#tag time! inflicting this image on people

[thiefnessman]

technically i don’t fully Go Here (yet) but i just remembered i made this image so. hello mahoyaku tumblr. here is Shy with a vape

[h0c-if]

HOUSE OF CARDS: THE CRIMSON COURT is a character driven romance interactive fiction set in a realm that resembles earth. The story follow you, a noble from the kingdom of Argonia sent to the kingdom of your enemies in an arranged marriage, all in the name of peace.

This game depends and focus heavily on the component relationships, Complex Relationships, and choices.

MAIN-THEMES (GENRES): Court Intrigue, Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama.

SUB-THEMES: Family Saga, Revenge/Vengeance, Cultural Clash.

TAGS:  Betrayal, Manipulation, Assassinaution, Complex Family Relationship, Affairs, Arranged marriage, Discrimination.

War. The malevolent force that breeds corruption, inflicts pain, nurtures hate, and reaps death, casting a dark shadow upon all that is good. Can love find a way to bloom within its merciless grasp?

SUMMARY:

As fate would have it, you find yourself torn from familiar shores and thrust into the clutches of a kingdom that has long been embroiled in conflict with your homeland. And to further complicate matters, your partner in this arrangement is none other than the Commander of the enemy's fleets, a name that reverberates with terror throughout the land. Whispers of their ruthless prowess in the merciless ways they dismantles their foes, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake and etching a chilling image of their power.

As you journey towards your own path. Will you rise to the challenge and become a beacon of hope and peace, or will you succumb to the siren song of ambition and greed?

Only time will tell, as the fates of kingdoms hang in the balance.

Follow the story of the noble House Scion as they traverse the complex web of politics, alliances, and betrayals. Will they prove to be worthy, or will their own desires and flaws consume them, leading to the downfall of all they hold dear?

Immerse yourself in a richly detailed world inspired by historical fiction, where court intrigue and political machinations shape the destiny of nations:

As an influential figure, what kind of reputation do you want to build for yourself? And as a character, what personality will you adopt? Play as the dove of peace, a brutal iron fist, a sly snake, or a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Romance three main characters, each with their own relationship dynamics. Plus; a possible secret Ro: Experience a captivating romance that defies societal boundaries, or would you rather find yourself entangled in a forbidden love that challenges loyalties and tests the limits of your own heart.

A diverse cast of characters to build and form relationships: Deepen or sever relationships with a number of important characters and; betray, befriend, antagonise or kill.

Your choices will impact both your personality and the game's story: Make choices that will have far-reaching consequences, shaping the course of the story and influencing the fates of both individuals and empires. Interact with the world and discover who you truly are. Will you be able to forge a new future for yourself and those around you in the midst of this chaos?

There are always hands playing in the shadows. Play their game or make your own: Navigate a world filled with people striving to feed their own agendas. Engage in strategic alliances and tactical decisions, as you use your wits and cunning to navigate the dangerous waters of war and diplomacy.

ROMANCE TROPES: Love at First Sight. Fake relationship. Rebellious Love. Amour Fou (Mad Love). Domestic Affair OR Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. Forbidden Love.

THE COMMANDER [M/F]

ELISAE ROWAN DELACROIX:

Elisae is hailed as a war hero in Borgia. Born to the King's second sister, the Grand Duchess of the North, Elisae followed in their mother's footsteps and joined the war from a tender age. Their valor and strategic brilliance earned them numerous titles and led the kingdom to many victorious battles. They played a vital role in shaping Argonia's destiny.

[DESCRIPTION]: Elisae is a formidable presence with a commanding stature, standing tall at 6 feet. Their piercing grey eyes, sharp as steel, hold a depth of determination and wisdom. Their ebony hair, meticulously styled and slicked back, contrasting against their tanned skin.

Have you begun to devise a plan to melt the icy barrier encasing your spouse's heart? Or do you intend to shatter it into fragments?

DUCHESS/DUKE[F/M]

JADE MAXIMILLIAN WINTER:

Jade is a figure of grace and elegance. As the esteemed Duke/Duchess of House Winter, Jade's political stance differs from your spouse's, which created a strain in the relationship of the two childhood friends.

Renowned for their esteemed position among the nobles and loved for their charming and easygoing personality, Jade exudes an aura of refinement and unyielding confidence. Their presence commands attention, while their subtle gestures and expressions hint at a depth of emotions and hidden desires. With a captivating charm and an enigmatic aura, Jade leaves an indelible mark on those who cross their path.

[DESCRIPTION]: Jade's mesmerizing eyes, a striking melted honey color, exude an air of mystery and intelligence. Their ash hair, cascading in waves, complements their fair complexion, imbuing them with an ethereal allure.

But what does that flaming smile hide? Can you withstand the searing heat of their radiance and still dare to draw near?

THE ESCORT [F/M]

RAINE HAWTHORNE:

[ABOUT]: Raine is a figure of quiet strength. With a quiet confidence and a sense of duty ingrained in their every action, Raine emanates an aura of reliability and protection.

Raine is assigned as your escort by the House of Delacroix upon your arrival in Borgia, Raine appears indifferent, showing little interest in anything. However, when it comes to protecting you and ensuring your safety, Raine is unwaveringly dedicated.

[DESCRIPTION]: Raine stands at an average height. Their piercing green eyes, sharp and discerning, hold an intensity that mirrors the depths of their soul. Their chestnut hair, tousled and windswept, adds a touch of ruggedness to their appearance. Raine's bronze skin bears the faint marks of battles fought and hardships endured. As a guard, they possess a lean and agile physique, honed through years of training and dedication.

Beneath the stoic facade lies a well-guarded heart. Can you unravel the secrets that lie within Raine's enigmatic gaze?

[SECRET RO]

♧LINKS♧

DEMO TBA. ROs MASTERPOST.

THANK YOU!! FEEL FREE TO SEND YOUR ASKS!!

[cleolinda]

Weekend links, June 2, 2024

My posts

My mom was in a car wreck this past week, but she’s okay and it looks like insurance will pay for the massive damage to the back third of her whole-ass car, and it won’t be totaled. Panic-inducing, and my mom’s a little spooked about getting back out on the road, but it’s going to be okay, I think. 

I was going back through my #pride posts to find things to seasonally reblog, and I remembered I’d written this post about Donna Summer and Disco Demolition Night.

Reblogs of interest

Politics: Felonies Georg is the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime! in court! a lot!

Speaking of birdsrightsactivist, who is featured in that post, it turns out that she is a delightful evolutionary biologist who coined the word “birb.”

Hot Vintage Lady Poll finals: It’s Eartha Kitt vs. Hedy Lamarr. Be advised that it’s a 24-hour flash poll, as the men’s was. Bring it home, Eartha Nation. 

Kick off Pride Month with this massive To Wong Foo post that gets better and better every time someone adds to it.

Hozier Watch 2024: A ethereal white butterfly crashed the Noblesville show, presumably with an urgent message from the Faerie Queen (Florence Welch). 

More from hellenhighwater’s minotaur sculpture trilogy.

An extra hour in the brick pit: yet another scam event in Britain. Although I’m halfway to believing that’s just the Official DashCon Ball Pit LEGO Kit.®

I am truly truly sorry to inflict this on you, but you need to know about Ogtha, an important Reddit saga. Think Snapewives, but Kafka. And then telling your parents about it in the language of her people. 

Rooster Goncharov

How a budgie tells someone to get the fuck out

“Unbelievably huge dragon d[ISCOUNT]”

Calculus Made Easy

Wake up, babe, new cat color dropped

The Velocipastor is so much

Darth Maul, second worst nightmare

I cannot impress upon you enough what a cultural icon Winona Ryder was in the late ’80s.

That said, I now want you to read this in her deadpan Lydia Deetz voice.

“No one’s really buying AI”: I am filled with a very specific kind of joy to hear that teenagers are already calling AI-generated images “boomer art.”

Contemplating this Eurasian red squirrel and his delicious apple for a while is self care. I mean, I sure felt better. 

Video

If you have ever wanted to get in a time machine and go directly back to 1994, IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE TIME DRIFTS SLOWLY

Elephants love making music, and we don’t deserve them

Pallas cats in pumpkins, because Halloween is everyday

The sacred texts

The “Backrooms” image/location from the original 4chan thread has been found. Side note, I keep meaning to post something about Kane Parsons’ new video series, because it’s very different from Backrooms and yet the absolute terror of the liminal is still there. 

While we’re here, would you care for an heirloom dancing Spider-Man?

Personal tag of the week

#pride, since I enjoy posting things for Pride Month, although at the rate we’re going, I and/or my family might be struck by lightning any moment. Here’s hoping my tag flourishes.

[chumpovodir]

Your last post reminded me of one of my favorite Isaactor fanarts on Pixiv <3

(the little 2009 in the corner makes me cry)

There is no context to this. The title is "don't betray me", and one of the tags says "why did you leave Isaac's side?". The whole vibe is delightfully yandereish, I'm imagining a scenario where Isaac won against Hector and dragged him to some dungeons to make sure he will never leave him behind again :3c and he's desperate, he's staining himself with Hector's own blood, but Hector... doesn't seem too troubled.

I don't know, I just love how it leaves so much to the imagination, but most of all I haven't seen much of possessive Isaac in the Isaactor fandom while to me it's pretty obvious. Hector crawled away to die alone precisely to deny him the warmth of a mutual death? Well, Isaac will kill the both of them so that they'll spend the rest of eternity together in Hell <3

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

thankyouthankyouthankyou for the food i am *inhaling* this.

let me just. put the rest of this under a cut these two make me absolutely insane and i need to ramble about it

ok, first thing: the fanart because holy shit this is like the perfect microcosm of how i view their relationship. and i just have to talk about their faces, in particular:

it's beautiful, your honor

it would be so easy to visualize this piece of artwork with their expressions swapped - Isaac looking down at his prisoner with a wicked, satisfied sense of glee, Hector looking up at his jailer with a pained grimace, terrified of what's to come next and knowing full well what Isaac is capable of. your typical seme-uke dynamics in a kidnapping/whump-type yaoi plotline, in other words (or Lenector *coughcough*)

but the fact the artist chose not to go that route? delicious and canon, imo.

if it weren't for the blood in the part i cropped above, this would look like a heartfelt embrace by two lovers who have finally confessed their feelings for one another~

but then you see the rest of the image and immediately understand: there is something deeply wrong with both of these people, which perfectly fits my vision of Isaactor, for reasons i'll go into more detail a bit later.

and speaking of the blood, isn't it interesting that, here, Isaac has chosen to injure Hector in a way where it's obvious he's hurt, but not so much so that Hector is actually bothered by the physical pain? it's almost as if... Isaac has such a deep understanding of Hector's limits and is deliberately restraining himself :) or perhaps, he can't quite bring himself to hurt Hector in any meaningful way...? :)) well, he wouldn't want to break his favorite toy, right :)))

Isaac, who calls himself "fearsome and cruel". Isaac, who swore Hector would suffer "a most gruesome death". and yet, when he finally has Hector in his grasp, all he can do is hold on to his friend for dear life and affirm to himself that he's real, he's actually there, and this time, there's no escape for him.

and for Hector's part in this interaction, i think that look on his face is a knowing one - knowing that the worst pain Isaac could ever inflict on him has (killing Rosaly) already come to pass, that nothing Isaac would be willing to do at that point could ever come close again. it's the smug arrogance of someone that is finally seeing his friend's true feelings for him in full display, and choosing, in his powerlessness, to hurt him back by not only not reciprocating, but actively rebuff him, at the cost of his own wellbeing, and taking a sick sense of satisfaction away from that very tiny victory over Isaac.

they're obsessed with each other, your honor. just two stubborn sickos choosing to spend the rest of their limited lives making the other as miserable as they can stand to expend their exhausted willpower to, now that any other meaningful relationship they had has been snatched away <3 the absolute worst outcome in a court-mandated denial of divorce <33

the tl;dr i'm imagining for this situation would be: Isaac loves to hurt Hector. Hector loves to watch him fucking try. toxic yaoi at it's finest~

and of course, we can't ignore in a post-CoD scenario like this where both Hector and Isaac live, but Hector lost, it would mean Isaac has made the conscious decision to not bring his Lord back. i wonder what that says about Isaac's priorities :)

second thing:

Isaac's ass. that's it, that's the point i wanted to draw attention to. you and i both know Isaac is as flat as a board back there, but we'll be thankful anyway to the artist for giving him a little bit of definition where it counts 🙏

next thing: the use of the term "Yandere" to describe Isaac's possessiveness? literally perfect but i'm so hesitant to apply it to Isaac bc of the fandom's long track record with using it as a  denigratory term when referring to how his character lacks depth ala your stereotypical "psychopathic jilted ex" villain

even people who don't subscribe to that reading tend to only defend him based on a technicality, ie "Isaac isn't actually Yandere, because Yanderes start off being normal and showing affection in an acceptable manner before it warps into obsession!"

and that's the rub for me, i don't think Isaac was ever really normal about how he felt about Hector, which I will now try to explain my viewpoint on:

so first off, i'll address this post i made over a year ago where i first explained my vision for them and, how, for the most part it still remains true.

in hindsight, i would really only add that this is how i view their pre-CV3 relationship, which is basically the most positive and healthy it will ever be. but in a hypothetical post-CoD scenario like the above, where they're both so broken by trauma and ravaged by Dracula's curse? then yeah, pile on the abuse lmao

anyway, i think the crux of Isaac's problems is that he truly does love Hector, and he's cognizant of it - and that scares him. because he can't separate the idea of loving his friend from loving the Lord he swore loyalty to before Hector ever came into the picture. his view of love is a zero-sum game (god i hope i'm using this term right), whereby if he claims to love Hector, then it must mean he doesn't love his Lord. add to this the idea of Isaac centering his whole identity and life purpose on serving Dracula and you start to understand why this is such a distressing revelation for him.

and how does he deal with it? well he doesn't, of course. lmao.

but ahh, the thing Isaac hates the most about himself is his humanity, and it's that same humanity that causes Isaac to be ruled by his emotions. and boy, does he feel alot of things whenever Hector is around~

he loves Hector, but hates that he causes Isaac's loyalty to his Lord to waiver. he's so proud of Hector becoming such a capable practitioner of the dark arts, thanks to his guidance, but hates that he's now overshadowed Isaac's own accomplishments and standing in their Lord's eyes. and it just goes on and on like that, this constantly alternating, hot-and-cold feeling towards Hector that he can never properly square away (at least, not without a heaping load of therapy) that feeds into his obsession with him.

and i think the possessiveness that eventually bubbles to the surface then stems not from a selfish desire to simply have Hector all to himself, but as damage control for Isaac's fragile sense of self - he reasons that it's Hector's actions that cause the friction in his everyday life, and, eventually and however indirectly, the total downfall of his safety and stability. so his "solution" amounts to something like "control Hector, and he can never have that kind of world-shattering power over you ever again" (the fact that he gets to make Hector suffer is just a tasty bonus~) just. a very fear-based, self-preservation type of reaction from the most animalistic recesses of his brain in response to what are very human emotions. which makes for the best kinds of dysfunction and drama imo :3

so yeah, Yandere is definitely one of the vibes i was going for but like. in a verrrry specific reading of that term lmao.

and also, since you've given me an opening to talk a little bit about that piece i wrote, here's more context to it:

i wrote it over a year ago after being inspired by a similar Isaac-centric piece that i swear i found on ao3 - it was basically Isaac killing time in the 3-years prior to CoD, channeling his obsession with Hector by creating a replica of him as an Innocent Devil, then promptly destroying it, with all his complicated feelings sprinkled throughout.

there was actually supposed to be a bigger scene written around Isaac's monologue, taking place when he was possessed by Dracula during the final fight with Hector, and it was supposed to be something like his faltering consciousness reacting to what was happening around him (with the implication that because Isaac wasn't really dead-dead, since Hector never landed the killing blow, that was the reason the transformation failed and Hector was able to defeat Dracula. so again, Hector's fault :^))

in the end, i couldn't quite hack it, but those 9 sentences basically encompass this utter mess of a human being i adore~

[queengiuliettafirstlady]

Portrait of a Gentleman Through the looking glass

Portrait of a gentleman Through the looking glass

Fandom: Ikemen Prince

Pairing: Clavis x MC

Prompt : Ludus & Pragma

Part of : Shapes of Love Creation Challenge hosted by @violettduchess and @lorei-writes

Tag: Hurt Comfort Disguise Insecurity Reassurance Angst Fluff

Word Count : 3.415

Author’s Note: Mirrors can show a lie and reflect the truth at the same time, of facade and reality twisted and twirled so strongly to melt in one to any untrained gaze

But any mask will show, sooner or later, cracks so little to left people wondering were the real truth is ?

It is the bright confidence or the rare moment of vulnerability of an heart wounded too deeply to be concealed any longer ?

The truth is in the middle and she has all intention to see it for herself, accept him as no one else ever did, showing him a world where the things he believed impossible are indeed possible.

A world where she won't shy away from loving him unconditionally.

offering bliss to an afternoon filled with memories and insecurities resurfacing to inflict anguish over his battered and bruised heart.

The same she won't shy away from healing with her words, revealing the truth of what he is for her, revealing the truth of the undeniable, playful, deep, bond they share together linked by the red string of love. 🥰

Tag list

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @lordsisterxotome  @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess @natimiles @nightghoul381 @dragon-liquorice @candied-boys

You can find me on AO3 as QueenJuliet 😊

Thank you for everyone who will like, reblog, or comment please be gentle with me english is not my first language so please do not leave rude comments I apologise for eventual errors I hope you will like it 😊

There was a mirror in every bedroom of the palace, this was far from being a secret, everyone had a different relation with it and the images it reflected, emblems of how appearances are often crafted to be a mask, to hide and protect what was inside and what should remain concealed to prying eyes … and I was no exception.

 Flashback

 “Who do you see ?” 

 The first question she asked me when she dragged me next to her in front of the mirror echoed in my mind.

I was so hesitant to show her my room, but she was way too curious to see it, and truth to be told I am so weak for her puppy eyes I, reluctantly, decided to open myself a bit more, only with her though.

As predicted she didn’t judge anything about the room furniture, like the total absence of a bed, or about me … and yet I couldn’t help but feel a prickle of annoyance at the meticulous attention she was paying to the looking glass instead of me.

It’s not like I didn’t wish for her to explore my room to her liking … but honestly the mirror is, in my humble opinion, the least attractive furniture of them all.

I chuckle to myself, hiding the bitter reason for my statement behind a carefully crafted smile as nothing of what I think and feel shall be revealed on the surface.

It took me ages to accomplish it, but my effort paid off since I managed to fool everyone. 

But not her.

She really was special to have seen through it, and nowadays, I still can’t say in all honesty if I am happy or not of that skill of hers.

Present

 I sigh heavily, throwing my cape and gloves on the armchair, slumping ungracefully on the sofa.

It was a long and tiring day and, even though I would gladly doze off, I can't because work has not finished for me yet.

Moreover, my mind had the worst timing with making that memory resurface, as if I was not already in a bad mood.

 -Who do you see ?

 Indeed, what a naive question this is, I chuckle trailing lazily my gaze on the looking glass, standing in a corner of the room where he always was.

Dull and useless like me.

 -The best prince in the Kingdom, a handsome gentleman loved by all, a true trickster who always finds a way to spice things up with a brilliant mind that can rival everyone.

 I answer the question myself, all the while my heart beats painfully in my chest at the effort this show off is taking me this time, unusually so.

 The ever present smile on my lips felt tighter, I noticed it from the way my cheeks ached, but 

there is no one around to fool, I have no need for it any more, and so I let it fall

 In a haste I undo my jacket and neck tie, whose suffocating feelings it’s beginning to get on my nerves.

 I sigh heavily, leaning against the soft cushions, my gaze falling on a weirdly sewn plush next to my leg.

A bitterness not stranger to me invades my heart as I pick it up.

She said she loved it so much more than any normal one … and yet I couldn’t manage to feel completely happy with it.

 The crooked smile on it makes my heart waver as tears swell in my eyes, rolling softly down my cheeks.

 I ignore the trembling of my arms as I squeeze it gently against my chest, suffocating my sobs in its soft pink fur caressing what should have been its face, with trembling fingers, clutching it as I let its sweet scent invade my nostrils.

 A heavy, shaking sigh escapes my lips as I lower the plus, holding it close to my heart.

I stayed there catching my breath when a glimpse of light caught my attention, flickering on the looking glass eliciting me to follow it. 

 -Who do you see ?

 It’s tone demanding and authoritative, not admitting a shallow reply of sort nor accepting to remain answerless.

And so I do, I let my bleeding heart answer this one while my mind whispers in my head that all I am saying now it’s true and nothing will ever change that.

 -A mediocre fool, the pathetic shadow of a genius, a silly and dumb bother no one wants to deal with, a messy prince and nothing more.

 At that moment I heard the door cracking open, panic settled in my heart.

The options are either her or Cyran, and right now it’s not the ideal moment for either.

Noiselessly I dry my face on my sleeves, hoping, perhaps in vain, to conceal my reddened eyes and puffy cheeks even though I know both of them will see through it because, for as much as I feel to be undeserving of, they care about me.

From my hiding spot, behind my armchair, I spy on the intruder coming dangerously closer, I hold my breath hoping to not be spotted … but in vain.

 “Here you are.” I slide away from my spot, standing up to greet her.

I try to play it as a joke, but my voice sounds so feeble even to my ears, pathetically so.

“Ahahah did you miss me so much my darling?”

“Of course. I checked the whole castle to find you.”

A troubled sensation began to prickle its way to my heart.

I didn’t deserve such attention, I am not worthy of it … and yet it warmed my heart knowing to be so truly loved.

“I missed you too.” My heartfelt confession, that sounded so needy to my ears, seem to please her, strangely so, while a smile so bright to outshine the sun curl her rosy lips.

“You could have picked me up any time, you know that ?”

“I think Sariel would be even stricter with you if I did.”

“Then let him be, after all there will be nothing I would rather do than to be with you when you need me.”

Her words left me speechless, she must have picked up on my mood, but ever thoughtful, she didn’t comment on it.

She really is way too sweet and kind for me, and yet there is no one I will let steal her away from me.

Mindless I lost myself in her hug, tightening my arms around her form, leaning my forehead on her shoulder inhaling her sweet scent, balm on every scar of my battered and bruised heart.

In an instant, before I could register where we were going, she led me in front of the mirror.

The same that tormented me since I entered the room. 

I really wish to protest … in my own way, but the mischievous glimmer in her eyes told me she has a plan of her own, one I am awfully curious to discover.

“Who do you see ?”

I am about to answer her question, but she cut me short.

 “Tell me my wonderful prince, my kind lover, my affectionate gentleman, my astounding genius. Who do you see ?”

 Her words hit home, warming me to the core, over flooding my heart with all the love I have only for her. 

Gently I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in for a hug she didn’t shy away to reciprocate.

Reluctantly I slide away, mustering all my courage to turn to look at the once so loathed, looking glass.

I gaze at my reflection in the mirror, and for once I see someone I am proud of.

I greet him with a smile, maybe a bit more crooked but honest and what is taken away from perfection, it is made up in brightness as I stare at our reflection side by side in that shiny golden frame like a portrait I would never get tired of admiring.

It would be impossible and beyond foolish trying to hide the affection swelling in my eyes as I tighten my arm around her waist, feeling her soft purr of delight as she nuzzles into my chest, leaving a tender kiss on my heart, racing wildly only for her, affection I do my best to convey leaving a kiss of my own on her soft curls, gawking in awe at the soft smile curling her lips brightening up her already gorgeous features.

My voice is laced with emotions as I give her the answer she is yearning to hear. 

“Me.”

Her warm sweet voice caressing my skin, melting me to the core, leaving me astounded from the love she is showering me in.

I really don’t know what to do with myself, in a daze I grasp her hand as an anchor amidst the waves of emotions washing over me, keeping it close to my heart.

The gentle touch of her fingers trailing softly on my half unbuttoned shirt sensually sliding to brush over my chest are driving me crazy, but I didn’t mind.

Shamelessly I give in to her desire, indulging in the delicious sensation of my heart racing widely in my chest as she continues to praise me with words sweeter than honey pouring over each crack in my heart, healing it as my scars become but a distant memory.

“The most wonderful man I have ever met.”

My voice becomes hoarse with all the affection overflowing in me, and yet only now I manage to find enough courage to show everything of me to her exactly as I am, paying no mind to the way my hand trembles around hers, smiling as I feel her delicate fingers squeezing it softly.

“The one you successfully stole the heart from.”

I raise her hand in mine brushing my lips on her knuckles in a gallant kiss revelling in the way she giggled at my touch, meeting her bright earnest eyes as she looked up at me

“The one and only one who has stolen mine, but I don't mind, and you ?”

“Not at all.” I smile, brushing my nose with hers, admiring the unbounded happiness shine in her gaze mirror of my own.

“You are bright like a star, I know you can outshine everyone else, so now come here my precious boy and let me bask in your light. You are the true genius, the only one in my eyes.”

Her voice sweet temptation fanning warm on my lips as she gazed straight into my eyes.

“You are the only one my heart desires.”

Unable to wait any longer standing still I melt my lips on hers, hoping to convey all the love and devotion I have for her deep sealed in my heart, savouring every inch of her lips, ravaging her mouth groaning in delight at feeling her eagerly returning my kiss, swallowing her moans as I entwine my tongue with hers.

Gently holding her against me gently curling my fingers on her hips, sighing dreamily at her delicate fingers clutching tightly my shirt, in a vain attempt to stray herself among the unbounded passion enrapturing us in its spires.

Reluctantly, we pulled away, laughing like fools as we looked into each other's eyes, glimmering with happiness with carefree smiles on our lips.

I lean my forehead to hers, wrapping my arm around her as I cup her face in my hand, brushing softly my thumb over her rosy cheeks, gazing in her eyes I lost track of time, but before I could do lose myself too I am at least able to offer her a heartfelt confession of my feelings.

“I love you from the bottom of my heart, my bunny.” 

Her delicate fingers, soft like feathers as they brushed over my swollen lips, tracing my smile at her lovely words. 

“I love you to madness, my leopard.”

 At the sound of a suffused music swirling in the room from the open window a soft smile curl her lips and in an instant I am pulled in an improvised dance, the sweet notes of the piano guiding our waltz around the room, my eyes mirroring the tender affection swirled in that colourful gemstone her eyes were as her soft locks billow around her pretty visage.

In a crescendo of emotions, we reach the sublime height of unconditional love in tune with the climax of that ethereal music that envelops us in our own little world.

 “If only you saw through my eyes you would see what you are to me. ” Her words filled my heart with affection, brushing away all my demons.

“I see it, now you are here with me.” I murmur softly, returning the tender smile she offers me as she looks up at me, reaching to brush her soft fingers on my cheek the same I lean in her hand, smiling at the tenderness of her caress.

I never believed the day would have come when I would have let myself be vulnerable but here we are, my barrier crumbled in ruins scattered all over, while the sun of her acceptance shone brighter than ever straight to my heart beating only for her, my one and only love that broke the lock of my chains setting me free.

“You are a great prince, the best for me. The only one I would never get tired of singing the praise of.”

“Dearie me, this could be a problem. If you begin this challenge, I think I shall begin to gush over you even more everywhere we go.”

“Hahaha. You already do Clavis, a bit more and Sariel will throw the both of us out of the palace.”

“Well, It’s not such a bad fate if we are in it together. What do you think of it, my lovely accomplice ?”

“ I will go to the end of the world with you.”

“You really do know how to make me crazy about you, don’t you ?”

A dreamy sigh escape that sweet lips of hers who never fail to make me smile, as I entwine my fingers with hers basking in the radiance of her smile as she gazed up at me with her gorgeous eyes so full of affection coaxing me to give in to her love …. and so I do.

“I think the same way, my adorable little bunny.” I playfully tap my digit on the tip of her nose, eliciting tingling giggles from her soft lips.

“After all, remember that I have a Kingdom of my own where we could escape.”

“It sounds so romantic … but I bet it would be even better if someone, let’s say the King himself, would change all the locks without giving anyone else the keys.”

“Are you suggesting what I think you are ?”

A gaze at her malicious smirk coupled with the sensual allure shining in her eyes enraptured me, eliciting me to satisfy her desire, as if I could ever be capable of breaking off from the spell she put on me. 

“What a delightful idea my love, indeed I have to admit you are more naughty than you seem.”  I brush my fingers sultrily on her lips, seeing a glimmer of lust in her gorgeous gaze, stifling a groan at the playful bite of her teeth on my digit, warmed by her breath.

“I can’t possibly refuse such a tempting offer, can I ? A vacation to spend locked in our palace really does seem like a dream come true.”

With a soft dreamy sigh I feel her nuzzling in my chest, while her fingers begin to play with my buttons sliding them off from their holes, before rubbing her cheek on my skin, peppering little soft kisses on it, making me giggles at her impromptu tickles.

“I can’t wait.”

By the time we finished dancing the sun had already set, normally I would have proceeded to spend part of the night working on my duty … but for her, I will do an exception.

Since she asked me nicely to take care of myself, and get enough sleep, I started to do my best to follow her advice, after all I would never do something, purposefully, to upset her.

The idea of seeing her unhappy makes my blood run cold, freezing with the fear she will give up on me for someone better … like Chevalier.

The mere image of my lover together with him troubles me deeply.

I shook my head to brush away such thoughts, leaning to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling at the sight of that bashful smile curling her lips as a light rosy blush spread on her soft cheeks, I offer her a carefree smile as we resume laughing and chatting like old time friends under the soft warm covers of her bed. 

Furthermore, I mentally sign myself a note to buy a comfortable bed before she moves in with me, big enough to room two persons because, in all honesty, I can’t have her sleep on the couch and neither can I deprive myself of the pleasure of drifting asleep next to her and wake up each morning staring at her gorgeous face.

I see her stifling a yawn as she shifts closer to me, looking straight into my eyes like she is ready for some big revelation.

“You need to sleep too.” I can’t help but stifle a giggle at the seriousness in her expression, for real I was expecting something else, but evidently this matter is important enough for her to be ready to give me a lecture if I didn’t listen, and obeyed her.

The thought she cares about me so much makes me feel all fuzzy and warm inside, melting me to the core.

Instinctively, I wrap my arms a bit tighter around her little frame, smiling fondly as she cocooned better in my hug.

“I would far prefer looking at my gorgeous lover all night long.” 

I would never admit it to her, but she really is too adorable, in everything she did, even when she pouts at me like that.

“Ahahah dearie me, I see my wonderful fiancée is not thrilled by the idea.”

“Not even one bit.” 

I almost gave up fighting sleep when I heard her slurred voice murmur.

“I feel lonely when you don’t hug me.”

Seriously exactly when I think I am already head over heels for her, she found a way to prove me wrong, at this rate I couldn’t go anywhere without her, and I am sure like she wouldn’t complain about it.

I really underestimate the power my little enchantress had on me.

“Don’t worry, my princess, your prince is here to warm you up, so … you won’t feel lonely any more.” 

With utmost care, I lean my lips reverently on her hair in a tender kiss, conveying in the light brush of my fingers on her cheeks all the love and devotion I feel for her.

My little bunny rabbit, my prank-partner, my lovely fiancée, my princess, my Queen.

In one word, the love of my life.

The only one I would devote my entire life to love.

The only one I would have done everything to see her smile

The only one I would have crafted any prank to see laugh ever so mirthfully.

The only one I would have spared no effort to make the happiest girl that there ever was.

In one word, my only one.

Unaware of the hour I stand there bathing in my love soaked bliss, admiring her gorgeous features shine as an ever graceful smile curls her soft lips, strangely so I can’t bear to stay away from her for even a moment.

It really is incredible the effects she has on me, it could be an interesting subject of study.

My coherent thoughts scatter to the four winds as I wrap my arms around her, leaning to leave a gentle kiss on her forehead, ready to join her in our dreamland.

“Good night, my princess.”

“Good night my leopard.”

Our tale would have continued on, those of a leopard that fell in love with a bunny, to show no matter the appearance lovers destined to be will always find a way to get together, to craft a story worthy to be in a book, only our to be written with the magic power of love.

[sentofight]

ooc. going back to that meta post about t/ype 0 and the cycles. emotions and certain images/ flashes of memories do tent to be carried on with people on every god damn cycle. these do over every time will leave a subtle change in one's personality and actions. this is probably not what arecia want because this means people might start to notice 'oh wow, i know something i shouldn't have known so how?' etc. aside from that, i believe class zero got that carry over bug especially we notice that a lot in cater. the other zeroes are probably inferred what they carry over or we can speculate. so i will speculate, basically what i think might be carried over. machina is an avid chocobo lover and this is for sure in every cycle. you wont see this changing at all. however, because of his continuous interaction with ace, and in the previous (LN+agito) cycles he had somewhat better relationship with izana, machina started to collect the feathers of the chocobo as fun at first then in the type 0 cycle he believed that it might bring him good luck. there was something about the feathers back in agito and it could be carried over into the 0 cycle thus why he would always gather a feather from any fallen chocobo if he can and store it in the box under his bed. if humans can have name tag, chocobos can have something, too, right? his only regret he didn't have any feather from chichiri, when he was told his brother passed away with his chocobo. yes, he does not recall he had named the yellow bird but he felt it in his heart that this loss is unlike any other loss.

eight, on the other hand, carried the 'respect flowers' over to his 0 cycle. in agito he accidently destroyed/stepped on deuce's flowers and he felt guilty about it. yes he helped her salvage and take care of the flowers but something deep inside touched him. he, who only fights when necessary and uses his own body as weapon to remain as pacifist as he can (as war can allow him) be, he crushed down helpless flowers as he trained. wouldn't be something akin to what their enemies are doing? they invade and destroy what comes in their way? it bothered him that in that moment, he did something that others might not think twice about it but for him it is not just 'oops i stepped on some flowers'. what got to him was deuce's reaction--her sadness. every action has a consequence, the aftermath. he does not want to be the action that leads to the suffering of others--he wants to be the force, the power to stop such aftermath. hence he would often seen in the garden training. he would enjoy watching the flowers that deuce and the other students planted around the garden (and on campus.) whenever they are on a mission, you better believe he thinks 3 steps ahead where he should land whenever he attacks his enemies because you wouldn't know where a poor flower could be there. listen, it is not like it hunts his mind, it actually keeps him 'sane' sort of during the battle. too much 'battle mode' would make him lose what makes him 'human'. eight might do and say what would make Arecia happy but he does not think they were turned into puppets or even weapons. he may call himself a weapon but that because he is really is--fighting with his fists and kicks. unlike the other zeroes, no matter how many times he tried using weapons in different cycle, the fact that it means he will inflict pain on others make him uncomfortable. if he has too, then he ought to remember it--with his fists.

As for King, he is probably the most fucked up mentally wise of the zeroes. He had always been on class 9--the class specialized in special OPs. Meaning, all the dirty work that needed to be done is done directly by class 9. We don't know a lot about his missions but for sure he killed a lot. Even before the war broke, he would handle any spies, infiltrators, and deserters etc. tailing people and keeping tabs on them, as well. what cater saw in c.oncordia that one scene is one of class 9 cadets on a mission. this is exactly what king used to--sneak around, gather info then deal with the target. it is most likely why he uses normal guns, they are efficient to take down someone and won't be hindered by magic abilities (sort of.) King carried over his sense for weather, and of course, his inability to 'imagine' seen in the last scene in the game. he said 'I can't imagine that future.' because he only sees facts & orders. King in the game his aim is affected by the game's weather but that what makes him the strangest and weirdest of them all. no one like him get affected by weather like literally look at the stats he is always the last or somewhere above last. the only high stat for him is his ice magic and he is placed 7th. In his job as a OPs operator didn't entail he had to be the best at attacks, or defense etc but a strong and unshakable mentality. this is seen in a lot of interactions in the game, whether with aria, nine's antics, trey's long rants, with machina's burst, telling off queen for her actions, analyzing the situation at times etc. He is not the type to jump the gun at anything that is why he always keeps quiet and observes in the back. king's personality is shaped and well, bounded to be almost like, almost a robot--apathetic and cold. so it is obvious he feels at times not fitting in the class if you play the game--like he is always just an extra guy to fill the space. in truth when you look at it, king is needed so the others won't stray. perhaps at some cycles he was the eyes for arecia maybe? she does not need his help that is for sure but an 'equalizer'? of some sort? what i'm trying to say he balance out the group. there are the calm zeroes and there are the rowdy bunch and in the middle the in between and he does not fit in any of these three because he can be invisible at times. he is there to make sure these groups are working together by being the invisible link (controlling nine's burst, guiding queen, helping seven care for these children, indulging in some ROCK'NROLL BABAYYYY jk.) but yeah. i honestly didn't like king that much but he grew on me on my second game play especially when you unlock some side options to see how he deals with people. yes. king.

now that finished my zeroes it is time for my own oc, mister einar vilho. since im guilty with not showing my ocs the love i should give it is time to think more about him. since we talk about the other cycles, einar has changed too, during these 6million cycles. there were cycles when he was still with his family. there were cycles when he didn't lose his arm. and of course, dead in other cycles. i want to think he was killed on the bridge battle like i intended for him to be but in the agito cycle; hence why he is so cold and more desperate to in type0 to find an ending to this war. perhaps what he carried over from all these cycles are his hatred for war. the fact he has to see children' malnourished bodies dead and rotting on the outskirts of the city gate because what? because his country cannot provide for all of its citizens let alone any hostages they take from rubrum. to see helpless kids who cant fend for themselves dying because a crazed man said we go for war is unimaginable. but perhaps what is carried that the sense he has to fix this by climbing the ladder and what a role model to take than mister qator ??? the guy has similar plan in his mind, or so he thinks. einar abhors war but only a foolish would flab his gums without doing anything. he can protest all he wants, he will be dead before he can say 'fuck the crystal wishes' Cid is unforgiving. if he caught a wind of it not only einar will be in danger, but everyone who knows him. the cull will begin with his dearest uncle then go forth to anyone who knew him. that is something he tried to avoid by being a good 'dog' in the milites army. it did him good because he managed after a while to become a captain of his own platoon and luckily he and his men share the same feeling--war is meaningless. but again, there is nothing they can do except wait and hold for the right moment to act. it is why he is actually good with children but he needs to believe in it lol. man thinks he is a popsicle destined to ice on his own for the rest of his days. buuut dab he got an amazing wife to say no to sadness ;u; merci sora for warming that milities popsicle's heart.

[sjsmith56]

Solidarity - Chapter 21, Lord Buchanan

Summary: As more of the nobility arrive to see the silo a situation arises that requires an immediate change of laws relating to the rights of women. Queen Peg seizes the opportunity to make sure the vote goes the right away and calls for a women’s strike against working. Some of the opposition surprises Lord Buchanan.

Characters: Lord and Lady Buchanan, Queen Peg and King Steven, Mary and Cook, the other nobles, Bruce Banner, the Sorceress.

Warnings: Just going where the muse took me but there is a reason for these side-plots.

Author notes: Image of King Steven courtesy of Instagram artist Nixakimbo. For modern methods to be used against the asteroids, some modern ideas have to be accepted first. Since many of the modern women have scientific abilities, their status has to be guaranteed so they are safe against reprisal from less modern thinking individuals.

<<Chapter 20

🏰 🎪

After several days of exploring the underground complex there were some answers and even more questions.  It appeared that the general in charge had determined very early on that a large asteroid had hit the world but he had done nothing to look for or offer assistance to any survivors on the outside.  Every body they found in the complex had a set of dog tags with them, indicating they were also military.  Dr. Madison was summoned and with a team of volunteers collected the remains found scattered throughout the structure.  As far as she could tell they died by either self-inflicted wounds or by poison.  They had given up hope very early on and their fate was sealed away along with the missile which Banner and Foster were now examining. 

The two scientists determined it was a missile from the Titan missile program but one that they didn't recognize as on their world those missiles were mostly all decommissioned early in the 21st century whereas this one was still in use in 2031.  The good news for them was that the Titan missiles had also been used by NASA and could definitely make it to space.  There was also documentation of the other missile bases and where they were located, although finding them would be difficult as the landscape had changed so much since then.  The one they were in was in what would have been near Brooklyn in their world.  Obviously the tsunami generated by the asteroid strike had destroyed Manhattan and probably most other large cities on the eastern seaboard as neither king nor any of the lords present who had arrived after being contacted by the King could recall seeing the remains of a large population centre on any of their travels.  Being on higher ground had saved this structure from the destruction faced by those on lower ground.

The fact that the fuel and batteries installed in the structure were still viable wasn’t lost on several of the modern people. In their worlds such sources of energy destabilized after a short time. Then it was brought up that this being a different universe than theirs could mean that time moved differently here. Ileana had a thought when she saw how the Sorceress watched everything with interest, wondering if she had known about these structures and had managed to put a spell on them to maintain the integrity of the different energy and fuel sources. When she went to ask her, the Sorceress had smiled at her, placed her hand on Ileana’s arm, then redirected her to attend to something else. She never thought of it again.

Lord Stark was one who was extremely excited at all the technology, repeatedly asking Banner, Foster and even Lady Stark what the various consoles were used for.  The missile itself was overwhelming even for the modern people as most had never been that close to one, only ever seeing it on the news or in movies.  As more nobles arrived to see the weapon after those first few days it became necessary to request they bring their tents with them as Buchanan's castle was full.  Fortunately most of the Lords were understanding of the need to meet sooner than what was originally planned considering this monumental discovery.  After a look at the structure, whose other access portals had now been fully exposed by Farmer Patrick and his sons, most nobles committed to searching their own lands for similar looking hatches and covers. 

Lady Yelena arrived with her contingent which included her now fiancé Silas Brenson, who was second in command to his father as garrison commander.  She arrived with news of the mines in her lands.  Great machines had been found deep inside them.  They were old objects but were like nothing anyone at her estate had ever seen.  Drawings of them had been made and she brought them with her, rolled up in a tube that was fastened to her horse's saddle.  Since King Thorn's country also had mines she wished to show him the drawings and hear his counsel on them.   

She also requested a personal audience with the King soon after her arrival.  He commanded a large tent be erected for him to hold audiences and requested she present herself to him within the hour.  When she arrived it was with Silas, who bowed in his King's presence while she curtsied.

"Lady Yelena, what is so important that you needed a private audience?" asked King Steven.

"Your Majesty, have you changed the laws governing my rights as a married woman?" she asked in return.

"No, not yet," he replied.  "It was my intention to submit it for approval when the Lords gathered at the palace two weeks hence.  Why?"

"Can it be done here, while the Lords are present?" she asked.  "It is urgent that it be done sooner rather than later."

"I will need an explanation," he stated, already guessing what had happened but wanting to hear it from them first.

"The fault is mine," said Silas, interrupting before Yelena could say anything.  "I was too eager and neglected to protect M'Lady's virtue adequately.  We fear she may be with child.  If we marry now then the laws state that I become Lord.  I wish to be her husband, but I do not want to be a Lord.  I am a soldier and will stay a soldier once we do marry.  She is better suited to rule the Ancient Mountains for she is much smarter than me."

"Silas takes too much on himself," said Yelena, clasping his hand.  "It was I who convinced him that one time without a sheath would make no matter.  I have seen the Sorceress and she has confirmed that I carry Silas' child.  If you could change the law, then proceed with my investiture we will marry privately with the priest performing the rite."

The King did his best to appear stern but he could not.  The frank honesty and obvious love of the two young people standing before him was both refreshing and compelling.  He pretended to studiously think of their predicament before announcing his decision.

"I will gather the Lords tomorrow," he said.  "Then I will present the amended laws for approval.  After it's completion we will proceed with your investiture on the following day.  If you wish, your wedding can proceed soon after and I would be honoured to present you to your husband as his bride.  We must have a celebration, as much to celebrate the discovery of the modern technology as to celebrate the love you both share for each other.  Fret not, young Yelena and Silas.  We will get you truly married this week and no one will care that your child was conceived before your marriage.  It would not be the first time such a thing has happened."

True to his word the King announced a meeting of the Lords to hear, discuss, and approve the new laws pertaining to the rights of women in the kingdom.  The most specific of those laws declared a woman was a person with the right to self determination.  The law of inheritance would allow a woman to inherit her father's title and responsibilities, keeping those titles and responsibilities upon her marriage, and not surrendering them to her husband.  Arranged marriages would become illegal.  All women would have the right to education until their mid teen years (the same as men currently had), and protection from abuse at home, at work, and in marriage.  The already prepared banns proposing the changed laws were posted throughout the kingdom that very day.  In the camp at Buchanan's estate and in the castle itself the Lords were advised the approval of the new laws would go to vote the following day.

Within hours messenger hawks arrived for the King advising him of unrest across the kingdom.  He was angry at first that these laws would ire so many people.  Then more messenger hawks arrived and the unrest was further explained.  It appeared that once women became aware of the proposed changes many had decided to show their support for the King by refusing to work, or look after their home, or their families until the laws were passed.  Even the women in brothels were refusing their services until the laws were approved.  When word of the latter reached the modern women gathered in and around the Buchanan estate, one of the women, with an interest in literature, said the word "Lysistrata."  Ileana had never heard the term but Lady Stark had.  It referred to an Ancient Greek play written by Aristophanes about the women of Greece refusing sex to their men until they stopped fighting wars amongst themselves.  Queen Peg sent out word that she wanted to meet with all of the women, noble and common alike in the King's audience tent immediately.  With her Queen's Guard at the ready to repel any man from entering she looked upon all the women facing her.

"Is there any woman nearby who should be here but isn't?" she asked the assembled ladies.

"Mary, good wife of Aaron the cobbler, is in labour and being attended by a midwife but she sends her support," said a woman, to the laughter and cheers of the other women.

"Well, she has good reason to be absent, doesn't she?" asked the Queen, smiling, then she became serious.  "You know me as your Queen, but I came here from a modern world that had its own problems for women.  I was a warrior there.   I commanded men to fight and obey my orders, but I still couldn't walk freely at night without threat of a man trying to take liberties with my person.  Whether it is the nature of all men, or the nature of those who see our equality as a threat doesn't matter.  The world doesn't work if women don't work.  I think we should prove that by refusing to do anything for the next 24 hours.  No cooking, no cleaning, no laundry, no sex...."

"When my husband hits me for that, what then?" asked another woman.

"You tell me and I'll come to defend your honour with my sword at the ready," said Peg, drawing herself up to her full height.  "I may be 4 months pregnant but I can still wield a sword.  I can still throw a man down to the ground.  I will defend you, sister, because I am a woman first and a queen second."

"You would do that for me?" the woman asked, touched.  "I have no schooling, and I take in laundry when my husband has spent his wages on drink instead of food for our table.  You are a fine lady, with many servants."

Peg looked sadly at her and stepped off her platform to face the woman directly.  She took her hands in her own, setting off murmurs in the crowd.

"You do not have to live like that," she replied.  "Stay here for the next 24 hours, with me and the other sisters in this tent.  After, if you wish to return to your husband I will go with you and remind him of his responsibilities, at sword point if I have to.  If you wish to leave him I will help you find purpose in your life by clothing you, educating you, and helping you find a new life."

She returned to the platform and faced everyone.  "I pledge to all of you and to all the women in this land," she proclaimed.  "If your husband mistreats you, spends his wages on gambling, drink, or in the brothel instead of food for your table, I will help you.  That is my pledge to you, one woman to another.  Who stays here, in this tent with me tonight?"

There were a few Ayes then more as the women found their voice, committing to staying.  Many left to bring bedding back.  A few asked for the presence of the Queen's Guard afraid their husband would stop them.  Queen Peg sent her four warriors with all the women who wished for an escort, knowing there was strength in numbers.  Ileana returned to the castle and notified the women staff they would be staying in the King's audience tent for the night.  Mary and Cook did not want to go, as Lord Buchanan was a good and fair master.  So Ileana sought him out, in the Library with Bruce Banner, King Steven, King Thorn, and Lord Stark.

"My Lord, I need to speak with you," she said, interrupting.

"My Lady, what is it?" he asked. 

"How much do you support the King's new laws regarding the state of women in the kingdom?" asked Ileana when he approached her.

"I support them fully," he said.  "Being with a modern woman such as yourself has shown me that you are my equal."

"Then please, personally support those women who are more traditionally minded to join the Queen for a 24 hour sabbatical from the traditional role of women."

His face changed in surprise and the other men, overhearing Ileana's words, came closer.  "What has the Queen proposed?" asked King Steven, his face alert.

Ileana was uncomfortable explaining the Queen's call to action but if they couldn't get the support of these men, then how could they get the support of common born men?

"Your Majesty," began Ileana, "it is all well and good to propose the changes to the laws as you have done.  But these laws affect more than a fine lady, wishing to continue being the steward of her father's lands because she has no brothers.  It affects every woman, from a housewife to a peasant to a woman in a brothel.  They must be able to decide for themselves how their life progresses.  The Queen has proposed that all women refrain from any work or service they might provide to their husbands, family, or household for the next 24 hours.  She does it to support the women already withdrawing their services across the kingdom.  She does it so that all men can see what efforts a woman puts into society and hopes that 24 hours without those efforts will help men see that your proposed changes to the law are overdue and quite necessary."

To his credit King Steven visibly stifled any negative reaction he may have had to this unexpected development. 

"When does the Queen propose this event occur?" he asked.

"Immediately," said Ileana.  "After hearing from some village women about the abuses they could expect from their husbands she wishes all women in the castle and surrounding area to join her in your audience tent and spend the next 24 hours there.  Some women in certain roles in the castle have expressed misgivings about it, worrying that they will offend their lord."

Buchanan smiled briefly, knowing exactly who she referred to.  King Steven smiled also.  "Well, gentleman, it seems we must lead the way in supporting our wives," he said.  "I must admit I was looking forward to Hannah the Cook's roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for this evening's meal but the Queen is quite correct.  If these laws are to pass, then men of the nobility must prove to their male subjects that all women must benefit from these laws, not just those in a position of authority.  Buchanan, please encourage your cook and housekeeper to join with the other women.  We need all of them to support this display of solidarity.  We will strive to survive without our women's presence for the next 24 hours in all that they do."

Buchanan turned to Ileana.  "I will assure them that I hold no ill will if they support this," he said, then whispered in her ear.  "I will miss you in my bed, however.  Take what bedding you need to make everyone comfortable.  I have slept on the ground more than once.  I can do it in my own castle this time."

She touched his face affectionately and left to assemble the women servants to take the bedding out to the tent.  He went down to the kitchen, finding both Mary and Cook there, blocking the kitchen maids from leaving.

"M'Lord," said Cook, angrily.  "These silly girls insist on leaving for that spectacle in the King's tent.  Tell them they must stay."

"I won't," he replied.  "They must go, just as you two must go."

They began to protest and he raised his hand to silence them.  "M’Lord," said Mary, her tone exasperated.  "Think of all the chaos that may befell this castle, this estate if all the women servants leave."

"I think that is precisely the point, Mary," he said kindly.  "I know what women do here and how important they are to the success of this estate.  But other lords might not and certainly there are husbands in the villages, perhaps even in the garrisons who take their wives' efforts for granted.  That is what this spectacle is about.  Women across the kingdom have already withdrawn their services to prove that the new laws are needed.  The Queen is just asking for every woman here to support them.  Even you two."

"But M'Lord, how will you eat?" asked Cook.  "I have roasts of beef, and potatoes, gravy and Yorkshire pudding."

"Take them to the women," he said.  "There are some whose husbands gamble and drink instead of putting food on the table.  They'll be hungry.  Us men, we've eaten rations in the field before and we can do it again.  Support the other women, please."

Both women agreed and Cook organized her kitchen maids to help carry the food out to the tent.  Buchanan helped as well but made sure he did not pass across the entryway of the tent, instead handing it off to women who were going in.  He had a thought and instructed Rhodes to install torches on a path from the tent to the nearest privy. 

"Have guards nearby who can visibly see the pathway," said Buchanan, "just to make sure the women are safe if they need the facility during the night.  I trust my soldiers but you never know with some of the other lord's men."

"Aye, M'Lord," said Rhodes.  "I was concerned for my own wife's safety in that respect.  She is there already, helping organize the placement of women in the tent.  I must admit I am proud of her for doing this.  It is the right thing.  She was the making of me and I've always thought she carried the load more than I, without complaint."

As he was walking back to the castle, Lord and Lady Falcon arrived in the courtyard with their escort, and hailed him.  Both expressed amazement at all that was happening, neither having heard about the placement of the banns or the 24 hour withdrawal by the women.

"Sounds like fun," said Lady Falcon. "I seem to recall your good wife describing a gathering of women staying together overnight as a sleepover.  My dresser and I will take our bedding with us and join them."

She dismounted and directed her dresser to do the same.  "She leaves me to handle the erection of our tent," said Falcon, with a smile.  "Many changes, Buck, but this one seems to be well overdue judging by the reaction of the women folk.  On another matter, I bring news.  We may have found a modern structure in Eden Vale.  It is high up on one of the mountains.  A mountain lion had been stalking some cattle and our beast tracker followed it into the mountains where he found the structure.  There is an ancient roadway to it, although it is damaged in places.  There is a device inside, which I attempted to draw.  Perhaps the Giant can look at my drawing, since he has revealed his scientific knowledge."

"You haven't heard?" said Buchanan.  "The Giant is now human.  The Sorceress saw the human in him and drew him out.  Come with me and we'll show him the picture.  I can give you some soldiers to help erect your tent."

Buchanan motioned to Rhodes for soldiers to help Falcon's servants erect his tent and brought the former falconer to his library.  Dr. Foster was there and both she and Dr. Banner became excited when they saw the crudely drawn picture.

"Where is this?" asked Banner.  "This is a telescope.  Do you know how wide and long it is?"

Falcon paced out on the floor approximately how wide the base was and made an estimate of the length of the cylinder which rose from it.  When asked if the cylinder was open at the top or sealed he told them sealed.

"The mirror finish might still be pristine," said Foster.  "Just needing a cleaning."

"A 36 inch mirror is more than enough to plot an asteroid's path," said Banner.  "I'm pretty sure the Lick Observatory's 36 inch telescope was used well into the late 20th century.  We need to go there, soon."

"Power will be an issue," said Foster.  "That thing will need power to move it.  Oh, there's so much we have to do Bruce."

"I'm pretty sure there was a portable generator in one of the storage rooms at the missile base," he replied.  "If the gas to power it is still viable...."

The rest of the men witnessed the conversation not understanding any of it but based on the reactions of the two scientists they knew it was significant.  Suddenly Foster stood up and realized something.

"I'm supposed to be down in the tent!" she exclaimed.  "Sorry, gentlemen, but you won't see me for 24 hours.  Try not to discover anything until I get back."

She quickly kissed King Thorn and hurried out of the library.  The other men stood there and then all started laughing.

"I feel like I am at a gathering of men the night before one of them weds," said Stark.  "We can discuss matters of the kingdom or we can discuss our womenfolk."

"I am new to this, having been a hermit for years," said Bruce.  "I have no woman, as most ran screaming when they saw me in my green skin."

"How did that happen?" asked Stark, looking intently, at Banner.  "Surely, as a scientific man you took precautions."

"I did, but sometimes the unexpected happens and I paid the price," he replied.  "In my original world I found a place with a group of warriors, the Avengers.  You were one of them, a great inventor, with a suit of iron that allowed you to fly.  King Thorn was a god from another planet with power over lightning and incredible strength.  He fell in love with a woman from ours and chose to defend our world as if it was his own.  Eventually, it did become his own, when his own sister destroyed his world, and his people came to live on ours.  King Steven was a soldier who was transformed from a small weak man to one with great strength and character, but always a touch of sadness around him because he was out of his proper time.  Lord Falcon, you were in the group as well, even though you were an ordinary man.  You also had a flying suit, and your courage and character were well known.  When King Steven's counterpart chose to return to his past you took up his mantle with a new flying suit that gave you more strength.  Lady Falcon was a formidable warrior in the group as well.  Lord Buchanan was also one, even though he had started out as the tool of an evil master."

"Apparently, my mind was taken from me and I was sent to kill King Steven's counterpart but his memory of our childhood together was enough to stay my hand and start me on a path to redemption," replied Buchanan, looking fondly at his foster brother.  "I guess some things don't change between worlds.  You said the Sorceress was also a member of these warriors?"

"Yes, she was known as the Scarlet Witch but her name to us was Wanda," he said fondly.  "She was young, with the same powers she has now, but she wasn't the youngest.  We had a younger one, still a teenager, 14 years old when he first found his powers.  Peter Parker, he was Spider-Man, could generate a web and use them to swing between buildings."

"Wait, that short boy Peter Parker, who is the son of one of my tenant farmers, and is now gate guard at the King's Palace, was one of your Avenger warriors?" asked Buchanan, incredulously. 

"A very strong one," laughed Bruce.  "I heard he defeated both you and Lord Falcon in a battle you had.  Surprised both of you immensely.  Of course, here he must have lived a normal life, instead of the extraordinary one he had in my world."

"With all that has been discovered about our world's history and the threat that is before us," said King Thorn, carefully, "what is it that we wish to do with our world?  Steven, you are changing the laws of your kingdom to allow women more freedom, laws that we have had for many years in my kingdom.  It is obvious that both of our kingdoms at one time were part of a larger entity, a country, or a republic perhaps.  That map in the underground structure shows a very large country.  Are we striving to recreate that or are we just two kings who respect each other enough to cooperate on finding a way to save our world from an outside threat, then continue on ruling our kingdoms separately?"

"Being part of a larger entity didn't help them find the asteroid that would destroy them," said Bruce.  "In fact, being a larger entity made them paranoid, sometimes.  There was a lot of distrust between countries in my world.  Alliances rose and fell all the time.  Personally, I think you should keep it small but rely on your obvious friendship and continue to cooperate.  But that's just my opinion as an outsider."

King Steven smiled.  "Perhaps those are conversations for another time," he said.  "I am trying to change my kingdom.  Having a modern woman for a wife has helped me confront my own short comings and misgivings as a ruler.  All of you here, even you Bruce the Giant, have thoughts and opinions I wish to hear and understand.  Thorn, we just fought alongside you in a battle to save your kingdom.  I think you should rule it as you see fit.  Our descendants, perhaps they will think differently.  All we can do is what we are doing now, talking, cooperating, and planning for the threat that is upon all of us."

Male servants brought a bottle of brandy, some glasses and several trays of cheese, breads, and smoked meats that the men in the Library descended upon.  As their womenfolk prepared for bed in a large tent next to Buchanan's castle, they ate and drank brandy for many hours, telling stories and becoming close in the way some men do before they faced a difficult task.

Chapter 22>>

Series Masterlist

Please reblog if you liked this chapter.

[ask-valiant-victory]

[Ref] - [Character Tag] - Valiant... or something like that.

Name: Valiant Design credit: Pokemon design by @/darling-zorua Current Universe: U1 - The God Realm Status/Trainer: ██████ Pronouns: He/They Type of Pokemon: Hisuian Zoroark (Victini)

Additional Refs:

Victini Valiant - True form

Age: 27 (~300,000 yrs) Height: 5'0" (152 cm) True Form Height: 1'0" (30 cm) Deity Pact: Arceus Spzd. Move: 

Judgement [Fire]: [DATA NOT FOUND]

Moveset:

V-create [Fire]: The user emits a hot flame from its forehead and hurls itself at the target to inflict damage. This also lowers the user’s Defense, Sp. Def, and Speed stats.

Mystical Fire [Fire]: The user attacks by breathing a special, hot fire. This also lowers the target’s Sp. Atk stat.

Confusion [Psychic]: The target is hit with a weak telekinetic force to inflict damage. This may also confuse the target.

Inferno [Fire]: The user attacks by engulfing the target in an intense fire. This leaves the target with a burn.

[Mark of Arceus] - Valiant belongs to the god Arceus.

[Valiant's Collar - Arceus Ring] - A ring around their neck that allows them to easily communicate with Arceus, it allows the god to see what their creation is doing.

[Valiant's Crown - Halo] - A halo Valiant was created with, it doubles as a weapon and is able to change size at will.

[Litten Puzzle] - A 3000-piece puzzle with various Littens on it. Seems to be only half finished, the pieces look very worn or rather... well-loved.

[Eevee Puzzle] - A 500-piece puzzle with an Eevee wearing a flower crown and running in a flower field.

[Sunflora Puzzle] - A 2000-piece puzzle with a Sunflora and their Sunkern children, they're sitting next to a field of sunflowers.

[Mystery Puzzle] - A 1000-piece puzzle given to him by Noelle.

[Defining Traits]

[x][x] Valiant is actually a Victini, he however likes being viewed as a Zoroark because he wishes to be a mortal. He feels much more comfortable in his Zoroark form.

He is extremely naive and loving, which seems to contradict a lot of the information he has revealed about his job of 'dispatching' mortals.

Valiant has difficulties when it comes to communicating with people, he doesn't understand social cues, expressions, or anything regarding emotions.

Everything they seem to do is some level of faked or forced. They don't seem to have a proper understanding of emotions.

[x] When not faking a cheerful and upbeat attitude his voice falls back into being flat, monotone and generally emotionless.

[x] Valiant dislikes violence, he prefers to think and surround himself with lighthearted and positive things. He claims if he does anything violent it's not of his own volition.

[x] He smiles because he learned it was comforting to mortals.

He doesn't like being viewed as 'scary'

[x] Valiant does not have emotions, he can't feel or understand anything a mortal can feel, and he is also unable to feel pain or anything others can.

[Major Facts]

[x] Arceus created them in their image, however, they find Valiant extremely creepy for some reason.

Lives in a seemingly endless space of pure grey nothingness.

[x] Valiant does puzzles because they have nothing else to do, when left alone they tend to stare off for hours at a time.

[x] Valiant can not do things that involve thinking creatively, they tend to struggle greatly. However, if they could do anything, they said it would be writing and drawing.

[x] He was not created to have thoughts or opinions, which is why he struggles with creativity so much.

[x] He finds large amounts of loud noises to be overstimulating, especially when he is currently stressed out, so much to the point he will snap a someone to be quiet.

[x] He didn't always know how to talk without someone else making him talk, he only recently learned how to talk unprompted.

[x] Valiant doesn't like when people ask to touch/examine his collar, it makes him very uncomfortable.

[x] The collar around his neck is called an Arceus Ring, it is there purely to correct his behaviour and be punished much more efficiently. He cannot feel pain normally, but this allows him to feel pain it is currently known how.

[Minor Facts]

They call everyone "Mortal" since they are actually a demi-god.

[x][x] Knows Silas apparently, and has known him since he was a child. He also knows who Seance is but refers to her as "Ghost Fox", he's also very aware of who North is and has even met her.

[x] He only owns four puzzles despite loving them a lot, he received a new puzzle from Noelle.

[x] Valiant is somewhat illiterate, he doesn't know how to read very well. His younger sibling Valor would often read to him, however.

[x] Valiant doesn't know how to eat food, he's watched many mortals eat but still doesn't understand how to eat. He doesn't require food to fuction.

[Important History] - [Present Day]

You... feel like you've seen this Pokemon somewhere before.

[Important History] - [Past]

[x] Valiant used to be a Victini named Victory, she was Arceus' champion and warrior. He was born from one of her feathers as her remains were too ruined for a proper rebirth, he doesn't remember this previous life however.

[x] Valiant spent the majority of his life unable to think, feel or understand things. He only recently gained the ability to have opinions and thoughts. He thinks fondly of these times because he was 'blissfully ignorant' of life.

[x] Arceus put an Arceus Ring (Collar) on Valiant when he started being rebellious. This was around the time he learned to speak independently from them, and he gained the ability to refuse his tasks. Valiant seems to regret this a lot because it was how they first learned what pain felt like.

[x][x] An introduction to the feeling of pain allowed Valiant to begin to experience vauge emotions, they seem to cause him a lot of distress and exhaustion when they happen. He doesn't always understand what emotions he is feeling.

[Arceus]

Arceus is Valiant's Parent.

They have a very abusive relationship.

[Valor]

Valor is Valiant's youngest sibling.

They have a very close relationship.

✓ = Emotions he can feel ✕ = Emotions he can't feel ⁇ = Emotions he has shown signs of having but doesn't recognise

[Learned Emotions]

Emotions that have been explained and learned by Valiant.

✓ Joy → Learned from: Tsubayuki → Understandings: A positive emotion → Obtained by: Seeing or doing something that you like, being around those who you like. → Caused by: Puzzles → Thoughts: "It feels okay... but still a lot."

✓ Envy → Learned from: Tsubayuki → Understandings: Not positive or negative → Obtained by: Wanting things others have that you don't have → Caused by: Watching Mortals → Thoughts: "Feels bad..."

✓ Guilt → Learned from: Tsubayuki → Understandings: A negative emotion... that's good? → Obtained by: Doing something you feel or know is wrong → Caused by: Hurting mortals → Thoughts: "Hurts..."

✕ Fear → Learned from: Mortals → Explained by: Tsubayuki → Understandings: ... Not good. → Obtained by: Mortals feel it when their life is being threatened → Caused by: Attacking mortals → Thoughts: "I do not like seeing it..."

[Recognized Emotions]

Emotions that Valiant can recognise but does not completely understand or comprehend.

⁇ Sadness → Learned from: Valor → Thoughts: "I do not understand... but I know it is not good."

⁇ Upset → Learned from: Unknown → Thoughts: "They're so difficult to tell apart..." → Notes: Valiant has a hard time telling the difference between Sadness, Anger, or general upset emotions.

[ipsen]

kanae brainrot apparently

“oh that kanae gender poll is neat haha anyways” the next day comes “oh okay.”

my opinion on kanae is “interesting without the burden of hindsight.” if tg had positive trans rep in mutsuki or big madam kanae would be a very good character with a very compelling arc. unfortunately, tg slaps every trans or ngc character with the “GASP. lying about their gender?!” tag at least once. at least mutsuki kinda gets away with it.

anyways. let’s do some vacuum analysis. under the cut.

kanae’s purpose in the story is heavily related to her perception of his personal gender versus what gender she thinks will better serve her family legacy. As the very last remaining rosewald, she wants to be a man because for one reason or another, she perceives women to be weak. her mother succumbed to illness early on when they fled germany, for example, while her brothers fought unflinchingly to help her escape. She was very young, so these facts made an impression upon her.

of course, no one calls her out on this because no one around her understands. They don’t know what it’s like being alone. They don’t know what it’s like losing everything and wanting nothing more than to get revenge against the ones who think they’re better and stronger. They don’t know. They don’t know her. She wishes they knew her. She wishes they loved her.

Until one day:

(can i PLEASE take my eyes off this woman for FIVE MINUTES jesus christ)

eto hates two particular things: herself, and people who lie. this is a core character trait of hers and explains the targets of her torture. people who remind her of herself and think of themselves as superior to someone/something else. why?

because she’s been in those very situations, and it worked out for the worst.

eto targets kanae because kanae hates humans on a broad scale (see: how she treats chie), but this is born of fear as only the ccg are the cause of her suffering and the only ones who really care about her dying, and despite having been thrown about by “humans” (again, ccg) and seeing the value non-ccg humans bring to the table (again, chie (bless chie’s heart btw), who is also hunted by the ccg), kanae still despises them and sees them as beneath her.

eto was the same way at one point. she was targeted by V, who took Noroi, her only family at that time, away from her. In her quest for vengeance, she mutilated Kasuka Mado, who, for all intents and purposes, is not a part of V, but an unwitting weapon swung around by them. she presumably does similar things to other investigators out of rage and pain because there’s nothing left for her and she has no support system to reign her in. this is until she meets arima who decides to help her (and even then…).

and eto, more or less, broke free of the mindset kanae is currently in. only thing is: eto also hates herself. she hates how many people have died on her quest for change, how many people will continue to die even when she “wins”. she hates herself as the instigator, but it’s all she knows and all she will continue to do, and she wishes she could just mutilate herself and die and answer for everything she’s done. but that would be a purposeless death. so she turns to a different pastime and breaks out the sewing kit. surely she can “fix” this pitiful caricature of herself while getting the twisted satisfaction of “hurting” herself.

(spoilers: it doesn’t work.)

and you know what they say: as eto, so kaneki.

neither wants to hurt kanae, not really, but rather they want to hurt the image of themselves that kanae exudes. is it better? no, but it’s an important distinction when factoring in characters.

… this was supposed to be about kanae. please accept my apologies. let’s get back on track.

it’s tragic, isn’t it? the people who have real, genuine, human experiences (eto can eat human food, kaneki was human) are the ones who inflict arguably the most pain on kanae. she continues to be at the mercy of the humans she hates so much. their twisted perceptions of love have infected her and she dies.

and yet she thinks she dies happy.

—

well those are the morning thoughts while i’m supposed to be on vacation. thanks for reading!

[whumpsday]

Whumper Royale - Bracket 1 Round 1

Aden Wilson (Tag) by @pinkieglitterheart

Aden is snarky and has a great dislike for others, he generally won't get along well with anyone else. He sees nonhumans as weaker and would put himself as higher then them in terms of what he believes and insult them. He thinks he's just above everyone and will fight anyone regardless even if their stronger. He finds most outfits people have to be tacky if their not a suit or old fashion.

Aden can take a beating to the face and his ribs well for a while. It takes a while to tire him out. He'd knock his opponents down from the back of their heads or legs before choking them and trying to stab them.

Though hitting his back hurts him, making it take longer for him to get up. He can has quick agility and will rip the weapons from the hands of others so they can't use it and would attack them with it himself. He has quick speed and can dodge well for a while but after a couple of hits he gets tired.

He would take a break but wants to not be seen as weaker and would push through it as much as he could till he can't move as well or till he falls over. When he's to exhausted to get up again.

"Darling you did good, even though you're pathetic most the time."

Rudy from Land of Liars by @whumpy-daydreams

An explosive and tyrannical sadist he's always loved inflicting pain and torment on people. Dishonorably discharged from the army he was recruited to keep unruly 'patients' (prisoners) in line. Strengths - hand to hand combat, loves using knuckle dusters, familiar with knives and guns and can use them well. Weaknesses - his cockiness means he often underestimates people and when angry loses all sense of tactics. He specialises in defiant whumpees and takes pleasure in winning a fight (verbal or physical).

"Go to hell." Rowena snarled, pushing herself up away from the pressure of his arm on her neck. Rudy let go, appearing to turn away before reeling back and landing a fist on Rowena's jaw, sending her toppling to the floor with a cry. Quickly he dropped to the floor and yanked Rowena up by the front of her shirt, pinning her back against the wall in a sitting position. “I told you I’m not a patient person. Luckily for you, I’ve been told not to damage you too much, but when that instruction no longer stands then you’d better learn to do as you’re told.” With a final push, he stood up, wiping his hands on his trousers. The burst of rage dissipated as quickly as it had appeared and he grinned. “See you tomorrow!”

(Image sources: Art by @pinkieglitterheart, Picrew)

Check out the other polls here!

[mylittleredgirl]

dear hurtcomfortex author

thank you so much for writing for me! i hope you have fun. i'm very easy to please as a reader and love to be surprised! (i love treats, too!)

there were so many more wonderful tags to choose from (and i completed my sign-up 30 seconds before the bell), so in addition to my sign-up tags, feel free to write to any of my general likes below for any requested ship, or other similar tropes as long as they avoid my DNWs.

--

💕 i love: canon divergence | complications (e.g. emotional baggage, working together while in a relationship, traumas inflicted by canon) | episode-related fics | fix-its | friends to lovers | happy/hopeful endings | hurt/comfort | “it’s just casual” to lovers | other canon characters included in the fic | pining | polyamory dynamics | 5-times | all ratings are welcome.

❤️‍🩹 hurt/comfort likes: aftermath stories | characters who don't expect comfort learning how to accept it | comforting characters heal themselves through the act of helping | comforting each other while hiding/waiting/in fear | cumulative damage (emotional or physical) | hurt character struggles to maintain their dignity… and ultimately regains it | “i should have been there/been able to stop it” | “i'll stay with you” | kindness tailored to the way a character can accept it | made to watch (or can’t stop imagining) | one hurt physically/one hurt emotionally | platonic physical comfort | shared vulnerability | sexual healing | “the last straw” is something small.

🔥 kinks enjoyed: aliens made them do it (or local canon dubcon equivalent) | blow jobs | body worship (especially related to body changes like aging, weight gain, scars, etc) | edging/orgasm delay | hand jobs | masturbation | non-penetrative sex (not that i’m opposed to penetrative sex, just another thing i enjoy!) | overindulgence for coping or for fun (food, drinks, sex, etc) | soft dom/sub in bed (bondage and praise yes, pain and shame no) | telepathy | watching/voyeurism | sweet i-love-you sex works for me too!!

⛔️ DNWs: alternate-setting AUs (law office, coffee-shop, etc; small & large canon divergences are welcome though!) | bashing of other characters or past canon relationships | cannibalism | crossovers (except between series in the same universe, like star trek) | hurt no comfort | non-canon nicknames | non-con between requested characters (dubcon ok) | non-sexual bodily fluids in sex scenes | permanent character death | permanent loss of autonomy | spelling out accents (for human characters) | unplanned pregnancy | zombies or blood-sucking vampires (other canon-typical aliens and cryptids are welcome!).

⚠️ opt-ins for common DNWs: i’m fine with sexual violence being part of the story or backstory (including in childhood), as long as it’s not graphic, not committed by major/recurring canon characters, and doesn’t cause irreparable damage (e.g. not "will always feel pain or fear with sex," has to quit their job, etc). i like second-person POV a lot, as long as the “you” is a canon character. i dnw major character death, but death/grief for other people or animals is fine. i’m also OK with body image issues, canon-typical sexism, infidelity, medical/surgical things, mental illness, miscarriage, and torture.

--

🌃 Stargate Atlantis 🌃 john sheppard/elizabeth weir (hurt either one or both)

(hurting both wasn't technically an option, but i would welcome it!)

these two are made for hurt/comfort. they're both strong and have been through so many wringers. they're terrible at admitting vulnerability, taking care of themselves, and accepting help from others. i would love to see them support each other (well or clumsily) through canon suffering, brand-new suffering of your choosing, or just a hard day at the office. some interesting tag options for them are the "character planned to die but didn't" option (perhaps elizabeth more than john -- i think he's aware in canon of his protagonist invulnerability), "bad guys made them do it" for a darker dubcon take for them to work through together, and "rehumanization" has canon and metaphorical potential for either one of them. please feel especially free to bring your own ideas for these two -- i have rarely met a sheppard/weir idea i didn't love!

--

⛑ M*A*S*H ⛑ margaret houlihan & colonel potter (hurt either or both); trapper/hawkeye/margaret (hurt margaret)

i'm now up to season five in m*a*s*h and am so so so obsessed, and especially chewing the drywall about margaret. there's so much wrong with her. there's so much wrong with everyone. truly a show for the ages. there's lots of hurt/comfort potential built into the day-to-day premise -- the long brutal days in a long brutal war, the conditions, the stress, how no one ever has everything they need -- as well as the option for exciting war zone drama. anything from slice-of-life hurt/comfort to dramatic action/adventure would be loved!! i would prefer fic that only includes canon from seasons 1-6, since i probably won't have seen all of the later seasons before reveal time, but that’s not a dnw.

margaret & colonel potter: i loveeee the developing surrogate father/daughter relationship here. it offers so much potential for her to heal and grow, and he has such a soft spot for her in return. i would love to stick them in a little peril to see them get closer -- we know they go together into the villages to do medicine sometimes (and he already got shot once), so perhaps something exciting happens on one of those trips? if you'd rather stay low-key in camp, some emotional support that lets her feel seen or lets him get something back for all the one-way support he offers the others would be lovely.

trapper/hawkeye/margaret: there's so much charged (and horny) energy between them, i can't resist. the times they brought her into their circle (even if reluctantly) were so funny and sweet. i’m happy with any level of ship, pre-ship, or “&” friendship here. i have great love for the ongoing frank/margaret disaster as well, so feel free to include him/that relationship in the story or not however you wish (though if you're using him to hurt her, please keep it within the general canon range of damage -- he should definitely not be the perpetrator in the almost-raped tag scenario up there).

regarding the tags for this show: i genuinely dropped the ball here by not including any tags where trapper & hawkeye caused the hurt they're now trying to resolve, because that would be very in character! if you would like to go that route and make them atone for some of their little crimes, i would love it. even if they’re all friends or lovers now, old habits die hard…

--

🛸 The X-Files 🛸 john doggett/monica reyes (monica or both hurt); john doggett/monica reyes/dana scully (hurt any one of them)

at this point i was panicking about finishing my sign-up, so please feel free to add extra tags! the x-files excels at generating horrifying ways men and creatures can cause harm, and anything within the scope of what happens to agents in a monster of the week ep in canon is fair game (except dnw zombies or vampires). i love the season nine agents and the variable dynamics of longing and need and trust and friendship between all three of them, and the x-files is at its best when the agents are going all out to protect each other!

the tag i have up there is "both captured," but having just one of them captured and the other(s) panicking/coming to their rescue would also be great, or tending the wounds afterwards. some soft comfort after any canon episode or an original case-gone-wrong would also hit the spot. monica is usually the one offering emotional support, so it would be nice to see that go the other way sometimes!

a prompt i always hope someone will fill is “three agents spend the night snowed in with ghosts,” with the author’s choice whether to interpret it as paranormal ghosts or the angsty figurative ghosts they’re all carrying around.

--

🛰 Babylon 5 🛰 michael garibaldi/susan ivanova/talia winters (all hurt or hurt talia); lyta alexander & talia winters (hurt talia)

i really, really want talia to survive. i think susan and michael would be the most motivated to rescue her, and lyta would be the most capable of cleaning up the damage.

i love telepathy in babylon 5. psi corps is so deeply fascinating and fucked up. lyta and talia get so used and abused from so many directions, and the more power they gain, the less freedom and agency they have. the two of them have the same backstory of briefly interning with the psi corps, and i have always wondered if they knew each other pre-canon, and how that might have impacted lyta after unmasking talia's alter ego.

DNW exception for this fandom: while i usually DNW unplanned pregnancy, psi corps tortures its people in all kinds of ways, including reproductive control. i'm fine going dark for psi corps stories (non-con, torture, etc is all built into canon!) as long as our characters come out alive and there's some comfort, love, support, and a hopeful ending.

--

that's it!! thank you again! i hope something here was inspiring or at least not too boring. i will be delighted and so grateful for whatever i receive. enjoy!

[reflectingstars]

Hello tag, now I feel the need to start inflicting/bringing my constant musou ramblings over to here from That Place, I'd like to introduce you to my own lil Samurai Warriors OC, Tsutsui Junkei, art and visual design design by the fantastic and wonderful @unkledeath. A little 'intro' blurb beneath the read more. It's nice to feel more confident about the OC game, haha. :)

BIO: Tsutsui Junkei, Lord of the Tsutsui clan, is a man with an calm, considering and somewhat quiet demeanour with a surprisingly dry sense of humour. Having inherited responsibility for his people young, he is very aware of his responsibilities and is considered pleasingly dutiful by many who know him, if sometimes hesitant and indecisive.

Beneath all of that, however, and known very well by his closer family and retainers, he is a romantic and a dreamer. Growing up, Junkei absolutely adored stories of noble samurai carrying out great heroics, finding great comfort in an idealised image above the reality of most samurai of their age, and was prone to flights of fancy that he’s never truly grown out of. During tough days he would read and memorize as many stories as possible and imagine getting swept off his feet by some armour-clad hero that would ‘save’ him from the wearying weight of their era. It was his particular comfort, a far-fetched dream, just something to help him get through the days… right up until he met and fell quickly and deeply in love with one Akechi Mitsuhide. Fitting many aspects of the figures he’d conjure in his fantasies, Junkei began to feel that, just perhaps, it might be possible to make that dream come true.

Unfortunately, the plague of Matsunaga Hisahide on his life would cause Junkei great trouble that would affect both dream and duty. After several years of struggling in battle with Hisahide, and even losing his castle to Hisahide at one point, Junkei joined the Oda through his friendship with Mitsuhide and found that not only had Nobunaga brought Hisahide back into his fold, but Mitsuhide was friends with him. Troubled and upset, unable to understand why such a ‘hero’ would want anything to do with a ‘villain,’ Junkei’s concern built and built until he confronted Hisahide one night. Gleeful and sensing an opportunity, Hisahide informed Junkei that he had read the stars and Junkei was fated to bring ruin to all that he valued most. Dismissing it at first as the hateful tricks of his sworn enemy, over time, and through multiple events and battles, Junkei began to fear that it might be true. That the story he was a part of might be a tragedy…

[muu-kun]

Upcoming Verse: Demon Days..

Disclaimer: Though this verse is not Fandom required, it is not exempt from involvement within the h*zbin h*tel / h*lluva b*ss franchise. Anything pertaining to either series will be tagged accordingly for the consideration of others. If one needs it tagged in a different manner in order for their blacklist to actually catch, please let me know via ask or IMs. I absolutely have no qualms about assisting in making this a safe space for my mutuals.

General Information:

Name: Mu. He maintains no association with his earthly birth name as he hardly ever went by it when he was alive. He's admittedly never liked the ring of it in his ears when he slips into communicating out phrases set in the third person.

Cause of death: Cancer. A ill fated death for an individual who dedicated his livelihood to ridding his body of perceived filth and damage in order to achieve his idolized version of goodness and innocence. He'd battled his brain for years to form into perfection when instead it became disease ridden in an entirely different manner well before he was ready to call it quits.

Age at Death: Unknown. Perceived Age: Twenty. It is of no surprise that the soul within himself was molded to express how old he was when he was at the crossroads of experiencing too much life, even if the instances causing the overload were not great, and not at all on account of an impending pandemic set to enable his already agorphobic tendencies. It would be just like him to transfer from one plane of existence into another as a mirror image of himself at a state best described as colliding phases of the moon. Once again is he stuck in the patterns of an outdated way of life leading into one in which he's yet again lost without an instruction guide to the journey ahead. A completion of an intense life cycle that veers onto a road that's empty spare some obvious ongoing construction. One in which he'd describe as been in pre-pre-pre-development.

Introspective Information:

Disabilities and Mental Illnesses carried over from life into death: A generalized intellectual disability, Autism, and OCD. Limited speech capabilities are most prominent as he is utilizing the counting of his words as his only form of control in a new environment. All other conditions have slithered into dormancy as they pertain to trauma inflicted upon him as a human. The memories of them carried over, yes, however the impacts of them onto system were compartmentalized and tucked away when his arrival into Hell required his brain to have a greater focus on something in particular: survival. He's having to relearn how to manage his surroundings and personhood all over again. Only this time without any sort of parental figure to model how to get his needs and wants fulfilled from.

Likes: Knowing what the Hell is going on around here. Biting those who tread into his space without an indication of why they are there in the first place, or if they do not have information to satiate him with knowledge in exchange for a completely docile temperament. Petty mayhem. In his ignorance, and existing difficulties with comprehension, he finds himself having complications with understanding a need for a form of currency in any afterlife. Hence a bit of a problem with sticky fingers. Technically speaking, everywhere offers a five finger discount if he has the means to scurry away as undetected as he came in.

Dislikes: There are just TOO many tall people around him constantly. Things not going his way, or being the way he'd like them to be in terms of how he would have anticipated Hell to have been like prior to end having been met. It is the unnecessary cruelty behind everything that irks him; however, who else than himself can he really blame for his situation when it was his nosy behind that asked for damnation in the first place. He'd wanted to find out if it was as terrible and lonely as his peers on Earth had told him it would be when they warned him not only was he going to die alone, he was going to stay that way while all of his friends and family ascended into Heaven. His shaky uncertainty is of no fault of his own. That is what one gets for wanting to be the hand behind their own demise instead of allowing anyone else such an opportunity. Leave it to him to have brought fruition to the claims of others when he didn't even have to do such in the first place. For new, he'll never get to know what the maker truly had in store for him if he'd just left the choice to fate and assessment.

Appearance and Identity:

Height: 160cm / 5ft 3in. He has gotten his wish of always remaining small, but was it really worth it this time?

Gender: Male. He / him pronouns.

Sex: He's keeping this one a secret. Not that one would guess him to have anything different than the genitalia he had while he was alive, which were none other than a penis and buttocks, and yet.. He confirms nothing. Such stubborn is mainly a result of internalized insecurities over the impact of his condition of Kallmann Syndrome had on the development of his sexual characteristics as puberty took place. He also doesn't trust a single being to perceive him as is without making anything weird, so he's keeping how the changes to his body impacted his nether regions a secret. Frankly, there is no one to stop him from walking around with his hands in his pants for extra security measures. He has absolutely no qualms about looking completely weird as he adjusts to society.

Sexuality: More so undetermined more than unknown. The internal yearning for a connection with a man is still very much an integral and underlying aspect to his personhood, and yet he also couldn't put it past himself to join forces with a band of women if even just one was nice to him. An opportunistic bisexual with an innate and heavy male lean if one could call themselves such.

Occupation: Unemployed. Though the desire to find one is there, he is admittedly more so along the lines of waiting for someone to simply give him a job. An easy way out really. A place to live in without paying rent would also suit his needs very well. Being homeless in Hell has actually proven to be a very manageable problem in of itself. Nevertheless, his desire for the princess treatment clearly has stayed with him from life into death. Godspeed to the little buddy just as much as it is extended to the paths of those he crosses.

[that-there-is-a-wierd0]

Alone [Billy x Dave]

Audience: Teen and Up Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Injury Tags: Loneliness, Existential Dread, Breakup, Hurt no Comfort,Angst, Child Abuse + Injury, Implied Depression, Implied Suicidal Thoughts Relationships: Billy/Dave, Past Billy/An Old Friend Fandoms: Billy's Basic Educational Game, Dave's Fun Algebra Class

For most of his life; Billy was alone. And namely, he prefers it that way.

It doesn’t matter how much of a lingering ache he has in his chest, this loneliness that tears his body apart and consumes him over and over again. It doesn’t matter how he longs to have someone in his arms, or even vice versa, anything just to have tender closeness with someone without that care decaying over time. It doesn’t even matter how hard he tried to fill this gap, because eventually people leave him alone all over again, alone and aching.        

So when Billy meets Dave, he doesn’t expect the ache to go away. He assumes the ache will continue to consume him, through their introductions and simple pleasantries.  This self-inflicted solitude continues even as Dave talks about inviting him to his home, when they’ve had their fill of meetups with coffee and Dave wanting to introduce Billy to his son, Tristan. Billy lets his heart flutter with anxiousness as he leaves both of the children to venture to the dark cobblestone laboratory Dave stashes under his home. Dave has an array of impressive work hidden away from plain sight, the most interesting being some giant robot that he’s been working on for who knows how long, Dave admits.       

Billy still aches even as he becomes slowly more invested into Dave’s life work, watching him becoming increasingly fervent in what was what, and how that worked, and how beautiful he looked explaining it all. He still doesn’t expect the ache to lessen as they spend more time together, eventually the conversation of their lives and loves and losses coming up and swirling together in a bittersweet taste in their mouths. The alcohol does not help.

Most especially, he didn’t expect Dave to approach him with the promise of a sweet summertime date. He couldn’t see himself holding his hand, faces so close together as the heat of a campfire spurned them on. Holding onto each other, basking in warmth and dusk they simply sat together, with the assurance of finally having someone truly care about you.

And the ache was gone, and Billy finally, finally, finally felt so good in his life.

And Billy doesn’t care how attached he becomes to Dave. Things were going so good, and for once he forgets ever thinking about wanting to end it all or the overbearing emptiness that enveloped his being barely months prior.  He forgets his father, the ship, his childhood, instead he clings to Dave’s shoulders in a steady kiss and forgets it all.

He loves Dave, but in truth Billy loves someone more than he can possibly love anyone; his son.

His own image, his greatest creation, one of a kind and fragile like he is. He worries if his son will carry the disease that took his legs, most of his body. He braces himself for the day he gets word that his son is getting bullied like how he was. He dreads the time his son will eventually leave him for personal pursuits. He readies himself when his son can’t achieve his dreams, be it a rejection letter or job dismissal. He mourns the day his son's room will be empty, that he will be the one to empty it because his foolish decision to extend his lifespan with cyborg upgrades may cause him to outlive his own children. But the love smothers his fears when his son shows him a crayon drawing on a blueprint, or his latest Lego creation, or which pages of his many fictional books and machinery manuals are his favorite (usually the ones with pictures).

What he doesn’t love is the fact that Dave hits Tristan.

Already, the ripples of uncertainty are so gently tearing through him again, and it makes him want to cry. Dave spanks Tristan because the latter gets into trouble doing things he's not supposed to. He grew up under the same type of discipline, he shouldn't have any issues with it. But he does take issue and it unsettles him, seeing how Dave brushed off the physical violence like a mild inconvenience. It was only so long before images of Tristan became his own son and Billy wants to vomit with the guilt he feels in the pit of his stomach. But he’s too much of a coward to tell Tristan he’s sorry, because that’s all he is and all he will ever  be. Always running from everything, running on legs that have long since stopped carrying him. And he cries and cries and cries.

He ran out of tears when he confronted Dave. According to Tristan, he collected some gifts that were laying around Dave’s home one day too early for his birthday. Then he broke a second rule by using a vent key to escape from Dave through, assuming a vent system, only to find where Dave’s secret lair was. Apparently, Dave was furious at Tristan, and the two fought to the extent that now Tristan had a gaping wound covering most of his shoulder. 

Like their love, the blood on Tristan’s shoulder blooms feverishly and unhindered, no matter how much Billy presses the torn tissues. Tristan only sobs and hiccups at the pain, and Billy too is in pain knowing that no matter how bad fights get between Tristan and Dave, that Tristan is always going to love Dave as a father. Tristan will never think badly of his dad, for his heart had already been steeled against Dave’s outbursts of frustration, more often than not. And Billy then comes to the realization that if Dave truly couldn’t handle his temper around his own son, then what about Billy’s child? What of his Junior, who often did make mistakes and had minor streaks of rebellion as any other normal kid did? He doubts he is going to forget Tristan leaning on  his passenger side car door, heaving and curling into a defensive ball as the pain sears itself through his body and into everlasting trauma. Billy closes his eyes, and has to make a choice.

What Dave did was not exactly forgivable. 

He was at first quiet when Dave expressed grief over his decision. He moves up close to Billy, grabbing onto his hands as if they were a rosary in desperate prayer. He lets Dave grab onto him, his arms, reaching those beautiful hands to his face. He cries and begs Billy not to leave him, leaving behind everything they built together, literally or emotionally. But Billy turns away and Dave’s grief gives way to anger. “So you’re going to leave me? Was I not good enough for you? Is nobody good enough for you?! You pretentious piece of shit! COME BACK–”

Dave’s voice is shut out when Billy leaves his home. He promised Tristan that he’ll visit in the hospital, but right now he doesn’t even know he could keep that promise. Dave most likely doesn’t want him anywhere near his son, let alone him. He decides to drive home instead.

When Billy gets home, his son is safe reading on their couch, quiet as always and no blood to seep through the layers of his small wool vest. He looks up at his dad, blankly.

“Hey Dad”

Billy only could offer a half hearted hum, refusing to let his verbal dam break now. 

“Tristan called. He, um, wants to know if he can come over?”

Billy looks on incredulously, but realizes that there’s certainly a phone at the hospital that Tristan must have asked to use. On the brink of exhaustion, he simply nods. At least Junior looked happy about that, offering a small side smile before returning to his book. If Billy tilts his head right, he sees that Junior is reading a fantasy book this time.

He simply drags his wheels into his workshop, semi-sound proofed for the sake of his son’s ears in the dead of night. He sits down in a beaten office chair, folds his arms on his scratched workbench, and lays his head down. Billy feels even more guilt, knowing that he may not wake up anytime soon. He knows Junior has quickly developed methods of sustaining himself, making himself sandwiches or a cup of noodles when Billy overslept far past dinner. And he wants to vomit, because he really does feel like a piece of shit father, piece of shit lover, piece of shit friend. 

Billy is alone and aching again.

[nokingsonlyfooles]

And this is why I am insane now

WHY IS IT DISPLAYING LIKE THIS? LITERALLY EVERY OTHER FEATURED IMAGE DISPLAYS IN FULL!

I wanted a better theme. I have spent two days reformatting so I can use this one. I will need to spend many more. BUT THERE IS LITTLE POINT IF THE DAMN THING IS STILL GOING TO GRAB THE CONTROLS LIKE A BOEING 737 MAX AND PLOW ME INTO THE TERRAIN.

I don't even have the strength to explain the little dance I need to do to make my work legible again. I can't actually code a whole website from scratch and it wouldn't matter if I could because that's not how WP works. This stuff I'm doing isn't even future-proof because I can't build a site with the new "site wide editor" interface. The damn thing is almost entirely unusable. If I do it that way I'm gonna look incredibly freakin' generic and I'll still have to reformat everything for the privilege of looking minimalist chic. That sort of thing clashes very badly with my art style, all of it.

I made some new buttons and accordions. They work for now. But I'm incredibly nervous about the way they load. It seems like there's a default that loads first, and then my style loads on top of it like a skin. That is way more complex than it should be and I expect it to break at any time - like everything else broke, necessitating this overhaul. I put a lot of work into getting them like that... I put a lot of work into all of this, but it's getting more and more convoluted and fragile.

I am hoping like hell something about the image loaded wrong the first time and it's just like that in my cache, even though I've changed the name once. I don't have the energy to screw around with my cache on this new computer now. Maybe tomorrow. Well, it's after midnight. Maybe today.

And Milo's cards seem to have vanished. I have a new format for those that is ENTIRELY text-based (I'll have to explain eventually, but I just can't now. It's much less complex and less likely to fail, and it's accessible, but it has little personality and I'm not 100% it works on mobile.) but I need to reformat EVERYTHING. It is taking A LONG TIME. Because of weird errors like the above.

I was so excited for this theme's category tag feature. I can theoretically serve you content so prettily! But, right now, I haven't even successfully reformatted all the new stuff. And Tin Soldier is a train wreck that is only partially legible in dark mode if you're patient.

People who need accessible content, please believe me, I am not trying to screw you. The tools they're willing to let me have are stupid, unless I want to pay hundreds of dollars on spec for various upgrades... And even then they're still gonna be stupid, just with fewer standard features dummied out on purpose. There are no descriptions on the above images or on many at my site because I get so damn tired doing everything else. (Also, the box they give me for typing alt text is comically small.)

I know someone who knows how to code for real and he offered to help, but... Well, first off, this isn't normal code. If it were normal code, I'd be building a little Angelfyre page with nothing more complicated than an image and a midi. And I don't wanna inflict this on anyone.

I don't know what I'm gonna do, but it can't stay like it is. I'll sleep on it and have a look at the options when my brain's working. If it ever works again.

[diamondcitydarlin]

far be it from me to interrupt the unnecessary character hate train some folks in this fandom insist on having but I have to say, what seemed a little unnecessary but still somewhat understandable from a separate POV in season 1 just doesn't make any sense now- that is, of course, a time-honored fandom pasttime of trying to force a character into the role of villain against the actual narrative. it's nothing new ofc I've seen it happen in just about every fandom I've been in and I've learned that there usually isn't a point in trying to debate with people that have made up their minds this way and with the way I've tagged this I'm probably just preaching to the choir but like...it seems to me this whole season is ALL about being flawed, the ways in which every character in the cast (beloved or otherwise) has flaws and issues that have hurt others, but most significant, the ways in which a person can grow and learn and mend and still deserve to be loved despite everything. this isn't really a story where you can pick out the 'good ones' with completely clean moral slates from those you've decided are irredeemable unless you're choosing to ignore the actual themes being presented (which like, fine, but that's a choice of interpretation that goes directly against what's actually there). Everyone has been victim of someone else. Everyone at this point has inflicted some kind of hurt on someone else. Stede hurt Ed, Ed hurt Stede, Ed hurts Izzy, Izzy hurt Ed, Ed hurt Lucius, Lucius hurt Black Pete and so on and so on and so on. There's really no one here who is just a completely blameless uwu victim and that's actually a good thing because most of us just fucking aren't either, as much as we may want to believe that or think of ourselves as morally superior to others bc of fictional characters we like or don't or whatever, as much as we may be caught up in our own victimhood (which I absolutely get I've found myself there many times too) we're all flawed, we've all hurt people, there's no getting through life without doing it at some point. it's not really about having or trying to manufacture the image of a clean moral slate, it's about learning and growing and trying to do better the next day and accepting those flaws with a gentle grace. the sooner some of yall wrap your minds around that truth the better off you're going to be, and maybe a good start is learning from these flawed, imperfect, sometimes hurtful characters that we've grown to love because we see ourselves in their actions.

some poignant takeaways from the last couple of eps I think are 1) when Fang suggests to Ed he should try sitting with himself for a bit instead of trying to talk through and shallowly justify everything. I think everyone can benefit from doing this, as so often we think of things from an external perspective rather than internal. It can be hard to introspect rather than blame the world or others and construct little superficial rituals that make us feel momentarily superior (like, idk, deciding one character in a show is the 'bad guy' and anyone who likes him is bad but not you you're not bad bc you don't like him so you must be a better person even though this involves you picking fights and harassing people trying to enjoy themselves, idk, just a random example). It's so much harder to ask yourself why you feel a certain way in the first place, to ask yourself if it's possible that you see aspects of yourself in a character you despise that you're not willing to face within, things about yourself you've buried deep and pretend don't exist at the cost of being 'morally superior'. It's possible, isn't it? Would it hurt to be still for a moment and think about that? I mean, maybe it would, quite possibly it would hurt a lot at first, but I think it's worth it in the end, far more than the effort to put up a morally superior front that no one even has.

the other one that I think the people I'm actually addressing won't appreciate because of who it involves- when Izzy gives Lucius the carved shark and explains that not moving on is worse than doing what is necessary to actually move on. Not necessarily advocating for lying to oneself (tho if I were a more reckless person I might say this can be a genuine bandaid tactic when you're in survival mode and just need to get to the next day, I get that too) but I do think there's a good point here about learning to let go of the things that only gnaw away at us inside. holding on to anger and spite can feel like a form of justice in the short term, but over time it only corrodes the host. at some point, at some time, to truly heal we have to figure out how to let go of certain things, if only so it won't poison us further. Lucius threw Ed overboard the same way he did to him, but ultimately it didn't help, did it? What changed was seeing the way his obsession with his hatred hurt the man he loved, what changed was introspection.

So, idk, really good show, very educational and emotionally aware and I think some of us could benefit from paying more attention to what's actually there than what we want to believe. Idk, it's a thought.