#He’s like the embodiment of a little shit. Like look at that. Holy shit.

[caterpillarinacave]

[moonstruckme]

hayy!! so tonight i went to a small little show that my friend was doing with his band, and me and the bassist made crazy eye contact while he sang the lyrics “good, i’m proud of you” to me. (i’m dead) ANYWAYY it made me think, this is kinda out there but maybe a james potter band au?? like he’s a drummer or bassist and you keep making crazy eye contact and the tension is THICK.. (maybe even some groupie activity later??) IDKK i’d love to see youre interpretation 😋 or even just to chat about it!!! i love you’re work sm

That sounds so fun babe! Thanks for sharing omg <3

cw: bar

rockstar!James x fem!reader ♡ 1.1k words

As much as you like Marlene, you’d sort of thought her band was going to be shitty. And in your defense, most of the ones who play this venue, where the crowd is typically too drunk to care what sound fills the space and it only costs a few quid to get in, are pretty amateurish. They’ll play their one or two original songs, then fill the rest of their time with covers, trying all the while to figure out how to work the stage and engage the crowd. 

These guys definitely don’t seem like amateurs. 

Marlene had said they were just starting out, but you don’t believe it. She, as you expected, is incredible. She embodies this fierce, uncaring kind of cool, fingers sliding up and down the neck of her electric guitar with skill you didn’t know she had. The guys in the band aren’t half bad either. The singer has a voice that seems always on the edge of a scream, and he and Marlene play off each other’s energy, him occasionally leaning the mic her way to belt something together. The bassist seems a bit aloof, long fingers moving with an almost lazy dexterity, which seems to be driving the people clustered at the edge of the stage even madder than they might be if he paid them any attention. And the drummer…

Perhaps you’re partial to the drummer because he doesn’t seem like he’s trying to be cool at all. There’s something completely uninhibited about him that lights something in your chest and sends a buzz of excitement through the room, like you’re all feeding off his energy. He looks like he’s having the time of his life. Sweat shines brilliantly on his dusky skin and drips off the ends of curly brown hair that’s just long enough to flop into his eyes. Someone threw him a headband earlier in the show seemingly to help prevent this, so now he’s got it pushed back, curls protruding his head and bouncing as he bobs enthusiastically to the beat. A smile splits his face as he launches into a brief solo, and coincidentally your stomach erupts in butterflies at precisely the same time. 

You’re thinking of trying to jostle your way up to the barricade when the drummer’s eyes take another skim of the crowd, and this time they catch on you. Your heart stutters. A tall figure moves in front of you, obscuring your view of the stage, and when they pass the drummer’s still looking at you. And holy shit. This is eye contact. You’re not totally sure how well he can see you what with the lighting in here, but it feels like his eyes are looking right into yours and saying Hello, nice to meet you. 

A few seconds more and he has to tear his attention away as they go back into the chorus, but your eyes keep finding each other’s. It feels more intimate than it probably should, with several meters of distance between you and the crowded, raucous atmosphere, but you can’t help the giddy lightness that accumulates in your chest over the course of the set. 

During what the singer says will be their last song, his gaze flicks to you with something different in it. It’s not something you can place, but in the next second it’s gone, and all his attention is on his drum solo. You cheer with the rest of the audience as drumsticks fly, almost too quick to see, over the drums and cymbals, and you’re so caught up it takes you a second too long to realize one of them actually is flying. 

Your hands flinch up in front of you just in time, protecting your face and fumbling the drumstick nearly to the ground before you catch it. You look back towards the drummer, and his eyes have flared with alarm. 

“Sorry,” he shouts over the screeching of guitars, earning a glare from the singer a second before all sound cuts out. 

Marlene takes the mic, announcing that they’re done performing for the night but will be available to receive free drinks until closing. The band starts to pack up and leave the stage. 

The crowd splits in two, one half migrating towards the bar and the other towards the exits. You’re not quite sure where to go. You want to meet up with Marlene, maybe give her the drumstick to pass along to her bandmate and thank her for inviting you before you head home, but you’re not bold enough to venture backstage. You cast a glance toward the bar, twirling the wooden stick absentmindedly between your fingers. Maybe you can find a seat to wait for her? 

“You’re not bad at that.” 

You turn, and the drummer from the band is standing behind you. 

“Oh.” You glance down at the drumstick in your hand, feeling a bit silly as you hold it out. “Thanks. Here you go.” 

“Thank you.” His eyes are even better close up. He’s put on glasses, magnifying the warm brown of his irises and the thick, dark lashes that nearly brush his lenses when he blinks. “You looked like you’d be a better catcher.” 

You laugh. “Not sure what would make you think that.” 

“Well, you did manage it in the end.” He smiles. It’s charming with a touch of roguishness, and you get the impression he’s someone accustomed to being forgiven. “Sorry for almost hitting you in the face.” 

You shrug, suddenly unsure what you usually do with your hands. “It happens,” you say. “I don’t take it personally when musicians lose their instruments in my direction.” 

“Oh, well I wasn’t trying to lob it at your head, but tossing it your way wasn’t an accident.” 

Something funny happens in your gut. “It wasn’t?” 

His grin spreads and he shakes his head. “I figured it was my best shot at getting a chance to meet you.” 

Your face heats. You hope you’re not smiling as big as it feels like you are. “You could’ve just asked Marlene,” you say. “No need to throw things.” 

He laughs, a warm and hearty sound. “I’ll have to refine my methods,” he replies. “I’m James.” 

You tell him your name in turn, and he gets this look on his face like it’s the best thing he’s heard all night. 

“Do you wanna join us at the bar for free drinks?” he asks, taking out the headband and ruffling his hair so his curls bounce onto his forehead. It’s more than a little distracting. “I’m sure Marls would love for you to stay.” 

“I…” You glance towards the bar. “I’m pretty sure the free drinks are just for people in the band, no?” 

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” He waves you off, taking your hand and leading you towards the bar. “You won’t be paying regardless. Just tell me what you like.”

[merlucide]

PREGNANCY HC’S W/ BLLK BOYS PT2

notes: RAAAAAAH (og ask)

characters: Lorenzo, Otoya, Shidou

warnings: cursing, fem reader, cringe ig

bllk mlist PT1 PT2

LORENZO DON

awwwww

He’d be so attentive and helpful ☹️💗

Always making sure you’re okay and comfortable

When you tell him that your prego he doesn’t believe you at first

He’s like ‘Ha good one’

But then you’re like ‘I’m fr’

he gets all quiet and kinda like😧 

‘Mio amore.. a baby..?!’

HE IS SO HAPPY!!!!! :3 like is so shocked bc he didn’t think he’d REALLY have a family of his own <33

Hugs you so tightly and kisses your temple and then your lips <33

Also calls Snuffy afterwards lmao

Wants your pregnancy to be as easy for you as possible

You’ll kinda turn into a couch potato LMAO

He’ll bring you bunch of snacks for you to munch on— makes sure you get enough protein do you and the baby stay healthy

You can only glare at him when he goes for 2nd and 3rd rounds of ice cream and your munching on celery 😐

“Think of the baby☺️”

“The baby wants deep fried Oreos. Now.”

Rests his head on your belly bump and talks to the baby 

He’ll put his chin on your bump and look up at you— 🥹💗

He can’t wait to meet the baby <33

Tells you all the time how much he loves you and how excited he is

OTOYA EITA

FYI I hate on Otoya in between hcs so… I’m sorry I literally can’t write for him if I don’t hate a little

ah yes, this loser do better

pls like he’s actually useless 

ugh

Anywho- you tell him “I’m pregnant!” and this mf literally is the embodiment this

like his fucking face and everything

and it turns into

“SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT”

“ pregnant?!? With a baby?!” 

Yeah

He’s very excited to be a daddy! just so stupid.

He tells all of his friends and posts about it on on every social he has.

Literally spams Karasu’s phone 😭

Karasu had lost the bet that Otoya’s swimmers wouldn’t be strong enough….

Wants to be very involved with getting ready for the baby—

When yall go clothes shopping for the baby he just finds the absolutely dumbest onesies/ shirts😭

like Otoya, are you trying to dress our baby or fucking clown

HE ALSO ORDERS CUSTOM ONSIES 😭 they say sum like “Daddy’s little ninja” or “My dad’s my favorite soccer player” 😭?? the first ones cute tho

When you are like have back pain he’ll massage your back and run you a nice bubble bath :)

Oh and the pregnancy hormones.

Him and Kaiser tie for worst comforters during your pregnancy 😭

Unlike Kaiser- he doesn’t shut up and try to deescalate the situation 😐

Instead he just kinda stands there like

he eventually asks what’s wrong and just hugs you bc he has no idea what to do rn 😭

He cares though 😭 just actually so stupid

He panics a lot during like your whole pregnancy lmao

Scared the baby’s just gonna P O P out ig

Though he does tell you how much he appreciates you and the gift you’re giving him :)

He is a loser but he does love you and your future little one <3

Okay last thing but after the baby is born and the crazy mama bear mode kicks in, he is TERRIFIED of you. 😭

Bro wanted to hold the baby again and you clutched the baby and gave him the nastiest, scariest glare and bro almost pissed his pants

Sorry this is kinda short 🫠 I hate Otoya with a PASSION (don’t know if you’ve noticed) so my I struggle to come up with stuff for him 💔

SHIDOU RYUSEI

ah yes, this loser 2.0 at least he’s hot

sigh,

You told him and he just kinda goes “🤨” ‘Bffr’

and like, you are fr, and kinda really nervous too

Then he gets all quiet and blank

Then goes straight to tweaking and puts his hands on the head and yells

Starts jumping too 😭

Grabs you and kisses you so hard, followed by a bone crushing hug :3

‘Holy shit, Holy shit, Holy shit, Holy shit— SHUT UP!!!! A BABY?????!!!’

Very happy and excited:)

So proud of you and him <3

… unfortunately for you when he tells people of your pregnancy, he over shares about the process 🫠

Paints the baby’s room :3 adds some of that Shidou Flare ofc

Rubs your feet and insists you sit on his lap, despite your worries of you being to heavy.

Loves, loves, LOVES, listening to the baby— any sound he hears, he freaks out

Talks to the baby sooo much too

Worried that you’ll over do it and insists you just do nothing till the baby comes

Shidou is pretty confident he’ll be a good dad, but is scared that he won’t be what the kid needs

Shidou knows how he acts and who he is, and doesn’t want to hurt the kid :( which of course you reassure him that he would never do that, and that he’d be a great dad <3

Also super duper extra protective of you during your pregnancy, like you can’t go anywhere without him lmao

RAAAAAAH 3 NEW WORKS IN 3 DAYS 💪 ON A ROLE FRRRR

made October 6th 2024

[raayllum]

Rayllum's S7 Arc through the Lens of S6

By surprisingly popular demand (aka I thought the poll would get maybe 30-70 votes max, not 151 holy shit thank you) I thought it was time to look at S6's plotline for Rayla and Callum and how, in my personal belief, basically every single scene they have sets up their main ongoing storyline in S7. What storyline you ask? Well, I think there are basically there are 3-4 main threads that S6 either sets up or continually evolves for them

The possession plot line

Love > Mystery (Callum? + the cube and Aaravos)

The Greater Good

Love > Duty (Rayla) / the importance of breaking promises (Claudia, Runaan)

Most of these are pretty set in stone — only the 2nd one is what I would call speculative in regards to Callum's interiority next season leading up to the possession — so let's get through the most obvious one first, and start with

The Possession Plot Line

But wait, you say, Callum can't be possessed again. He fixed the hole in his spirit caused by dark magic which means Aaravos can't control him again.

Yes, and there is Ample evidence throughout the season (and prior seasons) that he will 1) do dark magic and 2) that they've kept on setting up the possession plotline throughout the majority of the season (6x01-6x05), which I'll start with in one of their first scenes in 6x01:

CALLUM: [Chuckles] It would've been a comfy and cozy death.

In a similar way that Callum's first scene in 4x01 involves the mirror (Aaravos) and has him stumble over his various titles establishes that his main arc will be about his search for control over his identity/self, 6x01 highlights this again: he's not a threat because he's Callum, himself ("It's just me") so Rayla can stand down. This of course ties back into the loss of identity that the possession brings ("I felt so weak and out of control. I was his puppet") and the promise Callum asked for in S4 that Rayla rejected (and we'll get to the reiteration of it in 6x03 later).

We also see that in how Callum's language has changed from season four both in his conversation with Rayla:

CALLUM: I'm not afraid that he'll hurt me. I'm afraid that he'll use me to do awful things, or hurt people I care about. (4x07) CALLUM: I don't know how, but I'm afraid... He's gonna use me. (6x01)

and with Soren:

SOREN: I know that mirror too well. My father was obsessed with it. [...] Callum, I-I know you love magic, but I hope you're careful. Because it can change people. (4x04)

to

CALLUM: As long as it's here or anywhere, it poses a threat, because Aaravos can manipulate people on the outside. Like he did with Lord Viren. And me. (6x01)

And, quite frankly, if Aaravos had already used Callum for his intended ultimate purpose, we would've seen the Callum pawn intro in S6 (the pawn intro that features the cube, I might add), neither of which have fully come to fruition. So. (But again, more on that later.)

We also have 6x03 directly renew the promise with Rayla's conversation in Runaan — who in many ways was the embodiment of "upholding your duty to the immense detriment of yourself and everyone else around you" — that Rayla's promise is going to come back around, and that literally can't happen unless 1) Callum does dark magic so 2) Aaravos can corrupt/possess him.

There is very, exceedingly little point to not only repeat a plot beat we've already seen in 4x07 just to have Rayla change her answer to the more dramatic, stakes-driven one, reaffirm it in the season finale, and then completely drop it.

This plot thread of the eventual possession fight is also set up through Rayla's encounters with Esmeray, Runaan, and the idea of monsters/corruption: "[After corruption] what life remains has been twisted into monstrosities" / "I'm a monster!" "You're not a monster!" "I remember I fought you. I tried to kill you! How could I?" / "You keep calling it a monster."

After all, if Rayla can restore their identities to Esmeray and her father... then why not Callum? ("I own you. I control you! Deadwood!" "That's not my name. My name is Elmer.") As 6x06 makes sure to tell us, the light-star ritual rids the body of dark magic, but with an added caveat: "But beware: if you ever do dark magic again, the darkness and corruption will overwhelm you."

There's also a lot of other reasons this kind of framing for it makes sense for Callum's arc and the show (which is all about making choices) in particular — but yeah, there's not a doubt in my mind that Callum is getting possessed in S7 and is doing dark magic again. Even their first scene together in 6x01 with "I heard you were up here losing your mind" which is what literally happens during possession and is a direct parallel to Zubeia's dark magic corruption ("Infected. Corrupted. I fear I'm losing everything. Losing my mind").

So let's talk about something a little less set in stone, which is Callum's journey to getting there. Specifically:

Love > Mystery

What is the mystery of Aaravos?

Well, there's a few. There's his initial motivations, which are now answered thanks to season six. There's his involvement with dark magic, which will likely be answered in season 7. Callum had the initial mystery of the mirror. Aaravos taunts Sol Regem over "the mystery that has haunted you for a thousand years" in the death/disappearance of his mate. Seasons four and five were dedicated to figuring out the mystery of his prison, though we still likely have more to learn about the imprisonment itself.

However, the mystery we've been steadily waiting one since season one is simple:

For years now, I'd speculated that the Key wasn't a literal key to Aaravos' prison (though I hadn't ruled it out), but something that would be a power up and help restore him to his full abilities. The fact that we now know why and indeed that Aaravos wants it back at all is a beautiful fun bonus in the predictions chart.

The fact that it's linked to primal magic also makes sense even beyond its design, as the language used to talk about primals is similar to the kind used to describe the cube:

LUJANNE: They have a piece of it inside them. We call that piece an arcanum. It's like the secret of the primal, or its meaning. That secret becomes a spark. The tiniest flicker of a primal source inside you, but enough to ignite the world with its magic. (2x01)

CALLUM: You don't control anything. But you already knew that, didn't you? Because it's the secret of the Ocean itself. The arcanum. (5x08)

In season 7, Callum is going to inevitably learn (hi Astrid?) that Aaravos is out of his prison and, presumably, the Archmage will be looking for his primal book of destiny. What may happen, then, is a race to get the book first, with the Cube pointing the way seemingly to Elarion, if Callum's little map in 6x02 is to be believed... or in that general direction, at least.

If Callum can get the book and use the Key with it, he'd solve a big mystery, get a lot of cool primal stuff, and be all geared up to defeat Aaravos while also de-powering the Startouch elf. He doesn't have to worry about being controlled anymore, but I could see this being the alternative avenue Callum gets obsessed over since it combines 1) his deep desire to learn more primal magic, 2) his love of books, 3) his Key, which he's wanted to figure out since s2 and is actively working on it (6x02), and 4) his desire to defeat Aaravos and keep the world and everyone else safe.

The Cube's secrets, the location of the book, the mystery of Primal magic. The mystery of Aaravos.

I don't think it's going to be that simple though, seeing as S6 also introduces a small but interesting caveat when it comes to chasing mysteries:

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Aaravos and Rayla's foil dynamic and it is persistently one of my favourites, so I was pleasantly surprised when S6 gave it so much direct focus. Rayla being a literal metaphorical star in direct opposition to Aaravos as the Literal Light to Aaravos' darkness in their dynamics with Callum; 6x09 being about their journeys in processing the loss of family; and of course, the above, with wondrous mysteries paling in comparison to their loved ones (Callum, Rayla; Leola).

Another thing I always thought was interesting was the candle parallel between Aaravos, Rayla, and Callum.

Upon their (re)entry into Callum's life, he holds a candle up to both of them. For Aaravos, this remains 'lit' and upheld, as Callum spends the two years after his TDP short story, "Inheritance" investigating the secrets of mirror. A mystery that is interrupted and delayed by Rayla's return, in which Callum holds up another candle (despite having primal magic at his beck and call)... and then lowers it and puts the candle down when he sees that it's her.

Almost like the mystery of the mirror — of the cube — doesn't hold a candle to her.

That the mystery he may become obsessed with in S7 is one he's ultimately willing to relinquish if it means saving her life.

Do the right thing. Make the sacrifice.

This doesn't rule out Callum delivering the cube under possession (hi pawn intro featuring him pondering it and turning to stone), mind you, nor does it mean Callum can't reclaim the Cube and use it / the book for good by the end of the season (him reclaiming the cube has always been one of my favourite ideas, mirroring the way he'll reclaim his identity and agency from Aaravos).

But I do think S6 in this specific vein added interesting precedent to the idea of Love being more important than mysteries, and with Rayla being Callum's one path, well...

It'd make a lot of sense, wouldn't it?

The Greater Good

The "greater good" has always been a loaded concept in TDP, whether it was the singular Magma Titan vs thousands of human lives, or hundreds of people teaming up to defend Zym at the Storm Spire, though rarely spelled out as directly as it was in S6. I want to do a proper meta update on S5 and S6's continued trolley problems, ideally sooner rather than later, so I'm not going to go as Ham here as I could. That's said, there's still plenty to talk about, so let's get into it.

Season six sees three kind of distinct trolley problems. The first is in discussion only between Callum and Rayla in 6x03 on either end; the second is over Viren and Kpp'Ar regarding the staff (and arguably Lissa as well); and the third with Viren and Soren in Katolis during Sol Regem's attack.

Obviously the one that is most relevant to this meta is 6x03, but I'd argue it starts a little earlier in the season in both 6x01 and later in 6x05 for our lovebirds, respectively:

RAYLA: You knew. You knew this was the reward. [Callum nods] Why didn't you tell me? CALLUM: Because I know you, Rayla. If I'd told you, you would've refused to go, because you never do anything for yourself. So I wanted to do something for yourself for you.

When it comes to the greater good, Rayla routinely puts it above all else. This is one of her strongest similarities to Viren in Arc 1, who cared about "a bright future for all of humanity" even at the detriment of his own children and all moral standing. Callum, however, in a steady surefire contrast to both of them, puts her and Ezran above anything and everything else, which is exactly why Rayla immediately understands "the issue" after learning about his dark magic use:

RAYLA: Am I supposed to thank you? CALLUM: No, that's not what I'm saying. I... RAYLA: Listen to me. If you ever have to choose between me or the greater good, do the thing thing. Make the sacrifice.

Callum then uses this as leverage, as previously discussed, to get Rayla to agree to his own request to kill him if Aaravos ever takes control of him again. She does, this time, as Callum cites:

CALLUM: You told me to never sacrifice the greater good for one person, no matter who it is, well... You have to promise me something, too.

When a character says something in dialogue ("If you must make a choice [between Soren and egg / 'the world'], choose the egg"), particularly when it comes to making a choice, that inevitably means they are going to be presented with that situation and have to make a choice. If a character is told not to do something, or says they will never do something ("I don't do dark magic. I will never help you"), they will almost inevitably always end up eventually doing so. This isn't always true, of course, in TDP or otherwise, but it is still a general setup rule of thumb.

So Callum is going to be pushed into an avenue where he has to pick between the greater good or Rayla, likely in the vein of helping Aaravos or losing her, and he's going to pick helping Aaravos to save her. This may mean handing over that damn cube (meta on that specifically to follow) or, at bare minimum, doing dark magic knowing it'll mean corrupting himself (self sacrifice) and subsequently turning himself over into Aaravos' will of chaos (sacrificing the greater good) knowing the consequences will be disastrous.

Because he would do anything for her, and that includes sacrificing his life, his agency ("That's the dark magic you want. Just let her go" / "Finnegrin was going to kill you. I didn't have a choice"), the world ("Tell me she wasn't your world"), and becoming a 'monster'.

He'll be saved, of course. I think S7 will actually end quite well for Callum — freed from Aaravos' possession forever, reconciled with his brother, happy with Rayla, reclaiming his cube and possibly learning from Aaravos' book of primal magic, etc. The road to get there is just going to be hell, first.

This conflict of greater good vs personal attachments though, while present in Callum's arc (choosing Ez over Harrow in 1x03; Rayla over his morals in 2x07; Rayla over his safety in 5x08, etc), is likewise at its most prevalent in Rayla's arc, so let's talk about it.

Love > Duty

Ehasz: Lain and Tiadrin, and Runaan and Ethari, as the parents of Rayla, represent the forces that are at war within her between duty and love. Her biological parents left her out of duty and Runaan and Ethari raised her out of love. Think about how she left Callum; she chose duty over love. Now she’s choosing love over duty, and we'll see this conflict within her manifest again.

So. Rayla "never [does] anything for herself," by Callum's own admission. She's agreed to murder her boyfriend if he's ever possessed again. She refused to purposefully help her family until everything with Aaravos was resolved (6x01, 6x05: "Just wait a little longer, okay?"). Her core conflict has routinely been Love vs Duty ("My heart for Xadia), often to her detriment when she chooses duty over love.

While in some ways her heart has been hardened more than it was in arc 1 ("We can't save everyone, Soren"), in others, she's never been softer and more hopeful ("I'm your daughter and I need you"). After all, while I see Rayla herself as Callum's one truth, if we read it as Love (in general), than that makes her the physical/visual embodiment of Love in his life, and well...

As the most Moonshadow elf to ever Moonshadow, Runaan was, in a lot of ways, the embodiment of duty in S1. He fought his daughter and "tried to kill" her in an effort to maintain his oath as a Moonshadow elf and honour his position as troupe leader. He was prepared to possibly take her life, as "we take it, but we do not take it lightly." He refused to listen.

I think the fact that he's remorseful as all hell in S6, then, bodes very well for the future. Not only does his fight with Rayla foreshadow multiple elements of her fight with Callum—identity, corruption, "I know you're still in there! I'm not letting you go!"—but if he embodies the remorse of duty, and Rayla embodies the persistence and forgiveness of love, well...

Love wins over duty.

This is symbolized, too, as the parallels between Rayla's assassin binding—a solemn vow and threat of punishment if she failed in her duty, which Callum's act of love (smashing the primal stone to save Zym) allowed her to be free of—and the bracelet/binding that Callum gifts her explicitly out of his love and care for her. The first binding a reminder that as an assassin, she was "already dead" vs one that will help her come back to him.

This follows through on what season hammers home, which is that Rayla (and the world around her) is at its best when acting in accordance with her big heart. The prophecy and reason dictated that to kill the icy monster was the best route forward, but her heart saw otherwise ("I know in my heart. You have to trust me") and allowed her to connect and literally help repair/illuminate Esmeray's broken heart by gifting the moon opal. Her love, not her fierce devotion to duty, is Callum's guiding star ("Rayla is kind and good" / "You have true courage, and a big heart" / "Rayla is selfless, strong, and caring. That's what makes her a hero. That's what makes her Rayla." / "I understand now. Your kindness pierced her heart and melted the threat" / "Yours is a wondrous heart").

Runaan taught her to never break her promises (6x09) as part of being a Moonshadow elf and a good assassin, but breaking her promise ("Before I met you, I swore an oath, to end Prince Ezran's life") and indeed sparing Marcos was one of the best, most crucial things she's ever done. Since we know Callum won't sacrifice her, we can also be sure — especially after her victories with Runaan and Esmeray — that she won't sacrifice him. Runaan broke his promise to Ethari, inadvertently abandoning his lover for two years over something that was ultimately harmful and unnecessary (sound familiar), and it makes me wonder if Runaan will support Rayla choosing love over duty, and mutually learning from their own mistakes in doing the opposite.

There's also the fact that sometimes, breaking a promise would be a good thing, as showcased in prior seasons:

SOREN: Of course we can [capture the boys]. We promised Dad. (2x07)

CLAUDIA: Aaravos followed through on everything he said he was going to do to save my dad. And I promised to help free him. (6x04)

Conclusion: Sacrifice

Where a lot of these points meet, though, especially for the intersection of love and duty, is at the point of Sacrifice. We see this smattered throughout the season, both directly in dialogue

CALLUM: You told me to never sacrifice the greater good for one person, no matter who it is. Well, you have to promise me something too. (6x03)

VIREN: And even if I could, oh, the sacrifice is unthinkable. The spell requires a human heart. (6x08)

and more indirectly but still very prominently through action: Claudia killing/suffering through the physical and emotional ordeal of killing Sir Sparklepuff ("It... It's love!" "It's too much to ask. It hurts to see you like this); Viren regretting how he handled things with Lissa and then afterwards with Soren because "the cost was devastating. Your mother left us"; and of course in Callum and Rayla's argument in 6x03 over Callum's willingness to destroy and hurt himself in order to protect Rayla, who's done the same thing many times over, just in leaving or using herself as a shield.

"We must be ready to sacrifice, even the things we love" (3x03) when it comes to duty. We must likewise be willing to sacrifice things, such as duty, safety, ego/pride, morality, or your life, in the name of love. Sacrifice — dark magic, of what are you willing to trade or kill or sacrifice in exchange for your aims or protective desires — is then accordingly, the theme of Book Seven: Dark, and one that both Callum and Rayla will have to confront.

Luckily, Callum is consistent and enduring — and Rayla is true hearted and growing — enough to do the Right Thing, and make the choice they've ultimately, routinely, always made: each other.

So long as she's Rayla — brave, selfless, loving — he can be Callum, and so long as he's Callum — resourceful, persistent, loving — she can be Rayla. Not a dark mage forcing her to be an assassin, but two people who bring out the best in one another.

And in doing so, in choosing to save rather than sacrifice each other, they get to likewise save, love, and preserve themselves.

[fategoflatass]

I used to be so against the slow burn trope. Not because I thought it was shit; it's just, I usually don't have the patience to wait whatever-amount-superior-to-three damn chapters for my dear ship to finally be able to look at each other without blushing and/or hold hands. Thus why you often times see me reading oneshots or fics with the "Established Relationship" tag on them.

So you can imagine just how surprised—or maybe not, maybe I just didn't think enough about it—I was when I realized my newest fixation's main pairing is—canonically—the embodiment of slow burn. Because holy shit they're taking their time.

Nothing against how Kusuriya develops its love story—quite the opposite, actually. The relationship between Jinshi and Maomao, two characters that are written as beautifully as their romance, is a rather realistic approach as to how the same or a similar dynamic would developed in real life. In such a complicated situation, with such complex feelings about emotions—both external and their own—and attachment, makes sense that it takes so long for the relationship to finally sail.

The problem is, I didn't know I was signing with the Devil the moment I decided to pick up the light novel. Ten volumes and nothing has happened. Nothing.

And you can say that technically things have happened, because they have. I mean, Jinshi is just so desperate for Maomao to give him the time of day, you know what I mean? And even that isn't enough anymore and thus he has committed some of the craziest shit I've seen in any romance. Which okay, I don't usually read these type of romances but still.

What I mean by "nothing" is just, their relationship hasn't changed status. I could also say that it seems to go nowhere, but that'd be lying. Since, you know, it has changed quite a lot—just not in the way my impatient ass wanted it to. Because he can be as honest with his feelings as he pleases, and those around them might be heavely conscious of the tension and thus constantly tease those lovebirds (as they should), but babygirl's not helping, you know?

And I get it, Maomao's not the best at expressing and understanding herself, and she's also way too busy worrying about going as unnoticed as possible (she should give up on that one already, tbh) while keeping her head where it should be. But like, I can't help feeling frustrated over it like ‼‼

GIRL, FUCK THE RULES. TAKE THAT PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A MAN AND RUNAWAY SOMEWHERE NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY YOU. YOU THEN CARRY THAT BITCH BRIDESTYLE TO THE CLOSEST CHURCH AND MAKE HIM YOUR WIFE. PROCEED TO FROG AROUND, EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR UTERUS AS MUCH AS YOU'D LIKE, AND THEN TEACH THE PRODUCTS OF YOUR PRACTICES AS YOUR OWN GUINEA PIG THE WAYS OF HERBAL MEDICINE. AS EASY AS THAT.

But she won't. She'll take her sweet ass time being in denial about both Jinshi's and her own feelings, then maybe she'll proceed to analize herself and find out that maybe, just maybe, that affection that she'd been feeling for that loser became something else. Did said affection also become something more complicated? Absolutely. Does she know how to deal with it? Hell no, but fuck it. If I learned something from school is that you always leave the hardest parts for later.

Now you see why I was so against reading slow burn?

And you wanna know the worst part? I loved it—I loved every second of it, every word, every page. Every scene that seemed to help the relationship advance, only for Maomao to say nope and leave like she owns the place, which at this point she fucking might.

It feels like I, as the reader, am in the middle of a heatwave and some sadistic bastard won't stop teasing me with ice cream—they put it in front of my face, close enough that I can smell the cold. Then take a spoon and eat little by little while staring directly to my eyes. At times they seem to show mercy and feed me a spoon, only for it to be a rather small quantity of serving—serving that tastes so damn good at first, only for it to have such a bitter aftertaste. But if I gotta have something in common with Jinshi is that I'll never be able to beat the masochist allegations, so I'll wait patiently for the next spoon and its corresponding and seemingly enless teasing from that faceless being.

So yeah, I'm still against it, only that now I understand the appeal—even if I have yet to find out about the whereabouts of my sanity while still mananing with the little I've left.

[tokiwarcube]

I always wondered what the boys would think if their s/o was in a band (the genre is up to you) and they have the same position in the band as the boys. This has been a thought that won’t leave me alone, help me!!

P.s I love your writings for these 5 silly men !! :)

Aww, thank you so much!! I absolutely fell in love with this prompt -- and I had an absolute blast writing it! Now I will Also be thinking about this forever, haha. Enjoy! <3

(Implied NS/FW warning for Pickles' section!)

Nathan Explosion

My simple, multi-platinum krillionaire rockstar — for as much as he daydreams about what life would have been like if he got to live like a regular jack-off, it’s just not the path for him. So dating another famous lead vocalist? Right up his alley.

He actually likes it more than he thought — it’s nice to bounce lyrics off of you, and vice versa. Toying with pitch, cadence, and intonation, all the different vocal techniques without judgement of sounding silly… Your halls are always alive with the sound of music… even if the subject is about death and murder, it’s its own form of magic.

But singing at home and singing in concert are two very, very different beasts. He wasn’t prepared for how intense you could be on stage, with the band to back you up. Your confidence as you stride, growling so mean he can feel it in his blood before perking back up to bounce away? All of your little stunts? Half of him is taking notes for their next show, and half of him is utterly starstruck. Your eyes dart over to him every now and again, smiling when you notice his wide eyes. His breath hitches when you throw a little wave to him in response, and he can’t help the breathless “holy shit” that falls from his lips.

You’re not as popular as Dethklok, but you couldn’t tell that from inside the venue walls — with how easily you command the crowd, he’s certain you were a siren in a past life. Or now. You could tell everyone in this room to jump off a bridge, and they would, he’s certain of it.

That would make a good song, actually…

Pickles the Drummer

Pickles has a pretty sizable repertoire of instrument proficiency — bass, guitar, keys… a brief stint with an alto sax, as a bit… and currently, drums. He’s got a soft spot in his heart for all of it, each instrument representing a specific era of his life, but he’s found himself enjoying the drums the most. It’s strong, supportive — every song needs a beat! It takes a specific personality to play drums well, and it’s one that he both embodies within himself, and covets when in others.

This is all to say — he finds it very hot that you play drums.

And as a man who appreciates a nice set of legs, he very much likes the effects drumming has on your calves. Your calves might be sore after a long practice session, but that’s nothing compared to the bites he’ll leave later in the night.

He also loves to watch you play — sweat rolling down the column of your throat as you raise your hands above your head for another well-timed strike, lost in the rhythm… Woof.

You’ve kind of gotta beat him back with a stick while on tour if you ever want to go out for drinks after a show — if he had it his way, he’d be spending the post-concert glow in the hotel, letting you know just how much he liked your performance.

Skwisgaar Skwigelf

Anyone looking in would assume this would be a point of competition, but he actually really loves having someone he can talk technical with! Despite being in Dethklok, he doesn’t really get to talk guitar often — Toki, Murderface, and Pickles can play, sure, but the former two don’t give a fuck about technique, and Pickles just doesn’t care about it enough to chat about it outside of the studio.

He loves hearing about all of the little musical decisions you’ve contributed to in each song — don’t think he didn’t catch the time signature change there. Just a single bar, why? Or this section here, that was a reprise of the first song in the album — how are they connected? He catches all the little details, and he wants to know all about them. In this same vein, he’s also great to bounce ideas off of when you’re in a rut… but be careful! His ideas are damn-good, and at this rate, he might just need a spot in the writer’s credits.

It’s very fun to just sit down and jam with him, passing the melody back and forth as your improvised tune grows. He calls it practice — and in a sense, it is — but really, he just likes playing with you.

He pushes to have your tours alternate with Dethklok’s so he can be at all of your shows, and vice versa — you have his full attention during your solos, and he’s not above slapping the boys to get them to shuts up so he can hear you in all of your glory.

He’s pretty stationary on stage — such is the downside of working with a bunch of uncoordinated dumbasses. (He is not exempt from this.) But if you have the agility and focus to bounce around on stage while playing? Oh, he didn’t think he could fall in love any further. He didn’t think he was capable of being starstruck, but you’ve proven him wrong tenfold. He’ll happily brave a couple thousand rabid fans for the pit experience — sorry to all the people stuck behind his towering self, but being backstage is nothing compared to barrier. The flashing lights, choking fog and towering flames only make you look more beautiful than ever, and he can’t help but reach out to you when you waggle your fingers at the crowd.

Personally offended if you don’t throw him at least one pick on tour. He does not care that he is 1.) Dating you, and 2.) Has limitless access to your stash. It’s the principle.

You wear each other’s picks on necklaces <3

Toki Wartooth

You play rhythm too? Wowee! You’re so good, though — how are you not playing solos?

He is completely gobsmacked by the fact that not only are you not the lead guitarist, but that you don’t care to be, either. I mean, he has Skwisgaar to compete against — and as loathe as he is to say it, it’s a pretty fucking high bar to surpass. But you? You could easily play lead! You just don’t want to? What?

He doesn’t really get it, but he writes it off as just you being humble. Beyond that, your similarity doesn’t really play too big of a role in your shared lives! But when concert season rolls around, he’s insistent about hanging out at barrier, just so he can see what it’s like to be at one of your shows. And then, then, that’s when he gets it.

You never seem to stand still, bouncing this way and that, playing in ways he never even thought possible. You don’t need to play solos to wow the crowd — hell, he’s been practically raised by the most popular band in the world, but with you in front of him now, he feels like just another one of your adoring fans itching at the chance to even be seen. Nobody cheers louder than Toki, and he’s insistent on going to each and every one of your shows.

After show from here on out he’ll interlock hands with you, congratulating you on yet another show well-done. He traces the callouses on your fingertips, heart swelling with giddiness at dating such a badass guitarist.

William Murderface

Finally, someone else who appreciates a good bass line. A band is nothing without the bass, especially metal, and it’s nice to talk to someone else who understands that. Especially after being AJFA’d out off all their most recent albums.

Playing bass is a very thankless job — you have to support the entire band, giving them structure and direction without any of the thanks that the rhythm guitar or the drums get. The most, and I mean the most that he gets, is a solo at the end of the show. Which is fun, but you know… it’s very much a job that you take because you love the big picture, not the details.

That’s his point of view, anyways. Because the second he sees you in-show, his whole world gets flipped on his head.

You have a very confident poise on stage — unshakeable, much like the deep notes that you pluck from the instrument. And yet, you command attention from the crowd effortlessly. It’s like you were made for this — all long strides and sneaky smiles as you move around on stage. And despite the eccentricity of your fellow bandmates — a very energetic show, he’s noticed — you still draw a sizable amount of attention from the packed arena, and man does he wish he was in the pit right now so he could get that sly little smile head-on. And huh, maybe bass can be fun, after all.

He loves to brag about you, and will do so at any opportunity.

After seeing your prowess on stage, he starts practicing a bit outside of concert season… and then more, and more, until he finally feels ready enough to fight to get the bass turned up in the next Dethalbum. Thanksch, babe.

[fayes-fics]

hello!! can I please get a drabble that takes place in the 70s with artist boho slut benedict x reader? thank you 🙈

Kinktober: Benedict + Chem / High Sex

Kinktober 2023 Masterlist

Paring: Benedict Bridgeton x fem!reader, Modern 1970s AU

Warnings: 18+ smut, minors DNI, use of recreational drugs, sexual acts while high/under the influence, 69 position, oral sex (m to f, f to m) blowjob and cunnilingus, facesitting, vaginal fingering, deepthroat.

Author’s note: hi Nonny. Well, this request immediately made me think of boho hippy artist Ben selling his art at a music festival and voila, a whole AU was born for me. Honestly, this universe was so fun I might write more in the future 😁 Anyway, I hope you enjoy! 🧡

You have a cock in your mouth when the drug kicks in. A corkscrew of colour swimming before your eyes has you pausing to make a noise of surprise, not just because of the fantastic suction around your clit.

“Holy shit….” you mumble, pulling up to take a breather.

“It kicked in, huh?” Benedict smirks as you look down between your legs to his handsome face.

“Yeah… fuckkkkk,” you stutter, unmoored.

This wasn't how you envisioned this music festival going, but damn, if you aren't having the time of your life.

Just an hour ago, you arrived as the sun set, still yet to find your friends, when you stumbled upon a stall selling captivating artwork. You felt utterly compelled to purchase a piece, even before you saw the beautiful, square-jawed, blue-eyed, topless man selling it.

Daisy chains looped into his wavy chestnut locks, flared jeans hanging dangerously low over an Adonis belt—a Grecian statue made flesh. By the time he informed you that he was indeed the artist and, after a few drinks, offered you a tab of something to “start your festival right”, you were already his.

And so here you now, in the back of his VW bus, windows concealed by vibrant tie-dyed fabrics, chemicals coursing in your bloodstream as you bring each other pleasure. Sitting naked upon his face, draped over his warm body, his cock in your mouth. A circuit of decadent, lush delight. And now….

Now, every feeling is heightened.

You dive back onto him with something approaching ferocity, savouring his silken but steely cock passing through your lips, each contour sparking synesthesia behind your eyelids. When his tongue ploughs deep into your pussy it ripples up your insides into your belly, settling as a fire behind your ribs. And when he sucks your clit, it’s as if you can trace the signal racing to your brain from those millions of afferent nerve endings.

Strains of music from the distant soundstage seep through the popped skylight above as his long, artistic fingers swirl patterns on the notches of your spine. His sinewy arms wrapped tight around your hips, encouraging you to use his face and tongue as if he were a vessel built purely for your enjoyment.

And fuck if he isn't—he tastes, embodies, and imbues hedonism. His skin is smooth and smells of citrus, earthy bark and charcoal. His cock is perfect, a delight that fills your mouth and makes your bones liquefy at the idea he might fuck you.

You spiral your tongue around his head in a tempo to match the tattoo his drums over your clit, all your concentration pinpointed on these mirrored movements, sinful unhurried sensualism. Luxuriating as if you have hours to spend together, with no destination in mind other than a memorable experience. 

When he buries two fingers inside you, your cry muffled around his cock, you can feel his smirk in the stubble abraiding your labia. Well, if he wants to notch things a little higher….

Mind looping with rainbows, you take a deep breath and sink until his cock is in your throat. The feral sound he makes hot against your clit like another drug you could get addicted to. He groans your praises, a hand straying into your hair to hold your head down, his plush lips snagging your engorged pearl as you hold still, images of colourful dancing bears before your eyes, each bearing his face contorted with ecstasy. Something about him makes you want to be the best he has ever had. Make him not want to leave your side; make him not want to get dressed ever again; just spend eternity entwined in your body.

You pull up, and then after a few deep sucking draws that have him groaning and begging, you sink down again, fighting the need to breathe, captivated by each novel new image your mind supplies. All the while, he tries to match you, lashing your clit, fingers drumming your g spot as the other wraps your ponytail around his fist. When you whimper around him, his sac tightens against your nose.

“Fuck, I'm going to come,” he growls in warning, yet still you stay, knowing what is coming and craving it.

A pulse runs the length of his cock, and then you feel it, a thick salty rope shooting right into your throast that tastes like victory and desire. You suck and swallow all you can as you pull up, needing to breathe, and as he sings your praises, you nuzzle him, licking him clean as if it was the tastiest treat in the world.

“Your turn,” his warning glittering and smokey with promise. 

It's then you experience your first orgasm high on drugs. Your body on fire as he expertly suckles, swirls, and even bites your swollen, soaked flesh, fingers buried deep in your leaking pussy, like he lives only for your nectar and rapture.

“You taste like heaven,” he groans, as you keep kissing his cock while it softens, something for you to wrap your lips around, to muffle your screams as he pushes you towards heights you have never scaled. Hyperaware of everything: sounds, smells, his touch, the sight of him pinned under you, so very eager to please. You reach out and grab his hand, lacing your fingers together tightly just as you tumble over the edge. 

Fireworks, lightning, strobe lights, all multicoloured, going off in your mind as you float high above as if an untethered balloon, at once a million miles away and yet also rooted so deep in your body, feeling everything in every nerve, every cell, every synapse fire. 

He moves behind you as you collapse to one side, breathlessly panting, mind adrift, curling up almost foetal, overloaded by everything. Wrapping his warm body like a protective shell around you, his nose buried in your hair, his arms caging you, his legs bracketing yours.

“That was transcendent. Truly magical,” he murmurs, dazed, and you have to agree.

No taglist as these drabbles are short

[chaifootsteps]

Hey Chai,

This is a long one, so I’m gonna start out by first thanking you for this blog you’ve created as a safe place to share your thoughts and those of others, including when they disagree with you! You are both admirably unabashed and pleasantly down to earth in how you carry yourself on here! Now to get into the meat of it, I felt like sending in my thoughts on the idea of “wasted potential” as applied specifically to Lucifer from Haz_bin Ho_tel, and to ask you for your thoughts on that concept and Lucifer as a specific example (if you wanted to share them, of course)! I want to clarify that I’ve never personally liked referring to characters, story beats, or theme explorations in a piece of fictional media as “wasted potential” because some part of me feels that I don’t get to make that judgement call when I wasn’t the one writing. This isn’t me claiming that I am better or more mature than people who discuss wasted potential within media analysis - I am well aware that I am entitled to dislike the direction a character or story is heading as much as any human - this is just me saying that I personally never try and act like I could speak on knowing what was better for someone else’s creative vision, so I just tend to keep my thoughts to myself. Until I witnessed what Vi_v did to Lucifer. Memes are funniest when quoted ironically, but it was after episode six that I sincerely said out loud to myself “look how they massacred my boy!”

In the days of the pilot and promotional character art, Lucifer was my favorite character. Viewers barely knew anything about him, but the little we did know was OVERFLOWING WITH POTENTIAL. He was my favorite character design in the entire show, and a near hyperfixation in my mind. The limited information and visuals we were given were those of a well dressed, unwaveringly confident, and - seemingly - unapologetically aware player in a story about the slaughter of sinners and the near-lost cause of Charlie’s efforts towards their redemption. He was the King of Hell, husband to the first woman in existence, instigator of human sin, and REBEL AGAINST GOD. Even juicier, assuming we never got to see him as his own character, there was at least the mystique of the domino affect he had on the characters of the show including Charlie, Alastor, and even Vaggie as Charlie’s girlfriend and a fallen angel, herself. The second-hand accounts we heard of him through Charlie - specifically “I think dad was right about me-“ and “- you don’t take shit from other demons!” - depicted a character who had little sympathy for Charlie’s goal or the sinners while still showing his care for her in his own, twisted way. All of this oozed with POTENTIAL for the enormity of this character and his weight on the story as the embodiment of pride and as the King of Hell.

And we, the audience of the final product, got NONE OF THAT. The final character - the canon depiction thrown at our faces following over four years of anticipation - was a self-pitying, judgmental, immature, wishy-washy, absentee father who remained WILLFULLY unaware of the life and ambitions of the singular child he claimed he wanted a better relationship with and took ZERO accountability in running the very people and kingdom he had been stuck with for 10,000 years! He didn’t even know his daughter, the princess of Hell and his most treasured family, had a girlfriend of multiple years. In a lot of ways, he was a well-dressed man-child constantly shouting some version of “I DON’T WANNA!”. 

And GOD did that hurt to see. How it hurt to see his wasted potential. 

There were so many things he could have been starting in late 2019, so many things that seemed perfect for both a character and story beat as would have explored the greater themes of the show itself. Unfortunately, he wasn’t any of them on that particular day in late January of 2024. The CLOSEST he ever gets to embodying that potential was when he was protecting his daughter while beating the holy light out of Adam in the finale, but even his statement of “You’re in my house, bitch!” doesn’t depict the imposing and unmeasurably egotistical being of pride he seemed to be in 2019, it just sounds like something any person would say in a cocky manner punching down on someone who broke into their house. For me, it took the wind out of my sails to see how far my once adored character had fallen from the character he COULD have been. How he had been denied all the potential that he once had. Potential that, through writing choices by the creative team, was decidedly "wasted".

So those are my feelings as applies to both the concept of “wasted potential” in writing and to the character of Lucifer in Haz_bin Ho_tel. I apologize again for how long this whole rant has been, but if you have any of your own thoughts or want to comment on my whole spiel around how we describe wasted potential as viewers and Lucifer as a possible example, I would be excited to hear them!

Thank you again for this space you have created and keep fighting the good fight, even if that’s just for the freedom to our own opinions on popular media!

No apologies, Anon, and thank you for the kind words! Everyone should feel like they have a safe, fun place to bitch about how much they dislike popular media...whether HH runs for one more season or 10, I'll do my best to keep this little pocket available!

Thank you for your heartfelt Lucifer thoughts. I know back in the day, when I still loved and had high hopes for this show and actually hoped Viv could get Weird Al to voice Lucifer, this was the thing that made me really fall in love with him. If I'd known back then that he'd turn into a crude, idiotic frat boy, I wouldn't have bothered.

I think the longer these shows run, the more it gets to be that people are mourning their favorite characters and the potential they could have had. It's pretty painful to love a character so deeply, to be so excited to see what they become, and to be rewarded with the worst possible version of them you could imagine. Happened with Stolas for me, with Lucifer for you...it's a story you hear time and time again.

It sucks.

[evermourning]

𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 - hwang hyunjin

pairing: hwang hyunjin x reader, lovertober entry iii

genre: love at first sight, non!idol au, fluff, comfort, vacation romance, slice of life

wc: 5.2k

warnings: only one bed... (literally like ONCE) , language, mentions of alcohol, getting drunk, mutual pining, hyunjin is kinda self-deprecating, that stupid fucking miscommunication trope

a/n: ouranos is the embodiment of the sky in greek mythology...there are multiple ways to spell it but there are also multiple reasons i'm not writing uranus in my work 🤓 (i am not mature)

seasonal depression was kicking your ass right now.

work was piling up, you were struggling to find time to relax, and it was all so overwhelming that you were losing yourself piece by piece. finally, the long-awaited chance for you to take a break arrived, when you received a text from your grandmother.

as she asked you how you were doing, a thought came to your head. your grandmother made all her money through real estate and rentals...so what was saying she couldn't rent her place to you for a month or so? when you asked, she agreed almost instantly, rambling on and on about you were a lifesaver.

she allowed you to rent a beautiful and modern townhouse she owned on the outskirts of the city, smack dab in the art district, a beautiful display of all different cultures. it would truly be an amazing trip. plus, the house had more than one bedroom, so you'd get the spacious place all to yourself.

now, you stood in front of it, admiring the industrial-style architecture and lovely flowers blooming in boxes beneath tinted windows. this was going to change your life for the better. you knew it.

after settling in, you took a look around. the home had two different bedrooms with a wide seating area and kitchen, boasting two levels. your grandmother had really scored with this one. you called her as soon as you finished unpacking, thanking her profusely. however, when you noticed her kind eyes bore a new, mischievous twinkle, you couldn't help but be a tad suspicious. what were you missing?

your suspicions were confirmed that night. turns out your warm, loving grandma had some tricks up her sleeve.

it was around ten o'clock at night and you'd cuddled up on the couch with a warm blanket and a book, reading quietly and contentedly under a warm lamplight. the soft bustle of the city outside the window could lull you to sleep if you weren't careful. however, a sound from outside scared the shit out of you.

it almost sounded like...a lock turning?

wait.

that wasn't just any lock. it was your lock.

you covered your mouth, heart pounding, beating rapidly as you raced over to the kitchen to search for a makeshift weapon, settling on a frying pan. then, you hid just out of sight from the door, so that you could see it, but couldn't be seen. when the door opened, you gripped the cast iron pan as tight as possible. however, you lowered it when you noticed who it was.

it was the most beautiful man you'd ever laid eyes on.

however, he could always be a murderer in secret, so you crept out from your hiding spot, calling out softly (which was frankly a horrid idea) to the man standing at the door.

"who's there?"

when the man heard your voice, he shrieked. this caused you to scream too, until you two were face-to-face, the man ready to defend himself and you holding onto the frying pan for dear life. when you realized you weren't going to be hurt, you lowered the pan, getting a better look at the mysterious intruder.

holy fuck, he was gorgeous.

his skin was fair and perfect, obviously well taken-care of, as it seemed like there wasn't a single blemish upon it except for a singular mole below one of his eyes. his eyes were like dark chocolate, warm and slightly widened from the fear, and his plump, perfectly shaped lips were parted slightly in a little "o". his hair was the color of the night sky, tousled and styled perfectly, the tips falling just slightly above his shoulders. the young man was tall and lean, and not to mention very stylish.

"who are you and how did you get in here?" you began, stepping back cautiously. he gulped, taking a deep breath before speaking. he had a tranquil voice, tinged with worry. it had an oddly comforting tone.

"i'm, uh, renting this place for a month. who are you?" he said quietly.

"the lady who rents this place out is my grandmother." you explained, and he nodded. "but this is very odd...i was renting this place for a month."

the young man tilted his head in confusion.

"okay, um...that's weird. can you like, call her?" he suggested, playing with a piece of his hair. it looked very soft...

you nodded, and as you were pulling out your phone you pointed over to a door near the back porch.

"for now, put your stuff in there. we can both sleep here tonight...i'll let my grandmother know tonight and we can sort it out tomorrow. sounds good?"

"yeah." he confirmed, before giving you a gentle, awkward smile. "thanks, by the way. i was scared you were gonna kick me out or something. i'll be honest, i don't think i could survive a night out on the streets."

you laughed, and couldn't help but notice his cheeks becoming rosier when he heard the sound. as he went off to investigate the room you'd pointed out, you dialed in your grandmother's number. she picked up after the first three rings.

"hi, honey. have you settled in?" she cooed from the other side of the phone, her voice light and cheery. "anything you need?"

"you double-booked the townhouse and now there's an unfamiliar man here, grandma." as you explained to her the situation, the young man popped his head out of the door.

"hi, um...whatever your name is - there's no bed in here. it's just the frame." your blood ran cold. this was an even bigger problem because there was only one other mattress. shit.

"oh, yeah. i forgot to mention - one of the mattresses ripped and so i had to replace it. it's coming in a day or two, okay?" your grandmother paused, before giggling. "who knows? this could be your chance for a new shot at love."

"grandma...i've talked to this guy, what- once or twice? you're delusional." you sighed, massaging your temples. "and plus, i'll just sleep on the couch. he can have the room." after you hung up, the young man tentatively sat down on the couch beside you.

"so, what did she say?"

after you recounted her words to your new acquaintance, he sat in silence for a moment, before finally speaking up.

"well, we can figure out rooming and stuff...but how about we just live here together for the month? unless you're not comfortable with it, then i'll find myself a hotel and call your grandmother for a refund-"

"no, no, you took the time and effort to come all the way here - you deserve this vacation just as much as i do. you're welcome to stay." you smiled softly at him. "what's your name, by the way? you seem very kind. i'm yn."

his lips curled upwards, and you wanted to melt into a puddle at the sight.

"my name is hyunjin."

in a shocking turn of events, you were lying in the same bed as a boy you'd just barely met, an angel on earth named hwang hyunjin. you'd reassured yourself there was no way anything like this would happen on your trip, but you were very clearly wrong.

"alright. there's one other bedroom - which has an unripped mattress, might i add - and then one of us can sleep on the couch." you explained. hyunjin was quick to counter it.

"that's an awfully small couch..." he noted, circling it to get a better view. it was pretty small...

"i'll sleep on it. you can take the bed and we'll wash the sheets in the morning." you concluded. he looked at you, eyes wide.

"you can't do that! did you see this week's weather? you'll freeze out here!" he said pleadingly. you sighed, giving him a reassuring smile.

"you're very kind, hyunjin." you replied. "but i can get a blanket or two. i'll be okay."

he shook his head in response.

"we can share the bed and pile it with blankets. deal?" he asked, staring at you hopefully. "i don't want us to start off on the wrong foot and have someone be cranky because they slept on that creaky-ass couch."

he had a point, you told yourself. next thing you knew, you were laying on your side in your pajamas beside a barricade of linen pillows, watching the steady rise and fall of a guy you'd only known for a few hours' chest. he looked so peaceful as he slept, you only wished you could feel the same. you let out a soft sigh before falling back onto your pillow and drifting off into sleep.

hyunjin, on the other hand, was praying you thought he was sleeping. he knew you'd leaned over the get a better look at him, and he desperately hoped that the darkness of the bedroom concealed his flushed cheeks. thankfully, he heard a soft sigh escape your perfect lips and a thump of a head hitting the pillow beside him, allowing him to exhale, relieved.

he didn't think he was in love with you. that couldn't be possible. he'd only known you for three hours, forty-four minutes, and nine seconds (he counted). there was no way he could be this enamored with someone like you. sure, you were beautiful...like an angel who'd floated daintily down from the heavens above...and the fact that you had the loveliest personality...

but he didn't know that! maybe it was a facade. he hoped it was a facade, so that these weird, unwanted feelings of adoration and desire would just float away with a snap of his fingers. he was looking for a muse, and he wouldn't find one in some stranger with...breathtaking eyes...ugh.

this was going to be harder than he thought.

the next morning, you woke up and the bed was missing hyunjin's presence. you yawned, slipping into the bathroom to make yourself look somewhat presentable before going out to the kitchen. hyunjin sat at the counter, texting someone on his phone. when he heard teh door open, he grinned.

"good morning. your grandmother emailed me, so wanna go get some coffee at that café down the block to wake us up? then we can talk about living situations and whatnot." he was wearing a white printed shirt tucked into a pair of ripped jeans. he paired this with casual shoes and a cream-colored cardigan. you were envious of his style. however, you accepted the offer, and side-by-side you made your way to the shop.

you found your way to a booth in the back. the atmosphere was lovely, warm and modern with the smell of freshly baked pastries mixing with the strong scent of espresso. it felt so cozy, with a soft bossa nova melody playing through a speaker, its mood quite ambient. you'd put in your order and hyunjin's, as he'd made some comment about feeling uncomfortable ordering. you'd laughed at him, taking delight in his cheeks reddening from the teasing.

eventually, your order was called out, and with much pushing and shoving, hyunjin went and picked up the coffees. now, you were sipping away, sighing contentedly as if you could practically feel the caffeine flooding through your veins and energizing you. when you felt much more awake, hyunjin began speaking.

"okay, so she apologized profusely for the misunderstanding, but essentially, there's nothing she can do because the money's already been transferred. she gave me two options: you and i can live together for this month, or she'll use my rental money to pay for a hotel room." he tilted his head. "what are you thinking?"

"well...if you're comfortable with it, we can live together. i don't want to overstep any boundaries of yours, but it'll be better than hectically trying to find a place to stay, especially at this time of year. and who knows? maybe this is fate." you suggested, chewing on your straw. "does that work for you? the mattress for the second bedroom is supposed to arrive today, too. you can truly settle in."

hyunjin took a moment to consider the offer, before extending one hand for you to shake. it fits into yours perfectly, you noticed, but you didn't say anything.

"that works. this is so exciting, i've never really had a roommate before."

and so, like clockwork, spending time with hyunjin integrated itself into your daily routine. he was so fun to be around, and gave great tips on style. together, hand in hand, you explored the city. it was nice, you decided, to have a friend like him. even if you felt your heart rate spike when he lean over a little too close to grab something behind you, faces inches apart. even if you watched horror movies together and he made you wrap him in your arms because he was so terrified. it was really nice. and your mind was clearing.

the first time you felt an emotion towards hyunjin that was something more than a platonic feeling was about one-thirds into your vacation. he was on the second floor of the townhouse, in a room temporarily claimed as his art studio.

you loved watching him paint. each brush stroke was fluid and gentle, yet so inexplicably concise. two very different colors, bright in hue and vibrant could mix together with a dash of black or white and become something new altogether. perhaps a new shade with muted, earthen tones, or a dark shade of the color wheel. before he touched the blank canvas with his essence, it was bare and boring. a simple white. but the minute he let himself be enraptured by the very idea of artistry, the creativity pulsed from his fingertips and into the paintbrush, creating a story with each swish of the tool.

he stood at the easel, with you relaxing nearby. his brow was furrowed, and he drifted his index finger back-and-forth across the empty, emotionless piece of fabric.

"i don't know what to paint." he huffed, walking over to the large window to search the streets for some inspiration. you stood up, brushing off your pants and making your way over to the place beside him. he looked down at you, and it was like a lightbulb lit up above his head comically. "yn...would it be okay if i painted you?"

you were so excited, nodding and taking his hands.

"i would love nothing more!" you crowed. hyunjin fidgeted with his hands nervously.

"um, one thing. can you take off your necklace? my art style is in many ways detailed but also abstract. i think it'll throw me off a little."

you nodded. after a few attempts to remove it, you ended up giving him a sheepish look.

"can you help me with it?" he nodded, moving right behind you. you lifted up your hair a bit out of his way. your heart was pounding, echoing so loudly within your chest you were so sure that the next door neighbors could hear it. as his soft hands worked expertly to remove it, your face felt like it was burning. you flinched a bit when his fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of your neck.

little did you know, it was driving hyunjin crazy just as much as it was making you insane. he felt like a victorian man viewing ankles for the first time, with the way he was heating up at the sight of your soft, beautiful skin. the way you shuddered when he touched the skin gently was enough to make him want to grab you and kiss you at that very moment. but he didn't, because there was no way you felt that way in return, and he didn't want to singlehandedly ruin this relationship with you that he'd been so carefully building, piece by piece. he shook it off, unclipping the chain and handing it to you, before slipping into the space behind his easel. you posed on the chair, crossing one leg over the other. after what felt like an eternity, hyunjin motioned for you to get up and come see his completed masterpiece.

what stared back at you was only the most emotional and dazzling piece that hyunjin had made (in your opinion). it perfectly captured your features and displayed them in an alluring array of colors. you looked over at him, jaw dropped. he laughed softly at your astonishment.

"you like it?"

"i love it." you murmured, tracing your own lips with your pinkie. "you're so talented. you're so humble about it, hyunjin, but i know natural-born talent when i see it. please never stop painting, especially if you love it."

"so basically, what you're saying is..." hyunjin said, dark eyes trained on you. "...that i should continue following the things i love?"

"yeah."

the second time these overwhelming feelings flooded your system was on a warm saturday night. the sky was bright and clear, so you'd suggested stargazing. you two sat on a grassy green hill perfectly placed twenty or so minutes away from the house, carefully laying out a blanket to watch from. you pointed out various stars and patterns and constellations, impressing hyunjin with your knowledge.

you laid there with him, the grass tickling your skin. his skin was soft and flush against yours, warm and gentle like a mother’s touch, your hands intertwined. you hoped he didn't feel your palms being slightly sweaty from the nervousness. his thumb softly rubbed figure eight-shaped patterns into the back of your hand. from this angle, hyunjin looked absolutely ethereal, like a beloved son of aphrodite herself. his dark hair paired with long, ebony eyelashes and full, parted lips was an absolute killer. you were trying so hard to focus on the stars, but you couldn't help yourself from staring at him instead of the night sky.

"i love watching the stars. it makes me so mad when nights are cloudy and these beauties are hidden from the world." hyunjin commented. his words struck a harmonious chord inside you.

"astronomy is really such a showcase of beauty and elegance. true beauty, like the millions of stars painting our universe as if they were the freckles on ouranos’ skin, is something one could only dream of. seeing these natural wonders makes me lucky to be alive, to be a living, breathing human. as a human, i am blessed to have eyes so that i can take in these little joys. hyune, do you realize some people will never get to see the stars?"

"i do." he was quiet for a moment, before continuing. "sometimes, i wonder if they will never see the stars because they physically cannot, or they’re just not looking hard enough. i makes me a bit disappointed that they're not admiring the universe's beauty. we're not on this earth forever. we have to embrace every second."

"yeah." you grinned at him. "i have you, though. our time together may not be permanent, i will cherish every single memory."

hyunjin frowned. he rolled over on his stomach, turning slightly to face you better.

"what says our time together can't be permanent? we've grown so close. i want to make more memories with you after this." you knew he didn't intend for his words to be perceived this way, but you couldn't help it. your mind drifted off to fantasies of hyunjin as your boyfriend. holding your hand on the street, baking together...hyunjin smiling as he swiped frosting off your bottom lip...a healthy, happy love. you needed it.

and it was almost painfully ironic, the fact that during this entire hypothetical dream sequence you were experiencing, you didn’t even notice hyunjin zeroing in on your lips. you didn’t notice the pink coloring obvious upon his skin. you didn’t even notice when his hand came up to rest against your cheek. his touch was careful, soft, like you were some fragile beauty he was scared of breaking. it snapped you out of your trance when he spoke again.

"you look like you have a tiny scar on your cheek. what's that from?"

you reached your hand up to your own face, a small sound of surprise leaving your lips as you ran your finger along it.

"i didn't even notice i had this. god, you're so observant." you said lightly, sitting up and brushing off your pants. hyunjin watched.

"i really am, aren't i? sometimes i feel like some all-knowing creature, seeing everything but saying nothing." you nodded, scooting in closer so you could lean against him. he wrapped an arm around you, keeping you both warm.

"well, if you feel like a bystander, you should try speaking up more. no matter what you do, though, you know i'll still look at you like you're polaris. i hope you shine forever, hyunjin. and i'm so happy that we've grown so close, so i pray i'll get to see you flourish and sparkle like the very stars we're dazzled by right now."

you hoped these words resonated in the nooks and crannies of the brain you'd been so interested in. hiding your true feelings was getting harder and harder. you wanted to let him know that you were absolutely infatuated with him instantly. you wanted his embrace to become tighter, more protective. but you knew it wouldn't. you weren't a fool. you could keep this massive secret of yours under wraps, yes?

your master plan was foiled a week or two later.

you and hyunjin had been playing around, and it got a bit out of control. namely, you were completely and utterly drunk. although hyunjin reacted to your state with amusement, worry coursed through his veins. you were babbling, slurring your words. you were usually so composed, hyunjin had never seen this side of you.

he sat on the couch as you were snuggled into his side, snoring blissfully. he looked down at you, his hand hovering just over the small of your back. he didn't want to touch you without your consent, but he really wanted to just hold you in his arms.

these days, every waking thought he had included you. whether it was a daydream, a nightmare, anything: you were in it. every aspect of his life had been taken over by the very idea of you. he was scared. he knew your time in this home was finite, so he'd been trying his very best to keep you with him, with his little hope being that you felt the same way.

hyunjin had never felt so strongly about someone. he wanted to hold your hand until you were old and grey, he wanted to know you inside and out. know every little detail of your beautiful brain. it was insane. he was losing it, fearing you'd forget him after you left. what if your work began to overtake you, and you stopped contacting him? he couldn't let that happen, not when he'd spent all this time loving you. okay, that was a stretch, but he felt like if you reciprocated his feelings of longing and desire, together you could blossom and grow like the first blooms upon a barren tree in the spring.

he didn't want to overthink it, he didn't want to get ahead of himself. you'd said some things he'd perceived as sentences with romantic undertones, but he didn't want to explicitly confess these jumbled feelings for you if his heart was simply going to be shattered.

however, you nestled yourself closer to him, a sigh escaping your lips, and hyunjin felt as if the tendrils of white-hot flames were dancing across his body from your touch.

"mmm...you're such a nice pillow, jinnie." you mumbled, and he turned to face you more, raising an eyebrow. jinnie? you never called him that. "it's almost like we're a couple."

he felt his cheeks slowly change to a color akin to rose petals.

"w-what?" he asked, stumbling over his words. "don't joke about that."

"i know, i know." a comically large frown crossed your face. "i don't want to joke about it because then, it'll make me believe i actually have a shot with you. i know how you feel about me will probably be obsolete after we part ways." hyunjin's mouth dropped open. he was racking his brain for proof this was happening. would he have to pinch himself? there was no way someone like you would have feelings for a person like him.

"can you elaborate on that? i know you're not really yourself right now...but please." he pleaded, steadying you my placing a firm grip on your shoulders.

"i've been a little in love with you since that night we um...slept together but didn't." you giggled. "you're so perfect though, but you're so oblivious...how can i show you i truly care?"

and then out of nowhere, you placed a hand on his cheek, kissing him. the kiss was sweet and soft, but filled with all the love and emotion your drunken self could muster. hyunjin had to admit, he liked it, but he was a sensible man. he pushed you off him.

"yn, no. we'll cover this in the morning. it was really a beautiful kiss, but you're not yourself right now, and if i possibly am in love with you back, i'm not going to do anything until you're not under the influence." he helped you up, acting as a crutch for you to walk safely back to your room. he hoisted you onto your bed to the best of his abilities, where you were out the minute your head touched the pillow. he took a second to stare longingly at your sleeping face before shutting the door.

hyunjin flopped onto the couch, his head in his hands.

you liked him back?

there was no way. hyunjin was horrid, built with flaws and all sort of insecurities that you'd never be able to stand. you had been nothing short of kind to him, but what if he showed you this side he'd been so ready to conceal, and you looked at him with disgust and contempt? he'd never be able to bear it. so he prayed you'd wake up and feel the same way you did drunk.

you woke up with a raging headache and a raging feeling of dread pooling in the pits of your stomach. something wasn't right. you knew you'd been drunk the night before, but trying to look back on it was impossible. it was like a haze.

when you opened the bedroom door, hyunjin was sitting there. he gave you a crooked smile.

"i made you breakfast and got you a coffee from the coffee shop, in case you felt super hung over. once you're feeling up to it, can we talk about something?" his words made you want to violently hurl. you most likely said some vulgar thing while drunk, and he didn't feel comfortable being around you. however, you were going to face it and atone. you didn't want to lose hyunjin.

you carefully sat down beside him, your legs crossed.

"okay." he began. "this is going to be very awkward, so bear with me. last night, while you were...tipsy...you sort of confessed your feelings to me? it wasn't very direct, but you did kiss me really romantically, so please be upfront about your feelings. if they're there, they're there. if they're not, they're not."

your face burned. god, why did you make the decision to even get drunk?

"they're there. i've liked you since we met, but it didn't feel romantic until that day when you painted me. since then, i've been a hopeless mess of myself, a puddle, basically. i didn't want to make our friendship weird or anything because you've been nothing short of amazing to me..."

hyunjin interrupted you, a sigh of relief leaving his lips, much to your confusion.

"that's so good to hear. for fuck's sake, if i overthought one more of our interactions i think i was gonna burst." he took your hands in his. "i've been in love with you since we met. i know love at first sight only happens in the books and movies, but i feel like fate brought us together. i feel like i was made to be by your side. i've grown so accustomed to your presence and beauty that i don't think i can live without it anymore. i love very strongly, and sometimes that may be too much to bear, but i swear, if you choose me, i will worship the ground you walk on. you have blessed my life, yn. my mind, my body, and my soul. all drunk off the high that is the very essence of your spirit."

and then he hugged you.

it wasn't tight, like he was scared he'd lose you. it was soft and warm, gentle as his arms encircled around you. you rested your head upon his chest.

"so...are we at a mutual agreement?" you asked, breaking the silence awkwardly. hyunjin looked at you, before erupting into a soft giggle, his lips curling into a warm smile. "hey! i wanna know...what are we?"

"soulmates, i guess?" hyunjin suggested. and you smiled at him, brushing a stray hair out of his face. "we're not super official yet, so let's start with that."

the dreaded day arrived when you had to leave the home you'd known for the last month. you wanted to stay longer, but you knew you had a life outside of this euphoria. however, you wouldn't be facing it alone anymore. now, you had a boyfriend who was a drama queen and a force to be reckoned with. he'd support you in anything you did.

you stood outside the house with him, his arm wrapped languidly around your waist as you gripped the handle of your suitcase.

"i'll miss this place. there's so many memories here. it's our sacred spot." you murmured sentimentally. he laughed gently, kissing your cheek.

"i know, but we can always come back another time. who knows? maybe we'll buy a place together in this area." hyunjin suggested. after seeing your facial response to that, he grinned sheepishly. "too early?"

you shook your head, giggling. hyunjin gently grabbed your chin, lifting it up a bit so he could see your face better.

"sweetheart, your lip is bleeding." he murmured gently, moving closer to inspect it. "did you notice?"

you shook your head.

"well, i'm not a doctor, but my mother taught me if something gets hurt you should always kiss it better." and he leaned in to softly presss his lips to yours, each movement filled with passion.

it was so funny to you, how you'd came into this situation thinking this trip would change your life for the better, and instead you got something even better.

it must have been a blessing by the gods, granting you this lovely new beginning.

taglist: @darkypooo , @hyunbae-35 , @backintomykpopphaseagain , @stateofdelicategrace , @elizaschuyler18 , @lillithathecat , @imastraykidsfan , @nightimescapes , @mal-lunar-28

@evermourning, ©2023. all rights reserved.

[yes-divine-ruler]

Sexting the Councilman - Kai Anderson

x fem!reader

CW: male masturbation, sexting w/ daddy kink

Word count: 1011

"America for the Americans! We are the wall!" Running candidate Kai Anderson ignites the crowd in a commotion of cheers and applause.

Kai smiles out at his supporters as they chant back to him, soaking in the vibrancy of the atmosphere. His phone pings on the lectern podium, and he looks down briefly to see a text message from you. Unfortunately you couldn't make his big speech, and to be frank, Kai didn't mind. He'd done his best to seperate you, the light of his life, from his plan for world domination.

You (15:33): how's your speech? kai for council!

Kai's eyes almost bugged out of his head when he saw you'd attached a photo of you, across his desk in the basement, in an electric blue floral lace body suit, your thighs strapped in matching suspenders and garters.

You (15:34): can't forget the hat!

Kai chuckled when he'd saw the selfie you sent him next, wearing an Uncle Sam hat, that was embodied with small iridescent sequins.

He couldn't deter his gaze from the first photo, it was so fucking hot.

Kai eventually looked back up at the crowd, bidding them farewell with a grand wave, not without riling up the crowd again as he walked off stage. Letting out a sigh, he entered town hall, his phone held securely in his palm as he made his way to his campaign office.

"Right, everyone out!" Kai called, startling Gary and Jack who were sorting posters and arranging "Vote for Kai Anderson" signage.

"Divine Ruler, are you alright?" Gary noticed Kai's face flushed crimson, and the thin layer of sweat that sheened his forehead.

"Yes, now fucking leave, I have shit to do," Kai grumbled, sitting down in his desk chair and tucking himself under the desk. He was hoping they didn't notice the bulge growing under his suit pants.

"Yes, sir," they both filtered out of the room, locking it behind them as Kai let out a sigh of relief. He was finally alone to look at your photos, and he couldn't be more thrilled.

Kai (15:45): fuck my little lamb, you're so sexy, speech went well. Have any more for me?

Kai grinned as he sent the message, relaxing in his chair in a slump and hastily unfastened the button on his pants.

You (15:46): there's always more for my big sexy councilman, speech finished?

Kai sucked in a sharp breath as he saw you'd sent a video, my god did he love when you sent him videos.

Kai pulls down his boxers just enough to take out his throbbing cock in one hand, while the other holds his phone as he plays the video.

Turning the volume up obnoxiously loud, he watches intently, softly stroking himself as you bend down in front of the mirror, moving your panties aside, catching a glimpse of your heat wet with your own arousal. Kai doesn't know how many times he replays it before he finally replies.

Kai (15:50): id end the speech halfway through just to sit behind my desk and jerk myself off. Holy shit you've got me so hard.

You (15:52): you're so dirty daddy, come home so you can touch me. I'm so wet, I can't even think straight.

Kai (15:52): you know I can't yet. But.. you can show me how wet you are.

Kai closed his eyes for a moment, his bottom lip between his teeth as he thought of your slick walls contracting around his hard cock, daddy, please, more rolling off your tongue. His eyes opened again eagerly with another ping from his phone.

You (15:54): from the back, just the way you like it daddy :)

Kai opened the image from you, groaning quietly whilst his eyes scanned down the arousal that dripped from your folds, pooling into your panties that you'd pulled down halfway down your legs, your bare ass wholly on display.

Kai (15:56): fuck baby, your ass is so perfect. Can't wait to pound into you, i need to feel you so bad

You (15:56): I'm in the mood to fuck myself on your cock, would you let me?

Kai (15:57): you're such a good little girl. Ill have to wrap my hands around your pretty throat, need to see you gasp for air

You (15:57): will you fuck up into me when I get tired daddy?

Kai (15:57): I'm gonna make you cum again and again you won't be able to walk.

Kai's heart was pounding loudly in his ears as he panted to the rhythm of his fast strokes, spitting into his hand for lubrication. His thumb brushed over the tip, just the way you did it, his hips coming up greedily to meet with his hand.

You (15:58): is that a promise? I'll be so sensitive!!!

Kai (15:59): you'll cum as many times as I make you. Don't disobey daddy.

You (15:59): I think I'm already close to my first daddy.. I don't know how I'm gonna have more

Kai (16:00): what are you thinking about baby?

You (16:01): your fingers in my mouth, pulling my hair, wrapped around my neck.. how you call me a good girl when I make you feel good, your cock pounding in and out of me. Your tongue! Fuck please spit in my mouth daddy.

"Divine Ruler? There's a call for you," Kai recognised Gary's voice from outside his office, slamming his hand down on the desk in a fit of rage.

"Fuck off Gary! I told you I'm fucking busy!"

When Gary went silent, Kai let out a sigh of frustration, before returning to looking through his text conversation with you.

Kai (16:03): fuck, i can’t wait any longer. Just got interrupted, I was so close. I’m coming home now, do not cum without my permission, you hear me?

You (16:04): I may have already.. I’m so sorry

Kai (16:04): in for a long night then princess, see you soon.

[harveyverse]

what’s your favorite song and/or scene from the outsiders? why?

this is SUCH a tough question omg i am literally the embodiment of indecisiveness. i’ll just name a couple!!

the entirety of great expectations!! such an incredible song (it’s literally the reason i got into the outsiders lmao) and i love the way it’s staged!! and the way pony talks abt johnny and darry is so emotional aaaah i love it. also the scene before that where pony talks to soda until soda goes to sleep. it’s very sweet

that scene between johnny & pony in the church after johnny cut and died pony’s hair. where they’re just chatting abt random stuff and at some point pony is like “do i look like julie andrews?” and that whole conversation. it’s funny and i just love seeing their conversations

everything from johnny’s death till the end of little brother!! so heartbreaking but that’s why i love it kahsksjd and little brother overall is SUCH a great song

that scene at the end where pony is disassociated and darry & soda try to snap him out of it and at some point he just yells at darry to shut up. and darry’s whole “i love you, ponyboy. did you hear what i said? I LOVE YOU.” or something like that. if i think too much abt it i have to cry 😭

this is only one line so it doesn’t rlly count but honorable mention: “holy shit it’s goldielocks and her ugly sister” 😭

NOW other songs that i love too much to not mention here: run run brother, FAR AWAY FROM TULSA!!!, justice for tulsa, hopeless war, stay gold & the finale. and a couple of other songs but i don’t wanna end up naming every single song lmao

this strayed very far from ONE favorite song or scene whoops but i had a lot of fun answering this!!! tysm for the question <333

[theplottdump]

Hello, I’ve wanted to ask this for quite a long time, but only today I found enough focus for it, lmao. 

TF is Chad up to?

To be more specific: I’ve noticed that he seems more connected to the Island than other household members (not counting Sunny)? Fact that he genuinely cares about going outside is part of what I mean, but it’s mostly about these lines:

“So be kind to this place, the one we share with the birds, the fish, and the trees. Take care of it. And if we do, I’m sure the spirits of this place will return the favor. I only ask them to protect you- keep you safe.”

“He quickly thanked the stars and the island for returning his daughter safely to him, hoping maybe there was someone or something out there watching over her.”

It kind of feels like he’s really into this spiritual (idk if it’s a right word) aspect of living on the Island, and I don't really remember rest of the family mentioning this (maybe because my memory is shit)

So, to the point, it makes me wonder if there’s something in it connected with Sunny’s current situation? I mean, there’s this whole Mermaid Queen thing, but is this the only thing that leads to Sunny’s Child Of The Ocean trait? Maybe Chad somehow helped there?

Or maybe my guy just had his spiritual girlie phase and Val is just such a Piwniczak* that anyone compared to him looks like a number 1 fan of mother nature.

Sorry for ranting again, I’m literally unable to keep my thoughts short C’:

Also, I hope that anything of what I wrote makes sense xD

*it’s a Polish term for someone who practically never leaves home, has no friends and spends most of the time on PC 

Hihihihi Sorry I didn't get to this sooner! I was shooting the next scene and took like way too many screenshots holy shit.

Piwniczak is my new favorite word thank you

I would attribute most of the mentions of Chad's connection to the island as mostly my way of doing some extremely heavy handed foreshadowing re: child of the ocean. But also I don't think it would be unrealistic to consider that he would be more respectful and aware of the local culture and the belief that the island and the surrounding nature is personified with spirits and gods. Val is too much of a Piwniczak so I couldn't really use him to foreshadow Sunny's connections to the island. Like most people in his life I bet Val has this tenuous relationship with the island and the spirits that embody it. And like most people she encounters, the island has developed a soft spot for baby Sunny- especially the ocean. The stars I see as little prying eyes- like twitter followers and readers, entities far away that live for the drama. And the Ocean of course is very maternal. Anyway it's not perfect but the island definitely likes Chad more than Val aksdjaksl

I hope that helps????? A little? At the end of the day I try to lay on the foreshadowing THICK cause it is a serialized format that I write in chunks, and I want everyone to be able to keep up and not feel too lost. Thank you for your enthusiasm!!! It means a lot :)c

xo, Anne

[amethystviolist]

holy shit you wrote so much since march??? that is so fucking impressive!! and hey, creating things for older fandoms is the best, it's always good to see people still keeping them alive. now when you give updates i will finally know whats it about :'D would you wanna give a summary of the fic's premise?

Thank you for the appreciation and the ask again! Yeah I went kinda crazy with it lol; I slowed down to a more normal rate again in May, thankfully.

And sure! It's not a terribly original premise I'm afraid, and I don't have a real blurb yet, but basically, the fic revolves around Bilbo being a dragon with a limited ability to shapeshift. I've read multiple dragon!Bilbo works (and enjoyed them!), but I wanted to do a pretty different take on dragons compared to canon Tolkien or other fanfics I've read.

A teaser might be something like: Five hundred year old former dragon Bilbo Baggins has successfully kept his private vow of peaceful hobbitish living for fifty years when Gandalf turns up with an inviting offer of adventure and less-than-inviting dwarvish company. Bilbo is forced to weigh his need to protect his new friends against his fear of discovery every step of the way to the mountain, and by the time he realizes some secrets are truly too big to keep, Bilbo will have to decide exactly how much a dragon is willing to sacrifice for the dwarves of Erebor.

So for the conception of the fic, Tolkien's dragons are of course based on medieval epics where they're no more than cunning, cruel, and greedy creatures, and while that simplicity can be a good narrative tool, I got interested in the Middle Earth creation of dragons and then what else they might be besides vehicles for plot or embodiments of evil.

From extant theories on their creation (I'm skipping a lot of details on that or we'll be here all day!), I got really into my own take on draconic culture in Middle Earth, and then really into exploring Bilbo's trauma from his draconic past and how he's handling it as a hobbit (spoiler: he's just avoiding it). His canon character arc takes a naive bachelor to worldly adventurer, but my fic starts him from a place of power already. Dragon!Bilbo knows evil intimately and so he's terrified of himself. His arc instead involves accepting all parts of himself and allowing himself to really live again, and of course there's a lot of secrets and lying and oh god feelings that he has to deal with along the way.

Anyway, at its emotional core, the mega fic is about identity and self-acceptance/forgiveness. At its plot core, it's about keeping a terrible secret from thirteen people you want to befriend and how that causes a lot of interesting problems. I've written all the way through canon events (which are definitely more guidelines than rules, considering the impacts of Bilbo's true heritage) and am now in the murky waters of post-canon. I've got an outline and am working through it now. Post-canon deals mainly with the aftermath of a major sacrifice during BotFA (no spoilers!), and then what to do with the One Ring.

If you've read this far, thank! If you're still interested, please enjoy a little early excerpt below.

“‘Bilbo Baggins’, is it?” a deep voice read out.

The hobbit by that name, a middle-aged and bronze-haired fellow with a green waistcoat and a pipe in his mouth, looked up from the book on his lap and startled quite violently. 

“Gandalf,” Bilbo gasped, barely saving the book before it fell to the ground. The wizard in question was standing by his front gate and frowning at Bilbo’s nicely-labeled mailbox, his brow tight with confusion.

“My old friend, what in the names of the Valar are you still doing here?” Gandalf asked, sounding as genuinely surprised as Bilbo had ever heard him. 

“Ah.” Bilbo shifted a little on his nicely cushioned bench. “Well, you’ve been away for quite some time… I daresay I’ve changed quite a lot since we last met.”

“On that, we are agreed,” Gandalf replied, and stared at Bilbo as if trying to see through his very bones.

“Er, do come inside,” Bilbo invited him politely, and got to his feet. “I’ve got a kettle on, and some biscuits which aren’t too terribly burned.”

“A real achievement for one of your kind,” Gandalf chortled, until Bilbo shot him a glare. The wizard hurriedly quieted his amusement and let himself in the gate, following Bilbo up the grassy steps and through the green door that led to Bag End.

As soon as Bilbo closed the round door, he found himself unexpectedly nervous. He had nothing to fear from Gandalf, of course, but his situation was… inexplicably odd.

“So,” Bilbo began a little more hesitantly then he would have liked to admit, “What… brings you to the Shire?”

Gandalf fixed Bilbo with a disgruntled stare. “I was seeking you, of course! Imagine my surprise when I found your old caves deserted, your books and blankets all gone! I thought you’d been slain, and your treasures carried off, and yet somehow no one I asked knew anything about a-”

“Yes, yes, alright!” Bilbo interrupted with a suspicious glance out the nearest window. “I appreciate your concern, but not so loudly! I’m treated with enough suspicion as it is,” the hobbit grumbled, and motioned for Gandalf to follow him through the halls of Bag End until they reached the pantry, which was windowless and had two doors with sturdy locks. Bagginses of course protected their food well, as any respectable hobbit would, but Bilbo had also found that it was an excellent space for less-than-respectable happenings. 

Which he himself had no prior experience with, naturally.

“Olórin,” Bilbo breathed after he had lit a candle and closed both doors, sealing the wizard into the wide room. “My friend, it’s good to see you! I was going to send word, but I had no idea how a letter would reach you. You’re not called the Wandering Wizard for nothing, it seems,” Bilbo said with an amused smile.

“You could have left a note in the northern Blue Mountains!” Gandalf complained, shaking his head. “I had to fight my way through three dozen goblins before I found the levels where you used to reside.”

Bilbo gave him an unimpressed look, for only three dozen goblins were no match for one of the Istari at full strength, and they both knew it.

“It was an annoyance,” Gandalf amended at Bilbo’s expression. “And more importantly, it caused me no small amount of worry for your well-being.”

“Well, I didn’t mean to worry you. But you also could have come back sooner,” Bilbo said rather stiffly. He found himself compulsively organizing the jars of jam by size, until he realized he was acting a bit too much like Bungo and tried to stop fidgeting. “Belladonna and Bungo offered me their home and their name as my own, and Bag End is a much better place for reading than my old drafty caverns. It would have been ridiculous for me to refuse their kind offer.”

“And how are the dear Bagginses?” Gandalf asked, his eyes crinkling happily. “It’s been far too long since I’ve seen them…” The wizard trailed off. His countenance sobered all too quickly as he saw that Bilbo’s expression had turned cold and stony, his hands stilling on the many jars of jam. “Oh. Oh, I see,” he murmured. “I’m terribly sorry to hear that, my friend. I know how much they meant to you.”

The pantry was unbearably silent for a time.

“We shared books,” Bilbo finally said very quietly, and Gandalf looked so shocked that Bilbo would have surely found it amusing under other circumstances.

“Indeed,” Gandalf finally managed, eyeing Bilbo with fresh concern. 

The room was once again silent, and Bilbo shook his head to clear it. “My loss is not the reason you’ve come, though,” he said after a long moment, glaring at an innocent wheel of cheese, for anger was better to keep moving on with than sorrow. But he forced himself to gentle his gaze somewhat to look back up at Gandalf. “Is this merely a social call, then?”

Gandalf’s lips quirked back up into a typically mysterious smile. “I’m afraid not. In fact, I came looking for you to share in an adventure.”

“Adventure?” Bilbo snorted loudly, and ignored the twin wisps of smoke that emerged from his nostrils. “Gandalf, please, I’m far too old for such nonsense. Surely you have many other - and far more pleasant! - options for traveling companions.”

“I’m not going on a walking holiday,” Gandalf corrected him with a huff, now looking rather put out. “I’m escorting a third party on a quest to reclaim their homeland, and your skill set would be most helpful on this dangerous journey.”

“My ‘skill set’?” Bilbo repeated incredulously. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean? My ‘skills’ primarily consist of reading voraciously and offending the delicate sensibilities of my neighbors.”

The wizard fixed him with a piercing, knowing look. “We both know you’re more than a simple hobbit, my old friend.”

Bilbo scowled as fiercely as this face allowed, and crossed his arms in annoyance. “Maybe I don’t want to be more than a simple hobbit anymore,” he said sharply. “Has it ever occurred to you that I am safe and comfortable here, in this form, in this life? I’m Bilbo Baggins now. I’ve changed, Gandalf, and I don’t want to be… who I was. I’m nothing like that anymore, and have vowed to never be again.”

Gandalf’s blue eyes twinkled a little, and he nodded once. “Very well. Bilbo... I understand your feelings on the subject.” He pointed one gnarled finger at Bilbo, and added firmly, “But this will be very good for you.” With that cryptic pronouncement, Gandalf turned and unlocked one of the pantry doors, knocking his head on the low doorframe and cursing to himself as he hastily exited.

“Gandalf!” Bilbo exclaimed, his annoyance now tainted by his damn curiosity. “What do you mean? I will not be going with you on any sort of mad adventure, and I mean it! I couldn’t leave my hoard for that long as you should well know!” He ran after Gandalf, who was finding his way to the front door much too quickly.

“I expect I’ll be seeing you again soon,” Gandalf said instead of offering any kind of explanation. “Do try not to incinerate anyone while I’m away.”

“Pfft, incinerate anyone,” Bilbo scoffed. “You’re the only one in danger of that, Gandalf the Grey! Stop running away and tell me what you meant by that! Ah, you confounding-”

Bilbo tripped on the upturned edge of a rug (undoubtedly Gandalf’s fault, as so many things were) and tumbled most ungracefully to the floor. By the time the hobbit had regained his feet, the wizard was long gone, his gray-clad form hurrying down the path away from Bag End.

“Blasted, meddlesome wizards,” Bilbo muttered, not for the first time and certainly not for the last.

[If you've read this far, please let me know! I'll be wanting a beta reader probably at some point, or someone to bounce ideas off of would be lovely as well.]

[hatkuu]

kylar with a pc that's almost as much of a loser as him finding out their "anime husband" is just a guy that looks almost exactly like him . i think he'd be torn on wanting to cry bc you like that character sm and he's jealous or wanting to cry bc holy shit you like a character that's just like him, so that means you like him right ! you belong together!

hmmm. this is confusing. on one hand, wow!! he looks just like him!! and on the other hand, he is not your anime husband.

i think it depends on how you refer to your anime husband using past or present tense. eg, if you're like:

"this was my anime crush haha...."

*crush is unkempt, crazy looking with dark messy hair and a jealous streak*

kylar: O_O

he'll get all flustered because. you're literally describing him right now and wow. to know that he quite literally the embodiment of your dream man - possessiveness and yandere tendencies included - sends him to the moon.

but if you're like:

"this is my anime husband and i love him so much and this is why— *you proceed to rant about said character until you notice kylar is reaching into his pocket for a tranq dart*"

um. i think he'd get jealous over silly things like that ... would probably not kidnap you over it but he'd pout at you and plead at you with the biggest, saddest, puppy-dog eyes that you just have to feel bad about it.

You wouldn't choose that over him though, right?

cue you having to comfort kylar for 12 hours bc he got jealous over a fictional character (yes he is that petty and it is not up for debate.)

still ... he'd probably do a whole character analysis on your anime husband and try to replicate it so you only want him instead :) start picking up little mannerisms and starts trying to talk like your anime husband's va (it sounds so so bad...)

[riahlynn101]

What are your thoughts over the movie? I have some myself (and a mild mental breakdown over the Thing™), but overall, it was good. I want to talk about it with anyone, lol

Okay, so....

Spoilers below the cut:

Firstly, I loved it. You can tell how much effort they put into this movie, and it really shows. Kudos to everyone involved.

Things I liked:

Piper Rubio did amazing. No comment beyond that. Abby is one of my favorite characters now, and if anything happens to her, I'll cry.

Actually, all the kids did a wonderful job. Especially Grant Feely. He really embodied that creepy, restless spirit vibe.

Mike and Abby's sibling relationship was everything to me!

Vanessa asking Mike if he wants to dance with her (OMG).

The Springbonnie suit looked great!

Mike having a little bit of an attitude (I love him so much)!

The animatronics were cool. I like that they took the time to make them seem friendly, and almost childlike, before switching gears.

Things I didn't like:

I'm not an expert on filmmaking, so excuse me if I'm wrong here. But the pacing was all over the place. The first act of the movie was perfect, and then the second act was....fast. Like fast-fast. Based on what other people are saying, I'm 99.9% sure they cut out a lot of footage.

This one might come back to bite me in the ass later, but some plotlines felt unnecessary. I know this is FNAF and complicated is written somewhere between Freddy and Fazbear, but did we really need some side plot about an evil aunt? They didn't go anywhere with it, and we still don't know what happened to her. Did Golden Freddy K.O her? Kill her? Who knows? Because we certainly don't. We see her legs, and then she's never mentioned again.

I don't know if this is controversial, but I hate that Vanessa's an Afton. Maybe it's because I was so set on Mike being an Afton, but I really, really hate that they changed it. (I'll elaborate on that more down below).

I felt like they could have given us some more background. Some more flashbacks to the 80s. Anything.

I know I'm being overdramatic, but having the plot twist be Vanessa's an Afton kind of killed all my excitement. Which is stupid, I know, but yeah....

I mean, I'm still going to write fanfictions about the movie, and about all the ways that Mike Schmidt is actually Michael Afton.

--Sorry in advance, but I'm going to ramble--

I have a feeling that William knows Mike better than he's letting on. Of course, he did kidnap Garrett, who could have told William everything about Mike. He could have also watched the news and seen Mike with his parents, asking for Garrett to come home.

But that's not the vibe i was getting from William during the office scene. But I'll let you all decide for yourselves:

William Afton is a skilled manipulator and actor, but the expression he makes looking down at his coffee doesn't scream, "holy shit, the brother of my victim is sitting in my office." He has no reason to look concerned. Mike has no idea who he is, and he isn't even looking at William. So, why put on a show?

Also, the change in his attitude is telling. He went from cold and distant to personable in a heartbeat.

Of course, there's always the possibility that I'm totally wrong, and William is scared he's been found out. Which could be true, given that he doesn't hesitate to fuck Mike up the second he's able to.

--

In the same vein, why would William Afton-a guy known for killing/kidnapping kids around the pizzeria, or at least close to the pizzeria-drive to the middle of nowhere, pick a random kid, and kill him? I know he's crazy, but I don't buy it.

Some people are saying that Garrett is a Charlie parallel, and that Mike is Henry's son. Which could be the case, I mean, we see a mechanic in the training video that bears a striking resemblance to the actor that plays Mike's dad. I don't know if those two things are connected, but it's interesting to point out.

But, like I said, it's weird that William went out of his way to kidnap a kid for no reason. And he likely wasn't in a costume (at least I hope he wasn't, because if he was and no one saw who took Garrett, I think a kidnapped child is the least of their worries.) So, how did he convince Garrett, who was by himself for a grand total of five second, to get in the car? Maybe he offered him candy or toys? I dunno.

I might go into all the evidence/theories so far that Mike's an Afton in another post. And where they're going with Garrett's character. But yeah....

Everyone, please, feel free to share your thoughts on the movie. I would love to hear them :D!!

((Thank you for this question btw <3333))

[o-wild-west-wind]

feeling SO many things about those episodes holy shit but the thing that’s getting to me the most (as per usual whoops) is the weight of Ed’s lingering trauma. the contrast seems to be starkest with Izzy and I think that’s SO fascinating.

It kind of feels like Izzy actually died during the gun scene and has since come back entirely rebirthed…he’s basically a new person, and it’s kind of amazing to see. it’s like he had a factory reset and now sees the world as it always could’ve been. he went from being the embodiment of suppression and maintaining the status quo to the exact opposite, creation and art and change—it’s like falling to rock bottom broke the chains he was always forcing on himself and others and now he’s just totally free from it all.

But Ed…he’s still coming back wrong, no matter how hard he tries. I think his throwing things overboard is such an interesting motif, since the things he tosses into the ocean seem to keep having a way of coming back metaphorically if not literally—Stede’s things (ft. Lucius), himself, and now his iconic clothing which represents the Blackbeard persona (which looks like it’s coming back next ep). He tries so hard to wash away the things he doesn’t want in his life anymore and for better or for worse, it’s never permanent.

And I just think that’s so tragic and so interesting and so beautiful somehow, since he truly needs these things to come back to him. But he’s haunted by the guilt of it all no matter what direction he looks in, and because of that, when he tries to remove the reminders they just boomerang back in a new shape. Even Stede is kind of an example of this; Stede is back, for him, but he’s just not the same as he was—he’s killing and he’s flaunting it and he’s not the sweet little goldfish that saved him anymore. Ed’s self-imposed curse appears to have caused one more thing to come back wrong.

It just gets me how he’s so good at so many things, but the thing he can never seem to do is steer the narrative the way he wants. He’s really just trapped in the wrong genre all season. And I can’t fucking wait for him to get episodes of jokes and laughs again.