#just let me IO in peace

[faint-kitten]

I was playing Paladins because I wanted to be IO the fox girl, I have a pirate skin for her, and people started talking to me in txt chat telling me what to do.

I just typed: Yarrgh Bite me ears, me fat foxy arse could use a good plunderin'

When they got angrier I left the game.

I don't need them. I was trying to be a little fox girl with a pirate hat, have a good time. For them that game was the most important thing in the entire world, for me? I've had a Hard Mtn Dew. I'm on another fucking planet right now.

[incendiorum-arch]

          also like... even getting your hands on io, they would have to be without the ability to use magic bc if you grab io they’re latching on and setting their hands on fire. and, referencing my last post, fucking ouch that would hurt. and they have absolutely killed people that way, before.

[writingstoraes]

part two of charles leclerc/fem!verstappen!reader pls your first one was so good!!!

red vs red 🚥

pairing: charles leclerc/fem!verstappen!reader

type: instagram imagine/social media au

notes: thank u for loving the first, anon! hope u like this one 🤍 and thank u for requesting heheh, also formatting may look weird in ios devices idk this app wont let me fix the errors in bold letters 😭

summary: no peaceful race when there's banter between your boyfriend and your own brother, might as well just join the ruckus they cause!

reading the first part isn't necessary, just provides context! but if you want, read part 1 here!

ynverstappen

liked by lilymhe, charles_leclerc, pierregasly, and 870,445 others

ynverstappen happy race week, everybody! glad to be back in the paddock supporting my favorite driver ever ❤ goodluck, my baby love charles_leclerc! will be waiting for you after quali with lots of kisses and hugs :)

ps. spending quali in ferrari because i am on redbull duty tomorrow 🙏

charles_leclerc Always happy you're by my side, amoúr. Je táime 😘

maxverstappen Will never get used to this 🤮

ynverstappen we've literally been together for 3 years

maxverstappen And by favorite driver ever, you mean me, right?

charles_leclerc Are you the one in the picture? Then no 🙂

scuderiaferrari Red is your color, Y/N! ❤️

redbullracing Absolutely not, we do not think so!

scuderiaferrari Respectfully, no one asked you.

lestappen16 Love how even the team admins are in their own playful feud 😭

pierreluvr someone give y/n a break from dealing with charles and max lmaooowjwjsjsj

maxverstappen Why are you making it sound like supporting me at redbull is a responsibility and not something you want to do? 😔

charles_leclerc Because it's not.

ynverstappen jesus i just want one peaceful race is it so hard to ask for

ynverstappen

liked by maxverstappen, arthurleclerc, isahernaez, and 780,223 others

ynverstappen watching today's race from the redbull garage! wishing my dearest brother the best today, please stop believing the rumors he spreads re: me hating red bull. he is overdramatic. anyway, here's a selfie of max and i at quali yesterday! 🤍

tagged: maxverstappen

charles_leclerc You're not in our garage? Okay that makes me sad then 💔

ynverstappen will still root for you, don't worry 😁

maxverstappen Not under my watch you're not

maxverstappen My own sister wearing a ferrari jacket beside her brother who races for red bull. The betrayal is just so.

charles_leclerc Deserved.

f1fann NOT CHARLES SAYING DESERVED?@?@*@*

redbullracing We love having you here, Y/N 🖤

scuderiaferrari 😒

ynverstappen

liked by pierregasly, redbullracing, scuderiaferrari, and 450,221 others

ynverstappen my boys have done it again! congratulations on the podium, men who continuously pester me at every race weekend ❤️

tagged: maxverstappen & charles_leclerc

charles_leclerc My biggest fan ❤️ Je tàime, baby!

maxverstappen That's literally my sister

charles_leclerc She's literally my girlfriend

maxverstappen #1 supporter! Love you to bits, sister 😄

ferraredbull LESTAPPEN WINS ONCE AGAIN

vers166 y/n should get an award for dealing w charles and max everyday

ynverstappen amen sister 🙏

landonorris Leave them and support me at McLaren!

charles_leclerc ??

maxverstappen No.

----------

tagging: @slytherheign

notes: ig imagines take sooo long 😭 lmk what u guys think!

[scarlettjohanssons-mistress]

Russian literature

Warnings: Age difference, teacher-student relationship, alternate universe - pre-canon, alternate universe - canon divergence, slow burn (?)

Word count: 2.0 K

Pairing: Melina Vostokoff x Fem!Reader

Prompt: It is literally a transcript of a dream I had with the actress Rachel Weisz. Modify a bit and change her to her character Melina hers.

Requests: OPEN

[Main masterlist] [Marvel masterlist]

"You may retire to your recess."

Without waiting for any further response from teacher Maria, I took my best friend's hand and my glass of cold coffee and we left the room.

Since we arrived at Italian class in the middle of the day, Daniela repeatedly insisted that at recess time, I had to accompany her to the school cafeteria, since she had not had breakfast.

The Italian teacher was very strict with schedules, so we knew we only had fifteen minutes to get some food (and a candy for me) and another fifteen minutes to eat in peace.

"Do you want to go to the bathroom first?" asked Daniela stopping in front of the bathroom door as I rearranged my top.

"Dani, we don't even have time to eat" we both laughed as I took her hand and dragged her to the main hallway that connected the five buildings on the inside. "Besides, if we don't go right now and we go in the middle of class, the teacher can't ask us any of the vocabulary questions."

"Agh, I know. The lady thinks for some strange reason, we had ALL weekend to study irregular verbs, doesn't she know that her subject is a complementary to my college degree?" we both laughed.

"She's crazy, did you see how she looked at me when I answered 'io vorrei' wrong?"

Before Daniela could answer me, next to her, a woman passed by, with a fair complexion, a big but pretty nose, and beautiful brown hair.

I could see her moving her head from side to side. She was looking for something.

Many people would say it was 'chivalry', my friends (Daniela) that I'm a fucking flirt, but I would say, it was both and neither.

I quickly let go of Daniela's arm, turned and reached for the poor woman.

"Hi, hey, do you need help?"

My stomach turned when I saw her eyes. Oh, my mother. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever met.

"Hi, excuse me, do any of you know how to get to the literary studies department?"

That's when I was grateful for studying 'literature' in college. "Oh sure, if you want we can take you there."

I couldn't see her, but I could even notice Daniela's panicked look behind my back.

"Oh, no need, I just don't know which building it's in" commented the woman with a nervous chuckle as she crumpled a piece of paper in her hands.

"We have no problem accompanying you. These hallways can be confusing" The woman gave me a charming smile, to which I responded and we both set out to walk from building 'D' to 'A'. "By the way, my name is Y/N and this is my friend Daniela."

For the first time, the woman looked directly at my friend and my friend just said a small 'hello' and raised her hand in greeting.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Melina."

"Do you study here, Melina?"

Damn, saying her name was completely addictive.

"Not really. Do you?"

"Yes, we are in our third semester of college."

"Third semester, they look so young" she commented raising an eyebrow.

"Well, thank you, but, that doesn't take my years off."

We both laughed while Daniela just followed us without mentioning anything.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the site, where we were quickly greeted by Sabrina, the department secretary.

"Hi Sabrina, how are you?" opened the door Daniela and let us in, as she waved.

"Hi girls, well thank you, how about you?"

"Well, thank you very much for asking."

"Melina, this is Sabrina, the secretary of the study department."

"You are Melina Vostokoff?"

"That's right."

"Oh, Mr. Hudson is busy, but he'll be able to see you in a few minutes, would you like some coffee or something?"

"coffee be excellent" before she sat down in the waiting room, she put down her bag and looked at me and my friend. "Do you have classes to go to?"

"Yes…" Dani spoke

"No," I said.

She looked at us confused.

"Well, actually, we do have classes, but, it's nothing major."

"You know what" Daniela interrupted me "Can we have a few minutes?" she asked Melina "We want to go to the bathroom."

"I don't want to."

Daniela pinched me causing me to gasp.

"If you want."

She took my hand and dragged me to the bathrooms.

"Look, Y/N I don't know what you're up to and if you want to continue being a flirty fucking whore, but, we absolutely cannot skip Italian class, just because you want to stick your tongue down that woman's throat."

"Daniela, don't be a spoilsport, what can happen if we don't show up for the second half?"

"I don't know and I don't even want to find out. Let's go," she tried to grab my arm and pull me, but I held on to the door frame.

"I'm not leaving."

"Y/N, please let's go."

"No Daniela, if you want to go, go ahead, but I'm not leaving."

Daniela just frowned, pursed her lips, looked me up and down as her face turned red as a tomato. She was furious. But she left.

I walked over to the sink, drank some water and combed my hair and checked my makeup and clothes and walked out of the bathroom.

I entered the study department again and found a Melina sipping coffee, while on the coffee table, there was another coffee and multiple cookies.

"Oh, I asked Sabrina for another coffee, in case you'd like some."

"Thank you."

I sat down and quickly took a sip.

"Where is your friend?"

"She had to go."

We were both silent for a while, until a doubt came to me.

"May I know what you're going to talk to Mr. Hudson for?"

"I was hired to teach the Russian literature class."

Several of my friends were in French, Spanish, Latin American and other literature classes. But none of them had gotten into Russian, no one was interested.

"Oh, it sounds very interesting."

"Are you going into the classroom?"

"Of course. My favorite author is Russian"

"Really, who is it?"

"Vladimir Lenin"

"Excuse me, Mrs. Vostokoff," Sabrina interrupted us. "Mr. Hudson is ready to receive you."

"Oh thank you" she gathered her belongings and before walking to Professor Hudson's office, she turned to see me "Thank you so much for helping me."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Vostokoff," I winked at her, eliciting a chuckle.

She walked a few steps, so I turned to go back to my classroom, but her voice stopped me.

"Oh, by the way, Lenin was a politician. Not a writer."

———————————————————————————

"

Well boys, that concludes today's class."

As I watched all my classmates gather their things and head out the door. I grabbed my notebook, pen and cell phone and stuffed it in my bag, but I stood watching as Melina began to close her laptop.

"Do you need anything T/N?"

"I wanted to ask if…can I buy you breakfast?"

She stopped putting her things away and looked me straight in the eye.

"Invite me, where to?"

"I know a coffee shop that's near here."

"Good" She finished putting her things away and put on her brown trench coat, it matched his eyes. Carefully, he rested her right hand on my left cheek and stroked my cheekbone with her thumb. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me 'you'?"

———————————————————————————

I could confirm that I was fully in love with Melina Vostokoff.

For years I found it disgusting to eat in the company of someone outside my family circle. Because even when I was across the table, I could hear people chewing and swallowing; some even do it with their mouths open. It made me very, very disgusted.

But to see the Russian's white cheeks puffy from chewing her waffles, while her right hand tried to hide her mouth. Her eyes were on mine and her cheeks showed the shadow of a smile.

It was completely adorable.

"Can I tell you something?" asked Melina.

Her voice snapped me out of my trance and forced me to continue eating.

"Sure" I took a sip of my coffee.

"I think it was a bad idea for you to stick my subject into your schedule."

I choked on my coffee, sending me into a coughing fit. She quickly patted my back, causing my cheeks to redden.

"Why do you say that?"

"Are you kidding Y/N?" she guffawed "You suck at remembering anything about Russian literature. I bet you don't even remember one Russian author."

I could not help but laugh. She knew me.

"You're right, I suck."

"So… why are you taking the class?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I was getting into the class…for you?"

She stopped cutting her waffle and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Me?"

"Forgive me, but, you are too beautiful to see from afar."

Before she could answer me, her cell phone started ringing.

She pulled it out and quickly answered.

"Hey honey, is everything okay?" shit, she had a husband, why didn't I think of that great possibility, a woman like her who was single? impossible. "Hey, it's okay, when I get home I'll work it out. I promise. I love you" she hung up.

"Forgive me, I shouldn't have told you what I said. I don't want to interfere in your marriage…" I began to ramble as I tried to put the silverware down on the plate. My hands were shaking, but, she took one between hers.

"Marriage?"

"Ahh, it's not…" point to her cell phone on the table with my eyes.

"She was my oldest daughter, Natasha."

———————————————————————————

I knocked on the door three times, and as I listened to the footsteps approaching the door, I arranged my dress and the bouquet of flowers in my hand.

The door opened with a crash.

"Y/N!"

"Yelena"

The little girl jumped into my arms, and even with my hands fully occupied, I was able to carry her.

"Are you coming to see mom?"

"Don't tell your mom, but I'm coming to see you, best friend."

With my index finger, I tapped her nose, causing her to wrinkle it.

"I promise."

"Hello, pretty girl."

Melina came downstairs wearing a white knit sweater I had given her last Christmas and some pants I had helped her buy. They hugged her hips in a phenomenal way. Her butt looked so sexy with them on.

"How are you?" I asked as I stole a kiss . "Iugh" Yelena made noise as if she was going to throw up. Causing me to let go of Melina and tickle the blonde girl.

"Come on little girl, I brought gifts for you and your sister."

"YEI, Nattie, Y/N brought gifts!"

The teenager's footsteps came down to us as her sister began to unwrap her new barbie.

"Hello Y/N"

"Hello red"

Red was my nickname for her. She would only let me call her that.

"What did you bring?"

"I figured you'd like a new skateboard…"

"Are you kidding!"

"Of course not" from the bag I pulled out Natasha's new skateboard, causing the little girl to let out a small squeal.

"Ah Y/N, thank you so much!" She grabbed the skateboard to hug me. I hugged her back. "I love you so much!"

"Did you already say thank you, Yelena?" asked Melina as she did her mom pose. Putting her hands on her waist.

"Thank you so much, Y/N" she also ran to hug me. "I love you."

"I love you too, love bugs…but go play, seize the day."

I didn't have to say it twice for them to run away.

"You didn't have to give them anything," Melina said.

"I know, but, I didn't want to leave my favorite girls without a gift."

"So your favorite girls, huh?"

"Hey, don't be jealous. You're my special girl too" I gave her the bouquet of roses and sunflowers I had bought especially for her.

I saw how her eyes sparkled and she brought her face close to smell the flowers.

"Have I told you that I love you?"

"Did I tell you?"

"Not that I remember," she joked.

"I love you, then."

"I love you so much more."

Note:

It took me a long time to write this, but now I'm like a machine, writing one after another (because they stole my cell phone, I HATE YOU MEXICO)

I hope you enjoy it

I appreciate the reblogs, the likes and the comments

taglist: @littlebitchsposts // @xxsekhmet

message me or send an ask to be added to my taglist!

[charismaoftls]

Motohashi Iori and Minato Ohse — Nennemurinrin

Translation: ksts Proofreading: yuno (ENG)

Nennemurinrin Nennemuranran Nennemurunrun Nennemunyamunyamu

Slaves are better off serving than sleeping, dependence on others is akin to punishment And idiots are better off killing themselves than sleeping, go ahead and perish Terrifying is the very thought of losing the only reason for being Don't get full of yourself, a hopeless failure that you are

So let us chant These words, that lull you into eternal slumber Let the good-for-nothing take pains To put you to bed; a bit of laboriousness is fine

Nennemurinrin Nennemuranran Nennemurunrun Nennemunyamunyamu

An idiot who keeps crying his eyes out as he is being sunk into the deepest hell; all your struggles are perfectly useless And a slave who keeps crying his eyes out as he is being pushed around; accept that at once Running fingertips along the sweat-drenched neck Only normal human beings alone can afford to be full of themselves

So let us chant About this miracle of release from the martyrdom And into the world beyond, you will be guided O snoring Agnus Dei

So let us chant Now, just devote yourself And by giving all your empty heart and soul Lull them to sleep

Well now, good night, Ohse-san It’s fine, you go first, Io-kun No-no, there’s no need to be stubborn I’m not Yes you are! I told you I’m not! Geez, stop putting on a tough front! Go to sleep already! I’m a sore loser, so don’t mind me And I’m a slave! Come now, I’ll walk you to the bed! Go by yourself Enough, good night! No, good night to you! No, to you!! Good night!!! Good night!!!! Good night!!!!! Good night!!!!!!! Aaargh!!!!!!!

Slave and idiot alike, may you find peace and sleep Good night

Translator's Notes

— I chose not to translate the title as well as nennemu- parts, but basically it all comes from “nemuri”/“nenne” – “sleeping” and the following onomatopoeias: “rinrin” – either bell ringing or cricket chirping, “ranran” and “runrun” – humming, “munyamunya” – sleep-talking

— Agnus Dei – Lamb of God (“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”). Might have a connection to Mozart’s requiem

— “Dependence on others is akin to punishment” – “is akin to flogging”

★ directory ★

[infinitewarden]

The Vex, the Black Garden, and Mercury's Conversion. (Alt Title: I am going insane)

There's always something going on with the Vex in the background and I can't believe I didn't pay closer attention to it when these weird single-celled organisms have always been right up my alley right there beside Osiris.

Anyways. What's been on my mind lately is Brass Gardeners from the Inspiral lorebook (dropped from Root of Nightmares.) I was so caught up in the interesting implications and continuation of Unveiling that it completely flew under the radar for me.

Now what I want to focus on is these key aspects from this lore entry:

Garden state: neutral garden&&gardeners==root&&branch==leaf&&flower //intrinsic, inextricable, inescapable

And

anomaly One = leaf|invasive; Garden state: active (gardeners attend)

And

anomaly Zero = infinite|witness; archive data retrieved. Zero = infinite|witness == (a seed was planted here.) Recorded referent: "Black|Heart" Zero : seed :: One : DANGER [SIMULATION BREAKING. VISIBILITY NARROW. FRACTALS DISINTEGRATING.] anomaly Zero, absent. anomaly One, DANGER remaining. Garden state: acting (gardeners in unison)

And

//There is a majestic thorn. The anomaly is gone. The garden is peaceful. //It is known|seen|predicted that a primary function of irresolvable|irrecoverable presences is to trample. Flowers growing / damage repairing / threat unresolved Function called: escalation. Iteration. Function: winnow. Function: simplify. Function: flatten. //The first defense is offense.

Now I'm no expert at coding. But I know a little bit about logic algorithms, especially ones that are presented here. (This is an if-then type of algorithm. These kinds of logic equations are also used in Philosophy which I know much more about.)

The gist of this entry is that, from what I can glean, the Traveler visited the Vex once, and while the Vex considered it invasive they were not actively hostile. An indeterminate amount of time passed, presumably up until the Collapse (our time), and the Witness visited the Garden these Vex have created. (It very well could be that the Black Garden was not the Black Garden until the introduction of the Witness.) It left them a "seed" (or... a code...) that would become the Black Heart.

Or, as we now know, a failed attempt at recreating the Veil.

After this introduction is when the Vex became actively hostile. They did not stay gardeners, the Sol Divisive became winnowers only when the Witness introduced the concept. Which is an incredibly fascinating implication.

So what does this mean?

Well I have a couple theories. Remember this is just speculation, it's not canon.

So we know the Vex have been in our system for... a while. Ever since the Ishtar Collective and Clovis Bray decided to be stupid about them. But this idea of total conversion didn't seem to be the end-all state. I mean the Ishtar Academy was still intact despite some Vex conversion. It doesn't seem like Europa's conversion went very far either.

So why did they go into a frenzy with Mercury during the Collapse? Why did the Vex make Mercury their simulation engine for a Vex end-state? If they wanted to they could've made any of the thousands of planets they inhabit into a simulation engine to the degree of Mercury's but there's no evidence they did. Why target Io? Or Nessus? Why only planets the Light has touched?

Well... The answer is a little complicated. We don't know, really, how the Vex began to terraform Nessus and Io, but we do know how they got to Mercury.

So, let's remember this line:

anomaly One = leaf|invasive; Garden state: active (gardeners attend)

Now, let's look at how the Vex were introduced to Mercury in Trials and Tribulations (for the sake of clarity I will be cutting out the Witness lines save for one vital line):

It was a garden world. The phrase, uttered in confidence. The expanse above, a cup—rimmed in gamma-ink radiance—dammed against the Mercurian sky at the Kármán line. Against the howl of star-wind, the black fell open. Within the rip convulsed and excreted coils of shimmering life. Probing, clattering tendrils slithered down to make landfall. Chrome-hooked appendages stretched for miles through sun-soaked atmosphere. They bored into the marigold sands. From the great temporal chasms flowed an ocean of radiolarian fluid. Across the horizon the scene was resonant and multiplicative. Each injection site fostered a new lineage in stone and steel and fluid. The new age in sub-routine and observation. They would foster the seeds of a generation in time. From the sites bubbled pools that murmured chaotic, and wrung the Traveler's Light from Mercury. The Light coalesced within the pools. The planet transformed into a machine of prediction. The arms retracted, and returned to temporal hovels, suspended just above Mercury's influence. With them rose the spires. From the core, threads of iron fused reinforcement into the spires and brought them high. A surface driven flat by eons of solar erosion had risen. A million open mouths curled plated tongues in completion. Across the world grew a terrible consciousness that yearned to find its progenitor. The hulking vessels pulsed with light. The pools and spires pulsed dull tones in recognition, and the black sealed once more, restoring the sol-dominated sky |awaiting an angular shadow|. Illumination left the spires, and the Light was erased.

Okay, this one is a big one and might be a little difficult to grasp, but the gist of it is that a portal ("the black") opened and implanted the first Vex seeds into Mercury all while draining the Light. This portal was created by a Pyramid. This happened during the collapse.

The Vex were artificially implanted onto Mercury by the Witness for the purpose of creating a prediction engine. And not only that but they were meant to wait for the Witness's return.

Which they responded to in the last chapter of Trials and Tribulations:

Vance stood in the old Lighthouse, frantically assembling the Infinite Simulacrum: a machine formed from bits of simulation seeds and connective Vex architecture to mimic a pocket forest. Textured notes and schematics derived from Osirian lore guided his hand. He heard stories from passing Guardians of increasingly frequent coronal mass ejections. Vast bursts of charged particles whipped into space and furled around a gravitational monster buried from sight and sense in the roar of the star-wind. Passage to Mercury had become more dangerous for the uninitiated. These unnatural motions were heralds of speculation, and he had read the signs. He knew the prophecies by heart and mind and intention. Ruin. Something new |and so very old| emerged, brother to a shriveling star: An angular |hungering patient yawning deep| shadow reached across Mercury. Uncounted |known| spires fell under its grasp |with uniform relief|. Dulcet tones brought low under lightless breadth and the weight of dark |salvation| hummed beneath the shadow. Their echoes spilled out |awakened| and flowed over crumbling spires |in conversation|. One singular spec of illumination blinked into being, |an end| seen by none, and then |many| spread as the shadow did. The old Lighthouse |spire's collective| beamed |rose| and flared as shadow overtook it |to meet the underbelly|. Vance |the implement| could hear |their inspired voices| weeping, not with tears, but in the |voracious| low |ceremonial| hum he had come to associate with death. He closed his eyes |and saw what was to come|. This day had many names. None would suffice.

We know now that memory and consciousness is linked to the darkness, and in turn links to simulations. Is that why they made a prediction engine? Were the Vex on Mercury meant to help the Witness expedite the path to the final shape? Were they left in limbo because of Savathun's betrayal? Osiris saw what the Witness's final shape would result in within the Infinite Forest, was this the end goal the Vex were meant to look for? Was the Witness using the Vex as herbicides on Mercury,

I don't know what's going on with the Vex or the Black Garden or Mercury and its implications are driving me fucking insane. I don't even know what I'm getting at here anymore I just need you to understand that there is Something Here and I Can't Fucking Touch It. I started off trying to find meaning behind the change in the Vex if they changed at all but the rabbit hole just kept getting deeper.

Do the vex not understand Paracausality because the Traveler and the Veil were once one? I mean I made up this whole apple metaphor about how if you knew everything about an apple but then suddenly the apple was split into two separate things and the apple simply did not even exist as a concept anymore wouldn't you be just as confused? Also they say the Vex need to Veil in order to finally understand Paracausality. Is that why they don't? Because they only knew the two when they were one?

Does anyone hear me. What the fuck is happening. What's going on. What is the purpose of the Lighthouses. Why did the Witness plant the Vex there. Why did the Witness call Calus specifically to the Mercury anomaly. What's so important about Vance and the Tones for Osiris's memories of them to have possibly been removed!? (ANOTHER POST TO BE MADE.) Why was Sister Faora mentioned? WHAT DOES IT MEAN. I'm losing my train of thought there's just So Much Here.

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WITH THE VEX AND MERCURY

[666writingcafe]

The Dining Car

"So, according to the pamphlet, we'll be on the train all night before arriving at the station closest to Lake Io Lanthe in the morning. Once we get off the train, we'll be walking the rest of the way."

Once I'm done talking, Mammon rolls his eyes at me. I understand not wanting to share a room with Luke, but that doesn't completely explain the bad attitude he's had all day, nor does it excuse it.

"You need to take this seriously," Luke chides Mammon. "What if we get lost?" Another eye roll.

"At least I'm not bouncin' up and down like a kid in a candy store."

"That's not how you behaved in the kitchen," MC retorts, glancing up from their copy from the pamphlet to glare at him. Mammon merely returns to picking at his food, which suggests to me that he's too scared to talk back to them. It's interesting, the idea of him fearing them. I don't think he feels that way about anyone else, not even Lucifer--and I've heard some rather loud yelps from him when he's caught red-handed by his brother.

But he has been known to argue with Lucifer, and he's not even attempting to do anything like that with MC.

"Apparently, each of the cars on this train is named after an angel," MC reads out loud.

"Lemme see!" Luke exclaims. Once MC hands him the pamphlet and points to where the information is located, his face lights up.

"That's so cool! It shows just how much they love angels here in the human world." A brief pause, followed by a gasp. "And the first car is named after Michael himself!"

I take a sip from my beverage in order to stop myself from sighing. I really wish Luke didn't hold Michael on this high pedestal. It's only going to hurt him in the long run when he discovers that the seraph is far from perfect.

Don't get me wrong; Michael is ultimately a good person. He just has a lot of issues, his obsession with Lucifer being one of them. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't gotten in trouble for his shrine. The mere possibility of the de-facto man in charge worshiping the Avatar of Pride rather than devoting himself to God--I mean, Father--would bring about an amount of chaos that hasn't been seen since the Great War.

It would certainly make my situation seem far tamer in comparison.

"I mean, when it comes down to it, are angels really that great? I don't see what's so special about 'em."

"How dare you!" Great. Luke and Mammon are arguing.

"Take a deep breath, Luke," MC instructs.

"You're right," he replies once he's calmed down. "I can't let Mammon's stupid attempts at provoking me succeed."

"You know I'm sitting right here, don't ya?"

"Oh, look; dessert's here." The words sound incredibly hollow coming out of my mouth. I just want to eat in peace. The food's not great enough to warrant enjoying it per say, but it's at least edible.

Luke immediately digs into his dessert, offering some to MC in the process.

"Yo, Luke, gimme a bite of that dessert of yours!"

"Eww, no! Why should I give you any of my dessert?!"

"There ya go, actin' like a brat again. Like, take it easy. It's just dessert."

"Look who's talking! You're the one who's insisting on having part of someone else's dessert. That's way more childish!"

I'm getting a headache. This isn't good. It always starts with a headache. Maybe if I can sneak away and decompress--

I feel something grab my hand and squeeze it. Glancing underneath the table reveals it to be MC's hand, although you'd never tell by the look on their face that that's what they did.

I appreciate them trying to comfort me. I really do. This isn't the sort of thing I want them brought into, though. As it is, I've already revealed too much to them about it.

"We'll flip a coin. If I win, I get your dessert."

"No thanks. I don't even want your dessert."

"What, afraid you're gonna lose, are ya? Luke the loser is scared, is that it?"

Tight muscles. That's phase two. Phase three is the internal screaming.

Except everything feels more intense this time. Yes, I'm upset at Mammon for bullying Luke for no apparent reason, but it shouldn't be enough for me to feel like chewing his head off. Besides, I'm usually able to calm down before it gets this far, and yet none of my techniques are working.

"That's impossible! You cheated, didn't you?!"

Another squeeze.

The hand.

"MC, let go," I hiss.

"I can't." I try to myself, but I fail as well. "I'm sorry, Simeon."

I feel bad. I really do. Everyone in this dining car is about to see a nasty side to me. The only thing I can do is hope that no one gets hurt.

"You're Michael's little puppy. You sit in his lap and sniff him and snuggle up against him all day long, doncha?"

There it is. The final straw that broke the camel's back.

"That's enough!" I snarl. Instantly, all eyes are on our table. I'm sure a few other cars heard me as well. I can get rather loud when I'm in this state.

Dinner's officially over.

[korolife]

Blog No.003🍊　24年5月10日

「Let's Talk About Coloring+Rendering!!」

～ The Chaos of Akehhh-style Layering w/ Colors & Values ～

ArtStreet recently released some weekly coloring contests and as someone who likes joining 'em + colorwork being the absolute joyous part in drawing for me, I got really into it!! One of them somehow won and I still have the raw .mdp file of it with most of the layers unmerged... so, I thought there might be some value in sharing my chaotic coloring progress with it. There may never be an opportunity like this again...

CONTENTS:

Preface・・・・・・・・・

The Linework・・・・・・

Composition + Planning・

The Render・・・・・・・

Additional FX Tips・・・・

The Layers of Dread・・・

1. Preface

I use the free software MediBang Paint, which is made by the same folks who made the aforementioned art-sharing website, Artstreet. Although its file type extension is .mdp, it can also save as and open .psd files all the same.

If interested, you can download it on their website here! I believe it's available in both PC, Apple, iOs, and Android (also on the PlayStore). ☞And here is my google drive link of my fully rendered entry's raw .mdp file. I also included a .psd version that should be accessible with most other softwares like Photoshop, Clipstudio, etc.

NOTE: Not sure how some layer effects will be displayed apart from MediBang though (either in name or function) . But I think "multiply" and "overlay" is fair game on most drawing/photo-editing softwares with layer systems.

Either way, ↑this is just a bonus thing if you wish to see for yourself how much my MediBang cries everytime I work on something, since visuals of the rough step-by-step will be provided here as well!

At the end of this post, all of the layers' purposes will be explained...y-you'll see...

■And just as a disclaimer: I'm an instinctively self-taught illustrator who is a heavy visual learner, so there are certain methods I do that I cannot readily explain with back-up studies on color theories or formally taught techniques in art schools and the like/certain made-up terminologies that may or may not exist as something else. I mostly operate on instinct, observation, subjective preferences, and vibes, so this would just be me trying to verbalize my process (with visual aid) as a means of share-rambling, rather than actually directly "teaching" anything, I think haha You can take it as a cautionary tale too, honestly-

※I will also be going through this with the assumption that the reader has some background knowledge on digital illustration and general drawing basics + lingo. If you have any questions or needed clarifications, please feel free to let me know!

Although art can be fundamentally "wrong" when it comes to achieving certain specific styles, structures (especially when involving realism as the standard), or general executions of intentions/themes, I am of belief that there is generally no wrong or right 'way' for drawing anything; or for doing ANY type of artistic endeavor for that matter. This might be perceived as a "bad anatomy defender" / "no need to improve, then" stance on my part, but it is absolutely not the case! An artwork is never finished, there's always room for improvementsーa galaxy's size of a room especially for myselfーbut I just think anything at all that brings you an expressive or creative outlet, joy, or peace of mind is worth pursuing, regardless of your own skill or tact and there's no shame in that. I do not wish anyone, especially people starting out with drawing to be discouraged for having their own different approaches in comparison to other people's works by misconception of, "oh, am I doing it wrong?". Sometimes having different or an uncommon worldview is not always a 'bad' thing, I think. Heaven forbid artists actually start getting creative and unique―

What I will be presenting here is simply my one way out of thousands of thousands of different possibilities. So, let's start★

2. The Linework

Equally lengthy talk of lineart is probably for a later discussion, but here is the template provided by ArtStreet for the contest + what will be colored in for today.

☞The contest has since ended, but you can still download the lineart template here if you'd like!

3. Composition + Planning

The contest rules said it's "OK to draw backgrounds", so let's go!!

I had already decided on how I want to color it early on: It will be more scenic in nature, rather than stylistic. So, there will be more focus on looking 'real' than 'aesthetically stylish'! Just so it doesn't look disconnected or too out of place, I tried to draw my additions similarly to how Mr. archerman's linework looked as much as possible.

This how I visually define "scenic" VS "stylistic" illustrations (in my head)

I like experimenting and mixing different rendering techniques with varying linework styles and tend to think about my approach with the rendering long before the coloring process, even waaay before I line my final sketch, usually. But for this, I'm simply working with what was given to me.

At first, I just wanted a "cool breeze w/ leaves flying away ahhhh refreshing~~" mood, but the space at the side of his head looked rather empty as is, even with Nessie. So I thought about putting him inside a vague...darkly-lit abandoned ruins-setting to eat up some of that space.

And with that, it's time for colors.

4. The Render

My coloring process is the lengthiest and often makes people who see me color in real-time scream in horror, but I think it's actually fairly simple and can be summarized into three nutshelled stages:

①Fill in the colors with a finalized palette of your choice,

②cry Continuously render until your arms fall off you're satisfied.

③ cry even HARDER (optional) Adjust accordingly to fit in better with other elements of the illustration, such as with the focus/subject to background. *will be explained later.

oh and btw, the usage of the words 'render(ing)' tends to be confusing with its association with other mediums like 3D models, but when it comes to drawing I like to think of it this way:

🎨Coloring is the planned/intentional selection of your color range, tints, tones, and palette to use in a drawing, ☀Rendering is the act (or product) of the set of techniques (including effects, filters, etc.) you use with the colors/values to create the illusions of depth, shadows and light, movement, warmth/cold atmospheres, etc in a 2D illustration.

But that's just how I define it with my own step-by-steps. Otherwise, I think either term is pretty much interchangeable.

Anyhoo, what do you think should this man's hair, skin, eye, and clothing's colors be?

here are some of the variations on the color picks of his outfit that rotted my brain for about 3 hours straight, like it's a 2000s dress-and-match flash game

The many submissions for the contest had many fun color combinations and interesting interpretations I personally think should've won. I saw a lot of blonde archer-princes wearing greens, browns, and blues, as a lot also went for the "forest hunter boi" vibe. But I was saddened by the lack of my favorite colors being used as the primary colorーorange and yellow. So, let's use those!!

The start of my coloring/rendering journey is never at Layer '1'.........

―Starting with what I've always referred to as "environment prep":

The purpose here is to 'set' the base colors so they match with the environment or general atmosphere. Get ready to see this over and over

This could mean adjusting the saturation, or spraying gradients of the BG's most prominent color on parts that...gives me anxiety the most-

As someone who tends to work with very, very bright color schemes with character designs, trying to blend in when the illustration is meant to be scenic or 'serious' in tone without it being a distracting eyesore can be a challenge. So, this is what I do to counter it.

Shading is usually an early step for me as well, even though I think it's a lot of other artists' near-to-final step. I tend to lean towards an abomination mix of soft shade and cel shadeーthe strokes are sharp enough to trace where the shadows start and end, but softened around the edges for effect.

I also tend to apply an additional spray of subtly darker shade on top of the first one? It's usually on spots where I think the light source won't be hitting as much. I wouldn't do this for simple styles (stylized illustrations like with a chibi style), but for scenic illustrations I find it's necessary to achieve that depth against a fully-rendered environment.

※Just a side note: You may see multiple things changing around, but in real time I'm most definitely working on one part at a time lol. These visual aids were ripped off the raw .mdp by hiding some of the layers, so that's why different areas seem to progress together all at once, even if that's a bit idealistic in actuality.

Apart from the previous adding of shades with a multiply-mode layer for the preliminary shadows, I add one more layer of shadow on there for objects or other characters that can cast distinct shadows on the subject. In here, it's the bow and the hovering strap across his chest.

Lighting is also starting to be added as well.

One direct alteration I did with the lineart template was change the line's colors. I find it really softens them to mix better with their filled-in colors + as well as not stand out too harshly against a light-colored scenic background.

I think you now have a good idea over my hyperfixation on making sure colors are 'vibing' well against the BG lol A lot of these steps are basically just doing the same thing over and over with new layers for the sake of this purpose, really.

And after that, just repeating all the stuff we did with the character onto everything else (background, foreground, objects, etc.) until you're satisfied with it!

A lot of these changes are very subtle on their own, but makes all the difference in the bigger picture, I think!

Just maybe some additional finishing touches for some boom shakalaka and...that's pretty much it! You will notice that throughout the entire process, there's a lot of random little things that suddenly appear or change with seemingly not much purpose or meaning on its own. I unfortunately have always drawn in this sort of vague, quickly impulsive, directionless way since I was a child and I don't think even I will ever understand it, logically. It's mostly a... continuous string of instinctive feelings of "HEY let's do it this way, if not there's like 10 other things we can try next", is the closest I can get to an explanation of how it feels.

I don't know if it's common for other artists to think or function this way, but I do know for a fact that many people seem to be surprised and confused when they see me drawing in real time this way. Everytime I get asked 'how' I draw certain things, I say things like 'I turn my brain off and vibe with many, many layers with a broken back.' and people think it's just a dismissive joke. I-it's really not, it's literally what happens, I don't have any secret shortcuts for you-

Hopefully this very lengthy post + visual aids can help demystify some misconceptions on what "really" goes on when I'm drawing! It's also a bit of an update of my tutorials made for friendos starting out with digital drawing back in 2015!

Anyway, the rendering stage is where the simplified steps ② and optional step ③ branch out like a fork in the road for me; I don't think one is any "better" than the other, I think doing either is simply a matter of personal preference and artistic choice;

➋being leaving all that 100++ layers rendering that we just did alone and calling it a day,

➌being a little bit more extra w/ additional shadows/lighting that corresponds with the environment the character is in.

I removed the walls to see the whole figure better in a side-by-side comparison. I like the unadjusted (L) without the wall, but with the walls in the final illustration, I think adjusted (R) felt 'right'. What do you think?

There are some things, although realistic, don't look that good as a visual aesthetic and are just downright excessive/unnecessary to add to certain types of illustrations.

Then there's things that aren't possible in real life, but artistically? Looks really dang cool. Being biased for either ends of the hyperrealism and hyperstylized spectrums of styles is fine; only as long as no discrimination is involved towards people who don't share your opinions, in my opinion-

and to conclude this section, I say,

『 You go render however you wantーhellーno colors even necessary if you wish!

Simple ≠ laziness, just as much as complexity ≠ skill。』

I will never stop yapping about how a lot of minimalist styles require so much more amounts of planning and effort to make sure everything is nice and clean, especially compared to mindless rendering loops like these. Mine's a maximalist hell and I wouldn't have it any other way, but I greatly envy minimalist artists that can render with just something like my step ① with so much grace and tact; not a single stray or wasted stroke!! Anyone who dismisses these types as "lazy" I will violently stuff inside a couchーwithout any potato snacks to snack on!!!

5. Additional FX Tips

Just a shorter section for some optional finishing touches tips'n'tricks used in this I frequently (ab)use☆

◆ From the very beginning, even before I understood how to draw, it's always been a tradition to doodle around sparkles all around the place. I usually do it with MediBang's sparkle brush if I want it to look polished, or simply draw it manually using either the pen or airbrush tool for a cruder charm.

◆ Motion blur is great, and MediBang in particular also has different types of blur effects like Gaussian and regular blurs. If your software doesn't have these effects / if you're working traditionally but still want to achieve the illusion of motion in a still drawing, you can still achieve the same effect through your linework! Try looking into incorporating action lines (commonly seen in manga and comics) into it. Otherwise, purposefully drawing something blurily to begin with oughta work as well.

◆ Apart from changing the lineart's colors, there's also this little effect that is achieved by duplicating the lineart and blurring it. It gives something like a...'dreamy' quality to it? The higher the blurred copy's opacity is, the more emphasized it makes everything look.

6. The Layers of Dread

At long last we've arrived... at my MediBang's repeating demise for all of eternity...

Here's a preview of what the .mdp/.psd file of this colored entry's unhingedmerged layers looks like + how I try to validate their existence. When I work on full-sized illustrations, I tend to merge layers as I go, so this is probably one of the rare times I can show something like this without either mine or your PC dying. If you'd like to see, play around with, and toggle them for yourself in all of its............glory, feel free to download it here.

Yes

we're starting at Layer 611. Enjoy.

I will now delete my PC's copy because jfc that's one too many MBs ...and it's still eons lighter than what I usually work with on my own full illustrations from sketch to finish......。 (;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`) thank you for reading this far and making it out alive, goodbye for now...

・・・ホームページALL LINKS・・・

・Art Gallery・Commission Info・Ko-fi shop・

[storiesoflilies]

raspberry, bubblegum, + lipstick stain with you n toji! :3

my bestie me beloved io <3 thankyou for sending in an ask, i need to really get my selfship sorted, so this helps me loads :3

raspberry - how did the two of you meet?

well, here’s a little blurb since i haven’t written in ages :3

(although, writing in the first person is extremely weird, but i’ll let it slide because it’s MY self ship hehe)

it was sunset, and i’d been sitting here for far too long.

i was somewhere at the edge of the world, or at least, i wanted to imagine i was. tucked away in a little sheltered spot on the beach near my house, where only the sounds of the sea and the gulls were my companions. i nursed a flask of tea that had long since gone cold, and basked in the soft warmth of the sun that would soon abandon me.

here, it was easy to indulge in my loneliness if i pretended that i really was at the edge of the world, far, far away from anyone else.

here, my loneliness was justified and not something of my own volition.

this spot was sacred to me, untouched and unspoiled by anybody else. i had never seen anyone else come to this place but me.

by all accounts, i could almost selfishly claim this little slice of nature as mine.

was that really so selfish to imagine?

a rock tumbled down loudly, unnaturally, and my head whirled around.

the universe clearly has some other plan for me.

a whoosh of blood surged through my veins and arteries.

a minuscule twitch of the scar on his lip.

and there he was, standing there, his knuckles split and raw. a thin trail of dried blood ran from his temple to his neck, disappearing as it touched the marbled skin somewhere beneath his black shirt. oh, those green, green eyes of his sucked me in – something like fire and ice at the same time, both freezing me in place and making my skin feel as if it was burning.

he was messy, clearly roughed up, and obviously dangerous.

by all accounts, i should have been afraid, but here we both were at the edge of the table world, and i couldn’t bring myself to care.

“who’r you?” he mumbled, almost indignantly. “i’ve never seen you here before.”

i wanted to laugh at that, but i didn’t.

i understood the sanctity of this place, and i understood how it must feel to have a place you thought was yours wasn’t really yours to begin with.

“neither have i,” is what i settled for instead.

we stood there for a heartbeat too long, just staring at each other, studying each other with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. then, the sun then hid behind a cloud, probably trying to escape the strangeness of the moment. its heat all but disappeared, and chill settled into the air, as whatever moment we had was shattered. he looked up at the sky, then back to me, a flash of defeated sadness crossing his features before he turned to leave without a single word.

a sudden, uncharacteristic desperation seized me like a vice, and i cried out, “no!”

he whirled around to face me, an almost alarmed and perplexed look etched onto his features. i tentatively opened my flask, aware of his eyes watching my every move, and poured some tea into the lid. then, i held it out to him like a peace offering.

a peace offering that seemed to be more of a lifeline, if anything.

“here,” i stretched my arm out further, even though he was standing quite far away from me. “please. i really don’t mind.”

hesitatingly, he stepped forward, small pebbles crunching and rolling underneath his feet as he walked down the small hill towards me. he stopped directly in front of me, looking down at the lid in my palm with a hint of suspicion, as if he couldn’t believe it was real.

“sorry it’s cold,” i rambled, my toes fidgeting inside my shoes. “i’ve been here a while.”

i don’t know why i so desperately sought his approval. it was pathetic, really, but here i was. he only grunted, and to my great surprise, moved to stand beside where i was sitting.

he took the lid slowly and gulped its contents in one go.

i swallowed thickly, clearing my throat.

“i’m lily,” i offered softly like peace, a new kind of lifeline, hoping beyond all hope that it would put him at ease.

he didn’t answer, silently sipping his – my – tea as his eyes flashed with something painful.

i felt deflated, crushed.

until he squatted beside me, helping himself and pouring just a little more tea into the lid, then expectantly held out my flask towards me.

“drink,” he grunted, in a tone that i would soon recognize as uniquely him.

and i did, glancing at him from the corner of my eye as i sipped slowly. a strange sense of companionship filled me, making my chest feel light and my stomach flutter. we were silent, watching the sea crash against the rocks together, a light spray of water with a hint of salt settling against my skin.

he hummed my name, testing and tasting it between his lips like a cherry, then said a touch too quietly, “it’s… nice.”

i smiled.

i suppose i can wait for you, then.

bubblegum - any hobbies the two of you share?

we both love exploring nature and finding new quiet spots tucked away from the rest of the world. toji loves to drive to these places too, and he loves watching me from the corner of his eye as he puts his foot on the gas to make me yelp, because he’s just cheeky that way.

lipstick stain - where do you love to kiss them? where do they love to kiss you?

i love kissing toji’s knuckles and hands. he deserves all the softness and love. his hands have done many things, they’ve been used to do terrible things, but they are the hands of the man who takes care of me no matter what. sometimes, toji forgets that he doesn’t live that sort of life anymore, and he gets into a rut and stares at his hands with such hatred, so i hold his hands and kiss his knuckles and remind him that he is so very loved.

toji loves to kiss my forehead and neck, but kissing my neck is a very dangerous game. he knows all the spots along the curve of my neck, the spots that he can safely show his love, but then he also knows exactly where to kiss to make the butterflies swirl and fill my brain with a rose haze mush.

[applejuicefruit]

About that Dusan request…one where he is going on a date with a new girl and spottes his ex girlfriend with someone and gets so jealous because he still has feelings for her. Isn’t necessary a name for the girl, right?

I didn’t know if you wanted reader to be the new girl or the ex girlfriend but I assumed she was going to be the ex girlfriend in this story, let me know if I got it right 😭

Also thank you for requesting this ⭐️

Break up with your boyfriend

Life’s a shit, you always thought. Everything in your life went wrong, from your divorced parents who blamed you for their marriage fail, to your only best friend cheating with your first ever boyfriend, from falling in love again with the man you thought it was the one to having the worst break up because he wanted to focus more on his football career than keeping a very healthy and genuine relationship with you. But as you thought men were stupid, the fact was that your ex couldn’t keep a relationship with you focus on his career proved you that in fact men have two brain cells. When you met Dušan everything changed. You never felt something like that for anyone, not even your ex. He taught you how to love and showed you what it meant to be loved. He was perfect for you until the day he wasn’t. You knew he played football. You weren’t a fan but you supported him no matter what, always cheering for him at the stadium, always wearing his jersey and showing him all the love and the support you had. But things for his team got hard and he broke up with you with the excuse that he needed to be more focus on his football career. You were heartbroken, you never thought that day would come but here you were, gathering your things from his apartment, not even looking him in the eyes because you knew you would start crying and wouldn’t stop. In just a minute you were out of his apartment and his life.

It’s been nine months after the break up and even if it took you a few months to realize what happened you were okay now. You didn’t even think about him anymore, in fact you met someone new, you were seeing a person for a few weeks and you liked him. You were still knowing each others but you liked how everything was going, not rushing anything, just calm and peace. He was very patient, elegant and kind, always asking for permission and consent, even when you first kissed. And you absolutely loved it.

It was a cold october afternoon when you and your new boyfriend were happily taking a walk in the centre of Turin when he asked if he could stop for a few minutes into a shop he saw. You said yes - of course - and asked him if he wanted you to go but he said you could wait for him if you didn’t mind it because he was going to be quick. So he left your hand and gently kissed it before going into the store. That gesture made you smile and blush a bit.

While you were outside of the shop waiting for him to come back io decided to check your phone for a bit but getting bored you put it down and looked at the people who were having a nice day in the city. That’s when you saw him. Dušan. Coming out from Louis Vuitton. Hand in hand with a new girl. And that made you feel sad. He broke up with you because he wanted to focus more on his football career and now he was here with a new girl? He saw you too. He saw the look on your face, the pain and in that moment he was cursing himself for being the reason of your pain. He never wanted to break up with you, he just thought it was better for him but he quickly realised how he missed you. You wanted to scream at him but you didn’t. You felt your eyes becoming glossy but you didn’t want to cry, not in front of him, not in front of millions of people. Instead you turned and went into the shop looking for your boyfriend.

Dušan saw that too. Saw the way you went straight into his arms and the way he kissed you, probably asking if you were okay. It made his blood boil. He was so mad because you found someone else but he was so mad at himself for letting you go.

After that day you spent the night home alone. You didn’t want to see anyone or talk to anybody. Until you heard a knock on your front door.

Not thinking twice you opened the door, maybe it was your boyfriend who wanted to spend some time with you. Instead you came face to face with Dušan.

“Hey…” he said awkwardly but you didn’t say anything back “…can I come in?” he asked this time

“No, now get out” you said in your steady voice

“Please…we need to talk” he begged you, looking at you with his eyes and you knew you couldn’t resist so you let him in

“What do you want?” you asked him

“We’re not dating” he said probably referring to the girl you saw him with “we’re just…friends”

“Honestly? I don’t care. She can be your girlfriend or you fuck friend I don’t care, we’re over don’t you remember?” you asked in a sarcastic tone

“I do remember…but I also know that breaking up with you was never my intention…I loved you so much and I still love you and seeing you with that man today made me so mad…”

“Wait you’re here because you’re jealous? You broke up with me! You didn’t want me anymore! It’s been nine months Dušan…I’m dating someone else and I’m happy okay?” you shouted at him losing your temper

“But does he make you happy like I did?” he asked you taking few steps towards you

“Yes” you said

“Now say it again but look me in the eyes” he said placing his hands on your hips, your body not even moving - you hated the effect he had on you

“I’m in love with him…” you said, your voice cracking a bit

“Sure…” he whispered

“You can’t do this…” you said looking up at him

“Do what?”

“This…breaking up with me, making me feel like shit and then after months coming back here like nothing happened…you hurt me, you fucking hurt me…you can’t come back here, pretending to not knowing I’m in a relationship and act like you want me back Dušan…I can’t - I can’t do this…” you said freeing yourself from his grip but he was too quick he grabbed your hand

“I know I’m so sorry…I never meant to hurt you, I still love you, I’ve never stopped loving you…” he said looking into your eyes and you could see he was telling the truth “I miss you so much you have no idea…please, please break up with him…give me a second chance baby…I miss you” he said, taking your hands and kissing them, then placing a kiss on your cheek and you closed your eyes, not being able to look at him “please baby…” he said coming closer and closer to your face, one of his hands reaching the back of your neck. Your head was spinning, your look was back on his lips and all you wanted to do was kissing him. He made the first move and he gently kissed you. How you missed his lips and his taste. He was everything you ever wished for.

“Please break up with your boyfriend” he begged you and you simply nodded, kissing him again and leading him into the bedroom knowing he would have to make up to you for all the moments you’ve lost.

[helluva-simper]

TLC- Bakugo x reader oneshot

It was a terrible day. You worked at one of the restaurants that lived near you so obviously you were gonna have problems with someone. 

There was this lady who kept complaining about her order being wrong TWO weeks after she ordered it. After having to hear every insult and slur in the book be yelled out she was finally arrested for disturbing the peace. It was exhausting. 

You felt like you were on auto-pilot the whole way home. You had to skip lunch thanks to that lady. ‘Why was life so hard?’ You thought to yourself. When you arrived you opened the door, locked the door, then plopped right on the couch. Your stomach growled but you ignored it. You were too tired. You slowly start to fall asleep until you are.

 - - - - 

Knock, knock, knock. “Open the door!” A familiar voice says. You slowly get up from the couch and open the door. “The hell is wrong with you?!” It was Bakugo, your grumpya## boyfriend. Despite his usual angry appearance, you could tell he was concerned. All you could do was groan. “Ugh, just- just come here.” He grabbed you by the arm and took you back to sit on the couch. 

“I’mma guess it’s work. Why won’t you just quit?” Bakugo asks as he walks to the kitchen and you guessed he was gonna cook. “It’s not that easy.” You replied letting down your hair, (If you have short hair then you scratched at your hair) noticing it was unkempt. You brushed it and then turned on the T.V. on. “Yeah. Just tell your boss to f##k off and say yah quit.” “Not the actual quitting part, dumbo. Also I can’t just go anywhere cussing people for no reason. I have dignity unlike you.” You tease. “Oh, shut up, you extra!” He yelled back as you laughed. 

When he was done, he brought back some dumplings and a cup of water. “Thank you.” You said as you began to eat. 

For a little while he just watched you eat, the bags he has been seeing for the past few days even though all he ever sees you do is sleep. How you were so tensed up. It broke his heart. “Mind telling me what’s up?” He finally spoke. “Just another entitled karen.” You answered as you took a drink of your water. “We had to call the police.” You added. “Io, extra. That’s a normal thing for you?” Bakugo exclaims. You nodded as you finished up your food. Bakugo quickly took your plate and headed for the kitchen. ‘He’s acting awfully nice…’ You thought to yourself. “You preg? Since when do you have mood swings?” You joke. 

He scoffs. “I’m not preg, dumba##! Can I not be nice without being questioned?” Bakugo replied, annoyed. “Nope!” You answered with a smile. He scoffs again. “If you aren’t gonna take care of yourself then I will.” You were honestly surprised. Out of all the time you had been dating him you never side of him. “Com’on.” He said walking to the room. 

You followed him as he gestured to you to sit on his lap. You did but you were still very confused. “Icy-hot told me I should be more “loving” or whatever so I thought this would be…. Something.” He finally answered all your questions. “Well… thanks.” “Don’t worry about it.” He said to you as you felt hands begin to massage your shoulders. 

You began to relax into his hands letting yourself calm down. “Is… this working?” Bakugo asks timidly. You nodded as he felt relieved. 

After he was done Bakugo asked, “You wanna take a bath.” You nodded.

[chubbygirlmaddy14]

The Dollmaker: The Next Family

Dale Kobble x reader

A/N: This one is kinda graphic so I am sorry, but things are heating up now!

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1471444437?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_writing&wp_page=create_writer&wp_uname=chubby_girl_maddy16

Chapter 15: The Next Family (1,670 Words)

TW: descriptive murder again, mind controlling, talks of being drunk, devil worship in some way

Y/n POV:

I wake up as the sun peaks through the windows, making me cover my head with the blanket and hide my face in Dale's chest more. Wait.

DALE?

  I sit up feeling another person next to me, relieved to see it wasn't some psycho serial killer. Oh, you'll see soon.

I look at the clock that sits next to us seeing it read 10 am, my head still pounding from all the crying I had done just the night before. I look down to see Dale in his dream world, making me smile softly and lean down to kiss his cheek before rolling out of bed.

I make my way downstairs, turning on the stove and pulling out some things to make the both of us breakfast. I didn't wanna eat, but I knew Dale would say something if I didn't. I move slowly, the image of my brother still playing in my mind.

  I didn't care he was dead, I confirmed that thought when I first got up, and the tears were from stress. How would I take care of my grandma? What was I gonna do now that he's gone?

My thoughts were pushed away as I felt arms wrap around me as I cut up some fruit, "What are you making us doll?" He whispered in my ear, a blush spreading across my face as I take a deep breath. I don't want a life like this to end, as long as it meant we could be together in the end.

  Fuck it, I'd sell my soul to the devil if it had to be  that way

I wasn't brave enough to pursue anything though, at least not right now. "Just some pancakes and eggs, is that alright with you?" I turn my head having to look up at him, smiling softly as he looks back at me, "of course!"

  He pulls away as he grabs out a few plates for us, setting them down as I put our food on them.

Sitting next to one another, the meal is quiet, not that it was bad though. It was peaceful whenever he was with me, he didn't need to say anything. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he turns to look, my face staying down looking at the left over fruit and egg that sits still.

  All I can do is shrug, "I'm not upset that he's dead, hell I'm glad he is! I just don't know what I'm gonna do now."

I sigh softly putting my hands in my face, "I have other family here I need to take care of now, I don't know what to do." He wraps his arms around me and pulls me in close, letting my head just rest of his chest,

"Hey hey it's gonna be okay!" Everything feels okay when I'm with him, how could I want this moment to ever end.

After a few minutes, I sit up and shake my head, clearing my thoughts. "I'm gonna do the dishes, get dressed and head to work," but before I could even start moving, he grabs the plates and all other dishes and cleans them up for me.

  "You go take a shower and I will do the dishes okay?" I sit there a bit shocked at his words but soon smile sweetly.

As he turns on the sink, I move my way over to him, pulling him down and giving his cheek one last small kiss before turning around and making my way up the stairs.

  Yeah I didn't need to go into work, but Ryan's death didn't affect me as much as other people would react to it. Plus we have a new killer to catch now, I think, my grandma would want me to be searching.

I hop out of the shower, dry off, and put on some more comfier clothes. I knew Carter would understand, and it's not like I'm going into the office in just my pajamas. As I make my way downstairs I see Dale sitting comfortably on my couch, making my just watch.

  He looks over my way before standing up and opening his arms. I run into them fast, not wanting to miss a second of him.

He wants me as much as I want him, no I need him. Need him in my life. Need him in my arms. I just want hi- "Don't over work yourself, you understand." I roll my eyes playfully as we pull away making him gasp

"and don't roll your eyes at me young lady!" I laugh before pulling away completely and make my way over to the front door, "whatever you say old man." As I open the door I feel him move up behind me and grab my hips, squeezing them softly.

"You love this old man." His voice dropped, and my clothes almost followed with it. Looking up I smirk softly, "maybe I do... make yourself at home while I'm gone." I shut the door behind me as I bite my lip, making my way to my car.

Longlegs POV:

I stand there, just staring at the door as I catch my breath.

  Does she know I'm the one behind all of this? Would she care if she found out? You killed her family for Satan's sake Dale, she probably would!

  Shutting the voices out, I decided to look around her home, taking in rooms and art I haven't seen before as I've never been in her house alone.

Once I got my fill of her life behind closed doors, I make my way out and head home to finish packaging up the doll for Mr. Scott.

Maybe I'm holding a grudge, but what he almost did, and I know he's still after her, who would be stupid to not stop attempting to be with someone when they looked at jaw dropping as y/n.

Let alone it actually being y/n.

Ruth wasn't gonna be the one to deliver this, it was my turn. I knew he would be there, at his parents house for Susie's party. She was turning 10 this year, but that's how old she'll always be.

  Putting the box in my car, I head back inside to see Ruth on the couch, "you like her." She turns to look at me, the comment making me stop in my tracks.

"Who are you talking about?" I've never mentioned her name, so how could she know? Ruth just laugh as she shakes her head, "She's a sweet one I'll tell you that, always has been.. don't fuck this up for her."

  The words linger in my head, and yet I can't bring myself to say anything. I just make my way downstairs, and get ready for tonight.

Time-skip

Singing along to the radio, my thoughts are all filled with her. She would appreciate this, wouldn't she? I'm doing this to protect her. Not me, not anyone else, her. taking a deep breath as I pull up to the car driveway, I bring the box out and move to the front door.

  Knocking softly, Joseph ends up opening it, a drunk smile on his face, "hey you're the guy from the farmers market! come on in man!" Seriously? on her birthday?

I roll my eyes as he turns around, walking in with the box, the family pays me no mind. "What's that?" he says as he points to the item in my hand, "a gift from the church! for sweet little Susie over there."

  He smiles, thanking he grabs the box, walking over to the family as I just sit aside. It was dark out, they had just gotten back from dinner, and now it was presents time.

She ended up choosing the box first like a smart girl as I make my way over, "can I talk to you really quick?" I say to Joseph making him smile and follow me to another room. Once we're in an office room, I noticed a rolling chair and smiled a bit.

  "what did you need me for?" he drunkenly smiled before my fist landing on his face, knocking him out into a daze. Picking him up, I knew they were ready for it not to be noticeable with the state he was in.

Rolling him out tied to the chair, the family mindlessly opens up more gifts, the laughter moving to be quiet not. He starts waking up more and notices the state he's in, becoming sober as he realizes his mouth is shut.

  The father went to the kitchen to "grab something," only to come out with their biggest knife, seeing the daughter mesmerized by the doll of her.

Joseph goes to scream as the knife lands in his mom's neck, but my hand was quicker, shutting him up more as we both look at the scene in front of us.

  "Shhhh, this was born to happen little scotty! Satan wanted this to happen." Family members one by one were murdered by the dad, Susie being the last victim to take it before he killed himself in front of everyone.

I smile watching them all lay on the ground, Josephs screams turning into sobs as he watches the scene in front of him. "Don't worry, yours will be slow and painful too!" I laugh, pulling anther knife out of my back pocket and running it across his throat deep and slowly.

  Untying and ripping off the tape connected to his mouth, I push him hard on the ground making him grab his throat as if that would do anything.

I push the chair back into the office, not caring about the mess of course, and make my way out the door with my little letter sitting right on top of Joseph's body. The car ride back home was filled with the music blasting and all the way turned up.

I did all of this for my own doll.

[lunarcry]

"It's okay to have to learn how to live on your own, you know. No one ever has all the answers." He's not scared of Fenrir, despite what she is: he could be, if it weren't for the fact that he had bonded himself to an echo of something that had in fact, by all research and all speaking with her himself, been a much more frightening thing in life (it is hard to fear anything knowing what you love could outclass most). Sarunan's ears show a state similar to relaxation, tilted slightly to the side, angled forward, the expression on his face inscrutable. One gloved hand carefully extends, placing itself between the girl's ears -- not rubbing her head or fluffing her hair, just calmly placing his hand there as reassurance. "It doesn't matter how old you are or how long you've been alive. The people on this ship aren't exactly the type who abandon anyone. Trust me."

And what's meant as reassurance has the opposite effect; bored, judging eyes flashing with anger once he touches her, and fangs laid bare.

"Get your hands off me!!"

However, she doesn't bite. A low growl lingering as she snaps at him and pulls away, it's okay to have to learn how to live alone and they won't abandon anyone, she knew all of that already. Walder had pressed on despite being near death, all for the friend that she herself couldn't save. Io yelled when she had been letting out her frustrations on Rosetta, and despite their earlier fight Lyria had asked if she could put a bow in her hair when Loki had been speaking with them at that annoying island. She knew all of that already.

And still he's yapping about love and peace and acceptance as if he expects her to break down and sob. Who was going to abandon her? Why should she live on her own? Poor little primal beast who was thrown away by her creators and denied by the world. You need help, don't you? You need love, don't you? Everyone on this damn ship acted like him, just shut up.

"Trust you?" she had considered being sarcastic, but that was before he had decided to encroach on her personal space. "All you've done is blabber about yourself, don't try and act like you know me. Why the hell should I care about any of that, you're no better than those researchers who created us for their own selfish gains. Take your ego and go feel good about yourself somewhere else", despite her words, the one who ends up storming off is Fenrir herself. "Gah! I can't stand you people!"

[coldshrugs]

41 for sleeby estinio ? 🥺

thank you ash and dani! @lavampira

prompt: "sleep. i'll keep you safe." pairing: io laithe / estinien varlineau word count: 640

The sky above Thavnair burns the same caustic, smoky red it has for days. The exact time of day eludes Io; every hour looks the same as the one before. There is no end to it.

For the moment, the jungle quietens around them. In place of terror-filled screams and the grotesque wailing of blasphemies, the only sounds in Palaka’s Stand are crackling cookfires, the chime of healing magic, a small crowd of villagers gathered around Vrtra, and hushed sobs of those mourning their losses. They fought tooth and nail for this fragile peace. She and her comrades have worked tirelessly to keep the island from the brink of annihilation. The effort weighs heavy on each of them.

Some deny the need to rest more than others.

Io rounds the corner of a deserted hut to find Estinien climbing the stairs, lance in hand. “Where are you going?”

He pauses but only partially turns in her direction. A foolish attempt to hide from one who knows him so well. His exhaustion is written across his face and body–the awkward tension in his shoulders, the set of lines that have become a near-permanent fixture between his brows.

“To patrol the northern road. There may be stragglers in need of safe passage.” His countenance may give him away, but his voice betrays nothing.

“Alisaie returned from that area less than an hour ago. If there was anything of note to report, she would have mentioned it.” Io spreads her hands in front of her. “You, like the rest of us, need rest. When did you last eat? Or sleep, for that matter?”

“I’d prefer to keep myself busy until the region is secure. Action will be of far more use to all of us right now.”

“You will be no use to anyone if you’re dead on your feet. Come down here and be reasonable.” Io crosses her arms, preparing to fend off his irritability.

This time he faces her fully. His shoulders strain and his face is lined, but there’s a slight trace of amusement. A smirk that inexplicably sparks a wave of heat in her chest and across her cheeks. Each armor-clad footstep clanks against the dusty stairs as he descends. “You find me unreasonable?”

“Among other things. Infuriating, for example.” Io reaches for his lance when he stops before her. He lets her take it, eyes gleaming at the sudden boldness, and follows closely as she marches into the empty hut. He offers no protest beyond grumbling “for fuck’s sake” under his breath. Typical, really.

The space is small and in a state of panicked disarray; whoever lived here fled in a hurry after gathering necessities. But in the corner lies a straw mattress and several quilts. It’s quiet inside–only the muffled rumble of Vrtra’s voice makes it through the walls. Io props Nidhogg up next to the modest bedding, within arm's reach.

“No one will disturb you here. Will you try to get some rest?” She gestures to the mattress. “Please?”

He gives her a frustrated hum. The noise rivals the dragon outside. 

“Sleep, Estinien, if only for a few hours. I will keep this place safe.” She steps toward him, chancing a gentle touch on his arm. “I will keep you safe too.”

Heavy as they are, his eyes widen. The space between them fills with something unspoken, something soft, so at odds with the horror they've just lived through. It is hardly a revelation; he would do the same for her. So why does it feel so... reverent?

Estinien sighs and begins the arduous task of removing his armor. “Fine. Two hours, and I expect the village to be intact when I wake.”

Io laughs for what must be the first time in days. “I promise everything will be in one piece. See you in two hours."

She leaves him to it.

[incendiorum]

⌜❝ 𝙸𝙸. 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙿𝙴𝙽𝚂.

there is a story, a legend, even, of a scorned child who grew into an angry, vengeful adult. the story says that the child was unloved by their parents, that the village turned a blind eye to the abuse. that the child, upon becoming an adult, was murdered by an angry man for a reason lost to time. and the story goes that in the delicate gray space between death and life, the adult was offered an ultimatum by a god - die, or become powerful.

the adult chose power. and from the grave came a serpent hundreds of feet long, pale white and blood-red. a head like an viper, claws like swords, and wings that swept long and narrow like a falcon's. that venom dripped from long fangs and fire boiled deep in its throat. in the serpent's fury, it burned the village and everyone in it to the ground. and in the mountains that once surrounded the quiet place, it made a home.

for hundreds of years there are stories and frightening tales of a dangerous dragon hiding in the mountains. often, people say, it sleeps, but sometimes it wakes and flies from its lair to lay waste to anything it can. not a single knight has successfully sought and killed it.

there are rumors, that perhaps for the very few people the dragon favors, it changes - shrinks down into a beautiful person who could pass among anyone who walks. there are signs, argue other people, sharp teeth and serpent eyes that would never belong on a normal human.

but these are all just rumors, of course. monsters aren't beautiful.

more info about the verse below the cut:

you've heard it a dozen times from me but, at their core, io is very corruptible. and venadeus is a corrupting force. the circumstances of their death in this verse, plus the promises venadeus made to them when they were trying to decide whether to be resurrected or not, has made this, by far, the worst version of io that I currently write. morally corrupt, one might say.

why? because they thrive on creating fear. io sees the path to peace as forged in violence. if they're terrifying, if they're deadly, if they burn and raze an entire kingdom to the ground and lounge in the ashes, then who really wants to fuck with them?

on top of that, io always thrives in destruction. it feels good to them. they're bitter, they're aggressive, and people matter so little to them that they don't find burning things to the ground a waste. no matter who occupies those places.

and, frankly, venadeus turned them into a living, breathing war machine and then let them loose on a world that scorned them. a god of violence is sure to pass it on to his children in every way he possibly can.

io in this verse also has complete control over how human or how draconic they want to look. it's fine-tuned and fluid. but there are three 'main' forms they favor:

that of a person. the only things that may give them away is the central orange hue in an otherwise gray gaze, and the pale scales that dot their body, often hidden beneath clothes. sharp canines are present, but they are certainly blunter than what appears in their intermediate form. while this a perfect form for mingling among humanity, io finds it incredibly uncomfortable and restrictive.

that of a dragon. several hundred feet in length. sinuous and lithe. they have four limbs, two falcon-like wings, and the head and neck of a horned viper. mostly pale white and gray in color, but the undersides of their wings are blood-red. a comfortable form. they default to this one quite often.

and finally, a form somewhere in the middle. human, vastly... kind of. more scales cover parts of their body, interlocking patterns on their arms, legs, hip and collarbones. the horns present in their full dragon form are also present here, sweeping out from under their hair. their wings are also present, hanging heavy from their back. canines are longer and sharper. the lurid central orange in their eyes is brighter and more obvious. this is a comfortable form. and one they show more often to people they trust and like.

[little-miss-sad-eyes]

The myth of Hades and Persephone

Hi, greek and roman culture student here!

I've always been fashinated by the myth of Hades and Persephone, and I've heard a lot regarding the "original" version, and I thought I could offer some of my knowlege to better understand the culture behind it.

The "original" version

I'm afraid that, expecially in Greek mythology, there is no such thing as an "original version" of a myth. All the different version are valid because they're the expression of a different Greek region (an let me tell you, those were WIDELY different culturally and in the folklore). There is surely some that are more famous than others, but being famous doesn't mean anything, it's just a version as valid as the others.

Also, all the greek myths originate from Minoan and Mycenaean myths, really different from the ones we know today.

To make an example, in the Minoan version of this story, Hades isn't featured at all, Persephone's the wife of Poseidon.

Marriange and Rapture

In arcaic greek language the words for marriage and abduction were the same one, lately evolving into a word for abduction (άρπαγή) but no proper word for marriage, that was indicated with γάμος, that is a widely ranged term to indicate a family in general.

Also, in the arcaic civilisation the ritual for matrimony had a simulation of kidnapping of the bride by her future husband, and in some regions, like Sparta, this tradition remained well into the classical and ellenistic period of Greece.

This is furtherly illustrated in pottery decoration, were the pose that indicates marriage and the one that indicates abduction are one and the same.

For the Greeks, marriage and kidnapping were pratically synonyms, and that's why we have so many myths with the rapture of a woman that in some version are simply indicated as a marriage (Hades and Persephone, Helen and Parides) or an elopement (Europe, Io, half of Zeus' love affairs). In Greek culture, the two acts were interchangeable.

Having this informations, the difference in the versions, some depicting Hades as a cruel kidnapper and some as a peaceful husband, shouldn't surprise us.

I hope this was useful, please add more if you happen to know other informations!