#And the ones they do explore are uninteresting or lazy

[rooolt]

rattling the bars of my cage, cobra kai’s “too many characters” disease simultaneously invites speculation on a wide variety of possibly interesting character dynamics between characters who don’t frequently interact while also making it impossible for there to be any room or time in the story to even properly handle established character dynamics, let alone explore new ones

[edward-munson]

"Unspoken Desire" - Eddie Munson x Best Friend! Female Reader

Summary: You and Eddie made a bet and he wants you to pay it with a kiss. Turns out, kissing your best friend for losing a bet leads you into something else.

Note: I know no one asked me but I had this sudden idea of writing something quick to read.

Warning: SMUTTTTT, cursing, mention of kink, unprotected sex, kissing. +18 DNI.

Word count: ~2.1k

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, and Eddie and you had decided to spend the day together at the local park. You sat on a bench, sharing a bag of potato chips as you watched kids playing on the nearby swings.

Eddie grinned mischievously and reached for the last chip in the bag. "You know, (Y/N), I've been thinking."

You raised an eyebrow, pretending to be uninterested. "Thinking? Dangerous territory, Eddie. What's on your mind?".

Eddie leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Well, I can't help but notice that you owe me something". You feigned innocence, tilting you head. "Owe you? For what, exactly?"

Eddie's eyes sparkled with amusement. "For that bet we made last week, remember?". You chuckled, recalling the bet you had made about who could eat the spiciest chili at the local food festival.

"Oh, that bet? You're not still upset about losing, are you?". Eddie's grin widened. "Upset? Nah, I just think it's time you pay up."

You crossed your arms, a playful glint in your eyes. "And what do you want as your prize, Munson?". Eddie leaned even closer, your faces almost touching.

"A kiss, (Y/N). One spicy, victorious kiss." You pretended to ponder this for a moment.

"Hmm, a kiss for a bag of chips? Seems like a fair trade". Just as you were about to share a kiss, a group of kids on the swings erupted into giggles and shouted.

"Ewww, cooties!", Eddie and you burst into laughter, pulling away from each other. Eddie winked at you, the teasing still in his eyes.

"Well, it looks like the playground jury has spoken. Next time, (Y/N), next time". You grinned back, feeling grateful for moments like these with your best friend. "You're impossible, Eddie".

As the sun began its slow descent below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue across the landscape, you and Munson decided to go home. You grabbed a ride back with him in his van, having a conversation about random things while Van Halen was playing on the radio.

As he pulled by your driveway, he turns off the engine of his vehicle as you both sat in comfortable silence for a moment, savoring the end of the afternoon.

"Once again, safe and sound", he says as he rests his elbow on the steering wheel.

"Thanks again, Eddie", you respond as you get rid of the seat belt. "Oh, by the way. Are still on that bet?", you ask teasingly. You watch as he grins at your question, letting out an amused chuckle.

"If you're still okay with that, yeah". He says as he gets rid of his own seat belt, moving his torso to have a better look at you.

Edie's hand, strong and reassuring, gently cradled your face. His thumb traced your jawline, and your eyes locked in a shared moment of understanding and longing. The air was thick with anticipation as he leaned closer, your breaths coming faster and shallower.

With a whispered promise in his eyes, Eddie closed the remaining distance. Your lips met in a slow, tantalizing kiss. It began with a feather-light touch, a delicate exploration of each other's desires. Your mouths moved in perfect harmony, a dance of passion that deepened with each passing second.

Eddie's other hand found your lower back, pulling you closer as the kiss intensified. Your bodies pressed together, as you reached out for his curls, tangling your fingers against it.

In that stolen moment, time seemed to stand still. Your kiss was a symphony of desire, a silent conversation of longing and affection. The tip of his tongue started to swirl around yours and you couldn't help but let out a small groan against his plump lips.

You felt him smirk between the kiss, as he gritted your lower lip with his teeth before finishing it. You both broke the kiss and looked at each other with a slight hint of fun, even after a moment of intimacy.

"Wow, that was actually better than I expected", Munson said, resting his forehead against yours. You laugh softly and bite your lip.

"I just happen to be a good kisser", you play along, listening to his sweet laugh as he snorted.

"And you're also very cocky", he retorts with a side smile on his face. You only then noticed how hot you felt for him and how good he actually made you feel about just a kiss. It was supposed to be a playful one, but it ended up being way more than that.

Eddie cast a glance at you, who was still holding a hard stare at him and at his plump lips. You felt a sense of connection and understanding passed between you two, as if your souls were speaking in a language only you could comprehend.

"So, you wanna come in?", you ask timidly and watch him nod, already opening the van's door before he pulled himself out. He walked around the car to reach your side of the door, opening it for you.

He was always gentle, even when you were actually mad at him for something, or even after you argue about some nonsense. You knew Munson was a whore, because he would hook up with one girl after another on the same night and still brag about it.

You were never one to really feel interested about him, but in that case, his kiss ended up setting something up inside your guts you still didn't quite figure out. You walked in, turning the lights on as he made himself home.

Before you could even lock the door from the inside, he pinned you against it, leaning in and closing the gap between you. Your lips met in a gentle, yet electrifying kiss again. This time it was quick, but still with a passionate exploration.

Eddie's hand cupped your cheek, his fingers tenderly caressing the soft skin. Your arms encircled him, pulling him closer as your bodies pressed together against the door. He didn't hold back a husky groan as he thrusted his hip against your heated core and made you whimper.

"Oh, Eddie. You're about to ruin this friendship", you whispered. Before he could respond to you, he pressed his hips firmly against yours once more and chuckled against your mouth.

"Baby, if anything we're only making it become more entertaining". It was the tone he used and the sudden pet name that threw you off, making you pull him by the collar of his shirt as you rush to the couch.

You pushed him to sit on it as you turned the stereo on before doing a little strip for him. You were never ashamed of your showing body whenever you were at the pool or something related to that, but he probably never saw you in your lingerie all those years.

He widened his chocolate brown eyes to his sight, analyzing every inch of your bare skin, like your chest, neck and stomach. He helped you unzip your jeans, lowering the fabric as you kicked it off.

His big hand and calloused fingers grabbed both your thighs with tenderness, while he spread wide kisses across your body, lingering with his touch as he felt you shiver under his lips. You didn't want your body to react to him that easily, especially because he knows the effect he has on women in general.

Eddie got rid of his shirt and worked on his jeans pretty fast, showing you a glimpse of his hardened cunt pressed against his boxer. You know what you were about to do but, even then, you didn't feel like you wouldn't regret it.

You made him rest his back against the furniture as you leaned forward and sat between his legs, both knees on each side. You were still exchanging a heated gaze and you felt like you were about to lose your damn mind just feeling the way his skin grasped your ass.

His both big veiny hands squeezed your ass while you wrapped your arms around his neck. Placing a soft, but spicy, kiss just between his earlobe.

You heard him hiss, fanning your hair in a low and desperate breath, while his hands gripped tighter on you. "Fuck's sake, stop torturing me", he pleaded, his cock twitching under your core. You chuckled before sliding one hand down his stomach, finally pulling his aching dick out of the fabric.

The red, throbbing length was already glistening with precum and you slightly squeezed it between your hands, giving him a few seconds of relieve. It turns out you weren't bothered by not taking the lingerie off as you just slid your panties to the side, before aligning yourself with his cock.

Munson was still holding a gaze at you, trying to bite his moans from coming off of his mouth, enjoying the way you were lustfully looking at him as you rubbed his tip against your folds.

You were always one to never hide your emotions through sex, you would always be too loud, moan a lot and almost faint from breathing too fast.

The way his mushroom head entered you made you arch your back, and Eddie just about did the same, throwing his head back squinting his eyes shut from the pleasure that was attacking his entire body.

You made your way down on him fully and almost choked on the size, his cock spreading your walls slightly, burning it. You leaned yourself against him and grabbed his face with both hands, bringing him closer to you so you would kiss him.

It was a sloppy kiss as you were both moaning and gasping from the pleasure. He slid one of his arm around your waist, resting his palm against your lower back, while using the other hand to unclasp your bra.

The sudden rubbing of your nipples against his chest made him pound harder and hit your sweet spot. "Fuck, why haven't we done this before?", he mumbled while gripping your skin. You started riding him faster, trying to keep your pace but you were clenching too tight around him.

"I have no idea", you slurred, trying to formulate the words coming out of your mouth. He suddenly pulled a handful of your hair and assaulted your neck, leaving sloppy kisses, glittering the skin against his teeth, making you mewl his name.

"You love it rough, huh?", he teased against your ear, his tone just above a whisper. Munson felt your cunt tightening his cock and cursed under his breath. You could feel as he was chuckling from your response.

"Y-Yes", you say, biting your bottom lip. You meet his eyes for a moment and notice they hold both lust and kindness at the same time. He could be the most sluttest slut but he definitely was gentle, especially with you.

"Holy shit, baby. You're really tight, you're ruining me", Eddie cried out, squeezing your ass between his hands as he pumped inside of you. If he kept doing that for the next minute, you're going to hit your climax in a record time.

You're in between looking at him and closing your eyes enjoying your moment, as you keep riding him, rocking your thigh against his so perfectly. He can't stop curling his toes from the sensation you're giving him, and he placed one hand on your neck, his thumb pressed against your lower lip.

He doesn't mean it to be really sexual, but as a result, you use his digit as a lollipop and it pulls him out of his own bliss as he stares at you, eyes widened and brows furrowed. It gives him motivation to thrust against your core so hard you gasp between his finger.

"Jesus fuck you're so fucking hot", Munson grunts at the sight. It makes him hornier and hungrier for you. His dick is about to explode inside you and he didn't have time to warn you about that.

It was supposed to take longer than that, but the way you were sucking on his finger and displaying an erotic figure made him burst out. "Shit", he hisses.

You feel his hips stuttering under you, his cum warming your walls and you feel lightheaded, the shockwave of pleasure hitting you so strong and so fast you throw your head back. Eddie holds you tight and feel his length throb inside you with your reaction.

You're both panting loudly, staring at each other peacefully. You're still sitting on his lap, your cunt holding him lazily. Eddie pulls you for a tender kiss, licking your lips before pecking them for a slight second.

"What were you talking about ruined friendship?", he mocked. You both just knew it wasn't ruined. You felt too comfortable around him, and he felt too cozy under you, thinking to himself about the beautiful view he was having.

"I think we should make another bet", you retorted playfully, smiling at him. He wrapped both arms around you and rolled you over your couch, standing above you with a taunting grin on his face before he pulled you in for a passionate kiss.

[deonsx]

I really enjoy your works! Could I request some Nagi fluff where they both play a new video game together. Bonus points if it‘s Infinity Nikki and reader tries to get Nagi to play it 🤭 Thank you for service 🫡

It was one of those lazy afternoons where the world outside seemed to melt away, and you found yourself at home with Nagi. The house was quiet except for the soft hum of the television. You had just picked up a new game, Infinity Nikki, and couldn’t wait to try it out. The vibrant world of fashion, adventure, and design seemed like the perfect distraction from the everyday grind, and you knew Nagi might enjoy it if you could convince him

You were lounging on the couch, the game controller in hand, and Nagi was sprawled on the other side, his eyes half-lidded, clearly uninterested at first. He was absorbed in his usual, relaxed mode, his hair falling lazily into his face as he tapped his phone “Hey, Nagi,” you started, trying to sound casual, “wanna play something with me?”

He barely looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Play what? Another one of those games where you just run around and do random things?” You grinned. “Well, kind of, but this one’s different! It’s all about exploring, dressing up, and creating your own designs in this gorgeous world. Plus, you get to customize your character!”

He sighed, clearly uninterested, but you weren’t giving up that easily. “Come on, you don’t even have to take it seriously. Just try it out for a bit. It’s got tons of cool outfits, and the visuals are really pretty!”There was a pause, then Nagi slowly shifted, his head tilting as he stared at the screen. He glanced at you, a little smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Fine, but I’m only doing this because you’re begging me”

You beamed, holding the controller out toward him. “That’s all I need to hear!” He took the controller with a small huff, settling beside you on the couch. As the game loaded, the colorful world of Infinity Nikki appeared before him soft pastels, glowing lights, and delicate animations filled the screen

The first few minutes were spent in silence as Nagi stared at the screen, unsure of what he was supposed to do. You couldn’t help but laugh as he fumbled with the controls, clearly not used to the fashion-focused gameplay

“Okay, okay, just press the dress-up button to change outfits” you explained, your voice filled with excitement “Look, there’s a whole wardrobe full of outfits you can mix and match!” Nagi glanced at you, a little smirk appearing again “You really get excited over clothes, don’t you?” His tone was teasing, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes

“You have no idea” you replied with a laugh “Just wait until you see the accessories. The shoes are to die for!” As the game progressed, Nagi’s expression softened, and he began to show a bit more interest. He made his character try on different outfits, experimenting with colors and styles. His usual disinterested attitude faded, replaced by a faint sense of curiosity

“Okay, this isn’t… as bad as I thought” he admitted, adjusting his character’s outfit to make it look more stylish. “But don’t think I’m getting hooked or anything”

You chuckled, nudging him with your shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re having fun. You look pretty good in those clothes by the way” Nagi rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile “Whatever, you’re the one who kept begging me to try it”

As you both continued playing, you became more and more absorbed in the game, trying out various designs and experimenting with new looks for your character. Nagi, despite his initial reluctance, seemed to be enjoying it too he even started offering suggestions for what outfit combinations you should try next “How about this? The lace dress with the flower crown?” Nagi asked casually, leaning over to point at the screen. His finger brushed against your hand as he gestured to the options

You blinked in surprise, a warm feeling spreading through your chest. “You’re actually getting into this now, huh?” Nagi didn’t respond right away. Instead, he just gave you a small, lazy grin “Maybe. I can’t let you have all the fun by yourself”

You both spent the next few hours playing together, laughing at the ridiculous combinations you both created, and even teaming up to complete in-game challenges. Every now and then, Nagi would lean in close to ask your opinion on an outfit or a hairstyle for the character, making you feel more and more connected to him

By the time the game session came to a close, the evening had turned into night, and you were both comfortably exhausted. Nagi stretched, letting out a yawn as he handed you the controller “Not bad,” he said, looking over at you with a satisfied grin. “I guess you were right. It’s… kind of fun”

You laughed, nudging him playfully. “I told you so! And you were so reluctant at first” “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, giving you a mock glare. “You win. But don’t expect me to admit that I like it too often”

You smiled, feeling content as you rested back into the couch, the warm, fuzzy feeling of being close to Nagi taking over. “It’s fine, I already know.” Nagi leaned back, a relaxed, comfortable silence settling over the two of you. For the first time, you both seemed perfectly content in each other’s company, sharing this silly, fun experience

Enjoy!

[pangaeaseas]

The Problem of Religion in Harry Potter (or, what is Wizard God?)

tl; dr: I wish more hp fics did something with religion and the wizarding world

so to state my credentials up front: I've read a lot of hp fanfiction, a little on the Reformation and religious history--like, I have probably more background knowledge than the average person but I am very emphatically not an expert and have never actually taken a class specifically on any kind of religious history, and I'm an ex-Catholic who did ten ish years of religion classes. There are probably a LOT more people more qualified to talk about this than me but whatever I've never actually seen very much meta written out on this specific issue so I'm giving it a try. (if you have written or read such meta, please send me recs)

ahh the Problem of Religion one of the great unsolved mysteries of the hp world building (similar issues include What the Fuck is Going on with Ireland, How Does the Ministry Actually Work, What is the Population, etc) and I call it 'unsolved' because the fandom has no massively popular solution (like Lordships for the Problem of the Wizengamot) and in general tends to just not think about it, much like JKR originally did. Now IMO she probably intended most wizards to be, like, generically Church of England or whatever without much investment--basically copying the Muggle equivalent whenever it isn't spelled out how the two worlds differ, which is I think a lot of her un-filled-out world building is meant to be. Which. OK. You can do that, but, you know, religion is a very very important aspect of worldbuilding and in my opinion ignoring it and expecting it to be just the same as 1990s Muggle Britain is uninteresting and lazy.

This (wizards are meant to be some kind of Christian and probably Church of England just for simplicity's sake) is evidenced by things like Hogwarts having Christmas and Easter breaks, James and Lily having a Bible quote picked out by Dumbledore on their tombstone, and Draco Malfoy, most emblematically wizard of wizard characters who can be taken as a potential baseline, automatically saying things like 'Good God'. Which, you know, implies that the idea of a single God, and probably the Judaeo-Christian God because that's the same cultural background as the rest of Britain, is taken for granted by wizarding society. It doesn't necessarily imply anything about Draco's or even the Malfoys' personal beliefs, and of course you have other characters saying things like 'Oh my Merlin' and "Morgana" and things like that. Which in my opinion wasn't meant to be indications of some kind of Merlin or Morgana worship but more quirky and fun flavor things of the kind jkr loves to include without thinking out the implications. But you absolutely can take those statements that way--this post is absolutely not meant to dictate how people want to headcanon and I am absolutely here for giving wizards a well thought out pagan or Non-Christian religion, I just don't think that was the author's intent. There's also plenty of other things that imply Wizarding cultural Christianity that I'm not remembering off the top of my head.

And, of course, much better writers than me have extensively discussed all the Christian themes in HP. Of course, themes don't need to affect how people worldbuild in fanfic.

So: with HP canon, we are looking at a society that is probably culturally Christian and probably (key word) intended to be Church of England. But, because JKR wasn't putting much thought into it and basically just took a Chrisitian bedrock of society for granted, the implications of this are not really explored at all. So what I'm interested in is how fandom deals with it.

Mostly, that is...not at all, either taking cultural Christianity in the Wizarding World for granted the way JKR does or by ind of handwaving that wizards have evolved beyond the need for religion and that's just how it is. And that's perfectly fine! Not everyone wants to come up with a full, working, wizard society, and even if they are trying to worldbuild some aspects of wizarding society religion is often ignored, because people don't want to deal with it for often valid reasons (religious trauma, just disinterest, grew up agnostic, not Christian but thinks wizards probably are etc, etc, etc, ) Personally I wish more fics delved into what wizarding religious belief actually is, but to put it bluntly, that's just me. And I have never dealt with religion in my own fics. So don't takethis as judgement at all.

But there are interesting headcanons when people do choose to try and worldbuild religion in HP.

Fom what I've seen, one of the major ways to deal with religion in HP (aside from not dealing with it at all) is to give wizards, often pureblood wizards, some kind of pagan, often Celtic-inspired, religion. And this is quite defensible! Sometimes this is badly executed and/or turned into Death Eater apologia, but the idea of wizards having a different religion is really interesting and a good deal more interesting (IMO of course) than just not mentioning religion at all. Most fics that I've seen don't delve too deeply into, like the actual history and theology of these religions, but there are definitely some that do. (Also if you know any PLEASE send me recs). So if handled well, this is a great way to add some religion worldbuilding in the world of Harry Potter.

However, my personal favorite set of possibilities--obviously I have some personal bias as a history nerd with a long standing if never as deeply researched as I would like to interest in the history of Christianity and as an ex-Catholic--is that, well, we know the statute of secrecy started..when, exactly? 1690. So this much is obviously a result of JKR's Hollywood understanding of witch hunts (a subject for another time and someone far more qualified). For interested wrodlbuilders, we can take this as a guideline at best, as personally I think it would have taken a good deal longer than one year to agree on and implement something like the Statute and I tend to take 1690 as an end date, not a start. I also tend to take the Statue as a largely European phenomenon, at least at first. But, uh, what was happening in Britain at the time..oh, right...the Glorious Revolution....what was happening that created the conditions for the Glorious Revolution...oh, the English Civil War...which was because of...oh yeah, and what was also happening on the continent, maybe it involved, wait, thirty years..oooh, the Thirty Years War...wait weren't there a whole bunch of massive social shifts happening in Europe at this point in time isn't that funny but surely the stature of secrecy could be considered a part of these massive social shifts...all of which was heavily influenced by...you guessed it, the Protestant Reformation.

Wait. So. Maybe, the separation of Wizards from Muggles, at least in Britain, wasn't actually about Muggles hating wizards or wizards hating Muggles. Maybe it was about religion. Now personally I find this ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. The possibilities, the possibilities...

Wizards had a massive religious civil war that created the blood status system in its modern form? Particular families have wildly different denominations? Excellent. Religion both in terms of level of religiosity and in terms of denomination is a blood status marker? Excellent. Purebloods are all Catholic (what does this do to both Catholic and not Muggleborns?) Excellent. Purebloods are all Puritans? Weird, but if you can pull it off excellent. Purebloods are all one of the wacky new denominations that sprung up after the Reformation and then either died out or conquered the world? Excellent. Pure bloods are all Lutherans who really hated Henry VIII? Excellent. One of my favoirite ways to create a wizarding religion was someone who had most pure bloods follow a denomination that split off from Catholicism in the Great Schism and then a small minority being Catholic, with the worlds splitting around the Reformation. Even the paganism headcanons can be incorporated: the Reformation could conceivably have made it much more difficult to keep practicing wizard paganism causing separation of the worlds.

Personally I would love to see a world that used the history of the Protestant Reformation super well, but it's not the only way to relate a Wizarding religion or a Wizarding religious history. I just wish more people tried to do that at all. Let wizards be religious! Or let them be irreligious but have thought about it, instead of just ignoring religion at all as something that might conceivably have influenced human societies. Maybe Wizarding Britain has state sponsored atheism. Just say that outright!

Another thing I'd like to see more fic doing is theology: how does having magic impact people's religious doctrine? Does every major religion essentially have a wizarding branch with its own theology because magic impacts their view of the world so much, or do most wizards simply follow the majority Muggle religion in their country with no modifications? if so, why? Do some wizards disagree, potentially violently, over how to incorporate magic into their religion? Do some people refuse to use magic because they think it goes against their religion? Etc etc etc you could go on forever. I've seen fic, which randomly enough was about Regulus Black, do this pretty well (or I thought so as a non-Jew) for Judaism, and I'd love it if done with other religions.

Anyway. Now I have to figure out how the hell religion works in the Wizarding Britain of my own headcanon.

[temis-de-leon]

Look at you, looking at me

Characters: Lucifer x gn!reader

500 followers masterlist

Main Masterlist

Prompts used: Requited unrequited love + first date + stuck in close proximity

.

“Do I want to ask?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t, actually”

A long sigh followed and all MC could do was hang their head in embarrassment and try their best to avoid the eldest brother’s hard stare. They could still feel its weight in their flesh and their bones, but it was better than looking straight at the Lucifer’s rage and irritation, especially when they were part of the cause.  

Desperate for any type of distraction, they pushed the chair backwards and jumped out of the seat, although both had already explored the small space hours ago and none of them had found anything that could help in their escape.

The simulation had placed them in a study room, similar to those in libraries or colleges, with windows where the sunlight passed right through and a simple lockless door that they had been unable to open since the moment they got there. People could be heard walking by, but they spoke gibberish and didn’t seem to hear MC’s pleas or the demon’s threats and curses. In summary, the door wouldn’t break, the bookshelves didn’t have any hidden doors behind and the windows only had views of the sky; which meant that, even if they managed to open them, they would still have to jump straight into nothingness.

By all means, they were trapped together.

Unfortunately, MC knew perfectly well what needed to be done to get out.

“Am I to understand that you have a part in this, then?”

“I will neither confirm nor deny that statement”

He fixed his eyes on them once again; they could tell by the way the room turned colder and their muscles stiffened. However, MC was unable to turn around and act normal, let alone lie and tell him to not worry about the situation.

“All I’m saying is that maybe we should keep looking for a way out” they insisted, bending down to inspect the spot at the door where the lock would be. “What if the answer has been staring at us all along?”

“We would’ve seen it already by now if that were the case” Lucifer said as he got up, walking towards them with a lazy stride. The drag of his shoes over the tiled floor gave MC goosebumps, but it was the low tone of his voice what anchored them to the ground. Unable to move and feeling ridiculous wearing the stereotypical Japanese high school uniform, MC did nothing as the Avatar of Pride crossed the small room in a few short steps and stopped right behind them. The warmth of his breath prickled their skin when he talked. “Whatever are you hiding, MC?”

“Hiding? Me?”

“I advise you to choose your next words carefully”

There was a slight edge to his words, but they knew he’d never truly hurt them. As threatening and scary as he could get, MC was completely sure they could trust him with their life. Now, at least. Those times when their heartbeat quickened out of fear and apprehension at the sight of him were long gone, although their heart still beat faster in his presence; just for completely different reasons.

It hadn’t been a sudden change but it felt like so for MC. One day they were tiptoeing around the house trying their best to avoid the door to Lucifer’s office and the next they were staring at themselves in the mirror for hours while carefully choosing an outfit for the day. Like a lovesick teenager, they blushed, stopped thinking and stammered with their own words, melting under the red hue of his gaze and jumping at the slightest of touches. Being around him in tight spaces was pure torture.

Lucifer, on his part, remained the same as always. Always unfazed, if not a bit more prone to teasing.

Digesting his uninterested expressions would be easier if their meaning wasn’t so brutal.

“Well” they started, coughing to ease the dryness in their throat. Lucifer placed a hand on their back and patted lightly, or at least tried to, because that only made MC jump again and get away unceremoniously. “We’re in Levi’s new game, obviously”

“Obviously” he repeated, sounding oddly plain.

“It’s not an escape room, since it’s not giving us any clues… It could have a narrative, but we haven’t seen any of that either. An RPG, point and click… but we don’t have a mouse to click with... do we click with our fingers?”

“MC”

“I mean, it could be an RPG, since we’re dressed as students…”

“MC”

“What do you think we need to do? Pass a test?”

“MC”

A deadly tone. One last chance to come clean.

What were they trying anyway? They knew what had to be done and he knew they knew. The only reason they were still in the simulation was because MC was too weak to accept reality.

Holding a breath, they turned around and briefly looked at Lucifer’s enraged gaze. Part of them expected him to be frowning or even in his demon form, but that wasn’t the case. On the contrary, he was smiling; eyes half closed as he studied MC with sickening interest and a twisted smirk. Somehow, he still carried an overwhelming presence, even with the juvenile clothes and the warmth of the fake sun right behind him, and MC became silent in embarrassment when they realized that, not only they weren’t scared, they were titillated.

“The truth, now. If you please”

It was obvious by the last addition that it wasn’t a suggestion.

Defeated, MC threw their arms in the air and laughed with nervousness as every little piece of control they could’ve had over the situation slipped away. Lucifer’s features relaxed ever so slightly.

“They heard I wanted to take you out for breakfast!”

Which sounded ridiculous.

MC meant the brothers, of course. Who else would spy on them without remorse? What had started as a private confession practice in their room had ended in a family reunion minus the eldest plus Solomon (Why not? Why wouldn’t the sorcerer be there?). For hours they had all listened to their ramblings with eager smiles, like pure sociopaths, probably thinking of ways of screwing Lucifer over instead of trying to help their dear friend get with their brother. By the end of the night, only Asmo and Levi had shown genuine interest in MC’s love life.

And look how it ended.

There was still sunlight in the study room, but MC felt no heat when they placed a hand under the rays, and while they were both silent, the voices outside didn’t sound louder. It was all fake and steady and would remain so until MC decided a change was due.

“You wanted to take me out?” Lucifer said in an indecipherable tone, although he sounded calm. “May I ask for what purpose?”

If there was a moment to open their heart, that would be it.

I’m in love with you and I thought a public setting would help me stay cool.

I can’t keep living with you acting like you don’t matter to me.

Looking at you makes my heart hurt.

Which would be the best?

Back at the desk, the cootie catcher stared right at them, colourful fold wide open to show the letters that had started the whole thing.

TELL HIM <3

“It was an appreciation gift” they eventually murmured, still reticent to let it all out. “For being a good friend”

Behind them, Lucifer hummed in acknowledgement. It sounded as if he was calling them a liar, although that might’ve been because MC felt like one.

“I didn’t want it to get so out of proportion… I’m sorry”

He hummed again before chuckling.

“Leave it to my idiotic brothers to make any course of action unbearable”

His words eased the tension in the room, but MC didn’t feel any better. There was still a tight knot in their stomach and a wave of nausea rushing to take control of their body.

“I do not get what that has to do with Levi’s game, though…”

“It’s a dating simulator” they interrupted him with a heated face.

Unable to stay calm anymore and keep the charade much longer, MC finally let themselves fall on the wooden chair and look at him with great embarrassment. The surprise on his face was noticeable, but it was partially covered by his familiar alluring smile. The mixed expressions made their blood tingle with excitement.

“And I understand we haven’t increased our intimacy points; am I correct?”

His stride was composed, sure on its way to MC until their shoes were touching and it had to stop. The warmth emanating from him was welcoming and it kept them anchored to the uncomfortably hard chair. He was amused, they could tell, but there was no ill intent; behind the sadistic tilt in his smile, MC could see a childish eagerness and a faint blush.

Slowly, his naked hand left his hip to trace the curves of their jaw, red fingernails softly scratching the skin before cupping their whole face with gentleness.

The whole simulation could’ve crushed and MC would’ve been none the wiser.

Not that they cared.

“I accept your invitation” he ended up saying, voice low enough to reach the depths of MC’s heart and alter its rhythm. He frowned for a moment. “Not as a friend, though”

His fingers traced the shape of their lips, touch slowing down as he leaned over them.

“I would never love you as a friend”

.

.

Taglist: @ilovecandys2010 @ollieoven @kingofspadesdelusion @whimsybloom

[littlejuicebox]

Little interruptions.

Summary: Parenting has its downsides. This is a drabble exploring that little slice of life no parent enjoys. Just a random bit stuck in my head today. Nothing special lol.

Tags/warnings: interrupted smut, parenting, not edited

Word count: 878

*

Soft dots of rain pitter-patter across the rooftop of the Ancunin estate. The children are asleep in their rooms down the hall, thoroughly exhausted after a long summer day of archery practice in the backyard. Evander had proven to be a surprisingly excellent shot for a four-year-old with a child’s practice bow; he held all the talent of a natural marksman and required little direction from Astarion.

The other two Ancunin boys had done well, though Finnick required significant curtailing to focus on the task – archery is not his preferred weaponry, he was much more interested in swords. Gale had been, as always, above average though uninterested in such pursuits.

A rumble of thunder overhead, right above the estate, greets the only two Ancunins still awake in the candlelit mansion. They pay no mind to the storm outside, for they are far too busy wrapped in one another’s arms.

Tav emits a delighted giggle as Astarion pulls away from their lazy, languid kiss and begins to lick a slow, winding trail down her body. His bare chest drags against hers on the way to his destination, and he briefly stops to suck a nipple in between his teeth. He nips just hard enough to pull a gasp from his wife before chuckling playfully and moving lower, lower, lower, until he’s hovering just above her mound. The scent of her arousal is intoxicating. She’s barren, completely exposed for him to admire. Her nightdress had been hiked up above her breasts long ago.

“And what do we have here, darling?” Astarion asks, as his fingers come to spread her slick folds. “A present for me?”

He’s about to press his tongue against that sensitive nub of nerves when the doorknob to their bedroom jiggles. There is no time to think. Astarion and Tav move quick as lightning; she yanks her nightdress down while he launches himself up and over to his side of the bed. The door swings open. They were narrowly fast enough to avoid mentally scarring the child standing in the dimly lit doorway.

“Gale, dear, what is it?” Tav asks, her head cocking to the side as she examines the worried expression on her eldest. Two more, slightly smaller figures appear behind him, each holding a stuffed dragon.

“The thunder woke us all up,” Gale explains with a frown. His voice sounds so small. “It was so loud, mama. Evan and Finn came into my room and then we all came here. Apple is hiding under my bed and she won’t come out.”

Astarion, eager to quell the concerns of his children and resume his prior adult activities nods and then says, “Yes, well, how about we get everyone back to their rooms—“

Lightning snaps like a whip through the sky, causing the twins to shout in surprise and hide their faces in their hands. Gale’s shoulders come up to either side of his perfectly pointed ears; his eyes are wide, green pools of concern. Tav turns her head to look at her husband, and he emits a slow, belabored sigh in response to her gaze. He knows where this is going.

“Fine, you three, come here.” Astarion grumpily beckons with a wave of his hand. The three boys quickly climb onto the bed and wedge themselves between their parents.

Tav pulls the blankets over the entire family, wrapping their children in a warm, down feather filled cocoon. Another rumble of thunder overhead causes all three Ancunin boys to tremble.

“You three are safe here,” Tav coos, fingers coming to lightly stroke against each of her children’s cheeks, one at a time. “Papa and I will take care of you.”

Astarion nods and hums in agreement as he begins to reluctantly settle himself into bed. This was not the night he’d been eagerly envisioning after a day of stolen glances between him and his wife. But the boys follow his lead and soon the entire family is locked in a snuggle pile. Tav begins to hum an old Elvish lullaby and the children drift off into reverie, a symphony of soft snores signaling their sleep.

Astarion is on his side and has one of the twins curled against his chest, his hand stroking a head of soft brunette locks. The other twin is facing the opposite way and clinging to his older brother; Gale is reciprocating the embrace, his chin resting on his brother’s head.

“Suppose we will have to pick up our activities where we left off tomorrow, my love,” Tav finally murmurs as she extinguishes the lights in the room with a flick of her hand.

“What activities, mama?” Gale asks with a yawn.

The two parents exchange wild-eyed glances from across the bed. Astarion panics and says the first thing that comes to mind. “Exercise, Gale. We were just about to exercise.”

“Oh…” the eldest Ancunin responds and with another yawn he slips into slumber with his brothers.

Tav and Astarion share a soft sigh of relief and then tuck themselves into bed with whispered goodnights to one another. Just before he slips into reverie, Astarion thinks that he and Tav will have to exercise twice as hard tomorrow to make up for tonight.

What a noble sacrifice on his children’s behalf.

[nightcolorz]

Okay I need to get this out of my system, this place seems safe to do that <3

As a show only fan imho there cannot be a comparison between Lestat and Armand and not for the "who's better than the other" or "who's more toxic" manner. Like its very unfair to the characters themselves and the relationship they have with Louis to do that.

As far as Louis choices go he is just trying to explore his sexuality in Paris more, Paris give a new freedom to Louis not just as a black man but as a gay man, and as for who he loves more is again not a competition, because what he had with Lestat was fucking intense, it was all sorts of fucked up, romantic, expressive and explosive in the end.

With Armand I'd say like Assad said it's tender and calmer althought it does have a toxic twist to it.

And I do believe that Armand is sort of cornered here in this situation, the coven on one side and Louis on the other, since Louis arrived in Paris he has been trying to stay away from the coven but Armand fell in love at the same time Louis was haunted by his grief and its manifestation as Dreamstat, and I didn't like the way fandom picked Daniel's "Are you schizophrenic Louis?" and ran with it, no one paused and thought this is how he process his grief and guilt.

And in all of this Armand was left sort of hanging, uncertain with his relationship with Louis which is again is unfair to Armand.

The final straw for Armand is when Louis suddenly introduces the D/s dynamic in their relationship and kinda takes an advantage of his assertiveness in it, now this doesn't mean Louis is dom and Armand is sub. Overall Armand seems to have more control over their relationship its only during sex they bring it out and sometimes maybe in their regular dynamics.

Since then I think the betrayal has kinda blindsided the people, now I can understand their feelings about it, totally valid they have all the right to be upset about it, Claudeleine and Louis did not deserve any of it but declaring Armand the Big BadTM is not it.

Have we not seen how much of an asshole Louis is in ep6, sure he is repressing a lot of things and lashing out on Claudia and others around him but ignoring that and holding Armand entirely responsible for their fucked up relationship is just......lazy.

And having polarising, firm beliefs over characters being "too good" "too bad" "too toxic" is just so lazy, so many anons have said this but I am saying it again.

EVERYONE IS HORRIBLE IN THIS SHOW, but that doesn't mean we should dismiss their stories, vulnerabilities and rather human parts which imo makes them more interesting rather than just calling one of them the big bad ans getting done with it. Why are we scared of acknowledging that the most inhuman characters can have their weaknesses and that makes them the way they are the choices they make.

And this is in regards with all characters but especially Lestat and Armand.

Ur so right anon <3 I also think pitting Lestat and Armand against each other and comparing “how good” they r for Louis is like such a useless thing to focus on 🙏 like as much as we kid this isn’t twilight 💀 and focusing on some fabricated love triangle angle just ends up reducing the characters and the story into smth very simplistic and uninteresting. Just over all, fandom has a reducing complex things to dumb black and white things issue lol. Which is probably what most of the rlly bad takes about Armand come down too

thank u for the ask ❤️❤️

[lakesbian]

in Secret LGBT Worm In My Head, where regent is bisexual (real) instead of bisexual when he’s having fucked up evil sex and straight the rest of the time, there’s at least one interesting scene doing something with how brian is a boy who does not want to be like his father but is still obsessed w/ masculinity as a method of strength and self-protection to the point where it becomes toxic, whereas alec is also a boy who does not want to be like his father but is uninterested in masculinity to the point of receiving homophobia for it. similar to how taylor furiously sections alec off as some form of Evil Sociopath in her mind so she doesn’t have to acknowledge the ways in which they’re similar & confront some of her own cognitive dissonance, i think it would be funny to explore what the only other boy on the team being a guy who wears frilly little lacey clothing and refuses to work out and is Not afraid to get melodramatic and sillay would do to brian’s brain. very fun how they both want to be Stronger and Better than their father figures but alec is just exceedingly lazy about and/or wholly uninterested in almost everything brian perceives as strength. i want to watch them have a mildly philosophical conversation over video games where both of them are thinking “hmm this dude is kind of insane” about each other

[ciaossu-imagines]

And smut based off this prompt, I went with Nanbaka and just let the wheel randomly choose five characters for me! I hope you all enjoy these!

Send me one pro and one con you could see with having sex with the character.

Mitsuru

Mitsuru has the best oral skills out of any man in the entire Nanbaka cast. He’s got a longer than average tongue and is really good at knowing how to use it. Not only that, but he never sticks to just the tried and true and switches up his oral techniques enough that it doesn’t begin to feel too same-y, if that makes sense. And he honestly loves giving oral sex to his partner; he makes it really clear, and he will be content with going down on them and eating them like the snack they are, even if actual penetrative sex never happens.

Mitsuru is very vocal during sex. He talks dirty and he doesn’t hold back any noises he feels like making. He’s definitely great at making sure his partner knows he’s enjoying himself, but he can be overly vocal, to be honest, almost to the point where it’s distracting to his lover and instead of being a turn-off, it can pull his lover out of the moment.

Kenshirou

Kenshirou will be an insanely loyal lover who will never, ever give a partner reason to suspect him of cheating. He won’t even watch porn while he’s in a sexual relationship with someone…hell, to go one step further, he’d be appalled at himself if he so much as saw another pair of titties on the internet while he was in a sexual relationship with someone.

The downside is, though, that Kenshirou is oddly prim and proper and quite hesitant when it comes to sex with his lover. He’s never quite sure how to instigate and feels nervous doing so and he does have a set amount of time he thinks is proper to wait before becoming intimate with a new partner and very solid thoughts on what is, and is not, proper regarding sex.

Samon

Samon has a praise kink and any of his lovers will definitely be at risk of developing a huge ego considering all the naughty, dirty, but oddly sweet compliments he will moan out during foreplay and sex. He’s especially good at bolstering the self-esteem of a lover who does have confidence issues because, if he notices this about his lover, he’s going extra hard with both the praise and the body worship he’ll lavish upon them.

That being said, Samon is a busy guy who does get stressed really easily and he’ll either become really uninterested in sex and physical affection when he gets really stressed or he’ll take out that stress on his partner and be surprisingly rough and selfish during sex when he’s going through those periods.

Qi

Qi’s really knowledgeable about all aspects of the human body so he’s fully aware of every erogenous zone on his partner’s body and will make them feel so good using methods his partner would never suspect would make them feel that damn good. He’s also pretty casual about the human body and would be quick to shrug off or dismiss any weird sounds during sex or, if a partner was on their period, or, in another example, if things got a little messy during anal, Qi wouldn’t actually think twice about it and would consider it pretty normal.

However, Qi can be a bit of a lazy lover and he’s very much a pillow princess. He’s more content to let his lover do almost all the work sexually, from expecting them to ride him instead of him having to put in the physical effort to expecting them to instigate more often than he will.

Elf

Sex will definitely be exciting with Elf. He’s anything but boring and that extends to his sexual self. He lives to push boundaries and to explore and he will be open to literally anything sexually. He comes up with insane fantasies and will want to experience every ounce of pleasure he can get or give his partner.

Cons of sex with Elf – there’s always a possibility that you end up dead afterwards but hey, those are the risks you have to accept to have anything to do with this man.

[sukimas]

To expand on this, my problem with HCAR is that the creators simply don't seem to be very interested in Hifuu or its inspirations at all.

Characterization is a point you can argue on all day, so I'll avoid dwelling on it; however, they don't seem to be interested in the world itself or the themes and plot of the CDs. For the world, though Osaka is depicted as underwater, it appears to be mostly fine; Kyoto looks, essentially, as it does today, rather than decorated as if it was an artificial jungle. They don't bother going to Tokyo (or to anywhere else in the Hifuuture) but somehow I doubt that the anime which decided to go with the lazy indication of futurism, the airship, would be willing to depict an environment such that the Earth itself needed terraforming. There are also robots depicted (which don't seem to be common in the Hifuuture at all).

But by far the most egregious problem with the world is that it's set significantly less than a hundred years in the future from today, by dint of them meeting one of Sanae's relatives who was still around (and about the same age as Sanae) while she was around and her not appearing particularly old, barring white hair. Due to the fact that the Boyu Tokaido was built before the girls were even born, in the Jinki era (a past, rather than present, era) the CDs needs must take place in at least the 2090s if not later; the astronomical considerations of GFC require that it take place in 2151, though that's not necessarily intentional on ZUN's part.

As for the plots of the CDs, the anime seems completely uninterested in depicting either them or anything like them. That is to say, after the first episode, it neither shows the events of any of the CDs nor has the Hifuus having philosophical conversations about anything (!). The latter is what's really unfortunate- that is, after all, the entire point of the Hifuu Club in the music CDs in the first place. Having them visit other worlds or expose the secrets of their own is essentially "fluff"; this is the reason why Retrospective 53 Minutes, Magical Astronomy, Dr. Latency's Freak Report, and Dateless Bar Old Adam exist at all. If the exploration was the important part, there would be no need for CDs like that.

(They don't even get their depiction of Magical Astronomy itself- the most saccharine and favorite CD of JP and CN Hifuu fandom- right- the girls are by no means implied to go to the moon. In fact, Merry isn't even implied to be able to manipulate boundaries intentionally until Dateless Bar Old Adam. But even if she could, she's kind of banned from the moon due to the, you know, whole invasion thing in the past. Even if she's allowed up there with a letter from Eirin in Grimoire of Usami, she's not just going to be allowed to drag her will-they-won't-they-friend up there for a tour, no matter how human she looks.)

The other two extant episodes essentially ditch the Hifuu Club format entirely. The second episode is about the disappearance of Sanae Kochiya, which is, frankly, a story that only Renko would believe in; it's something that you'd hear about on 2ch or at the Old Adam Bar, not something that they'd go on adventures to learn about. Anyway, it's entirely unfocused on the girls themselves or their philosophy. The third episode is about Merry dreaming about Lafcadio Hearn (using his extant nickname of the Raven, which, while cute, doesn't actually add anything to their depiction. They don't seem to have any tangible knowledge of what the man was like) and visiting the SDM.

For an anime titled as being about the Hifuu Club, they sure don't seem to be interested in actually exploring anything the Hifuu Club does, or their own philosophy. And not actually committing to Renmerry outside of Class S-ing it is cowardly. You're a fanime. You can put fucking yuri in there if you want. Granted, I don't really like the portions which do focus on the club itself, due to their characterizations, but they could have at least tried.

Basically, it's just kind of OC slop that is uninterested in its source material materially, thematically, or philosophically. You can make good work that's focused around OCs, but this isn't it.

[fagcrisis]

i read another bad YA book: when will my suffering end

my dear friend and long time training partner viki is obsessed with the arc of a scythe series by neal shusterman, and she forced me, literally at sword-point to read the first book. it seems that my fate is to forever read bad books about teenagers where nothing really happens

scythe takes place in a world where humanity has defeated death. nanotechnology allows people to stay young forever, or old forever if they so choose, and revives people from every kind of death if their corpse is recoverable. overpopulation becomes a problem though, as humanity cannot leave the planet, and so a special group of people called the Scythes are tasked with "collecting" people to keep the number of people down. scythe faraday chooses two teenagers, citra and rowan to be his apprentices, however there is a deadly challenge awaiting the two at the end of their apprenticeship. only one of them can become a scythe, and their first task will be to collect their fellow apprentice

*i read this book in hungarian so im translating a couple of things on the fly, if i mess anything up dont tell me i doubt any of you care about this book that much

THE WORLDBUILDING is bad. the initial concept is actually fascinating i can never get enough of a post scarcity society, and the way people grapple with a utopia. as a fan of ursula k le guin i think in many cases a real utopia and its ramifications can be a lot more interesting than a dystopic world, but you could have gone the giver route with this and revealed the rot at the core of a world pretending to be perfect.

well, scythe does absolutely none of that. despite the fact that everybody is LITERALLY IMMORTAL, people still work, mostly jobs they dont even like. children go to school and are raised by their birth parents, a man and a woman. gay people exist and so do sentient robots? but neither concepts really get explored deeper than a throwaway mention, and a joke. Now, i think it could be really interesting to explore a society thoroughly frozen in a 21st century late capitalistic state, but scythe does not do that. the book takes place hundreds, possibly even thousands of years into the future and Nothing Has Changed.

I have some lore based gripes with the book, the way the scythes and their reason for existing is just not explained at all, the offhanded genocide mention, and all that but in all fairness im yet to read the second book (i will have to viki is making me) so maybe they explain all of this then.

What really does bother me though, is why do death like this? People kill themselves for fun in the world of scythe, why not just let them die? scythes are explicitly forbidden from killing people who ask them to do so. this is a world where individiual choice has been completely taken away from people, except for a select group of a few hundred who have the absolute power of gods, and cannot even be controlled by the benevolent god-king-mother AI, the thunderhead. why not use the nanobots in peoples bodies to choose who lives or dies? why not limit the number of resurrections somebody can have? why let the scythes choose who they kill and how they kill them? why let them grant immunity to people?

I think much of this book is politically uninteresting and borderline stupid at points, especially the thunderhead. the way its completely unquestioned and thought to be benevolent and perfect above all else is just absolutely crazy, but lets run with it and say it does absolutely know what is best for humanity. why let people do the killing? maybe the second book will pull some insane twist on me that explains everything but i highly doubt it will

one note about the worldbuilding that annoyed me but isnt really significant: shit is just europe and america and whatnot with stupid fucking names. lazy as hell. if u just wanna keep shit as it is, do that. dont call things EuroScand or whatever. Also the racial dynamics are so bad in such an uninteresting way, like the book literally goes "race doesnt exist anymore everyone is like suuuper mixed except for this black dude who is evil and this mystical asian man. but everyone else. super racially ambigous"

THE CHARACTERS are bad also. rowan is so completely uninteresting i skimmed his chapters for lines where anybody else spoke, citra has a tiny bit more depth but not by a lot. their romance just so completely does not work, and listen. i am ready to accept that they were into dying for eachother after hanging out for like a month and kissing one time. i love unreasonable unstoppable romance. they had NO chemistry. they hated each other when they first met, for no reason at all, and then suddenly they were in love. barely spoken to each other for 2 months and then rowan is making a vow to die for her.

scythe faraday and scythe curie are much more interesting people, but scythe faraday goes away for 2/3rds of the book and curie isnt allowed to be anything interesting before citra basically ditches her. the fact they were involved doesnt come out of nowhere, but i would have appreciated a little more on that because it was way more interesting.... why arent the scythes allowed to date each other anyways. seems like an incredibly stupid rule. theyre immortal. theyre not jedi. yet another nonsensical worldbuilding detail

goddard and his crew were one dimensional and boring, it would have been great and interesting if he was actually charming and charismattic and succeeded in winning rowan over, but instead of that happening the book tells you that he is charming and charismatic while only shows him being awful and unpleasant. volta was kind of fun and interesting but his suicide didnt hit hard enough due to the fact that he and rowans friendship barely existed, neal shusterman is bad at writing character relationships jesus christ

THE PLOT AND WRITING were really fucking bad. virtually nothing happens for the majority of this book. citra fleeing the scytheguard should have taken up way more time than it did, as it was one of the only fun and engaging parts of the book. instead of that we get endless scenes of rowan seeing goddard be evil, citra walking around doing nothing and generally things not happening. way more time spent on training sequences than was strictly neccesary, and too little time spent on explaining anything that was happening or characters spending time together.

The chapters didnt flow extremely well, the pov switches were annoying and would happen multiple times on one pages, sometimes in the same paragraph. too many important worldbuilding details were glossed over in favour of scenes of rowans man pain or just kind of random irrelevant bullshit. there were a ton of characters who didnt really end up mattering, because the book was so badly spaced out. i would have loved spending a bit more time with scythe mandela for example who ended up mattering actually a ton for the final couple chapters, but no because rowan needs to be tortured again or something!

Every plot complication and twist was resolved instantly, leaving you no space to try and figure it out for yourself, no tension or anything. the ones that werent were so easy to figure out that it also left you with no tension. scythe faraday dead? no he isnt! citra is cornered by a scythe on the bullet train? dont worry, she has help from a random guy. even the ending was like this. will rowan die because citra was chosen to become a scythe instead of him? dont worry, she gives him immunity and this has no consequences for her whatsoever. they were talking about putting her in forever jail just 5 chapters ago, but its fine she is allowed to become a full fledged scythe. will they at least jail rowan until his immunity is up? dont worry, he is batman now and hes fled due to his perfect skills in everything he is so sexy you guys

VERDICT: dont read this book its bad. really bad. i will be back with the second one though, because viki is making me

@chevengurian ik u enjoy my sufferings here u go

[mx-piggy]

I’ve read some mixed opinions on the new Futurama episode (something that feels weird to say after all this time), and I definitely have slightly mixed thoughts on it, but overall it's positive.

I'd love to discuss the episode with people so feel free to comment or DM me!

It feels a lot like the Comedy Central seasons, which aren’t my favourites by any means but I like them well-enough. The episode felt like I was watching an episode of Futurama, which is a low bar, but still. I'm not a modern-Simpsons hater by any means, but the show feels so different to what it used to be even in the early 2000s, and I think it's an achievement that this Futurama revival manages to feel like at least like it did in the Comedy Central years. But, I do feel like the comedy was a lot stronger in this one than in the CC years.

I found it funny that Fry’s goal was to watch every TV show ever made, because it’s very Fry, and I think it was a decent set up to the plot of the episode.

The plot itself felt a bit weak compared to some of the Comedy Central episodes, which I think found strength in their plots and sci-fi concepts despite their flaws. I feel like the episode was trying to establish the world as being more relevant to 2023, which is surprisingly different to when Futurama was on the air, so I think it makes sense to adapt the show to current year. That said, I personally find it a little irritating when media that is made a year before it is aired tries to make episodes that focus entirely on a vaguely contemporary topic, because more often than not they have nothing new to say, and it often feels irrelevant and out of touch despite the intention of relevancy. That's more personal to me, though, and it doesn't bother me too much, and I can mostly look past it.

I think that the concept of Fry bingeing All My Circuits in that suit thing (I’m too lazy to look up what it was called lol) was a little weak, when Futurama has so many much more interesting sci-fi concepts, such as in the episode’s predecessor Meanwhile. For me, it just felt a little uninteresting as a central part of the episode, but I am glad that we got some other stuff in the episode that was far more entertaining (I'll get to that).

They didn’t explore binge culture in a particularly interesting or thoughtful way, in my opinion anyway. They just sort of vaguely said 'shows on streaming services are bad' and ‘bingeing makes you lose touch with reality’, the latter of which they kind of undermined at the end of the episode. I'll get onto the ending in a second.

I feel like there's so much more you can say about bingeing/streaming culture, such as how it makes the viewing experience feel less communal and the hype dies down after a week because the episodes are released in one go compared to on a weekly basis. With Netflix shows, the hype is gone within a couple of weeks of the show's release. But, with shows like the Last of Us, which was released on a weekly basis, there's a longevity to the hype. There was something really exciting about waiting for the next episode of TLOU and being able to focus on the show one episode at a time. I'm not saying that's what the plot should have been about, but I personally think that it's a far more interesting and more 'relevant' critique than anything Futurama had to say about shows on streaming services. Like, everyone knows a lot of streaming service originals are dogshit. I love Futurama, but it was very late to the party on this one.

Okay, onto the ending. I feel like the ending was anticlimactic in a way that wasn’t all that comical, and it undermined the Bender/Leela All My Circuits storyline of the episode. The fact that Fry could just get out of the suit and be fine makes the rest of the plot redundant. I guess Fry spending months of his life bingeing a shitty TV show after expressing his dismay at having wasted years of his life doing nothing sort of fits the 'it makes you lose touch with reality' critique (and is very in-character for Fry), but at the same time it wasn't really explored in a meaningful way. We don't get to view Fry's gradual decline, as a better Futurama episode may have shown. The episode just says that shows on streaming services are lazily and hurriedly cobbled together and shit.

I liked Bender and Leela having to make more All My Circuits, mostly because I love the Bender/Leela dynamic, and All My Circuits is often a highlight of the show anyway. I think this aspect of the episode felt a bit like I'd seen it before because it was another 'Bender works on All My Circuits and makes it not very good' episode, and one that wasn't quite as good as Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and this was definitely the strongest part of the episode for me.

I think it’s neat that they resurrected Calculon (loved seeing the Robot Devil again, too). I thought some of the All My Circuits stuff was funny, such as the bi Calculon moment, and Bender saying to leave in the director's heart attack because it was funny. Maybe the most (unintentionally) relevant part of the episode was seeing a team of overworked writers whose job is overtaken by Bender, a robot.

I think they did a decent job at continuing on from Meanwhile, considering that they managed to make it feel a follow-up to Meanwhile whilst also making a basically unrelated episode. I definitely wish they had made more of a reference to Meanwhile past, like, the five minute mark. That said, the trailer showed some Fry and Leela stuff, so I'm guessing that they'll likely explore Fry and Leela's relationship, which changed during Meanwhile. I'm also hoping to see more focus on characters like Amy and Zoidberg in the upcoming episodes, but I get why they functioned more as side-characters in this episode. I'm happy with the episode's sense of continuity with the rest of the series, though. I'm glad they didn't forget things like the fact Calculon was in Robot Hell, so I'm excited to see how else this season connects to previous plotpoints in the series.

I really appreciate that they're not indecisive about Fry and Leela's relationship anymore. I'm so happy that they've unambiguously settled on the fact that Fry and Leela are a couple that love and care about one another, instead of that weird thing they did in the Comedy Central years where their relationship was ambiguous in a way that wasn't deliberate and interesting but purposely unclear so the writers could just define their relationship based on the plot of the episode and what would be more convenient for it. The Fry fake-out deaths never have any emotional impact on me, but it was genuinely sweet to see that Leela was devastated by Fry's 'death'. A lot of the time, I feel like these Fry fake-out deaths were undermined in the CC run because it was often preceded by Leela not liking Fry whatsoever. In general it's much more pleasant to watch them, because I had an issue in the CC run where it seemed like Leela wasn't interested in Fry and Fry was one of those 'won't take no' guys. It was sweet to see Leela being supportive of Fry, and their relationship as a clearly defined/established romantic relationship feels incredibly fresh, even though it was central to the original series. I'm hoping this will be a strength of the revival moving forward, because we have a chance to see Fry and Leela together in a way that we haven't really before.

All in all, I don't think this is the worst or best Futurama episode to have ever been made. Typically, I subscribe to the opinion 'don't beat a dead horse' when it comes to reviving TV shows that had a perfectly satisfactory conclusion. So, while I'd be perfectly happy if Futurama had just stayed dead, I must admit that I was actually really happy to watch a new episode of Futurama after so many years. I understand why people disliked this episode. And, I can also understand why people loved this episode. Despite my issues with the episode, I really did enjoy it. Maybe I'm doing just what these executives want by watching the revival and enjoying it just because I get to see my special little guys again in brand new adventures, which will hopefully improve after this episode. It wasn't the best thing I've ever seen, but it brought a smile to my face.

The non-binary robot joke was genuinely incredible 10/10 episode just for that.

[wildwren]

some thoughts about Molly Seagrim (and Tom)

I’ve been meaning to write some meta about Molly for a while, because she deserves it, and because I have lot to say re: what I dislike about Fielding’s treatment of her, what I find compelling, and what choices I might have made differently if I was writing the adaptation.

So I really dislike the way Molly is framed in the novel, because I find it lazy, misogynistic, and uninteresting. Fielding is SO harsh about Molly and particularly about her vanity, which he wants us to know is not equal to her beauty or any of her other merits. Ugh. Especially on my first read, I found the resolution of the affair incredibly annoying, in that it requires Molly to be acting selfishly in ways that excuse Tom at her expense, and leave the egg much more on her face than on his.

Still, I do think Molly COULD be a very compelling character, and her relationship with Tom is quite essential to the overall storyline, as it informs Tom’s relationships with women for the rest of the novel. When Tom’s relationship with Molly is first introduced, he truly believes that because Molly had sex with him, it must mean that she loves him and wants to marry him and that she would quite literally die if he ever left her. To be fair, Molly also feeds him this story, which is another frustrating part of her characterization, because Fielding can’t really seem to decide what her motivations are — is she just vain? Greedy? Stupid? Broken hearted over a different lover? He puts forward all of these as explanations at different points without adequately developing any of them, and it results in some of his most frustrating and incoherent character work.

HOWEVER, there are plenty of interesting nuggets in this arc, most notably that Tom, of course, eventually discovers that Molly doesn't actually really care much about him at all, and is mostly just interested in having sex, and frankly, having varied sexual experiences with different people, which like !!!!! valid!!!!!!!!! Learning this about Molly vastly improves their relationship and Tom continues to respect her and be friends with her for the rest of his life. Please note, I'm separating Tom's feelings about her from Fielding's less-than-glowing narratorial commentary about her, which continues to be pretty shitty. But this understanding that Tom develops -- that women's sexual desires are their own and can exist separately from the men who have "debauched" them -- is pretty fundamental to informing his actions for the rest of the book.

Personally, if I were the one writing the adaption, I think I would have leaned more into exploring Tom’s projections about what Molly wants (and poke fun at him for it as he deserves!), rather than Molly actively manipulating him, and/or explored the more tragic elements of why Molly thinks she needs to frame her own non-romantic desire as love. I think those bits are the most interesting part of the arc and focusing on them would have probably resulted in a more satisfying characterization for me. Instead, it seems like Hughes decided to agree with Fielding that Molly is just sort of annoying and immature. Which, while certainly valid things for women to be, are simply not that interesting to me as primary character traits.

ALSO, there's actually another Molly-Tom scene in the novel that I think is pretty relevant. After Tom discovers Molly with Square (this is a different character than Thwackum, who she is discovered with in the show. They combined Thwackum and Square into a single guy for clarity). After he realizes she's not actually in love with him and they part ways, Molly and Tom have sex again.

This scene was cut from the adaptation and I understand why (lolololololololol) but it's actually one of my favorite scenes in the first act, because I think it illustrates what I'm trying to say about Tom. now that Molly and Tom have admitted and accepted what they really are to each other, they can engage in casual sex for fun to the mutual benefit of them both, and Tom still respects her right to safety and honor in this context. They actually get caught and Tom gets in a fight with Blifil and Thwackum so that she can escape without being discovered, which is a huge contribution to why Tom eventually gets kicked out of Allworthy's house. This is what I mean when I say it's not just Tom sleeping around that gets him villainized, but Tom's desire to see women as people and to relate to sex itself (and sexual women) as morally neutral that makes him so reprehensible to so many of the other characters in the novel. Anyway it's a great scene, very dirty, very horny, it also has some top-tier masturbation innuendo, 10/10 highly recommend.

In conclusion, I think the adaptation could have done a lot worse when it came to Molly, but I think I'd have been more pleased if their choices engaged with the source material in a slightly more critical way.

[manav-007]

5 Lazy Zodiac Signs That Are Prone To Procrastination - Jyotishay

Do you ever find yourself putting off tasks until the last minute, preferring the comfort of procrastination over productivity? Well, you might just blame it on the stars! Jyotishay astrology enthusiasts often find intriguing connections between personality traits and zodiac signs. While not everyone fits neatly into their astrological profile, some signs are notorious for their inclination towards procrastination. So, if you're curious to know which celestial bodies might be influencing your lazy tendencies, read on!

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Taureans are known for their love of comfort and indulgence. While they are incredibly hardworking when motivated, they can also be quite lazy when it comes to tasks they find tedious or uninteresting. Their stubborn nature can make them resistant to change, leading them to procrastinate on projects that require adaptation or innovation.

Libra (September 23 - October 22) Libras are natural peacemakers who prefer harmony and balance in all aspects of life. This desire for equilibrium can sometimes manifest as indecisiveness, causing them to procrastinate on making important choices or taking decisive action. They may spend too much time weighing the pros and cons instead of taking the necessary steps forward.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Sagittarians are adventurous and free-spirited individuals who thrive on spontaneity and exploration. While this adventurous nature can lead to exciting experiences, it can also make them prone to procrastination. They may put off mundane tasks in favor of seeking out new thrills and experiences, often leaving important responsibilities for another day.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Pisceans are dreamy and imaginative souls who often find themselves lost in their own thoughts and fantasies. While their creativity knows no bounds, their tendency to daydream can lead to procrastination when it comes to practical matters. They may struggle to focus on the task at hand, preferring to escape into their inner world instead.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Geminis are known for their dual nature, often torn between conflicting desires and interests. This inherent duality can make them prone to procrastination, as they struggle to prioritize one task over another. They may jump from one project to the next without completing anything, leading to a cycle of unfinished business and procrastination (more)...

While these zodiac signs may have a predisposition towards procrastination, it's essential to remember that astrology is just one lens through which to view human behavior. Ultimately, we all have the power to overcome our lazy tendencies and cultivate habits of productivity and discipline. So, whether you're a Taurean lounging on the couch or a Gemini juggling multiple tasks, embrace the lazy stars and strive for progress one step at a time!

So next time you're curious about your own personality or seeking guidance on important life decisions don't hesitate to delve into your natal chart or consult with an experienced astrologer online through chat with astrologers of Jyotishay who can offer personalized insights based on nakshatra readings & Download the Jyotishay app today and unlock the celestial wisdom that awaits within.

[livealittleoc-cb]

"What's the point of being awake if nothing good ever happens..."

:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.: The Avatar of Sloth

⋆｡°✩ Biblical name: Belphegor

⋆｡°✩ Human Name: Jakub Nowak

⋆｡°✩ All sins are contained into the Underworld unless with their guardian, given special permission from a deity of the underworld or have someone outside of hell to take care of them

⋆｡°✩ Just like other supernaturals/gods/etc. the sins have a human form if allowed to walk on Earth/Human Realm

⋆｡°✩ In "human" form is from Poznan, Poland, in Astria he's from Uswus

⋆｡°✩ He/Him | Unlabled, Mono [Poly Questioning] | 21 [Human Years], is actually about 1,000+ years | 05/20 [Taurus] | 5'0"

⋆｡°✩He is:

uncaring

shuts anything down

tired 24/7

sleepy

just wants to be alone sometimes

silent && quiet

secretly likes people to be around

Demon, Hybrid, Animal && Human Forms/Sin Info

⋆｡°✩ was prince of the 7th Circle [Violence]

⋆｡°✩ was also the ambassador between rings

⋆｡°✩ contained into the form of a koala

⋆｡°✩ their guardian allows him to have a tree of some kind to sleep in

⋆｡°✩ he can take the form of a Queensland Koala

⋆｡°✩ in his demon form he is 6'0", has a dark blue leathery wings [12 ft/ 367 cm wingspan], two set of curled black horns on the sides of their head, his ears are pointed && has dangly earrings, black long claws, he has a long leathery tail with a dark blue fluff at the end [6 ft/ 183 cm], his legs are similar in shape to goats legs, his tongue is long && pointed [1 ft/ 30 cm long], has 2 sets of fangs [one at the top && one at the bottom], his whites are all black && his pupils glow dark blue, his crown would sit on his head when he was prince [dark blue && black jewels with a silver crown], they typically wears highwasited pants with a corset [no shirt under]

⋆｡°✩ his back is very sensetive! DO NOT TOUCH IT IF YOU ARE NOT CLOSE HE WILL BITE YOU!

⋆｡°✩ in hybrid form [koala] he has grey koala ears && a small koala tail along with baby blunt fangs

⋆｡°✩ in human form his skin is pale, has tattooes on his arms, chest, hips && legs, has dangly earrings, wears a lot of rings, is allowed his special star blanket [it smells like vanilla && lavender, NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO TOUCH IT UNLESS HE SAYS ITS OKAY!!], has shimmery dark blue && black eyes, nails are kept blunt by his guardian

⋆｡°✩ when angered his eyes will turn into their demon eyes in any form, his claws may come out, dark blue flames will spread around him, his body is normally really cold so his flames might be cold at the touch or turn to ice

⋆｡°✩ he can't stay awake for long if he stays up longer then 30 minutes to an hour he may be sick or something might be bothering him

⋆｡°✩ his non bio "twin" brother is Beelzebub

⋆｡°✩ Resides: District 7 [former], District 1 [current]

⋆｡°✩ Languages: As a demon speaks all languages, focuses on Polish && English, can speak in tongues

⋆｡°✩ Representative Colors: Blues && Purples

⋆｡°✩ Guardian: Shadow [Fourth in Command for the Reaper Council]

⋆｡°✩ Guardian Mark: Bubbles on his thigh

⋆｡°✩ Curse: N/A

⋆｡°✩ likes: sleeping, herbal tea, teacups, blues && purples, silence, eucalyptus, mint

⋆｡°✩ dislikes: loud noises, waking up, groggyness, eating

Powers

dream invasion

indused sleep

eternal sleep

can cause a person to be extremely lazy, reject their responsibilites, etc.

NSFW

⋆｡°✩ he does not know what he likes since he has not had the chance to explore, he will be a switch and experiment with what his partner likes [this will be updated as his kinks && prefrences start to develop]

⋆｡°✩ hard nos: feet, watersports, wasteplay

⋆｡°✩ his eyes glow blue if he is arroused

⋆｡°✩ safe word: eucalyptus

⋆｡°✩ uses ���� or 💙 on dash

Relationship Statuses

⋆｡°✩ in the underworld && sleeping

⋆｡°✩ single [0/1]; uninterested

⋆｡°✩ friends: Greed/Mammon [tall, quiet && emotionaless 🙄]

⋆｡°✩ family: Gluttony/Beelzebub [baby twin 🧡]

Tags

⋆｡°✩ relationship tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ friend tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ music tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ inspo tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ other tag(s):

faceclaim: birlap_ on ig

[edensin]

Do you wanna ride?

Pairing: Ran x fem!reader

Synopsis: being the daughter of a rich man is boring. What happens when you become said man’s property instead of his family?

CW: stalking(kinda?), blackmailing, borderline kidnapping, age gap (reader is hinted to be around 19 or 20 while ran is hinted to be around 30) if you squint, mindbreak, use of petnames, heavily implied sexuality

Notes: heavily inspired by Joyce Carol Oates’ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? That story shook me to the core in the best way possible. THIS IS DARK CONTENT. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT OR YOU WILL BE BLOCKED. Don’t read it if you can’t read this though. Also reader is a spoiled brat. Not proofread because i’m lazy

This was boring. Staying at your father’s vacation home alone was boring. But attending the soirée he had initially wanted you to accompany him to was boring as well. If he had just listened to you when you pitched the idea of buying a new vacation home in some place warm, near central america, none of this would be as boring as it is right now. It’s not like he didn’t have the money for it, either. Shit, you even heard he was trying to expand his business to north america. Your proposal should have sparked an interest. Instead, he only outright refused you before you could even finish, claiming that you had all you needed right here. 

But you didn’t. The winters were cold, here. The views all over Japan had gotten dull to you. You wanted something new. You wanted to broaden your horizons and see more before you would have to start studying and learning to take over your father’s business eventually. Or marry into another rich family, as your mother would prefer it, claiming that you didn’t have what it took to guide the brand your family created to a long-lasting success. Either way, it would be whatever. But you swore that, once you got your hands on your own money, you wouldn’t allow yourself to live such a shallow, uninteresting life. You would travel. You would try out new things, explore new cultures maybe, and you would treat yourself to whatever you wanted. Jewels, absolutely. Maybe buy some big shares from your favourite brands and get some benefits. 

But for now, all you could settle for was going out at night and meeting men. At least, you had access to the best of the best when it came to the night life. Some of the places you frequented weren’t even known to the commonfolk. Which is exactly why you went there; you weren’t here to drink some stupid rum and coke and get taken back to a bachelor apartment in the middle of nowhere. Because if your father wouldn’t give you what you wanted, you’d find it in men who would do anything to get into your pants. And by god did it work. It was the most fun you’ve had since... well, forever. 

Take last night, for example. By now, you were quite famous in the clubs you frequented. Some of them knew your father from previous engagements, others knew you for your ways. But one thing was for sure; you always had a wide array of choices. It felt good to step into a club and be wanted like this. In such a way that they would be willing to pay, give and sacrifice just to have you hanging on their arm and laying on their bed later on that night. 

You had taken a liking to some blonde man who had caught your eye. In terms of looks, he wasn’t really a winner. What had you looking over was the shine in his Breguet watch. And, when you had given him a chance and settled down next to him, the enthousiasm he showed to give you anything you want. 

He had ended up talking your ear off about future projects his entreprise would be sailing towards. Things meant for your father’s ears, surely. You had looked away and scanned the rest of the club thoroughly, hoping that you might be able to escape his feeble attempt at getting a hearing with your father through you by hopping from one man to another, when your eyes met lilac hues. The reaction was instantaeous. 

He was tall and well-groomed. Not a single purple hair on his head was out of place. You could have sworn he had even gone through the trouble of applying the faintest of makeups; the subtle eyeliner he wore did wonders to his gorgeous downturned eyes. The tattoo on the column of his throat had you mesmerized, wanting to bite it and turn the skin around it a nice shade of red. In a single moment, you couldn’t hear a single word that the blonde was spouting towards you. This beautiful stranger had you so starstruck that, even if he weren’t rich, you would have tried your shot anyway. 

He had noticed you, not breaking eyecontact as he fixed the already perfectly displayed watch hanging on his wrist and passed a hand on his expensive suit to rid it of creases. You could have sworn you’d seen that exact suit in a limited-edition Yves Saint-Laurent event. He had everything you possibly wanted, and you made sure that he knew. 

You didn’t shy away from his intense gaze. Instead, you gave him a coquettish smile and mentally high-fived yourself when the man started making his way towards your table, returning your smirk with a flirtatious grin of his own. You didn’t know what became of your former prey; he was still by your side, but you couldn’t care whether or not he had noticed that you had taken a liking to someone else. 

The man finally got to your table and, before you could open your mouth to greet him, he walked straight past you and continued his way elsewhere. Your heart sank in your chest at the audacity, scoffing as you turned your head and watched him disappear in the V.I.P. lounge. That was absolutely no fair. You pouted, wishing that someone could have at least noticed you and invited you back there. God, was anyone in this place intelligent? You doubted it. 

With a wounded pride, you turned back to the blonde bastard you thought you’d spend the night with. However, with the unexpected and unwanted turn of events, you were in no mood to sleep around with men. You abruptly got up from your seat, only sparing the man a second of your attention when he asked you where you were going. “Home. Don’t wanna be here.” You spat back, eyes already tearing from his gaze to look for the closest exit. 

It’s so fucking unfair that you can never get what you want. 

And even this morning, your mood was still sour. It felt like all you could think of was the embarrassment of thinking you had finally gotten somewhere good; met someone decent and who could show you a fun time, only for them to walk right past you so rudely. Though, it was a bit of a relief that you woke up to an empty house, with your parents away on business. At least, you didn’t have to deal with them and their annoying takes on how your life shouldn’t be wasted like this. You’d do whatever you want, since you know this freedom is only temporary. You’ll never know when it could be ripped away from you by either of them. 

You padded down to the kitchen, irked that your family had the audacity to also send the kitchen staff on vacation since they weren’t home. The hell were you? The housecat? The only things you were familiar with in terms of cooking were toasts and eggs, but there’s no way in hell you could function on such a simple breakfast. Fouling your mood even more, you settled for two simple pieces of bread out of pure spite, but never had time to tend to them when they popped out of the toaster. 

From the entrance hall, the gate monitor buzzed, announcing an incoming visitor who was waiting for approval to enter. You supposed that since the staff was out, you’d be forced to go yourself. 

You had half a mind to think twice before rudely sending back the unwelcomed visitor. Instead, you did as your parents had drilled into your mind so often; check the camera first. You were almost surprised to be met with a familiar face. Purple hair, downturned lilac eyes. It was almost a shock to see the handsome man from last night out here, in the sun. As if you could have sworn he was nothing but a dream. Like he was out of place in the real world. You bit back the smile forming on your lips. He had still been incredibly infuriating with you. No amounts of bedroom eyes and pretty smirks could make it up to you. Even if you wanted to forgive his transgressions. “Can I help you?” You spoke into the monitor as he leaned against the rolled down window of sleek his car. From what you could see of the interior, it was as expensive as everything else about him. 

“You can, actually.” He answered, and you could’ve sworn your knees grew a little weak at the sound of his smooth voice. Not low enough to be considered baritone, yet not pitchy and annoying. It was a lull that you’d kill to have whispering filth against your ear. “It’d make my job so much easier if you opened the gate, pretty.” 

“My father’s not home.” You shot back, testing him. 

“Figured already, sweets.” 

Letting a perfect stranger inside your family’s property was so, so wrong. And yet so exciting. Adrenaline buzzed through your veins as you foolishly pressed your index finger against the right button, watching from the little monitor as the gates rolled open and the man uttered a casual ‘thanks’ as he set his car into drive and entered your home. You were anxious as you waited by the door for him to pull up. What could he want? And was it you? Considering that he hadn’t turned back already, you could only assume he was looking for you. Though you can’t comprehend why he’d wait now, when he could have had you all to himself yesterday. If this man thought he could simply take what he wanted whenever he wanted and leave you without a single thought... well. You just might let him. It certainly couldn’t be a bad time per se. 

Barefooted at the doorstep, the black McLaren rolled to a slow stop a few ways ahead from the steps leading up to you. It just dawned upon you that you probably looked less than decent in your small sleep shorts and a loose tee-shirt, but it was way too late to go change. Not when the man was stepping out of his car and leaning against it. Not making a single move to join you. “Well,” he chuckled. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” 

You turned your attention to the doorframe, picking at it even though it was in pristine condition, feigning to shy away from his praise. He had better butter you up real good, after the stunt he pulled last night. “Do I know you?” You ask, already knowing the answer to your own question. 

“You don’t, but your father does.” He replied. Ah, so he was already acquainted with your father. You hadn’t expected that. Nevertheless, it didn’t slight your interest in him. “You can call me Ran, sweets. Ran Haitani. Your father and I are currently involved in business together.” 

“Is that so? I haven’t heard your name before.” You said, fishing for reactions. And, even if he was truly working with your dad, you wouldn’t know. You have zero interest in what your father does, nor would you ever ask him about it. 

“No, you wouldn’t have.” Ran looks down at his car door, and reaches to scrub at the slightest of smudges on the vehicle. It disappears as soon as he polishes it with the sleeve of his shirt. “Saw you last night, you know? Where’s that guy that seemed to be boring the shit out of you?” He asked while the corner of his lips twitched up in amusement. He knew damn well where the guy was. 

You hesitated for a moment, pouting. You couldn’t believe that he was doing this to you, as if he was trying to humiliate you. “I left him there.” You finally admitted. It seemed to be the answer he was looking for because Ran chuckles. You hope that he’ll soon get the teasing out of the way and invite himself in. In your impatience, you add on. “It wasn’t nice of you to just leave me there, you know. That’s rude.”

“Would you like to come for a ride?” Ran is swift to ask. Your head reels a little at the abrupt subject change, but something in your gut twists at his tone. He’s still talking as smooth as ever, but there’s an underlying edge. Something that yells at you that he’s not asking. But you smile it off. 

“I’m not even dressed,” you say with a light chuckle. “That would just be silly.” 

“The windows are tinted. No one would see you. It would just be you and I, babe.” He pushes with a wink. You take a look at his car, and at him. At the stranger standing in front of you. All you know is his name and that he knows your dad. But either of these informations -- or both -- could be lies and you’d be none the wiser. 

You aren’t stupid; you know this is how people get kidnapped. This is how people go missing. But that stuff doesn’t happen like this. Not when it’s a rich, suave individual like Ran. You’ve seen the news. It happens to others, yes, but not to you. And not with the likes of him. It happens with the freaks. With the people who don’t have enough money to survive, so they put people up on the black market for spare bucks. To buy drugs, or some shit. But in the corner of your mind, fear starts to bubble up when Ran shows to be relentless while you hesitate. 

“Just a nice drive out in the country, yeah? We can talk, if you’d like. Or we won’t. It’s all up to you, darling. I’ll connect your phone to the bluetooth so you can play whatever you’d like.” He promises and you’re almost swayed. You take a few steps forward, now leaning against the railing of the steps leading down to him and his car. 

“I dunno,” you mutter. “I don’t know you.” Maybe if he could prove that he’s indeed an acquaintance of your father’s. Maybe if he can even call him to tell him where the two of you will be going. Maybe then you’d get into his fancy car. And maybe, just maybe, if things go well, your family would be proud of you for engaging with such a fine gentleman. This could be your key out of this wretched life if you play your cards right. Satisfy both your mom and your dad at once. 

“Sure, you do. I told you my name.” Ran says and you’re not sure if he’s teasing or if he’s being serious. “And you’re Y/n. See? We know each other.” He’s a bit pushy, if you’re being honest. You take a few steps back as you think this over again. He’s being pushy and kind of shady, withholding a lot of information like this. He hasn’t pulled out his phone for proofs, nor has he even entertained the idea of settling your doubts in a reasonable way. 

“Maybe another time,” you suggested as you retreated back to the doorframe. “I’m a bit tired from last night.” It was a straight up lie, but you knew that if you wanted Ran to leave you alone, you might have to dish these excuses. And maybe more. 

“Come on, Y/n. Don’t make it harder for me. Just get in the car, won’t you? I’ll take good care of you.” You shook your head, and though Ran hadn’t moved an inch, he was scaring you. As if any moment, he could leap and drag you out of your house himself. “Listen to me, sweets. I’m sorry, but you really should come with me. It’s part of the business.” He hadn’t outright said it, but it felt like he wasn’t giving you a choice. 

“No. Now please leave, before I call the police.” The man tilted his head back and laughed, as if the idea of the cops being implied in this was hilarious to him. You only frowned and took a hold of the door when he pushed himself off the car and took a few steps forward. 

He then stopped. But his gaze never left yours. His eyes, boring into your own, almost dared you to shut the door. He put his hands into the pocket of his slacks, leaning most of his weight onto one leg like one would do when they’re impatiently waiting for something. “You can call the cops if you’d like. You can shut the door, lock it, lock the windows, whatever your pretty little heart desires. But you know it wouldn’t stop me, don’t you? Someone can break through glass, if they want it enough. They can break through wood. Through cement.” His eyes observed the mansion your family had settled in all those years ago. 

You shook your head again. “No, my family... my family would know if anything happened to me. They’d send help. They’d send a search party, and they’d find you.” You had no idea if they indeed would. All you knew was that if you had the slightest chance of scaring Ran away, you should use it. But surely your family loved you. Surely they’d search for you if you went missing. 

“And I wonder if you’d stay in there, if somehow, the place would be set on fire. I don’t think so, yeah? You’re not stupid, right sweetheart? No, you know you’d be safer with me. Than with some selfish old man who used you as collateral damage.” Ran studied you closely as you gave him a confused, yet terrified look. You were two inches away from a breakdown and he knew it. He had almost broken you. He shook his head, feigning disappointment before shooting you an apologetic glance. “I know, baby. I’m sorry to hear it too, but your place here is meaningless. Your father owes us money, doll. Owed us for years, really, and we warned him of this outcome, we really did. He just doesn’t seem to care.” 

No. You shook your head, closing your eyes and furrowing your brows. You couldn’t keep them closed for long before a wave of dizziness assaulted you and you were forced to open them just to make sure the world wasn’t really spinning like that. You stepped back into the house and closed the door before backing up into the hallway. You watched through the glass door as Ran came up to the entrance, but he didn’t open it. You’d foolishly left the door unlocked and yet he didn’t walk inside. 

“Come on, pretty. Cooperate with me, yeah? We’ll go for a nice ride together. Don’t make me come inside. I know you can be good.” Your lower lip wobbled as you shook your head. You took one more step backwards, but to your misfortune, the carpet wasn’t completely flat on the floor. It slipped underneath your foot and you fell right on your ass. The shock was just enough for the dam to break. 

Ran only watched in fake pity as you cried on the floor of your house. Some place you’d usually call home, but at the moment, it almost felt unfamiliar to you. Dark, unwelcoming, cruel. Shallow. Like it wasn’t meant for your comfort, but rather for your father’s. The logical part of you cried for you to listen to reason. That maybe Ran was lying about this entire thing. And yet, you were too shaken to listen to anything but the smooth lull of the man’s voice. 

“I know, sweetheart. I know. Why don’t you come outside? I’m sure a nice drive will distract you. All you need to do is be a brave girl and get up for me.” With a hiccup, you wiped your tears away. You desperately craved some sort of comfort and Ran seemed incredibly promising. Besides... these walls couldn’t save you from him. He’d find another way in, one that wouldn’t be as soft and considerate as this one. 

“That’s it, one foot after the other, baby.” Ran praised as you stood on shaky legs. Even walking felt unfamiliar to you. You only moved towards the sound of his voice, muffled through the door. “The bravest girl I’ve ever seen.” He said when you opened the door and leaned into his open arms. 

“C’mon,” he said, taking a step back so that you could walk to the car yourself. “We’ll take good care of you.”