#this show takes over my soul regularly

[yandere-kokeshi]

What would Kratos do if the reader got sick? Well, like, I don’t think that a large number of blankets would be saved in his house (despite the fact that it looks cozy, I think it’s very cold there).

— Yandere Kratos with sick reader

Warnings:  yandere behavior, and talks about having the flu

A/N: akkk, love this so much!

With you being sick, it only results in Kratos being more grumpy and severely overbearing. Small answers to anybody outside his personal circle, his devil eyes staring into people’s souls, and being more impatient.

It’s no surprise that he takes your health very seriously. Even a minor cough, or slight sniffle, has him looking at you with worried eyes. He quickly brings you to a healer, who only shrugs their shoulders and suggests medicine to make your immune system pass it faster. And to nobody’s surprise, he doesn’t take it lightly. He’s overprotective, overthinking minor things — which means, you’re going to be coddled to the max. 

Kratos replaces everything in the whole cabin to your liking, to keep itself warm for your sake. He gives you wool blankets, piling them on top of you like pieces of cakes. Constant fires that keep you warm, but far enough to be cautious. And wearing thick clothing, being fed a large bowl of stew to keep you nice-and-full. 

He regularly wakes you up between naps, giving your elbow a squeeze with an apologetic look before mumbling ‘eat up’, serving you warm and good-smelling soup that he hopes you’ll enjoy. 

He does everything in his path to keep your fever down. He checks up on you constantly, a frown on his face prominent as he takes your temperature with his large backhand, grazing his thumb over your sweating forehead, and presses cold towels to your feverish body. 

Literally babies you. He will hand-feed you, catching any food that dribbles from the corner of your mouth with his thumb whilst chuckling. And always asks Atreus to fetch you more food at the trading-market that’s soft on your stomach. 

He worries a lot. And it’s not something he’s glad about showing — he paces constantly, grunting instead of answering with words, and waiting for the time to be gone, as if you’re going to get better within a snap of fingers. It’s funny really, seeing a man known for his indisputable strength, worrying like a mother; constantly looking at you with wide eyes, and a frown. He’s always touching you, kissing the back-of-your-hand, whilst mumbling words that you cannot make out– to whom, you learn about one night that he’s sorry. Sorry for making you sick, and how you’re suffering because of it. 

This said, if you need to get up for an unnecessary thing, or come up with excuses for trying to say you’re better when you’re obviously not. And for that, Kratos isn’t afraid to push you back into bed, telling you to stay and rest. And if he needs to, he’ll keep you trapped within his arms, which we all know, is incredibly solid to get out of.

Within the statement of arms, Kratos is incredibly warm — and it’s no surprise he’s using it when you’re cold. He’s constantly bundled underneath you with many blankets, having you lay on top of him as his arms are wrapped around you like snakes. At times, he’ll move his fingers underneath the back of your shirt and massage your lower back. 

—

Masterlist || Reblogs, comments, and likes are very much appreciated!! Stay well!!

© yandere-kokeshi 2023 — Do not copy, modify, edit, repost, or use my works for ASMR readings, tiktoks, or other content.

[danger-bird]

Touchstarved Astrology Headcanons🌠

Mostly based on my own irl observations over the years, as well as my bookworm era a few years ago . Also taking into account my own impressions & feelings for the LIs, so sufficiently biased and I'm not sorry. In the words of Danny DeVito: "I'm right, you're wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it!" /lovingly❤️

Ais

Venus in Virgo. Period. I'm dying on this hill. Fight me. No but fr, first he's a diehard animal lover and will jump into a dog fight to save a puppy. Second, he's giving "mother hen" behavior - says "watch your step", then grabs you when you trip and scolds you "told you to watch your step"(Virgo 101); sends you off with an ESCORT, jumps in fists first when the roughneck tries fighting you then hides you from the purple gang later and escorts you back himself - need I say more? Not to mention he VERY likely helped Kuras save us (his scent lingers in the clinic when MC wakes up), and helps in the clinic regularly (so a part-time nurse, most likely helped save Mhin too). Also, he was definitely watching over us even before the Seaspring (the scarred woman knew our name from somewhere, also the Unnamed can feel Ocudeus' presence outside the clinic). He craves taking care of someone - people, animals, soulless, poor unfortunate souls - you name it. And it's not for show - that's just how he is. That's how he shows love - by being attentive. All my favorite people have this placement, they're all like him in this regard - best Venus placement imo (yes, I'm a biased Venus in Taurus, BUT I'm also right, lol)

Scorpio Ascendant I mean... come on. Come on. He's LITERALLY a gang leader! Not that anybody needs convincing, but aside from the sharp, intense eyes and the fact he oozes sex appeal, this would place his Sun in 10th House- he is known publicly as a leader, his presence demands respect and attracts attention. BDE for sure. Also he's very smart, intuitive and observant. Very aware of his surroundings, can pick up on people's moods & intentions like it's nothing. I'm convinced he can literally read our mind. A smart, sexy and caring bastard, lord help me...

Kuras

Virgo Signature sign Kuras is very service-oriented, focused on helping the community and always looking for ways to assist others. Very mindful of people’s problems and what they’re in need of - and ready to provide it, no matter what it may cost him. He’s also very polite, but comes off rigid, like he’s read “Social Etiquette for Humans 101” and is following it to the letter lol. Also kinda nerdy – has his special interests, and if you let him he’ll talk about reductions and concoctions all day, every day. I don't think it's a specific placement that influences this behavior, it's the whole picture, thus - a signature sign!

Saturn Dominant This man is a Capricorn already, sure, but there’s a difference. Capricorn placements have an inner spark, a fire about them – they’re ambitious and driven while being practical and disciplined. Saturn, however, is a dry and dark, malefic - almost apocalyptic planet. It’s the last visible planet – the gatekeeper of the divine knowledge (depicted by the outer planets). It represents time, boundaries, a sense of duty and responsibility, guilt and the consequences of one's actions. A symbol of Kronos and the Devil, it represents the falling of God, the grotesque expression of divinity. Kuras has a curious mind, fascinated by science and humanity, and in light of the Kuras character lore (and his not-too-subtle mischievousness) he def has strong Uranus & Jupiter influence as well. But the Saturnian themes in particular parallel the themes and main conflict in his story most strongly.

Mercury Retrograde I had to. The way he's so precise and eloquent, but roundabout when he talks? How he's so tight-lipped and takes his sweet time before answering a question? Mercury retrograde, 100 percent. I don't make the rules.

Mhin

Moon in 1st House. How do I know? I have it. The color of printer paper (the sun hates us), emotions written all over their entire existence and impossible to hide, as well as rather intense emotional outbursts? Yes, yes and yes. Big-time tsundere? Yes. Big softy, too? Yes. We could be twins, honestly. I stg they have a crush on Ais, but unlike with Kuras they're not happy about it. I dunno, call it twin telepathy. The Christmas photo doesn't help either.

Water moon, most likely in Cancer. Not Scorpio, because their emotions fluctuate rapidly, and are overtly moody. The difference between big waves and a rip current, for example. But more so, this makes for a Sun-Moon square - the dissonance and lack of harmony between their outer persona and their inner needs and desires is clear. They have difficulty expressing their emotions, not difficulty as in showing them, but in a way where they come off wrong and get interpreted the wrong way. Very protective, like a smol soft crabbie shielding themselves with their shell. Pushes people away consciously, but hoping for someone to have enough of a "spine" to handle them and protect them, giving them a safe space to finally relax. Most of all they need love, reassurance and acceptance (my poor little meow meow💙)

Mars square Mercury That Mercury is in Aries, you can't tell me otherwise. The extra 'angry' coming from Mars in Capricorn is helping, too. But not only that, it also makes a square to their Sun AND an opposition to their Moon - a T-square, a highly difficult & stressful configuration. The Mars is in Capricorn because they like a partner with authority and attitude (Cap in 7th), and it makes for good synastry with Kuras (my cutie patooties). Also for how small they are, they're very agile and skilled with knifes (ruled by Mars).

Leander

Venus conjunct Pluto. Sexy. Magnetic. He pulls you in with the gravitational force of his tits. These people are the definition of an intense lover. Obsessive and hungry for love - and pain, equally, very big on extreme and overwhelming sensations. You have a terrible curse? Oooh, danger - gimme! You can never give them too much attention - they want it all, and they're not sharing. Possessive, wants to draw you into their little world and keep you for themselves.

Leo Ascendant, for a few reasons. I was initially thinking Libra, but after looking at everything, I decided on Leo. He has a noble presence - not surprising considering his upbringing. He's a very charismatic talker, well-spoken, lovely voice, can charm anyone into trusting him (Libra in 3rd coming through). To his credit, he takes his work seriously and comes off as a reliable boss (Cap in 6th, also Taurus in 10th). He wants to take care of people... or rather, wants to be seen as a savior. I really see him as a Gemini-Cancer cusp, but technically he's a Cancer so his sun will be in 12th house. It’s a house of self-undoing, the afterlife, illusions - ego and reality go to disintegrate here. All that connects into the life-and-death theme surrounding him and his design. The sun here becomes a fantasy, a goal rather than reality – a dream of being a leader, a hero, someone who people look up to for help and answers. He’s really giving Jesus-wannabe, with the resurrection and savior complex he has going on, as well as the over-the-top generosity. A big red crab, with a big red flag... and the tits to match (Cancer rules the booba).

Vere

Venus conjunct Midheaven, Midheaven being in Scorpio. With Sun in Scorpio. Lots of Scorpio. He’s so pretty! Pretty in an elegant, sensual, effortless yet manicured to perfection way. Apparently, the BBC (Big Bulky Collar) on him does not signal “DANGER!” to the rascals who take him for an easy target, because all they see is the approachable, delicate face and inviting voice. He knows the effect he has on people, and he’s using it to his advantage – to get a free drink, or to make people trust him juuust enough to get what he wants. He is attracted to power, powerful people, and wants power for himself – and he’s ruthless about achieving his goals, too (Scorpio in 10th); there’s a lot of gossip surrounding this man’s public image, his reputation. Venus conjunct Midheaven places a focus on art – he is an artist, appreciates art as well as creating it himself. He IS the art, or that’s the perception of him anyway.

Venus in Scorpio As Venusian as he appears, Venus is in detriment here – there’s conflicting emotions regarding his looks, and the perception of him – or rather, the expectations placed on him because of it. He'll break rules on purpose, act outrageous, play coy, use his beaty for all its worth – he’ll purposefully play the ‘bad guy’ as a form of rebellion, a defense mechanism. He can’t find comfort in a traditional relationship dynamic and has a hard time liking someone who likes them back - he’s afraid of commitment. I believe his confidence is a façade; there’s an underlying fear of betrayal and rejection, and a paranoia that any good thing that comes his way is a trick, a trap, or a lie. That he doesn’t deserve love or care, really. Buuut… if you’re like Ais and see him for all his ‘ugly’, and accept him anyway… then you’re really something💜.

1525 words. Yikes. I tried keeping the word count down.

Unsuccessful. Obviously.

If you’ve read this far, go have some water, a snack, a stretch – you deserve it! Doctor’s orders!!!

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P.S. : Ais' side profile sprite is giving me "ex-punk mom wearing a cozy cardigan", is it just me? Anyone? Are you seeing it? Am I crazy? Do I need help?...

...I'll see myself out.

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[shenanigans-and-imagines]

Since you named it in the Halsin x Ace!tav headcanons, now please do also gale because I'm curious!

- a very ace ⚙️

Alright, by popular(ish) demand:

How Ace!Tav Reacts When They Realize Gale is Into Them

An expansion on this headcanon: Ace!Tav's Reaction to Halsin Propositioning Them

Based on: Astarion x Ace!Tav Masterlist

Okay, now I feel bad because I feel like I've thrown my man Gale under the bus for this, but it really isn't his fault, just a lot of miscommunication

This one is a slower build since Gale is just in the party longer and it's just how he roles

Ace!Tav and Gale form a connection fairly early on

Tav knows they're not the most book smart and so does regularly ask Gale for his input (or to read them something without asking any questions)

Gale is happy to be useful, and just so thrilled to have somebody beside his cat who will listen

This is probably where the miscommunication begins

Gale takes their active listening, and ability to recount the information he taught them as a sign of deeper interest while Tav actively listens because that's just what they do

They're a bard who never learned how to read, listening is the only way they learn anything, plus they have a memory like steel trap

This all comes to a head at the tiefling party

Astarion approaches Tav about having a "night of passion" which Tav turns down because it's obviously not their thing, and they don't really want to have that conversation with Astarion; why spoil a good thing (read I Want I All for more on that subject)

And then Gale says he wants to show them how to experience the weave later that evening and so, they decide to go with him

Tav knows they're in touch with the weave through their music, but never fully understood why or how, only that it works, so to have Gale show them is an experience they can't pass up

Besides, they know how passionate he is about it, who would they be to deny him

So, Gale shows them the weave and when he asks them to picture the concept of harmony, what they imagine is music, the way it fills their body and brings them peace; melody strumming not just through their ears but their whole body into their soul

It's an intimate sensation, one they haven't been able to express with words and for a moment Gale feels it

He tells them he feels like he owes them an apology for being at bit...well, dismissive of their form of magic, it's truly beautiful

And then Tav sees it, a flash of his own mind, and the anticipation of a kiss

That snaps them right out of it, letting the weave disappear around them

Gale, realizing what they saw, is quick to apologize but the moment is ruined and the pair of them quickly make their way back to their own tents to wallow and over think

Tav feels unbelievably guilty, not helped by Astarion's comments the next morning

Astarion isn't jealous, why would he be? But he can't help but ask what Tav and the wizard got up to, using every teasing innuendo he can think of

Tav finally snaps and tells him nothing happened and that they need to talk to Gale

Gale has been properly wallowing and keeping unnaturally silent until Tav pulls him aside to talk

Gale once again apologizes, but he really did think there was a connection between the two of them

He knows he's not much of a wizard these days and he's also very well aware that there is something going on between them and Astarion, but he did hope...well, no point in that is there

Tav feels even more guilty, but is quick to assure him he did nothing wrong, they just don't see him that way

In truth, what they really want, in the deepest part of their hearts, is to be his friend; to be honest, they don't have that many

Gale tells them, "Somehow I doubt that. I can't imagine you being lonely"

Tav only gives him a sad smile, saying "what can I say, I contain multitudes"

Gale sees it then, that they are, in fact, lonely and for a moment sees it in himself; that maybe his feelings he started to develop really do come from that same place of loneliness

Tav watches him carefully asking, "have I hurt you terribly?"

Gale shakes his head, "just a bit bruised, nothing that won't heal. Admittedly, I think it's more my ego than my heart"

He assures them that he does value their friendship, he just might need a minute to recover

He also tells them that whoever they do give their heart to better know how valuable it truly is

It does take Gale a little time to come back to himself, but eventually he's able to become a true friend to Tav with none of the remaining awkwardness

He also makes a point to assure Astarion of the same thing after he senses the vampire glare one too many daggers into his back

As much fun as it is to tease Astarion, he doesn't want to have to sleep with one eye open, if he can help it

[yasssgiveusnothing]

Radiohusk Analysis: Husk Cares or Nothing Makes Sense (Part 2)

Husk cares about Alastor. It makes no narrative sense otherwise.

Let's talk about it!

Husk goes out of his way to help Alastor when it would be in his best interest to not care AT ALL about that man:

Husk goes to Al to warn him of Mimzy and ARGUE with him for Al's benefit.

Husk gets frustrated when Al doesn't heed his warning and thinks Al will get hurt.

These screenshots are from season 1 episode 5.

Here's the scene:

Let's delve deeper into it!

Narratively, that whole scene serves three purposes:

1. To tell the viewer Al is also on someone's leash.

2. To tell the viewer Husk worries and cares about Alastor.

We are shown Husk going out of his way to help Al, only for Al to tell Husk that he does not need to worry because Al has everything under control. We then see Al was correct as he jovialy kills and consumes his enemies without effort. In other words, what the viewer learns from this scene is that Husk needlessly worries about Alastor's well-being.

3) To draw parallels between Angel & Valentino and Husk & Al.

You might be thinking, Exactly! If Husk and Al are just lke Angel and Val, why would Husk care for Al or vice versa?!

Vivzie has been pushing this narrative that Al and Husk are parallels for Angel and Val this entire season. I don't think there are enough words to describe how this parallel doesn't work, but I'll try anyway.

A) Angel does not care for Val's well being.

Angel would not go out of his way to help Val like Husk helps Alastor.

B) Val does not care for Angel's well-being.

Val doesn't need to bribe his soul contracts to work with him.

Val straight up gives Angel no free will. (Unlike Al who does not force Husk to attend the bar, instead chosing to bribe him).

If Angel gives the slightest of attitude, Val does not hesitate to get physical immediately. (Unlike Alastor, who not only lets Husk shove a finger into his chest, but let's him speak his mind and does not immediately maim him for disrespecting him.)

C) Husk is not afraid of Al.

A man scared of Al would not argue with him or his benefit, nor go up to him and jab a finger in his chest. And yes, Husk was scared of Al when Al threatened him, but Husk fucking started it! He literally made a jab at the guy where it would hurt! If you made a jab at your pal and they start foaming at the mouth, you'd be scared too, but also know you lowkey deserved it and shouldn't be surprised it happened. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Al and Husk sit together without Husk shitting himself. Could you possibly imagine Angel sitting next to Val without wanting to disappear through the floor? Nope!

D) Al trusts Husk. Refer to my previous theory for more information.

E) Al does not regularly assault or overwork Husk.

Husk chills at the bar all day with access to infinite alcohol. This is the closest Husk will ever get to Heaven.

Alastor has not assaulted Husk ever. Unless we're calling the time Alastor pulls on Husk's chain and makes him fall to the floor an assault. Which, sure, fine. But that ONE push that left NO INJURIES was the only time Al has ever gotten aggressively handsy with Husk. And funnily enough, Husk was the first one to put hands on the other.

This 'assault' in comparison to the treatment Angel gets from Val pales CONSIDERABLY. In fact, the two duos are NOTHING ALIKE beyond there being a Overlord owns your soul dynamic, but with Radiohusk, that dynamic barely takes place as Alastor treats him more like a trusted pal than an object to be abused.

I also want to quickly go over how I feel Husk is out of character for the second half of this scene.

Husk is perceptive. He understands other people extremely well, which has been shown numerous times throughout the show as he reads the entire main cast and Mimzy. He is also a gambler, which means he knows when to bet and when to fold.

So you expect me to believe that Husk would say THAT to Alastor and expect him to take it well, especially when Husk knows it is a sensitive subject to him?

And Alastor's reaction is kinda valid. I mean, someone who you trusted with this information weaponizes it against you by spitting it back in your face! If Angel can have a meltdown over being someone's bitch, why can't Alastor? I mean, Angel throws a broken glass bottle at Husk's head, but Alastor pushes Husk and suddenly Al is as bad as Valentino?

With this, I conclude thtat:

Husk cares about Alastor

Alastor cares about Husk

Angel & Valentino's relationship does not parallel Alastor & Husk's.

Husk was out of character during the second half of that scene and was possibly a result of Vivzie desperately trying to parallel Valdust with Radiohusk.

[the-scarlet-witch-22]

Love and Liabilities: Chapter Four (Agatha Harkness x Fem!Reader)

Summary: As you prepare for the impending trial and attempt to find ways to relieve your stress, the biggest stressor in your life has a funny way of showing up when you least expect it.

Word Count: 2.3k

A/N: Lawyer!Agatha is back after a little hiatus! This is a bit of a shorter chapter to get me back into writing after a few months. I’m hoping to be updating a bit more regularly but I’m (sadly) growing even more busy & stressed, so I promise to do the best I can! As always I hope you enjoy, and thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to let me know what you think. My asks/dm’s are always open!

Tag List: @chiar4anna @harknessshi @neverfindmegone @aggieslittleslut @ris-ris-mind @tr333sus @sabstance-blog

Present Day

The whooshing of the wind in your ears combined with the cool air filling your lungs fueled you to increase your pacing as you ran through the deserted park. It had been nearly a week since you reunited with Agatha, and your brain had been hellbent on torturing you ever since. Nothing could take your mind off the infuriating attorney, not even work. You had spent the past few days pouring over every word in the various documents Agatha presented during the pretrial conference, hoping to find something, anything really, to solidify your case.

It was times like this when you missed working in corporate law. Although you had only been a junior attorney at Stark & Strange, you had unlimited access to paralegals and attorneys at your disposal. Unfortunately, working for the government meant not only taking a significant pay cut, but also limiting your outsourcing. You didn’t regret your decision to leave the firm, but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t miss the perks.

Since burying yourself in piles of work proved useless, your only real escape from Agatha came from running. The familiar burning sensation began to fill your lungs as your body begged for a break, but you forced yourself to continue. Your legs felt heavier than when you first started, and as you rounded the corner of the trail you had to work twice as hard to not slow down. Even though you were growing tired, the rush of endorphins was a welcome change from the haunting memory of searing blue eyes burning holes into your own.

Agatha would be far too pleased to learn how much of your time and energy was being wasted trying to forget her. However, being the soul sucking succubus she was, you wouldn’t be surprised if she was already aware of the pain she was causing. A swell of anger suddenly overtook you, a feeling you had long grown familiar with when thinking of her, and you used it to finish the final stretch of your run. The thudding of your feet on the pavement along with the loud thumping of your heartbeat acting as a painful reminder of the woman you so desperately wanted to rid yourself of.

Swirls of scarlet, orange, and yellow painted the Manhattan skyline as the sun gradually rose over the city, and the quiet beeping of your phone from your back pocket signaled the end of your run. Nearing the end of the trail, you slowed your pace down to a steady walk, allowing yourself to do some breathing exercises in the process whilst checking your email. It was early enough in the morning that there wasn’t much for you to go through, but you knew it was bound to be yet another busy day.

You had timed your run to give yourself just enough time to head back to your apartment to get ready for the day and get to the office before the rest of your colleagues. The stress of the looming trial was becoming overwhelming, and you had to be prepared for whatever chaos Agatha would inevitably throw at you. Unfortunately that meant you were working nearly double the amount of hours than normal.

Luckily you were able to take a quick shower, find clean clothes in the back of your closet, and managed to get to work before anyone else had arrived. You would hopefully have an hour or two to yourself before you were eventually interrupted, and you intended to use every last possible second you could. As you strolled the corridor, you were tempted to stop to make yourself a coffee, but decided to get settled before adding caffeine to this situation.

Absentmindedly dropping your bag to the floor after you entered your office, you refocused your attention on reading a memo that one of your colleagues had left for you. Making mental notes of what needed to be addressed, you turned to open the blinds when you stopped dead in your tracks at what was in front of you.

Agatha Harkness sat in an armchair in the corner of your office, an amused expression painting her face. You nearly fell over at the sight of her, how did she get in here? The door was locked when you had arrived, wasn’t it?

Agatha, unaware of your current inner ramblings, took a sip of her coffee before repositioning herself, recrossing her legs as she gave you a disappointed look. “Your lack of situational awareness is truly astonishing. I could have been a murderer.”

Adrenaline continued to course through your body as your heart thumped loudly in your chest. Taking a deep breath, you ignored her sarcastic remarks as you leaned against your desk, attempting to calm down.

“What-what the hell are you doing in here?” You spluttered out, unsuccessfully trying to regain your composure.

The attorney frowned, as if that was an absurd question. “This is your office, is it not? I wasn’t sure at first, but the withering plants were a bit of a giveaway.”

Typical Agatha. They weren’t dying, were they? You made a mental note to ask your paralegal to water them a bit more.

Ignoring the jab, you took another deep breath, your body still on edge. “Do I even want to know how you got in here?”

Taking a moment to think over your words, she shook her head. “No. Now drink your coffee before the ice melts.”

It was then that you noticed the untouched cup of iced coffee on the edge of your desk. Narrowing your eyes at it, you gave her a suspicious glance. “How do I know you didn’t poison it?”

Agatha rolled her eyes, as if that was the most ridiculous thing to ask her and she didn’t just break into your office. “Honestly, dear. You’re far too paranoid this early in the morning. Drink. We both know how irritable you are without caffeine.”

When you refrained from grabbing the cup, Agatha huffed, her stormy blue eyes swirling in annoyance as she rose from her seat. Taking a step towards you until your legs were nearly touching, she snatched the cup, the silence in the room disrupted by the clanking sound of the ice swirling in the cup. Hovering over you, she used her free hand to grab yours, the soft feel of her touch briefly taking you back to a time where it would have been more welcomed.

Your breath hitched as the rich, musky scent of her expensive perfume washed over you, and you fought the temptation to look into her eyes. How many times had you found yourself in this exact same position with her, you mused lightly as your brain attempted to regain its ability to function. Agatha’s fingers intertwined with yours, as she leaned in even closer, her lips grazing your jawline and you closed your eyes, fighting against the urge to lean into her touch.

Clearing your throat, you shook your head. “No. This can’t happen again.”

Agatha pulled back, her eyebrows slightly raised. “What can’t happen again?”

Giving her a pointed look, you tried to ignore the feel of her fingers still interwoven with your own. “I don’t think we need to relive that mistake, do we?”

“Oh I don’t know about that,” Agatha replied, swishing the cup of iced coffee as she lifted it up. “I seem to recall you rather enjoying yourself during that mistake, or was that someone else who pulled me into a closet and jumped me?”

“I did not jump you! You’re the one who came onto me,” you hissed as your irritation grew exponentially.

“Easy, tiger,” Agatha teased, raising the cup until the straw was nearly touching your lips. “I see the caffeine withdrawal is already kicking in.”

“Agatha…” you trailed off, ignoring your brain protesting that this would hurt even more than your last encounter.

Dropping your hand, Agatha gently cupped your jaw, tilting your head upwards until you were forced to meet her eyes.

“Sip,” Agatha murmured, raising the cup once more to your lips.

Her words were soft, but you both knew it wasn’t a request as much as a command. A part of you knew this was a mistake, that you couldn’t give into her yet again after being strong for so long. But then you looked into her eyes and found yourself getting lost in the fiery intensity she always seemed to carry. Logic and reason held no weight against the pleasure that was being at the mercy of Agatha Harkness.

Wrapping your lips around the straw, you lightly sucked, savoring the creamy, cold taste of the iced coffee on your tongue. Agatha’s eyes darkened at the sight; using one hand to brush your hair behind your shoulders while the other remained glued to your jaw, fingers brushing lightly against your skin.

“Good girl,” Agatha quietly praised, running her fingers through your hair, tugging lightly at the loose strands.

As you released the straw from your mouth, Agatha set the cup down, tightening her grip on your hair before capturing your lips in a kiss. Her lips were warm and gentle against your own, but it wasn’t long before she began nipping on your lower lip, biting down harder when you let out a whine. Moving forward, she pressed herself fully against you, while you instinctively wrapped your arms around her waist. Her tongue expertly sought out your own, and it felt like she was trying to get every drop of coffee from your mouth.

Panting, you were the first to break the kiss, tilting your head as Agatha proceeded to pepper persistent kisses down your jawline, each leaving you more breathless than the last.

“Agatha…” you whimpered, the last bit of self control slipping away even as you tried to hold onto it. “We can’t do this again.”

The attorney chuckled softly against your skin, tickling you ever so slightly in the process. She took a moment to look up at you then, with her ever blue eyes hazy with want and perfectly swollen red lips, and you remembered a moment in time where this had been easier. It was almost too easy to forget the pain of the past when she looked at you in that special way; as if she saved those intimate, sweet glances just for you. You used to believe you were able to bring out a different side of her than the rest of the world saw; that you understood who she was at her core.

Having her here now made the whole situation even worse than you previously remembered. It complicated things, and if there was one thing you hated more than anything, it was unnecessary complications. You found it difficult to remember the seemingly obvious reasons why you left her all those years ago when she was standing within your reach; the light that once dimmed in her eyes was once again ablaze. Gone were the demons of the past, in its place was the woman you had once fallen in love with.

Unfortunately, you were snapped out of your thoughts as you heard chatter from the hallway; your colleagues had arrived for the day. Agatha’s head tilted at the sound, and the moment was broken as she took a step back.

Clearing her throat, she folded her arms across her chest. “I was hoping you had given more thought to dropping the case, that’s why I dropped by.”

Annoyance took over any feelings of longing that had been threatening to emerge, and you frowned. “You do realize that this could be perceived as intimidation, right? That on top of trespassing could mean you potentially lose any upper hand in this trial that you believe you possess.”

Agatha fully cackled, which only served to enrage you further. She picked up a few files that she must have previously set on the desk. “You always were so full of pride and ambition, dear. I’m not surprised to see it still has a hand in clouding your judgment. It’s a pity. I always thought you had a lot of potential.”

Flabbergasted, you shook your head. You should have known better. Only Agatha would be capable of attempting to manipulate you over your shared past to better serve her motive. Shoving past her, you finally opened the blinds to your office, the once sunny morning replaced with dark gray skies as rain furiously poured down. As you turned around to tell Agatha to get out, you were unsurprised to find she was already gone. Typical.

Settling down at your desk, you opened your laptop and started going through your checklist for the day when you noticed something on the edge of your desk; a file folder. You quickly realized Agatha must have left it behind by accident, which was strange; it wasn’t like her to do something like that. It was unclear what drove you to opening the file, but looking back you’d blame it on your own morbid curiosity. Inside there were over a dozen pages of what appeared to be hospital records for two people, one being Wanda Maximoff.

As you settled in to read, your eyes drifted to the neglected iced coffee. A part of you wanted to throw it away, but the caffeine driven side of your brain led you to grab it. After all, it would be a shame to let it go to waste.

Flipping the page over as you sipped, you paused as you actually tasted the coffee for the first time without distraction.

This is your exact coffee order. Iced coffee, extra ice, one pump of vanilla and a splash of oatmilk. After all of these years she still remembered, remembered it perfectly.

You weren’t sure why you hated that as much as you did, but it burns in your mind as you keep reading and drinking, trying to wash her taste out of your mouth.

[rinaxtaros]

[06] | 𝐑𝐄𝐃.

summary: Ciel, [y/n] and Sebastian discuss her future with the Phantomhive’s.

— Tainted (verb) contaminate or pollute (something)

"Well if you are ordered to be by my side I suppose there is nothing I can do.” Ciel shrugs as his eyes flutter close. Sebastian scoffs "My Lord!"

Ciel opens his eye to glare at his baffled butler “I believe this matter has no need for your input, surely you understand the details of our contract?"

Sebastian stays quiet as he sees Ciel had stuck him in a rut. It is true. Yet it annoys him that his simple-minded human master had told him about the details of a demonic contract. He lets his eye twitch in annoyance.

"Do not fret, Sebastian" You interrupt, placing a hand against your heart in feign compassion “I do not wish to consume your master's tainted soul.”

Your eyes flush with a beautiful array of pinks, reds and magentas. Your passion is very obvious as it swirls within your eyes when you’re speaking.

Ciel observes your characteristics intently. The young boy notices the way your eyes seem to glow a passionate red whilst you speak (mock) to Sebastian, and how they seem to sparkle under the candlelit room. Ciel believes your eyes are reminiscent to his late aunts ruby hair.

Though, he should be terrified by the powerful aura you hold, he is nothing short of captivated. Even when you were disguised as a figure close to his mother, he could still sense your strong abilities. Although he may not of known of your supernatural prowess, the confidence you radiate when you’re not acting the part of a humble maid is something that matches Sebastian’s cocky attitude.

"If you are to watch over me, I suppose we should disguise you as a maid." Ciel interrupts the bickering that had begun between you and Sebastian in his time spent thinking.

“Perhaps a housekeeper, a higher position.” He ponders, hand cupping his chin.

“Very smart, young master.” Sebastian comments, ignoring how your smile is pissing him off “It means she can speak to us regularly without being questioned.”

Ciel nods.

"Maybe a name change is in place?" He asks as he looks towards the newest member of the Phantomhive manor.

“Whatever you wish, Phantomhive.” You reply, looking towards the young boy. Despite his young age, he is quite a distinguished businessman.

Ciel thinks for a few moments, allowing the sounds of nature to enter the room. The light pitter-patter of the rain against the large expanse of the glass panes is calming to say the least. It adds to the atmosphere of the room that Sebastian had attempted to make for his master.

You glance at Sebastian. He has had his guard up the whole time you were here, which you find quite confusing. You have shown no sign of aggression, just a simple jest here and there with said demon.

"Have you had any past names?" Ciel rips the two from their staging contest. You laugh “It would take me years to list them all, little Phantomhive."

You blink, thinking “You can call me [y/n]. We can just pretend you hired me after your aunts passing.”

Ciel growls lightly "Do not call me that!" You cock a brow. It’s quite easy to rile up the poor thing. Has Sebastian been a good little dog and not crossed the line with little Ciel?

"I think I recall that you are not my master.”

Sebastian hums "I suppose you aren't my Lord, however, technically you don't have a master at all." He glances at you through the corner of his eye, almost smirking as he tries to one up you.

“Her soul has been eaten has it not?"

You nod. “That is a dilemma for me.” You slip the lacy glove from your hand to show the pair the faint marking “It disappeared when she passed, but after reading the letter, it reappeared.”

“Only slightly, though.” Sebastian hums.

The study falls quiet, the only sound being the clock that ticked on the mantelpiece. The soft glow of the room bounces off of the entities present.

The two seem to communicate silently, passing you glances. It unsettles you.

"I hope that you don't get too happy with me being here, I find it tedious." You add, downcasting your eyes to your scratched shoes. The woodlands had done a number on the polished material.

"Perhaps you can be an informant, surely you know quite a bit about the underworld." Ciel asks.

“Oh? and why would I tell you?” You tease half-heartedly.

"Because I have Sebastian" He speaks smugly "I'll just ask him to torture it out of you.”

His attitude is truly vile. A little boy with such tone-deaf confidence really ticks you off.

“Is that anyway to speak to someone that can so easily kill you?" You mutter, tongue clicking against the roof of your mouth in distaste. Sebastian shuffles, turning towards your figure.

Does he not realise you have to desire in hurting the boy?

“Plus I think you’ll find that…” You glance over at Sebastian “I’ll enjoy it.”

"Is that anyway to speak to my Lord?" Sebastian enquires, stepping towards the demoness who changes her gaze to the wall in front of her.

"I'm starting to rethink this proposition, perhaps I will ignore Anne's last order.” A sigh escapes your lips, tired eyes boring into Sebastians so uninterested it makes his blood boil. Sebastian scoffs.

"You call yourself a Faustian demon yet you disobey your masters orders?" Sebastian glares in disgust. You mirror the disgusted look "You may have respect in Hell, but we are on Earth, I shan't feel scrutinised by your words.”

Ciel laughs from his chair, watching the conflict between demons. A voice in his head tells him he should probably be scared as there is a high chance that a demon fight will break out. Sebastian's demon aura grows from his back, magnifying with the blatant disrespect you continue to show but by the cocky smirk on your face, it’s clear you enjoy pushing his buttons.

Perhaps Ciel will bargain to keep you around.

"Your words aren't just blatant disrespect, but I rather find it amusing to think you will get away with what you say.” Sebastian growls. You shrug her shoulders "If you think you'll get me back in Hell then you are wrong, I don't wish to go back there for centuries.”

Sebastian raises an eyebrow "You think I won't get you here? You think lowly of me, darling.” He chuckles lightly as he collects himself.

Ciel hums, his hands resting in his lap "Will you stay [y/n]? I'm sure you would like to get started on your next contract.”

"Yes.” You confirm, "I would like to make a contract, but no souls attract me.”

Your eyes flutter closed for a second, "It's getting late, little Lord, are you sure you're not tired?" You ask, eyes fluttering open to catch the slight slouch in his posture. Ciel’s houlders droop as he tries to keep himself up right, but he fails miserably. He’s still a child after all - he’ll eventually give into his tiredness.

Sebastian turns to his master, his hands toying with the Phantomhive stopwatch and clicking it open. His eyes widen "Unfortunately she is right my Lord, the time is a quarter past twelve.”

Ciel sighs tiredly "I suppose so.”

"What game are you playing at?" Sebastian asks as he walks down the large hallway, candle holder in hand. His eyes flicker occasionally to the demoness beside him who walks along silently.

"Nothing..but now that you say something like that, perhaps I'll start one.” You taunt, fluttering your lashes towards Sebastian who watches with an unreadable expression.

He scoffs "I can tell what sin you are.”

You pouts (although you weren’t trying to hide it), "Really? How about we play a game then?” You pause Sebastian in his stride.

He watches as your hand slivers to grasp around his black tie. Your fingers curve around the material, watching as his eyes flicker between your hand and your face. You pull, relishing in the way he seems to stutter.

Sebastian's eyes waver for a few seconds as he formulates a plan. A smirk widens on his face as he leans closer, there faces barely centimetres apart "Perhaps we can, but I decide the rules'.”

[tossawary]

So far (partway into the Hueco Mundo arc, I skipped the Bount arc completely), "Bleach" seems to... shy away from interesting consequences for the issues it directly brings up. (Also, oh, man, all the filler varies in quality so much and it is BRUTAL on the pacing of the main storylines.)

Like, I think a lot about the Soul Society arc had a lot of missed potential in general, but I also thought the end of it is where things get genuinely exciting. The Gotei 13 has been repeatedly shown to be uncaring, incompetent, cruel, authoritarian, etc. and it seems like the characters are fighting against this hollow structure built on unsustainable tradition finally cracking under the weight of whatever unjust powers are obviously behind Rukia's execution and apparently Aizen's murder. Multiple captains start turning against each other for different reasons. It seems like Ichigo is just one small part of a much larger world.

And then Aizen is revealed and things still feel pretty delicious! What he did to Momo was REALLY fucked up and painful to watch in many ways. It's not unreasonable that Aizen's betrayal immediately halts a lot of ongoing fights. It makes sense that the Captain Commander doesn't want to turn around afterwards and start executing people for turning against him after losing three captains and all of Central 46. But... I would still expect there to be more lasting cracks and broken trust between the remaining members of the Gotei 13. The top four members of Squad 11 briefly turned against the Gotei essentially for funsies and yet characters like Toshiro and Rangiku don't seem to have any real resentment or suspicion over this casual disloyalty. I vaguely hope the psychological weight of and anger surrounding Aizen's fuckery is explored more later on, with more seriousness, but I can't trust this show not to essentially drop the issue completely.

I don't need this show to have Soul Society turn into some socialist / communist / anarchist utopia. But it is a downer to have a character as absolutely vile as Kurotsuchi thrown in my face during his fight with Ishida, knowing that not only does Kurotsuchi survive, but he's presumably continuing his utterly inhumane work in the Soul Society while everything else is happening. And the show seems to treat him as more of a joke mad scientist in the background than someone as or even more evil as any of the hollows. And I can't fully trust that this aspect of the Soul Society will ever be honestly confronted, even as simply a deeply tragic element representative of the Gotei's unchanging hypocrisy.

The Gotei 13 has an assassination squad! You don't have an assassination squad unless you're regularly killing people who are "undermining" your power, probably including lots of poor people in the outer districts trying to organize communities, based on actual history. These aspects are what made the soul reapers such effective and complicated antagonists in the Soul Society arc! And the flip to "yeah, they're Ichigo's allies now, mostly" was very sudden and kind of... underwhelming.

I don't care if parts of this story are tragic and this obviously broken system is left mostly unchanged at the end, it's just annoying when the story treats certain aspects as happy endings or just a funny joke, instead of delving more seriously and deliciously into just messed up everything is! How the soul reapers are unable to handle the burdens here!

From what I vaguely remember overhearing, Aizen ends up being a relatively flat villain, with relatively shallow goals and motivations regarding taking over the worlds and rising to godhood, which feels like missed potential when there's so much about this world that sucks! If Aizen had any honest motivations about making things better for any group of people, including hollows and their shitty deal in all this for example, then we might actually have a more interesting dialogue happening about the state of everything. I would like to see him honestly appealing to Orihime's kindness and sense of mercy in order to get her to join him. Her brother turned into a hollow! She has reasons to care about hollows potentially wanting to be more human again and living better afterlives than fighting forever in the sands. Maybe Aizen could just be lying about helping other people, but it would be more interesting to see this type of persuasion, and I'm already fucking sick of so much of Orihime's motivations focusing on helping Ichigo instead of her feeling torn about her tragically and traumatically dead brother who turned into a hollow.

(Side note: I don't fully understand why Aizen didn't just take over the Gotei 13. Between his hypnosis and his minions and his plots to take out rivals, he could have surely installed himself as the next Captain Commander eventually. Neither Ukitake (chronically ill) nor Kyouraku (relaxed drunkard) seem to honestly want the weight of that position. Aizen just seems to like drama, I guess. Fair enough.)

I've just reached the fight between Rukia and Aaronerio who is pretending to be Kaien, and it feels like the story is bringing up a genuinely cool idea only to throw it aside as a trick by a relatively boring hollow character. What IF Kaien had become a hollow? What IF Kaien had joined Aizen because he had some legitimate grief with Soul Society and the Gotei 13? I have vague memories about Aizen having Kaien killed and framing the Shiba Clan because Kaien was investigating him, but it's sooooo boring to have Aizen be at fault for EVERYTHING. The fallen lieutenant / almost captain from a disgraced noble family treated badly by Soul Society... turned into a hollow and forced to survive tragedy he wanted to kill him and unable to return to the Gotei 13 for help? Joining up with Aizen because he wants to take down the Soul Society and make a better world? That's COMPELLING. That's COMPLICATED. That's something that promises to get MESSY if Aizen is lying to Kaien and/or Kaien has genuinely lost his way and/or Kaien HAS A POINT. But the show brings it up only to bail on the concept.

Maybe some of the things I've talked about here will be brought up later on. I expect them to keep bringing up many of these issues, actually! I honestly just don't expect satisfying explorations and resolutions to anything, given what I've seen so far. They're just not going for the good stuff.

(I have this playing in the background while working on other stuff. If I put on a better anime, I would actually want to pay more attention to it.)

[youryurigoddess]

The Small Back Room — Hour of Glory (1949)

Good Omens 2 begins with the visit to The Small Back Room not because it was meant to serve as an exposition scene for Maggie and her record shop. It’s a substantial foreshadowing of the main plot and the relationship changes between Aziraphale and Crowley.

As all the other classics referenced throughout the show, this 1949 Powell and Pressburger production is easily available online — whenever you have 100 minutes to spare, I highly encourage you to watch it.

Our story begins with the arrival of Stuart, a British military captain, who makes his way through a labyrinth of offices towards a small building — the research section led by an eccentric, queer-coded, bow tie wearing professor Mair — to ask for help with a secret Nazi weapon.

That’s when the professor calls our hero, Sammy Rice — an engineer and bomb disposal expert in the service of Her Majesty’s government and, not accidentally, the most brooding, wounded man in Powell and Pressburger’s impressive canon of dysfunctional and alienated characters.

Due to a prosthetic foot keeping him from active service and confining to work in the titular back room instead, Rice is dramatically slipping into alcoholism. Haunted by self-loathing and disappointment with the internal politics, he can’t see the point of his research anymore.

Sammy is also conducting a clandestine affair with the secretary of his research unit, Susan. They live in the same building and meet regularly, but can’t openly enjoy their company or even dance due to his injury, which makes him even more bitter and pathologically determined to wear her angelic patience down.

Susan puts up with it until the minister is forced to resign. She knows that if non-scientists take over, their section will become useless, Rice even more difficult, and the war possibly lost. She urges him to take action and when he dramatically refuses to make a difference, she leaves him.

Seemingly at his lowest now, Rice becomes a sudden chance to redeem himself. Captain Stuart calls him about two unexploded booby traps found in Wales, but left to himself, he dies during a heroic attempt to dismantle one of the thermos-like devices before our engineer arrives at the scene.

In a nerve-jangling finale, Stuart’s notes help Rice dismantle the second device. He becomes a hero, gets an officer commission as head of the new scientific unit, and discovers that Susan not only came back in the meantime, but repaired everything he drunkenly destroyed in the apartment after their breakup.

The parallels seem straightforward enough for me to add that in this context the role of Maggie through most of S2 may particularly reflect Crowley’s stagnancy in both work and love life. And if you’re unsure why the demon identifies with the heroic roles and characters, you might want to read this post on the subject.

Now, The Small Back Room was distributed in the US under another title — Hour of Glory. Which happens to be a specific Bible term referring to Christ’s “hour”, the period supposed to consummate all of his work on Earth and reveal God’s ultimate plan of salvation: the Son’s death.

John 12:20-36 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Christ’s hour began in the garden — this time the garden of Gethsemane — as he prayed passionately for the cup to be passed from him, similarly to Aziraphale declining Metatron’s offers on screen, both regarding the hot drink and his reinstatement as part of the Heavenly Host:

Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

All throughout the Old Testament, we see God’s wrath being described as a cup poured out on sin and those guilty of it. By accepting it, Jesus took the toll of all the sins — from Eden up until the last one to be committed right before his Second Coming — on himself, for the sake of his beloved humanity.

The passion of Christ continued as Judas betrayed him with a kiss, his disciples abandoned him, and the high priest accused him of crimes he was not guilty of. Even Pilate, the prefect of Rome, pretended to uphold the law; and remember we already expect a S3 trial based on another Archers movie.

All in all, it’s an hour of great injustice and pain, but also glory of God. We’re led to believe that the Ineffable Plan will similarly triumph over the great one (or whatever Metatron tries to implement at the moment), as it did in S1. And its ending will be a good one, back in a garden.

[enden-k]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. kvthm fantasy AU stuff ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

a more compact/organized post about my au mostly for myself where i keep all the infos and lore i posted so far in one + links to specific comics or doodles i did [will update over time]

i first started posting my AU on april 19, rlly feels like ages ago 🥹

set in a (well, even more) fantastical version of sumeru. theres a curse going wild for a long time, and no cure so far. no one knows where, when or why it spread, only that once someone becomes cursed, all that awaits is death.

kaveh, the prince of sumeru, is cursed since birth and can no longer bear to sit and wait for his end to come; especially with his mother watching him fall more and more to the curse to the point it hurts her just looking at him. he doesnt want to cause her pain and make her watch him grow weak and die; he rather wants to use the time left to find a way to break the curse, to save the others that still have a chance for a cure unlike him who is doomed to die and turn into a shadowy creature to haunt the lands.

his journey leads him to a certain, mysterious witch who came up with a spell to freeze the curse for some time - it needs to be redone regularly though to stall it. driven by his interest and curiosity in the curse and the prince, the witch agrees on accompanying kaveh on his travels; renewing the spell to give kaveh more time while pursuing the truth and origin of the curse. on their travels, they also meet a certain forest watcher and his partner, and a mercenary who become a part of their small group, and together they journey all across of sumeru in search of a way to break the curse for once and all, saving their loved ones.

the curse

its origin is unknown so far. once someone becomes cursed, they fall sick and slowly but painfully wither away as it spreads over their body. shadowy, bark-like markings spread over the body, skin and joints growing stiff and painful to move

the curse feeds on the bodies energy until it switches to the persons soul to devour it next and turn them into a mindless shadowy creature. usually the body cant handle it anymore though; the cursed one dies from weakness and their organs failing before their souls can be devoured. coma is the final stage before the body ultimately breaks down, taking the curse "safely" with them in death. once cursed, there is no "easy" way out of it. unnatural death while the curse is still active and powerful, feeding on the persons energy, will unleash it and curse everyone and everything around it. the curse is known to take, to wither everything and everyone away - the only thing that doesnt wither away are mourning flowers. those flowers bloom as long as the curse is active and festering and they start to wilt more the weaker the curse gets; therefore, the closer death is. people use those flowers to measure the time left they are able to spend with their loved cursed ones until they die to the curse. people believe the curse is what keeps the flower blooming and as soon as the body gets weaker which in turns makes the curse lose its power as well (since it cant feed on the body any longer), the flower starts to wilt more and more as well just like the cursed one until they both die. this is why some people bury their loved cursed ones with the flower as a symbol of protection for their souls in the afterlife. so far there seems no way to cure or fight the curse other than succumbing to it and taking it to the grave. still, kaveh wants to try and find a way while he can.

ㅤㅤ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ kaveh ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

a prince born cursed, the way it works on and in him differs from others. like the others, he constantly feels pain and on some days even weakness where he can barely hold anything; those seem to be the days when the curse advances on his body to devour some more of him. unlike the others hes still withstanding it though and doesnt show the other usual symptoms such as chronic fatigue and weakness, sickness, etc. because of being born cursed, his body seems to be used to living with it; the curse has started devouring his body and soul simultaneously already. it means his body will hold out until his soul is fully devoured. he is doomed to fall to the curse and lose himself. there are records of people who were like him, born cursed, and those have turned into shadowy mindless beasts that roam the lands, killing everyone and everything in their way once body and soul were devoured. the day that kaveh dies to the curse, his body will be controlled by the curse alone once it took over his soul and hurt everyone. he desperately wants to stop that with all his power; not to come out of this alive or have a peaceful death but to save people from the curse and the danger of himself once he turned. its not like he doesnt mind dying or doesnt wish to come out alive. its just after all those years of anger and hurt and constant questions on why him, he had started to accept his fate. he still wishes to find a way, at least for everyone else, to save them from the curse and from himself. his father also died to the curse when he was still young. now that he is also cursed, he cant bear seeing his mother in such emotional pain as they both wait for his death. instead of appreciating the time hes still there, it seems she is mourning already and he doesnt want to cause her more pain by simply being near her. its why he sets out in the middle of the night and leaves the capital without looking back.

he wears the mourning flowers in his hair to keep an eye on his condition and time left while hes on his journey. he loves to paint and dance; because of the curse and the pains that come with it periodically, he cant hold a quill for too long though. he wields his claymore by himself (yes) when he is able to; when the pain strikes, his fathers dagger strapped to his hip is his choice of weapon to defend himself.

ㅤㅤ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ al-haitham ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

a mysterious witch living completely unbothered in solitude. when he was young, he was banned and cast out from the witches realm in the forest for breaking one of the 6 rules, committing a sin. outside of that, little is known about him other than him being the most proficient in anything regarding spells, curses and ancient languages; some say he is able to speak all the languages known - though if that is true, only he knows. however, if asked how many languages he can actually speak, he will answer with a random number each time - or none at all, depending on his mood. (everything he does seems to be depending on his mood) witches are known to live in their realm, safe and separated from the rest of sumeru, rarely getting involved with others as in the past they often got taken away and have their powers misused by foul people. so its completely surprising to see one of them living unbothered outside of the realm, avoiding people but not hostile or fearful when approached. his grandmother fell victim to the curse. as a child, he tried his everything to become strong and study a lot, to come up with a spell to relieve her pains and break the curse. he dove deep into the study of curses and ancient runes, deep enough to reach something he was not supposed to see, in order to learn the origin of the curse to weave a spell to counter it. he did not manage to do that but he did come up with the beginnings of a spell that can halt curses for some time. it came too late though because his grandmother had passed away. shortly after, he was banned from the realm for studying the origins in order to learn the truth about the curse and how to break it. banishment serves as a way to protect; if a witch commits too many of the sins, the power of knowledge might corrupt and destroy them. the rules exist to rein the thirst and curiosity in; to protect from the truths. despite everything, haitham never ceased his studies. the older the word, the more power it holds; so basically by being a nerd he grew really strong in magical powers so there is no need for him to feel fear outside of the realm. he also knows perfectly well how to wield a sword (he has one) and how to kick ass without magic or weapons. hes completely capable on his own. haitham does the barest minimum out of comfort and doesnt reveal anything about himself which often leads to people (who dont know him) to underestimate and mistake him for the feeble mage he likes to call himself - much to their regret.

he enjoys to mess with kaveh and doesnt care if he is a prince or cursed (which kaveh actually enjoys but would never admit it, since ppl usually treat him different because he is the prince and cursed) and decides to accompany him on his journey out of his own interest in the curse, its origin and the truths, but also in kaveh - developing feelings for him and his early motivations changing later on.

haitham is able to understand animals and other creatures - mehrak and kavehs beast form included.

ㅤㅤ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ beast kaveh and corrupted haitham ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

now, despite haitham being able to buy kaveh more time with his spell, some time on their journey a huge incident accelerates the curse, about to claim kaveh in the end. haitham is struck by fear for the first time and decides to try one last thing no matter how much of a risk it is.

he succeeds and manages to rein in the uncontrolled flow of the curse in kavehs body. since he was in the process of turning completely and losing himself to the curse, kaveh gains the ability to freely change between his cursed beast form and his normal, human form.

he is completely stable of mind and himself but his speech is a garbled whispery mess in non human language so he cant communicate with others except with haitham.

haitham on the other hand took a great risk with changing the flow; by interfering with life and death he committed another sin and exposed himself to the curse during the ritual. he took the damage on the mind and soul that was meant for kaveh; basically splitting the curse between them, risking corruption more and more - if it didnt start already.

[ the others will get added here over time/more lore or other info, this is just the main post and constantly in work ig (i rlly need to sleep now byeeee) ]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. links ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

✦ tiny more or less beginning comic

✦ haitham gets turned into a cat by accident (kitty witch haitham arc)

✦ haitham lore (grandma)

✦ forest spirit mehrak

✦ tighnari, cyno, haitham, dehya (the squad around prince kaveh)

✦ haitham likes to simply take kavehs stuff and here is why

✦ general tag for all my fantasy AU doodles (sfw) (not sfw is on other blog, 18+ only)

[avatar-anna]

Diamonds

pausing our regularly scheduled program with a luke hemmings blurb bc i love him and his solo music and i'm sad i couldn't go to any of his shows 😔 i'll get back to harry soon, but i'll take inspo wherever i can rn. enjoy!

"The next one we're gonna play for you is one of the most vulnerable songs I've ever written," Luke said, mouth pressed up against the microphone. The shimmer you helped spread over the lids of his eyes practically glowed under the blue lights that lit the stage. You thought he looked ethereal, the very embodiment of the music he was performing tonight.

"When I was putting together the final tracklist for this album," Luke continued, "I was hesitant to add this song because I was afraid that it was too vulnerable, but I was convinced that it was worth sharing, that the emotions and experiences behind this song would reach those who needed to hear it the most.

"The person who convinced me, and played a crucial part of making this record, is here tonight, and to them, I would just like to say thank you. Thank you for believing in me when I couldn't and making me brave enough to truly face my demons. You pulled me out of the deep end when it felt like I was drowning, and I would be a completely different person than I am today without you. I love you. My heart and soul is yours to keep."

Cheers were heard throughout the venue as the opening chords began. As Luke started to sing, you were thankful that you decided to watch the concert from backstage, unable to keep tears from welling in your eyes.

"Cut like diamonds and sink like stones, starve myself 'til I'm skin and bone, I'm so much older than I ever thought I would be."

He said that often. My heart and soul is yours to keep. Yours to keep safe, was what he meant. It had taken him a long time to open up to you and trust your ability to be a good partner, so him saying that his heart was yours was huge. He trusted you that much not to break his heart, to never let him sink back into old habits and bitter thoughts. That level of trust meant everything to you.

In his little speech, Luke thanked you for being the one to convince him to release the song, which was true in a way. He'd been conflicted about the song at first, not ready to share such a dark period of his life so publicly. The song had originally been just a way to express himself, to put everything he'd been through on paper without ever letting it see the light of day.

Luke had shared what the song was about, had opened up to you just what had made him feel that way in the past—toxic relationships, poor decisions that led to even worse habits, hurting the people closest to him, all of his mistakes. He didn't hide any of it from you, and you took all of those misgivings, all of those past mistakes, and showed him that you loved him anyway.

"How far is far? Are we too deep in? How dark is dark? I need to see it."

It wasn't easy at first. When you met, Luke wasn't in a place where he could give himself to anyone emotionally. He believed that he was too damaged to be loved the way he deserved and that he was better off being alone and unhurt than trying to fall in love again and risk being completely ruined by someone he thought he could trust. He had been more closed off than anyone you'd ever met, but all of it just made you want to show him what love without conditions looked like. And he couldn't fathom why. Luke was never rude to you about it. He never snapped at you or pushed you away or treated you badly to make a point, he just truly believed that he wasn't worth your time.

*.*

You were at his house, hanging out as friends. Only this time you surprised him by bringing him flowers.

Luke had been completely dumbfounded, unsure of your intentions. You told him it was just to brighten up his home a little, and because you liked doing nice things for the people you cared about. He didn't question you much further, but the rest of the time you were together, you caught him staring at the bouquet that stood in the vase you'd placed them in. His gaze had been wary and apprehensive each time, and you finally told him the truth.

"I want to take you on a date," you said simply.

Luke seemed surprised, which led to a conversation that was perhaps a step below an argument, but only because you calmly listened to Luke and evaded his tactics to push you away with ease.

"I—I don't deserve you," he finally said, but his voice was heavy with emotion, like he desperately didn't want it to be true.

"Who decides what we do and don't deserve, Luke?" you said to him, resting your hand over his and rubbing your thumb over his knuckles gently. To your surprise, he didn't pull away.

"I'm not good enough for you," he amended.

With a close-lipped smile, you leaned over from your spot on his couch and placed your thumb between his brows, smoothing the furrow there. "I think you think you're a worse person than you are."

You kissed his brow, your touch just enough for him to feel your lips brush his skin. When you pulled back, you tapped his nose with your knuckle. "I won't push you, and I won't try to fix you," you said, because the truth was, you didn't believe he needed fixing. But you knew you weren't going to be able to convince him of that. Not now, anyway. "But I will tell you this: you are a remarkable person, and when you're ready, I'd love to love you one day."

*.*

"I'm on my way out, losing the dream. I feel it crash down, down on me. Caught in the madness, holding on me. Is this the way it will always be?"

It took some time, but Luke eventually believed what you did from the day you met him. You were there to see him through the thick of it, holding his hand when he needed you to and giving him space when he asked. He'd gone off to write for a little while, and when he came back, you could practically see the weight lift from his shoulders. It was as if he'd left his biggest demons at the cabin he'd been staying in.

And now he was at his own solo concert performing the songs that held the deepest secrets of his heart. Luke sang each word with passion and pride, the kind that came from knowing that he'd overcome the darkness that had held him for so long. He wasn't drowning anymore, but he sang his songs so that his fans could see that it was possible to be in a dark place and come out of it.

The song faded to its end, and Luke bowed before the crowd as they cheered. He held his hands together in front of his face, the appreciation written in his features abundantly clear. You watched him survey the crowd with so much pride you thought you were going to burst, but you ended up just shedding a couple more tears instead.

While fans were still cheering and his band was playing chords that would lead into the next song, Luke jogged to the side of the stage where you were standing. You hadn't expected him to come over to you, but when you saw his face, you knew what he needed.

Your arms opened for him just in time as he wrapped himself around you. He held onto you tight, his face buried in your hair as he lifted you off the ground. You held on just as fiercely, hoping it would sufficiently express just how much you loved him.

Time stopped as Luke held you in his arms. He had a whole crowd waiting for him to sing the next song, but neither of you seemed worried about getting him back onstage. When he finally set you back down, you kissed his cheek a couple times before kissing him properly, your hands on either side of his face.

"Okay, okay, no more of that," you said, when he kept trying to follow your lips as you pulled away from him, wanting just one more kiss. "There'll be plenty of time for that later. Now go. Everyone's waiting for you."

Luke began to turn like he was going to do just as you said, but before he walked away, he spun on his heel and caught you in one last kiss. Satisfied by your tinged cheeks, he grinned and kissed your cheek. "Mean the world to me, darlin.'"

Hearing him say that made you melt every single time, and he knew that. Shoving his shoulder playfully toward the stage, you said, "Yeah, yeah, I know. Now go be a rockstar, will you? You're keeping everyone waiting. Myself included."

Luke finally turned around for real and did just that.

[inconspicious-random-thoughts]

Anyone else see the irony in how Lucifer was punished for the sin of pride but all the angels seem to show this? They all claim to be all knowing beings of good but none of them know how heaven actually works and are to proud to admit it. They are also allow more normal sin that’s invisible to fester such as propagating racism due to the view on demons shown by the cherubs.

Greetings!

Sorry for the delay in response. It seems like I can only get things done on Sundays for most things. Which means my lazy day sundays became one of my busiest days. Bah.

It is fairly easy to see why the Angels and Heaven are the way they are. It's easy to be smug and have the "better than you." aura when one knows nothing but privilege and nothing about struggle. I imagine most of the higher up angels have little empathy and see everything as black and white. Then you have angels like Emily and Lucifer who actually has empathy for life and can see between the two colors. But that being said, Lucifer views slowly shifted to be the same of his siblings and believing they were correct all along despite his good intentions after his fall. It's only starting to shift back because of Charlie and her friends.

I think most of the higher angels in heaven just have so little concept on just how complicated and hard life can be for human. That each soul has different circumstance on their upbringing that greatly affect their outcome in life. A child born in poverty and ill health will more likely to commit sin just to survive over another child that was born into privilege and all their needs are met. I don't think the angels have that concept. They see the soul failed by sinning, if the soul wanted to be a winner eternity, they should have accepted their mortal struggle by not sinning, even if doing so would cause an earlier death. But the human body just doesn't work like that, creatures typically do what it takes to survive.

So I think that's part of why they seem like they are all pretentious and better than thou. Its like Humans are bugs. Some bugs are viewed highly, while others, such as parasects, are meant to be squashed once they are proven unworthy of praise.

I think the angels who directly deal with souls are the ones that learn empathy. Emily job was to keep souls in Heaven happy, She makes contact regularly. Sera seems more about protection, she seems to deal with other angels and interact with souls to a minimum. Peter being a gatekeeper and guide proubally has a decent amount of empathy but his contact is still fairly limited. He never really gets to know the soul outside their first appearance in Heaven. Where I assume he has to comfort some of the souls as their death may been sudden and very much in shock. But I don't think Peter gets to know them outside maybe what the soul remember before they died. So Peter may grew some empathy from his experience with shell shocked souls but overall his fear of falling would keep him him from sticking out his neck.

One part is, most of them seen Lucifer fall . They witness how he questioned things, how he attempted to change things by taking matters into his own hand. It caused him to fall. So the Angels are also fear of sharing that fate of falling from grace. We saw how Sera gave a warning to Emily, a subtle way of telling Emily to shut the fuck up, when Emily starting to question Heaven ways. "keep this up and you will be fallen, like Lucifer." Lucifer 'failure', his punishment, his fall is warning to others. Lucifer falling is example on what not to do , question and change things, unless you want a similar fate.

I think that's part of the reason why Heaven all kinds of messed up. The Angels all fear of falling to question, less than to act upon it. Lucifer fell before the first human died and made its way to an afterlife. So, when Adam and others show up at Heavens gates, they just rolled with it. They are not going to question what it took to get there exactly.

The other part is, Heaven and its angels just accept that that's the way things are. If you are in St. Peters book your in. That's the only criteria and they never question it. It what works. They don't realize the system is broken for it to be fixed. But even if they do realize it, its God will to keep it that way?

That's where it can get messy for them. Is it God's way to ignore the broken system and accept God knows what their doing and just accept the divine judgment and the names of the book. Or is it God will for them to intervene and fix it?

What I really like to know is what Lucifer was trying to cook up that Heaven deemed it "too dangerous"? I assume its the concept of free will. Lucifer didn't just take the concept and gave it away as a gift, he was also the creator of it.

The intro said Lucifer, was a dreamer, and had fantastical ideas for all of creation but was seen as a trouble maker of the elders of Heaven for they felt his way of thinking is dangerous to the order of their world."

It would be easier for Angels and Heaven to have order and control if its creations if they acted on Heavens will alone.

Lucifer was also drawn in by Lilith fierce independence. Which again, tells me, Lucifer really likes the idea of someone not following control order and thinking for themselves. "The rebellious dreamers fell deeply in love." All they have done at this point as far I know, was think independently to be rebellious.

After giving the apple to Eve, which I assume the apple is Lucifer creation in this universe: "The act of disobedience, evil found its way to earth bring darkness and sin and the order Heaven work to maintain shattered."

So I guess Heaven was a little right about free will being dangerous, but notice the part order was shattered at this point. I'm fairly sure Lucifer fantastical idea was free will and Heaven feared as it caused them to loose their tight grip on their creations.

Free will was something Lucifer was probably so immensely proud of to create. Making him the first embodiment of a Sin. So what a perfect way to punish him to cast him to Hell and rub his nose in it by letting him only deal with the worst of his creation had manifested. His dream was crushed by it.

I think he still proud of his creation, given by all the apple motifs but still horrified what humans have done with it. Humans are the worse.

I went off again. But yes, most of the angels show pride. How can they not, they doing god's will and work! It should be taken pride in. I think Lucifer did take it a step further with his pride with the apple that made him fall. I assume Lucifer was told his creation was forbidden, and he had his face rubbed in it like a dog made an accident on the rug for it. (Heaven has a lot of rules!) He was too prideful of his creation, his gift, not to be handed out and shared with the universe. He's an artist and a dreamer, they like their work to be shared. He straight out took a rule and broke it over his knee while the other angles may toe the line and only bend it slightly but never outright broken it bluntly like Lucifer had. I think thats the main difference of their prides and sins?

That's my guess anyways. Hopefully it was a worthwhile guess to read.

[littledollll]

hey sweetheart :'3 I was wondering if you were taking request. If you are would you be open to do a Lucifer x little angel reader. I just love your little fic if these and I'm always looking for more if them. I think I've read them all tho. So my idea was that maybe Lucifer and reader could have a fight I'll let you decide why. Then reader decide to go hide from Lucy and our favorite god starts panicking and all. Over all just really cute stuff 😊😊💖 Thank you for reading and have a nice day bby💕

The Gardens

Lucifer Morningstars x Little!angel!reader

A/n: man i just hope this is half decent. Got a little motivated to write about this idea when I got the request which made me very excited! I rarely let us see when R isn’t regressed which is kinda the point? But I think insights like this are really fun to write! (May 6)

A/n pt 2.: finishing this July 21 at 3am, where did I go wrong? I’m so sorry I took so damn long it��s insane bc i don’t even notice time passing. I was looking back at my old fics and noticed I’m always writing R going to sleep? I love that cuz some of my friends actually call me “sleepy” because apparently I’m always tired. (I am)

Warnings: a little arguing, Lucifer says some hurtful things, not much else. Just some sweet fluff after the hurt.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“Im the judge here. I alone decide the punishments and how souls will be handled. You might be my partner but you hold no power over me or hell. These are not your decisions to make or have a say on.” It was an angry spew of words. Lucifer doesn’t like having their authority challenged and you were the one person who could do that. For the first time, your own opinions were voiced in their work, and Lucifer didn’t seem willing to listen or like it at all.

Never in your time living in hell had you and Lucifer clashed about something so much.. it hurt, not to be ironic but it hurt like hell. Lucifer had never spoken to you in such a way. Never before had they used their intimidation tactics on you.

Lucifer being unnecessarily stubborn didn’t help at all, as they refused to actually listen to your opinion or swallow their pride and compromise. Or simply speak to you like an equal. Their words almost stung. “You have no power here.” That’s what they meant. And you couldn’t bear to listen anymore or even respond after that.

After a certain point you just gave up and walked away, leaving whatever they were about to spit back, in the dust, mid-sentence, and then ending up with a confused shocked expression. No one gets to just walk away from The Devil.

The worst part was that you wanted to run to them. As if words and a voice laced with venom hadn’t just been thrown in your face. As if they’d protect you even from their own self. They’ve always been your safe space, your comfort.. but you couldn’t, not today, not after your argument.

At first they were fine with you just walking away. They admit to being stubborn and hard to talk to.. everyone needs a little space to think sometimes, right? But then hours and more hours passed and you still refused to show.. it’s like you were hiding from them. There’s nothing Lucifer hated more than the thought of that. Did they really mess up that badly? That you, the most forgiving and lovely being they’ve ever met, simply refused them?

They couldn’t possibly leave it like that. Let you believe they think regularly of you, like you aren’t the most important being in their life, like you aren’t their special angel. So settling their pride aside accompanied with a bit of anxiety, they set out to find you.

You had gone to your safe space.. hiding away physically and mentally, letting your much calmer but also a lot sadder, little self take control.

Lucifer searched high and low for you, all around the palace, going as far as to actually ask for help looking. And thankfully it occurred in their mind that there was always one place you went when you seek comfort, and that was the little hidden gardens of the palace.

And there you were. Quietly sitting by their most recently planted flowers, daisies in fact. They always claimed those flowers suited you perfectly, not just the look, but the meaning. Which included purity, innocence, new beginnings, joy and cheerfulness. All things they saw in you. All things they loved about you. But of course there’s more, so much more that they love.

“My angel..” their voice was a complete contrast to their earlier attitude. Cautious as they approached you but still with a rush to have you close. Lucifer was unsure you’d ever forgive them, but there was no way you could possibly resent them, maybe you should have, but it wasn’t in your heart to reject them, so you let them approach without scurrying away.

Lucifer got down to your level, kneeling down on the floor and holding their hands out for you, which you immediately took, being pulled into a tight hug, their wings wrapping around you, effectively hiding you from the world just because they knew you loved it so much. They pressed a kiss to your forehead before hugging you close again. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, my sweet angel…”

Not knowing how to respond, you nodded just a little as you nuzzled close to their shoulder, basking in the warmth and comfort of their hug. “I should’ve never said that.. never. And I promise you I didn’t mean a single word of it. I’m.. I’m in no way excusing myself, and my awfully hurtful words- but I’m just not used to this, angel..”

You could understand that.. there’s no being of higher power here in hell, even in the universe actually, no one but them and the very God that created and banished them. They’re not used to being challenged or disagreed with, and ever the sinner they are also quite prideful, even as an angel. “I’ve done this alone for so long.. of course there’s other lords.. and Mazikeen. But not even they step in when it comes to my decisions, and when you did- I felt questioned. Which I recognize should be much more frequent than it is, but it’s a new thing, and I responded very wrongly to it.”

Not for a moment did the soft tone leave their voice, a mere whisper as they hugged you and refused to let go. They’d apologize for eternity if you so requested it. But even in your headspace you could appreciate them taking accountability, and recognizing that it was wrong. Not just that it caused a bad reaction from you. “I’m working on it, I promise. Your opinion does matter to me, In whatever situation, your voice matters to me.”

It hurt, of course it hurt. But Lucifer is always sincere in their word, and they were willing to work together, that’s all that mattered to you. So you quite adorably mumbled out a little, ‘I forgive’, as you rest your chin on their shoulder. And Lucifer couldn’t be happier. “Thank you, my sweet angel.. but also, you can’t hide away from me like that, tiny. You had me running all over the palace looking for you like a maniac!” They said in a more playfully, less serious tone as they chuckled.

“Let’s make a deal, yeah?.. if anything of the sort ever happens again, can I trust that you’ll be in your little room? Even if we’re a little upset at each other I always want to know that you’re safe. I understand needing a moment to decompress and think, that certainly helped me a lot today. But I’d just like to know you’re safe and that we can talk when we’re ready to, how does that sound?” You giggled as their voice took a more playful tone and you nodded, moving away a little to look at them, an adorable little smile painted on your face. “Deals!!” You said, rather excited despite the topic.

Of course you were aware that it was indeed quite possible to run into more arguments and disagreements like this, and even more that you’d slip. But knowing how much they care for you and love you, how much they worry and want you to be safe was quite reassuring that no matter what problems you ran into there wasn’t a thing you couldn’t surpass with just a little talking and cuddles.

They nodded, placing a soft kiss on your temple and deciding just then to take a moment and sit outside with you, which was rare, for reasons neither you or they could quite place. “It’s a deal then..” they replied with a soft tone, and you could hear their smile as they spoke. It was surprisingly quiet, oddly peaceful being out here with you. They scolded themselves for not doing this sooner and made a mental note for next times.

Of course your regression was still a secret and hell can be a dangerous place but the gardens are safe enough, specially with Lucifer and your hound friend who always stayed near. After a few moments, your voice interrupted their train of thought. “luci likes birdies?” The question seemingly came out of nowhere which made them chuckle a bit. “I do. What’s going on in that cute little mind of yours to ask me that, sweet one?” Their tone was obviously amused.

“No birdies in hell! Want one.. like morphi!” It seems your mind was running elsewhere, curiosity of things you always wanted to question but didn’t. “You could have one.. how about a dove? Just like you are my little dove.” Lucifer smiled and placed a little kiss on the tip of your nose, making you giggle and shy away. You were quick to nod and respond with a slight tone of awe. “Dovs pretty!”

“As are you!” Lucifer was never one to make spur of the moment decisions.. well- not at least until you came along. But how could they ever say no to you? The little angel wants a hound and a dove, so let’s get them a hound and a dove. Lucifer sighed, not in an upset manner nor exhaustion. More so in content, amused with themselves for being so susceptible to you. “Well then. Looks like my little dove is getting their own..”

[red-velvet-0w0]

Erins list of media recomendations

Are you bored and looking for a new show to get into?

Did you follow me for one specific fandom and now have no idea what 90% of my posts are about?

Well look no further!

here is a list of a bunch of really cool media (of various genres/mediums) that I love and you might love too! (these are mostly going to be smaller fandoms/media that i dont think gets the attention they deserve):

Hello From the Hallowoods (podcast): My beloved! if you are a fan of Malevolent or TMA, and want other queer eye themed horror podcasts, this is my #1 recomendation. It is by far my favorite podcast of all time, and needs way more love then it gets. its currently still releasing episodes and is on its 4th season (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): a scattered group of survivors of an apocalypse known as "the black rains" fight to survive in a strange and magical forest, as an all seeing god watches from afar)

Witherburn After School News (podcast): Another great underappreciated queer podcast. its still releasing episodes and is currently still in its first season. Though there are supernatural elements, the story remains far more grounded and interested in the ordinary lives of the people. Gives a lot of the same vibes of season 1 TMA, but if instead of the statements being the focus, the characters were given the spotlight while the supernatural stories loomed in the background (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): a young reporter in a small town decides starts an afterschool radio show, where she discusses the goings on around town, and takes it upon herself to investigate the dissapearences of children that the police refuse to acknowledge)

Aurora Webcomic (webcomic): A webcomic made by OSP Red herself! the art and storytelling is phenomanal, and all of the characters are impecibaly written. it is currently in its second arc, and regularly releasing 3 pages a week. (also fun fact its where i got the name erin from) (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): a demigod must rescue his master from a god-stealing witch before she is able to use his soul to end all life on earth. along the way he meets up with a cast of colorful characters, each with their own quests, who decide to band together to save the world)

Nova Drift (video game): did you ever play that old Asteroids video game back in the day? did you ever wonder what it would be like if it was instead a fast paced bright neon roguelike where you massacred everybody who stood in your path with high tech machinery? well nova drift has you covered! its a ton of fun and increadibly addicting, with tons of complexity and endless replayability

Epithet Erased (indie cartoon): If wordplay was a series. it was created by the youtuber JelloApocalypse based off of a rpg campaign he played with friends. Though its artstyle is relatively simple due to its low budget, the limits put upon the animation allow it to find new and creative ways to tell its story. (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): In a universe where people have words tied to their souls that grant them powers, 6 people must battle it out in a museum for control over an ancient artifact)

The Wandering Inn (web fiction): another one of the reasons I go by Erin! though I honestly really need to catch up with it, I highly recomend the wandering inn if youre interested in more long-form stories. It is currently on volume 10 (i think im not sure) and each volume is longer then the last. If youre a fan of storys with hundreds of characters and shifting viewpoints youll love it. otherwise you should run in fear because you will not be able to remember half of the characters by volume 2. (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): A chess prodigy from earth named Erin Solstice suddenly finds herself transported into an RPG style fantasy world with magic, classes, and levels. to survive, she decides to become a bartender)

Bigtop Burger (indie cartoon): If youre a fan of absurdist comedies, this is the show for you. Its made by the youtuber Worthikids and just finished its second season. its incredibly short and can be binged in its entirety in just over half an hour. (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): a clown themed food truck attempt to sell burgers, while fighting with their rival food truck, and slowly realizing that their boss is not who they thought he was)

Kid Vampire (indie cartoon): much like Bigtop, KV is a simple and charming show with not much more going on. if your looking for some fun fluffy stories about some kids having fun, id recomend it, but if your looking for something more serious you might want to look elsewhere. Its made by the youtuber Mummy Joe, and is actively releasing episodes. (slightly spoilery pitch (if you dont like spoilers look away): a vampire child named Kid Vampire is sent to go to school with humans to kill them and steal their blood, but ends up making some new friends instead.)

Those are nowhere near all of my favorites, but id highly recomend you check at least 1 out! I adore all of these and if I can get even 1 more person to become a fan, ill consider that a win!

[meanscarletdeceiver]

was rereading some of your Ao3 work and had a thought, if Nobby, or any preserved engine for that matter went the way of "passing on" i.e the face fading away as mentioned in "Departure", do you reckon they'd be kept around, or would they be scrapped? I'm not majorly active on Tumblr so apologises if this has been answered somewhere that I've missed, but I was curious.

That's an interesting question (though repeats are fine, dw)! My fics are never necessarily in the same universe unless noted, and for the Nobbyverse in particular I really did remake my mental image of the TTTE world from the ground up - I've never considered 'departure' in the context of that series (excepting only that I supposed poor 115's spirit would have passed on after being buried and abandoned) - so for me this is a new angle to examine.

And I'm cackling a little up my sleeve, because this actually sounds like a great plot set-up… if you own a preserved engine and its spirit has 'passes on,' you've probably fucked up, and very publicly too.

A preserved engine whose animation faded away would lose a great deal of its appeal for the public. I generally suppose that engine sapience has become rarer and rarer over the years of mass-production and cheap-ass maintenance, so in-universe part of the glamour associated with 'the old days' is that people yearn for the times when trains were alive. You go to a transport museum in part to show your kids what a talking vehicle is like because most kids don't meet them anywhere else.

Furthermore, although the general public could certainly get used to visiting 'dead' engines, just like seeing dinosaur skeletons... they aren't used to it because unalive preserved engines are almost unheard-of. Engine spirits 'depart', not out of any old unhappiness but specifically because they believe that they are no longer needed in this world. An engine who knows that they are being preserved for posterity is wildly unlikely to believe that.

But I'm sure it happens, especially for the sort of engines sitting in storage for years on end, waiting for some sort of overhaul or opportunity. However even in those cases it really doesn't take that much care to avoid a 'departure' - machines are like camels when it comes to attention! They are hugely inclined to err on the side of believing they matter to humans. So long as someone visits them regularly with assurance and keeps 'em clean and dry, they are capable of waiting in readiness for quite a long time.

So the norm is that engines are preserved alive and stay alive. Any 'departure' is so abnormal that rail enthusiasts would be pissed. Questions Will Be Asked. Either some heads or gonna roll, or the owning institution's name is going to be mud among railfans.

Thus, if I'm in charge of the York Railway Museum and my staff reports one morning that Coppernob's soul seems to have 'passed on' in the night, I'm gonna be in panic mode.

Which, even as I type this and you read it, we both know means that Nobby has definitely faked them out at some point or another.

If an engine has really 'departed,' however, I expect they're immediately tarp'd ("she's, errm - she's having a nap! 🙃 ") and moved into storage a.s.a.p., where either attempts are made to coax their spirit back, or else the owners hope that the public eventually forgets about them. There are still people who would be interested even in the lifeless body, but too bad for them, they will have a hell of a time ever seeing it now because things will usually be so lock-and-key.

And that brings us to Boxhill, maybe… (? 🤔)

[onewingedsparrow]

Do transformers eat and/or sleep? What makes them sentient?

*rubs hands together excitedly All right, Brb my beloved, you have discovered one of the things I am most passionate about: Cybertronian physiology. Buckle in. I'm intensely invested in Transformers Science, particularly biology, so you've come to the right place. @brb-on-a-quest First, let's set the record straight: there are two major acknowledged branches of Cybertronian science: Canon and Fanon. Within each branch is a countless spread of other offshoots. As expected, Canon splits into various continuities, from comics to video games to novels to TV shows to movies to everything else under the sun. Fanon is likewise orderly, but a bit more freeform, splitting into Canon-But-Explained-to-Make-More-Sense (which is comprised of but is not limited to Robotics-Inspired, Vehicle-Inspired, and Creature-Inspired); Popular Headcanons That Have Just Been Around Forever; and Pure Imagination and Whimsy. (Canon is certainly also affected by Pure Imagination and Whimsy, but Fanon takes the time to explain how things work whereas Canon is more likely to gloss over it.)

I bring this matter up to set in stone that there is no "one right answer" for Cybertronian science. Continuities within canon don't always agree with each other, even without adding the orderly chaos of fandom interpretation. With that in mind, instead of answering this question with the highest level of accuracy, citing sources from various continuities and comparing and contrasting Canon logic and Fanon logic to see what truly makes the most sense in regards to Cybertronian physiology (as I normally enjoy doing), I'm going to simplify it all and give you a concise reply that is backed up by multiple canon continuities. Note: I will be using the word "Cybertronian" a lot in this reply. The term is used to refer to the native inhabitants of the planet Cybertron: sentient robotic organisms. On Earth, we know them as "Transformers," commonly translated to "robots that turn into vehicles." However, "robots that turn into vehicles" is a rather misleading idea, because while Cybertronians are robotic, and do take forms of vehicles, they are also organic first and foremost. A Cybertronian is not just wires and nuts and bolts come to life. Cybertronians have blood (called energon), organs (some of which are called biomechanisms), and souls (called sparks, though, the term "spark" itself is quite complex and refers to the heart, soul, and spirit all in one), to name just a few aspects that set them apart from your typical "robot." Cybertronians are aliens first and foremost: people that live on another planet. Just because they're robotic doesn't mean they're "robots." They don't follow programs; they have freewill. Now, to return to your ask.

- Do Transformers eat? In the most basic terms, yes. Cybertronians need to consume sustenance to go about their daily lives. Their standard food source is energon. (Yes, I said that was their blood, but really, it's fuel, same as your blood is a source of fuel for your body.) Energon is processed, consumed, and then circulates throughout the body. Simple!

As far as "How do they eat?" goes: that's a question I can only answer continuity by continuity. Some stories have them drink it through their mouths like we might chug water, some stories have them inject energon into their arms or their torso or elsewhere...there's no "right answer" here. So, yes, you can have fun imagining Optimus Prime drinking a giant glass of what looks like blue Gatorade, or, imagining Megatron chomping down on a giant-rock-candy-crystal of diesel-pink energon, or whatever strikes your fantastical whimsy. Some people imagine them having proboscides like insects or hummingbirds. It's rather fun all around. - Do Transformers sleep? Yes. Canon doesn't always have show that they sleep (because that's kind of a boring movie or TV show to watch) but canon regularly implies that Cybertronians need some sort of rest. "Recharge" is the term most commonly used in fandom. But, the life cycles of Cybertronians are very different from the life cycles of humans, so just because we don't see them sleep for a week doesn't mean they don't sleep at all. The way they engage with time is different from humans. It's logical to assume they don't need to rest as quickly as humans do. - What makes them sentient? What makes YOU sentient, dear friend? ;) This is one of my favorite questions to answer about Transformers. See, like I said, Cybertronians aren't robots, they're robotic aliens. They're people, with souls. When they "come online," they're sentient. The way Cybertronians are "born" (so to speak; actual birth is not involved) is their spark is brought into the world from a great light known as the Allspark. The Allspark is the source of Cybertronian life, and, so too, is the place that sparks return to when Cybertronians die. For yes, they can die, just as you and I. A spark is metaphysical; the Allspark is metaphysical. Who is to say what makes a soul sentient? Who can say they know exactly when life begins?

To quote Optimus Prime from Age of Extinction, "There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve...but who we are and why we are here are not among them. Those answers we carry inside."

There are some continuities that claim that "Transformers were built." Forged by other creatures. Created by physical hands. However, I prefer the stories that leave the Allspark intact as something that cannot be fully understood—sanctified by the mystery of life itself. I think there is something special about stories that treat the metaphysical with gravitas. I believe Transformers is so much deeper when Cybertronians are truly more than meets the eye.

[nalyra-dreaming]

WAIT OMG! we never actually hear show louis tell lestat that he loves him?? i know i probably sound stupid but i don’t think that’s something i’ve ever truly picked up on until now. i was rewatching some loustat scenes and got extra sad over lestat constantly feeling like he’s rejected and not loved, then it dawned on me that i don’t think louis said it or even showed it?? do you think that type of declaration will happen in future seasons?

this isn’t louis hate btw, i love them both so much

I love them both, too, and yes, ultimately I think we will get it^^.

…. okay this is a bit of a wasp‘s nest, so... fair warning^^.

Quite a while ago the IWTV writer's room (yes they are, or at least were active on Twitter) answered some questions.

One of them was this:

This... produced quite the backlash and made some huge waves around the fandom.

The thing is, Louis withholding and using that withholding (something the writers called "weaponization of language" here is canon behavior in the books, and something Louis in later books apologizes for.

Of course it is all a bit more difficult than the simplified (tweet)answer here. There is for example the added complexity of Louis losing Paul right after saying these words (something that, given this canon behavior does soften (for lack of a better word) said behavior, and as such was very much done on purpose, imho).

In the clip from the "Murder Mansion" we have already seen Armand commenting on the "withholding" as well, so I fully expect the show (aka the writers here) to keep this canon characterization, as they are obviously building on it.

It is something I also touched on the "intimacy post" a while back. Because for Louis and Lestat, in their good times, when they had sex regularly and bit each other during sex... Louis' inability to say the words probably meant next to nothing. Lestat would have been able to read it in the blood.

Only later, when the eating disorder set that fatal downwards spiral off (again, it bears repeating, this is not assigning blame, but it is an important aspect that started with the choice to not eat human anymore) the lack of the said words started to actually weigh on them.

So yes, eventually, the lack of the words was probably very much grating.

And for Louis it might have actually made it impossible to speak them.

Because, from experience^^, when you mean something it can be very, very hard to say that thing, especially if you know you maybe should have said the words earlier, but didn't - for valid reasons - but now... now they just seem unable to pass your tongue.

I think that is something that happened to Louis there. And Lestat probably didn't really feel rejected at first, but more frustrated, then estranged somewhat, mixed with concern, and then anger, and then and then and then... because he loves Louis.

And Louis loves Lestat.

Very much. Too much, maybe. Too much, maybe, for these words.

(Which is also why he and Lestat were both able to so easily say them during murder night, because then... then they were not meant.)

In the books he eventually does put it into words.

… I love you with my whole soul, and I will always love you, [..] you are my life. I have hated you for that and love you now so much that you’ve been my instructor in loving.

...this is from Blood Communion. Since we already know they are taking from that book.... :)