#experienced jewelry designers

[justawishaway]

I had no idea that acrylic nails could make me so dysphoric that I'd spend a half hour prying them off just to make it stop.

[jorrated]

Redid my Maya Knux gijinka! Now with notes and sources on how I did the design (It's kinda long, around 2k words jsyk):

The hairstyle:

Knux has pretty long spikes, so I knew I wanted to give him long hair! Braids or dreadlocks look pretty fitting, so I tried looking for references of hairstyles to see if any fit what I was looking for:

Source: Mayavase.com (Photograph by Justin Kerr)

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=1092

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=1453

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=694

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=1340

While all the vases show a variety of interesting hairstyles, I particularly loved the look of the braids in K694 (the third picture). Being tied upwards wouldn’t really fit Knux however, so something like the man in K1340 (fourth pic) with his hair fully down, or the 5th man from left to right in K1092 (first pic) with a cloth holding the hair would be really nice!

I didn’t want to give him a headpiece, if only to not clutter his head, but also I didn’t think it’d fit Knux as a warrior. The ruler’s headpiece in K1453 (second pic) however allows the hair to come off it, and seems to have some dangly adornments on the end of the strands/braids/locks, which I found super pretty. Plus:

“Elite Mayan men and women styled their hair to show off their pointed heads, crafted through the careful head flattening they experienced as children. Women gathered their long hair on top of their heads in flowing ponytails. For special occasions they braided their ponytails and decorated them with ornaments and ribbons. Mayan men grew their hair long but burnt the hair off their foreheads to accentuate their elongated profiles. They would bind their hair into one or many ponytails or tie it in a bundle on top of their head. Mayan slaves had their hair cut short as one visible mark of their inferior status.” p.399

Source: Fashion, costume, and culture: clothing, headwear, body decorations, and footwear through the ages (Sarah Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, Sarah Hermsen as Project Editor), 2003.

https://archive.org/details/fashioncostumecu0000pend/page/n5/mode/2up

Taking all of that! I settled on tight braids with a few adornments made of jade and wood, with a red cloth to keep his hair from his eyes. Almost all of the braids are pulled together into a ponytails, but there are some smaller braids loose.

It’s somewhat of a mixture of styles, combining ornaments of special occasions, with the long hair of elites on a character like Knux. But I kept these ‘contradictory’ aspects of the design to remember that Knux kinda learns about his ancestors on the go, through murals, writings and technology, so I doubt he’d have a great grasp on what he should and shouldn’t wear. I think it adds character as someone who’s trying to figure out himself, his history and his place in the world.

Shoes and Accessories:

For footwear I kept it simple, just turned Knux’s existing shoes into sandals:

“Ancient Aztecs and Mayans of Central America adopted a thick-soled sandal with a protective legging attached at the heel, while the top of the foot and shin remained exposed.” p.135

Source: Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion (Valerie Steele), 2005

Although my gut instinct was to cover Knuckles from head to toe in accessories, I also tried to keep it simple like the shoes. He’s a very mobile fellow so he can’t have too much weight or annoying bits flying everywhere and getting in his face. So I kept his moon necklace, like in Fleetway, just adjusted the shape to have a bit more of details:

“The jewelry worn by the Mayan, Aztec and Inca people was rich in variety and quite beautiful. Without metalworking skills, Mayans made jewelry from many materials. Mayan men wore nose ornaments, earplugs and lip plugs made from bone, wood, shells and stones, including jade, topaz, and obsidian. Necklaces, bracelets, anklets and headgear were made with jaguar and crocodile teeth, jaguar claws and feathers.” p.402

Source: Fashion, costume, and culture: clothing, headwear, body decorations, and footwear through the ages (Sarah Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, Sarah Hermsen as Project Editor), 2003.

https://archive.org/details/fashioncostumecu0000pend/page/n5/mode/2up

As stated here, Mayans didn’t have metalwork, so I imagine this is an artifact that his ancestors got from another group of people.

Just a page before they also mention how the Maya people used to file points into their teeth, to make their mouths more appealing. This includes shaping them into pointy teeth, (like the classic shark teeth), but they could also file them into other shapes, like in this picture:

Source: https://www.archaeologynow.org/blog-3/blog-post-title-two-txwxl (I’m pretty sure this isn’t the source of the image, but I couldn’t find an actual source that wasn’t an uncredited blog)

The Maya people are also notorious for their good dentistry, as seen the stone ornaments in the teeth above. I think the filling is something Knux could do on his own, but anything that would involve actual dentistry would be too much. But it’s still interesting to read about!

(Here’s an article named “Mayan Esthetic Dentistry: Using Modern Techniques and Digital Imaging Technologies to Link the Past to the Present” by Yassine Harichane if you want to learn more!)

While a non-permanent version of stones on teeth seemed cool, like Jade incisor-coverings, at the end of the day I don’t think Knuckles is too vain, so I didn’t add that to the design. Although I think he’d definitely try out a bunch of things like this, just to try to understand them.

For additional outfits I gave him a red layered cape and a green huipil! The red cape is just to bring back more red into the design, since I gave him a lot of green. And the huipil is a nod to his poncho in the comics! (Although huipiles are commonly associated with women and girls, I still wanted to give him one, not only to bring up his partial detachment to his ancestors, but also because Knux probably wouldn’t think much about gender in general let’s be honest)

Source: Mayavase.com (Photograph by Justin Kerr)

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=638

Somewhat based the red cape on the 4th man in this picture, from left to right, but I kept it simple, as maybe just some fabric Knux found around the island, nothing too fancy.

For the huipil I wanted to do something more detailed but was having a really hard time coming up with designs. And I didn’t want to straight up plagiarize someone’s else work, so I kept it vague, maybe some day I’ll sit down and give it a more detailed version. I did come across a very nice store/ catalog that sells traditional Maya textiles, and this one was very gorgeous! Highly recommend give this and the other textiles a look!

In the end I made the huipil look vaguely like the ones shown in page 128 of the following book:

“In the Museum collection, costumes that looked very much alike usually turned out to be from villages that shared a language. Among Cakchiquel villages, dialect differences were usually mirrored by costume differences. Working on this principle we were surprised by the striking similarity of style in the huipils of San Antonio Aguas Calientes (fig. 195) and San Martín Jilotepeque (fig. 196). These villages, while both Cakchiquel, spoke very different dialects and were separated geographically (map, below). The similarity of their huipil was so remarkable we felt the need to investigate these two villages more thoroughly and found that a multi-cultural history probably accounted for these unexpected similarities of style. Huipils from these villages may well illustrate the earliest examples of pan-Maya acculturation after the Conquest.”p. 127

Source: Threads of identity: Maya costume of the 1960s in highland Guatemala (Patricia B. Altman, Caroline D.West), 1992.

https://archive.org/details/threadsofidentit0000altm/page/n7/mode/2up

Lastly on accessories, which I don’t know if it counts as an accessory but I didn’t know where to put it: the body paint. Last time I gave Knux a human design I couldn't find a good resource on Maya people painting their bodies. Every source mentioned and was in consensus that some of the people did paint their bodies, but that was the extent of the info. I wasn’t able to find any patterns or meanings of the body paintings, or even good visual reference for it. But! This time I was able to get a bit more:

“Body painting was a common Maya practice. Classic Period murals and polychrome vases depict warriors covered with red or black paint; sometimes their bodies were striped with red paint. Paint was also used around the eyes and nose to give a fierce expression. In the 16th century, these practices continued. Women also applied red paint to their faces and bodies, but presumably to make themselves look beautiful, not fierce. Small paint jars of red hematite mixed with mica were found in the houses at Cerén, and these may have been for cosmetic use. Unmarried young men painted their bodies black, and so did those who were undergoing periods of ritual purification and fasting. Priests often wore blue body paint. “p. 338

Source: Handbook To Life In The Ancient Maya World Lynn (V. Foster), 2002.

Source: Mayavase.com (Photograph by Justin Kerr)

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=2800

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=2573

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=7996

I of course wanted to give him red paint, and I really liked this design of the red lining the cheeks on the face down to the neckline. However in most of these depictions the red on the body is accompanied by the white face, which I can’t actually tell if the face has white paint, or the body has black paint, like described in the quote before. Either way I chose to only use the red, to keep in line with Knux’s original design.

(It’s worth mentioning that these vases shown depict rulers, as you can see the intricate thrones and altars, which isn’t really fitting with Knux. But again, I want to keep some mismatched aspects into his design, not only warrior-related things.)

The main outfit:

Last but not least, the main outfit. Don’t have much notes on this I’m going to be honest, I just tried to keep in line with descriptions of warriors clothing:

“While some warriors may have been resplendent on the battlefield, the common Maya soldier fought with little clothing other than loincloth and body paint, based on battle scenes in the few Maya murals that remain (see figure 2.9, page 54).” p.147

Source: Handbook To Life In The Ancient Maya World Lynn (V. Foster), 2002.

I considered putting him in a loincloth for accuracy, but tbh I was scared people were going to be weird about it, and so I gave him a skirt with some fabric that emulates the look of a loincloth and some scrap fabric around his waist and limbs! He actually ended pulling up a lot from the dude I mentioned in vase K1092 (the very first ref pic in this post) lol!

And that´s all, hope y’all liked it :P

[yvnaology]

♦︎ from : the opera epiclese.

synopsis. the five stages: interest, enlightenment, infatuation, falling in love, and lastly— decision. to say that these five stages aligned with your progressing relationship with the peculiar magician in fontaine was a grave understatement. the heart wants what it wants, and it wanted him. (repost!!)

to: @rainswept @ryuryuryuyurboat @boykissr @meidnightrain ( taglist ↲ click link to sign up! )

♠︎ | title : 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. wc. 5.4k tw: none.

i. stage one : interest. the first stage can be described as many things: the overture, the beginning, but one does not miss how an inexplicable intrigue takes hold. this is the genesis of a crush.

besides trials, the opera epiclese served as a stage for a variety of performances. according to luzerne, the receptionist, lyney and lynette’s magic show was one of the more popular acts in the opera house.

upon entry after hesitantly purchasing a ticket, luzerne’s words replayed in your mind — the keyword ‘popular’ stood out like a thorn in her sentence. even with her dreamy sighs and gaze filled with admiration, there was no doubt that her words were as truthful as her ginger hair.

the raised seating sections of the grand, multi-leveled opera house were filled to the brim — with people wearing starstruck expressions and waiting in anticipation. the people seated next to you were so dazed, despite the goal of the show being to successfully deceive their twinkling eyes.

you felt out of place, unable to believe the charm the twins possessed to have the audience at their beck and call.

the lights in the confined space darkened, and the spotlight was casted upon the two. the assistant was a female whose feline features made her unique and fascinating — carrying a softened voice and dark violet colored eyes that would appear hollow and contain a certain nothingness. but the male.. he was her opposite, her contrasting counterpart, a magician with a mischievous grin and flowery words as his weapon.

at least, you thought so. his eyes were a lighter shade of violet, clear and full of flamboyance. yet, his eyes seemed as if they held more nothingness than his sister’s. he seemed like he had more to hide.

your own irises followed the movement of lyney’s hands as he moved his fingers in an intricate manner to bend a card to his will. swift movements with what were supposed to be made of regular plastic — made objects appear. first it was a simple teacup of porcelain, then a mechanical penguin, followed by a card with the design of a piece of jewelry that belonged to an audience member.

as soon as the other’s heads turned to the stage, lyney had already prepared his next move — holding said jewelry with a cheeky grin. with the snap of his fingers, the object of pristine value had disappeared, returning to the person who once wore it.

lyney unveils a mysterious box, explaining that it is the portal through which he will perform the ultimate teleportation. he invites a random audience member to inspect the box for any hidden compartments or tricks. once satisfied, lyney places the selected card, the vanished handkerchief, and the dove inside the box.

as the audience holds its breath, lyney dramatically opens the box. to everyone's astonishment, the chosen card, the handkerchief, and the dove have all vanished. the lights flicker, and suddenly, lyney appears at the back of the courthouse, holding the vanished items in his hands.

but yours were focused on his expression, the slightest jittering of his hands caught your attention more than the trick did.

as soon as the other’s heads turned to the stage, lyney had already prepared his next trick — holding one of the audience member’s precious jewelry. with the snap of his fingers, the object of pristine value had disappeared, returning to the person who once wore it.

the audience erupts in applause and cheers, marveling at the magical journey they've just experienced. the magician takes a bow, leaving the audience with a sense of wonder and disbelief in the face of the extraordinary — that was a magician’s natural talent. therein lies the beauty of it all.

the performance was magical in its own right, chaotic and mysterious. it held enough stunts to have the people questioning how they were done, with interviewers bursting with questions by the end of it.

you noticed how you accidentally left your umbrella in your seat, rushing to retrieve it — a fear of an umbrella theft taking place in the opera epiclese was not as irrational as some would think.

“is this umbrella yours, by chance?”

his smooth voice and charming smile made you pause. for a second, you felt nerves in your stomach — swallowing any unauthorized thoughts before nodding. “yeah, that’s mine.. must’ve left it in my seat.” you responded quietly, unsure of what to make of the situation.

“you did, but don’t worry — there won’t be any theft here on my watch.” he reassured before placing the umbrella in your hands. the moment he saw your eyebrow raising, he let out a chuckle. “you look a tad bit nervous, that’s why i assumed — unless it’s my presence causing such nerves?”

his grin only widened at his own words.

“no, just fear that i’ll be drenched in the rain and wake up feeling sick the next morning,” you retorted immediately, yet his grin never faltered.

“hehe — of course, of course.. you’ve just been coming to my shows quite often, that specfic seat is always occupied.” his tone was lighthearted and carefree, causing your heart rate to decrease a little.

“i’d say you’re quite intrigued by me, no?”

“by you? no, it’s just your tricks i’m interested in.” the way he put his thumb and index finger under his chin as if contemplating tells you that he didn’t buy your lie.

“your eyes usually don’t wander to where the happenings of my tricks are, they’re constantly on me — it’s not good to lie, you know?” he quipped, and your eyes only averted to the floor which made his smile turn into a smirk.

your embarrassment was evident, but he wouldn’t want you to become uncomfortable in his presence so he backtracks. “don’t worry — i'm not making fun of you or anything of the sort. in fact, i think your interest in me is a form of praise in itself.”

“really? a form of praise..?”

“you focus more on the artist rather than the art.. hm, that itself intrigues me as well.”

his body language gives away that his words are sincere, but given his position in society — a man meant to lie and wait in the pool of falsity, you were uncertain.

he crosses his arms, keeping his posture straight and poised. “i hope to see your seat occupied during my next show, but until then.. i see that you have places to be. i bid you farewell, and hope you have a pleasant day.”

he waved you goodbye, but the moment you stepped outside — you were met with the sight of pastel petals and a green stem in your bag. “how interesting.” you mused.

ii. stage two : enlightenment. with understanding comes development, as the seat in the opera epiclese continues to be cushioned specifically for you — leading to a blooming friendship between you and the magician whose presence fills you with more questions than answers.

“hey, i didn’t see you yesterday.” he pouts, finding his most precious audience member’s seat empty was not the most pleasant sight he could’ve seen — and you were left to deal with the aftermath.

it wasn’t often that you’d have to deal with a pouty magician, but whenever such an occurrence did happen — your eyes were glued onto his expression, watching as it changes depending on your words. “sorry, i was pretty busy and forgot to buy a ticket..”

he stared into your eyes for a few seconds, before his signature grin etched onto his face. “hm.. not to worry, i happen to have a ticket right here.” he turns and directed the softest smile at you, sliding a ticket in your direction; your surprise was evident, and the grip on the teacup’s handle tightened slightly.

“you’re giving it to me?” you decided to question, placing the teacup back onto the table with utmost care. lyney let out a laugh at your disbelief, quirking a brow at how your expression was one of shock.

“of course, who else would i give it to?” he questioned back, leaving you with many possible candidates in your head — but knowing the esteemed magician quite well by now; he’d have several responses at his feet to reassure you otherwise.

far across — a few tables away, you could hear the sounds of giggles and endless chattering. their eyes were set on you two as if you were a prey of gossip. you tensed, lifting the teacup to your awaiting lips to distract yourself from their quips with the taste of tea leaves.

“don’t mind them,” he suddenly suggested, though it sounded more of a command that was merely spoken in a softer tone than anything else. “if they feel the need to gossip, let them. indulging in the past-time of mentioning other people before reflecting on themselves is rather common practice.. unfortunately.”

you could’ve sworn you heard him stifle a yawn mid-sentence.

“are you tired?” your voice revealed your concern, much to his dismay.

“caught me red-handed, just.. please don’t mention this to lynette — she’d scold me a new one.” he pleaded, and the obvious exhaustion made the thought of the gossiping spectators be sent to the back of your mind.

“were you practicing late again?” another question that left him with a guilty conscience.

“well.. it isn’t as if i could practice a trick once and master it immediately.”

“i know.. but you can’t keep skipping days of rest either,” you gently scolded, a wave of concern hitting you at the sight of newly found under-eye bags.

he only lets out a faint sigh, a frown creasing on his face as you gently take his source of consciousness — coffee, and place it on the opposite end of the table.

“and this isn’t a healthy solution.” you continued with a voice carrying a tint of worry.

“go home and sleep, lyney.”

“but.. i still have a performance later.”

“take a nap, replenish your energy — otherwise you’ll be ridiculed for having the appearance of a literal zombie.”

he laid his head on the table, his frown only deepening at the offense he felt from your comment. “but being in the company of such a lovely friend as yourself is already replenishing my energy.”

“how touching, now get up.. please?” now you were the one to plead, but with good reasoning — to your defense.

he contemplated for a few seconds, weighing the pros and cons of listening to your rather commonplace advice. his involuntary pout returned, and you had a feeling he was going to make a deal of sorts. “if you promise to come to my show today, i’ll go home.”

you almost snorted at his persistence to have you in his audience, but you kept your impending giggles to yourself before nodding. “alright, i promise.”

his eyes were rapidly blinking, as if in an attempt to keep himself awake. you were staring longer than a friend ever should, that was for certain. your index finger gently tapped on his nose, causing his eyes to settle onto your face. “go home.” you repeated.

he let out a yawn before rising from his seat, waving you farewell as his steps became quieter until his silhouette was nowhere in sight.

another two stems of rainbow roses made their presence known in your bag, multi-colored petals emphasizing its beauty. your fingers subconsciously twiddled the stems, a giddy smile appearing on your face — the warming of your chest and the prolonged stare at its pinkish color made your mind race. you hoped he enjoyed the small gift you left in his hat.

it wasn’t just you with the feeling of newfound joy in your heart, his eyes lighting up at the sight of a small transparent bag tied with a red bow — its contents making his expression grow soft. cubic jellies, one of the many desserts that he had the habit of bringing to his workplace — and one that you remembered.

iii. stage three : infatuation. sparks begin to fly, fluttery, exciting sensation in the stomach — intense desire, heightened sensitivity… daydreams and fantasies cloud your judgement. to be infatuated means to experience both euphoria and fear. to be infatuated means to seek more than you’re being given.

you dreamed of him that night.

his twinkling amethysts mock you in your daydreams, his charming grin garners your prolonged gaze — and you find yourself attracted to him. the magician was a tease, even when he’s simply crossing his legs and asking for your opinion on his newest trick.

all of your objectivity heads out of the window by that point. all you can think about is how to praise his hard work, even if he reassures you that any kind of criticism is welcome.

shuffling a deck of cards, his eyes dart from the props on the table to your expression — waiting for any reaction. “so, my dearest audience member.. what did you think of that last one? i do think i need more practice before my next performance—”

“it was perfect.”

to say that lyney was surprised at this was an understatement.

your praises never came so quickly, he wasn’t even able to finish his sentence because words of awe and admiration escaped your throat. it was as if you weren’t even thinking before you spoke (which was completely the case). it wasn’t your fault that his handiwork was so compelling, alluring to the eyes as much as his face was. there wasn’t any room to think, only to stare, only to scan his every feature.

“oh? is that so? you don’t need to sugarcoat it so much — i can take it!” his smooth voice carries a hint of teasing, adding to your current stress of having words pop out of your mouth quicker than your mind could comprehend. great, now he thinks you weren’t being genuine.

“i’m being serious, i didn’t see anything wrong with it.” you decided to respond, hoping he took your words seriously and perhaps even complimented you in return.

lyney only looks confused, causing your head to ache out of nervous anticipation.

“thank you for the praise, but trust me... i do need more practice. after all, i ended up forgetting a prop during this practice session..” he concluded with a chuckle.

he did? you hadn’t even noticed. you felt so incredibly stupid. of course, he wasn’t looking for praise — but honest judgment. ‘flowery words in this scenario were not the right call’, you noted.

that was only one of many examples of the disaster that came with infatuation.

idealism was the one-way ticket to a world of hurt, and you wished that you could use your head instead of your eyes — projecting your every desire and fantasy onto him. he was a mystery even after months of friendship. you felt as if you barely knew a thing about the object of your affection — and that alone made your heartache.

in your mind, his every mistake was to be overlooked — he was perfect through your rose-colored glasses. that was what you were sticking with, to make up for the lack of knowledge you had on the magician. he appeared in every dream, filling your mind with rose petals and heart-shaped eyes. that wasn’t reality, you were being sucked into a world of illusion.

that, and his flowery tongue was less than helpful. you often wondered what he was thinking whenever he spoke to you that way. did he mean any of it, or was it all a farce? you truly never knew, and perhaps that was his goal.

it seems that your attempts at being subtle were going south by the minute, teases from your friends about your relationship with him made you groan, and their giggles and quips.. all of it was more conflicting if anything.

“so, you and lyney?” one chirped with eyes sparkling with mischievous intent, gathering the gazes of the rest of the group who had their mouths agape.

you had no choice but to shake your head, feeling your stomach twisting in an unfamiliar manner — all while your friends sat in waiting for an explanation you didn’t even have in hand.

“me and lyney what?” it was the safest dialogue option, creating open room for conversation — yet revealing their true intentions with such a question that they were bound to respond honestly to. it was a mere attraction, something that would pass with time. at least, you desperately hoped it did.

“are you two going out?”

such a question was absurd, even to your ears. you only found him attractive, and you’d make that sentiment clear to prevent any misunderstandings and possible rumors. “no, i just find him attractive... i don’t like him like that though.”

your voice was firm, filled with confidence that you were completely uncertain of. it seemed that they got the hint, as their expressions changed from curiosity to understanding, with slight concern as well — you noticed.

but it seemed that there was one that decided to continue to push, hoping for something to satisfy their desire for the knowledge of your relationship with the magician.

judging stares, nudging shoulders — perhaps they didn’t get the hint after all. “are you sure?” they inquired further, seeming like someone akin to a journalist about to branch out on their next exclusive.

were you sure? your stomach churned at the thought of yourself being uncertain; you had to be, there was no other choice. the grip on your clothing grew tighter, and the moment you turned to face your friend — all you could do was give an affirmative nod. “i’m certain.”

iv. stage four : falling in love. when the feeling settles in at a random moment as if waking up from a nightmare that sends your heart pounding — a realization that has that same effect. what hits you first isn’t joy, it’s panic.

you were not certain.

as you lay in bed that night, you recall your conversation with your friends — and mentally curse yourself for having the slightest doubt that lyney and his enticing demeanor didn’t make your heart warm and race.

his every move was a magic trick, and his audience was your aching heart that yearned for him. you often wondered what it was, what about him excited you so much. what was it that made him appear in your every dream? twiddling your fingers as you sat in your bed, you demanded yourself to believe that what you felt was an illusion.

but it wasn’t, being in his mere presence lifted your mood more than anything or anyone else; then there was the giddy feeling that overwhelmed your senses, the rush of emotions you earned from his every woven word. all of it was replaced with a heavy guilt and fear.

what were you meant to do now?

it wasn’t as if you could confess, your blood ran cold at the mention of spilling your everlasting line of emotional distress because you liked lyney to anyone. it was as if you were chasing an impossible goal, with no path opened to go to next. helplessness felt with every breath you drew. hurt, etched with every doubt in your mind that lyney most likely didn’t return the sentiment.

how could you possibly be hopeful at a time like this?

lyney was a perceptive person, able to read a person’s emotions from their micro-expressions, using their emotional leakage to expose one’s true intentions and feelings through a mere gaze. of course, you were no exception.

lynette, as peculiar as one might find her, had a similar talent of such. which is exactly why you caught her eye in particular. as usual, lyney never failed to mention his day-to-day endeavors to her, much to her (slight) delight. once your name escaped his lips, she was already intrigued. his description, while dramatic, gave her enough curiosity to watch over your conversations with him — her results? she finds them to be more surprising than usual.

at first, her mind drifted to you being simply attracted, not thinking too much in depth about the words you’d use or how your cheeks would redden at even the slightest charming comment. it was rather common for someone’s behavior toward the object of admiration, at least she thought so.

fascination was a usual occurrence, especially for someone as eccentric as lyney. he attracted the attention of those he met, created a suave impression — and kept it up for as long as possible. lynette wasn’t a stranger to such things, she’d seen it happen one too many times to count.

she prefers to use her eyes to understand the situation and find an appropriate solution, usually. though this matter was more complex, the more she used her eyes, the more insight she’d have on your feelings — oftentimes, she’d stay quiet during your conversations with her brother simply to observe your mannerisms around him, and she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow on more than one occasion.

“hm, these animals seem to enjoy your company more than mine — tis a tragedy.” the magician tuts, gently touching the snow-white fur of one of the bunnies used in his eccentric shows. you were hung on his every word, your finger gently tapping on the bunny’s nose — causing its ears to twitch. “aw, we’ll i’m honored.”

the moment your gaze left the bunny and landed on his eyes, lynette couldn’t help but notice the slightest quirk of the corner of your lips or how your fingers fidgeted — signs of nerves, she recalled.

“my, it seems that they certainly are quite fond of you — presenting you with something of utmost value..” he beamed, looking pleased with himself as you heightened an eyebrow. “notice anything different about our little friend here?”

your pupils dilated once your eyes set on the bunny once more, carrying a rainbow rose in between its teeth — the moment you moved your hand closer, the animal dropped the plant into your palm. your breath hitched, unable to control the sudden rush of euphoria and the sound of your heart pounding against your chest, threatening to burst.

perhaps it was a better idea not to look so awestruck by a stem and petals, clearing your throat as you keep your gaze on the furred animal instead of your friend. “a rainbow rose..?”

“only befitting, if i do say so myself.”

his comment only made you swallow, the urge to bite your lip in embarrassment was strong, yet you resisted — lest you appear as a lovesick fool in his eyes. that was the absolute last thing you wanted.

with a flourish of his arms and lilac embers staring into the very corners of your soul, you found yourself completely lost in the allure of his gaze. “i used a lumidouce bell last time we spoke, remember? it’s only natural that i upgrade your little gift~!”

he wasn’t good for your heart, not in the slightest; and one day, you sincerely hoped he’d see that as well. his smile held a certain kind of elation that you’ve never seen before, enough to make your heart melt into a puddle. lynette could only imagine what you must be thinking, and even she’d begun to ponder how deep your feelings went if her interpretation held any accuracy.

after such an interaction came to a close, with lyney adjusting his hat as you walked away — lynette’s footsteps were barely audible as she appeared next to you. your eyes landed on her blank expression immediately, wondering why she wasn’t heading in the same direction as her twin. “did you need anything?”

“you.. like him, don’t you?”

her question was enough to halt the rapid beating of your heart. whether to be honest or not was completely up to you, yet — hiding in cowardice and dishonesty was not on your agenda, you’d realized that ever since you came to terms with your battling emotions.

“i do.” was all you could answer her, unknowing what to expect from the half-feline — though, a harsh scolding was completely out of the question and out of character for lynette anyway.

lynette only pulled at the hem of her sleeve, and you could only assume she was contemplating on what to say. “i see, i figured as much.. your behavior lined up.”

you were confused as to whether you should feel offended or joyful at her words, knowing that you weren’t the most subtle — but then again, who could deceive lynette’s eyes and ears?

you were about to speak up when lynette cut to the chase and nodded. “are you certain that you do..?”

were you certain? you’ve asked yourself this countless times, having played a sequence of contemplation, contradictory thoughts, guilt, and finally, acceptance all in your head; you were lost and being forced to deal with a desire for even another second simply being next to him, what you wouldn’t give to hear his voice every second of every day. were you absolutely certain that this phase was truly different?

lynette stared at you expectantly, you had no doubt that she saw the hesitance and worry written all over your face — but your answer remained the same, it was what you answered to your friends when you came to the wrong conclusion, but this time was in complete contrast. “i’m certain.”

v. stage five : decision. the decision stage is naturally the hardest, the most important and the most impactful. it’s the phase that sets the stage for you two — one that determines it all with only a few words.

in your eyes, there was a one-sided nervous tension in the air. a confession loomed, weighed down by unspoken words for too long — your world was crackled with vulnerability, a loop of anger directed at yourself, as well as sharp pangs of pain at how heavy your heartfelt because of the condemnation that was love.

at the center of it all was lyney, a burial of your feelings was in order — yet they would resurface every time he said with his smooth voice. it felt almost eerie, how quickly he could make you let out both chuckles or bitterness and joy. apart of you felt so incredibly warm, the feeling that you once thought was fleeting — led on for months. it was impossible to suppress, challenging to hide, and hurtful to keep silent.

your throat begged for the day when you would spill every thought that crossed your mind whenever you saw his face. begged for the opportunity to be able to swoon whenever he combed his unruly hair back with a grin, begged for you to release the tension in your body if only by saying “i love you.”

A delicate dance of revelation and acceptance was what it was, the syllables almost escaped your tongue on too many occasions — and your emotions were beginning to become bothersome to keep in control. your mind splurged with imagery, your hand reaching to touch his gloved ones, and how your heart yearned for his attention.. it was out of bounds to even have these thoughts occur.

guilt, at the concept of pushing your feelings onto another and praying to every archon that they’re reciprocated. to you, that sounded unfair — and unjust. acceptance, that your feelings were true and uncomfortable, yet it was what your disposition felt entitled to have, it’s the path you’re set to follow whether you approve or not. hope that perhaps pouring every mumble and verb onto him would earn you a softened gaze instead of a stare of concern and judgment.

perhaps he’ll say “i love you.” in return instead of “i’m sorry.” — that he would acknowledge you and save you from crumbling sorrow buried under the label of heartache.

would it be able to handle rejection? would you be able to recover from such a thing? how will you face him after? what would you say?

the thought of weight being placed off of you through unspoken truths, destroying that invisible barrier of transparency, revealing authenticity through hardened exteriors — both scared you and elated you.

you’d wonder what it would feel if it was all placed off of your chest for him to carry for you.

your eyes searched his lilac ones, your legs almost touching as he performed another trick for you — a routine you’ve gotten used to (minus your rapidly beating heart). “Magic has a way of revealing the hidden, don’t you think?” lyney mused, his eyes locking onto yours as your gaze averted to his cards — clenching your right hand instinctively.

you could only nod, following along with his deft hands making the cards made out of plastic seem like the most interesting thing in the world. “it’s like unveiling secrets one at a time, it’s.. more than just illusions.”

“you have quite the keen eye, watch carefully now.. blink, and you might miss it,” he warned with a cheeky smile, asking you to choose a card — emphasizing that you hold a special connection to the card you chose.

after shuffling the deck, lyney’s eyes close tightly — before picking a card and handing it back to you. opening one of his eyes as if winking, he only smiled at you before inquiring, “is this your card?”

you stare at the card with a rose symbol embedded into it, recalling that it was the exact card you had picked before. “it is, what now?”

he chuckled, reminding you that patience is a virtue — he placed a hand above the card, his fingers not coming into direct contact with it. after a second, the card began to levitate, much to your awe and confusion.

unfortunately for you, his eyes were as captivating as ever, drawing your attention from his hands. your ever-growing line of questions extends the moment a rose appears from the card, landing on your palm. your eyes widened with amazement, “how did you—”

“i did tell you to watch carefully, didn’t i?” he responded with a smirk forming on his face, causing you to give him an unamused stare.

“come now, don’t give me that look..” he feigned a look of defeat, much to your dismay — though, you had to admit that his expression was oddly adorable.

“i wouldn’t have been able to catch it even if i did watch carefully,” you retorted, keeping your eyes focused on the rose’s petals to check for authenticity — confirming that the rose was more real than your feelings for the magician.

“guess that’s one secret i’m afraid you won’t get to catch.” he hummed, evidently content with his actions while you couldn’t hold back the urge to roll your eyes. your nerves were subtle, and you couldn’t bear to think of lyney’s reaction when he found out what you were planning to say soon.

you took a deep breath, yet his expression was still lighthearted and peaceful — his eyes glimmered with something else.. not the nothingness that remained when you first met, but pure and wholehearted contentment. he didn’t look as if he were hiding, cowering, or even hesitant. his eyes were filled with the determination you wish you owned.

“speaking of secrets, there’s one i’ve been keeping, and tonight — the stage is set to reveal it. would you like to know?” he placed a hand under his chin, crossing his legs as you blinked. “a secret?”

“one i’m surprised you haven’t caught onto yet, yes.” he reaffirmed, his expression softening and his smile growing slightly wider. this was nothing you’ve ever seen from him.

“what is it?” you inquired, your voice barely above a whisper — as if your earlier fears were resurfacing. your fingers tightened around your sleeve, biting your tongue and anticipating his next words with newfound anxiety.

“i love you.”

the rose rested on your lap, a spur of emotions hitting you all at once — you opened your mouth to speak, to say anything, but once again.. lyney rendered you completely speechless.

the props were witnesses to the development that you weren’t expecting, such a gentle voice and three words filled with elation and affection. his eyes were twinkling with redamancy, awaiting the answer that you were certain he would have anticipated.

his hand shifted closer to you, opening it to reveal his gloved palm. “if you’d have me.. i’d like to be more than friends.. how does that sound, my dear companion?”

nothing could capture the nuance that accompanied the present moment, as your throat betrayed you and your voice cracked. “i love you too.” you hadn’t meant to come off as meek, but the beamed look on his face was enough for you to overlook your little setback. it felt as if you’ve made his entire world with one sentence that echoed in the air for at most, two seconds.

“then,” his fingers lingered on yours, tugging slightly until your hand fit in his own. “allow us to create our own authentic performance that lasts.. forever, what say you?”

[ode2rin]

can you see right through me?

pairing. mikage reo x gn!reader

genre. fluffy fluff | pro-athlete!reo | established relationship | reo spoiling you (i mean it’s reo) | a light angst if you squint hard !! 

warnings. 2.1k wc | characters are aged up ! | reader wears a dress | mentions of insecurity | inspired from a taylor swift song (ik i’m sorry i’m crazy abt her) | proofreading? nah we don't know her | (lmk if i missed any?? i suck at making these)

in which: you see more behind reo’s gift-giving love language

“hey, love! look what i got!” reo called out, as soon as he entered the apartment.

no “i’m home” in a sing-song voice or “baby, where are you?” in a needy whine, like he usually does. instead, he was grinning - full on beaming, actually. it was evident how his voice sounded so excited, like he was dying to show you whatever he brought home.

you peered out from the kitchen to look at your beaming boyfriend. and literally, you felt your jaw drop from the sight of your lover carrying what seemed like a hundred amount of shopping bags in his toned arms. you bet it was heavy, as the veins in his arms were slightly popping. 

reo had said he was going out to pick up a “few things” on the way home. these are totally not a few things. you knew reo had a habit of going overboard when it came to shopping. but this one, this one was an extreme shopping spree. he was practically bouncing with excitement as he showed you everything.

he began to rummage through the bags, pulling out various items with each sentence he spoke. you could see the excitement in his eyes, as he showed off his purchases. he held up a beautiful dress, admiring its design, “look at this, baby! the shop attendant said this one just came in and only two people have this in japan, can you believe that? well, i got the third one! i thought how good it would look on you then got it -” he paused for a moment, looking at you with an impish grin, “- i mean, i got it for you, my love.”

reo then pulled out a box of skincare products, “and look at these! i remembered you were running out of these last night, so i got a few for you. the salesperson said they're the only stocks they've got, so i had to get them all!”

reo then held up a pair of shoes, “oh, and these! i saw them and thought, ‘that’s the perfect pair for my love!’” he twirled them around. “and this one’s my favorite!” he exclaimed, holding up a beautiful necklace, “the color of the gems complement your skin so good! maybe let’s go out tomorrow, and try if you’ll like this? what do you think, love?”

he was rambling on and on, his excitement infectious. you couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, even as you struggled to process everything he was saying. clothes, jewelry, shoes, skincare, and are those freaking boxes of limited edition nespresso capsules?

before you could even answer, reo's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered something else he had to show you. “oh! and i got us tickets to the premiere showing of the movie you told me about! i was hoping we could go? to make up for the movie night i missed.”

ah. now, you have an idea what this is all about.

reo and you have a weekly movie night, it started when you first moved in with him. it’s a tradition that you both cherish, a small but meaningful way to unwind and connect amidst the chaos of daily life. a tradition in your relationship that you both look forward to as it’s your sweet escape from the grueling responsibilities that comes with adulthood. it was nothing grand, it’s just you and reo, getting cozy on the couch of your shared abode, surrounded by pillows and blankets. sometimes he’ll pick out the movie, most of the time, he gives you the power to it.  regardless of who picks the movie, you both lose yourselves in the story, laughing and crying and feeling all the emotions that the characters are experiencing. you share thoughts and opinions, discussing the plot twists and character arcs, and sometimes even acting out your favorite scenes together. 

it’s a simple tradition, but it’s one that brings you both so much joy. and that’s why, when reo missed movie night 2 nights ago because of practice running late, he felt like he had let you down. 

when he came home later that night, it was well past midnight and you had long since fallen asleep on the couch, the remnants of your popcorn and half-finished drinks still on the coffee table. but as he tiptoed in, trying not to wake you, he couldn't help but notice the soggy popcorn and feel a pang of guilt for missing your movie night. the morning after, he woke up early and was all over you, showering you with kisses and apologies for being late. you held him through it, playing with his hair and telling him that it was no big deal, that you understood how important his career was to him.

looking at it now, perhaps the assurance you gave was a bit insufficient to ease reo’s guilt to say the least. determined to lift off what he might be feeling, you turned off the stove and went to where your boyfriend was. he looked at you curiously as you cupped his face in your hands.

“thank you for being so thoughtful and buying me these, reo. i appreciate all of this baby, i do. but i know you. so spill my love, what is this all about, hmm?” you asked, staring at him, with a small smile as you let out a hum.

from then and there, reo felt like you’d seen right through him. 

you’re right. reo, missing the movie night, lingered through his thoughts far longer than it should be. you said it was fine, so it should be fine for reo. except that it’s not. 

a few moons ago, reo’s life was all easy they come, easy they go. it was the upside of being born into privilege. but when he chose to chart his own course, everything changed. nothing came easy anymore. he had to prove his existence to earn the things that mattered most. the soccer career that made him a star, and the love of his life - you, who brought him a happiness he never knew existed - he could only live this life because he proved himself worthy. 

but what they don’t tell you about constantly proving your worth is how restless you grow at the slightest possibility of losing everything you've worked for. 

reo felt that he had to make it up to you because he fears the notion that his one mistake could be the beginning of a pattern, a repetition of his rich yet absent parents' reckless lifestyle filled with empty apologies and unfulfilled promises. the weight of this realization petrified him, leaving him with a burning desire to make it up to you. so he did, in the only way he knew best - shower you with gifts.

and that basically sums up how reo went to an all out shopping spree. in his defense, he was only supposed to buy the skincare you ran out of. grab then leave, that was the plan. but things at the mall definitely escalated as reo passed by a designer boutique. before he knew it, he was walking out with shopping bags overflowing with designer clothes, shoes, and accessories.

apparently, your perceptive eyes caught on to this. at first, you thought it was just another day of reo being him, with his fondness of giving you gifts. but at the mention of the movie tickets, his scheme gave him away. and now he’s here, standing before you, face held by your soft hands.

reo couldn't bring himself to meet your eyes, so he focused on the marbled floor beneath his feet. “i...i wanted to make it up to you for missing movie night,” he stammered. “i know you said it was okay, but it wasn't okay for me. i feel like i let you down.” he struggled to articulate the knot of insecurity that had been building inside him since he missed the date. he struggled to tell you how it felt like a crack in the foundation of your relationship, and how terrified he was that it would widen into an irreparable chasm. “i’m sorry,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “i just wanted to show you how determined i am to make it up to you.”

your eyes softened as you took in his words. your hands instinctively reached up to gently brush away the hair covering his eyes. his big purple eyes that you love so much. it was one of the many few things that made you fall in love with him. you couldn't help but be drawn in by the deep purple hue of his eyes, so full of confidence and power when he was on the field, yet so tender and vulnerable in your presence. 

“i must have been a superhero in my past life to be loved by someone like you, my sweet reo..” you chuckled at the cheesiest of the thought. he smiled at the sound of your laughter.

it was true though. he was charming, attentive, thoughtful, a gentleman through and through. he was everything and more. so to say that you were lucky to have him was the understatement of the century. it was as if having the moon and the stars align just for you, as if fate smiled at your direction. to be loved by someone like reo mikage was like being wrapped in a warm blanket of security, knowing that even the slightest misstep could cause him to worry about losing you. but it was that very worry that proved just how much he cherished your love, like a precious treasure that he held in the palm of his hand. who could ever leave someone like that? a fool, that’s who.

you leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, your hand still caressing his cheek. then you pressed a kiss to his left cheek, on to his right, and finally to his lips.  as you leaned in and brushed your lips against each of his features, a softness washed over you, the warmth of your affection for him filling every inch of your being. “i know that you felt bad, love. but you do know that i love you, right?” you murmured against his lips, “and missing our movie night doesn’t change a thing about that, baby. i love you for who you are, reo. not for what you do.”

as your words sunk in, reo felt like you had seen right through him. for so long, he had believed that his worth was tied to what he could offer, but you had shown him that he could be loved simply for being himself. the weight of that realization lifted from his shoulders, and he felt a rush of warmth spread through his body.

“how could you say things like that and expect me not to do everything for you?” he whispered, the love in his heart for you growing even stronger.

but you just smiled at him, your eyes filled with a tenderness that made his heart skip a beat. “i don't expect anything from you, my love,” you said softly. “just come home to me, and we'll figure everything out together.”

“that, i can promise to do everyday.” 

in this home, he could just be reo, no longer compelled to prove his worth or live in fear of losing everything he had worked for. with you, he was enough.

“i’m sure you do.”

who could ever leave someone like reo mikage? a fool, that’s who. but who could stay? without a doubt, you could. 

as you both settled into your evening skincare routine later that night, with no traces of any heaviness from what happened earlier, reo turned towards your side of the sink and asked, "can we still go to that premiere, love?" his eyes twinkled with excitement.

“only if you promise that you won’t do this again. baby, this is a lot! and that moisturizer, you brought enough to last me for months! what were you thinking?!” you exclaim, holding up the said moisturizer.

reo chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "i guess i got a little carried away."

“you definitely did. the amount of paper bags i had to fold was insane. if you’re hiding more, i would really smack you. i swear, reo mikage.”

reo gives you a mischievous grin, his eyes shining with amusement. "oh, i wouldn't dream of hiding anything from you, love." but he can't help but feel a twinge of guilt as he remembers the other bags he left in the car. no need to mention it now though. he'll just have to sneak out later and grab them when you're fast asleep.

note. PURE WORD VOMIT I AM: SORRY came up with this because i’m convinced mikage reo is an “archer”  just like me fr ;) so this is my interpretation of the song esp the “do you see right through me?” !!

[pedroshotwifey]

To the Flame chapter 6

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Dark!Javier Peña x afab!reader

Word count: 2.6k

Chapter tags/warnings: smut, piv sex, breeding kink (kinda, more like territory kink), possessiveness, oral (f receiving), talk of m oral, pwp, manipulation, rough sex, rough oral sex, nipple stimulation, squirting, stuff I'm definitely forgetting, dirty talk, manhandling, stupid amounts of making out/kissing

Chapter summary: You arrive at your new home and spend some quality time with the man of your dreams

A/N: Hey y'all! Hope we're still liking this story! Gotta be honest, 90% of this chapter is pure smut lmao. Can't go wrong there! (or can we?) Thank you for putting up with my bs and for staying tuned while I get some more served up!

***

Javi’s house is almost exactly what you had expected it to be. It’s not too big, and not too small. The Spanish style home is tucked back behind some woods in the middle of a small plot of land, which is apparently owned by his father. 

There’s a pasture on half of his property filled with cows, which he tends to in return for living in the house. It’s peaceful and cozy, reminding you of the man who lives in it. 

It doesn’t take long for you and Javi to haul your things inside, placing your clothes in his room, and any extra belongings in a hall closet. Your stomach makes nervous flutters the entire time, keeping you giddy with happiness despite your current situation. 

Within just a few hours, you’ve gotten engaged, and have moved out—well, been kicked out, but it sounds better the other way—of your house and into Javier’s. It seems like a dream come true when you really think about it. 

You fiddle with the ring on your finger as you bite your lip to hide the smile that’s creeping across your face. It’s absolutely the most beautiful ring you’ve ever seen, and it fits you perfectly. How did he even figure that out? 

It’s a simple ring, but intricate enough to hold anyone’s attention. The plain, gold band comes up to mold into a thorny vine design near the top, where it holds the perfect sized diamond. Not big or obnoxious enough to be gaudy, but keeping on the delicate side. 

You also appreciate the way the vine design doesn’t continue all the way to the bottom, instead flattening out so that it doesn’t make you uncomfortable if it scratches or digs into your skin. It seems like Javi really thought this out, on top of knowing that he was going to marry you one day. Never have you experienced something so romantic in your life. 

As you’re staring down at it, completely enamored with your thoughts, Javi comes up behind you. He admires the piece of jewelry over your shoulder, putting one hand carefully on the side of your head to pull you to him so he can place a kiss to the opposite side. 

“It’s so pretty, Javi,” you tell him without taking your eyes off of it. You hadn’t gotten a good look at it until it was on your finger and Javi pulled back onto the road, and you’ve been in a trance since then. You lean into him, finally looking up to see him gazing adoringly back down at you.

“You deserve pretty things, pretty girl,” he says, wrapping you in a hug as you lean your head into his chest. He sighs and rests his chin on your head.

“I hope you know we’re not going to be able to have a big wedding at first, but I promise you that we will when the time is right. I want everything to be perfect for you, bebecita.” 

You smile at that. You don’t mind that you can’t have a ceremony. You know that he will keep his promise, and you’ll get the fairytale wedding you’ve always dreamed of one day. He would do anything for you, he told you so. 

HIs hand comes up to your chin, and you allow him to tilt your head up to capture your lips in a slow kiss. He slips his tongue between your lips, gently licking into your mouth in a way that makes your entire body light up with the sensuality of it. 

Sparks jump in your belly, and you can feel wetness seeping into your panties. It’s almost embarrassing how quickly your body responds to his touch. You moan into his mouth and bring your arms up to circle his neck, leaning on your toes to deepen the kiss until it feels like you’re trying to consume each other. 

Javi lets you push him backwards to the couch, keeping his mouth on yours and pulling you back with him as he takes a seat. Your thighs bracket his, and the position immediately reminds you of just last night, when the two of you had been in the back of his truck, you giving your body to him for the first time. 

Is it weird that you already want him again?

You decide it’s not as you start to grind down on him, and Javi definitely agrees with that assessment by the way he groans into your mouth. 

“Shit, baby, lay down for me. Gonna do this properly this time,” Javi pulls away from you to say, his lips still close enough to be brushing against yours. 

You eagerly comply to his request, letting him place you down on your back across the seat of the couch. He takes his position above you, giving you a few more teasing kisses before he starts to trail down your body. 

Your eyes widen as you realize what he’s doing, a gasp tumbling from your swollen lips as he sharply nips at your neck. His hands are slithering up your shirt, and you subconsciously arch your back to help him get it off you. 

He grabs hold of the hem and raises it up until your stomach and your breasts are exposed, his mouth worshiping each inch of skin as it’s revealed to his greedy gaze. 

“So pretty and soft for me, sweetheart.” 

Javi’s lips are so close to your skin when he says it, that you can feel the moisture from his breath. You whine and wiggle, trying to get some friction somewhere. Your nipples are almost painfully hard against your bra, and you wish he would take it off. 

“Please, Javi,” you beg, bucking your hips up while simultaneously trying to keep your hands planted on the couch. He didn’t give you explicit instruction to keep them there, but you see the game he’s playing, and you know he would if you moved them right now. 

The look in his eyes can only be described as feral, fed by the carnal desire to have you above all. Seeing your struggle, he reaches his hands up again, and you lift up so he can undo your bra and then pull it off. 

As soon as the article hits the ground, his hands are on you, fondling your breasts and thumbing over your erect nipples in a manner that makes you keen. You close your eyes as he moves up enough to seal his mouth over one of the buds, sucking and flicking his tongue harshly. 

You moan his name wildly as he grasps you so that you’re unable to move, stuck with nothing to do other than take the assault on your sensitive flesh. You feel a heat stirring between your legs—which you didn’t know was even possible without direct stimulation—and when Javi lets one hand sneak down to rub tiny circles on your clit at the same time as he bites down on you, you’re coming undone in a matter of seconds. 

You’re distracted enough by the blinding pleasure to be almost unaware of Javi pulling his mouth from your breast and snaking down even lower. His thumb stays on your clit as he spews bouts of encouragement your way. 

It’s only when he removes his hand and pulls your pants and panties down that you open your eyes again to watch him scoop up your thighs, and dive into your cunt like a starved man. Your hands immediately fly to his messy hair, already damp from his efforts. 

Javi moans into you as he tongues in and out, not wasting a second before going full force, alternating between your overstimulated clit and your weeping pussy. You’re getting light headed, your entire body heating up as he begins to pull another orgasm to the edge, just waiting for that one push. Just as you think he’s about to give it to you, he pulls away, breathing heavily as he looks up at you with hooded eyes. 

“You have no idea how fucking good you taste, sweetheart,” he says, and you don’t know if you’ve ever heard him say anything with so much conviction. 

Despite the crudeness of what the two of you are doing right now, you feel your face flush at his words. He licks a quick stripe up your seam before coming up again, and you almost come untouched at how much this look puts the last to shame. You’ve heard the term “pussy drunk”, but this might be your first time truly seeing it. 

“Maybe I’ll fuck you with my cock and make you taste yourself on me after I make you come, would you like that, baby? See how god damn sweet you taste?” 

Your jaw completely drops. You didn’t even know he could talk this dirty. You just keep getting luckier with this man. Your head nods frantically before you can even think about it. Javi chuckles lightly from between your thighs. 

“Dirty fuckin’ girl,” is all he says before dipping down to continue feasting on you. 

It only takes a couple of strokes for you to be coming on Javi’s tongue, though he moans and squirms enough for it to sound like he’s the one getting his second orgasm today. He only pulls away once you’re whining and tugging on his hair from the overstimulation. 

For a moment, he looks like he’s going to get up and strip, but you see something flash across his eyes, and he just reaches down instead. Your head falls back as you hear the sound of his zipper going down, just the thought of him fucking you naked while he’s fully clothed makes your cunt pulse with need. 

You look down, and your mouth goes dry when you see that he doesn’t have any underwear on. He keeps his eyes on yours even though they’re trained on where he’s pulling his thick, throbbing cock from the opening in his dark jeans. 

Your eyes flicker back up to his as he lines himself up, wasting no time in pushing into you. Your jaw goes slack at the stretch as he leans over you completely, putting his palms on the couch on either side of your head as he sinks in all the way. Your own arms wrap beneath his to cling and claw at his back. Just by his body language and the hungry look he’s giving you, you have a feeling you’ll need something to hang on to. 

Somehow, it feels even better than the first time. You feel stuffed to the brim, but also complete. Like Javi’s been your missing piece this whole time, and now that you’ve found him you feel whole. When you’re staring into his big, deep, brown eyes, you see nothing but adoration for you. Lust. Love. 

And it’s in this exact moment that you know you’re in love with him. 

Javi hisses as he rears back enough for just the tip to remain inside you, and he captures your lips in a feverish kiss as he thrusts back in, already nailing your g-spot. You gasp and he steals the air from your lungs. You can taste a hint of yourself mixed in with his saliva, and you had no idea until this moment that something like that could turn you on so much. 

He quickly picks up the pace, and you find yourself too weak to do much more than whine and moan for him, much less continue kissing him. Javi brings one hand up to hold your chin and make out with you even though you can’t reciprocate. You don’t mind, the feeling of his tongue exploring your mouth is an orgasmic feeling in itself. 

You just focus on breathing through your nose, keeping a hold of the man who’s sending you up the couch with his cock, and the feeling of his thick tip pummeling into your most sensitive spot. Your entire body is shaking with the intensity of the sheer force he’s slamming into you with. 

There’s a strange but good feeling starting to tug at you someplace between your pussy and your abdomen, making your desperate sounds come out wobbly in addition to being smothered by your fiance’s mouth. 

He makes a strangled noise and suddenly moves on to sucking the skin on your throat. You wonder if he can feel the way you’re tightening around him in anticipation as this new feeling grows and spreads. 

“J-Javi,” you warn, unsure about what’s happening. You almost feel like you need to pee, but this sensation is far more intense. 

He must not hear you, because his pace doesn’t falter and he doesn’t look up at you. He just keeps jackhammering his hips to yours and sucking hickeys on your already-sensitive skin.

It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because you’re already feeling that coil snap, crying out as you tighten like a vice and gush all over Javi’s dick. 

It’s unlike anything you’ve ever felt before, your body tensing as you ride out what has to be the longest orgasm you’ve ever had. You barely even hear Javi talking to you through your foggy mind. It’s like you’ve been transported to another place completely, a place where you can only feel pleasure. 

“Such a good f-fucking girl, squirting all over my cock like that,” Javi praises as he nudges your chin up to make room for more sloppy kisses. 

As you begin to come down, you can hear the steady slapslapslap that comes from where your bodies connect, each collision now aided by your juices and Javi’s heavy balls smacking against your swollen cunt. 

It’s a disgusting sound in retrospect, but it turns you on even more when you hear your whines and Javi’s grunts blended into it. You can tell he’s starting to get close by the way he isn’t pulling out as much, and his noises are becoming more frantic. 

“R-remember to p-pull out,” you breathe into his ear just in case he forgot. He, again, shows no sign of having heard you. You must be speaking even quieter than you thought. 

“Javi, please pull out,” you say, louder this time even though it’s a task to do so through your exhaustion. This time, he hears you. 

“Please, baby, it’ll be f-fine, gonna marry you, let me come in this pretty cunt,” he says, though you’re unsure of the correlation between those two things. 

“No, Javi, it’s not safe.” 

He’s pumping himself harder and faster, getting up to the edge. 

“Buy you–fuck—buy you a plan B,” he grunts, his voice strained. 

“No, n-not this time. C-can’t risk it,” you squeak, clawing at his back as he pushes you even further up the cushions. 

You hear him mutter a curse as he pulls out just enough to grasp his dick and splatter rope after rope of cum on your damp stomach. You let out a breath when he finishes and lays back down on you, his cum spreading between your sweaty bodies. 

You’re both breathing heavily, trying to come back down to earth. The ceiling fan above you is spinning slowly, pushing just enough air your way as you close your eyes and toy with Javi’s curls where his head is resting on your chest.

“I love you, Javi.” 

You don’t know why you say it, well,you do, but you hadn’t known the words were even on your tongue or even on your mind. They just slipped out without a thought. Javi tenses against you, and you feel a ball of dread drop into your stomach. 

Was it too soon? Does he not love you back? Are you being too clingy? Too immature? 

When he looks up at you, your breath caught in your throat, there are tears in his eyes along with another emotion you can’t quite place. One corner of his lip twitches, like he’s resisting the urge to smile too hard.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” he says, obviously a little choked up. 

You grin at him as he climbs up again to kiss you, this time soft and slow, with care. 

“Going to take such good care of you,” he promises when he pulls away.

*** Thank you for reading!! I would love to know what y'all are thinking so far!

Taglist is still open if you would like to join <3

Series taglist: @corazondebeskar @yorksgirl @nerdieforpedro @axshadows @melaninmommy @survivingandenduring @kewwrites @oldenoughtoknowbettersstuff @movievillainess721 @callachloe @missladym1981 @casa-boiardi

[sokosmic]

Astro Observations for

Leo Rising...

(Will add notes as I have time and think of more)

House placements based on Whole Signs

🌤️ Heart-shaped faces/heads. Hair! Wide smiles. Fair skinned or come from a lineage of fair skinned people. Confident persona with big gestures. Leads with heart...wears heart on sleeves.

🌤️ They aren't self-centered or the attention seekers they may get painted. With a (Libra 3H) they're mindset and mode of communication is centered around building relationships. They desire fairness and harmony when connecting with others and often go out of their way to please people when making those connections.

🌤️ This often appears contradictory to the way they behave when actually in a relationship. With an (Aquarius 7H), they may behave aloof and distant. But that isn't necessarily the case. Aquarius here may cause the native to desire freedom from the constraints of a traditional relationship. These individuals may prefer relationships and partnerships that are unconventional and go against the norm...requiring changes that bring excitement.

🌤️ In their (Cancer 12H) there is a strong desire to nurture their spirituality and their connection to the collective. While it may not be evident based on their house of relationships (Aquarius 7H), this really does go hand-in-hand because Aquarians are humanitarians. (Cancer 12H) also indicates psychic abilities.

🌤️ Although it may come across cold, these folks work hard and give a lot. They are no strangers to hunkering down and getting sh¡t done (Capricorn 6H). There may also be knee, ankle, or general bone issues that arise from this placement.

🌤️ On the same note...having a (Virgo 2H) lends to a very meticulous way of acquiring their needs. These folks tend to be pretty business savvy and have a very admirable work ethic and way of obtaining money. These are the people at work who just seem to know how to organize and categorize things for efficiency.

🌤️ There may have been some sort of trauma experienced in the early home life (Scorpio 4H). Secrets and things hidden or swept under the rug is very likely in the family. May come from a lineage of women with psychic abilities or occult practices. Lots of intense and transformational experiences derive from this placement.

🌤️ Depending on placements in the natal chart, we typically see this show up in their (Leo 1H) as a fierce loyalty toward becoming their best selves. There is a natural expression of confidence, courage, and creativity that they exude. Just like the Sun, people can't help but to see them.

🌤️ We also see this come thru in their (Taurus 10H), where here there is a natural ability and expression of beauty and making things aesthetically pleasing. This is usually specific to their career and public image. Here we may find them work methodically in fields such as interior design, jewelry making/design, or a form of physical labor related to beauty or creating beautiful things, such as wood working, pottery, or glass making.

🌤️ Unless there are planets in the natal that restrict it, these beautiful people are incredibly social (Gemini 11H), and often find themselves with lots of friends and associates. They tend to be leaders among groups they are involved. These are also people who create groups or organizations that are geared toward sharing information...think Facebook and other social media platforms.

🌤️ And they enjoy it! Running those groups or being an admin or moderator is something they do as a hobby. This is rooted in that (Gemini 11H) where they really enjoy sharing all the knowledge they gather through their social connections, personal research and travels (Sagittarius 5H). And people love them because they are able to convey messages with their wit and charm. These folks are funny and flirty by nature.

🌤️ Having a (Pisces 8H) grants these individuals with great intuitive gifts. It is also makes these natives quite empathetic towards the dark, shadow aspects of others. They often possess a natural tendency towards healing themselves and others with spiritual practices that aren't widely accepted or recognized.

🌤️ But what society thinks is the least of these individuals' concern. Their overview of the world is filtered through the eyes of Self for these people (Aries 9H). Their philosophies are geared toward independent thinking, carving one's own path, fighting for what is fair and just, and championing for the underdogs (Aries 9H + Libra 3H).

[black-suns-rim]

Cuddling a yautja

Summary: you had a hard time sleeping, so you went to go get a late night snack but ended up falling asleep right next to your yautja friend while watching a movie with him.

Contains: some wholesome platonic cuddles

The endless buzzing of the ship's interior slaving away to make sure it runs well was somewhat of a soothing noise that you've gotten used to after the past couple of months. Maybe buzzing wasn't the right word... more like humming or the sound of vibration. Almost every night you fell asleep to that noise, but this night you just couldn't. It didn't have the soothing touch you had experienced last night. Laying on your plush floor bed, your gaze wondered around your metalic room.

To the books that hung from your wall on smooth selves, from the warm yellow Christmas lights that dangled from the ceiling and the various other objects of entertainment, memorabilia, or every day use. Your mind could not just rest as your eyes grew tired. Huffing in agitation for your lack of rest, you sat up, tossing the furr skin blanket off of your body. You pressed your back to the cold metal of the ship's interior and closed your eyes.

You recalled the first day of agreeing to go on this mission, but you never truly knew what you were getting yourself into. You recalled how you freaked out seeing this alien ship from the outside and in. You recalled how meeting another life form that didn't originate from earth made you extremely anxious, nervous but excited. It's not everyday that you get to be part of a crew where one of your members wasn't human. The thrill of learning everything you could about them was something you never found boring. Even though it's only been a few months, you have grown pretty close to this alien. Closer than to any human you've known.

As the soothing cold metal wall began to warm up from your hot skin, you leaned forward and rubbed your face. You peeled open your eyes and sluggishly stood to your feet. Unlocking the padlock door, you exited your room and placed your hand on the wall, trailing the lines with your fingertips as you walked. You knew everyone was asleep by now, so you made sure to step quietly. It was easier to do so with some kind of padding on your feet, but your feet were bare. You just liked how the freezing metal felt compared to the slightly humid and muggy air of the ship.

Perhaps a late night snack would be able to get your mind to finally rest. The walk to the kitchen wasn't too long since the ship was a decently small one. Though it could hold well over 20 crew members, the design of the ship itself made sense and wasn't as confusing as the other ships you've been on. But then again, the other ships you've been on weren't alien in origin. You were somewhat surprised to see someone was already in the kitchen at this time, but when you realized who it was, your surprise left and it was replaces with understanding. The alien, the predator some called it, a yautja others said, the only alien on board that also owned this very ship, was cutting up some fresh vegetables and meat.

He turned his long-haired head towards you as you walked in. The metal jewelry in his hair-like tendrils hit together in somewhat of a musical way like wind-chimes in a breeze. His bulking but soft stature and body shape gave him the nickname "Big Papa" amongst the crew since not many knew how to pronounce his actual name correctly. His pearcing crystal watery blue eyes followed you as you sleepily grabbed an apple from the small fruit basket that had been undisturbed for a while. All the while, he kept chopping away. He slowly clicked his tusks together as he focused his attention back to the cutting board.

You still weren't used to the strange noises he made, but you found all of them fascinating. Just like his reptilian skin and earthly colorations. But the thing that you found the most striking about him was the brilliant crystal blue thin striped lines on his tendril hair. You leaned on the counter as you ate the sweet crisp and juicy apple. Though you struggled to keep your eyes open, your mind was still trailing off. The feeling of loneliness creeped in which caused you to rub your face and rub under your eyes. Big Papa picked up on you not feeling well. He had a knack for sensing ones emotions.

He ceased his chopping and you looked up at him. His mandibles rubbed together slowly, thinking. "What?" You grumbled. He let out a chuff with a small trill, turning his head to the cutting board and dumping the chopped pieces into a bowl. From what you gathered with the time spent with him, he couldn't speak English, but he understood it well enough to function with this crew. Sometimes he used a translator to speak to you and the others if things were dire or important, but most of the time he would gesture, grunt or mimic speech to communicate.

You finished your apple and he placed a hand on your should. Clicking his tusks together, he gently moved his hand to your back and rubbed it. You felt a wave of calmness hit you as you closed your eyes. You could feel yourself drifting to sleep when he suddenly stopped. A little disappointed, you opened your eyes to see him placing the bowl of chopped vegetables and meat into the cooling storage unit. It wasn't exactly a refrigerator, but you often called it that. The both of you exchanged glances before he left the kitchen. You threw the apple core into the compose bin and drousily walked over to Big Papa to catch up with him, "Wait-"

He stopped and gazed down at you, his eyes filled with such a tenderness to them. "Could we hang out for a while? I'm having a hard time sleeping... and I don't really wanna be alone." He nodded in response. He headed to the recreational room he had made just for the human crew. You followed right behind him. You almost felt like a kid following a parent due to the height difference. Though he was bulky, he tried to make himself as little indimidating as possible. The rec room had a couple of things from Earth like couches, chairs, board games, wooden tables and a TV with many DVD movies to watch. Big Papa grabbed one of the DVDs and was careful to take it out of its case. He had learned the hard way that DVDs were fragile after trying to take one out from iys case the first time around. He places it in the player and turned on the TV. This technology was very primitive to him, but he found it fascinating anyways.

He sat down on the couch opposite of the room from where the TV was mounted to the wall and you sat right next to him, a couple of inches away. The couch dipped down drastically from his weight and it felt like you were going to fall in right next to him. As if you were being sucked into a black hole. He hadn't taken much time, to your knowledge, to watch any of these movies. Seeing an alien like him watch something that was human was amusing to you. It was more of his expressions that you found funny and how he reacted.

You suddenly remembered a question you wanted to ask him from earlier today but didnt have the chance till now, "Hey, do you mind us calling you Big Papa?"

He looked down at you and shook his head no. He clicked his tusks together and turned his attention back to the TV. Halfway into the movie, you began to drift to sleep when you felt a warmth and pressure around you. It felt comforting and safe. Something you haven't felt for a long while now. You felt the need to open your eyes. You saw Big Papa's arm around you and you realized you were leaning against him. You were slightly embarrassed, but you felt too comfortable to move. You closed your heavy eyelids again and everything around you grew silent and distant.

When you woke up, you were smooshed between him and the cushions of the couch. He had his arms around you like a body pillow. His hot breath heaved down on your head but surprisingly it didn't stink like half of the other men's on the crew. You couldn't tell what time it was, but you felt like it was early. You couldn't hear any other movement on the ship from where you were. As you laid there, with his arms around you, you felt as if all of your stresses, all of your negative feelings, you felt that they just didn't exist anymore. It has been so long since you've laid with another being in a platonic way. You didn't want this to end.

You nuzzled your face into his chest, listening to him breath. He took in deep long breaths as he slept and it reminded you of a sleeping dragon. You still felt sleepy but now your mind was active. You realized that you've never cuddled up with this hulking mass of an alien before and you would've never guessed he'd be the type to cuddle. Maybe he was lonely too? Your thoughts were interrupted when he began to shift in his sleep. He placed a leg over yours and the heavy amount of pressure almost felt uncomfortable. Your body sunk into the couch and you shifted to try and feel a little more comfortable with the added weight on you. When you were finally comfortable again, his grip around you slightly tightened and now you felt you were being smothered and constricked.

You gave up on moving and just tried to relax. Closing your eyes, you already thought about the daily chores you'd have to do. Almost every day was the same which started to make you bored. You had all of the chores memorized by heart at this point. Most of your chores involved cleaning. Clean the kitchen, the bathrooms, the halls. Stuff like that. Big Papa would get upset if his ship was even slightly messy. You noticed how he liked things very clean and organized. The organization part you didn't understand though. He organized in a sort of messy way, but it was still organized... to him at least.

You moved an arm to reach over his side, but the air was surprisingly cold, so you moved it back to the warmth that had been accumulated between the both of you. Big Papa was like a heater. You thought it was strange since he was reptilian-like. You would think he was also cold blooded, but apparently not. You suddenly felt someone staring at you, so you opened your eyes just to see one of your co-workers looking at you and Big Papa. This co-worker was an early bird and she usually woke up around 6 am. She held a cup of coffee in her hand and her phone in the other.

"Don't you dare." You whispered. She grinned and took a picture of you being smothered by the alien. You knew this wasn't a devious act since she had a hobby of taking funny or silly pictures amongst the crew. The crew nicknamed her Pinkie because of her upbeat and hyper personality. It was also somewhat of an inside joke.

"This is so going into the scrap book." She whispered back and walked over to one of the tables nearby. Since the rec room was close to the kitchen, everyone ate their meals here. Soon, the other crew members would be waking up and you really didn't want to be teased for cuddling an alien, even if he was a good friend to you. You sighed and decided it would be best if you'd fall back to sleep. At least you wouldn't have to know who saw you like this. This time, it was easy falling asleep unlike the struggle you had last night. You weren't asleep exactly though, somewhere in between awake and asleep. You could hear everything around you, but when you had woken up again, Big Papa was gone and you had a large fur blanket covering you. You felt a little sad but relieved.

You sat up and stretched your body while yawning and rubbing the sleep from your eyes. You folded the blanket and set it on the arm of the couch. You made your way to the kitchen where a couple of your co-workers were making themselves breakfast. Time to get ready for a new day on the ship.

[zibiscusloon]

PLEASE TALK ABOUT JOSIE SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kajakakajakakajajakaj Thank you sm!! <33 (she’s one of my favorite designs so it’s nice to see others like her!)

•She’s probably the closest to Luz & King between her siblings. King would carry her by the back of her neck like a kitten hen she was younger.

•She spent her early school years in the Human Realm and transferred to the Demon Realm later on. She didn’t really enjoy her schooling in the Human Realm as her teachers weren’t the best and there were plenty of parents who weren’t ok with witch students in human schools. She did at least enjoy having Vee tutor her!

•She wears a lot of hand me down clothing and jewelry, mainly a few of Luz & Hunter’s spare outfits and also mainly wears Camila’s old necklace.

•She’s very close to her Aunt Lilith! They’re both dumb nerds and Josie loves to go the Bonesborough Museum to hang out with her and Hooty.

•Raine was probably the least experienced with kids (as Camila and Eda had longer experience), they however are the closest to Josie, she always liked to be around them when they did played music (she’s god awful at bard magic herself, she just likes to listen)

•Rabbowl is very soft and huggable and helps his witch when she’s overwhelmed by letting her just sit around and hug him. He’s often mistaken in the Human Realm for an off brand furby.

•She’s close to her nieces, Raquel & Cendy. She’s essentially the only reason they get away with their shenanigans at Hexside.

•She’s aromantic. She’s never had any interest in a relationship and prefers her palisman to most people.

•Eda packed her around a lot at the University when she was little. She’d often stick with Luz and watch her older sister study (Luz taught her how to use glyph magic, which she prefers as opposed to her own magic)

•Owlbert & Fiddlesticks would babysit her anytime no one else was able to. Needless to say, both palismen are absolute disasters at watching a witchling.

•Collector often pouts on how she’s gotten taller than them over the years. She was supposed to stay small forever!

•She’s nicknamed “Owlet” by her parents and siblings. Her nieces call her “Tía Joe”.

[artharakka]

Can I ask you where have you found inspiration for your art? For example I've noticed you have a very specific (and beautiful) way you draw jewelry and clothing. The shapes are very organic yet grounded at the same time, give a bit of a Nausicaä vibes, as well as art noveau meets iron age.

Honestly I could go on and on about the beautiful details of your art but I don't want to seem too fangirlish :D

Ohhh thank you I love those comparisons 🧡 Because I didn't even know those are the vibes I was going for but yeah that's great actually... This is like when one of you made a playlist inspired by my art... (I still have that saved btw! 🧡 And I still cannot believe!!). Here's a little Rhiam drawing with some jewelry she doesn't (yet) have in canon (earrings she does have but she cannot use them yet)

But what are my inspirations hmmmmmmm many! Idk even what all I have inhaled into my art but I try to list something (this got long so rest under cut):

Nature 🌿 I love both mundane (sparrows, plants growing from asphalt cracks, moss covered street signs... the little details) and grand formations that fill me with awe. There's something about things so vast that take my breath away. Like oceans, mountains, high cliffs, endless tundra, wind so strong you could lean against it, ancient stone that has been scraped visible by massive sheets of ice thousands of years ago. (But I'm guilty of not being that impressed by conventional beauty of average gardens. Aren't people tired of only finding planted blooming flowers beautiful!). Most often I'm drawing inspiration from nature familiar to me, that being Nordic/Scandinavian ones.

I already said nature but birds deserve a special mention! Agh I just love those funky little animals 🦅

Stories! I love making stories, I think they help me grasp and go over my thoughts. I love pouring myself into my characters, it makes them feel both personal but also makes it easier to talk about myself to my fellow storytellers. I'd love to do a long graphic novel or write a book one day, but I also love making ttrpg stories just for and with our little group 🧡 For a long time I felt kinda bad that I wasn't doing "real art" that wasn't just illustrations of my characters. But then I realised doing art for arts sake doesn't really inspire me. I don't want to do art that I'd think would be easily consumable nor do I have any great performance to create with my art. I just love to illustrate stories and tell stories through my art and I think that's great! I still love seeing and experiencing artworks that aren't this illustrative, I just don't have the motivation to do that myself. But I can get really excited of works like Emma Jääskeläinen's granite sculptures!

Other artists! There are two categories I think: 1) those whose work I've seen (usually irl) and whose technique or themes or symbolism facinates me. I usually don't want to create similar art, or replicate their style, or medium even. But there's something about them, a feeling of awe or they feel formidable. Or there's something clever about them that lets me have this sense of epiphany. For example, Jääskeläinen who I already mentioned, Marcel Dzama, Merja Palin, Helena Vaari, Marika Mäkelä, to name a few I've seen lately-ish. And then 2) there are artists whose stories and/or style inspires me and influences my art. One of the biggest inspirations to my softer line art style was and is @albabbgg. @serpentface has some really cool worldbuilding and designs, I think they were also a great influence to how I draw bodies these days. @wiltkingart has also very cool shapes and genders in his paintings. @sanctus-ingenium 's stories and art have been a huge inspiration lately. And to list a few others now that I started: @pangur-and-grim/@greer-art, @beidak-art, @elemei, @emilylorange, @pansylair, @cy-lindric, @psrj, @lokorum

And many others I'm probably forgetting now! I also have a side blog @sancta-cessatrix where I occasionally reblog cool art, check tags #art #inspiration

[damien-wolfram-art]

A Fish Out of Water

Tobirama sighed wistfully, resting his head heavily into his work roughened palm. His heart felt sunken with a longing that up until recently, he had never experienced. He looked past his fish stand at the deeply forested boundary of the village that he and his family had stopped in for the season. “Did you see the way she looked at me?” Asked the young fishmonger to his older brother. The two of them had just begun cleaning up what remained of the day’s sales. “It’s as if those dark eyes could encapsulate my very soul. She took one look at me, and I swore she really understood me. All this time– in all our travels, never once have I been so- so,” dropping the last wet bucket into the stack of others, Tobirama found the right words, “captivated. Everything about her felt …designed. To. Reel. Me. In.” Tobirama paced a few steps back and forth on the dirt road before gripping into the rim of a fish barrel as if it were grounding him– keeping him from acting upon his most carnal instincts. His brother, Hashirama, only watched him pityingly– knowingly. When the heated moment passed, Tobirama dragged his thin fingers through his coarse white hair; it had been a while since he’d washed, making his connection with the gypsy woman even more of a surprise to him.

“You know I am quite the fisherman, so I know all the tricks, but I have never felt Myself so hooked on the end of a line,” he groaned, lifting the barrel with some apparent effort. His sturdy brother took it from him and motioned with his head back to the smaller and lighter stack of buckets. As he moved ahead, his long brown hair trailed behind him in a gentle breeze.

Tobirama obeyed his brother, grateful for the assistance. Grabbing hold of the stack, he continued to recount his encounter, “you saw what she was wearing too? Those pants could hardly contain her! And the way her midriff was exposed, ugh!” His legs sped up as his desire grew. “The tassels and jewelry were also a nice touch. What I wouldn’t do to give her a nice- … Elder brother?”

Hashirama was lagging behind with the heavier gear. “Ah sorry. You were just moving so quickly, and I didn’t want to interrupt,” he apologized.

Tobirama shook his head, backpedaling to his brother. “Nevermind that. I’ll slow down.” He adjusted his hold on the buckets and settled into a slower pace. “Where was I? Ah, yes, her silky black hair was just… beautiful. She was wearing a mask too if I’m not mistaken. You could see through it if you looked closely,” the lovestruck young man nearly swooned. “Her lips looked so… kissable,” he trailed off and his brow wrinkled in thought.

Hashirama too had never seen his brother so enamored. Their walk home was punctuated by Tobirama’s mumbling and when they arrived at the place they were calling home for the time being, the younger brother spoke up again, “I should have kissed her. I should have swept her away and told her how she has influenced me. Perhaps I should go look for her. She might still be around, and this might be my only chance. Who knows? Things might work with this one. I mean, think of the children we could make-”

“Tobirama,” Hashirama said sternly. There was a seriousness in his normally welcoming brown eyes.

“What is it?”

“I don’t mean to ruin this moment of yours, there was one crucial detail you didn’t notice.”

“What detail?”

“Well…” Hashirama hesitated. It was not a strong suit of his to break bad news.

“Spit it out already,” insisted Tobirama impatiently.

Hashirama had no choice but to tell him, “that was no woman.”

Tobirama’s red eyes opened wide, his blood ran cold, and his pale cheeks somehow grew hot.

[bunnymajo]

Went ahead just filled out that whole OC ask prompt for Quake the Elephant :P

Get to know her better! She'll be competing in the @sonic-oc-showdown going on right now!

You can vote here!

Name: Quake the Elephant

Species: Asian Elephant

Type: Power

Alignment: Good

Home: Sol Empire (wanders)

✨How did you come up with the OC’s name?

Since Blaze & Marine have very on-the-nose names based on their powers I wanted a similar kind of name for her. So I thought of a bunch of earth-related names that I thought were cute, Quake I was on the fence about but after talking with some friends (shout-out to the bumblekast server) who liked it I started warming up to it too. 

🌼  - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

Late teen/young adult. Older than Blaze

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

Not currently. 

🍕  - What is their favorite food?

Anything Lychee flavored. Tropical fruits are always a hit in general. Never eats meat.

💼  - What do they do for a living?

A traveling oracle, she can pick up vibes and premonitions from certain gemstones or rock formations. People seek out her help for advice or if there’s land that needs excavating

🎹  - Do they have any hobbies?

At her core Quake is just a big rock nerd. She likes learning and going to museums if there's any kind of exhibit about geology

Also all her jewelry is handmade so she's good at metal craft, all her rings are melted down ores & metals she's collected. There's a story behind each one.

🎯  -What do they do best?

Crush rocks. Look at rock. Know where rock came from.

🥊  -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

She loves to just sit and enjoy her surroundings, no drama, only sitting

She hates shopping for herself. She doesn’t mind it if it’s a gift, but clothes shopping for herself in particular she’s just really uncomfortable with the whole experience (look around, looking at sizes, trying them on, figuring out if she likes it enough to wear more than once, standing in line to buy it. etc. )

❤️  - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

I could be cheesy and say when she made friends with Blaze & Marine, but other than that she's always traveling she doesn't usually spend time with other people on her birthday or holidays - but one time a town she was staying at found out and threw her a small surprise party and she still cries when she thinks about it.

✂️   - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Sometimes picking up & and experiencing the memories of an old rock aren't always pretty. She doesn't like to talk about them.

🧊  - Is their current design the first one?

There’s a few initial sketches I did to get the overall idea going, but currently she’s on her 1st finalized design

🍀  - What originally inspired the OC?

I like powerhouse ladies and I like plus-sized representation in my favorite media, Blaze currently doesn’t have that in the Sol dimension so I took that as a challenge to see if I could make one. Sega also (currently) isn’t really keen on large mammal designs like elephants or horses, so I wanted to see if I could make a large hooved animal fit into the Sonic template. 

🌂  - What genre do they belong in?

I picture her fitting right into a kung-fu movie, as either a wise mentor or the hero's traveling companion, or even a mini boss depending on the situation.

She would hope she fit right into a cozy slice of life drama or a hallmark movie though, but she has too much of a fantasy character presence

💚  - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Identifies as a girl, she/her/they pronouns, Ace Lesbian

🙌  - How many siblings does your OC have?

Currently 0. She views Marine as what it would be like to have a little sister though.

🍎  - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

Parents? In Sonic’s world? Ha!

Her oracle powers can be traced through her lineage though. I imagine she would view them with respect.

🧠  - What do you like most about the OC?

She’s cute and she can punch a rock in half

I also just like gentle giant characters. She's oc comfort food.

✏️  - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Not as much as I should but I really want to change that, I think there’s so much potential to explore Blaze’s world and it’s just sitting there.

💎  - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

Absolutely not. Even if there was a dire situation where death seems like the only way out, I’ve seen enough magical girl baloney to know there’s always another way. Blaze & Marine would snap her out of that “I have to end myself here to save everyone” mentality, but that's the only kind of scenario where I'd even think about that.

💀  - Does your OC have any phobias?

Claustrophobia, including feeling closed in by big crowds 

🍩  -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

In a playful manner, Blaze as a rival. 

🎓  - How long have you had the OC?

About 5 months :’D

Thanks for reading!

[hanilessa]

before reading please pay attention to the series masterlist, to make sure you have read the previous chapters!

your likes, reblogs and replies are greatly appreciated! i hope you like it, enjoy reading!

HALF AN HOUR FOR LOVE — Childe x F!Reader Chapter 7. From his side, from your side

Childe was irritated. The red light of the traffic light flickered unpleasantly, annoying Tartaglia even more. Irritation filled every part of his body, preventing him from thinking rationally. He nervously tapped with one hand on the leather steering wheel, and in the other hand he held the third cigarette.

Usually a man smoked in two cases. When he felt supremely satisfied and when he was nervous. Now, to his displeasure, he felt very nervous.

It seemed to him that he was blessed by heaven and experienced unrealistic great happiness, just feeling you next to him. When you were around, when you both were cooking dinner, exchanging life stories.

This gave him strength for life and the necessary energy, that he had lacked for a very long time. Exactly from the moment when problems began in his family.

You were something distant and wonderful to him. You were always honest with him, and without hesitation, directly to his face, said what you think, without fear and without missing a single detail from your words. You could, without any fear, say a lot of nasty things to him in response to his teasing, despite his high position, not only as your boss, but also in principle as a member of high society.

He knew that you always tell others to their faces, everything that you think about them, without fear of being judged for it. And the fact that you were sincere about it made him sure that you were the person to whom he could turn for help without fear and with whom he could simply have a heart-to-heart talk.

Perhaps you could tease him about it. And that would definitely happen.

Tartaglia grunted with a smirk and, throwing the ashes from the cigarette out the window, started the car engine when the traffic light changed from red to green.

But you would never refuse him a heart-to-heart talk. He was sure of it.

So now every part of his body burned in agony when he thought that he was just using you for his own benefit. Perhaps, at the beginning of the bet with Ayato, he wouldn't care, and he wouldn't worry at all about such a simple little thing as your feelings. But now…

He thinks that this bet was a stupid idea. Perhaps he could deal with his problems on his own, but he was so enthralled by the fact that Ayato's mother was the chief judge in the Snezhnaya court, so he simply couldn't refuse such an opportunity at that moment. He didn't know where to put himself right now.

Childe felt one desolation, that corroded all his insides with acrid cigarette smoke, preventing him from taking a saving breath of air. Thoughts of you swirled in his head at the speed of light, mingling with dirty insults against himself. Right now, he felt like he was being sucked into a black hole, and there was no way out.

Annoyed, the man scraped his fingernail against the leather steering wheel and swore loudly when the car in front of his car suddenly moved into his lane.

"Fuck." The man cursed, throwing his cigarette out the window and clutching the steering wheel.

His car moved forward at high speed. Adrenaline coursed through his veins at a furious pace, bringing a momentary sense of calm and contentment that slowly faded away as he thought about where he was heading now.

Friends invited him to come together at Scaramouche's house after yesterday's party to discuss some questions regarding some aspects of the common business.

His friends had their own brand called "Harbingers", that they distributed and sold throughout the country and even beyond its borders. Signora was a famous fashion designer, Scaramouche was engaged in the jewelry industry, Dottore liked to deal with mechanics and modeling.

Childe didn't participate in this, because he was preparing to become the heir to a big company, but he wasn't averse to supporting the ideas of his friends, so he always attended such meetings.

Of course, this meeting definitely wasn't limited to business matters, because the ginger man was clearly given to understand that his friends knew about his bet with Ayato, who was also supposed to be there.

His blue eyes flared brightly as he started thinking about Ayato and this stupid bet. If he had the ability to go back in time, he would definitely drop this fucking bet.

But at the same time… He was thinking that if not for this bet, you and he would never have become so close. Tartaglia didn't know what to feel from these thoughts.

The ginger man would like to shield you from everything related to this bet, from his personal family problems, from Ayato. But when he thought that this would mean that you and he couldn't be near each other, he became sad and lonely at heart.

But, all these thoughts aside, what scared him the most was the realization that one moment you would find out about everything.

He wanted to be with you a little longer, and, frankly, he wanted to delay the moment when you find out about everything for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, while he was in his thoughts, his black car drove into a small garden that surrounded Scaramouche's mansion on all sides. Childe's thoughts were starting to go back to yesterday when he was here with you.

And by the time you met Aether. And how that blond moron held your hand right in front of Childe's face.

"Damn it." The man hissed and ran his free hand through his ginger hair in annoyance as he parked his car near the white mansion. He turned off the engine and removed the keys from the ignition, exhaling sharply.

He decided that he would return to these thoughts a little later, and took a deep breath to calm his irritation and nervousness. A quick glance of blue eyes in the rearview mirror, and there was nothing left of his former vulnerable state.

The ginger man made the most casual expression on his face, ruffled his unruly hair, twisted his lips into a smirk and left the car, slamming the door loudly.

Muffled music could be heard from the second floor of the mansion, and Childe thought his friends had picked up the girls from the club again. He rolled his eyes — how predictable. The autumn wind howled with a roar and blew strongly at his back, driving him to the big house.

The ginger man entered the mansion without even bothering to ring the doorbell. He knew that the door was always open when they had these meetings.

Inside the house, as always, it smelled of expensive alcohol and cigarettes, this was different from the cheap alcohol that Scaramouche bought for yesterday's party, so Tartaglia, with some pleasure, inhaled the alluring smell into his nostrils and went straight to the second floor, where loud and cheerful voices were heard.

When the man entered Scaramouche's office, he looked around, noting to himself that not all of the Harbingers were today here. Perhaps someone had more important things to do. Or maybe someone just didn't want to come. This happened quite often.

Only Signora, Scaramouche, Pantalone and Columbina were in the office. The women sat on a brown leather sofa, Rosalyne smoking a cigar and Columbina sipping expensive wine.

Pantalone looked very concentrated as he sat at Scaramouche's desk, his eyes flickering over some documents. Scaramouche stood at the window and muttered something displeased under his breath.

"Why invite me to this meeting if you just wanted to have fun here with the whores from the strip club?" Signora snorted displeasedly, looking out of the corner of her eye at the girls dancing on the table.

There was a slight chuckle next to her.

"I don't think it's bad. Look at it the other way." Columbina said in a thin voice, taking a sip of red wine. "Look at their physique. You could give them a chance to make their lives better by asking them to be your models."

"I'm not going to waste my time on second-rate trash." Rosalyne grunted and stubbed out her cigar in a golden ashtray.

"Let's put that fact aside and remember that Ayato and Childe like spending time with this type of girl." said Pantalone, continuing to check bills and documents. In their business, the man was mainly responsible for the funds and money, that he skillfully distributed among all the Harbingers.

"Now I understand what you think about me." The ginger man snorted, finally making his presence known in the office. Three people stared at him, with the exception of Scaramouche, who seemed not to move an ear when he heard his friend's voice.

"Isn't that right?" Pantalone raised an eyebrow, and his lips broke into a smile that Childe found very vile. "I thought you liked women without outstanding intellect, but with curvaceous forms."

"Shut up." Covering his eyes with his palm, Tartaglia said angrily and sighed.

"Well, why are you so cruel to him, Pantalone?" A voice was heard from the direction of the door, and Childe felt a hand on his shoulder. He recognizes Ayato's voice immediately. "Recently, our friend got a very nice girlfriend. Without outstanding forms, of course, but she's pretty smart. You won't tell them, Childe?"

"Shut up, Ayato." Tartaglia hissed.

"Is that the cutie you were pressing against the railing on the balcony?" Rosalyne asked slyly, covering her mouth with her hand. Her blue eyes were full of mischief and obvious mockery.

"Did you see us?!" The man asked excitedly, breaking free of Ayato's grip and moving closer to the two women sitting on the sofa.

"So I'm right!" Clapping her hands contentedly, she easily threw one leg over the other and pursed her lips feignedly. "Yes, I saw you and her. And even talked to her after you left."

"What did you say to her?!" The man exclaimed excitedly, slightly surprising the women sitting in front of him.

Tartaglia nervously and excitedly considered every option that you could talk about with Rosalyne, and what a woman could say to you. Could she tell you that you're the object of his bet or that he was engaged?

One was worse than the other. He could feel every cell in his body screaming in agony in fear of the fact that you would ever find out.

Childe took a few deep breaths, realizing that Signora would hardly have told you about something like that, because, according to Ayato, she only found out about the bet yesterday. As for his marriage to Lumine… Could she have said that?

"Don't worry, I didn't talk to her about Lumine." Understanding what he was thinking, Rosalyne smirked, leaning back on the sofa and watching Tartaglia's tense face. "If think about how you used the cute Y/n for your own gain, you also got engaged at the same time… Very exciting, don’t you think?"

"This is fun for you?" The ginger man's patience was running out. He clenched his fist, leaving crescent-shaped fingernail marks on his skin. The pain helped sober the mind.

"Isn't it so for you?" Ayato asked slyly, standing next to the ginger man again. A mischievous smirk appeared on the face of the man with blue hair.

He watched Tartaglia's eyes darting nervously from side to side and continued to say, "Have you forgotten that Y/n is just your way of avoiding an engagement with Lumine? All you need is to get her into your bed, remember?"

The ginger man felt great rage appeared in his chest. His blue eyes narrowed as Childe glanced at Ayato and saw only genuine amusement on his friend's face. Ayato chuckled.

"For some reason, I thought that poor simpleton like her wouldn't mind going to bed with a rich man to hit a good jackpot."

A sharp push to the side knocked out all the air from Ayato's lungs, when Tartaglia slammed him into the concrete wall with high force, frightening absolutely everyone in the room with his unexpected action. The blue-haired man was surprised at first, but after a few seconds, a wry smirk appeared on his face.

Childe's eyes flashed with unbridled anger and rage, that sparkled in his blue irises. The force with that he squeezed his friend's forearms with his hands seemed to leave bruises. There was absolute silence in the office until the ginger man spoke.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that, or I can't be held responsible for my actions."

Ayato chuckled and effortlessly freed himself from his friend's grip, after that Childe also pulled away from him, holding back his rage raging in his veins. His fists itched uncomfortably, the pent-up strength begging to be released, but he suppressed the remnants of irritation and exhaled heavily.

"Has she really become very important to you in such a short time?" Ayato asked, pushing his bangs aside.

"It doesn't concern you." The ginger man growled and headed for the exit without another word. But no one demanded words of explanation from him, because the office had been quiet until now.

"If you both do this again in my house, you both will never come here again." It was heard from Scaramouche when Tartaglia left the office.

"Yes, I know." Casually said Childe.

Now he couldn't stay in this mansion, because everything here seemed so alien, when, on the contrary, your house, from that he left a few hours ago, was a saving place for him.

Despite the fact that your day started early in the morning, you felt quite rested. You managed to take a little nap after telling Tartaglia "goodbye" and returning home.

Remembering this now, you involuntarily blush, waiting for your laptop to finally turn on. Next to the laptop was a cup of freshly brewed coffee, that had a truly bewitching aroma.

You decided that you would call your family back in the morning when Tartaglia leaves your home. You were still embarrassed for being so rude to Xiao and hanging up his call without even letting him say a few words.

Part of you thought that it was the right decision, but the second part told you that you acted very rudely and badly. That's why you called your brother with complete confidence right now with a sincere desire to apologize.

To your surprise, it wasn't Xiao who answered the call, but your mother. She looked a little tired, but cheerfully smiled at you from the other side of the screen.

"Hi, mom." You scratched your cheek and reached for the white cup to take a sip of coffee. On the pink surface of the cup was a picture of a white bunny holding a small heart in its paws. You loved cute things like this and always bought something like that for yourself when you had some money left to spend on yourself.

"Hi, darling." The woman greeted you and smiled softly. "Me and Xiao miss you very much. When will you have time to visit us?"

"I miss you both too, mom, but you know I have a lot of work to do." You sighed and shook your head in thought. You didn't have time to visit your family at all.

"You should definitely come closer to Christmas!" The woman said with a slight sternness, but then she smiled again and continued to say, "I must feed you well before you leave again."

You laughed.

"Okay, mom, I understood you. Anyway tell me, where is Xiao now?"

The woman thought for a moment and answered. "He said he was going to the library for more astronomy books and left a few minutes ago."

"Damn it." You sighed.

"He told me about what happened yesterday. According to him, you acted very strangely." Your mother shook her head, but then she smiled slyly and said in an unctuous voice. "And he also mentioned some ginger young man who was with you."

You instantly choked on the hot coffee and coughed, feeling your cheeks flush with a bright blush.

"Was he right?" The woman smiled. "I already thought he was joking."

"You know he'll never joke about it!" You snorted in annoyance.

"And yet, who was it?" Your mother asked with interest, moving a little closer to the laptop screen so as not to miss a single word of yours.

You snorted again, remembering about Tartaglia. Your cheeks gradually began to burn from a blush.

"He's just my colleague from work, he came to my house to take the documents."

"Is that so…" The woman said thoughtfully.

"So I had to hang up the call." You answered while looking at your phone, waiting for a message from Yoimiya. "You know how he treats other men."

Your mom nodded in understanding, after that your phone finally received a message from your friend.

"Oh, mom, listen, I made an appointment to meet Yoimiya and Ei today to go shopping." You said as you awkwardly got up from your chair and stumbled a little because of your clumsiness. "So I must go now."

"Of course, darling, have fun!" The woman smiled in understanding. "But I'm looking forward to the moment when you drop your excuses and tell me about this ginger young man."

"Mother!" You exclaimed indignantly, blushing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The woman laughed as she watched you run around your room and get ready to meet your friends.

"I completely forgot to tell you, mom!" You stopped suddenly in front of your laptop, and the woman looked at you with a question. You put on a beige sweater and continued to say, "Please apologize to Xiao again for me. And remind him that in two weeks he will need to come to Snezhnaya to submit documents to the academy and pass the entrance exams. He will need to free up three days for this."

"Okay, darling." The woman nodded with a smile. "Have fun!"

"Of course, mom. I love you! Bye." You ended the call and again heard a message come to your phone. Probably Yoimiya and Ei were already waiting for you near your house. You decided that you needed to hurry up and continued to get ready for a shopping trip.

"I tell you that he isn't as rude as he wants to appear to others!" You answered displeasedly when you and your friends started talking about Tartaglia again.

You tried your best to avoid the topic, but restless Yoimiya still found a way to get all the information out of you.

She knew that yesterday you went somewhere with a ginger man who had irritated you so much before. And now she was itching to know everything that had happened between you and Childe.

Ei, to your delight, was less enthusiastic about it, for that you were very grateful to her. For the most part, she was silent during this conversation, occasionally inserting her pertinent, peremptory comments and once again telling to Yoimiya be calm.

"You changed your mind about him so quickly!" The blonde exclaimed excitedly and put her hand to her lips with a slight chuckle. "Have you fallen in love with him?"

Your cheeks blushed and you glared at your friend angrily. This is the second person in a day talking about it! Your mother mayn't have said it directly, but that is what she meant by her words. Sometimes you thought that your mother and Yoimiya were like two peas in a pod.

"N-nothing like that!" You snorted, crossing your arms over your chest and turning your head away from your friend. "I just had a little misunderstanding with him, that we then settled. Nothing more. It's just friendship!"

Really?

You thought for a second. Did you really think so or did you want to deceive yourself? After all, you didn't understand how you should have felt for him.

You were calm next to him, you felt comfortable and warm, but his rude and teasing manner pissed you off. But for some reason, his teasing and seductive behavior made your heart beat several times faster.

His love for his family, his good intentions and desire to make them happy, his beautiful blue eyes… You immediately patted your cheeks and turned your head from side to side to let those foolish thoughts leave your mind.

"Hey, Y/n, can you hear me?" Yoimiya waved her hand in front of your face, trying to get your attention.

"Yoimiya, be more restrained." The purple-haired girl said with a hint of sternness. "Y/n was just thinking about something."

"I'm sure she was thinking about someone." The blonde grunted and laughed as you gave her an indignant friendly slap on the shoulder.

"Let's hurry!" Trying to change the topic, you walked forward enthusiastically. "Soon a daily action should begin in the cafe. We mustn't miss this!"

Your friends also enthusiastically supported your words with smiles, and the three of you hurried to your favorite cafe.

The cafe was very comfortable and calm. Quiet music was heard from the radio, the cafe smelled of freshly baked buns with sugar and fragrant coffee. When you entered the cafe, a pleasant smell of baking entered your nose, and you smiled relaxed, glad that you could have a good rest today.

Your friends sat down at your common favorite table, you told them you were going to order and hurried to the barista. You moved closer to the small crowd of people hoping to get in line, but suddenly you felt like you collided with someone on the way to your goal.

A powerful sense of deja vu swept through your mind and hit you in the head. You swore angrily in your thoughts. It seemed to you that you had a talent for making new acquaintances using this method.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you." You immediately apologized, genuinely worried about the condition of the person you encountered.

"No, no, don't apologize. I didn't look where I was going either." A gentle and beautiful voice was heard from the side, and you finally raised your eyes with interest to the one who spoke to you.

A woman with short blonde hair and big golden eyes was looking at you.

— taglist: @httpmitsuya @gojoandelsalovechilde @duckyyyx @i-x4o @chishiyawifesworld @ajaxstar @kiryoutann @xiaosonlybeloved @aloveablechaos

[icey--stars]

Stories To Be Told: PART 18

Series Index

A shadowsinger, a warrior, an Illyrian, that's what she was. Trained by one of the most formidable female warriors. Escaped the Illyrian camps and her clipping when she was barely sixteen and is now the holder of 6 siphons. What happens when she tries to sneak into the City of Starlight? And starts down a whole new road of chaos?

a/n: ya’ll just gonna have to deal as i make y/n more of an oc without a name lmAO, im enjoying this characterization. bit longer part too! enjoy <3

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

“Alright! First order of business,” Mor announced to everyone. “We’ve got to find a dress–or something else–and jewelry!”

I smiled faintly. I didn’t know Mor very well, but it seemed someone must’ve told her that I didn’t really like dresses too much. Luckily, I did also have some money I could use to splurge a bit like this. I never did spend too much of my earnings from the docks. The House was luxurious, and all I’d had to do was find some clothing, and someone willing to put wing slits into it, or do it myself haphazardly.

Mor pulled Emerie to her side by her waist, and I saw a small blush creep onto the Illyrian female’s face. I shot a cheeky grin in her direction. Her blush only deepened when she caught my eye.

We walked through the streets of Velaris, heading for the Palace of Thread and Jewels. I’d foregone my leathers today, instead in a simple undershirt and leggings. But I did still carry a weapon.

“Alright, this is my personal favorite boutique,” Mor said, stopping in front of a window that had a beautiful navy blue dress on show. “I’m sure we can all find something here of interest.”

The bell rang as Mor barged in, startling a few of the people already inside. A brown-haired female came walking toward us with a huge smile on her face. “Mor! It’s so great to see you again! Here for Starfall?”

“You know me so well Isa,” Mor replied, grinning from ear to ear. “I have a couple friends.”

“Ah yes,” Isa focused her gaze on us. “Nesta, it’s great to see you again. Gwyn and Emerie! I’m so happy to have you here…” When her gaze fell on me, her gaze scrunched up in confusion. “You’re new… What's your name?”

“Y/N,” I answered, shoulders folding in. I felt so out of place with all the finery in this place. It made me feel as if I had to be small. I pulled my wings in tighter as Isa came walking over, holding out a hand.

I took it, shaking gently. “I’m Isa!”

I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Great. Mor, straight to the red section. Nesta, how would you feel about navy blue? Emerie… you follow Mor. An orange might look good… or cream? Yes… Gwyn, straight to the blue section. Pick out a couple things and I’ll help you out. But first I plan to assist the absolutely stunning Y/N pick something out,” Isa directed, pointing in the direction of each color. I saw Nesta wink at me before wandering off in the direction of what I assumed to be the blue section.

“So! Y/N,” Isa regarded. “Tell me what you’ve looked good in in the past. Colors?”

I winced. “I don’t like wearing dresses,” I said plainly. “Makes me feel trapped.”

Isa’s smile didn’t falter. “That’s fine sweetheart. We’ve got loads of other options! Are you not too experienced with clothing?”

“Not really,” I admitted. A life full of running and only training to fight would do that to you.

“Great, that means I get to have more fun with you. How about we… hmm. Actually, I might have the perfect thing already. I designed it personally… yes. Yes, follow me,” Isa ordered, turning to walk farther back into the store. I passed Mor who was looking at two different styled red dresses. One with an off shoulder neckline and the other sweetheart. She was holding them up for Emerie, probably asking which looked better. Emerie’s blush had not gone away in the slightest, and for some reason, that filled me with a giddy sort of joy.

I quickly followed after Isa, not willing to fall behind too far. Isa took me into a back corner, covered by a velvet curtain.

“So, I’m not one-hundred percent sure you’ll like it or it’ll look good… but here it is,” Isa said, side-stepping to reveal a manikin covered in a dark gray fabric.

“I’ve been looking into stylish non-dress options,” Isa explained, letting me observe the clothing.

It was a near-skin-tight polyester long-sleeved shirt with a high collar and swirling silver embroidery covering the upper part, before swirling down the sides of the shirt, ending just above your hip bones. At the shoulders, two separate capes came down to about what would probably be mid-calf, that were made of a tightly-woven, clear, gray lace. It was paired with equally gray high waist leggings where the silver embroidery followed down the sides of the legs.

“I could probably put in some wing slits in easily. Might need to find someone who’s made wing slits before… but what do you think?” Isa asked, looking at me hopefully when I met her beautiful amber eyes.

I looked back to it for a moment before a grin broke out on my face. “I think I’d love it. It’s beautiful,” I complimented.

Isa grinned wide immediately at my approval. “Oh! I’m so glad, I was worried! I was searching for someone with slightly darker skin to wear it, if anyone at all… and you’re an Illyrian so it just worked out so well! It’ll match you so well.”

“Emerie might be able to help you with wing slits,” I offered. “If not, I can certainly try.”

She nodded, listening intently. “I’ll definitely ask her. She makes sense to ask, since she has wings!”

“How much do you think it’ll cost me?” I asked curiously.

She listed a price that was surely too low for something that seemed so beautiful. Way below what I was expecting to spend to be honest.

A squeal sounded from the other room and I pivoted immediately, shoving my head out of the curtain to look around, heart rate picking up.

I saw Mor holding Emerie in a hug and I raised a brow, seeing no danger. I walked toward them, hearing footsteps telling me Isa had followed me out. 

“Mor? Emerie? Everything okay?” I asked. I saw Nesta and Gwyn also walking over, probably equally as startled as I was.

Mor turned to me, a huge grin on her face. “Oh nothing,” she lied. “Emerie just agreed to be my date for Starfall.”

My eyebrows shot up, eyes widening. Emerie squealed again, and I recognized the tone as excited. “Mor! You could’ve asked me months ago and I still would’ve gone with you!” Emerie exclaimed, dragging the female into another hug.

I smiled warmly. “I wasn’t aware…” I trailed off, not sure how to put it.

“Oh yeah,” Mor sighed, shoulders falling. “I prefer females. I’ve been meaning to tell everyone… but I was worried.”

“Don’t be-” Gwyn immediately protested. “I certainly don't care. I have numerous friends who enjoy the company of females and males or one or the other!”

I nodded in agreement. “I haven’t exactly… explored anything, but I always did find both appealing,” I admitted.

“You and me both, sister,” Emerie said, grinning wildly. “What did Isa show you?”

I smirked. “Come see,” I prompted, waving her over toward the curtained area.

Emerie gasped when she saw it, turning back to me. “That’s perfect!” She shrieked, running forward to run her hands along the fabric and embroidery. “Oh it’s so pretty…” she cooed. “Is that a cape!?”

Isa was clearly also enjoying this as she chuckled and moved forward, lifting the right cape to show Emerie. “I was hoping you might be able to help me make wing slits.”

Emerie nodded. “I can do that quickly and show you where to sew in clasps real quick.”

“Nonsense!” Isa exclaimed. “Go pick yourself a dress first.”

I wandered back over to where Nesta was scanning two different styled dresses, one a dark navy blue and the other being a sky blue. Gwyn was staring at a peach and sky blue as well, in a different style than the one Nesta had chosen out.

“Need help deciding?” I asked, walking up to Nesta’s side.

Nesta nodded, “Please, I can’t tell which one will look better. I look good in all blues! It’s an issue.”

“What’s Cassian’s favorite color?” I asked curiously.

“He doesn’t give a fuck. Red maybe? I don’t know, he likes the night sky and that’s all I know about his favorite color,” Nesta said. “He doesn’t realize how hard he makes this for me.”

I chuckled in amusement at her frustration, and took the sky blue one from Nesta, holding it to her torso. Nesta wordlessly handed me the navy blue one when I held out a hand.

“Navy one, or find something silver,” I said. “But I definitely think the navy one would match you better. But you’d better try them both on.”

Nesta nodded, holding both the dresses close when I handed them back. “You’re a lifesaver Y/N. Now go sit over there near the mirrors while I try these on. You’re now officially the person I’m asking the opinion of.”

I scoffed. “Nesta, I don’t know dresses that well. Gwyn-”

“Too bad,” Nesta snickered. “You’ve been chosen.”

I rolled my eyes, smiling. “Fine.”

Nesta tried them both on, and the navy one still ended up looking a lot better on her. Gwyn picked her sky blue one, and Mor returned with the off-shoulder red dress, and Emerie ended up picking out a beautiful rusted orange dress with criss-crossing straps going up to a collar around the neck.

“Now!” Emerie said, setting down her dress beside the others’. “Wing slits, come on Y/N, I might need your measurements.”

I followed after her, jogging slightly toward Isa who’d moved the manakin out of the curtains and into plain view.

“Now, this fabric is quite stretchy, so it’ll fit most body styles. So we don’t need to worry about that,” Isa explained. “The leggings are the same. The issue is, I have no idea how wing slits work.”

I turned around, spreading my wings out a bit to let her view the slits I had in the shirt I had on right now. “I did these myself,” I explained. “It’s just mostly an oval around the wings cut out, with a line per oval down to the end where clasps can clamp it together.”

“Zippers sometimes work too, but it has to be a small one where it won’t chafe the wings,” Emerie added. “Say, Y/N,” She said. “What if we got one of your other shirts? And used it for measurements?”

“That’d work,” I replied. “I can go grab that… like 15 minutes? Maybe longer?”

Isa nodded. “Yes, yes, that’d be so helpful. Emerie, could you also show me your shirt? Just to see how they look against the skin.”

Emerie nodded, turning.

“Spread your wings a bit?” Isa requested.

I saw Mor pop up out of nowhere. “I’ll help,” she said, whispering something in Emerie’s ear before I saw her grabbing onto the claws at the apex of Emerie’s wings. I tried to keep my eyes from widening in shock. Isa examined the shirt before turning away. When Mor let go of Emerie’s wings, I saw the female Illyrian let out a swift breath.

-----

After bringing back one of my more… well stitched shirts, Isa promised to have it done tonight, so I can pick it up tomorrow morning. My sisters eagerly ushered me into the jewelry store next.

“Come on! Y/N! You have piercings, we’re getting you earrings!” Mor dragged me into the nearest store, with Nesta cackling delightfully behind me, shoving my thighs with her knee.

As soon as I was in, I had no choice but to stay when the store owner greeted us all gleefully.

“Welcome! I’m Meri, how can I help you gals today?” The owner introduced themselves, walking out from behind the cabinet and smoothly darting past all  the little displays of different types of jewelry.

Mor grinned. “Mer, we have a friend here who has no idea how pretty jewelry will make her and we definitely need to get her something.”

Meri’s face lit up in pure joy. And set her sights on me immediately. “I can definitely help with that. I’m assuming this is for Starfall?”

Emerie nodded.

Meri smirked. “Come here,” she ordered. “I trust you all are more experienced?”

“Oh yes,” Nesta replied. “We’ve got it covered. Y/N, you go with Meri, and find something pretty.”

I blushed, and followed after Meri immediately, pulling in my wings tightly and trying to be conscious of where my back ended up.

“Now, I see you have 4 loops, how about we find some earrings first?” Meri asked, leading me through the small corner store easily.

“Sure,” I said, trying to hold back my shaky voice.

“How do you feel about chains hanging in between?”

“Uhm…” I hesitated. “Maybe?”

“Good enough,” Meri chuckled. “How about you take out those loops and start browsing this section? I’ve got to find one particular piece I have that I think will be perfect for you.”

I nodded, obediently pulling out the loops and sliding them into a small pocket on my pants. The earrings Meri had set me in front of were little crystals with chains in between, meant to hang between two different piercings.

I picked up the first one that looked interesting. A sapphire decorated one with a dark metal holding it in place and a similarly colored chain in between. It looked like a similar color to Azriel’s siphons.

My thoughts paused. Why did I care if it matched the color of his siphons? And yet I still kept a hold of the earring. I tried to convince myself it was because it would easily match the gray and silver of my outfit for Starfall.

“Alright!” Meri announced herself. “I found it.”

She held out her palm, revealing an ear cuff with Illyrian wings. One piercing went through one of my lower ear ones, and then a piece of metal looped around the back of my ear to create a second wing just over the crest of my ear.

I picked it up, staring at it with interest.

“Oh, and that sapphire…” she hummed, noticing the other earring I had a hold of. “That’s perfect.”

I smiled at her approval.

“I agree, get them both.” Nesta’s voice made me jump as I turned around to look at her. “The blue matches the gray well and the Illyrian ear cuff is just so you.”

I smiled. “Alright, fine,” I conceded.

“Try it on!” Meri urged. “I can clean it off if you don’t want it.”

I nodded, popping open the package the sapphire one was in and easily sliding it into the hole in my ear. One went in my lowest piercing, the other in my second to highest. The dark chain hung just below the end of my ear. 

“Yes,” Gwyn said, staring at me from where she’d walked into the aisle. “Yes. Y/N, that is perfect.”

I smiled, blushing a bit at the compliment. I slid the ear cuff in next and got the same praise from Emerie and Mor. I had a feeling they’d all been curiously watching or listening in on me. I popped in the loops into the remaining piercings I had open and looked up again, almost flinching when the chain came back to hit my ear. I’d have to get used to that, I thought to myself.

“Want anything else?” Meri asked. “I could find some smaller things to fit in the other places.”

I shook my head. “I think this will satisfy me for now.”

Meri nodded in understanding. Nesta handed me a necklace with an amethyst sphere with metal swirls going around it.

Once everyone had everything they wanted and we’d paid, they also forced me to get some small navy blue heels with little support, and I’d almost stumbled in them in the store, but Nesta promised to help me get used to them before Starfall with all the dancing.

Returning to the House was a step-by-step process, with Cassian and Azriel busy with something apparently, I had to take turns carrying everyone into the House.

“Right, tomorrow morning everyone,” Nesta ordered. “We all meet and help each other get ready, got it? Y/N, you’re with me for dancing practice in those heels.”

I almost groaned. Almost.

-----

“Never thought I’d see you in heels,” Azriel’s taunting voice echoed in the hallway. Nesta had just left, and as I was about to lean down and take off the torture devices, Azriel had appeared.

I rolled my eyes. “Nesta insisted,” I reasoned. “I blame her. These things are dangerous.”

“Hmm, and new earrings,” he noted. “They look good.”

I pressed my back against the wall, lifting a foot to peel off the heel and stand barefoot. I sighed as my feet were allowed to stop suffering.

“How was shopping with everyone?” Azriel asked, leaning a shoulder against the wall casually. “Find what you were looking for?”

“I did,” I answered. “Shoes, jewelry and an outfit.”

“Oh?” Azriel asked. “What’s the outfit look like?”

“You’ll have to see like you will any of them,” I chuckled. “Is patience a quality you lack, spymaster?”

I didn’t know where the sudden confidence boost to taunt Azriel had come from, but I was definitely enjoying it.

“Oh I can be as patient as I want,” He replied, smirking. For some reason, I felt like that had a very particular hidden meaning. “Especially with someone as beautiful as you.”

I blushed. I hadn’t heard him compliment me before like that. So openly. “Shut up,” was the best response I could come up with.

His chuckle was deep, reverating throughout his chest before it came out of his throat. “Very well, see you tomorrow.”

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

TAGLIST (see post for getting added)

@mis-lil-red, @bunnymallowo, @judig92, @biblophilefox82, @azzydaddy, @thegirlintheshadows101, @whatupmydudes01, @feyres-fireheart, @elizarikaallen, @xenlynn, @panzees-bizarre-adventures, @starswholistenanddreamsanswered, @baebeepeach, @nyctophiliiiiaaa, @brekkershadowsinger, @officiallyunofficialperson, @bookslut420, @margssstuff, @bluephoenix908, @goldentournesol, @rebloggiest-reblogger, @inpraizeof,

[perhaps-in-anotherdream]

[CN] Victor’s Springtime Revival Date (Eng Translation)

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 逢春之约, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡

It’s very important to read the prologue and the diary entries before the date for context. So, remember to read them first! 𓆩♡𓆪

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 1】

The spring sun tenderly passes through the gaps in the lush greenery of the scenic spot, casting patches of light on the ground.

I walk in brisk footsteps through Aomori Park, carrying a bag of gifts with me.

Although it’s not yet the time we agreed to meet, the conference lasting nearly half a month has already been long enough. I’m unable to hold back my longing anymore and arrive at the hotel where Victor is staying ahead of time.

Just as I walk toward the reception desk, I see a tall and straight figure coming out of the elevator.

Victor holds his phone to his ear with one hand and seems to be talking with someone on the other side. Only a few of the words he’s saying reach my ears.

Victor: …LFG will take the lead in shouldering corporate responsibilities and accelerating investment in clean energy projects.

Victor: However, considering the enormous number of workers in traditional industries, we will need time to map out a plan and implement it.

I watch his busy appearance from a distance, not rushing up to him. But he soon lifts his eyes and sees me, slightly taken aback.

He says a few more words to the other end of the line, then sets down his phone and comes toward me in large strides, catching me firmly in his arms as I lunge for him.

MC: Victor, surprise! I’ve taken care of all my work, so I’m here early to surprise you!

Victor’s gaze becomes heavy as he looks at me from top to bottom, then he deepens the hug.

Victor: It seems that a certain someone didn’t goof off in this half a month without me and has had a very fruitful time.

MC: Of course. I’ve properly completed all the tasks you left behind.

Victor tugs slightly at the corners of his lips, takes me back to his room and quickly puts away my luggage. Before leaving the hotel, I squeeze my backpack and feel at ease after identifying the jewelry box inside.

–

[Tidbits]: The jewelry box is in reference to the “couple’s ornaments” from the SSR event~ .⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

–

As we walk, I take Victor’s hand in mine and chatter on and on about everything I’ve experienced over the past few days.

The early morning breeze wafts through, causing my nostrils to be filled with his scent. I can’t help but lean in closer to him.

Such a close distance also allows me to clearly capture the glimmer of exhaustion under his eyes.

My eyebrows knit together into a slight frown as I think back to the phone call from earlier.

MC: Victor, have you not had any rest lately?

Victor: It’s just that the situation at this conference was relatively complicated, and it’s been a bit of a stressful period, that’s all.

The early spring breeze carries with it a slight chilliness. Seeing that I still look a little worried, he tightens the loose jacket around my shoulders.

Victor: [sighs helplessly]  All right, stop worrying about this.

Victor: Don’t you want to take a nostalgic trip back to the “brilliant springtime”? Come this way.

As he says this, we happen to pass by the huge icon of Aomori Park. Victor straight leads me down a direction without even glancing sideways.

MC: So determined. It seems that CEO Victor has already planned the itinerary for this trip?

Hearing the “flattery” in my tone, the corners of Victor’s lips curve up into an arc.

Victor: [laughs softly] Since the trip is in the name of nostalgia, the design of the travel itinerary is naturally simple.

With this, he grasps my hand and walks up to a small platform nestled amidst the verdant greeneries.

Dappled light and spring leaves fall on his outerwear through the gaps in the platform, dyeing his whole body with the light trails of spring.

He looks at me, his gaze reflecting a subtle light.

Victor: I want to take you on a trip down my memory lane.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 2】

Our first stop begins with the sound of the steam whistle. The forest train starts along the long and narrow rail track, taking Victor and me to charge into a vast pool of greenery.

It travels slowly and steadily along the route, reminiscent of a leisurely giant creature, wandering unhurriedly through the verdant spring.

Perhaps because it’s still early, we are the only two people on the train. We sit by the window, watching the scenery receding on both sides.

Through the window, it can be clearly seen that the leaves of the trees on either side of the road are still delicate, and their blades still have a newborn tenderness to them.

Victor: Even after several years, the scenery on the route has not changed.

Victor smiles, gesturing for me to look out the window at the maple trees almost within reach.

Victor: I remember when I came here, it had rained just the day before, and the maple leaves were so awash in rainwater that the water would roll off as the train passed by.

Victor: We were splashed all over with water.

As soon as the words leave his mouth, a hanging maple branch grazes past the train, splashing a few drops of dew onto my outstretched palm.

MC: Seems like I can picture the scene back then!

In the spur of the moment, I extend my hand and point in the other direction.

MC: What about the one on the far side?

Victor: Paper mulberry tree.

MC: And these over here?

Victor: Camphor tree.

Seeing that I’m about to point again, Victor gives me a helpless look and pulls my hand down from the window.

Victor: [sighs sharply]  The ones at the front are acacia trees, and behind are Phoebe Zhenan trees.

Hearing Victor say these, I half crinkle my eyes into a smile and also try to remember what it was like when I came here back in the day.

MC: I was also here with ten or more classmates from the same department.

MC: Everyone was so busy laughing and joking. I didn’t even notice the things you just said.

As I’m feeling a little regretful, the music in the car comes to an end, and a new melody is played.

The music is soft, integrating with the sound of the wind blowing through the forest, reminiscent of a love poem written between the leaves.

MC: This tune is… it’s “With an Orchid”!

MC: I didn’t expect that even the music on the train hadn’t changed after all these years!

Victor: [a little surprised]  You remember it that clearly?

MC: Mm! We were having a music guessing competition on the train according to the ones being played, and I was the only one who guessed this one~

The river of memories pours down in torrents, and as I remember the fragments one by one, I talk about them intermittently.

Victor, sitting next to me, listens quietly. The floating light from the window glides over his eyelashes, looking as peaceful as an oil painting.

I can’t help but stop my babbling, slump down on the seat in front of me, and gaze back at him in silence.

Victor: What are you looking at me for?

MC: Victor, when you came here, did you enjoy the scenery quietly like this back then too?

Victor shakes his head, fixing his eyes on the seats ahead of us.

Victor: [sighs deeply and sharply] Of course not. When several people with shared interests travel together, it’s natural to make a racket.

Victor: The trip was in early summer, the senior year of my university. At the time, LFG was in the initial stage of being stabilized.

Victor: Several of my work partners had been highly strung over the previous year, so I used a part of the profits to bring them on tour.

MC: Employee travel benefits. Turns out that CEO Victor was so generous at that time!

Hearing my slightly envious teasing, a light smile ripples in Victor’s eyes, and he points his other hand to the enclosed seats at the front of the carriage.

Victor: The only place where you can sit facing each other is at the front of the train, and if memory serves, we should all be sitting there back then.

Victor: It’s just the two of us here now, so we can actually sit anywhere we want.

I fiddle with Victor’s hand that I’m holding and wink at him.

MC: So, were you guys talking about your lofty ambitions? For instance, earning a hundred million…

Victor’s gaze turns slightly speechless. He draws back the hand I’m playing with and gently raps it on my head.

Victor: [adorably helpless]  What’s in your head? We just talked about what a bunch of college boys would talk about, basically chatting on and off about everything that came to mind.

Victor: When you take your staff out on tours, do you drag them to feed on the pies in the sky?

I can’t help but laugh out loud, shaking my head repeatedly as I do so. After composing my laughter, I don’t forget to size up Victor, who currently has the aura of an iceberg in front of me.

MC: It’s just hard to imagine you talking about what college boys would talk about…

Seeing my curiosity, Victor recalls some of the topics he had talked about back then.

From “reasonable discussions” about school rules and regulations, to weird meals in the cafeteria, to learning each other’s native dialects…

Listening to those stories of the past that I was not a part of-– makes me feel as if I’ve stepped into the past that didn’t have me and have become a companion of his at that time.

Because of how long time has passed since then, he often needs to stop and ponder the stories, but I still listen with keen interest.

MC: And? And? Aside from the things you just said, what else would you guys talk about?

Victor: Let me think…

The morning light sprayed down, shining softly on his silhouette.

He closes his eyes slightly as he searches for the memories, the exhaustion that has been under his eyes earlier has dissipated without even realizing it––

Along with the concomitant long-drawn-out steam whistle and the evergreen woods–– the moment blends into a blur of beautiful emotions.

As the daylight gradually begins to descend, the train finally pulls up on the creeper-covered railway platform unhurriedly. It’s the final stop of the forest train.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 3】

As we walk out of the platform, we are greeted by a vast lake expanding into the distance, with towering Pond Cypress trees reflecting the turquoise water of the lake.

The waterbirds fly intermittently, the reed grasses are reminiscent of silk, and the pleasure boats with distinctive features navigate their way through the lake.

The superficially probable yet actually inaccurate sight leaves both Victor and me feeling a little odd, and neither of us speaks for a while.

A short while later, I slowly raise the question.

MC: …is this the right place? The train wouldn’t have changed the route, would it?

MC: As far as I can remember, this isn’t how the terminal looked like before, and there was a long, covered bridge over the lake.

Victor: Really?

Silent, Victor looks at the lake for a moment, a subtle flow of emotions coursing through his eyes.

Victor: Seems that the park authorities have taken over the area and have been constructing and renovating it bit by bit over the years.

Victor: You and I came at different times, so the landscape we saw must have been different too.

MC: What was it like here when you came?

Victor leads me down to the lakeside. Dense water vapor blended with the slight coolness in the wind fans the surroundings.

Victor: …in my memory, this area wasn’t fully developed yet.

Victor: However, there were some private bamboo rafts and wooden boats that would offer the services to help pedestrians cross the water by charging money.

Victor: That photo you showed me earlier was taken while crossing the lake. 

I nod and can’t help but smile as I recall how my classmates sat in rows by the edge of the covered bridge and took pictures.

Coming back to this once familiar place in our memories, even though it no longer looks the same as Victor and I remember––

But no matter how many springs, summers, autumns, and winters have passed, it’s still as tranquil and luxuriant as it was in the past.

Victor beckons towards a boat that is soliciting passengers, then turns to look at me.

Victor: The next part of this nostalgic route involves a boat ride.

The boatman swings the oars and brings the boat to the shore, causing the water to splash up and dampen the green grass on the bank.

I hold Victor’s hand and step onto the slightly rocking boat. After we are seated firmly, the wooden oars send the boat through the water.

Reminiscent of green silk, the floating leaves on the water’s surface are pushed aside by the boat, following the ripples of the water as they drift backward.

Not far away, the waterfowls keep away from the boat, pecking at their feathers beneath the shades of the trees. The only sounds surrounding us are the creaking of the wooden oars and the gurgling of the water.

I take out the camera I have on my back and capture the radiance of this touching springtime.

MC: How’s the light in these shots? Help me check it out~

I hand the camera to Victor and, taking advantage of the interval while he is helping me choose, I quietly fumble around in my backpack.

After feeling the familiar shape, I jubilantly take it out, clearing my throat while doing so.

MC: Victor, this is from me to you––

Victor: [soft exclamation]  Milk?

Victor looks at the object in my hand, puzzlement in his eyes.

MC: What milk… ––!

…oops, I was in too much of a rush while coming out and mixed up the jewelry box with the milk!

MC: Ahem, this… I was afraid you’d get too thirsty on the road, so I prepared it in advance, haha.

I stuff the milk to him with a nonchalant air. Victor looks at me suspiciously, and as if realizing something, he smiles a little instead and hands me the camera.

Victor: [knowing soft laughter]   I’ll drink it later.

Victor: The light is fine in these shots you’ve taken. But I’m surprised there are no portraits this time; it’s not like your style.

MC: I was just about to take–– WOW! Victor, don’t move!

While we are talking, some white-feathered ducks have swum up behind Victor at some point, and they don’t seem to be afraid of people.

I press down the shutter at lightning speed, capturing this brilliant moment of spring.

Victor doesn’t make any sound so as not to interrupt my enthusiasm. His eyelashes are slightly lowered, as if he, too, is experiencing the tranquility of the moment.

The boat sways gently, and he leans back indolently against it, his eyes cast off into the distance, a relaxed curve hanging on his lips.

The familiarity of the scene makes me recall that old photo of him in my memory, and I can’t help setting it side by side with this moment right now.

MC: Victor, I find that… you’ve really matured a lot!

Victor: …

Victor: [laughs softly]   What strange thing did you think of again?

I look at Victor, who is already looking at me at this moment, his eyes reflecting the light colors of spring.

MC: Nah, it’s nothing. I just feel that the scene right now is a bit similar to the photo I showed you earlier.

MC: You were much younger and more juvenile back then, and you didn’t look as calm as you do now.

MC: But… your eyes were very resolute, and there seemed to be that sense of unrelenting courage to press on doggedly as if nothing would ever shake you.

I hand the camera to Victor and smile a little complacently.

MC: This, undoubtedly, is the best one I’ve shot today!

He takes the camera, but merely casts a glance at it before setting it aside.

MC: What’s wrong? Is CEO Victor not satisfied?

The hull of the boat sways, and as my body suddenly leans over, I’m pulled into Victor’s arms.

The ducks swimming by the boat are given a start, and the flapping of their wings causes a few splashes of water to be sprayed, steeping the tip of my heart.

Victor: [heart tugging whisper]  Being like this… now I’m satisfied.

I relax, shift to a more comfortable position, and lay in his arms.

The sun gradually moves overhead, and the sunshine grows warmer. Accompanied by the moist water vapor of the river’s surface, the atmosphere makes one feel satisfied.

The chest that is pressed against me rises and falls smoothly, and I can’t but nuzzle against it gently.

Victor: [laced with soft laughter]  Dummy.

MC: …I haven’t even done anything yet. Why am I suddenly being called a dummy!

I look up and see Victor’s smiling eyes reflecting my sulking expression.

Victor: [heart tugging whisper]  I was just thinking that being together with a certain dummy like this, indeed, is the supreme method of relieving stress.

MC: Hehe, but I still want to help you share a little more of your burdens.

MC: Wanna talk to me about it?

Victor nods. I listen quietly as he recounts, in a steady voice, the impasses encountered in the conference and occasionally add to the discussion.

Victor: Until the alternative industries are developed, a change in the layout of the traditional businesses will have a significant impact on the whole system.

MC: I understand, and that would mean that a lot of people might lose their jobs…

Victor nods, his tone taking on a trace of relief.

Victor: In this matter, there is an irreconcilable conflicting view between the corporate side and the advocates of environmental protection programs.

Victor: Even though LFG is the representative of the corporate side, the matters we can influence are always limited.

Realizing the source of his exhaustion from before, I look at him seriously and nod hard.

MC: It’s all right. As long as you fight from the perspective of the workers, you are a good boss!

Seemingly infected by my tone, Victor pinches my cheek and opens his mouth in a slightly teasing manner.

Victor: Just like you did when you fought for LFG’s investment back then?

MC: I didn’t just fight to win their investment. I also fought to win their boss over.

Victor: [hushed tone]  Mm?

Seeing that Victor has caught my whispered grumbling red-handed, I simply don a cheeky expression and display a complacent smile.

MC: Is that not right?

Victor: Yes, but you’re not entirely correct.

As the pleasure craft reaches the shore, we stand up, and Victor straightens my somewhat disheveled dress for me.

Victor: In the matter of fighting for the other person, our feelings are mutual.

MC: Hehe, I know you love me too.

After saying this, my face turns red, and I hurriedly rush to the shore before him. Then I turn back and wink at him.

MC: Where are we off to next, Mr. Tour Guide?

Victor curls the corners of his lips into a smile and takes my hand.

Victor: Since this trip is in the name of nostalgia, I can’t be the only one who gets to be nostalgic.

Victor: For the second half of the nostalgic journey, you are the tour guide.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 4】

After paying the boat fare, we head down the small path. According to the navigation, it’s very close to the hotel where Victor is staying.

I buy some souvenirs from the neighborhood. For the convenience of the rest of the sightseeing, we put the things back at the hotel and change into lighter clothes while we’re at it.

Of course, I don’t forget to make use of the opportunity and put the jewelry box in my bag, confirming it over and over before heading out again.

Passing through the small road behind the hotel and following the fragrance of milk and tea, I bring Victor to a milk tea store.

The store’s wooden signboard makes it quite clear that it bears traces of age.

The aroma of tea emits from the flowers planted in front of the entrance with boiled residues of tea leaves, which are blooming exuberantly.

Victor: I came here a couple of times during the conference these few days. It’s a time-honored store, and the taste is pretty good too.

MC: Since it has gotten Chef Victor’s approval, I’m looking forward to this even more!

—

After pushing open the door, we are greeted with the bright and clean interior of the store, and the décor is in the style of about a decade ago.

The wooden tables and chairs used here are smooth and shiny, and the menu nailed to the wall has a slightly antiquated tinge to it.

After placing the orders, I choose a seat by the window and sit down with Victor.

The milk tea served by this store is brewed from fresh milk. While waiting, I tell him my “poor traveling on budget” story during the trip I took in university.

MC: …and so, because of the limited budget, we could only manage to see some of the scenic spots in one day, and then we rushed back home.

MC: I heard about this store’s tasty drinks back in the day. So, I’ve been longing for it for a long time, and now I can satisfy this little regret!

My reminiscence seems to have stirred up memories for Victor, who muses to himself for a moment and opens his mouth a little unsurely.

Victor: Now that you mention it, I feel like I’ve been to this store before.

But after thinking for a while, he can’t seem to remember any more details, so he changes the subject.

We continue our idle chatter for a good while. Just as we feel that our mouths are becoming a little parched, the milk tea happens to arrive exactly at the right time.

Victor holds the milk tea in one hand. The rising steam gradually smears his facial features, setting off his eyebrows and eyes even more deeply.

Victor: What’s on your mind, looking so enthralled?

MC: I was just thinking, when I was here on my trip back then, I had no idea that I would come back again with you one day.

MC: At that time, I just wanted to go out and see more, to go sightseeing and enjoy the radiance of spring.

MC: Hahaha, saying like this now, it makes me sound a little featherbrained, doesn’t it…

MC: Victor, say, will we be in an entirely different environment in the future and look back on the present times like this?

Listening to my words, Victor suddenly smiles.

Victor: [laughs softly]  Isn’t a certain someone still featherbrained now?

MC: Humph, nonsense. I’ve grown a lot over the years.

Victor: Indeed, you have. But no matter how the future changes, a certain dummy will always be the dummy at my side.

Even though I pull a face at him, a warmth surfaces in my heart. I stand up and stride to the window, pushing it open.

A few drooping magnolia branches sweep in, and flakes of petals fall. Victor stares at the scenery outside the window, momentarily stunned.

He stands up and walks to the window. The afternoon breeze ruffles his hair and lifts the corners of his jacket. After a moment, his eyes light up slightly, and he smiles, pulling me over to him.

Victor: I remember now. I did come here in my senior year.

Victor: Standing by the window, I realized that the view from here is the same as it was back then.

The wind tousles the loose strands of hair over Victor’s forehead, tugging at my heartstrings.

Suddenly, I really want to be a little closer to him.

I lift my face, caressing his cheek with one hand.

MC: Victor, close your eyes.

Victor: Why?

MC: …there’s no why.

I imitate the tone he once used and reach up to cover his eyes, not allowing any room for his refusal. The delicate sensation of his eyelashes sweeping across my palm runs through me.

—

[Tidbits]: It’s a reference to Victor’s “Preference,” i.e., the “Zeyan gēge” mind quest (do note that the global translation differs from the CN script here)~ 𓆩♡𓆪

—

It’s as if I’m holding a bird that is about to spread its wings to fly.

The frequency of my heartbeat accelerates along with the sensation under my palm, and I have to force myself to fumble around in my backpack with one free hand.

Feeling the eyelashes flutter beneath my palm, I hastily stop my movement.

MC: Don’t open your eyes yet. Close them, close them quickly.

I open the gift box and put the necklace on him that I’ve customized for him. It’s only after completing the job successfully that I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

MC: You can open your eyes now.

—

[Anika’s Tidbits]: Felt like an important detail to add; the music for this part is called “邂逅,” which means “meeting by chance/ chance encounter.” It conveys the same theme as the “red thread of fate.” The reason I recognized the music immediately was cause it was used in Victor x MC’s S2 reunion date (Meeting in the past date in EN)~ 𓆩♡𓆪

—

Victor lowers his head, and at a glance, he sees the necklace speaking of nostalgia that has been added around his neck, with a silver pendant engraved with fine patterns.

I tap on my ear, showing him proudly.

I’m wearing an earring in the identical pattern to Victor’s pendant. When the sun shines on it, it emits the same shimmering light as the pendant.

Victor: This is your reunion gift? [laughs softly]  Your taste is as consistent as always.

MC: Nope, it’s just a little embellishment to our nostalgic trip. I haven’t given my gift yet.

I raise an eyebrow, and as expected, I receive a slightly puzzled gaze from Victor.

I stretch out my hand and run it down the side of his neck, slipping my fingers into his hair and gently pulling him to me.

Under his focused gaze, I slowly approach his lips, breathing softly.

MC: Here’s the gift I want to give you.

My kisses land on the corner of his lips, on his chin, on the crook of his neck— akin to a bird greedy for fragrance, restlessly tasting the honey of a flower on the sly in the springtime.

My heart is also throbbing like a young newborn bird, drumming in my chest, inducing me to deepen the kiss.

It’s not until the sound of a guest pushing at the door transmits to us that we suddenly pull away, looking at the scenery outside the window nonchalantly.

MC: Do you like the gift?

Victor knows my thoughts like the back of his hand. He nudges my forehead with his fingertips, smiling.

Victor: I could feel it very clearly. In this separation of more than ten days, a certain someone really missed me.

MC: Hahaha, Victor, so pleased that getting carried away, are you?

Victor: I learned from the Great Producer MC, so it must be put into practice.

Seeing how the teasing has been turned back on me, I have no choice but to change the subject as if nothing has happened.

MC: I- I’d better think about the following itinerary for the trip, lest you make fun of me for being featherbrained again.

Victor looks at me lightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Victor: [laughs softly]  Dummy. As important as nostalgia is, doing something new is even more important.

Victor: Have you forgotten your “make the best of things” travel strategy?

My heart stirs, and I put down my clean glass, clapping my hands together.

MC: You’re right! In fact, this nostalgic trip has already been perfect. For the rest of the trip, I’ll leave it to the moment~

The wind outside the window brushes against the leaves of the old trees, and the light of the gradually setting sun spills over the empty tables.

—

We’ve already walked out of the tea store, heading down a small path without knowing where it’d lead to.

MC: By the way, when you went to the store before, you didn’t remember that you had already been there a long time ago?

Victor: I was in a rush during the days of the conference and didn’t have the mood to observe, so it didn’t leave any impression.

Victor: Let’s just say, it’s not the store that really awakened the memories; it’s the dummy accompanying me on this journey.

MC: Since CEO Victor has put it like that, I will accept this gratitude unceremoniously.

MC: Could you express this with some puddings, though? And one serving is not enough.

Victor: Sure. But this gift will have to be settled at the end of spring.

MC: I have to wait that long!?

The setting sun has slowly climbed up to the sky, dyeing the skylight a pinkish orange.

The color of spring is reflected in Victor’s eyes. He smiles slightly, the scenery in his eyes condensing into my face.

Victor: I will count the stories left behind this spring and deliver them all to you together with the profits.

Victor: Satisfied?

MC: Completely satisfied! Deal!

Slowly, I think to myself, we will write many, many stories this spring, just like today.

Those stories will overlap with the ones of our pasts that haven’t yet coincided, and together, they will converge into the colors of tomorrow’s spring.

Reflecting on the amorous feelings before us, we will head off to a new day.

•─────⋅

[Calls]: Here!

—

[Anika’s afterthoughts, feel free to ignore ahah]

—

[irisbleufic]

Thank you, Pragnell’s of Stratford-Upon-Avon, for agreeing to resurrect a historical replica design no longer in your catalogue in order to produce this special order! It took 6 months because they had to find an engraver experienced enough to execute it. I was kind of floored when they told me that’s why it took so long.

Yes, it’s nearly a direct replica of the artifact thought to be William Shakespeare’s signet. Yes, I totally had them replace the Bard’s initials with mine. I saw their gold version of this in person ca. 2011 and thought, I am going to have that one day, but I’m going to customize it. I’m including a photo of the actual artifact ring it’s imitating.

This and getting my grandmother’s diamond recut/reset were the 2 jewelry projects I always hoped to complete. I don’t take for granted the family members I lost last year who made these possible. I can’t wait to see if this actually functions as an effective wax seal!

[witchofthesouls]

In Chainsaw Man, Power lets Denji fondle and squeeze her breasts for helping her. She lets him squeeze them three times for the three things he has done for her.

The Lost Light Liasion lets the bots of your choice fondle her breasts and lets them squeeze a certain number of for three amount of times they’ve saved her ass/helped her.

Who are the bots and how do they react?

(If this happened, Ultra Magnus would be so on top of this since there would be mechs that would purposely create trouble to "save" the resident human. He's gonna nip that in the bud since the Lost Light already has too much chaotic energy. So nudity scenarios with Giant!Liaison because I love that concept a lot.)

Whirl eyes your chest in a manner that wouldn't feel off on a gemologist appraising someone's antique jewelry, optic narrowed in serious consideration as he pokes your left boob.

"I don't see the appeal." Whirl taps a claw on his own impressive chest. "My bazongas are bigger."

"Yeah, but can yours bounce?"

"Touché, Fleshlight." Whirl hums, optic following your chest's jiggling motions as you cup and squeeze the soft flesh. "Touché."

_________

Ambulon brushes his servos over the uncovered skin. It's soft and warm and strangely like a really supple protoform. The specialized sensors in his digits and palms pick up your biochemistry, and it buzzes pleasantly to his neural-net.

He filters the temperature readings, hydration levels, and other basic information from the passive scans to just concentrate on the sensation of the innate elasticity, how his digits can press into your protoform, and how it contorts and flexes.

You can't manually shut off your nerves, nor can you inwardly self-manipulate how you perceive sensation. Apparently, in your species a dimmed or lacking pain response is attributed to a sensory-perception defect.

Ambulon is curious how you function on the paltry information from the medical books in your bookcase is very limiting. Theory doesn't always match to application. In general, organics are messy and squishy and so full of so many liquids, but he had traced over the skeleton and muscle tissue within the diagrams, and can't help the heretical thoughts of the familiarity of the structures.

You can't show him the innards of your frame under your guidance; self-surgery is a wonderment to humans but it's common amongst Cybertronian medics. At least well-trained ones or the very experienced ones that survived their ventures.

(Pharma was many, many things, but he had ensured that his staff was well-equipped and well-trained under his perfectionist ways. Even the ex-Decepticon.

Ambulon, to this day, can't tell what was real or falsified by the surgeon. How much was simmering beneath his old CMO...)

He chases away the thought by exploring other areas. Humans are just softer than Cybertronians by design. Some parts are more so than others as he traces your abdomen and your chest area, thumbing over a teat.

"Does your species have something like this?" You ask, voice hitches.

"Yes."

"Oh?"

"Under the old regime," his voice takes on a teaching cadence, "supplementary refineries were deemed obsolete and phased out. Very few frames, think of older schematics off Cybertron or cohorts too far away from public refineries and production, were... allowed to keep such things." Ambulon remembers one of his old gestaltmates, his refineries kept them alive in the combiner process. "It helps refine lower-grades of Energon, even near-usable ones, to something consumable."

Based on the emotion on your face, you're interested in the strange similarities as well.

_________

Swerve's vents sputter as he coughs out a weak cheer and is overwhelmed by Tailgate's complete enthusiasm. Getaway also claps, but Swerve could feel the heat from the mech's plating, despite how unruffled the escapologist appeared.

You twirl around as Swerve sends a quick prayer to the Guiding Hand at the expanse of your back and your bare legs as the fabric floats and takes its sweet time to settle back down.

Tailgate immediately makes a beeline to fuss over the dress and attaches the rest of the accessories.

"You're okay if I adjust the front?" Tailgate asks.

"Go for it, short stack." You admire the glinting gems and subtle, beautiful swirls in the mirror.

And without any sense of shame or embarrassment, Tailgate does it. The minibot pulls it and you up. Swerve takes a large gulp of the complementary cocktail when it turns skin-tight, pressing into your flesh.

"Short stack," you wheeze and your chest heaves. "You're squeezing me here."

Getaway crosses his arms, fingers digging into his plates. He isn't as nonchalant as he tries to be.

"Give me a moment." Tailgate clips on the thin, glossy strands of jewelry over all your body. "I have to get this on before I fix it completely."

When the mech finishes, you look far more stunning and Swerve's vocalizer simply clicks, so he makes it up by whistling and clapping. It isn't missed that Tailgate is used to casual touch as he gives an arm to help you down the podium. Plus, the mech has quite an eye for 'off-world' fashion.

One of the attendants admires Tailgate's handiwork, clicking at a rapid pace as feathers ruffle and soothe, and Swerve hopes that the rest of the team is almost done with whatever they're doing.

"What do you guys think?" You ask, calm with even talons near your face, painting your lips and applying geometric patterns down your cheeks and neck. Whatever the attendant had done to your eyes had made them larger, brighter.

You look something out of old folktales from the outer rings of city-states as the metal strands clink pleasantly as you move, the fabric languidly shifts in a strange, fluid way, defying gravity, rippling across your bare skin like a living covering.

"You look good, Y/N," Getaway says, quite casually. "But I think that set there would look even better."

The burnt gold body jewelry in the case behind you is a dead ringer for Getaway's faceplate. The escapologist gives no other reaction to the flat fields and stares from Swerve and Tailgate, just a happy curve of brightened optics.