#love is enduring!! love moves all!!! and she can fit so much love inside her little body!!!!!!

[journey-to-the-attic]

Okay idea for the Dragon AU--

WHAT IF Diavolo is the king and Barbatos is his servant and Diavolo is secretley half-dragon on Sonnos side? And him trying to make peace with dragons is so he can reveal to his people that he's half-dragon and show they aren't bad

But at the point of the AU, people still hate them hence IK stumbling upon Mammon deep in the woods after being accused of being a witch

The reason I thought of this is because I think an AWESOME concept would be if Barbatos was a dragon that learned how to take on a human disguise and act like a human

But as a dragon he's like oroboros!!!! He's watched the rise and fall of both dragon and human kind over and over and over, essentially watching the world eat its own tail and unfortunately he's as much of a slave to it as everyone else, it's just that he's one of the only ones who realizes and actively remembers ALL of it

And he's hoping that Diavolo (with the power of this strange little human) might be able to break this cycle

Just an idea but my brain is firing at 100% right now

ohohohoooo this is GOOD

okok so imagine that diavolo's been (subtly) trying to make contact with the full-blood dragons, but barbatos knows this never works out - no matter how promising things start out, something always ends up going wrong, because there is a fundamental mistrust between both humans and dragons

so there's always a miscommunication that makes either side think they've been betrayed, or one side will be too tense and convinced they'll be attacked, so prematurely attack the dragons in retaliation; it always ends in either a mass-hunting of dragonkind, or destruction of the kingdom

but then this cycle is the first time ik shows up, and this important because ik explicitly trusts that her friends will NOT do anything to hurt her on purpose - the kind of unwavering faith that diavolo wants to establish between humans and dragons

of course, there's a bit of an obstacle in that ik is also mistrusted at this point - "of course the witch child would ally with those wicked dragons!" - i imagine there'd be moments where public opinion begins to change, e.g. when ik along with one of the brothers helps save a merchant being robbed by bandits

maybe they get on diavolo's radar for the first time because one of the nobles in his court (om mephistopheles perhaps) gets attacked by monsters while technically invading the dragons' territory, but the brothers save and then return him back to safety. to diavolo this is a MIRACLE, and he MUST meet this witch-child who's prompted the dragons to show compassion to humans immediately

(to put an ironic twist on this, maybe the reason ik's never appeared before now is because barbatos's attempts to set things on the right track in previous cycles always butterly-effected into her being killed prematurely; she only survives in this one because barbatos is standing back in the hope that diavolo would be able to break the cycle)

(he only figures this out upon going back over his memories from past cycles - since at the time the deaths were just part of the (what he thought was) inevitable collateral damage of his efforts)

[freddycartr]

i just reread cinder and absolutely loved the small details during the ball and reminded me why i love kaider so fucking much

• kai fucking physically stopping adri from striking cinder

• kai not waiting for cinders reply and immediately taking her into his arms and deliberately moving her away from adri and pearl

• kai hardly keeping his disdain for adri and pearl leashed and him saying sarcastically “she seems like a real treasure.”

• his smile crumbling when cinder says “can you believe they think i’m the embarrassment?” and him getting a glimpse of the verbal abuse cinder endures

• cinder holding her chin high as she walks down the steps

• before the ball, her thinking that she could trip and show kai a “sexy metal thigh”

• kai never taking his eyes away from cinder and cinder never taking her eyes away from him for like three whole damn pages. literally. three fucking pages. they don't break eye contact until adri steps in front of cinder. god, the pull they feel towards each other in one book is beautiful.

• kai’s mouth parting slightly when he sees her for the first time

• “you have no idea how to dance, do you?” and cinders response being absolutely iconic, “i’m a mechanic.”

• kai pushing her gently away and then pulling her even closer than before

• “almost imperceptibly, he inched closer, and cinder found her elbow crawling up his shoulder in a way that felt impossibly natural. still, he did not back away. did not shudder or tense. he knew, but he wasn't disgusted? he would still touch her? somehow, unbelievably, he still even, maybe, liked her?”

• the descriptions of them touching is fucking beautiful like “her fingertips tentatively curled around the hair at the back of his neck, and she found that she was shaking, sure he would push her away at any moment. but he didn't. he did not pull away. did not grimace.”

• the fucking beautiful and unreal quote “his lips parted, just barely, and cinder wondered if maybe she wasn't the only one having trouble breathing.”

• from kai moving so damn close that she could lay her head on his shoulder to her pushing him away “returning them to the acceptable distance of strangers-or of a mechanic dancing with her emperor. for the first time, kai missed a dance step, eyes blinking in surprise.”

• and when she kisses him, “hot tingles coursed through her body, surprising and scary but not unpleasant, surging like electricity through her wires. this time, they did not overwhelm her. this time they did threaten to burn her from the inside out. the desperation melted and, for the briefest moments, the ulterior motives were gone. she found herself kissing him for no other reason than she wanted to. she wanted him to know that she wanted to.”

• “you can't think her prettier than me? she reached out a fingernail and traced it along kai's jaw. my dear, are you blushing?” and kai slapping her hand away

• levana (the bitch) laughing condescending at cinder and saying “how fitting. ashes. dirt. filth.” and kai having fucking none of it, “that’s enough.” like kai is so in love with cinder

• jacin being the guard that pulls cinder hard against his chest + who cinder steals his gun to shoot it at levana

• levana making her turn the gun on her and kai immediately reacting despite learning that she’s lunar, “no! leave her alone! kai rushed for her, grasping her elbow. he tried to yank it away, but she was immobilized, solid as a statue. let her go! k-kai, she stammered, terror seizing her.”

• cinder feeling powerful when she uses her lunar gifts for the first time

• and the betrayal. my god, marissa meyer really knows how to write a betrayal. “was it all an illusion? he asked. pain lanced through her chest, squeezing the air out of her. kai?was it all in my head? a lunar trick? her stomach twisted. no. she shook her head, fervently. how to explain that she hadn't had the gift before? that she couldn't have used it against him? i would never lie- the words faded. she had lied. everything he knew about her had been a lie.”

• kai, even though cinder lied to him about everything, refusing to have cinder killed and threatening levana in the same breath, “but if you kill her tonight, i swear i will never agree to any alliance with luna.”

• and cinder when learning that she is princess selene, she immediately says “if he knew, he would release me.”

• cinder holding onto the memory of kai when she escapes, “amid the jumbled information clattering through her head, her thoughts landed again on that same quiet moment captured in time. kai’s carefree smile at the market.”

• and the fantastic cliffhanger, “soon, the whole world would be searching for her-linh cinder. a deformed cyborg with a missing foot. a lunar with a stolen identity. a mechanic with no one to run to, nowhere to go. but they would be looking for a ghost.”

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

Dying Light [Chapter Three] Red Line [Bi-Han/Sub-Zero]

A/n: I didn't go too into detail with the wedding ceremony here, but it is based on a Han Chinese Wedding Ceremony. Please enjoy.

Tag list: @genesiswrld, @cherryblossomly, @dilf-destroyer-04, @louis2gobrrn, @umbransister

Warning(s): Family drama, uneasiness, female reader, wedding ceremony, arranged marriage au, Bi-Han being a tease (if you look closely 😋), bed-sharing, awkward moments.

No Minor's Allowed!!

The next morning is hectic.

You are awoken by servants, rushing you from your bed and into the bath. Their hands are like restraints, holding you down in the warm water as they wash you in soaps and scented oils. 

Then when you are done - skin rubbed raw and fingers wrinkled - your mother takes over.  

She guides you to her room and urges you to sit down at her vanity so that she can doll you up. Her enthusiastic yacking, as she brushes the knots from your hair sounds like a foreign language in your ears, but you are forced to endure it. You stare in a daze at your reflection in the mirror, focused on what is to come next. 

It is a bit too much to take in so early in the morning. But when it does hit, the sad reality of the situation, you are horrified. 

“What is that look for?” Your mother asks. She stares at you in the mirror and sighs. “You had best get used to this. Men are fickle. A beautiful woman will keep their interest. You do not want your soon-to-be husband to drag in strays, do you?” 

You do not even know what to say to this. Does it matter? You are not in this for love. Tightening your jaw, you avert your eyes from the mirror. 

“Is this not sudden to father?”

“It is not sudden enough,” your mother counters in annoyance. “The former Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei wanted his eldest son to lead before he was meant to take a bride. You should have already been wed.” 

At least you are now aware of why this union took so long. But this is not what you meant by sudden. 

I barely know him for a day and already I am meant to become his wife.

You opt not to mention this to your mother. She would point out that sometimes arranged marriages work this way, that at least you had met him before standing as husband and wife. 

“Could it not be moved to a later date?” You ask, choosing your words wisely.

Your mother scoffs. 

“It is far too late for that. Today is regarded as lucky. We would have to put the wedding off for another week and your father would not accept that.”

Of course. He might lose his chance to gain riches from this. 

“I'm sure Bi-Han will bring lots of gifts for him.” 

Your mother gives you a heated look and then returns to the task at hand. You groan as her brush strokes become a bit harsh. 

“With that attitude, this marriage is doomed to fail.”

You almost turn up your eyes. It is not like you want this. The only reason you are going through with it is because all your life the importance of the clan has been forced into your head. It is as though your parents wished to brainwash you. The fear of failure that paralyzed you as a youth crept up your spine even now like a monster bound in shadows. 

Taking a deep breath, you ignore the dread in your stomach. 

For the next two hours, you sit in awkward silence as your mother does your makeup and styles your hair. Both are relatively simple in technique, yet the time she takes to perfect them is time-consuming.

When both are nearly done, she saunters over to her closet and removes a garment bag from within. 

“Get dressed.”

You sigh. Standing, you take a moment to stretch your sore back, and then you retrieve the garment bag from her. Inside is a red dress with fine stitching, decorated with golden phoenixes. It looks familiar. 

“Was this yours?”

Your mother nods. 

“I wore it on my wedding day to your father…and today, you will wear it.”

“I– thank you.” 

You honestly did not know what to say. Quietly, you redress. The material is soft and surprisingly breathable. It fits you well; she must have made the adjustments during the night. 

“We are nearly done,” your mother states. 

She returns to the vanity and retrieves two items from a wooden box. One is a golden comb ornament and the other is a red line. Both she places in your hair. 

“During the ceremony, the groom will untie the red line, which means that he will take you over from your father and me. And then by tradition, a lock of hair from each of you will be severed and tied together using this line. That represents that your body and heart will stick to each other,” she explains.

It sounds romantic. If only this marriage were built on that.

Your mother stands in front of you and looks you over. She then smiles.

“You are ready.”

Turning your eyes to the mirror, you do not recognize the person staring back at you. She is elegant while you are not. 

Is this the person you are destined to be? You are not sure you like her.

A knock on the door averts your attention. A servant quickly comes in and bows then addresses your mother. 

“The groom is here, madam.”

“Right on time,” she utters. 

Resting a hand on your back, she urges you to press on. Though you are hesitant, you take an uneasy breath and walk towards the door. In the foyer, you see Bi-Han for the first time since yesterday. He appears almost as out of place as you feel, wearing a red robe adorned with gold dragons. His hair is half up, cascading down his broad shoulders in dark locks; it suits him.

As you draw near, his keen eyes turn to you, taking in your appearance; his expression softens. You are not sure how to feel about this. Standing beside him, you awkwardly wait for the main doors to open. A red mat awaits.

Bi-Han offers his arm, whether out of courtesy or because it is expected of him. Nevertheless, you take it and walk with him outside, following the mat from the main house to the shrine in the Western wing. Had it been exactly traditional like your mother had wanted, an ornate bridal chair carried by porters would have escorted you.  

It did not matter in the end. The results would not change. 

Continuing through the wing, servants open the doors to the shrine, and upon seeing the altar and your fellow clansmen, you tense up, hesitating a moment. It feels as if by some cruel twist of fate you are about to be sacrificed. 

Feeling the muscles beneath your hand tighten, you turn your eyes, meeting Bi-Han’s curious stare. 

“Steel yourself,” he orders. 

You take an uneasy breath. He is right, you must find your courage. Continuing to the altar, you kneel with Bi-Han to pay homage, and then you face him, as a low table is seated between you. 

It is time. 

The rest of the ceremony feels like a blur. After completing the food and wine portion, symbolizing unspoken vows, Bi-Han removes the red line in your hair and as explained by your mother, a lock is severed to be combined with his.

It is not until you are prompted to stand and join hands with him, do you become fully alert. His skin feels cold like ice and his expression shows no emotion. It seems he had taken his advice. Your face heats up as you stare into his eyes. 

The room is eerily silent as you make your pledge. 

“No matter death or life, (we are) near or far, we pledge our word–”

“Hold your hand and grow old with you together,” Bi-Han wraps up.

Releasing his hands, the two of you face the clan and bow; the ceremony then comes to an end. You are now wed. It feels bittersweet, like a dream you can not wake from. You almost can't believe it. 

In front of you, your parents seem satisfied. It is a shame that you do not share their sentiments. 

–

As the afternoon progresses, your parents move the merged clans to the dining room where a lavish eight-course affair is waiting. Each dish is symbolic, but it is not until you are served sweet lotus seeds for dessert, do you feel a bit uneasy. Perhaps it is simply a tradition, but this dish is meant to represent fertility. The idea of an heir or an heiress never even crossed your mind before. 

You ignore it for now and stomach the rest of your food.

For the next few hours, you are forced to listen to your mother chatter to Bi-Han about you. The man listens but he does not comment. You honestly wish that you could have brought your amulet along with you. The thought of her dropping into a portal mid-sentence makes you snort.

“Is there something on your mind, daughter?” Your father suddenly asks over her. 

You are caught off guard by his question. To your annoyance, your mother pauses a moment to look at you, raising a brow in curiosity. Even Bi-Han spares you a look. 

“It is nothing,” you utter. 

Your mother tightens her mouth into a thin line, then continues where she left off. You on the other hand give Bi-Han a look of sympathy, returning to your food. 

The banquet concludes shortly after and you opt to escape the fiasco by retiring for the night. In exhaustion, you excuse yourself, but when you enter your room, the state of it takes you back a moment. 

Your sheets and pillowcases are red, and resting on top of them is a mix of dry fruit and nuts. The sweet scent of persimmons and red dates permeates the air as you walk over to your closet to find something to dress into. Once the bridal dress is put away and you are in your nightwear, you saunter over to your vanity. 

Pulling the comb from your hair, you pause as the sound of your door opens. A servant walks in and behind them, much to your dismay, is your husband. Your eyes widen. 

“Allow me to retrieve your belongings, sir,” the servant offers. 

Bi-Han dismisses them with a gesture.

“A night robe will be enough.”

They leave the room, shutting the door behind them. In the meantime, all you can do is stare in shock as Bi-Han gauges the room; your room.

“Why are you here?”

“You are my wife,” he simply states. 

You frown. Of course. You feel ignorant for asking. Even so, you did not expect to share a bed with him so soon, or at all.

Ignoring him for a moment, you continue with the task at hand. Using a cleansing towelette, you remove your makeup, peeking at him from your mirror. 

“Should I call for an extra set of sheets for you?” 

Bi-Han hums.

“There is no need.” 

He struts over to the bed and begins to remove the dried fruit and nuts from the sheets. 

I suppose he means to share. 

You are not sure what to feel about this. Brushing the tangles from your hair, you stand and face him. For an awkward moment, you stare as Bi-Han clears the bed, not sure what to say. Thankfully, the servant returns with his night robe. You retrieve it, sauntering over to the bed to hand it to him.

“I will finish. There is a divider in which you can change behind across the room.”

Bi-Han grabs the robe from you and takes your suggestion. In the meantime, you clear the bed, taking the mess over to your vanity. 

“If it were not for tomorrow, I would resume our conversation from yesterday,” you hear Bi-Han state.

You turn to face him.  

“What happens–” The sight of his bare muscular chest makes you pause. Gods, he is gorgeous. 

Bi-Han ties his robes closed and then raises a curious brow. You turn away from him, ignoring the heat in your face. 

“What happens tomorrow?”

“We leave for Arctika. My brothers will arrive with the bridal gifts early,” Bi-Han answers. 

You frown. Everything is happening so fast. 

“I should rest then.”

“Unless you desire to consummate our marriage, then that is best,” Bi-Han retorts. 

Your face heats up. What are you meant to say to that? He does not look like a man to tease, but perhaps he is trying to get a rise out of you. Opting not to comment, you prepare your side of the bed. 

Bi-Han situates himself beneath the sheets, so you turn out the lights and hesitantly join him. Turning your back to him, you listen to the silence, feeling uncomfortable.

“Sleep well,” you utter. 

For a moment, you assume that Bi-Han is already asleep, but then he shifts.

“You were humored by something at the banquet. What by?”

You grin. 

“I thought about dropping my mother into a portal. Her enthusiastic yacking is irritating.”

“I share your sentiments,” Bi-Han admits. 

For the first time, you agree with him entirely.  

[justanothersquidblog]

How do your agents skills compare to eachother?

OK SO

let's make a list of stats that'll be graded out of five stars.

Agility (This includes speed and like, ability to dodge and stuff. also maybe parkour if thats funny.)

Endurance (This includes durability for when they get hit, and like, how long they can last in a fight)

Strength (This includes physical like muscle strength and hand to hand combat, and also their general hand-to-hand combat prowess)

Handyness (This includes their ability to use multiple different weapons, their skills using them, or just technical work like inventing)

Wits (this includes how smart they are street wise)

Smarts (this includes how smart they are book wise)

Now lets get grading! I'll make this a read more since its long.

San - The Captain

Agility: 3/5 Is pretty average to say the least. Can do the dualie dodge roll with weapons that aren't dualies. (can't squid roll though..) Used to be more of a 4/5 back in their hayday but not bad considering their next skill's rating...

Endurance: 2/5 San used to be pretty damn tough and durable. But after being hit by the sanitization ooze, San's body and immune system weakened pretty severely.

Strength: 8/5 Despite our previous rating though, San is still horrifyingly powerful. San may have been a 10/5 back in Splatoon or before OE. An absolute demon. Isn't like, supernatural of course. You're not gonna see San pick up 14 wheelers like superman but like. Dude is strong. Dude can break bones. Dude picked up that slicey thing in Rise of the Mammalians. Yeah.

Handyness: 2.5/5 San's pretty meh with the other weapons? They're not great (which is why the minus 0.5) There's some clear favoritism with their trusty old hero shot that they refuse to fully depart from. It's their baby.

Wits: 4/5 They're pretty hip they're pretty cool they're pretty fresh. I hate that I said that. Thank Callie for that. But they've also matured and began to understand people now.

Smarts: 4.5/5 They're also pretty smart! Got through school. Knows how to do taxes. Thank Marie for that. But they're also quite tactical and can process logistical things better now.

Final Grade: San is a grade A glass cannon that can no longer be relied on during missions due to their lack of endurance/durability and roundedness with weapons but has shapened into a good enough leader to make up for their lack of on-the-battlefield-duties!

-

Yon - Agent 4

Agility: 4/5 Yon is very fast. And she's a dualie main so her dodging around is sorta a specialty. I think she could learn how to squid roll if she wanted to. But yeah! She's quick on her feet.

Endurance: 4/5 Yon is pretty durable! She can take a good amount of hits! But I think the weakest part of her is her confidence. If she has some doubt in her mind, she's prone to give in or give up easier.

Strength: 3.5/5 Yon used to be quite the wimp when she was younger due to primarily staying inside and studying! But moving out has given her lots of opportunities to stay fit and thanks to being an agent, get tough.

Handyness: 5/5 SHE HAS TO TEST.. SO MANY WEAPONS.. While Dualies are her preference, Yon is adept at pretty much every single weapon on the market thanks to Sheldon and Hachi's test requests. It makes her very reliable.

Wits: 2.8/5 While Yon has definitely become more cultured with modern society and trends, she's never fully gotten engrossed, even if she acts the part. She's a bit awkward and a bit naïve but we love her all the same.

Smarts: 4.5/5 Yon is very book smart. Not tactically like battle tactic wise but she's very book smart in terms of like, knowing how things work, math, science, like- things one can study for. This Squid knows how STOCKS works. Yay.

Final Grade: Yon is very well rounded, probably the most reliable agent in the Squidbeak Splatoon thanks to her even abilities, smarts, and her jack of all trades touch to using weapons. She has no plans on going up the ranks and no plans to outright pursue the Splatoon as her only job, but she's a very valuable member all the same.

-

Hachi - The Retired Agent 8

Agility: 3/5 While she could have probably ranked a 5 when she was in OE and parkouring with heels on, she's mellowed out and taken time off from that sort of intenseness.

Endurance: 5/5 Dude, Hachi is TOUGH. She is a fridge of a woman. You cannot shove her over if you tried. Her back may be pretty scarred from the tests but she is HARD to take down. She's been through hell and back and there's nothing much that can challenge her durability like that.

Strength: 4.5/5 While Hachi was pretty strong in OE she's become a VERY strong person thanks to working as pretty much a blacksmith for Ammoknights. She's beefy. She can pick up all her friends.

Handyness: 6/5 Like Yon she's very attuned to all weapons thanks to her experiences with testing them, although now it's more so because she makes those same weapons and has come to an even deeper understanding to them.

Wits: 3.5/5 She's pretty social all things considered. And she sorta got a very in depth crash course with society thanks to Pearl and Marina. They keep her up to date on EVERYTHING. So she's pretty fresh.

Smarts: 5/5 SHE MAKES WEAPONS SHE'S REAL SMART

Final Grade: Hachi is an absolute powerhouse. One woman army she is, with the highest amount of 5+/5 grades. But, she's retired from being an agent. So terrifying misadventures in [eggman voice] THE FUCKING BUILDING AGAIN are the only reason she'd be back and out on the field.

-

Neo - Agent 3

Agility: 4.5/5 Is the only member of the splatoon who can do the squid roll. I don't know why. I just think it'd be funny. Aside from that though, is very quick and very athletic.

Endurance: 4.5/5 This DUDE survived both SPACE AND THE DESERT. They're pretty tough! And her salmonid-like life style really tested his durability as an inkling.

Strength: 7.5/5 Like San, Neo possesses a very unnatural raw strength that powers them through her life. He's still got a ways to go compared to San, but their ferocious spirit carries her very far. I'd say Neo is much better at hand to hand combat than guns or rollers and whatnot though.

Handyness: 2.5/5 Like I said before, I think Neo is better at hand to hand combat than weaponry. Dude's stronger with claws than a gun, although, their introduction to more inkfish weaponry with ORCA's testing was picked up very quickly.

Wits: 2.5/5 If you wanted to know about Salmonid culture and street smarts there. Oh 5/5. But uh. Actual inkfish society? Uh.. taps tongue. They're a bit- well, she's at least pretty quick if it notices someones not being honest. Neo is NOT naïve. But they are very much a salmonid raised inkling.

Smarts: 2/5 Uh- she- uh- he- well- they uh- um. They can, count! They aren't DUMB! Let's be clear. They are NOT dumb. They just yknow, never, went to school.

Final Grade: Neo is a rising star in the squidbeak splatoon! Very physically skilled, like a mirror of squidbeak past- but has a lot of room to grow! Neo's still a rookie after all, and is figuring itself out.

[inspirationalucky]

🦁 EPIC: The Musical: Act One, The Circe Saga sentence starters. Because the lines are just That Good. Going by the exact lyrics for the most part unless I'm making it less lyric and more dialogue. Definitely change things to fit your muse's situation<3

Puppeteer

"I have something that I must confess."

"There's only so much left we can endure. Whatever you need to say can wait some more."

"Where's the rest of your crew?"

"By the gods, what happened to you?"

"We came across a palace, and inside we heard a voice."

"Nothing could prepare us for the power that awaited inside."

"We are weak to a power like this!"

"Take a seat, let me bring you all something to eat!"

"I bet you're tired from the years spent on your feet."

"Think of your past and your mistakes."

"They'll be the last mistakes you'll make."

"I don't play, I puppeteer."

"This is the price we pay to live."

"The world does not tend to forgive."

"She turned our men from men to pigs!"

"I've got all the power."

"Look at all we've lost and all we've learned."

"Let's cut our losses, you and I, and let's run."

"I can hardly sleep now knowing everything we've done."

"There's no length I wouldn't go if it was you I had to save. I can only hope you'd do the same."

"What if she can't be killed? Will you choose to leave?"

"It's a game of wits, but you don't have to play!"

Wouldn't You Like

"What a brilliant speech you gave!"

"Who goes there?"

"A foe like Circe is not to be messed with."

"You want to beat her? You'll need the blessing of a certain God."

"Wouldn't you like a taste of the power?"

"Wouldn't you like to have some of the magic?"

"She can turn you into an animal that'll end up on her plate."

"She can conjure up a monster that'll grind you to the bones."

"She has all the ways to haunt you if you take her on alone."

"Wouldn't you like your outcome preferred?"

"Here in the root of this flower lies such a power to take her on."

"Don't thank me, friend! You very well may die. Good luck!"

Done For

"We seldom get a warm welcome so I must ask just to be sure: Did you do something to them?"

"All I did was reveal their true forms."

"I don't know who you are, nor why you're here."

"I've got people to protect, friends I can't neglect, so I'm not taking chances, dear."

"If you make one wrong move, then you're done for."

"I could put a spell on you and you're done for."

"Boy, you better run, or soon you will be done for."

"You will fail at placing any spells on me."

"You and I are now evenly matched."

"Now there is no turning back."

"You've made your one wrong move, now you're done for."

"I'll be the one to prove that you're done for."

"My nymphs are like my daughters, I protect them at all costs."

"The last time we let strangers live we faced a heavy loss."

"You've given me no reason to bestow you with my trust."

"Everyone's true colors are revealed in acts of lust."

"I'm not sure I follow."

There Are Other Ways

"There are other ways of persuasion."

"There are other modes of control."

"There are other means of deceit."

"You have so much left to learn."

"Want to save your men from the fire? Show me that you're willing to burn."

"Who's to say with all the mistakes I've made that they will be the last mistakes I ever make?"

"This is the price we pay for love."

"Back at home my wife awaits for me. She's my everything, my Penelope."

"The God of Tides is out to end my life."

"There might be a way to get home."

"Though this other way's very dangerous it might be your one final hope."

"I know of a brilliant prophet, problem is this prophet is dead."

"I can't get you home, but I'll get you to the Underworld instead."

"Maybe showing one act of kindness leads to kinder souls down the road."

"I have been in love once before."

[lene-loki]

Time After Time

Y/N keeps her traumatic past a secret from her closest friends but when Karen invites her, Matt and Foggy to dinner it gets harder for Y/N to conceal her eating disorder in front of them.

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Female Reader

Trigger Warnings: Eating Disorder, childhood trauma, child abuse, angst, anxiety, eating struggles, depression, self-destructive behaviour

It's not proofread yet so please excuse any mistakes! ❤️

Growing up in an abusive household, you persevered the self-destructive mannerisms into your adulthood which you were taught by your parents as a child.

Even though you were already working on some of your issues with a therapist, some of your habits just seemed to stick to you like glue. You couldn't control it and no matter how hard you tried to overcome what's been bothering you the most, you mostly felt like giving up.

Something that was so natural and important to every living being on this earth, a completely normal task in every day's life, was your biggest challenge to face.

Just thinking about it made your heart beat faster and your hands sweaty in panic. Everytime you got confronted with it, even if you just got a tiny whiff of it, you had to fight not to give in to an unbearable demand of your body to throw up.

You felt ashamed that it made you feel this anxious as if you were going to fight a lion in the raw wilderness but what made you this distraught was something so harmless that it almost made you laugh about your sheer fear of it.

Eating.

It wasn't that you were scared that food would hurt you in any way, but still you were connecting pain with eating. It all resulted from a complex trauma you had to endure in your childhood.

Your parents were cold when it came to showing love and affection. They were hard on you, more than your soul could bear and now you were a young adult with more problems to ever catch up on and unable to build a life fitting to your age. On some days you still felt like you were a child - constantly overwhelmed with things every normal adult handles on their daily basis without a breakdown.

But the most prominent damage that stuck with you was your eating disorder.

Since you can think you had to ask your parents for permission to eat something. You always had to wait until they finished eating and had to hope that they would leave something for you but in most cases you had to go to bed with an aching tummy - starving to the point where you couldn't move a single muscle anymore from pain and being too weak.

It's all in the past now and you would think that now that you were an adult and have broken off any contact with your parents as soon as you went to college, you would live your best life - eating every meal your parents forbid you. But it resulted in the direct opposite.

You developed a fear of eating due to your disturbed eating habits your entire life. You were raised with the feeling that you needed permission to eat. That you weren't allowed to eat. That you didn't matter enough to get a plate too.

And this issue has been anchored up so deep inside of you that you were on some nights starving yourself on purpose, because you felt like you weren't allowed to eat something. For example when you made a mistake at work that resulted in you and your colleagues fighting that you felt not worthy of food.

When you opened up about these issues to your therapist for the first time, you remember that she in all sincerety told you that you have the permission to eat whatever and whenever and as much as you want. And you remember that these few words brought you to tears. Because it was unfortunately reality that no one has every said these words to you because for most of the people it is something self-evident. But still you were struggling with eating three meals a day and portions appropriate for your height and age.

It often resulted into a panic attack whent it was time for dinner again and you just got used to it being much easier to just skip the meal entirely and hunger the whole night than to face your fear. You were constantly living on the edge. Too weak, mentally a wrack, always in pain whether it was just a headache or a slight dizziness, never fully present and never fully rested. And the cause of all of this was just your disordered eating. You tried to make yourself clear, that when you started to regularly eat and it doesn't matter what, you just need to eat something, than your body and your psyche will heal. But you couldn't force the improvement. It was all part of the long process you had to patiently accomplish to really see a milestone.

Now given, how utterly complicated this simple task was for you, you were absolutely horrified when your colleague and close friend Karen Page invited you and your two other friends and colleagues Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson to dinner at her place.

She just shortly moved into a new apartement and wanted to invite you all for weeks now. For weeks you dreaded the day where the dinner took place, trying to come up with excuses to not appear but in the end your conscience forced you to go.

Your friends didn't know about your eating disorder.

It wasn't that you didn't tell them because you didn't trusted them, it was rather that you were so deeply ashamed. You were scared that they would start seeing you in a different light - a negative kind. And since you were raised with cold-heartedness, a part of you expected everyone around you to not care about you. You didn't wanted to assume that about your best friends, but when you didn't even matter to your own parents then why would you matter to them?

And these were just some of the reasons why you kept everything you felt so close to yourself.

Right now, you were sitting at the dining table in Karen's apartement next to Matt. Your hands were shaking and you could practically feel every drop of blood draining from your face as you fought against a nausea in fear of having to eat. However that wasn't the only reason why your heart was racing in your chest. No matter how hard you tried to fight it, you couldn't deny that you were in love with Matt and had been so for a while now. But you would never act upon your feelings and tell him - because you weren't good enough. And you'd never be.

You were your own worst enemy.

Talking yourself down like this on a daily basis and just assuming that no one would consider you to be worthy. These were the thoughts you weren't able yet to tell your therapist because you even felt this turmoil against her. That you weren't even worthy to be her patient.

And just like that it was all coming back around to the self-destructive mannerisms you were taught in your childhood. You always came back full circle to your trauma and you desperately wanted to escape this hamster wheel you got put in.

"I tried something new tonight." Karen said proudly with a hint of nervousness as she emerged from the kitchen.

She placed a heavy pot on the table with steam blowing out of it in to the room. Foggy immediately let out a sound of pure ardor and began licking his lips as if he hadn't eaten for months.

You on the other hand buried your hands in your lap to try to keep them from shaking so hard - worried anyone could notice it.

Too weak, since you hadn't eaten since the previous day's lunch (because you were so afraid of this dinner), you couldn't bring a single muscle in your body to even show a tiny smile to Karen.

You just sat there without an expression on your face, only half present in the moment and praying that no one would notice that you literally looked like a dead person.

But of course they saw it.

"Are you okay, Y/N?" Karen asked immediately oncerned about your appearance as she sat down in front of you.

"Y-Yes." You shook your head too fast which resulted in you getting a bit dizzy. "Okay." Foggy said elongated, not even the tiniest bit convinced.

"Really." You tried to assure your friends and thankfully they let it go - although your voice could have been another hint that nothing was alright with you.

"Well" Karen put on a big smile after the akward tension, "I made chicken with vegetable pasta and tried a secret ingredient." She announced jittery in excitement.

"Oh!" Matt grinned. "I love secrets."

Foggy agreed laughing while you suddenly felt the prickle of tears building up behind your eyelids.

Everyone was so cheerful and happy, Karen had made such an effort in decorating the table with candles and the expensive napkins we normally can't afford and in cooking a whole dinner for us - but you weren't a part of this wonderful moment your friends shared. Maybe you were physically there, but mentally you were completely emotionless. Which somehow made you want to cry even more.

Foggy put food on his and Matt's plate and it was suddenly all too overwhelming for you, when you slid back with the chair and excused yourself to the bathroom while standing up.

You tried to get yourself together and to overcome the desire to cry.

Locking eyes with your reflection in the mirror, you were begging yourself to at least try to eat a fork full of pasta.

When you felt stable enough to go back, you left the bathroom.

But the moment you sat down, the restlesness inside of you reached its peak again and your whole body clenched itself together. You were suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to vomit as everything started to spin around you. But you couldn't just go to the bathroom again after you just came back a minute ago.

"Y/N?" You heard Matt softly beside you. He had his face turned into your direction and even with his glasses on, you could tell his face was scrunched up in concern. "Yes?" You asked almost completely breathless.

"Are you sure that you're alright? I can't shake the feeling that something is going on with you."

It was heart-warmingly for you that he might seem to care about you but it also made it harder for you too keep yourself and everything you have been hiding together.

"No, really, everything's alright. I'm just a bit tired from work today. That's all." You tried to justify your behaviour and looks.

Foggy immediately furrowed his eyebrow.

"Tired from work? From doing what? We have literally not a single client." He laughed at his last remark. "That's not true, Foggy." Matt started to argue as he took a bite of chicken into his mouth.

"We have this nice, old man as a client. What was his name again? You know from the case against his neighbour a few months ago. Which we won." Matt added.

"You mean Mr. Pattinkin?" Foggy asked his friend in disbelief.

Matt nodded in confirmation.

"He's dead, Matt." The blonde lawyer stated matter of factly which made Matt curl his lips. "Oh. I forgot." He admitted meekly.

"Like I said. No clients." Foggy repeated and focused his attention back on you.

You have become so dizzy by now that you saw your cutlery twice.

And suddenly everything went incredibly fast. Before you could even register what happened to your body out of the blue, Matt jumped from his chair while Karen and Foggy screamed your name in horror.

You lost all balance and started to tilt from the chair - your consciousness drifting away from you.

Matt thankfully reached you before you fell to the ground, his hands were protectively wrapped around your upper body and he softly supported your head since you were too weak to hold it up yourself.

Foggy and Karen came running around the table but everything was a blur to you and their voices sounded muted to your ears.

The starvation of yourself and the high adrenaline level the entire evening from your anxiety had finally made your body collapse.

But the more you were situated in Matt's embrace with your cheek pressed against his warm chest, the more your stress level sunk.

You were hungry for so much more than just food.

But you still felt so uncomfortable and nauseaus, that you whimpered into Matt's dark-blue shirt.

"I'm putting her on the sofa." Matt announced to Karen and Foggy since you were too weak to respond to anything and still didn't quite realise what was going on. With a frightening ease, Matt scooped you up from the chair into his arms and carried you to the little couch in Karen's tiny living room.

As you lay there on the furniture, you needed to blink a few times to recognize your friends standing around you. Slowly the blurry silhouettes became clearer and you were met with six incredibly worried faces.

"I'm getting you a glass of water." Karen said as soon as you locked eyes with her and disappeared in the kitchen.

"No, it's okay. I'm already feeling better." You lied but you didn't wanted to be a burden to your friends any longer and you were feeling utterly ashamed of yourself again to show weakness like this.

If your parents would have been here, they would have sent you to your room in an instant without a chance of you getting a bite of the dinner for the rest of the evening.

You abruptly stood up with the image of your parents in your mind, how they disappointingly shook their heads at you.

Before you could take a step, you already lost all your balance and started to fall forwards - but yet again Matt came to your rescue.

You were still preparing yourself for the unavoidable impact of your face with the ground, when you felt his strong arm around your stomach from behind - holding you in place with no chance of stumbling.

He didn't hurt you, he held you softly with his arm around you like a border. You couldn't fall as long as Matt was there right behind you and for the first time in your entire life you felt completely safe.

The feeling of continuosly dancing around the edge of a cliff disappeared with such a force that you couldn't control the sob that escaped your mouth. Never has anyone made you feel this safe and protected before and no one has ever given you the stability you always needed physically and mentally but right now in this moment Matt gave all these things to you with an self-evidence you hadn't known before. He made you feel like you were worth of being sheltered and ... loved. If you thought you had a crush on Matt before, you definitely loved him now.

Your shaking hands gripped onto his muscular arm that he had still wrapped around you while your tears kept flowing silently out of your eyes and dropped onto his sleeve.

You knew your way to healing was still far away in the distance but with Matt you felt like you finally reached the beginning of this very difficult journey.

But you know in your heart that as long as you have friends like these you can make it time after time.

[until-another-one-comes]

Part 3 of my serial killer! Francis AU

Regarding his backstory, Francis grew up in a really toxic, abusive environment. His dad is physically and verbally abusive towards him, often beating and dehumanising him when he’s in a bad mood. He also frequently cheats on his wife. Francis recalled seeing him with a new woman every now and then. Meanwhile his mother was caring towards him and would often shield him from his father’s abuse, which lead to her being beat up with every inch of her life while Francis watches in despair as his mother tries to protect him. Francis was also a social outcast at school. He was quiet, shy, reserved, always kept to himself and didn’t stand out in any way. Most of the kids know his dad is a horrible man and a cheater, so by extension, they see Francis as a horrible person too, so they would always bully, degrade, destroy his belongings, anything to hammer in that he’s a sub-human.

One day, Francis’s mother snapped due to the abuse she endured from her husband. While she still cares for Francis, she in turn, became psychologically abusive towards him when she’s hysterical, also seeing him as an extension of his father because they look alike. By that point, Francis was heartbroken. He had been betrayed by the one person who cared for him in his life. His mother turned against him like everyone else. During his teens, Francis’s mother died of an illness and during her funeral, Francis had the biggest mental breakdown in his entire life. This was the time he cried the loudest. Even though Francis bear some resentment towards his mother for abusing him, a part of him still loves her. After enduring so much pain, suffering and tears, Francis finally snaps. He cried so much until he felt no emotions anymore. He became an empty husk of a human he used to be. He now has a huge disdain for humans and believed nothing in the world matters.

One day, when his father was being cruel to him again, Francis in a fit of psychotic rage smashed an empty bottle against his head and killed him. Like I mentioned before, his father was his first victim. For the first time ever in his life, Francis felt a wave of euphoria he never felt before. The person who tormented him all his life was murdered by his own two hands. Francis let out a deranged laughter. The twisted euphoria of ending the life of someone he despises brought pleasure to him. Then Francis mutilated his dad’s corpse with a kitchen knife, stomped on it multiple times until his dad’s corpse was nothing but mushy remains. But after the surge of sick ecstasy, Francis went back to feeling nothing. All the sick pleasure he experienced was short lived. And Francis thought that if he can kill someone who crossed him, why not kill again to feel that rush.

Now that he killed his father, Francis can’t let himself get caught. So he hid his dad’s corpse, cleaned up and moved out of his hometown and never went back again. He got a job as a milkman and feels no joy from his work, only working to survive. To the public, Francis was a tired, polite albeit dull, uncaring milkman but on the inside he was an insane madman with a soul blackened tainted by the people who tormented him.

Whether Francis is caught and put on the death row or he got away with it all with no consequences, either way, he’ll die all alone, unloved and still a traumatised, broken man. On the verge of his deathbed, Francis doesn’t regret the lives he ended by his two hands. He’ll willingly burn in hell as the rotten man he is. He knows that despite the outcomes, he was tragically doomed. Deep down, Francis never saw himself as human. In fact, he knows he’s no different than his abusers or the doppelgängers. Even if he did care for someone, his relationship was bound to fail anyway. The bottom line is, the one person who Francis hates the most is himself. And he’ll die and be remembered as a notorious killer for years to come.

Holy shit his backstory is harrowing. Can someone save this man.

Thats honestly sad and very understandable why he became the way he is, even though that doesn't excuse his actions

[good4olivia]

night drive

pairing: daemon targaryen x reader summary: daemon takes matters into his own hands when it comes to you --

Daemon was seated in the small council, bored to death at whatever Otto Hightower was going on about. Whatever it was, Daemon definitely didn’t give a fuck about. He found himself dreaming of his upcoming wedding to you. Sure, he had only sent the raven with the marriage proposal but there was no way your family would reject an offer from the prince. He had no reason to return to the Vale to see his wife Rhea, if he had gotten his way he would never see the bronze bitch again but after meeting you at Aegon ii’s second name day - he was taken with you and needed to ensure no one else would have you. He saw the other lords eyeing you up, a beautiful young maiden with no marriage pact yet. Those vultures would take any chance they could get. Daemon wouldn’t let that happen. 

After his return from the Vale, he demanded that Viserys approve of your marriage to him. Despite being pleased that Daemon had abandoned attempts at seducing his daughter, Visery’s was still weary. Your house had loyal banner-man and your father was a proud man, Viserys did not want to risk upsetting a delicate balance by allowing your father’s only daughter to marry the rouge price. 

Eventually, Viserys settled for a proposal instead of a summons. It wasn’t enough for Daemon but it would have to do. Damon remembered the way you gave him all your attention at the party. He could tell you wanted him just as much as he wanted you, he wasn’t worried. 

That was until someone interrupted the meeting with a raven from your house’s seat. “It’s for the Prince Daemon.” 

Daemon stood up and stalked over to the messenger with urgency, snatching the letter from his hands. 

We thank you for your marriage offer to my lovely daughter the lady [name.] 

I am unable to accept this offer as it is within my wishes to marry my daughter to a lord from House Arryn. 

Daemon couldn’t believe his eyes. How dare this fucking nothing lord deny him? 

“Daemon, what is the letter?” He heard Visery’s ask but Daemon could barely register anything over the rage that was boiling over inside of him. As far as he saw it, the proposal was a fucking courtesy. You were his the moment he decided you were. 

Daemon tore the letter up and swung a punch at the messenger, then grabbed him a chock hold. “When did this come in?” He yelled at him. 

“Daemon! Get control of yourself now!” Visery’s yelled to his younger brother who simply ignored him.

“Answer me!” 

“This morning, my prince.” The messenger squeaked out. 

Damon let go of him with a huff then stormed out of the room to find Caraxes. At the behest of the King, Otto followed Daemon down the halls. 

“Prince Daemon! Stop this at once!” He ordered. 

Daemon turned around to face the hand, “I’m going to fly to that lord’s house and take his daughter for myself like I should’ve the first time I saw her. I should’ve never let her leave Kings Landing.” He mostly muttered the last sentence to himself. 

“Demanding the right for his daughter’s hand is not a move of a prince. Visery’s will find you another maiden if you so desire.” Otto said. 

Daemon would punch Otto if it wasn’t for the headache of a lecture he would endure from his brother for it, “I desire [name.] Who is Lord Egen to deny me my bride?” 

“He’s her father, he can decide who she is fit to marry.” 

Daemon just turned from Otto and continued down the hall. He couldn’t waste anymore time arguing something he was going to do anyway. 

As it’s within my wishes she marry a lord from House Arryn. The words of the letter rang in his mind. He’s going to wish he never woke the dragon. 

— 

“Daemon, what are you doing here?” You whispered-yelled when Daemon approached you in the courtyards of your house. You were building a snowman with your little brother when the screech of the dragons came through the sky. 

He spotted you from the sky, made a quick landing with Caraxes. You told your brother to go inside and knowing their was a dragon outside he didn’t argue. 

“Did your father tell you about my proposal? Or did he keep it from you?” He grabbed both your hands in his. 

“He told me that he could not accept it. He wants me to marry Lord Arryn.” You told him whilst enjoying the comfort of your hands in his. 

“You must fly back with me now to Dragonstone. We will wed there.” Daemon demanded, sensing the guards coming through the halls to the courtyard. 

“I can not, Daemon. Personal feelings aside, it is my duty to marry whoever my father choses.” You took your hands back. 

Daemon was not used to the feeling of rejection, it stung like no other. He’d been burned, stabbed, starved at the brisk of war but he’d rather suffer all of that again than face the look in your eyes. Pity. He feels it coming off you in waves and he wanted to squash it like a bug on his heel. You would not pity him. You would love him and fear him. Fear what he might do if you don’t do what he wants. 

“You need to leave now. I’m… I’m sorry things couldn’t be different.” You told him earnestly. 

The smile he gave you sent a chill down your spine, “There’s nothing to be sorry for my love.” Daemon took your wrist and started leading you down to where he left Caraxes, “I understand that you can’t disobey your father but I know that marrying some cunt lord is not what you want.” 

The guards were yelling at Daemon to stop but he seemed to have convenient selective hearing. “Daemon, please if you care about me-“ 

“I’m doing this because I care about you!” 

The guards of House Egen had nothing against the rouge prince and within minutes he had you at his dragon. “I know you haven’t ridden one before my love, don’t be scared. I would never let anything happen to you.” He promised before helping you on to the saddle. Against your better judgment, you believed him. Against every anxious thought running loose in your brain, you were excited that Daemon flew all this way to claim what was his. You thought your life would be like your mothers, marry some old lord and pretend to love him with fake smiles and a pregnant belly but maybe you were meant for something else. Something better. 

[periwinckles]

Please sort The Hunger Games characters into Hogwarts Houses :

For reference (according wikia)

Hufflepuff : Loyalty and hard working

Gryffindor : Bravery and chivalry

Ravenclaw : Wit and learning

Slytherin : Cunning and ambition

You can include as many characters as you want/can.

And you can give a reason why do you sort that character into that house.

Thank you so much 😊

@curiousnonny

This is going to be long. I do not apologize.

GRIFFINDORS: KATNISS/FINNICK/MRS EVERDEEN/HAYMITCH (?)

I'm starting with this because they're easy to spot. Their trademarks are bravery and chivalry. Chivalry is not a common word nowadays, but ultimately it throws us back to this notion of honor, of giving your life to someone or something (think knights devoted to their kings).

Griffindors are brave, but they have something (someone) that moves them to be brave. Katniss is the obvious example, laying out her life for Prim in the first book, for Peeta in the second. This is her most dominant trait. One thing I realized was griffindors all grief quite similar to each other. When Katniss thought she lost Peeta, and later when she lost Prim she shut down almost completely, like a light turning off inside of her. Why? Because her reason (Prim/Peeta) to be brave was gone. You see the same pattern in Finnick. He's a brave man, above all, who won the games while only 14, and was submitted to atrocious things and he endured it all for love. When his reason for being brave was gone, (while Annie was being held by the Capitol) he almost loses it. Many of you might disagree but I feel like Mrs Everdeen is one too. She was very brave to leave her life on the merchant quarter and to marry Mr Everdeen. She was brave because she had someone that moved her to be brave. When that someone was lost she shut down.

I'm still not sure if Haymitch is a Ravenclaw or a Griffindor. He's very similar to Katniss, and again in his coping mechanism he shows the griffindor's weakness. Once their reason to be brave disappears, they give up, or close to it.

SLYTHERINS: GALE/ BEETEE/ SNOW/ COIN/PLUTARCH

SLYTHERINS are cunning and ambitious. Most of you won't argue me for Snow or Coin or even Plutarch, so I'll dive deeper into the other two. Finnick once said that no Victor won by chance except Peeta. But there are different ways to win the games. Let's take Haymitch as an example. Haymitch was brave, and fit, yet you never see him actively pursuing other tributes to kill. He is very smart and ultimately that's what saves him, but he is always only trying to defend himself. Beetee makes a trap that kills eight (?) tributes in one go.

Gale's character is quite similar, it's not by chance that Gale is so good with traps. He is also ambitious, and that is why I'm putting him here and not Gryffindor. You see, once the war was over, do you really think Gale would step down and move back to Twelve for a simple life raising geese? Even if it wasnt for the Prim issue, I doubt he would do it. He was always angry with the Capitol, the peacekeepers, even the merchants, not just because of what they did, but because they had what he couldn't have. (This is why I think he really would never pursue Katniss romantically, if not for Peeta demonstrating his affections. Haymitch himself says that "Peeta made her desirable by showing he desired her." I think Gale only wanted her when others showed they wanted her too, but I digress. ) The merchants were mostly harmless to him, but they had more than him, and Gale wanted more. And that's what defines a Slytherin. It's someone that wants more. Ultimately he got it.

(I don't believe all Slytherins are evil, even though the examples I gave are all characters I dislike.)

RAVENCLAWS: PRIMROSE (?) WIRESS, HAYMITCH (?)

Wit and learning. No character comes to mind as an evident Ravenclaw. I feel Prim might be one, but

we never saw a grown up Prim, so I'm not sure. Wiress is probably one too, but she's a minor character and we don't know that much about her to know for sure.

Haymitch is my best guess. He wins his games by wit. Same with the 74th, if not for his strategy, P and K would have never won. He's a strategyst (he likes to play chess) and he's always "playing the game", up until the end. Still not sure if he's more Ravenclaw or more Gryffindor.

HUFFLEPUFFS: PEETA/PRIMROSE(?)/DELLY/THOM

HUFFLEPUFFS are loyal and hardworking. (They might have other traits, but this is what defines them.) Hufflepuffs can be compared to gardeners (the head of house is an herbology teacher!). You need a lot of patience to be a gardener. To plant a seed, to water it, to weed everything around it and to watch it grow. Its hard work, with your eyes on the long run. I believe Delly is one. She is a loyal friend, not afraid to step up when Peeta needed the most, when others (Katniss) lost all hope in him. I see her work with him in D13 a lot like gardening: weeding out what's bad and nurturing the good. Its hard work without an immediate reward. But she doesn't give up on him and neither does Prim.

Thom we know very little about, but he's close to my heart. The few times we see him he's Hufflepuff all the way. Sticking to Gale when he was whipped even though that might come back to bite him later. Being part of the crew that come back to rebuild, from scratch, going through the rubble and ashes... That's hard work (one Gale, Katniss and Haymitch would never endure).

At last Peeta is the most Hufflepuff that has ever hufflepuffed on this earth. He's loyal to himself and his beliefs ("I don't want to be a piece in their games") and most of all to Katniss ("always").

He's always portraited as a devoted worker. At the bakery, either carrying bags of floor or doing delicate decorations. After becoming a Victor he actually has a talent (we don't see other Victors actually devoted to this). When they find out about the quell he's the one who's diligent in training (yes, he wants to save Katniss, but she wants to save him too, still I don't see her prancing around with workout drills). If you're still not convinced, you see him planting the primroses in the end (again, hufflepuffs are gardeners.) And we had three books telling us how he planted a seed in Katniss heart, weed out everything bad that tried to choke it (her erroneous notions about him), watered it (quiet moments away from the cameras) and he did what gardeners do best. He waited.

[yumeko2sevilla]

FILE LABEL | 00

Date_8/13/XXXX

[Log In... Successed.] Log 02 From: Amaterasu 'Shinonome' To: XXXXX

Mother used to tell me a story far long ago.

I can still remember it vividly, that shows how much Mother loved that tale very. Even more than her own children. I liked that story too. It sounds nice.

The story was about a Memories Witch and her precious Dawn Maiden.

《Once upon a time, far from human society, there was a Witch who held Memories. The Witch lived in a forest where nobody could touch, where no mortals could afford to go inside.

The Witch lied inside her gallery, watching humans while writing her tales. The tales of humans, the tales of society, the tales of history,, She wrote many of them all. But oh, please don't say that she is cunning. For those who luckily have met her, always said that she was the epitome of sloth.

And then, when the Festival of the village she watched over came, they offered her a dance toward the Witch of Memories as a thanks for blessing them over these years. The maiden stood on the stage, dancing undernearth the dawn that was going to be sunrise soon. Her beautiful blue hair moved fluidly along with her elegant moves, soon has captured the Witch's heart.

She then later knew her name as Shinonome. Who the villagers often called 'Maiden of Dawn.', as they sacrificed her to the Witch.

'Maiden of Dawn.. That fits her.' The Witch thought, and she has fell into the agonizing yet passionate trap of love.

From that day on, the Witch and the Dawn Maiden lived together in the forest. She told her many stories, while dramatically recreated the character's funny actions as she laughed loudly. Her laughs as if had magics or something, the echoing laughters made the forest brighter everytime.

The Dawn Maiden didn't lose at all, she often poked her cheeks when she was sleeping sneakily. And when she woke up, she saw her Maiden laying on her thights, snoring quietly like a child.

The Witch couldn't help but felt warm.

She felt something was about to come. Soon.

The Memories Witch hated her feelings sometimes.

The next few years, the village was ruined rapidly: Over hundred people died, the houses were burned until there was nothing more but ashes, children fell ill to a weird pandemic.

And then it hit them: The Memories Witch has been nothing but bringing chaos to them. And so, a solution was created: To burn the Memories Witch alive, as an apologize to God.

The Memories Witch agreed, but she hided her Maiden. She waited until she was asleep, and headed toward the villagers's gift. A cross with straws under the end.

Shinonome could only scream when it was too late. The execution has started.

".. .-. . -. .! Don't leave me, please!" The Maiden rushed toward the burning witch, but was stopped by the villagers.》

I have never heard Mother told this to my siblings, Tsukuyomi and KAFU. But I found this fine to endure. After all, the story Mother has told me, I won't say this to anyone...yet.

From: XXXXX To: Amaterasu 'Shinonome'

.-- …. .. .-.. . / - …. . / … - --- .-. -.-- / …. .- … / . -. -.. . -.. / …. . .-. . --..-- / .. - / .- -.-. - ..- .- .-.. .-.. -.-- / .-- .- … -. .----. - / - …. . / …- . .-. -.-- / . -. -.. .. -. --. .-.-.- / - …. . / - .- .-.. . / .-- .- … / .-. .. .--. .--. . -.. / .. -. / - .-- --- .-.-.- / - …. . / -.. .- .-- -. / -- .- .. -.. . -. / .-- …. --- / .-- . -. - / .. -. … .- -. . / .- -. -.. / - .-. .. . -.. / - --- / .-. . .-.. .. …- . / …. . .-. / .-- .. - -.-. …. --..-- / . …- . -. / .- ..-. - . .-. / .--. --- .. … --- -. . -.. / .- -. -.. / -.. .. . -.. .-.-.- / .-..-. -- .. … … .-.-.- .-.-.- / .- -. .- … .- -.- .. ..--.. .-..-. / .-..-. -.-- . … --..-- / .. - .----. … / -- . .-.-.- / .-.. --- -. --. / - .. -- . / -. --- / … . . --..-- / … …. .. -. --- -. --- -- . .-.-.- .-..-.

《Kizuna Rank, Unlocked: The Memories Witch and The Dawn Maiden.》

@anxious-twisted-vampire @writing-heiress @achy-boo @yukii0nna @abyssthing198

[dabilove27]

Congrats rach!! Your blog is such a wonderful supportive place to be ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 for the prompts, can I request 7 with kakashi, maybe something that starts a little angsty but ends with fluff? 🥹 you know my poor baby heart can only take so much

JUNEYYYYYY thank you for being such a big part of my blog growth! I love you and adore you my kh, hsr, sailor moon soulmate!

Thank you so much @lady-lunaaa and @gixxie for beta'ing and giving this a read through love y'all!!!

Link to the masterlist

Warnings: Kakashi x Fem!Reader Established relationship, angst with happy ending

An exasperated sigh escapes your lips as you slam the front door to your home shut. The moon is hanging high in the sky, and you're exhausted from a long day at work. Not only did you have to endure the eight grueling hours of your nine-to-five desk job, but your coworkers are insistent on going out for drinks today. You try to say no and set your boundaries, but peer pressure always gets the best of you. 

But now it's well after ten in the evening, and your feet are aching from your work shoes. And to top it all off, you're upset. Upset because all of your coworkers, at some point in the night, have their partners join them. And all you did was sit there making polite conversation with everyone while the empty seat beside you brought on feelings of hurt and dejection as you made up yet another excuse at why your long-term boyfriend was absent. 

You love Kakashi; you really do. But you wish he would join you for at least one outing with your friends, coworkers, or anyone. It made you wonder if he was embarrassed to be seen with you in public. You aren’t a ninja like him or any of his friends, which leaves you feeling like the odd duck out when you spend time with them. 

They are all so intense and intimidating. Even connecting with Kurenai is difficult because she can’t discuss most of her daily life with you because of her career. But outside of "ninja-life," as you so lovingly call it, you and Kakashi click so well. Kakashi's ninken had taken to you immediately, which only adds fuel to your relationship and grows it from a tiny ember to a burning blaze.

It had warmed Kakashi's heart the first time he saw you cuddled on the couch with all of them snoring away; he knew that even though you couldn't understand his lifestyle, you were the one for him. 

The two of you also share the hobby of reading, and yes, you do mean reading the Icha Icha series. It's such a guilty pleasure of yours, and although Kakashi initially blushes like a school boy the first time you brought it up to him, it was just another sign of how perfectly you fit for him.

But right now, all those connections fly out the window. Even though you admire Kakashi’s ninja life you just want a typical life sometimes, for him to be able to come out instead of being away on a mission or to not spend countless nights sleeping alone. 

After slipping off your pinching heels at the front door, you make your way straight to the bedroom. The lights are all off, and you can hear the soft snores of your boyfriend hidden under the covers. You know that no matter how lightly you move, he will wake up. So you don't bother trying to be quiet because all you can feel is the sadness inside you combined with alcohol.

You slip off your work shirt and pencil skirt before rummaging through your drawers to pull out a nightshirt. Putting it on, you make your way to the bed but not before slamming your toe into the wooden bed frame accidentally.

"Fuck!" You cry out with a hiss, and it’s like the straw that breaks the camel's back, as tears fall down your face. Everything feels too overwhelming as you sink to the wooden floor of your bedroom and let out a sob. 

Without a sound, Kakashi is already there, shirtless just in his black sweats crouching next to you–a sight you would've stared at if not for your world crumbling. He doesn't hesitate before enveloping you in an embrace, shushing you softly as he rubs a warm hand up and down your back. The motion is comforting and finally calms your sobs into little sniffles.

"What's got you so upset, love?" His voice is quiet, a soft whisper in the night as he comforts you. 

The loneliness of being surrounded by couples earlier washes through you, and you look into his dark gray eyes and blurt out, "I'm tired of making up excuses for you! I'm tired of being the only one in a group where my boyfriend can't come!" The tears pour out again as you open your feelings up to him. 

Kakashi's heart aches to see you like this; the last thing he wants is to see you upset because of him. He wishes life had handed the two of you different circumstances and that he could live a mundane life with you. But he doesn't say any of that, opting just to hold you tighter in his muscular arms.

You breathe in his calming scent, a woodsy yet citrusy smell that helps bring down your heart rate and lets you relax in his arms. The two of you sit silence for a bit as your final sniffles disappear.

Kakashi lifts your face with his finger under your chin to look at him and uses his other hand to wipe away a stray tear that is staining your cheek. "I'm going to take fewer missions to be there for you. You deserve to have time with me; it's not fair that you've had to make excuses all this time. I'm sorry," his voice is soft and calm and makes you feel more at ease. "I love you so much," he whispers before placing a gentle kiss on your lips. 

You lean into the kiss and let this moment envelop you. In a way that only Kakashi knows, he is able to push away all the sadness and pain that was recently lingering inside of you and replace it with his love for you. 

Thanks for reading!

[storytime-reviews]

King of Scars Book Review

The dashing young king, Nikolai Lantsov, has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country's bloody civil war--and he intends to keep it that way. Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha general, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him.

Rating: ★★★★

King of Scars brilliantly uses multiple perspectives in order to craft a storyline full of dramatic irony and foreshadowing. Leigh Bardugo knew what she was doing in writing a book built on the perspectives of three characters already well known to her audience. King of Scars cleverly makes use of the connections between Nina, Zoya and Nikolai in order to bring their perspectives together and create a more well-rounded view. But what I also think works so well is that aspects of each perspective can hence be hidden from the audience until the critical moment for a plot twist, by focusing on a different individual’s perspective instead.

I always enjoyed Nikolai’s banter with Alina and others in the Shadow & Bone series, but his banter with Zoya is genuinely so much fun, and one of the best aspects of King of Scars. I also love that through their relationship we learn a lot more about who they are as people and what makes them tick. They are both fully fleshed out characters in this book, and continue to drive the plot forward.

The development of our three main characters is easily the most significant part of the novel, and I loved getting to know the backstories of Zoya and Nikolai. There is so much more to both of them than what they appear at first, and their perspectives allow us to finally peel back the curtains on who they really are. Nikolai is an incredibly clever and charming man, who can also be incredibly manipulative, and I loved learning how he came to be. He is absolutely brilliant and it makes me love him even more.

Zoya is not someone I particularly liked in the Shadow & Bone series, although I was told that I would come to love her after reading King of Scars, and those people were correct. This book shows a lot of her backstory and really develops Zoya as a character. Her past explains why she is so hard and strong and easily leans into her asshole side. It also demonstrates how sometimes the semingly harder and less emotional people are the ones that carry the greatest sorrow. I also enjoyed Nina’s journey from soldier to spy, and her pairing up with Hanne is very fitting and almost full circle for Nina.

King of Scars allows for some more world-building, particularly on Grisha theory and amplifiers, and these are actually significant ideas that impact the entire narrative moving forward. So much of the plot in fact revolves around these theories and whether there is any grounding in reality for them, some of which is slowly revealed in the last third of the book. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the idea of ‘the saints are real’, but these theories unfolded in an interesting manner. I also was impressed by the idea of having an amplifier being about give and take, and living as one supportive system. Zoya’s journey in these regards was interesting on a personal level as she developed further as a character, but also fascinating in how the revelations impact what they all know about Grisha theory.

All in all, I really enjoyed King of Scars and cannot wait to read Rule of Wolves and continue the story. However, I rated it 4 out of 5 stars due to the fact that some parts did drag on a little, including some sections with really long descriptions.

Warnings: violence & murder, gun use, torture & body mutilation, slavery, drug abuse

[corinneecrivaine]

WILLOW FANFIC STORY

PART 14

A FRAGILE TRUCE

Co-autrice : Elodie DragonMistic

Airk's wound was getting worse, his face betraying every quiver of pain. Every step he took became a torture. Fatigue engulfed every fiber of his being, adding to the affliction gnawing at his battered body. Despite the physical support of two knights, standing was becoming insurmountable. The looks he exchanged with his mother expressed his heartbreak. Sorsha, determined to stay strong, tried to hide her worries. But every grimace of pain on her son's face distressed her inside. She noticed the blood seeping through the bandage, signalling that the wound had reopened. The situation was becoming urgent. But despite this torment, Airk showed his courage by moving forward, silently.

Sorsha took his hand, trying to give him some fragile comfort in the midst of this agony "We're not far off, my son. You've got to hold on." she murmured.

The young prince replied with a strained smile, "Oh, I have no intention of weakening, Mother."

*******

Meanwhile, Kit and Jade shared tender moments, slowly learning to rebuild their relationship. But despite their best efforts, the young Bone Reaver felt an overwhelming guilt tugging at her heart every time she met the gaze of the one she loved. In a fit of tenderness and devotion, she gently wrapped her companion's wounded hand, her fingers gently curling around the bruised palm. She could still feel the tension caused by the pain, as if through this gesture she wished to erase both visible and invisible wounds and restore trust. Kit, sensing the reassuring warmth of this contact, allowed herself to be soothed by it, and responded with a gentle squeeze of her hand, accepting this silent promise to move forward together.

Jade led Kit to meet her people, trying to reveal to her that behind their murderous appearances lay beings seeking to survive and free themselves from the chains of slavery they had endured for so many years. Every face the young princess came across bore the scars of a long struggle to win their freedom, scars etched into their flesh.

Kit realized just how much she had been raised in a golden environment, but above all in a world of false truths and deceptions. She could feel the weight of this past with every step she took, the wary, angry glances cast at her because of what she represented in their eyes.

Jade spoke confidently, "Look at them Kit, they're just people, used, hunted, simply trying to survive and free themselves from all these years of oppression." The young woman noticed the fatigue and resilience on every face. Jade continued, "They're not murderers, just victims of a conflict between two kingdoms."

Kit looked down for a brief moment, before meeting Jade's eyes. She was trying to go beyond the convictions sown in her since childhood. "I hear your words, Jade, but they served the cause of Bavmorda."

"For a promised freedom they never got." Jade replied firmly. She put her hands on Kit’s shoulders "Tir Asleen is not innocent in this war, kidnapping their children to make loyal soldiers and making their families look like murderers. Isn't that what Sorsha did to me." Kit felt the full weight of guilt for his family's actions toward the Bone Reavers.

Night had enveloped the Wildwoods in its nocturnal veil. Jade silently approached Kit. She found her sitting by a fire, her gaze lost in the dancing flames, her thoughts oscillating between anger and pain. She spoke, her voice heavy with sadness and bitterness: "I grew up in a world of privilege and lies. In the end, we're not so different from each other." Jade took her hand, squeezed it tighter and continued, "My grandmother, my parents, are at the root of all this." - We're not our parents, you don't have to carry this heavy burden alone. Together we can try to reconcile our two peoples."

- You're forgetting one thing, Jade: Scorpia. She'll never accept it. This dispute between our two peoples is too deep-rooted and the idea of reconciliation is impossible to contemplate."

At that very moment, an ominous noise erupted from the surrounding woods, plunging the two young women into anguish. Elusive shadows moved swiftly through the darkness. Disarmed and unable to face the impending danger, they exchanged worried glances, sharing their fear. However, as the silhouettes drew closer, the night revealed familiar faces, leaving the two young women with expressions of surprise and questioning. But when they recognized Sorsha, Airk, the knights and the people of Tir Asleen, anxiety gave way to calm.

Kit ran to her mother, happy and relieved to know she was alive, but also worried: "Mother, you shouldn't have. If Scorpia sees you". Anxiety choked her voice.

Sorsha tenderly stroked her daughter's cheek, observing her with a slight smile, "For you, for your brother, no risk is too great." A gleam of pride passed through her eyes, illustrating her love for her children and her dedication to protecting them.

Meanwhile, Jade looked after Airk, helping him to stand.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps and angry voices could be heard in the distance. Scorpia appeared, surrounded by Lori and her men. Her face froze in an expression of fury as she caught sight of Sorsha "What a nice surprise!" she spat contemptuously.

Sorsha, thinking more of saving her son and the people of Tir Asleen than her own life, tried to calm the situation. "Scorpia, we've been attacked by... my son is wounded, we must treat him without further delay. I implore your clemency. We seek refuge for the people of Tir Asleen. Do what you want with me, imprison me if you wish, I don't have the strength to fight. I've just lost everything. But please accept my request."

Despite Sorsha's pleas, Scorpia remained ruthless "Seize her!"

Her men rushed to capture her, but Kit objected, "Let her go!" receiving a blow to the jaw that sent her stumbling. Tension mounted as the situation degenerated into a coming clash between the two clans. The knights, ready to defend their queen, prepared to confront the Bone Reavers. Lying on the ground, Kit glanced at Jade, asking for help.

Wishing to put an end to this impending conflict, young Bone Reaver violently cried out "Stop it! Enough hatred and violence! Look at yourselves! Is this what you want, to sow even more pain and death! Sorsha came to us to protect her people and heal the prince." She addressed her sister, "What do you want? To give the image of a heartless, bloodthirsty person? Don't you think we've suffered enough from this image? As your sister, I'm just as much in charge of our people as you are. I order you to take care of the prince and cease all conflict!"

Everyone remained silent, waiting for an answer from Scorpia. The two sisters looked at each other, one pitiless, the other pleading. "I grant your request, Sorsha. The prince will be cared for and your people protected. As for you, you remain my prisoner, along with your knights. Lock them in the pit!"

When Jade approached Kit to help her up, she pushed her away.

Moments later, the young princess approached the pit where her mother and the knights were imprisoned. Her heart beat violently, overwhelmed with anger "I'm going to get you out of here, Mother."

Sorsha tenderly took her daughter's hand through the bone bars "My daughter, listen to me carefully. The danger is far greater than I could have anticipated. Betrayal is all around us. If you and your brother stick together, you're all I've got left. Don't venture down paths you might regret."

- Sometimes, to save what we love, we're forced to take regrettable action." The young princess replied aggressively.

*******

Entering the tent, Jade discovered Kit gripping her sword, preparing to fight. Concerned, she called out to her, "What are you doing?"

Without even looking at her, the young woman replied in an angry voice, "I'm going to free my mother."

The young Bone Reaver tried to reason with her, but to no avail: "Listen to me! I'll find a solution. Trust me."

- Trust you!!! You let Scorpia imprison my mother!!!"

- But I saved your brother and your people!

A heavy silence fell, broken only by Kit's gasping breathing. She stared at her lover and lowered her tone of voice for a brief moment "You've become one of them."

Jade stretched out her hand to hold her back, but Kit firmly rejected it: "We can fix everything, we can bring peace between our two peoples."

The young princess glared at her, her eyes burning with intense rage and pain, "The only way to bring about peace is for me to kill Scorpia."

Kit stormed off, carried away by her fury.

"I can't let you do it." Jade murmured, her voice full of regret.

*******

The young princess screamed Scorpia's name angrily through the Wildwoods, her cry ripping through the air, making every tree branch shiver. "Scorpia !!!! Scorpia!!! I'm waiting for you!!!" - I'm here.

Kit turned abruptly, her fiery gaze staring at the Bone Reaver leader with all the hatred coursing through her veins. "Free my mother!"

Scorpia stood up to the young woman, ruthless and unafraid of the threat posed by the princess.

- You know I can't do that.

- Release her, I command you. She clenched her fists, trying in vain to contain the rage that inflamed every fiber of her being, overwhelming her with uncontrollable power.

- I don't take orders from you, Princess. Do you know why you're still free? Because of your closeness to my little sister.

Kit remained silent for a while before speaking in a sharp voice: "I challenge you. If I win, my mother goes free."

- And if you lose?

- I take her place.

- Bring me my sword, Lori. she ordered curtly

The two young women faced each other, fury bubbling up in Kit's eyes, meeting Scorpia's coldness which provoked her "Come on!!!"

In a burst of anger, the young princess lunged, crying out with weapon in fist, but her sword clashed sharply against a blade. Surprised and shocked, she discovered Jade standing in front of her: "She’s my sister Kit. I can't let you do it."

Faced with the one she loved, the young woman froze, plunging her gaze inflamed with rage into that of her lover, where all the love she felt for her shone. In this visual exchange, a comforting warmth emanating from Jade seemed to seep into Kit's tormented soul, gradually calming the torrent of hatred that had invaded her. A few tears began to roll down the princess's cheeks, overwhelmed by all the tenderness reflected in Jade's eyes. She lowered her guard, exhausted, "I can't fight you." And walked away, her heart heavy with inner conflict.

Scorpia approached Jade, her incisive gaze expressing unwavering determination "You know I can't let her go free after what she's just done."

- Let me handle her. I need to talk to Sorsha.

Before leaving, Jade turned back to her sister, her grave expression showing the urgency of the situation "What threatens us is far greater than this conflict between our two peoples. Only you can maintain this truce, thin as it is."

[empire-at-war]

KINKTOBER DAY 20

kinks of the day: edgeplay + double penetration in two holes

additional kinks/warnings: d/s, obedience, threesome

characters: my Drax, @lhunuial's Shidohro and @kaosstar's Einan

A/N: I managed to fill two prompts today, go me! Even if this is mostly edging and very little DP. Direct sequel to kinktober day 8.

***

“Come here.” Drax joined them on the bed and positioned himself on his back, just where Shidohro wanted him, quietly obedient as always. He tried not to look at Einan, who was stroking the last bit of cum from his spent cock, and focused instead on his master, who was looking at him with her impenetrable red eyes. “You have done well,” she purred, reaching out to touch his cheek, her long fingers trailing down his jaw. He shivered and leaned into her touch, which seemed to delight her. “I think you've more than earned your reward.” Drax tried to keep his excitement under control, but his sorely neglected cock twitched at her praise. Like a well trained dog, he thought with some mortification, but having her hands on him quickly banished that thought from his mind. Before he could as much as say a word, Shidohro smirked and he suddenly had a bad feeling about this. “Einan. Be a dear and remind him of what you can do with your mouth.”

Drax felt the breath leaving his lungs in a shocked gasp. That wasn't the reward he had been hoping for, and she knew it, watched him with great amusement, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Apparently she wasn't done teasing him for tonight. Einan on the other hand didn't have to be told twice. The bastard had the gall to wink at Shidohro before he eyed his prize with a hungry look on his face. "I'll make sure he doesn't forget this time.” He eagerly wrapped his mouth around Drax's cock, taking all of and taking it deep like the Zeltron whore he was. Then he began to bop his head up and down, making the most obscene sounds as he swallowed around his cock.

Drax knew that protesting was useless, but he could still hate every second of this. He ground his teeth and tried to ignore the quickly growing pleasure. If only Einan wasn't so good at sucking cock. So damn good. Shidohro hadn't told him to stay still, so he grabbed the Zeltron's long hair and thrust deeply into his throat, not getting the cough he had hoped for, only a moan that vibrated all the way down to his balls. Fuck. He soon realized that hadn't been his best idea. After all the teasing he had endured earlier, he wasn't going to last much longer.

As if she sensed it, Shidohro leaned closer to trail her fingers over his tense stomach, along the lines of his tattoos. “Don't let him come, Einan.”

Einan obediently slowed the movement of his head, but hidden from her view, his tongue was still busy, rubbing over the sensitive head, driving Drax insane. The bastard knew just how to torture him. Drax cursed him in his head and held his breath, determined not to give him the satisfaction of moaning out loud. “Not yet, Adraxas.”

The torment continued for a while, and Drax tried to focus on Shidohro instead of the Zeltron suckling on his cock. Which didn't help at all. He noticed the way she squeezed her breasts and parted her lips as she watched them, clearly affected by the show. Finally she told Einan to stop, petting his long hair as he pulled back. Drax wasn't sure the sound he made was one of relief or protest anymore, as his cock was suddenly out in the cool air, swinging freely. For once Shidohro didn't make him wait. Thank the force she didn't. She immediately straddled him and took him inside of her, leaning down to kiss him passionately. Stars, he loved how perfectly she fit around him. If Einan's mouth had been amazing... being inside of his master was perfection. She began moving on top of him, and for a moment Drax thought he was done for. There was no way he was going to last much longer.

“Not yet. Stay still.”

He was weirdly grateful that Shidohro made it an order. He let out a shaky breath he hadn't known he was holding, counting the rolling motions of her hips in his head, losing track once she kissed him deeply, and still she rode him, faster and faster, ignoring his painful need. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of torment, she turned around to whisper something to Einan. Drax had almost forgotten the Zeltron was there too, until he felt a hand brushing against the base of his cock, followed by something softer, more slippery, and then there was only intense pressure and, fuck....

The sudden realization what Einan was doing made him moan out loud after all. Shidohro shook, her face a mask of concentration, her body taut and on the brink of exploding into pleasure. Her mouth fell open in the sweetest moan he had ever heard, and not even the sound of hearing Einan comment on how tight she was could ruin the moment. “Now,” she finally moaned and he snapped his hips up, thrusting into her impossibly tight heat, feeling the relief and pleasure surge through him, together with the terrible realization that he wasn't going to last. He caught Einan's grin and realized that he knew. One look at at Shidohro's pleasure filled face told him that she did too. But she wasn't cruel, no. She loved him. And that thought was even sweeter than her next words.

“You have done well, Adraxas. You may come now.”

[josiebelladonna]

when you turn 26/27, you begin what's known as your "saturn return", where saturn returns to the same position as it was the day you were born, and it usually lasts until your early 30s. it's described as like a "coming of age" of sorts where you become more yourself: if you're like me and you're somewhat battered by the phrase "be yourself", it's like you wake up one day and that statement finally makes sense to you. you don't just say it, either: it actually happens, like you just do it. at least, that's how it is during mine.

something significant will happen to you where you get put onto your true path, or you're given insight to what that path is. it's like you're being told, "this is your life, take charge of it." a lot of people become parents during their return: my mom had me during her return (whereas she had my brother when she was 21) and completed the nuclear family unit on her end; so my return has been her 2nd return and... yeah, man, i've been watching it as i've been enduring my own.

my saturn, in late aquarius in my 9th house, showed me... a number of things, many of which i have a hard time saying out loud and putting into words because it's so intrinsic to me. a couple of examples i can say are that i've learned that not everyone will agree with me when i give an opinion (as the 9th house is the house of beliefs and opinions) and that there are people out there who are actually good and want to do good by you.

something else happened to me during my return? i'm actually making something i've always wanted to do. in my first post about the saturn return, i talked about musicians making their important albums or career moves during their own.

as the seasons grey is my "saturn return" work: it started life as a one-shot in black moon but i figured it would be best to flesh out and really write the thing i've really always wanted to write. how fitting with the school aesthetic, as the 9th house also signifies higher education. i feel like it's all been coming to this: a story that's been rolling inside me since i was still a kid that had to come forth with my experiences and my adventures as i've grown up in the 2000s and the 2010s. what follows this (as it is saturn in aquarius, a futuristic sign, plus i have moon in aquarius: i'm always wondering about the future and what tomorrow will bring) is anyone's guess. it'll be something unique to me, i'll promise that much.

gonna tell you this right now: this won't be no "like loving the dead" with anything overly edgy, sHoWiNg ThE aDuLt SiDe, or weird flashbacks that serve no purpose other than to add unnecessary drama (i feel like she fucked up her return, as the other option with saturn is you can let him destroy you, but... that's none of my business).

and to really drive it home, its initial publication coincides with the anniversaries of huge albums, namely the dark side of the moon of all things, plus superunknown and the downward spiral. how i timed it like this is something i'm always going to be thinking about. these three albums have been with me forever it seems, but dark side of the moon has been an influence on me for really as long as i can remember, with my brother having a copy and then my own copy that was given to me in middle school (i still have it, too!): david gilmour's bottleneck guitar work on breathe, the vocals on great gig in the sky, and the cash registers on money are all burned onto my memory, so, it goes without saying that the floyd are big influences on this fic.

another influence, and one that's unique to me, too, is i'll try and capture the vibe of the mid-2000s here as it happened through my own eyes. southern california in 2004 to 2008 wasn't this big, flashy, corny, kitschy, overly patriotic thing that tiktok will try to convince you of.

all these memories are going to come forth in as the seasons grey.

[jimbleswrites]

Pantheon 2022

Chapter 2: Holy shit, the world was so simple before...

A/N: I’m currently working on more chapters and re-editing the ones i already wrote, so i’m not sure how consistently i’ll be able to update. but as long as i am working on something, that’s progress!

I blinked as the light dimmed. My eyes adjusted as I looked around. Vida stood in front of me, holding her hand out. As I took it, I saw i was wearing a new blazer. I looked down to see I had also changed from my simple shirt to a similar to Vida’s shawl green button-up shirt. Vida giggled. “I always thought the matching outfits were cute, I hope it's alright with you.” 

“Yeah it's fine…” I barely cared about the clothes as I realized that we were on a beach with no diner anywhere in sight, just gentle waves and an orange sunset as far as I could see. It looked fake, like no place on earth could possibly be as peaceful as here.  The other side was all woods and tropical bush. The Denny's that I had been in for hours was just gone. “What happened to the diner? That waitress?''

Vida waved her other hand, and the trees parted, shuffling to one side or the other, to show a diner and the waitress was inside, serving someone a cup of coffee. She looked out the window and waved at us before going on with her duties. Vida waved her hand again and the trees moved, obscuring the building entirely. “The diner was my construct, I simply put it away once we were done.”

“Neat trick. So this is part of your god-powers?” I asked. I realized how sarcastic that sounded. “Sorry, I'm just getting used to the new world view you gave me.”

Vida smiled. “I could do this on earth too, but it's way easier to do here. In my plane, I have unlimited power and can shape it in any form I want.” she gazed over the horizon. “That's why it's always sunset here. I love the colors at this time of day.” she waved over the ground nearby and a small patio table and two chairs rose from the sand. Vida sat down at one and gestured toward the other. “Speaking of powers, sit with me. We can go over everything.”

I nodded and sat, gazing over the horizon as Vida took her seat. The vivid colors of the sun reflected across the water, looking like a picture on a travel brochure. The sky was crimson, with sparse clouds hanging above the deep blue water. The waves crashed just near us, but never close enough to hit our clothes or the table. I looked back at Vida. “Right, so I’m your champion now. I deliver justice, like you said earlier.” I paused to think of what that could possibly entail.

Vida gazed beyond the sea as she spoke. “Exactly. Sometimes, there are certain things I would like to bring to light about people, or sometimes it's helping someone who was wronged. I’ll give you an assignment and you carry out the specifics.” 

“So I could be doing anything?” I asked.

“Yup, wherever or whatever needs a bit of godly assistance, you’re my contact to the human world. You can also just help as you see fit without me telling you. I’ll give you some of my power so you can get things done up to my standards.”

“Powers? Like what you have?” 

“Not on my level, but better than any person. Strength, endurance, mind power, and some other bonuses.” She winked. “But we can go in depth on that later, I want to get you ready for earth.”

I tilted my head. “Ready? What’s so different about earth?”

She smiled and waved her hand across the sunset. The skyline darkened as it filled with stars and planets, zooming by as one came into focus. I recognized it as earth. “Not much, but you don’t remember too much.” I remembered, ironically, that I didn't have any memories of before the diner. “So this is your first assignment, take tonight to go over the world and get a general idea of what it's like. Pop culture, history, whatever you want. Once you do that, I'll give you your powers and we can get started on the rest of the training.”

Vida reached out and grabbed, and the world popped off from the sky and into her palm. She held the orb in her hand and held it to me. I slowly reached out to take it, a slight shake in my arm. As she let me hold it, it felt incredibly fragile, like an egg, and the weight was surprisingly heavy. Vida stood up and raised a hand over a patch of the woods nearby. The trees rumbled and shook, and a small log cabin slid into view. “You can stay there for tonight, and the plane will be able to provide anything you need.” I stood up, carefully holding the world with my hands. “I need to speak with someone, so you’re on your own until I get back.” She reached over and put her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be back soon enough. Just learn about everything you can in the meantime” She smiled, and turned away. A doorway rose from the sand and Vida strode through, with it descending back into the sand, leaving me alone under a darkened sky.

***

I made my way to the cabin, still holding the world Vida gave me. As I approached the wooden building, I realized I wouldn't be able to open it without releasing my hold on my orb. I remembered that Vida said the plane would provide and decided to try something. “Open, please?” I asked the door, feeling silly. But sure enough, the door opened on its own. “Thanks” I responded as I stepped through. The inside felt warm, a fireplace with mismatched stones was on the far wall, with a fire burning inside. There was some simple furniture around, a desk near a window, and some other rooms behind some doors. I walked over to the desk, looking for a stand or something to safely place this sphere on. “Don’t suppose there’s a holder for this nearby?” I asked aloud, and the drawer of the desk opened, with a simple tripod stand floating up and setting itself on top of the desk. I placed the orb down carefully atop it. I then looked around the cabin. “How do I use this? Or is there a book or something I can read through?” I asked the house. The house was silent, with no response. I figured even the magic of this had limits and decided to look around the home before investigating the orb closely. 

I looked around the main room. There was a large sectional and two chairs around the fireplace, alongside the desk and chair I was using. I walked to a door on the other side of the room and opened it. A simple bedroom with a king bed, a lamp, and a dresser stared back at me. I also saw a bathroom attached as I took off my blazer and placed it on the bed. I left, closing the door, and tried the other door, and found a kitchen attached to a dining room. I opened the fridge to find it filled with several different foods and drinks. I saw a bottle of familiar pink liquid, and recognized it as the strawberry lemonade that Vida had at the diner. I opened it and tried a sip. It was bitter, but with a sweetener aftertaste. I took this back to the desk in the main room and sat down. The orb was sitting on its stand, holding the info I needed. Maybe if I asked it a question it would answer? The plane was working the same way so far. But what would I ask for? I decided to start with a question about the drink I had. “What is this drink?” I asked the orb. The orb lit up and showed a screen above it. The screen had a video of a marketplace of all sorts with people coming and going, with a similar liquid on a stall, labeled as pink lemonade. A small TV above the stall played a news report. “Senate House leader arrested?” I read the words aloud, and another screen opened above the orb, showing a longer article about the Senate House leader scandal. I took another drink of the lemonade, readying myself to learn as much as I could.

***

I woke up to a knock on the door. I realized I had passed out at the desk, and saw several screens open above the orb. One had an animated show with two men horse racing and fighting on it, another had a newspaper article on current politics and another was on a forum for fixing instruments. I blinked as I woke up more and saw many bottles of various drinks and empty containers of several entrees also nearby. I must have fallen asleep while doing research on everything. The knock on the door sounded again. I got up and walked towards the front door, opening it. Vida stood on the other side. “Good morning! Hope you slept well.” She walked by me and let herself in. 

I yawned as she passed by. “Morning, just working on that research. Guess I fell asleep reading it all.”

Vida looked at the desk and laughed. “This is a great episode. When he fights in the racetrack for the antidote to the poison? Classic.” She looked at all the food boxes. “And you got to be a food critic as well. Seems like you’ve learned a lot. Think you’re ready to get out there?”

I blinked. “After one night? I feel like I've barely scraped the surface…”

Vida pressed the orb, closing the screens. “All this bookwork is great to start, but you’ll really learn more once you’re down there. Not to mention you got things to learn about our side as well.” She pushed me towards the bedroom. “Go take a shower and change your clothes. Once you’re freshened up, I'll give you your power and then we hit the crash course.” Before I could ask any other questions, she pushed me into the room and shut the door. I found the bathroom and quickly showered. I had not looked very closely before, but the bathroom had a large shower, with various bottles of product to use. I washed up, quickly cleaning with some body wash inside, and dried off. As I exited the bathroom in a towel, the drawers of the dresser opened to show some clothes. I put on the blue jeans, white shirt and yellow bomber jacket, and stepped back into the main room. Vida was putting away the orb into a drawer and turned around to see me. She gestured to one of the chairs. “Please sit for a second.” I sat down and she sat across from me. “So this is the big moment where I give you your powers. After this i have a little training exercise and lesson in god culture planned. Are you ready for this responsibility?” 

I nodded. “Ready as I'll ever be.”

Vida smiled, and held her hand out to me. I went to hold it, and as I clasped her hand in mine, I felt a warmth shoot up my arm. Light shone from her hand and was racing up my veins, causing my body to glow. I felt rejuvenated as power flowed into me. On the hand that she held, a ring formed around my middle finger. The warmth faded, and she let go of my hand. I looked closer at the ring, and saw an emerald embedded in the silver, with a picture of a scale in the backdrop. I felt more powerful, like a weight had been lifted off of me. Vida stood up and motioned for me to follow. I stood up,As we went to the front door, she spoke again. “One last thing, you’ll need a name. Whatever strikes your fancy.” 

I thought for a moment. “Like a superhero name or a normal name?”

Vida giggled. “I guess whatever you like more.”

I thought of the show I had been watching before and the character who just wanted to help no matter what. “Robert Paladin.”

Vida beamed. “Great name. Now let’s get you ready, Robert.”

As we left the cabin, Vida stopped in front of it, where the dirt turned to sand. “First practice here, Rob, is that part of your powers is partial control of my plane. Nothing to my extent, but you’ll be able to build and dismiss things as needed.” she pointed to the cabin. “Go ahead and send this cabin away.”

I looked at the cabin. “So how does this work? Do I just…” I raised my hand like Vida had before and wiggled my fingers. The cabin stayed put.

Vida spoke up. “It's not about the motions, it's about the intent. Focus on the cabin disappearing into the woods.”

I took a deep breath and put my arm up again, making a mental image of the cabin sliding away like the diner had before. The cabin started to move slowly, making a loud scraping noise as it slid along the ground.

“Good start, just stay focused on what you want to happen.” Vida chimed in.

I closed my eyes, building the mental image again and only thinking of that. I heard rustling trees and shuffling leaves. I opened my eyes to see the building had disappeared, leaving an untouched treeline.

“Great job!” Vida cheered. “And it works the other way as well, to summon the cabin or something else, just imagine it coming in from somewhere.” She pointed to a spot of sand nearby. “Try making something appear. Whatever you want.”

I looked at the area, trying to decide what I would bring forth from the sand. I decided and, just as before, raised my hand and pictured it happening. Sure enough, a hot dog stand started to rise from the sand, before resting on top.

“Well done.” Vida walked over and opened the metal door on top. “Even got the hot dogs themselves.” She grabbed one and tossed it to me. I caught it as she grabbed another for herself. I unwrapped it from the foil and took a bite. It tasted hot and fresh. Vida waved her hand and the stand fell back down into the sand. “This means you can make your own home in my plane, however you like. You can also make doorways to earth and back as well, so you’re free to come and go as needed.” She took a bite of her hot dog before continuing. “As for your other powers, I called in a friend to go over them. She turned as a doorway rose from the sand. “Go through here and he’ll run you through all that. I'm going to set up a that god culture lesson in the meantime.”

I nodded excitedly, and opened the door. A blinding light came through it. I squinted my eyes and walked through.