#[also I am very sorry that this is not smol]

[chaos--gremlin]

Achoo

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Uh oh guys...... I think I sneezed myself back to 2017 (and took Mr Fuzzy with me)

[smol-tired-binch-blog]

tell me about your correct opinions. I love hearing opinions...

Honestly I can't think of any specifics rn hdggjndg I just know I am a Nishikiyama Understander. I think one off the top of my head is that yes, he's clearly more emotional than others, but he is not remarkably so and he is NOT a 'crybaby'. Like every time he's cried on screen it's been for very understandable reasons and in highly emotional situations.

Or the idea that him not reciprocating Reina's feelings is like, an inherent character flaw??

[katyahina]

Quick Caryll headcanons update!

Alright, a few months ago I've made a post where I doodled all Byrgenwerth scholars I could possibly think of, but I've decided to change my ideas a bit in the end! Basically, I turned one character into two! So here is the changed post with the full cast and quick rundown: ( x )

More detail on why the change under cut though!

Long ago, when I just gotten into Bloodborne, my first vision of the character Caryll was of a red haired man who also was an artist. Even in one of those stereotypical berets, all that. Then I learned Caryll was ungendered name, so I opened up to potential of female character instead (really love to have more of those). And it was also around that time when I figured the potential of Caryll as the inspiration for the statue with a stitch on her forehead we see just behind Memory Altar - as well as Witch of Hemwick! We find Runes Workshop tool on a tied up corpse in Hemwick that appears to have bled and surrounded by many paper sheets, that made me think of experimenting on him to find out how many runes can human brain memorize at once before it explodes. Turns out only four, and that's my justification for in lore how everyone knows to not hold more than four in mind at once.

So for a while she was one of the witches and sole person responcible for runes - both having deciphered language of Great Ones, and then having brain surgery to 'speed up' process of receiving inhuman information! That dramatically shortened her lifespan and thus Old Hunters (and Church's prospectors too) revered her as a great help for their grave robbing- errr, exploration of the Chalice Dungeons! Hence why same statues are in the dungeons too.

Later though I found out that in Japanese original, character Caryll has legitimately masculine name - Karel, variant of Charles. ( x ) I myself use japanese script a lot but it never occured to me to check kanji of names so that was... a late discovery. Now I check names and titles too and it only was useful (especially with proper name of Kos thing). That didn't sit very well with that super female figure martyr mother teresa something vibe of the statue I copied Caryll from, nor with witch idea... Yet it still made a lot of sense to connect Hemwick stuff to it.

So I was lost on what to do, and then I remembered the very old instant impression of the redhead artist man and... It finally made sense to me! So I guess I just... knew something before I KNEW it?

So yeah, now Runes are joint effort of two people! :) Caryll is an artist from Cainhurst that also drew all those portraits, and had enough archiological education and talent to figure out an alphabet of Great Ones that even others could be taught to envision their own personal runes (ie Ludwig and Adeline). He saw very big potential in it as such language is exempt of the flaws of human languages and errors in verbal communication! People could even communicate their OWN thoughts and feelings to someone else without misunderstandings or language barriers - like how League's rune allows Valtr to let others see HIS understanding of what evil is and who has it. He also was slightly biased because he was hardly eloquent at all, and only felt like he could express himself in visual art. x)

Meanwhile, the witch was more of the "inventor" person that found a way to utilize Runes and created tools and means for exchanging them very effectively between people, without any divine Insight by brain fluid needed! Possibly worked on combining runes with ancient bells to basically create Arcane version of cellphones x) By getting literal eyes in her brain, she was able to receive significant amount of information that Caryll was able to perceive and write down too! Within lore, being close to a person who is seeing a Rune could make you see it too. Since it killed the witch quick, she was honored as martyr in the workshop for her sacrifice for the progress.

I now call her Carolee, but funny enough? Runesmith is mistranslation as well, because in the original it is 'Transcriptor Karel'. So basically Caryll is, indeed, transcriptor, meanwhile Carolee is, indeed, runeSMITH. Because tools and stuff. Had it not been too hard to bounce between general english speaking fandom and people who dwell on Japanese original as much as I do, I'd just call them Caryll and Karel instead! But yeah although similar names situation happens (like Adella and Adeline), that'd just be too confusing, so I gave her just a name that is variant of Caryll (and not variant of Karel!) similar enough, to still have connection to her previous version!

SO yeah, thanks anyone who read this short story! xD It just feels right for me, besides I feel like it'd be just bad to waste that redhead artist who came to me like a muse over a translation mistake... Like, sorry guy, you can't exist because I didn't bother to check the names extra time? It is like he saught me to let him exist, and I want him to have this chance! :) Just personal creator's intuition bias, don't mind me.

[storiedhistories]

@runsonchaos liked for a smol starter!

Kratos looked down at his son, who was so much taller than he used to be, and he felt a momentary twinge in his heart. Atreus was growing up. He was getting taller, broader, coming into his own. And seeing his son continue to grow, to thrive made Kratos infinitely proud of him, of the man he was becoming.

And yet, there were times that he couldn't help but wonder, as he saw Atreus grow year after year, what Calliope might have been like, had she had a chance at life.

He looked down at his own hands, still white with the ashes of his first family, and he knew that he had to tell Atreus. It was long past time to speak of such things...., and though he didn't like to talk about his previous life......, his son deserved to know a more human side of his father, though Kratos had not been that man in a very long time.

Kratos looked up at Atreus, who looked so much like his mother. He watched him for a moment before speaking, "You are outgrowing your tunic," he said, matter-of-factly. That issue could be addressed first, though he did still intend to tell him about his sister.

[ryuichirou]

Replies

We just got back from an oceanarium where we spent 1.5 hours trying to find moray eels and then half an hour hanging out in front of their tank, so I’m pretty tired and won’t write a lot of replies today… sorry! At least I can show you these doofuses that I drew as we were watching them lol They are so delightfully dorky.

They had a giant octopus there too, but it didn’t want to come out and say hi, so the only thing that we saw was a small part of its tentacle. Azul being misanthropic once again…

Anyways, replies! Related to my Ortho/Idia drawing from yesterday.

characharing asked:

THAT ART WITH BIG ORTHO AND SMOL IDIA, I'M RABID, THANK YOU, I DIDN'T EXPECT TO EAT GOOD TODAY

YOU’RE WELCOME, PLEASE ENJOY!!! I am so happy you liked this one!!

eh-nonnie-mouse asked:

Big Ortho is Big cute. Give Onii-san lots of kisses he deserves them!!!

So I have my notifications turned on for you and when I did a preview I saw Big Ortho and a fuzzy string of blue coming out his nose 😂. I was very confused for half a second. Also Idia's hair looks like one of those felt slinky worm things that my cats used to play with (before they decided eating the long colorful this was a good idea and had that toy quickly revoked) and I was thinking Idia asking Ortho "would you love me if I was a worm?" And it being a fiery furry worm in his hand.

He’s about to kiss him once for every day of their separation! Niichan is about to get a loooot of kisses!

Oh my god, he would absolutely still love Idia if he was a worm… Isn’t Idia already kind of a worm? In a way.  A little bit. Philosophically.

I think your cat would love to play with his hair LOL I also hope it’s feeling okay after such sudden dietary changes!

[pillow-anime-talk]

:) you already know 😅 could you do prompt 50 with Kaneki or Urie with fem reader? Thank you, love! Your writing is always magnificent and can’t wait to read this one!

# tags: scenario; current marriage relationship; hot romance; also fluff (kaneki deserve it!); kid!fic, family!au; smut; nsfw

warnings: mention of sex and sexual activities, on the sofa, kaneki wants another baby (breeding), unprotected sex, lactation, sloppy kisses, body worship, bites, pet names

includes: female reader ft. ken kaneki {tokyo ghoul}

author’s note: hii! i wrote about urie for you, so i chose kaneki this time :) i hope you find the plot and tags interesting and you enjoy it. i am also sorry you waited so long :(

50. “S-Stop. Someone is looking at us.”

You breathed a sigh of relief when in the tiny bedroom with two cute beds you could only hear faint snoring and calm breathing. Your (almost) two-year-old daughter had her eyes closed in a white cradle with a pacifier in her mouth, and your five-year-old son was sleeping peacefully in a small bed, cuddled up to his beloved mascot in the shape of a yellow tiger. At the same moment, the very pleasant smell of freshly brewed coffee reached your nostrils, so you just kissed your children on their smol foreheads and then left the room, closing the wooden door behind you. After a while, you returned to the kitchen where your husband was waiting for you.

In his hands there was a black mug with the image of a white cat, and next to his person, on the counter, there was a white mug with the image of the same animal. With a smile, you thanked him for the life-giving caffeine, and a moment later you felt a light kiss on your left cheek. Leaning against the counter, you started a conversation with Ken about light-hearted topics, and somewhere between the first sip of the hot drink and drinking it to the last drop, you moved to the living room, wanting to turn on a movie from the plan to watch list on Netflix app. It was a simple horror movie with a predictable plot and comedy elements. However, the horror faded into the background the moment you started talking again; about your husband’s friend’s birthday party, about household chores, about wanting to go to the mountains, about Ken’s job... There were quite a lot of topics, and the quiet evening and the presence of a few lights hanging on the curtain rod added a pleasant atmosphere between the two of you.

You haven’t had an evening to yourself for a long time; you were busy raising your children and taking care of the house and your husband working hard and earning money for the four of you. Plus, there were many other, unforeseen situations that were often full of emotions, stress, happiness, or great physical and mental effort.

That’s why you needed each other more than usual on this particular night.

The light kiss you received from your partner was full of tenderness and longing. His cool hands touched your waist at one point, and you smiled because of caress, almost melting between the blond man’s fingers.

“... Aren’t you tired, butterfly?” He asked with a slightly raised eyebrow, wanting to respect your possible tiredness and desire to watch the movie to the very end. But you shook your head, giving him a quick smootch on the cheek. Ken took that as an answer and then moved slightly closer to you, while settling your body on the spread out sofa, full of soft pillows and beige blankets. His kisses changed their position in a short moment and now, instead of your lips, his teeth were lightly biting the skin of your neck. A few long seconds later, with his right hand, he pushed aside the nightgown you were wearing and also kissed your breasts, which were still very swollen from feeding the younger child with your own milk. “You’re very beautiful, you know, love?”

Your both cheeks immediately turned red and your eyes sparkled a bit as you felt your panties being slowly pulled down. The long blue fabric stayed in it’s place, as did your husband’s pajama top. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a rather large bulge in Ken’s boxers, but you didn’t comment on it in any way. Too busy touching his body under the material of his clothes, you almost forgot about the condom you kept in several strategic places around the house. So you wanted to reach into the small, mahogany hiding place in the armrest, but your beloved grabbed your hand between his long fingers.

“Maybe you want to have sex without it?” He asked a little uncertainly and a little with hope in his voice; he also couldn’t hide the smile that involuntarily appeared on his lips.

“... Why?”

“Hmm. Wouldn’t you like another child?” He asked, pressing his cock harder against your damp pussy, and you bit your lip, feeling your body heat up even more. “You look very pretty when you’re pregnant, baby.” He added in a light whisper, nibbling on your left ear.

“Oh. Really?” You laughed, and then after a moment of thought, you nodded, retracting your hand and intertwining your fingers with your husband’s.

In a short moment of a few more kisses and sincere compliments about your future pregnancy, you could finally start enjoying your husband’s cock, perfectly fitted to your body, which was entering your wet as fuck pussy with the greatest gentleness. Young man touched specific parts of your body and face every now and then. He adored your breasts, your hips, your neck decorated with several red marks, as well as your deep eyes and lips swollen from pecks.

“Maybe this time we can have twins, huh?” He asked quietly, rolling up your shirt and pinching one of your nipples, and when some of the white fluid came out, he almost ejaculated right inside your hole, thinking about how good you would look with a big tummy and then with another two newborns. “What do you think, Y/N?”

“Mhm… Maybe.” You hummed, your eyes squeezed tightly shut. His fingers wandered through your partner’s soft hair and back, and he held your hips tightly as he bounced against your body. The tip of his cock touching the back of your uterus. You imagined your family growing even bigger and you almost groaned out loud.

However, instead of making any sound between your lips, you heard a slight creaking of the panels in the living room and you opened your eyes at once, looking towards the noise almost inaudible to the human ear.

“S-Stop. Someone is looking at us.” You whispered, your voice hoarse, and then you raised yourself slightly on your elbows, smiling at the five-year-old who was rubbing his eyes with his fists. “W-What happened, Kenji?” You asked your little boy, almost throwing off your husband, who quickly hid under the fabric of the blanket, and you invited the child closer to you.

“...I had a nightmare, mommy.”

“Oh, a bad nightmare? Well then, why don’t you stay here with us and we can talk about something pleasant?” You asked quietly as your son sat down next to you. The boy nodded tiredly and then snuggled closer to you.

You were embarrassed, but with full professionalism, you told a child’s story about dinosaurs and treasure hunting, every now and then sending a glance to your husband who didn’t even know how to react to the situation.

You two will definitely finish what you started, but first you had to take care of your duckling, who – in a short while – will fall asleep.

[konnosaurus]

Can I see smol Duck pretty please?:3

well, i cannot say no to a duck request like this hehe! i am a duck enjoyer indeed! though to be honest i am an enjoyer of most characters, i have positive feelings (or at least a fun dislike, the sort where you go 'aargh this fool is back!!' and laugh at them) for almost everyone. in fact, i can only think of one character i actively dislike! (it is flynn. sorry flynn enjoyers, i am glad you get something out of him!)

i've got a few art notes (and a little duck note!) below the cut

i had so much trouble with the pose on this one, i think something about his shape made it really hard to bend him, but i didn't really like the way he looked when i tried side or front-on poses. these little engines are really fun to draw because i get to mess with shapes and poses in ways the trains cannot usually bend, which gives me something different to think about! the relatively thick lines and small canvas also means i cannot get bogged down in details, as there simply isn't enough space to fit every single tiny detail, and i like that challenge. if anyone has any specific engines they would like to request, feel free to ask, but as i only have a limited amount of time to draw (and i have plans for some non-smol-engine ttte art in the works) i may not get around to them quickly!

while drawing this i was watching a whole bunch of duck and duck adjacent episodes, and recalled that he is in two moments i feel are very amusing, so i have attached those below hehe.

he's just a little idiot i love him so much, he is having so much fun being lightly rude to oliver. what a legend.

[watchingblsnowandforever]

Hello!!!! =D

So. We Are ep 13. I don't how they do this, but they keep making every episode better than the last. At this rate, I'll not be able to survive episode 16.

Warning: long post 😊😅 (there will be a smol part 2 because 30 screenshots are definitely not enough.)

We have the Best Parents in BL, but now I present to you: The Best Aunt in BL.

Subtle, Aunt Pui, real subtle. 😭

I get her. She just wants a nice, handsome boyfriend for her nephew. 😌

First of all, the symbolism is hitting me right in the face, but it's also so subtle because no one else knows the whole story, so they wouldn't be able to figure it out.

Secondly. Yes, the red and blue do clash a bit, and it's not the prettiest little painting. But. Not every painting has to be "pretty" or perfect. Just like feelings or emotions in real life. Peem didn't willingly draw over his precious painting because he thought it'd look better; he did it because he wanted it to express his feelings. This also ties into Peem's insecurity at having (apparently) failed at being Phum's comfort zone because see, in the painting it looks like the sea is embracing the roses, or protecting them.

What I'm trying to say, is that what makes art beautiful is not just what you directly see on the canvas/right in front of you. And this applies even to the "pretty" ones. The David is not just famous because it looks very good, but also because of the amount of skill and talent Michelangelo had to be able to create such a thing from a block of marble. (I'm sorry I'm not good at examples or analogies 😭)

Sir. What business do you have, making an expression like that and giving me a heart attack.

If I haven't said this before: find a man who looks at you like Phum (Pond) looks at Peem (Phuwin).

Two sides of the same coin.

Phum still feels guilty (which is very clear from his reaction to what Peem says) about ruining Peem's painting, so he wants to do something to make sure nothing like that ever happens to Peem again.

Peem is long over it (you don't ever forget shit like that, but he has definitely forgiven Phum). He met Phum because of that Incident™, and he has a new, upgraded painting, so this is just a light joke for him. But the moment he sees it's too soon for Phum, he immediately goes to reassure him he's just kidding, and he absolutely does not hold it over Phum.

A simple pinky promise, but how much does it mean to Phum?

He's never had someone to make a pinky promise with; Fang was in a similar situation as him, and Beer knew better to make a promise and have it broken by forces outside his control.

So this, this small, childish gesture means quite a bit to him. (Which is also probably why having broken it hurt him so much.)

And yet Peem, you're smiling so wide while saying that. Almost like *le gasp* you actually like it!

Let's be real here, Peem. You don't mind at all. In fact, you sounded unbearably fond saying this. You were quite literally giggling and kicking your feet. (Which fits my headcanon of him pretty well actually.)

This shot. Just >>>> (actually thinking of making it my header-)

Ma boy never misses a chance 😭👍🏼

And if he doen't get a chance, he makes one and nails that too. <3

SO CUTEE 🥺🫶🏼

Oh the teasing is on.

Pun: I did that 😌

Beer: Idiots in love. Again. *exasperated sigh*

[From this point on, I am extremely sleep deprived, so most comments made will probably (definitely) be forgotten by the time I wake up (I'm going right to sleep after posting this.]

Well, Chain, I'm sorry to be the one telling you this, but Phum moved into Peem's heart like 6 episodes ago.

Well, yeah, but Peem has to act at least a little bit like the tsundere he is, right?

Chain: "Well, can a cupid shoot an arrow at himself?"

Toey: *very telling side-eye*

Q: You really think one flirty line will trigger his half braincell to understand what he didn't in the past however many years? ...go on, I wanna see how this turns out

Pun: *pikachu meme face*

Beer: Oh damn here goes another one, we must be nearing the last episode

Phum: ????

Peem: Don't say anything don't say anything DON'T SAY ANYTHING DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING SAY A SINGLE WORD- (internally: Idiots. They're idiots.)

Ah, I love the sibling energy here. Also, initially I was like nah you're more like Tan. But then I gave it some thought. And had a Realization: he really is the Fang in their relationship, and Q really is the Tan. (I do not have the brainpower to explain rn, but tell me if you want me too, I'll include it in Part 2.)

Phum can't wait. (And neither can Peem, because I didn't see ya denying anything, babe. Instead, you gave him the softest shoulder bump in the history of soft shoulder bumps and that bigass (smitten) smile.

Oh boy this scene.

Right before this, when Peem called Phum immediately after the last brushstroke, I was smiling so hard and giggling like yesss do boyfriend-y things with each other!

Him waiting on the porch: still big smile. Here comes Phum! Ooh are they gonna flirt in the car??

My smile started dimming as the seconds ticked by and no Phum appeared on screen.

Until I finally realized what was happening.

I almost stopped breathing.

And as the scene went on my heart broke a little more with every text and every call, and I was watching that mall scene again. Except it was much much worse this time.

So long story short, I was heartbroken for both of them. Especially when Peem showed up alone with the saddest lost-kitten face ever.

But, at this point I knew Phum must have had something really urgent/unaviodable to miss his meeting with Peem because 1. He really really loves that boy and 2. He was very much looking forward to doing this with Peem.

Unfortunately, I will have to end Part 1 here (please don't kill me), and I'm loathe to end on a sad note, but I promise the next part will be much happier. It will hopefully be posted a little later today.

If you got this far, thank you so much for reading! 😊

Here, have a pudding 🍮

My previous We Are posts.

[sunnysidewrites]

Demon prince!Seungcheol

Inspired by this prompt: “I’m a demon, not a hot water bottle. Stop cuddling me.” “But you’re so warm.” “Like hell. Fire, brimstone, eternal burning.” It had absolutely no effect whatsoever, and the demon sighed, wrapping one arm around the other. This is my re-debut (although not sure if this counts as a re-debut or if it's just a one-time thing) after nearly a 6-year hiatus and needless to say I am extremely nervous and excited!!! (talking in idol terms luv that) I am hoping that also means my writing quality has matured as well (I think??? or not but guess we will find out)! This is for everyone who knew me back then and is still around to see this play out! sorry if it's not the best i am EXTREMELY rusty but hope you enjoy lovelies <3333

wow omg it’s great to dive into writing after so long im getting emotional

you know the drill folks let’s get to it!!

Humans and demons have lived in co-existence for centuries and it’s more or less a chaotic neutral environment given the unique circumstances of these 2 different… races?

It can be difficult to distinguish the demons with the humans since they try to blend in seamlessly for their own sense of peace and security

Despite a big chunk of demons integrating with humans, there are still parts around the world, albeit small, where they have their own territory to control

They usually operate in more traditional political systems, such as still maintaining kings and queens

Humans can live there as well, but it is predominantly demons who are seen as the norm and the former as commoners/lower class

You happen to be one of the lowly commoners who have been working as a maid in the castle since you were young

you and Seungcheol, the Crown Prince, were actually kinda close as kids!!

you could tell all he wanted to do was let loose and have fun but was forced to follow the rules and take everything seriously 24/7

even as a 5 y/o you could see how much he yearned to be a regular kid but duty calls :”((

there were many times you hung out together in secrecy since you as a lowly maid could not be caught DEAD associating yourself with someone of such a high status

and add being human on top of that!! <3

But Seungcheol didn’t care you were literally his first and only friend at the time

Any time a guard looked for him, he and you would duck somewhere to hide together, stifling your smol little giggles im dead

As he grew up and more burdens were placed on his shoulders, you could no longer keep the same innocent, playful friendship between the two of you

Your interactions with him went from running around in the garden to stealing quick looks at each other when you passed by him in the hallways

He went from a happy lil child to a very assertive, stoic man who always picked his kingdom over anything

Despite his new persona, he would occasionally still show you very rare displays of fondness??

You would sometimes randomly find gifts on your bed with a note and well it doesn’t take a genius to know who it’s from

“I swiped the last cookie for you before Penny stole it and I know you would become a demon yourself if someone took your sweets”

“I noticed your uniform was ragged and a little ripped so here’s a new set. be more careful or our next encounter won’t be as pleasant”

“Here’s an extra blanket loser don’t freeze to death on me”

Your heart feels warm knowing that he still shows you his softer side to you while he’s practically a statue to everyone else

Now you were both in your mid-twenties and he’s been busier than ever with political meetings and social gatherings

You were his main maid since out of all of the staff, you were the only one who could really put up with his absurd requests and got along with him in a manner no other maid could, even the older ladies

There were times he summoned you to his headquarters for the sole reason of wanting some company

He would bring up some dumb question and you would be like no offense but this is kinda useless

But little did you know he would do that intentionally to see you crack a little smile, maybe even a laugh in there since he’s been seeing you look more despondent lately

“Even though we can’t run around the palace like how we did as kids, I’m still here. I’m the same Seungcheol – well, actually not really but I still look out for your wellbeing”

“Thanks, not-the-same-Seungcheol”

It’s rumored that the Crown Prince is coming of age to take over the throne soon, but before doing so he needs to find a bride yes it’s one of those tropes ok deal with it

You’re cleaning the hallways one day with some other maids and you can’t help but overhear their gossip

“Did you hear Prince Seungcheol is now engaged??? I think it was just last week”

Your ears perk up and your scrubbing slows down slightly so you can focus on their conversation

“Yeah, I heard the woman is a princess from some neighboring kingdom… It’s really hitting soon that he’ll be the new king”

“I don’t know how long she is going to last… he’s so cold and doesn’t seem to care about anyone. but what can you expect from a demon?” 

They both giggle and move to another room to continue cleaning and you can’t help but feel fired up from the way they were talking about him as if they knew anything about him

Sure, he was not really the friendliest and was very brutally honest with his curt words but it didn’t make him a bad person

Your heart aches after hearing the news and you recall a past talk you had with Seungcheol when you were younger

“Do you believe in love?” you asked him, the both of you lying down on the grass while looking up at the vibrantly blue sky

“Pshh, not really. Father always said marriage is for the people, not for love”

“But shouldn’t you love someone in order to marry them? you will be spending the rest of your life with them”

“I don’t think that is what he wants from me. I would be letting him down”

“Is that what you really want, though? to be stuck with someone you have no feelings for?”

he sighs deeply and looks down. “Well, I guess not… I do care a lot for someone”

your heart dropped. guess he already has his eyes set on someone else. “o-oh, well that wouldn’t be fair to you or to them right?”

he shakes his head, quickly glancing at you before looking away. “but it wouldn’t work out anyway. I wouldn’t want to drag them into the mess of my world. I want them to be free of what I go through. I just hope they know I’ll always care for them from afar.”

You shake your head out of a daze, painfully reminded of how raw that moment still feels

I wonder if he still cares for that person he mentioned, you think to yourself as you continue scrubbing the tiles. But what does it matter now that his future is sealed with someone else?

Shortly after that day, it was formally announced to the kingdom that the Crown Prince and the soon-to-be Crown Princess will be holding a wedding ceremony in just a short few weeks

On the outside, you smile politely and clap your hands but it takes every fiber of your being to not want to fling the door to your cramped bedroom and collapse on your bed and spill the tears you were desperately attempting to hold in 

As you stared at him and his fiancee out the balcony waving to everyone, you swear you thought you saw him give you a forlorn look that lasted for a millisecond before he returned to his usual expressionless state

From that moment on, you barely saw Seungcheol at all

This man was constantly getting pulled in all different directions, especially with the royal wedding around the corner

The night before his big day, he summons you to his room again and your mind is buzzing with loads of thoughts of what he could possibly want to talk to you about

You cautiously enter and close the door slowly before turning back towards him

He looks more disheveled than usual, his hair tousled, his usual prince attire crinkled and slightly unbuttoned

“You look stressed, what's wrong??”

He closes his eyes and sighs for a moment before slowly opening them again and says while still not making eye contact with you, “I… I feel like I’ll have so many regrets once tomorrow comes”

You’re like why is that??

“Do you remember me mentioning I cared a lot about someone back then?”

Your heart drops to your stomach. “Yes… why?” thanks for the reminder

“I keep thinking about them… and all of these what-ifs. I know I can’t do anything about it, but–”

“Of course you can do something about it! I know you’re a stickler for the rules, but if the cost is your happiness, is it really well worth it?”

He shakes his head, looking even more troubled than before. “I can’t risk putting them in that position. Yet I… I want to,” he articulates slowly, as if it’s only dawning on him now that he’s finally learned what he truly feels

You feel as if the waves of heartache and anguish are drowning you but you try to be strong for him and present a smile if not for him, then for yourself

“I think you know what you need to do, Seungcheol”

And with those words, you quietly bow out and make your way to your room

The next morning, you wake up with puffy eyes from crying all night and begrudgingly get out of bed to get ready for the busy day ahead

After a hectic morning and afternoon, the ceremony finally begins

The moment we’re all waiting for is “Speak now or forever hold your peace”

And the most baffling thing happens because it’s not you who speaks up, not some secret lover, not some random citizen in the audience

but it’s Seungcheol himself

“Wait – I don’t think I can go through with this”

SCANDALOUSSSS

That’s right, he causes a whole uproar and everyone is like what tf is he talking about?!?!?

You are unfazed to a certain degree due to the conversation you had with him last night but you’re still confused on where this is going to go

Never in a million years would you have imagined for him to say his next words

“I’m in love with someone else: Y/N”

And all the maids around you gasp like WHAT. IS. HE. TALKING. ABOUT.

You aren’t sure whether to feel mortified or happy but whatever it is, all eyes are now on you

The current King is like MISTER?? WITH A H U M A N????

“I know it’s never been done before, having a demon and a human marry each other. but I’m tired of always having to do the right thing and for once, I want to do something that is right but for myself”

You’re looking at him in complete bewilderment and disbelief like you were talking about me this whole time??!!

“If we can prove that humans and demons can come together, it’ll be a huge stepping stone politically for everyone involved. I can’t change how I feel about her but I can change our worlds with her by my side”

He makes his way towards you and grabs your hand and this time he does not break eye contact even once

“I want to be with y/n, and no one else”

You’re melting like putty in his arms it’s honestly really sweet!!!

The King eventually caves in although he’s obviously not happy with all of their efforts wasted but he’s cool enough to welcome in this new change

Everyone’s reactions are pretty mixed understandably but they don’t seem like they hate it which is probably the best reaction you’re gonna get

“You’re not asking for my hand in marriage are you?? bc that’s a little too quick on a first date”

He shrugs and nonchalantly says, “Not until you’re ready” JESUSLFSJDS

The rest of the day is a whirlwind of crazy events that you get caught up in as the Crown Prince’s new lover now 

By the time it’s time for bed, he summons you for the last time as you being a maid and not as a Girlfriend

Well turns out he’s actually a big baby and the whole time he tried to conceal his feelings for you all he wanted was for you to be by his side pshh lame amiright

“You sure move fast with wanting me to be in your bed already and we haven’t even gone on an actual date yet”

“Shut up and just lay beside me”

After you turn off the lights and get under the covers, you can’t help but notice he’s extremely hot (literally and physically) and considering it’s 20 degrees you’re taking all of that warmth

Of course, Seungcheol tries to make it a big deal and get you off of him even tho he secretly enjoys it

“I’m a demon, not a hot water bottle. Stop cuddling me.”

“But you’re so warm.”

“Like hell. Fire, brimstone, eternal burning” 

Like that was gonna stop you who does he think he is for putting you through all of this and at the very least not giving you some cuddles???

He sighs and wraps one arm around the other after he notices your breathing slowing down

“I don’t have to care about you from afar anymore,” he murmurs, brushing your hair out of your face before also slowly losing consciousness

[saintjosie]

Excuse me, I saw your tiktok and got delighted by your voice, can u share a bit abt your journey on that? Im a smol nb that get so nervous over the very deep voice and dont know where to start 😭

(Sorry any miss on english, not native)

your english is totally fine!

so i was actually really dysphoric about my voice early on and so i paid for voice training with a professional speech pathologist who specializes in trans voice.

and working with a speech pathologist helped a lot! i didn’t leave speech pathology with exactly the voice i wanted but doing speech pathology helped me learn all the different things i could do to make my voice sound how i wanted it to sound.

they helped me understand that your voice is a lot more complicated than just the sounds from your throat and it’s actually a lot of different parts working together. things like controlling pitch, controlling your tongue, nasal cavity, and also the way that i would speak, all work together to help me sound how i want.

and on top of that, i am a singer with a huge range and have always been really good at doing impressions of other peoples’ voices. so i already had a lot experience in playing with my voice.

even after speech pathology, it took me a whole year of playing with my voice and practicing to get to where i felt like my voice was mine and not just a voice that passed well enough.

i will not lie, voice training is hard. really hard. and a lot of people don’t realize how much more complicated than it actually is. BUT. people also don’t realize how many of the things that go into voice training are things that you have already learned and do every day without thinking about it. the difference is that when you start learning about voice training, the more you learn, the more the pieces click together. and it happens a lot faster than you think!

here are some resources to help you get started (which are a bunch links to tiktok accounts that i know and are mutuals with because that’s who i know haha):

renee yoxon

seattle voice lab

quinn voice lessons

micah trans vocal

your lessons now

i will also note that if you’re financially able, having someone help you one on one helps A LOT. and also doing things like getting on discord calls to have safe spaces to talk to other trans people also can help!

good luck and i believe in you!

[justwinginglife]

Hi- nobody asked, but let me tell yall what I'm working on (I will cross them out as I go along).

A new surprise series. It will have so so so many parts so that will not be released for a very long time cuz I don't wanna spoil it by releasing one part at a time so yall will have to wait for all the parts to come out at once, sorry.

A Gen Narumi fic for my Narumi girlies. Sorry you had to wait so long for another (but also not that sorry, yall know my loyalties lie with Soshiro) but I do remember that I need to feed you so hopefully that will come soon.

The angstiest angst that I have ever angsted. Don't worry, it won't be like spiraling depression bad becuase yall know my angst ain't even that bad, I do fluff man. But it is quite possibly the worst (and by worst I mean saddest) idea that I have EVER had. So that will be coming eventually, when I figure out how to get it right.

A couple smol original fics.

As far as requests go, I have in my drafts the Fire and Ice Part 2 that someone wanted, I know that was incredibly long ago, I am so sorry, I always put off writing smut cuz I suck at it. Also got a couple more smut requests in the works, but again, it takes me fucking forever to write smut.

[suzyandthefox]

hey hey hello hi I got into S/lay the P/rincess a few months ago and I don't have anyone to talk about it much with, I am SO down to hear your nom headcanons if you have any

my favorite princesses are the Beast and the Den (for obvious reasons lmao) as well as The Moment of Clarity, and the Apotheosis, so if you have any headcanons for any of them, I'd love to hear them. and/or just your favorite princess(es)! go wild, as few or as many as you'd like to share, no pressure either way

I'd also like to hear if you have any headcanons for TLQ, whether as pred or prey, beeg form or smol. lobve the lil birb man. I like to think he'd be a switch :>

(sorry if this is a lot lmao. love your work!)

Thank you so much!!

Fellow S/lay The P/rincess fan, I'm glad we can share the brainrot together, I was working on my fan princess at some point (will drop the art underneath a break)

For this Ask I'm going to explore ALL the vessels and tell you which ones can eat other than the beast and which ones can be eaten.

Of course: Major warnings for spoilers

TLQ: My beloved,my lovely baby bird, He is what I call a True Switch, which is when someone fits perfectly both as pred and as prey, he is built like that.

Base Princess: She changes depends on your perception to her, but generally, she is just a normal woman. She can't vore.

Adversary/Eye of the Needle: Big strong muscle lady, shaped like an Oni (which I'm like 100% sure was the intention) and In a lot of mythos,Oni swallow their enemies whole. However, she would like a fair, engaging fight and swallowing you whole mid-fight wouldn't be very fair or fun.

I say, given the right circumstances, Adversary/Eye of the Needle can vore!

Maybe she would like to incapacitate you, or give you somewhere to rest momentarily before continuing the fight, or see if you can tear her apart from the inside out.

The Fury: Hates you and Hates you and Hates you and Hates you and Hates you and_ can't vore solely because swallowing you whole would be too merciful and she wants to shred you into a million pieces.

Tower/Apotheosis: All I wanna do, is see you turn into, A GIANT WOMAN, A GIANT WOMA_

Extremely beeg lady, she makes sure to ham into your head how insignificant and tiny you are, displaying her dominance over you, and of course, what better way to display dominance than to literally make you a part of herself?

She can make herself your gilded cage, your home, not only would she take her very sweet time enjoying your taste, teasing you and telling you how much of a delectable little morsel you are, but she would keep teasing you even after you reached her stomach.

She would tell you things like how this was all meant to happen and that your only choice is to wait for your fate like the meal you are, etc.

Not only can The Tower/The Apotheosis vore, she's very much a cruel bastard Pred.

The Witch: "I probably won't bite" (It's a fucking lie)

Little meow meow >:3, She would be in for the chase and the biting, but can't actually vore, she will 1000000% bite you though, and make it hurt.

The Thorn: MY WIFE MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE MY SWEETIE PIE_ The Thorn is one of the princesses that's lets herself be vulnerable to you, this route is all about trust and allowing yourself to be weak to the other.

And well, is there's any bigger sign of trust than safe vore?

After freeing her from the thorns, She would be weak, tired, in pain from all the thorns that hurt her and wrapped her.

If she was smaller, imagine if we could put her somewhere comfortable and warm, ease her pains.

"We must keep her as close to us as possible, away from this harsh,cold world that will hurt her fragile body" Smitten says as you look at her,she actually became smaller...

You do, indeed, want to keep her as close as possible, underneath your heart, within yourself, hidden safely in your depths.

You confess to her about your intentions, promising to her that you will protect her with your life... She hesitates, but agrees, you didn't hurt her before, why would you now?

Almost as natural as breathing itself, you tuck her in, your innards gently yet eagerly receives your lover, knowing who she is and what they have to do.

Smitten is absolutely Thrilled to have the princess inside the body, it's literal extreme cuddling after all, and being able to feel her movements within? Every delicate touch to your flesh? Knowing that she trusts you with her life? He literally can't be happier.

Hero still thinks it's inhumane and strange to swallow another living being whole like this, even if he knows the body is safe for the princess he is still squeamish about all of this.

Oops I wrote a whole mini fic, Can you tell she's my favourite? (I'm boring Ik but this route is genuinely the sweetest thing ever)

The Wild: A web of nerves lain upon a web of nerves lain upon a web of nerves_ Technically can't vore because you're already a part of her and she's a part of you.

The Wounded Wild: You seperated yourself from her, but your heart yearns, you feel that a part of you is missing, an emptiness inside you twists and turns like a hungry void, would you make yourselves one again? Even by force?

The Beast/The Den: Canon vore, enough said.

The Damsel: She's very demure,very cutesy, she would do anything you ask her to do, even if you eat her alive, she won't fight against you, "I just want to make you happy!"

As with the thorn, Smitten would be thrilled, but Hero would find more than one wrong thing with this.

The Grey/The Spectre/The Nightmare/The Wraith: These are all Ghosts, I don't see much vore potential here, outside of Spectre possessing you.

The Prisoner : Least vore potential tbh, 0% , can't see it happening.

The Stranger: "Who are you calling weird? Just kidding, we know we're weird. And so are you." Would make for an interesting pred with an interesting anatomy if she was a pred.

The Razor: Stabs

The Shifting Mound: There's an ending where she makes you a part of her, I guess that counts as vore.

And here's my own fan Princess: The Mouse!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this! Thanks for asking!

[bornwholocker]

Ok people wanted to hear my thoughts about Phoenix wright characterisation and I am very down!!! So here take this

Just a fair warning, I know a lot of people haven’t played the aj trilogy, I’m gonna talk about spoilers for aa4 in this

Mainly I just hate when people make Phoenix stupid. He’s a lawyer, he passed the BAR EXAM, he’s not some oblivious little stuttering twink. It especially pisses me off when people act like he relies soo much on his bluffing. Yeah he bluffs, but he knows they’ll stick because most of the time he’s figured it out, he just doesn’t quite know how to get there. He’s smart about it. And he’s not always bluffing! Most of the time he knows what to present! It’s just when it gets to peak ace attorney trial insanity that he has to try his luck. Also, he tells people to die in his mind guys lmao. He’s not outwardly mean, but also he’s not some innocent little uwu smol cinnamon roll.

In a similar vein, and I’ve only started noticing this recently cus I’ve been reading a lot of college au’s, but people write Feenie like he’s a damn toddler. He’s an 18(?) year old man studying for a law degree. Yeah he’s gonna be a bit immature, but he’s not some bumbling idiot who just smiles all the time. I sort of get it because we didn’t get a lot of time with him but STILL! He acts stupid during the trial yeah, in no small part cus dahlia/iris(I’m sorry iris ily) had been manipulating him and he couldn’t believe she would try to hurt him. Which is a little dumb! But also understandable for an 18 year old who’s just been told his girlfriend was trying to kill him/frame him for murder!!! And after the trial when he’s talking to Mia, he gets serious. For most of the trial he is a little bit of a Larry, but the end shows that he’s not an idiot!!

AND THIS ONE PISSES ME OFF THE MOST, and it also involves mischaracterisation of Kristoph. So many people who write krisnix, which I’m all for tbh love some toxic old man yaoi, write it like Kristoph was an evil manipulative abuser and Phoenix was some oblivious smitten victim. Guys. In like one of the first cases of aa4 I’m pretty sure, Phoenix talks about how he knew who Kristoph was and what he did, he only kept him around for so long to get proof. Again, he’s not oblivious!! Plus, he was manipulated by Dahlia in a pretty similar way to Kristoph(which is something else I could talk about forever), so he knew what to look for. And yes, Kristoph was a piece of shit, but he wasn’t obvious about it. That’s how he got so many people to trust and believe him, he’s charismatic and he knows how to make people like him. And only once they do does he start his bs.

Granted, Phoenix is a little hard to get right, especially because originally Shu Takumi designed him as a sort of self-insert for the player, with his thoughts being based on Takumi’s own thoughts about the trials. But a lot of people just take a single trait and run with it and it annoys me so bad anyway I hope u enjoyed

@chateauu

[ripelytoo]

My smol n short Velvette sneeze and sick headcannons. I may add more to this in the future when I’m not busy. I am also new to this, so forgive me if I did something or anything wrong (I’m sorry, I don’t mean too 😭).

Triggers:

1. Feathers: She can be sensitive to feathers, which makes her sneeze easily from a simple poke to her nose.

2. Pollen: Although it's rare in Hell, any exposure to pollen would cause an allergic reaction to her. She has mild Hayfever that isn’t too awful in comparison to others.

3. Cold temperatures: Sudden exposure to cold air can sometimes make her sneeze, although it’s not common, but it can still happen! She also finds it embarrassing.

Sneezes:

1. Her sneezes are high-pitched and almost cute, like "Chuu!" or "Tshoo!" Her sneezes are rarely harsh or loud.

2. Depending on the trigger, Velvette usually has slow and long drawn-out build-ups which is very annoying to her. It’s more common when she is sick vs an allergic reaction.

3. Rarely sneezes just once. Typically, her sneezes come in rapid multiples, usually 2-4 in a row: "Chuu! Tshoo! Ishhew! Tshhiew!"

4. After a fit, she tends to sniffle for a while as she recovers. When she’s sick, she is almost always sniffling and congested at the same time no matter what she does to fix it.

Illness:

1. Velvette generally has a strong immune system and doesn’t fall ill often. She is very particular about keeping everything cleaned and sanitized in her studio.

2. Velvette can be a real pain when she’s sick and is often stubborn about needing rest right away. She’s a lot more mean to her staff/studio/assistants/employees and becomes easily irritated. She doesn’t like when the other Vees and her studio staff try to either “baby” or worry about her when she’s sick.

3. Velvette is easily prone to getting/developing fevers when she’s sick, which can cause her to become overly moody, delirious, and fatigued. She needs her temperature monitored frequently when she’s sick (even though she hates it).

4. Always carries tissues and/or a handkerchief to manage her sneezes and sniffling during an allergy attack or when sick.

5. She has trouble keeping up with her hair and it tends to become messy when she’s sick, which of course she dislikes.

[portlandrowismyhome]

Borrowed Time: Chapter One

A little fanfic I got suckered into writing by @the-biscuit-agreement ‘s incredible prompt. Huge thanks to @lemonsharks and @oceanspray5 ‘s additional ideas.

This is that Lockwood and co serial killer prompt…

Tag list (or interest list for those who showed interest in the prompt. If you aren’t interested in the fic no worries): (also my Lockwood friends in general): @neewtmas @givemea-dam-break @thedonutdeliverygirl @ikeasupremacy @wellgoslowly @edmundlockwood @narnianweirdos @tangledinlove @so-true-jestie @oblivious-idiot @paysomeonetopaysomeone @peachesanddandelions @myownpainintheass @sadwinistic @almostlikequake @saelterlude @fandomscraziness22 @everythingwillend @uku-lelevillain @atlabeth @carlyleons @smol-being-of-light @losticaruss @superpositvecloudshipper @totally-not-an-npc @paranorahjones @malteevars-kee-devi @teaandtoastandthyme @jesslockwood @krash-and-co @lucy-j-carlyle

Please note this is a sideblog and all replies will come from @waitingforthesunrise

This takes place four months after The Hollow Boy: Lucy is an independent agent who starts investigating the wrong case, and Lockwood has always been living on borrowed time…

Warnings: mild language, general pain, angst, suggested injury, death, car accident, hint at torture, threats, hurt/very little comfort (yet). I’m so sorry, guys…

“Miss Carlyle.” Inspector Barnes sighed, flipping over the newspapers strewn across his desk. “Trust me. This is a case to let go.”

“What cases do we let go, Inspector?” Lucy leaned forward. “We’re agents. Getting to the bottoms of things is what we do.”

“And DEPRAC’s job is to make sure that’s the only thing you go to the bottom of,” Barnes said. “Miss Caryle, you have almost no evidence. You have no team. You certainly have no proof. There’s nothing here, and frankly this will only cause you danger I’m unable to help you with.” 

“I didn’t ask for your help,” Lucy snapped. “You called me here.” 

Barnes rubbed a hand across his jaw. Lucy stared stubbornly at his desk. They were sitting in his office; well-lit, clean, and smelling strongly of chemical cleaner. Lucy clenched her jaw, determined not to lose the silent battle. She was so tired — Barnes had called her and left no choice but to return to his office immediately after work. And now she was sitting here in front of his desk, wasting time…she could be eating breakfast, or in a warm shower…the hot water cascading over her tired shoulders….

But the water was shut off due to a leak at her apartment, and there would be now arm breakfast or inviting smells awaiting her. Only crusty dishes and a sulking skull. 

It had been four months since Lucy had left Portland Row. 

Barnes cleared his throat. “Let me make sure I understand. You first took the case from a Miss Helen Younge, correct?”

Lucy nodded. Miss Younge had been young no longer when they had met; the whispery, frail old lady worked at the take-out shop where Lucy often bought doughnuts. Miss Younge often showed Lucy pictures of her cats, but that had been the extent of their interactions until the day the old woman had seized Lucy’s wrist over the cash register and whispered, you’re an agent, aren’t you? Oh, I’m in such trouble…

Barnes studied a notebook. “She offered to pay you?”

“Of course. I am an independent agent. But it was more…”

“A favor?”

Lucy nodded. “She’s an old woman working at a bakeshop, Inspector. She could never pay for a Fittes or Rotwell team.” She didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in her voice; who knew how many nights Miss Younge and others like her had spent, anxious and afraid of things they were unable to see, knowing an inspection alone would cost them precious food?

If Barnes noticed it, he didn’t let on. “Surely you didn’t inspect the property at night?” He squinted at the paper. “An apartment building, nonetheless.”

“Of course not. I did it in daylight. But…” Lucy hesitated. “I thought it would be just a weak Type One, an old person’s death or something, but…”

“Yes?”

“There was a strange whispering.”

“Miss Carlyle, you are a Listener, and sources do have a habit —“

“I found the Source, sir. It was just a simple Type One and gave almost no trouble. But I don’t think it’s the only ghost there. There’s something else, maybe more than just one.”

Lucy paused, remembering the sticky brush of a spiderweb against her face, the quick rush of cool air, the sudden suspension of time. 

“It says here,” Barnes said, “you ‘found yourself stuck in a time-loop.’ You have no idea when it could be from, or what it’s stemming from. You’re convinced it’s connected to the Type One, but that it’s not the cause.”

“Exactly.” Lucy eagerly leaned forward. “The voice, it kept saying the same thing, over and over—”

“— help me, I’m dying, he took care of you, so now you’ll kill me too,” Barnes finished in a bored tone. “Very concise for a ghost.”

Lucy brushed off his skepticism. “Of course there was more, that’s just what was clear — Inspector, this ghost was murdered. Maybe Miss Younge’s Type One, too.”

“Wouldn’t it have been a bit stronger, then?”

“Not if it was a miserable, elderly person living alone in an apartment complex with a cat and a bottle of pain pills. Those are a dime a dozen, Inspector. The person might not even know they were murdered. Not until it was too late.” 

Barnes groaned. “You have the Source, don’t you.”

“Not on me,” said Lucy. She did. It was in her knapsack, securely sealed in iro; a small, initialed pocketknife. 

“Miss Carlyle—”

Lucy hurriedly shuffled through her knapsack, and held out a stack of papers. “Look, Inspector, I found these in the library — it’s a murder case, I’m sure, I think this might lead to the victim, an unnamed body — the Source gets clearer every time I listen to it—”

“Miss Carlyle!” Barnes brought his hand down on the table. “I don’t have time for this. DEPRAC can’t keep you off the case, but consider this a warning. Whatever happens after this is on you. And —“

The door banged open. Lucy looked up to see an ashen-faced assistant gabbling into a hand-held receiver. 

“Sir!” The assistant said. “Sir, it’s urgent…there’s been an accident outside, a body…”

Barnes jumped to his feet and hurried out the door, and Lucy, after hesitating for a moment, followed. 

Clouds were gathering in the sky overhead; the air smelled like rain. A cool breeze tugged at Lucy’s hair as she hurried down the steps after Inspector Barnes and towards the knot of people gathered near the road. 

“They said it was a green van,” the assistant said. “Just barreled through and drove off…”

Voices rose excitedly from the gawking group. “Came right out of nowhere, he did…just slammed into the poor thing…never had a chance….” 

“DEPRAC Inspector!” Barnes roared. “Stand back!”

The crowd drew apart, and Lucy had a clear view of the blood streaked face staring empty-eyed at the sky. 

It was Miss Younge. 

There was a blur of ambulances and shouting and the passerby offering eager comments. Lucy couldn’t look away from the sightless eyes and crumpled cardigan of the old woman. Her head pounded; it couldn’t be real, couldn’t be happening. Miss Younge had given her a sandwich only that morning! The blood spattered across the pavement…

Barnes tried to steer her towards the steps, but she caught his sleeve. 

“Miss Carlyle —“

“Inspector.” Her voice was ragged even in her own ears. “Don’t you see? Don’t you understand? This is proof! She must have been coming here to tell me something, she must have found something out! She was murdered, I —“

“Lucy,” Barnes said gently. “There’s been an accident. I understand you’re distraught. Go home, get some sleep.”

“Don’t you get it? This isn’t an accident, this is murder!”

Barnes glanced at the crowd, the assistant waiting nervously, the flashing lights of the screeching ambulance. “This was an accident, Miss Caryle. You’re conjecturing —“

“No!” Lucy stumbled back. “No, it wasn’t.”

An official approached, holding a clipboard. “Inspector, if you’d step this way…”

Barnes looks down at the paper, and when he looked up, Lucy Caryle was gone. 

He swore under his breath. 

Lucy paused in front of Miss Younge’s apartment building, breathless. She had run all the way from DEPRAC headquarters, rapier digging mercilessly into her hip, stopping only at her apartment to retrieve the skull. Lucy would rather have died on a bed of hot coals than admit it out loud, but she felt safer with it at her side. She bent over, gasping. 

The skull groaned from inside her knapsack. “You know, I said that all that greasy food would slow you down. But did you listen? No, of course not. Why listen to your friends? Oh wait…” It cackled. “You only have one!”

“Shut up,” Lucy said abruptly. She was digging in her pockets for the key Miss Younge had given her. The key she had been going to return today….

But there was no time for that. She needed to focus, keep her mind clear. Find any clues before DEPRAC took over. She bounded up the stairs, skull complaining loudly in her ear. Hurry, hurry, hurry…

The door was unlocked. 

Lucy tapped it hesitantly and it creaked slowly open. 

“Put me down!” The skull complained. “I can’t see a thing!”

Lucy slid the jar out of the bag and set it in the corner. The room was dark and musty; a few half-empty bookshelves,  a stained quilt covered the sagging bed…and that strange muttering whisper in her ear sending shivers up her skin…

Something warm and furry brushed against her leg and she almost jumped out of her skin. 

“Skull! You could have warned me.”

“Oh, because that’s my job now? You haven’t even apologized for this morning, and you expect me to hand out my exceptional services for free? Besides, it’s only a cat.” 

The orange cat meowed hesitantly, and Lucy bent down to brush its back. 

“God, no,” the skull said. “Lucy…I see what you’re thinking, Lucy, and the answer is no!”

“We have to take it.” Lucy straightened up and began to examine the dusty bookshelves. “Miss Younge won’t be coming back.” 

“It’s a cat. Cats live like the little demons they are. ARGH! It’s coming closer, Lucy, make it stop, it’s so ugly…”

A sharp riiiing cut through the skull’s moans. Lucy jumped, glancing at the phone. Just a call. Probably some elderly friend, looking for a chat. And she’d have to tell them…

She picked up the receiver. “Hello, I—“

“Hello, Lucy Carlyle.” The voice was smooth; slippery, sharp, and entirely unfamiliar. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you. Might I add how beautiful you look this morning?”

Lucy froze. “Who is this?”

“A businessman. Looking for a deal.”

Lucy shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t my number.”

“Oh, no. It’s your location. But why leave a message when I can reach you like this? I knew you’d come for the cat, anyway.”

The sounds of the skull arguing faded away. “What did you say?”

“Look, darling. You’ve had a good run. A good case. Why, if you go home now, you’ll even find a little payment on the doorstep.”

“A payment for what?”

“Dropping the case, of course.” The voice was like silk. “And never speaking about it to DEPRAC again. We wouldn’t want to bother our silly little head about it, would we?”

“I’m not dropping the case!”

“Oh?”

Lucy scrambled for time, a cold weight in the pit of her stomach. “So you know something? Miss Younge was murdered?”

“Oh, Miss Younge.” The man made a disgusted noise. “She was small and unimportant.”

“The Type One, then?”

“No, my dear. This is about Lockwood.” 

Four months. Four months. And her world still reeled at the sound of his name. 

Lucy swallowed. “What does Lockwood have to do with this?”

“What doesn’t he have to do with this is a better question. Everything about you traces back to him eventually, doesn’t it? But it’s simple: you bury the case or I bury the boy. After I’ve had some fun, of course…And come on, Lucy. We both know catching him wouldn’t be the hard part.”

“I—”

“You need to drop this while I still have the restraint for it. Think how hard it will be for me to stop after I’ve heard him beg like you have. The boy’s practically screaming for someone to end his misery already, and trust me — when I’m done, he will be. And I’m sure you saw that last case put him in the hospital for three days…No, our Locky’s been looking for death a long time…”

Lucy’s ears were ringing, her nose full of the heavy must of dust and cat. “I—“

“Good day, darling,” the voice said, and hung up. 

Lucy clenched the receiver, staring at the faded wallpaper. Her knees were shaking. God, he was right. That hospital visit. A broken leg. She had scanned the papers every day for news of Lockwood, hoping she wouldn’t find a death announcement, hating herself for it every time…

The skull was making horrific faces at the cat, which was inching closer. The skull yelped as Lucy swept it into the bag and bundled the cat in her arms. 

“What kind of treatment is this, huh? And we’re going home, I hope…”

“We’re going to find Lockwood,” Lucy said briefly. “Before it’s too late.” 

Lucy didn’t bother with the bell or the iron line. She threw herself at the door, hammering at the wood, a horrific panic clutching her heart. The voice had seemed so sure, so certain. She had imagined her re-entry to Portland Row many times; in one particularly gratifying scenario, Lockwood had been on his knees begging her, the hugely successful businesswomen, to save his beloved house. And now it was her begging for entry…she kicked the thoughts aside and hit the door with her foot. 

The door swung open unexpectedly and she fell into the dark hallway. George was staring at her, eyes round from behind his glasses, a rapier in his hand. 

“Lucy?” He said blankly. 

“George,” Lucy gasped, the cat leaping from her arms. She brushed her hair back with a sweaty palm. “Is Lockwood here? Hurry, please, I need to see him!!”

Holly appeared over George’s shoulder, wrapped in an elegant coat. “Oh, it’s Lucy! And she’s brought us a cat!”

“Please!” Lucy pushed past them towards the library. “Where is he? Lockwood!”

“Oh, Lucy,” Holly whispered. 

Lucy paused, the quiet house settling over her like a heavy weight. For the first time she noticed George and Holly’s coats and hats, rapiers strapped to their waists. 

“We were just going to find you,” said Holly. 

Lucy swallowed. “I..”

George heaved a sigh. “Lucy, Lockwood’s been missing for two days.”

The world was spinning again. 

Lucy felt a hand on her elbow, and Holly guided her into a chair. “Hurry, George, put on some tea, she’s probably frozen…oh, I’m so sorry…”

George made a disgruntled noise. “She still hasn’t said what she’s doing here.”

“I got a phone call,” Lucy said numbly. “About Lockwood. There’s this case — it was a warning, and I …Oh, my word.”

Holly set down a mug. “We were just going to look for you. We thought, maybe…”

“He wasn’t with me,” Lucy said. 

They all jumped at the shrill ring of the phone. The sound sliced through Lucy with a cold recognition. She rose. 

“I’m alright, Holly, really. I — I need to answer that call.”

“You don’t even work here!” George said, following her into the hall. “It’s not your job!”

“You never answered them even when it was your job,” she shot back. “And this one will be for me.” 

The receiver was cool in her hands. She stared at the dark bookshelves, breathing in the familiar smell of Portland Row. “Hello?”

Silence. 

Hope filled her. Maybe it was just a wrong number — a grocery order —

“Hello, darling,” the voice said, a soft chuckle hiding in it’s voice. “What a pleasure to hear your voice again.”

“Wish I could say the same for you.”

“My, my. Sass this early in the day? Did your little pals miss you?”

She gripped the receiver. “Where is he?”

“Where is he? But you’ve guessed that, haven’t you, Lucy Caryle? Best Listener in London. Head like that on your shoulders. You know where he is.” 

“I swear if you’ve hurt him,” she whispered. “It will be the last thing you ever do, do you hear me? I swear—“

“Oh, Lucy,” the voice crooned. “If I hurt him? You should be begging me for a little mercy.” He sighed. “What would you have guessed? DEPRAC arrived at the apartment only five minutes after you and started a Source sweep with a double team. Your Mister Barnes trusted you a little more than you thought. But that’s besides the point…”

“I don’t know you have him,” Lucy said. Geroge’s worried face loomed in her vision, Holly right behind him, hands clasped under her chin. “You could be lying.”

“I could.” The voice hummed lightly. “How would you like me to prove it to you? His voice saying your name? A handkerchief?”

Her stomach clenched. “A recording. A piece of fabric. Could have gotten them anywhere.”

“True,” it mused. “What about a finger? You’ve stared at his hands enough; you’d know them anywhere, wouldn’t you?”

“I—“

“Or his ring? The one you thought you might wear on your finger one day.” It chuckled. “Still time for that. At his funeral, maybe —“ 

“Where is he,” Lucy spat into the phone. “Where is he, you stupid bastard!?”

“Now, now,” the voice tsked. “I’m not cruel. Why don’t I just put him on the phone? Be a good girl and listen to his demands, now.”  

Lucy’s stomach dropped at the familiar voice over the phone. 

“Luce,” Lockwood said warmly. “It’s been a while!”

“My word, Lockwood,” she said faintly. It was him, really him; his voice and his nickname for her… “What are you doing?” 

“A spot of business. Quite nice, really.” 

She could hear the rough edges in his voice now, the little gasps on the end of his sentences, like the air was whistling through his lungs. 

“Lockwood,I—”

“It’s so good to hear your voice again, Luce; you have no idea. Wish you could have popped round for some tea the other day, though. George made your favorite.”

“Lockwood!”

His voice was weary when he spoke again. “Yes, Luce?”

She turned away from the others. “What’s going on, Lockwood? They couldn’t find you — I was so worried — where are you? Where do I need to go? I’ll come and I’ll —“

“Not to worry,” Lockwood said cheerfully, but it sounded forced, as though he was saying it through clenched teeth. “I’ve got it all handled, Luce. Everything’s under control. You’re not running yourself to the ground over me, are you, Luce?  Get some rest and take care, you hear me? And stay at Portland Row as long as you like. Oh, and tell Holly that I broke one of her pink teacups the other day. She can order a new set. My apologies.”

Lucy’s gaze rose to meet Holly’s horrified eyes. “Lockwood!” She spat, trying desperately to keep the panic from her voice. “Tell me where you are, I swear — dear God, Lockwood, this isn’t a joke—”

“Isn’t it? That reminds me: I heard a particularly good one the other day, I made a note to tell you…” Lockwood hissed sharply. “Ah. Oh, that’s better.” There was a sliding sound. “Just needed to sit down.”

“You’re hurt, aren’t you?” Lucy knew she was babbling. “Lockwood, please, please—”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s okay, Luce.” Lockwood’s voice was perfectly calm, with only a slight tremor to remind her they weren’t sitting across from each other at the breakfast table. “I promise.”

“No!” She gasped for breath. “No, you swore you would never lie to me again, Lockwood — you swore—”

“Lucy!” Lockwood chuckled, but inhaled sharply as though it pained him. “I’m taking care of a brief issue. It’s business as usual.”

“No, Lockwood, it’s not! Just tell me, please, please—”

“I’ve spent my life feeling like a weapon,” Lockwood said quietly, his voice echoing over the phone. “Always living on borrowed time. I never could tell if the weapon was pointed at myself or at others. But I’ll make damn sure it isn’t pointed at you.”

A ragged sob caught in Lucy’s throat. It wasn’t real. She’d wake up tomorrow, in her own bed, and Lockwood would still be an annoying prick who lived nearby, and she would have a chance to fix everything. It couldn’t end like this.

And here she was, already acting as though it was the end. 

“No,” she whispered into the phone, her voice growing louder. “No! NO.  DAMN YOU, LOCKWOOD, YOU ANNOYING BASTARD — JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DIE, I WON’T LET YOU, I—“

“Listen to me, Lucy,” Lockwood said, his voice suddenly urgent. She broke off, sobbing for breath. His voice was quick and direct, like they were on a case together. “Take the Source. Listen exactly to what it says, and then tell Barnes. Okay? And then take it to the furnaces and burn it. Understood? You’ll be alright. Everything’s under control.” 

“No,I—”

“One last thing,” said Lockwood, his voice shaking just a little. “Luce, I needed to say…there’s not much time, but I lov—”

There was a sharp beep, and the line went dead. 

~ To be continued ~

[fishrights69]

My top 5 coolest fish

5. Lionfish🦁

Ah yes, a classic fish found in many books, video games or even in your bathtub if you're tripping hard enough. The only reason I placed this fish here is because the lionfish is very nostalgic to me. Back in the day my mom would sometimes take me to her office where she had one single video game installed: Feeding frenzy. Sadly it was only a demo so if I quit the game, the whole progress would go away :( (which would make me play it for like 5 hours straight as my mom worked). One of the levels had this cool looking mfer and it got printed into my brain from a young age. This Fish gets a 7/10 for looks, 10/10 for reminding me of a simpler time where depression was a foreign concept to me. 4. Galapagos batfish💅🏻

At first you might think ''yo what the fuck is wrong with this thing, is it even fish?'' and yes, it is VERY fish but at the same time it looks kinda fishy. To give you some facts about this little thing, not only does it look like someone put lipstick on it, but it also apparently cannot even swim right. This fish can't even fish and because of that, it is my number 4. 6/10 appearence 9/10 for personal abilities. It reminds me that even if I fuck up at something meant to be ''human'' it s oki , cuz this fish can't even do the one thing it's supposed to do and somehow it's still alive. 3.Flying fish🐦

Now this, this thing is magestic as fuck. Without it's wings it looks like a typical ass fish, but I can still appreciate it for what it tries to be! Imagine how dramatic it can exit boring conversations, or perhaps show up all of a sudden and creep up on you! It makes me summon my inner bad bitch fish self. 8/10 appearence 10/10 I wish I could fly away from my problems as well as this fish can. 2.Pufferfish🌵

This fish is a proper shapeshifter. Imagine being able to adjust your shape on the spot. No stupid diets to make you skinny or fat. Just swallow some water and that's it. On top of that, the spikes are amazing. I wish I had spikes like that in case someone would try to get too close to me on the playground. Their mating ritual is as amazing as it gets but sadly their toxic self cannot be ignored. 8/10 appearence(11/10 if baby), 6/10 too toxic for me tbh but I can still admire from afar 1.Longhorn cowfish🐄

This yellow blob over here is fucking adorable. Not only does it have cow in the name(I love cows too) but he also looks like he is about to give you kisses. Now he is apparently hella lonely which made me feel sorry for him, therefore he is at number 1. because I too was once lonely, smol (still am) and looked like a blob(still do). I fucking hate the colour yellow but this tiny thing makes me like it a little bit more every time I see a pic of him. 10/10 appearence 10/10 resilience, combating loneliness and removing the stigma associated with it. BONUS FISH!!!! Seahorses. Any kind. 🐴

These beautiful things tie super well with my previous fish. You see I really like animals pretending to be other animals and these babies are just that. On top of looking cool as hell, my favorite seahorse fact is that some males can also give birth! Love me some genderbending so keep slaying it babes. ✨ 10/10 looks 10/10 attitude That was it. Follow me if you wanna hear about my top 5 GARBAGE fish that suck.