#( side muse ) vera

[turbulentscrawl]

How Do They Decode?

Just a little question I mused about for the survivors today.

“Gee, these machines don’t seem to be holding up very well. How can we help them along, so we can GET OUT before they GIVE OUT?”

In other words, the way I see it, ciphers could process on their own, but the issue is that they’re in terrible shape. So, to get them working again, we have three options, one for each side of the cipher a character can use!

Front. Decoding Manually. Who Needs a Glorified Typewriter to Calculate for You?

Emily, Freddy, Lucky Guy, Kurt, Tracy, Helena, Fiona, Margaretha, Eli, Aesop, Norton, Patricia, Jose, Victor, Luca, Melly, Edgar, Ada, Orpheus, Memory, Luchino, Frederick, Alice, Evelyn

Side. Adjusting and Fixing. Just Keep This Hunk of Junk from Falling Apart, and Let Electricity Do the Rest!

Emma, Lucky Guy, Servais, Naib, Tracy, Vera, Kevin, Eli, Norton, Jose, Demi, Luca, Anne, Orpheus, Joker, Qi, Charles, Matthias, Florian

Back. Beat the Cipher Like it Stole Your Lunch Money. Why Not?

Andrew, Memory, Kreacher, Lucky Guy, Naib, William, Vera, Kevin, Norton, Murro, Patricia, Mike, Edgar, Ganji, Emil, Luchino, Lily, Matthias, Florian

A few commentaries:

-Memory is just a child, so in practice she doesn’t know much about these ciphers and will resort to just kinda shaking and smacking them. However, she’s also a creation from Orpheus’s mind, so his education and inclinations show up in her too sometimes, and this is when she’ll type and calculate.

-Helena has memorized a keyboard layout, but doesn’t exactly know what each part on the cipher does and isn’t violent enough to be smacking at it, so she only types.

-Aesop isn’t the best typer, but he doesn’t like getting his hands covered in the cipher’s grease nor does he want any bruises from roughhousing it.

-Lucky Guy is highly adaptable and can fill in wherever he’s needed on a cipher. Norton is similar, though he does prefer adjusting from the side to typing.

-Luchino is primarily a typer, but sometimes, when his stress is high enough or he’s used enough of that serum, his instincts take over and he rages on the ciphers a bit. -Andrew, William, Murro, and Emil have no clue what these machines are or how they work, just that they NEED to work. And you know what? Beating the fuckall out of them seems to be doing the trick well enough.

[characteroulette]

Okay y'know despite not receiving any answers on Apollo's apparent lack of character, I think I have figured out why people think as much about him. It's purely that they tend to just fill in their perceived lack with a more Phoenix motivation than Apollo's own actual motivations. Apollo gets conflated with Phoenix, especially in DD, despite how in AJ he wants nothing to do with Phoenix after his first case. It's easier to just treat Apollo as an extension of Phoenix since Phoenix is the main stay, the main focus, even if that couldn't be the furthest thing from the reality of the text.

Apollo wants the truth above all else. It's why he reveals that Machi is a smuggler and Vera is a forger despite how it might damage his clients' credibility. (We don't get things like this in DD, and in SOJ it's more revealing Datz is a terrorist would lose his case immediately. I think, at least.) But usually, when I see people muse in their fics on how Apollo would take defending an actually guilty client, they have him swap sides immediately. Just like Phoenix would. And I think that's not what Apollo would do. There's plenty of evidence in AJ that shows Apollo doesn't flip sides so immediately. He accused his teacher since the evidence and logic led him (/us) to that conclusion, but the entire time he was hoping for a different explanation. He pursued the truth in spite of his own misgivings on the situation. He presents the forged card because he is being manipulated into this, being led straight into the waiting jaws of that snake trap made specially to snare Kristoph.

He was naive, and he makes sure that doesn't happen again. Even in the final case of AJ, he makes sure to explain the second forged piece, to explain the same trick of it that Phoenix made for the first forged piece. It doesn't work this time (and I am begging Phoenix to have thought up a better way to get traces of poison from a convicted inmate's cell, even despite how favoured Kristoph was), but Apollo knows what he is doing now. He acknowledges instead of attempting to fudge anything, in direct contrast to Phoenix's own actions from the original trilogy.

I don't think he'd deny his client's guilt if they did truly commit the murder. I think he'd still fight for the truth, wouldn't settle for just a guilty verdict until the whole plot was figured out. Apollo wants to help his clients, sure, but that's never been his driving force. How could it be when it was never his choice who he ended up defending? What he wants is to know the truth. He wants to understand how the crime happened and follows the logical conclusion from that on how this crime occurred.

To be fair to Phoenix, he was under duress when this happened to him both times (Matt and Iris). But Phoenix is driven by belief in his clients while Apollo is driven by the desire to uncover the truth. Similar but very different motivations, I think.

I think this is also what separates Phoenix from Ryuunosuke. Phoenix believes in his clients. Ryuunosuke had to learn that belief but also carries Apollo's drive for the truth. He will claw and scrape until the worst is revealed, even if it hurts someone. (He'll feel terrible about it later, but he will still expose Kazuma's guilt in almost killing a man for the sake of the truth.) Taking this even further, the one who decides how like Phoenix or Apollo's motivations Ryuunosuke is are the choices the player can make. They might be meaningless choices narratively, but they matter in the same way the Matt Endgarde decision matters. You can choose for Ryuunosuke to turn a blind eye to McGilded's forgeries, belief in your client above all else. Or you can have Ryuunosuke acknowledge there is something shady happening here, truth above all else. Or you can have a mixture of the two! (I chose this option, making Ryuunosuke question the new evidence but ultimately pleading for a Not Guilty verdict.) It's a fascinating way to mix these two's strongest driving forces and leave it to the player to determine how much each side affects Ryuunosuke's personality as shown in the text.

Phoenix is willing to fudge the truth for the sake of his clients. We see as much in 3-3. Apollo would never do such a thing, he is here to find out the truth, no matter how ugly. And Ryuunosuke sits in-between the two, a little of column A and a little of column P. I just find this distinction between all of them so fascinating.

All this being said, I'd love to see Phoenix be put in this situation where he isn't under duress for once, actually. What he would do is fascinating to me hahaha

[brokehorrorfan]

Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection will be released on November 26 via Universal. The 4K Ultra HD + Digital set collects six of the Master of Suspense's classic thrillers: Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds.

Limited to 5,150, the six-disc collection is housed in premium book-style packaging featuring artwork by Tristan Eaton along with photos, bios, and trivia.

The uncut version of Psycho is included. Special features are detailed below.

1954's Rear Window is written by John Michael Hayes (To Catch a Thief), based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder." James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, and Raymond Burr star.

Rear Window special features:

Audio commentary by Hitchcock’s Rear Window: The Well-Made Film author John Fawell

Rear Window Ethics - 2000 documentary

Conversation with Screenwriter John Michael Hayes

Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of The Master

Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock

Masters of Cinema

Hitchcock/Truffaut - Audio recording from filmmaker François Truffaut’s in-depth interview with director Alfred Hitchcock about Rear Window

Production photo gallery

Theatrical trailer

Re-release trailer narrated by James Stewart

A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

1955's To Catch a Thief is written by John Michael Hayes (Rear Window), based on David Dodge’s 1952 novel of the same name. Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, and John Williams star.

To Catch a Thief special features:

Audio commentary by Hitchcock historian Dr. Drew Casper

Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on To Catch a Thief

Behind the Gates: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly

A retired jewel thief sets out to prove his innocence after being suspected of returning to his former occupation.

1958's Vertigo is written by Alec Coppel (No Highway in the Sky) and Samuel A. Taylor (Sabrina), based on Boileau-Narcejac’s 1954 novel The Living and the Dead. James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore, and Henry Jones star.

Vertigo special features:

Audio commentary by filmmaker William Friedkin (The Exorcist)

Obsessed with Vertigo: New Life for Hitchcock’s Masterpiece

Partners In Crime: Hitchcock’s Collaborators

Saul Bass: Title Champ

Edith Head: Dressing the Master’s Movies

Bernard Herrmann: Hitchcock’s Maestro

Alma: The Master’s Muse

Foreign censorship ending

100 Years of Universal: The Lew Wasserman Era

Hitchcock/Truffaut - Audio recording from filmmaker François Truffaut’s in-depth interview with director Alfred Hitchcock about Vertigo

Theatrical trailer

Restoration theatrical trailer

A former police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with a hauntingly beautiful woman.

1959's North by Northwest is written by Ernest Lehman (The Sound of Music, West Side Story). Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, and Jessie Royce Landis star.

North by Northwest special features:

Audio commentary by writer Ernest Lehman

North by Northwest: Cinematography, Score, and the Art of the Edit

Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest

The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style

North by Northwest: One for the Ages

A Guided Tour with Alfred Hitchcock

A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.

1960's Psycho is written by Joseph Stefano (The Outer Limits), based on Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel of the same name. Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, and Janet Leigh star.

Psycho special features:

Original uncut and standard re-releases version of the film

The Making of Psycho

The Making of Psycho audio commentary with Alfred Hitchcock and The Making of Psycho author Stephen Rebello

Psycho Sound

In The Master’s Shadow: Hitchcock’s Legacy

Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho

The Shower Scene: With and Without Music

The Shower Sequence: Storyboards by Saul Bass

The Psycho Archives

Hitchcock/Truffaut - Audio recording from filmmaker François Truffaut’s in-depth interview with director Alfred Hitchcock about Psycho

Posters and ad gallery

Lobby card gallery

Behind-the-scenes photo gallery

Production photo gallery

Psycho theatrical trailers

Psycho re-release trailer

A secretary on the run for embezzlement takes refuge at a secluded motel owned by a repressed man and his overbearing mother.

1963's The Birds is written by Evan Hunter (High and Low), based on Daphne du Maurier’s 1952 short story of the same name. Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, and Veronica Cartwright star.

The Birds special features:

The Birds: Hitchcock’s Monster Movie

All About The Birds

Original ending

Deleted scene

Tippi Hedren’s screen test

The Birds is coming (Universal International Newsreel)

Suspense Story: National Press Club hears Hitchcock (Universal International Newsreel)

100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics

100 Years of Universal: The Lot

Hitchcock/Truffaut - Audio recording from filmmaker François Truffaut’s in-depth interview with director Alfred Hitchcock about Vertigo

Theatrical trailer

A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.

Pre-order Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection.

[moodboardmix]

Miss Françoise (17 janvier 1944 - 11 juin 2024)

Miss Françoise Hardy, whose elegance and beautifully lilting voice made her one of France’s most successful pop stars, has passed away today.

She was born in the middle of an air raid in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, and raised in the city, mostly by her mother. Aged 16, she received her first guitar as a present and began writing her own songs, performing them live and auditioning for record labels. In 1961, she signed with Disques Vogue.

Inspired by the French chanson style of crooned ballads as well as the emerging edgier styles of pop and rock’n’roll, Miss Hardy became a key part of the yé-yé style that dominated mid-century French music.

The self-penned ballad Tous les garçons et les filles was her breakthrough in 1962, and sold more than 2.5m copies; it topped the French charts, as did early singles Je Suis D’Accord and Le Temps de L’Amour.

Her growing European fame meant she began rerecording her repertoire in multiple languages, including English. Her 1964 song All Over the World, translated from Dans le Monde Entier, became UK Top 20 hit, her fame endured in France, Italy and Germany.

In 1968, Comment te Dire Adieu, a version of It Hurts to Say Goodbye (originally made famous by Vera Lynn) with lyrics by Serge Gainsbourg, became one of her biggest hits.

Miss Hardy’s beauty and deft aesthetic – which encompassed cleanly silhouetted tailoring alongside more casual looks, including knitwear and rock-leaning denim and leather – defined the seeming effortlessness of 20th-century French cool.

She became a muse to designers including Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne, and was also a frequent subject for fashion photography, shot by the likes of Richard Avedon, David Bailey and William Klein. Later, designer Rei Kawakubo would name her label Comme des Garçons after a line in a Hardy song.

Miss Hardy was an object of adoration to many male stars of 60s pop including the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Bob Dylan wrote a poem about her for the liner notes of his 1964 album Another Side of Bob Dylan, beginning: “For Françoise Hardy, at the Seine’s edge, a giant shadow of Notre Dame seeks t’ grab my foot …”

She was also courted by directors, appearing in films by Jean-Luc Godard, Roger Vadim, John Frankenheimer and more.

Miss Hardy signed a three-year deal with Sonopresse in 1970. This creatively rich period saw her record with Brazilian musician Tuca on 1971’s highly acclaimed La Question, and continue her multi-lingual releases.

She spent the mid-1970s chiefly focused on raising her son Thomas with her partner, musician and actor Jacques Dutronc. Releases restarted with 1977’s Star, and Hardy embraced the sounds of funk, disco and electronic pop. A longer hiatus in the 1980s was punctuated by 1988’s Décalages, billed as her final album, though she returned in 1996 with Le Danger, switching her palette to moody contemporary rock.

She released six further albums, ending with Personne D’Autre in 2018.

Miss Hardy also developed a career as an astrologer, having written extensively on the subject from the 1970s onwards. In addition, she worked as a writer of both fiction and non-fiction books from the 2000s. Her autobiography Le désespoir des singes... et autres bagatelles was a best-seller in France.

She remains one of the best-selling singers in French history, and continues to be regarded as an iconic and influential figure in both French pop and fashion. In 2006, she was awarded the Grande médaille de la chanson française, an honorary award given by the Académie française, in recognition of her career in music.

Miss Hardy had lymphatic cancer since 2004, and had undergone years of radiotherapy and other treatments for the illness. In 2021, she had argued in favour of euthanasia, saying that France was “inhuman” for not allowing the procedure.

Rest in Power !

[barabaitcharactergenerator]

scotty-scott of howl fame

ah yes, my icon. my muse. my silly rabbit.

favorite thing about them - his tits on a meta level, i think what i appreciate most about scott is that it feels as though he was bio-engineered in a lab to be specifically catered to me. hairy, bearded, muscular, jockish, funny, kind, endlessly optimistic, stupid as hell, AND has canonically committed multiple atrocities as a big, sexy werewolf? be still, my beating heart. i feel like the monster prom creators stalked my social media circa 2017-2018 and collectively agreed that they were gonna make a dating sim ro that would make this one specific gayboy so, SO happy.

least favorite thing about them - also on a meta level. look. im not a nasty little hater (except when i am), but i have to admit that the writers are CONSTANTLY shoving him to the side in favor of the rest of the cast. even in his own game, Monster Roadtrip, a majority of the events tend to lean on polly being the center-focus with scott acting as her sidekick. this was esp apparent in the End of the Road ending where Polly was basically the main character while Scott was also There (sort of). ill admit i partially understand this since polly is generally a more active character while scott is more reactive, but still, id love to see my boy get his kudos

favorite line - there's so many good ones but im just gonna with one based on a recent screenshot i took: "I really like macaroni, but I'm not allowed to boil water by myself, so I just eat the noodles raw."

brOTP - DA PRANK MASTERZ BABEY!!! Scott is my fav MP character and Polly is my second fav, so you it's only natural that I'd be obsessed with their dynamic. canonically bimbo and himbo besties.

OTP - Scott howl x ME!! i like him and brian a lot, i think they're cute. im a sucker for jock x jock and golden retriever x constantly tired so the two of them manage to hit a sweet spot for me.

nOTP - the game keeps trying to push scott x vicky or scott x amira and like, im sorry, but trying to get me to ship Bara Icon Scott Howl with women? im calling homophobia. besides im more of a vicky x vera and amira x damien guy so on all fronts those ships just dont really appeal to me

random headcanon - for reasons i cant disclose this has been canonically refuted but i always pictured scott's grandma as one of those very classic horror movie werewolves- all fangs, all carnage, very little sexy (unless you're into that sort of thing, in which case, hey. you do you). she used to be the alpha of the pack back in her day and was an absolute menace to monster society, until she got a little older and settled down. still, she secretly craves the old days when monsters could be monsters, and keeps trying to convince scott to embrace his more animalistic side, even though he keeps telling her that murder isnt actually really mean and you probably shouldn't do it.

unpopular opinion - the monster prom fandom doesnt really have that much discourse so i dont know whats an unpopular opinion vs what isnt. uuuh i think scott should have won that popularity poll back when monster prom was still getting updates and gotten the new secret ending instead of damien's "punch the sun" ending

song i associate with them - this was on a scott howl playlist and i like it so uh. through and through by khai dreams

favorite picture of them - obv my pfp pic is one of my favs but here are a collection of Certified Scott Images

and some fav outfits:

[starrbright]

Last Degree Of Nature | Nanami K.

Stay longer in me. Take root. Vera Pavlova, A Weight on My Back (tr. Steven Seymour)

January 5, 2024—April 5

Last continuation for Prof. Nanami: X | X | X | X |

3k words. Sickening fluff, honestly. No smut, really sorry for that. 🙇🏽‍♀️🫶🏼🫂

image used: X | a quote i used is from the 2014 film 'about time'

I had a bad case of baby fever after december 14, so......yeah. And I really was going through it and I thought of this.

Still going through it.

A few months has passed. Everything continues to go well with Nanami. Too well. Is it stupid? Honestly, you could swear it is. You sigh under your breath, tutting your head sharply to wipe away the thoughts but it comes back, the voice of your professor speaking up almost unheard, what she discusses just passes by through your ears.

Your fingers gripped around your pen tightly and loose and tighten again and again in the moment of being filled with worrying bits, at least is is for you. It's difficult not to fall on your head on the table and try to bear away what's been stirring you for a bit of awhile now.

How could you even begin to explain what you're going through. Maybe it's normal. Maybe it's too early.

And it is normal. But it is too early.

Yet, God....like again, how could you not be in the state you're in--when the two of you have been nothing but lovesick fools. When he's been someone so, a man you never dared to wish for.

You've lost count how many times you drifted far off from replaying memories in a loop.

The first time you stepped into his home, it was one what would expect for a man like him. A home out of a novel. Grand but mirrored familiarity. You were glad for him to have seem that he knew of the warm little things that makes life big before he met you.

That's what it seemed. If one would only look once and flat, they'll only see how he presents himself; gray. And a big part of him is, his life and what makes him he.

Figurines of what a home is to fill the spaces.

And then along came you to be the muse of his colorful but now he realizes--empty canvases.

There never seemed to be a missing piece even when he seeked out to satisfy his flesh. Even when you arrived in his life only for both of your indulgence. There never was.

Until his heart wanted itself to be given to you. Until he offered and you accepted it. He found there were endless crevices that could be filled more beautifully.

To see you free roaming in his home. To have you in his arms, laying back against his chest as you read a book, with him savoring the rest he can have with you, free from the confines of his work for a while.

The sun beaming through the windows while the wind flows against the curtains. The shine of the sun on your brown skin, the specks of dust he sees from the light, every little marks and dots of hairs on your arm. With him holding you as he beholds all those; he's frozen in time. And what he'd give to capture every moment. To let it flow endlessly.

It doesn't need to be said, it's in all of it already anyways--at least not yet. One would say there's the kind of rush in the beauty of just letting it be.

Though how long? How long until it can be sees as not too early?

How much more walking through it to be enough?

A few times you two have been in the café you're now in to study, to wash yourself away from the distractions. Him, who else.

Though it's been less than ten minutes of being in the place, after being in the queue and now that it was your turn to order. The cashier already familiared of you, has a little smile, almost barely showing but it's a knowing one--and when you felt a presence behind you, she laughs.

Widened eyes as you recognized the scent of a perfume, the way those arms encircled around you, the squeeze of fingers to the side of your stomach. His voice. " Angel. " He greets sweetly with a kiss on your cheek.

You couldn't find your words, too abashed at his sudden presence, let alone in public as you both stand in the line, let alone the fine man holding a boquet in his other hand as he holds his woman. "Let's go." He says before you could even protest, he's already given an ample of money for someone who didn't buy anything, he's already got your things from the table you're supposed to be--he's already had you sitting in his car.

"I'm supposed to be studying." You spoke at last.

"I know." he only chuckles. "But I missed you." He simply adds as he leans close you, a hand delicately firm on your cheek to kiss your lips. The thick presence of his perfume dizzying against the vibrant scent of the flowers--to the way he drowns you with kisses.

How unfair.

And how cliche it is. You hadn't thought Nanami would have ever pulled the kind of act, In the library, among the aisles of bookshelves, you're pinned back against a shelf as he kisses you. But then again he has fucked you more than enough times in the campus.

You couldn't say it wasn't adorable that he asked for this. His office was a building away from where you're both in as he's to lecture in a few minutes and you to attend your own classes, so that is where you ended up; making do in the library for a mere time of kissing.

"This is risky." You uttered in haste the second you both stepped in the quiet facility, to which he only hushed with another one of his, 'I know'

Next thing you know, he's hovering tall in front of you, one of his arm laying against the shelf, the other on the side of your face. "Hi." He breathes. There's no smile on him. How is it possible his eyes says otherwise.

"Hi." Nothing from your voice but just a gentle mouth of the word, a mere smile painting to be wide.

Then it slowly fell as his thumb grazes on your lips. "Let me kiss you." he still utters those kind of words. Never fails to take your breath each time.

Resolve melting away every time.

The last one recently, one which is all too vivid in your head--was the last straw to have enable all the want for more.

It was the morning of Sunday when Nanami called. yourself fresh from breakfast and was just about to wash the dishes. He tells it was Gojo who planted the idea in his mind just last night from their usual night out to drink, and he himself wasn't opposed to said idea--he liked it, really. Despite he wouldn't credit Gojo too much for it, of course. A dinner later in his home, that is. With the two men and their children.

How could you say no?

You were too happy to prepare and cook all those dishes with him in his kitchen before the night arrives. Amidst a few conversation about Gojo and Geto, their children as well, the conversation went to a boy named Yuuji.

The said boy whom Nanami has invited for later. Telling of the little story as you continue all the work in the kitchen,

Evident that the man is very fond of the boy. Spoke of how Yuuji's late grandfather was the owner of the flower shop he sometimes go to before you both happened, the said boy taking over after while still studying along in the same school and class with Megumi. Spoke of how a good kid he is. Spoke of how the boy told him that his grandfather would have liked to meet the woman Nanami has found, the old man would've been over the moon to know the flowers Nanami usually buy for his house now would be for a lover. Spoke of how Yuuji was always thrilled when he walks in the shop, having known it'll be for you. Which all led to him insisting the kid to go for the dinner, telling how he literally brightened up when he heard it.

You couldn't wait for the night to arrive.

But nothing could have prepared you for it.

As some have said, 'no one can prepare you for the love people you love can feel for them.'

All so suddenly your nerves flutter rapidly when footsteps and voices make itself known further. "That would be them." Nanami says with a little laugh following as he wipes his hands with a kitchen towel before heading to them.

Though you only remain standing behind the island, your hands fresh off the powdered sugar from sprinkling them on the now done strawberry cake you made; a dessert for the kids, but of course much more for Nanami and Gojo that your man has told you who has a bigger sweet tooth than anyone else.

Your wandering mind filled with nervousness in those short seconds was abruptly interrupted with adorable loud voices of little girls as they run in the kitchen and around to the dining room. The three professors following after and behind them is who you figured to be Megumi and Yuuji. The pink haired boy must be certainly Yuuji, by his sunshine air and the beautifully arranged flowers he holds, eyes wide with a big smile. Megumi besides him with the jet black hair and cool demeanor he has. The little girls Nanami has told earlier, Nanako and Mimiko who were now running back to the kitchen, towards where you are, little hands reaching up on the edge of the counter and tiptoeing. Loudly delighted with the cake they see.

"They really rubbed off from Satoru." Geto huffs, a mere annoyance in his voice but the fondness in his calm eyes tells so much.

"They're children." Nanami reasons expectedly, the calmest smile on his face, eyes flickering to you. Your heart just keeps on fluttering.

"And I'm your soon to be husband." None other than Gojo speaks as ever proud he is, to which only Geto, Nanami and Megumi rolled their eyes to. You, Yuuji, Nanako and Mimiko however--and despite the little girl's already knows, they have the same look of awe you and Yuuji have. "That's....that's lovely." You speak up softly, wiping your hands clean.

"Congrats." Yuuji barely stopped himself from seemingly shouting.

Then Geto laughs lightly, "Thank you." Walking up to the counter with the bag he holds, delightfully reeking of a savory scent, Gojo as well with two bottles of expensive looking alcohol. "I asked him just last night--" he begins with a wide grin but was cut off by his fiance. "Barely. He was too drunk when he did." Geto scoffs as he takes out a food container from the paper bag. "I had to get hammered, I was too scared!" Gojo protests as he pop opens the one bottle of alcohol and looked for glasses.

"He couldn't have done it normally despite feeling so." Nanami chimes in simply as he starts to set up the dishes on the table, making Gojo just following him across the dining room with the glasses now on his hands, his own already filled as he goes with his mouth.

Leaving you with Geto as the two boys goes there as well, lightly playing along with the little girls as they converse.

"It's nice to see you again." Geto says while now helping you prepare all the little things for dinner to begin and go well. "In this kind of setting, I mean." he adds, a light chuckle he makes. Having seen you a few times in the campus, of course, with Nanami secretely or just around. "And I'm glad, by the way."

You nod, abashment about your relationship with their friend almost not there anymore. "The same to you. And I'm glad as well." Happily, you smile.

At last dinner began. If simply meeting them all has had your heart growing so much, you couldn't be more wrong. You were worriedly too happy to be wrong.

That's where you begin to get.....scared.

And how you now find yourself after days and days of contemplating it--standing in front of the door of Geto's office.

Doubts of confronting it plainly gone, you were just aching to let it all out, but not yet to the man himself, so instead it's Geto. You think it's only fitting for you to go to him.

Sighing almost tiredly, you then knock on the door, when you walk in and he's met by you. He just lightly smiles and nodded for you to go in. You sit on the chair across from him where he's still on his laptop, as your eyes are nowhere on particular, gathering the bare strength to speak it out at last--he just waits for you speak, having already as expectedly guess what the subject will be or rather who about.

You breathe deeply as your head turns away before it goes back to him.

"I think I want to marry Kento."

Geto's focus stops, fingers typing away on a sudden halt, gaze now to you and eyebrows raised, "Ah." His very mere shock fades slowly into a small smile.

"Yeah," you let out barely, lolling your head to the side. Your ears at last hearing those words, it suddenly feels ridiculous. But the arrow has already been shot in you. Too much and maddening it is, still you don't want it to go away.

You find yourself then to be unwavering. The resolve finding its permanent stay.

A shaking breath flows out of your mouth, a trembling hand ghosts on your forehead as you look down. "I want to marry him." Never mind your unsteady voice, you want to say it endlessly.

Nostalgia waves pass by Geto with what reveals. Several months ago, Nanami spoke you're the one. His everything. And there you are now with an admission any longing being would dream to hear for their own. He looks at his engagement ring. A few weeks earlier, his lover was clinging to him as he tear up, drunk, asking to marry him, rambling how he wants eternity with him, promising he'll be the bestest father for their children.

He didn't ever think their lives would be this happy, he only hoped.

Geto is wordless to say the least.

His eyes back on you, it's the mellowest you've ever seen on him, mouth opening slowly, it's what he thinks to say then. "Satoru wouldn't be too happy with a double wedding. You know how extra he is--"

A breathless laugh you make in a light disbelief, "I'm serious." You say in exasperation, tears starting to fill your eyes.

Geto just smiles gently, not saying aything. What more could be said when you're just too happy for a friend, to contentedly know that until an end, they won't be alone.

"What are you waiting for?"

Going on with your day after was still as distracting, it wasn't heavy anymore though. You don't remember when was the last time you were excited to see him again without any hesitations.

When you do at the end of the day, in his house, finding rest in each other's warmth, your heart remains to be thrumming of that same thrilling joy when time has allowed you both to be with each other again, that same rhythm of feeling when you first began to have a crush on him.

And in the quietness, you deem it's time to make it known to him.

As he keeps himself cozy with his face buried on your neck, your soft body laying against his chest and in between his legs--gently, you rose from his hold and awaking him in the process. You sit yourself back on the couch as he looks at you curiously, while ever sweetly gentle, your hands still twined as he makes so. So much for how much more.

After all the time of thinking about it, you didn't see the need nor want to beat around.

" I want to marry you. "

How does one even take that in?

You were sure you've never seen your lover lose the composure on his face like that. It's nothing but pleasant.

"Marry me." The bliss in saying it, truly.

And hearing it from you, seeing your smile you evidently keep from widening, the stars in your eyes. You've taken him from his paradise to a place far greater than he would ever thought of.

You've truly taken him aback this time. He hadn't seen you were visioning the same piece as him. It seemed both of you were going through the same dilemma after all. Drowned too deep to have seen it.

You hadn't seen his eyes looking at your ring finger when his hand is entangled to yours, thikning of all the kinds of rings you'd love. How could you have possibly know he's been wishing for you to never leave his house when the night falls, for him to wake each morning with you in his arms, to get up earlier than you and make you breakfast, have and enjoy meals together without looking at the time.

You didn't see what he was painting with his eyes upon dinner that one night. How you light yourself a flame and the kids a magnet to you.

Suddenly when he holds you from behind, his hand yearned to feel a life within you. Voices of little ones echoing pleasantly in his mind. Angels running around his home.

Despite unspoken, unknown; you've been meeting halfway.

Nanami let his lips break into an opened smile, a little laugh breathing out as he tightens his twined hand on yours. "You read my mind."

Your cheeks could already hurt from smiling so much, but couldn't find any words after, you only laid your hand on both of yours, pressing your lips on his knuckles and feel your eyes ache from the tears collecting. Your lover's smile turned gentle as he sees you. " Marry me. " He murmurs. Simply indulging himself in saying it. "I'll marry you. And you of me." He says, returning your kisses on both of your hands.

You feel what he feels when he said them, and he feels what you felt when you answered yes.

Laughter flows in the halls of his home when he takes you in his whole hold once again.

"Satoru wouldn't want a double wedding--"

"I would not dream  of being in the same altar at the same time with that man."

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Finally done with this 😭😭😭🗣️🙏🏽 i am so tired. just went to our dance practice for a subject and finished this after and still have to type it all after just writing it on paper as usual😀🫠 but here we are, and back home and still am miserable, ive been so busy with college, and it's midnight here, i have a group reporting tomorrow and i barely studied about it🫶🏼🫂 anyways, i thought of writing my little thoughts about this story, im sorry if it's silly or shit😭

i had nanami in his thirties, while our reader is twenty-five. i hadn't thought of what she's taking, really. i honestly forgot what nanami's expertise is 🤸🏾‍♀️ geto teaches art and field study 1, while gojo is in physics and physical education. they had nanako and mimiko just after they were born, heard from someone they know that the little girls' mother couldn't raise them, so they referred themselves willingly. megumi in an orphanage after the girls have grown. i really wish i involved shoko and haibara😔😔😔😔💔😔💔😔💔😔💔😔 let's just think of them being there. especially in their weddings😁 also while at campus earlier, i randomly chose songs in my playlists to queue and one of them is 'that part' by lauren spencer smith and i realized how this work is fitting for that song 😭💔😭😭😭💔😔😭💔

[frankpooleunofficial]

Acacia Blossom

Carnation Pink

Forget-Me-Not

// Halman be direct challenge 3001 (impossible)

Oooooooo 👀

———

It started with acacia blossoms, vibrant pink flowers that he found hidden around his apartment. His only houseplant (well, the only one he managed to keep alive) was an aloe vera plant — Frank found it extremely pretty and was dedicated to its care. But the flowers…? The aloe had grown a tall stalk, but it hadn’t bloomed. Anyway, the flowers were a totally different colour than they should be!

“What’s this?” He mused, turning over the petals to inspect them. They were in pristine condition… likely only picked in the last day or so.

He hadn’t had anyone over, had he? Surely, he’d remember something like that…

The only people to whom he had granted automatic entry were Indra and Dim, but Indra was visiting the Pacifica Tower, and Dim was out by Uranus, so that left a break in or—

“Oh my god…” a grin was plastered on his face, and Frank shook himself for not thinking of the obvious culprit first. Who else could enter his home undetected? Who else would leave him flowers?

He continued with his day, the blossoms tucked safely in his pocket, but found nothing more.

—

“I don’t get it,” he said. “It’s been a few months since we’ve spoken, and yet three days ago I found these flowers in my room.”

“Are you certain it’s-?” Indra began. Frank cut her off.

“-Who else could it be?

“I guess if nothing was stolen…”

“Not a thing!”

They were meeting for Sunday breakfast in a little cafe halfway down Africa Tower. The view out the window was marvellous, and Frank spent the conversation staring outside, only occasionally glancing over to his friend at the other side of the table.

“Are you going to say anything?” She asked.

Frank took a bite of his food before answering, turning over the options in his head.

“No, I don’t think so.”

It was usually better for him to wait things out, rather than jump to conclusions. An admission would come; he just had to be ready.

—

The next morning, Frank woke to find more flowers. This time, they were pale pink carnations intertwined with little blue forget-me-nots, tied together and standing in a crystal vase on his side table. He drubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around. Everything else was untouched.

“Sneaky,” he yawned. “How long’s this going to go on for?”

There was no response.

“Alright, have it your way.”

Frank got up, made himself presentable, and headed straight for the botanical gardens.

[rosesnink]

CROWN PRINCESS ELIZABETH OF THE DRACARIAN EMPIRE, THE EMPIRE'S DARLING was the daughter of the later known Kingmaker, Ernest Sinclaire, and the late and beloved Marianna Howard, who was later santified by order of her husband. A great beauty, she was beloved as she was respected by her peers, with beautiful golden hair that shone as bright as the sun itself, with almond blue eyes that were as enthralling as the sea, as a child she was precocious, vivacious and charming, capable of getting her way with only looking at one in the eye. As a teenager, she was sent over to the monks of Arboria for a rigid and exhausting training over her sun powers and combat, as well as to learn the sacred knowledged passed from heir to heir.

On her seventeenth birthday, she rode a pegassus back to the capital, draped over a beautiful baby blue dress that showed her figure, her hair now down and reaching down her knees with a beautiful high tiara full of sapphires and jades, and on the top of it, a golden sun that made her look taller than she already was at 1.76m, her height clearly inherited from her father. Soon, she became the empire's most beloved, often wearing blue and golden dresses, with rich jewelled brocades, accompanied by girdles of pearls that the mermaids of the Neropolian Sea gifted her, her neck always covered in either white lace or heavy diamond necklaces, a flower ring on each of her hands of silver and its center an amber stone, her hair was always with a half-updo, often her hair cascading in golden streaks that glistened in the light. She could also be seen with elaborate and complex updos, finished with braids on top of her head, its sides and finally down. Many poets wrote of her alluring aroma of cinnamon, lavender and white roses, and it was rumoured that for the paleness of her skin she often practised Saskia's bath, with milk, honey, aloe vera and argan oil, and that she used red rose petals and ice for a smooth skin, and used eggs and olive oil for a long, healthy and thick hair, and that she ate two mint leaves for a fresh breath.

However, she also trained heavily, often recalling the drills of her tutors, and could speak twelve languages by the time she came back from Arboria, and donated heavily to charity, funded water systems, schools, hospitals, food banks and heavily promoted the education of girls of lower classes, and even visited the most remote areas of the empire with her usual companions, for the princess was never seen without her beloved sisters, Princess Olympia and the Lady Jenna Howard, who were her most trusted friends, as well as her ladies in waiting, to whom she spoiled and treated like kin.

While the court whispered that she was proud and haughty, always having something to say to the nobles who exerted their power over others, the people loved her dearly for her charitable, kind and intelligent disposition, always hosting hearings and awarding the most accomplished citizens every Spring Solstice in a beautiful yet modest ceremony in her personal castle, where she gave awards and a hefty monetary sum to those who stood out in humanities, art, sciences, society and politics, always providing a bountiful banquet, in which she always encouraged her staff to go to the human Earth to give the food that wasn't eaten to those whom the humans left to starve and fend for themselves.

She was also the muse for every respected artist, and her portraits were always a sight to behold. All the men and women from court and beyond wished for her hand, bards and poets sung song and poems about her beauty, knights fought for her favour every bi-yearly joust and adventurers risked their lives to bring her the most beautiful pieces in exchange for her affections, and foreign princes and important entities offered the most generous alliances and offers in exchange for her hand in marriage.

This last was always rejected by Lord Ernest, who loved his precious jewel so much that he declared she should marry whom she loved most, not the highest bidder. Her stepmother, the empress, also loved her dearly despite not being kin, often calling her 'my dearest daughter', and was the most loved among her siblings, Percival, Frederick, Gia and Jenna. She was, indeed, the Empire's Darling, loved and wanted among all.

[angelsandemons]

Songs to Write My Muse. Whether it be melodies that give you inspiration for your muse or songs that get you into the writing mood — pick ten songs that give you the urge, the drive or the creativity to write for your muse!

Am I Wrong — Nico & Vinz. || Am I wrong for thinkin' out the box from where I stay? // Am I wrong for sayin' that I choose another way? // I ain't tryin' to do what everybody else doin' // Just cause everbody doin' what they all do.

ECHO — Gumi. || Why can't I see all the colors that you see? // Please can I be colorful and free? // I'm gonna burn my house down into an ugly black // I'm gonna run away now and never look back.

Raise Your Glass — P!nk. || So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways // All my underdogs, we will never be anything but loud and nitty gritty // Dirty little freaks // Slam slam oh hot damn // What part of party don't you understand?

Die Young — Kesha. || Young hearts, out our minds // Runnin' till we outta time // Wild childs, lookin' good // Livin' hard just like we should // Don't care whose watching when we tearing it up, you know // That magic that we got nobody can touch, for sure // Looking for some trouble tonight, yeah // Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side // Like it's the last night of our lives, uh-huh // We'll keep dancing till we die.

Primadonna Girl — Marina. || All I ever wanted was the world // I can't help that I need it all // The primadonna life, the rise and fall // You say that I'm kinda difficult, but it's always someone else's fault // Got you wrapped around my finger, babe //You can count on me to misbehave. // Would you do anything for me? // Would you get down on your knees for me? // I know I've got a big ego // I really don't know why it's such a big deal, though.

Dark Horse — Katy Perry ft. Juicy J. || I knew you were, you were gonna come to me // And here you are, but you better choose carefully // 'Cause I, I'm capable of anything, of anything and everything // Make me your Aphrodite // Make me your one and only // But don't make me your enemy, your enemy. // So you wanna play with magic? // Boy, you should know what you're fallin' for. // Baby, do you dare to do this? // 'Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse // Are you ready for a perfect storm? // 'Cause once you're mine, once you're mine, there's no going back.

Bad Blood — Taylor Swift. || Did you have to do this? // I was thinking that you could be trusted // Did you have to ruin what was shining? // Now it's all rusted // Oh, it's so sad to think about the good times, you and I // 'Cause baby, now we got bad blood, you know it used to be mad love // So take a look what you've done // 'Cause baby, now we got bad blood // Now we got problems, and I don't think we can solve 'em // You made a really deep cut, and baby now we got bad blood.

Control — Halsey. || I'm bigger than my body // I'm colder than this home // I'm meaner than my demons // I'm bigger than these bones // And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me" // I can't help this awful energy // Goddamn right, you should be scared of me // Who is in control?

Look What You Made Me Do — Taylor Swift || Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time // I got a list of names, and yours is in red, underlined // I check it once, then I check it twice, oh! // I don't like your kingdom keys // They once belonged to me // Ooh, look what you made me do. // You asked me for a place to sleep // Locked me out and threw a feast (what?) // The world moves on, another day another drama, drama // But not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma // And then the world moves on, but one thing's for sure // Maybe I got mine, but you'll all get yours.

We'll Meet Again — Vera Lynn. || Let's say goodbye with a smile, dear // Just for a while dear, we must part // Don't let this parting upset you // I'll not forget you, sweetheart // We'll meet again // Don't know where, don't know when // But I know we'll meet again some sunny day // Keep smiling through, just like you always do // 'Til the blue skies chase those dark clouds far away.

Also two bonus ones that I wasn't sure were appropriate for this since they are so intrinsically tied to Bill, but felt wrong not to include all the same:

Primadonna Bill because I'm not remotely the first one to see how well "Primadonna Girl" fit Bill, and Knitting Giant Beanies did a full parody song for it. Sadly the original does not seem to be around anymore, so this AMV is the best I can provide.

It's Gonna Get Weird because this is literally his unreleased Disney villain song we were robbed of in the actual series.

I also realize "We'll Meet Again" is literally a song Bill sang on the show, but it predates Gravity Falls so I still think it gets to be in the main list.

tagged by: @firstwcman

tagging: @cast-you-dxwn, @widdlestwucifer, @themosthatedbeingg, @a-hell-of-a-time, @blitzbuckz, @stolsas, @hells-greatestdad, @keeperofquestions, @crimsonsharked, and literally anyone who wants to, consider yourself formally tagged by me because I'm dying to see it if you want to do it.

[my-favourite-zhent]

New Tricks - Chapter 6

Status: Work In Progress

Version: 2.01

Pairing: Rugan x AFAB!OC

Rating: NC-17 (This chapter PG-13)

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Summary:

Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young. Being the Southern Deliveries Manager for the Baldur's Gates Zhentarim is not an easy job. Between mentoring new recruits, juggling vicious coworkers and whip-cracking bosses, bandits are the least of Rugan's troubles. An encounter with a charming stranger on the job serves to only complicate his life all the more.

Notes:

Thank you to @captainsigge for beta reading the rewrite of this chapter and inundating the draft with lovely comments. She is author of Vera Við Aldr a cute and funny Tav x Rugan one-shot that can also be found here on Ao3. She also cracked the #Bellar tag with Auribus Teneo Lupum which is also on Ao3 here, and has a hilarious one shot about Brem and Garias called Wishing Veils.

Table of Contents

Read Here on AO3 or below the cut.

New Tricks - Chapter Six

Isolde stirred as a crack of sunlight streamed through the curtains, surprised to find herself wrapped up in Rugan's arms. He was pressed close against her back, one leg draped over her thigh. No doubt to alert him if she tried to abscond.

She hadn’t intended to stay the night. Still, it wasn't unpleasant, in fact it was strangely comforting. She wasn't usually the sort to linger after all was said and done, it made for awkward mornings more often than not.

For now at least, it wasn't awkward. The warmth of his embrace was a ward against the morning’s chill and Isolde allowed herself a contented sigh.

“Go back t’ sleep.” She felt the rumble of his voice more than she heard it, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

“You first.” Her voice a little sharper than she had intended, embarrassed at having been caught… doing what exactly?

“So you can run off with my coin purse?” He teased, his voice sending shivers down her spine. “No thank you.”

“Hey! I'm no–” She bit off her sentence remembering just how they had met.

“No what, lass?” His nose was against the nape of her neck now and she heard him inhale deeply. She pressed her hips back against him instinctively.

“Well I'm not that sort of thief.”

“What sort is that then?”

“The love ‘em and leave ‘em sort.” Though now that she thought about it that was her usual modus operandi, less the theft of course.

“You're certainly not leaving any time soon.” His hands roughly grasped her waist, pulling her achingly close. “C’mere.”

+++++

A few exquisite hours had passed before they had finally rolled out of bed. Isolde sat on a stool next to a basin of cold water, carefully washing away the morning’s exertions.

“Frost maiden’s tits, that's cold.” She hissed as the cloth brushed her thigh.

“I warned you, Izzy.” Amusement ringing in his voice. Rugan was seated on the bed, having already washed and pulled on his trousers. His yellow linen tunic slipped easily over his broad shoulders and she found herself staring as he rolled the sleeves up past his forearms.

‘Sune’s sake woman, you already spent all morning squealing under him like a stuck pig.’ She reprimanded herself internally.

As if sensing her gaze Rugan lifted his eyes to meet her, rakish smile at the ready.

“Need some help, lass?”

“I'm fine.” She averted her eyes and pretended to be consumed by the task at hand.

The bed creaked and she knew he had gotten up to approach her. When she finally looked back up he was already at her side.

“Never knew a woman who could be so insatiable and bashful at the same time.” He mused.

She wanted to make a retort but found her mouth had gone dry.

Rugan caressed her cheek gently before bending to place a long luxuriating kiss on her lips. He hummed to himself when he finally pulled away, his hand tracing her jaw.

“I'm off t’ find the lads, you’re welcome to come join me when you’re finished.”

She managed a sound of agreement, eyes fixed on his.

“Good lass.” Another smile that made her skin goosebump in ways the icy water hadn't managed. It had her eyes lingering on his departing figure and her mind cursing her weakness once he was out of sight. 

+++++

He hadn't been hard to find downstairs. Rugan's melodious voice floating from further back in the dining hall.

“Where's Brem at, then?”

“Said he needed to get back and keep Garias out of trouble.l,” replied the boy sitting across from him.

“Good luck with that, mate,” laughed the third man.

“Iz!” Rugan had turned and spotted her approach. “Izzy, come over here and meet the lads. Proper introductions are in order.”

“Surprised she didn’t run off already,” the third man scoffed.

“Hush you.” Rugan’s tone a shade darker than before.

He stood and gestured towards each of the lads in turn.

“This here's Olly, and that there is Bellar.  S’ppose it's already obvious that Olly's the decent one between the two. Lads this is Izzy.”

“Hello.” She smiled nervously as she took the seat Rugan offered her. “It's nice to formally meet.” 

When was the last time she had been presented to anyone?

“Good to see you again,” smiled Olly. “Scale anymore towers?”

“I certainly don't plan on it.” She laughed.

"I reckon you ain't found them tablets in 'is room, or else you’d ‘ave legged it with 'em by now.” Bellar commented as he went about picking his nails with his knife.

“Knock it off.” Darker still, and Bellar did shut up this time though he fixed Rugan with a disapproving stare.  The older man made a strange gesture with one hand that Izzy could not quite parse the meaning of and Bellar sucked his teeth in response.

“Olly, short for Oliver is it?” She asked to distract from whatever silent argument the other two were having.

“It is, my mum really liked olive trees.”

‘Gods he's adorable.’ Izzy thought with a smile.

“Why do I suspect that it was Rugan who gave you the nickname?”

“That's right, he said Oliver was too poncy to be a proper Zhent name.”

Izzy turned to Rugan eyes dancing with amusement. “Do you give everyone pet names?”

“Didn't give me one.” Bellar feigned being wounded.

“Ah lad, did no one tell you? We call you ‘Bell end’ when you're not around.” Rugan’s voice slipped into that familiar teasing lilt. It didn't have the same effect on Bellar as it did on her, however, as he simply scoffed in response.

“Bell end?” He sniffed. “Alright knobhead, you're just miffed cause you’re shite at cards.”

The conversation turned to more inane things then, the weather, and other idle bits of gossip. How they'd come from Baldur's Gate and the current state of the Tradeway. Banal but pleasant, and pointedly avoiding shop talk on both the parts of the Zhents and herself. When Izzy made her excuse to leave, Rugan escorted her to the door.

“Working today, are you?” He asked.

“Just picking up supplies really. And you?”

“No, we're on a bit of a holiday till we get back t’ the Gate. Be here for the next few days, and you?”

“The same,” she admitted after a moment's hesitation.

“Come back round for supper then.”

“Are you courting me?” The corners of her mouth pulled into an amused smile. “Rather unexpected for a Zhent on holiday.”

“I'm asking you to spend another night with me.” He pulled her into his embrace, breath hot on her neck. “And the next night too.”

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she hummed contentedly. “Don't already have another girl lined up?”

“I did, but she's not half as pretty as you.”

Izzy laughed and pulled back to see his face. “Alright, I’ll come see you tonight.”

“Good.” Rugan leaned forward and sealed the agreement with a kiss. He tasted faintly of salt and the way his stubble scratched at her cheeks sent a thrill to her core. Izzy’s pressed her hips forward into him on instinct, and she guessed he liked it by the way he pressed back.“Don't keep me waiting,” he murmured as he broke the kiss.”

She laughed as she pulled away to leave. “Goodbye Rugan.”

“Bye lass.”

+++++

Bellar stared hard at Rugan as he returned to the table.

“What?” Rugan asked innocently.“We ran into each other serendipitously.”

“Serendipitously? Is that a fancy word for being tailed then?”

“I spotted her first.”

“I'm right sure.”

“She seems very nice.” Olly added.

“Thank you Olly, I thought so too.”

“Unbelievable, the two of you,  ‘specially you Rugan. Setting a fine example for Olly, falling into the first ‘oney trap you see.”

“She's already helped us once, or have you already forgotten t’ extra coin in your purse?”

“That's just ‘ow a proper spy would fool you.”

Rugan waved his hand dismissively. “I’m done having this conversation. Now are we gonna see the city or are we going t’ sit around here all bloody day?”

“Wouldn't mind a bit of day drinking at this point.” Bellar muttered and Rugan shot him an annoyed look.

“I heard they have their own Blushing Mermaid here in Waterdeep.” Suggested Olly.

“Great, Bellar can get wankered at a cheap imitation of a true Baldurian landmark.” 

“This one's different, they've got mermaid servers.” Olly argued emphatically.

“That does sound like an improvement.” Bellar mused and Rugan couldn’t argue there.

+++++

“I still don't get ‘ow you fuck a mermaid.” Bellar slurred as he lurched out of the Blushing Mermaid many hours later.

“Maybe it’s like them birds where they sort of just mash together.” Rugan mused as he moved to steady a stumbling Bellar.

“Well birds have cloaca.” Olly interjected. “But fish are a bit different aren’t they? The female lays the eggs and then the male just sort of does his business on them.”

“‘e does his business on the eggs? What, so the fish don’t even properly touch each other?” Bellar was appalled.

“Where’d you pick that up, lad?”

“Read it in a book once.”

“What kind of filth are you reading then, Olly?” Bellar shook his head and laughed.

“It was Volo’s guide to the natural world!”

The discussion was interrupted by the sound of an explosion in the distance. A small group of screaming citizens ran past and Rugan grabbed the closest one, a middle aged halfling, by the collar.

“What’s goin’ on?!”

“Fight broke out between the Zhents and the thieves guild on Fish street!” The halfing shouted before resting himself free of Rugan’s grasp.

“Sounds like a problem for the locals.” Bellar remarked as another explosion resounded to the north. “‘specially with us in our civvies.”

“Normally I’d agree with you lad but all our things are back at the tavern.”

“Right, what I said, we’re in our civvies.” Bellar replied tentatively, not yet seeing the connection.

“The tavern’s on Fish street.” Olly supplied.

“Well ‘ow was I supposed to remember that when all the streets ‘ave stupid names?”

Rugan sighed as he watched a column of smoke rise in the general direction of the tavern.

“So much for our holiday.”

[marvellouslymadmim]

As usual, I’ve compiled a playlist to go along with your reading experience for Monstrous. You can find it on Spotify here.

Due to spoilery bits, the list and explanations are below the cut:

Part One: The Siren’s Son.

Fall into Me//Alev Lenz—Opening scene (six-year-old Eist on the beach with Mother).

I Come With Knives//IAMX—Eist arriving at the Ferryman Tavern, reunion with Cal.

Soft on Me//Lily Hayes—Calanthe awaking the next morning and realizing how far gone she is re: her feelings for Eist.

Undertow//Lisa Hannigan—The river scene.

Can’t Help Falling in Love - DARK//Tommee Profitt, brooke—The “show me” scene. Calanthe realizing that she can’t actually control Eist, and vice versa.

Beautiful Undone//Laura Doggett—The stairwell scene. Calanthe wanting to make sure Eist feels cherished.

The Wolf//Fever Ray—Eist and Cal hunting the werewolves in the forest.

Mr. Sandman//SYML—Eist’s fever-induced haze thoughts on Cal as she takes care of him.

Atta Blues//Emily Wolfe—“Let me burn” scene after Eist wakes.

Melody Noir//Patrick Watson—Final morning in Velhad. Eist reminiscing over the past two weeks, Cal challenging him to pursue her.

Troublemaker//Devon Gilfillian—Eist pulling Calanthe away from the tavern in Hengfors, and his thoughts about her chaos later on.

Sirens//Fleurie—Cal looking up at the moon and feeling a premonition about Eist.

Run From Me//Timber Timbre—Outro for Eist’s transformation scene.

Run//Wyvern Lingo—Calanthe surviving the night and looking for Eist the morning after.

The World Spins//Julee Cruise—At the inn in Gors Velen, Cal using her charm to command Eist to stay.

I Follow Rivers//Marika Hackman—Calanthe and Eist at the docks, saying goodbye.

Let Me Follow//Son Lux—Outro for part one. Eist realizing that it’s true love and he’s truly willing to do whatever it takes to survive and keep that love.

Part Two: The Dragon’s Daughter.

Inside//Chris Avantgarde, Red Rosamond—Opening scene (six-year-old Calanthe hearing the voice for the first time).

Torture//Liz Longley—Calanthe waiting for Eist to return.

Fire in the Water//Feist—Reunion at the Ferryman.

Fuel to Fire//Agnes Obel—Entering Ard Carraigh.

Bee Dance//Agnes Obel—Intro to Duny, Cal’s immediate on-alert response.

I Better Run//Kovacs—Teen Cal, trying to outrun the dragon.

My Skin//Natalie Merchant—Cal telling Eist her life’s story.

Fire Burnin’//Dead Posey—Cal after killing Duny.

Goodbye//Apparat ft. Soap&Skin—Eist comforting Calanthe, both promising to stay, now and always.

Bad Kingdom//May the Muse, Robot Koch—Calanthe telling Pavetta about Duny and their connection to the dragon.

Wolf Like Me//Lera Lynn ft. Shovels and Rope—Eist realizing that he’s experiencing side-effects and isn’t cured; Calanthe’s decision to simply embrace the moment and believe they will eventually find a cure.

Horizon//Aldous Harding—Cal watching over Eist during the full moon.

Loving, Loving//Vera Sola—Cal killing Roegner.

The War//SYML—Eist waking, realizing he isn’t cured.

Tenderness//Laura Gibson—Eist and Calanthe meeting for the very first time, “we shall do well.”

Angels//The xx—Eist and Cal enjoying the month in Ard Carraigh and simply focusing on each other.

Exist for Love//AURORA—Eist and Cal realizing that the cure worked; the stairwell scene and Eist realizing he’d dreamt it all before.

Her & the Sea//CLANN—Epilogue. Eist waiting on the beach for Cal to return.

[jolenes-doppelganger]

Twisted Motives (Chpt. 3)

Larissa Weems x Fem!reader

Chapter One Chapter Two

Chapter 3: Insipid Qualities

Summary: Tensions boil higher as Y realizes just how much Larissa knows about her community, how much she could gain from the D'je tribe's downfall. Angry and resentful of the matriarch, Y finds herself on the offensive side. One wrong turn leads Y straight into a delicate encounter with Larissa, and both women find themselves equally flustered by the strangely tensioned moments that ensue.

Established worldbuilding is critical- Read previous chapter(s)!

Warnings: Angst, terrible side character names, Y is a victim of 'Nothing New' by Taylor Swift

Word Count: 2.6k words

The smell of burning sage, roasted corn and minimal campfire smoke filled the air as the D'je tribe prepared for the Reunification ceremony. Following the splendid recovery of all the children involved in the D'je Burning, a cleverly titled name given to the tragedy that had befallen the community two weeks prior. All tribespeople were dressed in their finest attire, lorid and saerth both elegant and deep shades of burgundy, violet or navy blue. This was in accordance with the darkening moon, just a few days before the New Moon would darken the skies once more. Y and her family still wore deep brown and black clothing. They were in mourning, and would be until the next waning moon.

The ceremony was beautiful. Children played about near the campfire, flutes were played and drums beat as the men wailed their joyful songs up into the air. It was the kind of break the tribe had been looking for. The children who had survived the fire each wore a special necklace made from the charred wood of the gathering hall. They wore it with pride, smiling through their bandaged hands and arms, youthful and giggling as their elders showered them with whispered praise and the occasional sweet. It warmed Y's heart.

Entering into the center of the rabble, her mother clung close to her side, carefully murmuring support into her ear as Y went to greet Chief Vera. Two weeks had passed since Y had given testimony to the high council, which consisted of both Chief Vera and several prominent members of the community, including Avera, the twin sister of Chief Vera's deceased brother, and the holy woman of the tribe. The holy man, Belo, was also in attendance at this meeting, although he wasn't half as concerned as the women had been.

"She's a freak, just like the rest of us!" he'd groaned. "Y has no reason to be this upset, or upset the rest of the tribe with this news!"

"But that isn't true!" Avera bit back, "She has a leverage over our tribe now, and as a woman with quite a lot to gain, I doubt she will leave us be, especially with all the love the Nevermore community has received following the memorial,"

Y winced at Avera's deep glare. She'd be glaring at herself like that if she'd been in Avera's place. But regardless of her pushover speech or the victims she'd painted the tribe out to be, hostilities were the least of the council's worries.

"Remind us how you know that Larissa Weems recognized you?" Chief Vera somberly asked.

"She gave it away in an argument we had,"

'The argument?" Vera sighed , glancing over the rim of her wire glasses.

"A heated discussion regarding my decision to leave Nevermore following the end of the spring semester," Y clarified.

The council nodded, and Y watched her mother rub her temples from her peripheral.

"Well, you said she referred to both of you as freaks," Chief Vera sighed. "Could it be that our religious practices make her uncomfortable?"

"I doubt it," Y huffed. "She's too interested in them,"

"It could be that she is atoning for an internal prejudice," Avera mused.

The council nodded.

"So she saw you," Belo deadpanned.

"Yes," Y admitted.

"Well then. There's nothing we can do about that. Go get some sleep, child. The elders will consider this,"

"Belo, I assure you that this meeting is mine to mediate," Vera frowned. "But yes, there is nothing you can do. You may be dismissed,"

Gathering herself back to the present moment, Y nodded at Avera and Belo, turning to pay homage to Chief Vera.

"Chief Vera, leader of the D'je," Y began, reaching out to grab Vera's hands, as was customary, "I feel your heart,"

"I feel your heart", Vera echoed.

Repeating the greeting with the other elders, Y worked through the high council and the elder council, breathing a sigh of relief as she finished the rite. Smiling at the children that ran past, Y took a moment to allow the joy of her tribe race through her, noting the energy that clung to the ground they walked upon.

"I feel your heart," Y said, to no one in particular.

<^*----------------*^>

Thick drapes clung over the leaky windows of Larissa's office, dampening the sound of rainfall on the glass panes. No papers sat scattered on Larissa's desk, a rare occurrence in her usually clutter-muddled life. A clean person by nature, her chosen occupation had an irritating way of littering her life and her most frequented perches. None of this seemed important given the circumstances. Larissa would be meeting with Y following her extended absence from the school. Leave was a privilege most staff members were granted following both customary warning and approval from Principal Weems herself, but circumstances were delicate in this situation.

Y was late. She'd given notice, of course, but it irked Larissa. This meeting was overdue. By two weeks.

"Brilliant, just brilliant," Larissa cursed under her breath. Delayed meetings meant delayed days, and a schedule so prone to being screwed up didn't slow her already tarnished reputation in terms of time-keeping.

Abandoning any wisp of patience, Larissa dialed Y's number, a series of digits she'd grown accustomed too, given how often they'd been dialed within the past three weeks. The line rang, and finally a voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Principal Weems, I just exited the parking lot-"

"Good," Larissa huffed, doing her best not to sound cross.

"I'll be there before you can open the door," Y answered.

Opening her mouth to utter her disbelief, Larissa was pleasantly surprised by the two sharp knocks that hit her door.

"Come in," She called, thumbing the 'end call' button.

Y rushed in, face flushed and a wet from the rain. She hadn't bothered to grab an umbrella. The sense of urgency was somewhat comforting to Larissa.

"I won't trouble you with an excuse for my absence," Y mumbled, hastily taking a seat across from Larissa.

"I wouldn't accept it anyways," Larissa replied, offering a tight-lipped smile.

Leisurely reaching for a folder in her right-side drawer, Larissa placed a few inconsequential documents on the table, nothing worth more than a glance, but still effective in eliciting some degree of severity to the moment.

"Before we begin," Y broke in, "Can we promise each other that we will be more civil? You and I don't have the greatest track record when it comes to work-related meetings,"

"Civil? Oh I'm always civil," Larissa blatantly denied.

"Hmm. Just me then," Y glowered. "Oh kay,"

"Let's cut the bullshit, I'm sick of it Ms. Y," Larissa exclaimed. "You've given this school a terrible time with your absence, regardless of the ease your sub plans have given the other staff members who fill in your class,"

Her words hurt, and Y felt a momentary sting of anxiety course through her stomach. This would be just like last time.

"I'm sorry Principal Weems,"

"I am not finished!" Larissa critiqued. "Tragedy or not, you have done a terrible job circumventing the extra labor this leave has placed upon Nevermore,"

Y felt herself completely tense up, and then she slumped into her seat. It was best to just let the anger of her coworker go through her. She would deal with the emotional baggage later, but still, some of it would be felt in the moment.

"Oh please, don't start crying," Larissa sighed. "I don't want to be the bad guy here, it's just-"

Taking her head in her hands, Larissa let out a defeated laugh. Shaking her head, she leveled her head and a tired smile shown through the tears.

"I've always been terrible with authority, especially discipline," she excused.

"My problem comes with receiving discipline," Y admitted.

Reaching for Y's hands, Larissa took both sweaty palms in hers.

"We'll work through our issues together then, yes?"

Y nodded, smiling at the momentary respite from the weeks long conflict. A compromise was easily made in this way. Y would return in two days time, and her students would be managed by rotations of staff member in a way that respected everyone's time. The meeting was close to ending earlier than was planned, and both women were at ease.

"Well, now that we are finished with that," Larissa laughed, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Y smiled, looking at anything but Larissa as she tried to repress the accusatory questions that had bubbled in her from the start of the meeting.

"Go on, I won't bite," Larissa baited.

"I'm not in the best place for that discussion," Y gently excused.

"I have nothing of pressing importance to attend to," Larissa lied, "Please, go ahead,"

"Oh, it's not time that worries me, it's just, my mental state,"

Larissa sighed, a big heavy sigh. "Darling, I am not judgmental, nor am I to be feared, please, I am here to help,"

Y breathed in harshly. The doe eyes and sweet smile seemed predatory, her hands were sharply manicured and white canines menacing under the past they shared. What was she planning, why was she pushing for more answers? Was she looking for more fodder to fatten up the metaphorical cow?

"Ms. Weems-"

"-Larissa," she lazily interjected.

"Larissa, yes, I can't ask those questions right now, I'm far too frustrated-"

"-With me?" She worriedly asked.

"Not with you!"

"-The culprit behind the fires, I see,"

"Would you stop interrupting me?" Y yelled.

A beat filled the room, distant rainfall quieting the atmosphere.

"I am a tool of counsel, and I insist you tell me what you are so worked up over," Larissa hummed.

"And I am telling you that I am not ready for that conversation," Y replied.

Rolling her eyes, Larissa gave Y a patronizing smile.

"You can run, but only so far,"

She was so irritating. Sitting there with that stupid smile plastered on her face, feigning innocence, pretending to be a kind person, a person that wanted to help Y, as if she hadn't helped enough.

"Fine, you want to do this now, we can do this now," Y sneered.

"Do what, come on Y-" Larissa groaned, "You can't get this defensive every time we reach an obstacle in our relationship,"

"Our relationship?" Y cackled, "As if we're friends, or even friendly,"

Larissa gave a disgusted look, pushing away from Y, sitting as straight as possible.

"Spit it out," she groaned, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Just admit it!"

"Admit what?" Larissa shouted. "You're the one with the vendetta,"

"Only because you won't stop trying to use me!"

"Oh fuck me," Larissa hissed under her breath, rising up to tower over Y. "I do not hate you, I am not out to get you, and I'm not sure where you got that idea," she ranted.

"You called me a freak," Y raved. "That's what you said the last time, you said that you were a freak, like me!"

Raising her hands up, Larissa scrambled for some kind of defense before crumpling back into her chair, eyes searching the ceiling for a reprieve from the nasty conversation.

"I did not mean to attack you," Larissa pleaded. "God, why does it always have to be so exhausting with you?"

"Just admit what you saw that night," Y tempted.

"What night?" Larissa hushed, growing rigid.

"That night in the forest, the night a few weeks ago when those bodily remains were found on Cooper hill or wherever. It was on rez territory,"

Larissa blankly stared at a spot on her desk. Maybe an ink mark, it didn't matter. Y sensed an advantage, a momentary lapse in Larissa's masking abilities.

"What were you doing that night?" Y pressed.

"It doesn't matter, and as far as I'm concerned, I saw nothing," Larissa appealed.

Y smiled, a deliberately predatory smile. "You're right. You saw absolutely nothing."

Larissa's upper lip twitched, once, twice, and then she slammed her hands on the desk.

"Do not threaten me!" Larissa commanded.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Y smiled, "I wouldn't start such a terrible game,"

"If you're after a game, I will give it to you," Larissa hissed. "And I play dirty,"

Slowly extending her frame, Y watched as the principal of Nevermore gracefully sauntered over towards Y. Attempting a hasty retreat, Y swallowed the ball of dread and bile that climbed up her throat. Reaching a perfectly manicured hand out, Y was shoved back into her chair by the raging inferno that was Larissa Weems. Bending down, down, down, Larissa eyes met Y's, and for the first time Y noticed just how blue they were.

"Oblige me, and put this messy business behind us, shall we?" she crooned.

In the low light her irises were dilated to extreme proportions. Her breath was peppermint, coffee-breath still clinging to the edges of her exhales. Pores stood out on her cheeks, light wrinkles around her mouth and in the corners of her eyes. Y wasn't paying attention to the words, rather the face they came from. She noticed a small discrepancy in her eyeliner, and reasonably theorized she'd been in a bit of a hurry getting ready. Unbeknownst to Y, Larissa was doing the same, studying her face, the many small imperfections that love would have made beautiful. In doing so she focused on Y's lips, for a period longer than was customary.

If it hadn't been for Y's equally investigative gaze, she never would have noticed. And if Larissa hadn't been that close, she never would have seen the slight pink twinge that hit her cheeks, the widening of her eyes. Both women broke from the stand-off, equally flustered.

"Pardon me," Larissa croaked, turning away, hands placed on her desk. "You may leave,"

Y did her best to elegantly collect herself, but rather, she flew out of the room, a semblance of a goodbye whispered before she broke out in a sprint to her car. Slamming the door behind her, Y glanced back toward Larissa's office, and caught the frame of the woman, studying Y as she left. Blonde curls sat delicately pinned on her head, hands supporting her body as peals of lightning briefly illuminated her gaze. Her face was too far to read, but Y sensed it was unpleasant.

Pulling out of the drive, Y tuned out most of her playlist, focusing on driving and just getting away from the woman who'd brought her too close to spilling it all, risking both her job and her reputation. Finally far away enough, Y sighed, listening to the soft sound of guitar. Humming along to the tune, Y began to softly sing along.

"Lord what will become of me, once I've lost my novelty?" Taylor sang over the speakers.

"I've had too much to drink tonight, and I know it's sad but this is what I think about, and I wake up in the middle of the night, it's like I can feel time moving...."

How can a person know anything at 18 but nothing at 22? And will you still want me, when I'm nothing new?

Pulling into her driveway, Y wiped away a few tears, and shuffled past her dying houseplants. Face-planting into a pillow, Y didn't bother to adjust her posture, she just cried into her pillow.

Sitting in her office, glass of wine in hand, Larissa Weems watched the fire crackle, memories from the last time she'd been in love floating through her head. This wasn't the same, but it was enough to make her question her years of solitude.

'I'm nothing new," Larissa wryly chuckled. "This isn't either,"

Tag List: @winters-witch-bitch @hecatescrystaldagger @the-fuck-do-i-know

A/N: Shoot me a message if you want to be added to the tag list- It does not violate my DNI policy! (Strictly business lol). Anyways, sorry for teasing you guys AGAIN. I just want to slow burn the hell out of this bc it's fun and it fits. I plan on spitting out a Lucifer Morningstar fic before the next chapter, and it's only because I have some big brain thinky thoughts that must be put on the digital equivalent of paper before I go insane <3

[esuemmanuel]

Bella, qué hermosamente única eres tú, pues yaces a la postre de mi vera sin esperar ni buscar nada de mí, sólo aguardas por mirarme y soltar al viento tu querer en líneas que musitan el cantar de tu latir… Y así escribes lo que sientes —tan libre y tan tuya—, que desvistes al ciego para hacerlo gemir con el suave roce de tus dedos al confesarte amante fiel de mi existir.

Beautiful, how beautifully unique you are, because you lie at the end of my side without expecting or looking for anything from me, you only wait to look at me and release to the wind your love in lines that muse the song of your heartbeat... And so you write what you feel -so free and so yours-, that you undress the blind to make him moan with the soft touch of your fingers when you confess to be a faithful lover of my existence.

[beyondthegame]

• hanging out together often with Cy, please! Thank you!

“Are you coming out with us after training?” L asks. There’s been chatter for a few days about the team going out to celebrate winning the game yesterday.

But you shake your head. “No, I’ve got plans. I’m meeting up with Cy.”

L physically pauses. They stop zipping their bag for a moment before looking at you with a smile. “You do that a lot.”

“What?”

“Meet. Meet up with Cypress.” The smile hasn’t left their lips.

You arch a brow. “Are you implying something?”

L hums, and for a moment they consider their words. “Cypress is one of the most reserved people I know. The two of you spending time together, I don’t know, it just feels like it means something.”

—

You’d be lying if you said L’s words hadn’t been playing on your mind. From when you went home to shower and change, to meeting Cypress at the quiet park. The two of you are walking side by side, hands stuffed in your pockets to battle the London cold.

“Congratulations, by the way,” Cy says beside you whilst loose strands of their hair float in the wind. “You played well.”

You feel a smirk play on your lips. “A compliment and praise,” you tease. “Who are you and what have you done with my idol Cypress de Vera?”

They roll their eyes, letting their gaze flit from you to your surroundings. “I’m sure the idolisation phase has faded now. Plus, I’m not that much of a bitch.”

“True,” you murmur with a chuckle. “Just someone who’s incredibly hard to impress.”

They raise a brow at your words. “You’ve managed it,” Cy muses.

Their reply isn’t what you expected at all, so much so that you abruptly stop. Cypress takes an extra step forward before turning to glance at you, they take in your slightly shocked expression before narrowing their eyes.

“Okay. I’ll rephrase: you’ve managed to impress me once or twice. Nothing to write home about,” they say in a sterner tone, more trying to convince themselves than you.

You snort. “Bullshit. You adore me and my company.” You join their side again to continue your walk.

“Not so much right now,” Cypress jokes.

You ponder for a moment, suddenly realising L’s words aren’t going to escape your mind until you mention them out loud.

“But you do, right? Enjoy my company?”

Cypress studies your features for a brief moment before giving a short nod. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” They smoothly glide in front of you to bring you to a stop again. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

It’s interesting that even under only street lights and twinkling stars, it’s all enough to illuminate Cypress’s best features. The lighter flecks of brown in their eyes, the tiny heart-shaped birthmark in their jaw, the traceable outline of their lips…

“We meet up a lot,” you utter, trying to shift your thoughts and gaze from Cypress’s mouth. “L thinks it means something…more.”

Cypress tenses slightly. “L thinks it means something more…” they trail off, reiterating your words before they tilt their head. “And what do you think?”

“I…” you begin. “I don’t know. It’s not really something we’ve spoken about.”

They take a step closer to you and you don’t move back. This time you can’t tell whether Cypress tenses or relaxes, but you can tell that they’re watching you intently.

Their lips part after they wet them. “Well,” they say in a soft tone. “I’ll be the first to say that if you want this to mean something, it can.”

[stingslikeabee]

meet the mun

1. what made you pick up the current muse(s) you have?

I always credit Melissa to a combo of three particular things: a) my personal interest and passion for the Japanese nightlife scene and its uniqueness; b) the movie 'Sucker Punch' (and particularly the character of Vera Gorski); and c) a post that once made the rounds when I first joined the FFVII rpc that wondered if the Turks didn't visit Wall Market for the chili fries or because the girls happened to have the best intel.

And then it was like something clicked inside - I sudden had this 'vision' and Melissa was born after some crafting as a brothel madame who had strong mama bear/caring and nurturing vibes and who had set herself in opposition to Corneo. The two alternatives in terms of earning people's loyalty (fear/love), a cold war of sorts, a lot of fun and layered dynamics to play with from a Wall Market perspective (such as trading intel, working as an informant, etc) and tying in to the game main events.

I always preferred to pick 'minor' muses or to craft characters that fill in spaces and make a world livelier - Melissa just felt right. I guess she works nicely because no one ever thought it was absurd to have Corneo as a nemesis - even with Remake revamping the HBI and making it something else, I decided to stick to my OG view and I was incredibly well-accepted! :)

2. is there anything you don't like to write?

I am very plot driven - and therefore threads that are just winging something and with no ulterior purpose just bore me and I lose muse fast. I like threads to be like book chapters, with an objective in mind - once that's done, I prefer wrapping it up and starting a new one. Smaller things I deal with in asks (although there is nothing preventing me from turning an ask into a thread when it sparks the good muse food).

So I tend to have a basic, over-arching plot line to follow and I enjoy discussing it offline with my partners so we can ask each other what we are thinking in terms of next steps, if a certain event would be interesting, etc. Believe me, this doesn't take away the surprise - I have been hit by unexpected feelings so many times, I love it.

In addition to that, I struggle with fighting/action sequences (I am just super bad at it), overly descriptive things (a room, someone's clothes, a landscape). It just feels like everything I have ever studied about English goes out of the window and my writing turns super dull, I hate it.

3. is there anything you really enjoy writing?

Emotional stuff - of any kind. I have found out that my preferred writing method is one that mixes a lot of thoughts, emotions and bits of lore together, so although a given reply may not give much in terms of objective actions, it will make room for further emotional or introspective discussions to happen. Characters working out their own feelings and perceptions in relation to certain things is a favorite of mine and my replies are frequently novella-like because Melissa thinks (and feels) so damn much.

I also do like setting the scene (as in giving context for a particular interaction) in starters or asks and expanding on lore. Worldbuilding is another favorite of mine and I often make extensive research into stuff that is only going to be briefly mentioned in a thread. Other than that, I'm also into sharing/including NPCs to make the flow of a thread feel more like a book and crafting these small cameos is super fun.

Oh - I do enjoy writing the usual shippy things (including those on the platonic side of things), particularly with Melissa who has such a strong preference for these themes when compared to other muses. However, without plotting (and since she's an OC), it all feels very soulless if I don't know how to get there in a way that makes sense or seems to be aligned with every character involved.

4. how do you come up with headcanons?

I get inspired by different types of media and a lot of real-life references. For general lore/worldbuilding, I tend to leverage from historical or current events whenever possible, all the while trying to tie these things with the existing canon; for muse-specific verses, anything can spark an idea: a quote in a movie, a song, a certain TV show.

5. do you write in silence or do you play music?

I always have music on - it tends to change depending on the specific verse or muse, but I generally have key songs to fall to while writing.

6. do you plan your replies or wing them?

I plan them as a rule (including asks and memes) - even if it's mostly in my brain and as a general line that I want to follow so I can go from A to B within a few paragraphs. It doesn't always work, though - sometimes I rework the entire idea, or get hijacked by the muse and directed to something else instead.

7. do you enjoy shipping?

Yes - I adore it, and building connections and creating ships is something I really like to do, from discussing it to dropping aesthetic posts to a customized tag. For Melissa in particular, they play a large and significant role as she is someone very much transformed and shaped by love and attachment to people, so my ships for her invariably become a part of much larger and complex verses.

This also goes for platonic dynamics - I like the concept of ships because they allow me to visualize a setting/plot much better and build around it with so many little additions that it feels alive and organic. I start creating timelines and events and it is just so satisfying to see it all coming together.

One thing I have learned with time is that, despite enjoying shipping, I like to be able to talk/connect to the other mun offline (talking about it and plotting is fun!) but also I try to be selective to the point of exclusivity. Because I am so plot-driven, I end up building so much around one variant/portrayal of a given character that I just become partial to it and blind to others - and because I don't want to project my dynamics onto duplicates, I'm multi-single-ship as a result (as in multiple ships, but just a single one per each muse - although exceptions sometimes apply).

8. what's your alias/name?

Mari, because that's how everyone calls me anywhere, anytime. I actually get confused/bothered if my full name is used because it sounds more serious and I just think it's either a stranger calling me or a boss/my mother being angry, haha.

9. age?

Old enough to remember the hype re. having a Blockbuster card around here; these where the premium video rental shops, haha (and nope, I never had one, I only wished I had).

10. birthday?

A late winter/early spring child! As a kid I thought I was born in spring and loved it, but then I realized spring is just later in September and that I was actually a winter kid by a few days, haha. But growing up, winter (winter as I know it, mind you) became my favorite season, so it was all good!

11. favorite color(s)?

Used to be black, silver and blue but these days I'm super fond of turquoise and shades of green? I seemingly cannot settle on a single one forever.

12. favorite song(s)?

I am contractually required to always reply with 'GLAY' and 'Yuuwaku' haha (this song is so damn important in my life). Here's an awesome video to introduce you to my favorite band.

13. last movie you watched?

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' - one of my top 10 favorite movies, one of my top 5 movie openings, one of my top 3 Fincher movies.

14. last show you watched?

I just finished (re)watching 'Nana', only this time I made it to the last episode. I forgot how emotional this show made me feel and how epic the soundtrack is.

15. last song you listened to?

'Raise Your Glass' by P!nk, a courtesy of my spotify shuffling things haha.

16. favorite food?

I never know what to say here, there is just SO MUCH I love? I think pasta generally ranks very high, followed by pastel and pão de queijo. On the sweet side, I am obsessed with coconut and paçoca.

17. favorite season?

I might have spoiled it here, but it's winter - again, my winter. Brazilian winter. Tropical winter. The winter I have experienced in the Netherlands was depressing, dark and horrible where my nose bled, my skin cracked, I got shocked every time I touched anything metallic and I was just miserable; I love blue skies with sunshine and something below 20 degrees outside.

18. do you have a tumblr best friend?

I do! I mean, I could just say that I have a bunch of really awesome mutuals and I wouldn't be lying; or that I am closer to some than to others, and that would also be true. But it's no secret that @dojimakaichou is just on another level because Dawn and I talk every day to the point I feel weird if we don't; we don't just talk about roleplay, we talk about everything, we have weekly movie dates, we send each other gifts, we record videos for our families and we spent 10 days together last year with plans for more annual encounters. :) She's my bestie (and not just a 'tumblr' bestie) and honestly I only wish we lived closer but we make do!

tagged by: @bitterarcs cursed me (and I loved it!) tagging: anyone who wants to - this has gone around for some time now so I'm pretty sure I'd be tagging people again~

[moonspower]

✨ on the dark sea / the road of silver continues to the stars / this is a message brought by the moon.

🌙 s𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬.

1. What does your muse smell like?

virote has a lovely collection of perfume and body mists that he really enjoys. some of them are a little on the typical, high-end of the spectrum like various perfumes from the jasmine + woodsy alien by mugler. then, you have your demeter fragrance oddball scents like petrichor, that smells exactly like the ozone / petrichor of a fallen rain on the dirt. warm, earthy, and ozone. he smells like the weather. whenever you’re close to him, you smell a summer rainstorm. this is usually layered OVER something else! here are a few choice picks he likes to layer with it:

- CHLOE SEVIGNY’S LITTLE FLOWER BY REGIME DES FLEURS / black tea, bleeding heart, blackcurrant bud, peony, palo santo incense, pomelo, honeysuckle, and a precious ottoman rose absolute. described as romantic, dewy, and woody musk.

- AYAMORI’S HINOKI ONSEN / geranium, jasmine sambac, red mandarin, and vetiver. described as described as calming, mood elevating, soothing, and deep.

- MOLTON BROWN’S FIERY PINK PEPPER / pink pepper, ginger, tangerine, nutmeg, osmanthus, lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, labdanum, musk, patchouli, oakmoss, and cedar. very strong spicy fragrance. described as stirring, sultry, and smoldering.

BLACK ALCHEMY LAB’S FAIRY BITE / osmanthus, raw honey with lavender, chamomile, white peppermint, raspberry, honeysuckle, thyme, bergamot, and dracula orchid.

BLACK ALCHEMY LAB’S ICE / eucalyptus blossom, crystalline musk, white ginger, mint, and elemi. oddly described as a ruthless, cold metal, icicle scent.

if you stand too close to him and catch a whiff, you fall in love so uve been warned.

2. What do your muse’s hands feel like?

considering his skincare routine is some of the most hardcore shit in the name of beauty, his hands are just… pillow soft, smooth. he’s always putting on lotion, aloe vera, shea butter. especially shea butter. he finds that shea butter bring out the maximum softness™ in his hands. every friday night he’ll use hand masks for about 20 minutes and those are usually on the lower end of cost since hand masks aren’t super important to his skincare routine. theyre just extra. his favorites are the cheapo epielle hand masks from the dollar store with coconut oil, milk extract, hyaluronic acid. aaaand the tonymoly i’m lovely peach hand masks &lt;: )

3. What does your muse usually eat in a day?

in the morning, he’s usually making a smoothie and having some oatmeal to go with it. throw in a little fruit, maybe even some coffee if he feels like he might not make it through the day. for lunch, he usually opts for something quick, but fresh and satisfying like from a food truck since he’s probably gonna be on the run the moment he’s done. like tacos or kimbap! ESPECIALLY kimbap, he loves that shit. kimbap, some squid chips, and a seltzer water? yeah, babey.

for dinner, it really depends. he might cook something for himself! like curry and laab moo with some roti on the side, tom yum, xiaolongbao with cold noodles, hot pot, maybe some fried tofu with a little sauce over it with some rice maybe a couple of eggs on top of it all. if he orders something it ‘s usually cuban food, ‘cause his ass loves ropa vieja. sometimes indian or greek. japanese. if it’s japanese, he’s goin’ out for okonomiyaki.

as for snacking, he’s usually eating some sort of dried fruit, pistachios, super dark chocolate like 85% dark super bitter and not sweet at all, hummus over super crunchy bread… or some awful shit from taco bell and burger king if he’s having a bad day. he has a lot of bad days so find him at ya local taco bell, ordering a beefy five layer with a baja blast. anyway he loves trying new foods so if a restaurant opens up, he’s there.

4. Does your muse have a good singing voice?

it’s fair! you could even call it pretty. limited range, but pretty. he’s not gonna kill you with it until he tries to karaoke mariah carey. then no one’s surviving those crackly, shrill high notes… awful…….. he will never sing ‘ butterfly ’ without nearly dying…. everyone in the room passes away.

5. Does your muse have any bad habits or nervous ticks?

HIS WHOLE LIFE IS A BAD HABIT.

6. What does your muse usually look like / wear?

oh babey… i can’t even describe… but he dresses better than anyone u’ve ever met… don’t invite him to ur birthday, he’s gonna show up in vintage versace, on a white horse, while 70s underground disco plays. body chains everywhere. he’s so eclectic and fashionable and experimental. runway looks just to go to the store. of course for work he’ll just wear a suit or something casual lol. but outside of work????? u could see him in a $5000 la perla pajama set, eden boots, faux fur coat, and a pearl necklace just to get chips from the gas station. he’s ur glam babygirl…. he’s your goth boyfriend…

7. Is your muse affectionate? How much? How so?

affectionate enough so please don’t touch him a lot. lkjgfdlsgjkl. and idk, he has a hot-cold kind of personality, so sometimes he won’t even look at you. won’t touch you, won’t do anything. if he’s touching a friend, it’s usually when it’s a very intimate moment. like a serious talk or something. he’s not one to grab them up into hugs and shit. he’s not a cuddlebug. but in somber, solemn moments or moments where he wants to make a point, he may touch a hand very briefly. like a little flash of love and absolute trust and vulnerability.

even in his romantic relationships he’ll most likely sit on the waaay opposite end of the couch from his boyfriend if theyre talking. it’s really just best to express in some way that you want to touch him before actually doing it. like you don’t have to outright ask for permission but you need to be really careful about it and indicate something so you don’t weird him the fuck out.

he’s just never been a touchy person. being a domestic abuse survivor didn’t help.

with that said if there’s enough trust gained, he doesn’t mind! but that’s an upward climb that people rarely ever power through. vi’s affection is usually expressed through doing favors and stuff like that anyway.

vi has punched people in the face more than he’s hugged people on his blog and that’s just where he’s at as a person………..

8. What position does your muse sleep in?

vi’s the type to fall asleep wherever he falls so he could be twisted like a pretzel or laid out like a plank. you might even find him face down on his kitchen floor, making friends with the linoleum floors of his kitchen!! on his side, in the bathroom. bent up like a tangled slinky somewhere in his office. it’s like finding a dead body every time you find him sleeping except he’s alive and probably dreaming about kazuki kitamura in a wet t-shirt contest.

9. Could you hear your muse in the hallway from another room?

no and that’s exactly why he’s great at trespassing. u befriend him and ur asking for break-ins. u won’t even know he’s in ur kitchen, eating your french toast like some sort of shitty little moon raccoon. also he can phase thru ur walls? you are not catching him.

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