#so they may have to be immortalized in a short story

[that-ineffable-devil]

Meet the Character: Mercury

TTRPG: Cyberpunk RED

Pronouns: They/Him

Role: Solo Rockerboy (orator/singer)

Age: Indeterminate--appears late 20s/early 30s

A quick summary I provided on a previous post:

Imagine Rick Gonzalez and Robbie Daymond had a love child with the dress sense and body language of Klaus Hargreeves, the goofy yet undeniable sex appeal of David Tennant, and Michael Sheen's attitude and ability to serve cunt in any situation. That's Mercury.

Appearance

Knowing that appearance and swagger are genuinely the most persuasive arguments during a negotiation in Night City, Mercury has invested much in maintaining and improving his image. Their nails are always neatly self-manicured, typically painted all black save for the ring finger on each hand, which is usually a crimson or orange. He is rarely seen without makeup--and has never been seen without his bold, black eyeliner by anyone but his twin sister, Rhapsody.

Physique & Physical Appearance

Standing at a solid 5'3" and rail thin, Mercury is often considered a "little guy" by those who underestimate him. Their thin frame belies the wiry, Nightcrawler-esque musculature underneath, honed from a life growing up on the streets in Belize. You don't survive as many scrapes as Mercury without having the athleticism and wit to get quickly out of reach.

Their café con leche skin is dotted with moles and individual freckles, and starkly contrasts the white of their surprisingly well-cared-for teeth. His top and bottom canines are filed to wickedly sharp points--just enough to look uncanny when he smiles.

Their long hair is a flame-like ombre that starts at a shimmering metallic crimson at the roots, gently graduating to a flaming orange, then yellow-gold as it cascades down their chest. He keeps much of the right side of his scalp closely shaved to display the intricate orange and gold EMP threading that glimmers in script-like patterns. They maintain well-trimmed and cared-for black facial hair that somehow still manages to work with their wildly unnatural hair.

His hooded, almond-shaped eyes give the appearance of calm nonchalance, despite his constant vigilance. Their trademark golden snake-eye contacts have become such a part of their persona that no one knows the natural color hidden beneath them. His thick black brows play an enormous role in every part he plays, though his right brow is marred by a scar towards the outer corner--one encounter he only narrowly escaped.

Piercings and Light Tattoos

Piercings and light tattoos are extremely common in Mercury's line of business, and he is no exception. Their ears are studded and dripping with various, asymmetrical piercings, all black and crimson metal. The black bar piercing their tongue is set with a smooth, red, heart-shaped gem. Glittering black snake-fang piercings adorn each nipple, though they are often covered--Mercury must leave something to the imagination, after all.

Their arms, which are nearly always on display, are decked out in vibrant light tattoos.

Starting at his neck, a crimson red lancehead viper curls down his left arm, the snake's mouth open wide as it reaches his wrist displaying glowing silver fangs and golden eyes. The words "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" are inscribed in flaming orange along the snake's body, the words facing outward for all to see.

On the inner part of their right forearm, the name "Rhapsody" is written in brilliant orange ornate script, surrounded by black musical notes lined in glowing gold.

On both hands, each finger holds a ring of crimson light that covers the flesh between the first and second knuckles (and the knuckle and base of the thumbs).

Clothing and Accessories

Mercury is nothing if not well-dressed for the role they play.

His sleeveless and hooded black leather duster jacket bears faint red EMP threading designs, and terminates at a sharp angle around his knees. The crimson, feather-patterned lining is rarely seen, but made of high-quality and durable silk and holds many pockets of various sizes. A pair of large, crimson EMP-thread wings fold across the back, wrapping around to the front.

The top beneath their jacket is a tightly-fitted crimson sleeveless turtleneck that's just a smidge too short, leaving a small expanse of skin exposed between its hem and Mercury's pants. Two stylized, orange devil horns glow a bright orange around his collarbone, while a matching devil tail begins in the lower back, wraps around the middle twice, before terminating with the tip pointing up at his face.

Their tight nylon-like pants tuck neatly into their boots, a thick stripe of flame ombre color running down the front and back of each leg starting at the waistline. The pants are further held in place by a set of black suspenders with red metal accents.

His boots are stylized black leather knee-high combat boots with crimson soles and accents. They use a complex series of buckles and leather straps across the front to keep them on their feet--or at least, that's the way it seems. Mercury's actually broken them in so thoroughly that they can quickly and easily be removed or put on without fuss.

Despite their constant use of contacts, no one survives in the City long without some form of eyeshades. Mercury keeps a pair of crimson red, round, mirrored lenses in sturdy black metal frames. Perforated black metal "blinders" cover the sides of the frames, helping to hide any radiant glow from his eyes while still maintaining peripheral vision. The perforations are shaped like small stars.

The final accents are a series of inexpensive metal and silicon rings across their fingers and a gorgeous, glittering black cybernetic snake necklace with glowing red-orange eyes. The necklace moves about on its own, but has no combat capabilities or other function. No one is certain whether the necklace is sentient, but it does sometimes appear to react to situations and comments. It typically rests around Mercury's neck by clamping its jaws around part of its body, the rest of its tail trailing down his chest.

(Simplified) Backstory

Family

Mercury grew up on the streets of Belize with their twin sister, Rhapsody. Their parents were betrayed by a close family friend (or family member, details unknown)--a fact Mercury is unaware of. Their parents were gone before Mercury and Rhapsody could form any concrete memories of them. Mercury doesn't even know whether their parents or alive or dead--and does everything he can not to think about it. Due, in part, to this, an undercurrent of rage, betrayal, and abandonment issues color their interactions with people, but they have to be particularly stressed to show it.

After being abandoned at such a young age, the twins made a childhood pact to never leave the other behind for any reason. A promise that family would always mean everything. But life often has other plans, and as often happens with siblings in a place like Night City, they were eventually pulled in different directions. Rhapsody moved onto a more luxurious life as a lounge singer and personal entertainer, with a whole host of wealthy patrons. Rhapsody eventually cut ties with Mercury, sending a handwritten letter by courier to say goodbye--she knows how much they value this archaic form of communication. Despite that, Mercury refuses to believe she wrote actually wrote it, thinking someone had paid her off to stay away from him--and yet he still keeps the note on him at all times. In truth, Mercury may have pushed her away subconsciously--partly out of self-preservation and partly because they thought she would have a better chance in life without them.

After losing their sister, they threw themself into their work, picking up singing and speaking gigs at nightclubs all across Night City--along with more than a few lovers along the way. Despite their carnal predilections, Mercury has indeed had three true romances in their life.

Love Life

cw: death/suicide/violence

Anthony, his first love--oh he was beautiful. And kind and caring. Anthony believed in a world beyond the executive and corporate horrors they lived in each day. Unfortunately, he burned too brightly. Barely a year into their relationship, Anthony died in a horrific fire--one Mercury is unconvinced was an accident, despite police reports.

Then there was Phoenix--oh how they soothed Mercury's soul and brought them back from the brink of destruction after the loss of Anthony. Phoenix truly lived up to their name, a brilliant life rising from the ashes of the flames that destroyed Mercury's world. Then, a mere two years later, Phoenix's implants drove them to cyber-psychosis, and they tried to rip Mercury--who barely escaped--to shreds. He never went back to find out what happened, leaving all his belongings in the ruins of the home they'd made.

And finally--Eve, Mercury's latest--and last--great love. For all his swagger, Mercury could not believe he'd turned the head of such a majestic creature. She was everything--beautiful, talented, smart, tough, wise. When she sang, Mercury could believe in the existence of angels. But Eve was not without demons...and one day, they took her from Mercury forever. He found her in their shared cargo space, splayed along the now darkly-stained couch. She didn't even leave a note.

Personality

After losing their parents and sister, a series of truly tragic romances, and a harrowing experience with a particular Exec that tried to buy (and then capture, when Mercury refused) them, Mercury keeps all people at a less-than-healthy distance and can't stand most of them, though you wouldn't know it from their interactions. They've mastered the art of being disarmingly charming, and can make almost anyone feel adored and flattered while keeping themself out of harm's way.

On the surface, they're the most friendly and gregarious person you've ever met--especially for a place like Night City. But inside, they know that people bring pain and danger--and worst of all, they always eventually leave.

Values, Beliefs, and Motivations

Above all things, they value these two: their sister and their word. Despite their estrangement, Mercury still considers Rhapsody their whole heart and would do anything for her--except sell out and join her serving the wealthy and powerful. It hurts him to be estranged from her, but he'd never admit it.

They've seen too much bad in society to truly trust people anymore--and yet some small shred of hope still glimmers within their soul. A hope that people are, in fact, innately good and kind--they're just driven to misdeeds by societal pressures, fear, and hurt. Despite his superficial cynicism, his music and speeches show a very different side of him. One that they rarely show off-stage. One that inexorably draws them back to people, despite their need to protect themself.

And just because Mercury doesn't believe in trusting others doesn't mean they are equally untrustworthy. Oh, they'll lie--all day, any day. But if they give their word, they will abide by it, no matter what--which is why they give it so sparingly.

Mercury is subconsciously haunted by the constant rotation of abandonment and the cruel reality of their childhood, but they repress it by being constantly busy. If they have too much downtime, they begin to spiral out of control. So they are constantly writing new material, doing shows at nightclubs all across the city every night, and occasionally sinking into the arms of whichever patron was just eager enough to play and interesting enough to be worth the time and effort.

They believe that if people would stop catering to Execs and corporations and band together against the oppressive technology of this age, life would improve for everyone--something impossible to achieve under the current regime.

That's not to say they don't approve of (or use) tech--they absolutely do. But Mercury knows tech has gone too far, and that corporations have made everyone dependent on their technology (and by extension, the corporations themselves). So, they speak against corporate rule and plutocracy, advocating for turning to history as a means of fighting against their oppressors--particularly the French Revolution.

Stats

Mercury is built for negotiation, persuasion, charm, and rapid escape. They are, quite literally, a lover--not a fighter. Cyberpunk RED does not offer character progression in the same sense as some other TTRPGs, so their stats will largely stay the same unless we have time and money for gear and cyberwear upgrades.

Base Stats

Skills

Intelligence: 7/8

Reflexes: 8/8

Dexterity: 6/8

Technology: 6/8

Cool: 7/8

Willpower: 6/8

Luck: 7

Move: 3/8

Body: 5/8

Empathy: 5/7 (lost some due to implants)

I've invested extra points into the following skills:

Conceal/Reveal Object (INT)

Concentration (WILL)

Perception (INT)

Athletics (DEX)

Contortionist (DEX)

Stealth (DEX)

Brawling (a bit) (DEX)

Evasion (DEX)

Acting (COOL)

Conversation (EMP)

Human Perception (EMP)

Personal Grooming (COOL)

Persuasion (COOL)

Streetwise (COOL)

Trading (COOL)

Wardrobe & Style (COOL)

Education (INT)

Language (Streetslang) (INT)

Language (Creole) (INT)

Local Expert (INT)

First Aid (TECH)

Pick Lock (TECH)

Pick Pocket (TECH)

Player Note: You'll notice some visual cues from Crowley (Good Omens) and maybe Freddie Mercury, because they were my initial inspirations for their appearance. However, nearly everything about the character, from country of origin to number of past loves, was rolled for on a table--I just added some extra color to them. Also, I have no experience with the Cyberpunk games prior to this invitation, so anachronistic criticism means nothing to me.

[ateezscupid]

im begging for more sub!mingi 🙏🙏🙏

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. ♡

warnings ─ medieval au, vamp!mingi, human/princess!fem reader, descriptions of drinking/eating blood, forbidden love, mingi is super tall (like 7'0 at best because why not? sorry for my super short readers LOL) and reader is shorter than him, SIZE DIFFERENCE, mingi immediately falls in love with reader

tags ─ @felixs-voice-makes-me-wanna @starillusion13 @mingitheskzstan @jeonride @byuntrash101

m.list ┃ nsfw warnings under the cut.

warnings ─ switch (dom leaning) fem!reader, switch (sub leaning)!mingi, unprotected sex (don't do this, especially with some random vampire), handjob, praise kink (m & f), creampie, miss kink, hickeys

Desperate for blood in his system, Mingi set out to the forest in search of his meal. It was a night like any other, as the moon cast an ethereal glow upon the dark ancient forest. Being alone for many centuries will do something to a vampire, and for Mingi, it made him extremely hungry. His hunger for blood and human touch consumed him. His tan, starving body ached with each step he took, ached with the desire to feel the warmth of a living being against his cold, immortal skin.

And then, he heard it; the sound of frantic footsteps approaching, growing louder with each passing moment. Mingi hid behind a tree thinking it was another vampire or some animal, but it turned out to be you. A lost princess running through the woods trying to find safety.

You fled from your palace after having heard rumors of an impending arranged marriage. You didn't want to marry a man you didn't know anything about. You weren't even attracted to him. Tears streaked down your delicate cheeks as you stumbled through the woods, desperate to find some sort of freedom and escape the fate that awaited you. As you emerged from behind a large oak tree, you went behind another tree, finding yourself face-to-face with Mingi, his piercing red eyes fixed upon you.

Despite your initial fear, there was something about Mingi that interested you. He was unlike any man you had ever met, his otherwordly beauty captivating you. Also, he was super fucking tall. You liked how strong he looked.

"Who are you?" you whisper, your voice shaking with a mixture of awe and fear.

Mingi steps forward with graceful movements despite his almost emaciated frame. "I'm Mingi," he said, voice smooth as silk. It was like dark chocolate and honey mixed together. "I could smell you from the moment you entered the forest. Dear princess, I sense you need...companionship?" He closed the distance between you two, the air between you crackling with an unspoken desire.

He spoke so elegantly. Better than any man you've ever met. You hesitated, your heart racing. You've heard so many stories of vampires, creatures who drank the blood of the living and preyed upon the weak and innocent. As intimidating as Mingi looked, you weren't scared. He made you feel safe, despite the danger you knew you were in. You take a shaky breath and nod.

"May I know your name?" he asks, hand ever so gently grazing your cheek. You tense up and nod.

"Y/N,"

"Such a pretty name, miss." His hands move down to your neck, feeling your soft skin. As he moved closer, his fangs elongated, his breath warm against your neck. He hesitates for a moment before leaning down and gently biting down on your neck, drawing your blood into his mouth. You didn't move. You grabbed onto his forearm and dug your nails into his skin, whimpering but ultimately liking it.

You gasp, overwhelmed by the rush of pleasure and pain coursing through your veins. The sensations are unlike anything you've ever experienced, and despite your fear, you find yourself unable to resist the primal urge to feel more of it.

Your blood flowed freely into Mingi's mouth, and he drank deeply, his fangs tearing through your delicate skin. The fear of turning and becoming a vampire was long gone. You moaned softly, arching your back as the sensation became almost too much. You thought being bitten by a vampire would hurt, but this didn't hurt at all. If anything it felt good. Mingi pulled back slightly, eyes wide with surprise and pleasure. He didn't expect you to respond in such a way.

You reach up, running your fingers through his long, platinum-blonde hair. "You're not like the vampires they speak of," you whisper, your voice barely audible.

"You're different." you smile. Mingi chuckles darkly, his fangs still embedded in your neck. He pulls back slightly, mumbling against her neck.

"Perhaps," he voice, voice low and seductive. "I am." And with that, he sunk his fangs back into your neck, pulling you closer while doing so, your bodies pressing tightly together.

As he feasts on your blood, his strength begins to return, his body literally growing in front of your very eyes. He felt a newfound vigor coursing through his veins. He retracts his fangs and pulls away from your neck, licking the blood from his lips.

Sex. That's, quite literally, the only thing on your mind at the moment. Your eyes were glazed over with desire, and you reached out to place your hand on his collarbone, running your fingers down his chest. Mingi gasps at the contact, tan cheeks flushed pink. He had not expected this from you. You were a damn princess. It was incredibly inappropriate what you were doing, yet you didn't seem to care. Your royal status didn't mean anything to you now.

As you continue to explore his body, he whines softly, the sensation overwhelming his senses. He moans softly, the sound echoing through the trees. He was so desperate for her touch now. He needed it. He'd do anything for you to please him.

Your fingers dance across his chest, teasing the skin underneath his top before dipping lower, tracing the muscles of his abdomen through the thin fabric of his shirt. He shudders with pleasure, his eyes closed tightly as he focusses on the feeling of your touch. It's been so long he's experienced remotely close to this. It can't end. Not now.

As you continued your teasing, you reached even lower, fingertips brushing against the cloth that covered his hips. You look up, asking for permission without actually saying anything and he nods. He groans, his body tense with anticipation. He knows what you're about to do, he feels more alive than he has in centuries.

For a moment you hesitate. Do you really want to do this to a man you just met? This wouldn't be your first time, but it would be your first with a vampire. What would everyone think of you when they realize you hooked up with a random, hungry vampire? Well, they wouldn't just randomly find out, and you were sure he wouldn't tell anybody. You slowly pull his pants down, now palming his erection through his underwear.

His breath catches in his throat as you pull his throbbing cock out of his underwear. Hard and aching in your hand. Your eyes widen in surprise at how big he is, but you don't pull away, keeping delicate fingers wrapped around him and beginning to stroke. The sensation is almost too much to bear; he's never felt anything so good, so right. Having a human touch him in places like this drove him crazy.

Right now, you were back against the tree with him leaning over you, droopy eyes examining your facial features while trying to control his own expressions. With every stroke of your hand, every caress of your fingers, he feels more and more alive. Your touch is like magic to him, as if you have the power to bring him back to life.

"You're so beautiful," you whisper, fingers never slowing as they stroke him. He reaches down and cups your face in his hands, kissing you passionately. To him, your lips tasted like candy. He felt the softness of your breasts pressing against him. He groaned into the kiss, his hips bucking slightly as you continued to stroke him. He wants more of you. All of you.

"Come here," Slowly, he pulls away from the kiss with heavy breathing. Switching positions so his back was against the tree. He slides down the tree, now sitting down. You get on the ground with him and he pulls you into his lap. You straddle him, legs wrapping around his waist, and lean forward, your breasts brushing against his chest.

You bunch up your dress, Mingi assisting you by grabbing the bottom part of your dress and simply ripping it in half, also ripping your undergarments and pushing your panties to the side. For a split second you were mad at Mingi for destroying your dress which was priceless, but the thought dissolved in your mind when his cock entered your tight heat.

“Holy fuck.” you whine as your fingers crawled their way into Mingi’s hair, gripping it tightly as you adjusted to his size. He filled you perfectly, every crevice now covered by his length. He could feel your innocence seeping out of you, your scent racking his brain. It’s so much more, so much better than be expected, and it was literally the most incredible sensation he’s ever felt.

He began to thrust, looking up at you with hearts in his eyes. Your eyes were shut tightly, focused on the feeling while trying to move your hips in rhythm with his. Your connection grew stronger with every movement.

“Miss,” Mingi gasps, pushing his face into your neck and furrowing his eyebrows, layering your neck with kisses. The sound of your passion echoed throughout the forest, mingling with the noises of other animals and the rustling of leaves. It was like the world revolves around you two for just this moment.

“I’m close,” his muffled words rang in your ear, causing you to grip at his hair tightly. “I—I cant hold back for long,”

“Don’t.” you pant, feeling your orgasm build up little by little, closer and closer to the edge it felt like. Mingi also felt the same, knowing that when he gets there, it’ll be glorious. Like nothing he’s ever felt before.

Your nails move from his hand and to his shoulders, moving underneath his top and scraping lightly against his shoulders, leaning forward and slamming your hips against his own. He barely felt present in the moment anymore, mind blank and his body overwhelmed with pleasure, but in the very best way possible. Your breath is hot against his neck, and your whispers barely even register to him. Mingi whispered in a language you didn’t understand, hands clawing at your hips.

You moved faster, lost in the physical connection, eyes fluttering closed. Mingi whimpered your name, thighs shaking the faster you moved. It became too much. He could barely take you bouncing up and down on him.

Time seemed as if it was slowing down, Mingi holding your hips down and emptying his load inside of you. He threw his head back, gasping for air and moaning your name repeatedly. It felt like he was being milked. At the same time, you came, squeezing around his length and making him whine from the overstimulation.

For a moment you two sat, ignoring the copious amounts of sweat on your bodies, leaning into him and hugging his body. Mingi at first was confused. Why were you hugging him? He didn’t think you developed feelings for him like he had for you.

“M-Miss, are you oka-”

"Thank you," you whisper, your voice barely audible over the sound of your hearts racing. "For this. All of this.”

“…You’re more than welcome, princess.” he met your gaze,. “Are you going to return to your kingdom now? I assume it’s, well, punishable to sleep with a vampire. I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble with your family and people.”

“Are you kidding? I’m staying here with you. They want me to marry a man I don’t even know.” you sigh.

“Well, you don’t know me? Yet you let me come inside of you.” Mingi chuckles, his words making you blush. You shake your head in disagreement.

“But I feel like there’s something between us. It’s not the same with the other man.” you smile. “I want to stay here. With you. For as long as I can. Maybe until they find me, but Is rather stay here with you then return to my kingdom.”

Mingi kisses your cheek. “Well, so be it.”

You two sit together in silence, but it’s not an uncomfortable silence. More so a peaceful one, a shared moment of connection. As the sun began to set, you didn’t move, enjoying the feeling of Mingi’s arms wrapped around your waist.

You were better off here.

[baldursgate3tempobsessed]

Astarion Very Happy Ending, Part 2

Hey y'all, so I did a part two of this because I love happy, insanely, fluffy romantic endings. So I'm going hard here. There will be one more part!

Also, don't judge my Gale x Shadowheart bs here 💀💀 Long story short, first playthrough that was abanadoned, I picked her orgin and did get sweeped up by the mage man. It has not left my brain since.

Also, this has a time skip! A pretty long one too (10 years)

~

Astarion had been having… thoughts lately. Ideas that he couldn’t quite shake. Nothing bad, no. There really wasn’t much to complain about in his life, not anymore. Not when he could walk in the sun freely, unburdened by parasites and his own vampiric nature. The two of you were free to explore the world with no shackles, not including your religious zealotry. And ironically enough, his own. 

Astarion would never have guessed that he’d ever become a Selune convert. Well… even now convert may have been to strong of a word. Yes, he was immensely appreciative for the whole sun immunity blessing and he did have a newfound respect for the work of her worshippers. But Astarion wasn’t exactly looking for a deity, or anyone, to be subservient to. Not again. No, he’d much rather watch his love do the dirty work for his savior than fully commit himself. Besides, just because he wasn’t devoted to Selune didn’t mean he wasn’t devoted to you. Which might as well have been the same thing. 

Astarion loved you, adored you really, but gods could you be nonsensical at times. He was so happy the two of you had met because someone had to keep this idiotic fanatic alive. Someone to remind you that no darling, not everyone is redeemable. Please put the goblin down.

But he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy being your protector. It was the least that he could do considering everything you’d done for him. And he just… liked having a valid excuse to accompany you everywhere. Astarion had never imagined himself to be such a clingy lover, but here he was. The two of you had been attached at the hip for nearly a decade now, with no end in sight. You had built a life together, had friends together, adventures and celebrations that filled his days with endless excitement and amusements.

That is one thing Astarion had to give Selune and her worshippers, they didn’t exactly lead boring lives. Though he supposed half of that had to with just how involved the opposition was. The two of you had slaughtered enough acolytes of Shar over the years for him to know just how covert they really could be. But it wasn’t just bloodsport that made things interesting, though it certainly did help. The exploring for ancient artifacts definitely helped to fill the time, as well as the constant search to find a cure for the rest of his unholy symptoms. 

As great as being in the sun was, Astarion wasn’t quite satisfied with that being the end. It was almost certainly impossible to find a full on cure to being a vampire spawn but… that wasn’t stopping either of you from looking for it. It was morbid, but Astarion wanted his life to have an ending. A natural one like what he hoped for you, not one where he was doomed to immortality and bloodlust until the end of time. 

Thank the gods that he had managed to fall in love with an elf. It at least gave him centuries instead of decades to figure out a solution to an eternal problem. Which brought him back to his current problem. Because the two of you had many, many years ahead. And as far as Astarion was aware you both planned on spending them with each other. Which implied… certain things.

Astarion had never been someone to fantasize about marriage. He had no reason to, not when he had been too busy barely surviving. Even when things became serious between the two of you it hadn’t been on his mind. He was much more concerned with keeping you at all instead of keeping you forever. 

But that had changed recently. Maybe it was because he had seen you officiate countless weddings over the years; young couples always clamoring at a chance to get a newlywed Selune blessing. Or maybe it was how others took note of the lack of a ring on his finger, taking it as an opportunity for unwanted flirtation. But either way, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Obsessing about it really, as he was want to do when it came to you.

He just… didn’t exactly know how to broach the subject. What was the reason? A silly little ceremony and a ring had no bearing on the depth of your relationship. He knew that. The two of you were bound to each other by choice, a love that felt as though it got stronger every day. But… it would be nice to have you in such a way. For the world to be aware of the seriousness of what you had together, shown simply through a pair of rings. And the thought of calling you his wife was quite enticing. 

He wasn’t quite sure why he was so hesitant to bring it up to you. Well… there was the slight delusional thought in his head that reminding you of forever could possible wake you up into realizing just how much better you could do than him. It wasn’t true, he was aware. But gods, your relationship had lasted a damn decade. When was he going to start feeling secure about all of this? 

It didn’t help when Gale of all people beat him to the punch. He and Shadowheart had developed quite the bond since your tadpole days. And your excitement over the announcement was adorable. Adorable enough for him to wonder just how you would react to it happening to you.

But he shoved his worries to the back of his mind, too busy being dragged all the way to Waterdeep for the week-long nuptials. You were highly involved in the wedding, which wasn’t exactly a shock. Shadowheart had stayed your best, most appreciated friend throughout the years, the two of you eternally tied through your shared goddess alone. You wrote to each other constantly and this was far from the first time you had dragged him across the realm for a visit. 

But this was probably the best time. He had to give the people of Waterdeep this, they knew how to celebrate. He wasn’t one to complain over a week filled of music, dance, and drink. The ceremony had been nice as well. Heart-warming even to watch Shadowheart walk down the aisle, smiling in a way she never could when she was devoted to Shar. With Gale sniveling at the other end and you officiating of course. 

The jealousy had been an unexpected touch. He couldn’t help but wonder what you would look like in her place. Dressed in white and silver, walking towards him with eternity in mind. 

It certainly wasn’t helping his dilemma, he could tell you that much. He was still thinking about it when they made it to the reception. It was impossible to bury thoughts of marriage when you were at a wedding. Would you want a large celebration like this? Or something more small and intimate? Hells, the two of you and a cleric in the middle of the woods would suffice to him. 

“To think, Astarion Ancunín at my wedding in the sunlight,” Gale laughed as he plopped down in the seat next to him, effectively putting an end to his internal fretting, “Who would have ever imagined?”

“Certainly not me,” Astarion scoffed with the slightest hint of a smile, “But I suppose things change.”

“I suppose they do,” Gale agreed, his eyes scanning the dancefloor for his new bride. There she was, dancing and giggling with you in the middle of ballroom,  “I just never expected it to be for the better.”

“It is a wonder that we’re all still alive,” Astarion agreed, smiling to himself when Shadowheart dipped you as you laughed hysterically, nearly falling over herself in the process, “Let alone being able to find love. Who would have thought the worshiper of the goddess of the dark would end up here.”

“Turns out she was hiding quite the personality behind the Shar mask,” Gale laughed, “Though I suppose we have Tav to thank for that. It was a real fight on who would have her as their best woman. A fight we both obviously lost. Though officiating seemed a good compromise.”

“She certainly has the experience,” Astarion sighed, “But I have a feeling this one will be her favorite. She’s happy for you two. We both are.”

“I’m happy for you too you know,” Gale added with a small smile, “I always thought the two of you would work out. I even made a killing in the pool we had going on for it.”

Astarion stared at him, brow raised, “You had a pool?”

“Oh absolutely,” Gale confirmed, completely shameless as he listed out the rules, “It got quite competitive after awhile. First, it was all about if you’d ever realize your feelings for her. Then when you went and did that we were betting on how long you’d both last before you left. And then when that didn’t happen, well. Let’s just say I got a few platinums richer.”

Astarion rolled his eyes at the news, barely even surprised, “I feel as though I’ve earned a cut of that.”

“Unfortunately it’s now our honeymoon fund. But I’ll owe you one.”

That was another aspect of this whole debacle that Astarion hadn’t even thought about. But gods, did it sound nice. Whole weeks dedicated strictly to the two of you. No religious duties or adventures to worry about, just… them. 

The joy of the thought must have shown on his face, because the next thing he knew Gale was looking him up and down, a small smirk on his lips, “What’cha thinking about over there?”

“That this wine is mediocre at best,” Astarion lied, avoid Gale’s eyes, “Tell me you at least got a good deal on it?”

But Gale wasn’t taking the bait. He was still watching him like a hawk. That was the problem with getting closer to people, and having, gods friends. 

You had to deal with the discomfort of being read like a book, “Does our little Astarion want to be wed?”

Astarion flinched at the accuracy, taking the time to shoot him a glare as he avoided the question, “I am nearly three centuries older than you.”

“Perhaps, but we both know two of them don’t count,” Gale said, barely missing a beat, “So tell me, do you already have a ring picked out?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I can help you pick one you know, there are many fantastic jewelers in Waterdeep. I believe she has the same ring size as Shadowheart, we can bring her along.”

Astarion rolled his eyes, ignoring the small blush creeping up his neck, “I want you to know that if this wasn’t your wedding day I would have slapped you by now. Consider my reluctance as your wedding present.”

“How generous of you,” Gale chuckled. But then he started to speak quieter, his voice taking on a more gentle and serious tone, “She would say yes you know. You’ve had her wrapped around your finger since the day you held that dagger to her throat.”

That was an exaggeration, but Astarion would be lying if he said the mention didn’t make him preen the slightest bit, “You forget that I did have competition.”

“Oh, barely,” Gale laughed, “You don’t get to reminisce of what could have been when you won. Gods, no one had any chance against you. And trust me, we tried.”

Astarion blinked at him, more than a little surprised, “You did?”

“Of course we did. We all did. What do you think Shadow and I bonded over? But the pining stopped eventually. Then it became…something more. Something deeper. She’s… a magnificent woman, my little shadow. Who has gone through too much…” Gale trailed off, his eyes still following his bride as he softly smiled,  “Suffice to say, neither of us are pining anymore. And I’m sure Shadow would love nothing more than to help plan her dearest friend’s nuptials.”

“Who ever said that you two would be involved?” Astarion scoffed, just to be an ass, “For all you know we’ll elope in Neverwinter.”

But Astarion’s grip backfired, if the smile on Gale’s face meant anything, “So that means you are going to propose?”

Oh for fucks sake. Astarion glared at him for the accuracy, at a loss for words. Besides it… it was true. Of course he was going to ask, where else would this fanatic line of thinking end? He just hadn’t expected Gale of all people to be the one to force him to admit it. 

“I-yes,” Astarion sighed, finally giving in, “Are you happy now? Yes, I’m going to.”

“Extremely,” Gale grinned, “Because you just won me another three hundred gold.”

[lovelyladyabsinthewrites]

Would you ever write an Edward story where he cheats on Bella post Breaking Dawn or they break up because he falls in love with another human after her? Like a few years down the line, he starts to miss Bella’s human scent, softness, etc. and then he meets another singer or someone whose mind he can’t read and becomes obsessed with them. And it’s angsty because they realize he doesn’t really like vampire Bella and what attracted him to her was her “humanness” so now that it’s gone, he loses interest.

Ichor

Pairing(s): Edward Cullen x human!witch!Reader, Edward Cullen x Bella Swan

Warnings: major regret, kinda feel bad for bella while writing this 😅, falling out of love, for the sake of this story reneesme doesn't exist, kinda creepy stalker vibe from edward?, but what else do you expect from him 😂, sorry this is short :( been suffering from major writer's block

Words: 1443

There was no warmth of life to Bella, not anymore. Edward had fought against Bella's desire to be like him, an immortal. With her warmth went that oh so sweet honeysuckle scent of her singer blood. He missed nuzzling his nose in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply and listening to her blood coarse through her veins. Everything was cold and hard and unwelcoming now that she was like the rest of the Cullens.

And while he was able to physically love her without restraint now, there was a gnawing dissatisfaction that burned a hole deep inside of him.

He tried smothering it, not let it grow and feed off his lingering thoughts. Just a harmless, passing thought. They'd taken vows, to love one another for the rest of their immortal lives in front of all their friends and family. Edward thought he got his happily ever after with Bella, his singer.

Never did he imagine that he would miss her mortality so much and so greatly. Profound was his distress over this realization as he experienced grief for Bella's human life once more. This time it lingered. Resting on the precipice of his consciousness.

Try as he may, it creeps into his mind whenever he holds onto her golden gaze. Grateful that Bella's special ability wasn't telepathy like him. It would break her heart if she heard the doubting thoughts that grew louder each passing day.

Edward didn't know the exact start date of this swift change in his mentality toward someone he'd loved and cherished so much that he was willing to face both the wolves and the Volturi in order to protect her.

Immense shame rendered him speechless, unable to seek help or advice from his brothers. He'd never kept such a large secret before from them. They'd always held a sympathetic ear for Edward but. . . if he told them about this, Emmett and Jasper might add onto his guilt. Bella was their sister-in-law. His brothers have proven that they genuinely care for her and accept her as part of the Cullen clan.

The world around him was crumbling. Nothing for him to stabilize himself.

Errands that took him away from town were like a breath of fresh air to his undernourished lungs- well, metaphorically.

His outings lasted longer and longer each time. The distance he put between himself and Bella growing larger.

Until something odder happened to him.

He smelled the blood of a singer once more. Each inhalation a spasming jolt shot through him. A burst of honeyed, reduced him to damn near salivating. Edward had almost forgotten the scent. Almost mistook it for something else.

Akin to an apex predator, he's easily guided to the source of such an alluring aroma that has him blind-sided. He doesn't care in that moment who lay at the end of the trail or of the consequences that may befall him from this encounter.

If it hadn't been for your singer blood, you would have blended in with the rest of the crowd in Port Angeles. A typical human female hanging out with her friends; just like many others that night. Unaware of the glowing eyes of the animal stalking her.

But you weren't like your other friends. With his vampire eyes, he saw the glow of your skin; your aura was blinding. Even Bella's presence wasn't as bright as when he laid eyes on you. His honeypot.

He frantically rifles through the crowd's thoughts, tossing them away when they didn't belong to you.

In pursuing you, Edward was essentially damning himself. Each step he took closer to you was like walking into danger itself. A moth to a flame. For the first time in a long time, Edward felt utterly helpless. Weak even.

Then he heard the ring of your thoughts.

And he smiles to himself, listening in as you contemplate leaving early to go home and finish the book you'd started the other day. How it was getting to the good part. Torn that you were also having fun with your friends though.

Subtly watching you from a hiding spot, Edward simply closes his eyes and focuses on the flow of your thoughts in an attempt to get to know you better. Another human girl with the delicious blood of a god.

Bella checks the time on her phone again.

2 am

Edward had left eight hours ago, not bothering to tell anyone where he was going or taking his phone with him. His behavior was growing more concerning. She'd asked Jasper and Emmett if they had noticed this odd turn in Edward and they too agree that something was up with him. Alice did her best to offer a positive take on the issue. Not even Carlisle or Esme had an answer.

Not too long ago Edward had been so attentive to her, relishing in sharing immortality with her.

Deciding to wait in their shared little cottage home, Bella leaves the main Cullen estate and takes to the small pebbled path that led to her home. She remembers how happy they were when Carlisle gifted the cottage to them when they came back from their honeymoon.

Her fingers lazily trail along the rugged bark of trees. Nails lightly dragging across it.

Their life was perfect now. She fit into his world. So. . . why the sudden distance? This was going on to four months now and the decline was becoming more evident.

Her other hand is anxiously drawn to her chest in an effort to comfort her. Bella could hear the cracks in their marriage and overall relationship.

Edward growls in irritation with himself. What an idiot he was following you home. Stupid that he put everything on the line just to be around you a little bit longer.

He kept bargaining with himself that he was only going to stay for an hour. An hour turned into two, then three. . . Until he was perched atop of a tree across the street from your house.

Exasperated he runs a hand across his face, making his way up the brick steps of the cottage.

He shouldn't have followed you back to your home. Now he had that knowledge of your address.

That meant. . .

So consumed in his inner turmoil, Edward was caught off guard by Bella's voice "Where have you been?"

His eyes round in alarm, the only tipoff to his surprise. "Hunting." Well. . . kind of true.

That was not the answer she wanted. Bella's brows furrow with her disdain. "Edward, what's going on? And don't say that nothing is going on because even the rest of the family has seen the change in you."

Hell, why was he thinking about your fragrance? Likening it to standing at the threshold of the divine and savoring the ambrosial nectar that flowed through the veins of gods.

Had Bella's smelled like that? He couldn't recall.

He forcefully pulls himself back to address Bella. He couldn't keep lying to her. Bella deserved the truth. But it would hurt her once the words left his mouth. It would make everything more real to verbally acknowledge it.

"Bella. . ." Edward must have looked scared and pathetic in that moment. He could see his reflection in her golden eyes. Eyes he'd groan to begrudge. "I really don't know what's going on myself. . . but. . ." Sighing, he ignores the consequences that would follow. "I miss your humanness, Bella. Your softness. The warmth of your embraces. Your scent. . . It's-you're just- just not the same. And those were the parts that I fell in love with. Your humanity was what defined you. That delicate balance of strength and vulnerability that all comes with being mortal."

While he'd kept his tone as gentle as possible, that did little to stop the breaking of Bella's face as her lips curl and tremble. The delicate arch of her brows twitch in an attempt for restraint for despite all the emotions she was feeling, Bella's tear ducts no longer produced tears. As with all vampires.

A tremor passes through Bella. The essence of heartbreak etched itself on her face. "D-Do you still love me?"

In a moment of cowardice, Edward averts his gaze from her making the sorrow she felt boil into fury.

"Answer me, Edward. Do you still love me?" Her hands ball up into fists at her sides.

He struggles to find the words to encapsulate the complexities of his emotions.

The quietude of the cottage seemed to amplify the tension that hung between them.

Bella grits down on the back of her teeth, a burning force behind her eyes that made her desperate to cry. "After everything Edward. . ."

"I'm sorry Bella. . ."

[misc-obeyme]

If you're doing requests, can I get Solomon headcanons, theme "sightseeing in Devildom/Human World", genre is fluff or author's choice if easier.

Hello there, my friend!

Ahhh yes this is definitely fluff. And honestly I think that's the best genre for this prompt! Because imagine what a silly guy Solomon would be, taking you all over the place just to see you smile.

Thank you for participating!

COZY COMFORTS EVENT

GN!MC x Solomon sightseeing in the Devildom/human world

Warnings: none

When you tell Solomon that you want to do some sightseeing, you quickly find out that there are a lot of places an immortal sorcerer can take you. Across worlds, he knows all the best places to see and things to do. If you need him to tell you where he's taking you, he will. But left to his own devices, he'll keep every destination a secret. He loves to see the look of surprise on your face when he teleports you somewhere new.

In the human world, he takes you to famous places. He insists on selfies at the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China. But he also takes you to quiet, out of the way places. He shows you a field where he found a rare flower needed for magical potions. He brings you to the hill with a view of what was once his hometown. Solomon shares these pieces of his long life with you, from a time before he knew who you were.

Solomon takes you to some of his favorite restaurants in the human world, too. You're blown away by the delicious food. You're also unsurprised when one spot kicks you both out the minute the chef catches sight of Solomon. Apparently, he once tried to show them how they could improve one of their dishes and ended up making the oven explode. You let out a long suffering sigh while Solomon just takes your hand and runs, laughing the whole time.

He shows you places in the bright sunlight, but he also takes you to locations better experienced at night. Have you ever seen the aurora, MC? He knows the perfect arctic spot to huddle together and watch the bright colors on display in the sky. You may be freezing, but he keeps you warm with his own body and a little bit of magic. He can't resist adding a little magical flare of his own to the aurora's display.

Although he's spent a lot of his life in the human world, Solomon has spent considerable time in the Devildom as well. He will tell you stories about his journey through the rings of the Underworld, though he will insist that you needn't walk through them yourself. He can teleport you to any place of interest. He's more likely to take you to hidden marketplaces and tiny magic shops. You find a plethora of cursed objects and spell books. You try to talk him out of buying you an item that makes your eyes sparkle when you look at it, but it's useless. Nothing you could say will dissuade him.

Solomon shows you places in the Devildom that you never knew existed, but he also takes you to places you may have heard about already. He sneaks you into the Demon Lord's Castle in an attempt to get past Barbatos long enough to show you the rumored torture dungeon. Once again you find yourself laughing as Solomon is promptly kicked out. You're pretty sure Barbatos pretended not to notice you for a short time because you got farther in that you expected.

Although he is no fan of the ocean, Solomon also takes you to a hidden beach within the Devildom. The water is black beneath the moon and starlight. Solomon holds your hand, keeping you close as you stand upon the shore, his eyes out far across the sea. And then, slowly, small lights appear. They begin to pop up more rapidly until the edge of the water is full of bright blue and purple lights. They glimmer gently as they ripple along the waves. Solomon tells you about a Devildom sea creature that only shows up at certain times. You're so entranced, you're barely listening. But Solomon turns you to look at him in the soft light. The way it plays in his silver hair makes your breath catch.

Solomon will take you anywhere you want to go. Just say the word and he'll make it happen, whether in the Devildom or the human world. He loves to see you full of awe and wonder, the way you look at him with delight brightening your features. As long as he can stay beside you, Solomon will go wherever you might lead him.

cozy comforts | masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[1000sunnygo]

The fun thing about long running series is that you can trace a character's narrative evolution in real time.

The Law we saw pre-timeskip clearly aimed for One Piece.

Unless it was an elaborated lie to his crewmates (which I guess is the in-series explanation at the moment), it's safe to assume that his D lineage and self assigned suicidal mission didn't exist as a concept back then. The goal is eventually re-established with a context.

While drawing, I assumed Kidd would become important, but I didn't think LAW would move forward like that. So it's youu?? 😱

Weekly serialization, it's a Wonderland.

Weekly serialization means adding oomph on micro scale. I have a particular theory extrapolated from this statement: Law's introduction in Punk Hazard wasn't planned at all.

It might sound far fetched for how integral Law is to Punk Hazard's plot. But it's not an uncommon event, and not just in One piece. Editors often suggest heavy changes to accommodate strong cliffhangers and quick surprises. Eleven supernova were created because early Shabondy lacked oomph, Law might have appeared in Punk Hazard for the same reason.

Even without Law, the straw hats would've anchored in Dressrosa to save Kanjurou, Zou to reunite with Raizo, and in Wano to escort their friends back home. Law just happened to have something going on in all of these places.

I think both Law and Kidd's post timeskip debut was planned to be in Wano arc. Law's competitive dynamic with Kidd and Luffy in Wano is more consistent with Shabondy than anything that came before.

Doflamingo was initially one of Kaido's strongest allies to be defeated within Wano country (confirmed in volume 98 SBS). It means Dressrosa was entirely different from what we got.

Given the similarity in their Jolly Roger, Oda may have always planned Law to be Doflamingo's ex-subordinate with a complicated history, keeping his and Doflamingo's conflict reserved for Wano. But Law was popular, resourceful and the story needed a boost after a monotonous Fishman Island arc. Thus, Law gets his early screentime that snowballs into a dramatic Dressrosa arc. I'm sure Oda didn't mind.

Tldr, I think this is how it went down: Oda decides that Kidd and Law would return and fight alongside Luffy in Wano -> Punk hazard is written and introduces Kinemon -> Punk Hazard falls bland and editor pesters Oda to bring Law early -> Law appears and proposes an alliance, so the plot is now directly chained to Wano -> Oda realizes ope ope makes a good device to explain Imu's immortality -> Oda makes Law a D as he's now connected to endgame plot.

Even if the theory above is wrong, it's a fact that Law was not a part of the bigger picture but became unexpectedly relevant. To work with him, Oda had to figure the smaller details of his personality slowly as the story progressed; such as his honesty and the suicidal tendency.

Law roped straw hats into his revenge scheme while deep down wanting them to leave Dressrosa safe and unharmed. But Law in the draft for this scene looks more... certain. Maybe Robin wasn't wrong to suspect Law after all.

I guess, by the time Oda actually reached the scene, the shadiness didn't suit his personality anymore. Corazon would not approve.

Wano Law was the best written Law. His personality was fully ironed out, not just the revived rivalry with Luffy-Kidd but also a reluctance to be nice while time and time proving it's mostly just talks. It's a mix of his personality traits that were decided at his very introduction and the later decided improvisations.

This post was getting too big and derailed so I had to cut it short lol. Maybe I'm reaching with my speculations but it was a fun topic to brainstorm about.

Edit: Here's a bit of extension of this theory.

[tcfactory]

Okay, random 1 am idea:

In the earliest of Airplane-bro's drafts, Luo Binghe's sidekick was a sneaky spy ice demon with teleportation powers. A real overworked backstabbing ladder-climber type. He was supposed to bide his time and then try to double-cross Binghe when the protagonist got his eyes on the ancestral power of the north, because Luo Binghe was a shitty boss to him and trying to take what should have been his birthright was the last straw. (Overworked, underappreciated backstabbing sidekicks may or may not have been a common trope at the time he started writing, but also incredibly relatable, even if his betrayal was doomed to failure by the narrative.)

But then the direction of the story started getting out of Airplane's hands (gotta please the readers after all) and he really wanted to have something for himself, so the original Ice Demon Sidekick TM got split into the current Author's Favorite Mobei-jun and sneaky spy waving deathflags OG!Shang Qinghua. Then, because by then OG!Shang Qinghua was long dead in the story, Airplane ended up simply reusing the original concept/personality for Linguang-jun (after some nerfs of course) and the ancestral power storyline got revamped for Mobei-jun's personal story.

As a direct side effect of this, Linguang-jun and OG!Shang Qinghua are extremely similar in personality and, because overworked author put more of himself into the overworked spy's character than he realized, he's also quite similar to Airplane-as-Shang-Qinghua.

From there it takes one accidental meeting for him to gain some insight into Linguang-jun's motivations (quite logical, if you ask Airplane, but that might just be the authorial bias speaking) and then a spur of the moment decision to go: you know what? None of this has any effect on Binghe and his general... everything, so why shouldn't he be allowed to fix the Mobei family drama before it can escalate to murder attempts? Having two crafty schemers instead of just one would only benefit his king, after all. (This has nothing to do with him having weekly meetings / venting sessions with Linguang-jun, nothing at all I say.)

But then it does end up mattering. Maybe Sha Hualing's demon invasion doesn't happen. Maybe the attack on the Immortal Alliance Conference is so well-organized that the Old Palace Master dies. Maybe Linguang-jun recognizes Binghe as Tianlang-jun's kid and the whole thing turns into a kidnapping instead. There are plenty of options, but in short: the story goes way off the rails, all because Shang Qinghua managed to make Mobei-jun and Linguang-jun set their conflict aside and work together as a team.

He doesn't exactly mind it, as such. He's much less overworked and his king is happy and it's all probably going to be fine. That's all he needs, really. The details can work themselves out over time.

[creators-lounge]

✏️ Creators' Content ✏️

This post is for anyone who is curious about our server members' content, and to share a lot of suggestions for people to check! 💕

Since Tumblr is a website that mostly depends on reblogs, everyone is welcomed to reblog to give these amazing creators a well deserved boost!

Remember to also encourage other content creators as well, you may make someone's day with a silly reblog or comment!

Note: This post might be edited depending on the members' information, comic updates, projects updates, etc, so check the original post instead of reblogs.

Note 2: This is a private server for plenty of reasons, we do not accept requests nor petitions to join, so we would be grateful if you do not put that pressure on our mods or on our members. Sorry in advance, and hope you still enjoy all of our artworks! You may check our QnA for a better explanation if you'd like, too.

v Members' Comics Section v

ALIVE by @tatatale

> First Chapter

A L I V E is not an AU as such, but a buch of characters from different AUs and timelines who decided that they'll form an AU. So it's technically an AU, but no. Enjoy.

Bovid-20 by @hansama

> First Chapter

Bovid-20 is a (very short) suspense mystery comic that tells the story of a home invasion in the middle of a lock-down. You are the main character of the story.

Bitty Problems by @theskeletongames

> First Chapter

A comic featuring bitties with Sanses, primarily focusing on Underfell Sans and his bitty

Delivery! by @anovainspace

> Comics

Three out!codes from collapsing alternative universes came together to one void, all just wanting to obtain access to the multiverse for their end goal; therefore, they created an alibi to not create suspicion for wandering around different places. Setting up a pen paling system for others to contact each other through mail and delivering said mail. 

Don't Forget by @zirkkun

> First Chapter

“Don’t forget us. We’re with you in the dark.” After years of abandonment, the Undertale multiverse has been mysteriously shrouded in darkness. there only remains one survivor by the name of Ink… but despite a faint hope from everyone who died that everything can return to normal, he’s forgotten all the pieces to restore the multiverse back to what it once was.

Flicker of a Neon Soul by @harmonytre

> First Chapter

Since the beginning of time, monsters have had colored souls. Only the royal family's soul could change color. That is, until two young skeletons find their colors.

How to greet a new pal by @theskeletongames

> First Chapter

A crossover comic with Sans falling into Underfell.

Idoltale by @nekojaf

> First Chapter

Idol and her friends go on a big multiverse adventure after a new and strange Force threatens their universes.

Impostortale by @s3-izures

> Masterpost

Armed with an obsession for masks and semi-immortality, a shapeshifter roams the multiverse in search of roles to fill, missions to complete, and shenanigans to commit.

Non-Lethal AU by @s3-izures

> Masterlist

A certain Destroyer has been found... except this one doesn't seem to be destroying anything so far. In fact, he seems like a bit of a wimp, doesn't he?

Paper Crane by @little-noko

> First Chapter

Where timelines and lives ends, in the void are countless shattered souls struggling to remain alive and come back to the living world they came from. A being without a name gather them to form a single entity, with nowhere to go, they found themselves traveling endlessly to make sense of who they are and why they are here.

Prismtale by @harmonytre

> First Chapter

Havana, Sans, Scarf Mouse, Bob, Monster Kid, Fuku Fire, and Ficus Licker are thrust into an adventure they'll never forget. Will they find a way home? How will they deal with their new powers? Who on earth is PC?

Save!tale by @mumder

> First Chapter

Sans is stuck in a ruthless loop of genocide runs. Except after the 678th reset, he for some reason awakens with all his memories, including one that haunts him - the image of a star. This fixation slowly drives him insane, as he becomes obsessed with becoming the epitome of determination.

Spitetale by @nosebleed-inglishera

> First Chapter

After several genocidal routes, everyone in the Underground started to remember, causing monstersto fearing for the next time they get killed again. Will Frisk take the choice to finally save everyone and fix their mistakes?

Timetale by @allesiathehedge

> Prologue

Seven hundred years after they were sealed underground, monsterkind still hopes that they would one day return to the surface. Not only does Sans have to worry about finding a solution to destroy the barrier on behalf of the King, but he also has to face a ghost of a past that he sorely wanted to keep buried. Will Sans be able to make peace with himself, his duties, and his failed love? Only time will tell...

Underlust Reimagine by @zirkkun

> First Chapter

An Underlust AU that takes a spin on the original concept to present a thematically similar story, but with some slightly different aspects that have led some of the characters to take different roles.

Under/Source by @slylock-syl

> First Chapter

After a virus wielding hacker threatens to cause chaos throughout other universes, Necros takes it upon himself to track them down and protect anyone he can along the way.

Underwizard by @susartwork

> Prologue

Humans began hunting monsters to gain great magical powers from their souls. After a huge massacre, seven human wizards decide to seal the monsters underground with a magic spell. Hundreds of years later a human child appears, determined to free all the monsters and save them from a new threat.

Unitale by @toky502

> First Chapter

Unitale (An alternate tale) is a comic of an alternative and altered version of many other stories from other undertale au's together, is just an alternate tale more.

Various comics by @wr-n

> Masterpost

> Eldritch AU

> Dust comics

Dust Comic is a comic following the Bad Sanses as they look for a way to cure Dust of his lethal dose of Determination and LV.

Members Projects and WIPs

Blocking Sans by @samess-moon (Twitter)

Damaged tale by @6nimus9

Damaged tale is an Alternate Timeline of Undertale that takes place in a frozen post-genocide timeline where only o̸n̵e̷ ̵c̸h̷a̷r̷a̶c̵t̷e̸r̸ remains, basing its concept in how consequences can strike back.

Encantale by @codeyspace

The Human vs Monster war ended a millenium ago. Monsters trapped in the underground with hope and magic. What should've led to their extinction was instead replaced by something... enchanting.

Escort Mission by Yoki-Doki (DeviantArt)

Way before the events of Undertale, even before the war between humans and monsters, a little girl lost her way in the monster kingdom. This is the quest to help her return home.

Flowerfield AU / Ask Sunflower by @asksunflower / @tatatale

This is an ask blog about a silly guy who acts like a cat and a goat king, but is actually a skeleton. He likes flowers and tea, and sometimes things happen.

Herb by @omero-megane (Twitter)

LAU by @nixensibrat

Lonertale by @blvdcharms

Lonertale is an AU revolving around a medieval, single-most pacifist timeline where war between humans and monster is post-poned up until the main cast of characters are young adults. Follow Asriel and his friends as they go on to protect monsterkind.

Storyteller by @cursedmuii (Twitter)

“I exist based on the will of stories. I have no place to return, no name, or age, but I am called Storyteller... Come here with me, I can take you everywhere with the stories I tell… only you listen to them.”

Strays AU by @stoukadraws

“Give me your hopes and dreams, and I shall grant you true salvation.” An unknown human falls into Mt. Ebott, and begins their journey through the Underground...But something is off. Will they discover what’s truly going on behind the scenes?

Undereats by @sui-imi (Twitter)

A food delivery service that works with restaurants across the multiverse. It's run by a Gaster called Exec. They work together with - and are located in - Commercetale, an AU where trades and sales empower monster magic.

Underforgotten by @nezu-tan

Undergut by @theartist-june (Tw. Gore)

Undergut is an AU where hunger makes for desperate times. It’s not that there is no food… it’s that food could barely sustain, could barely satisfy. Magic is not enough. We need more… more…! Will you be able to survive the hunger?

UnderREM by @socksandbuttons (And @/ohlookanothercartoontofallinto)

Dreamtale with dreams and the cast of Undertale.

Underrewind by @wishingstarinajar

A comic and fanfiction/short stories are currently in the works to tell the story about Rewind, the main protagonist of this AU.

Undervalue by @6nimus9

Monsters, instead of getting trapped down by a magic barrier, are trapped directly by humans, who after winning the war started by greed have decided to take advantage of the monsters’ ability to create precious stones and gems of different values.

Wickedtale by @alch3mic (AO3) (Read Tw's.)

WICKEDTALE is a reader insert fairytale inspired Undertale AU set in the twisted Ebott City. As one of its many unfortunate inhabitants, do you have what it takes to survive in such a wretched town surrounded by secrets and misery? Well, luckily for you there seems to be a certain skeleton in your life who will go to any lengths to assure your happy ending together.

Great artist you should check anyway!!

@bloowe-blu - @lazzlady - @minaruzi- @normalayasstuff - @sanssupremacy - @shenzcorner

Other fandoms content!

@galaxii-star (Multifandom) - RazzyPossum (FNAF) - @jadenskyfare

[blanketbvby]

i have an idea i think is cute/cool, feel free to ignore of course!

can i get fluff hcs or a drabble of a yandere solomon w a willing mc who trusts him blindly and trusts no one else?

Super short, I wrote this during class :(

Also super sorry this is crazy late, I've been on a tight schedule and haven't had the time to sit and think about how I'd write this so it's rushed and messy, I may come back to this and edit it to be longer in a few days

Also this is less yandere and more possessive, mainly because I don't see him as a very violent yandere, more just possessive or manipulative

yandere!Solomon x trusting!darling

Brief warning for mentions of body horror to a child (made up story by the slimy bastard /aff)

★—–-

"Mammon tried to make a pact with me. Said it was to keep me safe."

A still pause occurred.

"And did you?" The sorcerer's eyes raked over the room to your curled up form, sat on the bed with a blanket in your lap and book in your hand.

The sigil on the back of your neck burned with the masked fury of the immortal, and you gave a snort despite the discomfort.

"Who do you take me for?" Silence envelopes the room once again as Solomon blinked before smiling eyes narrowing a sliver. He nods in silent approval as he stands from his chair.

A hand ghosts the back of your neck, and the magically tattooed figure on the skin soothed as his anger dissipated. He hummed and cupped it, your head bowing along to accommodate the action.

"My good, adorable apprentice." You shudder softly.

Yes, that's how it'd been for quite some time now. Sure, it was wrong. You weren't stupid. But you merely didn't care.

Chapped lips pressed into. Yours with a thumb tilting your chin, and your eyes shut as you feel the familiar warmth of a spell being cast on you. Solomon never told you what it was. That's how it always was, and how it'd always be.

When the kiss ended, the warmth faded and settled deep into your bones. You'd come to associate this particular warmth with protection.

The sorcerer was all yours, and no amount of prying or pushing from otherworldly beings such as the demons who'd kidnapped you or the angels who were too kind would ever have him slipping away from you.

He certainly wouldn't let you go without a fight, anyways.

- There is no doubt in my mind Solomon would be a casually possessive yandere. He'd thrive if you were so trusting towards him, and would get a power trip if it's only him you seem to trust

- I like to imagine he'd have taken advantage of the immediate mistrust that came with the whole "summoned into another world by stranger demons who claim this and that" to swoop you off your feet. After all, wouldn't you trust the only human around?

- the sigil on the back of your neck is like a pact I like to think, something he has to mark you as his. It burns and warms with his emotion like one, too, so if he's mad it'll get uncomfortably hot and if he's happy, it'll simmer down

- he'd definitely cast magic on you without telling you what it is, though. I picture him doing anything from tracking spells to minor love spells (as needed if needed at all) to wards to get otherworldly beings to back off

- you probably still live at the HoL officially, but you definitely spend your time with him 24/7

- after all, who knows what those rotten demons may do to you if you're not kept safe and sound? You certainly don't trust the people who kidnapped you, and Solomon feeds into that by sharing stories of all the bad things demons have done to him and others

- speaking of, he'd probably not be the kind of yandere to get his hands dirty, I imagine he'd wind up probably being a lot more manipulative and let his magic do the trick

- oh, a demon offered you something that was supposedly human safe, but you didn't take it anyways? Smart choice, has he told you of the time one of those pathetic monsters offered a child candy that melted the poor kid's insides?

- he'd be possessive, manipulative, and would definitely twist stories to keep you relying on the only human around— him

[bunni-v1]

Diasomnia request: Reader was born in Titan time (before the gods. When the earth was still very fresh) reader's father had committed a terrible crime, which is why he was cursed to never die, to be punished forever for his crime. However, he managed to get the curse passed to Reader. How do the Diasomnia people react to the fact that Reader can never die? And that they have experienced everything that has happened so far (wars,etc) (you can write for the other dorms too If you want.)

Diasomnia's Immortal Reader

TW: Mild Swearing, Sebek being a dick, Talking about lifespans

Info: Headcanons; Malleus, Lilia, Silver, Sebek x Reader (can be read as either romantic or platonic)

Summary: In the title

🍓I really should've thought about my situation more before opening this account. School is rough, I hardly get a break, and when I do I want to spend it with my friends and relax. I'm hoping I can dedicate myself to writing more, so I decided to try out something short and sweet to kickstart my ass back into it. Thank you for requesting <3

Malleus Draconia 🐉

Pleasantly surprised.

You’re not secretly Fae, are you? Some kind of… monster? No? Hmm… how curious.

He could probably find a way to lift the curse if you wanted…

He could definitely lift the curse.

He just finds you endlessly amusing. Humans are fascinating… immortality isn’t exactly a curse in his eyes, but you dislike it. Peculiar.

Once it’s explained why you have this curse he understands why you’re so upset by it, but he’s still naive and young. He doesn’t see the full extent of what immortality has done to you.

He’s a little… overwhelming with his curiosity about things. He has a ton of questions, and he asks them.

Wants to see if you know anything about the history of Gargoyles that he doesn’t. (You definitely don’t.)

Most of his questions center around the war — his family namely. He wants to know an outsider's take on what happened, how his grandmother came to power, his parents passing… everything.

He’s never met a human like you. You’re practically a dream come true for this goofball.

Lilia Vanrouge 🦇

Oh! How interesting!

Immortal humans, now that’s a rare sight. Not that it’s impossible, it’s just that humans aren’t usually… immortal. 

His curiosity to your past may be more overwhelming than Malleus. Question after curious question. 

He’s never met someone like you! He’s usually the oldest, wisest one around. It’s a very nice change of pace to have someone… ahem… his age to talk to.

It isn’t unlikely that he’s heard about your story before, he just never had a face to the poor cursed soul.

He feels bad for you, and if you asked he could find a way to lift your curse somehow, but respects you if you don’t want it lifted.

Lots of discussing about history with him, and he enjoys hearing your opinions on how humanity and fae society evolved over the years.

He makes you feel normal about your situation, because his situation isn’t too different.

Silver ⚔️

Like his father? 

Thats his first thought.

His second thought is confusion because… you’re human? Wtf?

After his initial shock… he’s pretty cool about it. I mean, he was raised by practically immortal creatures it isn’t too big of a shock to him.

Not a big question asker. 

He understands that you have your own story, you don’t owe him any explanation and if you want him to know you’ll tell him.

When you do, he’s like… damn. 

You’re invited to family dinners. Lilia won’t be cooking, he promises that.

Family is a core part of who you are, and your’s was shitty. You don’t deserve that, so let him be your new one! Lilia sure would love to have you around.

He never calls to attention your extended life line, or your past, or anything that might make you feel strange. He’s just someone you can be you around.

Sebek Zigvolt ⚡️

Annoying ass mother fucker <3

Assumes that you’re fae, a bit of an odd one, but that explains your immortality.

Jaw DROPS to the floor when he learns you are human. Biggest, most dramatic gasp you’ll ever hear from his ass.

It doesn’t make any sense to him, you’re gonna have to explain it to him to get him to calm down.

Then… he’s sorta an asshole about it. It’s Sebek. What do you expect?

Definitely says something like ‘Of course a human got themselves cursed!’

Truly though, and he won't admit this, he’s just as curious as his fellow Diasomnia members about you.

Probably tries to ask Lilia about you and gets pushed back in your direction.

He comes to respect you in a way. I mean, sure you’re human, but you’re immortal and have a lot of life experience. You can’t be all that useless after all these years.

[imakemywings]

Analysis of Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth

The Athrabeth is one of those things which spawns endless fandom discussion, but a lot of it seems to misunderstand what's going on in Andreth and Finrod's discussion, which is understandable. There's a lot going on and the language can be difficult. Athrabeth serves two purposes: 1) on a meta level, it is Tolkien exploring the differing fates and beliefs of the peoples of Middle-earth; and 2) on a textual level, Finrod is both having a cultural exchange with and seeking to comfort Andreth about the loss of Aegnor, his brother whom she loved. The two discussions are necessarily tied together, because Andreth's bitterness and anger over the mortal fate of Men (which she believes to be unnatural, imposed on them by Melkor) is tied into her feelings about losing Aegnor.

I want to focus on the relationship we're shown between Andreth and Finrod.

The Cultural Exchange

Finrod first engages Andreth, a wise woman among her people, in a conversation about the beliefs and mythologies of the Beorians. I have often seen Finrod criticized for being condescending here, and while I suppose you could read that attitude into it, I don't. When Andreth accuses the Elves of condescension, of considering Men beneath them, Finrod agrees with her:

"Alas, you speak near the truth," said Finrod. "At least of many of my people; but not of all, and certainly not of me."

He freely admits many Elves wouldn't bother with Men because they do consider them "creatures of less worth." But Finrod is among Men, asking questions about their culture and their belief system, because it interests him. From the very beginning, the story tells us Finrod's interest in Men and their culture is genuine, whether or not Andreth believes that.

Finrod (son of Finarfin, son of Finwë) was the wisest of the exiled Noldor, being more concerned than all others with matters of thought...and he was eager moreover to discover all that he could concerning Mankind.

And he seems to respect Andreth as a keeper of her people's knowledge, even if he doesn't always agree with it. The story very much sets them up both as respected individuals among their peoples, with even the Elves acknowledging Andreth's intelligence and knowledge:

[Andreth] was wise in thought, and learned in the lore of Men and their histories; for which reason the Eldar called her Saelind, 'Wise-heart'.

This exchange between them has always come off as one of deep respect on both sides, to me. It is precipitated by Finrod's grief for the death of Boron, a lord of the Beorians, and his struggle with the seemingly short lives of Men. He and Andreth compare the views of the world of their respective species and share beliefs that each side has in the nature of the world.

A number of things Andreth says Finrod knows are false, because he grew up in Aman, he's met the Valar. But even where he challenges her assertions--such as her belief that Men were not always mortal, but were made so by Morgoth--it isn't done with some effort to triumphantly prove her wrong, but rather advising caution or offering a different perspective.

"Beware of the chaff with your corn, Andreth! For it may be deadly: lies of the Enemy that out of envy will breed hate. Not all the voices that come out of the darkness speak truth to those minds that listen for strange news."

And there is a deep bitterness and resentment that arises around the notion that Morgoth robbed Men of their rightful immortality. It absolutely comes through in Andreth's tone throughout Athrabeth. It must be very easy for mortals to perseverate on this rather than taking mortality as the natural state of being and processing it through that lens. Andreth resents that she is mortal, and she sees her mortality (imposed on her by Melkor) as the reason she could not have Aegnor.

Andreth and Finrod like and respect each other enough to have a discussion/debate like this and still consider each other a friend at the end. Further along, Finrod even suggests Andreth may not be entirely wrong, but is deeply troubled by the notion that Morgoth could be powerful enough to do such a thing. In short, he is listening to Andreth, and while her assertions may not immediately make sense to him, he considers them and how they might impact a person's view of the world.

Andreth too, allows for some flexibility in belief:

"You speak strange words, Finrod," said Andreth, "which I have not heard before. Yet my heart is stirred as if by some truth that it recognizes even if it does not understand it."

While each of them already has their own ideas about the world and their species' relationship with each other and with death and hope, they listen to one another. They aren't simply arguing to prove themselves right--they are having a genuine discussion (which necessitates being willing to oppose each other on some things). Amid the discussion on mortality and the nature of death for Elves and Men, she says this:

"Hope, that is another matter, of which even the Wise seldom speak." Then her voice grew more gentle. "Yet, Lord Finrod of the House of [Finarfin], of the high and puissant Elves, perhaps we may speak of it anon, you and I."

There is some culture clash between them, as some of their views and beliefs are mutually exclusive, but although their discussion gets emotional at some points, it never, to me, feels mean or disrespectful. Here was a clear spot for Andreth to cut off the conversation if she felt talked down to, or upset, but instead she encourages it to continue. They may occasionally get intense with their discussions (Andreth does shed tears at a few points)--and Athrabeth implies in my view that this is not the first of these cultural discussions they've had--but they still like each other.

And that is part of the key to the Athrabeth for me--they are friends.

In the days of the peace before Melkor broke the Siege of Angband, Finrod would often visit Andreth, whom he loved in great friendship...

He comes to her in friendship, and goes out of his way to speak with her about the end of her relationship (whatever it was--the text isn't clear on that) with Aegnor. He opens this talk by asking her about things Andreth is known to be knowledgeable about--paying respect to her wisdom, and regarding her intellect highly enough to even have such a debate. He wants to understand her perspective on the world, and it does shape her reaction to her relationship with Aegnor.

Finally, Andreth, for her part, seems like she would be more than willing to tell Finrod to fuck off if she didn't like him or didn't want to talk or felt like he was being an ass. This is not a soft-spoken person; she is very upfront with Finrod when she wants to be. The fact that she continues to engage him both in the discussion about Mannish beliefs and about Aegnor suggests to me that she also considers him a friend, or at least that she feels generally amiable towards him

Explaining Aegnor's Choice

The other big criticism of Finrod that seems to come out of Athrabeth stems from this effort, which often seems to be a misunderstanding that Finrod is making an argument that Aegnor made the right choice, which is not at all how I read this discussion.

However, before that, I do want to say: Aegnor was not wrong to leave Andreth. There is, to me, an uncomfortable fandom attitude that Aegnor was obliged to stay with Andreth because she loved him, or that he somehow wronged her by choosing not to be in a relationship with her. No one is obliged to be in a romantic relationship they don't want, no matter what the reasons are. That Aegnor loved Andreth does not mean he was forced to be with her. There were other considerations in his life and I don't think it was invalid of him to place those first. Neither is it invalid of Andreth to be bitter about it--especially considering where she starts this discussion.

Andreth, early on, still believes that the reason Aegnor left her is because she isn't an Elf--that she isn't immortal. She talks about how she wouldn't have made herself a burden to him in her old age, how she would have only given him her youth, etc. She is 48 at the time of Athrabeth.

"I was young and I looked on his flame, and now I am old and lost. He was young and his flame leaped towards me, but he turned away, and he is young still. Do candles pity moths?"

You can see here her anguish over her own mortality, which ties irrevocably into her anguish over losing the love of her life. What Finrod tries to tell her is that it was nothing about Andreth that ended it. Aegnor's decisions were not based on his feelings about Andreth or her mortality, but on various cultural factors among the Elves (such as their disinclination to marry during wartime) and his obligations, in his mind, towards the war against Morgoth. Finrod tells her that "if his heart ruled" Aegnor would have run off with Andreth, but that he chose to put his duty above his desire for her.

"Adaneth, I tell thee, Aikanar the Sharp-flame loved thee. For thy sake he will never take the hand of any bride of his own kindred, but will live alone to the end, remembering the morning in the hills of Dorthonion."

He isn't trying to say "Aegnor made the right choice" or "Elves shouldn't marry mortals" but he is trying to give her context for a decision that's already been made. Aegnor is already gone; Finrod is trying to relieve Andreth of feeling that it was somehow her fault, or that she didn't live up to Aegnor's expectations.

"Then why did he turn away? Why leave me while I had still a few good years to spend?"

"Alas!" said Finrod. "I fear the truth will not satisfy thee..."

Here, he gives the explanation about customs of the Eldar and marriage, and about Elves and memory (specifically about how Aegnor, as an Elf, may prefer to dwell in the happiness of their memories rather than proceed to a grim future). Andreth does not seem especially comforted by this. It's understandable. Andreth is very bitter, and not unfairly: She's bitter that her people are mortal while Finrod's are not; she's bitter that this mortality (in her mind) cost her the man she loved; she's bitter that Aegnor left her. Andreth's life has been hard: it's very understandable that she's angry about it. So it makes sense that Finrod's words don't really reach her where she is now. She isn't ready for that; she's still dealing with all of these other feelings. But I do believe that someday, this conversation will mean something to her. Someday, when Andreth is older and has more distance, I think it will mean something to her that Aegnor loved her, and that it was duty, not contempt, that kept him from her.

Finrod does express belief that marriage between Men and Elves is destined to be sorrowful, but this isn't an illogical position from the half of the equation doomed to live on without their partner, or from one of a species who may literally die from grief. Naturally Andreth thinks of how she could have spent her youth with him at least, while Finrod thinks of how much pain Aegnor would have been in as Andreth grew old and neared death.

"I would not have troubled him, when my short youth was spent. I would not have hobbled as a hag after his bright feet, when I could no longer run beside him!"

"Maybe not," said Finrod. "So you feel now. But do you think of him? He would not have run before thee. He would have stayed at thy side to uphold thee. Then pity thou wouldst have had in every hour, pity inescapable. He would not have had thee so shamed."

It is also relevant that they both speak, on this matter, in ignorance. Neither of them has experienced or even seen a marriage of mortals and Elves (none occurs before Finrod's death in Tol-in-Gaurhoth). They are both speaking only from the heart, from what they feel would be true about it. It's also relevant to remember the decision has been made. Finrod is perhaps trying to explain how hard the marriage would have been in part to make Andreth feel better about its nonexistence, because he knows Aegnor will not go back on his choice.

And on some level, Finrod sees that he isn't going to radically change her view on this one visit, and that's when he backs off.

"And what shall I remember?" said she. "And when I go to what halls shall I come? To a darkness in which even the memory of the sharp flame has been quenched? Even the memory of rejection. That at least."

Finrod sighed and stood up. "The Eldar have no healing words for such thoughts, adaneth," he said... He took her hand in the light of the fire. "Wither will you go?" she said.

Athrabeth ends on such a tender note, it has always in my mind contributed to seeing the conversation as an overall positive: that Finrod looks forward to seeing Andreth after death, that he places himself--almost tentatively (and what is the meaning of that em-dash, Tolkien?)!--alongside Aegnor in her future. He knows her time on Arda is short, compared to his own, but he doesn't want this to be the only time their souls have together. It ends with his holding her hand in her grief and giving her this blessing:

"Wither you go may you find light. Await us there: my brother--and me."

This is why I've always seen Athrabeth as such an intimate conversation which speaks to a deep level of friendship and respect between Andreth and Finrod. It deals with a lot of emotionally volatile things, which I think makes people inclined to see either of them (Andreth especially) as upset by the conversation, rather than the issues that they are discussing in it. But to me, again, that they were willing to have such a raw, open discussion with each other speaks volumes about how positively they see each other. They are so clearly trying to reach out to one another from two very different places in the world.

"Yes, Wise-woman, maybe it was ordained that we Quendi, and ye Atani, ere the world grows old, should meet and bring news to one another...indeed, that you and I, Andreth, should sit here and speak together, across the gulf that divides our kindreds..."

"Across the gulf that divides our kindreds!" said Andreth. "Is there no bridge but mere words?" And then again she wept.

They don't always make it, and sometimes they wound, but they are trying. And that counts for something.

[journeytothewestresearch]

Is Six Ears an Aspect of Sun Wukong?

I've seen some people claim that Six Ears is not an aspect of Sun Wukong's mind. They either ignore the references to "one mind" and "two Minds" (and the Buddhist philosophy behind them), or they just say it's allegory and nothing more. Well, there are actually internal story details from chapter 58 that support the close connection between the Monkey King and his doppelganger.

1) The Bodhisattva Guanyin and her “eyes of wisdom” (huiyan, 慧眼) can’t tell them apart:

The various deities and the Bodhisattva stared at the two for a long time, but none could tell them apart (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 106). 眾諸天與菩薩都看良久，莫想能認。 [And later:] Pressing his palms together, our Buddha said, “Guanyin, the Honored One, can you tell which is the true Pilgrim and which is the false one?” “They came to your disciple’s humble region the other day,” replied the Bodhisattva, “but I truly could not distinguish between them …” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 114). 我佛合掌道：「觀音尊者，你看那兩個行者，誰是真假？」菩薩道：「前日在弟子荒境，委不能辨 …

2) The tight-fillet spell works on both Monkeys:

Asking Moksa and Goodly Wealth [a.k.a. Red Boy] to approach her, the Bodhisattva whispered to them this instruction: “Each of you take hold of one of them firmly, and let me start reciting in secret the Tight-Fillet Spell. The one whose head hurts is the real monkey; the one who has no pain is specious.” Indeed, the two disciples took hold of the two Pilgrims as the Bodhisattva recited in silence the magic words. At once the two of them gripped their heads and rolled on the ground, both screaming, “Don’t recite! Don’t recite!” The Bodhisattva stopped her recital … (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 106). 菩薩喚木叉與善財上前，悄悄吩咐：「你一個幫住一個，等我暗念緊箍兒咒，看那個害疼的便是真，不疼的便是假。」他二人果各幫一個。菩薩暗念真言，兩個一齊喊疼，都抱著頭，地下打滾，只叫：「莫念，莫念。」菩薩不念 …

(If someone disagrees with this one, they need to show where it says Six Ears is faking the pain.)

3) Both the Jade Emperor and the imp-reflecting mirror can’t tell them apart:

Issuing a decree at once to summon Devariija Li, the Pagoda-Bearer, the Jade Emperor commanded: “Let us look at those two fellows through the imp-reflecting mirror, so that the false may perish and the true endure.” The devaraja took out the mirror immediately and asked the Jade Emperor to watch with the various celestial deities. What appeared in the mirror were two reflections of Sun Wukong: there was not the slightest difference between their golden fillets, their clothing, and even their hair. Since the Jade Emperor found it impossible to distinguish them, he ordered them chased out of the hall (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, pp. 107-108). 玉帝即傳旨宣托塔李天王，教：「把照妖鏡來照這廝誰真誰假，教他假滅真存。」天王即取鏡照住，請玉帝同眾神觀看。鏡中乃是兩個孫悟空的影子，金箍、衣服，毫髮不差。玉帝亦辨不出，趕出殿外。

4) Only omniscient beings like Investigative Hearing (Ksitigargbha's mount) and the Buddha can tell the two apart:

[T]he Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha said, “Wait a moment! Wait a moment! Let me ask Investigative Hearing to listen for you.” That Investigative Hearing, you see, happens to be a beast that usually lies beneath the desk of Ksitigarbha. When he crouches on the ground, he can in an instant perceive the true and the false, the virtuous and the wicked among all short-haired creatures, scaly creatures, hairy creatures, winged creatures, and crawling creatures, and among all the celestial immortals, the earthly immortals, the divine immortals, the human immortals, and the spirit immortals resident in all the cave Heavens and blessed lands in the various shrines, rivers, and mountains of the Four Great Continents. In obedience, therefore, to the command of Ksitigarbha, the beast prostrated himself in the courtyard of the Hall of Darkness, and in a little while, he raised his head to say to his master, “I have the name of the fiend …” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 112) …地藏王菩薩道：「且住，且住。等我著諦聽與你聽個真假。」原來那諦聽是地藏菩薩經案下伏的一個獸名。他若伏在地下，一霎時，將四大部洲山川社稷，洞天福地之間，蠃蟲、鱗蟲、毛蟲、羽蟲、昆蟲、天仙、地仙、神仙、人仙、鬼仙，可以照鑒善惡，察聽賢愚。那獸奉地藏鈞旨，就於森羅庭院之中，俯伏在地。須臾，擡起頭來，對地藏道：「怪名雖有…」。 [...] Smiling, Tathagata said, “Though all of you [Guanyin] possess vast dharma power and are able to observe the events of the whole universe, you cannot know all the things therein, nor do you have the knowledge of all the species” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 114). 如來笑道：「汝等法力廣大，只能普閱周天之事，不能遍識周天之物，亦不能廣會周天之種類也。」 […] [After the Buddha explains the ten categories of life and the four types of celestial primates (see the introduction here), he says:] As I see the matter, that specious Wukong must be a six-eared macaque … (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 115). 我觀假悟空乃六耳獼猴也 …

In short, the twin monkeys are so hard to tell apart simply because they are representations of the true and illusionary minds (refer back to the article) within the same person.

So what does this say about Shadowpeach? I know LMK is a separate entity from the novel, but applying canon to this ship would make it more self-love, right? I'm sure those with creatively perverted minds know what I'm taking about.

[justblades]

Hey I love love loveeeee everything that you wrote! Can you please write something about Blade being with a Herrscher so? Preferably one like Raiden Mei please ❤️❤️

blade x gender neutral! herrscher! reader

a/n : thank you so much <3 this took long since i have little knowledge about herrschers but i loved writing this and creating my own concept ! this is more of a how they became s/o, i hope you like it !

ask children what kind of superpower they would like - "invisibility!" "immortality!" "teleportation!" and those are the three most common answers to be anticipated from their young minds. every blessing is its own curse, immortality may be a gift for some but it will never not be a curse when it is bestowed upon someone - whether forcibly or willingly.

to vividly remember how cerise colors stream out of your wounds, to clearly recall how your guts spilled and adorned the bloodshed of a battlefield - to etch in your mind how you exactly died. for blade, it was never once a blessing. he continually waits for his day to come to an end, the threads of his patience tear off, thinning.

it was a trivial mission he was assigned to, trivial but still holds significance for the future he believes in: a future where he no longer exists to happen. his monotone steps close towards you, aura exuding of an alien's, someone who's not a part of this world; this universe. he brandishes his molten cracked sword once again, studying his opponent with alert eyes and a sharp mind.

however, once you finally take a swift turn to face him - he couldn't take any steps further. the atmosphere suddenly thickens, one that's capable of making him stop in his tracks and weigh his sinful body down. blade's eyes become two full solferino moons of shock, intimidated at the life form six meters away from his stature.

around you was a butterfly flittering its wings, a seemingly normal sight at first. a watchful enemy keeps their guard up at all times, and there he only see absurdities unravel: the butterfly ages quickly, it dies in an instant— but the once corpse becomes a larva as it is encompassed by black aura, a power you're wielding from your dominant hand. not just the feeble butterfly, but the things surrounding you as well: they crumble down, brought back into the materials they're made from, turning into a process of how they're molded, and so on. a never ending cycle.

upon blade's long years of waiting, he finally sees his end. a page from his chronicles that indicates it's finally the last. he kneels down, sword sheathed and laid just beside him: he lowers his head and closes his eyes voluntarily.

the herrscher of cycle. you wield capabilities to turn everything and everyone back to what they once were, may it be from a particular point of their lifespan's timeframe or back to nothingness at all. perhaps this is the future that blade awaits. you stride towards his kneeling figure, a daring smile sculpting your lips. "you're an interesting individual."

his brows knit as he looks up to meet your iridescent eyes, among the hundreds of colors commixing together, there lies a black hole, a void, nothingness within. "in my universe, there's a particular tea i took a liking to . . ." silence engulfs the whole place for a short moment, blade feels as if he's betrayed by his own tongue, unable of any utterance.

"since your eyes are pleading me to end your life— shall we spend your last moments relishing a favorite tea of mine?"

and before he knew it, he's wrapped around your pinky finger, inseparable as ever. he'd come to adore your habits, how words roll off your tongue, your stories that once bored him to death in every sip of the drink without full on realizing the corners of his lips tug upwards whenever he hears the chimes of your laughs.

fate really is a roller coaster of events - he always seeked his end and had one concept of final moments . . . perhaps all he needed is an interesting companion, and the end of his mundane perception finally vanishes.

[midnightsunnyday]

Random Headcanons About The World of Obey Me!:

Possible trigger warnings: mentions of self-harm and child birth.

Angels and demons don't age physically like humans, obviously. 100 years is roughly about one human year and so on. Lucifer, for example, existed before the beginnings of humanity and even time itself. Take that as you will.

Demons can't die. Technically. They can be injured, feel pain, even get sick, but they cannot experience "true death" as they will always regenerate themselves, regardless of the amount of time it takes to do so. However, during periods of intense physical trauma, they can return to what they call "the darkness before." It was once that Beelzebub experienced such a place after being seriously injured while protecting one of his brothers. When asked to describe it, the only answer he could give was simply, "boring."

That being said, there are ways to kill a demon, permanently, but doing so would require rather ancient and powerful magic, as well as finding a way to remove them from the cycle of creation itself. And the more powerful the demon, the harder it is to do. Demons like Barbatos, in this case, are virtually unkillable.

There are some demons who suffer through what is known as "cessation sickness." Symptoms include extreme fatigue, depression, migraines, bouts of forgetfulness, apeirophobia, and self-harm.

Children's television and interactive media in the Devildom is a bit more "eerie" than that of the human world. Think of Candle Cove or Fun with Amanda type of programs on the regular. What a human child or adult might see as disturbing is downright hilarious to a demon child. Speaking of children...

Demons, at least during certain occasions, are infertile. An immortal species has no need to consistently repopulate itself, after all. Yet every hundred years or so, demons do experience what is basically a mating season. The season lasts for only a moon, making the window to concieve very short. During this time, demons who are interested in baring children will build mating dens and perform certain rituals for their partners. Said experience is also very physically demanding and can take multiple, multiple attempts. Concieving a child, let alone bringing one to term, is not only rare but when successful, warrants a celebration that can last for days.

Demons who wish not to perform in said actions are offered alternatives. Substances that extinguish the need to mate are available during the season. It goes without saying that Lord Diavolo, Barbatos, Mephistophles, other royals, as well as the rest of the brothers, have found said alternatives mandatory...for obvious reasons.

Demon anatomy is...weird. Depending on the demon, there usually isn't one set amount of organs or parts, which makes Anatomy 101 even more confusing. Leviathan, for example, has three hearts (being kinda like a fish has its benefits).

When Diavolo closed the portals between realms, some demons were caught off from their main source of substance: human flesh and souls. Some either adapted, finding new ways to procure their energy, or went insane and needed to be exposed of (the incubi/ sucubi species were hit the hardest by this). Survival of the fittest is quite literal in the Devildom.

Demons weren't always like the ones you see now. Primordial demons were much more terrifying and closer to the ones most humans envision when they think of a devil. Most demons are capable of reverting to said forms, yet only under extreme circumstances.

Some may ask why exactly demons and angels look so close to mortals in appearance. One reason is that maintaining such a simple, bipedal form is easier for everyday mobility. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to walk through a door with hundreds of appendages or enjoy an iced latte when you're several stories tall or even hold a simple conversation without driving the person you're attempting to converse with into madness. Another reason is hunting, at least for demons. Luring in human prey is easier when they don't immediately run away screaming. And if you're one of "those types," mating. Let's just say things get messy and downright impossible when one partner doesn't have the proper biology.

Demons, for the most part, were always destructive, insatiable, and chaotic evil creatures. This began to change when certain primordial demons bred with other demons close in "emotional capacity" and created clans. Those clans eventually became kingdoms, and those who rule them now sit atop the hierarchy of the nine circles of hell. Lord Diavolo's ancestry, for example, leads back to the very beginnings of the Devildom and have stood there for eons.

The avatars are merely a physical representation of the sin that already exists within humans. They do not cause humans to sin just by merely being near them, though they can influence a sin if it's already there. Because of this, avatars are very good at sensing their sins and tend to be drawn to places that hold them the most. It's why Mammon and Asmodeus particularly love nightclubs.

Mammon tried his hand in the human stock exchange once and was found to be so good at it that he nearly collapsed the world economy. There's a reason Lucifer forbids Mammon from interfering with any human related trade or commerce.

Lucifer doesn't particularly care for most of his human created depictions in art or media. Satan also holds a slight gripe as well.

Lucifer, Belphegor, and Asmodeus have the ability to mimic voices. Asmodeus for...obvious reasons, Belphegor for more malicious purposes, and Lucifer only on rare occasions. Though when he's really spiteful, he'll use it to mimic MCs voice to draw Mammon out of hiding.

The brothers wonder how Belphegor, despite never seeming to work or...do much of anything, tends to have an ample amount of Grimm. Being known as the "demon of invention" has its perks. Along with being able to enter other's dreams, he can also influence those to pursue in certain endeavors that are bound to fail and lead nowhere (rather silly to bet on dreams with the avatar of sloth, huh)? When they inevitably do fail, Belphegor offers them a simple deal: a reasonable fee for the eternal, continuous, autonomous ownership of their soul. Most, of course, pay.

[yellosnacc]

bigger Central religion post

Journey of the lost souls by an unknown pilgrim

A scene from the story of the "crystal Head".

With the help of a "harpy", the great sinner crosses the bridge to the new land as their sea-born crystal body cracks under the weight of a thousand souls.

If they were to fail, the sky may become richer, but the Uniima will end.

This is a bigger central Foru uniima religion post. All the information here is about the central religion's beliefs, not the world's biology or physics.

Now let's get the context for the painting.

To leave the Physical, one must die at a ripe age so that their wisdom can be put to the test. The glowing triangles are the souls of uniima. They resemble a larva/white and are parasite-like in behavior. After a soul is released out of a body by premature death (or created) it holds onto someone (soul-binds) until it's passed into a new body. Soul bonded can be anything with a soul but uniima souls are picky in what they cling onto and usually pick a parental figure, a friend, or pupil. When the soul senses an empty unii-body, it moves in. Twins/triplets are considered 'one-soul' with special powers.

The one depicted to carry this soul mass is the uniiman spiritual leader/s (their historical body and events), sometimes called the Heads, but there's definitely a better name in the native language (slomen and O.s use this name). The Head/s existed for most of the religion's history and is the one to name the 'uniima' (translates "own-one-mind". It's the name of the central people. Because of historical events, it caught on between aliens as the species name). Head/s is immortal because of a "curse" set on them for breaching into the spiritual world thousands of years ago. Since this event, they have been changing bodies and fixing their sins until today. Nowadays, they are considered the wisest, mentally strongest, and morally cleanest soul - an inspiration for everyone (which keeps them in power over Central Foru among other things).

More about the current Heads.

This art comes from an early chapter, only a few hundred years after the creation of people. After the Head dooms the uniima by peaking into the Spiritual, society starts falling faster than it did ever before, finally resulting in the 'death of creature people'. This society was one of constant sin and destruction since no holy parts were remaining (too complicated, let's leave that for another time), so this scene is something of a strange bitter-sweet moment. With both the land and the people gone (yes, land too), the Head is once more reincarnated - being put into a body of melted sand and rock. They collect all the wandering souls unable to ascend and travel to a new land with the help of a half-uniima-half-animal who feels sorry for the people it shares a soul with. This journey is the first major lesson and soul-cleaning of the Head. Now, what is the thing in their jaws?

This motive is common in images with the Head, but it's not very realistic for the time period. These "flesh lists" worn on the lower tongue-hand are a modern-ish invention. People wear these on special occasions. They show all the past lives on a uniima and can get very long in high mortality areas (soul moves until a body reaches the desired age to be final-judged). The significance and uses of these in status get very complicated, but I will keep it simple. A short scarf/list makes one seem strong, with potential, being naturally gifted, and wealthy. A long scarf shows weakness, and a tendency to sin, but also patience, and a wise mind (which in many cases is the most important feature of a person).

In religious art, "scarfs" help mark chapters, but in "Journey of the lost souls" it's to depict the scale of the tragedy.

Lastly, the Heads' stomach. It shows them moving a large "hole" out of their body. This is symbolism for shedding a sin. It's said a mind and body should be able to naturally "regurgitate" any "object" out of their stomach, clean of the evil within it.

Bad nature - sins, bad thoughts (even physical stuff such as poison and drugs), is stored in the stomach. The "hungrier" you are the more evil you have to shed and the more you are controlled by this "evil hunger". Being flagged as a "stomach-thinker" is not calling you a food enjoyer but rather an insane/deranged person. However, some regions consider the stomach the default thinking center (what's a brain?), so it's more like a scale of good to bad stomach.

If anything needs more explaining or isn't explained properly, please inform me in the replies or send me an ask for a dedicated post. Thank you for reading this far <3

[sandraharissa]

To me the core theme of arcane is this specific type of conflict that repeats over and over again in all the main aspects of the story that centers around 'sibling relationships'.

Starting with the two cities. We have Piltover and the bad side of Piltover. Technically they're supposed to be one and the same but one is the 'golden privileged child' while the other is disadvantaged and needs to rely on the rich side of Piltover for support, they can't do it by themselves. And then the rich side of Piltover fails in its duties of taking care of/protecting/supporting/whatever the poorer side and a split happens. Zaun is created and it becomes so dangerous and volatile, it becomes a menace and an active threat to itself/the outside and there's no going back. It's the monster Piltover created and even tho the Undercity suffered unfairly at this point it has become so monstrous there may be no improvement/redemption for it.

And obvs that's the exact same thing that happens with Vander/Silco and Vi/Jinx. However it's also imo completely applicable to Jayce/Viktor and even Heimer/Singed. Jayce and Viktor will only reach their break-up era in future seasons but it's a given this will happen but I know I obvs need to explain the Heimer/Singed example.

Based on what we know about them Heimer is just naturally immortal/long-living, how lucky for him, and completely lacks any ability to relate to beings who from his perspective live short life-spans. Meanwhile Singed is just a human and on top of that he had a 10yo child who died from some kind of disease(maybe?). Currently he is obsessed with discovering immortality: experimenting on ppl, mutating them, resurrecting corpses etc. possibly in an attempt to find a way to heal/resurrect his daughter. And we know him and Heimer were partners and that Heimer didn't help him and threw him out of the university or smth for his research. So the exact same dynamic as the other pairs.

So notice how we've got the cities, and then each city has its storyline, and each storyline has a pair of protags who reflect the conflict between the cities, and then each pair also has the pair that preceded them which also reflects the same conflict. In Zaun all these connections are about family ties: brothers, sisters, fathers/daughters, with inherited political/social roles like the Piltover sympathizer and criminal/revolutionary. Meanwhile Piltover storyline connections are about 'progress': science buddies, mentors and students, with Jayce succeeding Heimer as the barely-scientist-moreso-a-politician and Singed/Viktor being mad scientists. We've even got zaunite 'older siblings' associating with Piltover and piltovan 'younger siblings' being from/associating with Zaun.

Just really nice parallels all around.

But I actually have an honorable mention to add here at the end lol.

Mylo and Claggor. Obvs they don't quite fit cos they never develop into this kinda dynamic and they were never meant to but I can't help but notice the similarities. Claggor being the pure hearted hero archetype, looking like Vander, naturally good fighter, seemingly lacking insecurities, seems like the 'second in command' after Vi (second best with the fighting machine, Vander speaks to him second to get info about what happened), meanwhile Mylo giving off 3rd child vibes, full of insecurities and needing to prove himself, physically looks like a stick bug, a bit of a bully, "weird" lock-picking talents that he struggles with and isn't respected for (like Singed/Viktor's science, Powder's bombs or Silco's dream) that are actually super useful and impressive (like he could have been robbing millions from Piltover banks if he got adopted by Silco instead lol).