#i'm sick of using the same pictures everywhere

[pancakebobs]

realising i don't actually need 50gb of build/buy cc but realising i definitely DO need custom paintings/posters bc the sims 3 ones are NOT cutting it

[monzamash]

easy to please lando norris x you rating – mature (sexual themes, coarse language) blurb for ✨monzamusings✨

thinking about u, the text read. above it, there was a photo – dark, a little bit blurry, possibly a figment of your weary imagination. a hand pressing down on black cotton, tanned and veiny – a hand you immediately recognised. fingers too, gripping the thin material and an outline that had you sitting up in bed, lazy smile slipping across your flushed cheeks as the picture came into focus. lip bitten. baby, was all you sent in reply. your eyelids fluttered shut momentarily, loosing the battle to sleep until you felt your phone buzzing, resting in your slack hand. they were coming thick and fast and bringing you back into the present. your fingers tingled from the sensation when you held it up and nearly dropped the bright screen on your squinting forehead. don’t baby me i miss u can i call please???? winky face emoji.

you sighed sharply into the plush pillow beside your head, wondering whether or not you had the energy for it. the appetite was always there. hell – all you could think about was him; even in the mundane moments, he was everywhere you looked – your work, your friends, the cheesy rom com that made you cry before wrapping yourself up in a blanket and falling asleep. you missed him. the back and forth, the will they won’t they bullshit nearly sending you into a spiral of complete and utter confusion. the future was uncertain; the distance between where you were and wherever he was in the world unbearable but what you did know was that you loved him, missed him. and he was yours.

heartbreakingly so. alright romeo but make it quick always am hehe. dickhead.

the phone call connected after one, maybe half a ring – there was no pretence anymore with you and lando. this was routine now, the late night calls across oceans, and it was always the same. whispered, i miss you's and i love you's, strangled moans, hands frantically chasing the high of what you knew felt like heaven together, by whatever means necessary, the best dirty talk you could ever imagine, barely tiding you over until you could be close enough to feel each other again.

“hi pretty girl.”

“hi boyfriend”

“ugh, i love it when you call me that. say it again…”

and you did, over and over until the late night giggles took hold and lando couldn’t breathe – the goofy smile scrunching the corners of his dry eyes, fatigue and exhaustion lingering in his hoarse voice.

“you should be sleeping.”

“i would be if you were here,” he stated matter of fact, not even a blinking, “i think i got used to having you with me over winter break… spoiled me too much and now i'm ruined for life.”

“so dramatic.”

“i’m being so real,” he yawned and by the soft grumble on the other end, he was definitely stretching out his sore, weary muscles like cat. there was a beat and a click of the tongue before lando spoke again, the ominous silence already making your eyes playfully roll.

“so… what are you wearing right now?”

“unbelievable…”

“you cant blame a man for asking, especially in my hour of need… show me pleeeeease” lando whined, toothy smile no doubt lining his chapped lips.

“what if I’m not wearing anything?” you taunted, snapping a quick photo and sending it through without a second thought.

lando quickly peaked, side-eyeing the screen sneakily and sighed when he realised you were pulling his chain, “i'm wearing some shirt you left behind because it’s hotter than satan's asshole here in london at the moment.”

he groaned more to himself than to you, eyes scanning your curves under the thin material, fixated on how unconstricted you were under the shirt he recognised, breasts pert. lando was restless and you really did deserve more than the desperado ‘what are you wearing’ pick up line but god, he wanted to know, no, he needed to know because if he didn't find out, he feared he may never recover.

after all, it was you that had him sick in love. and perpetually horny.

“think i might like you in my clothes more than naked…"

“you’re a sicko.”

“mmm you make me like this… and no bra, like are you trying to kill me?”

“always.”

you cupped your chest over his shirt and took another photo, teasing the gorgeous man waiting for your every move with bated breath. he’d sucked in his bottom lip, you could hear by how shallow his breathing had become, reminiscent of a panting dog – the sound alone quickened your heart rate. the image of him sitting in a hotel room alone, hand pressed to his aching cock thinking about you, parched to the point of a sleepless night was dizzying.

and it was easy with lando, the familiarity of his voice and the rhythm you effortlessly fell into. all remnants of consciousness melted away with him.

“wish i was there with you baby,” he whispered and you nodded, smiling, even though he couldn’t see how happy it made you to hear him say it.

“me too,” you sighed, relaxing into the stillness until your loud, obnoxious doorbell shook you from the peaceful silence.

“fuck!” you cursed, frozen in place.

“what?” 

“someones at the door…”

“what time is it there?”

“like 11pm… should i ignore it?” you were already grabbing the cardigan you'd thrown over the end of your bed and halfway to the door, curiosity winning out.

“nah, nah. you’re on the phone with me – answer it,” he encouraged, “i wanna make sure it isn’t your side piece coming ‘round when i’m not there.”

“ha-ha, actually my other boyfriend is already here, i've been trying to get you off the phone this whole time...”

"hmm, lucky cunt." he mumbled.

lando made you brave, stupidly brave so you swung the door open without hesitation, locked and loaded with a line of interrogating questions for the person interrupting the precious time you had with the man you love.

but you were hearing double as you held the phone to your ear and looked up – you knew that mess of frazzled curls and tired eyes anywhere, peering back with a smile the size of the moon curling at the corners of his lips. he was bundled up in a hoodie, one you knew would feel warm to the touch and smelled like him.

you had to be dreaming.

“better go tell your other boyfriend to pack his shit and get the fuck out of our house.”

“lando…” tears welled in your eyes as you lunged into his open arms.

“hi pretty girl…” he chuckled, picking you up without hesitation and hooked your legs around his waist, carrying you over the threshold.

“why didn’t you say you were coming home?”

“surprises are sexy, no?” he asked, voice deliciously low. he knew your answer.

“very sexy.” you moaned and pressed firm, fiery kisses into his strong neck, “you’re so sexy – all of this is sexy… god, i love you.”

“love you too sweetheart – let’s go to bed.”

“to sleep?” you asked, with doe-eyes and a devilish grin.

“yeah, i flew eleven fuckin' hours to just sleep… oh and by the way," lando narrowed his eyes and pointed to the crinkled shirt hanging from your shoulders, you looked a mess.

"i want my shirt back right now.”

you hummed and twirled down the hallway, “you’re gonna have to pry it off my cold, horny body, norris…”

“mission accepted,” lando confidently stated, chest puffed as he started stripping his hoodie from his body and inched closer and closer to where you were stood and all you could do was admire the gorgeous man stalking towards you.

oh, and blink a few times to make sure you definitely weren't dreaming, "i can't believe you were sexting me in the back of a cab."

“i know," he chuckled, "it was getting a bit much by the end there, so i walked the last couple of blocks to calm myself down."

you couldn't suppress the moan building in your throat at his touch and his confession – your mind was running wild, "that's so hot."

"you are." he quipped, hands slowly tracing your sides and cupping your chest in his warm palms.

"this is way better than phone sex.”

lando shrugged as you ran your hands down his toned stomach, thumbs circling the indents just above his hips, “i’ll take anything with you – it’s all good to me.”

“you’re easy to please.”

“well, you make it easy – god, look at you,” he exhaled, brushing the loose strands of hair from your face and all you could do was smile.

“i’m glad you’re home, ya goof. it doesn't feel right without you here."

“me too, baby. meee too.” lando smiled and planted a longing kiss to your pouty lips.

more writing...

bit of backstory with this blurb; it was originally going to be a follow up to another fic i wrote called lost in japan and then got buried in the wip graveyard. somehow it resurfaced in my doc folder right when i needed it and i feel like it still kinda fits in the lost in japan universe - selfishly i love those characters. anyways, i hope you enjoyed it 💋

[boiohboii]

Protective girl (Charles Leclerc x reader)

Inspires by @charles-eclair16 's fic

When fans go too far, yn wants to protect the one treasure in her life

or

in which we finally get to see the roles reversed

N.B: this is been in my drafts for so long, omg! Let me know what you guys think!! WARNING: not proof read, some swear words, might have messed up a date, don't focus on any dates mentioned, this is all fictional anyways. Hope you guys like it

masterlist

Liked by Arthur_leclerc, carlossainz55, pierregasly and 1,379,064 others

itsmeyn: charles always goes above and beyond for every single fan of his, he tries to take as many pictures and sign as many autographs as possible, but what happened last night was a fucking joke. He doesn't like what I'm writing cause he says that it was just a mistake and that it was fine, but it really isn't, it's so disrespectful and disgusting! He always wants to meet his fans and make them happy only to receive this insanity, him falling AND HURTING HIMSELF because some of you can't fucking wait and be organized like a human being! Charles isn't an animal in a zoo where you race to pet him! He is a human being, he is a son, a brother and a boyfriend! This wasn't just an accident, i have seen these 6 girls multiple times in multiple places! it's so obsessive and so so sick of you to follow him everywhere.... Charles won't speak up because he is Charles and he lives seeing the good in people, but I will tear everything and everyone for his safety, so for you 6 girls you will be hearing from court soon so better prepare a good lawyer you assholes!

Comments on this post have been disabled.

Liked by leclercboy, ynistheitgurl, fuckferarri and 91,739 others

F1_updates_live: Charles Leclerc's girlfriend, YN LN, seen today arriving in front of the UK's courthouse in a red SF9 Ferarri. It had been quite a week for YN as she was seen hitting a fan after the said fan pushed Charles. YN took this fan and 5 others to court, no one knows on what bases but what has come out is that she has won the case which means that Charles and YN have restraining orders against the group.

username: OHH HEEEELLL YEAAAAAHH

username: yn doing God's work

username: yn serving justice

username: that's what we needed

username: hot girl shit

username: the car and suit combo is so fucking hot of her

username: I think this is too much, like these girls just wanted to see Charles

username: @.itsmeyn can we make them 7?

username: another one

Liked by Charles_leclerc, danielricciardo, pierregasly and 617,829 others

itsmeyn: don't blame me, love made me crazy

username: YN IS A FELLOW SWIFTIE?!?!?

username: if I had a nickel for everytime yn and I had something in common I'd have 2 nickels, which is not a lot but it's weird that it's happened twice

username: now I just want her to watch all the charles edits done with a taylor song

itsmeyn: who says i already don't 🌚

username: and I oop-

username: THIS IS THE SWEETEST AND CRINGIEST SHIT EVER!

Liked by wolfffam, maxverstappen1, lance_stroll and 817,629 others

itsmeyn: congratulations to my baby, the love of my life, you deserve it and so much more ♥️♥️

username: FINALLY!!

username: idk how to react, ferarri has let us down too many times that all I know is lose

username: I don't see how he deserves it tbh, all of his results are shit for quite a while , he's only where he is cause he's driving a ferarri 🤷‍♂️

itsmeyn: oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were the one in a formula one car, in a ferarri, that by the words of many professionals is at its worse era. I don't care about you and your opinion but don't state it as a fact, no one can do better with these strategies. I hate to keep saying this but when your own fucking team doesn't have the same dream as you it turns to shit. Even if charles is the only one in the car, it's still a team sport, not a one man sport. Fuck you and your tiny ass brain that can never survive one lap in a formula one car, it'll probably explode cause of all the bullshit in it before the first lap anyway. So next time you wanna talk shit maybe try to do fifth of who you're criticising is doing, I bet that'll shut you up real quick you dimwit.

Liked by leclercpascale, pilotesofmonaco, tswiftyn, and 52,719 others

F1_updates_live: YN LN, Charles' long time girlfriend, seen today fighting Xavi in Bahrain due to his mistake on the radio which resulted in Charles losing his podium position.

username: good for her

username: charles is so lucky

username: I love how she always stands up for him

username: honestly, whenever charles or carlos ignore the strategies they win... I really wanna see more of that.

username: this is just Monaco 2024 GP all over again, yn was so fucking furious (rightfully so) cause Xavi's mistake costed charles a p1 in his home race.

username: this shit was so heartbreaking man

username: I think this was the first time we ever saw yn angry at sabotaging charles, like the most we saw was her holding his hand when crossing the street, making sure he eats first, playing with his hair when nervous, but I've never seen yn make someone literally cry until 2024 with Xavi being her victim

username: pffft, victim, he 100% deserved it

username: oh yeah, definitely. All my homes hate Xavi, like can you not say the strategy properly 😒

[kii-nami]

NIGHTBRINGER'S EPITAPH | PHAINON & MYDEI

Mydei drops Phainon’s title shamelessly, as if he is not standing here in this empty alleyway with you, holding you in his embrace so delicately behind Phainon’s back. Have you two no guilt? Does your shame really run that shallow to betray the man who loves you so dearly with such graceful ease? With his brother in arms, no less. How little self-respect does the crown prince have, to chase after a taken woman?

cw: 10k words; ; fem!mc; mydei's spinoff is here, mc is involved with both of them at the same time but fujos dni; no actual cheating; part of a wider hsr au by me and my friend; written from a pov of my other oc from this fic; i am not a honkai lore scholar i'm simply freaky; if you have any questions feel free to ask

They meet you for the first time with the fog of the hot water settling heavily in their lungs.

Burdened by her unavoidable involvement with this world’s struggles, Stelle is a little tense beside Shuhua. Their close brush with death – curtsy of Aglaea’s fierce dedication to protecting the secrets of Amphoreus – left the group somewhat shaken. Everything has been overwhelming ever since the cart crash-landed; so much so that Alisa started doubting Stelle’s decision to stay, instead of returning back to the train.

Despite accepting and enjoying her life of Trailblaze, this time things felt somewhat different. There was too much at stake to simply vanish and end up dead now. And they just had to get stranded without any way to contact the Express and leave sick March behind to be looked after by that suspicious Memokeeper hitching a ride.

Maybe asking Sunday, who is yet to settle down properly without following her around everywhere, to stay back and keep an eye on the situation was a bad idea on Alisa’s part. Even Aventurine, unfortunately roped into their shenanigans by Shuhua yet again, is suffering the consequences of their decision to leave them behind to have a nice trip as a family.

And it’s not like Alisa hasn’t entertained the idea of trying to use the powers of Repudiation, but the possibilities of what-ifs were far too great for her to risk the lives of her friends. So none of this seems extremely enthralling now that Alisa has to constantly watch her companion’s backs, trying to make sure she doesn’t need to mend them together body part by body part.

At least now that Aglaea isn’t trying to actively kill them, the group can finally relax just a little. And now that they’re about to go on a quest to kill a Titan – a God? surely not an Aeon? – Shuhua decided that it’s the best time for them to be as greedy and lazy as possible and soak in the healing waters of Amphoreus.

Maybe this too, as per usual, is a bad decision.

From under the weight of warm waters everything is coated in haze. Despite the promise of these baths healing not only body and mind, but also soul, Alisa is yet to feel any different. Being immune to everything has its ups and downs and right now she got the short end of the stick, unlike the rest of her companions.

Shuhua, as restless and as dedicated to playing a martyr as she usually is, spots Phainon first. Her mood pers up instantly, wet tail swishing excitedly in the hot water of the public bathhouse, sprinkling the droplets all over her companions. Through half-lidded eyes Stelle groans slowly, almost spitting the bathhouse water that got into her mouth. Lethargically scooting away from Shuhua to not get assaulted by her enthusiasm any longer, Stelle continues her nap in relative peace.

Noticing how nobody seems to appreciate her elation, the foxian finally decides to calm down a little, pointing unceremoniously to the faraway corner of the bath, “Look. Over there.”

Dan Heng, bored and half-invested into Shuhua’s new scheme, follows her line of sight languidly, only to be met with a picture that is a bit too perplexing even to someone like him. “Is that Phainon?”

A rhetoric question it may be, but it surely wakes Stelle up from her warmth-infused drowsiness, “Where?” With one eye open, sleep still clouding her vision, she looks in the direction that holds Dan Heng’s attention, just to finally wake up when she does spot Okhema’s unwilling hero. “Oh… It’s not that I’m judging, but…”

“That’s a little shameless even by my standards.” Shuhua snickers, a little devious chuckle, before she sinks under the water to tug Alisa up to the surface.

Finally releasing the breath she was holding, Alisa wipes the water dripping from her lashes and focuses on whatever got Shuhua act all scandalized. And considering that the foxian had little to none of said shame in her body, it must be one hell of a scene. Involving Phainon of all people, no less.

Elbows resting on the edge of the bath, he’s leaning back against the tiled wall. It's almost odd to see him so exposed, or even visiting a public bathhouse of all places, especially when Aglaea offhandedly mentioned that the Chrysos Heirs had their own private one to use however they pleased. It must have been truly an exclusive place with no entrance for ordinary people for him to be here. And considering his obvious company, it wasn’t much of a wonder why he chose to come here instead.

You – whoever you are – slowly step out of the warm waters, wet hair sticking to your exposed back; white, lightweight fabric of your robe clinging to your body, clashing with golden and crimson ink all over your skin. You reach for a bowl of grapes on one of the tables with refreshments, returning back into the bath just as leisurely, and it is only when the waves pick up the length of your hair that Alisa realizes the extent of your undress. Nothing but a thin, flowy fabric of your robe hanging loosely off your shoulders, you press yourself close to Phainon’s side and he eagerly invites you into an embrace, tucking you tightly to his chest. You pluck a grape from the vine, passing one to Phainon, brushing the pink berry against his lips. He opens his mouth, all but literally eating out of the palm of your hand.

Picking one for yourself, you pop the grape into your mouth; only you don’t get to enjoy the taste of it, as Phainon leans close to you, lips pressed against yours in an unannounced kiss. It’s a long moment before you separate, wandering hands of the hero straying a bit too far along your waist for such a public setting, but when he does allow you to breathe again, you huff and scoot away, following with a playful roll of your eyes. As smug as always, Phainon grins triumphantly. The berry stolen from your mouth must have tasted a lot sweeter than the one you offered him.

Phainon says something, slow and well-enunciated, although all the words are lost between the hum of the waves and the chatter of other visitors. You reply, much less careful and much more hurried, yet it still brings a blinding smile to Phainon’s face as he laughs freely. And when he brazenly tugs you impossibly close, with you all but sitting on his lap, Phainon seems much more relaxed, almost free, as if completely unburdened by the expectations this world placed on him resting on his shoulders. It’s as if only the weight of your body against his that truly matters for him; the delicate softness of your touch as your fingers glide along his shoulders until you bring your lips together once more.

And maybe it is so. Alisa does not allow herself to ponder on it any longer, lest it brings unwanted tears to her eyes. Jealousy is a vice, and she might not be holy, but envying someone else’s love this pure will surely drag her to hell if her past doesn’t already guarantee her a spot there. Maybe a little risk is worth a chance of seeing him even for a second.

Dan Heng’s deadpan voice brings Alisa back to reality, far away from the dangerous thoughts she will inevitably regret, “You have zero shame, Shuhua.”

The foxian scoffs, tugging on the tip of her ear to shake the excess water soaked into the fur right on the vidyadhara’s face, “Clearly they have negative shame, Dan Heng.”

 “Should we go say hi?” As if just woken up – full of mischief and yearning to wreak havoc – Stelle darts up to her feet, raining bathwater all over with her chaotic movements, “I feel like we should.”

Alisa has half a mind to stop her. It's neither time nor place and the two of you are clearly busy. Tomorrow is an important and, quite frankly, terrifying day for everyone in the Holy City, Alisa can only begin to imagine how you must be feeling sending Phainon away to battle a literal god. Logically, it’s better to give you some privacy, but has Stelle – or anyone other than Sunday, for that matter – ever listened to what Alisa had to say? The answer is predictably obvious, and whatever protests she voices are all lost on Stelle as she readies herself to march into the mayhem of her own doing.

“I strongly advise against it.”

Only she doesn’t get the chance to, tripping over her own feet, grasping for anything to hold onto and dragging Alisa along with her under the warm waters of the bathhouse. Shuhua and Dan Heng are quick to pull the two of them up, but their movements are far too sluggish under the influence of Thanatos’ power, and it does little to stop Alisa from inhaling some of the water.

“Miss Castorice…” She coughs out a greeting, although it seems to just make the matters worse as the woman takes a guarded step back.  “It’s okay! We’re okay! You just startled us.”

“I apologize, Lady Alisa. It wasn’t my intention.” Despite her rather poor repertoire of emotions, guilt is prominent on Castorice’s otherwise impassive features. Hands locked tensely in front of her, the Chrysos Heir sends another apologetic glance Alisa’s way before focusing on Stelle, “But please do not disturb them. It’s rare to see them here like this. Lord Phainon rarely has the time these days and Lady [Name] almost never leaves the Temple…” Castorice catches herself, putting an abrupt stop to her rambling, although the way she’s carefully watching you and Phainon paints a completely different picture for her sudden decision to stop talking. “Such an awful fate they were given.”

About to press for some answers, Alisa tries to find the question she wants the answer to the most, but none seem not invasive enough. Still, she imagines any would be more tactful than anything brewing in Shuhua’s head and judging by the ever-growing smirk tugging on the corners of her lips, she has a lot of those prepared already. Yet just like Stelle not so long ago, Alisa is not successful in her endeavor.

“Castorice!” Phainon’s voice is as clear as she remembers hearing it for the first time. “Esteemed guests, too.” He waves in their direction, hurriedly crossing the little distance between the refreshments table and their bath. “What a coincidence. Is the water to your liking?”

Dan Heng dips his head in lackluster appreciation, “It’s great, thanks.”

Satisfied with the answer, Phainon doesn’t offer any more questions, although the mysterious something woven into his self-assured smile is a little unnerving this time around, “If you’re free this evening you should come to the Garden of Life. My light has a way with words, her songs will not disappoint you.”

Castorice nods, accepting the offer easily. Even if Alisa wasn’t as intrigued by your relationship, she would have agreed either way. If not for the music, then at least for the rare investment sparking in Castorice’s eyes at the mention of you two.

“We’ll be there, Lord Phainon.” Maybe not everyone, most likely just Alisa and Dan Heng, but she would definitely not miss a free opportunity to listen to a ballad or two.

 “Not you too…” A disappointed sigh following his words, Phainon frowns slightly; blue eyes darting between Alisa and Castorice, he shakes his head, “No matter. I’m gonna go back now, can’t leave my lady alone for too long or she gets stolen by wild cats.” The smug arrogance paints his grin once more; Castorice – so uncharacteristically for her – looks almost amused by the nonsensical joke Phainon made. “See you later!”

He leaves in a hurry, just as fast and suddenly as he approached them, returning to your side. You welcome him, offering to take the wine pitcher off his hand but Phainon just shakes his head in silent disapproval. Opting to pour the pale peachy wine himself, he settles in the water next to you and lifts the goblet just enough for you to drink from it. And when you do take a careful sip from the silver cup, Phainon is quick to steal the wine from your mouth. Although you never seem to truly mind his unabashed behavior in the slightest, indulging it way more than you ever should have.

Maybe Shuhua is right for once, there are people with less than no shame.

Finally turning away, Alisa can’t help but muse over such unrestrained displays of affection. “He loves her a lot.” It sounds almost bitter, but Alisa is glad nobody notices. To live is to survive. To dream is to suffer. Even with her escaping the grasp of Istanai, Alisa will never truly be free unless she returns back to his side. And she can’t right now.

“He does.” Castorice is as solemn as always when she agrees quietly, her next words distorted by the excited buzz of the bathhouse visitors, “I imagine when you have so little to remember of home, what you do have you cannot ever let go. Even in death.”

It’s silent after that. Only the distant hum of the chatter and Phainon’s laughter cutting through the wall of white noise once in a while. They watch Castorice carefully as her unreadable eyes, all but glued to the glow of the sun shining over your head, get mistier by the moment. Tense shoulders, she cannot seem to find peace amongst the foggy air of the bathhouse.

“Castorice?” Stelle calls her name tentatively, but Castorice, too deep in whatever thoughts torment her, doesn’t react. Shuhua nudges Alisa on the shoulder, a little spooked by the idea of a literal manifestation of death being so lost in her own thoughts, and having no choice on the matter, Alisa reaches carefully to tug on the skirts of Castorice’s dress.

The Chrysos Heir flinches ever so slightly, misty gaze clearing up as she looks at where Alisa is still holding onto the fabric of her dress. “Please don’t listen to the rumors. Lady [Name] is not a bad person.” Coming completely out of left field, Castorice’s warning confuses the group even more than her silence ever did. “And do come to the performance, you might gain a lot of insight on that which you never considered to ponder on.” She looks almost conflicted when she says this, as if fighting with reason itself to justify her decision. Although when Castorice does get it off her chest, she seems almost liberated from her self-imposed shackles. Then she blinks, hand pressed over her chest as if she just remembered something important, “I completely forgot… I came here to fetch you, Lady Alisa. Lady Aglaea is interested in striking a deal.”

Shuhua groans. Alisa gets out of the water without much thought. Control is order and you cannot control what you cannot see. Yet again, the daughter of Repudiation is the biggest enemy of order. Only Aglaea is nothing like Sunday. And it’s for the better that she isn’t.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

Alisa killed an Aeon once, what a demigod compared to rejection personified?

If only things were that easy.

They meet you for the second time with the strumming of a harp and your soft voice barely audible in their ears.

You are dressed far more modestly than you were back at the bathhouse, which isn’t that hard to achieve all things considered. Much of your exposed skin is still painted with golden ink, intertwined with red lines where they form some kind of convoluted patterns all over your chest and back. Your fingers run over the strings with some sort of stiffness one would not expect from a professional musician, and despite the music being nothing short of heavenly, you seem far too detached from the tune you’re playing. Even your voice is far too muted for a crowd that gathered around, and although the people are eerily silent while listening to your romantic tale of a sun’s journey to greatness, nobody is asking you to sing louder.

It's strange. There’s something off about this evening that Alisa can’t place her finger on just yet. Castorice hesitantly learns to accept that the powers given to her hold no effect on the daughter of Repudiation, so she slowly takes some liberties in standing far closer to Alisa than any reason would allow. Alisa lets her, contemplating offering a friendly hand, but deciding against it at the end. She knows better than anyone how overwhelming change can be for a person.

Shuhua, despite her initial unwillingness to join the group for a night out opting to just wallow in misery as she always tends to do at any mild inconvenience, seems to enjoy herself right now. Stelle and Dan Heng stand a little to the side, the deadpan expression on his face gives away an idea or two about the topic of Stelle’s commentary.

Phainon is sitting on the grass close to where you are, unbothered and casual as he always seems to be. Aglaea and one of the fragments of Tribios – Tribbie – are conversing quietly in the far away corner of the Garden of Life, but the leader of Chrysos Heirs doesn’t look all that happy to be here. Even the crown prince of Castrum Kremnos is present, albeit it’s a little hard to read between the lines of his permanent scowl, even more so than through Aventurine’s carefully crafted, mildly amused poker-face.

It's not Mydei’s presence that rubs Alisa the wrong way, it’s the odd absent-eyed looks Aglaea keeps throwing the Nameless that bother her. Despite a quite innocent and harmless deal they struck today, Alisa can’t help but feel even more on edge around the woman. Aglaea admitted she can only see this world through the golden thread, so why does she keep eyeing them so intently? It’s none of Alisa’s business and yet… Survival of her family is her business, isn’t it?

People give you a round of applause and you lift yourself up from the grass, bowing shallowly. Phainon is quick to follow you, taking the harp off your hands and bringing your palm to his mouth in a fleeting kiss. Castorice shifts uncomfortably, closer to Alisa’s side. And Alisa truly doesn’t want to assume anything, but from the corner of her eye she watches Aglaea’s frown deepen.

The crowd disperses slowly. Shuhua attaches herself to Alisa’s arm with a tired groan and an annoyed twitch of her ears, nuzzling against the feathers of halovian wings. Stelle is still rambling about losing her login streak in Wandering Waves and missing some important character’s banner. Dan Heng is the only one to actually care about the performance and even if usually Alisa would be the first to jump into a discussion about arts, her mind is uncharacteristically elsewhere.

With a whine, Shuhua announces that she’s craving a late-night snack before the big day. Both Stelle and Dan Heng pretend they don’t hear anything, not that Alisa expected anything else from them. Not even fighting for custody rights, Alisa drags Shuhua into a different direction that will take them to the Marmoreal Market. Maybe some dromas steak will soothe her friend’s miserable longing.

Yet as per the rules of Trailblaze, its pathstriders can’t stop getting themselves in trouble. And even now Alisa is barely quick enough to tug Shuhua behind a row of shelves full of potted plants before they get spotted by the two shadowy figures standing under the torchlights of Amphoreus’ otherwise dim alleyways. The scene unfolding before them leaves quite an unpleasant aftertaste in Alisa’s mouth when she swallows thickly. And now the fur of Shuhua’s restless tail doesn’t feel all that pleasant against Alisa’s skin amidst the heavy, warm night air.

“Is that who I think it is?” the foxian mumbles, a little confused tilt of her head, ears pressed tightly against her head.

“Please be quiet.” Alisa is trying to save them from being inevitably discovered, although her efforts go unappreciated, as Shuhua huffs, scandalized and offended.

“Hey, don’t shush me!” Despite being nothing but a whisper, the sheer force with which Shuhua delivers her line is nothing short of a scream. “You start sleeping in the same bed that smug, undercooked chicken wing and now you’re turning evil.”

Turning blind eye on the usual, albeit even more colorful, insults thrown Sunday’s way, Alisa covers Shuhua’s mouth with the palm of her hand, “Shush.”

Shuhua’s exasperated hissing is muffled, but it’s not audible enough to reach outside the little corner they’re hiding at. It’s for the better that it is that way, as the shadows grow nearer, heavy footsteps fall to a standstill under the darkness of a little shop across from the shelves covering them and Alisa can only pray the plants are enough to mask the bright fur of Shuhua’s tail.

The skirts on the back of your dress drag along the dusty ground and you don’t rush to lift them, slowly albeit deliberately walking past Mydei who remains standing near the bakery’s window. The annoyed crease between his eyebrows deepens as he catches up to you, stopping you by your forearm, the gentle touch not matching his permanent scowl.

Your gaze is planted firmly on the ground, someplace where your shadows intertwine. Mydei steps closer to you, hands moving along your skin until he holds your face in his hands, lifting your head up. “Why won’t you look at me?” He speaks differently. Less brash. Way slower and just as well-enunciated as Phainon was addressing you not so long ago. “Don’t tell me you’re still upset.”

“Of course I am, Mydeimos.” You talk just as quietly as you sing, with a tiny rasp of hesitation to your tone. Yet right now it’s mixed with something so bitterly vulnerable, it’s almost easy to forget that you are a taken woman. And with how compromising your position is, it’s all but effortless to misinterpret the situation for what it isn’t.

“I am immortal.” Mydei states plainly and you scoff.

He’s still holding your face in his hands despite your arms hanging limply by your sides. It’s hard to see under the shadows of twilight, but even in such darkness the hurt pooling in your eyes is difficult to miss. “Immortality does not take away the pain of death.”

“I am used to it.” It’s unclear whether Mydei is trying to convince you or himself, but either way it doesn’t work.

The bracelets on your arm clink against each other when you finally lift your hand to press your palm firmly to Mydei’s chest. “I told you already, didn’t I?” Your voice trembles like the strings of the harp, as if you are on the verge of tears. And maybe it is so, “Your ache is my agony. Your suffering is my anguish. I must live this life knowing I cannot aid you in your endeavors. History does not–”

Thumb against your lips, dipping ever so slightly into your parted mouth, Mydei interrupts your fervent rambling, “I wowed to battle fate for you. This hasn’t changed.” You are a taken woman yet with the way the Mydei so effortlessly throws earnest promises of eternal devotion your way, it’s easy to forget it is not he who you are officially involved with. “But Deliverer is better suited for that Coreflame than I am.”

Mydei drops Phainon’s title shamelessly, as if he is not standing here in this empty alleyway with you, holding you in his embrace so delicately behind Phainon’s back. Have you two no guilt? Does your shame really run that shallow to betray the man who loves you so dearly with such graceful ease? With his brother in arms, no less. How little self-respect does the crown prince have, to chase after a taken woman?

“You cannot defy who you are.” You whisper dejectedly, not bothered by the mention of Phainon but the fact that Mydei refuses to change his mind. You give up then, tense posture going lax as you sigh heavily in defeat, “But who am I to deny your wishes?”

“My wishes?” Mydei questions, a victorious glint in his eyes. “I have a lot of those, you know.” He steps closer and you step back until you reach the wall, Mydei’s arm against the back of your head so you don’t accidentally hit yourself against the white bricks. “I am insatiable in my greed. Or so they say.”

He doesn’t wait for any response, just dips his head down and presses his lips against yours feverishly. You reciprocate, eager and yearning, all but melting against his body until there is no more empty space between you. But even then, he still draws you closer, free hands itching under the missing fabric on the front of your dress.

Taking your preoccupied state as an opportunity for escape, Alisa once again drags Shuhua into the darkness of the alleyway. There are no words exchanged until they are far out of your hearing range. Marmoreal Palace is relatively empty this time of day, and Alisa feels like she can finally breathe properly. So many things running through her mind, she has no idea where she should even begin. All that Alisa truly knows that it’s wrong. They shouldn’t have been there to see that. You shouldn’t have been doing any of that at all. And yet...

Shuhua, however, never holds back when she has to say something, “This wench!”

“Shuhua, please.” Trying to calm her friend down is futile, but Alisa is known to enjoy suffering to its fullest.

“I have to give it to her though.”  Shuhua huffs in irritation, dusting her tail off any cobwebs it gathered during her stay at the dusty corner of an alley. “How hard is it to swindle those two at the same time?”

Acutely aware that she’s doing nothing more than playing devil’s advocate, Alisa is desperately trying to rationalize the situation, “Maybe this all is a big misunderstanding…” She knows nobody is inherently good, but she's always trying to look only for the best in other people. And Alisa really doesn’t want to believe that either you or Mydei would betray Phainon in such a way. Logic, however, is much harder to argue with.

“Her tongue was in places mine can’t reach.” An irked scoff and a roll of her eyes, Shuhua crosses her arms over her chest. It’s hard to believe such a thing is possible but once again facts win over delusions. “We should tell him about it the first thing tomorrow.”

“Shuhua…” Not liking Alisa’s tone, the foxian throws her glare of disbelief prematurely, before any stupidity can even cross her mind. But as it usually happens, disapproval doesn’t stop Alisa from speaking and she truly has had enough of Shuhua’s bad decisions in the span of these couple of months to last her for another ten years. “I am not condoning her actions, but… I don’t think this is the right time to drop something like that on him. We truly don’t need any bad blood between those two, considering they are quite literally on a quest to kill a god.”

Shuhua blinks, canines biting harshly into her bottom lip. She’s clearly searching for something to counter Alisa’s argument with but can’t find anything of equal value to reason. Eventually giving up, Shuhua sighs dejectedly, “Yeah, okay. You’re right.” Then she grins, a little manic and sort of troubling curve of her lips, as she cackles sarcastically, “We just have to kill a god, how hard can it be…”

Not harder than it was to kill an Aeon. But it’s better for Shuhua to never remember what exactly transpired inside the Realm or Repudiation.

Alisa can only hope that after all is said and done, she doesn’t have to act out on her side of the deal with Aglaea.

They meet you for the third time amongst the sea of passersby, the shining gold of your jewelry flickering with your every movement.

They spot you at Marmoreal Market not long after they successfully take Nikador’s Coreflame to the Vortex of Genesis. They pass by Melpomene, and despite calling out to her, she rushes past them without even a greeting, an annoyed growl falling from her lips as she casts one last glare in the direction of Marmoreal Diner. Confused, Shuhua follows her line of sight, ears perking up and tail wagging when she finally spots you amongst the crowd.

Against both of their better judgments, neither Alisa nor Shuhua told Phainon about their unfortunate discovery after they returned to Okhema. And considering he is still locked inside Nikador’s trial, it is for the better that he is not aware of your infidelity. This, however, is a perfect chance to finally confront you, not only about your unfaithfulness but also about the rumors floating around the Holy City.

After that night in the alleyway, Alisa couldn’t help but put her meddling skills to good use and sharpened her ears as much as possible. Castorice’s cryptic warning aside, the rumors about your person are hard to ignore when one actually listens to what the public has to say. Turns out, people seem to have very mixed feelings towards you. Some deem you an important, vital figure to Okhema’s wellbeing in such trying times: a famous bard, an acclaimed hymnwriter, a renowned poetess, a revered High Priestess of the Temple of Silence. Others think of you as a rotten fruit, slowly corrupting the well-oiled dynamic not only between the Chrysos Heirs themselves but also between Aglaea and the Council of Elders.

And as it so happens, everyone is acutely aware of your not-so-secret affair with the crown prince of Castrum Kremnos. All except Phainon himself. Even stranger thing is that despite your unfaithfulness being a well-known fact, nobody is rushing to inform the hero of it. Whether he lives under a rock or his devotion to you is that unshakable is unclear but whatever the reason for it is, Alisa can’t begin to sympathize with either you or Mydei.

Neither can Aglaea, it seems.

Goldweaver’s threads wrap themselves around Shuhua’s arm, planting her firmly in place, “I strongly advise you to stay away from that woman, Shuhua.”

The foxian clenches her teeth, and Alisa decides to intervene before things escalate someplace none of them wants to, “Lady Aglaea, good morning.”

Heavy blink of her sightless eyes, Aglaea turns to face Alisa albeit she can never truly pinpoint her location, “Good morning, child.” Despite the friendly, polite tone, Aglaea’s detachment from humanity prevents her from truly igniting the warmth in her voice. Alisa can’t blame her for it, neither can she condemn the woman for trying to protect her home by any means possible. Although now Alisa has a faint suspicion that her odd behavior during your performance had nothing to do with the Astral Express but everything to do with you. “Please heed my advice and stay clear of her, there is nothing the Temple can offer you that I cannot.”

“Of course, Lady Aglaea.” Alisa nods, agreeing with the woman without even trying to argue her case. Sometimes to reject something you need to accept it first, and who would understand that better than a daughter of Repudiation? “Please take care.”

Aglaea bows her head in a shallow goodbye, disappearing into the busy crowd just like Melpomene did not so long ago. Shuhua, still trying to come to terms with the fact that there might be a target painted on her back once more, gives Alisa a suspicious side glance.

"She's still spying on us, isn’t she?” Shuhua asks carefully. She is yet to get used to this new dynamic of being the one following Alisa’s lead for once. But to live is to survive and adapting is an integral part of survival, and Shuhua really doesn't want to meet her end here because of some light snooping.

Alisa shrugs, mumbling a barely audible agreement. Just because Aglaea’s golden thread cannot see her, doesn’t mean her spies cannot hear her. Breaking their agreement with the leader of Chrysos Heirs will put her family in danger, but despite his smug, overconfident attitude, Phainon is a good man. Sunday might be right: her kindness is her weakness ready to be exploited; but he’s not here to stop her, so what else Alisa is supposed to do?

“Lady [Name]!” It has been a long time since she needed to scream to get someone’s attention.

The people give Alisa an odd look or two, some stop to search for the source of a disturbance. You, however, head straight ahead. Box with honey cakes securely pressed to your chest, you never turn their way even when Alisa calls out to you for the second time. Some passersby give them confused side-glances; one quick look over your shoulder at the commotion, you never notice the outlanders, swept by the busy crowd of the market. Walking past them casually, you leave with only the scent of sunlit oranges, ripe pomegranates, and warm cinnamon clinging to the heavy air long after the flowing tails of your skirts disappear from view.

And so, you escape. And so, Aglaea wins.

“Can’t believe she ignored us like that!” Shuhua hisses. Angry and disappointed, she curses under her breath, icy glare digging daggers into the dense crowd of the market.

Something isn’t right at all about this. The omnipresent gaze of Repudiation calls for rejection of all, and even on the endless path of Trailblaze Alisa does not stop defying authority. Mokosha, Penacony, Amphoreus. Her guilt, her love, her longing. Karina, Sunday, Aglaea. To live is to survive. Survival calls for all sorts of risks.

“Maybe she didn’t notice us…” Alisa cannot see the golden threads, they dissolve into dust all around her, but she can spot them weaving through the market, trailing the scent of sunkissed oranges and sugary pomegranate you left behind.

Shuhua cannot see what Alisa can, however. “Stop playing devil’s advocate, I locked eyes with that wench.” But Shuhua wasn’t brought up with the oath of rejection woven into her every breath, so it’s understandable that she does not condone this doubt festering inside Alisa’s heart.

“I think it’s better we just talk to Lord Phainon.” Alisa knows it’s the only right thing to do. The only way to force you to be honest with yourself. The only way to get to the bottom of this conspiracy. The only way to not let Aglaea win ever again.

“Yeah, yeah.” Shuhua grits her teeth, even more vexed than she was before coming here. “Now come on, I need breakfast, or someone dies.”

Alisa doesn’t doubt it. She just hopes it won’t be Shuhua herself.

The golden thread trembles, yet its presence remains.

They meet you for the fourth time illuminated by the sunlight and scorched by fire, as you melt the ice of the memories of the world long gone.

It’s dark inside the Temple of Silence. Nothing but long corridors, dimply lit by torches burning deep purple flames, and imagery of the night sky painted in crimson and gold all over the white walls. Phainon is leading the way with well-practiced movements, all while entertaining Stelle’s barrage of ridiculous questions and Dan Heng’s polite yet distant commentary on some of the more captivating things that the hero has to say.

Shuhua is restless, even more so than usual since they got stranded on Amphoreus. Alisa fears it might be Shuhua's breaking point, but she will cross that bridge when she gets there and for now, they have far more pressing matters to deal with. Confronting you in your own temple is not going to be easy, but with Stelle and Dan Heng now involved in this against their will, things took a turn for the worse.

Noticing just how big the distance between them and Phainon grew, Shuhua exasperatedly mumbles something under her breath and picks up her pace, dragging Alisa along by her elbow. Phainon, finally stopping near the intricately carved door at the end of the hallway, is still entertaining Stelle’s curiosity without complaints. Shuhua throws him an apprehensive side eye, irked glow of her eyes spelling nothing but trouble for everyone involved, but Phainon misinterprets it as something it is not.

“You seem nervous.” He’s wrong, everyone except him is acutely aware of it, yet nobody is racing to correct his assumption. “I assure you, there is no reason for you to feel anxious.”

“It’s just…” Shuhua begins, a strained smile on her face, “It’s a little dark here, that’s all.”

“Oh, sorry about that. Should have warned you.” Phainon rubs the back of his head, an apologetic smile tugging on the corners of his lips. “Well, don’t worry. It’s very bright inside.”

Three light knocks. The dark, purple flames flicker to the rhythm of the drumming of Phainon’s knuckles. The heavy door opens on its own, light drowning the dimply lit corridor. For a split second Alisa’s vision goes blurry, as if blinded by the brightness of the light. It takes a second for her eyes to adjust to the new environment, but when they do, she almost wishes she stayed blinded forever. She should have known better than to trust Shuhua’s mad ideas, they’re always more trouble than they’re worth.

Shuhua’ grins, “Oh, isn’t it just great.” Dan Heng is quick to silence her before she drops any more unnecessary comments, but he can’t stop a little gasp that escapes Stelle’s parted lips.

Alisa diverts her gaze from the scene of the crime, trying to focus on something else other than the impending fight between an immortal man turned unwilling demigod and a hero acting as the muse to of almost all of your ballads. Eyes wide and pupils blown, Shuhua bites her lip to stiffen any more sounds coming from her, although most of it just seems like the foxian woman is trying to suppress inevitable cackle which is bound to worsen the tension even more.

Mydei’s arm is wrapped loosely around your waist, just to give enough support so that you don’t accidentally topple over and drop the goblet full of pomegranate juice all over the sofa. Or all over him to be precise. On your knees between his parted legs, one gold painted arm pressed against his naked chest, you’re carefully pouring juice into his mouth. He doesn’t as much as blink when some escapes his lips, sliding along his skin and leaving the dark crimson trail until it gets lost in what little fabric is covering his chest. Mydei simply slides his gloved hand along the expanse of your bare back, moving your hair away from your neck and bringing your face closer to his.

Dropping the empty goblet in your hand, you let it hit the white marble of the room with the deafening noise that makes everyone in the room flinch. You don’t seem to mind the noise, just sink even closer to Mydei, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips and when you part at last, you glide your tongue along the crimson trail. Then you sink your teeth into the slope of his neck, an apologetic flick of your tongue over the rapidly vanishing indent of your teeth in his skin. Mydei leans his head against the arm of the sofa, half lidded eyes watching as you leave a trail of bites along his chest.

Phainon, for all his recklessness and flair, is awfully calm even when he positions himself in a way to cover most of your exposed body from their prying eyes. Posture lax, no tension in his shoulders, he doesn’t seem astonished or betrayed, or even simply angry. If anything, Phainon seems almost embarrassed to subject his guests to such an indecent display of affection between his – girlfriend? wife? Alisa isn’t even sure who you even are to him with the way the hero keeps addressing you – and his brother in arms. Knuckles rubbing against his forehead, Phainon clears his throat.

Mydei, unbothered by the presence of another man in your private chambers, doesn’t spare Phainon even a quick glance, “You’re late, Deliverer.”

Canines digging into her lips, Shuhua is barely holding herself together from cackling. Alisa has to admit, that all of this is sort of funny in some twisted way. But all of this snooping around just for them to end up here, intruding into whatever you three knowingly have going on. Oh, how embarrassing indeed.

Phainon, back still shielding most of the view on your nude body, tugs his coat off, “Please inform [Name] that I brought in our esteemed guests for an appointment.”

With a deep, annoyed sigh, Mydei finally looks over his shoulder, “Really now, hero? Couldn’t find any other time?” You lift your head, watching him with mild worry in your eyes as if you just now noticed the presence of someone else in the room. Three light taps on your shoulder, Mydei whispers something extremely slowly and you nod, sitting up straight, moving your hair to cover your chest. “Or person, for that matter?”

Phainon shrugs dismissively, as if trying to play his mistake off as something that is not his fault and then throws his coat towards Mydei, “They seemed really eager to meet our Lady of Eternal Fire.”

Mydei scoffs, catching the piece of clothing and dropping it over your shoulders the next very second, “Oh, I’m sure they were.”

You slip your arms into the sleeves of the coat and get up from the sofa, “Phainon.”

Despite the tender kiss you give him, you acknowledge the hero with some sort of detachment when you say this name of his. But it must be because you, as Castorice pointed cryptically all the way back at the bathhouse, are the only one who knows of Phainon as a son of Aedes Elysiae, and his true name is far dearer to you than the one he chose for himself.

Then you divert your attention to the members of Astral Express, a peculiar smile curving your lips, “Mysterious outlanders from beyond the stars. Welcome to the Temple of Silence.” You beacon them to follow you to the large marble table in the center of the room with a gentle wave your hand, the sleeve of Phainon’s coat flapping as you do so, “Please take a seat.”

They do as you say, albeit a little hesitantly, and settle into a long ottoman, just barely big enough to fit the four of them. Phainon joins you on your side of the table, immediately resting his head on your shoulder, and despite reluctantly leaving the comfort of the sofa, Mydei remains standing behind you with his arms crossed against his chest.

“What brings you here?” You ask, hand running through Phainon’s hair. “Against Aglaea’s… insistent suggestions to stay away from me, too.” There’s a little teasing to your hushed tone. You are far more playful than Alisa initially thought, way less intimidating too.

Despite Stelle expectantly watching Shuhua, nobody says anything. What is there even left to say now that Shuhua can’t hold your trysts against you for her own entertainment? And neither she nor Alisa herself were here with any hopes of actually getting in contact with the Express.

Dan Heng, however, tired of constant childish tantrums of his temperamental fox friend, takes one for the team, “We were looking for a way to contact our friends back home, and Phainon lead us here. He told us there’s a chance you can help us reach through the barrier to contact them.”

One moment. Then two. Three and then four. You say nothing, your puzzled gaze drifting from Dan Heng to Shuhua, to Stelle, to Alisa and then back to Dan Heng. You mutter something under your breath; quick, single word sentences, as if you are trying to decipher something but keep failing at doing so. Phainon lifts his head from your shoulder, once again oddly guilty shine in his blue eyes.

It’s tense, unnerving kind of confused silence that never seems to settle and only continues to grow. “Deliverer.” Mydei sighs, heavy and exhausted, “You didn’t tell them.”

The frustration in Mydei’s usually mildly agitated tone is almost palpable, and Phainon chuckles awkwardly, “I thought it was obvious.”  Then he quickly gets onto his feet to leave the table only to return a couple of seconds later with a heap of yellowish parchment, a bottle of ink and four quills. He sets everything on the marble surface carefully and you thank him, passing the paper to the group. “Apparently not. My apologies, I must have complicated things way more than I initially assumed.”

A simple complication doesn’t even begin to cover the level of mental gymnastics you three forced them into, but even Shuhua’s confused ear twitch is met with Mydei’s almost-warranted exasperation, “Don’t look so damn lost, outlanders. You’ve never met a deaf person before?”

Oh, complicated indeed. Alisa was right to doubt everything, but with the way Shuhua’s ears fall flat against her head she can guess the guilt of assuming things is catching up even to her.

“It’s quite alright.” You dismiss the sudden pitiful glances with a careless shake of your head, instead pointing to the parchment you offered to them. Phainon once again takes a seat next to you, although his posture is far less relaxed than it was before, observing carefully as Stelle twirls the quill in her hand. “Before we begin, you must give an offering to the Temple. Please describe a memory you cherish and feed it to the fire.”

Dan Heng gives you an apprehensive look, doubting your words despite doing exactly what you told him to. Stelle does the same, quickly scribbling something on the paper and dropping it into the purple flames flickering in a large ceremonial goblet installed into the indent in the middle of the table. It takes some time for Alisa to think of a memory she is willing to share with a stranger, and next to her Shuhua grins, folding her paper neatly in half and throwing it into the fire as soon as she can.

Mydei rolls his eyes at such behavior, finally giving up his watch to sit down next to you. He tugs the armored gloves off, placing them neatly near the ottoman and rests his hand on the marble, fingers barely grazing the edge of the ceremonial goblet. You give him a pointed look, the one of a concerned warning, but he dismisses you with a slight, teasing tug to the pointed tip of your elf-like ear poking through the dark strands if your hair. You are about to continue playing a losing game when Phainon once again drops his head on your shoulder, lifting your left hand up to press a tender kiss to your knuckles. Those two, despite all of their differences, know how to distract you when it works to their advantage and succeed in doing so with the ease of a well-oiled machine.

Giving up, you return your attention back to your guests with a fleeting, barely audible apology, then dip your free hand into the fire and pull out five cloudy crystals, dropping them into a silver bowl placed in front of you. Picking the magenta gemstone up, you bring the copper colored one along with it, clicking them against each other. Phainon laughs, the joke is lost on not only Alisa but also on the rest of the Astral Express, although even Mydei seems to get it.

“You two are very special. One is an empty slate, unable to be recorded.”  You begin suddenly, dark eyes drifting from Alisa to Stelle intently. “Another blessed by the gaze of your local gods. What a peculiar life you have, Stelle.”

Upon hearing her own name, despite never introducing herself, Stelle asks a couple of questions you are never meant to catch nor would ever want to answer. You just toss the stones back into the fire and pick a green one, discarding this gem almost instantly as well.

“Rebirth? How interesting…” Looking at Dan Heng, you are searching for something Alisa isn’t sure you can find. But with how the Vidyadhara goes rigid upon hearing your words, something tells Alisa it is not only a single cherished memory of theirs you now have access to. “I am sure that whatever this jade abacus you are thinking about is, it will not help you to leave this world, Dan Heng.”

Smugness on Shuhua’s face deflates exponentially once you get to the pale peachy crystal, her scheme backfiring on her so unpredictably. “Oh, an odd choice for sure, and yet…” You quirk your brow, chuckling lightly under your breath and leaning forward to pass the stone directly into Shuhua’s hands. “Who would have thought that man had it in him to…”

Embarrassed, Shuhua hurriedly hides the peach-colored gem in the pocket of her shorts. You don’t say much more, just sit quietly with an oddly familiar glint in your half-lidded eyes, well-manicured nail in between your teeth. Phainon says something that is lost not only on you but also on the rest of the group. You swipe your tongue over your painted lips, crimson hue glistening even more under the glow of sunlight, and pick up the quill to write a couple of quick notes just to pass them to Phainon as soon as the last drop of ink hits the parchment.

Phainon skims over what you written, a choked cough contracting through his chest, and he crumbles the paper carelessly. “Shuhua’s chosen memory sparked sudden inspiration in me.” You explain then, a teasing lull to your voice, while your nimble fingers straighten the parchment Phainon so thoughtlessly ruined. “I am sure it will not disappoint you either, husband.”

“Aren’t you forgetting anyone?” Mydei asks, fingers that were toying with the edge of the ceremonial goblet now completely engulfed by the purple flames.

“This one sees the appeal of wild cats just like I do…” You say distantly, a subtle shift to the air around you as you tuck the note you wrote into the pocket of Phainon’s coat. “So I have something else for you in mind, Mydeimos.””

 Despite shedding light onto the meaning of Phainon’s bizarre joke and thoroughly embarrassing Shuhua even further with the knowledge of all her previous affairs, your provocative tone contradicts your appearance. Even while replying to Mydei as if you can hear him, you do not look a slightest bit happy or relieved to be able to perceive sound once again. Instead, you hastily free yourself from Phainon’s hold, swatting Mydei’s hand away from the fire and cradling it close to your chest.

Unlike you, the prince does not return from the flame unscathed, although the burnt skin mends itself almost instantly. You were right, immortality does not take away the pain of death, yet Mydei endures the turmoil with ease. True to his promise of battling fate for your love, he is willingly walking into the scorching fires just for a chance of you hearing his voice.

Love of such kind can bring all realms to ruin, yet it is the only kind that you can accept.

As if trying to brighten the mood, a little pink creature that has been following Stelle around ever since her conversation with Oronyx, finally shows itself. Curiously peeking out from behind Stelle’s shoulder, Mem says something that only she can decipher, and receiving a lackluster shrug from the Nameless it slowly floats up to you, fluffy tail swatting Phainon across the face. You watch it with an oddly nostalgic sense of longing littered all over your face like gold dust, strained fingers gripping Mydei’s hand harder. If you know something about Mem’s origin – which Alisa does not doubt even for a second – you keep it to yourself and let the pink fairy playfully bully Phainon some more, until it is completely satisfied and settles on top of his broad shoulders, tail wagging excitedly.

“Are all memokeepers so… eccentric?” Shuhua whispers right into Alisa’s ear and it startles her, dragging her away from her lingering thoughts. “What's up with that fifth memory bubble, anyway?”

Albeit a welcomed distraction, the idea of you being a pathstrider of Remembrance makes things even more convoluted than they initially were, although that power of yours is easily justified by that simple explanation. And considering how easily Fuli extended Their blessings to Stelle, it would be only natural that They gaze upon someone so closely intertwined with memories.

Soft smile of yearning all but completely gone, you look away, returning to the matter at hand. Last, bright pink crystal left lying in the silver bowl, you disregard its existence as if it's just a figment of your imagination. The subtle shift of the air does not seem so subtle anymore.

“Thank you for your kind offerings, Trailblazers.” You speak at last, although there is some sort of tragic finality to the way you deliver your line that tells Alisa you cannot fulfill their wishes. “I must disappoint you, however. What you desire of me is far too ambitious.” Alisa already expected as much, so it does little to disappoint her, but a discouraged sigh that Shuhua and Stelle share hurts her nonetheless. Yet your deeply apologetic expression seems extremely sincere, as you bow your head, “I am not a Chrysos Heir, neither am I gazed upon by an Aeon like the two of you. I am a mere preserver of truthful memories. A dedicated historian, if you will.”

Despite not truly acknowledging yourself as a pathstrider of Remembrance – knowing little of Aeons beyond the information you gathered from their memories – you almost openly recognize yourself as a memokeeper. Just as odd as Black Swan and Reca, albeit a little less suspicious in your intentions and far less invested into the overarching plot of this adventure.

Mydei seems to find some amusement in your claims, however, if a muffled snort coming from his person is anything to go by. He tugs on your ear again, the gold chain hooked to a tiny circular earring in your cartilage dangling as he does so. It's weaved with crimson and navy gems, uncannily reminiscent of Mydei’s own jewelry and the sentimental charm of it is oddly heartwarming.

A huff from you makes Phainon stiffen a laugh, yet another inside joke that goes right above the heads of the ignorant Nameless. He presses his lips against your knuckles once more, far more reserved in his affections than he was back at the bathhouse. Mem shuffles on the spot in his shoulder, tail wagging faster at the sudden disturbance as a bright pink paw hits Phainon square in the face. You giggle, murmuring a couple of teasing apologies in Mem’s stead, yet do not reprimand Stelle to keep her companion at bay. You simply watch Phainon, overflowing fondness in your eyes threatening to spill over.

When you do turn to look at Stelle, your gaze hardens exponentially, “Natural enemy of Goldweaver I might be, but I cannot restore memories like your little friend here does, nor can my power reach beyond these skies. I am truly sorry for wasting your precious time.”

Guilty as you seem to be for not being able to help them, there is something else to the way to shift in your seat. The hand with which you were holding onto Mydei so tightly just a moment ago drops on your lap. Phainon quits his pretend battle with Mem to give you a once over; nothing too out of the ordinary, yet it strikes a suspicion of doubt, nonetheless.

The last memory bubble remains untouched, but from the corner of your eye you keep a vigilant watch over the pink hazy crystal. A memokeeper always has their secrets and all their cards are always tucked close to their chests, under a hundred locks where the destructive forces of time cannot reach them. And right now, you too are hiding something in plain sight, masking your own troubles under the grievances of the Nameless travelers.

“Your time ran out, outlanders.” Mydei states suddenly, no room for discussion left in the way he gets up on his feet to stride towards the exist. “I’ll see you out.”

Stelle is about to say something when Alisa interrupts her, “At least we tried, right?”  It's a rhetorical question and she can only hope her friends get the hint and listen to what she has to say for once. “I’m sorry for disturbing you, Lady [Name]. We will be off.”

They do. Confused and a tad bit worried, they follow Mydei to the door. You wave them goodbye, but don't get up to see them off. Neither does Phainon. Spirits low, Mem hops off his shoulder to float back to Stelle’s side.

Three knocks. The doors open on their own. One last glance at you that Alisa is quick enough to steal reminds her how easily her heart aches for others. To live is to survive. To dream is to suffer. Whatever you saw in that last memory was enough for you to keep your knowledge to yourself. And it is for the best that you can trust yourself to make such decisions. Alisa isn't sure she can say that about herself and not turn out to be a liar.

Mydei is far less of a competent guide than Phainon is. The journey is far too fast and now it's evident why this place is called the Temple of Silence. None of the questions they had were answered, none if them were even brought up in the first place. At least Shuhua can sleep soundly now with her conscience clear of any doubt that she's secondhand complacent in someone else’s infidelity. It doesn't seem like enough, however.

So even when Mydei comes to an abrupt stop near the gates of the Temple, Alisa has half a mind to ask at least something. She knows he won't indulge her curiosity, the prince is not Phainon and cares not about faux pleasantries of keeping up with appearances. But as it turns out, Mydei was itching to share a word or two with them already.

“Deliverer is too soft on you, so I’m going to say it myself.” It's one way to put it, but who are the humble Trailblazers to argue with a disgraced prince of a fallen nation. “This is the last time you come here for favors of such matter. That fool might deny it and say we and the Dressmaster reached a compromise, but he made his choice a long time ago. And my pact with Aglaea is fragile and I hold little to no attachment to either the Goldweaver or the Holy Maiden.” A slow yet steady pace at which a warning turns into a thinly veiled threat, “He’s delusional and living on borrowed time. I am immortal and I cannot forget. If you bring danger to her doorstep, I will pay you tenfold.”

Nobody responds. What is even there to say to such a declaration? Even more questions than before, Alisa can't help but wonder just how exactly Phainon and Mydei came to an agreement when it came to sharing your love and how you had it in your heart heart to tie both of them down to your soul so selfishly.

Not like Mydei would ever give her a clear explanation. No longer truly human, Mydei owes the Nameless even less than he did when he was just a Chrysos Heir. All have their own memories to preserve and it's none of their business, anyway.

“You keep bringing up Aglaea but what exactly did we do that's illegal?” Stelle is rarely as tactful as she should be, however. Maybe that's why she gets what she wants so easily. Audacity gets you places tact cannot. “Is your… arrangement not up to her moral standards? Or is it about the–”

Mydei chuckles bitterly, a sarcastic undertone coloring his humorless laughter and Stelle shuts her mouth quickly. “If there's someone who has those so-called arrangements you speak of, then it would be the Goldweaver. You should ask her about it if you are that invested into other people’s private lives.”  For the first time in a long time it feels like they finally crossed the line with the meddling in affairs that do not concern them. Mydei doesn't allow them to wallow in self pity, unceremoniously showing the group to the gates. “That being said, you’ve exhausted your question quota here. Leave.”

No goodbyes are exchanged but nobody expects the prince to send them off with a warm pat on the back. Shuhua, once again melancholic, dejectedly scratches on the shiny fabric of the pincushion strapped to one of the belts of her outfit. Mem is babbling away about something that leaves Stelle in less than elated mood. Dan Heng will surely scold them for snooping when they return to their room, but for now Alisa must embrace the shame.

“And learn to hide better next time, outlanders.”

To live is to suffer. To dream is to survive.

The tears you wept into the silver bowl cover the pink gemstone like ocean water drowns the corpses of the fallen. Even in death, you yearn to preserve a memory that remains nothing but a distant dream in the eyes of those who remember.

Maybe killing an Aeon is easier than salvaging broken pieces of rapidly melting ice.

Only one way to find out.

[discords-morgan]

I know we talk about what and what didn't make Vox and Alastor best-friend-break-up a lot BUT?? They probably WERE great friends (idk about best friends considering all of ✨them✨) considering Alastor trusted Vox enough to TAKE HIS PICTURE AND KEEP IT???? Which is like. a COMICALLY huge deal for Alastor let's be REAL

But here's the thing. I think we already know why they left each other. The show has already told us.

And I KNOW everyone likes to go on about Val being involved and whether he was or wasn't a factor BUT:

Think about how Alastor acted the SECOND Lucifer stepped through the Hotel's front door. IMMEDIATELY went full attack dog to undermine Lucifer and tell him to fuck off in the most theatrical, frankly embarrassing way possible ("it's a little funny, you could almost call me ✨DAAAAAAAAAAAAD✨").

So how in GOD'S NAME would he have acted when Val swoops in to work with Vox when Alastor said no to being business partners????

Keep in mind, Charlie and the Hotel is "pure entertainment" for Alastor. He does NOT trust Charlie or anyone else there enough to take his picture, let alone be on film.

But he trusted VOX enough.

What I think happened is: Vox asked Alastor to be proper business partners, Alastor said no, Vox said "k whatever" and asked Val instead (I imagine this is way before Velvette even died, judging by her social media use). Alastor goes batshit when Val shows up because he sees him as a threat, Vox goes "dude what the fuck" and they fight about it. After all, Alastor said no, why should he care who Vox shacks up with?

It all blows up in their faces, they have a fight, and SOMEHOW.

Vox. Is the one. That wins.

Just before stayed gone, Valentino says, "Are you still pissed he nearly beat you that time?" which means VOX WON. And it was RIGHT BEFORE Alastor disappeared.

Ex.

"That fucker is back!"

"I thought he was gone for good too."

"It's been seven years!"

"Are you still pissed he nearly beat you that time?"

"Uh, fuck you!"

"Just saying~"

"I should send him a message of who's REALLY in charge of things now!"

Val wouldn't have had to lift a single, moth-fur-covered, manicured finger. Alastor blew it all up on his own, and Alastor is the one that regrets it. The episode itself is called 'Radio Killed The Video Star', a riff on the song with the reversed title 'Video Killed The Radio Star'.

This is obviously intentional, but if Vox WON their last fight, WHY is it reversed, and why is Vox pissed about himself winning?

Vox didn't win because he was stronger. He freaks out at the end of Stayed Gone because fuck, he really pissed Alastor off. And he sounds REAL worried when Alastor finds out that he's behind Pentious being at the Hotel.

"You'll have to do better than that, old pal!"

Alastor was and still is stronger than Vox, but Vox won that time because Alastor let him. Alastor let Vox live, and then vanished for seven years. THAT'S why Vox is so insecure at this point in the story, and has SO MUCH surveillance over Hell. One because he's ridiculously nosy and wants to know what's going on everywhere at all times, but also because he's paranoid about Alastor coming back to finish the job.

AND.

VOX was worried sick about him for seven years, and here's why:

In the rolling bar text in the breaking news segment of Stayed Gone, Vox (and we know this is Vox because of what it says) says this:

"So the radio guy's back. I don't think you noticed. I didn't at first -- I was too busy being a much more interesting and important person."

"But fuck it, news is slow today I guess."

"I'm totally not worried about this guy and neither should you be."

"I totally wrecked his shit last time, thanks for asking."

And then it cuts away.

We KNOW this is Vox's line of thought because of how he 'totally wrecked his shit', therefore following the same line of 'totally' being the lie keyword, we ALSO know that Vox is WORRIED.

Worried about what? His old ex best friend coming back from the dead or worried that he's coming back to kick Vox's ass once and for all?

WHO KNOWS. My money's on BOTH.

[justp34chy]

im aware this isnt one of my usual posts soooo erm, enjoy?

both parts have previously been posted in a community so if you've seen it already hope you liked it :3 both parts ARE in here and a 3rd one might be made later

Bully!Yandere, GN!reader

!!!mention of blood, mugging, drugging, kidnapping, stalking and bullying [duh]!!!

mc is very vulgar, it's fineeee, they're just confused. they'll get used to their new home soon enough :3

written in 1st person

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

I met this guy a while ago, I was in my earth history class when he threw a balled up wad of paper that just so happened to hit my head on a particularly bad day. I was already on the edge of breaking down, I swear he threw an entire notebook's worth of balled up paper at me. No one was doing anything about it, even the professor just brushed it off. He laughed when I started to tear up and apparently he liked that reaction because after that- every. day. was. Hell.

I swear I see him everywhere. Out with my friends? He’s tripping me to the ground as we walk. On a date? He’s flirting with my date right in front of my face, he didn’t even like it! He had this grimace on his face whenever my date flirted back... At the club? He’s forcing me to pay for his drink. At home? He moved to the vacant apartment next door. I'm getting sick and tired of seeing his face around every corner, I swear it's making me go insane. I see him when I'm out for a late night walk, hiding in the bushes. I see him outside my window at night, I live on the second floor so I hope I'm just hallucinating.. Though there is a balcony that looks into my room… And he does live next door…. And our balconies are close enough for him to climb over….. And- and… fuck I am going insane..

He’s been acting weird for a couple weeks now. Sitting with me instead of his friends just to pick on me, following me to my favorite cafe at lunch, and I swear he wasn’t in philosophy with me, did he switch majors just to fuck with me? What really cemented the fact that something was off, was when he found me bloodied in an alleyway. I had gotten the shit kicked out of me. I was fucking mugged and he stepped in at the last possible second, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that angry before. I swear he would’ve killed those people if he didn’t look back at my pathetic expression in pity, he ran at them with a knife for fucks sake. I heard him kneel next to me after tossing something to the floor. My bag, he actually got my bag? Why would he do all this for me? I thought he hated me. He made it a point to pull my head up by my hair to look at him. Blood ran down my bruised face as he snapped a couple pictures with his phone.

“You know, you look pretty hot like this~”

“The dirt really brings out the colour in your eyes”

He sounded so sinister when he said that, I thought he would hurt me just like those people did. He even had that same shit eating grin on his face like always, but this time his voice wasn’t filled with malice as per usual, no… it was obsession.

“Ooo~ that’s a nice picture of you, I think I might just frame it.”

His expression slowly fell when I failed to respond, forming a soft frown. I could hardly see anything with the tears and blood staining my face, but I could feel something warm wrap around me, then his strained voice murmured close to my ear.

“It’s alright dork, I’ll make sure no one hurts you ever again. That’s my job. And you’re my nerd.”

“You’ll be safe with me, my darling~”

I may have passed out after that, mix of exhaustion and blood loss. I thought he would take me to a hospital or something but of course he didn’t. I woke up in an unfamiliar room, it was dark but I could make out a few details from the sunlight peeking through the blinds. Everything in the room looked hastily put together, like many things were taken out or moved just before I was put here. When my tired eyes threatened to shut once more, a grating voice and the sudden brightness of the overhead light being flicked on assaults my senses.

“Wake up dumbass, I have breakfast.”

I groan in pain at being flashbanged by the lights along with the residual pain of being beaten to the ground last night. And then I smell it. Are those? Pancakes? My confusion is pushed to the side as I feel this confusing asshole kick my leg.

“Hellooooo, earth to neeerd~ Hey are you alive?”

He pokes me a couple times and I flinch in response before I reluctantly sit up in the bed. He tosses a tray at me and when I'm fully situated, he places a stack of pancakes in front of me along with a cup of juice. I ask him why he made me breakfast and he just shrugs as he exits the room, the door shutting with a click. Stupid asshole…. Why am I even here in the first place? Is this his apartment? It's kinda bare. Why would he take me to his apartment when I literally live next door…… God these pancakes are good. He even put whipped cream and strawberries on it- I love strawberries…. What is wrong with him?

I finish the pancakes in like 10 minutes flat, way quicker than I usually eat, I even chug the juice afterwards just to chase it all down. The juice tasted a little off but I chalk that up to the juice being a different brand then I'm used to. Feeling a bit better than I did before I decided the best course of action is to look around the newly illuminated room, I wobble a bit as I stand up and wince from my muscles aching. I honestly expected to be chained to the bed or something. I immediately b-line to the door, I attempted to open it but to my dismay, the door was locked. That mother fucker locked me in here?!

Fine! You wanna play like that?! I frantically search the room, finding my bag haphazardly discarded under the bed along with a couple dirty articles of clothing I won’t even dare to touch. I rummage through my bag along with my pockets just to make sure everything's there and- fuck. My phone’s gone. My phone is gone and I'm locked in this stupid apartment with him. Fucking Sebastian. Why does he even live in this tiny roach infested apartment complex? I thought his parents were like- filthy rich. I know for a fact he only enrolled in this college because his parents donated a ridiculous amount of money to it every year. Annoying ass nepo baby!! 

I kick the closet door in frustration as I pace around the room, said door swinging open with a loud bang to reveal a seemingly empty, dark walk in closet. I sigh before I flick the light on, my eyes going wide at what I see. What. The. Fuck….. Are those? Pictures of me? Jesus there’s so many.. It’s like every inch of the walls and floor in this tiny excuse for a walk in closet are completely covered.. Pictures of me when I'm out on walks, photos of me at work or in class, images of me sleeping…. And right in the centre of the wall parallel from the door. That fucking picture he took yesterday of me beaten to a pulp. Framed just like he said it would be… I hear the door to the room creek open. Fucking psycho.

“You better not be snooping in here.. You’ve always been a slippery little bastard”

“YOU ASSHOLE!!!” I yell, spinning on my heel and charging at him. “You- fucking creep! You- You! How could you?! How long have you been doing this?! Why have you been doing this?!” I repeatedly pound my balled fists against his chest as I scream at him. My attempts were futile as I began to feel my body grow heavy and sluggish. Though my hits slowed, I still tried my best to injure him. He didn’t even flinch, he just stood there, taking it with more of an annoyed look then a hurt one. “You- fucking… stalker……” I accuse as I feel my knees buckle below me, eyes closing as I fall into his arms.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

[phoenixblaze1412]

A part 2 was requested for this. But instead of the segments being destroyed, it's something else^^

You were happily clinging onto Omega as the two of you made your way back to the palace. In your hands were the electro and dendro gnosis that Omega obtained from negotiating with the dendro archon.

Omega could only sigh in exhaustion, he thought he would only be dealing with the Balladeer's attitude but he didn't expect himself to be chasing you around Sumeru.

How you managed to interact with the traveler, he has no clue. How the traveler protected you from everything, even him, annoyed him. How dare the traveler called him a bad person in front of you when they don't even know you're his guardian.

But he was glad you came along, you were able to give him the information he needed to help him keep track of the traveler and their whereabouts.

Now that the two of you are back in the Zapolyarny Palace, he will be now able to report the successful mission to Prime and let the other segments take care of you.

"Do tell me if you still feel like you're about to pass out. I can't believe you would just eat a strange mushroom you saw in the forest, (Y/n)."

"It was pretty and colorful, Omega! And I saw that fox forest ranger eat one raw so I thought I can eat one too."

Ah yes, Omega still remembers how he was panicking over your unconscious figure. The pyro agent that was guarding over you from a distance saw how you ate a Rukkhashava Mushroom and started getting sick before passing out.

Omega was so close to pulling his hair out at how your curious mind is close to killing you. He was debating if he should just send you back home immediately but you were also helping him in his tasks that he can't lose a valuable child like you. It was decided that you stay close to his side whenever you are not spying on the traveler.

"Do you think the others will be happy to see us again, Omega?"

"Mostly you, yes they will. You did got them worried when you left them without notice."

Omega opened the door to the lab, his other arm still holding you as he made his way inside.

Your eyes widened in surprise to see how dark the laboratory was, the creepy atmosphere sending shivers down your spine as you held onto Omega. Your eyes wandered around the room to see lots of shattered glass everywhere, probably the test tubes and beakers.

You were only gone for a week and the lab looked like it hasn't been cleaned for months. You turned your gaze to Omega who only looked back at you with the same confused look.

Omega turned on the lights to the laboratory, your eyes narrowed when you see the segments huddled up in the corner of the room, kneeling down and crying in front of a picture of... you?

You were told by Pantalone that people would cry in front of a photo of someone they love only if they died...

"I'm dead?!?!?!"

Your shout was heard throughout the lab as the segments quickly turned their heads to look at you, their eyes widening in surprise before running their way towards you and Omega.

"(Y/N)!!!"

You let out a squeak of surprise when you were taken out of Omega's grasp and being immediately engulfed in a hug by Theta and Beta.

"Don't ever do that again! Do you have any idea how worried we were you clumsy mutt?!"

You whined when Iota pinched your cheeks with a grin.

You were placed down to the ground as you came face to face, shoes since you're on the short size, with your father.

"Papa! Omega and I got the chess things!" you happily chirped as you ran up to Dottore, who kneeled down at your level and picked you up in his arms as you showed him the two gnosis in your hands.

"Isn't that marvellous news? I'm sure the Jester would be satisfied with two more gnosis in our hold. But do make sure not to run off to another nation without telling me, little one."

"I have made sure that they would return home without any injuries nor sickness, Lord Harbinger. Aside from the trouble they brought me, they did managed to help me keep track of the traveler and the Balladeer."

"Excellent. I expect a report of everything that happened in Sumeru, Omega. You may take a small break before going back to work."

You happily clung to your father, humming a small tune you learned from the Nilou girl's dance whom you encountered with the traveler back in Sumeru before letting out a small yawn.

"Come, little one. Let's get you to bed, I'm sure the other segments would be happy to spend time with you once you have woken up."

You tiredly nodded in reply, handing Omega the gnosis in your hand before laying your head onto your father's shoulder and slowly drifting off to sleep.

Dottore hummed as he left the laboratory with you before carrying you to your room, he looked around the hallways and let out a sigh of relief when he knows it's only him and you.

"Don't leave again without saying anything, pet.. you sure are a little troublemake. I thought I would have lost someone as precious as you."

Dottore placed his hand on top of your head before gently rubbing your head.

"Welcome home, (Y/n)."

[littlespideyhoe]

SUPERCORP FANFIC RECS AO3

Purple -> AU Fics

Pink -> My personal favourites

Longer Fics:

Lay with me (like a renaissance painting) - coffeeshib

Don't you know that you don't even need to try ? - coffeeshib * neighbour au

EVERYTHING FROM COFFEESHIB IS FUCKING AMAZING NO JOKE PLEASE GO VISIT THEIR PROFILE 🙏

but then, my homework was never quite like this - jazzfordshire * teachers au

I want something just like this - jazzfordshire *dancing with the stars au, dancer!kara

Lena luthor: Hot girl bummer - Rouser *basketballer!kara, richbitch!lena (enemies to lovers college au)

Green eyed kryptonite - Alexis_Payton

Roomates - JediFighterPilot2727 * post invasion roomates au (there is bedsharing.)

I'll be your light, your match, your burning sun - valkyrees *frisbee & rugby player!kara, frisbee player!lena, college au

sink into you like water (pray you won't pull me under) - valkyrees *divorced but fake marriage au, cave researcher!lena, cave explorer!kara

we're burning down the bridges this time - valkyrees *former natgeo!photographer kara & journalist lena

You & me & holiday wine - ekingston *cabin in the mountains, Christmas au

Same old blues - searidings *horny angst, lena embraces her inner brat

This feeling I have found at last - MasterToastThief, searidings *soulmates au, the red string of fate

There's a moon in the sky (she calls me ) - heartshapedcandy *lena is in a love triangle between supergirl and kara

It's all happenin at the zoo - searidings *zookeeper!kara, slight social media au

The shape of soup - ekingston *lena knows kara is supergirl but kara doesn't know that, lena breaks up with james and kara is elated

Stay the night - lynnearlington *professional basketballer!kara

One Shots:

I've got a fever, can you check ? - searidings *lena pretends to be sick so kara takes care of her

Don't let her stick it to your heart - searidings *rival university professors au

Love's the player, Love's the game - searidings * lena and kara compete in a game of relationship chicken

they don't love you like I love you - searidings * lena uses rigorous scientific observation to determine if kara is into her

Splat - searidings *lena and kara babysit esme together, esme helps them get together

Can't blame me for reaching (when I'm falling for you) - searidings *handsy!kara

Sharing different heartbeats - searidings * kara listens to lena's heartbeat everywhere

(Honestly just read all of the works done by searidings their works are so fucking amazing)

I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight - valkyrees *deadpool!kara, domino!lena

I put a spell on you (because you're mine) - valkyrees *witch lena leaves a love potion lying around and kara eats it 💀

Make the rules then break them - potstickermaster *kara and lena have a friends with benefits arrangement

That's not very nice - potstickermaster *social media au, YouTube au

Smut:

we could slow dance to rock music, kiss while we do it - valkyrees *goth!lena (lena with piercings and tattoos ), college au

lucky for you (that's what I like) - jazzfordshire *sugar mama!lena

Title of our sex tape - jazzfordshire *kara takes pictures of lena, college au

Strangers with benefits - smutaboutyou *omegaverse type shit if you're into that, alpha!kara, omega!lena

Felled by you, held by you - ForeignLander *pilot!lena, flight attendant! kara

Happy accident - Valle_Girl *lena accidentally sends kara her nudes 💀

Favourite accounts to visit:

searidings

valkyrees

coffeeshib

jazzfordshire

**Hope the list helped you guys :)

**This is just a list of recommendations, I do not own any of these.

[loz-chainsofcorruption]

Link OC questionnaire tag game!

If your Link wound up in the dark world, what would their dark world form be?

Boots would be some kind of mule/wolf combo, the same color as the special stitches on his clothes. Stray would be a scruffy cat, either soft orange or pink. Gerudo Link... Maybe a gryphon? But instead of an eagle, he's got crow parts, or some other resourceful bird. The bird parts would purple and the lion parts would be orange.

Pick 1-6 Pokemon you think they'd have!

Boots would absolutely have a Wooloo. Heck, he'd probably have three Wooloo, just like he's got three sheep at home. He'd be happy with a full team of wooloo, honestly, but I could also picture him with a Growlithe, Yamper, or Rockruff. Stray would totally get along with a Nickit, but if not that, or if he had another, I imagine it would be some Pokemon he found abandoned, like maybe a Zigzagoon. It would probably remind him a little too much of himself not to take under his wing, and he'd constantly question his decision while sharing food with it. Gerudo Link... I like to think the Gerudo love the Helioptile line, so I think he'd have a Heliolisk. I also think he'd have a fighting type, but something a little silly to suit his more mischievous side - maybe Monferno? Although I could see him being assigned a third Pokemon for safety or something... Maybe a Blaziken, Gallade, or Lucario?

What is their favorite item and why?

Boots would be... Gosh, he's having a hard time choosing. He was hyped about getting bombs but he admittedly loves the Fire Sword and Lightning Sword - but special attacks with those, which is like, 90% of their fun, uses up energy, which is a bummer. The Cucco's cape has been incredibly handy, but also it's not very exciting. He's hesitant to pick any boots because... The principle of the matter, and so many of them look ridiculous, but- oh, actually, he takes it all back. His harmonica. Fast travel is the greatest thing in the world in his opinion, he was so sick and tired of walking everywhere and when it came to having to backtrack for a bunch of stuff? Phew, he's real glad he had that! I don't know for sure what items the other two will wind up having, but I can for sure see Stray loving a grappling hook if I were to give him one. Thieving off of monsters? Heck yeah. I could see Gerudo Link liking a lightning rod.

What was their initial motivation for starting their adventure?

For Boots, it was saving his family (and hometown in general!). It was caged by a dangerous barrier and negatively affecting everyone trapped inside, so he initially just set out to free them before deciding to continue on to stop Veskaris completely. For Stray, it was literally just to get Zelda out of his head. He did not want this girl stuck in his brain hearing some of his thoughts and sometimes controlling his body, terrible awful get her out of there!!! Tbf he was already actually helping out a bit before that by slaying monsters but that was primarily to make money as people hired him to do so. For Gerudo Link, it was to protect his people from the terrible and corrupt king of Midrule, Ganondorf!

Do they have/get an instrument, and if so, what does it do?

Boots gets a harmonica at some point, which is used to warp to certain locations. I haven't decided for the other two at all yet, but I'm tempted to give Stray a kalimba? Idk what it would do, I dunno if I'll give him one, but I do like Link's having instruments. I'd like to give Geruo Link something too... A small drum or - ooh, an alghoza would be cool.

Least favorite enemy? Not counting Ganon(dorf) or the main bad guy(s) of the story!

For Boots? Gibdo. At least for now... I've only written a handful, so I have a feeling that could change once he has to deal with enemies that make him drop his weapon and shield uwu but the Gibdo geniunely terrify him, so who knows. I'm not entirely sure what enemies Stray and Gerudo Link will face, but from the little I've got cooking for Stray's story, I'm not sure any usual Zelda enemy would be worse than Puppeted People. Gerudo Link would probably mostly hate the ones that are like, a pain to defeat or are inconvenient/can't be defeated but just must be avoided. Whatever he can't just muscle his way past. So like, Armos and Beamos, Bubbles that make it so you can't fight, etc.

How well did your Link know his Zelda before his adventure began, if at all, how did they meet, and what is their relationship by the end and/or post adventure?

Boots was childhood... Uh, well, I wouldn't say friends with his Zelda, but they spend time together occasionally as kids for a good handful of years when his grandpa brought him to the castle. They didn't really like each other. He gets to see her again at the end of his adventure, they trauma bond, and then wind up with a weird sorta sibling coded relationship afterwards where they annoy each other but also Have a Special Understanding no one else does thanks to what they went through. You can actually read their first meeting (+ a mini comic) here! Stray first meets his Zelda when she uhh, appears in his brain as a voice. Stuck there. LOL. He doesn't believe she's the princess at first because? That's crazy. Why would the princess be stuck in his brain. They don't get along at all at first but eventually he reaches a point where he doesn't know what to do without her and is terrified, feeling lost, when he temporarily loses her - as in she's no longer in his head or in the area at all. I ship them, your honor. Gerudo Link first meets Zelda under the guise of a marriage arrangement meeting and is Suspicious Of Her. Can't tell if she's innocent of Ganondorf's plans or playing innocent to try and trick him. Eventually he comes to realize she's genuine and, if all goes well and my kids don't stray from the plans I've got for them, they will be in love eventually <3 of course my OCs don't always listen owo;;; things don't always go as planned.. so we'll see.

No pressure tags for @skyward-floored @palmolli @interlink-au hope none of u mind the tags

But also, open tags - if you have a Link OC, feel free to join! Non-Linked Universe Links meet AUs count too!

[taiyeoki]

Kashimo Headcanons

↳ Husband!Kashimo x Fem!Reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: Pregnancy

Synopsis: Kashimo being a man being from the Edo period doesn't change the fact that he's a loving husband and a soon to be father for y/n and their upcoming child.

A/N: I am so madly in love with him that I had to make a whole Tumblr account just to put this out there. This is a new account but I've been using Tumblr for years so I know how things work 💀 Except I use chrome so I never had an account. This is just for a personal idea but anyone's free to read! This one doesn't have any smut so it's just a wholesome thing but I'd like to put a warning anyway.

Husband!Kashimo who couldn't believe what he had heard when you announced that you were pregnant. You were sure he'd gone deaf when he needed you to repeat it like four times.

Husband!Kashimo opens the present you gave him. Inside was an adorable baby outfit with a little lightning crochet on the chest. "What's this for?" Instead, you just stared at him with excitement as if you were about to explode into a firework of happiness. With no reply from you, he decided to look back down into the gift box then noticed the pregnancy test with two pink lines on it next to the clothing. Immediately he looked back up at you and you announce, "Hajime guess what?! I'm pregnant!! Uh... Hajime?" He gave no response. He looked so dumbfounded and shocked at the same time you had to take a picture of his reaction.

Husband!Kashimo who finally registers the news and immediately his expression changes to one of absolute happiness. You swear you've never seen him express this much emotion before considering he usually kept an unamused or an angry resting face. His smile is so genuine, smiling ear to ear as he's about to burst into disbelief.

"I'm gonna be a dad?! Are you serious?! It took me 400 years just for this moment!"

Husband!Kashimo immediately tackles you into a hug, both of you laughing in excitement from the news. He snakes his arms around your waist as he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck. Despite having large hands he uses for fights, they're actually pretty soft and gentle as he brings his hand around your belly and caresses it.

"Y/n," he murmurs softly, "love you so much..."

It took forever for him to let go. It's as if you would disappear if he lets go of the hug. You better believe he's gonna watch over you 24/7.

Husband!Kashimo refuses to let you out of his sight. You knew he was protective but now that you were pregnant he'd grown even more protective over you than he already was. You try to reassure him, "Hajime I'm fine! I'm just going to the bathroom okay?" But he just finds reasons to stay with you. "But what if you get your morning sickness again? At least let me accompany you in case anything happens." Or he pulls the "there are curses everywhere" card on you to let him watch over you.

You couldn't deny his requests of staying with you especially after he gave the softest look. Wrapping his muscular arms around you in a loving hug, he nuzzles close into you making sure to warm you up. Eventually you gave in...

Husband!Kashimo feels bad whenever you actually do get the morning sickness. He tries his best to find comfort in anything at all just for your sake. "Y/n are you okay? How are you feeling now? Do you want some tea?" At first he's too old to understand which medicine he should give you. After all, modern medicine never existed back in the 1600. Instead, he tried to soothe you with tea, herbal soups and warm bathes. Eventually though he does manage to understand what medication you should take and provides you with them but he still prefers it the old fashion way.

Husband!Kashimo dotes on you all the time. He makes sure you're always healthy and happy and whenever you're not, he'd be worried sick. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick again? Hey how about I buy you some snacks okay. What are you craving for?" Eventually though you actually do cheer up with how much he keeps spoiling you.

Husband!Kashimo is constantly asking you questions to check in on you, making sure you feel loved and appreciated all the time. "Are you hungry?", "What do you wanna eat?", "do you wanna go out? The sunshine will do you good." "Do you want me to make you some tea?"

Husband!Kashimo refuses to let you get hungry or dehydrated. He makes sure to have you well fed everytime. The food he'd prepare are nutritious and healthy with all the right amounts of everything your body needs. Not too much and not too little. Grabbing a cup of water, he hands it to you, "y/n you need to drink lots. I don't want you or the baby getting sick because you aren't eating or drinking well. You both need all the nutrients and vitamins you can get." If you're planning to diet, be prepared for him to scold you.

"Are you crazy?! Dieting during your pregnancy?! You know what- c'mere. You need to eat now."

Believe it or not, despite being a traditional man from the 1600 Edo period he actually knows how to cook. Husband!Kashimo makes the most comforting food you've ever tasted. Although his cooking style is different, it's because of that which makes his food taste uniquely great. It has a delicious smokey aroma to it. At first he wasn't used to the stove and oven so he'd just cook by the log and fire. He started learning how to operate the stove though because you laughed at him for cooking like a caveman squatting down next to the fire like that.

"Pfft Hajime! You don't know how to use the stove?!" He gives you an unamused pout which you honestly found adorable so you decided to teach him how to cook from the stove. Almost immediately he seemed even better than you do in cooking which has his smug face putting you in shame. He's the one laughing at you now because you forgot you were cooking and burnt the food.

"SHIT," you came back panicking from the smell of smoke coming from the kitchen to see him giving you an unimpressed look as if he's about to lecture you. He already had the kitchen under control the moment you arrive. Giving him a sheepish smile, Kashimo doesn't want you near the fire until the baby is out. "Y/n, I'll do all the cooking now. I don't want you burning anything again. What if you get hurt? Right, that goes for the knives too. Let me do all the work."

Husband!Kashimo reassures you everyday that he loves you. It doesn't matter how you look, whether you get stretch marks or leaking breasts. "Y/n, trust me when I say this. In 400 years of my life you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He caresses your growing belly, keeping you in a warm hug as he nuzzles into you and takes in your scent which he always found to be soothing.

"Nothing you do is embarrassing. I love every single part of you. These stretch marks are a reminder of my love for you; our child. I'm happy to know that you're the one carrying my child."

Husband!Kashimo prefers for you to give birth at home because he thinks it's safer there rather than the hospital. He makes sure to hire the best OBGYN, doctors and midwives to check up on you. He looks at you with genuine care and concern, "Y/n the hospital is full of curses. I don't want you getting into any trouble there. What if our baby gets hurt from them?"

Husband!Kashimo instantly gets alert, sitting straight up and checking on you when you told him your water broke in the middle of the night while you two slept in each other's arms.

"Shit- Hajime wake up! My water broke!"

Good thing he hired the midwives. They were already prepared in advance knowing you were going to give birth soon so neither of you needed to panic into the hospital especially since he couldn't drive. He does try to get a license just for you though so he could help with transportation. Hakari helped Kashimo out too, not trusting him to be completely sane with a car and a driving instructor he might end up beating.

Husband!Kashimo is worried sick and upset that he can't do anything to stop the labour pain. The most he could do now is to try and relieve your pain and stress. Giving you a warm towel, a heating pad, making you some soothing tea, anything at all. It still hurts him though to see you like this.

Husband!Kashimo holds you close to him the moment your delivery is about to arrive. If he's being honest here, he's actually quite scared for you, afraid that anything might go wrong. He stays by your side the entire process, reassuring and motivating you.

"Keep pushing y/n, you're almost there."

"You're doing so well!"

"I'm proud of you and our son/daughter"

Husband!Kashimo lets you use him as a stress reliever. Crushing his arm and hands, he didn't expect you to have this much strength. He tries to calm you down, caressing you reassuringly or wiping sweat off.

The moment your childbirth finally ended, both of you are so happy and exhausted. Husband!Kashimo praises you for doing so good and being so strong. He caresses you, keeping you in a hug wrapped in his loving arms as you feel his tense muscles calm down. For a moment you even forgot about the delivery pain as you got distracted by his muscular body. His large veiny hands pull you close into the crook of his neck all snug, "Hah.. I think you broke my bones."

Well your crushing grip didn't break his bones but he definitely woke up with a bruise the next day.

Husband!Kashimo showers you and your son/daughter with so much love and attention. If he wasn't protective enough before, he definitely was now. In fact he'd be considered as overprotective at this point.

Husband!Kashimo doesn't hire anyone to do the confinement for you. Instead he does it himself, making sure to get you the best natural ingredients. He uses the freshest meat, the highest quality herbs and the finest tea. Surprisingly this ancient man knows a lot about women's healthcare, their pregnancy and confinement. Although he uses the 1600 Edo style rather than the modern one but it gives a unique treatment.

Husband!Kashimo gives you a baby shower consisting of practically everyone you knew from Jujutsu High. Gojo, Nanami, Shoko, Hakari, Kirara, and even the first and second years were there. He's not too fond of people and neither does he really call them friends but he does it just for you. Also he wants to show off his brand new family. It was a sweet heartfelt action which has you falling head over heels for him all over again.

Husband!Kashimo makes sure you get all the rest you need. He knows parenting isn't easy especially for the person who gave birth. Anytime you looked tired to him at all, he'll jump in and tell you he'll watch over your son/daughter even though he was already by your side to take care of the baby. Luckily this man has insane stamina, speed and efficiency to be keeping up with the baby's needs although he does tire out.

Husband!Kashimo showers you both with all his love and attention to the point he forgets he was looking for Sukuna. For a moment he even stops fighting just to take care of you both and make time for his family. The man is a fighter but he knows his priorities. Plus he'd rather leave his family out of his fighting business or he'll never forgive himself if anything were to happen to either you or your son/daughter.

Hugging you close and the baby safely on his lap between you two, Kashimo gives your son/daughter a sweet peck on their forehead as they fall asleep. He then leans in close to you and goes in for a kiss. His gentle, soft and warm lips intertwine with your own as you both share a loving, passionate kiss. Pulling away, he brings you closer to him and you rest your head on his chest. Sighing, he asks just in case, "is anything wrong?"

"Nah. I'm just happy that's all," you reply with an angelic smile looking up at him. His gentle expression smiling down at you with all the love in the world as you bring your hand up to caress his soft cheeks and the lightning marks under his eye which you always found beautiful. He leans into your loving touch, closing his eyes momentarily. Slight sparks of electricity sounded and you know it was a clear indicator of how happy he is right now. Being attached to you and your baby, you could see electricity go from one bun to the other in a mesmerizing pattern.

"Waiting 400 years for this was totally worth it."

Overall husband!Kashimo is a very protective father and husband to you and your baby. He'll do anything it takes to keep you both safe, happy and healthy. If anyone were to even lay a finger on the wife and son/daughter of Edo period's strongest sorcerer, you better believe they won't even get a chance to see their life flash before their eyes with Kashimo's lightning speed ending everything in an instant.

[nosferatuix]

I would actually be interested in you talking more about Geto and Atsushi Sakurai!

FINALLLYYYY i thought nobody was going to ask me about this, thank you so much. buckle up for the incoming yap sesh

(edit: i posted the draft accidentally but it should be okay now that it's complete! sorry i'm sleep deprived idk what i'm doing)

so, picture this. eleven year old geto suguru, who has had enough of being tormented by oily black mass dripping down street lamps that talks to him whenever he has to walk home from school by himself. everywhere he goes, those things are also there. he sees them clinging onto the backs of the people he's known all his life as neighbors and family friends in the small town he lives in with his parents. he watches them suck the life out of people like leeches that hang off of their bodies. he hears them speak in these distorted voices, always repeating the same couple of phrases that they do but somehow always know suguru is the person they should be talking to, almost like they know no one else but him can see them. his parents have already told him countless times that there was nothing under his bed, in the closet or hanging from the ceiling, that the disappearances that have been happening lately have nothing to do with the monsters he claims to see and that he would need to see the doctor again if this talk about these creatures continues. it's a dark time for him because nobody seems to get it and if he gets fed another round of antipsychotics that don't even make them disappear like the doctor seems to have convinced his parents it would, he's going to lose his shit. he has to do something about the thing under his bed and it, like all the other ones, literally tells him what he has to do if he wants to get rid of it – so he does what the things tell him to do and eats it.

the talk about the things under his bed, in the backyard, dripping down the street lamps, hanging down from the ceiling, ends as abruptly as it started. he's always been a child that kept to himself, but he's completely quiet now. and it worries her. his mother, who had only been chalking this monsters talk up to her baby boy's imaginative mind before he started to attend school. his mother, who only realized the direness of the situation after suguru started bawling his eyes out every single evening he came home running, out of breath as if he'd been chased after, as he begged her to believe him when he said that those things are real and they want him to eat them. his mother, who finally convinced her husband that she was fearing for his health and that this wasn't just about a highly imaginative mind, and who did everything she could to ease her child's pain even if it meant taking the train with him to regular doctor appointments in the city just to get him that medicine.

and now, after months of the medicine not working even one bit, like a switch being flipped off, the talk ends and suguru stops talking. the same boy who had the biggest appetite out of all of her friends' kids, whose energy ran so high that they had to let him attend martial arts classes with the older kids down the block, suddenly starts wanting to excuse himself from the dinner table after two bites and goes straight to bed, wrapped up in blankets despite the summer heat. and she's worried sick because she knows she doesn't get him and they're drifting apart and she doesn't know how to make him feel better.

so she tries to introduce him so some stuff she thinks they could bond over. some stuff she used to like, still does, that she thinks could resonate with him as well. so she brings some of her old stuff out. her favorite band and her favorite musician. vhs tapes of their music videos, interviews, all the stuff she had collected in the 90s.

she puts it on and watches her boy's eyes light up like the sky again. she watches him admire the makeup and the long hair and the velvety voice and the perfect balance between femininity and masculinity from the prickling tv screen. she watches him grow a pale pink flush on his cheeks, watches him rewatching the tapes over and over again as he memorizes the interviews and the lyrics to the songs. and just like that, they have something in common again. appreciation for the art. something that seems to bring them together as much as it brings suguru a distraction from whatever he's been battling with inside himself.

is this a queer analogy? sure. suguru's entire character screams queer analogy in all-uppercase letters. atsushi sakurai was known to be advocating for lgbt topics back in the 90s. he's talked openly about loving whoever he wants to love. he's someone who i can see a preteen suguru idolize and want to be like. from the androgenous vkei style choice down to the soft-spoken nature and the beautiful long black hair, i just think he was someone suguru based some aspects of himself off of.

the short answer is 11 year old suguru experiencing what is called a gay awakening the moment he sets his sights on a pretty guy wearing makeup and deciding "I Am Going To Become Him"

bonus: he's a big fan of the band. during their first year, when shoko first made fun of him for obviously trying his hardest to look like sakurai, he was actually very flattered and took that as a compliment even though shoko was calling him a wannabe, basically. they introduced satoru to the music itself since he didn't know much and he liked it enough to get three tickets for them for the december 2005 tokyo concert. cue the three kids in a trenchcoat scene in the pink lighter. i was thinking of including a scene of them telling riko the story of how they were invited backstage and that suguru almost had a heart attack when the band members talked to him. (suguru deserves nice things and i think having people from the real world interact with fictional characters is so fun.) and i was also thinking of writing down a one-shot after sakurai's death in the final universe from the pink lighter, something that would take place post-epilogue and would involve shoko finding out about his death from the news and immediately facetiming satoru to discuss how they were going to handle suguru's devastation when he eventually finds out about it as well. (suguru would be with yuki at this point so they would call her to tell her to never ever ever let him watch the news if she wants to get any work done in the next week or so lol)

[starlitecryolite]

/vent??

I am.. so sick of all this a/i stuff

Its just wrong- it takes away the beauty of all art forms, whether its writing, art, or music.

Generative a/i, character a/i, doesn't matter. It still steals from actual artists. It still steals from good, hard work, and for what? Roleplay? Free time?

It could've been great, really. Instead of using a/i to do the mundane- like chores, or using it to solve something revolutionary in the field of science and medicine, they use it for.. "art." For uncanny-valley, cocomelon-type pictures. For incorrect information in graphics AND in writing. We don't want a/i to draw and write for us so we can do chores (I saw this in a tweet once), we want a/i to do our chores so we can draw and write.

And I'm so, so sick of people acting like its a good thing, like using generative a/i is justifiable in anyway, or just cause others may be using it.

It's everywhere, now. My friend -idk if we're friends anymore, honestly- uses c-a/i and swears it's "just for roleplay," the pastor at church used generative a/i to get a picture of something from the Bible, and students at school uses ChatGPT to get the job done.

Don't they see how damaging it is to not only the art industry, but to the world?

C-a/i is never accurate to the characters they portray. They steal from fics and turn it into their generative slop. It's not even good slop! The grammar? Punctuation? Proper sentences? Don't need that, apparently! In fact, that very same "friend" showed me a screenshot of c-a/i messing up by saying Tails (from Sonic the Hedgehog) is the only one who'd be seen riding a motorcycle. And any STH fan would know that its not Tails, it's Shadow who rides a motorcycle. Tails rides a plane.

A/i "art" is even worse. I've seen how inaccurate the final stuff could be. A baby bird doesn't look like a real one when generated through that slop. It's actually damaging to how we see information. Not only that, but the "art" generated is still so, so harmful to actual artists. Who needs passion, anyway? Who needs love put into art, anyway? When generating an a/i image, you put love and passion... where, exactly? In the prompt box?

I'll explain this in hypotheticals.

Its the year 2030. You wake up and begin a brand new day.

You open a book and cringe. This doesn't look like a good plot. This doesn't look like a plot, at all?

You learn that it's written through character a/i.

You turn the TV on. All the cartoons you used to love is gone. An uncanny "cartoon" took its place, with soulless eyes and a robotic voice. You turn the TV off and go outside.

But wait- the world is.. crumbling?! That's right- A/I is bad for the Earth! It's ACTUALLY damaging the world!

And somehow- somehow- you develop a sickness, so you go to the hospital to get it checked out.

To your horror, the doctor merely shrugs and says that he doesn't know what sickness you have.

"But how could this be?! You're a doctor! You're supposed to know these things!"

You find out that the doctor used ChatGPT to get through college, and didn't actually perceive the information required.

Then you die. The speeches people read out for your funeral were generated through ChatGPT. Truly a terrible way to die.

People need to understand just why all this a/i nonsense is bad. I feel like they go, "yeah, a/i is bad" and turn around to their a/i roleplays and ChatGPT, ready to defend themselves for using that slop.

To the mentioned "friend", to the mentioned pastor, and to the students who may or may not read this;

I wish I could tell you just how bad this a/i stuff is. I wish you'd understand. I wish you'd listen.

I wish generative a/i never existed.

[glisteningwings]

Extremely long rant about mental health that goes off track and gets weirdly sentimental, but I believe is worth reading

Why is it so normalized all of a sudden for people to backseat diagnose bad people as narcissists? It's never made sense to me at all. For example, today I saw someone in a comment section mentioning Elon Musk having autism. Another person responded, saying how NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) can mimic traits of other disorders. Their point being that Elon doesn't have autism, rather NPD.

Now I completely agree on the statement that mental disorders can resemble other mental disorders. As well as coexisting with one another in one individual. But I disagree of their statement that they believe Elon is a narcissist. Now, I don't have any opinion on him being autistic or having NPD. Simply because that's none of my business. No matter if he has autism or NPD, it doesn't make him any better or good of a person. I'm just so sick of people watering down disorders to describe how good or bad an individual is.

If someone has NPD, it doesn't make them a bad person. They are a real and struggling person. And this constant stigma against it makes recovery and getting help so much worse and harder for them. This stigma actually feeds into negative behaviors. Mental disorders should NEVER be used as a description for someone without that disorder. For example, people using the term bipolar for when they feel indecisive. Or using the term "neurospicy" as a neurotypical person who has a few "traits" of a mental disorder. (Which in reality, are just normal behaviors of a neurotypical person)

If you call someone a narcissist as a way to label them as a bad person, that not only demonizes and waters down NPD, but the entire mental health community. The more this stigma is normalized for NPD, the more it will be normalized for all. You can see this same stigma with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) and behaviors that come with it. And ironically enough, I find a lot of people with BPD (at least in the online community) giving that same demonization they receive to narcissists.

One very prominent example of this I see in a lot of these communities is making every narcissist out to be an abuser. Which is absolutely not the case at all. The mental health community is just that, a community with people. Who are all different in their own ways OUTSIDE of their mental health. And can all find familiarity within each other and our struggles. The determination of how good or bad a person is cannot just be watered down to our individual struggles. It is based on what we decide to act on, and how we grow (or don't grow) as people.

You cannot pin someone's mental health onto their actions. This is something I struggle a bit to word, so I'm sorry if this isn't the best. But how I see it is that yes, people can have their mental reasons as to why they do something. I'm in no way doubting that. It's just that if you shift blame onto someone's mental health, rather than the person itself, it's almost like creating an excuse for them. This is a problem I don't only see in the mental health community, but communities EVERYWHERE.

I will list some examples here. I have seen people call men boys when they can't comprehend how rape is bad. Now I hate when people say this, because it again, creates an excuse for them. Saying how they are just young boys who don't understand. But they aren't boys, they are supposedly mature men who need to be held accountable for their actions. Now that is just one example out of many, but there has been many arguments with this structure in so many stigmatized communities. It hurts to see because behind each one of those arguments I can picture the way people against those communities will take that premade excuse and run with it.

As a community, we need to realize that we were made to be here for each other. These people do not care about us, and no matter what happens, when we don't help and support each other we will all meet the same fate. Now is the time that we need to care about each other more than ever because this world is kind of crumbling.

It is not and never has been a bad thing to care about your community. I care about my community and I care about my life and the lives of others. I really do hope one day we can reach a point where we are more accepted by the people around us who are not like us.

I am kind of upset as of writing this (as me being upset about the topic is one of the reasons I wrote this in the first place), so I apologize if there are any errors. And please keep in mind that I do not have NPD, if there are any corrections I should make please let me know. I'm simply just talking about something I feel passionate for. All feedback is appreciated <3

[austinslounge]

You'll not have me sympathizing with that ugly ass bitch who is holding Austin's dog hostage all these years. Not that bitch who made shady comments when he was getting dragged for his voice. Not that bitch who was abusive to him! I don't like Kaia either but y'all don't bring Vanessa here to justify your hate towards her.

I love it when complete strangers on the internet who weren't even in a relationship try to re-write history or think that they know a couple's entire relationship based on rumors they've heard on the internet. 🙄

Listen, I go by an entire picture and things that I've seen with my own eyes in order to make up my judgment about someone, because people are usually multifaceted, and typically are not all angel or all devil. Most people are very nuanced and have many different levels to their personality.

Take a seat, because I have lots to say.

1) First of all, Vanessa isn't "ugly". If anything, she's probably more naturally beautiful 👀

2) You know that Vanessa is holding Austin's dog "hostage" how exactly? 🥴 Were you actually there when she and Austin had a conversation about the dog? 🤔 Let's just use common sense here for a second. If anything, she probably kept the dog after the breakup because she knew that Austin would be busy filming "Elvis" for months, and didn't want the dog to be jumping from home to home. No doubt, the dog grew very attached to Vanessa while Austin was busy working. Darla was living with Austin and Vanessa for years after his mother died, and it would have probably been more stable (and healthy!) for the dog to not be left for months without its owner. You do realize that Austin got sick right after "Elvis" filming ended, and then he also went right into MOTA filming right after right? If anything, Vanessa has provided a stable, loving home for the dog, especially since Austin doesn't have any immediate family members who could have watched the dog for him while he's busy filming on location. It's actually probably helped Austin that he doesn't have a dog to worry about or take care of as his sole responsibility while he's busy working and building his adult career in Hollywood.

3) Wrt to the shady comments.... I personally don't think that Vanessa should have been doing that. So I definitely agree with you there. I feel that when a breakup occurs in the public eye, it's best for both parties to take the high road and keep things civil. I don't condone Vanessa's shady remarks towards Austin or her petty behavior after the breakup. To me, it was dumb, unnecessary, and wasn't a classy way to handle a breakup at all. At the same time, I do recognize that people are only human, and that most of the "shade" she was throwing was coming out two years after they broke up, around the time that she was having to see him everywhere due to "Elvis" prep. Having to see an ex all the time after a breakup isn't always easy. To me, the fact that she was still triggered by Austin two years after a breakup reveals to me just how much she must have loved that man. You're not behaving that way unless you are HURT. The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. While I don't think Vanessa behaved her best during this time, I still recognize as a woman how it feels to go through a breakup. This was a man that she loved for nearly 9 years. Perhaps the breakup came suddenly? We weren't there. We don't know what transpired or what things were said when they broke up. I'm not making any excuses for her behavior, I'm just sharing a different pov. I still don't think she should have behaved that way -- especially towards a man that she dated and supposedly loved for so long. It was petty, it was immature, it was uncalled for, but at the same time, can we really say that we've never been hurt by a breakup before and behaved in ways that probably weren't our finest moments? 🤔

4) "Abusive"? So, you're choosing to believe one or two random reports on the internet which may (or may not) be true, over a span of a nearly 9-year relationship? 🤔 Do you really think Austin (a man who has plenty of options) would have been with Vanessa for nearly 9 years if she had really been an abusive girlfriend? Are we talking about the same Vanessa who helped Austin with his sick and dying mother? The same Vanessa who was always so super supportive of Austin so publicly, was over the moon for him when he got the Elvis role, and who always posted sweet msgs about him publicly on social media? The same Vanessa who threw Austin birthday parties? Do we also REALLY think that Austin's older sister Ashley would have been so close with Vanessa (even had her in her freaking wedding!!) if Vanessa had really had a history of being abusive and a jerk towards Austin? 🤔 Think about that for a second. Do you really think Ashley would still be following Vanessa on social media to this day if Vanessa had really done something so utterly bad to Austin during (and after!) their relationship? Do you think Austin's mother would have loved Vanessa if that were the case? Are we talking about the same Vanessa who seemed to love Austin to pieces and couldn't keep her hands off of him? The same Vanessa who was there for Austin through his depression, through his mom's death, who supported him with love throughout his career? The same Vanessa that Austin looked deeply in love with and actually seemed happy around? That one?

5) Nobody is bringing in Vanessa to justify their "hate" for Kaia. (I don't "hate" Kaia btw -- I just don't think she's the right match for Austin) Some people just notice the stark difference in how Austin looked with Vanessa for 9 years, vs how he looks with Kaia in his "less abusive" relationship. 🙄

Look, you don't have to like Vanessa -- in fact I completely understand why some fellow Austin fans might even dislike her (she's done a few side-eye worthy things over the years imo). But to paint Vanessa with a huge wide negative brush like she's some character villain in a movie is just weird to me.

People have ups and downs. Sometimes, people say and do things they don't mean. At times, couples have fights. It happens. We weren't in the Aunessa relationship. We don't know every single little thing that happened.

All I know is what I see with my own eyes, and to me (to me), Austin looked far happier with Vanessa for years (and even Lily Rose Depp) than he has looked with Kaia. JMHO

I know some fans want to villain-ize Vanessa in order to make themselves feel better about the breakup or about his current relationship, but I'm just going by the photo and video evidence, and there is nothing that I've seen that gives me the impression that Vanessa was "Abusive" towards him. And unless Austin himself comes out and says that about her, all we're relying on is hearsay over the internet, especially when we've never seen any photo or video evidence of the sort, nor seen anything in Austin's body language to imply that in all the years that they were together.

[nocturnal-desolation]

Hello sorry for tagging. I am very sick, my asthma is at its maximum level, my nose freezes, I have no medicine or food. I am in bad shape financially, I am a black disabled, who uses multiple medications, I pay for my food and lodging

Unfortunately I do not have all the resources to keep me safe, that is why I need your help, whatever you can contribute to me will be of great help.

Would you look at that… I have a prime example of how to spot a scam in my asks. It's not very well done, just well enough that some people might fall for it - and some have even reblogged it. You've been redirected to the Fraud Detection Unit, which will take it from here. (actually it's still just me, I'm the fraud detection unit, we have "Fachkräftemangel" in Germany, sorry, jk)

Seriously though… First of all, I'd like to address the fact that it's incredibly sad to play with people's emotions like this. You should be ashamed of yourself, but I'm sure you're not. It's the same with scams asking for help and donations for people and families in Gaza, which has come up a lot recently and is even more despicable because there are actual fundraisers going on (which are official) and these people are in a terrible situation. So to exploit that worldwide sympathy or solidarity and use the inhumane circumstances of these or other people for your scams is disgusting to the core.

But back to this particular ask and blog… The text itself makes no sense. Like, not at all. For example, a " freezing nose" is not a typical symptom of asthma. I've never had asthma, but I'm pretty sure your nose doesn't freeze up when you have asthma. What are you trying to tell me? That you got asthma in the middle of a blizzard? Sorry, I can't help you with that. "Get out of the blizzard!" is all I can tell you. And what is the "maximum level" of asthma? Is that some kind of asthma end boss? Sounds more like you need an ambulance, not money...

That's why it's important to be fluent in English if you want to pretend to be a native speaker. I can't help you there either. I can barely speak my own language, let alone English.

Some other things everyone should notice or look for when getting messages like this:

blog was created fairly recently, no consistency, just reblogged some random things (like posts from 'tumblr staff' lol - no offense) to have something on it at all + obviously otherwise empty blogs that are just begging for money or reblogging other similar posts all the time are even more suspicious

something I haven't seen before either is "Black Lives Matter" being used as bait to appeal to those involved in the movement

randomly generated usernames (what is "toosaladgarden"? I've never had a salad that was too garden, so I don't know - not too important, but in this case it doesn't help to be convincing)

no bio, no age, no country (usually not important, but in this case it is)

non-transparent fundraiser, no one knows why this exact amount of money is needed (I think it even went from $1700 to $1900 since yesterday if I saw that correctly lol) and how the supposed current donations came about (you could put any number in there)

randomly contacted

scammers often use tactics such as emotional manipulation and urgency to evoke sympathy and to prompt a quick response

lack of details, very vague in general, limited information about specific circumstances

But that made me curious and I wanted to know more. You (the scammers) were "smart" enough to use a profile picture that can't be easily traced back to the original source, I'll give you that. But that's a problem for you, because it seems to be the only picture you have of this person with this child, so you had to use it everywhere…

And that's why I was able to trace your picture back to a Twitter / X account that goes by the name "Aska" and the handle askafarao… which also engages in very, very obviously fraudulent requests for money. Every few days or weeks since August 2023, this "X" account posts nothing but new "reasons" why the money is needed. And it's quite funny how little effort they put into it, because the reasons are not creative and half of them don't even add up. But most importantly, somehow there are a couple of different email addresses for different paypal accounts with different names on them. I think we can all agree that unless you're trying to hide something, you don't need more than one name… right? Unless Paypal is going to close your accounts all the time, or you're afraid they will because they're detecting fraudulent activity, you don't need more than one account, right?

TL:DR Let's make this part short and sweet: If you get a message like this, or see a similar post, be aware that it's a scam. Don't reblog it and don't be like, "But what if it's true…" It's obviously not, and when I saw the X account, I actually had a good laugh because this account is a complete mess, even for a scammer.

[torimidori2-blog]

Transmasc people experience misogyny

Surprise! You thought that just because sometimes we identify as men, wear masculine clothes, use he/him/his pronouns, take testosterone, or pass as male socially means that we're immune to that bullshit? Listen to yourselves talk for just a second and pay attention to what you're saying because believing this is not really helping anyone's case. We were literally born into this world assigned female at birth and we had to experience misogyny ever since that point. It's instilled in us that we are girls because of what genitals we're born with, and because of that, people feel like they're entitled to treat us a certain way, whether we were taught that by our mothers who want to protect us from misogynists or the misogynists themselves. Just because we identify as trans, doesn't mean that any of that shit is ever gonna go away, because misogynists will always believe no matter who we identify as, no matter what we say, and no matter how we express ourselves, that we are crazy women who need to be kept in their place. I'm not trying to say that transmascs suffer more than transfemmes. Far from that actually, since misogyny is also targeted towards them too. Transfemmes experience the same misogyny slathered in a blue coat of paint. Misogynistic cishet men see femininity as a weakness, and they also see having a penis as a sign of masculinity, strength and power, so when they see an amab person express femininity in any way, shape or form, their brains explode because they can't picture anything else but "bIg StRoNg MaN wItH pEe PeE gEt LaId PrEtTy GuRl AnD gEt MoNeY", which they use as a means to justify harassing, maiming, and killing transfemmes everywhere. It's the same fucking thing in a different fucking format, but it ends in the suffering of all trans people. Stop making trans suffering a pissing contest. We don't need that now. We need to stick together and try to get rid of the problem at hand, instead of fighting about how transfemmes suffer more than transmascs because blah blah blah blah... It's just like if me and someone I knew got kidnapped and tortured by the same guy and instead of focusing on calling for help or finding a way to escape, we argue about who got tortured the worst. It doesn't solve anything, it undermines the suffering of the person I'm arguing with, it's a waste of time, and in certain circumstances it can make things worse. Can we please focus on our needs as the trans community without being exclusionary? I'm sick and tired of our suffering being invalidated by the same fucking community that we're supposed to be a part of. Also, to all the non-binary people who are androgynous, gender neutral, genderfluid, agender, ect: You are affected by misgyny too. We're all in this shitstorm together.