#And as we know of dreams - no matter how sweet- they must end once we wake up.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Alas, this beautiful dream could not last.

[thebiscuitlabryinth]

"...We're two sides of the same coin, aren't we?"

The whispered confession falls clumsily out of Pure Vanilla's mouth, almost dragged out, bitterly sweet and strange on his tongue. The words are addressed to his own stained candy glass visage, spilling tendrils of bright blue light across the Solarium of Unity despite the almost suffocating darkness invading the rest of the space.

He knows this isn't really the Solarium of Unity, and he knows he isn't just speaking to a window. The lurking shadows, thick like molasses and blinking every once in a while, give that away. Even if it didn't, there is a haziness here that exists only in dreams, and a lack of the deep tiredness that has been plaguing him as of late.

"Oh, are you finally ready to admit that?" Sure enough, Shadow Milk Cookie's voice comes from all sides, far too cheerful. The candy glass melts and warps before him, the blues darkening until Shadow Milk stands in his place, far more detailed than the artisan silhouette he replaced. His grin is mocking as he looks down at Pure Vanilla, who cannot help but feel uncomfortable at the sight of their appearances blurring together like that, even though he had been expecting something along those lines. "Too bad though – you can't admit something that's wrong!"

"Huh?" It catches Pure Vanilla by surprise. It had been difficult emotionally, but logically straightforward to admit they were two sides of the same coin. He couldn't imagine how that could be wrong, and acting upon an old habit from his student days, he finds himself frantically unravelling that conclusion in his head again to figure out the issue.

Shadow Milk doesn't give him the chance, tutting as he shakes his head in mock disappointment. "You must have a brain in there, can't you use it?" He laments theatrically, contorting himself into an odd shape against the edge of the window pane. Then, again barreling on before Pure Vanilla can reply, "Look, think of it like this. To say we're two sides of the same coin means that we have similarities, even if we are otherwise opposites. That is true to an extent, but it makes our differences sound way more clear cut than they actually are. It may be easier for you to believe, but we aren't really opposites. That would imply I am not whole, and I can assure you, Soul Jam aside, I am just as I always was!"

Ah, so it's a matter of wording. Pure Vanilla isn't sure why he is entertaining this - no, it's because he doesn't want to give Shadow Milk the satisfaction of turning away from the truth. Even now, Shadow Milk's eyes squint cheekily at him, daring him to try and end the conversation.

"Then... we are made of the same components in a different composition." Pure Vanilla tries, a little frustrated with his own hesitance, but it is difficult to tell how Shadow Milk wants him to answer when he isn't making it blatantly obvious.

"So close!" Shadow Milk sighs dramatically as he snaps his head to the side so sharply it makes Pure Vanilla wince, imagining the cracks that would cause on any other Cookie. "But you're relying on technicalities. It's much simpler than that."

It dawns on Pure Vanilla, then, exactly what Shadow Milk is aiming for, the realisation making his insides crawl. He doesn't have to say it, not really, but he isn't sure what Shadow Milk will do if he doesn't, and he unfortunately doesn't have the ability to wake himself up on command.

So he takes a deep breath, fidgeting with his staff as he says, even less than a whisper yet twice as loud. "We're... We're the same. Is that what you wanted me to say?"

"Ding-ding-ding!" Shadow Milk trills, suddenly reaching through the candy glass to grip the window frame and lurching forward across the threshold, leaving a mess of shattered glass behind his head like a halo. It startles Pure Vanilla, who instinctively shifts his foot back, only to be instantly locked in place as the reaching shadows soldify around his legs, its eyes winking up at him playfully. His grip on his staff tightens, willing it to shed its light, the beginnings of panic stirring within him at the restraint. The staff does, but the shadows seem to eat the light without a problem.

Pure Vanilla is so distracted by the shadows that he doesn't notice Shadow Milk's hands until they grab his face. His heart jumps in alarm, and his eyes dart up to find half of Shadow Milk leaning down out of the window, far too close. He is grinning at him, wide and self-satisfied, and his hands are cold and harsh. "See, I knew you had a working brain! Yes, the right answer is that we are one and the same."

He pinches and pulls at his cheeks, and Pure Vanilla tries to cringe away, tries to manuver his staff between them. It doesn't work, if only because hands emerge from the darkness to anchor his staff too.

"But that isn't true." Pure Vanilla mumbles when he isn't able to wiggle his way out and Shadow Milk still shows no signs of stopping, hoping the argument will make him lose interest in his face. "I admit that there are similarities between us, but we aren't really the same."

Shadow Milk pauses, his grip tightening until it borders on pain, and for a moment, Pure Vanilla thinks he may have miscalculated.

But then Shadow Milk snickers to himself, releasing his face entirely and pulling back, his hands resting lightly over Pure Vanilla's shoulders. The brush of weight keeps Pure Vanilla from relaxing, but it is a bit of added distance, at least.

"Aren't we? Well, you are the biggest liar, so I should have expected you would lie to yourself too." Shadow Milk hums, almost sounding delighted at this turn in conversation. It unnerves Pure Vanilla, because he had assumed his disagreement would annoy him.

Instead, Shadow Milk smirks, his many eyes glinting gleefully at him. "Listen carefully, Vani, because here's the truth." He says, his voice dipping into a wicked purr that seems to shudder through Pure Vanilla's whole body. "All the things you hate that I have done, you have the capability of doing too. After all, you've already used people for your own gain, haven't you?" Shadow Milk leans closer with a condescending lilt to his words, shifting his hands so he can wrap his arms loosely over his shoulders, and Pure Vanilla freezes under the touch. "Oh, I know you think it was necessary, but you still sent those naive, tiny Cookies off to carry out your errands for you, regardless of the dangers. That's only a few steps behind what I've done, you know, making people dance to my tune. The only difference between us is severity and time."

The words sink heavily to Pure Vanilla's stomach, not quite true but not quite not true, and he feels a little lightheaded, fingers twitching against his staff. Maybe it's because of that, or maybe it's because of his discomfort from the close proximity, but he finds himself distracted by the way Shadow Milk is talking. He carries his usual air of showmanship, but it is nowhere near as exaggerated as during his brief takeover of the Faerie Kingdom. With his insistence of specificity, his mention of technicalities, his structured method of explaining things, he almost sounds like a–

"We are the same," Shadow Milk repeats, tilting his head to the side, the glow of his eyes burning holes through Pure Vanilla, "and one day, you'll end up just like me."

A scholar.

That makes sense – at some point, his virtue had been Knowledge, and nobody seeks it out as fervently as a scholar – but it still feels like a surprise. Pure Vanilla had always known that Shadow Milk was different, once, but only in the sense that the fact existed in the back of his mind.

"No rebuttal, hmm? Are you ready to accept that?" Shadow Milk asks smugly, slightly impatient with Pure Vanilla's lack of response, but mostly watching him expectantly, as if waiting for a bomb to go off.

Pure Vanilla has never thought about what Shadow Milk might have been like, before he became like this. There was no reason to even consider it. But now, he can't help but wonder, because while he cannot imagine this chaotic, brutal Beast, this great unknown evil, as anything else – Shadow Milk still carries echoes from a past life that he doesn't seem to notice enough to hide with his lies.

"...If we are the same," Pure Vanilla finally scrapes his thoughts together enough to reply, carefully, "then doesn't that make the opposite possible too? That, one day, you will become like me and return to the light?"

Shadow Milk blinks once, his face falling blank. He blinks again, all of his eyes in quick succession.

And then he throws his head back and laughs, the movement jostling Pure Vanilla in the process with his arms still firmly around his shoulders. It sounds unhinged, ricocheting across the room, but it is openly amused. It makes Pure Vanilla antsy, especially with how it rings in his ears like an explosion from their closeness.

He wonders if Shadow Milk's laugh was different, before everything. It must have been. He wonders what it sounded like, and immediately realises that he's being ridiculous. The realisation that a before exists seems to have opened the floodgates in his mind, and now thoughts of hypotheticals can't help flitting in.

"You say such silly, silly things." Shadow Milk bites out offhandedly as his laughter winds down, the lingering remnants still dancing on his tongue. Without warning, he pulls Pure Vanilla even closer, the darkness that had been keeping him in place swirling and shoving him forward. Pure Vanilla gasps, the sound catching in his throat, and one of his hands fly off his staff to reach for something to steady himself on. It finds an edge of shattered candy glass, flinching back and falling down to scrabble against its smooth, intact surface.

Shadow Milk is giggling at him and Pure Vanilla is mortified, horribly so. They are far, far too close, Shadow Milk's face taking up the near entirety of his vision and their upper bodies almost pressed together. It feels claustrophobic, which should be impossible in such a wide, open space.

Shadow Milk makes matters worse by pressing their foreheads together, the gesture weirdly tender and doing nothing to make Pure Vanilla any calmer. His bright blue eyes look directly through him, dissecting him piece by piece.

"Why don't you cut down the Silver Tree and find out?" Shadow Milk coos, his voice overlapping with the Light of Truth's in a deeply unsettling way. His presence is overwhelming.

Pure Vanilla's eyes flicker downwards to escape his piercing gaze, and finds their chests so close that their Soul Jams are overlapping. Overlapping, and not touching, because Shadow Milk's Soul Jam seems to fizzle out of existence where the other makes contact with it, as if it were an illusion. Behind it is an empty space, black as the abyss. With the way they are lined up now, it is obvious that Pure Vanilla's Soul Jam would fit perfectly into the crevice with a little turning. He knew that already, but it still feels strange to see it.

Pure Vanilla sighs, a long, thin, shuddering sound. "...You didn't truly believe that would work, did you?"

In the edge of his vision, Shadow Milk smiles tauntingly, all teeth, but he doesn't say a word.

And Pure Vanilla wakes up, off kilter, exhausted and oddly cold.

[next]

[sativaonsaturn]

the signs in love (songs for the signs pt.2)

(check venus, moon, mars, lilith, juno!)

aries/ 1st house (a steadfast love): Love On the Brain by Rihanna (who has an aries venus)

“So you can put me together/ And throw me against the wall”

“baby I'm fist fighting with fire/ Just to get close to you”

“Don't you stop loving me/ Don't quit loving me”

taurus/ 2nd house (a strong, steady love): Real Woman by PartyNextDoor (who has a taurus venus)

“Give her what she want/ Give me just what I want”

“Last night, we were sippin' Henny and now we doin' deals”

“I'm lockin' it in 'til the very end”

“Shawty met a boss like me and put a hundred down on a condo downtown with me”

gemini/ 3rd house (an expressive, exciting love): Houdini by Dua Lipa (whose lilith is in gemini)

“I come and I go/ Tell me all the ways you need me/ I'm not here for long”

“If you're good enough, you'll find a way/ Maybe you could cause a girl to change”

“Everything you say is soundin' so sweet/ But do you practise everything that you preach?”

cancer/ 4th house (a warm, comforting love): Every Kind of Way by HER (who has a cancer venus)

“You're here with me/ Boy, it don't get no better than you”

“I wanna love you in every kind of way/ I wanna please you, no matter how long it takes”

“If the world should end tomorrow and we only have today/ I'm gonna love you in every kind of way”

leo/ 5th house (a passionate love): Part II (On the Run) by Jay Z & Beyoncé (her w/ a leo mars)

“I don't care if we on the run/ Baby, 'long as I'm next to you”

“And if loving you is a crime/ Tell me why do I bring out the best in you?”

“I don't care if they give me life, I get all of my life from you/ And if loving you had a price I would pay my life for you”

virgo/ 6th house (a considerate love): My Love Mine All Mine by Mitski (who has a virgo venus)

“Moon, tell me if I could send up my heart to you/ So, when I die, which I must do could it shine down here with you?”

“My baby, here on earth/ Showed me what my heart was worth”

“Nothing in the world is mine for free/ But my love mine, all mine, all mine”

libra/ 7th house (a storybook love): Adorn by Miguel (who has a libra mars)

“Just let my love adorn you”

“Baby, these fists will always protect ya”

“Whole world's in your eyes (when I look in your eyes, baby)”

scorpio/ 8th house (an all-consuming love): Work Song by Hozier (his scorpio lilith in 8th reminds me of this)

“No grave can hold my body down, I’ll crawl home to her”

“But I swear I thought I dreamed her/ She never asked me once about the wrong I did”

“If the Lord don’t forgive me, I’d still have my baby and my babe would have me”

sagittarius/ 9th house (a thrilling love): Lowkey by Teyana Taylor (whose venus is in sag)

“If I let you, would you make a move?”

“I want it but this ain't the right time/ But, damnit, you're so fine”

“Runnin' and runnin', ain't runnin' from love/ I'm so willin' to give it a try”

capricorn/ 10th house (a serious love): You Don’t Know My Name by Alicia Keys (who has a capricorn venus)

“There's something special 'bout you, I must really like you/ 'Cause not a lotta guys are worth my time”

“I see us on our first date/ You're doin' everything that makes me smile”

“Doin' more than I've ever done for anyone's attention/ Take notice of what's in front of you”

aquarius/ 11th house (a rebellious/ unconventional love): Take Me to Church by Hozier (who has an aquarius venus)

“My lover’s got humor/ She’s the giggle at a funeral”

“Knows everybody’s disapproval/ Should’ve worshipped her sooner”

“We were born sick, heard them say it/ I was born sick but I love it”

“If I’m a pagan of the good times/ My lover’s the sunlight”

pisces/12th house (a longing love): Blessed by Daniel Caesar (who has a pisces venus)

“I don’t wanna be there, don’t wanna be anywhere/ Anyplace that I can’t feel you, I just wanna be near you”

“Sometimes it gets unhealthy/ We can’t be by ourselves, we will always need each other”

“When I go, I don’t stay gone for long”

bonus:

venus in 4th (a committed love): positions by Ariana Grande (who is a cancer sun)

“Boy, I’m tryna meet your mama on a Sunday”

“Switchin the positions for you/ I’m in the Olympics way I’m jumping through hoops”

“Know my love infinite, nothing I wouldn’t do”

sativaonsaturn 🍃🪐

[lady-ashfade]

Hi! Can I ask for modern!Lucerys x Reader where he takes her for their first date 🫶🏼

They’re both shy and at first it’s awkward but then they bond

Awkward Dorks

´*: ･ﾟ⋆˒ Lucerys Velaryon x Fem!Reader

Fictober Fic 1

WARNINGS: Cute, Young Love, First Dates, Awkward Moments.

GENRE: Imagine

WORDS: 0.5k

A/N: I got a job- that I didn’t plan on started until it just happened so my schedule has been taken over by that. Sorry for starting so late everyone!!

Had your body always been this sweaty? The bottoms of your palms were covered in slick of the sweat coming from your skin, the nerves you felt were unimaginable until now. No matter how many times you wiped them on your clothing behind your dates eyes, it kept coming back. Butterflies swirled around in your stomach making it harder to keep a level head right now.

The sound of birds chirping, people in the crowds chatting and the smell of delicious foods of all sorts filled your senses. Yet the smell was sweet of the piers food, and it was a lovely sunshine day. Nothing could stop you from worrying about every single thing about yourself.

Luke was think the exact same, if not worse. You both always couldn’t stop talking and laughing, never once shied away from the others touch of attention. Until today, as you walk side by side as if you’d never met before.

This was uncharted territory for the both of you. Friends are all you ever were, even if feelings were mutual for years, only recently the other became aware of them. Luke was nervous of messing up something, could he push you away easily now? What if this date goes horribly and somehow — he’s never see you again?

“How’s your candy apple?” Luke glanced over beside him, to find you in the middle of taking a small bite from the fruit you cleaned off the hard candy. He saw your eyes widen as if caught doing something wrong, this also made him embarrassed.

You cleaned your throat and whip your lips of the mess you had made. “Wonderful, thanks,” you chirp. Silence creeped up once again as quickly as it ended, the pair of you looking anywhere but each other.

Soon, after finishing your apple and throw what’s left in the bin you find yourself becoming comfortable by his side. He was perfect. His brown hair that twisted into curls to match his fathers, his pale skin made it easy to spot his flushed cheeks, and most of all the smile that rested on the side of his lips. Why must it be so hard too connect with him?

“I had dreamed of this moment forever,” his voice softened while his eyes trailed along the waves below. “used to think about how much you’d love to go out with me, never ended conversations, and endless laughter.” his tone laced with disappointment that made you second guess yourself.

“Sorry about this, I know I’m not what you expected.” your body covered itself in shame. You had ruined his night, this was the worst date ever and you blew it with your dream guy.

He rushed to deny everything, every doubt you had. “No — No, nothing like that. I am just afraid to mess anything up and I wanted to apologize for this. You’re everything I want, I promise.” his hand graced yours with a soft, golden touch that sent shivering through your skin.

“We should be better at this?” you laugh softly, your eyes finally meeting his in comfort, “We’ve done this before. It’s nothing new, just that I fancy you.”

“I fancy you too — as if that wasn’t clear.” he stuttered out.

The sun was still shining down on you, so there happened to be a few hours still left in the day. You both decided to make the best out of it, you could be awkward dorks together.

Taglist: @madame-fear because that’s her husband.

[sasslett]

FFXIV Write 2024 Day 3: Tempest

She watched as Varrus flitted between their companions, each strewn about the streets of the mysterious city in the depths of the Tempest, each mulling over their own troubles and turmoils. She watched as he clapped his hand upon their shoulders and offered them smiles, offered them embraces, offered them reassurance. 

But, gods, how could he? In the state he was in, who was he to be comforting them? With the Light beating upon the cages of his chest, threatening to break free, to overwhelm him at any given moment? 

He’d tried to hide it, of course - the fear, the pain - but she knew. She knew all-too-well. 

And it terrified her. 

But she refused to acknowledge it. Starkly pushed down her emotions as she’d followed him into the very depths themselves, as she’d pledged to stand by his side until the very end. 

It wouldn’t end there. Not that day. It simply… 

It simply couldn’t. 

She knew, as he finished speaking with Ryne, that it would be her turn next - that he’d exhausted all other allies to speak to. And, indeed, he glanced over to meet her eye - only for her to sharply avert her gaze. 

Yet, still, he approached; his footsteps upon the stone struck as heavy as her heartbeat in her chest as she squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to hold herself together. 

“Jess-”

“Don’t,” she gasped, fighting back the lump she felt forming in her throat. “Whatever words you have, save them. You know you don’t need to convince me. I’m barely hanging on, as-is; I don’t think I have it in me to hear what you have to say.” 

She knew it was folly; she knew he wasn’t about to be deterred. 

And, indeed, his voice reached her ears once more - his soft, sweet voice, the one she’d grown accustomed to hearing every morning as she awoke, the one that whispered sweet nothings in her ear every night she fell asleep in his arms. The one that felt like home.

The one she couldn’t bear to lose.

“Do you remember the night we met?”

“Of course I do,” she whispered - for how could she forget? It was the day her life had changed, the day destiny saw fit to set her upon her path, one that led her to that very moment, in a conjured city beneath the waves on a world entirely different from her own. 

“Well, call me crazy, but I knew, then and there, that you were the one. The one who owned me, heart, body and soul. The one I’d been waiting for all my life. The second our eyes locked, my life as I knew it was over. It hasn’t been easy. It hasn’t been without pain. And damn if there aren’t times I regret ever dragging you into this mess - how I wished you were safe and sound on the Source right now, instead of here, preparing to look death in the eye at my side. But I know you; I know you’d never be happy in such a life. I only hope… I only hope your journey has been everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

“It has.” Only then did she dare to open her eyes - nearly regretting it the instant she did, as she met his gaze, the warmth of his golden eyes rivaled only by the hot sting of her tears, threatening to spill over. “Beyond my wildest dreams. And,” she balled her fists by her sides, unable to stop the tears from flowing, “it’s not over yet.”

“No.” Gently, he reached down, grasping her hands between his as he lowered his head to nuzzle her cheek. “Your journey is not over, my love. No matter what happens in there… you must live. Survive. Make your mark on history.”

She leaned forward to press her forehead against his. “No,” she choked, “not without you. My place is by your side, through life or death, and I don’t intend to change that.”

“Jess…”

Whatever protest he had, she wouldn’t hear it, instead tilting her chin to press her lips against his. His taste was a familiar comfort, his touch her home - and she was not about to lose him. Not so long as she stood and breathed, Ascian madman be damned. 

“Now come on,” she murmured softly, just as soon as they broke apart, “We’re getting through this, one way or another. Together. No matter what.”

“No matter what.”

And with that, she summoned the last shreds of her resolve, her hands still firmly clamped in his as she turned her gaze on Amaurot’s Capitol building… where she would see their journey through to its end. 

[ladybellissima]

Finding Love Katakuri x Reader Part 3

"Eating with me? What is she thinking?!", Katakuri grumbled annoyed while taking some papers to have a look on it. The way she asked him with this sweet smile of hers let his heart flutter, but the next moment he felt cold. For him it was too good to be true that she really wanted to know him. A monster like him? There must be some kind of bad intention be the reason for this. Sighing he signed some orders, but still she was on his mind. Maybe she really wanted…

"Big brother Katakuri."

Looking up, he was met with his sister and brothers. Slowly they entered his office and took a seat in front of him.

"(Y/N) wanted to get to know you better?", Brulee started seriously and took his brother by surprise. Raising an eyebrow, he gave her an annoyed look.

"None of your business.", Katakuri spoke shortly, but knew all too well that Brulee wouldn't stop.

"You should be happy that she makes a step and wanted to spend time with you. Why don't you give it a try and eat breakfast with her tomorrow?", Brulee asked, but was stopped by a growl from Katakuri.

"And then? What will happen next? Do you really think that showing my face to her would make things easier? Forget this dream of yours about a happy lovey dovey ending and leave it be. She just needs informations to maybe get out of here. That's all. Eating with her? What nonsense. ", he spoke in a mocking tone.

" I think she has a kind heart and won't be afraid of your face… Don't speak so low of yourself..", Brulee spoke but was interrupted by her brothers.

" Well I think it's none of our business. ", Daifuku spoke calmly and gave Katakuri an order list of their mother.

Sighing Brulee fell silent. She knew that he wouldn't give it a try.

" Well I think our brother is an idiot to have such a beauty as wife and doing nothing.",Oven joked and signed some papers.

"It's an arrangement nothing more…", Katakuri whispered more to himself, but clearly for everyone to hear. Seeing the sadness in his eyes they kept their mouths shut. Never did they see their brother so emotional. Brulee could see it that he had an inner conflict of what to do. He had feelings for this woman, for his wife, but the fear of being rejected was too much of a burden to try something. It broke her heart, but she couldn't do anything about it.

"Hopefully (Y/N) will make a step to see what beautiful man her husband is. With and without scars."

Xxxx

The following days (Y/N) realized how her life on this island would be.

Alone.

Waking up alone, getting lead by servants to her breakfast, eating alone, doing nothing alone and that was all.

Since the incident at the breakfast table, Katakuri went out for work early in the morning and came back late. If they see each other he just greeted her shortly and left quickly. (Y/N) felt isolated and sick of this life. This couldn't go on like that. Without any social contact she would go insane. Going for a walk seemed great, but (Y/N) felt too scared to discover the island alone. Once she tried and got completely lost. She needed hours to come back and feared to be scolded of coming too late.

Sighing she reached the dining hall and ate her breakfast in silence again. Hearing the cooks at the back, she could tell that they were kind of busy and on high alert.

"is something wrong?"

Interested she got up and looked inside the kitchen. People were baking like crazy. Scared and frustrated they were filling baskets with giant doughnuts. Amazed she entered to look at the sweet desserts.

"Miss… Miss (Y/N)! Please don't touch them… They are for Master Katakuri. Please don't be angry. We can't make you a dessert now..", a servant pleaded next to her. Stunned she gave him a friendly clap on his shoulder and smiled.

"Don't worry. I don't want a dessert. Why should I be angry about something like that?", she asked confused and could see how relieved everyone was.

"What's the matter here?"

"Thank you Miss (Y/N). You are too kind. You see Master's Merienda is very important. We have to deliver him his doughnuts like always or we are screwed. Today don't ask me why, some cooks made a mistake with the recipes and now we are short in time to get things ready.", he explained frustrated and counted the doughnuts in the basket.

" oh so that's why. Let me help you. ", (Y/N) announced happily and motivated she took an cooking apron to get things started.

" Miss (Y/N) we can't let you work!!!", shocked they watched the beautiful girl preparing her workplace for making dough.

"Don't worry. I want to help you and I know how to bake sweets from my grandmother. He is working really hard so he deserves his break like he had ordered. Let me help him and you.", she spoke happily and got big smiles of her words.

"Miss (Y/N)… You are so sweet"

"sweeter as these desserts."

"our Master is a lucky man to have you as his wife."

In a way it pained her heart to hear that. "I don't think he is happy at all..and i am so lonely… ", she whispered saddened, but brushed it quickly off to go on, but one servant heard it. Quickly he took her hand to comfort her.

"Such a beautiful lady shouldn't be depressed. You can always talk to us, even if we seem busy or nervous. That's just because we are in a hurry..Master Katakuri has many things to do…he always comes late at night. I am sorry if you can't speak to him often. But if you ask me, lately he is acting kind of nervous. Something we never were able to see. I think he is just unsure of how to act towards you."

Nodding relieved to finally speak to somebody after days of isolation, she concentrated on her work and relaxed. It felt great to be under people again and work. Back at her home she always helped out. She didn't care if she was a princess. It's just a title and not stopping her to help people and care for someone. And for her husband she decided to be herself and do things like she believed. And if he was lonely like she thought, she would try and comfort him. In a way she felt sorry for him like she felt sorry for herself about her fate, which had led her into this life, but like her grandmother always said.

"If life gets hard, don't give up. It could always be a new opportunity, a new chance to experience something new. "

If he would push her away, fine, but not without showing that she really was making a step to become friends and get along with each other. If he still hated her, she would accept that. Even if life would be like prison.

Amazed of her creations and tips she got from the others, she happily put her doughnuts into the basket. With her quick understanding of baking these special sweets, she could help Katakuri's servants to get everything ready.

Cheering happily the servants got the baskets and headed out to deliver it to their Master's special room.

"so he really eats always alone at a special place.", she asked stunned and helped to clean the table.  "If you ask me, he didn't look like a man who loves sweets. He seems..", she added uneasy to tell them what was on her mind.

"strong? Amazing? Brave?", they asked curious.

"I would say calm, silent or maybe cold?", she asked carefully and got knowing smiles from the others.

"Don't be afraid of Master Katakuri. He is a tall and intimitating man, yes, but it's because he is one of the sweet commanders. He is strong and brave. Always working for the best of his mother and siblings. He puts his family before him. Always. And protects our home. For you this all seems very scary..because his behavior isn't easy to handle, but if you follow the rules everything is fine. ", one servant spoke kindly and looked into the smiling face of this beautiful girl. " and that you make him sweets is a sweet gesture to show your gratitude to be under his protection. As his wife nobody dares to even look at you. ", one added with a shudder.

"wow… He must be feared by many people..", she spoke nervously and the other nodded frightened. She already knew from her parents that she was living now with the Big mom pirates, but didn't know what this really meant. (Y/N) never met any pirates. And now she was married to the scariest one.

"he is known all over sea. With a high bounty"

She didn't know that this man was such a strong pirate. Yeah he looked like that and this title suited him, but that he was such a dangerous man and now her husband was beyond her imagination.

On the other side Katakuri already waited for his sweets. Kind of annoyed he watched the door, which was quickly pushed open and his servants put the baskets beside his seat.

" Took you long enough..", he grumbled and looked over the delicious doughnuts, but some of them were looking different like he used to eat.

"Master Katakuri, I am terribly sorry for being late. Hopefully these sweets will calm your nerves. Miss (Y/N) wanted to help too and made you some of these.", his butler took one of the special looking doughnuts and gave it to a surprised Katakuri. Stunned he watched the lovely decorated coating with fruits and chocolate.

" my.. My wife did that for me? ", he whispered in awe and forgot that he wasn't alone.

"hopefully you don't mind. She wanted to support you and made these. She worked really hard. Please forgive us and her if you didn't want that.", the servant stuttered and bowed.

"it's… It's okay. You can go.", the sweet commander spoke nervously and got up from his seat to give his sweets a closer look.

With a smile they left their master alone to let him taste a piece of heaven. "She didn't have to do that. She didn't have to do anything at all. Why?", he whispered and was surprised about the detailed decoration. There was also a little text which said "Have a nice day.."

Slowly he guided the doughnut to his mouth and took a bite. The cream and fruits mixed their taste and felt like a sweet explosion in his mouth. God he loved it. Every single bite he couldn't stop. Normally having his time with eating, he stuffed them down as quickly as he grabbed it. Sighing in delight Katakuri rubbed his stomach and felt his heart flutter. She was too good to be true. Could he really have such a luck? Was it really possible that she wanted to know him better? Feeling uneasy he thought about it to maybe make a step towards her, but felt helpless in thinking how he should do that. On top he acted like an asshole.

In the meantime (Y/N) was walking along the corridors with another book from the library. Reading was the only time killer she had and it helped with the loneliness. Concentrated on reading the plot of her new book, she accidently bumped into someone. Before she made contact with the floor, her savior grabbed her hand to lift her up. Embarrassed her look wandered to the serious one of Katakuri.

"You should look where you are going or you will hurt yourself.", he spoke shortly and helped her to her feet. Nodding she thanked him and made space for him to go on. Katakuri could see that she was uneasy and didn't know how to act towards him after he shouted at her. She stayed silent and waited for him to pass her. He felt bad that he was the cause of her distress.

" I… Thank you for the doughnuts.", he quickly spoke and hid his face in his scarf.

Surprised (Y/N) looked up to him and smiled from ear to ear that he spoke to her.

"Thank you that you accepted them. Hopefully they were good?", she tried to speak as normal as possible, but her excitement to finally speak to him was unbearable.

" they were Amazing…", he blurted out and felt his cheeks burn of hearing her heartwarming laugher.

"Really?! I learned baking from my grandmother and often read about recipes in some books, plus i got many tips from your servants.. If I am allowed I can make you more tomorrow.", she spoke out of happiness that he liked it.

"You would?!", he asked shocked and let her smile grew while nodding happily.

Quickly calming down Katakuri avoid her beautiful face.

"What is she doing to me…" He couldn't resist her and most of all he couldn't resist her desserts. Maybe just maybe he could try to open up a little.

"Sounds good…", he spoke shortly to keep his strong appearance and walked away quickly. (Y/N) looked after him and felt relieved. The way he spoke, nervous, shy and this little spark of happiness in his tone, let her hope that her husband really had a heart deep inside. Maybe just maybe they could be friends and support each other on their difficult fate.

[caelestine-the-caelicatto]

" A Shade of Blue in Spring's View "

Summary: The memories of spring long lost forgotten starts to resurface, as you face the last person you least expected.

The drastic way of how fate plays its game full of twists and dreams that shattered along the way.

The endless nights filled with sleepless nights, wondering where I went wrong and the what ifs as the scenario plays again in my head, like a cascade on repeat.

Choosing a path as I gamble away what is right and what is wrong, follow the rules or break the rules, be selfish or self-righteous, be the hero or be the villain.

No one really knows, but maybe in this lifetime... I'll play the role as the antagonist.

And yet, that antagonist finally meets it doom.

Crimson red flowing like the river Nile, where death upon in me is near.

Before I meet the man of death, my life flashed before my eyes. Out of all memories, it had to be Spring. The spring that changed the course of my life. The memories of spring where I was at the peak of my youth.

The spring where I experienced being a young man enjoying life to the fullest. The spring that tainted my thoughts and changed my ideals of the world. The spring where I bloomed and discovered my reason and purpose. Lastly, the spring where I found love and crushed "him" like a withered daffodil. As cliche as it is, similar to a boring romcom where the main characters run into each other's arms, embracing themselves in joy and love. I, too, was faced by the man whom I swore to death.

"You're late, Satoru." Said I, in a tone lingering like honey as I have always been when interacting with the man. Even near death doors, I will forever be gentle with my words whenever I am near him. As I lean on the wall while facing the man for the last time. Those eyes as I can recall were full of love once, and now it's filled with nothingness, no, my eyes must be fooling me. Those blue eyes that many detest, but I found solace in it says otherwise: regret.

"Suguru." The albino haired man called my name in a tone that is thicker than ice. Satoru Gojo is his name, a special grade sorcerer for having the "Six-eyes," many envy him for inheriting such technique as well as being the strongest sorcerer. But for him, he finds it a curse.

People say Satoru is special for it, but... does a technique really matter to be special? Well, maybe in the world we are in. However, Satoru Gojo is special indeed, special to the point seeing him in so much pain that only I can see.

Finally, he dropped the question that I merely chuckle.

"Any last words?" Satoru Gojo asked me, before we part ways.

"No matter what anyone says, I hate those monkeys. But I never held any hatred for those in Jujutsu High." I tell him honestly, "I just couldn't wear a heartfelt smile in this world."

It is the truth, after seeing my peers die for the sake of others as they slowly line up in death's doors, I could not bare that thought.

"Suguru." Surprised by how soft his voice was in this situation, brings me back to the spring nights laying on the same bed, staring at the ceiling whispering sweet nothings.

I stare at him wide eyes at his confession, A weak smile appeared on my lips and with my last breath, "At least hit me with some curses at my end."

We finally bid farewell to one another.

At some moments, maybe I cursed myself for having regrets choosing this path for myself.

I admit, I was envy of him once.

But I set it aside and played my own cards to win instead.

Nevertheless, maybe this path of ours is different and fate is too cruel for us to be together.

Just maybe, just maybe... The situation is different and a sign that we are not meant to be together.

After all, love is the cruelest curse of them all.

Mori's notes: Hello! This is my first time writing fanfiction in a while and I hope everyone likes it at least.

The dialogues are replicated as it is in the movie to give it more detail and the feels.

But, the rest are all mine and please don't plagiarism nor steal my words.

I appreciate some feedbacks, likes, and reblogs (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

Lovely dividers from @fawndollie do check her out!

[ballerinainskzville]

Voice mail - Bangchan

Summary: your boyfriend, Bangchan, is on tour and for the first time, you two have been separated for months. You fell asleep waiting for his call so instead, he sends you a voice mail to listen to in the morning

TW: lots of fluff!

“Hi Y/N, my beautiful love…

I’m so sorry that it took longer for me to wrap up my schedule for today, you must have waited a long time for me. But your sleep is important and I hope that you’re having sweet dreams. If you’re upset with me, I’ll make it up to you thousands times, I promise!

My heart is truly aching that I can’t be with you when you’re struggling at work. That I can’t be there for you, someone to lean on when you come home. All I currently can do is assure you that you’re doing amazing and that I’m proud of you. Your hard work will pay off. And I’m not only saying this as your boyfriend, but from experience too ahaha…

As you expected it, I’m having some trouble sleeping lately. Something about your presence, having you close to me as I sleep the smell of your hair, the warmth of your body when I wake up next to you… I need it. And I miss it. I can’t wait to reunite with you as soon as I step back home.

I long to admire that beautiful face of yours, to kiss those lips that whisper my name, to hold you close to me instead of seeing each other on screen. Which gets even harder with my connection problems, the hotel wifi is worse than our dormitory wifi..

But being honest, any contact with you is better than not being able to talk to you at all. Eventho i wish to be together with you physically, this is at least something. Which is better than nothing.

I keep reaching out to you in my sleep, when I’m half awake, thinking you’re next to me. But of course, you’re not in my bed but back home. Because I’m away. So I just reach out to the cold darkness. And my heart sinks at realization. God, I just wish I could be next to you right now, holding you in my arms as I watch you sleep peacefully. Assuring you that you’re going to make it through this rough time. I long to touch you, to kiss you. I can’t spend another split second away from you.

Did I ever tell you how much I admire you? You’re the strongest, most amazing person I’ve ever met. Your work ethic, your kindness and the way you always try to see the best in people no matter how bad someone appears to be, is truly admirable and only some of the things I love so infinitely about you. The way your eyes lit up when you listen to a new song I produced, it makes my heart beat fast every time and I fall even more in love with you each time.

I even miss our tickle fights and how we end up cuddling afterwards, I miss it all. I miss you. I miss you a lot…

I’m so proud of you, baby. Because despite the struggles, you’re working hard and are determinate to push past the obstacles. Never underestimate your worth, love. You’re amazing and made to achieve big things. Especially, your own dreams. You’ve worked so hard, it won’t be in vain. I’m sure of that.

Can I tell you a little secret? I’m sure you know it already, haha… I’m so in love with you.

I can’t wait to be with you again. I’m not going to let you go once you’re back in my arms

I’ll let you sleep now… I mean, you’re already sleeping but I don’t know how to come up with a good ending for this voice mail… I love you, baby. Don’t ever forget that”

[witchhazelevesque]

A snippet of a time travel fix it fic I’m working on:

As Leo cautiously moves to the upper deck, he recalls that Nico had mentioned that he'd been having more nightmares than usual about Jason. 

But his nightmares about Jason didn't normally take place on the Argo anymore. Aside from the stab wound Michael Varus had inflicted and the fucking turtle incident, his memories aboard the ship with his friend were mostly pleasant. 

It was the dreams his mind conjured up at Camp Jupiter and in California that were the trouble. 

He sees sunlight spilling in on the staircase leading to the deck, and the sound of voices, and Leo takes the steps one by one, the voices getting clearer. 

It feels like his heart is expanding too large for his ribcage as he steps into the light, blinking until his vision adjusts and-

There's Jason. 

Jason.

Leo feels his face break into a wild grin, his eyes fill with tears and he launches himself at his lost friend. 

Jason is surprised, catching him but stumbling back a step before regaining his balance. 

"Hey," Jason says, laughter in his voice. "What's with you?"

Leo tightens his arms around Jason's shoulders and murmurs something about a bad dream. 

He hears footsteps approach them and turns his head to find a fifteen-year-old Piper looking at them with a confused smile on her face. 

"Piper!" Leo exclaims, reaching an arm out to pull her into the embrace. She comes willingly, but repeats some version of Jason's earlier question. But he hasn't seen her in person in months, and will take any chance to hug her, even if this is just a dream.  He revels in having his best friends close, feeling them warm and breathing. 

He doesn't know why he was granted such a sweet reprieve from his usual dreams, but he sends a silent thank you to whoever might be listening.

Jason lets out another laugh, and damn, Leo's missed the sound so much, and begins to extract himself from their arms, but Leo doesn't loosen his grip. "Come on, I have to go check the lines."

"Nope," Leo says, pressing his cheek against Jason's shoulder. "It can wait."

He feels Jason's hand run over his arm and hears him say softly, "That must have been one hell of a dream."

"You have no idea," Leo murmurs.

"Is it something we should worry about?" Piper asks. 

Leo shakes his head, because this isn't the time or place to worry about anything. They may just be images his brain created, but he can't bring himself to unload his grief and pain on them when they could have this moment in the sun with each other. 

Besides, he's already been to Jason's memorial and told him so many times how much he misses him. Leo blinks to clear the tears threatening to spill over. 

"Okay," Jason says, not sounding convinced. "But I really should get back to work."

"It doesn't matter," Leo tells him. 

"Leo Valdez, saying that the state of his ship doesn't matter?" Piper asks in mock incredulity. "The world might end, but I wasn't expecting this horseman of the apocalypse."

"Shut up," Leo says, with absolutely no heat in his voice as he bumps her shoulder then pulls her closer. 

Jason pulls away eventually, letting Piper take over the hugging before she too has to get back to work and Leo relents, and watches the two of them, working together, in such vivid detail. His dreams, unless prophetic or traumatic, are never this clear, but he can think about that later. From what Piper has told him, she and Jason's friendship was strained at best when he died. Leo never thought he'd get to see them joking and laughing and easy with each other again. Maybe his mind is giving him what he wants to see most. 

Which doesn't make sense. Maybe he's in some kind of dream prison, designed to make him want to stay, like the one Gaea offered Hazel once. 

He gets more support for this theory when a dark shape comes through the corner of his vision, and it doesn't really matter if this is a trap, because Jesus Christ, there's the younger version of Nico, before his growth spurt when they were still the same height, with his sweetly curling hair and oversized jacket. As if sensing eyes on him, Nico's face turns to Leo, whose own breaks out into a probably stupid looking grin, because this little Nico looks so cute, which he really shouldn't because he's underweight and sleep deprived, but love is blind, isn't it?

Leo bounds down from the helm and over to him, and it's only the frozen expression of confusion and near fear on Nico's face that makes Leo skid to a stop in front of him instead of crashing into him with a hug like he wanted to. 

"Sorry!" Leo exclaims breathlessly. "I forgot you didn't like to be touched."

If possible, Nico's eyes get wider, and they begin to dart around as if he's looking for an escape route. Leo feels a pang of guilt, because dream or not, the last thing Leo wants is to make him uncomfortable. He takes a big step back and raises his hands to show he means no harm. "Sorry, I just got carried away."

Nico stares at him uncomprehendingly. 

Leo takes another step back in the hopes that will help. "Sorry, I just- had a really weird dream?" Leo says, thinking that might work via dream logic, because he is in a dream, and compared to this time in space, reality would seem like a really fucking weird dream. "I think I'm still recalibrating."

Nico's still frozen.

"Shit," Leo sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. "I really am sorry, I will- uh, I'll just sit here, several yards away, and look in a different direction, if that helps."

Leo does as he says, plopping onto the staircase leading to the helm and glancing out at the water. 

After a moment of very pain-stakingly not darting his gaze back to see if Nico's face has regained what little color it normally has, he hears the other boy say, "Okay." very quietly and then the shadow in the corner of his eye gets darker for a moment, a sign that Nico's slipped into it. 

"Not your best call, Valdez," Leo tells himself, rubbing the back of his neck. 

[neerons]

Hi! I'd like to know your opinion on one of my expectations for Kazuomi's next season. I have a question for you too ☺️

**Spoilers alert : I talk a little about Kei and Yuzu's past stories**

In the near future, Kazuomi will definitely reveal his true self to the MC, but I also want her to have some deductions about the truth he's hiding (his past and his real feelings). The MC has a really good intuition, and she likes to investigate. So I don't want her to only wait for him to share his feelings and do nothing. I want her to show Kazuomi and let him know that he can actually talk to her and be vulnerable around her. Because she will always be by his side and love him no matter what. Kazuomi has always been here when the MC was feeling down and lost. This time, it's Kazuomi who needs help, even though he thinks otherwise.

I want to see more sweet moments between these two lovers. More importantly, I don't want Kazuomi to still feel lonely and to not feel understood. It means the world to him that the MC respects his boundaries and understands him like no one else did. Therefore, I hope the MC won't be too passive in the next stories and that she will try to find the truth by herself, to help and truly understand Kazuomi. You know, similar to Kei and Yuzu's stories. I'm aware that Kazuomi has a different writer, but I want his story to be as well-written as Kei and Yuzu's stories. In fact, Kazuomi is a complex character who needs good development.

When it comes to the past, he is, among the 3S, the one who keeps chasing his past. **Spoilers : We know that Kei unconsciously erased his past in order to protect himself from his trauma. For Yuzu, he chose to abandon his little brother in order to have a better future, and he doesn't regret his choice. However, he feels guilty as he still cares for his brother.**

On the other hand, Kazuomi claims to not care about the past and says that the present is more important to him. We now know it's not the case. He wants to forget his past and so, he tries to be someone who lives in the present, but it's only a mask. Like I said in a previous comment, his past still haunts him today and he can't deny it. (I don't know if you read Jujutsu Kaisen, but Kazuomi's issue with his past kind of reminds me of Gojo Satoru's story)

Furthermore, if we analyse Kazuomi's character, we can see that most of the things he does are related to his past. For example, his dream to open a resort, the meaning of Christmas for him, his love for games and gambling (in addition to the anticipation and the mental thrill of not knowing the outcome because of all the different possibilities), his love for sweets and desserts, his feeling of loneliness and his struggle to really trust others (sometimes he can be emotionally detached), etc. That's why his upcoming stories must be well-written because Kazuomi is the character who needs to confront his past the most. I know you'll post a detailed analysis of the characters from MK, so I can't wait to read it!

Of course, all of the things I've written will happen depending on the plot for his upcoming season. Someone of Kazuomi's past life will most likely appear too (similar to Kei and Yuzu's stories). Who do you think it could be, and why?

I'm sorry I wrote a lot haha. Thanks for reading until the end! ❤️

Heya 🥰

Kazuomi's Cryptic Past

As of now, we can only interpret how things will go since we don't know what happened to him other than his family basically betrayed him. He lost everything. He felt lonely and not loved. He became homeless. He hates his father more than anyone, too, it seems.

I totally agree that Kazuomi needs to rely on others, especially MC, about his past. We should be able to see that soon once his next season is released.

Maybe the MC will have her own deductions from his past and play an active role in discovering it for herself, or maybe she'll actually decide to keep those deductions to herself and let Kazuomi reveal it to her, out of consideration and love for him.

When it comes to Kazuomi, he knows that MC is there for him. He's already aware of that, deep down. As you said, he also appreciates that she doesn't push him for answers and revelations about his past.

In his mind, he already sees her as the woman of his life. The only one who could understand him that well, and not press him for answers. She's irreplaceable to him.

But Kazuomi is also someone who has been betrayed before. Especially by his father, and by women, especially his "mother". The story with his "mother" was vague but it seemed to have had a huge impact on him, and I don't know exactly what she did, but it's clear he was incredibly hurt by this woman. In the end, he didn't feel truly loved by her.

So it makes sense that he might not completely feel ready to be weak in front of someone again, even if it's the love of his life. He doesn't want to be weak in front of her and have her pity him, even if she's not like that.

Due to that, I assume, he often tests MC along his seasons to see how much of him she is willing to accept, and she always accepts him and loves him more, which in turn makes him love her even more, and it shows us how far their love can go (it's infinite, I'm telling you 🥰)

So this next step is, I think, going to be Kazuomi finally revealing his past in his next big MS and see how MC will react to the "real Kazuomi" and if she's still going to love him.

It's possible that the real Kazuomi is, at least according to him, pathetic, naive and weak. Or maybe it's a side of him more cruel than what he has shown her before.

Deep down, I think he's scared of what she'll think of him, and he hopes she'll accept him despite his many flaws. But he's also convinced "forever" doesn't exist, and that even their relationship might be a fleeting one.

He is currently in a philosophical conflict. He wants her by his side, wants her to know everything, but at what cost? Will she eventually leave once she knows? Will Kazuomi risk losing his life in a new gamble, and he'll have to say farewell to her?

I expect the MC to once again show him she loves him just as he is, because he is him, the man she loves, which will probably surprise and touch Kazuomi's heart way more than anyone ever could. And he'll realize and have the confirmation that he doesn't need anything but her.

MC's Personality & Love for Kazuomi

As for her, she is aware that he doesn't want to talk about his past, and she saw it when he became surprisingly silent when he was affected by memories of his past in the R&C event.

Despite her agent side, curiosity and love for investigation, we often overlook that the MC is a woman respectful enough to not poke her nose where she feels it doesn't belong.

She loves Kazuomi so much and is worried about him, rightfully so, but she doesn't want to cross a boundary without permission or consideration. She'd love for him to tell her about it someday, but she's waiting for him to be ready.

Him opening up on his own to her without her asking wouldn't be such a bad thing to me to be honest. I sure hope she plays a role in his story, and she will as always, but I think Kazuomi revealing his past to her would be a great depiction of his trust and love towards her.

Trust me, I love MC being badass and doing her job amazingly well and going beyond expectations. And if she does have a mission or a situation where she has to uncover his past in full detail, I hope it'll be done well too in a beautifully written story again.

The problem is: if she decides to uncover his past herself, how will he take it?

He treats his past like a highly confidential mission. It's possible that, if she gets involved into it too deeply in the end, they'll have to become foes again. And then Kazuomi will ultimately realize he wants her to know and won't stop her from knowing.

Or, if his past becomes dangerous for her, he'll feel guilty because she's now in danger because of him. We can't really know how things will turn out since we have no clues about what even happened to him before.

Possible outcomes in the next season?

I actually can see his next season going two different ways (at least):

She discovers the truth about his past through a mission (and the client could even be the antagonist). She'll have to put her feelings aside and fulfill her mission while having mixed feelings about discovering something he wanted to hide to the world and especially to her. Kazuomi might become distant as he decides to face his past alone and puts himself in danger against the antagonist, which will fuel the MC to save him

Another situation would be him opening up to her once the drama of his past (lui pète à la gueule 🤣) happens and he has to face his past forcefully because the antagonist either shamelessly reveals his past publicly, or in front of MC, or he'd just put Kazu and MC in a situation where they have to talk about it. And then, MC, and maybe even Yuzu, Kei, and others? would decide to help him out against said antagonist

No matter how it goes, I'm sure it'll be well written. I have never been disappointed honestly. I always see the reasoning behind the characters' actions which is probably why I'm never mad or sad about developments?

At least in MK, I've never been bothered by how a season has been written (except the case about the way the Boss' last season was treated, which is more of an exception, since Voltage discontinued him abruptly and left him with plot holes and left me with my HEART BROKEN GAHH)

Kazuomi's manufactured personality

It's funny that you mention Jujutsu Kaisen and especially Gojo Satoru when you talk about Kazuomi, because JJK became one of my favorite animes and mangas, and Gojo has a special place in my heart. I have started reading the manga so nobody spoils me!!

I can see the similarity between Gojo and Kazu. Their bubbly, quirky and charismatic personality hides the scars they try to run away from. It's also a distraction for them (and it helps them distract others from their vulnerability, too)

It makes them overcome their sadness, loneliness and anger as well since putting on a different mask enables you to put distance between your present self and your past self.

Like you said, It's clear that Kazuomi chases his past. He's the one character from MK who's really secretive about what happened to him, even more than Kei who runs away from a past full of trauma, more than Yuzu who fights against his emotions, and more than the Boss who is KNOWN for not being straightforward and having his emotions be "inactive", if that makes sense.

And I'm so curious and also scared to know what he's really like. Because I love the way he is now personality-wise, but I hope I'll love him even more once his mask falls for good. I also hope he'll still be his witty and fun self, but I'm sure his story will be amazing.

Who's the antagonist?

When it comes to who they'll be up against next time, considering the revelations from the Revenge & Challenge event, the only people I assume could make an appearance are Kazuomi's father, or maybe his "mother".

I don't know if they'd be the potential antagonists. It's possible that they were more victims to Kazuomi's father's dangerous relationships and got screwed. But Kazuomi resents his father a lot. I can't know how bad his father is, but he's not the purest person on Earth. It could be him.

In the Japanese app, we're also getting another event about the guys' pasts currently, so it's not unlikely that his parents will be making an appearance if they're still alive.

If it's not the parents, it's likely someone who knows about his parents, and past (and is linked to it) that we don't know about yet. Like Nate from Kei's Eden's Love story, who is an antagonist we couldn't have predicted. It could be one of the guys his father had secret meetings with. They were bad, and probably belonged to a sort of mafia (I forgot and I'm too lazy to check again I'll admit)

Conclusion (...am I writing an essay again? 🤣)

No matter how the season happens, the important thing, to me, is that Kazuomi finally learns to believe in "forever" and stabilizes himself with MC in the end. I hope he'll be able to live freely with her and that he can move on after all these years of suffering.

We should all forget our expectations for his route and just enjoy the ride when the time comes, though. In my humble opinion, we shouldn't wish for too many things, because that'd just make us closer to the end of his route, and it makes room for disappointment if something doesn't happen the way we wanted it to.

We have one of the best titles Voltage has made, and one of the best LIs, the elite among the elites, so let's appreciate the hard work behind it and see what the next season has to offer again. Personally, I know I'll love it 💖

(And thank you for your enthusiasm about the characters' analyses! They'll be separated into different posts for each character, and Yuzu will be the first to be out when the time comes I think. But I'm re reading every MS to do a good job, as well as reading Ikémen Prince and making art most of the time, so it's taking time haha)

Thank you for the ask!

[thesweetnessofspring]

Some thoughts about that John Foster excerpt from Chapter Three. Huge spoilers for The Blue Castle under the cut.

I've kind of mostly took the Foster excerpts sprinkled in the book as LMM flexing her prose a bit, but in the name of this slow read and taking the time to analyze, the first passage of Foster's that we read actually foreshadows Barney and his relationship with Valancy really well!

“The woods are so human,” wrote John Foster, “that to know them one must live with them. As Valancy goes to marry Barney and live with him, she comes to truly know him like Foster writes about the woods and the opposite is also true: he comes to know her when they marry and live together. An occasional saunter through them, keeping to the well-trodden paths, will never admit us to their intimacy. If we wish to be friends we must seek them out and win them by frequent, reverent visits at all hours; by morning, by noon, and by night; and at all seasons, in spring, in summer, in autumn, in winter. Otherwise we can never really know them and any pretence we may make to the contrary will never impose on them. This is exactly what happens with Valancy and Barney. They first begins to know one another once she moves in with Cecily and Abel, then they stay together through the other seasons. Others, like Barney's ex-fiance, sauntered through and he's learned to be on guard. It is Valancy taking the time and seeking him out that builds their relationship. Also, Valancy's family never bothered to truly get to know her and instead put their ideas of her into the "family tradition". They have their own effective way of keeping aliens at a distance and shutting their hearts to mere casual sightseers. Barney/Foster is clearly projecting himself onto the woods here after what he went through being Red Fern's heir; even Valancy was too afraid of letting herself be known to others because of her family. It is of no use to seek the woods from any motive except sheer love of them; they will find us out at once and hide all their sweet, old-world secrets from us. Again, Valancy seeks out Barney for her "sheer love" of him and he hides his secrets from her. But if they know we come to them because we love them they will be very kind to us and give us such treasures of beauty and delight as are not bought or sold in any market-place. For the woods, when they give at all, give unstintedly and hold nothing back from their true worshippers. Barney again being the woods here in his relationship to Valancy! The gifts and treasures he brings to her and even comes to the point where he will go to his father so he can get the best treatment he can when he thinks Valancy's life is still in danger. And her gifts to him are the complete acceptance of who he is and sacrificing her happiness to set him free when she realizes the error that was made regarding her heart. We must go to them lovingly, humbly, patiently, watchfully, and we shall learn what poignant loveliness lurks in the wild places and silent intervals, lying under starshine and sunset, what cadences of unearthly music are harped on aged pine boughs or crooned in copses of fir, what delicate savours exhale from mosses and ferns in sunny corners or on damp brooklands, what dreams and myths and legends of an older time haunt them. This part of the passage just so reminds me of how ethereal Valancy comes to be described as, and the time that it took for both of them to learn about one another in the wilds of Muskoka. Then the immortal heart of the woods will beat against ours and its subtle life will steal into our veins and make us its own forever, so that no matter where we go or how widely we wander we shall yet be drawn back to the forest to find our most enduring kinship. And this part wraps it all up! This is Valancy and Barney at the end, their hearts beating together, their brief separation and coming back together again when they realize that they're both in love with each other. And their journey out into the world, but that they will always come back to their Blue Castle.

[kellyvela]

I am seeing how they affirm that GrrM said "slavery can only end with fire and blood" is that true?

No. That's a classic from targies. They love to use this quote from GRRM's vampire novel 'Fevre Dream' to justify their fave's campaign in Slaver's Bay:

“You know I never held much with slavery, even if I never done much against it neither. I would of, but those damned abolitionists were such Bible-thumpers. Only I been thinkin’, and it seems to me maybe they was right after all.You can’t just go . . . usin’ another kind of people, like they wasn’t people at all. Know what I mean? Got to end, sooner or later. Better if it ends peaceful, but it’s got to end even if it has to be with fire and blood, you see? Maybe that’s what them abolitionists been sayin’ all along. You try to be reasonable, that’s only right, but if it don’t work, you got to be ready. Some things is just wrong. They got to be ended.”

Toby was looking at him queerly, still absent-mindedly wiping his hands across the front of his apron, back and forth, back and forth. “Cap’n,” he said softly, “you is talkin’ abolition. This here is slave country, Cap’n. You could git kilt fo’ sech talk.”

“Maybe I could, Toby, but right is right, that’s what I say.”

“You done good by ol’ Toby, Cap’n Marsh, givin’ me my freedom and all so’s I could cook fo’ you. That you did.”

—Fevre Dream

Abner Marsh, the Captain of the steamboat Fevre Dream, was a white man that: "never held much with slavery, even if he never done much against it neither." And Toby Lanyard, Marsh's cook, was basically still a slave: “You done good by ol’ Toby, Cap’n Marsh, givin’ me my freedom and all so’s I could cook fo’ you. That you did.”

Let's read more about good old Toby Lanyard:

The cook was a free colored man named Toby Lanyard, who had been with Marsh fourteen years, ever since Marsh tasted his cooking down in Natchez, bought him, and gave him his freedom.

(...) "Jest Toby, Cap'n," came the soft whispered reply.

Marsh's fear suddenly melted away and seemed silly. Toby Lanyard was the gentlest old soul ever set foot on a steamboat, and one of the meekest as well, Marsh called out, "Comin'," and lit a lamp by his bedside before going to open the door.

(...) "You knowed me a long time, Cap'n, you knows I wouldn't lie to you."

"Course I do," said Marsh.

"I wouldn't run off neither. You done give me my freedom and all, jest fer cookin' fer you.

(...) The events of the summer of 1857 became even more dreamlike as, one by one, those who had shared some of Marsh's experiences began to drift out of his life. Old Toby Lanyard had gone east a month after they had returned to St. Louis. Being returned to slavery once had been enough for him, now he wanted to get as far from the slave states as possible. Marsh got a brief letter from him early in 1858, saying that he'd gotten a job cooking in a Boston hotel. After that he never heard from Toby again.

—Fevre Dream

As you can see, Toby is always reminding us that Marsh gave him his freedom so Toby can cook for him . . . .

Toby reminds me a lot of little Missandei. Sweet souls.

And why was Abner Marsh talking that way about the end of slavery with Toby? Well, because he knew how the vampires treated human beings, no matter their skin color. He knew how the vampires treated human beings as slaves. Vampires called humans "The cattle." For Vampires, humans were prey.

That's why we read Abner Marsh, a white man that: "never held much with slavery, even if he never done much against it neither," then saying that "You can’t just go . . . usin’ another kind of people, like they wasn’t people at all."

Very telling, right?

But even Abner Marsh knew that fire and blood must be the last measure: Got to end, sooner or later. Better if it ends peaceful, but it’s got to end even if it has to be with fire and blood, you see? Maybe that’s what them abolitionists been sayin’ all along. You try to be reasonable, that’s only right, but if it don’t work, you got to be ready. Some things is just wrong. They got to be ended.”

I hope this helps.

Thanks for your message :)

[strawberryvanillablast]

Silly Nightmare, Sweet Ending (Josuke Higashikata X Reader, Giorno Giovanna X Reader)

Josuke Higashikata

'This is great!' Josuke thought to himself.

He was having the best day of his life! He aced a hard test, he got the shoes he always wanted, and he managed to acquire 1,000,000 yen, without his mother noticing! His thoughts of taking you out for a nice romantic dinner were halted when he saw his house's door wide open for some reason. Suspicious, suspicious.

"Hello," Josuke asked as he slowly walked in. "Anyone home? Mom?"

"Ah, Josuke," A deep voice greeted him. "Welcome. I'd thought you'd never make it."

Josuke bristled. He knew the owner of that voice anywhere. Readying Crazy Diamond, he looked around for the culprit and slowly moved to the living room.

"Alright, Yoshikage," He growled. "Where are you?! I've pummeled you once, I can pummel you again!"

When he entered the living room, Josuke's face paled. Kira Yoshikage was dressed in a turtle costume... along with Okuyasu, Koichi, Rohan, and [Y/N]. Along for the ride were his mother and Jotaro also dressed in turtle costumes. Josuke gulped as he took a step back.

"What's going on here...?" Josuke asked uneasily.

"It's too late to turn back, Josuke," Kira smiled menacingly. "We are now of the Turtle Coven. And you must join us!"

"Join us, Josuke-kun." [Y/N] purred, grabbing onto his arm.

"Join us," Everyone else chanted. "Join us. Join us. Join us. Join us."

Josuke closed his eyes, bracing himself in terror. For a few moments, nothing happened which confused him. He opened his eyes and gave a tentative look-around. When he realized he was in [Y/N]'s house, the confusion turned into relief.

"Josuke," [Y/N]'s voice whispered in his ears. "You alright? Why're you up right now?"

"Yeah, it was just a weird dream I had." Josuke smiled in reply.

"I told you that eating spicy sashimi before bed wasn't a good idea." [Y/N] tenderly scolded. "Want some cuddles to help you sleep?"

Josuke usually wouldn't do so especially in the wake of a silly dream like that, but for some reason, he decided to indulge in the cuddling. .

Giorno Giovanna

He was working in the office, going over some paperwork. As he was reading a document that concerned itself with the involvement of an infamous Capo, [Y/N] entered in softly, smiling sweetly. He looked up and gave a tender smile of his own, his tense shoulders relaxing a bit.

"Buon Giorno, my sweet prince!" [Y/N] purred, giving me a tender kiss on the cheek.

"Buon Giorno, mi tesoro," Giorno returned with a sweet kiss to [Y/N]'s cheek. "What seems to be the occasion for today?"

"We're hosting a little luncheon today for your parents!"

"My," Giorno's smile slipped a little. "My parents are coming over here today?"

"Yep!" [Y/N] chirped cheerfully. "They're waiting at the foyer now!"

'That's strange,' Giorno thought. 'My parents aren't really supposed to know where I am. This is supposed to be a secret from them.'

"Here they are!" [Y/N] said in a bubbly tone, gently hugging Giorno's arm.

Giorno looked over to where his parents were supposed to be and he swore that he felt his eye twitch in disbelief just a bit. His mother was normal or at least she looked like she did the last time Giorno saw her before he left.

His stepfather, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. It was not because of the clothes he was wearing (a dark-blue suit) nor was it because how his brown eyes twinkled in the chandelier's lights.

No, it was because his stepfather wasn't his stepfather at all. At least, not the stepfather he remembered.

No, the person who was playing his stepfather was a young man with bright brown eyes, freckles, and an impossibly big grin on his face. At seeing this man's face, Giorno felt an odd sense of deja vu.

"Ah, Giorno," The young man beamed. "Bellissimo! It's so good to see you again!" He wrapped Giorno in an extremely tight hug.

"Pardon me, signore," Giorno tried to ask. "But have we met before?"

"But of course," The young man said. His pink hair was suddenly long, reaching down to his waist. "I'm actually the previous Boss, Diavolo! I am also..." Suddenly, the Boss turned into a space creature. "A space creature going to boop you on the nose!"

"...Huh?" Giorno was confused.

"Boop!"

Giorno immediately awoke, finding himself cuddling [Y/N] in the dark of the night. He lay there, confused, wondering what just happened.

"GioGio," [Y/N] asked sleepily. "You okay?"

"I think so," Giorno gave a small smile. "I just had a weird dream is all."

"You regret eating chocolate pudding just before bed?" [Y/N] teased.

"Not really." Giorno teased back.

"Well, alright," [Y/N] purred. "I'll get rid of those awful dreams. Just go back to sleep."

As [Y/N] gently petted his hair, Giorno felt his eyes close softly, a soft smile gracing his face, nodding back to sleep.

[tookyourdadsarrow]

Intro Post ~

[Looks cautiously to and fro]

Don't tell Kyra, but I miiiiiight have taken her "secret" phone when she wasn't looking...

Not for anything bad of course! Just wanted a means to properly introduce myself ;)

🔥 Alex, Daughter of Hestia; Unclaimed...

Name: Alexandra Calida Alavez Age: 12 Pronouns: She/Her Godly Parent: Hestia; At the moment, I'm unclaimed Mortal Family: Sol Alavez (Dad) Camp Half-Blood Cabin: #21, once the truth has been revealed; for now, I tend to chill in Cabin #11 (Hermes)

Fun Facts About Yours' Truly -

🕯Favorite Color: Various shades of red and orange, though yellow is also starting to really grow on me... 🕯Birthday: November 24th (smack in the middle of Autumn; every four years, my birthday also falls on the day of family feasts)

🕯Hobbies: - Sparring with my Spear - Cooking and Baking - Writing and Telling Stories - Just... being there for others I suppose

🕯Favorite Snack: Bread, both savory & sweet

🕯Demigod Powers: - Pyrokinesis (i can control fire?!) - Food Enhancement (purify food/sense if it is tampered) - Limited Healing (through the food I cook) - Warmth & Serenity Inducement (make you feel warm & at peace ~)

🕯Best Camp Half-Blood Skills: - Cooking (some say the food I touch feels blessed ~) - Spearmanship - Lighting a Flame - Generally the Camp's Peacekeeper (do you all have any idea how many fights I had to break up and negotiate through)

🕯Dream Job (if I weren’t a demigod): I tend to be very... low-key. If I had to choose, maybe a quiet desk job. However, I also find I have a passion in helping others, so with that in mind I wouldn't say no to being a therapist or counselor of some sort!

🕯Background: I'm an only child. My dad never really felt the need to go out and settle down with someone else, so for the longest time it was just the two of us. Unfortunately, after I went through an unnatural accident two years ago my dad decided to start dating a nasty woman, Kathleen, and let's just say we haven't had the best relationship...

But now, after my dad has disappeared and I've been brought to camp Half-Blood, I have to deal with the challenges of being a demigod while also being unclaimed! Thank goodness for Kyra, otherwise I don't think I would have managed so well (she's fantastic)!

🕯Personality: Optimistic, passionate, though relatively introverted and a bit too altruistic for her own good, it's not too far off to say Alex is the kind of person who puts her loved ones before herself. She is always willing to lend an ear and be a pillar of support to those who need it, especially if they are near and dear to her heart. Though she is a pacifist at heart, preferring to use her words in resolving conflict, Alex will use her actions to send a message if she must!

Though she has been left unclaimed, for the time being, she does not let this deter her away from the others at camp. While still a bit of an outcast, Alex has learned to hone her abnormalities and embrace her half-divine blood (even if she has found herself growing... resentful... of her godly mother); but above all else, she is determined to find out what happened to her father!

🕯Favorite Camp Memories: - Cooking a meal for her fellow demigods for the first time - Telling a beautiful story over the campfire, one with a happy ending - Meeting Kyra for the first time (girl quite literally was a beacon of light in all the chaos)

🕯Little Extra Detail: I can't help but imagine and create little stories about the things I see, no matter how small the subject is about: - Those campers walking off to train in the woods, who knows the trial they are preparing for? - That fox carrying a stick in his mouth, or an adventurous spirit set out to complete his own little journey? - Two fireflies, illuminating the other even when they have the means to glow so beautifully on their own...

Where will their story go from here?

[mairaiscarrierofthepaperclips]

Maira Live-Reacts! - Held Up a Lightning Rod (Wonder Why I'm Struck)

And we're back with another absolute banger by @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels. It's the Platonic Sugar-Baby fic of your dreams, go and read it immediately.

Spoilers below, read at your own risk!

I'M SO EXCITED AND I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED READING

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TORRES? MAIDEN NAME TORRES??? 👀

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Every time I have to read about the scene where they want to take Chris away I feel such rage. And the I remember the end of S7 and I rage even more.

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*Eddie trying on a suit* I feel you, my guy, there are so. many. colours.

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AN ALARMING BRITISH ACCENT YAAAAAS 🤣

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We all need a friend like Mel. Someone to click the button for us because WHAT THE FUCK NO WHY!

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'Everyone checked out hot guy's asses' oh, Buck. Bless your heart.

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The 'I'm an ally' blue screen Buck convo is always hilarious.

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HOW MUCH FOR A WATCH?! 😳

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*does conversion to NZD*

*passes out*

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Ah, sweet sweet revenge *cackles*

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THE EQUIPMENT! 🤣

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'Take me.'

... Buck. Baby, honey, sweetness. Giving the man a coronary was not on the agenda for tonight.

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'I'll just fantasise about the guy once! It's totally fine! Out of my system!'

*insert Sure, Jan dot gif*

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Y'all are idiots, is what you are

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Good grief I adore Mel. I feel like she's Eddie somewhat-safer Lena (no street fighting, please and thank).

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And that's how you deliver a smack down.

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... Oh, Buck, you little shit.

I ain't even mad, this is gonna go great. *grabs popcorn*

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*applauds* Bravo, boys, excellent performance.

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I JUST WANT TO CLONK THEIR HEADS TOGETHER OH MY GOD

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I know it's needed for character and plot progression but THE SHANNON ARC has me EMOTIONAL for MANY REASONS

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'He was never Buck's to lose' my fucking HEART, Mads, how DARE.

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This death scene is still brutal as fuck, damn.

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Woof, this is bringing back some memories I was NOT ready for today.

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The Diaz parents haven't even spoken yet and my Rage is already Peak™️

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Oh damn we're still doing the bomber storyline noooo

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How dare you drop Chimney Name knowledge off screen like that. Rude.

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PotC guidelines quote, yuussss

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Hand flex hand flex HAND FLEX

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... No stupid lawsuit arc, I BEG OF YOU

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Eddie, no, you didn't fail. 😭💔

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Mel! 😭💔

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Fucking Helena, I stg

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And now tsunami gate? Mads.

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That line slays me every time, no matter how times I hear/read it. Goddam.

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Okay, phew, at least we're not going with slimy mcdouche lawyer.

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Aaaand there we go. Finally. Some sense for our beloved characters.

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LEGALLY BLONDE JOKE YAAAS!

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Ah, poker has replaced fight club. Healthy.

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Wait. Never mind.

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Eddie Diaz, my beloved 💔

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Skynet is already here, of that I have no doubt

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Oh Lena and Mel are gonna be dangerous together and I am HERE. FOR. IT.

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CLONK CLONK CLONK

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Oh, this is new...

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"You will never be enough for the wrong people" is a fucking line and a half, damn.

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BOY HOWDY IS THE REPRESSION GONNA COME OUT, JUST YOU WAIT!

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Yeah, Mel, get some! 🤣❤️

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Out of the mouths of babes, damn.

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FUCKING DIAZ PARENTS I STG!!!

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Ah, meta.

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I loathe the Elder Buckleys with the fire of a thousand suns.

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Charli-noooooooo

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I definitely need an epilogue scene to have Mel's speech at their wedding

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THE SPPECH! THE CHEESE! THE SMOOCH! 😍

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The two are so soft for each other in the best way, I can't even

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KARMA'S A BITCH, AIN'T IT, BUCK? *cackles madly*

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Not his team still dying 😭

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One must never disappoint Yousseff!

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Meddie friendship confirmed, huzzah!

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What a fab read.

[bukaters]

Today I finally had the time to go sit on a bench and take some sun in while listening to TTPD. Overall, I'm not very impressed, but I think Folklore kind of ruined things for me because I'm always expecting Taylor's albums to be as good as that one and they always fall short. Still, there are some beautiful lyrics in this one. I'll just leave here some random thoughts and some of my favorite lines:

"So Long, London" truly is "London Boy" 's depressed sister. I think what makes it so sad is how well the lyrics convey the exhaustion that comes when all hope is dead and you know something is over for good no matter what you do

"My boy only breaks his favorite toys" should be an anthem to those who've been discarded after being used by someone (also love the Barbie reference)

"So High School" has got to be the most annoying song that's ever been written

"I can do it with a broken heart" is heartbreaking. Fame and stardom must be such sad and lonely places to be in - which brings me to:

"The Prophecy" = you can't have it all. I don't like this way of thinking (love the song) because it kind of looks at life as an either or thing. Taylor, girl, maybe you can have it all so stop howling at the moon (jk, pls never stop)

"But daddy, I love him" = massive eye roll. Hate it.

"Robin" is BEAUTIFUL and about protecting one's innocence from the pain of growing up.

My favorite bits under the cut

Say it once again with feeling How the death rattle breathing Silenced as the soul was leaving The deflation of our dreaming Leaving me bereft and reeling My beloved ghost and me Sitting in a tree D-Y-I-N-G (How did it end?)

If the glint in my eye traced the depths of your sigh Down that passage in time Back to the moment I crashed into you Like so many wrecks do Too impaired by my youth To know what to do (Chloe or Sam or sophia or Marcus)

I wrote a thousand songs that you find uncool I built a legacy that you can't undo But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth That there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you (thanK you aIMee)

The coward claimed he was a lion I'm combing through the braids of lies (loml)

A greater woman stays cool But I howl like a wolf at the moon And I look unstable Gathered with a coven 'round a sorceress' table A greater woman has faith But even statues crumble if they're made to wait (the prophecy)

I stopped CPR, after all it's no use The spirit was gone, we would never come to And I'm pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free

For so long, London Stitches undone Two graves, one gun I'll find someone … And you say I abandoned the ship But I was going down with it My white knuckle dying grip Holding tight to your quiet resentment and My friends said it isn't right to be scared Every day of a love affair Every breath feels like rarest air When you're not sure if he wants to be there (So Long, London)

Put me back on my shelf But first - Pull the string And I'll tell you that he runs Because he loves me. Cause you should've seen him When he first saw me.

My boy only breaks his favorite toys I'm queen of sand castles he destroys (My boy only breaks his favorite toys)

You got the dragonflies above your bed You have a favorite spot on the swing set You have no room in your dreams for regrets You have no idea The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean You'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline But now we'll curtail your curiosity In sweetness (Robin)