#I TOO WILL BUILD A THOUSAND SHRINES FOR YOU

[anonymocha]

Here’s like, an uncomfortable amount of screenshots of the new Eternity garment for art reference purposes

Baby Blue as a treat

Medicine Pocket bc im drawing them with Eternity later

yuri

[weird-addiction]

“You’re all Demons. I rule you all.”

Summary: The Archons are not the most powerful, nor is Celestia.

Pairing: Genshin Archons x Male!Reader

Warnings: Slight SAGAU creator themes, manipulative reader, unhealthy power dynamics, controlling reader, Furnia slander

The creator is not one to be looked down upon. Yet, over the thousands of years, everyone and even the archons have forgotten them. No shrines, offerings or worshippers have been founded.

Well, they should know that the creator does not take lightly to what they have done. They have eyes everywhere, and knows everything that is going on.

“Pathetic pathetic pathetic! Such a bore!”, they said. His voice ran through the ears of the archons and the heavens themselves. “I give them stories, backgrounds, and such titles to use for a better Teyvat. And yet, they are so boring to not even use them! Ugh! Execution would have been better!”

His insults came one after the other, and the gods heard them all. “This throne is not for them. It is mine and mine alone.” Every word was heard the archons, well, almost every word. The creator chose what they can and can’t hear.

“Perhaps I should pay them a visit.”

And that is how they came to Mondstadt. Home of freedom and wine, ‘ruled’ by the Barbatos. But when he stepped into the city, he could tell the god has been slacking off. No rules, no disciplines, and no official government. Just a military force that can be called a military force.

He went to the acting Grandmaster Jean, who was stunned to see such a being. “Tell me, where is Barbatos. I wish to speak with him.”

“Y-you mean Venti? He’s probably at the Angel’s Share.”

To the tavern he went and indeed the bard sat, almost drunk out of his mind as he round after round.

“Venti is it?” The stern voice came. The bard was quickly shocked to his core to the same voice. “Mind if we have a word?”

Outside behind the tavern, Venti was on his knees. Practically begging for forgiveness. “Please! I’m sorry! I promise to-”

“To what? I barely see any shrines of me. Why should they worship you when you have abandoned your responsibilities? Should I send you back to the hells with you?” His voice stood with no room for negotiations or retaliations.

“No! Please! I’ll do better!” The bard begged. Tears were threatening to spill.

“Don’t forget from where you came from. You can change forms, you can’t change your eyes.” With a snap of his fingers, Venti’s eyes begin to burn. Black surrounded his pupils as he shut them in agony.

“That’s better. Your true colors are better.”

Venti bowed his head as he could do nothing but except the truths. The truth of his own freedom has been revealed for all to see.

“I have others to see to. Perhaps I should take a round trip to see all of them. See you my dear Zephyr.”

His next stop was Liyue, what a great city built on the coast. He had heard that their god was dead.

“What a load of bullshit. Trying to escape responsibilities to? Too fucking bad.”

Up on a mountain is where he found the retired geo archon. Or rather, Morax.

“Nice view no? Now I know why you liked building mountains so much.” Zhongli turned around to see the unfamiliar, his face said it all.

“Who are you? How do you know my identity?”

“Aw. Little pup. Looks like your leash needs a tightening.” He made a gesture which was pulling an invisible chain, which made Zhongli fall towards him.

“You…it’s you. Why are you here?” The archon’s eyes widen to the realization.

“I’m disappointed in you. No shrines, no worship, nothing in my name. Do I need to send you back to the hells? I would be glad to do so. The others are always asking ‘Where’s Morax?’ ‘Oh I wish I can play with Morax again. Where is he?’ Do you remember?”

A wide smile took his face as he saw the other’s face drop. He did indeed remember.

Zhongli fell to his knees remembering the years of torment. In his youth, he didn’t listen. “Please. Don’t. I beg of you.”

He tched. “Oh Morax. Don’t beg. It’s not a good look on you. I suppose you are retired after all, but you do have quite the influence no? Why not put that to use? Remember the contract you signed with me?”

Of course he remembers. It was the first contract he ever made. But he was one who signed it. To this day, the contract was kept under lock and key. “Yes…” Was all he said.

“Good. You can hide your identity, but you can’t hide your chains.” A snap of his fingers, shackles appeared on the archon’s wrists and ankles. Heavy like lead they were. Binding him down to earth, to his contract.

“Reminds me of old days! What joy! Say hi to the adepti for me! I’m sure they missed me oh so much!”

He then disappeared and left Zhongli there with chains for all to see. Bound to unspoken of words.

Inazuma was a nation he kept hearing bad things about. What had the archon done to be hated so much? At least the borders were open now, seems that forever can’t be forever.

“Oh Ei. The eternity you wanted was the gluttony of control you wished you had right?”

Locked away in her palace, in the heart of the city, Ei sat with her eyes closed.

“Beezlebub. How nice it is to see you again? Did you miss me?”

Ei was startled and her hand went to her polearm, ready to attack where the voice came from. “How did you come in here? Who let you in?”

“After all these years, you are still the same. Eternity truly doesn’t change you does it? Your gluttony will never be satisfied will it? What would your sister say?” The words came flowing out one after the other, he did not even have to think as he spoke. He knew exactly what to say.

“You-!” Ei pounced forward, the tip of her weapon stopping at his throat. One wrong move and he would be harmed, but he knew she wouldn’t, her arm was shaking after all.

“You close your borders, take the people’s visions. Were you so afraid of change that you wanted an illusion control that you never had. Pathetic.” Ei begin to tremble as she heard such words, but there was nothing she can do. He was her superior after all, this would be a death sentence if she tried to fight him.

“No worshippers of me, no shrines, not even a fucking thank you to me for giving you these islands.” A laugh left his lips as he thought of it.

“You can hide away in your plain, but you can’t hide from the true reality outside your door.” A snap of his fingers, Makoto’s body dropped in front of her. Her eternity in the open for all to see.

A smirk overtook his features. “Remember, she’s in my hands. You are more than welcome to join her, but…I don’t think I will. Your eternity will be spent in the same gluttony of control, until you are swallowed whole.”

The archon fell to her knees, just like all the others. “Please. Wait..I’m sorry..”

“Aw. Don’t beg. You all look so pathetic while doing it. I made you all better than this. But here you all are, no backbone to be seen. Which, I can see why.” Makoto’s body disappeared as Ei was starting to shed tears.

Moving to crouch down to her level, his lips next to her ear. “Once you die, you will be in the same eternity you wanted. You will know what it is like to be forever unchanging.”

Getting back to the mainland across an entire ocean was not fun. Even when he was stepping through the air, it still took a long time. Next nation was Sumeru. Nahida was the one archon he liked, she always knew what was going on.

Not to mention, she was a victim herself. But the real reason was that she had kept the shrines the former archon had built in his name, and the people still worshipped him to this day.

“I have expected you.” Came the small voice, her back was turned as she showed no hostility or fear to the one that walked towards her.

“Buer.” However, his respect her Nahida only went so far. Her chains were just a bit less…drastic.

“Seems like your people have finally changed their minds. Still chained to the evermore knowledge I see.” He stated, a laugh was held back.

"It is something I have much time for. I do not mind if the chains are the ones that I like." Nahida responsed.

"Then I wish you good luck. You are only 500 years old after all, you have all the time in Teyvat for this." Waving over his shoulder as he left the sanctum which the younger archon stayed in.

The next nation is one he has known to hate, or rather, hate the heavenly principles for. For as long as he had seen, the dragons and vishaps were the natives that they had decided to usurp for power. And Fountaine was one of these, 500 years of a fake god and authority taking the throne. While the true ruler was cast aside.

He sat one foot into the Nation and he already hears the annoying voice of the 'archon', really wish she could really shut up already. "Oh! So you are here after all! Welcome! I, welcome you to my beautiful nation!"

He did not say anything, but rather he stared up at her and gave her a glare; even from that distance she could see it and knew he was not here for a friendly visit. "I will see you in your office Furina."

When he got there, he was greeted with someone else. The Hydro Dragon, the rightful ruler of these lands. "Neuvillette."

"Your Grace." He bowed, still addressing him the same way just all the those years ago. And most likely, the only one left that still does so. Furina then came into the office, a look of fear in her eyes.

"Furina, how...unpleasant to see you." Hearing the words, she looked more dejected than she already did.

"Please. If you're going to say it then just say it."

"Fine." He sat down on one of the fancy armchairs that sat around the room.

"Just because you are forced to play a role for 500 years does not mean you get sympathy from me, should have thought of that before your archon usurped him." Making a hand gesture towards Neuvillette.

"You're sad that you had to play a role you did not want against your will? You know what we call that? The real world. Wake the fuck up if you think the world owes you anything just because of that. Have you even taken a look around you at the people for this many years? Their lives are filled with doing things they don't want, and it's a different thing every time. You do one same thing and you think can get sympathy? Maybe from Neuvillette sure, but not me. And when you finally die and fade out from this world and nobody remembers you, you will appear in my halls begging for my attention. I will not spare a single thing for you." A stone cold expression sat on his features.

The room was tense, Furina was on the verge of tears. Neuvillette held a worried face as he wanted to comfort her, but from one hand gesture from his creator, he stayed his feet and did not move.

"An arch duke of hell? Please. You can barely get out of heaven. You want to fall into infernal blaze so bad that you need to fool a crime to get casted out? Pathetic." He spat.

He stood up and walked out the door, Neuvillette followed after him.

"What is it?" His tone was eager as he had somewhere else to be.

"Your Grace, please rethink of it. Lady Furina is in pain, after 500 years, she is bound to have some sort problems with it all." He pleaded.

"Aw~, bound to the chains of justice like she is. I did not create you this way."

"..." Neuvillette was at a lost for words.

"Fine. She can keep her role and not appear in my halls after her timely death, that's for her immortal side of things. But once she is one more mortal, she will still die, and I will know to give her a quick death." A smile took over, like he was saying this was the better action.

"W-what? How is that-"

"Unless you want her to die right now? I can make that happen."

"No, Your Grace."

"Good. She would make such a pretty corpse."

Silence took the space between the two of them, a sea of mist and fog was slowly putting distance between them.

"Everyone on this side of the world are demons. I rule you all."

[biggest-geo-oogami-enjoyer]

Heya! Hope you're drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep :3

I was wondering if you could do romantic headcannons for Geo as a Yandere? If not, then that's alright! Feel free to ignore this ask if you don't feel comfy writing it dw :D

Geo my love *smooches his cheek lovingly*

Besotted (Yandere! Geo x MC/Reader)

Guess who respawned after a month or so, anyway my hyperfixation ended and I'm trying to cook again

CAN I GET ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE PUHLEASE I'M A SKRUNKLED BOOGER HERE RAARARARARARRA

Also. Darling Anon. Geo is mine. I am prepared to fight.

- Signed by biggest-geo-oogami-enjoyer

Besotted: strongly infatuated.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Geo knew all too well how illegal this was.

Not that he cared, you were significantly more invaluable, indelible, incredible. You were an idealists’ biggest dream, an optimists’ highest regard, an opportunists’ greatest catch.

Geo knew better than to relent his firm grip on you, he’d do anything if it meant he could have you to himself, all to himself. A love so fiery it razed the chill of his masks, his endless facades and cold numbing scars. You torched away the husk that rendered him empty and bitter, ravaging his fortress walls and citadel gates, barging through his offences and placing your flag upon his heart.

You were a saint to him. The most ethereal of them all, the purest, kindest, greatest.

You could ask him to call you God and he’d build you a thousand gilded shrines.

He silently lurked in the depths of the lightless corridor, the one that held the entrance to your home, your soon-to-be-former home, for he’d have you with him soon.

Geo felt a smile, a genuine one, crossed his rigid, diamond features, dimples rounding his sanguine lips as his pallid hands softly caressed the orchid — indigo and navy as his hair, you’d said how it reminded you of him — and sighed.

He’d not been the type to feel much, or allow himself to. Such things were a distraction, he’d assumed. For the most part he’d been correct, but all rules held exceptions.

But you lit a flame in him, one he didn’t realise he possessed. You’d nurtured something soft, cultivated something vulnerable within him. He’d resented you for it originally. 

However, for some quaint reason, you persisted, tossed more flames into the fray — risking your own feelings and heart — to try and be with him. 

It was your fault he’d become so forlornly infatuated with you, but he wasn’t about to let you slip from him, now was he?

His whole life had been in the shadows of his brother — his darling, golden brother — and he wasn’t about to let himself be ostracised, especially in terms of you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geo in general is a “quiet” yandere, in short – he’s really good at hiding it, shielding his true feelings under an aloofness that was chilling, even for his standards. He wouldn’t avoid you, but he’d appear significantly more detached than standard_geo.exe. 

However, under the feigned nonchalance and ignorance, Geo is an observer. Eavesdropping, brief staring, sometimes asking queries…he’s a smart man. He knows how to make himself appear as a quiet, uncaring person – one with no regard for others.

He’d rather die than write anything down about you, a subtle paranoia in his mind someone’d know and speak of it. He couldn’t afford to have any opportunities be sabotaged and razed before he’d even utilised them.

Geo’s main dilemma — apart from his abundances in emotional dysfunction and discombobulation — would be his “fans”. People who’d crowd his locker, toss him roses stained with their false promises and half-arsed affirmations. He wasn’t one for praise, at least….he thought so. Praise from you felt nice, he’d noticed.

He’s very used to being wanted, lusted over, clung and clawed by a hundred perverted hands, that such genuity — such honesty — the likes that came from your silver-coated tongue felt alien.

Alien in the sense his heart was thrown unto a treadmill each time you spoke highly of him, and meant it.

He’s definitely the type to try and get your attention on him, his envy of your friends — hell, even your mutuals — was growing more by the day. It wasn’t fair to him how easily the others could just be. They had much more freedom than he ever did, except for mayhaps Jess. He knew Crowe’d severed ties with his mother. How lucky he was.

Geo’d only start to panic when he recognises how his feelings grow stronger, both in vigour and potency. It’s as if a separate entity, one built of insecurities and obsession, had started eating away at all the walls he’d built up over the years of his life, replacing his cognition with sudden onslaughts of devotion.

He’d be very reliant on you making the moves, however. He wants to maintain some dignity.

If you don’t pick up on his extremely confusing and erratic hints, he’ll resort to the ultimate level of weakness: gifts.

Will have to spawn behind you when nobody is watching and give you either something you’ve wanted for ages, or just heard about a thing you like. You’re a bit confused, to say the least. He does not care.

His aim becomes to get you to obsess over why he did that, and so, eventually, you talk to him again. He knows it's a cruel thing to do, but it's the means to an end. A good end.

Would stalk- gather information on you after he learns your residence location, will meticulously plan out everything you do. He doesn’t do anything with this knowledge, he simply likes observing you.

Becomes somewhat murderous when he notices someone keeps entering your home at night. He’d assumed it was a significant other at first, one he’d inevitably get rid of…but you’d mentioned several times you were single. Then he had a miraculous idea.

Within the next few days Solivan Brugmansia — his charming brothers’ best friend — had been blackmailed and blacklisted, leaving Hyugo astounded.

He knew his brother’d lash out somehow, not that he cared. He’d convinced himself he’d lost all love for him…he hoped he did, he didn’t want to worry about Sugimoto. 

Again, his love intensified when you gifted him an orchid, purple and blue, and him feeling a passionate softness blooming in response. Starts to warm up to you more afterwards.

Geo personally was very much entranced by you now, and doesn’t step out of line too much for a long time, until you — in his eyes — hint you like him. He remains calm – barely – but when the time comes that feelings are shared (and reciprocated), he becomes significantly more watchful over you. He’d want you to wear things he gives you, whether it be jewellery or clothes. Something he — and only he — would know meant you were his, like he was yours.

He won’t get openly jealous if someone harasses or catcalls you, but he’ll definitely do something about said people. He knows everything about this city, and even more so about you.

It better remain that way, he’s not above whisking you away to a lavishly decorated basement far beyond the horizon. He wants you to have freedom,  but he’d be much more content if he had eyes on you every. Single. Second.

For now, while you’re both in school, in this fucked-up city, he’s going to have to stick to ensuring you’re in his sight, for even the richest and strongest aren’t immune to a stray shot in the dead of night…

[ganondoodle]

totk rewritten (for me, specifically)

since i dont have time to get to drawing it right away AND im worried people might take this the wrong way, i thought i could write out some bullet points about my rewrite of totk (meant as a fix FOR ME not saying its inherently better) to give you a better idea on what im going for:

the core structure largely remains the same, the biggest change is no time travel, thus making zelda your travel companion, and zonau tech being lagerly gone/broken with shiekah tech instead

it is not shown but said in dialog that shiekah tech, such as the ancient furnaces, shrines and towers are either turning off or have flickering power supply and purah having calculated that all their connections point towards beneath hyrule castle

game starts pretty much the same as real totk, most zonau ruins are so withered away that they are barely recognizable and the further you get down theres more and more shiekah tech pipes and occasional a miasma vein, some pipes are broken and spill miasma, others flicker

instead of the room with the wall carvings theres one with old ancient shiekah research remains, old broken tech and prototypes you dont what their purpose was, all documents are too withered to read but zelda finds one that was sealed in a container and takes it with her (she got a backpack now)

theres a structure similar to the bed thingy of the shrine of life from botw but its working in reverse; within it is sealed ganondorf (i gotta work out the details around it still)

(details still missing) it breaks and zelda takes the enigma stone but doesnt touch it directly and puts it within a sealed container (you know kinda like you should do with soemthing you have no idea of what it is and was alsO LOCATED ON A CORPSE)

ganondorf isnt the elegantly talking villain type in this version but more of a mess, talking in different languages both modern and ancient but you cant make out any clear sentences, struggeling with suddendly being awake and half alive after spending thousands of years in an agonizing limbo, having witnessed every second of the passage of time yet also it feeling like everything just happened all at the same time

the ground breaks as he recognizes zelda (bc of her fighting calamity ganon in botw) but also not really, still sees her as a threat (also bc of the enigma stone in the container she still has in her hand) attacks her, link deflects with the master sword, it breaks and damages his arm, zelda drops her torch and pulls link away towards where they came in from and both run as the caves fill up with miasma like a flood with arms starting to reach after them while they both run back through the tunnels (creepy chase sequence anyone?)

cataclysm happens (ground breaks, miasma bursts out of the ground, especially where shrines and towers where since they were still connected to the pipelines) ground shifts massively in some places giving alot of the map a whole new structure; all shiekah tech that was not independent stops working due to power loss

links arm is amputated since otherwise the miasma would spread to his whole body; purah, robbie and zelda work out a prosthetic arm prototype to give to link (protoype at first will be upgraded at halfway point of the game) that can switch between multiple modes, like a hand to hold normal items or a weapon that isnt crafted, and a fusing ability (though maybe limited in the prototype) that lets you make weapons similar to the weapon fusing in canon totk (potential upgrades including an extendable guardian arm that doesnt break, grapple hook anyone??, also the ability to build stuff out of shiekah tech parts, not glue needed you actually screw it together, maybe zelda even helps)

now you are given free roam of hyrule, the goal is to explore and find what has changed and check on people, see what the underground has, new monsters have spawned etc.

zelda is your companion the whole time, she can use the shiekah stone/purah pad to analyze enemies for you, she also carries at least a dagger for her own self defense but doesnt contribute much to the fight (subject to change maybe), you can talk to her anytime and she usually has something to comment on depending on where you are or what you just did, can give you tips and advice IF ASKED FOR IT, when you discover ancient ruins, whether zonau or shiekah, she can either decipher it for you or take photos for later to find out more about everything that has happend and what it means, she also takes part in conversations when you talk to someone, her outfit changes with yours (meaning when you wear the tingle set she wears it too, opens up alot of funny interactions njfkdk)

purah has built new towers but they function different (still working on the details) mainly that they function independent from the energy source in hyrule castle

there are floating islands but they are bigger and in more connected clusters, when reaching them its ancient withered ruins that the ancient shiekah built support around (like the platform used by monk miz kyoshia) to keep them afloat; there are building like observatories and research labs, but all very overgrown due to being up there for so long, theres a titan prototype on one of the islands, its shaped like a whale and zelda deciphers it was called vah narisha (reference to the whale deity in skyward sword) (i havent decided yet if its fully broken and just a big piece of enviroment to explore or half functioning floating around, or maybe first broken but later half repaired so it can fly around at least giving you an easier way to reach other island, you cant steer it tho) some of them are falling bc of energy loss but the bigger ones have independent energy sources (work in progress)

the underground has more diverse zones depending on which part of the map it is located on, there are old mines (for luminous stone) from the zonau but all is extremely withered, in each one its been mostly built over by the shiekah but there are construct remains that were clearly dissected and studied, half built shrines and towers, you can find collectibles and lore there (working on more details, but an idea was to include remains of ancient shiekah tha fled there when they were persecuted by that old king of hyrule, adding to the eery vibe)

some titans (maybe two, and the other are still on the sruface, like vah medoh) feel down during the cataclysm, broken apart or malfunctioning/ possibly being a boss as in they were used by a big cluster of miasma hands like a hermit crab uses its shell, the inside filled with eyes and different sized hands dragging itself towards you like a drowing man grabs after anything to save him)

dongos are your go to transportation here and a little different, when you call one they dig a path to you (not permanent, just so they can always spawn near you) they glow in the dark and can climb on walls (bc why not), and can point you towards the next objective/point of interest, likely where theres a high concentration of luminous stone since that is what they eat and its usually where old mining/construction sites are (still working on a replacement for light roots that are less invasive)

the rat from the trailer is a miniboss/boss you need to defeat in order to get the broken mastersword back into your possession

(im still working on how the sages work, but the idea is to incorporate their abilites for more efficient and reliable use into links shiekah prosthetic, so you can still use their abilities but only when you actually want)

(again still working on details) halfway point of the game is you trying to find out where ganondorf went, not intending to fight necessarily but just to find out more but it devolves into you fighting some sort of miasma monster (either him or some sort of manifestation he made) and you get a bunch of short memory flashes from him, all vague and a wild mess from both the time he was sealed and from the time afterwards, maybe even a perspective shift from when link was fighting dark beast ganon, but from ganons view, from zelda when she was keeping that manifestation in check, random views from the malice eyes from botw, from the blights, maybe even from the fight with the old and new champions, from the point when shiekah built their tech around him while he had to watch not able to do anything etc.)

links arm gets upgraded from prototype to a full prosthetic, opening up more fusing abilites and other things (like the grapple hook, again working on it, im open for ideas lol)

i will reblog this and add more over time if you want, but do let me know if you like it thus far, bc im still unsure if its worth the effort of working more on this QnQ

(also if you dont like just keep scrolling, i dont need to know that you hate it, it literally changes nothing but make me annoyed xD)

[jasper-pagan-witch]

hi! sorry to bother you, but i would like to get into pop culture paganism and am intimidated by all the.. everything people are talking about that i dont understand. do you have the most basic, "explain it like im four" crash course for learning PCP? [i feel the need to specify, i dont think im interested in being a witch at this time, i just have a pop culture deity id like to venerate] [i think thats the right word? worship? work with? idk]

thank you very much!

I'll happily help, anon.

WARNING! This post is a very, very basic introduction to Pop Culture Paganism, and I'm writing from my own perspective. There's no way I can cover everything. Please let me rest.

Let's start with some abbreviations:

PCM = Pop Culture Magic, the usage of elements of pop culture in one's magical or spiritual practice

PCP = Pop Culture Paganism, the usage of elements of pop culture (including but not limited to pop culture deities or characters-as-deities) in or as one's religious practice

PCD = Pop Culture Deity, an entity who is worshiped as or is a deity in their source material

PCE = Pop Culture Entity, any entity from a pop culture source (any PCD is a PCE, but not all PCEs are PCDs)

And some of my own definitions (yours may not be the same!):

Veneration/worship = including a figure in your religious practice

Work = creating an agreement with a figure in a magical or spiritual practice, which may or may not be religious in nature

Devotion = worshiping one deity above all others, that deity becoming your patron

All of these have been greatly simplified for ease of use in this guide.

PCP can be done in addition to or in place of other religions. Due to the nature of the phrase "paganism", a polytheist approach is implied but ultimately isn't necessary - there are plenty of pop culture pagans who only worship one PCD/PCE. I practice both PCP and """mainstream""" polytheism.

PCP can be done in addition to PCM, but the two can also be mutually exclusive. I, personally, practice both PCP and PCM.

The primary appeal of PCP is that it is deeply personal. Many people who engage in PCP find that starting their religious practice from the ground up, or in using familiar religious practices from their culture that they're used to, is a lot of fun. Others love the source material(s) that they're drawing from so much that practicing PCP is just a natural way to continue expressing their love for it. There are a thousand reasons to practice PCP.

Some of the """mainstream""" polytheism issues appear in PCP, too. Gatekeeping, cliques, the insistence that deities have to "choose" you...a lot of toxic ideas tend to show up, just because of how online spaces work nowadays.

"That's great, Jasper, but how do we actually do this?" I'm getting there, dear readers, I promise.

Decide your approach. What pop culture source are you drawing from? A video game? Music? A book series, or even a standalone book?

Outreach. Do you build an altar or shrine? Make an offering? Write a poem or invitation? Pray? Wait for the PCD/PCE to reach out first? Do you create them yourself?

Set expectations. What are you going to do? What do you expect? Do you want to communicate back and forth, or just pray and not expect a direct answer? Figure out what you want.

Continue developing. Your PCP practice will likely not remain the same as time goes on. Let it grow, and let yourself grow with it.

Hopefully this is a very beginner-friendly 101 style post! For further resources, please check out my Pop Culture Magic/Paganism Resources Masterpost.

~Jasper

[butterfly-indulgence]

[REDACTED] with an Idol!Angel 

aka [REDACTED] being nasty on main.

CW: Parasocial behavior, obsessive behavior, stalking, mentions of online bullying/harassment ([REDACTED]'s an expert in canceling someone)

As a (crazy) fan:

SFW

[REDACTED] is your biggest fan. And no, that is not an exaggeration. From his perfect attendance to all your lives and events to making several shrines dedicated to you, no one has them beat. 

When I say shrine, I don't mean just a small corner in their apartment. We're talking about rooms filled with your merch, such as your post cards, autographs, posters, plushies, pins… he has it all. 

They're very well-known throughout the online community. Other fans always see him on your posts and if you take a look at their profile, all you would see are posts relating to you and his "delulu moments" (screaming, keysmashing, reaction images and just general lovemailing). You're his star, his precious angel, and you always will be. You shine the brightest in their eyes.

[REDACTED] has bought all of your albums too. His music player is filled with your songs, and he's the type of person to blast it at 3 am while he's hacking. He's the only one living on one of the floors of his apartment building, so he's not disturbing anyone, is he? Either way, what's anyone gonna do? Arrest him? Good luck. He gets away with worse crimes than disturbing the peace.

Your love songs are his favorite. They make him feel giddy inside (and a bit sad. He wishes you were there to sing those sweet words to him face-to-face.)

Branching off from that, you bet he's buying voice packs. They get to hear your lovely voice? All the time if theywanted to? Just take their money.

He's been your fan ever since you debuted and he's very proud of his perfect attendance to all your lives and events. He always has front row seats, and he goes to the events ridiculously early. He's always the first one in line. Other hardcore fans know him and even asked him to join their fan club once. Which he declined. He doesn't want to watch other people gush and fantasize about his angel. The thought of thousands of people vying for your love already makes his blood boil.

You will inevitably recognize [REDACTED] due to their constant presence in events. Seeing someone with so much love and dedication is enough to warm your heart, so you make sure to thank him and give him some extra fanservice. If [REDACTED] didn't have any self control, he might have collapsed then and there. (God they want to hug you and kiss you and spoil you and treat you well and marry you and-)

Many people in the fan community jokingly label them as "that insane angel simp", but they have no idea just how far [REDACTED] is willing to go for you. He can easily obtain any type of information he wants so naturally, he knows where you live. He already set up hidden cameras in your home too. He loves watching you through the cameras; it's one of his favorite past times because he sees the real you. The real angel behind the flawless idol persona. He knows your likes, your dislikes (and he often finds out that the information you give out during interviews are mostly lies; you tend to choose quirky or unique answers instead of your real preferences - oh, you don't like this particular food? But Angel, you look so happy eating it at home after your concert <3), your hobbies, and little habits that even you don't seem to notice. What he doesn't like is when you collapse on your bed after a long day and just… cry. He hates seeing you in pain and wants to comfort you during your saddest moments, but he can't, so he directs his attention elsewhere to give you some privacy. Expect a gift and a fanmail filled with love and support in the next few days. It's his way of cheering you up.

[REDACTED] is one of those brutal fans that would attack anyone who sends you any hate or attempts to destroy your reputation. He has tons of burner accounts at his disposal, and he's not afraid of using them to bully, harass and threaten your haters. He won't stop until their online presence disappears completely. It's why your fan community is so peaceful. Because [REDACTED] shuts the haters up quickly.

[REDACTED] is perhaps your most dangerous stalker… but they're a great repellant for other potentially dangerous people. (A blessing or a curse. View it however you want.) As mentioned above, haters will not touch you, and your information will be under [REDACTED]'s lock and key. Personal information like your address? No one will be able to dig it up no matter how hard they try. Do you have a past controversy you desperately want buried? Consider the evidence deleted. Due to him pulling the strings behind the scenes, in the eyes of the public, you really are just a pure and wholesome person with nothing to stain your name.

NSFW

[REDACTED] indulges himself a lot with fantasies of you. Just the thought of you is enough to get him going, really. Because of the cameras they put all over your home, they have a full view of your most private moments, especially when you're pleasuring yourself on your bed. It's thrilling how he gets to watch you do something so 'unpure', unbefitting of the idol image you carefully crafted. He would definitely stroke himself while watching you, moaning your name as their pleasure builds up. (Though if he hears you moan someone's name, expect [REDACTED] to do some research… and maybe pay the person a visit later.)

If [REDACTED] ever got to fuck you in your idol costume, he thinks his soul might just ascend to heaven (or descend to hell. Whatever.) It gets their possessive streak going. Your pretty lips, spouting words of love on stage while behind closed doors, your attention is all on him? You're giving him genuine words of love through your hazy mind with a blissed out expression on your face? He's done for.

He also masturbates using your pictures, and by the end, they would be crumpled up and stained. Honestly though? His room is heavily decorated with your merch so he can just grab something random off his shelves and he would still get off on it. 

[REDACTED] can get pretty creative when he's going into the woohoo zone and he has several toys he uses often. You're not there (and maybe you never will be), so he has to make something work. 

[skegulium]

haha hey here's an unprompted drabble ask prompt that is completely unprompted and not so you can post a four year old drabble that you wrote and totally didn't forget to post for FOUR YEARS just so you can have context for an original god idea for the upcoming ball prompt: The prompt is 'Nightmare' :)

oh hi totally anonymous anon you're SO right i SHOULD write a little drabble using the prompt nightmare for orivar that i'll then let sit in my drafts for four years, just so i can have some original lore context for orivar's outfit for the upcoming ball! thanks bestie, i owe you my life!

==>Orivar Tyrgan | 13 Sweeps (or something) | probably somewhere out in the water idk where she was when i wrote this four years ago

Cw: non-graphic violence

Dozens kneel around you, their heads bowed on their knees and their hands clasped in front. You can't see faces and you don't recognize anyone by their horns. It makes you anxious as you pick through the crowd, skirting around every troll and doing your best to not touch a single one. 

The temple of the old gods around you is packed to the brim with them. You're not sure how you got here or how there were so many devouts in the first place - there aren’t this many people who live in Jyyr’s Bay anymore -  but you didn't try to figure it out. You had other things to do. You had to get to the back of the temple, where the lantern light was sucked into pitch blackness and where every troll was facing. You had to get there. There was no other choice for you. 

So you walked carefully through the crowds with your hands up and masking your fear. You’d be proud of your control, if your hands didn’t ache from the effort keeping them from trembling.

The shrine is ten feet away. Eight. Six. Then, three. You stopped among the trolls and the howl of winter winds outside made the ancient building creak and the fires flicker. Was there anyone else even breathing in here? 

You can’t keep the tremble from your hands anymore.

“Please,” you call to the mass of shadows. “Please, I have a request. Will you hear it?”

It's quiet for a moment. No one responds to your pleas, not a troll or the darkened shrine. Maybe you weren’t loud enough? Did you ask the question wrong? Should you use the old language? You bite your lip, then - 

”And who are you to ask a favor of me?”

The voice was deep. It reverberated through the ancient wood of the temple, through the air and made your blood vibrate through your veins. It was the voice of something ancient and more powerful than you - it took every fiber of your being to stay upright.

You inhale shakily, digging your heels in where you stood. “Please,” you say, softer. “I'm no one. I'm no one, but I want to be -” You stop and look at the trolls around you. “I want to be one of them.”

One of them. Blunt toothed, smooth skinned, normal blooded trolls. No fins, no gills, no hint of pink. No violence etched into your face, blood on your hands, or screams in your memory.

The temple went quiet again. Not even the brazier crackled now and before you, you could see the shadow begin to move. It rustled, it twisted and slowly wings began to slip out of the darkness. Inky black feathers, longer than the temple was wide, curved around the room and seemed to suck the light into them. You can’t look for too long at them - your mind would be pulled from your skull like the flames of the braziers.

”And what…makes you think we want you?”

Your hands shook at your side. What could you say to make them accept you? One hand went up to touch at your neck and you inhaled as you looked into the shadows.

When you did, two sets of three eyes were staring back.

They pushed at the blackness, pushed until two heads came out and the light glinted off of inky beaks. Two ravens, each with three eyes and they both tilted as they looked at you.

Old voices. Old gods. Worlds and visions unfathomable swirled in their eyes. Thousands of years and thousands of trolls has been seen by them, judged by them. You are but one of many.

“I'm one of your people,” You say. Your tongue was as heavy as a rock in your mouth but you forced yourself to speak. “I was hatched here, I was raised here, I speak your tongue and I know your stories -”

”And what makes you think we want you?” All six eyes stare at you and they slowly blink. They spoke as one, two voices meshed together to callously wrap around your ears. ”You are not one of our own. We did not ask for you. You should not have learned our stories, our tongue or wasted the time of our people.”

”Leave, Orivar Tyrgan. You are not one of us. We do not want you here.”

The two heads began to pull back into the darkness then and you couldn't help but step forward. You couldn't let them leave now, you didn't want them to leave - you didn't even have a chance to argue your stance. The toe of a boot smacked against one of the devouts in front of you and for the first time, they began to move. Their heads turned and your breath caught in your throat as you stared at the flat expanse of skin over their heads. No eyes, no nose or mouth - just grey skin pulled taunt across the skull and the distinctive red trident of the empire branded across it. You don't know how they saw you but they did. Only one stood to face you at first, then the troll next to them stood. Then another and another and as you whip your head around in a panic, you could watch as the rest rose to look at you.

“No,” you croak softly as they began to reach for you. “No, I'm one of - I'm one of you -”

Claws dug into your clothes, your skin, your horns and you felt powerless as they started to rip you apart. They were all silent but even as you felt the stretch and pop of limbs coming out of sockets, you could still see the swirling, six eyes watching you from the darkness. 

Watching. Watching, until fingers went for your face and there was a sickening pressure until you couldn't see them anymore. 

[allmoshnobrain]

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

part 04 of 06 | masterpost

word count: 7,2k | ao3 link | fic's playlist

I felt full, something I hadn't experienced since he’d walked out on me all those years ago. In the end, it was him — only him — that I needed in my life, his presence washing away any lingering pain I may carry. In that moment, I realized I was utterly lost; like Eve after taking a bite of the apple, I knew I could never be the same again after falling for Dave Mustaine.

✦ on this chapter: NSFW!!!, dave mustaine x female!oc, oc is cliff's cousin, +18, language, slice of life, mxf sex, unprotected sex, oral sex, drug issues mentioned, recreational drug use, drinking

✦ a/n: Hey everyone, I'm back! Sorry for the longer wait this time, buuuut check it out — this part right here is the longest I've ever written for this fic, lol. It's all about Dave and Nore this time, but don't worry, James will be back in the next one. Hope you enjoy the read, and feel free to give me any feedback! ❤

✧ All along I believed I would find you / Time has brought your heart to me / I have loved you for a thousand years / I'll love you for a thousand more ✧

March 20, 1992

The weeks that followed were a crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions, swinging back and forth between moments of sheer joy and heart-wrenching pain.

The heartache was all because of James and his stubborn determination to shut me out. No matter how hard I tried to reach him, he just kept slipping through my fingers, ignoring my calls and voicemails like they were yesterday's news. I knew he always needed some space after our blowouts, but his radio silence only made me feel even more miserable. All I wanted was for him to understand how crucial it was for me to patch things up with Dave, but getting that across to James felt like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube in the dark. And with each passing year, it seemed like he was building higher walls around himself, burying himself deeper in his anger and his grief, leaving me feeling utterly lost.

Amidst all the drama with James, there was a shining beacon of hope in my days: Dave. Since our reunion, he'd become a constant presence in my life once again. There were few grievances that could resist nearly a decade of longing; as we reconnected, the pain and uncertainty of our past faded into the background, replaced by a feeling of warmth and contentment. Losing Dave had left a gaping hole in my heart, but finding him again reminded me that I wasn't alone in my struggles. He, too, had gone through his own share of tough times while we were apart. Together, we found comfort in each other's company, and our bond just kept getting stronger with each passing day.

After that first kiss, I couldn't help but keep gravitating back into his arms. We fell into a routine of seeing each other practically every day, squeezing in time between my acting gigs and Dave's life as a musician. If Dave was already sweet when we were younger, now that he was rolling in money from his music career, my place turned into a constant shrine of his love. Every day, there'd be a new batch of flowers — chrysanthemums, roses, sunflowers, tulips, lavenders — each carefully chosen to brighten up my place. It was like living in a fragrant dream, like my heart had decided to blossom right there in his presence.

But his affection wasn't just about the gifts. Almost every night, I'd find myself welcoming him into my home or heading over to his apartment. We weren't big on going out, preferring to just chill together, maybe have dinner or simply chat, lounging on the couch with our fingers intertwined and my head nestled against his shoulder. Whatever was brewing between us felt so special, so fresh, that we kind of wanted to keep it all to ourselves. I mean, I knew once we started parading around in public, everyone would catch on to the fact that we were together, and honestly, I wasn't quite ready for that. Dave felt the same way. We both agreed to keep our little love bubble just between us for just a little while longer.

Of course, there was this undeniable desire bubbling between us. It lingered in the long, passionate kisses we shared, in how he always reached out to touch me whenever we were together, in the little sighs that escaped me when his lips trailed from mine to my neck, in the fire I saw burning with increasing intensity in his hazel eyes.

But, even as the fire inside me burned hotter and hotter, I couldn't shake this newfound shyness. I mean, as an actress pushing 30, I'd say I'd mostly outgrown my shy phase from back in the day. But whenever he was around, it was like that bashful girl came roaring back to life, leaving me blushing and hesitant every time his body pressed against mine.

Dave was patient, as he had always been; now that everything between us was crystal clear, he was practically glued to my side, wearing this grin that mirrored my own happiness. The more we hung out, the more it solidified in my mind: I still loved him. And the fact that he seemed to feel the same felt like a little miracle, a light of joy and certainty amidst all the chaos in my life.

That Friday night played out just like the ones before it: Dave rolled up to my place right on the dot at 8 p.m., holding a gorgeous bunch of violets and daisies. But this time, he came bearing even more goodies — a pizza box in one hand and a bottle of wine tucked under his arm, which had me scrambling to help before he dropped something and disaster struck.

"Hey," I greeted him with a smile, taking the pizza box from him. With his hand free, he slipped it around my waist, pulling me in close and planting a kiss on my lips that sent me giggling, my cheeks flushing with warmth.

"Hey," he whispered against my lips, his smile melting into mine. "I've got some movies rented for us. And I brought some joints too, they're out in the car."

"So, you've got our evening all planned out?" I teased, and he chuckled, his hazel eyes twinkling as he kissed my temple. "Well, don't just stand there, come on in."

I headed to the kitchen and set the pizza box down on the table. Dave trailed behind me, and I gave him a hand with the wine bottle before he handed over the bouquet.

"I brought you some different flowers this time," he said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. I took a whiff, smiling at the sweet scent of the bouquet. Dave reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “You like them?"

"I absolutely adored them, Dave. Thanks," I answered, letting out a surprised gasp as he pulled me in by the waist, cradling my chin gently in his hand before kissing me. His tongue pressed against my lips, coaxing them to part, and I couldn't help but surrender to his kiss with a contented sigh.

I shut my eyes, relishing the familiar scent of him and the warmth of his body pressed against mine. He set the bouquet down on the table without breaking our kiss, then drew me in close again, his hand resting gently on the small of my back. Dave's presence stirred something inside us both, a slow-burning fire that we couldn't ignore, an undeniable longing to be close to each other. And oh, how I craved him, with a passion that felt almost overwhelming, leaving me utterly breathless.

He trailed kisses down to my neck, mixing in little nips that sent shivers down my spine. I tangled my fingers in his hair, closing my eyes and melting into his embrace as I tilted my head back. He held me closer, his hands firm on my hips, and a low, breathy moan escaped my lips. He chuckled softly against my skin, planting a tender kiss on my lips before pulling away.

"I should probably grab the stuff from the car," he murmured, stepping back. I blinked, feeling a bit confused, my heart still racing, my skin tingling with warmth, trying to push aside the unexpected twinge of insecurity creeping in.

"Here," Dave returned, lugging a stack of movies. "I grabbed Star Wars 'cause you said you liked it. And the other one... Hey, you okay?" I blinked up at him, snapping out of my reverie, my brow furrowed as I stared at the flowers on the table. Dave came closer, brushing his fingers against my cheek. "Did I mess up the kiss or something?"

"Of course not," I reassured him with a soft smile.

"Then tell me," he whispered, his lips so close to mine, his breath tickling my cheek. "Hey. Let's not keep stuff bottled up, alright? I don't want us drifting apart again over this."

"It's just... Do you not wanna... y'know, fuck me?" I blurted out, feeling my cheeks flush as I saw Dave's eyes widen a bit in surprise. I glanced away, feeling embarrassed, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Sweetheart, where'd you get that idea?" he asked, running his fingers through my hair before gently tilting my chin up, making me meet his gaze.

"We were kissing, and then you bailed. I just... thought..." I trailed off as Dave grinned, shaking his head.

"Do you really think I wouldn't want you?" he murmured, his voice low and husky, his fingers trailing down my neck to my collarbone, moving with a gentle touch. "Do you think I don't wake up every day feeling like I'm living a dream now that you're back? I want you. But this is all new territory for me too..." He paused, letting out a sigh as I cupped his face in my hands, running my fingers over his features, captivated by how his expression softened under my touch. "I've had some rough relationship experiences, you know?" he continued. "And I don't wanna risk messing things up with you, babe. I don't wanna rush into anything."

"Some relationships?" I queried, intrigued by the plural. It was kind of weird to think about it, but of course, over all those years, Dave must've been with other people. I blinked, feeling an unexpected pang of jealousy creeping into my chest.

"Getting a bit jealous, huh?" he teased, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. I huffed, rolling my eyes, and he chuckled. "I can tell you about them if you're curious... But can we eat first? I'm starving."

"Sure thing, let's chow down," I chuckled, snagging the flowers Dave had left on the table to put in a vase. "Just gotta give these babies a home first, right?"

After fixing up my new bouquet on the windowsill, I joined Dave at the table, and we both tucked into some pizza. Dave let out a satisfied sigh, closing his eyes as he savored the first bite.

"Someone's starving," I teased, shooting him a grin. He chuckled.

"Well, I've been stuck in the studio all day. Builds up an appetite, you know?"

"Well, spill the beans. Any other lucky ladies in your life?" I grinned, and he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"You really dying to know that?"

"If you're up for sharing. Just curious," I shrugged. He smiled, letting out a soft sigh as he reclined in his chair.

"Alright, let's hear it. Where do I begin? So many lovers, I'm lost," he chuckled, a playful tone lacing his words, and I huffed, which earned a soft laugh from him. "Just teasing, babe. Alright, let's see, after we split… I had a thing for a couple months with that chick James used to hang out with from the record store, remember the blonde one?"

"Wait a sec," I interjected, eyebrows knit in confusion. "You're not talking about Pat, are you?"

"You remember her?" he asked, sounding surprised. I rolled my eyes, caught off guard.

"Of course I remember! That whole mess between us might've been avoided if she hadn't decided to feed you a load of crap," I remarked, giving him a puzzled look. "I had no clue you two were together at some point."

"Together is generous. It was more like just fucking. Ended when I found out she was messing around with my guitarist as well. So, naturally, I had to give him the boot... It was a whole thing," Dave explained, nonchalantly. He smirked a little at my incredulous face. "I mean, she was pissed at you and James, and I was too. Seemed like a good idea at the time, you know?"

"Oh, yeah, what a brilliant idea. Already regretting asking," I grumbled, and he chuckled, squeezing my hand, his fingers lacing with mine.

"You mad at me?" he grinned softly, though there was a glint of worry in his eyes.

"Course not. But if this is how your love life kicked off after we split, I don't even wanna picture the rest," I muttered, and he burst into laughter.

"Well, it got a bit better after that... I think. I mean, then I met Diana. We were together a few years. Actually thought I was gonna marry her," he confided, then smiled softly at my intrigued expression.

"And why didn't you?" I asked.

"She wasn't you," he said simply, and I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. He chuckled, raking a hand through his hair. "And truth be told, we weren't the best match. I... I cheated on her. A lot. And she wasn't exactly faithful either. After we split, I dated around, but nothing ever got serious," he confessed, meeting my eyes with a faint smile. "Enough to quench your curiosity?"

"Guess so," I mumbled, staring at my hands. Dave's romantic history over the past few years sounded oddly similar to mine, a series of dead-end relationships and heartaches. I chewed on my lip, a rush of insecurity washing over me, but realizing why he wanted to take things slow between us; as happy as we were to find each other again, we both had our own baggage to unpack.

"And what about you?" he asked, pulling me back from my thoughts. I glanced up, meeting his inquisitive gaze. "You mentioned you and James split... When did that go down?"

I sighed, nibbling on my lip. Discussing my thing with James had become a touchy subject lately. Dealing with the growing distance between us wasn't easy, but I knew exactly where it all had begun.

"We didn't make it long after Cliff... passed," I admitted. Dave reached over to grab my hand again, giving it a comforting stroke. "It tore us apart, all of us. But it was tough 'cause... James has always been a big part of my life. We gave getting back together a shot a few times, but it never stuck," I said with a faint smile, shaking my head. "Didn't have any epic romances after that. Just some short flings and a bunch of casual stuff that left me feeling like love wasn't worth the hassle. And then..." I looked up, locking eyes with Dave, who was studying my face intently.

"And then?" he asked softly. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Then you found me," I finished, and Dave's smile widened, his eyes softening with a warmth that melted my heart.

"I'm glad I did," he murmured, rising from the table and gently running his fingers through my hair before leaning in to plant a kiss on my forehead. I let out a soft chuckle, holding his face in my hands and giving him a light peck on the lips. Dave wrinkled his nose, a grin spreading across his face, clearly pleased. "Your kiss tastes like pizza," he teased, and I rolled my eyes in mock annoyance.

"Shut it, Mustaine," I shot back, and he chuckled before stepping away to gather the plates from the table and wash them. I got up to help him tidy the table. "Still up for that movie?”

"Sure. You wanna pick?" he said, passing me the stack of videotapes. I glanced over the movies Dave had brought: Star Wars, like he’d said, plus a couple of action flicks, and one I was pretty familiar with.

"Hey, remember when we caught this on my birthday once?" I grinned, holding up the cover of one of Indiana Jones’ movies. Dave smiled back, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Course, I remember. How could I forget? Your folks gave you that badass motorcycle, right? And I got you a necklace as a gift."

"I still have it," I admitted, grinning. "Kept safe in my jewelry box."

"I didn't think you'd hold onto it," Dave replied, softly. I smiled, stepping closer to him, wrapping my arms around his waist, and planting a gentle kiss on his jawline.

"Did you think I'd toss away the only thing I had left from you?" I whispered, and he let out a soft sigh, his eyes locking onto mine with intensity as he cupped my face in his hand.

"We better dive into this movie before I change my mind about taking things slow," he said, a mischievous grin spreading across his lips, and I let out a gentle laugh.

The rest of the night sailed by smoothly; we cozied up to watch the movie, sipping on wine and enjoying a few of the joints Dave had brought along. As the movie neared its end and our stomachs started rumbling again, we seized the chance to polish off a bit more of the pizza.

As the credits started rolling, I felt my eyelids drooping, more relaxed and at ease than I had been in ages as I nestled into Dave's lap, my head resting on his shoulder while he held onto my waist tight.

"I gotta head out," he finally murmured, and I grumbled softly, burying my face in his chest.

"You don't have to," I replied, and he laughed tenderly. I pulled back, meeting his hazel eyes, mirroring the unease I felt: we both knew that staying apart was way harder now that we'd finally found each other again. "Can't you crash here?"

"Wish I could, but you know I got that flight tomorrow, right?" he asked gently, and I let out a sigh. Of course, I remembered; Dave was jetting off the next day for a string of shows that'd keep him busy for two weeks. It was a quick tour, but I was already feeling his absence. Dave seemed to sense the same because he lifted my chin, nudging it up a bit so I'd meet his eyes. "Why don't you come along? I'm sure we can sort something out."

"I can't. Got a shareholders' powwow at my folks' company this weekend... Plus, I'm gearing up to start filming that TV series. Gonna be one hell of a week," I sighed, then flashed a soft smile. "But it'll be alright. You'll ring me, yeah?"

"Of course, babe. Every day. I swear," he promised.

April 3rd, 1992

The next few days zipped by with all my stuff going on. Things stayed pretty much the same; James and I still weren't talking, and it was really getting to me. Dave stayed true to his word and called me; even though we didn't have much time to chat with everything going on, we managed to touch base at least a bit every day, which put a smile on my face as I tackled my busy schedule.

Despite my worries about James, Dave being around made me feel a bit better, a subtle kind of happiness that brightened up my days like the sun on a spring morning. Then, the weekend before Dave's return started creeping closer. I had just arrived home, completely wiped out after a long day of shooting before finally getting a few days off, when I heard my phone start ringing. I grinned, eager to chat with Dave and hear about his day, but it wasn't his voice on the other end that greeted me when I answered the call.

"Hello? Can I speak with Nore Burton, please?" came a hesitant voice through the line. I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Hey, it's me. Who's that?" I replied.

"Oh, hey. Marty here, Marty Friedman," the voice introduced itself, though it didn't ring any immediate bells. "I jam with Dave in Megadeth..."

"Oh. Is everything alright with him? Did something go down?" I asked, a hint of worry creeping into my tone. The past couple of weeks had seen Dave and I settle into a rhythm, one that hadn't been disturbed until this moment. It wasn't like him to miss a call, let alone have one of his bandmates reach out instead. I wasn't exactly fond of receiving bad news over the phone, but I attempted to soothe my nerves; perhaps it wasn't anything that serious. Maybe he was just tied up and didn't want to leave me hanging without updates.

"Uh, yeah, he’s doing okay,” Marty chimed in, eager to ease my mind. "But things have been kinda rough for him... He slipped up yesterday, and he's been mentioning you so much that our producer thought it might be cool to reach out, see if you'd be up for spending the weekend with him..."

"Wait a sec. What do you mean, he slipped up?" I interjected, feeling a bit puzzled.

"Oh, shit. He didn't clue you in, huh?" Marty's tone shifted, a touch of tension creeping in. "Well, he just got out of rehab not too long ago. And you know, the whole touring grind can be brutal. I guess he was really missing you, and it kinda got to him."

I blinked, caught off guard. Dave hadn't breathed a word about hitting rehab, let alone wrestling with any sort of substance issue. I flashed back to our last hangout, where we'd shared a drink and a smoke, nothing too wild. Maybe Marty was hinting at something more hardcore than just booze or weed, but I brushed it off; Dave needed me, plain and simple. I couldn't stand the thought of not being there for him.

"Marty," I said, firmly. "Where are you guys crashing this weekend?"

 

April 4th, 1992

I showed up early at the gig spot where Megadeth was set to rock out, a massive concert hall, a far cry from the dingy dives we used to hang at back in the day. I was feeling a bit worn out from the last-minute flight, but as the moment to see Dave drew nearer, my exhaustion morphed into an excitement that made it tough to focus on anything else.

I linked up with Marty at the venue entrance, about an hour before showtime. It was cool finally putting a face to the voice: Marty turned out to be shorter than I'd pictured, sporting a wild mane of curls cascading down his back and a warm grin.

"Hey there. You must be Nore," he greeted with a friendly grin, and I returned it as we shook hands. "How was the flight?"

"Hey, Marty," I smiled back. "It was smooth, thanks. So, where's Dave?"

"Oh, he's buzzing around, getting stuff sorted for the gig. He's clueless you're here," Marty chuckled, and I joined in softly. Keeping my arrival under wraps from Dave had been my little scheme. I didn't want him stressing about it, but I was also itching to see the look on his face when he found out. "Come on, let's go surprise him."

We navigated through the backstage area, which was pure pandemonium, just as I expected with less than an hour to showtime. Roadies hustled, instruments and equipment being shuffled around everywhere. In the midst of the chaos, I couldn't help but notice a gaggle of girls who clearly weren't part of the crew. They stood on the sidelines, watching the frenzy with giggles and hushed chatter. Groupies weren't anything new on the Metallica tours I used to attend, and I was used to their presence, but I couldn't help but furrow my brow when I caught them exchanging glances and whispers as soon as they spotted me, their excitement morphing into something more cautious.

"What's with all the hush-hush?" I inquired, more intrigued than worried, directing my question to Marty. He glanced around, momentarily puzzled, before catching onto the girls' gossip and bursting into a hearty laugh.

"Ah, they're a bit miffed 'cause Dave's been giving zero attention to any of the ladies on this tour. Now he's always talking about you; reckon some of them are feeling a tad put out."

"Oh," I murmured, feeling a flush creeping up my cheeks. I hadn't even considered the presence of other girls on Dave's tours, but Marty's tidbit had my stomach doing somersaults, a newfound sense of assurance spreading through me.

We finally reached a quieter backstage area, a secluded corridor lined with closed doors. Marty and I made our way to one of them; upon stepping inside, I found myself in one of the dressing rooms, complete with a stocked fridge and cozy sofas strewn about. A guy, clutching a pair of drumsticks and sporting a ponytail of dark, flowing locks, rose from his seat at the sight of us.

"Hey, Marty! Who's the hottie?" he greeted, flashing me a smile as soon as he caught sight of me. I felt my cheeks heat up, instinctively taking a step back, but Marty swiftly positioned himself between us.

"Pipe down, Nick. This is Dave's lady," Marty retorted, and Nick's eyebrows shot up, his demeanor instantly turning guarded. Marty let out a sigh, turning to me. "Nore, meet Nick, our drummer. He's always a bit like this, don't pay him no mind."

"Hey," Nick called out from a distance, and I returned his greeting with a slight smile. "Sorry 'bout the 'hot' comment. Please don't tell Dave, I don’t want him to kick me in the nuts," he added, looking genuinely worried, which almost made me laugh.

Before I could answer Nick, the dressing room door swung open, drawing our attention. I couldn't help but smile as Dave strolled in, deep in conversation with a familiar face: David Ellefson, whom I'd crossed paths with years ago in Los Angeles.

"I don’t give a shit if he thinks we're idiots, I just… Nore?" Dave's voice trailed off abruptly as he caught sight of me, his expression shifting to one of disbelief. I offered a nervous but hopeful smile, my heart thumping in my chest as our gazes locked. He made his way over to me in quick strides, seeming unsure how to react. "Holy crap, what are you doing here?”

"I came to see you," I murmured softly. Dave's expression lit up with delight, and without a moment's hesitation, he pulled me into a kiss, his hands cradling my face tenderly. A surprised gasp escaped me as he drew me closer, wrapping me in a tight embrace before eventually releasing me. Stepping back, I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and my breath coming in uneven bursts. "Dave!" I exclaimed, my heart still racing as I glanced around, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. But Marty, David, and Nick all seemed to be suddenly engrossed in anything but our interaction. Dave chuckled.

"Sorry 'bout that. Couldn't help it," he murmured, gently running his fingers through my hair, and I couldn't help but smile back.

The show kicked off before I knew it; I found myself perched near the stage, snagging a spot where I could catch all the action without getting underfoot. Watching Dave do his thing was mesmerizing; sure, I knew one or two Megadeth songs, but I'd never mustered the guts to catch 'em live. Dave upstage had this magnetic energy all his own, and for the first time in what felt like ages, I was genuinely pumped to be at a gig.

After the show wrapped up, the whole team congregated backstage to toast to a job well done, while the guys took the chance to rinse off and swap out their sweaty gear. I thought about snagging a beer, though I didn't intend on throwing back too many; my main goal was to keep Dave's spirits up, not to get plastered myself. As I made my way toward one of the coolers stocked with drinks, I accidentally collided with someone. I jumped, nearly losing my footing, but the person caught me just in time.

"Whoops, my bad," the guy flashed me a grin, and I recognized him as one of the sound techs, a dude a few years younger than me with dark hair, a set of dimples and dark eyes that practically screamed interest when he spotted me. "Hey there, I don't think we've met. I'm Brad. You new around here?"

"Uh, well..." I started, but before I could get another word out, I felt a reassuring weight on my shoulder. Glancing up, I spotted Dave, who had slung an arm around me, drawing me into a protective hug.

"Hey babe," Dave greeted, though his focus seemed locked onto Brad, who appeared to shrink a bit under his gaze. "Everything cool over here? You need anything?"

"Uh, I... I was just grabbing a beer, Dave. It's all good," I responded, feeling a slight flush creeping into my cheeks.

"Hey, Brad. Grab my girlfriend a beer, would you?" Dave's voice took on a hint of authority as he addressed Brad, his eyes still fixed on the younger man's face, a small smile playing at his lips. My stomach fluttered with a whirlwind of emotions, my heart racing. Even though we'd been seeing each other for weeks, it was the first time Dave had called me that.

"Ah... Sure thing, boss," Brad stuttered, swiftly turning to fetch a couple of beers. He handed them over to me and Dave before making a quick exit. I glanced up at Dave, who watched Brad go with a furrowed brow and tight lips.

"You alright?" I inquired softly. Finally, he turned his attention to me, his expression softening as he offered a smile.

"Yeah, I'm good. How 'bout you? Enjoy the show?" he asked, and I nodded, returning his smile. "Let's grab a seat, I'm fucking beat."

The next few hours breezed by; I was content snuggling up on the couch beside Dave, his hand never straying far from my hip or finding its way to my thigh as he bantered and laughed with the crew and the band.

It had been ages since I'd hung out backstage at a gig; soon enough, the party vibe started ramping up. But I could sense Dave growing uneasy, his eyes darting around anxiously when one of his roadies rolled in with some blow to pass around. I decided I'd had my fill; with Dave's recent slip-up in mind, I wasn't about to stick around in an environment that would put him on edge.

"Dave," I murmured, squeezing his hand softly, the buzz from the beer warming my cheeks but not quite enough to cloud my senses. "I'm tired... Can we bail?"

"Sure thing, babe." He jumped up without hesitation, indicating he was more than ready to split. He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Where to?"

"I just wanna head back to the hotel. Maybe take a hot shower and grab a bite. Sounds good?" I suggested.

"Sounds perfect to me," he grinned.

Dave didn't seem surprised when he realized we were both crashing at the same hotel. He walked me to my floor, our hands linked, fingers intertwined, until we reached my room. I swung the door open and let him in. Turning to face him, I paused for a beat. He was right there, so close, his hazel eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine — a longing I hadn't quite picked up on until we were alone.

"I'm so glad you're here," he whispered hoarsely, planting a gentle kiss on my lips before drawing back slightly. I gazed at him, emboldened by the alcohol coursing through me, my desire for him growing stronger by the second. With one hand, I slowly caressed his chest, drawing my mouth closer to his once more.

He let out a sigh as I kissed him, starting off slow but quickly heating up into a passionate kiss, our tongues dancing in perfect harmony as he drew me even closer. With a gentle push, he guided me backward into the room, the kiss unbroken. I vaguely registered the sound of the door closing behind us as his hands roamed my body with growing hunger.

"What happened to taking it slow?" I teased, and he let out a scoff, laughing.

"You want me to dial it back, Burton? 'Cause I can always head back to my room if that's what you're after," he joked, and I chuckled softly, pulling him in for another kiss.

"You talk too much, Mustaine," I murmured, a grin playing on my lips, and he laughed, taking off my shirt before diving back into our kiss.

I guided him down, settling him onto the bed before straddling his lap, my knees nestled around his hips. He let out a contented sigh as I peppered his neck with kisses, leisurely unbuttoning his shirt. A soft moan escaped my lips when his hand trailed up my thigh, slipping under my skirt and gripping my ass. With a gasp of surprise, I found myself lifted effortlessly, gently laid back onto the bed as he pressed his body against mine. My hands roamed down his muscular arms as I finished taking off his shirt.

A soft moan escaped me as he trailed kisses along the sensitive skin of my neck, working his way down to my collarbone. His hand found its way to my back, skillfully unclasping my bra. I tangled my fingers in his hair, trembling as he took one of my breasts into his mouth, his tongue circling my nipple deliberately while his other hand cupped my other breast. It was everything I'd been craving; every touch set my skin ablaze, as if my body just wanted him closer and closer, until there was nothing in the world but the two of us.

He kept on sucking at my breasts so tenderly that my whole body was tingling, sending shivers down my spine and making me ache for more. My arousal surged, the wetness between my legs throbbing with desire. Then, he went lower, lifting my skirt until it pooled around my waist, parting my legs gently. His breath felt hot against the damp fabric of my panties as he looked up at me, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

"You want me to fuck you that much?" he whispered, his voice low and gravelly. I let out a sigh, my body trembling as I felt his warm breath against my skin. "You're fucking drenched," he murmured, and I gasped in response, earning a soft chuckle from him.

He planted slow kisses along the inside of my thigh, giving it a light nip before slowly sucking on the tender skin, leaving behind a mark that I knew would linger after he was gone. I whimpered, my clit pulsing with anticipation, craving his touch, but he seemed determined to savor every moment. Pulling back, he pressed a gentle kiss to my skin before moving to another spot, and then another, teasing and nibbling while his thumbs traced soothing circles on my thighs.

"Dave..." I sighed, pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes as I felt my entire body tense with desire. It was overwhelming; his touch was driving me wild, slow and deliberate, and I couldn't help but feel like I was on the brink of ecstasy, completely consumed by the moment.

I felt full, something I hadn't experienced since he’d walked out on me all those years ago. In the end, it was him — only him — that I needed in my life, his presence washing away any lingering pain I may carry. In that moment, I realized I was utterly lost; like Eve after taking a bite of the apple, I knew I could never be the same again after falling for Dave Mustaine.

I whimpered with pleasure as I felt his warm breath against my core, a tear or two slipping down my cheeks as I arched my back. Dave grunted softly as he peeled off my panties, then stripped away my skirt, leaving me completely exposed. He parted my swollen lips, his tongue teasing my clit.

"Is this what you want?" he whispered, pressing gentle kisses against my sensitive flesh. I nodded eagerly, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I tangled my fingers in his hair. He chuckled softly. "Just had to mark you first... Let everyone know you're mine now."

The way he said it sent a jolt through my whole body, a sharp moan escaping my lips. I knew I was on the edge, his touch pushing me closer and closer to the brink. And when he finally started to eat me out, his tongue swirling in slow circles, I couldn't hold back any longer. My whole body tensed, my heart racing, as I curled my toes and pulled him closer, consumed by a hunger that made him groan.

He gripped my thigh firmly, his hand gently clasping mine, our fingers laced together as I shut my eyes. Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes, mingling with the pleasure coursing through me. With my eyes closed, it was just him and me — his warm breath, the leisurely flicks of his tongue, his soft kisses, the gentle pressure of his fingers against my skin. His other hand held mine, tracing slow caresses along my flesh and it felt so, so good, that I never wanted him to stop.

"D-Dave..." I murmured as the tension in my belly mounted, opening my eyes to meet his intense gaze, seemingly captivated by my reactions. "Dave, I'm gonna... Oh!" I gasped as he released my hand, slipping two fingers inside me and curling them just right, setting off a wave of intense contractions that mingled with my growing moans, each one louder than the last.

I was pretty sure anyone walking by in the hallway could hear me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Not when my orgasm surged through me, his fingers working tirelessly inside me as I arched my back, lost in the ecstasy washing over me again, and again, and again.

When he finally eased off, I was completely spent, my body feeling like lead as I struggled to catch my breath. He chuckled softly, wiping his chin with one hand before settling back down on top of me, planting slow kisses on my cheek as he shed the rest of his clothes. I let out a soft moan as he slid inside me, still sensitive from my climax, and I felt my body clench around him as I adjusted to his size. He groaned softly, nuzzling into my neck.

"I love you," he whispered, and I moaned softly as he pressed his body against mine, fully inside me before slowly pulling back, his gaze locked with mine. "I love you," he murmured again, easing back into me with a slow, steady rhythm that elicited more moans from me, my nails digging into the flesh of his arms. "Say you love me too... I know you do."

"I-I love you too, Dave, oh..." I replied, my voice teary as he thrust deeper inside me. He grunted, one hand tangling in my hair while the other braced against the bed. Leaning in, his lips crashed against mine, his tongue sliding into my mouth, and I clung to him, wrapping my legs around his hips.

"I missed you for so, so long," he murmured against my mouth, a blend of anguish and pleasure evident in his voice. I brought one of my hands up to his face, gently stroking it as I pulled back slightly to look at him. "Can’t fucking live without you. Not if you aren’t with me."

"I'm here now," I said softly, and he nodded before kissing me again. I sighed, feeling the heat building in my body as he moved inside me, his movements growing more erratic with each thrust. "I'm here, Dave. I'm not going anywhere."

"No matter how far you go, I will always find my way back to you. Okay?" he murmured against my ear, and I nodded, letting out a soft moan. "Always," he groaned, his voice rough, as he held me tightly against him. "I promise. I promise..."

I let out a loud moan as my second orgasm washed over me, my body trembling in waves as I buried my face in his hair, clinging to him as if I never wanted to let go. He grunted, his movements growing rougher and more erratic before he also reached his climax, his warmth flooding into me before his body collapsed. Our sweat and tears of pleasure mingled together as he peppered my lips with a million little kisses. I chuckled softly, my heart racing, my body still ablaze as he pulled away from me, lying down next to me with a contented sigh.

We lay there for a bit, cuddled up as we caught our breath, Dave running his fingers softly through my hair. I nestled my head against his chest, listening to the quick rhythm of his heartbeat as he kept me tight.

"Dave?" I finally spoke up, feeling a bit unsure, my mind drifting back to why I had come to see him in the first place.

"Hmm?" he replied groggily. I shifted, sitting up a bit and leaning on my arm to look at him. His gaze seemed distant as he traced his thumb along my lower lip in a gentle touch.

"Why... Why didn't you tell me about rehab?" I questioned softly. Dave blinked, caught off guard, his expression shifting from surprise to a familiar pain.

"Is that why you're here? Who told you that?" he inquired, his voice rough and low. I nodded, uncertainly.

"Marty did. But it seems like it was your producer's bright idea... He claimed the tour was taking its toll on you. Said you had a slip-up."

"Did he now?" Dave's tone was laced with bitterness.

"Dave, I’m sure he meant well," I reassured him, running my fingers lightly over his chest. "And besides, Marty made me swear not to let you chew him out for telling me," I added, earning a chuckle from him, the tension easing a bit.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, cupping my face in his hand, his thumb tracing circles on my cheek. "It's been rough dealing with all this. I didn't want you to see me as a screw-up."

"I'd never see you that way," I reassured him softly.

"I just felt like crap after slipping up. I was making progress, but the road life, man, it's fucking draining. And missing you... It hit me harder than I thought," he admitted.

"Babe, it's all right. You're not a failure for this. What counts is that you're putting in the effort," I reassured him, and he let out a soft sigh.

"You make me want to be better," he murmured. "It's always been that way; I never quite got why you liked me, but I wanted to be better. For you," he said, holding my hand in his, pressing gentle kisses on my fingertips. "I love you. But you don't have to save me."

"I know. But I want to help," I said, and kissed him softly. "Please, just let me."

"You're already doing wonders," he smiled, and I returned the smile, nuzzling into his embrace as he held me close.

"I love you, Dave," I whispered, relishing his closeness, his fingers tenderly running through my hair. He mumbled in response, a satisfied sound.

"I love you too," he murmured back, his voice gravelly, before letting out a sigh. "Thanks... for letting me."

✧ if you'd like to be tagged on the next parts, let me know and I'll add you to the tag list! ❤ ✧

tag list: @killazilla777 @whatsupvic @70srogah @genswine9 @twice360noscope @ilovepapahet @decemberm0on

[taihua]

fengqing + 48 for the kiss prompts <3

--because the world is ending.

[CW for character death]

When the scientists agreed that the meteor strikes were unavoidable and would begin in the evening a month hence, there was talk of relocating to the space stations, although several were anticipated to take damage, too. Where there were humans, there were believers, although most of them didn't care for ancient martial gods anymore, so at most they might buy themselves a few more solar years before fading.

In the end, the four of them decided to stay. Puqi Shrine had long since been converted into a convenience store and gas station and then abandoned when the refugee ships arrived, but they spent the afternoon removing the debris from the floor and salvaging nutrient packs from the collapsed shelves.

"A few hours left," Xie Lian mused at one point. "If anyone has been keeping secrets, now is a good time to share."

Mu Qing narrowed his eyes. "Why are you looking at me?"

"If anyone could keep a secret for thousands of years, it would be you." Feng Xin gave his shoulder a playful shove.

Xie Lian disappeared with Hua Cheng shortly after that, so Feng Xin and Mu Qing exchanged a wordless glance before escaping outside where they wouldn't have to spend their last hours on earth overhearing something they didn't need to overhear.

A few hours left; the sky was starting to turn pink at the edges. If Feng Xin squinted, he could imagine the distant clouds were the beginning of the end.

At his side, something brushed against his hand. When he looked down, Mu Qing was tracing the outline of his fingers with his own.

"What Xie Lian said before..." Mu Qing said quietly. "There's something I never said to you."

If Feng Xin spoke, he thought his voice would crack; he could feel a lump building in his throat. "I know. You didn't need to say it."

Thousands of years, and it's never gotten easier for Mu Qing to admit his feelings. He's shown it in his actions, though--in little touches, in shared glances, in the mended clothes like the ones Feng Xin is wearing even now.

"It feels strange to say it now," Mu Qing said. "But I... love you."

Thousands of years, and it's the first time Feng Xin has heard those three words from Mu Qing. Somehow, Mu Qing was still blushing like the sky at sunset, even though this was the last sunset they'd ever face and no one would be around to remember the confession.

Feng Xin reached out a hand, tilting Mu Qing's chin towards him so he could brush a kiss against his mouth. Tender at first, but it wasn't long before Mu Qing's lips parted, body pressed close to Feng Xin and arms winding around his neck.

There wasn't much time left, but at least at the end, they'd--

[bread--quest]

14 secret love languages the government doesn't want you to know about

i. do you ever think about the voyager records? these little things, floating through space, our message in a bottle from our island in the void? there's no guarantee that anyone will ever hear it, or that they'll even understand if they do, but have i ever told you what we said?

ii. Greetings to you, whoever you are. We are thinking about you all. How are all you people of other planets? Have you eaten yet? Welcome home.

iii. i brought you food. i would like you to eat. i made you food. i want you to live. i am sharing this food with you. i am sharing my life with you.

iv. the word for care in latin is the same as that for worry, anxiety. it is both an adjective and a noun.

v. i love you in checkboxes and data and organizations. i am compiling, i am sorting, i am putting my love into boxes and shapes and panels that make sense. this is what i understand, this is what i can do: i am building a shrine of spreadsheets and slides to you.

vi. maybe if we were somewhat less alike, this could work. maybe if i loved myself more, i would hate you less.

vii. VIOLENCE! VIOLENCE! BITING YOU AND KICKING YOU AND DRAGGING YOU DOWN! GET ON MY LEVEL, MOTHERFUCKER! GET DOWN HERE SO I CAN MAKE YOU FEEL WHAT I FEEL! I WILL DRAG YOU TO HELL SO I WILL NOT BE ALONE! RECIPROCATE ME IN PAIN! I WANT TO SEE YOUR BLOOD!

viii. it is one thing to talk with someone, quite another to be comfortable enough to sit in silence with them. just to exist in the same place and feel no pressure to speak, to know that your mutual presence is enough

ix. when i say you are mine i mean my hometown, less possession more belonging

x. the worst part about being awake is when nobody else is, when it's just you and the darkness and you feel like the only person on earth. the best thing about cities is the glowing squares outside your window, a thousand others unsleeping, their lights spelling out in morse code you are not alone

xi. i love you in the way the moon loves the earth: forever stuck in your orbit, knowing that touching you would mean obliteration

xii. i love you in the way the sun loves the earth: as easily as breathing, and with as little thought

xiii. i love you in the way the earth loves the stars: calling out endlessly to pinpricks of hope. please tell me aliens are real, and they can understand, and they love us too.

xiv. Please come here to visit when you have time. We wish that we will meet you someday. Please contact. We are thinking about you always. Please.

Contact.

[rise-my-angel]

By Fate of The Night

Pairing: The Thief x Female Reader

Length: 8.6k

Warnings: angst/hurt comfort, implied memory loss, smut, slight exhibitionism, p in v

Notes: How a wine commercial got me so down bad, I have no idea.

When you wandered away from the extravagance of the party, you did not know. Opulence seemed to not suit how severely under dressed you were for such an event. Glitz and glamour unbecoming of the discount sale dress and cheap makeup you worked so hard to be able to afford, when the other attendee’s wore silks and satins that spanned for miles and makeup that painted them as previous dolls.

Your friend sending you a text not long ago, just a crying face when you asked them where they were. A quick understanding that no doubt they found someone to head home with forgetting that they had dragged you to this manor in the first place just to avoid being alone. The crowds, discussions of matters you had no interest with and glasses of champagne being turned down from each waiter kind enough to wander to the corner you hid yourself in. It had become too much, and so you walked.

As far from the noise until just silence overcame you, it led you down twisting hallways that increased in darkness yet filled with unique clutter. The ballroom large and lacking of much to look at, the rest of this place felt on the air of cozy with things. Statues, grand paintings that scattered the walls with no sense of style, just displayed as the owner so wished. Glass cases featuring old, weathered artifacts that many minutes were spent trying to determine. Not at all noticing that you had strayed so deep into the building that a dark figure came upon you from the shadow until their breath hit your neck.

“It’s called a Votive Plaque. Considered to be over four thousand years old,” Looking behind you with a silent gasp, a tall man leaned over your shoulder with a squint. From what you could see, his hands were clasped behind his back, glints of gold shimmering from the coat on his shoulders but little else was noticeable. Glancing back, you looked at the stone carving in question. “There was no inscription on the back, likely meaning it was engraved on the walls of a shrine or temple.”

Nodding, you had little to say as he did not move from so close beside you. You hummed, and yet he tilted his head as if you said any words to react too. What felt like one of his hands nudging you by your lower back his other arm outstretched you further into the hall. “There’s far more than stones and plaques to see, hermosa.”

Taking a step forward, you finally could glance to his face. Coarse facial hair around his jaw, and a moustache that sat neatly beneath a fine aquiline nose that framed the other soft, handsome features. As well as deep, dark eyes with colour indistinguishable in the dim light. Swallowing a lump in your throat, you shook off the sudden feeling of desire that such a stranger shouldn’t elicit. “I really shouldn’t, I-”

“Have a party full of people who are too busy preening at their own reflections to notice you?” He stood rather still, shoulders relaxed and a hand still on your lower back. Which you failed to realize was not making you uncomfortable. Your head moved back in surprise, and the stranger chuckled warm and deeply. “A lost little lamb such as yourself belongs amongst treasures such as this. Not with people only interested in impressing their wallets. Come,” He pushed you forward. “You haven’t even gotten to the hall of missing treasures.”

Trying to protest, your heart raced but yet, you didn’t struggle against such a gentle touch. “But the owner-”

Once again, the stranger seemed to put your mind at ease with barley any effort. Just a soft smile towards you. “Didn’t want any random people walking through his home, but you are no stranger are you?”

What he meant by that you didn’t know, nor did you know how you ended up pressed up against a bookcase of rare books. Both of his hands gently holding your wrists above your head, as his nose trailed down your neck. Not quite pressing his lips to the skin, but teasing with his breathe. Your heart raced, how many hours had you been walking this place?

Why did listening to this stranger tell you about items and artifacts that you thought impossible to own warm something in your chest and twist at your lungs? Each time his hand brushed your skin it shivered in need that you never had with people such as this. His voice rasped as his hands let your wrists stay, and his fingers trail down your arms where the long sleeves of your dress had fallen. “Are you finally ready?”

Voice high pitched and bordering on a moan, “For what?”

Another chuckle as his hands now ran down your sides. Thumbs tracing just under your breasts you stiffened in his hold, but the willingness you let his knee slip between your legs spoke differently. The long material bunching under it’s pressure and pushing against your core as he trailed up to your ear, his lips brushing against it. “To tell me what you desire. That’s all I ask, hermosa. Just tell me what it is you want, and it’s yours. Forever.

But that didn’t happen. The clock struck, and through the dark study he brought you in, chimed. Not startlingly loud, but enough that it had you jump. His hands how gently holding your hips. As he pressed a single, light kiss to the skin under your ear. One last rasp in it’s depths which you did not understand.

“Venus of Willdendorf.”

This party was not what you wanted to do with your night. Little plans were in the works, but it did not include wandering the small laid out area guests were permitted too looking for your friend. Your choice of flats in lieu of heels made you feel short and belonging amongst the classically dressed women who looked at you in judgment.

You looked for a long time to find shoes that would look nice, and it didn’t feel worth it at all. You may as well have shown up with normal running shoes and you’d stick out just as much. But, your friend had begged you to come. Their date fell through and going to a place like this alone likely intimidated them as much as being here alone did you. So you folded.

Now though, you lost track of them when you searched for the washroom only to come back to a ballroom of people you didn’t know. Pressed now up against a wall in the corner, a waiter occasionally walked over to you, tray in hand and a knowing smile flashing sympathy as you turned down their offer of champagne.

Waiting for any kind of response, your eyes stayed glued to your phone at the notification they did indeed read you asking where they went. Finally, a simple crying face popped up and that was all you needed. So they found someone to go home with, and left you in a manor that you didn’t even know the address too.

The sheer embarrassment you were going to face, asking one of the waiters where you were just to know what to say when you called a cab. You watched the flock of people impress themselves with their opulence before it annoyed you. Boasts of their accomplishments and money they earned that quarter did little to impress you, and you suspected it was only spoken hoping to one up their own conversational companions, or to impress the elusive owner throwing the party. Who had yet to make their presence known.

Your attention for a while was on the stain glass windows high on the walls. It was difficult to see in the night sky behind them, but you suspected there were many a details that would shine like the heavens in the morning light. Why did it burn your insides with curiosity what it would look like?

As if moving on their own, your feet took you into the hallways. Wandering the corridors that emptied of people the further you got, but filled with clutter of items that intrigued you. Painting’s littered the walls with no sense of style, just displayed with pride that they were indeed there. Glass displays littering about with unique items that looked too good to be real, and statues that graced above you, some decorated with jewellery that no doubt cost more then your own life.

Near a stairwell twisting both directions, was a display case on a dark marble pedestal. A small square glass case which protected the figure inside. In what looked like stone, was a woman with large proportions but no discernible facial features that made it look perfectly human. Without any indication of what you were looking at, you leaned in with a squint. Trying to remember if you’d seem pictures of something like this before.

Jumping back with a quiet gasp, a deep voice reverberated so close to your ear, and the presence of a tall, broad figure partially behind you leaned over your shoulder. “There’s actually almost two hundred of these exact statues that have been found throughout the world.” Turning to look at the stranger, from what you could see, his hands were clasped behind his back, glints of gold shimmering from the coat on his shoulders but little else was noticeable. Glancing back, you looked at the stone carving in question. “This one is around thirty thousand years old, not quite young enough to be considered a Venus but that’s what they called them anyways.”

Nodding, you had little to say as he did not move from so close beside you. You hummed, and yet he tilted his head as if you said any words to react too. What felt like one of his hands nudging you by your lower back his other arm outstretched you further into the hall. “There’s far more than small figurines to be seen, hermosa.”

Back pressed against a shelf of rare books, he enticed you with a knee pressed between your legs and his hand trailing down your raised arms. The clock against a distant wall chimed, and the stranger muttered something you didn’t understand into your ear. “Nebra Sky Disk.”

Your eyes stuck on the disk, surprised by it’s size, you figured it would be small, handheld. Yet no, it was larger then your head, and so were the images dotted onto it. Contemplating if taking a photo would be inappropriate, you wanted to compare the sights of where the stars laid in the sky then and how it compared to them now.

Before the idea took much more image, the soft sound of a shoe clicking against the tile perked your ears up. Turning around in place, you seem to have caught the man off guard despite him being the one sneaking up on you. He was tall, broad frame draped in a long coat glittering with a gold woven into the black material. Hard to see in the dim light, but you could see a moustache, scatterings of facial hair and a dark glint in their eyes.

One which in any other circumstance would have frightened you, and yet? You found your mouth moving before they could come any closer. “How did you get something like this?”

His eyebrow quirked up, the sides of his mouth moving in surprise. “Why assume I know?”

As if it was common knowledge, you shrugged turning back to look at the disk. “You’re the owner, right? I figured you’d know where your own artifacts come from.” Heart skipping a beat you whipped around once more, yet he had not moved. “I’m sorry that was incredibly rude, I have no idea where that came from.”

The chuckle was deep and warmed your blood. Stepping closer he looked at the disk over your shoulder. “Would you believe me if I said I just found it?” Turning with him, he stood taller then you moreso then before. Not overly, but enough that for whatever reason, made his size send a shiver down your spine. “How did you know I’m the owner?”

Pausing, you scoured your mind and came up relatively blank. “I- don’t know..” He hadn’t been with the rest of the party, you weren’t even in this crowd but you felt as if you already knew who he was to some extent “Just a feeling, I guess.”

“You come across feelings like that very often, hermosa?”

You decided you liked the sound of his voice. The deepness felt like it vibrated through your chest down into your heart, settling it down to a simmered panic rather then explode of anxiety of being caught wandering. Flushing a bit at the name, you kept your eyes off him. “Every now and again.” Your hands wrung in front of you for a moment, “I can leave if you want, I know this is supposed to be off limits.”

He chuckled again. “Not at all. Lost little lambs need to find their way home eventually.”

What that meant you didn’t know, nor did you understand why it felt like you’ve heard that phrase before. Regardless, you felt him press a hand into your lower back. Muscles ready to move down the hall for whatever reason, yet he didn’t. Just stood by your side looking at the disk before speaking. “What do you know about it?”

Biting your lip in thought, you knew your explanation wasn’t prestige. “Not as much as you, I’m guessing. I know it’s a map of the stars, with Pleiades there.” Pointing to the cluster of stars before trailing over to the crescent moon. “Some kind of lunar calendar for the time, most of the stars have moved at this point but if it was used back then, the sky was a lot clearer. Kind of like a map of early astronomy.”

Smiling down at you, the stranger sounded oddly proud. “Where’d you learn that?”

His smile turned into a grin as your shoulders sank in on themselves. “A children’s show. Half the episode was about the disk, the other was some lost city but I always loved the stars so, guess that’s why it stuck out.”

Was it your imagination that you felt his thumb moving gracefully back and forth? You dared not turn or question him to find out, his touch was soothing. “Nothing wrong with that. You don’t have to learn from high scholars to be well read. Hell, most of them aren’t even as smart as they assume. I learned more about the world collecting stuff like this, then I ever did in their books.”

It was quiet between you both, and once more, you were shocked at such bravery. “Would it be okay to look at more?” Sparing a glance up, your wide eyes contrasted his narrowed brows. Eyes still dark, but you think you could guess they were of a deep brown. “With the owners accompaniment of course.”

His soft features beamed with a full smile, a dimple pronounced in one cheek that had you trying hard to hold back a small smile of your own. Pushing you forward, an arm outstretched to the hall further. “Normally I’d lead the tour, but you seem to have an idea what you’d like to look at.”

For a good while, you both walked slowly through his halls. Rich history sat everywhere, but never did he guide you one way or the other. You walked to whatever caught your eye, and he followed suit. A content look as he listened to you gush about the artifacts you knew all about, an excitement that he owned them.

Others had mentioned the man owned many rare collections, and speculated the grand wealth to accumulate them. But such a thought never crossed your mind, not once did you even question how he got them or what it cost. You were gleeful to see the things you recognized, and came upon them with something akin to a familiarity. As if you knew they were there, when clearly, you didn’t.

The stranger never shared his name, nor did you save for the unknown word he seemed to prefer to call you by. Normally, you wouldn’t dare leave yourself so alone with a large, unknown man whose proximity was close and intimately warm. He was safe though, how you knew that? You didn��t, and logically you knew it was stupid to assume the unknown, and yet? You were deep into his manor by the time you came across a balcony.

Doors open with the night wind flowing the sheer curtains in the air, beckoning you. Goosebumps erupting on your skin at the coolness of the night, hands both resting down on the railing. The sky bright and clear, moonlight shining on the water in the distance. A deep blue casting from it’s depths to the scene around it. Shining with beauty as if the home itself build on such a luscious property.

Judging by the slight ache in your feet, the pair of you had been wandering for a few hours. He stood beside you, mimicking your own position. Back stood tall, and his eyes, definitely brown, stood out beautifully as well as the profile of such a strong aquiline nose had against the rest of him. You should be looking at the sight, but his sight was more alluring. “Can I ask you something.” He only nodded, but you felt fair to continue. “Why throw a party if you want nothing to do with it? I mean you haven’t been there all night, so why have one in the first place?”

A feeling brewed inside of you, as if you knew what his answer would be. “Some people host parties to meet people, but others are just hoping the single right one turns up.”

Voice but a whisper, you looked away with a growing bashfulness. “And who would that be?”

He didn’t answer, but you heard his voice speak to you anyways. The nickname of a lost little lamb, and the sensation of his chest pressing up against your back as he caged you in his arms hands either side of your own. But that’s not how you were standing.

No, you were side by side, nowhere near close enough to touch the other in such a manner. Glancing up to the moon nearing the middle of the night sky, he smiled to himself. “Tell me, hermosa. What exactly is your greatest-”

“Desire.” Your voice muttered in it’s own breathless shock. Why did you know what he was going to say exactly? Why did you have an answer that you hadn’t thought of in so long? The stranger turned to face you, one hand on the railing as the other hung by his side as he looked inquisitively at you. “I just wanted to be seen.”

Why did you phrase it like that? What was happening inside of you? There was something that wasn’t right, and yet it didn’t scare you the way it should have. It was as if around you, the night was completely different. Clouds covered the stars and rain fell from them, taking no care as to how soaked through it made your dress. One not at all like the dress you were wearing now.

The stranger didn’t feel as familiar, but the comforting warmth, promise of desire remained the same as you stood in two different worlds. One of memory, and one of confusion. Quickly looking up almost to make sure you were in this world not the other, indeed he was the same.

Same long coat, broad chest underneath the rich shirt on his torso that led down to a softer stomach which you saw yourself gently running your fingers over. Before his larger ones picked them up in place, bringing to his lips before moving them on his own to dig into his waistband. Watching with bated breath as you pulled them down.

The darkness in his eyes lurked yours, trying to find something you didn’t know. But these thoughts you had about him were anything but appropriate and it made your skin run hot at the phantom sensations of his skin. A rippling of familiarity that raced through your very veins as nothing else was said as somewhere deeper in the manor, a clock struck.

You didn’t know why you abandoned your friend. Watching them waltz around the ballroom trying to fit in with such people of high society as you floundered. They were in the middle of a chat with someone, leaning in enticingly close when you walked off.

Unlike you to simply abandon someone so abruptly, but it felt like the winds called you elsewhere. A feeling in your mind pinged inside each time you contemplated stopping to look at the vast artifacts the mysterious owner seemed to have collected.

Many of which you would have otherwise yearned to stop and look at for far too long, but your feet moved of their own accord until the turn of a hallway came about. The blue tint of the night seeped into the lightness corridor, two large glass doors open with curtains pulled back and flowing.

A tall figure stood leaning against the railing, the gold of their coat shining in the moonlight and draped down their broad back. The images of gently coming up behind them, palms pressed flat as you felt their shoulders sink. Your dress was all wrong, you had short sleeves in your minds eye not long ones. It pricked you like a thorn trying to piece this dual memory in your mind together as you walked towards the figure.

Your shoes gentle, but tapping against the decorative tiles no doubt giving your position away. Heart racing as you looked at the tousled brown curls sat beautifully across his head. Somehow, you knew his brown eyes were just as gorgeous before he even came into view.

Skin shivering at the coolness of the outside air, you gently rested your palms on the railing beside where he stood. His spread wide as his brow narrowed in thought, yours almost wrung together in front of you with eyes wide and in need of answers to questions you didn’t remember asking.

Your mouth asked before your brain could catch up. “How many times have I been here?”

A gentle smile falling across his lips, he just tilted his head in jest. “Would knowing make you feel better or just more confused?” Pushing off he turned to face you, one of his hands now resting over top yours keeping them warm and in place. His eyes looked right through yours. “Because I assure you, hermosa it’s more then just your imagination. But to answer your question, this is the second time you’ve sought me out no the other way around.”

His free hand reaching to your collarbone, taking the chain of your necklace into his fingers and trailing downward to where you wouldn’t think you’d just let someone touch. Rough fingertips tracing the tops of your breasts underneath the fabric of your dress before grasping the bright blue stone that sat there.

Your heart raced, taking much of your resolve not to let it show in your chest how hard you were really breathing. Leaning in close you couldn’t take your eyes off his face. Features soft, yet sharp in expression which begged you to gently run your hand over the coarse facial hair covering his cheek.

Resisting the urge, you wanted to understand what it was you were feeling more. “I’ll rephrase. How many times have we repeated this exact night? Because I feel like it’s been tomorrow’s been a long way off for a while now.”

His soft smirk morphing into a proper grin, the stranger ran his thumb down your breast barley missing your nipple. “Does it truly matter as long as we’re together?”

A burning floating in your veins, you snatched his hand holding it off of you without keeping him away from your body much further. Your lungs tightening at how undisturbed by the action he was. “What if I just leave?”

His other hand raised, now taking yours into his and pressing your joined hands against his chest. The movement pulling you in close, whatever cologne he had worn mixed with something that deep in your heart, knew was the comforting scent of home. His voice as warm and deep, “We’ll end up right back in this very position. I’d rather not wait until then though, it’s taken a long time to finally get you here.”

You could see it, the artifacts, the displays, each long winded explanation of each passing item until there was nothing left to explore but the pair of you before the clock struck. And now you’re here, the same night. Over and over with no end in sight, but somehow he seems to know what’s happened.

Sucking in a shaky breath, you were grateful his grip was lose enough to allow you to face the night scene once more. His hand never letting go of yours, but now standing behind you caging you in with the other braced against the railing. Many moment’s passed before you found your bravery to whisper once more. “How much longer we start over?”

His nose nudging against your hair, the feeling of hips lips brushing your temple as he did so. “Hours. You found me early this time. Usually I have to go looking for you.” Without consulting your conscious mind, you leaned back into his chest, both your grips on the others hands relaxing allowing him to trail down and wrap it more around your stomach. His head sinking into the crook of your neck, breathing deeply as your own eyes fluttered shut.

Doing this before wasn’t something you knew, but it felt as such. An intimacy not known between strangers. Moments passed, just letting the cool breeze float across your skin and his warm breathe on your neck as he kept you pressed against him. “How do we break it? I need to remember, right?”

Not answering for a moment, he seemed to be contemplating how to phrase it. Something you recall being a regular occurrence. Finding simple ways to explain the dark, intricate knowledge his head was full of to explain to you. You liked information, but he preferred you with gentle words. Nothing came to mind, but you felt the ache in your heart.

Leaning the side of his head against you, he rasped into your ear. “Only what we did last time. You give in willingly to your desires, and we can wake up tomorrow.”

Like a flash of a movie screen behind your eyes you could see him. A stranger truly on that day more then he was now, nothing but a yearning in your heart for more. Following you through his home, stopping each time to explain the pieces which caught your eye until called back to the party below by your partner.

Shattering the quiet bubble between you and a man you didn’t know the name of. Glancing back, you had waited for him to pull you back into his arms but he only shook his head. Running his fingers over your cheek and down across your bottom lip.

You had been called again, and the man pressed his lips to the corner of your mouth. “Your lover awaits, hermosa. But I’ll expect an answer sooner or later. What is it you truly desire?”

The electrifying tingle in your limbs stayed all the way until you got to the front steps outside the manner, and the outstretched hand of a man with nothing but an annoyed furrow in his brow and impatience to follow. Calling your name at your retreating form until it was heard no more.

Just like now, the stranger braced against the railing of this very balcony as you draped your hands tenderly across his back. Moving up on your toes to reach his ear, whispering your desire as the wind picked up and slammed the glass doors shut in the same instance he turned around to capture your lips with his.

Was this truly where you were now, with a man who made no sense yet welcomed you into his heart as he did yours? A dream or perhaps the world outside was the dream and it all forced you to relive this moment. He seemed to know, but wanted you to find the answer on your own.

Turning in his arms, your hands rested against his chest as his own found your hips. His lips looked soft as your phantom memory remembered they felt, leaning in to brush his nose down the length of yours he waited patiently. “You stole me away once, are you supposed to do it again now?”

Brushing against your ear he rasped, “No one steals from a thief like me, I’m just taking back what was rightfully mine.” Finally pressing his lips to your neck you gasped out. Hands rising around his neck and raking through his hair he kissed down your neck holding your front tightly to him.

You didn’t dance downstairs at the party, but this man was guiding a dance you already knew the steps too. Moving away from his hair with a scratch of your nails, he moaned shamelessly into you before sinking his teeth into the mixture.

Just as you recalled, your hands found his waist. Tapping over his belt and undoing it despite the racing of your heart. Chuckling deeply into your neck, he pushed you right up against the railing. The columns too high for risk of falling over, but exposed to the night air that any wandering eye could see how quickly he yanked your long dress up your legs.

Your hands unable to get inside once freeing his belt, the man let go all of the shame that you might still hold onto. Dragging your dress over your head it dropped from his grasp, flying into the wind not even within your sights. Your chest already bare but he kissed down your torso. Skipping your breasts he made his way down the middle. Hands tight at your hips when you squirmed at his lips gentle across your stomach.

Looking up, his eyes were blown wide as much as yours were. His lips starting to swell from the pressure, he yanked down your underwear without so much as asking. He already knew your yes. Even if you didn’t recall it.

Shucking his long coat off as he stood, he turned you around so your naked front faced the scene in front. Anyone leaving the party who glanced up would be unable to miss the sight and you suspected he planned as such. “Tell me, what exactly does such a lost little lamb desire truly?”

One of his hands using his nails to scrape down your skin until he cupped your mound with no kind decorum. His voice rough, scratching and his jaw clenched. “Tell me, I may not be as patient if we need to do this all over again.”

Leaning into his touch, head on his shoulders you reached back to wrap an arm around his neck trying to meet his eyes. “Just you.”

He muttered something under his breath, a language that sounded anything but earthly before he gripped the front of your neck with his free hand and pulled your lips to his. No ease as you remembered the first time.

Many of the same nights must have passed if he was at this level of desperation. Your heart brought you to him, bare in the night’s wind as two of his fingers press against your clit, teasing with light pressure until you shivered in his touch.

His tongue traced your lips and with an impatient bite, slid inside your mouth as you gasped. Overtaking whatever control you may have thought you had, he traced over your tongue trying to coax you into exploring him the same. Tentatively, you kissed back the same but with far less confidence and more trepidation.

Regardless, as his fingers slid down to run along your slit, he gathered the wetness he found and smirked into your mouth before pulling back. A trace of saliva attached to you both as your mouth stayed partially open as he gave one more kiss and then tucked his head into your shoulder to look down at his hands.

Soaked fingers trailed back up to rub much more tightly at your clit you jumped in his arms with a soft moan. Your hands both now reaching behind to rake through his hair, making your chest arch out and giving way to his free hands greed.

It felt as if whispers of his swam inside your head despite not hearing them leave his actual mouth, quiet soothing of praise and temptation as if his connection to you had burrowed deep. There was little you found you could even say, what would you ask for at this point he knew what you wanted and he stripped you on his own balcony to deliver.

Finding a rasping voice, he found his own words to spit aloud. “You let me do this to you last time too, you know?” Putting more pressure as he rubbed your clit you felt your limbs tightening in need. “Let everyone see you gave yourself to me, showed that pathetic lover what you deserved. And here you are, letting me steal you away all over again and you can’t even remember why.”

What of your life was between these moments? Who were you really outside the manor walls, who was he to you in your soul and why did the night have to repeat itself for this reunion to even take place? An entire life surrounded by impossible mystique and yet intimacy denied it’s importance. His fingers not at your clit sunk deep inside you, scraping against a sensitive wall inside of you that had you shake in his arms. Pulling at your nipple in the same instance, you failed to come up with a name, but he smiled into your bare shoulder. He didn’t mind.

Were the sounds of the outdoors not ever present, you would be able to hear how wet you had become and how slickly two of his thick fingers slid in and out of you. His breathing growing heavy and his jaw clenching trying to pull himself together at how snug you were around him. It had been too long.

His teeth found their way to your neck, no longer playing soft games. Now he bit down close to breaking the skin, and soothed it with a kiss only to move barley an inch downward to leave his mark as much as he could, leaving the sting of his teeth radiating on you. His fingers sinking deep inside to the knuckle and pulling out almost completely before repeating rougher each time.

Your heart was on fire, spreading the warmth out into your bloodstream and making your head fuzzy with a pleasure that you wanted to consume you. Was it just his touch, or should it always feel such an overwhelming way? One of your hands grasped at his forearm, his white sleeves pushed up enough to give you something to dig your nails into.

You moaned as he hissed from the scratch but it only made him work faster. Bring you closer to the edge and throw you over it just to hear those gasping breaths from you trying to keep quiet. The last time this occurred, you weren’t.

Feeling a coil inside of you twist and tighten it made your muscles seize the closer your orgasm became, and the more he grasped tightly at whatever parts of your body his free hand could touch. Finally choosing to force your throat into his hand, turning you to look back up at him as he felt you clench around his fingers. Pressing a simple kiss to your lips, you felt them move as he spoke. “Cum for me, hermosa. I want to take you into tomorrow with my cock.”

White noise took your ears as your orgasm snapped and flooded out like a river. Arching into his touch he kept you pressed against him tightly and the hand on your throat while not getting tighter, did not leave you one bit. Crying out into the night he swore heavily under his breath at the high pitched noises that left you breathless to come down from.

You felt warm and weak in his arms as the aftershocks of his fingers pulling out of you sparked final times. His thumb not quite willing to leave your clit, he wanted you on edge. That ever present need to be taken was what he desired until his touch grew too far away to keep.

Pulling his hand up, he took the slow time to force you to watch him sink both fingers into his mouth and suck them clean of what you gave him. His hand falling to pull your bottom lip open with his thumb before sinking them deep into your mouth.

His nostrils flared and you felt his cock twitch as he pressed his hips into your ass. Letting one hand free, he shoved his hand between your bodies as much as he could manage to undo his belt. The clank of metal echoing like a drum, the sound of the zipper the ringing in your ears. “Please,”

Humming into your hair you felt his cock now bare against you, pressed down the middle of your ass as his hands now soothed over your body lightly. Gentle caresses to take you down from how hard you were panting.

Looking up at the night sky, all you could see or feel was him. His voice. His everything it consumed you like it did that very first night. “What do you want?”

Feeling his mouth curl into a smile he pressed a kiss there and many more as he made a path to your cheek for one last one. Your heads slightly leaned against one another as you felt him slide his cock between your legs. Legs which seemed to have spread on their own, or did so himself while you were too wrapped up in hos his fingers felt inside of you.

The tip tapping at your clit made you jump, but his only free hand traced it’s thumb over your stomach with a gentle shush. His other ran his cock between your legs, pressing up into your entrance. Soaking his length and teasing you. But he never pushed inside, just back and forth as he smiled at you. “Aren’t I supposed to ask you that?”

Glancing to your side as much as you could, you nuzzled into his cheek. “You already did, but no one’s ever asked you.” Watching his eyes shade dark, the warm brown returned with a softness behind them which felt unbecoming of how risque you must have looked. But he leaned in, brushing his nose against yours and pressing a kiss in it’s absence. “Let me give you what you want.”

One hand of each intertwined with the other, letting it rest gently on your chest as he murmured something deep and unintelligible into your lips. Pushing his cock inside, he filled you with one slide as he pushed past how tight you felt without him, but you were so soaked you coated his cock enough to get in.

Moaning loud into the night, his own deeper one mixed with a groan. He throbbed inside of you, making his teeth grit in a hiss as you clenched around him. He was large, larger then you think your body remembered, but you craved the burn he was giving you. Kissing your neck, he slowly moved his hips into yours. A slow thrust that wouldn’t get either of you anywhere but his own moan exposed how delirious it made him.

You could see yourself here again, only then he had nothing on and now you were bare against most of his clothes. His thrusts much more desperate and frenzied then. Flashes of you against this very railing, the wall of books in his study, the grand bed of silky sheets that called to you on lonely nights.

Not once did he let you recover that night, gasping for air as he pounded into you. Hand tight in your hair and words spitting and hissing from his mouth as he lost himself inside of you just as much as you fell into the clouds. Not quite anger, but displeased that you thought anyone could satisfy you, do right by you, treat you like a good girl gets treated who wasn’t him.

You hadn’t known then how long he had watched you, but you know now that it’s something he did much of. Even without telling you, there was something far in the recesses of your subconscious which spoke of a truth you couldn’t comprehend.

Or maybe, as he fucked you, you just didn’t care. His touch was tender, and his moans softly matched your own like there was no fire anymore. Just a trailing water just like the one you could see off in the distance. You tried to move your hips to match him, but each time he paused.

Shushing you as he readjusted his hold on your body. “We’ll get there, just let it happen.”

Whining, he smiled at you with a hooded gaze. Watching you lose your breathe despite how slow he thrusted in and out of you. He needed you as much as you desired this, and maybe those two things were one in the same now.

Maybe toying with you instead of pulling you into his arms would have spared reliving the failure over and over again. Watching your confused and hazy mind struggle to connect dots you didn’t know were there. Moving back into your neck it was his favourite spot it seemed.

Leaving gentle kisses to the teeth imprints he so proudly left, and the stinging moved from between your legs to each time the wind hit such marks. It was a good sting though, a pain that had you cling to him more as his cock once again pulled out almost entirely only to slide in deep as possible.

Your insides felt like they scrambled, head in shattered pieces from how much pleasure swam through you with each slide of his cock. You were soaking him more, it was even audible. How wet it was when he pushed back in, each slide punching just a bit harder then the last.

No sounds could be heard but you both, your moans together and his cock thrusting in and out of you covering what should have been sounds of a party. But there was no sound to cover. The first time no doubt was full of keeping you away from shame.

Forcing your sounds out for the guests to hear and refusing to hide the beauty he claimed you willingly gave to him. The party continued as you fucked. This time, the noise faded away the longer it went on.

The quiet slow nature making room for the quiet of the night. A property empty of all people except the two entangled on the balcony. It didn’t make sense, you came from a party, he threw such a party and yet only you both were here. Maybe, it was meant to be that way. Only you.

Little words were spoken as he thrusted inside of you. Just the coiling inside of you once more, only with each faster thrust you felt it wind up and spark through your limbs. Your mind letting go as it let the pleasure flood inside, his own groans muffled by your neck but your hands grasped at each other refusing to let go.

He refused to speed up much more, the slow slide of his cock deep inside you, and the shameless greed at how he wanted more of how wet you sounded when he took his time pushing in. It wasn’t easy when the flashes of how much he treated you like an animal before.

Little could back up such a boasting claim of making their partner unable to walk the next day, but he had the strength, the ability, the power to do so and not tire out himself. Not before you would inevitably. So he felt you clench around him, and your stomach muscles tighten underneath as you cried out trying to keep yourself from falling apart too soon.

If only you could hear him as he does you. One wasn’t good enough. It was just the slow fuck you both needed after all this time. But far more orgasms were gifted for your future, you just didn’t know it yet.

Saying you wouldn’t get away this time was no lie, and how much you begged for him had his lungs tighten. You were seeing more and more. Each twist of pleasure gracing you with a memory and you leaned back into him knowing his strength to hold you regardless. Falling closer and closer to your orgasm, you felt his cock throb.

No longer thrusting proper, just shallow pushes in and out of you as he grinded his hips. Hair resting now against the back of yours he panted and his hands held tighter. He was close and you were closer.

“Please,” He asked what, almost out of breathe to match your airy tone pleading. “Please, let me stay. Let me stay with you this time. Please, please..” He was so thick inside of you it wasn’t fair, his cock dragging you down to his level and keeping you there selfishly. But maybe it was truly fate.

It was fate to be here, bare in his arms, his cock fucking into you and his lips barley able to leave whatever part of your body they reached. Why would this be wrong if it felt like it was meant to be this way? He seemed to agree, the closer you came to your memory, the more he craved as much as you did. “Always, angel. Always, never fucking leaving me again. Never- fuck- never leaving this tight cunt either,”

Crying into the night you felt the coil inside once more snap but this time it raged like wildfire. Your body seizing and tightening around his cock as you begged his true name for mercy that you never wanted granted. He fucked hard by then.

Pounding short thrusts inside of you as he snarled at how tight you were clenching around him. Wrapping his arms around you tight, he punched inside of you through your orgasm until he felt yours split off to join him.

His orgasm having his nails claw into your skin as he pulled you by your throat to kiss. Tongue in your mouth as he spilled his cum inside of you. The warmth of both his mouth and cum filling you from either side making you hold onto him as if you’d be torn away then and there.

But you weren’t. You held to one another as he came inside of you, thick and copious amounts deep in you like was meant to be until you both had the fade of your orgasm slip away into a serene calm. It took even longer for him to pull out, as if you’d forget this at the chime of the clock.

Your hand wrapped behind you to his neck. Curling into the lush hair scattered about, you nuzzled his cheek, his jaw and pulled from his kiss to press much more innocent ones to each place you had gently nudged before. “Right, you’re a kitten. Not a lost little lamb, not anymore.”

Innocent pecks shared, he finally pulled out. Leaving you empty and clenching around nothing to the degree you almost fell forward. Bracing your hands on the railing in heaves of your chest to catch your breathe. His own once more wrapped around you.

His own body now bare, pressed against your form he held you in the dead of the night before tempting you away with a promise of a bath. Which you couldn’t refuse. Such a needlessly large bath much more like a hot spring that you could sink into should you want.

You shouldn’t accept the glass he offered, knowing his drinks were not the kind you should be allowed to have, but then he smiled at you. Joining the hot water filled to the brim with steam and bubbles as he almost spilled his own over the rim of the glass getting settled.

You giggled at him, and finally took a sip of your own. It burned your insides in a way it wouldn’t do to him, but he also burned at you. He held your heart, body, and soul completely and you endured the pain. Sacrificing your opposites and virtues for his temptations.

Tossing water back and forth at each other, you both stopped to take turns washing the other. Running your hands over every inch of his skin, tender and massaging that had his breathe hitch. It had been a long time since such an angelic touch graced him and he could sob it taken away now.

He was more devious. Slipping his fingers down to your clit and forcing another orgasm from you, taunting you for barley being able to hold your drink up while he did so. Laying you out half in the water, half on the tiles his own body pressed down against yours kissing you.

Sliding gently inside, he picked the pace up much faster here then before. The slosh of water barley heard over the pounding slap of his skin, the snarling grit of his teeth as he swore with no more shame and you crying high pitched whines of need begging for salvation through desire.

Not just once, twice did he fuck you right there. Your thighs in pain as he pushed them so far apart you could break, and his cock pounding so roughly into you the sheer force of his hips could leave a bruise as he marked your skin more and more.

Should you be pulled away again, he’d leave marks for them to all see. Maybe they’d cast you out for it, but you belonged here anyways. Your lips on his, your soaking tight cunt made to be filled by him only, be it his fingers or cock, working your shyness up to letting him taste you directly.

Your heart already was here. It’s why you came back to him, fell for such a ruse and fell once more in love with a rotten thief such as himself. Your souls needed the other and he refused to let you disappear without leaving him with you. Painting your walls with his cum over and over, the only way he could express his love.

Your bodies at some point entangled once more in his sheets. Barley stopping to let you breathe, he kissed you throughout and your limbs locked together as his cock did inside you. There was so party, no friend, no normal life to return to like the others. It was a devilish ruse to get you back into his arms, but it worked. And you stayed here in his touch, knowing it was a lie to steal you away again.

Somewhere in the manor, the clock chimed out and your bodies remained where they were.

Souls made of different realms of light and dark, this time they stayed together.

[desultory-novice]

what you think about a Kirby game resembling BOTW/TOTK?

A open world Kirby game with inventory (collecting copy ability’s to use later),sides quest,skins (like the masks or armors of the spin-offs) challenges (like the ones in the forgotten land or the shrines of BOTW) and lots of collectibles

I once had a idea for the story of a game like that, the villains are all new species so all the old enemies (waddle dees,Bonkers,chilly,sword knights,etc etc etc) are the npcs you have to help. It would give a chance for the old enemies to regain that status of relevance they have kinda lost through the years and it would also help with how all the games are about dreamland getting invaded but half of the enemies are classic enemies from dreamland so I usually don’t get the “they’re invading dreamland” feeling but more like “they’re invading dreamland but for some reason the habitants of dreamland are stepping in Kirby’s way”

BOTW/TOTK had thousands of NPC’s with fun personality’s, many villages,wandering travelers and many more places so It would help to make dreamland feel more alive (also imagine the fanfic possibilities giving about making villages and city’s for the characters to be in like cappy town but with more species than cappy’s and with more original designs like waddle dee town, because I always felt weird about how all the characters seem to not even have a house and how they are just hanging out in the middle of nowhere), and exploring dreamland in a 3D game sounds like fun

I'm so sorry! I thought I'd already answered this one?!?

...What would I think?

I would LOVE it!

Now, blah blah blah, I don't necessarily think it's healthy for the game industry if everyone just on continues to copy BotW's style, especially if a number of Nintendo franchises start doing that, but TotK was SUCH a great time with the new mechanics and gameplay options! (Well, outside of THOSE certain Korok videos...)

Maybe I'm missing something (I, err, don't play as many games as I used to... Adulting...) but the way building and exploration were threaded into BotW's open world was so imaginative!

Rather than this just being a TotK praise fest though, I want to highlight something in Kirby that doesn't get talked about too. At least, as much as it should, and that's how great the level design/aesthetics are, almost across the board!

I'm sure people have seen their fair share of asset-flip games and in some cases, even the "beautiful (generic) semi-medieval landscape" is starting to feel played out. Whether it's so realistic you can count the blades of grass or totally toon-shaded just like my shows. We've seen them ALL dozens and dozens of times.

But Kirby's art direction... Sometimes, yeah, it's simple checkboard grass and whatever those weird cookies in the ground are, but you can't tell me you haven't you ever wanted to break past the stage boundaries and explore the world beyond at some point! (Literally people did this with FL's hammer exploit before it was patched!) Everywhere from PR's innovative mechanized landscapes to RtDL's storybook locales to Super Star's dreamlike vistas!

The good thing too is that so many of these beautiful scapes are made of very simple building blocks, so the environment-heavy gameplay of TotK would be a great fit! (Not to mention having a few more subsystems worked in naturally the way BotW did it. Fishing in FL was fun, but to see it expanded? To be able to fish wherever?!)

And the colonies of different Popstarians you mentioned would be a great way to naturally expand on the groundwork of Waddle Dee Town and Merry Magoland.  Helping a group of Noddies get some sleep? Working with Bonkers to clear new paths? Settling a dispute between the Fire Leos and Chillies? These kinds of open world subquests would be great for what I was talking about in my un-loved character post. Fleshing out some of Kirby's oldest cast staples! Yes, you nailed it completely!

And oh my gosh, the "Popstar gets invaded by an alien force but for some reason, you're still fighting Popstarians?" So.much.this.

I mean, okay, I think they probably did try to have some implied logic behind that in games like PR (if everyone's been mechanized, who knows how much control they have over their actions. Plus, plenty enemies were just doing things like "going to work") and Star Allies (you can blame a bunch of that on the Jamba Heart making everyone who wasn't already taken in by the Jamba group crazy. I feel like the novel did the same thing?) Same with Elfilis brainwashing people in Forgotten Land. You can read that into a couple of characters, at least. (Wild Edge, Frosty, Bonkers...)

But it does stand out a little with the earlier games like Triple Deluxe and Return to Dream Land, especially when you go back to them.

(Although I get the strange feeling it may have been written (??) somewhere that everyone in Popstar is SO laid back and easy-going, if they see adventure they just sort of... join in on it?? Like they might start climbing the Dreamstalk just because "...it's there" or go after Sphere Parts because "Hey, everyone else is doing it I guess?" and that's how they end up getting in the way/being enemies?)

Dess is someone who sees the "adventure" part of the game as light-hearted enough (because it's not like Kirby hurts anyone) that I don't get too shaken up if Waddle Dees et al remain as stage fodder going forward, but I understand those that want their longtime friends to stay as friends, not baddies!

[ganondoodle]

(idk if anyone wants to keep hearing my opinions on totk book stuff but-)

apparently it says that rauru DID have kids, multiple even, which yeah... is kinda necessary for zelda to even be connected to them so much so that sonia can SENSE a blood connection (which, even with all the excuses with magic, is just a little too far for me to suspend my disbelief bc its over, OVER, ten thousand years worth of generations that seperate her from them that one lil touch of the hand can sense that (feels more like an attempt to make you care about them or .. see them as zeldas "better" parents just bc they exchange a few nice words, i never got the feeling they were 'better' parents and its also kinda disrespectful to her actual parents, like sure rhoam wasnt the best but i wouldnt call rauru better just bc he was polite)- i could see maybe the light power of hylia or sth but since its the coolest dude that ever lived rauru now that had it which still doesnt make sense and makes me unreasonably annoyed and she can sense BOTH of their powers in her? nah) the fact theres NOTHING about them in the game itself is just so ... no way they planned any of this

i dont think theres anything they can do or say that wont make be believe they either

are making it up alla 'fix it in post' mentality trying to hastily explain stuff the game never bothers to do to try and appease fans or let it appear as if they thought about it at all

something went really REALLY wrong during development, which kinda seems likely given how the game turned out (im sorry i cannot let go, its not just the writing, the game design too and how little was changed in the map while being so damn expensive, i dont know how people dont feel scammed q_q)

given that they (allegedly) spent the last entire year of development on polish (where??? where????? huh??? like it would make it more understandable (EXCEPT for the price) if there was alot of trouble, which was also bc it got delayed and ... turned out like this, but they dont want to say it, especially given their reputation, with that quote i have heard way too many times 'a delayed game blah blah') i just??

are they just gonna go and do it like they did with kashiwa (kass)? "they uuuh where flying around the whole time ony cool sonau tech maschines, you just dont see or hear from them ooooorrr they were uuuuh out of the country at the time" (sending invitations to other continents to join their glorious kingdom ;) )

(bet they are also gonna say they did all the stuff like ... moving the shrines around (lol?) and lifting the islands up into the sky- which is still weird bc ... didnt they also say they were living in the sky before coming to the surface?? so where?? did they park all their islands on the surface and the mystery kids had the keys so they had to repark them back into the sky after they returned off camera?? xD also why are the islands so different as an environment if they where from the surface? like even the STONE up there is different- and if they were first in the sky then on the surface and the nback in the sky .. why is there not a single yellow tree or grass in the past- you cant really argue that it changed bc they were up there so long bc .. nothing else changed, the suddendly and totally always there sonau buildings are largely in prime condition, only some slightly moldy, and what we see of the glorious past looks barely any different from the present, aside from like ... some standard trees shuffled, no castle yet and that glowy uwu filter DESPITE that stupidly long time frame between it)

[annabawritersdream]

For the Headcanons Game

■ -  Bedroom/house/living quarters headcanon

OC: That One Elf ™

Thank you for the ask!

Bedroom/house/living quarters headcanons and That One Elf.

[I'll name him at some point, but I feel like he'll always be That One Elf in my head].

A little bit of context first.

Though he's very much a Fëanor-wannabe, he only admires Fëanor's smithing skills and actually vehemently despises the person Fëanor is/was. He did not join his kin in Middle-earth to retrieve the Silmarils and thought the whole Oath thing was complete bullcrap and a colossal waste of time. He is a kind, very eccentric person. He's a weird guy, especially compared to other Elves. His home and the way it is decorated is very much in line with his eccentricities.

He owns a palatial home in Tirion—a sort of family estate—which is basically Versailles on a much smaller scale. He's obsessed with gold and diamonds, so there's plenty of that in every room. He loves mirrors because he loves to stare at his beautiful reflection at any given time and his bedroom walls are basically covered in mirrors and self-portraits in various outfits. He has a wig room—I do not know how his obsession with wigs started yet, but he has thousands of them—and he chopped off his hair because he hated the idea of having to comb it and style it every day. He loves wigs because they're more "practical" (his words, not mine). Too bad that he spends hours styling them with ribbons, pearls and diamonds. My dude is obsessed with diamonds. He could easily braid his real hair in half the time he spends styling the wigs but...that's what he enjoys, I suppose.

In addition to the wig room, he also has a smoking room. That's where he stores every kind of plant he can get his hands on and his tobacco stashes. He meets up with Bilbo and the Hobbit introduces him to pipeweed. It's love at first sight for him (or love at first smell, I guess) and he basically creates an indoor greenhouse to grow both athelas and pipeweed. I'm not sure whether pipeweed is native of Valinor, actually. Though I suppose Bilbo and Frodo could have imported some of it from the Shire. It's my new headcanon. And yes, That One Elf does smoke athelas. That's probably why he's the only sane Fëanorian one can have an interesting conversation with. He's very pleasant to be around.

To be honest, if he could he would probably smoke grass as well. It's my headcanon he went to Yavanna quite a few times and straight up asked her if she had some good stuff to share. He'll probably tell Sam and Pippin all about it and Pip will eventually build a shrine in his honor and worship him like the legend he is. They'll be best buddies. It is also my headcanon that Olórin and That One Elf did test one another's knowledge about pipes and had smoke puff battles. Manwë doesn't know by the way. He would probably have a heart attack if he did.

Back to the main topic: he's a collector and adores statues and it's highly possible that he sculpted a few busts of himself he placed both in his yard—it's basically an English garden—and in his study. Self-absorbed much? Maybe just a little.

He loves fountains too so add a couple of those as well. The more stuff, the better. His dining room is basically a Roman triclinium—nope, he doesn't eat at the table like normal people, he's that extra—and his bed is huge. Silk bedsheets and pillows because that's the bare minimum, of course. Velvet curtains and silk everywhere. The kitchen is the most spotless room in his house—did you seriously think the guy could cook? He's as bad as Éowyn, maybe even worse. He also has an entire ballroom to his own, a ballroom full of mirrors. The more mirrors the better. He has two wine cellars but he doesn't really drink Valarin wine. He's stoned out of his mind most of the time, so I guess that makes up for it. His house also has a drawing and music room. He plays the piano and the lute. He's a composer and write his own songs. He usually drinks several pints of ale as he practices the piano and I'm quite certain all the alcohol he consumes kind of affects his singing. Don't tell him though. He is very kind but he has a huge ego. I'm also sure he's a major Bagginshield shipper and cries his eyes out when Bilbo told him his story. He also has a copy of Bilbo's book in his study.

That's all for now, I think. I'll tell you more if I come up with additional deets!

Thank you again for the sending in the ask and I'm sorry that it took me so long to reply!

[irismfrost]

August 12 - Kyoto Guided Tour and Fushimi Inari Shrine

Today I booked a guided tour for 10:30am. This means I had an early day because it takes an hour to get to Kyoto from Osaka, not including the time to buy a ticket or for me to get ready and eat breakfast (I am so glad I pre-bought hotel breakfast). By the end of my journey, I figured out how to use the self serve electronic ticket machine. In my tour, there was a family from New York and their son actually had the same name as my dad and brother, and is the first person I've ever met with his same name. There was also a mother-son duo from Zürich, Switzerland. And our tour guide was Kareem who is from Quebec and has been living in Japan for 5 years. His wife is Japanese and they have a one year old daughter that they're bringing to Canada in November for the first time. It was nice to make friends with everyone and honestly to just have human interaction in a language I know. We started in the bamboo forest and went to the nearby Shinto shrine. Then we went to the former home and garden of a famous Japanese movie star, Denjirō Ōkōchi, called Ōkōchi Sansō. This was his second home and he died one year after building it. It has themes of zen Buddhism, a popular sect of Buddhism here. Here, we stopped for a little break; there was a rest area with tea and some cold drinks. I hadn't tried Calpis yet (they had it in Taiwan) because the name threw my off but they had some here and it was actually delicious. We left the bamboo forest and walked to a zen Buddhist garden called Sogenchi Teien. It was a beautiful Japanese zen garden and is a classic example of a zen garden. These places intentionally make the steps a little rockier to make you walk slower and appreciate the nature around you, which I thought was a cool design technique. Before we broke for lunch, we tried some foods: we had this rice patty thing (which was basically what the outside of mochi is) and I bought some and will need to eat it right when I fly back to Florida because it expires on 8/20. We also tried this sesame chili spice topping (with rice) and I bought some of that too. We broke for lunch and our guide helped me find some vegetarian food and he joined me because by the time I ordered food we only had like 30 mins left for lunch and I told him about Taiwan. It's on his bucket list. We also took a brief stop by this Kimono park thing which had a bunch of poles with the Kimono fabric. Our last stop was a mountain with monkeys. It does not compare to monkey mountain in Taiwan, definitely more commercialized and a fraction of the hike, but it was pretty cool. You get to feed the monkeys through the wire cage and their hands feel like human hands which is a little unsettling but makes sense. There was also this cute little baby monkey and later I saw his mom carrying him around and back to the safety of the mountains away from the people. And that was the end of our tour.

Our guide and some of the other people in our group suggested I should visit Fushimi Inari Shrine - so I did. This is a very famous Shinto shrine and is known for its thousands of torii gates that lead to Mount Inari. The gates are basically sponsors and are an avenue for Kami (the god-like spirits) to enter through (that's why you are supposed to walk on the sides- to give spirits room to walk through the middle). Inari is the Shinto goddess of rice (perceived gender has changed over time, but in ancient times Inari is depicted as female). Today, Inari's domain is more than rice; over time rice was generalized to agriculture which is now just business. You pray to Inari for success in business. I prayed at a few different shrines along the way and I prayed at the top of Mount Inari. I will say taking pictures at religious monuments makes me a little uncomfortable and feels a little wrong. It supposed to be a sacred site and there you are making sure you take a picture of yourself to post - just seems a little disrespectful to the faith I guess is what I'm saying. And honestly, I took some pictures of my experience too and they will probably end up on Instagram so I'm being hypocritical. But I will say, some of these people are taking pictures of themselves with professional cameras in the middle of crowds holding everyone up, some are leaning on the torii, some people wait in the middle of the path for other people to pass them to get a picture. It just feels like the reason they're there is for a picture and not to immerse themselves in a culture. As you got closer to the top, there were less people because there are many opportunities to cut the loop short- it is a long and mountainous loop. And by the time I got back down, all of the tourist shops were closed so I didn't get any trinkets or charms.

This was a HIKE. I was basically doing stairmaster for an hour and a half. I was very dehydrated and even ate my emergency snack and laid down for a second. I had some protein (20g) chocolate milk from the convenience store before and after my visit to the temple and was very hungry so I picked up this bento box at the train station so that I wouldn't have to leave the hotel after I got there. It was so nasty. They didn't have anything vegetarian so I settled for fish and I didn't even eat it. The egg loaf saved me on the protein side. And I had the probiotic drink for dessert. yum. Those probiotic drinks are very popular on this side of the world.

When I flipped on the TV in the hotel today, I found myself on a news channel that was in English, but was for China. Consumers are spending more on services than goods. Consumption is also growing in China overall. Consumption is also less quantity and more quality oriented. I think these are trends that the rest of the world will see as well (at least for large first world countries like the US). When the weather turned on, I noticed that Taiwan was considered a part of China and it just hit me how even though Taiwan is so independent and has so much of its own identity, it still has a conflicting political stance. When I was there, I was in Taiwan, not the Republic of China (imo, for legal reasons).

more pictures in next post

[joeys-piano]

Tagged by @voxofthevoid, who usually tags me in writing games when I feel a sort of way with my writing. It's happened twice so far, not including this time, so I feel something. I hope you don't mind the whiplash because I'm going off of my most recent works, and I've written for 5 different fandoms in the past 6 months.

Soft tagging: @fellshish, @sid3buns, @boinin, @kryptalia, @chenqing9, @heymacareyna

Rules: Post your favourite line or passage from as many of your published works as you’d like. Let yourself feel proud of your creations! Tag as many people as you post snippets, so your fellow fic friends can be proud, too.

To the Marrow, To the Bone | Blue Lock

“Guys like us…” Isagi pauses, and then he swallows. “The only thing that makes it better is to win the game, and prove them wrong.” And to show them, he doesn’t say that but it’s evident at his mouth. Him pressing edges of a broken nail against his lips now to cool the sting, him pulling away as he’s out of bed to feel the world beneath his feet. “And there’s no other option – ”

But that’s not true.

He thinks one of his ribs has shrunken in, like a ball and chain for a smaller heart than the one fighting inside his chest. Because he breathes in—all he smells is a brand new football from a shelf. And it’s on his clothes, on his bed, on his pillow, within the padding, on the heavy lurch of him trying to walk, and irrefutably in his mouth. He can swipe it across his lips. It’s in his organs, blood and bones. It’s the cover box to a thousand puzzles pieced together when he’s on the pitch. Because in Blue Lock, you start in the middle. But in Ichinan you start at the edge, and once the border is in you build the next one as you meander towards the centre.

Where the Book Ends, It’s Hard to Say | OHSHC

And so it goes that every fairytale had a beginning, middle, and end.

The doors had opened; the doors were closed. The guests arrived; the guests were home. The play was had; the play was done. The hosts were princes, and now there were none.

As Fire Tempers Steel, So Too Does The Cloth | Blue Eye Samurai

Safer still was a battered inn, battered safekeep, a single room, about as wide as one tatami if someone lied to you about the length.

Behind the checkpoint to old Kyoto, these sprung up as the shrines do. Twenty steps in—there’s an inn. Upon thirty others—then there’s two. One could pilgrim the forty stations of rickety rooftops above their heads before every stray line turns to one. Old Kyoto, there at the end. If you can manage it: sunken floorboards, nothing softer than your flesh, a row of strangers sent to rooms where even two of you was just too much, and there is no guarantee you’ll survive here after a single meal off the bone, a missing coin or two, someone fights, pray the sutra: and survive the night. Yet safer still was to wake up with a stranger inside your breath, tongue for tongue trying to bite you before they lose you for a ghost; but even easier was to wake up beneath a cedar or its limb.

Buoyancy | Link Click

“I’m taller.”

“So you are.”

“And so are you.”

“I’ve noticed.”

Cheng Xiaoshi narrows his eyes. “We’ll be in and out before it rains.”

“Then after you,” Lu Guang tells him. There’s enough room to move around him. “Hold the umbrella.”

He lets go. But the touch of him still remains: the trace of his outline fades to nothing just as silently as he walks, but still is the warmest spot on his elbow—as far as Xiaoshi would’ve noticed.

Sasaki and Ogasawara Discover Friendship is a Beautiful Thing | Sasaki to Miyano

“So spill it. What are they like?”

“Cute.”

He considers. “Anything else?”

“Oh, the height difference.”

“Just call ’em short, man!”

Sasaki laughs. “That’s weird, huh?”

“Unbelievable…”

“Big wooooooorrrd, ’gasawara.”

“So y’think they’re cute – ”

“I know they’re cute.”

“ – and you’re into shorties.”

“Am I that tall?”

They’re about the same height while sitting down. And who gives a fuck, but he indulges him.

“So you’re Godzilla and have a crush on ’em.” He finishes the chickens without him choking, sparing the soggy ones into a corner for Sasaki to nibble on. “And like ’em so much you don’t wanna hurt ’em.” Between the nibbling, Sasaki nods. “So what else?”

Hostel | Trigun

He is a cruel man, Nicolas, to love the worst of him, Needle Noggin. And to say the worst of him is still as beautiful as this fucked up little world.