#mo freaks

[ninebaalart]

Torn

I recently learned the dried ghast is going to be craftable, so I started thinking about another Ghast-adjacent mob you could craft and came up with this. The Torn would be a sort of flying buddy that stays close to you and would attack Nether enemies with weak water projectiles but would be particularly effective against Blazes and other fire adjacent foes. It might also be handy to keep Phantoms off your back. It only heals from being in the water, maybe? There''s a lot of iteration I'd like to do but this is my general concept

[notnotravenpond]

going through divorce with the entity in my head

[lejay-the-impossible]

Need more yiling laozu and hanguang-jun

Wish granted

I think I'm possessed, this is the only explanation for my sudden NEED to draw so much yaoi. This is usually very out of character for me. I blame all of your woke propaganda for this.

[divineandmajesticinone]

Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (2024) I EP. 2

[lazycranberrydoodles]

THE THRILLING SEQUEL

credit to @parlerenfleurs for the idea lmao / follow for more wei ying shenanigans

[3cosmicfrogs]

*keeping the head of my ex (which i killed slowly and painfully) in my secret closet for years and evil monologuing to it regularly*: I am being so Normal about this :)

[scrivenger-grimgar]

wei wuxian would probably be taller than lan wangji if he wasn't starved as a child. my guy was 186cm tall after being starved for 4-6 years, he would probably be like 190-195cm tall.

i love the idea that both wei changze and cangse sanren were also both freakishly tall, and because of that their kid is eye-level with nie mingjue or more, like dude. dude.

WWX: tallest person in jianghu

just for the record, wwx is canonically 186cm, but i think this is better! this also means that every modern au has tallxian, and i will not compromise on this >:3c

[hellisntreal]

Another lampcat. Will not be the last!

[themintman]

More of these freakazoids. Save me Dalv Undertale

[jinlin-at-the-moon]

i dont know how to Articulate my thoughts abt this but like. im deeply fucking surprised i haven't seen any 3zun fics where it would fully lean into jin guangyao's severe parental issues. like maybe im just too svssspilled (its totally me being too svssspilled thanks 'i wouldnt abort you' sqq) so the freudian angle analysis comes way too easily to me for it to be normal but like. someone else has gotta be seeing this shit right. rancid desire for approval meng yao couldn't get from his father specifically was already deeply seeped into his relationship with nie mingjue from the start. sideyes lan xichen and raises an eyebrow. "the child desires to kill its father for it is in competition for its mother's affection", huh? shit kind of writes itself and my primary reason for even considering this angle is that jin infamously committed actual incest and later also kicked out his half brother for trying to flirt with him guangyao would absolutely hate it

[ninebaalart]

Drillbo

this mix between a kiwi bird and a power drill appeared to me one day. they're so mean. they drill through rock and gravel and love to peck at humans. nasty birds.

[sillygoofyqueer]

My brain right now: *screaming sobbing shaking* GUYS WE'RE ON A SCHEDULE IT'S BEDTIME SOON!!! The other half of my brain: SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! MAD SCIENTIST AU! WE MUST PREVAIL!!! Let's look at how everyone's doing since Wei Wuxian 'died', starting with Xue Yang and the Wen siblings!! *checks notes* Okayyy, sssooooo....they're all depressed and hate everything. Ever since Wei Wuxian 'died', there have been two mini wars - the Wen siblings + Xue Yang against all of the Wen, and then Xue Yang against literally all of the Wen. He tolerates Wen Qing and Wen Ning more than the rest of them because at least they actually cared about Wei Ying and he can sort of see why they never told he and Wei Ying about the truth (see, this is Wei Ying's influence at work because he would never do this in canon). Despite this, he still fucking despises the fact that they lied to them, something that led to Wei Ying's breakdown and demise. He would be alive if they had just told them the truth. Even though Xue Yang does know the truth, he also has to pretend that he doesn't so that he doesn't end up dead like Wei Ying.

The Wen really don't trust the Wen siblings or Xue Yang anymore, not after what happened to Wei Wuxian (and Wen Zhuliu), so they send them to Yiling both to head a supervisory office and for 'practical research'. Yes, this is also to mock them by reminding them of their dearest brother, the last one to lash out against the Wen and died because of it. Xue Yang is even more infuriated by this, and becomes a lot more volatile with everyone around him, clinging to all of Wei Ying's work and trying desperately to break the code of the notes so that he can connect with his gege again, so he can hear his voice and be reminded of how brilliant he always was. Not only does he hate the Wens, but he also despises the Nies for their part in Wei-gege's death. Nie Huaisang was the one who broke the news to Wei-gege, and Wei-gege had a qi deviation because of it. He makes it very clear that Nie Huaisang killed Wei-gege, and then refuses to keep up the communication they once had.

Nie Huaisang feels sick when he receives a note that only says 'Wei Wuxian was beaten and thrown into the Burial Mounds because of you.' He had begun to see Wei Wuxian as a friend, as a confidant that he could gossip and joke with, and now he's learned that Wei Wuxian was caught and handed a fate worse than death because of it. He panics, he hyperventilates, and it all comes spilling out to Nie Mingjue when he finds him. Nie Mingjue should be mad, he will be mad, but not while his didi is like this - even afterwards, when he's calmed down, Mingjue just cannot fully yell at him because Didi looks so miserable and guilty. So he grumbles something about "at least not all Wen are monsters" and asks to see all of the letters that Wei Wuxian had sent to Nie Huaisang just to be sure - if this boy truly was good, and had died an awful death, then he deserves Nie Mingjue's respect (He is good, of course he's good).

Meanwhile, Wei Ying is really going through it in the Burial Mounds. Even with the apparent coddling from It, he's still basically trying not to die all of the fucking time because Mama doesn't raise a weakling!! He's limping along with his fucked up legs, trying to find food and a water source and anything to hold the water source in and something to make a fire in and - sigh. He's in literally constant pain, with bad days and really fucking bad days, and the only light in the darkness (aside from the Burial Mounds whispering love and encouragement in his mind) is the qiankun pouch that he finds tucked into his inner robes. A cherished blanket to wrap around him and keep him a little warm without his usual layers, his beloved Suibian brings so much comfort and protection to him, pages upon pages of notes that will surely prove helpful in his environment, and! The sword from the Xuanwu, having been tucked in for safekeeping. It whispers to him.

Of course, during his time in the Burial Mounds, Wei Ying is most certainly changing. He's becoming more fucked up by the second with all of the spirits and voices whispering to him, a constant low murmur in the back of his mind that sometimes becomes screams for blood at any sign or thought of violence. He obsesses over all of his notes, all of the half-formed thoughts dancing through his mind, and rejects modao - it's not like he has any living humans around anyway - instead creating another new branch of cultivation based around ghosts. Guidao. He forgets to eat and sleep for days upon end without anyone there to bully him into taking care of himself, and the Burial Mounds equal parts forgetting and just generally unaware what is good for humans. He's working with resentful energy all of the time, he's made his own flute and is weaving it into every experiment. He's experimenting on himself. He's changing.

[gamergoose]

[feralplantwife]

The real reason Jin Guangyao killed Nie Mingjue is because Nie Mingjue insisted on standing right in front of him at literally everything.

[somepinkthing]

Shapeshifter nie huaisang AU:

His mother was qinhe nie's spymaster, hired specifically for her unique cultivation ability to change into various shapes. She was a wanderer prior to settling down with her lovers, an experience that allowed her to throughly observe many different animals up close. So while she could become an array of animals (though mostly smaller, quiet ones), nie huaisang seemed to only ever be able to do birds. Or rather, he only seemed interested in doing birds and all his parental figures passed before they could enforce upon him the importance of branching out. As a result of his single-mindedness and artistic eye however, he can basically do any bird he sets his eyes on and replicates it better than even his mother could. He's even started to be able to converse with a few of the species he favors.

It doesn't really amount to much more than a cool party trick... until the wens start to up the ante. At first, it's just a handy way to get away. It isn't until the attack on the unclean realms that nie huaisang first takes advantage of his skill in the form of a giant vulture snagging the side of wen zhuiliu's face during the fight. It almost gives nie mingjue a heart attack but luckily the wens don't seem to realize that it's huaisang. The nie's don't exactly go around broadcasting their cultivation styles after all.

They do burn down his aviary in retaliation though. Which is... extremely upsetting actually. His mother had built that for him.

Then the indoctrination period comes around. Nie huaisang suddenly finds himself in a unique position of being the only one who can escape rather easily. When he fake faints, he fully intends to do so. But. But...

Wei wuxian who checked on him, jiang cheng who came to yell at him about staying hydrated, jin zixuan who awkwardly peaked into the sickroom, lan wangji who was injured and grieving and sadder than huaisang ever remembers seeing him. Even if he could leave them behind, there was still the small retinue of nies that came with him. For the first time in his life, he feels the weight of responsibility that comes with being someone with the ability to actually do something—to gather information, to search for escape routes, to snag some medical supplies. In this situation, he can actually help.

It sucks.

He'll do it but he's gonna complain

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC Lucien’s Sinking and Floating in Indulgence MQ translation + video with sub EN (Part 3/3)

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for an MQ that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

Sinking and Floating in Indulgence MQ | Part 1 (1-3) | Part 2 (4-5) | Part 3 (6) | 🔞Secret Space ASMR🔞

[Warning]: The content of this MQ is explicit and may not be suitable for individuals under the age of 17 (CN server). It is recommended that those who do not meet this age requirement refrain from proceeding beyond this point.

Part 4 - 5->[Here]

✂———————–

[Subbed Video, TURN ON CC!]

LOSING IT OVER THIS GUY BEWITCHING VOICE TF TF AHHHH.

✂———————–

—[Part 6]—Video Timestamp: [42:23]

Inside the cabin, the banquet hall emanates a touch of warmth that feels out of place.

The flowing lights fall upon Lucien’s black shirt, where the glimpses of bandages beneath inexplicably add some bewitching allure to his elegant demeanor.

Early in the morning, Holden selects several formal dresses and sends them over, saying that since today is New Year’s Eve in Loveland City, everyone should start adapting to local customs.

I can’t shake the feeling that he has ulterior motives. Just as I lean in to whisper to Lucien, I see Holden raising his glass and approaching us.

Holden: Thanks to Professor Lucien’s involvement, our experiment has achieved substantial progress.

Holden: Although the process has been filled with too many unforeseen 'uncertainties', forcing us to start over from the beginning, I believe it has all been worth it.

Holden: Just as you said, accidents are to be enjoyed.

Holden: I trust that after returning to Loveland City, we’ll be able to collaborate more deeply, don’t you agree?

Lucien: I've always enjoyed working with intelligent people.

Beneath the calm of this moment, something continues to surge in the undercurrents.

Aside from Lucien and me, nearly everyone on the ship belongs to Holden’s team.

If Lucien wants to find what he’s looking for without using Evol, these past few days have shown that it won’t be an easy task.

Silently, I lift my gaze toward Lucien. His expression remains composed, as if unconcerned by the present circumstances.

Lucien: Speaking of which, that matter I previously requested you to arrange...

Holden: Of course, no problem.

The other person raises an eyebrow. Soon, this simple banquet comes to a close.

✂———————–

But Lucien does not take me back to the room. Instead, he weaves left and right before finally arriving at the cargo ship’s kitchen.

I blink in confusion, then turn to him with a laugh.

MC: Professor Lucien, didn’t you eat your fill?

Lucien: I really didn’t have much of an appetite in that atmosphere.

Lucien: But more than that, I just want to share a simple meal with you alone today.

As he speaks, he opens the freezer door and unexpectedly takes out several bags of frozen dumplings.

MC: There are actually dumplings here…!

As I recall that the banquet mainly featured Western dishes, I vaguely understand the cryptic exchange Lucien and the other party were trading earlier.

Lucien: Apologies. I originally planned to show you my cooking skills at home this year.

Lucien: But now, it seems we’ll have to wait until we’re back for my Great Producer to properly appraise it.

MC: No need to apologize. After all, we're still spending this Chinese New Year's Eve together.

MC: But Professor Lucien, you better not forget the New Year’s Eve dinner you owe me~

As we chat and laugh, we set the pot to boil, and before long, billowing steam fills our surroundings.

The cold, stiff dumplings tumble into the pot. As I watch the tiny bubbles on the water’s surface, I suddenly feel that this moment is very peaceful.

For a fleeting instant, it feels as if we’ve returned to our warm home.

Lucien: MC, Happy New Year.

Hearing the blessing that falls by my ear, I turn my head and find the answer in those smiling eyes.

Lucien: I think, the more we're in this kind of atmosphere, the more we need some relaxation.

He lifts the lid and serves a bowl of dumplings.

The steaming mist blurs his eyes, making it hard to see them clearly.

He picks up a dumpling, brings it to his lips to blow on it carefully, and then holds it to my mouth.

Although its skin is a bit tough and the filling is rather ordinary, the steaming dumpling still brings me a sense of happiness as it enters my mouth.

Afterward, I can’t help but pick up one for him as well. We share the meal in silence, as though words aren’t needed

MC: It’s incredible. Though everything’s been coincidental and absurd, spending New Year’s here with you doesn’t feel wrong at all.

Lucien: [tenderly] Silly girl.

In the dense steam, he leans in close to my lips.

Softer than his lips, his tongue lingers even longer, not just bringing happiness but planting a seed that blooms endlessly in my heart.

Lucien: It will be over soon. After that, we’ll leave immediately.

His words sound like some kind of farewell, making me subconsciously worried.

But before I can ask, a wave of inexplicable dizziness comes over me-

I struggle to keep my eyes open, but Lucien's face gradually dissolves into the darkness.

Gazing at the girl asleep in his arms, Lucien kisses her on the forehead once more.

Holding her quietly, he carries her back to the guest room, lays her on the bed, and carefully tucks her in.

Lucien: [gently] Sweet dreams, MC.

When he turns around again, the tenderness on his face has already vanished. His narrow eyes glint with icy coldness.

Just as planned, he smoothly enters the concealed storage room he had noticed earlier. Based on his analysis over the past few days, he also located the reagent he wanted to verify.

As expected, it has lost its activity.

Though this isn’t a good outcome, when weighed against the girl’s safety, it can hardly be considered an excessive loss.

It can be considered that everything has gone as he wished.

He casually finds a spot to sit and speaks calmly.

Lucien: Professor Holden, you still won't come out. Aren’t you afraid I’ll destroy this thing?

.

.

.

In a drowsy haze, I open my eyes.

The room is dark and almost lightless, lit only by faint moonlight filtering through the porthole. There’s no Lucien by my side.

Surrounded by deathly silence, I suddenly have a terrible feeling. I grab Lucien’s coat and drape it over my shoulders without much thought before leaving the room.

The quiet corridor seems endless—it's as if I'm trapped again.

At this moment, my mind is surprisingly calm. Those pair of serene yet inscrutable eyes flash through my thoughts.

Perhaps… I finally grasp why all of this is happening.

...Lucien, you truly are an absolute big fool, a big bad guy!

In an instant, a familiar force surges from my chest, and a lustrous white light burst forth—

I need to have a proper talk with Lucien.

A bone-chilling cold permeates the air, making it feel like even one's breath could freeze into a thin layer of ice.

Crystal-clear ice spreads throughout the corridor of the cabin. Icicles hang from the ceiling here and there, their tips sharp as blades.

Scattered weapons and unknown equipment lie strewn everywhere. I stare blankly at this frost-covered scene as countless terrifying images seem to flash before my eyes.

Without another thought, I pick up a dropped handgun and sprint toward the frozen corridor’s end.

There is no sign of anyone on the ship, deathly silent as if it had been swept clean, with traces of frost all over the place.

I don’t know how long I’ve been running until I stop in front of an unremarkable door—

the only door that hasn’t been frozen shut.

I cautiously look around, then gently push the door so that it opens a crack.

Various artworks are scattered throughout the small space, while cold light falls indifferently, making the entire room feel even more cramped and somber.

Under the cold light in the corner, numerous packaged artworks haphazardly piled on the floor, like a small exhibition yet to be unveiled.

Strips of bright yellow tape cut a glaring boundary across my vision, warning away any visitors who don’t belong there.

A cold, indifferent figure stands at the center. He turns as if sensing something, and his gaze crashes into my furrowed eyes.

The air falls into silence.

Everything before me seems beyond ‘excuse’. His calm gaze dips slightly, eyelashes casting a faint shadow over his tranquil face.

Like a bad kid who knows he's doing something wrong but still insists on doing it, soberly indulges in his own actions.

I walk step by step toward him, check that he has no additional wounds, and only then do I turn my gaze to him.

MC: Is there anything you want to say to me?

Lucien: ….

He blinks and smiles, his expression somewhere between resignation and satisfaction.

Lucien: [that mix of helplessness and pride at her managing to break out the dream using her power:"] Your power has grown stronger.

A rush of heat relentlessly floods upward and I can’t help but tremble all over. I scan the room and then point to a table covered with bubble wrap.

MC: [sternly] Lie down.

Lucien: ….

Maybe my tone is too harsh, or I seem on the verge of anger, Lucien says nothing and simply lies down quietly.

Then, I forcefully rip off the yellow tape nearby and walk back to his side.

MC: Put your hands behind your back.

As if it were some tacitly understood command, he obeys me without a word.

I resentfully wind the tape around his body, but out of the corner of my eye, I catch the faint bloodstains seeping through, and the strength of my hands falters with reluctance.

Eventually, the tape coils loosely around his neck, shoulders, arms, and down to his exposed abdomen. It’s as if he, too, were a dangerous yet precious collectible.

Lucien continues to let me do as I please. As the tape adheres to his skin, his expression shifts, initially calm and quiet but now touched with enigmatic depth and curiosity.

He watches my every move without blinking. Clearly, he's the one who's bound, yet it feels as if I'm the subject of his interest.

The inexplicable impulse melts into guilt. Suddenly, I catch sight of a golf club nearby and, feigning composure, pick it up.

MC: Lucien, do you know what I’m doing?

Lucien: [hoarsely] I know.

Lucien: But just doing this... I’m afraid it’s not quite enough.

As he speaks, he lifts a hand that had somehow slipped free at some point and rests it against the back of my head.

His slender fingers slide into my hair, stroking through the strands. Every so often, his fingertips lightly graze the curve of my ear, sending a faint, tremulous weakness through my body.

Just as I teeter on the edge of surrender, he leans in, closing the distance between us. His lips trail up along my cheek before gently biting down on my earlobe.

Lucien: [breathlessly whispers in challenging tone] It needs to be this much, at least.

The bubble wrap around us rustles from friction as I press my bent knee against the inside of his thigh, but afraid of hurting him, I instinctively ease the pressure.

Yet the man beneath me doesn’t seem satisfied with my movement.

He wickedly shifts his leg, making me suddenly lose my fulcrum and involuntarily tip forward, but he swiftly tightens his hold on me with his thighs, leaving me to almost completely surrender my balance to him.

MC: You…

Lucien: There’s no one else here.

Lucien: [provocatively] After doing something so far out of line… if you’re just planning to tie me up and give me a little scare, that won’t do.

MC:  Who said I’m just trying to scare you?

Saying this, I bring the club closer, brushing it against his chin, forcing him to tilt his head back and meet my gaze.

MC: You only care about your own fear, but don’t you realize I can tie you up just like this too?

MC: And lock you up in a place where only I can see you, where I’m the only one you can see.

Lucien: MC, would you also want to... lock me up?

Along with his intimate, bewitching words, some kind of shiver seems to surge wildly through my mind, causing me to look at him on instinct.

MC: Lucien, I am the same as you. I will also possess the same emotions as you… and the same love.

Lucien: [bewitchingly] Then I suppose… perhaps we could make it a little deeper.

Lucien: That way, I can remember even better.

He keeps tucking my hair back again and again, arousing waves of tingling sensation through me.

Everywhere his scalding fingertips wander heats up quickly, as if the warmth is pressing into my blood, until my entire body is slick with sweat.

Unable to stifle my soft panting, I lift my hand and brush over the dried bloodstain on his cheek.

MC: ...Don’t move.

Lucien: But when I locked you up, I let you move freely.

MC: You’re shamelessly twisting words again. That’s a false equivalence!

Lucien: I admit it.

Lucien: But with you right here, how am I supposed to control myself?

Lucien: I just want you to prove it to me… much harder.

From the room's far end, infrared rays cast a dazzling red light. The light's edges trace the outlines of our pressed-together bodies, staining my hair to the very tips of his fingers.

Everything before my eyes blurs into a haze of sultry crimson.

The distant murmur of waves drifts in dully, while the chill-laden air surges forward, as if breaking through the floodgates of desire and plunging into the most intimate depths.

Lucien: [chuckles softly, then whispers huskily] Don’t let me out.

————FIN———–

[T/N]

*: The original line (比表皮更柔软,"内馅"更悠长-lit translated to “softer than the outer skin, the “fillings” lingers even longer”) is more metaphorical than my more physical translation. It uses food imagery, essentially comparing the dumpling to his lips and tongue, and I really don’t know how to translate it in a way that poetically retains this food imagery while still being both understandable and steamy enough so yeah-

Also, the last scene wasn’t as explicit as some others, but they definitely fucked at the end too. The biggest giveaway? That last line before his 'Don't let me out.' The combination of '探进' (literally means to enter and explore/slip into) and '幽密的深处' (literally: hidden and secret deep place) is a phrase often used in erotic writing as a metaphor for entering and exploring a woman's intimate depths.

ALSO! before heading to afterwords and rambles, PLEASE TRY TO HEAR THE ASMR FIRST!!! It's very important bc it's where the seggs confinement + his 'punishment' explored a bit more-

✂———————–

[Afterwords + Some Rambles]

Okay, first of all…THIS DATE. THIS. DATE. A GOD-TIER CONFINEMENT DATE. Absolute peak, 10/10, would let myself get locked up again 🛐✨

Like, Lucien finally went all in on his impulse to lock MC up, and this time, it actually played out instead of getting cut short like in the main story. And the way they executed it? So quintessentially Xu Mo™. Seeing a man who has always "enjoyed" chaos, who has always kept control over every situation, becoming at a loss when it involves the one thing he can’t afford to lose? Delicious.

I love seeing this side of him, it is so raw, vivid, and real. I have to admit, it’s thrilling to watch his composure completely shatter the moment he realizes that accidents aren’t entirely within his control. Seeing his breakdown, his helplessness in the face of his greatest fear. Seeing the madness and tenderness intertwined in his desperate need to keep her by his side. The vulnerability that slips through, the hesitation he can’t quite hide. They all just chef kiss.

Then there’s also the (((mutual))) confinement… What makes this UR such a masterpiece isn’t just the act of confinement but why and how he does it and how she reacts to it. Lucien isn’t someone who simply wants to control MC for the sake of possessiveness or pleasure. He locks her away because, by rational calculation, it’s the most effective way to keep her safe. Not because he feels it’s for the best, but because eliminating all possibilities of her getting hurt is the only way to ABSOLUTELY ensure her safety. There’s possessiveness in his action, yet this date really, really makes it crystal clear that possessiveness is a smaller part of it; the bigger part is fear. He’s not even planning to keep her locked away forever, just until they get back to Loveland City, where she’ll be safe. The way he does the whole confinement thing is arguably logical yet it also circles back to being unhinged LOL.

The date starts with his apparent “indifference” and “coldness” toward war and lost lives, though in my opinion, neither word captures his true state. I think it’s just that Lucien doesn’t process emotions like a normal person. His default mode is rational calculation, not emotional response. When tragedy strikes, it isn’t that he fails to care; he simply can’t fully grasp and feel the emotions from it. It’s not “I see their pain, but I don’t care.” It’s “Why do people feel pain over this? I don’t really get it.”. People lose their lives all the time during war; that’s a simple fact. Some people inevitably need to be sacrificed for the greater good; that's also a simple fact. This detachment is compounded by the fact that he was raised by BS and the fact that when his parents died, he didn’t have time to process his grief as he was forced to run forward without pause, or he wouldn't survive.

Well, Lucien you soon will understand that feeling again- because when MC almost dies yet again for the n-th time, he gets it. As Chapter 25 of Season 1 puts it, she makes him understand an ordinary person’s fear, the fear of losing someone precious. She’s the only emotional reference point he has. It’s not like he lacks emotions, he doesn’t fully experience them unless she is the trigger. And when he does feel? It’s in the most intense, all-consuming way possible. The moment he realizes her plane has crashed, his entire world is shattered into pieces, turning this man, who always walks firmly towards his goal, just, so lost and doesn't even know why he is even walking forward. A sharp pain shoots through him, followed by a heavy numbness as his world fades to a dull, colorless monotony. Overwhelmed by the aching void left by her absence, he teeters on the edge of slipping back into hallucination.

But then MC appears, and her existence tears through the numbness like colorized film bursting from monochrome reels; the thought of almost losing her... again, forever this time, just aches so painfully. His usual composure just crumbles, and his emotions are on full display. Him, who is usually able to restrain his strength, just hugs her so, so tightly, like clinging onto the reality he desperately needs. He’s shaking. He repeats, “It’s okay.” over and over, but it’s clear he’s trying to convince himself ༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ

Desperately, he wants, no, scratch that, needs to confirm that she's real. And what better way to prove that someone isn’t a hallucination than by touching, holding, and feeling them? In doing so, he also tries to calm her, shifting the focus away from her own fear. After all, physical contact releases oxytocin, reducing stress and reinforcing connection (and no, I’m not saying this out of nowhere sdjjdsjdjds, he literally explains this exact oxytocin mechanism in [Embrace Date]). I also like that MC mirrors this action to comfort him later;-;.

In everyday circumstances, he wouldn’t try to physically confine her. Even though he’s possessive, he knows that confinement (cause) would make her unhappy (effect), and since he doesn’t want that outcome, he chooses not to do it. It’s a simple, logical decision, an optimal solution based on cause and effect. But when random chance nearly robs him of her forever… he can't help but do the most optimal solution he can think of: remove chance entirely from the equation. So, he locks her up in the dream, eliminating all the possibility of her getting hurt.

Though it’s not without room for improvement, this date shows some of his growth too. For instance, compared to S1 chapter 25, where he waited for MC to fall asleep before admitting his fear of losing her, this time, he says it outright (“I’m afraid.”). Compared to Distant Similitude UR, he lets her comfort him here. And he’s painfully aware that she isn't exactly a fan of being confined (despite her also somewhat being used to this since it’s not her first rodeo LOL). That’s why he takes her out on walks from time to time and also tries his best to make the dream realistic so it seems as unrestrictive as possible. And deep down, he knows she’ll notice it soon, knows he can’t truly keep her locked up. That’s why, the moment she breaks free, he just smiles, both of resignation and satisfaction. Like saying, “Of course you did.”

MC’s reaction to all of this is just as fascinating. While she feels fear at first, it’s not because he trapped her, it’s because she’s afraid that none of it is real. Her fear isn’t about being confined; it’s about the possibility that this world, this moment, especially Lucien himself, might be an illusion. This aligns perfectly with what she said in [Tidying Date]:

Lucien: Why do you feel afraid?

Lucien: Is there something in my actions that makes you feel uneasy?

MC: No. I’m afraid because you make me feel so at ease.

MC: Afraid that this world which you made complete will collapse because of your departure.

MC: It’ll be like losing my own rib.

Her greatest fear isn’t being confined by him. It’s losing him. That’s why, after the first time she notices something is off, she no longer panics about being trapped; instead, curiosity takes over. Later, she’s mad that he lied, yes, but even more than that, she’s mad that he lied about his own safety. He’s always trying to protect her, but he refuses to let her protect him. And that? That’s what infuriates her the most. And perhaps, in the end, it’s also what drives her to realize she wants to confine him too, realizing that they have the same kind of love for each other.

Lucien, with his self-destructive tendencies, his guilt for being somehow related to her accident, and his need to punish himself for what he perceives as his failure to protect her, happily accepts the punishment and even goads her to be harsher. And perhaps, the moment she turns the tables on him, something shifts between them. I think, her act of confining him makes him feel happy and cherished in a way because it means that to her, he’s just as precious as she is to him. (And MC, your threat of locking him up in a place where only you can see him and he can only see you will only make him even more thrilled LOL. After all, as he put it on his first Valentine date, all he longs for is your eyes on him~).

This seemingly new side of her intrigues him as well. And he’s a greedy, greedy man who wants to possess all of her, which also includes her possessiveness over him and her dominance. In some ways, perhaps they’re just perfect for each other like this, mutually possessive and feeding on each other's possessiveness. Or, as the kids put it, they match each other freak/no. Anyway, thank you for reading if you have made it this far.