#'pulling something' generally refers to removing something

[not-poignant]

Behind the scenes 9 for the Ice Plague please!

9. Was there anything from canon that you pulled for this fic?

I mean... The Ice Plague is the canon, so if I was 'pulling' anything from it (does this mean removing?) I'd be...making my own stories not canon anymore.

So no! Because that would be very inconsistent of me e.e

~

From this meme!

[sttoru]

·.⌇ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒. your stressed lover comes home from a long day of work and finds you asleep. he can’t help but wake you up in a rather special way.

wc. 1.6k total

tags. dom!jjk men x sub!female reader (gojo, toji, sukuna). smut. general warnings: dark content — somnophilia (consensual). size difference because im self indulgent ; reader gets referred to as small. ehm they’re kinda depicted as perverts. rest of the warnings are given before each character.

GOJO SATORU; cw. cunnilingus. fingering. he’s a bit whiny. nicknames used ‘princess, sweets’. he cums untouched lol.

“mm, fuck. look at my sweet princess,” satoru sighs under his breath. he’s welcomed home by the sight of you sleeping peacefully on the bed, your hips lifted a bit as you rest on your stomach.

satoru’s voice is shaky as he mutters something to himself. he carefully sits on the edge of the bed, trembling fingers reaching out to trace the shape of your plump ass. he can’t not touch you—especially when you present yourself so nicely to him.

it isn’t long before his fingers dip under the material of your shorts. satoru gauges your reaction to his advances and notices the corners of your lips twitching. a sign you’re unconsciously feeling his warm touch.

“fuckfuckfuck. ‘m sorry, princess — i have to.”

satoru gives up any self-control that he had left. he doesn’t waste any time pulling down your shorts and panties to your knees. his already erect cock twitches in his pants at the beautiful scene; your wet cunt in all its glory.

he clenches his fists, desperately trying not to do anything. that determination does not last long.

in just a second, satoru’s already lapping up your juices, his hands firmly holding your hips still. his nails dig into your flesh and he moans once he feels your body instinctively pushing back against his mouth.

“mm, s’rry,” the sorcerer whines in a muffled voice. he knows you’re awake by now—judging purely by the increase of your little moans of pleasure. his tongue doesn’t stop moving between your spread folds, tasting you until your thighs are spasming.

you’re confused when you’ve awoken to a tingly sensation between your legs, though you quickly put two and two together. you’re too lazy to comment on satoru’s sudden actions, only babbling a soft ‘welcome home’ between whimpers.

satoru’s breath hitches the moment you tell him those words. those sweet words. like you don’t mind that he’s dragged you out of your slumber this way. it’s such a turn on—your acceptance to what he’s doing.

“yeah? oh god,” satoru’s nose bumps against your slit each time he moves his jaw, lewdly slurping the fluid your pussy produces. he can feel his dick throbbing against his pants, begging to be released, “ngh, can’t—gonna cum, sweets.”

your lover’s desperate whines make your fingers curl around the bedsheets. the sole image of him cumming in his pants just from eating you out pushes you over the edge as well.

you reach your climax at the same time. satoru lolls his tongue out to catch your juices, moaning loudly against your puffy folds as he feels it trickling into his mouth. he can feel a wet spot forming on the fabric of his boxers, “shit.”

the white-haired man removes himself from behind you, licking his lips for any residue. you lazily look over your shoulder at him with glazed over eyes. his big hands are already working on his belt and zipper.

satoru shows you the dark spot in his underwear and pouts, “ah, look what you’ve done to me, princess—made a mess out of my favourite boxers b’cause of you.”

FUSHIGURO TOJI; cw. tiny hint of implied age gap (reader early 20’s, toji early 30’s). p in v -> unprotected. spooning position. reader gets called ‘little girl, slut, whore’. degradation / objectification.

toji kicks his shoes off and makes a beeline towards his bedroom. he’s in a shitty mood after he had met up with a rude client. despite that, his lips curl up into a faint smile the moment he sees you laying on his bed.

“heh, there’s my little girl,” his voice is raspy, hoarse and utterly exhausted. the older man climbs under the covers and wraps his strong arms around your small figure. he nuzzles his nose into your hair, breathing in the nice smell of your shampoo.

toji wouldn’t be him if his hands didn’t wander all over your skin. his rough palms squeeze everywhere and anywhere—enjoying the feeling of your soft flesh in them. you subconsciously react to his touches by pushing your body back against his.

“. .do not,” toji hisses like you can hear him. he was already half hard on his way home as the thoughts of you clouded his mind, but now that he’s actually with you, he’s fully aroused. especially with your ass pushing back at his aching bulge.

he’s too lazy to get up and get himself off in the shower. thus, he starts off by humping the fat of your ass. the friction isn’t enough for the assassin and therefore he switches to the real thing.

“such a slutty fuckin’ thing. can’t keep my hands off ya,” toji groans into your ear, half hoping you’d hear all the dirty things he’s calling you. your pants are pulled down and your panties are pushed to the side—making way for his fat cock to drill into you.

your impatient lover adjusts your legs so he could have easier access to your tight cunt. the slow strokes inside you make you squirm and tighten up around his throbbing erection. this only riles toji up more.

“hah, y’can feel it even in y’r sleep, can’t you? my cock stretching your tight pussy out—my pussy,” toji corrects himself with a low moan. his warm breath hits the nape of your neck, his hands fondling you whilst he thrusts aggressively.

he doesn’t care if you wake up or not. he’s going to use your delicious body to relieve himself. you gave him the green light when he asked you if he could fuck you in your sleep when he needs it. so, there’s no reason to stop now.

you eventually jolt awake once the continuous stimulation become too much. if it wasn’t for toji’s hand on your mouth, you’d have woken up the neighbours with your loud and lewd moans.

toji scoffs. he keeps a tight grip on your face and thigh, not stopping the rough pounding he’s giving you. he sees your eyes roll back from the unexpected pleasure and he snickers.

his lips connect with yours, muffling your moans that way;

“hah, seems like you needed this as much as i did—waking up ‘n already moaning like a whore. missed me that much, huh?”

SUKUNA RYOMEN; cw. true form!sukuna. has two cocks woops. masturbation (m). turns into blowjob. hairpulling. reader gets called ‘brat’.

sukuna returns to his chambers. finally, after dealing with some sorcerers that’ve had challenged him for a battle. he’s tense, sweaty and obviously in need to blow off some steam. he knows just where to get said relief.

sukuna’s red eyes instantly spot your sleeping form on the middle of his kingsized bed. his favourite little human—resting without a care in the world. the innocent sight is one that sets his loins on fire.

“oi, brat,” the male speaks up as he sits on his side of the bed. the mattress dips to one side due to his huge form, causing your small body to automatically manoeuvre his way. you don’t seem to stir nor wake.

you’ve gotten used to sukuna’s demanding voice to the point that it doesn’t scare you anymore. he smacks his lips in frustration. guess he’ll take care of his problem himself for now.

low grunts fill the spacious room—sukuna’s head lolls back against the headboard whilst two of his hands move swiftly on his now exposed cocks. his sharp eyes are focused on your body, shamelessly checking you out. from the cleavage of your breasts, your clothed cunt to your perfect parted lips; all of you is turning him on.

“fuck, can’t believe this. .” sukuna curses under his breath. he can’t believe how weak he is for you. how his cocks throb and leak drops of pre-cum from just the sight of you sleeping. fully clothed at that.

whilst one set of his hands is busy touching himself, the other reaches out to grope your body. one hand on your chest and one on your ass. of course, sukuna doesn’t pass on the opportunity of smacking the soft flesh.

“i said get up,” sukuna clicks his tongue and tries to wake you again. this time you do actually wake up. a short, inaudible whine leaving your lips. you take a few seconds to process the view in front of you; your lover with both his thick cocks out, pre-cum making the lengths glimmer under the light of the lamp.

it got you horny. immediately. you slowly crawl over between his legs, like you know just what to do. sukuna raises an eyebrow—surprised by your lack of questioning. he’s amused at how fast you took the hint.

“that’s it. you’re learning fast,” sukuna sighs deeply the moment your lips wrap around his upper dick. your small hand jerks off the lower one. both stimulations at once makes the man beneath you grunt in satisfaction.

you still are and look extremely drowsy, though your devotion to sukuna knows no bounds. even in your half-asleep state. the king of curses pats your head—a surprisingly appreciative and loving gesture that he rarely does.

you bob your head carefully, not wanting to gag too much. however, the pace you set is too slow for sukuna who’s waited way too long to fuck you. in any way.

he bucks his hips—thrusting upwards into your hot mouth. his strong hands yank at your hair, keeping you in place as he hears your muffled whimpers of protest. not that he cares; you choking on his fat cock only adds to his pleasure.

“keep it up like that. fuck, where do you want me to cum? in your little mouth? yeahh, you’d like that huh, filthy girl. you’d have to work harder for it if you’re so desperate.”

REBLOG TO SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE CREATORS !!

[celestial-dreamscapes]

Malleus Draconia relationship headcanons

A/N: I love him sm T_T finally actually playing the game so I don't mess up writing anyone too bad 😭 also I use different translations as reference lmao I just go with wtv I like best. Requests are open!!

Word count: 1.9k

-Malleus already has really nice hands and nails, but he doesn't really do anything to maintain them. So whenever you notice his hands feel a bit dry you moisturize them for him and play with his hands a bit while doing it and he loves it

-Kind of along the same lines, he'll let you draw on his hands whenever you're bored (a common occurrence in class) and you always take pictures afterwards

-One day it starts to rain so you pull out your umbrella, and he offers to hold it for you and you get excited thinking it'll be romantic like in those cute manga scenes but no,, it gets caught on one of his horns and you have to try and reach up to remove it. In the end he ends up just holding it over you and saying he doesn't need it to save you both the trouble

-Somehow after all the chaos of removing the umbrella he still manages to make it cute when he holds the umbrella over you and says stuff all concerned about you getting sick since humans get sick so easily

-Speaking of getting sick, he has a general idea of how humans are when they're sick thanks to Silver, but he's still very worried whenever you tell him you're not feeling well :( he'll likely just ask you what you need or usually do when you're sick so that he doesn't end up making you feel worse somehow

-He's aware of the strength difference between you two so he gets even more worried about hurting you because of how delicate humans can be

-He'll definitely cuddle with you if you're feeling alright enough for it, and he reassures you that he's not going to get sick because of you

-After taking care of you while you were sick he's even more conscious of how you're feeling when the weather changes

-He'll let you do literally anything you want with his hair. If you start playing with it he'll just let you do your thing. Same with braiding, putting bows or accessories, he's just happy to spend time with you and he loves how gently you do it

-Though Sebek might say something about you not taking Malleus seriously and hindering his reputation if you do it in the Diasomnia dorm and he sees you, so you usually play around with his hair in your dorm instead

-Malleus mentions sometimes that he wants to come off as less intimidating so people will want to talk to him more and invite him to things, so you suggest getting more casual clothes since it might help people see him as less scary, calm down the intimidating aura a bit and hopefully make him look a bit more approachable

-So you have a cute little shopping date!! He ends up getting you more things than for himself in the end because he really likes picking stuff for you and doing the whole mini fashion show thing!! The employees don't even say anything about you passing the item limit in the dressing room because they're a bit scared of him lmao

-You also pick out some outfits for both of you that have similar vibes or colours that compliment each other (couples that are well dressed together>>) and it's adorable. He carries everything you bought while you both keep looking around

-Cute little ice cream break later on and you share a cone and just relax and enjoy it together 🥺

-You try to catch him up with modern trends to the best of your ability, though it's kind of endearing how clueless he is with some of it. You definitely help him get better at using his phone at the very least so he's not constantly breaking his or yours

-He's not the best texter since he prefers to just go to you if he wants to talk, but he's trying his best

-You also teach him how to take selfies and pictures that aren't super blurry and he mostly takes pictures of you. He's the type to have like 15 things in his camera roll but they're all just you and maybe some cool gargoyles or architecture he wants to show you aw

-Lots of sleepovers at the Ramshackle dorm so you don't have to worry about being interrupted or disturbed for the most part (with the exception of Grim occasionally)

-While cuddling you tend to sort of lie halfway on top of him/on his side, curling up against him while he rubs your back

-Normally cuddle time ends with you falling asleep because of how peaceful it all is, especially compared to the chaos of your daily life. Sometimes he'll tell you stories about back home and his family, other times he'll ask you to tell him stories about your home, and sometimes you both just enjoy the shared silence comfortably

-He's totally the type to just watch you sleep for a bit, admiring you and whatnot and just really appreciating the fact that you're with him

-You wake up at the weirdest times every now and then and panic thinking you're late to class and he tells you you still have time to sleep so you cuddle a bit until you eventually fall asleep. He kisses your forehead gently before drifting off too

-Cuddling while sitting on his lap in bed or on the couch in your dorm he loves how close he is to you and it's so comforting and warm for you

-When it comes to PDA he's kind of conflicted because on one hand he wants to be private and "proper" but on the other he wants to show off a tiny bit that he's with you, so nothing excessive but he'll hold hands with you or give small forehead and cheek kisses here and there

-Sharing your hobbies and seeing if he's interested in any, you try painting, cooking and baking together. He loves how normal it all feels and that you're trying to get him into things you enjoy, it's sort of a reminder that he has someone very precious to him that's not scared of him and he's so happy about it

-Especially at the start of your relationship, he shows a lot of his affection by giving you gifts and you have to kind of reassure him you don't need all that stuff (or that you literally have no space for some of it)

-As the relationship progresses he does continue to give you stuff but it becomes more personal and he realizes he doesn't want to overwhelm you by giving you insanely expensive stuff or like.. family heirlooms so instead he'll settle on getting you stuff your eyes linger on in stores or things you mention, even off-handedly

-One day you're both chilling in his room while you scroll through your phone and you see someone post a heart locket and you start telling him how sweet and romantic of a gift they can be but how hard it is to find good quality ones

-And then not too long after that he shows up to your dorm and tells you to close your eyes and he clasps a heart locket he got you around your neck and you open it and you see that he put a picture of the two of you inside <3

-It was definitely a struggle for him to do the picture thing but he got Lilia's help lmao

-Unfortunately you can't really afford expensive gifts for him so you gift him handmade things instead. You give him a little bracelet you made yourself and a little phone charm to match yours

-Though he's still not great with phones he starts being more careful with it because he doesn't want to damage your gift

-He decides to also try to make things for you himself, without using any magic. He remembers you mentioning paintings back home that you used to decorate your place and decides to try making something like that, especially since he already has some paints still lying around his dorm from when you were trying to get him into some of your hobbies.

-In the end he tries painting you some scenery from the Valley of Thorns and it doesn't come out as great as he would've liked but you're so happy when he gives it to you and you immediately put it up and reassure him that you love it and that you appreciate him making something for you

-Whenever it's nice out and you're not busy (an unfortunately rare occurrence) you try to have picnics together!! It's so peaceful preparing the food and snacks and getting to relax together

-You finally get the hang of making flower crowns and teach him how, it takes a while but he gets it eventually. He makes you one and you make him two small ones for his horns and one just for his head and you take a ton of pictures together because the vibes are so perfect and <3

-Doing his makeup!! Maybe it takes you a while to do it well but just him letting you experiment with different looks on him, and he asks to do yours in return sometimes. He's so focused while doing it and it's very cute

-Since you're together I feel like your friends wouldn't be as scared of him (though they're still a bit intimidated) because of how you talk about him. So he tries to befriend them and talk to them here and there, though it does worry him a bit how chaotic they can all be together, especially since 99% of the time you get roped into it somehow. You're proud of the socializing progress anyway lmao

-As for the dynamic with you and the other main Diasomnia members, it's very relaxed for the most part, though you and Lilia can be a bit chaotic when together at times

-Sebek warms up to you, though he's still a bit scandalized when he sees you both doing anything remotely couple-y

-But generally it's nice family vibes and Malleus is very happy that you all get along

-You guys sometimes have little tea parties, usually just you two but sometimes you get Lilia, Sebek and Silver to join and it's very chill

-One day you show Malleus that you got matching mugs for you two and he's so 🥺

-Since you're from different places and also different species, you're very curious about norms and different traditions from his homeland and he asks about yours in return. He really wants you to visit the Valley of Thorns with him someday

-You mention one (1) time that you find his dorm uniform cool and he takes it upon himself to get you one and now you're an honorary member. He tells you to transfer as if you'd be able to navigate it without magic 😭

-You constantly ask him to do little magic "shows" for you when you're alone together because it's just so amazing and there's nothing real like that back home. Even though you're constantly surrounded by magic users now, you can never fully get used to it. He'll make tiny flames and other things and it's so cool to you and he loves watching how you react every time and he's so happy you feel safe enough around him to trust him with stuff like that

-He'll sometimes do it when you're upset/stressed and need a distraction too

[wolfjackle-creates]

Hi!! I haven't been on Tumblr for a while but I used to read a fic you made out of a prompt (?) Someone else made about Danny who freaked out when he realized the Waynes are the Bats and accidentally shot Bruce(?) And if I'm not mistaken you made a part 2 of it (idr remember if it was a wip or finished) but do you have a masterlist so I can re-read it :D? So sorry if I sound weird (´⌒｀;)

It is absolutely never weird to ask an author about their works!!!! Thanks so much for sending this in.

It's been ages since I've worked on this one, but it's definitely on my short list to get back to. Especially since I'm pretty close to having it finished?

Here's chapter 1 on AO3. And the Subscription Post.

Chapter 2 is limited to Tumblr right now, only two parts currently. Part 1 can be found here.

Currently it's called Want to Hold on and Feel I Belong. However, when I do start updating on AO3 again, I plan to change the name. (I'm just waiting so people who have subscribed are more likely to remember what they're getting an email about.) Mostly I refer to it as my Bad Reveal AU. Though I get that's not a great working name as that's usually reserved for the Fenton parents reacting badly rather than Danny reacting badly.

Also, as a thanks for reminding me that it's been a while since I've posted anything about this fic (or, well, in general), have the next bit!

Here's a random 1.5k.

Previous

-----

Having a potential lead so close meant the hours until J’onn’s arrival were spent in prep mode.

Every uniform had to be checked for the slightest damage and upgrades done where possible. Supplies and go-bags were organized so they could leave the moment they had a lead. Fuel levels in every vehicle were checked and topped off where necessary.

And finally, the zeta tube activated and J’onn stepped out. “Good day to all of you. I heard my assistance was needed?”

Bruce went to greet him. “J’onn. Danny’s room is upstairs. Did Clark explain the situation?”

“Yes. He said that your newest ward has density shifting powers and left things behind in his walls and floor before running away a few days ago.”

Bruce nodded sharply. “Follow me. Clark will show you where the items are hidden so you can retrieve them.”

Dick happily zipped up what felt like the hundredth bag he’d had to pack and joined them. “Hey, J’onn. Welcome. How have you been?”

“Greetings, Dick. It has been a long time since our last meeting. I have been well. I want to wish you luck in finding your brother swiftly and easily.”

Dick nodded his thanks. “Same. We’re really hoping he left behind something to help because we haven’t had much luck so far.” Dick pulled out his phone and notified the family of J’onn’s arrival and requested they meet in Danny’s room.

On the way, Bruce and Dick filled J’onn in on the situation. At the implication of government experimentation, he face went hard and he vowed he would help them however he could.

Clark, Jason, and Alfred were already there when the group arrived and the rest weren’t far behind. With everyone present, the room felt crowded.

“Where should I start?” J’onn asked Clark.

“Behind the NASA poster. I think that’s where he keeps the weapons. One of them is an object that looks like it might be the same as, or at least similar to, the weapon that shot Bruce.”

Under Clark’s direction, J’onn removed not just two more energy guns, but also a glowing-green net, a boomerang, a tube of lipstick, what looked like a weird, high-tech thermos, and a wooden baseball bat with a sticker that said “Fenton” on it.

Dick couldn’t help but whistle at the pile. “Damn, he was packing all this?”

“Apparently,” said Damian. But Dick could tell his youngest brother was impressed and mentally reassessing his beliefs of Danny. “Perhaps he is not as helpless as I previously believed.”

“Why’s he got lipstick?” asked Steph as she picked up the tube.

“Don’t!” ordered Bruce even as she opened it and released a laser beam that left a small scorch mark on the ceiling.

She stared in shock before laughing. “Oh, damn! When he comes back, I’m so asking if he could get me one of these. That’s so cool!”

“Can I see that?” asked Barbara.

“Wait until we’re in the cave,” said Bruce with a sigh. Both women grinned at him.

Dick reached down and grabbed the net. Despite the color, it seemed normal enough, maybe a little smoother than most rope he’d handled. He pulled out a pocket knife and was able to slice through one of the ropes easily enough. Jason came over to look at it with him.

“Anything weird about it?” he asked as he reached out to touch it. “Huh, that’s odd.”

“What’s odd about it? Seems pretty normal to me.”

“It just… It feels weird. It almost hurts to touch.” When Dick looked at him sharply, Jason quickly added, “It doesn’t hurt, but it feels like it should. If that makes sense.”

“Feels normal to me.” Dick showed him the break he’d made.

Jason shrugged. “Dunno, then. I just get a weird feeling from it.”

Damian picked up the energy gun, Tim the thermos, and Duke the boomerang when Alfred cleared his throat.

“Before we get distracted, might I remind you that there is more to find? We can bring everything down to the cave to examine them with no more damage to Master Danny’s room.”

Everyone sheepishly put down the things they were holding. Dick bit back a laugh when he noticed Clark push the baseball bat away from himself with his foot.

“So, J’onn,” Clark said. “I think the next area of interest is behind this poster.” He gestured at a poster of the horsehead nebula. Dick had helped Danny find it and hang it up and the kid had talked about nebulae for over an hour as they did. The memory caused his eyes to burn.

From this stash, J’onn pulled some notebooks and two external hard drives, which Barbara took. Dick and Bruce both grabbed a notebook. Dick opened his to the first page.

Journaling is such a stupid idea. I don’t have any time for it but Jazz says I need to get my feelings out. Pointless. So what if I can’t sleep and Skulker attacked me again today during English getting me another detention. Its not my fault! Shit, haven’t done that essay for Lancer. If I miss any more assignments he’s gonna fail me for real.

Everyone knew Danny had been failing before he’d been brought to them, but he’d refused to discuss why. Once he was in school in Gotham, he’d gotten straight A’s. Even if he did ask for the occasional help in English from Jason.

But this raised so many questions. Who was Skulker and why were they attacking Dick’s little brother during English class. He flipped through the pages. Interspersed between journal entries were drawings of schematics. Dick thought he recognized some of the designs as the weapons they’d uncovered.

His eyes caught on an entry that started with a string of curses.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. My parents saw Dani today. In ghost form. They actually managed to hit her. Only her second visit and I couldn’t keep her safe. Some big brother dad cousin whatever I am. I did get her to the Far Frozen. Frostbite fixed her up. Taught me what to do if it happens again, too. And gave me the medicines and supplies to do it. I’m so glad I have friends in the Zone now. It makes it so much easier. I can’t get the image of Dani’s blood staining my hands out of my mind. Going to Tuck’s tonight. I can’t be around my parents right now.

Stomach dropping, he flipped a few more pages until he found one with a photo. It was a grinning Danny with white hair and wearing a jumpsuit standing on a curved balcony. Behind him, spire buildings rose into the air, many rounded in a way not often found on Earth.

Clockwork took me to Mars today! Holy shit it is so cool. Just, everything. We went back to when they were thriving and I had to stop an invasion. But that’s not important. Everyone here can go intangible despite being alive. Some of their buildings don’t even have doors because they’d be pointless! And the plants and animals are all so different, too. Clockwork helped me find some books on Martian history and biology and evolution. He’s also gonna show me where the Martians exist in the Zone so I can learn their language. Maybe one day I can go to Krypton or Tamaran as well?

Dick stared back at the picture. It did have that distinctive feel of wrong that extraterrestrial landscapes always had. He swallowed. “Uh, J’onn?”

“Yes, Dick?”

“Um, Danny. This is his journal. He said he went to Mars. Before… Just, before. He’s got a picture. Is this real?” He handed the photo to J’onn who hesitated a moment before taking it.

J’onn froze as he stared at the simple image. “I… Yes. This is my home. How…?”

Dick shrugged and wished he had an answer for the last of the Martians. “Someone called Clockwork brought him there apparently. To stop some sort of invasion? He didn’t discuss that much. He was too interested in the planet and people to talk about what he did. He was hoping to visit Krypton and Tamaran, too. Also said something about Martians existing somewhere he called the Zone. He wanted to meet them to learn the language.”

The look on J’onn’s face at the mention of other Martians existing somewhere was heartbreaking. Maybe Dick shouldn’t have said anything? When Danny came home, would he maybe want to talk to J’onn about Mars?

With clear reluctance, J’onn handed the picture back. “This is your brother in the photo?”

“Yeah. I mean, Danny usually has black hair and blue eyes, but that’s him. Do you recognize him?”

J’onn nodded. “Of course. He is the Omen. His coming foretells death and destruction which he will then try to avert. I know what invasion he is speaking of, it is, was, taught in our history books. He saved all of Mars that day. We thought him a god.”

Dick’s mouth fell open. His little brother? A god?

-----

Did you enjoy your little surprise update tonight? Let me know what you think!

[miguel-ohara-lover]

Kinktober day 10 - Ghost!Miguel

Prompt list

CW: nsfw, ghost, ftm!reader, kinda creepy, “pussy”/“cunt” used, squirting, eating out

Note: Tonight is gonna be a bit short because uh yeah depression fucking sucks ass… anyway- I like ghosts :] (🎶if you have ghoosssttt you have everythiiing-🎶)

Ps don’t question it it’s fictiooooonnnn…

Creepy stuff never bothered you before, and hey creepy generally meant cheaper. So when you heard of this really nice house that was half price do you a murder that took place, fuck yeah you wanna buy that shit. A little murder didn’t hurt especially when it meant you get cheap shit and it’s not like you committed the crime sooo…

The random noises and random moving objects was all easy to explain away. You probably forgot you moved it or it was probably the wind. Easy shit to explain. Though… seeing a figure of a man in the hallway was weird… You thought someone had broken in but as you got closer he disappeared.

This started happening more often, you’d see him, try to approach, and he’d vanish. He didn’t run and hide, he just went poof. Eventually you learned to not approach him, and instead would wave. After a few times he waved back, and that surprised you. Before it didn’t seem like he knew you were there, and know he’s acknowledged your existence.

He started sticking around more, started to acknowledge your presence more. He was very handsome for whatever the fuck he was. You figured he was a ghost, a spirit trapped in the mortal realm after his untimely death.

You noticed he would hang around more often, watching what you did or what you had on the tv. It didn’t bother you, and it was kind of nice knowing you had friendly eyes on you. At least you thought he was friendly, considering he hasn’t tried to possess and or murder you by now.

Some quick research told you what you were curious about. His name was Miguel O’Hara, his murder was unsolved. Perhaps that’s why he hung around, unfinished business and all. You tried to get him to open up to you, but he never spoke a word to you. He would just watch you and vanish before any progress is made.

One day, you were getting dressed in the morning when you noticed out of the corner of your eye he was standing in the doorway. He was watching you, but you didn’t feel unsafe.

“You have scars. Did someone hurt you?” He spoke for the first time since you met him. His voice surprised you. It sounded soft and distant, almost an echo to it.

It took you a moment to realize what he was referring to. “Oh.” You looked down at yourself, then back at him. “No, they’re just from surgery.”

“Ah. Okay then.” He nods and looks around your room.

“Do you have to stand there while I get dressed?” You chuckled a little. You didn’t entirely mind, what could he do he’s dead. He didn’t respond, and instead stood there like he had been.

You shrugged and continued changing, removing your pants and underwear. You bent over looking at your dresser for some panties. He looked over and would have blushed if he had blood. Your pussy looked so perfect to him, so wet and just asking for his attention.

“I can feel you staring.” You spoke up, still bend over. Suddenly, cold hands grabs your bare hips. You let out a small gasp as the freezing touch. He moves a hand from your hip to your pussy, dragging a cold finger through your slick folds and sending shivers through your body.

He stayed silent as a finger slipped inside you, making you shudder and moan. Part of you wondered how this was possible, how was he able to touch you if he’s dead. You weren’t complaining, but the wonder was still there. The thoughts were immediately forgotten, however, when you felt another finger circle your clit, drawing louder moans from you.

Miguel seemed pleased with, and pulled his hand away. It was silent and still for a moment, and you started to wonder if he had walked away. That was until you felt something else against your cunt, something hard.

You bit your lip as you felt his cock push into you, stretching your already tight pussy. Fuck he was big. How could anyone wanna murder a guy with THAT in his pants. He held onto your hips, guiding you down his shaft until your pelvis was against his. Miguel’s hands moved upward, under your shirt as he felt your body, his fingers eventually finding your scars and touching the flesh.

He turned his attention to your nipples, lightly tugging and teasing, earning little grunts of pleasure from you. He enjoyed that sound, it made his dick twitch. Your pussy contracted around him and he groaned slightly, starting to thrust his hips slow at first.

Miguel steadily picked up the pace until he was slamming into you at an inhuman speed. You cried out and moaned into the palm of your hand as this spirit ravaged your cunt. You were dripping wet just from the initial touches to your pussy. A hand went back down and played with your clit, gently tugging and rubbing circles as you whined.

It was so overstimulating, everything was pulling you closer and closer to the edge. The warm knot in your gut formed quickly, with all this pleasure it wasn’t hard. He was eager and ready to please, ready to pleasure you in any way he could, you were gorgeous to him.

You let out a loud moan as you came from his fingers and cock. His pelvis and lower torso were drenched from you squirting on him. The sight made him unravel immediately. He groaned and grunted as he spilled inside you, ice cold cum filling your pussy as his fingers moved faster, drawing more squirt juices from you and making you cry out.

He pulled out and released your clit from the torment. You panted and leaned against your dresser to stay upright, clit twitching from so much stimulation. He couldn’t help but admire you even more, so soaking wet from cumming, it drove him made

Miguel moved onto his knees and licked your pussy, making you moan and whimper slightly. He loved those sounds so much. His mouth wrapped around your clit and he sucked gently, making you cry out once more. He was so eager, happily pleasuring your clit all over again. He pushed his cold fingers into your pussy and finger fucked you roughly as he licked and sucked your clit, hoping for another shower.

You whined and rocked your hips a little, rubbing your pussy on his face as the pleasure overtook you. You saw stars in the air as reality melted away, and all you could think of was Miguel’s mouth, pleasing your cunt so perfectly. He wrapped his arms around your thighs, holding you against his face, eating you out as if it were his last meal.

His grip tightened and you could feel another orgasm building up inside you. It wasn’t long before you came a second time, squirting once more and giving Miguel that shower he wanted. He didn’t stop going to town on your cunt, however. He just couldn’t get enough, holding your trembling legs as he feasted.

Eventually he did stop, after making you cum a third… fourth… and fifth time. By then you were gone, thoughts incoherent and words just a mumbling mess, unable to keep yourself up anymore. He helped you into bed, wiping up any mess left on you and tucking you in.

“That was fun.” He spoke up. In your sleepy mindless state all you could manage was “mhm”. He didn’t mind, smiling down at you as you drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

He’d watch over you of course. Always.

———

Tag list(feel free to ask to be on it):

@6thhokageswife @zaunsin @famouscattale @m4dyy @thedevax @migueloharastruelove @queerponcho @lynnxnnyl

[kaciidubs]

Versace Crowned Prince

❣ Summary: A fashion weekend with the Prince of Versace, what more could you have asked for? ❣  ❣ Word Count: 2.7k ❣ Warnings: Implied Black! Reader, smut with feelings, fluff, mention of alcohol ❣  ❣ Female! Reader [No use of Y/N] | You/Your pronouns ❣  ❣ Additional Tags: Hyunjin is referred to as My Prince/Versace Prince, Hyune, Baby, Reader is referred to as My Goddess/Love/Muse, this one turned out very romantic, he brings out a faux poetic side of me ❣ Stray Kids Masterlist ❣ General Masterlist

If you could describe the past few days as anything, it would be a dream - no, a fairytale, a life you never thought you’d find yourself living yet here you were, going up in a fancy elevator to a fancy hotel room with your dashingly handsome boyfriend after attending a party honoring one of the most well known fashion events for one of the biggest brands in the world.

“Did you have fun?”

You hummed happily, leaning your head against Hyunjin’s leather jacket clad shoulder as your conscience floated through the warm buzz of the drinks you had at the party - not quite drunk, but a pleasant tipsy that strung your words together and made your giggles that much more frequent.

“Mm, yeah - it was amazing.” You drawled, squeezing his hand that was currently entwined with your own, “I already know you had fun, Mister Versace Prince.”

He scoffed out a laugh, pulling you to stand in front of him as he leaned against the elevator wall, “It was only fun because you were there, my love.” His fingers caressed the smooth, ruched fabric near the waist of your skirt, “Thank you for coming with me.”

The warmth of his palms seeped straight through your clothes and settled on the skin underneath, sparking goosebumps to spread along your arms while your alcohol addled brain soared with your - ironically - heightened senses.

Sliding your hands up his chest, wrinkling the designer shirt in your path, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders as a dazed smirk curled your lips. “Going to Milan to watch a Versace fashion show with my breathtakingly gorgeous, ambassador boyfriend,” playing with the hair at the back of his head, you tilted yours to the side, “how could I have said no?”

It was bold, being in this position in the elevator where one unexpected stop could spoil everything, but neither of you seemed to care, not with the way his hold on your waist tightened as he leaned forward to fully invite himself into your space.

“Does that mean you’ll be my plus one for the next event?”

His husky murmur made your toes curl in your heels, though you didn’t back down, arching into him with a gaze that could only be read as a challenge.

“If the prince requests my presence, then so be it.” Gaze flicking to his full lips, you leaned in just enough to graze them, “Anything for you.”

The chime of the elevator floated through the charged atmosphere and Hyunjin chuckled, a low, sultry sound that made your heart flutter.

Untangling himself from your hold, he slid his hand into your own before leading you through the sliding doors toward the specially booked suite that had been your home since the beginning of the eventful week.

With a swipe of the key card - which wasn’t easy with your barely muffled giggles and wandering hands - you were finally welcome to the privacy of four walls yet again; stumbling through the door with your new goal set on removing your heels first and foremost.

Hobbling your way to the large king bed, you watched as he shrugged off his leather jacket in record time, breathing a sigh of relief as he dropped it to the couch before unceremoniously following suit with a loud “Oof”.

You giggled to yourself, managing to undo the straps to let each shoe fall one at a time, humming softly as you flexed your slightly achy feet until something shiny caught your eye.

Resting atop his suitcase was a familiar golden crown he’d received mere hours earlier, and you found yourself padding over to the accessory instantly.

The second your hands touched the plastic gold, you instantly brought it to your head and placed it atop your curls, feeling the coils cushion the new weight before sauntering around the back of the couch with an extra sway in your hips.

“How do I look?” Placing your hands on your hips, you carefully angled your head like the models you’d seen on the runway, “Am I fitting enough for the prince of Versace?”

You’d expected a fit of giggles, a bemused chuckle even, but when your eyes met his, you were subject to a gaze that had your breath catching in your throat.

Hyunjin’s hungry stare traced your face before trailing down, taking in the black corset top that was so simple in design, yet held a level of elegance on your body that he couldn’t begin to comprehend as it further accentuated the curve of your waist while the neckline cradled your breasts. Observing further, his tongue peaked out to lick his lips as he scanned the skirt that was just under his fingers mere moments ago, admiring the design as if it were a sheet artistically draped around your hips, yet despising the tantalizing hint of your right upper thigh in its slight asymmetrical fitting - it had taken an ungodly amount of willpower to keep himself from leaving the party early just so he could get you to himself.

All of that, paired wonderfully with gold accessories that matched his shirt and the accessories he had on himself, combined into a recipe for his downfall - and, boy, was he falling.

“Fitting enough for me?” He breathed as his eyes flicked up to meet your own, “Baby, you should’ve been out on that runway,” reaching his hand out, his fingers wrapped around your own before gently tugging you closer, “if it were my show, you would be the only model I’d need.”

His sentiments sent waves of chills down your spine, though it did nothing but feed the growing desire the high of the alcohol left in your system, curling in your abdomen and sprouting warmth that bloomed like a spring flower.

Wetting your lips, you squeezed his fingers softly, “Those are bold words from the Prince of Versace.”

The words fell in a whisper, dipped in honey and wrapped in the finest silk crafted by the wisest hands.

“I can only hope my words are enough for a goddess like you, my love.”

His voice was crowned in gold and anointed with the sweetest nectar, the sound dancing from lips that held their own form of enchantment.

“Why hope,” slipping your hand from his, you made a slow path to the side fastens and hidden zipper of your skirt, “when I can show you what your words do to me, my prince?”

It was all too easy to let the skirt fall to your polished toes, just as easy as it was to undo each tedious hook of the ribbed corset until you were able to take a fuller breath of the lust-tinted atmosphere - all the while, the golden crown remained in its place amongst your curls.

In the same breath, it was all too easy for him to undo his pants just enough to free his hardening length from the leather confines and boxer briefs.

You took your rightful place in his lap, a throne unlike any other, specially curated just for you, and eagerly accepted his confident touch; warm palms following the curve of your thighs to the width of your hips, up the flesh of your stomach to the dip in your waist, higher and higher until his fingers were playing with the simple gold necklace resting against your sternum.

“It’s a shame,” Hyunjin murmured, one hand working the necklace through his fingers while the other slid down to cup your breast, “even the most elite designer clothes don’t hold a candle to you wearing absolutely nothing.”

“You’re one to talk, Hyune,” bringing your hands to the hem of his shirt, you gently dragged the material up, “everything makes your candle burn brighter - it’s no contest.”

“Then let me take it off so we can burn together.” As his hands left your chest to meet the ones resting against his stomach, you tightened your hold on the hem of his shirt, prompting him to raise a brow. “My love?”

“I… I want you to keep them on.” Widening your stance against the couch, you dropped your hips to grind along the underside of his cock, the thin lace of your panties leaving nothing up to imagination. “Please, keep them on?”

Hissing out a short breath, his hips canted up into the slick mess dampening the gusset of lace, bringing a breathless chuckle from the depths of his chest.

“Anything for you.”

Anything for you - it echoed as you rose to your knees just enough to use your fingers to tug your panties to the side, paying no mind to the way it hugged your hips just a bit tighter in the process.

A slow drag of your bare cunt along the underside of his dick brought a shivering breath from the two of you, and he worked a hand between your thighs to catch the tip against your fluttering walls, licking his lips in preparation for what was to come next.

Breathless moans filled the room as you slowly sunk down, relishing the stretch you’d been craving since the beginning of the party - though, if you were honest with yourself, the desire had been simmering since the runway viewing.

“Beautiful,” he breathed, eyes trained on where you were both connected as his hand caressed your thigh.

Lifting your hand from his, your fingers instead found their new home on his chin, gently tilting his head back to have his fiery gaze meet your own, a new heat enveloping you in the process; igniting, burning.

“Gorgeous.” The word escaped him like a sacred prayer, a whisper intended only for the sole recipient before him.

You ran your thumb along his bottom lip, toying with the plump flesh before he dipped his chin to press a slow kiss to the pad, and if his effect on you wasn’t shown through the catch in your breath, then the clench of your pussy was a clear indicator.

There was a tentative roll of your hips, a slow rock to seat him as deep as he could go, before you began to ride him in languid, hypnotizing bounces - kindling the all consuming fire that only served to burn brighter and hotter with each bump and grind.

Hyunjin’s hands made their home on your hips, squeezing the supple flesh as he guided you with each rise and fall, his sharp gaze bouncing between your bliss-wrapped face, the sparkle of the jewelry whenever it caught the light just right, and the short glimpses of his arousal-coated dick leaving and entering your heavenly cunt.

Each panted moan that left you was mirrored by a breathless grunt by the man underneath you - an airy cry of his name floating by when his tip would graze that spongy spot just right, and a whimper working its way into the mix with each sinful roll of your hips.

Your fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, further wrinkling the designer article as you fought to keep yourself upright, your head dipping slightly as pleasure steadily rendered your limbs useless.

“Chin up, my love,” he moaned, velvety voice invoking your attention with ease, “keep your crown on for me.”

The crown - you’d forgotten about it the minute you sat in his lap, and him turning your demand on yourself had your abdomen clenching.

The subtle correction of your head hadn’t gone unnoticed, nor did the way you tried to spread your legs that tiny bit more to meet his hips more flush.

Licking his lips, Hyunjin moved his hands to your forearms before tugging gently, leading your torso to rest against his and the once thorough bounces turned into short back-and-forth rocks.

Resting your forehead against his, your lidded eyes met his with ease, countless emotions floating in the blown out brown of his irises, unsaid words understood through the beating of your hearts.

You brushed your lips against his, languishing in the feeling of them as if it were the first time all over again, until your body jolted with a sharp thrust that had your lazy kiss connecting.

Whatever sound that intended to leave you was now muffled against his mouth as the thrusts continued, his hands interlocking at the base of your spine as he fucked up into your heat, the soles of his feet digging into the poor leather of the couch for leverage.

The room was soon filled with the noise of straining leather, the wet drag of your walls along the length of his cock, and needy moans broken up by the messy smack of lips and tongue.

It wasn’t long until your body was trembling above his, your face dropping to his shoulder in hopes of catching the loud cries against his shirt, “H-Hyune, I’m- oh fuck, don’t stop-”

“I won’t,” the needless promise came through gritted teeth as he splayed his left hand against your lower back while his right slid to your ass cheek, squeezing the swell graciously, “come on, love, give it to me - please give it to me.”

Your body reacted before your mind could even process, the sound of threads snapping at the seams under your relentless tugging at his shirt going unnoticed as you came with a cry of his name on your tongue.

He did his best to ride you through your orgasm, but the rhythmic pulsing of your walls quickly shattered his resolve as he found himself chasing his own climax with heated breaths against your bare shoulder.

“Muse, I’m- I-” Hyunjin choked back a whine, trying to blink away the fog clouding this mind, “I-I’m gonna come, fuck-”

His arms wrapped around your back once more as he held you as tight as he could, rutting his hips against yours until he came with a shivering moan, coating your walls with his release.

Littering whatever place you could reach with kisses, you slowly lifted yourself up to admire his euphoria filled features; basking in the glow of his sweat-shined face and rosy cheeks, and marveling in the contrast of your lipgloss’s tint against his skin - that is, until your eyes trailed to his shirt.

Immediately recognizing the stain of your foundation against the black fabric, you didn’t try to hide the embarrassed laugh that breezed past your lips.

“I might’ve flown too close to the sun here, baby…”

Clocking the insinuation without bothering to look himself, he shook his head with a dazed smile on his perfect lips, “I don’t care - make a mess of it, ruin it, I’ll just get another one,” bringing his right hand to your face, he cupped your cheek softly, “and when that one gets messed up, I’ll buy another one.”

You scoffed incredulously, lips curling into a small smile, “The prince of Versace ruining his clothes for me? How scandalous.”

“If it’s by the request of my goddess, then so be it.” His eyes sparkled as he ushered you closer, leaning in just enough to graze your lips, “Anything for you.”

✧. ┊Tagged lovelies: @having-an-internal-crisis-rn, @midnightfrog625, @anyhow-everything, @bangchanbabygirlx, @sweetracha, @nightimescapes, @caitlyn98s, @ch4nn13luv, @ihrtlix, @jeonjungkookenthusiast1997, @maximumkillshot, @y-ur--i, @acker-night, @dreamescapeswriting, @specialstay, @s00buwu, @tinyelfperson, @jj-stay, @katsukis1wife, @inlovewithmusician, @keen-li, @armystay89, @main-character0, @vampcharxter, @ddyskz, @prettymiye0n, @bbgnyx, @ivyisnotokay, @bahng-chrizz, @milknhoneyracha, @hann1bee, @palindrome969, @newhope8, @softkissfelix, @luvyev, @luminouskalopsia, @kpopsstuffs, @luvyev, @starquokka, @wolfs-howling, @laylasbunbunny, @zaethefangirl, @chxnb97, @4-chan-inpadella

✧. ┊If your username is in bold italics that means tumblr won't let me tag you. If you’d like to be added to the taglist, fill out this form!

[p0rk-guts]

YAAAAALL IT'S ANGEL DUST!!!!! bro I'm so exited to tell u about him hehehehe he might be my fav redesign of the bunch idk

Comparison & rant!⬇️ + A bug/spider cw. I put reference images in there!

Ok guys can I be honest with you. I think. Pilot and pre-pilot Angel were peak 😔 I'M SORRY I'M BREAKING MY SILENCE

Like whaaat... WHAAAT.... I'm sorry he served here he had the BEST design idc idc you can't change my mind. These were NOT bad designs. I've got a slight preference to his oldest design but even then the pilot design was great to me.

THIS however...

OooOOOH MY GODDDDD THEY NEUTERED HIM!!?! NO tits, three measly ugly stripes on an uglier coat, LONG GLOVES THAT ARE MISMATCHED??? ONE OF THEM HAS THESE WEIRD... WHITE FLAPS?? WHO— WHAT. WHY. AND THEY GO OVER HIS LONG SLEEVES 😭😭😭

I'm sorry but Angel will always be the most egregious case of character assassination in this show, design and character wise. He sucks now and I used to love him.

Okay enough crying let's get serious.

So yeah show Angel sucks. Removing his chunky gloves removed a lot of the fun shape in his silhouette so now he's just a gangly twink. Very little visual interest. Also hate hate hate how his new mismatched gloves are pulled over his long sleeve coat. So dumb. Hate it.

Also explain to me how he's gradually gotten less tits but has simultaneously become more femboy-ified..... So many people immediately mistake him for a girl.......

They also mistake him for. Literally anything but a spider. Once again Viv can't code or theme characters for shit. I also don't like how his face changed... I can't describe it but It's so much less appealing and charming. Something in the eyes and his little cheek bump. Idk. Really hate show Angel props to the animators for making him watchable with his bold animation ts was real nice

Okay onto my Angel! He's now a goldenrod crab spider now! Thank you @/cryptablog for this idea!! (Not tagging them bc they hate the hellaverse with a burning passion lol 💀) They can be white with pinkish markings like our og Angel but most of them are tinted yellow or completely yellow!

I decided to make him most similar to that mid ground mix of yellow and white with pink-er markings. 1 because I kept lust pink and I feel like that'd be a prominent sin of his (+ purple is in here a lot bc I feel like he'd also be pride aligned! Purple is now the pride color :3) and 2 because the yellow tone in his fur is kinda meant to connect him to Husk in a way... Cuz that's kinda his main color... Idk maybe I'm onto nothing with that one BUT his primary color is purple and Husk's primary color is yellow(ish)! Complimentary boyfriend's!!! Are you seeing my vision!!!!! (Also on a lesser note his colors look more similar to my fav version of Angel aka his design from the pre-pilot ref sheet I showed)

Another idea you can thank Cryptamen for is him being partially translucent in places just like real goldenrods!!!! The idea behind that was because he was in the mafia in life and he had to be really stealthy at times so now in certain environments he's harder to see... Maybe he can even turn fully invisible for a bit... There's also possible character reasons to consider tying in there as well... Ough very cool idea 10/10

Gave him 4 legs and 4 arms + the big abdomen to really make him scream spider bc yes spider boys can be hot and no Viv was not willing to CAPITALIZE on that 😒 Also lengthened his fangs... Also moved his eyes to his forehead to make them more prominent and hopefullyyyy seem more like eyes. Idk. And now he's got pointy little pedipalps as well!!!

Gave him his boobs back bc he deserves them and just generally gave his body more shape (though the second set of legs definitely helps lol). Slightly de-twinked... But not by much...

Once again looked up some common hairstyles at the time and people loooved their hairspray and curls, or swoops, or waves— they were gettin funky with it. Hard to emulate that on his nonhuman skull so I took some artistic liberties applying ideas from common styles onto him.

Didn't do much research at awl for his clothes... I mean... He's not wearing much to begin with... I kept the long gloves bc I thought they had potential to look cute and I have him rolled cuffs on short sleeves. Wanted to keep the style simple but otherwise I would've drawn button clasps keeping them in place. No notes on the thigh high heels so I kept them. Everything else is just kindaaaa whateverrrr EXCEPT THE NECKLACE. Though it was hella funny and fitting

And that's awl folks.... Do u like him do u fuck with him.... Let me knowwww....... Okay byeeee ✌🏾🧍🏾‍♀️

[teddy06writes]

Whumptober Day 16 - Umbrella Academy

Umbrella Academy (unit) x sibling!reader

Prompt: I did good, right?

Trigger Warnings: Canon Typical violence, major character death, one (1) swear from Diego

Summary: A mission gone wrong forces you to over use your powers, pushing you too far. Readers powers are a bit under described, the general idea is that they can manipulate time, which ends up backfiring.

Reader is referred to as Eight.

This mission wasn't going well. Maybe you should've have taken Ben's feeling that something was wrong more seriously. But what could you have done? Refused to go and face worser punishment?

The more you thought about it, you had no clue what your father was thinking. The Umbrella Academy was powerful, yes, but what were a group of twelve year olds to a group of terrorists with a bomb?

Around you, Luther, Diego, Five and Allison were grappling with the terrorists, fighting for their lives, if you were honest. Whoever the hell these guys were supposed to be, they were well trained. Somewhere, Klaus was supposed to be freeing hostages.

You chuckled to yourself, bitterly.

They had all gotten the easy jobs.

You knelt before the bomb, desperately trying to discover a way to diffuse it without setting off it's fail safe. At your back, Ben stood on guard, having taken down the few men that were devoted to watching the bomb.

"Any chance you've figured it out yet?" Ben asked, ever impatient.

You swallowed thickly, brushing hair from your face with the back of your hand, "Not exactly."

"And how much time do we have?"

Your eyes flicked back to the tiny, taunting LED screen and it's ticking clock, "About 90 seconds."

"Should i-"

"Shut up and let me think!" You snapped.

You had already managed to pry open the casing surrounding the eternal wiring, it was just a matter of making sense of what you found there. God, maybe you should have paid more attention to your fathers lessons. Or maybe he should've diversified the systems you'd had to practice on.

The seconds ticked on, and you looked miserably down at the floor, "If I had more time maybe-"

"Hey dumbass," Diego yelled as he went running by, "That's your whole thing!"

Five, who had been hot on his tail skidded to a stop besides Ben, "You haven't figured it out yet?"

You gritted your teeth, "No, brother dearest."

"You'd better get on that."

You glared up at him, "No shit."

Allison appeared, tugging at the back of Five's blazer, "Come on, we have to go help Klaus with the hostages."

You took a deep breath, blocking them out, and drawing on your powers. The world around you began to slow, until your siblings were hardly moving.

The count down clock wavered, before stopping with a bright 0:45.0809 frozen into its face.

You took a moment to breathe, watching the final 09 slowly tick to a 08. This was certainly the slowest you'd ever brought time to, and you could already feel it beginning to drain you.

Now, with more time than ever, you set back to work on defusing the bomb before you.

~~

What felt like nearly an hour later, (the count down clock only read 0:45.0789 when it stopped), you removed the last wire, confident that the bomb was finally inert.

From there you began the simple but satisfying work of finishing the mission before the rest of your siblings could, pulling Luther's hardly moved body out of the way to drag the last man over and tie him with the others.

You also took the liberty of untying the hostages, posing your siblings ludicrously and tying Diego's shoelaces together.

You gave your handiwork a satisfied once over before drawing on your powers again to speed time back up.

Only, nothing seemed to happen.

You tried again, clenching your fists and focusing.

Time seemed to start to speed back up around you, but some invisible force was holding you back, making your movements slowed and sluggish.

With one final burst of energy, this time focused on yourself, you seemed to rip back into the correct time- and promptly fell to the floor, utterly exhausted.

When you went to push yourself up to see the looks on your siblings faces when they realized you'd gone and done everything without them, your arm seemed to buckle beneath you.

"Eight-" Allison gasped, looking at you with wide eyes of terror.

"Ally, whats-"

Ben was crowding into your side suddenly, trying to sit you up, "Hey, hey, what's going on, what did you do?"

"What-" Your head was suddenly swimming, and you couldn't even bring yourself to laugh when Diego tripped over himself trying to cross the room.

"What did you do?" This time it was Five demanding it, looking over your in confusion and horror.

"Somebody call Dad!" Luther was demanding.

Somewhere, Klaus was making a noise of panic, and scrambling off to wherever your father had been watching all of this.

You looked down at your hands, suddenly finding them worn and wrinkled, "What's going on.... I-"

Ben stared down at your rapidly aging face, "Eight, hold on, Dad's coming. Dad's gonna fix this."

"I did good right? I- I stopped the bomb-" You were just so tired, but Ben kept shaking you. Allison was at your other side, clutching at your hand.

Behind the cluster of your siblings heads, you could see Diego and Klaus pleading with your father to do something.

"Number Eight has brought this upon themself. Had they kept up their studies, or maintained vigilance during training sessions, none of this would have happened...."

You tried to squeeze Allison's hand, but couldn't find the strength, "I just need some rest, Ally, I just need to sleep this off..."

Your eyes were just so heavy. Even if you weren't giving in to the feeling of sleep, pulling you deep into the darkness, you wouldn't have been able to fight it.

"Eight- eight!"

[ventismommy]

Cont. of last ask, but maybe even rubbing Gorou's ears or tail as he cums?

(Also, is 💌 taken? If not, can I please be known as 💌-anon?)

hi cutie! absolutely you can be 💌 anon <3 and here you go

sub!gorou x dom!fem reader

reader is referred to by female terms, but I am happy to rewrite it with make or neutral terms! Enjoy~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Out of all the times for General Gorou to be pent up and thinking about your touch, in the middle of a mission is quite possibly one of the worst. Why is it your touch specifically, your hands, that keep replaying over and over in his head?

Well, he thinks he knows the answer to that. You two are comrades and very close friends, yes, but ever since a drunk night after a victory banquet led to you kissing him, your relationship become far more romantic in nature. It wasn't something you discussed with other shoulders, but to call you his lover- and, if the plans he has discussed with Kokomi went well, his soon-to-be fiancée- wouldn't be an untrue statement. Now, as he makes his rounds to make sure everyone else is set, he feels your eyes roaming over him like a cat eyeing its prey. He knows you can tell how pent up he's been- you know him too well.

As the sun begins to sink in the sky, the group starts to set up their tents. The mission is to investigate the passages below Suigetsu Pool, as there have been reports of rumbling and disturbances. But with the crumbling structure here, the soldiers have plenty of room to spread out, and some can even set their tents up in rooms of the ruins, adding more privacy. Gorou supposes he shouldn't be surprised that you choose to set up in one of the more enclosed rooms of the old stone building, but acknowledging why you might be doing it puts leaden butterflies in his stomach and sets his tail wagging anxiously.

He enters the tent as you're laying out sleeping bags and lighting a small lantern that, honestly, doesn't provide much light. The light is enough for him to see your face, though, and the way your eyes watch him in a way he's come to love and hate. He settles down onto the sleeping bag you've rolled out for him to begin unfastening his armor, but he knows full well he won't be sleeping in it tonight with the way you make sure he's looking before you start to undress. Just the sight of your bare torso as your top is discarded makes him freeze.

"Gorou~"

Your voice pulls him out of his staring, and he flushes, one ear twitching. "Y-Yes- sorry, I...um...yes?"

Your quiet laugh sends shivers down his spine.

"Come over here?"

It's almost embarrassing how quickly he scrambles to obey, finishing up removing the half-top that covers his shoulders and coming to sit inches away from you. Absentmindedly, you reach out and ruffle his hair; a sign of approval that he much appreciates.

"Did you...need me for something?" He asks, trying very hard to keep his voice steady as your eyes meet his. The hand you had buried in his unexpectedly fluffy hair comes back down to rest on his thigh, an easy place to reach given he's kneeling.

"Just wanted you over here. I thought it would be a crime to waste the opportunity we've been given. Out on a mission, but still able to stay in what's essentially a room? Away from prying eyes?"

You lean forward and catch his chin in your hand, bringing his face closer to yours til there's barely any space between your lips and his. To his credit, he's managing not to shake too badly, though his hands are still restless in his lap and his cheeks are quickly approaching red.

"I know you've been all worked up, hon. And how often do we get the chance for uninterrupted quality time?"

He tries to say, "Not often," but your lips are on his in a flash and all he manages is "Not." He's not complaining, though. Your kisses start deceptively gentle. Before long, though, he's gripping onto your shoulders as you nibble on his bottom lip. Your hand has moved again, this time from his thigh to his slender waist to pull him closer til he's practically in your lap. Your fingers are starting to slide into the waistband of his pants and the way they're dragging down his back makes him shudder.

Your other hand manages to sneak its way up into his hair, stroking the outer edge of his ear, and he jolts. The little motion makes you chuckle, something that deepens the blush on his face. The sensation of your fingers brushing against his ear- and his subsequent reaction- makes him want to melt into the floor.

But you keep doing it.

You keep rubbing the soft fur of his ears until he whines, getting bold enough to climb into your lap completely. He's all too aware that he's putting himself at your mercy, but he can't find it within himself to care. You're quick to take advantage of this, the closeness allowing you to cover his exposed neck and collarbone in kisses and the occasional bite. At this point, his head is in the clouds, and he doesn't even notice the sounds he's making.

"You're so cute like this."

These words, though, manage to slip through the haze in his mind. He starts to respond but your hand on his thigh is sliding up further and further until you're palming him through the fabric of his pants and there is not a single word in his head. Between that and the hand still toying with his ears, he doesn't know which sensation to focus on.

Gorou can't help bucking his hips into your hand, the low whines coming from him getting higher in pitch. He's well aware you're giggling at his eagerness but thinks he can manage to ignore it given the circumstances. His eyes flick back to the sleeping bag below you two, gauging whether he can actually fall back on it- and then his hands are grabbing your shoulders and pulling you with him as he lays back. "Aww, can't withstand a little teasing, huh? Too pent up? You already want me to get to the point and touch you."

Gorou nods, though he squeezes his eyes shut to avoid the embarrassment. Which makes it impossible for him to notice you leaning closer to him until your voice is whispering right in his ear.

"Is that what you want, General? You want me to slide these off-" you tug at the waistband of his pants- "and touch you properly? Make you cry out for me?"

His stuttering response is so adorable it almost makes you want to eat him up. "Oh- o-oh, archons, yes, um, I want you to do that- I've been wanting y-you to do that, s-so bad-"

"Ask me nicely then, if you want it s-so bad." You say, lightly mocking the last part of his sentence. Never mind that you're still palming him, intentionally making it difficult for him to find his words.

"Ple-mmm- please touch me, archons please I want you to touch me!"

"Good boy~" comes your response, and you make good on your word. Your hands stop their teasing torment to unfasten his pants and slide them down over his hips. You almost want to laugh at how eagerly Gorou lifts his hips to help you.

There he is, looking so pretty beneath you with a cute little flushed cock. You wrap a hand around it and he jolts so hard you almost lose your grip. Poor thing is so sensitive.

The pace you set is slow, but not agonizingly so. Your other hand finds its way back up to his ears, rubbing the soft fur and noticing the precum that spurts out when your fingernails scratch the base of them. It just makes you want to do it over and over.

Gorou is too out of it to even pretend to be embarrassed, writhing underneath your touch. His hips buck when you twist your wrist expertly, and the moan that comes from his mouth is loud- almost loud enough for you to shush him, despite being in a more enclosed structure away from prying ears. For now, you let him cry for you, occasionally letting go of his ear and wiping away his tears with a gentle hand. There's a dual purpose to this; every time you take your hand away from his wildly twitching ear, it's an extra little bit of teasing that you delight in giving.

His little noises are starting to become halting and even more breathless, something that doesn't escape your notice. And so, with a plan in mind, you slow your pace to a stop and let go of him. He starts to fuss at you, but you get to him first.

"Flip over for me, sweetie. Let me play with that cute little tail of yours."

It's adorable, bordering on pathetic, how quickly he obeys. He ends up on his knees, bent forward with his arms resting on the pillow and his head resting on his arms. You drag your fingers from his shoulders to the base of his spine, and he shivers, mouth falling open in a silent whine.

Well, that hand has better things to do- like reaching around him to continue teasing his cock. He's plenty flexible, so you've got no qualms about using your other hand, splayed across his lower back, to push his spine to arch further. Sure, he makes a halfhearted sound of protest- but his tail is wagging. The wagging falters when you resume your slow pace, stroking his cock and wrapping your other hand around the base of his tail. He's starting to whimper again, legs shaking a little bit, and you coo at him encouragingly.

"There you go, baby. Doesn't that feel good?"

"Y- mmmm- yes, m-ma'am, feels s-so good- p-please, faster?"

You hum a sound of agreement as you oblige him, and a loud string of moans- and the occasional curse- comes pouring out of his mouth. It brings a sly smile to your face to see him so desperate for your touch.

One of the arms his head had been resting on removes itself to reach back for you, his hand closing around your wrist but doing nothing to slow your pace. If anything, it seems he's trying to urge you to go faster, and you are happy to do so. Not only do you speed up your pace even more, but you start to use your other hand to comb through the fur at the base of his tail, and he absolutely melts. His knees start sliding apart, seemingly unable to give the effort to stay up.

"Oh, look at you. Having a little trouble holding yourself up?"

When he speaks, it's not even to answer your question- he's too focused on what he's feeling. His grip on your wrist tightens.

"D-Don't stop, please, 'm so c-close-" he manages to stutter out. Luckily for him, edging isn't in your plans tonight.

"I won't stop, don't worry baby. You just focus on feeling good for me, mkay?"

When you look up at where his face rests on the pillow, you realize you can see damp spots- he's been crying even more. Poor overwhelmed baby. The sight makes your heart melt.

Before long, he's shaking and gripping the pillow like it's life or death. His breathing is ragged.

"W-Wanna cum, p-pl- ahh- please, can i- oh, archons!"

After waiting a long moment, just to be a tease, you nod your head. "Go ahead, Gorou. You've been good."

"I've b-been good, 've been g-good-" he repeats to himself before a loud cry interrupts his speech. "O-Oh, f-fuck- cumming!"

With that, his whole body tenses, and he's spilling onto your hand and his sleeping bag. Not that that second mess will matter, since he'll likely sleep on yours with you, curled up at your side. Once you've worked him through his high, you carefully help him to lay on his back, caressing his face. "You did so good, hon. Feel a little better now?"

He just nods tiredly, reaching up to try and pull you down for a hug. You oblige for a few moments before laughing. "I've got to clean you up now, you gotta let go- I promise, hon, I'll be back in your arms in just a little bit, okay?"

He whines, but lets you go, and with a cloth from your pack and some water from your canteen, you manage to get him- and the-ahem- mess on his sleeping bag- cleaned up as fast as possible. And then, as promised, you're laying next to him with his arms wrapped around you, him clinging tight to you. You pet his head comfortingly as he falls asleep, whispering to him about how good he did. And not long after he's dozed off, you follow him into sleep, a contented smile on your face.

[scribbledghost]

The Visitor

Pairing: Vessel x Fem!Reader (Vessel the character, not the real man behind the mask)

Rating: T

Word count: 2,005

Summary: A visitor arrives in the realm of Sleep. Vessel is tasked with acclimating them, but things do not quite go according to Sleep's plan in the process.

Notes: 3rd person POV, use of she/her pronouns for reader. Includes references to the TMBTE creatures and the tree from The Love You Want video. Depending on the reception for this, I may make a part 2. EDIT: Part 2 can be found here.

There is something wrong.

Rot has seeped into his domain.

A thin wisp, incense smoke curling to and fro across the inky black ether. Barely visible, its scent barely noticed. But there nonetheless.

The realm of Sleep has often been infiltrated with sour notes, but this is the first time Vessel cannot discern the source. In previous iterations, it has always come from either himself or from another vessel that Sleep was gracious enough to inform him of prior to their arrival.

This rot - this pain - is not his, nor does it belong to any of the other vessels. It belongs to another. Someone he was not warned of.

"Please, show me."

It is a request to his deity. Sleep rewards Vessel's politeness by making the thin line of smoke more pronounced in the dark. Slight shimmers lead him through the void until he spots it:

A person. Curled up on the ground, curved in on themselves and unmoving.

Vessel is cautious in his approach, knowing the world of Sleep can be disorienting and upsetting upon one's first arrival.

The acrid smoke billows off of them now, still shining ever so slightly away from their body. If Vessel weren't acutely used to the scent of fear and pain by now, it would make him nauseous.

He approaches their back, kneeling down behind them and placing a gentle hand on their head.

The first connection is always rough. This is no exception.

Vessel's mind explodes to life with racing thoughts, far too many to parse individually. There is only a general sense of panic. Sadness. Frustration. A deep desire to be okay again repeating over and over, as if saying it enough will make it so.

When Vessel removes his hand and flashes back to the present, the body in front of him moves.

She quickly pushes herself from him, hands and legs scrambling backward. Her eyes are wide and her breaths are heavy as she stares.

"There is no need to be afraid," Vessel soothes, still crouched low. "I will not harm you."

"What are you?" she blurts. "Where am I? What's happening?"

"You are safe here," Vessel begins, extending a hand in a gentle "stop" motion. The initial meeting can be difficult; the last thing he needs is to add to her panic.

"This is the domain of the deity known as Sleep. I am Sleep's vessel. You have been brought here, though I cannot tell you why. That is something for you to discover on your own. But I will aid you in any way I can."

He instantly feels a connection with the woman, just as he had with II, III, and IV upon their first arrivals. He wonders if Sleep intends to take her as a fifth vessel. Part of him wishes it to be so; he wants to know more of her. He wants to see if the jagged, broken edges of her soul will fit into his own.

But he, better than anyone, knows how dangerous Sleep can be. How volatile, angry, and toxic the ancient thing is when its will is not strictly adhered to. He wishes such experiences on no one, much less someone so damaged and innocent.

"...I still don't understand," she says in a small voice.

He doesn't expect her to - not yet. Not this soon.

In lieu of an answer, Vessel stands, offering a hand down to her.

"Would you like to walk with me?"

She hesitates but eventually reaches for him with a shaking hand of her own. He helps her to her feet, and just when he begins to pull away, he feels the microscopic tightening of her grip.

He allows her to keep the connection. It is the least he can do. In fact, he deepens the hold, shifting her hand into the crook of his elbow as he walks with her.

There is little scenery in Sleep's domain, just various shades of shadow among a void. But Vessel knows the paths, and knows there is more structure than what meets the eye.

"How long have you been here?"

Truthfully, he cannot remember. Not accurately. But he has a vague idea.

"Not as long as vessels before me," he says. "But long enough."

She doesn't ask him to elaborate.

"So... are you... human? Under the mask?"

"I once was," he answers truthfully. "Now, I am simply a vessel."

He doesn't mention how he's changed since entering Sleep's dominion. How his skin has turned pitch black, how he now has six eyes instead of two, how his canines have become sharper. He hopes that if she thinks he still looks mostly human beneath the mask, then perhaps she won't be quite so afraid of him.

"Are there others here like you?"

"There are three other vessels here. But we are each different."

"Where are they?"

"Elsewhere. We gather together frequently, but I do not know their whereabouts at the moment."

This seems to sate her curiosity, though Vessel wishes she would ask more. He finds himself enjoying her voice.

He has no doubt the others are watching but giving Vessel and the newcomer their space. Just as Vessel himself does whenever it is one of the others to welcome guests.

Which vessel is chosen to appear to new arrivals depends on the person's needs. II arrives when they need someone steady, when they need a solid foundation to cling to in the dark like a strong, droning heartbeat. III arrives when someone is feeling particularly discordant and in need of a gentle rhythm to return them to harmony, or when the monotonous shades of grey in the realm would be too overwhelming. IV arrives when someone needs someone more lighthearted, something that strongly commands their attention away from the racing thoughts.

Vessel himself appears when the visitor needs... softness. A gentle melody to guide them through the void.

"How long do I have to stay here?"

The idea that she is so eager to leave pains him, and the reaction he has surprises him. It seems he has already become attached to the new visitor.

"I'm afraid I do not know," he says. "Each experience is different. You must uncover your pain and overcome it before Sleep will release you."

He wants to warn her - wants to tell her to be wary of the coming days when things older than her comprehension will offer saccharine deals that shift to decay as soon as they are made. But Sleep punishes those who interfere in such ways. He learned as much with the other three vessels.

Vessel can only hope she is smarter than he was. He hopes she has more to live for than he did.

If she stays, she will be yours.

Sleep's voice interjects, telepathically alerting Vessel of its presence.

And suddenly, he has a choice. He can aid his new visitor in absolving her pain and help her return home... or he can aid in Sleep's sabotage.

Vessel has done worse things in the name of Sleep - he is acutely aware of this. But those sins were committed long ago. He is different now. Bolder. Wiser. Stronger.

Perhaps that's why Sleep brought her here - to try to regain its control over Vessel. To bring him to heel, to remind him of his true allegiance. By showing him how easily he can be given what he desires, perhaps Sleep aims to sway him back to his rightful place.

But it won't work. Not this time.

She deserves more, Vessel responds.

Suddenly, the domain rumbles, and the woman next to him yelps and clings tighter to his arm.

Once the shaking stops, she speaks, her voice trembling in equal measure.

"What was that?"

"Nothing to be concerned of," Vessel soothes, running a gentle hand over one of her own. "Such quakes happen sometimes here."

He neglects to tell her they only happen when Vessel goes against Sleep's wishes.

The two continue to meander through the realm, only occasionally coming upon something other than shades of grey. Every so often, one of Sleep's creatures wanders past and Vessel must reassure his visitor that they mean her no harm, though he understands her apprehension. Particularly around some of the more... unconventional beings, like Chokehold or Vore.

After some time, they come upon a great tree, spattered with red leaves and moss and nearly covered in white ribbons.

Vessel leads the woman to the trunk, reaching up to where one of the ribbons is tied to the low-hanging branches. He grabs one, pulling it loose before turning back to her.

The realm around him rumbles again; another warning of what he is about to do.

He ignores it.

"I would like for you to consider this a promise," Vessel says as he reaches for the visitor's hand. "An... oath, if you will."

As he ties the ribbon around her wrist, he continues.

"With this, you have my word that I will help guide you through your trials. I will aid you in any way I am able. There will be much I cannot do for you, for there will be much you must do for yourself. But I would like for you to consider this as a token of my loyalty while you are here."

Do not forget where your true loyalty lies, my Vessel, Sleep's cloying voice sounds in his mind, only barely concealing condescending anger.

He has not forgotten. He is well aware of the potential punishment for going against his Deity in favor of another, let alone another human. To turn his devotion from Sleep to the visitor would result in levels of pain Vessel would wish on no one, much less the woman who has so quickly captured his affections.

Vessel cannot explain why he has become so enamored so quickly. He has welcomed visitors to the domain before, has helped several on their journey. But this is the first time he has experienced such a strong protective desire.

The visitor stares at the ribbon around her wrist for a moment, then looks back at him. Vessel can't quite place the expression in her eyes - it isn't until he gently taps into the connection he established upon her arrival that he realizes it's a mix of hope and apprehension.

"You won't leave?"

Her voice is small, and it breaks his heart.

"No," he says. "I will not leave."

She smiles at him, and he feels something shift. Somehow, somewhere, a cycle has broken.

Sleep feels it too, for the realm trembles as a mighty, eldritch roar emanates from nowhere and everywhere all at once.

The woman stumbles as the ground shakes, and Vessel reaches forward to help steady her. As the quake stops, he hears her heartbeat in his ears as if it were his own, racing and uncertain. She pulls away, and Vessel finds himself resisting the urge to chase her.

"Sorry," she says quickly, a slightly nervous smile playing on her lips.

"There is no need to apologize," Vessel returns.

I will be more than happy to catch you if you fall.

He will pay for his transgression. He is not sure when, but he knows it will happen.

Vessel will atone for his sin as best as he can in the interim, if only to ensure the visitor's safety. As far as Vessel is concerned, Sleep can do with him as it sees fit, but he would have difficulty living with himself should harm come to the woman before him purely because of his own feelings towards her.

If his own pain is what he must trade for a moment in her presence, then Vessel will sign the contract as many times as he needs to. He has already damned himself a thousand times over, what's a few more?

In the meantime, Vessel offers his arm to her once more, and she hooks a hand around his elbow. He walks with her away from the red tree, towards a dimly-lit sun among the dark fog of Sleep's domain.

[undermine-the-instinct]

A million Bucks

Chrollo x Reader

Word Count: 2.7k

Summary: You and Chrollo are both dorks waiting for any chance to info dump. Also. Chrollo gives you a million dollars. Literally, it's in the title.

thank @ddarker-dreams for their latest Chrollo concept amongst others inspiring me.

“Come! On! Enough exposition about the flowers, we’re going to miss it!” Watching your boyfriend go off on color and symbolism about each flower patch you passed in the botanical garden had been cute; You imagined him to have studied up on this ever since you expressed a desire to go. It was adorable, but if he kept talking like this the both of you were going to miss the sunset, and that was something you did not want to miss.

He lets you drag him by the arm, and in your huffy mood, you can just sense the amused little smile he wears, and you pull him along faster along the path.

“We still have around fifteen minutes before the sun sets, dear.”

“So? We can't just go when the sun is about to set–it's a gradual thing, watching the sky change color and such…Just trust me.” You pat his hand and he chuckles.

The hill is a perfect height, and you happily plop yourself down when you reach it, sighing in bliss.

“And now we wait.” There are already couples of all sorts sitting in the grass around you, and Chrollo immediately takes the spot next to you, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh.

“So this is what you wanted to see.”

“Yes, isn’t it pretty? It’l be even prettier in a few moments.”

“Hm,” He puts a hand to his chin and you know he's about to ask one of his questions.

“Tell me, common folk tend to romanticize watching the sunset, but if removed from their conventional daily schedules, would a person be able to tell the difference between sunrise and a sunset?”

“I think it’s pretty easy to tell though? Daybreak is softer, pinks and blues and lavenders and the like. Though the same colors could be found here too…Maybe because it's more tranquil? Everyone is still mostly asleep during the daybreak so you can hear the birds and the like.”

“Yet I can hear the birds now as well. And, excluding telling factors such as sound or general aura, could you truly tell the difference?”

You shrug.

“I'm not sure? If you plopped a random person on a hill such as this, but with no accompanying factors of time– like the street lamps turning on, or the clock or business folk walking home— how would they know?”

Now he’s got you hooked, time to unload some of the random trivial knowledge you have stored in your brain. You tilt your head in thought and carry on.

“The sunset often has a more yellow tone though? Sunlight is composed of a multicolored spectrum, just like a rainbow. It passes through the atmosphere, which is a mix of gaseous molecules like oxygen and nitrogen and water vapor, at a slant as the sun drops towards the horizon. The atmosphere is thicker during this time since during the day, general activity and the sun’s beams cause molecules to swell and expand, so the sun’s light rays have a harder time traveling. The short blue and violet waves have a harder time traveling, even the yellow and orange ones, which is why more densely packed and thus polluted areas usually have red sunsets. We’re lucky today to see such a bright orange sunset, but I guess that’s just a testament to how clean the city is. I knew I voted right.”

You laugh under your nose, but soon a question pops in your mind.

 “On another note though… these names that we give to these different times; Daybreak, dawn, dusk, twilight, noon, day and night…for a person who doesn’t know such things how would they apply them? Couldn’t daybreak also refer to the sunset, or to twilight, since that's when the day ‘breaks’ into night? Afternoon is pretty straightforward, but what is the concept of noon to someone who's never experienced it before? I mean, everyone has experienced noon but–” 

You look up, and the light is so bright and orange for a moment you could’ve sworn you saw your lover covering a lovesick smile. He quickly transitions to wiping his mouth, and you’re left stupefied if that really happened. There is still the slightest red hue on his ears, and a glimmer in his eye, but that could just be the sunlight.

“Well that's getting into the topic of linguistics, and the pattern we apply to languages for the patterns we apply to our general lives. It varies greatly among language and culture, different regions and dialects. There's certain parallels though to be found. Like how in many languages, like Spanish, day is referred to with the masculine, in this case ‘Buenos’ and night as the feminine ‘Buenas’. Apollo and Artemis, Lugus and Rhiannon, Inti and Mama Quilla, Huītzilōpōchtli and Mētztli, etcetera.”

“Oh, but that's getting into gender and its role in religion. And what about cultures that are the opposite? Like Ameratsu and Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto? Sol and Máni? And at this point, if we’re speaking about an established and organized religion then that means that such patterns have already been set and defined, and our original question has already been answered by our hypothetical person or peoples.” You grin and lean in closer to him. His hand creeps along your thigh but you let it.

“Removing all factors, How could one tell the difference between a sunrise and a sunset? They’d have to rely on intuition, with the absence of context clues. Maybe they’d be able to tell, since humans are mostly Diurnal? What do you think?”

He just stares at you, drenched in the sun’s rays, and gosh he’s really freaking pretty. Modeling contract when?

But he just keeps staring, and now you notice the way his pupils are dilated, the way he's leaning in.

“Chrollo?”

“I think,” he licks his lips before he speaks. “That you’re going to miss your sunset if you keep on.” You’re already flailing a little before he finishes his sentence, and Chrollo can't help the expression on his face as you eagerly lift your head to the sparse clouds up above.

“As riveting your conversation is though.”

“Oh shush you, we almost missed it!”

True, the skies edges were being beaten into blooming shades of indigo and plum, slipping into a golden orange and bleeding red at its sinking core. It was nothing he hadn't already seen before.

But you were acting like it was your first time; Your widened eyes glowed in the reflection of the sun, painting you in golden armour. It painted your hands, gilded your hair, lay heavy over your eyelids, and slick across your mouth like honey, opened slightly in awe. It seemed to almost pool on your tongue, and he so wanted a taste.

“Why are you staring at me?” You say, not keen to pull your eyes away. More's the pity. If you turned your head you would catch a glimpse of a man so besotted, drowning willingly in a love he never once thought he’d ever be able to experience.

“I seem to find you more captivating dearest.” 

Your brow pinches, adorably, but you scoff a laugh.

“Don’t be silly, you see me almost every day. You’ve seen my face a hundred times.”

“And I've seen the sunset a thousand more. So why would I choose to look at a dying star when I can stare at you?”

The sun is almost gone, but the red hue on your face doesn’t fade, and something in Chrollo’s chest warms; purrs and curls, like a snake.

He inches forward while you huff.

“Mister Casanova over here trying to be smooth…Just what are you thinking?”

It might be indecent, the way his hand smooths along your inner thigh, but he finds he doesn’t care. Neither do you, when you finally turn to look at him, and your breath hitches with how close he is. It's getting darker, but not all of the street lamps are on.

“I’m thinking…” And he smooths your hair away from your neck. You shiver. “That right now, I'm much too endeared by you to deny you anything you might ask.”

“Oh really?” Your tone is amused, disbelieving but he nods. Goodness he was…Ah, how did Uvo and Shalnark put it again? Whipped?

“Okay, I want a million dollars.”

His expression doesn’t change. “Alright.”

“Alright? Don't tell me you’re that easy love.”

“I’m afraid I am, for you dear… Is there anything else you desire?” You flush darker, but in a bold move you grab onto his collar and drag him down into the grass for a kiss.

Your mouth does taste sweet.

A few days later, you were relaxing at home…Until you decided to go to your local coffee shop and treat yourself. Your favorite barista made your drink perfectly, and you checked your bank account to see whether you could give them a more generous tip then your usual, to find something very shocking. Now you’re pacing your bedroom with your phone pressed to your ear.

“.....Yes, dear?” Finally he picks up. You immediately lay into him.

“Chrollo? Honey, dear, darling, apple of my eye, gem of my heart…I seem to be in a bit of a conundrum.”

“Is that so? How about you explain it to me so I can help you.”

“That's exactly why I called. Now, can you tell me why there is suddenly an extra one million dollars in my bank account? Hm?” You know it's his fault. You know it.

“Hm. Maybe your boss gave you a raise?”

“Oh, is that so?”

“You have been working hard dearest.” Cheeky bastard.

“Chrollo.” He chuckles on the other end of the line, and you feel like the top of your head is going to blow off.

”Chrollo.”

“Alright, alright. It was me.”

“And why in the nine circles would you do that?”

He’s silent over the line for a minute, you can only hear the hum of his car, so you assume he‘s driving, wherever he is.

“Well, you asked for it.”

“What–”

“As your spouse, isn’t it my duty to attend to your every want and need?” You slam the phone down on your bed, and immediately smack face down into a pillow, and scream. What the hell. You can hear his muffled voice on the side, and pick the phone back up after about a minute of suffering.

“Are you alright dearest?”

“My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.”

“Oh? Now that won't do. Would another million make you feel better?”

“I will literally leave you if you do that.”

“I always knew you were a thief. Not content with just my heart, are you?”

You sigh hard and pinch the bridge of your nose. There is an anxiousness curling tight and hot in your belly, and his amused tone of voice isn’t helping.

“Where did you even get this kind of money?”

“I won the lottery.” You yell his name and he laughs, full on laughs, you’re sure your face is completely red by now.

“I'm truly serious.”

“I’m not going to accept that as an excuse.”

“Fine. Then it was inheritance from a rich estranged aunt of mine. Perhaps I'm secretly the CEO of a major conglomerate. Or perhaps I own a couple of mines. Maybe I got lucky with the stocks I invested in. Whatever makes it easiest for you to accept, darling.”

“Accept what?”

“I think we both know what I’m alluding to.” There's that tone of voice again. That tone.

Sometimes, Chrollo just…puts you on edge. There was always something eerie about him, and while he could shrug it off and be his dashing, charming self, you couldn't deny that he sometimes made the hairs on your neck stand on end.

He was too observant, you could never sneak up on him. Never.  And he liked to stare, a lot. He was also crazy observant–bringing up little tidbits of info and conversation you brought up years ago with perfect clarity. He acted the most odd when you were your authentic self, like he was simultaneously amused and fascinated by your ‘quirks’. 

Like when you would stop to talk to and help strangers, or when you’d return a wayward shopping cart to its right place, or when you stop to pet the local stray cats. You had always brushed it off with probably him being jaded, a bit awkward (he doesn't get internet lingo, he doesn't know basic meme culture but can tell you in excruciating detail where the murderer went wrong in whatever documentary you’re watching), but you cared for him. The good outweighed the strange, right?Even  if he was gone so often, or never took off the wrapping around his forehead or changed in front of you, or how he could sometimes move so fast.

Your partner is creepy, honestly. But who doesn't want a borderline cryptid boyfriend? You stay with him anyways.

Maybe that's to your own detriment.

You sigh again, feeling like five years has been taken off your life. “You can't just drop a million dollars into my bank account Chrollo.”

“And why not?”

“Because… Because!! A million dollars Chrollo?”

“I see no issue with it. And I’m not taking it back.” He cuts you off before you can start your next sentence.

“I don’t see much value in material wealth. It makes no difference to me. Consider it disposable income.”

“Spoken like a true bourgeois.I can’t believe I betrayed my fellow man for a blood sucking parasite.” You wipe a fake tear away.

“‘Parasite’? I'm quite partial to spiders myself.”

“Ew, whatever.” Of course he would like spiders. “I’m donating your money to charity then.”

“Alright then. It’s your money now dear.”

“...You’re amused by all this, aren’t you.”

“I’m not quite  sure what you mean,” sounds of traffic overtake the line as he goes silent for a moment.

“I’m just endeared by your humility and generosity. But there's no need for theatrics dear. What's mine is mine, and what's mine is yours,” you can just imagine the smugness radiating behind that genial smile.

“And naturally, you are mine, so my point stands..”

You’re silent, and Chrollo waits for your response. You just sigh again, and shake your head.

“I can’t understand you sometimes.”

“There's no need for you to, darling. Just indulge me.”

“Yeah? And what would you like?” You tease, slipping into familiar territory. He hums in thought as if he doesn’t already know what he wants.

“Let me take you out to dinner tonight. No fuss from you.”

“You already made a reservation huh.”

“Of course. Five star." Oh dear goodness, this man is going to be the death of you.

Well, at least if you fall ill due to the stress of being with such a man you can actually cover your bills, and then some.

“So what do you want me to wear?”

“Something long sleeve, we’ll be dining on the open balcony.”

“You’ll just give me your coat if I get chilly. Anyways, I asked you what you want me to wear?” He goes quiet and you try not to grin.

“You said indulge you, right?”

He’s quiet over the line, before he laughs low, and despite yourself there is a flutter in your gut.

“You’re a wonder Darling.” he mutters something about ‘missing this later’  but before you could make head or tails of that he continued.

“Wear something black. Surprise me.” You roll your eyes and yourself off the bed, padding over to your closet.

“You and your monochromes…Alright, where are you?”

“Just a few blocks away.”

“That hardly gives me enough time to get ready.”

“No need to rush, we have time. I set the reservation for eight tonight, so you still have a few hours.”  

“Then why did you come so early?”

“What if you need help zipping up your dress?” You laugh, and close the closet, having grabbed what you needed.

“Whatever, let yourself in with the mat key. We’ll talk about your disposable income when you arrive. And you can put the roses away yourself when you come.”

His voice is smooth and deep with mirth. “How did you know I brought roses?”

“You always do, dear.” You hear the sound of a car roll up to the driveway and grin, hanging up the phone. You rush into the bathroom to get ready.

[arjwrites]

I'm not the same annon that requested it(I'm not that creative) but could we get a sequel to the saving grace fic?? Like, I was reading it and it was so good I was soo invested in the story and then it ended 😭😭 I've been looking for any Cas fics in general but I think yours are by far the Greatest💕💕

Saving Grace pt. 2 - Castiel x GN!Reader

Summary: Part 2 to Saving Grace!

Warnings: References to sex, use of Y/N. GN!Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

A/N: HEHEHE this one was a little silly but I love it. I feel like it ends really abruptly but I really wanted to get it done. I think I am going to write a little epilogue blurb to finish this, look for that sometime next week! Thanks for requesting this anon, I hope you enjoy <3

Link to Epilogue

Since your initial encounter with Cas’s wings, the two of you had fallen into a regular routine. At the end of the day, whether the team had just finished a difficult hunt or many long hours of research, Cas would pull you aside to discretely ask for your assistance, and the two of you would tuck yourselves away from the Winchesters for some privacy. 

“Y/N, could you… Check out my wings again? Something feels off.” He’d ask, usually averting your gaze.

“Of course, Cas!” The chance to touch his wings always excited you, but you quickly worked to calm yourself, to play things cool. “I will, uh, be in the other room when you’re ready.”

In the last few weeks, the angel had asked you to comb through his wings more times than he had ever mentioned them in the years you had known him. And more often than not, you never found any debris to remove or injury to assess. You found this peculiar, but you never said a word about it. Grooming through Cas’s wings was a job that you carried out carefully, dutifully, accepting your salary in the form of quality time with your dear angel. 

Sometimes, when you and Cas would hide away to share this secret ritual, the angel would talk, and you would listen. He’d tell you about heaven, about things he had seen in his time on Earth, and all the things that weighed heavy on his mind. Other times, he was quiet. In these times, you would take the lead. You would tell him about your childhood or recount stories of your life before his arrival. He would listen intently, committing every detail to memory. Your heart would swell when he would bring up something you had told him in another conversation. He was so considerate. 

Beyond being an emotional release for the two of you, the physical sensation was like nothing else either of you had experienced. For Cas, it was a relief and relaxation that he hadn’t experienced in as long as he had occupied his vessel on Earth. Sometimes it felt as if his grace, his true form, was bottled up tight inside of him, threatening to spill over. But in these moments with you, he could let it slip out of him, and feel the cool breeze that was your touch rippling through his feathers. And for you, it was divine in every sense of the word. It was more than just the softness and majesty of his wings. With each stroke of your fingers, a feeling of such peace came over your body. It was like the moment of warmth you felt when Cas healed you after a hunt- only stretched from a brief second into minutes, hours. It took a long time for you to grow comfortable holding casual conversation while working through Cas’s wings. You often felt that they demanded your full attention- like they were using their incandescent glow to speak to you in a language you had never learned yet understood perfectly. But you often reminded yourself that this time was for Cas, so you counted yourself lucky and chatted along with the angel for the sake of his comfort. 

As this routine became more commonplace, it grew to drag on longer and longer. Initially, you and Cas were quick, subtle, doing your best to fly under the radar so that Sam and Dean wouldn’t notice your absences. But there was something about spending this time with him that was so intoxicating. Each time you would linger in each other’s presence for a few extra precious moments. Sometimes, you would disappear together for hours on end. Cas would typically leave the Winchesters in a frantic or distant state, and return serene and satisfied. Undoubtedly, the boys were starting to take notice. 

Today was one of those days where your time with Cas had been greatly extended. You both had gotten caught up swapping stories about the most beautiful things you had ever seen. You had gone on and on about the glimpse of the northern lights you and the boys had caught when a hunt had taken you up to Canada, while Cas had described wonders both heavenly and earthly that you could barely imagine. But the whole time, there was something lingering beneath the surface. When he had first asked you the question, you had desperately wanted to scream out You, Castiel. Your wings, your grace, your presence. You are the most beautiful thing I have had the pleasure of knowing. But, of course, you did not. And it seemed like there was something left unsaid on both sides, because when Cas talked through his own answer, he had hesitated before speaking and trailed off after finishing, in a way that was so different from his usual direct and succinct tone. 

After finishing the routine, you had retreated to your room, your mind racing through every possible thought Cas could have been thinking. The angel, on the other hand, had ventured out into the bunker, only to find Sam and Dean perched in waiting. Cas acknowledged them both, intending to keep the interaction brief, but it seemed the brothers had different plans. 

“Where have you been, Cas?” Dean gruffed in an accusatory tone. 

“What do you mean?” he asked, avoidantly. 

Sam and Dean shared a quick look, silently communicating in their typical Winchester telepathy. Cas watched, unsure of their intentions, but nevertheless eager to get out of the conversation as soon as possible. 

“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Y/N, recently,” Sam noted, inching carefully towards the topic. 

“Yes, I have.” It was true. Another Winchester glance ensued. 

“So, uh… What have you guys been… doing?” Dean questioned. 

Cas thought for a moment. This wasn’t something he wanted to share with the Winchesters- it was something sacred shared between the two of you. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Sam and Dean, but there was something about the act that felt so vulnerable. Plus, it wouldn’t take them long to realize what Cas was up to. He definitely didn’t need this sort of grooming on a regular basis- it was all a ruse to be close to you, alone. It was one of the few pleasures he allowed himself to take part in, and in some ways he felt guilty- like it was wrong to let you do this for him, like he was using you. And if the boys found his secret out, would they tell you? He had to deflect. 

“Y/N has been helping me,” was all he could come up with in response. 

“Helping you with what, Cas?” Sam probed, not ready to let him out easy. 

Again, Cas stalled for a beat. “With some private business.” 

“Well Cas, whatever it is, we can help too,” Dean stood, beginning to inch towards the angel. 

“No.” His gaze hardened. This is where his heart would’ve started beating faster, if it did that kind of thing. 

“No?” Confusion and the slightest hint of anger laced Dean’s voice. “Cas, that’s what we’re here for. Is it dangerous?” 

“No. It’s intimate. Not any of your business.” 

At this, Sam and Dean shared a third look, this one very different from the first two. This time, their eyes were wide, their mouths opening and closing in tandem as if volleying the same thoughts back and forth, neither sure how to articulate them. After a deafening few moments of silence, Dean spoke.

“So… You’re being… Intimate, with Y/N…” he trailed off. 

“Yes.” He nodded, hoping they would accept that and move on, not understanding the connotations of his words. 

“And you… You care about Y/N… Right?” Sam chimed in.

Cas furrowed his brow. “Of course I do. Very much so. This isn’t something I would do with someone I didn’t love.” His tone was matter-of-fact. Of course he loved you. Maybe he hadn’t yet told you, but… Of course he did. 

“Okay. Okay. Good.” The boys nodded to each other as if offering some sort of approval that Cas had not been seeking after. And when they turned to look back at him, the angel was gone. 

-

Your slippered feet flopped against the hard floors of the bunker as you traveled the distance between your room and the kitchen, on a pilgrimage in search of a snack. The bunker felt eerily quiet- you didn’t run into either Winchester nor your angel during your journey. It wasn’t until you closed the fridge, satisfied with your selection, and turned to retreat, that you noticed Sam and Dean behind you. Your heart leapt out of your chest at the jump-scare, but they wasted no time in speaking.

“Hey, so, uh, we heard what’s been going on.” Dean was awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he spoke. 

“Yeah, and we wanted to say… You guys don’t have to like, hide it anymore, or anything,” Sam added. 

“I mean we don’t want to, like, see you do it-” Dean chimed in.

“Right! Right. We don’t. But-” 

“What the hell are you guys talking about?” You interjected.

“Well Cas told us what you two have been doing. Don’t worry, it wasn’t like a ‘kiss and tell,’ we had to pry it out of him-” 

“And what exactly did he say we were doing?” 

The boys looked at each other sideways, as if a silent rock paper scissors was determining who would speak. It seemed that Dean had lost.

“Well the word he used was being ‘intimate.’” Dean made air-quotes as he spoke. “It was kinda sweet, though. Said he wouldn’t do it with someone he didn’t love, and-” 

“Oh my GOD,” was all you could get out. They thought you two were having sex. Cas said he loved you. Your mind couldn’t decide which you needed to address first, but it seemed your feet had chosen for you when you backed out of the room, turned on your heels, and ran. 

“You don’t have to be embarrassed!” Sam called after you, but you were gone.

It was as if a magnet was pulling you towards the angel. You had a feeling you knew exactly where he would be- not a conscious thought, but more of a natural instinct that was carrying your body in concert with your legs. The narrow bunker hallways whipped past you and it felt like you were flying. If you could’ve flown to Cas in that moment, you would have. 

And there he was, perched exactly where you thought he would be. Looking at him now, it felt like the world had opened up around you. He said he loved you. He loves you. 

“Hello, Y/N.” Cas looked at you with a soft smile, and you froze. 

You had raced to him on pure adrenaline, but now, you weren’t sure what to say, do, think. Your mouth hung open for a moment, before finally forming the words.

“I just spoke with Sam and Dean,” you said, plainly.

“I see. They must have figured it out. I’m very sorry, Y/N. I don’t want you to think I am taking advantage of you by asking for your help with my wings, or-”

“Cas, they think we’re having sex.”

Cas cocked his head to the side and shifted his gaze behind you, processing what you had said. “I see.”

“Why do they think that, Cas?” 

He drew in a silent breath that melted his facial features. His whole presence softened, as if he had made up his mind about something that had worried him for so long.

“Well, you see… They asked me why we had been spending so much time alone. And I didn’t want them to know about what we were doing because… It’s very vulnerable, Y/N. It is a lot of trust that I place in you. And I feel guilty, because it isn’t something you should have to do. It’s selfish but it feels so good, and…”

“And what, Castiel.”

“It’s a reason for me to be close to you.” 

His words sent your heart skyrocketing and pulled you across the room, closing the final few feet between you. There were a million things you could have said. You could have reassured him he wasn’t selfish, told him how much you enjoyed helping him, or laughed at him for the confusion he caused. But instead, you gave all of those feelings a moment to bubble up in your chest before funneling them into a kiss. A soft kiss, a gentle kiss, and yet, one that was driven by so much emotion that it couldn’t help but be firm, absolute. And the angel kissed you back.

You lips lingered together for as long as you each could bear, before pulling gently away in unison. The smile on his face spoke volumes before you could even open your mouth. 

“You can be close to me whenever you’d like, Cas.”

“I’d like that,” he nodded. 

Now, to deal with those Winchesters.

[blubushie]

biggest pet peeve in sniper art?

Oh boy. A few of these actually. (I'm assuming you mean Sniper TF2 and not general snipers in art...)

Under the cut cuz it's long.

His rifle drawn improperly. The anatomy is very simple and if necessarily, just reference instead of butchering it—even if you're doing realistic art, he uses a Remington 700, and there's more than enough reference photos online for the most popular sporting rifle ever sold. I've seen people draw it like a handgun. On a similar note–

Him shouldering his rifle incorrectly. Or just handling it incorrectly in general. Rifle slots in just above the armpit—when your stretch your dominant arm forward while leaning in and bracing your muscles, it forms a pocket at the shoulder just above your armpit between the head of your humerus and your pectoral muscle. This creates a firm pocket that the butt of a rifle will slot into. If it's not in this pocket, you're gonna have a bad time.

Using the wrong arm to support the rifle vs handle the trigger. I've seen horrors. While Sniper is implied to be ambidextrous, he shoots right-handed. This means the rifle slots on his RIGHT shoulder, and his RIGHT trigger finger is on the trigger. His LEFT HAND is used to support the weight of the rifle at the forestock. On a similar note–

Ambidextrous Sniper is cool and I love seeing left-handed Sniper when it's done properly. Downside—his right eye is his dominant eye, so unless his right hand is injured in a way that he can't pull a trigger with that hand, he would not be shooting left-handed.

Speaking of dominant eyes—you look down the scope with your dominant eye. The eye NOT looking down the scope is called your off-eye. YOU DO NOT CLOSE YOUR OFF-EYE WHEN SHOOTING. OFF-EYE STAYS OPEN. Firstly it's for safety, because if your off-eye is closed you can't see what's happening in your immediate vicinity. Two, it's for performance. You can't change targets as easily with your off-eye closed. Any sniper worth his salt, especially a professional, is keeping his off-eye open. This is hunting 101 and something Sniper, former outback hunter of dangerous game, would know and practise religiously.

Speaking of scopes—eye relief. You do not put your face right up to the scope. There should be 10cm or about 4 inches between your face and the scope. Otherwise when you fire you're going to get a black eye when the recoil makes the scope hit you in the face. You'll take your eye out, kid.

People who draw him with his comics hair and call that a mullet. Almost none of you know what a mullet it. A little tuft of hair at the nape of the neck isn't a mullet! Those who give him an actual mullet when you say that shit, I love you

People who draw his scars incorrectly. They make them look fresh—with the sutures still present. Sutures aren't permanent and are removed after a week to a few weeks, depending on healing and how deep the wound is. Once SCARRED he wouldn't have horizontal lines through the scars. He'd just have long scars and dotted scars alongside where the sutures used to be. And looking at my own scars, in most places you can't see the dotting from the sutures since the holes heal easy and don't often scar.

Skinny twiggy Sniper that looks like he's about to drop dead of malnutrition. Have you not read the comics? Do you not know what lean, functional muscle looks like? Fuck's sake.

Ok reckon that's all of them for now.

[ajaxgb]

Okay so Murder Drones Episode 7 clarified a lot about what's going on, and I think I now mostly understand The Plot. Pulling my thoughts together into a rough timeline (warning, this is looong, major spoilers obv):

The setting:

Humanity is in the space age, having colonized other planets like Copper 9.

The company "JCJenson IN SPAAAAACEE!!!!" appears to have invented sentient robots, called worker drones.

Worker drones have no rights and are generally thought of as disposable slave labor.

Worker drones have a known "bug": if a dead worker drone's core is left alone in the body, it has a ~0.01% chance of coming back to life (a "zombie drone").

JCJenson has a fix for this, called "wdOS_606" (assumed to stand for "Worker Drone Operating System 606"). It's installed in dead worker drones to prevent reanimation, but in some cases the dead body can "reject" the update (even after lying dormant for up to five years!) so users are instructed to remove the core and destroy the body, too.

If a drone does reanimate, there's 70.3% chance that everything is fine and the drone is just alive again, a 29% chance of undergoing "terminal lockout", and a 0.7% chance to reboot with "potentially hazardous mutations".

So if you do absolutely everything wrong, there's a ~0.00007% chance of "potentially hazardous mutations".

That's probably fine.

The backstory:

Someone does absolutely everything wrong.

An improperly discarded worker drone awakes in a mass grave of other drones.

This drone is recovered by Tessa James Elliott, heir to the Elliott fortune, who names her "Cyn", after the drone's serial number.

Tessa has a fascination with worker drones, treating them like people and dressing them up as butlers and maids (much to her parents' annoyance). In addition to Cyn, she has three other worker drone rescues, who she has named "N", "V", and "J" after their serial numbers (Tessa is not terribly creative).

Unbeknownst to Tessa and the other drones, Cyn is one of the previously mentioned 0.00007%. She has a mutation (or something) called "Absolute Solver".

Exactly how much of the original Cyn is left in there isn't clear. Exactly what Absolute Solver is also isn't clear. (Personal theory: JCJenson didn't actually invent sentient AI. They found some eldritch alien technology, reverse engineered it, locked the original programming down under a giant pile of safeguards, and referred to it as "potentially hazardous mutations" in the user manual. But that's purely speculation.)

Whatever it is, Absolute Solver is obscenely powerful and dangerous. It can manipulate objects telekinetically with extreme force and precision, regenerate from virtually any injury, project expansive life-like holograms, generate massive bio-mechanical extensions to its body and surroundings, and create "null" zones capable of shattering a planet with the correct placement.

During this time J and Tessa regularly keep Cyn locked in the manor's basement at the request of Tessa's mother, who finds her disturbing.

Absolute Solver / Cyn spreads itself into N, V, and J without their knowledge and spends its time cloning and experimenting on them down in the basement, wiping their memories to prevent them from noticing.

Eventually, Absolute Solver / Cyn attacks a gala the Elliotts are holding, killing most or all of the guests and taking full control of N, V, and J.

Either at the gala or during the subsequent genocide, Absolute Solver / Cyn takes Tessa's body. It's not entirely clear whether AS killed Tessa and is wearing her body like a suit, or whether Tessa is still "alive" in some way (which would be even worse IMO).

Absolute Solver fully mutates N, V, and J into their murder drone forms, cloning them and using them as soldiers in the genocide of Earth. Their original personalities are mostly suppressed during this time, leaving them as mindless killing machines.

Earth is eventually fully destroyed, presumably by nuking its core with a null zone, and waves of murder drones start spreading out to other colonized planets.

The common worker drones on Copper 9 apparently never hear about any of this?

As the wave closes in, the JCJenson outpost on Copper 9 starts doing secret experiments on worker drones that are infected with Absolute Solver, under the code name "Cabin Fever".

For safety, the scientists stock the underground labs with anti-drone sentinels, raptor-like robots programmed to freeze and destroy worker drones.

Some of the worker drones they experiment on never gain any powers. The ones that do eventually become corrupted by Absolute Solver / Cyn and have to be put down. By the time of the final experiment, only two successful experiments remain: 002 Nori (Uzi's mom) and 048 Yeva (Doll's mom).

The scientists manage to develop a patch that can suppress Absolute Solver's influence. The patch is successfully installed into Yeva, but Nori has already been corrupted by Absolute Solver by this point. The scientists frantically struggle to install the patch into her as well.

During this final procedure, for reasons unknown, the intended lead scientist Dr. Chambers never shows up. His hazard suit and name tag are mistakenly taken by Mitchel, the world's unluckiest intern.

Absolute Solver / Nori is rampaging out of control. Dr. Ridley hopes that Yeva can subdue her with her powers, and due to the mix-up sends Mitchel to fetch her.

While Mitchel is gone Absolute Solver / Nori kills everyone in the cathedral lab (except for Dr. Ridley), gets rid of the sentinels, and projects a hologram to disguise the killing.

Mitchel returns with Yeva, but finds the situation seemingly under control and the patch already installed into Nori. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with Yeva in the first place, so with the danger apparently passed he leaves her outside and claims he never found her.

Mitchel leans down to pick up what he assumes is a spare copy of the patch (it's actually the original), and freezes as he spots Dr. Ridley hiding silently behind a pew. Absolute Solver / Nori kills Dr. Ridley and drops the hologram, then flings the patch USB at Mitchel's face to kill him too.

Yeva catches the USB before it hits him, having followed him inside, although the sheer wind force shatters Mitchel's visor and breaks his suit camera. She flings the USB back at Nori, successfully "plugging" it into her at last.

Before being fully suppressed, Absolute Solver throws the USB down a giant hole and generates a null zone in Nori's hand. Yeva slices the hand off and lets it fall into the hole, too. The null zone explodes, partially shattering the planet and killing all human life (rip Mitchel).

Nori and Yeva escape to the surface and join the newly forming worker drone society. One of the failed experimentees, Alice, remains below and begins scavenging parts from worker drones that have been killed by the roaming sentinels.

Nori and Yeva have children (however that works), Uzi and Doll respectively. Although it is not yet obvious, their children inherit the suppressed Absolute Solver.

The main Absolute Solver / Cyn construct was observing these events from Earth to the best of its ability. Faced with the threat of other drones that share its powers but are not under its control, it reprograms N, V, and J to wipe out all the worker drones on Copper 9.

Under the reprogramming, they mostly regain their original personalities (seemingly due to a twisted sense of sentimentality-slash-sadism) but are given false memories of being built by JCJenson as "disassembly drones" to suppress the worker drone "uprising".

Their abilities are "nerfed" to prevent them becoming a threat to Absolute Solver. This may be why they need to consume worker drone oil so frequently, although Uzi and Doll have that urge too. Their ship is also intentionally crash landed to prevent them from returning, and the radio is removed to prevent them discovering the truth.

It's possible that J's reprogramming was different, as she "was getting orders from someone."

In one of their early attacks, the disassembly drones "kill" Nori, but she manages to survive and escape as a core using her Absolute Solver powers. She returns to the underground lab to search for the dropped USB, never telling Khan she's alive. Presumably her goal is to use the patch to stop Absolute Solver / Cyn and the disassembly drones.

V also kills Yeva and her husband, apparently for real. The trauma awakens Doll's Absolute Solver powers.

Khan builds the doors to hide the remaining worker drones from the disassembly drones.

With her powers awakened, Doll needs to consume oil. She begins secretly killing her classmates to survive and training her powers so she can avenge her parents by killing V. Lizzy finds out and fully supports her friend's serial killing / revenge plan.

The present:

Uzi manages to befriend N, leading him to start questioning the corporate propaganda he's been reprogrammed with.

Uzi and N fight V and J. J is seemingly killed, and N confines V to the ship. In reality J's Absolute Solver awakens and takes control of her body, now reduced to a core. V could escape if she chose, but she pretends to be captured for now, seemingly conflicted.

Uzi's Absolute Solver powers begin to awaken.

Absolute Solver / J stalks and kills several worker drones using holograms, seemingly for materials to construct a new body. N and Uzi fight and eventually defeat it. N repeatedly stabs its core with his nanite acid, collapsing it into a small void that drifts away. It's not entirely clear whether it's dead or not.

Offscreen, Lizzy starts hanging out with V? While she's locked up in the ship, I guess?? and forms a semi-sorta friendship with her. Her intention seems to have been to mention prom to V, so that V would get the idea to go there for murder purposes and Doll could kill her. (The Promening is kind of a confusing episode and several characters have inconsistent unclear motivations.)

Uzi begins to notice the disappearances caused by Doll's killings, but is prevented from investigating by Khan, who attempts to distract her from all that creepy stuff with prom.

Doll attempts to isolate and kill Uzi, with Lizzy's support. As far as I can tell Uzi wasn't being targeted specifically, and was just another of Doll's victims. Uzi finds the bodies of Doll's previous victims and escapes. Lizzy goes to let V inside.

V escapes from the ship and heads to prom with the intention of killing everyone. N follows to stop her, joined by Uzi.

Doll crowns herself the prom queen, having murdered all the other candidates. I have no earthly idea why she did this, other than that the murderous psychic girl was crowned prom queen in Carrie (for different reasons) and this episode is a light Carrie reference.

V descends on the prom with murderous intent, but is suddenly distracted by the prospect of becoming prom queen. Lizzy declares that V is her friend and peer pressures the other students into forgiving V and declaring her prom queen. Lizzy eventually decides that V is "hotter than Doll" and warns her to run just as Doll attacks.

If this sudden shift in Lizzy's alliances confused you when you first watched it, don't worry! It's just as confusing in hindsight.

Doll and V fight, killing tons of students nobody cares about. Uzi and N enter the fray, finding themselves defending V instead of stopping her.

Doll and Uzi both attempt to convince the other to join them in taking revenge on / working with the disassembly drones, without success.

Lizzy helps V, cementing their weird semi-friendship.

Doll discovers that Uzi also has Absolute Solver powers and says she's sorry for her. She escapes, saying she's going to search for a cure and promising to help Uzi if she does.

Uzi's oil cravings begin to get worse.

Tired of waiting for the disassembly drones to finish the job, Absolute Solver / Cyn / Tessa (who I will now call Skyn) arrives on Copper 9 in person to do it herself. She is accompanied by a J clone. Their cover story is that Tessa is working for JCJenson to stop Absolute Solver. It's not yet clear whether this J is aware of the truth or has false memories.

At some point, Skyn and J meet with Doll and give her some information about operation Cabin Fever. Doll agrees to find the key they need to get into the underground labs if they take her with them.

Doll travels to Camp 98.7, a former facility used in the Cabin Fever experiments, to find the key. N and Uzi follow her there to try and figure out what's going on. They bring V and all Uzi's surviving classmates too because why not.

Uzi finds a green robot-bug which has the keycodes, though she doesn't know this yet. N finds a VHS tape describing zombie drones.

Uzi's corruption gets worse. She loses control and kills several of her classmates. V fights Uzi, addressing her as "Cyn", but N manages to calm them both down.

N has been recovering partial memories of his time in Elliott Manor. While at a not-sleepover at Uzi's, he and V collapse as their reprogramming tries to delete those memories, pulling them into a memory of the night of the gala. Interestingly, their screens display "Error: 606" during this time, suggesting a connection to "Worker Drone Operating System 606", the operating system intended to prevent zombie drones.

Uzi hacks into N and V's brains to protect their minds and to recover the memories in full. As she's doing this, Doll breaks into Uzi's home and steals the key-bug. Torn between saving her friends and letting the one clue she's found slip away, Uzi decides to help N and V.

Uzi helps N and V successfully recover their memories of the gala. Uzi sets herself as their system admin to prevent Cyn from tampering with them again.

They follow Doll to her rendezvous with Skyn and J, shocking everyone. While Skyn (pretending to be Tessa) explains her cover story, Doll runs off with the key and ducks into the office complex leading to the lab.

Everyone else follows her, fending off sentinels and Alice (that ex-experimentee from earlier) along the way. Skyn tells N that Uzi is infected and must be killed for the good of the universe, a half-truth meant to drive a wedge between them since Skyn A) is the Absolute Solver, and B) knows about the patch. Alice is killed by sentinels.

One sentinel manages to wound Skyn and goes berserk, probably due to the paradox of a creature that is both human and worker drone.

They find Doll seemingly frozen by the sentinels, but it's a trap. Doll uses the key to summon an elevator down to the labs, opening her own way and leaving them cut off, surrounded by sentinels. V sacrifices herself to let them escape.

Down in the labs, Skyn continue to push Uzi away from N, freaking Uzi out and leading her to accidentally collapse the tunnel, separating all three of them.

With "Tessa" missing, Skyn is free to return to her Cyn form. She torments N with illusions of V and his suppressed memories of the genocide on Earth.

Absolute Solver / Cyn attempts to further manipulate N's mind, possibly trying to wipe his memory again, but is unable to get around Uzi's admin override.

That attempt having failed, Cyn starts dragging N away into the tunnels. He is saved by Nori, who in an amazing coincidence has just today found that patch USB she's spent all these years searching for.

Uzi finds Mitchel's suit cam recordings of the final experiment, seeing her mother horrifically possessed by the Absolute Solver but not the moment when she was cured.

Returning to her Skyn-suit, Skyn accesses and deletes all the Cabin Fever team's notes, while new-J destroys the disassembly drones' ship on the surface, leaving Skyn and new-J's ship as the only way off the planet.

Skyn is confronted by Doll, who demands to know where the patch USB is, determined not to let Absolute Solver use her to destroy the planet (which was never actually its plan). Skyn does a funny Five Nights at Freddy's reference and fatally wounds her.

Nori catches N up on her backstory and the two try to figure out whether Doll or Uzi was the Absolute Solver that just attacked them, unaware of Skyn. Nori makes N promise not to tell Uzi that she's her mother.

Doll, bleeding heavily (a thing she can do thanks to Absolute Solver!) approaches Uzi and collapses. Skyn, re-disguised as Tessa (I swear she does like five costume changes in this episode she's so extra), follows Doll in and tries to kill Uzi, who is having the worst day of her life and is in no mental state to fight back.

N stops her and, determining that she did know about the patch and wanted to kill Uzi anyway, decapitates "Tessa". He tries to give the patch to Uzi, but she's already succumbed to Absolute Solver and destroys it.

N and Nori fight Absolute Solver / Cyn / Uzi. The fight goes poorly, and Absolute Solver / Uzi almost manages to eat Nori before N executes a flawless collective-embarrassment-jutsu, snapping Uzi out of it, but causing her to toss Nori into the giant flesh pit. N spills the beans about Nori and both of them freak out in each other's arms.

Skyn finally reveals herself, devouring Doll's still-living core and beginning to yank Uzi and N into the pit as she prepares to detonate Copper 9's core just like Earth's and kill every remaining threat to her expansion.

J gets hit by a bus, loses her car keys, and is accosted by teens.

Uzi sacrifices herself to toss N the keys and get him out of there.

Uzi is pulled into the pit and somehow ends up in space, looking down at a big hole in Copper 9? Presumably the next episode will clear up what's going on here.

Which brings us up to the present.

[talonabraxas]

Mahakali Talon Abraxas

The Goddess Kali and the Spiritual Heart

Ma Kali and the Yoga of Knowledge

Ma Kali is the primary Goddess of Yoga, the background Yoga Shakti, the power of Yoga or Kriya Shakti. Hers is the force that takes our energy within, which causes us to seek the eternal and lose interest in the outer affairs of life. She is the electrical stirring of the soul to Divinity. She is the voice of the Divine reverberating within us, when we let our ego fade into the background. Kali is the power of the great current of awareness.

Kali is the great Prana or cosmic life-force (Mahaprana). She represents the most primal will of all life, which is to live forever and never die. This core wish for immortality is not some mere delusion or arrogance within us, it is the very reflection of Sat or pure Being into creation, the portion of the Eternal that is our soul.

Kali represents the most primal desire, which is to love all and be one with all, to find the perfect, pure and eternal bliss, which is the presence of Shiva, the Eternal Being and Consciousness hidden in all life. Hidden even in ordinary desires is Kali’s ascending force to get us to seek something more beautiful and wondrous, to take us beyond our boundaries, to make us unhappy with what we already have in order to reach a greater reality.

Her will-power generates the decisive moment of spiritual awakening, in which we realize that true happiness cannot be found in the outer world but only within. Then she redirects our life as a mystic journey to the inner source, the heart of creation, and the Eternal flame.

Kali’s Shakti works to focus our energies back to the heart and the core of our being. Kali’s energy reverses the ordinary process of creation. Hers is the power that merges earth into water, water into fire, fire into air, air into ether, ether into mind, and mind into pure consciousness. She takes us back from the many to the One, reintegrating the world into our deepest Self and Being.

Ma Kali’s energy is like a simulated death experience. She helps us withdraw our attention from the outer mind, emotions and senses into the inner heart. In this regard, Kali is the prime Goddess of Jnana or Self-knowledge. She takes us back to the Self in the heart, unifying all our experience within it. Kali is Nirvana Shakti, the power that takes us to dissolution or Nirvana. She is the magnetic pull of Nirvana within us.

In Yogic terms, Kali is the Nirodha Shakti, the power that gives the ability to dissolve the fluctuations of the mind stuff or chitta, that is the tradition definition of Yoga through Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Her power checks, negates, masters and dissolves all the functions of mind and prana into the infinite silent calm of the Purusha within the heart.

One is reminded of the experience of Paramahansa Ramakrishna, who was a great devotee of Kali. After learning the importance of the Self-knowledge of Vedanta through his guru Tota Puri, Ramakrishna meditated on the Self within the heart in order to realize it. In doing so, the image of Ma Kali arose. He found that he had to break through his attachment to her by removing her form with the sword of knowledge. Yet he had to eventually realize that the sword of knowledge was that of Ma Kali. She projects a form to teach us, but removes the form to reveal her formless being as Pure Consciousness.

The Power of Ma Kali’s Mantras

Ma Kali’s Bija Krim

Each deity has its mantras, starting with single-syllable seed or bija mantras and extending to longer mantras, prayers and supplications. Kali’s primary single syllable mantra is KRIM (pronounced Kreem). KRIM refers to Kriya or the power of action, but action of a yogic nature.

KRIM is composed of three primary letters. The letter-k is the first of all the consonants in the Sanskrit alphabet. It indicates manifest existence, power and force. The letter-r is the seed of fire and light. The letter-i is focused energy and will power.

KRIM as the sound of Kali sets in motion the primary force of life and manifestation. It is the electrical energy or lightning force that gives power to everything, like the electric current that can run any number of appliances.

Yet when we use this mantra in sadhana or yogic practices, it is the inner current that we are switching on. Once this inner current is available we can use it to empower any sadhana or open up any inner faculty, just like having the electricity on in our house can allow us to do so many things and without it we can do nothing.

The great Goddess Kali, specifically through her mantra KRIM, provides us the support of energy for all that we do in Yoga. More so, she increases our inner energy, both allowing and pushing us on to do more. Her mantra creates a relentless force of spiritual energy within us that does not merely help us but propels and guides us to the higher goal. At some point her current takes over from our minds and directs our sadhana by its flow. This opens up the higher level of working with her power and her presence. Kali’s Kriya Shakti allows the Yoga to work but also as an ascending lightning force can break through all obstacles and veils of karma, prana or mind.

The mantra KRIM also has a fierce side, like a jolt of lightning it can function like a sword to cut things open. It can stimulate, shock, electrify and propel. It can energize the weapons of the Gods to defeat the undivine or Asuric forces. Yet it can energize the ornaments of the Gods, their gems and gifts, which grant bliss to the devotee.

Kali’s Threefold Bija: KRIM HUM HRIM

Out of this single seed mantra is developed a longer threefold mantra or three seed-mantras as KRIM HUM HRIM. This has yet more energy and efficacy in awakening the Goddess within us. It begins with the mantra KRIM and builds upon its power.

The mantra HUM (hoom) is composed of two primary sounds. The letter-h is the seed syllable of the element of space or ether. It also represents the sun, Prana and the Purusha principle. The letter-u creates a force field that can both serve to hold in and to push out. HUM represents an explosion of energy, an expression of great power that is pranic, electrical and fiery. HUM is the power of Agni or fire particularly as directed by the wind or Vayu. Whereas KRIM awakens the electrical force or Shakti, HUM serves to direct it with great force, to use it to make great efforts.

HRIM (hreem) is the great mantra of the spiritual heart, hridaya. It is composed of three main letters. The letter-h, as in HUM, represents, space, prana and light. The letter-r as in KRIM represents light and fire. The letter-i as in KRIM represents focused energy or a ray of light, the Shakti as such. Through the mantra HRIM alone one can enter into the spiritual heart and the small space within its lotus (dahara akasha) in which the entire universe is held.

These put together, Kali’s threefold mantra serves to awaken and energize the spiritual heart, hridaya.

The mantra KRIM serves to cut the knots of the heart. It works like a sword. It stimulates the heart energy within us, its primal desire or wish for immortality, love and light.

The mantra HUM gives power to the heart, expanding the energy of prana and Agni (fire) in a strong, if not explosive manner.

The mantra HRIM opens the energy of the spiritual heart which is like the Sun, spreading it into the Infinite.

This threefold Kali Heart mantra can be compared to a kind of spiritual adrenaline. KRIM awakens the energy of the heart, like an electrical jolt to a heart patient whose heart is failing. HUM expands it this current with great force. HRIM stabilizes it as an infinite power and eternal presence.

KRIM draws the Prana from the breath, the sensory and motor organs and directs it into the heart. HUM turns the Prana into a force of fiery meditative power. HRIM connects the individual prana-mind with the power of the Supreme Self, the power of the light of consciousness (Chid-jyoti). This threefold mantra therefore creates a powerful Pratyahara in the yogic sense, it takes our energy back to the spiritual heart.

Kali Sadhana and the Yoga of Knowledge

Kali mantras serve to develop a Kali Sadhana, in which the true nature of Kali is revealed. In this regard, Kali is the death of the ego, which is the rebirth of the soul. Kali is the Divine Mother in her role of slaying the demon or dragon of the ego or I am the body idea. Her mantras bring about an inner death, which is the rebirth of the immortal Self within us.

Through Kali we can experience a simulated death, the real death which is that of the ego, after which there is no more death. Kali is this death of death by the power of eternity. Kali mantras take us into the spiritual heart. They are a good accompaniment to Atma Vichara.

The Goddess Kali, we might say, is the power of meditation personified as a Goddess. Yet She is meditation not as a mere technique, She is the natural state of meditation as the power of consciousness pervading Infinite Space and Eternal Time, in which the waves of karma, including birth and death, cannot touch us, because we are the All!

[lady-harrowhark]

hello, can you explain to me in more clarity your “waxen” theory regarding Ianthe? I’m not picking up on what this implies but it’s making my brain itch.

Sort of! Totally fair question, I just don't have a lot of clarity myself in that I don't have a fully formed theory lol. There's definitely some links and parallels in verbiage that are pinging on my radar, so I do think something's funky, but I wouldn't say I'm fully on board with this yet. I'm just playing in the sandbox Tamsyn has provided us, tossing out ideas and thinking out loud. But I can go into some more detail, and add some more thoughts that have occurred to me since I posted that last night.

(Here's a link to the post in question, for context)

Anyway! So let's first lay out all the times we get someone described as some type of wax. At various points in HtN, we get the descriptions "a shoddy wax cast of some more beautiful sculpture," a "wax figure in a pink dolly dress," a "wax figure in pale purple chiffon," and "waxen face" for Ianthe. We also see that descriptor used a few other times for other people throughout the series. In GtN, Harrow's parents' bodies are called "waxy" and the first introduction of Protesilaus (as the beguiling corpse) says he was "waxen looking in the sunlight." In NtN, Kiriona's skin is said to have a "weird, waxy quality," then Naberius's skin is called "waxen" when they first meet up with Ianthe, and again a few pages later it again references the "waxen, handsome face". What I'm getting at here is that every time this sort of description is deployed, it's in reference to a dead body that's been preserved, manipulated, and is essentially masquerading as a living person... except for Ianthe.

We also know there are a multitude of times that she's described as looking like a poor copy of Coronabeth. There's that "shoddy wax cast of some more beautiful sculpture" line, her first introduction calls her a "starved shadow" of her sister ("or the first an illuminated reflection [of Ianthe]," and actually, off the top of my head I don't know that we ever see their descriptions framed that way again... I'd have to investigate this more later, but this might be the only time that Corona is described as a "better" version of Ianthe, rather than Ianthe being a "worse" version of Corona, which is interesting), there's a point where it says "The second twin was as though the first had been taken to pieces and put back together without any genius. She wore a robe of the same cloth and colour, but on her it was a beautiful shroud on a mummy," etc etc etc. I know there's more, but I'm too lazy to go pull the rest of the quotes and you get the picture by this point I'm sure. So nearly all of these situate her, at least visually, as a copy or approximation of Coronabeth, and one that doesn't quite live up to original at that.

So now let's pick apart this snippet of conversation we overhear between Silas and Ianthe at Magnus and Abigail's dinner party a bit. Ianthe says she was born via "surgical means," which I'm assuming is referring to a C-section delivery (or whatever the necromantic equivalent is) and notes that Corona is a few minutes older. Silas seems surprised (or perhaps concerned?) that they "risked intervention" and Ianthe says Corona had "removed [her] source of oxygen". At this point Silas says, "A wasted opportunity, I'd think." I had always taken this for him just being a dick and implying he wished she'd died in the womb, but coming back to it with this new angle... well. She says "Corona's birth put my survivability somewhere around definite nil." And I'm wondering if that doesn't tie to Harrow's comment about infant deaths generating "enough thanergy to take out the entire planet." Basically, could Silas have been implying that the Tridentarii's parents wasted an opportunity to use the thanergy from baby Ianthe's death to power up Corona?

Harrow says that twins are an ill omen, but the text hasn't come back to that as of yet. Given the difficulty necromancers experience with pregnancy, I'd imagine twins would could be especially dangerous and that in and of itself could be considered an ill omen. Ianthe's comments certainly suggest that their mother carried the pregnancy, although I don't think we know for certain whether she was a necromancer. I am so intensely curious about the Tridentarii's childhood and their parents; we get so many gestures towards some really twisted family dynamics, but very little in the way of concrete explanations. Particularly relevant here, I'd love to know more about their father wanting a "matched set" and how that came about. Did they intentionally plan for twins from the start? Was it only once they knew they were having twins that that became a factor? What's the significance there?

Outside of those "waxy" descriptors, Ianthe tends to be described as much more sickly looking than even other necromancers. We know that necromancers on the whole tend towards a phenotype of physical weakness, but even still, there's an emphasis on this with Ianthe beyond that. This might be due in part to narrator bias (coughGideoncough) or the direct juxtaposition between her and Coronabeth's vivaciousness, but what really jumps out at me as contributing to this effect is how frequently she's described as being colorless, pale, washed out, bloodless, pallid, anemic, etc etc etc. It very much makes me think of the way the color drains away from Colum (and even the rest of the room and the others in it) when Silas is siphoning. Silas himself is also often described as colorless ("mayonnaise uncle," "milk man") but not so much in a way that implies frailty as much as I read it as implying a stark coldness, in line with the very black-and-white moral authority he presumes to wield, a purported "purity", much different than Ianthe's colorlessness. With Ianthe, you get a sense that her palette ought to have been or perhaps was closer to Corona's, but the color's been drained away; where Corona's hair is described as golden, Ianthe's is "canned butter", for example. Almost like the life's been siphoned out, one might say.

So to kind of circle back around, do I actually think Ianthe is dead or a corpse like the other "wax" figures we've seen? Nah. Between Harrow and Palamedes, and especially Palamedes's medical necromancy, I think we would have heard about it by now if that were the case. But I do think it's entirely plausible that she's had a bit of a brush with death and that perhaps she's never quite fully come back from, and I do think she's being intentionally positioned as somewhat adjacent to death. If their parents were wanting twins from the outset, perhaps they used necromantic means to encourage the conception. Or if the pregnancy was as high-risk as I suspect it was, perhaps she'd died or nearly died at birth and been resuscitated. Their parents may have gone to extremes to keep her alive, to maintain their matched set. Given the themes of this series, I do feel it's necessary to draw a distinction between "resuscitation" and "resurrection" although they are curiously adjacent to one another. For all the text has grappled with dying and staying dead, dying and coming back, dying and choosing whether or not to return... we haven't touched on what something like a "near death experience" would look like. I'd imagine having that sort of experience, even at an incredibly young age, might lead one to be fascinated with, to use Ianthe's own words, "the place between death and life... the place between release and disappearance."