#or force it to expand beyond what you want to explore

[snickerdoodlles]

PSA

A drabble is a form of fiction that’s exactly 100 words. If a story is 99 words or less, it’s not a drabble. If a story is 101 words or more, it’s not a drabble.

100 words or nothing

[becca-e-barnes]

Ma’am, you are deviously incredible 🔥 We’re begging for an exploration of him saying “I love you” while fucking her like he doesn’t 🥹

My brain keeps picking up the storyline a few splendidly torturous hours in when her body’s completely spent & quivering & she’s a blubbering mess & that’s when he picks her up & takes his sweet time positioning her so she can limply yet eagerly watch their reflection has he finally gives her… exactly what her twitching body’s been craving. 🥵

I'm so glad you all enjoyed the thought of this as much as I did because I've been dying to expand on it 😵‍💫 (Part 1 here)

I like to imagine by that stage, he's absolutely desperate too though. He's got to feel your sweet little pussy clench and flutter around him, contracting so tight every time you cum that he swears it's going to be the end of him.

He's been too hard for too long, buried inside your body and he swears he's never felt you this wet or this hot before. It's been fucking luxurious, forcing you to cum against his fingers, feeling how your body's natural reaction is to coax him to drain his balls into you but that alone isn’t enough. He needs more than that.

He wouldn't admit it to you but he can't take any more. His balls feel like they're fizzing; overfull and beyond ready to flood your waiting, overstimulated body.

He arranges you gently, laying you on your front because he doesn't trust your trembling arms to support you. "That's it, good girl." He coos, hearing you whimper and sob pathetically because he needs to slip out of you to slide a pillow under your hips.

"You've made such a mess." He groans, taking a second to appreciate the delicious, inviting, slick little cunt he's about to indulge in. "You're dripping, sweetheart. God, I just know there's no way I'm going to be able to pull out."

His huge hands are gripping your hips and with one sharp, brutal thrust, he's back inside you and you both sob pathetically at the feeling of your bodies being joined again. This is exactly what you've needed but you don't have the words to tell him that. All you can do is whine and will your body not to cum again so soon.

"I meant. What I said earlier." He punctuates his sentence with soft groans, drawing back until he almost slips out of you before pounding back in.

He leans forward, tilting your chin up, making sure you can see the way he's fucking you in the mirror at the end of the bed.

"I love you. And I don't want you to forget that." He sounds sincere, one hand trailing up from the small of your back to right between your shoulder blades and then back down again. It feels intimate and tender but all that is forgotten by the very next thrust.

"I love you. But for now, you're just a mindless. Little. Drooling. Breedable. Cunt for me." He slows his thrusts down, determined not to cum so soon but it's going to be difficult to last until he gets the first couple of loads out of the way.

"Baby..." You whimper, feeling the tip of his cock nudge against your sweet spot, making you shake from overstimulation.

"I know sweetheart, I know. It's too much. But you're being so good for me. You're so perfect. How have no idea how you feel. So wet and warm and I can feel you fluttering around my cock. It's like you're trying to squeeze every last drop of cum out of me. Is that what you want? Because angel, I'll keep this delicious cunt stuffed full of load after load until I have nothing left to give you."

His thrusts are punishingly fast, thumping against your raised ass, half chasing his orgasm, half holding it back.

"And when I do, I'll remind you just how much I love you. And the baby I'm going to give you tonight."

With that thought, he can't stop himself from cumming, his dick twitching inside you as he shoots thick ropes of his seed right against your cervix. You're so cock-drunk you can only rut yourself millimetres back and forth but that's all you need to send yourself spiralling into another orgasm that leaves you trembling and sobbing.

"Fuck, you want that as much as I do, don't you?" He kisses the back of your neck, breathing you in while letting the euphoric rush subside. He notices he hasn't softened in the slightest despite such an intense orgasm but he knows he needs to be gentle with you for a moment before he can get any rougher.

[graceshouldwrite]

4 Ways to Get Back Into Your WIP

You know when you might have taken a long break, worked on other projects, talked to other people about it, and basically did EVERYTHING to get yourself back into it, but it’s not working?

Even though you still want to LIKE your WIP and work on it? 

These tips are based on my own experience dealing with that feeling. I went through something like that for around a year, but now, I’m getting past it and returning to my main WIP more excited than I’ve been for a long time! 

1. List out WHAT you don’t like and fix it

COMMON CORE ISSUES:

Plot + Subplots? 

They might seem too (among other things):

lackluster

complex

unnecessary

confusing

You might not know how to:

develop the plots

make them believable

add the scenes you want without giving the book 800+ pages

choose scenes to cut to fit the word count goal...

Characters?

A BIG ONE: some writers try to force themselves to like X character for whatever reason (e.g. based them on a specific aesthetic, felt forced to add specific rep, etc), but they just DON’T. 

Or, maybe:

you don’t know how to develop your characters

their group dynamic is too difficult to write/doesn’t make a lot of sense

your character voices, personalities, or appearances might not be distinct enough

Prose?

You might:

want to add more humour (prose is too depressing and atmospherically dark)

want to add more gravity (prose is too comedic and romantic)

want to shift from past to present tense, want to tell story from another POV, etc. 

Organization?

OFTEN, the book’s just TOO COMPLEX with all the characters, subplots, etc. and it’s too intimidating to try to sort out all the mess that’s your WIP 

SO…

The lists I gave you are most of the big, common issues. Once they’re sorted into SPECIFIC types of problems, don’t they get less intimidating to look at? 

I know you might think, gee, Grace, these problems will take [insert comically large time frame] to solve. 

Well, if you genuinely want to like your project again and work on it, DO IT.

Slowing down your WIP finish date is worth it if it helps you get back into it. If you never get back into the project, you’ll NEVER FINISH IT. Late > never.

Heck, you might not even be too late—you might find yourself back in the passionate fever you were when you started it, and be in the headspace to write furiously :) 

I think you know how to solve these broken-down problems. Some require more sheer line-editing, while others require big executive decisions (e.g. getting rid of a character or rewriting an entire subplot/the plot). But, it will be worth it when you start to love your project again.

2. Remember why you started it 

Before each project, write a STATEMENT OF PURPOSE at the beginning of your doc to remind you why you’re writing this story in the first place. If you didn’t do this, it’s not too late to start one now! 

It could be something as close to heart as “I want to express how unrequited love feels,” or something as grand as like “I want to write a tragic allegory of the political and economic state of the world that explores human nature” (I am projecting in both of these examples, but you get it). 

Something SPECIFIC is a lot better for this than things like: “I told X this story idea and they liked it,” or “I promised to write this for X,” or “I want to tell this story just cuz.” These latter examples probably won’t fill you with passion. 

3. Listen BEYOND your WIP playlists. Look at images BEYOND your WIP aesthetics 

Many people think revisiting your old playlists / boards help, but that often contributes to the staleness!!!! 

Instead, by purposefully expanding your scope of consumed media, you open yourself up to more inspiration and ideas of where you want to take your project.  New images and new songs will give you new ideas on atmosphere, mood, scenes, and so much more. 

4. Compare your WIP to a similar book you like

You know THAT BOOK that comes to mind whenever someone asks you which book is your favourite/impacted you deeply? Think of how your book will impact readers in the same way. All the emotional turmoil and mental enlightenment That Book gave you is what YOU will give to the readers who resonate with YOUR book one day!

The author of the book you’re thinking about went through drafts, edits, and maybe even wanted to give up at some point, (LIKE YOU!) but pushed through it. Now, their book is on the bestseller list/on a bookshelf/a classic (whatever appeals to you)!  Don’t stop before YOUR book is there, too. 

∘₊✧────── ☾☼☽ ──────✧₊∘

instagram: @ grace_should_write

A LOT of this comes from personal experience; I had this mental tussle with my main WIP a while back, so I hope this helps anyone else dealing with the same problem :)

Hope this was helpful, and let me know if you have any questions by commenting, re-blogging, or DMing me on IG. Any and all engagement is appreciated <3333

Happy writing, and have a great day!

- grace <3

[leportraitducadavre]

Hi there.

Were you Pro Sasuke from the start or was it a gradual process?

Always liked him, but I started understanding his character and actually siding with him the more I grew and understood the world around and beyond me.

It's a process, I believe, even those who side with Sasuke might not understand everything he encompasses, as he develops through the series as Kishimoto's own knowledge grows or shifts; Sasuke is a catalyst for Kishi to explore the part of him that actually wants things to change, that is quite done with the injustice of the system he grew up with and that every single one of us is forced to be part of and Naruto is the part of him that... well, that society tells you needs to win, that squashes revolution and guarantees the status as it currently is, only with more superficial inclusion.

I think being pro-sasuke/uchiha (with what it actually implies) is always a process thing rather than a "first impression" deal, you need to unlearn things that are taught to you from a small age, even if you do side with him from the get-go (I never thought Itachi was "a good brother" or whatever bullshit his fans state) you need to come to terms with the notion that "victims" don't look the exact same way that society wants you to believe, they have the right to defend themselves, look for reparations and bring change through force and still be victims.

This requires a far longer response and this was quite hasty, but I have little time now to reply thoroughly, might return later to expand on this.

The same (but in reverse) happened with some other characters or ships of the show.

[bigfan-fanfic]

Shield of Stars (Biotic!Reader x Kaidan Alenko x Steve Rogers)

@jayfeather965 male reader x Kaidan x Steve when Steve awakens in 2181 Mass Effect universe

Historically, putting soldiers in the same platoon really was the closest way to getting people to bond.

Could it have been anything other than inevitable when you and Kaiden fell for the Captain?

Your group, the Brooklyn Squad, wasn't actually meant to see combat.

It was more of an honor guard for Steve, an honorary ambassador and a living relic - technically the first biotic made by humans.

Though Steve's body carries no element zero and he cannot manipulate mass effect fields, it was Erskine's formula and subsequent research that was able to prepare certain people for bio-amp implantation and help make safe biotics out of those exposed to eezo.

The Brooklyn Squad consists of Steve, you, Kaidan, a turian who has come to respect and appreciate Steve's ethics, an asari, and a few other human biotics. It doesn't technically have any jurisdiction or ability to enforce galactic law...

But after an incident in which the Squad discovered and liberated a bunch of sapients kidnapped and enslaved by batarians, it has become the personal overt task force of the Council.

Officially the turian is the commanding officer for the Brooklyn Squad, though the chain of command is unlike what Steve is used to, since he was in the military over two hundred years ago.

But Steve really does appreciate having not only a goal and missions, but people he can truly trust, like when he was part of the Howling Commandos.

It's different for him - seeing you and Kaidan kiss. He makes an awkward joke about fraternization to cover for his unease, which he looks into.

Steve's never only been into women. But for a long time he sort of had to be above all that, first when he was in the US Military during the war, and now when he's an icon and completely out of his own time.

It wasn't conducive to exploring romance or even his own feelings. But seeing you and Kaidan openly loving one another without any thought of retaliation or anger - it shocks him. And it gives him hope.

He talks a little to the other members of the Squad about it, about how love is now, in this world where people are citizens of planets and systems and humans are not alone - about plural marriage and polyamory and sexuality and gender expression

How turian culture differs from asari from human from salarian and so on. Steve learns and expands as the whole Squad helps him to accept himself, and everything else.

And that's when Steve asks you two out. Still unsure, but wanting to try - Steve asks you and Kaidan on a date, accepting the potential of you both saying no.

But you say yes.

Yes to a trip around the Citadel trying increasingly-unfamiliar foods and laughing at how all of you feel the same kind of wrong-footed.

Yes to a visit to a library for translated volumes of quarian legends and asari myths, and exploring writers from worlds beyond your own.

Yes to a night in to watch Fleet and Flotilla, and to start exploring not only classics that are still way past Steve's time, but things bridging the gap between his missing years and now.

Yes to finding an apartment on the Citadel for an extended shore leave where all of you can stay.

Yes to a trip back to Earth to meet Kaidan's parents, where he introduces you as the loves of his life.

Yes to the rings - beautifully crafted triple bands of gold uniting the three of you as one.

Yes to spending the rest of your lives together amongst the stars, fighting off Reapers and never, ever giving up on each other.

Because if time itself couldn't prevent your love story, nothing can.

[littjara-mirrorlake]

tell me things about moritte of the frost ? making a magic oc and she might be integral to her backstory so id love to hear anything you know

Ooooh, I love OCs!! Especially those related to Kaldheim and Littjara! Excited to see what you make 👀

Unfortunately I can't give you too much in the way of canon information. This is her bio in the Legends of Kaldheim article:

Moritte is an enigma. A shapeshifter from Littjara, she was born a Gladewalker. While many grown-up shapeshifters leave Littjara to explore the realms, Moritte wanted more knowledge. To reach that end, she took the form of a young Covewalker. Living among the Covewalkers, Moritte absorbed all their knowledge and secrets before vanishing into the mists. She now wanders the realms, the most knowledgeable shapeshifter of all, seeking the solutions to new unanswered questions.

It's vague, I expect delibrately so, but that's a little frustrating when you want actual details. I wrote a more in-depth post about expanding Littjara and changeling lore a while back, which might help if you're looking for headcanon inspiration.

As to the "knowledge" Moritte seeks, I'm inclined to believe it is cosmological, since that's a major part of Kaldheim's functioning--the way realms are formed, what happens to them when they break off the tree (they become planes!), and how Cosmos monsters are born. As a creature especially attuned to aether and the Cosmos, Moritte learning more about Kaldheim cosmology would also mean deepening her knowledge about herself.

Perhaps her quest for all-encompassing knowledge leads her to a revelation about the Multiverse even before the Phyrexian invasion forces everyone to be very, very aware of it. It might even entangle her with forces far beyond her comprehension. Namely, the Eldrazi. After all, what are Eldrazi but much larger Cosmos monsters? Wouldn't she want to find out?

After March of the Machine, I am almost positive that Moritte has left Kaldheim, traveling to learn the lore of other planes. (I know it very likely does not work like this but it would also be funny if all changelings were now planeswalkers, because of how Kaldheim cosmology works.) Some fun places for her to be: Arcavios for its repository of knowledge in Strixhaven, Kamigawa for its overlap of mortal and spirit realms, Zendikar for its history of entanglement with the Eldrazi titans.

I have correctly predicted major canon at least twice with my Kaldheim posts and I'm still riding that power trip a little bit.

[another-lost-mc]

is it bad that as much as i like your ocs (theyre amazing, i love them!), i really miss seeing you write for the canon characters

You know, that’s valid. The proportion of Canon and OC content here lately has been way off. It’s sort of the elephant in the room I ignore every time I think about Obey Me and my inspiration automatically focuses on the world building or OC potential instead.

There’s a few reasons why I’ve been less interested in writing canon lately.

1. Disappointment with Nightbringer. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure why this game exists (except to overhaul the franchise’s monetization structure). The premise and lore payoff hasn’t been that great for me personally - it feels more like an AU rather than a canon addition/continuation of the OG game. It feels like we still end up with more loose ends and questions that we don’t have (and may never get) answers for. I’m still waiting for Raphael and Mephisto to be dateable, by the way. As a result, my focus when writing OM content has been using the OG story/characterization using the odd piece from NB that makes sense, and that leads into…

2. My favourite parts of Obey Me are under-developed in canon. I enjoy most of the canon cast, I really do. But I want more Celestial Realm lore, I want more Michael (and not NB HM Lesson 20 Michael), I want more angels in general. They’ve mentioned Uriel a couple times now, give me that angel please and thank you! (No longer relevant, I wrote a version of him myself.)

The world feels so empty at times but there’s so much potential. Parts of the Devildom are more fleshed out with NB adding to it, but what about the other realms? What’s going on with the Sorcerer’s Society and the reapers? I never know if the interesting hints of lore we get are truly relevant or if it’s just something the game decided was convenient for a plot point and never gets mentioned again. NB has been great for Solomon fans since it’s practically a Solomon x MC fanfic written with a forced roommates trope, and that might be the best thing about it from a lore perspective.

My OCs were originally meant to explore gaps in the world and give the canon characters room to grow beyond the one or two defining traits the game keeps repeating over and over. I like writing Mammon when I can have him interact with Karasu, I like imagining the types of angels other exchange students might meet in the Celestial Realm, I like giving a name and personality to the mysterious owner of The Fall where so many events and Devilgram stories take place. Admittedly, it was refreshing to see that other people enjoyed reading about them or imagining them paired with their own MCs/OCs too. I call them the OC Fan Club with genuine affection.

3. It’s not something I talk about often but before I began writing fanfiction, I was mostly focused on concepts or outlines for original stories. Writing supernatural and horror themes always been my interest as a writer so anything with demons/angels/other monstrous races automatically catches my eye.

It’s a little mean to say, but half-baked worlds like the Devildom are a lot of fun to use as a foundation for expanding my own ideas. The OC story I’ve been working on is one way for me to write longer and more complex pieces which is the type I like most. Granted, it includes nearly the entire game cast and it explores the Devildom and Celestial Realm in ways that tie together some of my favourite personal headcanons and characterization. It focuses on angel characters and the history/culture of the Celestial Realm which are two of my main interests for this game. It’s a huge project - the outline is nearly 20k words on its own, it’s practically a novel divided into four sections with 30+ chapters and an epilogue. I can’t even express how excited I am when I get to work on this.

That being said, I do like writing canon content and I’ve been missing it more lately. I got burnt out when it felt like I was losing interest in NB and was pushing myself to keep writing anyway which isn’t great.

Today someone left a nice comment on something I wrote a while back, an angst piece for the demon brothers. I haven’t read it in a while and after going back and re-reading it, I was like, “Huh, I don’t remember liking this as much as I do.” And then I remembered something in my drafts that’s been rotting away, half-edited and ignored, and realized that I wanted to finish it. So, I’ve been slowly tinkering with things while I work on my angels’ story. Some of my plans are ambitious and real life distractions (mostly health related, like my recent bout of COVID) haven’t helped.

If I learned anything about my writing since starting this blog, it’s that:

writing what you’re passionate about is more fulfilling than writing what seems trendy or popular

giving and receiving feedback and fostering friendships/supporting each other keeps the community thriving

self care self care self care

Anyway. My goal has always been to write about the things I love about the game world and the things I create that are inspired by it. It’s a delicate balancing act that I’m still working on.

[magpod-confessions]

the thing about literary analysis and media criticism is that everything is fair game AND sometimes things aren't that deep. someone could write an impassioned , thoughtful meta about Needles but he's still gonna be a Funny Little Guy, horrible edition. but: maybe the meta writer wants to explore body horror vs bodily autonomy and the role of piercings in individual queer empowerment narratives, and they give it some thought and say 'this is a way Needles can be read.' and that's legit!

there's also a difference between listening to magnus like it's a story and listening to magnus like it's a puzzle. it's really apparent in how much tmagp meta reads like a continuation of the ARG: people making spreadsheets and notes and figurative (perhaps literal?) red string boards (which is also a thing people liked to do while tma was airing, too, i'm not trying to point fingers at protocol in particular). the coffee/tea people say that the oiar crew's hot beverage of choice symbolises their ties to either protocol-verse or archives-verse, but what a lot of them seem to mean is not that coffee/tea are symbols, but that they're *clues.* (personally I don't think it's either, but am prepared to be wrong about this.) because tmagp is still so new, too, it's harder to understand if/how it's operating on an overarching thematic level; we can't see the forest because the trees are still saplings.

when people say things like "the fears are capitalism," I mean. the fears are a pretty good allegory for the systems of power and oppression that, in their avarice, seek endless and complete consumption of the very resources (people) that keep them alive. the web is a great image for the inconceivably complex systems that surround and entrap us, whether we're a fly or a society. at the same time, the fears/the fear entity is literally an extradimensional force beyond human comprehension that must feed off the terror of other living beings and seeks to expand its reach across the multiverse. the fears are also scary because being trapped in a cave is scary, and the endless void of space is scary, and clowns are scary, y'know?

so I think my hot take is that critical engagement with media and textual analysis and interpretation and meta of all kinds is fun and rewarding, but that while stories generally have literal meanings (they've got a plot, they've got characters, things occur), they don't tend to produce clean solutions. if the magnus archives were two sentences long ("exploitation is bad and we are probably mostly doomed. you should still try I guess, and also care about people," for example) it would be a lot less memorable!

.

[obsolete-stars-if]

Obsolete Stars

Last Update: 20th/April 2024

Last updated word count: + 19k including code Read time: ~5h 45min Join the discord

Currently available: Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 full

Take me to the demo. Now.

Disclaimer: While I do have an outline, this is a first draft/proof of concept situation. There will be many errors and things like personality options, and further expansion of the world around you, will be expanded once the first draft is done. Thank you for understanding.

Intro

So let’s be real, we all read fanfiction that followed the prompt of “Help, my parents sold me off to [insert boy band/ celebrate crush/ tumblr sexy man of the week)!”, but unlike those fanfictions, you weren’t sold off to your hot crush. After a life in isolation, your father, the king, sells you off to marry the prince of another country. With nothing but two guards, you make your way to meet the dreaded fate of marriage. Along the way, you will make friends, learn the truth about your kingdom, and find yourself in positions much worse than a forced marriage. One can only pray for your survival.

In this game you will explore your kingdom and what happened to the magic realm. It will include sensitive topics, and possible explicit content in the future.

The game focuses on interpersonal relationships.

What else?

Play as Male, Female, Nonbinary (option to customize your pronouns, future trans options planned)

Date one (or more) of your 7 friends

Play as straight, queer, poly, mono, or just be aro or ace

Be a total ass to your spouse or just accept your fate

Have fun seeing your kingdom in ruins!

Get your friends killed

Get yourself killed

Ę̸̱͌̌x̷͖̕p̵̣̰͐̓e̴̡̪̓̇r̸̨̹̉͘i̷͍̮̎͝e̴͇͋̒n̸̢̼͠c̵͎̳̓̈́e̵͙͇̽̄ ̴̼̈́͒j̵̨̢̈́͆ṳ̸͝͠d̶̝̈̇g̴̨͉̀̏e̸͎͒͛m̷̳̪̓ẽ̶̙͉ń̶͕͋t̵̺̾ ̵̘̓́d̵̹̈́å̵͚ȳ̸͓͗

Okay cool, but what about dating?

Tarek/Takischa (he/him; she/her) (Ftm/Mtf)  (genderselectable)

Old and grumpy, TK is 15 years your senior and has been serving the palace your entire life. They are stoic and devoted to the crown, they take their job more than serious, sometimes they can even parental or possessive. Underneath their blank face, you know they care for you, and they always will.

They are 6′3 and have ashen honey hair, curly and cutting off just above their eyes. Pale green eyes set deep against their ivory skin. They hide almost all of their skin with layers of clothing.

(Great if you have parental issues.)

Samuel/Samira (he/him; she/her) (Ftm/Mtf) (genderselectable)

Young and curious, Sammy is just a year younger than yourself, they can be naive and easy trusting. They’re optimistic and want to impress you and all their friends. Sammy has a lot to learn, and they’re more than eager to do so. With enough care and time, Sammy will grow into a great protector.

Sammy is 5′9 with very short black hair. Against their warm beige skin tone, their monolidded eyes are a deep reddish brown. They wear simple robust clothes.

Sammy is ace and sex neutral.

(Great if you don’t enjoy angst)

Alia (she/they) (afab)

A quiet person, she keeps to herself, but always stays polite, she is a shrine maiden and TKs friend. She is a peacemaker at heart, and tries to deescalate every situation. She would be considered one of the strongest magic users, if she would ever use it. She is about six years your senior.

Alia is 5′3 and has bronze hair that is cut into a short wolf hairstyle. Blue eyes against satin freckled skin. She wears a lavender dress, with white clothing to cover her arm.

Alia is ace and sex repulsed.

(Great if you like slow burn)

Sascha (He/they) (Ftm)

He is about ten years older, but that can be quickly forgotten by how charming, egotistical and even cowardly he can act. He is not only a danger to you and your friends, but themselves too. He pulls danger from beyond your understanding into your orbit. He is a teasing smart ass that isn’t above blackmailing or hurting anyone. Not to forget that he committed the highest crime there is, stealing a magic companions.

They are 6′1 and have long grey-white hair that falls to his hips. He has very pale skin and ice blue eyes. He wears high quality clothes, and a golden jacket that fades into a deep red.

Sascha is ace and sex positive.

(Great test of your patience.)

Kate (she/her) (Mtf)

Just a few years older than you, she is noble and a healer, she is a loud and loving personality. With teasing smile, she cares deeply about everyone’s well-being, but will never be above calling anyone out.

She is 6′0, her chocolate goddess locs fall beneath her shoulders, the curls fading into a pink color. Dark deep brown eyes against warm yet ashen honey skin tone. She wears pink toned dresses and many accessories.

(Great if you like women.)

Mikhail (he/they) (amab)

The prince of Riag, your spouse, and the second general. His easy going and considerate personality makes it hard to grasp, that he is celebrated by his own soldiers and nobles of his country, deeply feared by anyone outside his country. A war criminal for his country. Beloved warrior, lover of war. He is only a few years your senior.

Mikail is 5′7 and their dark brown hair would fall to his shoulders, if it wasn’t pulled back into a ponytail. The tips of his hair fading into an earthy, almost blueish green tone, matching his eyes against his cool olive skin tone. He wears short clothing due to the heat in Riag and the many training sessions they have daily.

(Great if you believe everyone deserves a second chance.)

Gigi (she/her) (afab)

She promised Judgement Day.

Gigi is 5′6 and with ash blonde hair curling around her soft face frame, cutting off just below her ears, and light brown, almost hazel eyes. She wears primarily black with orange accessories.

Unofficial official RO Art/Ref

Moodboards, color palettes, playlist for each RO here:

Maps and miscellaneous stuff:

[locuas642]

shadow of the erdtree

On a mechanical level, the DLC for Elden Ring is excellent. it delivers beyond what normally would be expected from such a thing. In fact, it's a flat-out Expansion.

there are more items and weapons, many of which enrichen the game and allows for further experimentation and exploration of the mechanics.

New enemies and bosses that, like it or not, are made with the mindset that the people who enter the DLC are late-to-endgame high-level players who have enough love for this type of games that they want to enjoy a new challenge. And in that sense, the game delivers and delivers hard.

A New massive area that challenges the player to explore and find it's secrets, sometimes hard to discover the path to a certain area, but with a world that is never empty. and the new Field Dungeons are each so damn big with new puzzles and new enemies and new bosses in them. Each field dungeon is at least as big as some of the biggest field dungeons in the base-game, and many have their own personality on top.

the controversial part, however, is the plot and the Lore reveals that come with it. With people feeling it is bad, that it didn't really add, that it ruined certain things or made things too complicated. and also that it did not expand enough on the new things added and other things.

Now, I disagree with the most negative takes on this lore. That it is bad, that it reads like fan-fic, that it ruins the characters. I think the overall additions to the lore are great, particularly with the feeling that everything in the Land of Shadow are things that were forgotten or erased from the history of The Lands Between. I think that, in the long-term, people will be more positive on all these lore reveals, particularly when they are put into a greater analysis.

If I have a criticism, it's more on terms of presentation of the story. It's the typical stuff. Messmer's dialogue is limited to when you encounter him. there is a boss that would have been cool to at least have them say a word. There are reveals that exist exclusively in the item descriptions. These are, of course, intentional, because FromSoftware likes to force you to make your own readings of the characters. It will tell you some basic ideas about Messmer, but the details (like wether he was from the Godfrey lineage, that he Malenia and Miquella were tripets or, in fact, if he is from a different parentage entirely) and leave it up to your interpretation.

Not Theorize, because Theorizing implies there is a mystery to be solved. There is none, only the text to be read.

I feel the beginning of things, the DLC could have done more to set the stage of the story and give us motivation to move in that direction. As it stands, it feels we are doing the Story because we, as players, know thats where the content is, than we feeling motivated as characters to see it through.

The Messmer Fight Fucking Slaps however

[fannibalcascade]

Hey, what’s your take on Season 4 and beyond? How do you see the characters and their relationships evolving?

Considering the question is about Season 4 and beyond, here’s my take on how the characters and their relationships might evolve:

If the series were to continue into a fourth season, the central tension between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter would likely remain a focal point, but with a new dynamic shaped by the events of the Season 3 finale. Their relationship has always been a complex dance between attraction and repulsion, where Hannibal seeks to draw Will into his worldview, and Will struggles to resist becoming the monster Hannibal wants him to be. This struggle could deepen in future seasons, exploring whether Will can ever truly escape Hannibal’s influence or if their fates are inextricably linked.

Will Graham’s Evolution

At the end of Season 3, we see Will make a definitive choice—he’d rather die than allow Hannibal to continue corrupting him or others. This act is significant because it underscores Will’s moral stance; despite everything, he chooses good over evil, even if it means self-destruction. If Season 4 were to happen, I’d imagine that this choice would have profound implications for Will's character. He might be physically and mentally scarred from the fall, but the key question would be whether this act of defiance has truly freed him from Hannibal’s influence.

Will could evolve into a character who is even more committed to resisting darkness, perhaps becoming more of a moral guardian, not just for himself but for others who might fall under Hannibal's sway. However, the lingering connection between them could mean that Will’s struggle is far from over. The possibility of Hannibal’s influence resurfacing, even in subtle ways, would be a compelling aspect to explore. It’s also possible that Will’s continued resistance might take on a new form, where instead of just resisting Hannibal, he actively works to undo the damage Hannibal has done to others.

Hannibal Lecter’s Role

Hannibal, as the embodiment of evil, thrives on the corruption and manipulation of those around him. If the series were to continue, I think Hannibal would be even more determined to reclaim Will, seeing their shared fall as a kind of twisted rebirth. Hannibal might view Will’s act not as a rejection but as a final, beautiful act of connection—he’d likely continue to pursue Will, but perhaps with a new strategy. Instead of trying to turn Will into a killer, he might seek to forge an even deeper, more perverse bond, where Will is constantly teetering on the edge of darkness but never fully crossing over.

Their relationship might evolve into something even more psychologically intense, where Hannibal's goal shifts from outright corruption to a kind of eternal moral tug-of-war. This could lead to scenarios where Hannibal puts Will in situations where his empathy and morality are tested to their limits, forcing Will to make increasingly difficult choices

The Broader World

One of the strengths of "Hannibal" has been its ability to expand the moral complexity of its universe. In a potential Season 4, I could see other characters, such as Alana Bloom or Jack Crawford, becoming even more morally ambiguous. Alana, in particular, has already shown a willingness to engage in morally grey actions to protect herself and those she cares about. Her relationship with Will could become more strained as she sees him continually drawn back to Hannibal, leading to potential conflicts over how to deal with Hannibal’s ongoing threat.

The world of "Hannibal" is one where everyone is capable of murder, and a continuing series would likely delve even deeper into this idea. Characters who were once clearly on the side of good could start to blur those lines, making the moral landscape even more complicated.

Will and Hannibal: A Final Showdown?

If the series were to push towards a conclusion in a future season, I think it would ultimately build towards a final confrontation between Will and Hannibal. This would be more than just a physical battle—it would be a clash of ideologies, with Will trying to finally rid himself of Hannibal’s influence and Hannibal attempting to draw Will into the darkness once and for all. The outcome of such a confrontation could define the entire series’ moral message: whether good can truly triumph over evil, or if the struggle itself is the point, with no clear resolution.

[tempests-bards-and-birds]

venti

I’m sure you don’t talk about him enough ; )

ah anon. you know me so well. anyway *cracks knuckles* here we go

how i feel about this character: i think about this character so much it's probably worrying. he's just so complex and compelling - from the moment you first meet him you realise that he has a really unique relationship with the world in general, and just. every time he makes an allusion to something that he doesn't expand upon either because he feels he shouldn't yet or because he's perhaps trying to protect himself i simultaneously want to throw him in the horse plinko and hug him. how do you even live after the first person who was ever really your friend, whose wish was to see the sky from beyond the barrier that was made by a god, dies after you fought for that with him and barely even got a glimpse of the freedom that he strived so hard for. how do you live after you take his form when you end up becoming the very thing that was the cause of your friends' suffering because you maybe feel that it's the only way to keep his ambition and hope for freedom living on after he died because maybe having a god's ideal be a human's wish for freedom is one of the only ways to negate the inherent respect that godhood commands but also probably because you just can't bear to let him go, at least for a period. how do you- *gets dragged forcibly off-stage*

all the people i ship romantically with this character: i can appreciate a lot of the popular venti ships however the only two that have ever really appealed massively to me are xiaoven and zhongven. you can see my post for this ask game about xiao for some my thoughts on xiaoven (i can elaborate if need be though) but for zhongven i just find their relationship sooo fascinating. they've lived through wars together, so chances are they've seen each other do utterly unspeakable things, and even that by itself can produce a very close kind of relationship. on the surface they're polar opposites but when you actually think about it they are fundamentally quite similar, despite their opposing natures. idk something something about a mountain that can erode and change but won't fall or move and the wind that comes and goes as it pleases but can still change it's course and can still come to rest sometimes. you get it right

my non-romantic otp for this character: *chanting* venti and jean. venti and jean. venti and jean. venti and jean-

ok but in all seriousness i just think that explorations of jean's religious devotion to barbatos being put under insane amounts of duress after the events of the mond archon quests very interesting. what do you do when you find out that the god that you devoted your entire life to is not just a concept and is, in fact, a person who's probably pretty depressed. idk. "met god and he's just some guy" type shit

my unpopular opinion about this character: uhhh i can't really think of anything right now? maybe how i actually think he's way more moon-coded as a character than sun-coded but i don't see many people on here actually talking about that so idk

one thing i wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: hehe. haha. forced barbatos reveal to all of mondstadt babyyyyy i feel like backing him into a corner and stopping him from running away from his problems so much would be good for him in the long run

[senjutsunade]

[ Tsunade wasn't a genius with medical ninjutsu from the get-go; she obviously had to study and work with senior medics before she made a name in the field. Could you expand on that?

Anything I am writing in this post are my head-canons and assumptions.

Tsunade wasn’t always destined to be a medic. In the early months of her training under Sarutobi, no one had even considered it. The plan had been to hone her natural strength, focusing on Taijutsu, leveraging the legacy of her grandfather, Senju Hashirama. Certain expectations came with her lineage, and medical training wasn’t part of that vision.

But life had a way of altering plans. Tsunade's path took a decisive turn after her first kill. She didn’t regret the act—she was under no delusion about the life of a shinobi, even at that young age. She understood her duty to the village, and though killing didn’t fill her with remorse, it left her with an unexpected clarity about her desires. She realized there was more she wanted for herself beyond the battlefield.

That moment of realization led her to make a decision that no one had anticipated. With her mind made up, she approached Sarutobi and Uzumaki Mito. It was then she expressed her desire to learn medical ninjutsu. This choice wasn’t driven by regret or a rejection of her shinobi duties, but by a deeper understanding of what she could offer. She wanted to balance her ability to take life with the power to save it.

Her sensei and grandmother had been taken aback by the sudden change in her path. Yet, they recognized the strength of her resolve and the clarity of her vision, even if it meant deviating from the expectations placed upon her by her lineage. It was a path she chose for herself, one that would redefine her legacy and shape the future of the medical field in ways no one had foreseen.

The second stage of Tsunade's training had always included fuinjutsu, taught by Uzumaki Mito. Mito had trained other prominent figures in Konoha, including Senju Tobirama and Sarutobi Hiruzen. For Tsunade, this training was not only practical, given her perfect chakra control, but also a birthright through her Uzumaki lineage.

When Tsunade declared her intention to become a medical ninja, it opened a new path for her. This decision enabled her to learn medical skills that Konoha had never had access to before - advanced skills that had only been accessible to Uzushiogakure, until now. Alongside her ongoing training under Sarutobi and her team, she was placed under the supervision of Sarutobi Biwako for her medical training, and continued her fuinjutsu training with Uzumaki Mito.

Under the meticulous guidance of these two formidable women, Tsunade’s skills flourished. Biwako’s rigorous and comprehensive approach to medical ninjutsu complemented Mito’s profound understanding of fuinjutsu. Tsunade’s natural aptitude, combined with her relentless hard work, allowed her to start making a name for herself in the medical field in less than half a decade.

By the time she had completed her training, she had learned all she could from both Mito and Biwako. Her mastery in both medical ninjutsu and fuinjutsu set her apart, marking the beginning of her legacy as one of the most skilled and innovative ninjas in Konoha.

This period of her life would lay the foundation for the legend she would one day become. Equipped with her medical knowledge and fuinjutsu skills, Tsunade began exploring the idea of combining the two on a level that had never been attempted before. It was an immensely challenging endeavor, fraught with more failures than successes in the early days. Many of her experiments ended up becoming techniques adopted by Konoha's T & I force.

Each failure, however, only fueled her determination. She meticulously analyzed her mistakes, learning from them, and gradually began creating techniques that revolutionized the medical field. Her innovative approach and unwavering persistence allowed her to bridge the gap between healing and sealing, crafting methods that were unparalleled in their effectiveness and ingenuity. Tsunade carved out a legacy that would not only define her career but also transform the future of medical ninjutsu in Konoha. Her contributions became the cornerstone of advancements in the field, solidifying her status as a pioneer and a legend in her own right.

Then, war threw a wrench in her plans. She had to pull away from her research once she was deployed. Yet, even on war-torn fronts, it was her medical skills that shone brightest. Against Chiyo of Sunagakure, who had already established a reputation as the best poison concoctor in the world, Tsunade rose to fame across the lands. There was no poison Tsunade couldn't counter. She even took to adapting Chiyo's creations, turning them into weapons for Konoha-nin with her own twist to the formulas.

Tsunade's skills saved countless Konoha nin while wreaking havoc on the Suna populace. Her ability to neutralize Chiyo’s poisons and repurpose them into potent weapons underscored her genius and adaptability. The battlefield became another arena where her medical expertise and innovative mind were unmatched, further cementing her legend.

Having achieved all she had, and with the war over, Tsunade took her research in a new direction. Much of her focus and experiments were now conducted on herself, as she dabbled in techniques both dangerous and likely forbidden, requiring a level of chakra reserves, control, and understanding of human anatomy that few possessed. This was where her Uzumaki and Senju genetics set her apart. As a descendant of both the Senju and Uzumaki clans, Tsunade inherited their life-force and physical energy, allowing her to turn her body into a weapon.

Creation Rebirth was the final form of her work—a skill she finally perfected after having left the village. This technique, the culmination of her years of research and experimentation, showcased her unparalleled mastery over medical ninjutsu and fuinjutsu.

--

This took forever to write, you stupid flake. e-e

[sundogsandrainbows]

Yes, after three years I'm finally back to writing this story and have been done so several weeks already, actually :D But since my tumblr got erroneously terminated for over a week or more, I only now can post about it, sigh. Anyway, yay for another update?

STORY SUMMARY: Trust is a delicate flower that needs to get nurtured and time to grow. Even more so love. A tale of two disparate Wardens forced together, of finding a way to overcome the distrust, and their own painful past in the time of the Blight. Very in-depth, character-focused exploration of the Dalish origin/warden, of all DA:O companions, and their relationship dynamics during the Fifth Blight. Follows and expands on canon events; AU in some ways. Multiple POV's and pairings. Slow burn af.

CHAPTER SUMMARY/ All The Way/ 4U, Part III: While Lenya is deep in her cups, having a good time for once, Alistair is deep in his feelings, struggling to find his footing after his confession and how to handle this (perceived) one-sided love going forward. But maybe things aren't as black and white as thought? Note: This is part three of a three part act. Catch up on the previous three chapters I have posted after its long loooong hiatus here, here and here, respectively, before reading this one.

CHAPTER EXCERPT:

[...] If nothing else, Alistair could be at her side, support and protect her, whenever possible. Take the fall for her, if needed. This was what love was about, wasn’t it? Selfless and selfish, all in one. It could be a source of strength instead of weakness as Morrigan had disparagingly called it. And in the way Lenya could easily shatter him with a few words but put him back together and make whole as quickly showed it was strength and weakness, both. Not black or white but the in-betweens of it, more like. Complicated too, especially as a Warden in the time of a Blight to reconcile it with the duty he was bound to. But nothing of it had been planned, these feelings for her just happened . And now his life would be so much poorer without her in it. He didn't want that, not anymore. 

Her hand bunched in the sturdy fabric of his gambeson, asking him wordlessly to stay. Alistair did, how could he not? “I’m not leaving, don’t worry.” Lenya relaxed, closed her eyes with a long, stuttering exhale.

I love you.  

There was a clarity to that thought now, to these three words. No longer pushed away but embraced as immovable fact as it was by now. One day Alistair would have to let go of it, set it free, and her . He couldn't remain the hopeless fool forever. But for now it was a sense of purpose in a directionless world gone mad, a reason to fight beyond that lofty, nebulous goal of his duty of slaying an archdemon, to end this Blight. 

Her breath had slowed to an even rhythm, but she was still holding onto him. Alistair took her hand, hesitated as she stirred but she only settled down even closer to him, seeking him out as if by instinct. He very likely was just fooling himself here, yet his stomach was aflutter at the slightest possibility of it being real, and the cold no longer an issue for him. 

Cusping her hand into his in a gentle grasp, he marveled at the difference in size for a moment. So small in comparison, yet so powerful. Alistair bent down his head to kiss its backside, just a whisper of lips, as thankful for the comfort of her presence as she was for his. 

He waited until she was calm and asleep before leaving the tent again. [...]

[CONTINUE READING] || [READ FROM THE BEGINNING]

[limehaspassed]

To Give a Man His Name

(Thomas Hewitt x M!Reader)

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In which you have dinner with the Hewitt’s.

Part Three (Soon)

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He was a brute of man, tall, wide, and intimidating. His eyes were like bottomless pits of undeterred determination, envy, and pain. His gaze was strong, sharp, it encompassed you and compressed you. Under his gaze, you felt small, insignificant, weak. You felt as if you were nothing more than prey waiting for its predator to attack, but you didn’t want to believe he would attack, you refused to believe he would attack.

“Good morning.” You greeted him one morning.

You were met with silence.

“Do you live around here? I haven’t seen you around here yet.” You asked, trying to make small talk.

At these words, he turned from where he stood in front of the table to look at you. His eyes were sharp, it felt as if he was melting you with a glare beyond anything you’ve ever seen. You wanted to sink away but you refused to, not wanting to back down. You didn’t want to let the rumors get to you, to ruin your image of him before you’ve even held a conversation with him. You didn’t want to let them be true.

You cleared your throat and looked away, his piercing gaze weighing heavy on you. You returned to your work and continued speaking from there.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t miss yah, you’re a pretty big guy.” You spoke casually not meaning your comment as a slight against him. You were simply trying to make a joke but from the glare you could feel bore into your head, you knew you had said the wrong words. You didn’t even have to look at him to know he was staring at you with righteous anger. You had entirely spoken without thinking.

“I didn’t mean that against yah.” You clarified. You could still feel his burning eyes. “I just meant that you’re tall and there ain’t anything wrong with that. I think it’s pretty cool. In fact, I wish I could be that tall, you know how easily I would be able to grab things if I was that tall? Stupidly easy.” You expanded your comment, rambling on at this point, just speaking whatever came to mind.

Eventually, after a moment, his eyes fell and you internally sighed, glad to have dodged that bullet. You knew he wasn’t a monster but you also knew that you had no gauge over his emotions, he was a new pal after all. You didn’t know how quickly angered he was, or how quick he was to resort to cruelty. You hoped he was passive, that he went against what the people say about him. There was a part of you that wanted to explore his mind and prove to everyone how wrong they were about him, how different he is compared to their unjustified expectations.

He didn’t talk for the entire day and you didn’t push him anymore. You kept quiet for the remaining work time, deciding that it was best not to force him to talk. You wanted him to like you after all and forcing someone to talk is a guaranteed end of a relationship, even if it was just recently formed.

“Goodbye. Have a good day.” You spoke before taking your leave after your shift had ended. He didn’t return the favor. You didn’t mind it.

You went to start your walk home when the sheriff showed up. He pulled up beside you and flashed you a smile.

“Want a ride?” He asked.

You went to say no but stopped yourself, knowing that a lift would be a lot of help.

“Couldn’t hurt.” You replied and hopped in the cab.

The ride was silent for a bit until Hoyt broke it.

“So, you get out often besides work?” He asked.

You shook your head. “Not really. Wish I did but there is little to do in this town.” You explained with a sigh.

Hoyt hummed in agreement. “Right. So I’m meeting an old friend, Charlie for dinner. He told me to bring someone else. Would you be interested in joining? It’ll give you something to do and a reason to put on something a little more formal.”

You rolled your eyes at his last statement but ultimately agreed, not having much else planned either way. “And this is now?”

“Yeah but I thought we should swing by your place so you can get cleaned up.” His words held no weight to them but his expression did. He was waiting for something, something you didn’t know.

“Sounds good.” Your reply was short. There was a tension in the air now, one you felt but not the latter. You were afraid of what this something might be, what he might be searching for inside you. You did your best to push your suspicions away and to give the man your benefit of the doubt. After all, he was a part of the police system.

Soon enough, the two of you arrived at your house. He pulled into the dirt driveway and set the vehicle in park. “Go get ready, sweetheart.” He teased, giving you a sly look.

You feigned a smile and exited the cab, making your way towards the front door. You dug your keys out of your pocket and jammed them into the keyhole with a little more force than needed. Hoyt was quickly growing to be an annoyance, his remarks building up underneath your skin. You slid the door open and let out a relieved sigh, happy to smell the familiar air of your home.

Quickly, you made your way inside and into your small room. You walked into the bathroom off the side of your room and washed up quickly before heading back into the main area of your room. “What to wear?” You thought aloud as you rummaged through your dresser. You wanted to wear something casual but formal, something modest but cute.

Eventually, as you reached the bottom of your drawers, you found a flora printed shirt that you haven’t worn since you lived in California. It held a faded print and was cut enough to tease but not enough to show, it was appropriate enough. You slipped it over your body and adjusted it before grabbing your go to pair of shoes and heading out the door.

You stopped short of crossing the threshold when a hand reached out and grabbed your arm.

“Where are you going?” Your daughter asked, looking up at you with confused eyes.

“I’m heading out to dinner.” You started, turning to face her. You bent down and sat on the same level as her. “How about this? You come with me?” You offered.

Her eyes lit up and she smiled. She immediately ran to her room and got ready. You didn’t know if she would be allowed to come but you didn’t care. She was your daughter and if you’re going, she’s coming too. Time passed and she soon came running out of her room, wearing a dress similar to your shirt. It was modest and you were thankful, not wanting to force her to change into something else.

“Did you match on purpose?” You asked, examining her dress next to your shirt.

She grinned and nodded, grabbing your hand and dragging you out the door. You led her to the car and stopped in front of the passenger side door.

“And who is this?” Hoyt spoke the second you opened the door of the car. He held that mystery expression he held before, that intention you weren’t aware of.

You forced a smile in his direction. “This is my daughter, Lillian.”

“A Princess, how swell. You sure you want to bring her to a drinking party?” He questioned.

“You said it was dinner. Besides, I won’t be the one drinking.” You explained, opening the back door for Lillian to climb into the back of the cab. She got situated quickly and buckled up. You closed the door and took your own seat.

“Suit yourself.” He said and pulled the car out of park and reversed it out of the driveway. The three of you were now on your way to Charlie’s house.

You have heard of Charlie but you’ve never met him. The only bit of information you knew about was that he was the town’s local pervert. The reason you were glad Lillian wore a more modest fit was because of this rumor. You only wanted to play safe, after all, there was still that mystery intention Hoyt seemed to hold, the something you still haven’t figured out.

The ride was silent besides Lillian’s quiet humming. You could tell it was starting to tick Hoyt off but before he could say anything, they pulled into the driveway of Charlie’s house.

It was a larger house, certainly bigger than your own. From the looks of it, it held two floors. You haven’t seen a house quite this big since when you lived in California as you would drive through the upper class neighborhoods, wishing that you could one day live there. This reminded you of those upper class neighborhoods and what they might be when the economy fails.

The car was placed in park and the engine killed. You climbed out and opened the door for Lillian, who thanked you as she descended from the car.

The two of you walked towards the front door where Hoyt already stood, waiting for you. He knocked once you guys caught up to him. The door opened quickly, it was an older woman that greeted them with a warm smile.

“Oh, you must be Charlie’s friends. Come on in. My name is Luda Mae.” She introduced herself, waving the three of you in.

Hoyt was the first to walk through the door, followed by you and Lillian. You didn’t miss the sweet smile the elderly lady gave Lillian. You could only hope that Lillian gave a smile in return, that she has listened to your teachings. By the lady’s face, you could tell Lillian was listening after all.

As the two of you entered, you were both met with the smell of cooked meat and vegetables. The smell was appetizing to your hungry bellies. It was enticing and invited you further into the home. You would have followed the smell to the kitchen if it wasn’t for Luda Mae, who directed you to the living room while she finished making the food that smelled absolutely wonderful.

“Please, take a seat in the living room, dinner will be ready momentarily.” She spoke before disappearing into the kitchen.

Hoyt led the two of you to the living room, where a second person was introduced. He was in his late forties and he held crazed eyebrows. You did your best not to judge but it wasn't that difficult to keep up with eyebrow maintenance. You knew Lillian had noticed the man’s eyebrows as well and was probably snickering about it behind your back.

“Charlie!” Hoyt greeted excitedly, clasping the man on the back.

Charlie, returned the favor and hugged his friend back. The two then took a seat opposite of each other and started talking. They talked quickly and rather loudly. You didn’t really know where you fit into the picture so you just had Lillian and you took a seat on an unoccupied couch. Lillian sat close to you, practically sitting on top of your leg.

“Oh, these are my friends.” He goes on to introduce you and Lillian to Charlie.

“I said bring only one person.” Charlie restated his guidelines.

“It’ll be fine. It's only a kid.” Hoyt brushed off the situation.

“Whatever.”

You could tell Charlie was a bit aggravated by this but he didn’t say anything on the topic further. Instead, he started a conversation with Hoyt about the state of the town and how it seemed to be hitting a downward curve. They continued to talk about this for a while until Luda Mae came back into the room and announced that dinner was ready.

All four of you stood up and made your way into the dining room, you simply followed behind Hoyt and Charlie who knew where they were going. When you arrived at the table and took your seat, Luda Mae wheeled in yet another person, one that was older and couldn’t walk. The man looked over at you for a moment before looking away, towards the food on the table.

You watched him for a moment before turning your attention to Luda Mae, who was already looking at you with a sweet smile. You smiled back. She then turned to Charlie and waved at him, a signal he understood.

He stood up from the table and walked away. You could hear him yelling someone’s name but you couldn’t fully make out what he was saying. He returned back to the table with nothing in tow, coming empty handed. He sat down at the table and started talking with Hoyt once more.

“Is he coming?” You heard Hoyt asked to which he was interrupted by a door sliding shut fairly loudly.

There were loud footsteps heading towards your direction, they entered the dining room and stopped behind you. You were nervous to look behind you. A moment passed and Luda motioned for the person to take a seat. The footsteps continued and soon a man came into your view, taking a seat next to you.

It was him.

“Thomas?” You asked, rather shocked.

He looked up at you, slightly jarred that you remembered his name. He had seen you earlier that day, he didn’t expect you to be here, nor did he expect you to remember his name, especially considering most people only know him as the word, “freak.” It was quite a shock.

“Have you two already met?” Luda Mae asked.

“Yeah, we work together.” You didn’t let your gaze fall from the man beside you. He stares you in the eyes, almost as if it was a competition. This goes on for a bit until you blink and look away, not able to hold eye contact anymore. This didn’t stop him from staring.

For the rest of the night, for the rest of the time you were at that table, he stared at you intently. You didn’t know what he wanted and you wished he wouldn’t stare, it put you under a spotlight, one you didn’t want to be casted underneath. You hated being the center of attention and it felt like you were whenever his eyes landed on you.

You tried your best to distract yourself by exchanging a few words with Luda Mae but it never seemed to help, his stare was just as invasive. It loomed over you, causing you to sweat with nerves. You hated being looked at like this.

“Dad, are you alright?” Lillian asked quietly, tapping your arm.

You turned to her and forced a smile. “Of course, dear. Just a little out of it. It’s been a long day.” You explained, something that wasn’t a complete lie.

She nodded and continued eating. You were glad she didn’t ask anymore questions, that she accepted your lie.

Dinner came to an end and you were soon all saying your goodbyes. Luda gave each and every one of you a hug. Her hug was warm and inviting. You enjoyed it more than you would like to admit.

You turned to Thomas after Luda had moved on to give Lillian a hug. You gave a smile and a small wave. “Goodbye, Thomas.” You said before grabbing Lillian’s hand and walking towards the front door where Hoyt was with Charlie.

The two were engaged in a small conversation when you met up with them. Hoyt shook Charlie’s hand and said his goodbyes. Charlie smiled and wished him a good day. Hoyt headed out the door and you went to follow him when Charlie stopped you.

“Now you better stay nice to Tommy.” He warned, a threatening tone overtaking his voice.

You nodded sternly. “Of course.” You spoke, trying your best not to show your fear.

Charlie let you go after that, patting your back and sending you on your way. He closed the door after you left.

“That was odd.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Part 2/9

Tag List: @one-green-frog @kodasstar @cross-axis @the-lonely-abyss

[wordsfromthedying]

“I have questions”

On the edge of slumber, a voice came to me. “I have questions” it boomed. And with its words, it took the room in which I lay transported to lay alone; outside the windows of my room now expanded the vast stars. The endlessness outside. As I got up, hinging at the waist, and pulling my legs up to my reside close to my chest. Sitting at my bed’s end was a large figure, one who had to duck their head slightly to fit in the room, which now felt so small. Their features, hard to make out, either encased in shadow or un-viewable by my eye. Hair seeming to be dreaded with an assortment of charmed additions. Form muscular, certainly larger than the human form would permit. I smiled as the depictions of the ghost of Christmas present came to mind—a comparison the figure in front of me surely wouldn’t care for. 

“Sure,” I responded simply. My dreams often weren't this real; they always felt like I was at a distance from being an active participant, worlds away, but the fear of any reality of the situation didn’t concern me. I was interested. A godly figure had questions. And though it may be some egotistical amalgamation of mine, it was better work than I’d seen my mind capable of before.

The shadowed figure seemed surprised at my willingness. We sat for a moment. I kept my eyes looking up at them, worrying about their neck in that position.

“I’ll be just fine, but thank you for your concern. And you are not the first to make the comparison.” The voice broke through my thoughts.

My eyes became alight. How fun.

“As much as I enjoy, I’d prefer we keep the conversation out here.” Clearing my mind of any thoughts in an attempt to force a thought underived from my own. We stayed blinking, the air somehow beautifully crisp in these walls. 

“Why are you not concerned?” the voice asked, as it weaved through the crisp morning-like air between us. “Concerned about what?” I respond, the words far less elegantly reaching their ear. “Death, my dear, how are you so unconcerned by your eventual fate?” With clarity, I understood, and pondered. The figure in front of me seemed to need a response, as if I were not the only one they asked. As if I were only a stop on this journey of a question. A powerful being, one that a human like me may turn to for questions that burden their souls, asks humans instead. I looked out at the window beside me, and the endless dotted lights and colors in the space around me as I pondered the question. Before concluding, I looked up at the figure above. “Can we?”, I asked while gesturing out the window. A nod was offered. With that, I opened the window beside me, and as my frame made its way out the window, I began to float, leaving the weighted pressure of the room in exchange for the crisp space all around. Once out, the roof of my room floated off as the figure in full form rose, and came to glide beside me, as I was mesmerized by what was around. As we ventured through the great unknown, past beauties unimaginable, I pondered. This didn’t seem to be a routine check-in; the figure beside me wanted answers. Needed them.

“I suppose when I was young, not existing didn’t sound so bad; returning to this seemed a better fate for the atoms of me than me.” Their disappointment in my response was apparent. A disappointment I hoped to break. “But, even now as life has become more precious, I accept my fate,” I spoke as we continued seemingly indiscernibly fast amongst the vast beyond, the bright, certainly eye-singeing stars, and the clouds of color and shape, but no resistance or air to blow our hair behind us. We simply floated as if underwater. The space open to be explored. “I have no claim over death, but even if I did I don’t feel I’d enjoy it much. Death is something so many are certain they want power over, but I expect there is a line. A point at which that endless time turns to a sorrowful fate. I’d prefer to miss over growing board.”

“Apathy sullies all souls, given time” Their voice reverberated within me.

I simply nodded in agreement. “Are you sullied?”, I inquired, turning to look at the very humanoid figure beside me, the one who no longer seemed so grand. They simply looked at me, their eyes distancing, before nodding and looking away. I had many questions for this being, which I began to feel sorrowful for. But I wanted to be cautious, my curiosity not outwaying their potential discomfort. “You may ask” it spoke, continuing to look ahead. Away from my eye. In turn, I nodded looking at them before looking ahead. 

“I have questions”