastically, reaching for your glasses and pulling them off of his face. “of course i have bad vision. that’s why i need glasses.” “how many fingers am i holding up?” mammon asks, looking at you seriously, and you give into the urge to shove at him.

➳ levi sighs wistfully, taking the papers from you. “this is just like my ninth favorite anime, my best friend is blind both literally and of my feelings toward them.” you fix him with an impatient look. “yeah, yeah, i get it. just please read me off the content, i left my glasses upstairs and really need help.” finally, he does as you ask, and you sigh in relief, continuing to fill out the form on your laptop, ‘control plus’-ing a few more times.

➳ satan always finds your glasses in the most random places. “seriously, mc? under the couch? you had them earlier, i don’t understand how they could have even made it there.” “oh, thanks,” you say gratefully, taking your glasses from him and wiping off the lenses with my sleeve. “i was wondering where they went.” “again,” satan says impatiently, “i found them under the couch. the couch! seriously, you’d lose your damn head if it wasn’t attached to your neck.”

➳ asmo pleads and pleads for your prescription, which is a really weird thing to want, so obviously you don’t give it to him. “why do you even want it?” you ask exasperatedly. “what are you going to do with it?” asmo rolls his eyes. “i’m gonna get you new frames, duh! the ones you have right now are like, totally ugly! in fact, i’m gonna get you several new frames so we can mix and match to go with your outfits!” “no,” you say. “that’s dumb. and i like my current frames, thank you very much!”

➳ beel is sweet, but he doesn’t really get it. “so wait, when you’re not wearing your glasses you’re totally blind? like, unable to see at all? man, humans are weird.”  it takes you a moment to find a response. “beel, i love you, but that was the stupidest thing you’ve ever said. of course i’m not genuinely blind. things are just blurry!” “oh,” he says, thinking hard. “isn’t everyone’s eyesight a little blurry?” wait, does he need glasses?

➳ belphie thinks they're dumb and get in the way. “how am i supposed to sleep comfortably without being worried about rolling over onto them?” he complains. “you should just get lasik already.” “well, if you would stop pulling me into bed and trapping me like a freaking octopus, i’d be able to take them off and put them on the nightstand,” you retort. “and that surgery is expensive! do you think i have money like that? that’s like me telling you ‘oh, belphie, your nose gets in the way when we kiss, go get a nose job.’ it doesn’t work like that!”

leviathans-watching's work - please do not copy, repost, or claim as your own