#this outfit is VERY river coded

[perotovar]

#i feel like this outfit isn't talked about nearly enough

[vanilladove]

~ valentines with the bsd men!

divider creds plutism

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ pairing: various bsd men x gn!reader [dazai, atsushi, ranpo, fukuzawa, nikolai, fyodor, sigma, bram, chuuya, akutagawa, oda, ango, jouno, tecchou]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ genre: fluffy headcanons (some crack hehe)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ content warnings: none! i also imagine all of them wearing suits🙈

~武装探偵社 armed detective agency

dazai osamu

planned out your valentines day date at work (got yelled at by kunikida)

buys you a nice outfit to match his suit and styles his hair like how it was in the dead apple movie o////o

after dinner, you both go on a moonlit walk around yokohama and stop by the bridge overlooking the river dazai asks you to commit a double suicide

you mostly enjoy each other's company in silence, and dazai just admires you (secretly taking pictures of you under the moonlight)

he whispers sweet nothings into your ear and you find yourselves at the Lupin bar

you both drink too much and show too much pda, giggling through the taxi ride home

you're awaited by a bed covered in rose petals, lingerie/boxers and more sake...🤭

atsushi nakajima

SUCH A FREAKING SWEETHEART

definitely didn't sleep at all the night before bc he was nervous about preparations (i'd like to think you're his first partner :3)

called akutagawa for help but he's also just as single...

ends up making you glitter roses (there's glitter all over his dorm now) and a valentines box filled with your favorite things ♡

he definitely has a cute speech for you about why he fell in love with you and how much he cares for you (one/both of you ends up in tears lol)

you guys end the night with a movie + lots of cuddles!

ranpo edogawa

valentines day is his second favorite holiday after halloween bc of all the candy + sweet treats associated with it

buys enough chocolate and snacks to feed yokohama (most of it is just for his secret snack collection...)

organizes a small at-home date where you both make chocolate-covered strawberries + heart-shaped treats

tried to prepare a romantic speech but it ended up being a 'why you're lucky to have me' speech...

gives you those cheesy 'i love you' candies + candy necklaces

you both get insane sugar crashes and don't even make it to dinner or the special valentines book scene he made poe write for you😔

fukuzawa yukichi

secretly very romantic

he takes you on a private picnic in a sakura tree field (it's literally perfect); you have bentos, plum sake, and daifuku. the cherry blossoms fall peacefully over you two ♡

would write a sweet poem/haiku for you and gift you a lavish yukata

you reminisce about the cute moments in your relationship and stay until sunset

you surprise him by taking him to a cat cafe on the way home hehe

~天人五衰 decay of angels

nikolai gogol

thinks the traditional valentines day norms (chocolate, roses, and dinner) are boring

takes you to an amusement park (bonus if it's valentines-themed) instead

drags you with him on every ride--hopefully, you don't have motion sickness or a fear of heights

you eat so much fair food, and he never misses the chance to lick powdered sugar or cotton candy off your lips

takes you to the games section and laughs at your failed attempts. once you're frustrated enough, he wins even though the games are rigged and gets you a giant stuffed animal

you get matching face tattoos and braided hairstyles (he ends up doing it himself bc he's better than the employees lol)

on the ferris wheel, you both share an intimate kiss and he pulls out some roses (they end up being the clown ones though and splashing water all over your face :0)

fyodor dostoyevsky

asked you to be his valentine with one of those cheesy coding things (iykyk)

plans a romantic tea date for you both with lots of russian treats

composes a piece for you and plays it on his cello (forces nikolai and sigma to provide instrumental support in the background)

spends most of his time talking with you, since he's usually always busy

buys a matching ushanka for you, along with european chocolates, and your favorite flowers

you end up falling asleep in his arms reading together

sigma

this is probably his first valentines day ever so he spent a lot of time on social media to find out what people usually get for their partners

definitely uses the sky casino's amenities to put on an extravagant display for you--dancers/live music, a fancy bubble bath with rose petals + candles, couple's massage

has an intimate dinner with you in his office with the sunset in the background

he gifts you lego flowers that you end up building together and gets flustered if you gave him a gift, too♡

bram stoker

GOTHIC VALENTINES!!!!

takes you to his castle and prepares a fancy royal dinner for you

plays instrumental music from his radio but he didn't pay for spotify premium so you awkwardly listen to ads every few songs...😔

gives you pretty jewelry and black roses encased in glass (beauty in the beast style!)

takes you to the balcony and you both have an intimate night chat, which draws some rare smiles and chuckles from him

softly hugs and kisses you, grateful for your warmth and company will suck your blood if you let him

~ポートマフィアport mafia

chuuya nakahara

the definition of a romantic bf...pls

first of all, you wake up with those gigantic boxes of roses that celebs always get, accompanied by a sweet handwritten letter and a custom outfit for the day

he then picks you up in his helicopter and flies you to a vineyard where you make your own wine and drink one he secretly made for you when you both started dating

at the vineyard, a PRIVATE CHEF cooks a fancy 5-course meal for you both to enjoy, and chuuya insists on feeding you the first bite

expect a lot of heartfelt, drunken speeches and passionate french kisses out of nowhere...

on the ride home, chuuya almost crashes the helicopter bc he's so drunk, but his ability saves you both hehe

he ballroom dances with you until you both fall asleep in each other's arms🥹

akutagawa ryunosuke

like atsushi and sigma, this is his first valentines. he asks chuuya for advice but thinks all his suggestions are corny

he ends up settling on making you some red baked goods with gin's help and dark chocolate candies

writes you love letters since he's secretly embarrassed to tell you outright how he feels

takes you on a beach date and lends you his coat if you're cold (he's secretly colder than you after he dips his feet in the water)

you hold hands and talk for a bit under the moonlight until he musters up the confidence to give you his letters and gifts

your happy reaction is worth it and makes him blush ^o^ he hugs you for a long time after you point it out, partly in embarrassment and partly because he loves you so much

chuuya and gin interrogate him about the date after he comes back lol

oda sakunosuke

picks you up from work with flowers, handmade chocolates, and a cute teddy bear

car makeout sesh before going home while you still have some time alone to yourselves

cooks your favorite meal for you and buys you your favorite alcohol

he and the kids bake + decorate a romantic cake for you (it's lowkey ugly but it's the thought that counts!!!) and decorate the house with heart balloons, cute drawings, and candles

you both eat with all the kiddos and sleep together on the same bed ♡

ango sakaguchi

almost forgot it was valentines day bc he was too absorbed in his work...his assistant had to remind him lol

takes you to a classic fancy dinner & buys you your favorite flowers

gifts you your favorite books and some sexy lingerie/boxers (his assistant probably snuck in some toys

your little date helps him relax for once and takes his stress away

gets clingy the next day and keeps trying to call/text you because he misses your presence (dazai and his coworkers tease him nonstop about it)

~猟犬 hunting dogs

jouno saigiku

guys why are there no valentines day cards for these mfs does no one like them or what

takes you to a secluded place away from his annoying coworkers the noisy city

cooks you dinner and gifts you gold jewelry (likely a matching rope bell earring) and some soft sweaters :)

you try to play some board and card games together, but he wins everytime because he can guess your next move based on your heartbeat and movements

after you give up, you both just end up cuddling, and he rambles about his recent missions and office stories

showers you with kisses and caresses; purposely teases your pulse points to get a reaction from you

although you give him gifts (i think he would really like noise-cancelling headphones), his favorite one is your praise. he can't stop blushing when you list off all the reasons you love him hehe

tecchou suehiro

tecchou would take you on a romantic cabin getaway!

you go on a cute couple's hike (it's supposed to be along a heart shaped trail)

he's kind of directionally challenged and gets lost along the way...

as an apology, he gives you the chocolates he bought for you (they melted from the heat though)

he eventually finds his way through the surrounding landscape and you find a secret waterfall connected to a beautiful lake

you both go swimming to cool off and end up laughing off the whole situation

when you get back to the cabin, you order takeout (do not let this man cook) and look through the pictures you took on your hike

he gifts you some plum blossoms he picked on the hike ♡

[arkiwii]

ME WHEN I'M FINALLY DONE WITH MY ARKNIGHTS OC

my god it took too long for literally just a fullbody. usually i do them so fast but i guess here i was lazy. anyway information and stuff and story and whatever below!!

Real name Fortuna, code name Kochosen, is a Liberi (azure-winged magpie) born in Laterano. She had been growing up and thriving to become a doctor. However, after contracting Oripathy in an accident, she has been forced to leave Laterano. Surviving in the wastelands on her own, she discovered her Originium Arts, to manipulate water, which greatly helped her in her journey. She finally joined Yan, where she was able to find some help for her cause, then later, joined Higashi, after helping a whole village from a Catastrophe.

She later accepted to help Rhodes Island as a Medic operator, precisely an Incantation Medic.

Fortuna is what can be said a bad omen... And also a good omen. Back in Laterano, due to her clumsiness, she quickly won the reputation of bringing bad luck around. Her Infection is what truly made her the nemesis of the Leterans, and due to the rules in the city, has been seen as an occasion to get rid of a bad luck bringer. This convinced her that she was indeed one who only cause suffering around, bringing her morale and self confidence to the lowest as she barely managed to survive in the wilderness.

However, when she arrived in Higashi, after catching the first signs of an incoming Catastrophe and having alerted the nearby village, she has been seen as a savior and a good omen. Her help and contribution to the village as a doctor also contribued to this good reputation, and the villagers quickly started to appreciate her presence. After this event, and seeing that her powers and own hands were able to save lives and not hurt them, she questioned herself.

But she doesn't remain less clumsy. It seems all the worst happen to her, like a bad luck magnet. But it seems like it happens to her and only her, and nobody around, quite the opposite even - people around her seem to live rather fortunate events. Maybe by attracting the bad luck to her, the other persons around are left with only good luck...

It's because of her clumsiness that her body is rather... In a bad state. Under the layers of clothes she wears is a wounded, bandaged body, covered in minor scars, bruises, and of Originum crystals. She seems to be used to this however, her only complains are about how her sleep is uncomfortable.

Despite her serious and calm personality, she's not one to be on the smarter side. She still struggles a lot with Yanese for example, and the culture of Higashi. After all, as a Lateran, she finds the food of Higashi "dull", and would much prefer their sweetest snacks instead.

As well, it seems that her Oripathy has caused kleptomania, as she was often caught taking on objects of her interest for no other reason that she felt the urge to take them.

___________

i love birds, i love magpies, i love arknights, boom

here she is

The main ideas for her design and story is... Well, about how Magpies are absolutely dual?? in occidental cultures, they are seen as bringer of death, bad luck, nasty, quite like crows. but in oriental cultures, it's the total opposite, they're seen as a symbol of luck, of love, of balance and such! that's why i wanted to make her being so contradictory. she seems serious but is dumb. she came laterano where she was seen as bad luck, she moved to higashi where she is seen as good luck. her outfit is quite literally a mix of lateran and higashi culture

as for water arts, it's a reference to how luck and fate are like a river, but also to how water arts are both very dangerous and benefic, and also it's a reference to the magpie bridge in chinese culture

anyway, she tries her best, and that she's clumsy and a bit strange doesn't change that she has a very kind heart

[xcerizex]

Lovebrush Chronicles: Godheim Review

_________________________________________

My very long, informal, and definitely biased review. This will contain minor spoilers for the Godheim arc only so take caution. This review is also only limited to the Godheim series so there will be no overall thoughts on the game itself. I followed Otome Kitten's format and I really hope it helps out any beginners to LBC.

____________________________________

ART:

I found the art very pretty and was extremely glad to see that they did not skip out on giving us CGs either! The sprites all looked good, but I personally have some issues with Lars' outfit (the orange did not look good on you sweetie 💀).

Not all CGs are drawn by the same artist however, which may be off putting for some. The total count number of proper CG's for each route (not including common route) boils down to around 4-5, so that also may be a pet peeve for some.

On another note, there are also mini CG's which appear as small boxes, whether you consider it as an actual CG is up to you. Personally, I enjoyed the roles they played towards aiding the narrative.

Unrelated note, I'm banging on the floor crying and wondering who the hell did Ayn's CGs (the one where he was cleaning his sword was my absolute favorite 😍) and why didn't they come back.

MUSIC:

If there's one aspect of the game that I shall praise to the ends of the earth, it's the music.

Colour me shocked when I listened to the intricate and deep soundtracks for the first time, they just took my breath away! There were many gorgeous orchestral scores that depicted the fantasy setting perfectly. Not to mention the battle ost's which had more effort put into them than necessary.

My personal favorite OST's would be the "River's End", and "Starry Sky", which plays the same tune as the OP song you hear when you log onto the game. It's honestly so iconic. 😭👌

Opening theme:

VOICE ACTING:

I was absolutely flummoxed by the stacked japanese voice cast, which all included extremely famous seiyuus from the otome industry:

1. Ayn Alwyn

[JP VA: KENN]: Shelby Snail (Cupid Parasite), Yukimaro (9R.I.P), Limbo (Bustfellows)

2. Alkaid McGrath

[JP VA: Tachibana Shinnosuke]: Seiya (9R.I.P), Henri (Piofiore), Rafayel (Love and Deepspace)

3. Lars Rorschach

[JP VA: Junichi Suwabe]: Artem (Tears of Themis), Van Helsing (Code: Realize), Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen)

4. Clarence Clayden

[JP VA: Kosuke Toriumi]: Rei Mukuni (CollarXMalice), Ichiya (Variable Barricade), Chojiro (Nightshade)

5. Cael Anselm

[JP VA: Daisuke Hirakawa]: Saint Germain (Code: Realize), Tower Overlord (Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk), Lucas Proust (Virche Evermore)

COMMON ROUTE:

To my delight, the pacing was done very well. Nothing was dragged out and the introduction to the overall plot of the game was well established minus a certain plot point which definitely could have benefited better by being introduced in the common route itself.

I didn't really expect it to turn out as dark as it did however. The common route + modern prologue took me around a total estimation of more than 4 hours but in reality the prologue itself shouldn't take that long at all.

ROUTE ORDER:

Once you've completed the common route, you are given the option to start either Ayn's or Alkaid's route. After you've completed both, Lars' route is unlocked. And once you've finished all three routes, Clarence's route unlocks as the grand finale.

This was my personal playthrough and I wouldn't have changed it if given the chance. I believe it had the best flow of story progression. Though that was mainly because I wouldn't have enjoyed Alkaid's route as much if I'd played Ayn's first:

Alkaid = Ayn = Lars = Clarence

____________________________________

AYN ALWYN:

- Crown Prince of Godheim

- Tsundere

- Sweet tooth ❤️

Ayn is Lars's cousin, but you soon find out that there is not a hint of familial love between them. He shows up as a mysterious figure during the common route and portrays a conflicting character, making the heroine unsure of his standing. While he appears blunt and crude, he is a determined young man who's sworn vengeance, and with an unexpected love for sweets.

Ayn's route in my opinion had the best consistent pacing as well as romance. I did find the romance somewhat abrupt early in the story, but the strong chemistry between him and the heroine more than made up for it! 🥰 It was just so enjoyable to watch them banter with one another and watching them just click.

I enjoyed the storyline for this route a lot and I think it had something to do with the fact that Ayn's route provided a different perspective in comparison to the others. In this route, we learn more about the the political situation surrounding Godheim and the royal family.

I also loved Ayn as a character, and not unexpectedly became my oshi ❤️.I do think a lot of people will enjoy him as a love interest. His route also has a wee bit of spice 👀, so for y'all thirsty gamers be sure to savor it slowly, as it's the only bit of spice we're getting here lmao. I did find some of his actions, mostly in the bad ends, to be OOC, but I easily brushed it off seeing as how much I liked him.

ALKAID MCGRATH:

- Member of the Noventrate

- Good, sweet boi

- Tea

Devoted and caring, Alkaid is the mage assigned to guard the heroine during her stay in Godheim. He's always expressing his concern for the heroine and will do anything to help her, even if it means betraying his mission.

Alkaid is the character who the heroine interacts the most during the common route. His romance with the heroine was sweet, even if it did feel way over the top in it's initial stages when I first played it. But once I got to learn more about him, I realized that he truly just wanted the best for the heroine, romantic feelings aside. 🥺

The route was fine. But I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the direction (?) it took on halfway. Some parts of it felt irrational to me and didn't really feel like it had any real relevance to its own story.

On another note, Alkaid is such a dreamy man. 😩 I adore just how respectful of a man he is in general (women respect juice, bottoms up!), and it was so sweet how attentive he was in making sure the heroine was always out of harm's way. I guess you could say he was someone akin to a hero in fairytales.

LARS RORSCHACH:

- Emperor of Godheim

- Good at combing hair 🥰

- That chest doe 👀

Known as the "Tyrant Emperor" from the heroine's manga, he immediately sweeps her off her feet, claiming her as his bride the moment she first arrived at Godheim. While his initial impression was flirty and playful, he lives up to his name as a cold-blooded tyrant. For some aspects at least.

His route focused more on the Silver Knight, which was the main (and wrong) reason why I enjoyed his route so much! 😆 On that note, I think that the writers had a bone to pick with Lars. They just had to force him to share the spotlight with an intriguing side character lmfao. The route itself was paced and executed well for the majority, but the quality of the writing towards the end was slightly skewered.

But to be honest, I quite enjoyed Lars a lot as a character, rather than a love interest. It was interesting to see the conditions surrounding his birth as a tyrant and his motivations for his questionable actions.

That's not to say that the romance wasn't enjoyable. I actually quite liked the relationship between him and the heroine. I found some moments they shared together really sweet. I also adored the development of Lars' feelings, and you can see just how important the heroine's existence was to him at the end of the route.

Though I guess I would have found the romance more believable if the heroine articulated her feelings for Lars more. I found it difficult to see the romance from her side. In short, the romance wasn't it's strongest point.

Clarence Clayden:

- Godheim's Archmage

- Get the tissues

- I've never been the same since...

Clarence has somewhat poised himself as an antagonist, only giving leeway in Lars' route. Distant and cold, he is stubborn in wanting to use the heroine for his goal and is willing to sacrifice anything to achieve it.

This route was an emotional rollercoaster. It broke me down, dumped my heart 6ft underground, trampled on its grave, and then some. It left me broken for a whole week for real goodness gracious...😭

This route can probably considered the "True Route", seeing as how it tackles the problem straight on unlike in other routes. The pacing slows down a little bit for a few chapters, but once it picked itself back up, it picked up HARD.

Now let's get to the romance. Out of all routes, some may say it had the least sugary romance, and a part of me agrees. But do igaf? No! ❤️Clarence turned out to be such a longingly sweet character and despite all the harm and pain he's done, I have no qualms in forgiving him and wanting to love him with all my heart🥺, as does the heroine.

I honestly don't want to say too much as it may ruin the experience. I went into this route completely blind and boy was I glad. All I can say that this route was the most popular out of all the routes for good reason. Got me playing up to 2 am with no regrets.😆😭

CAEL ANSELM:

- The Silver Knight

- The bias wrecker

- The sus

- He ruined me...

He is known in Godheim as the Silver Knight as well as the leader of the Rebellion. Decisive and apathetic, the heroine is unable to affect him emotionally in any form.🤡

Cael does not have an actual route, but a personal story, labeled as Expedition from his POV which may serve as an epilogue to the Godheim series. In his story, any unanswered questions are explained here, as well as the many actions he took that did not make it on screen.

If this wasn't a review I'd spend one whole section brainrotting about him so be grateful I'm trying to keep this short. 😅 Cael is a surprisingly interesting character by nature and it was very liberating to finally get a glimpse of his true feelings and thoughts throughout the heroine's journey in Godheim.

I'm scared to say more in case it may ruin any surprises. In my opinion, I enjoyed his story a LOT! It definitely made me feel depressed and empty in its own way and it hurts my heart to see that he never got a route of his own for reasons I won't get into right now. Absolutely amazing and one of my favorite parts of the Godheim series!

_________________________________________

TRUE EPILOGUE:

Once you've finished all routes, the game will give you the option to choose one "True Ending", wherein you choose one of the boys to have a happily ever after with and by your own accord.

"One can only paint a world in which they believe in." 🥰

Please note that you can only choose one boy at a time. Your choice will then give you a Pictura based on which boy you choose.

To change your "True Ending", buy the Diadem from the shop to change your choice. You will not receive a different Pictura however.

I think the best thing about these endings were the music.😆 Each soundtrack was unique to each character and drop dead gorgeous to listen to. 😩

HEROINE (LITTLE PAINTER):

- Cheeky

- Anonymous manga author

- Needs a therapist (rly tho)

Despite China's strange attempts at creating self-insert heroines by leaving them nameless, the Little Painter was far from a blank slate! She's extremely relatable when it comes to her reactions and actions. Often times I would react a certain way to something an LI said or did, only for her to do the same thing! 🤣 I guess that could also count as a self-insert personality.

But if there's one thing I admire her greatly for, it would be her drive and determination to save Godheim. Her journey was far from easy and I doubt I could ever stay sane the way she did. Tbh, I didn't like the fact that her sufferings were never truly addressed properly, or rather, professionally ig?

I also found her quick adaptation and flexibility to her new environment extremely impressive. That goes the same to the way she wielded her powers for the first time. And how she grew stronger to go head to toe with even Clarence in his own route! You👏 Go👏Get👏 Em👏 Girl!

That said, she's not perfect. Some people found her to pushy and annoying though I personally found it okay. I was really glad how she didn't force herself to tolerate any crap and got that anger out rightfully.😆 (Asmoran deserved it...)

_________________________________________

Final Thoughts:

I have enjoyed my journey immensely! The whole premise and setting drew me in, and I was surprised with the impressive narration which absolutely pummeled me to the ground (mostly on Clarence's route and no I'm not shutting up abt that).

The localization was also really superb? Yes it had a few typos + mistakes here and there, but they really pulled out all the stops when it came to making the dialogue natural and relatable. Not to mention a few large words that even I don't understand. 😂

It's not without it's imperfections of course. There are definitely some issues with the writing. And if you're looking for heavy romance or even fluff, Godheim is not the place to go to. 😅

Playing the Godheim arc took me about a week-ish, considering I had to level up and such. It may be a tedious process for some, but for me, it was an iron gate which I violently shook every day, screaming for the next chapter.

All in all, it's definitely worth playing! You don't lose much anyway considering it's free, so just give it a try. You can always drop it if you don't like it. My rating for this game is also very much biased and should not be taken seriously:

8/10

[katakaluptastrophy]

What's the deal with hair and head covering on the Ninth?

The Nine Houses generally seem to be a society without any particular distinctions of gender, in religion no less than anywhere else.

But I'm curious about the description of the congregation at the muster, with it's "veiled nuns and solitaires, shaven heads and cropped". There's such a bewildering number of religious roles mentioned on the Ninth that it's tempting to think some of them just have different outfits, but then there's the Pilgrim Pents in the HTN River bubble: "her thick brown hair was neatly bound back in a black fillet, as was customary; the man next to her had shaved his head". It feels like a very gendered system, with women veiling (either substantially or in a token way) and men shaving their heads. But there don't seem to be any other gendered aspects to their society.

Unless...what if it's about aptitude, rather than gender? This doesn't quite track, as Gideon isn't shaven headed like Ortus, but the necro/cav dynamic and people's reactions to it certainly have something kind of *gender* going on, albiet coded as much toward homophobia as it is to patriarchy (think about Judith's guilt about her attraction to her cavalier and Harrow, watching the Pents, describing the idea of their necro/cav relationship as being in some way "grotesque").

So is it adepts veiling on the Ninth? The only male adept we encounter is Harrow's very dead dad, Priamhark, who is described as wearing a hood (as is Pelleamena), but Gideon is regularly wearing a hood too, so that would seem to rubbish that theory.

Maybe it's just not that complicated, and veiling is just an option some people choose, but this is TLT we're talking about, so I feel like there's got to be more to it than that!

*makes incoherent religious material culture nerd noises*

[kingprinceleo]

Hi there! Playlist anon again. I listened to the whole thing and here are my thoughts. I hope this isn't over reaching cause I really enjoyed it overall and would love to see the rest 🙏🏽. Buckle in this is longgg

Rivers is a Vampire- Sonic would dance fight Shadow to this song (like in the original puss in boots, look up the scene I swear it's great).

Loose Cannon- it's both so Shadow and Sonic coded but it's funnier if it's Shadow realizing he likes Sonic. More likely it's supposed to be Sonic @ Shadow and it really fits. 10/10 putting it on my personal playlists.

Genius - this is Sonic having a jam sesh in his bedroom. 7.5/10 very in character, you're going to make me start liking rock music.

Assassin- 9/10 Shadow in his emo boy bag. The verses feel like Shadow in his head thinking he's hot shit (he's right), but the chorus feels like Rouge trying to talk him down. Overall big fan.

Lost- Honestly really love the vibes of this one. It sounds like Sonic and Hoax fighting/ talking or just Sonic debating with himself. Love the jaunty music with the sinister undertones.Fading World- 7/10(<- could be higher depending on personal taste) A nice interplay between Sonic's cheery friendliness and Shadow's.... everything. A nice world building song if that makes sense. If vamp au! were a level in a game this would play.

Moon Trance- A vampire nobility song if that makes sense. Kinda gives off Blaze if Sonic were dropping in with EDM beats. World building song.

Phantom of the Opera Overture- Shadow once again in his emo bag. Listening to this I imagine him dramatically posed as Ophelia in the river as Rouge looks on utterly unimpressed. Another world building song.

Dear Wormwood- 10/10 Devastating. This feels like when Shadow discovers Rogue is a vampire (if that's still canon?) and could work for the Sonic/Hoax reveal but to a much lesser extent.

Galacta Knight Theme- 5/10. Not bad but I'm not entirely sure how it fits. Feels like a world building song but lacks the rock and goth roots of its predecessors. I wanna say it feels like an Eggman song?

Trouble- Rouge song very fun (Shadow if you get a microscope). Good for a chase scene or playful fight.

Look What You Made Me Do Remix- Shadow after Sonic sneaks an extra sip of blood. 8/10 Shadow wouldn't be a Swiftie but he would bop to a song or two.

Bodies- GODDDDD 10/10. Shadow tracking a vampire to a party in his vulture outfit and having to maneuver his way to stealthily kill them (can't remember clearly if Shadow's actively a vampire hunter in the au rn but you get the vibe /pos).

Vampire Culture- like I said before Shadow being a hater /pos. Somebody get this boy a weighted blanket he needs to chill 8/10. I imagine he plays this as he puts on each vampire repellent stud and piercing.

The Magic 8- A very Sonic song in message but also Amy with the talk of magic. Funky duet? They'd probably sing this at Shadow 9/10.

Who's in Control- 10/10 Another Sonic/ Hoax talking song (I interpret their dynamic to be that Hoax has less inhibitions than Sonic and is overall allowed to be looser. hopefully that's close).

Why Do I- Sonic after Shadow realizes he's Hoax and they have a falling out. It feels do very Teen Beach Movie /pos. He'd get a whole musical number with backup dancers and rad sad choreography.

Blood Red Moon- World building song. Funnily enough I think you'd introduce Shadow with it. Dark foggy night, random vamp running away/ person being attacked by one, cut to Shadow standing ominously with a lightning strike for good measure. Lowkey has cowboy vibes.

Born of a Star- Feels like a happy future. The type of track that would play towards the end of a boss fight.

Drumming Song- 8/10. Very much an Amy song I like it a lot plenty of witchy vibes. Feels like it would play when she performs a powerful spell/ ritual (not sure exactly how her magic works). The chorus especially also sounds like Shadow describing the effect Hoax has on him :).

You've Created a Monster- Shadow. That's the review. This plays during a hunt or just during his morning routine. Just goofy enough to hide the emotional turmoil but serious enough to show his issues 8/10.

This is Why- Shadow whenever he sees Hoax. He's his biggest hater. Also Shadow at his job with Knuckles (he's about to punch someone's teeth in).

Figure 8- Sad Shadow hours. Probably around the time he just met Hoax and made the deal. Sounds like he's questioning his whole identity :(.

Shoot to Kill- 6/10 World building song. It's giving gathering of elders in the vampire kingdom.

Punching Bag- I've been associating the Set it Off songs with Sonic so far so at first I was thrown for a loop, but honestly? I can see him singing this after someone (Shadow) tries to kill him. It can also be a Shadow song but I find the Sonic angle very interesting.

Vampire- 9/10. ROUGE SONG. She's about to rob a man, GOOD FOR WOMEN.

Sirens- Not sure exactly this would apply to but very fun. Sounds like Shadow falling in love in a very overdramatic way but could also be Sonic. 8/10

Again sorry for the length and I hope I didn't interpret anything egregiously wrong 😭

I think the band In This Moment and their albums GODMODE, Mother and Ritual could maybe fit.

Thanks again for sharing :)🙏🏽

~🩸🎵

anon i am literally kissing you on ur nonexistent smooth gray mouth HHJDFHHSDH this is the nicest thing anyones ever given me im so giddy about this DHFSHFHSDJDSF that being said this is gonna get so long so i am adding the under cut LOL

Rivers is a Vampire- youre so fucking right for this and i wanna draw it so bad ... JKDFJKSJKF

Loose Cannon-set it offs elsewhere album is a whole banger and highly recc the whole thing >:]]] and this song is a shadow centric one ! about how hes always on the edge around everyone bc of his paranoia, and esp around hoax lol, he gets mad about being called out </333

Genius - sonic jamming to this is also so correct fdjghjdfg contrary to shadow, sonic in vampire au is just here to have a good time LMAO (u should get into rock :} BDSFBH its fun here)

Assassin- this one is rlly interesting to me bc the ENTIRE thing is intended to be a shadow callout post from sonic/hoax pov. i would not have considered this being shadow reflecting on himself at all ! but damn the rouge pov also works out really well too, i never considered that either! (originally i figured the only rouge mention would have been 'you hear whispers when were just talking' which would have been sonic and rouge talking to each other and shadow thinks they are conspiring </3)

Lost- this one is a lil complicated in my rat brain shdfhj !! this one is shadow pov! its like. about his perspective shifts across the plot in vampire au- first trying to hide from the scary vampires </3 and the screams are getting louder line ....is about maria...... i eated that part up.... "please dont find me im not ok" is a very shadowcore line and the final lost chorus meant to rep shadow eventually becoming 'lost' in what scared him but like. embracing it. this one. is hard to convey JJSDFJSD prob would need art to get across what i mean i suppose Fading World- this one is a Maria and GUN song ! :]c (dont worry about the fact its bass boosted. i am just guy who likes bass......)

Moon Trance- close !!! silver and mephiles :3333 jbhdfjdj(meph is blazes royal advisor so it does tie back to her kingdom ehe). boys who prowl and will bash your head in to this in the woods somewhere

Phantom of the Opera Overture- "Shadow once again in his emo bag. Listening to this I imagine him dramatically posed as Ophelia in the river as Rouge looks on utterly unimpressed. Another world building song." I NEED TO DRAW THIS SO FUCKING BAD AHAHH u are SO FUCKING RIGHT FOR THIS. side note, a general rule of thumb (not always but a lot) anything that sounds this fucking dramatic is shadow pov and how he imagines vampires, the real guys are just chilling dfbhgfhsd with their nerd music. shadow is vampires #1 hype man without even realizing

Dear Wormwood- this one is Primarily a shadow and GUN song !! tho there are little tidbits of others who he has discovered lied to him like rouge eggman and sonic !!! (and yes shadow finding out rouge is a vampire is still canon >:])

Galacta Knight Theme-close with the eggman bit !! a theme for geebo <333(Lance)

Trouble- very correct vibes !! primarily rouge but i would add sonic in there too !! they both have that fun playful air to them tbh that i think a lot of people overlook in their canon dynamic hfgdhj

Look What You Made Me Do Remix- Shadow @ everyone tbh !! buttt primarily this is during his GUN arc when hes just so fed up with being lied to (he doesnt even know) i think if u remixed enough taylor swift into rock or metal he could get down to it fdgbjgdhjf

Bodies- YOURE SO RIGHT FOR THISSSS. esp the vulture part :]c... and the vampire hunter part is .. a little complicated ! he kinda is sometimes? theres a specific circumstance that makes him more willing to actively hunt and kill

Vampire Culture- he is absolutely blaring this in his mind while he gets ready lmaooo . big fan of weight blanket shadow tho dhgfdjg....something to draw.... fun lil fact tho... i imagine that smooth voice to be the head of GUN....

The Magic 8- i think sonic is the one singing it! but its all about amy! about her arc with her desperation to prove herself, getting consumed by her ambitions, and working with dark magic :)

Who's in Control- the sonic and hoax angle is SOOO interesting to me! i would have never thought of it bc frankly they are chill af, he does not have much turmoil about it! this has always been a HUGE shadow song esp 'living in fear, living afraid, hysterical everyday"

Why Do I- this is actually shadow @ sonic !!! reverse hehehe. this is one of the more accurate songs lmaooo, like 'wake up in cold sweats screaming your name" this song is the canon point in time where shadow first realizing he has a crush on sonic !! sonic is the reason the bastard drinks </3333

Blood Red Moon- absolutely obsessed with your version of it oughhhh, but its always been an eggman song to me (esp with that laugh lol)! and one of his silly little schemes. defo gonna draw that shadow idea tho thats so sick (and it is SO cowboy. do not be surprised if it winds up in the desert vampire playlist)

Born of a Star- this one is a death song ! self reflection and "how did we get here"

Drumming Song- close with the chorus part ! but the entire thing is Sonic pov about how yummy yummy shadows blood is 😋 shadows heartbeat drumming in his mind !

You've Created a Monster- i was SO fucking confused when i saw this bc!!!! youtube is hiding that video from me "its not available" !! and apparently you can see it but i cant!!! im so mad but i also owe you my life bc i found the song again and it BANGS SO HARD and it is 100% shadow wanting to kill maim <3333 its also a 3 way song for shadow @ everyone/ Hoax @ shadow about how shadow seems to be forcing hoax to be the monster he fears to justify his hatred/ uh oh amy fucked up !!!!

This is Why- THE JOB ANGLE IS SO CORRECT AND FUNNY, obsessed with that. but also yeah shadow doesnt like outside </3 rouge is the one saying the coast is clear </333

Figure 8- the deal interpretation is so good...... thats all im ever gonna think about now. honestly "all for your sake, became the very thing that i hate, i lost my way, spinning in an endless figure 8" was meant to be a shadow talking about maria line! but thats all i really got from the song, the deal idea is so good.......

Shoot to Kill- i personally saw this as a shadow GUN song !! bro is more intense and focused than usual

Punching Bag- THIS CHANGED ME WTFFF, i was struggling to see it as shadow and GUN, but oh my fucking GOD, the sonic pov is so raw and i am OBSESSED with it. pissed him off one too many times !!!!!!!

Vampire- WE SUPPORT WOMENS WRONGS !!! YAY ROUGE!!!!

Sirens- this is a shadow and GUN song !! solace in their song is propaganda !! shadows ready to shoot !!! shake off some blues kill vampires !!! HES BACK IN THE NOOSE!!!! SONIC GIVE HIM ALL YOU GOT BECAUSE IF NOT THEYRE GONNA DROWN HIM OUT !!!!!!! ehe :]

i listened to Mother and couldnt immediately feel anyone out with it but ill look thru their other stuff and rack my brain !!! ty for the suggestion !!!! but omg ty SO MUCH this was so fun if u ever wanna hmu for the other playlists...... i am looking so hard.. (but no pressure !! this was already so much and im so grateful !!!)

[greaterstolenlandspolycule]

OC Profile—Liesel (from Pathfinder Kingmaker)

Art done by the wonderful @moyashidoodles ! Go commission them (if you want of course)

Name: Liesel

Aliases: Gertrud/Gertrud Elise (by the people who raised them); Ainsel (generic fake name given out)

Alignment: True Neutral

Pronouns: they/them

Race: "Human" (actually a fey)

Homeland: The River Kingdoms

Birthday: Neth 1

Religion: Formerly Erastil; currently none, but pays lip service (and a few coins) to Hanspur for the sake of safe travel

Class(es): Sorcerer (Fey Bloodline)

Professions: Spinning, weaving, etc (formerly); general farmwork on their family's farm and around their village (formerly); itinerant mercenary (formerly); Baron of the Stolen Lands (currently)

Languages: Taldane, conversational Hallit, a smattering of Skald and Varisian

(The rest is going under a cut because this is long)

Skills: As a result of spending most of their life in a rural farming village, Liesel has a fairly in-depth understanding of nature, despite not having an education that someone from a city would consider “formal”. Their mercenary work essentially forced them to become light on their feet in order to dodge blows from attackers they wouldn’t be able to withstand and to get out of melee combat so as to be able to safely launch their own, arcane, attacks. Whenever possible, though, they prefer to avoid combat, something they are surprisingly adept at despite their innate difficulty socializing, due to being in an environment where they felt their safety depended on spending agonizing hours studying the patterns of social cues and rules in order to mimic and exploit them (a process more like learning a foreign language completely unrelated to one’s birth tongue with no dictionary, or figuring out a complex code, than anything else), and due to an innate, extremely subtle, almost definitely supernatural effect on others (while they are skilled at masking in this way, it is incredibly draining for them; additionally, while they are good at assessing the situation and figuring out what people are expressing and how they are supposed to respond, this is very much an intellectual understanding, and they have pretty significant difficulty empathizing with others). They have an inexplicable aptitude with magical items, which they find uncommonly easy to detect and command the magic of. (In game terms: Lore (Nature), Mobility, Persuasion, Use Magic Device)

Romance(s): Octavia, Regongar, Tristian, Secret Romance

Appearance: Liesel appears to be a fairly average Riverfolk human in their midtwenties. Slightly wavy brown hair in a pixie cut frames a face with somewhat tan skin and black eyes that betray little of their emotions. Their nose is just the slightest bit upturned, and, although they often don't smile wide enough to show it for long, they have a gap between their two front teeth.

They dress comfortably and casually, in colors that blend into the background--almost exclusively shades of black, grey, white, and brown--and their outfit is always completed with their beloved gray cape. While this is very much practical, it is also done deliberately, so as to not bring attention to themself, or risk seeming odd. 

They generally try to keep as much of their skin covered as possible, especially their hands--indeed, unless the situation absolutely requires they not, they always wear a pair of well-worn leather gloves. This serves both to prevent direct exposure to cold iron and to limit any unexpected unpleasant sensations.

Fighting Style: Although they are fairly athletic due to a life spent doing farmwork, Liesel is nonetheless a sorcerer, and thus stays out of melee combat on account of a) your average farmer not being a match for people specifically trained for combat and b) the gestures and focus it takes to properly channel their spells leaving them open to attacks from anyone too nearby. As a result, they stay on the backline of battle–although sometimes not as far back as they would like, given the limited range of many of their spells. They primarily focus on debuffing and generally causing problems for the enemy, whether with spells that directly do so (such as Sleep, Hypnotism, Entangle, and Scare), spells that do so in addition to dealing damage (such as Ear-Piercing Scream), or, occasionally, simply “debuffing” the enemy’s HP (read: using damaging spells to help even the odds against enemies resistant or immune to mind-altering effects, whether through significant or chip damage). They also wield a crossbow with surprising (but not at all remarkable) accuracy when necessary. When forced into close combat, they tend to default to using Laughing Touch to disable the attacker, then running away. Should that not work, they will reluctantly take out their +1 Cold Iron dagger (which they keep on (gloved) hand both to make sure that nobody else in the party could somehow use it against them, and to provide evidence why they couldn’t possibly be fey, just in case) and attack with the ferocity of a cornered animal.

Personality: Liesel’s personality is rather hard to pin down because, quite frankly, they’re so used to putting on a mask and playing a role that nobody, including them, has any idea what their true “face” would look like beneath. It’s much easier to define Liesel by the roles they’ve performed/are performing, both for practicality’s sake, and because the ways in which they adapt their behavior provide hints as to why they do so, glimpses at whatever it is that lies beneath.

For most of their life, they played the role of Gertrud Elise. The only child of two farmers, she had exhibited some odd behavior after experiencing a serious illness as a child, but had recovered to be known throughout the town as, in many ways, an ideal girl, and, eventually, young woman. She was kind, courteous, and always knew the exact thing to say when talking to others, but spent most of her time not socializing but working–often apart from others in the fields or pens, although she would sometimes join others at the loom. If there was no work to be done at her own family’s farm, she would even go work at others'. Nobody could resent her for the time spent away from others, for not being part of the community, not when she so clearly did it for them. And besides, it wasn’t as if she was a recluse–the time she spent away working was absolutely unusual, but it wasn’t extreme.

After fleeing their home village–and the simultaneously comfortably familiar and stifling nature of playing the same role day in and day out–and becoming an itinerant mercenary, Liesel began presenting radically differently in different situations, swiftly learning to assess the situation and adapt to be whatever was advantageous and needed for the job: the unflappable rock, the politely threatening negotiator, the detached and uncaring freelancer, et cetera. Since they worked with so many different people, and often under different names, there was no real need to maintain continuity. While it was radically different from what they had been used to, over the course of a few years, they got used to it.

As a result, being in the same group for an indefinite amount of time–as they have been since they accepted Jamandi Aldori’s quest–and thus needing to play the same role for an indefinite amount of time is an odd experience, both familiar and unfamiliar. “Liesel”–for, indeed, the name “Liesel” itself, which has no real special significance other than being the fake name they were using when they got word of an opportunity from the Aldori and thus being the one they are stuck with, might very well be seen as a part of this role–is a capable leader who always listens to others’ opinions and takes them into account (even if they don’t always act as others want), who is slightly uncommonly quiet and observant, but not at all stoic or severe–instead, they are rather carefree, simply not speaking up when there’s no need, content to let things flow along until they see a need to act or a true purpose for their input. They are skilled with words, whether in the form of their occasional jokes or in their deft handling of tense negotiations–and in the latter case they can reveal an ability to wield their words like a deadly weapon that sends foes sputtering and retreating without a fight. In one-on-one conversations with their companions, they are very personable, and give graceful compliments that often match exactly what the person wants complimented, to the point of flirtation at times. If this flirtation is rebuffed, they are completely without resentment, but if it is received positively, they will gladly go as far as the other person is willing to.

At times, however, they reveal another side–one far more wild. On a lighter level, this can be revealed when their emotions get the better of them and they do something impulsive and kind of silly. On a darker level, though, if an enemy is able to charge from the front line and engage them in close combat, they display a surprisingly vicious side, striking repeatedly and somewhat recklessly, willing to do anything to preserve their own life. 

History/Hooks: (CW child death, low-key ableism, discussion of a trans person prior to their transition)

On Neth 1, 4684 AR, in the River Kingdoms, in a quiet farming village nestled between the arms of the Echo Wood, so small you would be hard-pressed to find it on most maps, a child was born and named Gertrud Elise. One day, not many years later, they ran out to play, past the rye-fields that surrounded the inner village, into the woods beyond, lured by the excitement and wonder of nature and too young and foolish to think they could fall victim to its dangers. They never came back.

(Had this never happened, this child would have grown into a gregarious, hearty man named Hedwirg. He would have become a mercenary in order to pay for an expensive transitioning potion, and eventually become known for the strength of his blows and of his moral code. But this happened instead.)

After a few days of frantic searching, the child’s parents found a child that looked just like their own in the woods, distressed and feverish and covered in soil. The desperate parents, who had feared their child would become another one of the stories used to warn children not to wander, didn’t question it.

When they recovered from the fever, the few memories they had at that age were somewhat hazy, as if they’d occurred years before they did, or were particularly vivid dreams. The parents didn’t question it, though–they were happy as long as they had their child back, regardless of whether that child was whole. Besides, while fey weren’t known for giving back what they stole, they were known even less for giving replacements–and it was perfectly plausible that the child had merely gotten lost in the woods. Any oddity or change was attributed to the trauma and the fever.

As the child called Gertrud grew up, they had trouble fitting in with others. Whispers of having been permanently “damaged” by whatever happened during their disappearance, or, rarely, of something worse, terrified them, and so, when with other people, they spent all their effort on figuring out how to behave so as to fit in. The act was more or less successful, but it was exhausting, and so they took any opportunity they could to limit the time they needed to perform by working whenever possible (whether in the farm, the house, or generally around town), earning them a reputation of being a good, solid, dependable kid whose selfless and helpful disposition balanced out any slip-ups that snuck out.

This continued into adulthood, until one day when a traveling merchant came by. While the adult called Gertrud didn’t really have wanderlust, per se, they always liked and were curious about things from outside the village, so they examined the wares. When they touched one item–a dagger–their skin burned with pain as if they’d touched freezing metal. They were not naturally very expressive, and practiced at hiding their feelings besides, so they concealed the reaction, and asked casually if there were any unusual wares. This was when they learned that the dagger was cold iron.

They made their excuses (easy, because they were known for being hardworking and didn’t have much pocket money), and left for the rye-fields, where they panicked. The whispers they and their parents had dismissed their whole life were true–hell, they weren’t even their parents!

Terrified that, if they had found out that they were fey, someday–maybe even someday soon–everybody else would, that night, they packed a small bag with a few necessities, left a vague note, and took off into the darkness.

As they traveled, going by a variety of fake names, they slowly discovered they possessed magical abilities. While they feared these abilities, and didn’t understand them–and especially didn’t understand how natural they felt–they proved incredibly helpful in the mercenary work they took up. Over the course of the next few years, they garnered a reputation that, while small, nevertheless earned them an invite and offer of a mysterious job proposition from one Jamandi Aldori in Rostland. 

Unbeknownst to them, Liesel is the creation of the Green Mother, the Eldest of intrigue, carnivorous plants, seduction, and the urges that lead the unwary to their death. While they are very much flesh and blood, they were grown in the First World from a plant that was planted on top of the shallowly buried corpse of the child they replaced.

Trivia:

I often use common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) imagery with Liesel, on account of their whole deal. 

The name Liesel isn’t fundamentally special to them, other than deriving from the middle name they thought was theirs; it was initially just another fake name, but since they are in a situation where they will be using it for the foreseeable future, and it is used by people they are growing to care about, they are becoming attached to the name.

Some of the specifics of their backstory are inspired by German folktales about the Rye Mother/Rye Aunt.

The way in which Liesel grew from a plant is partially inspired by barometz from Dungeon Meshi.

Liesel’s whole “autistic but obsessively studied and takes advantage of social cues and social norms” thing is inspired by Nick from Hell Followed With Us.

Liesel is really good at weaving. 

Liesel’s personality is partially inspired by Siffrin from In Stars and Time.

Liesel’s outfit is going to change significantly in later Acts as they progress their character arc.

If they existed in the modern day, they would be a huge fan of Kabru Dungeonmeshi and. Probably relate to him too much because they share a few very important and key traits despite being radically different people. 

Liesel has very inconsistent–and some would say entirely lacking–principles, but one of their few consistencies is that they highly value the Six River Freedoms.

They believe strongly in religious freedom, and would have no issues, for instance, with someone worshiping Lamashtu, so long as they don’t, for instance, kill people about it. They would, in fact, struggle to understand why someone would have issues with a Lamashtan who wasn’t making their religion other people’s problem.

[variousqueerthings]

Don’t get into a spaceship with a madman

it's "journey to the centre of the Tardis" time. and they are indeed journeying to the centre of the Tardis. and there is... things. this episode feels a bit like this season's "Shakespeare Code" in that because it's promising so much, its flaws stick out more to me

Actually maybe "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" is this season's "Shakespeare Code," because they both suck when they shouldn't and this episode is definitely better than that! at times it's even great! and also the Tardis is my beloved of all time of course

but let's not beat around the bush, what am I even talking about with all this cryptic so-and-so... well..... you know when you've got an episode of science fiction that should be iconic, but has three Black working-class South London accented small-time crooks and 90% of their portrayal is as casually cruel and somewhat dim? .... ah

sexism rank objectification (female character is ogled/harassed/turned into a sex joke by the doctor and/or a lead we’re supposed to root for and/or the camera): 7/10

sexism rank plot-point (lead female character is only there to serve plot, not to have her emotional interiority explored, or given agency to her emotional interiority): 3/10

interesting complex or pointlessly complex (does the complexity serve the narrative or does it just serve to be confusing as a stand-in for smart, this includes visually): 7/10

furthers character and/or lore and/or plot development (broader question that ties into the previous ones, at least two of these, ideally three should be fulfilled): 6/10

companion matters (the companion doesn’t always have to be there, but if the companion is there, can they function without the doctor– and overall per season how often is the companion the focus or POV of the story): 5/10

the doctor is more than just “godlike” (examines the doctor’s flaws and limitations, doesn’t solve a plot by having it revolve entirely around the doctor’s existence): 7/10

doesn’t look down on previous doctor who (by erasing or mocking its importance, by redoing and “bettering” previous beloved plotpoints or characters, etc.): 10/10

isn’t trying to insert hamfisted sexiness (m*ffat famously talked a lot about how dw should be sexier multiple times, he sucks at writing it): 9/10

internal world has consistency (characters have backgrounds, feel rooted in a place with other people, generally feel like they have Lives): 7/10

Politics (how conservative is the story): 3/10

FULL RATING: 64/100 (if I can count….)

wow this one is all over the place (see what I mean), the good is great, the bad is... worthy of perusal

OBJECTIFICATION: Clara didn't dress for getting thrown through an angry Tardis to be fair. I think this is one of her most well-known dresses actually, this kind of red one

I'm nitpicking a bit, but I guess I'm just not wowed by the personality-building of a lot of this eras outfits generally. Amy was sexy and young, River is a sexy archeologist, and Clara is cute. I think "mainly just cute" is better than "mainly just sexy" but I think what I'm saying is that a lot of the time their clothes feel just off the fashionable costume rack, rather than an indicator of who they are

there's also a bit at the beginning, where the Doctor is attempting to teach Clara some basic Tardis maneuvering and they have an interaction that goes like this:

Clara: Basic? Cos I’m a girl? The Doctor: No! (grins to himself)

just unnecessary

PLOT-POINT: Sooooo technically Clara learns and goes through so much this episode. It's just a shame that at the end she... forgets it all again/it never happened, so we're basically at square one

COMPLEXITY: this story's complexity is in how it builds Tardis Space, and that's technically the point about internal world, and I think it does so very well! it's hard to talk about the Tardis without concepts bleeding together -- is the Tardis a location, time, lore, story, character? yes

but basically, if there's something I really enjoy in this episode, it's the Tardis space itself, and how that builds the story

future bleeds into past bleeds into space bleeds into the tale that's being told. oh the Tardis

CHARACTERS/LORE/PLOT: again, this suffers from removing Clara's memory at the end, but we do get some tidbits

. the Doctor is sure that whatever is going on, Clara herself is human and the Doctor trusts and wants to protect her

. Clara trusts the Doctor and isn't afraid he's going to get her killed

. the most compelling dynamic is Clara and the Tardis, as they've been quite antagonistic towards one another, and the plot gives the Tardis a whole lot of personality. unclear if the Tardis is happier with Clara off the back of this, but I think she trusts her a tad more

COMPANIONS MATTER: Clara does do things -- mainly survives, which to be honest, is fair enough when you're inside the belly of the beast and she's Very Very angry

I also liked the tidbit about Big Friendly Button

“GODLIKE” DOCTOR: the Doctor knows the Tardis best, so leads the charge and that's fair. the Tardis trips him up a few times as well. not a fan of casual memory erasing. Clara says she doesn't want to forget, I kind of wish there had been more tension around the way the Doctor makes that decision for her (especially considering past forgettings like Jamie and Zoe and Donna) -- this is "just" one day, but it's a day where Clara learnt a lot of important information about the Doctor and, crucially, about herself

PREVIOUS DOCTOR WHO: ohhhh there's so much one can barely even get into it all, echoes of past Doctors, continuity of corridors we saw in Doctor's Wife, rooms mentioned in the past, etcetc. particular enjoyment was hearing Nine's "the assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through those doors!"

“SEXINESS”: there's this one bit near the beginning where Clara makes a crack about the Doctor and Tardis relationship being like "you’re like one of those boys who can’t go out until he gets approval from his mum."

I mention it because it's not actually so bad, and maybe even serves as an example of something kind of cheeky, without being very eye-rollery. I'm a nitpicker though, and I want the show to stop framing the Doctor and the Tardis through the lens of a "boy" and his girlfriend/mother and dating

INTERNAL WORLD: back to complexity and references to previous Doctor Who and plotting and the Tardis As Character, of course I love this a whole lot! look at this wonderful machine/being, bask in its hallways and its rooms and its temporal leaks and horrifying burnt flesh beings chasing you! just #bbygirlTardis things

I rated it down a bit, because the other part of the world is our three brothers, who're scavengers who inherited a spaceship from their dad, and they are where this episode suffers. but a lot of this is less to do with their background (which doesn't need to be over-complicated) and more to do with how they're written as informed by that background

POLITICS: THIIIIS is its main.... hmmmmmm. we're introduced to a ship of scavengers, crewed by three Black South Londoners, who break the Tardis and then proceed to moooostly be quite terrible and cowardly. NOW one can be an asshole in a narrative and Black, of course, but it's in the way this episode has placed them. they're in the Tardis, in an iconic narrative setting, three Black working-class men, and throughout the entirety of it their tale is one that struggles to give them any empathy, or at least make them interesting in the way a big villain might

they genuinely are just three brothers, two of whom are so casually cruel that they convinced their amnesiac younger brother who lost his sight in an accident, that he was an android and treated him like shit for "not being human" and that isn't really properly resolved at the end. he still thinks he's an android, because time resets. it doesn't feel like the episode much cares about them beyond the function they serve to piss off the Tardis and set the plot in motion

in all fairness (and why I didn't rate it lower) it does seem to try, in the whole "one of the brothers tries to save the other from death and that's what makes them both die" sequence, but in the end there's much less pathos afforded them than other "types" of characters we've seen like them, who are far more three dimensional. I can argue that three dimensionality got lost in the other part of the plot, but I also don't think it needed to be done this way to begin with

FULL RATING: 64/100 (if I can count….)

ultimately this episode ought to have rated higher, and it's a shame that it didn't, because the good is great + it's the Tardis, and you really want that to be awesome!

thankfully it does well on the Tardis portrayal, although I could always do with it being much much trippier, especially considering she's breaking apart, but on the whole I think it's a good mix -- my one Thing is the choice to have the camera blur every time the burnt beings appear. I'm guessing it's to show there's something "wrong" with them, beyond the... being burnt to a crisp thing, but it makes it annoying to watch in my opinion

the bad is really the season arc, Clara As Mystery before being a person and the ongoing nonsense with the Doctor's Secret Name, and the really bad is the -- I believe -- unconscious racism. someone should have flagged that writing, especially in that episode, for another run-through, because in theory these brothers are quite interesting. we just don't... see the interesting. we just see the casual dumb-witted cruelty for the most part

it's a thing I'm thinking about in terms of how would I recommend things to Black working-class friends of mine (this also somewhat speaking of Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and its misogynoir), when the above is most of their portrayal, but it's an episode about an iconic spaceship that I'm sure any Whovian would love to get their teeth into. you want to rec it, but it's such a shame to disclaim that, in flipping genre TV like this, this kind of portrayal is still common. I'm sure many would just shrug and roll with it (same as I do with casual transphobia and acephobia), but why was it done this way in the first place?

one might argue the characters were written that way before being cast, but that is then one of the maaaany problems (as we know) with "colour blind" casting and tbh it's a weakness in the characters regardless of race and class, this just exacerbates the issues in that writing. the cruelty of them is there to have a reason for the Tardis to get seriously angry, but there were ways of having them take a lot of similar actions, without them feeling so disconnected from the themes of the plot, and so lacking in pathos as characters

[thegreatgaygay]

I recently realized that I am only capable of writing one character and one relationship. I have written fics for each of these pairings and it's all the same. My crappy analysis of these relationships as follows: 1. Nick and Gatsby (gay)

Anxious guy with repressed everything (served in the Great War) falls in love with both his mysterious enigmatic neighbor and the idea that he represents. It is the 1920s. Autism?

2. Captain Hastings and Poirot (also gay)

Awkward guy also with repressed everything and PTSD (from the Great War) slowly finds himself falling in love with the enigmatic man who is supposed to be his best friend. It is the 1920s (sometimes). Fun outfits. A touch of autism.

3. Izzy Hands and Blackbeard (they are gay as well btw)

Angry man with so so many issues takes being intensely loyal one step too far and ends up with unrequited love for the guy he's been fighting with/for all these years. Cool outfits. Autism.

4. Javert and Jean Valjean (a little gay)

Angry, awkward guy with a massive stick up his ass regarding the law, etc. becomes obsessed with a man (yeah that's a little gay idk dude) and then spends like. A lot of time. Thinking about him and centering his life on him. When that man doesn't do what he expects him to do the guy just throws himself into the river. Au-and I cannot stress this enough-tism.

I think on a pyschoanalytic level, I am an autistic queer person with deeply held sense that I am fundamentally unlovable. I think on a writing level it is so funny that I literally just keep writing the same relationship/character in different silly outfits. The silly outfits are very important. Furthermore, in the case of Izzy and Javert, I always have had a deep sense of kinship with villains. As person who has been outcast for much of her life, I relate to their issues (not the murder part). Also they have the best outfits and songs. Also they are often queer coded.

Idk if this is anything. Just been thinking recently as I dive head first into another hyperfixation (it is mid term season).

[artemissunn]

TopGun ff/1

So uhm, this is the first fanfic I’m posting here (and first one in a long long time haha, pls have mercy) 😆 also English isn’t my first language, there can (probably will) be mistakes. Enjoy! Chapter one tomorrow!

Quick summary: The main line is that Lacey (the OC) is Maverick’s daughter, but their relationship isn’t the best. Her mom is Charlie and she lives with her and her husband but one tragic night Charlie and her husband dies in an accident and die leaving Lacey behind. She moves to Mav and hears that her long time crush, Bradley is engaged however both can feel their bond still.

Chapter one

I. Prologue

The family dinner happened very well. Charlie’s mom was always a sweetheart, and she absolutely adored Lacey. They always chatted about some gossip because even if Charlie didn’t like it, her daughter and mother lived for the steamy banned stories. Both women were lively and full of energy. Lacey was their little sunshine and her mother was the grandma from the movies. Always in the kitchen or garden knowing the best stories.

She had that air around her, which made her ten years younger.

The house was always full of smiles.

But the night sadly ended and Charlie, Steve and Lacey had to go home because the next day they had a long day ahead. After saying their goodbyes they got in the car and the one and half hour drive began. It was mostly trough forests. The sun already sank beneath the horizon. Lacey pulled down her window. Because she needed to feel the wind, it was like that since she was young. One window always had to be open. Even if it was winter time. It didn’t matter. It was somehow coded into her.

Her hand plays outside of the car with the cold air. It didn’t matter that she was 22.

They were around halfway through and that huge bridge came. Which crossed over one of biggest rivers in the US. The Mississippi river was huge, but beautiful.

“Sweetheart at home please help me choose some outfit for tomorrow.” Charlie looked back at Lacey.

“Of course mom.” She smiled at her.

It was not planned. And they never could have do anything in the other was. All it took was a drunk truck driver to push the smaller car into the river. He crashed into the front of the car making it flip multiple times. Because Lacey’s window was open somehow the barrier on the bridge got stuck into it and ripped out the door on her side. Steve was unconscious by the crash. Charlie hit her head somewhere and it was now bleeding. She wasn’t awake either.

The car didn’t stop turning around even in the air, it only stopped when they hit the depths of the river. The water was cold, it was only the beginning of September but still it felt so cold. The last thing that Lacey could do, was to unbuckle herself and only then went unconscious. She tried to save her mother and Steve too. But no power was left in her.

Ambulance and the police was called by a driver going home from work that night. He saw the truck burning and that the barrier of the bridge was broken. He immediately dialed 911. In twenty minutes everyone arrived . Ambulance, officers and firefighters. There was a helicopter coming too, Lacey was the only one still being somewhat alive.

The next days were complete hell for everyone there, the doctor were fighting so hard for her life. To bring her back and not let her slip away.

Maverick got onto a plane as soon as he got the call from the hospital. The doctors told him everything on the phone, that Charlie and Steve was gone, that her daughter might have brain damage, and that they didn’t know if she will make it.

Maverick put aside his phobia of the airline planes - he was not the pilot, that always gave him anxiety- and rushed to the airport grabbing only a bag of stuff. It was the longest four hours in his life. Ice texted him, to call him when he arrived. He knew Maverick could do stupid things, and he also knew that airline flights freaked him out. He wanted to talk to his friend before he entered the hospital.

It was all white. Another thing that sent him up to the wall. He hated plain, cold, chemical smelling places. But that was the last thing on his mind right now. And then he finally saw her, her right side of the forehead bruised and a cut. It wasn’t deep but will leave a mark.

Lips dry, split. Looking like a ghost.

He spent days out of the Top Gun program, sitting in the hospital room.

Finally on the fourth day she woke up gasping for air, crying her eyes out. Mav was there holding her. Because he really didn’t knew what to do.

After one more week she was finally let out. It was not the cut on her forehead, or the concussion, or the bruised ribs, the trauma was pain. She didn’t have any brain damage, and luckily nothing else which would make her life harder, or not being able to do something.

Her grandparents called her every day since she had enough power to hold the phone.

A few days later they were on the plane to San Diego.

[pointreyesjournal]

The Amnesiac : ep14

Wednesday

The next morning I joint the proletariat for the morning rush at the coffee shop. River has been very kind and very generous with her time, but I don’t want to assume that her afternoons are reserved exclusively for me, so I stand in line with the rest of the schlubs during normal business hours. Emma is working the cash register again, but she’s clearly been censured by management. Gone are the winks and the tit-wiggles, and in their place is a forced professionally cheery demeanor thinly veiled over a layer of unhappiness. She’s even wearing a little sweater over her wife beater this morning. The winds of change are blowing in Emma’s direction.

“Good morning Mr. Flood.”

“Good morning to you Emma. You look nice this morning.”

“Thanks!”

“Something’s different. Did you get a haircut?”

“Nope, hair is the same … but I did get my ass chewed. The yoozh?”

“The yoozh sounds great Emma.”

I want so badly to joke inappropriately about wanting to chew her ass myself, but decide against it for both her and my sake. Instead I quietly step to the right to watch River pull shots and froth milk. River is in mid-morning hustle mode, efficiently cranking out beautifully crafted espresso drinks, but she’s quietly had her eye on me since I walked through the door. My favorite table is taken, so I stand in front of the espresso machine hoping the current occupant will vacate by the time my drink order is ready. They don’t. River’s anime panda in my latte foam is par excellence. As she pushes my drink order across the counter to my waiting hands, River says the one and only thing she’s going to say to me today … “Start a dream journal Floody.”

And so it begins. Each day I will commit to paper with as much nuance and detail as humanly possible, a recollection of my dreams with the hope that it will stimulate memory recall. Since the internet is generally filled with shitty advice authored by morons, I skip the googling for “memory recall” and formulate my own prescription for how I will achieve this.

First, since I don’t have a job, there’s no sense in me using my laptop for the next week. So it goes in the closet. Next, I visit the pharmacy downstairs from my apartment and purchase a medium sized, spiral bound notebook that I can leave open on my bedside table, that way I can quickly jot down my dreams in their most vivid state, as I’m waking up. Being a sucker for fine things, and adhere strongly to the ‘buy once, cry once” ethos, I have a Montblanc Meisterstück pen and I dedicate it to task of filling the bedside table notebook. I’ve also got an extra-small notebook tucked into my back pocket, along with an old golf pencil, just in case something jogs my memory while I’m out and about during the day.

I need to share my plans with someone and Henrik is the natural choice, but I want to be respectful of his time so I wait until 6pm sharp before I rap my knuckles on his door. He greets me with exuberance.

“Floody! How the hell are you man? Come in! Come in! I haven’t seen you since I can’t remember when.”

I love talking to Henrik. His Swedish accent is cheerful and lilting, almost musical. Plus he possesses an otherworldly intellect in all manner of topics ranging from information technology and game theory, to color science and men’s fashion. He’s manly and handsome, like James Garner or a Formula 1 driver, and even though he spends the majority of his day coding video games, he manages to stay fit. Even after having lived here for a the past four years, he maintains his distinctly European fashion sense. During his annual visit home, he always spends at least a day in Malmö or across the border in Copenhagen with his sister outfitting himself with the latest fashions. Skinny jeans and sporty sweaters are de rigueur for Henrik.

Before I can launch into my amnesia monologue Henrik invites me to the sushi bar for dinner. Like everything else in Pacific Grove, it’s a ten minute (or less) walk down Lighthouse Avenue to the best sushi bar in town. It’s Wednesday so we get seated at the bar right away, at the good seats on the corner, so we’re seated facing each other at a ninety degree angle. Perfect for conversation. A meek Japanese teenager takes our drink order and then skulks demurely away, returning a moment later with two bottles of hot sake, and three large bottles of Sapporo. He places a sake and beer in front of each of us along with their respective glasses, then pours the third beer into the glass in front of the big sushi chef, who lets it out a deep barrel-chested laugh as he hoists the beer overhead with approval. “Compai!” the chef roars. “Compai” the entire restaurant replies in unison as he dumps the entire beverage down his gullet.

Now that we’ve got the chef’s attention, and have curried some favor with the offering of beer, Henrik orders dinner using his best Japanese. “Sumimasen … Omakase s’il vous plait” he says, accidentally mixing Japanese and French into the same sentence. The hulky sushi chef let’s out a deep belly laugh. “Hai dozo! Omakase kudasai” he replies, politely correcting Henrik for future reference.

Omakase translates roughly to “I trust you,” meaning “Please make dinner for me, whatever you choose, I trust you.” Some sushi chefs translate it as “make a weird meal for the white person” but we know this chef quite well, and he always curates a delicious meal for us. This time is no different.  The chef motions to the meek drink runner to remove the soy sauce from our area of the bar. Like a great Parisian saucier, the chef will deliver each serving in the appropriate amount of the appropriate sauce with the expectation that it be lifted directly from the plate to the mouth with chopsticks and consumed in one bite. No exceptions.

Over the next couple of hours we devour course after course of delicately prepared nigiri and sashimi. No rolls. Rolls are for the proletariate. After a dozen rounds of sushi and a second round of Sapporo, Henrik tells the chef “No mas amigo!” The chef laughs. Spanish being the language used in every kitchen in California, he understands Henrik. “Uno mas amigo” he replies with a nod and prepares a dessert course for us of uni (sea urchin gonads) wrapped in seaweed and served under a raw quail egg. “Like an orgasm in your mouth!” Henrik jokingly proclaims.

We leave the sushi bar stuffed to the esophagus, but as is typical of a sushi dinner, by the time we’re half way home we feel hungrier than we were before dinner. We stop for a big slice of New York style pizza from the take-away counter. The pizza is scorching hot and blisters the top of my mouth, which necessitates a further stop at the Irish pub for some cold beers to put out the fire. One beer turns to four and by the time get home Henrik is too drunk to unlock his door so he ends up passed out facedown on my couch.

[nickgerlich]

Hit The Road, Jack

One of the funniest SNL skits ever featured the late Chris Farley, in his role as motivational speaker Matt Foley. In typical SNL style, Mr. Foley was a caricature of himself in real life, and the antithesis of motivation. This became pathetically true when he kept telling his subjects—I mean listeners—that he lived in a van down by the river. The popular 1993 skit featured a very young David Spade and Christina Applegate as his unfortunate victims.

But that was a time when doing such meant you were hardly a success. Your van was all you could afford, and parking in a free place fit the budget well. It was likely the evolution of Woodstock-era hippie life, when the VW van became synonymous with the counter-culture of the day.

Skip forward to the present, though, and we see living in a van—or Van Life, as it is known—now a glamorized nomadic lifestyle. It was captured in book and film in Nomadland, although in that particular setting it was typically older, retired persons who chose that way of life, sometimes out of necessity, but other times for freedom. The story line focused on people who migrate like birds from the northland, descending on BLM land in the desert where they can dry camp for months at no charge.

Others, though, have taken to the road in rigs that cost far more than $100K. They’re downsized RVs that can be driven through town, parked, and lived in. It started with Mercedes Sprinter vans, and quickly evolved into Dodge’s versions of the same, as well as Ford Transits of varying sizes and Nissan’s varietal. But now Ford has taken the Transit to the next logical step by introducing the Ford Transit Trail Van, a lifted version of its popular tall van that can venture much farther off-road than its cousin.

With a base price of $66K, it can be tricked out by third-party aftermarket customizers who can add beds, captain’s seats, electronics, bathrooms, and even the kitchen sink. If money is no object, it can be done. It’s a process called “uplifting,” code for “get ready to pay dearly.”

Clearly, these fancy rides are intended for solo travelers, or at most, couples. There’s no room for children. I know a woman my age—a professor at an east coast university—who has a fancy ride like this, and can’t wait for semesters to end so she can hit the road. I have read of two women from Australia who came to the US, rented a base model, quickly outfitted it, and then took off to visit all of the US National Parks in the Lower 48. They lived very cheaply compared to hoteling and dining out.

In a strange twist of fate, Chris Farley was a cousin to Ford CEO Jim Farley, although the latter swears the skit did not influence Ford’s move into this segment. Ohhhh-kaaaaay. It doesn’t matter anyway, because the segment is for real. While it may not be mainstream, it is significant enough now to warrant niche products.

I realize there can be safety concerns, especially when choosing low-budget or no-budget options like the parking lot at Camp Walmart. Rest areas can also be sketchy, and many do not allow overnight parking. If you go the RV park route, though, a night there can easily exceed $50, which kind of puts a damper on the idea of saving a few bucks.

The new model, though, isn’t designed for asphalt or gravel docking. Instead, it is designed to go where your car cannot, deep into the woods or wherever the gullies and ruts make driving tricky. It’s not exactly a Jeep, but then again, Jeeps don’t have room for living either.

Whenever I see rigs like these, my heart skips a beat and I start dreaming. But then the better part of reason sets in, and I remember that I really do like warm showers in my own private room. I’m done with camping. I’m done with RVing. Those were all good years, and I have zero regrets. But I also do not regret my choice to stay in nice hotels today. I’ll just bring one of my bikes along for when I feel nature’s call to hit the trail.

As for Ford, this is a legit move. It feeds a hunger to be outdoors. But don’t come crying to me when you see me laughing as you pull into the Hampton Inn because you too want to sleep on a real bed. That should be all the motivation you need.

Dr “Who Wants To Go On A Road Trip?“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[cadybear420]

(Very salty vent up ahead)

I swear some of yall will act like just because we wlm are PB's target audience that that means PB actually cares about us or represents us properly. When in reality, so many of their wlm routes are painfully based on the same old stereotypical gender dynamics with very little variety.

And to add salt to the wound we have to put up with people bitching about "wlm coding" every time this sort of writing carries over to the non-wlm routes, ESPECIALLY when it's in the mlw routes.

Like oh no, your immersion was killed because male MC shook his hips to impress the LI, gets grabbed/carried easily by female LI, sat in the (female) LI's lap was helpless and had to be saved by (female) LI, is written as shorter/smaller than the LI? Boo hoo cry me a fucking river. Yeah, we women have had to put up with female characters being portrayed that same way with men in media for fucking YEARS. It's incredibly sus that y'all talk about this portrayal being wrong for male MCs/female LIs as if it isn't a problem for female MCs/male LIs.

And it's really not helping that I hear this kind of shit talked about more frequently than I do PB's ACTUAL gender coding errors. Deadass I've seen more people bitch about MacKenzie/Jen lifting male MC onto their shoulders in AME 3 than I do the diamond outfit dialogues carrying over from f!MC or the "making babies" flirty options being in mlm and wlw routes.

If you genuinely think that shit like the MC sitting in the LI's lap or whatever is "wlm coded" then you seriously need to check your fucking gender roles.

[whalenkaae59]

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[a-damson-in-distress]

The Protégé 6

Pairing: MadaSaku

Plot: In search of a new cellist for his prestigious orchestra, an infamously feared maestro stumbles upon a young rising star.

The Protégé 1 | The Protégé 2 | The Protégé 3 | The Protégé 4 | The Protégé 5

Note: I’m back and it’s been so long I completely forgot how all of this works. Enjoy, leave a comment, you know the drill. Buh-bye.

________________________________________________________________

Madara stared at his phone with a look of utter disgust.

He knew that number. He loathed that number.

The person on the other end of this call was like a piece of gum he accidentally stepped on when he was a kid and never could scrape off the sole of his shoe. Take the feeling of coarse sand getting on the inside of your swimwear and rubbing you in all the wrong places combined with that feeling of revulsion whenever you have to get that slimy clump of hair out of your shower drain and multiply that by a thousand – that was exactly what Madara felt every time he called.

Resigning himself to his fate, he moved his thumb to the accept call button while suspiciously eying the caller ID – it read DUMBASS in capital letters, though if it were up to the caller himself, he probably would have saved his number under BFFS 4EVA.

Madara’s thumb pressed down on the green icon and he immediately had to hold his phone away when he was met with ear-piercing laughter.

“Madara, old chap, how are you, how are things with the orchestra, are you still torturing your little musicians? You know what, I don’t care, what are you doing this Friday?”

Madara couldn’t supress the groan escaping from this throat. Still having this individual in his life was his own fault, really. After all, there were more than enough warning signs. You simply do not start a friendship with Hashirama Senju, when one of the first things he did after meeting you was convincing your teenage ass to piss into a river together.

________________________________________________________________

Sakura chose a simple white dress and ballet flats this time. Nothing eye-catching but still very much her style. She made a point of choosing outfits she felt comfortable in, so she didn’t exude the same self-consciousness she did at the after party two days ago. The fact that wrong wardrobe choices clearly made her maestro angry may have also played a role.

Although Sakura had to admit, having him touch her so intimately while getting her appearance in order was worth the disappointment she initially felt when she realised that he was angry with her. She may be naïve and sexually inexperienced, but even she knew that conductors spanking their musicians was not common practice. Tucking in her blouse so her dishevelled look wouldn’t tarnish the good name of his orchestra was one thing; she even saw him yank on Naruto’s loose tie once before a very important interview, so when he started arranging her clothes there wasn’t anything sexual about it at first.

But the feel of his big hands as they traced the back of her thighs, inching closer to her behind where he would eventually deliver a sound slap on her left cheek was something completely different.

That was two days ago, and Sakura still didn’t know what to think or how to feel about it. When Mr Uchiha returned to the after party a little after her and pretended like nothing happened between them, she took that as her cue to do the same. The only reminder was when Ino and Temari asked her about her sudden outfit change.

I guess now I finally know what Maestro Uchiha is like when he invokes rule number 2.

Her vague answer referring to the second item on his long list of obligations laid out in her contract seemed to have been explanation enough. After all, given their strict dress code, wardrobe changes were demanded often enough so as not to raise any eyebrows when it finally happened to Sakura too.

She learned her lesson, that’s why she was waiting for their next rehearsal to start wearing one of her favourite and most inconspicuous dresses. They were in Shanghai at the moment for their second China concert which would take place in two days’ time.

They’ve nailed all of their rehearsals so far, practiced for hours on end, and were at the top of their game. Their maestro couldn’t be any prouder, at least that’s what Sakura thought, until she saw him enter the stage with a frown so deep, you’d need scuba gear to dive down.

“Change of plans everyone, you’re not getting Friday off, after all. We’re playing in Shanghai two days in a row, and we’re changing the programme for Thursday. We’re ditching Holst and starting with Mozetich, take out your sheet music for Fantasia. Cellists, all eyes on Ms Haruno while she takes the lead. I need the accompaniment tenuto throughout the entire piece, you cannot be drowned out by the violins’ legato. Chop chop, everyone.”

While everyone scrambled to get their things ready, Sakura couldn’t help but think that something was wrong. Maestro Uchiha was always strict and demanding, but he seemed to be in an especially sour mood today. Not to mention that changing the entire programme of an upcoming concert two days before was not something Madara Uchiha did. He was so meticulous and orderly, he’d probably be annoyed if raindrops suddenly started falling at a different angle. Not wanting to incur his wrath again so shortly after earning her first reprimand, she kept her head down and tried her best to meet his expectations during the rehearsal.

A feat which proved to be more difficult than she initially thought. Maestro Uchiha was annoyed by the slightest things, reprimanded his musicians for the tiniest slip-ups, and gripped his baton so tightly at times, his knuckles turned white.

Once their most exhausting rehearsal so far was over, everyone was quick to pack their things and leave, when Maestro Uchiha said, “I need a word with all the principals, the rest are free to go.”

Ino and Naruto quickly caught Sakura’s gaze, both of them shooting her questioning looks. Sakura just shrugged, equally confused. They gathered together with the rest of the principal musicians and stood in front of their maestro’s podium.

“Due to unforeseen and incredibly annoying circumstances, I decided to change the programme for our Thursday concert. As you may have noticed, the seven pieces we’re performing will heavily feature one of the principal musicians. We start off with Mozetich, which focuses on Ms Haruno as the principal cellist. Our next piece by Copland is your chance to shine as principal clarinet, Ms Yamanaka. Arutiunian will put the spotlight on our principal trumpet, and so on. In other words, we’re pulling out the big guns for this one, so I cannot stress this enough: I need all of my principals to bring their A game. I know you do that for every concert anyway, but this… is different. Let’s just say, I need to prove a point, so do not let me down.”

While the other musicians gathered their things to leave, Sakura watched him put on his suit jacket out of the corner of her eye. Before leaving the stage, the conductor shot her a look and quietly said, “Ms Haruno, my room in an hour.” Sakura barely managed the obligatory Yes, Maestro, too caught up in her own thoughts running rampant in her mind about what he might be needing from her at 8 pm in the evening, in his hotel room, in private.

“What crawled up his ass and died?” Ino whispered with an eye roll while packing up her instrument.

Sakura’s jaw dropped in shock and she fixed the blonde with angry glare, “Oh my God, Ino, you can’t talk like that, he’s our conductor!”

“Oh relax, you fan girl. Even you have to admit he was exceptionally prickly today. Like pluck-that-string-wrong-and-I’ll-pluck-out-your-eyebrows type of prickly. And the bar for that is already incredibly high, because Madara Uchiha was basically born prickly.”

Sakura could hear Naruto snicker behind them as the trio went down the stairs on the left of the stage, making Ino groan in annoyance.

“Men and their weird sense of humour. You’re imagining him as a cactus now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but like, how can he conduct with his tiny cactus arms?”

________________________________________________________________

Madara knew he was being insufferable. He never was particularly liked by his musicians – respected, yes, but liked on a personal level, not really – but during the last two rehearsals he did his utmost to qualify for the Condescending Jerk of the Year Award. Even little Ms Haruno was starting to sweat halfway through his symphony of exasperated grunts and annoyed eye-rolls.

If only he hadn’t picked up that damned phone two days ago, none of this would be happening. He could have stuck to his original concert programme, enjoyed one or two relaxed rehearsals, and wouldn’t be pacing up and down his hotel suite racking his brain over his request.

He may as well have asked Madara to chain her to a rock to be devoured by a sea monster, and Madara would still think Sakura’s fate worse than Andromeda’s.

A soft knock interrupted his train of thought, and he went to open the door for his late-night guest. When his intense gaze landed on his little protégé and her doe-like eyes, he couldn’t help but ask himself – what was his role in all of this? Could he be the Perseus to her Andromeda?

Or would Cretus once again rise from the depths of the sea and plunge her into darkness?

“You asked to see me, Mr Uchiha?”

Madara wordlessly stepped aside and closed the door behind her. He took a moment to run an appreciative gaze over her slender figure and noted with satisfaction that she was once again wearing clothes she was clearly much more comfortable in. His gaze was drawn to her short pleated skirt as it swirled around her legs when she turned to face him. There was a soft, pastel pink cashmere sweater tucked into the waistband that was a size too large for her, as it was currently in the process of slipping off her left shoulder.

Madara had seen and done a lot of erotic things in his 39 years on this earth but watching something as trivial as a piece of garment expose her neck and shoulder had his dick twitch in anticipation like no porn ever could.

Thank fuck he had an actual reason to invite her into his hotel room this late at night or otherwise he would already have her face down, ass up.

“It’s about our concert on Thursday. The reason I had to change it… was you.”

Her eyes widened even more as she immediately started playing with the hem of her skirt. “Me? W-why? Did I do something wrong? I’ll do better, Mr Uchiha, I swear!”

“Relax, you did nothing wrong. You’re perfect,” he stepped closer to sweep her hair behind her ear, “like always. I had to change the programme, because I got a call from someone who is going to watch us perform on Thursday, and I simply needed to make sure that he’s… well, rendered speechless would be the ideal scenario, really.”

“I still don’t understand what that has to do with me.”

“Because that particular individual happens to be a renowned music journalist and critic, and he will be writing a lengthy review of our first Shanghai concert, including an extensive interview with you.”

Madara’s gaze landed on her full lips as they moved to form a surprised little o, and to make things worse, his little protégé had the gall to go ahead and lick them.

“I’ve never given an interview, Mr Uchiha. A-and to be honest, I’m not sure if I’m up for it. I don’t need all that attention and all the probing questions. What if I say something stupid? I don’t want to embarrass you.”

Madara had to supress a smirk at her words. The interview was supposed to be all about her, and yet she was afraid of embarrassing him. It was like this little girl was born with the sole purpose of pleasing him.

“I assure you there is nothing you could do to embarrass me.”

“Not true, what about the last after party, when I wore something you didn’t approve of?”

“You’re right, but I made you regret that choice instantly, did I not?” A blush crept up her cheeks as Madara took a step closer, “I disciplined you,” he raised his hand to her face while enjoying the nervous breath escaping her lips, “you took your punishment,” he grabbed the back of her neck and twisted his fingers in her hair, “and you promised to never do it again,” Madara tugged on her hair, forcing her head back and staring down at her, their lips only centimetres apart, “like the good little girl you are.”

He allowed himself one more moment to drink in the sight of her innocent blush and her adoring wide eyes, before he let go off her hair and leaned on the desk on the opposite of his bed.

“The individual you will have the displeasure of meeting has, well… to say he holds a grudge against me would be the understatement of the century. He will do anything in his power to try to get under my skin, and the fact that I noticed you did not go unnoticed by him, so I’m sure he’s hoping to use that to his advantage.”

“So you’re saying the only reason he wants to interview me is to spite you and not because he’s really interested in me as a musician?”

“No, sweetheart,” Madara put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them as a show of encouragement, “one would have to be blind and deaf not to notice your musical gift. As much as I hate his guts, he does have an eye for talent, I have to give him that. If I weren’t your maestro, he’d still want to interview you, it’s just this way he gets to kill two birds with one stone.”

Madara watched his little protégé pull her bottom lip between her teeth, and his dick immediately sprung to attention. Brushing his fingers over her shoulders clearly did little to calm her down. If he didn’t already think she was nervous about the interview, she gave it away the instant she started playing with the end of his tie.

“I’m too shy to give such a high-profile interview, I really wouldn’t know what to say. And I really don’t want to embarrass you, Mr Uchiha, so um… Can you… can you, maybe, I don’t know,” Madara watched with utter fascination as she twisted the end of his tie around her index finger, “can you teach me?”

The question came out as a shy whisper, but their faces were close enough for him to hear it.

“Teach you what, little girl? You’ll have to be more specific, because I can teach you a lot of things.”

Madara watched her suck in a breath at his little innuendo. He knew he was pushing his luck, everything about their proximity and the way he was talking to her was wrong and if she weren’t such a lovesick puppy, she would have reported his inappropriate behaviour ages ago. But he couldn’t help himself around her. For the first time in the nearly four decades he had spent on earth so far, he was falling victim to the danger and allure of the forbidden.

His hazy mind barely registered when his protégé opened her mouth. “Well, um… You know, things like…”

A shaky breath. A tongue sweeping out to wet her lips.

“What-… what to say and what not to say, or… or things like…” hesitant eyes travelled up to meet his own.

“Body language.”

Fuck.

Madara had a thing or two to say about body language, alright, their own body language at this very moment, to be precise. Sakura was still standing between his legs, nervously playing with his tie, much like she did a few days ago when he was fixing her outfit. It was moments like these when a part of him questioned whether or not she really didn’t know what effect she had on men like him with a behaviour like that. Her innocence was believable and authentic enough to land her a part in Sesame Street, but then she had to go ahead and whisper body language like that – what was a man to think?

“Body language, huh? Alright, let’s start with the most important lesson on body language. For an interview, you want to seem approachable, but not too much. You can use your body to create a necessary distance, to signal the other person certain parts of you are off-limits. One way to do that is to make sure you don’t show too much skin, an unwilling openness a reporter is only too eager to exploit.”

Madara’s right hand left her shoulder and made its way down her arm to grab the low hanging neckline of her sweater, slowly dragging it up while making sure to brush as much of her soft skin with his fingers.

“Wearing a sweater that constantly slips off your shoulder is not the way to do it, little one. What did we say about dishevelled outfits?” Madara fixed her with a stern gaze.

“Not to wear them, and I know I’m going to wear something more professional for the interview, but I didn’t think that you would mind me wearing the sweater now. I thought you would like it,” Madara heard her voice become quieter and more unsure toward the end, much like it always did when she was asking for his opinion.

The only logical thing for him to do as her maestro was take away that uncertainty, the only way he knew how.

“Oh, I’m afraid I like it too much, princess. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your effort to dress comfortably and appropriately the last few days. I’m very happy my lesson stuck.”

Madara took her chin between his fingers and raised her face. “Good girl.”

When he saw the telltale smile and blush spread across her face, Madara knew it was worth playing with fire.

Now to pour some gasoline on it.

“Say thank you, Sir,” he commanded in his gruffest dom voice.

Naturally, his little sub immediately obliged.

“Thank you, Sir.”

Her whispering was going to be the death of him. Madara released his protégé and went straight for the bar at the other end of the room in order to gain some distance. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact he was sporting a raging hard-on for a 20-year-old she was not supposed to see.

“Of course, Deidara will be in charge of most of the media mumbo-jumbo, he’ll also get a say in your outfit, but if it were up to me, I’d button you up to your nose, maybe even send you to the interview in a straitjacket.”

Madara drowned the shot of whiskey as if it had the magical ability to calm his libido, which of course it didn’t, especially when he heard Sakura’s melodious laughter behind him.

“But Sir, you can’t put me in a straitjacket. You said yourself, this reporter is a renowned music journalist, and you only want to present yourself and the orchestra in the best possible light. I admit, a baggy sweater would not have been my go-to look, but a straitjacket doesn’t really scream take me seriously either.”

“I don’t know, I quite like the idea of a straitjacket. At the very least, we can put him in it, so he won’t be tempted to touch you.”

Madara had meant it as a light-hearted joke, but he immediately regretted his choice of words when he saw her playful smile crumble.

“Why-why do you say that? Is he known to… touch women? You wouldn’t put me in the same room as someone like that, would you, Sir?”

He bridged the distance between them in three quick steps and immediately grasped her face between his hands to rub soothing circles on her cheeks. Madara hated the whole idea of the interview, but that was no reason to rile her up. Kicking a puppy probably couldn’t feel worse than being the one who put worries and doubts in her head.

“Never, little one. I would wring anybody’s neck who so much as looked at you wrong, I would never put you in any danger, trust me. I’m sorry for my poor choice of words, I absolutely didn’t mean them in that way. As much as I hate… that person, he is nothing but an absolute gentleman, and I can assure you he has tremendous respect for you. You’re going to be wonderful at the interview, I know it. You could just sit there doing nothing and he would sing your praises.”

“I believe you. But then what did you mean with that part about him touching me?”

Madara contemplated a few short seconds what to answer to that question. Of course, the simple truth was he was just being a dumb, territorial gorilla, but he would rather do shots out of Naruto’s belly button than allow Sakura to think of him in a simian fashion.

“Let’s just say, I know him from my childhood, and he always revelled in stealing my toys. And I told you when I signed you on, I tend to be rather possessive of my musicians.”

That seemed to have been the right answer, judging by the grin tugging on her pretty little lips. Before Madara could say anything that would dig himself deeper into the hole he called sexual frustration, he grasped Sakura’s arm and gently turned her toward the door.

“I’m sure I’ve given you a lot to think about. Take the rest of the evening to think things through about the interview, maybe think of questions that are off-limits, so we can make sure there won’t be any unpleasantness. Tomorrow, we’ll get together with Deidara and his PR team, he’ll straighten out the rest.”

As he was about to open the door to usher her outside, she turned around one last time, her skirt enticingly flowing around her slender legs. “What about the tips you were going to give me? You know… the training?”

“Miss Haruno, if I were to teach you everything I know, you wouldn’t get a wink of sleep tonight.”

________________________________________________________________

“You’ll want to avoid words like never and always, or any kind of absolute statement for that matter. You a Star Wars fan? Never mind, there’s this character who wisely said that only a Sith deals in absolutes. Siths are the bad guys in Star Wars, FYI. So instead of saying ‘Maestro Uchiha is always rude to us during rehearsals’, you want to say things like ‘We are eternally grateful for his constructive feedback and his willingness to help us improve our craft’, see the difference? Another thing they like to do is talk about your fears, vulnerabilities, weaknesses, yadda yadda yadda. The best way to answer these questions is like you would answer them during a job interview. So don’t bullshit around with some made-up weakness, that is actually a strength like ‘I am very focused on details and therefore sometimes need longer for an assignment’. Journalists can smell bullshit a mile away, and this particular one is like a genetically enhanced bloodhound. What you want to do instead is be honest, but not too honest. You’re not going to come out and say you have a crippling porn addiction. Choose something that seems like a genuine weakness, but nothing too major that would inhibit your performance. And most importantly, follow it up with a statement underlining how you’re already working on bettering yourself. A good example would be ‘Sometimes I am too direct with my feedback and criticism and my colleagues may take it the wrong way, but I’ve already learned to word it in more neutral terms, so nobody gets offended’. Are you writing any of this down?”

Sakura could feel herself shrinking under Deidara’s disapproving gaze. Quickly grabbing the pen she brought along to her tutoring session, she continued writing down the tips he was giving her in preparation for her interview.

“Next, questions about your private life. We are not politicians, so don’t even pretend to be one with those ‘I can neither confirm nor deny it’ answers. You should give him some sort of answer, otherwise you’ll seem unapproachable, but you can control how many details you want to give…”

Sakura droned out the publicist’s voice while staring absentmindedly at the presentation slides. In her mind, she knew what the words really meant, but in her subconscious, they re-arranged themselves to form an entirely different sentence.

If I were to teach you everything I know, you wouldn’t get a wink of sleep tonight.

That could mean anything, right? It could take him all night to teach her all about whiskey for instance, or the difference between a two-stroke engine and a cylinder. If they were to talk about music, that may have taken them several nights in fact, not just one, because he was a bottomless well of knowledge when it came to that.

But it couldn’t mean…that.

Sakura was chewing on the other end of her pencil while still pretending to be enthralled by whatever Deidara was saying. The fact of the matter was, Sakura was his protégé. Their professional relationship was bound to take a different turn compared to the way he handles all his other musicians. Mister Uchiha said so himself, it was his duty to train her, to mould her to be the best possible version of herself. He couldn’t do that if he wasn’t allowed to give her a little bit of extra attention every now and then. And she never had an official mentor in that capacity before, Tsunade certainly never called Sakura her protégé. What’s more, she was embarrassingly inexperienced when it came to physical intimacy with the opposite sex. The line between appropriate touches and those that bordered on intimate seem to be drawn differently for every person, at least if her friends’ stories were to be believed, and it couldn’t be more confusing to her to try to understand when that line has been crossed if you explained it to her in Latin.

Sakura shook her head and tried to re-focus her attention on Deidara’s media training, but it was to no avail. In her mind, she kept replaying last night’s visit to her maestro’s hotel room and how he comforted her by stroking her cheek, or how he teased her by slowly dragging up her sweater up her shoulder.

Sakura had no idea what they meant, but she knew one thing: Lying was a cardinal sin, and she would end up in the deepest pits of hell if she were to ever tell anyone she didn’t enjoy Mister Uchiha’s touches.

It was time to cash in on her friendship with the promiscuous principal clarinet.

________________________________________________________________

“I’m confused, why are you asking me all these questions? Sakura, did someone touch you inappropriately? If so, that’s a major offense and we need to report it ASAP.”

Sakura felt her panic rise as Ino stared her down with a worried look in her eyes. This was not the direction she planned this conversation to take. She knew she was a klutz when it came to talking about physical intimacy, but this was awkward even by her standards.

“No, no, nothing like that. I’m fine. It’s just, that… I saw two people from the stage crew, they looked cosy with each other, and I was just wondering, you know, if that means they… like each other, or anything…”

The blonde musician breathed a sigh of relief. “Phew, for a moment there I thought I was going to have to pull out a doll and ask you where you’ve been touched. But seriously, jokes aside, if anybody makes you feel uncomfortable, in any way, it doesn’t even have to be physical, you let me know, or any of your other friends. Or better yet, tell Mr Uchiha.”

Threats of wringing people’s necks suddenly popped into Sakura’s head. Telling Mr Uchiha anybody made her feel uncomfortable, even in the slightest, was a battery charge waiting to happen.

“Thanks for the tip. But seriously, what does it mean if a man puts his hands on a woman’s shoulders? It seemed…comforting. But I basically have zero experience with that kind of stuff. Naruto is always teasing me that guys could have I’m sexually attracted to you tattooed on their forehead and I wouldn’t get that they’re flirting with me.”

“It could mean anything. Couples touch each other on their shoulders, much like friends do. Even colleagues, who have no relationship outside of work, might comfort each other like that if someone has a rough day. It depends on the person who’s doing the touching. With Naruto, for instance, it doesn’t mean much, because he’s insanely physically affectionate. He hugged you the day he met you, and he regularly shows his affection with small physical gestures. Doesn’t mean he’s attracted to you. Shikamaru for instance was different. He was your predecessor. He was always too lazy to make new friends or even show his appreciation for the ones he already had, so in the rare instances he would hug or comfort someone, it really meant a lot. Does that help?”

Nope.

Sakura had no idea what the normal scope of Mr Uchiha’s physical affection was. Sure, he was always meticulously professional during rehearsals and public appearances, but it wasn’t like Sakura had the means to ask his friends how he behaved in private. And she couldn’t very well ask Ino what it meant if a conductor touches his protégé’s cheek or pulls up her sweater.

It could really just be harmless comforting of an inexperienced and nervous musician. Sakura was, after all, his protégé, she was already treated as the orchestra’s most recognisable poster child, she was about to give her first major interview. Mr Uchiha was just covering all of his bases and making sure she was representing him to the best of her abilities.

Yeah, that had to be it. The more Sakura thought about it, the sillier she felt for even entertaining the thought there could be more behind her maestro’s touches than the simple comfort and guidance a mentor feels obligated to give his students when he sees them struggling. Mr Uchiha was, after all, so very much out of her league and she would have to mature at the speed of light to catch up with the women he was probably interested in.

Sakura couldn’t supress the laugh that escaped her lips at the thought as she put her arm around her friend. “You’re right, Ino. I’m hugging you now, doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to start developing romantic feelings for you.”

The blonde just shot her a seductive grin. “Be careful what you wish for, baby.”

________________________________________________________________

 They were brilliant.

Of course, they were always brilliant. It was his orchestra, after all. But Madara had to hand it to his musicians: Tonight, they were magnificent.

He couldn’t remember the last time he felt anything akin to nervousness before a concert, but tonight’s special guest set his teeth on edge. Everything had to be absolutely perfect, or he would have never heard the end of it in his next article.

Strutting proudly around the backstage area and congratulating his ensemble for a performance well done, he was headed straight towards his dressing room, where the highly unwelcome intruder was waiting for him. Only when he opened the door, he was nowhere to be seen.

“Madara, there you are.” Hearing his supposedly best friend’s voice was always a sensation similar to nails scraping on a chalk board. Madara never missed a chance to remind him of that fact, too.

“Hashirama, you know I hate it when you yell like-“

“I know, I know, don’t get your conductor’s panties in a bunch. Pretty sure the interview’s already started, so I’m sure you’re free now. Let’s go grab a drink to toast tonight’s concert, you guys really were amazing. Come on.”

Madara’s arm reached out to grab the man’s shoulders, digging his fingers uncomfortably into his skin. “What do you mean, the interview’s already started? He said he made an appointment for tomorrow.”

“I’m pretty sure I saw him enter her dressing room just a moment ago. You know how he is, he likes to catch his prey off guard. But don’t worry, I’m sure your PR team briefed her and everything, she’ll do fine. And if not, it’ll be a baptism by fire. Better learn from the tough ones, he’ll raise the bar so high, she’ll never complain about another interview partner again.”

Madara was sure if he could grind his teeth any harder, they would splinter into a million tiny pieces. The thought of Sakura alone with him, completely caught off guard, goaded into talking about things she wasn’t prepared for made his hair stand on end.

He quickly navigated the maze of dressing rooms until he found the door with her name on it. Madara could already hear their voices seeping through, and to his surprise he even heard Sakura’s telltale giggle.

Not bothering to knock, he swung the door open and found his protégé with a bouquet of flowers in one hand, the other trying to hide the grin on her face, which was clearly reserved for the man in front of her.

When Sakura saw him enter, her playful expression changed into a surprised one when she happily exclaimed, “Mr Uchiha, look, I got flowers! I don’t mind giving interviews if they all start off with such a nice gesture.”

She shot her interview partner a grateful look, which only made Madara’s insides boil.

“Trust me, Miss Haruno, flowers are a special gesture reserved for buttering up only my most interesting interview partners.”

Great, he flirts now, too.

Just as he was rolling his eyes in annoyance, the man in question turned to finally face him with a knowing smirk on his face.

“Long time no see, Madara.”

Madara puffed up his chest and let out a disapproving grunt as he eyed his worst nemesis.

“Tobirama.”

[darkdevasofdestruction]

My Beloved Cherry Blossom ~ Yamaoka Kazan/The Oni x Fem!Reader

Note: Since Kazan lived in the feudal era, and died there, his S/O would be someone from that time, so, just like him, she'd be dead, so the shock of seeing the dead back alive would be great for him...Who also died in a painful death. Haha.

"My son, you reached the age when you have to marry and ensure the continuation of our bloodline. Since you haven't bothered looking for a potential wife, I took the liberty of finding you a pretty girl. She is the daughter of a respectable samurai who guards the Emperor, and her father ensured she is a very capable, smart and understanding woman, so she will be able to deal with your...Temper." Kazan's father sat down with his son, who scowled, offended at what he heard, but despite all this, he was well aware of this bother he had to deal with. "...Yes, father." he muttered, sharply looking down at the floor. "We will go to meet her tomorrow, at her home, an in less than a month, we will have the marriage. I know you are not the type to care about families and women...But you have to do anything in your power to ensure the honor and survivability of the Yamaoka bloodline." yes, of course, his father just had to sigh in disappointment. "I understand, father. I will make you proud." Kazan answered before leaving the room to train, as a way to let out the pent up rage.

Who needed women and a family? He certainly didn't care about that. They were a nuisance. A weakness, at best. Father is too much of a sentimental, even for a samurai. What a ridiculous charade...

And his displeasure continued even the next day, as he dressed in a rich, official kimono, to show off his heritage, but at the same time, his long hair was put in a disheveled ponytail, rebel strands flying with the wind, and the neck of his outfit was lowered down enough to show his outlaw-ish predisposition. Needless to say, his father was angered by this side of his son - Surely, he taught him better! - But it was far too late, and they had already arrived at the L/N estate.

Just outside the big, beautiful house, a petite young woman, her long dark hair shining like ebony, her skin as white as snow...She looked so frail that she'd almost resemble a snowdrop. And she was delicately playing a soft, yet sorrowful tune on her bamboo flute, while her father put a pink flower in her hair, looking at her with nostalgia and love.

Kazan look at his own father, before glancing back at the girl whom he found out was named Y/N, and realised how big of a difference it was to was a son, compared to having a daughter. The difference in the two men's behaviour was huge.

He once heard a samurai, whose wife had just given birth to his daughter, "Treat your daughter the way you wish her husband would treat her." He didn't care at first, obviously - Kazan's mind was never on marriage - But now he was beginning to understand the meaning of his words, for they were wiser than anticipated.

Her father was tender, and treating her as if she was the soft petal of a cherry blossom, and his voice was low, loving and respectful, not wanting to startle her in any way...He was talking as if he was trying to keep the zen equilibirum intact at all costs.

The love between a man and a woman is supposed to be like Yin and Yang...

But how could Kazan possibly behave in such a way, when all he knew was to be a rageful brute who would destroy everything in his path in the loudest, brashest way possible?

"Ah, Yamaoka-san, you have arrived. And you brought your son with you. It's an honour finally meeting you, Kazan. Here, this is my daughter, Y/N. Y/N, dear, why don't you go prepare some osmanthus tea for our tired travelers, while I guide them to our table in the cherry blossom garden?" her father pat her hair, and in return, she bowed slightly at the guests, offering them a gentle smile, that would put all of Spring's flowers to shame. "Yes, right away, father. I hope you will like our flower garden. Papa had them all planted in honour of my mama. They are all her favourite kinds and colours." ah, yes, of course. Women have a special kind of bond with their mother - That was something he would never be able to fully comprehend, Kazan realised very easily, by the way the girl was close to shining as soon as she talked about her birth-giver.

The son of the Yamaoka family obvious saw women before - He wasn't an idiot - And he had enough experience with them...But there was something different about this one. She was...So...Innocent? She seemed to naive and not from this world, almost as if she had no idea of the terrors of the world outside of her residence.

It was such an endearing thing, almost exciting - But the young samurai wasn't sure if he wanted to protect this innocent ignorance at all costs...Or if he wanted to shatter it into pieces and taint it completely.

But that question was easily answered as soon as she came back and started pouring tea for him. And then later in their marriage, the way she behaved so gently with him, it was so weird, so foreign to him, and yet, it made him feel something else...Something completely different from the bubbling, infernal rage he could feel in his chest all the time.

It was soothing, mending his soul completely, for some reason that he couldn't comprehend at all.

But why should he, anyway? He was content just having her by his side whenever he was home. Only she was able of taming the storm that clouded his mind and soul.

His little cherry blossom.

And only the Gods knew how many men he had to kill to make sure she isn't harmed, or prayed upon. He never realised how many desperate, disgusting, dishonorable and lecherous men could be, but Kazan wasn't going to let her see anything other than the honour of a samurai - Like him, his father, and her own father.

However, not even her gentle soul would be able to contain his rage whenever he'd hear that dreadful, shameful nickname they would call him.

"Oni-Yamaoka"

Why was he an Ogre, all of a sudden? Because he brought justice upon the fakes who made a mockery of the code of the samurai? Because he wanted to protect the sole person he cared for in this life? Even his father was against the aggressiveness he displayed on the battlefield, and in the actions he took...It almost felt like even his father was agreeing with that stupid nickname!

"Here, Kazan, lay your head on my lap and forget about your worries, at least for tonight." Y/N pat her lap with a sweet smile, her eyes gleaming with love and benevolence as she reached out her other hand to reach out to him, and as if possessed, he followed her lead absent-mindedly. "Y/N." Kazan called out after a few minutes of having his eyes closed, feeling himself relaxing as her fingers were soothingly playing with his long, untameable hair. "Why do you always tell me to lay on your lap, whenever I'm angry?" "Do you not like it, darling?" she asked, but the passive smile on her face showed that she knew that wasn't the case at all. "I do. I was just wondering why." he grumbled in a lower voice, which made her muse, her smile shaping into an almost kitten-like one. "My mama always did that to papa. She said that the best place for a man to relax is on a girl's thighs. I don't think she was wrong." oh, what a sweet giggle she had. It sounded crystalline, like a river of diamonds going through the forest. "...I won't comment on that." the man closed his eyes, not wanting to give in to the flushed sensation he felt hearing something so embarrassing. "You do not have to be embarrassed, my dear. We are man and wife. There is nothing we could do or say that would be worth or deemed as embarrassing." she reassured him with an amused tone, as her small hand touched his bare chest, just where his heart would be. "Why are you not afraid of me, like the rest of them? You are nothing more than a frail woman. You have the eyes of a baby fawn, and the frail bones of a rabbit. You are nothing more than a flower in comparison to me. I could snap your neck like a twig if I'm not careful touching you. And yet, you allow yourself to be vulnerable around me, and while at it, you encourage me to be the same as well. I will never understand the complexity of women and their thinking." the samurai sighed, grumbling in faux annoyance. "My, my, was that what was on your mind? How lovely of you to be concerned about me. Well, I will tell you a little secret, since you are so curious, but make sure it stays between the two of us, alright?" she giggle softly, almost like a little child kissing her crush on the cheek, and it made Kazan's heart flutter. Was she truly trusting him with a secret? What did he do so worthy to her that she deemed him the perfect candidate as a secret-keeper? "I would not dare tell your secret even to the Emperor himself, or my father." came the samurai's vow with such seriousness, that made the girl grin. "You see, women aren't physically strong like men are, but what we lack physical prowess, we make up for our incredible emotional strength. So, I believe that, at least in these times of war and bloodshed, a man's role is to protect the physical body of the woman, while the woman's role is to protect her man's heart and soul. Without balance, there is no future and no happiness, wouldn't you agree? If we don't make the best out of this life, and look at the beauty of the world...Then have we even lived at all?" there was wisdom in the words that Kazan deemed rather naive, and yet...What she said wasn't wrong, per se. In fact, it was true. He was well aware that, with his body, the best he could do was protect her, but he would never be able to sooth her broken heart the same way she does to him...And likewise, he remembered the mirthful laugh he let out when she tried lifting his weapon from the ground.

However, he wasn't going to say anything out loud, and decided that, instead of voicing his opinions, he'd rather grunt and close his eyes, letting sleep take over him, his head still resting on her soft thighs.

Maybe having a wife wasn't as bad as he once thought...

But times change fast - Years pass, lives pass, the river passes...And yet, only one thing doesn't pass, and that is Yamaoka Kazan's rage, which only grew stronger and stronger with each day, and each time he heard himself getting called "The Oni".

He was desperately angry, and not even Y/N's loving touch or sweet voice could save his soul, so much, that in fear of accidentally hurting her, he decided to stay out and train or go on and kill more and more samurai impersonators, hoping to somehow release all his anger and be able to return home.

He knew Y/N would be worrying for him, but she needn't do such a thing, it would only hurt her heart, and that was the last thing he wanted. He was strong, and feared - Who would dare go against Yamaoka Kazan, anyway?

The days away from home multiplied, and he was away for a stupefying month...Y/N must be crying, worried sick. He wasn't afraid of anything physical in this world, yet the thought of her doe eyes shedding tears...It was something he was terrified of, especially if he was the cause of that.

But on the way home, he found a pink lotus flower, and he thought she would love it, so he gently took it with him back home. It was raining, and an ominous feeling crept into Kazan's heart, and he realised there seemed to be an almost dark aura around his home.

It wasn't yet sleeping time, so why were there no candles lit? There was no sign of any living being there? Where were the servants? Where was his beloved Y/N, waiting for him on the porch, playing the flute the way she always did?

Something was not right...

The man rushed inside the house, and as soon as he slammed open the sliding door, he was met with nothing that he expected - Pools of blood on the floor, while the otherwise neutral-coloured walls were splattered with the red liquid, and the corpses of the servants were brutally mangled and thrown around as if they were defect ragdolls.

It wasn't the horrifying sight that scared him, but the fate of his wife - So he made haste and ran to their shared room...And there she was.

In more pieces than she should be in.

Her hair was a mess, her kimono was a mess, her make up was a mess...And she had been tortured, from the way her wounds, slashes and cuts looked on her body.

Who...? Who could do something so...So...Disgusting...To a defenseless woman who had no means of fighting back? Where was the honour in defeating a weak civilian, such as her? What was the purpose of this massacre?! Was it to anger him? To bring out the Ogre from him? Is it what they all wanted? To see The Oni they feared and hated so much? They got revenge on a small woman, just to get to him?!

"Ah, Kazan, finally. Took you quite a while to return home...I thought her body would rot away and get swarmed with maggots by the time you'd return. And what's that in your hand? A flower? Did you want to apologise to her with a stupid flower? You have caused my daughter immense distress, and yet, she loved you to the very end. You should have seen her cry out your name, praying for you to come back home and save her...But, alas, the Ogre is never home! He is so busy killing, that he didn't realise he killed his own wife! Hahaha! Yamaoka Kazan, you are a pathetic excuse of a man, you could never come close to her strength! I tried everything to get her to tell me your secrets...But she didn't say a word. She ignored me. In the end, she came to hate me, her own father, who cared and loved her since she was born...And she loved you, some spineless monster who knows nothing but carnage!" what...? What was this man saying...? Is he truly implying that he tortured his own daughter to death, for...Information...On him...? "What...Did you do...?!" red was the only thing he could see, as he couldn't help but stare deep into her dead eyes that still held the fright and agony they last felt when she was still alive. "I KILLED HER! I KILLED MY OWN DAUGHTER, Y/N! This whole marriage was meant to bring down your stupid family of brutes and uncontrollable monsters! It was meant to kill YOU! But she was stupid! Nothing more than a sentimental woman! She LOVED you, a monster who knows only bloodlust! It's YOUR fault that she is dead, Kazan! YOU killed her! YOU!" her father yelled at him only meaningless gibberish.

In fact, Kazan couldn't comprehend words anymore. Instead, he could only hear whispers - They were soft and feminine...They sounded like Y/N...Could her ghost be talking to him? Was she trying to calm him down one more time, from beyond this world?

Yes, you were a saint, truly...It was a pity you had to meet him...If you hadn't, you'd have still been alive...And your beautiful flute song would still resound around the forest, along with the thrill of the birds.

"I am sorry, Y/N" was the last thing Kazan thought...

As The Oni took over completely, and went on the greatest blood shed known to mankind at that time...

------

What am I doing here...? What is this strange place...? It looks nothing like the beautiful flower garden Kazan made for me...So where am I?

The girl looked around like a confused meerkat, asking herself a limitless amount of questions, only to look down and realise her beautiful pink kimono was dirty with mud, and she gasped in shock. How could she let that happen! She can't let Kazan see her like this, what would he think?!

Ah, yes, that's it, just look around for Kazan, he'll surely know what's going on!

However, instead of finding her strong samurai, she saw three other people, all looking of a different race than her, and wearing such strange clothes...

Was she behind fashion, and she had no idea? She was sure she was buying only the best kimonos there were...!

"What are you just standing around for?! Run! We have to repair the generators!" a girl with unnatural coloured hair yelled at her before she sprinted the hell out of there.

Generators...? What are...Generators...? And why is this place so creepy...?

Hold up...This paper wall maze...This was from her home! Yes, that means she was close to home!

She ran through the little maze with a smile on her face, only to see one of the man working very focused on some kind of contraption, and he urged her to help him out. She sheepishly crouched opposite of him, frightened, but she carefully tried to do something, but instead, a loud noise and sparks came out, and she shrieked in fear, shielding her face as she fell on her back.

"What kind of sorcery is this?!" she cried out, her eyes watering. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you want to die that badly?! Get a grip and do something useful for once!" the man screamed in her face, before running the hell out of there.

Why were they all so rude to her...?

She was so used to her family, her servants, friends and Kazan to be nice with her, that she didn't realise people like these existed too.

A bit shaky, Y/N got up, trying to pat away the dust from her dirty kimono, and continued to look the estate...Only to find her home...But why was it in such a deplorable state...? Surely, she wouldn't allow her beloved home to end up like this...!

As Y/N made her way inside the home, she noticed the scary amount of blood splattered all over the place...Almost as if there was more red than colours of walls an the floor. It was so frightening...And confusing.

Who died here? And how in the world...I mean...She was sleeping, and then...

Oh.

Oh.

No.

She wasn't sleeping...

As soon as she stepped into her room, she didn't notice the blood on the floor, but the discarded pink lotus that laid on her pillow. As she crouched to take the flower in her room, she got a sudden flashback of her memories from the night she died...

She waited for Kazan, and the elderly servant woman was comforting her, pouring her tea and patting her back, as she played the same flute song she did when she first met beloved.

But then, her father paid her a visit...And a true hell was unleashed...

Her own father did something so atrocious...Such a betrayal was nothing she could ever phantom in her own life, and yet, her life was ended not by a stranger, but by her own kin.

As silent tears escaped her eyes and streamed down her delicate cheeks, a loud roar shook the whole estate, and the brusque blurting in the room of a huge man was enough to fright her to fall on the ground with a startled yelp.

And yet...

The raised weapon, the samurai garments he wore...And that Oni mask... There was only one person in the world who could look like this.

"Kazan...?" her voice came out weaker than a whisper, and she wasn't sure if he even heard her calling out his name. For a split second, she was terrified of the thought of that horribly enormous weapon striking her down where she stood, in her own bed, for the second time...And yet...

The monstrously big man dropped his weapon and slowly crouched in front of her, picking up the flower and putting it in her hair, pinning it away from her gorgeous face.

"Y/N...It really is you..." his voice came out as a dark grunt, in fact, in very much sounded like a demon, and yet, his moves and actions seemed more delicate than even this lotus flower.

The girl started laughing from happiness, allowing more tears to escape her eyes, being reunited with the love of her life, and she threw herself in her arms, feeling safer than she ever did in her life.

"I missed you so much, my dear Kazan...I missed you so...I can't believe such things happened to us...And yet, here we are, together again, even in death, even in hell." as she said that, she slowly took away his mask, and revealing his rugged face, obviously one of a man seasoned in war and tortured to death - She put her hand on his cheek, just as he used to do with her, and caressing him, she leaned in to plant a kiss on his forehead.

It was meant not only as a lucky charm, but as a 'home sweet home' as well, for there was no home without Kazan's arms wrapped around her protectively...

And there was no home without the petite body of his beloved S/O in his strong embrace, watching her fall asleep.

"I promise you never leave you again, my beloved cherry blossom." he said so, and yet, having been in this Hell longer than her, he knew of the atrocities she, as a Survivor, would have to endure, and the hell the Entity would put on the both of them.

And yet...

If anyone even dares to look at her the wrong way, The Oni would make sure that, no matter how immortal the Killer might be, he would bring an end to them.

He already lost her once, and he's not going to let a tragedy befall her ever again.