#source: a conversation I overheard

[nixster627]

Wei Wuxian: Oh no! Jing Zixuan isn't here. Who will I bully now?

Wen Ning: You can bully me!

Wei Wuxian: *dramatic gasp* I would never!

[america-is-my-muse]

Britain and France take their kids sledding:

Britain: I'm not sure this is safe. I just saw three kids get smoked. France: They'll be fine. It builds character.

[theheavilycaffeinated4]

Pidge: Wow Keith i love the bubble letters and your autism

Keith pin freezing as he looks up: What was that last part

Pidge sweating: Your amazing attitude

[yjhariani]

Kid: Dad, do you have a mum, too?

Simon: I did.

Kid: Where is she?

Simon: [Carefully] In heaven.

Kid: [Innocently] Oh? She works there?

Simon: [Not even taken aback] Yes.

Y/N: [In the background, trying not to laugh].

Source: An irl conversation I overheard.

[astrojulia]

From the Underworld to the Surface: Your Connection to the Unseen World

I want to acknowledge that my perspective on this topic may be biased, but I'd like to share the reason why I write these kinds of posts, like I always like to point my point of view to other people who wants to know a little more. Pluto represents the underworld and themes related to death. Growing up in a family with umbanda as our religion, I learned to connect with the unseen world through the dead. I believe this is a common experience for many Brazilians, and our intuition and divination practices are closely tied to spirits, ancestors, and other intangible forces.

In this post, I aim to explore the connection between our intuition and the spiritual realm, using Pluto and its placement in the different astrological houses as a lens. In my view, Pluto's influence is highly relevant to spirituality and the mysteries of the unseen world.

Pluto in the 1st house: You have a natural inclination towards detecting subtle energies and hidden truths in your surroundings. Your piercing intuition allows you to see through facades and uncover what lies beneath the surface. You are someone who is not content with superficial explanations and always seeks to uncover deeper layers of meaning. Even when you are by yourself, you may experience a sense of being guided by an inner voice that communicates without words. This voice is your intuition, which can be both directive and forceful. You may feel a sense of urgency when your intuition speaks to you, as if you are being pushed to take action. You are a powerful agent of transformation, both for yourself and for those around you, and your presence can be both unsettling and captivating.

Pluto in the 2nd house: You have a heightened sensitivity to psychic energies that can manifest as inner voices or thoughts. These voices may have a distinct quality that feels different from your own internal monologue, and you may sometimes struggle to discern whether they originate from within yourself or from an external source. They sound alluring, almost sensual. You may have a natural talent for divination or other forms of psychic exploration, and may be drawn to exploring the mysteries of the unseen world, it’s like you want to make the “underworld” tangible in your life. At times, this sensitivity can be overwhelming, but it also gives you a unique perspective on the workings of the universe and the nature of reality.

Pluto in the 3rd house: You have a powerful extrasensory perception that allows you to pick up on subtle energies in your immediate environment. This heightened awareness can be both a blessing and a curse, as it may cause you to feel overwhelmed by the thoughts and emotions of those around you. However, it also gives you a unique ability to tune into the underlying currents of communication and receive information from unexpected sources. You may find that insights arrive to you at unexpected times, such as through casual conversation, overheard conversations, or even through automatic writing or other forms of divination. Your ability to access hidden information can be a powerful tool for personal growth and understanding, as well as for navigating the complexities of the world around you.

Pluto in the 4th house: Your psychological foundations are deeply intertwined with your intuitive and psychic abilities. You have a natural magnetism that attracts subtle energies and hidden truths, and may find yourself drawn to exploring the mysteries of the spiritual realm. Your connection to the unseen world is supported by a team of spirit guides who are always ready to offer protection, guidance, and warnings as needed. You may have a strong sense of home and family, and may feel a deep connection to your ancestral roots or the traditions of your culture. However, you may also experience intense emotional upheavals or power struggles within your family or domestic sphere, which can be a catalyst for personal transformation and growth. Through your connection to the spiritual realm, you have the potential to gain profound insights into the workings of the universe and your place within it.

Pluto in the 5th house: You have a potent creative energy that is deeply intertwined with your psychic and intuitive abilities. Your artistic expression is a powerful channel for receiving messages from the divine, and you may find that your most inspired works come from a place beyond conscious thought. You have a natural connection to the energy of children, and may receive profound insights or messages from the young people in your life. This may be especially true when it comes to your own inner child, which retains a deep connection to the spiritual realm and may have a powerful impact on your intuition and clairvoyance. Through your creative pursuits and connection to the energy of youth, you have the potential to tap into a wellspring of spiritual wisdom and insight that can guide you on your path of personal growth and transformation.

Pluto in the 6th house: Your psychic abilities are intimately connected to your role as a healer and servant. You have a natural talent for providing support and guidance to those in need, especially during times of crisis, illness, or fear. In these moments, you may find that you tap into a deep well of knowledge and wisdom that goes beyond your years, and that you are able to channel this energy to provide comfort and healing to others. The divine may work through you as a soul physician, using your unique talents and empathy to help others navigate the complexities of the human experience. However, you may also be challenged by intense power struggles or dynamics in your work environment, which can serve as a catalyst for your own personal growth and transformation. Through your connection to the energy of service and healing, you have the potential to access profound spiritual insights that can deepen your understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.

Pluto in the 7th house: Your psychic abilities are deeply intertwined with your relationships and partnerships. You may find that your intuition is reflected and amplified through the people in your life, including friends, loved ones, and even business partners. These individuals may unknowingly serve as channels for messages from the divine, providing insights and guidance that you might not otherwise have access to. You may have a natural ability to tune into the energies of others, and may find that your own psychic abilities are enhanced through close connections with others. However, this can also be a challenging placement, as you may be prone to power struggles or intense emotional dynamics in your relationships. These struggles can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation, allowing you to deepen your understanding of your own intuition and the ways in which it is intertwined with the energy of those around you. Through your connections with others, you have the potential to access profound spiritual insights and deepen your understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.

Pluto in the 8th house: Your psychic abilities are at the very core of your being. You have a natural talent for tapping into the hidden and unseen realms of existence, and may find yourself drawn to spiritual practices and beliefs that explore the mysteries of life and death. Your body may serve as a vessel for a wide range of intuitive experiences, and you may find that you are able to communicate with spirits and entities from beyond this physical plane. Relationships are a particularly powerful arena for your psychic abilities, and you may find that your romantic connections lead you on a journey of transformation and self-discovery. However, these relationships can also be intense and challenging, and may require you to confront and overcome your deepest fears and insecurities. Through these experiences, you have the potential to access profound spiritual insights and deepen your understanding of the interconnectedness of all things. You are a natural explorer of the unknown, and your psychic abilities can lead you on a journey of discovery that transcends the physical world.

Pluto in the 9th house: Your psychic abilities are strongly linked to your higher mind and your quest for truth and understanding. You have a natural curiosity and an insatiable desire to explore the mysteries of the universe, and may find that your psychic abilities are enhanced when you engage in philosophical or spiritual pursuits. Your connection to the unconscious is particularly strong, and you may find that you receive prophetic visions or insights that provide guidance and wisdom. You may also have a natural talent for interpreting symbols and uncovering hidden meanings, and may find that you are drawn to divinatory practices such as tarot or astrology. Your spiritual journey may be marked by profound experiences that challenge your beliefs and transform your understanding of the universe. Through your connection to the higher mind, you have the potential to access profound spiritual insights and unlock the secrets of the cosmos.

Pluto in the 10th house: You have a powerful sense of intuition that feels like guidance from a parental figure or authority figure. This intuition may speak to you in a forceful, almost threatening voice, urging you to take action and make changes in your life. However, this psychic voice can also serve as a valuable source of insight and guidance, pointing you towards your true calling and helping you achieve your greatest aspirations. In this way, your intuition can act as a messenger from your future self - the version of you that has already achieved success and fulfillment. By listening to your intuition and trusting its guidance, you can tap into your own innate wisdom and potential, and make your dreams a reality. This placement can also indicate a strong connection to the collective unconscious, and a desire to use your intuition to serve others and make a positive impact on the world.

Pluto in the 11th house: You may have a strong connection to the collective unconscious, and receive intuitive insights through the medium of nowhere, making you prone to Claircognizance. This intuitive message can feel electric and charged with energy, as if you are receiving psychic revelation directly from the universe. You may have a natural ability to see into the future or to receive visions that offer glimpses into the unknown. Your intuition may also be geared towards using your insights to help others and make a positive impact on the world. In this way, your intuition can act as a powerful tool for change, helping you to manifest your vision and create a better future for yourself and those around you.

Pluto in the 12th house: You have a powerful psychic ability that allows you to see through the surface and delve into the deeper layers of others' souls. Your intuition is not limited to any specific medium or channel; it is a constant companion that energizes and guides you through every social interaction. Your empathic ability is universal, and you can easily tap into the emotional state of others. This ability allows you to connect with people on a deeper level and offer comfort and support when they need it most. You may also find that you are drawn to helping others through your work or volunteer activities. In addition to your empathic ability, you are also gifted with visions and prophetic dreams. Your intuition can manifest in different forms, and you may receive messages through symbols or metaphors. You have a natural inclination towards the esoteric and spiritual realm, which can bring you profound insights and revelations.

Sources:

Astrocherry on tumblr // scottlewisastrology on tumblr

[7] GARGATHOLIL. Depth Astrology: An Astrological Handbook - Volume 1: Introduction. Smashwords Edition, 2014.

[8] GARGATHOLIL. Depth Astrology: An Astrological Handbook: Volume 2: Planets in Signs. Smashwords Edition, 2014.

[9] GARGATHOLIL. Depth Astrology: An Astrological Handbook: Volume 3: Planets in Houses. Smashwords Edition, 2014.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Hey! could you please write something about Aemond hearing his name in a conversation, he stays at the door sure he will hear something bad but instead he hears the lady talk about her sex dreams about him

Thank you so much💙

Warnings: Smut. Word count: ~1400

Aemond strides down the corridor of the Red Keep, in the direction of the training yard. It is mid-morning and his schedule runs like clockwork - he has a sparring session with Ser Criston Cole in 15 minutes and fully intends to arrive early, he always does.

Raucous laughter echoes down the hallway. He catches the source of it through a crack in the solar door, which has been left ajar. Helaena’s ladies in waiting are all reclining on the couches inside, though there is no sign of the Princess which they are in service of.

He scowls. He doesn’t understand why they aren’t shut away when not in Helaena’s presence. They are always laughing, it gives him a migraine. What could possibly be so funny?

The giggles subside when one of them speaks in hushed tones. 

“I had a dream last night…about Prince Aemond.”

His ears prick up at this, his curiosity piqued, and he hovers to the left of the doorframe, so he can listen in undetected. He is certain that what is to follow will be some gruesome retelling of the One-Eyed Prince being the source of night terrors, it would not be the first time he has overheard unkind words about himself.

“Oh? Do share.” One of them pipes up.

“I-I can’t.” She stammers. “It is improper.”

Aemond’s eye widens at this. He leans forward, peering through the gap to see which of them it is. She is pretty. Beautiful, actually. He has never bothered to take the time to properly look at any of them before, usually doing his best to avoid them at all costs, but there is no denying that she is fairer than any woman he has ever looked upon. He hopes more than anything that the rest of this wretched gaggle can convince her to divulge further details.

More giggles erupt, before a voice chimes in.

“Oh, go on, your secret’s safe with us!”

“Well…we were coupling…and it felt good…I have heard that lying with a man is painful and uncomfortable, but I was enjoying it, and after…he pleasured me with his mouth…”

This is a chorus of gasps, followed by more laughing.

Aemond feels his heart hammering inside of his chest. It seems so loud he is certain the ladies in the solar will notice and catch him in the act of eavesdropping. His skin flushes hot from his neck all the way to the tips of his ears. He is in utter disbelief at what he has just heard.

“Were you not repulsed by it? He is disfigured after all.”

“No.” She rebuffs. “Actually, I find Prince Aemond rather dashing…”

Aemond pushes off of the wall and hurries away. He has heard enough. He does not know how to handle the words he was just privy to. They were not meant for his ears and yet he cannot undo hearing them. What is he supposed to do with the way they have set his pulse racing? He never asked for this, had never even noticed her before today, and yet he cannot help replaying the words in his mind.

We were coupling.

It felt good.

He pleasured me with his mouth.

I find Prince Aemond rather dashing.

For the first time in his life he is late to the training yard. Ser Criston greets him with a reproachful look, before Aemond suffers through what is undoubtedly the worst sparring session he has participated in since he first took up a wooden sword as a child.

We were coupling.

His sword is knocked from his hand.

It felt good. 

His shield splinters under a blow from a morningstar.

He pleasured me with his mouth.

He is knocked to the ground.

I find Prince Aemond rather dashing.

The point of Criston’s sword is at his throat.

“Is everything alright, My Prince?” Criston asks with genuine concern, offering out a hand and helping Aemond back to his feet.

Aemond’s eye is wide, his breathing laboured, and not from the exertion of training.

“I-I think I am unwell, Cole. Please excuse me.”

He stalks back inside, seeking solace in the library. Pulling a copy of Unnatural History from the shelf, his favourite book to lose himself in, he settles into an armchair and begins to read.

“The bloodmages of Valyria used wyvern stock to create dragons…we were coupling…The bloodmages of Valyria…it felt good…”

“Seven hells!” He slams the book shut upon realising he cannot get past the first line, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

He pleasured me with his mouth.

He has never heard of a man doing such a thing to a woman. Despite the vulgarity of it, he is intrigued. He places his copy of Unnatural History on the nearby table and stands, making his way towards the end of the library that contains the more salacious reading material.

He takes a quick look around to make sure the prying eyes of the maesters aren’t watching him, before scanning the shelves and selecting the tome he feels will be most relevant for what he is attempting to research.

It only takes a few seconds of flicking through the pages before he finds what he’s looking for. Graphic descriptions of how women can be prepared for intercourse, and even brought to peak, via the use of lips and tongue.

His eye widens and his breathing quickens as he imagines licking her in her most intimate area. It’s only when he realises that his cock is now straining painfully against the laces of his breeches that he hurriedly places the book back on the shelf and retires to his chambers.

He lays on his bed that afternoon, spilling into his own hand, with her name falling from his lips like an urgent prayer.

She is there at the dining table when he goes to supper that evening. It is not unusual for Helaena to invite her ladies in waiting to dine with them, and usually Aemond sits at the far end of the table, avoiding eye contact and all attempts at conversation. However, this evening feels different. Prior to tonight he had never heard her say she found him “dashing”, he had never pleasured himself to the thought of burying his face between her thighs.

Guilt blooms heavily in his chest as he takes his seat. His food remains untouched. Every time he looks up he catches her eyes upon him. Does she know? How could she?

In truth, he cannot keep his eyes off of her either and it is probably that that drives her to stare as she does.

On an ordinary evening, Aemond sips delicately at his wine throughout the meal, leaving the cup almost full by the time he leaves the table. However, tonight he finds himself draining his first and gulping greedily at the second. The calming effect it has on his nerves is most agreeable to him.

He pleasured me with his mouth.

His grip on the edge of the wooden table turns his knuckles white, as he struggles to compose himself. His sigh of relief is almost audible as the meal draws to a close and everyone begins to retire for the evening.

He catches sight of her outside of her own bedchamber door as he is returning to his. Fuelled by the confidence that two cups of wine on an empty stomach has granted him, he lengthens his strides, catching up to her before she is able to make it inside and close the door.

She turns, startled, as he grabs her arm, pulling her towards him.

“My Prince?” She asks, a hint of fear and confusion pinching her delicate features as her brow furrows slightly.

Acting on his new found boldness, Aemond leans down to whisper in her ear, his voice husky. “I heard what you said earlier.”

He regards her face carefully as he pulls back, but there is no apparent recollection, so he decides to be more daring. Leaning in once more he says “Just so you know, if I were going to pleasure you with my mouth, I’d do it before I stuck my cock in your cunt, not after.”

He lets her go and walks away with a smirk. When he chances a glance back over his shoulder and sees that she is still frozen in place, her mouth agape, he knows that she knows exactly what he is talking about and his words have had the desired effect.

“Sweet dreams, my lady.” He calls behind him.

[bg-brainrot]

"When He’s all but Forgotten How to Love Again" - Astarion x GN!Reader - Series Masterlist

Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader (Elf!Tav for plot reasons)

Genre: Reincarnation, Angst, Mystery, Slow burn

Rating: Explicit, 18+

Tags: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, POV Second Person, Canon-Typical Violence, cw: blood, cw: Astarion's entire backstory, cw: sex, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, Eventual Fluff, Grief, Mourning, Developing Relationship

Series WC: 113k words and ongoing, 21/?? chapters

Summary: An Elf-Tav reincarnation story where Reincarnated!Tav dreams about Astarion in their nightly reveries and eventually seeks him out once they reach maturity. Things definitely totally go well.

Author’s Notes: I'm bringing over some of my multi-chapter fics from AO3, so if you've already read this, ty!! I love you and appreciate you so much! I will continue to add chapters as I format them, but the full fic is available on AO3 here if you're feeling like a binge.

Heads up-- while there will be explicit moments, this is first and foremost focused on romantic tension and yearning, asking the question: 'Would you still love me if I was someone completely different?’ Explicit scenes will be few and far between and very much focused on their feelings. It’s essentially an established relationship slow burn?

This has unascended Astarion, “good” choices are made in the original timeline, Tav needs to be an elf for this to work, but otherwise no specifics on past Tav. Present day Tav is a magic-user.

Chapters:

Chapter 1: Knifes and Nightmares

At 12 years old, you first dream of the Pale Elf. The encounter scares you and sets you on your path forward.

Chapter 2: The Second Encounter with the Pale Elf

Nearly 19, you think you have a handle of your past lives. However, not all of your past lives are created equal.

Chapter 3: What it Means to Love

Now 29, you're still trying to piece together parts of your past. In particular, what exactly was your relationship with Astarion?

Chapter 4: In this Lifetime

Now 99-years-old, you've managed to ignore your worst impulses to run off to Baldur's Gate. One night's reverie finally breaks you.

Chapter 5: Guidance from a Druid

After finally setting off to find Astarion, you receive a confounding memory from your past life. Ignoring what it might mean, you focus on your task and visiting Halsin, one of your past-self's friends.

Chapter 6: The Man of your Dreams

You make your way toward Astarion, trying your best to prepare for the encounter to come.

Chapter 7: Just One Night

You plead your case to the vampire.

Chapter 8: Who You Have Become

You try to learn more of who Astarion's become, while also trying to convince him of who you were.

Chapter 9: Ghosts of You

After he storms off, you try to track Astarion down only to find yourself on a trip down memory lane. Once you do catch his trail, you’re surprised to see where he’s gone.

Chapter 10: Overheard in the Underdark

You traverse a new landscape, looking for Astarion. What you find might be more than you bargain for, and what you hear might be too much to handle.

Chapter 11: An Interrogation

You spend the night in vampire prison and have a difficult conversation.

Chapter 12: The Source of his Pain

As you aim to leave and never look back, Astarion realizes that perhaps *he's* the one that made the mistake.

Chapter 13: And They Were Roommates

You and Astarion try to find a common ground between you. Things are awkward and tentative, and progress is anything but linear.

Chapter 14: A Blossoming Friendship

Now in your second week of living together, you and Astarion have to get past some of the hurdles your first week introduced, all while getting a bit closer along the way.

Chapter 15: More than Friends Pt. 1

Push finally comes to shove. As fun as living in the present is, Astarion forgets that present dangers are still very, very real. Afterward, emotions run high, and you find yourself in a familiar predicament.

Chapter 16: More than Friends Pt. 2

After talking through the previous night's tryst, emotions are confused, pasts are divulged, and everything comes to a head when your heart and soul want different things.

Chapter 17: What We are Now

When you’re left to your own devices, you find yourself knee-deep in mystery. Despite all of this, Astarion never leaves your mind. And perhaps you never leave his.

Chapter 18: Traveling with a Friend

You and Astarion travel together to Waterdeep. Emotions run high as you reconnect and reestablish your boundaries.

Chapter 19: The Wizard’s Tower

After traveling through Waterdeep, you and Astarion finally arrive at Gale's tower. Introductions are made, tours are had, and the relationship between yourself and Astarion continues to remain complicated.

Chapter 20: Sweets and Shopping

After receiving some advice from Gale, you and Astarion spend the day shopping and talking through your friendship.

Chapter 21: Dansarra’s Delights

Your wizard friend gives you a nigh impossible task, and you spend the day trying to find your opening to complete it.

Chapter 22 - TBA

...

[genshin-impact-updates]

The firmament glimpsed in a reflected moon

"That's already the fifth time this month... Haven't you learned not to mess with Lynette?"

— Words muttered by Freminet to a vacuum cleaner, overheard by Lyney as he left his room in the dead of night.

◆ Lynette

◆ Elegance in the Shadows

◆ "Multi-Function Magic Assistant"

◆ Anemo

◆ Felis Alba

In direct contrast to her older brother, who refers to himself as "the greatest magician in all Teyvat", Lynette might possibly be the lowest-profile Magician's Assistant in the land.

She seeks neither flowers nor applause, avoids interviews, and generally tries to avoid notice.

Whether people are trying to attract her attention or simply curious, she shuts them out with bizarre responses like "Entering Standby Mode" and "I need to space out."

Even when bigwigs from the audience pay them a private visit, Lynette always takes a back seat and lets Lyney do the talking. She prefers to brew a pot of tea and sit in the corner, looking down as she quietly sips away, apparently uninterested by the conversation.

Only the very few among them, in the briefest of interludes, sense for a millisecond that they are being secretly watched. But by the time they try to locate the source of the gaze, it has already vanished without a trace.

Yet the only other people in the room are Lyney – warm and hospitable as ever – and Lynette, whose undivided attention is being bestowed upon a teacup.

...Perhaps it was just their imagination.

...But even if not, what harm could a quick glance have done? It's not like they could have seen anything of any significance... could they?

[zapreportsblog]

A Clash of Perception

➥ summary: Miles girlfriend overheard someone talking about her man and she ain’t finna just let that slide

➥ slight angst to fluff

➥ Earth42 miles x reader

The school hallway buzzed with the cacophony of youthful voices and hurried footsteps as (Y/n) made her way through the bustling crowd. Her heart skipped a beat when she caught fragments of a conversation that sent an icy chill down her spine. It was an exchange filled with mockery and disdain aimed at her boyfriend, Miles, and his gloomy appearance.

The hurtful words echoed in (Y/n)'s mind, fueling an indignant fire within her. Determined to confront the perpetrator, she scanned the sea of faces, searching for the source of the disparaging remarks. Her gaze settled on a figure in the distance—a student whose smirking countenance betrayed their role in the hurtful exchange.

With every step closer, (Y/n)'s resolve solidified. She couldn't stand idly by while someone ridiculed her beloved Miles. The weight of her emotions surged through her veins, driving her forward with a fierce determination to defend him and challenge the prejudice that lingered within their school's walls.

As she approached the offender, the air thickened with tension. The student, caught off guard by (Y/n)'s unwavering gaze, met her eyes with a mixture of surprise and arrogance. Sensing an imminent confrontation, whispers rippled through the crowd, drawing attention to the brewing storm.

Their exchange began with a volley of heated words. (Y/n), her voice trembling with a blend of anger and compassion, expressed her disappointment and disbelief at the offender's insensitivity. She questioned the motivation behind their hurtful actions, urging them to confront the consequences of their words and the pain they inflicted upon others.

The atmosphere grew charged as (Y/n) passionately articulated her perspective. She spoke of the importance of empathy and the dangers of making superficial judgments. She recounted stories of Miles's resilience, his depth of character, and the beauty that emanated from his seemingly gloomy exterior. Her words challenged the offender to see beyond the surface and embrace the nuances that made Miles unique.

The school hallway stood witness to the clash of emotions as (Y/n) confronted the person responsible for mocking her boyfriend, Miles. The atmosphere crackled with tension, and the air hummed with the intensity of their argument. Yet, amidst the heated exchange, Miles, tall and composed, caught sight of the commotion and swiftly assessed the situation.

A mixture of concern and amusement played on Miles' face as he approached the scene. He recognized the fire in (Y/n)'s eyes, the unwavering determination that fueled her passionate defense of his honor. Sensing the escalating tension, he knew it was time to intervene.

With a confident stride, Miles stepped in, his presence commanding attention. His gaze locked with (Y/n)'s, a silent understanding passing between them. Without a word, he hoisted her over his shoulder, an unexpected and slightly comical move that elicited a startled cry from (Y/n).

"Let me down, Miles!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of defiance and frustration. "I'm not done with them. I'm going to tear a new hole into them!"

Miles chuckled softly, his grip firm but gentle. "Yeah, yeah, mamas," he replied, his voice laced with a sense of amusement. "Ignore them. Ignorance is a disease, and I don't want you catching that creep's germs."

Though (Y/n) struggled against his hold, her protests echoing through the hallway, Miles remained resolute. He carried her away from the confrontation, navigating the bustling school corridors with ease. All the while, (Y/n) continued her spirited objections, her determination to address the offender unwavering.

As they reached a more secluded area, Miles finally relented and set (Y/n) down, releasing her from his grasp. He looked into her eyes, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "I know you want to defend me, (Y/n), and I appreciate it. But sometimes, it's best to rise above the negativity. Confronting ignorance head-on rarely leads to the understanding we seek."

(Y/n) huffed, her frustration still evident, but her features softened as she absorbed Miles' words. She realized the wisdom behind his actions, his desire to protect her from the toxicity of ignorance. Slowly, her anger began to subside, making way for a renewed sense of calm.

"Miles, I just couldn't stand by and let them belittle you," she admitted, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "But you're right. Their ignorance doesn't define us, and it shouldn't dictate our actions."

Miles reached out and gently took (Y/n)'s hand, intertwining their fingers. "Exactly, (Y/n). Our love is stronger than any hurtful words or actions. We rise above, show them what true strength and resilience look like."

In that moment, (Y/n) realized the depth of Miles' love and his unwavering support. His strength and calmness anchored her, reminding her of the importance of choosing battles wisely and finding inner peace amidst chaos.

Together, hand in hand, they walked away from the confrontation, leaving the echoes of the argument behind. As they moved forward, their steps aligned, (Y/n) felt a renewed sense of unity and determination. She knew that with Miles by her side, they could face any challenge, rise above any adversity.

[kidvoodoo]

Jeest Mafia AU, snippet under the cut 💚💙

Joost tried not to make eye contact with anyone at the airport, though the stares he received at his battered face were inevitable. How many tall, blond, bandaged, bruised and bloody men were in a hurried rush to the terminal? Odds say: not many.

‘Not that I should be thinking about odds right now’ chided his conscience, ‘that’s how I got into this mess in the first place…’

His pace didn’t falter despite the looks from the other passengers lining up in their respective lines. All of them with bags and luggage alike underarm or trailing behind them, his own, suspiciously absent.

No time to pack, clothes on his back, phone, wallet and a little vial of two small white pills. Security checkpoint nearly put an end to those, but a desperate, puppy-eyed look and his disheveled state made the officer roll her eyes and wave him through, for all she knew, or anyone knew, it was aspirin.

‘Fix more than a headache’ his inner thoughts sneered, ‘steady on Joost, for emergencies only’.

He kept his eyes on the gate numbers, briefly glancing at the destinations. Cabo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, each a far flung place he could have potentially laid low in for months, relax on some resort beach or in a high class penthouse…

But that’s not where he’s headed.

He spies the glowing gate number, the destination? Helsinki, Finland. He got the ticket the same day he got the phone call telling him to leave as fast as possible, his usually calm and monotone source had an edge of panic to their voice, Joost trashed the burner after that and shredded the last of his books and burned them. He left his apartment as the ashes were still smoldering.

Finland eh? The only clue of what was happening next was the note in the ticket envelope, hurried scrawling in broken Dutch gave him simple instructions:

Taxi to the airport, pay in cash. Get on the plane. Make sure you are in the camera view the whole time, locate the Air Marshal and watch him. Once you are off the plane, head to the pick up zone in the parking lot and look for the black limo. Tap on the driver’s side window and give the password.

“Here for Tommy’s boy” he mutters under his breath. The magic words that’ll guarantee his safety and freedom, or will land him a bullet between the brows…

Better than the alternative.

He’s on time for the early boarding and hands the Steward his ticket, eyeing the Air Marshal at the doors to the plane’s walkway. He’s given a smile and some well wishes for his flight and finally, for the first time in several days, he feels a little sliver of calm wash over him.

‘Can’t cut me up on the plane you fuckers’

He finds his seat, window view and close to the front of the plane and plops down, the ache in his joints and back starting to flare up since the adrenaline begins to wear off.

Finland…he’s uncertain exactly what is waiting for him there, he regrets not grabbing a translation booklet at the terminal kiosk but there was simply no time. His new phone is IP hidden for the time being till he can get a VPN to bounce his signal, so no using Google’s underwhelming translation system…

He thinks back to a conversation he overheard at a conference last year. The big guys were all there, each of them with a meaty bodyguard in tow and a pistol or two brandished in plain sight.

He was there on happenstance, just finishing up the numbers to hand to his boss for the last fiscal year when his curiosity got the best of him.

“Baltic’s are at it again,” his boss sneers, tapping his cigar onto the floor, “think they’ll hide behind the Nordic cunts so they don’t have to play anymore”.

“Hm.” Another well dressed older man hums in response. He’s the police liaison, a former Captain who’s been working with the mob for 40 years. “Not much to be done about it Albert, the Fins have the advantage now, I hear they’ve even brought Estonia into the fold now.”

Albert snorts, getting to his feet and giving a couple other well-dressed people a farewell wave.

“Cuz of that little shit,” he grumbles, motioning his bodyguard to get a move on. “What’s his name? Kät-something? The Union fucker.”

“Käärijä,” the former Police Captain supplies, “his Union is very bold for an upstart, cutting off the trade in the Baltic’s disrupts everything. Heard he’s in talks of making a deal with the Norwegians as well. That’s the case? Say goodbye to the big money”.

Joost tried to linger as long as possible to catch the last bit of conversation, tucking himself against the wall and listening close.

“Damn idiot, Norway doesn’t play with the new players, even if the young lady is supposedly running things over there now. He’s a fucking lunatic to think the Baltic’s will stay loyal, he’ll be done by the end of the year, mark my words-“

A dinging noise jolts him awake from his daze, the Flight Attendants are doing their safety check. The doors to the plane are closed and for the first time in weeks, months even, Joost’s tense shoulders drop with exhaustion.

He is safe. For now.

<><><>

Roughly three hours later, he startles awake.

The voice over the intercom of the plane cabin announces in several languages that they have arrived at Helsinki Airport and will begin the landing process momentarily.

He spares a glance around the cabin out of paranoia, nothing out of the ordinary and no unwanted eyes in his direction.

Twenty minutes later and he’s heading out of the plane and into the airport terminal. The weather outside is gray and snowy, the sky a mass of colorless clouds and the sun choked somewhere behind. He shivers just looking at the weather, his cheap suit jacket will definitely not suffice.

He heads down the walkways and tried not to get too overwhelmed with the directions, mostly in Finnish but thankfully also in English.

He’s only a hundred feet from the parking lot when he feels eyes on his back. He tries subtly to peak behind and catch if he’s being followed.

Two men, both in dark blue suits and expensive leather shoes, each sporting a grim, intense expression. They have their hands in their pockets.

Joost picks up his pace, eyes focused on the automatic doors that swing open and shut.

He can hear them closing behind him, their shoes loud against the tiles. He starts to jog.

He doesn’t stop to apologize to the people he pushes past to get out of the door, ignoring the scowls and curses thrown his way. His heart is hammering in his chest, he has but a minute to locate the car before he’s dragged off and butchered in a dark corner…

A car horn blares loudly as he flinches and freezes, he had walked right out in front of a pair of high beams, his eyes don’t have time to adjust as he hurriedly runs around to look.

Black limousine, tinted windows with triple thick bulletproof glass and chrome trimming. The driver’s side window rolls down, a bald man with sunglasses and a mustache regards him blankly.

“P-please,” he stammers, eyes catching the two suited men finally breaching the threshold. “I-I’m being followed-“

“What is phrase?” The driver interrupts, not at all phased by the situation in the slightest.

“Th-the wha-oh yes yes, it’s uh…” he swallows takes a breath and speaks the words softly enough for the man to hear him.

“I’m here for Tommy’s boy.”

The door at the back of the limo clicks open, beckoning him inside.

He all but dives into the car and slams the door shut just as the two men make a dash towards the vehicle, only to stop dead in their tracks mere feet away.

Joost doesn’t have the time to take in his surroundings as he sees what has halted his stalkers. In the split second before the limo peels out with a loud screeching of tires, the window on the opposite side is down just enough to see the startled and blanched faces of the two men, who find themselves held in place by a man aiming a 45 caliber handgun at them.

Were it to fire at point blank range, one of the two men would have nearly had his torso blown open. More than a lethal shot, truly overkill at that point.

The car peels out of the lot and before he knows it, Joost is tossed back into he seat as the limo put some speedy distance between him and the danger.

A loud curse and sound of a window being rolled up. Joost finally levels his eyes behind his cracked glasses to see his savior.

Sitting across from him now with the gun held loosely in his grip is a dark haired man with pale skin. He sports a blunted bowl cut and his facial hair is trimmed and tidy. He wears a long black coat with a layered polo necked jumper and a couple silver chains around his neck. The jewelry matches his pierced ears and nose rings, the whole of his attire is expensive and modern looking.

Joost is drawn into the man’s piercing eyes, blue like his own but with an edge of silver steel, made more intimidating and entrancing by the heavy makeup that lines them.

The man is staring at him, Joost’s palms immediately start to sweat.

“I uh,”

“You are the Dutchman we take in?” The man interrupts, his voice has an hint of annoyance, Joost nods politely and holds out his hand to shake.

“Yes, I mean to say, thank you,” he tries to muster a charming smile but finds himself pinned under the man’s gaze like a deer being watched through a hunter’s scope.

“I’m sure this is a bit of trouble for you-“

“Trouble? I say it is bigger trouble for you and not me. You need a drink yes? I have gin and brandy here.” The man all but ignores whatever Joost was trying to say and busies himself with pouring a drink from a side bar containing glasses and some bottles. “Brandy since the gin is warm, I not have a lot of time to get it ready.”

Joost wants to say something, anything to this stranger but finds himself at an utter loss for words. The man looks at him expectantly, pushing the glass of amber liquor into his hands.

“There you drink that, feel better afterwards. You say you looking for Tommy’s boy? That is what he tell you to say? He think he is funny man, he gonna have to explain to me…” the man trails off, eyes now scanning and taking in Joost’s disheveled appearance. “You have injury? I have some bandage here and some other things uh,” the man stops and searches for a word. “you know, doctor supplies?”

“First aid kit?” Joost supplies.

“Ah yes yes! That is it,” the man grins and digs around a bit before huffing in annoyance and opening the little sliding window to the driver’s compartment. He asks for something in Finnish and the bald man replies. Information gathered, he opens a compartment and fishes out a nondescript black case.

“Okei here it is. Let me see your hand, you have blood on your palm.” He does? Joost was in such a mad dash to get away from the goons who had jumped him back in the Netherlands he didn’t have time to take stock of his injuries. He holds out his hand timidly and the man yanks it none too gently to inspect.

“No stitches I think,” he hums, grabbing supplies to clean and patch the gash on Joost’s palm.

The man’s grip is firm and steady, there is warm radiating from beneath the leather gloves he wears.

“You are Mr. Klein eh?” The man says absentmindedly as he cleans the wound. “I hear you screw your boss out two million euros, not bad.” The man smirks, eyes flickering up to Joost’s face. “I like someone who disrupts the status quo. When Tommy say you in trouble, I had to do something about it. Would be a waste for you ending up in concrete.”

Joost cringes a little at the mention of his dilemma, taking a long gulp of his drink and reveling in the burn.

“I don’t know about disruption, I just did what I thought was right is all. Didn’t think it would go this far…” he wishes he could be more proud, he did take a chunk of money from the hands of the worst men in Europe. Now, he’s a marked man, possibly forever.

The dark haired man seems to sense his discomfort and finishes dressing his hand, grabbing a gauze patch and passing it over.

“What is done is done, you think it is bad thing now, but you make a big move, and now you have a big advantage for the war that is coming.”

Joost finishes placing the gauze over the gash on his cheek, looking at the man puzzlingly.

“What war? And what advantage are you talking about?”

The man leans back against his seat and smiles, his sharp canines peak over his lips and his expression is one of amusement and vicious excitement.

“The war between the Union and the Old Men, tear down their ruined kingdom and make our own. The advantage? That’s easy,”

The man chuckles darkly.

“You have Käärijä in your corner now.”

[nixster627]

Lan Sizhui: I don't need a mom, I have 2 dads.

Jin Ling: Of course you need a mom. Everyone needs a mom.

Lan Jingyi: You don't have a mom.

Jin Ling: Not anymore...but I did at some point.

Lan Sizhui: So did I. Who do you think gave birth to me?

Jin Ling: Was it no Wei Wuxian?

[princessbrunette]

https://www.tumblr.com/princessbrunette/738865892895735808/i-love-the-idea-of-the-innocent-reader-but-with?source=share

I’m here for the drama so

imagine if one of the people JJ and John B were talking about you to snitches to you and makes it seem like they’re both just using you to “do dirty things to you” and that they don’t actually like you or think of you as a friend😭

and even though your pure ass brain doesn’t have a clear or precise idea of the dirty things they’re talking about you still know what being used is and omg the angssst

and then the next time you’re with them you’re very avoidant and subtly snappier and they’re both very taken aback because what happened to their sweet little girl like :(

Eventually you can’t keep ignoring them and being closed off because it’s just not your nature and you end up bursting into tears and angrily warbling to them about it all after they try to confront you about your unusual attitude towards them for the millionth time😩

idk what’s wrong with me I’m just in a silly goofy mood tonight woopsie

-🌙

ohhhhhh the angst.

᧔o᧓⊹ ࣪ ˖

no because a close friend of theirs wouldn’t stir things up like that, they understand — it’s just conversation between dudes, they’ve all been there… no, it would be that the conversation was overheard, somewhere by the docks whilst an outsider was preparing their boat… perhaps, rafe cameron.

he’s never bothered with you in the past. he’s a bad guy, but he’s self aware enough to know you’re actually innocent and not causing anyone harm, so you pose as no threat to him. he’s not going to just pick on random naive girls, even he knew he was too grown for that. you were super pretty though, and he’d always taken a bit of intrigue in you, wondering why you hung out with those lower-class dirtbags. he figured trying anything with you would be useless, jj and john b feeding you lies about the ‘big bad rafe’ enough to keep you glued to their side and docile. that was, until he had a leg up.

the hulking 6’4 cameron approaches you when you’re at the juice bar by the water all alone one day, spotting you on the rare occasion that you’re by yourself. he sidles up to your side, smiling down at you. “hi there.”

you turn, blinking up at him as you take your juice from the cashier, eyes wide and frightened like a baby deer. it made rafes dick jump a little.

“hi?”

“y’know i uh— usually know not to bother you, know you probably heard some pretty not nice things about me n’i’d hate to just… scare you, or something…” he begins, a small crease forming between his brows as he scratches his cheek. you listen to him, sucking your juice through the straw, waiting for him to get to the point.

“i just overheard something… and i think you might wanna know, i mean— if someone was talkin’ about me like this, i’d definitely wanna know.” he touches his chest, staring into your eyes with wide innocent eyes, trustworthy almost. you tilt your head.

“what happened?”

“that john b, and jj… they’re… well, i heard them talkin’…” he stares off at the water, shaking his head like he’s trying to remember the details despite knowing exactly what he’s gonna say. “braggin’ to some other pogue about you… something about how…” he leans in closer, talking quieter as you hang onto every word, straw still caught between your lips. “how bad they wanna fuck you… take that innocence from you…” he acts scandalised and your eyes widen, looking around to see if anyone heard. only they knew you were still a virgin. well, so you thought.

“and look, me personally…” he leans back, holding his hands up in the air. “i just wouldn’t wanna be disrespected like that, you— you’re a young n’dignified woman… shouldn’t let those pogues take that from you, a’ight?”

“it can’t… you must’ve overheard wrong.” you shake your head, brows furrowed, in denial despite that bad feeling in your stomach.

“and what would i gain from randomly making this up, hm?” he tilts his head like you’re dumb before shaking his head, stepping back. “just thought i’d let you know. you have a good day, alright beautiful? i’ll see you around.” and with that he’s striding away, leaving you dumbfound. he figured soon enough you’d find out the truth and come running right into his arms.

you head back to the chateau slowly, deep in thought. you think back on all the interactions you have with the two boys, how touchy they were, the laughs they share when they say certain things you don’t understand. you hated that rafe was right, and it was starting to make sense.

by the time you reach the chateau, you’re in a foul mood. just seeing the two boys there lounging on the couch filled you with emotion. knowing you’d usually go and unknowingly plant yourself between the two of you them and get touched affectionately almost everywhere. you head straight past them to the kitchen, figuring you’d make yourself a sandwich and then go back to your own house for a while.

the boys heads follow you, smiles faltering a little as they watch you uncharacteristically head through the house without even saying hi.

“uh, hello to you too, doll.” jj hops off the back of the couch, following you through to the kitchen where you grumpily pulled bread out of the bread bin.

“how you doin’, pup? you were gone awhile…” john b is close behind, leaning against a table as he observes the back of you.

“m’fine. was at the juice bar.” you deadpan, fumbling the butter knife slightly as you angrily butter the bread.

the two of them sense the tension and share a glance, jj piping up again trying to ease the mood.

“yeah? didn’t bring anything back for papa j?” he chuckles uneasily, and you’re quick to bark a response.

“no. i was busy talking to rafe.”

the atmosphere in the room suddenly changes, john b standing up straight as he looks to jj. “r—rafe? why were you talking to rafe? he’s a lunatic.”

“is he?” you tilt your head, feeling yourself get more mad. they were still just staring at the back of you, wondering what has occurred.

“uh, yeah— are we forgetting his unprovoked attacks on us, orrr when he tried to drown his own sister? i mean the dude is balls to the wall insane, kiddo—”

“well he actually seemed kind of truthful, which apparently is harder to come by than i thought.” you let the knife clatter down on the side, resting your hands against the counter as you give up on the sandwich completely. you hear john b carefully step closer.

“whats going on, sweetheart…”

you turn around, and they’re met with your quivering lip, two streaks of tears down your cheeks as you angrily sniff. jj goes to step closer to comfort you but you hold out an accusatory finger, stopping them both in their tracks. “he heard you! he— he told me about you two. what you said— what you plan to do to me… you’re just using me aren’t you? just wanna get my pants off when— when all this time i thought we were friends!” you warble, letting out sad sob, the both of them shrinking a little in guilt.

“hey, let’s just talk about this okay?” john b requests calmly, his hands held up infront of him trying to ease you.

“oh i am gonna kill rafe cameron.” jj grits his teeth, beginning to pace, john n instantly striking out an arm to try and keep him cool, the freak out not needed.

“jj. let’s just… deal with this okay— yes, we might’ve said some gross things. we’re— we’re stupid guys and we do stupid things like think with our dicks and — and that’s wrong okay. i fully hold my hands up. if you wanna leave, i understand. but i need you to know, we really, really do care about you. okay? hey—” he comes closer and you let him this time, letting him fuss over you and wipe your tears. “have we ever tried to make you do anything you don’t wanna do?” his eyes are wide, desperate even.

“…no, but… i just didn’t know… you know i don’t know about that kinda stuff.”

“i know, i know okay and we took advantage of that. which is wrong.” he reaches his arm back, smacking jj blindly who’s rubbing his nose bridge with his fingers, making him jump a little. “jj…” john b attracts his attention, trying to get him to help.

the blonde approaches with a sigh, taking your chin between his fingers and gently tugging your gaze to him. “look at me, ‘kay? i’m a total fuck up, i mean everyone knows that but i am really royally fuckin’ up here. you know i really hate that you just willingly listened to rafe, but he… god, can’t believe i’m sayin’ this— he wasn’t lying. we did kinda brag about you. but look at you, you’re fuckin’ gorgeous, okay? doesnt make it right— but that’s why. we like you, like actually like you and i swear, swear on my mamas life we are not using you.”

there’s a pause in the air, before john b speaks. “you don’t even know your mom.”

“yeah well the point still stands.”

you sigh, unable to deny the two boys you love. you had to admit, you’d felt things down below for them before, wondering what the feeling was and whether or not they’d help you explore it, so you guess you couldn’t really judge them for feeling that energy too. you shrug, looking at your shoes.

“okay. i believe you.”

you feel the both of them relax, nodding as they crowd your space, john b at your front and jj at your back. “we love you, puppy. like actually. not gonna let anything happen to you, alright?”

“what he said.” jj repeats, hands tucking themselves into your waistband, something he usually did when he said his hands were ‘cold’. you slap his hands and he removes them quickly, nodding. “yep, too soon— got it.”

᧔o᧓⊹ ࣪ ˖

[kiy-anna]

Am I Feeling Love?

Part 1 (You Are Here) Part 2 Part 3a Part 3b

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: From the moment Azul Ashengrotto heard of soulmates as a small child, he had a vision of a beautiful life with someone who was meant for him - regardless of what he was or would become…

Word count: 5.3k+

Warnings: Some Yandere elements

Notes: I wanted to thank @yanderloversworld on tumblr for the yandere!Azul w/ Soulmate S/O headcanons/backstory that I saw for inspiring this piece. I’ve never written anything like this before, but I wanted to give my hand at it - especially since it involves my favorite cecaelia character from twisted Wonderland. You can check it out here: https://www.tumblr.com/yandereloversworld/718766985773760512/yanazul-with-a-soulmate-so?source=share

The two songs used to inspire this story:

Am I Feeling Love? (The Thief and the Cobbler/Arabian Knight Soundtrack): https://youtu.be/NXYnClTZ4QY

One Day She'll Love Me (The Emperor's New Groove Soundtrack): https://youtu.be/8Sv3ECj7PdY

***I have an update! Part 2 now Available to read on my side blog @ashensgrotto***

***

I close my eyes and see his eyes

So soft and warm and clear

I dream awake of holding her

I dream that she’s right here

I sense in all his silences

More than his words could say

‘Don’t fight your feelings’ says my heart

A heart I will obey

***

“Azul… we need to talk.”

The sound of his mother’s broken voice pulled Azul’s attention to the larger cecaelia as all eight of his tiny tentacles stilled, each and every one of his appendages dropping an assortment of books, quills, and shells to the grotto’s floor as the silver-lavender haired boy looked upon his mother. The typically confident cecaelian now appeared scared and upset; her pale baby blue eyes were wide with worry and her ruby lips were set in a straight line - her heavy-set body swayed with the current that entered their home while her black-colored tentacles fidgeted nervously, the lavender underbelly of each appendage curling into itself repeatedly before releasing its grip on emptiness.

Azul stood, his own appendages curling inward, “Can this wait, momma? I’m very busy at the moment-”

“I’m afraid it can’t, baby,” his mother entered his room before perching herself on his bed, tapping the seafoam cushion, “come here.”

Azul sat beside his mother, looking down at his hands before looking up at his mother, who watched him with interest.

“Zully… the neighbors have told me they’ve seen you sneaking out at night,” his mother spoke quietly, “and it has been apparently going on for a while - without my knowledge. You and I both know that night is a terrible time to be going out, especially alone - you’re smart enough to know that you could’ve been seriously injured or killed by the creatures that lurk just beyond the reef of our city. Do you know how heartbroken I would be if I lost you?”

“I know, momma… but, I promise I have a good reason!”

“What good reason would you have for sneaking out in the middle of the night?”

“My soulmate.”

His mother looked taken back, her hand reaching to clutch the Nautilus shell necklace that rested on her collarbones as her already wide eyes widened further, “...S-Soulmate?”

“Yes!” Azul’s powder-blue eyes sparkled like gems in a treasure chest as a huge grin spread across his features, “I overheard some of the merkids talking about them at school a few weeks ago - o-of course I had initially thought they were talking about me, since I seem to come up in conversation here and there… but still! Oh, momma! To know that there’s someone out there that is literally MEANT to be WITH ME! Me! Azul Ashengrotto!”

“Zully, now wait a minute-”

“At first the concept did fascinate me,” Azul continued, slowly standing and moving to the opposite end of his room while ignoring his mother’s words, “and what intrigued me more than anything was that my soulmate would love and cherish every last thing about me - not the way the other merkids see me as; a pathetic, fat… ugly crying octopus fry that can’t even excel in studies or athletics. The silly little octo-twerp that’s an ink spiller.”

“Zully, you know that’s not-”

“But you know what momma? Thinking about my soulmate has made the days so much easier, even when I’m getting bullied - I think about them seeing what those other merkids are doing and they put a stop to it, saying things like, ‘Leave Azul alone! He’s not a pathetic little octo-twerp!’” Azul turned to his mother again, his tentacles writhing with excitement, “So, to be ready to meet them, I’ve been working to increase my knowledge - I want to be so powerful like the great Sea Witch herself that my soulmate will know who I am by sight alone! I’ve studied every book I could get my hands on and have memorized every single potion recipe there is available - even learning how to improve its effects and prolong them even! I’ve even studied every law text there is in the Atlantica public library - I have every law memorized word for word.”

His mother sighed, running a hand through her silvery locks, the motions creating little bubbles that appeared as she let out a sigh, “Azul, there’s something you should know-”

“As for the sneaking out,” Azul continued, throwing his hands behind his back as his fingers twisted together while he rocked back and forth on the edges of his eight appendages, “I was searching for my soulmate. I don’t know if they are here in the Coral Sea or not-”

“Azul, please listen to me-”

“But I wanted to see if I could find them. The first few nights after learning about their existence, I was having trouble sleeping - so I started doing a short swim to clear my head. I promise I wasn’t going too far away from the house! However, on those walks, it got me thinking that maybe instead of sleeping, I should be searching for them. There was no better use of my time than to strive for a better life with someone who must sense my loneliness like I sensed theirs…”

“...If they weren’t so rare, baby.”

Azul snapped to attention, his eyes wide, “W-What?”

His mother rested one hand on her knees while the other rubbed at her forehead, “Zully, I know and understand your longing to belong and to have a friend - trust me, I’ve been there. However, you can’t fixate on a single being that you hope to encounter at some point in your life. Finding that so-called ‘other half’ is like - well - like the story of the mermaid princess and her longing to be with a human. It’s a rare occurrence that only happens once in a millennium if not longer. Many times, people - humans, fae, and merfolk alike - often settle for someone they are content and happy with, someone that isn’t their other half.”

Azul stared in shock, inky tears threatening to spill down his chubby cheeks, as his hands balled into fists, “No! No! That isn’t true! What about you and daddy when he was alive?! Both of you were soulmates!”

“No we weren’t… At least, I don’t think we were,” Azul’s mother came forward, resting a hand gingerly on her son’s shoulder, “Anyone can be happy with or without their soulmate, Azul. There’s no reason you should go to such lengths to be with someone who may not even exist. You may not even meet them in this lifetime, either…”

“THAT’S NOT TRUE!” Azul pushed her away, anger bubbling up as his tentacles writhed in anger, his vision becoming blurry as ink spilled down his face as he snapped at his mother and guardian, “HOW DARE YOU!? You DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT the CONNECTION BETWEEN SOULMATES! THEY FEEL AS I FEEL! THAT CONNECTION IS WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE!! An UNBREAKABLE BOND that CAN NEVER BE SEVERED!! And how DARE you CHEAT on your OWN SOULMATE!”

“Azul! Now wait a minute!” his mother raised her voice, “I’ve been around the bend a few more times than you have and know about these sorts of things. I WILL NOT ALLOW this behavior to continue in my house!”

“Fine! Then I’ll leave!”

“Azul! Where are you going?! Azul!!”

But the little cecaelia was gone, swimming as fast as he could away from his mother’s typically loving embrace. 

‘How could she?!’ he mind was running as he sped up to get further and further away from his home, ‘How could she say that? Why momma… why?!’

He was sniffing hard when he arrived at his hidden octopot, big ugly fat tears of black rolling down his chubby cheeks while mucus dribbled down his nose, running into his open mouth as he gasped out big grotesque sobs. He pulled himself along enough to climb into the pot, his appendages pulling him into the confined space as comfort slowly surrounded his shaking form. One tentacle came forward, wiping at the tears in his eyes as Azul allowed his hearts to calm down. 

He wrapped his arms around himself as he looked out into the darkness of the Coral Sea; the pale moonlight reflected off the caverns that surround Azul’s hiding spot, the water growing colder and colder with each passing hour as several sea creatures passed over - not that Azul noticed though. Normally, he would have been interested in what creatures came out at night - but the words his mother spoke forced a jolt of pain on all three of his hearts.

“You can’t fixate on a single being that you hope to encounter at some point in your life,” her words echoed in his mind over and over, “Finding that so-called ‘other half’ is like - well - like the story of the mermaid princess and her longing to be with a human. It’s a rare occurrence that only happens once in a millennium if not longer. Anyone can be happy with or without their soulmate, Azul. There’s no reason you should go to such lengths to be with someone who may not even exist…”

‘What if she’s right?’ he thought, his tentacles tightening around his body, ‘What if I never find them? What if they think the same way she does? What if… what if they’ve already been taken from me?!’

His eyes narrowed as a darkness slowly filled them, glaring out into the cruel twisted world from the darkness of his octopot. No, even if his soulmate was already claimed he would’ve known - he would know if they were, he’d felt it; the tangling of another soul within his if his other half were to be mated to another without his consent. However, that hadn’t happened yet.

…for now.

Azul curled deeper into himself, his thoughts growing darker and darker as he made plans to continue his search for his other half; his beloved soulmate. He wouldn’t give up the search, even if he died trying. He wanted to see them; see what they looked like and to hear their sweet voice, to feel a sense of belonging… to protect what was rightfully his.

***

I'd never imagined before that the world could be turned on its head

I'd never have thought to be here in this place

I'd never have dreamt that in love I'd be lost and so easily led

I guess I was caught by that hint of a smile on her face

***

“Azul-chan, are we almost finished here?” a figure on the cecaelian’s left muttered, “I’m bored.”

“Floyd,” the figure on Azul’s right spoke up, murmuring and pressing a finger to his lips, “There are still some students that need to be housed. Just be a little bit more patient.”

“Speaking of which,” Azul eyed the two carefully, “Any news from our sources, Jade?”

“It’s rather difficult to track down something when we ourselves don’t know what we’re looking for,” the second figure - Jade - answered softly, “A description usually helps in these circumstances, Azul.”

“Perhaps,” the cecaelian shrugged indifferently, “however, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I’m looking for, myself.”

The two second-in-commands looked at each other, confusion crossing their features.

Ten years had passed slowly since that terrible day when Azul’s mother planted the first seeds of doubt into her son’s head, her chiding and the doubts never leaving him completely. However, that did not stop him from continuing his search for his other half - exhausting himself beyond belief. By the time Azul was twelve - nearly five years following his discovery of the existence of soulmates - he had searched every crevice of the Coral Sea with no luck; it was also around this time that he met the Leech twins - Floyd and Jade. 

Jade was the oldest of the two by a few minutes and was very resourceful as well as very soft-spoke and courteous; his younger brother, Floyd, on the other hand was unpredictable due to his mood swings - he could be interested in one thing one minute and grow bored of it the next. The two moray mers had come across Azul during his younger days when they were in the same class together, watching with awe as his eight appendages hovered about his hidden grotto, writing inscriptions on shells and flipping through pages of grimoires. Originally, they weren’t sure what to make of him, but now that they knew about his capabilities from stories they heard about someone granting wishes for a price - the two were now invested in keeping Azul close to their sides.

And vice versa.

Eventually, the question of why he was doing it came up; Azul took the time to explain the story about how he had first learned about soulmates and how he had been searching the past five years for his, eventually coming to the conclusion that his other half was nowhere in the Coral Sea.

“I have searched every nook and cranny of these waters and have yet to find them,” Azul explained, pouring ingredients into a cauldron as he spoke, “Thus, I’m ‘using my resources’ to spread out the search for my other half.”

“So, some of your deals include gathering any information about a particular person whom you’ve never met nor spoken to?” Jade asked, very intrigued by Azul’s train of thought.

“Hah… sound boring,” Floyd chimed in, reclining atop of one of the rocks in the grotto.

“It’s more interesting than it sounds,” Azul answered, popping a cork off a bottle and dumping the contents into the cauldron as the liquid turned from pale pink to eerie green, “besides, the sooner I find them, the better off they’ll be. However, the problem here lies that if they’re not in the Coral Sea - then where are they?”

Neither of the twins could supply an answer.

It was also around this time that Azul’s appearance had also changed. Baby fat melted and hardened into muscle while his gut and belly dissolved into toned skin, chubby cheeks evolved into high cheekbones; his face sharpening into arched brows, thin lips, and a pointed nose - though his eyes, now filled with knowledge and pride, remained the same. Gone was - in Azul’s opinion - the fat crying octo-twerp of his youth as a handsome, defined sea witch stood in his place; a perfect figure that his soulmate would be proud of once they set sights on him.

The dramatic weight-loss and muscle built scared, not only Jade and Floyd, but also his own mother - whom he did speak to on seldom occasions due to her connections as the owner of the Atlantica Grotto Bistro, which was slowly becoming a local hot spot and where Azul worked full time as a waiter and assistant manager. It was also where he would lure unsuspecting victims - mainly those from his youth or clients with means - into signing his newly-perfected golden contracts, sealing their powers away for his own in exchange for whatever it was that they wished for. Of course, Azul’s mother never suspected a thing about her son’s side business - now a bit preoccupied with the courtship of an older squid mer who had slowly made a presence in her life as well as teaching Azul the fundamentals of building his own business.

When Azul, Jade, and Floyd reached the age of sixteen, they were invited to attend Night Raven College - a boys’ prestigious school for young mages. Azul’s mother had been proud of Azul’s accomplishment and Azul, himself, was secretly thankful that he would be given the chance to explore a different world versus hearing things through the grape vines from his sources. It was during his first year of attending that he made a name for himself, following practically in his mother’s and the Sea Witch’s footsteps; he was now the headwarden and the owner of the Mostro Lounge that his dorm - Octavinelle - operated on the school property. He also was the student others went to when they needed help or had a wish that only he could grant. Jade and Floyd both helped as well, taking his place into luring potential clients into his clutches.

Now, the three of them were entering their second year at NRC - and Azul was barely hanging on by a thread. For the past year on land - thanks to the potion he created that would allow himself, Jade, and Floyd to attend the school as humans - Azul had used his network of informants to extend his search for his other half.

He never forgot the promise he made to continue his search for his soulmate - the contracts were just a starting point to his grand scheme for searching for the person who would love and cherish him as no other could. By building a name for himself, Azul essentially had been given enough money to spend as much as he pleased for information about any leads and his extensive network of informants were at his beck-and-call should he need them to snoop out any potential tips he heard. He had cleared out both Harveston during winter break the previous year and the Queendom of Roses as well as the Shaftlands the previous summer before he was summoned to return to Night Raven. Sunset Savanna would be next on his list during the winter break this year and he would attempt Briar Valley over the summer.

But even that wasn't soon enough it seemed.

Azul’s spirit was practically crying out with each failed search, lead, and tip - nearly to the point that his soul was exhausted and he found himself hearing his mother’s chiding words in his inner ear again. But he was stubborn - incredibly so; and he made plans before leaving his home city again to extend any knowledge to him from outside the school’s barriers.

Azul sighed as the last first year was placed into their dorm, forcing a smile as he addressed his new students, crossing his arms over his chest, "New students! I congratulate you on your achievement. As the dorm head of Octavinelle, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience.”

"Hey, does anyone know where the headmage went?" Azul arched his brow as the dorm head of Pomefiore, Vil Schoenheit, spoke, “He disappeared midway through the ceremony…”

"Some headmage he is," Idia Shroud, the head of Ignihyde, grumbled from his tablet that hovered in the chamber.

"Maybe he had a tummy ache?" the ever naive dorm head of Scarabia - Kalim Al-Asim - asked with a shrug.

The doors burst open as the head mage himself appeared, shouting, "I most certainly did not!"

"Ah, speak of the devil," Riddle Rosehearts, the dorm head of Heartslabyul, grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you must know," the headmage continued, pulling a cloaked figure along with him, their slender wrist tight in his grasp, "I was searching for the new student who failed to show for orientation. Come along, you are the only one who hasn't been assigned to a dorm - step up to the dark mirror and be quick about it. I'll hold onto your weasel."

Azul watched as the headmage pulled the figure along, causing them to stumble slightly, before he released them. The cloaked figure lifted their head, taking a tentative step towards the mirror as the headmage held tightly onto another being - a little gray cat creature with burning fire in his ears with eyes wider than saucer plates. Something about the shy figure had drawn Azul utmost attention as they stood before the dark mirror.

“State your name,” the mirror spoke, its voice deep and dark.

“I’m (Y/N),” you spoke, so quiet that everyone had to strain to hear them.

“(Y/N)... The nature of your soul is…” the dark mirror hesitated, narrowing its pitch-black eyes before announcing, “...unclear to me.”

“What did you just say?” the headmage crossed his arms over his chest as a murmur rippled through the crowd.

“I sense no magical power from this one,” the dark mirror answered, voice grim, “Soundless. Colorless. Shapeless. Utterly vacant… Therefore, no dorm would be appropriate.”

With his final answer, the headmage let out a cry, “Are you suggesting the black carriage went to recieve a person who cannot even use magic?! That is absurd! The student selection process has not erred once in its century of existence!”

As head headmage continued to squawk in surprise, Azul nearly felt his heart stop in his chest when you looked in his direction.

As soon as your eyes locked with his, Azul knew.

His soulmate was here.

You were a pretty (h/c) with tints of (f/c) weaved into locks that framed your soft features hidden under the black and gold hood of the ceremonial robe you wore, the exotic eyes of (e/c) filled with wonder and surprise - with an underlying hint of fear, likely due to the shock of being called ‘abnormal’ by a piece of looking-glass. You looked about a few inches shorter than him - a perfect height for him to rest his chin upon your head - as a pleasant pink painted your cheeks, turning them into red delicious apples that tempted Azul to take a bite, and your jaw dropped slightly, lips parting with surprise. 

Azul knew that you could feel the strong connection between your two souls - the pull he had searched the past decade for finally presenting itself in the shape of you. He found himself unable to look away, staring at you with quiet longing and lovestruck clearly written across his features.

“Azul?” Jade snickered, “What is-”

“I think octy just found what he was lookin’ for, Jade,” Floyd snickered, his eyes shifting between the startled first-year and their lovestruck boss.

“I quite agree,” Jade’s voice came out sickly smooth as his eyes shifted between the three of them, “this has just gotten interesting…”

Azul hardly noticed though the twins’ snickers in his ears, his thoughts were already running wild with ideas of how he wanted to spoil you - his found other half, his precious mate. 

The problem now was that you were a non-magic user and a female to boot - nevermind that you had just been put on display like an exotic animal. The whispers that echoed in the chamber forced you to look away from the lovestruck second-year, your body quivering with fear and unease as he himself was brought back to reality.

‘How DARE they insult her while in my presence?’ Azul felt a growl bubble up in the back of his throat, his pale blues shifting from the crowd to his mate to the headmage and back again as his hands curled into fists under the sleeves of his cloak, ‘And how DARE the dark mirror put (Y/N) in this situation!’

“Headwardens,” the headmage’s voice echoed in the chamber, silencing every whisper as he took control of the situation, “please escort your students back to the dorms as the orientation is now complete.”

“What about (Y/N)?” the voice of Coach Vargas spoke up, “Surely you are not expecting someone like her to remain here?”

‘And you’re first on the list of people who will suffer my wrath for saying something so hostile to my mate,’ Azul thought, thinking of what the best way would be to attack the coach indirectly.

“This is a most unfortunate turn of events, yes,” the headmage agreed, tapping his chin in thought, “Due to you being female and that you are a non-magic user, I’m afraid I cannot allow you to attend Night Raven College. You seem like an amicable young lady, however this is an all-boy’s school and I cannot admit a student - male or female - with no magical ability. But fear not, the dark mirror will see you safely home.”

‘NO! You CAN’T!’ Azul was barely holding himself together at this point - he had just found his soulmate and now the world wanted the two of them to be separated forever?! He would not allow it! 

Before he could act on impulse, the mirror’s deep voice echoed in the chamber, “There is no such place.”

“What?!” Crowley squawked again as murmurs rose from the crowd yet again.

“There is no place in this world where this soul belongs,” the dark mirror answered again, “None.”

“H-How can that be?!” Crowley asked, his hands shaking with an inner rage, “My, but today is a veritable cavalcade of impossible phenomena! This has never happened throughout my long tenure. I must confess I am at something of a loss.”

Azul could sense the sadness radiating from his mate as well. Were you disappointed that you couldn’t return from wherever you had come from? And if so, why would you want to go back if now you knew of his existence?

Perhaps a little persuasion was needed…

Azul smiled darkly, before taking a step forward, clearing his throat, “Headmage Crowley, I understand that all of us are at a loss of what to do with our strange guest - however, may I offer a solution to our little problem?”

“Master Ashengrotto,” Headmage Crowley crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m not certain what you mean. We must send (Y/N) back to where they came from.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Azul countered, shrugging while keeping his eyes trained on the headmage while he faked a painful look, “It is easy to return us to our homes, but we have no idea where she comes from - or if we can even get her back.”

“T-There must be a way though… right?” you spoke up, your eyes pleading with Azul’s.

“I hate to agree with Azul, but he’s right,” a tan-skinned, dark-haired figure spoke up, “If this herbivore is from another world entirely, the chances of getting them back are slim to none.”

“Leona is quite right on the money with that one,” Vil answered with a nod.

Azul smiled, knowing that the ripples of shock and disbelief were now falling onto the headmage for being incompetent in dealing with this matter. He couldn’t turn (Y/N) away now that Azul had spoken up with two additional dorm heads also taking his side.

“What do you propose then?” Headmage Crowley asked, eyeing the headwarden of Octavinelle uneasily.

“Octavinelle, as I’m sure you remember, has plenty of rooms for rent,” Azul answered, turning to (Y/N) with a reassuring smile, “As the dorm head, I will gladly take (Y/N) into my dorm where she can stay during her time here. If she’s agreeable, she can work within the Mostro Lounge to pay for a place to sleep and to have food in her belly.”

“I’m not sure, Master Ashengrotto…” Crowley spoke, rubbing his chin with a clawed gloved hand, “a single woman in a dorm filled with boys is highly improper…”

“Improper would be the term used for the predicament your so-called black carriage put you in,” Azul snipped, his eyes flashing dangerously at the headmage, “Besides - the rooms we rent are on the opposite side of the aquarium in our dorm, quite a ways away from the rooms the dorm members reside in for that particular purpose. We also have security within our dorm and I’m usually the one to deal with matters of… problematic nature.”

“Perhaps, however-”

“Consider it one less problem on your plate as well. If (Y/N) is brought to my dorm, I will take full responsibility for her - and I might be able to find a way to get her home in the process as well.”

“You what?” your eyes widen with hope, your hand reaching out and clasping the edge of his robe.

“I have an endless network of resources at my disposal, my dear - I can likely find you a quicker way to get home than you can with anyone else here,” Azul answered confidently, thinking, ‘Though you won’t know that since I found you. I’ve searched high and low for you, I’ll be damned if I let you slip from my grasp so easily.’

“Very well then,” Headmage Crowley let out a sigh, “(Y/N), are you agreeable with staying with the Octavinelle dorm and working at the Mostro Lounge until Master Ashengrotto can find a way to return you to your world?”

“Of course! Thank you so much, Mr. Ashengrotto!” you beamed with joy.

“Azul,” the dorm head answered with a nod, “please, call me Azul.”

“Azul, then.”

The human-cecaelian smiled sweetly at his soulmate and offered an arm out, his hearts practically bursting with joy when you slipped your own arm through his - the two of you now link together via soul and side by side.

***

Azul brought you to the Octavinelle’s renting dorm after ordering Jade and Floyd to start the welcoming party for the first years as well as to get them ready for tomorrow night.

“Do what you need to do,” Azul smiled at the two.

“Of course.”

“You got it, boss!”

When the two of them were out of earshot, you looked up at Azul, “Thank you so much for your help back there. I wasn’t certain what was going to happen if you hadn’t stepped in.”

“Likely the headmage would have thrown you out of the college and left you to fend for yourself,” Azul smiled, “but I, on the other hand, would never allow something so pitifully disgusting happen to you.”

You giggled, the sound pulling on Azul’s heartstrings.

‘She’s here, she’s real,’ his thoughts quickened as the two continued their leisurely pace, ‘I knew that she was real, that she and I would meet. It will only be a matter of time now - once she confesses her feelings for me, I will make her mine.’

The two stopped outside one of the doors, Azul pulled out a key ring and unlocked it before ushering his soulmate inside.

“You can stay here,” Azul answered, peering around and wishing that it was cleaner than it was now, “There’s spare blankets in the closet in case you get cold during the night and fresh towels in the bathroom. I’ll have Jade or Floyd bring you a spare pair of clothing since you’ve brought nothing with you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to…”

“I insist,” Azul answered, “What sort of host would I be if I didn’t provide the best service?”

You giggled again, your smile even wider, “Well, thank you again Azul.”

Each time you spoke his name, Azul’s heart gave a leap of joy. 

He coughed, blushing slightly, “W-Well then, should you need anything during your time here, just let me know.”

“Of course, but - may I ask a question?”

“You already have,” Azul  snickered at you.

Your pout was adorable that Azul burst into laughter before you asked, “Why were you willing to help me? A complete stranger?”

“I have a gift for sensing someone in need,” Azul answered, his grin spreading wider over his features, “I have helped many poor unfortunate souls in my short lifetime and intend on continuing to offer my services in exchange for something.”

“What sort of payment?”

“Depends - but it isn’t something you should worry about. I like to keep a few things in my personal life private - regardless of my relationships with other people.”

“Of course, I can respect that.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Azul reached out, pushing the hood down and stroking your  soft hair gently, “Why don’t you rest now? I have to attend the welcome party for the new students and make sure no one is destroying anything in my absence. I will have Jade or Floyd bring you something to eat in a little bit along with that fresh change of clothes. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss our contract.”

“Contract?”

“I always have my employees sign a business contract before they begin work - regardless how long they work in the lounge for,” Azul answered, “It helps to have things in writing when dealing with problems later down the road.”

With a nod, you grinned, “Thank you again, Azul-san.”

The cecaelia couldn’t help himself as he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to your forehead before pulling away and leaving his other half to stare at him in shock and surprise. 

When the door clicked behind him, Azul pulled the keyring out and locked the door to prevent anyone from entering and you from leaving. His eyes gleamed menacingly in the low light as a black gloved hand stroked the doorframe gently.

‘At last… you’re here with me, my precious pearl. Forgive me, but now that I have seen you… I can never let you go…’

[accio-victuuri]

5/23/2024 zsww fake rumor house

this doesn’t make that much sense at all, for now. tho i’m waiting on some type of confirmation for the last part if we see xz at some point giving away fruits to the crew lol. and i love it when the convo or overheard conversation is all xz. i guess that’s why it was posted 10:05.

🐰: That’s it?

🐰: I don’t think so

🐰: take a look

🐰: Send it over, it’s not suitable for you

🐰: It looks long even when I wear it

🐰: No

🐰: If I sign it up for you, will you buy this?

fans are guessing that what xz meant with the it looks long even when he wears it is the jamy wee jeans.

🐰: Got it

🐰: I’ve paid you all, don’t cheat

🐰:You bought it

🐰:You! It’s you!

🐰:Send it to me and let me take a look first

🐰: don’t listen?

🐰:Okay, hang up

🐰:No

🐰: Oh no, it’s started

🐰:much better

🐰: Not so fragile, are you a part-time worker?

🐰: Hey hey hey

🐰: Hang up👋🏼

I was coaxed by my boss in three minutes, 6, I thought I was going to have to be a good person today. Hey, we are giving out benefits at noon, follow and eat pears, it’s so sweet

It was sent by express delivery. It arrived very quickly... Is this thing necessary? I don't understand.

source

[madphantom]

Sometimes staying sober and listening to drunk conversations getting dumber and dumber is an endless source of entertainment, for example last night I overheard the following conversation:

"Mental health issues run in my family. So do heart attacks and strokes. I really got the best genes ever."

"I mean you've survived one stroke dude, so at least that risk is out of the picture."

"Do....do you think I've built up like an immunity to strokes now.....?"

[spacexseven]

would demon dazai n chuuya ever join forces and share a darling? i imagine itd be a huge mess if they both took interest in the same darling so im curious if you think theyd be able to share or if all hell breaks loose once they find out theyre going after the same person :3c

love this au, ure doing a great job ʕ⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴥ⁠ꈍ⁠ʔ

hello user teethsies!! its always nice to hear from u huehue ^^ for more demon bsd content, check out the #demon au 🐟 tag!

cw: yandere characters + themes, violence

according to your very reliable source, the ritual was only supposed to summon one (1) demon.

but inhabiting your space now was not one, but two demons.

you tried to calm yourself down first before either of them could fully realize what had happened. maybe they were a package deal—unable to summon one without the other tagging alone, and you could ask them nicely to go back so you could summon the one you wanted. or maybe it didn't matter. the reason why you wanted to summon a demon didn't change just because there were two now, anyway, so as long as they were bound to you (at least, that was what was supposed to happen), you could make them do your bidding and promise to send them back right after.

but of course, none of that happened. for starters, your new housemates abhorred each other, and your so-called binding had no effect on them. it seemed you had, instead of summoning a particular demon, opened up a portal of some sort that the two happened to come across, which meant that you held no power over them.

to make it all worse, they were both completely deranged.

you're not sure what you were expecting from a demon, but it was foolish of you to think they didn't deal in trickery and torment. dazai was a master in both, somehow able to even make an invitation to stay in his torture chamber enticing (until you, fortunately, snapped out of it and realized just what that would entail). chuuya, though he never threatened you, had a permanent sneer on his face, and from the little conversation you overheard between him and dazai, was also no stranger to violent, cruel tactics.

it didn't matter why you wanted to summon them. dazai finds it silly anyway, whether it was for revenge or curiosity, the fact that you believed you could do such a thing and still be alive by the end of it was almost cute, and chuuya had made sure you knew how angry he was that you thought you could boss him around. regardless, they were here now, and...they were refusing to leave.

in retrospect, it was quite obvious when they were starting to take interest in you. dazai had always been a little too interested in you, apart from studying your clipped nails, which were completely different from his own claw-like ones, and constantly pointing out how small and human you looked, dazai found everything about you entertaining. he especially liked to make you frustrated, turning off your computer in the middle of your game, mixing salt into your sugar, hiding away your phone—little things that ruined your day,

chuuya, on the other hand, was a little harder to figure out. he seemed to hold a grudge against you, but there were times where he'd be almost...nice. after a particularly rough day or a night where you couldn't sleep thanks to someone deciding to also sleep right on top of you, you'd wake up to see your favorite drink waiting for you and all of dazai's usual tricks sorted out in advance. of course, he wasn't completely innocent. he had his own fair share of tricks, though never as bad as dazai's. chuuya was also a lot more familiar with the human world, and provided surprisingly good advice when you needed it.

the problem with the whole arrangement is that dazai cannot share anything, let alone his new human toy. he's suffocatingly possessive, and painfully competitive, constantly wanting you to spend more time with him and be nicer to him and smile more at him and—it went on. once he realizes that chuuya's warming up to you, he immediately starts plotting for damage control. he tries to send chuuya back and convince you that chuuya was only going to hurt you. while chuuya isn't opposed to the idea, dazai's hostility on spurs him on. having the two of you like the same darling will only end up in a lot of fighting.