#i love the simplicity but deepness of this anime

[allbark-no-bite]

Ignorance is Bliss || Coriolanus Snow x reader

summary: there’s something to love about the simplicity of boyhood. or in which there’s still good in Coriolanus and you love him

warnings: none really. this is just self-indulgent fluff. maybe slight mention of smut

word count: 1.3k

authors note: okay first of all ik everyone here spells it Coryo, but i much prefer Corio. the Hunger Games was the first ever fandom that i wrote for nearly 8 years ago (please don’t read my wattpad) and i’m so excited to have an up to date fic posted on here! the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes revived my love for the series and i hope you all enjoy :)

The sky shifts from a faint blue to yellow with the approaching evening light. In just a few minutes the swarms of awakening insects will be almost too much to bear. He swallows, and the combination of his dry mouth and the lack of humidity makes it feel as though his throat sticks together with the action. Being so deep in the forest, away from the rest of civilization, the air out here is so fresh that just breathing it is dizzying.

By now he's so used to the polluted air of District 12 that this sort of clarity is a startling but welcomed reprieve. In the Capitol, he'd grown up hearing stories of the miners in 12 who would eventually succumb to the horrific fate of suffocation, their lungs black from years of inhaling coal dust. Even after just a few months of being assigned as a peacekeeper to the district, the undersides of his fingernails had turned permanently black with the dust.

The games are far from his mind these days—at least most of the time they are. He has done his best to put those horrors in the past. He is no longer a Capitol student, fighting to prove that he belongs there in his hand me down shoes and shirts with buttons made of bathroom tile. Those days now seem like an entirely different lifetime.

His heart rate slows to the point that his chest hardly rises, and his only sign of consciousness is the occasional flicker of his eyes as he fights to keep from dozing off. He lies there watching the sky and counts the hours until the sun is swallowed by the horizon.

It's considerably quiet save for the breeze moving through the leaves of the trees overhead and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot of a forest animal. Five more minutes and he'll get up.

Movement at his side makes him grunt. It's not much, just a shifting of weight, but it still forces a puff of air out of him. Underneath the cream undershirt of his uniform is a mess of slowly healing, raw pink flesh. His body still hurts from weeks ago.

The district boy's spear had stabbed straight through  the muscle of his shoulder and was rapidly on the mend thanks to Dr. Gaul. The burns on his back were healing on their own accord, albeit slower than he would have liked. All things considering, his wounds had been relatively insignificant.

He had seen tributes sustain much worse things in the games before. He'd take a couple of burns over a severed head any day.

This time the weight lifts almost completely from crevice of his side and his attention shifts to the body beside him. You'd been curled up, asleep at his side the the better part of an hour.

"Where are you—" His question is cut off as your weight returns, this time into the pit of his stomach, curling up against the curve of his lean body. It half knocks the breath out of him. You have the tendency to do that to him.

With your cheek pressed into his gut, your hand reaches out for his own and he willingly complies, linking his slender fingers with your own. Perhaps you don't realize it but this is the same way he first touched you, hand in hand back in the zoo, and it will always mean more than anything to him. It is this thought that causes him to bring your wrist to his mouth and press his lips against it.

His mouth is warm against your skin, and even if you don't know exactly where the gesture of affection came from, you reciprocate it with the same tenderness.

"What are you thinking about?" You finally ask, breaking a long hour of comfortable silence.

You.

Rather than answering, Coriolanus hums in acknowledgment of your question. "Corio—" At the same time, he swings his leg over your hip, switching positions so that his body is hovering above your own.

"Hi."

You grin, fingers grabbing hold of the cool metal of his dog tags that hang down from his neck.

"Hi."

Looking pleased with himself, he dips his head down, capturing your lips with his own. You were his, and he was constantly refiguring that out.

The kiss is sweet, tamer than what you're used to from him. Not that he's ever been unpleasant, you adored Coriolanus and just about everything about him. But he was a man. A boy growing into a man and that came it, its own boyish tendencies. Regardless, rarely ever did you discourage his wandering hands.

You can't help but smile at the feel of his lean, brawny body pressed against yours. He'd been thin with hunger back at the Capitol. His time in District 12 training as a peacekeeper had done him well. Not only had he become sturdier with muscle, but somehow taller too. One of his legs is wedged between your own, and through his trousers you can feel him, half hard with interest.

Coriolanus pulls away from the kiss at the feel of your lips pulled into a smile. His brows furrow together in confusion, but your smile is infectious and soon enough his own frown is tilted upwards. "What? What are you smiling about?"

You attempt to subdue your grin at his inquiry, but it's to little avail, and that only drives his insistence. "(Y/n). What've I done?"

"Nothing," you laugh, a palm coming up to cup the side of his jaw so that your thumb can smooth over the sharp protrusion of his cheekbone. Normally the action would be enough to distract him, but he's persistent.

"(Y/n)."

“Really, it's nothing," you insist. "I just... I love you." That is what you settle on. I love you.

You love the naivety in which he is able to love. Pure and untainted by heartbreak. Too young to know much at all. Even too inexperienced to realize that there were more ways to satisfy his desire for you than just kissing. His body wanted you in the way that a man wanted a woman, and while he surely felt the effects of that attraction, his pure intentions had yet to stray.

Coriolanus' clear blue eyes narrow in slight skepticism but he doesn't press you any further. "I love you too," he says, lifting his hand to slip his fingers into your hair and massage at the base of your scalp. At the same time, his thumb presses up into your jaw, tilting your chin upwards so that he can kiss you again.

This time you indulge him further and kiss him back a bit more forcefully than before. Your hand finds the short crop of his blonde hair, and like a cat preening under the attention, his body reacts in tandem. He half snorts in amusement at your reciprocation but doesn't comment, too pleased to pull away long enough to taunt you.

Coriolanus takes it upon himself to deepen the kiss, the force of his lips upon yours not yet bruising but certainly heading there. His tongue slips past your lips, exploring the taste of your mouth. At the same time, one of his slender hands slides down your side, his fingers grasping at the curve of your hip.

The day will come that his desires get the best of him, and he’ll want more of you. Frivolous things such as the wrestling and the making out that the two of you do now won’t satisfy him later. And while the thought doesn’t bother you, it’s nice what you have with him now. It’s so simple and so easy to love him and his still boyish self now. The time will come eventually, and that’s okay. You’ve got a lifetime together after all.

[muzanswaifu]

Bittersweet

Demon! Sanemi x Fem! Reader

18+

Request: "I have been waiting to read something like this for so long. Demon Sanemi craving blood because fem!reader is on her period, so yk he eats her out without mercy❤️"

Demon Sanemi is so mean I love hiiiim :3 Need me a man who would eat me out on my period 😒 Jk jk that shit gotta taste nastyyyyyyy

NSFW Warnings: Yandere, Non-con, Smut, Sexism, Kidnapping, Forced Oral Sex, Cunnilingus, Menstruation, Blood Kink, Forced Orgasm, Kinda Gross ngl

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The rhythmic pitter-patter of feet echoes through the green, a slow churn of water thrumming with the flow of the current. Even the thick noise of crickets and wind couldn't drown out the hint of life found deep in the brush, the figurative curl of a finger beaconing him to draw closer, to close the union of rarity.

He took a breath. A deep one. Taking in the pungent scent of weak males. And a female.

Shinazugawa could nearly taste the delectable meat already, the flavor settling on his tongue and seducing his taste buds. Drool nearly threatened his mouth, but he withheld himself. He wasn't an animal. Not technically, anyway.

But he might as well be. Only an animal could hunt as he did, track as he did, kill as he did. But a beast was not nearly as precise as he was, not leaving even a scrap of evidence in his wake. Only the crime scene would be found, a gorey scene of bone and torn flesh, remnants of his well-earned meal. But only the males would wither...

As for the female -

Oh gods, did just the thought of it make him salivate, his very bones trembling with need. Her scent alone made him feel weak with hunger, his tongue curling with horrid intent. The fragrance was familiar to him, a vague memory of his past existence of rare blood, the same unique trait only serving as a grand pillar toward his success as a demon. Her blood ran the same, her veins full of the powerful elixir that his kind would quite literally kill each other for. But he had no need for such rivalry.

The path the cattle strode upon was a hidden one, veiled by a plentiful layer of wisteria about fifty feet aways on either side of the trail. The effort wasn’t so useless, he supposed. Perhaps it served useful against weaker demons of no rank, the fiends not yet powerful enough to develop some resistance to it. But his godly build was stronger, the frail flower only giving his skin a lingering sting. His hunger far outweighed it.

He had long stalked his prize. The demon had patience in these rare situations, biding his time for the perfect opportunity to make his efforts all the more worth it. It had been several moons ago that he’d first stumbled upon her delivery across these lands, his keen eye catching the lingering dust kicked up by the horses that pulled her carriage. Even back then, the chance had been perfect. The men were unknowing, all walls of defense down as the car came to a halt, surely one of exhaustion. Shinazugawa drew closer, only a breath away from finally feasting when his vision was obscured by a heavenly vision.

A small thing she was, her skirts nearly catching under her feet as she gracefully stepped down from her traveling abode. The moonlight shimmered brilliantly off her glazed skin as she bent her delicate neck back, stretching out the aching tightness trapped there. Her (h/c) hair was frizzy across the outline, the static from the summer heat pulling at the threads and giving them a coiled curl. His maw fell open with his amazement.

He’d come across several humans of marechi blood in his infinite lifetime, and most, if not all, were nothing much to look at, quite ugly in his opinion. They all bore the same simplicity and naïveté, their only unique trait being their delectable composition that gave them their sole purpose of feasting. But she was so drastically different.

Everything about this female sang rarity, her natural features reminiscent of that of ancient goddesses that mortal men could only wish to touch. But here she was. Within an arm’s reach, he could have her, do with her what he wished. He was nearly disgusted with himself, being far more captivated with his food than he should’ve been. Sparing her of death would’ve been such a waste of opportunity, one that even those lower than him wouldn’t have been so idiotic as to squander. Yet, his own self-doubt swallowed him as he drew back into the dark wood, letting her little toy soldiers bring her back to the safety of the nearing daylight.

He’d gorged himself after that, consuming soul after soul at a nearby village in an attempt to quench his own frustration and need. There weren’t many options to consider. He couldn’t spare the thing entirely, he wasn’t that fucking stupid, but he didn’t very much want her dead either. Turning her definitely wasn’t an option, women just didn’t have as much potential as demons, and he had his own personal beliefs that women shouldn’t dirty their hands. But dear gods, her scent, her smell alone probably called upon hundreds of demons to her location daily, perhaps it would’ve been a mercy to take the female’s life.

Fuck.

He hated himself for how indecisive he was. Not once in his entire demonhood had he been at such a crossroad of hesitance. There had to be another option that held the best of both worlds, yes? Shinazugawa just hadn’t come across it yet.

But fate gave him a hint as he snatched up the severed half of a female he’d killed, her guts spilling into his lap as he gnawed on her fat ankle. His daggered eyes trailed up her cold thigh, lining the dark trail of blood that seeped from under her skirt. A small confusion fell over him as he mulled over the strange placement. His blade’s cut through her navel had been clean, her blood pooling into the muddy grass and not at all staining much of her clothing. Yet the chain of red kept its existence, running into the conjunction of her thighs. Cursing his own curiosity, Sanemi swept the pesky material aside, only to be met with the brilliance of a cruel idea.

It hadn’t been hard at all to follow along the woman’s usual route of travel again, her men taking the same path,  ignorant of its dangerous discovery. Yet the timing was unfortunately off, her smell still sickeningly sweet and clean rather than bitter and dirty. He’d have to wait for next time. And the next. And the next. He’d nearly given up hope entirely until the fated night his lungs were filled with the metallic scent that had his belly tensing with primal famine. Just the mere aroma of ichor had drool gathering in his jowls, his fists clenching with need. It only grew thicker as her quaint carriage drew near, the clicking wheels singing a dreadful tune with each snap against the road. Sanemi could already taste the woman on his tongue, her savory flesh plump and tender between his teeth… god, he was going to lose it.

He nearly did as she stepped from her carriage in the same manner as their first meeting, her hair knit in tight braids across her crown, framing her delicate features. She was dressed more eloquently this time, Her gown long and loose yet hugging her figure with a gentle tightness. He mused to himself that perhaps she was on her way to some formal event to maintain appearances, maybe even earn herself a husband. Yet the notion of such a possibility irked him all the same. He’d never felt a hunger like this before, if one could even call it that. This felt so much more significant, crucial even, as if his very life depended on it. And maybe it did, since he would most definitely not let himself live if he couldn’t get even a single taste of her blood. Her body was his to take.

It took him no time at all to do away with the weaklings, the men’s bodies falling one after the other into the gravel, making a sad splash as their vitals funneled out. The man ogling at her backside was the first to go, his head severed the instant his eyeline met the wide curve of her dress, dropping to the ground with a thud and rolling to a leisure stop to her heel. When the woman finally turned from her distraction of the ominous wood, she was met with pure, bloody isolation.

Her horrified scream echoed loud, her hands clawing at her own face as she looked upon the gory scene of blood and guts that surrounded her. Shinazugawa was almost impressed at her reaction speed as she quickly turned foot and bolted, running through the thick bush despite her frailty. He couldn’t help but snicker, so enamored by her utter foolishness of trying to escape. If the men protecting her couldn’t even survive, what made her think she was the exception?

“God, you’re fucking stupid, ha!” he cackled, leaping about the tree-line, nipping at her backside but giving her just the right amount of space to let her hope she could get away.

She was not at all athletic, her stamina quickly dwindling as her frail figure fought with itself to continue on. Her chest burned, her feet hurt, her will to keep moving dwindling by the second and feeding into the persuasive idea of giving up. Yet the monster snatched her before she could choose, slamming her into the soft, melted ground and caking her elegance in earth. His hand wrapped around her pretty neck firmly, another snaking down her bodice and tearing open the gold buttons of her dress. His tongue swept across his lip as he unwrapped her, taking his sweet time to unveil every inch of her pristine flesh to his ravenous eye, her little fists pounding at his chest as she sobbed and screamed for help.

“Shut it,” Sanemi growled lowly, surprised to see her actually listen, her lip wobbling and eyes flooding as she silenced herself. He could still hear her pathetic whimpers as he stripped her, her small frame shaking as he brushed down her stomach, removing the lacy undergarments that hid her delicate body from his sight. He could see her plush intimacy coming into view from beneath her coverings, her curved hips thickening her figure, her thighs trembling as they tried desperately to hide themselves. But there was nothing that could be done about that now as she lied there, helpless, powerless, weak.

He opened his mouth wide, exposing sharp canines and letting his hot breath wash over her firm abdomen as her tears began anew and wept down her flushed cheeks. The demon was pleased, relishing in her surrender and submission as he gently ran his tongue down her navel, sampling his meal and savoring the girl's pitiful sobs. He loved it when humans cried, when they begged and pleaded for their lives like the weaklings they were, it made things so much more exciting.

His tongue flicked out over her pelvis, gliding over the pudge over her sex as he breathed in the scent of her musk, tainted with ovulation. Sanemi could already feel the saliva gathering in a jowls as he began to peel down her underwear, a cotton cloth clinging to the crotch of it. Her breath stuttered.

"N-no, no, please! Please... please!" she cried out, shaking hard and grasping at her own face, nearly clawing her eyes out with panic. But she knew better than to try to fight him off again, clearly more afraid of what he would do then than what he was currently doing. He couldn't help but grin against her supple flesh, his edged teeth nicking her thigh. She jerked at the sudden pain and the warm sensation of blood trickling down her leg, soaking into the dirt.

"P-Please, p-p-please don't... h-hurt me," her words shook with her exterior, her sniffling likely a strong persuasion to those who had a heart. He obviously didn't but was still bothered by her pestering fear of being eaten. "If I was going to eat you, don't you think I would have done it already?" he groaned sarcastically.. The human slowly removed her fingers to peak down at him, her eyes red and welled with tears, lip trembling. He laughed.

"I mean come on, you think I'd let you bitch and moan this long just to kill you later? If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. Quit fucking crying," he hissed.

She sniffled again. "B-but -"

"Zip it."

Her mouth snapped shut, quickly obeying before her brain could even comprehend him.

Sanemi growled. "Talk again and you get to join those fuckers back there." He nodded his head back to the direction of her abandoned carriage and dead guards. His claws dug into her thighs, pulling them to spread wider to encompass his presence. "The sooner you let me take what I want, the sooner I let you go. But I don't deal with brats. You either listen or you don't, 's up to you bitch."

He wasn't sure how he expected her to react, but it definitely wasn't for her to spread herself wider, without any instruction. It was almost touching how quickly she gave in, not even needing a moment to think it over before she opened herself up for him to do as he pleased. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she were eager for it.

His head fell down to her core again, his fangs pricking the surface of her skin yet again, drawing forth a shallow line of blood as he slid them down her inner thighs, his eyes locked on her frightened yet curious gaze. She shivered at the sharpness of his touch, her legs trembling as he moved further south, trying to appease his hungered excitement. He resumed pulling down her panties, reveling in the aroma of moon blood that filled his senses as he took away all obstruction. It was beautiful. The smell of blood. The sight of red dripping from her puffy lips. He could only imagine the taste, so eager in his imagination of its excellence. He'd never tasted pure ovulation blood before, never even thought of it actually. It would be stupid to use just his tongue when he could devour with his teeth in an instant and move on to the next meal. But this was a different situation entirely. This woman could satiate him for years, decades even, with marechi blood. It didn't hurt that she was a hot piece of ass either. If he didn't get himself together soon, he might end up fucking his food as well.

The woman's eyes lingered on his leisure movements, the drawl of his dangerous eyes along her sex as he studied the meal. Embarrassment quickly rose in her chest as she realized his intentions, praying that he’d move on with whatever he was trying to do so her dignity could recover. Although, she supposed letting him taste her menstrual blood was better than getting eaten alive... but hardly.

The demon felt her pulse quicken in his grasp, her breathing growing faster and her patience dwindling as she began to quiver again. He didn't blame her though, not in the slightest. But he had every right to  such a rare female, he deserved everything. And if the needs of others were sacrificed, so be it. He knew he wouldn't be able to resist her for too long. He was ravenous.

And he was horny.

He smiled as his head dipped down, his tongue flicking out to smooth against her swollen clitoris, barely brushing the top as he inhaled the fragrance of her blood. Her legs trembled, her muscles tensing as her hips buckled in response, shocked with the sudden feeling of sensitivity. She had to bite her lip to silence her noise of surprise. He chuckled as he teased her, dragging his tongue from one side to the other, teasing her wet folds and leaving behind a thin trail of saliva. He didn't really care for her pleasure at the moment, but he was curious of her response to it. Dinner and a show. That was fine by him.

She bit her lip harder, her thighs flexing to keep from touching him. Sanemi was excited at her reaction, watching her face contort with each and every careless stroke of his tongue, her hips subconsciously rising to feed herself into his awaiting mouth. A few times, she almost grabbed for him, but her arms were still pinned to her side by her own strong will to survive. He liked that, enjoyed her struggle as he continued to lick her up and down, her clit becoming more sensitive with each and every pass. Her blood was intoxicating, his head already growing dizzy as he drank her from the source. He thought it would be difficult to keep himself from biting down but the thought never even grazed his mind as he continued giving sloppy licks and sucks to her weeping heat. She was so tasty, so sweet, so ripe. It seemed like she would never stop bleeding as his tongue was eternally blessed with a fresh coat of red. He wondered for a moment if it was possible to drain her of it all in one night.

He growled, his head lowering down to her opening and his tongue falling out again as she whimpered in anticipation, eyes closed tight. She felt like she was losing her mind with every pass of his ravenous tongue. Her head was so foggy and light, her pussy so warm, she couldn't stop herself from letting out small noises of pleasure as he kept feasting upon her. It took every ounce of her being not to wrap her legs around his head and trap him into her center, forcing him to cease his cruel teasings. What little was left of her fear only heightened the experience, giving her a blissful taste of sin that she'd never indulged before, the sense of danger giving her such a rush.

Her ichor only grew sweeter on his tongue by the second, her slick diluting her blood in heavier batches that gave him more a taste of lust than power. He focused on her hole then, realizing that nipping at her clit certainly wasn't helping the situation. Yet, her pleasure rose none-the-less. His tongue worked hard, dashing inside of her, licking up every drop of liquor, drinking it down as if it were a fine wine. It was nearly too good to be true, this level of strength he felt. He looked down at the girl, his eyes burning into her as he watched her squirm and grip the earth. She was so delicious.

But he needed more.

His tongue pumped into her again and again, dipping as far as it could reach before retreating to her entrance to lick up anything that had escaped him. She shuddered, her hips subtly grinding on his face to chase her nearing end. It continued building in her belly, sending bolts of electricity up her spine and warming her insides. She couldn't even feel the pain of her cramps anymore.

Sanemi sipped at her wetness more vigorously, his tongue lapping at her like a dog, desperate for more of his meal. He slowed only for a moment as the woman gave a small cry, her hips and thighs quaking harshly and tensing in his palms. He wasn't even angry when her juices sprayed him, drenching his lower face and dripping down his lips. If anything he was amused, only a human could come from such little care. Yet, he stopped, her cunt hardly even bleeding anymore being so wet with arousal and relief. What was the point of pleasing her when he gained nothing in return.

He rose from his position on the ground, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as his eyes raked down her sloppy appearance, certainly not that of a noblewoman. Her backside was caked with mud, her hair messy and matted, her face red and mouth leaking with drool. She nearly looked peaceful as she let out gentle pants, still softly shaking from such a strong orgasm. He rolled his eyes.

"Get up," he commanded, uncaring of her condition. "I don't have all fucking night."

The woman only rose when his growls became violent, her movements awkward and her head still in the clouds. She still attempted to cover herself, tucking an arm over her breasts and cupping her sex with another.

"I'm only going to explain this once so I suggest you pay attention-" he began, her eyes quickly lighting up with fright, "You are going to come back to this path every month during your menses. You will come alone. No guards. No friends. No nobody. Understand?"

She squirmed nervously in her footing, her fear beginning to crest again. "B-but I-I won’t be a-allowed to travel for n-no r-r-reason..." she stuttered.

"Not my problem."

"A-and how would I come back without anyone to take-"

"Not. My. Problem." he hissed meanly, making her cower away.

He stepped forward to her, towering over her little form. "I'm not here to negotiate. I'm just telling you what you're going to do. I don't give a fuck how you're gonna do it, but if you know what's good for you, you'll obey. You want anyone else dead because of you?" he sneered.

Her lip quivered and tears glazed in her eyes. "N-no."

Sanemi chuckled, looking down at her and pressing a strong hand over her lower belly and brushing away her small hands, dangerously close to her privates that were still glazed with his saliva.

"This is mine," he stated, passing two fingers between her puffy cunt lips, "Give it to anyone else and I'll kill them and make you watch. I'll make it slow too. You want that?" She violently shook her head, nearly on the cusp of pissing herself from the terror of such a suggestion.

He hummed with his approval of her response, giving her another once over with his eyes and a quick squeeze of her breast before backing away into the night, undisturbed with how on earth she was going to get back home. It would've been any second that he could lose control of himself and pounce, a desperate need growing in pants to satiate himself. He'd have to establish that as another rule - no fucking when she was edible. Maybe he'd pay her another visit later when her period was over, at her estate perhaps, just to take away her innocence and test out how useful she was to him. He could only imagine how pathetic she would look speared on his cock with nowhere else to go, but that would be for another night, he couldn't forget her main purpose.

And he couldn't wait to get a taste of that again.

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[solitus17utopia]

"I need somebody to remember my name after all that I can do for them is done,"

The human mind seeks for a legacy to be remembered by, to exist for just more than the years their body can last. But, not everything lasts, and neither does anyone last, even if it be at the expulsion of the universe or the end of the world. Even immortality has its limits. But we seek out something to continue living, as fish for water, and want it to greater quantities to live for. But, even if you have nothing, neither do they, they'll be there, to remember and cherish.

pronouns — they/them, you.

genre — comfort? angst? fluff, though, surely.

c.warnings — slight possessiveness, marginal obsession, promises of turning mortality into immortality, somehow, don't ask me.

✧ Blade.

Anyone capable of even glancing at the unrestrained criminal was bound to be looking for a death wish, even if unintentional. He was an immortal that found no jubilation in the act of living, not once, at least, not after the downfall.

Ever since reformed into the acute Blade he is now, his lips only spewed bitter words and sneers. Well, to anyone other than the Stellaron Hunters. But, other than that, he was indifferent to everything and everyone surrounding him, the majority he allowed was Kafka calling him 'Bladie', but no one, or anything else.

Not until they came.

The one who shone so brightly despite the negativity of society surrounding them. Their voice, robbed of any ill intent, trickery or mockery. The skin that was plastered with coloured stickers above bitter irritation. No, Blade didn't know how, but the purity of their actions stood out to him other than anything; how could he not?

Slowly, but for sure, the immortal found himself slipping deeper into a quicksand named love, unable to crawl out. No matter the time, his hate foreboded into the unexpected triviality of love.

And, after what felt like the umpteenth time of his lifetime of Kafka teasing the two, a last string of jealousy set the line for them and Blade.

The chastity of the newly formed relationship was a foreign language to Blade, but surely his calloused hands would melt into yours in no time.

Your simplicity stood out, and so did your lack of experience in opposing violent resolutions. No matter your mentality or assets, you were just a common being, a mortal that might even pass away to the afterlife like an old friend of his.

He's yours, even if he might not admit it out of the chill of his heart. But, he'll make sure he is, with you coexisting as his. He'll make sure, nothing can take you away, not this time, even if it means resorting to other methods.

You'll stay, even if for a lifetime, won't you?

✧ Jing Yuan.

Ah yes, the Arbitior General of the Cloud knights, one that instilled fear in enemies' souls in battles by the draw of his kept-away smithed sword. A clever chess player, yet a lazy one who takes part in keeping himself busy by resting his weary eyelids in the Seat of the Divine Foresight. Or, by teasing a young teenager at chess, plopping off frivolous, harmful tricks on the youngest lieutenant.

But, do not let the playful and often bemused demeanour fool you. Guilt lies deep in the immortal's heart, gnawing at his mind slowly from the parting of the last four heroes that abandoned each other after Bai-Heng's sacrifice, each turning cold, reserved and to their own paths after. Only he remained unharmed, he thinks.

The General has experience of being abandoned by his friends and passing acquaintances, human or animal.

But, he didn't know how quickly he got attached to you, one not even a part of something like the Astral Express, but a typical resident of the Xiaozhou Luofu.

Ah, but how attached he was to the way you at first glance pointed out to him, without much fear for the consequences of speaking without overcautioning veneration of words, the flinch strangled in his hair. How, you asked so politely if you could call him by his name, instead of his title, just because you thought he was human, mortal or immortal.

Napping away on leisure time is replaced with spending a minuscule of time with you. Buoyant, trivial, you. No matter the occasion, day, or hour, he'll be at your beck and call, even more than you, or a certain pink-haired lady, might wish, clinging onto you like a needy cat deprived of affection for a long time. How could you say no?

As for your mortality, he'll find a way to keep you under death's radar. Even if that betrays crucial principles.

© solitus17utopia ✦ do not repost, copy, edit. thank you.

[lazytitans-world]

My research findings on the production of Wish

Never have I seen a fan community do so much with so little than I have with Wish. And to start off, I want to say that you should watch the movie first before going into this and the Starboy fandom as I believe it to be important on forming your own opinion before moving on as I find most of the fandom to have a negative view of the movie, one I do not really share. I found Wish to be fine. I did not hate it, but I did not love it like I do other Disney animated films. But the many rewrites, drawings and animatics featuring character designs that did not make it far in production have become icons in this community inspired me to do a deep dive to see if I could find where in production these concepts died and why.

To save you a read, this production was a victim of simplicity. I feel that many concepts and story ideas were tossed away due to complicating the story, which was always going to focus on Asha trying to save the wishes of her fellow kingdom citizens with the help of a wishing star. I have read many articles and watched a few deleted scenes from the home release and here are my findings.

Starboy never got far in development as the book states that the team went down "a few blind alleys" that lead them to star having a human design for a period. This is probably the period in time where all the Starboy concept art came from and where a potential romantic subplot with Asha was kicked around. It was.

What did Starboy in was the team's choice to make them a shapeshifter as the team thought the character was way overpowered and thus the story lost a lot of dramatic tension (a choice I kind of agree with). It was here where the design team decided that Star needed an overhaul and brought the Story Development artists in and this is where Starboy died and plush Star was finalized.

There are no official storyboards that feature the Starboy designs.

At the start of Wish's production, Frozen 2 was entering it's final stage of production (this would be either late 2018 or early 2019) and was obviously the main focus for Disney animation not to mention projects like Raya and the Last Dragon, Strange World and Encanto were entering their mid development stages before the shutdown.

The effects of the global shutdown were not mentioned in the book, but I would not be shocked if production was affected by it.

Ariana DeBose has said that Wish did not need a love story as she said that,

“I think we live in a time where things are cyclical, right? And so, it’s good for variance and perspective. Not every female Disney character needs to have a go and ambition of simply finding a man to love her. There are more stories to tell.

"And especially in the world we live in today I think something like Wish, that has a broader outlook that talks about community, is just as important as talking about love. And there are so many different ways to love."

"You do see familiar love, love of friendship" in the movie, including the relationship between Asha and Star. Star and Asha have this beautiful connection with each other and so I think it’s good reminding people that not only we can tell different stories, we can also talk about love in different ways.”(source: Exclusive: Wish’s Ariana DeBose defends lack of romance in recent Disney movies (yahoo.com)) whether Ariana had any say on story or character development is unknown.

7. From what I read from the Art of Wish book, the story was always meant to be about Asha defying Magnifico to fight for the people of Rosas and their wishes.

8. As it pertains to "At All Costs", a song that many are saying was meant to be a love song between Asha and Star, in an article by Variety(Julia Michaels Wrote 'Wish' Theme Before the Script Even Existed (variety.com), it states that a love song was not in the film at the time of production and songwriter Julia Michaels "wanted to write a song that as a standalone sounded like a love song that could be played at weddings."

Michaels would go on to say, "How cool would it be if we wrote a song that if you listened to on its own, it sounds like a love song, it could be something you could play at your wedding, or be a lullaby to your kids, just something really beautiful, but when you watch the film, it’s the heroine and it’s the villain.” She continues, “You realize they’re coming about this both from various points, one from a very selfless standpoint and one from a selfish standpoint.”

9. In the same Variety article, it was revealed that for some time in 2020, no script existed for the movie, but Julia Michaels was asked to be the songwriter for the movie and that is where she pitched "This Wish" which would go on to be one of the first songs revealed for the movie.

10. the Variety article also had Jennifer Lee, head of Disney Animation and one of the writers on Wish, say that she wanted a song that showed "it felt like to hold someone’s wish in your hand. How do we viscerally understand that when you’re with them, you feel like you’re holding someone’s raison d’être?” that song would end it being "At All Costs"

11. September 9, 2022, D23 Expo in Anaheim California. This is where certain members of the public got a glimpse of the production of Wish. Jennifer Lee, writer and director Chris Buck, and co-director Fawn Veerasunthorn spoke about the movie and showed the first look of the finalized design of Star which ended up being the mute plush model that ended up in the movie. This means there was a 3-year gap where Starboy and the romance side plot were discussed then shelved.

It was also during this show where the public would learn that Ariana DeBuse would voice Asha and that Alan Tudyk, a staple of past Disney animated films, would have a featured role in the movie as Asha's pet goat Valentino, who would be able to talk thanks to Star's magic. It was also at that show where DuBose came out to sing "This Wish" but at the time the song was called "More for Us".

Magnifico was not revealed at the event but was teased as "one of the most formidable foes in Disney history" which is debatable to say the least.

12. 5 deleted scenes in total appear on the Wish digital and disc copies each introduced by head of story Mark Kennedy where he would describe why the scene got cut. One scene shows Amaya assisting Magnifico in his plan, tying into an early concept where she was a villain alongside him.

Another scene had Asha, Star (who in this scene could shape shift and talk) and Valentino try to sneak into Rosas before being spotted and chased by Amaya, once again acting antagonistic to Asha.

A scene had Magnifco gather the people of Rosas to demand Star be given to him, as he had never seen Star in this version, and Asha her friends try to distract him by having Valentino, who in this version had a more Steve Carell like voice, pretend to be Star while the real Star, who was voiced in this version and was designed as ball of light with eyes and mouth, was trying to free the captured wishes. This scene was changed because they wanted Magnifco to be more threatening and instead of asking the people for Star, he would capture Star. Kennedy would go on to say that they wanted Asha and Magnifico to be smart and that Asha would not do a plan that silly, and they wanted the climax to be Magnifico and Asha alone, so they set it on a platform high above Rosas.

The next scene featured an ally of Asha's named Flazino that was cut out in order to shrink her friend group and tied the group back to the seven dwarfs from Snow White.

Finally, there was a scene where Asha and her grandfather scaled a wishing tree with her grandfather Sabino that showcased their bond but also Sabino's insistence that Asha take down Magnifico.

Each of these scenes felt completely different to the movie that ended up being released.

13. It should be noted that Wish released only a short while after the 2023 Writers and Actors strikes, which meant that for most of the summer and fall of that year, the actors could not do any press for the movie and all marketing was done through ads, trailers and merchandise.

14. As revealed in an article for Disney twenty-three, a magazine for gold members of the Disney D23 Fanclub, in the early visual development stage, there was a test scene that Asha was briefly transported to the village from Pinocchio. This was done to see how the 3D character designs would match with the hand drawn, watercolor backgrounds of classic Disney movies.

15. In that same article, Chris Buck said that in regard to Magnifico's character development that they wanted the audience "to see the evolution of a villain, so he's not a monster from frame one". From what becomes of Magnifico I get what they tried to do, they wanted to show how a character falls into villainy even if they're intentions are good. It also stands with the modern writing style of Disney animation films trying to update classics, this time by having audiences start off by kind of liking the villain through their personality alone.

18. The article also briefly mentions that Star "went through many iterations" another hint of Starboy being considered as a final design.

19. In the Art of Wish book, there is a page that shows the script where Asha meets Star and Star is described as a "cuddly, 3D, five-pointed star." This would indicate that the Starboy concept never got to the scripting stages.

20. In Art of Wish, the reason why Star does not speak is because the film makers wanted to stick to a tenet of film making, show don't tell.

21. Star's face was inspired by the mask like face of early Mickey Mouse cartoons.

22. From all readings, it is safe to say that Asha was NEVER considered to be a princess in any of the iterations of the story as some writers felt it to be too safe of a choice and liked the idea of an ordinary citizen going against the established power of the king.

23. During production, the Disney CEO position changed twice as Bob Iger left the company in early 2020 and named Bob Chapek as his replacement before returning to the company in mid 2023. It is unknown if these changes had any effects of Wish's production as it was it stated development as Iger's first tenure was ending but took place during a majority of Chapek's time.

24. When Angelique Cabal, who voiced Amaya in Wish, first auditioned for the role the character in 2022 Amaya was written as a villain while Magnifico was supposed to be the good king. It was when she returned for the callback that Amaya was changed to what she ended up being in the movie. Source https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/how-one-character-disney-wish-completely-changed-during-production

In closing, for fans of the Starboy concept, it saddens me to say that it looks the idea only made it as far as concept art as at the time of writing this, no animated sequences, scripts or storyboards have been released that had Star in a human design or discussed a romantic relationship with Asha. I believe the writing team found a romantic relationship between Star and Asha too complicated for the story and decided to simplify the relationship and design of Star to better suit the plot of Asha going against Magnifico. I am disappointed Wish did not go with the more interesting concepts but maybe down the line we'll get that cosmic Disney romance and a villain couple, it just has to work with the story.

I want to say thank you for those that made it to the end, this movie has been on my mind for quite a while and seeing all the re-writes, drawings and animations people have done for Starboy and Asha has been amazing to see. These works have inspired me to rewatch Wish at some point to see if Starboy could have worked in the movie with the story as is, and even share how I would have changed a few things in the story to fit the character and a romantic subplot with Asha plus an idea on how to bring in Starboy while still staying true to the established cannon.

I do hope others watch and enjoy Wish as from what I have read the team did put a lot of effort to makes this movie worthy of not only the high standards Disney animation has set, but as a piece of the 100-year story telling of the Walt Disney company. Film making is already hard enough as it is, especially in animation, but having to make a movie with an original concept and characters that still pays tribute to 100 years of storytelling is a daunting task and I understand and respect the choices they made when making the film and you should as well.

[dreamersparacosm]

❝  you can go harder.  i’m okay,  i want you to.  ❞ PLS SHSHSKSHAVA

nsfw!

note ; gonna assume this is for austin bc that’s what the people want these days and i am here to deliver also way longer than it needs to be lmao why am I like this

warnings ; penetration? lmao

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

There is nothing wrong with soft, sensual sex.

Absolutely nothing. In fact, it's what you and Austin are used to, what you're used to. Four months into dating and you had been a virgin, yet to have someone break that fourth wall and take away the last morsel of innocence that lived and breathed inside of you.

He had prided himself in being the first and only man to bring you to your knees, his name being the only one to slip from your lips in a lewd manner. He was gentle the first time, gentle the second, gentle the third… until it was the norm. Predictable.

But, somehow, one summer’s evening, when your friends discuss their boyfriends breaking their back like a soft pretzel, discussing the mechanics of the butterchurner position, the idea of soft, sweet, sensual sex with your loving boyfriend dwindles down to a piece of dust and all that’s left is a fiery desire to get absolutely railed.

So, later that night, when you’re drunk off one too many aperol spritzes, and with a plan in your head to seduce your boyfriend, you resolve to tell him that he is not allowed to fuck you like you’re still a virgin. It’s forbidden.

“Aus,” You whisper, giggling as you climb into the bed that smells like his cologne and warm cashmere. He mumbles something, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he feels your slender arms wrap around the entirety of his body.

“Hi, baby,” He croaks out, voice a little deep from just waking up. You press sloppy, wet kisses down the back of his neck, around to the front, your limbs on fire as you try to contain the desire that pools between your legs, that has been manifesting since your friends opened their mouths in the first place.

“Fun girls night?” He questions sarcastically as he smells the alcohol on your breath still. You hum in agreement, gluing your lips to his. He nearly melts into you, hands cupping your cheeks as he kisses you longingly; and as always, it’s just a little too soft for your liking.

You pull away, looking into his eyes that are still bright blue as ever, even in the room that is lit by only a lamp. “I want you to fuck me.”

Austin looks like he’s about to have a heart attack.

“What?” He finally musters out, the sleep completely disintegrated from his body as he struggles to comprehend what his girlfriend, his sweet angel girlfriend who doesn’t even like to kill spiders, could possibly be saying to him at 1:30 a.m.

There’s a glimmer of something behind your eyes, something he’s never seen before and that he can’t quite put his finger on. It’s dark, seductive, like you’re an animal in heat who can’t reach a finish in time. You repeat your statement, “I want you to fuck me, Austin.”

“Right now?” He adjusts his position in the bed, leaning up the against the frame, and pulling you onto his chest.

“Right now.”

In the year that you two had been dating, he had never heard you ask him to “fuck.” You two were well-reserved individuals who enjoyed the simplicity of a mattress and romantic music echoing in the background. So now this, this was not his expertise.

But, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, he’s a boy, a boy with needs and wants, so when his beautiful girlfriend asks him to fuck, he’s going to do so. Even if it is indeed 1:30 in the morning. There’s not an ounce of shame in your body, and you’re certain it’s hidden behind the aperol spritzes and the hype-up you recieved from your best friends.

Then, before he has a chance to mull over his options, you press your lips against his, a mess of teeth and lips and tongue that’s more filth than romance. He readjusts his stance on the mattress again, accommodating your pace and pressure, letting you take the ropes. And it’s a foreign feeling, not just for you but him as well, and it makes his heart flutter and his boxers tighten around his waist as he can’t control the arousal that circles in his chest.

He tucks an arm around your body, flipping you over so that his body weight lingers over you. You note that he’s shirtless and just in his boxer briefs, and for a moment, you feel guilty that you woke him up from his slumber. Then he lets his nimble fingers swiftly play with the zipper of your jeans and that all washes away.

You let him unzip your jeans, tugging them off your legs hastily as your lips wander down to his neck, kissing him, sucking on his sweet spot that you know is just below his ear. He lets out a whimper, flinging your jeans across the room and focusing back on your body that’s laid out all for him. Normally, at this point, you two would slow down, savor the moment, turn on a sensual song to get you in the mood. But you just continue on down this golden path, drunk and high off the feeling of Austin pressing your hips into the mattress.

“Aus, please, I need you,” You sound absolutely pathetic. You know you do. But you hope it’s enough to fuel him, get him to shut off that pretty little mind of his that’s littered with fears of hurting you during sex. As if he could ever.

He thinks it’s wrong. He doesn’t know why but he does. But the little part of his brain that tells him to think, tells him to do, shuts off and commands him to follow his animalistic urges.

He doesn’t even take off your underwear, just slips down his boxers, jerking himself off a few times before slipping your panty to the side and running the tip of his cock through your needy folds. You yelp, biting your lips in anticipation. His eyes are still droopy and lidded with drowsiness, but something else is sparkling behind them. He places one of his large hands on your knee, spreading your thighs apart as far as the restraint of your panty will let, pad of his thumb imprinting on your hips as he slides in with ease.

You let out a sigh of relief in unison. It’s the same feeling it always is, the way he stretches out your entire body, reaches a part of you that isn’t even feasible. Your lower back is being pressured by one of your mattress' numerous lumps as your body is positioned lazily across the top covers at an angle. But all you're feeling is a bit of pressure since you're too preoccupied with the feeling of Austin’s cock filling you up to the brim to care about anything.

He thrusts a few times, allowing you to adjust to the way your walls clench around his length. You let out a few measly noises, eyes trained on the way his abdominal muscles retract with every movement. And it’s enjoyable, it’s comfortable, the pace with which he fucks you with. But it’s not enough. It’s not what you need.

You prop yourself up on your elbows, batting your eyelashes at him. “You can go harder. I’m okay, I want you to.”

“Holy shit.” Is all he can really respond to that. He bites his lips, a moment of hesitation plaguing his thoughts as he looks down at his cock half-inside you. Somehow, with your body connected to his in a painfully beautiful way, every worry drips away, goes down some imaginary trash can as he pushes himself inside of you, fully. And then he slides back out, arm reaching out to wrap around your neck as he increases his tempo, perspiration beading at his forehead as he slams into you with his entire length.

It’s just the sound of skin slapping, your strangling moans, and the bed-frame squeaking with every unrelenting thrust he pounds into you. His grip tightens around your neck, eyes connecting with yours, and he says, “You gonna be a good girl and take it all for me?”

You think you might be in heaven.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

thank you for joining my 3.5k celly! requests are now closed.

[italoniponic]

For the event, how about a s/o who leaves flowers on the boy’s desk without telling them or leaving a note. For Silver, Azul, and one boy you choose. 🌸

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲'𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭

| Notes: Hi, dear!

I loved your idea! So cute, so sweet, so spring~ I love flower language and I also enjoyed searching more about each flower I choose. I didn’t have a personal favorite here but I think apple blossoms are really pretty (bc they look like cherry and peach blossoms) and it was good to know other flowers too. The boy I chose was Epel bc I was feeling like writing something more for him. Hope you like it! Thanks for the request <3 | 

Silver, Azul Ashengrotto, Epel Felmier x gender neutral reader / headcanons / fluff / flower language / crush to lovers / use of “you” pronouns

Cherry’s Harvesting 🍒 Masterlist

Flower Feelings

Silver was relatively used to strange things happening to him. Sometimes, the wild animals that loved him so much would leave something special — flowers, leaves, small berries, feathers — in his closet in the stables or in his place in class. One day, Silver found a bunch of very small, five-petaled pale pink flowers;

But when Silver went to a certain tree in the courtyard to thank for the branch, the little birds pecked at the flowers and looked kind of confused. Although animal language wasn’t Silver’s forte, he managed to ask if this was a gift from them and the answer was no. This made him very surprised. Who could it have been then?;

The other times these bouquets appeared on Silver's table, there was a small card with the name of the flower and its meaning. “Diosma: your simple elegance charms me”. The mysterious handwriting at least gave good indications that it really was a human being sending the diosmas. Silver knew some flowers meant something, but he never imagined someone would direct one especially for him.;

Silver passed to collect these diosmas and placed them in a vase in his room, treating them with the utmost care. But because it was starting to die and flare up, he sought your help on how to best treat them. You were surprised and when you asked why, Silver replied that he wanted to take care of the feelings of this person who so kindly handed him flowers;

Diosma is a shrub with thin branches, a small ornamental flower, blooming in mid-winter until mid-spring. Silver was surprised to find that there was already a small flower bed with diosmas in the school grove, in an area where it managed to receive full Sun. You began to meet more in these places to admire the little flowers and talk together;

Even though Silver didn’t suspect anything — it wasn’t his style to jump to conclusions — deep down, he found himself wanting you to be the one pleasing him with these little gifts. Silver might not have been very aware that people called him “airhead” but you were one of the few people who saw something really special about him despite all his odds;

Was that what it meant to have a simple charm? Although Silver couldn’t be compared in power and elegance to the Thorn Fairy, you praised him for who he was and loved his simplicity. One day, you called Silver to go on Ramshackle and you showed him a small place at the back of the mansion which you turned into a kind of winter garden for your flowers;

Among them were some gardenias. A flower that had a bud the size of a rose but was completely white and its open petals enhance its own kind of beauty. You allowed Silver to hold one for a closer look while you detailed some facts about this moisture-loving flower. “Gardenias mean ‘purity, sweet love and... you are lovely’. Just like you, Silver,” you said;

Silver raised his gaze from the gardenia to you, as if admiring the beauty of another flower. With his attention on you, you revealed that you were the person who was sending the diosmas flowers because you liked him. More than liked, these feelings blossomed enough to become love. “I-i’ll understand if you don't feel the same way and...,” but Silver interrupted you for a moment;

If you've ever wondered what it was like for flowers to feel the Sun shining above it, this moment gave you the answer. Silver gave you a small smile, delicate and subtle as the opening of a gardenia bud. He stepped forward and stood right next to you;

“I don't know much about flowers but do you have any that I can give you to say ‘I love you too’?,” Silver asked, honestly. You knew that wasn’t a flirtation, and yet your heart failed briefly, as if put to sleep in a quarter of a second. That there was such a flower, you knew but, what you really said was that Silver could just hand you a kiss and you would understand the same.

For some time now, Azul had been finding small bouquets of pink camellias on his table almost every morning. The flowers came with a small note written “longing for you” — what Azul came to discover was the meaning of that little pink flower with more circular petals. Even if these flowers appeared out of nowhere, Azul never left it to die;

He happened to have a special vase in his VIP office to place the camellias. Sometimes, during one of his study breaks or dorm accounting, Azul would pick up one of the flowers to analyze it better. In the sea where he came from, there were no plants like that. Earthly nature was very fascinating to him;

As you understood a lot about flowers, Azul sometimes asked you for help to know what to do with the camellias and also took advantage of this time to be by your side. Azul liked to touch the camellias’ petals —  not all the time — just to feel its softness and delicacy. It brought a good feeling to him, even more so for making him remember you too;

The few times you touched Azul — holding his hand to ask for something, squeezing his face when you felt he should stop and rest, or simply touching his nose in a playful way — it was like the touch of a camellia. You were a beautiful flower and even suffering from the strong winds of life’s difficulties, you were able to withstand the winter;

At some point, Azul suspected that you were the person who left the pink camellias on his desk before the students arrived in class. You had means, opportunities, advantages. But he couldn’t think of a reason why. Does it have anything to do with the meaning of the flower? Azul chuckled to himself at the thought of these things, but it was a humorless laugh;

It was he who longed for you. To talk more with you, to have your smile, to feel your touch and hear with your words that you liked him back. But Azul didn’t allow himself to be delusional. He knew you wouldn't be able to have deep feelings about him. Not the pathetic Azul who takes advantage of others magic, does nothing but mask defects and cry when everything goes wrong. You deserved something genuine, high-quality, and… not him;

“This is a coral honeysuckle,” you explained when you showed the flower to Azul. It was an ordinary afternoon, you had called Azul to stroll through the Botanical Garden. There you showed him a special pot for a climbing plant with narrow, long, petals with the color of coral. From what you commented, it was a flower whose fruit couldn’t be consumed and should be pruned a little after flowering so as not to infested on other plants;

Azul adjusted his glasses, as always impressed with your knowledge. He asked the meaning of the flower and you took a deep breath for a moment before plucking a small branch and reaching out to him. “It usually means affection. Love full of devotion,” you confessed, feeling your heart beat fast. “I ... think it seems a lot like you too.”;

Azul was speechless when he accepted the branch. He put his hand a little closer to his face, the honeysuckle flowers masking his rosy cheeks. Was that a confession? He needed a moment to process everything. This meant that it was really you who was leaving the camellias on his table;

You said you’d wanted to declare your feelings for a while, but you didn't know how. With the delivery of the camellias, you longed for Azul to knock on your door at any time to ask what to do with them, and since this is one of his talents, Azul has fulfilled your wish effectively;

“Only you can see grace, beauty and qualities in a flower that loses its head and another that goes over in everything that lies ahead,” Azul approached you with a small smile. His eyes were as sweet as honey. Before you could say anything, Azul wrapped you in a tight hug. You were close enough to hear his heart beat like a festive maritime orchestra. 

Epel found it curious to find a bunch of apple blossoms on his desk that morning. No one had any idea how those flowers came to be there either. All he had was a simple card with the words: “Good fortune. Better things to come.” This same thing repeated itself over the days and Epel continued without a clear answer;

Still, given the fact that he was still stressing over some of Pomefiore’s stuff and he was trying harder than ever at the Magift Club, receiving those words of motivation made Epel’s heart pound harder. Whoever was rooting for him, he appreciated it! More than saying what Epel absolutely should do or what he wanted to hear, these were true caring words. He could feel it;

As Harveston is a town full of apple trees, Epel wasn’t surprised by the arrival of blossoms from the trees in early spring. The apple trees on the school campus were enchanted, so there were some full of flowers and others already with the ripe fruits. Since childhood, Epel liked to watch the blossoms when they opened;

When Epel found you, he showed the flowers to you and went into detail about the aspects and utilities of them. Apple blossoms are small, has five white petals with a little pink inside. Some still in the bud have an even darker and more intense pink. You watched Epel excitedly comment on stories about the apple blossoms — family memories and some old village legends;

But it was you who commented on the meaning of the flower — the same as the sayings on the card. At first, Epel thought it was just a coincidence that you knew this. Well, he liked you for a long time and you two talked enough that you knew what he needed. But Epel didn’t want to fool himself for nothing. You just really liked flowers;

Epel took advantage of all those apple blossoms to make tea and share with his dorm. Dried apple tree petals can help relieve stress. It made him wonder if, for you, he could be useful in anything. You can use a lot from an apple, from the flower to the fruit. Except when it's completely rotten or have bugs inside;

However, even if the world told Epel that he had a rotten part — a stain inside his beautiful, glossy apple, a poison that should be eradicated just because — you didn’t make him feel that way. Epel strove to get better in what he could, that was good, but you looked at him in a different way. Not for what he looked like, but for who he was. Made him feel at home, loved;

“I found these primroses in the village and I'm thinking of planting the seeds in the garden. It will be easy, it’s a very determined type. It can adapt to anything,” you giggled as you showed a small vase of flowers to Epel in Ramshackle’s front yard. Primroses were small flowers with well-flattened petals, those ones were especially purple;

Epel had found it quite pretty, so he asked if you knew its meaning. At that moment, he noticed that you seemed to get a little anxious all of a sudden. But you took a deep breath and replied, “It does... I can’t live without you.” Epel got surprised for a second, almost wondering if you had said that more to him than about the flower;

So you told everything. About the flowers that Epel found every morning, about your feelings. Because the love that Epel sprouted in your heart was blooming with the rise of early spring, finally giving petals and would continue to grow until it produced fruits. But, if he wanted to pull the root out, you couldn’t do anything. You didn't want to force your love on him, ever;

“What in the big bull’s shit are ya sayin’? Of course I like you!,” Epel touched your shoulder and you faced him again. As expected, his pale face had some pink reflections just like apple flower petals. But Epel had mustered all his courage to reciprocate your feelings once and for all. You took a primrose, kissed one of its petals and offered it to him to do the same. He smiled, still a bit embarrassed. You’re a good ol’ lovey-dovey person, aren’t ya? 

[bluestar22x]

The Future

The Outcast - Epilogue: The Future

Summary: Just like winter, the end is just the beginning

Pairing: Pero Tovar x F!Reader

Rating: 18+

Word Count: 2,700 (ish)

Warnings: Mention of a baby goat (kid) having died, angst, pregnancy plot, non-graphic labor and birth, fluff, pov changes, quintessential happy ending

Author’s Note: This is a very self indulgent bonus part - you can read the first four parts and have a satisfying ending if this kind of ending isn't your thing. For those who do like this kind of ending guess what my favorite line(s) to write was.

Also, any names I used in this fic were themed and/or meaningful. And if one of my running themes of relating winter with life instead of death wasn't apparent, it should be now.

xxx

Death is far from a stranger on a functioning farm. Even though you usually sold your old, infertile goats to the nearest village's butcher instead of culling them yourself, that still left a whole slew of other ways for you to witness it. Illness, lethal injuries, stillbirths, and difficult deliveries that ended badly for the doe or her offspring or both had all occurred on your farm more than once.

You'd accepted it, and your need to hunt, a long time ago, because you loved the simplicity of this kind of life. You loved being mostly self reliant, knowing you could be fully self reliant if need be, and you loved the companionship of the animals you were dependent on.

Sometimes though, the deaths still hurt. Like when River, your first horse and Meadow's mother had died a few years after you'd moved onto the mountain, due to colic. She'd been in so much pain for so long you'd been forced to end her misery with a knife. The senseless guilt you'd felt after had lasted for weeks.

That was the most you'd ever cried over losing an animal, until one spring morning a year after Pero had decided to stay.

You tried to hide how upset you were by the latest death on the farm when you returned to the cottage to cook a morning meal for you both, but as soon as he followed you inside after an hour of chomping wood, you uncharacteristically started sobbing on sight of him.

Eyes filled with concern, your husband silently approached and gathered you up in his arms, kissing your temple as he did so. You took a deep breath and focused on his soothing warmth, his reassuring broad hands that slid up and down your spine, trying to put yourself back together.

"What has you so upset, mi esposa?" he eventually asked, nuzzling the side of your face, his short beard scraping against it lightly.

You stepped away from him, leaned against the kitchen counter top on one hand, and looked back to him. "It's one of Sweets' kids, the one who was sick, I found her dead this morning."

"I'm sorry cariño," he said quietly, dark eyes serious. "I know how hard you tried to save her."

You shook your head and separated yourself from him to look at his face. "It's not that, I could handle that, it has happened several times before, but it's the way Sweets reacted when I removed the body from the paddock. She started beating and desperately searching for her, even though she had her other new kid alongside her, even though the body had been cold when I discovered it. Hearing those sounds from her broke my heart."

"It doesn't help I kept thinking -," you paused, eyes widening as you realized what you'd been about to say.

Pero frowned at the way you'd cut yourself off. "It doesn't help what?" he prompted gently.

You sucked in a deep, shaky breath. You figured you might as well not hide it from him. "It doesn't help I kept imagining what she was feeling. Putting myself in her place. I don't think I could handle it if I lost the baby that way."

"The baby," Pero repeated, lips parting in surprise. He reached out to you and tugged you back to him, his arm looped around your waist. "Mi amor, are you saying what I think you are?"

You nodded, fresh tears flooding your eyes, joy overcoming your trepidation. "I am. It's still early, I'm probably only two months or so along, but I'm certain."

You hadn't bled in that time, and had felt nauseous many times over the previous month, neither of which was normal for you. Your emotions had been all over the place lately too. You'd never been a super stoic character, but you were usually far from the emotional wreck you felt like that morning.

Pero beamed at you and the shock of it left you breathless. It was a rare sight, his smile, let alone one that obvious. He leaned forward and kissed your cheek softly, lovingly, showing more affection than you'd once thought him capable of. "Everything will be alright, cariño," he reassured you.

It was not something he could actually promise, no man could act as a god, but his words comforted you anyway.

"I'll need to find a midwife who would be willing to stay the winter with us," you told him nervously. "If I'm correct, the baby will be born in the final days of the year or the early ones of the next. The passage will be closed off by then. When my sister visits I'll ask her to help me search for one."

Pero caressed your cheek with a thumb. "I'm sure an older one without family to care for would agree to stay with us in exchange for coin and free room and board. If not, I will convince them."

You arched your eyebrows, understanding what he meant. "I appreciate the offer, but please don't threaten any of the village midwives, especially the elderly."

"I cannot make any promises, mi amor."

x

Winter had never come faster. Not because it actually arrived sooner, but because there was so much to do before then. In the late spring you and Pero planted your garden and a part of the field with enough crops to keep all the animals and yourselves through the winter.

In the early summer your sister and her husband visited with their four children, two girls and two boys, and for a week the tiny cottage was chaotic. The children were always running off doing something adventurous while your sister helped you milk the goats and Pero and your brother in law worked together to build an additional room to the cottage.

As summer neared its end and your belly rounded, you began to focus on smaller tasks. You still cooked and cleaned, you still took care of the horses and goats, and some of the weeding in the small garden behind the cottage, but Pero assisted you and he took on the tasks that were more dangerous by himself, like hunting. He did the extra work gladly, wanting to do everything he could for you, never feeling like he could do enough.

Harvest came around and your brother in law returned to help with the crops, the midwife your sister had found for you in tow. Her name was Franny, and she was strict about what you could and could not do, having you rest most of the day when she wasn't helping you knit baby clothes, but she was kind, reminding Pero of the one grandmother he knew for only a decade before she passed. It took him time to get used to another adult being in the cottage for so long, but he figured a newborn would be an even bigger adjustment, so he adjusted.

The first snowfall was almost a shock, the months having flown by in a blur, and Pero began to feel anxious. Even with Franny in the spare room, what would later become the baby's room, being closed off from the village for a whole season with you in your condition and eventually a newborn worried him. So many things could go wrong, you of all people knew that, but you would have never agreed to leave the farm. As far as you were concerned if Franny couldn't help you, nobody could, and he supposed you were probably right.

Your prediction about your due date turned out to be precise, your first pangs of labor beginning during an early afternoon at the start of the new year.

He'd found you in the barn, sitting on a square bale of hay with an arm curled around the huge swell at your abdomen, grimacing as you endured the first painful wave.

And then everything moved far too slow. He helped you into the cottage and watched as Franny got to work, prepping for the delivery, clueless about what he could do. Franny was no help there. Traditional as could be, she would've shooed him out of the cottage for the day, no matter the cold, if you hadn't insisted he stay.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay, as useless as he felt, as fearful as he felt, but he did it for you. He scraped his mind for ways to help all the while, assisting a dubious Franny in setting up the bed for you, gathering enough firewood to keep your home warm for a couple days, and caring for all the animals on his own as quickly as he could before returning to your side to let you squeeze his hand as your contractions continued to strengthen at an agonizingly slow pace.

It wasn't until morning the next day that Franny declared it was time for you to push. She had you sit up in bed and undress halfway with Pero's help before she prompted you to spread your legs and bend your knees. You pressed your back to Pero's chest after, using his body to support your own.

Through gritted teeth you bore down with several contractions, panting and breaking out in a sweat from your efforts. Pero kept his face close to yours, murmuring encouragement into your ear as you struggled. And when you reached back and grasped one of his a thighs tightly in an attempt to distract yourself, he let you, not caring whether or not it bruised under your fingertips if it helped you cope.

As the minutes passed, as you tired, your chest rising and falling rapidly, your legs trembling, he became concerned something might be wrong, but Franny remained calm, continuously urging you to keep going.

"A couple more," she promised you. "A couple more good solid pushes and it'll be over, sweetie. Don't give up now."

Pero saw it in your eyes, the moment you mentally and physically dug your heels in and began pushing with renewed determination, and he was awed, not sure how you'd come by the reserve.

Finally your laboring paid off and you slumped backwards into his arms, relief washing over your face as a sharp wail pierced the air.

He glanced from you to the small, wet infant flailing in Franny's arms, and his world shifted.

Outside, snow began to fall.

x

Ten years later...

"Why do I have to go?" the seven year old girl before you bemoaned. "Why can't I stay here?"

"You're not old enough to stay here by yourself, Stela," you explained. "Your brother wouldn't even be allowed to stay by himself and he's three years older than you."

"He's old," she stated and you couldn't help but chuckle.

"Maybe, but still not old enough."

Stela pouted at you then continued to put on her winter coat and boots, a long dramatic sigh slipping from her as she stood up from the kitchen chair she'd been sitting in. You thought she was far too young to be turning into a moody teenager, but guessed it was the part she'd inherited from her father breaking through.

You finished assisting her five year old sister, Lene, with her coat before leading them both outside into the frigid night. Lene immediately dove head first into the fresh snow layered on the ground gleefully, while her older sister folded her arms and stomped her way over to the front of the barn where Pero and her brother William were waiting for them.

Out of all of your children, William looked most like his father, his eye shape, chin, and nose all miniature copycats of Pero's. Stela had his eyes, but was more like you, physically, and Lene reminded you of your sister. However, they all shared Pero's dark hair and eyes.

"Ready to ride?" Pero quizzed Stela as she trudged right past him. He frowned when she showed no sign of hearing him and met your eyes. "What is she upset about this time?"

"She's angry about being outvoted," you replied. "Said she didn't want to see the stupid lights again and wanted to stay home. She's definitely your daughter."

Pero chuckled and pulled you against him at the hip with one hand as you both trailed your children into the barn to saddle up the horses.

Lene assisted her father with Orion, a four year old colt who was the youngest offspring of the since retired Clover and Thor, grandson to the deceased Meadow, and Pero's new mount. Like his sire, Orion was jet black in color, except for the small crystal shaped star marking that was usually hidden under his forelock. His surprisingly calm disposition was more like Clover though.

Your latest mount, a five year old solid bay mare named Aspen who was Orion's full sibling, was equally as quiet once she'd settled into adulthood, and you had her tacked in no time as Stela watched, still moping.

Last was Thunder, an eight year old bay gelding with a stripe shaped like a lightning bolt running down his face. The most well behaved and eldest offspring of Clover and Thor, Thunder had been assigned to William when he got old enough to start riding on his own.

He was still too tall for William to saddle him, so Pero flung it over the horse's back for him, but the young boy took care of the rest, a true horseman despite his youth.

Once you, Pero, and William led your horses outside the girls approached, Stela hesitantly letting Pero boost her up onto Orion, and Lene begging you to set her in Aspen's saddle. You and Pero climbed on your horses so you were behind them while William found a stump to help propel himself onto Thunder's back.

Someday the children would learn how to ride bareback, but it would not be that night, so you lived with it, though the wind was making you shiver and yearn for the shared body heat.

You led the way up the mountain as was tradition, your family making the trip at least once a winter, more if the children wanted to ride out that far in the dark.

Lene loved it. Loved everything, really. The girl had more positivity and enthusiasm than you and Pero could've ever had combined.

William enjoyed it as well, already into nature as much as you were, and just as quiet about it.

And Stela, well, she often spent most of the ride brooding and complaining about the cold. That night was no different.

Once you reached your destination, you, Pero, and William slowed your horses to a stop a few yards from the edge with your horses shoulder to shoulder so everyone had a great view of the lights.

While the children had grown older (far too quickly), and you and Pero had long since started to grey, the lights had remained the same, seemingly everlasting, tying the years of memories you'd shared together as they shimmered in the sky.

You looked to each of your children in turn and smiled at the delight on their faces, even Stela's, before you glanced to Pero, who was studying your face. You hoped he would never tire of it, cause you certainly wouldn't tire of looking at him, especially when he was holding your middle child by the hip to steady her, to make sure she wouldn't fall off Orion. He was always watching out for his children like that and whenever you witnessed it first hand your heart always threatened to combust.

Fate was not something you'd believed in when you were young, but the older you got, the more you weren't so convinced there wasn't something bigger out there at least nudging you towards the future you were supposed to live out. How else could you have been so lucky to find Pero in time? How else could he have been so lucky to have been chased up your mountain instead of any of the others in the chain that were uninhabited?

One change in events and you'd have never met, or he'd have never turned back come spring. And then you would've never married, and your children would've never been born. You would have spent the rest of your life in tranquility, happy, sure, but never quite fulfilled.

Whether or not fate was real, you were grateful.

You stretched your hand out towards Pero's and he automatically intertwined his fingers with yours, having long lost a hesitancy he'd had towards sharing that kind of intimacy with you.

"Let's head back home," you said simply, and he nodded, turning Orion away from you, for once choosing to take lead.

Guiding you into your future, like you had guided him home.

xxx

Tagged: @elegantduckturtle @harriedandharassed

xxx

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

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[open-hearth-rpg]

#RPGCovers Week Thirteen The Warren (2015) Brennen Reece (Layout and Visual Design)

Sometimes I want clean, smart simplicity. And that’s hard. You can do it with minimalism, but to do it in a way that evokes a feeling, grabs the eye and tells a story, that’s challenging. Bully Pulpit Games has always been great at this– Fiasco, for example, reset the template of what an indie could be and look like. It used simple, distinct graphics in combination with a dynamite font to establish something immediately recognizable. 

And much as I love Fiasco, I want to talk about two of their later games (today & tomorrow). 

I really love the cover of The Warren. It is simple, with only five colors, with one of those being white. I love how the three colors of the background (red, yellow ochre, tan) shift in a rainbow. There’s the feeling maybe of a sunset, with our rabbit silhouette against that. It takes a moment to realize the rabbit’s looking away from us– I don’t know if the silhouette there is in black, but on the printed version the adjacent colors make it look more like a super-deep brown. 

The font is simple and lower case, which is appropriate, matching the background colors. 

And here’s why I think this cover is perfect. It is a rabbit, outlined roughly. We can tell that at a glance. And it could be any rabbit. One of the strengths of The Warren which gets overlooked is the variety of stories, eras, and themes which can be played out. My favorite convention game was run by Renee Knipe, with rabbits living in historical Egypt. If we had a distinct, specific image of a particular rabbit, that would have closed out the imaginative space. 

We would see a rabbit which would lock down things about the breed, the place, the health, of these animals. We might assume it is just a Watership Down game, when it is actually so much more. Instead we get a more universal image. That’s so important in games like this where players do the heavy lifting of collaborative creation. Rather than images that direct them in particular ways, the game offers a token, a platonic shadow that we can move to perceive. 

[therealadothamilton]

Some quotes from one of my favorite articles:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-american-studies/article/erotic-charisma-of-alexander-hamilton/BC911E604C376A4F3CCBFB6F3731B3A0

“During the long intervals between fighting, young ladies of quality often visited army headquarters to flirt and exchange patriotic sentiments with the dashing young officers. In youth and maturity Hamilton loved the ladies and they him; there was scarce a one he could not charm, and none who could not deceive him. They were susceptible to him because of his attentiveness and flirtatious pleasantries, his polished manners, his gracefulness as a dancer, his wit, and his good looks. He was, in the phrase of the time, a very pretty fellow. He had auburn hair, ‘deep blue- almost violet’ eyes, fair skin, and rosy red cheeks. His male friends called him ‘little Hammy’ or ‘the little lion’ - not because he was short, since at 5 feet 7 inches he was of average height or perhaps an inch taller, but because he was light of frame in an age of fat people. Women doubtless called him little things more intimate, and were smitten with his slender elegance and boyish appearance. As for his gullibility in dealing with women, it derived from his romantic exultation of them and from his belief that they found him irresistible.”

‘Hamilton's admirers like him for many reasons, major and minor, and most of these reasons are unknown to his detractors. “He was evidently very attractive,” wrote Henry Cabot Lodge in his 1882 biography, “and must have possessed a great charm of manners, address, and conversation.”’

‘Hamilton was a firebrand – John Adams complained of his “effervescence” – but the common characterization of him as arrogant and domineering does not do him justice. Off the political battlefield he was, his friends testify, cheerful, charming, and witty. A particularly close and longtime friend, Robert Troup (1757–1832), remembered that “his heart was noble, generous, kind, and free from hypocrisy, envy, and jealousy.” Another friend, Judge James Kent (1763–1834), praised Hamilton's personal qualities in the strongest terms: “He was blessed with a very amiable, generous, tender, and charitable disposition, and he had the most artless simplicity of any man I ever knew. It was impossible not to love as well as respect and admire him.”’

‘Hamilton's contemporaries admired his manners and his appearance. His good friend and fellow Federalist Fisher Ames (1758–1808) rhapsodized about him, particularly admiring his eyes (“of a deep azure, eminently beautiful”) and his physical deportment (“one of the most elegant of mortals” with “easy, graceful, and polished movements”). A male contemporary wrote of Hamilton, “His complexion was exceedingly fair and varying from this only by the almost feminine rosiness of his cheeks. His might be considered, as to figure and color, an uncommonly handsome face.”’

'Historians and novelists have echoed such descriptions. In the opening chapter of Founding Brothers, “The Duel,” Joseph Ellis vividly imagines Hamilton and his nemesis Aaron Burr as opposites in both coloring and temperament:

Burr had the dark and severe coloring of his Edwards ancestry, with black hair receding from the forehead and dark brown, almost black, eyes … Hamilton had a light peaches and cream complexion with violet-blue eyes and auburn-red hair, all of which came together to suggest an animated beam of light to Burr's somewhat stationary shadow. Whereas Burr's overall demeanor seemed subdued, as if the compressed energies of New England Puritanism were coiled up inside him, waiting for the opportunity to explode, Hamilton conveyed kinetic energy incessantly expressing itself in bursts of conspicuous brilliance.

In a History Channel special, Gore Vidal also remarked upon the contrast in the two men's coloring, comparing them to checkers on a game board. In his novel Burr, Vidal has Aaron Burr describe his future victim through a gay lens: “As a youth, Hamilton was physically most attractive, with red-gold hair and bright blue eyes and a small but strong body.”

HAMILTON WAS HOT

“Hamilton is the only Founder whose sexual appeal has transcended the eighteenth century,” quipped filmmaker Ric Burns at a 2004 New-York Historical Society panel entitled “Whose Hamilton?”. Testimony to Burns's observation abounds on the Internet. Here Hamilton's heterosexual appeal survives. He seems to be particularly popular among young women, such as college students and women academics (the latter is what prompted Burns's quip). One admirer writes,

Man, looking closely at a ten dollar bill, I noticed that Alexander Hamilton is pretty hot. I mean, beautiful eyes framed by bold eyebrows, great skin, a strong jawline, perfect chin, and very kissable lips. Yes, that man was quite a hottie.

On another website, a young woman confided,

I'm posting two little known portraits of one of my historical crushes and fave dead guys, Alexander Hamilton. The sensual mouth he has in these pics almost makes one want to swoon … Imagine being the lucky woman (or women in his case) to kiss that mouth. He looks so divine in blue!

In another post entitled “Alexander Hamilton Was Hot,” Angie confided to her readers,

About seven years ago I was in New York for a wedding when I walked by Alexander Hamilton's grave at Trinity Church and told my friend Jennifer that I thought Alexander Hamilton was hot … why the Alexander Hamilton story? Because I'm a gigantic dork with next to no life, tonight I'm watching Alexander Hamilton's American Experience thingie and I'm super-excited about it

This post inspired a sympathetic comment from dav (female):

From the faint memory of my American history, I'm thinking Hamilton was a pretty good guy though he and Jefferson fundamentally couldn't get along … Oh, and he was totally hot.

On her Facebook page, a student named Alex began a long discussion with the following post:

Let's face it, he was pretty freakin' sweet. He was a cynical, illegitimate son of a rich nobleman, he was raised in poverty. and he was the only founding father who wasn't technically american. not to mention, he got killed in a duel A DUEL! HE'S AWESOME! To clinch my deal: find one of the new 10$ bills. Look at his portrait: have you ever seen such a foxy founding father? I say Nay. Alexander Hamilton was HOT. HOT and a BADASS. Who's with me?

The long discussion ended with this post from a Hong Kong admirer named Crystal:

Completely and utterly in love with him. Despise Aaron Burr with passion.

History and biography are present in these encomia, but clearly Hamilton has become a celebrity. The romance of his life story increases his allure. Once historical figures become transhistorical celebrities, their popularity is enhanced, but their complexity and contradictions are diminished. We are accustomed to a kind of celebrity necrophilia in which living people fall in love with dead movie stars and entertainers. James Dean and Marilyn Monroe are icons of doomed desire. It is all the more interesting, therefore, that a historical figure whose voice, smile, and physical movements have long been extinguished and were never recorded on celluloid can continue to generate an erotic charge.

[adrunkskeletonsduck]

Could I request a neytiri x fem reader from the first movie?? The reader is falling in love with her a similar way as jake. Maybe she doesn’t allow them to destroy the tree? That would be so great!!! I just love your writing!!! <3333 Thank you!!

“Tʜᴇ Lɪɢʜᴛ Sʜᴏᴛ Dɪᴀᴍᴏɴᴅs Fʀᴏᴍ Hᴇʀ Eʏᴇs”

➜ Pairing: Neytiri x fem!reader

➜ Summary: You reflect on the past few months under The Tree of Voices, regretting the lies you'd fed the girl who lay next to you.

➜ Warnings: Guilt, light angst, fluff

➜ Word Count: 1.5k

➜ Notes: This took me an ungodly amount of time to write, my apologies.

A liar.

That’s what you were. There was nothing about the past three months that hadn't been a lie, and this was by far the cruelest one you’d ever told, because this lie would destroy everything The People had ever known. They’d been rightfully skeptical about you, shunning you and casting you glares for the first few weeks, but as your lessons progressed, they’d warmed up to you and slowly you’d gained their trust. Just like you’d been sent to do. Well not all of them, mostly the children, but most of the older Omitikaya still resented you.

Neytiri had been the former, warming up to as you learned, and you wished she hadn't. Now you wished so badly that she’d never began to trust you. Maybe then it would save her the betrayal.

The People didn’t deserve this – Neytiri didn’t deserve this.

You deserved to be beaten until you were bloody and bruised for the façade, you’d put on for all these weeks, not smiled down upon by an angel such as herself as she led you through the most beautiful of places on Pandora. Your heart was heavy with guilt as you watched her in front of you, the knowledge of the evils you were about to bring upon her and her people burning it.

Neytiri was bright, she was brilliant and beautiful. She loved her people dearly, they were family, her fortress. She loved the animals and the forest, she had a deep bond with Eywa, and her love for the Great Mother only seemed to grow by the day. She was adventurous, basking in the thrill of a close call just like you. She was empathetic and caring. She was skilled with a bow, being able to shoot an arrow like no other, and she was proud. So very proud, and you could only predict that it would get her into trouble one day. The thought made you laugh a bit. She didn’t like the thought of being bound by responsibility, simply wanting to live her youth. She was everything you could've have asked for and more.

She deserved the world.

But you couldn’t give it to her. Only destroy it.

You supposed not everything was a lie. At least not anymore. Your love for the forest wasn’t. Neytiri had grown and nurtured it, showing you every beautiful detail in the endless landscape of vines and trees that were home to amazing species of animals, decorated in bright colors and stripes. There was nothing that she had missed to teach you about when it came to the forest and her people. She would go on and on about networks of energy that flowed through every living thing. She spoke about the value of every life, no matter how small or large, sophisticated or crude. At first, you’d discarded her words, nodded absent mindedly and internally scuffed at their teachings. Day after day she spoke of it though, and slowly you began to see the forest through her eyes. Slowly you understood.

You understood the way the Na’vi lived was beautiful, something that you’d never realized you’d earned for until you’d come here. You admired the lack of industrialization and the simplicity of their way of life. The harmony they lived in with the animals, the value they placed on life – something that had somehow slipped from the hands of humanity. There was nothing savage about these people, quite the opposite in fact. They were honest and kind. They viewed each other not as simply neighbors, but as family. The only crime they had ever committed was not allowing humanity to walk over them.

Neytiri had opened your eyes, taught you how to see. Now you’d pay her back with the blood of her people and the sting of betrayal.

Much like the forest and Pandora, every little thing about her had become beautiful to you. The sparkles in her eyes as she spoke about something that excited her and the way her voice rose a pitch higher, her words becoming faster ever so slightly. The subtle sway of her hips as she walked, or the way her braids moved delicately with each step. The way her skin shone as the light hit it and her lips that stretched into a wide smile when you’d say something not so funny, but she’d laugh anyway. Her voice, smooth and sweet. You could listen to her talk for hours.

Every moment with her had been magical, each one more rose tinted then the last as you fell harder and harder. Archery lessons would make your stomach burst into butterflies at the close proximity the two of you shared as she made sure your form was proper and bow was lined up with the target properly. At first, she had kept the contact at a minimal, jumping away from you as if your touch had burned her, but now she would take her time, easing into your presence.

Ikran riding was one of your favorite pass times with her. Watching as the window blew through her hair, the light cascading down on her skin, casting a beautiful – almost angelic – glow as she maneuvered through the sky. Language lessons were hard, but she made it all the better, and despite your frustration you couldn’t help but grin as she shook her head at your stupidity.

There was a pond not too far away from Home-Tree that Neytiri would drag you to before dinner, but after it had gotten dark, leading you into the water with her for a nightly swim. The water was always a lukewarm temperature, and it was always refreshing after a long day tracking through dirt and mud in such a warm climate. Sometimes the two of you would only stay in the water for a short while, getting out before even thirty minutes had passed. Other times you’d stay in for an hour or more, only getting out when your fingers began to prune or you were sick of watching fish dart through the water, their underbelly's illuminated in greens and purples from the luminescent pond floor. Then when you’d get out, you’d dry yourselves and help Neytiri squeeze the water out of her hair, insisting that she never got all the water out and you’d do it for her. Just another excuse to be close to her.

But today, today held all your favorite moment with her by far. You’d officially become part of the people that day, and the already high tension between the two of you had risen even higher, like water boiling over as she painted you with white lines that ran from your head to toes. Each delicate drag of her fingers setting your skin ablaze under them. The scene had felt intimate, maybe more than it was, but to brief for your liking before you had to step out and presenting yourself to the rest of the clan. Her mother had placed a hand over your chest, her father to your side and Neytiri to your left. She’d beamed up at you, smiling with what could only be describes as pride and it made your chest warm to know you’d made her proud.

That night she’d dragged you away from Home-Tree to, Utral Aymokriyä, The Tree of Voices. You’d pretended to be reluctant to go with her, trying to hide how eager you were to get a moment alone together. She’d run through the forest with such energy and excitement to show you this place that was so sacred to her people it was you’d hardly been able to keep up. That’s when the tension had broken between the two of you, under the purple and pink lights of Utral Aymokriyä and you were so glad it did because whatever new found thing you had now was so much better than the dancing around your feelings had been. It was real, and beautiful, genuine, and pure.

Well as pure as it could have been with the type of secret you were keeping.

“What are you thinking about?” Neytiri whispered, pulling you from your thought, her eyes scanning your face tiredly as she lay against you. Her legs were tangled between yours, one arm slung around your neck and the other by her head on your chest as she lay on your chest. You looked down at her.

“You,” your answer made her lips stretch into a small smile, a soft giggle escaping her. The sound made your heart flutter.

“What about me?” She pressed. You grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead with a thoughtful hum, pretending to take a moment to think.

“Everything I love about you,” you finally said after an exaggerated pause. Her sleepy smile only widened.

“What are those things?” her eyelids begin to slip shut as she finishes the question, the smile on her face beginning to fade as exhaustion takes hold of her.

“The list is to long to start now, we’d be laying here all night if I was to begin,” you whispered to her, raking a hand through her hair soothingly, lulling her to sleep. A moment later her chest began to rise and fall in a steady rhythm, her breath evening and her face relaxing, the peace of sleep pulling her under.

“Get some sleep my love,” you whispered to her sleeping form, “tomorrow's going to be a long day.”

Taglist: @cherridile @aonungmybf @aurora-starwars 

[basedkikuenjoyer]

"The capacity for evil is but one ingredient in the human soul."

Women are rejoicing in the streets. Authoritarian state media is on high alert. It's the after hours sensation sweeping the nation, Late Night Togashiposting. The 100 sub spectacular edition. This time we're not tangentially tying it to potential references that drifted into One Piece down the line. At least not beyond just talking about Kurama which means illustrating squarely where there is an open final spot on the Straw Hat crew. This time it's more about the Chapter Black. Because the world has been making me think of it.

The actual tape, the MacGuffin of the titular saga. If you're unfamiliar, the villain Sensui manipulated his allied psychics with it. It's a VHS tape, but because YuYu Hakusho was trying to be modern in a way that ended up making it an awesome 90s period piece in hindsight it's a magic Spirit World VHS tape. I swear this man has a fascination with them. Imagine the ultimate snuff film, back in the day this was the equivalent of urban legends about horrific videos online. Chapter Black is a record of the most haness human acts. Make no mistake, Togashi had balls here. We call out shit that is clearly referencing the Holocaust and bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. In an era where you don't get that on point in mainstream manga.

Believe it or not this is one of the cheerier images. We learn of the tape through a defector, Mitarai or "Seaman." A bullied kid who cracked after seeing Chapter Black. Recall Sensui's whole thing is being a straight-up groomer to some of his followers. His breakdown is some powerful stuff, but I always liked how hero Yusuke was able to shrug it off. Remarking he sees it everyday on the 6 o'clock news but never feels it's a reason to give in. Prompting the Kurama quote from the start here. I always loved the wrinkle of him lowkey being seduced by the appeal of it. The anime having a bigger group for the scene adds so much. Keiko breaking at hearing some of the things, Genkai quietly fuming the entire time...YuYu Hakusho really is an oddball where the manga gave way to a better anime that got so much better dubbed in English that continues to age like the finest wine.

I don't know if any story beat encapsulates this better than the simplicity of the Chapter Black tape. It's become one of the most prescient parts of the series. In a world where you can pick any boogeyman and find a community of people just stewing in hatred towards it, marinating in a steady drip of laser-guided examples one VHS compilation almost sounds quaint.

Where Togashi really shines here though is how it affects people differently. I love how Mitarai is the one trying to justify it by functionally calling Yusuke privileged. While it's true Urameshi didn't grow up in a warzone he was clearly the one of the pair who had a rougher life and also the one who just didn't get how it'd warp someone. Because deep down Seaman wanted revenge, the tape was nurturing something dark that was already there. Villains never want to think of themselves as such. It's so real, so raw. So relevant to today.

[demonslayedher]

Why do you like Demon Slayer so much?

I---I don't know, Anon, w-why do you like breathing so much?

...because BREATH TECHNIQUE LOOKS WICKED AWESOME AMIRITE!??!!?

UFOTABLE MADE SUCH A FREAKING COOL LOOKING ANIME that both looks and sounds amazing with all that care put into it HOW COULD I NOT LOVE IT!? Such good source material too, ALL HAIL WANI-SENSEI!!!!

Or rather, to more eloquently express myself, I'll answer this in two parts: the "why" and "so much."

Why do I like it?

- Simplicity

It's a classic Good .vs. Evil story, a triumph of working hard and working together. It's Coming of Age and Hero's Journey, all themes that never get old because they're really good themes. KnY isn't even that fresh of a take if you boil it down to this, but it didn't need to reinvent the wheel, it just needed to be a good wheel to keep the story going.

I was grateful it ended when it did, it had a goal to accomplish and everything in the story worked toward that goal. I've fallen away from adventure shounen because I can never stay interested in super long series that get mercilessly extended past their natural life as cash cows. Not to sound like a Swamp Demon here, but this manga got to end while it was still young and beautiful.

The fighting mechanisms are complex enough to be fun to explore, but it's not as complicated as other shounen series, making the barrier to entry lower for first-time anime viewers. That's part of why I think it's been so successful. Plus, even though we get things like Red Blades and Marks later, their existence as ultimate techniques was in place from the start, so they felt believably set up and paid off. They made sense within the world building, even if they had to be dropped on the readers later so as to weekly serialization interesting.

It tackles deep themes, but doesn't overcomplicate them. Muzan being a simple villain and Tanjiro simply being good-hearted created interesting tension just fine, the motivations throughout the cast keep the story nicely driven.

- Depth

Although the story, world, and characters are simple enough for people of all ages and familiarity with anime to enjoy, if you want to scratch deeper than the surface level, the hundreds of thousands of words of meta and cultural background throughout my blog go to show that it's very, very easy to bury yourself deeper in it. In my case I already have years of obsession with Japanese culture to build on, so KnY fit very nicely into my niche. I already love samurai and oni and swords and such so that was already playing to my knowledge, but as a passionate nerd, it's also given me lots and lots of exciting new material to learn more about. But more about that later, suffice to say here that Gotouge is a very, very knowledgeable gator.

- Characters

THEY ARE JUST GOOD AND FUN AND UNIQUE DESIGNS IN THE FIRST PLACE, but also, I don’t feel like I already know these characters from other anime. Many of them defy being typecast, and even the ones that do feel like like other characters in a plethora of anime have such a unique spin to make them stand out in my heart. I'm sure I could be a nerd for plenty of other series, but it takes the right characters to make a fangirl.

Also, my emotions got manipulated excellently; I like Tanjiro and immediately wanted to root for him, but I ha-a-a-ated most of the rest of the cast until I got to spend a teeny-tiny bit more time with them, and then I liked them hopelessly. I got totally strung along and I love it when I can get strung along like this.

Why do I like it so much?

A lot of that comes down to my personal recipe of brain soup and the situation I already felt stuck in by the time I got into KnY, a few months prior to the pandemic. Watching the anime and feeling really into it came as a comfort while I was finding myself in what felt more like a situation than a good career move and feeling frustrated with the second draft of a novel which wasn't working. Then just as I had hoped there might be some improvements to my situation which I was holding out for, the pandemic changed everyone's plans.

Simply put, the isolation and stress in those early stages of the pandemic both gave me lots of time to explore and write fanfic and made me rely a lot on the joy I got out of KnY, and then I got so practiced at making KnY fanwork that this blog became like my bonsai I could cultivate in peace while most other things in life have continued to feel out of control. And dang it, I'm good at cultivating this bonsai of a blog! It's gratifying to feel good at something when real life is making you feel otherwise!

Hopefully the upcoming new start in a new city and in a new job that'll hopefully make me feel good at things again and provide some smidge more control over my life will make me less reliant on KnY for such a big share of my happy hormones, but...

THE HYPE IS PART OF WHAT I LOVE

IT IS

SO MUCH FUN BEING OBSESSED WITH A MAINSTREAM PHENOMENON

THERE ARE THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY EVERYWHERE

I SAY THESE CHARACTER NAMES AND EVERYONE KNOWS WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME

IT STAYS ON MY BRAIN BECAUSE IT IS EVERYWHERE

AND THIS IS SO COOL

[earthyaries]

hi!!! I love your blog so much and think you’re amazing ☆ I’m submitting this for a style reading. I sent the payment through cash app (I really hope it worked because I’ve never done it before). For general info, I am 5’6, light skinned African American, and a female. Thank you so much in advance. Have a great day 🩶

Hi !! Thank u so much 🫶🏻 & yes I received the payment :) I rlly enjoyed working on this reading for u so I hope you like it !

1H - Leo ASC + Leo moon & Jupiter: GOLD. Earth tones + animal prints. Gold/bronze jewelry. Sharp, catlike eyeliner. You have a sensual, carnal vibe which can be accentuated. Consider growing your hair out & keeping it auburn or dark. Claw-like nails. Nose rings. High-quality fabrics. Play around w faux fur, faux leathers, feathers, netting, + fringe. Glowy, bronzed makeup looks.

2H - Virgo/Libra: The 2H is all about self esteem, so incorporating the 2H into the way we style ourselves will give us more self confidence. You'll feel your best when keeping up w your maintenance/having a beauty regimen + when mixing feminine & masculine styles. Virgo appreciates attention to detail + simplicity; stick to a few main colors + neutrals. Play around w textures when layering, rather than wearing multiple different colors or patterns at once. You should avoid looking too “busy”, so as not to take away from your physical appearance. Libra is the masculine sign of Venus, which focuses on beauty, but also in equality. Wearing both feminine & masculine silhouettes + styles, especially together (when done right), will be most flattering on you.

Sun in Capricorn (5H): The sun rules over self expression; we can use our sun signs as a tool for fashion, & doing so will bring forth more confidence, as well as make us feel more in tune w our charts. Your sun is in Capricorn in the 5H; you may be strict w yourself when it comes to your image. Your style should be practical & work well w your lifestyle. In the 5H, you are creative. Once you find what feels true to you, stick to it. Create a brand/image for yourself using your style. Slowly morph your closet into this, getting rid of all that does not align w you.

Venus in Scorpio (4H): Venus rules over personal aesthetics & all things "beauty". Your Venus is in Scorpio, which means you are drawn to the erotic; however, Scorpio ruling things “hidden”, you may prefer to cover-up at times- especially having Venus in your 4H, the house of comfort. Suggestive, rather than provocative. A long figure-hugging dress, a cropped shirt paired w a jacket, etc. Look at model-off-duty wear to get some inspo. Incorporate deep tones into your wardrobe; rich mocha browns, soft blacks, + dark emeralds for night looks. When you are dressing down, elevate the look w minimalistic accessories & a bit of hair/makeup. Scorpio likes to go unseen at times, but the rest of your placements will thank you for keeping it refined.

Thank you for booking w me 🤍

[gearsandbranches]

Why am I here? It´s storytime

Today I want to write about something different. About something personal. About the reason this blog exists and why I´ve created it in the first place. About nature and love and anger and hope.

In 2020, the profile picture of this blog was taken:

It was taken on a solo hike through Sweden, a hike that didn´t go as planned from the beginning, but couldn´t possibly have been more impactful and fantastic and marvellous than it was.

I wanted to follow the Southern Kungsleden, a hiking path from the southernmost mountain ranges in Sweden northwards. I had planned this meticulously, every single day, every grocery store availiable (there were three spread out over the 18 day hike), every ecological zone I would be in, every possible spot to spend the night. And I got stopped in my tracks on day two, because I landed in the middle of snowmelt and bad weather and it just wasn´t doable, even less so alone. I had to reconsider, get out of there, back to safety, and plan again. And when I set out on the second part of that adventure, after a few chaotic days, my planning consisted only of a biking map in a way too big scale to be of any use, the actual map, diverted into 10 pdf´s on my phone, and a vague scrolling through a few travelling blogs.

The second hike was the Siljansleden, a hiking path around one of the biggest lakes in Sweden (but when they say "around", it means, 30 kilometers away from it and then back in a biiig sweep). It was me, alone, in deep forest, populated by moose, wolves, bears, wolverines, lynxes, and many other things that hikers are afraid of. But you still have to sleep somehow, so you have to find your peace with that. And I did it by seeing myself as just one more creature of that forest going about my business. Trying not to bother anyone. Trying not to get into anyones way. Just one of the many beings roaming the vast forests, not to disturb and not to be disturbed. I slept in a tent in the middle of the forest, and in the depth of night, when nothing was to be heard but the whistle of the wind in the trees, when the bright midsummer night spread a soft, shadowless light around, I felt safe, calm and deeply at peace.

And so I went on, for 2 weeks, alone with the forest except for 2 stops in small towns where I stocked up on food and rest. Just me and the forest and the occasional chat with a friendly stranger. I encountered animals of different kinds (including a lynx, that was magical, but to be alone with a cat whose head is almost as big as yours at 2,5 meters distance in the middle of the night is, let´s say, INTENSE). I had good and bad and fantastic days, and while I wouldn´t necessarily say that hiking alone in the wilderness is an easy life, it is a simple one: stay warm, stay fed, stay hydrated, stay dry, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. During those two weeks, I turned from a stranger and a visitor in the forest to someone who was at home there. Coming back to civilization afterwards was shocking and jarring, as dramatic as that sounds. I had to walk along a road to the campground in the town of my destination, it was 1,5 kilometres and it almost drove me to tears. The asphalt was too hard and too hot, the sun getting reflected off of it weirdly, the road wasn´t even super busy, but the cars where so loud and it was just TOO MUCH! Was that really meant for us humans to live in? Why? It took a long time to get used to it again, and I never did the way I was before. I also never step into a forest in the same way I did before. Even though I don´t think I could immediately sleep as calmy out in the forest as I did then, the feeling of being at home there still echoes. I know it´s possible. I know what it feels like, to just be one more creature of the forest, to be embraced by it. I know if I went back for a few days, I would feel the same simplicity and joy and peace again. Now, imagine what it feels like when that forest is cut down.

There was a strip of forest that was a former nature reservation close to where I live. Ten acres of it got cut down last year to built a bigger road with three roundabouts. I´ve known this patch of forest. I biked on a trail in it back from work. I´ve explored it with skis and by foot and collected mushrooms there. It was beautiful and it was erased for a stupid road project that won´t solve any of the problems it´s being built for, because bigger roads have seldomly led to less traffic, quite the opposite. We protested, we talked with the city government, we screamed and begged, but it still happened. Our local community then met up after the forest was cleared, to celebrate our activism if nothing else, to mourn together and to find comfort in community. I went there and I saw the destruction and I was FURIOUS! I´m normally a positive, peaceful person, but that made me just BURN with anger. I wanted to DO something, SCREAM at someone, throw a molotov cocktail into the office of the municipality and watch it burn, just as they had watched that forest fall without feeling anything. Quite possibly without knowing what they had destroyed, because they had never been in or with the forest in the same way. I was so incredibly angry and I wanted SOMEONE who was responsible for this to hurt as much as I did. And then I started to collect cones. Because more destruction wouldn´t lead anywhere and because I wouldn´t change anything by being sued for vandalism. It wouldn´t make anything better. But I collected cones and dried them and put the seeds in one of the planting pots on my balcony. And now I wait and hope that they´ll grow in the spring and that I will find a safe place for them to grow big. The trees that were growing in that spot are gone, but maybe their offspring will have a chance.

I still struggle with that anger. It makes me hateful and cruel and I think about spitting that hatred into the faces of every person responsible for environmental destruction. But I start to understand that this anger is not leading anywhere good. My mom once told me a proverb that says "holding a grudge is like poisoning yourself and hoping the other person dies". Being angry won´t lead anywhere and throwing that anger at the immovable wall that is world politics is only going to leave me drained and depressed. So I try to put my energy somewhere else. Planting trees. Working together with the local activist group. Finishing my studies and working for a better future. I still get angry. But I will try to channel it in a different way. Like writing a blog post about it and trying to update more often to spread the knowledge I gained at university and elsewhere.

Thank you for reading this far and I hope you have a wonderful day!

(PS: if by any chance (which is close to 0) that story about the hike sounded familiar, I do have a side blog where I wrote about it before, named @theopeneye)

[ultracrepiderianmuch]

A rant on my new favorite Txt album by a music enjoyer:

Growing Pain : THAT'S HOW YOU DO ROCK. I am not a huge fan of this sound, nor did I grow up with this sound, but it sounds so good and is honestly enhanced cause of the VOCALSSS. Production is fantastic.

Dreamer: What can I even say about this rnb MASTERPEICE. The vocals were everything. It is just heavenly, but I really wanted a 'BRIDGE'. The instrumental was good, too. It's one of my favorites from the album.

Deep down: I am not a fan of Edm at all, but it is more on the house side. The lyrics are so beautiful. It really feels like an end of an era. I think a person who loves house music will vibe with it so much.

Happily ever after : Such a magical song it is so good. The melodies, the vocals, the lyrics, and my god, the prettiest LA LA LA LAs you will ever here. It is honestly becoming my fav track by txt ever. Kai and his high note. I could cry. My jaw was on the floor when I first heard it .

Skipping stones: I wasn't sure it was my vibe in the first 29 to 30 seconds of this song. But as soon as it started to progress more and more It gave me major Day 6 vibes (if you know you know). LOVED IT.

Blue spring: It is just straight out of an anime youth ost. It is just a cute song. I don't like the chorus that much, but it is still such a great song, and I'm sure it will grow on me more. (The live version will always be precious)

Chasing the feeling: One of my favorite songs from the 80s genre. It is everything to me. The VOCALS were vocaling. I love the structure and the simplicity. I love the english ver. even more, and singing along is so fun.

I think as of right now except the title track Dreamers and Happily ever after are my favorites. Which is your favorite track ?

[imnobodyuknow]

Nyanpasu!

Well, you'll never believe this (unless you're an anime nerd like me) -- as soon as I finished watching the first season of Spy x Family, I decided to jump to something else I've been a fan of for quite some time: The sweet slice-of-life anime, Non Non Biyori!

More specifically, its third season: Non Non Biyori Nonstop!

That was the only season available on Crunchyroll, sadly. 😒 If anyone knows where I can watch the first two seasons, I'd be much obliged if you could fill me in!

Luckily, it's the kind of anime whose seasons (and even episodes) you can watch out of order without missing any context, for the most part. Mark my words, I'll watch the first two seasons at some point, but for now, here are my thoughts on the third season of this lovable anime with adorable characters living in the Japanese countryside:

...Oh, right! A brief description first. Non Non Biyori is about a group of schoolchildren living the country life in the fictional countryside village of Asahigaoka. The meaning of the title, "Non Non Biyori," has never been established by the show's creator, but according to the observant people out there in internet land, it could be a combination of the words "Nonbiri," which means "live carefree," and "Biyori," which means "weather." (Oddly enough, I once thought it translated to "Day After Day," and I have no idea where I got that from. 😅) As someone whose fluency in Japanese is limited to the simplest of words, I can't say who's right or wrong, but I like the idea of the title meaning something like, "Weather for Living Carefree." 😊

All right, on to the reviewin'!

In terms of beautiful scenery (which is often shown for several seconds at a time with the sounds of nature, which helps the viewer take it in):

In terms of gorgeous (if simple) character art and animation:

In terms of fun, pleasant music:

In terms of cute and hilarious interactions between characters:

In terms of portraying the carefree, fun-loving nature of children:

In terms of decency:

(There's a bit of light language here and there, but when it comes to anime, I'll take what I get.)

And finally, in terms of reminding viewers of the innocence (and shenanigans) of childhood, the beauty of nature, and the joys of country living:

So, while this may not be the type of anime you'd go to if you're looking for fast-paced action, intense emotion, or a deep plotline, one can't help but admire the simplicity and innocence found in it. If you need a break from the craziness and crudeness one usually finds in anime, this is definitely the one to go to. Not too eventful, but not too boring, either. 👍

My one complaint is that no English dub of the show exists. I know it's a challenge to create an anime dub that works well, but if Spy x Family could pull it off with a little girl like Anya, I can see it potentially working if someone ever felt like giving it a try. I can't be the only one who wants to hear an English-speaking Renge Miyauchi, can I?

But for now, I guess we'll have to settle for just imagining it. Which is actually a pretty fun challenge, I've found. 😄