#what is the difference between fate and free will anyway

[fabledflowerss]

What if Annabelle Cane was interested in period accurate fashion, specifically 1800s-1900s ? What if Annabelle Cane had lots of spider jewellery. What then. This is a way I get to incorporate three of my biggest interests at the moment (Spiders, historical fashion, and TMA) and also still meet my project brief.

[rodolfoparras]

if any of this makes you uncomfortable feel free to ignore it, you’re comfort comes first

I’ve been seeing so many male character x bunny hybrid readers and don’t get me wrong, I love a good hybrid reader cuz they’re either really hot or really funny to think of.

Butt every time one is written, it’s always ‘Bunny reader is bottom and small, petite little man/woman that gets railed’

How about a dominant hybrid bunny reader?? Like imagine just fucking Price till his legs are shaky and he’s begging for you to slow down. The bunny traits giving you strong, well built thighs and legs which helps to fuck him so roughly.

Barely giving him a break between climaxes as his ass gets sore and numb from being fucked for so long. Using his pretty ass as you bend him over any surface, barely able to hold back.

Being able to go multiple rounds and recover quickly, so horny for that old man. Sometimes just straight up dry-humping him. Even in the kitchen on base, where anyone could walk in and see their beloved captain getting his ass humped by his horny boyfriend

I’m so normal about this <3

This is my first time attempting to write about hybrids/ shifters even though I love reading about them but anyway I present to you bunny shifter male reader and bear shifter price !

Thinking about Price being an unmated bear shifter and no matter what he does he can never find an appropriate partner for him.

Every partner he’s ever encountered had expected him to be the dominant one in bed and to be completely honest Price had been more interested in being dominated himself.

That’s why, despite his old age, Price had stayed unmated, had even accepted his fate to be unmated all the way to his grave.

However that mindset quickly changed when he set his eyes on you. Because of his big shifter form there were rarely times when he felt like he was in danger, but there was something different about you, something that evoked an instinct to flee, and in the same breath made him want to get closer to you.

Logically Price knew you wouldn’t actually hurt him, hell the two of you are so close people tend to ask if the two of you are mated.

But something about your watchful gaze lit a fire inside of him while simultaneously urging him to run away, something about your touch made him feel like he was stuck in your grasp while every cell in his body was pushing him to get impossibly closer and something about your words made his insides purr while also urging him to bury his teeth into your neck.

Despite the instincts you awoke inside him, he never tried to initiate anything. The two of you were colleagues and anything past that would be deemed as inappropriate.

However the line seemed to blur one night after a successful mission, when one too many drinks had entered Price’s system and instead of hanging out with 141 he had ended up standing in a corner with you, talking no -flirting.

Because it had started off as talking, brief comments made about the mission, a pat on the back for a job well done until your fingers seemed to clammer onto his shoulder and your tone turned much lower as the conversation switched to discussing the different shifters on the team.

Soap is suited as a wolf shifter, according to you, because he acts like an overgrown puppy.

Gaz is suited as a lion, for his dedication and loyalty to those close to him.

Ghost is suited well as a lynx for his elusive nature.

However when it came to discussing Price, you paused for a moment, before looking at him with a small smile.

“And you captain? What kind of shifter are you?” You ask because at the end of the day you don’t know what type of shifter he is and he doesn’t know what type of shifter you are either.

Price feels himself tense, before he clears his throat and awkwardly shuffles in place.

“Bear shifter” Price says while closely eyeing your reaction.

Many times when he’d revealed his true form, people’s view on him had changed, quickly regarding him as the more superior of the two and therefore ruining any potential of forming a relationship with him.

But you did none of that, instead you seemed more intrigued with this reveal.

“Bear shifter?” You say, the smile growing bigger on your face while eyeing the group of rowdy men standing a couple of feet away . “Suits you” is all you say before you turn your gaze back to the older man.

“Yeah? Why?” Price says, feeling heat creep up his neck, ears and cheeks, slightly fearing what you’ll say about him but also feeling intrigued.

“You are very gentle and tolerant with those you love”

His eyes widen in surprise, brows almost dipping past his hairline as a soft gasp escapes his lips.

“You don’t find me intimidating?” He says almost in a whisper.

“Do you want me to think that?” You say in a playful tone while raising a brow at the older man.

“No” he says, so quickly , a chuckle escapes your lips before you turn your gaze back to the rowdy group of men steadily drinking themselves half to death.

“So what are you then?” Price says after a moment of silence passes as he too now watches the group of men.

“Guess”

“Something of the feline sort?” He says, recalling then many times he’s seen your sharp smile.

“Nope” you say with a big smile on your face, showing off the very same sharp teeth that seem ingrained into his memory.

“A reptile?” He says, thinking of the vivid color that usually paints your irises.

“Mm not quite right” you say, now turning to him, chest flush against his as you crowd him up against the wall. “Let me give you a hint” you whisper in his ear and he feels goosebumps rise across his skin, gaze still trailed on the men in front of him who seem none than wiser to what’s happening “We’re said to have a high sex drive and many of us are much fast and way stronger compared to most feline shifters”

Recognition paints his face as a gasp slip past his lips. “A bunny shifter “

When he hears the sound of your chuckle he realizes just how ridiculous his reaction must’ve been and he feels the heat creeping back into his face as he apologizes profusely. “I apologize I-“

“It’s okay” you say, still chuckling “ You’re not the first one to react like this but you don’t think I’m weak because I’m a bunny shifter, do you captain?” You say amusement stripped from your tone and voice sounding much sharper.

“You want me to think so?” He says, voice breathy and strained repeating your words from earlier with a small smirk on his face

“No “ you say before you lightly nibble on his ear, hearing another gasp tumble past his lips

“You know what I want though?” You say, pushing away from him a bit to meet his gaze with your colorful irises and a sharp smile on your face.

Price swallows hard, feels himself shift in place, cock stirring in his pants as he eagerly awaits what you’re about to say.

“I want you to run.”

“What?” Price says, face pinched in confusion.

“I want you to run”

The confused look disappears from his face as Price realizes what you’re really saying.

You want to chase him.

You want to catch him

For the first time in his life someone wants to court him.

And it doesn’t take much before he’s slipping out your grip and running out the bar like his life depended on it, all while your laugh echoes behind him.

[artificial-transmutations]

I'm the ugliest nerd in the world and I have nobody. I wish I was a man with dark brown eyes, nice muscles and everything that makes a himbo... and every nerd I kiss becomes a man like only an Arabian fairy tale could tell. He would only want me. Only I could keep his muscular body up with kisses and fucks.

Can you grant me this one Wish?

An Arabian fairy tale

Once upon a time, there was a nerd called Gregor. He lived his life in a big city and every day, he was miserable. Not only was he gay and lonely, no, the little nerd was also ugly. He wasn't just ugly, no, he was the ugliest nerd there was in the whole country.

Every day he wished he could find a lover and live happily ever after, but every day, he was reminded of his status as a lonely nerd. He tried online-dating, but due to his exterior, nobody seemed to want him.

Gregor was a shy, awkward guy who didn't get many chances to talk to strangers. In his free time, he enjoyed writing fantasy stories, a hobby that didn't bring him too many friends, either. It was frustrating, too. In his stories, the hero always managed to find a true love. He wasn't alone, no, he had someone at his side.

In his real life, however, Gregor didn't have such luck. The best thing that happened to him in a while was meeting another nerd online. There wasn't going to be anything romantic between them. As fate would have it, the other nerd, called Evan was also gay and lived not too far away, but Evan had made it pretty clear early on that Gregor just wasn't his type. Instead, he rooted for manly men, with a different ethnic background. Evan and Gregor spent a long lonely night in voice chat together, discussing their preferences. Evan apparently longed for the firm touch of a strong man with Arabic background.

Meanwhile, Gregor didn't dare say what he wished for. What was the use, anyway? There was no way it was going to happen. No one wanted to be with a weak, ugly nerd like him. To be honest, he didn't actually really know himself. In his thoughts, a partner was something so abstract, so far away that he hadn't even thought about how such a person would look like.

Evan's fantasy wasn't bad, though. After their talk, Gregor lay awake in his bed and imagined strong, middle-eastern men, along with Evan. Perhaps he had developed a slight crush on the other nerd. Finally, he drifted off to sleep, wishing that he and Evan could be together.

When Gregor awoke the next morning, he felt strangely energetic and in a pretty good mood. Thinking nothing of it, he quickly got dressed and thought about what to do today. He didn't have any work to do and would usually have spent the day indoors, writing one of his stories. However, after the refreshing talk yesterday, that didn't feel all too appealing. Instead, he had an idea: He knew where Evan lived and worked. Perhaps he should walk over to that other part of the city, and they could have a coffee. Not as a date, of course - but more as a continuation of last night's talk.

Gregor didn't have time to waste and left the house. As he stepped into the sun, the first thing he noticed was how bright the world suddenly appeared. He didn't think much of it, but a few moments later, the second strange thing happened: People were looking at him!

Now, Gregor was of course used to people looking after him - he was really ugly, after all! But today, it was different. The gazes that lingered on him didn't seem to be hostile or disgusted. They seemed curious.

Perhaps his shirt had a hole in it, Gregor thought. He checked himself, but no, the shirt was fine.

As he walked, the attention he drew increased steadily. Was there something on his face perhaps? Or his arms?

As he checked his arms, Gregor was amazed by what he saw: His milky-white skin that usually had a sickly tone to it was entirely different today: instead of the pale and blotchy skin, he now had a healthy and firm complexion. The muscles in his arms, which he usually thought of as scrawny and flabby were now clearly visible.

He checked the other arm, and it was the same. What was going on? Also, his vision was getting blurry. When he took off his glasses to clean them, however, his vision cleared up instantly. It was as if his short-sightedness was just gone!

As Gregor kept walking, the changes became more apparent: His legs, which had always been thin and small, were now visibly muscular. His stomach, which had always been a little fat, was now a firm six-pack. His clothes, which had been a bit baggy before, were getting tighter and tighter as both his height and his shoulder width increased more and more.

His hair, which had always been a dark brown, was getting even darker, and a strong stubble covered his chin. His skin, which had been the same milky white tone, was getting a darker, more exotic tan.

Gregor had no idea what was going on, and he was a little scared. But the more his body changed, the better he felt about it. He wasn't an ugly nerd anymore. He was not yet sure what he was going to become, but it was surely better than what he had been.

Meanwhile, his clothes were getting increasingly tight, and he felt like taking them off. That was not something he would ever do in public, but his urges were stronger than his shyness. With a quick movement, he took off his shirt and ripped his pants open. To his surprise, below the tight jeans, a pair of silk shorts in a shiny royal blue had formed instead of his slip, which covered his privates. However, even though he wasn't naked, the ample bulge that stretched the silky fabric left little to imagination: a large and thick manhood had formed between his legs, which left a clearly visible dick print, along with the thinly veiled big orbs of balls he now had.

By now, Gregor's appearance was attracting a lot of attention, as his body kept growing more and more, becoming larger and more impressive by the second. He wasn't even "lean" or "fit" anymore. The way his body expanded, he definitely qualified as "muscular" by now, perhaps even "bulky". His shoulders were wide and strong, and his back had filled out so much that his neck had almost disappeared entirely. His biceps and triceps were both at least the size of his head and were covered in a fine, dark fuzz. The rest of his body had also become much hairier: His chest was covered in a generous carpet of dark hairs and a thick bush of pubes was pushing out against the silky shorts.

People had stopped and stared, and even a few had started to snap pictures or take videos with their phones. Gregor was enjoying the attention. His facial structure reformed into something much more manly. His new Arabic heritage became clearly visible on his face. His nose, his eyes, and his jawline changed and became broader, more prominent. His eyes became deep and dark, and his bushy eyebrows made him appear quite serious and manly.

A superior grin appeared on his face that wouldn't go away anymore. Gregor knew he had become a walking wet dream of Arabic hunkness - especially for Evan. He couldn't wait to surprise him like that.

Even though his identity hadn't changed much, Gregor didn't feel like calling himself Gregor anymore. Ghalib. That was a far more fitting name for his impressive Arabic stature. It meant 'victor' or 'conqueror' - and Ghalib felt exactly like that.

Ghalib wasn't even sweating when he arrived at Evans place a short jog later. He rang the bell, and when the little nerd in front of him opened, he didn't waste any time: Ghalib pulled Evan into a tight and sensual kiss, invading the other man's mouth with determined force. Evan moaned in his mouth and his legs gave in.

Ghalib held the small nerd up and carried him inside the flat, kicking the door shut behind him. The rest of their clothes soon littered the floor as the two men kissed passionately. However, as they were making out, Evan, too, began to change. It was almost like watching his own changes in fast forward: The hair on his head receded into a shorter style and was replaced by a thick fuzz that grew on his chest and the rest of his body. Evan's face morphed into a masculine and rugged appearance. His skinny, pale arms and legs grew more and more muscles, until they looked like they were sculpted out of marble. His skin darkened and an Arabic ethnicity appeared by it.

Finally, the smaller man's cock expanded and swelled up. Within a few seconds, it reached almost the size of Ghalib's.

As they continued kissing, the two men, now equally hung and ripped, felt up each other's bodies. Ghalib had no idea why this was happening, or what had brought on these changes, but he didn't care. All he knew - or was pretty sure about - was that it didn't have to stop with Evan.

As the other hunk went down on him, Ghalib made a decision. Evan and he would share their gift, turning more and more nerds into a true harem of sexy Arabs!

[thethiefandtheairbender]

as a lifelong ATLA fan who narrowly had ATLA dethroned as my top show by The Dragon Prince steadily over the past 5 years, the similarities between the two have very little to do with the surface level parallels that get regularly drawn between them.

Like ATLA, TDP has Books for seasons and chapters for episodes, but unlike ATLA, which only touched on storytelling sparingly as a theme, TDP is obsessed with interrogating storytelling and history and the presence of unreliable, biased narrators throughout many of its episodes (most notably 2x05, 2x06, 3x06, 4x04, and 4x07 among them). Half of what you learn in the 1x01 intro ends up being a lie once you reach S3, with more being steadily deciphered.

Yes, TDP has different magics with people living under those umbrella terms... for the elves. Humans are coming culturally at things from a completely different angle, and the elves' connection to their primal sources are discussed philosophically in detail, informing their practices and their culture first hand, including the way they chafe against humans, who are arcanum-less. Many animals in the world are also connected to magic, which influences both their design and which ones get hunted for humans' more 'clever' solution in dark magic, including each other.

The core issue of the Puppetmaster, down to being a coercive magic formed by someone deeply resentful of their imprisonment? Said puppetmaster is the main endgame antagonist of the entire show with all of S4 onwards being exploring the ethics of controlling people against their will in various methods, and the entire show itself being a thematic battleground of fate (imprisonment) vs free will for virtually every single character.

Where ATLA mostly concerns itself timeline wise with ending the war, very little thought is shown by any of the characters as to what they'll do after the war. This isn't a problem (as it reflects the sheer domineering scope of the conflict) but even Zuko being firelord is only ever really addressed with 2.5 episodes left till the finale. TDP, meanwhile, ends its 'war' in s3 and s4 opens up with dealing with the old wounds festering between people with centuries of history, the struggles that come when people aren't able to let go and believe they're safe or mourn in a healthy manner, and the religious/cultural clashes that may occur when trying to integrate different groups of people.

TDP also has an evil father with a devoted daughter and a brother who eventually defects, but it explores the reality of an abusive parent who loves/will sacrifice for you and your right to leave regardless, even if that means leaving the sibling you truly deeply love and who loves you in turn. Which means that when you and your sibling are on opposite sides of a deep ideological conflict, it actually really fucking hurts bc we've seen first hand just how much they love each other and also how and why everything fell apart not in spite of that love necessarily, but also because of it.

Is this to say that TDP is a 1:1 with ATLA or that it's better? No, not at all, and the latter is subjective. I prefer TDP, but I think they're about on equal ground when you look at each show currently as a whole (although TDP has two seasons left to go).

But TDP takes a lot of what ATLA was doing thematically with some of its most interesting beats and then builds or expands upon them further. It talks further and more consistently about the cycles of violence; in many ways, Jack De Sena's character, Callum, begins the series largely where Sokka had ended (and he's not the most like Sokka anyway; very much his own thing); we get Faustian bargains and centuries' long grief and fucked up people who are trying both succeeding and failing at not doing fucked up things. There are antagonists, but it is very hard to actually label anyone at this point a straight up villain. Moral greyness is where the show starts, and it just continues from there.

That's not to say the show is nothing but dark and depressing - like ATLA, there's a steady thread of hope and humour even as the show gets steadily closer and closer to its 11th hour point - but the show is usually emotionally heavier. There's more blood and potentially disturbing imagery with body horror and on screen death. There's so much foreshadowing you basically can't go more than 5 minutes into any episode without having something that's going to come back around or be referenced again like 3-5 seasons later.

Just to be clear - TDP is like ATLA, but it's like ATLA in interesting ways beyond the more shallow surface level that usually gets attributed to it, while still very much being its own show and its own thing. And that is why I tend to recommend it to people who like ATLA.

Thank you and goodnight

(Also, the fandom doesn't have any ship wars, and the show is queer as fuck)

[headkiss]

ooh ooh okay, maybe in the single thread universe where either reader or steve has a nightmare about losing the other from the canon-type violence and it's like comfort. feel free to ignore if you don't like it, thank u and love u 🫶

hi my love thank u so much for this req i missed writing these two <3 i hope you like it!!! steve’s the one with the nightmare in this one | 0.6k hurt/comfort and fluff (this takes place in the single thread universe!)

Although you and Steve only live across the hall from each other, you split your time between the two apartments, though you’re rarely separated from each other when you can help it.

Nights are often spent at his place, him kissing you goodbye before slipping out the window and swinging off to his nightly patrol, you staying awake with a book in your lap until he comes home no matter how much he insists you get some sleep.

You fall asleep easier when he’s beside you, anyways. Where you can feel him, safe and breathing.

Tonight’s a little different. Steve slipped through the window quietly when he got back—uninjured, this time—from patrol. For once, you’d fallen asleep while he was out, though you tried not to, if the open book still on your lap says anything.

He shut the window and locked it, pulling his mask off and smiling at the sight of you amongst his sheets, like you’ve belonged there all along. Steve bookmarked your page before setting your book onto the nightstand that’s now been claimed as yours, shutting off the small lamp that sits there, too.

He showered and changed quickly, eager to lay down beside you and gather you up into his arms, your warmth surrounding him. He falls asleep with the smell of your shampoo filling his senses.

It’s also a little different because a couple of hours later, you’re woken up by Steve’s shout of your name, his chest heaving against your back. Frowning, you turn over, finding his eyes still shut but his eyebrows scrunched.

Nightmares aren’t new to either of you, you’ve had enough of them since being followed that one night after work, nightmares where Steve isn’t there to save you this time. It still hurts to see him go through one, though.

Pushing yourself up, you run one hand through his hair, the other squeezing his shoulder. “Steve, wake up.”

After a couple more tries, his eyes open quickly, darting around before landing on your face, on the worry he must find written there. “Honey,” he breathes. “Are you okay?”

It’s classic Steve that the first thing he’d be worried about is you, when he’s the one who’s just had a nightmare. You trail your hand down his arm to tangle your fingers together. “Don’t worry about me. You were having a nightmare.”

His eyes squeeze shut, like he’s remembering it all over again. “You were hurt and I couldn’t- nothing was working. I was too late.”

“Hey,” you cup his jaw with your free hand, making sure his gaze is on yours. “Look at me. I’m not hurt. Not one bit, okay?”

He nods his hand tightening in yours, his other one reaching to tug you closer, your legs tangling together. “I’m sorry for waking you.”

You think back to the day you first met him, when he’d carried your moving boxes for you like it was nothing. You hadn’t realized then just how much weight he really felt, a weight you now hope to help lift, if only a little.

Steve was afraid then, of getting too close to you, if possible putting you in danger. He’s still afraid of the latter now, but there was something inevitable about you two, he thinks. It must be why his heartbeat calms more and more the longer he lays there with you, the longer he looks at you.

“You don’t have to be sorry.” You smile what you hope is something reassuring, trying to ease his mind, lighten things, “besides, I fell asleep on you earlier. It’s only fair.”

Steve’s not sure how he got so lucky with you, your patience, your understanding about everything. He can’t believe that you just happened to move in. It feels much more like fate than anything else to him.

“Thank you for being here, honey.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

[kingkatsuki]

— when you play secret santa

Masterlist.

Warnings: kinda angsty, not proofread.

Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x f!reader.

Word Count: 1.5k.

There are a multitude of things Bakugou Katsuki hates about the festive period. The freezing temperatures that make it difficult to use his quirk and leave him shivering on patrols, the fake hallmark bullshit that corporations try to sell during the holidays (he deliberately refuses any Yuletide collaborations for this exact reason), the way people seem to only care now it’s Christmas, the crowds and one of the worst things…

Forced fun.

Every year the Dynamight agency arrange a secret Santa, and every year Bakugou refuses to participate. Just another bullshit, meaningless waste of time during the festive period, and he never has any idea what to get anyone anyway.

But this year is different, because this year you worked at his agency. Bakugou groans as he looks down at the piece of paper with a name scribbled on it, his secret santa.

When you asked him one evening as you were leaving if he was going to participate in the secret santa event, he was going to reply with a scoff. Wondering why on earth you were asking him such a ridiculous question, what would give you the idea that Dynamight would want to do secret santa? But it was the adorable, hopeful look in your eyes that had his throat going dry and his heart palpitating as he stopped dead in his tracks. The words leaving his lips before he could even stop it— yeah, I am.

Bakugou hated the way your cheeks seemed to glow at his response, how happy you looked that this year he would be participating.

And that’s why he now found himself with a piece of paper in his hands with a name that wasn’t yours.

He didn’t even know who the fuck it was! Apparently after searching his employee database it was a lady in admin. Now stuck with trying to find a workplace regulation gift in between the long holiday shifts, maybe he’d get one of his sidekicks to get a gift for her instead.

How foolish he’d been to think that he’d get your name, that after all the shit he’d been through in his life that fate would grant him a free pass this once and give him the gift of you. But as always, the odds were against him. Crumpling up the piece of paper with a groan as he threw it onto his desk, tugging his glasses off to rub the balls of his hands into his eyes.

But perhaps he could swap with someone…

Finding out who had you was proving near impossible, it had been easy to get his sidekicks to announce to him who they had for the secret Santa, but everyone else in the agency was proving to be rather tight lipped. Whether it was the fear of their boss, or the fact that one of them may have him, he’d near but given up hope of swapping to get you.

“It’s supposed to be a secret, Bro.” Kirishima shook his head as he tucked into his bento box, a mouthful of rice slurring his words.

“I don’t give a shit, who ya got?” Bakugou pointed his chopsticks holding a piece of Gyoza towards Kirishima before shoving it into his mouth.

“I can’t tell you! It’ll ruin the whole thing,” Kirishima shook his head, “What if I’ve got you?”

“You ain’t got me.” Bakugou knew who had him already, it was a poor man from the cyber security department who seemed terrified when he’d revealed the big secret to the man himself.

“How do you know?” Kirishima sat back in his seat, “Man, this is why you never participate isn’t it? You don’t like fun.”

“I like fun,” Bakugou scrunched his nose in mock offence, “I hate surprises.” He mumbled, and truth be told, he hated not having you more.

“Well, I’ve already bought my gift so I can’t switch.” Kirishima grinned and Bakugou raised a surprised eyebrow.

For how generous and altruistic Kirishima was, he wasn’t usually this prepared. Often ignoring deadlines and leaving things until the last minute which would often result in him racing around like a headless chicken.

“Why don’t you just get her a gift anyway, man? I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”

“I can’t do that.” He shot back, glaring across the table.

There was no way he could get you a gift out of the blue, even if it was for Christmas. Being the only person in the agency outside of the secret santa that he’d purchased a gift for would make it completely obvious that he’s in love with you, and the thought of your rejection made him blanch.

“Yeah, you can.” Kirishima continued, “You were gonna get her something if she was your secret santa anyway, so what’s the difference?”

It was a huge difference, it would mean the gift he’d give you separately was far more personal… Even if he would’ve gifted you the exact same thing.

“Doesn’t matter.” Bakugou grumbled.

“Just wait it out man, and think positive. She might have you!” Kirishima smiled as he took a long sip of his protein shake.

The thought of you holding a piece of paper with his name on it had Bakugou feeling all giddy inside, trying to stop the ridiculous smile from tugging on the side of his lips as he pictured you going out to shop for a gift for him. Wrapping it and writing his name on it to gift it to him on Christmas Eve.

It was the only thought keeping him sane the closer it got to the day, finally acquiring his gift late after one patrol as he bought an obnoxiously Christmassy gift bag to place it inside as he brought it back to his agency. Scribbling the recipient onto the tag as he left it with the other gifts sitting beneath the outlandish tree. Bakugou wanted to look for your name in the huge pile, wondering if he could find out who actually had you or what the gift was but instead he made his way to the locker rooms. Tired bones aching from his arduous patrol as he made his way to shower before the annual Dynamight agency Christmas party, refusing to wear a Christmas jumper as he opted for a plain cable knit burnt orange sweater instead.

Turning up to the party late meant that most people had already opened their gifts, the loud bustle hitting him as he weaved through the crowds. Reaching out to grab a flute of champagne as he took a healthy sip as he gave polite nods to his staff that wished him a “Merry Christmas” as he walked through, not wanting to make it obvious that he was looking for you.

Giving up as he spotted the familiar red mop of his best friends hair hidden beneath a bright red Santa hat as he made a beeline towards him. Bakugou’s heart instantly sped up when he noticed who was standing beside him.

His heart fluttered at the sight of you, a gorgeous smile on your face as you seemed to hang on Kirishima’s every word. Handing him the glass you were holding as he handed you a gift in return. Was Kirishima your secret Santa all along?

The familiar ache returned to his chest at the sight, something he’d never experienced until he met you. His adam’s apple bobbing as he watched you slowly begin to tear open the messily wrapped present. He could make out the garish paper from across the room as Kirishima leaned in to gage your reaction, a huge grin on his face.

Bakugou couldn’t even be mad that Kiri got you as a secret Santa and didn’t tell him because the way your face lights up at whatever Kiri got you makes his heart palpitate. You’re so beautiful.

But he can’t avoid the hurt that aches in his chest or the way he feels his throat tighten as he watches how happy another man has made you, wishing it was him that made you look that happy instead.

Lifting his glass up to his lips he downs the rest of his champagne before placing the glass back onto the table, ignoring the lone present sitting beneath the large Dynamight tree addressed to him as he makes his way out of the room, his head down to avoid catching anyone’s gaze as he leaves.

Maybe he should’ve got you a present after all.

But if Bakugou had stuck around the office party, he would’ve seen what Kirishima gifted to you as your secret Santa, and the real reason why you were smiling. The horribly wrapped gift was actually a framed photograph of you and Bakugou at a press interview for Dynamight’s agency. Your eyes gazing up at him in adoration as you both smiled softly at something the other had said while you both acted like you were the only two in the world.

[shuttershocky]

Based on my (limited) experiences following the Type Moon fandom, it seems like there's such a wall between the fans of the "OG stuff" (mostly Mahoyo, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai, FSN) and people who started with/also enjoy Grand Order, it looks like such a one sided thing where the fans of the older stuff tend to hate on FGO's writing and whatever it might have done to have done to Type Moon and Nasu's priorities, while the FGO fans just seem to enjoy the story while still being happy enough to support the OG stuff (Mahoyo/TsukiRe english release for example)

That incoherent wall of text is basically set up for me to ask what *you* think of FGO as someone who I imagine came from the older works. I'm curious about how you feel about the writing and stories in particular, from the arcs where Nasu started to be more involved (I haven't played them, but I believe it's Camelot?) since that's where I heard they started to get more elaborate. Do they live up to the experiences you've had with TM's other works?

Sorry for the long question, and I hope you have a great day!

Wow. I've been here for an incredibly long time if people no longer know about how much I used to play FGO.

Anyway, I would say what really sets FGO apart, not just from the rest of Type-Moon but even from other Fate works, is its scale, both in terms of the storytelling and its real life commercial value.

The hate you see many non-FGO playing TM fans have toward FGO is resentment towards how much it has simply taken up Type-Moon as a whole. The Tsukihime Remake was announced all the way back in 2008 and released in 2021 for example, partly because FGO taking off the way it did in 2015 meant it took up all their time and effort. They could not focus on anything else.

As their biggest moneymaker, it also began to warp the production of other works around it, as FGO had now become the main way by which people got into Type-Moon. Therefore, all things had to appeal to FGO fans in order to sell whether that was Fate/Extella Link pulling in FGO cast members like Scathach and Arjuna into the game, or Fate/Apocrypha's anime adaptation including as many FGO cameos as possible like Medea Lily (what was she even doing there lmao).

Of course, just adding FGO references doesn't automatically make something bad. Fate/Samurai Remnant for example has made fantastic use of FGO characters while mixing them in with new ones. However, you also get stuff like Melty Blood Type-Lumina having Saber, Ushiwakamaru, Dantes, and Mash all in the game while old fan favorite Melty Blood characters like Sion and Len are nowhere to be seen. You know that "Wi-fi is okay if you're close to the router" Melty Blood meme? That character Nanaya Shiki isn't even playable in the latest Melty Blood. When you see that and see not one, not two, but THREE FGO characters taking their place (Saber's a free pass), you'd see why there's a lot of resentment built up towards FGO by older Type-Moon fans.

As I said before, the difference isn't just in its commercial scale, but also in its creative one. Even in the most outlandish of settings, Type-Moon works are almost always smaller scale, character-centric pieces. Fate/Extra took place inside a supercomputer on the Moon, but it was about a glitch making an AI fight in a death battle between humans, and how that formerly blank AI feeling danger and wanting to live blurred the lines between what is human and what isn't. Tsuki No Sango (Coral of the Moon) was about a world 3000 years in the future, but the entire thing was a little space man in the palm of a girl's hand, listening to a love story about a man and a computer on the Moon.

For all its many similarities to previous TM works, FGO is still ultimately a save the world type of story. It starts with a demon destroying all of time, and then turns into a death game between entire timelines. It's big, it's bombastic, and it's instantly accessible, the kind of story structure you want to be able to fit the gacha format of an endless stream of new characters while keeping the ship steady with an overarching plot that lets you keep meeting an endless stream of new characters.

That's not really what I'm a TM fan for. I played FGO for its first 3 years, and once they brought out the Lostbelts I realized I was already satisfied and did not want to read yet another big world saving adventure plot all over again. I was pretty happy with how the first arc ended already, so my interest in continuing FGO shriveled up soon after.

Quality wise I'd say FGO is a very mixed bag, inevitable when FGO itself is a mix of very different writers (who themselves can be pretty inconsistent, Nasu included). Plenty of FGO chapters have also been cursed with subpar adaptations (looking at you, Camelot and Babylonia), further muddying the perceived quality of the stories.

I will say when FGO is bad, it's really bad (and often pretty racist), but when it's good, it's really good. For what I consider to be a mediocre baseline, FGO has some incredibly high peaks that rival the best in Type-Moon, and even when something is just okay execution wise (like Shimousa), some of the characters, concepts, and story beats are just so damn cool that they become intensely emotional and impactive all the same and inspire superior adaptations and follow up works (like Shimousa).

That being said, my favorite stories in FGO were the ones that would use much smaller scale, isolated adventures with a far stronger focus on characterization and emotional arcs that follow its thematic ones. Aeaean Spring Breeze is one of the best examples, being a tiny event about helping Circe move on from having been rejected by Odysseus in life, with some incredibly solid character work and a great understanding of how to mix the needs of a light-hearted comedy event with making genuine, emotionally compelling moments from a character that almost never speaks from the heart.

[twig-tea]

Love For Love's Sake Marketing vs Reality

I cannot get over how misleading the description of this show was compared to its actual execution of the first two episodes. This will be pretty spoiler-free if you are reading to decide whether to give the show a try!

The summary: "Twenty-nine-year-old Tae Myung Ha experiences a bewildering twist of fate when suddenly finds himself transported into a fictional online game where he inhabits the body of a ninteen-year-old character. Soon, Tae Myung Ha embarks on a quest within the virtual world to bring happiness to a character named Cha Yeo Woon. Despite his humble upbringing, Cha Yeo Woon has managed to excel in the national track and field championships, maintaining a remarkable reputation among his peers due to his handsome looks and athletic physique."

What I had taken away from that description that had made me wary: The importance of the age gap; lying to a character to fake affection in order to win a game.

None of the original description is a lie, but the emphasis is all wrong and it excludes some key details that make this show so good.

First: The character MyungHa is tasked to make happy is not just any character; he's the character in a novel MyungHa has just read, and he's the character that he says he identified with most (and who he was rooting for and was annnoyed got a sad storyline and ending). So when he's going up to YeoWoon expressing affection, it's genuine. He really does already know and like this guy. That's a HUGE difference for me, and it changes his mission from a Big Lie into a personal mission. The thing I like most about this show is the heart. The fact that MyungHa genuinely wanting YeoWoon to be happy is (it seems) the triggering event that transports him into the game, not a bewildering twist of fate but a direct response to his articulated wish, is a key part of that heart!

Second: Myung Ha is not out here as a 19-year-old trying to seduce YeoWoon, he wants him to be happy because he sees in YeoWoon similarities to who he was in his teens. The thing that has MyungHa most excited about being 19 again is his grandmother still being alive. The age gap is only a thing in how MyungHa is treating YeoWoon like he's a little kid, which annoys the hell out of YeoWoon because his character is only 1 year older.

Finally: YeoWoon has no friends. It seems true that he's famous on campus and that he has fans (e.g. KyungHoon's sister) but they don't approach him and it doesn't prevent people from hating him. This description makes him sound like a popular guy.

The description on MDL also includes this paragraph: "Cheon Sang Won hails from an affluent family and becomes emotionally entangled with Tae Myung Ha. His involvement adds complexity to the developing relationship between Tae Myung Ha and Cha Yeo Woon. Ahn Kyung Hoon, introverted and reserved, supports and assists Tae Myung Ha on his mission within the virtual world."

We haven't enough of SangWon to draw conclusions yet, but based on the failures of the original description to capture any of the the things I love about the show while highlighting issues that don't (to date) actually exist in the show, I'm going to reserve judgment and assume this is also misleading. It would be pretty antithetical to the very heart of the show that's being set up if Myung Ha, through his actions, caused a different character (SangWon) to become the sad second lead. I'll be really interested to see how this goes and how/if this show will address this issue.

TL;DR: The marketing material: Age gap romance with a Big Lie The actual show: video game isekai granting an earnest protagonist a chance to create a fix-it AU for his favourite sad side character.

Anyway. Glad the show turned out to be so off from the marketing material because this is way better!

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Yandere Best Friend part 4

tw: suicide mention, infantalization, rant in da author note, general yandere shenanigans, angst

also damn ageless and minors DNI please </3

my masterlist

hi guys heres another projection extravaganza becasue my paretns are not really supportive of my wish 2 have a gap year and i still gotta hustle even tho im so exhausted n tired and upset and need comfort and broken leg and feeling inadequate n everything so FAST bruh they said im SLOW cause im not in a universtiry by 18 </3/3/3//3/3/3 im tryine </3 but covid BAD and i turned 20 like fuckin last month which made me more shit

anyways enjoyyye

You haven't heard from your friend for days. He hasn't come to visit you but you knew he was working silently in the background when you received the news that your bank account wasn't in the negatives anymore and you no longer have to gouge your eyes out just to pay your student loans and medical bills. You breathed a sigh of relief when you realized that you don't need to file for bankruptcy to stop yourself from plummeting further.

Are you really free from all debt, though?

You really don't know how to proceed. What do you say to your friend? What is he going to do next? What does he expect in return? How will you do your taxes on this?

Sure enough, he returned to you. Still in a foul mood, but he is much mellower and he is leaning towards the heartbroken, sad side.

He went on a sobbing rant about how he wanted you to be spoiled rotten-- how he wanted to spoil you rotten, how he very much preferred you to be arrogant and entitled from being treated like absolute royalty. You could and would get away with anything. You would be above law and beyond.

You wouldn't have to be a commoner working hard to put food on the table, everything you need and wanted would be at your fingertips; no matter how expensive, immoral or illegal it may be.

He wanted you to be ignorant of poverty, deprivation and anything bad about reality. At least, you would be in bliss.

But now, you're hurt all over. Ruined and broken, tainted by the suffering of life. And, it was all his fault.

Your friend stroked your dry, sandpaper-like hands tenderly, morosely. It was such a shame, such a tragic fate you had. He promised you will never ever have to lift anything heavier than a champagne glass or handle anything rougher than silk. You will be pampered and have everything done for you to the point where you don't even need to think your own thoughts.

Drowsy from all the painkillers you had, your friend ran his fingers through your hair to tidy them. You didn't reject him as it felt nice, comforting, even.

He expressed a gentle, teary smile, cupping your cheeks with his soft, smooth and manicured hands. What a stark difference between his hands now and four years ago, you thought to yourself as he massaged parts of your face to stimulate blood flow and collagen formation.

I'll be back by seven. He whispered as he wiped the sleep from your eyes with his thumbs. It's now four in the afternoon, his phone is ringing incessantly and he lets it ring.

He eventually picked the call up while having a hand to pet your hair. You heard him confirm that he is going to a meeting of some sort, he informed the caller that he is going to be late. As he talks on, he leaned down to give you a kiss on the forehead. A silent goodbye before he goes away.

He continues on talking over the phone, leaving the room without sparing another glance at you.

You watched him shut the door behind him and heard quick footsteps getting softer and softer.

You took the time to reflect on what had happened, it was hard to grasp that he wanted you to be... a leech? And, perhaps it was the painkillers dulling your comprehension skills but, what you took away from his venting was: his has a weird obsession with the appearance of your hands. Or with hands, in general.

Too tired to deal with it, you closed your eyes and let yourself drift to sleep.

You woke up, feeling transported into the past when your nose picked up on the familiar aroma of your friend's cooking. It reminded you of your adolescence, your teenagehood and the brief time he stayed in this house.

You rubbed your eyes and saw your friend setting up a wooden bed tray on your lap. It was propped up by its foldable legs.

You were presented with the dish you missed the most, the dish he cooked for you frequently in the past and the dish that made you regress to your teenage self. It was comfort in a bowl, it was a reminder that you had very little things to worry about when you were with him. He would always take care of everything for you.

You tried replicating this dish many times. You followed the recipe to a "T" but you could never get it right, no one ever did except your friend.

He tidied your hair and tucked some stray strands behind your ear. You were given the option to feed yourself or to have him spoonfeed you.

He didn't pressure you into choosing the latter when you picked up the spoon. But he did remind you that the offer still stands.

The room was devoid of sound, save for the white noise coming from your air conditioner and the non-stop buzzing from his phone. Your friend absentmindedly fidget with his golden promise ring as he stared blankly at your leg casts, you couldn't understand how he has the will to ignore all those notifications.

He wondered where your ring was. He did have a hunch that you pawned it off in desperation. But he didn't want to confirm it with you as it might just break his heart even more.

He has nothing else to say and so did you. Your friend found solace in your presence while you only found awkwardness. Unnerved, even.

Your friend was the first to spoke up. He earnestly apologized for his unhinged previous behaviors, all he actually wanted was you to be happy and at ease. He doesn't truly want to take your autonomy away from you, he doesn't want to treat you like a toddler who knows nothing about the world around them. He just found it necessary to bind you for a while, to stop you from hurting yourself further.

Your friend assured that he won't stop you from pursuing whatever you want. It is your life after all.

He is just there to prevent you from being unhappy from failing too many times. At least, to the best of his abilities. He is a strong believer that some "failures" are required to elevate happiness. For example, it would feel extremely rewarding if you finally won a competition despite relentlessly competing against the best contestants the world has to offer.

If you want to attain other qualifications such as a PhD of your choice, or even an entire field change, he will bear all the costs. He will provide all the resources you need and more, you won't need to worry about money, chores or food. He will be supporting you from the shadows.

He made sure that you knew there would be absolutely no pressure for you to excel or to even complete your course. If you think it's not worth the stress, you can just drop out anytime, money is not a problem at all. Take as long as you want, try again as many times as you can take. Your friend would only encourage you to do something if it truly makes you feel fulfilled, happy and content with your life.

You asked about starting a business of your own. His interest piqued and he found himself gleefully motivating you to do so; under the condition that the capital and any connections you need to get it up and running comes from him.

You get to keep whatever profit you make and You would have full control over your business, the vision and mission is yours to play with. He will give you a tutorial based on his experience and tells you what to look out for, he will perhaps give you some advice or warnings here and there, but it is ultimately up to you to heed it.

He will watch you carelessly mess around with a proud smile on his face. You can choose to make your own connections in the industry, you can choose to hire your own people, you can do all the research yourself, you can choose how you want to get the word out there or...

You could simply just simply let him and his highly talented, highly skilled, highly experienced teams handle it while you take all the credit as a self-made entrepreneur.

He won't interject with unwanted help, unsolicited comments or extra funds if you don't want him to. It's all up to your whims and desires. It's just a silly, fun, little game for you to feel joy and self actualization. But if he deems that you're hurting yourself, mentally and/or physically, he is shutting it all down.

No, he won't shame or berate you if your business wasn't successful. He wouldn't allow you to cast blame onto yourself. No, nothing was wasted. Don't you dare think of yourself and your efforts that way. There is no such thing as losses when it comes to you, he is too generous for his own good. You gained some experience, you had fun and you learnt a lot... and that's all that really matters to him. You could fall and choose to either get back up yourself (under his vigilant supervision), or let him pick you up. Would you like to try again?

What if, you don't want to do anything with your business anymore? Well, there are many options for you to choose from. You could simply just shut it down with no repercussions. You don't need to be involved in the headache of liquidating your company's assets or dealing with the law if you don't want to. Hm? Oh, don't worry about all the people who are going to lose their jobs. They'll find new ones eventually. Your friend could take them under his wing if you want him to.

You could just dump it on his lap to manage it while you do other things that you're interested in. However, he is absolutely not changing anything or implementing any new policies to save it from collapsing in on itself unless you ask him to. It doesn't matter if it's costing him millions of dollars in losses, it doesn't matter if it's a liability to him. It's your project and he has no right to interfere without your permission, who is he to touch it when "you" were the one who originally gave it life? He will keep injecting money in without getting anything in return, he will gladly keep a living corpse of an enterprise, a financial parasite, stuck to his name and company.

You could sell it. Even if no one wanted to buy it, your friend would. And again, you can choose to control it although it's under his name, or let him transform it into something actually profitable-- basically give up charge over your business. But, you get to take the authority back whenever you want, please don't worry about the legalities or moralities. This is your world and everyone is just living in it, including himself.

On the other side of the coin, where if your business is raking in massive profits, you would receive praises every minute from him and the people around you. You would be celebrated and worshipped by everyone. He will make sure of it.

I may know many things about the world of trading but not all. Not even close. I might need to learn a thing or two from you. He chuckled, propping his head with a hand.

You asked if you can truly keep all the profits to yourself.

Yes and no. He answered. You don't have to pay him back or give him dividends even though he is a major, active investor. But, if you ever decide to put your business out there for strangers to buy stocks, you have no choice but to give them their share of profits. He would reimburse them if you want him to.

Then you asked him, what if you were to have no aspirations, no goals and no direction to head to? Becoming a complete NEET for the rest of your life? And a degenerate one to top it off? Only hiding yourself in your bedroom, living off junk, hissing at sunlight and consuming more than you create. Be it in terms of food or creative medias.

He frowned. He believes every human needs a goal to work towards to, in order to make their lives feel worthwhile, enriched and enjoyable. A goal is a goal, no matter how small or ridiculous. Yes, he would fund your NEET lifestyle only if you have at least three hobbies that:

Does not actively cause bodily harm,

Does not cause mental, self-esteem deterioration,

Does not cause you to be numb,

Gives you true satisfaction about yourself; I.e., a hobby that is challenging but achievable, something that gives you healthy agency,

Absolute complacency is the devil in his eyes. He isn't going to let you fall into that pit of consumerism hell, he knows it is a slippery slope to despair, pessimistic nihilism and suicidal ideation. If you can't find a hobby yourself, he is going to find something that keeps the cogs turning. But just enough, he is never going to overwhelm or overkill it.

You gave yourself a minute or two to think. You then summed it up to being: Your friend sees his money and status as a shiny toy for you to play with, however or whenever you want. As long as you're not harming yourself with it. Strange how he contradicts himself when it comes to the topic of doing nothing in life. Nonetheless, you're glad that he would let you think for yourself.

What's the catch? You mumbled, he hummed and tilted his head towards you as he didn't hear what you said.

What do you want in return? You don't buy the fact that he's completely selfless and so fucking charitable.

He is. But only for you.

Your hand in marriage. He replied, promptly and bluntly. No bullshit this time, no more flowery language about how he wanted you to be happy and healthy. He would give all of that in return for you to be his and for him to be yours.

What if I say no? You continued. He stared at you in shock and a bit of hurt momentarily before expressing an incredulous laugh.

You don't get to say no. Not this time. He smiled, but you can see the corner of his mouth twitching downward. There was a bit of an angry growl to his voice, which sent chills down your spine. Regardless, you pressed on, asking what he meant by that.

I mean what I say. You decided not to press further after he said his ominous piece.

He continued on with a lighter note, cheerfully asking you when you want the wedding to be, how you want the wedding to be and who do you want to come. He gave you a period of two years to think it through, if you haven't come up with anything satisfactory or anything at all by then, he will proceed with his own plans. Your friend seems to have a Laissez-faire approach to most things, you wonder if that was the secret to his company's rapid and massive growth.

He paused mid sentence when he realized that you have finished your meal a while ago. He asked if you wanted seconds or if you wanted a chocolate bar for dessert.

You said you lost your appetite.

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook: Clingy 🔞 [Part 4]

In which your soup makes him cry, but he's glad you can't see it at least.

Tags/Warnings: Hybrid AU, Wolf hybrid!Jungkook, Otter hybrid!Reader, Angst, strangers to ???

Additional Chapter Warnings: Good soup 🤌, Jungkook has some serious emotional constipation, angst, wolfboy is in denial, fluff?

-> Masterlist

♥━━━━━━━━━━━♡━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

He wakes up alone in bed, and for a moment, he's unsure if he's actually awake or dreaming.

The room is dipped in an almost golden glow, body cushioned by all the different blankets and pillows in the bed he's sleeping in. There's a faint smell of food, something metallic clattering onto the floor - a piercing sound that makes his ears flick towards the origin.

He turns to see a sheepishly smiling you, clad in comfy clothing, tail tucked between your legs from what he assumes must be the shock of the loud noise. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." You say, and he sits up at that, running a hand through his hair. "You looked too peaceful sleeping, and, you know, I technically still have today so.." You tell him before picking up the spoon that had fallen out of your hands.

"What time is it?" He wonders more or less to himself, moving around to grab underwear from his bag at the side of the bed, feeling an odd sense of dread and disappointment in his bones.

"Around 4 PM." You tell him, turning around to put the now washed cutlery away, while he packs his bag silently. Usually, this would be a time of finally breathing again, another job done, a new month's salary added. But somehow, he feels dread, like he's disappointed your heat had ended so quickly - even though it wasn't quick at all. You've rented him for a full week plus a buffer day if needed, and he knew that right from the start.

You didn't even rent him. If fate had played its cards differently, he wouldn't have even met you ever.

You paid for him. Nothing more and nothing less.

"So uh.." You awkwardly start as he stands in front of you a few minutes later, all dressed and ready to leave. "I really don't know how this.. uhm. Yeah." You stammer before shrugging. "Thank you? Is that what you say?"

"No problem, it's my job after all." He responds, though he spots the faint realization on your face as he says that. It's odd how it makes you look just as disappointed as he feels. "But I enjoyed it anyways."

"Uh.. thanks?" You say, cheeks red while he walks to the door. "Oh, wait!" You call out, running to get something out of your fridge. "You didn't have anything to eat yet, and you said you can't cook well.. so you can have my leftover soup from today." You tell him, giving a pink plastic container to him, one he carefully holds. "Just.. you can keep the Tupperware box, I have a lot." You tell him, and he doesn't know how to properly decline. You're a client, and he doesn't even eat soup-

"Thank you." He says, bowing politely before he leaves your apartment behind him, door closing quietly-

But he still stops in his tracks the second he hears the click of the lock, time standing still for a little while. The container in his hands is cold, biting at his skin, and only after a moment does he carefully place it somewhere in his bag where it can't cause any mishap.

Climbing into the van provided by the company, the driver greets him just like always. "How are you?" He asked, only getting a hum as a reply since Jungkook busies himself with stretching his limbs. "Damn, I picked up Tae today from a similar street. Takes me back to the times when you both were still new." The man chuckles, and Jungkook just shrugs, looking outside the window.

It's true that the scenery looks nostalgic almost, though right now, the wolf hybrid doesn't want to dwell on it any longer. He just wants to go home, sleep well, and enjoy his free time.

His apartment is cold but familiar, comforting as he lets his bag drop to the ground, typical routine starting. But when he stands in front of his shower, he hesitates- he's showered at your place already, there's no need to do it a second time. He'd almost always shower again here at his place to get any scents off of him, but he doesn't actually mind the strawberry vanilla scented bodywash still clinging to his skin.

Or was that your scent?

He's unsure, rather opting to take out the container of soup from his bag to put into the microwave, carefully keeping an eye on it in case the container isn't safe for those temperatures. Filling the contents into a bowl, he sits in front of his TV, boring drama, playing more or less as background noise if anything else as he eats the first spoonfuls of your cooking. It warms up his body, fills him with comfort, and has a soft sense of nostalgia as he watches the screen in front of him.

Until he notices his vision blurring, heavy blinking only forcing the tears to fall.

He's confused. Why is he crying right now? He doesn't even feel particularly sad at all. Nothing is wrong, he's not sick, and neither does it feel like he's allergic to anything in your cooking. There's emotions in his head that just don't make sense at all, and he hates it.

Why does he miss you?

The soup is good, great even, your cooking is absolutely perfect in that it's not perfect at all. There's no expensive spices or ingredients used, just the traditional vegetables and a bit of chicken like he remembers his aunt making whenever he got sick.

He sighs after he finishes the small meal, sitting back on his couch to just exist for a moment, head empty before it fills with you again. Would you spend your next heat with one of the lower ranking workers next time? Possibly, if you won't find a permanent partner before then. He can't imagine that being too hard for you. After all, he's pretty sure he'd choose you as a lover in a heartbeat if he was ever to be asked.

His eyes widen as he realizes what he'd just thought.

As if burned, he jumps up from the couch, taking his cutlery and bowl with him to wash everything in his sink, your pink Tupperware container included. He needs to give that back to you. He needs to return it, and he needs it out of his apartment and out of his life.

And most of all, he needs to get you out of his head.

[niyabiblioteca]

heeseung x chin tattoo

this is inspired by a tiktok i saw of a girl with a chin tattoo and i was like yes immediately

plus im a new engene so

yeah

enjoy!

you had been teasing heeseung about this “surprise appointment” for literally WEEKS. you had given him no clues at all to what it could be, all he could deduce was that it was some type of body modification.

a new piercing? that’d be hot. something crazy like a split tongue? you would literally never but he can’t rule anything out.

a tattoo perhaps? you already have some, so he’s not sure what could be special about a new one.

at some point he had just forgotten about the whole thing and just decided he would notice when he notices.

then one day. one fateful day you come home. a slight pep in your step but not enough for him to be suspicious of. he couldn’t see anything immediately different even if he scanned you from head to toe.

guess the appointment wasn’t today.

a few days pass. nothing changes and nothing interesting. you act as usual.

little did heeseung know you were just waiting for it to heal.

how he didn’t see it AT ALL or even catch a small glimpse is astonishing to you but you can’t complain.

finally the day comes. it’s healed, and the anticipation is making you so fucking wet.

you’re sitting on the couch with your boyfriend. cuddling of course but you’ve been thinking since the moment you woke up today about this moment.

you can’t bare to wait any longer so you get straight kissing his neck.

he’s no stranger to this treatment. you know he loves it so much you’re just trying to get him at the same level of neediness as you.

soon enough a steamy makeout ensues and your clothes go flying across the room (not to say you were wearing much anyway).

heeseung is such a giver and so sweet, he begins to move his head towards your clothed core without even being asked. he takes your uncontrolled grinding as a sign and just grins before pulling your panties off with his pearly whites.

he sees the long string of arousal connect with them as they pull away, and at this point he physically cannot stop himself from getting a taste.

his warm wet tongue soon finds purchase in between your legs and you feel yourself absolutely dissolving into the feeling.

his tongue moves so sweetly against you and it makes you quiver in all the right places.

you definitely forgot about the surprise now and are just lost in your boyfriend’s gift to you. you sensually call his name as you throw your head back onto the cushions.

he looks up at you as he hears his name, and then he sees it. the thing you’ve been hiding. something you for sure did not have before.

a tattoo beneath your chin of a heart lined in red ink.

his eyes dilate at the sight. the picture is so adorable, too adorable to only be able to be seen when you’re in such a sinful position. the thought of you being well aware of that and getting this tattoo just for him makes him get rock hard against the couch.

you hear him growl as he gets rid of the slow movements and begins to go feral. his long muscle lapping at your soaked folds is so unexpected, and that’s why it feels so amazing.

now you remember the surprise.

you have a lazy smile on your face as you lock eyes with him between your legs. it’s like he’s a different person.

he sees your grin and chuckles before burying too long digits into you causing you to cry out for him.

he raises his upper body up as he continues to drive his fingers against your g spot.

finally he speaks.

“so that’s the surprise. i was getting frustrated at you for hiding it from me but now i’m so glad you did. fucking slut.”

he moves his thumb to play with your clit in sync with his ministrations and your eyes roll back in response.

“c’mon. lemme see it again. let me see my surprise.”

he uses his free hand to grab your jaw and tilt your head up, where he sees it yet again.

it’s rising and falling with your quick and sharp breaths. it’s so bright and fresh. it looks gorgeous against your skin.

he finally sees it still when you gasp loudly at your orgasm crashing into you.

he brings your face back down to give you a sweet, appreciative kiss.

“thank you baby. i love it.”

you smile in between breaths and kisses as if to say you’re welcome, because you sure as hell can’t speak right now.

“can’t wait to see it from every angle. get on my lap.”

————————————————————————

heeseung my beloved.

[utilitycaster]

Skein of Destiny

Now that I've got your attention with a shitpost I do want to plug the article I worked on that prompted it, and throw out some thoughts that are too speculative for wiki articles!

What we know (ie, the canon stuff; much of this is also in the article with citations)

The skein is a physical manifestation of the concept of fate, with threads representing the fate of individuals - Vax and Caleb have both seen it in two entirely different contexts, and Evontra'vir's roots grow into it.

The idea of destiny and fate as a skein/tapestry/weave is nigh-universal in Exandria. It is consistent among worshipers of the Prime Deities (Raven Queen and Ioun both reference it; The Raven Queen's domain includes fate), the Luxon (Caleb sees the skein within the beacon), and nature (Evontra'vir was a druid of the Gau Drashari). Nana Morri, a hag in the feywild, acknowledges it is the Raven Queen's domain, though she has the ability to see it and influence threads beyond her own from an external perspective; Teven Klask (worshiper of a Betrayer God) identifies Fearne as being "outside the knotted weave." Arcane, divine of pretty much all known forms, fey, fiend, and elemental are all united in this understanding in a way they are not really about anything else.

Destiny and fate as understood in Exandria do not mean "all is pre-determined" (as indicated in the shitpost, this is about the interplay of fate and free will, which have always coexisted). The above entities are also united in this understanding. The Raven Queen notes that Vax, as Fate-Touched, influences the fates of those around him in unique ways not merely limited to his choices, but does grant him many choices herself, and tells Percy when he asks her for answers that "There are a great many deeds ahead of you. It's your choice to take them." Ioun says something similar to Vox Machina, and a core tenet of the Changebringer is "Luck favors the bold. Your fate is your own to grasp." The Luxon and Dunamancy are based on the concept of possibility, of many potential paths taken and not taken, and not only do chronurgy wizard spells and the fate-touched ability share certain mechanics, but also permit a do-over, since the future is not yet known. When Caleb observes the threads he sees multiple branches off of them that are implied to be based on possibility (ie, there is not merely one option). And Evontra'vir in episode 3x74 directly tells Bells Hells that while some things are fated to happen, it will be their choice that determines what happens to the gods; it also tells Ashton they are fated to retrieve the spark, but also to bestow it, a choice that is their own.

All three of the main powers discussed (Raven Queen, Luxon, Evontra'vir) also serve to preserve the cycle of life, death, or rebirth in some capacity.

Some thoughts: Honestly the big one is that while the idea of fate vs. free will or of the future being a series of possibilities rather than one definite path is a very common one in epic fantasy (frankly, the idea of Fate as "everything is predetermined" is a bad one anyway in fiction because then there's no point in telling the story), there is a particular ludonarrative harmony to play with this theme in a TTRPG. There is a general path laid out before you, but it is not ironclad, and you can make choices to attempt to change this. Sometimes you will fail despite your best efforts based on factors beyond your control but sometimes you will experience unlikely success. The narrative is shaped by this interplay of possibility/probability and choice.

Some wild speculation: I think a peaceful parting with the gods (ie, stopping Predathos and then Bells Hells making their choices about the fate of Exandria as stated by Evontra'vir) would still preserve this skein fate (as would of course maintaining the divine status quo), but a failure to stop Predathos will destroy it, and the fabric of the cosmos (the roots of Predathos are between worlds; fate connects all of the inner planes). I desperately need to know why Fearne is said to exist outside of fate, because I don't know if that's a fey thing, a Ruidusborn thing, a Nana Morri thing, or something else entirely. I would be shocked if the Luxon doesn't come up in SOME capacity later in the campaign (or perhaps in the Echoes of the Solstice one-shot coming up), and I'm very interested in seeing what other party members might gain as they gather their allies and resources. And I don't think it's coincidence that the two deities devoured by Predathos pre-Schism included Vordo the Fateshaper (nor Ethedok, the Endless Shadow, whose domain of darkness and winter is thematically associated with the cycle of life and death).

[cyphyree]

Kill la kill: What is Ryuko and Senketsu's friendship anyway

I talked before about how Life Fibers are representations of fate and predominantly facist ideals, which is why the show ultimately isn't about and doesn't end with interspecies friendship. Senketsu then is a representation of Ryuko's fate, and in the end, he frees Ryuko of himself.

BUT, Ryuko and Senketsu's relationship is more complicated than "fate imposed on a person"...... yet at the same time that's exactly what it is. Their friendship is real and fraught with ups and downs, and they BOTH undergo arcs catalyzed by the other.

Ryuko is a product of destiny grappling with her own agency. She takes up the scissor blade in order to avenge her dad, but was forced to confront her fate--Senketsu, who was tailor-made specifically for Ryuko, and who very literally and uncomfortably forced himself on Ryuko.

...Not a great start tbh. Just as Junketsu is Satsuki's wedding dress, Senketsu is Ryuko's. At that point, the only reason Ryuko rolled with Senketsu was because she could then leverage Senketsu's powers to defeat Satsuki.

(Side note, Satsuki forces Junketsu to bend to her will, but like her conquest, playing to best the system is still playing within the system. Both girls were both going to be fed to their predetermined fates one way or another. But anyway)

Ryuko has a complicated relationship with her destiny and with herself, all of which is reflected in her friendship with Senketsu. She was forced into a role, became a pawn in a game set by her parents and those around her, and yet somehow learned self love and agency. Her relationship with Senketsu is a reflection of her own self-image: when she's comfortable in her own skin, she and Senketsu are in harmony. When she is disgusted by the truth of being a Life Fiber human hybrid, she sees herself in what Senketsu is, and is vehemently repulsed.

Like Ryuko, Senketsu is a hybrid of Life Fibers, Ryuko's human DNA and his own personality. As much as Ryuko is a product with predetermined destinies, so is Senketsu, more obviously even.

Senketsu is weaponized clothing. In a world where everyone wanted to possess or destroy him, Ryuko calls him her friend.

Ryuko is a manufactured hybrid soldier. In a world where everyone wanted to use her or put her down, Senketsu calls her his friend. (We'll get to Mako in a bit)

Senketsu and Ryuko both embody their own struggles against fate and self-image. How can you live and accept yourself, when you were created a monster? A tool to be used and otherwise euthanized? Products made to either save or destroy your own species?

"Everyone else can take off their clothes, but I can't take off my own skin."

Although Senketsu's struggles aren't as upfront as Ryuko's, we still see him grapple with how Ryuko perceives him: as a friend, as "just a piece of clothing," as a mirror held up to herself? And what then, when the answer is "yes?"

The simple and most difficult answer, that I believe was presented to us, is to accept yourself and to choose what path to walk.... which is essentially the very thing that our facist villain Ragyo wants to eliminate.

At her lowest point, Ryuko was faced with the reality that she is in fact the weapon that everyone treated her as. Her fears are realized. How can anyone love this? How can she? Mako shows her that there are those who love her unconditionally--Mako herself in fact! It's important that Ryuko realizes this. But this alone isn't enough to save Ryuko from self-loathing.

The Wedding is a scene where we can clearly see the difference between giving into a predestined fate, and accepting yourself. It's here that Ryuko finally realizes that she does have the power to choose, and that for everything she is, she is unconditionally worthy of love from others and herself.

Senketsu would also make this realization, but from his side of the coin. He is clothing, to be worn, to be grown out of. He is also a weapon destined to consume his wearer. He is horrified by the idea that Ryuko is supposed to be his food, and yet would force himself onto her at the beginning. Even at the time of the Wedding, Senketsu declared that he'd force Ryuko to wear him to save her.

However, like Ryuko, Senketsu struggles with and would finally accept Ryuko's own agency. Ryuko broke out of the Wedding NOT because she was forced to wear Senketsu, another wedding dress, but because she CHOOSES to. It is finally when she willingly and full heartedly accepts herself that she and Senketsu are the most powerful, and this could only happen by her choice.

Notably, Ryuko flays herself of Junketsu, effectively a second skin, to be in her own skin again.

Just as Ryuko is a person who can choose what to wear, Senketsu is clothing that is chosen to be worn.

That's not to detract from Senketsu's personhood. What I'm saying is that Senketsu is clothing given voice and personality, and both he and Ryuko learn to make peace with what they are, and are empowered by the choices they can make.

People are people. Clothes are clothes.

People are not meant to be worn, clothes are.

This is why Senketsu leaving in the end is a powerful conclusion to his and Ryuko's arcs. Even as he burns, he protects Ryuko. He tells her to wear something she wants. As much as they could've been destined to meet, as much as he is Life Fibers meant to consume her, he is not her wedding dress, and nor will he force her to wear him. He is clothing but chooses to be a friend.

We are what we are and can't change how we were born; perhaps that is fate. But our choices are what really matter, and some of the most powerful choices we can make are to accept and love ourselves.

[3am-starry-night-sky]

Why Kaeya’s Sailwind Shadow outfit from the Secret Summer Paradise event is the way it is (contains spoilers for the event)

 I finished all the Secret Summer Paradise event quests, and it hit me in the end why Kaeya’s vision is different or fixed. You could say in his new Sailwind Shadow outfit, in the quest dubbed as the dagger bandit outfit.

 Because that’s Kaeya’s wish, that’s him being given a moment of mirage. That he too can be free from his shackles and burden. That he can abandon the position besdowed upon him by fate. Or perhaps that he doesn’t have to choose and can be both a Monstadter and a Khaenri’ahn.

 But it’s all only a momentary fix/resolve to his problems. 

 In the end as Idyia says in the end and sort of something Kaeya and the others realized. The wishes of the founders of the lamp in the story and also the wishes of the visitors can only be granted/exist inside the bottle.

SO...

 Only inside the magical bottle can Kaeya’s vision have three wings, while at the same time sport a Khaenri’ahn star behind it. Only inside the bottle can Kaeya feel free of his burden and feel like he too can belong. 

Kaeya doesn’t mind the role of the Dagger Bandit, because in this bottle world he can be both a knight and a bandit, stand both on the good and the bad side. (this is also just a nudge to Kaeya’s existance as a hidden Khaenria’hn pawn in Monstadt taking also on a role of a knight. Basically playing a double role.)

But even Kaeya realizes this is only a dream, a play, a farytale. The opposition to Kaeya’s own words lays in the desrciption of the outfit, which starts as a dialog between Kaeya and Klee, but mostly it shines light to Kaeya’s inner thoughts.

 And during his inner monolog, he brings out that the roles of people/characters have been given to them and thus dictated by fate. As he says a Bandit can’t carry out the role of a Knight and vice versa a Knight shouldn’t do shady stuff and backstabing. The ugly reality of Kaeya’s life and the world of tevyat is that a person/character needs to play out their role according to the rules/plan, otherwise they are betraying fate itself.

And as we have learned so far in the Genshin story, Fate can hardly be overturned. Each characters role has been pretty much set in stone by fate.

But Kaeya doesn’t yet want to ruin Klee’s wondrous innocence and thus he leaves that out and fills it with tales, as he recognizes that fate can be defided in dreams and farytales, which kind of fabricates a made up oppostion.

Here’s the part from the description:

There’s much more details hidden in the desciption, but for this now, I’m only bringing out the related stuff. (*cough* story of the bandit as a kid is probably just Kaeya’s childhood hidden in a farytale.*cough*..plssss Kaeya tell me the story!!!)

Anyways, I am going now, to brood over this whole connection. 

Kaeya has managed to hide his reality behind a sunny, funny and cute summer event. Many of us thought this outfit was Hoyo tying the loose ends, but no, instead they brough us to the loose and showed us what it could be, but then snapped their fingers and ripped it away, telling us this is something Kaeya will not be given.

[moonandwind]

Before judging Kagura as "bad" or "selfish", think about everything she had to go through.

Whenever Naraku sensed signs of non-obedience, he threatened her by squeezing her heart to make her feel pain or, even worse, he kept her chained. She wasn't free to do anything and was constantly threatened or tortured. (*Someone* even tried to make a super forced connection between Kagura's desire to be free from all this with not wanting a man by her side, when the two things really have nothing to do!).

I'm not saying that Kagura was perfect and that she never did anything wrong, rather than obeying Naraku she should have preferred to die, but I'd like to make a couple of considerations.

The first consideration is that Kagura never gave me the feeling of being really cruel and heartless, everything negative she did she did exclusively to survive and in her there was the ability to feel compassion, we saw it with Kohaku.

Here we can see that Kagura shows concern for Kohaku and warns him.

More than one time...

Here her reaction of shock when Moryomaru asks her to bring him Kohaku's fragment that keeps him alive...

Just before, Moryomaru threatened her, yet she thinks of Kohaku first than her.

Look at her face when she realizes that Kohaku's fate is to die anyway, it's certainly not the look of someone who is indifferent...

And in the end she even lets him escape despite having been threatened first by Moryomkaru and then by Hakudoshi.

So Kagura is ABLE to feel compassion, she's not heartless.

The second consideration is a question to those who condemn Kagura, in your opinion if Sesshomaru had been in Kagura's place, would he have behaved differently from her? Although now he has become more compassionate, I'm not sure at all that he'd be ready to die for people he doesn't care about, he's still too self-centered to do something like that in my opinion! So why does Kagura deserves to die, for doing what Naraku asked her to do, if even Sesshomaru most likely wouldn't have acted differently?

Also, since I saw Kagura's reaction when Sesshomaru went to save her, I have the strong feeling that LOVE could save and soften her heart. For the first time I saw a sweet and serene expression on her face, as if every negative feeling inside her had gone away.

This is one of the reasons why I see a romantic relationship between them as something absolutely positive, I'm convinced that Kagura just needed LOVE to bring out even more those compassionate sides that could already be glimpsed in her.

[goblinmatriarch]

Drarry 2022 Roundup!

Just some drarry I loved in 2022.

Love to do year round-ups weeks after the year ended and with zero system or approach except scrolling back through my bookmarks and being like "aw yeah, that one! Nice!". Anyway, here are 16 drarry fics that got me through 2022.

Contretemps by @moonflower-rose (8.5k)

This was my erised gift and it's perfect! Some really fun magical lore, a perfectly fumbling bumbling Harry with a crush, and the rare oblivious Draco. It's quick and witty and sparklingly awkward.

The Unknown Door by waterwings (70k)

This fic was in a class by itself! The house magic was eerie and Draco's post-war fate was bleak, and then there is a slow, glorious healing of everyone through a community of misfits. Really imaginative magic and a lot of finding of lost ways.

The Stuff of Clouds and Skies by @myrtlefics (7.5k)

Harry with an obvious crush and ANOTHER oblivious Draco, truly 2022 was my year in that regard! And then there are the 17th century ghost bros, and Draco helplessly finding himself having to do things he thought he'd never do again to save Harry. And THEN Draco has to spend a bunch of time stumbling through an Auror investigation with a competent Ron and it's all just.....unf, so good.

Romp and Circumstance by @wolfpants (35k)

Like drinking champagne while horny. Such a sexy, fun fic, which makes sense as it's from Bodice Ripper Fest. Draco as the virginal ingenue meeting Harry's rake seduction head-on was delicious and overwhelming and full of 'technically' not crossing any sexy sexy lines, which, if you're into that, is hot as all get-out. (Spoiler: I am into that)

Eager for the Sky by @oknowkiss (35k)

Hogwarts AU that puts Harry and Draco on the same team and also makes quidditch have some level of strategy, a feat in and of itself! Harry is a confused, bumbling seducer who is so bad at it that Draco has no idea, which means......another oblivious!Draco! It's funny and insightful and poignant and well worth a read.

In Free Fall by @kbrick (81k)

Harry is an adrenaline junkie doing stunts all over the world. Draco is a big old nerd. They grow to understand each other and make space in one another's lives. This was really thoughtful and insightful about like....mm, maybe what it's like wanting things different from the standard, and I was enthralled by the way Harry shaped and reshaped his life. Honestly don't think I'm doing this one justice, just read it.

Yours Truly by @skeptiquewrites (14.5k)

Ahhh this one is so much fun! Fake dating! Fake dating! And then a furious but handsome Draco, a community of friends, some very cool magical jobs, and Drunk Hermione my love.

The Truth about Love by waterwings (52k)

Pureblood magic and rituals being dismantled! All the fun of learning about ancient, complicated snobby binding rituals AND the joy of Draco's personal growth being in dismantling them. Lots of great friendship stuff, with Pansy and Hermione especially as affectionately mocking allies.

I have not yet forgot myself to stone by @elskanellis (3k)

Absolutely haunting Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind LCDrarry crossover. It's ambiguously tragic and lovely and fragile and beautiful. It takes the trope of them finding each other over and over no matter what and turns Harry's utter faith into a tragic flaw.

Welcome! Everything is Fine! by @melociraptor (12k)

A smart and funny Good Place @lcdrarry fic with pitch-perfect character voices. Truly worth a read for drarry encountering Jason Mendoza alone, and then there is EVEN MORE to love beyond that! It's sort of picaresque scenes from a year, varying between hilariously silly to startlingly poignant, and it's worth a read even if you're unfamiliar with the original work.

Our Time by @mosrael (40k)

Another fic with astonishing world-building and deeply cool magical lore. I've never seen the work it's based on (Arrival), and I did not care. The driving magical mystery was exciting, and the drarry relationship develops naturally and joyously alongside it.

Silverpoint by @tackytigerfic (8k)

I could have linked p much any tackytiger fic I've read this year buuuut this one is most recent in my bookmarks so it gets the shout-out 😂. It's a lovely, short, second-person look at Harry's observations of Draco over the years. Read it and then also the rest of tacky's fics.

Tis a Far Better Thing by @the-sinking-ship (37k)

This Clueless AU sent me on a tear through all of Sinking Ship's fics, and I stand by that choice. Draco's voice blends beautifully with Cher's, and Draco as the lost, confused fashion plate socialite discovering himself is absolutely perfect. This reclist could maybe double as an oblivious!Draco one because guess what he's here, too, and I love it.

Little Deaths and How to Avoid Them by @dustmouth-blog (96k)

Comfort read that feels like taking a long hot bath then crawling into clean sheets for almost 100k words! Harry has some mh stuff to grapple with, and there are some gentle negotiations around sex and relationship stuff, and it's all so careful and soft and soothing.

Exposure by @margeurite (6k)

Suuuuch a hot fic omg. Draco accidentally discovers Harry's exhibitionist streak alongside Harry himself awkwardly realising oh no he is into this and it's just. Hoo boy. It's steamy.

Come as you Are by @peachpety (3.5k)

Peach is a master of texting/social media in fics, and this was the one that made me fall in love! Sweet little high school AU with awkward sexuality and a lot of fun online gossip

Potential Gravity by zeitgeistic (32k)

This one stands on its own; I can't really compare it to any other fic. Harry's lack of care for his own life is in full effect, and Draco is so angry at him for it. Some cool looks at magic and magical govt outside of England (in Beirut!) And also there is a baby manticore.

Knead, then let rise by @softlystarstruck (7k)

I guess another theme of my year is soft, gentle, soothing fics of healing. Real mystery, that, cannot even guess why that might have been 😅. Anyway, it's lovely and domestic and sweet.

And that's all, folks! Read em, don't read em, but those were my favourite fics that I read in 2022! Thanks to all the authors for making me laugh, cry, or soothe myself to sleep!