#Banter and tunes

[milk-tea-sakura]

~~~~~~~~~~

𝓒𝔀: 2𝓷𝓭 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝓿, 𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓨/𝓷, 𝓯𝓮𝓶! 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻, 𝓯𝓵𝓾𝓯𝓯, 𝓢𝓮𝓾𝓷𝓰𝓶𝓲𝓷 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓾𝓲𝓽𝓪𝓻

𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓒𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽: 1099

𝓔𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮: 4 𝓶𝓲𝓷 18 𝓼𝓮𝓬

~~~~~~~~~~

Seungmin had always been a quiet and reserved person. He preferred spending time with his close friends and working on his music rather than indulging in relationships. But then he met Y/n, who turned his world upside down.

It wasn't like he had been looking for love. He had been perfectly content with his life as it was. But something about Y/n had drawn him in. Maybe it was her easy-going nature, or the playful glint in her eyes when she teased him. Whatever it was, Seungmin found himself falling hard and fast.

At first, he tried to resist the feelings. He told himself that he was too busy for a relationship and that he didn't have time to accommodate someone else in his life. But Y/n wasn't someone who gave up easily. She saw right through his tough exterior and knew that beneath his cool persona, there was a passionate and sensitive soul.

Every time they hung out together, Seungmin found himself opening up to her more and more. He realized that he enjoyed her company, that he looked forward to their conversations, and the way she made him laugh. And before he knew it, he was falling head over heels for her.

When Seungmin finally confessed his feelings, Y/n was overjoyed. She had been waiting for weeks for him to admit the truth, and it brought her immense happiness to know that he felt the same way. From that moment on, they became inseparable.

Seungmin and Y/n were sitting on a park bench, enjoying the warm summer breeze. Seungmin was strumming a melody on his guitar, a soft smile on his face.

Y/n looked over at him, a cheeky smile on her lips. "You know, you're talented with that guitar," she said, nudging his shoulder. "Maybe you could write a love song about me sometime."

Seungmin chuckled, his fingers stilling on the strings as he looked at her. "A love song about you, huh?" he repeated, a hint of amusement in his voice. "That might be a bit too sappy, don't you think?"

Y/n pouted playfully, resting her head on his shoulder. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little sappiness," she protested. "Besides, I think it would be sweet. Imagine me swooning to a song about how much you adore me."

Seungmin couldn't help but smile wider at her words. He loved her playful side, the way she could make even the most serious situations lighthearted. "You know I already tell you how much I adore you all the time," he pointed out, resuming his strumming.

Y/n sighed dramatically, feigning disappointment. "Yeah, but a song would be more memorable, you know? Something I could listen to whenever I missed your voice."

Seungmin raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Are you trying to guilt-trip me into writing you a love song?" he asked, though there was a hint of affection in his tone.

Y/n fluttered her eyelashes innocently. "Me? Guilt-trip you? Never," she said, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "I just think you owe it to me to immortalize your love for me in song form. You know, for sentimental reasons."

Seungmin chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "You're impossible, you know that?" he said, but there was no malice in his voice. "What if I already have a love song written for you and just haven't told you yet?"

Y/n's eyes widened in surprise. "You do?!" she exclaimed, sitting up straight. "Are you serious? Why haven't you shown me yet?"

Seungmin smirked, enjoying the excited look on her face. "Because it's still a work in progress," he explained. "I want it to be perfect before I let you hear it."

Y/n pouted, a mixture of impatience and affection in her expression. "But I want to hear it now," she protested. "I bet it's already amazing, even if it's not finished yet."

Seungmin chuckled again, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I promise you'll hear it when it's ready," he assured her. "And don't you dare try to sneak a peek either, got it?"

Y/n feigned disappointment again, though she was amused. "Aw, you're no fun," she teased. "But fine, I won't try to cheat and listen to the song early. I'll just have to wait anxiously until you're ready to share it with me."

Seungmin put down his guitar, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "Don't worry, it'll be worth the wait," he reassured her. "And in the meantime, I'll just have to find other ways to keep you entertained and distracted."

Y/n's disappointment melted away instantly, replaced by a smile. "Oh, yeah?" she said, her tone laced with curiosity. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Seungmin smirked a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Let's just say I have a few tricks up my sleeve," he teased, deliberately keeping it vague. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Y/n's curiosity only grew at his words, but she knew better than to press him for details. "You're such a tease," she pouted playfully, swatting his arm lightly.

Seungmin chuckled, tightening his grip on her waist. "You love it," he said, his tone affectionate. He leaned in closer to her, lowering his voice to a whisper. "And I love teasing you, especially when you get all pouty like this."

Y/n huffed dramatically, trying to feign annoyance, but she couldn't help the corners of her lips twitching into a smile. "You're insufferable," she grumbled, though there was no real irritation in her voice.

Seungmin smirked, clearly enjoying her reaction. "You love me anyway," he pointed out, poking her side playfully. "Pouty and all."

Y/n rolled her eyes, but couldn't deny his words. "Unfortunately, yes," she said, a hint of mock resignation in her tone. "I seem to have a soft spot for insufferable, guitar-playing men."

Seungmin chuckled, his ego inflated at her words. "And I happen to have a soft spot for cute, pouty women who can't resist my charm," he replied with a cocky grin.

Y/n playfully stuck her tongue out at Seungmin, pretending to be irritated. "Your charm is too irresistible, it's not fair," she grumbled, though her tone was light.

Seungmin laughed, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on her forehead. "But you love it," he reminded her, wrapping his arm more firmly around her waist.

Y/n pretended to be annoyed for a moment longer before breaking into a smile. "Yeah, I guess I do."

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Heartfelt Reunion.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

A apt distinction between Dafpork and Baffy (followed by a long ramble)

Since the looney tunes show era, it's not uncommon for looney tunes fans and even modern looney tunes to define Daffy and Porky's dynamic to be of the bully and doormat variant. Doesn't help when the latter half of the classic looney tunes shorts assert Daffy to be dull but domineering, and Porky to be competent but meek.

I don't reject these portrayals, but I do find it reductive to reduce Porky's aptitude for hubris, or Daffy's capacity for emotional intelligence... sometimes intelligence, period. Especially when people write them in comparison to how they write Baffy's dynamic.

So, here's a comic strip that encapsulates both Dafpork and Baffy's dynamics in a way that helps me summarise my points. The premise is the same for both: Daffy tells the latter a joke.

Here, Daffy tells a harmless (albeit flirtatious) joke. And Porky responds by crushing his trash can over Daffy's head and remarking on the quality of his humor.

As best friends, this is their normal -- usually Daffy initiates by tormenting Porky, and Porky will retaliate (sometimes dishing out more than Daffy may have earned). Other times Porky initiates and Daffy responds accordingly. This is how they banter.

Now let's move onto Baffy.

Here, Daffy tells a joke, and Bugs seems all too familiarised to his antics. Then Daffy pushes for a compromise, Bugs gives in. And then Daffy makes him regret the decision.

As best friends, this is their normal -- Daffy initiates by tormenting Bugs, Bugs anticipates this and usually shuts him down. Daffy pleads with Bugs to humor him, Bugs allows it, and then immediately regrets it (to varying degrees of legitimacy).

This is to say:

Porky can fall into the trap of being a doormat, but when it comes to Daffy, is a lot more emotionally volatile to the point of explosive anger. They're also very good at playing to their roles in relation to each other, making their interactions in shorts snappy, varied, unpredictable and hilarious.

Bugs is more attuned to psychological warfare and mind games, but has a track record of giving into Daffy's whims against his better judgment. He also has shown/admitted many times that he has a soft spot for Daffy, which makes their shorts carry this level of unspoken familiarity that is rarely found in classic looney tunes.

In the shorts, Dafpork operate like the duo that click the moment they clock each other, while Baffy operate like the duo with undisclosed history. Which I find super interesting when in terms of chronology, it should technically be the other way around since Dafpork shorts are greater in bulk and came way earlier before Baffy.

All this goes to show that truly, in my heart of hearts, Porky is NOT as soft-hearted as modern looney tunes media may have you believe. And Bugs has an understated weakness to pitiable pleas from sensitive birds.

[sunshinebingo]

The Things Autumn Did To Me

Merry Christmas @thelov3lybookworm!!! 🎁 It has been so nice to meet you through @acotargiftexchange and I had a great time secretly interacting with you. I had a lot of fun experimenting with your gift too (you and I have a lot in common btw 😌). I really hope that you will enjoy the slight mess that is this fic 🤭

***

Synopsis: Two months into their convenient marriage and Gwyneth and Azriel still have very strong feelings for each other. Is it really the hate that they claim it to be, or something else? Not even they can tell.

However, another chance at tackling the failed mission that has led them to where they are will make the two spies face something that they have both been afraid of. After all, the line separating hate from desire can be very thin.

Word Count: 3.5k

Warning: None for this chapter

Find the Masterlist here

Read Chapter 1 on Ao3 or below the cut

“Wife,” he sneered.

“Husband,” she sneered back.

Azriel walked to end of the table and sat down, carefully adjusting his wings behind him.

“Glad to see that you are still alive,” he said, pulling the plate that his wife had already filled for him closer.

“Glad to know that I am still the funny one,” Gwyn replied without looking up from her own plate.

Morning greeting, checked. Daily verification that his partner was still breathing, checked. What was left to do before breakfast? Ah right... Check the food for poison. His shadows made a sweep around the table, ensuring that nothing would lead to him dropping sick or dead.

When he finally raised his cup of tea to his lips after their quick inspection, his eyes landed on a pair of teal ones across the table. Azriel internally shuddered at Gwyn’s piercing gaze and at how her lips turned into a feline smirk.

“It will happen when you least expect it,” she said, then dug a knife into her pancakes.

Azriel snorted. As if she could sneak past his trusty shadows. They might have an odd affection for her – unlike their master – but they were still loyal to him. Many believed that, being a Shadowsinger, Azriel had full control over his shadows. He refrained from letting others know that they also tended to have a mind of their own. Like the little wisp which was currently ignoring him and was slowly making its way between the bowl of fruit and the teapot to reach her.

Gwyn’s eyes followed the movement of the shadow until it reached her hand and started swirling around her fingers, especially the one adorned with a silver band – a perfect match to the one on his own ring finger – that glinted against her pale, freckled skin. Her smile softened for the shadow in a way it never did for him.

While she watched the shadow, Azriel watched her. The rich copper hair that was put up in a very messy bun atop her head with random strands that escaped and which fell around her face, her pointed ears where she wore several simple studs, her nose and cheeks across which lay a scattering of freckles, as if someone had tossed them with a careless hand, her plump lips, her eyes. Those bright eyes that had unsettled him from the very first time he had looked into them. A depthless teal ocean that often seemed like they could see straight through him. Gwyn was a creature of cruel beauty and Azriel hated her more for it.

When she looked up from the shadow playing with her hand, Azriel lowered his eyes to his food before she could see the thoughts that he always tried his hardest to hide in her presence.

“Is there something on my face?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied, stirring his tea despite having added nothing to it.

“Well,” she went on, unable to stay quiet for long, as always. “What is it?”

“You look...” the shadows whispered an assortment of words though none that he was willing to use. Instead, he responded with, “...like you slept in a tree.”

Gwyn let out a snicker. “That would certainly be better than trying to sleep while listening to your pacing all night.”

It took him a few seconds to understand and none more to feel stupid about it. The endless pacing had nothing to do with the work he did at this hour and everything to do with him trying to focus while also attempting to block out the sound of her thumping heart and that of her mumblings while she slept. His office was right above her bedroom on the third level and he had selfishly never stopped to think that she might hear him walking around on the wooden floor when he could hear her too. He had tried to work in other rooms instead but the pestering of his shadows and their insistence to be close to her was even more annoying. At least in his office they shut up and contended themselves with spreading on the floor while listening to her.

It was the first time in the whole two months since they had been living together that she was mentioning it. Surprising of her since she often found something to complain about him. He did the same but, unlike hers, his complaints about her were at least justified.

“Some Spymaster you are,” she mumbled around a mouthful, “Not even able to walk without raising the dead.”

Azriel looked up at her and smirked. “I do it on purpose to piss you off.”

Gwyn swallowed her food. Her face remained impassive when she spoke again. “You do that well enough by just existing.”

He did not respond. He only held her gaze, risking getting lost in her ocean eyes, until footsteps were heard entering the dining room and someone cleared their throat.

“A letter arrived from the Prince of Autumn,” Roslin, their maid and one of the very few persons aware of the truth behind their union, announced and handed an envelope to Gwyn. Roslin had been Gwyn’s trusted maid when she lived in the Forest House. She was also a spy and had helped Gwyn with maintaining her second identity in the Autumn Court by covering up her secret activities. She offered Roslin her thanks with a usual friendly smile before the maid left the dining room.

“What is it?” Azriel asked, eyes narrowed on the folded paper that Gwyn took out of the envelope.

“Hopefully something that will get me as far away from you as possible.”

Her comment suddenly made him want to spend his entire day being as close to her as he could. Not because he liked her company whatsoever. Their shared mission already ensured that they spent a ridiculous amount of time together. Including sharing a house and attempting to look like an oh so happy couple in public.

“I’m afraid, dear wife, that no one can get rid of me so easily. Least of all you.”

Azriel had learned a great deal since they sealed their marriage two months ago. He obviously learned a lot about Gwyn. And, surprisingly, a lot about himself too, especially his patience and tolerance of her.

Gwyn placed the empty envelope on the table, picked up a little spoon and brandished it at Azriel as though it was a dagger. “I could kill you with this,” she narrowed her eyes at him.

“I’m trembling,” he deadpanned. The shadows snickered around him.

He had always taken pride in his infinite patience. That was one of the qualities that made him the best at his job. But somehow, the female sitting across from him, reading her letter as if she wasn’t the bane of his existence, had found ways to challenge almost all of his skills, including his ability to remain calm under any circumstance, and also his ability to charm any female and male alike. That last skill would not be of much use anymore anyway since, to the rest of the world, all of it was now supposed to be reserved for Gwyn only. His wife. The one who made him lose his godsdamned mind in every possible way.

It was not as though he had ever seduced anyone in hope of anything more but a few hours of pleasure. His family thought that he refused to commit to a serious relationship, much less marriage, because his job was too dangerous to rope a potential partner in such things. Being the Spymaster and non-official torturer of his court made Azriel do things that most would cower to do and put him in dangers few were willing to face.

The reality was that Azriel did not want anyone to feel shackled to him. Although he had witnessed many successful relationships in his life, including the couples in his found family, his childhood had left more scars on him than those on his burned hands. He had witnessed what a monster his sire had been to his mother. For so long Azriel had feared that his resemblance to the cruel male might be more than physical. He feared that the beast he became when he tortured for the protection of his court might scare away a partner, or even worse, hurt them. So, instead of taking the risk, he preferred to block out the possibility of finding out altogether.

His several centuries as a spy might have made him an expert in the art of seduction, but he was empty handed when it came to true romantic feelings. Azriel doubted anyone with a bit of common sense would willingly stay with him if they knew how little he knew about love. Save for his family, the one with which he was related in every way except for blood, he had never let anyone close enough to his heart to feel such things. That was why he had been more than a little nervous when Rhysand and Eris had suggested this marriage, despite being aware that it was one of convenience. Imposed was a better word than suggested. Though even if Rhysand was his High Lord, Azriel could have still been opposed to his brother’s orders. But he did see the necessity of the situation, especially for Gwyn.

Since she was herself a spy, he knew that Gwyn had also seen her fair share of danger and blood. He knew what she also had to do to protect her court. Being from the Autumn Court and secretly acting with Eris against her High Lord for the greater good of Prythian, Azriel knew that her position had been more precarious than his. For Gwyn, this marriage was not just to keep plotting against Beron to put Eris on the throne. It was also to save her life. If the High Lord of Autumn found out that the lady who had lived in his home her whole life was a spy trying to bring him down, death would prove to be a small mercy for her.

For most, it might seem like their paths had crossed at one of the High Lord and Ladies’ meeting in Autumn, which also involved important members of all the seven courts and had fallen so deeply in love that they had been married in the same week. 

The truth was that they had met several times before that to exchange information about what Beron was up to behind closed doors. Gwyn was the one who Eris trusted to pass on information about his father’s secret plans. She had been like a beam in the night on their first meeting in a wood bordering her court. She had looked like she had been crafted by the capable hands of the Mother herself.

Gwyn had also looked like she was not happy at all with the new secret alliance between the Night Court and the Autumn Prince. Azriel had not been either. Even now, he was still suspicious of Eris’ true intentions when it came to this alliance. Azriel despised the arrogant Prince. He despised Autumn Court and anything that had to do with it. He had never wanted to work alongside one of them, but fate had apparently decided otherwise.

“I bet you would read that thing faster if it was smut,” he complained when she remained silent while her eyes kept going back and forth on the letter.

Gwyn looked up at him with another scowl. “Shut up and quit distracting me.”

With a flicker of her hand, she summoned a small golden flame that she then ran across the ivory page. She read the hidden message that Eris had left there for her before burning the entire letter along with the envelope.

“It’s an invitation from Eris,” she finally explained. “Autumn Solstice is being held at the Forest House in a week.”

Azriel cursed. As a former member, it was natural for the redhead to be invited to celebrate with the rest of her home court. But looking at Gwyn, he saw what she was not saying. This event would be their second, possibly last chance to get a hand on Beron’s plans and avoid a possible war, or at least prepare for an eventual one. Something else also shone in his wife’s eyes. A determination that this time, they would not fail. They should not. This marriage had been a last resort to hide Gwyn’s secret identity. It had been the only plan that Eris could come up with to get his cousin out of reach of his father before this one could start questioning her presence so close to his private quarters and start to suspect her.

“Well, my broody bat.”

Azriel rolled his eyes. Gwyn picked a bunch of grapes from the bowl and observed one carefully before popping it into her mouth. “I hope you’re ready to have some fun.”

“We’re going there on a mission Berdara. Not to party.”

Gwyn shrugged. “Who says one has to exclude the other.”

The two of them had different approaches to spying. Azriel preferred to keep to the dark. His shadows allowed him to remain unseen and unheard even in plain sight. He had always been the quiet kind of person, picking up clues by silently observing while his shadows searched for what was out of his reach. Gwyn, on the other, was the complete opposite. While she could also hide in plain sight, her talent was that of deception. She could have been a shape shifter with how easily she could adapt to and blend into any situation.

“How do you propose we do that?” he asked.

She pushed her empty plate aside and propped her elbows on the table.

“Well your shadows could signal us when the time is right.” She lifted the hand where a shadow was once again twirling in between her fingers and down her wrist.

“We’ll then pretend to sneak away to do what we were doing last time.”

Azriel’s fork stopped midway to his mouth. His shadows circled him excitedly, chanting their glee at Gwyn’s plan.

On the evening that had led to their current situation, Gwyn and Azriel were on a common mission to infiltrate Beron’s quarters to try and retrieve some incriminating documents about the High Lord of Autumn. These would have been the perfect proof to put Beron on trial for his actions against peace in Prythian. Unfortunately, a few wrong moves had led to them being caught where no one should have been. The only thing that had saved them then had been to act as if they had been a second away from having sex.

Azriel still remembered every single detail of it, from the very first second that Gwyn had grabbed his shirt and had pulled him down against her. He remembered how it had felt to have her in his arms, how her lips had moved fervently against his as if her life depended on it, which it did. If he closed his eyes, he could recall how her hands had felt as she had glided them across his chest, his arms, on his neck and the way she had tugged at the roots of his hair. How urgent those same hands had been when she had pull him closer by hooking a finger at the seam of his pants. The sounds she had made when his tongue had tangled with hers had been louder than the approaching footsteps of the guards. Perhaps it was in that exact moment, where his mission had shifted from those documents to her, that his shadows had started to become obsessed with her. More so than they had been since they started meeting for a few brief minutes to exchange information.

Everyone knew that Autumn Court faeries had fire in their veins. But only then had Azriel learned what the rumours were truly about. If a kiss that was devoid of feelings and which was only meant to fool the guards was like that, then Azriel did not even want to think about what a real kiss from her would be like. He refused to imagine it. The fake one had burned a big enough hole in him. Glancing at the Autumn female across the table, Azriel cursed her for having ruined every kiss he ever had before and certainly all others that he could have had if he was not bound to her.

“Or,” he proposed to prevent himself from spiralling deeper into their backstory and what it was doing to him. “We can just pretend to leave.”

Gwyn looked at him like he had said the stupidest thing ever. The last time he followed her lead had resulted in them getting married. What would happen this time? Would Eris find a random child that they would be forced to raise together to keep up their disguise? Azriel’s thoughts quieted when a shadow rushed from where it was hovering beside his left wing to remind him of what had prompted her to kiss him and he reluctantly agreed to the reasoning behind it.

He went on explaining the paths that they could take around the Forest House to avoid running into anyone if they followed his plan and how his shadows would help in the process.

“Well?”

He waited for her opinion when he finished.

“Huh? Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

Azriel closed his eyes and sighed. Fucking Autumn courts and their fucking hard heads. Fucking wife and her fucking stubbornness.

“You come up with something then, smart-ass.”

She started to open her mouth but Azriel cut her off. “Something that does not involve fucking in Beron’s quarters.”

Gwyn huffed. Her cheeks started to turn pink, probably from the fire coursing through her and which seemed to run hotter at every outburst. “I wasn’t about to say that, you dimwit.”

Azriel gave her another roll of his eyes before returning to his food. Gwyn said nothing more. Yet by looking at her face, the emotions that he was still learning to read there, Azriel could see the gears of her mind working. She remained like this for the whole time that he finished his breakfast.

When he was done, he rose from his chair and walked to her. He grabbed her chin between his thumb and index and lifted her head until she looked at him.

“We have a week to come up with a solid plan. There’s no need to fry up your head over this right away.”

He suspected that she was worried about going back while there were still talks about her. Leaving the Forest House was not so simply done without a proper reason after all, especially for someone who had been raised there. Several rumours had already rose about the lady who had so hastily left her home to settle in the Night Court with the infamous Shadowsinger. His reputation in Rhys’ inner circle alone had fuelled the suspicions of more than one person, including Beron.

Azriel dragged his thumb along the seam of her lips, right where a trace of the syrup from her pancakes was still glistening.

“You’ll need that brain of yours to come up with more creative insults for me. The ones you currently have are terrible,” he added.

Gwyn brought a hand to the one that held her face. She slowly wrapped her long fingers around his wrist without looking away from his face. More pink spread across her cheeks and made her freckles stood out. Azriel badly wanted to know what she was truly hiding behind those eyes in this moment.

“Can you please do something for me, my dear husband?” her voice came out like a soft breeze singing in the night. Azriel had the reflex to stop his wings from twitching.

“What is it?”

He convinced himself that his breathlessness had nothing to do with that voice which was sweeter than the sticky syrup on his finger. Her hand tightened around his wrist.

“Throw yourself off a cliff,” she gritted out and forcefully yanked his hand away. Gone was the sweet, melodic voice. Her chair made a loud screeching sound as she pushed it back and stood.

Azriel held in a chuckle when she raised her chin and stomped off of the living room. “See you later, my annoying husband.”

He followed her as he made his way to his room. “Sure, my petulant wife.”

They went up the stairs and reached the door to her room first. Gwyn paused with a hand on the handle. “Don’t miss me too much, my haughty husband.” She opened the door and walked inside.

Azriel stood at the threshold of her bedroom with his arms crossed and a smirk on his lips. “You wish, my Autumn witch.”

Gwyn’s returning smile was as wicked as a witch’s. “I know you will.” And she slammed the door in his face.

To Be Continued...

[whumblr]

new bookish chapter! i'm so excited :))))))

will you be uploading chapters 3-5 on ao3 as well?

Yess, probably 3-4 tomorrow and 5 and new 6 Sunday. If I don't forget...

Been a while since she pulled that stunt :)) Time to dole out some good old punishment.

[solasfenheral]

Replaying da2 just has me so damn fond of Kirkwall and so appreciative of how alive it feels. The way the cast has individualised responses to things like the women catcalling them on the docks, the guards acknowledging Aveline as one of their own, Gamlen’s sheepish response if you approach him in the brothel, the change in address to Hawke from getting sneers in Hightown over their foreign heritage vs being called serah/messare.

The way the city is constantly murmuring around you! Andraste’s ashes grifters! Political machinations around the threat Amaranthine poses to trade! Stupid errands servants are being sent on around Hightown! God, the dumb loveable gossip in the Hanged Man! The roiling tension around the Qunari and then the Mages & Templars! Nobles throwing tantrums about the Viscount not seeing them yet. The entire world going on between the Blooming Rose staff; bitching out some coworkers they dislike and their children chatting to the bartenders AND laughing at some of the outrageous asks of their patrons.

It all feels so alive and it’s wonderful

[littlespoonevan]

ngl I personally find it incredibly weird how many people on the internet are so staunchly against syd and carmy falling in love because ‘there aren’t enough male/female friendships on tv’ when there are characters with less chemistry and less potential than them that’ve been shoved together and shipped over and over for literal decades

[oozedninjas]

When do we get smut headcanons about you, dear writer~?

(*wink wonk* mandatory flirting cause it’s almost valentines)

Please don't don't flirt with me. It scares me...

[johannepetereric]

”Stop fooling around, Luffy needs us!”

“You just got here, what do you know Luffy needs?”

He could always use back-up, like chill!

[shoechoe]

One thing that's funny to me about Diavolo is that the way he founded Passione and works as the Boss makes no sense and no attempt to even try and explain it is made at all

He supposedly created Passione himself and became Boss, but not a single person even knows who he is, let alone have talked to him or worked with him. He doesn't even have a consigliere and his underboss is Doppio, who we are left to assume isn't known by and doesn't work with other gangsters either. Who decided Diavolo was the Boss? How did he even get people to join his organization? How does he send orders out and have people know that he's the one sending them...

[graces-mindscape]

UnderInfection Prologue, Pt 1... "The Mountain"

.......

Verdana woke up just as excited as ever. "Today is the day!" she thought as she raced to get ready. She ran down the stairs to the kitchen where the sweet smells of breakfast filled the air. Her face lit up even more as Sans handed her a fresh plate of toast and sliced melon.

"your favorite." Sans smiled, "made just the way you like it."

"French toast AND honeydew??" Verdana exclaimed, giving Sans a hug, "You guys are best!!"

"All for our favorite sister!" Papyrus joined in, making his own plate of food. Verdana gave him a shy smile, running a finger briefly through her long violet hair.

"today's a pretty big day for ya, ain't it?" Sans asked as he sat next to Verdana at the table, "you and your friend are goin' to the mountain right?"

"Mhm!" Verdana replied. She started quickly on her toast, though she was in a hurry, she made sure to savor every bite.

"Well, just be sure to be careful" Papyrus said slightly concerned, "I know Sans has been teaching you to teleport but there's really no telling what could happen. You could get lost or injured or-"

"I'll be fine," she gave him a nervous smile. Papyrus was always so protective of her, though she would be lying if she said she didn't appreciate it.

"Well, just be careful" Sans said.

After Verdana finished her breakfast, she walked up to the door, giving her two brothers one final wave of goodbye. She closed the door and took a short breath. "Mt. Ebott." she mumbled, trying to focus. Before she knew it, she felt a quick rush, and then... she had arrived at the base of the mountain.

"WOAH!!" someone shouted, letting out a long sigh, "PLEASE warn me next time you do that!" Conner brushed off his shirt as Verdana giggled. At roughly 16, Conner was just about three years younger than she was, although he seemed to make up for just as many or more inches in height. The two met when they were kids, and ever since, they'd been best friends. Conner was the only human Verdana had ever known, and she wouldn't be surprised if she was the only skeleton he knew.

"At least send like, a text or something??" Conner exclaimed; once again Verdana giggled.

"So where to?" she asked, Conner gave her a wide smile. "So I was thinking, you know all those people who hike towards the underground? Around the pit?"

"Oh, yeah! Sans said it's one of his favorite spots!" Verdana smiled

"Well I was thinking... what if we hike to those woods around the pit?? More near the base? No one ever goes there! Think of all the cool stuff we could find!" Conner was always more adventurous than Verdana, and in a way, that was a good thing. He was always trying new things and going on these crazy adventures that would pull her out of her comfort zone, and in the end everything always seemed to play out ok.

"Well...alright!" Verdana replied, though she was a little sad they wouldn't be visiting the underground like she originally thought, maybe they could do that another time. Both Conner and Verdana were grateful for the cool weather since it took them so long to get to the area Conner mentioned. It was just near the hole the human fell through, though instead of climbing up, Conner started walked left along the mountain's side, entering a forest filled with trees. Light just barely poked through the thick branches, the way getting darker as the light struggled to fight off the shadows. It also seemed to get colder and even a bit damp.

"Uhhh... Conner? Are you sure we're going the right way?" Verdana asked with a shutter, nervously playing with her long purple hair. There was something strange about where they were heading, though she couldn't put her phalange (finger) on it.

"Huh?" Conner looked back at her, "Of course it is, look at all this! Come on V, live a little!" he teased, lightly nudging her.

"Conner," she moaned, blushing a light shade of violet, "I TOLD you not to call me that! It's embarrassing!"

"What's so embarrassing about it? It's WAY easier than saying your full name."

"And that's the problem! Sans started calling me that when I was eight because I had so much trouble saying my FULL name out loud!" she crossed her arms and puffed her cheekbones, giving Conner an annoyed look. "Plus hearing you say it makes me feel like a child" she mumbled.

"Pfffft- Come on Verdana, you and I BOTH know you're WAY more childish than I am!" he laughed pointing at the bright pink shirt and casual jeans-shorts she was wearing.

"This isn't childish, it's cute! At least that's what my brother said. And at least it's nicer than what your wearing" she giggled pointing to his loose jacket and slightly messy jeans.

"As if! You should know this look is currently in style right now!" he joked back "Right up there with all of those nerdy video game and anime shirts you have!"

"Hey! Those aren't nerdy!" Verdana laughed, lightly shoving him. The two laughed for a little while longer until the laughter was cut short as a sinkhole caved under Conner's feet, causing him to fall deep into a hole.

"CONNER!!" Verdana screamed in fright.

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I'm so happy to finally share the first "page/chapter/part/whatever (lol)" with all of you!! I had so much fun with this, especially the banter between Conner and Verdana! I also had fun with some of the details, I figured since this is written in Verdana's perspective, I should put some skeletal references, after all, Verdana isn't too informed about human lingo ^^'

Just like with the teaser, my goal is if this gets around 10-15 reactions, I'll post the next part 😉

So be sure to react and follow me for more art, updates and more stories!!

Let's hope Conner's ok! I wonder what could be in that hole..... stay tuned for more!

[firefly--bright]

I'm so sorry

[computer-einstein]

You're a tech guy, so what's your opinion on all this AI machine learning crap that's going around?

Personally, I find the advancement of this kind of technology really fascinating, considering how complex AI neural networks are. For the first time in human history, we can actually have an artificial intelligence that can somewhat mimic humans and I find that fascinating.

However, I also realize that the way this world wants to use AI is bad for our lives as human beings. Instead of using AI for good intentions and to save lives, most corporations want to use AI as a tool to deepen their pockets with cash and misinform the public.

And I personally don't like that. AI should be used for the betterment of all of mankind, not the people who fund it to make themselves more money.

Honestly, the only thing I should be glad for is that none of these AI have started developing their own deviations and have done things that are literally detrimental to all humans like cause actual chaos in the real world. At that point, we as a species will be no better than the fictional scientists who created Skynet and other malicious AI.

[fellhellion]

miguel calling is a WIN for miguel is running admin truthers and miguel and hobie don't get along because idealogical differences truthers

rip to the far more amicable miguel miles introduction tho. i do enjoy the more subtle tension compared to like. bin launch.

[beyondxmeasure]

WIP Wednesday

I'm long overdue for a snippet, and I've been tagged by a few lovelies ages ago that I've, regrettably, taken way too long to respond to. With many apologies, I offer a little taste of one of the things I've been working on lately, a follow-up and interlude of sorts to A Simple Twisted Fate. Hope you like it! (Putting it below the ✂️ cuz it's a bit naughty.)

Thanks for the tags... tagging @stylesthebrave @larry-hiatus @thinlinez @justanothershadeofblue @ohpleaselarry @onlythebravest @hershelsue @kingsofeverything @allwaswell16 and anyone else who feels like sharing.

Louis pulls the small remote from the pocket of his joggers and places it on the table where Harry can see it. The other man follows his movements, watching as Louis fingers the buttons on the front of it, then moves to caress the dial on the side, plucking at it with his fingernail. Harry’s eyes perk up with curiosity and delight. “How’s that now?” Louis asks, eyeing Harry as he turns the dial upward one notch. Harry doesn’t even blink. It’s the second notch that invokes a reaction.

“Mm, that’s quite lovely,” Harry responds with a jolt, biting down on his bottom lip, letting his head fall back. He reaches behind himself to cling to the back of the chair, whimpering into his own arm while he bears down on the plug, writhing back and forth in his seat. Louis flicks the dial once more, feeling the rush of power at his fingertips, watching as this other man chases his own high at his mercy. In an instant, Louis flicks it back down to zero and Harry cries out at the loss. “No, no, please!” he whines breathlessly. “Don’t. Don’t stop–”

“Shh, ah-ah-ah, show me,” Louis reprimands gently with a wag of his finger, reinforcing his command with soothing tones. “Show me how patient you can be, love.”

Harry lifts his head and lets go of the chair, sitting up straight, and clears his throat. “Okay, I can be good.” he says through clenched teeth, burying his hands between his legs, while also covering his now very hard cock still clothed beneath his boxer briefs. “I can be good.”

[crimeronan]

you know i post a lot about my OCs being terrible fucking people and also being terrible to each other (because they are), but i'm rereading that creative freewrite i did the other day with fresh reader-facing eyes (i.... have no memory of this place. i don't remember writing this or what i was picturing while writing it) and. actually. the OCs are so funny and cute. fuck me

it's perhaps not surprising that they're funny and cute because historically in fandom i ALWAYS gravitate toward relationships where people Like Each Other So Much , While Also Grappling With The Horrors , And The Mental Illnesses , but it's. just. i'm blinking at this silly nonsense dialogue like. why didn't anyone tell me how funny and cute they are. that seems like it should've featured on the blorbo summary. the tropes packaged on the back of this barely-realer-than-goncharov mind-book. like fucking just. look at this shit they're so genuinely unironically sweet and attentive and careful with each other what the fuck. it's actually sickening. who did this. why was this done. who allowed them to be this way. who established these themes. who penned this stupid banter. this is not my grisly psychological terror dome from my murder-snuff girlboss mindscape,