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svmjaeyvn · 4 months

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love maze, s.jy.

chapter two pairing: jake x afab!reader word count: tbd (series)

masterlist

add yourself to the taglist here!

genre: college!au, mutual friends, fake dating, smut.

synopsis: an unfortunate encounter, drunken mistakes, and a sort of (definitely) stalker leads jake sim ‘dating’ his best friend’s childhood crush.

or, your life gets intertwined with a rich boy’s in attempt to not get sued by his crazy personal fangirl and like with all good cliches, sex overcomplicates things.

contents: smut, sort of strangers to fuck buddies to lovers pipeline, childhood best friend!jay, mentions of best friend! yunjin, curly haired & mixed reader, uni!au, rich nepo baby!jake, enha frat boys, lots of kissing, fake dating turning into fwb real quick, totally way too into it for it to be fake early on, big booty reader that’s jake’s obsessed with, partying and alcohol use, slight violence, he fell first and harder trope, stem bf & writer gf, (kinda overly) possessive jake, some angst to spice things up, daddy issues, hyper independent reader who struggles with her feelings, fluff and happy ending!!

a/n: hello~ i’ve never been a tumblr girly but i have went through my w*ttpad era back in 2018 so bare with me y’all. this will be a series but not that long (i hope) so pls look forward to it. warning tags will be placed before each “chapter” to specify what to expect. pls pls reblog and interact, i’d love to have feedback and see what your thoughts are. okay! yay, for now enjoy and thank you sm :D

MDNI, 18+

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CHAPTER TWO: INTOXICATING

previous masterlist next

word count: 1.9k

warnings: alcohol, partying, mentions of yeonjun for funzies, jake thinking with his dick even after what just happened so sort of questionable???

a/n: bare with me i’m trying to build the plot a little bit

YOU DIDN’T KNOW how you ended up back at the frat house. Truly, the party was in full swing and after dealing with the encounter that you did, it would've made the most sense to go home and cry it all out, maybe eat some ice cream for dinner and watch a few romcoms. But that wasn't the case due to Yunjin sending you a text saying how she wouldn't be coming home for the night, the date seemingly going well and you didn't have it in you to ruin her night by telling her of yours.

Thus, uncomfortable with being left alone, you opted to go the other route and surround yourself with as many people as possible. Though, the boys hadn't wandered far, keeping you in sight at all times and Jay particularly staying by your side no matter how many times you told him to still enjoy himself knowing how much of a social butterfly he was a majority of the time. Your work uniform was disregarded in his room, changed into a spare pair of flare jeans and lacy top to fit in with the party, courtesy of the few clubbing nights you went to with him and ended up spending the night, leaving your clothes in his dirty laundry after stealing large hoodies and sweats.

All bad things could be washed away with alcohol, or so they said. Thus, you were on your fourth round of shots in the last 30 minutes with a random group who made their way in the kitchen, never one to have been a lightweight but typically better at timing your drinking. Jay was growing particularly antsy by your actions, knowing you were acting out of the need to forget but he didn't want to let you drink irresponsibly.

"Why don't you slow down a bit, yeah teeny?" Jay asks, leaned close to your ear for you to hear over the loud blaring of music. Attempting to take away the can of Twisted Tea, something you typically hated by the taste but tonight didn't seem to care, while you pull it back with a pointed look.

"I'm fine," You emphasize, words clear and steady, the alcohol not hitting you yet much to your relief. Glancing around, you make eye contact with the umpteenth girl who had been shooting daggers your way for keeping Jay occupied thus far. "If you don't go away I'm gonna end up getting jumped tonight by your fangirls," You add with a small snort.

Jay followed your gaze, turning to the girl who's face morphed from a glare into a sickenly sweet smile as she waved at him with a bite of her lip, attempting to be seductive but he merely snorts at the gesture. "Pretty sure she got chlamydia from a dude in the drama department,"

You scrunched up your nose, finding the information one you didn't need to know. "At least you know better than to fuck anyone that offers," Taking a long sip of your drink once more, the slight burn in your throat becoming easier to bare. "Alright, I'm gonna go dance. You go do anything else,"Jay shakes his head almost immediately causing you to send him a bored look. "I'm fine dude, honest. You need to stop worrying so much. Nothing actually happened,"

"You're not in the right headspace," He protests but you let out a small snort.

"Jesus, dude, you act like an overprotective brother,"

"I am!" Jay defends while you shake your head.

"We're not even related!" You shoot back but his jaw drops in offense.

"We were born a week apart, our moms have been friends since high school. We're basically twins, I know you better than yourself," He lists off, deeply concerned by the way you were disregarding your twins in another life theory that your families always joked of since you were young.

"I'm definitely not your twin, you know why?" You start, standing up from the kitchen island with a small smirk playing at your lips. Your head began to feel fuzzy, the start of your buzz coming and the tension from earlier leaving you slowly but surely. "I'm hotter," You finish, a cocky look playing at your features while Jay rolls his eyes.

"Right, and which one of us gets laid?"

"Hey!" You hiss, waggling a finger in his direction. "I don't hook up by choice. Y'all are nasty,"

"And because you're a hermit who doesn't see the light of day," He snickers causing you to narrow your eyes at him.

Decidedly having enough of the banter, you merely spin on the heels of your feet. "Bye Jay!" You call over your shoulder making your way toward the living room which was lively and loud, body's meshed together and dancing to whatever song that was blaring through the speakers that sounded through the house.

Jay let out a sigh of defeat, pulling out his phone to do a headcount of where everyone was. Thankfully, Heeseung and Jake were in the general area you were, him asking them to keep an eye on you for the time being and getting a thumbs up in response.

Heeseung was on the dance floor, a random girl he never met before tonight swaying herself pressed up against his hips. He looked lively, a few more shots in and just wanting to mess around for the time being. You spotted the tall boy momentarily in the jumble of people who nodded over to you ensuring that you were okay, a nod you returned reassuring him and he took it as enough to go back to his business.

Meanwhile, Jake was on the sidelines, leaned up against the wall as he spotted you the moment you walked over. Far too caught up with the events from earlier, he found it hard to enjoy himself, feeling partially sorry for you but also having an unpleasant pit in his stomach, not necessarily angry but he couldn't exactly pinpoint it.

He continued to sip at the cup of punch Jungwon had conducted up, only drinking it due to how excited the younger boy was of his creation but it was entirely too strong for anyone to stomach more than one cup.

His eyes continued to glance over you, taking in each of your curves that was showed off by the tightness of your jeans. They hugged your ass in the right places, emphasizing the perky shape before beginning to flare out from the knee down. The lacy black top was cropped, showing a good portion of your stomach due to the mid rise of your pants, the deep v-plunge neckline providing more to the imagination in seeing your breast that were pushed up with your bra. The shiny gleam that came off of your naval piercing catching Jake by surprise, having to do a double take to ensure he was seeing things correctly.

You were attractive, that was obvious enough. Although slightly shameful, he couldn't help but rake his eyes over you, thoughts filling his head imagining what it would be like to have you under him, staring up with that daze-y doe eyed look that would make him bend to of any of your desires.

But there was a problem with that. He wasn't the only one with eyes, able to see you and the way you swayed your body to the music, your tiny waist and full thighs that he wanted to die between if so lucky. Jake took note of the few guys who's glances began to wander toward you, even ones who had already claimed their fuck buddies for the night and danced alongside them all while drooling at you who danced by yourself.

He watched as a familiar face make his way toward you. Choi Yeonjun, cool dude to be friends with, horrible guy to date. His reputation preceded him in more ways than one, notorious for stringing girls along week by week and the worst part was they knew of his doings. It was embarrassing how they fought to be his newest toy for the day, a sort of achievement to the girls he's strung along to say they've ticked hooking up with Yeonjun off their list.

Yeah, not happening. Jake didn't know if it was due to him still feeling protective due to you unintentionally calling him for help, or rather the more sinful thoughts that passed through his head moments ago and not wanting to sit and watch you to become a new trophy to a guy like Choi Yeonjun.

Picking himself up from where he was leaned back, Jake took a large swig of his now lukewarm concoction of liquors. Weaving his way through the crowd, he pushes his way to you just as Yeonjun stops in front of your view.

Wrapping an arm around your shoulders, Jake leans close to your ear. "Go along with it," He whispers, catching you by surprise as you were previously engrossed by the music in your own little world, unaware that two of the most lusted over guys at the party were having a silent debate over you at the moment.

Feeling the alcohol now coursing through your bloodstream, you obliged by Jake's words. Continuing on without a word of protest, though you did take the red solo cup from his hand and took a sip from it as you adapted to dancing with him now. Scrunching up your nose upon the drink hitting your tongue, you look at Jake with an incredulous look of disgust in his beverage choices causing him to laugh.

"Jungwon made it," He explains with a small shrug, leaning dangerously close to your face as his breath lightly fanned against your lips. Peering over your shoulder, a small smirk plays at his features seeing as Yeonjun had disappeared from your sight, decidedly giving up on any sort of chance he was attempting to have with you for the night.

"It sucks," You respond back and yet still take another sip, this time longer as you quickly swallow it without time for it to settle on your tongue. Jake's smile turns into one of amusement, watching as you handled the alcohol as if it were nothing before you placed the cup back in his hold. "You either dance with me or go away, your pissing contest with that dude is over now,"

Jake raised a brow. "Pissing contest?"

"You know, marking territory that's not yours," You shoot back, a bored look sent to him as he sheepishly shrugs. "I don't need you being protective like Jay. For one, we barely know each other and two, I'm not that much of an idiot to hook up with Choi Yeonjun no matter how badly I need to get laid. So you either shut up and dance with me or you go away,"

Already rather blunt as it was, the second you got alcohol in your system you tended to be more unfiltered than necessary. Jake finds amusement in your confession but your eyes seem so certain. Though the slight gleam in them as you looked up caused his stomach to do a flip, one that caused him to not think clearly.

Jake didn't respond, instead his arm slips down from your shoulders down to your waist, snaking around and encasing your body against his own. A small smile perks at your lips, sighing blissfully at his lack of commentary and rather allowing you to do as pleased.

"Good choice," You mumble out, breath fanning against his neck as your arms lazily drape from his neck, brining your bodies dangerously close to one another though neither of you minded.

After all, having a little fun with a hot guy never hurt anyone, right?

#enhypen jake #jaeyun x reader #jaeyun smut #jake sim #enhypen #sim jaeyun

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khalixvitae · 7 months

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★Stitched ★

Idia Shroud x Reader | ~5k words

Warnings: none really??? Idia is self deprecating as usual. Allusions to book 6 lore but no spoilers. I leaned into Idia’s weird hybrid inferiority/superiority complex (he’s frustrating and annoying but that’s my wife). I wrote way more than I intended lmao.

Info: GN Reader with no physical descriptions. slowish burn, potential to be friends to lovers? No resolution in the end, a smattering of angst bc Idia is… well he’s himself. Heavily based on his vignettes, Home Screen idles, etc etc (this is for the detail oriented baddies and by that I mean I have capital A Autism and I’ve been fixated on him for months). I have been very into the idea of Idia making cosplays and props since becoming obsessed w his Halloween card, so uh. Yeah! There’s no mention of what the reader’s costume is, so it can be whoever you want! Only mentions that it’s from a manga so go wild! <3

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When Ortho Shroud suggested that you commission his brother to build a prop for your Halloween costume, you’d agreed enthusiastically. You’d even said something about how sure you were that it would look great- a compliment he’d pass on to his reclusive sibling. After all, Ortho was living(?) proof of Idia’s handiwork, so making a prop would be playing on easy mode. Ortho did neglect to mention that his brother was not taking commissions (and frankly never would if Idia had it his way), but it wouldn’t be that big of an issue, right?

Wrong. The second Idia’s phone pinged with a message from an unknown number, from your unknown number, he was convinced he was going to die.

You were lucky you’d stated your case all in one message- if you’d started with just a greeting and expected small talk he would’ve just preemptively blocked you to avoid your little side quest. Besides, who messaged someone so early in the morning? Another look at his phone through bleary eyes would show that it was actually 6 pm, but nonetheless! He’d just woken up, so it was still far too early for that kind of shameless extrovert behavior. At least your message was pretty concise; Ortho had passed along his number because you wanted to commission him, and you’d offer payment in exchange. As clear as that was, there was still a lot to unpack. Ortho’s intentions to find friends for him were clearly at play here, which would’ve ground his gears more if it all wasn’t so well meaning. But giving someone his number for a cosplay commission? That felt a little excessive! What kind of meet-cute scenario was this? And how on earth did you plan to pay for a custom piece anyway? Not that he would actually make it, of course, but hypothetically. He’d heard through the grapevine (read: Azul’s chattering during board game club meetings) that you had a part time gig at Monstro Lounge, but surely you wouldn’t be spending your limited in-game currency on a cosplay prop. While he thought it would be a stupid decision, he had to respect your dedication.

Hypothetically, of course.

Despite any reluctant interest he had in knowing what costume you were putting together, there was no way he’d actually agree to a commission. Besides, it was probably a lame request anyway. And who cares if you’d probably (definitely) look great in your costume? Certainly not Idia, no sir. And he totally didn’t think about how happy you’d be if he were to accept your commission (which he’d never do, of course), or how you’d look holding a piece of his unquestionably perfect work. No, he wouldn’t lie awake thinking about any of that at all. Thus he decided to ignore your text indefinitely- it’s not like he had his read receipts on or anything. He’d just kick back, work on his own nearly finished costume, and maybe even send a halfhearted “soz, just saw this :/” a day or two before Halloween night. No unnecessary and draining social interactions, and you wouldn’t have to be inevitably disappointed by… well, by him. His craftsmanship was S tier without a doubt, but he had a charisma stat of 4 at most. So he’d just let the message sit there. That would be easier for everyone involved.

Well, that was the plan. But as it turned out, Ortho would have none of it. When he’d caught wind that Idia hadn’t bothered to answer your message a whole day later, he’d immediately bombarded his big brother with endless arguments for your case. It was the usual string of points- that Idia would be happier if he had irl friends (as if), that his general quality of life would improve if he had some positive social interaction (no way!), and so on. At least he was sure Ortho’s logic processors were working as irritatingly well as ever, though Idia found his points far too idealistic. But logos wasn’t the way to go when talking Idia into something he had no interest in doing- it would have to be pathos all the way baby, appealing to what really made him tick. Unfortunately for him, Ortho knew that too.

“I need you to make a friend before you graduate,” he said abruptly, arms crossed like he was prepared for a one shot k.o. “Just one. I’m sorry I gave them your number without permission, but I really think this could be fun. You make the coolest stuff ever, and it’s your favorite holiday, so I thought it was a good opportunity for you to talk to someone.” He was silent for only a moment, as if deciding whether or not to deliver the final blow. “I just need to know my big brother will be okay after graduation. And I’d like to see you have fun every once and a while, you know.”

There it was, the absolute punch in the gut Idia was dreading. “You see me having fun all the time, Ortho. We hang out every day.” It was a weak argument and he knew it.

“Yeah and I love hanging out with you, but that’s different! And I know other people would love hanging out with you, too! You’re the coolest person ever, big bro.”

And how could he ever say no to that?

“What’s the costume anyway?” Idia muttered, pulling his lower lip between sharp teeth.

“I’m not sure. They told me it was someone from a manga they really like! You should ask them about it!” Ortho was absolutely beaming. Something in Idia’s chest ached.

His response to your message was short and simple. He asked what your inspiration would be, and what prop you were looking for. Price could be negotiated, etcetera.

You responded with astounding speed; it made him nauseous. At least you were courteous, though. You gave him a lot of info to say the least- more than he needed considering he was a fan of the same series. Ortho had definitely known that, but that was a complaint for some other time. He had to admit it was a good choice- and the character you had in mind would suit you well (he’d never put that in writing so long as he lived). You sent him all of your inspo pictures- purely from the manga, you explained, as the anime adaptation had changed some of the details and you had a strong preference- as well as any measurements he might need. Idia couldn’t resist pointing out that the anime had made a number of phenomenal aesthetic choices, which did start somewhat of a tangent. Before he knew it, he was caught in a back and forth with you. It was… easy. Way easier than he had expected. When you stopped replying he was even a little disheartened; that is until he realized it was nearly 4 am. It had been that long of a conversation? Something about that made him warm all over. He’d ignore it for the moment.

When you messaged him back the following morning he felt the same rush of… something wash over him. And so a tentative back and forth between you two began. Draft sketches and material concepts on his end, and what felt like endless amounts of praise from you. That’s not to say you never brought any criticism to the table. You were just as fickle as he was, it seemed- and he liked arguing with you. Whether it was about the commission or over some unrelated tangent (which the two of you frequently succumbed to), there was something uniquely fun about debating your shared interests.

Over the week or so leading up to Halloween, your communication persisted outside of his prop updates. You even sent him photos of Grim! It was hard to stomach that he’d hit it off so well with some normie, but if you were sending him cat photos and had some (several) based media takes he’d tolerate that discomfort. Part of him kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, of course. The exchange was transactional- after Ortho delivered the prop to you, there would be no need to keep socializing with him. He couldn’t imagine why you’d want to anyway. Speaking of transactions, the two of you hadn’t decided on a price point. Or rather whenever you’d ask, he pushed the question aside by saying he ‘wasn’t sure yet’. He’d given you a relative range, but no exact number. He felt pathetic, but part of him didn’t even want to charge you for it. It wasn’t like he needed the money anyway, and Ortho had been right about the whole arrangement entertaining him. He couldn’t believe he was going so soft. But it wasn’t entirely his fault! Every time he’d start to work up the nerve to give a number, you’d do something so nice it made his head hurt. Sometimes it was asking questions about his games, or sending him voice messages so you could keep the conversation going when you couldn’t text. You’d even asked to vc once or twice! He’d denied that request, but nonetheless you asked! How was he supposed to follow that up? “Oh haha yeah, it’ll be like half your last paycheck sry lmao”? He’d rather die! He knew what his work was worth (and frankly so did you), but the idea of charging you that amount was a little nauseating. How fucking lame could he get?

And the other shoe did drop eventually, just not in the way he’d expected. It came as a lull in your late night banter, followed by ‘[name] is typing…’ for quite some time. That totally didn’t make him want to puke, no way. The message that followed was as short as it was sweet.

“Hey, so ik it’s not really your scene, but I’m having a Halloween thing at Ramshackle. Idk if I’d call it a party but yk it’s something. I was wondering if you’d want to stop by? If not that’s totally cool!”

Idia stared at that message for a while. Shit. Of course there was no way he’d go, not a chance, but he couldn’t just say that could he? He’d rather be dropped headlong into Tartarus than to go to some gathering of extroverts and npcs when he could be collecting his Halloween login rewards. At the same time, giving you a resounding ‘fuck no’ sounded just as unpleasant. So he just sat there and stared for a while before doing what he did best: he gave some vague, noncommittal answer.

“uhhh idk. I don’t wanna intrude haha. plus i have a raid planned so idk if i could make it sry”.

It seemed like you got what he was trying to say; Idia was beginning to resent just how well you listened to him.

“Totally get it! Just thought I’d ask :)! Send pics of ur costume tho! I wanna see it all put together :D!”

He tossed his phone aside, opting to throw himself face down in his pillow with a resounding groan. Why did you have to be so considerate? You had to have known he’d reject that request, so why even ask? And why did it mean so much to him that you had? His moping was interrupted by Ortho knocking at the door. Idia just grunted in response, turning his head to face him.

“What’s the matter bro?” Ortho hovered in the doorway, glowing eyes keenly focused on Idia’s sprawled figure. At times like this, only illuminated by blue screens and his own artificial fire, he had an uncanny effect that was hard to shake.

Idia peeked at him through his flickering bangs, huffing a little and sending the flames askew. He subsequently realized that they were streaked with a mortifying shade of pink, one that made him want to scream into the pillow all over again. “Nothing, I’m good. What’s up?” It was obviously a lie and he wasn’t helping his case by rolling over to face the wall.

“I wanted to see if you were up for a few pvp rounds before I set up to charge for the night. But what’s going on? My scanners detect no signs of physical injury, but your vitals indicate distress. Do you need medical attention?” Idia didn’t have to turn around to know his ‘brother’ had hovered closer.

“It’s nothing. It’s stupid-,” he planted his face back into the pillow defeatedly. “It’s- [name] invited me to some stupid Halloween thing.” It was muffled, but that didn’t matter. There was no way Ortho wouldn’t hear him, so there was no need to sit up.

“They invited you to a party? That’s awesome! We could go together! I know, you could even give them the prop in person and see their costume completed!”

“I’m not going.”

“What? Why not? You’ve had so much fun talking to them and working on this commission! You should go see them!” Ortho was gearing up for another uphill battle, one Idia was once again going to resist him on.

“Because I don’t want to. You can go, I guess. I mean I’m sure you’re invited. That’s probably why they asked me, right? Because we’re a package deal? You’ll have more fun without me there to weigh you down. And anyway, I don’t wanna be around that many people. It’ll probably be total npc shit anyway.” He fell silent for a moment, the quiet whir of machine fans filling the air in his stead. Ortho didn’t try to interject.

“It’s not like- it’s not like they wanna see me anyway. Maybe my costume, I mean its S tier, but not me. And I can’t even get on a vc with them- I’d be seriously delusional if I thought I could hang out with them irl.”

“Hey, they totally want to see you. I mean, I’m sure they want to see your costume too. But I know they want to see you. If you don’t feel like going that's okay, but I don’t want you to miss out because you think their invitation wasn’t genuine.”

“Why? Like I know we get along fine over chat, and they’ve interacted with my tablet, but what if they see me irl and get all weirded out? ‘Oh, why is he blue all over? What’s with his teeth? Ewww’. I think I’ll pass.” He chewed at his sleeve, nervous over the mere prospect of facing you like that. “Even if they’ve seen me in passing like once, being up close is a whole other level.”

There was another long pause before Ortho spoke again. “They like your hair.”

“What?”

“They told me they like your hair. Like you said, they’ve seen you irl once or twice in passing. Should I play the recording for you?”

Idia felt a little conflicted about that. It felt a little invasive somehow. But a far less conflicted part of him (his massive ego) needed to hear it, and ultimately triumphed. “Yeah, fine. Go ahead.” He curbed his anxious enthusiasm by biting his sleeve even harder.

“Sure thing! Commencing playback.” There was the sudden background noise of hallway chatter, followed by your voice. “I think I saw your brother in the library yesterday. Well, I’m assuming it was him, he looked a lot like you. He’s got great hair, I’ve never seen anything like it. It must’ve taken forever to grow it out that long.”

There was a measured click as the clip came to a stop. “Recording ends. See? They don’t think you look weird. And there’s nothing else in my data logs to indicate that they would.”

“That’s… not exactly reassuring,” Idia muttered, watching as the mess of curls surrounding him flickered to life with the same rosy hues as before. Of course you wouldn’t tell Ortho that you thought he looked weird, that was his brother. But nevertheless, that was technically a compliment. A win was a win right?

“We should go, I think they’d love to see you there in person. We could even go super early to drop off the prop and leave before everyone else gets there,” Ortho chimed in, clearly trying to find some loophole in his brother’s anxiety. “And we can show off our costumes again.” There was another long pause.

“Fine. But just to drop it off.”

The remaining few days passed without incident, aside from Idia’s mounting anxieties (which he was sure would culminate in sudden death). Half dressed for the function, he sat on the edge of his bed and sent you photos of the final product. At the very least he was sure you’d like it- how could you not? He was a master craftsman after all. Your response came back at the typical lightning speed. He doubted he’d ever get used to that.

“Holy shit, it’s perfect??? Thank you so so much, I love it!! <3 did u sign it?”

“no lmao?? y?”

“Bc it’s your work??? And u should be proud of it and put ur name on it ??? Duh??? And bc I want you to ofc.”

Well that was certainly unexpected. He sat there for a minute and mulled it over- what could you possibly gain from him signing it? Did you really just want that, plain and simple? God you were fucking weird. It did feel kind of nice though. Nice enough for a smile to fight its way onto his face as he meandered back to his workstation. What was the harm in indulging that request?

“can do ig. i charge extra for autographs tho, soz. so ik ortho was gonna drop this off, but is it cool if i come? want to make sure it doesn’t need any adjustments etc yk”

Even though it took him a few (fifteen) minutes to type, it came out smoother than he’d expected. He’d consider it a win. Of course the piece didn’t need any adjusting, it was perfect and he knew it, but he had to justify his sudden appearance (mostly to himself).

“You can make it ??? Nice !!! Yeah ofc! Come over whenever :D !!! <3”

Hearts. Were you trying to kill him? And why did your texts read like the logs of a dating sim? Maybe he should lay off the otome games.

Getting fully into costume was a little more complicated than he’d anticipated. Combined with putting the finishing touches on Ortho’s matching specs and engraving an insignia onto your prop, there was no way the Shroud duo would arrive early. In fact, they’d be perfectly punctual (which Idia loathed). Halfway up the driveway to Ramshackle he started digging his heels into the dirt. Even from a distance he could see light streaming through the dingy windows, along with far too many figures crowded on the porch. Part of him wondered how many students such a dilapidated structure could support- he decided to drop that train of thought before he collapsed in your front yard. “Hey- maybe this is a bad idea. Even if they wanna see me-“

But it was too late. Cater was the first to spot the two, and immediately came down the stairs to greet them. Oh great, a boss level extrovert right off the bat? He had to get out of here!

“Hey hey! I didn’t expect to see you two here! Ooh, whatcha got there? And nice costumes! Did you make them yourself?” The redhead had a cup in one hand and his cellphone in the other, his head cocked as he observed the brothers.

Idia’s mouth just sort of stopped working, and the more questions Cater asked the more he wanted to dip out. Luckily Ortho was way better at navigating normie conversations.

“Hi Cater Diamond! [Name] invited us! And yes my brother made our costumes, aren’t they so cool? We’re kind of in a hurry though, we have the last piece of [Name]’s costume! Once we get it to them, we’ll have more time to talk.” He started to move past Cater, who was now more than ready to usher them through the throng of people in the foyer. Idia followed behind in amazement. Having Ortho around was such an op move.

“Oh nice! They should still be upstairs. Once they’re all set the three of you should come back down so I can snap your pics, ‘kay? You guys really went all out!” Cater slipped away easily before either brother could refuse his invitation. Well, Idia would just have to make sure the coast was clear when he decided to make his escape. The two made their way up the rickety staircase (seriously, how was this place still standing?) and onto the landing above. Your bedroom door was open so at the very least you were easy to locate. Before Idia would go any further he slipped on the pumpkin helmet, properly obscuring his face. That felt a little better- maybe he’d actually be able to look at you.

He lingered behind Ortho as if it would block him from your view (despite being much taller than the android model), knocking at the door frame twice. “Uh… hey. Can we come in?”

You looked up from your phone with a start, eyes widening as you took them in. “Idia? Wait, holy shit, you guys look sick.” You were fully in costume- had you been waiting for them? The way you said his name nearly made him keel over right then and there. “Like I knew they would be cool, but this is insane.” Your gaze flickered to the prop in his hands. “And that’s for me? Dude, it’s perfect. Seriously, thank you so much. I’m so glad you came.”

Idia didn’t process half of it, including you taking the prop from his grasp. You looked so good he felt lightheaded. Forget talking to you, now he was worried about remaining upright. “You- uh- yeah. You too,” he stammered weakly. You too? That didn’t make any sense! “I mean- I mean you look cool. And yeah this is for you.” Breathing in the helmet was a bit of a challenge and he couldn’t recall a time his throat had ever been drier. Ortho made no effort to intervene either- he was just watching, practically on standby mode as his brother made a fool of himself. Great. So much for his op cheat code.

He decided that looking anywhere but at you was his best option, his eyes scanning along the walls of your bedroom. It did look liveable, he’d give you that much. You even had a small shelf with a decently sized manga collection- considering how long you’d been there and the wages Monstro paid, he was kind of impressed. It was cute (you were cute). Your voice snapped him back out of his meditative scanning.

“Sorry there are so many people. I would’ve given you a heads up, but I had no idea it would be this crazy. People just started posting about it and,” you sighed. “So now like half the school is in my condemned house. Happy Halloween I guess? Deuce and Jack got a few of the other first years to preemptively agree to help with post party cleanup, so that’s nice.” You were still looking at him intently; Idia had to remind himself that you were checking out his costume and not him, of course. Unfortunately that didn’t stop the ends of his hair from flickering a dull but obvious pink. He knew it caught your attention, but you didn’t mention it. Instead you opted to change the subject entirely. By the Seven, how were you so good at this? “Anyway, I wanna hear all about your costumes. I got bits and pieces over messages but give me the rundown!”

Now that he could do.

Infodumping was an art form, and boy had Idia Shroud mastered it. From the materials he used to the classic inspo, he was more than happy to tell you all about his creations. It took him a little warming up, but he was quickly in full swing. Down to the sound effect rigging, he gave you a thorough explanation of his work. You seemed particularly delighted in how he and Ortho’s costumes were a matching pair, and of course that opened the floor for him to explain the intricacies of making new specs for his brother. In his excited haste, he’d even taken off the helmet to show you its interior. He didn’t notice for quite a while, nor did you make any mention of it. You just watched him, smiling and nodding attentively. By the time he picked up on just how greatly his range of vision had improved, it was far too late. With his peripheral unblocked he also realized that Ortho was gone. A wave of panic washed over him as he reassessed his surroundings. It was just the two of you, standing beyond the threshold of your bedroom, alone. How long had he been talking? And why were you looking at him with those big, starry eyes? He tried to tell you to stop staring, but no sound came out. Once again, Idia was convinced he was going to die.

You definitely caught onto his nervous demeanor- he wished you’d stop doing that. “Hey, so how much do I owe you?” You asked, your voice gentler than he’d realistically want it to be. Why were you being so nice to him? You had the prop already, so just kick him out! There was a whole party going on downstairs, yet here you were spending god only knows how long alone with him! Wasn’t that depressing?

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t a hard ask, and only noobs care about production costs,” he muttered, his tone not entirely unkind but thoroughly dismissive nonetheless.

“Oh- are you sure? Idia, it’s really beautifully done. Even if it wasn’t hard to do, you still took the time to do it. I owe you something.”

“I could make another one in my sleep. Just take it,” he was planning his escape, but could see no easy way out besides just turning tail and running. “Sorry for uh- well, for keeping you up here for so long. You’ve got a party to get to.”

“I’ll take it if you’re sure. Thank you, seriously. And don’t apologize, I like talking to you. I know this really isn’t your scene, so I really appreciate you coming out tonight.” The way you looked at him had him itching to put the helmet back on in record time. Your next words would foil even that half baked plan and freeze him in place. “If you wanted, maybe you could come over and hang out sometime? It’s not normally this crowded, it’s usually just Grim and I. You’re welcome here whenever, and so is Ortho.”

Every turn of phrase felt like you were whittling a hole in his brain, which made it increasingly difficult to think straight. What angle were you trying to work here? Was it just to embarrass him? He couldn’t think of a single thing you could gain from befriending him, which frankly made your kindness even more concerning. You had him one friendly gesture away from counting five things he could see, four things he could touch, and so on in the middle of the function. “I’m gonna go find Ortho,” he stated, abruptly turning on his heel. Now was not the time to go nonverbal, but that was steadily where he was headed. And he’d been doing so well! He’d talked to you irl, face to face! You hadn’t even seemed grossed out- if anything it felt like the opposite (which he would ignore). But of course his brain had to catch up and ruin everything. No, he had to ruin everything, just like always. This fucking sucked. The pumpkin helmet was back on, and he wasn’t showing his face until he was safely back at Ignihyde.

“Oh! Yeah, of course. I’ll walk down with you.” You wasted no time following after him, still holding your new prop. The trip down the main staircase was a silent one, but the raucous sounds of the party below more than made up for it. You didn’t push him to speak, which he was begrudgingly grateful for.

It was no surprise that your arrival from upstairs with Idia in tow drew a little attention. Cater even snapped a photo, saying something about how “cammable” you two looked (Idia didn’t have the strength to wonder where that photo would end up). You handled your entrance to the gathering like a pro, deflecting all the attention away from him with a small smile. He really couldn’t decide whether or not he hated how considerate you were, but that would be a viable train of thought once he was safely in his own bedroom. As he slipped away to find Ortho, he heard you discussing your costume with those gathered at the bottom of the stairs. Working up the nerve to risk a look back, he saw you proudly showing off the piece he’d made for you. The way you were so eager to credit him for it was debilitating.

Part of him wondered what would happen if he walked back over and joined the crowd. He knew he didn’t belong there, of course, but hypothetically. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining what it would be like to stand there by your side for just a little longer, to even let people photograph the two of you together. You hadn’t seemed to mind it a moment before. But maybe you were just being nice. You were always so nice. Regardless these were only hypotheticals, and he was bound to ruin your time if he stayed any longer. He’d be doing you a favor by leaving, right?

Right. With one last look at you, he resolved to find Ortho and get the hell out while he could, for your sake and his own.

Maybe next year, then.

——————————————————————————

Tag list: @v-anrouge @vtoriacore @phoneymedic @gum-gum-time @heatofmyexoheart (dm to be removed or added! <3)

Soz for not posting for a while (and this late as hell Halloween fic eek!), I obliterated my ankle about a week ago and have just been taking time to recover (that is a lie I’ve had to go to work every day on it but I digress!!!)

#twst #Idia shroud #twisted wonderland #x reader #idia x reader #fics ! <3 #khalix writes （＾＿＾）☆#idia post （ ; ; ）<3

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lewisshipsthings · 2 years

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Top Ten (Or So): Bakugou Fanfics

I’m a multipshipper–especially, for some reason, when it comes to Bakugou from My Hero Academia. I just love to see him put in such an awkward and completely-out-of-his-comfort-zone situation like Romance.

So without further ado, here are fanfiction recommendations arranged by Bakugou couple:

(Edit: I added a reading break, because this was a very long post to scroll through on my mobile.)

Bakugou/Iida: Breakneck Speed by chiropterology. This is the fic that made me make this list. Because I never, ever would have considered BakuIida as a ship if I hadn’t read this fic. I thought it would be cool to help others discover the delight of a previously unconsidered ship, and decided to make this list. The story is unfinished, and looks like it never will be finished (the author hasn’t been active at all in more than two years), but for me it was worth it for how hilarious and awesome it was.

Bakugou/Momo: My favourite fic with these two isn’t romantic at all, but still has great interactions between the two of them. I’m not gonna write the whole fic name because it’s extremely long, but it’s You know that thing where an orchestra swaps instruments…? by Sif.

There’s not that many great fics that are romantic out there for this pairing, and the one I like best I actually put in the Poly section below (“Love like a common cold”). But Leaf Water by smol_bird is a sweet little one-shot for these two, and I liked it quite a lot.

Bakugou/Ochako: I used to be into this ship a lot, but not so much anymore. It makes it difficult to recommend fics properly, because I don’t reread them anymore. That said, there is one Kacchako fic I still read whenever it updates, and that’s Seeing Double by knifekirby. This is one of the best (*the* best?) fantasy AU I’ve read (but mixed with the original MHA world! And yes, at one point you get two Bakugous at once). The world building is fantastic, barbarian Bakugou is epic, and the dragons are so awesome. It’s unfinished, but updates keep coming after long breaks, so there’s lots of hope.

A runner up could be A Different Perspective by House_of_Pixels. I quite like mind-sharing and soul-bond type fics, and this is a really cool one of that genre.

Bakugou/Deku: I have the opposite problem as with Ochako here. I’m a big bakudeku shipper, and I’ve read so many and have so many favourites depending on my mood that it’s hard to pick only a couple to recommend. But still, if I had to pick one, I think I’d go with (may the bridges i have burned) light my way back home by Chrome. It’s slow burn (my favourite), and the romance is subtle and difficult. Quite beautiful, in my opinion. It’s unfinished, and I had thought it was going to remain so forever, but it recently updated after a long, long break this year, so there’s hope!

For a one-shot (and thus finished) fic, try Do Not Disturb by surveycorpsjean. I’m a manga reader, and there have been so many developments between Bakugou and Midoriya recently, but the fics haven’t caught up. This story takes place after Ch. 322, and Katsuki is SO in character–caring for Izuku in the way he does in recent manga chapters, while still retaining all his amazing strength and gruffness.

And finally, a runner up: for a long and finished fic that I don’t think is getting nearly enough love, try zero-sum game by roadtripwithlucifer. It’s dark and angsty and adult and there’s lots of sex (one of the tags is “Sex as a Coping Mechanism”), but it’s fantastically written, and man do you get all the feels with this one.

Bakugou/Todoroki: I tend not to seek out todobaku, but will enjoy it if it’s in the bookmarks or works of an author I really like. So I’m not aware of the full breadth of options for this pairing, but there are a few I’ve found that I really enjoy. cruel to be kind by shaekspeares would be the first one I’d recommend. It’s a very long, slow-burn one-shot, and the first section is devoted to Bakugou struggling with PTSD (something I personally really like reading fics about) and has almost no Todoroki at all (an indication of its slow-burn, and a point in its favour for me).

Another would be and even the cake is in tiers by supercrunch, which I also mention in the poly section below. It has multiple endings, one of which is todobaku, and it’s one of the funniest fics on this list.

And finally, as a runner up, I have to recommend A Real Fucking Problem by Ellessey. It has, um… a LOT of masturbation, lol. I read fanfiction more for the romance than the sex (not through lack of horniness, but lack of interest in written word to deal with horniness). But this fic has such good characterization for Bakugou, and is so, so funny, that I don’t even mind the mammoth amounts of sexual content.

Bakugou/Froppy: All the Same Broken Parts by Seeress. There’s not many fics for this ship–it’s quite a rarepair. But I happened on this one, and I'm very glad. It’s so sad (though happy in the end), but I found it quite lovely and excellently written.

Bakugou/Camie: The Freaky Friday sitch! by orphan_account. Like with Momo, my favourite fic with these two isn’t romantic, but it’s hilarious, and these two are a fantastic duo. Bodyswapped Camie in Bakugou’s body is just *chef’s kiss*.

For a runner up that is romantic, you could try our friendship goes beyond your average kind of bond (but not because we’re gay) by wonhaebunny. I could actually see it happening something like this in canon, plus there’s a lovely bit of Bakugou & Kirishima friendship on the side.

Bakugou/Kaminari: My favourite BakuKami is actually in a bakudeku fic, Permanent Ink by Maxime. Fortunately, the little bit of BakuKami in that fic was so delightful, that they wrote another pure BakuKami fic, Tango for Two, Electric Boogaloo.

Bakugou/Shinsou: letting it linger by Ramabear. Nosy classmates, early-morning Shinsou staring, demi-sexual Bakugou (my favourite kind of Bakugou). It’s super cute and I really enjoyed it.

Polyamorous: Love like a common cold by supercrunch. My two favourite Bakugou ships, BakuDeku and BakuMomo, with a side splash of Todoroki. It’s a fantastic and very funny bodyswapping fic that you should definitely try out. The same author also wrote and even the cake is in tiers, which has an ending with todobakudeku, and is hilarious.

Gen: I’m always on the lookout for good Gen Bakugou fics, but I find it surprisingly hard to find ones I like. Here’s a couple I really loved:

A Little Demonstration by AnonymousTwit. Bakugou’s epic fights are one of my favourite parts of his character, and this gets at that glorious feeling exactly. It’s like the Joint Training Arc, but *more epic*.

Social Media: 101 by WindsChild8178. If you’re ok with Mistuki being abusive and a whole lot of angst and PTSD for Bakugou, then you really should try this fic. WindsChild is a fantastic writer, and this is one of the few fics that I remember vividly no matter how far between updates. It’s unfinished, but WindsChild puts a lot of work into each chapter, so it tends to be a long time between updates. I still have lots of hope it will be finished.

Note on Bakugou/Jirou: I love this ship, it’s probably in my top 3 Bakugou ships, but I haven’t yet found any fics that really, really stand out–enough to put them on this list, at least. Feel free to recommend one!

Note on Bakugou/Kirishima: My shipping is a mystery even to me, and it always has been. Why do I not like KiriBaku when I like almost every other Bakugou ship under the sun? I have no frickin clue. I have no rational reasons against it–it’s cute and sweet and there’s more canon moments with them than almost anyone else besides Deku. I do not blame anyone for liking this couple, I just happen not to myself, so I have no recs. If you really like kiribaku, feel free to reply with some recs of your own. :)

#Bakugou Katsuki #fanfiction #fanfic recs #fanfiction recommendation #bakudeku #todobaku #bakukami #bakumomo #bakuiida #kacchako #my hero academia #bnha #bnha fanfic #bakucamie #bakushin #bakutsuyu

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mossmutant · 9 months

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I would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to read this post in regards to this artwork.

I went with something a little different for this year’s birthday art. Normally I have Mangy and Freddie interacting through an existing photograph of him from the 1980s, but this time I decided to actually draw him. Specifically in the 70s since it is more relevant to the first Era of Monstrous Majesty.

This artwork depicts both Freddie Mercury and Mercury Mangy in the world of Rhye. When Freddie was a child, he and his sister created a fantasy world with ogres, fairies, kings, and queens. In the 1970s Rhye was introduced to the world in song form…and became Queen’s secret little rock opera in their first 3 albums. In my art Mangy shows Freddie my interpretation of Rhye, thus making my own world based around the one he created in his music. In a way we created this world together. My version is Rhye is the planet of monsters, ogres, and titans, the home of the one and only Monstrous Majesty…and I’m sure he would have loved it.

And speaking of which, I am always touched when people tell me that Freddie would have loved Mangy, obviously I agree (lol)! Silliness aside, I do greatly appreciate it, and it makes me happy to hear, I put a lot of work and love into his character. I’ve said it various times before on my other social media accounts, but he's heavily based around his music and sense of humor.

Freddie is *very* important to me. He is a huge inspiration to me and my artwork, which is already evident enough through the creation of Mangy and Monstrous Majesty as a whole. MM wouldn’t even be a thing without him in the first place. No other artist has impacted me as much as Queen. Every time I listen to Queen, I’m always inspired to add more into the world of Monstrous Majesty. Since 2019 I’ve enjoyed bringing Freddie’s world to life through my art and writing, and I hope I’m doing it justice.

In addition to this gift, prints of this art will be available to purchase soon, and a sales post will be published once everything arrives. 50% of sales will go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust to help fight aids worldwide. Keep an eye out if you’re interested in getting one!

This is 1/2 gifts I had planned for Freddie this year. I’ve been working on a physical gift that unfortunately I was not able to finish on time…and I just started school today so that’s definitely going to delay it more, but hopefully I can get it done on my next break!

Happy 77th birthday, Freddie Mercury! Hope you’re having an awesome birthday in Heaven.

Thank you so much for reading, shares and interactions are *greatly* appreciated with this piece specifically.

Monstrous Majesty © MossMutant

#cartoonist #monster art #cartoon art #artists on tumblr #original character #cartoons #queen band #freddie mercury #freddie mercury tribute #freddie mercury fanart #original art #my ocs #lykoi cat #monsters #my art #rhye #seven seas of rhye

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myulalie · 2 years

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Porschay and the hierarchy of needs

So I’ve made a case of Kim falling in love with Porschay, but let’s take a look at Porschay living his best teenage rom-com life.

First I’d like to state that from Porschay’s point of view, Kim is sending a lot of mixed signals, and he’s sending them to a boy who is used to being loved “from a distance”.

Porsche has proven time and time again that he loves Porschay by trying his damn best to meet as many of Porschay’s basic needs as possible (safety, giving him access to education). To do so, Porsche is busy, and he would have always been as both Porschay’s brother and parental figure. Emotional needs like companionship give way to self-fulfillment needs (a chance to pursue a career in music) because that’s what Porschay will need in the long-run, more than his brother staying home with him.

He’ll need to meet his basic needs on his own first if he wants to meet his emotional needs as an independent adult. Those are the end goal, the very reason they work so hard and deprive themselves from fully meeting their emotional needs to start with. It’s a sacrifice worth making.

To Porschay, this is what unconditional love looks like.

People not replying to your texts immediately (see his messages to Porsche), leaving notes when they leave (see Porsche on the day he starts working for Kinn) and being out of reach for literal months (once again Porsche once he moves in with the main family) is the norm.

As far as Porschay can tell, none of it is a red flag because the person that loves him the most in the whole world treats him that way. His emotional needs might not be met, at least not all the time, and it’s definitely unhealthy, but it’s the next best thing, making the most of the situation they find themselves in.

Now, if we apply this to his relationship with Kim…

Upon realizing he can’t give Porschay what he wants (guitar lessons), WIK finds the next best thing and signs Porschay’s shirt. In Porschay’s world, it’s exactly the same as Porsche being away from home a lot, but coming back with food and making sure they can afford Porschay’s education.

It’s a compromise, and something that can last. Porschay keeps the shirt and can look at it whenever he needs something to cheer him up, it gives him motivation for the same exam he wanted guitar lessons to prepare for.

What next? Well would you believe it, WIK ends up offering to tutor him.

Good things come to those who wait, or so the saying goes. Porschay’s patience and understanding are rewarded, like they always are (in a similar fashion, Porsche comes back to him after spending a month at Kinn’s).

So Porschay let’s it play out, he follows every step from the book. He reached out to WIK on a personal level, and he gets to know Kim. He writes the song about Porsche, and Kim joins him on the piano. How best to connect with Porschay, whose favorite person in the whole world is his brother, the very one the song was written about?

Porschay’s emotional needs are just within reach.

Hell, Kim visits him in his home next! Much like Porsche, he drops by unannounced, and comes with a gift, one that suits Porschay and meets some of his self-fulfillment needs (a better instrument to become a better musician, to get into the music faculty). Looks a lot like someone who wants to get to know you as well, enjoys hanging out with you and intends to become part of your daily life, doesn’t it?

The next interaction, from Porschay’s point of view, looks even more like a plot point from a rom-com.

Kim asks about Porschay’s crush and why would you do that if you’re not interested? You could even assume Kim dismisses Porschay’s feelings because he doesn’t realize Porschay means Kim and thus, Kim is jealous. Mixed signals. Even if Kim had an inkling that Porschay means him, the fact that he suggests writing a love song seems to lead straight towards the love confession, and Porschay can only see it as a green light. I know I would.

When Porschay shows up at Kim’s later and insists to play the song, it’s much like his interactions with Porsche. Both Kim and Porsche are busy, but they make some time for Porschay because he matters to them, and doing so puts a smile on their faces.

It plays out as usual for Porschay, the people he loved are distant, unavailable, but they do care about him else they’d tell him to get lost, wouldn’t they?

I’m sure to Porschay, love and hate are very much black and white. He’s seen Porsche’s unconditional love, and thugs breaking into his house to collect money. I don’t think Porschay gets confused with outward hostility or bullies, and I strongly believe he can stand up for himself.

Kim exhibits no sign of hostility. His whole demeanor is similar to Porsche’s, albeit with less warmth because they’re mostly strangers instead of, you know, siblings who have shared the same space for their whole lives.

Which brings us to the confession. I am unsure what Porschay expected there. From his dialogue lines and the gift, I’d say he didn’t have any hope and just meant to move on, but from a rom-com point of view, you would think he at least wishes for his feelings to be reciprocated (moreover, we mentioned Kim’s mixed signals above with the whole love song thing).

Of course, in Porschay’s rom-com storyline, Kim kisses him on the cheek and they spend the rest of the day together. Everything played out as it should have, and it seems that each of Porschay’s needs have been met (basic, emotional, self-fulfillment), so it’s no surprise he rushes into a proper love confession soon after. It’s cringe, it’s hasty, it’s a beginner's mistake, but last time he told Kim how he felt (the song, then the first confession), Porschay was rewarded for putting himself out there.

Obviously, the rom-com kind of goes off-script from then on. Porschay doesn’t really notice, or at least he shrugs it off and moves on to providing for Kim in a different manner, if words make Kim uncomfortable surely food won’t.

Once again it’s much like his dynamic with Porsche, although the brothers don’t have any issue verbalizing their love for each other (also, you know, there is none of the romantic tension Porschay feels with Kim). Porsche and Porschay do have practice and no reason to be shy about it, quite the contrary as Porsche is often unavailable / could get hurt in the underground fighting scenes so it's important to verbalize their love for each other on a regular basis "just in case". Porschay can express his love in many ways, and one of those is caring for his loved ones (stitching their wounds, making food…).

If he meets their basic needs the way they do for him, it means just as much as meeting emotional needs, doesn’t it?

Not quite, and this is the reason Porschay self-sabotages after Kim rejected him (more or less). His emotional needs got him in his mess, so he doesn’t take the second part of the exam, doesn’t follow the path to self-fulfillment (the very reason Porsche joined the mafia and Porschay met Kim, eventually getting brokenhearted).

All his life, Porschay was taught (not on purpose, but it’s still there) that his emotional needs come second. They’ll be met when he and Porsche are in a better place and their basic needs are met (economically, physically, socially…).

The one time Porschay tries to go around this “rule”, he crashes and burns. He got ahead of himself, maybe he doesn’t even deserve to fulfill his emotional needs. Music, other than being the epitome of expressing one’s emotions, is worthless if it doesn’t meet any of Porschay’s basic needs, much less Porsche’s, so of course he’d give up on music first and foremost.

I’m getting ahead of myself though, so let’s stop to consider the confrontation with Kim.

Porschay asks two questions: 1) you knew I was Porsche’s brother all along 2) did you ever love me? and I find it extremely symbolic. 1) so it was all about a basic need (safety), 2) the emotional aspect was fake(d). He confirms that Kim was operating out of necessity, to secure his basic needs and that once again, the emotional needs come second, and that you can go on about your life without fulfilling them or worse, you can do so while faking it.

Isn’t it heartbreaking that this is what Porschay learns from his encounter with Kim?

All this time, he worked so hard to meet basic and self-fulfillment needs in order to finally fulfill his emotional needs, only to find out that this can be used against him and that most people don’t have the chance to experience what it’s like when your emotional needs are met.

What a miserable way to live.

So Porschay gave up on his emotional and self-fulfillment needs, which leaves only one thing: his basic needs. Guess what? He throws them out the window as well when he goes clubbing, engaging in risky activities because he has no reason to care anymore (let’s not forget that Porsche also dropped a bomb on him regarding his involvement with Kinn and the mafia as a whole).

Suddenly, Porsche doesn’t quite ensure that Porschay’s basic needs are met either (Porschay was in danger), and now it’s up to Kim to try and make sure Porschay is safe and meeting his self-fulfillment needs (dragging him out of the club and scolding him for skipping the second part of the exam).

Kim finally goes out of his way to meet Porschay’s emotional needs as well but the foundations of Porschay’s life are too shaky to deal with that. He’s still finding his footing, trying to re-establish his basic and self-fulfillment needs (what is safety? what can he do if not music?) and define his life according to his new reality.

Once again, it’s about learning and growing, taking control of your life and responsibility for your actions. It teaches them both a lesson (you can’t go about life without meeting your emotional needs, it’s a necessary step in your hierarchy of needs).

How they decide to go about it is up to them now, but I sincerely hope KimChay find a way to do so together.

#porschay #kimchay #kinnporsche #kinnporsche spoilers #spoilers #meta #pearls of meta #kp meta #character study #story analysis #Kinnporsche meta

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gemgirl28 · 1 year

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What would change in the Zutara ship/dynamic and/or Zuko and Katara individually if Zuko didn't betray Katara in Ba Sing Se and immediately chose her?

Hello anon! Ooooo this was fun to think about during my commute the other day! Also not me taking almost a week to reply 🙈Sorry it's been a long but good week.

So I’m going to start with answering how I think this would change Zuko’s arc, because it’s something I’ve thought a lot about. First, I think it could both hurt and help his character arc. Hurt, because I firmly believe he needed to go home to really understand how far he'd come and that Ozai didn't value him above power. He really deserved to confront Ozai, and I've seen fics where he still gets to do it, but I really think he needed to spend time with Ozai before he did so. Help, because if he's with the Gaang as they traveled through the FN, he could see the direct effect of the war on his people, the way he did for the EK. So overall a, net neutral effect on his redemption arc? However I tend to prefer a version where he goes back to the palace, realizes Ozai's priority is power over everything, but still finds a way to interact with the common people of the FN.

Next up.... Katara. I think if Zuko didn't betray her, it would have basically moved up the healing process for Katara to start moving past her abandonment issues. I think Zuko taking her to find Yon Rha was the first moment she realized she had someone willing to stick by her. Him choosing her, and then sticking with her through all of season 3, would have just moved that up for Katara.

Now the meat and potatoes: Their relationship. I think TSR is SO integral to their relationship, that without the betrayal, and thus the need to earn her trust again, it would change from enemies to friends to lovers to just enemies to lovers, and while that doesn't necessarily cheapen it, I think them having that stage of friendship before progressing to a romantic relationship really seals the deal for me. Plus, as I've stated in other posts, the moment when Katara bloodbends the Southern Raiders captain and Zuko's just like "alright. Okay. Let's keep going" is the moment that really sealed Zutara for me. If Zuko chooses her in Ba Sing Se, I think we lose that too.

I think on the whole, it would have given us the chance to see Zutara on screen, and I think their dynamic would have been similar to Sukka (sweet but they tease each other). But also, I think the growth we get from his need to earn Katara's trust makes it... I don't want to say worth it, but makes their foundation stronger. If he betrays her, personally, she's seen him at his *absolute* lowest, which makes it all that more meaningful when she ends up forgiving him.

#that's a bit rambly #but its a tad past my bedtime #so #sorry it took so long #anon asks #zutara #the southern raiders #the crossroads of destiny

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kreinvulon · 4 months

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For the ask game, I'll take a 3 and 19 for Vyn! 👀

sure! i accidentally wrote a lot. i’ll put it under the cut, so i don’t clog anyone’s feed.

3. “what are their religious affiliations, and how does their worship affect their day-to-day life?”

— being an assassin of the dark brotherhood, it’s obvious that orivyn holds some form of reverence for sithis and the night mother. the dunmer hold beliefs that sithis’s birth was the start of creation anyways, and thus, vyn has a lot of respect for the obscure entity. his relationship with the night mother is— of course— more intimate. regardless, he still holds respect for other deities. most.

in terms of worship, i believe that his worship is displayed through his interactions with the world: with each contract killed, he refuses to tamper with the body ( unless necessary for a series of contracts i.e. leading to the emperor’s ) in a belief he will desecrate it. he does this with all other corpses unless they have posed some threat to him.

if possible, he may leave a deathbell or nightshade flower beside the corpse, like an offering to the soul as it travels to the void. he, also, collects bones or skulls. vyn holds the same beliefs about death as gabriella, where the brotherhood “plays some part in a being's inevitable end”. doom’s herald, as she says, honour too.

as for the night mother, he frequently leaves offerings beside her coffin whenever he can— flowers like the aforementioned, bones, teeth, skulls. orivyn greets her when he can, and heeds her words. there hasn’t been a time where he’s disrespected her (cough astrid).

fun bonus fact: his worship of the night mother feels more sincere than anything else. as youth, vyn was encouraged to pray to azura, who his mother revered. yet, he slowly felt more “abandoned” over time by the prince. he silently ceased his prayer in belief no deity would “save him” from his sorrow.

19. “how are they with money? do they hoard, or do they spend until their pockets are empty and they have to find work again? have they saved for any houses?”

— i’d say orivyn’s fine with money, i don’t think he spends until his pockets are empty. it’s not something i’ve given much thought. he gets a decent pay from contracts and work on the side, and is cautious and reasonable with his septims. spends a little, saves a little, just in case... asides from when him and gore are at an inn. he consistently offers to pay for every single drink until gore gives in. they’re both stubborn as fuck.

and, yeah, vyn manages to get a small house. he sees no need for a giant manor with stewards and whatnot. a small, secluded cottage concealed in the amber forests of the rift suits him just fine. think elianora’s ruska, just in a different spot, and with a slightly altered interior layout. very cosy.

city life would be too much for him. i also like to think that vyn chose the rift, as he’s heard a lot about how gore cherishes the aspen groves. he shares the home with him.

#kriin talks #oc: orivyn arethren #tes v skyrim #skyrim oc #gore skyrim #<- only mentions but i hope it’s relevant to tag

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interdimensional-ship · 2 months

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✭ ✭ one for the two of them if that’s allowed

((Guessing you mean one headcanon that applies to both Lor and Magolor? If not you can just send this ask again specifying two distinct headcanons, or just two asks. Anyways… I suppose this is as good a time as any to explain how Clash fits into things, eh? This will contain spoilers for Magolor Epilogue, so if you’ve still not played it and have managed to avoid them thus far I suggest not reading beyond this point. For those still here, strap in, this is gonna be a long one!))

((So, for those who haven’t read the fic I’ve been writing that explores the earliest days of Magolor and Lor knowing each other, I’ll just establish right out of the gate that Magolor simultaneously did and didn’t survive his fight with the Tree Crown. He defeated it and all, but his injuries combined with the physical and magical exertion took its toll on him. However, the latent magic where he was, combined with his desire to go to some semblance of a normal home and Another Dimension Weirdness™️, essentially coalesced into that portal to the Dream Kingdom, which itself drew heavily from what Magolor knew of certain historical figures and events, altered by his own experiences. Or, in other words, spurred on by that wish of his and the magic at play, part of the Dream Realm fragmented into that version of the Dream Kingdom due to Another Dimension being unstable as hell and technically not being a place. Hard to die normally when you aren’t anywhere.

Because he ultimately “died” while going through that portal, the world essentially ended up with two separate Magolors. There was Magolor as he thought he might be in his dreams, now living in the Dream Kingdom as a respected and successful seller of various magic items and armor and weapons and the like, who also didn’t truly have to face the consequences of his actions because they magically went away. Then there was the “original” Magolor, still in Another Dimension, who just died and ended up in a limbo of sorts due to the reasons stated above. Given the circumstances of his death and the fact that he wasn’t really “supposed” to die to begin with, Morpho Knight(in butterfly form) ultimately brought him back(on the brink of death still but not Dead dead) to the last home-adjacent place he’d been… Which just so happened to be Lor’s main room.

That brings me to how she ties in with this. Remember how the “real” Dream Kingdom essentially came about as a result of Magolor’s thoughts, feelings, and memories? The concept didn’t just disappear from his mind entirely, and in fact the idea of making a vaguely accurate(if not somewhat anachronistic) retelling of some history/folklore was something he couldn’t help but want to do. Lor, being incredibly advanced and also bigger on the inside than on the outside, can do a lot of cool things, be it having an entire bamboo forest folks can do target practice in, a large firing range that has its own sky and stretches back miles, entire obstacle courses for various skill sets, etc. She also liked the idea, and had information to work with regarding what certain figures were like, essentially allowing her to fill in the blanks between Magolor’s broader ideas while he could focus on details like items and good ol’ “what part can someone I know play in this?”. Thus, Clash ALSO exists as an interactive simulation Lor can run that is effectively a playable reenactment of historical events with a few extra things mixed in.

Of course, because things weren’t confusing enough, neither of these “versions” of Clash are “canon” in the sense that one is an alternate microuniverse and the other is a simulation in a timeline where the original events already occurred. So, y’know, there was no gem apple tree, no Shoppe, Landia hadn’t been around back then, Doctor Healmore and the other heroes weren’t just identical twins save for their colors, Taranza and the Animal Friends and Meta Knight wouldn’t have been there, etc. Galacta Knight, being the Aeon Hero, would’ve been one of the “playable” heroes(he was the Sword Hero of yore), but that obviously wouldn’t have worked for a simulation intended to be like a game. It was actually Lor’s idea to essentially include the depiction of Galacta in the period between snapping and becoming the strongest warrior in the galaxy. It’s by far the biggest creative liberty that was taken, given the fact that Galacta really went off the deep end after the other events of Clash took place. It essentially gave an idea of what he might be like(she didn’t know about Meta Knight’s wish/encounter) while also not omitting the fact that he wasn’t always the dangerous figure he turned himself into.

As for why totally-not-Magolor was included but not some version of herself? One, some anachronisms are too big and blatant to do anything other than break immersion. Two, there’s a point where including familiar faces(or in this case figures without a face) in a historical recreation goes from being a fun little nod to being excessive. Three, accurately simulating herself would have been extremely difficult because she knows she isn’t the type to say “>No you can’t come in go away”, and that would’ve meant needing to recreate her own interior and amenities and the like for accuracy’s sake. If you’re gonna simulate yourself you gotta do it right or else what’s the point?))

#outofboat #ask box #ask meme #about lor #about magolor #headcanons #((whew that’s enough information establishment for one night…))

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cfcreative · 2 months

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If you still want some of the Tav Ask questions about Kory... how about 14, 15, and 18?

Thanks @optiwashere! I get to throw in some fun tidbits for these:

14. Where are they from? What was home like?

This one is interesting because Korydass can split her life (pre-tadpole) into two major “homes.”

The one I’ve already spoken about, her “Homewood” is nowhere special or in particular, nor is it any place in an official setting; the name I gave it was “The Thornlore Woods.” Having a lone dragonborn druid tending to it was probably the closest it got to having any claim to fame. As mentioned in another post, locals started calling it “The Green-Eyed Wood,” because of the number of animals with “strange green eyes” spotted there—all of them just Kory in a druid forms, watching those who passed through.

Kory didn’t have a set place she stayed in the wood, so much as she had stashes of supplies throughout. She knew where all the best nooks to nestle in were, without disturbing any of the animals that already lived there. There were a handful of animals she made regular conversation with: a few corvids, at least one boar, some bears, and the occasional deer. The nearest village was a few hours away by foot, shorter by flight. She’d go into town to barter supplies if she really needed it, and a handful of times helped lost or injured travelers out.

Her first home was her Grandsire’s sea cave, and had Kory been given a choice in the matter she might have never left.

Fayencrux didn’t hoard treasure so much as he had a wealth of books and art and other things that had once adorned his home when he spent his life with his wife. He even has a section of his cave that is built to be suited for an average-sized dragonborn to live in. Kory was hatched, named, and raised by her Grandsire, and spent most of her time there studying from books and learning from him. It wasn’t until later that she realized some of his teachings—particularly on social interactions—were out-of-date. That’s what happens when you’ve spent a few hundred years away from civilization in a prolonged period of mourning/depression.

Speaking of being out-of-touch, Fayencrux took dragonborn being “of age” at fifteen too literally—that was when he dumped Korydass on her own in the wild and forbid her from returning.

(Fayencrux no longer wishes to watch his descendants “wither and die like mayflies,” hence the complete banishment.)

Thus, Kory started her druidic path out of necessity, and kept to it because she found a peace in living as one with nature…

…also it was a great excuse to avoid people.

15. Is your Tav more likely to fight/flight/freeze/fawn?

Social situations: Freeze. Kory feels wildly inadequate when dealing with other humanoids, and when she isn’t completely frozen she defaults to manners that are so formal and also so antiquated that it probably would have been better to have stayed frozen.

In Combat: Fight. If you asked Korydass how she sees herself she would say something to the effect of “Guardian Druid” and she takes that “Guardian” part very seriously. She favors larger animal forms and puts herself between her friends and danger.

18. Where/with whom do they feel safest?

The too-easy “with whom” answer is Karlach, followed by the rest of the companions, because honestly… Kory didn’t have a lot of other contact with people before this whole tadpole shindig.

The more complicated answer is her Grandsire. Had he not thrown her out, Kory would have stayed attached to his hip for life. Not out of a sense of fear of the outside world, bit because he was kind and gentle for being what he was, and did always try to do right by her. His perspective was just… too different for that to work out well. (Korydass is better for having been forced from his side, though it certainly didn’t feel that way to her at the time).

Now, if you want to instantly see Kory happy and at peace, all you need to do is present her with a river deep enough to swim in, preferably near to a waterfall, with large, flat rocks on the shore. I am a sucker for adding lizard-like traits to Kory’s behavior beyond the quirks she’s picked up from other animals, and she will sun herself on rocks, then dive into the river to swim and cool off, then sun herself again and repeat this process for hours. If you don’t interrupt her, she will easily lose the whole day.

Thank you again for the asks, Opti!

If anyone else wants to ask something, the list is here!

My answers to 2, 3, 4, and 6 can be found in this post!

My answers to 5, 11, and 16 are in this post!

#bg3 #baulders gate 3 #baldur's gate iii #my tav #oc: korydass #tav lore #CF Answers!#Look! Less of a ramble! For once!

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nagirambles · 2 years

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Rambling about Fairies - Manga Chapter 170

Honestly, I love the wonderful and tragic implication of Lisanna being alive in Edolas. it’s great it turned out to be Lisanna and the reunion with Mira and Elf is so beautiful, but I fully understand people who don’t like it too.

There just wasn’t any meaningful buildup to that reveal before we were suddenly given whiplash at the end of the arc. It felt like a shock for the sake of shock, especially since Lisanna doesn’t do anything meaningful narratively after she returns.

I’ll say it first. I love Lisanna a lot. A LOT. But only in flashbacks and as my fan version of her. In canon, Mashima chucked her aside and sometimes I almost wished she stayed dead because I loved her as who she was in the flashback, as someone so kind and meaningful to everyone. After she came back, Mashima stopped caring about her character, and everything I once loved about Lisanna just stopped happening and was replaced by another face in the crowd. I wish she continued being a wonderful and hailed character, and Mashima should have stopped before he ruined her.

Often I wonder how it all would have been with a Lisanna that truly wasn’t ours. If this truly was Edo-Lisanna instead of Earth’s. I love how tragic the Nali story is, similarly to how I love how tragic Jude and Lucy’s story is. It just adds so much depth around Natsu’s personality and dynamics with other characters, and I feel that is a bittersweet note of growth and development for him.

This moment was a powerful climax to Lisanna’s so long buildup of existence. I just wish more was done with it in Edolas before she just returned home. Did she even need to return home? Like, even if it wasn’t to bring her home, what was the point of reintroducing her in Edolas if she wasn’t to become an important/semi-vital part of the Edolas narrative like Edo-Lucy? It would capitalize on their similarities one last time, you know?

I wish more was done with her potential in Edolas, because just look. Natsu was about to cry. Lisanna being here actually brought a genuine, emotional tear to Natsu’s eyes, and as I’ve mentioned, we don’t usually see that in the manga.

I wanted to see more of this. More of Natsu figuring out how to deal with Lisanna being alive here. I want a dilemma of him not knowing if he should care for her, if he should ignore her, if he can ignore her. Not just Natsu nonchalantly moving on to the serious issues, that makes no sense. (Even if you don’t ship Nali romantically, please, you’ve got to understand, his long-dead childhood friend showed up alive. Who just moves on like it’s nothing?) There was so much buildup to how much Lisanna meant to all of them, so Mashima not following through with it upsets me just as much as the Mystogan-Wendy situation.

Heck, not just Natsu, I want Happy to react! Natsu is strong enough to hold back, Happy is lost and confused and there’s no better opportunity for him to run to Lisanna for comfort because someone he thought was dead is alive.

So you know, I will forever despise how Mashima turned this situation comedic for no reason. It’s just so tone deaf to the buildup thus far. Even if that wasn’t their Lisanna, Natsu deserved a moment to actually be vulnerable and express his damn emotions without being thrown into a comedic light.

Like, I just want Natsu and Lisanna to interact. How ridiculous is it that they don’t ever interact? Literally Lucy and Gray gatekeeps him from it, they can’t even share a greeting before Lisanna is whisked back into being nothing, the plot captures them, and they never interact again.

This is the stupidest way to end their old friendship without any closure, and I can’t believe anyone could justify this horrible writing. Even the fucking Mystogan-Wendy reunion had more substance to it and that is also rock bottom.

#rambling about fairies #fairy tail #ch170 #edolas arc #i'm reaching #lisanna strauss #i have biases i'm sorry

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yeeetmeoutside · 2 years

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Then Came You | Zhongli x Reader - Chapter 4

On the Way

1.6k words

warnings: none

As you had promised Bao, before leaving, you stopped by your shop, searching for Xiu Ying, your regular delivery man.

On your arrival, Xiu Ying greeted you, limbs covered in bandages. Something primal churned in your gut at the sight and you offered him your thanks for trying to stand up to the Hilichurls. He shook it off, saying that he was only doing his job but you insisted and offered to pay for his medicines.

After a lot of negotiation, he ultimately reconciled. Zhongli was with you the entire time. When asked about his luggage for the trip he replied respectfully that he wouldn’t be staying at the Inn, instead, he would be back the next morning – as would you. So, in conclusion, somehow you had managed to bag an outing back and forth with a man you didn’t even know until yesterday.

You were surprised at Zhongli’s concern regarding the monsters; whether you found it offensive or endearing, you didn’t let on.

It was the latter.

Zhongli observed your interaction with the delivery man from the distance. So far, you were a kind woman with goodness in your heart towards people who you thought deserved it; as opposed to what he saw earlier in the case of your uncle.

He didn’t blame you though. From what he had heard at the funeral from your uncle’s friends and colleagues, the man was a saint, a blessing and was taken away too early, all the while you looked like someone who could kill with their bare hands. He knew that as much as you had wanted to jump up and down and scream retorts, you had managed to keep your feelings bottled up.

Barely.

‘She has a strong sense of justice. She doesn’t like it when someone favours what she opposes, but she doesn’t let them know out of respect. It’s hard to come by such people these days.’

“Miss Y/N, I really appreciate your gesture, but–” Xiu Ying said, bringing Zhongli out of his thoughts.

“Like I said, it’s fine. Go home now. It’s getting late. And give this to little Dali,” you said, referring to his daughter as you handed him a small braided silver bracelet, with ruby streaks tangled within it.

He looked back at you in astonishment, putting out his hand to refuse before you gave him a stern look and shut him up.

‘Persistent.’

“We should leave now if we are to make it at the Inn before sunset.” You called out to Zhongli, who agreed with you and thus, the two of you left Liyue Harbour; riding off into the sunset. In a cart.

The journey was a little awkward. With nothing to do, you decided to give your eyes some rest as the cart trudged along the dirt path. You put out a hand to the Vision secured around your waist, the thrum of power a steady beat against your fingers. You had picked it up after your lunch with Zhongli; hurrying in and out while he waited outside. When you had returned, you caught him observing the open area at the Yujing Terrace, right where the Exuvia had fallen from the sky.

‘Was it rash to discuss my conspiracies with a stranger?’ You had thought to yourself. But out they went through the window when he turned around and smiled at you, butterflies popping in your stomach.

‘He’s so handsome.’

“If I may,” Zhongli said suddenly, “An electro vision. It’s been a while since I’ve come across a wielder of lightning.” You opened your eyes, seeing Zhongli’s finger point at the purple orb now resting on your stomach.

“This Vision… belonged to my mother.” Zhongli’s eyebrows raised. Visions couldn’t be passed down. It loses its powers if someone other than the beholder was to wield it.

“She was from Inazuma. However, my parents moved to Liyue when I was barely a toddler.”

“She passed away almost ten years ago,” you explained, a sudden weight pressing on your chest.

“My condolences,” Zhongli replied respectfully. It still didn’t clear his doubts. If your mother was deceased, then the Vision should have faded. It should be nothing but a flimsy piece of jewelry by now.

“After I reached the legal age, I used to rage at the local taverns once a month. One time, I had the Vision with me… It-it was my mother’s birthday,” you sighed. “So off I went to drink my sorrows away. But I guess I had a little too much that night,” you scratched your cheek. Zhongli placed a hand under his chin, listening intently.

“There are some murky, foggy parts where I drunkenly explain to a random stranger about my parents, after which… I passed out. I woke up feeling groggy, with a warmth in my palms,” you smiled, recollecting your panic at the time.

“The Vision was glowing purple.”

You had said too much, you realised. Clearing your throat, you straightened, folding your legs underneath yourself. Something about him made you want to pour your deep, dark secrets right into his palms. He had sneaked up on you so easily. Talking with him made you feel… light.

Zhongli leaned back. “Someone resonated with your Vision?” You dipped your head. “Was it the stranger?”

“Possibly. I tried to look for her after that day, asking the bartenders to keep an eye out for a middle-aged woman with brown hair. Haven’t heard back yet.”

“Would you recognise her if you saw her now?”

“I don’t think it's likely. I was bat-crap hammered,” you snickered, earning a smile from Zhongli. “I think you and a distant friend of mine would get along great,” he mused, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the straw wall of the cart.

You were about to reply when the cart rolled over what felt like a giant stone, making it shake violently. As a result, you lost your balance and landed right on top of Zhongli. Your hands held onto his arms for support, feeling rock hard muscle underneath. Your eyes met, warmth rushing to your face, turning it crimson. You pulled away, getting on your knees when the cart shook again and you fell once more onto him, a squeak escaping your throat, this time his hands on your waist and yours on his chest.

Zhongli’s eyes widened; his ears hot. He wanted to let go of you, but his arms wouldn’t move. Unknowingly, he gazed into your eyes, noticing the colour for the first time. The light from the setting sun reflected against your irises, giving them a glass-like finish. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

You froze, taking in his face framed perfectly by his bangs. Your heart pumped as if it would jump out of your chest, stomach flipping over and over, your gut screaming at you to get away, but you just… couldn’t. What was a moment staring into each other’s eyes; almost felt like millennia. And… you didn’t want to let go.

“I am so sorry for that!” The cart driver called out from the front, rushing to check on the two of you. Immediately, realisation struck and you both retreated, leaving more space between yourselves than before. You turned away, face still cerise and hot. You had never experienced intimacy before although you had read plenty about it. It was much stronger than what was described in those damned books you had back home.

The cart driver emerged, scanning the area. “Did anyone get hurt?”

“No–” Zhongli’s voice broke off. He cleared his throat in embarrassment, speaking in a graver tone. “No, we’re okay,” he hid his mouth with his fist, trying hard not to display himself so ruffled. The cart driver bowed, apologising for not noticing the big rock. You waved him off, saying it was alright, even though you still couldn’t bring your eyes to meet Zhongli’s.

You got off the cart, wanting to get as far as you could from the said man. In a feeble attempt to look uninterested, you stared at the wheels of the cart and coincidentally found the source of the ruckus.

A Noctilucous Jade ore. You looked around and spotted several more, dispersed randomly. “Hey, look at this,” you called out to Zhongli, head cleared and focused on the task that lay ahead of you. He weakly climbed out of the cart, still shaken up until you showed him the Jade ore.

“They are here,” his forehead creased. “But we are miles away from the Guili Plains.”

“They returned to their original hideout,” you deducted. One by one, you picked up the ores and handed them to Zhongli who cradled them in his arms. The cart driver watched as you walked a bit further and peeked behind several hills, until you found a whole camp of Hilichurls huddled between two, dancing around a fire, the cart full of Jade ores heaped against a tree.

Electricity rushed through your veins, as red-hot anger boiled to the surface. You walked back to where Zhongli stood and looked him in the eyes, all signs of nervousness vaporised.

“Wait here, don’t follow me. It’s not safe. I’ll climb up there,” you said pointing to the top of the hill, “and call out and then we can go ahead,” you said to both, the cart driver and Zhongli.

“Y/N–” Zhongli called out but you were already sprinting towards the hill. You climbed it in three leaps and counted your opponents.

“Ten Hilichurls, two hydro Samachurls and one Mitachurl,” you said out loud to yourself.

“Easy.”

#genshin impact #genshin impact zhongli #genshin zhongli #genshin fluff #genshin fanfic #zhongli #zhongli x reader #genshin oc #xinyan #chongyun #yanfei #xiao

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chiropteracupola · 9 months

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B, E, H, for whichever guy(s) from your brain you most want to talk about!

okay it is JAMES TIME now time to talk about JAMES!

B. What inspired you to create them?

so! the thing about James is that he wasn’t originally meant to get his own story at all — I’d been pondering the shapes of some backstory stuff for Alan Breck Stewart of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped, a guy about which we don’t know an awful lot when it comes to what’s happened to him before he shows up in the book. so what I had in my head was something that’d happen during Alan’s initial army years, but Alan’s not the sort of guy that really works well on his own. in my estimation of him, he needs someone else to bounce off of to really shine, which is what RLS does so well in the book proper!

so I set about inventing up someone who Alan might want to talk to, and someone who might feel at home in a RLS story! and somewhere along the line, about two or three drawings in, there just sort of started being a guy that pulled up a chair inside my head and made herself at home. she’s changed a good deal since then, but she’s not left since!

as for the broader story of haunted by your hand, that comes from my favorite Vincent Price audiobook, ‘A Graveyard of Ghost Tales’, specifically the sections on hands of glory [27:13-50:48] one thing I’ve always wondered about with that line of lore is regarding the actual procurement of the hand itself — would you want to steal a stranger’s hand, or someone you’d known, and what might that feel like to keep holding in your own as it mummified and turned from a relic of a beloved person into a tool for thievery? and what if that person’s spirit stuck with that hand, what would that be like?

and so you see! there’s James!

E. Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you?

James is almost infuriatingly easy-going, but very good at smoothing out conflict with strangers and acquaintances to the point of often being difficult to communicate with. if he doesn’t want to talk about something, you will not be talking about anything at all. for my part, a lot of how I get to know a person is joking and goofing and conversational exchange, and James, at this point in her life, is not interested in that kind of give-and-take in discussion at all. she’s got enough friends — she doesn’t feel that she needs to open up to anyone else. thus, we would probably tolerate each other in short interactions, but I doubt we’d ever be friends.

H. What trait do you admire most?

she’s decisive and secure! she knows precisely what she wants, and more often than not, how to go about getting it. if something needs to get done, James is the one to do it, and she will do it, without hesitation. …this is not always a good thing, as it happens. uh oh.

#answers from the cupola #oc time again hehe #haunted by your hand #the gambler: james webster #thing about the story where james originally appeared is that I like it so much (some of my best alan breck dialogue Ever) but also.#james has her own things to do now. but also it is fundamentally a two person story. so there it sits halfway done in my notes app forever.#kate funfact also while we're here: a lot of why she's Like That is because james was designed to fit around alan breck #and thus in his absence took well to a kind of alan breck-shaped guy in return!

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dethharmonic · 1 year

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Community Gardens

Otto Octavius x Reader; Alternate Universe - Magic Summary: While your trip to the market is brief, boy does it end up being A Lot. Chpt 5: controlled burn

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[click here for the fic on ao3]

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The walk into town was uneventful, for you at least. For Otto, it was a constant struggle to keep you on track. While discussing the latest research you had done, you would continuously get far too involved in the conversation and stop walking. So he moved on to silence, in which you would get sidetracked by the fauna and flora of the area. At one point he turned to say something to you only to see you a few paces back, peering into the forest with a puzzled expression. With a sigh, he made his way to loom at your side.

“Arm.”

“Yeesh! Don’t sneak up on people!! Also, what?”

Forgoing an explanation, he gently took hold of your arm and linked it though his. Yes, it was a gentlemanly gesture, but it was more-so because keeping you focused at times was akin to trying to heard a very excited ferret. Thus, a leash of sorts.

“How you haven’t been stolen away by fae-folk yet is beyond me.”

“Oh, that’s because they usually only take nice things,” you replied offhandedly, the casual self-degradation slipping off your tongue without a second thought. In the small pause of conversation you began playing with the fabric of his sleeve as you both began walking again. “At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

“And so, my confusion” he sighed out.

“Aww, is the powerful magic man calling me nice?” you teased.

“A delight.” He fondly recalled your words from a week or so ago. “Don’t get cocky about it.”

You let out a soft huff of air in response, but there was no actual annoyance behind it. A fact given away by the goofy smile plastered on your face; Otto wearing a similar, if more subtle, smile.

The town was a bit nerve-wracking at first, being in a new portion of the surprisingly large marketplace and at a busy time of day no less. Though you had explored a little of the area before, its clear you must have done so on an off day. Otto’s arm was a welcome presence, clinging to it helped to soothe the near over stimulation stemming from the crowd of shoppers. For a few shops Otto merely introduced you as his assistant and guided you through placing orders for important ingredients. It seemed like those buildings pressed down on you both, the feeling like the interactions were very begrudgingly done following you both out the door. The back-alley shops and carts were a different vibe entirely. While the former were quiet and rushed dealings, the latter were drawn out affairs; almost more chit-chat than business.

It was during one of these visits that you had finally completely checked out for the day. How he kept up with all this was beyond your comprehension.

Had you not been at your mental limit, the current shop would have you bouncing off the walls. More books than you could count lined the walls of the cramped room. A mess that would normally have your fingers itching to dig into. A hefty crate sat on the counter filled with an assortment of beautifully bound journals, spell-books, and the occasional scroll. After several minutes of silence on your part, Otto looked over to see you wringing your hands while staring unblinkingly out the window at the food cart across the alley-way. An actuator gently nudged at your side, startling you out of whatever daze you’d fallen into.

“Sorry,” you said remorsefully. After all, you were here for a reason.

“You apologize too much.” Immediately you attempted to say sorry again, though with a judgmental eyebrow raise from Otto the words were bit back.

“How about we get something to eat and head back home, hmm?” He glanced to the gray sky, seeing black clouds rolling in towards town. “Looks like it will storm before too long anyway.”

With a relieved sigh, you answered with a subdued nod; letting him lead you out of the shop with his furnace of a hand along your back. This ended up being too much. You should have known this would happen in hindsight, but still you wanted to try. Home sounded nice. The fact that both of you were referring to a singular place not bothering to grace either mind.

The cart had possibly too many options, though it leaned more towards pastries. You both chose some little hand pies and upon contemplating the desserts for an embarrassingly long time, you got a parcel of cookies as well.

Moving to find a place to sit and eat, you came along a small public square. It looked to separate the ritzier shops from the ones that you’d just finished up business at. Benches dotted the outskirts, and a nearby one seemed quiet enough a spot to enjoy lunch. Street performers dotted the square, a small group of musicians tuning up catching your eye. You turned to Otto to point them out, but lost all train of thought when you saw him very intensely looking at his meal before flaking the pastry between his fingers.

“What on earth are you doing to that poor pie?”

He froze a moment before responding to you, embarrassment flushing his ears a light pink.

“I uh,” he cleared his throat, not sure how to explain himself but trying nonetheless. “I was wondering if that food cart may have had a brick and mortar shop years ago. The crust is remarkably similar to the ones that my Rosie liked to pick up for us before…” he trailed off, looking ahead to avoid any reaction you may have at the mention of the accident. Anger at the destruction he was used to, or even the cold shoulder that many preferred, but it was the pity regarding his late wife that soured his stomach the most. He wasn’t sure he could stand seeing that look come from you.

After studying his profile for a moment you nodded, which he didn’t see, and took a bite of your own hand pie. Chewing seemed to take longer during conversations, it gave you time to think. “We could always ask them next time, you know.” He finally looked back to you, a wary confusion gracing his features. You knew enough that she had passed in the accident. This was the first he had ever spoke of her to you and though you burned to know what she was like, you were aware that pit of grief was not your to dig in unprompted.

Relief washed through him, letting out a breath that he didn’t realize he had been holding. “Yeah,” he responded quietly, a small smile mirroring your own, “I suppose we could.”

The band had drawn a decently sized crowd while you had been talking, already one song in. Your meals were just about finished when they started their second song, an upbeat number that had some of the couples in the crowd break off to dance. Happily swaying along in your seat, Otto suddenly rose and swiftly turned to offer his hand to you.

“C’mon,” he said while nodding in the musician’s direction. “Oh uh…I don’t know,” you meekly replied, moving your hand to meet his on instinct. “I have no idea how to dance.”

“That’s fine, neither do I.” A wink was all you had in warning before he grabbed you up, one hand in yours and the other firmly on your waist. Brain left back in your seat, you moved mindlessly alongside Otto. Letting him lead you this way and that, it’s possible that he was fibbing about not knowing how to dance. His steps were graceful, as fluid as the rivers of silver flowing from his back.

You were happy. The thought absently rolled through your mind as Otto twirled you around. Not sure of the last time you were certain of the feeling of absolute joy, but right now you felt it deep in your heart. That sentiment poured from you, coloring the laughter as an actuator helped to support you in a low dip. As the musicians seemed to wrap up, so did the impromptu dancing. Breathless, Otto took a long look at you and though the sky remained overcast, he swore he felt the warm rays of the sun.

In the small walk back to your belongings heaped next to the bench, it dawned on you that for being a town pariah, Otto sure did deal with a lot of vendors.

Thankfully unlike your initial trek into the woods for supplies, he didn’t make you lug around the two very full bags you’d filled to the brim. Heading towards the road home, you were still under the impression you were done for the day. Just in time, it seemed, as it looked like the storm would start any minute now. Both of you having dressed for nice early summer day, you’d be soaked to the bone if so.

You had been steadily walking in pace with Otto, but he suddenly slowed and eventually stopped altogether, prompting you to look back in confusion. To most the look on his face would be that of a troubled man, brow knotted and a deep frown; you knew it better as his thinking face. After a moment of patient waiting on your part, he seemed to come to some conclusion as he nodded and looked your way.

Before you could voice any question, an actuator tugged at your shirt sleeve and another placed the heavy bags at your feet. “Stay here a moment, please.”

“Uh, okay?” You gave the claw at your elbow a pat before glancing back up to him. “Why?”

“I forgot something,” he paused, maybe thinking of elaborating further before deciding against it. “It’ll be quicker if I go by myself, so don’t move.”

“You got it, Sir.” You gave a halfhearted thumbs up, already bending over to rummage through the bags for the package of cookies you’d gotten earlier. A snort of a laugh was all the response given, and by the time you popped back up with your prize he was already gone. “How is he so fast,” you muttered in astonishment. “What the hell.”

Focused on scooping a cookie out and closing the bag back up, you almost didn’t notice the soft rumble of thunder. A fat drop of cold water hit the back of your neck as you leaned back down to replace the bundle of cookies.

“Oh, come on.” Still bent over, you grimaced skywards. Maybe the sheer disdain in your look would end the rain before it started. Another drop landed directly in an eye. Despite wearing glasses. Apparently you are not strong enough to sway the clouds.

Anxiously you shoved the cookie to your mouth while gathering up the bags. Otto would probably be a little miffed you moved, but you weren’t sure if the rain would ruin anything and you didn’t want to chance it. Scurrying back to the edge of the square, you quickly found an awning of a closed shop to stand under. So engrossed in your rain escape, you hadn’t noticed the eyes that followed. Eyes that noticed the fearsome wizard had left your side. Like prowling coyotes, a pair of women hurried through the sparse drizzle to take shelter under the same large awning you had chose. Far enough to not breath down your neck, but close enough that it made you a bit wary. From the corner of your eye, you saw one nudge the other towards you with an odd expression.

“You’re not wanted here,” an almost monotone voice came from the closest woman, clearly straining to be calm.

You shouldn’t indulge them.

Ignore them.

“Whatever you are, this town doesn’t need it. Especially not with that freakish excuse for a man you’re here with.” The words cracked out like a whip, snapping your head towards them. The heat of anger lapped at your skin. “You know what happened to the last little thing he mingled with?” As she spoke, movement shifted your gaze to the passersby that swarmed to see this new entertainment play out. “He killed her,” the second woman almost gleefully remarked. “Blew her right up with half the city. And they were married for years! Just imagine how little he probably cares for your safety,” she hissed these words, hot as steam. You flinched back as if this would help you avoid the pain.

“T-that….that’s not–”

“You know I gave plenty warning,” a man interjected, the very same you’ve been consistently running into since purchasing your home, breaking from the small gathering crowd to address them. “Doesn’t matter in the long run, maybe they’ll off each other in those woods. Better for everyone. Lord knows we certainly don’t need any more of your kind running around.”

He turned to you now, getting a single step forward before a metallic blur shot past, connecting to the ground with a solid thunk. An actuator stood between you, a breath away from the man and almost crackling with the energy of lightening ready to hit. With Otto’s appearance most of the crowd scattered away, leaving just a few of the nastier people. The ones too stupid to scatter.

The man seemed to finally snap from his shock, bristling and sputtering indignities. He was either VERY foolish or thought himself brave (you could take a bold guess as to which was true), as he attempted to begin his verbal tirade anew.

“Shhh-shhh-sh, shush.” Otto raised his fingers to his lips, a motion that commanded rather than suggested silence as a faint shimmery haze wove into the air around his hand. A matching vapor took place around the throat of the other man, you couldn’t seem to find it in yourself to care what spell was being used. It got results. “I don’t recall allowing you to speak.”

Otto lowered his hand, still pulsing with the spell, and stiffly held it flat at his side. The quiet that followed was heavy, a test.

“I’m not sure what passes for polite conversation these days, but you fine folks don’t seem to be too worried about that. I’ll say this only once; back off. This is a mercy I will not extend again.”

With that he wrapped his free arm around you, pulling you close to his side. The dizzy panic that had been almost all consuming began to ebb away as he gently pressed a kiss to your temple. “Are you okay?” he whispered, hot breath breezing over your cheekbone.

“I…” you began, but quickly fell silent as your eyes flicked over to where the group had been. They had fled the moment Otto turned his attention away, the only one left being the unfortunate excuse for a person still under the shackles of his spell. Words seemed too hard. So instead you nodded, clutching his arm, and hoped he understood that you wanted to leave immediately. Thunder rumbled in the distance. He turned you towards the wall of plant-life encapsulating the way home. In the corner of your eye, Otto’s hand began to relax, the shimmer of the spell clearing. A cold wind kicked up as you walked forward, almost masking the sound of footsteps behind.

As you came to the large boulder, actuators not holding bags swept forward. Well, if you came back to town that won’t be a problem anymore. Because they flung that rock deep into the nearby underbrush as if it was a pebble. The lightening finally pealed across the sky, a mirrored flash of light quickly bursting from Otto’s clenched hand.

You ignored the thump that followed.

Certain you were far enough from any harm possibly caused by the townsfolk, Otto reluctantly withdrew his grip on you. A shiver ripped through you at the departure.

Emerging from the overgrowth surrounding other side of the road’s entrance, you were startled by the sudden cold drops of rain that had begun in earnest. The feeling lasted only a few seconds, though the rain was clearly continuing on ahead of you. Raising your head stilled the question on your lips, seeing a small domed barrier sprouting from the claw of an actuator above the two of you. Possibly the weirdest umbrella you’ve come across, but it did the job. Otto showed no signs of slowing when arriving at his home. Why did that send pinpricks of dread through you? A quick glance at his face as you trekked forward revealed nothing, his gaze fixed ahead and expression blank. As much as you desperately wanted to say something, anything really, you stayed silent. For the remainder of the walk, the only sounds you focused on were the familiar crunch of gravel below and the steady drum of rain above. Upon arrival at your home, the weight of silence was almost crushing. It was unbearable, so you you moved to speak. Otto instead abruptly stuck out a rectangular package wrapped in thick brown paper. When you failed to move, he gently grasped your wrist to bring your hand up to cradle it.

“Oh, uh. Thank you?” The words tumbled clumsily, held back by confusion. “What is—”

“I think we should end your apprenticeship,” he hurried out.

It took a moment for you to react at all, like when nicking a finger with a knife so sharp you don’t notice the slice until blood wells out. The grip on your gift turned hard enough that the paper tore a bit under your fingertips.

He couldn’t stand to see the results of his words, so Otto pulled you into his arms. The act was selfish, he thought briefly. Cowardly. Another thought barreled through to say at least he wasn’t so selfish to ruin your life by sullying it with his. He blocked out any more thoughts before the correct one could grace his brain: This was wrong, he was being foolish.

“It’s for the best,” he murmurs into your hair, threading his fingers through the strands. You both know the grip is too tender, the moment far too soft to convince you he truly meant the words. So he sets his jaw and repeats. “It’s for the best.”

A broken sound bubbled past your dam of silence, causing him to pull away to look at you. Angry tears brimmed the kind eyes he was accustomed to, you refused his gaze. You broke free of the whisper of a hold he had on you and swiftly made way into your home. The wooden door slammed behind like an iron gate. In feeling too many emotions, you in turn felt numb. Like a statue you stood, staring at the hastily wrapped package as thoughts turned to static.

Don’t even open it.

Just start up a fire and toss it in.

You ripped at the paper covering.

Pressing your back to the door, you slid down to meet the worn wooden floorboards.

A book of magic, possibly the most beautiful one you’ve ever seen.

“Idiot,” you choked out. Not sure who exactly you were cursing.

#otto octavius #doc ock #otto octavius x reader #magic!ock au #dethwrites #mixed feelings about how this chapter turned out lol

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