#so I had to tweak my approach a bit from the request

[confessionbrain-writings]

Loved your Benny Gross story!

Could you maybe write something about him protecting the reader from someone who bothers her. Taking her with him for a ride and ends with fluff/smut? 🤞🏼 (love me a protective man)

Can I first of all say: thank you! I've never had a request before, so I'm humbled. Anyway, before I went to sleep this came to my mind and it was on paper so quick, I surprised myself😂. I tweaked it a bit, so I hope you don't mind. Enjoy!🧡

With clammy hands you grabbed the box of cereal and looked out of the corner of your eye. A silent curse slipped your lips as you saw him standing there, again.

You were just doing some groceries, when you had a sudden feeling of being watched. Quickly you spotted this clean shaven, black haired guy who subtly - but also not so subtly - eyed you down and started to follow every aisle you took. After the third time you knew it was no coincidence and an unpleasant feeling spread throughout your body. A weird and irksome aura radiating from him.

Even though you weren’t finished yet, you wanted to get out. Not wanting to be in this stranger’s unpleasant energy any longer. With just some cereal and donuts, you made your way to the register. Glancing back you loosened a breathe when you didn’t spot the man immediately. Finally, he left you alone.

Quickly you placed the two items onto the belt and reached into your purse for some cash. A loud thud behind you made you jump. Suddenly the stranger was standing right there, dropping a soda on the conveyer belt as he looked you up and down with this weird look in his eyes.

“Hi there, darlin’. How are ya?” Even his voice gave you the creeps, and you couldn’t withhold the shiver from running down your spine.

Though you didn’t want to, you responded to him anyway, just like how your parents had raised their submissive and civilized girl.

“I’m good,” you answered curtly and gave him a quick fake smile, returning your attention to the cashier and handing her some cash.

“Let me take ya out t’night.” It didn’t really sounded like a question, and the implication made your skin crawl. You swallowed thickly. 

Just when you wanted to open your mouth, you were interrupted by a loud roaring engine from outside and watched how a handsome, blond biker stopped in front of the store.

Without giving it any more thought, the words already flew from your mouth. “No, thank you sir, I’m already taken.” As you answered him and nodded to the biker outside, before swiftly grabbing the items and clung them to your chest.

The stranger’s eyes narrowed, clearly not buying your lie. But before he could respond, you walked - or more like ran - outside.

Your heart hammered in your throat as you took some shallow breaths. Normally you’d never dared to approach a member of the motorcycle club, but your brain short-circuited before you could think this through.

“Excuse me,” you breathed and the biker just swung his leg over the seat of his bike. “I know this sounds really weird but uh— I— he—“ you quickly glanced over your shoulder and saw how the stranger exited the store. “Could you maybe pretend to be my boyfriend for just a second? T-this guy is following me and giving me the creeps and—“ 

“C’mere.” The biker’s deep voice interrupted as he beckoned you with a wiggle of his ring-adorned fingers. Already putting one and one together, you took a step forward as he casually leaned back against his bike. 

A gasp left you when you felt his hand on your lower arm, pulling you more towards him as he took the donuts you were holding.

“These are jus’ the ones I’ve been talkin’ about. Thank you, baby.” The biker said loud enough for the stranger to hear and casually took a bit from the donut. Your heart was pounding so loud, your ears were buzzing. 

“I know, honey,” you replied and were surprised by how steady your voice was. “These are your favorites!”

The stranger stopped in his tracks and watched the two of you, contemplating what he beheld before him. You needed to be more convincing.

You turned your back to the creep and focused on the biker. Goodness gracious. This man up-close was undeniable gorgeous with his piercing blue eyes and full lips. Lips which were now covered with a bit of glaze from the donut. Before you could comprehend what you were about to do, you reached out.

With your thumb you swiped the sugary substance from his lower-lip and brought it towards your own mouth. But before you could lick it clean, the biker got hold on your wrist. Your eyes widened slightly and asked him a silent question. What are you doing?! 

His piercing blue eyes bore into yours, suddenly the atmosphere getting tense, but not unpleasant. No, just the opposite. 

The biker guided your hand back towards his mouth and you couldn’t stop the sharp intake of breath when he took your digit in his mouth. Swirling his tongue around to remove the glaze and even sucked at your finger, releasing it with a pop.

A totally different feeling pounced through your veins at the sensation. A blush crept onto your cheeks as butterflies fluttered around in your stomach. Whatever what was going on suddenly felt very intimate and exhilarating at the same time.  

For a split second, a smile tugged at the biker’s lips but was gone with one blink. His gaze and demeanor getting darker as his eyes moved towards the stranger. 

“What y’lookin’ at my girl?” He challenged and the stranger flinched. If looks could kill, he’d be six feet under.

“No.. no! She— I didn’t know s—she was your g—girl!” He stuttered and quickly made his way to his car before driving off with a panicked glance.

The sight of the stranger leaving, made you relax your tense shoulders and releasing a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You quickly turned back to the biker.

“Thank you! And I’m sorry!” You rambled and let out a huffing laugh. This whole situation was insane.

This time the biker didn’t hide his smile, flashing you his perfect teeth before his eyebrows scrunched. “I’m sorry that happened t’you. Are y’okay?”

You nodded as you stared at your hand which was still evolved is his. The rough skin somehow pleasant against yours.

“Yeah,” you replied. “I’m okay.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

A pause stretched between you. Both of you just taking each other in and reveling in the comfortable silence, before you continued.

“You can keep the donuts, I need more groceries anyway, but didn’t want to spend any second longer with that creeper.”

He pursed his lips and hummed. “Lemme help y’with that”.

You blinked and fluttered your lashes at him. “That’s really kind of you…”

“Benny.”

“Benny,” you parroted. “But I think I can manage. Don’t think there are other creeps inside.”

Benny tilted his head and squeezed your wrist before releasing it. “Please, I insist.” Without waiting for you response, he reached for the cereal and placed it on his bike, offering his arm after.

You bit your lip as you sighed, but looped your arm through his and looked up at him. “Okay.”

He gave you another breath-taking smile and winked at you. “Okay.”

[spoon-slayer]

TASM Peter Parker x TASM Gwen x Son reader

Okay, so this is an AU where Gwen doesn't die and she and Peter stay together and Gwen gets pregnant. Maybe you can write that she goes into labor and Peter has a cute fluff moment with being able to hold/see his son and Peter trying to calm him down.

Or

TASM Peter Parker x Son Reader

Peter is a single dad and it's his son's first doctor's appointment in the end, the reader has to get a shot and gets scared so Peter does his best to calm him down.

[Sorry I need fluff right now]

Shots Aren’t That Bad

TASM!Peter Parker x Son!Reader [MASTER LIST] SUMMARY: Peter hasn’t been a proper father in so long. So, when you begin to throw a fit over needing shots, he doesn’t know how to handle it. WARNINGS: Needles, shots, Doctor Offices + Brief mentions of depression and death. A/N: Hello! I’m back, and you’re the first request I’m writing for! I tweaked it a bit, so let me know if you didn’t want that! Please excuse how long it’s taken me to write this, I’m trying to get back into the groove of things. Let me know about any mistakes in my writing, and I’ll get to fixing it soon. Enjoy! [GIF NOT MINE]

Peter honestly didn’t know how his uncle did it, taking a kid to a scheduled appointment for shots. Having to wrestle the petrified kid to sit still long enough for a shot to the arm.

Because, right now, he had to sooth a screaming five year old. Sure, it would’ve been nice to have some help but he had to learn to do this himself. He wasn’t sixteen anymore, he was almost twenty-one. Aunt May won’t always be there to help him.

Peter’s depression after Gwen’s death lasted far too long for his liking. He missed out on quite a bit and had a lot of… For a lack of better words, ‘dad duties’ to catch up on. And, god forbid, it was hard. Really hard.

Frustration bubbled through his chest as soon as the doctor left the room. When his five year old son, You, immediately turned to beg for a way out of getting a shot. Pleading.

“Daddy,” you began, fingers moving to curl into Peter’s shirt. Peter gritted his teeth. He shouldn’t get frustrated with you, but he couldn’t help it. It’s been so long since he’d last dealt with a potential tantrum, so his skills lacked and his knowledge failed.

Why did he have to fall into that deep depression? This all would’ve been so much easier if he hadn’t closed himself off.

“You’re getting that shot,” Peter lifted his hand, brushing his fingers delicately through your hair. It did little to sedate your fear. And honestly? Peter didn’t expect it to. So he was far from surprised on how you reacted. “I know it’s scary, buddy, but afterwards we’re going to get some food.”

“Daddy,” you repeated, voice growing louder. Peter grimaced. A tantrum was imminent, and he was dreading its approach. Your bottom lip trembled in the pout you had mustered, eyes tearful and cheeks just about to be streaked with tears. “I don’t want it, it’s gonna hurt.”

“I know. It’ll be over before you know it. Just, bear with me here. Don’t cry, please don’t cry,” Peter damn near pleaded. His hands moved from your hair to cradle your face. You’ve grown to fit into his palms comfortably. Peter ignored the dull ache in his chest at the realization.

He’d missed it.

“It’s going to hurt,” You repeated. You were crying now, grabbing at his shirt. “It always hurts,” Peter grit his teeth. He had to stay calm. You were just a child, of course you had fears and trouble with regulating your emotions. He wiped some tears.

“Please,” You pleaded. This wasn’t going to work on him. But, it didn’t hurt to try.

“Kid,” Peter spoke more sternly now. “No. C’mon, there has to be something to calm you…” Peter muttered, more to himself than to you.

There had to be something to sedate this fear. Something had to work, something had to give. And, despite all his efforts, it led to screaming. (Of course it did, or else it wouldn’t have been mentioned at the beginning of this story.)

Frustration had finally seeped from his chest and into his head, clouding his mind as tears, too, flooded his eyes. And that was what got you to cease your screaming and crying, reduced to hiccups as your father damn near sobbed from the frustration you were bringing him.

Guilt. You felt guilt numb your fears. “Daddy…?” You wiped your face haphazardly, hands now wet with salty tears from your short lived tantrum.

“What?” Peter replied, exasperated. He had long since backed away from you, hands now clutching at his hair and tugging lightly. He had even sat himself down on the seat beside the examination table you sat upon. His tone was harsh, tired. Once he got a look at your face, your reaction, he sighed and softened up. “What is it?”

You didn’t reply for a moment, silently studying him. Something you picked up during his absence from your life. From a young age, you had to adapt to mood swings between good days and bad days. Where your father was energized enough to Sit and watch a movie to the days he’d lay in bed, easily irritated by your presence and getting Aunt May to take care of you. You learned to tell his mood from it.

From what you saw, he wasn’t a ‘Happy Daddy,’ or a ‘Mad Daddy.’ Neither of those categories were linear but just a general sense of if he was in a mood or not. Rather, this one, was more of a ‘Sad Daddy.’ (The system of which you developed wasn’t full proof. As, sometimes he looked happy when he was sad.)

With this assessment, you briefly fidgeted with the hem of your shirt, tugging on it for just a moment. “I’m sorry.” Your voice was quiet, meek.

And Peter paused. He’d heard that tone before, many times. From the days he’d lay in bed, mindlessly scrolling and groaning in disdain that his Son even requested his attention and called for his Aunt to get you. (He’ll never forgive himself for those days. He was going to rebuild this relationship with his son.)

“It’s okay, I…” Peter stopped, wetting his lips. He was back to standing. “It’s okay. I just got frustrated, that’s all. It’s okay,” he reassured.

“I’ll get the shot,” You continued, watching as Peter gently grasped your hands in his. “I won’t cry, I promise. I’ll be a big boy.”

Peter honestly didn’t like how you were acting. Not in the sense it made him angry, more so… Sad. Guilty. You were trying to act mature, trying to seem less like a little boy and more like an understanding adult. “You can cry. Don’t… Don’t act like this, please. It’s.. I…” Peter struggled. He couldn’t find the right words, really. “Crying shows you’re strong..?” Was that the right thing to say? God damn it. He didn’t know what he was doing and it showed. Next time Aunt May gives him unsolicited parenting advice, he’s going to listen.

Well, at least you stopped crying.

[angstywaifu]

The Lost Sister - Part 9

Synopsis: Xaden is known as an only child due to his sister who 'died' during the Rebellion. Little do they know she didn't die and has been so close this entire time.

Garrick Tavis x OC

A/N: From here on out you will see a few things pulled from the books. Especially moments where we have Garrick. Cause lets be honest we have some amazing moments from him where I can slot Ophelia into the scene. So there will be a mix of my stuff, and some dialogue from actual Fourth Wing with some tweaks to make it fit. We have some really good moments coming up, that I am so excited to show you guys to! As per usual requests are open for any one shot or scenarios you may want. And if you want to be on the tag list just let me know! The Lost Sister Masterlist | Masterlist

All of our current squad make it up the gauntlet. And now we wait our turn for presentation. And of course Garrick is over seeing the squads before they walk in. He’d been at the top of the gauntlet when I’d climbed up, but he had been dealing with an issue of how Violet had gotten up the end of the gauntlet. I was actually impressed with her idea to use the rope and dagger. I knew Xaden had given her some guidance, but I knew he hadn't told her to do that. But it worked.

This was the closest I’d been to Garrick in a while as we all stood in a single line waiting to go in. Despite me somehow tying for first in Gauntlet time, we aren’t the first group to go in. Slowed down by Violets time. But at least we all made it.

Ahead of us is a clearing lined by dragons, lined up in their own formation. All close enough to pass judgement on us, as well as dispose of us quickly as we walk by.

”Let’s go Second Squad, you’re up next.” Garrick says sternly, beckoning us forward with a wave that makes the rebellion relic on his bared forearm gleam in the sunlight. “Into formation.”

Garrick’s tone is all business, he’s in full leadership mode. It’s one of the first times I had seen it and it reminds me a lot of Xaden’s style of leadership. But Garrick is more mission first, niceties last. And currently his mission is to prepare us for presentation. It is also one of the first times I’ve seen him in full uniform, usually opting to forego his jacket around the grounds. Which I don’t blame him with how warm its been. But winter is starting to set in, and its definitely a fair bit colder up here. I notice the line of patches on his uniform, show casing his as the Flame Section leader, and an abundance of patches advertising his skill with multiple weapons. I wasn’t sure how many patches there were, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was only a small amount left he didn’t have. I notice daggers isn’t one of them.

We all get into formation as hot air rushes towards us again. Another cadet claimed. Garrick’s hazel eyes skim over our squad before landing on mine. “Hopefully Aetos has done his job.” His eyes flick to Violet at the mention of Dain. “So you know that it’s a straight walk down the meadow. I’d recommend staying at least seven feet apart -”

”In case one of us gets torched,” I hear Ridoc mutter a few places in front of me.

”Correct, Ridoc.” I can’t help but smirk at the slight sass in Garrick’s tone. “Cluster if you want, just know if a dragon finds disfavour with one of you, it’s likely to burn the whole lot to weed one out.” He warns us as he holds our gaze. “Also, remember you are not here to approach them, and if you do, you won’t be making it back to the dormitory tonight.”

”Can I ask a question?” A cadet whose name I can’t quite remember says from the front row.

Garrick nods, but I noticed the tick in his jaw. He’s annoyed. And honestly don’t blame him. I may not remember their name, but I know they annoy me. And have since day one.

”Third Squad, Tail Section of Fourth Wing already went through, and I talked to some of the cadets….”

”That’s not a question.” He states as he lifts his brows. I note another tick in his jaw as he places his hands on his hips. Definitely annoyed now.

”Right. It’s just that they said there’s a feathertail?”

“A f-feathertail?” Someone I think called Tynan sputters. “Who the hell would ever want to bond a feathertail?"

I feel most of our squad roll their eyes or shake their heads. I see Garrick restrain from doing the same.

”Professor Kaori never told us there would be a feathertail.” Sawyer says. “I know because I memorized every single dragon he showed us. All hundred of them.”

”Well, guess there’s a hundred and one now.” Garrick states sternly, clearly wanting to be rid of us and this job. “Relax, feathertails don’t bond. I can’t even remember the last time one has been seen outside the Vale. It’s probably just curious. You’re up. Stay on the path. You walk up, you wait for the entire squad, you walk back down. It really doesn’t get any easier than this from here on out, kids, so if you can’t follow these simple instructions, then you deserve whatever happens in there.”

Kids? We were barely three years younger than him. But with most of our squad not bearing rebellion marks, I could easily see why he would refer to us as kids. He turns and heads over to a path before the canyon wall where the dragons are perched. We follow, breaking away from the crowd of first years.

“They’re all yours.” Garrick says to the quadrants senior Wingleader. A woman I’ve only seen a few times in Battle Brief.

As Garrick turns to walk back, he locks eyes with me as his hand lightly brushes mine, setting my skin on fire where his touch lingers.

“Single file.” She says to us, drawing my eyes back to the front.

We all form a single line, I end up at the very back behind Rhiannon. With the final instructions of talk to each other, she steps aside revealing a dirt path that leads through the centre of the valley, and up ahead, sitting so perfectly still you would almost mistake them for statues are the dragons. We start to move, each of us leaving the suggested seven feet before following the cadet in front.

As I enter the valley the smell of sulphur is thick in the air, and I note multiple black patches on the path.

As instructed we talk amongst each other. But talk is a loose term. Its mostly bickering. Towards the end I nearly have a heart attack as two greens approach Violet. Then I remember the corset she told me about. The one made from the dragons of her sisters green dragon. They can probably smell it As we get towards the end, our squad is down to seven first years.

As we’re about to leave the area I feel something. An extra presence at the back of my mind. I turn around, trying to keep my eyes down as best I can as I look around. At the back amongst the trees I catch a glimpse of…. Was that white? No, dragons aren’t white. I know I saw white though. But I can’t have. Dragon’s aren’t white I tell myself again.

“Ophelia, you ok?” Violet calls from the exit.

I turn to see her looking at me, her eyes also scanning the area I was just looking at. Did she see it to?

“Yeah, just thought I saw something.” I say, trying to pass it off as casually I can.

She nods, seeming content with my answer. But the tall figure just inside the pathway stares at me as if they are not convinced. Garrick’s eyes are narrowed me in almost a glare. Luckily the next group walks up and I’m able to slip past him without him talking to me.

Part 10

@riorgail @going-through-shit @fw-gt @bbkissme99 @xceafh

[darling-i-read-it]

The Pairing

Pelle x fem!reader

Word Count: 3k

Warnings: not edited because who can be bothered, midsommar type things (cult, murder, people mysteriously going missing, a weird pairing ritual that includes murder, mentions of dani's trauma, mention of incest), I tweaked the plot a bit to fit the request

Author’s Note: Helly dear I hope you enjoy this! I left it open ended because I figured it was safe to leave the reader up to what they would do. Personallllyyyy I think after trauma bonding I could be swayed into a weird marriage lol. Enjoy(?)

Requested: by anon, Hi! Since you still write for Midsommar (which makes me very happy 🥳) and I saw your requests are open... I got one. The reader is friends with the group, she's Dani's best friend, and of course Pelle has a thing for her, he always tries to make any sort of excuses to touch her. She's invited to Sweden along the rest, and she's tricked into a sort of ritual where it's "decided" that Pelle and her are to be married. When she finds out she's mad and she wants to leave. Then you decide how to end it. Like she stays? She escapes? Is she kidnapped? You choose.❤️❤️❤️ I basically just found your blog, and I read almost all your work, and I love it! You're a great writer 👏

I don’t own these characters. They belong to author/director/creator

(not my gif)

“Do you remember Pelle?” Dani asked. You looked up from your phone. She was sitting on her bed, against the wall, arms wrapped around herself as she thought. Her phone had been recently discarded on the bed. You were sitting at her desk chair. You thought about Pelle, the gentle guy with the gentle smile. 

“Yeah sure. He’s nice. Why?” You meant he was nice in that he was nicer than the rest of Christian’s friends. They were okay but they were guys and tended to act that way no matter who was around. 

“He’s invited me to Sweden with him and the others.” You raised an eyebrow. 

“They’re going to Sweden?” 

“Pelle lives there,” she explained. “He’s going home and everyone else is going to visit where he lives. It’s supposed to be some kind of commune or something.” You sat up, putting your phone down. 

“Are you going?” She shrugged. 

“I don’t know if he wants me there. Christian, I mean. I don’t know if he just invited me to be polite.” 

“You said Pelle invited you.” 

“Well he seemed happy I was going but I don't really know him. I mean, he talks to you more than he talks to me.” You shrugged. You and Pelle had been friendly through the semester, simply because you go whenever Dani wants you to and Christian drags his friends around like dead weights. You narrowed your eyes at her, unsure what she was getting at. 

“Do you want to go?” 

“Yeah, I think so. I mean, I should get out of the house right?” You nodded. 

“I think it’s a good opportunity. I mean, Sweden! That’s so cool.” 

“Pelle extended the invitation to you as well,” Dani explained. You raised an eyebrow. You didn’t know the others that well and you knew Christian about as well as anyone knows their best friend's boyfriend. “You don’t have to come but I think I would be more comfortable if you were there too. I’m not sure how I’m going to react and I don’t know Christian’s friends that well and I don’t know the place and-”

“Relax Dani. When is it? I’ll check my schedule.” She grabbed her phone and started to scroll through, looking through the dates. 

“We’d get there on my birthday.” You smiled a bit. 

“That’s perfect. I didn’t think you should spend your birthday here anyway.” You shrugged. “I’ll go. I mean, I should probably look at how much it’ll cost and stuff but it could be fun. Right?” You didn’t deny how nice it would be to spend more time with Pelle, this time on his home turf. 

“Really?” You nodded, shrugging. She smiled easily, shoulders dropping the tenseness. 

“Yeah Dani. It’s for your birthday, how about that?” 

-

Pelle grabbed your hiking backpack as you approached the car. The drive was supposed to be over four hours and you were all stuck in the same van, along with all your luggage. You weren’t exactly excited for the overwhelming boy aura that would come along with it. 

“Thank you,” you said, gently. He nodded once, a kind smile on his face. 

“Of course. I’m so glad you could come,” he expressed. 

“Me too! It’s so exciting to see your home.” He shut the back of the car. Everyone else had gotten into their spots in the car. You called shotgun the second you got off the plane and you were grateful for it. Dani was squished in the back beside Christian, her window already down for some air. The sticky hot air was indicative of a nice morning turning into a nice day. You hoped this car had air conditioning. “Is there anything I should know? I’m sorry I don’t know a lot of Swedish, other than what you taught me.” 

Pelle had been giving you words here and there, trying to get you to pronounce things correctly. It was kind of a lost cause but it was fun regardless. 

“It’s probably going to be foreign at first. There are some things Americans aren’t exactly used to.”

“Like what?” “It’s easier for you to just see. But I assure you, you’re always safe.” He walked to the front of the car. You stood there a moment longer, unsure why you would need to worry about your safety. You pushed it out of your head, walking to the passenger seat. “Everyone buckled in?” Pelle asked, turning the car on. 

There was a chorus of yeah’s, followed by a couple seat belts buckling in. You adjusted to be comfortable in your seat and prepared for the drive. 

“Keep your hands, arms and feet inside at all times,” you joked. “The show is about to begin.” 

-

The hike to Pelle’s home was nice, if not a bit hot. Eventually you found yourself settled into beds, backpacks finally down, feet resting. You were itching for a shower but didn’t want to ask about it. You had been showered with kindness, large slightly unnerving smiles and flower crowns. Pelle sat beside you in the grass as everyone started to explore. They found themselves in their own bubbles, the dancers and the educators. Even Dani was able to find some sort of place alongside those who were making dinner. You kept a keen eye on her, just in case. 

The sun not going down tripped up your inner clock. It had to be closer to midnight than it was to midday. 

“This place is beautiful,” you admitted and you meant it. The sense of disconnect from the rest of the world was somewhat jarring. You could tell how someone could enjoy a life out here. “I can’t imagine why you’d ever leave.” Pelle smiled gently. He was leaning back on the palms of his hands. You picked at the overgrown grass under your fingertips. 

“It’s slightly limited,” he assured you. “I wanted to see what the rest of the world had to offer.” You shrugged. 

“Then decided to come back?”

“This is my home,” he said wistfully. 

“Home is where the heart is.” He nodded once. You looked back towards him, squinting in the sun. He seemed used to it, like it had no effect on him. “That was cheesy.”

“But true!” he promised. “Things are cheesy for a reason.” You laughed a bit. 

“I think that's a classic,” you argued. He shook his head. “When does the sun set?” 

“I thought I told you earlier that it doesn’t.” He leaned forward and gestured to the blue sky. “The midnight sun can go for days. Sometimes just a day, depending on the time of year.” You nodded, opening your mouth to ask another question when Ingemar approached the two of you. 

“Good evening,” he said happily. 

��It’s evening?” you scoffed. “See, this whole thing is messing with my inner clock. You got a wristwatch?” Both men shook their heads. You weren’t sure why you even asked. They probably still used the stick in ground timing method out here. Or maybe they didn’t even care and simply went about their days as thought time didn’t matter at all. You weren’t sure you could ever adjust to that.

“May I sit?” You and Pelle nodded. He sat down beside Pelle, getting comfortable on the hillside. “Are you both ready for the pairing tomorrow?” Pelle gave Ingemar a look. 

“What pairing?”

“It’s silly, really. It’s part of the festival.”

“You haven’t told her?” Ingemar questioned. He laughed, making you feel left out. You weren’t sure why Pelle wanted all of this to be some sort of mystery to you. You wondered if it would lose its charm if you knew what was going to happen. But the pairing sounded somewhat sexual and you wanted to know if you were entering a sex cult or something. 

“After the Attestupa tomorrow the elders make five pairings of people. It’s like…superstition. Whichever pairing seems to be best put together by the end of the festival gets to be married.” You scoffed. 

“Married? Like a legit wedding?”

“As legit as we get around here. There is no paperwork or church to defy,” Ingemar explained. 

“What’s the Attestupa?” you asked. You didn’t want to be insensitive to everything going on but you poked around for the sake of your sanity. 

“Another thing easier seen than said,” Pelle explained. 

“You are being awfully mysterious Pelle. Should I be worried?” He shook his head. 

“No, not at all.”

 -

After the Attestupa you were about to leave. Dani’s panic attack, which was justified after the events you had all witnessed, caused you to jump into protective mode. It was too early in her grieving process to be seeing death at all, let alone death right in front of her. It didn’t matter what kind of processes the people here went through, she needed to leave. 

It was Pelle who convinced you both to stay. He apologized, assuring you both that nothing like that would happen again soon. It was part of the world he grew up in and didn’t think he needed to protect you from something he saw as normal. 

You waited for Dani’s go ahead. When she said she would stay, so did you. 

Then came the pairing. 

The elders gathered everyone around the table again. They had a scroll out in front of them and you stood next to Dani, teetering back and forth on the balls of your feet. Pelle assured you there would be no deaths here. This was about the rebirth of those who had just died, the children that would be had from the couples paired together. You looked around, wondering which people had been waiting for this their entire lives. 

Then your name was called. 

Pelle and you. 

Ingemar and Connie. 

Then other names you didn’t know, people that had lived here their whole lives. Your eyes were still bursting out of your head from the time they brought you and Pelle up, gave you intertwining floral headgear and showed you to one of the private cabins. 

Simon was still yelling from outside about Connie, wanting to drag her away, unsure of the reason she had been chosen. Dani watched you go but couldn’t grab you. She wanted to give you a thumbs up but didn’t have the heart to, unsure if you were going to die the second you were away from her eyeline. 

When you were inside the cabin you took off the flower crown. You placed it on the bed halphazerdly., turning to Pelle. 

“Okay, what the fuck is this?” you questioned. “Ingemar has a crush on Connie and now they’re paired together? What is this Pelle? Please.” He approached you and you didn’t back away. You still felt safe with him, even after all the things that had happened. You truly believed he wouldn’t hurt you. 

“It’s not like that, I promise.” He put his hands on your arms, trying to center you. “They pair up some of the visitors every Midsommar,” he assured you. “I had no idea it would be you and I or Connie and Ingemar. They have to pair up some outsiders to avoid any incentuous children, they aren’t doing it from any kind of ill mind.” 

It felt weird. In this room, alone, when you had just been in a group housing situation. You already wanted to see Dani. 

“This is weird Pelle.” 

“I understand it isn’t normal. But they aren’t forcing anything on us, on you. We’ll sleep here but it would be normal, as though we were sleeping a couple feet away in the group house.” 

“So we don’t have to do anything right?”

“There will be a few pair games but those are normal. Like…compatibility games. They aren’t dangerous, I assure you. Do you trust me?” You swallowed hard, meeting his eyes. You nodded slowly. 

“I think so. Yes,” you promised. He nodded. 

“You’re allowed to leave and see Dani and our friends. Don’t worry.”

“What about Simon and Connie?”

“I’m sure Connie and Simon will see each other again soon. There’s no need to worry about them.” You nodded. 

“At least they paired me with you. They could’ve paired me with Christian and I could've drowned him in the toilet or something.” Pelle gave you a small laugh. He put his hand on your arm, softly. 

“Let’s have dinner alright?” You nodded, following him out of your cabin.

-

“So it’s like a game?” Dani questioned. “Why couldn’t they put Christian and I together. Maybe then he’d finally think about marriage.”

“You don’t wanna marry that guy,” you said, shaking your head. You were sitting by the gardens together. Pelle was harvesting some food and you watched, for moral support. “Pelle says it’s like a game. Whoever is most compatible at the end gets married.” 

“Legally?”

“As legal as this all is,” you said. 

“Did you see that Simon left this morning? Without Connie. Hitched a ride,” Dani explained. You shook your head. 

“Really?”

“Yeah. Someone took him in the car into town.” You didn't know the guy well but were surprised. They seemed really close. Engaged, if you remembered. 

“Pelle?!” you called. He turned around, putting the shovel into the dirt. 

“Yes?” 

“Did you hear Simon left?” He shook his head and walked over. He was sweating from the sun. His white baggy shirt clung to his chest. You were grateful again that you were paired with him out of anyone, the slight crush growing with the coincidence. 

“I didn’t. Who told you this?”

“Ingemar,” Dani explained. “When Connie went looking. Do you think Christian would do something like that?” You wanted to scoff and answer honestly. Instead you met Pelle’s gaze and shook your head, lying. 

“I’m sure he wouldn’t.” Pelle extended a hand. 

“Would you like to help me?” 

“Looks like hard labor.” 

“I promise I’ll make it easier. Come.” You reached out and let him help you stand. You glanced back at Dani, who smiled, squinting under the sun.

“You guys are cute. Sure to win best pair.” You rolled your eyes. 

“You get to be the maid of honor.”

“The may queen traditionally get’s that spot,” Pelle explained. You raised your eyebrows to her. 

“Better get your dancing feet ready.”

-

“Have you seen Josh?” Dani questioned. She stood in front of your cabin door, concern lacing her voice. You rubbed your eyes. Pelle had let you sleep in a bit, allowing you to skip breakfast and bringing some back. You shook your head. 

“No. Not since yesterday. Why?” Her jaw set. 

“I can’t find him.” 

“Isn’t the May Queen thing today? I doubt he’d miss that,” you offered. “Plus, I have a compatibility thing today too.” Dani nodded tightly. You were right. Josh would show up eventually. 

“Can you ask Pelle if he’s seen him?”

“Yeah of course. You okay?” She nodded but she had that melancholy look on her face that was hard to read. You weren’t sure if she was just putting up a front or if she was at all settled. You wanted to ask her more questions but she turned slowly and walked towards the main part of the commune. You squinted in the sun. Pelle passed her while he was walking back from wherever he had gone. 

“Are you ready?” he questioned. You nodded a bit. 

“Thanks for letting me sleep in.” 

“Of course. I want you rested.”

“So what do we have to do? Is it like a sack race or something? Who knows each other better? Quick, what’s your favorite color?” He chuckled. He looked down, intertwining your fingers. You let him, though you were suspicious. 

“A tad more serious than that.”

“Pelle…”

“You’ll be fine. I promise.” He was determined to win this one. He had never been chosen for a pairing before but he had seen it happen. The pairs were sent out on the cliff and had to be the last two standing after a scuffle of pushing and shoving. 

Ingemar and Connie were removed, after Connie mysteriously disappeared after causing too much commotion. There were only two more couples. 

Neither were as strong or connected as you and Pelle. 

He just wondered how he would get you up the mountain. Once you were there he had no doubt he could convince you to push for your own self preservation, along with his. 

As Dani took a drink of the special tea before the May Queen dance, you drank some offered by Pelle as you started up the mountain.

[acupofqueercoffee]

“With her earth brown hair, her arms hard and lean”

Andromache the Scythian x Witch Reader

more or less a sequel to "with her sweetened breath and her tongue so mean" as per @nightly-polaris 's request

tagging as requested : @charlizetheroncansteponme

6th of January was my birthday, so consider this a present from me to you, although it ain’t my proudest work since i’m in a bit of a slump :'))

────────────────────

The images of Andy that had kept you company in the dead of night for the best part of your life made into a fine montage of the Scythian’s life. A born and bred warrior though she was, throughout the centuries, she had been a wearer of many hats, an assassin, a friend, a foe, an outlaw, a salvation, a traveller, even a god to some, but above all, she was a Baklava aficionado.

It was a relatively slow day in the safe house. Andy and Nile were away to get rations which was originally the task for you and Nile. The Scythian had volunteered to go in your stead since you were still low on stamina courtesy of yesterday’s strains, some of which were still in the process of healing. It was decidedly one of the repercussions of being a witch. Whether you were in possession of immortality with fast recovery rate or not, overexertion and energy depletion could, more often than not, expose your body to lasting injuries.

With nothing urgent on your plate, you had deemed it an ideal day to put your plan into motion. The last piece of Andy’s indulgence had run out about a couple of weeks ago, and since then, you had been toying with the idea of rectifying it. Although the chasm between the two of you had compelled you to think better of it, now that the rocky affair had been remedied, you no longer had any qualms about realising your resolution.

“If unfortunate, this might land you in another feud with Andy. I doubt she’ll tolerate if you butcher her treasured treat, even if unintentionally.”

“Don’t underestimate her love for Baklava. It’s positively peerless. I’d strongly advise you to tread lightly.”

The two lovebirds’ playful warnings that were designed to discourage you boiled down to futility as they left you undeterred. Even though there was a good chunk of truth buried beneath their words, you knew that they were not so much a genuine caution as a quip about your baking skills that were nothing short of non-existent.

The coming to be of your very first Baklava was achieved through trial and error. You were not as dexterous with kitchen equipments as Andy was with her vast array of weapons, meaning that your baked goods were not the most beautiful. Baked to near perfection and drenched in ample syrup, even though they did not taste too good to be considered divine, thankfully, they were good enough to be deemed delectable.

Unfortunately, your confidence that had remained steadfast throughout the day started to wane considerably as the time of Andy’s arrival approached. The nearer it got, the more restless you became. From “what if it does not suit her taste” to “will she find it insulting like Joe had warned” , doubtful thoughts were bombarding your mind.

By the time the Scythian made her return with Nile, the decision had been reached. No way in your right mind could you present your sloppy attempt at a Baklava to the very connoisseur of Baklava. You did bake her treasured treat to the best of your abilities, however when your only experience in baking ended with you very nearly burning down your previous home, managing something as simple as turning the dough into recognisable, solid blocks was a considerable feat in itself.

When night fell, you pulled Nile aside instead, asking her to temporarily play the role of a taste tester to tweak the recipe if necessary in your future endeavours. You handed her a block of the sweet treat, before you took one of your own into your hand. As Nile nibbled on her snack, you took a bite out of yours, and expectantly, awaited her feedback.

The crumbs that were sticking to the corner of the marine’s mouth compelled your fingers to fly towards them, gathering the fine dusts with the pad of your thumb. It was done out of reflex, the same way you would usually wipe mucus off Leo’s eyes.

“No offence, but it’s-”

An unforeseen interruption put a halt to Nile’s speech as it did to your action. Following the snug lock of fingers around your wrist, you felt a gentle crawl of calloused digits on your jaw before in a heartbeat, your head was angled slightly for your lips to be enveloped in heart-melting warmth. After the soul-stirring experience from last night, it was impossible not to remember the familiar velveteen feel of the Scythian’s lips.

Wide-eyed and mouth ajar, you were positively kiss stunned as you stood stock still, hypnotised by the tantalising tip of a tongue that poked through pink lips to trace the upper arch of the tender flesh.

“Mmm” She moaned, the mesmerising green of her eyes disappearing behind her eyelids. “The scent of rose was a little too overpowering,-” She had brought your wrist that was ensnared in her fingers to her mouth where her teeth sank into the baklava that was held betwixt your thumb and forefinger. As she did so, her line of sight shifted from your hand to your face, causing the collision of your gazes. The golden specks in her eyes, like fine grains of sand swirling in sea green waves, shimmered and shone. “-but not too shabby for your first attempt.”

In the twinkling of an eye, you found yourself trapped between the Scythian’s body and the kitchen counter. Caged in her wonderfully toned arms, your heartbeat was a frenzied staccato inside your chest. Meanwhile, the hard muscles of her arms rippled beneath your palms as her face gravitated to yours. You watched one corner of her coral-coloured lips tilting skyward into a mischievous smirk.

“Excuse me? Uhm…what the hell is going on?”

“I uh- wow I’m completely ignored- alright then I’m just gonna disappear real quick. Evidently, you have more pressing matters to attend to than getting my feedback.”

Whatever Nile had uttered was not so much an intelligible remark as a background noise.

Nothing reached your ears except Andy’s voice, smooth and spicy as honey mulled wine. “You made my favourite snack and decided to keep it from me?” The warmth of her breath softly teasing the shell of your ear, coupled with her sultrily low cadence of a hum, brought about an eruption of goosebumps. “How bold of you.”

“I merely wanted to perfect my baking skills before I have you taste it.”

“Oh? Even when I liked them alright as they were?”

“Are you quite certain?”

The question created an arch in an earth brown eyebrow, some strands of the same hue deliciously curtaining her eye as a shadow of amusement dawned on her lips.

“Who do you think know more about Baklava, hm? You or me, or the rest of the team?”

“You, of course.”

“Precisely.”

“It’s just that I-” The feeling of hands fitting flawlessly into the curve of your hips punched a breath out of your lungs, if only for a moment, rendering you speechless. “-I know it’s your only indulgence. So, I wish you would truly enjoy them instead of acting otherwise for my sake.”

“You’re giving me too much credit. Sugarcoating isn’t my forte.”

One of her hands had abandoned its place on your waist in favour of plucking your chin between a thumb and a forefinger. Her touch was nothing but delicate as she coaxed you into seeking her eyes.

“Your Baklava has something very unique in it which I’ve never been, and certainly will never be able to find anywhere else in the entire world.” Gentle fingers had travelled along your jaw, taking your cheek into a palm where she cradled you with great tenderness. The bone-meltingly soft touch of battle-hardened fingers had your tummy butterflies dancing jovially.

“Do you know what that is?”

Your response was a subtle shake of your head, given while nuzzling the warmth of her hand like a cat basking in the sun.

“Love.” Calloused pad of a thumb softly caressed the apple of your cheek. “The love you had put into making them is what makes them all the sweeter, all the more meaningful. I’m certainly not faking anything. It truly was scrumptious.”

“So, thank you for the sweet surprise. I love it.”

You detected no lies in her eyes for there was none to begin with. Instead, you drowned in a sea of startling green, bright, beautiful, and brimming with things that you were not yet privy to.

And then,

“I love you.”

The declaration did not come as an absolute shock, nonetheless it still instilled in you a trickle of surprise and instigated a whirlwind of wings as the little hummingbird went berserk behind its bony cage. Although you had been made aware that she harboured strong feelings for you following her apology, you were not expecting her to voice it aloud. Later down the road, perhaps. In a subtle way, definitely. But certainly not as quickly and candidly as she had just done.

So, as you eagerly threw yourself into her chest, heart doing giddy somersaults, and face finding home in the little dip of her throat, all too happily, the Scythian kept you cocooned in her arms, both kind and unyielding.

At the same time, the pair of you were oblivious to the curious eyes of your teammates. Having unintentionally borne witness to the sickeningly sweet display of affection initiated by none other than their positively lethal boss, Joe was in disbelief of both his ears and eyes.

“Nicky, I think my ears are malfunctioning.”

“It’s not your ears, Joe. I heard it too.”

“Nicky?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you seeing this as well?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not my eyes playing tricks on me, is it?”

“I don’t think it is, my love.”

“Andy finally getting a partner after thousands of years? Hell must have frozen over!”

“It’s about damn time though, wouldn’t you agree?”

“No disagreements there.”

────────────────────

[toxic3mmy]

hiiii ive been rlly obsessed with pjo lately, and this idea's been stuck in my head sooo

a pjo au where reader is a child of eros, and accidentally shoots q with one of the love arrows while practicing archery?? and then he gets a puppy crush and starts following reader around, just a cute romcom :)

woah, this idea sounds awesome! thanks so much for the request babe!! i’ll try my best to satisfy your pjo obsession hehehe

(also, i tweaked some junk like powers of the children of zeus and stuff just to make it easier, JUST PRETEND ITS CORRECT PLZ)

(thinking of adding original art to this IDK GIMME TIME)

prompt: you’re practicing archery and shoot alex, child of apollo, with a love arrow which leads to an accidental crush on you

no warnings! super cute and fluffy and romcom!!

________________________________________

part one ~

[listen at each star *]

it was a quiet spring morning. you were up and ready for your day and you decided that it would be perfect weather to practice your archery skills. you collected your materials and head off to your usual practice area.

you spruce up your target on the beautiful willow tree trunk in front of you and you begin.

you put your things out on your practice table in a neat manner. you play some of your “weird” non mythological music and begin.

**

you relax completely, hold up your bow and with a deep breath in, you let go.

plonk

“god.. that’s just terrible” you mumble to yourself as you spot the arrow almost a foot away from the practice board.

you draw back again and let go.

plonk

“no wonder i need the damn practice” you’re a bit annoyed seeing the arrow land in the grass at the base of the tree but continue to practice.

you draw back again, feeling a slight tingly vibration in your fingertips, and you knew this was a good sign. you were going to hit it right on the bullseye. the moment you begin to exhale, your music makes an odd doppler effect-like sound and it freaks you out a bit. you still absentmindedly let go of the arrow but don’t see where it landed.

“puta madre!”

a blood curdling shriek escapes you. you frantically try to hide from whoever it was that yelled.

a boy with dark hair came up from behind the willow tree and as soon as your eyes met, he holds both his hands up in defeat.

“don’t shoot, please!”

“dude, what the fuck are you doing here?! i almost had a heart attack! ew what’s wrong with your skin?” you made a face of disgust at him

“huh? look, i was just trying to find where that music was coming from and you shot me! like seriously, can you help me get this stupid arrow out of my ass?! god it’s like really deep in my butt meat”

“okay firstly, ew. secondly, ew.”

“im serious, can you give me a hand?” he pleaded, and as you approached him you noticed way too many things at once;

one: his skin was seriously looking freaky

two: he was a child of apollo, a sworn enemy of your eros parents

three: the arrow was really deep in his buttcheek

four: ….

“oh fuck me”

his skin was literally glowing. like… with love and junk.

you look down at the arrow you just removed from him and… oh no, how?!

you shot him with a love arrow. that’s just your luck, huh?

“hey… come here often sweetheart?” he smirked and you seriously had to choke down vomit

“really, that’s what you call flirting? you are such a little virgin boy”

“maybe you can change that” he holds your hand in his and pulls you in closer “maybe you want to put something else in my ass tonight besides that arrow” he smirked once again

you couldn’t believe the words he was saying to you.

you began laughing uncontrollably at his poor attempts at being suave and hot. you bent over laughing, you laughed so hard your abdomen was in absolute pain.

“see? i knew you’d come around, sexy lady” he pulled you up to be chest to chest with him

you quickly pushed him off and dried your tears from laughing so much.

“shut up dude, what even is your name? never mind, we need to get you a cure because i am definitely not going to deal with you and this… love crush thing” you began to collect your things in your backpack and you reached for the same arrow the raven haired menace did, as he was trying to help you.

“my name is alex… but you definitely have permission to call me papi” he said as your touching hands were intertwined in his and you quickly yanked your hand away

“blegh! you seriously need help, you creep! come on, we don’t have time to waste! our parents will absolutely kill us if they see us together” you yanked his arm to follow you and your head snapped at him as you heard a lewd moan come from alex.

“oh yeah, i love it when you’re rough baby” he moaned even louder and you plonked him in the head.

rolling your eyes, you continued to drag him to the only person who could help you out with no hesitation.

it took about fifteen agonizing minutes of walking to your friend thalia’s home as alex would not stop flirting with you and it wouldn’t be that bad of an issue but the dude had absolutely no game so it was just a lot of secondhand embarrassment you were dealing with.

you knocked on thalia’s door and prayed she was in.

thankfully, she opened the door a second later with a sweet smile,

“oh y/n! what a lovely surprise and… um excuse me what the actual frick is going on here??”

you pulled alex in and closed her door hurriedly.

“look man, i was practicing my archery right?”

“uh huh…” thalia replied

“because i simply suck balls at it right??”

“no you don’t darling! you’re a natural beauty and not to mention a talented one at that!” alex sighed, admiring you and inch from your face.

you shoved away his big head with your hand, and continued,

“and well… I SHOT THIS DUMBASS WITH A LOVE ARROW! PLEASE GIVE ME SOME KIND OF POTION THINGY TO FIX IT, PLEASE!” you beg thalia

“oh no! my honey is in distress! fear not, sweet maiden—”

thalia blows a green dust in his face and alex plops down on the ground like a sack of potatoes and he’s snoring away immediately.

“oh my god, thank you so so much! you don’t understand, he was literally like moaning all the way here and he calls that flirting?! he—”

“okay girl, do you need some eepy dust too?? just take a deep breath okay?”

you nod and calm down

“okay, as much as i know you need my help and as much as i want to help you, i can’t. we literally just ran out of the potion for that yesterday and i can’t make any new batches because im missing the main ingredient”

“well that’s okay! tell me where to get it and i’ll go right now and we can fix this whole mess and get rid of the buffoon!”

“no y/n, you don’t understand… the ingredient we need isn’t something you can just go get…”

you looked at her with a really confused face

“the ingredient is uh… spider legs, really weird i know! but you know the all mighty zeus, my pops, yeah he’s not as big and bad as he seems. he’s actually terrified of spiders so he banned them here in our world and i don’t get any spiders in stock until christmas because that’s the only time i can get my guy out here and… yeah”

“are you serious? god damn your dad and his arachnophobia..” i pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration

“yeah well, it’s either wait eight months for this potion or… get your father to undo the love spell”

i sigh and put my head down in my hands, feeling really defeated. what the hell do i do now?

“well… on the bright side, that dust i used on him will have some good effects when used alongside a love spell” thalia offers and you perk up

“wait really?? is he going to stop being so creepy with me?”

“well, maybe? it differs from person to person. but i do know that it most likely will make him act more in tune with his regular personality when he’s into someone, if that helps?” she smiled nervously

“let’s just hope he stops moaning every time i touch him” i say hopefully

“so.. you should probably try telling your dad. it was all a huge accident and i don’t think he’s going to be too upset. yeah he’ll probably give you the old ‘you need to be more responsible’ speech thing but im sure he’ll help you… unless he punishes you by not helping” thalia laughs deviously at the idea

“well thanks anyways, man. also, how long til he wakes up?” you ask, pointing at alex on the floor

“oh, one sec” thalia moves closer to him and kicks him in the balls

alex immediately shoots his eyes open and groans in pain

you look at thalia and the two of you laugh together.

thalia hands alex a pain reliever lollipop as a parting gift and you say your goodbyes to one another.

now it’s just you and alex.. and you were nervous about the way he was going to act with you.

“hey.. i uh, im really sorry about the way i was acting earlier. i seriously was acting super virgin-esque huh? i kinda heard everything you guys were saying even though i was asleep and yeah… but hey, at least now i’m not moaning at you like a harlot right now?” he laughed softly

“that’s so embarrassing that you heard us… but hey, at least you’re somewhat normal again?” you asked and offered him a smile

“i uh.. i never even asked for your name”

“oh, its y/n” you reply in a quiet voice

“that’s a really beautiful name… did i ever mention what my powers were?”

“no actually, you didn’t” you shook your head

“well, can i borrow your bow?” he asks sheepishly

you hesitantly nod and hand him your bow and a normal arrow

he places the arrow in its rightful position and comes up behind you. he’s still holding onto it as he places it in your hands. his arms are completely around you and his head is right next to yours.

“okay, relax. now, you see that small red flag thing on the tree over there? imagine the arrow landing right in the middle. take a deep breath” his hands were atop yours as he pulled the bow back and he whispered almost seductively,

“let go”

you both let the arrow go and it shoots right where you imagined it to. you gulped at how close he was to you. he smelled of pine and cinnamon. it was wonderful..

“you just needed a little push.. you did great y/n” he said in a low voice, still holding onto your hands on the bow

why did you want to lean in and kiss him?

wait, what?!

you immediately pulled away, putting as much space between the two of you as possible.

“y-yeah.. um thank you alex. should we keep going now?” you ask, unable to make eye contact with him

“whatever you’d like to do y/n. i’m honestly just enjoying your presence right now. it almost feels like it’s just you and me here, doesn’t it?”

you didnt know what to say. you agreed completely. you wanted nothing more than to waste your time with alex and his handsome smile and his sweet way with words and—

“y/n? can i show you my other power?” her broke the scary thoughts you were having

“sure”

**

alex began to sing the same song in was listening to earlier, without missing a single beat. how did he even know this song?

he took your hand and sung his heart out to you. you felt a swarm of butterflies flutter at the pit of your stomach. it feels like you were the one that got a love arrow stuck in your butt.

“your voice is beautiful… how do you know that song?” you asked, continuing to walk alongside alex

“well, i heard it a long time ago. sometimes i can hear it in my dreams, too. it’s not music we can listen to here, it’s mortal music i think. how do you know it?” he asked curiously

“i’ve always had an interest in mortal music.. i was actually playing that song this morning when the whole incident happened, i think you may have interfered with the sound waves when you were trying to find where it was coming from”

“that’s right… i guess this is our song then, huh?” he stated, grabbing me gently by the arm as we stopped in our tracks

“yeah, i guess so” your face was gently raised up by alex’s fingertips, forcing you to look into his entrancing brown eyes

“y/n, are you sure you’re not a siren?” alex whispered, his lips practically touching your lips

“w-what?..”

“it feels like you’re luring me to my sweet demise.. and what’s a death sentence without me being given a last meal? please, let me taste your lips before you take my soul away. it would make me feel oh so complete in this bittersweet end” he claimed proudly

with a flutter of your eyes, you shut them softly and gently press your lips against his

you feel his arms wrap around you in a tight but gentle way, and you reciprocated by holding his torso tightly

your hands grip his shirt tightly in fists as alex deepens the kiss, a small whimper leaving his soon to be bruised lips

alex pulls away and says softly,

“i can die a happy man now, y/n”

you had no idea what just happened or how it happened or even why you let it happen???

there was just something about him that lured you in. you wanted to take him in in every way possible, because to consume him would mean to be one.

god, what the hell were you even thinking?

[TO BE CONTINUED]

[pricemarshfield]

Writer Interview Game

thank you for the tag @wetcatspellcaster! honestly just this morning was talking about writing and inspiration and motivation so it was super cool to get to dive in-depth with this :) under the cut because uhhh i am chatty as all hell <3

tagging @reallyhatethiswebsite @goldfyshie927 @prettyaveragewhiteshark @pouralaura @atrueneutral @bravestworriers AND anyone else who'd like to! as always, no pressure :)

When did you start writing?

i genuinely have been writing so long that i don't remember when i started. i have distinct memories of being 6 and writing about my oc who was a babylonian priestess raised by alligators and living in antarctica in a compound full of animals, and despite being babylonian she was named athena. honestly a baller concept for me at 6 years old, i kinda still fuck with it (though i'd tweak some things. world-build a little more. probably rename her. read more than one encyclopedia page about mesopotamia)

i wrote a LOT of original stuff (read: knockoffs of whatever novels i'd read at the time) and a bit of fanfiction as a tween, got into a phase where i hated and deleted all of it and wrote WAY less as a teen, and then jumped back into fanfic with requests from my high school friend group and haven't stopped since. even when my posting has slowed, my writing hasn't; i just waffle between "post a chapter as soon as it's done" and "wait until the fic is finished and fully edited before i post a word of it". the former approach definitely works better for me because otherwise it languishes in my drafts forever (i'm sorry pricemarsh longfic. one day i will muster up the motivation to finish you).

i write Some original stuff, but more short stories than longform things. actually someone yell at me to post my molly drew backstory thing because it's one of the best things i've written in years AND fully original! (well. project zomboid. fanfic gray area but it's basically a stand-alone zombie thing, it doesn't pull from the game's lore because i don't know it lmao)

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

hm...i think i read a long more long genfics than i've written or attempted to write, which is funny because longer genfics are definitely some of the best things i've written and that have resulted in the Nicest comments and response i've ever gotten. (the only fic i've ever joined a server and had someone go "i've read this and i loved it" is a 30k genfic, and also is my magnus opus). also, i read MUCH more original fiction stuff than i write these days, even if i DO have a lot of oc ideas these days.

i'm not sure why! i don't think it's coming from a concern of lack of interest...compelled as i am by platonic dynamics, i think i just have more fun writing shippy stuff. also i write a lot of smut, so there's that. thinking about it, there mayyy be a level of spite in my not writing more original stuff, or at least not sharing it? my family is very annoying about the fact i write fic instead of original stuff, and that i am Not interested in being an author as my career. but that's a silly reason so maybe i'll hype myself up about my original stuff more lol

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

not that i can think of? not unless i'm writing something in a very specific genre, anyway. when i wrote my noir au martian thing i was very specifically trying to emulate works from that genre but even then not Authors so much as Works and even then more movies than books...i think there are some fantastic authors (both published and fandom!) that i'm very inspired by and learn from but none that i'd point to as a Style To Emulate. but in terms of writers, both the person who tagged me and everyone i'm tagging have writing i love enough that it makes me want to work on my own stuff. all of y'all use words SO well.

again, not a style i'm trying to emulate BUT in terms of books that got me thinking about words and world-building and writing in such a way that i was inspired to Create (a VASTLY incomplete list): mexican gothic by silvia moreno-garcia, exercises in style by raymond queneau, 253 by geoff ryman, the haunting of hill house by shirley jackson, this is how you lose the time war by amal el-mohtar and max gladstone, the martian by andy weir, and in the dream house by carmen maria machado. ALSO READ MORE CLASSICS AND NONFICTION AND POETRY...get thinking about words in different ways even if it's not the genre you want to write because it WILL help your writing grow...this is getting so far away from the question oops

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

...the amount of fic i've written on my dinky old laptop, in bed at 2am, directly in the ao3 textbox is FAR more than the fic i've written in any other space. (no one should do this btw.) unfortunately i write most when i compelled by ideas at at a time i shouldn't be, and my laptop is convenient

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

stepping away. forcing writing puts me back in a mindset that'll burn me out Longterm, and i won't even be happy with the end result. writing and also any other creative endeavor isn't something to do on its own forever; if you're not inspired, go read something! play something! draw something if you write/write something if you draw! go on a hike! try and fail to learn to crochet!

on top of helping yourself decompress from writer's block and burnout (if you're dealing with either), i feel like the muse always comes easier when i give her space. sometimes she comes back with a vengeance and that's when i write at 2am (that's when most of talk was written, and it haunted me for MONTHS. MONTHSSS. so i guess also you can muster up the muse by being down bad for the devil)

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

all my ocs are autistic women who mask (either well or poorly) and feel fundamentally not in line with the worlds in which they're living. which could mean nothing

but also i don't really think so! i try to very consciously write different genres and themes and ideas; i think i revisit the idea of two characters who are in some way opposed realizing they're more similar than they thought, or else finding compatibility In their differences maybe?? which isn't surprising but also i think indicates more a desire to build up a relationship as part of a plot rather than saying something about Me, Specifically

wait no i lied. in dnd and dnd-related fandoms specifically i write a LOT of stuff vis a vis divinity and expectations and the dichotomy of good/evil in the setting not necessarily matching with any sort of real-world morality/philosophy and the horror inherent to godhood (on both the side of the god and the follower.) i'm not a particularly religious person nor was i raised as such, so not sure Why, but it's very interesting to me!!

What is your reason for writing?

i want to read it and no one's gonna write it exactly like i will!! but also...it's fun. i like getting into a character's head. i like figuring out how to get from scene a to scene b in a way that doesn't take away from the narrative. i LOVE getting to see the ways a story can shift outside its outline (my outlines are very bare-bones, so this happens a lot). it's something that i enjoy and that i can share with people.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

any comment that shares something about my writing that either i was actively trying to do or that i didn't notice at all. the first is a delight because it means someone gets what i'm going for!! hell yes! and then the latter is a look at my writing through someone else's eyes which is just so so nice. either one feels like Connecting with people over my writing which is! the goal! so hell yes!

really though any comment that isn't "write more" is motivating to me. someone once left a keysmash and nothing else in the comment box and it motivated me to pick up another wip for the same pairing and write another chapter

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

i am a human being and not a content machine <3 this doesn't come up a lot anymore but i used to have to deal with a lot of asks and requests that would demand more fic even as all my posts were about the immense grief i was dealing with at the time lol.

but also i want to be seen as a person who can be approached! send me asks about what i've written, dm me, tell me about zines and fanweeks and things like that! i literally live with someone i met in a fandom space, fandom works best when it's a thing you share with people rather than a thing you Consume and expect Recognition for. (not that recognition is BAD, but like...see it as connection first and content second, ykwim? i also say this knowing i'm bad about reaching out first but. yeah. i'm working on it!)

slight tangent but you've already read this far so <3 i also feel like fandom these days has moved to more private spaces rather than public appreciation...like, how many fandom events get shared primarily in discord servers that a new fan might not know to join? how many people only get hyped up by people they've already talked with? how many people gush over a fic in a server and then never mention it to the author? i want to be approachable because i want to actually Engage with people without having to join 80 discord servers for different niche things and hope i find a place i vibe with. (nothing against discord specifically--anyone can ask for mine, and i met some dear friends that i'm tagging through a fan discord server, but i hate social connection in fandom being Limited to that.) okay tangent over

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

this is so specific lol but i think i'm really good at flow and sentence structure. like...i feel like i space out my sentences and paragraphs well to keep things from getting too jarring even while being wordy as all hell in a smut oneshot. (there's a reason my first tav is a bard multiclass with the sage background, and it's because neither of us can or will shut up <3)

How do you feel about your own writing?

honestly? pretty damn good. i'll still go through what every writer does where i reread my own stuff and think it sucks sometimes, but i think i've gotten to a place in my writing where i can enjoy it as it stands even if i notice something i'd edit differently. it helps that i've started writing a lot more SELF-indulgently rather than request-indulgently (though please do still send requests if you want! <3 i just mean that i'm not ONLY writing things for other people)

[xivrefsheets]

Dawntrail Updates!

Figured I may as well toss a post to the void with DT rapidly approaching. Ahem. Hello! First of all...

Wow... thanks a bunch! I'm happy this little project has proven to be so helpful for so many folks out there! I figured once I stopped updating that this blog was gonna fizzle out into obscurity but I'm still getting quite a bit of interaction despite the inactivity (I really do miss Tumblr sometimes...)

Anyway, wanted to put an update out here on things going forward after DT drops and knowing how rambly and Autistic™ I tend to get, I'll just put that in a cut.

So as I've mentioned in passing in the tags of a random ask, I'm sort of considering opening comms for ref sheets again due to really Really Spicy money-related happenings in my personal life. However, there's a few steps along the way before I make this a reality and this isn't even a full guarantee it'll happen as I'll also be opening art commissions in the near future and those will take more time and priority over ref sheets PLUS there's the factors that led me to closing in the first place.

I'm trying to steer away from using Anamnesis going forward for a number of reasons (some borderline petty, I admit) but I've been introduced to some nifty new plugins that are slowly taking the program's place that make posing infinitely easier and also fix the primary issue I had with Ana which was.... not allowing unique NPC faces to show in gpose anymore. (Yes I'm aware that they still worked for carbuncles and the like but that was just enough of a hassle for my posing needs that it made the sheets Not worth making anymore since I was already dealing with other stress on the side at the time as well). I'm still learning how to effectively utilize said plugins and once I've gotten better and mastered them that'll be the end of step 1.

Step 2 is gonna be... well... waiting for DT to drop. As we all know, a massive graphics overhaul is coming, so there's very little point in opening requests for new characters now when the models are about to be more detailed and will very likely be tweaked along the way if player feedback affects NPCs down the line.

Step 3... that I dread... revamping my studio yet again. Mostly just gonna be taking out some of the extra light sources since those tend to get in the way when the model is really tall and also researching more setups. May also see about utilizing chromakey as well. Idk idk. I doubt I'll have the energy to make the sheets super pretty like some folks do, but taking transparent shots will cut out a lot of distracting factors and make the finished sheets look a bit better I think.

Then after that, I'll probably do some practice rounds and re-work sheets for popular characters as well as fixing the old, shitty sheets from when I first started that were Way Too Yellow that I've been meaning to fix for literal years now (so sorry to all my fellow color-picking artists friends out there I'm sorry that's so annoying... TTATT) and from there I'll see if it's something I still want to pursue and open comms for.

I'll shoot for maybeeeee mid-August or so for the next update. Obviously, I still have a job and I'll be enjoying DT with the rest of you guys so it'll be some time before I even think of doing ref sheets again, but I at least wanted to throw out there that this is still something I think about, but a number of factors made me stop to begin with. One factor being...

...pricing! If/when I open again, it'll likely be a proper commission post on ko-fi and I'm thinking of starting at $10 with tipping enabled. In the beginning, I was allowing requests for the barest minimum of a donation and the constant $3 for characters with a ton of details to cover was getting a bit demotivating after a while, so I'm sorry if this puts off past and future clients, but I am doing all of this in my free time, so... ;w;

ANYWAY! If anyone read all this... thank you! I know it's a Lot and I'm sorry. Been a minute since I've had to do some sort of official addressing like this... haha.

Feel free to follow my ko-fi for updates regarding ref sheet commissions, art commissions, and whatever new art I post (if you're into that) and maybe toss a dollar or two my way since, yanno, I'm Quite broke rn and have an unpaid vacation coming up... 👉👈 or if you just wanna support a fellow queer this June.

and if y'all don't hear from me in a few months just assume I lied LOL!

[rainydaydream-gal18]

May I request some angsts? Maybe Reader the Bad Batch’s Jedi and when Crosshair turns full imperial, Reader betrays the batch to join him ?

(The Bad Batch) Crosshair x Reader: The Deal

(Author's Note: This request was from a while back. I apologize that it's taken so long!!! I hope you don't mind I tweaked it a bit. Reader isn't a jedi, but fought alongside the squad during the war. I hope you enjoy!).

Word Count: 1,490

Warnings: Angst, mentions of violence/sad events in Clone Wars

“________, what are you doing?” Hunter questioned.  He stood with arms spread out, blaster pointed down, but grasped firmly in his hand, ready to use if necessary.  You could still see the hesitation, the conflict in his eyes.

“My job,” you replied.

The two of you circled each other in an agonizingly slow dance around the clearing of the forest.  “I don’t understand why you’re with them.  Something’s not right with this Empire, and you know it.”

Of course you knew it.

The events that transpired had been nothing short of horrific.  You’d watched the love of your life take aim and try to shoot down a kid.  Whether the kid was a traitor or not, the Crosshair you knew wouldn’t have done such a thing - not unless something was seriously wrong.  Not to mention he was all too eager to complete the awful mission that Tarkin had assigned the squad, to eliminate “insurgents,” which turned out to be civilians who would not submit to the Empire.

Upon returning to Kamino, they’d taken the sniper away from the rest of you.  It took a great effort on the troopers’ part to keep you in the cell while he was escorted out.

It wasn’t long afterwards that the squad managed to escape.

During the confrontation on the landing platform, you stayed behind while the others escaped with their gear aboard the Marauder.

Crosshair had given the order to have you placed in a new cell until further notice.

Something definitely changed in him since they took him away.  There was a new resolve in his demeanor, but not a resolve against the orders of the Empire.

Even so, he visited you.  It made you hopeful every time you saw his face on the other side of the cell’s barriers, like perhaps he’d come to his senses.  But each time, your hopes crashed to the ground after a few minutes of gazing at each other in tense silence before he’d place a toothpick between his teeth and leave.

Something was definitely wrong.

One day, a pair of troops approached, lowering the shield so that you could exit the cell.  They escorted you down a few hallways until you arrived at a door.  It slid open to reveal a typical Kaminoan meeting room- plain white with a few chairs in front. 

A man you didn’t recognize walked in wearing Imperial military garb.  He dismissed the other troops before approaching you with hands folded behind his back, speaking courteously.

“Ah, so you’re ________.  It is a pleasure.”

You lifted a brow.  “Have we been introduced?”

“Indeed not.  This is our first meeting.  I am Admiral Rampart.  You’re probably wondering why you’ve been brought here.”

You didn’t dignify him with a response to his statement.  You only shook your head, changing the subject.  “Where’s Crosshair?”

“See, that is precisely why you’re here.”

“What?”

“I witnessed your interaction with him, though briefly.  The two of you seem to have a bond.”

“That’ll happen when you’ve been on as many missions as we have.  Our entire squad has a bond.”

“But yours with CT-Nine-Nine-Zero-Four is different.”

You clamped your mouth shut, not wanting to give him any more reason to believe his theory.  He was entirely on the mark, but who knew what he would do with this information?

Rampart chuckled, idly walking to the other side of the room to glance out the viewport at the stormy seas outside.  “There’s no need to be alarmed.  The Republic discouraged such relationships, but you may come to find that the Empire is a little more lenient.”

You snapped your gaze toward him in surprise.  He turned his head to give you a sideways glance.  His tone remained light, breezy, as he continued.

“You are an experienced soldier, having previously assisted Clone Force Ninety-Nine on many missions, like you said.”  Rampart unclasped his hands.  “Very impressive military record.  It makes you a prime candidate for my new program as a conscripted soldier.”

“And why would I ever do that?” 

“Because you could face criminal charges as an insurgent.  You are a traitor against the Empire, after all.  Or you could put your skills to use.  You could take advantage of this opportunity and remain at CT-Nine-Nine-Zero-Four’s side.”

“Crosshair,” you interjected.

He paused, repeating the name like it was a foreign language, trying to hide the disdain in his tone.  “Yes, Crosshair’s, side.”

You tore your gaze from Rampart’s, experiencing a weight like that of the entire galaxy on your chest.  What this man was offering was not at all what you’d been expecting.

“You’ve seen how we deal with traitors, _________,” he urged.  “This is the opportunity of a lifetime.  You can make a difference.  You will be able to serve the galaxy.  You and CT- Crosshair won’t be separated again.”

When you did not immediately reply, he nodded.  “I can see you need some time to think.  I will summon you again tomorrow.  Give me your answer then.”

That night, you saw nothing but Crosshair’s face in your dreams.

The rest was history.

So there you were, following orders to assist in tracking down the Bad Batch as an Imperial soldier.  You wished it wasn’t so.  You wished Crosshair wouldn’t be so adamant about finding his old squad, and you wished he didn’t order you to accompany him on these chases.

You and Hunter continued to circle each other, blasters in hand.  His initial bewilderment gave way to confusion and disappointment at seeing you poised to capture them.

“What happened?” he asked. “I know they have Crosshair under their control with that chip, but they can’t have brainwashed you.”

“I didn’t leave with you guys,” you answered with a shrug.  “I was worried about Crosshair.  After being imprisoned again on Kamino, my options were pretty limited.  It was either go on trial for crimes against the Empire, or this.”

Hunter’s shoulders relaxed, and he removed his helmet to reveal hope in his eyes.  He lowered his blaster.  “Now is your chance, ________.  Come with us.”

“I…I can’t.”  You shook your head.  “The reason I took this deal…”

Hunter’s gaze softened as realization dawned on him.  “It was to stay with him, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.  I can’t leave now, not with all of the shady things going on.”

A million and one questions roamed around Hunter’s mind at your words, but time was short.  “So this is it.  This is how it has to be.”

“I’m afraid so.”  You grasped your blaster tighter, stealing a glance over your shoulder.  Thinking quickly, you fired a few shots into the dirt just in front of him.  You had to make it appear that you weren’t on his side, but it seemed Hunter saw through your attempt.  

Hunter put his helmet back on and gave you one last nod before disappearing into the brush.

You exhaled, preparing an explanation that your superior would undoubtedly demand.

Crosshair’s armored form emerged from the forest to your right, carrying his rifle.  “Where’d they go?”

“They escaped.”  You could almost feel Crosshair’s skeptical eyes boring into you through his visor as he walked over to stand directly in front of you.

“Is that so?”

Crosshair’s helmet tilted down as he observed the blaster marks in the dirt.

“I see.  How… unfortunate.”

He had to know.  He had the sharpest eyes and never missed a thing.  It’s not like the direction of your blaster marks made sense.  Not to mention you’d simply given up on the chase.

Your heart pounded in your chest as you waited for Crosshair to point these things out, but the comments never came.  He merely reached up with his fingers to tilt your chin so that you would face his visor.  The silent exchange was brief, but made your heart race for a different reason.  He turned and started back toward the ship, and you knew that was your cue to follow.

His behavior was most intriguing.  You were certain that he would’ve said something.  You’d never hindered him in a chase before, but that was only because he’d never come this close to capturing the squad.  Now that he finally had his opportunity, you’d foiled it- and obviously so- yet he didn’t mention it.

Unless he wanted them to escape.

Could it be?  If that was the case, then why was he the one always petitioning his superiors for permission to go after the squad if he was going to let them get away?

Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.  Each day seemed to bring about new mysteries.  You missed the Batch.  Funny enough, even though Rampart had kept true to his end of the deal that you wouldn’t be parted from Crosshair, you found yourself missing Crosshair.  He was there, but it often didn’t feel like he was there.

You could only hope that your quiet investigations would amount to something, that you’d find a way to set him free.

[ayakamizu]

FFXIV Write 2024 Day 5 - Stamp

Stamp: Verb. To mark or impress with a design, word, mark, etc. Characters: Thancred Waters, Lady Lilira (Nanamo Ul Namo), Ayaka Mizushima (WoL) Expansion: A Realm Reborn Rating: G Notes: Thancred's POV for this one! Takes place towards the beginning of the Ul'dah storyline and tweaked a bit to fit the scenario and because I don't remember what exactly happened at the start of ARR anymore.

“Well that was exciting!” Thancred stated, looking at the voidsent disintegrating before them. Quickly, he turned to grin at the pair of ladies standing behind him—one was the woman he came to escort back to her keepers while the other was a lovely addition.

Repressing the urge to wince, a mistake on his part to underestimate the creature, he walked over to the pair and kept his eyes trained on the lovely stranger. The first thing he noticed were the pale scales and horn (an Au Ra) and the way she gripped her staff. It was difficult to see, but it shook in her hands—a newly arrived adventurer then. ‘Twas a good thing he arrived when he did.

Though she did hold her own well against the voidsent. The spells she cast—a thaumaturge then, which made sense if she was a new acolyte of the guild—had helped take down the creature in the end. The adrenaline, then, of taking on such a monstrous foe.

“You, young lady, ought to head back before your family starts to worry,” he chided ‘Lady Lilira’ playfully. The young woman pouted, something she could get away with this far removed from her identity.

‘Damn,’ he thought, he would’ve liked to stay and talk to the lovely lady before him, but he couldn’t ignore a request from the Sultana. “Of course, my lady,” he said, turning towards the stranger once more. “Apologies for leaving so soon without an introduction, but—”

The lady’s eyes narrowed, gaze flickering back between him and the other woman. “I suppose you are right,” ‘Lady Lilira’ conceded, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in her garbs. “If you would be so kind as to escort me, good sir?”

“You’re hurt,” she interrupted, eyeing him critically. Thancred was so shocked he didn’t pay attention to the way her gaze racked over his body before settling on his left side—the one that received a careless slash from the voidsent before it perished. “Please, allow me to assist you.”

“You’re a conjurer…?” He asked, shock coloring his features. Surely he saw her employing fire magic just moments ago, then how—?

“I… do not think Eorzea has an exact equivalent for what I can do,” she answered, looking pensive. “Conjurer. Thaumaturge. I’m fine with either label for now.”

“Fascinating,” he intoned, curiosity piqued. Perhaps he could introduce her to Y’shtola someday—after getting the opportunity to share a drink or two with her. ‘Twas only fair before having her be scrutinized by the scholar. “Then please, feel free to assist.”

She gave him a shy smile—was that hint of pink on her cheeks? Oh he could work with that later—before approaching him. Now, he noticed, her grip on her staff was steady. This close, he noticed how intricate the design of it was. It wasn’t like anything he’d seen before in Eorzea at least.

“Do I need to pull my shirt up a bit?” Thancred asked, shooting her a flirtatious smile. Her cheeks darkened a little further—such a delightful reaction!

“It would help,” she answered, lowering her staff closer to his torso. The rings clanged against each other, but didn’t make as harsh of a sound as he envisioned. “Less interference.”

Doing as he suggested, and suppressing the urge to hiss at the motion, he took a look at the mark and huffed in annoyance. A careless mistake indeed! Twas a good thing the others weren’t around to see such an unsightly thing. It was then that he felt the cooling sensation that came with healing magic and closed his eyes in relief, letting the magic do its thing. It reminded him of a cool splash of water against burning skin in the summer months—like those summers spent in Limsa Lominsa’s abandoned piers. There was even a salty tang to the air!

Eventually, he felt the magic cease and looked down at his injury. What was once a gashing wound was a sealed, pink line along his side. It felt itchy, which was a good sign as any of how well this stranger managed to heal him.

“There,” she said, looking pleased with herself. She brought the staff closer to herself, giving an approving nod. “Good as new!”

“I don’t know how to repay you,” he said, turning his attention away from the healed wound to give the woman a grin. “Perhaps we—”

“Ought to get going, yes?” ‘Lady Lilira’ interrupted pointedly, one of her eyebrows raised at Thancred in an unimpressed fashion. He felt his shoulders slump, very aware that she had a point.

“The lady is right,” the stranger agreed, smiling at the pair of them. If she noticed Thancred’s disappointment, then she was doing a good job of not pointing it out. “And there’s no need to return the favor. You helped me earlier, so we can consider ourselves even.”

Damn, she had a point as well! Perhaps luck was not on his side today—or at least when it came to this lovely stranger.

“If the lady insists,” he sighed, eyeing both of them. “Then we best be off, Lady Lilira.” With a quick bow, he marched towards his charge. “‘Twas nice meeting you, my dear!”

The woman waved, giving him a sheepish smile before turning her attention back towards the tree. Had something caught her eye? Or was she here for a reason? Oh, he would have loved to ask.

“You really are an incorrigible flirt, Master Thancred,” the Sultana said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Oh dear, it would seem my reputation precedes me then,” he chuckled. “To think that even the Sultana knows!”

“Aside from witnessing it in person just now… Raubahn told me as much.”

What an uncomfortable thought; the General of the Immortal Flames knowing his reputation. Perhaps that explained the way the man would scrutinize him at times…

[fairy-writes]

Okay instead of the stripper part how about being a 'secret' lover and they have a kid or two and Jayce was SUPER shocked and just really surprised Viktor never told this but he just never asked and turns out the lover was like a robber type assassin that has been causing the counselors trouble lately and then like before it turn to like a huge thing and later in the end his lover was a change person and Jayce decide to trust her now.

Thank u so much for ur time and telling me what u are comfortable with.

Have a lovely rest of ur day/night❣️❣️

HIDDEN LIVES

Reblogs and Comments are greatly appreciated!!

__________________________________________________________________________

Requester: kuro-nokeiyakusha

Fandom(s): Arcane: League of Legends (2021)

Pairing(s): Viktor x Female!Reader

Genre(s): I don’t really even know. Fluff?

Notes: No trigger warnings that I’m aware of! 

Also, this is probably one of my only female reader inserts for Arcane :) 

Also, also, this takes place between acts 2 and 3 of the show. 

I ended up tweaking the request a little bit and omitting the whole assassin/robber part. I wasn’t sure how to fit it into the story. I’m sorry!

__________________________________________________________________________

Jayce wasn’t quite sure what he was doing. He really hadn't meant to tail Viktor as he walked home. He hadn’t really intended to hide every time Viktor looked back. 

Who was he kidding? Of course, he meant to. 

He just didn’t know anything about Viktor’s life, so he was curious. 

Jayce ducked behind another building as Viktor made his way deeper into the depths of Piltover. He was making his way to the outskirts. Jayce could have sworn he had an apartment closer to the Academy. 

Eventually, Viktor pushed open a white picket fence that led to a yard with green grass and a large apple tree with a rope swing attached to it. 

A tree?

Where had Viktor gotten the seeds?

The house itself was quaint and small, more of a cute little bungalow with two steps leading up to the front door. Jayce hid behind a dumpster as he watched his friend close the gate behind him.

“Daddy! You’re home!” Came a child’s voice, and Jayce watched as a child—no older than five—with fluffy brown hair much like Viktor’s came barreling out of the house and down the pathway. Jayce couldn’t tell what Viktor’s expression was, but he heard the warmth in his voice when he spoke. 

“Yes, I’m home, Pavel. Where’s your mother and Adela?” He said to the boy, who pointed inside the open door just as you came out. 

You were pretty, hair pinned neatly out of your face, and dressed in a maternity dress to allow for your obviously pregnant belly. You had another child—the same age as Pavel—propped on your hip. The little girl had your hair and was too far away for Viktor to see what colors her eyes were. Viktor held Pavel’s hand as they both made their way up the stairs. Viktor leaned in, kissed your cheek, and then dropped a kiss on the little girl’s head. You and Viktor exchanged quiet words that Jayce leaned forward to hear.

And promptly fell out from behind the dumpster. 

You all stiffened and turned to see what the noise was. Viktor was the first to stop Jayce and frowned. Then, you set the little girl down and ushered both children into the house. 

“Jayce? What are you doing here?” His friend asked as Jayce got to his feet, brushing dust off the seat and front of his trousers. 

“I uh… well… I wanted to see where you lived.” He mumbled the last part as he approached the fence and leaned his weight on the gate. He half expected Viktor to start yelling, to cast him out and say he never wanted to see him again. 

But that wasn’t Viktor. 

Instead, he sighed and gestured for Jayce to follow them inside. You looked like you were about to protest until Viktor said, "This is my work partner. You’ve heard of him, Jayce Talis?” That was all it took for you to relent and allow Jayce into your home. 

The inside was just as lovely as the outside. However, it was also starkly different than Viktor’s sense of style. With floral decor everywhere and a bouquet of flowers on the coffee table and dining table. He must have let you decorate the house. Jayce spied the children peeking out of a half-closed door down the hall. He smiled and waved, but they just shut the door as quickly as possible. 

You led the two men into the sitting room, gesturing for Jayce to sit on the couch across from you and Viktor. You looked… vaguely upset. With your eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed. Viktor, on the other hand, looked concerned. He set his crutch aside as he sank into the couch’s plush cushions and gave a sigh of relief as he took the weight off of his bad leg. 

“Now, why are you following my husband home?” You asked, cradling your pregnant belly protectively, and glanced at Viktor as he set a hand on your thigh. 

“No need to be so harsh, love. He’s my friend.” He said, and you rolled your eyes. 

“He followed you home.”

“Husband?” Jayce cut in. Viktor looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

“Is it so odd that I am married?” He asked, and Jayce spread his hands out in front of him.

“You never said anything!” At this, Viktor shrugged,

“You never asked.”

Through careful conversation, Jayce discovered you were a fellow Zaunite, had married Viktor six years ago but had known him since childhood. You were overly cautious about your words. You obviously were choosing them carefully. 

But Jayce didn’t mind. 

He could tell you were in love with Viktor, and that was enough for him. 

[darknetneopets]

New Eden profile and info 🖤

Yes I’m obsessed with my little grey idiot and keep tweaking stuff about them heheee

Eden H. Grey (He/They)

My Twisted Wonderland MC aka the Ramshackle Dorm prefect!

While he doesn’t have magic I like to headcanon there is something to Dire calling him a ‘beast tamer’ and that he can hear and feel the stuff we see in game during a character’s overblot 🖤

He's very loosely based on Chernabog from Fantasia!

They are obviously a very self indulgent oc and I project on them a lot hehee

At first glance Eden is, well, a little plain. At most he might come off a bit ‘quirky’ (read: nurodivergent) and he’s just not what you would call flashy or charismatic. He’s also queer and has only recently come to terms with being nonbinary so he’s still working on how he wants to present himself.

Mostly he's just kind of a nerd. His interests include computer games, fantasy books, and obscure discontinued toys. He likes scary movies and spooky music and prefers to dress in all black. He likes drawing, used to go ghost hunting, and if you call something a ‘dragon’ when it is CLEARLY a wyvern or worse yet a wyrm you're never going to hear the end of it.

Eden tries to be friendly and approachable and others often come to him for help and advice. He's always happy to help, even if he’s not particularly well suited for the job. Eden is a chronic people-pleaser and if you make him feel useful (or suggest he’s somehow been a burden) he’s guaranteed to give your request his absolute best (even if it means compromising his own well-being.)

He also does his best to appear calm and easygoing even when terribly overwhelmed and prefers to keep the focus off himself in social situations. If he finds himself in the spotlight for too long he ends up extremely flustered and the reaction is doubled when it comes to praise or romantic affection. The fact that NRC is full of cute guys with cool magic powers really doesn't do him any favors as a shy stumbling mess or as a bit of a pushover.

Occasionally Eden’s pleasant aura will give way to a sarcastic edge and he has an impressive knack for cutting someone perfectly down to size once they’ve agitated him (particularly when it’s delivering a hard truth the person needs to confront for their own good. Well, mostly anyway…) Also while he can be quite sensitive and a bit of a pushover he has a heightened sense of justice and will often jump into the fray in the heat of the moment if others are in danger. It’s 100% adrenaline fueled and he often thinks better of his past decisions while being hauled to the nurse’s office.

Despite being a pretty good judge of character Eden tries his hardest to see the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt (this unsurprisingly backfires on him frequently while at NRC) and thinks everyone has the capability to grow and change. Plus it often takes a while for him to process his feelings so sometimes he doesn't realize someone is acting shady until it’s far too late.

While Eden might have “all the magical talent of a box of crayons” (thanks, Ace) he’s clearly a pretty good mediator and he seems to have a curious effect on ‘otherworldly’ creatures (such as ghosts and monsters like Grim) that makes them a little more agreeable than normal. There’s also the visions and prophetic dreams he regularly experiences after being exposed to others' intense emotions, magic, or overblot states… he’s just gonna keep that to himself though…

Although obviously shaken, Eden seemed to take his arrival to Twisted Wonderland in stride. He had been in a pretty dark place in his life and if he was going to have to go around feeling lost or out of place somewhere, at least things in TW were…different? Interesting? Look, there was suddenly a whole weird new world to discover where magic is real, ghosts are commonplace and dragons might exist?!

Sure, his first instinct was to want to get home but as his stay keeps extending the idea of leaving TW seems to grow a little less attractive everyday… Not that he’s ready to admit that of course, not even to himself. Still, maybe if he learned enough, stayed useful enough, got comfortable enough… Maybe he could convince himself to leave his old life behind.

——————

Assorted hcs of various seriousness:

-Eden may not be fully human or lack magic entirely- it’s possibly something tied to Bald Mountain and the demon who rules it

-Eden comes from our universe more or less but with slight differences (mostly because I think it’s funny if there was no Disney in their universe)

-Eden is goth in both his fashion and music tastes

-has been obsessed with dragons since childhood

-Not really a hc but I have an AU idea where Eden is the dorm leader for an 8th dorm based on Chernabog :3 I’ll probably finish art of it at some point~

Character Relationship Hcs:

(I edit/update these as I play more of the game!)

Grim:

In full denial about how much he likes Eden even though they’re the first person he would run to for literally anything. They’re a particularly weird and funny human but they have a kinda nice vibe that puts Grim at ease. Not that It's gonna fully stop him from being a nuisance but at least he doesn’t set things on fire QUITE so frequently! Besides if Eden hadn't vouched for Grim to Crowley he wouldn’t have gotten into NRC at all!

As frustrating as the little monster can be, Eden can’t stay mad at Grim. Mostly because, well… Kitty cat!!! Grim is like some sort of funny little real life Pokémon and Eden can’t help but be charmed by him.

Riddle:

He often tolerates Eden’s missteps seeing as they’re new to literally everything in TW. He also appreciates how kind and supportive they are towards him even after his past behavior. Eden is just so?? Patient?? They rarely get angry even when Ace and Grim cause them all manor of grief. Sure, sometimes they’re a little too eager to work around rules rather than upholding them but where it counts Eden always seems willing to listen to Riddle.

Eden honestly really likes Riddle and would absolutely consider him a friend. After Riddle’s overblot Eden became quite protective of him, though they make sure Riddle doesn’t get wise to it! Riddle is a housewarden after all! He doesn’t need any help (he does of course but Eden tries to spare his ego.) They’re also extremely grateful for how welcoming he is, allowing them and Grim access to the Heartslabyul dorm when Ramshackle starts to feel a bit cold and lonely.

Ace:

He tries so hard to be nonchalant about their friendship that it’s honestly kind of embarrassing. He loves Eden so much they feel like a sibling to him and the two are always affectionately bullying each other. He knows he was a total jerk to them when they first met and he’s made good in private but around their other friends he’s always gonna give them shit. If some rando has anything to say about Eden though Ace will absolutely start swinging.

There are times Eden could strangle Ace, but they really do appreciate his high energy. Ace just says what’s on his mind and Eden appreciates his honesty even if he’s still kind of a jerk about it. They consider him a close friend but they're a little oblivious when it comes to just how much Ace really cares.

Deuce:

How could he not like Eden? They’re so genuinely supportive of him! Ace isn’t really a bad guy but he can be a total ass and Grim is a menace no matter how cute you think he is- Yet Eden rarely ever loses their cool when the two cause trouble for them. Deuce appreciates their attempts to de-escalate fights between students and tries to emulate that energy as he works on mending his own delinquent ways. Still he would be right there with Ace ready to brawl with anyone who thinks they can pick on Eden! Look, that's a special exception fight! Even honor students should be defending their friends, right?!

Deuce absolutely delights Eden. They get so tickled over the fact that such a tough seeming guy would get so stressed over making his mom proud or how the hell eggs work. They wish nothing but the best for him and if they can help they will! Eden and Duce like to tease each other a little but they both go even harder on Ace. Eden is also fully convinced Duce has a crush on Ace and is always tempted to try and set the two up.

Cater:

Eden is #adorbs just like all his fave freshies! They always agree to a quick photo op and like all his Magicam posts! Plus they're so adorably easy to embarrass! One time Cater called an outing they had planned a ‘date’ and Eden started stumbling over their words and turning pink! He also thinks they're really pretty despite them refusing to post pics of themself. He keeps trying to talk them into doing a lil photo shoot with Ramshackle dorm as the backdrop so he can post some serious #spooky realness! The only problem he has with Eden is that he’s scared just how much they see through him. They always read him so well and sometimes a little too deeply for Cater’s comfort…

Honestly, they find Cater kind of intimidating. He’s super extroverted, animated and very cool but he can be kind of /a lot/. However in the right doses, Eden seriously enjoys hanging out with Cater. They appreciate his willingness to come to a classmate's rescue in a pinch and they believe that under all that shallow social media talk is a solidly good guy. They actually worry about him a lot and will always try to make an effort to reach out although so far they’ve had little luck getting past his defenses.

Trey:

Look, anyone willing to help keep Ace and Deuce out of major trouble is okay in Trey’s book! He’s secretly still a little wounded from how harshly Eden set him straight about enabling Riddle and how it contributed to the whole overblot catastrophe (he knows Eden meant it with love but man it was brutal!) It’s clear to Trey that Eden cares about his well-being just as much as Riddle’s and their other Heartslabyul friends. Trey realizes that they both seem to find it worlds easier to look after others than take care of themselves so he does his best to return all of Eden’s kindness on the sly, usually in the form of food as they never seem to eat as often as they should (a mix of absentmindedness and being broke most of the time.)

Eden kinda always wanted a big brother and Trey fits the bill quite well. They often catch themself being surprisingly open with Trey and the two have had some pretty deep chats. They also like pestering him to show them how to bake and they never miss a chance to swing by the Heartslabyul kitchen when Trey’s there (plus he always makes them awesome snacks?? He's so nice!!) They admittedly get a bit frustrated with how distant Trey can be and much like with Cater Eden is convinced there’s far more under the surface than he lets on.

Leona:

Genuinely wants to hate Eden because wherever they go there's bound to be some awful racket following them and it’s infringing on Leona’s damn beauty sleep. However the sheer determination the magic-poor herbivore exhibits in the face of all manner of nonsense on campus has earned Eden a few points in Leona’s book. Still they’re /pity points/ okay? He doesn’t think of Eden as a friend or anything and he certainly doesn’t like how friendly they are with him despite all the shit he pulled during the Spelldrive tournament…

Big Kitty Man!!! Eden is perpetually fascinated with the beast men students on campus but especially Leona! The fact that there’s a guy at NRC with cat (lion) ears and he won’t even let Eden scratch them a little is practically torture. Jokes aside, Eden finds Leona a bit frustrating as they’re convinced he’s actually a really good person yet Leona seems absolutely bent on trying to prove them wrong. They consider him a friend (despite the lion's vocal protests) and they even sometimes take advantage of knowing Leona’s nap hideaways to go sit with him and hang out for a little while he’s half asleep (then book it the moment Leona gets wise!)

Jack:

All of his attempts at trying to ‘play it cool’ were no match for Eden. They’re just so honest and positive that they earned friend status with Jack in no time flat. Plus they always cheer him on in sporting events despite having little to no clue what’s going on most of the time. Their flimsy build and lack of coordination concern Jack and he’s always trying to get them to work out with him (plus they're really nice to talk to so can you blame him for wanting some one on one time? Don’t you judge him…) He would absolutely be right there with Ace and Deuce to defend Eden if push came to shove.

Jack is such a good, good wolf boy of course Eden thinks the world of him! In the sea of bullies and slime balls at NRC it was a serious relief meeting someone as honest and hardworking as Jack! His lone wolf act when they first met him was almost embarrassingly easy to see through and it’s a big relief for them to see him with friends now. They have a love/hate relationship with the trips to the gym (being sweaty is a grade A bad sensory experience) but are they gonna say no to those wolf puppy eyes? Nope no chance (they WILL try to hide though.)

Ruggie:

Look, a couple of broke errand runners like him and Eden gotta look out for each other, alright? He’s not going to go out of his way to help the guy all the time but he’s not about to try and screw them over either. If Eden was ever reallyyy in a pinch Ruggie would probably try and lend a hand, mostly because he figures they would try and do the same for him. He keeps cool about it, but it honestly shocks him how giving and considerate Eden is. Sometimes he thinks about trying to coach them to be a little bit more focused on their own wellbeing but it kinda feels like it would be spoiling a good thing.

Ruggie kinda keeps Eden on their toes. Like he’s alright where it counts but he does come off as a bit of a scoundrel sometimes. Not that they mind, it’s part of what makes him fun to be around. They find his devious snicker infectious and find his survival kills beyond impressive. They try to be helpful to him even if Ruggie seems a bit resistant to it- to be honest they just like the look on his face when they insist he doesn't owe them anything for their aid.

Azul:

How could such an opportunistic businessman like Azul not like such an absolute pushover- er- considerate individual! Plus Eden is always willing to at least hear out Azul’s current scam, sorry, venture, and even if they don’t buy in they offer (admittedly bad) advice. They always say things like ‘I just like hanging out and talking to you, Azul’ but certainly they’ve actually just been waiting on the right deal to make with him, right? If he ever seems to be angling extra hard to get Eden into another contract or something it’s because they’re an easy mark okay? It’s not like he just really wants them to think he’s cool and smart! It’s also not like he’s trying to save face after the whole Monstro Lounge expansion deal went horribly awry! Stop it with the sympathetic looks, Mr. Grey, I am trying to scam you!!

Eden gets quite exasperated with Azul’s slimy antics but they try really hard to be a friend after all the rough stuff Azul has been through. Honestly they also feel kinda bad about doing him dirty and getting all of his contracts destroyed, even if it was for the better. They always encourage him to better himself in healthier ways to pretty mixed results and they do their best to be patient with the guy (even when he regularly takes advantage of their kindness.) Eden admittedly also finds it amusing the lengths Azul goes to rope them into owing him things they would have done anyway (I would have done you a favor just because, man. Can you just ask next time?) Plus sometimes Azul lets them work shifts at the lounge so they can buy craft supplies so that’s a win.

Jade:

Jade thinks Eden is very…interesting. It was pretty clear to him early on that despite the way Eden insists on assuming the best of others, they are also very perceptive at reading a person’s deeper feelings. So he tends to keep a sizable distance so they can’t get too good of a read on him, unfortunately it’s also become something of a game to him. Now and then he likes to chat with them when they show up at the Monstro lounge to work or for a boba fix and see how mysterious he can keep himself. Besides, it's fun to speak to someone who shows such genuine interest in his species and his mountain based hobbies. (Autism to Autism communication)

Eden tries their best not to show just how much Jade intimidates them. Like the whole creepy eel man thing is fun- they were honestly so stunned to meet a real life merman that the first dozen times they spoke to him they made an absolute fool of themself. Still there’s something behind that smile they just can’t place…like he’s playing some bizarre one sided high stakes game with them. It’s way more unsettling than whatever Azul or Floyd have going on. Still they do their best to always say hi to him and ask about his cool terrarium projects…also secretly really curious about what makes the guy tick.

Floyd:

Little grey Shrimpy!! They’re so funny when they give him a hug and then they try to wiggle out of his arms when he won’t stop squeezing! Sometimes if he teases them enough they even turn into a bright pink shrimpy! Eden is fun to talk to because they never seem to mind Floyd’s sudden shift in interest and will just roll with whatever new topic he’s onto (ADHD to ADHD communication) Floyd is absolutely on Team Beat Down™️ if anyone else tries to pick on HIS Shrimpy (plus he just wants an excuse to fight people…)

He might not be as scary as Jade but Floyd has his moments and they always catch Eden by surprise. Fortunately they don’t seem to last long and even the worst of his squeezes have ended before they lost consciousness or anything. They had considered just not hugging him anymore but Floyd is their friend and he seemed pretty disappointed when they tried to skip out on a hug. So now they’ve just decided to just take their chances because hey, free pressure therapy! Something about Floyd’s smile and happy voice just appeals to Eden (to the confusion of most of their classmates) and they honestly like hanging out with him.

Kalim:

Kalim super duper appreciates having someone else around who just wants everyone to get along! He had practically made the decision on sight that he and Eden were going to be besties and Eden just rolled with it. He was extra mindful of them after Jamil’s overblot, feeling partly responsible for the whole debacle. Some people might be salty over how brutally honest Eden gets in the heat of the moment (Trey) but Kalim happily insists that they were a much needed wakeup call while facing Jamil’s overblot despite everyone else’s reaction. He particularly likes that Eden likes hugs and always accepts his invitations to things if they have time.

Eden is far from immune to Kalim’s boundless energy and literal sunshine personality even if they do find him a bit overwhelming at times. They often find themself bouncing between “It's okay, Kalim means well!” and “Oh man am I glad I’m not Jamil!” Still it’s quite nice to bask in Kalim’s constant positive energy even with his occasional out of touch rich person moments.

Jamil:

Despite being someone who is very mindful of how he presents himself Jamil has a hard time gauging how well he has fooled Eden. Even after his overblot he’s unsure of his standing with the other. They were always too kind for their own good but after everything he put them through they still go out of their way on occasion to help him? He has no clue what to make of it and has chosen to just steer clear of them, something made difficult when they keep making a point to talk to him… he does kind of enjoy the weird little interactions they have in a way, especially because they don’t tend to ask things of him.

Eden has absolutely edited the epic handshake meme to be about Jamil, Ruggie, and them. Looking after their respective problem-people has absolutely become an unspoken bond of comradery, mostly manifesting as knowing looks and slow nods. They admittedly think Jamil is kind of a jerk, but they also feel like he’s kind of earned the right to be. Even if they’re not close, Eden worries about Jamil and he’s oddly enough the one they came closest to telling about their visions during his overblot.

Vil:

Waaay more tolerant of the drab little prefect than he really should be (In Vil measurements at least) because even if they’re one of the least graceful potatoes he’s ever seen, they never fail to compliment him when the two cross paths (like just competing his makeup or hair out of nowhere? Without even a hint of irony or an ulterior motive of any kind??) He has developed a habit of scolding Eden for wearing their blazer off their shoulders or not taking better care of their skin and hair. “You’re never going to be on the level of a /Pomefiore/ student but at the very least try and show a little decorum for the school’s sake! My word is this DUST all over you? Ughh you’re going to bring the very property value of the school down like this!!”

Vil is way too fucking pretty, like it gives Eden pangs of anxiety and serious gender envy. They get so nervous when he approaches them that they panic and stutter out some silly compliments every time. They would love to ask him for makeup tips or talk about fashion but they’re way too intimidated. At first they thought they had hit the jackpot when Vil started aggressively rearranging them on sight and suggesting products for them to use (all of which are WAY too expensive upon researching) but as it’s gone on they can’t seem to figure out whether it’s actually intended to be helpful or if it’s some sort of weird new advanced form of bullying…

Epel:

Eden is refreshingly regular in Epel’s opinion and is a welcome break from the freaks in his own dorm. If he had his druthers he would probably be tempted to transfer to Ramshackle if Savanaclaw was off the table. It would be a breath of fresh air having someone like Eden to answer to after dealing with Vil’s tyranny. He catches himself feeling a little giddy when he gets the chance to hang out with Eden and their first year friends, it’s just nice to act a bit more like himself without fear of judgment.

Epel is SO CUTE AAAA! Not that Eden would ever say that to his face because they know it would embarrass him, but still! Cutie!! They always make a point of cheering him on when he’s excited or proud about something while making a point not to just pick him up and squeeze him no matter how badly they want to.

Rook:

Ah yes the lovely Mx nuage d'orage is a most curious little thing indeed! While they are a bit plain, Rook of all people can of course admire their subtle beauty and is convinced that with a bit of work they could be an ‘ethereal vision of genderfluid beauty!’ Certainly a little makeover by the magnificent Vil Schoenheit would work wonders towards this goal if Eden would only accept Rook’s invitation to stop by the Pomefiore dorm for a visit and sit still for a few- oh? Where are you off to my little storm cloud?? I will gladly give chase but rest assured I most certainly WILL catch you!! :)

Rook is a freak. Grade A, high quality weirdo. And that’s great! Eden loves a good old fashioned oddball to talk to but Rook is…kinda intense. Like he fits in the same category as Jade of “guys who absolutely have a plan to kill everyone they meet, should the need arise’. Also every other thing he says has the tone of someone about to declare he’s madly in love with whoever he’s talking to. Eden can’t tell if he’s putting the moves on them just to make them go red in the face like Cater and Floyd do or if that's just? How Rook talks? (Probably the latter) They do their best to keep chats with Rook light and short, skirting around his makeover invitations as they would really hate to clutter Vil’s certainly already packed schedule! Still it seems like that particular anxiety nightmare becomes more of an inevitability every time it’s brought up, Rook doesn’t really seem like he’s going to take ‘no thank you’ as a valid answer…

Idia:

Idia claims he just ‘doesn’t get’ Eden, but honestly he’s a little envious that they manage themself so well in pvp mode with the school's biggest extroverts. Like Eden seems cool or whatever but it’s kinda cringe how nice they still are to everyone even after all the shit some of those guys have put them through. It is pretty cool the way they always seem ready to let him infodump tho and never shame him for some of his ‘eccentricities’ the way the other Housewardens do….Okay, maybe if Eden asks about that new game he’s playing one more time he miiight break down and teach them how to play- he’s gonna be short a healer for the upcoming raid next month anyway… (Autism to Autism communication part 2)

Eden likes Idia!! Sure he’s fucking awkward but so are they!! They would actually really like to get to know him better (they seem to share some of the same interests) but Idia makes it pretty difficult. Eden sort of just keeps trying to get him to come around and open up a bit.

Ortho:

Eden is so cool!! When Ortho first met them they were SUPER NICE!! And they asked a lot of questions about him and thought that all of his brother’s handiwork was amazing!! And they’re the first person he’s ever met that called themself nonbinary so Ortho looked up a bunch of stuff about gender identity and then rushed to explain it to everyone so they knew all of Eden’s pronouns and stuff!! Seriously Eden is so awesome they always have time to talk to him and even Idia thinks they’re kinda cool so they should definitely be friends with Idia and maybe rub off on him a little bit!

Eden was blown away by Ortho on sight and thinks he’s absolutely adorable! Normally such an energetic kid would overwhelm them but Ortho was quick to learn when he needed to dial things back a bit for Eden’s comfort like he does for his brother. Seriously, Eden’s mood picks up the moment he sees Ortho, that kid rocks!

Malleus:

It’s easy to imagine that the great Malleus Draconia wouldn’t have looked twice at someone like Eden, but after stumbling upon them occupying his favorite (previously) abandoned building on campus he found himself instantly fascinated with them. First of all they had no idea who he was, second they didn’t seem to find him particularly frightening in the least. Eden seemed so warm, so happy to meet him, coming close and addressing him in the sort of informal tone they would have used for any other student at NRC. It was all so charmingly novel, down to the silly little name they devised for him when he chose to withhold his real name.

Malleus has come to cherish any time spent with Eden and he seeks them out any chance he can get (away from other students at least). Eden seems to take a real interest in him, they even seem to enjoy joining him on his tours of the school's various architectural features (it’s so fun having someone new to share these interests with!) and they’ll even sit right next to him and talk the evening away. Sometimes Eden will even touch Malleus on the arm or pat his shoulder with ease and never recoils from Malleus’s own touches (it’s just nice that they aren’t afraid of him is all! It’s not like he thinks about touching them constantly...) Even Malleus’s features that a human might find frightening seem to charm his sweet child of man! Eden really likes his horns and thinks his eyes are pretty (your eyes are pretty too, child of man… what? I’m just being friendly!) and even his teeth seem to fascinate them. The way Eden makes him feel is just so curious, as if there’s something fluttering about in his stomach. Is this just what friendship feels like? (The gay thoughts can’t get you if don’t acknowledge them, right?) Perhaps he should ask Lilia about that… Regardless, he’s become quite attached to Eden and very protective of them. If anything or anyone threatened them or his relationship with them, the culprit would very quickly regret it!

For the first month or so of their friendship with Hornton Eden was almost convinced they were dreaming him up. Some gorgeous eccentric fairy man appearing from thin air outside the dorm with dragon horns and a smoky voice talking like he just stumbled out of a fantasy novel? Riiight. Plus they never seemed to spot him in the halls or during the school day! Yeah, they were pretty sure he was just their subconscious having some fun with their new surroundings. But Hornton is very real and so…strange! Not bad or mean of course, actually he seems really sweet. He’s a bit awkward but lovably so, and so gentle; he almost acts as if Eden is made of tissue paper or something. More than anything Hornton seems to fret about scaring them, which is beyond silly. Sure he's a tad spooky, but Eden loves spooky things! They do worry about Hornton a bit though, he seems a bit lonely and they fear they might be his only friend so they do their best to invite him to things when they can (he always looks so surprised and happy, even though he seldom accepts) and when that fails they just make a point to spend more time alone with him at the very least (what constitutes something as a date rather that just a hangout, by the way? No reason, just curious~)

Silver:

If you asked Silver about Eden he would say they hadn’t formally met beyond exchangeing a few words here and there but that he found them quite a pleasant presence to have on campus. Most of what he knows of them is through Malleus, Lillia, and Sebek.

At first Eden found Silver super serious and kind of intimidating until they realized he was actually a perfect gentleman who was just kinda sleepy. They often spot him asleep around campus and will check to make sure he’s somewhere safe or sit with him a while to make sure he’s okay. They’ve formed a pretty warm regard for him because of this, even if Silver has no idea.

Sebek:

Not the least bit interested in Eden, perhaps even a little bit annoyed that some no-magic mortal is allowed to roam about the same prestigious campus that his lord, The Great Malleus Draconia, gracees with his presence! Sure they’re patient and thoughtful and go out of their way to be friendly but that doesn't mean he has to like them! He doesn't like them okay!!

Eden’s main opinion of Sebek is that he needs to make better use of his inside voice. His constant loud bursts set Eden a bit on edge but they do their best to keep their irritation to themself since he doesn't seem to do it on purpose. The constant fuss about this high and mighty ‘Malleus’ guy is admittedly a particularly grating feature of Sebek for Eden- like who would want people to talk about them like that? In any case they’re glad to have steered clear of the prince so far. Still they nod along and ask questions in autistic solidarity when Sebek gets going.

Lilia:

Oooh Eden is a curious little thing, that’s for sure. Lillia has had quite a few chances to chat with Eden as they often get roped into helping the pop music club with things. Plus he’s often offered his ear to Malleus’s love sick whining er- passionate retellings of his visits with them. Malleus often says there’s something special about them, and Lillia agrees although for different reasons. Eden is from another world and while they don’t seem to have magic in the traditional sense they do have certain curious features that Lillia can’t quite place. So far he’s just shrugged it off and watches them curiously, choosing to ask them strange questions on occasion and resisting the urge to wingman on Malleus’s behalf (although boy is it tempting!)

Eden initially responded to Lilia the way they did to Vil- he’s way too pretty and an object of intense gender envy. However Lillia quickly proved to be way more approachable and friendly, even if he’s odd. Eden likes odd and chalks up most of the fae man’s quirks to cultural differences. They’re still a bit intimidated, but their fascination with the fae usually wins out over their anxieties.

Crowley:

Being the very kind and generous man that he is, Dire’s heart was positively breaking at the sight of poor Eden, lost and alone in a strange new world! That’s why he so very kindly allowed them a place at the school, making special concessions for their ‘unique’ learning and housing situations! Certainly no one could blame him for accepting their gracious offers to help him out here and there- it’s a good thing for Eden to feel useful, right? Honestly under all his slimy antics Dire is genuinely concerned with Eden’s well-being. He checks on them often without their knowledge and really does try to keep them in mind. It’s not a lot but enough information has slipped for him to understand that Eden didn’t exactly grow up in a good situation and while he’s really bad at it not exactly suited for it he wants to be a sort of dad figure to them if he can. He knows he often takes advantage of Eden’s willingness to earn their keep but he does actually feel conflicted about, it at least…

Eden has a pretty big blind spot when it comes to Dire and if he ever really seriously screwed them over it would be particularly painful. Sure he’s a little shady but hey, most people at NRC are. They really don’t begrudge him for all the nonsense he saddles them with (they like to give him shit but that’s because it’s fun), after all he didn’t have to take them in like he did. As much as anyone at NRC has taken advantage of Eden’s kindness, Dire could probably get away with even more. He’s a bit of an ass but he was ‘kind’ to them during a time they hadn’t seen much kindness. They had been at their most helpless and scared there in his office, near tears as they nervously explained that Eden wasn’t their legal name back in their world to Dire who had asked for spelling on the paperwork. All it took was for Dire to just smile and pat their shoulder, assuring them it didn’t matter. As far as he was concerned they could be whoever they liked and insisted there was no need for a deadname on documents he was starting from scratch.

Crewel:

The new no-magic puppy had seemed like a guaranteed headache at first. Eden was clumsy, awkward, and trouble seemed to be magnetically drawn to them. However they were (almost frustratingly at fIrst) dedicated to learning how to make potions. Their enthusiasm almost makes up for their lack of magic.

Eden was absolutely terrified of Divius at first, and they still kind of are, but they’ve come to really admire him and they have the most embarrassing desire to impress him. Potions is something they actually can participate in and they’re not about to squander anything Divius teaches them.

Trein:

As far as Mozus is concerned Eden is no different from any other student in his class. They don’t need magic to learn magic history so he was firm from day one on them receiving no special treatment. To his surprise (maybe even delight?) Eden was perfectly fine with his assertions and has been more or less a model student, save for occasionally wrangling their rowdy friends.

Eden found they quite like Trein. Sure he’s strict and dry but he’s not at all mean or unfair. Plus he brings a cat to class? You expect Eden to not look forward to a class that has a kitty?? Besides magic history beats their world’s history no contest! It’s like listening to someone earnestly lecture about Dungeons and Dragons lore for two hours.

Vargas:

Vargas is fully convinced Eden is capable of magic if they just listened to him and shaped up their noodly little body!

Eden was not built for intense physical exertion and Vargas’s class regularly reminds them of that fact. They’re also still pretty salty about how the coach conducted the survival camping trip…

Sam:

Eden is a good little imp, a bit shy but nothing a little friendly banter can’t fix! Sam is actually one of the most openly sympathetic faculty members when it comes to Eden’s situation and he’s often working to find products and snacks analogous to one’s Eden misses from their home world.

Sam has seen some of Eden’s darkest moments (having an out of body experience in front to the soft drinks at 2am) and their strangest quirks (buying the same three unhealthy instant meals for weeks on end because it was the only thing their senses could tolerate) and he does so without judgment and only a little concern, so he’s a winner in Eden’s book.

[narrators-journal]

request: ryomina with your stalker au, with bottom minato.

prompts: 5,12,13 and somnophilia.

I tried so hard to make this one good. I tried SO hard! I WANT it to be good, but god DAMN have I been tweaking this for days. Between the other asks, art, and trying to get some downtime, I’ve been working on this and honing it. So, I pray it’s good. I hope you enjoy, and man could I use some encouragement for the persona asks. The only content that gets liked is hxh stuff, but my passion is for persona…

Sorry if that’s a bit whiney, lol. I also just want more traction on my kinktober stuff in general. I think I might be shadow banned for some of these lol.

Kinktober prompt list: Here

Kinktober masterlist: Here

CW: dubcon, drugging, stalking, serial killer Ryoji, 2 am writing lol. Somnophilia attempts. It’s at least lightly there, breeding kink is also at last implied, pet play, orgasm delay, it’s a p pervy mix!

Three years ago, at 10 pm on a Saturday night Minato Arisato would’ve been out drinking and flirting with any possible man who gave him attention. Prowling bars with his friends for any boost of serotonin or Dopamine he could get. 

However, that was in the era of his life before he had an unhinged, lovesick serial killer stalking him. 

So, instead of going clubbing on a Saturday, Minato was watching the clock tick down with a cup of coffee and some cheesy, garish game show to keep him up. Only two or three more hours. If I don’t get a lily by midnight, I’m free. He told himself. Tearing his tired eyes from the TV to peek out his living room window in hopes of seeing a familiar figure approaching his home in the yellow light of the street lights. Only a few more hours.

That’s what he reminded himself, anyway. Mostly to block out the nagging truth that one missed ‘anniversary’ didn’t promise freedom. He just had to keep up hope…

And piss. Minato had to piss like a motherfucker.

Taking a deep breath, he decided to bite that bullet. Putting down his coffee and making a swift beeline for the bathroom, the blue-haired emo tried to be quick so as to lessen the opening that lightning-fast bastard needed to get into his home. All the time he was away, keeping his senses on high alert for any sign of windows or door opening, floor boards squeaking, or any other minute sign of a change in his tiny home. Yet, when he finally returned to his couch, he found no signs of change.

No knife-wielding brunette lounging with a bag of chips, no love notes, no flowers waiting in a ribbon-tied bouquet on his wobbly coffee table. He could breathe a sigh of relief.

So, Minato happily flopped back onto the aged, squishy cushions of his second-hand couch. Stretching out and checking the time as his game show ended. 

10:55. Five more minutes, and it’ll only be two more hours. He told himself. Throwing his legs back off of the couch to go peer out of his peep hole for any sign of the serial killer, or gifts on his porch. Nothing. Two more hours.

So, downing the remainder of his coffee, Minato let out a slow breath and settled back down on the couch to wait out that remaining window with obnoxiously high energy shows. Focusing in on the bright colors and hyper visuals, Minato tried to put the time out of his mind. Keeping his hearing keen for any suspicious sounds, and...progressively drifting to the left.

Before he knew it, his eyes were struggling to stay on the screen, and the words of the characters were almost nonsensical.

Through that heavy fog of sleep, though, Minato felt something warm glide over his thigh. The first of many sensations to slowly trickle back in and pull him out of the claws of slumber. The presence of...someone, between his legs on the couch, hips pressed to his, and the garbled, nonsensical whispers of affection calling his consciousness back to the surface as equally as it stirred up a breath-taking bonfire under his pale skin. The fact that said someone was Ryoji Mochizuki, was the last thing to register.

Ryoji...Mochizuki. Minato’s serial killer stalker. The man who thought breaking into his house and almost murdering his parents passed as a date...

In a heartbeat, Minato’s grey eyes flew open. Fuelled by nothing but confusion and a groggy bolt of panic, the groggy man tried to see or push the person nibbling at his throat away. It was almost dizzying. Disoriented from waking up in a pitch-black living room and the chill of the AC’s cold air on legs he was certain were clothed when he’d passed out, Minato grunted. He groped around at the warm form above him until he could finally shove at Ryoji’s chest with a more coordinated intention to try and get that cursed, skillful mouth away from his throat. 

However, all the brunette did in response to that was to capture one of his wrists to pin it against the arm of the couch with the hand that wasn’t leaving an overwhelmingly hot trail from Minato’s knee to the front of his pubic area. Making the emo’s stomach flutter with a thrill he’d not felt for a year. “S-stop…” He tried, regardless of the bubbling stew of lust and carnal pleasure while attempting to blink away the groggy sluggishness and siren song of neglected needs. Letting himself grip Ryoji’s button-up shirt while the killer took a break from his siege of kisses to hum into Minato’s throat, the vibrations seeming to resonate throughout the blue-haired man’s bones. “Well, good morning, funeral lily~ Happy anniversary~” nipping the man’s sweet spot to pull out a small moan. “You’re so cute when you sleep, hope you don’t mind me jumping the gun a bit,” he added, nibbling and kissing a trail along his throat until the emo squirmed and vaguely tried to kick at him.  “Stop...wait…” He tried again, only for the brunette to sit up and lift his leg to his shoulder, making the sleepy man grunt slightly. “What the...Ryoji, don’t-” His mumble got cut off when the man leaned back down to kiss him. Drinking down the wheeze given at the shaggy-haired man being folded, before pulling away to smile warmly down at him as he let go of his captive wrist to cup his face. 

        “Relax, handsome, I just want to make you feel good. Just let those sedatives work their magic, and go back to sleep, okay?” He purred, I guess that confirms that...

On top of that, Ryoji already had an annoyingly melodious voice that stuck in Minato’s head, but the soothing warmth of the man’s gentle touches and kisses to his inner thigh, plus the haze of lust and drowsiness all worked together to make the words that would’ve normally dumped a bucket of ice water on Minato, captivating. God, but I’d listen to him read the phone buck...book…

With that slurred thought, the emo was finally drug back into the sweet embrace of a doze. Not that he properly slept, though, it was more like he was merely kept in some sort of limbo. 

Trapped in a state of unfocused consciousness that heightened each brush of Ryoji’s lips over his pale skin, or caress of his fingers down Minato’s belly, over his twitching, eager cock to a nearly unbearable level. Moans falling from the blue-haired man like water from a cracked bucket when the delicious feeling of the killer’s warm tongue pushing into his ass registered through the fog. Almost too warm to tolerate as it worked its way into him, but each thrust of the wet muscle still made Minato’s belly flutter and his breaths race.

Wait, when did he move though? A more sensible voice asked, the only voice of logic in the storm of bliss and drowsy thoughts. “R-ryoji!” he gasped, that inkling of confusion drowned out by a sudden onslaught of dizzying excitement crashing through the barrier of sedated relaxation. Rocking Minato’s entire body with the breathtaking flurry of keep going! Hurry! More! while a hand blindly reaching down to tangle into his stalker’s pushed-back hair. Arching his back and pushing himself against the stalker’s tongue when the man moaned into him and sent an earthquake of nearly blinding bliss up into the emo.

However, as much as Minato ground his hips into Ryoji’s mouth, the taller man detangled his fingers to sit back up, taking Minato’s knees onto his shoulders. Catching the emo’s hand when it didn’t follow the same way and kissing his knuckles.  “Not so fast, funeral lily. Let me enjoy my toy a bit longer.” He hummed, his husky voice making the groggy man shudder and twitch. Too aware of his ass on Ryoji’s strong thighs and the brunette’s impressive dick settled against him, instead of inside of him. It was frustrating. “I...wanna get off…” was his only coherent mumble in response. His grey eyes struggling to stay open to watch the man smile sweetly.         “Don’t I always get you off? I’d never dream of leaving my funeral lily needy.” He promised, letting Minato’s hand go to stroke the man’s erection as he continued in a lower, darker purr, “If I did that, you might go to someone else for relief, and we both know how I feel about sharing~” 

Almost a dare. An invitation for Minato to even try to hook up with someone a second time. Yet, with the restless buzz that zipped over his skin, and the bolts of pleasure sent through him with each slow, teasing stroke of the man’s hand, Minato didn’t spit back the usual venom, he just tried to see the serial killer’s soft, contrastingly friendly body that hid a scary strength under an average amount of pudge.

After all, he was a predator. So, like his voice, Ryoji Mochizuki’s physique was annoyingly appealing. With a round face, bright blue eyes that twinkled like demented sapphires, and dark brown hair he usually wore pushed back, but was now allowed to droop into his face from the blue-haired emo’s grip. If it hadn’t been for his ‘hobby’, Minato would have jumped him on sight after their first meeting..

But, Ryoji Mochizuki was still a serial killer. He got a senseless thrill out of the fear of killing unsuspecting bar goers who just so happened to meet him. He was dangerous, unhinged, and obsessed with Minato over...something he couldn’t be bothered to contemplate. So, instead of being a friend with benefits, the pretty man was Minato’s stalker. His personal amoral, possessive monster that even in his sleepy state, should disgust the shaggy-haired emo.

Yet, the only thing Minato felt was the tingle of taboo excitement and need. A need that worsened when Ryoji let go of his member to slip his hand lower and dip a finger into his hole.  “Damn, good thing I brought lube.” He mumbled, just before the drugged man returned into the relaxing in-between state. Giving into the floaty bliss of near unconsciousness to let the buzz of pleasure sink deeper.

All morality and reality forgotten in the dreamy pleasure of letting Ryoji kiss his thighs and work lubricant into his hole with skilled fingers that coiled the blue-haired man’s stomach into knots, but never let those painful knots come undone. 

No matter his whines, moans, or slightly slurred pleas, the brunette kept him just at the edge of that tantalizing euphoria. Taking breaks now and then to bring him back to earth and into the sway of sleepiness, but always returning to stroking his cock or thrusting one or two fingers into Minato’s ass. Even when the serial killer finally progressed the torment to slipping his cock into him, Minato was kept from that relief with slow thrusts and tender murmurs of,  “-so tight-” “I wish I could put a baby-” “-All mine. My funeral lily.” “No one else’s...all mine-” that only sometimes came into focus through the swirling storm of pleasure and sleep. Outside of that, Ryoji’s words were a garbled, unintelligible mess of noises that Minato struggled to even register hearing while his body jolted with each deep thrust into him.

What the hell is wrong with me? That sensible voice asked while the blue-haired man arched his back when the head of his stalker’s dick brushed that special spot within the blue-haired man, This shouldn’t be...hot. He tried to remind himself, but each growl of possessive ownership took his breath away regardless of that logic..

Their ‘relationship’ held no power here. All that mattered was the delicious sensation of being filled. Having another person’s skin finally slapping against his, and the desire Ryoji held for him was all that Minato could focus on.

Whether or not that desire was healthy didn’t matter either. The blood on the brunette’s hands didn’t matter. Hell, he could’ve been Satan himself, and so long as he stuck to that faster pace he began to set, Minato still would’ve whined like a whore with how each thrust sent ripples of pleasure through every fiber of his being.

He would’ve tried to coordinate his legs to wrap around Ryoji’s hips if he could’ve, but the serial killer still had his knees captive on his shoulders so he could thrust deeper.

      “Ryoji…” Minato wheezed, one of his hands clawing into the arm of the couch behind his head, and the other blindly feeling in the darkness until he found Ryoji’s hand to hold.  “Calm down,” The brunette purred, the dark edge of sadistic pleasure in his sweet words coiling around the emo’s throat like a cobra. The thrill of danger, and the thorough thrusts that almost drove the man into the couch inflating a bubble in his belly. The unfocused limbo of being half awake while being flooded with pleasurable friction only seeming to worsen the building pressure in his body. “Can’t. I’m-I’m gonna-!” As if the mere movement that speaking required was the final blow, that bubble burst. Washing away whatever remained of Minato’s drug-addled thoughts in a tsunami of white-hot bliss so strong, that it left him dazed, panting, and disoriented with a buzzing drowning Ryoji out.

When Minato came back to the situation, he could finally focus just enough to take in the pool of warmth deep in his belly, and the lovesick glint in those pools of moon-drenched blue that Ryoji looked down at him with.  “You’re so pretty, funeral lily.~” He hummed, gently putting Minato’s legs back down so he could freely lean down and kiss the emo’s lips with the tenderness of a loving soulmate until Minato fully gave in to the sedatives. Content with a belly full of cum and angelic kisses.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for letting my son live?

I (50s M) am the emperor of a vast amount of territories. One of these is a province to the south that hasn't settled down since it was conquered by my great-grandfather over a century ago. It is tradition in my family for princes to be sent off at the age of 16 to govern a part of the empire as preparation for their duties as ruler.

Well it seems like two of my boys are unruly. I can understand W (21M) being an attention seeker because I was too busy with his sisters and brother Tb (26M). Have you tried spending time with 6 wives and 26 children while also ruling an empire? It's impossible, I wouldn't have been able to do it even if I tried! So yes, I suppose I can understand why W became one of the leaders of the then-brewing revolution in the province I assigned him to govern. But why the fuck did Tb, my beloved son, order the deaths of all his half-brothers?! I was giving him my love, I raised him to be my guaranteed successor when inheriting the throne is an unpredictable and deadly business for us. He had no reason to betray me like that.

But that's in the past and this isn't about him. Like I mentioned before, W took the brewing tensions in his assigned region and concentrated them into a fullblown revolution with the goal of regaining independence. I responded to his declaration of independence with my own declaration of war.

The war lasted for roughly a year and a half with myself and Tb leading one side while W led his side. It was at this point that his friend approached me to ask if there was anything I wanted in exchange for ending the war. They gave me information I specifically requested and I upheld my end of the bargain. By imprisoning W and all of his high ranking colleagues on the grounds of treason.

Treason is treason, nobody is above the law, not even a son of an emperor. I had to make that clear by punishing him. I even went the extra mile by stripping him of all his titles so he'd die with the same lack of prestige as his comrades. But then I received a bit of intel that made me tweak my plans for W.

Tb and W share a mother and they have a third brother Tm (14M) through her too. Tm was 12 when the war started and like the foolish child he was, ran off to be with W. He was captured along with his brother. In his cell, W begged for Tm to lose his life first so he wouldn't have to die in his big brother's blood. A noble cause, I'll give him that, but this plea gave me an idea.

I organised for Tm to die while W was transferred to a more secure cell where I intend for him to remain in solitary confinement until his own natural death. Apparently this was a bad move. My wife hates me, as do my daughters, while Tb heavily resents the fact I'm using this as an opportunity to keep him in line as well. From what I hear, W is starting to lose his mind down there. The public weren't pleased to see a boy die either but they don't get it. It wasn't about whether Tm deserved to die or whether he was responsible for anything during the war/revolution. My decision was purely based on the fact W needed to learn his lesson in the most effective way possible.

I'm just trying to keep the natural order of things in check and prove that I'm not someone to cross. I mean fuck, I wasn't even going to treat the rebelling province that harshly until W got involved and whipped them up into a frenzy.

Am I really the asshole for punishing a serious threat to my empire when I didn't even kill him?

[swirlmup]

Well well welly well well....

Let's talk about the art I made for the finale and the last couple character designs revealed, shall we?

It was an all-hands-on-deck situation, and I was able to contribute to one of the final scenes. I hadn't gotten to draw Maria yet this volume, and so that's what I request for this final assignment.

After my last scene with Adam, I had foolishly believed I wouldn't have to draw the Atlas rifles again. Nope! xD I also kinda uh, just put whatever for the mermaid grimm, and wasn't super clear that they had a specific look, so i just sorta drew generally aquatic monsters, but it works out anyways and nobody called me out on it wwwww

The mech was also a bit of a pickle! Had to ask other sketchies for ref images, and I think the design of the mech was still in flux right up to the very last possible second. Still though, skyscraper-sized robots are always fun.

Maria was such a treat to draw, I love how she's simultaneously full of wisdom and also continuously very confused on how qrow and ruby are related.

We in this house don't believe in "cheating" in art, but we do believe in taking shortcuts. Plus it turned out bretty coo.

Got some help with this! perspective is a weak point for me, but felly sketchy Jayjaybase was able to procure a better ref image for me than what I was finding off of google, and it helped a lot for the overall look of the thing.

Serious Maria, giving her final words as a mentor to Qrow.

This was another fun shot to do. Yang waving with her stump is probably my favorite part lol.

Qrow's the kind of character where I always fret if I'll be able to draw him and his tricky hair right, but one way or another he always seems to turn out okay.

It was surprisingly tricky for me to find a good reference image for Qrow's running legs here, luckily posemaniacs came in to save the day.

This was a fun sequence to do, i always like imagining what a person looks like mid-transformation into whatever animal they turn into, the way their body and features must contort. I wonder if I'll get to do more stuff like that in the future?

Lowkey hilarious that Maria didn't have the slightest inkling that Qrow could turn into a bird until this very moment, and her reaction is just "neat!" Perfect note to end that scene on imo lmao

Now on to the last two character designs of the volume!

First up, worst girl, Cinder! There was quite a bit of debate on how to handle Cinder, especially since I personally actually quite liked her canon Atlas outfit, and didn't want to deviate too strongly from it. Overall though, it was decided that she should keep more of her red motif and a lot of the more classy elements from her previous designs. A soft gradient on her cloak helps tie in the colors from her feathers and keeps her legs from disappearing into the cloak. She feels a lot more like a mage here, with us wanting to lean more into her maiden status. As a rule I'm not fond of Cinder, but when you're doing character design, you kinda gotta find a way to sympathize and get in the character's head to find the roots of their personality to design from, and I like to think I was able to find an approachable middle ground with her.

Malachite's new outfit! For realsies this time and not just a cobbling together of her old outfit with her sister's!

Originally back when Malachite reappears and fights with Cinder, she was meant to appear in the casual!outfit shown in this sheet, her hair already cut to its new length. However, for various reasons, the artists for that scene ended up using her vol.5 cobbled design, and the casual!outfit was never used. A shame, I'm so fond of clothes that defy gravitate and look like they're about to fall off xD

But nonetheless! Malachite's Atlas outfit was largely inspired by a particularly eclectic gothic/punk lolita dress that was shared in the server from online, which got some tweaks and adjustments for dressing malachite in. We're dialing up the intensity of Mal's mental schisms here, two brains existing in one person and generally getting along, yet clashing even so. Gave her more simplified hand weapons, as well as increasing the size of her ankle blades to better match the size of her hand-blades. The main idea behind her was for her to be a blender in a cocktail dress lol. Very excited for her to do more stuff in the future of FRWBY!

And that concludes volume 6! Thank you all so much for watching and reading my art commentaries! Hope to see you again as Fixing RWBY continues! Fare well!

[aquarius-stories-and-story-ideas]

Esther's nightmare.

(This goes with a drawing commission I requested. This stems from an anime I really like called ‘Ghost Hunt’. I’m not into horror, but I really like that show. Also, the power Black Hat used to calm Esther down was inspired by a scene in a Villainous fan comic created by Deviantart user jade-alexandria. The lullaby Black Hat sings is from Inuyasha. I tweaked it a bit so it would fit the dabble a bit better. The commission pic can be found here: https://aquarius-stories-and-story-ideas.tumblr.com/post/712466316424101888/yet-again-i-commissioned-paimaniagalaxia-i-think.

TW: This dabble contains blood, horror, and disturbing scenes that may not be suitable to more sensitive readers. Discretion is advised.)

Esther sat on the bathroom floor and stared at the bag of lavender in her hand. Black Hat was still recovering from his illness and she didn’t want to disturb him with nightmares of that blasted mansion. He needed as much rest and quiet as possible. While she knew why it was essential to help her friends uncover the mystery of the disappearances in that place, she wondered if going was a good idea.

“Well, what’s done is done.” She sighed. “No use thinking about the past.”

Since she didn’t have a humidifier or an essential oil diffuser she resorted to eating the lavender raw. After all, it was known for relaxing people. So, it had to work in its raw form, right?   

With a deep breath, the small pre-teen downed the lavender and got ready for bed. As she settled in her bed she made herself think of positive things. Kittens. Fluffy clouds. A nice rainy day. Anything to keep herself from thinking of that haunted mansion.

Esther snuggled deeper into her cotton-white sheets. ‘Just relax and think about something nice.’ She thought. ‘Go to sleep and everything will be okay.’

As she felt herself drifting off she felt her entire body stiffen. ‘Wait! Why can’t I move?!’

Her attention was directed to the door as it opened. Two men shrouded in darkness entered her chambers. ‘I can’t talk. No. Not again! Not now!’

The two men approached her bed and she began to panic. ‘Why are they here? This has to be that blasted dream again!’ They each made a move to grab her. ‘No! Stay away! Don’t touch me!’

Esther screamed as they grabbed ahold of her arms and dragged her out of bed. Her legs were dangling in the air just like last time. ‘No! Let me go! Get out of my Uncle’s house! You’ll disturb him! Please, let me go!’

Everything went black when they carried her out of her room and closed the door. When she came to she was in a sitting room with a roaring fire. A chair faced the fireplace and next to it was a small table with a glass of wine on it.

‘It’s the same room as last time. That wine is there too. Is this a dream just like last time?’ 

She was carried to a pair of double doors and the men opened them. On the other side was an indoor garden with hedges. When she straightened her legs her toes brushed against the ground. Upon looking down she saw bloodstains in the dirt. Fear gripped her entire form. ‘No. This is the same dream. It has to be. Uncle Black Hat would never let these kinds of people in his home and let them touch me, right?’

As she was dragged through the garden she couldn’t help but feel repulsed by the sensation of the two men gripping her arms. Normally she would enjoy the feeling of being carried. But, this isn’t what she wanted. Everything was happening just like the last time she had this dream. This was a dream, correct? If not, then she was toast!

When the three of them came to a white door one of the men opened it. A rush of wind slammed in her face and a familiar smell filled her senses. ‘It smells like blood! Wait, I can smell it and I’m not in that mansion. Oh, my word! Am I really dreaming?’ 

As they made their way inside Esther noticed the wooden walls and flooring. The small preteen noticed open doors as they walked. One room contained dead bodies and another was filled with skeletons that were set up like trophies. ‘These are the same rooms as the one in that mansion. I can’t be back there. That’s in Japan and I’m in the Bermuda Triangle.’

Her thoughts were interrupted when they began approaching a green door at the end of the hallway. ‘No! Stop! I don’t want to go back in that room! No! Please!’

When they carried her in there she was met with that chilling sight again. A table with restraints was in the middle of the room. A bathtub and a bucket were both filled and stained with blood. Before she could explore any further one of the men ripped off her pale yellow and yellow flower themed pajamas. In its place was a white kimono.

‘I’m wearing that same kimono.’ She lifted her foot as she felt something cold and sticky underneath it. ‘I can feel it!’

One of the men grabbed her long, shiny, ginger hair and started to drag her to the table. She could feel herself tracking bloody footprints as she was forced to walk backward. 

“What are you doing to me?!” She shouted, suddenly finding her voice.

She was slammed onto the table and she felt the edge cut into the back of her neck. Small drops of blood from the wound could be heard dripping onto the floor. Her emerald green eyes widened in panic as the restraints were tightened across her body. Before she knew it, she was completely immobilized. The tightness of the straps could be felt on her entire form.

‘I can feel it. I can feel and smell everything just like last time. Am I really dreaming or is this real?’ Upon hearing the snapping of rubber gloves she looked to see the two men trotting toward her. Even looking at them upside down the sight was bone chilling. ‘If this is a dream, I have to wake up before I disturb Uncle Black Hat. If I’m not, I have to think of something fast.’

One of the men held a sharp knife in his hand. A familiar disturbing voice could be heard in the room.

“I don’t want to die.”

‘No.’

“I don’t want to die.”

‘Please.’

“I don’t want to die!”

‘Help.’

The man with the knife grabbed her hair and yanked it down, exposing her neck even more. He raised the weapon and brought it down on her exposed skin. Just as he was about to slit her throat red smoke filled the room. The tightness of the restraints vanished and everything went black.

In Black Hat’s office the master villain was sitting at his desk while Flug was helping sort out some papers. “Sir, you really should be in bed resting.”

“I’m fine, Doctor.” He responded as he filled out some paperwork. “My fever has been gone for over twenty-four hours and my cough is under control. If my fever returns I’ll go back to bed. Besides, there’s work to be done.”

“I understand that, my Lord. I’m merely suggesting this for Esther's sake. She’s awfully worried about you.”

“I know. I hate seeing that poor girl worried for my sake. Tomorrow I’ll make sure to-”

He was cut off when a blood-curdling scream rang through the manor. Flug yelped and Black Hat jumped, causing him to break his pen. His blood turned to ice upon hearing that scream. “ESTHER!”

In a flash, he teleported to her room and immediately found her in bed. He rushed over to her to see her eyes wide open and screaming. Black Hat’s eye glowed red and he lifted a claw to his throat. Red smoke emitted from his mouth and blew it onto his niece. As the smoke washed over her she began to calm down. She stopped screaming and closed her eyes.

He took a breath as he finished calming her down and his eye returned to normal. The small preteen stirred and woke up. Sweat could be seen on her face and she looked around. Black Hat offered her a gentle smile. “Hey there, sweetheart. Were you having a bad dream? You were screaming in your sleep.”

She sat up and everything came rushing back to her. Tears filled her eyes as she recalled everything. A hand flew to her mouth as she started gagging. Black Hat grabbed her and rushed her to the bathroom. He held her hair back as she heaved into the toilet.

He rubbed her back as she threw up everything in her stomach. After dry heaving a few times she shakily straightened up and flushed the toilet. A thin layer of sweat covered her body and she was trembling. Black Hat gently pulled her onto his lap. Concern covered his face as he tried to soothe his terrified niece “My dear girl, what happened? What did you dream about that has scared you so much?”

She shook her head and buried her face in his chest. Tears spilled from her eyes and she grabbed handfuls of his trench coat. This broke his heart as he hugged her back. “Oh, honey. Ssshhh. Ssshhh. It’s okay. I’m here. Uncle Black Hat is here. You have nothing to fear. Nothing will happen to you as long as I’m around.” He glanced at the bathtub. “Do you want to soak in a bath before returning to bed?”

When she saw him looking at the bathtub she tightened her grip on him. “NO! Not the bathtub! I don’t want to go near it!”

This surprised the master villain. “What? But, why are you suddenly afraid of it? You’ve never-” He stopped himself when a thought crossed his mind. “Wait. Does the bathtub have to do with that scary dream?”

She nodded. “It’s more than that. The dream is only part of the reason.”

He scooped her up in his arms and stood up. Walking back into the bedroom he decided to push his luck. Summoning a rocking chair between the window and bookshelf, he sat down in it and settled Esther onto his lap. He held her with one hand and settled his other on the armrest as he began rocking ever so slightly. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She was silent for a few moments. “I…I went to Japan to help out some friends while you were resting. We were called to the former Prime Minister's home to help out with a paranormal case. The entire house was like the Winchester mansion and huge. I-I dreamt I was dragged into a bloody room. I was strapped down to a table and a man was…he-he was a-about to-”

Esther suddenly burst into tears and buried her face in her Uncle’s chest again. Black Hat rubbed her back as she sobbed. It shattered his heart seeing her like this. “Ssshhh. There, there sweetheart. It was just a dream. It wasn’t real.”

“It was real!” She shouted. “There was a monster in that house killing people! I saw the memories of a spirit and he almost killed me for real!” She took a sharp breath. “I…I thought I was going to die.”

This shocked Black Hat and pure anger bubbled up within him. Someone tried to murder his little Esther? They dare lay their filthy hands on his baby?!  

Esther taking another sharp breath snapped him out of his vengeful thoughts. He could worry about that later. Right now he needed to coax her to calm down and get her back to sleep. He pushed the rocking chair to rock a bit more and began gently singing lullabies to her. It didn’t matter if this took all night. Calming his precious niece down was his top priority.

After a while, he noticed that she was finally calming down. He wiped away her tears as she snuggled against him and closed her eyes. He could tell she was drifting off. One more lullaby should do it.

“~Cast away your worries, my dear

For tomorrow comes a new day.

Hold to me, you've nothing to fear

For your dreams are not far away.

As you lay your head and you rest

May your dreams take over my love.

Listen close, my dearest girl

For your destiny lies above.

Though the world is cruel

There's a light that still shines

In the darkest days of our lives.

When all hope seems lost

And you can't find your way

Think of me as you look to the sky.

Child mine, your future is bright

For my blood runs through your veins.

In dark times, I pray you will fight

For the world will soon know your name.~”

Black Hat looked down to see Esther sound asleep. He gently smiled as he stood up. He tucked her into bed and softly kissed her on the forehead. “May your dreams be more pleasant this time, my little Esther. Sleep well and never forget I love you.”

As he closed the door behind him he saw Flug standing in the hallway. A worried look could clearly be seen on him despite the paper bag on his head. “Is she okay?”

The master villain sighed. “I coaxed her to go back to sleep. It seems she had an adventure while I rested.” A serious look crossed his face. “Flug, I want you to look up the house of the former Prime Minister of Japan.”

This took the scientist back. “The what? Sir, if I may ask, why?”

Black Hat flashed his signature villain grin and drooled. “Someone in that house tried to murder Esther. I’m going to teach them what happens when you mess with my baby.”