#But truly some small daily life moments can tell us a lot about a character that we could recognise later on in high stakes scenes
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I am liking Jujutsu Kaisen, way more than I imagined I would, but I foresee it will let me down and it's keeping me from enjoying this as much as I could haha
I think the characters and dynamics are well set, and I think many of them have an incredibly good and deep potential, but I would be willing to bet they'll not get a proper development, enough for them to really hit. A well assembled set of gears is not enough to make the movement go, you have to wind the clockwork.
I think Gojo and Megumi have a fascinating and very complex dynamic, but I doubt it will be given the time and care that imo it needs to actually work. And it is going well enough for now! One could see the intimacy between them was deeper than the one Gojo had with, say, Yuji and Nobara ever since the very first few episodes despite the fact Fushiguro too was a first year. But the pieces forming what they have are extremely complex, and it just wouldn't be realistic if it doesn't show, even if in a not showing way, or if it doesn't have consequences or implications.
It's one of those dynamics that shape one's life, the way one regards the world, the way one establishes or not relationships with other people. It's one of those dynamics that could be full of fondness, gratitude, resentment, admiration, trust, and that imply intimacy, the good kind or the bad, even if in just the knowledge of someone who's been a constant through your life. It could, and would, imply a myriad of feelings, and probably in such a mix it could imply contradictory feelings too. Even the nothingness would weight, even the nothingness would be significant and meaningful.
Gojo took Megumi and his sister under his wing, the son of a man who murdered him, because of both selfish and selfless reasons. Megumi looks like Toji. What does Gojo feel about this? How does Gojo deal with this? How does Gojo go about taking care of Megumi? Would he walk him to school? Make him breakfast? Celebrate his birthdays making him blow candles? Did he take him to the zoo? Does the relationship between them feel professional or is it something more? Gojo appreciates his students, but is Megumi to him just another student? When Gojo faces Sukuna in Megumi's body, did he see the kid he raised, or does he just see Sukuna in one of his students' body? Did he have one faint wavering instant? And how does Megumi feel about this? Is he resentful of him? Resentful of the situation? Of the selfishness behind his actions? Does he feel like a pawn? Is he grateful? Does he resent feeling grateful? Would he rather not? Does he love Gojo? Does he feel nothing about him other than what he could feel about a teacher that sort of annoys him but knows he's reliable in his strength? Does he think it unfair, cruel or unfeeling that Gojo is close, closer perhaps, with Yuuji or Yuta, considering their story? When Sukuna slices Gojo in two, does the remnants of Megumi's soul tremble?
And not just Megumi and Gojo. Yuuji and Nanami, Gojo and Nanami, Yuuji and Fushiguro, Nobara and the boys, or Nobara and Maki, Todo and Yuuji or Yuta, Gojo and Yuta, Megumi and his sister. Gojo and Geto, even! If the pieces are well set, the dynamics are intriguing, interesting, and have potential to be deep, but then the characters have like two plot relevant scenes that punch you hard, but little more, it's not nearly enough. Especially not nearly enough for the enormity that is shonen dynamics and situations. And the potential existing at all, and then not delivering, makes it all the more frustrating when you're left with something mediocre that could have been so good.
The development of dynamics through not only a few plot relevant gut wrenching moving scenes, but also the smallness of life, is important. The friend who recommended this to me said that those things were just unnecessary filler, but I disagree. I think there's a big difference between a large amount of anime-only filler episodes whose existence is based on the fact they had run out of manga chapters to animate, and moments of quietness. The low stakes character-driven moments of quietness can be so telling and so insightful, and they are so satisfactory when brought back later in higher stakes situations. My friend teased me there was no scene of Gojo making breakfast to Megumi, that it would be an idiotic idea, but it would be so telling. How he makes breakfast, what they eat, if he tries hard or if it's all mechanised, if they have personal bowls or if they use whatever, if he just buys them some pastry on the way to school, if the way they have breakfast changes through the years, or if he doesn't make them breakfast at all! All that would be very insightful on their dynamic and its evolution. All that would give a glimpse on how they regard each other and why, even in the present. All that could become meaningful in tense situations and high stakes scenes.
These moments also let the plot breath; if a lot is happening all the time, if every character is always experiencing trauma after trauma, the entire story is so emotionally draining that at some point you don't even care all that much. Besides, these nothing moments or low stakes plot arcs, besides deepening and developing dynamics, also let some in-world time pass, which would make the intimacy and bond between characters more believable imo; between Yuuji eating Sukuna's finger and their last confrontation in December how much time has passed? A few months? Am I truly to believe these characters are so everything to each other in only a few months?
Without some smallness, some repetition, some daily life, some low stakes not plot-centric development, the dynamics don't hit, they don't truly feel fleshed out, and dynamics as complex as the ones Megumi and Gojo have, or as supposedly meaningful as the one Megumi has with Yuuji or his sister, should be fleshed out if they're going to exist at all. Otherwise they'd risk making the writing feel awkward and fake. Besides, if the dynamics felt well fleshed out and realistic, they would shape the way the characters interact and act, and how they deal with situations, thus being plot relevant.
The shonen genre has so much happening all the time, the stakes are so high, the dynamics are so rooted in big events and the relationships carry enormous weight and implications. Yet they barely get developed, and it feels so stupid, so plain, the absence of something so important noticeable like a constant void, a shapeless nothingness present in every scene. It makes the characters feel like cardboard figures. Jujutsu Kaisen is already getting a better job than many, but I doubt it will do enough for what I've heard, and I fear I am bound to feel let down, and bound to feel unmoved.
After all, if not enough time and care has been given to develop a dynamic, I am not going to feel pressured by the high stakes; if not enough time and care has been given to develop the dynamic between Megumi and Yuuji, as good potential as it has I am bound to feel little for this last confrontation between Sukuna and Itadori, and his effort in getting Megumi back.
#It's not that I think everything has to be character driven or take a lot of care about dynamics#Death Note for instance works well without it. There's juice in the dynamic between Light and his father and the role of Matsuda there#and it works well with Light's views and their evolution and the whole Kira situation. It isn't much. It doesn't need more#But Death Note doesn't truly drop something as big as Gojo and Megumi to then do barely nothing about it#('But L and Watari' not the same at all. That was deepened in the anime and besides Watari is not one of the main characters)#Or Megumi and his sister. If we see barely nothing of Megumi and his sister other than shiny flashbacks of her#how am I to feel moved by it all beyond superficial emotions? I don't know. It just feels so like cardboard to me#And it annoys me! It annoys me a lot! Because Jujutsu Kaisen has amazing potential! The dynamics and characters could be amazing!#But I don't trust they'll live to their full potential and the potential existing for nothing is ruining this for me xD#Jujutsu Kaisen#Sorry this time I'm tagging it. I want to find this and see if I was right when I'm finished. I think I'll read the manga too#The condescending filler breakfast comment by my friend was ironic considering the Kramer vs. Kramer breakfast scenes exist#Breakfast can be so telling. And besides he loves the Chainsaw Man coffee scene so I don't get why not breakfast#But truly some small daily life moments can tell us a lot about a character that we could recognise later on in high stakes scenes#such as how they deal in tense situationsâ what makes them snap#how they go about dealing with a problem.#Sometimes it could be smaller moments or conversations what makes characters reconsider thingsâ not just having Sukuna rip their heart out#In Pandora Hearts the conversation between Elliot and Oz about the book series they love and their favourite characters becomes key#Oz's development and how he regards thingsâ his own personâ and how he deals with situations will be shaped later on by this conversation#till the very end. The entire main character's development is shaped by a 'filler' conversation.It's not filler. It's just not a fight scen#Shonen manga readers find everything filler except for fights which is ironic considering that many fights in shonen feel unnecessary#Breakfast is unnecessary. Just filler. Fighting thirty seven secondary monsters or chapter after chapter of physical training is not. Okay#Things can be small but plot relevant. If it shapes and fleshes out and deepens a character or a relationship it is not filler#And mainly MAINLY for the love of everything good if you're going to make a fucked up or Meaningful Beyond Everything dynamic#give it time and care. Actually write it. Don't give me two panels and one conversation after some life and death situation. It's not enoug#Especially if I'm to believe they are important. Make me believe they actually are#I don't know... This issue with not trusting the development of very well set potential in Jujutsu Kaisen#has not only been keeping me from thoroughly enjoying the seriesâ but actively keeping me from watching for weeks#It makes me doubt if I want to spend my time in this at all since after all time is limited and we can but spend it in a handful of things#A pity. I really love some things and I really think Megumi and Gojo could be everything to me haha the Heathcliff/Hareton vibe gets me
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Well, I've spent about four days with Zenless Zone Zero (and truly other than my Genshin and HSR dailies it's all I've played in those four days). I'm at the beginning of Chapter 2 in the story, where they soft lock you behind Inter-Knot level 30. I've also played a small about of the Hollow Zero and Shiryu Defense modes.
So time for some non-spoilery thoughts!
In terms of combat, it's very fun! I was worried it would be too frenetic for me, but it does a good job of prompting you. The perfect assist is so satisfying. I appreciate the option to select casual or challenge difficulty. I'm on casual difficulty and I'm starting to get to more difficult content, but the regular story missions are honestly hard to fail on casual.
I know a lot of people have problems with the monitor portions, but I enjoy them. There have been some fun puzzles with these and I love a good puzzle. I had a few problems where it wasn't responsive but that was my only frustration and that might just be my internet connection.
The activity loop is enjoyable too. You can definitely see the inspiration from Persona with the day being divided into sections and actually feeling like time is passing. And there's a good balance between activities that cost energy and those that don't. It's not open world but very similar to Persona there are small areas of the city you can travel to (I do wish these spaces were a little bit larger however, it seems kind of silly to have three fast travel points within the very small construction site area)
THIS is the comedy Hoyo game - they tried to sell HSR as the comedy and it's funny, but this is over the top. I have laughed out loud at multiple points. The animation in the cut scenes works for it too; it has a bouncy quality that fits the tone. They must have their own animation team because the quality of the cut scenes is so different from Genshin/HSR.
I really like that no matter which sibling you chose to play as, both Wise and Belle are present and active in the story. They also have individual rooms above the video shop!
I like the story so far - it's got enough to hook me for the moment. I'm excited that it looks like we might be able to get outside the city in the story that's available now. I'm just not far enough to tell for sure. Also lore players rejoice, they gave us a reason to play the roguelike mode! You're able to pick up lore clues like audio files within these levels so at least for me now I have an actual motivation to play that.
I ADORE the city and NPC design. Hoyo has really struggled with interesting NPC design, reusing the same bodies with different outfits. Here the NPCs have many different bodies and outfits and it adds so much life to the city. You can also run into current and possible future playable characters in the overworld.
Finally, props to ZZZ to be the Hoyo game brave enough to go full furry and not just humans with animal ears/tails. I love the bears that work at the construction company.
Overall, I've enjoyed my time with it so far and I'm going to continue playing.
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Xiao, Zhongli and Venti with an immortal s/o
âSooo đ can i request so some fluff hc for venti, xiao and zhongli with an immortal s/o?â
thank you so much for requesting!! this is my first time writing for more than one character at a time so it was a challenge lol thank you sm!!
Xiao
Xiao never understood the importance of time. Days, months, even years feel like nothing when youâre immortal. What a funny thing that is, immortality. He knows normal humans would do anything for it, and he despises them for that. Nothing so great came free, he knew that well. He was freed from tortures, only to get tormented by karma. He could still hear the voices and screams calling for help from tortured souls, these still haunt him daily. But the worst moments come when he sees that figure, that person who he once considered close. So close he could use the human word âsoulmateâ, if he believed in those, to describe who that person meant to him.
Many centuries back he met you, such a gentle person who got to break down his hard walls. A smile, a touch, a kiss. Thatâs all it took. So many meaningless years, and he never once encountered a person as kind yet strong like you. Someone who made the daily nightmares cease, with a simple smile and brush of fingers.
He remembers your last words like it was the day before. You were on top of one of the tall stones in Huaguang Stone Forest, Xiao laying his head on your lap and you placing small qingxin flowers on his hair. He wouldnât allow anyone do that to him ever, but in the end, you were you. And you were different.
âXiaoâ you called, once you were done placing the flowers. He opened his eyes and muttered a âhm?â in response. âI have to leave soon. Mondstadt calls meâ
He sat up.
âWhat do you mean?â
âBy tomorrow morning, Iâll be on my way back to Mondstadtâ you said, quietly standing up.
He stood up too.
âWhen will I see you again?â he asked, now not being able to look at you.
âI donât knowâ you said, reaching out for his hand and taking it. You placed a soft kiss on his knuckles, and he felt himself calm down at the gesture for a moment.
âI meant it when I said Iâll love you forever, Xiaoâ you said, finally locking eyes with him. You had teary eyes, he dreaded to see you like that. If it were up to him, he would swallow every bit of pain in your body and soul, just to see you smile.
And with that, you disappeared. As quickly as you broke down his walls, you disappeared just as quick the next day. Days, months and years became even more meaningless, but somehow he felt them longer. He missed you every day, he whispered to the moon every night, wishing that some archon would hear and bring you back to him. He knew you were like him, but he never heard from you again. Were you able to finally cross to the other side? He tried to erase those thoughts from his mind.
He later found himself in that very same stone, the one in which he last saw you. New Qingxin flowers blossomed, and they reminded him of you. He sat down, staring at the horizon. But then, he felt a strange swift of wind, and a presence behind him. He quickly stood up, ready to put his mask on and kill whoever dared to interrupt his solitude. But he didnât. The mask in his hand dropped to the floor, next to the flowers.
âIâm backâ you said, with a shy smile.
âYouâre backâ he said, more to himself than to you. Were you really there?
His question was soon answered, once you stepped closer and pulled him in a hug. He found himself wrapping his arms around you, holding you as close as he could, while trying to hold back his tears.
âIâm sorry I took so long, my belovedâ you said as you locked your eyes with his. You grabbed his hand and held it, but you never once let go of the hug.
âIâm here to stay nowâ you whispered.
Zhongli
âYou need to stop playing with peopleâs heartsâ Zhongli said, as he sipped on his tea and looked at you questioningly. You rolled your eyes in response and put your focus back on your potion. A few petals from the most exotic flower in Teyvat, a little bit of juice made from vines and a teaspoon of slime condensate.
âSometimes mortals need a little push in the right directionâ You said, finishing up the mix and transferring it to a small bottle made of glass. âPlus, weâve been here for centuries, Iâm bored and I need a hobbyâ
âI donât think that messing with humanâs love lives can be considered a hobby. I donât think itâs morally correctâ he said.
âYouâre very dramatic. I can feel the true desires of every being that touches the soil in Teyvat, and if I sense that the desire is mutual, I simply work my magicâ You said, sitting back on your chair next to the tall man.
âCanât you let them figure it out by themselves?â He asked.
âThatâs no fun Zhongliâ You said, finishing up the sweet perfume-potion you were creating.
You and Zhongli have been friends for centuries. You met when you moved to Liyue as the representative of the Dendro Archon, someone you really looked up to. Zhongli was kind enough to make you feel at home, and soon became friends with the Geo Archon. Though you must admit, you always wished it was something more.
Maybe thatâs why you picked up this âhobbyâ of yours. Unrequited love is something painful and mortals only live a short life, you believe they should live it fully, if possible.
âAre you alright?��� Zhongli asked, interrupting your thoughts with a concerned look on his face. You didnât realize you had a sad look on yours.
âOh? Yeah of courseâ You said, quickly brushing it off and proceeding decorating the small glass bottle.
âY/n-â he started, placing a hand on top of yours in order to get your attention. âIâve known you for a long time. I know when something is wrongâ
It was funny. He knew you like the back of his hand, he knew how to read you since the first time he laid his eyes on you. Yet he never found out how you truly felt about him, how your heart made like a million flips whenever he did something as simple as hold your hand, or brush a hair away from your face. All these little things and gestures, have been making you swoon over your closest friend for years, centuries even.
âTime and love are strange concepts, arenât they?â You asked, looking straight at him. Here goes nothing, you thought.
âI believe those are rather simple conceptsâ
âYou can spend a lifetime with someone, know every habit and expression but you donât know how they truly feel about youâ You said staring at him, searching for any hint that indicated he knew what you were talking about. But you saw nothing. Who were you kidding? Heâs just your friend, has been for a long time.
You let out a defeated laugh, standing up and letting go of his hand. âForgive me, I donât really know what iâm sayingâ you said, grabbing the potion and starting to leave. But you felt his hand on your wrist, stopping your movements.
âYou said you felt the desires of every being that stepped foot on Teyvatâs soil, am I right?â he asked, looking at you. You nodded. âDoes it work on me?â
âYou wanted to get close to me, as a friendâ
âMy apologies my dearest y/n, but I think your blessing is wrongâ he said, standing up and holding your hand once again. âI did want to get closer to you as a friend at first, but not any longer. Iâve been observing mortals for a while as well, on my daily walks through Liyue Harbor, and I think I finally understood my feelingsâ
You were sure that if Zhongli listened close enough, he would hear the fast beating of your heart.
âIâve been waiting for you to use your love potion on me, my dear y/n. Iâm sure it wouldnât have worked anyways since I believe it would take a lot of effort to make an effective potion that could work on me. But it would have given me the excuse to tell you how I really feelâ he said.
âHow do you feel then?â you asked him, looking up at the tall man.
âI think Iâm very lucky to have you by my side, and it makes me want to travel to the Dendro nation and personally thank the Archon for assigning you to Liyue. I also want you to still be by my side for the centuries to come, if youâre okay with thatâ he said, lowering his voice by the end.
You acted before you could process your thoughts. You stood on your tippy toes and kissed his cheek gently, never letting go of his hand. He liked you, he felt the same way about you. It was real.
âIâm okay with thatâ you replied.
Venti
It was almost noon, almost an hour after the original time you accorded with Venti to meet. You planned a picnic date by the big tree near the statue of the Seven, your favorite spot. The same spot which later, became Ventiâs favorite spot as well.
He wasnât a person who would jump straight to conclusions. You were late. Maybe you fell asleep, maybe you couldnât find the guitar you promised to bring so you could play a duet. Being late doesnât mean something bad happened, right?â
He decided to wait a few more moments, but once the sun set, he had enough. He went out to try and find you. He went to your house, but noticed the door was locked and no one was inside. âThey leftâ he thought.
He slowly but surely started to get desperate. Where were you? Were you hurt? Did you get lost somehow? He went to Angelâs Share, and not even Master Diluc had seen you. If Venti wasnât in such a panicked state, he would have noticed the rare concerned and worried look Diluc had on his face.
If any traveler walked by literally any road in Mondstadt, they would soon encounter a big rush of wind. Venti went from here to there as fast as he could, trying to find you.
He soon enough found you in Stormbearer Mountains, fighting hilichurls and two pyro mages. You looked tired, sweat covering your body and your clothes were dirty. It was obvious that this has been going on for a while. You gripped your sword as hard as you could, and kept fighting. Why didnât you call for him? With no exception, Venti tells you daily to call for him if you ever encounter a problem. Itâs not that he doesnât think youâre strong, oh no, he believed you were the strongest mortal in Teyvat. But in the end, to him you were still a mortal. Fragile and over-sensitive. He often told you to call his name, that the wind will carry it and he will appear there to help you out. So why didnât you?
ây/n!â he screamed, once he laid his eyes on you. You turned around and saw a rush on wind, and felt his presence. What you didnât feel though, was the pyro attack coming from one of the mages. The mage summoned three pyro artifacts that surrounded you, and burnt you. You felt your energy slip away, your head dizzy and your body burning. Then, you felt the cold wind, Venti quickly finishing off the mages and the remaining hilichurls.
Venti thought it was over. You were kneeled down, burnt skin, gasping for air. It was over, you were going to die. He felt his eyes water and fear running through his veins. He wrapped his arms around you, making you lean on his chest.
âDonât leave meâ he begged. âpleaseâ
âMy dear, I donât think I canâ you said, letting out a short laugh.
âPlease stay strong, I think I can carry you to the cathedral but you need to hold very still so-â he started saying, now fully crying but you interrupted him by putting a hand on his cheek and wiping his tears with your thumb.
âIâm serious, I donât think I can leave anyways. Venti, I literally canât die.â you said, with a laugh and slowly standing up.
âYou... youâre immortal?â he asked, looking up at you, not being able to leave the floor.
You nodded. âI thought you knewâ
âI hate youâ he said, standing up and wiping away his tears. âI doâ
âNo you donât. But youâre cute though!â you said, grabbing his face and kissing the tip of his nose. âIâm very sorry Iâm late though, my commission took longer than I thought but let me compensate you with dinner and a bottle of wineâ
âBut youâre still burnt?â he asked you, concern still in his face.
âOh donât worry about that, it will rip out when I start walking. I have healthy skin underneathâ you said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
âWhy do I feel like this is not your first time getting so hurt?â he asked letting out a soft chuckle, suddenly feeling lighter now that he knows youâre okay and will probably be okay for a long long while.
âEh, been there done that a few timesâ you simply said, taking his hand and walking back to the city of Mondstadt.
#xiao x reader#venti x reader#zhongli x reader#genshin impact imagines#genshin impact x reader#genshin impact scenarios#genshin impact headcanons#xiao imagines#xiao scenarios#venti imagines#venti scenarios#xiao headcanons#venti headcanons#zhongli scenarios#zhongli headcanons#zhongli imagines
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Niliâs Benchmark Geraskier Fic Rec List
hey yall! I officially hit 750 followers (a few days ago, I blew past the benchmark without even realizing!), which is... insane. I truly canât believe that so many people over the last year have enjoyed my presence in this fandom enough to continue to follow my work. you guys are so great and I love you all so much, so I decided to put together a gift for you!
this is a list of my favorite geraskier fics from the fandom, which I have been putting together over the last year or so. a few of these are big in the fandom, but a lot of them are smaller pieces that I feel deserve more attention! I have provided ao3 and tumblr links where I could find them, as well as ratings and summaries. Most of these are canon!verse because Iâm not personally a big fan of modern auâs, but there will be a few of those scattered throughout as well. Iâve divided the fics into two sections: oneshots and multichapter. See the list below the cut!
Being in this fandom truly has gotten me through the pandemic in a big way and I have made so many good friends while here. thank you all for validating my weird obsession with these characters and enabling me in these trying times <3
Oneshots
all that was good, all that was fair (all that was me is gone)Â | M | 7517 | WARNING:Â Graphic Depictions Of Violence | @xdandelionxbloomx
Somewhere, deep in a forest, a man drags himself from his grave by sheer power of will. He lies gasping on the forest floor and does not know who or what he is. The world is wide and wonderful, though, and there is so much to see.
Or, Jaskier is so stubborn that he literally comes back from the dead.
Another fascinating addition to the mythology of the Witcher. Jaskierâs slow rediscovery of himself is so well done here. One Iâve come back to again and again.Â
As Fast As Love Can Go | T | 9628 | @bygodstillam
There are Faeries in the Wood.
That's what everyone said, at least, not that there was any solid proof. Jaskier had tried, more than once, to find some. Just a hint somewhere, of a real story, of real magic. But all anyone seemed to have was stories.
Jaskier was determined to find proof. He wasn't expecting to find a witcher in the process.
Fascinating fic with some really interesting worldbuilding, and a fresh new take on True Loveâs Kiss. Also with some great art by @hehearse!
beautiful, he stirs up still things | T | 2575 | @alittlebitmaybe
âYouâre not asking me to dance,â says Geralt.
Jaskier turns his palm up on his knee, offering it. âI think youâll find I am.â
Just them dancing. This is a lovely sort of pre-relationship dynamic. So soft.
Dialogue Prompt | NR | 2932 | @reinvent-and-believe
Dialogue Prompt 48: âYou make me want things I canât have.â Wordless I-love-you 50: buying them a special treat when you go out shopping
Geralt gets Jaskier a gift, which prompts some confessions.
Even a small love | E | 22,272 | WARNING: Rape/Non-Con��
âWell,â Jaskier replies distractedly. âLots of things want to strangle you.â
âYou donât.â
It isnât a particularly troublesome accusation, or even necessarily an accusation at all.
This is one I read early on in the fandom, and it really stuck with me. The dynamic between Jaskier and Geralt is perfect, and the misunderstandings between them feel so realistic. The non-con is not extreme, but do mind the warnings.Â
For the Space of a Heartbeat | T | 2021 | @drowningbydegrees
As it turns out, falling into bed with your very best friend who you are privately very much in love with isn't nearly so nerve wracking as waking up with them the morning after.
Just sweet, morning after discussions. I love to see them talking for once.
Greensleeves | T | 10,414 | @rebrandedbard
When Geralt crosses paths with Jaskier in the spring, the world is dressed in green. Quite literally. Everyone everywhere is wearing green, and it all comes down to a song Jaskier has written that, to his mortification, has become popular throughout the Continent. It's torment, being forced to preform the song over and over again and have his heart broken anew. But who is this Lady Greensleeves the people say Jaskier is so maddeningly, heartbrokenly in love with? At the baron's wedding party, Geralt is determined to find out.
This is one of my personal faves - thereâs just something about Jaskierâs feelings being put on blast while Geralt remains totally oblivious that I think is so very them. And the resolution at the end is delightful.
I Donât Wanna Fall (If Itâs Not In Love)Â | E | 13,902 | @writinglizards
The first time it's out of desperation. Things get rapidly out of hand from there.
OR the building of a relationship through mutual wank sessions.
I love everything Ashley writes, but this one was the first fic I read by her and it still has a warm place in my heart. I also highly recommend Itâs Been A While (makes me cry every time) and Tell Me Honestly
Like a Storm, Like a Flood | T | 1065 | @valdomarx
Jaskier is leaving for the winter, and Geralt can't bear the thought of not seeing him for months.
It was soooo hard to pick only one fic by George, but this one is so soft and sweet and yearning I just had to go with it. This is really just about Geralt finally hitting a breaking point and saying enough is enough.
one flesh | E | 10,763 | WARNING: MCDÂ
âWell, then. Iâm a ghost.â Jaskier spread his arms grandly. Geralt held his gaze for a moment, then dropped his head and laughed. Jaskier put his hands on his hips. âDo fill me in on whatâs so funny.â It wasnât funny. It was just so - ridiculous, the things Geraltâs fucked up brain would invent. This had to be the last nail in the sanity coffin, it just had to be.
Or: Jaskier is a ghost, and Geralt is a mess.
Jaskier dies and comes back as a ghost to haunt Geralt into taking care of himself. Geralt does not handle this gracefully. This fic is so sad and heartbreaking, but the ending is so sweet.
to render it transparent | E | 23,901
Geralt wakes up warm, peaceful, and utterly content, which is how he knows that something is severely wrong.
Sigh. This fic. This is a time travel fic - Geralt ends up in the future living with Jaskier on the coast, just after the mountain. Itâs slow and beautiful and extremely bittersweet, all about how we choose to love people despite how much it can hurt us.
With All the Continent A Stage | M | 4745 | @greyduckgreygoose
Later, Geralt learned that the play was four hours long. Four hours long. It didnât feel like it. Most of it passed by in a fever dream of ominous music, dance-fighting and dryads in gossamer leaves, swinging from hoops attached to the ceiling. Yennefer made an appearance, played by Priscilla in a glittering negligee. She sang a song to Geralt about putting him âUnder Her Spellâ, and they had a sensual dance number which was made a little strange by a sickened Jaskier (played by Jaskier) coughing loudly in the background.
(Jaskier invites Geralt to a musical production inspired by his own life.)
Jaskier basically writes Geralt a love letter in the form of a four hour long play. Geralt is an idiot about it.
Multi-Chapter Fics
A Loverâs Lament | M | 25,364 | @somedrunkpirate
So,â Jaskier begins, as casually as he can, âyou are telling me, that in theory, if I were to be in love with someone â anyone â that person could well be in terrible danger?â
Of all terrible and ridiculous things that have threatened Geraltâs safety, Jaskierâd never thought that loving him might be what will get him killed.
I honestly canât count the number of times Iâve read this fic. The monster is so interesting, and the mythos of it fits seamlessly into the world of the Witcher in my mind. Jaskier being so afraid that his feelings are going to put Geralt at risk, clearly unable to see that Geralt is going through the exact same thing. I think about the scene with them looking at each other almost daily.Â
A Pair of Gloves, the Scent of Roses | M | 24,134 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence
In the bustling days before the Midsummer festival, Geralt is sent into the countryside to deal with a monster - with Jaskier once again by his side. But the bard has not forgiven him, and while he's not hiding his contempt for the Witcher, he is recalcitrant about revealing his true motives for joining him. As the hunt turns into a desperate mission to save an innocent man and the monster is not what is seems to be, Geralt learns a few new things about his old friend and decides to finally attempt to mend the rift between them...
This is one of my favoriteâs in the fandom - it feels so believable, the world is so rich and the ocâs are convincing and charming. Geralt and Jaskier feel so honest here, stumbling around each other but still drawn together. Beautiful beautiful beautiful
Bearing the will of the flower | NR | 11,449Â
The way Jaskier sees it, his hobby of following a witcher around was always pretty likely to get him killed.
The fact that it's happening now because the witcher in question doesn't love him, he thinks as he coughs up crumpled flowers, hardly makes a difference.
My favorite hanahaki fic in the fandom. Iâm such a sucker for these, and these two idiots being so incapable of talking about their feelings really makes them prime candidates.Â
Food of Love | T | 22,488 | @wallatile-qvibbler
I brought a dead princess back to life through the power of song is the kind of thing that would have got an eyebrow raise even from the stone-faced Geralt of Rivia, so it's a good thing he and Geralt will probably never see each other again.
(or: the one where Jaskier channels magic through his songs, and it almost never goes as expected.)
This is a Jaskier and Renfri centric fic, which wasnât something I knew I wanted until I read this. Jaskier is a bard which in this AU comes with magical powers, but it feels so well integrated into the universe that I wish it was just... how the Witcher is. Renfri is so good here, and even though Jaskier and Geralt barely even interact you can feel the tension and love between them. Cannot recommend highly enough.
friends and allies of the witcher | T | 10,312 | @theamazingbard
Yennefer crawls over to her newest cellmate. Theyâre curled up on their side. Breathing, but only just. Sheâs not sure what sheâs hoping for when she turns them over. Still isnât when she sees that it is indeed Jaskier.
âShit."
Yennefer and Jaskier each suffer in more ways than one at the hands of Nilfgaard.
Yennefer and Jaskier get capture by Nilfgaard and tossed into a cell together. Exactly what I want out of season 2 honestly. Their interactions are gold.
Iâd Be the Choiceless Hope | E | 45,188 | WARNING: Rape/Non-Con | @lesdemonium
As a baby, Jaskier was visited by a fae, who gifted Jaskier's mother with Jaskier's obedience. As Jaskier grew older, the "gift" became more of a curse.
You know Iâm not gonna make a rec list without listing Zoeâs Ella Enchanted au. Need I say more?
Silver and Copper | M |Â 56,139 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence | @kaer-cuan
Geralt is just supposed to pass through the quiet Lettenhove area. He's not anticipating being begged by its people to help save their viscount from a curse that keeps him from daylight. Lord Jaskier, they call him, and he's likely dying.
As Geralt struggles to untangle the ugly web of history that has lead to the increasingly complicated curse, he finds himself spending more and more time with the strange young viscount and wondering just what he might have been before the curse, and who he might be after. But things are not always as they seem, and as the curse tightens its grip on Jaskier, Geralt is forced to face the fear of failing yet another person whose choices were stolen from them.
Or-
Jaskier is kept from becoming a bard. Geralt finds him anyway.
This is a fic that haunts me. Itâs very scary in parts, and mind the tags - there are some very heavy themes here. But itâs beautiful and touching, and Jaskier feels very true to himself even though his origin is so different.
we could be married (and then we'd be happy)Â | E | 50,222 | @a-kind-of-merry-war
Jaskier reached into his pocket, fingers grasping around the little box. He pulled it out with what he hoped was a romantic flourish, flipping it open to reveal the simple gold band inside. âGeralt,â he said, confidently, cooly, like this wasnât terrifying, âWill you marry me?â
Geralt and Jaskier fake marriage proposals to get free deserts and shit but it goes tits up when Vesemir catches them in the act. Not knowing how to fess up, they go along with it for a while, which is hell because theyâre both pining like mad. As I said, I donât love modern auâs, but itâs merry so of course this one had to end up on my list.
~
And thatâs it! 20 fics for you, and hopefully you can all find one or two you havenât read before. There are a lot of people and fics that I didnât include in this list only because I was trying to not put a million down (which I could). I highly recommend anything by @wherethewordsare, @julek, @contemplativepancakes, @witcher-and-his-bard, and @inber, as well as those linked to fics above, and Iâm sure there are others I forgot to mention. Yall have truly made being in this fandom worthwhile <3
#geraskier#geraskier fic recs#geralt of rivia#geralt#jaskier#witcher#fic recs#fic rec#I'm certain i missed a lot of good ones I've read over the years but I didn't want to risk making this super fucking long anyways#if you didn't see your name listed it isn't bc I don't adore you and your fics it's because i'm stupid <333
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hi... how about head cannons about the dorm leaders with a magical girl mc from either the puella magi magica madoka, magical girl site, magical girl raising project or princess tutu universe please?
I'll be doing Magical Girl Raising Project for this one! Iâll be using the abilities found in the anime since Iâm not creative enough to think of any myself. The personalities of the characters themselves have nothing to do with the abilities I chose, theyâre their own person! This is written as platonic! I hope this is alright!
As an extra note, this was a really interesting topic to write about. I enjoyed it! I actually just binge watched this anime for this request! It was quite good, I might pick up the light novels!
Warning: Mild mentions of gore; spoilers for Magical Girl Raising Project(?)
Dorm leaders reacting to a Magical Girl Mc
A new game has been released! Customize your own Magical Girl and work hard to defeat monsters!
Granted a 1-in-10,000 chance to be a real-life Magical Girl, the unfortunate souls who agree to the contract are unknowingly pulled into a world of bloodshed. All Magical Girls are expected to collect Magical candies through acts of helpfulness. Whomever is at the bottom of the ranking list by the end of the week is greeted by death. That is, if they can even make it that far.

Magic: Swimming through objects as if they were water - the objects do not affect the user as they pass through them.
Heâs never heard of an ability quite like yours! It isnât teleportation--itâs literally going through objects, ignoring any kind of barrier. It sounds impossible. Understandably, he doesnât believe you until you show him.
Please refrain from popping out of random places in an attempt to scare him. He doesnât want to be on edge everyday, the stress he has now is more than enough.
Heâs curious about the whole situation. Just how and why did these âpeopleâ wrap you (and others) into such a terrible contract? How is it possible to grant these special abilities onto otherwise magicless people? Unfortunately, you most likely donât have answers for those questions.
Sadly, Riddle doesnât know of a way to help you out of this. The library may have some information, but the chances are slim nonetheless. He can offer assistance in candy collecting instead!
Something always seems to be going on at his dorm, it would help him greatly if you were to keep an eye on everything and everyone. He knows it isnât much, but every little bit counts. You have his full support.

Magic: Entering the dreams of others - the ability to pass through the Dream World, granting access to the dreams of those who are currently sleeping.
Heâs extremely annoyed. He doesnât understand whatâs happening. Heâs only seen you a couple times before, so why do you seem to plague all of his dreams?
In his dreams, you move so vividly and in-character, it baffles him. Dream versions of people can be accurate, but never to such an extent each time. Heâll confront you about it soon enough. He has no evidence of what youâre doing, however vivid memories of dream-you push him to demand answers anyways.
Highly uncomfortable to know his dreams, his usual safe place, can be invaded by a person. He demands that you stop. You can go bother someone else, he doesnât need that kind of help. If he sees you in there one more time, he may have to resort to other methods to get you to stop.
In regards to earning candies, unless you ask him specifically for help, there isnât much he can do. You can always help Ruggie out with chores around Savanaclaw and youâll be set. Itâs a good deal for both sides, you can earn some candies and Leona can finally sleep comfortably again.
He finds the system youâre stuck in deplorable. Unfortunately, he canât get you out of it, but if you ever need extra help he can always have Ruggie find one or two ways to get you those extra candies you need.

Magic: Hearing the thoughts of those in need - with enough training, the user can pinpoint the location of a person. Additionally, they can hear thoughts apart from cries for help.
Your special magic interests him greatly. He already has a good pool of information of all the students, but being able to hear their most inner thoughts is something truly amazing. No amount of research could easily give him those kinds of details.
He has the twins watch over you for a bit, gathering as much information as they can about your situation and what you go about doing.
Given the circumstances, he doubts he can rob this ability of yours through a contract. This does however present an amazing opportunity.
This could blossom into a wonderful partnership. You need to collect candies, and heâs always willing to accept requests from those âpoorâ souls who need help. By helping him, you can meet your quota! The rules never did mention what kind of help you were limited to offer after all.
He pities you, nothing can be done about your situation at the moment. You can rest assured though, youâll never be at the bottom of the leaderboard with him around!
When time allows it, Floyd and Jade will be busy poking their noses where they donât belong. The mascot that appears when youâre around seems to come from that phone you use. If they can see it, then that means these beings have made a mistake somehow. Is it possible to find a way to free you from this through that?

Magic: Transforming into any biologically living being - the size and shape of the creature do not matter, anything is fair game.
When he first discovers your special magic, heâll be amazed! Transformation magic isnât exactly easy, so being able to turn into whatever creature you want sounds like a lot of fun!
Heâll be begging you to turn into a wide variety of animals. Can you please turn into a tiger? How about an elephant? Maybe an alpaca? This could go on for hours if you donât stop him.
Upon learning the darker side of the Magical Girl world, he starts to cry. He knows the world isnât all sunshine and rainbows, but this is too cruel. You didnât know you would suffer this way. They should have at least given you all the information beforehand. Better yet, they shouldnât be doing something so awful in the first place.
Because he finds it hard to keep secrets from Jamil, he ends up telling him about you. He then needs to convince Jamil that you arenât trying to get him killed.
He goes around asking if people need help. He wants to do everything he can to ensure you survive. Money canât get you out of this game, heâs tried to use it but that mascot that follows you around always refuses it.
Kalim doesnât want you to die. Just thinking about it makes his head spin and worry bubble. It wouldnât be his fault if you died in the first place, but the guilt would consume him entirely.

Magic: Freely manipulating sound - the user can generate sound from anywhere and even recreate the voices of others. As an added result of this ability, the user has enhanced hearing.
Vil wonât forgive you if you decide to mimic Epelâs voice so he can escape. He may be evading his lessons for now, but Vil will find a way to drill them into him later on.
He never would have thought such a thing was possible. This terrible fate youâve had forced onto you makes no sense. The beautiful power youâve been given is nothing compared to the price. He doesnât blame you, he blames whatever is doing this.Â
If such a game exists in the world of Twisted Wonderland, heâll use his influence to dissuade people from playing. Vil will do this behind the scenes of course, his public image has to remain intact.
He actively requests your assistance. For example, helping his dorm improve their instrument playing--your impressive hearing can detect small mistakes they need to work on. Apart from this, he regrettably canât offer more help.
Hone your abilities and work with what you have. He knows you can prevail. Please take care of yourself as you move forward.

Magic: Receiving one futuristic tool a day - the ability to randomly pick one useful tool out of 444,444,444. The tool breaks down and is no longer of use after a day passes.
Heâs in awe. A real life Magical Girl! To think they could really exist outside of anime! Just what kind of world did you come from? Forget living in a world where magic is common, Magical Girls are on a different level entirely! Curiosity gnaws at him, but given how shy he is he wonât approach you with questions himself. Ortho is more than happy to ask any questions for him in his place though!
Once he finds out youâre one of those Magical Girls, he feels a tad sympathetic. You really got the short end of the stick in life didnât you? He knew the possibility was there, that trope is not uncommon, but a small piece of him wished it wasnât the case.
He supposes your special magic can be compared to gacha luck. You never really know what youâre going to get. Unfortunately, in your case you canât even calculate rates for good rolls.
If youâre willing to let him, heâll happily take apart the tools and gadgets you get from your daily pull. One of those future items should help him create even better machines than he can now! And even they canât, disassembling and reassembling objects heâs never seen is a thrill in and of itself
If you happen to hear a small tip from Ortho or someone else about an issue occurring around campus, it may or may not have been Idia. He has eyes all around the school, spotting problems is quite easy.
Heâll be rooting for you from the sidelines. Youâre a protagonist in this story, he hopes you can make it through to the end.

Magic: Extreme regeneration - being able to recover from any wound so long as a portion of the userâs body is left.
Mortified when he finds your body all mangled and bruised after a rough âaccident.â Malleus is ready to destroy whoever or whatever did this to you. He cares about you greatly, the very thought of seeing you in such a state makes his stomach churn and pure rage wash over him.
Once you explain your situation, he can grasp enough to understand the major gist of it. He doesnât quite know what a âMagical Girlâ is but obviously it isnât something good. Otherwise, you wouldnât be in such a terrible situation.
To know that you can take care of yourself in the face of danger, makes him relieved. Although he doesnât like the idea of you getting hurt at all, a healing ability is always wonderful to possess.
While you earn candies, Malleus will be working on a way to free you.
Even if these beings who granted you this ability are âall-powerful,â his magical capabilities are among the top in all the world. Perhaps, he can start by politely asking for answers from the leader of this group. If that seems to fail, killing off that mascot seems like a good place to start instead.

#twisted wonderland#twisted wonderland x reader#twst#twst x reader#twst headcanons#riddle rosehearts#riddle rosehearts x reader#leona kingscholar#leona kingscholar x reader#azul ashengrotto#azul ashengrotto x reader#kalim al asim#kalim al asim x reader#vil schoenheit#vil shoenheit x reader#idia shroud#idia shroud x reader#malleus draconia#malleus draconia x reader
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Bad boys bring Heaven to you | Mark Lee

⸠Mark Lee x reader ⸠Smut, Smut, Smut, Fluff, Angst, demon au ⸠HALLOWEEN SERIES: 127 HOUSE ⸠4/5 for NEOHALLOWEEN writing festival hosted by @nct-writersâ
Summary: He was your guardian angel and your dark desires changed him for the creature that he is now. He gave you a baby so he can make sure that youâre going to be together forever, Â but you donât want to keep it.
Word count: 9k
Warnings: Rough sex, vanilla sex, a lot of sex will happen Iâm telling you, overstimulation, pregnancy, filthy, minor/major(?) character killings, major character death, possessive behaviour, swearing, mentions of other idols, unprotected sex hence the pregnancy, mention of abortion, hospital scenes, Â
A/N: FILTH. But I lessen the smut scenes (just a bit hehe)Â Â Words in Italics are Markâs thoughts.
Taglist: (if I happen to forgot you, Iâm sorry! But these names are on my list. Thank you!) @huangxx @floweringtheflowers @minejungwoo @swimmingkpopblog @luvlyjaemin @capablemork8299 @jaehyunoos @neospirited @shanghai-lu @jenotation @strawberrytyong @lilminyoongles @cottonmyeonbby @neosaniuniverse @simp4mk @jaejaenim @junglewoosâ @sunshineleedonghyuckâÂ
I used to be your guardian angel, but being a demon is the only way that I can be with you.
Guard and protect. Those are the only things that I should be doing as I stay by your side until your dying breath. Guard your heart so you could make the right decisions in life and help you with your choices. Protect you from all kinds of harm so you can live a long happy life until your time finally comes.
You just turned ten years old when you were assigned to me, I just turned thirteen at that time. I even sang you a happy birthday together with the others during your celebration. I was beside you when you blew the candle and listened to your wish. From there on itâs always been you and me, we pretty much grew up together.
I guide you with your decisions every day, protect you inside and outside your home, and listen to your prayers. Oh, I love to listen to your voice whenever you pray. It calms me and your prayers are good proof that Iâm doing a great job as your guardian angel.
But as we grow up, you started making impulsive decisions that I donât have control with. You changed during your teenage years, you no longer pray and let me hear the sound of your prayers anymore. Iâm afraid you will no longer need me and that they will assign me to a new human after a few years.
When you were seventeen, you almost lost your virginity to someone whoâs not worthy. Iâm sorry but I have to meddle with that so I stopped it and gave the guy a piercing headache. I feel sorry for what Iâve done, truly. But he doesnât deserve you.
I feel bad about what I did so I seek guidance from my senior angel, Doyoung. I told him everything that I felt the moment I saw the guy enter your room and watch him kiss you and put his hands around your body. I told Doyoung that for the first time, I hated your smile because you like what the guy is doing to you.
Do you know what Doyoung told me? He said that Iâm starting to be unholy and have feelings for you. Â
And itâs true. Iâm starting to be more and more ungodly as I continue to watch you touch yourself every night with your fingers inside you, and instead of prayers, I hear moans from you every night. You started to have perverted desires which I canât help you with because Iâm an angel. Iâm completely aware that Iâm failing with my mission and scared to face my senior angels and keep me away from you.
If I lose you, I will be meaningless.
I sold my soul to the devil so I can be with you and follow you to a path full of desires.
Itâs still the same. Iâm still me but my job has no rules now and I can do whatever that pleases me to keep you in my life. Over the years of being a demon, I watch you now in a very different way. I watch you shower and get dressed, I watch you touch yourself with legs wide open as I masturbate beside you, I possessed every guy you have sex with and we always have a great time.
But I want more than this.
For many years, youâve already mastered the art of living alone and you are your own companion. Alone in the morning, alone at night. It is a lonely and tiring life, but still, you find comfort in being just with yourself. Â
Eating dinner alone in a fast food restaurant near your apartment has been your daily routine since the day youâve landed the job of being a real estate agent away from home. Selling houses left and right, having the luxury and time to flirt and enjoy one night stands, earning buckets and buckets of money, but still, you feel alone and incomplete.
As you were just about to start to dig in, your phone rang, it was your boss calling about 127 House. The haunted house thatâs been unoccupied for almost three years now and has been threatened to be taken down tomorrow and itâs part of your job to save it.
âSomeone is finally interested, were going to meet him at the office tomorrow. My assistant says itâs an anonymous buyer and we just have to wait for tomorrow to talk things outâ he explains excitedly. The sound of his voice was a little loud on the phone. Â
âThis is great newsâ you answered calmly, âI love that house thankfully were saving it. Have your assistant send me the details for tomorrow- Yeah, thank you!â
One of the many good things that you love about your job, is the happiness that comes with it when a house can be a home after being empty and cold for years. Haunted or not, just like a normal house, the 127 House deserves to be a home for a family. Â
After having dinner alone, you quickly reviewed some of the contracts for the anonymous client for tomorrow, reviewing your presentation one last time and finally letting out a big sigh, patting yourself on the shoulder, telling yourself âgood job.â It would be so great if someone can really say it in front of your face and actually getting a pat on the shoulder.
Thankful nonetheless because finally you have time for yourself and reward yourself with a nice shower. But even during your shower, you were spaced out and you kept thinking how itâs actually a miracle that the 127 House got a buyer a day before itâs going to be taken down. The house was beautiful, haunted but beautiful. It would be such a waste if it wasnât given a second chance.
âOh fuckâ you cursed when you realized you put too much soap on your body. As you were busy rinsing all the soap from your body, down to your legs until your toes, when you felt something touch your wet hair, and you turned around to see if something fell off from your rack but there's nothing, weird. You shrugged it off and continue rinsing your soapy skin, and finally putting shampoo on your hair. You close your eyes and massage your scalp, you love how the hot water feels against your skin and how it calms your nerves. Then again, you felt something touch your skin. But this time it ran up and down your slit and youâre sure it's not the hot water.
Quickly you ended your peaceful shower, reached for your towel, and prepare yourself for bed. Maybe it was hot water after all and you were just being paranoid and tired from work. The comfort your bed provides felt even more relaxing as you entertain yourself and scroll through Twitter for a moment, reading updates and seeing different trends then an interesting small clip of porn catches your attention. You watch it like a hawk and allow yourself to be aroused and turned on. Satisfied with the porn you just watched, you removed your shorts and underwear leaving only your thin oversized shirt, and proceed to touch yourself freely.
Sucking your point and middle finger, you played with your slit with your wet fingers running it up and down until you get wet real good. Teasing yourself before you proceed on putting it inside, you shamelessly spread your legs wider lifting your shirt so you could pinch your nipples while you make yourself feel good down there.
âYes, babyâ
You heard someone talk near you but thereâs no one in the room but you. You live alone. Not bothering about it anymore, you closed your eyes again and continue touching yourself. âOhhh babyâ you moan and feed your imagination that someone is making you feel good right now. You part your mouth and let out soft moans, kicking your blanket until it falls.
âOpen your eyesâ
âOwâ you suddenly felt something pinched your right nipple. You opened your eyes and stopped what youâre doing because the creepy things that are happening tonight are getting out of hand. You see a shadow of someone seated right beside you and you quickly grabbed anything you could cover your legs with for you feel so exposed in front of a stranger who could be a rapist.
âAre you getting shy? Baby?â
You open your lampshade with a slight panic and you see lustful eyes looking deep into yours. Whoever this person is, he looked angelic but what heâs doing right now says otherwise. âWe can talk after we fuck. Can you remove your shirt?â his surprisingly sexy voice made you gave in and followed what he asked for. âDonât be scared, alright?â he added.
With nervous hands, you nod and sat up immediately to remove your shirt and make yourself naked in front of the handsome stranger. Suddenly, heâs right beside you, naked and arms pillowing his head showing off his arms, cock hard already. Is this a dream? This has to be.
âIâm Mark. How do you want this? Do I fuck you or do you fuck me?â he asked confidently with a teasing smirk.
âI fuck youâ you said, since he looks so handsome laying in bed like that, the urge to ride your imaginary man is growing and growing and itâs making you hornier. Heâs like a magnet that invites you to straddle him and ride him until he's gone and you can finally rest.
âI donât think soâ he got up from his comfortable position and kissed your neck wildly holding your shoulders as he kisses you down to the mattress âDo you know what I am? Hmm?â his kisses were addicting and itâs making you weak like heâs sucking all your energy. He slaps your ass deliciously when you donât answer him, the sting stayed on your right ass cheek for a few seconds.
âA man from my dream?â you answered weakly.
âCorrect. And Iâm a demonâ the last word made you shiver and you tried to push him away, even tried kicking him but itâs useless. âWhatâs wrong? You werenât like this when you were moaning just a few minutes agoâ his deep voice scares the shit out of you but it makes you horny at the same time. This isnât right. To your surprise, he licks a long stripe on your neck and told you, âYouâre mineâ
He flips you on the mattress pinning your arms down with a force. âClose your legs tightly and donât fucking move, Iâm going to play with youâ you closed your legs and you feel him massage your ass cheeks telling you how theyâre perfectly soft and bouncy, teasing your cunt from behind and licking it until heâs satisfied and happy on how wet you are. Â
The position Mark put you in, made you even more harder to breathe and you canât move for your own liking. You feel him push his cock without caution, fucking you with closed legs as he loses his mind with how good you feel around him. You, on the other hand, is a moaning mess. Gasping and breathing much air for your life as you let the demon fuck you quick and rough. Mark put his entire weight on your back, resting his left cheek on your face, thrusting in your tight cunt as you whimper and grunt under him.
âOh baby, does it hurt?â he felt you nod your head and flinch whenever he gave you sharp thrusts. âShhh baby, I donât care. It feels good around meâ he said and reached for your lips for a soft kiss. The handsome demon continued giving you hard and piercing thrust until he came inside you, âNow slowly spread your legsâ you followed him weakly and you wished you didnât.
Spreading your legs for him just gave him a new angle that made you more sensitive. Unconsciously, you arched your back for him now making the demon happy and smirk as he pounds you from behind, âyou look so hot from up here, I might get you pregnantâ you moan out how good he feels and grip the sheets on your bed. By this time only the sheets and the mattress can understand how intense the sex is.
He cupped your boobs from behind with both hands, still fucking you good but even deeper this time. âOh please, this is too muchâ you cry out and beg but he never listens, he just gives you low chuckles. Low devilish chuckles.
When he finally stopped the good torture, you thought that was it, but youâre wrong. He stopped for a second and made you kneel against his chest and put his middle and point finger in your mouth and coat it with your spit, âtell me Y/n, do you want a baby? boy or a girl?â he removed his fingers and put it on your clit, drawing circles slowly as he enjoys listening to your whimpers while waiting for your answer.
âA boyâ you gasp sharply as you try your best to answer. His fingers are making you weak that youâre legs are already giving up, you just want to lay flat on the mattress. He put the same fingers again in your mouth, letting you taste your pussy juices.
âGreat choice. Want me to cum inside you, huhâ you nod at him not because you want it, but you just want to satisfy the demon and feel him pound against you deliciously again. He canât actually plant a baby inside you, right? This is a dream.
He pushed you on the bed and flipped you again, âPlease be gentle, I beg you youâre so bigâ you reached for Markâs face hoping that he has even a small ounce of mercy for you. Being underneath him like this made you realized that he is even more handsome up close, you bravely touched the soft skin of his face wondering how can someone or something looked so angelic on the outside but demonic on the inside. Â
As you admire the beauty of the demon on top of you, he made himself comfortable in between your legs kissing your body, and sucking your nipples just how you wanted. âOkay, since you asked so so so nicely babyâ he kissed you and proceeds to line his cock in your entrance, pushing in slowly and gently as you requested for the first time tonight. Giving you a few slow and gently thrusts, you moaned and smiled whiled he let you enjoy your request. You may not know, but the demon is admiring your smile, so he kissed those soft lips of yours once again. âNow, can I rough you up a little?â he sure has no patience. You have no other choice when he puts your arms around him, âIâll let you touch meâ Â
Thrusting hard again in no time, making your boobs bounce underneath him. Again, you whimper and asked for more this time. âCan I kiss you?â you asked with ragged breaths, he answered your question with a kiss, as if heâs letting you know that you can kiss him whenever you want to, in exchange for fucking you hard.
âYouâre mine from now onâ he repeats over and over again, hearing him grunt and moans like he was in pain but he was having a mind blowing orgasm. Shooting his cum inside you, looking at how fucked you are right now.
âWill I see you again? Tell me Iâll see you againâ you whine under heavy breathing.
Mark kissed your parted lips sweetly, âyou will, you willâ he answers you. Itâs like he has a switch or an off button for his rough attitude because heâs suddenly sweet. âItâs over now baby, you did great. Hmm.â he kept on kissing your lips until you have the energy to kiss him back. âThat was great right? We will be great parentsâ
 I left Heaven for you and gladly I will leave Hell too.
I am a selfish demon.
My intention for you is to love you deeply every day for as long as I exist. You may not hear me tell you âi love youâ but my actions are good and enough proof that my love for you is real and I want to show more.
I no longer want to possess another human just so I can talk to you or have sex with you. I no longer want to meet you secretly in your dreams and remain as your imaginary man. I want to wake up beside you and see your smile first thing in the morning, to be able to exist and be part of your life completely, walk on the streets hand in hand and live a full life with you.
Itâs too much to ask, I know. But itâs not a bad thing.
As I watch you grow as an adult, you became more and more lonely, incomplete, and unsatisfied with the things you have in your life. I can make you happy Iâm sure of it.
And giving you a baby is something that can make you need me or can make you want me to stay and be part of your life. Iâm sorry.
But Iâm a selfish demon and all I wanted is to be with you.
The sound of your phone ringing woke you up from a disturbingly nice dream. Another call from your boss about 127 House, today is the day that the house will finally be saved. As you stretch your body in bed, itâs weird how you feel so sore and tired when you perfectly remember sleeping early last night and had the weirdest dream in your life. The sex from the dream played like a movie picture in your head, the handsome face of the demon is engraved in your mind, âMarkâ you whispered as you remember his name and how he kissed you oh so sweetly while he was telling you that youâre going to be great parents.
Knowing that itâs just a dream, you shrugged it off and started your day with a nice coffee and light breakfast, reviewing your presentation on the side for later, making sure that everything you say about the house will not make the buyer turn their back.
Another day at the office is another annoying day with your boss, which is also your ex boyfriend. Yuta is a good proof that you donât know how to be with someone else other than yourself because youâre used to being alone that you donât let other people inside your life. And yet, you feel lonely and you still want to try. Yuta is a great guy, but the problem is not him, itâs you.
âWell you look beautiful⌠and glowingâ he greets you with his perfect smile before you two enter the empty and cold conference room. He recognizes that glow, and it hurts his pride that youâre fucking somebody else and not him. Even though itâs clear to him that youâre not together anymore, he still thinks he owns you.
You smiled back at him and proceed to prepare your things before the client comes in. Itâs obvious that something is bothering Yuta, you wanted to ask him but youâre afraid to give him the wrong idea about you being concerned. So you focused your mind elsewhere and did not mind him further.
âAh! Mr. Lee, welcome. Please take a seat. May I introduce you to one of my finest realtor, Ms. Y/n. Leave everything to herâ
The client is facing Yuta and all you can see is his handsome figure from behind, nice ass, you thought. You put up a smile and ready yourself to shake hands with the client that will save the 127 House. âHi Mr. Lee-â
It was truly an unexpected moment. You will never forget that angelic face that you admired so much in your dream. You try to hide your uneasiness and remained professional as you shake hands with Mr. Lee and proceed with your presentation.
During your presentation, you canât stop thinking of the man with the same face and angelic features as Mr. Lee, fucking you senseless in your dream. It was just a dream but as you dive in more to the memory, you can almost feel the wet kisses that he left on your neck, the way he hurt you so good stretching your cunt, and his amazing duality after the sex. ââŚand that is all for 127 House, which will all be yours after we schedule you for a private tour so can see for yourself-â
âTell me Ms. Y/n, do you like this house?â
âItâs one of our best, of course, sir-â
âNo. I mean. Do you see yourself smiling and completely happy if you happen to own the 127 House?â
Itâs a question that you canât answer on the spot but come to think of it, yes, having a family with a big house to call it home isnât such a bad choice in life. But for now, having a family is not on your cards clearly because youâre single at the moment and youâre not ready to have a family of your own. To answer your clientâs question, âYes, sir. I think the 127 House will change my life upside down, in and out if I happen to own it. My future children will have such beautiful homeâ you smiled awkwardly at him, hoping that your answer finally satisfies him.
âYouâre going to be a great parent,â he says with a teasing tone that you donât know what itâs for. You were sure that heâs smirking at you while Yuta explains the contract to Mr. Leeâs assistant and you were sure, that he has something to do with your dream. This canât be.
As Yuta finishes the meeting with a light note and had his secretary help Mr. Lee with the contract and money talk, you canât help but think about your future. A husband, your own house, having kids, all those things were floating in your mind. âIf you wanted the house you couldâve just told meâ Yutaâs voice brought you back to reality. The conference room was again empty and itâs you and Yuta were all thatâs left.
âWhat are you talking aboutâ you fixed your things and try to avoid Yutaâs presence.
âWe couldâve been married and have kids you know,â he came close to you like heâs just about to kiss you.
âAnd I broke up with you for a reason, that I donât love you anymore. Stop hurting yourself Yu, were fine now donât ruin thisâ hearing that made Yuta remember the night you broke up with him. Still hurt like hell he thought.
You left him in the conference room and went back to work, went on with your usual day at the office. Busying yourself further and finishing loads of tasks before you head home. But despite your busy day, you kept on thinking about Mr. Lee over and over again, and that demon in your dream who had sex with you and told you about being great parents. Something is connecting the demon and Mr. Lee but you canât point out what exactly.
As much as you want to deny the clues and just move forward with your life, your gut tells you that theyâre the same person and thereâs only one way to find out, ask the demon. But he never showed up again which leads you to your second option, contact Mr. Lee or his assistant. And as expected, theyâre out of reach. Itâs absurd, time wasting, and scary, but you would rather be scared of the truth than not knowing anything at all.
Night after night, you hopelessly wait for the handsome demon to visit you again. Secretly hoping that he will show up in your dream, even just for a minute no more no less, even if itâs just for sex, you just need to talk to him.
Work piles up and you continue to busy yourself selling houses, closing deals every week, watching couples be happy because they finally have a home, hoping that someday that could be you so you wonât get lonely in life. But with whom?
âYou look awful, are you okay?â thatâs what Yuta said instead of greeting you good morning and flirt with you like he normally does.
âYeah. I feel like shit, but Iâm fine. Maybe overworked, but Iâm fineâ itâs true, you donât usually get sick because of overworking but this is different. You feel weak and tired even if you got enough sleep. Heck, even if youâre not working youâre still tired and dizzy. âSo I was thinking some of the major points for the campaign-â
You didnât finish your sentence and left Yuta in your office and ran to the nearest restroom to throw up. It was not hungover, that part youâre sure, you donât get sick like whenever youâre tired from work. It doesn't make any sense. Then you realized, âfuck, Iâm lateâ and there's only one person or creature to blame. Mark, the demon.
Hot tears fall from your eyes as you flush the toilet, wipe your mouth, and gather your strength to come out of the cubicle. To your surprise, Yuta was just outside the lady's restroom, waiting for you and making sure that youâre okay. He has his own thoughts and if heâs being completely honest, heâs disgusted. How can you be so stupid? Getting yourself knocked up before you even get married?
âWhoâs the father?â he leaned on the door frame, arms crossed and already judging you.
âPlease Yuta not nowâ the last thing you need right now is your ex being unreasonable.
âAre you going to keep it? Iâm willing to pay for the abortion, I know youâre not yet readyâ thatâs it. That made you snap. Yuta is a nice person, but sometimes he doesnât know what heâs talking about and he constantly forgets his role in your life.
âHow dare you. Iâm speechless Yuta. You donât want this baby not because of the reason that Iâm not ready but for your selfish reasons, which Iâm not interested. Youâre my boss, can I leave early?â
Of course, Yuta didnât take it well. His pride was hurt, the baby is like an ending note for the both of you. The meaningless conversation with Yuta lasted for almost half an hour, itâs like a never ending loophole whenever you talk to him about personal issues and you hate it. With or without Yutaâs permission, you went home and take care of yourself. The pregnancy test made it official and once again, you feel lost and lonely more than ever. How can the demon do this to you? Is this some kind of joke? Or maybe youâre just a one time thing for him.
Hoping that everything will be fine once youâre all well rested, you decided to sleep it off and try to fix and handle things when you wake up. The moment you closed your eyes, you feel wet kisses all over your exposed shoulders. You even felt the bed dip as if someone joined you to bed and shared their warmth.
âBaby Iâm hereâ Mark whispers, trying to wake you up. It may not feel like it, but you were sleeping for two hours already. âYouâre not just a one time thing for me" he added.
His hot breath woke you up, and finally seeing the handsome demon again unexpectedly made you feel better and welcomed him with a warm hug. Even Mark was shocked but he accepts your hug and returned to you even more warmly. His skin is hot, or maybe thatâs just his warmth. He smelled like cinnamon, hot afternoons, did he just came from hell and went straight to your apartment? Â
âI didnât show up for days because I wanted to make sure you wanted to see meâ he disturbed your thoughts. Putting your hair away from your face and leaving light feathery kisses on your lips.
âMark, Iâm pregnantâ you finally blurted out. Curious about what heâs going to react.
âAnd?â he was avoiding eye contact not because heâs shy, but because he canât believe he can admire you closely like this and you finally know he exists. âCan we fuck first then talk later?â
You still have a lot of questions for him but he never gave you answers and it frustrates you. Itâs been weeks since the last time you saw each other and heâs thinking about fucking right now. Unbelievable. âNot having sex with you until you tell me answers,â you said as gentle as possible, not wanting the demon to leave you empty handed again.
He just chuckled. Well, at least heâs not leaving yet because heâs starting to spread kisses all over your exposed skin. Feeling those incredible lips again makes you even more relaxed, his hands all around your sides roaming softly. You canât believe youâre finally letting him in without boundaries.
âShow me your tits,â he said, lifting your thin shirt so easily.
âIf I showed you my tits will you stop and finally have a decent conversation with me?â
âIf you showed me your tits, baby I wont' stop. Iâm here to remind you that youâre mineâ he said heavily breathing from the hungry kiss biting your ears, your neck, and your lips. You pushed him away for a moment but it was a gentle push. You didnât want to piss him off.
His hands are ready to push your bra down, heâs just waiting for you to let go and stop being a bitch. You figured you got nothing to lose so you grabbed his face and kissed him like how you missed him. Putting his hands on your boobs, guiding his hands to push down your bra and show him your tits. âThatâs my girl,â he said in between kisses, feeling his warm smile before he pulls away and finally looks at your tits. âMine,â he said, before licking a long stripe from your left nipple up to your chest, neck, and ends on your lips. Kissing you passionately before he does it again with your right boob. âLift your chestâ you followed what he said and you felt him unclasp your bra swiftly, It was a sign to remove your shirt and help him undress you.
Both naked in bed kissing like a loving couple, Mark decided to go a little easy on you tonight. After all, roughing you up is not part of his plan and purpose of his visit. He goes on top of you, lips still not leaving yours. âDid you miss me?â he asks, you can only answer using your hungry kisses. You feel his hand travel up and down your body oh so softly youâre starting to get ticklish that your lips parts because of his soft touches, he puts your panties in your mouth and your eyes widened in shock.
âIâm going to go easy on you tonight, donât worryâ he says. Mark looks handsomely scary and filthy right now in between your open legs licking your boobs and brushing his hand on your nipples making you sensitive. He reaches for your hand to suck your fingers good while looking directly in your eyes. You rolled your head back on your fluffy pillows, moaning and whimpering, letting your ruined panties in your mouth muffle the sounds that youâre making. If this was his idea of going easy then youâre fucked.
Mark letâs go of your left hand so he can touch your pussy while kissing your lower abdomen. Your hips roll uncontrollably and Mark likes the sounds that youâre making. He kneels in front of you and grabbed your free hand to pump his cock, play with its tip before he goes in. He lines his cock to your entrance and pushed in one hard thrust. Since your mouth is occupied, you can only hear Markâs grunts while fucking you hard in the first few thrusts. It was too much, you were in tears. Sobbing and whimpering from the hurt. He noticed it. He removed your panties from your mouth crashing his lips to yours the moment he threw your wet panties away. âThat was hot right?â He continues to kiss you wildly while giving you merciless thrusts. You try to breathe and catch your breath but he won't let you, âMark, pleaseâ you call him out weakly.
âNo, baby. Youâre doing perfect donât disappoint meâ he kissed and kissed you until both of your lips are swollen. Thrust and thrust in your pussy until your boobs bounce nonstop and youâre on edge. The moment you reached your orgasm, Mark kissed you softly but he never stopped fucking you. You smiled at him, reaching for his face for another sweet kiss, helping him catch his sweet release.
He gave you three piercing thrusts that hurt so bad but felt so good before he pulls out and came on your pussy lips. Spreading white thick fluids all over your folds, and going in for the last time for his own satisfaction and pullout again quickly. It was a quick stretch that hurt but it was bearable.
He lay down beside you, spooning you and kissing your shoulders. Running a finger on your nipples as you both calm down and enjoy your fluffy bed and soft pillows. âAs always you did goodâ he cuddles with you in bed, something you didnât see coming. Even though heâs all scary and rude heâs capable of being sweet and you love it.
âHow about that talk you owe me?â you kissed his neck as a way of returning the favor for making you feel good.
âLetâs go on a date. I want to do this right, itâs never my intention to scare youâ
âYouâre naturally scary, you donât know that?â he smiles and made his one arm as his pillow so he can look at you properly.
âIâll stop the baby from growing. For now. One date Y/n, and if you still hate me itâs over between us. The baby⌠the baby is my only way so I can stay with you foreverâ Â
Weird. The idea of Mark leaving you doesnât sound so good. And to be honest you want to spend more time with him. He nuzzles your armpit making you laugh and giggle and at the same time. Heâs cute when he's in the good mood.
âYou could have asked me to go on a date first before you knocked me up,â you kissed his cheek and watch him roll his eye at you. Handsome. So handsome you thought.
âNo. Having a baby will be our priority. Please, let's be happy. I can change your lifeâ
Unfortunately, as you listen to the handsome demon confess his feelings for you, you suddenly thought about Yuta. Your ex wanted the exact same thing and things didnât go well between you two. Thereâs something different about Mark that makes you want to try and work this family thing out with him. Even if heâs a demon if he can love you unconditionally, well having a family with him isnât so bad.
But still, you need time. And getting you pregnant first before building an established relationship is too much.
I knew you will not take it easily, and it's fine by me I have all the patience in the world.
I'm selfish but I canât force you to love me and your love, thatâs what I want. Thatâs why I have to win you. Even if going on dates isnât my best way to make you fall in love with me, itâs the right thing to do.
Yes, I can force you to stay in my house with that baby, but being together without loveâŚwell, whatâs the point of it?
Now, Iâm sorry for getting you pregnant first. Iâm desperate. I long for you. Youâre like a dream that Iâm willing to do everything just so you can come true. Â
The most awaited dinner was full of flirting, low giggles, and honest talk. You insist on knowing him more and youâre more than happy to introduce yourself but he seems like he knew you all too well. âThereâs nothing much to know about meâ he takes a bite from his steak, âBut let me be honest and I hope I won't scare you⌠I used to be your guardian angelâŚâ
You listen to the whole story of the truth on how he used to be your guardian angel and became a demon because you embraced such pleasures in life. He told you how he fell in love with you even more when he became dark, he said that it felt good that there's nothing holding him back. âBelieve it or not, I was your first. I couldnât stomach watching you have sex with anyone else other than meâ he explained further how he possessed every guy you had sex with and you find it amusing how heâs completely possessive when it comes to you.
âSo Yuta?â
âOh no no, not him. He has his own demon I canât possess him. And that was my breaking point. When you two were together, I was broken, I feel abandoned and I secretly hope that you two break up, then it happened and I have nothing to do with it I promise. So now Iâm here, taking my chanceâ
You question him further about your life, asking him about the things you only knew about yourself, things that only your family can answer, and not even your closest friends. Not because you doubt his honesty, but only because it's amusing to listen to him. All this time you werenât alone. All these years of believing that youâre alone, little did you know you have Mark. The things that heâs telling you does not make you feel weird, itâs like youâre talking to a long lost friend who knew everything about you.
Itâs amazing how heâs a demon but his honesty amazes you as heâs not capable of lying. Maybe he has something left from being an angel? Nonetheless, you see nothing wrong with giving him a chance to give you happiness. âStill you could have been honest first and take me on a date before you- you knowâ
âNo, I need you to need me. Thatâs the only way. Iâm here on a date with you because I canât win you by playing tough, maybe I can win you by playing nice. So please stop hating me about the baby. I really want it with youâ he reached for your hand on the table and caressed it with his thumb.
âI donât hate you, Mark in fact I like you, I really do but the baby is too much. We can still try and be in a relationship without having a babyâ
âJust give us a chanceâ he winked at you and continue eating his steak. Â
As you two continue the wonderful dinner and setting aside the baby talk for the rest of the night, he filled your heart with wonderful promises that youâre looking forward to seeing him do. And while he was talking, you noticed how your heart skip a beat when he raises his eyebrows and smirk. Handsome demon, thatâs what he is.
During the car ride which you donât know where heâs taking you, he never let go of your hand, kissing the back of it whenever he can and making you giggle with his spontaneous sweetness. âWhere are you taking me? I thought youâre going to drive me homeâ
âI am. Were going homeâ You turned silent when you saw the beautiful white house from afar. He brought you to 127 House. âI bought this house because you were desperate to sell it. Also, thatâs why I asked you if you see yourself being happy owning the houseâ he added and kissed your hand again.
The house is even more beautiful at night, Mark let you admire the house as he follows you and watch you with full admiration. You love what he did to the house, rather than a mansion with a plain interior he made it look like itâs ready to be a home for a family. What you see is not a demon who manipulated you, Mark is a desperate man whoâs willing to try to make you happy and whoâs desperate to have a family of his own with the woman that he loves. You.
âWelcome home?â he says.
âItâs too early for that Mark, I like you but how can you be so sure about this?â his confidence amuse you.
He scoffed and raised his eyebrows on you, caging you with a warm embrace from behind as you two watch the calm water on the pool outside. âYou sound like I havenât fucked you already. Iâm confident about this. Welcome homeâ he repeats and planted a kiss on your temple. A simple gesture that makes you happy.
As you two enjoy the comfortable silence while swaying side to side for some time, you feel his hot breath tickling the back of your neck, giving you a shiver that goes straight to your spine. Youâre familiar with Markâs presence already. A presence you always crave, something you always want near you. âWhat do you want to do next, beautiful?â he asks, kissing your neck and making your knees weak.
âCan we have normal sex? Without you fucking me in my dreams? Can you do that for me?â
âOf course. From now on, no more having sex in your dreams and no more possessing other humans. Itâs just me nowâ he reaches for your lips, turning your body so you could kiss properly. You feel safe in his arms, which made you realize that he has done so much for you.
âMaybe itâs time for me to give back, Markâ he smiled, motioning you on his huge couch.
âWhat do you have in mind?â he removes your shoes and made you sit on his lap.
âI can start by,â you kiss him slowly on his neck, cup his face but heâs quick to kiss your hand softly, âI can start by being on top tonight, let me make you cum for as many as you want?â he chuckled low and nod his head. He sat there looking devilishly handsome, letting you do what you want as he watches you with lustful eyes.
I never thought that the date will work out and quite frankly, Iâm thankful for our date. Itâs the first night that I felt that I could actually be part of your life. For the first time, I feel like Iâm a man and not just a fallen angel or a demon.
The way you kissed on my neck, when you smile whenever our eyes meet, how you touched me and kissed my body, the feeling of your fingertips dancing around my skin. Itâs addictive. It almost felt like our first time having sex. The night I took your virginity, I couldnât have enough of you that I keep on asking for another round if you remember.
And oh! When you held my hand while you roll your hips slowly, It was life changing Y/n.
Thank you for giving me a chance to prove my love further to you.
After having a few rounds on the couch and his huge bed, Mark is now watching you sleep beside him. Caressing your face softly as he turns this moment into a special one because his dream of sleeping beside you with his whole being finally came true. âIâm so in love with you,â he says before drifting to sleep. Â
Welcoming the demon in your life was the best decision you ever made even though the baby part is still blurry. Nonetheless, Mark made you feel loved every day in many different ways. May it be through his sweet words, making love to you instead of fucking hard, holding your hand while you two watch a scary movie, or whenever he sings to you after learning a new song. For a demon who came out of hell, heâs a little sweet and romantic.
He also adapted well to this world, even found out that his eyesight is poor and that you have to get him a pair of glasses. And as he stays in this world loving you, his love for watermelons and playing with his guitar grew stronger each day too.
Seasons change and years pass by like a snap of your finger, you and Mark stayed happily together in 127 House and make it a home, even if itâs just the two of you. He made you so happy in life that you forgot life before he came. Â
âWhere did you find that handsome guy?â your best friend asks you while sheâs slicing her sonâs birthday cake. You help her with the plates while you answer every question she throws.
âDating appâ you lied and laughed at her to shut her up.
âI know thatâs a lie but I donât care. That man makes you happier than ever. What is he an angel or something?â If only she knew.
You watch Mark play with other kids, tickling their tummies as he giggles with them. Being a father suits him well and you bet he still dreams of becoming one. You almost feel sorry about it because you canât give the only thing he asks for.
When you got home and now that Mark is balls deep inside you while you ride him deliciously, your head is not there. You kept on thinking about something and of course, Mark is quick to stop doing what heâs doing. âHey your mind is so noisy and cloudedâ heâs no complaining, heâs worried about you because he can hear you but can't understand you. âTalk to me baby, whatâs wrong?â
You lean forward to him and rest your forehead on his chest, readying yourself to finally tell him that, âI want to have a babyâ
For a moment it was dead silent while you two look each other eye to eye but soon he sat up and hug you, making you moan because heâs still deep inside you. He showered you with kisses, crying tears of joy because now his life is finally complete.
âI love you. And Iâm sorry for keeping you away from being a great dad-â
âYou did nothing wrong. Stop apologizingâ he cups your face and kissed you deeply, pulling you back on the mattress to continue what you two were doing but this time itâs for a purpose.
During your pregnancy, youâve never seen Mark so happy.
He was by your side like the guardian angel that he used to be. Taking care of you all the way from sun up to sun down. Youâve never thought that your pregnancy will be bearable, full of happiness and laughter because of a demon who fell in love with you.
Everything was going too fast, the next thing you know is youâre already seven months pregnant and Mark is staring at your tummy for almost five minutes as he waits for his baby to kick and your tummy move and be amazed over and over again. Youâre starting to doubt if heâs really a demon. âOh! See that! He kicked!â you laughed at him as he holds your tummy with both hands and spread kisses on it. Â
Things were going smoothly until the day has finally come and youâre at the delivery room fighting for your life. Quite literally. The doctors are having a huge problem pulling your baby out of your belly and they needed Mark to get out of the room because the situation became serious. He was about to lose you and the doctors want him out, of course, Mark wants to cause a scene. But he knew better. The last memory you had before closing your eyes was the door closing on Mark as he canât do anything about it. Through a glass window, Mark sees everything that the doctors are doing to you. He wanted so bad to hold your hand so you know that you still have to fight for your life and the babyâs life.
When the baby is finally out, he was so happy to see his baby for the first that heâs sobbing and whimpering. Murmuring even that you need to wake up because finally, the baby is here. The smile painted on Markâs face was priceless. But not for long. He knew that thereâs something wrong when the doctors were staring at the baby, waiting for it to cry. Markâs world turned black when he watches the doctor shook his head in front of him.
It was life changing.
The once happy home for you and Mark became a place so cold and gloomy as if happiness never touched the 127 House. As youâre struggling with depression, Mark embraced his anger and caused chaos everywhere. Not giving a fuck what happens to anyone because nothing can compare to the sadness that heâs feeling. It all happened for a year, which changed your relationship into small talks and cold nights. Like you two have broken up but you still live under the same roof.
But the demon loves you so much that he tried everything to pick himself up and take care of you. Your relationship was too precious for him and realized that itâs the only thing he has left. Slowly, you forgive yourself and tried to live again. Patience keeps on growing as you and Mark chose to love each other deeper and move on with whatâs left with your life.
After having several check-ups, taking every advice that the doctor says, and finding out that itâs safe for you to have a baby again, you and Mark gave it another chance without hesitating. Now, youâre six months pregnant and life is slowly becoming happy again.
âLong time no seeâ Itâs his demon best friend, Haechan. He appeared out of nowhere while Mark is having some fresh air on the balcony. Mark waits for his friend to talk, raising an eyebrow at him. âJust here to let you know that your Y/n has a new guardian angel since youâve been so busy being a humanâ
âFuck- No wonder our life is so messed up right nowâ
âDonât let it kill your baby againâ and just like that Haechan is gone before Mark could even ask him more about this guardian angel.
When you become a parent, your child will automatically be your prize possession. But for Mark, he has two people dear in his life. Two people. Thatâs all he has. And heâs not going let that angel kill his baby again and make you suffer.
Mark stick to you like glue, and you noticed that he has been even more protective than ever. âIâm going to be fine, Mark. What are you so afraid of?â you kiss him before you head to the bathroom to take a pee. This part of Mark thatâs so paranoid is freaking you out and scaring you sometimes. Like heâs not telling you something or heâs hiding something from you.
Mark continues to protect you from that angel, and day by day heâs becoming even more afraid of what might happen to you. If that angel is capable of killing something precious, then who knows what else can it do to harm you further.
âDo you miss being an angel?â you asked Mark while you two lay in bed closely.
âNoâ he answers without hesitating.
âDo you have wings back then?â
He chuckled low and intertwines his fingers with yours, âWeâve been together for many years and youâre asking me this just now? But yes. I did. And it hurt like hell when they took it off. But I was happy afterward, it simply means I can finally be with youâ his happiness is evident because his smile is so bright.
âIâm sorryâ you donât know why you apologized, but maybe you just want to.
âFor making me the happiest demon? Oh come on, âI love you, Markâ is so much betterâ he was acting cute and his charms still work on you.
âI love you, Markâ
âThanks. I knowâ you smack his shoulder playfully, making him laugh and tell you, âI love you too, Y/n. You know thatâ
There's nothing wrong with being positive in life again after going through so much pain or after losing your first baby. Thereâs nothing wrong with that. As you and Mark wait for your due date, days have been beautiful while you wait for the baby. You are healthy, the baby is healthy, even Mark is healthy. You really think that this is going to be different than the first. Different in a beautiful way.
When the day finally comes, you were smiling and quite excited as Mark stays by your side the whole time. He was holding your hand, helping you to breathe, and fight to achieve that happiness with you. âBreathe with me, everything will be fine,â he says, smiling so handsomely in front of your eyes. You wanted to tell him that you love so much, thank him for changing your life but saying things like that while you're pushing to bring out the baby is kind of out of the scene. So you gave him a weak smile instead.
When the doctor had finally held the baby you and Mark were so happy because you were so close to being a family now.
But youâre slowly getting weak and he watches your smile fade and your eyes close.
âDoctor we are losing here!â the nurse exclaimed. Everything is happening again, Mark thought. As he watches the doctors and the nurses do everything they can to save you, Mark stood there quietly knowing all too well how dying works.
âY/n, you canât die. Itâs not your time yetâ he said a little too loud while standing like a statue. He used to be your guardian angel, of course, he knew things like this. âY/n, you will be fineâ he exclaimed again but this time there were tears in his eyes and his voice broke.
Time suddenly stopped and the scene was oddly familiar to him, thereâs an angel inside this room to bring your soul to Heaven. âNo, noâ. he murmurs with tears in his eyes, looking around the room waiting for the angel to appear. âI know youâre hereâ he turned around multiple times until your new guardian angel appears. Doyoung.
âHow many babies should I bring to heaven to make you stop? Look what you made me doâ Doyoung said, âItâs not her time yet but this is the only way to keep her away from you. Itâs an angel baby, Mark! You know that angels are not allowed to be born other than the insides of Heaven. Itâs dangerous to expose divinity in the eyes of humans. What were you thinking?â
âI did not know- please bring her back. Iâll do anything you wantâ Mark begs his old friend, crying and whimpering like a little boy. If only he knew from the start he wouldnât have got you pregnant in the first place and watch you suffer two times. Now heâs mad at himself.
âItâs too late old friend, Iâm just doing my jobâ
And even before Mark could beg more, time turned back to normal and the doctor had announced the time of your death.
What better way to be punished after betraying Heaven and Hell by taking the love of his life. Of course, the heavenly creatures will bring you to Heaven because they knew all too well that Mark canât enter the silver city again. Â
#nct-writers#neohalloween#kpopscape#unfortunatus: inferno#kdiner#nct smut#mark lee smut#nct mark lee smut#mark lee fluff#nct mark lee fluff#mark lee angst#nct mark lee angst#nct imagines#nct scenarios#nct x reader#mark lee x reader#nct demon au#nct angel au
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An Angel Amongst Demons - chapter one
Boba Fett x fem!reader
   chapter 2 / masterlist   Â
Summary: Â Boba tries to shield you from the dark side of his life. In his eyes, you are too innocent and pure for the harsh realities of the work that surrounds him. So when one day you stumble upon a meeting gone wrong when you were supposed to be hidden away, Bobaâs afraid you wonât like the pieces of him heâs tried to protect you from, or worse, that now youâll fear him.
A/N: Â My first fic in like 6 years, I'm nervous! haha This is kind of an AU I think?? Takes place after the events of season 2. Â Iâve added in two OC Mandos to the entourage because I love me some of that tribal brotherhood devotion. Also.. considering making this a series?
Warnings: soft!Boba (like, REALLY soft!Boba) protectiveness, maybe over-protectiveness? small character death, nobody important, two new sexy mandalorians (weâll learn about them later), not much to be honest.
Word Count: 5.7k+
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Thereâs a lot to Jabbaâs palace that most people donât know about. Â A lotâs changed since the esteemed Boba Fett took over the throne and claimed ownership over the fortress in Tatooine. Castle might actually be a better word for it. Somewhat modest and ordinary looking on the outside, the true magnitude and vastness of the castle is hidden underground, even past the comfortably sized throne room.
What lingers further down the sandstone hallways are an array of rooms and staircases, mostly leading down in different directions. Â Thereâs a library and a kitchen and even a ballroom, which never has and probably never will be put to use. Â There are guest rooms that are more suitably described as luxurious suites, for the grand total of zero guests that Boba will allow to stay in his sanctuary. Â
There are permanently standing rooms for only a handful of the staff: the maid, Ada. Fennec, of course. And the two newest members of Bobaâs trusted, elite team, Enzo and Raul, who arrived shortly before you did. Â The two are a pair of dutiful and truly impressive Mandalorians who serve at his beck and call, courtesy of Boba Fettâs ally and only recognized leader (not that heâs ever told what to do), Mandâalor Din Djarin.
Past the staff rooms and further down an open and beautifully lit hall, is the communal area of the palace, the center, if you will. Fully equipped to socialize and entertain guests with comfortable seating, a fireplace, and charming embellishments around the room. A warm and pleasant area of the palace that likewise, does not get as much use out of it as it should. Â
And finally, behind the common area, which in its own way, serves as a magnificent entryway, is Boba Fettâs private chambers. Â Home to the respected and feared bounty-hunter turned ruler, and you, his haven. Â
You. His cyare. His beloved. The ruthless king had fallen in love with you and your delicate heart, seemingly untampered with and somehow not left scarred by the harsh realities of Tatooine. Â He saw in you light and tenderness, and you gave him joy and true unconditional love. Â He spent many, far too many, late nights in Mos Eisley, at the cantina you worked in as a waitress. At some point visiting you every night to walk you home at the end of your shift, though you assured him you always made it home perfectly fine on your own. Â But Boba secretly lived for those extra few minutes he could spend with you walking you to your residence. Â Not to mention, he couldnât fathom why it didnât scare the bantha shit out of you to be walking around Mos Eisley alone at night, unarmed. That fact that you did sure as hell scared him. Â
On most nights he walked you home, you invited him in, unless you were absolutely too spent to spend another moment standing. Â But it was on those long nights that poured into the early hours of the lovely Tatooine sunrise that you and Boba grew close and eventually professed your love for one another. Â Soon after, he hopefully, and quite timidly, asked you to live at his palace with him. Â Though youâd never been before, you knew exactly where it was, and for that matter, who he was.
The new king of Tatooine had a reputation for being ruthless, unforgiving, and dangerous. And you didnât miss the way people cowered away from his presence, especially when he wore the armor. Â Though, by your own calculations, every other patron who marched their way through these lands was just as feral as the Boba Fett they all believed they knew, and not one had ever been as kind or as gentle, or captivated your thoughts, the way he did. Â Â
He knew these things. More than most in the galaxy, he knew what a cruel fate such a pure being could meet, and if truth be told, he wanted to escape with your kind soul and shield you from this harsh planet before anything could harm you.
When he asked you again to go with him, you met his hopeful and loving gaze, eyes filled with devotion and admiration, and the corner of his lips pulled up just slightly in the most endearing of grins, you couldn't help but to instantly wrap your arms around him, leave a kiss to his neck, and tell him nothing would make you happier.
âBesides,â you teased, nuzzling into his neck, âI always wanted to be a princess.â
Boba chuckled and wrapped a strong arm around your waist, pulling your face back and tracing his thumb under your chin. âBelieve me, meshâla. You already were one.â
The next day, you found yourself and what little you owned in possessions, situating in your new home. Â Like everyone else, you had shockingly inaccurate presumptions about the size of the palace, soon learning that what lay hidden behind the throne room and down the sandstone halls was a modest castle to get lost in. Â No matter, you adjusted to your new environment and routine, though still unused to the respect and coddling you received on a daily basis, you adored every extra moment spent with your king.
Which is how now, five months later, you lay quiet and still as a mouse in bed, gazing dreamily at a sleeping Boba next to you. Â The early morning light casting a light blue hue over the room, as the suns hadnât quite risen just yet. Â You were fortunate enough that your bedroom, the top floor to your two story chambers, was one of the few rooms in the palace with a proper window, the rest of your home and castle being underground. Â
A low grumble from the man next to you causes you to hold your breath, eyes not daring to leave his form as he breathes in a deep sigh. âYou know,â he begins drowsily, âthe moment you wake up and opt to stare at me instead of closing those lovely eyes again and getting some more rest, is the exact moment that I wake up too.â
âYou donât have to wake up,â you smile teasingly.
âI canât help it.â He grumbles, eyes still shut heavily against the apples of his cheeks. âIf youâre up, Iâm up.â
âFor all you know,â You retort, âIâve been staring at you, awake for hours.â
At this, Bobaâs unimpressed gaze turns to you, eyes now latched onto yours. âYou havenât been.â He says.
âAnd how would you know?â You giggle back, âI havenât moved a hair. I woke up facing you, and didnât move anything but my gaze. Â So unless you can detect the vibrations from my blinking, you couldnât know.â
âI know.â
Itâs your turn to look unimpressed, âHow?â
âBecause,â He leans in close to you, your noses lightly touching and a devilish look in his eyes, âIf youâre up, Iâm up.â
âMm.â You hum unconvinced, eyes fluttering closed as he leaves a kiss to your nose then pulls away to sit at the edge of the bed. Â You follow his form as he stretches to a stand, joints popping as he twists his back and arms around, the result of a body having gone to war and back countless times. You sit up tiredly and lean against the headboard, watching him pull on his under armor, then latching on the Beskar. Â Piece by piece his body is decorated with more intimidating and handsome armor, slowly shielding your eyes from the scarred but lovely body of his that you admire possibly a little too much.
âYou stare any harder and I might decide to take it back off,â Boba quips, a smirk rising on his cheeks.
You blush, shaking your head and looking away, gaze now pointedly out the window.
âMeshâla,â He says, grabbing your attention again, his hands now occupied tugging on his gloves as he takes a few strides towards you. He smiles at the pink tint to your cheeks and your guilty smile, the remains of having been caught admiring him still plastered on your face. âI have important business to attend to today. But Iâve arranged for those workers to come and paint the library in a couple hours, would you mind overseeing it?â
He lifts a hand to lightly brush his thumb along your cheek, looking down upon you quizzically. Â
âOf course.â You nod eagerly. You've slowly been tending to every inch of the palace, erasing all remnants of the Huttâs and adding in touches of comfort and warmth wherever you can. Â You wouldnât say decorating is a passion of yours. Â But this is your home now, you might as well fill it with things you admire. Â Plus, Boba said if you didnât take over the project, heâd just paint everything grey and toss out the old furniture without replacements. Â
You shiver as you untuck yourself from your velvety comforter. Â For a fortress built on possibly one of the hottest planets in the Outer Rim, this place can get cold. Â Probably due to the fact that itâs rooted so deeply underground.
Happy to have something to do, you head to the fresher for a quick wash before Boba leaves to his duties. Â You exit your chambers together, Enzo and Raul already waiting in the common area for you both. Â Upon seeing them, you turn and leave a gentle kiss to the cheek of Bobaâs helmet for a final moment of private intimacy before you descend the staircase, hearing him chuckle fondly at your action as he follows. Â
âGood morning Fett, my lady.â Enzo bows lowly, turning to you. Â You laugh and shove his shoulder upon reaching the pair of them. You can hear the hint of amusement in his voice as Raul shakes his head beside him.
âGood morning gentlemen.â You smile.
Boba huffs coming to stand beside you, âGentlemen.â He scoffs at your words.
Raul clears his throat, âCrane should be here soon, boss.â He says, visor trained on Boba and arms crossed over his chest, gaze briefly turning towards you before meeting the boss again. Â
You look towards your partner, âYour meeting today?â You ask.
âYes.â He says, giving a quick nod.
âAlright,â You say, glancing at the suspiciously still trio of Beskar-clad men, âIâm going to the kitchens to have some breakfast. Â Then Iâll meet up with those workers in the library.â
Boba nods again, confirming your agenda.
You stare up at him, waiting for him to sputter out whatever it is you know heâs wanting to say. Â
â...Then,â You go on, âI guess I will, do some reading or...baking or...stare at the wall or something.â
âSounds like a riveting afternoon,â Raul says after a more than comfortable silence.
âOkay,â you smile, chuckling a little and taking a step back, choosing to dismiss yourself now before the awkwardness has a chance to develop. âHave fun with Mr. Crane.â
Boba clears his throat as you turn towards the kitchens, stopping you with a hand on your arm. âMeshâla,â He says, glancing pointedly at Raul and Enzo, who move to wait for him a few paces away. âCould you do me a favor?â
You tilt your head suspiciously, urging him to go on. âYouâre acting rather strange Boba Fett.â You tease.
He grunts, âIâve had a lot of trouble with Calendei Crane. Heâs not a very loyal man, nor do I consider him a good one. Â Heâs had a lot of chances to make up for the problems heâs caused me, but recently he went too far, and weâre not going to be having a charming reunion just now.â He sighs, âWhat Iâm trying to say is... he didnât necessarily come here by his own accord. Â And he wonât be very happy that he is.â
âI understand.â You nod.
Boba frowns inside his helm. I donât think you do cyare.
âAlright then,â he says, âThat said, I would really appreciate it if you would stay away from the throne room today. Â At least until I send Fennec or Enzo for you or something.â
Out of the corner of your eye, you notice his hand opening and closing nervously by his side. He thinks you donât know what he means. Oh Boba.
You reach for his hand as you step closer to his form. âBoba,â you whisper, leaning up towards him with a small smile, âYou are the most kind and gentle man Iâve ever known. But I know that you are a man of business and principles. Â You do whatever you have to do. If an employee of yours is out there making a mess under your name, I would expect nothing less than for you to handle it.â You say, hoping to reassure him.
You raise your free hand to rest against the cheek of his helmet, âBut Iâll busy myself back here until youâre done.â
He lets out a sigh in relief, hand reaching up to grab yours and giving it a gentle squeeze. âThank you.â He says, before tenderly tapping his forehead against yours and turning to get on with his day.
You shake your head at his retreating form. Â Despite all of the darkness and dirt and the scum that surround Boba in his everyday life, he really does try everything in his power to not let it touch you. Â Itâs almost as if despite the late night confessions and raw conversations you two have shared about your lives donât translate to reality for Boba. Â As if he somehow believes you donât truly know what it is that he does and who he is.
He seems to forget that you yourself have grown up with the same scum that populate this planet. Â In the nearest city to here in fact, where all the mudscuppers of the galaxy would stay and wreak havoc when this was once Jabbaâs palace. Youâve seen things. Youâve experienced things. Some things that, shamefully, you havenât yet shared with Boba. Â But what you can say with the utmost of certainty is that you know exactly the kind of people that like to deal in underworld business. Â And you know that there are many cruel beings out there. But Boba, he certainly isnât one of them.
You sigh, turning to pass through the empty dining hall to the kitchens. The light tapping of your shoes echoing in the desolate space. A part of you wishes you had said to him, âOh Boba, when will you learn that you donât need to protect me from yourself?â
A necessary conversation for another time, you decide.
Shaking away your thoughts, you wander into the kitchen, making yourself a quick breakfast and giggling a while with Ada, as she begins preparing a stew for all staff members taking up a residency in the palace. Â She often prepares meals in substantial quantities, making enough for herself, you, Boba, Fennec, and the two other Mandalorians to all enjoy in your respective chambers.
âTake some of these to go dear!â She calls out, chasing after your form as you exit the kitchen. âYou had better be eating a balanced diet.â She chides, handing you a towel with some berries on it.
âThank you Ada,â you smile, leaving a peck to her cheek and making your way to the library.
When you arrive, the workers still aren't there, and you hum glancing at the clock. Â They should have already been here and working at least for an hour by now. Â
Expecting their arrival soon, you busy yourself with cleaning dusty bookshelves and making piles of the previous inhabitants' furnishings and decorations youâd rather not have.
You plop down on the floor after sorting through your ninth bookshelf, sighing after attempting to categorize everything by genre. Even opting to make a pile of books to get rid of, because really, nobody needs handbooks on slave trading and dealing in the dark business of the underworld. Theyâre just not something youâd like in your home.
You glance at the time again. âWhat on Tatooine.â You mutter, stretching to a stand. Â Youâve officially been bailed on, because you've been sitting in this dingy library for four hours and if nobodyâs shown up yet, you doubted they would be. Â
Looking around at the mess youâve made, you decide to finish tackling this task tomorrow, and head back down the hall towards your private chambers.
You pause to lean against the wall with your eyes closed, letting out a great yawn. Itâs barely past noon and youâre already beat.
A voice calls your name just in front of you, startling you in the dark, candlelit hall.
âAda!â You jump, with a hand to your chest.
âMm, Iâm sorry sweet one.â She frowns. âYou had better go check on your Mandalorian.â She says sternly, wagging a finger up at you. âHe sounds angrier than a farmer whose fresh crops have been raided by Tuskans.â
You furrow your eyebrows at her words, frowning. âDoes he sound alright?â You ask, concerned.
âToo riled up.â She chides, shaking her head as she continues to pass you in the hall, grabbing a hold of your arm âGo straighten him out, lecture him on that temper of his.â
âAda,â You sigh, âHeâs dealing with a trying issue right now, and I promised that Iâd stay away from this meeting.â
âPeh,â She waves her hand in dismissal, âFine, your decision. But I did see a couple of those workers you were waiting on looking rather frightened up in the throne room. Â Go on and fetch them and get on with your project. You left quite a mess in there for me to deal with.â
âWhat?â You look disbelievingly at her, âWell why didn't you just send them my way. I waited all morning for them.â
She shakes her head, looping her arm through yours as you continue walking side-by-side. You roll your eyes at the nerve.
The sound of sudden, unmistakable shouting, coming from much further down the hall and up the stairs ascending to the throne room stops you instantly. Your eyes widen a bit as the voice carries on, rather menacingly. Â You wouldnât want to be the one receiving the tail end of that conversation. Â Boba truly does sound pissed. You wonder how long heâs been with this Crane fellow.
âAda,â you whisper, the lower tone seeming appropriate, âDonât you go trying to get me into trouble.â You say, pulling her back as she tries to urge you forward.
âYoung lady,â She scolds, looking up at you in a surprisingly threatening way. âI have much work to do. I need my good broom which I left up those stairs, and you need your painters or carpenters or whatever it is those fellas up there are. So, let us ladies get on with our business and fetch our things.â
âIf youâre already heading up,â You say through slightly gritted teeth, âThen why donât you just go up there, grab your broom, and do me the favor of nudging down my workers while youâre at it.â
âBecause I have a bad leg. Now either accompany me up stairs so that I donât fall or go on and get those things for the two of us at last!â
âMaker, Ada fine!â You say, losing your temper. A part of you knowing she was just stirring up trouble. You start up the first step and turn to her with an obvious empty threat. âAnd Iâll be sure to note to Boba that our maid has a bad leg leaving her incapable of climbing our palace full of stairs.â You mutter disbelievingly.
âMm, you do that.â She counters.
You sigh, shaking your head as you quickly make your way up, hearing Ada walk away behind you. Â
That woman knows far too well that we would never replace her, you think.
Your focus shifting back to the surprisingly silent throne room just up and down the hall, you walk wearily, suddenly a little nervous.
You notice as you near the room, your steps silent down the hall, that there is a hushed but heated back and forth taking place. Â
â-swear Mr. Fett I-I d-didnât know they were-â
â-What?â You hear Bobaâs ominous voice interrupt. âYou didn't know what?â
His form comes into view as you peek your head into the room, watching him descend the steps of his throne and approaching the accused slowly. Â You take a half step back, hoping to further hide your position, seeing as before, you were concealed behind his back. Â But given his new stance, the flicker of his gaze upwards and Boba would be met with your sinful and curious eyes.
Raul, you note, leans comfortably against the wall across the room behind Boba, observing the scene from afar, but seemingly more interested in fixing a mechanism on his Westar-35.
Fennec, who, based on the fearful gaze he glances up at her with, was obviously the one to retrieve Crane, staring down at him with a daring look in her eyes, as if challenging him to try and escape this situation. Enzo stands on Crane's other side, blocking most of your view from the accused and his state. You also note that there is no such broom or fearful workers around. Ada.
âMr. Fett-â He whimpers.
âSod it.â Enzo growls, raising his weapon to shove against Craneâs neck, hushing his pleas instantly.
You observe the creature as best you can from your corner. You donât want to peer out any further for fear of alerting Boba of your presence. He wasnât human, but not terribly strange looking, a blue being, probably a humanoid, but with claws for nails that were certainly not cute. Heâs on his knees, head bowed forward in obvious shame and fear, and hands tied firmly behind his back. This guy looks like heâs had a pretty bad couple of days, but you still canât tell if you feel sorry for him or not.
Boba reaches Crane in the center of the room, and in a manner so menacing and calculated, that exerts a level of dominance that frightens even you, he crouches down on his heels, meeting Crane eye-level.
Boba slowly pulls his blaster out of its holster and lifts it to Craneâs ducked chin, using the barrel to tilt Craneâs face up to meet his.
You donât even realize youâre holding your breath until you feel yourself running out of air.
âYou didnât know what Crane?â Boba repeats in a tone so hushed you could barely hear. âThat you were selling information to an enemy of mine? Â That you were betraying the trust that I had put in you? That you stole my property, weapons, and money to give to people who wish to do me harm?â
You canât help but to feel anxious and on edge. Knowing very well you are not supposed to be in here observing the scene in front of you. Wondering if at this point, you should even try to make your silent leave.
Crane, seemingly breathless, and having accepted his fate, nods in defeat. âIâm sorry Boba.â He whispers.
âYou violated the terms of our agreement Crane.â Boba says, rising up and adjusting his belt. Â âI gave you opportunity after opportunity to make it right. Â I told you that this was your final chance. I even gave you the kriffing option to leave!â He finally shouts.
You watch his chest heaving in rage as he continues to stare down at a defeated Crane.
Boba scoffs, âWhat did you expect would happen?â
The crippled man on the floor does what you least expect, his gaze lazily lifting up to meet Bobaâs as he chuckles carelessly, his laugh soon transforming into a truly mad howl.
He looks like an absolute maniac.
Your eyes furrow in extreme discomfort as you watch the dramatic change in scene, and despite the obvious upper-hand that Boba has, you feel the urge to stand between him and this disturbed creature.
âI-I guess,â Crane breathes out between spouts of laughter, âI held out hope. Hope that the famous Boba Fett, oh-â he croaks out another laugh, âIâm sorry, that the-the King of Tatooine, would finally meet his demise like he should have all those years ago in the sarlacc. Oh, Boba, we were all so pleased when we thought youâd met the maker that day, but you...you son of a nerf herder, you lived. And WHY should you get to live while the rest of us died off! TELL ME BOBA FETT! Because you know something? You of all beings do NOT get to cheat death. You think youâre better than the rest of us, trying to make amends for your crimes against nature? Against the galaxy?â Â
Crane leans his head forward nearly slamming it against the ground as he violently spits out, â-No, no, no, no old friend. You are the worst, most foul kind of scum to EVER have walked these lands. You are no worse than Jabba, donât you kid yourself. And if I have played any part in your demise, Iâll have avenged my brothers who have died at your hand. Your end is coming Boba Fett! You will fall, and so will anyone who tries to prevent your end!â He carries on, doubling over while spitting out the most ludicrous threats between maniacal laughter.
A wave of pure fear plunges your heart, leaving a sickly feeling in your gut at his words. You donât even realize that your longing to protect Boba has unconsciously pulled your body a few steps in his direction. Your error not evident to you until Raul moves from across the room, capturing your attention. You glance at him only to see the gaze of his visor already locked onto yours and his body making quick strides towards you. Â
âBoss-â Raul says hurriedly, but not before a shot rings out, causing you to jump and gasp, hands flying up in front of you in instinctual defense.
You open your eyes and turn your head to face Boba just as his gaze snaps in your direction. Even with the visor covering his face you can see heâs taken aback by your presence. His arm lowers quickly with his blaster, holstering it. Â Everyoneâs attention seems to be on you.
Nobody moves for a moment, and still frozen, your gaze flicks down to the dead being, monster, who lays thankfully slain on the floor.
Seeing movement out of the corner of your eye, you avert your gaze back up to Boba, whose arm shifts nervously at his side.
âNer- ner cyare.â He whispers, his tone strained and unlike youâve ever heard before.
You take a step towards him, but donât go much closer when Enzo shifts to exist as a barricade between you and the bloody mess to Bobaâs side.
âWhat are you doing here?â He says, seeming to struggle with every word.
âI-I canât remember.â You say after a beat, nervous again suddenly that youâve poked your nose into business you told him youâd stay away from.
He stands frozen, panicked behind the harsh mask of his visor. His absolute worst fear being realised as you stand in the aftermath of an execution he himself carried out, right in front of your eyes.
Cruel. Unforgiving. Dangerous. Vile. Sadistic. Merciless.
All words he imagines were running though your sweet mind behind those wide eyes.
âBoba.â you utter, taking another step towards him, hesitating at first then succumbing to your hearts needs and taking up a speedier pace.
Your hands, which at some point started shaking, matching your more obviously quickened heart rate, raise up slowly to rest on his chest, and you swear he flinches at the contact.
âCyare-â He mutters again, heart beating undoubtedly twice as fast as your own, fear and desperation clinging to the word, but he stops when your suddenly tear-filled eyes meet his gaze and you cling to the sides of his helm.
âBoba, are you okay?â You whisper frantically.
At that, he lets out a shaky exhale, body loosening and head tilting slightly at your words.
âWhat?â He asks, stunned.
âAre you alright?â You say, searching desperately through the dark visor of his helm for his warm, brown eyes.
âAm...am I okay?â He repeats.
âYes I-I heard everything he said.â You stutter, head turning to meet the deranged creature's corpse covered in his own blood before Boba finally and frantically grabs a hold of your cheek to gently avert your gaze away from the scene. âHe-he was absolutely maniacal.â You let out a shuddering breath. âIâm so sorry I came but I-I heard shouting and A-Ada said something I canât even remember what but I ended up here somehow and please donât be mad but maker I just didnât expect this-â you pause, tempted to glance at the corpse again but your cheek stays steadied in Bobaâs hand, â-this monster to be here, threatening you and maker I know youâre alright, youâre always alright, but I desperately wanted to be standing between you and him to do anything to shield you from his threats I-â
â-Meshâla.â Boba says, more of his confidence appearing in his voice and his movements but still weary nonetheless.
âAre you okay?â You repeat desperately, cradling his helmet firmly in your hands again.
âIâm-yes. Yes meshâla, Iâm alright.â He stutters out, âAre-are you not afraid of me?â
âAfraid of you?â You breathe out, taken aback. âNever, Boba. I-I could never fear you.â
Bobaâs completely stilled in your arms. It feels like hours, your wide eyes looking at him with that familiar tenderness and devotion. You almost forget about the otherâs, standing completely motionless around you, until Boba suddenly turns you and urges you forward with gentle hands on your waist, his form practically shielding you, quite fruitlessly, from the scene he guides you away from.
When you reach the hallway, he allows you to pull him next to you instead, as he opens the door to the closest chamber in sight and ushers you into it, closing the door behind you both.
The dimly lit room casts a warm glow on you both as you turn to face Boba, whose back is slumped up against the closed door. He heaves in slow, heavy, deep breaths.
You stand, unmoving, only a few inches from him. Â Gaze locked on his visor, you wear a concerned expression on your face, your own breaths silent but speedy as you wait for him to explain his behavior. Â
He finally says your name, both his palms rising in a pleading request for you to take them. Â
You place your hands gently in his, and he cradles them to his chest, looking down at them. So small and clean and innocent in his dark gloves that carry the stains of countless victims.
You hold your breath when you hear a choked sob escape from his modulator. Your mouth falls open a bit, eyes flitting down to where he stares at his hands caressing your own.
âBoba?â You mutter.
As if prompted by your voice, a more obvious sob falls from Bobaâs lips, and his hands release your own, finding purchase on your hips as he falls to his knees before you.
You gasp out a breath of disbelief as you watch your partner, your warrior, your Boba, cling to your waist. Silent sobs shake his body as he hesitantly pulls his hand from you and places it under the lip of his helmet, tugging the armor off and letting it topple to the floor beside you.
Tears spill down Bobaâs face, following the same trail left behind by the first few that managed to fall. You grasp his face in your hands, thumbs sweeping across his cheeks and erasing the tears that slid down his scarred skin. Â
Your vision blurs as your own eyes well with tears. âMy love,â You whisper, âWhatâs wrong?â
His forehead tightens and brows furrow, making him look like heâs in pain. âMeshâla I-â he stops to compose himself, his eyes looking down though you hold his face in your palms. âYou- you do not fear me?â
âI could never Boba.â You assure him, you voice cracking as you say the words. âI trust you more than Iâve trusted anyone in my life. You...being with you, makes me feel safer than I ever thought I could feel.â
Your hand leaves his cheek to smooth out the worried lines on his forehead, and you bring your index finger under his chin, urging him to look up at you. âThat creature, monster, whatever he was,â You start, âHe was disloyal and foul and cruel. He wanted to hurt you. Which means he wanted to hurt me. I couldnât bear the thought of something happening to you. Youâre my everything Boba.â
He stares up at you, vulnerable, more unsteady than youâve ever seen him, but you go on, âI know who you are Boba Fett. I know that you were a bounty hunter. I know that now you rule the underworld and that sometimes you do unpleasant things. I know that you have regrets and I know that you have a past. I have one too. But most importantly, I know that you are a good man, worthy of my trust. And I will stand by your side every day for as long as you want me here, because I love you. My mind, my body, my soul,â you whisper, tears flowing down your own cheeks now, â-theyâre yours Boba. All of me is yours.â
Tears well in his eyes again as you speak, but he doesnât hide from you as he frowns against the tears threatening to spill again. âI love you so much.â He confesses almost fearfully.
You reach down to unlatch his hands from your waist, though youâre met with mild resistance, before you kneel to be level with him. You lean forward slowly and kiss him, passionately and desperately and devotedly. He cups your face in his hands, pressing you to him as close as he can before releasing you.
âYou,â He whispers, leaning his forehead against yours with closed eyes, âYou are too pure for this galaxy. An angel living amongst demons.â
âAnd I suppose you think youâre a demon?â You shake your head, smiling at the absurdity of it.
âMe?â He grins, âA fallen angel? Most definitely.â
#an angel amongst demons#Boba Fett#boba x reader#boba x you#the mandalorian#book of boba fett#din djarin#mando#jabbas palace#soft!boba#king!boba#boba fett x reader
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Inko chews out Endeavour
Characters: Inko Midoriya, Izuku Midoriya, Shouto Todoroki, Endeavour
Genre: Angst, a little bit of fluff and catharsis
TW: Mentions of child abuse, abusive home life, mental drain
Word Count:3 K
A/N: This may be a teensy bit long :3
â˘Okay listen
â˘Midoriya is god damn horrified when he hears what Endeavour did/does to his kids. He had obviously guessed that the second-best hero there is who is training his family to also become heroes would have some extensive regime but what Shouto explained wasn't "training" it was just abuse.
â˘He immediately offers Shouto and his sibling's a place with him and his mum without a moment's hesitation. They're not as rich as the Todoroki's or live in as big a house with as good food, but they're happy. â˘And when Shouto declines, Izuku isn't really sure what to do.
⢠it's not his place to tell any media or higher authorities, it'd drastically change the lives of Shouto and his siblings and would affect all of them the rest of their lives. He feels like he can't do much and a part of him feels like doing nothing means he's condoning the abuse that still happens in that home like the emotional neglect and things Shouto may not have mentioned. But he can't do anything about that right now, simply because Shouto won't let him. And while Izuku is fighting every instinct he has which is to take the Todoroki siblings out of there and into a therapist's office, it's not his place to do that.
â˘So instead, he does what he can for them, like offer to go places more so they're out of the house. Offer free anonymous therapy sites. Have their own improv therapy whenever needed. Promise to be there for whoever trusts him and for those who it may take longer to trust him.
â˘But with all his good intentions, he starts to bite off more than he can chew. Even when it's not in the midst of midnight therapy or distracting days out, it's constantly nagging at the back of his mind that he wants to do more and he isn't doing everything he can. He doesn't want to "fail" at being a good friend, since he hasn't had many experiences to base off (or any for that matter) but he is running out of emotional room.
â˘Contrary to the Todoroki household, Inko Midoriya actually notices when her child is going through some rough times and tries to do her best to help.
â˘I imagine Inko and Midoriya have a close relationship. With no other reliable parent figure in the house, they spent a lot of time together. Not only are they parent and child, but they are also friends who enjoy each others company. Inko may not always understand his fascination with All Might but she'll always ask questions and prompt him to go on about the differences in All Might's costumes and moves, even if she knows all the answers already in the same way Izuku may not understand why she enjoys sewing so much ever since she made him his hero costume but will not hesitate to help her go shopping for and carry new fabrics as she talks about the colours and texture helping boost peoples confidence. (She wants to get better at sewing so she can make a new costume for him that's better than ever before.) â˘And because Inko and Izuku were rather close, she knew his tells. she'd learnt well from their daily game nights to know when he lying and when he was hiding things. But that was during games. This was far more strenuous. But before she rushed in and crowded him, Inko thought that if there were really something he didn't want her to know, then she shouldn't know. So long as it doesn't hurt him. So, respecting the fact he is now a teenage boy and not a child anymore, she knew he was smart enough to make his own decisions.
â˘But also being herself, she still wanted to help, even if she didn't know exactly what was going on.
â˘At first, she thought Izuku wasn't sleeping enough because of the stress of UA so she'd plan days to the seaside or mini-holiday or they could try to make a new dessert or do a movie marathons to distract him from it. And she always took note of how very time she offered, he'd always insist some way or another that the Todoroki's join them which of course she had no quarrels with, she was delighted he loved spending so much time with his friends!
â˘When that didn't help she offered to get him a tutor, maybe he was anxious about his studies? She didn't trust her own education enough to tutor him as he was always impressing her with fun trivia and general knowledge but she'd taken a break in her sewing hobby to save up some money to be able to pay for a tutor.
â˘But when he began not eating as much, mind always preoccupied with something else than his usual hero ideology and theories, the day of the annual parent-teacher meeting and Izuku hadn't uttered a word since he got home, she sat him down on the couch, held his hands, his scarred and trembling hands, and she asked him. "Are you alright?"
â˘She's asked this many times before, every time he came home from school, every time she found him up in the middle of the night shakily drinking some water while staring at his phone as if expecting some death from the family. But this time? â˘This time her words echo in Izuku's head, getting louder and louder with each reverberation, picking up speed and other voices with every hit to his mind, the sound of text messages, quiet telephone calls, rushed breathing, stifled words, hearing footsteps from the other line, the need to help all drowning him in a cacophony of utter helplessness. â˘And he crumples against his mother, clawing onto her shirt like a life-jacket barely keeping him afloat above the ocean of noise only he is in and he cries. The tears stain Inko's cardigan and she wraps her arms around him, pulling him onto her lap like she used to when he was a child, she holds her son, her baby boy, as his tears dampen her clothes and his voice breaks choking on sobs.
â˘It was a long day.
â˘Izuku and Shouto had talked before about telling Inko or an adult or just anyone but there was always some reason, some excuse why it couldn't happen yet. It would be a decision all the siblings would have to agree to as it affects all their lives. Fuyumi was always hesitant, so cautious and making sure if anything were to happen nothing could be left to chance and all outcomes had to be planned. Natsuo wanted whatever would help everyone the most, and if no one was ready to do anything right now, then he'd wait. Shouto thought long ago that if what his father did to his family ever came to light, it would be brought up for the rest of his hero career and he'd never be able to truly escape his dad's hold if it always followed him like that. And until he met Midoriya, that's what he thought for years.
â˘Shouto was warming up to the idea of saying what happened to him specifically to someone. To see what would happen.
â˘And that is what Izuku could let slip. The things Shouto had told him at the sports festival, the reason for his scar, his spiteful technique and motivation to be a hero. â˘It was a long day. â˘The moment all was said and done, that he had run out of tears to cry, that he had ruined his mother's cardigan by stretching it with his grip and made it soggy with his sobs, that he could breathe without a hiccup or tremor interrupting him, he was completely drained. There was a mix of hollowness after spending so long building it all up, unsure every step of the way whether he's doing the right thing or not and the relief of finally letting there be room for him to breathe.
â˘But in his hollow chest was a stab of guilt, anxiety, crawling back up his throat and blocking his lungs like a thick mucus of worry. Had he done the wrong thing? It wasn't his place to say- He should have talked with Shouto more about this- Was he wrong to have done nothing so far?- Oh god he's done nothing right- this could hurt them-
⢠"Shhh," Inko gently held the back of his head and rubbed small circles with her thumb into the back of his neck, like she used to to do calm him down as a child, it still worked "It's-..." Inko collected her thoughts. It was certainly a lot to process, she had her suspicions but she thought she was being paranoid. She'll learn to trust her gut more. "It's not alright right now, but one day it will be. For you and for them."
â˘And that worry in his chest turned to blunt guilt, he shouldn't be the one crying while Shouto and his siblings have withstood literal torture all their lives, he should be stronger, he needs to be stronger to help them-
â˘"You are children. And none of you should have to deal with this. I know you're growing up faster than I can blink and you're being a hero more and more every day, but that doesn't mean you were prepared for this exact situation. They train you to fight villains and criminals and how to save those in immediate peril who want saving. Not thins like this." Inko continued to speak softly, pulling Izuku closer and soothing the back of his neck "Thank you for telling me and I can understand why you wouldn't want me to meddle as it may be out of my depth, but, two people helping them is better than one."
⢠Midoriya told Shouto what had happened and apologised for spilling too early, apologised for not doing enough, apologised for being less than open about the emotional and mental space he had to spare, promising to be more aware of it so long as Shouto continues to trust him and talk when needed. Shouto was confused as to why Midoriya was apologising so much as always and despite the apprehension in his movements, Shouto had spent enough time with Inko to trust her. And also to know that while Inko is kind, that isn't all she is.
â˘Shouto had seen her repay the kindness people had shown her tenfold with gifts, acts of service, compliments, reassurance and more. And something about that deep-rooted kindness tipped him off to the idea that if someone were to take advantage of her kindness or her son, that injustice too shall be repaid. And, as slow as it was and as long as it took, he knew she considers him her son too.
⢠Overall, the parent-teacher meeting was going well for most students. Most students were in their more casual clothes except those who had been too lazy to change out of their school uniform for the day albeit having their shirts scandalously untucked and top buttons undone (Except for Bakugo who in the presence of his mother for the first time had his tie actually tied, truly it was a sight to behold and blackmail photos to be used for months.)
⢠Amidst all the parents gathering together while waiting for the respective teachers to be free of their current appointments, there he was. Enji Todoroki, Endeavour in his hero costume supposedly fresh from the job. ⢠And thus, politely fuelled by karmic fury the 5'2 force of nature marched up with a smile to the flaming rotting piece of shit excuse she can barely call a human being and greeted him.
⢠"Oh, hello Enji." Inko smiles. Izuku stands back with Shouto on the sidelines, watching the encounter unfold. ⢠First of all, the informality caught him off guard. Usually, he'd be used to fans being "Overly-friendly" but something about the smile in her voice didn't sit right with the way fans usually say it. This turned a few heads.
⢠"And..who are you?"
⢠"Why I am so glad you asked, my name is Inko Midoriya, the woman whose house your son goes to every day but I suppose you wouldn't know that since as long as he's keeping up his work then there is nothing else to do with him at all," she coughed ", like parenting," and continued "Speaking of being in public I could never be as confident as you are to go to a casual event in a full-on hero costume but I suppose if it helps boost your ego then go for it! Although, speaking from the perspective of a concerned parent, aren't all of those flames a safety hazard! what if you were near a flammable thing like, oh I don't know, civilians clothes in a place you know where said civilians are tightly packed together, or there could be someone well-known to have a flammable quirk nearby or just a building's structure being, on the whole, a rather flammable thing?" Her head turned to the overgrown vermin who lead the school who had entered the room upon hearing there was a commotion "Not that I doubt UA's defence measures and predicted disastrous occurrences as no such thing has ever failed in the past. It's just the safety of children and the future generation of heroes after all." and just as quickly turned back to Endeavour
â˘"You know I noticed there are plenty of other pro-heroes here who are just fine in their everyday clothing because they recognise this get together is about their children's achievements and not their own. Why, if I didn't know any better I'd say you really are that insecure in your title slipping because that's what being a hero is all about, the title, that you'd distract entire families from the point of being here just to pay attention to you because it's not like being the second supposedly best hero there is credits you any attention."
⢠Enji barely had time to stop the flames protruding from his hero suit from dying out as peoples heads turned to pay attention. By now every student had pulled out their phone to record the situation.
â˘Nedzu was on his way over, laughing awkwardly ready to diffuse the situation but had miraculously been needed for a sudden important event in the teacher's lounge and was immediately escorted by Aizawa and Present Mic.
â˘"Oh and may I go on and say you truly are an inspirational story of how being raised as a gifted child must have been really difficult for you. Always a commodity, never a human being, not a single person in your life thinking youâre worth a damn without your quirk so you made it your entire personality until you developed your own actual personality because of course you, the Number Two hero would outgrow such a childish nature. That sounds rough," she pouted in mock sympathy.
⢠Endeavour snarled behind gritted teeth, barely stopping himself from acting out of hand at the public slander. "Just who do you think you are-"
â˘"Like I said, my name is Inko Midoriya, the pleasure is all mine I'm sure, or did you not hear me the first time while that fire was covering your ears? just like how it must have covered your eyes with choosing that outfit to be approachable. Oh do excuse me if that seemed rude, I'm a seamstress as a hobby you see so I tend to have an eye for when things are just wrong in every way. Honestly, if you didn't parade your title everywhere you go I'd mistake you for a villain on sight. You see, I'm only a seamstress and not a hero like you as you love to flaunt no matter the situation or need for it, but it must be so rewarding to save all those people every day and return to a home with your loving children and children who want to do the exact same thing and be exactly like you because you must be such good role-model and parent to have accomplished so much in your career and of course spent enough time on each of your children to help them grow to be happy, full of inspiration and their own dreams to fulfil. Oh, and of course your wife who must be so proud of the person you've become!"
⢠By this point the flames had been sputtering at random, a rare purple and even blue flamer erupting once and again as this woman continued talking and the parents out the corner of his eye who thought they were out of his sight nod their head and faces contort into realising the full weight of the truth they already knew but now understand.
⢠But Inko was nowhere near close to done, Endeavour could hear as much when she took a small break to smile and take a bigger breath to continue. ⢠And blinded by the public's disapproval of everything he had convinced he had Done for the good of the civilians, he could feel the ground, just like his title, being pulled from under him as quicker heroes hit the back of his knees as Inko swung her handbag with the metal buckle across Endeavours face while she was being pulled safety away from the punch Enji hadn't realised fast enough he had thrown.
⢠The videos uploaded by students went viral in seconds
â˘"shocked" by the number two hero's emotional outburst with malicious intent to harm an unarmed civilian, Inko let it be known she found it unsuitable that he go back home to his children and instead of that they live with her and make a record with either police or a licensed therapist to make a note of any other emotional outbursts or strange and potentially dangerous behaviour in complete confidentiality.
#wow#a good parent?#in this economy?#bnha#mha#mha hc#bnha hc#endeavor#inko midoriya#izuku midoriya#tododeku#shouto todoroki#enji todoroki#bnha headcanons#mha headcanons#Shouto x therapy#Inko x catharsis#INKO POPPING OFF
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Storytelling, Fate & Happy Endings
Iâm still processing last nights episode (CR C2 Ep140), and much like every critter Iâm SUPER emotional about it. But something about last nightâs events and how they played out really got to me, not just as a fan but also as a storyteller. And even the day after, i was actually crying (still am crying in fact) more than i did last night watching it happen. At first i thought it was because iâm a fairly new critter and this is my first time watching a campaign come to an end. But the more i think about it and process, the more i realize thatâs not just it. This effected me as someone who deeply believes in the power of storytelling and how it can not only effect but reflect the world around us. And because I have to get them out of my head, here are my thoughts on why last nights episode was so important, not just for CR fans but also as a an important narrative for right now.
...Yeah thatâs a bit vague, isnât it? Okay, let me explain. If youâre willing to take the time to read fellow Critters, I greatly appreciate it in advance. ^__^
WARNING: Major spoilers for CR Campaign 2 Episode 140 ahead. Also itâs gonna get kind of meta. And long. Because i have a lot of thoughts & feels.
So I think itâs fair to say that, as much as we wouldâve been devastated by any of the M9 perma-dying in the last battle, part of us wasnât expecting them all to make it out of there alive. Not even the players, I think, despite how much they likely didnât want that to happen. Just look at the half-resigned way Liam talks about Caleb in the last few Talks Machina episodes. Or how, in game, Jester was fully prepare to die trying to stop the city from coming back. And for a while there, it seemed like some of them might not survive.
But then they did. Despite so many crappy rolls throughout the night they stopped Lucien, set free all the souls trapped in Aeor, saved Exandria, and brought each other back from the dead. Not only that, but they also did the impossible: They saved Mollymauk. Their lost friend who had such a deep impact on all of them even after his death. The delightfully charming asshole who was so full of joy and life and who, despite how the world treated him, was happily determined to leave every place better than he found it. Moreover, they almost didnât succeed! But then they did, all because of teamwork, love and one last minute ditch effort âwhat-the-hell-have-i-got-to-loseâ dice role that none of them saw coming. And now they get to go home together, truly as The Mighty NINE.
Just this once, everybody lived! We got a happy ending!
And thatâs HUGEÂ in game...but also think for a second how that reflects outside of game too. Do you realize what a story like that means to people, especially given the year from Hell weâve all had?
Think about it. This past year the world has suffered. Weâve all been impacted by the pandemic in some way shape or form, either on small levels or large. Our world has been at war with a virus that effected everyone and everything: Our sense of safety. Our health. Our economy. Our families & friends. Our freedom. (in the sense of our ability to travel & just be in close proximity to people without fear, but i digress) Deeply imbedded social and systematic diseases have been brought further to light in the past year and a half largely because of this virus. Some of us have lost people we love. Hell, the pandemic even effected the way that the latter half of Campaign 2 played out because of social distancing protocols. If you further compare this to Campaign 2, the world of Exandria was caught in the middle of a war that started because of social & systematic corruptions that had been rooted in two opposing kingdoms for years. And so many suffered and died because of it.
Then the Mighty Nein comes in. This ragtag group of delightful assholes with nothing to lose; these flawed but inherently good at heart and deeply human adventurers, broken and lost in their own ways, trying to make a home and family for themselves in a world that took advantage of them or left them alone or said they werenât good enough...and they changed things.Â
They grew. They fought back. They found moments of silliness and peace and joy and fun amidst all the strife and sometimes grief. Most of all, they tried. Sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of spite, sometimes even out of compassion, but mostly just out of love. And in the end, not only did they help people and stop a war for the sake of their loved ones, but they also saved their world from being destroyed by a rotted perversion of life from the past that threatened to consume everything they cared about. AND they STILL managed to bring everyone in their found family back to life. Does it erase the bad and sad things that happened to them? Hell no! But those things donât negate the fact that in that moment, they made it out okay. That this was a victory and they won!
Think of what a story like that means to people right now.
Iâm personally a pretty spiritual person, and much like our favorite clerics, I also believe in a higher power. But whether or not you also believe in a Divine being, the Universe or whatever, every D&D player believes in one thing: Fate. Luck. Call it what you will. But it was fate that made those dice rolls that saved everyone happen. It was fate that not only stopped Cognoza from returning, but also brought Jester and Caleb and Molly back to life, even when it seemed like it wouldnât work. (and holy shit that gave me emotional whiplash!)Â
After everything they went through, both individually and together, the Mighty Nein defied the odd and demanded that Fate let them save their loved ones. They demanded that the world give them back their friend; That they deserved to have their happy ending & get to go home alive together. Just. This. Once.
As a writer, I know firsthand that there are some stories we find and create ourselves, but then there are stories that have a way of finding us. Sometimes a story or world or character from somewhere in the Aether will pop into our minds one day and say, âI need your voice to tell my story.â Maybe this is just me getting carried away with the meta brain again. And like i said, iâm a spiritually inclined person, so I believe in things like Fate and a Divine Higher power writing out the stories of the Multiverse. If youâre reading this (and thank you for taking the time to do so) maybe you do too. Or maybe you donât. Either way, if youâre a fellow critter, then youâre clearly a fan of good stories and/or playing Dungeons & Dragons. So you know how fate/dice roles have a big impact on the outcome of a story, regardless of how tightly written a setup the dungeon master makes. Given all that and how organically stories tend to play out in D&D, I genuinely believe that Matt Mercer and the whole CR Team were meant to be conduits for a story where the flawed heroes save the world AND all make it home alive.
And I think Fate knew that we needed last nights battle to end like this. After all the crap weâve been through this past year, we needed this happy ending, deserved it even! Not just us critters, the CR team too. As much as we all like to joke that Campaign 2 was secretly scripted, we all know thatâs not true. Yes, the setup storyline and world were brilliantly crafted by Matt, and the character roleplaying is beautifully acted out by the team. But the twists and turns, the direction it goes, and how the game plays out is all up to fated dice rolls just like any other game. And something, some kind of force of luck, some force of fate, some Universal Divine DM out there made the roles happen the way they did last night.
It gave us a happy ending.
I believe that this was meant to happen; now of all times with everything else going on in the world. Amidst all this darkness and rot, both in game and in the real world, in the end of it all there was light and life. A reminder that sometimes people do live. They do get second chances. They do find a new family or reunite with old ones. That sometimes the world can be saved for a time, and happy ending do still exist. Even if itâs not broadcasted on the daily news amidst tragedy reports, or even tragedies that donât get reported (which sadly are a lot, but again i digress).
Because the thing is, like Beau said, no one else will probably know they were heroes. No one will know what the Mighty Nein sacrificed to save all of Exandria. But they donât need to know that for it to still be true, for life to happen again, and for a found family of nine broken people who love each other to go home together safe. It doesnât invalidate that the good things happened. That at least for today everyone was saved. That flawed people were still able to do good because they tried. That they left the world better than they found it and got their own small but satisfying happy ending. Even if only for now, because we donât know whatâs gonna happen next Thursday. We donât know what the future will hold for the Nein or Exandria when the Campaign ends or even when (hopefully) some loose ends will be tied up in later oneshots. But neither that nor the bad and sad stuff that happened beforehand in the game and in the characterâs lives invalidates the fact that tonight they won. They lived.
So why canât that be true for us in the real world?
I said earlier that, as a writer, I believe in the power stories have to not only reflect but also shape our world. This story is an example of why, but especially this episode, and thatâs why i was so euphoric about the outcome. It wasnât just a game for me, and iâm sure for others too. It was a much needed reminder that happy endings can still happen in real life, just as much as they can in stories. Even when everything seems dark and corrupt and rotten and hopeless, we can still keep fighting. We can keep trying. We can make new families and start over and be heroes in our on little lives in small ways.Â
We can leave the world better than we found it.Â
And maybe, with hard work, imagination, luck and a little Divine intervention...we can also get the happy endings we deserve.
#critical role spoilers#cr spoilers#critical role#campaign 2#the mighty nein#c2e140#meta#mighty nein#jester lavorre#caleb widogast#beauregard lionett#yasha nydoorin#fjord stone#veth brenatto#essek theyless#mollymauk tealeaf#personal rant#KDsWriting#storytelling#critters#critter community#critical role meta#Campaign 2 episode 140#cr meta#leave every place better than you found it
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Heyo! Love your writing đ from most to least, who in the adultrio is most touch starved and how do they deal with it in a relationship? đđđđ
Hi! This is cute and sad at the same time, but I'll make it all better and fluffier â§â(â°âżâ°)ââ§
Thank you for the request and I hope you'll like it! đ
Warning: very long, a bit sad because of their pasts, some personal analysis based on common HxH knowledge, gut feeling and theories
A/N: literally poured my heart and soul, especially for Chrollo and Hisoka, because I feel really bad for what they had to go through and how twisted they can be, when things couldâve been so different
So the way I see things is as follows:
From the most touch starved to the least (they all are, absolutely, but the explanation will be below for each character):
Chrollo -> Hisoka -> Illumi
Why? Lemme demonstrate.
Chrollo
since he was probably abandoned at birth in Meteor City, heâs already missing the parentsâ loving touch
Meteor City seems to be one of the harshest environments in the Hunter x Hunter universe, probably being second only (at least for me) to the Dark Continent, since that one is just nuts
because of where and how he grew up, he probably never felt anything... good, in terms of touching, affection, love etc.
Chrollo loved no one and no one loved him
not truly and not for what he is
but mostly for his looks, his power, the things he could probably acquire for them
the Spiders are the only ones who accept him as a leader and a friend, a mentor, but even so, they donât seem that close
and he does seem like the type of person who craves it, so badly
especially after hearing about it, seeing other people do it and even reading all those romance books and poems
but heâs terrified of letting anyone that close to him and seeing him for who he is
not even he knows who he is for sure, so he is just really confused
and all those moments where he touched someone and even seemed like he cared were all lies
Chrollo actually doesnât really get much comfort from doing it because itâs a total stranger and even though heâs the bad guy, maybe they are bad too
now, if he does get into a relationship, itâs going to be tough
heâs always searching for a catch, a lie, an ulterior motive
so you have to be very patient and actually take it easy
always ask him if heâs okay with what youâre going to do
heâll always appreciate that and make him feel like he doesnât have to act or lie or feel pressured into doing something he doesnât want
if he really loves you and cares, he will slowly give in to the temptation and allow you to get closer to him step by step
maybe not immediately, but heâll definitely start reciprocating and even initiating those affectionate gestures
and it makes Chrollo so happy when you respond positively because he needs some sort of validation that what heâs doing is okay, youâre comfortable around him, you accept him, you love him, you wonât hurt him in any way
if thereâs anything that makes you uncomfortable, tell him, because thereâs nothing more he hates than hurting someone he actually cares about
overall, in the end, heâll be pretty affectionate and romantic with you because your affection, touches, intimacy, domesticity and love that you offer him allow Chrollo find a part of himself, a more human one that he most probably thought he didnât even have
Hisoka
in Hisokaâs case, Iâd like to mention the fact that he had his mother
for how long, we donât know, but he was taught how to do some magic tricks by her
I do think that maybe they werenât that close, but his mother could be somewhat affectionate at times
which is probably why he remembers the fact that she taught him pretty fondly
remember the fact that Hisoka doesnât normally care about the past, so this mustâve been something pretty significant to him and still is, since he employs cards and magic tricks into pretty much everything he does
now, about how touch starved he is?
very
not as much as Chrollo, but certainly not that less either
like I said, he had a parent, his mother, so there was some family bonding and some motherly love (at least a bit), whereas Chrollo had nothing
that doesnât mean that Hisoka isnât touch starved
but he doesnât really pay much attention to that
he probably has a lot of one night stands since he seems to be so... flirty and easily excitable and extroverted
maybe he really is shy, like he said? probably in a relationship and when he is vulnerable, but Iâll get to that in a moment
even with all the one night stands and his personality, Hisoka doesnât really feel anything, at least not emotionally, when touching or being touched
only physically
and he likes it, but that would be it, he doesnât feel any emotional connection to anyone
but in a relationship, an actual, real, romantic relationship, things would be different
Hisokaâs going to be flirty, teasing, even mean sometimes
especially when you actually seem to want to know more about him - as a person, his past, his hobbies, anything regarding him, not the persona he has made for himself
but, again, patience and donât go overboard
itâll feel like an intrusion
also, yes, touchy, very
but... it doesnât really feel like anything more than something purely physical and if you tell him to stop, he'll listen and back off
itâs all about pleasure and if you get none, heâll feel as if he did badly
so heâd rather not have to deal with that
just like Chrollo, heâs protecting himself and his heart
because pretty much no one wanted to be with him, but for the benefits heâd bring them
not that he really let others too close either - whoever did get too close and betrayed him died painfully, I know for sure
but youâd probably start breaking down those walls slowly, in time
he will share things about himself and let you witness it, but not too much and not too often
not really into talking about his past, but again, snippets, not everything
Hisokaâs scared that youâll use what you find out about him against him
but once he realises that yes, he can trust you and yes, he can be himself?
all bets are off
touchy, flirty, teasing, but in a very... letâs say, lighthearted way, very focused only on the two of you?
the creepy flirting and whatever is reserved for whoever he wants to fight/kill
but with you, itâll be a lot more romantic and affectionate
will absolutely love having you close physically and touching you constantly
feels recharged and happy when heâs close to you
will definitely be almost like a different person sometimes because heâll allow himself to be relaxed and comfortable and vulnerable around you
Hisoka likes having someone like you to rely on and be able to talk to about his thoughts and fears (not many, but still), even if it doesnât really happen that often
but, bottom line is, he trusts you, a lot more than heâs probably trusted anyone in his entire life and will be more honest with you as well
Illumi
for Illumi, Iâll have to say that itâs his family
yes, they trained him to be an assassin and was pretty much just a test subject for Kikyo and Silva since he is a boy and the oldest
but, still, he had a family that, in a way or another, was there for him, preparing him, helping him and providing him with whatever he needed and maybe even wanted
again, this is only my way of saying that he had some sort of contact with people who were close to him, especially from a genetical point of view, ever since he was a child and had help in case he needed it
because of all the torture and training he went through, Illumi is pretty much emotionless and immune to almost anything
he feels no real joy from being touched by others or touching them, and the only ones even allowed to touch him are his family and Hisoka, mostly because heâs persistent and theyâve known each other for some time
the only way heâs really been taught how to touch others is if he has to kill them, so you can imagine that he doesnât really know what heâs missing on, compared to, letâs say Alluka or Killua, even Kalluto who were raised a bit more... lovingly
so imagine how itâll be when he gets into a relationship with someone whoâs a lot more touchy
heâd probably be pretty on edge and even appear threatening
but, explaining what you want to do in simple terms and your reasons should make him a bit more open, at least to the idea of thinking about this
of course, Illumiâs seen other people hugging, kissing, holding hands etc.
and heâs probably wondered why he never did that
but at the same time, heâs never really felt like he really needed affection in his life
until you came into it
when you started with small things (holding pinkies was something that lasted for like a month), he couldnât really say that he saw the big deal
but at the same time, Illumi liked it a lot
when it came to hand holding, he loved the way your smaller hand fit into his and almost seemed like it was made for him and he could just keep you close and safe
other things, like hugging or kissing probably took a bit longer
his favourite thing to do has got to be cuddling because he just likes feeling like he can relax around you and also get his daily dose of touch, love and affection from one of the few people he cares about, even loves, and who he allows to touch him
and yes, heâll slowly start touching you as well
something as simple as a brief hug before he has to leave just makes him feel giddy and he actually wants and needs more when he comes back to you
he likes feeling all those positive emotions, though he doesnât really like that feeling of vulnerability, but he guesses that itâs only fair, considering the fact that youâre doing the same
to others, it might not seem like heâs changed much: the same emotionless face and the same ruthlessness as an assassin
but when heâs with you, everything just seems a lot more relaxed for the two of you and he can actually just breathe and know that heâll have you by his side at the end of the day
#hxh#hunter x hunter#hunter x hunter x reader#hunter x reader#chrollo#chrollo lucilfer#chrollo x reader#chrollo lucilfer x reader#hisoka#hisoka morrow#hisoka x reader#hisoka morrow x reader#illumi#illumi zoldyck#illumi x reader#illumi zoldyck x reader#hxh chrollo#hxh hisoka#hxh illumi#hxh writing
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TGF Thoughts: 5x04- And the clerk had a firm...
You can tell Iâm enjoying this season when episodes air on Thursdays and Iâve written a recap by Friday night. More under the cut, as always.Â
I woke up very early on Thursday morning and couldnât get back to sleep, so I decided to just watch this episode on my phone (I write these on rewatch). Iâm sure the show was hoping that the upside-down clips of fake!Love Island would be disorienting, but wow, did this work on me. Between the lack of sleep and how plausible it wouldâve been for me to accidentally have my phone upside-down with rotation lock on... I truly thought it was an ad for Love Island and also had to pause the episode to check my phone settings. Good job, show!
It turns out, however, that Carmen is doing a headstand and watching reality TV on her laptop. Very happy to see Carmen at home. It would be easy for the show to have her just be a mysterious presence at the firm, so even seeing her do perfectly normal things is a good reminder that she is a whole person and not just Associate Who Will Defend Anyone. Â
(I wouldnât have expected Carmen to enjoy reality tv, but then again, I love Big Brother so...)
Carmen lives in a studio that doesnât look like it is brand new!!! Iâm ridiculously excited to see an apartment that actually looks like a place someone fresh out of law school might live. Iâd believe it if Carmen lived in a studio in a luxury building or a one-bed on the salary sheâs surely making at RL, but itâs very refreshing to see a character who isnât super-wealthy on this show that tends to be about, well, very wealthy people. Â
Carmen is smarter than every other character on this show and on most TV shows: instead of opening the door without taking any precautions, she puts the chain on first. Remember how people used to just show up at Aliciaâs door when she was the governorâs wife, and sheâd always just open the door and look surprised? Â
Charles Lester is at Carmenâs door even though itâs nearly midnight. She tries to get him to leave, but he insists on staying. She closes the door to undo the chain, and uses the privacy of the closed door to grab a makeshift weapon, just in case.
Carmen explains her apartment by saying, âstudent loans.â So she doesnât come from (excessive) money. (Or she was cut off by her family, but I feel like the early character description of Carmen said something about her family not having money.) Â
Lester has something very important to tell Carmen, but all his notes are on different scraps of paper and, even though he says his information is time sensitive, he takes his time looking for the right piece of paper.
He says Carmen canât say she heard the info from him, blah blah. Heâs there to share that in ten minutes, someone at the firm is going to be searched by the FBI. This info comes, of course, from Rivi. Â
Do we think Lester has to reference his notes to remember that the FBI is searching a name partner of Carmenâs firm? Or do we think heâs fucking with her? I think the latter.
Carmen was doing exercises to help with migraines, btw. Â
Carmen calls Diane to tip her off. Diane and Kurt are already asleep, but luckily, Diane has her phone on full volume and takes the call. Sheâs not happy about it and asks if it can wait until tomorrow. Asks is the wrong wordâshe instructs the caller to hang up if it can wait. Â
Even though Carmen canât say where she got the information, Diane knows it must be from Rivi. Seems obvious enough.
Kurt gets out of bed and starts locking up guns and getting to work; Diane calls Liz. Liz is in bed with a guy weâve never seen before and she does not really want to talk. Â
Liz notes that the info also couldâve come from Wolfe-Coleman, since Carmen is âtangled up with some rough characters.â Â
Iâm sorry, fake Netflix CEO man... WHY ARE YOU STILL TRYING TO KISS AND PLAY WITH LIZ WHEN SHE IS ON THE PHONE TALKING ABOUT PURGING FILES AND THE FBI???? Â
I donât even hold this against the character. This is one of those things the writers of this show LOVE doing to heighten tension. They think people behave like this in real life and that itâs funny to have a million competing priorities at once, so they insist on doing things like this. In reality, I would be concerned about any person who did not hear âFBIâ and go, âum, what the hell is happening? I should stop trying to fuck rn.â Â
Kurt starts burning papers. Is no one going to point out that maybe being on the phone (after you KNOW youâve had NSA issues) talking about tips from powerful criminals and asking questions that are pretty clearly about document destruction... is a bad strategy? Â
Dude, why are you STILL GOING after Liz clearly tells you to stop!? Do you want me to hate you?! Â
Liz adds Jay to the call. He is asleep and also his hallucination from the premiere is (sadly) back. I still donât get what theyâre going for with this, so Iâll just be happy that (1) there is only one hallucination this time and (2) itâs only on screen for a minute. Â
This dude is really chanting âLet me see âem!â at Liz while she is on a frantic work call! This is how we are introduced to him! This is not funny! If this werenât being played for laughs/to raise the stakes by having a lot going on I would be calling this man misogynistic!
Liz remembers that Diane has full boxes of files! They spill onto the floor as she tries to hide them! Drama! Â
And then the FBI arrives, so Diane asks Liz to take her 9 am with Wackner
The FBI enters, accompanied by... Nancy Crozier! Nancy is now an AUSA for some reason!
Nancy has graduated from âjust a girl from Michiganâ to using her pregnancy for dramatic effect. I guess sheâs aged into being Patti Nyholm, or something. (I would LOVE to see Patti Nyholm show up on TGF.) Â
I know the client files are top of mind for Diane, but isnât it kind of obvious that the FBI would be there about Kurt, given that the FBI was talking to Kurt days earlier? Â
9 mins in is early for credits!! (This first act flies, tooâdid not feel like 9 minutes.) Â
I say this once an episode, but isnât it so fun to see all the characters from season one of TGW pop up in season five of TGF? Â
Liz sees her new man, Del Cooper, in reception. Heâs a client. They try to be professional with each other. Liz remembers Dianeâs 9 am with Wackner and asks the receptionist to tell her when he arrives. She dismissively says itâs âSome judge guy.â Wackner is, of course, already there and watching the interaction with interest. He uses this as an opportunity to âlook for the restroom,â observe Liz meeting with someone else, and walk down to the associate floor.
He asks associate Leah (weâve definitely seen her several times before) where heâs supposed to go for the staff meeting. She asks if he means the partner meeting or the associate oneâhe wants whichever is more interesting. She says she only knows about the associate meeting, and so he tags along.
Leah and Lucy (the associate from last week; Michael Boatmanâs daughter) talk and assume that Wackner is from STR Laurie and thus in charge of the fate of their careers. Â
The associate meeting is fairly smallâLeah refers to it as their âdailyâ so I wonder if itâs more like a team meeting than a meeting of all the associates. Â
The COTW is about a comedian who isnât always PC. FakeNetflix is getting a lot of Twitter pushback. Â
âAh, so youâre worried about being cancelled,â Liz notes. âDonât say the âCâ word,â Del jokes. Then he asks the firm to do a sensitivity read of the comedianâs act.
Liz asks why them. David doesnât get why sheâs asking, though obviously Liz knows he wonât be offended by her question since they have a relationship outside of work. Del thinks that RL is the right firm for this task because they are a black firm, and also because this can be an audition for the rest of their legal business. Â
This seems like it is better for a PR firm or image consultant? Not a law firm? But sure. Â
Diane explains the whole January 6th situation to Liz. Liz immediately understands that if Kurt is in trouble, Diane is the one representing him. Because Kurt is Kurt, Iâm willing to accept the âspouses-representing-each-other" trope here. But let the record reflect that, as always on this show, it is a TERRIBLE idea to have your spouse represent you! Just pick someone outside of the firm! JUST PICK ELSBETH, KURT.
Diane asks how her 9 am went; David Lee interrupts to ask Liz why she is being so casual with Del. âDavid, I am on the phone,â Liz responds. I love that she doesnât really answer him. Â
Leah and Lucy try to turn the associate meeting into a showcase of how great they are; the other associates catch on quickly and all are happy to answer Wacknerâs questions. He wants to understand jury trials.
Nancyâs pregnancy act does not work on Judge Farley, yet she keeps it up anyway. Court doesnât go well for Diane, but it also doesnât go well for Nancy.
Some of these interactions remind me a little too much of Peterâs trial at the end of TGW, like this one where Nancy goes to Diane with information about Kurt.
Leah gets off the elevator as Diane and Nancy talk, and to Dianeâs surprise, Wackner is shadowing Leah! She takes a moment to look surprised before we return to the scene with Nancy.
I like all the little interactions within this Wackner plot. Diane asking Liz to meet with Wackner both connects Wackner to Liz AND shows that Diane would turn to Liz for back-up, and having Wackner/Leah run into Diane in court is a good reminder that even though Diane is dealing with a pressing issue, Wackner hasnât just disappeared. Â
Diane encourages Kurt to talk. She wants to know if heâs not telling her something because sheâs his wife or because sheâs his lawyer. This is maybe why you donât hire your wife as your lawyer. Â
Kurt says itâs because of politicsâDiane doesnât like that, since this is one issue where their politics should be shared. Â
âDiane, this works between us because we donât let our political judgements overwhelm our respect for each other,â Kurt explains. But... is that relevant to this particular issue? Â
Diane asks the same question, essentially, noting that January 6th changed âeverythingâ for her and she canât treat this like a âchess gameâ anymore. Kurt wants to know what sheâs calling a chess game. She says their marriage is the one thing thatâs not a game. Â
On one level I understand exactly what Diane is saying and on another level I have no clue what this dialogue actually means. She canât treat things like a game anymore, but also their marriage is the only thing that isnât a game? So does that mean she can treat everything else like a game, then? I think what sheâs trying to say is that the time for seeing political disagreements as a calm and rational game of strategy is over, and that she values her marriage and wonât play around with it. Â
Kurt tells her what he burnedâa list of people in his little group. He says heâd protect them just like heâd protect Dianeâs book group friends. Oh, wow, I was not EVER expecting to hear about that arc again! This is a pretty perfect time to mention it, though, since Kurt DID protect book group for the exact same reason heâs protecting the members of his club. Â
Other than âwinning over a new client is important,â I have no idea why Liz and David Lee would gather together a group of partners to do the sensitivity read. I donât know who IS the appropriate person to do the sensitivity read, given that this is a law firm, but I know this is a bad call.
Oh, they are going to go through line by line dissecting each joke in a group. They get through one joke before Madeline notes that the comedian is âobjectifying black men.â A black male partner says he doesnât mind. Madeline says that doesnât matter because the joke is racially insensitive. Â
Overlapping chatter ensues, and the partners try to make changes to the comedianâs jokes, like substituting Norwegian for Nigerian. This... is not what law firms do. The joke isnât funny with the substitution, but it also wasnât funny before. It was low hanging fruit and the correct answer is to just cut it entirely. (Also, if youâre a comedian and all your jokes are about common stereotypes of groups to which you do not belong, you are probably not a very funny comedian!)
Diane has Jay do some more investigating. Jay looks up when Diane says, âringleader of the insurrectionists,â and Diane is just like, âI know.â Then Carmen walks in.
Diane congratulates Carmen on âhitting the ground runningâ and then asks again how she knew about the warrant. Diane says sheâs covered by the same attorney-client privilege, so Carmen should be able to share. Carmen notes the warrant was actually about Kurt, which does not answer Dianeâs question. âSo this came from Rivi?â Diane asks. Carmen says she canât confirm.
âCarmen. You have been here three weeks. You have two clients: Wolfe-Coleman and Oscar Rivi. Itâs one or the other!â Diane notes. Yep. I love that they didnât forget that this isnât much of a mystery. Itâs more about principle than anything. If Diane knows itâs one of two sources and needs more information, Iâm sure Jay can figure it out. Â
Carmen knows sheâs stuck, so she asks if she can make a phone call. âI think that would be smart,â Diane says. Â
Iâve noticed that Liz and Diane are both being quite firm with others this seasonâand I like it. They're spending more time with lower-level characters, and both Diane and Liz have reasons to be more curt this year. Diane is under a lot of stress and itâs showing in all of her interactions; Liz is making a point of seeming in control to establish herself as the leader of the firm. Â
Then Marissa walks in. âWhat is going on with your crazy court judge?â Diane asks. âMy?â Marissa asks. âMarissa, I am in no mood for defensiveness,â Diane insists. She mentions Wackner missing his meeting and shadowing Leah. Thatâs news to Marissa. Â
Marissa heads to Wacknerâs court to figure out whatâs going on.
Wackner is now experimenting with juries. This is interesting to meâI'd wondered before how smart it was to just have Wackner make all the rulings, so exploring the idea of having a jury shows heâs thinking about that, too. Also, itâs another sign that Wackner wants his court to have many of the same structures as a real courtroom. There are still judges, juries, witnesses, trialsâhe's starting something new, but it feels more like heâs testing out improvements for an imperfect system. I wonder if his end goal would be to set up separate courts, or if heâs more interested in shaping laws/reforming the system? Surely Wackner has ambitions of scaling up whatever conclusions he comes to. So what are they? Â
The reason for the juries is that the associates told him that juries are racially biased, so heâs trying to correct it. He also explains how he ended up shadowing Leah, and advises Marissa to go exploring whenever sheâs kept waiting. (I have a feeling Marissa doesnât need to be told this, but then, thatâs why sheâs Wacknerâs âmuse.â) Â
Marissa notes that Wacknerâs court is looking nicerâthere must be money coming in from somewhere new. Wackner confirms thereâs been a sympathetic donor.
Wackner is dealing with a case about NFT fraud. Marissa says she doesnât know what that is. Iâm going to assume that Marissa is using Wacknerâs strategies against him (she had just accused him of playing dumb to get others to talk) because I cannot believe that Marissa, who always knows random facts, ESPECIALLY ones that involve weird corners of the internet, would not know what an NFT is. Â
Marissa hears the case is about $4 million, and sheâs shocked because this raises the stakes a little more than even she is comfortable with. Wackner has a signed and notarized document saying that both sides will honor the verdict. It is, as Marissa points out, notarized in 9 ž court by Wackner about a fictional case. âAbout a fictional crime,â Wackner adds on. Â
Iâm a little surprised this is all these writers had to say about NFTs! Maybe they knew that by the time this aired, the actual topic would feel dated. Â
Mandy Patinkin is just SO GOOD as Wackner! Iâm watching a fictional show about a fictional crime in a fictional court and even I am starting to believe in his ludicrous court! Â
Wacknerâs jury selection process involves catching potential jurors in traps, like pretending to know the national anthem when they donât. Smart. Probably super problematic if you think about it too hard and put it in the wrong peopleâs hands and people start to know the system. But smart, for now. Â
Diane is now in the sensitivity read meeting, for reasons passing understanding. They are still talking about the first joke. Jay calls Liz out of the meeting and notes that everyone in the room is old and no one is funny. âIâm funny!â Liz argues. Diane tries to leave the meeting, and Liz tells Diane Jayâs idea about needing younger people. âOh god yes,â Diane agrees. Iâm glad she sees it and a little alarmed that Liz doesnât! I feel like they shouldâve sent the tape to everyone interested in participating, then asked them to write up (separately) anything they found questionable or offensive, and gone from there, ending with a close review of anything that wasnât previously flagged. If you debate every single line for hours youâre going to get nowhere.
I donât know why Liz is so concerned that Jay thinks sheâs not funny? But she is.
Diane asks Liz to join her meeting with Carmen and Lester. This is a scene Iâve been waiting for! Diane and Liz are both there and so the scene FEELS important. The plot advances. And, most importantly, they address why Carmen is staying at RL!
Lester reiterates that Carmen is super important to Rivi, so if Carmen says she canât share info, then she canât share info. Liz and Diane do not accept this. âI am a name partner. Carmen is a first-year associate,â Liz says. âNow, Carmen is free to resign and hang her shingle wherever sheâd like. She can even go and work for you. That is up to her. But while she is here, she is subject to the rules and the mentoring of this firm.â
Lester tries to take Carmen out of the meeting. Liz and Diane wonât let him: They need to know if Carmen is staying with the firm, now. Â
âYou have a lot to learn, Carmen. And you can only do that here,â Diane pitches. I donât think thatâs exactly true, but itâs not untrue.
Here is a question I have about Carmen: she is WILLING to represent drug dealers and rapists. Does she WANT to? She chooses RL, so Iâm guessing her interests lie in big law and not in aiding criminals. Â
Lester leaves, but not before saying Kurt is about to get a grand jury summons. Diane gets one too. Itâs not the usual guy! Too bad.
A bigger group is now deciding on if jokes are offensive or not, and theyâre doing so with paddles that are red on one side (offensive) and green on the other (funny). Iâm sure this is going to go well.
The group sees the replacement jokes and they are confused. Marissa wants to see the original joke. Julius shows the room, and everyone laughs. The joke is funnyâand offensive. Someone from the mail room notes that he would be the butt of this joke, but he finds it funny, so he thinks the comedian should be able to continue with her set. Â
Here is where I think I fall on this: Get sensitivity reads to get ahead of any huge issues (like, donât be Pepsi with the ad with whichever Jenner it was who solved racism). Be aware of the potential issues. Let viewers decide what is and isnât offensive, and make informed decisions rather than arbitrary rules about what content to show. Youâll KNOW if you are indulging the tendencies of someone with a history of making the same type of problematic jokes (for example, maybe if you are reviewing something by Tina Fey and she tries to write another edgy plot where racial stereotypes are the punchline, you advise her to not do that because, I mean, why WERE there so many episodes of 30 Rock that involved blackface??). Youâll KNOW if you are giving a platform to someone who is actively trying to spread misinformation and be cruel to others. Someoneâs going to be offended by everything, and it may be a huge deal and it may not be. IMO, it doesnât really matter that I canât make an exact set of rules about what is/isnât smart to air. I donât think anyoneânot networks, not creators, and not audiencesâwould benefit from that. Lawyers might, though, for all the billable hours...
âYou canât tell a joke without offending someone,â Jay notes. I do not think this is true! Puns donât offend anyone! Â
David Leeâs counter-example to Jayâs point is Gilbert & Sullivan. Of course it is.
As always, the argument devolves into overlapping chatter. These episodes exhaust me. At least this episode has some fun with the topic of the week and seems to have more of a point of view than some of the past episodes where the only conclusion is, âWow! Controversy is controversial!â
Marissa ends up in the mail room with Jay and one of the mailroom guys (captions say his name is Jimmy). They are mocking the partnerâs ideas of comedy. Jay and Jimmy agree that the best comedy is mean. But, Jay says, now it feels like you need âa permission slip to tell a joke.â Is... this true? This feels like one of those things people who would never actually get âcancelledâ worry about because their fear overtakes their ability to understand what really gets someone cancelled. Â
Then again, this episode was written by professional writers who would absolutely know better than I am if people are really hesitant to tell jokes. Â
Jimmy has started making literal permission slips to allow people to tell jokes about specific groups. Jay and Marissa are down. Â
Jay asks Jimmy to make a card for something so inappropriate he wouldnât joke about it... and Jimmy prints a card that says Greta Thunberg. No one wants to joke about that.
And you know why this joke lands well for me? Part of it is that the vibe of this scene is very fun and laid back. But mostly itâs because Younger tried to make a Greta Thunberg joke this season, and it was quite possibly the worst, most embarrassing thing Iâve seen a TV show do in ages. It wasnât funny, just mean, over the top, lazy, and never-ending. (Poor Younger. That show had an awful final season.) Â
Liz is still worried sheâs not funny. She asks Del if sheâs funny and mentions Jayâs comment. He says sheâs funny, but sheâs not convinced heâs being honest. He points out this is a discussion no one will win. Del ends up accidentally saying âI love youâ to Liz, which is a big deal for a relationship weâve seen for all of two seconds. Liz says they donât have to talk about it, but Del insists on explaining that he meant âaffection,â not love. Iâm glad theyâre talking about this.
âThen maybe we should get married,â Liz says as seriously as possible. She stares at Del and smiles. He laughs and admits that was funny. It was VERY funny! Â
Grand jury time! Yet Another Ham Sandwich: The Sequel: The Musical: The Series. (Am I funny? Pls tell me Iâm funny and hip with the teens!) Â
Itâs Dianeâs turn first. She does well, but thereâs not much to say when Nancy plays the recording of Diane phoning the FBI with the rioterâs name. I did not need the clip from last episode in here. Diane is calm in court, but rushes to tell Kurt immediately. Nancy predicted Diane would do that, so she calls in Kurt before Diane has a chance to warn him.
So, wait, Kurt thought all of this was just a COINCIDENCE? Diane didnât tell him earlier?! I donât love this choice, but okay. Â
Liz finds a joke permission slip on her desk. Julius has one too. âDid you use it?â Liz asks. Julius doesnât understand what that even means. Then they trade clothes, because Liz does want to tell a joke about white girl clothes.
Julius suspects the cards are a way to make fun of the partners for being unfunny. The associates are also chatting about the cards, having lots of fun, so itâs clearly not about the partners.
I think now is an appropriate time to mention that TGW and TGF have both been consistently hilarious shows and have been on the air for a combined twelve years. Neither rely on the types of jokes that these cards permit. This is a kind of interesting thought experiment, but... doesnât it say something that the shows never use these jokes as crutches and still manage to be funny? This is what I meant earlier about people being afraid of cancel culture when theyâre not actually really at risk of coming under fire. These writers know how to write things that are funny. They know how to make comedy out of absurdity and subverting expectations. And yet theyâre worried about how to have jokes that arenât mean? Really?
The first laugh out loud funny TGW moment that comes to mind right now is the episode that ends with that obnoxious talk show guy trying to out Diane as a lesbian. That joke deals with identity. But it still holds up 12 years later, because the joke isnât that Diane could be gay... the joke is that Diane DOES NOT GIVE A SHIT what this pest is saying about her on TV, and so she laughs. And because the tension of the talk show guyâs BIG DRAMATIC REVEAL is cut with Dianeâs dynamic, loud laugh, we laugh with her! Iâm not really sure what I'm trying to illustrate with this example. Iâm just noting that you can be topical, funny, and entirely appropriate at the same time... and these writers are great at finding that balance.
HR starts, like, texting (they TEXT Marissa!!!) employees about the joke permission slips? Itâs so bizarrely done that I thought this was going to be a prank. Â
Jay decides they wonât go to HR, and Jimmy decides theyâll delay. Why wouldnât HR just come down and take away the cards?
For this weekâs dose of Wackner Wackiness, witnesses will be fully costumed, and it goes without saying that the costumes will be as over the top as possible.
David Cord is the mysterious donor. Marissa spots him and instantly puts the pieces together. Cord explains he met Wackner on the elevator. I canât say enough how much I like that this season has a lot of moving pieces that feel like part of a whole. Cord showed up as part of a case that caused internal debate at the firm and had a thematic parallel to an ongoing plot, then crossed over into Wacknerâs plot once he was established as a character! Â
Cord says heâs interested in âdisrupting thingsâ so heâs interested in Wackner. I did not need the still photo of where they founded HP thatâs used to illustrate humble beginnings, I guess.
Nancy mentions Kurtâs unfortunate last nameâshe so would. Kurt takes the fifth. Was this thing about needing a reason to take the fifth true in the earlier seasons and just not mentioned? Didnât Kalinda and Will use this strategy?
Nancy, obviously, plays the recording of Diane reporting the rioter. Kurt conceals his reaction for the grand jury, but heâs pissed. Â
Diane tries to apologize and Kurt asks for another lawyer. This is the right move. I canât be all that sad.
The partners have collected all the cards and are trying to do damage control with HR. (Interestingly, there are certain topics the cards we see donât touch on. Like, whereâs the rape joke card? Arenât rape jokes what we usually talk about when we talk about comedians getting cancelled? And where are the jokes about minority groups (aside from little people, referred to using the PC name instead of the names that would probably be used in most offensive jokes about little people) not represented in the TGF cast? I find this little bit of self-censorship quite notable, especially given that the writers seem to be arguing in favor of not regulating humor. These omissions, which MUST be intentional, tell me the writers do have their own lines they wonât cross...) Â
(My larger point there, and where this funny-but-unnecessary subplot fails for me, is that this whole episode feels like a bit of a panic over cancel culture and winds up being a strawman argument. I donât disagree with the conclusions the writers come to and I do find some of these scenes funny. But at the same time, I donât think Cancel Culture is actually about coming after every single joke that makes fun of any person or group (if we must do a cancel culture plot, why not do one about someone who is an odious person and yet still has a following even after theyâve been âcancelledâ). And I donât think that showing HR as a very stern, strict, humorless body is helpful. Iâm getting ahead of myself, but all that accomplishes is having Liz win on a point that pretty much everyone can agree on, because no one is actually as humorless as STRLâs HR department! Humor has so many gray areas and if you try to make it black and white, obviously the side thatâs saying YOU CANNOT MAKE JOKES ABOUT ANYTHING is going to be the one that is wrong. Â
I did just remember that all of these writers have probably dealt with unfun and strict standards & practices departments, and I like the way HR is portrayed more if I try to imagine them as Standards & Practices.
Liz decides she is going to see HR so sheâs seen as an authority figure, not someone subversive. But first, Liz has to meet with Del and the comedian.
Wackner and Cord are in Dianeâs office. Dianeâs skeptical of their alliance. She also points out that it is corrupt for Wackner to be financed by Cord and decide on Cordâs cases. This is true. Cord says he has no vested interest in any of the cases. And Wackner says heâs the âmost untouchable man on earthâ and quotes a song again. Yet another example of how this court only works if Wackner is in charge.
The comedy meeting does not go well. David Lee is already trying to pitch their other servicces. The comedian finds the censored version hilarious in how terrible it is, and then she starts making fun of it, loudly, and for way too long. Â
David thinks it went poorly; Liz isnât concerned. David is all, âyou failedâ and Liz asks him to cool it and notes that David isnât the highest-ranking person at STRL, so he should âstop the shitâ and work with her. Sheâs already sounding more like a boss. Â
Julius complements her on being âBoseman-like,â which is true (though I wish she didnât need to be compared to her ex-husband). âI know,â Liz says quietly, likely because she hates that Adrian is still influencing her this much. Â
Del joins Wackner and Cord in the elevator, and this isnât the end of the episode but Iâm going to pretend it is so all the episodes can end on elevators this year. Itâs close enough.
Kurtâs new lawyer is Julius. Ah, yes, choose the corrupt judge Trump pardoned who works at your wifeâs firm to represent you. Seems smart. Â
Liz walks past Dianeâs office and the camera follows her up to HR. She tries to get HR to understand humor. They do not. And thatâs the episode.
So, a few thoughts to conclude. First, I went into this recap thinking Iâd have a lot more to say about cancel culture and the way this episode handled the debate. But I ended up liking this plotâand this episode-- more the second time around. I still donât think this episode said anything groundbreaking about cancel culture, because I donât think it actually engaged with the topic beyond the surface. As I noted earlier, coming to the conclusion that jokes should be allowed because weâre all human isnât really a resolution the real topic. What about accountability? What about allowing for some jokes to be too far without taking the teeth out of every joke? What about the way people panic over cancel culture when theyâre not being canceled (this episode felt a little bit like a panic over cancel culture, which is why I reacted negatively to it the first time through) or about how cancellation doesnât always stick or have meaning? There is SOMETHING to explore here, but I donât think this episode found that something. Â
Second, because I didnât find a way to work it in above... is it me, or is it actually HELPING the show to not have Adrian or Lucca around!? This season feels so much more focused than the past several, and I think it might be because the writers (who are, as always, very good at adapting to curveballs) had to restructure the show. Lucca always had her own subplots that were separate from everything else, and Adrianâs charisma tended to overpower othersâ presence (especially Lizâs) whenever he was in the room. It didnât help that the writers seemed to LOVE writing Adrian plots, even if it meant neglecting others. Â
Donât get me wrongâI love Adrian and Lucca both. But thereâs something to be said for a tighter show with three main interconnected pieces (Liz/firm drama, Diane/FBI and Kurt, Marissa/Wacknerâs court) that carry over from episode to episode. Like the titles of the season, these episodes build on each other. Â
Also, thereâs the right amount of every character this season. David Lee is used sparingly; Jay and Julius are supporting players who sometimes get the spotlight; Wackner is a huge presence but his plot feels like part of the show; Carmen feels important but isnât being given screentime for the sake of screentime; Liz is finally the type of lead she shouldâve been from the start; Marissa has nicely grown into a role closer to leading than supporting; Diane remains a clear lead. Â
5x05 next week!!! I am expecting some Hitting the Fan level quality and at least one fan-service-y reference. (Not really, but wouldnât it be fun?) Â
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Uncharted
Disclaimer: these characters donât belong to me, they belong to the Naruto series created by Masashi Kishimoto.
(Iâm baaacckkkk)
Summary: At 20 years old, Sarada had done everything she ever dreamed of, conquered all her demons, went to hell and back, but there is one more territory that she left uncharted...till now. (Borusara, Sasusaku)
Sarada had fought aliens, she had protected the village singlehandedly from itâs biggest threat yet, she created a jutsu even her dadâs genius have deemed impossible to achieve, she even managed to see what was under Kakashiâs mask, a feat she is proud of but refuses to admit to anyone what was the price.Â
Kakashi had already promised to take that secret to his grave, not that sheâd ever admit that she was a fan of the Icha Icha series, and possessed a first edition copy of the book that kicked off the series, which she spent three S ranked missions worth of ryo on, only to be traded a few months later with Kakashi.
Totally worth it. Sarada thought
But something as silly as-
Sarada felt her cheeks burn up, not able to even think of what happened without turning completely red.
And now here she is, standing outside her motherâs office for what seemed like hours, attempting to knock for the hundredth time but stopping at the final moment cause she had no idea what to tell her mom.
Sakura had always been Saradaâs best friend, well adult best friend, she always listened to her, giving advice when she asked. To a younger Sarada her mother appeared the wisest, having an answer to everything. Now a 20 year old, Sarada knows that is far from the truth, and that there are many subjects her mother still falters in, nonetheless, she is still a third of the strongest shinobi team ever.
Come on, just do it already, shanaro!
So Sarada took a deep breath and raised her fist to knock, this time determined to do it, until the door flew open in front of her, revealing her mother, with a questioning look on her face.
ââYouâve been standing outside my door for more than five minutes Sarada.ââ Sakura said, looking at her daughter up and down, accessing for damages, but she couldnât find anything unusual, other than her reddening face.
ââI-well I wanted t-to Talk.ââ Sarada stuttered out, mentally berating herself for stuttering like that.
Why do I feel like I've been caught with my hand in a cookie jar?
Confusion was apparent on Sakuraâs face as she stepped aside, making way for her red in the neck daughter to pass through before closing the door behind her.
ââLast time I saw you in this state you asked me if i was pregnant.ââ Sakura said in an attempt to help her daughter relax.
It was 8 years ago when Sarada confronted her parents with the deduction that her mother was pregnant, after noticing that she came home from the hospital early most days, even earlier than the time she arrived home from her daily missions or training sessions and her usually energetic mother was always a bit tired at those times too, her dad changing Borutoâs training schedule to be home at that time didnât help her assumptions either, thinking he needed that time to take care of her and be by her motherâs side.
Of course Sarada got the fright of her life when Sakura thought that she was saying she gained weight before she explained her reasons for thinking she was pregnant, in which an amused Sasuke intervened that they just decided to dedicate some time to be spent alone. It wasnât till a couple years later that Sarada caught on to what they meant.
Sarada shuddered at the thought.
ââHey I had sufficient reasons to believe so!ââ Sarada blurted out.
ââJust like you had sufficient reasons to believe I wasnât your mother.ââ Sakura responded.
She loved her daughter to bits, but detective work was not her forte.
Sarada had the decency to not respond to that, changing the subject instead.
ââSo...something happenedâŚââ she started, trailing off.
ââHm?ââ Sakura leaned forward in her chair, leaning her head on her hands as she gave a small smile to Sarada, a silent way to remind her that she can tell her anything.
ââBetween Boruto and IâŚââ Sarada finally continued, fidgeting her hands and gazing at the floor, but she still took glances at her mom, enough to see her look of confusion turn into one of understanding, and maybe even a bit of smugness.
You sure you and Boruto are just friends� Sarada could almost hear her mother utter that question again, she used to ask her that as far back as the academy days and Sarada of course vehemently denied.
ââI seeâŚ,ââ Sakura said, raising up from her seat behind the desk to sit in front of Sarada on the guest chairs, ââWant to tell me what happened?ââÂ
Sarada shook her head, to which Sakura sighed but couldnât help the small smile that made its way to her lips.
Sometimes sheâs just like SasukeâŚ
ââOkay then, how do you feel about whatever it is that happened?ââÂ
ââConfused.ââ Sarada answered immediately. Her eyes were not daring to lift from the floor.
ââOther than that?ââ Sakura prodded, reaching for her daughter's damaged hand before continuing, ââhappy? Sad? Mad?ââ
Sarada took a moment before answering, â Happy,...and kinda scared and maybe relieved tooâŚâ, her gaze lifting only slightly to meet her momâs comforting green eyes, then moved to their intertwined hands, getting a flashback to a time a month back. She could still feel the burning pain on her arm, Shizune-san was trying her best to heal it, damage it has suffered being extensive, so extensive an ugly burn scar was still apparent across her arm, while Sakura was holding her hand tightly, kinda like she is now.
ââYes?ââ
ââI was relieved cause I thought that he feels the same way.ââ Sarada admitted, knowing fully well the weight of what she just admitted for the first time.
Sakura smiled at her daughterâs words, opening her mouth to say something before someone interrupted.
ââSakura- Sama!â Sakuraâs assistant barged into the office.
ââHow many times to I have to tell you to fucking knock you dumbass!â Sakura yelled, standing up and glaring at him.
Immediately, he took a couple of steps back, sweat trickling down his face as Sakura continued to glare at him.
Sarada almost pitied the poor man, her mother had a glare that would make her dad cower, other than the fact that that same man was subject to her fatherâs glare the many times he interrupted their time at home for hospital emergencies.
ââIâm sorry Sakura sama! But the Suna delegate is here to check up on your joint medic training program, he said he came early because itâs predicted a sand storm will come in the coming hours..ââ He said, taking more steps backwards.
Sakura took a deep breath before she shot Sarada an apologetic look.
ââIâm sorry Sarada, weâll continue this talk tonight okay?ââ Sakura said, leaning down to plant a kiss on her daughterâs forehead and poking it as she leant away, but not before whispering something in her ear.
Sarada watched as her mother left the office, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
What the hell does follow your heart supposed to mean?! Momâs as cryptic as always, shanaro!
.
.
.
Sarada got out of her motherâs office then straight to her favorite sweets shop, planning on mulling over what her mother told her while sipping through a cup of tea along with her fav dango.
But nothing is that easy in Saradaâs life, cause as soon as she stepped into the sweets shop she found her father at the counter.
Great, this is a new level of bad luck, what are the odds that Iâd encounter Sasuke fucking Uchiha in a sweets shop.
But nonetheless, Sarada found herself smiling as she walked towards him, feeling the same joy she always felt when she saw him for the first time after a mission.
Of course his missions are a lot shorter, even so he still makes an effort to keep in contact, even using the cellphone Sakura got him all those years ago when he couldnât send a hawk.
ââWelcome home Papa.ââ Sarada said, beaming upwards at Sasuke, who offered a faint smile that wouldnât be noticeable to anyone but her in this shop.
ââSarada.ââ He acknowledged, before turning to the lady at the counter and telling her to double his order and add two cups of tea to go, which they took for free.
ââAnything for our hero.ââ The shop lady said, looking at Sarada fondly, who thanked her awkwardly, itâs been a month and she still hasnât gotten used to this treatment from the village people.
A month since she felt truly alone on the battlefield, a month since she had felt like she was the only hope for hundreds of people, people which she swore she will protect and love since she was eleven, a month since she almost lost her arm, and a month since she saw the reason for her recent confusion.
As usual, her father doesnât like to sit in public very much when has an option of going to a quiet place, which is where they were heading after his order was done and passing by an onigiri shop.
When they arrived at their usual destination, the forest in the Uchiha compound where Sasuke had taught Sarada the chidori and many other things, Sarada sat down on the ground and Sasuke followed after taking off his cloak.
This place used to frighten her, as a kid and as a teen, she knew no one will ever dare come here, this place somehow maintained its frightening aura even after being destroyed in painâs attack, she knew that she shouldnât be frightened of this place, because if circumstances were different, she would have lived here.
But she learned to feel at ease here, after her father took her to dock where his father taught him fire jutsu, where he taught her it too, then he showed her his childhood home, which somehow remained intact then finally took her to this forest, where he told her all kinds of stories about her uncle.
It wasnât until she was 16 did she learn the whole truth, no thanks to her parents of course, she couldnât blame them though, they are her parents, itâs their job to protect her, and the anguish she felt then rivals only the anguish of losing a loved one.
ââI would have guessed that Boruto would have found you.ââ Sasuke said suddenly, in his usual monotone.
 Saradaâs head snapped up, dango stick she was intently enjoying almost fell from her hand.
ââWha-why why would he find me?ââ
Sasuke only looked at her with a look bordering on confusion.
ââIsnât that what he always does when he gets home from a mission?ââ Sasuke replied, gaze examining his daughter.
Sarada took a moment before she managed to muster a reply.
ââOh.ââ
She could feel her cheeks turning red.
ââDo you have a fever?ââHe asked, which decreased Saradaâs mortification a bit cause at least her father is too clueless to notice this.
ââBoruto might be under the weather too, his face was the same color as yours when we arrived home.ââ
ââWhat!? Really!?ââ Sarada exclaimed, her dango stick layed forgotten on the ground.
ââI met up with him about a day away from Konoha,said he was on his way home from an important mission.ââ Sasuke said, a smirk still apparent on his face.
ââOhh,ââ Again that was all Sarada managed to say before continuing moments later,ââ He had to go on a mission a couple of days after that creep attacked Konoha.ââ
Sasukeâs smirk again, this time out of pride rather than amusement, his daughter, the future of the Uchiha clan, stood up to an alien who wanted to destroy Konoha in vengeance of he and Narutoâs previous actions, both of them werenât there, Sarada being the only thing that stood against them as Boruto went to free them from Kawakiâs seal.
ââI know, though that doesnât explain why his face turned to the same shade as yours right now when your name got brought up.ââ Sasuke said in a matter of fact way, almost sounding genuine.
But Sarada knew her father, knew that amused glint in his eyes, the way he smirks when he knows heâs on to something. She used to enjoy it when he was like that with her mother back when she was still getting used to him, but soon after he started teasing her too, even uniting with her mother against her, which often left Sarada a mumbling mess.
Sarada sighed, resigned to the fact that her father knew something was going on, focussing instead on the extent of his knowledge.
ââNot funny papa.ââSarada said, in the straightest tone she could manage.
ââHm.ââ Sasuke looked at Saradaâs half hearted glare, lips shaped into a pout and arms crossed, and suddenly all he could see was a younger version of Sakura.
Sheâs just like Sakura. He thought.
ââYouâve been upset since I saw you.ââ Sasuke remarked, getting straight to the point.
At that Saradaâs shoulder slackened and her gaze went downwards for a few moments, but Sasuke didnât pressure her, knowing that just like him, she needs time before talking.
A minute later she started to talk.
ââBefore Boruto went after Kawaki and I went to confront that creepy god like thing, we were together, andâŚ,ââ Sarada took a breath before she continued her phrase, ââ...We had a moment.ââ She admitted.
Sasuke raised his eyebrow slightly in an expression Sarada knows is curiosity, but as usual, he waited for her to continue instead of asking.
Other than the difficulty she faced when talking about this subject, she now has another difficulty in which she doesnât know how her father would react to this particular thing.
Atleast with Mama I could predict her reactionâŚ
Sasuke cleared his throat to get attention, taking the final bite from his onigiri pack.
Sarada seemed to get a bit of courage and looked at him, her mouth opening to say something but a moment later she reverted to her previous state, which is a blushing mess.
Sasuke sighed.
Definitely takes after her motherâŚ
ââDo you mean an intimate moment?ââ Sasuke asked, to which Saradaâs eyes widened, but she nodded.
ââHow intimate?ââ
ââEmmmâŚââ
ââSarada.ââÂ
ââHe kissed me, and I kissed him back and before he left I poked his forehead like you do to Mama!ââ
Sarada finally admitted for the first time since that day.
She could still feel it, still feel his lips on hers, still feel his skinâs warmth on her fingers, the feeling of pure passion and fire she felt when he looked at her, when he made her promise that sheâll be okay.
That was the last time she saw him, she knew from her mother that he stayed by her bedside the two first days of her unconsciousness, but he had to leave for an important mission, though he wouldnât leave without making Sakura promise to write him a letter informing him of Saradaâs state.
Sarada woke up a week after he left, two days later, her father went on his mission.
ââAnd why are you upset?ââ Her fatherâs voice took her out of her stupor.
ââCause this feels weird, I always knew I loved him, but I donât know when it progressed to being in love with him, I expected love to be a strong feeling, but not like this, not this scary...not âŚââ Sarada struggled for a moment as tears fell from her eyes, ââ...intense and deep and passionate and-and...Iâm scared cause this is the first time I feel like this, Iâm scared cause this might ruin us, scared of feeling something so strong but....ââ
Sasuke only stared at her, almost knowing what she would say next.
ââI love him Papa.ââÂ
Sasukeâs gaze softened, as he stood up from his seat and went towards his sniffling daughter.
ââYou should go find him.ââ Sasuke said, wiping the tears off of Saradaâs face, he waited till she nodded before he poked her forehead and smiled at her, he then leaned down to pick the dango box.
Sarada knew where to find him, it was nearing evening, and he knew where she would be normally at this time, and he would be waiting for her there, like he always did.
ââThank you Papa,ââ Sarada said, before straightening up and taking a step away from her father towards her destination, but she suddenly stopped and looked at Sasuke again, ââ Tell Mama Iâm sorry, I know she likes her dango warm.ââ
Sasuke grunted, clear annoyance at being caught red handed, but he smiled again looking at the Uchiha symbol of his daughterâs back, sheer pride taking over him at what his daughter has become.
.
.
.
As she expected he was there, standing on the hokage mountain, on the empty space near lord seventh, where she would normally spend her evenings.
He sensed her coming, but didnât turn around till she was about next to him.
ââHello hero.ââ
ââHey Bo.ââ
They stood in silence, each sneaking glances at the other before their eyes finally met, they both blushed a deep shade of red and looked onwards again.
Sarada didnât know what to do, what to say, so she decided to just act like she would normally.
ââYou stink.ââ She remarked.
Boruto almost fell off the edge, he expected anything, anything but this.
ââExcuse me! I just got back from a month long mission, dattebaseh!ââ
ââWell you could have stopped by your house and took a shower shanaro!.ââ she responded, turning her body so her eyes could meet his.
ââIâm sorry! I was left hanging last time I was in the village so kinda wanted to see what was up with that!ââ
ââI would have waited till the end of time, a shower is nothing!.ââ Sarada didnât realise what she said until she saw Borutoâs expression turn from annoyance to confusion to shyness.
And then he was staring at her again, giving her the same look he gave that day a month ago, and then she felt it again, that intensity, passion, like a fire was burning inside her heart.
From the way he was looking at her, she knew he felt it too.
He took her hand in his, fingers reaching up to trace the scar on her arm, eyes never leaving hers as his other hand caressed her cheek.
ââIâm sorry I had to go.ââ he muttered finally, in that soft tone he always used with her, just with her and no one else.
ââItâs okay, you have your hero duties too.ââ she replied, a pure deep sense of satisfaction travelled through her body when his fingers descended from her arm to her hand, extending it, accessing the damage there.
Thatâs right, it was in bandages last time he saw meâŚ
Sarada suddenly pushed her hand forward and put it over his heart, feeling an immediate sense of comfort at the thumping sensation she felt, his hand was still over hers, pure blue eyes she loves so much looking deep into her soul, making her feel like they were the only two people in the world, just them, in this frozen moment in time.
In a sudden bout of courage, she circled her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her height, as one of his hands travelled towards her waist, the other still on her cheek, eyes never breaking apart except when their faces were inches apart, and then it happened, their lips met for the second time, time froze for the second time, they were connected for the second time.
A few seconds later they pulled apart, Sarada immediately buried her head in his chest, hiding her blush as he leaned his head on her shoulder.
The wind picked up, small pecks of water descended on them, but they both refused to pull apart, having waited too long for this.
Though a few minutes later they were drenched from head to toe and they had to pull apart.
Stupid rain! Sarada thought.
ââYou kept nagging about me taking a shower and look what happened.ââ Boruto teased, still close to Sarada, closer than he used to stand, his grasping Saradaâs, tangling their fingers together.
ââWay to ruin the moment baka.ââ Sarada said, tossing him a glare, to which he laughed before looking into her eyes.
ââI love you Sarada Uchiha.ââ he said, feeling like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders as he has been trying to say these five words since forever.
She looked at him, deep into his eyes, and she couldnât help keep her sharingan at bay as it appeared out of instinct, upon feeling a strong emotion.
ââI love you Boruto Uzumaki.ââ
.
.
.
Sarada leaned her back against the door of her family home, a smile spreading across her face at what just happened, hands still in the pockets of the jacket he gave her, fingers still tingling from his touch, lips still warm from his, the soft thumps of his heart still in her ears.
It wasnât until a couple of minutes of sitting there did she realise that the lights of the living room were on, which was weird since it was the middle of night, both her parents would be asleep by now, her mother for her morning shift and her father for his early morning report.
She walked quietly towards the lit room, afraid to wake her parents in case they were asleep on the couch again, which till this day she canât comprehend how two full grown adults fit on their tiny couch.
To her surprise they were both awake and sitting on the couch, tea cups in hand and looking expectantly at her, both sprouting devious grins, Sasuke to a lesser extent of course.
ââWhat!?ââ Sarada asked, looking between the two.
ââNice jacket.ââ Sakura remarked, grin turning into a full smile.
Sarada blushed and looked at the floor.
ââYeah yeah...ââ Sarada said, cheeks turning red fir what must have been the millionth time today before turning her body towards the stairs, but before she was out of sight she said something.
ââThank you.ââ
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Of All the Places
Chapter 5
Pairing: Loki x reader Series Summary: Washing up in a small town in Oklahoma was definitely not part of Lokiâs plan when he came to conquer Midgard. There is one good thing about it, though: No one recognizes him as the one who just wreaked havoc in New York. So, Loki plans to recover from the battle and move on with his life. The only problem? Heâs not sure he can leave you. Chapter Summary: The arrival of someone from your life before Loki knew you throws his head into a tailspin. He finally has to come face to face with his emotions. Chapter Warnings: a lot of sarcasm, tiny bit of angst, and fluff A/N: Thanks to everyone whoâs been reading and/or chatting to me. I love hearing your thoughts on this, and I hope you enjoy the latest installment :) Updates every Friday.
Tag List: @lucywrites02 @frostedgiantfavsâ @lunarmoon8â @twhiddlestonsstuffâ
⼠Start at Beginning ⼠| â Previous Chapter | Next Chapter â
Disclaimer: Gif not mine
The sun beat down on Loki as he handed the carefully packaged eggs to the customer he was helping. It was the first time since his arrival on the farm that you were participating in a local farmerâs market, and he was doing his best to assist despite his less than ideal people skills.
âHave a nice day,â you called after the man as he walked away. âIâll tell you one thing about your life, Loki. There is absolutely no way you worked in customer service.â
âNo, I suppose not,â he agreed with a chuckle.
âSpeaking of, you havenât remembered anything else, have you?â
âI have not, but if I do, I promise you will be the first to know.â
âMamaâs not entirely wrong about the missing person ad,â Ana chimed in, taking the jam jar Matt had just picked up out of his hands. âIt couldnât hurt. Though I can think of a few reasons why you might not want to do it.â
Loki looked away as his cheeks flushed. He was thankful you were already with another customer by the time Ana made a little heart in the air around your heads. It seemed that she had gotten the same crazy idea that John had that he had fallen for you. If only they knew he was a god, then certainly they wouldnât have reached such an outlandish conclusion. At least, he supposed, they did not know the true reason he wanted to avoid putting his picture out there, for if they did, he was sure theyâd never look at him the same way again. Why that should even matter to him was one question he had yet to answer.
âWell, perhaps when Papa finds that camera,â Loki lied.
âMhm. Iâll believe it when I see it.â
âAre you leaving?â Matt asked, tugging on Lokiâs pants. âI donât want you to.â
âI know, small one. Do not worry, I am staying put for now,â Loki said as he bent down to the boyâs height.
âYay! More play time!â
âIndeed,â Loki laughed.
In the past few days, Papa had declared him an official farmhand and offered him a salary for his help. The trickster god declined at first, insisting that the lodgings and hospitality heâd been given were far more than enough. But, in the battle of the wills, Papa came out victorious, and Loki accepted a modest salary. His position, however, was little more than a glorified babysitter, not that he particularly minded. Everyone still seemed too nervous he was going to fall over and die at any given minute to assign him many real tasks. He still collected the eggs daily, and was being taught to milk the cows, along with a few other simple tasks. In addition, he was taking some cooking lessons with Papa. His attempt at pancakes did not go too well, but you reassured him it was a great first try, something that made him beam with pride.
One thing he wasnât particularly fond of, however, was getting up so early. Though youâd all told him it was fine if he wanted to sleep in while he was still recovering, he felt bad to take you up on the offer. He was, after all, fully healed whether you knew it or not. And if he was accepting pay, he should have to be up as early as anyone else. Still, a part of him longed for his beauty sleep.
âWell, fancy running into you here,â a deep, unfamiliar voice said.
âDenzel?â you asked in a mix of shock and surprise. âIs that you?â
âSure is, darlinâ. Long time no see.â
âUh, yeah. When did you get back?â
âJust last night. I was hoping to see you here. And it seems Iâve forgotten my manners. Whoâs this?â he asked, nodding his head at the God of Mischief.
âLoki,â he replied, reluctantly extending his hand for a shake. âCharmed, I am sure.â
âYeah, right. Nice to meet you, too. Iâm Denzel. You new around here?â he questioned, sizing up Loki.
The raven haired god wasnât exactly sure what it was about this man, but he rubbed him the wrong way. There was nothing particularly malicious about him, but the look in his eye sparked something in Lokiâs chest. In a sudden panicked thought, he wondered if this Denzel person had recognized him. If so, heâd have to make a quick getaway, teleportation the only option. He wondered for a split second if he could grab your hand and take you with him, but he knew that wouldnât be fair to you. Then again, nothing about this particularly was.
âYes. You see, I have tragically lost my memory, but I was lucky enough to be taken in by this kind family,â Loki said.
âInteresting. But you remember your name?â
âOh yes, I remember simple, everyday things, such as my name or, say, how to use a seatbelt. Something so simple surely would stay in everyoneâs mind,â he joked, shooting a look at you as a huge smile made its way onto your face. You hid your laugh at the inside joke behind a hand. âVery odd how that works, isnât it?â
âYeah. Like I said, interesting. Anyway,â he changed the subject, turning to you, âI was hoping to talk. Do you think we could maybe take a quick walk?â
âOh, I donât know. Can you guys hold the fort down?â
âOf course, honey,â Ana said, giving your arm a quick squeeze. âTake your time.â
You were off before Loki had any time to protest, but he kept up a cool facade as the next customer walked up to the booth. Once he finished, he put his elbow on the table and, slumping down in defeat, rested his head in his hand.
âWho was that Denzel character, anyway?â he asked your sister as his nose involuntarily wrinkled in distaste.
âListen, donât tell them I told you this, but heâs their ex.â
âWell, what happened? Did he hurt them?â he further inquired, perking up at the new information.
âDistance, I guess. He was a great guy, really, but it just didnât work out. He just finished studying to be a doctor, actually. So he might be back in town for good. But,â she added, noticing the disappointment etched onto Lokiâs features, âthat doesnât mean theyâre getting back together or anything. Itâs been a while. I really do think they moved on.â
âDo you not have that saying here, though? Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Or something else equally ridiculous as that.â
âWell, yes, that is a saying. But not from here, as in Oklahoma here. Itâs kinda well known.â
âI am aware. I just meant... Oh never mind!â he quit in exasperation, a mood Ana chalked up to Denzelâs sudden arrival.
Loki tried to use his height to his advantage and spot you in the crowd, but no such luck. You were too far gone, away with Denzel, your ex. Someone who, Loki had to admit, was very pretty and smart and charming. But certainly heâLoki of Asgard, God of Mischief and Lies, rightful heir to not one, but two thronesâwas prettier than this mere mortal. And smarter than this insipid fool. And far more charming than this bumbling oaf. Right? Or was he truly just the cold, chaotic, horrific, monstrous villain so many thought he was? Though, really, why should any of it matter to him?
In that moment, the answer finally hit him. He could never acknowledge it, though. It would only lead to pain and heartache for all involved. Not to mention terrible danger for you. But, if he were to allow himself just one peaceful second of bliss, he could imagine he was not a god, not a fugitive, but just a simple man. Just someone who could be able to love you and provide for you without any complications from his past misdeeds. If he could allow that, then he would admit he had feelings for you. But he canât so he wonât. Heâd let his inner demons have their way and only ever admire you from afar, accepting your friendship for what it was and nothing more. Though, if you were to make the first move, then perhaps things would be different. That, however, was an entirely unlikely course of events.
âLoki? Are you oki doki?â Matt asked, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. âMaybe you need a cookie.â
âI am fine, little one,â he said, laughing despite himself. âThank you very much for asking.â
âAre you sure you donât want a cookie?â
âWell, I suppose it could not hurt. What do you say? Would you like one?â
âYes, please!â
You and Denzel reappeared just then, and Loki was suddenly very desperate to escape. He took Mattâs hand in his and informed Ana where he was off to with the child. She gave Loki a grateful smile for indulging her son and sent them on their way with a few dollars to purchase the sweets.
On the way to the booth with the most heavenly smell, Lokiâs thoughts overtook him once again. He recalled his plan from when heâd first arrived; lie low and heal and then be off to Asgard. Off to claim the throne which technically should have been his. Really, it was not entirely his fault that his brother had been banished when the king fell into Odinsleep. And it wasnât like he caused that either. No, his âfatherâ confessed heâd been lying to him to all his life and then left him to deal with it by himself. And he was next in line for the throne at the time, but apparently he shouldnât have taken it. Obviously, it was all perfect logic from the brain of Odin once again. And, yes, he would admit he made some mistakes. That was the sign of a true leader. But he was doing the best he could with the hand heâd been dealt. And perhaps the most frustrating part was he was starting to realize he liked this simple town better than any of that. That he didnât actually want to leave, after all.
One short wait in line later, Loki pulled himself from the dangerous rabbit hole that was his mind. He ordered two cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip for Matt and a butter pecan one for himself. Then, on a whim, he also ordered a cup of hot apple cider for both you and Ana. Nothing for Denzel, though. If the Norns were smiling on him today, that man would already be gone by the time he got back. Gone as in away from the stand or out of the state didnât really matter to Loki. Either worked for him. Â
âSurprise,â he whispered in your ear after sneaking up behind you. âHot apple cider, on me.â
You graciously took the cup and passed one to Ana, too. Loki also offered you a piece of his cookie, which you gladly accepted. The brush of your fingers as he gave it to you had him shyly looking away. Ana took Matt off to the bathroom once he was done eating, leaving Loki alone with you for the first time that day.
âSo, Denzel,â he nonchalantly started after you finished a transaction. âHe seemed... Nice.â
âOh, uh, yeah. He is.â You picked at a loose thread on your jacket as you figured out what else to say about him. âAna told me that she let you know our history. He said heâs back now and strongly hinted at us getting back together, but I donât know.â
âI see. Well, from what I hear, heâs an amazing guy, so you should go for it,â Loki dejectedly said, though he truly did want you to be happy. âIf that is what you want, of course.â
âItâs not, though. At least, I donât think it is. Donât get me wrong, he is really great. But the sparkâs just gone for me, you know?â
âI understand completely,â Loki replied, hope creeping into his heart. Even if you were not yet smitten with him, at least you were not still pining for your ex. âYou are certainly under no obligation to be with him again.â
âYeah, I know. I just feel bad.â
âDarling, look at me,â he said, taking your hand. âYou should never feel bad about what, or rather who, you want or do not want. It is entirely up to you, no matter what anyone else says.â
The irony was not lost on Loki that he should be saying those words. Though, he had found it was a common theme among Midgardians to be good at giving advice but never apply it to yourself. So, if anything, he was just doing an impeccable job of blending in.
âThanks, Loki. I needed that. Anyway, on a much lighter note, Matt really seems to love you. Youâre great with kids.â
âDo you really think so?â
âAbsolutely.â
He felt his cheeks go scarlet again, entirely too happy that you thought he was good with kids. For a brief moment, the idea of raising a child with you popped into his mind, but he shut it down before he tortured himself too much with something that could never be.
âWell, I thank you for the compliment, but if you do not mind, I need some fresh air for a second. Or space, I suppose,â he corrected, considering you were outside. âIâll be back in a moment.â
âOk. Talk to me if somethingâs bothering you?â
âOf course.â
He knew that was a lie, and he was sure that deep down you did, too. It was, in the grand scheme of things, a little white lie. Itâs just that it felt like so much more than that. In some ways, he supposed it was.
As he walked out to the edge of the market, he thought he heard some thunder ominously booming in the distance. Or maybe that was just his imagination.
#loki x reader#loki x you#loki x y/n#loki laufeyson#loki odinson#loki#mcu loki#loki fluff#fluff#loki angst#angst#reader insert#gender netural reader#endgame timeline#loki multichapter#marvel#mcu#marvel reader insert#marvel fanfiction#loki fanfic#mcu reader insert#loki friggason#loki friggason x reader#loki laufeyson x reader#loki odinson x reader#marvel multichapter#mutual pining
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I dont know why but I wanted to ask you, do you ever have this kind of feeling like you are not the protagonist of your own life? Like you are a side character in everyone else life or somethinh? Lately I've feeling like this and idk it makes me feel really sad
yeah iâve felt that way a lot in my life :( youâre not alone. i think a lot of ppl do. like maybe some of us are here to just balance out the craziness by living silent, forgettable lives. let the ppl who really live see it all while the rest of us just kind of exist and fade out. even earlier today i had this random thought: maybe not everyone gets a proper love story. i donât know where it came from. perhaps a lot of this has to do with being raised on books n tv to the point where we daydream so strongly that we think real life has to be some sort of chronological, crazy adventure with clear lessons and a neat beginning/middle/ending in order to be worth while. and another part of it may be that we view everyone around us in a very one dimensional way. we only see what they want us to see, and thatâs usually only the good stuff. so maybe they seem like a better fit for the role of the protagonist to you, based on how you perceive them from the outside. when we compare their bright facades with the messy, embarrassing complexity of our own inner worlds it can feel pretty mortifying and isolating. but i am willing to bet weâre all secretly just as lost and just as boring as each other. living monotonous lives to survive with no clue what the future really holds for any of us. i kind of feel like everyone is simultaneously better and worse than they seem. anyway, i would try to refrain from seeing life through this movie-like lens, though i know itâs hard. because really itâs just people having lived experiences, nothing more and nothing less. comparing yours to other peopleâs doesnât make yours less impactful on your own life. it doesnât change what you have to live with every day. try to focus on whatâs actually in your hands. though itâs always good to remember that for all intents and purposes, if weâre looking at it this way, you ARE the main character of your own existence. i mean quite literally. the only persons choices you have (relatively) complete control over are your own, you know your own backstory through and through, the only perspective you will ever consciously experience is this one (as far as we know) which is entirely unique to who you are and everything youâve been through up until now. excuse the disney channel sentiment, but nobody else has lived a life exactly like yours and that really is a super power. no matter how average you think you are. itâs normal to get a little sad about this sort of thing at times, itâs ok to sit with that feeling even if it hurts. but i hope that instead of letting it overwhelm you, you can ground yourself in the reminder that you matter and youâre doing just fine as you are. life has these ebbs and flows, where nothing happens for years and suddenly everything happens at once, and vice versa. but itâs all just a part of the person youâre endlessly becoming, or the story youâre telling if you like that pov. some people live an action movie, others live an indie flick, most of us live through multiple different genres ig. side note, itâs nice to think about how deeply everything affects everything, too. truly. all the parts of your daily routine, or even of your life so far, that seem insignificant to you have created an endless domino effect in the universe. in other peopleâs scripts. if itâs not playing on the big screen itâs playing on the small screen. you change things youâll never even know of every day by being here. all the roles we play are interwoven. to others weâre extras, to ourselves we make up the whole narrative. weâre both, simultaneously. youâre going to have a million main character worthy moments because youâre experiencing it all first hand through your own incredibly specific mind. i promise. just because itâs not happening right this moment doesnât mean it never will. but anyway iâm just rambling now LOL i just wanted you to know i totally feel you and i honestly think the majority of us worry about something along these lines. but thereâs no audience judging whether or not youâre worthy of piloting your own life. you already do, regardless of how you feel about it ! sending love ur way x
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Fictober Day 2
Prompt #2: âyou have no proofâ Fandom: Spider-Man (MCU) Rating: Teen+ Warnings: None Characters: Ned Leeds & Peter Parker Words: 1618 Summary: Ned gets kidnapped and does not play it cool. Â
Nothing Like the Movies
Ned startles awake in a small, dingy room with crappy lighting.
All he can see is brick walls and a metal door, and all he can think is that his head is spinning and heâs horribly nauseous.
He tries to rub his eyes but find his hands tied tightly, painfully behind his back and overtop a metal chair. He takes stock of the other aches and pains that come into focusâhis entire body is stiff and sore, and heâs desperate to stand and walk it offâbut his feet are tied, too.
Oh.
Oh no.
Nedâs pretty sure heâs living through his first real kidnapping.
He shuts his eyes, attempting deep breathing exercises and trying not to panic.
Nedâs been awake for all of ten seconds and this is already nothing like heâd imagined a few years back when he first saw Peter in the suit. Heâd thought then how cool and exciting itâd be if the bad guys realized how vital the Guy in the Chair was to Spider-Manâs operations and brought him to their evil lair with their evil cronies. He would play it just like a hero in a movieâremaining calm, cool, and collected in the face of adversity.
Yeah. Heâd been an idiot.
Because this isnât like an exciting at all, this just sucks, and heâd rather be anywhere but here right about now, and he has a college visit planned for this weekend and his family is probably freaking out, and how long has he been missing and has anyone noticed yet and Peter sure as hell had better notice because itâs almost certainly his fault Nedâs in this mess and heâd like to be rescued now before some evil mobsters come in and do that monologuing shit he assumes all villains do.
But no, he canât start spiraling, heâll need to have his wits about him when the cronies do come in, he has to get his story straightâbut what is his story, exactly?
Itâll depend on the reason they kidnapped him, obviously, and he honestly has no idea why heâs here, unless someone figured out Peterâs Spider-Man, which, duh, of course someone has, itâs not like villains are in the habit of picking up random high schoolers off the street and tying them to chairs in random warehouses (he assumes thatâs where he is, itâs always a random warehouse), and anyway, if heâs somehow been captured by a random serial killer and not an enemy of Spider-Man, at least heâll be featured on MJâs favorite true crime podcasts.
His heartrate increases exponentially at that thought, so yeah, okay, maybe letâs not think about the serial killer stuffâŚ
Ned returns his focus to the breathing exercises. How do those work again? In for four, out for seven⌠no, hold for seven maybe? Seven seems like an awfully long time, that canât be right, holding your breath that long would surely make it worse, at the very best itâs not helping Ned at this moment. When they taught him this shit at school to ârelieve stress during exam weekâ he never thought heâd be using the techniques here, in the den of a killer.
Ned wiggles in his seat as much as the tight cords will allow.
He really, really has to pee. Of all the injustices, this one suddenly takes top prize. Because this is never a problem in the movies, the kidnapped hero never has to pee while tied up, and now that heâs here living this nightmare, he can confirm that is utter bullshit and who cares if it doesnât make for great TV, kidnapped characters should have access to a bathroom dammit, this is entirely unreasonable and heâs thinking he might even try shouting into the void to see if someone will come untie him.
Heâs not sure how much longer he can sit here like thisâhis shoulders are starting to cramp up from being pulled back so tightly, his headâs still spinning and setting in on a dull ache, heâs minutes away from pissing himselfâwho knew being kidnapped would be such torture?
Oh.
Oh shit.
Torture.
Ned cannot, he absolutely cannot, afford to be tortured. If the bad guys come in here and ask for information on Spider-Man heâs for sure going to tell them, he cracks under pressure on the daily for the most inconsequential of things, like his mom asking if heâs finished his homework, or MJ asking if heâs practiced his AcaDec flashcards, or Peter asking him to hack into a multi-million dollar suit.
Okay, so maybe that last one wasnât so inconsequentialâis there a possibility they know heâs Spider-Manâs hacker guy?
He hopes not, because if heâs tortured he will absolutely crack. Itâs not a possibility, itâs a fact. Ned is simply not made for this kind of situation.
Thereâs a loud crash somewhere outside the room, then voicesâangry voices arguing about something, probably what to do with the prisoner, and oh shit, Ned hasnât even planned what heâs going to say or do yet, what if the bad guys come in and ask if he knows Spider-Man??
He has to think of somethingâsomething that wonât make him look like the weakling he is, who has more or less already thrown in the towel, who will, at this moment, gladly turn Peter Parker in for the promise of using a toilet.
He sets his teeth.
No.
No, Ned can do this. Ned has to do this.
Okay. Heâll play it cool, like itâs a scene from a movie. Â
He shuts his eyes.
Theyâll say: âWe know you know Spider-Man, kid. And we know heâs your best friend, Peter Parker.â
And heâll say: âYou have no proof!â
Ooh. Thatâs good. Nedâs pretty sure heâs seen that in a movie somewhere.
But waitâthat implies he thinks there is proof, and they just have to find itâshit.
Heâs better off just saying he doesnât know what theyâre talking about, heâs just a kid who was walking down the street, minding his own business.
Speaking of the street, heâd do anything to be walking down a street againâanything not to be tied to this stupid, freezing metal chair in this stupid, clichĂŠ of a room.
Ned hears the voices again, louder, then shouting, then really shouting, and it sounds like maybe thereâs some sort of scuffle occurring, and thenâ
The door busts open.
Nedâs heart beats faster than heâd thought was humanly possible. He instinctively looks at the floor, terrified of what heâll see, unwilling to look the devil in the eye because this is not a movie, and he is not an action hero, and he sure as hell shouldnât have to be.
âNed?â
He looks up. The voice was the last thing he expected, and yet, the most welcome sound he could ever have hoped for.
âPeter?â
Heâs wearing the Iron Spider suit, fully masked and already kneeling down to easily break the cords that secure Nedâs limbs.
âOh my god Ned Iâm so glad youâre okayâyou are okay, right? Youâre not hurt or anything?â
Ned winces as he bring his arms around the back of the chair and tries to rub life into his shoulders. He stands stiffly, supported by Peterâs hand under his arm.
âYeah, Iâm okay. I think. Justâthat really, really sucked.â
Peter hugs him. âNed, I am so, so sorry.â
And Ned has lots of thoughts and lots of questions, but none of them seem to matter right now, and all he can blurt out isâ
âialmosttoldthem.â
Peterâs mask retracts, and he stares at Ned. âWhat?â
âI donât know what these kidnappers wanted, but if theyâd come in and if theyâd asked who you were or wanted to know something about you and threatened me I feel like I wouldâve caved for sure and I just know IâI wouldâve told them.â
He doesnât know why he felt the need to share that information, or why he couldnât seem to stop talking once the confession began pouring out, and heâs wishing he hadnât said anything but heâs sure that wouldnât have made him any less guilty, andâ
âGood.â
Ned blinks. âIâwhat?â
âI said thatâs good,â Peter says matter-of-factly. âLook Ned, I donât know yet what these guys wantedâthey were amateurs, pretty dumb actually because they didnât get rid of your phone and thatâs how I tracked you hereâbut honestly, if anyone ever kidnaps you or anyone else and wants information about me, you give it to them.â
Ned shakes his head. âButâbutââ
âNed, Iâm a literal superhero. I donât need protecting, I can handle pretty much anything. If youâre in a shitty situation, your job is protecting yourself.â
Nedâs shuts his mouth as he realizes itâs gaping open, and he doesnât know why it was, because heâs really, truly not surprised.
Of course Peter would say that. Even if he wasnât a literal superhero, he would say that. Thatâs just who Peter Parker is, and if being kidnapped every once and a blue moon is the price to pay for being his best friend, itâs worth it to Ned.
And the next time it happens, (hopefully an if, not a when), Nedâs not telling those kidnapper punks anything.
âLetâs go,â Peter heads out the busted metal door as Ned follows, âthe police are coming for those idiots and we need to get you checked out. You need anything?â
âA bathroom,â Ned says immediately.
âDude,â Peter nods with an empathy only someone whoâs been kidnapped multiple times can share, âI am so sorry. Literally the worst. And likeâthey never acknowledge that in the movies!!â
âRight??â
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The Short Lived Golden Age of Nerdy Web Shows
There was a time between the years of, let's say, 2007 to 2015 that I like to call the golden age of nerdy web shows. It consisted of a lot of small low to no budget productions that had a lot of heart, the kind you just don't see very often anymore for some reason. Many of these show have found a dedicated home on streaming services like The Fantasy Network, some have even gained enough steam to be featured on big name services like Netflix and Amazon like The Guild and LARPs The series respectively. I'm not exactly sure why the web show trend died out so hard, maybe the crowds just aren't there for them anymore like they use to be with some many pieces of high budget productions on streaming services vying for their attention. Every once and a while I'll jump onto Google to try and find new web shows that have that same heart and feel but rarely if ever do I come up with anything. As far as I can tell the only place new nerdy low to mid budget web shows or films gets any attention is at GenCon or small streaming services like The Fantasy Network. Who knows if there will ever be another nerdy heartfelt web show created that captures the spirit of those old series I hold so dear to my heart, but regardless if it happens or not I'd like to bring some attention to a few of my favorites. They may be old by the standards of the internet and maybe even cheesy by today's standards, but I really think they were something special and if you give them a shot maybe you'll think so too. If you have any others that you think would fit in with shows like this feel free to let me know.
The Gamers: Hands Of Fate

Zombie Orpheus Entertainment use to be one of my favorite channels for nerdy fantasy related content back in the day. You could always see the quality and passion that they put into every piece of content they out out on their channel. They're still around today but they've shifted their focus to other ventures such as the ever popular trend of live streaming table top games rather then making scripted content. That being said their old stuff is still well worth a watch and The Gamers series, particularly The Gamers: Hands of Fate, is some of their best work theyâve ever put out. The series centers around a group of table top gamers(the same that can be found in most of the other The Gamers creations by ZOE), particularly the character by the name of Cass, as he steps into the world of one extremely popular card game hopes of impressing a woman who's a huge fan of it. But this is seemingly simple premise is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this series. The show also features a secondary narrative that involves the characters that actually exist in the card game as as the players decisions in the real world effect their lives and leads one character, Buckstahue(not sure if Iâm spelling that right), in particular to start questioning what mysterious forces are controlling their lives. The show is a real treat filled with twists and turns I never saw coming, it's fascinating seeing how the real world actions of this card game effects the card characters lives as well as question if and when Buckstahue will figure out what strings control her actions. The stories surrounding the other characters in the party might not be as engaging but they are by no means a weak point of the series either, many of their subplots are engaging in their own rights and pay off certain character moments established in proper The Gamers creations. If this peaks your interest then the series can still be found on Zombie Orpheus's Youtube channel or as a movie on The Fantasy Network. ZOE had pivoted more towards live streaming as opposed to the scripted content of their past but I'd love to see more content from The Gamers one day. Source

LARPs The Series

LARPs The Series first premiered at GenCon 2014 and took home the award for Best Independent Series. The year after it was picked up by Geek and Sundry as a part of a push for more scripted content on the channel which was where I and many others first got a chance to watch it. When the short trailer for popped up on the G&S channel everything about it screamed that I was absolutely going to love it, and I wasnât wrong. The series centers around a 4 man party of larpers (AKA Live Action Role Players) by the names of Will, Brittany, Arthur and Sam and their DM (Dungeon Master) Evan as we follow their lives in and out of the game. The show is surprisingly heartfelt and sympathetic towards the characters involved in this often misunderstood and mocked hobby as it shows how larping enriches their often turbulent lives and connects them all as friends on a deep and meaningful level. These characters felt real and you really rooted for them as they deal with, work, relationships and the many other hurtles of adult life as they wait eagerly to gear up for whatever peril might befall them in their next campaign session. The show was also pretty hilarious, seeing them play out classic predicaments that any party, whether they be larpers or table top roleplayers, have experienced such as one player trying to roll to kill a tavern owner or romances between PCs were always a joy to watch unfold. Â Another thing that most will notice right away is how the production value and direction are surprisingly astounding as well, especially in season 2. I was shocked by just how much quality was put into the show from the costumes and sets as well as from a writing standpoint. If you're interested in checking out the show then it can be found on Amazon Prime but they can also still be viewed for free on YouTube or in The Fantasy Network. Beanduck, the production company behind LARPs The series, is working towards a funding campaign in hopes of earning enough to produce a third season so if you have any spare change you might want to toss it their way in support. Regardless if you decide to help or not, LARPs The Series is a show that I think any nerdy individual will enjoy. Source

Glitch

Glitch was another show produced by the team over at Zombie Orpheus Entertainment, but it never seemed to get the same kind of love as many of their other productions. The concept was brilliant: What if one day you woke up and found out your life operated on the logic of video games? Well this is the predicament that a programing temp nicknamed Glitch finds himself in. Most episodes of the show centered around particular game mechanics causing problems in his and his friends lives and how he tries to figure out ways to work around or fix problems they've created. Glitch, Wyatt and Samus were all fantastic characters and it was always fun seeing Glitch trying to work through some real world problem with game logic like trying to flirt with a woman he likes using a conversation wheel like in Mass Effect or figuring out how to "defeat" his boss at work who he see's as an actual game boss. Another thing I liked about the show was how the characters really felt like real people I knew, they played games on the couch, debated about which Sci-Fi starship captains were the best, and they grilled each other in nerdy ways while working in slang from their favorite bits of nerd culture into their daily vocabulary. I always hoped that ZOE would eventually put out a second season but unfortunately for whatever reason that never became a reality. Now days the channel that originally hosted Glitch has changed their name to Burger Orchard and rarely if ever uploads anything, but luckily those original episodes of Glitch can still be found on their. Give it a watch, it's short but sweet and if you really enjoyed the show a lot there are little companion shorts that can also be found on the channel. Source
The Street Fighter

The Game Station was an early find for me back in my early college days, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I shaved away many hours watching all kinds of gaming related content on that channel instead of studying for exams. One production, created by one of the channels founders Layne Pavoggi, which came out in late 2011 and was a cut above much their already fantastic content was a short lived series was called The Street Fighter. The series centered around a single dad by the name of Phil who has just lost his job and decides to take up a short career as a professional Street Fighter player to provide for his son as well as keep his mind off of the stressful and highly competitive job market. This a real underdog story thatâs extremely reminiscent of old sports 80s films where the protagonist has everything working against them, with that being said you might think that such a trope filled narrative would make things a little predictable and you wouldnât be wrong but thereâs still plenty to love since this concept has really never been explored with videogame to my knowledge. Phil is a guy youâd be hard pressed not to warm up to, especially when you see him interacting with his preteen son Ryan or his best friend/semi love interest Camile (played by former All That star and all around spectacular person Lisa Foiles). Seeing him trying to make his way into the job market, taking odd jobs here and there just to try and get by while also playing Street Fighter to destress and become better for the sake of winning a competition for money to support his son really makes to root for him through all of it. One aspect of the show that I really this is fantastic is how it feels truly authentic to the FGC (Fighting Game Community) when it comes to talking about all of the technical aspects of play Street Fighter on a competitive level. There are moments when Phil goes into detail about his âbread and butterâ combos or talks about different strategies when it comes to taking on different characters compared to his main. The show was short lived but it can still be found on The Game Stations channel, if youâre looking for a heartfelt underdog story then I highly recommend giving The Street Fighter a shot. Source
Versus Valerie

Versus Valerie is a bit of series finale for a fictional character created by Hannah Spear for the character more commonly known as the Sexy Nerd Girl on her YouTube channel. Even if you didn't watch the characters vlogs over the years leading up to the web series I still think you'll find something to enjoy in this extremely charming show. It centers around Valerie Lapomme, the titular Sexy Nerd Girl, as she lives life hanging out with with her best friend Guy, shopping for comic books, going on dates, vlogging, and trying to make something of herself as a mid 20 something living in Toronto. The brilliant thing about this series is how each episode is structured like or makes homage to popular shows, films and games such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Memento, and The Matrix just to name a few. On top of that the show is surprisingly well produced and written for something that spawned from a fictional vlog series, Valarie and Guy are much more fleshed out and all the characters including them have some really fantastic character arcs and moments in the show. Valerieâs awkwardness and extremely nerdy imagination felt embracingly relatable to me personally since I often imagine different situations in my life in relation to my own nerdy fandoms. What I was often taken aback by when I first watched the show years ago was just how enjoyable all of the episodes were in their own special way, and the pay off of it all really feels like a proper satisfying ending to the strange and imaginative journey weâve been on with Valerie. If it peaks your interest at all then you can still find the full series on the Veruse Valerie YouTube channel as well as some of the vlogs prior to the series on the Sexy Nerd Girl channel as well. Itâs well worth a viewing and aside from the fantastic lead characters of Guy and Valerie the show also managed to grab Mark Meer as a supporting character, aka the voice of COMMANDER MOTHER F^*$(^% SHEPARD BABY!!! Source
#Web Shows#geek and sundry#Zombie Orpheus Entertainment#LARPs the series#table top rpg#larping#web series#a few of my favorite things
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