#that's a bad habit of mine heh..

[2aceofspades]

Hi, I'm the anon who asked if you were okay with all of this chaos. I have many things to say!

First off, your many thank yous made me very very (two verys) happy. So thank YOU.

Second, you absolutely deserve all of the attention you're getting. You're seriously an incredible artist, and I love the fact that a lot of your art is on paper. I especially love how Donnie looks in your style (which is funny, because I remember you saying that you DIDN'T like it). Ahem. Getting off track a bit there. Anyways. You're an incredible artist, and all of the attention is well earned, AND it's okay to feel overwhelmed. I hope you know that we don't expect you to answer everything right away. You're popular, and lots of people are asking you to do things. You can choose to not do something, and you SHOULD. Do what inspires you, and we'll love it!

Third, and hopefully finally. I play with character AIs a lot, just to kind of see how characters would react to certain things. I AM an author, and I can imagine these things myself, but I like seeing it from external sources more. It almost seems more believable. When a human comes up with it, it just feels more raw and expressive. Or something. I have no clue what I'm saying; hopefully it's not too muddled. Then, when someone DRAWS it. It's a thousand times better. I just love it so much!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love how we can give you prompts and questions, and you'll go somewhere amazing with it. I loved the thing with Leo, Donnie, and the coffee. My thanks goes out to you and the asker. It's a huge gift to us when you respond. Literally, it's like a present, I love it.

So, just to clarify because I'm paranoid and words don't really work sometimes, are you okay with super random prompt-asks? Like earlier I saw a post where so-and-so asked so-and-so what the turtles night-time routines would be. Stuff like that?

Thank you so much for everything you do for us! You're amazing, and we all appreciate you.

OH.MI.GOSH??!!!?!

Wah-

Thank you so much!!! Gah- I hope I can articulate an even somewhat intelligent response to literally ALL of this. Okay!

|

First off, I see what you did there and I frickin’ loved it ohmigosh best response ever!! 🙌✨

Secondly, I really really appreciate all your kind words. You seriously had me smiling the whole way through oh stars you’re too kind 🥹 Also, I’m very glad there are some of y’all out there that like the way I draw Donnie…especially traditionally, cuz I won’t lie…I get a bit over-critical of how I draw him hehe. Glossing over that teehee~ But seriously, I also really appreciate your respect of my time cuz I feel much less pressured and more seen as just a lil human doing art things, so thank you! 🌟

And lastly, I totally understand ya and I couldn’t agree more. It’s honestly better when I see other artists capture emotions cuz I just eat that up aaughh yes!! Ahem..I just hope that I can capture at least some emotional accuracy in my art, especially considering how dialogue is not my strong suit by a long shot hehe…

Awwwee! Thank you so much!! It was really fun sketching a silly lil moment like that, so I couldn’t be more grateful for the idea that inspired me 🤗

And finally, that’s where it gets complicated cuz…it’s honestly just complicated for me and my lil gremlin brain. I really do enjoy answering lil prompts and putting my own spin on them, but I can’t make it like…an official thing…? If that makes any sense. Like, I think I’ve seen a few artists on Tumblr put out a post for prompt asks, but that idea, for me, makes me very nervous. I naturally try not to think too much while I draw, I just feel my emotions, really. I dunno…maybe that’s a lame excuse gah..- but, as it stands, for now, I’m ~okay~ with answering the occasional prompt ask, but I won’t be making a post about it or anything. I’m just a little um..paranoid..?..after the whole spontaneous sticker war thing heh…

One last big thank you to you, anon 🙌🙌 I seriously appreciate it so much 💙✨

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Backburner 3

Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such noncon/dubcon, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.

Summary: your boss is easy going until he’s not. 

Characters: Sam Wilson, this reader is known as Dizzie.

Author’s Note: Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself💜

💼Part of the Bad Bosses AU💼

The appletini goes right through you. Before you can trade your empty glass for your usual mimosa, you excuse yourself to ladies. You're always the one looking for a bathroom.

You scurry through the bar, growing racuous as nine o'clock approaches. You dip into the women's room and claim a stall. Ahhhh. They say you shouldn't break the seal but you don't have much of one.

You come out of the bathroom humming to the Madonna hit and nearly slam right into another body. Sam catches you by your shoulders and chuckles as he keeps you from falling out of your platforms. You giggle and take a step back, his hands falling away reluctantly.

"Hey, so how about that appletini? Delicious?" He asks.

"Oh, thank you, sir! That was so nice! You didn't have to buy the whole table a round."

"My pleasure. What's a girls night without a free drink or too, heh? I'm sure you get quite a few," he smirks. "With outfits like that?"

You look down at your fluffy sweater and the skin tight miniskirt. You don't show so much in the office. You only realise then you must look silly.

"Ha, thanks, sir, they sorta clash though."

"Look good," he winks, "so when do you girls start dancing?"

"Hehe, sir," you giggle, "my friends aren't really dancers. We're a bit old for that."

"Mm, really? You don't look that old to me."

"Well, I mean, we're not in college, you know," you tug at your feathery cuff, "anywho, my friends are waiting."

"Yeah, so are mine," his timbre dulls, "guess I'll see you Monday?"

"Monday funday!" You agree and bound past him. How nice to run into him.

You rejoin the girls as they chat about a classic movie drive-in being held down on the park. It sounds pretty cool. You offer to bring a blanket if they want to sit on the grass an watch.

The rest of the night blows by. Fridays always do. Saturday is full of catching up with your parents and your to-do list. Sunday still has laundry and groceries on your roster, with a few hours to chill and play animal crossing.

You arrive at the office feeling refreshed. You message the girls before you get started. All of them want to plan your next outing, hopefully sooner than later. It will be nice to get back into that habit, especially with all the changes that seem to be happening with your friends. Maybe next time you'll have something to report.

"Sam," you call over to him as he steps off the elevator, "I have your gym clothes!"

You hop off your chair and swipe up the bag from under your desk. You were sure to toss it all in with your weekend load. You round the desk and hand it over to him as he makes a face.

"What's wrong?" You ask as he accepts the bag.

"This," he raises the Dunkins cup in his hand and gives a blech, "some idiot I know recommended it. Not very good... more sugar than coffee."

"Oh, no, well, I can make you a coffee or run out to Roasters?"

"Ugh, why are you so good to me, b-- diz?" He groans and hands over the cup.

"It's my job! I'll be back in the flip of a bee's wing!" You promise, "not gonna lie, I need a breakfast smoothie like no one's business."

"Damn, that sounds better. Grab me one of those instead."

"Sure, what kind?"

"Surprise me, Diz. You always know what I want," he winks and swings his gym bag as he struts off.

With a mission, you jump into action. You sway in the elevator impatiently then burst out in a flash of energy. You go down to Roasters and join the queue. It's always busy but you don't mind the wait. You can watch the dog walkers and the birds on the wires through the windows. You order two strawberry kiwi shocks and tip the barista.

Back at the office, heads hang over desks, yawns waft through, and grumbles are aimed at screens. You flit by and breeze into Sam's open office door. As you do, he shoves something back into his gym bag.

"Oh, sorry, I... the door was open," you apologise and present the smoothies.

"Ah ha, yeah," he cringes and wipes the back of his neck, "um, I didn't know it was you but..." he dips his hand back in a pulls put a pair of familiar panties with a little blue bow on the front, "think maybe there was a mix up."

You giggle and set down the tray and quickly retrieve your underwear, "so sorry, sir! Must've been static."

"Happens," he chuckles as he watches you tuck the panties onto your pocket. "You know, I almost did think they were mine but uh... not really my colour."

You laugh at his joke, "stop!"

You touch your cheeks in embarrassment.

His dimples soften as he looks at you. His expression hardens and his dark eyes cling to you. His pokes his tongue out and hums.

"You were wearing those on Friday?" He asks.

You squeak, "sir!"

"Curious," he grabs a smoothie as he steps closer, "a skirt like that, what's the point of panties."

You cough and stammer, "Sam..."

He sucks on the straw as he keeps his gaze on you, a fervent heat radiating off of him. He pops his lips free and licks them, "I'll let you in on a secret, Diz," he comes closer and wiggles the straw at you, "I never wear any." He adjusts his stance as he sets his feet wide and watches you, "I like the freedom."

"Sir..." you gurgle.

"Why don't you do me a little favour? Your good at those, aren't you?" He purrs and slurps from the straw again, "go put those on and at the end of the day, you can leave them in my bag."

You're struck dumb by the suggestion. You're not the best nuance but he's being anything but subtle. Sam is a great boss and a nice guy, but he's being anything but right now.

"I can't--"

"You will," he grins, "just like you do everything I tell you, Diz." He looks down at the cup and turns it in his hand, "mmm, sweet... bet you're sweeter, huh, baby?"

He backs up and stirs the smoothie with the straw. You stare and blink. He's going to laugh and tell you he's playing around like he always does. He sits and stares at you. He's as serious as you've ever seen him.

"Don't forget yours," he motions at the other cup.

[dark-frosted-heart]

Roger Barel Main Route - Chapter 18 His POV

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this. I’m doing this for archiving purposes and you can probably find a better translation out there.

As I was about to be taken away by the Privy Council, Kate took my hand and led me to the garden behind the palace.

Kate: Roger, what’s the meaning of this? Arrest…

Roger: Calm down, Kate. Whatever’s going on is just as you heard.

Kate: …There’s really an arrest warrant?

(Don’t look so sad...I can’t resign myself to this if you make that face)

A deep sigh filled the space between us.

Roger: …Yeah, long story short—I’ve been set up by the Privy Council.

I’m now a criminal and a traitor to Crown.

At first, I thought it was one of those Vogel guys behind it. Never thought it’d be one of our own.

Kate frowned in confusion.

Kate: …Traitor? You…? …There’s no way that will ever happen.

You would never betray Crown!

(Yeah, I know. I thought it was impossible)

(That’s why I made you that promise that day. I made a vow to myself when I purposely said those words)

~~ Flashback ~~

Roger: However, I’m gonna change my fate. It’s absurd to allow myself to be controlled by it. Kate, I’ve taken a liking to you so I’ll promise you this. I will never betray you without a reason. Never.

~~ End flashback ~~

As someone who spent my life trying to tame my curse, surrendering to it was like admitting defeat.

But—I completely lost.

Roger: …I could.

Kate: Roger…?

Roger: …It’s laughable, isn’t it…?

I was shaking with the anger, sadness, and despair rising within me.

Roger: I swore to myself that I’d tame my curse. I wouldn’t let fate drive me mad like God’s whim.

I resolved to never betray anyone unknowingly. ..And yet.

You can’t fight it…just by your will alone?

Kate: …

I’ve lived all my life fighting against despair.

But it’s like my curse was mocking me, saying “it was all useless.”

Roger: Is this how I meet my tragic end?

…Surrendering myself to my curse…

Kate: No…

You won’t! You can’t let your curse beat you—

I heard the voices and footsteps of those searching for us. Kate took my hand and quickly hid behind a hedge of Chinese privet.

I could hear their footsteps coming closer, signaling that our brief moment together was about to come to an end.

(It sounds pathetic, but the only thing I can do now is let her go. Can’t get her involved. I can do that much)

Kate: Run away with me, Roger.

Roger: That’d just make the crime worse.

Kate: …I still don’t have a complete grasp on the situation.

However, I know you’ve been falsely accused. Until that gets cleared up…

As if to stop Kate from weaving more kind words, I cut her off.

Roger: Kate, though we ended up spending time together by pure chance, I enjoyed it.

Kate’s eyes wavered.

Kate: What are you talking about at a time like this?

(...I can’t waver. I just need to tell her the truth as simple as possible) 

Roger: Take care of Ale. My old man should be back soon to pick him up.

I picked Ale up and shoved him in Kate’s arms.

Kate: Eh, huh?

Roger: And when your time as Fairytale Keeper’s up, turn to Victor. He’s a good one.

Kate: Roger, what are you saying?

Roger: And finally.

(“Finally”, huh?)

That word brought up emotions that I desperately tried to hold back.

(...Ah, damn it.  Love is such a foolish, troublesome emotion)

My body moved on its own—I impulsively took Kate’s lips with mine.

Roger: —Kate, I've fallen for you.

Kate: …

(...I didn’t plan to tell you this at the very end)

Roger: Heh, what’s with that dumb look? You didn’t notice? You’re pretty dense for someone that boasted about being a teacher of love. You’ve got terrible drinking habits and hate losing, but you’re earnest and stubborn. I know your bad points.  Still, even with all this trouble…Kate, I adore you.

Kate’s eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and sadness.

Kate: …Why are you telling me all of this now?!

Roger: ‘Cause I might never see you again. My ego’s telling me I’ll regret not telling you.

Kate: Never see me again…

(Kate. Anyone who says stuff like at the last moment’s no good)

(I’m a selfish man that wants a part of me left in you, even if just a little. That’s why)

Roger: I’m retracting my definition of “romantic love’s just a dysfunction of the brain or a misunderstanding caused by sexual desire.” Love definitely exists in this world. Q.E.D.

(You deserve to be adored by someone more kind and sincere. I want you to keep laughing and smiling for the rest of your life)

Privy Council member: There they are, I found them!

Roger: Whoops, looks like time’s up. They’re so impatient.

Kate: Roger…

Roger: See ya, Kate. Take care. Ale, you live a long life too.

Ale: …Kuuuuun?

Roger: …Can’t even pet you cuties’ heads with these handcuffs on.

I tried to smile like I usually do and turned my back on Kate and Ale.

Kate: No, Roger! Don’t go!

(...Don’t make such a sad sound)

Kate: …Roger, Roger! There’s no way you can’t hear me!

(Yeah, I can hear you. I won’t forget your voice for the rest of my life)

Kate: Roger!

(Kate)

(Please don’t give in to despair. Be happy)

And thus—I disappeared from Kate’s sight.

[korra-northeast-germany]

"Lucifer, I think I'm struggling with depression"

"You aren't depressed Mammon. You're probably just sad"

"No I think it's depression, I mean I've looked it up and I fit with the criteria"

"Oh and what makes you say that?"

"Well I've been withdrawn from a lot of people and I've gotton addicted to unhealthy habits"

A raised brow for the elder sibling .

"I have been eating regularly and I've gotton lot Skinner-"

"Well duh you need to be Skinner how else will you fit as a model" that was the 5th sibling.

"My sleep schedule has been really shit-"

"Okay And? it's not as bad as mine Mammon so be glad you can be awake for more than 4 hours!" The 7th sibling was being rather bitchy

"And I've been having thoughts of-"

"Shut up mammon. We're tired of your attention seeking. You are fine. And you are not to hurt yourself do you understand?"

~~~~~~~

"They wouldn't understand. No one understands." Mammon told Barbatos. "Well except you. I tried talking who them about the risk of me having depression but they came up with lame reasons as to why it's not real." He sighed. "I know 'm depressed you know I'm depressed but they..they just think I'm sad. Their sad pathetic excuse of a brother barbs." "you aren't sad pathetic excuse Mammon. you're hurt. you've been hurt for a long time, and it doesn't seem like they notice nor care." "its giving attention seekin for me" "they say its attention seeking..but the only attention you're seeking is the love they're denying you. I know you're going to say 'you're just saying this because you pity me.' and 'I don't deserve attention.' You do deserve attention Mammon. Youneed help. and I'll be damned if i allow you to continue going through this pain alone" "heh- thanks.."

[imtrashraccoon]

This one was slightly tricky to write and I spent several days just writing dialogue whenever I was able to lol. Oh well, it's still something I'm proud of.

By the way, I think I'm going to call this "Have Some Empathy, Dear" and I have already started posting it on AO3. Some of you have already found it lol! There's additional lore bits that I'll probably post over there if you're curious.

CW: Not sure if this is needed, but there is some mentions of toxic family dynamics in this chapter. Classic family favorites one child over the other and makes negative comments about them as well.

@owl-bones

First Day & Next Day.

Bad Sansuary: Horror - Romance

Word Count: 2,087

You'd seen Axe a few times ever since the day you met him in the forest. Somehow, he'd figured out where you lived but had completely dodged the question when you asked how. You kind of just let it go after that as it was nice hanging out with someone after a long day of work.

Yeah, a smart person would've avoided the obvious red flags... Not that you weren't smart, maybe just selectively blind.

He seemed to be a genuinely nice guy, despite the mildly unsettling habits he had, like the fact that he tended to stare at you for long periods of time. It was like he had scary dog energy but without all of the bite, at least towards you anyways.

Today was a you day. No errands that needed to be run, no one requiring you to be at work, and no chores to do around the house. It was just you and the latest episode of your favorite historical romance show. The last episode had ended on a cliffhanger and you were dying to see if Madam Fratchurine accepted Duke Von Gossimer's proposal or not.

You were only halfway through the episode, without a clear answer to the 'Will they, won't they?' question, when a sharp knocking sounded on your front door. Pausing the episode with a frown, you emerged from your blanket cocoon to see who was outside.

Taking a peek through the peephole, your mild annoyance quickly evaporated when you recognized the person on the other side. Barely sparing a thought on how presentable you were, you unlocked and swung open the door to greet them.

"Axe! Um, hi! I, uh, didn't expect to see you today..."

He quirked a bonebrow when you nearly stumbled over your words and his smile morphed into one of mild amusement. You could feel how warm your cheeks had grown all of the sudden and glanced down at your socks.

Clearing your throat, you tried to start over. "Sorry, why don't you come in? Although I should warn you that I've been relaxing all day so the apartment might be a bit messy." You moved to the side so he could step over the threshold rather than remain standing awkwardly outside your door.

Axe chuckled and his eyelight briefly flicked past you into the hallway. " 's no problem, i didn't let you know beforehand. sorry about that..." he responded. He nearly had to duck his skull in order to come inside but thankfully the doorframe was still a few inches taller than he was.

You gathered up the fuzzy blanket you'd been snuggling in and quickly folded it up to make the room slightly less messy. While you were at it, you straightened the sofa cushions and deposited your blanket on the coffee table for now.

"heh, i didn't think you'd be the type to watch sappy stuff like this," Axe commented.

"Huh?" You glanced over and realized he'd noticed the still paused episode. "Ah, well... It's a bit of a...guilty pleasure of mine."

He glanced at you out of the corner of his left eye socket with a look that seemed to suggest amusement. You flushed and quickly looked away from him.

"I suppose you could say I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic..." you muttered. "The idea of finding your one and only? It was just a thing I fixated on when I was younger I guess."

"nothin' wrong with that," Axe said quietly. "a lot of folks look forward to meetin' someone special like that. soulmates or somethin'... i don't really care, but i suppose it would be nice. i'm sure it would all work out though."

You nodded slowly, "I guess so... Honestly, I kind of envy how carefree you are about it."

"well, i'm not in a hurry to settle down right now," he responded with a shrug.

He was right in a way. There was no hurry to find someone and you could always focus on your career in the meantime. Although growing up, there was always the pressure to find someone quickly so you could be taken care of and give your parents a couple of grandchildren. It was "The least you could do," your mother had said.

Of course, you'd then struggled with a string of bad relationships ever since getting out of high school. Not only had you gotten attached really fast whenever a guy ever showed you any modicum of attention, but you also weren't great at standing up for yourself. Your relationships never lasted longer than a few months and while you'd since learned what mistakes not to make, you were starting to wonder if you should swear off dating altogether.

"so, uh, other than shows like this," Axe motioned to the tv, bringing you out of your thoughts again. "what else do ya like to do?"

"Well, I read occasionally and have a small collection of fantasy type books. I used to be part of my school's chess club but I haven't actually had anyone to play against in a while."

You glanced around the living room before your gaze focused on two of your plants on the window sill. "Oh, I try to keep a few plants alive but I don't think I have much of a green thumb. I also like to press flowers or colourful leaves in the fall. They make some pretty collages but I have to make time to actually put them all together."

He nodded approvingly and studied the plants for a moment. "What kind are they?" he asked.

You pursed your lips in thought while you tried to remember. "The one on the left is a yellow Cala Lilly and I think the other is called a Christmas Cactus although it hasn't bloomed since last year. I'm not sure why as it has sun and I haven't forgotten to water it." You shrugged and added, "It's otherwise thriving so I guess I'm doing something right."

"can't say i'm familiar with either of those types so i can't give ya any advice," Axe hummed softly. "i'm more familiar with the kinds of plants ya can cook with, like vegetables or herbs."

"Do you like to cook then?" you asked.

"i do," he answered with a slight nod. "it's somethin' i just really enjoy doin' i guess..." His singular eyelight was still focused on the plants by your window as he trailed off.

When he didn't elaborate further, you couldn't help but feel a bit awkward. His tone of voice seemed to hint at a deeper meaning to what he'd said and you didn't know if you should ask or not.

So, rather than potentially making things more awkward, you decided not to ask and instead to talk about something else. "You know, I like cooking as well. Although, I really only cook for myself so I have limited experience."

Well that certainly seemed to make him perk up. Axe turned to actually look at you and his eyelight flicked over you in a way that you thought was him sizing you up.

"limited experience or not, it's still an important skill to know. did ya teach yourself or...?"

You shook your head, "No, at least not completely... I learned the basics from my mother but everything else I had to learn through good ol' trial and error." You rubbed the back of your neck and quietly added, "Granted, it was mostly by error..."

Axe let out a short chuckle at that. There was clear amusement written across his skull once again, yet it didn't feel like he was making fun of you.

"that's good, sometimes the best way to learn is to actually try your hand at somethin'. or at least it's the best way i know to figure things out." He lightly scratched the right side of his skull, although you noticed how his phalanges nearly hooked into the empty socket as he did so.

"Maybe we could cook something together sometime then...?" you asked.

To your surprise, he nodded vigorously and his permanent grin quirked wider at the idea. "sure, that could be fun. 's not every day i have the chance to cook with others."

"Awesome!" you exclaimed and gave a bit of a victory fist pump. Axe chuckled again although it was more natural sounding this time, like he hadn't expected you to react with this much enthusiasm.

This conversation made you remember something all of the sudden that you had to share. "You know what's funny? One of the things my mother used to always tell me was, and I quote, 'You gotta find a man who can at least cook because you certainly can't!'" With an awkward chuckle, you added, "In hindsight though, I realize she wasn't actually joking..."

That had been a bad thing to say apparently. His expression flickered between discomfort and concern before settling on a slight frown. You could feel a familiar pit form in your stomach as you realized that you'd basically stuck your foot in your mouth.

Axe let out a heavy sigh through his nasal bone and couldn't seem to meet your gaze all of the sudden. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other before finally muttering a response.

"your mother probably didn't have a guy who could pass for a slasher villian in mind..."

You felt bad for saying something so forward in the first place as it had clearly made him uncomfortable. So you resorted to damage control in an effort to ease tensions once again.

"Well, uh... I guess you're right... She also told me that drinking coffee stunts your growth, which I know isn't true now, but it still frustrated me when I was younger."

Well that got him to chuckle at least. He patted your shoulder in a way that was probably supposed to be reassuring, although it did feel slightly patronising seeing as how tall he was.

"are ya sure that isn't true?" he asked in a tone that sounded like it was supposed to be sassy, although his deep voice did just the opposite.

You crossed your arms and huffed in annoyance. "It isn't! I don't even drink that much coffee compared to other people..."

"what other things did she tell you? any other gems?"

You frowned and shook your head. "Nothing very helpful... She used to be obsessed with my weight growing up and never kept any snacks in the house. If I ever mentioned I was hungry, she'd just tell me to go eat a handful of almonds or something."

You sighed and dropped onto the couch. Steepling your chin with your hands, you tried to take deep breaths to avoid getting all worked up over what had happened in the past. You felt bad that you'd nearly just dumped a bunch of your own trauma on Axe when he was basically a complete stranger.

The cushions shifted as he sat down next to you. You glanced over at him and rather than annoyance like you'd expected, he looked slightly concerned. You very rarely talked to anyone about your childhood as they never understood and brushed off your mother's rules as well-meaning. He didn't seem to be like any of the others though and you started to wonder if he actually understood you.

"I'm...not on good terms with my family...in general," you muttered.

He seemed surprised if the way his left eye socket widened was any indication. "how come?" he asked quietly. "family's pretty important, at least to me anyways..."

You shook your head slowly. "I really don't want to get into all of it right now... But, the short of it is my mother was basically what some people call an almond mom and my older sister was seen as the golden child. I was basically dirt in comparison to her and my entire family favorited her."

"i don't really understand..." Your heart sank but Axe continued speaking before you could try to explain. "but i can tell this is a sore spot for ya, so i won't push ya to explain anythin' else, okay?"

You gave him a stiff smile out of sheer relief. "I appreciate it..." you responded with a sigh.

In an attempt to talk about something lighter, you tried to change to subject. "Do you have any family?" you asked.

His skull visibly brightened, somehow, at your question and he grinned warmly. "yep, i got a younger brother and he's the coolest dude i know..."

[myfairkatiecat]

Keefe (for bingo)

AHELDHKAUSHDKJAAHJSSHAKSBDKHSKSDSHAJAHDLDUSBSKSJSHALSHDHSKA

OK I CONTRADICTED MYSELF A LOT SO LET ME EXPLAIN

this is my favorite character of all time in any media, right up there with Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars, Nicholas & Nathaniel Benedict from TMBS (showverse) and Lancelot from bbc Merlin. Actually probably slightly above all those characters which is SAYING SOMETHING.

Is he comic relief? Yes.

Would I be his friend? Yes.

Has he done nothing wrong? Yes!! No he’s done many things wrong he’s so precious to me ok but the law he’s broken the law I love him so much he literally betrayed his friends I will always love him he has sooo much to answer for I’m glad Sophie forgives him after she chews him out she should chew him out longer but I suppose Fitz does that for her He has so many apologies to make but like he’s also done nothing wrong look I’m aware of my blorbo’s mistakes he’s honestly not as problematic as the tumblr fandom makes him out to be sometimes, and I MEAN that, but he’s also not as perfect and sweet as the eleven year olds on Wattpad make him out to be. He’s a LOT okay, you can’t analyze Keefe Sencen without the everything

Are my opinions unpopular? Yep! The other keefe girlies hate my opinions bc I acknowledge his character flaws and the Keefe haters hate my opinions bc I acknowledge the fact that he’s NOT an antagonist and actually has a lot of really good traits, and that’s NOT me making excuses. Also what are y’all on about saying he doesn’t get held accountable for his actions, like yeah Sophie forgives him pretty fast but not until she’s yelled at him, and the rest of his friends do NOT bounce back to normal (Fitz)

Do I relate to him? Yes, unfortunately. I have Fitz’s trauma and Keefe’s coping mechanisms (they aren’t good coping mechanisms but they’re literally mine)

Is the fandom wrong about him? Yes, the Keefe fans and Keefe haters alike. Don’t flatten this guy there’s SO MUCH THERE. (I’m not talking about my Keefe-negative mutuals—if I follow you, you didn’t flatten his character, I am very serious about Keefe Sencen)

Do I want to adopt him? YES I mean I’m literally his age but if I was old enough to adopt him I totally would, get that kid away from Cassius Sencen and kill Gisela Sencen. Honestly tho I’d settle for an Elwin adoption, dad!Elwin rocks

Did he need less screen time? *sighs in resigned Keefe fan* probably…objectively…yes…

Did canon do him dirty? I debated filling in this one. Because Shannon has made him a SUPER complex character. But also I swear if the ending of stellarlune isn’t the last time he steals something from Sophie to carry out a reckless plan he told no one about, I’ll riot. Don’t give him forward character progress and then erase it! If it’s a momentary relapse of bad habits I’ll allow it but I’m starting to want Shannon to let Keefe grow from all of that. Cause she keeps letting him get better—and then slip back. (Which isn’t unrealistic and I can work with!! I love him! But SHANNON PLEASE)

Do I want to study him? I want to get a full on PhD in this guy’s character arc actually

Did he need more screen time? Heh. Uh. Objectively NO. But also this amount of page time has allowed us to learn so much about his character complexities?? Like I’m torn between missing the other characters and eating up his character arc. Currently I’m gonna hope book 10 expands the other characters more bc I need more of them and 9.5 can feed my Keefe brain

Would I hit him with a golf cart? Listen my friend made this bingo game (hi Bods, if you’re reading this) and I know exactly what the actual intention was behind this square. But like. I want to slightly run into him with a golf cart. Just enough to slightly injure him and make him rethink his life choices (affectionate) (actually in the words of@phtalogreenpoison “I’d like to microwave Keefe. Just shortly”)

Does he need therapy? OH MY GOSH YES. I have thought this about other characters but SPECIFICALLY KEEFE HOLY GUACAMOLE GET THAT GUY THERAPY

Is he insane? Define insane. But I love him anyway (what is going on in his head half the time 😭)

Am I rotating him in my head 24/7? WELL YOU’VE READ THE POST WHAT DO YOU THINK

Do I have so many headcanons? Oh you guys don’t know the half of it. I have. So. Many. SO MANY

Is he wasted potential? Uhhhh I have too many thoughts on this to actually put it on this post. Genuinely love what Shannon’s doing with his character, like I said. But at some point she needs to. Address the things. Or he just becomes a guy with all these complications introduced that just kinda sit there and continue to change and grow and Keefe is the complex character to end all complex characters but Shannon you need to DO SOMETHING WITH THE MASTERPIECE OF A CHARACTER THAT YOU HAVE CREATED

The amount of bingos holy moly

Anyway

Keefe means a lot to me

Thanks for the ask anon!

[dailydemonspotlight]

Ogun - Day 53

Race: Zealot

Alignment: Dark-Neutral

June 12th, 2024

In my romps through the dilapidated districts of Tokyo in SMT IV, I've always noticed a distinct amount of demons that originate from folklores outside of the common mold and trappings this series falls into. In my opinion, the compendium of SMT IV has some of the best, most stand-out, and most unique demons throughout the series, likely as a result of the shift to sprite-based gameplay meaning that they could experiment more with designs and demons. While some see the sprites as a disappointment, in my eyes, they make for a fantastic experience for the types of people like myself who love investigating the tales behind these monsters. This experimentation gives way to some incredibly unique demons- I've already covered a personal favorite of mine, Nadja, but today's Demon of the Day is another one of these designs that feels like it could only fit in the experimental and fantastical post-apocalyptic world of SMT IV: A god from a far underrepresented mythology, Ogun from the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

If there's one thing many mythologies all seem to have in common, all across the world, it's that there are war gods. And a lot of them. Fittingly for our history filled with conquest, most religious areas have at least one patron of battle, and Ogun is no exception. While not a god exactly, (and we'll get to that,) Ogun represents blacksmithing, battle, rum, and iron; he appears prominently in many African religions, not just Yoruba, but we'll be focusing on his most prevalent role for our discussions today.

In Yoruba religion, what we understand as gods are instead spirits titled "Orisha," though they fulfill a similar role to gods. They had melded the earth, given way to humanity, and are the central figures of worship in the religion, especially the Primordial Orisha. These spirits had been born before humanity, and helped to meld the earth into its habitable shape, sent by the supreme creator Olodumare in order to help humanity get used to life on Ayé, the term used to refer to the world at large. One of these Orisha, of course, was Ogun, and he was one of the most prevalent as well. As the first Orisha to descend to earth, clearing the way for his fellow travelers, he was an incredibly important figure- one of his epithets uses when giving praise to him was 'Osin Imole,' meaning "First of the primordial Orisha to come to Earth."

Fittingly for being a war god, though, Ogun had quite a bit of a temper. Despite being a god who mostly focused on clearing pathways for humanity and his fellow Orisha, his mean streak was not to go unnoticed- as the first king of Ife, he was a vicious leader who did not let one bad deed go unpunished- whenever his subjects were to show him disrespect, he would kill them with a slash of his machete. Eventually, he would even take his own life, recognizing his petty fury as he had slaughtered several for them simply not granting him gifts, in what was likely the worst post-slaughter clarity of his life. Before he did so, however, he began to sink into the ground, and he promised his still-living people that he'd return in their hour of need, and to any who called upon his name.

Ogun stood for justice above all- while his personality was fierce and temperamental, he was loyal above all else, and his association with dogs played a part in this, as in a way, he was like a dog. While his most famous story is about him cutting the way to the human world with his steel blade, he still has many more out there, but I'll leave you, dear reader, to discover them. Also being the god of rum and spirits (heh), he loved a good drink as well. Ogun is a well known and beloved figure in Yoruba mythology, and well deserving to be in the series. However, speaking of, how is he depicted?

Honestly, as much as I like his design, it's a bit strained, and leans into tribalism a bit too much. He doesn't even have his machete! However, I will admit that it looks cool, no matter how... strange it is. In the series, he first appears within the schwarzwelt of Strange Journey, but his most story-important role is that of SMT IV... which isn't saying a lot, given that he appears only in a single New Game Plus quest. However, no matter how mediocre his representation in the series is, the fact that it introduced me to such a unique and cool mythology gives it serious props. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing him in SMT Vengeance!

[archiveikemen]

Liam Evans Main Story: Chapter 0

I do not own any of the Ikemen Series content being uploaded on this blog, everything belongs to CYBIRD. Please support them by downloading and playing their games.

read this before interacting with my posts

warning: mention of suicide attempt

Episode 0 contains major spoilers for Liam’s main story. Please proceed at your own discretion if you have yet to read the main story.

…

Liam Evans, stage actor. That’s my job.

On tonight’s stage as well, I will leave “myself” behind and play my role.

Liam: Thank you for coming to our play tonight!

…

I have another job.

That is—

I’m a member of “Crown”, an imperial organisation under the direct command of Queen Victoria.

…

Victor: Well then— are you ready, gentlemen?

Liam: Of course, Victor. It's been a long time since we last went on a mission together. How exciting.

I changed my clothes immediately after my performance ended, and went from being Liam the stage actor, to being Liam the member of Crown.

Harrison: Calm down a little. Getting too carried away will only result in you being hurt.

Roger: I mean, I can patch you up if it's not a serious injury. But if you die, that just means I have one less person to help me with my research.

Liam: Thanks, Roger. As expected of a former doctor.

It was rare for every member of Crown to be present, and everyone was chatting away.

We’ve never once collectively agreed on anything, but neither do we intend to ever do that. Because that’s what makes us Crown.

William: — Looks like Crown is ready, Victor.

Victor: Ahaha! Good. You lot are so carefree and wonderful as always. Well then, shall we begin?

Victor: Tonight — we pledge ourselves to evil.

…

(Heh, our target for tonight is loaded.)

Amongst the townhouses that lined the streets, it seemed like our target lived in an especially luxurious mansion.

(Even when you have that much money, it’s so easy for your life to come to an end.)

For caution’s sake, my partner Harry and I were to trespass into the mansion 5 minutes later than the others.

(4 more minutes.)

However, it was a bad habit of mine to be unable to keep quiet during times like this—

Liam: … By the way, why did you join Crown, Harry?

Harrison: Of all times, you’re asking me that now?

Liam: I’m kind of bored, so…

Harrison: Weren’t you there when I first joined Crown?

Liam: “I’m not interested in the prosperity of England and other people's freedom. But—”

Liam: “I’m interested in what you guys are doing, therefore you should let me become one of your members.” … Right?

Harrison: Since you remember, then don't ask. That’s all I said to join Crown.

(You still don’t talk a lot.)

I deliberately shrugged my shoulders in an exaggerated manner to show that I wasn't satisfied with his answer.

My partner was the kind of person to give bothersome answers in times like this.

Harrison: I get to use my curse to earn money. Moreover, I have Her Majesty the Queen backing me.

Harrison: It’s a wise choice for people born with curses to join Crown for survival.

Liam: …

Liam: … Even if you have to kill?

Harrison: Everyone has the right to different opinions on whether it’s a wise choice.

(I take it as he doesn't want me to probe any further.)

Everyone had their own reasons for joining Crown.

But I know one thing for sure, and it's that I wouldn't be in Crown if it wasn't for “something”.

Harrison: Hey, Liam. Why did you join Crown?

Liam: I…

(The reason why I joined Crown…)

…

I was once admitted into a mental hospital for a certain reason.

White, empty walls. Uncomfortable examination clothes. Painful treatments that had no effect.

— There was no knowing when I would be released from that place.

I didn't know whether I even wanted to leave.

One day, I leaned out of the hospital’s window feeling absentminded and lethargic.

Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind.

Victor: With your hands stretched out like that, you look like a bird. Unfortunately, humans don’t have wings.

Victor: So if you fall… yeah.

Victor: Since you’re feeling lost, I have a suggestion for you. What do you think about using your life to serve Her Majesty?

Liam: … Her Majesty?

Victor: I’m currently on the search for members to join an organisation that carries out missions under secret orders from Her Majesty.

Victor: The organisation is a group of people who “fight evil with evil”.

Victor: So I’m here to ask if you're interested in joining. I guess you could say that I’m some sort of scout.

Liam: … Why me?

Victor: The first reason is because you have a curse. And the second reason is— I want you to release the dark side of you.

Victor: Then you will be free to fly around in the pitch black darkness.

Victor: I’m just kidding. Hey, hey, didn't I look cool saying that? Ahaha, this is fun!

There was something off about the words and actions of the man with beautiful eyes and long hair.

But I wasn't any more normal than him either.

There was only one reason why I decided to join Crown.

And it was that someone reached their hand out to me.

Victor: Now — pledge your allegiance to evil. Nice to meet you, Liam Evans.

…

(But I can't possibly tell others that my reason for joining Crown is that small.)

My reason felt too insignificant.

Liam: Hmm… I forgot!

Harrison: Oh well, it's not like I was interested in finding out. Anyway, 5 minutes is up. Let’s go.

Liam: Ah, wait! Maybe it was just because I liked you.

My partner’s special ability enables him to know when someone’s lying. He definitely saw through my lie.

But I was grateful that he didn't expose me for lying.

Liam: Ah, I’ll make myself disappear just in case.

Harrison: No one will be able to recognise you this way. How very convenient.

Liam: I know right?

I used my abilities to disappear and followed after Harry.

My reason for joining Crown was unclear.

The fact that I was a stage actor wasn't worth praising either.

As long as I’m useful, they won't get rid of me.

(There’s one thing I can never tell anyone.)

And it was my special ability to disappear.

…

I wanted to erase myself from existence.

But the words of “that person” who died saving me from that fire were the only thing keeping me alive.

I was confined to this world.

…

By the time we entered the mansion, the interrogation process had already ended.

After scanning my surroundings, I made myself reappear.

Liam: By any chance, is it our turn yet?

Will’s fingers danced across the piano in the mansion.

(I wonder what song this is? I’ll ask Will about it later.)

Will narrowed his blood red eyes sharply.

(Ah, he’s going to use his special ability.)

He used his ability to “make others obey his every command” and sang along with the tune playing on the piano.

An anguished look appeared on the target’s face as he held a knife to his own neck—

Kate: Um… excuse m—

Kate: — mmph!?

A girl stood next to the man who died because he was controlled by Will's special ability.

(This girl…)

The blood that spurted out soaked her pretty face.

(Is she involved in tonight's mission? This wasn't written in the protocol, though.)

Alfons: My, my… I wasn’t expecting an audience tonight.

William: Now look who we have here, aren't you the little robin I met earlier today?

Kate: Um…uh… eeh…?

(Huh?)

Liam: She’s acquaintances with Will? Does she know about us?

If she was an acquaintance of Will’s and meant to be there, then —

I thought to myself, “she’s safe”.

Because if anyone were to find out about Crown’s secret, they would be silenced.

William: We merely exchanged a few words on the streets, Liam. She doesn't know about ‘Crown’.

(Does that mean that they don't actually know each other, and she’s here by pure coincidence?)

(Wow, she’s one very unlucky girl.)

I suddenly made eye contact with her.

Her eyes were filled with fear and anxiety, it made me feel sorry for her.

Liam: Then we’re in trouble. What should we do…?

I stared into her eyes and a thought surfaced in a corner of my mind.

I was always looking for an excuse to disappear.

So I needed a reason to remain in this world.

Therefore, while playing my role as a stage actor, I condemned evil as a member of Crown.

(Does this girl want anything from me…?)

(Does she need me?)

If there’s anything you want from me,

(I’ll stay alive for you.)

[beautouslysandy]

୨♡୧.𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓂𝑒.୨♡୧

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀིa little something called divine loveᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི

🩰🦢 hey there, my name is sandy and i am fifteen years old. i love harry styles, watching movies, listening to music, my friends, reading/writing, learning languages, traveling, baking, poems, the theater, the met museum, nyc, willow tate chicken pot pie (go get it rn), and love 🦢🩰

🩰hobbies: horseback-riding, volunteering, hanging out with my favorite people, gossiping (oops), late-night drives, talking over movies(really bad habit of mine heh), doing my makeup, dancing, cooking, ranting to my long distance bsf, and taking photos

🩰movies: the holiday, the outsiders, the notebook, mission impossible, purple hearts, commando, any rocky movie, love actually, eat prey love, my girl, and others that i can’t remember (lol)

🩰tv shows: carebears, the outer banks, ugly betty, greys anatomy, tsitp, cobra kai, suits, kardashians, any of the housewives shows, and even more

🩰music artists: harry styles, lana del rey, tv girl, taylor swift, tyler the creator, red hot chill peppers, cigarettes before sex, laufey, arctic monkeys, eminiem

🩰books: me before you, me after you, any of the hawthorne brother novels, the great alone, tsitp, percy jackson series, the cruel prince, any jenn bennet book, eat prey love, and so many more

🩰comfort characters: dallas winston, rafe cameron, jeremiah fisher, greyson hawthrone, and jj maybank

[pinkkittysaw]

HI I DON’T WANT TO PUT ALL OF THE EMOJIS BUT I WANT TO KNOW ALL OF THEM FOR YOUR ASK GAME THX 🤝

MY DEAREST SAINT ty for giving me the space to be mentally ill about my beloved(s)

i’m answering these for clive since i’m the most mentally ill about him right now 👁️👁️

answers will be under the cut due to length (and some embarrassment)

🥺: how long have you two been together?

about four to five years or so

❤️: any talk of marriage?

not in any official capacity. though vows may have been whispered to each other on a particularly romantic evening. our souls are both intertwined for the rest of eternity ^_^

🕊️: any pets?

TORGAL!!!!!!! the most loyal and fluffy hound in all of valisthea. so warm and cuddly. such a good boy. i enjoy feeding him lots of treats. clive’s heart always aches seeing the two of us snuggled up together napping.

i also have a habit of caring for any strays that wander about

🫂: do you two live together?

yes!

💌: if yes to the last question - how long?

technically we’ve been living in the same place together since he arrived to the hideaway but we didn’t start sharing chambers together til a short while after we starting dating.

💭: where did you two meet?

the infirmary 😭 i was working as an apprentice under tarja at the time and aided in tending to jill when cid brought her in.

after completing my training i started going on assignments as a healer and would often join clive n co. 😌

🥰: have you met their family? have they met yours?

i have!!! i’ve met joshua, jill, his uncle and his mother (unfortunately). did not get to meet his father before his passing, sadly (RIP TO A DILF 😔)

i simply do not have living family in most of my selfships 😭😭 so he has not met any of my relatives

😜: who is the silly one who jokes and laughs a lot?

definitely me 😔 it’s always 50/50 on whether my jokes hit or not.

clive is funny but it’s always unintentional (whereas i’ll put in effort to make people laugh) he’ll do or say something and get a giggle out of me and be like ???

😯: have you two ever taken a road trip/vacation?

not intentionally. we’ve traveled lots of places but never for leisure because we’re both such busy bees. if we’re both not out on assignments we’re usually still working. i spend most of my time in the infirmary than not.

that being said, i do make note of all the scenic places we visit to bookmark them for when more peaceful times come. the first place i’d want us to go to together is the sea. i feel the most at peace there.

😠: what’s the worst fight you’ve had?

we both have a habit of running into danger especially when the other’s life is at stake heh heh i’d say the worst outburst was during one particular scare clive gave me with his injuries.

after patching him up i became sort of passive aggressive towards him and when he calls me out on it i kind of blow up about how he can be really reckless sometimes, that i understand the importance of destroying the mother crystals but his safety will always be most important to me (as selfish as it is) and it ends up with me sobbing in his arms crying about how if anything ever happened to him i don’t know if i could go on.

obviously he’s very powerful but i can’t help but worry!!!!!!

navigating our relationship with our joint trauma sure has been interesting 👍

🤑: who has the worst spending habit?

me 😔

clive is a man of necessity for the most part and while i’m not reckless per-say, if i’m out and have the money to buy a little trinket i probably will 😭

❤️‍🔥: how does your love languages differ?

tbh i don’t know which love language of mine is the one that i need most so honestly idk!!! 😭 i am the most greedy for love angel throughout the heavens

imo, clive is big on words of affirmation. gentle reminders that he’s not actually the big bad monster he often thinks he is. just sticking by him throughout everything means a lot.

😽: who likes pda?

we both do! though clive is more reserved than i. i kinda get in fits where i’m overwhelmed with energy and need to melt into him like butter and crawl all over him. there’s no containing me at that point.

though most of the time in public it’s just me holding him from behind or hugs. his embrace is always really comforting and calming and he always indulges me ^_^

though he won’t initiate kisses in front of others cause it makes him embarrassed. i’m always the one pressing a chaste kiss to his lips after finishing up in the dining hall, leaving him in his flustered state with the rest of our dining companions.

🛏️: who stays up late? goes to bed early?

depends on the day tbh. i’m the one who usually tries to go to sleep early, since i love mornings. sometimes we’re both up late working, or plagued with thoughts of the past. i usually fall asleep before he does regardless of what time it is while he keeps a watchful eye over my sleeping form.

😘: any pet names they call you? you call them?

clive and i are both chronic calling each other by their name type people 😭

but in more intimate settings, he’ll call me angel and i’ll let a baby or two slip out

👄: talk about your first or best kiss thus far

first kiss!! first kiss!!!

okay so it wasn’t long before we started dating. he had gotten injured while he was out and had to visit the infirmary. tarja wasn’t in and i was the only one running things. he had a few gashes that needed to be stitched as well as a few abrasions.

after 13 long years of fighting, i was the first gentle and “loving” touch he had. we’d friends for a short while at that point, some mutual pining going on though neither of us were acting on it.

at that point he was still in the mentality of not thinking he was deserving of any kindness due to what happened in his past. so when i come around gently stitching up his and tending to his other wounds, he’s taken aback. plus i may have been chastising him on being more careful cause there’s people around the hideaway (me) who worry for his safety and bla bla bla.

basically he gets overwhelmed with feeling and doesn’t know how to deal with it other than pulling me for a kiss. (mid stitch mind you!!! he was lucky no further damage was caused)

🖼️: who decorates the house?

both our stuff is has a place in our chambers but i’m the one who decides what goes where

[dojae-huh]

Hii huh nim!! How's everything going with your work? It's the end of the year, so I'm curious if you've been productive enough. Did you manage to have some free weekends to go hiking and do some workouts? Taking care of your health, both physically and mentally, is really important. Just like Jae said, mental health matters too. By the way, have you drawn anything recently? How's your progress? And how are the animals you're working with? Do they listen to you well?

Anyway, I just wanted to send this message to appreciate your work on this blog. It's not easy to observe and analyze things, but you're amazing! You've done a great job with everything you've worked on here. I have a lot of respect for you. Seriously, there were times when I eagerly waited for your insights on NCT or Jaedo. Haha! I hope you find happiness and have a future full of success. I also hope you can be even more productive in the future, just the way you want. And if blogging brings you joy, I really hope you can do it forever. Since it's Christmas, I hope you enjoy the holidays and spend some quality time for yourself. Thank you so much for your hard work, and I wish you an advanced Merry Christmas. Keep fighting!

(Ps: I wish to read this blog completely...since it's my exams dont have enough time...pls dont delete it..🙏😄)

Hi, thank you for the kind wishes. I hope your holidays will be festive as well. And good luck with the exams.

I'm never as productive as I'd like to be. I'm a human with low energy levels. Doesn't stop me from doing crazy things, but I require breaks between them.

I draw for work currently, but not for myself. I did start drawing something non-work related as I planned, however, I'm still on the first stage (practice of skills, nothing really creative, just exercises for the eye and the hand). The animals I worked with were wild animals... they never listen, heh.

As for the blog... I've been writing fandom-related blogs for many years, so it's a habit hard to shake off. I do regret from time to time how much of my time it eats up. We are all too used to socmed and spending time on the Internet instead of doing something useful. I won't delete the blog, it continues to serve its initial puprose, but I'm thinking of moderating the questions more.

This year wasn't bad. I visited two new countries and made into reality an old wish of mine. It's still a transitional period, lots of work ahead to achieve the future I want (when it's not...).

Oh, I should be working on a book with my own text and illustrations... I keep postponing it because of the other urgent things (like earning money for rent), but I created this opportunity myself, and I'll be paid as the author and the artist. And I need to finally sit myself on a chair and write a scientific paper I've been running away from for months as well, I should publish the data I've collected... so, lots of projects for 2024 are already in line.

[snoffyy]

New Zhayu AU

Zhao is a moderately successful podcast host and narrator with a show that straddles history, spiritualism, military practice through the ages, philosophy, and — weirdly — all things astronomical. Not horoscopes, but more of a Farmer’s Almanac approach to lunar phases and how various cultures may have interpreted seasons and calendars according to the night sky.

Yue is a grad student studying politics (?), medicine (?), arctic climate conservation (?) and is recommended the podcast by a friend who admits: “I don’t really know anything about what he talks about, I just find his voice puts me to sleep.”

Stressed from school and naturally interested in at least a few of his talking points, Yue subscribes and turns into an avid listener.

Sorry for the delay in answering!

tbh I don't listen to podcasts myself; never managed to get into them. But I love the idea, especially with the fact Zhao would definitely use a podcast as his outlet to nerd out lmao.

Below is a little something I tinkered with based on the AU hehe:

“No idea who this guy is, but he puts me to sleep – not because he’s boring or anything! Although, heh, okay, fine, I don’t always understand what he’s talking about. He’s into a lot of niche topics. Anyway! I know you’ve been looking for new podcasts, and this guy has a really soothing voice. You’ll know what I mean.”

She’d been curious the first time. Late in the night, having submitted her assignment at 2:32 AM, her fingers aching and her brain in a fog. She was a night owl anyway. But even so, the adrenaline-fuelled wave that had carried her through her mad dash to get her assignment completed hadn’t yet subsided.

Without anything else to do, she’d looked up the podcast her friend had recommended and selected the most recent one. The description had told her it was on the Old Farmer’s Almanac and how it differed from the modern versions. It seemed to be an incredibly dry topic, but Yue had thought to give it a chance when she noticed that the podcast had a surprisingly high following.

It started there. When the host began talking about how the changes in weather patterns could be chalked up to climate change and how the constellations had differed in position since then because of a natural phenomenon called precession, Yue found herself finishing the episode in the blink of an eye before mindlessly scrolling back down and starting from the very first one.

The Knowledge Seeker was what the podcast was called. An apt name, she thought, when the host would discuss topics she’d barely, if ever, given thought to at all. It almost became a game to figure out who this guy was just from listening to his voice and picking apart the topics he’d chosen. He likely had a military background, given the familiar, knowing way he’d spoken about the origins of naval slang, and how the insight he had when talking about past battles was unparalleled.

Over time, she slowly familiarised herself with his speaking habits. The confident drawl of his words, the thoughtful pauses between sentences, the way he enunciated every syllable, forming each word with clarity and precision. He spoke like he was used to speaking to large crowds, the cadence of his voice mesmerising and compelling her to hang onto his every word.

Yue had no idea when or how her obsession started, but the podcast became her solace on bad days, a balm to her weariness, and a release from the stress of studying.

“… animals have long played a role in military settings,” the host was saying in this week’s episode, several months after she had first subscribed. “In fact, and this is a personal story of mine, I suppose I should divulge the meaning behind this podcast’s name.”

Yue straightened up, setting down her pencil. Whoever the host was, he was a reclusive man, rarely letting slip of anything about his personal life.

“When I left the navy, I left with, um, PTSD. About a year after I left, my friend called me and said he was bringing something over to me: a puppy he’d found in a box behind the public library. I was in a bad state at the time and reacted poorly to the news. But, stubborn bastard he is, he brought the dog over and, well, I guess the dog grew on me because he’s still with me now. In fact, he’s currently sitting on my feet because holding me hostage is apparently his favourite way of taking a nap.”

A chuckle, and Yue was not ashamed to admit she’d replayed it several times over.

“His name is Seeker. He’s the cutest fucking thing in the world as well as the most spoilt thing. I suppose the latter is on me. I never learned how to say no when my friend brought him over, and I never managed to learn after that.”

Yue couldn’t help cracking a smile. Somehow, she couldn’t imagine him as a doting pet owner, but here he was, rambling on about his dog’s annoying habits with an obviously fond voice. Eventually, he must’ve realised that he had gone off on a tangent, as he abruptly cleared his throat and returned to discussing messenger birds.

.

She was standing directly behind a man at one of the local coffeeshops, wondering if she should try sneak a photo of his adorable dog. It looked like a Shiba Inu, curled tail wiggling excitedly as it rested its front paws against the counter wall. A red collar was barely visible around its neck, buried by a thick scarf of fur.

Yue really wanted to sink her fingers into that fur.

“Black coffee and a little something for your pupper,” the barista’s voice broke Yue out of her canine reverie as she looked back up just in time to see the man accept his cup of coffee along with a smaller cup filled with whipped cream.

“Thank you.”

His voice was deep, honeyed and warm. There was something familiar about his voice, but Yue couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe she’d heard it in passing one time on campus. This was a coffeeshop beloved by students, after all. Although, the man did sound like he was older. Maybe a professor?

She didn’t catch any glimpse of his face. Only the slope of broad shoulders, a ramrod straight back, and neatly combed brown hair. But what truly caught her attention was when, as the man stepped out of the coffeeshop, he clicked his fingers at his dog and said –

“Come on, Seeker.”

The world seemed to slow around her as Yue whipped her head back towards the man, craning desperately to see if she could, just for a moment, catch sight of his face. But it was too late. A swarm of students passed by, swallowing up man and dog from view.

Oh, come on.

Yue internally cursed at herself. Figures the one time she did manage to coincidentally stumble upon the elusive podcast host, she failed to recognise his voice despite listening to it almost every night. For who else could it have been? She’d practically engrained his voice into her head, and yet – and yet…

“Coffee’s ready, miss.”

Yue jerked her head up, meeting the friendly gaze of the barista who plonked her sugary concoction onto the counter.

“Oh – thanks,” she stuttered. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

The barista winked. “The dog?”

Yue stubbornly denied the heat clawing up her neck. “Yes, the dog.”

“He comes in every Friday afternoon,” the barista said slyly. “Always with his dog. You should say ‘hi’ sometime. He’s grumpy, but he means well.”

“The dog, you mean?” Yue said somewhat drily.

The barista’s smile broadened.

Yue was about to say something else, when, catching sight of the clock on the wall, her heart nearly jolted to a stop.

“Thanks for the drink,” she said hurriedly, snatching her frappe. She had five minutes before class started, and the lecture theatre was on the other side of campus. There was no time to be thinking of cute dogs and cute men right now.

No, not cute men. She didn’t even see his face.

Yue ducked out of the coffeeshop to join the teeming mass of students, picking up the pace as the minutes started ticking down.

And if anyone asked; no, she had not been on the lookout for tall men or fluffy dogs during her sprint across campus.

[ronin-deactivated19851026]

actual photo of me, mirrored:

but fr tho my cervical issues are so fucking annoying. they got better after i started wearing braces and fixing my overbite. at least, the nerve area around my ear doesn't get pinched in a way my whole arm gets numb anymore, that's a major progress finally i can play vidya whole day again but other than that, i can literally show this screenshot when asked "how are you doing?" in regards to my neck pain. literally shows every area on my face that is numb, inflamed, tickles, itches, contracts, and hurts all the time. it's so annoying and what i hate about it the most is how it affects my hearing and probably also contributes to the brain fog in one way or another idk high chances that my arteries got pinched too and my brain literally doesn't get enough oxygen, but i still haven't done tests to confirm that

on top of that, a dumb habit that i should cease for good is sitting on my legs up to 10 hours a day because it got to the point that i fucked them up so bad, i ended up constantly pulling them in my sleep and waking up from the pain worse than when i had my bone tissue drilled through with minimal anesthesia. like holy shit i used to be scared of dentists because i considered pain from getting my teeth drilled through the worst, but nope it's not, it's so fucking far from what a stiff body with a lifestyle like mine can go through

on the brighter side, daily yoga seems to be cancelling two decades of my dumbfuckery pretty quickly. more so, i manage to reach spots that i couldn't reach ever in my life before. this actually really excites me, because it shatters the concept of being "too late" for changing things that one was supposed to take care of earlier. i also have been approaching my whole life from a different, more philosophical perspective for last few years and every hardship i go through seems like a challenge these days.

i don't think i'm truly suffering like i used to anymore, at all. i may seem like i do, every time i rant or vent, because on a surface level it looks the same as before. but to me, a really thick, miserable layer of suffering that used to make me feel like i'm poisoned, imprisoned in this existence, locked in my body, forsaken and ultimately defeated, for long years and decades, is gone. venting doesn't make me feel worse, quite the other way round; it makes me feel like i'm embracing hardships, processing them, rather than avoiding, denying, and running away from them. funny how therapy and psychiatry was taking healing away from me this whole time, heh. instead i found it in places that psych-simps told will ruin me. but that's a story for some other day i guess.

[raven-of-domain-kwaad]

For Amelie! When did you discover that the love of your life enjoyed it when you... 'Took control' ?

Heh thanks for asking this @swtorpadawan! Oh also Amarra wants to have a word with you about asking questions like this 🤭 Amélie seems fine with them though

Amélie doesn't even try to hide her amusement. In fact, she lets out a cackle and shouts to a rapidly retreating figure behind her.

“Hey! My dear, my love, Lord pillow biter! Don’t run! When in your mind do you think it was that I discovered you were as subby as they come?”

She continues to snicker without any remorse as the mighty and respected Wrath makes a tactical retreat from the room.

“Hm... I mean it was pretty much at the start of things. Lady Wrath back there pretty clearly valued the platonic relationship we had but I couldn’t tell if she had any interest in things turning romantic. So, I asked Vette for some advice as she had been with Amarra the longest and knew her best. Turns out, the Wrath has a bad habit of always putting everything and everyone before her own interests. Not too surprising but it meant she was never going to make the first move.”

Rolling her eyes, she chuckles at her wife’s expense.

“Vette told me to just go for it and see what happens. So, I went for it.”

Her expression turns predatory as she grins wickedly.

“I will always cherish that shocked squeak she made when I just kissed her. She stood there frozen for a full five seconds before the confused sputtering started. It was adorable! The big bad Wrath struck dumb by a little affection!”

She lets out another bark of laughter but there is a hint of sadness behind her eyes.

“She really had no idea how to handle someone being interested in her. For most of her life, people have only ever used her for their own ends. She rarely ever had the chance to act for herself let alone had the desire to. So, after she calmed down a bit, we talked. Turns out she was interested but her experience consisted only of a few visits to imperial pro-dommes for some mental release through pain play. It made her worry that her inexperience with sex would be unappealing or taken advantage of, given her position in the Empire.”

Amélie sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

“And she wasn’t wrong about those fears either. Lots of people would love to take advantage of the Wrath and others would lose interest or become annoyed at her inexperience.“

“But by that point, we were close enough that she trusted me. We had fought alongside each other and kept each other alive in combat. She put her life in my hands and I placed mine in hers. So, when I told her that I could lead and would do as much or as little as she wanted, she believed me."

A warm smile spreads across her face as she gently thumbs the polished black band on her ring finger.

"Amarra has grown over time and occasionally takes the lead now but more often than not, I'm still the one that takes charge of things. It's a dynamic we are both comfortable with and we don't see that changing anytime soon."

[blueikeproductions]

Two years ago, Hawkins High School, Braverman and JD have been building their friendship, and surprising to everyone around them they’ve been getting along rather well. Even JD is surprised, though he’d never openly admit to enjoying the one piece of stability in his life atm.

They’re both hanging outside for their lunch break, having gotten slushees and some deli sandwiches from the 7-II. Finishing their lunch, they both have different ideas of after dinner mints. Braverman whips out a package of Garfield Stripes Shredder Bubble Gum to chew, while JD whips out a cigarette and lights up.

Braverman: Since when do you smoke, Jason?

JD: -inhales and breathes out a large puff of smoke- Off and on. In my lifestyle, there’s not much of a point to clean living. -snorts out smoke from his nose- -holds up a cigarette to Dan- Care for a hit, Danny-boy?

Braverman: Nah. -chewing the grape flavored Garfield gum- I’m good.

JD: -lowers the free cigarette- Hmm, not gonna give me the “smokes R bad” spiel? That’s a first out of someone. -puffs some more-

Braverman: Technically I’ve had a cigar once.

JD: Technically?

Braverman: I was dressed as J. Jonah Jamison at a Halloween party with Will, Mike and the others last year. I had a cigar to complete the look, but I had a habit of chewing the cigar, so I swallowed a lot of the junk and got very ill.

JD: Heh. -puffs- I geddit, trying to give me the spiel through a tragic backstory, are ya?

Braverman: The doctors said I should’ve been dead.

JD: Huh?? Just from accidentally swallowing that??

Braverman: Apparently my body can’t handle the chemicals due to a genetic glitch. That coupled with that beer I tried with Dustin caused a reaction that saw my throat to swell shut and one of my kidneys to stall… By some sheer luck, I’m still here.

JD: -looks unnerved and a little green- C’mon, yer just pulling on my dick, … right? There’s no way that could almost kill you, Danny-boy.

Braverman: -lifts up his Garfield shirt and points to a stitched up left side- Well that’s where they had to remove the kidney.

JD: -the cigarette slowly slips out of his mouth, and on to a small puddle, where it goes out- Holy fuck… D-does second hand smoke do anything?

Braverman: -puts his shirt back down- Dunno for sure. I don’t think so? My ma used to smoke a lot when she was pregnant with me and long afterwards, so it might…? She quit smoking after this happened though.

JD: -stews on this a bit, looking unnerved he might actually be hurting the only friend he has unintentionally- Ugh, gimmie the gum.

Braverman: Huh?

JD: -reaches over and takes the Garfield gum and shoves some in his mouth- I can’t risk it.

Braverman: -gives a coy side eye- Risk what? Your own lungs?

JD: -chews loudly, trying to power through the gum, as it’s an ok flavor but it doesn’t last long, but looks away, blushing- Y-yeah, sure.

Eddie Munson walks up to the two younger boys: Hey fellas! I, uh, hate to ask this, but do either of you have a light or cigs at all? Teach confiscated mine again.

Jason: -without turning around, he just chucks his pack of Camel cigarettes at Eddie- Knock yerself out, Munson, I just quit smoking.

[aqqleshiqqing-archive]

(ASJAFHHK OKAY I'M FINALLY HERE. I'M SENDING FOR ALL THREE OF THEM SEPARATELY HEHEHE)

🏁 Hi Tom!! Hope you're having a good day! (beware the upcoming Christmas season💀) Okay I give you 6 and 13 from the causal takeover asks for you to answer!

And I have my own question: What do you think about this song? It reminded me of you and Jesse. I also think you should show it to her😆

(I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I DANCED IN MY ROOM ALONE AFTER SEEING YOU SPAM MY INBOX AJSKSHAJAJAKSKAK TYSM)

- Hi there, I was gonna say I'm currently having fun until you reminded me that December is right around the corner

Just kidding, I can hold myself down now. Say thanks to her for me :)

6. What made you head over heels for Jesse? What lit that spark for you?

- To be honest...? It was just her being her genuine self that really got to me. I was talking to her one day, I think I was talking about some of my interests since she asked me what I like to do. I felt that I should stop talking since I've been babbling for long minutes now, I apologized then said something like how it's probably hard to catch up with what I'm saying. I've gotten a bit more worried if people really cared about what I talk about lately. But to my surprise, she smiled at me, and said something like;

"I like listening to you, it's how I can get to know you more."

From that point, I started feeling uneasy. Maybe it's because I've never, or haven't heard someone say that to me for quite some time now and it's like a wave of water suddenly washing over your face and you're fazed? Something like that, but that uneasiness wasn't necessarily bad because it made me feel ticklish inside.

And since then, I couldn't help but anticipate for the next day she would come back to visit, because she wouldn't mind — no, heck, she would LOVE to know more about me. That anticipation slowly became admiration because I've started to think about her even when she's not there, then I would notice her little habits and quirks and suddenly — boom. It's more than just admiration now. I had a crush on her. Then the rest happened, and then to present. I still think about those days, honestly, she makes me smile a lot more now.

13. What’s something you know about Jesse that not others know about? Any secrets you wanna share? Come on, embarrass Jesse, it’s okay.

- Heh, I like this one. I have some to share :)

Ever since I expressed my interest for Ska, the next time we talked about it, she suddenly became more knowledgeable about it. I couldn't help but raise a brow at that. I jokingly told her "it's like you suddenly researched about it for me." and she looked a little nervous after that. Turns out that I was right, she did search about it after I talked about it. She just wanted to impress me, but I can't make fun of her, because I totally would've done the same.

Another was when she would come home from either her part time job, or university, she ALWAYS has something written on her hand. It will always have something to do with writing "T + J" or "Tom <3". She admitted that it's always her happy place when she looks at her hand whenever she's feeling stressed. She adapted habit this back at her elementary days, but it still continued on to this day. It's adorable, yeah but it also tells me that she needed to cope momentarily and I feel that I have to do something about it, whenever I see ink smudge on her left hand.

• What do you think about this song? It reminded me of you and Jesse. I also think you should show it to her 😆

Okay, I gave that song a good listen and, I...???

It's fantastic. There were so many parts where I couldn't help but widen my eyes because of how accurate it was. Also that Novemeber mention made me chuckle, just make it December and we're good to go.

The part where it went "Mine was wack, then I thought about you, felt alright.", why was that so accurate??? I smiled hard, because yeah! Pretty much! And the "did you call me baby?" is a good throwback to the whole T.omee Bear nickname thingy, it's like this song is written by me, except I didn't even know it existed!

I lent my earphone to Jesse before I typed this, she kept giggling and asking if I'm sure I did not write this. She totally loved the accuracy, good reccomend by the way!

This was very entertaining, thank you!

- 🏁