#non binary will solace

[mediumgayitalian]

fic rec friday 16

hi!! welcome to fic rec friday. every week, i pick five fics i have bookmarked and rec them with a little review. check them out!

best friend, baby by @ghosttotheparty*

“You— You make me feel so… good,” he finishes lamely, his head void of any words that could describe it, because how can Will describe the peace he finds in Nico’s presence, or the way he feels like he can finally breathe whenever Nico looks into his eyes? “You’re my favourite person,” he breathes. “My best friend.”

hooooooo boy the intimacy tag was NOT joking. i was gagged. yall tell me all the time how high u value will angst and like....this one DEVASTATED me for him??? like do yall ever think about how the first dialogue we hear from will in nico's perspective is self-loathing. yall ever think about how nico has always known him hating himself. well this author did. "i know you hate yourself but just because you hate yourself doesnt mean everyone else does too" hey what if we FOUGHT. also im going back in to all my FRFs to star my FAVE FAVE FAVE fics bc this is one of them LET ME TELL YOU.

2. just a dumb game by @ghosttotheparty

Nico di Angelo is not a party person. But Will Solace is going to be there. So.

they are SO FUCKING GAY and SO FUCKING IN LOVE and SO FUCKING STUPID. god i love them so fucking bad like they are inherently down bad obsessed with each other and this is how they should be. this is the way of the world.

3. even in the silver light by @ghosttotheparty

Nico is back. Will is still smitten.

first of all. latino and nb will. thank you. second of all. i am (obviously) obsessed with this author bc they KILLLLLL w burning intimacy. like you have no idea they write them like there is a twice burning fire only alive within them it's CRAZZZYYY. i also fckn LOVE that this is like. okay so the author says its plotless and it is kind of 45k of plotless, yes, but idk theres something to be said of love as a plot?? of learning and loving each other as a storyline.

4. splash by @ghosttotheparty

Annabeth is reading her favourite book. Someone walks directly into her.

yeah okay i think this is another one author week. sue me. this fic made me GRIN okay. it was so fucking cute and sweet and soft and autistic annabeth my beloved!! my love and light!! they are so in love in every universe fr and i fckn LOVE them dude i am OBSESSED. when this author writes people together it's as if you can hear them click.

5. isnt she lovely by @ghosttotheparty

Their eyes always meet in the halls. Her eyes are grey and shiny, and they make Percy think of stormy skies and marble sculptures. (She could be a marble sculpture, in the entrance of a museum, surrounded by scholars and artists and mesmerised passersby. Fucking beautiful in a way that only art ever is.) - - - Percy has had a crush on Annabeth since eighth grade. (He doesn’t know she likes him too.)

percy hitting the ground when annabeth kisses him 😭😭 HES SO REAL. i just recced this fic on instagram and i am here reccing it again bc it is EXCELLENT. i rly rly love to see pjotv percabeth in fic like i DO. theyre so fucking cute. and i LOVE how this author writes autistic annabeth!! it is so important to me!!! and this one is so CUTE like percy had such a huge crush on him.....like not just he liked her he had a CRUSH on her. god. i am melting.

thank you for joining me this friday!! happy reading!!

[iwannascreameurekaa]

I know like four non binary characters in media and two of them are from pjo

[diary-of-a-loser-boy]

mood

[yonemurishiroku]

I am the only one who thinks about Nico Di Angelo with scars, who wears women's oriental clothes, in particular fabrics covering his face to hide them.

...Hold on. is it just my linguistic skills or are you saying clothes that cover one's face are specifically for women? Because I was not aware of that until this ask and I'm srsly doubting myself.

That aside. I'm pretty sure you're not alone in the Nico-wearing-female-clothes department. Last time I checked Happy had Nico in a skirt. I've seen a few Enby!Nico fanarts that depict him in a skirt. Srsly.

Regarding the face-covering, I fail to recall any reference at this moment yeah. Unless you count scarves in a typical winter manner (I doubt you will tho).

Tbh Will did offer to heal the scar, to which Nico refused (for whatever reason Rick made up), so I suppose he wouldn't need to hide them considering he chose to keep it himself.

[apollos-halo]

i loved this part. are they a nightmare demon and cause you trauma flashbacks? yes. but should we misgender them and not respect their identity? obvs not. they might be a monster, but we’re not.

diversity win! the horrifying nightmare demon holding you hostage and tormenting you with all your worst memories is non-binary!

[astralfortune]

You're the manager of a rising idol group. When a fan finds their apartment and posts it online, your group is forced to move to another home. Which happens to be the same apartment complex as yours.

Now, this wouldn't be a problem except for one thing. Nobody knows that you're a completely different person at home! Will you do whatever it takes to keep up the act at work or will you reveal your true self to your new neighbors?

Bridging the Gap is a simple slice-of-life story about letting down your guard and connecting with the people you're around. Play as the manager of an idol group and help them as they settle into their new home and prepare for their comeback.

Play as Male, Female, or Non-Binary

Choose between four work personalities (Stoic, Aloof, Caring, Energetic) and four home personalities (Shy, Reserved, Prickly, Easygoing)

Experience the personality gap lifestyle

Manage your idol group and build your relationship with Fortune

Perhaps find love with one of them?

Taeyang/Hayoon Lee (RO)

Leader of the group, Fortune

As the leader, they carry a heavy burden on their shoulders but that doesn’t stop them from pursuing their dreams and striving to be the foundation their fledgling group needs. Calm and perceptive, they take things in stride and somehow always seem to find the best solutions to any complications. Will you be the equal they need in the middle of change?

Taeyang stands at 5'9 with short black hair while Hayoon is 5’7 with long black hair. Their deep brown eyes show every emotion.

Xavier/Xanthe Cothran (RO)

Vice leader of Fortune

X is the quiet sort, preferring to let the others do the talking. They’re passionate about their work, often the last one to leave the practice room. That doesn’t mean they’re cold or distant. In fact, they love spending time with their group even if they don’t say anything. Will you be their solace from the noise of the industry?

Both Xavier and Xanthe are 6 '0 with shoulder length dark brown hair. Xavier prefers to tie it back while Xanthe keeps it loose. Their hazel eyes are deep and captivating.

Elias/Elaine Auclair (RO)

Dance leader of Fortune

The most outgoing of the group, E is very much a mood maker. They love dragging the members for outings or meals. New experiences are what motivates E to become more successful. Somehow they almost always have a smile on their face, so surely they must be hiding something underneath, right? Right?

Elias stands at 5’10 with short blonde hair, often styled. Elaine is 5’7 and her long blonde hair is well taken care of. Their blue eyes shine with life and joy.

Avery

Your sibling/cousin

Unapologetically themself , Avery is the second youngest of the group who also happens to be related to you. Depending on your relationship, they are either your personal cheerleader or your worst enemy. Will you let Good!Avery convince you to become friends with their group or will you try and become closer to Bad!Avery?

Avery is 5’6 and recently dyed their hair silver. Male Avery’s hair is short and Female Avery prefers to keep her long hair up in a ponytail. They have the same eye color as the manager but it either is filled with extreme love or extreme dislike towards them.

Oliver/Olivia Harcourt (RO)

The youngest of Fortune

The youngest of the group and also the oldest of four siblings. O shamelessly takes advantage of their position now that they have others to be the responsible ones. They’re cheeky and full of life, O is often found with E coming up with a variety of shenanigans. However, underneath all the mischief O cares deeply about those they’re close to, including you. Will you find comfort and healing during your time with O?

Oliver is 5’7 while Olivia stands at 5’5. They both have blue dyed hair. Oliver keeps his short while Olivia’s is shoulder length. Their brown eyes are warm and welcoming.

Demo: [Here]

Looking for more? Enjoy a series (only one right now...) of side stories taking place within Astral Agency. Here you are the agency's first ever solo artist preparing for your debut with your manager.

To The Top: [Here]

[permetutotheworld]

i am a trans will solace truther

i am a genderqueer nico di angelo truther

i am a bi4bi percabeth truther

i am a comphet genderqueer piper truther

i am a non binary leo valdez truther

i am a gay jason truther

[fandom-lover2]

More Than Meets The Optic

Ultra Magnus learns he stans non-binary rights

Word Count - 1827

Author's Note: I wrote this for my platonic soulmate after they came out to their parents as non-binary and was not supported. @quilbug, reality may suck, but in my world you are unbelievably loved and supported. Thank you for the permission to post this. Luv ya

My head bopped up and down in time with the beat, my eyes sliding across the words of my laptop screen.

Man’s invention of fanfiction can be dated back to the 18th century, and provided endless hours of entertainment while also creating a person’s own impression of the source material and building on it.

I spent hours lost in the worlds of my favorite characters, amazed at the creativity of people as they made new storylines, and did away with events in the canon they did not like.

Ratchet barked out an order to Miko, pleading with her to turn the music down as a louder song filtered through the speaker she had placed on top of the TV. Miko sassed the medic back, something about appealing to the masses.

“Miko…” I called out, drawing out her name and dropping an octave. A clear warning.

She let out a wailing groan, but did as she was told and the music diminished in volume.

“Thank you.” Ratchet sighed, turning back to his station. I tossed him a thumbs up without looking away from the screen.

God this story was beautiful, and funny. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and my chest felt warm and bubbly. These happy fics, slice of life stories of the characters the shows and movies don’t get to bring to life made the characters seem so much more real, like they’re somebody you actually know and can converse with. That being said, when the story ended, or the author decided to stop writing, it felt like you mourned characters as if they were real people, because you never get the chance to see new events happen with them again.

I had just finished one chapter and was ready to start the next when my name was called, by someone I never expected.

I spun in my chair, looking up to meet Ultra Magnus’ optics. He was frowning, and shifted on his peds.

“May I speak with you? Alone?”

My eyebrows shot up. Without thinking, I turned to look at Optimus. Whether to get his approval or check if I’d heard his lieutenant correctly, I was met with his version of curiosity. Still, my guardian looked down at me and nodded.

“Uhh, yeah. Sure.” I gently closed my laptop and stood, walking towards the steps.

Ultra Magnus interrupted my journey, holding out a servo in front of me. Ok, this was getting stranger with every second.

I accepted his servo, sitting stiffly as he began walking down the hall.

The big guy never carried us humans, didn’t want to be anywhere near us. Till Optimus paired him with Merling. They were the only one of us “natives” he tolerated. They had their spot, nestled between his neck and that weird shoulder situation he had going on. And Merling loved him, kindred spirits finding solace in one another.

It was funny in the beginning, because both Merling and Magnus had been confused at how Optimus and I would go for patrols and get so lost in our conversation that we’d just end up parked somewhere talking, all sense of time leaving us. Now, since Optimus had spoken to his lieutenant and explained how things were different, Magnus actually slowed down, stopped expecting something bad to happen every second and he and Merling had started spending extended periods of time together as well. Merling was finally allowed to join him on patrols, and at the base (once reports had been completed of course), they would find somewhere to sit together, spending time in one another’s company.

To have him willingly wanting to converse with me, which hadn’t occurred often since our less than friendly meeting, and carrying a human that wasn’t his charge, it was a big deal. Something serious must be going on.

Magnus carried me into the empty hanger in the base and deposited me on one of the catwalks, then took a few steps back. I waited, watching him as he dropped his helm.  His optics were darting side to side, a quirk I’d learnt meant he was thinking. A minute later and nothing had changed.

“Everything ok?” I realized I probably needed to start this conversation.

“Everything is… well.” he said, hesitantly. And that was all he gave me, still looking down.

“Okaayyy.” I pierced my lips. “What did you want to talk about?”

He looked up at me briefly, unsure. I was so used to seeing him frown, always agitated by something, but this was more innocent, like he didn’t know what to feel.

“I have a question, regarding the one you share a namesake with.”

‘Quil.’ I silently wished I could correct. Merling hadn’t spoken to anyone at the base about their self-discovery yet. And I’d promised to keep it under wraps until they were ready for everyone to know.

“Ok.” I prompted.

His frown deepened, and he was still looking down.

“We were conversing while I took her home and she-”

He stopped suddenly, his expression turning into a scowl, and I swear I heard him growl softly.

“They,” he corrected, “told me they no longer felt content with previously used ‘pronouns’ or the name you share.”

Finally, he looked up at me. He shifted his weight again, servos twitching, like he was unsure what to do with them.

“Can you explain to me what this means?”

I couldn’t stop the smile that broke across my face, and my chest felt all warm and fuzzy again. This was the cutest thing, and the most caring thing, I’d ever seen the grumpy guy do. He wanted to learn.

“Firstly, thank you for coming to me to ask. It shows you really care, and that’s sweet. Secondly, I’m happy to answer any questions you have. Don’t feel silly for asking.”

He relaxed at my words, shoulders sagging just a smidge as the tension left his faceplates.

“Ok, to start. As you know, humans are often divided into two genders, male and female.”

Magnus nodded.

“Well, that can refer to what a person feels they are, and what they are biologically. For example, I am female, a woman. I was born a woman, have a body typical of that of a woman, and view myself as a woman. Jack is a male, was born a male and feels he is a man.”

Magnus nodded again.

“Now, some people aren’t happy with the gender they are born with, feel as though that is not who they are inside. In their souls.”

He frowned, helm cocking to the side slightly. It reminded me of what dogs do, and I really had to fight a laugh.

“They are not content in their own forms?” he reiterated.

I shook my head. “No. So what some people do, what doctors have developed, is a way for a person to change their gender.”

This caused him to look even more bewildered.

“Doctors can give people artificial hormones, and perform surgeries that allow the person to change into the gender they feel they are.”

“We did not have such things on Cybertron.” Magnus spoke, eyes shifting again. “Who you were forged as is who you were.”

I smiled at him, watching as he tried to comprehend what I was saying to him.

“So…” he trailed off, trying to find the word. He looked at me pleadingly.

“Quil?” I supplied.

“Quil,” he nodded. “Quil wishes to become a male?”

“No.” This caused him to look at me in exasperation.

“You just said-”

“I said in some cases.” I corrected. “Quil feels differently. They feel as though they are neither male, nor female. Man, nor woman.”

He stared at me blankly for a few moments, then blinked and continued to stare.

“Does that make some sense?”

“What can be done to make… make them feel content?”

I smiled again. “Well, for starters, doing what you just did. Calling them by a gender-neutral pronoun, so them/they, will make them feel as though you respect them, and support their decision.”

“And medical assistance?” he pushed, taking a step closer to me urgently.

“That’s their decision. They may choose to have a surgery to make them appear less feminine, or can use a binder, which they have already.”

He looked down again, silently taking in all I had told him.

Cybertronians already make so much more noise than humans, the sounds of their internal fans causing a constant hum to emanate from them. Now, even though it shouldn’t be possible, I could imagine hearing the sounds of gearing turning as he tossed around the words I had spoken in his processor.

“So, why ask to be called Quil, as well as ‘gender-neutral pronouns’, as you said?”

I paused, trying the find the best way to approach this.

“Kristin was the name they had when they were a girl. But they’re no longer a female, and that name is who they were, and so they need a new name for who they are now.”

Magnus nodded absentmindedly, still thinking hard.

“And who else knows? Because the other children do not refer to them by Quil.”

I nodded in agreement. “Humans can be… weird and intolerable at times. Many people won’t be happy or accepting that they have changed their pronouns and name. People will start to see them differently, but not in a good way.”

“And you think that others will treat them this way?” he asked. It was said harshly, almost like he was accusing them of it already. He was getting upset that someone might not accept Merling, treat them harshly. He was getting protective.

I bit back the smirk that played on my lips.

“I don’t think anyone here will, but Quil needs to make that decision. Who they trust to know this, who they want to tell. For now, it’s just us. When they are more comfortable, they’ll tell others.”

Magnus remained silent, contemplating again.

“Does this all make sense?”

He hesitated before speaking, “This would not of been accepted on Cybertron, and I have never heard of such feelings among my kind, but I understand what you have told.” He paused. “And I will try to refer to Quil as they wish.”

“That’s amazing.” I praised. “If you have any more questions, please come to me.”

“I will.” Magnus nodded once, then took a step back. “Thank you for your assistance.”

Then, he turned and began walking out the hanger, leaving me behind on the only catwalk that didn’t have stairs connecting it to the rest.

By the time I realized, he was already turning into the hallway.

So, maybe he wasn’t progressing too far in his understanding of humans, or his tolerance of us. And yeah, it was taking him time to adjust to how we’d changed the base and dynamic of the team. But no one could ever say he didn’t have the capacity to want to change and learn, he just chose who he’d do it for.

[nocturnal-riptide]

Guys I've got updates, so my kitten has a type, she likes ginger cats and a couple days ago we finally saw the ginger cat up close and named them sunshine and we call the sunny. So the thing is we think they look really queer and non binary, they kind of remind me of will solace or apollo

We need more people for these articles, if you have any proof that cats have human souls and/or can be queer share it with us

[cookiestar360]

Character- Star (Reprise)

Name- Dummy

Nickname- Star Bell/Star Solace

Other Nicknames- Light, Bright, Failure

Age- 18

Birthday 10/4 (October 4th)

Gender-

Star is referred to as specifically non binary. But they prefer being referred to as they/she when speaking to someone they genuinely are comfortable near.

Species- Angel Dummy

Occupation- Guardian "Angel", Training Dummy, Puppet

Text Color- Gold or Yellow

You can ask them questions :)

Star is classified as a sentient dummy. After coming across a guardian angel, 'Zailyn', Star was so excited to see the seraphim, having heavy admiration towards Zailyn that eventually Star was inspired to try and become a guardian angel themselves. Despite not being an angel and being quite weak, Star tries their best to defend those who don't have anyone to protect them. Star's devotion towards trying to be a guardian angel derives from the concept that a dummy is supposed to help people... typically by getting injured as a training or testing dummy. However, they are often a failure at protecting people, as their entire existence conflicts with their desires.

Other characters:

Trampolinefan6389

Appearance

True form

Skin tone- #7f7f7f

Height- 5`4 (accurately a Dummy would be 4`6 but I don't wanna use that...)

Weight- 80 Lb

Physical appearance- nothing of note. Just a gray person.

Pretender form

Height- 5`4

Weight- 87 Lb

Physical appearance- A dummy with two pairs of wings on their back, the top pair is golden and sparkles, the bottom one is white. There are two pairs of wings on the head too. Star also has two angelic rings around their head covered in eyes. Although their physical appearance varies constantly, sometimes they may not have wings or extra eyes, it just depends on how they are feeling.

Star will appear more human depending on how accepted as a person and comfortable they feel. When they are genuinely comfortable, they won't bother hiding their face with a blindfold or angelic eyes, and will wear more human like clothing like dresses and jackets.

Star shapeshifts medium long white hair with yellow highlights in it. Their hair feels slightly feathery similar to the wings on their head.

Stars false eyes cannot close, even while sleeping, but they can move and depict Star's emotions.

Star's two normal eyes are typically blindfolded, because of this, you will nearly never notice if Star is crying. The blindfold was given to them by Zailyn.

Star wears a golden flower crown with stars in it, this was made for them by Daisy.

Abilities

Shapeshifting

Star is a shapeshifter, they can shapeshift their body to their own will. Star uses this to take a form similar to an angel, seeing it as something that would make their presence more inviting. Shapeshifting takes energy to do and Star can wear themself out if they overuse it. If Star shifts their form beyond their normal dummy self, it will drain energy, even more energy will be drained if they shapeshift into not having their basic organs. They are constantly shapeshifted to appear to be an angel, meaning they are constantly draining energy doing so.(Star will sometimes shapeshift into a scythe and throw themself at their opponent. This scythe is uncreatively called "Angelsknife") they can use shapeshifting to create weapons too, however this requires a part of them to be torn off. Star's shapeshifting allows them to mimic other peoples appearance and voice patterns(although they can't fully accurately mimic someone's voice if they haven't heard it enough.)

Enhanced Eyesight (Shapeshifting specific ability)

The eyes Star shapeshift on their head allows then to see in all directions and see things not usually visible to their normal eyes. Star can see certain ghosts too. They can't speak with ghosts however. But they tend to draw a crowd of specific ghosts who find it interesting to watch a person who knows of their presence. They are often followed around by ghosts because of this, sometimes they attempt to communicate and help Star, some will just watch them.

Flight (Shapeshifting specific ability)

The wings Star commonly shapeshift on allows them to fly. They used to not know how to fly, but after practicing constantly they learned how to somewhat. Star still isn't very good at flying however, and they'll often end up crashing or falling.

Necromancy

Star can use magic to revive the dead. This sounds useful, however Star only knows how to use it on themself. Star can bring themself to life and no one else, and they cannot perform this spell while they are dead... If Star uses necromancy right before they die, they can bring themself back to life. This allows Star to effectively avoid death as long as they know they're going to die, until they grow too tired.

Weapon

Sword of Starlight

The sword of starlight was a gift from Daisy Bell. It is their favorite object. Being given it made them extremely happy. The sword emits a faint glow and sparkles. It can turn people into sparkles too. Star wouldn't ever give it up, or anything Daisy has given them, even if it was at the cost of Star's life.

Behavior

Star has a lessened care for their life. Thinking that they are to die in the name of someone else, as all dummies do.

Star heavily wishes for people they can feel comfortable around and be themself. A lot of times they will act irregular and uncomfortable when speaking to most people, especially ones Star does not believe cares for them.

Star gets uncomfortable when people make it out as them pretending to be something they aren't or putting on an emotional façade, this will immediately make them resent themself. They are knowledgeable that some people will not tolerate who they actually are, causing them to regress in their confidence heavily.

Nearly all of Star's personal issues in the past have been caused by not being comfortable enough to see themselves as a person

Star will train their pain tolerance more than anything, since they see getting hurt for others as the only thing they're good at.

Star is optimistic and positive towards everyone, even if it seems unusual to be so in a situation.

Because of their lack of care, this leads to them having little fear or extra respect of beings with far more power than them, including gods, until they threaten Star's family instead.

Star hardly feels physical pain anymore, meaning they can hardly tell if someone is trying to seriously hurt them or just playing around, even if blood is drawn.

Star has impostor syndrome, meaning they doubt their own skills and feels like they aren't fit to be a guardian angel. (However, they quite literally are an impostor of a guardian angel, so the feelings are justified.)

Star will become extremely upset if they fail to protect someone, Which can have harsh consequences.

If Star gets overwhelmed, they will begin to lose control of their muscles as they will start to rapidly and randomly shake.

As an intimidation attempt, Star may shapeshift their face to appear more disturbing. They've gone out to fully shift their body into more disturbing figures or playing into a persons fears as a form of intimidation using shapeshifting.

Star lacks comprehension of social cues and can often act in ways unwarranted to whatever situation is going on, but they typically always act with good intentions.

Star sometimes wonders if the other training dummies are also sentient and just cannot move, being subject to dying over and over with no one ever knowing they're sentient. This deeply disturbs Star.

The only show Star watches is Family Guy. There is no explanation behind this.

Star's favorite Pokémon is a Substitute Doll (the Pokémon that gets summoned when you use the move substitute that takes damage for the Pokémon using the move.). They refuse to believe anyone who says that isn't an actual Pokémon.

Star will usually only curse if they're extremely upset or breaking down out of stress, or really annoyed at something.

They sit at their mailbox an hour each day waiting for letters, they often think to themself during this time, and write in their diary while waiting for letters..

Star would rather not have a face than cry near someone they do not believe cares for them.

Star has high social anxiety when speaking to people they admire or view as cooler than them. They worry that they aren't going to be able to speak to people as well as others can.

Star doesn't often eat. They need to eat, but they rather give the food to someone else, even if they aren't nearly as hungry as Star is.

Star believes that their positive behavior can make people better, trying to be kind even to those who don't deserve kindness, in the hopes that eventually they will turn for the better. But they aren't really opposed to killing anyone they think they can kill and don't think will ever change.

Star enjoys cats but is also a bit scared of them, one tried eating their hair.

Star will freak out badly if there are any attempts at taking their flower crown.

Star keeps any positive letters they have received in a box, so they can go through them and feel loved.

When Star gets lonely or feels particularly unloved or unwanted, they will begin to associate their loneliness with temperature, where when they feel accompanied and cared for, they will feel "warm", while if they feel alone and unloved, they will feel "cold". Instinctively, Star will wear cloaks, jackets, hoods, blankets, or other objects when they are feeling lonely, often believing that they are just cold.

Relations

Star primarily wants people who care for them as much as they care for others. If Star finds themself lacking in positive relations, they will become desperate, befriending people, even if they were to physically or verbally abuse, or even threaten or nearly end their life. Luckily, they aren't as desperate as they were in the past. However, that means they aren't as affectionate to everyone as they once were, but far more affectionate to the people they are comfortable with.

Character relation chart:

Person|(Status)|[Trust]|[Affection]|Description

Zailyn (Adoptive Mother, Current 'author') - [100%] [102%] - Star's mother and primary inspiration in life. Star would not be here if not for Zailyn. Star was essentially created by Zailyn. It is very obvious that Star sees very highly of her. Zailyn created Star's entire drive to be a guardian angel. Zailyn means the world to Star.

Lamentia (Adoptive Mother)- [99.6%] [100%] - Star's other mother. Star really enjoys being near Lamentia and sees her as a really fun person. They are very thankful to have met Lamentia and is often found missing Lamentia when she isn't around.

Cookie (Kind of Author, Voice in their head)- [74%] [79%]- Cookie was Star's author. They interact with each other a surprising amount. Sometimes Cookie protects Star, sometimes not. He can't do much to harm Star anymore, so he just bothers Star or helps them out.

Daisy Bell (Adoptive Sibling, Puppeteer) - [100%] [97%]- Star cares for Daisy a lot. Trying to do a lot to make them feel better. Star trusts Daisy with their soul, in the literal sense. Star would do anything for Daisy and Star's other family members.

Evren - [99%][96%] Midnight - [98%][96%] Null - [96%][95%] Wallie- [97%][94%]

Alice - [98%][95%] - Star thinks Alice is awesome. Star really wants to see Alice more often and thinks she is great to be around.

Emily - [96%][96%] - Star really admires how Emily interacts with others. Star thinks its awesome that Emily is (How do I say "a girlboss" in a formal way?) willing to stand up for herself and her family.

Father/Zailyn's Father (Grandfather)- [40%] [70%] - Star sees their Grandfather as somewhat enjoyable if their horrible actions to others were set aside. Star does not believe Father can harm them much at all, so they don't aren't necessarily scared of him. Star hopes that eventually, Father can slightly improve as a person, at least to the point of not being a threat to Zailyn.

Grat (Adoptive Brother)- [100%] [97.7%]- Star believes Grat is really fun to be around, picking up a lot of his habits, and looking forward to seeing how he makes peoples day more bright. Star worries that Grat might be hiding pain or problems, so Star tries to prevent any problems from time to time that may be troubling him.

Ebrofour- [81%] [91%]- Star sees Ebrofour as an uncle. Although Star was originally confused by Ebrofour's motives, they later grew to understand him more. Star appreciates Ebrofour's care for them a lot.

Ebrofive- [98%] [95%]- Star believes Ebrofive is an angelic figure. Star sees him as a cousin somewhat.

Jessa- [96%][96%]- Star sees Jessa as an aunt. They think Jessa is really fun to be around and really kind and an overall great person.

Aculia- [100%][95%]- Star thinks Aculia is some sort of hero. Star is really impressed by all the things Aculia has done to help out everyone, and trusts them a lot. Star appreciates how kind Aculia is.

Venus Bell- [24%] [52%] - Star sees good in them sometimes.

Radio Bell- [64%] [42%] - ……………………….…Star thinks he's fun sometimes. Originally having feared Radio horribly, now they hold no regards to Radio in that way.

Jonah Francois [99.7%][96%] - Star sees Jonah like a parental figure. Star appreciates all of Jonah's work deeply and looks up to him.

Zararelji [90%] [96%] - Star likes Zararelji a lot. Zararelji is one of Star's best friends. They were really happy when Zararelji seemingly had a shared desire to protect people as well. They get excited every time they see Zararelji, even if she isn't doing well. Star would put aside a lot to spend time with Zararelji. Zararelji is one of the people Star feels like they can be completely themself around, which makes them happy.

Seth (Romantic Partner) [100%] [100%] - Star loves Seth a lot. Seth is one of the people Star thinks about the most. Star has numerous drawings of Seth in her sketchbook. Star always wants to be by Seth's side, no matter what, and no matter who tries to separate them. They aren't shy in the slightest in how much they like Seth. Seth is the person Star is most comfortable around.

Artemis [93%] [94%] - Star just wanted, and still wants to see Artemis happy. Star looks up to Artemis, and wants to make her days stress free.

Pixie [93%][87%] - Star believes Pixie is pretty fun and kind, wishing they could be closer friends. Star cares quite more than average about Pixie, hoping that nothing bad happens. Seeing themself as somewhat of a parental figure to Pixie.

Elizabeth [62%][78%] - Star believes Elizabeth is a threat of some kind. A threat to someone they care about. Star isn't sure yet but they are pretty confident that she is a danger to some of their friends. However, Star also sees that she is a bit silly, and thinks that is enjoyable.

Ell [8%][26%] - Patience is thinning.

Ell (Angel) [99.5%] [99%]- Star's current best friend. One of the favorite people they have met. Star is deeply invested in her personality and actions and overall is very fond of her. Star calls her "Elli". If asked, Star would speak paragraphs on how much they enjoy her presence.

Sonic The Hedgehog [87%] [95%] - You're not getting context.

TRAMPOLINEFAN6389- [27%] [38%] - They crushed Star's skull open. I feel as if that explains how Star feels well enough.

Gabriel [72%] [91%] - Star really likes Gabriel. Always constantly worried for him and trying to make things better for his unfortunate circumstances.

Midnight Moon [100%][99%] - Star thinks Midnight is really kind and fun to be around. Star is glad to be one of Midnight's best friends.

Bakon [53%] [34%] - Neutral.

Shirou [27%] [48%] - Star has little to no care for Shirou. Assuming him as a complete threat.

House (Darkness, Jeff) [2%] [0%] - Star sees House as pathetic, never actually succeeding at anything. At this rate, House can not do anything to harm Star, so they really don't care. They hold no guard against House.

Asteral (Cousin) [89%][84%] - Star cares quite a lot for their cousin. They like to play around with Asteral from time to time, just being silly and having fun.

Unpleasant [51%][62%] - Star thinks Unpleasant is cool. Although a bit scary.

Zandeee [88%][84%] - Star is a bit intimidated by Zandeee, not in a physical way, but in a way similar to being intimidated by a manager or company executive. Star still thinks they are pretty cool and intelligent.

Asa [95%][96%] - Star thinks Asa is super cool. Not much more to add beyond that!

Cinyu [80%][97%] - Cinyu is one of Star's closest and longest friends. Star cares for Cinyu so much. Although their friendship is strained due to Cinyu's strange violent behavior from time to time.

Pancakepieman45[40%][12%] - Neutral thoughts. Star likes watching them be stupid from time to time.

Jumper [99%] [95%]- Star doesn't see the possibility of Jumper doing much wrong, viewing him as a wise person who knows a lot.

Sleuth [5%] [51%]- Star as of now likes Sleuth. However, Star believes that in the future, they will do something that will be very difficult to justify.

Kits (Voice in Star's head) [74%][83%]- You'd think a person who speaks in their head telling them to kill people would be a great bothersome to Star, but a lot of the time, Kits is chill and provides more interesting thoughts beyond that.

Kenzie (Adoptive sister) [100%][98%]

Marcid [97%][96%]

Lancia [88%][78%]

Max Godspeed (Adoptive Brother) [42%]64%]

Rowan [87%][90%]

Unus [40%][73%]

Randumb[78%][95%]

Burger_EXP [88%][94%]

Burger_GLD [47%][43%]

Korissa [89%][93%]

Star considers most other dummy like them to be family. Nearly every other dummy isn't sentient however, and just stands still. Yes, they even talk to the dummies.

Pari (Dummy) [99%][96%]

Flowers (Dummy) [100%][99%]

Paint (Dummy) [98%][96%]

Keith (Dummy) [97%][94%]

Pastel (Dummy) [99%][96%]

D. Dummy (Dummy) [85%][90%]

Aviary Dummy (Dummy) [92%] [94%]

If you aren't here, you're still probably Stars friend! They love friends.

Audio

Star's actual voice is far more similar to a text to speech program, messy, annoying, and inhuman. They prefer to mimic other peoples voices. (Their pretender form voice is currently being mimicked from their mailwoman) The whole voice mimicking thing heavily messes up if they begin to laugh though, causing their laugh to sound horrible and demonic.

Yes. They're all just generic royalty free songs. This is because Star is generic.

Art by @foolerene

Art by @reijikaw

Please be kind with the Dummy. :P

I'm somewhat bad at writing and pretty bad at roleplaying, so please bare with me! Thank you in advance, I'll get better over time. :D

Off topic but Star reminds me of SpongeBob a lot.

Star's first ever design was made by @abagofstalechiips

Star's fallen design was partially created by @burger-exp

Star has a house. They spent like 40 thousand dollars buying a baseplate in a small pocket dimension to build it. If you want you can go there.

You can read Star's Diary entries in their house, there's like.. 50 pages of it. Pretty fun :D

[your-gay-grandma]

Butch/Femme history and culture introduction (written by a femme lesbian, deeply in love with being so)

💖Ideal for people immersing themselves in lesbian culture for the first time

🤍This post will contain brief summarising information about butch/femme culture and history as well as an introductory resource list for continuing your learning journey.

🧡It is by no means exhaustive and is intended as a very basic and simplified introduction that people can and should easily build on. Please try to keep this intention in mind before telling me i have neglected something!

⚠️ Disclaimer - this post is admittedly very centred on butch/femme history of the US and western culture in the 1900s. If there is a different culture or time that you’d be interested to learn more about, I would be overjoyed to research it so please let me know! Lesbianism has existed everywhere in every time and the cultural variation of this is beautiful and SO important. I do not want to neglect that but cannot fit it all in this brief introduction post.

“Whether reclaiming femininity from the male gaze or rejecting feminine gender norms by embracing butch, the subculture is intrinsically radical: it empowers lesbians to renounce patriarchal standards of beauty.” - Megan Christopher

What is butch/femme?

butch/femme is a lesbian subculture with a deep and rich history and culture. It goes far beyond masculine and feminine aesthetics and informs lesbian identity and dynamics. Butch/femme culture is a crucial part of LGBTQ+ history and culture as a whole.

It has existed for a very long time but it is very important to know that not all lesbians are butch/femme. In fact, most lesbians will not identify with either label and that is completely okay! You will see some lesbians describe themselves as butch4butch or femme4femme.

Traditionally, there is nothing in between butch/femme and to suggest otherwise negates the rich significance of the identities. Some people suggest it is a spectrum with “futch” in the middle. This is however not the case and the significance of this will become clear as we delve further into the importance of butch/femme identities to queer culture and history. Crucially too, straight women cannot be butch/femme

Aren’t butch/femme just replicating traditional heterosexual gender roles?

Absolutely not! In fact, they outwardly challenge them.

Gender and sex are constructs. A lot of lesbians find that butch/femme are gender identities in of themselves (myself included)

Instead, butch/femme are identities that encapsulate a particular “performance” of gender. The attributes of these may seem “masculine” or “feminine” but this is only because of the strict gender binary our society ascribes to gender performance.

Judith Butler, in their book Gender Trouble, notes that a lot of lesbians in general have a complex relationship to gender. This is because our binary perception of womanhood is constructed on the basis that “male” is default and “female” is the only sexed other. Because lesbianism is the only identity that totally de-centres men, a lot of lesbians (regardless of being butch, femme or neither) will not feel like they are conventionally “women”.

A lot of the time, butch/femme roles were and still are a source of safety and solace

Butch

Butch refers to masculinity in any number of ways

Butches typically and historically face high levels of discrimination and harassment for their gender non conformity.

A very important butch text is Stone Butch Blues, written by Leslie Feinberg

In the book, Feinberg discusses the importance of working-class identities to butchness.

Some butches are transmasculine. This doesn’t make them less of a lesbian, as long as they have ties to butchness and lesbianism.

Stone butches are lesbians who do not like to be touched (or “receive”) during sex

Femme

Femmes are lesbians who present more “femininely”.

Femmes do not necessarily conform to society’s perception of womanhood. Many will have complex relationships to gender identity or will present as hyper-feminine.

Hyper-femininity is an exaggerated performance of womanhood where aspects of dress, character and/or mannerisms of femininity may be heightened.

This is why a lot of the time lesbians can still “clock” (or recognise) femmes as being gay. Straight women tend to feel put off by the level of femininity common with hyper-feminine femmes.

History

In western culture, butch/femme culture existed underground or secret up until the mid 20th century. We can assume however that butch/femme dynamics have existed for a long time.

In the early 1900s, butch/femme dynamics were confined to underground gay bars.

In this case, femmes were often considered in a position of privilege as they were “straight passing” and could only be recognisably lesbian when accompanied by a butch.

Femmes will often assert sexuality through their femininity.

In the 1940s, butch/femme dynamics were extremely important and a thriving part of lesbian culture.

Women were allowed to enter bars without men.

In the US, butches would have to dress femininely in order to hold employment and avoid harassment and assault based on their preferred gender non-conformity.

Butches dressed in a way that was accepted by society, while still presenting as more masculine than the norm. Alix Genter writes that "butches wore long, pleated skirts with their man-tailored shirts, sometimes with a vest or coat on top"

In the 1950s, many butches refused to live these double lives. Their full-time masculine presentation made it difficult for them to work so they were often employed in factories or as taxi drivers. (hence the importance of working-class solidarity with butches)

Increased lesbian visibility and a strong anti-gay political stance at the time of McCarthyism led to increased attacks on queer women and resulted in a particularly defiant gay bar culture.

Butches are therefore extremely important in our fight for LGBTQ+ rights. It was butches and trans women who were known for fighting back for our rights and visibility.

In the 1970s, particular sentiments of lesbian separatist feminism declared masculinity and butchness was harmful to women. This led to the popularisation of more androgynous fashion amongst lesbians including boots, jeans and flannels. This movement weakened butch identifiers and is known for alienating lesbians of colour and working class lesbians.

Lesbian separatism is essentially the idea that lesbians should exist separate to men and heterosexual women. That is why some theorists believed performances of masculinity were harmful (while others did not believe this and it is obviously not true)

Introductory reading list (online articles that are short and accessible)

how butch/femme subcultures allow gay women to thrive by Megan Christopher for VICE: https://www.vice.com/en/article/wjwzqx/how-butch-femme-subcultures-allow-gay-women-to-thrive

A good introduction to the radical history and importance of butch/femme identities.

The Lesbians That Founded The Gay Village And The Mafia Alliance They Made For Protection by Diana Robertson: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-lesbians-that-founded-the-gay-village-and-the-mafia_b_5941d7a1e4b0d99b4c921126

Really helpful history!

No Matter What’s Gendertrending, the Butch is Here To Stay by Jack Halberstam

https://web.archive.org/web/20180907141513/https://www.afterellen.com/tv/443117-no-matter-whats-gendertrending-the-butch-is-here-to-stay

I don’t like the suggestion of the title but the article itself has good information. Jack Halberstam is an important queer theorist. I also recommend his writings on queer failure. This article has some generally good direction about butchness, especially in modern media. “Butch is always a misnomer; masculine but not male, female but not feminine, the term serves as a placeholder for the unassimilable, for that which remains indefinable or unspeakable within the many identifications that we make and that we claim.”

Key books for a deeper understanding (and their pros and cons)

The Persistent Desire: A Femme–Butch Reader by Joan Nestle

Gender Trouble by Judith Butler (one of my favourite books of all time. Really difficult to get through but very worthwhile and completely changed the way I understand sex and gender)

Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg (an incredibly important lesbian text. Can be very difficult to get through, especially emotionally. Please make sure to check triggers before reading)

Dagger: On Butch Women by Lily Burana

[rollinouttahere-writes]

Doflamingo child liking Law and Cora is hilarious. Is Corazon also her "comfort person" she goes to for solace either from injury, or nightmare etc.? Does she ever slip up and call him dad? Also the gender neutral term for neice or nephew is nibling. Which I find funny since I thought (and kinda still think it fits better as) a word for a non binary sibling instead of calling them your brother or sister. Btw do you allow anons to claim emojis or names to differentiate ourselves if so can I be 🍀?

Yeah, you can claim a nickname for yourself as an anon. I've got at least one other anon like that. And thank you! I've heard that term thrown around a couple of times, but I wasn't 100% sure what it meant lol

Corazon does absolutely become a comfort person to his niece. It doesn't take him long to notice that she tends to gravitate towards him whenever Doflamingo snaps at her for getting on his nerves. Cora knows that he has a reputation to uphold, but he just can't bring himself to be cold to his niece when she's desperately trying to get his love and attention.

It really puts a damper on his plan since the other kids realize they can get away with more stuff around him so long as Doffy's kid is there lol

Her slipping up and calling Corazon dad would cause the end all be all of crash outs from Doflamingo. Cora's gonna be running for his life as soon as he hears his trigger happy brother loading the gun.

[deny-the-issue]

Autumnal Reaping

Chapter One: At First Glance

Masterlist

Next chapter ->

Overall Summary: While researching a topic you hold close to heart, you meet Emmrich Volkarin in a chance encounter. He introduces both romance and academic opportunities into your stagnant life as an unknown, sinister shadow lurks from beyond the Fade.

This story is set after the events of the game where Rook does not romance Emmrich. There will be end-game spoilers, although they are not discussed in detail.

Thank you to my wonderful friend for beta reading, @juniper-sunny <3 I'm sitting on the finished second chapter already, and I cannot wait to post! I'll probably set it free in a day or two, but the next updates will be every 1-2 weeks after that.

Like this -> post to join the tag list for this story!

AO3 link

Divider link

[MDNI] [Emmrich x you] [Emmrich x Reader] [no y/n] [fluff] [angst] [fat!reader] [reader has boobs and vulva] [eventual smut] [eventual romance] [non-binary pronouns] [angst with a happy ending]

The Mourn Watch is a respectable order within Nevarra, and it is an honor to be a watcher. Yet, to be a part of a respected order and to be respected are two concepts leagues apart, and the latter is far out of your reach. There are worse lives you could be living, certainly, but if you could roll the dice and be someone else–you’d do it in a heartbeat.

A better life is but a blink away, always residing in the back of your mind. While you toil away at your day job, a daring adventure plays out in a daydream, saving you from the monotony of daily life.

Wake, clean, study, repeat.

To clean up after the real masterminds of this place is a privilege to those unable to contribute in other meaningful ways–as Matron Thistle is fond of saying. You could recite the jab in your sleep, and the ensuing spite fuels your day to day grind. It works, you suppose, but this amount of ill will can’t be good for your fragile mental health.

Studying is the only part of your day that is entirely yours. A refuge and a hobby, you research the nature of the Fade, venturing into metaphysics more often than not. There are many theories surrounding the Fade’s properties, but so much is unknown. 

It fascinates you to ponder the different possibilities of what's out there. Looking not only for answers to humanity’s greatest questions, but of other worlds and dimensions. 

Maladaptive daydreaming with your nose in a book is how you spend most evenings, nestled away deep in the catacombs. People never tread these quiet, hallowed halls, and for that, you are thankful. Most people your age have moved far beyond your current status, and your fellow janitors are a rotating door of freshmen having drawn the short stick for work duty. 

Friends are impossible to come by for you, these days. Not that it’s ever been easy for you. Solitude is a solace, allowing you to be yourself unapologetically.

This cozy, abandoned corner you’ve come to call yours has a stone table in the middle of the small room. Its walls are lined with urns containing remains of the unidentified dead, instilling the stagnant air with a chilling sadness. 

The stone walls and floors match that of the rest of the Necropolis, gray bathed in green veilfire. Sand collects in little piles and thin lines along the edges of the room, ever present in these parts. Sweeping wouldn’t do much good–you know from experience. The sand falls from the Fade, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. 

There is comfort among the forgotten–a kind of kinship, even. The wisps in this area have taken a liking to you as well, their shimmering cyan forms with tendrils stemming from a center point gives them the appearance of an etheric dandelion.  

Two of them float and bob around weightlessly to the same beat as your hips, swaying to an unheard rhythm. Too antsy to sit, you stand as you read with your back to the open hallway. Humming and singing errant lyrics absentmindedly, you tear through a text on an obscure theory of the Fade recorded hundreds of years ago. 

Despite life’s general malaise, it was a good day. Matron Thistle ate something that disagreed with her and you had an amazing day without her nagging your every move. You’re so relaxed from the quiet day of work, you could kiss those skeletons on cooking duty. 

A man clears his throat, announcing his presence behind you. You freeze as if you’ve been caught, and turn around slowly. 

“Ah, hello! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” The man clasps his hands together. “It’s rare to find another person among these forsaken souls.”

How long has he been standing there?!

With a perfectly cordial tone, his carefully modulated voice complements his fine clothes and jewelry, giving him a distinguished air enhanced by his crows feet and gray hair. Going from his grave-gold, he is a prominent member of the Mourn Watch, and you adjust your behavior accordingly. 

“Sorry, I can go.” Your book closes with a heavy thud and you hastily grab your bag off the floor. 

“No, please. These halls could do with a bit of warmth.” He smiles, pointing to the wisps with his gloved hand. “They’re quite fond of you.”

“Oh-uh, yeah. They keep me company while I read.” Your fingers trace the intricate grooves of the book cover nervously.

“Personal or academic study? If I may ask.” Interested or nosy, you have the handsome man’s full attention.

The wisps investigate him and you relax a little. They are excellent judges of character, or at least you choose to believe so. The man greets the wisps with the same respectful manner he used with you, and the gesture softens your guard. 

“Personal.” The man’s silence pushes you to say more. “It’s about the possible multi-dimensional properties of the Fade.”

“How interesting! What drew you to that line of inquiry?”

“Uh-just, you know…” you clear your throat and try to string some coherent words together. “I like the thought of other worlds out there. From subtle differences to global changes–the possibilities are endless.”

“Ah, yes! Fascinating to think about, isn’t it? I spent some time in my youth researching multi-world theory. An under-appreciated topic, unfortunately. I can count on one hand the number of sources,” he sighs wistfully.  “I apologize for putting you on the spot. All topics of the Fade interest me, deeply. Learning about its mysteries is one of life’s greatest pleasures.”

With an agenda all their own, the wisps leave the two strangers alone, their ethereal laughter fading quickly. And with them, the little peace of mind you obtained vanishes. 

“What-uh, brings you down here?” you ask, shuffling nervously.

“Ah, well. There is a rumor of a haunting in this area. Have you seen any wandering, restless spirits?”

After a moment of thought, you shrug and shake your head. “Not that I know of.”

“Ah, good. Are you down here often?”

“Mhm. Almost every night.” Your answer seems to satisfy his curiosity.

Anxiety worms through your stomach because you revealed more than you’re comfortable. His kindness is too disarming–or is it because you haven’t stopped blushing this whole time? Are you imagining the connection you feel?

Probably. 

“My rounds should be made with ease, then. Thank you for the riveting conversation. I apologize for interrupting your private study, and I hope you have a pleasant evening.” With a little bow, he makes his exit gracefully.

You manage an awkward, “It’s ok! You too.” Waving nervously after him. 

Why the fuck did you wave. That’s not something you do normally. Place a hot old man in front of you and your brain leaps into the void. 

Looking back at the closed book that held your attention in a vice only moments ago, obscenities leak from your mouth. You didn’t mark your page, and you lack the motivation to find it again. Sighing heavily, you gather your things and head back to your living quarters for the night. 

The jingle of your keys as you unlock the door is outmatched by the growl of your stomach. 

Wishing you could ignore it but knowing you can’t, you drop your things off in your room and follow your nose to the kitchens. The cafeteria is closed this time of night but the kitchens are always open to those who need a snack. 

The sleepless skeleton cooks greet you with excited hisses, bringing a smile to your exhausted face. 

The warm yellow light of the fire is a welcome change from the green-tinted surroundings. Dried garlic and herbs hang from the walls, pots and pans litter the counter tops, and a wooden table rests off to the side with three mismatched chairs. 

You’ve developed a rapport with the regular cooks, teaching them how to add more flavor in little ways. A skeleton with a bow tie brings you a bowl of soup before you can even ask. 

“Oh, thank you, Francis. You’re too kind.” You notice the droplets of orange oil floating at the top of your corn chowder. “You even added chili crisp! You’re the best.”

Happily slurping away with not an ounce of grace, you barely hear the footsteps approaching. 

You place the bowl on the table with a heavy thunk, rake a napkin across your mouth, and turn to face the visitor. 

“Hello again!” he greets. 

It’s the same man from before, but this time he has a skeleton at his side. They are wearing an acolyte’s robe and goggles, which tickles something at the back of your mind. 

You’ve gone twenty years without seeing him in the Necropolis and now here he is, twice in one day. What are the odds?

“Oh, hey! Find any hauntings?” you ask. 

“No restless spirits tonight. Though, I doubt there ever was one.”

“Oh?”

“Several people have reported ghostly singing echoing through those halls,” he pauses, choosing his next words carefully. 

The pieces begin to fall into place through the silence, and embarrassment tints your every move. Eyes cast down, you fidget with your hands, waiting for judgement. 

“You have a lovely voice,” he finishes with a kind smile.

“What?—oh, uh. Thank you,” you smile out of reflex. 

His words are slow to process. Lovely? You count your blessings that you were singing something pretty and not screeching like a banshee. It’s surprising this hasn’t happened sooner, now that you think about it. 

“Manfred!” The skeleton hisses, pointing a boney finger at its chest. 

“You’re right, Manfred! Where are my manners? I never properly introduced ourselves. I am professor Emmrich Volkarin, and this is my pupil, Manfred.” Emmrich steps forward, offering his ungloved hand. 

Your name sounds dingy in comparison with no title or accomplishments to go along with it. But it’s hard to dwell on such things when his hand is warm in yours, skin weathered and soft. 

Emmrich Volkarin. Emmrich Volkarin… 

“Wait—not the Professor Emmrich Volkarin that took a sabbatical to save the world?!”

He laughs, lighthearted and breathy. “The very same.”

You relinquish his hand, cringing. Handshakes aren’t supposed to last that long, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Quite the opposite, actually. 

“What were you singing before? If I may ask,” he inquires.

Caught off-guard once again, you look at him blankly. You should have known he would have questions. 

“Just something that came to mind,” you offer, shrugging.

Please be enough. Don’t make me explain.

Emmrich hums thoughtfully. You’ve disappointed enough people to know the look of disbelief when you see it, but he doesn’t push the topic. Something else catches his attention off to your side.

“Is the soup too spicy for your liking?” he asks. 

“Oh no–It’s delicious! I’ve added chili crisp to my food so much the cooks have caught on–they’re so thoughtful,” you blurt out, all too excited to talk about your newfound way of adding flavor to the normally-dull daily soup.

“Ah–so you’re the mysterious mentor! The Watcher overseeing the kitchens was quite perplexed at the altered menu,” Emmrich reveals.

“...altered menu? Wait–they made it this way for everyone?!” 

Emmrich nods, “I appreciate a little spice now and then, but a Matron admitted herself to the infirmary early this morning.”

“Not Matron Thistle?!”

“You know her?”

Flabbergasted, you look at Francis. Bow tie quaking, he backs out of the room slowly at first, and then skitters away. Laughter bubbles up from your chest, unbidden. You cover your mouth, but you can’t hide the shit-eating grin splitting your face as you devolve into a fit of giggles. 

You’re the reason she was out today?! This puts the cherry on top of your rarely acquired good day. 

All at once, awareness smacks you in the face. You’re laughing at someone's misery in front of an esteemed Watcher. 

Unable to hide the amusement still plain on your face, you place a hand on his forearm, looking at him with wide, pleading eyes. “Please don’t tell her it was me! She already hates me! I promise I didn’t tell the cooks to add it to everyone's food!”

Francis, you betrayed me!

He chuckles, placing a hand over yours. “I assure you—your secret is safe with me.”

The contact makes your heart race. Your eyes flick down to his lips then back up to his enchanting eyes. It was only a millisecond, but you’re worried he noticed.

“You’re sweet,” your mouth moves before your mind. “I mean—thank you!” Shaking off the slip of the tongue. 

Stop it. Why am I flirting??? Who even am I right now. 

With a sassy tilt of his head, Emmrich doesn’t miss a beat. “She’s not my favorite Watcher, either.” 

You share a lighthearted smile and bite your lip. 

Shit. He’s so charming!

He pulls away and you miss the warmth of his hand as the moment ends, wishing for more.

Emmrich hesitates, mulling over something silently before asking, “Would you be interested in having tea with me sometime? It would be my pleasure to get to know you.”

“Me?! I’m not that interesting,” you pause, redirecting your thoughts. “I’d love to!” 

“There is more to you than meets the eye, dear.” Softly chastising, he takes a moment to admire your bashful look. “Everyone is entitled to their privacy—it is not my place to pry. However, I hope you feel comfortable enough to trust me, in time. How does Tea in the Garden sound? Let’s say–noon?”

“Tomorrow?” You ask with a dumbfounded expression. 

Not only does he want to date you, but so soon as well? What does he see in you?

Emmrich nods, “Unless you’re busy, of course. We can always reschedule for another day.”

You typically get an hour for lunch, so you’re eager to agree. If it goes over, you won’t have the strength to end it early. 

But….

What Matron Thistle doesn’t know can’t harm her. 

“Tomorrow’s perfect!” you blurt out excitedly. 

“Yes!” Manfred hisses, his excitement palpable in his raised arms. 

Emmrich’s eyes brighten, shimmering in the dim room. “Wonderful! I’m looking forward to it. Now, please, continue your meal. I am sorry to interrupt you yet again.”

“You can interrupt me anytime.” The words stumble out of your mouth easily, but lose volume by the end as your confidence wanes.

Emmrich takes your hand in his, dipping gracefully to kiss it. “Goodnight, dear.”

“G-goodnight!” you stutter, mind utterly broken from the small token of affection. 

“G’night!” Manfred waves, and you return his gesture with a small laugh.

“Goodnight, Manfred.”

After they leave you collapse back into a chair, letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. 

You want him in ways you thought had dried-up long ago. But the water has been set free, careening through the familiar, desiccated paths it left behind. It’s nice to feel desire again, after all this time. But it feels laced with danger–hoping for something you’ve never truly had with a man you barely know.

It’s just a matter of time before he sees in you what everyone else does. Nothing. No prospects, no friends–not anymore, anyway. 

The one friend you had was sent away for causing too many fights, finally earning a prolonged stay in the most dangerous part of the Necropolis. You haven’t heard from her in six months, and count yourself left behind. 

Even through the doubts, you smile as you finish your meal. A warm blush settles across your face that not even walking back through cold halls can extinguish. 

A soft noise pulls you from your reverie. You come to a halt, the ruffle of your clothes fading to silence as you listen. 

The hair on the back of your neck raises, and you start to panic. Eyes darting around the empty, seemingly endless hall for a threat with fisted hands.  

“Mreow!” A black cat emerges from a dark corner, its green eyes matching the surrounding lamps. 

Heart pounding in your chest, you let out a breath of relief, feeling quite silly now. 

“Hi there!!! You’re so pretty!” you coo, all too excited to see a new furry friend. 

The cat rubs up against your leg, doubling back in between them like a figure eight. Its fur glistens in the dark, thick and healthy looking, and its figure is lean and muscular, befitting an outdoor cat. 

“Ooh, thank you! You’re so cute. Can I pet you??” You lean down, offering your hand.

The cat sniffs you for only a moment before rubbing its cheek against your fingers. Cautiously, you scratch behind its ears and your heart melts as it chases your touch, raising its head into your palm, eyes closed.

“Such a trusting lil guy, huh? Do you wanna come home with me?” 

As soon as you think the cat distribution system finally got to you, the cat perks up as if it heard something, and then scampers away. 

Maybe another time. 

Sighing heavily, you return to your room alone with a mind swimming with possibilities and failures. 

You need to get some sleep.

You have a date tomorrow, after all. 

Butterflies flutter in your stomach, threatening your peaceful rest before a busy day. Lazily humming a relaxing tune, you let your mind wander, never staying on any specific thought, and the day fades away to a fitful slumber, plagued by dreams. 

Tag list: @planetahmane, @l0calgoth, @ohlookacow, @severusminerva, @thepalehorsevictoria

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[ball-of-insecurities]

Casual Representation of Queer People in Riordan Books Has Me Grinning.

Uncle Rick is like: Here is a good representation of the erasure of queer people when Nico grew up. (1932, Italy.) Also that scene where he goes "Ares looks pretty." (Mythomagic) and the other kid goes, "THAT'S GROSS."

*Also casually mentions the fact that Will Solace had to deal with homophobia and discrimination growing up. (He was born in 1996, remember? Back then, Texas had laws against same-sex relationships and marriage.)* (TO CLARIFY: TEXAS' MORE HARMFUL LAWS WERE OFF BY THE TIME HE WAS 8, BUT TEXAS DIDN'T REALLY BECOME OPENLY INCLUSIVE UNTIL HE HAD LEFT FOR CHB AT 11/12 YEARS OLD.)

Some people figure it out early, others don't realise until their well into their teens. The damage was probably already done, though, in his upbringing. Naomi would have been supportive, but gods know how much sh|t he heard from other people the moment he showed mild interest in anything other that blue and black monster trucks or dinosaurs or toy guns or something. 'That shirt looks nice.' 'It's pink and therefore girly. Don't go near it.'

There are many others written to be queer or curious. Apollo is just openly bi/pansexual. Alec from Magnus Chase is openly gender-fluid. (he/she/they, depends on what he/she/they feel(s).) Epiales too, openly non-binary. (They are one of the cacodemons of Nyx, introduced in 'The Sun and the Star".) There's inclusion of aroace characters and sapphic characters too, with Hunter of Artemis and the 2 retired Hunters with their adopted daughter in Trials of Apollo. (Jo and Emmie, adopted Georgie)

Something I'd like to point out here is that the plot doesn't revolve around the fact that they are LGBTQIA+. Rick Riordan didn't go: look at this character. They are non-binary. That's their whole personality. That's right, THEIR. THEY chose these pronouns. One of the only complication in THEIR story is that people aren't accepting them enough.

Instead, these characters are written beautifully with depth and beliefs and losses and flaws. A lot of these characters' sexuality ties directly to their upbringing and experiences. Their sexuality helps readers perceive the emotional complexity in their writing. Being queer isn't essential to the plot, it is one of their characteristics. It helps readers understand them.

Sometimes, it's just 'I'm gay.' 'Ok :D' And that level of acceptance and acknowledgement SLAPS.

[xixovart]

my rrverse headcanons that i will save in my drafts until it explodes

possible tw for mentions of weaponry and violence!! (bullet point no.5)

nico with heterochromia?? im?

a LOT of aphrodite kids are pansexual. somethinf about love knowing no bounds or restrictions to gender because love is a connection to the soul or whatever

actually on that idea a lot of aphrodite kids are under the non binary umbrella :)

spreading the deaf will solace agenda

annabeth goes to a shooting range to relieve stress

she got that from thalia

i just need you to picture how unbelievably destroyed thalia must’ve been when they told her about luke.

alex fierro really likes cupcakes. but he’s like. ashamed of it?? for some reason

one time magnus walked in on her while she was eating some red velvet? hilarious interaction.

“magnus it’s not what ir looks like i swear.”

”what? you use someone’s blood to make those?”

rip bianca di angelo you would’ve loved ratatouille. i don’t know.

kayla really likes mac n cheese. i really don’t know.

chris wnd beckendorf have an unmatched ‘our gfs are best friends but ngl we’re kinda gay for each other’ bromance

percy is REAAALLLYYY good at makeup

thalia is surprisingly good at volleyball?

frank once accidentally knocked down an entire grocery store isle… somehow.

hazel really likes ladybugs

“long day?” “tell me about it. keep em coming.” except it’s kayla pouring will grape soda into a wine glass when they were 12 after a day in the infirmary

unpopular opinion: will relentlessly finds loopholes for rules (and sometimes blatantly breaks them) while nico hates rule-breaking. one was raised in rich 1940s europe and the other is texan. guess who.

annabeth and will bonded over their shared love of true crime podcasts

hazel gossips like a hairstylist

“don’t look at me like that, you’re not my real dad 😒” -11 year old annabeth to chiron after the ares cabin caught fire “unexpectedly. somehow. for no reason.”

percy used to swims in fountains and steals people’s coins

piper blasts chappell roan at unhealthy volumes. so does will. they bond over that

zoë nightshade was in the theater abe lincoln was killed in. don’t know where this came from.

piper and leo were the most chaotic duo that wilderness school ever bore witness to. there were several science room “accidents.” and the food in the kitchens went missing every week “unexpectedly”

magnus hearth and blitz used to sit on rooftops and throw water balloons at tourists. fathers-son bonding i lobe them

frank likes tarzan and kung fu panda an unhealthy amount (he was a horrible influence on hazel)

hazel once made random hand signals at a boy who was bothering her told him she cursed him

bianca was surprisingly good at sports?

thalia had to put saran wrap on every outlet in the house for two months when jason was a year old because he would NOT stop sticking his fingers in them

reyna cannot cook. she only knows how to make a surprisingly good lemonade. it’s insane.

hedge, on the other hand, is a freaking chef. he’s like the love child of a really smart goat and gordon ramsay

annabeth and thalia are both master pickpockets because of their time on the road

luke had a soft spot for gummy bears

silena was very calm and collected but the SECOND this girl stepped FOOT in a rage room she lost her SHIR

mallory hates math. like actually loathes math.

magnus is math smart and mallory is english smart

(book 1) halfborn and magnus are the prank lords of floor 19

alex joined them the second he showed up (he destroyed half the hotel withing his first 24 minutes there? duh?)

cecil hates twizzlers

lou ellen cecil and will are VERY competitive go kart-ers

rachel and hazel are artist buddies and go on drawing dates

chiron gets father’s day presents

someone proposed the idea of achilles and patroclus training nico post-ttc and pre-botl???? stop right now im losing my mind i love this

spreading the multilingual nico agenda

mr. d gave will his tattoo

grover and percy unironically watch rom coms every saturday while eating vegan candy and cry for the characters

grover and rachel’s friendship is INCREDIBLY??? underrated

i think we forget that grover bianca and nico went to school together and bianca and grover were friends. imagine the chaos.

lester and kayla had regular arm wrestling matches (kayla always won btw)

whenever austin’s mad at his cabinmates he wakes them up at the asscrack of drawn by playing we are the champions on his flute.

idk why but malcolm seems very gumball coded.

“wait, where are you going?” “to the brony convention in lietchenstein. where do you think im going????” -canon conversation between malcolm and annabeth

wasian grace siblings wasian grace siblings wasian grace siblings.

ethan is a really bad liar in non-greek related matters

will’s love language is that he points at literally the two most random things and says “us” to nico

“nico look it’s us!! :D” “solace those are two dead leaves on the floor” “yeah but they’re next to each other :)”

sally knows taekwondo. no one knows when or how she learned, she just does and it’s terrifying

alabaster is a plant mom

dakota seems like the type of kid to slump so deep in a chair that he ends up falling off. and then he just like. lays there.

castor and pollux have a concerning attraction to fire

travis stoll likes strawberries :)

connor stoll chunks strawberries at travis from half a km away and calls is “aiming practice”

katie has the temper of a chihuahua

(post-tlo) percy and clarisse pretend to hate each other but they’re actually friends who fight like siblings and it’s surprisingly endearing?