#that character development. it fills my heart with joy.

[bunniesanddeer]

Heat: Part One

Part Two

This was my first attempt at smut, so you will all get to see it now. I hope you'll like it. I originally posted it on AO3. If it is terrible, I apologize. This is also set in the same universe as "Bound to Hell" and "Going Straight to Hell", but it is NOT canon to the official multichapter fic which will be posted when it is half done. So it is the same characters, with a much more developed relationship.

Pairing: Alastor x Reader (AFAB) Lamb/Sheep Reader

Warnings: References to abuse, going into heat, no a/b/o, female anatomy, Rosie being a good friend, references to Soul Bonds, something you can ask about haha. Minors DNI. This part is not explicit, but the next is! Alastor speaks French.

Word Count: 3,690

Alastor knew something was wrong very early on. He hadn’t been able to identify what it was specifically, but it had been unsettling. His shadow had quaked and quivered at something he couldn’t see, and his skin had felt tight. When he had left his room, the sound of crickets in the swamp fading behind him, the feeling had grown worse. It had made the Overlord not quite jumpy, but definitely uncomfortable. Then he saw the cause, stumbling from their room.

His little lamb that was slowly carving out a spot for themself in his cold, dead heart, was the cause. Their wool was disheveled, nearly matted. Their eyelids were drooping low, as if they hadn’t slept. He watched them stumble for a bit before he caught their scent. Due to their bond, and proximity, he was quite attuned to their scent. Normally, they were faintly sweet with a hint of florals, but now? All he could focus on was the deep, heady smell of them. Alastor wasn’t sure what had happened, but it was clearly drastic.

“My dear,” he called. The sound of his voice had made the little demon perk up. They whipped around, and nearly sprinted to his side. They were often enthusiastic to see him in the morning, but this was new. 

“Alastor!” Their voice was filled with joy, their eyes full of unwarranted excitement. The exhaustion that had painted their face only a moment before, was gone. Their hands wrapped around his lower arm, and they nuzzled into his side. They cooed, “I missed you.”

Alastor’s brows furrowed. How very peculiar! His little lamb never initiated contact without asking first. He didn’t mind their touch, it was rather pleasing. He enjoyed the softness of their skin, and the gentleness of their hands. They still liked to ask, though, some strange need to make him feel comfortable. (He thought it was unnecessary, he was an Overlord, and he owned their soul; if he wanted them off, they’d be off of him). Not to forget, they had ‘missed’ him? The two had been separated a handful of hours at most. What was going on?

“My dearest, are you feeling alright,” he asked, lifting their chin with his other hand. “You seem a little out of sorts.”

Their eyes wavered, and the exhaustion leeched back into them. The grasp they had on his arm tightened. “I’m sorry, Al. I feel really weird.” Their eyelids fluttered, and they released a strangled breath. “I feel like I’m burning up. Which is weird, it’s winter still.” 

Alastor could feel his smile wavering. He hadn’t heard of sinners getting fevers for anything other than strange illnesses. No one else in the hotel was sick, so how could they have contracted anything? He looked them up and down, noting the flush to their cheeks, and the sweat building up on the back of their neck. They were sick. 

“Hey, can… can demons get colds?” They asked, almost as if it was a joke. Before Alastor could muster a response, they collapsed. He deftly caught them, his surprise showing on his face. 

“Oh, dear,” he muttered to himself. Who would know about these kinds of things? Perhaps Charlie? But she was supposed to be rather busy that day. Perhaps Rosie would know! She had been in Hell for quite a long time. She was bound to know something. 

Alastor arranged his little soul-bond in his arms, and stalked back to their room. Their room was full of that smell that had thrown him off just before. It made his skin tingle, and his head feel full. He couldn’t account for it, but it wasn’t something he disliked. The discomfort came from the confusion that was growing in his breast. What a strange sensation!

Alastor wrapped them up in their blankets, hoping that perhaps getting warmer would help their fever. Before he stepped away from their bedside, he stroked their cheek with the back of his fingers. How soft their skin was! He stared down at their little face, taking in every detail. The white freckles that looked like stars against their gray skin, the way their lashes fluttered in their sleep. Their plush lips, just barely open, and the sharp teeth he knew lay behind them. His chest tightened, something aching deeply, as he looked at them. His smile tightened. Alastor decided it was time to go. 

On the way out of the hotel, he called for Husker. The cat-demon was clearly disgruntled at being called on earlier than he’d prefer, but Alastor didn’t care. 

“My little lamb seems to be sick. They’re in bed right now. If they don’t stir before noon, wake them up and make them eat something.” Alastor let the underlying threat color his words. He wouldn’t have their situation get worse just because Husker wanted to be lazy. They would eat, before he got back, and then he would help them get better. But first, he needed to know what was wrong.

“Alastor! My good friend! What brings you in on such a fine day!” Rosie’s fervor was nearly infectious, but Alastor had a mission. The feather on her hat bobbed as she tilted her head in question.

“Ah, I seem to have a problem,” Alastor replied. “Do you mind if we perhaps have a conversation in a less, public space?”

The deer-demon glanced about, as if to remind her of their location. Rosie nodded, still smiling happily. She gestured with a flick of her wrist, and led the way to the back of her store. 

When the two had finally settled into their seats, Alastor sighed. Rosie went about pouring some tea for them as he worked on his words. He conjured his microphone, idly tapping it. Something heavy weighed in his chest, and the feeling wouldn’t go away.

“Oh Alastor! You know you’re my favorite pal! Just tell me what’s on your mind. You look all twisted up!” Rosie sat back in her chair, sipping from a teacup that she held delicately. Her smile was welcoming and patient, and it soothed Alastor minutely. 

He was thankful for her breaking the silence, as it forced him to finally speak. “Do you know what might cause a sinner to get sick? Even if they have not been exposed to anything?” 

Rosie hummed to herself, a knowing look in her dark eyes. “Oh, this is about your little paramour, isn’t it?”

Alastor’s smile twitched, faintly. Of course! Rosie would be able to tell immediately. She was intelligent, and she was better at reading people than even himself. Not to mention, the two of them had been friends a long time. She could read him like an open book. 

“Yes,” he admitted. “They seem to be sick, and I don’t know what it could be. I’ve never seen nor experienced such a thing, here.” His claws tap at the armrest of the plush chair, as he props his chin up with the other hand. “They looked positively dreadful this morning! Claiming that they felt hot, despite the cold.” 

Rosie set down her teacup, letting a hand cover her smile as she laughed. “Oh dear! That is quite something.” She laughed again when Alastor let his annoyance show. “They’re a sheep, are they not?” 

Alastor nodded, not quite knowing what that aspect of his little soul-bond had to do with it. 

“And they are female, yes?” Alastor nodded again, his confusion growing. “Oh dear. You said some time ago that they had reciprocated the soul-bond, yes? And they’ve been down here for several months now.”

Rosie trailed off, as if expecting him to suddenly understand what she was implying. Alastor couldn’t think of how any of that had made them sick. Rosie picked up on how deeply confused he was, and sighed.

“My, my. You really don’t know about how demon manifestations work, beyond what pertains to yourself, do you?” Rosie waved a hand. “As you know, the form we take in death often have something to do with our life. The way we died, the way we lived, all of it contributes in one way or another. Lambs, sheep, whatever you want to call them, tended to have harder lives where they had no control. Often dealing in their bodily autonomy, or lack thereof.”

Alastor’s smile shrunk. Well of course, he had known what their life had been, but seeing that their new form was a reminder of that, each day? It made him uncomfortable. He hoped that his little lamb didn’t know why they were a lamb. 

“Yes, I see that you have connected some of the dots. They’re lambs to the slaughter, all of them in one way or another. Their forms, because it’s Hell, often come with some terrible side effects that don’t show for a while. Their stress needs to level out, and they need to feel comfortable with the demons they are frequently near.” Rosie raises her brows, waiting for him to get it, but he doesn’t. “When they’ve settled, and they’re around demons they like, or they bond, the side effects kick in. Your little lamb, is experiencing that now.”

“So, they will get sick, because they’re comfortable?” Alastor feels mildly bamboozled, as he tries to clarify.

“Alastor, no,” Rosie sighs. She rubs her forehead, carefully avoiding cutting herself with her claws. “They’re in heat.”

Alastor shifts in his seat, that uncomfortable feeling tingling in his brain again. “Heat? Like, like an animal?”

“Yes, like a ewe, Alastor. They will seem sick, for about a day, then they will be clingy with you for the next, and then it will happen.” Rosie leans back in her chair, again. Unlike Alastor, she seemed entirely comfortable with the topic of discussion. “They will have the strongest drive for sex that they will have ever experienced. Going without is said to hurt terribly, like their whole body is on fire. They’ll seek out comfort in you, or by themself. Whatever quells the urge.”

Alastor felt like he had been shot. Never in all his years, alive or dead, had he heard of such a thing occurring. How tedious! How disgusting. His nose scrunched up at the thought of having to deal with such a thing himself, but the thought of his lamb… Heat rushed down his chest and into the pit of his belly. His skin was itching. The thought of his soul-bonded needing him in such a way… Alastor could not tell himself that he disliked such an idea.

He was deeply aware of how much he had grown to care for them. When he had finally relinquished some control in their relationship, offering to tie their little string tight on his end, he knew it was cemented. Alastor had a bizarre, and new, kind of love for the sweet thing he had made a deal with. They were his, and for the first, and only time, he could say, he was also theirs. He still owned their soul, but it was different. Their relationship had shifted over time. There were no more orders, and there was no more fear. His little lamb had grown comfortable, happy even, and this ‘heat’ was the proof.

Something akin to pride ignited in his chest. Yes, they were happy with him. What a delightful thing to know for sure! 

“What should I do? I am not ready for anything of that nature, and I don’t want to risk them. They have had far too many choices taken from them,” Alastor says. His hands clasp together as he gives Rosie a moment to think. He didn’t want them forced into such an awful thing again. The realization that their experiences in life had caused this…anger was a word that barely described his feelings on the matter. He wanted to tear whatever being was in charge of such transformations into pieces. 

“They will need something, at some level. Tomorrow, bring it up to them, ask. Let them know everything you know, and give them a choice. They can try and ride it out alone, or you can be beside them. How you handle it beyond that is between the two of you.” Rosie stands, a gentle smile on her face. “You should get going, my friend. You should get back to them. You’ll want to feed them well over these two days. They’ll need the energy, no matter what happens.”

Alastor stands, thanking her, almost absentmindedly. His trip back to the hotel is spent in silent pondering. He needed to plan. He wasn’t sure if sex was something he desired for himself, but he knew, deep down, he would do it for them; he’d give them that pleasure, that joy. Alastor could also feel something possessive growing. The idea of anyone else getting to commit themselves to such a task made him grit his teeth. No, if anyone was going to touch the sheep-demon, it would be him. 

Angry flames licked at the bottom of his belly, something in his thoughts igniting them. They were his, and his alone. He would be the one to drive them to pleasure. (He ignored the memory of Richard and his deeds. None of that changed anything about what they deserved. It just meant that he needed to more carefully heed their wants and needs. He would give them the bliss that no other had). 

Alastor smiled widely when he returned to the hotel. Now he needed to sit by their side for the night, and then speak with them tomorrow. Perhaps a quick discussion with the others as well? The two of them would not be available for the next few days, and he needed to make sure they would remain undisturbed. Perhaps a different location would be ideal.

When you woke, all you could focus on was the smell of food. Alastor was a very good cook, and you knew from the lovely smell of spices, that it had to have been his food. When you finally cracked your eyes open, you were delighted to find yourself right. The demon was sitting on the edge of your bed, a steaming bowl cupped in one of his hands.

“Good morning, dearest,” he said. There was something akin to apprehension on his face, but you were far too hungry to immediately comment on it. “I figured you would be quite hungry, when you awoke, so I took the liberty of making you something hardy.”

You smiled widely in thanks. How sweet he could be to you! It was new, in your relationship, but you loved it. You held out your hands, thanking him as you did, but he didn’t hand you the bowl. Alastor merely gestured for you to sit up, and scoot back. You did so, hesitantly, your back settling against your headboard. You held out your hands again, but he settled himself close to you on the bed. With his legs swung over the side, he started spooning the stew.

“No, hey, wait a minute! I can feed myself!” You glared at him, confusion and a tinge of anger mixing together. 

Alastor sighed, affection leaking into his words. “I know, my love, but I need to tell you something quite…hmm, difficult might be the best word here. I want you to just listen, and focus on eating. Plus, I just love taking care of you.” One of his hands edges towards your face, claws softly stroking your cheek. He pulls it back, and spoons some more stew. “You can ask questions when I am done, but for now, eat.”

You grumble to yourself before opening your mouth to accept the spoon. Although you were loath to admit it, the stew tasted great, and him feeding you only felt slightly patronizing. 

“Do you recall how you felt yesterday? You said you felt like you were burning up. Well, when you fainted, I went to find out what could be the cause. I went to my good friend Rosie, you remember her?” He lets you nod before feeding you another spoonful. “I came to the conclusion that she would know enough about Hell, to know what was causing your sudden illness. 

“So I described it vaguely, and she realized I was talking about you, dearest. And she said some things that upset me, more than I had been willing to admit at the time.” Alastor sighs, static, that seemed ever present in his voice, fizzling out. The room was quiet for a moment as he let you swallow your food. “The way we manifest in Hell, has to do with the way we lived, and died. The things we experienced. I know you know some of this, but I also found out something more specific about your form.”

Alastor goes quiet, and you frown. Whatever could he have learned to cause the demon that never stops talking to go quiet? 

“Sheep demons are often the result of lives lived that had very little control over themselves or their situation. You are a sheep, because you had such little bodily autonomy in your life, my love.” He feeds you another spoonful as your eyes widen. He snorts to himself. “It made me so incredibly angry, to have that confirmed to me. It only got worse when she finally told me why that had anything to do with your illness.

“You aren’t sick. You are experiencing a ‘heat’, as she called it. It’s a side effect of being a sheep, or more specifically a female, sheep demon. It occurs when the individual has been comfortable with the demons in their vicinity and stress-free for a time. Soul-bonds can trigger this too.” 

Your brows scrunched up, and you swallowed the food before you had finished chewing. It hurt your throat, but the urge to grimace was too strong. How fucking terrible. It felt like you couldn’t escape anything from your life. Your eyes drifted to the wall. You couldn’t even make eye contact with Alastor. His gaze felt heavy on you, and all you wanted to do was hide. 

“I’m sorry, dearest. You need to know what ‘heats’ are, though. Then we can talk about what you would like to do about it.” Alastor sets the bowl down on your bedside table, taking the hint that you couldn’t eat right then. One of his hands tugs at yours, large claws wrapping around your whole hand easily. “Yesterday, the fever and the exhaustion, was the first day. The second, which is today, it’s common for the affected individual to be clingy, especially with a bonded pair.” His thumb stroked the back of your wrist, as he continued. “Tomorrow, the actual ‘heat’ occurs. You will be driven to-” 

Alastor cuts himself off with a cough, and it draws your gaze. “Sorry, my dear. I’ll continue. You will want to have sex. The desire will become a need, and it will consume you. I have been told that it can hurt, to go without, but that it is possible to handle alone. This is what I would like to talk to you about.”

Your nose twitches, and your lips quiver. Of course, this would be thrust on you. How could you deal with this? The idea of sex still unsettled you. However, he mentioned that it could be handled alone. Did he mean masturbation? Would something other than penetration work? Your thoughts whorled in your head, when one stuck to the forefront. 

The image of Alastor holding you tightly to his chest, hand cupping your navel and exploring lower, made your brain halt. The thought of his fingers rubbing at your clit, and his wonderful voice whispering in your ear. Him touching you gently, talking you through the whole ordeal, and bringing you to orgasm, lit up your mind. You suddenly wanted it more than anything. You didn’t need penetration from him, but you so desperately wanted to be touched.

Your cheeks flushed, and fluttering erupted beneath your navel. Alastor’s eyebrows raised as he took in your appearance. You were so glad that he couldn’t read your thoughts. How embarrassing, especially because he wasn’t the biggest fan of being touched.

The heat subsided as you remembered that detail. That would complicate things. The idea of being left alone, right now, made you want to cry. You hoped he didn’t want you to handle it by yourself. If all he could do was be in the same room, you would take it over being alone. 

“I know that neither of us are at the point where…sexual intercourse would be the best action. However, I don’t want you to deal with it alone. As new as this will be for me, I would like to be there for you. To help you with it, if you so desire.” Alastor leans in towards you, one of his hands cupping your face. “I would bring you pleasure, and help this ‘heat’ end for you, my love.”

Your eyelids flutter closed, letting his breath fan across your face as you think. You want him with you, badly. 

Alastor chuckles, making you look at him. “I can do that, my dear.”

Oh. You had spoken out loud. (Your brain feels like it's melting. It feels hard to think, but you push through). Your cheeks flush again. 

“Please, stay with me. I don’t want sex, but I would like your help, if you would give it to me.” Your eyes shift off of his face, shame curdling in your stomach. “I don’t know how to help myself very well, as it is. I would like to learn, with you, if I could.”

Alastor suddenly grabs both sides of your face, his own getting closer. “Look at me, my little lamb. You are deserving of such pleasures, and I would gladly help you. We can learn together, dearest. We can stop if you are ever uncomfortable, I swear it. I would never take advantage of such a situation.”

You smile at him. “Same for you, Al. If you don’t wanna touch me, or vice versa, just let me know. I can figure something out.”

Alastor’s smile softens, and his pupils expand. “Oh, love, worry not. The desire to touch you in such a way has been growing, and the thought has been stuck in my head all night.” His thumbs rub your cheeks, gentler than you had ever felt him be.

Your chest aches, and the sudden need to cry grows within you. You love this strange demon, despite everything that had happened in the last months. He was growing to be so good to you, and it made your heart hurt. 

“Can I kiss you,” you ask, your volume barely above a whisper. 

Alastor answers by molding his lips to yours. His skin is cool to the touch, but compared to the fire you were bathed in the day before, it was Heaven. One of his hands clutched the back of your head, brushing by your sensitive ears. A sound breaks free from your throat, and it makes him press into you harder. You clutch at his suit jacket, your lungs starting to burn. Before you can grow lightheaded, (although you definitely were from just kissing him, just not suffocating), he pulled back from you. 

“That was splendid, ma chéri.” His voice dips lower, his fake radio accent slipping. 

You bask in his presence, as you think over what tomorrow will entail. Although he feeds you a few more times that day, and you talk more about how you feel about it, nothing could prepare you for the full force of the ‘heat’. When he transports you to a room that you haven’t been before, you let your curiosity numb your anxiety. Worrying about it wouldn’t help you, anyway.

My asks are open! Feel free to make a request or reach out to say hi! :)

[hanjsquokka]

Happy Place - [ Han Jisung ]

🐿 SYNOPSIS : A place from your dreams becomes a reality thanks to your boyfriend.

GENRE : fluff, established relationship

PAIRING : han jisung × fem!reader

CONTENT WARNING : slightly dark thoughts in the beginning but mostly fluff!!

WORD COUNT : 2K

AUTHOR'S NOTE : This is actually a place I think of very often. Hope you enjoy <3

You had grown accustomed to the dark thoughts that brewed in your mind when you sat alone without anything to do for too long. They plagued your dreams, morphing them into nightmares that caused you to wake up in a cold sweat every night, panting as if you had run a marathon. You were always falling down down down a deep dark hole, the sensation of light growing only ever growing far away, a distant place you could never reach as you tumbled down the rabbit hole. At one point in your life, you were sure you were destined for darkness. It pained you to see others so happy over the smallest of things when you couldn't find joy in anything. Life had become mundane. Waking up and willing yourself to go to work was a difficult task. You had lost interest in eating. Everything was just… dark.

That was when Han Jisung entered your life. You believed he was the universe's way of saying sorry for putting you through so much shit for character development. For the first time in your life, you found another human being you knew what you were talking about. Who knew what pain you were describing, what shadows lurked on your mind, and he was the perfect remedy because he too was like you. It was ludicrous how he knew exactly what to do for you. He knew when you needed a person to listen and he knew when all he had to do was be next to you and give you a big hug in the end (and he gave the best hugs).

You slowly began seeing the light again. Like the video tape of you falling down that dark tunnel was being rewinded. You woke up with a smile. You had a pep in your step. You started eating again, mostly due to the home dates you and your boyfriend had in your apartment late at night with takeout boxes on the coffee table and the two of you sprawled out on the leather couch watching TV. Little things like good morning texts made your heart flutter. You finally understood what all those romcom movies were talking about.

“Baby?” Jisung's voice came out, deep and tired as he rested on the couch next to you. Your bodies were almost always pressed together, always in touch like you were all he needed to charge up to face the next day. You always thought you weren't an affectionate and touchy person until Jisung. Or you believed you were only like this with him. He lifted his head from your shoulder to look you in the eyes to say his next words. “If you could be anywhere in the whole world right now, with anyone at all, where would you be?”

You blinked. “Anywhere at all?” You repeated, thinking on his words for a few moments, putting your head on his shoulder. “I would be… at my happy place. With you.”

“Your happy place?”

You nodded. “A place I think about when my thoughts get too overwhelming and I start losing sight of what's important.”

“Where is it?” He asked, brushing the air out of your face as he looked at you, brown eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“A lakeside cabin. Somewhere secluded. No noisy people. Surrounded by tall trees. A serene blue lake filled with colorful fishes.” You described.

“Wow, you put a lot of thought into it.” Jisung chuckled, wrapping an arm around your shoulders to pull you closer. “And what we do there?” He asked, eyes set on you as he waited for you to tell him about your happy place. It truly seemed like it gave you joy, based on the way your eyes were shining with excitement to tell him all about it.

“Hmm… You could ask Minho to teach you how to fish and we could eat curry with what we caught. We could go onto the lake in a little paddle boat or we could go swimming in the afternoons.” A smile was growing on both your faces as you continued talking. “We could hang up fairy lights on the front porch of the cabin. And have a campfire at night, toasting marshmallows.”

“We could lay down some blankets and sleep underneath the stars.”

“I could teach you constellations.”

With every word you added, Jisung's heart swelled with more and more love for you. You could've talked about an extravagant place, going to fancy restaurants and exotic sightseeing locations. But you chose this simple, little dream. “And what would seal the deal hm?”

“You singing with your guitar underneath the stars. Just for me.”

“What song should I sing baby?”

“Rewrite the stars.” You replied almost instantly. “I think it describes the both of us perfectly.”

Jisung's throat got a little tight with emotion when he heard that. He swallowed back tears as you suggested the song. He often related that song with you, one lyric coming to his mind in particular — you'll be the one I was meant to find. “I would love to sing that song for you.” He said, voice cracking as he tried to conceal the intense feelings building inside him.

Your smile faltered when you noticed the tears pricking his eyes. “Ji… why are you crying?” You were worried you said something wrong, something to upset him. He seemed happy with your words until then, so what was wrong?

“It's nothing, I'm just…” He laughed softly. “I'm just imagining it... seeing myself sitting and singing while you're sitting there, listening.” You smiled at the revelation, relieved that they were the good kind of emotional tears. You placed your head back onto his shoulder as he squeezed you closer, a faint kiss pressed onto the side of your head as he held you.

Jisung's job offered very less time for the two of you to be together, so you relished the moments you had. A weekend rolled by a few weeks later, he had the two days off and he asked if the two of you could stay at his parent's house. You agreed to the idea because you loved his family and you were excited to meet them again after a long time.

“I can't wait to see Bbama again.” You chuckled at his words, placing your luggage in the trunk of your car and shutting it. His dog stayed with his parents because of his busy schedule, so he was always thrilled to go meet his proclaimed son after long. You also adored the white, fluffy Bichon Frise, he was always so energetic and lively — exactly like Jisung.

You got into the driver's seat and Jisung got in beside you. “Have everything?” You asked him.

“I think so —” He paused. “Oh wait, my coffee. I left it on the dining table.” He turned to you with those doe eyes you knew he knew you wouldn't be able to resist. “Baby… could you grab for me?” He asked, an innocent smile playing on his lips that only widened when you sighed in defeat and got out of the car. You came back with the thermos and placed it in the cup holder. “Did I ever tell you how much I love you?”

You rolled your eyes as you turned the engine on. “Oh, did you put the location in the GPS?”

“Yeah. Just have to follow that and we'll be there in about two hours.”

The car ride was fun. Jisung blasted his Spotify playlist, both of you belting out lyrics to the songs as you drove down the highway. Your brows furrowed when you took an exit and even more when you took another turn you swore wasn't on the route to your destination. “Ji… are you sure you put the location correctly?” You were almost one hundred percent certain when you had to take a left down a dirt road, tall trees looming on either side. The traffic from the highway died out behind you and you were pulled into a place of tranquility.

With a cheeky smile, Jisung replied, “Trust me, I know exactly where I'm leading you.” He took your hand and leaned his head back in his seat, eyes fixed on the road as a gentle smile played on his lips. “We're actually just a few minutes away from the place now,” He reassured you, his tone playful despite the calmness, just like he has been the entire drive.

You were unsure of his words but continued forward nonetheless… until the brown building came into view. “You didn't…” You had nearly forgotten telling your boyfriend about your dream place, but the memory of that conversation came crashing down as you pulled the car to a stop next to the cabin.

“I did.” He said in a matter of fact tone.

“How…” You stepped out of the car carefully, as if it were all an illusion that would fade away if you moved too fast. Your breath hitched as you took in the view. It was almost exactly how you imagined it. A big deep blue lake stretched out in front of you, the sunlight reflecting on the surface making it sparkle. A dock was nestled to the right, a paddle boat secured to a pole. As you took more steps in front, your mind wasn't able to comprehend anything anymore. A campfire pit was dug out next to the beautiful cabin. The porch had fairy lights dangling above. Mouth open, you turned to Jisung. “How did you…”

Jisung chuckled and followed you out of the car, wrapping his arm around your waist as he looked at you from the sides, smiling broadly as he saw the look on your face. He squeezed your waist gently before letting out another chuckle. “I have some connections, and let's just say this is not the first time I've used my connections to bring some joy into my girl's life.” He kissed your cheek. “Now tell me... How do you like my surprise?”

“It's amazing. It's... it's exactly how I imagined it. It's... holy shit..." You chuckled in disbelief, excitedly jogging up the steps of the cabin. Your fingers traced the wooden sign hanging next to the door. “Home.” You turned around. “You're unbelievable.” You smiled, ear to ear because you were so happy.

Jisung climbed the stairs behind you as his heart pounded loudly in his chest, a massive grin still on his face. Your smile was all he wanted to see, and that was enough to make him feel the purest joy in his heart. This moment, seeing you so happy and surprised, is everything he could have hoped for. He wrapped his arms tightly around you and held you close, planting a sweet kiss on your forehead. “I'm happy you like my surprise. I really wanted to make this cabin perfect, just for us.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too baby.”

Your happy place. With your person. There was nothing that could have topped the feeling you were experiencing at that moment. Han Jisung was truly… the greatest thing that ever happened to you. He squeezed your hand and led you inside. You smiled and followed him.

©hanjsquokka | copying, translating or republishing my work is strictly prohibited

[writers-potion]

🧦☕🧸A Guide to Writing Cozy Fantasy

Check out my masterpost for more tips :)

What is "cozy fantasy"? 🧺🪵

Cozy fantasy is a subgenre that is characterized by a more everyday approach to fantasy.

While its definition is not as clear-cut (everyone will have a sightly different idea of what it needs to look like), there are some general approaches to writing in this subgenre.

Elements of Cozy Fantasy 🕯️ೀ

A comforting, healing ambience 🍪

Rather than bloody battle and cunning witches, we have our next door wizard baker chumming up his special pumpkin pie.

Every magical book at their deepest core evoke a healing quality, but for these cozy novels, this warm element takes control.

2. "Kindness” and ‘gentleness” tropes 🍂

Found family/community, a sense of togetherness

Kind hearted protangoists

Plots gull of joy, hope or happy endings. Give your readers reassurance that everything will work out. And they do.

Ambience woven in the worldbuilding that gets the reader intitamely close to the world

Slower pace, allow the reader to delve into the story world and build stake in these kind, loving characters.

Slice of life: provide personal insight into the character’s “mundane” lives. 

The plot must take this "happy" nad kind" element as the MAIN theme. Every book provides catharsis at the end, but if the process if filled with dark, dangerous adventures, that's not cozy at all!

3. Cozy doesn’t mean “no/low stake” 📖

No novel would be interesting without conflict and some kind of loss.

Think of “personal” stakes. Cozy fantasy can be grand adventures, quiet magical quests, fairytales or healing slice of life stories.

For example, the protagonist can develop new relationship around town and figure out her passion to express the theme of importance of enduring. 

4. Generally slower pace, focusing more on the inner development of the protagonist and the main side characters.

Cozy Fantasy Starter Recommendations 🎧🌙

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J.Klune

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travie Baldree

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

[shirefantasies]

Hello! Could u do the fellowship with a shy/introverted character? Tyty

I chose to do shy!reader hope thats ok hehe~

How The Fellowship of the Ring Treat You When You’re Shy

Aragorn

✧ Aragorn has been around just about every manner of folk; from that and years in nature he has developed a keen sense of others. Thus he recognizes that you don’t particularly favor attention at once and honors that.

✧ For example, you are clearly cold one night, but the way your feet shift toward Gandalf and your eyes dart as you toss and turn suggest discomfort addressing the wizard. Thus, Aragorn approaches him for you to ask for the spare blanket, draping it over you with a kind smile. The look in your eyes of gratitude and awe brings a modest flush of joy to the ranger’s heart and expression.

✧ Aragorn, too, enjoys taking some time to himself, so you find each other sharing watches in easy silence, just watching the stars together.

✧ When he sees a particular look in your eyes, though, a certain unease or exhaustion swimming therein, Aragorn reaches over, gently taking your hand and bringing a shy smile to your lips.

✧ You are the first person he seeks after danger strikes, calling your name or asking where you are until you are accounted for, when you see his body and expression finally relax again.

Legolas

✧ His demeanor complements yours, neither of you loud contributors to conversation or even the first to speak at all. As a result he tends to stick by you and you by him, sharing looks like conversation.

✧ The others find this a bit disconcerting, sure. “Look, there they go again! They’re doing it! What secrets are you filling the poor soul’s head with now, pointy-ear?” Then you and Legolas are smiling to each other, suppressing laughter at the dwarf Gimli’s outburst; you notice Aragorn doing the same. Perhaps you do fit in with this group after all.

✧ Legolas finds himself seeking to bolster your confidence, offering compliments wherever he can. “You did not tell me you could shoot! I daresay you have some skill with my bow!” He looks at you with pride and maybe something else glowing in his eyes and his smile, especially at the way you smile down toward your feet, unsure what to say.

✧ It is actually Legolas who speaks up for you when others doubt you, telling them that just because you are shy does not mean you lack bravery.

✧ The flush of bashfulness you feel across your face only increases when Legolas adopts his habit of running a soothing hand up and down your back when you get embarrassed.

Boromir

✧ “So this is the one Lord Elrond insisted on joining the journey! What secrets might you be hiding?” The other man, not the one dubbed Isildur’s heir but the man of Gondor, Boromir, had taken to teasing you and you weren’t sure how you felt. On the one hand, you liked his looks and he was the most welcoming in a sense, but on the other you were used to avoiding attention, so what were you to say to him?

✧ Sparring is his icebreaker, the proverbial olive branch that ends up connecting you both even as it brings up his old jokes. Combat skills, after all, being the lord of Rivendell’s deciding factor in your rounding out the fellowship to ten. The first time your instincts kicked in and you had Boromir pinned to the ground with great haste, he burst into laughter, saying that he has found your secret and now there is no hiding from him!

✧ No hiding in other senses as well, for he will take a seat by your side at night, asking if you have any memories of your home you’d like to share. Some nights you do not wish to speak, asking instead to hear of Gondor, and you know Boromir is happy to oblige, though his brother seems to be the only family member he wishes to speak of.

✧ The boldest among the fellowship, if Boromir catches your downward glances he will reach over and tilt your chin up, telling you not to hide your fair gaze away.

✧ Similarly, he takes up the habit of pushing back your hair or tucking it behind your ear if it is long enough as well as lowering your hood, little gestures to grant him sight of the face you try to hide once more.

Gimli

✧ Unbeknownst to you, the fellowship’s resident dwarf has taken it upon himself to bring you cheer again, seeing your quiet and withdrawn demeanor and mistaking it for melancholy. He is at your side at once telling you funny stories and smiling proud as if he’s won a golden trophy when he makes you laugh!

✧ Misguided attempts at making you feel appreciated occur at times, like the time he told everyone to stop what they were doing and look at you, for you had something to say, causing you to shrink back and flush in surprise.

✧ Once he realizes that your troubles are nothing to do with sadness or feeling like an outsider, Gimli instead takes you under his wing to bring your confidence back up! “This game is an old dwarven favorite. I think you will do great at it- indeed, you might be the only worthy competition in this whole lot! Come on, then!”

✧ He pulls out a stone from some fold of his outfit one day. “You see this? This reminds me of you,” he says, holding up the round, dark rock, “you must think it just an ordinary piece of stone, no?” At that, you nod, for is it not? Indeed it isn’t, for the moment your head moves he throws it against the rock he stands upon and cracks it in two, revealing a hollow of beautiful glistening crystals inside. “Well, then you would be mistaken, for there is far more than meets the eye! That is what I like about you, you know. I hope you do, too.”

✧ As if that didn’t have enough heat creeping to your face, from that night in Gimli pitches his bedroll right next to yours and folds himself up right by you quite protectively.

Frodo

✧ Frodo can be shy, too, so when you are faced with each other it is all bashful smiles and stolen glances!

✧ The best companion for a companionable silence, Frodo will sit by your side without any interruptions, the sound of breathing and the warm touch of his arm brushing against yours all the sensation you need to lighten the weights upon you.

✧ Studious as he is, Frodo does find himself asking you questions fairly often though, questions about the meanings of songs he catches you singing for example. Warmth rising to your cheeks, you first reply admitting your lack of awareness anyone could hear you. “Don’t worry, it is quite nice to hear song again,” Frodo tells you with a smile.

✧ Gets annoyed with any of the others if they try to push you to speak or do things you are not comfortable with, reminding them that you are ten, are you not, and anyone else could do it. You can’t help smiling even as you hide your face because you have never seen Frodo like this.

✧ You muse aloud about the ring one day, what little it might do or say to someone who prefers to keep hidden, but Frodo shuts down such talk immediately. “I will not have your heart changed for anything,” he tells you, head falling to your shoulder, “especially not on my account.”

Sam

✧ “Are the others getting to you? Don’t be afraid to tell them to bugger off.” This comment, delivered with a cheeky smile, makes you laugh, not expecting a bit of fire in the sweet hobbit who had introduced himself right away. He doesn’t mind that you keep to yourself, though.

✧ It’s just that sometimes he doesn’t let you. It’s healthier to have the company anyway, you know, such is just difficult for you to seek for yourself. Sam makes it easy in that way, always ending up where you are with a smile and an offer of food or water.

✧ “Mr. Bilbo always told me grand stories when I couldn’t say much- would you like to hear one of them? It’s my favorite!” “Of course I would, Sam. I would like that very much.”

✧ Sam stands in front of you in every fight, sometimes even extending an arm across you as if daring your possible enemy to even try. Every single time it warms your heart to see the determination in his eyes, even if you can fight for yourself.

✧ “You’re like a sunflower. Once you turn round to face the sun, everyone can see how lovely that smile is!”

Merry

✧ "Hello," the hobbit pops up in your line of vision, having sidled over to where you sat, "I don't believe we've met. Only saw you the once. At the council. My name is Meriadoc Brandybuck. Merry for short. What's your name?" It is a marvel to you how easily conversation comes to Merry. With a small smile, you introduce yourself, nervously running a hand over your hair. "That's a nice name. Don't be so afraid, all right? Lord Elrond believed in you. Quite an honor, that. And we'll all be right here with you."

✧ Always asking for your say, if you are alright with him keeping you company or sitting at your side until the day you tell him there is no need, he is always welcome.

✧ He notices the way you tend to fidget nervously, hands wringing or twisting the end of your sleeve, so one day he presents you with a little string of beads. “In case your hands ever want company,” he explains, blue eyes earnest as ever, “they’re from the Shire.” As if the gift was not meaningful enough as it was! You forget your shyness just long enough to wrap your arms around him, and when you pull away the wide, dreamy smile on his face makes the gesture well worth it.

✧ Tells you all the best stories of Shire mischief, teasing that had you been there, one look from those eyes of yours would have gotten you out of trouble!

✧ You’re the first one Merry looks to when a song starts up, but he seems to think better of it after extending his hand, asking if you’re be alright with a dance.

Pippin

✧ Discrimination is not in Pippin's vocabulary, so when he sees you hanging back from the rest of the fellowship, he simply approaches you so you know you're included, too!

✧ From that moment on, Pippin becomes your comfort person. Always sitting by your side at the fire, no one else. The only one you’ll speak to when you are upset.

✧ Looks down at the ground too when you get really shy, thinking there’s something there before he realizes a little late.

✧ Whenever he and Merry get to singing, Pippin will offer you his hand, inviting you to dance and smiling at your reluctant but pleased face. If you are too shy to dance with others watching, then Pippin will simply take up his song only to find you later when there are no others, and no matter the terrain take you in his arms for a proper whirl...and maybe something slower, too.

✧ Feeds you first whenever it is his turn to pass out meals, sneaking you a little extra because he knows you will not be comfortable asking for more. Always dishes you up with a wink because of it!

Taglist: @lokilover476 @fuckyoumakeart @kilibaggins @mossthebogwitch @ibabblealot @stormchaser819 @pirate-lord-of-narnia @datglutengoblin @letmelickyoureyeballs @mossyskinn @wordbunch @tiny-and-witchy @th3-st4r-gur1 @fleurdemiel-145 | Message/Reply/Ask to join 🥰

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 重啟之極海聽雷/Reunion: The Sound of the Providence/The Lost Tomb Reboot/this thing has too many names

Reunion (I'm just going to call it that) is a 2020 action drama about the most specialest little babygirl in the tomb-raiding world, his two husbands, and the cadre of assorted weirdos they pick up as they try to follow a set of directions left by a dead (?) man in the thunder.

Imagine if someone showed you the Mandalorian, and you were like, gee, that was a neat little sci-fi one-shot! because you'd never heard of Star Wars. That was basically my experience watching this show, having no idea that the Lost Tomb franchise (DMBJ) was even a thing. Turns out that not only is there a whole big continuity out there with these characters, but that Reunion takes place a few years after the main story's resolution. Don't worry, though -- Reunion doesn't spoil you for that resolution. It doesn't spoil you for much, period. Look, DMBJ has a weird relationship to endings, okay?

I have written a more thorough where-to-start guide for DMBJ as a whole, so if you want to consider other entry points, well, that information is there for your consideration. Yet it is my opinion that this is the best entry into the overall franchise, and a fun thing to watch just in general, and I'm here to make my case for both of those.

The rest of this rec will assume that you have no familiarity with the DMBJ series. That's okay; you don't need any. All you need is to trust my five reasons you should watch this.

1. Old Man Yaoi

As you begin this show, you are introduced to the Iron Triangle. That's them in the picture up there. Left to right, you have: Xiao Ge, magically tattooed immortal hottie who just got back from ten years in [scene missing]; Wu Xie, our protagonist, who's just a little guy and it's his birthday; and Wang Pangzi, the literal best.

(And yes, Wu Xie is in his 30s and Pangzi is in his 40s, which is not technically old man anything, but ... look, if you watch, you'll see why I think I'm justified in calling it that.)

They are extremely married. They are a disaster trio of disasters so disastrous that no one else should ever be subjected to their chaos. They're going to make sure lots of people are, though, don't you worry about it. Sometimes those people even deserve it.

However, because the show (tragically!!) decides that Xiao Ge has somewhere else to be like 95% of the runtime, most of the relationship you get to see is between Wu Xie and Pangzi.

I'm saying this now as an old gay nerd who just this year celebrated her 15th wedding anniversary: I have never, never felt so represented in media as I have watching Wu Xie and Pangzi interact. There's a little wake-up song they sing together near the end of the show, and it just ... it packs so much character development into thirty seconds. These boys have been living adjacent lives for so long that they've made up their own little shared songs about the mundanities of daily living. That is just what happens when you marry your best friend and then decide to get old and weird together. Ask me how I know.

Look, if you want to know whether this show is for you or not, watch to the end of the first episode, to the part where Pangzi flips over the table. If your heart is filled with joy (as it should be), keep going.

Love makes a tomb-raiding syndicate family.

2. A fun-filled action-packed romp of nonsense!

If you're familiar with Hellblazer canon, this will make sense to you: Reunion is Dangerous Habits. If you're not familiar with Hellblazer canon, try it like this: Reunion is a terrible place to start because it plays on your extant affection for a character who gains a terrible status effect almost immediately. It's a also great place to start because it throws you right in the action with measurably high stakes and gives you a reason to build that affection very quickly.

I'm also going to warn you right off the bat: The plot of this show got cut to ribbons by censors.

See, the DMBJ books, being books, are allowed to get away with supernatural shit! So you've got zombies and ghosts and curses and monsters and immortality and all your other standard ooky spooky semi-urban fantasy trappings. But the DMBJ adaptations, being live-action, are heavily regulated in their content. This is why, in the early Reunion episodes, our heroes are menaced by human-looking creatures that are actually ancient mannequins made of leather that are piloted, mecha-style, by evil clams. Because evil clams are more scientific than zombies. I guess.

So yeah, the plot of this book already had to get mangled into a more "science"-compliant shape even before it made it to filming. The real problem is that a whole lot more of it got cut after it was all filmed and put together. I have read an explanation of what the actual storyline was supposed to be, and yeah, if you know what you’re looking at, you can see (and hear) the scars where major elements got hacked out with a weed whacker.

Therefore: You cannot expect this plot to make sense.

But that's okay! You're not here for the plot to make sense! You're here to watch some characters you love run around through ridiculous and sometimes beautiful labyrinths, trying to solve puzzles you're never given enough information to understand, all in search of the resolution to a mystery that had half its guts torn out before you got to see it -- and you are here to love it. If you have ever laughed and cheered your way through a Mission: Impossible film without pausing to care too much about the plot holes it’s dodging left and right, you are in the correct frame of mind to appreciate this. Just believe that whatever engaging nonsense the show tells you is correct for the time being and go with it.

You cannot watch DMBJ and care about the laws of physics. You simply cannot.

Do not, however, let me give you the impression that the shoddy plotting is accompanied by equally shoddy performances. A major part of this show’s incredible watchability comes from how the cast is shockingly good. There are some serious heavy hitters among the actors. A major part of why this Wu Xie and Pangzi are my favorite together is the incredible chops both Zhu Yilong and Chen Minghao have, to say nothing of their real-life affection for one another. (See that scar on Wu Xie's neck? That scar is there because Zhu Yilong commits to the bit.) Effortlessly charming Mao Xiaotong turns potentially irritating wunderkind Bai Haotian into a perfect precious weirdo baby. Wu Erbai's entire second-season character arc could have been unintentionally comedic, but veteran of queer cinema Hu Jun sells even the undignified moments as relentlessly tragic. And of course Baron Chen absolutely kills it with...

3. This giant fucking loser

This is Hei Xiazi. That's not his name, but it's close enough. Allow me to do a dramatic reenactment of my watching his first scene:

[camera pans over to him]

me: Ugh, I recognize this kind of wannabe badass character design. I hate his type. He's self-important, hyper-masculine, and just a big jerk, and the show thinks he's soooo cool. Barf.

[thirty seconds later]

me: Oh no. I was so wrong. I love him forever now.

This is because he is (as indicated above) a giant fucking loser. Yes, he's a good fighter who knows lots of things. He's also a wet potato chip of a man. Sure, he can get you into a headlock, but he can also annoy you into submission, and that's honestly more fun for him. My wife has used the phrase “Vash the Stampede-coded” to describe him. My wife is not wrong.

And the kind of ridiculous thing is, being such a loser is what wraps back around to making him cool again. He's a loser because he just doesn't fucking care. His masculinity is the opposite of fragile. You tell him to wear a dress and makeup, he'll do it -- and sure, he'll complain, but only because he enjoys complaining. He has no dignity. He’s tits-out. He's gender. He's the worst and also the best.

Hei Xiazi is a major character in the other installations, to the point where he and his boyfriend (more on him later) even have their own movie. But of course, I did not know this on my first watch, so I kept expecting the show to explain his whole deal. It does not, but you don't really need it to. He sees better in the dark. He doesn't age. He's a thug for hire. There, that's all the bio you need.

One of the things that makes him great is that he is the least sexually threatening person ever. Across all the properties he's in, he spends a fair amount of time with women -- sometimes in very close quarters -- and they are perfectly safe around him. I actually wrote a whole post about it once upon a time (warning for tiny spoilers for a series that isn't this one) wherein I claim that not only Xiazi but Reunion in general is the television equivalent of the shirt that says I RESPECT WOMEN SO MUCH I DON'T HAVE SEX WITH THEM.

That said, this loser does get a sort-of romance plot here -- and honestly, I find it very cute! It's not even the only instance in this series of a bisexual guy in a long-term same-sex relationship getting a girlfriend, and I like that other one too! Look, the handle of my DMBJ sideblog is @katamaricule because I joked that Wu Xie treats polyamory like a katamari, and if you don't move fast enough, you're going to be rolled right up into his gay little cuddle puddle.

This is not a show for exclusive ships; this is a show for inclusive ships. The Jiumen Association is a polycule. You don't even have to know what the Jiumen Association is to know it's true.

4. The power of friendship

This show has a lot of characters.

I'd say the supporting cast is divided into three categories: characters who have been in previous installments, characters who have not been in previous installments, and characters who probably should have been in previous installments (or at least mentioned) but who were only created for Reunion so we have to pretend like we've known about them all along.

There is no way to tell which is which -- which is part of my argument that this series makes a good entry point to the franchise.

Take Huo Daofu. Huo Daofu is a brilliant doctor masquerading as a donut stand operator who treats Wu Xie with all the cold disdain of a man confronting the person who left him at the altar years ago. On the one hand, yes! We do know Huo Daofu from a previous series, and we've known he's both a doctor and a bitch. On the other hand, oh, we have no idea why he's like this about Wu Xie, and we probably never will. The show just treats it like it's for an excellent reason, and you know what, from what you know about Wu Xie, it probably is.

Consider also Jiang Zisuan. One of the show's principal antagonists, Jiang Zisuan turns out to be the brother of ... well, let's just say it's someone whose having a brother really should have come up before this. It has not come up. (And that's even before we get into the issue of his surname.) His stated identity as that person's brother is so bizarre that my favorite interpretation is that he isn't actually that person's brother -- all the flashbacks we see are just his delusions about a relationship he's completely invented. But there's no way you'd know how fucking weird this is on your first run.

Then there's our friendly little support himbo, Kanjian, who shows up to all occasions with two tickets to the gun show and not a thought in that beautiful head. (His name just means "vest," which is par for the course when it comes to the author's naming conventions.) He was a lot more menacing in the last series (where they kept putting sleeves on him, geez), where most of what we learned about him is that you can loan him out to other tomb-raiding families. Now he's a golden retriever with great aim and a slingshot. It's an upgrade.

The trick is, you cannot be surprised when someone shows up and the show treats them like you should know who they are, even when there's no possible way you could know who they are. I mean, for heaven's sake, Liu Sang arrives in the middle of an obvious beef with Pangzi, the origins of which are never satisfactorily explained, while also having a giant do-I-want-to-fuck-him-or-do-I-want-to-be-him crush on Xiao Ge, which is also never satisfactorily explained. Whatever, you just roll with it. He's got good hearing, a bad attitude, and questionable taste in idols. Now you're good to go.

(I should throw in a special note here that Liu Sang is many, many people's little meow meow, and not undeservedly. For a fuller explanation of why that is, please consult this other post I made.)

Part of the fun of this big cast is the adorable interactions you get. All the characters have appropriately big personalities, and the show loves letting people you wouldn’t expect bounce off one another. It’s not your typical action-hero show where nothing happens without the protagonist in the room. There are lots of exciting combinations and tons of charming dynamics! Unlikely friendships form all over the place! Enemies become allies! Allies become friends! Friends become friends with other friends! Some friends become enemies again! You'll need a scoreboard to keep up!

This is not to say the show treats all its characters perfectly or equally -- one of the precious few main female characters doesn't even get a real name, for heaven's sake, and the less said about the brownface racism, the better. It is, at its heart, a dude show for dudes made in China, with all the troubling decision-making that implies. Where it does deserve credit, though, is in understanding that its supporting characters are actual people with personalities apart from their function in Wu Xie's narrative. Sometimes the show just asks "what if [random character A] and [random character B] had to interact?" and has fun considering the answer! Which is almost always a delight to watch, and sometimes even breaks your heart.

5. Amazing rewatch value!

And by this I mean the experience of watching this show is remarkably different once you have any understanding of the rest of the DMBJ universe.

For instance, there's a point where two characters are scuba-diving past some submerged coffins, and one character tells the other whose coffins they are. Working only on information Reunion has given you, you're like, oh, that's where they buried the guy who built this creepy place, that's a little weird. Once you recognize that name from other series, though, your reaction is far more, excuse me, they did WHAT to WHOSE corpses?

Or another point where a character you've already met is on a train, and there's a handsome gentleman who just happens to be riding with her. He hands her his business card! Aw, that's sweet, he seems like a nice guy! Well, no, Xie Yuchen is not nice, but he is one of our allies, and he's Hei Xiazi's boyfriend, and a lot of what he's doing hits real different when you have a fuller grasp on why he's doing it and for whom. (Honestly, a major reason to watch Reunion first is so you're not fully and appropriately upset by how your black/pink gays merely have one teeny tiny scene together.)

From the way the series treats the persistent absence of Wu Sanxing, Wu Xie's third uncle, I absolutely, 100% assumed that he was a completely new character to this installment of the series, an extremely long-lost relative that we've somehow conveniently managed to never talk about before now. So imagine my gobsmacked surprise when I went to watch a different series, set much earlier in the timeline, where the opening scene prominently features Wu Sanxing as an actual character in the present-day narrative! ...Well, sorta. Look, there's a lot of fuckery with his identity in earlier parts of the story, and fortunately you need to know none of it to understand Reunion. But when you do, it suddenly makes a lot more sense why Wu Xie talks about someone who was a major part of Wu Xie's adult life like he died when Wu Xie was nine.

AND THE FLASHBACK SCENE WHERE A-NING GETS KILLED BY THE SNAKE, AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, AND THEN YOU WATCH ULTIMATE NOTE AND IT WASN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL look, I know there are kinda reasons for this, different production companies and all, but seriously, what the fuck

All of which to say is that the experience of watching Reunion the first time is, hey, this self-contained romp is a lot of fun! The experience of rewatching it after watching any of the other DMBJ installments is a transcendently wonderful head-clutching avalanche of one moment of recognition right after another.

And here's the thing: You will watch more. Reunion is a gateway drug. If you are interested enough to make it through all 62 episodes, you're going to be interested in watching more. Which is great. The English-speaking fandom needs more people. Come down into the tombs. It's great down here. We've got snakes and arguably unintentional homoeroticism. Join us. Join usssssssss

Are you ready for an aventure?

There are a couple different ways to watch the first half, but there's (weirdly) only one way to watch the second, so for both of them, I'm going to send you straight to iQiyi: Season 1 (32 episodes) and Season 2 (30 episodes).

And just so you’re ready when Reunion is done, here’s how you find the rest of the DMBJ series, in the absolutely non-chronological order in which I, personally, think you should watch them:

The Lost Tomb 2 (AsianCrush, YouTube)

Ultimate Note (iQiyi)

The Mystic Nine (iQiyi, Viki)

Sand Sea/Tomb of the Sea (Viki, WeTV, YouTube, also YouTube)

Also, there's a lot of movies and side series and other pieces that are worth seeing, and even a couple of full series I've left off the list, and you can just slot them in wherever. And maybe we'll get Tibetan Sea Flower someday? Look, hope springs eternal.

They're so perfect. Perfect triangle. Perfect boys.

[asksythe]

MXTX Interview with Risa Wataya for Subaru Magazine P.5

Character's Allure

Risa: Among the cast, my favorites are the Nie brothers. Nie Huaissang and Nie Mingjue. As I read, I constantly prayed that Nie Shi (House Nie) would not fall. 

Mo Xiang: Shocking! I have yet to see this kind of attitude toward the Nie brothers. In the place of Nie brothers, I deeply thank Risa! Nie Mingjue was created as a foil and reversed mirror image of the 'extremely socially adept' Jin Guangyao. Nie Mingjue is someone who would rather break but never bend. Jin Guangyao is someone who would rather bend but never break. One embodies unbendable justice. One is a cunning smooth operator. I thought about these two contrasting and contradicting kinds of characters and then created them (Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao). A cunning faker (*) like Jin Guangyao, once he meets a 'violent god' (**) Nie Mingjue would become absolutely powerless and can only flee. Their situation would be quite interesting should I continue to write it. Although for them, it definitely would not be a fun time. 

(*: 狡猾 jiaohua: someone who is pretty/righteous on the outside but rotten inside, a faker, a pretty snake masquerading as a saint) 

(**: 凶神恶煞 xioengshen esha: a powerful, brutal, violent god that is consumed by the slaying of evil so much he starts to do evil himself. Someone who should be good but is consumed by rage and violence and becomes no better than the evil he seeks to destroy)

Risa: Nie Huaissang is extremely smart. Nie Mingjue still acts even though his body has been split into multiple pieces. I absolutely love these brothers' opposing approaches to life. 

Moxiang: The more the character personalities contrast with each other, the clearer their conflict and transformation is portrayed. It also makes the story even more compelling and exciting. Nie Huaissang was built on the foundation of Nie Mingjue as a character. They both use sabers as their weapons. Nie Mingjue is more or less straightforward inside and out. Nie Huaissang, on the other hand, looks weak and cowardly on the outside but is actually immensely insightful, patient, and crafty on the inside. The characters of Qinghe Nie Shi were actually complete quite early into the writing. 

Risa: The characters of "Mo Dao Zu Shi" mature into different kinds of people depending on their relationship with their parents. In terms of lineage and family ties, what were your thoughts while writing? 

Moxiang: I think the environment a person grows up in is a very important factor. The parent generation's joy and sorrow will create an increasingly greater impact on their children. Furthermore, children will inherit specific things from their parents. Only when you look at the profound yet incidental similarities between parents and children, you will see that family ties are something very real. 

Risa: Some characters in the book had a very difficult childhood. Jin Guangyao, Xue Yang, and Wei Wuxian. One type of character experiences misfortune in their childhood and then grow to become bad people. One character, on the other hand, steadfastly holds onto his good heart no matter what. Both types exist in the same book. 

Moxiang: To be honest, the character's childhood was the last thing I considered. My creative method starts with imagining the zenith of a character's life when they are shining brightly at the summit. Then I think about narrative developments leading to and from that moment, and then the character's childhood as the finishing touch. After that, I fill out details on their parent generation. The parents mostly act as supporting characters. Their designs are based on the main cast, to contrast or to complete. 

For example, first, I think of what kind of person Wei Wuxian is. Then, I think of what kind of parents could have such a child. I base his parent's characters on his character. 

Looking at it from within the story, it's that parents will inevitably influence their children. But from a structural writing standpoint, it's the children that influence the parents.        

To be continued (We are about... half-way through the interview transcript)

Translator: Sythe / NPD Khanh

[hisui-dreamer]

ode to the cunning snake

Pairing: Jamil Viper x gn!reader

Synopsis: you loved him, and you couldn't wait for the day the rest of the world could see the brilliant man he is

Tags: drabble, fluff, slightly poetic, reader is a simp for jamil

Word count: 610

Notes: happy birthday jamil!! fr when i read ch4 he did no wrong in my mind, but im so glad we're seeing more character development in ch5 and 6

Masterlist

Your lover's capabilities are a hidden treasure, known only to those fortunate enough to glimpse beyond his unassuming facade. Behind the mask of modesty, he possesses a brilliant mind and a vast reservoir of talents waiting to be unleashed. Whether it's effortlessly excelling in academics, or demonstrating an innate aptitude for leadership, his capabilities know no bounds. His adaptability, honed through years of concealing his true potential, allows him to navigate any challenge with grace and finesse.

Your lover's remarkable ability to remain prepared and adapt in unexpected situations is a testament to his innate resilience and quick thinking. Whether it's a sudden change of plans, a challenging problem, or an unforeseen obstacle, he navigates these moments with a calm and collected demeanour. He seems to have an uncanny knack for thinking on his feet, effortlessly adjusting his approach to ensure the best possible outcome. It's as if he carries a mental toolbox filled with solutions for every contingency, allowing him to tackle any challenge that comes his way with a grace and composure that inspires those around him.

Your lover harbours a complex relationship with the spotlight, torn between his aversion to its glaring attention and his deep-seated longing for acknowledgment. He's a master of fading into the background, content with the shadows and the comfort of obscurity, having spent days of his childhood faking at being average. Yet, beneath that modest exterior lies an undeniable thirst for recognition, a burning desire to have his talents and achievements celebrated by others. It's a delicate dance between humility and ambition, a constant struggle to balance the desire to stay in the shadows while yearning for the validation and applause that only the spotlight can offer.

Your lover’s true passion occasionally shines through the carefully crafted facade he wears, and those moments never fail to make your heart swell with an overwhelming sense of pride. It's as if a radiant light breaks through the clouds, illuminating his entire being with a captivating and irresistible energy. For a few, brief moments, as he loses himself to dancing, you are reminded of the incredible depth and beauty of his soul. His grace, his dedication, and the sheer joy he exudes while pursuing his passion are nothing short of enchanting. You can't help but marvel at the extraordinary talent he conceals so modestly, and your pride in him swells like a tidal wave, ready to crash upon the shores of the world and proclaim his brilliance to all who will listen.

You love how in the precious moments when the two of you find ourselves alone, the facade he meticulously maintains in the outside world fades away, revealing his true, genuine self with no façade put up for his status. He becomes wonderfully emotional, wearing his heart on his sleeve without reservation. Sometimes, he allows himself to be delightfully childish, overdramatic, and loving, embracing the carefree spirit that resides within him. There's an undeniable comfort in these moments, a trust that blossoms between you, for he knows he can speak his unfiltered truth without fear with you. He bares his soul, and in those raw, authentic conversations, it’s as if the world outside fades into insignificance, and it's just us, embracing the beauty of our genuine bond.

Your love every facet of him, from his hidden brilliance to his quiet strength, from his capabilities to his adaptability, and from his passion to his endearing childishness. Your love for him is a force that knows no bounds, a love that will stand by his side as he takes those steps toward the spotlight he so rightfully deserves.

Your lover, is none other than Jamil Viper.

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

[valiantlandpanda]

Lost and Found

Geralt x female reader, angst with fluff ending.

Prompt = Geralt and the reader got separated during a fight. Geralt having doubts about their relationship.

Geralt of Rivia, the stoic and battle-hardened Witcher, roamed the lands, his heart forever guarded. Amidst his lonely travels, he found solace in the presence of a fierce and compassionate female reader, who had captured his heart. Their connection was a sanctuary in the chaotic world they inhabited.

One fateful night, as Geralt faced a monstrous adversary, a violent clash ensued. In the midst of the chaos, he was separated from the reader, vanishing into the shadows of uncertainty. Fear gripped her heart as she searched tirelessly, her voice echoing into the silent abyss.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The reader's hope began to waver, but she refused to accept the idea that Geralt was lost forever. She combed through taverns, inquired with fellow Witchers, and followed every lead, driven by a love that knew no bounds.

Finally, on a cool autumn evening, fate intervened. The reader stumbled upon Geralt in a secluded village, nursing his wounds. Relief and joy flooded her, mingled with the lingering fear that had haunted her dreams. Without hesitation, she rushed to his side, enveloping him in a desperate embrace.

"Geralt," she whispered, her voice quivering with emotions held in check for far too long. "I thought I had lost you."

Geralt's eyes softened, a mixture of gratitude and longing filling them. "I'm here," he murmured, his voice tinged with weariness. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

As their reunion unfolded, however, an unforeseen shadow of misunderstanding cast its pall over their moment of solace. Jaskier, with whom the reader had developed a deep friendship during Geralt's absence, stood nearby, their expression one of concern and uncertainty.

Unable to contain the weight of her emotions, the reader's voice faltered as she tried to explain the true nature of her relationship with the other character. But before she could find the right words, Geralt's gaze hardened, his face betraying a mix of pain and confusion.

"I see," he said, his voice low and guarded. "I thought… I thought we had something."

The reader's heart shattered at his words, realizing the depth of Geralt's misunderstanding. The pain etched upon his face cut her to the core, as if a silver blade had pierced her own soul.

"No, Geralt," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "You're the one I love, the one I've been searching for. Please, believe me."

In that moment, the reader saw a flicker of vulnerability in Geralt's eyes, the walls around his heart crumbling under the weight of their shared pain. Slowly, he reached out, his hand finding hers, his touch conveying a yearning for trust and understanding.

"I want to believe you," he confessed, his voice laced with both fear and hope. "But my heart has been wounded before."

With gentle determination, the reader brushed away the remnants of tears from her cheeks and met Geralt's gaze. She poured her love and devotion into her words, baring her soul for him to see.

"I choose you, Geralt," she said, her voice unwavering. "There is no one else I want by my side. Please, let me prove it to you."

Tears welled in Geralt's eyes as he took a leap of faith, willing to let go of his doubts and embrace the possibility of a love that had weathered storms and stood the test of time. The reader's heart swelled with a mixture of relief and love as Geralt's arms encircled her, pulling her closer.

In that moment of profound understanding, their souls intertwined once again, their love resolute and unyielding. As they held each other tightly, the shadows of misunderstanding faded away, replaced by a future where their hearts would forever find solace in each other's embrace.

[maple-the-awesome]

While the Night is Young ||

Pairing: Legend x Reader

Words: 2,079

Requested by anonymous: Can I have a sad fic with Legend (LU) reminiscing about dancing with the reader on koholint? he's my fav so he has to suffer 😞 One mildly depressed Legend coming your way because everyone knows the first rule to being in a fandom is enjoying watching your favorite characters suffer go through character development 💜

Zelda Masterlist 💛 Fandom Masterlist

Crowds are never much fun. Who actually likes being sandwiched between sweaty bodies, constantly elbowed, stepped on, or tossed around by obvious idiots who only ever react with a half hearted apologies? It makes such a simple task like walking down the street a total nightmare, although there might be a good exception for it today given that it’s currently the summer solstice festival in this quaint little village the boys have recently stumbled across.

After many long days on the road, most could understand the heroes’ excitement upon seeing the then bare streets lined with wooden stalls and colorful banners overhead. A local explained the situation, promising plenty of fun games and unique carnival foods if the group decided to stay overnight when the festivities would begin. At that point, there was little choice in the matter. Seeing the expressed joy on many of the youngsters’ faces (a great contrast to their original wear earlier), Time just had to give in to their pleas, agreeing that a deserved break could do them some good. 

So, as the sky began to mirror the colors of summer, from bright reds to pinkish purples, the once empty stalls began to open and the streets became filled with residents, many more than what was expected for such a small village. 

Wind and Sky, determined to win their loved ones some adorable stuffed animals, have been taken to blowing all their rupees at different game booths. Four and Warrior, on the other hand, have made a full on competition of this activity, betting who can win the most games by the end of the night. They managed to drag Hyrule into the fun, too, but only because of his utter amazement with everything going on (after all, he’s never seen any festivals quite like this before).

Wild couldn’t show any restraint when teased by so many wonderful smelling foods, in fact he had already snuck away for something called a ‘corn dog’ before Time could even finish laying down the ground rules for how everyone was expected to behave. Fortunately, Twilight has since stayed close to his mentee’s side to prevent any disasters like Wild poisoning himself or setting fire somewhere. He also may or may not have allowed himself to be roped into trying some very questionable and overpriced snacks (but Twilight won’t admit that for the sake of his own dignity).

As for the Old Man himself, he seems to simply find joy in everyone else’s from afar, although overtime, a few of the boys have managed to get him directly involved in festivities, particularly Wind who insisted Time tries winning Malon an adorable stuffed alien from a shooting game (he succeed on his first attempt followed by many other effortless wins once he got addicted, much to the little sailor’s awe and jealousy).

The only hero to not partake in any aspect of the festival is Legend. Interestingly enough, such a colorful celebration has actually seemed to have the opposite effect on him compared to his brothers, resulting in quite the sour mood shown through his bitter scowl as he stands outside the crowd’s reach.

He curses himself for even bothering to leave the inn earlier, only having done so to shut up Warrior’s claims about him ‘pouting’ as he’s apparently been doing this entire week…Okay, so maybe Legend can internally admit that he hasn’t been exactly ‘overflowing with friendliness’ lately, but he refuses to say it’s because he’s ‘pouting’; that makes him sound childish. He’s not pouting, he’s sulking (big difference) and it has nothing to do with this festival. He just doesn’t care to lose the entire contents of his wallet to rigged games and food poisoning on a buttered stick, that’s all!

If that’s the case, one would think he’d just sneak back to the inn already. No one’s keeping him here on a leash, in fact most of the boys are too busy losing their patience playing ring toss to even notice whether Legend stays or goes. Why continue to stand around being unsociable in the background, grumbling against a wall as others clap and tap their feet to a melody currently played by musicians near the village fountain ahead, especially when it’s making him so grumpy?

“Don’t you just love music? It’s almost too beautiful to be real - at least I think so anyway.”

Legend glances to his side, curling his lip in poorly mocked disgust that earns him the undeserved gift of an angel’s laughter. Even after all these years of developing tough skin, he can’t stand strong against such a sound.

“Oh, don’t be like that! I’ve seen you playing some of those instruments of yours, so you must be a fan. How many do you own? Must be enough to open your own music shop by now,” You tease, your voice somehow becoming the only sound around him despite all those who stand practically shoulder-to-shoulder in front of you both singing and laughing loudly…yet even you pay no attention to them, your eyes locked solely on him as if he’s actually someone special.

“I don’t have that many.”

“Well, as someone who doesn’t even have one, I’d say it’s a lot,” You’ve never bothered with personal space, too used to knowing everyone to wonder why it would be important, thus you’ve always practiced the same beliefs around him, showing no care as you lean against the wall next him, letting your arms brush enough to make him flinch at first before ultimately relaxing.

“Is it because you’re shy? I mean, you have no reason to be since you play wonderfully, but I still get it if you are,” You theorize aloud, still stuck on the same topic Legend wishes you’d change. Surely there’s other things you’d be interested in aside from his personal life. He’s only a simple traveler, after all, although the more he thinks about it, that’s probably what appeals to you so much. He imagines it’s rough being stuck in one place your entire life, never knowing much about what lies beyond the horizon until a strange, stranger washes up at your feet.

“I’m not shy,” He rubs the back of his neck, glancing away from you when he decides eye contact is too bothersome, “I just like my privacy.”

You tilt your head cutely with a hum before gazing back into the crowd (much to his relief). For a long moment, you keep your eyes closed and listen to the music, waiting to break the comfortable silence between you both until the song changes into something slower and more intimate than the previous, “...Do you at least dance in front of others?”

“Dance?” He scoffs.

“Yes, dance! You know, that activity where you move your body to a particular rhyme? The thing Hylians usually do for fun? …Or are you unfamiliar with that word, ‘fun’?”

“I know it.”

“Oh, do you now?” You challenge, leaning forward in an attempt to catch his expression, yet he turns his body away while biting back his smirk which surely mirrors yours; he can hear it in your voice, “Show me then.”

“Show you?” He laughs, “What? You can’t just trust me?”

“Nope,” You pop the ‘p’ then roll your eyes when Legend dramatically grabs his chest and flops his head back against the stone wall (something he does with more force than intended, yet he forgets about the pain quickly).

“I’m hurt! Here I was thinking I’ve moved on from being a hostile in your eyes only for weeks of effort to swirl down the drain -!”

“- You’re not a hostile, just an idiot,” You push yourself off the wall and extend a hand to him, “Regardless, I’m afraid I’ll need a demonstration in order to believe you.”

Legend glances at your hand, biting down his nerves which he prays you don’t notice. It really is a simple request and it’s not like you’d both be alone. Other couples are already dancing, some showing creatively in how wildly they move while others move slowly as if joint as one…It shouldn’t be a big deal to take your hand, but for some reason it is, the thought making his heart race.

“Please, Link?”

Your eyes are pleading and soon he finds himself too weak to ignore them anymore. Reluctantly, he accepts your hand and puts up no further fight as you then eagerly drag him into the crowd. 

Standing amongst all these people, Legend finds himself a bit bashful, wondering if perhaps this is going to be a mistake because surely if anyone notices you together, they’ll mention it later on and he’ll be forced to question exactly what this interaction means, but that’ll have to be a worry for later. Once you find a suitable spot close to the music, you turn around with a bright smile which is plenty to convince him it’s too late to back out; he’s already in too deep.

And so you both dance. Your hands placed upon his shoulders, his delicately holding your hips. You’re clearly no stranger to this art form, moving perfectly in sync with the rhythm while guiding Legend to do the same. He, himself, has danced plenty of times before during his journeys, but with you it feels different. It feels more special and natural with you as his partner. There’s a slowness to the world, one he feels all too often when in your presence yet this time, it’s amplified. He truly hears nothing from the crowd. Even the music is a distant echo completely overshadowed by your beauty as you sparkle under the colored lights above.

Legend normally isn’t one to let others close, often keeping them at arm's length in fear that nothing good will come from making friends, especially friends who he meets during his travels. You shouldn’t be different. He met you only weeks ago and isn’t quite sure how ‘visiting’ will work considering he ended up here by total accident. Despite every rational thought telling him he shouldn’t be getting his hopes up towards you, it’s all ignored when you allow him to twirl you around with ease until you return right back in front of him, the difference being you’re now closer, pressed against his chest instead of being kept at arm's length. 

You’re intoxicating. Like an alcoholic who treasures his last beer bottle, Legend can’t seem to let you go. He can only find himself smiling in a dazed sort of way - dazed by you simply being you as you slip your hands down to his chest and rest your head upon his shoulder. 

“...Can I say something that might sound weird?”

“Everything you say is weird.”

Despite his teasing tone, you move your head off his shoulder to look into his eyes with such a gentle smile that, for a second, he’s convinced he’ll melt, “I’m really happy you washed up on our shore. I…really like having you around.”

“I -...” The words feel trapped in his throat, wanting so desperately to be said as you wait patiently for some kind of response. He knows you won’t mind not getting one since you understand him as being the quiet type anyways, but regardless, “...I like being here with you, too.”

You beam - like a sun rising over the ocean, your eyes lit up and your smile glows. It not only means the world for you to hear that from the man who’s always been so reserved around you, but it’s also important for him to say himself. He really likes you. You’ve quickly become the music in his life - the rhythm he wants to forever move to and melody he wants to forever cherish. He’d be fine if you keep resting your head against him, humming along to the song that’ll forever haunt his mind…That’s how he wishes things had stayed.

In reality, he had remained silent that evening and for all those following, refusing an answer you unfortunately never pushed for. Maybe you already knew, maybe you didn’t, however neither outcome changes his inner desire for you nor the pain he feels every day without you by his side. He’s not sure what hurts the most anymore: the fact that you’re gone or the fact that you never existed to begin with. Now, he’ll never get to hold you again, never get a chance to swallow his fears and just confess his feelings to see how you would’ve reacted. All he gets is this agonizing memory that haunts him anytime he hears festival music similar to that night he spent with you during that summer solstice on Koholint…

[goth-pod]

Goth-Pod Ep 9: Robin

What is so wonderous about our Boy Wonder? Join Juda Boone near the end of goth-pods first season!

"Is Robin a Demon?" Gotham City Tonight Podcast: https://youtu.be/Nulf9VIjdpg?si=b4u9xMSNkwl-Szr6

[goth-pod is a fictional, in-universe podcast based on the DC comics universe. Juda Boone is an original fictional character, not based on any real person or known comic book character.]

Transcript under the cut

Hello everyone and welcome back! This is Goth-Pod, your Gotham based podcast. You're listening to your favorite Fill in the Blank Here and host, Juda Boone. 

Everyone, I want it to be known that I do try to keep most of my personal opinions out of our scripts. Even when I get off track, I try to offer a possible perspective, instead of what I perceive as 100% truth. 

However, there is one topic that I can not be objective on. 

I love Robin. I love Robin, he is our precious, tiny, baby, baby bird. He is a Joy and a Wonder. A Boy Wonder, if you will. He melts my heart every time I see any headline or blogpost or circulating photo.

He could be hog tying a man in an alleyway waiting for police pick up and I simply would want to pinch his cheek like an adoring relative. 

I think part of that is, I grew up with Robin. I was a kid when he first appeared at the Bat’s side. I got to grow up knowing that there was someone my size, someone small and young but still strong enough to fight for what was right. It inspired and shaped me in a lot of ways. 

But that’s the thing. I grew up. And from my memory, so did Robin. He got taller, he got stronger. Even in the shadowy pictures we have of the Bat and the Boy Wonder, there's a clear passage of time as the baby bird grows. 

And now, as I step into early adulthood… Robin is small again. He’s almost back to the size from his first appearance in Gotham. 

I find myself asking: Is Robin Immortal?

Is it a jellyfish situation? Did something stress out the young Robin so badly that he reverted to a younger stage of development? If that is the case, I do not want to know what could have been that bad. 

I saw another podcast touch on the topic a while back- The Gotham City Tonight Podcast. And to be clear, I do not support their connection with Lexcorp. They’re actually being investigated after the Riddler called out a shady deal of theirs on air. Only in Gotham. 

But, even with the clear slandering, we can pick through to something viable. I would never call Robin a demon, but the idea that he may be an entity specifically attached to Batman is an interesting thought. Robin protects Batman just as much as Batman protects Robin. Robins in nature are active during the day. And yet, here is our nocturnal bird, dutifully flying alongside a bat. Not of the same species, but of the same make.

Our precious oddity, remaining small so that another generation can grow up and know there is something that looks like them out there, keeping the city safe.

If you want to listen to the GCT podcast without supporting them, I’ll link a copy of the episode that was uploaded to the HiFinn channel. [Link: https://youtu.be/Nulf9VIjdpg?si=b4u9xMSNkwl-Szr6]

Thanks for joining. I’m Juda, you’re listening to Goth-Pod. Until next time, Stay Safe, Gotham.

[glitterp0prhaps0dy]

so remember when i made that post about combining trolls and one of my other faveriot movies!, so iv been brainstorming on how to combine trolls and corpse bride into an au!

so i came up with the CORPSE BROPPY AU

not everything will be the same, infact there's a lot of changes, so its more or so the concept of corpse bride that I'm combining with trolls, I have two of the character designs down! so I will share parts of their story first, then show their image, ITS POPPY AND BRANCH! obviously lol

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, the story kicks off with a bit of a family crisis. Poppy's older sister, Viva, has mysteriously disappeared(i can explain more on that later you you want), throwing a wrench into their family plans. With Viva gone, Poppy finds herself in the hot seat, forced into an arranged marriage with a troll named Creek(YOU KNOW THE ONE AND ONLY TRAITOR) from another family. This arrangement is all about sealing deals and uniting families, but there's a catch: Poppy and Creek have to get their wedding act together in just a month. And let's just say, rehearsals are a disaster. Poppy's heart just isn't in it because, well, she doesn't love Creek. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

as you can see, poppy takes a place of victor, sorta

i really loved looking at diffrent dresses from the 1800's to design her outfit, the before is her for most of the story, her casual outfit, i kept it blue since most of poppys canon outfits are, her after outfit is more towards the end of the story.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Imagine being insanely talented, like a piano prodigy level of talented, but instead of your gift bringing you joy, it becomes this heavy chain your family drags you around with. That's Branch's life in a nutshell. His gift at the piano wasn't celebrated in the way it should have been; it was exploited. Instead of applause filled with warmth, every clap was just a reminder of how his family saw dollar signs in his melodies. Talk about a tough crowd.

But wait, it gets more complicated. Branch's family, not satisfied with just exploiting his talent, decided to marry him off in a deal that reeked of greed. Love? Compatibility? Nope, those words weren't in their vocabulary. It was all about the money. And the person he was supposed to marry? Let's just say she took 'till death do us part' way too literally and left Branch for dead—literally. The twist? She never got caught. So there's Branch, a victim of greed and betrayal, stuck in the afterlife with a heart heavier than any piano he ever played.

This is where Branch's story gets really interesting. As the Corpse Groom, he's not just dealing with being, well, dead. He's tangled up in all the dreams and desires he never got to live out. We're talking about a guy who was robbed of the chance to find real love, to maybe play his music because it brought him joy, not because it paid the bills. His unfinished business? It's not just about finding out who killed him; it's about seeking the life and love he was denied.

as you can see, branch is in the place of emily, I decided to make his outfit more green like his vest in the movie( I imagine that the shirt is a hand me down from floyd)

corpse branch was so fun to draw to be honest, he also has a lot more story developed but that's because I'm a bit biased,woops.

FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Mixing Magic and Science to Shape Dragon Breath

I'd be lying if I said dragons weren't my favorite magical creatures. There are literally two of them on my desk right now, and I have handed more people the Temeraire books than I care to count. That said, the vast majority of my dragon experience is with what I'm gonna call white westerner dragons. If they're not literally fantasy British, they're inspired by fantasy British dragons, and the dragon world is just a lot bigger than that. So I was absolutely delighted to find a book with a Nampeshiwe and broaden my dragon horizons. Let's talk To Shape A Dragon's Breath.

When Kasaqua chooses Anequs to be Nampeshiweisit, it is largely a matter of safety that first convinces Aneques to leave Masquapaug to learn the skiltakraft to effectively Shape Kasaqua's breath. However, this is an Indigenous woman walking into the heart of Fantasy North America with flavors of Fantasy Nordic Countries, so... colonialism, white supremacy, racism, and imperialism are massive themes and major roadblocks that Anequs experiences. And experiences again. And again. And again. From literally everyone, from her friends, to uneasy allies, to indifferent classmates to bitter enemies. The nuance and variation in the racism that Anequs goes head to head with was stunning--as in it left me absolutely stunned.

On top of that, the world is developed to the point that Frau Kuiper keeps laying out multifaceted, multi-party political issues and Anequs just keeps having to go "literally all of these perspectives share the assumption that my people are uncivilized and need either exterminating or civilizing. What if we tried assuming we are people just as civilized as you with a culture culture traditions just as deeply held?" It's amazing how many characters tell Anequs that she is rude for suggesting that she is a person. Like the number of people I wanted to punch while reading was astounding.

That said, no character in this book is a simple allegory or one-dimensional caricature. Theod Knecht was separated from his family and his people at birth and raised to believe that the other way to be a person was to be Anglish--and even then, he could never be Anglish enough to be fully human. His arc is the complicated emotions of unlearning a system that says you have no worth and reconnecting with your people.

Sander is Anglish and coded as Autistic, but he and Anequs have one of my favorite friendships in this book. They take each other day by day on their own terms and at their own paces, and honestly Sander is just a sweetheart.

Liberty is in an interesting position because she is indentured and living in an Anglish society, which prohibits same-sex relationships. Which does not stop Anequs from expressing her feelings for Liberty in ways that are safe and supportive of Liberty. These two are darling and I genuinely cannot wait to see where they go in the sequel.

Then we come to Kasaqua. Kasaqua is just literally playfulness and joy in dragon form, and she is a delight. She isnt as talkative as say Naomi Novik or Rebecca Yarros's dragons are, but she is expressive and personality-filled nonetheless. There is also her deep-seated joy at [redacted because that's kind of a major spoiler and I don't want to spoil this book].

All these relationships really form and solidify at Kuiper's Academy of Natural Philosophy and Skiltakraft, to which Anequs receives a full sholarship. The school is like a mix of senior high school and undergrad at university, since students between 16 and 20 attend. Most of the students are male, with Anequs and Marta the only female students in attendance for this book. The school is run by Frau Kuiper, who, in her day, basically pulled a Mulan/Alanna of Trebond to get chosen by a dragon, trained, and then sent to the front of a war where she distinguished herself. Her "pet project" to to use Anequs and Theod to "prove that nackies can be civilized" which is honestly pretty gross and causes a metric ton of friction between her and Anequs. In the process though, Anequs learns lessons that it is debatable whether Frau Kuiper meant to teach her that I think will let her be heard in Anglish society enough to support and preserve her people.

Overall, this book was amazing. It was HEAVY, but it needed to be, and that weight just adds to the reading experience. This is one of those books that just literally everyone should have to read at some point.

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Rules: List 10 of your comfort shows, then tag 10 people

I was tagged by the wonderful @twig-tea. I have a lot of these, comfort watching keeps me sane. So I'll just choose the ones that give me the most comfort.

1. The West Wing - It's my oldest comfort show and to this day I'll still rewatch the first 5 seasons. I love the writing and I just don't think I could live without seeing these characters every once in a while.

2. Love Sick - Noh and Phun have a very special place in my heart. I love everything about them. Noh is such a great character. And I can't even imagine having other actors playing these parts.

3.Avatar: The Last Airbender - This show is a masterpiece. It's a feat of storytelling, worldbuilding, and character development. Nuff said.

4.Cherry Blossoms After Winter - I must've watched this show at least 10 times. For a while, everytime I was feeling down, I just put it on and it never failed to lift my mood. I blame the colours and Haebom.

5.Doctor Who - I mean, it's Doctor Who, what can I really say? I don't rewatch it all, obviously, but it's always on rotation. It always makes me feel.

6.Light On Me - Shin Woo is my comfort character. And Namgoong is a close second. I adore them, I adore this show, everything is great.

7.Navillera - This show makes me smile. It makes me happy, and makes my heart fill up with joy. Deok-chool is wonderful and the dinamic between the leads is just wonderful to watch.

8.A Tale of a Thousand Stars - It's just a wonderful show. Made even better by OS2. Tian is one of my favourite characters in BL.

9.Law & Order: SVU - I used to watch a lot of police procedurals. They didn't require that much engagement and I liked the case of the week format. These days I watch way less but this one will stay. I still watch the new episodes and the old ones. I need Mariska on my screen forever.

10.Be Loved in House: I do - This is probably the first BL that I rewatched. I was devouring different ones at that point but something made me go rewatch this one before other new ones. I love Shi Lei.

A lot of people were tagged already so if you weren't, consider yourself tagged by me.

[theizzizzy]

The Sam and Max Vice Theory

A semi in-depth jumble of thoughts over how I think the vices from 106 would work.

A theory that I have about the vices from Sam and max is that a vice will intensify the longer they’re apart from their base. Example: Greed will need more and more stuff as time goes on (almost like a dragon), lust will always need more attention lest they become abusive and violent, and sloth would try to off themselves because they’re to lazy to come up with resons for why they should be alive

(max has been used as a base here, different bases may have vices that behave differently)

a vice would intensify because it’s trying to fill the space the other vices would’ve taken up, trying to fill an empty part that can’t be filled. And a vice can’t ever just be “on it’s own”, It’s entire purpose is to be a part of a base

The longer a vice is left alone, the more likely it is that the vice may develop a spectrum of what they are. Greed might become hostile, or it could become romantic, it depends on how it develops its spectrum. When a vice intensifies enough, it’s eyes will glow, and that’s when it begins to develop a spectrum.

Mox, a character from my Fancy Lads A.U, is a lust vice that has been left alone for 10 years. his spectrum went into a violent kind of love, the abusive, and conditional kind.

Side note: a vice can develop it’s own personality outside of just the vice it is as well.

A vice can either be a “Major” or a “Minor” vice, a Major vice is an integral part of the Base’s personality and identity, whereas a Minor is not.

to tell the difference between the two types, all one must do is to look at the eyes of the vices. A Major Vice will have special eyes (as seen in the image below), the base will only aquire special eyes if all vices are removed, making the base (for lack of a better term) a Bliss.

A base can still survive without its vices, it can even normalize if given enough time. An example is if the lust vice was taken, which is the heart. The base will struggle to feel emotions for a wile, but they will eventually normalize and be able to feel emotions outside of love and compassion. the base will still be able to feel things such as passion, it just won’t be romantic.

it’s much harder for a base to normalize once it’s become a bliss, this is because there’s little to no personality left due to the absolute lack of vices outside of a little bit of joy.

A Bliss can be one of 3 things in terms of personality:

A blissful, and happy individual who is unaware of almost everything going on around them.

An individual with no feelings or personality, almost robotic in nature, but not in actions. They are also somewhat unaware of things going on around them

An individual who is in a constant state of thoughtfulness, with a constant feeling of loss and emptiness, they also feel as if they are floating constantly. This type of personality is the most likely to pursue and gather their vices on their own.

final note: I think there could be rainbow rocks that could split vices from the base, just so Mr. Hugh Bliss doesn’t have to be apart of every Vice situation.

if you can any questions about this theory, my askbox is always open, so feel free to ask! (You can use this theory for your own stuff! Just make sure to credit inspiration or whatever:p)

[yeosangs-horizon]

Carry On 

Genre: Angst | Pairing: Rei x Reader Word Count: 3k Content Warning(s): Major character death (your death as per anons request hhfhfh), major blood/injury (gunshot wound), not 100% medically accurate, severe angst, hurt no comfort Author(s) Note: Thanks for the request lovely anon and letting me write out of my comfort zone /pos /gen :0

It was already very mind-numbing when Miri was ripped away from you, your lover, and his partners’ arms. Even more so when Rei announced that he was going back to his father in the New Year. 

The days following Miri’s departure were quiet, slow, and everyday you kept on yearning for the joy back. Specifically, what were you to do without her around anymore, you were hired on almost a year prior to be her babysitter but developed a bond with Kazuki and Rei. During that time, you had fallen for Rei and he reciprocated those feelings but the two of you never defined the relationship, but you knew that you were his and vice versa. 

With that, his departure stung just as hard as Miri’s weeks prior. The night before he was set to leave, he sat next to you on the signature red couch in the middle of the living room, squeezing your hand for comfort in silence as you let the tears fall. 

“Is there… no other way?” you managed to breathe out, stifling through tears. He let his gaze fall upon your sullen body. 

“Sorry… Thanks for everything (Y/N)... I mean it. I…” he let out in a shaky breath.

“I love you too,” you finished, looking up with your tear-filled orbs to gaze at him. He shifted his gaze away from your look to avoid shedding tears himself, but you could tell he had almost broken down, quivering his lips as he pressed them against yours in a last ditch effort to savor you before letting go. His warmth stayed around your form until morning when it dissipated as he left one last peck on your slumbering form before turning away. It was for the better, for your safety.

You let yourself slumber until an ungodly hour, knowing that he was no longer by your side. Your heart ached to be with your lover and to have Miri’s cheerful presence back. Shifting to wipe the sleep from your eyes, you glanced at the coffee table that had a picture thrown upon it, an image of yourself with Rei during one of your first dates together. You clutched at it, pressing it close to your heart as you let more tears slip from the corners of your eyes. 

He had left the last piece he had of you behind. 

The apartment was quiet, you had no idea how long you sat there unmoving and didn’t look around until you felt Kazuki’s presence next to you. “(Y/N)... have you eaten anything?” his voice softly called out. You shook your head as you finally slipped the picture of you and Rei in your wallet. You felt his palm trace the small of your back, giving you pats of comfort. 

“I miss him Kazu… I miss Miri too,” you managed to utter out. He let out a sigh while glancing in your direction. 

“I do too. C’mon let’s walk outside for some fresh air and to get you something to eat.” You silently obliged, following his figure to the door, knowing that a distraction could get you through the rest of the day. 

You wondered how Rei was doing, if his father was treating him tolerably. 

You walked in silence with Kazuki as he led you to Yadorigi where he had intentions of asking Kyutaro for more jobs as his means of distraction. That only led to the older man throwing a packet of cash in front of Kazuki as he was not in the right mindset to complete a job without butchering it. You let out a chuckle, your first smile through the day as you watched the two of them bicker. 

“To cheer you up (Y/N),” Kyutaro said warmly as he slid you your favourite drink, a strawberry lemonade. You felt a pang in your chest again as you remember that it was Rei’s favourite drink too and the two of you would share all the time when visiting Kyu. 

“Thanks,” you mumbled as you sipped on it, trying to shove the memories out from your head. 

Having a bit more energy, you kept up with Kazuki’s pace as evening started to fall. You gazed at the shimmering lights beyond the horizon line as you crossed the bridge with the older man back to the apartment. Your dazed trance was broken with the sharp trill of a ringtone coming from Kazuki’s phone. 

“Kazuki where are you right now?” 

Rei…?

Your heart rate started to increase as you heard your lover’s voice. “Uh, on my way back from Kyu’s?” 

“Go to Miri, now! Please! Hurry!” 

You turned your head in shock as you heard Rei’s panicked voice. The two of you turned in unison to run the opposite direction as Kazuki dialed Kyu’s number. 

“Leave something behind?” 

“Kyu-chan, can you contact Miri’s mom?! Tell them to get out of there now!” Kazuki huffed over the phone. Shit. This was not good news. Miri is in danger.

You felt the blood rushing to your head, heartbeat pounding in your ear as you suspected that Rei’s father had something to do with this sudden change in plans. You followed Kazuki, ignoring the tightness in your chest that began to form with your sprit to match the man’s speed. At least Misaki’s building was a short distance away. 

Kazuki burst in the apartment with his gun drawn to be met face to face with Ogino Ryo. You stayed behind, having no formal training with fighting. You grimace as you witnessed Ogino exert his force onto your friend. You managed to slip into the apartment unnoticed, grabbing a knife from the kitchen in the meanwhile as your main goal was to get to Miri’s side. You felt your heart drop as you saw Misaki hunched over in a pool of her own blood. She noticed your presence as she weakly gestured a limp finger towards the closed off room. 

“Miri… in there…” she mouthed.

You opened the door to slide yourself in without drawing attention to the two men fighting, letting out a sigh of relief as you saw Miri’s sleeping form. You slid the knife in your back pocket as you quietly shuffled around the room to hastily pack Miri’s things, knowing that your duty as a caretaker was to get her to safety in that moment. You froze as you heard a gunshot and heard Kazuki grunting. You held your breath as you heard Miri shuffle. If she were to wake up and find her Papa and Mama gone, she would be utterly devastated and who knows how she would recover from that. 

You breathed out a sigh of relief as you glanced at her sleeping form, unresponsive to the commotion outside. You felt tense again as the noises stopped and a set of footsteps could be heard closing into the room you were in. You held your breath as the doors were swung open with force, practically ripping them off their hinge. Ogino stood towering over you and Miri. He relentlessly aimed his handgun at Miri’s sleeping body. 

“No!” You shouted in a fit of fury, throwing yourself in front of her to be a shield for any incoming bullets. A fiery numbing feeling was shot through your flesh as you collapsed on the ground. The adrenaline was pumping through your veins as you prepared to take more bullets from Ogino, but to both of your surprise, the cartridge was empty. He grunted as he turned back around to Kazuki. You felt your chest burning and the smell of flesh illuminate the air as you found the will to move next to Miri. 

The blaring sounds of sirens closing into the apartment was never as relieving as that moment as you heard Kyu’s voice. 

“This is the police, drop your weapons!” 

Ogino shot a glare at you and Kazuki as he spat out, “Look after these two in their final moments. Cower in fear in the meantime.” He leapt from the balcony as he made his escape as Kyu entered the apartment after his stunt. 

His eyes widened as he witnessed Misaki barely holding onto life on floor in a pool of her own blood as well as Kazuki who got shot by her side, yelling at her to keep hanging onto life for Miri’s sake. The pain hadn’t kicked in from your wound yet, but you scooped Miri up, stumbling out to place her in Kyu’s possession.

“That bastard left…” you managed to croak out before your vision got hazy and everything went dark. 

The next thing you knew, you were in a rumbling vehicle barreling towards the unknown. You groggily whispered out, “Where are we?” 

You were too quiet to be heard as man in the front kept driving on as the other shifted in his seat tending to his wounds. The adrenaline wore off but your vision was still fading as you noticed your blood soaked bandages through your sweater that Kazuki must have wrapped around you. You twitched as you tried to sit up, the pain from your bullet wound finally settling in. It felt like you had fallen from a five story building and you felt your body stiffen up but also that burning sensation was still there. You weren’t sure what state of injured you were in, if it was even a clean shot or not, but all you could do was trust that your friends would take you to safety. What a hellish day. 

You let your consciousness fade away again until you heard a faint sound call your name through your haze. “(Y/N)... (Y/N) please…” 

The warm coloured light illuminated the room as a familiar face appeared in your vision. The loose hair piece dangling from dark coloured locks with a worrisome look added to the ache in your chest. “Rei,” you mumbled, reaching for his hand. You felt his warmth over your cold digits as you realized the state you were in. You weren’t sure if the hit was a fatal one or how much blood you had lost, but you knew you were safe in his arms. You saw him lower his head as he grit his teeth. Unbeknownst to you, a tear trickled down his face. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” 

“Rei… never apologize. Please continue to take care of Miri, and support Kazu,” you uttered out with the little strength that you had. 

“No, shut up, don’t say that!!” he raised his voice. You shook your head, everything felt numb. 

“All I ask is that, you don’t forget about me and help Miri live a long happy life,” you smiled weakly. You slid your hand down to your wallet and tugged at the photo that Rei left you earlier that day. Your breath hitched as you struggled, Rei took notice. You let the photo fall from your fingers onto his as you saw the tears well up in his ducts. “

‘M sorry I left this behind too. I’m done with my father, so please… don’t leave me,” he confided in a whisper. 

“Tell Miri that I’ll always love her like my own, Kazuki that his cooking is the best I’ve ever had…and promise me that you’ll keep on living too, protecting our family.” 

Rei felt his heart shatter. You couldn’t die, you weren’t supposed to, and it was all because of him? Why didn’t Kyu and Kazuki take you to a hospital? He let out a exacerbated sigh and gripped your hand tightly, acknowledging how cold you really are. You now looked so pale, like all the life drained from your face and took away your smile.

 ”Stop it. Our family means that you’re in it with me… I need you with me. Lemme see your wound and change your bandages,” he mumbled, letting a tear slip from his hardened expression. 

You felt his hands gently caress your shoulders and your back, lifting you to inspect your wound. You winced at the onset of pain as you moved any sort of way, feeling the pulsating burning sensation around your wound. His face was drained of colour as he unwrapped your bandages and saw the state of the hit. 

“Kazuki, we need to go to the hospital… NOW,” he yelled out shakily to his partner. Maybe it is worse than you thought.

You tugged at Rei’s sleeve as you felt your vision fading again. “You’re here now… protecting me. It’s okay Rei, I’m just glad… you’re here.” 

“Stay with me, please…” he begged. As gently as he could, he tried to maneuver you to wrap another layer of bandages on to stop the bleeding that continued to pool out. You felt the burning pain again but this time a hundred times worse. Clinging onto Rei for his warmth, you nestled yourself into his form. 

“I love you Rei, it’s okay…” You mustered your strength to press your lips on his one more time before you fell limp again. 

He stared at you blankly in his arms, holding you close to him for a split second until he realized that he needed to get you to a hospital immediately. You had lost a fair amount of blood and the pressure only did so much to stop the bleeding. Unbeknownst to anybody yet, the bullet had not gone through clear and it had hit your aorta next to your heart and lodged up in between the bones your scapula resulting in severe blood loss. You had accepted your fate after jumping in front of Miri, your protective instinct to protect the precious life of the one that you had raised for almost a year with the man that brought you the most joy you had ever been with. 

Rei sat in the back of the car with you, not letting you leave his sight and keeping you in his embrace as you faded in and out of consciousness. Kyutaro was driving as fast as he could, leaving Kazuki back at their safe house to keep an eye out on Miri just in case she wakes up. Rei felt tense, stiff, and anxious that he was going to lose you. He noticed how your breathing became shallower throughout the car ride, and he held his breath knowing you were holding onto dear life. 

He whispered to you, “You’ll be ok. You’ll make it…” but he knew that it was false hope. He intertwined his fingers with yours, feeling almost no warmth from the hands that once held his carefreely. 

Everything felt cold to you now, the pain was long gone and you could only see streaks of light in your vision. All the sounds around you became high pitched and jumbled as you registered that you were being wheeled into an operating room, but that was the last thing that you would remember experiencing. That and Rei’s fleeting touch in your last moments, his figure hunched over your hospital bed as he pressed his lips against your forehead for the last time. The last sensation of his tears dripping onto your face as you fade out for the last time. 

“I love you.” 

“Please (Y/N), I love you,” he croaked out, his voice hoarse cursing at himself when he was alone. 

It had been days since you had entered the hospital, and those days he sat by your bedside watching you. It had been days since he had last eaten anything too or gotten sufficient sleep. When you had been wheeled into the operating room, they had done their very best to supply you with blood and announced a triage to supply you with the best care as per Rei’s request. Ultimately, the bullet had struck a vital connection and performing surgery on that area had a high risk of failure, but it was either that or wait for the body to heal itself which was also a gamble that the odds were not in favor for. 

He watched as you were hooked up to machines, breathing through technology, and all he could do was feel anger at himself for not standing up for his family earlier and the wrath of his father, causing him to lose the love of his life as a consequence of his actions. He grit his teeth as he heard a concerning sound, the high pitched flat lining indicator that you were now gone. All he could do was stare, stare at your lifeless form now laying beneath him. In his hand held the picture of the two of you together, a prized possession that could never be recreated now. He let the tears fall down as the hospital staff rushed in, aware that not even the highest dose of epinephrine or electric shock could bring your body back to how it used to be, or resurrect the smile that you held as you looked at him lovingly. 

Being functional was an overestimate for Rei, but a lot can change in ten years, including the last promise that he made to you. He started off his day, doing simple hand curls and exercises to regain control back in his right arm that he blew out as a means of protecting his family from his wretched father. He was at a point where he could hold items and perform basic chores and even lift his arm above his head again.

He slicked his hair back in a ponytail as he used to, letting two loose strands dangle down in front of his face. He smiled to himself, remembering how it felt when you tied his hair back for him, the feeling of your delicate digits run through his scalp. How could he forget. He gazes longingly at the picture of the two of you at his bedside table every morning and night. Next to it was a family photo with you holding Miri, smiling next to him and Kazuki being silly on the other side of you. He had many more photos of you covered in his room, but those two were his favourites. 

It still hurt, it hurts everyday knowing that his bloodline robbed him of his happiness, your happiness, and most importantly your life. The promise that he made  to you was enough to keep him going, and to propel him to become a capable individual that took care of his partner and daughter. He stepped out into the diner that he and Kazuki now owned, ready to make Miri her favourite breakfast as it was her first day of high school. Oh how the time flies by.

Your strength was what made him continue, to him, your memory will carry on.

[starfall-isle]

Petri questionnaire for @sonic-oc-showdown!

Name: Petri

Species: Hedgehog, with a little bit of field mouse!

Home: She usually rents an apartment in Sunset city, but that’s getting more complicated in her current situation

✨ How did you come up with the OC’s name?

Sonic naming conventions, so I went through a list of names that fit her skillsets! Petri like a Petri dish ^^

🧑‍🦳 How old are they?

27!

💞 Do they have any love interests?

Nope! Aside from a tiny crush on her boss, but what non-robotic Eggman lacky can’t say that.

🥞 What is their favorite food?  

She needs her fill of coffee every day if she wants a chance at staying upright. Aside from that she enjoys pastries and breakfast foods! Usually during a busy night though, she isn’t an early riser.

💼 What do they do for a living?

If she had her way she’d be working her old job as Eggman’s Secretary! While not the line of work she dreamed of, she’ll take any chance to get closer to the doctor and his resources someday. For now she’s interning at the Chaotix detective agency in exchange for their skills.

🏐 Do they have any hobbies?  

She’s an avid chess player! Though she doesn’t like playing on a competitive level. Petri adores board games and puzzles, and enjoys any activity that gets her mind racing and an opportunity to show her skillsets!

🎯 What do they do best?  

Setting her mind to something! Once she’s made a decision, she’ll be hard pressed to go back on it. Whether it’s due to arrogance or genuine passion is debatable, but either way she won’t settle for anything that she doesn’t deem to herself as successful.

🥊 What do they love? What do they hate?  

Petri loves her work as a chemist!! She cares about what she does a lot, and strives to one day create her own company. And as much as Petri loves the idea of success she hates any notion of not being needed or acknowledged for her talents even more. She’s also somewhat dismissive and snide, but can’t stand when people respond to her on the same level. 

📸 What is one of your OC’s best memories?  

Hanging out with Orbot and Cubot during slow office days! Whether it’s the chance to chat their processors to mush, or play a friendly game of checkers, those little visits secretly shine in her memory.

✂️ What is one of your OC’s worst memories?  

I Can’t really say yet! She sure isn’t happy about losing her job though.

🏚️ Is their current design their first one?  

Nope! I had a couple scrapped designs before I landed on what I liked. Originally she was going to be a lot more studious, a paleontologist, and she had a long braid for a little while! 

🧠 What originally inspired this OC?  

Petri was only developed as an attempt to design a hedgehog character to see what I could come up with myself! What was meant to be a one off sketch quickly turned into a slew of ideas once it dawned on me how much i’d enjoy making a more antagonistic character! If I created her now knowing what she would evolve into I probably wouldn’t have made her a hedgehog, but I really love the way she is now.

🎬 What genre do they belong in?  

Whatever you’d label sonic. Not as much mystery as you’d expect a lady tagging along with the Chaotix to have though.

🏳️‍🌈 What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?  

Bisexual trans woman! 

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 How many siblings does your OC have?  

Only child!

🧑‍🍼 What is the OC’s relations w/their parents like?  

Not strained by any means, but not really on speaking terms. I think Petri is a little too prideful to let them back into her life before she’s established herself the way she envisioned.

💜 What do you like most about the OC?  

She is just sooo silly and holds a special place in my heart due to how much joy I’ve found from developing her! I’ve planned out an entire story around her and it’s the most passionate I’ve felt toward an oc in a very long time! To be succinct, I just like writing her :)

🖍️ How often do you draw/write about the OC?  

A lot comparatively, but i created her during a rough time and haven’t been able to draw as much as I’d want. So like! As often as I can.

🔪 Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?  

Nope! I don’t think I’ve ever killed off any of my own characters, I’m much more into the idea that she has to face her mistakes than use her for a big self sacrificing gesture.

💀 Does your OC have any phobias?

Petri is much more anxiety prone than she lets on, and is deeply afraid of being forgotten. Aside from personal fears she doesn’t like being around flickies and small animals.  

❤️‍🔥 Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?  

Currently she has a guttural hatred towards Sonic for costing her her job, but he doesn’t know that. (Or her.) But other than that… well. :)

⏱️ How long have you had the OC?

Since September 12, 2021!!!