#But I haven't given up!! I'll get it someday!!!

[sysig]

Can’t, too busy flirting ♥ (Patreon)

[pb-dot]

15 Questions 15 Mutuals

@kaiarchives tagged me in this game that I haven't had the pleasure of seeing before, so that's exciting. The rules are: Answer the 15 questions and tag 15 of your mutuals.

1. Are you named after anyone?

No.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Last Sunday. I don't think it was for any particular reason, I just had a headache and was feeling down.

3. Do you have kids?

No.

4. What sports do you play/have played?

I played a bit of a football as a kid and a bit of volleyball for school. I also did range shooting in my tween years.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Quite a lot. I've been trying to cut back and be a bit more genuine, but my habit for being sarcastic and my generally low moods have given me a bit of Resting Bitch Voice, so people don't always pick up on it.

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Facial shape I think. Before I learn someone's name I generally remember them by the shape of their jaw and cheeks.

7. What's your eye color?

Blue, but it's a kinda greyish blue.

8. Scary movies or Happy endings

I like scary movies with happy endings. Give me protagonists who face down with the worst of humanity or the nasties of the world and come out alive and swinging, if not a bit traumatized.

9. Any talents?

I'm told I have a way with words. In general I don't believe in talent in the "innate skill" way though.

10. Where were you born?

Oslo, Norway.

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing, reading, movies, video games (mostly strategy and roguelikes,) I used to sing in a choir and I kind of want to get back into that.

12. Do you have any pets?

No. Haven't really had the opportunity to, but I'd like to get a dog someday.

13. How tall are you?

178 cm, so... what, 5'10?

14. Favorite subject in school

Language and it's not close at all. Social Sciences as a second place I suppose.

15. Dream Job?

Author. Give me a way to live from writing and I'll churn out books at a brazen clip. It might drive me crazy, but it'll be worth it.

As for the tags: @frostedlemonwriter @shay-puppitty @longwuzhere @indigostudies @an-elegant-void @mjjune @marlenadutch @fire-but-ashes-too @meerawrites @sparrowrising @silverslipstream @floweryprosegarden @the-secondborn-of-seven @chishiio @a-had-matter

[mono-dot-jpeg]

[10:02pm] - aphelios & sett

a/n; in which i make aphelios silly skrumblo than he already his. test run for writing league. but it's heartsteel phel so, it's probably gonna be fine. i loved watching the bloopers. it was so cute, i need more. they should make a small web series like how kpop groups have their small web series where they do random shit or vlog ugh. im totally gonna write that someday.

[ooc phel and sett????] [i threw in poly! settphel in here despite wanting to make it a solo phel fic]

aphelios is really bad at getting your attention normally.

which is fair. you and alune are busy being the limited staff for heartsteel. you help yone work the technicals [and filming] and alune is more of the social part of managing.

but since their debut was nearing closer and closer, you have been more occupied with your manager duties. kayn had been especially chaotic during filming, causing you and yone to attempt to fix everything that was broken by the others.

to summarize, it has been a very long week for heartsteel.

mostly for the quiet boy since he has not gotten some much-needed love and attention from his lover. he could've gone to sett for that love and attention, but the redhead offers more than enough of it. and also he took too many takes for his scene, and phel swears he can still hear the ringing in his ears from the bell.

he's been trying to get your attention now since it's been much less busy, but he hasn't had much luck.

poke.

poke. poke.

you feel cold fingers poke at your face as you rest on bed, completely exhausted. you don't really complain about the comforting hands that gently cup your face until you feel a familiar pair of lips on yours. aphelios watches your tired eyes open and squint at him before you give him a small smile. "hi phel.."

he can't bring himself to be mad at you from the lack of attention with how sweet you look. he can't help but sigh before settling right next to you on the bed, head resting on your chest and body curling up close to you for warmth. there's never much need for words when he's so endearingly expressive. his lips jutted out just a bit in a cute pout as he looked up at you with pleading eyes, a surefire sign of him wanting your attention. "where's sett?" you murmured, gently playing with phel's hair.

aphelios makes no sign of an answer, tugging the blankets to cover you and him better. he even goes as far to lay right on top of you, trapping you in his hold. "phel.." you whined, "i just wanted to know where he was."

the look in aphelios's eyes says everything you need to know, "i need attention."

you can only smile as you finally give him his needed attention. "okay, okay, i'll stop. but you know i just woke up from my nap. what am i gonna do?"

you get no response as expected as the silent man presses his face against your chest, not caring to even spare you another glance. "god, what am i gonna do with you?" you mutter fondly. "with you and sett.. wait until he starts getting all clingy too.." placing your hands on his cheeks, "absolutely insufferable." you joked, squishing his face.

"babe! i lost aphelios!" you're holding back your laugh as sett barges into your shared room. he reminds you of a sweet doberman who just loves their owner. "have you seen him-" aphelios shifts under the blankets, head peeking out to look at sett, annoyed. "oh. uh. hey phel." sett smiles sheepishly. "i forgot that you wanted to be with them today because they've been so busy."

you laugh, "don't be mad, phel." he sends you a look before burying himself under the sheets once again and clinging onto you. "at least let sett join. i haven't given him much attention either. especially after what happened with some of the props during filming." you sighed, remembering yone scolding to the boys and alune laughing behind the camera.

the blankets shift before the blue haired mute opens a side of the covers to let sett in. and ever the energetic and excitable boyfriend, he almost looks ready to dive straight onto you and aphelios. but he holds back, shifting around awkwardly as he moves onto the bed. he finally lets his excitement out, reaching around to hug both you and phel the best he can. "god, i missed this."

"it was only a week, big guy."

"longest week ever!" he groaned as you feel aphelios nod in agreement.

"you two are so dramatic." you slam a poro plushie against sett's and aphelios's head.

"you love it!"

[fictionobsession]

devotion

Pairing: Alastor x f!Reader

Summary: She would give anything for him.

Word Count: 1,997

Warnings: blood, canon typical violence, Alastor being psychotic

A/N: okay friends, first time writing for Al. this was not beta'd or really edited at all so if something seems weird just... assume I meant to fix it. also, this was written as a QPR, but there's a little feelings on reader's side if you squint. I'm not 100% on how in character this is for Alastor, but we tried and that's what matters right

---

She plopped onto the shitty couch and pulled her knees to her chest, looking around the shitty house where they'd been hiding out in the middle of this shitty swamp for the last two shitty weeks. The wallpaper was peeling and yellowed, the floors covered in mold and mildew, the running water only worked half the time, and, more importantly, the refrigerator was empty as of six nights prior. Her stomach rumbled just thinking about a nice juicy cut. She sighed, closing her eyes and allowing herself to sink into the daydream of food.

She knew when she'd gotten into this hobby with Alastor that there was a non-zero chance she would wind up on the run someday. She just wished they could have put it off a bit longer, had a bit more fun. She laid her head back against the rotting couch until she heard the creak of the floor near the front door.

Her eyes snapped open and her brows furrowed as she took in Alastor's hunting attire.

“Al, where do you think you're going?”

“Well, my dear, unless you feel like us both starving to death in this dismal abode, I thought I'd better go get some food.”

“Alastor. You know we've heard the dogs nearby. You can't possibly go out there without getting caught, at least until we've had a couple days where we haven't heard 'em.”

“Again, starving is not on my agenda, so we don't particularly have another choice.”

Another choice. Her face hardens as she realizes what another option might be. She stood up and crossed the room, grabbing Alastor's arm before he could open the door. “There is a way for us to make it out of this without you leaving. Or rather, a way for one of us to make it out of this.”

He hummed, and she could see the wheels turning as he put together what she was implying. “I'm not sacrificing myself for you to get away, you know.”

“I know. That's why I'm just asking you to get it over with quickly. You'll get more time, and I – well, I'll at least get to go out on my own terms. If I have to go, at least it'll be for you.”

His eyes widened just a bit, more reaction than she'd usually get, before he shrugged. “Okay. Painless it is. Not usually my style, but I think I can figure it out.”

She laughed, a genuine, full laugh. “I know, Al, and that's why we've worked out so well. But I think you could at least do that much for me.”

He pulled his hunting knife from where he had already slid it into his belt. “Are you ready?”

And with one nod, everything went black.

-

It seemed instantaneous, appearing in hell. She looked around, taking in the chaos around her. Literal dumpster fires, public sex, casual street murders, Hell had it all. Of course, arriving in Hell wasn't a surprise for her. You don't kill that many people and expect to get into Heaven. She wasn't even sure she had believed in the whole afterlife thing until she was experiencing it. She shrugged it off, finding the closest place with a mirror she could use for free.

Her body was... different, certainly. But intact, and honestly, she was quite happy with it. Given the various types of demons she'd seen just in her brief time there, it could've been a lot worse. She wandered, putting together a plan of action for getting herself set up in Hell. It seemed she would need income to make most things happen, which made finding a job a top priority. She also needed a place to sleep, as it seemed unsafe at best to stay on the streets.

She got a job fairly quickly at Ozzie's, though she wasn't thrilled with the outfit they made her wear for the whole thing. But it was money, and easy work, so she stuck with it. Asmodeus offered her a fairly decent rate on rent nearby, as well, so she could have done worse.

Shortly after getting settled, she started feeling pressure on her body in random locations and at seemingly random times, almost like someone was grabbing or poking her to get her attention. Occasionally she'd get hot spots, which she at first attributed to it being hot in Hell. Little scrapes and cuts would appear sometimes as well, but they always healed up quickly. It wasn't until the final time it happened that she realized what had been happening over the past few weeks.

A perfect bite imprint appeared on her forearm, accompanied by a sharp pain, and she realized it must have been an effect of Alastor in the living world. She traced her finger over the mark, which had healed into almost a scar, but not quite. It was a bit pink, but wasn't angry and fresh. She smiled a little to herself, happy that her sacrifice hadn't been in vain.

As time went on, she found herself tracing the mark when she was feeling stressed, upset, or particularly lonely. It never healed all the way, making it always a bit sensitive to touch, and served as a reminder of why she was here. The mark always made her feel closer to Al, which brought a little comfort when things got crazy.

She had managed to stay within the same few blocks that she knew were heavily policed by Asmodeus's people. However, six months into her stay in Hell, she finally had to leave her little neighborhood to buy some things for the bar. She packed her gun, a knife, and made sure she was dressed inconspicuously – the rumors about the surrounding areas were very...detailed...about what might happen to someone who ended up on the wrong side of a fight.

Unfortunately, her preparation didn't keep her from getting spotted by some Sharks outside the store as she started back toward her apartment. She tried to hurry, sliding between demons and other sinners, before slipping down an alley to attempt to lose her tail. It was too late by the time she realized it was a dead end, and the Sharks started cutting off her only entrance.

She took one step, two, keeping them in her sight until her back hit the brick wall behind her. Her hand reached for her gun, ready to pull it when the lead Shark got close enough. Their glares were paralyzing, and she could smell the smoke and alcohol on them at that distance. She felt herself start to shake, taking a deep breath to steady herself before -

“You wouldn't want people to think you're picking on those of fairer means would you?” The sound and feeling of static crackled through the air like lightning as a dark shape enveloped the opening to the alleyway. A long, thin shadow ripped through the air, straight through the lead Shark, throwing him against the side of the neighboring building.

Green sparks shone through the seemingly infinite blackness, a pair of what could only be described as antlers growing from the approaching shape. Two more tendrils, picking up the remaining Sharks and tossing them into the air like dolls. She wanted to close her eyes, but couldn't look away from the gore. Sure, she had seen a lot of violence in her time in Hell, but she hadn't seen that level of overkill in quite some time.

As the last of the Sharks fled only to get a tendril through the skull, she pressed herself as far into the corner as possible, sliding down the wall and pulling her knees to her chest. There was only the hope that the demon forgot she existed, and the knowledge that if he hadn't, she would likely be next up for second death.

The shadow approached, darkness fading as he got closer until finally it revealed a man. A tall man, with horns, but just a man, nonetheless. He was straightening out his red coat, and twirling something around in his hands as he approached. “Always good to have an excuse to let off a little steam. Always good.”

He put a hand out to help her up. As she lifted herself off the ground, he was already vaguely shaking her hand, introducing himself. “Name's Alastor, pleasure to meet you. Quite a pleasure.”

His name hit her ears about the time he caught a glimpse of her bite, and both stopped dead in the middle of introductions. She looked up, eyes widening as she realized that yes, that was a microphone, and yes, in fact, it had been quite a while since she'd seen that level of overkill, one could even say since her living days. He looked different now, sure, but as soon as she looked into his eyes, she knew that was her Al.

“Well maybe don't wait so long to come save my ass next time, eh, Al?” She smirked up at him, waiting for him to process what was happening. His nails traced the pattern of his own bite on her arm. She caught sight of his tongue tracing across his teeth, as if he was just then realizing how different they'd really become. “I bet your imprint looks a bit different now, doesn't it?” She spoke more to herself than to him as she reached to pull her sleeve down over the mark.

“Why, I should hope so, my dear. I should very much hope so. Let's see just how much it's changed then!” Without any more warning than that, he pulled her arm to his mouth and bit, hard. The new mark bled, sure, but it healed up more quickly than it probably should have, covering his old impression with his new one. His ears twitched subconsciously, his ever-present smile nearly faltering as he watched the blood drip, drip, drip down her arm. He shook himself out of whatever thoughts were distracting him rather quickly before acting like no time had passed at all since they'd been together last. “Now, I don't think I should leave you alone again. It seems to me that you still can't stay out of trouble, my dear! Come along, let me show you where I've been staying!”

“But – Hang on! Al! I've got to go to work!”

“Ah, there'll be no more need of that anymore. We'll send a notice to... whoever you're working for when you get settled.” He raised an eyebrow, practically daring her to argue. She knew, though, that she'd never gone against what he'd wanted before, and she didn't particularly want to start now. She took the elbow he'd offered her and allowed him to lead her out of the alley.

Occasionally, as they walked, she would catch sight of a shadow that seemed to be following them.

“Oh, don't mind them. They're just keeping an eye on your wellbeing. You better get used to it! Having a friend like me, why, other overlords will just be dying to get their hands on you!”

She scoffed, a look of adoration crossing her features before she tactfully replaced it with annoyance. “I'm not going to get any rest now, am I?”

“Oh contraire, ma cherie! You're going to get everything you've ever wanted and deserved. I owe you that after what you did for me up there, wouldn't you say?”

“Oh I just can't wait to show you Cannibaltown! You've got to meet Rosie, yes. You'll get along very well, very well indeed. And she makes the most delectable little treats! Maybe we'll go by tomorrow.”

As he continued rambling, she hummed approval when appropriate, watching him out of the corner of her eye with a mix of caution and longing. As he led her down streets she'd never seen before, she realized maybe this was all her afterlife had needed after all.

[cookiepie111]

The bakery

König x black reader

König and his bakery own girlfriend, how I haven't done a bakery au yet is crazy. These are just a bunch of headcannons. Two slight suggestive things at the bottom but nothing crazy still under the post just to be safe. Not proofread.

~

He has the bad habit of scaring you when you're closing shop. You lock the doors and head to the kitchen to get started with the clean-up when you hear rattling and footsteps. It must be in your head... that doesn't stop you from arming yourself with the heavy rolling pin.

"Hello!"

"Agh!" Your swing is stopped."You have to aim for the head schatz, " tapping the end of the rolling pin at his head with a Droopy smile. You're glad he isn't wearing his balaclava it would have really given you a heart attack

"König! Just call me next time. I'll let you"

" and ruin the surprise! You should just leave the door open"

"No! The surprise in question being scaring me?"

"Flowers!"

You sigh. "Just wait, I'm almost done"

~

Birthday are something he can look forward to now. You make him a cake Esterházy torte every year the same thing since he likes it so much. When his birthday falls on a work day, you pack up a slice for him to take in.

~

He likes the smell you carry. each week it's something new flour, fresh bread or chocolate. It's not always so romantic. Sometimes, you come home smelling like yeast and butter.

~

Pulling you away from the kitchen when you're stressing has become a semi common occurrence.

~

In the early days of your bakery, you had to do everything alone, hauling tables and chairs, now you have könig! He has no problem building them, rearranging the furniture, helping you carry heavy ingredients to the back of the kitchen

~

The two of you have similar morning routines. A 5 am start! It's a habit for könig, so he'll go on his morning run, and freshly baked bread is waiting for him when he gets home

~

Your fridge becomes a strange mix of almost only meats and butter. One day, you both look at the fridge and agree you need a second one after realising you have no other ingredients.

~

Will pull you back to bed somedays where he's feeling extra clinging or feels you've been working too hard, so you don't open shop. You have to deal with some pretty annoyed customers the next day

~

He doesn't bake but does take up cooking more.

~

You tried making him some healthier bakes for when he's cutting. He spat it out so fast, thought you were playing a prank on him

" Never do this again." he'll take enjoy the full fat bakes please.

~

Has tried to fuck you in the kitchen. Getting all handys and kissing along your neck, you quickly realise where this is going and have to shut it down, prying him off of you"König no!"

Wants to do food play with you, but you're strongly against it! You never thought you'd see the day könig would pout, but here he is, body weight pressed tight around you, clinging to your waist, "please Schatz"

"No, I'm not letting you lick cream off me. It's weird"

" I'd let you lick cream off my nip-"

"Oh my, out!"

[kerubimcrepin]

Liveblog: Wakfu Season 1 (episodes 21-26)

Episode 21 - Igol

This is a big episode because this is where we get the "Adamai knows stasis magic" lore drop that is never elaborated on, or mentioned altogether.

Episode 22 - Rubilax

Someday, someone will complete a translation of the Dofus manga in russian or english and I'll finally learn what's the deal with this man and why he died and got better and how crazy his doomed yaoi with his dead dragon husband gets.

Heartbreakingly, this day is not yet here.

[Kerubim and Goultard crying together over a drink, begin talking at the same time] I miss my dead wife, Goulatrd/Kerubim. I miss her/him a lot.

Big lore: Sleep masks exist in this universe.

Episode 23 - The Quest for the Dofus

He'll get it eventually. I did.

Episode 24 - Reunion

I love their family so much, I wish they could be happy. But every time something changes, it's far too late... It is tragically realistic, I suppose.

I don't know why, but this is such a pretty frame... The soft morning light, the dim room, the plants the glowing mushrooms...

Also, rare moment to take in what the guest rooms look like at the Sadida castle!

This episode (and at least one past episode) has quite a bit of ciphered text that I haven't been translating because I'm evil. Sorry. It's not the same script as the texts in Aux Tresors, despite the similarities, so you'll have to resort to google, or to decoding it yourself. You could start with the fact that this presumably says "Arbe de vie"

Episode 25 - I Am A Legend

Stasis mention 🔥🔥🔥

This whole scene always makes me tear up. I am actually insane and crazed every time I rewatch the last two episodes.

Your insane Joris trivia of the day is that this scene was changed between various airings/versions of Wakfu. For some mysterious reason. Here's a comparison:

I prefer the old version because.... [blushes] [kicks legs] [twiddles with my hair] HES SO PRETTY—- But also besides me being insane and in love with him, it just seems to have better composition and flow, imo.

My theories for why he was late:

He was sent to get reinforcements from other countries, or call for help. Though it is unlikely that many other kingdoms responded, given how little people care about Sadida (the most likely, normal, and realistic explanation)

He went together with the army of Sadida and the king to fight the war and ran all the way here using his insane speed (the second most likely, normal, and realistic explanation)

He overslept

He got lost

He was busy, man...

He was writing a letter to Keke and Atch about how he beat the shit out of some sadida guards and two girls clapped and cheered and lost track of time.

This exchange has always been so funny to me for some reason.

"What is the situation" He says,, while a giant mecha is about to kill what likely amounts to one-twelfth of the world's population.

I have talked about it a lot, but I am so deeply unwell about how cold he is. A girl lost her lover and is crying inconsolably, and he's not really paying that attention. One twelfth of the world population is about to die, and he won't show an ounce of discomfort or horror or grief.

Obviously he doesn't like it, but showing any weakness is out of the question.

More people have died from Ogrest, and she's like, the 60th girl on a battlefield on his memory to be crying after losing someone.

There are no unsolvable issues in this world.

I need to study him like a bug.

Episode 26 - Mount Zinit

Standing so prettily...

I think one of Joris's core "insanity and depression prevention" life philosophies is that, if he is not present at a battle, and can not physically be present, then he's not to blame for any horrible thing that happens.

I think this philosophy works almost never to quell his feelings of unease, and right now he is calculating 132924 ways he could have gotten here faster and just how much it would fix things.

(guy who runs a blog about pointing out obvious things Joris does voice) There's a very subtle expression change here. He starts looking intently as Amalia proposes going to help Yugo and Adamai. He was going to do this. However, the second he hears her yell "no", his expression changes once more.

We don't see whether he rushes to aid Eva in any way after she collapses from grief, but I will be honest — he would never do that.

Even if he has a pre-established good relationship with her. He just can't do that. He probably stands there awkwardly, in that same exact place, and feels very bad the entire time — because he can neither comfort Eva (they're practically strangers, he hesitated far too long, he'll make things worse—), nor go help Yugo (he can't just leave Eva and Ruel alone... What if more enemies appear? Or what if they think he abandoned them amidst grief? And would he even be useful?)

I think standing next to inconsolable people is Joris's personal hell.

I am insane.

I think one of the reasons Wakfu season 1 is so memorable, and so effective, is that there is no glorious pay off.

Yugo has a heroic moment of friendship overpowering everything — and then, after a second of being scared, Nox overtakes him. Nox wins. And that win is a mere 20 minutes. And for what? Pinpin is still dead. Everyone he killed is still dead.

Yugo doesn't get a glorious win, or his friend back. There is no epic swell of music. Just something quiet, foreboding, and truly meaningless.

OMG HI.

Your daily reminder that canonically, Eva is an amazing artist.

💀

Once again, Sadida Kingdom and Bonta have a very good relationship. Besties who hoard magical nukes together stay together.

[notmorbid]

yellowjackets, season 2 [pt. 2].

dialogue prompts from the second season of showtime's yellowjackets.

trust me. i've been where you are.

i thought you'd be more excited to see me.

you should get the hell away from me. i'm poison. i ruin people.

i killed my best friend. the only person i loved. the only person who knew me.

that 'something' that was in ___ is in me.

why didn't you wake me up?

is there a chance it could be us? you and me?

i gotta take care of myself, too, okay?

if you're done crying, i can tell you some stories.

where are you? we need you here.

you are so close to being on the other side.

aren't you the last person who should be giving me legal advice?

i'd rather keep the past in the past.

are you even trying to be happy?

i know you're too evolved for online dating.

i just want to know that you haven't given up on love.

you should be responsible for something other than yourself.

you know i don't deserve your friendship, right?

we're all like this. aren't we?

i never even wanted to be a mom.

life doesn't tend to turn out like you think it will.

it was all really complicated. i'll tell you all about it someday.

it's you and me against the whole world.

we thought we lost you.

i just think it's time we woke up.

i would be dead without you.

i need to know why the fuck i'm still here.

all my rational instincts are just kind of screaming.

you aren't welcome here anymore.

shouldn't you be in therapy?

i really need you right now.

when you look at yourself, what do you see?

the truth is all around you, but you refuse to see it.

i'm sorry. i should never have pushed you away like that.

i'd never ask you to wait for me.

does a hunt that has no violence feed anyone?

how much do you remember?

i love this song.

i know there's a lot of pain right now, but let it out.

you're lying to me, and i want to know why.

you hear it, too?

we all need things we can't have.

you're a good person. i'm sorry for ever making you feel otherwise.

you are nothing if not proactive.

i can't get rid of it. it's a part of me.

i thought you loved all of me, like i love all of you.

it's gonna be okay. we're gonna be okay.

i can't imagine being here without you.

you're not going to solve shit with talking.

this isn't something that therapies can fix.

you're gonna have to look me in the eye.

it's no secret we're all a little fucked up.

what exactly are you suggesting?

our lives are not that bad.

i did it for the good of the group.

i knew i wasn't the only one who felt this way.

didn't we swear we would protect each other?

do you google yourself a lot?

disappearing is not as easy as they make it look on tv.

i need you to leave while you still can.

you don't have to be one of those people.

i appreciate you trying to teach me forgiveness. it's a nice idea.

it was supposed to be me.

you're a good person. you really don't belong in this place.

i'm not ashamed. i'm glad i'm alive.

you're like, an honest-to-god detective?

i know this is a lot. but i'm a friend. and everything is gonna be fine.

is this what you wanted to happen?

it's called a narrative. try to 'yes, and' a little.

what about a story you haven't heard before?

i never wanted to be in charge.

you were always the favorite.

there's nothing to be afraid of, you know?

i'm not supposed to be here.

how could it not have been me?

go ahead. i'm right behind you.

[vincentbriggs]

Good afternoon Mr.Briggs (if i may call you such) Been a fan of your content since 2019 and have loved to see you evolve over time with both your technique and skill. Have you ever done a video about men's breeches/pants? My beloved does a lot of plays/theater, and with the lovely shirt tutorial you've posted, I would love to at some point make him some breeches to go with it. I'm sure you have many ideas in the works, simply curious! Thank you so much for all the wonderful knowledge and style you've given us over the years 💖

On a similar note, are we allowed to make fanart of you? Some people aren't comfortable with receiving drawings of themselves so I wanted to ask.

Hello! Thank you! No, I have not yet made a video on breeches or pants, alas. (An easy fact to observe, since I've only made 13 videos so far!) But someday!

I have no idea when I'll get to it. It is on The List, but it's a very long list and breeches aren't a super high priority at the moment, so I doubt there'll be a breeches video for quite a while.

I think it fairly likely that I'll end up doing a fall front pants video before I get around to a breeches one, but I never can tell what will grab my attention first. I had planned on doing the shirt video two videos ago, but then buttonholes and striped gloves jumped up and said "Hey! What about us?"

Since I just finished the shirt tutorial, I feel like working on more fun and silly things for a while before I do another big video on a wardrobe basic. I'll want to film a lot of different pairs of pants for the pants one, so as to show a variety of different options for things.

(I'm working on another fairly short video right now, and am just about to start filming another one, but only the patrons know what they are! Or, they will when I do my monthly update post at the end of July. They already know what the other long term non-sewing video I'm picking away at is.)

Somehow I haven't made an in depth blog post about how I do pants or breeches either, alas! I've really been neglectful of my blogspot in recent years.

(I do have a blog post about how I do fall plackets though, which should be helpful.) (Also, Nicole Rudolph has a video on sewing breeches.)

Oh my, sure that's fine! I'd be quite flattered, thank you!!

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Oral fixation and/or Size difference???

Taking a mate that is not a spiderfolk is considered one of the worst taboos to his kind, but it is one that does wonderful things for his longevity of life and otherwise ensuring that his genitals stay intact for the rest of that long life. Besides, most other folk in the area that he calls home find the taboo of cannibalism to be more egregious, so they turn a blind eye to the fact that he has stolen away the pure-blood pedigree tom with fur so white that it blends in with the silk of his nest and eyes bluer than a cloudless summer sky. His perfect, forbidden mate. 

His little, perfect, forbidden mate, who needs to be touched all over his body every morning so that he can move around in their nest without getting stuck to the webbing. 

"Tomura," Dabi whines, his name half mangled on a yawn and bowing his back as he stretches against the sheets. He dips his head low so that he can press a kiss to the back of his neck. So pretty and thin. He can take it in one hand and nearly have his fingers meet around it. Fine bones under his skin, mottled with the strange purplish marks that the doctors can't explain, but that haven't seemed to hurt him. They've only made him more unique and beautiful with those lovely patterns swirling over his skin. He loves running a finger along the length of his spine, feeling each little bump of it. He loves how his hands can wrap around his waist, loves that he can catch both of Dabi's wrists in one hand, and still have one free to run up the inside of his thighs. He adores how beautifully small his kitten is compared to him. 

"It's time to get up, precious." He murmurs. "I need to recoat your skin." 

"Mmhmm, I'm sure that's all you want." Dabi presses his face tighter into the pillow, hugging it close like that alone will let him return to the embrace of dreams, but his tail shifts for him anyway, lifting up along his back and tilting to the side so that he is more fully exposed for him. Tomura chitters lowly with his approval as he moves two hands to his thighs so he can spread his legs wide and see his lover's cute pink hole. He takes his primary left hand and rubs three fingers against his palm, stimulating the oil gland in his skin until the fluid is pooling there and his fingers are dripping wet. He always marvels at how small his hole is when he starts to open him up. So little, but he can take his fingers, can take both of his cocks when he finally puts them inside. "Not sure how I would get your webs stuck to my asshole, Tomu." 

"I'm just being thorough, precious." He teases right back, his sheath already starting to ache as blood moves south as he is able to easily slip his first finger inside of the other's body. His kitten lets out a little mewl and then starts to purr as he strokes along his soft, warm insides. Dabi is even warmer from sleep, his body pliant and ready for this part of their morning routine, and he opens so eagerly for his fingers. "You're doing such a good job, kitten. You always take me so well." He has three inside him now, his cock pressing out from his sheath just from seeing how he's stretched and hearing the way that Dabi moans. "Someday I'm going to find out how much you can have before it's too much. Maybe I'll keep my fingers inside as I fill you up with my cocks." 

Dabi is already panting, trembling hard enough that Tomura can feel it spilling out across the webs all throughout their den, but he still manages to take a breath and say, "Yeah? What are you waiting for? Thought I was the only pussy here." 

Tomura clicks, ignoring the attitude for the time being in favor of delighting at how his mate has given him permission to take what he wants from his body. He's so delicate compared to him, his skin covered in patches of his chitinous shell, his body bigger, his teeth sharper and capable of burning him with his digestive enzymes. But Dabi doesn't care. Dabi always wants to prove that he isn't small just because he's little compared to him. And he trusts Tomura not to hurt him even though to the rest of the world he looks like a monster. Tomura presses another kiss to the back of his neck and uses a hand to slick more of his oil along his lengths. "Alright, kitten. Let's see how much your cute little hole can take." 

[themoonstarwarrior]

Well, I haven't seen the episode yet, but since it sounds like BloodMoon is refusing to be saved, imma go ahead and share the idea I mentioned to @twinanimatronics about how Sun could've possibly reached them.

Obviously BloodMoon wont sit still and listen so this scenario has Sun use star power to trap BM just like old moon did to him with Moon on standby to come in once the 5 minutes are up.

Basically, Sun asks them WHY they kill and hurt people and BM brings up the main three reasons: they enjoy it, they dont want to be a tool, and they hunger. Since literally none of the protags have actually asked, Sun would be surprised that theres more than the first reason and interrogate to get to the bottom of it. Cuz what Sun realizes is that BloodMoon doesnt have any deeper motives or desires because of their eternal hunger. Their ENTIRE existence has circled around violence to satisfy their hunger. They get used to satisfy their hunger. They enjoy the rip and tear because it stops the hunger.

They have always been a tool to the hunger.

So Sun offers the one thing that no one has: what if they get rid of the hunger?

BM is confused cuz all they've ever known is the hunger, and Sun has to dig the point home by explaining how they can keep killing but it'll come back, and probably stronger. They could kill everyone and everything but then the hunger will come back. And the only thing thatll be left to kill is each other.

And THAT freaks them out, because that is the only thing BloodMoon stands to lose is the brotherhood. (And while BM1 would probably race about lies and trickery, BM2 cant deny the logic)

So with BM actually realizing how their hunger endangers them, and Moon at this point just WAITING to finish them off, Sun lays down the ultimatum. Since no change of heart can happen if all they've ever known is hunger, Sun/Moon/Solar can try and remove it to and see if the twins can be rehabilitated, otherwise Moon ends them then and there.

And I love this idea so much!!! It addresses the REAL block that BM has that hasnt been brought up since that one episode where they kill the anime girl. We get to keep BloodMoon, since the creators went to the trouble of bringing them back and giving them a new model so it'd be a lil annoying if they just ended up killed again. It acknowledges how much BM has been used and brushed aside while admitting that there hasnt been much else to them. And you could have a whole rehabilitation arc, with everyone healing and BM given a real change and actual honesty, since god knows no one is gonna be mincing words. And I imagine their blood-hunger being removed ends up like the Ruin Virus a bit, where getting rid of it cuts down a LOT of the more sadistic urges. So the boys get a mostly-tamed but still-pretty-fucking-insane BloodMoon Twins that basically is just the feral crazy guy that hangs around Animal from Muppets lol and idk stays with Monty cuz hes more easygoing on the violent habits and they need to NOT be anywhere near the daycare.

And maybe I'll watch the episode and be alright with it, but it just sucks cuz this would work SO GOOD and I know the showrunners wouldn't do it. So now I've had to make this fucking long ass post and y'all hafta deal with it.

And maybe someday I'll write a drabble this and the other SAMS scenes I've imagined...

So yeah, sorry about the rambling and shit. I hate how emotionally involved I get with this show that I love. And I'll go ahead and tag @garbagechocolate out of obligation X)

[anonymouspuzzler]

finished one of my finals so i decided to celebrate by sketching up some concepts for cal's mind in the Cally O'Pia au!! putting image IDs/descriptions and general elaborating on my Vision(TM) under da cut cause i can tell even before typing it's gonna get long (PSYCHONAUTS 2 & RHOMBUS OF RUIN SPOILERS IN THERE BTW YOU ARE WARNED)

Welcome. Let Me Describe You My Vision. my goal with this was essentially "how do I hit the major plot beats that are necessary for Psychonauts 2's plot to Happen while still incorporating Cal's very different backstory in this AU"; some of this involves functionally combining RoR's and Psychonauts 2's versions of Loboto's mental world. maybe someday I'll go into how I envision RoR changing in this au but whatever right now we're on The Opening of Psychonauts 2 As Played Out In This Verse

first things first Sasha's Psychic Projection has to be completely different given 1) Cally already works for the Psychonauts 2) he knows the other agents very well already and 3) he is a Known Psychic rather than a random feral dentist Morry picked up off the streets. so rather than the "Psychonauts office where Loboto gets employee of the year and has to get his vacation form signed off on" construction, Sasha instead constructs a scenario where Cally is still under his "Dr. Loboto" guise, has captured the other agents, and has to deliver Raz to his boss. unfortunately for Sasha, Cally catches on pretty much right away, plays along for all of five minutes, then drops everyone in a little box to keep them contained while he makes sure all the info on his boss is under mental lock and key. Unlike the ones you see above, Raz's box is kind of plain and nondescript because, unlike all the other agents he's known for years, all Cally knows about Raz is "psychic kid who keeps getting himself in some shit".

because this is, you know, The First Level of the Imaginary Game, this still has to be constructed as a tutorial, too, which you will see as I get into each of these little boxes. Raz's box teaches you to use your standard psi-punches, because it is Hastily and Weakly Put Together, so Raz can literally bust his way out and scamper around looking for the others. Cally, in turn, keeps trying to re-trap Raz as he investigates the next boxes, but with the help of the other agents Raz keeps finding ways to break out and proceed further (though the others remain stuck).

The first one Raz finds is Oleander's, which you can see in the top left of the first pic - the primary theming is Loboto's Lab from the first game and drawing on their time working together there, but the walls are also covered in pictures of Oleander and/or the two of them together, that have all been defaced or scribbled over in some form (since at the time of the game they're very much on the Off side of their On-Off relationship). To get out of the box Oleander re-teaches Raz telekinesis, which allows him to open up the hatch on the upper right of the wall, and then gives Raz a boost out - Coach, of course, isn't able to reach it himself before Cally slams the door behind Raz. You also may notice a hidden room behind one of the pictures - you can only get in there by returning later in the game when you have pyrokinesis, and once you do, you'll find a memory vault about his and Morry's relationship (which i've had concepted out for like a year and WILL draw eventually) and a bunch of photos that haven't been defaced (representing how Cally still has much stronger feelings for Oleander than he's admitted to, and is still carrying a torch even through the surface level of their breakup).

Next comes Sasha (top right picture in the first image), whose room is kind of a combo of his and Otto's labs, with a bunch of the props drawn from both locations - books, papers, inventions, computers, The Lamp, you know how it be. The floor also has a big glass swirl that gives you a peek at Otto's brain storage, which has a bunch of brains tumble by as you're in there (plus the occasional Faberge egg, for Foreshadowing - for even more of that, there's also the brain case on top of Sasha's exam table in the corner). The escape here escalates to a two-step process - Sasha re-teaches Raz psi-blast, the two of you combine forces to pry the door open with TK, and then the chattering teeth start spilling in and Raz has to fight his way out with psi-blast.

Third comes Milla - I swapped her with Lilli compared to the "canon" order first because I misremembered, but then I stuck with it because I felt like it worked better thematically. Anyway, Milla's room (seen bottom left) is a combo of her meditation chamber and Cassie's house back in the gulch, with pillows and tapestries and books everywhere, honeycomb wallpaper, and of course, Bees? Bees! They Have Chosen The Bees. You might notice the big scary beehive from the Forgetful Forest in the middle of the room; the escape here involves Milla re-teaching Raz levitation, the two of them pulling out the beehive with TK, using psi-blast to fend off the subsequent BEES, and then Raz drops in the hole and uses levitation to hover his way to safety. (At this point Cally is like KID C'MON and outright intercepts and dementistrates Milla rather than just keep her trapped.)

Last but hardly least is Lilli; she's in a combo of Truman's office and what she tells Raz looks a lot like her house/apartment - Cally's functionally kind of an uncle to her in this verse, so he's been particularly thoughtful in crafting a comfortable, familiar mind-prison for her. (The Extremely Subtle Foreshadowing also continues here, with envelopes and a hacksaw on the desk, the brain case on the shelf, and of course The Fuckoff Huge Crown Chandelier hanging above the desk.) The other wall has a bunch of family photos of Lilli and Truman, and one big pic of young Cally and Truman in the Gulch; Lilli re-teaches Raz pyro so he can burn that, and Enormous Mental Cally takes this as an opportunity to grab Raz much like in the original game.

Now we're at the point of the second image, and where things particularly divert from the original version of the level in my mind! Big Ol Cally drops Raz in a combat arena and he has to deal with a few waves of Censors and Doubts and Regrets - I haven't decided if this is the first time you encounter true Combat or if you have mini-waves throughout the level like in the "canon" version, but if it is your first combat I like the idea of Lilli being your "mission control" explaining the new enemies an dhow to beat them. Either way, Raz fights a couple waves while trying to convince Cally to give them information, he refuses, and when it looks like Raz is in a real tight spot he manages to dive off the arena deeper into Cally's subconscious.

This is where we start incorporating RoR stuff! Raz drops all the way to the little dollhouse representation of Cal's childhood home, goes in, sees a little Cassie-style paper projection of young Cal and overhears his parents having their Oh What Can We Possibly Do We Can't Handle This Child Anymore conversation. Paper Cal hides in a wardrobe, Raz follows, and this portals into this endless-seeming hospital hallway where dialog plays between li'l Cal and the doctors, revealing to Raz that they were going to lobotomize him for being psychic. (I think maybe you find your first accessible memory vault either here or in the path I talk about in a second; that one goes into how Cal got taken in by the psychic 7 and i also have that one concepted out please god give me time and energy to draw these soon). After this plays there's a cutscene where representations of the psychic 7 tear apart the hallway, and Raz falls into this paper representation of the Gulch. He follows a little path past some simple setpieces of things you'll see later in the game, talks to himself a bit like Wow This Is Just Like True Psychic Tales So Cool That Agent O'Pia Grew Up Here :)

Now this path leads past a little paper version of Lucy's hut (which Raz doesn't recognize for sure, which bugs him), and the path around THAT leads to a big winding path through a parted waterway (which Raz is Very Much Not Happy About, reestablishing the water curse - maybe there's a little cutscene where he sees the hand of Galochio much like in the first game at the beach). Raz nervously walks through, and dialogue plays between Cally and Mysterious Figures revealing Cal got caught undercover and was threatened into assisting with the Kidnap Truman plot (or rather, they threatened Cassie and Lillie and Oleander, which ended up being Much more effective than threatening his own life). At the end of the path Raz finds the base from RoR, and it's in there that he sees "Loboto" talking to the Shadowy Figure similar to canon and 1) learns whoever hired Loboto was a mole, and 2) sees the vision of Maligula when the figure reiterates his threat to Cal-slash-Cal's family. Vision-Maligula destroys the village, Raz snaps back to the real world, and There's Our Game!

if you've read this far you're a hero beyond compare here's the image descriptions for you

[Image 1 ID: Digital sketches of four boxlike rooms. The top left room is labeled "OLEANDER" and incorporates elements from Loboto's Lab in Psychonauts, including the jagged glass window, Mr. Pokeylope's terrarium, and a prototype brain tank sticking out of the floor. There are miscellaneous papers on the floor, and a brain tank blueprint on the wall. Various framed photos of Oleander are also on the wall, most of which have been scribbled over or otherwise defaced. There is a hatch high on one wall, and a secret room with a memory vault behind a pyro-able picture.

The top right room is labeled "SASHA" and resembles a combination of Sasha and Otto's labs, with a large bookshelf making up one wall covered in books, papers and gadgets, floating shelves on the other wall, as well as a desk with office chair, computer monitor and Tiffany lamp. Sasha's examination table is in a far corner, with Truman's brain case on top of it. The floor has a glass swirl revealing brains being transported similar to Otto's brain storage. There is a partially open sliding door on one wall where chattering teeth toys are spilling in.

The bottom left room is labeled "MILLA" and resembles a combination of Milla's meditation chamber and Cassie's home in the Gulch. The walls have a honeycomb pattern wallpaper and string lights, with an eye tapestry hanging on one wall. There are round lantern lights hanging from the ceiling, with bees flying overhead. The floor is a round conversation pit covered in pillows, throw rugs and books; in the center is a massive oozing beehive similar to the one in the Forgetful Forest.

The final, bottom right room is labeled "LILLI" and resembles Truman's office. There is a desk covered in envelopes and a hacksaw, with a desk chair behind it and two 60's style chairs in front. There are two shelves along the wall behind the desk, containing the brain case among other things, and the wall prominently displays the Psychonauts logo. A chandelier resembling the Maliks' crown is hanging from the ceiling above the desk. There is a couch and several plants against the opposite wall, and many family photos of Truman and Lilli on the wall perpendicular, with the largest (pyro-able) one being a picture of young Cally and Truman. End ID.]

[Image 2 ID: Digital sketches of three scenes in Cally's mental world. The first shows Raz (represented by the simple head-and-legs silhouette used in Peter Chan's concepts) diving off a disc-like combat arena (on which are several Censors, Doubts and Regrets) towards the dollhouse representing Cal's childhood home, which is floating in space. The second shows Raz in one of the dollhouse rooms with a paper-projection version of young Cal, with an arrow leading into a wardrobe, which portals into a long hospital hallway with a "NEUROLOGY" sign on the wall, eventually trailing off into nothing. The third shows Raz walking past Lucy's old hut in the Gulch, along a winding path through parted water, and ultimately to the Rhombus of Ruin base. End ID.]

[cardinal-copia-popia]

We Will Go Softly Into the Night

(Papa IV x Female Reader)

After getting super emotional during Respite On The Spitalfields at the ritual I attended over the weekend, I NEEDED to write this. For my own sanity's sake, I needed to do this. It was cathartic, even though I'll probably never be able to listen to Respite ever again without crying.

Also here on AO3

(Under the cut for length)

Sister Imperator had just left Copia's room not five minutes ago when he suddenly heard a commotion outside. Could he not just play his video games in peace for once? 

"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it!"

"Like hell, he didn't!"

Copia frowned, pausing the game. He was not expecting to hear your voice, especially not so agitated. He was about to stand to see what was going on when you flew into the room, tears standing in your eyes, Aether hot on your heels. 

"Amore?" Copia questioned, now very concerned.

"Why is Saltarian pushing an empty glass coffin through the hallways?!" you demanded.

Copia looked down. "Ah. You saw that."

"Everyone is seeing it. He's making a point to parade it around! I know what this means, Copia! How long were you going to hide it?!"

He stood and stepped up to you, sending a look at Aether, who made a hasty retreat.

"I was not hiding anything, tesoro mio," Copia said gently, his hands on your upper arms. "Saltarian is posturing, nothing more."

You did not look convinced and all but glared up at him through your tears. "The coffin was empty. And they only use the glass ones for Papas. I'm not stupid, Copia."

"I am not going anywhere. I promise."

You shook your head. "I know how this goes. You're going to end up just like Primo and Secondo and Terzo… Someday, I'm going to be looking at you in one of those awful boxes, and I—" You broke off, your voice catching with emotion as your tears finally fell.

Copia pulled you into his arms and gently shushed you. "I promise you, cara mia. Nothing is going to happen to me."

"I don't believe you."

He closed his eyes and nuzzled into your hair. You were right; something was going to happen, but how could he tell you that? He knew his time was up. It was not a matter of if anymore, but rather when. He had a good idea, knowing The Clergy would want to make a show out of it, a spectacle. The bastard Papa who usurped the papacy meets his untimely demise in front of thousands. But how was he supposed to tell you, the love of his life, this?

"If anything happened to you…" you began in a small, broken voice that gripped his heart. "I don't think I could stand it."

"What must I do to convince you?" he murmured, his hand touching your cheek to tilt your face toward his.

You gazed up at him, cheeks stained with tears, eyes red, and he could not help but think you were still so beautiful.

"Don't die."

Copia sighed, but before he could respond, you went on.

"Whatever they do to you, they're going to have to do to me, too."

"Amore—"

"I mean it!" you sobbed. "I can't do this without you! I won't let them take you from me!"

Copia pulled you back onto his bed and into his lap, cuddling you close. You curled around him, pressing your face to his neck, breathing him in.

"You haven't lost me yet," he whispered. "And I promise you, amore mio, that if they do try something, I will fight tooth and nail against it. I swear to you, you will not lose me. You have me forever."

You sniffed. "What about nothing ever lasts forever?"

"My time as Papa will not last forever, but my love for you will. And because of that love, I will always be with you."

"Copia," you cried, clutching to him tighter.

"You have given me so many reasons to live. I will not let them take me away from you so easily."

You lifted your head and touched his cheek. "Promise me again."

He caught your hand and kissed your palm. "I promise. Whatever happens, you will not lose me. Not entirely."

That was not quite what you wanted to hear, he knew, but before you could respond, he kissed you. He kissed you so thoroughly and passionately, hoping to make you forget about this for a while.

And later, when you both lay naked under his covers, spent and panting, clinging to each other for dear life, Copia would promise you again. He would not stop until you believed him.

***************

Copia swiftly made his way through the maze of hallways backstage, hurrying to get to where you were waiting for him. He had to do this quickly. If there was anything to be done now, it was this.

He found you in the wings where you were waiting for the ritual to begin. He grabbed your hand, startling you, and pulled you into a more secluded area, away from any prying eyes and listening ears.

"Copia?"

He swept you up into a kiss, pouring his love into it as best he could, knowing he was about to irreparably hurt you and break his promise. When he broke the kiss, there were tears in your eyes. You knew. You knew what was coming.

"No matter what happens," he began, his tone serious, "no matter what you see tonight, promise me something, amore mio." 

"What? What do you mean? What's going to happen? You're scaring me, Copia!" 

"Promise me!" he demanded, perhaps a bit too forcefully.

"I-I promise." 

Copia nodded and pressed a note into your hands. "Promise me that no matter what occurs tonight, you will do exactly as this note says." You began to open it, but Copia quickly stopped you. "No, not now. Wait until you are alone." 

"Copia, please, don't—" 

He gently shushed you, taking your face in his hands and kissing you sweetly, his thumbs catching the tears that fell. "Now, now… None of that, amore. You'll be strong for me, sì?" You blinked, more tears falling, but you nodded. Copia smiled warmly at you, though it was tinged with sadness. "Bene. Now, I must go. And remember the note! Please, cara mia, it is important you do not forget." 

"I won't."

He hesitated for a moment longer, gazing at you, memorizing your face. "I love you."

Your bottom lip trembled. "I love you, too, Copia."

He felt tears sting his eyes, absolutely hating to do this to you. He pulled you in for another kiss, trying not to think about how final it felt. The last time before it's over….

With great effort, Copia pulled away and walked backward away from you, keeping you in his sight for as long as he could before he finally had to turn and hurry away, carefully brushing his tears away lest he ruin his paint.

"Did you say goodbye?" 

Copia stopped, not looking at her, his shoulders tense and his eyes downcast. Sister Imperator being here only confirmed everything. She had to make sure everything went according to plan. 

"Sì." 

"How did she take it?" 

He shot a glare at his mother. "How do you think? If your intent is to devastate her, this will do it. And do not be surprised if she—" His voice caught as the reality of what he was about to say hit him like a ton of bricks. "Do not be surprised if she wants to follow me." 

"Oh, I'll be keeping an eye on her, don't you worry, C. From now on, she'll hardly be leaving my sight." 

Copia frowned. Did she know? How could she? Unless… He looked up and saw his ghouls gathered ahead of him, waiting and watching. Surely not. 

"The masses are waiting for you, C," the Sister continued. "Don't keep them waiting too long. After all, the show must go on." 

Copia refused to look at her and stalked toward the ghouls. They said nothing, only stared at him, waiting for their cue to head out on stage. 

"Let us get this over with," he growled to them, determined to give the masses the best damned show ever.

*****************

You waited a few moments after Copia left to collect yourself as best you could. But no matter how many deep breaths you took, you still felt like you were on the verge of a breakdown. No matter what he said, you knew this was it. He would not be able to stop it. Copia was only one man against The Clergy. And no one went against The Clergy and won.

With shaky hands, you unfolded the note, already feeling your heart seize upon seeing Copia’s all too familiar handwriting.

Amore mio, 

Whatever you see tonight, for your safety and the safety of the little life growing inside you, you must not ask any questions. There is nothing else to be done. What happens must happen. It is the order of things. But there is one other thing I beg of you to do, cara mia. At the end of the ritual, go to the exit on the farthest side of the venue and make sure you are not followed. Perhaps it is a selfish request, but you will understand when the time comes. For me, amore mio. Do this one last thing for me because where I am going, you cannot follow. And please know that everything I am doing is to keep you safe. 

I love you. Never forget that.

Eternally yours,

Copia

That only confirmed everything. This was well and truly the end. Tonight, you would witness your love’s death, and you could do nothing about it.

You watched the man you loved pour his heart and soul into his performance as only he could, the crowd going absolutely wild with each song played. You had been to every one of Copia’s rituals, but this was hands down the best one ever. He and the ghouls were so in sync. It was glorious to see, and it nearly made you forget about what was about to happen. Nearly, but not completely.

You had no idea how it would happen, so after his speech about not mourning something you will lose, enjoy it while it’s here, and launching into Respite On The Spitalfields, the dread set in full force. You were tense, hardly even paying attention to Copia, looking around to try to figure out how it was going to be done.

It all ended up happening so fast that you barely comprehended it. Between the ghouls suddenly moving, cutting the song short, and the screams of the audience, all you could see beyond the fog machines was a blur of movement. Panic gripped you, and your instinct was to run out to help Copia, but fear kept your feet firmly in place. Because you were so close to the stage, you could hear the vicious snarling from the ghouls but never a sound out of Copia. Dewdrop emerged first, stumbling back to reveal his blood-covered hands. That was when the screaming turned into actual terrified ones. 

The stage crew rushed out, trying to stop the ghouls, but it was too late. The fog cleared away, and there laid Copia’s body, his clothes shredded and stained with blood. Perhaps mercifully, you could not see his face from your vantage point, but it did not matter. Hot tears streaked down your face as you took in the sight before you. It felt like your heart was being ripped from your chest.

You began to collapse, a heartbroken wail tearing past your lips as you felt your world crumble, but two strong hands caught you before you could hit the ground. You began to be moved, pulled, and you fought against it with everything you had in you, desperate to get to Copia, begging them not to take you away from him. 

“Can’t do that, Mama. Besides, Papa told you to leave.”

Aether.

Aether was the one pulling you along, taking you away from the macabre scene. Part of you cursed him. If Aether had been there, none of this would have happened. He would not have let it. He could have stopped them. Is that why Sister Imperator had him replaced?

Aether led you around the perimeter of the venue, taking his time to make sure no one saw you, and out to a secluded driveway. A black car was parked a little ways away, and a man stood nearby, his back to you. He was speaking to a ghoul who had a hood over his head, shrouding his face in shadow, so you had no idea who he was. The ghoul seemed to take notice of you and alerted the man.

As soon as he turned, you felt your knees start to give out, and a body-wracking sob left you. Aether grabbed you so you did not fall.

There before you stood Copia, his face completely free of paint and dressed casually in jeans and a black button-up, making him totally inconspicuous, like just another ritual attendee. And he was totally fine. There was no blood anywhere, no signs of anything that had occurred on stage. He was alive and well before you and hurrying to your side as fast as he could.

"Oh, amore," he breathed, pulling you into his arms.

You could not control your sobs, torn between disbelief and relief. He held fast to you with one arm around your waist while his other hand cradled the back of your head. You clung to him so tightly that you were likely leaving bruises.

"I-I don't understand," you cried. "I saw you! I-I saw—"

Copia shook his head and leaned back enough to pepper your face with kisses. "You saw what needed to be seen. What Sister Imperator expected. My death. My mother had her plans, but I had mine as well." You still did not understand. Copia took your face in his hands. "She wanted me dead, and so I am dead. As far as anyone within the ministry is concerned, I was murdered on stage. She tasked my ghouls with this, but what she does not know is that they are entirely loyal to me."

"So it was all fake?" you asked, your brain struggling to keep up.

"Sì. I am so sorry, amore mio. Everyone had to believe I was dead —even you. But I am selfish. I needed to see you one last time before I left." He caressed your cheek, and you turned into the warmth of his hand, basking in it. "I could not hurt you that way, thinking you had watched me die. But now, I must leave. I must go far away from here."

"Take me with you!" you cried. "Don't leave me— us here alone!"

Copia dropped a hand to your abdomen. “You will be much safer at the Abbey, I assure you. If anyone finds out I am still alive, they will come after me to make sure the job is properly done. You being with me will only put you in danger.”

“I don’t care! I want to go with you! You promised.”

He hung his head, his expression greatly troubled. "I suppose I did. Amore, I cannot stomach the thought of putting you in danger."

"I'm making this decision, Copia," you said firmly, though your voice shook, and clutched the front of his shirt. "I'm going with you."

"You'd better let her come with us, Papa," Aether said.

You glanced at him. "Both of you?"

Copia nodded. "With his involvement in helping me escape, Aether is not safe either. Therefore, he must leave, too." He then sighed. "And so are you, cara mia."

You stared up at him. "You mean it?"

He wrapped his arms around you securely, a look of determination crossing his face. "I do. Absolutely. I want you forever at my side."

More tears filled your eyes. "That's the only place I've ever wanted to be. But where will we go?”

“There is a little place in Italy. I have… friends there.”

You were dubious. “You trust these friends?”

Copia smirked a bit. "With my life."

"Then let's go! Together. The way it should be."

"Sì, amore, the way it should be."

He led her to the car and got in the back with her while Aether got in the front with the other ghoul. You still had no idea who they were, but it did not matter. The only thing that did was the man beside you that let you cuddle up to his side so he could hold you close. Copia repeatedly pressed tender kisses to your face, catching the occasional tear with his lips. When your hand was not resting over his heart to feel its steady beat, your fingers traced over his face, memorizing each line and curve, basking in how alive he was.

“What will they think happened to me?” you asked quietly after a long while.

Copia shrugged. “The truth. You followed me.”

You swallowed hard. “You mean… they’ll all think I’m dead, too.”

Copia obviously did not like this, but he nodded. “Sì. It must be this way. So long as I am alive, I am a threat to them. You carry my heir, cara mia. The Clergy would not let you go so easily if they knew. You would be protected, sì, if you stayed, but if you leave… I worry what they might try to do. A child with claims to the papacy they had no hand in raising…”

You sat up suddenly, your hand pressed to his chest. "I have to go back to the Abbey. Just to grab some things."

"What? No, cara, it is too dangerous!" Copia exclaimed.

"Please, Cope!"

"I can get her in and out without being seen," Aether said from the passenger seat.

Copia looked between him and you, debating. "Fine. If we go now, perhaps we will beat everyone back. But please, amore, do not dally there. If you are caught, you must stay, and I must go on."

You nodded and kissed him briefly. "I understand. Thank you."

He kissed your forehead as you settled against him again. "Do not thank me yet."

"I was more so thanking you for letting me go with you." You pressed closer to him. "I would have followed had I known you were alive. I wouldn't have stopped until I found you."

Copia sighed. “I know. As you say, we will go together, amore mio, softly into the night.” 

******************

It was evening the next day when you pulled up to a secluded entrance to the Abbey you did not even know existed. But, perhaps that was by design. Either way, Aether led you through the Abbey, taking paths to avoid anyone and doubling back if he heard anything suspicious ahead.

You were just about to head up the stairs to the papal suites when Aether stopped short and threw an arm out to stop you.

There on the steps stood Dew.

Aether stepped in front of you, blocking you just in case the fire ghoul tried anything. But all Dew did was stare back for a long moment. 

“You’re lucky I saw you,” he finally said. “This way, before Sister Imperator comes back.” 

Aether glanced back at you, giving you a warning look. Stay behind me. You were not going to go anywhere else, anyway. 

Dew led you the rest of the way to the suite and let you inside. There were only a few things you needed to grab. Perhaps it was stupid and selfish to come back for these, but these were mementos from your past, both from your family and from your time with Copia. You hated the thought of losing them forever.

As you grabbed a suitcase to put them in, you looked back toward the door just in time to see Aether grab the front of Dew’s shirt and slam him up against the wall. You continued gathering your things as you listened to them.

“You better not be setting us up,” Aether growled.

“Do you really think I’d hurt her?” Dew asked, nodding toward you. “Or you? Or Papa? None of us would! The plan went perfectly!”

"You sure seemed to relish what you did on stage."

"It had to be believable! Everyone had to believe we killed Papa."

"What did they threaten you with?" Aether asked in a low voice, letting Dew go. "The Clergy knows how loyal ghouls are to their Papas. What were they going to do with you if you refused?"

"Banish us back to Hell, what else?" Dew shook his head. "And not back to our respective realms."

Aether shook his head. "I wish I understood why they were doing this. Why they wanted to get rid of Papa in the first place.”

"He was becoming too well-liked, loved. With the masses behind him, they worried they were losing their power over him. Out of any of the Papas so far, Copia had the greatest advantage to end them." 

"And he still does! If Copia ever decides to come back…"

Dew nodded. "That will be the end of The Clergy."

Aether was about to respond but quickly turned toward the door. Before either ghoul could react, the door slammed open.

Sister Imperator stood there, looking at both ghouls before cutting her eyes over toward you. "Going somewhere?" she asked calmly.

"I, um…" you began.

She walked up to you, her eyes never leaving you. You stared back, refusing to waver no matter how much she intimidated you. The pair of you simply stared at each other for a long while before she finally spoke.

"Take care of him."

You blinked. She knew? Your confusion must have been extremely obvious.

"He's my son. Do you really think I wanted him dead?" she asked. "But no one crosses The Clergy. Not even me." She looked back at the ghouls and then nodded to your suitcase. "Come. We'll need to hurry. I assume you came in the back way?"

"Yes," Aether replied.

The Sister nodded and led them out. Aether grabbed your bag, and you numbly followed them out. Could you really trust Sister Imperator? If she knew Copia was not dead, what if she happened to let it slip?

As you passed by a frosted window, you heard a squeak. There sat Rigatoni on the windowsill. As you walked by, you held out your hand, letting the rat climb up your arm to settle on your shoulder. Copia would be happy to see him again and to be able to take him along, too.

As you stepped out into the moonlight, the Sister stopped short, staring at the car parked there.

Copia stared out of the car's open window at his mother. She nodded at him, a look of understanding passing between the two. Copia nodded back and rolled up the window.

"Take care of him," she said again to you, her voice trembling ever so slightly, her eyes never leaving the car. "And take care of my grandchild."

"I will, Sister. I promise." 

She looked at you, and you could see tears shining in her eyes. "If there's ever a chance, ever a way…" She sighed. "Some day, I hope to see you again."

You nodded. "Some day."

She swallowed hard and took a step back. "Go. Start your new life. We’ll manage here."

"Goodbye, Sister."

She did not say anymore but stood and watched as you drove off, disappearing into the night.

****************

Copia held your hand the entire car ride to the airport, the entire flight, and the whole car ride out to the Italian countryside. You watched out the windows in awe, having never been to Italy before. Copia had always wanted to take you someday; he just wished now that the circumstances were different.

Your mood improved greatly over the course of the trip, and when you reached the house, Copia watched you with a smitten smile as you 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over your new home. Just wait until you see the inside, amore.

With your hand still clasped firmly in his, he led you through the house and out to the back, where his friends were waiting.

You stopped dead in your tracks, pulling back on Copia's hand. He looked at you, unable to stop the small smile from tugging at his lips as you took in the sight before you.

"Fratellino! Good to see you."

Copia turned to face his raven-haired brother and hugged him. "And you, Terzo."

Terzo grinned and looked past Copia at you. "Something wrong, cara mia? You look as though you've seen a ghost."

You swallowed hard. "Make that three."

Primo and Secondo stood and stepped up to stand behind Terzo.

"We did not realize you were coming along," Primo said, reaching out to take your hand and kiss the back of it. "I am glad to see you again, Sorella."

"Are you sure that was wise?" Secondo asked Copia.

"I didn't give him a choice," you responded before Copia could. You then shook your head. "I don't understand. You're all here. Alive. But… Your bodies are on display at every ritual!"

"That is all they are," Secondo answered. "Bodies. Perfect copies of us. No one would dare desecrate the body of a Papa to find out if those in the coffins are really ours, not even Sister Imperator. Why would she double-check when she was assured that their bodies were perfectly preserved to be put on display?"

"The only thing they needed was the confirmation of no pulse," Terzo added.

Primo nodded. "And thanks to a few home remedies, I was able to simulate that in all of us, long enough for us to get away while our ghouls replaced us with those perfect copies."

“They were exactly as you saw. A body, but only a copy. ”

You looked at Copia. "And you? There's a body back there that looks just like you?"

He nodded. "Sì. And it, too, will be displayed at every ritual."

You shook your head again. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Not at the moment," Copia said. "Let us let you get used to this right now."

"If I ever will!" 

The brothers exchanged smiles. Primo stepped up to your side and placed your hand in the crook of his arm. "Come, Sorella. I will show you to your room, let you freshen up before lunch, sì?"

Copia could tell from your expression that you were overwhelmed but happy. He knew this was the last thing you expected to find here. He watched you until you were out of sight.

"It was dangerous bringing her here,” Secondo said, turning to Copia. “If anyone were to find out—”

“No one will find out. I will make sure of that,” Copia vowed.

Secondo shook his head. “I sure hope you know what you are doing, Copia.”

“So do I…”

An hour later, Copia went up to your room, finding you staring out the window. He stepped up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“This is really going to be our life, huh?”

His heart sank. “Regret it already?”

You turned sharply and looked up at him. “Of course not! Never! But it will take some getting used to.”

"I know… And I am sorry it must be this way."

You hugged him tightly. "So long as you're here, alive, I don't care where we are. I just can't stand the thought of losing you."

"Now, you won't have to, amore. I am not going anywhere."

He moved you just enough to kiss you, both of you bathed in the noontime sunlight. For the first time in months, Copia felt content. Perfectly and wholly content with you in his arms, safe, with the prospect of your child arriving just a few months away.

If this is what came from his perceived death, then all of it was worth it.

The two of you, together, eternally bound by your love.

[hellhoundmaggie]

1, 2, 7, 8 and 21 for Waynie boy :3

Thank you for asking, and sorry I'm late! Ask Game here

Why do you like or dislike this character?

I have a weakness for protectiveness, hidden faces, love and obsession so severe it makes you into a villain, cleverness, and big buff dudes. Wayne is the total package.

Favorite canon thing about this character?

Probably my favorite moment in the game is when MC is having the conversation with him in the denouement of Episode 4 -- specifically when MC grills him on why they of all people are so "special." Wayne's answer? "You just are." Wayne can't explain why MC is special. He doesn't know why. He doesn't care why. He just knows that they are, and that he will follow them to the ends of the Earth because of their "specialness." That's so bizarre and touching and sad all at once.

What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

I like the fanon/jokey interpretation of Wayne as a cringefail nerd trying to do cool things to impress MC. It's very funny to imagine this big bad stoic monster trying and failing to do kickflips on a skateboard and singing "Creep" by Radiohead at karaoke night.

What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

"Despise" is a strong word, but the popular fan theory that Wayne is a sentient fungus colony occupying a miner's body bothers me. The textual evidence is really weak; there are so many more references to angels, demons, and lightning in the game, especially in connection with Wayne. I mean he tells you to think of him as a guardian angel, what more proof do you need?! But history will prove me right in the end.

If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

I'll answer with the part I don't like first: Wayne's backstory is not yet known, so I have to make a lot of guesses about how he thinks, what his goals are, etc. I feel like I've done a good job with the information we've been given so far, but I hate the idea of the official release proving me wrong someday!

But the challenge the lack of backstory presents is part of the fun of writing Wayne. I like to sprinkle in my little headcanons and make up things I think he would say. Plus I get to write some payoff for the romance arc that the devs haven't given us yet!

[brightlight-dazzlingeyes]

CELEBRITY | chapter 03

rúben dias x original female character [+18]

SYNOPSIS: The protagonist knows for a fact she'll be famous someday. The way it happens is not as she planned, though. WARNINGS: mentions of e.d.; cyber bullying; minors dni.

|[previous chapter]| — |[masterlist]|

CHAPTER III — THE MOVIE

In the dead of night, the room's only witness is a whispering clock on the wall. Rúben's apartment bathes in a dim glow, a haven for the protagonist seeking refuge. Seated on the edge of the couch, she nervously bites her nails, eyes glued to the floor. Rúben, concerned, offers her a glass of water.

"Thanks." She says, accepting the glass but hesitating to drink.

Rúben takes a seat across from her. "Are you okay?" He finally asks.

The protagonist glances up, the dim light accentuating the lines on her face. “Honestly? No. This is a nightmare. This entire day has been a nightmare.”

Rúben sighs, leaning back in his chair. “This never happened to me before.”

She traces the rim of the water glass with her fingertips, creating a haunting melody against the silence and contemplating her next words. “What do we do now? I mean, I appreciate you standing up for me today, but this…” She gestures to her phone, where the image of them together has taken on a life of its own.

“Addressing it head-on might be our best bet.” Rúben runs a hand through his hair, his expression thoughtful. “But we need to be careful with our words. REDACTED is not happy about it either…”

“Fuck me.” The protagonist winces at the mention of his name. “I just can’t believe the first time I showed up on the Daily Mail was as someone’s affair… No offense.”

“None taken, I guess…”

“My thing with you-know-who, I don’t even want to talk about it, but it wasn’t meant to end up on the fucking news.”

“I get that.” Rúben agrees with a nod. “We can handle this, don’t worry.”

Her eyes drift back to the phone screen, her thoughts drifting off. “They’re calling me ugly, saying I’m not hot enough to be with you.”

“That’s crazy.” Rúben chuckles, a raw sound that echoes in the room. “You’re beautiful, you’re perfect.”

A blush stains the protagonist's cheeks at the compliment. With little else to discuss, she lets the silence stretch and wonder if he knew about her before they met. If REDACTED had mentioned her. Given their friendship, he probably did. He strikes her as the type who likes to brag.

Breaking the silence, Rúben leans forward. "So it's settled!" He taps his thigh. "We'll drop a joint statement tomorrow. You can toss something casual on your socials, and I'll deny it to the press. We are just good friends hanging out."

He extends his hand to seal the deal, and she takes it, shaking it firmly. "Good friends, okay, deal." She says, trying not to linger on the thought of how good his hand feels holding hers. The handshake lasts for a moment longer than necessary, the warmth of their hands intertwining. 

"So, good friends it is." Rúben repeats.

She nods, a shy smile escaping her. "Yeah, good friends."

The weight of the day seems to ease for a brief moment and Rúben studies her face for a moment. "You know, for good friends, we haven't really talked much about non-scandalous things. Wanna stick around a little longer?"

The protagonist's eyes wander around Rúben's upscale apartment, taking in the polished surfaces, the sleek furniture, and the air of affluence that permeates the space. "Why the hell not." She mutters, the words escaping her lips like a reluctant confession. The contrast between her world and the opulence surrounding her is stark.

Rúben's place is a bachelor's wet dream. The allure of the high-end decor creates an atmosphere that feels alien yet strangely enticing. They settle in for a movie, the room taking on a different vibe as the screen lights up. Our girl finds a momentary escape in the luxurious cocoon of Rúben's apartment. The movie becomes the backdrop for questions nobody's putting into words, glances that hang in the air, and a dance of doubt that's as clear as mud.

The film rolls on, and the dame starts to wonder if Rúben's moves had a little hint of flirtation. The dim light casts shadows that flicker across his features, leaving the intentions behind his actions shrouded in ambiguity. 

As she heads home, the question of whether Rúben's actions were fueled by flirtation or mere camaraderie remains suspended in the silent spaces between reality and perception. The protagonist is now entangled in the enigma of the football player's intentions.

The morning seeps into the protagonist's apartment, casting a muted light on her disheveled bed where she lies, eyes wide open, fixated on the ceiling. Sleep had eluded her, slipping through her grasp like sand. 

She pushes herself out of bed, the weight of the day already bearing down on her shoulders. Her appetite has also abandoned her. The comments on her Instagram, calling her "miss piggy" and worse, echo in her mind, suffocating any desire for sustenance. 

The protagonist moves mechanically, a ghost in her own home. She glides past the mirror in the hallway, avoiding her own reflection, unwilling to confront the distorted image the world is trying to impose on her.

“I know this isn't the best time, but we need to talk about Sarah.”

Her roommate's voice reaches her, a gentle touch on her arm accompanying the soft words. “She’s moving out soon, and we need another girl. We can’t pay the rent just the two of us.”

“Lily, I can’t even think about this right now. I trust you, just bring in whoever you want.”

A colossal headache clouds the protagonist's thoughts.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Sinking into her old, worn-out couch, she mechanically types and retypes, attempting to craft the most generic and impersonal Instagram post to dispel the romance rumors. The constant calls from REDACTED interrupt her concentration. Blocking his number seems impossible for now. Since the breakup a week ago, he's found new ways to torment her and be violent towards her. Strangely, she understands and sympathizes with his pain. If she were in his place, she might do the same. The sight of her photo with his teammate plastered everywhere is probably not easy for him.

Suddenly, a notification disrupts her thoughts – a private message from an anonymous account. The message is brief, containing only a cryptic link and the words: "You're not alone in this."

Intrigued and cautious, the protagonist clicks on the link. The screen fills with a blurred video, and her heart sinks as the image becomes clearer. It's a snippet from her confrontation with REDACTED at his house. As she watches, the message from the anonymous sender appears: "More to come. Brace yourself."

A chill runs down her spine, and panic sets in. Who else knows her secrets, and what do they want?

|[masterlist]| — |[next chapter]| join the taglist @kcharlyy @melanieph321 @goregoal

[eyesteeth]

PLS DO MORE POSTS ON ATWQ

the fandom is so dead but i live for it

howdy there, anon!! i always forget about what i have and haven't talked about on here vis a vis my atwq thoughts.

i guess i'll talk about why i prefer atwq to asoue. atwq is loaded with recontextualization, and that's absolutely due to the foundations that asoue lays down, but there's so much Rich Soup there it makes me a lil feral. spoilers and rambles below

asoue is a slow creep of "you can't trust appearances". we only begin to consider that vfd might not be as good as we think in The Grim Grotto, when we learn about fernald. then, The Penultimate Peril shows us a pair of "good" and "evil" twins that not even their oldest allies can tell apart. by the time The End rolls around, we are primed to ask a question: if the creator of such a "good" organization is so horrible, is the man we've seen as the pinnacle of evil this whole time truly so bad? what if he was, in fact, the product of such horrible circumstances? what happened to him that made him like this?

and then The Unauthorized Autobiography is the next step. we see how young some of the children doing this are. kidnappings and indoctrinations. it picks away at the mask. vfd was a cult the whole time. olaf was a byproduct of his raising - but so was everyone else. those people with their fears and neuroses, each hiding in their own little corners of the world, or those dedicated to keeping a war going because they had nothing else to live for, they were all children who got too mature too fast, running around playing cops and robbers.

but there's a distance. it's clinical, matter-of-fact. this is just how things are.

and then atwq, the crowning jewel, puts you in that mindset, tinted by three decades of hindsight. lemony's narration is filled with his self-loathing. he knows he did something horrible, but he can't go back and change it. he should've listened here, asked a different question there, he was wrong about all of it.

and, most vitally, he's twelve. he's nowhere close to being a legal adult. he's not even had his bar mitzvah yet. he is a child in every sense of the word. and despite this he's already tattooed, already disillusioned, telling himself not to panic when truly horrific things are happening. his future self doesn't even give him any grace. god forbid a twelve year old take time to mourn.

and yet, somehow, he's seen as a rebel. even when he goes as far as to kill a man for the mission, his first murder at twelve, he's being berated for fucking things up earlier in the plan. the murder isn't even a problem. it's an inconvenience at most.

and so, one might wonder, what does that say about the straight-laced ones?

s adores bertrand, her former apprentice, and we know s was ignorant and ruthless, caring primarily about her good evaluation. so was bertrand, the noble baudelaire father, as noble as we thought? or was he just an obedient little soldier boy who followed orders? how old was he when he committed his first murder? how old were the other snickets? the denouements? esme? olaf? beatrice?

it just opens the door wide for questioning. what happens when a bunch of children are told that their inherent worth is based around their ability to follow orders and their academic standing, and then given a match? what happens when you grow up knowing that someday, someone you love will be on the other end of a blade, or gun, or dart, and you'll be expected to take the shot? what happens when someone who was told "get scared later" at nine turns fourty-four? where does the fear go? when are they allowed to be scared?

it's a lot. and it is very, very fun to play with.

[crimeronan]

I am desperate to know more about the Darius’ OC found family that all die tragically and horribly, even just the spark notes on his relations to them would be so cool to see.

HOO BOY.

okay i can give you the sparknotes of what i'd developed for the prequel. maybe someday i'll write all this in full. but in the meantime, these are the basics. (if anyone here is a fan of wwaitsoatl and wants Extended Darius Backstory.... come get ya juice)

i still need to flesh out more of the ensemble cast but the three most plot-relevant OCs are talia, daphne, and cayden. haven't figured out last names, none have any direct relation to canon toh cast members bc i do Not want to weave a bunch of confusing family trees.

the shape of the arc is what's described in chapter 9 of wwaitsoatl. darius's mentor -- whose name was hunter, but i'll call him GG here for the sake of clarity -- was involved with wild magic and wild witches.

this started out as a way for him to channel his own power without being dependent upon belos & the empire's technology. it turned into a much more involved double life rebelling against the coven system and trying to get belos to relax the empire's grip on the isles.

knowing what you do about belos, the natural response to this is. uh-oh!!

darius wanders into all of this by accident when he catches GG and cayden tattooing n enchanting Very Clearly Fake coven sigils on a couple 'new recruits.'

cayden is a witch about GG's age, maybe a little older, who Supposedly belongs to the bard coven but..... doesn't, really. he's been working on making passable fake sigils for a while.

GG swears darius to secrecy, darius wants to find out more, darius ends up meeting other witches who are important to GG.

uh oh this is getting long. meet daphne and talia under the cut.

cayden is one of GG's lovers/partners, daphne is the other, because i'm polyamorys georg and i do what i want. daphne is a wild witch who's never joined a coven.

at this point in the empire, joining the coven system is Strongly Encouraged but has not yet been fascistly enforced. most younger people have joined one, but not all. there's definite messaging about how your magic is Incomplete without a coven and you're betraying your peers and denying your selfhood by not joining one.

daphne's main talents lie in plant and oracle magic. she's been working on restoring and protecting groves of palistrom wood -- even at that point, the environmentally-conscious witches can tell that Something's going wrong with the trees.

i'd say that she has some similarities to willow, at least in terms of What She Cares About. but she's also much more ready to brawl at any given moment, much less nice, and much worse at putting on a brave face under pressure.

(cayden, on the other hand, is excellent at remaining calm and keeping the peace. both in the triad and in high-pressure political situations. everything about social camouflage that darius didn't learn from GG himself, he learned from cayden.)

the worst interpersonal conflict in the story happens between daphne and GG, around the middle of the story. eventually GG's stalling and diversion tactics stop working & belos orders him to requisition daphne's groves for the empire.

this is not an order that GG can say no to.

he's never told daphne exactly what belos does with the palismen. but she has oracle and plant magic and she's been hyperfocused on the palistrom trees for years. She Knows.

daphne is not going to let belos have this magic.

she sets fire to every single one of her trees.

which. is. fucking devastating.

the ensuing fight between her and GG in the ashes is so vicious that it probably could've ended with one of them dead,

if not for talia.

talia is an older witch, in her late fifties. keep in mind that the empire has only existed for 20 years at this point. talia was well into middle age when the empire fully unified the isles, and she'd been fighting it tooth and nail prior to that. she remembers pre-empire life and she believes it's achievable again.

if daphne parallels willow, then talia most closely parallels eda. except that she's actually much more relaxed and LESS likely to brawl and has a much healthier social life. talia believes that individual resistance isn't nearly as strong as a network of people all sharing their resources together.

she's the closest thing to a mother that GG has. she's the one who helped darius learn complex sewing skills (he could at least patch things up on his own, prior). she is Determined not to let the empire take any of these kids from her, directly or indirectly. so she intervenes in daphne and GG's fight before either of them can get hurt.

darius spends some time working with talia and cayden on strengthening his own magic. largely behind GG's back, bc GG does not want darius taking on any unnecessary risks. talia and cayden aren't exactly malicious, but they Do let darius push himself further than he really should.

eventually talia is arrested -- the exact mechanics don't matter. what matters is that belos knows that she's close to GG, even though she isn't saying a word. so he calls GG and darius into the throne room, shuts the doors, and tells GG to carry out her sentence of petrification.

it is Very Clear that this is a test. it is Very Clear that any protest or argument will be taken as treason.

GG does what he's told. darius watches.

after it's over, belos asks to speak with darius alone. i've actually written this scene in full. GG very nearly blows his cover, darius convinces him to keep his shit together. belos does not hurt darius, just playacts the oh-so-concerned uncle. extremely threatening about it. you'd tell me if he was in trouble, wouldn't you??

darius leaves the chamber with GG, who immediately goes out looking for cayden.

cayden is gone. his door's been kicked in. the house is a mess.

GG has a panic attack. 'he knows, he knows we were in here.' horrible echoes of that scene in hollow mind. darius hugs him through it. GG asks him if he's been practicing all the dangerous magic bullshit that GG told him not to. then begs darius to use said dangerous magic bullshit to go warn daphne and the others in their network.

GG promises that he's going to finish all of this, one way or the other. he says he should have finished it back before petrifying talia. or hell, back when everything happened with the palistrom groves. it is very clear that he intends to kill belos.

daphne and the rest of the ensemble cast are already gone by the time darius reaches their usual hideouts.

GG is already gone by the time darius gets back to the palace.

belos announces that his nephew was murdered by wild witches. and that he has the traitors in custody.

cayden and daphne and the others in the ensemble are petrified for GG's murder.

darius is the only one left who knows the truth about what happened. darius is the only one who knows that this is all a political sham being stirred up to make coven conscription mandatory, stamp out all remaining wild witchery, and enact a slew of new fascist laws.

and darius is the only one left who knows exactly how cayden faked coven sigils. the only one who can pass on that knowledge. and the only one who can secure a position in which fake coven sigils won't come under too much scrutiny.

there's only so much he can do to honor the others' memories. if he stands against the empire alone, he'll be killed. belos is already SO suspicious of him.

he does what he can very, very quietly instead.