#obviously this is not exactly what happened but its. so close to the mark???

[somebodyssherlock-heterodyne]

Going back over the Jayjon interactions in SoKE vol 1 and Jon really did just meet Jay and then rent the U-Haul on his way home from work huh

[dawndelion-winery]

Just A Taste

Kisses and more (it was not just a taste)

Ft. Alhaitham, Childe, Dottore, Wriothesley, Zhongli

Warnings: 18+, mdni, making out, Dottore being Dottore, teeny bit of Dragonli

Alhaitham:

Alhaitham's kisses, unlike his words, are gentle

Such is the way his lips find yours, soft to the touch, and every bit respectful

So much so that he always manages to catch himself as he leans in, biting his lip as he stares at you

His brow furrows in frustration with himself as he stops just short of kissing you, barely whispering a heavy "May I?"

When you assent, he finally leans in, eyes closed, palm on your cheek

Sweet, brief kisses (always at least three)

Of course, it's different if you initiate it

His hand finds the small of your back and pulls you closer, holding you in place lest you run off

If you're in the mood to kiss him, he'll push his luck for more

This time, he nibbles at your lips instead as his hands slide down from your back to your ass (he squeezes if he's in a particularly teasing mood)

And it's not hard to tell what he wants when he looks at you so hungrily like you're his next meal

Not that he'd ever act on it

Not unless you ask him to

It's almost tormenting, the way he touches you so respectfully despite so obviously wanting more

And for this, he's terribly fond of having you in his lap to enjoy the view, to see you squirm before you relent and beg him to be a little less restrained

"In that case...you don't happen to have any plans at the moment, do you? We'll likely be here for a while."

Childe:

Messy, wet, and full of teeth and nips

He kisses restlessly, like it's never enough to just be kissing you

His hands are everywhere, on your face, your arms, your chest, waist, thighs, you name it

Ajax kisses you with fervour, as though you're his first and he's trying to impress

His mouth never stops moving, be it trailing kisses across your face, or sucking on your neck, or even biting your cheek

He's always grinning too, like he's watching his favourite show

He very well may be too, with every sound leaving your lips composing his favourite soundtracks

Not that much of it can be heard when he swallows it all so eagerly

It always starts with him sitting innocently beside you too

And then his hand finds its way to your thigh as he inches closer, slipping an arm around you under the guise of a quick cuddle

Followed by a peck to your cheek as he scoots closer still

And of course, it's never enough for him, not when he craves you oh so much

So not so subtly, he rests his chin on your shoulder as his lips creep towards your neck

His movements are casual, almost lazy, and it would seem that way if not for the way he caged you in his embrace

Kiss him back and see how quickly his hold gets more playful, his hands start to wander more, grabbing and squeezing at any expanse of flesh he can reach.

More than anything, he loves murmuring praises as kisses you, as though the kisses engrave his affection right into your skin

"Mm, just a little more...I love you..."

Dottore:

He's a biter

He gets so nippy with his kisses that people worry for you

I mean, they're already worried because it's Dottore you're dating, the cuts and grazes that litter your skin only fuels their concern further

He likes it a little too much though, relishing the sight each time he adds new marks to the mix

It's like an art to him, and he wonders how many he should leave, how deep they should be, before he makes them permanent

He's very aware that you're apprehensive to him being so...violently inclined, so he contents himself with this much

Even then, he knows exactly what gets you ticking, the way your eyes flutter shut as he holds the nape of your neck to keep you from pulling away when he kisses you breathless

And while you recover, catching your breath while your mind is numb, he makes quick work at your neck and shoulders (your chest too, if enough of it is exposed)

His teeth, ever sharp, puncturing bruised skin just before he kisses it better

Cry if you will, he'll only stroke your face, his lips dancing gently across your features until the sniffling stops, and then he's right back to marking you

His hands do wonders to coax you into letting him do as he pleases each and every time

Painful as it gets, he's quick to rub soothing circles on your thighs or back, whichever is more convenient for him to hold you in place

"Hush, my dear," he mumbles against your cheek as he kisses your tears away. "You're not done so quickly, are you?"

Wriothesley:

Wriothesley kisses you with all the desperation and longing of someone dying to be in love

More often than not, he's pulling you in as you pull away for air because he's not nearly done

It's taken so much out of him to be this vulnerable with you that he can't imagine not wanting you and it shows. Very much.

You can barely pry him off you once he gets started, which is pretty funny considering how he almost seems averse to touch in public

But in private? When you drape yourself over him and kiss along his jawline so tantalisingly?

You're just begging for trouble

And what luck for you that he excels in dealing with troublemakers

The wall, his desk, they're all convenient surfaces to hold you captive for your sentence

He's quite partial to having you on his desk, though, since it's so easy to rub his hand up and down your thigh no matter how much you squirm

And then he can simply press his forehead to yours, muttering about what an attention seeker you are and sighing that you leave him no choice

He's fooling no one when he's practically grinning ear to ear as he leans in to capture your lips again

"Can't even keep your hands to yourself for a minute? I'll give you something to hold onto then."

Zhongli:

You'd expect him to be patient and gentle with his kisses

And while, yes, they are sensual to an extent, there's a certain amount of desperation to them

He's lost so many people over the years, mortal and immortal alike

The latter being worse on him because he had been so certain he'd have enough time with them

So for you, someone so dear to him, to be mortal...it's frustrating, to say the least

He tries so hard to maintain his human form but he really gets carried away sometimes, the urge to just give you the teeniest of nips with his long canines getting the better of him

His lips find yours hungrily, and when you turn you hear for air, he simply moves to your neck, your jugular

He loves feeling the warm pulse of your blood rushing through your veins, it's like sand trickling through an hourglass, letting him know he still had time with you

His lips never leave you until he's had his fill

His hands are, in fact, gentle, like a skilled potter, caressing you as sweetly as he thinks you are

You're so fragile, a mere human, and oh the things he might do to you if he were just some big bad dragon but you're just too precious to risk

His fingers dance across your skin like he's trying to paint you, fingertips feeling almost talon-like at times, but always lightly

Zhongli who wonders what your worship would feel like, but anxious he might enjoy it a little too much, pulling you up from your cosy kneeling spot so he can hold you properly

"I'm not your deity, now am I? There's no need for that, my precious, let me feel you."

[l0vem41l]

star stickers and best efforts.

「 tws + notes: no tws, unedited, hurt/comfort but 100% not at all, reader is mildly mean when nervous LIKE A BAD DOG /ref and most definitely written self-indulgently by accident, sun is mildly condescending, they r each others best supporters, mentions of a customer being rude but rly nothing crazy, sun uh... he's an interesting fella, BIGGG dialogue chunks im sorry im sorry 」

「 gn!reader, can be platonic or romantic <3 」

↳ ft. the daycare attendant/sun/sundrop

author's note: my wip title was literally just "the one where you're yelled at" :p but... hiiii!!! obligatory return to fnaf real quick becuz,,, no, i still havent gotten into the ruin dlc but YES i do love sun's personality in help wanted 2..... if this is ooc u can erm. shove me into wet concrete. (。﹏。) aaannywayz!! missed this!!! missed this so much!!!! ( ╯□╰ ) sorry for not valentine's day posting,,, scandalous ik since im lit rally Called Valentine. but oh well. enjoy! or dont. if you dont im sorry please request fnaf stuff so i can Fix That /srs

if you weren't relying on this job to put food on your table and a roof on your head, you’d burn the freddy fazbear’s mega pizzaplex to the ground for a piece of pocket lint and a pat on the head.

maybe it’s a bit dramatic to say that— you're paid well, you like your mostly robot coworkers, and most of the time (emphasis on most and not always) the work is manageable enough.

the customers are another story.

sun notices the minute you walk in the daycare. you look like you're a minor inconvenience away from murder— which naturally, makes him feel inclined to prod a little.

“well, someone’s awfully sulky today!”

while you’d typically crack a smile at the upbeat jester animatronic, his enthusiasm in the face of your misery is grating. there’s no energy left in your body to banter with him— you were using most of it to drag your feet over to the shoe caddy, toolbox in hand to fix up its shelf, now hanging askew due to a busted bracket.

“can it, sunny, i don't wanna hear it.” you mutter, more venomous than you intend it to be. he doesn’t even blink at your grumpiness. instead, he happily holds up the shelf while you inspect it and grab a new bracket to secure it.

at least he’s trying to make himself useful. you think to yourself.

his faceplate tilts slightly, staring at you with that ever present grin. his staring isn’t really helping, but you don’t fault him for it. you’ve gotten used to his antics by now. “woke up on the wrong side of the bed?” sun questions.

you shake your head.

“got yelled at by a customer— now, if you could please just drop the topic—” you sigh exasperatedly, not even bothering to finish the sentence as you sit down cross legged in front of the shoe caddy, slumping slightly in defeat.

much too persistent for his own good, sun decides that inquiring even further about the incident that seems to have you beat down is a good idea. “what’d you do?”

you consider feigning offense as he insinuates it’s somehow your fault. but you don’t. you just shrug it off.

“my job.” 

“ah, they do hate it when you do that.” he tuts.

“it wasn’t even that big of a deal,” you mutter, getting the bracket in place and marking it, “this one kid just so happened to walk up to the arcade machine i was putting an out of order sign on. i felt bad, so like, obviously, i hand the kid a few tokens, apologize politely, explain— and you’d think it’s all good right?”

you pause mid-ramble as you fix up the shelf. in all your misery, you forgot that you don’t even know exactly what caused the shelf to collapse like this. you consider asking.

sun leans in just a bit too close, interrupting your train of thought as you stare at the shelf. when you glance at him, he gives you a little nod.

go on, he seems to say wordlessly. he’s waiting silently for you to continue your story. it’s never not unnerving when he’s quiet.

“...anyways, uh... the kid’s dad came by and got mad or something. didn’t understand why i couldn’t just let him play one game since it looked perfectly functional— keep in mind, this is the arcade machine that literally kept eating up tokens only to not function, and shocked kids when it did— so i kept trying to explain why i couldn’t exactly do that. but for some reason, it was such a big fucking deal—”

“language.” he chides.

“...fricking deal. of course, i had to be berated for it. i offered to grab them more faz-tokens as compensation and i thought the problem was solved... and then i checked and saw he still left a bad review. definitely gonna hear about that from management.” sun hands you a tool as you continue to speak.

“but now i’m upset, i’m definitely in trouble, and my face hurts from the whole customer service smile i was holding that entire conversation. like seriously, i don’t know how i’m expected to do that 24/7.” you stop at your last remark and stare at sun and his unchanging expression. “...my bad.”

the awkward silence only lasts for a moment, thankfully. you’ve spoken your piece— sun decides to speak his.

“you did your best.” he says simply, as you finally fix the shelf into place. he pats you on the head and doesn't even hide his amusement when you sulk.

“i know that tone, sunny, you're making fun of me—”

“poor thing.” he continues, grinning brightly as he makes a show of patronizing you. sun’s hand continues to pat the top of your head gently, like he would when consoling a child. or when greeting a dog. has he,,, ever seen a dog before? probably not.

you groan and manage to shove his arm away.

“i do mean it though,” he continues, his tone still lighthearted— but notably more earnest as he notes your expression. sun helps you put your tools away neatly back into the toolbox, even though it really is just a one-man job.

“you tried your best,” sun closes the toolbox with a flourish and a click, “...and for that—!”

with a dramatic flick of his wrist, bells jingling as he does, sun produces a gold star sticker from… somewhere. he holds it up for you to see.

and then gently presses it onto the tip of your nose.

“to my favoritest human employee here! and my bestest of friends!” it’s hard to bite back a smile at those words. even if his little show of empathy and affection is much too theatrical for your current mood.

“whatever.” you shrug a little, unable to stop the corners of your mouth from twitching into a little grin. standing up and grabbing the toolbox, you give him an awkward thumbs up.

“thanks. and uh… sorry. for being mean. i guess.”

sun shakes his head dismissively, bouncy and bright as ever. “oh, don't mention it!”

something about his seeming lack of offense towards your prickliness makes you feel even more guilty. still, he gives you a wave as you head out, “bye-bye”-ing happily as you walk away, sticker stuck to your nose and smile on your face like an idiot.

you decide you’ll find a way to make it up to him later. you figure he deserves that much for putting up with everything.

meanwhile, sun is taking mental notes on more stuff to break of whenever you’ve been away for too long. just in case, of course. maybe you’d have more interesting customer encounters to rant about. and hey, you could use the company, couldn’t you?

— reblogs always appreciated!

[divinesolas]

hii🤝 can i request an ethan landry ex’s to lovers fic where the reader and ethan broke up cause of ethans jealousy so they’re just kinda mean and sarcastic to each other they’re basically just still mad at each other while being broken up and so there’s a lot of tension between them like but no smut i suck at making requests i’m sorry🙏🙏

Second Chances

Warnings | best friend anika, ex's to lovers, very bad insults (im not good at insults), implied attempted sa, asshole when drunk ethan, slight angst but with happy ending !! not proofread

wc | 2.4k

a/n: hiiii i really appreciate the request i hope you like it !! sorry if its not exactly what you wanted !!

“Clean up in isle four a bunch of fucking garbage spilled all over the floor.” You turn to your coworker next you who rolled her eyes and walked away mumbling something about the back.

Ethan and the others had found their way to your work establishment. Ethan turned his head towards you and rolled his eyes, “Don't you have a job to do?” “I am working asshole see” you gesture to your work uniform and pick one of the items off the shelf just to put it back on. He shakes his head and makes a step towards you so youre almost face to face, “you're so stupid.” You mock him, “How dare you?” “There's nothing wrong with pointing out the truth.”

“Just make out already Jesus christ.” Tara, tired of the two of you, leads the others out of the isle, Ethan scoffs and turns away from you, giving you one last look to which you flip him off before he walks out of the isle.

Watching him leave sucks, you hate to admit it but you miss him. So much. The night two weeks ago is still burning in the back of your memory.

you were just at a party only maybe thirty minutes ago, you had walked away from him and the rest of the group for a quick second to grab a refill only to get stopped by a guy. He grabs your arm and smiles at you. You think his name is mark? You recognize him from your English class.

“You wanna be my beer pong partner?” You shake your head and smile at him, “No sorry i just need to grab a drink.” he sighs, “can i atleast get your number gorgeous?” You shake your head, “I got a boyfriend.” “I'm sorry.” He nods and walks back over to the beer pong table.

You make your way over to the drink table, “what was that?” As you pour a drink you see your boyfriend, Ethan, standing behind you with an unreadable look on his face. you smile at him before turning back to the table, “you know that guy mark from english? he asked if i wanted to play beer pong with him.” you laugh and fill up your cup.

However, you turn back to see Ethan have an upset look. “is everything okay-” “why was he holding your arm?” Your expression turns grim due to his tone, “um… he asked for my number, i told him no obviously.” His face didn't let up, “Ethan, I promise nothing happened.”

He scoffs and turns away from you, “you looked a little too happy to have said no.” You look at him in disbelief, “are you kidding ethan?'' He doesn't look at you. “I can't believe this, you can't even trust me?” he turns back to you, “why should i?” you open and close your mouth in shock, “because i'm your girlfriend? You know what, no I'm not. you're unbelievable i'm so done with you.”

He follows after you, you can see a stumble in his step, is he drunk? “Baby please-” You huff, “Leave me alone, seriously. Dont text or call me.”

He had left you a large array of messages and tried to call you many many times but all of them went ignored.

Whenever he would try to approach you in person you shut down any sort of advances with an ache in your chest.

You feel a hand tap your shoulder and you turn to see anika there with a sad expression, “you still haven't talked to him?” why should you? he was disrespectful and mean, despite how much you may miss him you will never let someone treat you like he did.

“y/n please just talk to him, you two are miserable.” You sigh and shake your head, “I don't feel miserable, I feel great.” you let out a halfhearted laugh before playing with the already perfectly arranged shelf, “sorry but i have to get back to work.” You see in the corner of your eye her frowning but before she can say anymore you hear Mindy calling for her to join them as they leave.

She walks away and you feel regret at the sad look on her face, you'll have to text her an apology letter.

One of your bigger regrets from your breakup is that you cut contact with the whole group, it's not like they wanted to but you didn't want them to have to choose. you watch out of the corner of your eye as they walk out the front door and you take a breath of relief. This sucks.

—

When anika invites you to go shopping at the mall, you are shocked to see her standing around with the rest of the group. Ethan standing further back in the group in a seemingly heated discussion with mindy. God this sucks.

Praying she hasn't seen you yet you try to rush away, maybe text her that you aren't feeling well but of course, “y/n!! over here!!” you sigh and turn back with a forced smile.

you slowly walk over and seeing her genuinely cheerful smile puts a real one on your face, “anika hey, hi guys….” you look at the rest of the group who all greet you except one. He looks to the floor as anika begins to drag you along talking about what clothes she wants to get today.

Soon enough sam, tara and chad split off from the group leaving just you anika mindy and of course, ethan. You are now walking side by side with Ethan as Mindy and anika hold hands in front of you.

You look over to him and see him already looking at you and you scoff despite the fact your heart races, “it's rude to stare you know” he rolls his eyes, “it's hard not to when you have something in your hair.” your hands immediately fly to your hair picking and pulling at it.

He stops you with a sigh, “it's here.” He turns you head towards him and your face heads as he pulls something from your hair and flicks it from his hand. You two stare at each other, his doe eyes softening seeing your face. You look down at his lips, remembering how they felt, wishing you could just grab his neck and pull him against you.

You snap out of it hearing mindy laugh, “god they're so stupid.” You see anika smile at you as you two pull away from each other. You scoff as you move in front of the group, “don't do that again.” You begin to walk away not bothering to look if they're following you, “not even a thank you?” you don't turn back to look at him, not trusting yourself to.

–

“Your outfit looks bad.” “is that the worst you have?” His outfit doesn't look bad. Hes wearing a fucking suit of course he doesn't look bad. It was Sam's birthday so you were all going to some really nice restaurant. you turn your body fully away from him as you all wait in the lobby for the table.

“the worst thing here just so happens to be your hair.” you hear him scoff, “you love my hair.” You turn back to him with an angry look, why would he say that, it's true of course but he has no right. “i don't like your hair just as much as i don't like your face.” he shakes his head and looks away from you with an unreadable look.

“your insults are really bad today. did you wake up on the right side of the bed this morning?” he finally looks back at you and stares at your face, you think he's looking at your eyes but his eyes are turned down slightly, your lips.

Before you can say anymore the table is ready while walking there his hand brushes against yours and you immediately pull your hand away. He looks at you with a frown before he shakes his head and sits far away from you. Good, you think no it wasn't good. It sucked.

–

You're at a party anika dragged you to, you hadn't gone to one since Ethan and you split. Anika decided it was time to get you out of the house so here you were. She ignored you anytime you asked if ethan would be there which leads you to believe he is which sucks.

You stare at the empty cup in your hand and sigh as you stand up to go fill it again despite the fact you are probably way too drunk and shouldn't be drinking anymore. You finally stumble your way towards the table, you pour yourself another drink and chug it down attempting to ignore your pounding head.

“Something wrong, gorgeous?” You turn and see Mark, the same guy from a few weeks ago, You shake your head unable to answer him and wave him off. “Are you sure? you nod again, putting a hand on your head.

“c'mon i'll help you to a room upstairs.” you feel in grab you and begin to lead you towards the stairs you try to push him away but he keeps a tight firm grip.

at the bottom of the stairs you grab the railing to stop him from pulling you up when you hear a voice, “uh what's going on here?” ethan. Thank god. He has a confused look on his face as he looks between the two of you.

“Hey man, I'm just taking her upstairs to rest her head.” you shake your head and look at ethan with a desperate look and he immediately steps into action. “I'm friends with her roommate, I'll just take her back to her dorm.” Ethan moves towards you to grab you but Mark gets defensive and pulls you towards him, “she asked me to take her don't worry man.”

Ethans face hardens, “let her go.” The rest of the group had made there way over to you guys and chad stepped next to ethan. “I don't see the big deal man-” Ethan ripped you from his arms and grabbed onto you as Ethan slammed his hands into the guy's chest. “dont fucking call me man again, leave my girlfriend the fuck alone.”

“are you alright?'' You nod at Chad and watch as Ethan gets in the guy's face and says a couple more things you can't hear before he rushes back towards you and holds you in his arms.

“are you alright? god i'm sorry baby, cmon lets go.” He lifts you into his arms and carries you out, not before he and Chad exchange a few words with a nod from Chad Ethan leaves with you in his arms.

It feels nice, for a moment you forget everything that's happened between you two the last couple weeks and lay your head on his neck. you feel his grip tighten as he pulls you closer, “i got you baby dont worry.”

You close your eyes and breathe in his scent feeling relaxed you almost fall asleep. He cursed to himself and you opened your eyes again.

You notice you aren't on the way to your dorm, “where are we-” “my dorm, sorry i didn't grab the keys from anika.”

You look up at his face and he looks down at you, he's so beautiful. you notice his face turns red and his pace quickens. Had you said that outloud?

You arrive at his dorm, “I'm gonna put you down for a sec, okay?” he only moves to put you down once you nod, he places you on your feet your body leaning against his and he opens the door.

He lifts you back into his arms and walks you inside, closing the door behind him. you feel his warmth leave you when he places you on his bed.

You watch him leave, wanting to ask where's he's going but he comes back quickly with a glass of water, “drink it please” you chug down the water, not realizing how parched you actually were he takes the glass away from you still don't making eye contact, “you can sleep on the bed, i'll call anika to let her know-” you watch him try to move away from you and you whine and grabbing his arm.

“don't leave me.” you don't want him to leave, all the nights you've spent alone since breaking up with ethan flood back into your mind and your eyes water why did being drunk have to make you so emotional. “please.”

His eyes widen before he sits down into the bed, taking off his shoes and yours before lifting up the comforter and squeezing in next to you. A smile grows on your face as he finally faces you, you run a hand along his face and trace his features. “I've missed you, I'm sorry, for everything.” his eyes close at the feeling of your hands.

you keep running a hand along his cheek, “what in particular?” you want to make sure he knows what he's apologizing for, now is not the time you know that but you need to ask. “That whole night, the words I said and what I insinuated, I was drunk. That's not an excuse I know but I want you to know I didn't mean it baby I promise.”

You nod your head, feeling sleep overtake you. “If you really mean it, tell me in the morning.” you mumble as you wiggle into his arms, knowing you already forgive him. He wraps his arms around you, “of course baby I love you.”

–

You wake up the next morning with a pounding headache. You groan and put a hand on your head, you should never drink like that again. You run your hands along the face before realizing you're not in your bed, oh right. last night.

you turn over and see ethan already looking at you, now sober you feel awkward “um good morning.” he smiles at you, “good morning.” you two sit in silence for awhile with him admiring you while you try to avoid eye contact, why was this so awkward?

“So do I need to go through the whole speech again or do you remember?” he looks at you hopefully to which you nod. “never talk to me like that again.” he shakes his head, “never.” you laugh, giving into your true desires and wrapping your arms around him.

“Does this mean I'm your boyfriend again?” You pull back slightly and kiss him, “does that answer your question?”

[diosapate]

sorry this became an essay but on the topic of john as misogynist, i know there are obviously more blatant examples in htn and ntn (and admittedly i'm only halfway through htn) but at least to me, i felt the misogyny was there even in gtn with the way he describes his relationship with / treatment of cytherea during the epilogue?

it's a different form of misogyny than the open disdain and degradation leveraged at mercy, but to me “She was the very best of all of us. The most loyal, the most humane, the most resilient. The one with the most capacity for kindness. I made her live ten thousand years in pain, because I was selfish and she let me" reads as a classic example of female objectification in the direction of the mother / martyr figure.

cytherea is defined here by her goodness and how she benevolently and selflessly served others. even though john fully names and takes blame for the pain he forced her to endure, he also places the blame on her for letting him do it. he denies her boundaries, complexity, and autonomy except where it would absolve him of guilt (see also, the scene in htn where john insists the murders at canaan house only happened because boe corrupted her). i know ableism definitely factors in to this attitude and treatment, but i don't think her being a woman was a small part of it either.

never apologize for writing me asks i LIVE for this. but you are absolutely correct in that this also falls back on Cytherea; admittedly it has been a hot minute since i read GtN so i appreciate a fresher take on this!

but yeah you're hitting my personal nail right on the head. from the way the other lyctors talk about Cytherea it really does look like she was subject at least some of the boys' club that the Mithraeum seems to be—(once again, the women began outnumbered and ended outnumbered; i'd love to know more about Cassiopeia and what her dynamic with the rest of the group is, although we get a glimpse from how John talks about her when he admits that she called his shit out for being "appallingly vindictive." would love to know how this translated over after her resurrection? hoping and praying we get more about her in AtN.) though it is, as you say, different from what is leveled at Mercy, and we know these dynamics can absolutely manifest in different ways.

where Mercy is shrill and "unlovable," Cyth is "gorgeous" and she "loved them all" which... isn't exactly degrading on its face but subsequent "poor little Cyth" by Augustine is definitely condescending!! (as much as it is endearing, in a way. they contain multitudes.) but i think most blatantly this behavior comes from John almost... victim blaming her? we can talk in circles for hours and hours about whether or not he could actually cure her cancer but it still stands that whatever he was enabling in her, she was (heavy quotation marks) "letting him do it."

John's insistence that Cyth was corrupted and denying her agency in genuinely hating him is really where i started to doubt that he just fundamentally doesn't misunderstand everyone he considers a close confidant. we already know he's completely fumbled Mercy & Augustine and that's how he ended up the object of two nefarious threesomes and also, like, exploded, but he's misunderstanding that everyone wants him dead because they want him dead. his actions are all the fault of other people and he cannot fathom not being adored, needed, and liked.

[jadedresearcher]

It will be okay.

I get that the US election feels like it's so huge the fate of everything is at play. And its important. Don't get me wrong. I very much have opinions (that are likely quite obvious given my reblogs) on how I want things to shake out. But it will be okay.

Even if the worst possible outcome happens. (which please, don't lose sight of the fact that its not guaranteed. The future can still be changed, please vote if you have an opinion on what future you want to reach for). I am not saying this because I want to cover my ears and believe in hope and dreams or whatever. I'm saying this because if the worst possible outcome happens there will still be tasks we can do to make things better for everyone. You will still have power. And the people who care about you will too, if you are too tired to use it. You've see a lot of reblogs going around about how it will be more important than ever to be active in local politics if the scary result happens in the election, right? That isn't blind optimism or busy tasks to work out anxiety. It works. It genuinely, truly does. And we know this because its worked before: The "gilded age" was a Period of US politics with rampant corruption.

"Presidential elections between the two major parties were so closely contested that a slight nudge could tip the election in the advantage of either party, and Congress was marked by political stalemate."

Does that sound familiar? Hardly sounds like something from 150 years ago, does it?

"Many cultural issues, [...], became hard-fought political issues because of the deep religious divisions in the electorate."

It's like looking into a mirror.

And do you know what happened? Do you think it was forever and everyone just died from despair? No. (i mean obviously, we're here now aren't we?) It was fought against, little by little, building momentum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Era

"Progressive reformers were alarmed by the spread of slums, poverty, and the exploitation of labor. Multiple overlapping progressive movements fought perceived social, political, and economic ills by advancing democracy, scientific methods, and professionalism; regulating business; protecting the natural environment; and improving working and living conditions of the urban poor."

No trend is forever. Nothing is set in stone. Any amount of corruption can be undone. The past proves it's possible.

"Initially, the movement operated chiefly at the local level, but later it expanded to the state and national levels."

And it is undone by exactly the means people have been saying all along. Being active locally. By caring. By not giving up.

Sure, the past is not today. There are plenty of differences and there are no guarantees in this world except one: there will be change. And each and every one of us can do things that matter to make the change happen in the direction and speed we want it to, little by little.

[battlemaiden13]

Heya hun! Just finished binge reading the house next door (took me like 3 days frfr) and i was wondering if its still updating? I quite enjoyed it and was wondering if its still an active work :)

Also, im gonna just throw in a request for a flustered but silently needy Axe, up to you what you write but id prefer it if him and the y/n arent in a relationship just yet, but hes pinning and it shows ;)

Yeah HND is still updating! I'm taking a bit of a break but I will get back to it. Here's your request, I hope it's ok, it was good to do some writing again.

“Axe? Axe~” their sweet voice sung out drawing my attention down to their short frame. I blinked a few times trying to get my bearings as they smiled up at me. I had no idea where we were, I had blanked out but seeing their face instantly made me feel at ease. 

“heya kid” I greeted, smiling softly as their face lit up. 

“Come sit down, you’ve been standing way too long” they said, slowly and gently grabbing my hand and dragging me off to a seat nearby. My eyelights darted down to our hands. They were so small my larger hand encompassed theirs completely. Humans had become so small and fragile since the underground and they were no different. I could easily lift them up or pin them down with little effort and still I let them lead me to a seat as they kindly helped me down onto the couch. 

They stood in front of me with a kind, patient smile on their face. They always looked so kind. 

“Do you know where you are Axe?” they asked. I frowned. I didn’t know where we were, or why we were here. I had obviously been spacing out before. I shook my head feeling angry with myself. 

“Hey, it’s ok!” they rushed to say grabbing my hands and making me look up at them “I was getting new clothes. Do you like them?” they asked, standing up and letting their hands slide out of mine. I nodded. The clothes looked good. They hugged the humans form just right with a blue hoodie that looked very familiar for some reason. 

“Now we match!” they declared confusing me for a moment before I glanced down. The hoodie was the same as mine. Not exactly but it was close. 

“did you . . . ?” I started not sure where I was going

“It took forever to hunt one down but I’m so happy!” they said grabbing my arm and hugging it to their chest

“Now you will have no trouble finding me, Although” they giggled, a sweet sound that made my bones feel warm “Don’t you think we look like a couple?” they said. My skull instantly heating up as my soul skipped a beat. I turned away from the human. I had to. I know they didn’t really mean anything by the comment but with them pressing against me and talking about dating it was taking everything in me not to kiss them. 

To push them down on this couch and pin their hands above their head, leaving bite marks all over their soft body as they writhed under me before picking them up and placing them on my hardened magic. But that couldn’t happen.

We were friends. I knew that much. I also knew I wanted more. We could never date because of my condition but I wanted them more than I’d ever wanted anyone. 

“Come on big guy. Crooks will be waiting for us” The human said gently, pulling me back to my feet and leading me through the store. I hoped they could see my magic. My skull was still warm when we found my brother but I couldn’t take my eyelights of the human. The way they laughed and smiled, how kind they were to me and Papyrus, their everything. I wanted them so badly it had begun to hurt.  

[itwasthereaminuteago]

|| Sacer Sanguis ||

Henry x female reader

Tags /warnings: period cunnilingus, biting, is that a biting kink? Blood, obviously 😊

A/n: this is dedicated to @munsonownsmyass and @albatrossandivys who fed me lots of hot ideas for our handsome immortal soul. 🧛🩸

This could be a prelude to Love Bites!

You didn't understand it, but it had been happening enough for you to notice a pattern. It was strange. It seemed like every time you were on your period Henry was extremely keen to give you pleasure with his mouth.

Although you were embarrassed and reluctant at first, his passionate insistence, reassurance, and evidence of how turned on he was by it, eventually gave you the confidence to let him get his way. And oh boy, were you glad that you did. None of your previous partners would have even considered doing something like that for you, nevermind enjoying it. And Henry seemed to enjoy doing it a lot, so much so that he'd often get off on that alone.

The orgasms he'd give you were phenomenal, mind-blowing, and multiple... and you also found that you barely suffered from bad cramps anymore, so you were more than happy to let him go to town. And he did.

His acute sense of smell and taste allowed him to detect the faintest traces of blood in the air, no matter if it was fresh or old. He could pick apart the composition of it, tell exactly what animal it came from and how healthy it was.

And on those days when you were due your period you can be sure he notices the change in your scent before you even walk in the door.

He's already on his feet before you can throw your keys on the side table, mouth almost watering as he moves swiftly to pin you against the wall.

"Oh, hey! Hi! What's got into you today, hm?" You laugh, pleasantly surprised by his frisky mood as Henry cages you like a predator playing with its prey. His deep brown eyes flicker up and down your form making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, and he leans in close and breathes you in.

"Mmm, I just missed you, love. Did you have a good day?"

You already start to melt as he kisses just below your ear, and you struggle to even remember what it was you had been doing.

"I- yeah, it was fine, just a bit tired is all… oh!"

Henry nuzzles into your neck and you don't miss the sinful sensation of his tongue sneaking out to lick over the skin of your pulse point.

"Is there anything I can do for you darling? Anything at all…" he asks, voice just as thick and sweet as honey while he's already making your body heat up at his touch. You giggle as his kisses move down towards your collarbones and his deft fingers start to unbutton your shirt, baring the tops of your breasts to him.

"Maybe I should be asking if there's anything I can do for you." You reply with a grin.

Let me clean you up, love.

And that's how you found yourself here, your head tilting back, pushing into the pillows as he works his way between your thighs with a smouldering trail of gentle, teasing kisses that drive you crazy. As he moves closer towards your center, the kisses get a little bit desperate, rougher, his soft lips sucking on your delicate flesh and drawing deep purple marks to the surface of your skin. It sends your heart racing hard in your chest and sometimes you swear you can feel the graze of something sharp before he'd pull away and move on. You gasp and your body twists even as he holds you down, honed in now on your bleeding cunt, that first sure contact of his tongue, the first deep lick between your folds always drawing a completely feral moan from deep in both your throats.

The warm coppery tang of your blood mixed with the slick sweetness of your arousal creates a cocktail that has Henry thanking a god that he doesn't believe in. The complex depth of your flavour spreads across his taste buds, filtering throughout his system and vibrating every nerve connected to his own pleasure. He feels the itch in his gums and can't help his sharpened canines from pushing through, as hard, real, and obvious as his cock.

"Taste so bloody good love." He murmurs in between hungry licks and you can't help but laugh at his choice of words, but he continues his oral appreciation of your monthly bleed and you find yourself entranced by his seemingly insatiable thirst for you.

"M'serious, you're divine… delicious, so decadent…" he dives back in, his fingers digging into you and pulling you hard up against his greedy mouth and making you squeal as he drives you towards the edge again.

Just as you feel the first spark of your orgasm beginning he moves away, spreading your legs even wider, his lips brushing reverently against your plush inner thigh again. You hum low in your throat as you feel him take your skin between his teeth, nipping ever so slightly.

He pauses and backs off yet again, noticing that you're panting hard. His gaze meets yours, blown out black pupils giving away your state of arousal.

"Please don't stop Henry, more… please? Feels so fucking good…"

A wicked grin spreads across his red-tinged lips as he nips at you gently, soothing your reddening skin with his tongue between covetous bites.

"Fuck! Mm, oh god yes, harder…"

Henry growls at your demands, his cock throbbing in response. "Are you sure, love? Wouldn't want to hurt you."

"You could never hurt me, Henry."

Your hands lock around his neck to show him you mean it, tugging him back where you needed him. "Now bite me."

He doesn't need to be told twice, sliding his hands up and under cupping your ass as he opens his mouth and bites down, sinking his teeth slowly into your beautiful tender flesh. The sounds you make almost have him coming apart already. You swear there's magic in that mouth of his, moaning at the blissful burn of sharp pain followed by the soothing laps of his tongue over the mark he's made and then, back to worship your cunt.

"Oh god Henry, that feels amazing! Anyone would think you're a vampire with the way you're acting."

Henry responds with a deep chuckle, kissing your clit and feeling his bloodlust rising like a fever as you leak more of your delectable ambrosia for him.

"Mm, and what if I was?" He probes, raising a brow as your hips buck upward at the mention of it. Interesting.

"Would you stay with me, darling?" He kisses you again. "Do you think you could still love me?"

You let out a wavering whimper as he swirls the firm tip of his tongue around your sensitive bud before sucking it and then plunging into your pussy for yet another addictive taste of you.

"Fuck, Henry! Of course, I'd love you whatever you were, -oh god- as long as you never stop making me feel like this!"

He smiles against you, curling his preternaturally strong hands around your quaking thighs and yanking you down the bed towards him, urging you to wrap your legs around his head. He was so close to sharing the truth, revealing his true immortal self to you, but not just yet.

However, as he pierces your skin once more and you cry out in ecstasy as he drinks his fill of you, he doesn't think you'll mind all that much…

[nightfall-1409]

Writer's Update

Hi everyone <3 sorry things are taking a bit of time, I'm going through An Ordeal and that has regrettably been the case of late. I don't like to publicly air too much, but it's led to some delays. Not dead, but, just some updates under the cut with some snippets <3

So I, As My Mother Before Me

Obviously my mother's day side story for sabine missed the deadline, I'll get that out ASAP (as soon as its done), and the teaser for it is that it covers Sabine's 'missing' time in the fic, and threading the needle wrt Ursa, Myles, and those sorts of background elements in the fic, as well as letting me, Nightfall, meditate on what exactly I want to have the connective tissue be for her background. It's probably for the best it got delayed so much, as it'll contain some spoilers for later content in (Re)Convene, depending on how long that takes me to catch up.

Snow makes the world quiet, still, and then she interrupts it. Sabine gasps as she feels it against her flight suit, cold, and sudden, and wakes in a horrible instance. There is snow and trees all around her, and the forest is quieter still.  She knows this forest, but it’s an impossibility. She stands, barely needing a moment to collect herself before she’s calling for, “Ahsoka!”  There is no one around.  She lowers her rangefinder, scans her surroundings, ignores her gut screaming at her that she knows this place. Hu-Yang or Ahsoka would chide her, tell her that she should at least make the attempt of meeting her surroundings, connecting with them.  But that is not her way, it is not the Mandalorian way, and in an emergency scenario where she didn’t know what was happening, she’d not out herself to their enemies.   She’s bringing Ezra home.  She’s not here.  This place isn’t real.  This place is gone, and they knew that it was being destroyed when she... Her rangefinder interrupts her thoughts, and tells her that she's on Krownest, and she bangs her hand down into the soft snow of her home again in a fist.

(Re)Convene Ch. 41 (Ezra) The Flash Of the Dark

hahah I do apologize for leaving you lot on that cliffhanger...im working through it :) In the meantime, the opener.

He finds that his teacher is in the library, and there’s an older woman next to him, grave and sad.  Quinlan’s expression too is serious.  Ezra responds by shelving any and all irritation about how many different places he’d looked in before finding the Shadow here.  “Ezra.  About time,” Quinlan jabs anyway, clearly intending to be playful and Ezra bites his tongue.  “This is Master Kostana.”  Quinlan introduces; and Ezra straightens further— this is who Obi-Wan had mentioned. “Master to Sifo-Diyas.  The council asked her to visit the Archives, to aid in the investigation of the Sith compulsion.” “Oh,” Ezra pauses, piecing together what all that means, before he softens his expression.  “Thank you for your aid, Master,” He bows his head forward slightly, and she waves one hand.  “I ought to thank you,” she says after a moment.  “For bringing his lightsaber home.” Woof.  Ezra can feel it at her side.  It is not a happy thing to know, though, and further… Ezra’s not exactly good at handling those sorts of conversations.  “Well, I wasn’t the one who…”

Other fics: Things are progressing, but perhaps not as quick as I'd like... on account of the fact I'm aiming for the clone bang sign ups at the end of June! No Spoilers yet! 😘 But I look forward to revealing it in good time. I hope to get it to the 10k mark by sign ups close on the 30th, I'm about halfway to that point rn.

[himehikoshrine]

Himehiko Timeline

This is my best attempt to gather the information we get about the Tamasaka Himehiko line and thus the game universe timeline. It is based on what I've found in the game and bonus material, but it may yet be incomplete. If you have any information I'm missing, please let me know. It's also always possible we get more lore drops in extra material.

It'll be behind a cut, so I will edit any additional information into the post. If I add things, I'll try to keep track here of when the last edit was. This will obviously contain spoilers for the full game (especially Kisa's route - major spoilers for Kisa's route) as well as bits of side material. Specifically the First Anniversary Short Story and the Summer Light Novel, though also the pre-release short stories on the website and others.

Shout out to the other people who seem to have independently attempted the same project, including Anemone (@ snowblossom_jj on twitter) for something to double check myself against. Before I go right into the Himehiko Timeline, I'm going to put in some Japanese Theater History for context, though it's worth noting none of this is referenced specifically in the game and may differ within the Jack Jeanne universe.

As always, happy to answer questions via asks or elsewhere if you have them.

Japanese Theater History potentially of note.

1374 - Kan'ami (観阿弥) and 12 year old son Zeami (世阿弥) perform what would become known as Noh for the teenage shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (足利 義満) who is so impressed by Zeami he gives him patronage. Zeami is educated in court and eventually becomes the Shogun’s lover. At 22, after his father’s death, he takes over the family troupe and begins to integrate his classical education and Buddhist instruction into the art. He goes on to formalize Noh, write plays for it, and treatises on acting and the Philosophy of Drama that continue to be informative to this day. 

Of note, the idea of “hana” 『花』 is one of his core tenants, and his formulation of “the flower of youth” vs “the flower of experience” is referenced in game, though not credited. 

1603 - Izumo no Okuni (出雲 阿国) creates Kabuki. It is originally performed by a troupe of all women.

1629 - Women are banned from Kabuki for “morality” leading to the form being taken over by “young men” who are later also banned for being too sexy, in moves through the next several decades. 

Probably by the timeline we are given for Tamasaka, in our world, Kabuki would have been established as an all male form of theater, with men playing women’s roles referred to as “onnagata” as they are to this day. It is unclear if this history happens the same within the Jack Jeanne universe, as no mention of Kabuki itself happens in game, and Tamasakaza isn’t placed within it as a larger tradition, despite being described in much the way Kabuki is, suggesting perhaps in the Jack Jeanne universe, history diverges at some point.

1680s - Bunraku, (then known as Jourui) a form of Puppet Theater takes on something close to its modern form and starts becoming increasingly popular. Many famous Kabuki plays were originally written “for the puppets” and the literary tradition is considered overlapping. 

1683 - Chikamatsu Monzaemon (近松 門左衛門, 1653 – 1725) has his first verified play produced. He is sometimes called the “Shakespeare of Japan”. He would continue writing plays for both puppet theater and kabuki, until around 1715. He was a writer, but did not act. He is most famous for his lovers’ suicides. 

HIMEHIKO TIMELINE

1st Himehiko - His name was Chuza Tsukihiko (中座月彦), and he lived sometime in the “mid-Edo period’ about 300 years before the present. Specific dates are hard to pin down, but we’re looking at around (or maybe a little before or after) 1700. It is likely not exactly 300 years ago, give or take a few years, as no one in the game mentions any kind of anniversary, and you’d assume the 300th (or 200th of the established settled troupe) would be marked and mentioned.

He’s canonically called a "bishonen" and was known to be able to play both male and female roles. At this time, in our universe, no women would have been allowed on stage. We know his troupe was all male.

He receives the patronage of a local lord (much like Zeami) - the lord of the castle in Hiraki - Hiraki Matsubara (開松原). Matsubara was considered very talented and is credited with the town flourishing under his rule as well as the creation of Tamasaka and Tamasakaza.

He is given the name Tamasaka Himehiko 玉阪 比女彦 which he takes on, and which becomes the title passed down. (The name "Tamasaka" is mentioned to maybe be a play on the word 『偶さか』 implying a "rare, unusual kind of talent")

Though the troupe itself will be considered a traveling troupe for the next 100 years, it seems to have a sort of home base on that lord’s land. They are given land for a stage there, the forebearer of the Tamasaka theater that exists to day.

We know little about him, but one thing we know is that he was quite fond of the story of the catfish god in Ayahama (which is historically near where Hiraki Castle is), and used to dance in tribute there. The relationship between Tamasaka and the hot springs goes back all the way to him.

There is one Wisteria tree on Mt. Oodate, and he is said to have been fond of it. (Fuji Musume - 藤娘- is one of the most famous Kabuki dance/plays, though technically it would have, in our universe, postdated the first generation Himehiko, it is likely a reference).

He dies of “severe, violent emotional suffering”. 

He is enshrined in Himehiko shrine, and may actually be buried there. He is worshipped there as a god of theatre, and a bringer of fortune in other endeavors as well. This would imply the shrine is established well before the troupe settles.

2nd - The next Himehiko is the elder brother of the first. We don’t know if the rule that was later in place that the title be passed to someone under the age of 30 was in place yet. It may imply that the troupe, like Zeami’s was a family affair at least in part, from the beginning, if his brother was considered the natural next head.

3rd - The eldest son of the 2nd.

History that happens at an unclear point in the timeline after this --

At some point after this, though it does not seem to be specifically after the 3rd, in the way it’s told, one generation of Himehiko will choose to pass the title onto an adopted son. Rather than the adopted son taking the Chuza name as well, this son becomes the start of a new branch family, known as the Tamasaka branch. From this point on, the title will occasionally pass between the Tamasaka and Chuza branches, eventually developing into quite the rivalry. The Tamasaka branch became known as “true flowers” or the more talented of the two branches. The exact timeline of all of this unclear.

At some point, after several early, tragic deaths of people carrying the Himehiko name, both branches of the family begin to speak of a “Himehiko Curse” - which causes those who take the title to die young. They believe in this so strongly that people from both branches will sometimes pass up the title, or defer it, to try to avert the fate. However, it doesn’t seem to be something that affects every Himehiko. Just enough of them for it to be considered a threat in the family.

How it operates and if it is one of the genuine supernatural forces in the Jack Jeanne universe is unclear. The first Himehiko dies of severe mental suffering. The cause of death for others is not established.

It is possible that, either supernaturally or non-supernaturally, it is the distillation of the stress, politics, rivalries, burdens, and expectations of the theatre.

All of this happens and is well established between the 3rd Himehiko and the 10th Himehiko, but specifics are vague.

At some point, a rule is added that the title is past to a young man under the age of 30.

It seems some people may pass the title down before they die, rather than it only transferring via death. It is unclear the effect this has on the curse within the narrative of it. At another point, rather than taking the full stage name of Himehiko, each generation takes only half as their stage name - either Hime or Hiko, plus an additional character. This was done to try to avoid the “curse”. It does not work. 

4th - A tree in the courtyard of Himehiko Shrine, which contains many trees, including many fruit trees, is said to have been planted by him. All we get is that the tree is “planted in the lucky direction.”

It is possible this is an Ume tree, which apparently can be considered a protective charm against evil and is traditionally planted in the northeast corner of a garden. Other than this, I can’t find much — the other mentions of lucky directions change by year, and don't seem to be what’s being referred to.

5th - nothing is known

6th - nothing is known

7th - Established Tamasaka Drama School as per random Neji encounter. Neji says he ‘fell in love with…’ and is then cut off. We get no other info from that encounter, or elsewhere. 

It’s possible that the establishing of the Drama School coincided with the settling of the Troupe from a traveling one to a stationary one, but that’s not mentioned directly. If so, that would put 7th at about 100 years after the 1st, and about 200 years before the present.

It is unclear if from this point on all Himehiko’s also serve as Principal of the School or not.

At some point “several generations back (from present)” the principal of the school plants Night Jasmine on Mt. Oodate.

(About 200 years ago, the Takashina Style of dance is founded as a family dance tradition. It has no association with Tamasakaza, but given it’s part of the timeline we get, plus the Kabuki/Nihon Buyo overlap in our universe, I’m putting it on here.)

8th - The tree he planted at the shrine is the most prominent one. No other info is known.

9th - nothing is known.

10th - From the Tamasaka Line. Very likely the older brother of the 11th - According to the Anniversary Short Story, he dies a shocking and tragic death (that would fit within the narrative of the Himehiko Curse). The title would then be passed to his younger brother.

11th - Real name Tamasaka Shikitoshi 玉阪 志木年 - stage name unknown. He is the current head of the troupe during the Meiji era merger of Hikari and Tamasaka, as depicted in the Anniversary Short Story. That takes place in 22nd year of the Meiji Era - 1889, giving us our first firm date. 

According to Tancho, the lead Hiko actor at the time was rather critical and nagging of him, but in the events depicted in Neji’s play, ultimately is willing to almost give his life to protect 11th.

In Neji’s telling of the events he is described as innovative, as well as a very shrewd politician. And rather indifferent or reckless about threats against his own life. 

He has two daughters and no sons. Presumably no one else in the Tamasaka branch has any sons of eligible age either. To prevent the name from passing back to the Chuza branch, and perhaps as a test on the limits of the Himehiko Curse, to see if it would spare women, Shikitoshi passes the title to his second daughter. 

We have no information on why not the first daughter - whether she was over 30, or less skilled, or didn’t want it - all we know is that he passed it to his second daughter.

12th - The second daughter of the 11th. Member of the Tamasaka Family. First and only female Himehiko. The tree she donated to the shrine is marked with an actor’s crest of clappers — something recognizable as specifically belonging to her. 

Despite being a woman, she was not just a figurehead, and actively acted in Tamasaka Plays. There is at least one that she was quite fond of, that involved a Kimono salesperson and a woman walking around on “Izayoi” - a play that the troupe stopped performing after her early and tragic death. 

Tagane was involved in a revival of this play at some point, likely a pretty clear sign of his loyalty to the Tamasaka Branch faction.

At some point, it is likely that she placed a platinum Kanzashi bearing her crest in a wooden box in a tree hollow near Himehiko Shrine, following the superstition and custom born out of the Tamasaka play “Tearful Kanzashi." “Tearful Kanzashi" depicts a young woman (the fourth daughter of a man with no sons, who is abused and locked away by her father in anger after her birth also kills her mother) putting the Kanzashi her lover gives her into a tree by a shrine she stops at to pray to be reunited with him in the next life, before throwing herself off a cliff. (For more, see the Summer Light Novel chapter).

This also takes place on the 16th night of the lunar cycle. It is unclear if the play is the same one — but since the summary is given to Suzu and Kisa by a Kimono salesman, it seems unlikely that it wouldn’t include that detail if it were the same — rather it seems likely Tearful Kanzashi predates the 12th, and Tamasaka just has a lot of plays that use "Izayoi" in them.

This may indicate that the 12th takes her own life like the woman in the play, but it’s all speculation beyond that her death fits within the narrative of the Himehiko Curse.

After her early, tragic death, the title passes back to the Chuza Branch, and the whole incident/experiment is considered a disaster. 

12th's older sister, and thus the surviving Tamasaka Branch go into hiding of some kind. She has children, thus continuing the line, under an assumed name. The Tamasaka branch retains supporters both in the troupe and the town, who believe that the Tamasaka branch have true talent that the Chuza branch lacks.

13th - Chuzu Dairi (中座内吏), stage name Uchihime (内比女).

After the death of the 12th, the title passes back to the Chuza line for the first time in 80 years. He quickly makes a new rule, reserving the Himehiko title for the Chuza branch, further pushing the Tamasaka branch into hiding and out of power.

We know he was born in the Meiji era (ended 1912) and lived until Showa (started 1926).

He had a strong interest in western style plays and musicals, and is the one who renamed the Tamasaka Drama School to Univeil Drama School, as well as changing the roles from Hiko and Hime to Jack and Jeanne within the school.

(For what it’s worth, Takarazuka is started in 1913. It was based heavily on western, particularly French musical Revue in direct contrast to Kabuki. It was started by a businessman in the city of Takarazuka as an all women’s theater company. Much of Jack Jeanne is based on a gender swap of Takarazuka as inspiration, but its timeline and the actual style of Tamasaka do not match Takarazuka. But this is a Himehiko Timeline so no more on Takarazuka for now.)

He apparently made a good deal of innovations to the troupe as well, and seems to have been quite active and hands on in both.

It’s hard to pin down how long and exactly when he lived and was in charge.

Kisa’s class being the 78th class would put the first numbered class in 1942, which is a particularly strange year for a traditional theater school in Japan for young, fit boys to be rebranding to a western aesthetic. It would literally be months after the attack on Pearl Harbor and several years into a war that greatly disrupted all forms of theater, calling most able bodied men to arms, rather than dance - so that’s something to consider when trying to fit the timeline. Perhaps there are years missing - a reversion to the old name, a pause in the numbering, but for some reason they pick up from where they left off, rather than restart? There is no indication in any material of any of this, either way.

14th - Takahiko (鷹彦) - the grandfather of Chuza Shuri, the current/18th Himehiko. Written with the character for “Hawk” and is noted as having very sharp eyes, but otherwise looking very much like Shuri. The game’s timeframe puts him taking up the title some time when black and white portraits were still most common, but recent enough that an old lady alive and walking around Tamasaka remembers him as a young man.

Apparently, he married a wealthy local family’s daughter after taking the position of Himehiko - and this old woman remembers having a crush on him at the time, and being disappointed - so one could guess that she was at least in her teens then.

The game’s menu actually says he’s the one who designed the school, rather than 13th - so perhaps Takahiko is the one who designed it architecturally - even if the rebrand happened before hand. 

15th - nothing specifically is known

16th - nothing specifically is known

17th - nothing specifically is known

We know nothing about these or the order they were in, but one was almost certainly Shuri's father. In the anniversary short story, Tancho mentions Shuri's father by name. His name seems to have been Chuza Osamu (中座倫). From what Tancho says, the implication is that Shuri's father maybe have been principal before him, whether right before or not is not clear, or if he served this role concurrent with the title of Himehiko or not is also unclear. As previously stated, it's unclear if Principal of the School and Head of the Troupe are jobs all Himehiko's serve as part of the title, or if only some do. So it's possible that he held one and not the other or one for longer than the other - i.e. continued running the school after passing the name down or something.

All we get is the name, and that Tancho both knew/knows him and what his preference for incense was/is (and that its different than Shuri's).

It is possible an uncle and/or brother of his also held the position, as there is a nephew of his in Tamasakaza right now, which means Shuri has at least one (almost certainly) older sibling.

18th - Chuza Shuri (中座秋吏), stage name Akihime (秋比女) (Written with the character for Autumn, a kanji from his given name).

Currently the principal who is not well liked by Tamasaka Elders. Still seems to technically be the head of the troupe, but displays no desire to actually do anything onstage and finds his obligations to the Troupe to be a chore. Considers himself decent enough at both dance and singing (apparently singing is something Chuza branch is usually considered weaker in, or so he says).

He is in tension with the board over many things - Chui says the situation around him is “worse than you know,” implying there may be far more going on than anyone tells Kisa, and thus the player. 

The Tamasaka Elders seem, from what we’re told, to want to make Univeil into more of a training school for Tamasaka (again?) - and Chuza is resistant to the idea.

19th - In a weekend event, the old lady in Tamasaka who tells Kisa about the 14th seems to state Akihime is the previous rather than current Himehiko (at least in the English). But everyone else seems to refer to him as the current one. Maybe she’s misremembering, maybe she’s got Opinions on his lack of participation and how much the board hates him - which she also mentions. Who knows.

The two candidates for the position seem to be Chui - the Tamasaka branch heir, and already seen as kind of a god, and Shuri's nephew (mentioned in a VERY missable Sou event on 8/1 - who is currently a Hime actor in Tamasaka, who is “treated like a king” as part of the Chuza family there. He apparently doesn’t resemble Shuri much.)

One presumes the Tamasaka board has its factions on which one they support, and, regardless, are preparing them to hold the position more to the boards liking than Shuri.

[frankenkyle19]

Red silk and leather

Mr. Gallant x male reader smut! word count: 1.2k

warnings/description: male x male smut, teasing, whipping, sub!gallant, begging, orgasm denial

“Fuck! please!” 

You’d been edging him for hours, having tied him to the bed, sprawled out on the red, silky sheets. He had wanted this, so you tried not to feel bad when he begged for you to just get on with it. To just touch him.

He had handed you a long, sleek leather whip with a shy smirk, wiggling his eyebrows in an odd expression. He wanted you to use it on him. 

Gallant had almost always been the bottom in the relationship, very rarely taking control in the bedroom, but this was completely new territory. Sure he’d asked you to hit him before, but you knew how to control your hand. A whip was quite different and you weren’t exactly sure how much force and pressure to use. He wanted to be hurt, obviously, but you didn’t want to accidentally go too far.

You had brought him to the edge over and over, never letting him slip into pure euphoria. It was such sweet torture for him. Watching as his body contorted with each hit, red marks laid out on his body seemed to spark something inside of you. He looked beautiful. And you wanted to absolutely wreck him. 

You had talked over and over about safewords and what to do if it got to be too much, but of course he was enjoying himself and didn’t want you to stop, no matter how torturous it may have been for him .

He was so far gone, pretty tears rolling down his cheeks as his hips arched up into the cool air of the bedroom, cock throbbing and begging to be touched, practically dripping in his pre-cum. Just a little touch, just a little bit and he’d cum.

“Oh god, please! I can’t- please fuck me- please I need it so bad-“ he blabbered, blond hair a mess as he threw his head back into the soft pillows with a cry. He tugged at the restraints on his wrists, wincing as his skin was beginning to rub raw. 

You set the whip down on the bedside drawer before crawling on top of him, pulling him into a searing hot kiss. Your own dick throbbed heavily between your thighs, having been neglected this whole time.

Taking yourself in your hand, you stroked carefully, eyes nearly rolling to the back of your head as you bit down on Gallant’s bottom lip, causing him to mewl.

He was completely wrapped around your finger. Totally entranced by your beauty. 

His breath hitched as you propped his legs up, running a finger down the red welts covering his thighs before going down to his ass, running your hand down his cheek before spitting in your hand.

You carefully slipped a finger past his tight ring of muscles, watching as his face contorted in pleasure, chest rising and falling. Sweat covered his body as he closed his eyes, tugging at the restraints still.

Before no time at all, you were three fingers deep in him, making sure to get him nice and prepped for your cock. 

He melted into the much needed pleasure, cock still laying hot and heavy on his lower stomach, covering it in his sticky, viscous pre-cum.

“Just fuck me already!” He urged, rolling his hips down into your touch.

“Are you suggesting that you’re being ungrateful for what you’ve already been given?” You asked, picking the whip back up and running it along his now heaving chest.

“No! No n-no I’m not please-“ He begged, bottom lip quivering. 

“Oh my pretty boy, I think you are. And you know what happens when you complain?” You pulled your fingers 

from him. He groaned, trying to push back against them before yelping as you brought the whip down onto his tummy.

A red mark was left in its wake. You knew you weren’t hurting him too badly, because he hadn’t used his safe word, and he was moaning. What an interesting being he was. 

“Fuck me daddy! Please I’ll be good, I promise!” He cried out, hips arching into nothing, eyes filling with a new wave of hot, salty tears as he begged. 

“We’ll see about that.” You chuckled softly. Darkly. This was extremely entertaining to you, which was a surprise. You figured you wouldn’t be the best at doing what he had asked, but once you had begun, it just came naturally to you.

You set the whip down for good this time, deciding he’d had enough of it for today. Looking over him you saw a mess of sweat, and red marks covering his milky frame. He looked absolutely disheveled, but you weren’t anywhere near being done yet. 

Soon enough you were balls deep inside him, pulling him back by his sweaty blonde hair as he moaned freely. He was always so fucking loud. And you loved it 

“Fuck daddy please! Fucking me so fucking good- FUCK!” He cursed, arching his back into you as you slipped deeper inside him, hitting his prostate on every other thrust in.

He was on his hands and knees as you thrust into him from behind, each thrust had him lurching forward, his head between his arms as his chest heaved. His hair hung in his eyes as he closed them, tongue lolling from the side of his mouth as he grinned. He loved it rough.

Your hands traced the marks that were left on his ass and thighs from previous moments before, smiling to yourself at how well you had marked him. He’d surely be sore for a few days, but you knew he loved every second of it. What a masochist.

You pulled him back up by his hair, your thrusts never ceasing as he cried out, Adam’s apple bobbing hard as his throat was extended backwards. He opened his eyes and grinned at you, a line of drool slipping from the side of his lips as he whimpered 

“So good to me daddy, FUCKKK me so good, god you’re one of a kind.” He was always such a talker, even when you were fucking him senseless and if you didn’t love it so much, it would be annoying as hell. But you happened to love hearing his dirty words

“I’m so close! God please let me cum I’ve been such a good boy please I’ve been waiting so long daddy-“ he arched further back into you, cock twitching between his thighs. He rarely needed to be touched to cum, the pleasure from being fucked roughly in the ass more than enough to get him over the edge.

It was true, he had been such a good boy and he had endured all of his punishments like an absolute champ, waiting so patiently to cum. 

Your thrusts got a bit shakier, losing their rhythm as you pounded into him “cum, come on baby been so good for me, cum, show me how good it feels.”

And he didn’t need to be told twice, he came heavy and hard, his white sticky cum covering the sheets beneath you and would no doubt need to be washed after. 

He nearly collapsed but you held him up as you pounded harder into him, you were so close.

“Cum in me daddy, please give it to me. Give me your cum.” He groaned, in a haze from his orgasm 

Within a few more thrusts you tipped over the edge, spilling deep inside him before you let go of him, his body collapsing onto the bed.

You went at it like this most of the week, because gallant was a needy little whore and you were all too happy to indulge in him whenever he wanted. 

[rontra]

I just realized- we don't know if Raven has a bond/portal to Summer, but if she does and if Summer is maybe alive..how do you think that would work? Any ideas on that? I'm genuinely interested

i've been sitting on this ask for a bit because my fungus wasn't in full bloom but like, fuck it, one week till the finale, let's get all the mushrooms on the table before we see whatever 9.10 has to say about summer HDHBFG <- PREPARING TO GET OWNED

the first thing you need to know is i have immense rosebird disease so everything hereafter is colored by that. i just think they're neat and i also love having remnant's #1 and #2 absent mothers in the same room

^so this is less "predictive analysis" and more "what i think would be cute for women to do". we're in the realm of transformative analysis. i don't necessarily "believe it is true/will happen", i'm just taking you to my infected playground to play outside...<3

ALSO IT'S LONG AS HELL 🤷‍♂️

but, okay, so, Kindred Link and Summer Rose. this whole Q is basically a flowchart to me. Step One:

Is Kindred Link voluntary?

there's a lot about raven's semblance we don't know, including how exactly said links are formed. however, we know very well from her twin brother that semblances can be an independent engine that fires according to its own rules, whether you want it to or not; it isn't impossible that kindred link is completely involuntary.

yang says (citing tai's explanation) that raven "marks" people, which is a wording that implies some amount of agency. but is that true?

okay um. this is purely headcanon. i admit. but i like it. so. it seems to me that raven's life would be very different if she could choose her kindred link loadout at will. we know raven and qrow were treated very differently by the tribe, and i think their semblances play a huge part in that. obviously raven's is not neutral: her semblance would be invaluable to her bandit family if they could control it, and i can imagine a great deal of energy was spent trying to cajole raven into forging links there. (family—only coming around when they need something.) raven has a whole host of issues stemming from the way she was raised, and i can't help but feel like her suspicion towards kindness is stemming from a history of people only treating her well because they want something from her, and the inevitable tension when she isn't able to simply give it. and i think with all that, if a young raven could be forced to forge links her situation would be different? so it makes sense to me that you can't just make kindred link Go.

that was a whole tangent solely for a headcanon but i did tell you this whole post is like that. i think you can't intentionally form these links, and you can't intentionally sever them either; after all, raven still has her links to the people who hurt her most.

like okay..., isn't it compelling to imagine raven branwen learning to care about these people, getting soul-bonded by her semblance to her chosen family, and still not being able to sever them even after being injured so severely by these people because her heart and soul can't let go of their attachment. tell me that doesn't make you swoon,

if her semblance is voluntarily controlled, i think it lessens the impact of the links she does have, so i'm choosing to rule it as involuntary. when raven forms a genuine attachment it's strong enough for her soul to respond. in the beginning, this was a bond she only shared with qrow, who was hated by their family: so she could go to him in an instant if she had to. in present time, we know she also has a link to tai, and yang, and had one to vernal (F) but apparently no one else in the tribe (telling).

there's no comment on summer's status here, but we've ruled kindred link as involuntary, so the next question on our flowchart is:

Were Summer and Raven close?

this is maybe the most tantalizing bit of the STRQ Puzzle to me because it's a wholly unknown component. tai and qrow both talk about summer and raven, and raven talks about both of them—but raven seems to make a concerted effort to not take summer's name into her mouth if she can help it. even when she's indulging in her favorite pastime (sniping at people) she doesn't have any bullets with summer's name on them. the closest we get is the "you sound just like your mother", which is definitely said in (DEROGATORY) tone, but is also pretty...mild compared to how she talks about the rest of the inner circle.

obviously this doesn't make the answer an automatic "yes": just as it's possible raven has a reason that compels her not to badmouth summer, it's also possible that their relationship was not substantial enough for raven to care about summer or her opinions. which WOULD BE a funny twist but it's also not a lot of meat to sink our teeth into (lol) because it would make the answer firmly No, Raven does not have a kindred link to Summer: an end to our flowchart!

but this post is.......not over......i'm not letting it be over...!!

personally i think STRQ is more fun if you split the twins up (because they would absolutely TRY to ensure they were partnered at any cost so we can't have that) which would make summer's partner one of the twins. i think it makes more sense (and more of that inevitable STRQ-breaking tension lol) if her partner is raven; summer was appointed the leader of her team and raven is a genuinely competent leader, you know this song and dance, yada yada raven is the weiss of her team (but has the leadership skills to back it up) etc etc

so, okay, that's her Partner, they have their ups and downs and various team-building exercises until both twins are ready to go Full Golden Heroism. like we know it isn't just qrow and that both of them get pulled away from their original goal to become wholeheartedly ozpilled; raven is cited as being just as All In with The Good Fight(TM) as her chosen family. in that scenario she and her heroic little partner could be plenty close just fine; i think all of strq became raven's chosen family, including summer rose...and it's just her soul responding ❤🤍

so yeah fuck it let's say Yes, Raven has a kindred link to Summer, now we have to keep going;

How does Kindred Link work?

oh boy.

by this question, i mean the following: how does raven experience kindred link, and how does it interact with her other senses? kindred link allows raven to open a portal to the other person and go to them whenever, from wherever, but there is more to it than that.

ONE: Kindred Link must, through some means, convey to raven WHEN she's needed. in volume 2, yang is in mortal danger inside a moving, enclosed, underground train car: there is no possible means to see inside, so raven's usual trick (bird spycraft) can't apply. even so, raven knows yang is in danger, exactly when she needs to know it. necessarily Kindred Link has somehow alerted her that her soulbond is in danger, and she would receive this information for any of her links. we don't know how dire the situation needs to be for this to happen, but we know it kicks in at LEAST for "immediate mortal danger". (because we have no insight into this, it is possible that raven's 6th sense pipes up far earlier for far less threat and she simply chooses to hang back.)

TWO: Kindred Link must, through some means, impart real-time awareness of what is happening on the other end of the link. simply put, when using her semblance, raven receives information about the other end of her link before the portal opens. at bare minimum, she knows where her person is in relation to other things in the space, and what the area generally looks like; she needs this information in order to place portals the way she does. raven's portals are always placed with purpose and a clear awareness of what's going on. this is how she's able to pull off an array of failwoman tricks, like her "placing the portal as far away from tai as she can get away with while crying and screaming" from the end of v5 (contrasted with her very funny move of lining her portal up so that it points cinder directly at ruby or her precise maneuvers during aforementioned train scene<3) these are different purposeful moves that all imply a fairly detailed level of knowledge—of a place raven can't see!

we don't know how raven experiences her 6th sense and what it's like from her side; likewise, we don't know if (2) here is "always on", or if it's only when actively trying to place a portal that she gets a quick download of the information she needs.

HOWEVER, these two things both being true makes it very likely to me that a Third Thing is probably also true: she would feel it if one of her links was severed, and only one force we know of can sever a link raven isn't ready to let go of. Whether Summer Rose is alive or dead, Raven would know.

oh my god...could you imagine?.... 😩

Is Summer alive?

yes. next question.

Why does no one else know, if Raven knows?

3 things: raven's severance from the ozluminati, her injured feelings, and potentially summer rose herself.

raven may still be in touch with qrow, but it's clear that receiving information from her is a privilege. she hoards and guards knowledge like a magpie, but she's also a spy: raven sharing what she knows is a show of trust or even loyalty and does not come easy. it doesn't come at all if you aren't her direct collaborator or someone she has specific self-determined reasons to share information with. to be blunt, receiving raven's intel is not a privilege her family has anymore, except for when she has a specific reason to talk to qrow. in general, the privilege has been thoroughly revoked, because:

the last time raven attempted to share information with her team, they rejected her. when raven's world turned too scary and she learned A Few Too Many Things about the realities of remnant and the unwinnable war—when she turned to her family for support—her family either did not understand what she was saying or chose not to believe her. she did not receive support in this critical moment, from the people she most loved and most needed; their rejection was a betrayal so fundamentally damaging to their bond that raven severed from them for good.

if raven was sitting on something as unfathomably charged as "summer rose is alive (and/or with salem(?????))", why would she spill? summer's family have already shattered her trust and she has no incentive to share information with them, because they don't deserve that privilege (<- this is obviously raven's hurt feelings turning thorny to protect herself).

this is already sufficient for me, particularly if their bond was close enough for raven to have Her Own feelings about summer being alive to untangle; she has known about this and protected the secret for a decade and a half, so it's possible she has her own reasons specifically for "protecting" this secret.

maybe the reason she doesn't involve summer in her insult volleys isn't because she has nothing bad to say; rather, it may be a part of her spy strats to avoid addressing summer too directly in any way, because she knows the secret. why invite conversation about her?

of course, the third potential factor: summer rose herself. we don't know what happened after summer left. but it's POSSIBLE that raven has met with her, later than anyone else; it's even possible that the "we can face her together" speech reminded raven of something that happened after summer left home. we don't know the extent of raven's knowledge of what summer has been up to, but it's possible that they've talked, either before summer met salem or after.

(if after, the rosebird box is wide open, because a salempilled summer is simultaneously raven's worst nightmare and a balm to her numerous cuts and bruises: imagine what it would do to her to hear you were right, we should have believed you.)

i am really obsessed with the concept of this weird mix of disloyalty to oz/tai/qrow/etc (who have been excluded from the List Of People Who Deserve It) and loyalty to summer (even if it's only out of Old Respect For My Partner (The Only One Who's Had The Sense To Defect) and they had no further interactions).

it's possible raven knows far FAR more than she lets on, depending on how much information kindred link has fed her about summer's whereabouts / if theyve met. crwby has a golden opportunity to do something very funny in the next episode (dragging raven into her mess)

it's possible raven never investigated further, too. that she knows summer is alive but hasn't gone to check it out, either because she doesn't want to know what's happened to her or she's convinced herself she's better off not getting involved.

but... oh.... i do think women should kiss...

(checks the flowchart) so i think we're at "Raven is keeping her secret on purpose for bisexual reasons"?

[mwolf0epsilon]

The Umbaran Pathogen - Day 10: Branding

Summary: Two days after the 212th breaks away from the 501st, Waxer and Canivete come across a rather unusual specimen while out scouting the perimeter of their current basecamp.

Warning: N/A

Prev / Next

[In which the events on Umbara are worsened by an unknown pathogen taking hold of both the 501st and 212th. These series of drabbles will follow a non-linear timeline based on the AI-less Whumptober prompt list for 2023.]

THIS STORY IS ALSO ON AO3

---

"I'm just saying... It's not that he can't rock the mustache all on its own, but would it kill him to try to do something different with his hair once in a while?" Waxer carried on with the previous discussion he and Canivete had been having during mealtime.

And, as rude as it was to talk about a vod who wasn't even on planet, Cani couldn't help but to agree a little with what he was saying. Boil could really use a new look that didn't just consist of putting all his effort into facial hair.

Maybe some kind of decorative fade, or maybe even a mullet...

"Keep your eyes on the ground. This place is crawling with critters ready to snack on our bone marrow..." She responded instead, making sure to keep her own peepers glued to the forest floor as she walked.

For all that Umbara was a bit of a desolate hellhole, one couldn't deny that the plants and trees had a sort of ethereal look to them. The Zabrak Spikes's glowing red spines looked beautiful against the dark hues of the landscape. And (if not for the fact they were aggressive) the tendrils of Death's Embrace moved in strangely alluring manners that were almost hypnotizing. Almost.

That enchanting beauty was exactly why it was so easy to get caught unaware by the creatures that roamed up above on the canopies, or that chose to camouflage down below with the foliage.

The Vixus, for example, were masters at just that.

"I hear ye, and I see it too." Waxer reassured as he glanced forward to what had alarmed Cani in the first place. A Vixus tendrils, just barely visible among actual plant roots. Waiting for someone to be so careless as to tread on it. "Nasty beasts..."

Nasty indeed. Too many had already fallen into this particular trap for them to have any understanding or sympathy for this particular way of hunting. Even Pi, with his fascination for animals, wouldn't defend these beasts after he heard just how many vode had been devoured.

If Cani got to live long enough to tell him that is...

Shaking that particularly negative thought out of her head, the medic carefully sidestepped the seeking tendril and carried on moving. Waxer tailed calmly behind her, flashlight skimming over the beast's closed bulb-like maw. Then his footsteps stopped abruptly, causing her to pause as well.

"Waxer?" She turned around, noting the way he was observing the dormant Vixus. "Leave it be, we need to keep moving."

"I know..." Even with his helmet on, she could easily tell he was frowning. "I just... Does that look natural to you?"

He pointed, her eyes following his finger and noting the rather strange marking on the creature's outer shell. It looked like some kind of symbol had been stamped on it. Or rather, burnt on with a branding iron. For what purpose however, she did not know.

Neither did Waxer who was staring at it with clear confusion.

"Uh... Weird..." Cani mumbled as she went to grab her datapad off its belt loop. "There's lettering on it. Umbaran, obviously. I'll snap a holo and we can show it to the General. He's good with languages."

"Yeah, probably best we do that. It's never a good sign when you find a big predator with some kind of branded symbol on it..." If anything, it was downright suspicious. And they both knew it. "Last time that happened, dang thing was some kind of tracking beast..."

"I doubt these things are trainable, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Canivete conceded. She took the holo and then motioned for them to carry on. The sooner they finished scouting the perimeter, the faster they could ask General Kenobi about the odd specimen they'd just encountered.

[bracketsoffear]

As someone who has seen a lot of Columbo (and if you havent seen it, I would recommend it! its a pretty fun and neat show), he absolutely would tell you what's in your favorite foods. in his own "helpful" way of course. It's hard to describe how good of an avatar he actually is to anyone who hasn't seen it and I dont think I can do it justice, but ill give it a shot.

The way the show is structured has the first chunk of the show focusing on the murder itself. It's shown in depth, from the murderer, the motive, and all we'll (eventually) need to know as to how the murder is solved. The audience knows from the beginning who the killer(s) are. It's only then is Columbo introduced, and the "murder mystery" aspect of it is not the if the killer will be found out, but the when and the how. Because no matter how well they cover it up or how solid their alibi is, he will catch them. He always does.

Viewing all this as him being an avatar of the Eye makes more than enough sense. Hell, I'd argue it makes more sense than him just being a normal person. He's perspective to an unnatural degree, always seeming to know the particulars of what he'll need to catch them. One example I remember in particular is one where the TV executive kills someone for their job, and during the episode, Columbo learns about cues on film and the manual switches used for them (which is framed as a genuine interest, as he's shown to really like to learn about various occupations and the functionality of things), which is later crucial to destroying her alibi. Columbo always knows a bit too much, and it's hard to tell exactly when

Additionally, he doesn't need to let the killer in on what's going on with the case, he doesn't need to tell them he believes that accident that happened to their boss wasn't an accident or that they found a button on the crime scene that matches the jacket they happened have (which he knows, but he wont make an accusation yet). It's weird that he lets the killer squirm for so long before making the arrest, half the time tricking them into admitting it somehow even if he has the evidence to make an arrest. Another example that I remember is one where the woman had disguised herself and hid it under the facility's bathroom sink. She had come back to retrieve it, putting it her bag, and while talking to her, Columbo takes a weird interest in her bag, asking to hold it and making sure to look closely at. He says he's interested it for his wife, but it's like he knows, and he's just seeing how much he can push before the killer starts to push back. He doesn't know, obviously. There's no way for him to know the outfit is in there. Right?

Humor me for a minute here:

From the beginning, Columbo knows who the killer is. Out of all the suspects, he picks them out almost immediately and will latch on. Because they're already scared and paranoid about being found out. Even if they're 100% confidant in themselves, even if they believe they've gotten away with it and have a foolproof plan to succeed, there's always the what if in the back of their minds. And if it's not there yet? He'll put it there. He'll start off playing the role of the bumbling detective, be this harmless fool that they could easily outwit any day, have them get their confidence up and/or let their guard down, and then drop a strange little thing he's found at the crime scene, which is probably nothing and they don't need to worry about it, but it's a bit odd to find, isn't it? And then he'll do it again, under the guise of "catching them up on the case" (even if telling the suspect of a murder or even a loved one about the details of a murder is pretty counterproductive), and that seed of doubt gets worse. Then he might remind them of something they forgot; the gun hidden in the elevator hatch, the marks on the movie film, the broken watch's chimes, the book with their name on it. Things aren't adding up and he makes sure they know. He's subtle about it, never directly saying he knows what they've done, but an offhand comment or two makes all the difference (one time, he had laid in the same way the victim had commonly done, right down to the way he held the book). He takes that fear and paranoia naturally built and gradually, bit by bit, makes it worse until they've consumed by it. They start to frantic, sloppy, trying to cover up their mistakes and then he'll confront them. Not straight up arrest them, but bring up every piece of evidence that'll destroy their stories and ruin their alibis. More often than not, he'll trick them to saying something that will, inevitably, be an admission of guilt. And then, reeling with the devastation of being caught and having their entire lives fall apart, he'll arrest them.

The show isn't about finding out who the killer is, but rather it's about the killer's secret being revealed. It's about watching their deepest darkest secret, watching them trying to do whatever it takes to hide it, and then watching it constantly fail. Because Columbo will always be the one to bring it to light.

.

[pixeldemonia]

My universe

Real name: Unknown (her public name is Kuromi Kintsugi, but her real name is kept secret).

Age: at the start of the story 17, in this momment 19/20.

Pronouns: she/her.

Sexual orientation: Bisexual, demisexual.

Quirk: video game character

This quirk gives its owner the main abilities of a battleroyale video game character, such as the ability to use and store different types of weapons, create barriers, have maps of the place where they are, a control menu where statistics are shown, like physical state, remaining battery, etc. She also has the ability to regenerate at small levels, and can also help heal other people through her blood, which would work as a "healing potion". There are 10 levels, the usser levels up by completing missions, which consist of winning battles, completing exercises, and things like that, unlocking a level unlocks 10 new weapons and improves some skills from previous levels. The levels are differentiated not only by the name but also by the "skin" which is noticeable in the figures that light up in the eyes, the horns or headsets made of pixels, and sometimes in the form of bright marks on the skin. Weapons, barriers and screens are made of pixels, which come out of the body, in the case of weapons, these come out of compartments that come out from under the skin when the bearer decides to use them, the rest of the time these compartments are not visible nor can they be felt. fire weapons have three types of bullets, real and expanding bullets, rubber bullets, and special bullets, which are essentially like sleeping darts that only work when the bullet hits the target's head.

The weaknesses of this quirk are the loss of battery, the loss of blood and the same physical damage that is generated by opening and closing many compartments

in general, it's a flashy quirk that is great to capture villains without the need to damage the stage too much or have long dangerous fights, if this quirk is used carefully, it can be really usefull.

The story

Clarification: more than an Oc she is an idealized version of what I would like to be if I were part of the bnha universe, this is a brief summary of her life story, which obviously is not totally like mine but in which I represent (in a fantastic and more bnha-like) situations in my life that marked me, I would really appreciate it if you didn't throw hate at me, since it is a way of airing my problems and in a certain way escaping from my reality. I struggle with certain health issues, both fisical and mental, i need to use diferent medicines and i'm still being studied to give me a complete diagnosis of my illneses, things aren't exactly easy, so please be nice to me, i don't intent to pass this as canon, and isn't something that happens in the canonic mha universe, this is pure fantasy, only a fictional work.

in a world in where 80% of the population has manifested a quirk, there have to be regulations to keep people safe, to my bad luck I was born in a poor and dangerous area, full of villains, in which the heroes didn't intervene much, despite the problems and how difficult life was, I was a happy girl with illusions and a dream, but all that ended when at the age of 5 I manifested my quirk "videogame character" the teachers who witnessed the first time it manifested, considered it extremely dangerous, since in a world full of even more dangerous powers, weapons are still something to fear, they called the corresponding authorities, but to pay for the security and quirk control protocols, I had to say goodbye to the one I consider my only dream

life did not become easier, my health was not good, the economic situation did not improve either and at 10 years old I had to learn to evade the security protocols to be able to use my quirk to earn some money. loneliness consumed me and depression began to crush me, without realizing it, every day I was closer to graduating from school, which means choosing what you will do to support yourself throughout your life, I had no idea what I would do, finally I felt that I had no way to move on.

But life was the one that made the decision, when I got into a fight with a dangerous villain while trying to save a child, the news spread, without exposing my identity since i was a minor, but the only ones who managed to find me were the superiors of the supernatural division of the Japanese army, the ones in charge of training and employing those who were born with quirks too powerful to be ignored, but too dangerous to work in other areas.

When I arrived in Japan, I was happy to no longer live in a place surrounded by so much violence. The trainings were terribly hard since they had to "catch me up with the others", at first it was too much for me, but one day, I saw someone, someone totally opposite to me "I promise to be number 1" someone with such confidence and determination to achieve his goals, could I one day be like him?, I don't know what happened, but i felt determinated to do my best in everything that i wanted to do. I still felt bad, but at least I didn't have to worry about money anymore, the missions were dangerous, my personal life and relationship with my family continued being terrible, at least the medicines helped me, life continued normal, until the war against shigaraki and AFO began.

Bnha manga spoilers ahead!

at first we were not allowed to intervene, until in an act of desperation the hero commission asked us to go to the battlefield, me and my team arrived at the stadium where shigaraki was, and this is where katsuki's story and the mine intertwined

After an arduous battle we managed to emerge victorious, despite this most of us had to be transferred to the same hospital, katsuki and I began to interact there, until we became friends, after months of recovery, the school year finally began , I thought that I would never see him again due to how different our work fields are, but the UA and my superiors reached an agreement, and I started studying in the second year with class A.

from the beginning the two of us connected very well, he considered me someone trustworthy, I suppose that having been together in such a dangerous situation helped us to form that bond, I supported him to be able to overcome everything that had happened to him, despite the little time that we had known each other I think we got to know each other more deeply than with any other person. I have always had problems adapting to social environments, so when I entered the UA I was very lucky to be in the same class, he helped me a lot. Time passed and slowly we both started to develop romantic feelings for each other, although we were both too dumb to realize it, and when we did it was hard, we both didn't know what the other felt and we were afraid of ruining our friendship, we had to go through another situation that put our lives in danger so that we could confess what we feel, since then we have been together, not everything is perfect, but we support each other, we take care of each other, we understand each other, we are happy together and it will be that way forever.

Time passed and despite the fact that there are still conflicts to resolve and things to improve as a society, definitely everything is better, today we are all graduated and working as professional heroes, Dynamight created his own hero agency, in which I work as a hero, he's the number one hero on the hero charts, i'm the number 9, most of class A are still friends, the future is bright, despite all the hard times we've had, things are fine, and always will be...

The relationship

We dated for a year and a half until he asked me to marry him for the first time, although that was more a confession of his wishes and strong feelings than an official commitment. We got seriously engaged 4 months after graduating and got married 3 months after the engagement, our anniversary is October 31st.

Our relationship is based on trust, communication, respect and the immense love we have for each other. Although sometimes we argue, we always manage to solve everything. For different reasons we both decided not to have children, but we have a cat that we love like one.

We share many tastes and interests. Many times we work together on missions and we are partners on patrol, our career as heroes is very good. We know each other well and we respect each other, we would never do anything that would hurt or annoy the other.

We are sure that we are soul mates.

We are happier than we imagined we could ever be.

Final notes (by the usser)

Again, this is a fictional story far from the canon, that is why the characters have already grown up (not so much since I am terrible at making mature faces) I also know that romantic relationships are not normally like that in real life, this it's pure fantasy, it's just something that makes me happy, I really started to create all this because I wanted to show katsuki being happy. I am not planning to write my little au in more detail, since I dedicate myself to only making drawings, I just wanted to write this section to have my blog a little more organized and so that if someone is interested in knowing something about this, they can understand it. if you think this type of content is wrong, or you don't like it, just ignore it and block my blog, you don't have to tell me, but if you like it, you're more than welcome to stay, I want this to be a happy internet corner and a safe place for all, finally, thank you very much to all who follow and support me, to all those who like my art for some reason, this is a personal project and a hobby that makes me very happy, so you can not imagine how happy it makes me too se so many positive backlash after my content, love ya'll ❤️

[jegulily-stuff]

11. The Unknowable Room ch 7 (there are loads more but im drawing the line here)

Thanks for the ask :) This is probably my favourite WIP at the moment

Here's a snippet:

Regulus looked at the stile, at the tiny stone steps in the wall and the muddy footsteps and trampled plants. For some reason it was making him almost angry.

“They have a faery-gate,” His voice was tight. “They have a gap in their wards, that they haven’t closed in all this time – after ten years of war. That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever – how could anyone ever be that stupid? I can’t –“

“Shut up!” Evans snarled, “Shut the fuck up. You don’t get to call them anything – and don’t you dare act like it’s their fault! It was hidden. No one knew about it, only friends.”

“Well, that obviously didn’t matter. Someone found it.”

She looked like she wanted to bite him. “You didn’t. You couldn’t fucking find it five minutes ago!”

What does that have to do with anything?

He frowned. “And? Someone did.”

“Why are you even acting like you care? This is what your lot want – this is what your lot did. Whose fucking footprints are those, huh? Who cast that fucking Mark?”

Her voice was too loud. The sound carried across the garden. Someone might hear her out along the road.

The Mark hung above them, casting its eerie glow like a spotlight.

“We can’t stay here.” He said.

Someone would come, and how would they explain it? Oh no, I’m only at this crime scene because of temporary unauthorised time travel. Please, there’s no need to arrest me, or tell my parents.

Evans grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him out of the border. Her grip was iron, and she didn’t let go until they were all the way back through the front door of the house and into the entrance hall.

“Here’s what’s we’re going to do,” She said. There was something unusually hard in her voice. “We are going to find out exactly when and why this happened, so that it will not happen. We aren’t leaving until then.”

There was no point trying to argue, was there?

After all, Marlene McKinnon was her good friend.

The first two chapters of this are already posted here.