#Dragon Con pre

[cadaveerie]

it's unlisted at the time of posting this, but it seems like they finally posted the official recording of the DATV cast and devs panel from SDCC'24! It starts at around 7:31 :]

edit: cause i was actually busy and hadn't watched the video, i just realized that in the parts in which they showed something in the screen, the video doesn't show the screen :( that footage can be seen here and here. the second one can be found on youtube (it's neve's intro), but the first one wasn't posted officially :/ that's why i'm linking this. at some specific points they also show a collage of the companions' tarot-esque art (like here.)

[eastsidemags]

Natsu Pop Con 25 D&D Special Event

East Side Mags thinks libraries are the BEST!

When Montclair Public Library asked us to participate in their Natsu Pop Con 25 on July 12 - how could we say no?

We’re doing something really special and for that we’re calling in the BIG FUN aka Erik Cheski of Dungeons on the Go to run some really special, shortened but dynamic D&D campaigns for attendees!

Check it out:

Dungeons on the Go proudly presents three gaming sessions as part of Natsu Pop Con 25!

Each session is a 1 hour pick-up and play D&D adventure!  Choose from pre-generated characters and jump into the game with a fast-paced adventure that will have you surmounting the insurmountable and cracking wise with the wisest.  Unforgettable fun awaits at the table with GM Erik Cheski as you take on one of three all- ages adventures:

11:00am-12:00pm: Whitewater Washout

12:30pm-1:30pm: Delicate Defusing

2:00pm-3:00pm: Rampaging Ruminants

Each session is limited to 6 players, and every. Second. Counts. 

Let’s Roll!

Admission to the game is free and on a first come, first served basis. Please complete the form below to sign up. We will let you know if you got a spot or if you’ve been waitlisted. Wait list players will be notified as soon as possible if a spot opens up.

PLEASE NOTE:

***THIS GAME IS PART OF NATSU POP CON 25 AT THE MONTCLAIR PUBLIC LIBRARY AND NOT AN IN-STORE GAME AT EAST SIDE MAGS!***

[venusbyline]

Vulnerability — Aegon II Targaryen.

— summary: Aegon thought that would be enough for his mother and grandfather not to pressure him to have more children. He already had an heir and a daughter destined for his son... So why should he breed his younger sister again?

— pairing: Aegon II Targaryen x sister-wife!reader

— type: angst

— word count: 1.9k

— tags/warnings: female!reader, young!Aegon II, Targcest (older brother/younger sister), hurt/comfort, forced marriage, underage marriage, argument, mild sexual content (but no smut), non-sexual intimacy, naked cuddling, past rape/non-con, bittersweet ending, canon divergence (Pre-The Dance of the Dragons). no use of y/n, english is not my first language.

❥ Aegon II masterlist • HOTD masterlist

— author's notes: tbh I'm not so into angst fics, but I thought about this one a few days ago and I liked to write it yesterday. 💚💚

— crossposting: AO3

❥ about me • main masterlist

Aegon had not expected the reason for Alicent's recent scolding. He had not expected to hear such words when he was enjoying the brothel and then was pulled by the arm, dragging by Ser Criston Cole back to the Red Keep.

"The Queen's orders." It was what the knight claimed to justify to the other members of the Kingsguard why he was treating the drunken prince with such impatience — a behavior that was already routine, unfortunately.

Aegon thought his mother just wanted to scold him for his daily promiscuity on the Street of Silk. Or perhaps he had impregnated another whore and fathered yet another bastard... He did not doubt that it could happen again, and he did not even care about that possibility. Bastards were not really his children, just random children who had been born because of his seed.

His son was Jaehaerys. And of course, his daughter Jaehaera, whose existence had not been expected by anyone of the family, but who would be useful to become the wife of her twin brother in the future.

Aegon thought that would be enough for his mother and grandfather not to pressure him to have more children. He already had an heir and a daughter destined for his son... So why should he breed his younger sister again?

"If something happens to Jaehaerys, you will need to have a male heir as a second option."

That was the only explanation Alicent gave him after almost an hour of nonsense and irritating reprimands.

You were lying in bed, unable to sleep yet. Your thoughts were elsewhere, mind ignoring how your body needed some rest after breastfeeding the twins for more than forty minutes — there was no need for a wet nurse if you could very well nourish them with your own milk; despite Alicent being completely against that attitude.

Your body was turned to face the window, watching the starry sky. It was a good night to fall asleep and rest, distract yourself from problems...

At least it was what you wanted, until the door abruptly opens by none other than your brother-husband.

"We need to fuck."

The words sounded cold, devoid of any kind of affection, and you immediately sat up on the bed, incredulous at what you heard.

Aegon was not drunk... Well, not completely drunk like he was most nights. His long, silver hair was tied in a messy ponytail, but he had pulled it out carelessly, a little faster and painfully enough for him to let out a hiss of pain; with each passing day he seemed to hate keeping his hair so long more.

"What do you mean, 'we need to fuck'?"

Patience was a virtue. A virtue Aegon did not possess. "Gods, you know what I mean. Spreading your legs for me so I can stick my cock in your cunt and spill my seed inside."

You grimaced at the crude description of a consummation of marriage, about to curse him for his lack of manners, before realizing something that made your body freeze. “Wait... Why would you have to spill your seed inside me?”

Aegon snorted, running a hand over his face and pacing in circles, feeling almost distressed. His clothes were wrinkled, his tunic grimy, his pants stained with some liquid you did not know what it was... And of course, there were hickey marks on his neck. Marks you preferred not to ask where they came from, because the answer was so obvious that it would be stupid to even think about an alternative one.

"Our mother wants you to get pregnant again."

"We already have Jaehaerys and Jaehaera."

"Yeah, I know. But the boy is young, he could die at any moment."

The coldness with which Aegon said that tightened your heart. How could he talk about the death of his own son in such a... carefree manner? He was not a present father, obviously, not even visiting his young children in their chambers to see how they were. However, that was something mean even for a guy like him.

With shoulders slumped, you looked at the window once more. You knew Alicent was right to demand something like that... If they really wanted to secure Aegon's right instead of Rhaenyra's, it would be good if they already had an heir to succeed Aegon in the future and keep the line on the Throne.

Either way, it was depressing to think that all of your children were being treated like mere pawns, a means to an ambitious end.

"I am sorry..." Aegon's voice broke the silence, making you look back at him, frowning in confusion. He seemed to realize that you did not know what he was talking about, so he sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "About how I spoke of Jaehaerys. It was a bit cruel."

There was no response at first. Aegon bit his lower lip and fiddled with the hem of his tunic, avoiding eye contact and focusing on playing with the fabric to continue his awkward apology. "I do not hate the boy, sister. You know that... right?"

Despite the way your lips parted and your eyes widened, the brief surprise was over and frustration followed soon after. "You may not hate him, but you do not love him either." Ignoring how tense he seemed, sitting far away on the bed you were supposed to share, since the two of you agreed not to live in separate chambers. It was not like you really hated each other... You preferred sleeping next to him as just a sister than spending every night alone in a large, empty room — though Aegon spent so many hours of the night in the brothels that he only joined you when the sun was almost up.

“And Jaehaera? You do not even talk about her... It is like she is not even our daughter.”

It was Aegon’s turn to grimace. Gods, he hated those words… Daughter, son… He hated being reminded that he was Jaehaerys and Jaehaera’s father and your husband. No longer a son of Alicent or your older brother.

“It is complicate... I do not know how to deal with all this.” Aegon sighed, running a hand over the face again. His vision was blurry, hazy, even though he was not so drunk. He could feel his heart racing, lip trembling, something running down his cheek…

“Wait, are you crying?”

Aegon’s eyes widened, as shocked as you were. He was not crying… He was just thinking about family problems and feeling slightly sentimental. He was not being vulnerable…

He was not crying. It was just itchy eyes, or maybe he was sleepy… “I am not!” Your brother yelled, trying to wipe away the damp feeling on his cheeks. "Seven Hells! I am not crying, okay? Now shut up and spread your legs for me already!"

The shout echoed through the chambers in a thunderous way, the veins of his neck becoming prominent due to the angry intensity, his knuckles already white when he clenched his fists. He needed to vent the frustration on something. Anything.

And unfortunately for you, Alicent had just sacrificed your physical and emotional well-being, handing you over as if you were a sheep going straight into the mouth of a dragon.

You did not back down, you did not argue, accepting what you had to do. Your duty as the only daughter of the Queen Consort, your duty as the sister-wife of the future King...

Interpreting the silence and the sadness in your gaze as a form of acceptance of your fates, Aegon began to undo the ties of his brown pants. The smell of wine and whores's cheap perfumes was impregnated in his clothes, making him disgusted with himself for a few seconds.

He hated having to do that. Having to fuck you all over again. You... The one who was his sister. The one he loved to play with, even though he was not a loving child and was only two years older. The one he loved to tease, only to roll his eyes when Aemond stared at him, disappointed. The one he let do his hair several times...

The one who had bled on his cock and sobbed his name on their wedding night. The one who had carried and given birth to his children. The one who had looked at him with a mixture of hurt and fury when he had drunkenly arrived to meet the twins hours after the difficult childbed, laughing and celebrating the fact that he had a male heir.

The one who was his little sister.

His little sister who was now naked in bed, waiting for him like a little lamb.

"Do not worry, it will be quick." As it always was and always will be, he added mentally, moving already naked to the bed.

You did not show a reaction, keeping your legs wide open to prevent Aegon from needing to hold them or force them, just like he had to do on a day when Alicent cursed him so much for not having breeding you yet that he took his anger out on you during the sex — and apologized the next day with some stupid book that Aemond said you would really like to read... Which actually happened.

Aegon gave a brief glance at your completely dry cunt, without any sign that you were comfortable with it. And how could you be, after all? Being married to him was not easy... Aegon knew all too well how unfair it was. He would not admit it in that moment, though.

He positioned himself on top of you, trying to hide the tension in his shoulders. Gods... He wished he was not being forced to do this. He wanted to continue his lewd ways on the Street of Silk, living without a care, enjoying the life of a prince, not a future King.

All Aegon wanted was to not be in this situation, needing to jerk off his own cock so he would not have to ask you to do it. He coul not let you do this...

"You want me to—"

"No!" Aegon interrupted the suggestion, his hands rubbing his cock so fast that you could feel his whole body shaking. The sounds that came out of his lips were not of pleasure, they were of pain. Not only because of the feeling of hurting himself until the sensitive skin waa almost raw, but also because he could not bear what he needed to do. He needed to fuck you and get you pregnant...

The tears ran down again, and this time he did not even try to hide them. His cheeks were warm, each drop causing quiet sobs.

It was rare to see your older brother cry, and even rarer to see him cry because of you. "Brother..."

Aegon did not answer you, he just lay on top of you, practically melting into your body in a way he had never done with anyone. He had never shown himself so vulnerable, so hopeless...

He cried nonstop, one hand holding your waist to try not to lean too much on you, not wanting to hurt you more than he was already hurting you emotionally since you were forced to get married. "I am sorry! I want to be better, I want to be better..."

Not knowing what to do, you let Aegon seek your affection. The shared nudity was not uncomfortable or sexual, though. it was intimate, but in a sad, melancholic way... It showed how unfair the fates Alicent and Otto had drawn upon your lives were. An ambitious destiny in exchange for your happiness.

You would need to have sex soon to obey the Queen's orders. However, that night, both of you would enjoy the brotherly comfort that had not existed since a long time ago. Just two siblings comforting each other's grief.

[madwomansapologist]

──────〃✰ kinktober 2024 ୨ৎ

welcome to my first kinktober! bellow you'll find prompts i've come up with + one that was commented on a post i made about this very same subject.

if you want to be tagged, tell me! i update this post everytime i finish one of the prompts with some details.

୨ৎ WEEK 1: LET'S PLAY PRETEND ୨ৎ

OCT 1ST strip poker with sir crocodile

title: poker face synopsis: luckily, mr. zero didn't knew you were a mugiwara. luckily, mr. zero fell for your bluffs. unfortunately, you never imagined it would be that hard to not fall for crocodile's charm. [3.1K] cw: mugiwara!fem!reader, strip poker, strip tease, public sex, cock crush, nipple stimulation, size difference, fingering (f!receiving), riding, biting, scratching, finger sucking, p in v, creampie, possessive behavior, mob boss meets a baddie, pussy so good he wonders about marriage.

OCT 3TH somnophilia with kento nanami

title: sweet dreams synopsis: watching the man you love deny himself of his needs, you take matters into your own hands. or lips, to be more precise. [1.5K] cw: established relationship, service top!reader, somnophilia, body worship, nipple stimulation, masturbation (m!receiving), oral (m!receiving), choking (gn!receiving), hair pulling, overstimulation.

OCT 5TH incest with karlach

title: a small favor synopsis: a movie night turned into you being a good girl for your older sister. if only she had warned you of what it truly meant. [1.1K] cw: t!karlach, plus size!reader, incest, lil sis/big sis, dub con, gaslighting, obssessive behavior, apologetic, spit, dry humping, pussyjob, premature ejaculation.

୨ৎ WEEK 2: MONSTERS AND LESBIANS DESERVE LOVE TOO ୨ৎ

OCT 6TH monster fucking with multiple monsters

title: haunted bang synopsis: when you decided to explored a haunted mansion, all you wanted was to gain more knowledge for your grimoire. you never expected it to be habited, even less for all the residents to agree that sharing is caring. [2.4K] cw: wizard!reader, teratophilia, monster fucking, gangbang, voyeurism, size difference, manhandling, mind connection, scent kink, oral (females!receiving), pet play, pussy drunk, overstimulation, you know that post about "would you fuck your clone?", f in v, monsters included are a eldritch creature, a werewolf, a vampire and a shapeshifter.

OCT 8TH shower sex with namivivi

title: let it sink in synopsis: the fight was over, the war was done, but the tension was still there. watching the princess falling victim of her own mind, the navigator has to intervene. [1K] cw: established relationship, insecurity, a bit of hurt and a lot of comfort, this isn't sex it's love okay i'm sensitive about them, shower sex, masturbation.

OCT 10TH scent kink with farcille

title: animal attraction synopsis: back from the dead, falin could feel something changing inside of her. but with marcille's scent blinding her mind, she ignored the dragon and focused on the warmth coming from her friend. [0.8K] cw: the night pre-chimera, scent kink (in a dragon’s mate way), nipple stimulation, a tiny small bit of somnophilia, erotic dreams, public sex.

OCT 12TH masturbation with nico robin

title: a helping hand synopsis: there is an aspect of sailing in the grand line you failed to consider: there is no one to fuck. of course, that's only true if you ignore your crew as candidates. [0.5K] cw: sorry for the delay! reader has a little crush on luffy, masturbation, accidental orgasm denial, accidental/non-accidental voyeurism.

୨ৎ WEEK 3: REWARD SYSTEM ୨ৎ

OCT 13TH praise kink with kagaya x reader x amane

title: pretty, pretty, pretty synopsis: back from a mission, is time to remember your lovers you will always be there to take care of their every needs and desires. [1.1K] cw: sorry for the delay! established relationship, kagaya x reader x amane, dom!fem!reader, praise kink, voyeurism, masturbation (f! and m! receiving), body worship, oral (m!receiving).

OCT 15TH bondage with dark justiciar shadowheart

title: sing your prayers synopsis: to worship lady shar, one must be perfect. shadowheart will guide you, make you the best you can ever be. don't matter the cost, her teachings shall find a way into your very soul. [1K] cw: fem!reader, bard!tav, domme!shadowheart, power imbalance, memory loss, bondage, humilliation kink, temperature play, gaslighting, dacryphilia, religious imagery, Shar vs Selune.

OCT 17TH corruption kink with shan yu

title: training session synopsis: you're tired of being treated like a glass about to be shattered. if he will have you whole, than it's only fair you receive the same. [1.3K] cw: established relationship, corruption kink, finger sucking, masturbation (m!receiving), oral (m!receiving), cum eating.

୨ৎ WEEK 4: ANIME SEASON ୨ৎ

OCT 24TH sex pollen with kyojuro rengoku

title: milk me synopsis: usually demons' poisons just kill whoever was affected by them. this time, it served for something else. something way better. [2.1K] cw: established relationship, eye patch!kyojuro, crystal hashira!reader, sex pollen, public sex, pussy drunk, forced orgasms, overstimulation, oral (f!receiving), fingering (f!receiving), p in v, dacryphilia, spit, nipple stimulation, accidental voyeurism (we'll say: sorry miss shinobu).

taglist: @ffinosie @lovelyy-moonlight @alzaira @s2-angells @eyes-ofhell @inlovewithmariah @chiiyohiimee @shaquilles-0atmeal @bloodyziggy @salemey @kcch-ns @notanalienindisguiseblink @py-schi @miyanosm @idonthaveanameforthisacc

@ madwomansapologist.tumblr.

[jymwahuwu]

Partner matching services...

Imagine getting imbibitor lunae... Constantly mating and him just slowly thrusting inside your warm and wet hole to not overstimulate you with his two thick and long cocks but you keep pushing him away😔

So he decides to roughly pound you, the sight of you scream so loudly while your cunny clenching harder around him is just so 😍 his tail unconsciously wrapping around your waist and making you take him to the base... (Would he have a knot? 👀)

(Can I be 💦anon?)

😚yes you can be 💦anon! aww😳 He wants to mate with you no matter what… thanks for sharing💕

CW: yandere, non-con, forced breeding, knotting, (mentioned) pregnancy

Imbibitor Lunae got a report from a matching services company, the data shows that you are 93% suitable for giving birth to dragon cubs, and you are also his most suitable partner. He explains to you how rare this number is and how important you are to Vidyadhara, but you disagree. You are looking for a suitable lover, not to be bred and pregnant with dragon cubs.

Dan Feng was like: why not have both? You will get breeding. You will have a lover.

He just needs to show you this blueprint for the future, and what better way than to start mating you?

Only now do you realize how insignificant your own power is in front of dragons. The dragon blows into your ear. That strange, comfortable kiss brought you a shudder, on your lips, neck, and chest, and the tongue teased your areola, which glowed with water. After a long mating preparation, two thick dragon dicks slowly revealed, straightened up, pre-cum dripping from the tip between your thighs.

"Stop-stop!! Help! Let me go!"

Terrified, you slap his hand and try to push his chest away with all your strength, but your lower body twitches humiliatingly, as if expecting to be bred. Imbibitor Lunae soothes you in a low voice, while opening your penetrated place, patiently thrusting into the deepest, stretching those folds and walls, until the balls lightly slap on your shiny folds.

Dan Feng knows the priority now is to train you to take his two cocks. He holds back, and slowly, carefully begins to thrust into the tight, wet hole amidst your unwilling tears and moans.

After a few rounds, you irritate him by pushing him all the time. He decides to give you a little rough treatment and instead the dragon cock is pounding mercilessly in the heat, in and out, resulting in a deep and loud water sound. It doesn't take long for you to change - screaming, wrapping your arms around him because it's the only thing you can lean on.

And the knotting!! Yes!! This is perfect, just think about it. He kisses your cheek lightly, and the dragon's cock swells even more, knotting as the sticky and fertile load irrigates inside of you. You have to stay with him in this mating position for at least ten minutes, and you can't leave, waiting for the start of the next round. It was quite an embarrassing and hopeless experience.

[worlds-only-dbgt-enjoyer]

Dragon Ball Fic Recs

as many of us think (at least in my fandom buddies circle), dragon ball fic is plagued with The Bad*. however ao3 is one of the few things that renders correctly on my flip phone and im a creative writing major, a huge snob, and sort by new, so I got favorites. This will be an expanding masterlist.

This is personal preference. I read heavily for writing style, and have very few squicks. Please read tags. Essentially all of these authors have other fics in the fandom that are worth reading, but in interest of this being vaguely readable, Im keeping it largely to one per writer.

The Obvious Choices

Most of these came from other fic rec lists, but if I got a tip about it, and liked it anyway, here it is

Contamination-cosmicmewtwo

tags: Post-Majin Buu Saga, Horror Elements, Science Fiction. Kakavege

Summary: While training in the far reaches of space, Goku and Vegeta discover something alien beyond their understanding.

Homeworld Lost-astral_mariner

tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Raditz/Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Frieza/Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Other pairings, Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Raditz (Dragon Ball) Nappa (Dragon Ball) Frieza (Dragon Ball) Bulma Briefs Other Character Tags to Be Added, Horror, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Canon Compliant, Pre-Canon, Canon Universe, Torture, Genocide, Medical Experimentation ,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Unreliable Narrator, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Rape/Non-con Elements, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, Sadism, Masochism, Abusive Relationships, Slavery, POV Raditz, Grief/Mourning, Whump, Angst, Heavy Angst, Tragedy, Exploitation, Drug Use, Drug Addiction, Existential Angst, Sad Ending, Mindfuck, Aftermath of Torture, Rape Aftermath, Blood and Gore, Major Character Injury, Dark, POV First Person, Sexual Violence, Manipulation, Gender Issues, Saiyan Culture, Vegeta Being an Asshole (Dragon Ball), Vegeta is Bad at Feelings (Dragon Ball), Frieza Being an Asshole (Dragon Ball), Illustrations, Nightmare Fuel

Summary:

Via Raditz’s broken scouter, Bulma tries to recover access to Planet Trade networks and technologies to get an upper hand against the androids. But in so doing, she discovers Raditz’s private files—writings and recordings he kept for himself over his long travels with Vegeta and Nappa under Freeza. Tales of their exploits and descent into madness come to change her perception of Vegeta and her relationship with him. Homeworld Lost is a novel-length dark science-fantasy story with explicit violence, horror, and erotica (sometimes simultaneously). Generally canon compliant. Explores Vegeta’s backstory under the Planet Trade Organization and his fraught relationships with his comrades, particularly the twisted bond he and Raditz share. Most of the story is narrated by Raditz, but there are lots of twists. He is an unreliable narrator, and in places, altered mental states allow him to take other points of view. We also get interludes from Bulma as she reads and reacts to Raditz's account.

(be so for real, you're reading this too)

in sua viscera conversum-ovest

Tags: Post-Majin Buu Saga, Smart Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bottom Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Introspection, Character Study, aftermath of death, Past Character Death, Spit As Lube, Vegito As A Non-Presence, Existentialism, Fusion. Kakavege

Summary: The Earth keeps on spinning. Maybe it's always been a love story.

Full Moon-Vakaara

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Vegeta (Dragon Ball) kakavege week 2018, kakavege week, anxiety attack, Mentions of Death, distraught Goku, Background GoChi, Background VegeBul, Open Relationships, het relationships (background), Anal Sex, Oral Sex, slight liberties taken with how alien physiology works, Hurt/Comfort

Goku’s tail is back, but he’s not sure he’s happy about it - especially now that he knows what he could become at the full moon.

Deeper Cuts

may have double-digit hits, may be largely popular, but not recced to me. they do bang though

between friends-yamchacho (origami_monsters)

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply, Tenshinhan/Yamcha (Dragon Ball) Bulma Briefs/Yamcha, Launch/Tenshinhan (Dragon Ball), Tenshinhan (Dragon Ball), Yamcha (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs, Launch (Dragon Ball),Slice of Life, Drabble ,Unrequited Love, Not Actually Unrequited Love, shy tenshinhan, idc that man is emotionally repressed, Canon Compliant, mostly i havent watched it in a long time so idk, Ambiguous/Open Ending, not much actually happens here, talking about feelings

Summary: Bulma and Yamcha think Tien and Launch are a cute couple. Tien and Launch don't.

these days (these nights) are changing-Resacon1990

Tags:No Archive Warnings ApplySon Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Son Gohan Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball) Krillin (Dragon Ball) Piccolo (Dragon Ball) Bulma Briefs Master Roshi (Dragon Ball) Android 18 (Dragon Ball) Android 17 (Dragon Ball) Tien Chiaotzu (Dragon Ball) Yamcha (Dragon Ball) Son Goten Trunks Briefs Z FightersPOV Outsider 5+1 Things Fluff and Angst Fluff Angst Brief mentions of past Chi-Chi/Goku and Bulma/Vegeta Vegeta is Bad at Feelings (Dragon Ball) Awesome Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Goku is actually mature in this one guys Hurt/Comfort Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary:

Goku just smiles broadly back at him though, shrugging a shoulder in that effortlessly careless way only he’s ever been able to manage. “Wherever you want. The world is our limit.” Vegeta doesn’t budge an inch. “And what if I want to go somewhere else?” Goku’s smile softens. A lump lodges in Chi Chi’s throat as Goku steps closer, bracketing Vegeta against the tree, leaning down slightly into his space. That look is still there but it’s different, somehow it’s different. “I’m sure we can figure something out,” Goku murmurs. Or, five times a Z Fighter sees Goku love Vegeta... and the one time a Z Fighter sees Vegeta love Goku back.

Rather Fight Than Just Fake It-theeternalghost (iaintafraidofnoghostbear) (archive locked)

tags: No Archive Warnings Apply, Vegeta/Yamcha (Dragon Ball) Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Yamcha (Dragon Ball) Hate Sex, Choking, Breathplay, Dirty Talk, Name-Calling, Degradation, Barebacking, Rough Sex, Scratching

Summary:

"You're such a fucking - ah!" Yamcha cries out. He tries to pull away, but Vegeta has an iron grip on his hips, the pressure sure to bruise. "I'm a what now?" Vegeta mocks."I can't hear you, Yamcha."

Standing at the Edge, Alone - Cizzi

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply, Piccolo/Son Gohan, Videl Satan & Son Gohan, Chi-Chi & Son Gohan & Son Goku, Bulma Briefs & Son Gohan, Dende & Son Gohan, Son Gohan Piccolo (Dragon Ball), Videl Satan, Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Son Goten, Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs,Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Krillin (Dragon Ball) ,Android 18 (Dragon Ball), Z Warriors (Dragon Ball), Katas (Dragon Ball), Dende (Dragon Ball), Son Gohan-centric, Pining, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Alien Biology, Namekian Biology, Introspection, Queerplatonic Relationships, Chronic Illness, Self-Discovery, Past Lives, Depression, Slow Burn, Magic, Piccolo is Bad at Feelings (Dragon Ball), Medical Trauma, Namekian Culture, Telepathic Bond, Seizures, Misunderstandings, Good Parent Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Protective Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball)

Summary:

Gohan was twenty when his headaches and the visions started. They showed him nauseating depictions of an unhappy future where he tried his hardest to be what everyone around him seemed to want - and flashes of an unknown past that threatens to creep up on him with its uncertainty. So he decides to change his life, but things aren't that easy; it's hard being so lonely. Pinpointing his real feelings, his real desires. Years have passed and his friends all have lives of their own, but he doesn't feel like he's made any progress, longing for an older, stronger connection to someone he thinks doesn't feel the same way. And his friends, well, they have no idea he's in pain, and think he still wants a happy ending with a 'normal' family and white picket fence. That's what Piccolo thinks he wants, too. Being pushed away by his oldest friend is the one thing Gohan thinks may be more painful than his illness. By the time Piccolo realizes how he feels, will their bond be irreparably damaged? Everyone thinks they know what Son Gohan wants- but does he even know, himself?

With Eris on His Shoulder-EnbyNeti (Archive Locked)

Tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death,Cell & Son Gohan (no matter how unwilling), Chi-Chi & Son Goten & Son Gohan, Videl Satan & Son Gohan, Dende & Son Gohan, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Son Gohan, Cell (Dragon Ball), Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball), Son Goten, Other Character Tags to Be Added, Hearing Voices, But are they voices, Post-Cell Games Saga, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Son Gohan-centric, Son Gohan Needs a Hug (Dragon Ball), Dead Son Goku (Dragon Ball, Crack Treated Seriously, Angst, It wasn't the original intention but I can never escape it, Kid Son Gohan, Teenage Son Gohan, Chi-Chi Needs a Hug (Dragon Ball), Dead Cell (Dragon Ball), And yet Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Trans son gohan

Summary:

The Cell Games, as well as the new global holiday now dubbed Victorious Satan Day, have come and gone, and it's now a month later, with the first signs of autumn starting to show in the forests of Mount Paozu. Gohan smiles as he watches the sunset through the window of the kitchen. Life… Life is good these days, here on Earth. It was worth it. His left arm twinges. And there’s a low hum in his ear. “Still set on ignoring me, are you, brat ?”

meet me halfway-k3ishins

Tags: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball), Bulma (Dragon Ball), Son Goten,Dialogue Heavy, Canon-Typical Violence, like barely yet but im tagging it for future chapters as well, Erotica, my attempt at it....we're gonna take the long road here folks, Explicit Sexual Content, Anal Sex, Top Vegeta (Dragon Ball), Bottom Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Slice of Life, sort of. i just wanted to explore their dbs dynamic when the cameras aren't rolling, Friends With Benefits, to some extent there's really an established relationship lying under there, Ass to Mouth, Character Study, Relationship Study, Blow Jobs, Breeding Kink With Feelings, That should be a tag., discussion of saiyan mating cycles but no actual depiction of them ,(unless.....?), Drunk Sex, Intercrural Sex, Spanking, Choking, Frottage

Summary: When you really boil it down, all Goku and Vegeta do is talk, fuck, and fight.

(As an aside, I'm blocked by this writer. Not sure why, but no judgement. if you're k3ishins and would like me to take this down, let me know)

The Favorite Subjects

These particularly scratched my brain with ideas, setups, characterizations, or kinks

every time i look at you, it's like the first time-fairyfication

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball) Attempt at Humor, Porn With Plot, profoundly unsexy porn, son goku loves his wife, Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, Pregnancy, Love Confessions

Summary:

"Chichi, I think I'm sick." Chichi turns around, already brainstorming a chicken soup recipe to nurse him back to health. "What's wrong?" "When you look at me, my chest feels all warm, and I get sweaty hands, and my heart starts to beat fast... do you think I'm allergic to you?" "That's no allergy," she smiles, wedding band shiny in the midday light. - Goku and Chichi never seem to do things in the right order.

Provocative-cuddlesome

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply Raditz/Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Vegeta & Nappa & Raditz (Dragon Ball)Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Raditz (Dragon Ball) Nappa (Dragon Ball)Canon-Typical Violence Mentions of Xenocide Pre-Dragon Ball Z Team Dynamics Blow Jobs Size Difference Intercrural Sex Thighs Muscles Hair-pulling Slut Shaming Premature Ejaculation Unhealthy Relationships Verbal Humiliation Top Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Bottom Raditz (Dragon Ball) Virgin Vegeta (Dragon Ball) listen Raditz has thicc thighs he can be thicc elsewhere as a treat chunky monkey

Summary: Raditz is a vexing, mouthy weakling, which makes Vegeta's attraction to his body all the more irritating.

Shock to the System-sans_patronymic

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply Bulma Briefs/Vegeta Bulma Briefs Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Trunks Briefs Krillin (Dragon Ball)Emotional Hurt/Comfort Angst with a Happy Ending Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD Past Torture Fluff and Angst Someone buy Bulma Briefs a beer Established Relationship i swear there's fluff Canon-Typical Violence

Summary: When bit of summer fun goes terribly wrong, Bulma is left to pick up the pieces, Trunks struggles to understand and Vegeta confronts old wounds.

migraine-Onyxim

Tags: No Archive Warnings ApplySon Goku & Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Bulma Briefs/Vegeta Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Bulma BriefsHurt/Comfort Fluff and Humor Headaches & Migraines Can be read as Goku/Vegeta They outright flirt with each other and it's just universally accepted Goku Makes Dumb Decisions™

Summary:

The heart virus sucked. There was no doubt about that. But he'd go through a thousand heart viruses if it meant he didn't have to deal with this all the time. - aka, Goku has chronic migraines due to his head injury. That's not going to keep him from sparring, though, because he's Goku.

Bleeding Me-Orphan Account

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hand Jobs, Kissing, First Time, Canon Disabled Character, Brain Damage, Traumatic Brain Injury, Blood and Injury, Depression, Protective vegeta, sad Goku, Gift Fic

Summary:

Goku wasn’t himself, at all. He never had ‘off’ days to begin with, but Vegeta saw the changes. But he wasn’t going to ask what was wrong. Never. Then one simple accident changed Vegeta’s stance.

The Child-AveChameleon

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Frieza (Dragon Ball) Kuriza (Dragon Ball)Adoption Emotional Baggage Terminal Illnesses Internal Conflict Parent-Child Relationship Light Angst POV First Person

Summary: A dying enemy has one last request for Vegeta.

Point of No Return-niteryde

Tags: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Major Character DeathFuture Trunks Briefs & VegetaFuture Trunks Briefs Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Nappa (Dragon Ball) Raditz (Dragon Ball) Frieza (Dragon Ball) Bulma Briefs Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Krillin (Dragon Ball) Son GohanAlternate Universe - Canon Divergence Action/Adventure Dark Gritty Canon-Typical Violence Time Travel Violence Alternate Universe

Summary:

Trunks was going back in time to warn the others about the androids, but instead ended up in a time when Vegeta was Frieza's most ruthless soldier... can he keep his power and identity a secret when he sees the brutality of his father's past? [Original run on FFN: 2010-2011]

Honorable Mentions

K18 NSFW Art-TinyGryphon

Tags: No Archive Warnings ApplyAndroid 18/Krillin (Dragon Ball)Krillin (Dragon Ball) Android 18 (Dragon Ball)NSFW Art Sexual Content Digital Art Vaginal Sex Hand Jobs Double Penetration Foursome - F/M/M/M the foursome is just Krillin using multiform don't worry it's 18 and three Krillins Oral Sex Doggy Style Praise Kink Impregnation Outdoor Sex Beach Sex Height Differences Insecurity Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary: A dumping place for any of my K18 art that other sites won't allow but AO3 will because AO3 is a real one

art, not a fic, but cmon. yall know it

Broken-YaminoBossBitch Broken link, deleted :(

Tags: No Archive Warnings ApplyBulma Briefs/Vegeta Son Goku & Vegeta (Dragon Ball)Vegeta (Dragon Ball) Son Goku (Dragon Ball) Bulma BriefsAngst Sad Sad Ending Ableism internalized ableism ableist slurs Self-Loathing disabling illness graphic descriptions of pain Vomiting Memory Loss death mention medical gaslighting Hospitals Medical Tests Denial suicidal ideations sex mention can be read as KakaVege if you squint Vegebul Chronic Illness Hurt with attempted comfort

Summary:

Vegeta develops mysterious symptoms, and they begin to disrupt every aspect of his life. It seems as though the more he tries to overcome them, the worse they get. An illness with no known cause, no treatment, no cure, and that cannot be overcome through sheer force of will. Will Vegeta find the answers he needs? How will he cope with this disruption of his life?

alright, I have to be honest, this one is a little rough. but just captured my mind in a way that it couldnt not be included.

*writing ooc/grammatical error'd/underplotted/any other form of "bad" fanfic is a vital part of fan experience and growth as a writer. Fanfic is donated time, and deserves appreciation at all stages. this is just a list of fics I personally enjoyed

[disgruntledexplainer]

Deltora, a subversion of fantasy tropes (or perhaps more accurately going back to it's roots)

@yellow-eyed-green-crocodile OK, here we go.

Deltora Quest is a children's book series. It consists of 16 books, though it exists in an expanded universe which contains another 12 books, not counting Tales of Deltora, Secrets of Deltora, and Monsters of Deltora (as well as the little-known extra book The Land of Dragons, which contains about half of what's in Tales of Deltora plus 3 additional stories which you can't find anywhere else).

The books were written during that time when Scholastic was doing it's darnedest to get kids to actually pick up a book and read. You know, the era of Animorphs, Secrets of Droon, and other books like that. Pre-harry-potter stuff. But deltora always stuck out as somewhat... odd.

For one thing, the setting. Deltora is a land absolutely INFESTED with horrifying monsters. we're talking lovecraft-level stuff. indeed, these things are so powerful that going toe-to-toe with them in conventional combat is laughably absurd. I mean, just look at this thing:

each of those little globes is a stomach the size of a PERSON. a sword ain't doin SHIT against that thing. and it wasn't even the primary monster from the book it came from. do you know what was? THE SAND IT'S STANDING ON. YES, THAT ENTIRE DESERT IS A SINGLE MONSTER.

there are also dark sorcerers, capable of, for example, turning an entire town into a fetid swamp in a split second, and deflecting any weapon directed at them. the main villain is a sorcerer of such incredible power that he makes zeus and odin look like chumps.

in order to defeat these creatures, the main characters are consistently forced to use their wits instead of their weapons.

but this isn't what I am writing this post about. every fantasy book has monsters of some kind. probably. no, what REALLY stands out about the Deltora Quest series is the BELT.

this is the Belt of Deltora, a composite magic item formed from 7 gems, each linked to the power of the land, bound together by a belt made by a simple blacksmith who united the seven tribes of deltora and became it's first king. it is considered the single most powerful mystical object on the continent, and uniting it is Deltora's only hope for survival.

except from a generic fantasy perspective, it kinda sucks.

in most generic fantasy settings, the characters are attempting to accumulate magical power which they can use to engage their enemies directly in combat; alternatively, they may be trying to build a big enough army or something similar. but the gems don't work like that. lets take a look at what the gems can actually do, shall we?

the Diamond: Gem of Strength or Fortitude, can give physical strength, fortitude, and courage to the wielder, as well as the ability to cure diseases in the person who touches it. it punishes those who attempt to take it in a dishonorable manner with misfortune. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal Diamond Dragons, and a nearby dragon of it's type boosts it's power, and vice versa. it also has this weird synergy with the topaz where the topaz can summon the strength of everyone who believes in the wearer (in a metaphorical sense) and the diamond transforms that belief into physical strength.

the Emerald: Gem of Honor, dulls in the presense of evil or at the location of a broken vow, is a remedy for sores and ulcers, and is an antidote to poison for whomever touches it. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal Emerald Dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa. Note that out of all the dragons, emerald dragons are arguably the biggest and most powerful. It might have other powers as well, as it's potential isn't as well explored as the other gems.

Lapis Lazuli: Gem of Luck or Providence, protects the wearer from evil and brings good fortune. also may have some subtle effect on the weather, though that hasn't been confirmed. it is arguably the most powerful of the gems for the protection it provides, but the nature of it's power is ill defined, and certainly outside of the wearer's ability to control. It also allows you to detect the location of the Opal as if it were a compass, and is more powerful when in close proximity to it. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate and heal Lapis Lazuli dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa. If the opal has it's power boosted by a nearby opal dragon, the Lapis Lazuli's power is also boosted if they are close to each other.

Topaz: Gem of Faith, can allow the wearer to make contact with the spirit world during a full moon. the character can see ghosts, and sometimes the spirits of the hallowed dead (those who are in heaven) will appear to the character and given advice, those this is extremely rare. It also clears and strengthens the mind and protects the wearer from the terrors of the night (also ill-defined). It's powers are all strengthened during the full moon. It can allow the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal topaz dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa.

Opal: Gem of Hope, has the power to give glimpses of the future and can enhance the wearer's vision, and it can also fill the wearer with hope for the future (which helps counteract the panic that the visions of the future often produce). It can detect the Lapis Lazuli like a compass, and is more powerful when in close proximity to it. It allows the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal opal dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa. If the Lapis Lazuli has it's power boosted by a nearby lapis lazuli dragon, the opal's power is also boosted if they are close to each-other.

The Ruby: Gem of Happiness or Love, it grows pale in the presense of evil, or when misfortune threatens it's wearer. Can be used in conjunction with the emerald to fully distinguish between danger, evil, and vow-breakers, since their powers overlap a little. It wards off evil spirits (also ill-defined) and is an antidote to snake venom, and also apparently repels snakes and venomous creatures in general. It allows the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal ruby dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa.

The Amethyst: Gem of Truth or Wisdom, changes color in the presence of illness, pales near poisoned food or drink, and guides the wearer toward sincerity, security and peace of mind (AKA calming the wearer when touched). It also boosts the power of Toran Magic. By A LOT. It allows the wearer to telepathically communicate with and heal Amethyst dragons, and a nearby dragon of that type boosts it's power, and vice versa.

True, this is a lot of variety in powers, but with the exception of the Diamond most of this is pretty useless in combat. Especially given that the sorcerers in this world can do things like call lightning down from the sky, or create and control thousands of soldiers made out of goo. And compared to the combat capabilities of end-game weapons of other setting? it's chump change. it should be noted that the gems DO NOT allow the wielder to control dragons, only telepathically communicate with them, meaning that the King of Deltora must still negotiate to get any help, and the Dragons are rarely cooperative, even in the face of their own extinction. The gems don't give you the ability to control the elements, warp space and time, kill with a thought, fly, or turn into a glowing giant (whatever the anime adaptation might say to the contrary).

No, what the gems allow the user to do is: keep a level and clear head, detect potentially dangerous situations, and heal people of ailments.

but here's the thing; given what I said about the monsters in deltora, any of the spectacular kinds of magic would be pretty much useless. The Shadow Lord is beyond anything any mortal is capable of fighting; he has integrated his twisted will with the spirit of half a continent, and has experimenting with new and more twisted kinds of magic for thousands of years. Frankly, even by the standards of most "dark lords" like Sauron, Melkor, and Galbatorix, he is unimaginably powerful. a direct confrontation with him is laughable.

so then, why is the Belt considered one of the most powerful objects on the planet?

Well, because what it grants isn't power.

it grants FREEDOM.

freedom is defined as "the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility. By free will one shapes one's own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness[...]" -Catechism of the Catholic Church section 1731

in other words, Freedom, properly defined, is not the ability to do what one wants; that is power, not freedom. Freedom is the ability to do what one NEEDS to do. Freedom to protest. Freedom to preach. Freedom to worship. Freedom to defend oneself both physically and legally. These are freedoms.

Now lets look again at what the belt enables one to do. It allows one to clear and calm one's mind and strengthens one's will, heals, protects from certain kinds of danger, and allows one to heal others. These are not powers, they are FREEDOMS.

oh yeah, and I forgot one more of these freedoms:

WHEN ALL THE GEMS ARE PUT IN THE BELT TOGETHER, THEY PRODUCE A MAGICAL SCREEN WHICH BANISHES DARK MAGIC AND THOSE WHOSE SOULS ARE TAINTED BY IT.

it is not combat power, but it is a power FAR GREATER THAN ANY COMBAT POWER COULD EVER FEASIBLY BE

In a sense, this subverts normal fantasy tropes by going back to its roots. When JRR Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings, he wrote a book about simple working class and middle class people defeating an evil by DESTROYING POWER (with a One Ring being a kind of stand-in for power itself in all it's forms). yet, it seems that every writer since has taken a look at his work and gone "look at all this cool world-building and monsters and magic! but the protagonists and themes are kinda lame. I KNOW, i'll REPLACE those complex and nuanced themes with EDGY GRIZZLED WARRIORS AND POWER-HUNGRY SORCERERS, and make the story all about CONSOLIDATING AS MUCH POWER AS POSSIBLE TO DEFEAT SOMEONE WHO HAS ALSO CONSOLODATED AS MUCH POWER AS POSSIBLE, BUT IN AN EVIL WAY. sometimes they even have their characters performing actions which are completely morally bankrupt (razing cities, killing civilians or surrendering enemies, etc), and justify it because "main villain is worse". because in other words, most fantasy writers decided to completely rip off all of tolkien's world, down to the very creatures that inhabit it, but HORRIBLY INVERT the themes

Meanwhile, Deltora seems to do the opposite. It doesn't copy Tolkien's world. there are similarities; the Shadow Lord is kinda like Sauron if you squint a little. but the world is populated with plenty of creatures that don't line up at all, and even those that are similar are only superficially so. meanwhile, Emily Rodda (the author) took a look at Tolkien's themes, smiled and nodded, and proceeded to ELABORATE UPON THEM. The kingdom of deltora fell because the rulers detached themselves from the needs of the common man and physically separated themselves from them out of cowardice. the shadow lord twists and destroys nature to produce his horrific experiments which mirror in many ways modern genetic engineering. the battle is won not through force of arms, but through planning, cleverness, and uniting the tribes under a common cause.

there are other things, like how each gem corresponds to one of the seven virtues, or how so much emphais is put on using logic to solve problems, and similar things, but this post is long as it is, so i'm going to stop here.

[atheniangrace]

Things/Songs I Associate With the Deities I Worship

(part 1)

Hello! I'm grateful to those who follow me so far thank you very much, I hope to make my blog a bit more interesting!

For this very short series, I will be posting on the deities I mostly worship, which are Lady Athena and Lady Aphrodite. You can also consider this list based on upg associations, and I hope you enjoy reading this. I also dedicate this post to specifically Lady Athena.

Associations;

Medicine/doctors/pre-meds/Medical students/residents in hospitals, and the symbols of a snake around a staff (I know that is more of Apollo's, Aesculapius, Caduceus, and Hermes symbol, but since Athena is also associated with snakes and healing, I also associate her with the symbol).

Other careers such as; Teachers, lawyers, news reporter, historians, nurses, anthropologist, architecture, and fashion design, pianist, painter, biologist, and writers.

College/grad school.

Purple, green sage, blue, and silver.

Cats, owls, dog's, deers, white butterflies, and eagles.

Strawberries, grapes, olive oil, nuts/almonds, rice, chocolate, bread, and tea/coffee.

Dragons

Music genre; Jazz and pop

Artists: Bad Bunny, Beyonce, Raveena, The Marias, Fleetwood Mac, Phoebe Bridgers, BTS, and Mitski.

Particular songs; The Chain/Songbird/Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac), Sienna (The Marias), Ghost in the Machine (SZA and Phoebe Bridgers), Silver Into Rain (Luna Li and Beabadoobee), Would You Rather/Motion Sickness/Scott Street (Phoebe Bridgers), My Rose/16 Carriages/Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar)/Diva/Flawless (Beyonce), The way things go and Coming Home (Beabadoobee), Oh Que Sera? (Willie Colon), Sometimes (H.E.R), Salt Water and Stronger (Raveena), Viva La Vida (Cold Play), Rises the moon (Liana Flores), Your Song (Elton John), Let it Be (The Beetles), Happiness/mirrorball/my tears ricochet (Taylor Swift), Good Days (SZA), Slipping Through My Fingers (ABBA), Red Velvet (Big Theif), DtMF/CAFe CON RON/ TURiSTA/BAILE INVoLVIDABLE/LA MuDANZA/LO QUE LE PASO A HAWAii/Solia/La Dificil (Bad Bunny) (there are so many more but I'll stop here).

Epithet UPG (since this whole list is a UPG); Athena Asklepios: I call to her with this epithet (non-historical) when studying for anything medicine related.

Dairies/journal, planners, and watercolor paintings.

Movies; Howl's Moving Castle, The Boy and The Heron, An Almost Christmas Story (an animated short film), and Moana.

Therapy or career mentors.

Libraries, museums, and art gallery.

Smells associations (UPG); Lavender, Chamomile, Lemon, Cinnamon, and new books (my apologies if this is weird lol).

Roadtrips and maps, books, and technology.

That will be all :)) 💖 (Credit: Divider by @vibeswithrenai)

All Hail the Owl-eyed and Savior Lady Athena! Xaire🦉 <33

[exhausted-archivist]

I Think Solas Was Never Supposed to Succeed in Tearing Down the Veil

This has been sitting in my drafts for like.... weeks. And I'm kinda just chucking it out there because I want to talk about it but I also don't think there will ever be a time where this can be discussed without strong reactions. So, I'm just gonna treat this with half seriousness and be kinda general? I'm down to discuss but I'm not here to deal with the pro/con Veilguard sentiments. I just wanna talk about the game in a mostly analytical way.

I think Solas poses a lot of cool narrative restrictions, contradictions, and irritations. He is a wonderful antagonist – easy to be against what he's doing but also you can, at points, see where he's coming from. Can still think he's smart/dumb/irrational/ect, but still see the logic. Whether its flawed or not.

That said. The endgame for Dragon Age was likely never going to maintain the Veil coming down. Now let me explain before you boo me for being right. For legal reasons this is a joke.

I've seen people talking about how it would be nice to see what Thedas would have looked like with the veil down and lamenting how a lot of things happened off-screen even though in any scenario the destruction of Thedas would have still largely been off screen.

But I always just think about how the narrative was pretty heavy handed in how it has always been characterized as a bad thing, a sort of fail state at best. Wiping out all life on the continent at worse.

Which leads me to the conclusion:

Solas was likely never supposed to succeed in tearing down the veil and it was never depicted as a good thing if he succeeded.

Now I'm going to stick some stuff under the cut, because spoilers for datv, but we get at least a sliver of what they were looking at in terms of scope prior to the switch to multiplayer, and even what they were thinking of on the heels of Trespasser before datv became Joplin.

To clarify the general timeline for datv you have: Prior to official project start (roughly 2014-2015) -> Joplin (2015-2017) -> Morrison (2017-2021) -> Morrison Single-player (Veilguard) (2021-2024)

I also, and I cannot stress this enough, concept art is not cut content. None of what is shown should be considered cut content. They were exploring possibilities and most of these came in very early in pre-production. They were not carried past pre-production for many reasons we don't know and might not ever fully understand.

Anyways, I'mma start with something I think is missed by a lot of people:

Most (if not all) of Thedas as we know it wouldn't be there. Solas stressed that the tearing down of the veil would kill a lot - if not all people - in Thedas. There is no guarantee for elves or dwarves, and certainly not humans and Qunari/Vashoth. This is stressed heavily in Tevinter Nights when Charter talks to him. (Emphasis by me)

She shook her head helplessly. “Because you told the Inquisitor that you were going to destroy this world,” she said. “Did you expect us not to try to stop you?” He sighed. “It was a moment of weakness. I told myself that it was because you all deserved to know, to live a few years in peace before my ritual was complete. Before this world ended.” “Then perhaps we are not the only ones you lied to,” Charter said. “You do not have to do this.” His look pinned her. “I have no choice. What I am doing will save this world, and those like you—the elves who still remain—may even find it better, when it is done.” Charter considered lying, but then she thought of Tessa, with her quick smile and strong hands. “There are those I care for who would not.”

For reference of those who haven't read the comics, Tessa is Charter's human partner.

He stresses this both when he mentions it in Trespasser. He knows his path to do so ends in death, he wanted the world to be at some degree of peace before most of it died - its why he helps reveal the Dragon's Breath plot.

Okay, so what about datv? They could have changed their mind, a lot of stuff changed between what we were given in Trespasser (2015) and Tevinter Nights (2020).

Glad you asked!

So, what we know from the artbook is that in this post-Tresspasser/pre-Joplin era concept art, they explored the veil coming down in a different way than what we got final game. Matt Rhodes also posted the piece with the artbook caption that this was a pitch that involved Solas summoning a titan beneath Minrathous to tear down the veil. [Source]

An artist's pitch for a potential end-game. Solas has raised the titan upon which the city of Minrathous had been built, in order to use its strength to tear open the veil.

So not only did they explore Solas continuing to use titans for his purposes. Repeating a sin he has regrets for – which would have been such an interesting thing to talk about with Harding or even to throw back on how Solas still throws away his morals and values because he's barreling down the "ends justify the means" highway.

But this also says a lot about how much he does not care to about the consequences on the modern people. I also think it negates what growth he could possibly has and would be in conflict with the established fact that he does try to mitigate the damage of his ritual.

Because Titans are massive. So much so that Valta talks about it in her notes after joining with the Titan. So massive that a Warden on her calling gets lost in one. Summoning one to the surface would be cataclysmic at best. These beings are larger than mountains, its even suggested some are as large as entire mountain ranges both prior to and in datv. Not to mention Titans prior to datv are at least 14 miles below sea level (deep as the Mariana's trench) according to the da ttrpg and the map of the Descent dlc.

Summoning something that large from so deep, on a coastal area would cause so much wide spread damage... It is irredeemable. Its unjustifiable. Which would make any positive ending for Solas feel undeserved and forced upon you. So I get why this wouldn't have pushed forward. Its too loaded and irredeemable that even if someone wanted to pursue saving him from himself – you can't do that after something like this.

I still think its a cool concept that also really throws Solas' whole "I'm not a god" and "the Evanuris aren't gods" thing into the spotlight. Because the series has repeatedly asked us to consider what we consider to be a god, and if we're being told this isn't an act of a god... what in Thedas is? But that's a whole other post.

Joplin Era Art

Concept art shows they were already exploring a world state where at the end of the game, Solas mends the veil. It is not labeled as a fail state. [Source: The Art of Dragon Age The Veilguard]

Tranquilizing himself. Solas recloses the veil around himself and the blight.

This next one is considered a fail state.

This sequence was an early fail state. Solas succeeds in his ritual, life as Thedas knows it has come to an end, and the ancient elves return.

This sequence of boards shows Solas meditating and triggering an explosion (the iconic one to Dragon Age that has appeared in every game, and we see in Trespasser. The beam and then shockwave.) You see people standing around an animal and then when the shock wave they are on the ground dead. Then it cuts to a colour row of frames where a halla is grazing and the spirit bodies of the ancient elves appear on the horizon.

Solas succeeding in tearing down the veil was always a bad end. People were to die in mass quantities. Everyone would be gone. South falling to the blight? Small potatoes, as no one from the previous games exists anymore.

Another exploration of a world state successfully stopping Solas shows him making Ghilan'nain and then himself tranquil as he seals the Veil around himself and the blight.

Solas tranquilizes Ghilan'nain (above) and, as his last act, performs the same procedure on himself.

We see him tranquilizing an early concept form of Ghil, and in the second image we see the same sealing imagery of the veil as the second piece of concept art that had him closing the veil.

Defeated, Solas enters the Black City alone.

Even early on in Joplin, Solas was going to return to the Black City. Solavellan or not, his defeat seemed to always remove him from the waking world. Which is interesting to consider.

After that, the artbook – and any other concept art that has been shared – doesn't show any indication that the broad strokes of what was laid out in Joplin changed with Morrison. Neither the multiplayer nor reverting back to single player.

Solas doesn't succeed to bring down the veil and end game Solas always ends up beyond the veil.

I do wonder if the how changed at some point, but I find it interesting that we have no public indication that they carried the idea of Solas succeeding in any shape or form through production. Or that he doesn't mend the veil in end game.

Which lines up with what was telegraphed from Inquisition forward.

To me, Solas never felt like he was supposed to succeed because the narrative made it very overt that what he was doing was devastating. It felt that there was no coming back from it. Thedas would be inherently so different – and you'd have to commit to either it coming down in all world states or none at all because it would be such a divergent thing.

I think the veil coming down is a fascinating concept and definitely one to end a series so you have to start somewhere else – either so far in the future or in the past.

[allgremlinyaps]

The Most Underrated Line In All Of ATLA/TLOK And Its Many Worldbuilding Implications - A Ramble

In S2E7 of TLOK we get this dialogue from Wan and The Aye-Aye Spirit: "There are other Lion Turtles?" "Of course there are - dozens of them!" [timestamp 3:38 in this video]

It's such a quick line it's easy to miss, but there's one thing about it that made a LOT of things click into place for me about the Avatar universe's worldbuilding; the fact that there are (or were) dozens of Lion Turtles. NOT four, with one for each element, like you would assume. Dozens.

What does this mean in terms of the Four Nations? What connections might this have with other previously established lore? Well uhm follow me on this journey. I guess.

Pre-Unifications - A Global Warring States Era?

A warring states era on a wouldn't be nearly as compelling if there were only four Lion Turtles. If this were the case, everything would be perfectly balanced; why would there be disarray, violence, cultural disparity and struggles for power within each elemental group if the world was already perfectly divided into four solid groups? Why would a national identity be in question at all?

But the fact that there are more than one Lion Turtle per element... that means different groups of people being isolated from one another for long periods of time. This means different bodies of identity, regardless of element. Different city states, regional Kings, Queens, fiefdoms, dynastic power struggle, etc etc, before any sort of inherent loyalty the ones element as a national and cultural identity was established.

We know the Avatar world was not always divided into Four Nations. In Chapter 21 of The Rise Of Kyoshi we learn that Guru Laghima - a name you'll recognize from TLOK S3 - was from an era when the Four Nations had not yet been formed. We also know from Zaheer that he lived about 4,000 years before the events of TLOK (for context, thats about 6,000 years after Wan became the first Avatar).

There's further confirmation of this in Smoke And Shadow, where we learn about the first Firelord and the Fire Nation's unification wars.

However there's implications of this even in the original series; it's not some sloppy ret-con from the books and comics, it fits. Think Omashu:

In S2E2 of ATLA we get the story of Oma and Shu - and we learn that they come from "warring villages." Now why exactly would their villages be warring if The Earth Kingdom already existed? Why the need for a power struggle? Why is it not presented as a civil insurrection or civil war, but as a conflict between two distinct groups of people? The answer is that the "Earth Kingdom" as we conceptualize it did not exist. I'd go further and say that we can assume that after Omashu was established it became a powerful regional kingdom, and created strong sphere of cultural influence. Think about it - Bumi is King Of Omashu. King. NOT the Earth King, King Of The Earth Kingdom, but still King Of Omashu.

[Now there's some debate about where Omashu's founding sits on the timeline but to me it HAS to be post-Wan, probably very nearly immediately post-Wan. The line that calls them the "first earthbenders" and that they "learned earthbending from the badger moles" has caused some to question if they fit in with the "Lion Turtles bestowed bending" lore, but to me it fits pretty easily. The Lion Turtles may have bestowed the power but the actual technique was learned from the badger moles and dragons and blah blah blah.]

I also find this line from Jianzhu in The Rise Of Kyoshi very illuminating:

VINDICATION !! And Jianzhu's moaning over the cultural diversity within his country brings me to the second part of this post...

FC Yee And Gene Luen Yang Accidentally (?) Make Avatar's Cultural Mish Mash Make More Sense

Avatar's cultural gumbo of visuals has always been a little hard to parse. If you follow @atlaculture then you know it'd be kind of fruitless to try and apply any one single ethnicity/culture to one nation. A common, and very valid, criticism of Avatar is the pan-asian approach it takes to worldbuilding. I'm not here to defend that lol. I think people who dislike Avatar on that basis are well within their rights to do so, and I also think it's important to enjoy things critically.

HOWEVER, from a worldbuilding perspective, the mish mash becomes easier to swallow when you think of it in terms of multiple groups of people being unified into different nation states over a very long period of time and slowly intertwining their cultures into a single(ish) identity.

Take the Fire Nation for example: in FC Yee's The Shadow Of Kyoshi we learn that the government was much more decentralized and the country was controlled by different clans, like the Saowon and Keosho, who had individual spheres of influence and strong senses of identity. It makes me think about Mai and Ty Lee

They're both Fire Nation nobles and they both live in the Fire Nation capital - but their styles/clothes are completely different. Now, obviously that can be boiled down to personality-based character design but. There's a wide discrepancy between Mai's Edo Japan inspired hair and Ty Lee's Thai inspired performance outfit, and a little retroactive canon about them being part of different but powerful clans .. ? Yeah. That'd be fun, at the very least.

I could go on about this... was there a Water Lion Turtle at the north AND the south? How did the airbenders transition from relatively sedentary life on a Lion Turtle to nomadism? etc etc etc BUT in conclusion: TLOK and the comics have some very fun worldbuilding implications snuck in there !! Which makes up for a lot in my opinion. Personally I'd KILL for an Avatar series set in the warring states/unification period... I think that could be insanely cool...idk. The End. For Now.

[eleadore]

rec list: hannibal/will <5k

none of my recs contain mcd or unhappy endings. everything else is fair game & may not be tagged for.

all our treasures together by fatal_drum (t, 1.2k) breathplay, poetry, post-fall

After the fall, Hannibal and Will share an uneasy truce. Hannibal discovers that Will is still able to surprise him. Inspired by Pablo Neruda's "Ode to Broken Things."

bury your love by lovetincture (nc-17, 1.4k) rough sex, knifeplay, s03e02

That scene in the catacombs beneath the Norman Chapel could have ended much differently. They bring out the worst in each other.

do it and do it again by tei (nc-17, 1.5k) ♥️

There are fewer than twenty questions on this list.

didymus by borevidal (m, 1.9k) seduction, s2

“If I don’t put a stop to this, you’re going to blow me,” Will says. “What response does that possibility evoke?” Hannibal asks. 

whiskey verite by moistdrippings (m, 1.9k) ♥️ first time, drinking, s01e01

Post-Œuf, Will drinks whiskey and turns his analytical and empathetic eye on Dr. Lecter to get his mind off murder.

altruism by tei (m, 2.3k) spanking, fluff, post-fall

Will isn't great at sleeping.

hand in unlovable hand by coloredink (m, 2.4k) codependency, post-fall

Hannibal put his hand over Will's and held it closer to his chest. They had woken up like this more than once. "Do you wish I'd die?" he asked. "It would make your life easier."

songs of experience by borevidal (nc-17, 2.7k) morning after, s2

“Does it trouble you?” Hannibal asks. “That we have been intimate.” “Things were intimate before,” Will says, wry twist of the mouth. “What changed last night, Hannibal, is that we had sex.” “I would consider that a form of intimacy,” Hannibal says. “Wouldn’t you?”

the theatre of death by jimsnose (m, 2.7k) voyeurism, s3

Hannibal and Will put on a play for the Dragon.

home by beatricenius (nc-17, 3.2k) first time, praise kink, post-fall

Will takes a step back and gestures to the bed. “Show me.” “What do you want me to show you?” “How I’d fuck you. How you imagined it.” About idealism and fantasies and first times.

it's only a bargain if you want it by lovetincture (nc-17, 3.2k) getting together, post-fall

Needing someone isn’t the same as loving them, and loving someone isn’t the same as liking them. Will and Hannibal love each other with a dozen small cruelties, stumbling their way toward something approaching peace.

amourette by petronia (nc-17, 3.5k) getting together, s2

"I don't understand," Will said, "how a Yogi ended up in this way. You'd think the enlightened wouldn't be rude."

share your mouthful by bettyboopz (nc-17, 3.5k) fluff and choking, post-fall

He's about to wax poetic about love and loss when his head is slammed into the wall.

variations on a theme by fatal_drum (nc-17, 3.5k) ♥️ hallucinations, dub/non-con, post-fall

Will falls, over and over. A great deal happens before he wakes up. "We have lingered in the chambers of the sea / By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown / Till human voices wake us, and we drown."

mise en place by thehoyden (nc-17, 3.7k) a/b/o, s1

Pre-heat left him short-tempered and irritable, even worse than usual, but Hannibal had lingered in his office doorway and said, “Come along, Will. No reason to grade on an empty stomach.”

hesperides series by petronia (nc-17, 3.7k) ♥️ s2, post-fall

According to Strabo, the garden of the Hesperides is located in Tartessos, on the south coast of Andalusia.

sugar fuel by northern (t, 3.7k) ♥️ first time, drugging, post-fall

Hannibal doesn't actually notice until several minutes into their main course. They're at the dining table as usual in the evening, working their way through a very enjoyable Blanquette de veaux when Hannibal looks up to see Will staring at him, a little too intently.

release by emungere (nc-17, 3.8k) ♥️ getting together, prostate massage, s1

“It’s certainly unwise on a number of levels.” Hannibal pressed a kiss to the crown of Will’s head. He sounded detached, as if he were speaking of someone else’s foolish choices. “But I cannot bring myself either to care or to stop.”

little fish, big fish, swimming in the water by anon (nc-17, 3.8k) first time, unconventional therapy, s1

What happens when Hannibal is finally presented with the perfect opportunity.

your ex by murdertrout (t, 3.8k) ♥️ crack, fluff, s3

We usually assume that Will clammed up about his past when he was with Molly. But what if actually Will tells Molly way, way, way too much about his relationship with Hannibal? Or, the one where Will starts talking about his “ex" and doesn't stop.

chupada by canis_m (nc-17, 3.9k) roleplay, post-fall

Hannibal and Will play doctor. It's not all fun and games. Only partly.

subject to negotiation by murdertrout (nc-17, 4k) first time, sexuality, post-fall

Will shrugs. “I’ve never kissed a man before.” Hannibal watches him lick his lips; it manages to be nervous and suggestive at the same time. “I never wanted to.” “Do you want to kiss me?” Hannibal asks, careful. “The way I -- feel about you isn’t,” Will says, his eyes flicker away, Hannibal knows why he was waiting to do this in the dark, “the way I feel about anything else.”

cacciatore by hollycrowned (m, 4.6k) established relationship, jealousy, post-fall

The view of Florence stretched beyond buildings to mountains that faded blue, seeming to evaporate into the sky. From elsewhere in the garden, a chorus of strings sang an aria. Will gulped his wine and tried to imagine the shallow valley before them empty of anything but the Arno. “I can see why you love it.” “You don’t love it yourself.” “I suppose any love I have for it exists in me because you love it,” Will dared.

the devil behind me by jimsnose (nc-17, 4.8k) ♥️ dub-con, manipulation, s2

“The priest hurt you.” Will nods. “He would find me after the sermon and take me to the narthex where no one could see. Then he would stand behind me and pretend to be the devil.” “Pretend to be the devil? How?” The wind picks up speed enough to rattle the windows in their frames; combined with the incessant spitting of ice, it sounds like the house is on fire. Will takes another sip of wine. “I could show you.” He smiles coyly. “If you like.”

[steddieasitgoes]

@steddiemas Day 21 Prompt: Home and/or Dinner

I honestly think this is my favorite one yet!

Tags: Pre-Relationship Steddie, Eddie Munson Has A Crush On Steve Harrington, Holiday Parties, Overstimulation (the bad kind, not the fun kind), Steve Harrington Is A Sweetheart

wc: 2215 | Rating: G

Read on ao3 | ao3 collection

The holidays were always a quiet affair at the Munsons.

A few gifts, wrapped in week-old copies of the Hawkins Post, placed under a modest tree from Merrill’s. Wayne’s famous (well, famous to Eddie) chocolate chip pancakes in the morning with a questionable amount of syrup and a reheated casserole from Ms. Jenkins down the street for dinner.

No church or family plans, just the two of them, a couple of beers (root beer in Eddie’s case until a few years ago), and whatever movie Eddie had insisted they watch before he turned the TV over to Wayne and the Christmas basketball game.

It was good. Great, even.

Eddie loved his holiday traditions with Wayne.

He did, but sometimes he’d catch sight of Ms. Jenkins welcoming her brood of kids and grandkids into her cluttered trailer or spot Gerald loading the passenger seat of his pickup with toys for his nieces and nephews and wonder what it would be like to have a big family to spend the holidays with.

Turns out, it’s loud.

So, very, loud.

The Hopper-Byers’ new house is bursting at the seams with guests. The entire We Survived The End of the World gang is here along with some guests — Wayne and Ms. Henderson. Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair stopped by for about an hour before excusing themselves to finish up holiday shopping (said in a hushed tone to not ruin Santa for Erica — as if she still believes, Eddie had thought). But mostly it was just the usual gang.

Eddie learned, in the form of Dustin’s “you’re being stupid” voice that it's become a tradition for them. Gathering a week before the holidays to pig out on food and dessert, play games, and exchange presents. Celebrate the year coming to an end and them making it.

As the apocalypse gang grew every year, the celebration got bigger and bigger until they were tripping over each other inside of the Byers house. That is, until this year when Joyce and Hopper got their shit together and finally moved into a decent-sized house on the outskirts of Hawkins. It’s no Loch Nora mini-mansion, but it works for them — even if it's still a tight fit when everyone is together.

Murray, Joyce, and Ms. Henderson are gathered in the kitchen — arguing over when to take the turkey out of the oven and the proper milk-to-cheese ratio in macaroni casseroles. A small radio sits in the corner, attempting to play Christmas music over the static. That’s the con about living farther out, Eddie supposes.

El and Max have claimed a fold-out table on the outskirts of the kitchen where they’ve been decorating cookies for hours, it seems. El’s simple and artistic, Max’s a chaotic mess of spilled-over frosting and candy sprinkles. (Eddie’s stolen one from each and thinks they’re both delicious much to their delight.)

The den’s been co-opted by Hopper and Wayne, and the TV volume turned all the way up (“We can hear just fine! It’s you kids that are making it hard,” Hopper gruffed when one of them pointed out the volume). They’re switching between basketball games while nursing beers and pretending not to hear the argument going down in the kitchen.

Jonathan and Argyle are hiding out in his room — smoking and trying to drown out the noise with whatever record he managed to pick up from the store he’s working at. Eddie thought about joining him, but the scowl he earned from Wheeler Jr. had him changing course.

The rest of them have taken refuge in the spacious basement. It’s too chaotic for Dungeons & Dragons so the boys and Erica have taken to playing an intense game of Monopoly. The threats he’s heard hurled at each other have been clever and downright terrifying. Way worse than anything they’ve uttered at his DM table. Those heathens.

For some reason, Steve’s taken on the role of the banker. Something about Dustin skimming from the top last time he held the role and played. Now, house rules say the banker has to be an NPC, and well, Steve fits the bill. Unfortunately, he seems to be struggling with the math of it all judging by the scoffs and annoyed eye rolls thrown his way. Eddie would go help, but he doesn’t think he’d be much help. Godspeed, Steve.

Nancy and Robin are there too, sprawled out on the couch and lost in their own little world. Occasionally Robin gets up to flip the record on the record player, but mostly they sit together, gossiping and talking about who knows what in hushed voices. Eddie might understand every little thing about dungeons and hobbits, but girl talk? That’s an alien language if he’s ever seen one.

As for him? Well, he’s hovering in the middle of it all. With Steve occupied, he’s taken on his babysitter role of sorts. Racing up and down the stairs to fetch whatever snacks the gremlins demand, rustling Max and El’s hair on the way in, and nodding at Hopper and Wayne on the way out. He narrowly escapes being sucked into being the official judge for the impromptu Murray vs Ms. Henderson pie off and almost makes it up to Jonathan and Argyle’s room before Dustin is bellowing for him.

It’s fun, mostly.

Getting to see everyone relaxed and having fun. A far cry from the last time they were all together like this back in March.

In some ways, it's what Eddie’s always dreamed it would be like. Being part of a big family, a cog in a never-ending machine of noise and organized chaos.

But it’s also becoming a lot.

Lucas is about to put a hotel on Boardwalk that has everyone shouting and throwing their own pieces at his head. Steve’s trying to keep them under control but it's a losing battle. One that pulls Robin and Nancy from their own little world to join the chaos.

And then there’s even more noise.

A crash from upstairs, the blaring voice of Joe Strummer coming from Jonathan’s room, more shouting, Wayne and Hoppers stopping, and giggles from Max and El.

Suddenly all Eddie can hear is noise.

It gets louder and louder and louder until finally, he’s certain his eardrums are going to explode.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he pushes through the chaos going on upstairs (dropped pies and frosting stains and shouting at TVs) and makes his way onto the wrap-around porch.

The crisp cold air is the first thing that hits him. Like an idiot, he ran out of the house without a coat or scarf or hell, even the warm hat Ms. Henderson knitted for him earlier in the month. He shivers, rubbing his hands up and down his bare arm as he tries to take deep breaths, watching as his warm breath twirls in the breeze.

As his body adjusts, so do his ears. He can still hear the chaos going on inside, but it's muffled now. Distant. He can hear himself think for the first time in hours and for once, it’s nice.

The snow is falling in slow but steady flakes, dusting the backyard in the white. Or, it should be white, but the hoard of Christmas lights decorating the house illuminates the backyard in reds and greens. It’s a real Christmas wonderland out there, now.

Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and his trusty lighter. The first inhale of nicotine warms him from the inside out, sending the goosebumps packing as he focuses on his steady and slow inhale and exhales.

At some point he zones out, so focused on the snow falling and the repetitive nature of lifting the cigarette to and from his lips that he doesn’t hear the creak of the door or the heavy footsteps that follow until the intruder is standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

“Figured you might be needing this,” Steve says, hand outstretched with Eddie’s coat.

“Thanks, man.”

They swap, Eddie takes the coat from Steve and Steve takes the lit cigarette from Eddie, keeping it safe while he shimmies his way into the monstrosity that he calls his winter coat. When he’s finally situated in the plaid nightmare, he reaches a hand out ready to take his cigarette back only to find it perched between Steve’s lips.

Oh.

That’s different.

Sure, they’ve smoked together before. Bummed off cigarettes in the ally behind Family Video and in the parking lot of Palace Arcade waiting for the gremlins to be done. But they’ve never shared the same one. Never pressed their lips to the same filter. Felt the dampness of their mouths on their own lips.

“Sorry,” Steve says, lips turning up in a small smile as he removes the cigarette. “Couldn’t help myself.”

Eddie nods, unable to say much else as their fingertips brush when he takes it back. Is it weird if he puts it between his lips right now? Is he supposed to wait a minute? Let Steve’s taste linger for a moment. God, he’s being so weird right now. In the end, he brings the cigarette to his lips and takes the smallest inhale, nearly coughing as the smoke floods his lungs because he’s so distracted by the way the filter feels different now that it’s been in Steve’s mouth — as if that makes any sense.

“You okay? You sort of booked it out of the room.”

“Yeah,” Eddie sighs, before leaning against the banister of the porch. “Yeah, m’good. It just—“

“Got too loud?” Steve supplies, mirroring his position. “I get it. I remember my first holiday dinner. There were a lot less of us in ’83 but shit. It was still so loud.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m a pretty loud son of a bitch.” Eddie’s caught off guard by Steve’s snorting. Stealing a glance, he finds Steve lit up in reds and greens, a smile etched on his face so deep he can see the spot where smile lines are going to emerge in the next ten years, catching the way his eyes already wrinkle in the corners. Fuck, he’s beautiful. “But, uh, yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a house that loud before. Not even when I’m fucking around with the Corroded Coffin boys.”

“Well, I doubt that. Your music is very loud.”

“Uh, yeah, ‘cause it's metal, Steve.”

“So I’ve been told,” Steve says, smiling that soft, private smile again.

If Eddie was braver, he’d close the distance between them and press his lips to his. But if this year has taught him anything, it’s that he’s not. Not really. So he lets a quiet fall between them instead. They continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, passing the dwindling cigarette between them despite the pack in Eddie’s pocket being brand new, and watch as the snow steadily starts to pick up.

“You know,” Steve says, then stops.

Eddie turns, watching the gears tick in Steve’s brain as he decides what to say next. It’s magical watching it all pass on his face — the knit of his brows, his pupils dilating and returning to their normal size, letting the hazel shine through. The way his lips open and close like some gasping fish.

“If it ever gets to be too much, you can tell us. Tell me. Hell, I know I need a break after a few hours with those shitheads. Maybe we could come up with a code word or something.”

“A codeword? That’s might nerdy of you, Steve.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Steve says, waving his hand through the air as he bites back a chuckle. “But yeah, a code word. It’d be easier to say than “hey it’s too loud and I can’t think” you know. Plus, it would annoy the shit out of Henderson.”

“Well, then. Count me in. You know I love annoying the shit out of that kid. Gotta keep that ego in check somehow.”

They spend the next few minutes going back and forth trying to decide on a word that could work. Steve wants something common — a fruit or a vegetable. Eddie disagrees, saying it has to be something uncommon so they don’t accidentally say it, but common enough that it doesn’t sound weird casually being dropped in conversation.

They wrack their brain, throwing out silly words left and right until there’s a crash from inside. Their heads swivel in tandem toward the source of the noise. A flurry of shadows passes on the other side of the window as Steve shakes his head and sighs.

“Come on,” he says, handing the cigarette back to Eddie. “If we’re not at the table the minute the food gets served, we won’t be eating. The gremlins know no manner.”

Eddie laughs, stubbing out the cigarette on the ashtray precariously balanced on the banister, “Teaching ‘em manners seems like a job for their babysitter.”

“Nah,” Steve snorts. “Maybe one for their Dungeon Master, though.”

Just as the words leave Steve’s lip, there’s a shout from inside followed by another crash.

“Think it might be a job for both of us, actually,” Eddie laughs. “Together?”

“We need all the help we can get,” Steve says. “Together it is.” 

[sparkp18]

Long ask is long. I haven't read many IDW fics, but I love a good story. Hope you can find a few in here to enjoy <3

Gen Fics:

I Come Not to Praise Caesar by DesdemonaKaylose, jabberish [39.3k] - Jazz & Optimus - Comedy of errors that leads to friendship. I love this one so much.

Crash Site by Slyboots [3.8k] and Neon Down the Water Table by cassette [24.1k] - pre-TFP June & Jack Darby, KOBD - There's something odd about Jasper, NV. Here be holoforms!

CSI: Ark by GrumpyGreenWitch [23.6k] - G1 Jazz & Ensemble - Prowl challenges Jazz to a murder mystery game. I cannot recommend this one enough, it's such a good time.

A Flash of Gold by pipermca [22.9k] - Pacific Rim AU human!Sideswipe & jaeger!Sunstreaker - I'm a sucker for PacRim fusions and this one is just so good.

The Combiner Quirks of the Combaticons by Gayrob0t [16.3k] - First Aid/Bruticus, Combaticons - Bruticus develops a crush to the misfortune of everyone involved. Crackfic that cracked me up.

Sideswipe's Secret Vacation Spot by BalloonArcade [13.2k] - Sideswipe & Sunstreaker - Defection/ex-Con AU. So silly that the angst sneaks up on you, but it was there the whole time.

A Need to Know Basis by cassette [11.4k] - RiD 2015 Bee Team - 5+1 of Bee's team realising he's maybe kinda just a little messed up from the war. I love this take on Bee.

Sightlines by pipermca [9.2k] - Bluestreak & Hound - one of my favorite characterisations of Bluestreak.

The Test by flurrybird, nebroadwe [8.1k] - pre-TFP Bumblebee - dark-fic of Bumblebee losing his voice box. Intense, but I really liked the second chapter.

Independence Day by dragonofdispair [5.8k] - Optimus & Ensemble (background JazzProwl) - The war is over. Or is it 🤨

soundwave is (not) pregnant by vaporean_ninja [5.7k] - TFES Soundwave & Cassettes - I love a petty Soundwave. Neat take on hosts and cassettes. They're all just messing with Starscream.

but did you imagine it (in a different way)? by vaporeon_ninja [4.8k] - IDW Rodimus - Character study between canon events. Bro is straight up not having a good time.

In Want Of A Blade by KestrealBird [4.3k] - TF One B-127 & Optimus - Character study post-movie. Bee stays by Optimus's side.

Soundwave Says by Red Dragon [4.3k] - Hook & Soundwave - Hook cannot under any circumstances allow Soundwave to defect and leave him behind as the only competent Decepticon.

Consideration by Pipermca [3.7k] - TFP Dreadwing & Optimus - Defection/ex-Con AU. Stick a Decepticon in a cave with Optimus long enough and at least one of them is gonna defect.

But Who Can Grow Me a New Brother by boatformer [3.5k] - Combaticons & Wildrider - grief is messy and so is figuring out how to fit into a new team.

the vessel [2.6k] - Megatron & Optimus - Megatron finds something unexpected under the Primal Basilica; hilarity ensues. Starscream's dialogue in this lives in my head rent-free.

First Day on the Job by Rizobact [2.9k] - Thundercracker & Ensemble - First days and other office nonsense.

A Fourth to Remember by pipermca [2.5k] - G1 Ensemble - Wheeljack is a menace to societies everywhere.

Human Rhythm by neveralarch [1.1k] - G1 Ensemble - Jazz discovers beatboxing.

Starscream Fics:

The Prince and the Seeker by Baird Crevan [22.5k] - Pre-war SkyStar - Royal!Skyfire AU

Starscream (The Movie) by PeddlerEnterprises [18.2k ongoing] - Starscream in WW2 AU - I recently started reading this, and I'm enjoying it! The descriptions of Starscream and his transformation sequence are so good.

Skyfire in ES AU by Formless Monkeys [16.2k ongoing]- TFES SkyStar - They find Skyfire after the war. Fluff, comfort, and recovery all around. More about this AU on Tumlbr.

I am not immune to the plane movie propaganda by rooniper [11.4k] - Maverick & Starscream - I didn't find the Top Gun crossover fic it found me and it's hilarious. Features the trine in part 2.

Melittology: The Scientific Study of A Bee by Kestrealbird [7.1k] - StarBee - Starscream goes down a rabbit hole of scientific inquiry and, in true fashion, takes it to ridiculous lengths.

Worth Fighting For and Falling by Baird Crevan [4.9k and 2.1k] - Shattered Glass JetStar - Two unconnected but equally sweet JetStar fics.

In which bad things happen and first meetings occur by rooniper [3.9k] - IDW Academy Era SkyStar - They first meet when Starscream comes to Skyfire's rescue.

time left to be lazy and in a kind and wistful way by badskeletonpuns [3.6k and 2k] - Post/no-war SkyStar and SkyTrine - Soft drabbles with expecting Skyfire.

Subharmonics by neveralarch [3.3k] - Starscream & Megatron - Decepticons and frame dysphoria.

The Best Skies in the Galaxy by Baird Crevan, OverlordRaax [2.8k] - G1 SkyStar - The "sometimes I wonder" lines get to me every time.

Fog by pipermca [2.5k] - Trine - Suspense, ambiguous/unhappy ending.

Broken Wings, Caring Things by Baird Crevan [2.2k] - Trine - Injuries, stress, trauma, and TC to the rescue.

Those Magnificent Mechs Who ARE Flying Machines by badskeletonpuns [2.2k] - Circus AU SkyStar - Meet-cute!

Roosting: Starscream & Vos by CadoodleDoodleyDoo [1.4k] - Starscream & Titan!Vos - MY BEAUTIFUL MOOT'S AU!! LOVE HOW SHE WRITES STARSCREAM <333

almost believing by badskeletonpuns [1k] - G1 SkyStar - Fire in the Sky missing scene.

The Bargain by Baird Crevan [.9k] - Starscream & Primus & Unicron - Starscream's judgement day has come.

JazzProwl fics:

Crime in Crystals by Aard_Rinn [348k] - background Mirage/Hound, MegOp, WheelRatch, and others - INCREDIBLE AND ADORABLE

Pieces by rainoverthemountains [201k ongoing] - Guessing you've read Too Far? This is similar vibes, but Jazz is recovering from torture with an emphasis on JP and his friendships in Spec Ops.

AU August Collection by Rizobact [160k] - basically a ton of drabbles that feature Jazz and Prowl but there are so many I love in here that I had to include it.

Neon Eclipse by GoblinCatKC [92.8k ongoing] - Prewar machinations with a side of JP.

I'm All Full Up on Yesterdays, Don't Sing Me No More Blues by DesdemonaKaylose [42.4k] - Arise, Opt—! Er, Dulcimaeus Prime?

Memory Write Error by dragonofdispair, Rizobact [29.9k] - fluff and love confessions and romancing an aromantic.

Tactical First Aid Training with CMO Ratchet. Officer attendance is mandatory [CLICK HERE TO CONFIRM] by MaggieMay124 [16.5k] - Jazz/Prowl and Mirage/Hound - Ratchet has had it with these fools.

Corpse Makes Three 'Verse by madmaenad [14.8k ongoing] - Prowl makes a plan. Jazz blows it out of the water. SO GOOD SO FAR.

Someone to Trust by FourthFloorWrites [14.5k] - ex-Con AU. Chases and mysteries and learning to trust someone.

Hachiko by SporeFrog [5k] - Hurt No Comfort. HURT SO BAD AND I CRIED BUT IT WAS SO GOOD. Not dark fic, just sad.

The Art of Stealth by Cloud_Hater [4.9k] - TF One - Jazz wants to listen to music. Prowl wants to help him.

The Old Familiar Custom by madmaenad [2.8k] - Silly hurt/comfort.

Clear Divides by jabberish [2.6k] - Prowl worries. Jazz knows.

If the Pieces Fit by dragonofdispair [1.4k] - The scrunchie face of doom.

Energon on Your Lips by neveralarch [1.2k] - Shattered Glass - There is something so, so wrong with them (mostly Jazz) <3

Misc Fics:

Saturated Sunlight by Inkfamy [21.9k] - Bluestreak/Sunstreaker

Deal with the Devil by SatelliteSoundwave [21.1k] - Jazz/Soundwave

keep score (four on four) by otooga [10.2k] - Blaster, Soundwave, and their Cassettes break out of prison together

The Turn of the Tide by Gemma_Inkyboots [7k] - IDW Ratchlock- Ratchet is MIA in the aftermath of a battle. Deadlock's determined to find him first.

You and Me and Ambulance Makes Three by Gemma_Inkyboots [6.6k] - Ratchlock - The Autobots and Decepticons are in peace talks when Deadlock reappears with a kid.

Palm to Palm by Gemma_Inkyboots [6.2k] - G1 Dratchet/Ratchlock- Ratchet and a Cityformer

Doctor Doctor by saphire_dance [5.3k] - IDW Dratchet - Multiverse shenanigans

Actually Married by valeriange [3.6k] - IDW Dratchet - Temp memory loss

Redline Tango by boatformer [3.2k] - Jazz and Swindle

No Remedy by Largishcat [2.8k] - IDW Dratchet - Ratchet has an episode

Hello (is it me you're looking for) by Gemma_Inkyboots [1.2k] - TFA Ratchlock - Ratchet says, is anyone gonna help that Decepticon? And doesn't wait for an answer.

Inside Joke (upside down) by Sroloc_elbisivni [1k] - bayverse Mirage/Hound

holy— HOLY?????? AAAAA???? WHATTRAINTRACKS COMING IN WITH THE FUCKING STEEL CHAIR HOLY BALLS????????

THIS IS BEYOND SPECTACULAR

YOU. I owe you,,, my life and soul! I legitimately can not wait to get through these I am ,, FLABBERGASTED I am FLUMMOXED!!! I hope your pillow is cold on both sides and your sheets are perpetually clean!

I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to make this AAAAAAA If you EVER want any art or doodles I owe you a billion please bother me with asks I will make u a sistine chapel I swear <333

(also entirely unrelated but forever I’ve been reading your name as “what rain tracks” in my head bc I swear I’m dyslexic and I realized today it is,, indeed,, “what train tracks”)

[venusbyline]

Gift ࿐ྂ Kinktober. 16, oct.

— pairing: Aegon II Targaryen x servant!reader x Aemond Targaryen x Gwayne Hightower x Criston Cole

— type: smut, dark, Kinktober (House of the Dragon Edition)

— kink: punishment + exhibitionism

— summary: Your bravery to face King Aegon II would be admirable, at least if he did not humiliate you in front of his brother Aemond, his uncle Gwayne and Ser Criston.

— word count: 1.9k

— tags/warnings: kinktober 16th day, female!reader, dark!Aegon, dark!Aemond, dark!Gwayne, dark!Criston, DEAD DOVE: DO NOT EAT, punishment, exhibitionism, rape/non-con, nipple playing, degradation, non-consensual touching, blood, face slapping, face punching, implied gangbang, dacryphilia, public humiliation, public nudity, crying, breast worship, body worship, sexism, oral (male receiving) mentioned, curse words, dom!Greens, sub!reader, canon divergence (Pre-The Dance of the Dragons), porn with plot. no use of y/n. english is not my first language.

— tagging list: @baybaybear1 @blessedbymoon @p45510n4f4shi0n @lina-lovebug @moonnicole @badger-reads @turdettethefirst

— crossposting: AO3

You had not been working at the castle for a long time. Alicent had hired you just days after the coronation of her firstborn, Viserys' second child, Aegon II. She needed more servants to deal with her son's stupid demands.

You would rather have gone to the Red Keep to serve the Queen Consort, Helaena, or specifically care for hers and the new King's children. You would rather have been chambermaid to other members of the royal family, any task that you did not have to deal so directly with Aegon.

However, it was impossible. Alicent had specified that you take care of the King's private chambers. Not the matrimonial chambers, where he rarely went to sleep with the Queen, but the room where he took the Ladies, the prostitutes or even some maids. The room that was always stinking of wine, sweat and male fluids. Sometimes even his urine. You hated your work and you hated Aegon.

Alicent ordered you to clean Aegon's chambers even though he was still asleep that morning. She had not explained the reasons why you needed to clean with the King's presence still there, but you did not dare question her. You loosened the ties on your uniform as a precaution, as you already noticed how Aegon always smirked when he saw your curves accentuated by the tight fabric. Even though it was Alicent who gave you the clothes on your first day in the Red Keep, you knew very well that it was probably Aegon who demanded his mother that his servants wear only smaller and tighter sizes. After all, where would the fun be for him if they always dressed appropriately?

Upon entering the room, the smell of wine immediately hit your nostrils. You had nothing against drinking alcohol, but the strong stench present inside the room made you hope that all the wine from Westeros would one day run out.

"You look angry." The King's deep husky voice caught your attention, and you swallowed hard as you approached with the two buckets and some rags.

You ignored his words and lowered your head, positioning the buckets on the floor to begin carrying out your task. "Excuse me, Your Grace. Your Lady Mother has ordered me to clean your chambers immediately."

Still lying in bed, Aegon's sleepy eyes fell on your kneeling figure, your delicate hands cleaning the wine stains spread across the floor. Aegon did not remember very much about the night before, only that he had drunk a lot and ordered the guards to bring him some random maid for him to have fun with before bed. He wanted to ask for you, order the guards to bring you even if you were dragged by your hair.

However, he was so drunk that he could not even say the order correctly, then he had to fuck the servant his men brought. She was pretty. She was hot and had a tight cunt. But she was not you.

"You look so fucking beautiful when you are angry..." Aegon continued to tease, making you take a deep breath and look up at him. His milky white skin remained covered by the silk sheets, his blond hair was messy and probably tangled, his lips were still reddened by wine and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was quite a sight, even if you hated admitting it to yourself.

"I am not angry, My King." You went back to mopping the floor with the wet cloth, trying to ignore your thoughts and the fact that his cock was so marked under the sheet.

"Yes, you are." He chuckled, especially when you got up to clean some other part of the room. The glimpse he saw of your pretty breasts pressed into the neckline of your uniform was enough for Aegon to grab your hand, stopping you from moving to the other corner. Preventing you from continuing your task or continuing to ignore him. "Do not play that fucking shit with me. Do not you dare ignore me."

As harsh and angry as his reprimand was, you could not help but look at him with contempt. Those fingers that were inside another servant's cunt during the last night now held your wrist as if he wanted to mark you. The smell of alcohol and sex around became even stronger. "I am not ignoring you, Your Grace. I am just doing my task."

A humorless laugh escaped the King's lips. "Your task? And what would it be, uhm? To look with disgust at my chambers? Or perhaps to loosen the ties on your uniform because you know I am always looking at your body like a hungry man? Is your task to hate your King?"

Your gaze moved away from his hand squeezing your wrists and shifted to his violet eyes, his pupils so dilated when you stared at each other that you could not tell if he wanted to push you onto the bed and fuck you rough or if he he wanted to order the guards to send you to the guillotine. Perhaps both.

"My task this morning is to clean your chambers, something you, My King, are not letting me do properly."

Aegon's jaw clenched at your boldness. He was not used to receiving sharp words from his own servants. It stressed him out and turned him on with equal measure. The way you were staring at him like you wanted to kill him, the way you did not flinch from his grip, the way you ignored his other questions, and most of all... The way you did not deny that you hated him and did not even beg for forgiveness.

Aegon felt his heart accelerate with anger and his cock begin to throb with arousal. He released your arm from his hands, and brought his calloused fingers to your cheeks, caressing the soft flushed skin for a few seconds. "You are a brave little thing, you know that, my dear?" He purred, lips pulled into a dark smile, before silencing what you were about to say with a slap.

The sound of his palm hitting your face left you in disbelief and fear, your eyes wide and filled with tears as Aegon shouted for Ser Criston Cole, who was doing his daily patrol in front of the outside of the King's private chambers.

"Yes, Your Grace? What does the King desire?" Criston asked, positioning himself and looking curiously at the sight in front of him, you with a redness mark on your cheek, Aegon's fierce and at the same time sarcastic gaze. It was clear what had happened.

Aegon let out a slight chuckle before saying. "I have some things to sort out with my brother and my uncle Ser Gwayne in the Small Council room. Please take this girl there when she finishes cleaning here." Aegon murmured, getting up from the bed, letting go of the sheets and starting to walk to the washbasin, his bare ass and his boner catching your attention when he looked at Ser Criston one last time. "Take her naked, preferably. Aemond and my uncle need some distraction and fun. Just like me"

When Criston pushed you into the Small Council, a weak whine escaped your swollen cut lips from the punch he had given you a few minutes before when he had to drag you through the corridors. You flinched as you held the tray with three glasses of wine, entering the room with red cheeks, the gazes of the three men sitting at the table landing on your naked and vulnerable body.

"Your Grace..." You murmured with a sad and shy reverence, walking over to them and placing the tray on the table, handing the largest glass to King Aegon, who smirked excitedly at your presence.

"Oh, finally! My most beautiful servant!" Aegon clapped his hands before taking the drink and taking a sip, admiring the view of your ass when handed the other glasses to Aemond and Gwayne. The prince looked at you with the same cold gaze as always, although he was enjoying watching your shivering body, completely vulnerable. The knight, Aegon and Aemond's uncle, widened his eyes, taking the drink and whispering an embarrassed thanks, your breasts so close to his face. "You can sit with us, Ser Criston. I am sure my other guards will not mind."

Criston nodded silently, sitting on the chair, but remaining with a severe face as he looked at the hairs of your cunt.

The awkward silence followed for a while, despite Aegon's amused smile when he saw you standing naked next to him, your hands clasped in front of your body, waiting for any more orders.

"What did the girl do to deserve a punch on those pretty lips, Ser Criston?" The King teased, the tip of his thumb rubbing circles on your waist, an involuntary sigh escaping and making you squeeze your thighs together reflexively. Your reaction did not go unnoticed by any of the men.

"She tried to refuse to walk naked through the castle halls while I brought her here." Criston looked at you with a little anger and you lowered your head so as not to see their reactions, but Aemond let a low 'uhm' escape coldly, along with Aegon's laugh as if the royal guard had told him the best of jokes.

"Oh, I see... She is a pretty stubborn little whore. Sometimes too brave for her own good." Aegon's mockery was like a knife spinning inside your chest, further adding to the humiliation when even Gwayne Hightower smirked too.

As much as you wanted to take the dagger from Criston's armor and stab the King to death, until his blood ran all over the marble table and permanently stained the green robe he wore, you forced yourself to look at him with false regret. "Forgive me, Your Grace."

It was an absolute lie and everyone knew that, but Aegon did not address your insincerity words. He caressed your bare waist again, moving his large hand up until it rested on your nipples, playing with them for a few minutes, enjoying your pathetic whimpers and the way your body twitched, without even trying to move away. It would be worse for you if you fought his sadism.

"Do not you think she is beautiful?" Aegon's smile was macabre, his thumb and forefinger wringing the small buds becoming hard like rocks, quite reddish and painful.

Aemond and Criston let out a similar scoff, but nodded in agreement. "She is pathetic." The prince added, looking your body up and down. "But she looks better than most of the stupid maids you fuck."

Aegon chuckled and nodded too, turning to Gwayne. "And what do you think, uncle?"

Gwayne looked at you, his red hair matching his flushed cheeks as he gave his nephew a mischievous smile. "She is quite a sight, My King."

Aegon laughed again, moving his fingers away from your breasts and scratching his chin to think of something that could humiliate you a little more. He knew this would be crossing the line and would make his mother reprimand him furiously, ashamed of the firstborn that came out of her womb. However, it did not matter anymore. He was the King now, and a King should decide how to punish his own people.

"I think you would like to receive some pleasure after the tiring journey to King's Landing. Right?" Gwayne seemed a little shocked by the suggestion from Aegon's words, but it did not take long for him to agree.

"Yes, my nephew. It would be very useful." Gwayne ignored the tears that streamed down your face when Aegon forced you to kneel in front of his uncle, lifting your face so you could see the lust on Gwayne's face.

Aegon petted the top of your head like a puppy, before smirking and whispering. "Well... then take her as your welcome gift, uncle."

HOTD Edition - Masterlist

Criminal Minds Edition - Masterlist

Venusbyline's Kinktober 2024 - Masterlist

[helluvapurf]

*sips tea seeing HB "Mastermind" making its rounds*

...Sooooo, this latest episode's content definitely was... alot, in more ways than one lol .w. Don't really have the energy atm to do a full "Pros & Cons" list like my prior reviews, soooo... have some jumbled first impressions below lmao:

NOTE: Obv there'll be some spoilers ahead so do keep note of that... aaaaand like usual these ARE just my own personal thoughts at the end of the day, so *please* try to keep things civil if you disagree with anything below. Thank you. 🙏

WOO, nice to see some more Sins introduced on-screen! 🤩Satan is pretty rad with his cowboy dragon aesthetic, the sleepy sheep lady (Belphegor, I think?) looks cute, and I do like the idea of Leviathan being a two-head split creature (tho ngl, I kiiiinda wish her "pretty" half wasn't just a taller version of the Glam twins 😭 might just be the Bi in me talking hlhjk but... Viv y u so allergic to giving us pretty monster ladiessss-)

Great to see Asmodeus, Beezlebub & Mammon back all at once, and their courtroom getups were pretty cool~ 👀Loved Ozzie & Bee's lil friendship, along with Mammon being the most annoying brother-like figure to both Bee & Ozzie lmao

BLITZ'S (almost) FINAL SPEECH TO HIS WHOLE CREW PRE-EXECUTION (+requesting M&M to take care of Loona if he died), MY HEART- 😭😭❤️For all this man's flaws/past mistakes, there's NO denying how much he loves his employees & loved ones at the end of the day (& vice-versa on their ends)... hhhhh q-q

The inner-most squee I had at the Fizz cameo & his frantic worry for Blitz (+texting Ozzie to protect his best friend), aaaaaa~ TwT 💕💕 (*also semi-related side note; but YAY a lil Verosika cameo too (loving her twin-tail hairdo~), even showing fearful concern for Blitz's fate? Aww~ 🥺🩷Plsss let this be a sign her character's not completely done in terms of screentime, I'd SO love for more Blitz/Verosika bonding moments (to maybe a potential brotp forming) as he got with Fizz! 🙏🙏*)

Striker returns, yaaaay!~ 😍 ...aaaand he's mainly just there to act like a dumb grunt to Andre's plotting, oh... 😐'least his court getup's pretty snazzy though, loving the jacket~👌

Blitz + IMP finally getting to receive some hero treatments in the public (Impkind's) eye, fireworks, street celebrations, and potential new clients-included? Sweeeeet~ 👏👏

...well I'll be, Stolas actually getting some narrative consequences here?? 😲😲Standing up for Blitz's life, taking the blame for the Grimoire's misuse, accepting his punishment of the 100 year ban from his status, wealth & powers that were part of his life since forever... daaaaang, now this is some good character building here!~ 👀 Now, with such an honorable & grand gesture Stolas did for the sake of Blitz, their brief duet, and the end shot of them basically becoming roommates now that Stolas has nothing left... does this make me an official Stol*itz shipper now?? 🤩 ...Hmmmmmmmmm, nah lol 🤷‍♀️Now, okay I don't mean to sound like some negative nancy bitch or however, cause I AM proud of Stolas taking the lengths he did to protect Blitz & IMP (and now with him not having a fancy prince title anymore, this could potentially give him the chance to challenge his past privileged/classist mindset, living in the same social class as the same Imps his fellow Goetia society have long-oppressed). However, if there's anything I've learned from shows like Bojack Horseman... big grand gestures are NOT the be-all/end-all answer to proving romantic compatibility 👏👏

When it comes to any sort of relationship, romantic or otherwise... what should matter most is consistent, genuine care & support from one partner to another. And as far as we've seen from Stolas & Blitz's dynamic up til this point... imo, they really haven't had enough positive (non-sexual) bonding moments (save for stuff like their attempts at small talk at "Ozzie's", Stolas laughing at Blitz's sitcom jokes in "Seeing Stars", one photo of Blitz smiling while they slept), to justify them being some "destined-for-one-another" couple? 🤷‍♀️ Not helped by how both men were constantly avoiding & bickering at one another for most of S2 up til now... Iiiii can't be the only one who found it just a tad rushed Blitz was suddenly all "loving/domestic hubby mode🥺🥺" towards Stolas at the end... right? .w.;; Esp. in light of Stolas going through so much as he had to in one trial (+the realization of what'll become of his daughter, following said-punishment) ...he really, really shouldn't be in the mindset for tackling romance rn (at least til he continues to grow & heal better, down the line)... with OR without Blitz😔

....buuut yeah, thats just my own take on the matter; so ofc NO shade at all to those who are genuine Stolas/Stol*itz fans btw (thanks to this ep and/or previous ones), you're valid!👍👍For me, I'll still be vibing onwards with my own personal HCs/ships, so feel free to stay tuned for that if you're curious! :>

Now that we've finally got to meet Vassago upfront, Iiiii'm honestly a lil disappointed he was just... "there" in terms of plot-relevancy (even with all his previous trailer/merch hype)? .w.;; Don't get me wrong, I DO find it refreshing that Vassago's actually a nice guy, and that Stolas did have some genuine support in the Goetia society after all. But other than Vassago wholesomely cheering on Stolas by the sidelines... hmmm, I can't help feeling like not much would've changed had Vassago not been here at all, ngl 🤷‍♀️ Maaaaybe S3 might change things if he gets more spotlight there instead (esp with what I remember everyone theorizing of Vassago (possibly) becoming a 2nd love interest for Stolas .3. idk, part of me's kinda curious how that'd play out with Blitz in the picture- 🤔)?

Andrealphus's antagonist spotlight here... was fine, I guess? Idk, I can't say I've ever been too big a fan of Andre beforehand (mainly from his late-inclusion in the Stolas plot feeling a lil forced + him stealing the spotlight of what could've been interesting villain potential for Stella imo). Not to say I didn't find some of his hammy dialogue funny, along with enjoying the visuals of his ice magic... buuuut yeah, still pretty lukewarm towards him either way 🤷‍♀️could've also done without those creepy af comments about his sister as well... like bruh that in*cest shit wasn't funny the first time, whyyy keep bringing that back- 🤢

Speaking of Stella... ehhhhh, still a pretty flat character as she was in previous episodes (which I guess shouldn't be too surprising with this show's track record with female characters ngl 🤷‍♀️). Interesting to finally see an on-screen interaction with her & Octavia though (granted, not exactly on a good note given her evil smirk at the end... but I guess it does answer some HC questions I had previously of what their mother/daughter dynamic is like, hmmm... 🤔).

As for Octavia in-question... hhHHHH MY POOR BIRD CHILD T-T 💔💔Girl practically watched her greatest fears coming true (aka: Stolas abandoning her for the sake of Blitz), seeing what became of her dad on live-TV. Even if she obviously doesn't know the full story (esp with her mom & uncle pulling strings), its still SO heartbreaking when you consider her trailer sneak-peek ("You never loved Mother, you don't love me, you love him-"). And with only one episode left before S2 wraps up... ooooof, this ain't gonna be pretty ;-;

---------

-Hoooo yeah, that was alot of rambling my bad... but yeah, thats about as clear of thoughts as I have rn regarding "Mastermind". Even with some of the (admittedly) bloated cast, and some other narrative nitpicks I have with it... I'm honestly hyped to see how the upcoming finale will tie all these big plot points together! 👀🤞🤞

[thegeminisage]

Rating: Mature Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con Category: Gen Relationships: Lucanis Dellamorte & Spite, Illario Dellamorte & Lucanis Dellamorte, pre Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook Characters: Lucanis Dellamorte, Spite (Dragon Age), Zara Renata, Calivan (Dragon Age), Illario Dellamorte, Caterina Dellamorte, Rook (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: The Ossuary (Dragon Age), Action Scenes, Blood and Gore, Blood Magic (Dragon Age), Kidnapping, Captivity, Imprisonment, Demisexual Lucanis Dellamorte, Angst, Starvation, Force-Feeding, Trauma, Possession, Body Horror, Torture, Nightmares, Psychological Torture, Mind Games, Suicide, Trauma Bonding, and a TEENSY bit of vore. don't judge me.

ossuary (ˈäSHəˌwerē) noun 1. a container or room in which the bones of dead people are placed. 2. the final resting place of skeletal remains. Thought dead by his family, Lucanis Dellamorte, the infamous Demon of Vyrantium, spends over three hundred days languishing in an impenetrable Tevene prison at the bottom of the sea. But he doesn't do it alone—and like it or not, his new demonic cellmate may be his only hope of escape. Sometimes the only way to fight your demons is to make a deal instead.

"Why isn't Illario here?" Lucanis asks, breaking the silence. "Was he sick? Hurt?"

"Only his feelings," says Rook, tone low and stiff. Being in an elevator with an abomination is making her nervous. "Caterina didn't tell him you were alive until she sent us after you. He was furious."

"Are you worried?" Neve teases. "Nobody told us our mage-killer was going to be such a sap."

"Right," Rook agrees flatly, too anxious to play along. "We'll put it in the news sheets: the Demon of Vyrantium does indeed have a heart."

Lucanis reaches for the elevator's lever and wrenches it to a stop.

PREVIOUS: [I & II] [III] [IV] [V] [VI] [VII] [VIII]