#I am kicking my feet in glee I love so much

[pastelaspirations]

HECKS YEEEEESSSS, IT'S R E A L. VISUALIZED. LIKE AN ANGEL DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN, COME TO BLESS ME MORTAL EYES- (Imagine taking a break from Errorink. You sweet, innocent child. That is what I told myself four years ago)

It's exactly how I imagined it. Perfection. Exquisite. Never mind me as I admire this for the next 8 hours. Everyone. Look at this masterpiece. Look at it-

I've got it. Drawing suggestion/request/demand/whatever ya wanna call it, let's goo-

Okay, imagine. It's fall, right. Error and Ink, standing together, in fall clothing, the fall sweaters, scarfs, etc. Sharing a hot cocoa, they've got the two straws in the one beverage. Maybe there are little leaves floating around too, swirling around them in a pretty little dance-

If you don't want to do fall, that's okay. Those winter holidays are coming. Just edit it so they're in holiday sweaters, there's snow floating around, and their little hot cocoa has a candy cane sticking out of it hehe- >:)

I WAS GOING TO TAKE A BREAK FROM ERRORINK FOR A BIT, BUT THEN PASTEL DROPPED THIS IN MY INBOX SO-

(In all seriousness, I am very sorry for completely just skim-reading this and running off to draw the sketch immediately. I completely got the ask wrong so… apologies, my brain selectively remembered certain parts of the ask ;_;)

but anyways! Had a lot of fun coming up with a winter outfit for Ink! Slightly inspired by the rito snow quill outfit in TOTK :D

(Btw art requests are OPEN. Request stuff pls.)

[tiredmamaissy]

Ralak te Sepawn ieyk’itan: Special Episode VI 

Labor of Love - Part II

Masterlist ; Rut/Heat/Knotting Info

🔞 minors, do not interact 🔞

Hyperlinks are attached to specific paragraphs that when clicked on will lead you to its illustration by Ralak's insanely talented creator @zestys-stuff. Thank you so much for allowing me to play around with your characters!

Characters: Metkayina!Ralak (25) x Sully!Omaticaya!Reader (20) featuring Metkayina!Zu’té (29)

Warnings: zero smut, angst angst angst, mention of past trauma, expletives, pregnancy, contractions, heavily described labour, blood, mild physical violence, reader is really going through it, ralak is too but he'll be alright i promise, brother!neteyam makes a star appearance, cute family fluff, let me know if i forgot anything

Word Count: 6.5k

Requested: Yes || No

Author’s Note: Hope you're enjoying your tour in angst town...we're almost finished. You could say we're nearing the final attraction, so continue to keep your seatbelts buckled. lol why am i like this? anyways... please don't hate me for this chapter, and i will try my best to get the next one out quicker so you guys can get some closure lool :)

Synopsis: You didn't plan for things to turn out this way. But no amount of denial can make reality go away...

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And when Ralak sees it, he almost caves in on himself. His mask of indifference—of intimidation, cracks. Hell, it shatters. Into thousands of pieces, scattered at his feet. Tonowari’s previous right hand. The banished.  His karyu.

Time chips by at a torturous pace. You spend the first hour sitting on the beach, eating some fruit whilst watching what your brothers get up to. Neteyam, of course, is bearing most of the responsibility whilst Lo’ak and Tuk are taking a more easy approach to the day. Mom and dad made sure to leave them with a list of things to get done whilst they’re away—number one being to keep an eye on their sisters. 

Number one, check. 

All that floods your mind is your mate and if he’s okay. You try to process everything he’s said but it’s all too much to wrap your head around. All too new. Your brothers aren’t much help either, as they claim to be ‘out the loop’ as much as you are. You know it's bullshit, and probably just another thing that they’ve been ordered to keep from you so as not to ‘stress you out’. 

Regardless, it’s all you can think about. 

Until you feel your son do a flip in your womb, big enough to make you gasp. Your hands immediately fly to your belly, feeling around to gauge his position. A pressure begins to grow against your bladder. One so intense it presses into your tailbone too. The pads of your fingers sink into the skin, tapping around as you make out a leg, then a knee. A hand to the left. 

Is he…head down? You think to yourself. 

“Everything alright?” Neteyam asks, concern wrinkling his forehead.  

“Hm?” You look up, seeing the outline of his silhouette in front of the sun. 

“You okay? You’re…you look a little—”

“Oh, yeah. Everything’s fine. He’s moving a lot today.” You smile, catching Tuk excitedly running over in the corner of your eye. 

“Really? Can I feel? Please?” She squeals excitedly, falling to her knees in the sand next to you. 

“Of course, Tuk.” You smile, and place her hand on top of your stomach, right where his foot is. Only a few seconds pass by until your son gives Tuk a strong kick, making her mouth open with glee. 

“Wow! Tey, you gotta feel this!” Tuk exclaims, tugging your brother by the hand so he’s next to you too. Neteyam looks at you, unsure if you’re okay with it. You nod with a gentle smile, tugging his hand over to the other side of your stomach. His hand hovers as he hesitates for a moment, this is his first time feeling his nephew move. He gives you a final look, and gently rests his hand on your belly

A few moments pass and nothing. 

“Aww, he stopped moving.” Tuk sighs with a pout. 

“Patience, Tuk.” You whisper, feeling him kick on cue. Her face lights up with a beaming smile and Neteyam seems to be in awe with wide eyes and slightly parted lips. 

“Woah, y/n. Your tummy’s getting hard.” Tuk says innocently, looking at her brother to see if he feels it too. 

“Hm?” You hum, feeling a bit spaced out and achy.   

“It is.” Neteyam lets go and keeps his hands to himself, feeling like he’s invading your personal space. A heat floods your back, and you feel your thighs spasm. You begin to groan, holding your breath until the strange feeling subsides. “Hey. You okay?” 

You nod, finally release your breath, and hear Tuk’s excited voice. “It’s all soft now!” 

“All good.” You smile, but Neteyam doesn’t seem convinced at all. “Ronal says they are normal. They aren’t the real thing. Mom had them with Tuk, remember?” 

Neteyams' features soften as he nods, prying his little sister's hands off of you. “Ease up now, Tuk.” 

“Sorry, sis.” She says quietly, ears laying flat to her head. 

“Nothing to be sorry about.” You say as you roll to your side to get up, shamelessly using Neteyam to gain some momentum. “Think it’s time for me to take a walk, though.” 

“Yes, sure. Where are we going?” Neteyam asks, ready to accompany you anywhere.

“I’m going down to the rocks.” You emphasise on the first word, making it clear you need some alone time after being babysat all day. “I think Lo’ak needs some help with the net.”

Neteyam and Tuk look over to see their brother struggling with a tangled fishing net, and turn back to see that you’re already waddling down the beach. 

——

Suddenly, Ralak’s back inside of his family marui pod on his iknimaya night. Trapped. Small. Powerless. Cornered by a person he once looked up to. A person he trusted. Manipulated by her heat— her pheromones. A crime punishable by banishment. Forced to give, forced to receive. A betrayal he’ll never forget. A face he swore to himself that he would never see again. 

No wonder they ‘demanded’ his presence.

Tonowari and Ronal lose their colour when their eyes land on her. It’s been so many years. They quickly look over to Ralak, who is seemingly falling to pieces where he stands. The expression on his face is no short of pure shock and… terror. Truthfully, the last time they’d seen such an expression on his face was the deaths of his parents and spirit brother. Jake and Neytiri aren’t aware of what’s going on, but they know it must be serious for Ralak to be so…expressive. 

They can even see his shoulders heave from how hard he’s breathing, and how his face of terror quickly morphs into something of fury. Tonowari notices the way he tightens his grip on his weapon, and his eyes as they gloss over red with rage. It takes a lot to make this man blind with anger. Tonowari knows if he doesn't step in now that this could turn sour in the blink of an eye. 

——

Two.

Releasing a shaky exhale, you begin your walk back to your siblings. That was the second ‘practice’ contraction you’ve had since starting your walk, and your third since coming here with your brothers. Your waddle is becoming more sluggish with each step and the fire in your back is beginning to burn hotter rather than fade out. 

“Not now, little one.” You whisper as you caress your bump. “…please.” 

Weariness sets in as you make it halfway back, making you perch on your knees to take a break. The fire spreads from your back to your thighs, and up your stomach. You brace yourself for the tight feeling, holding your breath in the base of your chest. You grumble a little, swaying side to side until it passes, which thankfully doesn’t take more than a few seconds. 

Three.

Finally making it back to the beach, you see Neteyam and Lo’ak hauling a few sacks on their backs, with Tuk skipping behind them. You overhear Lo’ak trying to convince Neteyam to let him be with the other warriors, and Neteyam reminding him of your parents orders. They stop mid sentence when they hear your heavy, muffled footsteps, taking one look at you and knowing that something isn’t right. Lo’ak in particular, to your surprise. 

“Damn. You look exhausted.” Lo’ak says, earning a jab in the rib by Neteyams elbow. “What? She looks like she’s about to pass out.” 

“You can’t say that to a pregnant woman, skxawng [idiot].” Neteyam hisses.

“It’s fine. He’s not wrong.” You say, tail dragging low and heavy behind you. Ralak still clouds your mind, and you’re eager to know if he’s back yet. “I want to go home now. I really need to lie down.” 

Neteyam just nods, understanding that something deeper is going on. “I will take you.” 

“I got it, bro.” Lo��ak interjects, plunking the sack off his back and onto the ground.  

“Stay with Tuk.” Neteyam orders, clicking for his skimwing. 

“Why don’t you stay with Tuk?” Lo’ak snaps back. 

“Guys. Please?” You sigh, waddling towards the winged beast, throwing a leg over its tough back. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Come ‘teyam.” Neteyam smirks, making the bond with the beast and mounting it in one swift move. 

As you arrive at your marui, you see Zu’té at the outside fire pit, concentrating on not burning yet another type of meat-on-a-stick. Hearing your arrival, Zu’té turns and acknowledges your presence. He puts down the sizzling meat on a leaf, allowing the fire to continue to burn as he begins to make his way over to collect you. Neteyam and him exchange glances and silent greetings, and suddenly the air is thick. 

“Right…I’m going up. Thank you, tey. See you.” You say out of breath, giving him a quick hug.

“Let me—” Neteyam begins.

“No, I’m okay.” You cut off your brother, hualing yourself off the tsurak. 

“Right. Kìyevame [see you again soon]. If you need me, send your watchdog.” He speaks clearly, holding you by the wrist to steady you as you get off. 

“I will, tey.” You chuckle lightly and make your way to the marui. Neteyam waits patiently, making sure you get in safely. 

Zu’té is only half way there when you reach the bottom step, already offering his arm for the stairs. You sigh and shake your head, hurriedly climbing the stairs as fast as your swollen ankles will allow it. For some reason, his gesture really annoys you. Your mood is off and you feel queasy and achy—like your entire body is throbbing. 

All you want is for everyone around you to stop babying you, and let you be alone for the rest of the day. 

“I got it.” Your voice strains as you wobble ahead, leaving Zu’té and your brother behind. Neteyam remains silent for some time, locking eyes with Zu’té. 

‘Keep a close eye.’ Neteyam signs with disquiet wrinkling his forehead. Zu’té gives him a puzzled look at first, but slowly nods when he successfully deciphers the message. Neteyam nods as well and dives underwater. 

By the time Zu’té gets to the bottom step, you’re already at the top, clutching onto the railing as you lean forward in pain. You couldn’t even make it into the pod without another hitting you so soon. You take a few deep breaths rather than holding it in, waiting until the tight feeling subsides. 

Four.

Zu’té darts up the stairs to your side, offering a hand in support only to be swatted away. “What is it?”

“It is nothing.” You catch your breath and insist that it was nothing—because it was nothing, right?

His brows furrow in disbelief, a look of concern washing over his face. Zu’té allows his eyes to fall to your bulging, veiny belly for the first time, taking in the sight. “You were in pain.”

“I’m fine.” You’re short with him, stony eyes staring into his.

“Someone once told me no good comes from pretending that things don’t hurt.” 

“Well nothing’s happening until my husband is back. Okay?” You try to remain nonchalant, to believe your own words. 

He simply stares down at you for a bit, analysing your facial expression. Despite your stone cold facade, he can easily  see the fear etched into your features. Fear that this baby may come before Ralaks return and that if you allow yourself to accept reality, then it may really come true. He glances down at your hand still stuck to the side of your stomach and swallows, looking back up to you. 

“Understood.” 

“Right. Now...” You huff, contemplating if you should say what you want to say. You feel like telling him to back off—to give you some space. But he’s obviously just making sure you’re okay. “...I need to lie down. Just, keep an eye out for—” 

“My brother? Sure. Rest well.” 

——

“Ay’ana.” 

The Olo’eyktan lets out a lengthy growl, earning a look from the traitor herself. 

“Waari.” She sings with a grin, shifting her leer to his mate behind him. “Ronal.” Her eyes fall to her swollen belly, “You are expecting…again.” 

It wasn’t a, ‘congratulations’ either, no. But rather a ‘I see that you are the most vulnerable.’

Ronal scowls, hissing through her teeth. Tonowari steps in front of his mate, blocking her from Ay’ana’s view. 

It was one thing to commit kawngkem [a crime; evil deed] and be banished for it, but it’s another to seek uturu with the enemy. She is no longer considered to be among the ‘banished’, but is now the ‘enemy’. 

Ay’ana looks behind Tonowari, not at Ronal, but at the two deeper skinned, slender na’vis. She scoffs, the corner of her mouth pulling into an evil smirk, revealing her sharpened teeth. Tonowaris eyes widen when he sees that she’s completely adapted to this vile peoples’ ways by putting a file to her teeth. Her eyes flick past them to the last person, the most important. 

“Ralak.” She slowly moans his name as she peers up at him with sultry eyes, allowing her tongue to glaze over her canines. “Such a pleasure.” Ralak winces, chest heaving violently as it fills with repulsion and loathing. “Ah. I remember you being quiet, but not this quiet. Nothing to say to your karyu?”

——

A couple hours have passed and the pain is enough to disrupt your rest. The sunlight dulls with each passing minute, casting a familiar orange hue into the marui. It comes in waves, rippling through you like a bolt of lightning striking the tallest tree in the forest. Making it hard to tell yourself that things are okay—making it hard to keep things quiet. 

“Agh!” You groan suddenly, feeling another jolt of electricity shoot up your spine. It stops you in your tracks, the tracks you’ve been burning into the floor with your constant, nervous pacing. You quiet down into a whisper, “...please wait for your sempu [daddy], my child.” 

“You—uhm.” You hear Zu’té clear his throat at the door, projecting his voice so that you can hear him through the curtain, “You alright in there?”

“Mmn—yes! Fine.” You grate out, making your way back to the bed to lie down. Your feet are so sore.

“Hungry?” He asks, food in hand in the case you were. 

“‘m not.” You try to speak up, but you’re still in the height of the contraction. 

He grits his teeth, leaning into the frame of the marui door. “I didn’t burn it this time.” 

You wish you could laugh, but you can’t even muster up the strength to raise your voice.

Zu’té lingers at the door quietly, knowing plain as day that you weren’t okay. “...what about water?” 

“No...I’ve got.” You say at a normal volume, finally released from the constraints of your pain. 

You begin closing your eyes in hopes that sleep may find you, even if it's just for a few minutes. Zu’té remains at the door for a moment longer, feeling so helpless and useless. He sinks back to the floor, putting down the meat and picking up a new, special piece to weave. 

Weaving passed the time, distracting him from the tiny sounds that managed to escape your mouth. 

Until night fell, and those tiny sounds morphed into deep, lengthy groans and high pitched wails. 

——

“Let us begin.” Tonowari speaks over Ay’ana, averting all attention back to their leader, another female that goes by the name of ‘Varang’. 

She’s almost grey in colour, embellished with a red headpiece that resembles something of an ikrans wings. Her eyes narrow as she looks straight at Tonowari, standing close to his height. 

“Let us.” She hisses with a smile, leading Tonowari to a smaller, private room sectioned by a leather curtain. She motions to Ay’ana to accompany her, leaving the rest of her men to stay with the others. Tonowari lets out a soft grunt, and grits his teeth. He knows he must choose, but his mate is heavy with child and Jake has no interest in leaving his mate in such a place alone. Therefore, he must choose his right hand—Ralak. He motions with a quick tilt of his head, prompting Ralak to clutch his weapon close to his chest and follow closely behind. 

——

“Y/n.” Zu’té’s at the curtain again, half considering to pull it back and come in on his own terms. But he would never invade your privacy like that. And by the sounds of it, things are picking up. “Do you need the healer?”

“No!” You shout out of breath, wobbling to the door with a hand clutching your stomach. You lean all your weight against the wall, knowing he’s on the other side waiting. “No healer.” 

You’re drenched in sweat, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. He hears your back slide against the surface, and he mirrors your movements, sitting on the floor too. Only a wall sits between your backs, separating you two. 

“You’re in labour.” Zu’té speaks, his poor attempt at urging you to face reality.

You know that. Of course you know that. But you don’t want it to be true—you didn’t expect it to happen this way—you didnt want it to happen this way. You take a few deep breaths, concentrating on breathing through the remainder of this horrible feeling. And when it’s finally over, you rest your head against the wall and close your eyes—leaving silence to fill the air. 

Where are you, Ralak? 

——

The room is much smaller than the one they were in, equipped with some sort of table or workbench with a few spears and bows mounted on the wall. Ralak stands quietly behind Tonowari, as does Ay’ana to Varang. 

As they negotiate the terms of the treaty, Ay’ana keeps her eyes locked onto Ralak with a smug look on her face. Her hungry eyes wander, shamelessly taking in every inch of the man before her, surprised by how much he has changed. He’s much bigger, more filled out in his warrior attire. His muscles—more defined, thicker. His skin—calloused and scarred. Inked, unlike before.

And as her eyes trail down the line between his abs they lay upon the six stripes that peak out over the band of his loincloth. Her eyes widen and glisten with greed before darting back up to his face, meeting his eyes that bore into her fearlessly. 

What’s worse is that she can see that his mind is elsewhere. 

That his mind runs on you. You’re all he’s been thinking about since he stepped off the reef. He feels deep in his heart that something isn’t right back home. That you need him. That perhaps, you’re calling for him right now, swollen and heavy with his child. 

And it bothers her. 

“It is decided, then.” Tonowari speaks in a confident tone.

“Yes, it is.” Varang’s smile is uncanny as she unsheaths a small, double edged knife from her hip. 

She grabs Tonowari by the hand, placing the blade in the middle of his palm, and closes his fingers around it. She rips it from his hand, drawing blood, and then hands Tonowari the knife and gives him her hand. He returns the unsettling act, slitting her palm. She keeps a smile on her face, locking hands with him until their blood combines and drips to their feet. 

Supposedly, it is a method of establishing some level of trust between the two. Where each has the ability to do much greater harm, but makes the deliberate choice not to. Then, when blood has been drawn, it is mixed by bringing the hands together, sealing the treaty. 

“Bound by blood.” Varang whispers, letting go of his hand to bring hers to her mouth for a taste. 

She sighs and smiles, popping a thumb in her mouth before gesturing to him that they leave. Tonowari fights the flinch on his face, disturbed by her behaviour. Ay’ana stays back, watching the two leaders exit the room. But as Ralak is about to leave behind Tonowari, Ay’ana calls for him. 

——

Another couple agonising hours pass, and you’re constantly changing positions in hopes of finding some relief. Desperation sets in, making you beg the great mother herself to guide you through this. To bring your mate back home. But there’s still no sign of his return. The night dew settles on all the surfaces around you. Pacing no longer helps, leaving you to take refuge in your bed, panting and shivering. 

No matter how much you twist and turn, your stomach only tightens more. Deep groans rip past your lips to cope with the feeling—the pain shooting through your core. Beads of sweat roll off your body at an alarming rate, soaking the sheets on your bed. You feel him move further down, his head now sitting plush in your pelvis, creating an immense pressure that’s almost unbearable. His feet press into your ribs, and with each strained breath you begin to yearn for your mate more and more. For his comforting touch. For the bond.  

“Ralak…” 

——

“Ralak.” She sings, making him stop dead in his tracks. “A word.” 

His ears tuck back and he looks at Tonowari, who gives him a begrudged nod. Ralak sighs and turns around, fixing his mask of indifference tightly to his face. He remains silent, his hand practically bonded to his spear. 

“Still tight lipped, hm? Come now, tak. That is no way to treat your karyu.” She speaks in a condescending tone, approaching him warily. 

Ralak nearly takes the bait, a heat growing in his chest so hot it makes his jaw tense. How dare she call herself that? To taint such a word? He swallows, taking a single, deep breath to recenter himself as he looks away from her. 

“I have to admit.” She steps towards him, the crown of her head meeting the bow of his shoulder. “You have grown into a fine man. You are taller than me now.”  

Ralak just looks down at her, still as stone, his mind consumed with the fact that he could be on his way home to you but this…vile creature is keeping him away. But he will do what he needs to keep you safe, even if it means to tolerate this for the time being. 

With no reaction, Ay’ana grows frustrated and begins circling him, a single finger tracing around his body. 

“You know…My body still yearns for you.” She speaks with a sultry voice, stopping at his side and bringing herself to the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear, “...especially when I’m in heat.”

For a second, Ralak succumbs to her tactics, the ones she used to use on him years ago. A memory, forcibly resurfaced, reminding him of the way she whispered in his ear on that night. It makes him feel so small. Impotent. But only for a second. Ralak recoils, stepping back to create distance between them. He towers over her, dwarfing this small, lanky woman, regaining his confidence and power. 

“Is that all?” He growls, looking her dead in the eye—facing his past with no fear. 

Facing the reason why he lived in a bottle before he met you. You. You. He can feel you. He can feel you yearn for him and he’s ready to come home to you. For this to be over. 

He’s too focused on you to even notice Ay’ana’s face of shock. Shock to know that she’s been releasing her pheromones this entire time and he’s been completely oblivious to them. Which only means one thing. 

“You’re mated.” She gasps. 

And he’s back. 

Staring at a mirror now that he is, too, in a state of shock. Ralak’s heart leaps out his chest, beating so hard that Ay’ana can hear it. How could she know that? He watches as a grin spreads across her face, ear to ear. She knows she’s got him now, despite the jealousy bubbling inside her. She could use this to her advantage—it didn’t matter to her that he’s called for, after all. 

“Using tsaheylu for such useless things.” She bellows a wicked laugh, which fades out when she sees an even more serious look on his face. A look that tells her he’s trying to mask something more, something deeper. “Oh? Is there more to it?” The twitch of his brows and quick flare to his nostrils reveals the truth. “I have to know. What is it, hm?” She nears him once more, two fingers walking up his chest. “Come now, you were never this hard to read.” 

Ralak remains silent, focusing on slowing his heart rate. 

“Is she ill?” She asks as she searches his eyes, fingers grazing across his quivering jawbone. “No, no. It’s not that.” She sighs, stepping closer and closer until his back hits the wall. He moves his head away from her touch, still looking her in the eye—refusing to be the first to break eye contact. Her eyes light up and her ears stand tall.

“She carries your child, doesn’t she?” Her eyes gloss over green with envy. “Pregnant.”

Ralak swallows his spit, the lump in the column of his throat quickly undulating. 

“There it is. I knew you would make strong babies.” Her hand slips down his chest, slithering over his abs and down to the twine of his loincloth, causing him to jolt. “Ralak.” She moans his name slowly, “Oh, Ralak. The last I see of you, you were barely covered in this vile ink with no one at your side…and now you are mated and a father to be.” Her fingers tickle the raised skin on his most intimate tattoo. “I have always longed to be bred by you.” Her fingers attempt to burrow themselves under the band of his loincloth.

“Enough.” He lets out a deep growl, shoving her away, dropping his weapon in doing so. She loses and quickly regains her balance in a few seconds, throwing herself on him. He grabs her by the wrists, restraining her with ease so that she can’t come any closer to him. 

“Perhaps we need to renegotiate the terms so that you are a part of them, yes?” Her voice is full of desperation, trembling as she strains against him. “How does that sound numeyu? You know we have a population problem, right? We could all use you.”

“I have no interest in being your stud.” Ralak spits, forcefully shoving her away, causing her to stumble back and for her head to hit the table. 

He moves quickly, picking up his spear off the ground and heading for the door. She lunges at him, dagger unsheathed from her hip and armed in her hand, whilst her other arm snakes around his throat to pull him onto the ground. 

During the struggle, Ralak drags her off his back, resulting in a nasty gash from his collarbone and down his shoulder blade. He hisses from the burn, instantly assuming an offensive stance to plunge his spear through. Ay’ana returns the hiss, crouching with her bloodied dagger ready to strike.  

“I will kill you.” Ralak threatens, nearing the pointed tip closer and closer to her chest. “And I will take great joy in doing so.”  

“Is that right?” Ay’ana hisses, tail wagging in excitement with unsettling smile spread across her face. She looks as if she’s toying with him. As if she’s playing a game and she’s winning. “Let me have a taste of you.” 

“Nìtam! [Enough!]” Tonowari roars as he yanks back the curtain, instantly averting Ay’ana’s attention to him. Perhaps it was her roots calling her to respond to her true leader. Varang appears beside him with a scowl stained on her face, displeased with her subordinate. One more move and the treaty would’ve already been broken. 

“Easy, Tak.” Tonowari murmurs, and Ralak relaxes into position next to him, blood trickling down his chest and back. 

“Come with me.” Varang snarls at Ay’ana, seizing her by the queue.

“Night has fallen. We will take our leave.” Tonowari speaks roughly, trying his hardest to contain his anger as he rests a careful hand resting on Ralak—leading him out the room.

“In another ten years, Olo’eyktan.”

Tonowari grunts as he and the rest push past the swarming ash people. As soon as they’re far enough, he stops Ralak and has Ronal safely look at his wound. It’s weeping and open, prone to a nasty infection if not dressed immediately. She unclasps her medicine pouch from her hip, and retrieves a small bottle of iridescent liquid, a viscous concoction of herbs, and a needle and thread.

“Come, son.” Tonowari speaks softly, ripping the cork from the small bottle with his back teeth and spitting it on the ground. “That vonvä’.”

Ralak sits on the nearest rock, elbows propped on his knees and head hung low to hide his face. Jake and Neytiri observe in silence, cringing as Tonowari douses the gash with the liquid as Ronal prepares the needle and thread. 

Ralak groans, biting down tooth on tooth. 

Tonowari leaves a little left in the bottle, offering it to Ralak who is visibly trying to keep it together. He plucks the bottle from Tonowari’s hand and knocks it back, puffing out a sigh. 

“Keep still.” Ronal orders, driving the wooden needle through his skin. 

Ralak grumbles, letting his head hang between his knees and his hair fall forward. At this point Neytiri looks away, but Jake can’t. His eyes are plastered to the scene unfolding before him as he recognizes his son-in-law’s strength and perseverance. 

“That should hold until we are back.” She declares, gathering her supplies and stuffing them back into her pouch. 

“Irayo [thank you], Ronal.”

“You’re strong, boy.” Jake mumbles, patting Ralaks back as he gets up. “Anyone care to explain what the hell happened back there?” 

Ralak just shakes his head, leaving Tonowari to speak for him. “I will explain on the way back. You all have someone waiting for you.”

Ralak’s ears spring up at the thought of you, giving him a burst of energy to spring to his feet, gather his gear and lead the trek himself. The women walk behind him, concerned about his wound. Tonowari and Jake are left at the back, sharing a look before they begin their journey. 

——

“Fuck. Fuck.” You pant, looking down at your trembling hands that sink into the bed through double vision. You sway from side to side, trying to take steady, deep breaths, but the pressure between your legs is starting to make you panic. The possibility that you may have to do this alone is quickly becoming a reality. 

Zu’té is the one doing the pacing now, unable to sit still in his spot for much longer. He has long abandoned his woven pieces, burning lines into the patio floor as he walks back and forth outside—conflicted on his next move. 

He doesn’t want to go against your wishes and call a healer without you requesting it. But he must keep his word to Ralak—to keep you safe—which means calling for a healer. He chews on the toughened skin on his thumb, listening to your continuous whimpers and whines. By the sounds of it, you’re in active labour now, ready to give birth at any moment. 

——

A few hours have passed since they started the trek back home. Everyone has fallen into new positions that work for them. Ralak, eager to be at his pregnant mate’s side, leads the pack, clearing the path for the others. Jake and Neytiri stay not too far behind him, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings. Tonowari and Ronal are far at the back, linked together as she trudges on despite her extreme weariness.

“Let us take another break.” Tonowari speaks quietly to his mate, hand on her stomach. They share a look, speaking to one another with their eyes. She doesn’t want to hold up the group much more than she already has. 

“No. We are almost there—ugh!” Ronal lets out a sudden groan, clutching her stomach as she doubles over. 

Everyone stops dead in their tracks, turning around with wide eyes. Tonowari supports her, and carefully walks her over to a nearby fallen log, lowering her down onto it. She takes a few deep breaths as Neytiri and Jake rush over to her. 

“Is it time?” Neytiri asks, crouching down next to her. Ronal nods once, completely in tune with her body and aware of exactly what’s happening.

Which is why she insisted they continue, or else she won’t make it back in time. Ralak watches at a distance, his face contorting with sheer worry. No, borderline distress. He looks almost mortified, but not for the reasons that one may think. They all know why, it's obvious. If Ronal is in labour,

…that means you probably are too.  

“Go ahead.” Ronal pants, beads beginning to form at her temple. 

But Ralak doesn’t move. He can’t move. He’s at conflict with himself. An internal battle of knowing that he should stay and help, even though he really wants to go—needs to go. 

“We got it, son. Go to her.” Jake huffs as he helps Tonowari lift Ronal to carry her. “Go on!” He shouts, prompting Ralak to look to his father figure for approval, to which he meets him with a quick nod before averting his attention back to his labouring mate. And with Neytiri’s soft smile of reassurance, Ralak takes a few steps back before turning his heel and booking it home. 

——

“Haah…holy fuck—holy fuck.” You moan, feeling another contraction start up and the pressure between your legs intensify. 

This one has you on your hands and knees, clutching the bed head so hard your nails dig into the wood. It’s undeniable now. This baby is coming whether you like it or not. And as the contraction reaches its peak, you scream. 

“Zu’té!” It pains you to cry out for his name and not your mates. Hearing your call—your permission to enter—he finally bursts through the door and rushes to your side. 

“I’m here, I’m here.” He’s out of breath and on edge.

“I think—oh god—I think the baby’s coming!” You cry out, swooping your hand between your legs to try and feel what’s happening. 

“Shit. Like now? Like right now?” Zu’té panics as he watches you, hands hovering around you, unsure of what to do. 

“I d-don’t know! I—I don’t—I want Ralak! Fuck, fuck. I want lak!” You cry out in sheer agony. “I want my mate. I-I need him!” 

“Y/n. Eywa.” Desperation is potent in his voice now. 

The fact that you’re calling out for his brother means the time has come and he feels like a fool to have let this get this far without stepping in. He swallows and takes a breath to calm down, just as your contraction ends and leaves you sobbing on your knees. 

“I’m getting the healer.” He says firmly, turning his heel to leave but you grab his wrist before he can walk away. 

“No! Don’t leave…Please don’t leave me alone.” You beg, fear glossing over your eyes until it spills onto your cheeks once more. He looks at you with furrowed brows, lamenting for you. Now he’s really conflicted, because this means…it’s him or no one. 

“Ah, shit. Shit. Uhm.” He rakes his fingers through his scalp, thinking about his next move. He’s seriously considering going regardless, able to see the situation for what it is.

“Please, Zu’té.” You plead weakly, slowly lowering yourself onto your behind and off your knees, leaning back into the bedhead. 

“Okay, okay.” He nods and you let go of his wrist, immediately using your hand to support your stomach. You let your eyes close, they’re swollen and heavy. “Uh–right, right.” 

For some reason he can’t stop repeating himself twice. Perhaps it’s his way of keeping grounded. He heads straight for the bucket of water and rag to bring it over to you. He dips the rag into the water, and wrings it out. You barely open your eyes at the sound of the bucket making contact with the floor, and see that he’s nearing you with a damp cloth and raised brows. He’s waiting for your go ahead. 

“Yes.” Your voice is hoarse and trembling. 

Zu’té begins to wipe away the sweat that’s dripping in your eyes, your forehead, neck and chest. Dipping the rag back into the water, he wrings it out once more and wipes down your shoulders and arms. You can’t help but sit there and close your eyes, allowing him to do it all, exhausted.

Feeling something press against your lips, you open your eyes in a daze. Zu’té holds a cup of water to your mouth, and you drink ardently, gasping for air and closing your eyes when it’s emptied. Sleep calls to you, taking you as you barely manage to mutter out a weak, “...thank you.” 

Zu’té calculates another five minutes before your next contraction, giving him enough time to fetch a fresh pail of water—something absolutely necessary for the birth. He leaves you sat up against the bedhead, rag on your forehead as you sleep. But not even three minutes go by before he hears your languid moan. 

Abandoning the bucket, he rushes back into the marui, finding you standing and holding onto the marui stilt with one hand as the other tugs at the strap of your top. Seeing you try to undress has him stopping in his tracks and turning his head to look away. 

“Y/n—”

“Ughhaa—” You grunt, untethering the knot of your top. Your body is trying to get comfortable for the birth of your son now, and these pieces of cloth feel suffocating. “Get out!”

With that, Zu’té turns and retreats back to the patio, hands on his head as he begins to make his plan. If he flew on his skimwing, he could make it to the village and back with a healer in about ten minutes. But would that be enough time? What if you didn’t have ten minutes? Your pained groan turns into a howl and it makes his ears twitch. 

By the sound of that, you might not even have five minutes. 

“Come on, baby brother. Don’t make me do this. Please. Don’t make me go back in there. Oh shit—I’m going to have to go back in there, aren’t I? Eywa. Eywa. Okay—It’s okay. I can do this. Childbirth. It’s just childbirth. Right? Right.” 

Zu’té tries to convince himself that he’s capable of this despite this not being what he signed up for. 

“Okay, Toto. Just do it. Go in there.” Zu’té sounds breathless as he speaks to himself, turning around to face the door. He hears your whimper and his jaw tightens. “Shit. Okay. Right.”

Just as he raises his hand to pull back the curtain, he hears a winded voice. 

“Brother.”

[gnawing-suspicion]

Favorite Hannigram Fics of 2024

So! I’ve been thinking about making this list for weeks but it overwhelmed me — I started reading Hannigram fic this year and have consumed millions of words of it. I began without an ao3 account so many of the ones I started with are lost to the aether, but here are the absolute gems, the ones I can’t stop thinking about. Some are popular, others less known.

My tastes might not be yours, but I am drawn to excellent writing, slow burns, power dynamics and a healthy dose of twisted kink. So! ONWARD!

Note: The Shape of Me Will Always be You and Consenting to Dream are a given.

Blackbird by @emungere - “Shortly after Will kills Garret Jacob Hobbs, he and Hannibal stumble into a D/s relationship. It's a relief to have Hannibal telling him what to do, but the closer they become, the closer he gets to realizing who and what Hannibal really is.”

I love D/s Hannigram and this was exquisite. Everything by emungere is, of course, but this is my favorite.

Bram Stoker’s HANNIBAL by @dbmars - “Hannibal + Bram Stoker's Dracula + the classic novel = a new version of the seductive vampire legend.”

A love letter to both the 90s film and the original work. This is the longest fic I read this year and it consumed me for weeks. It’s gorgeous, sexy, beautifully-written and every casting choice made me kick my feet with glee.

Secretary by FragileTeacup and ThisIsMyDesignHannibal - “Will Graham needs a job. Since quitting the FBI, he’s been adrift for months, broken and lost; chasing a desire he doesn’t understand in increasingly destructive ways. What he needs is stability, direction, something to help put his life back in order and quiet the buzzing in his head.”

Secretary is one of my favorite films ever, and this take on it had me foaming at the mouth. It’s so good. SO GOOD.

Hinterland by @pastelwell - “When they crash into the water he believes it’s over. He followed his final impulse to do the right thing by his friends, his family, the world. The last flutters of morality within him had guided him, even as he looked into the eyes of a murderer who had somehow compelled his fall from grace. Here, in the frigid deep waters, their chapter is closed and their story is concluded. Except it isn’t. This is just the beginning.”

A divine post-fall fic of rehabilitation, angst, longing and some of the hottest smut imaginable. I love a post-fall fic and this is top-tier!!

With skin intact and altered souls by romanticallyinept - Will snorts his laughter, shifting to tuck his hands under his arms. “Come on,” he says, turning his head to look over at Hannibal. “The chances of two serial killers being in one car would be astronomical.”

They’re both serial killers!!! What are the odds!! This one is so fun, so fucked, so hot. Really great dialogue.

Our Shadows, That are Bold, Sing by @highermagic - “The monster under Will's bed calls himself Hannibal. He has lived there since Will was old enough to have a bed. He is very smart, and Will likes him very much. He protects Will's dreams, wakes him when he has nightmares. He embraces Will with shadows that black out the morning light when dawn comes, and sings soft songs that Will doesn't know.”

Listen, I read basically every one of HigherMagic’s fics this year. They’re all, every one of them, incredible. This one really got me, though. Monster Hannibal is my husband now.

patroclus in furs by bleakmidwinter - “Will Graham has been acting in heterosexual porn for years but is fired when his manager encourages him to take a higher-paying job for a homosexual centric porn company. There, he finds his expectations turned upside down.”

This is obviously ABSURD but oh my god, did I love it. Will Graham having a sexual identity crisis with notoriously sadistic porn god Hannibal is like candy to me. 10/10.

Cuisine Euphonique by thecountessolivia - “Nightmares brought on by a gruesome case lead Will to some unorthodox therapy in the form of a YouTube cooking channel.”

Will gets obsessed with Hannibal’s secret ASMR channel. Incredible phone sex is the natural conclusion. The descriptions of sound in this are viscerally gorgeous.

Funeral of Flowers by thecountessolivia - “Venice, 1870. The heart of winter. The once great city republic is on its knees. The banned institution of Carnevale lives on discreetly in the masked balls that light up the grand palazzi of the rich and the well-born.”

Hannigram at Carnevale. Sumptuous, longing, decadently described historical AU. Loved this to death.

Black Rock Mountain by bokunojinsei - “Will is a hitchhiker with questionable hobbies. Hannibal is a man who has questionable motives. When Hannibal drives by Will who just so happens to need a ride, things quickly take a turn from the questionable to the downright depraved.”

An even smuttier They’re Both Serial Killers fic that had me howling in the streets. You want bloody horny Hannigram? This is elite!!

To Fuel Your Radiance by GoldenUsagi - “AU where Will is the actual Devil. After Hannibal sells his soul, a fascination begins to develop between them. Will is intrigued by the unique monster Hannibal is, while Hannibal thinks Will is the most magnificent thing he's ever encountered. As their conversations continue, their involvement with each other becomes something else entirely.”

I’m not gonna lie, I think this was my favorite fic I read this year. Will as The Devil is so hot I screamed. There’s a scene at the end that is so fucked I lost my mind. Not even close to safe or sane. A masterpiece.

The Night Owl by sourweather - “Will works the graveyard shift at his University's 24 hour Library. There's another student who only comes in to study in the dead of night. Will can't explain why, but something about that boy has caught his attention.”

College AU! COLLEGE AU! Featuring some great Beverly fun.

An Ounce of Wit by winddragon - “AKA a modern magical AU where the entire point is to turn Will Graham into a catboy.”

The infamous Will is a Catboy fic that is somehow SO good. I had to be convinced to read this but I’m so glad I did. It’s an absolute delight, and the dark magic is so cool?! Goofy, yes, but delicious.

old-fashioned divinity candy by antiheroblake - “the relationship between old money, med student hannibal lecter and his newly rich sugar daddy, will graham”

An ongoing WIP that has me hooked by the throat. If you like the boys being absolutely stupid for each other and also absolutely stupid about it, you’ll eat this up. Young Hannibal is such an idiot. I love him.

in the gruesome do we trust by sidnihoudini - “Hannibal and Will have murder husbands mind palace sex, and Alana watches obsessively.”

I mean, it does what it says on the box. It does it SO WELL. Honk honk and, if I may add, awoooga.

show me where it hurts (I’ll lick it clean) by antiheroblake - “at 18, will inherits a ranch upon the death of his father, a man who died from a supposed family curse. at 33, will becomes prone to accidents, and the new town doctor starts to see him more than he sees his cattle.”

Accident-prone Will in the Old West HATES his sexy new doctor. You won’t believe what happens next!!!

Bring Out Your Desires by TheCosmicNSFW - “After spontaneously having to save a man's life inside an ambulance, Hannibal Lecter finds Will Graham being naughty in the bathroom. He decides that Will Graham might be a more valuable asset than he originally thought, and he convinces Will to let him work out his true desires - but is offering your mind to Hannibal on a silver platter such a great idea?”

An ongoing Hypnosis Kink fic that has absolutely inspired some of Fever Dreams. Bonus points for a fic that gave me a new kink!! Doesn’t happen every day!

The Sugar Bowl by BelladonnaWyck and raiast

Listen, ok, I like a sugar daddy fic. I’m picky about them, though!! This one involves University Will and he’s such a perfect mess.

Mine to Touch by piginapoketuesday - “Will's neck flushed with fear. Never being allowed to feed himself again. Learning to associate food with a swollen, untouched cock. Swallowing prettily and on command. His body betrayed him, and he moaned around the fork in his mouth.”

This one popped up during my exploration of the Sub Will Graham tag and woooooof, yes. Yes!!

2 weeks by EarthsickWithoutYou - “After reading the news of Will's marriage to Molly, an incarcerated Hannibal cannot bear their separation or his own jealousy any longer. He breaks out and finds Will, proposing a bet: that Will gives Hannibal two weeks to prove his love and convince Will to run away with him. If Hannibal succeeds, they will be together for life, but if he fails, he'll return to the BSHCI and never see Will again. With Hannibal's heart on the line and Will's inner moral conflict hard to hear above the roar of his longing for the killer, what choice is he going to make?”

Insanely jealous Hannibal + bone-deep yearning + “I can give you what she never could” = 🔥🔥🔥🔥😤🥵

Appetites of the Flesh by Magnetism_bind - “Will gets aroused at murder scenes. Eventually this gets noticed.”

A rec from @graciereadshannigram that also introduced me to a new kink. It’s twisted, obviously, but godDAMN it’s hot. And speaking of Gracie…

CrimsonDesires by Scifibabe - “Post-fall, Will and Hannibal discover that Alana became a bestselling erotic novelist and surprise! She based her characters on Will and Hannibal. Drunken dramatic reading of various passages ensues.”

This is absolute crack and I ate it up like ICE CREAM. A kick-your-feet delight. Watch as Will blushes so hard he nearly dies. And lest we forget my fave of her Kinktober fics…

Touched for the Very First Time by Scifibabe - “One night post-fall, Will proposes something new: letting Hannibal seduce him as if it's his first time. As Will slips into a younger, more hesitant version of himself, he’s reminded of all the things he's never let himself fully experience. With Hannibal guiding him through each step, Will discovers just how much he still craves being taken care of, in every sense.”

This blew my mind. It’s so hot. Thank you for the food!!!! Bonus mention for the Daddy Kink Fisting episode.

act on it by acheforhim - “Will is lonely and his long-distance fuckbuddy encourages him to pursue Hannibal.”

It took me MONTHS into reading fic to give omegaverse a try. I’m still fussy about it, but this one is so hot.

Graham Cam by bigfootghostdick - “In nearly every aspect of his life, Hannibal is wholly unabashed in the endeavors he chooses to take on, especially where Will is concerned. At his core, he lives outside the realm of societal norms, so in a twisted effort to learn more about the beautiful empath that has captured his attention so utterly, he decides to install hidden cameras inside Will’s home.

Will is blissfully unaware…or is he?”

Hdhagahajajbfdg.

Illicit Affairs by EarthsickWithoutYou - “AU in which Will is living a quiet, safe, but deeply conflicted life in Maine, married to Molly but secretly longing for his dark Becoming. Mired in self-hatred and despair, he seeks comfort in the church. But things get very complicated once he meets the new priest at his parish, Father Hannibal Lecter.”

I have a massive Priest Kink and this did it for me in every way possible. I love how all of EarthsickWithoutYou’s fics are so deeply religious. I’m not, but I love reading it!!

suffer does the wolf by cedarbranch - “Under extreme physical duress, a werewolf's transformation cycles may fall out of phase with the moon. Will has experienced it once before. He'd hoped he never would again. But the fall was not kind to him, and when two full moons pass afterwards with no sign of a change, something has to give.

The solution: a tight leather collar, woven through with pure silver chain to prevent unwanted transformation. Will hates the collar. But it might be different when Hannibal's the one putting it on him.”

I may be iffy on omegaverse, but I LOVE fics where Will is a werewolf. It just suits him. That plus BDSM power dynamics? SOLD

even though our love is doomed by bleakmidwinter - “Hannibal solves the mystery of time travel and he and Will decide to go into the past and take opportunities previously missed along with rewriting the regrets they each hold. Changing the past does not effect the future and they have free reign to play as the please.”

I loved this, oh how I loved this, particularly when they fuck themselves. What a treat for me!!

How to Be a Good Boy: A Guide for the Novice Werewolf by HigherMagic - “Will gets scratched by a strange dog during the full moon.”

I told you I like Will as a werewolf and this is peak!!

WHEW. I know there are more I could add and some I’ve lost track of or forgotten, but these fics changed me!! I obviously pored through the archives of a few authors - HigherMagic, emungere, MissDisoriental, thecountessolivia, EarthsickWithoutYou, Scifibabe, antiheroblake, bleakmidwinter and DBMars all kept me fed this year! 🖤 without all their incredible work I never would’ve started writing my own fic, so I’m deeply grateful.

I love this fandom and now that you can see my tastes, I am very open to your recs 🖤🖤🖤

[ticklish-n-stuff]

Yes, I shall! Sakura, could you pleaaase write something for Ler Dazai! Many please and thank yous!

Ler!Dazai x gn!reader

I wrote this at 4 am bc I got hit with inspiration and lee mood go brr

Still, I hope you likey~

___________________________________________

Dazai x gn!reader (romantic)

Lee: reader

Ler: Dazai

Warnings: Tickles!

___________________________________________

You were currently at your shared apartment with Dazai, found laying on the bed on your stomach while scrolling on your phone and kicking your feet back and forward like a school girl.

Dazai walked into the scene, a smirk forming on his face. In a swift motion, he flopped himself down on top of you. His tall, slender body keeping you trapped.

"Gyah! D-Dazai?! What are you doing...?"

"I could ask you the same! Whatcha got there?~" he wrapped his arms snuggly along your waist, making you feel even more trapped and flustered. Your cheeks grew darker as he nodded over to what you were reading on your phone.

"Uhh... nothing?" you gave off a nervous smile. It didn't take a genius to know you were lying, or in this case, feeling too embarrassed to admit that you were reading tickle fanfiction of all things! Oh and to be caught in the act by your one and only suicidal maniac...

"Aww c'mon, it can't be THAT embarrassing~" he chuckled as he easily snatched your phone away, taking a glance at the screen. You quickly covered your face in pure embarrassment, not knowing how he'd react. After a moment, you heard another chuckle escape his lips, except it sounded more sinister. "Hehe~ Is my sweet belladona too embarrassed to ask me to tickle them?~" even though you couldn't see his face, you could clearly picture the teasy, smug look on it.

"It's not that hard! You just gotta say: "Dazai-kun, please tickle me!~" he snickered at his own dramatization. Then, he leaned down to whisper in a low voice near your ear "Besides... I'm sure you'd prefer the real thing instead of just reading it...~".

Before your brain could even process what just happened, his nimble fingers climbed up your sides, giving it light yet firm squeezes.

"GAH—!" you couldn't control the loud gasp that spilled out of your mouth. The touch causing you to squirm under him, not like you could get away anyways.

"Look at you, so sensitive~ It almost seems like you like it! Oh wait...~" he giggled along with you as his fingers glided all over your back, making you arch and squeal in ticklish glee.

"Nahaha! D-Dazahahai...!" your legs frantically kicked from behind. As much as you hated to admit it, you loved every moment of this. Your face fell on the mattress, trying to muffle all the funny sounds that escaped your lips. Although it just made Dazai want to tease you more.

"Oh? Did I hit a sensitive spot?~" he grinned cheekily as his short nails lightly scratched at your shoulder blades. Going all around them and making sure to go between them too.

"EEK—! PFFT! AHAHAHAHAHA!" you couldn't protest even if you wanted to. All that came out was that gorgeous, uncontrollable laughter as your body involuntarily jerked around underneath your partner.

"You seem to really like it here, I mean just listen to those squeals!~" with that, he dug in slightly harsher to intensify the sensation, chuckling when he got the desired sound he was looking for. He then went back to more light caresses, enjoying your quiet giggles and the way your body twitched with each touch.

"D-Dazai plehehease..." you felt your body go limp. Once he noticed you stopped struggling, he stopped his tickly assault and got off of you. He felt quite proud of his tickling skills when he saw your panting, red face.

"So... did you like that?~".

As you started to calm down, you looked up at him, although you quickly averted your gaze as the embarrassment started hitting once again. Still, you gave a shy nod to his question. He then gently grabbed your hand and looked at you with a more genuine, warm smile. "Hey... if you ever wanna be tickled again, don't be afraid to ask".

The gentleness in his voice managed to calm down your nerves a bit, but of course that didn't last long as he went back to his teasing self. "Besides, you're so adorable when you squirm like that~" he teased, playfully booping your nose.

That surely didn't go as you expected, but it sure was better than what you could've ever hoped for.

___________________________________________

I didnt proofread bc tired. I hope this is okay akdhskdhsjdb

[thebiscuiteternal]

One of the things I love most about the manga version of The One Within The Villainess is that it expands a lot on things that the novel skipped over or compressed into brief mentions, giving us more insight on the steps of Remilia's plan and more depth for the side characters and more scenes to grind in just how much of a heinously selfish diva-wannabe the transmigrator who took over Pina is. So now that we've come to the part where all of Remilia's efforts come together and bring everything crashing down on not!Pina and the love interests who sided with her, I am kicking my feet with glee at the fact that it's gonna be a multi-chapter scene. This month's update is just getting the party started!

[barblaz-arts]

Hey, I tried to message you this, but my phone is dumb and sorry if I spammed you! But I love your work, and I don't want to take any credit, but here's my fanfiction on your work of how Vega and Elosie met.

"Hey, Vega! There's where you've been hiding!" I feel my right ear flick at the annoying voice. We're literally five feet apart he doesn't need to shout.

He giggles to himself and I feel his body drape over my shoulder and I harshly elbow him at the contact.

He whimpers briefly and then chuckles as he covers the brusing area with a hand. His drink in the other sloshes a little as he staggers back.

"Piss off, Duke. I already came to this annoying function, because I gave your mom my word that I'd watch out for you at school," I growl as I look over toward the pit.

The natural collection of jagged rocks in a circle created a perfect pit for, you guessed it, parties hosted by drunk dumb teens in the middle of the black forest. The area keeps the bonfire large but safe from spreading to the forest and its great to keep the crowd together, but apart enough so loners like me can observe safley at the tree Iine.

The various teens shout and laugh as the light causes some eyes to reflect in the dark. The myriad of smells clog up my nose. Doesn't anyone teach them there's a thing as too much perfume?

He pouts and the flames reflect in is dark glasses. Tomorrow his baggy grey sweatshirt will be gone and the purple and black Nevermore uniforms will decorate the halls of the newest supernatural generation.

"You know you didn't have to come. My mom wouldn't have known," he rubs his hand on his neck.

"An Addams never breaks a promise," I snarl as I watch the untouched contents of my cup swirl. That, and mother would totally kill me.

I know mom would be upset too and her disappointed puppy eyes are one of the few things that I would make me rather be trampled on by an angry mob.

Now. That's a party.

Duke shakes his head,"You're not having any fun, are you?" He runs a hand through his wavy hair causing it to be even more of a mess.

No. None at all. I'd rather be sniffing around school for hidden things that weren’t on the freshmen tour. Like the hidden society that mother claimed was so easily spotted it was a joke.

"The seniors throw this Homecoming party for new and returning students. It's a tradition to go. Even as irritating as it is." I reply.

"Vega," he sighs. He takes my cup and throws it over his shoulder.

"Your littering." I state as I walk around him and pick up the plastic. I hate it when people defile mother earth.

"Listen, leave. I'm safe here. Just because my mom is your godmother doesn't mean you need to stick around a place that's making you miserable."

I can feel my brow twitch, "I am not. Plus this isn't nearly as fun as you say it is."

He pushes down his glasses and his green eyes reflect the orange flames, "Don't make me use my siren voice."

I stiffen and growl, "Don't you dare. Yoko would kick your ass if you did that to me."

He smirks and puts them back on, "Maybe. But seriously, I'll be fine! Go run around in the woods and dig up a grave or something!"

"YO!" We all turn our heads as a large gorgon holds out a whimpering girl, "Looks like we got a normie crashing the party!"

A few whistles and snarls of irritation echo off of the rocks. The boy throws her down in front of the flames and Duke winces as the girl face plants in the dirt. The crowd approaches her with manic glee.

Someone turns off the music and the cracks of the fire are the only sound.

I know the smell of bloodlust. I usually salivate at the feel of it but this time? It's not worth it to someone whose innocent.

The gorgon jumps down to her feet and crouches. His hat rattles and his eyes grow to slits. "Why are you here, human?"

She whimpers, "S-someone was-s following me and I heard the music-c."

He laughs, "What and you expect me to believe that you'd cross into Nevermore territory willingly?"

"My phone died and I got lost!" She tries to defend. She crab crawls away. Her wide blue eyes scan the area for any allies, "I was at a party and-d,"

A few watch on with smirks, other with disinterested and some in awkward uncomfortableness. The town is still split but not as bad as it should've been.

He stands up and laughs, "You should’ve stayed with your kind."

"Vega." Duke hisses. But before he can grab my hand I leap the impressive distance down.

The gorgon pauses as I calmly stroll forward.

"Mind if I take her off of your hands?" I put my hands into my pockets, my nails have already grown into claws and I smirk putting my enlarged canines on display. I can't help but feel a little excited.

I've never got to fight a gorgon yet.

"And, who are you, Barbie?" I blow one of my neon pink strands out of my face. And I see Duke push his way into the front of the crowd.

My smirk turns into a malic grin and I take my hands out and crack my knuckles together, "Do you wanna find out?

"Don't." Another large male steps next to him and the way his eyes reflect, werewolf.

The gorgon looks to his companion confused. The wolf eyes me and I maintain eye contact.

I'm not sure who the new player is but I'll be more than happy to fight him as well.

The only werewolves I've interacted with were family. And no one wants to fight the Alpha's daughter.

"She's an Addams," the boy says. I cringe as the loud whisper overtakes the area.

"An Addams?"

"Oh, great. Another one."

"Like as in Wednesday Addams?"

"I thought her mom was human?"

The gorgon huffs,"Take the human. You'll do way worse than we ever could."

I make sure to keep eyes on them as I slowly approach the girl, "Are you okay?"

She nods and I wait as she gets up and she grimaces as she puts weight on her right leg.

Duke steps forward and lifts his cup, "Come on Nevermore! I thought this was a party!?" Soon the crowd joins in and I nod my head in appreciation. The music blasts back on. And soon everyone returns as dumb teens instead of scary monsters.

He shoots me a thumbs up and I look to the girl as she looks to the wall of rocks with a frown.

"Hey, can I pick you up?"

She looks over with wide eyes. "Huh?" Dirt covers her face and clothes. There's a few scrapes that are bleeding.

I clear my throat and point to her leg that's she's gingerly standing on. She blushes, "Oh. Yeah, sure."

I crouch and look over my shoulder and try to give a friendly smile, "Get on!"

She gives me a confused look before strattling my hips and I stand with her piggy backing.

"Alright I'm going to jump."

She tightens her grip, "What!?"

I bend me knees and she goes, "Wai--!!!"

I stumble as we land on top of the Boulder. I laugh trying to calm her down, "Wow! You sure are light, aren't yah?" I can feel and hear her heart pounding out of her skull.

She gives me a quizzed smile, "You're weird."

"Thanks!"

I look into the woods as try to see which way is town. Unfortunately, we're upwind and no lights or car noises are coming through the thick compass of trees.

"I came from that way. I think." She points in a direction and I decide to take it.

The walk through the woods is quiet and surprisingly, I find myself starting to relax. I like the solidarity that the woods provides. I walk for some time as my gently swaying makes the girl relax and she puts her chin on my shoulder.

"Is it true?" The girl whispers. I flick my ear as I look out of the corner of my eye she looks away from my pointed ear.

"That you're an Addams?" I feel my arms stiffen. I never cared for the purgatory that comes with my family. I'm quiet proud and don't care for others opinions. Still it's annoying.

She quickly covers, "Not that I care! It's just that I heard from my Uncle Lucas of your mom and how she made a statue explode."

I roll my eyes. That was Thing actually, but not that she needs to know.

"I'm Eloise. Eloise Johnson" She says. I carefully go over a log. She twitchesat my silence and goes, "You know this is when someone would tell me their name in return."

"Vega." I state. I pause as we come out to a field. There's wild flowers everywhere and I feel a smile grace my lips.

It's so pretty. I look as I count the flowers, black eyed Susan's, different asters, and numerous lillys.

I stop and close my eyes as the sweet nectar and fresh air enters my nostrils. The girl behind me seems to be enjoying it too.

I look up at the clear sky and stars. I smile when I see the stars that copy my name. Then, I remember that the town is south of school. So, I go in the opposite of Polaris.

"There was something there. You know?" Eloise whispers so quietly I even have to strain my superhearing.

"It was supposed to be fun. I made myself go out l, cause I promised my mom I'd get into trouble to stop her worrying. I'm also a loner at my normie school. I've never had many friends but everyone was going. So," she shrugged,"Then, the cops came and everyone panicked. I just ran. But when I stopped, I had no idea where I was, and then my phone died. I used the flashlight setting to try to find my way back. I wandered around in the woods for a long time and then this loud crack happened." Her hand tightens on my shirt, "I know you shouldn't run from a predator but I was just...something told me to just run."

"You're human. Not your fault." I try to comfort. She snorts with a watery chuckle.

I stumble out of a thick pair of bushes and end up on asphalt of a road. I turn and see the generic Welcome sign to the town.

I lower down and she takes the sign and slides off of my back.

"You think you can go the rest of the way?" I ask. I look to her leg and she brushes some of her red hair out of her face.

"I suppose I can. Thank you."

I nod and she says, "It was nice meeting you, Vega Addams!"

....

" Can Vega Addams report to the principals office?"

I pick my head up as my cheeks are stuffed of breakfast sausage. I glare at the box and ignore of the student body stares.

Ugh. I quickly inhale my food and then walk to the school's office.

The secretary politely opens the door for me and I pause as principal Barcaly turns around with Sheirf Walker standing next to her. His eyes red and bags underneath showing little sleep.

"Morning Miss Addams," Principal Barclay drawls, "You make take a seat."

"I'm in trouble." I sit and cross my legs waiting for the adults to tell me what I supposedly did.

Mr. Walkers rubs his five o'clock shadow, "Depending."

I raise a brow. Principal Barclay sit and folds her hands on her desk.

"Did you escort a Miss Eloise Johnson home the other night?"

I tilt my head to the side, "Yes, she was lost and I took her to the town sign."

"It that all?" Sheirf asks. I smell the coffee and desperation waving off of him. I try my best to not scrunch my nose.

"Why?" I can feel my heart pick up.

Principal Barclay and Sheirf glance at each other. After a moment.

"Eloise was found dead this morning."

The author shared this to me in my dms too but I figured you guys might wanna read it too :)

[notnights]

This is gonna be long because im an overthinker AND an overtalker- sorry in advance 😭

alright so i found out you wrote a fic for Ribbuns and immediately went off to check it out, and the tags actually scared me cause my taste for ribbun fics is smthn cute and fluffy- bc they get enough hate as it is, i didnt want them to hate eachother as well lol. Idk, the tags made it seem as if there wouldnt have been a happy ending where they both end up liking eachother.

BUT once I read it!! yes it started off negative, Gangle hating him and the overall relationship theme being kinda toxic (its probably tame but im not mentally strong for this ok) although its deserved since, you know, Jax. No hate to him or anything, the fic says it all lmao

but the way you write them-- it made me open my eyes to this type of relationship between them, particularly on how Gangle had- what, a power trip?- in this relationship, treating Jax badly but him still loving her. Woke smthn up in me frfr; ESPECIALLY THIS (along with more scenes but i esp like the power Gangle is shown to have here over him):

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

He shuts up when she says his name though. Nothing more, just a clear command to stop and a quick glance up to his face. Will question why that tickles her brain later.(Acetate Tears, Chapter 1)

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

this made me fall in love (as well as understand the trope more) for power trips in toxic love.

Almost made me change teams, to look for angsty toxic ribbun content despite my mentality, until:

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

Jax leans into her, pounces. Gives her silly wet kisses. She gives a squeaky scream. Weakly attempts to push him away from her, despite knowing she deserves this. Well maybe not this specifically , but some form of punishment. (same source)

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

THIS made me giggle and kick my feet in glee, reminding me of my love for soft kisses in fics

TLDR; your fic is honestly one of the best Ribbun fics ive read so far (im still digging through the tags!! I'm desperate for more!!) and it also awoken smthn in me that i tried to ignore hehe.

I LOVE your perception on their relationship, their behaviours, mindset, everything! Here's to hoping you'll write more ribbun, but its ok if u dont!! 🐰🎀

(im not good with words, but i hope my love for your fic is shared thru this jumble of words lol. I also hope episode 4 gives more depth to Ribbun's relationship that can bring more supporters instead of hate, since its gonna be focused on Gangle🤲)

((OH and im sharing my thoughts here instead of ao3 bc i'm super duper shy for no reason -carbon footprint scares me- and somehow tumblr asks in anon mode isnt as scary. Again, srry im saying so much 💀You dont hv to answer this since its long and not rlly an ask lmao))

Aw hey this is sweet thank you! You're all good, I am also an overthinker and overtalker (if that hasn't been apparent by the way I answer asks already) so I get it!

the tags actually scared me... Idk, the tags made it seem as if there wouldnt have been a happy ending where they both end up liking eachother.

Hey that's alright! That's what the tags are for to make sure this is something a potential reader can handle or get prepare for! The unfortunate thing is I obviously don't want to give away too much with them such as the happy ending, so I totally understand if it wards some people off. Respect for those who know their limits!

I also wanted to leave the ending a bit ambiguous as to if they truly ended up together or not. And depending on what you're hoping for with the story might not be the happy ending [Ganlge voice] you were hoping for.

particularly on how Gangle had- what, a power trip?- in this relationship, treating Jax badly but him still loving her.

One of my favorite things in stories about relationships is that one brings out something in the other they didn't know they needed to let out. Helps balance themselves out. Jax lets Gangle let out more than just "sadness" he lets her find out she's more than a pity party, she has anger to release and resentment to express (among other emotions). She has more than two emotions.

And while this is primarily a comment on Gangle, (this ain't about Jax right now...) Gangle lets Jax find out he's someone capable of relinquishing and receiving of love (the thing about him hating the idea of them having a "happily ever after.")

THIS made me giggle and kick my feet in glee, reminding me of my love for soft kisses in fics

Glad to hear it! I do really like Jax and Gangle being cute. But I like it more when it's after all the hard stuff. One of those well earned things. A cold glass of lemonade after mowing the grass. Eating something salty before eating something sweet and it makes it taste even sweeter!

A lot of folks make cute Jax and Gangle content that it makes me forget I don't make enough of it. Those of y'all who make cute stuff balance out whatever the hell I'm doing over here! So thanks for that.

All these things are very kind of you to say also! Thank you! It means a lot that you came to say them even though you were so shy!

Good luck with your searching! I hope you find more that you enjoy.

And yess I'm very excited for the Gangle episode either if it has some interaction between them or not. Because while I ship them and they're my two favorite characters, as my boyfriend describes "you just like Jax as an accessory to Gangle." Oops! Here's two hoping that sticker set implies there is some more meaningful interaction between them there.

[hyungseos-cafe]

fellow baristas!

here at hyungseos-cafe, we've interacted with some amazing fellow cafes and their baristas. below is a list of wonderful individuals we've had the honor of meeting along with their signature drinks!

list is to expand as i interact with more of you (:

☆ cafe: @biaswreckingfics

★ the barista: britt

⤷ signature drink: ❝ my family think's we're dating ❞ | menu

+eee i wish this were longer ∪>⸝⸝⸝⸝<∪ like imagine the conversations their families would be having behind the scenes and the chaos that would ensue once they find out sangyeon and reader are actually dating eeeeee

☆ cafe: @cloverdaisies

★ the barista: clover

⤷ signature drink: ❝ HEY CHAT! ∩^ω^∩ ❞ | menu

+ okay so i wrote a lot under my rb, but you did a fantastic job with is one. and again, i know nothing about gaming, but hey if there's a cute streamer i'm watching haha. but seriously, i loved the details of the cute usernames and comments. the interactions between hyunjae and reader was so cute and super fun to imagine hehe

☆ cafe: @from-izzy

★ the barista: izzy

⤷ signature drink: ❝ i'm home ❞ | menu

+ this one really hit home and was so comforting to read. i really felt like izzy wrote exactly what goes through my mind when presented with new opportunities. highly recommend reading if you're experiencing something similar!

☆ cafe: @littleroaes

★ the barista: dora

⤷ signature drink: ❝ enchanted ( to meet you ) ❞ | menu

+ umm?? i am kinda floored with how cute and soft this juyeon wt w?? "i just want us" will forever be iconic and soft and just? i just want what they have :(( but you did such a great job hehe i'm so excited to read more from you!

☆ cafe: @mars101

★ the barista: mars

⤷ signature drink: ❝ insomnia ❞ | menu

+ exes to lovers! everybody cheer! i love exes to lovers so much! literally one of my fav tropes! the part where reader and seonghwa "accidently" kiss falling down the snowy hill had me kicking my feet in absolute glee

☆ cafe: @sungbeam

★ the barista: duckie

⤷ signature drink: ❝ simple gifts ❞ | menu

+ i'm pretty sure i've read this story like 3 times already? i love how you wrote chanhee so much like he seems so cold, but in reality he has so much love for you and he just wants the best for you.

☆ cafe: @sxfterhearts

★ the barista: rach

⤷ signature drink: ❝ late night calls ❞ | menu

+ skater!jiung supremacy!! again this just made my heart absolutely melt with so much warmth. like i said, jiung feel like a warm hug at the end of a long day. if you like p1harmony, you'll love rach's work!!! please support them!!!

☆ cafe: @silverdune

★ the barista: ave

⤷ signature drink: ❝ iced oat latte, extra shot ❞ | menu

+ listen.... when i tell you i love ave with my entire heart, i mean it. maybe it's because i've known them for so long, but someone please go tell ave that their writing is phenomenal. they hear it from me all the time lol. anyways, seonghwa + coffee = love. literally if you haven't read this yet, do yourself a favor and please do. while you're at it, check out their entire masterlist too!!

☆ cafe: @winterchimez

★ the barista: ally

⤷ signature drink: ❝ nightmare before christmas ❞ | menu

+ to reiterate. ally. what. the. fuck. if you haven't read this already, please read!!! true crime and horror fics always intrigue me and this had the perfect balance of the two with a very sinister twist that i honestly wasn't prepared for.

☆ cafe: @zzoguri

★ the barista: moni

⤷ signature drink: ❝ with every storm, i have you ❞ | menu

+ i still can't believe you wrote my inner thoughts lol i really loved this fic though, it's among the few fics where i felt really seen as a person. idk i just love how you write and it all felt so natural and real. like if i had a partner this is how our dynamics are yknow?

[palfriendpatine66]

My dream is that you one day will write boiling rwrb au

Also I need to know all of your thoughts about the film

RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE MY BELOVED!!!!

In summary: I absolutely love it and have so many thoughts. But also I don’t see myself writing an obikin au for it. (Not to worry, I speak autocorrect 😉) Read more below the break

I adore rwrb. It’s my new comfort movie. I’ve watched it three times and I read the book after my first viewing.

The first time I watched in I could NOT believe how gay it was. Honestly I am still twirling my hair and kicking my feet that we get to have a rom com that is just SO!gay. I want more! And I’m really hoping that it’s popularity means we’ll get it

*side note for any of my younger followers: this makes me feel so old. But as a teen in the 2000s there wasn’t a lot of queer media readily available and what was definitely wasn’t showing or marketed toward teens. What I was aware of was adult dramas surrounding HIV/AIDS. Glee and Modern Family didn’t come out until I graduated. Stories like this would have been a game changer

Anyways: back to rwrb. I LOVE that it gets to unabashedly be everything that it is. Is it corny as hell? Yes! Is it tropey and over the top? Yes! Does it read like a fanfic? Yes! Is it fantastic that it gets to be all of these things that every!single! hetero romance/romcom gets to be while basically leading a pride parade through everyone’s Amazon Prime account? YES!!!

A short list of my favorite things about rwrb in no particular order:

All the star wars references in the book. They are nerds and they are my kind of people

Get Low is also my drunk jam. Yes I am the target audience. Yes I am ok with this

There’s a female president and vice president (girl power!)

The sex scene might just be the sweetest, most intimate thing I have witnessed with my own two eyes? It was so tender and so real

There was zero attempt made to pretend that they weren’t just copying the royal family and the fact that the movie leaned into it so hard is absolutely hilarious to me.

They’re also a biracial couple and they don’t shy away from Alex’s experiences as the son of an immigrant to the US (the book does more here)

The key stays on during sex, just hanging there bonking him in the face. 10/10. Hilarious. Kills me.

They do not shy away from gay sex happening and the boys are horny for each other. Like, we don’t just see them kiss once. Again, I’m old, but YES!!!!

I’m cutting myself off here but I could very much go on.

As for the possibility of an obikin au: I’m not going to lie, I thought about it. But I don’t think I see that happening from me.

The first reason is mostly how I write obikin. I don’t write same age aus because I can’t personally separate out their age gap and power dynamic from the other aspects of their canon relationship. I just don’t know how to make them work as peers. (Note: nothing against same age aus, I’ve read many that I’ve adored. I just can’t wrap my head around it to make it happen myself).

Secondly, I kind of don’t want to touch it? I realize I’m basically the queen of looking at a movie and thinking YES, but make it obikin! But I just went on a rant about how this movie/story feels special in that 1) it’s already queer and 2) is allowed to unapologetically be itself. And I don’t know that I want to change that

(Would I read a RWRB obikin au? Absolutely)

[trashmouth-richie]

ad caelum vel ad inferos, tecum sum to heaven or hell, i am with you

“He skipped down to the dungeon— literally skipping and hopping on one foot in glee as he came down to the depths of the palace to retrieve you for the final act.”

“Jumping back, he lets your body slump against the bars, a hand to his chest, “Yuck— you smell like horeshit! Maybe we should have fed you more, bathed you… I’ve never been very good with keeping pets…”

“C’mon!” he pleads like a child, pushing your hands down and bringing a blade to your neck, “you’re going to be the star of the production and you simply can’t miss the show!” 

You did such a fabulous job of making Caracalla an absolute bitch boy. 🤣 I hate him so much and I don’t even know him like that! 💀

“Carnage was Geta, annihilating anyone who stood in his way to get to you. A force built with bared teeth and rippling muscles, sweat dripping from his honey hair. Eyes as black as coal— soulless in every sense of the word.” *swoons*

*saying this with nothing but all my love* BIIIIIIIIITCH! THE ENDING???????

10/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!!!!

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Geta fics yet, and I was OBSESSED with this!!!! Definitely opened my eyes to it. Thank you for always writing these phenomenal works of art!

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 Love you, Zig!!!!!!!

B!! 🤧🤧🤧🤧

you’re making me giddy and kick my feet in my perfectly hospital tight cornered made sheets! 😂 i’m so glad you enjoyed it. caracalla is such a little bitch. it just made sense for me to make him absolutely the most worthless villain ever. neither of the brothers are sane but caracalla invented the lobotomy.

it took me so long to finish this bc i didn’t know how to end it! i wanted her to start becoming just as evil as him but also fucking deranged beyond belief, imagine her basically orgasming at the death of some bitch in front of everyone. and geta is just like

poor acacius is just stuck in the middle of their shenanigans … heading to go fetch caracalla’s severed head like this:

[ferrocyan]

15 lines of dialogue

Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

15 feels like too few haha! i'm picking these mostly from finished fics, with a couple of wips at the end. feels like i could go on forever otherwise

tagged by @improvised-finish (tysm!!) and tagging @pillowfriendly and @worldoshaking i wanna read more of your wols pls pls pls (*>∀<*)

(duo)

"I've never heard of such a name before! From which fair land do you hail, friend?"

"Coer--" C'astarhte said something and promptly bit her tongue. She covered her mouth, then quickly added, "Pardon. Meant to say... I come from the Exarch's homeland."

---

C'astarhte looked distressed. She glanced around at the rest of the bar, then at Reeq, and whispered intently, "But this worked before... Crystarium people don't ask about the Exarch."

(detour)

"So we've never really fought together, no? When you say we're partners, I'd like it to be earned."

---

"Doesn't need to," Tart shrugged. "What matters is we do it together. No more objections, right? Surely not." She stuck out her tongue at Lue-Reeq, then headed to the stairs.

---

"You know," Tart said, "you're not bad. I don't know much about archery, but your technique is very clean. Efficient, no wasted movement, very well timed. I was amazed how fast you could nock arrows and have shots lined up perfectly. It was nice to fight with you. Good job, Reeq."

(drown)

She just had to kill Andreia. All would be well if she killed Andreia. Remember what she had done to Alisaie, to Alphinaud? Blackguard. Scum. Bitch. Just kill her and get it over with!

(ask of me)

"No," Tart cuts him off. "Don't want to stop, just... want you to stop pretending I'm not here."

"Am I?"

"You're not touching me, not saying anything, not even looking at me! What's with that, Reeq?" she pouts.

---

"Reeq, you like it when complimented and told you're doing a good job. I feel the same. So, not asking for more, you're giving back to me." She smiles, putting her hand on his. "I like you. Always want more of you. If you're having a good time then so am I. Wouldn't know that if you don't tell me, though, so let me hear it, yeah?"

(focus)

"you're scaring me a little, right now."

she smiles. "is that bad?"

"not at all. i quite like it."

"good."

(wurm)

"Say, remember when you asked, would I still love you if you were a worm?"

Reeq snorts. "Why yes, I do! I remember perfectly well," he pinches her cheek lightly, "when you told me that you would feed me to your chocobo."

(peel)

The man is ecstatic, so very amused that he cannot hold his giggles back. His feet kick as he laughs and his tail thumps on the floor, shaking with glee. Unable to wait for Reeq to finish his sentence, he fills in with an exclamation:

"Tart!"

Tart only makes himself laugh harder.

(division)

"ishgard has ways of denying certain people's existnce. mean really, completely erase them, unlike the shite that bishop was spewing about himself. my family no longer exists. how dare he accuse me of not understanding how it feels to be rejected? and how dare you take my prey?"

---

tart holds his focus in his right hand, blade in the left. his tail flicks uneasily. "go easy on me, won't you?"

"what? oh my, i never thought i would hear that from the warrior of light!" aymeric laughs as he readies his own sword.

"i'm ill, you blackguard."

"then maybe you should rest properly."

"hasn't helped. this might, so stay still and let me cast magic at you."

(out to the cold)

"--get it, i get it. zenos wanting me makes me a liability. now that you all have the dragon scales' protection, i am not needed anymore. you--they're setting you up as my replacement. no. no, they can't. won't allow it. can't let that happen. oh--you--you're here to kill me. you can't replace me! i'll kill you first! you're dead, estinien wyrmblood!"

(aphelion)

"not that i want to die, g'raha. just... wish i'd died back there. it wouldn't've been good, but it would've been perfect. my life could've ended perfectly. haven't you felt that way too?"

[danmeichael]

danny danmeichael I will literally take any and every scrap of vtuber info you have. I do not know what a super chat is. this will not stop me from soaking up all of the information you give me like a sponge. links? I’m there. paragraphs? I’m reading. I am sat in the ask box ready to plead. you cannot imagine the way I kicked my feet and rolled around on the couch with glee when you responded. PLEASE!!!! I WILL HYPE YOU ON THIS AU SO MUCH! it’s like catnip to meeeeee

i'm very touched to have made something that you're so enthusiastic about despite missing like, a third of the context for it!!!

thank you for asking about it. it's one of my pet aus that i don't do anything big for, but i love talking about and posting sillies for intermittently. it is the meeting point between two of my fixations, so i am obviously very normal about it, just in an ambient and directionless way.

(and a superchat is a tip/donation sent via youtube. it's called a superchat because you can add a message to your donation, and it goes to the top of the chat or the streamer's feed. another common term you'll see floating around is "akasupa", which is a red superchat, the color denoting that the person sending it tipped $100+)

[houseoflibra-if]

Hiiii I'm so sorry please don't panic BUT... I'M SO NOT NORMAL ABOUT THIS PAGE!

I read through the description so calmly... and as I giggled at the smart quips and extra commentary I was like "oh you are funny!!"

And then I started reading the RO descriptions and saw the art and thropes... I kinda spun out of control into a teenage panicked glee the kind that has you kicking up your feet and screaming into a pillow upon seeing a post from your favorite kpop idol (dont yall fucking judge me shut up) 🤣

But no... come.the.fuck.on!! This is so goddamn cool! The premise is AWESOME and I love how the ROs are probably gonna make my poor MC work for scraps of affection and how i love to torture myself. Especially that angsty route...noo...but yes...but no! But I'm probably gonna do it 😭

I profusely apologize for my ramble. Like I said not normal about this. I haven't been this excited about an upcoming project lately other than Vanguard and Jaye is an adorable bean of an author who had an amazing demo. And this is giving me similar vibes.

No pressure. New writers get all my love. I just am insanely super fan nr1 rn.. good luck getting rid of me stalking all your posts 👀♥️

I hope you know how much I absolutely adore you, sweetie! ❤

I'm glad you're having a blast with my writings, it really touches my heart to know that there are people that enjoy the same things I do. :)

I had some issues with my writing at first, figuring that it was somewhat cringy?? It's nice to see someone so enthusiastic about it tbh. Truly, thank you.

I hope you're ready for the romance options... Angst is available with everyone, the only difference is how cruel I'll decide to be 😉

Anyways, thank you for being understanding about me being a new writer... I tend to babble at times so I hope you won't get sick of my long ass posts haha.

[skepticbeliever-bookclub]

Hello friends! 

It is June, and with it, comes the annual Skeptic Believer Book Club LONG READ. 

For the entire month of June, the book club gets together and reads a chunky boi, a fic of over 45k words. We had some absolutely stellar nominations this time, and some close votes, but we did arrive at a winner and it was was 6HoST Air by ÉcrivainFantôme. 

This casefic is set in the early 90s, and features a Ryan with an underground radio show, a Shane who shows up to skeptic Ryan’s believer, and the team up of the decade, all centered around a mystery that has kept the book club guessing! 

Rating: E

Summary: The year is 1993 and Ryan Bergara runs a semi-popular underground radio show for "6H0ST Air" under the pseudonym 'The Revenant'. Each week, he regales his listeners with unsolved crime stories and supernatural disturbances, asking them for their own theories and stories that they can post on his forum.Soon, another poster starts populating his forum - a person by the name of $K3PT1C who enjoys poking holes in everyone's theories.The show will be forever changed when the two decide to team up to discuss and research, using a more... hands-on approach.

Book Club Thoughts

the execution of the cafe scene felt cinematic. I could hear the soundtrack stop

i love love love love in AUs when all the same references are there, like the bfu episodes and everything. it makes me kick my feet in glee going "i understand this reference!!"

shane keeping things secret for no reason is in character

i wanna touch on how sweet the ryan and sara friendship is. i love a good platonic m/f friendship

i never did college radio, but this fic makes me feel like i did. it is ridiculously evocative

i gotta say i LOVE so much of shane's dialogue in this. it is SO GOOD, you have studied the fuck out of the way he talks and it shows

I ADORE how 90's this fic is

love how obvious it is that Shane is crushing HARD on Ryan but Ryan is oblivious. Girl, please! He's into you! Sara sees it, why can't you!

i am on the edge of my seat for Mystery

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[amazingmsme]

(Telemachus Anon)

So here's my oc hope yall like him djsdnks and this is really long and I got carried away

Plutarch

-He's an apprentice woodcarver and blacksmith before he joined the war. He joined the war out compliance to forge weapons for his comrades, although he never really liked forging weapons in the first place. He was never one for violence afterall.

-If you'd compare him with the other's height he'd be on the average side. But he's damn strong from all the hard work in forging so he has a stocky build.

-He's probably the most quiet in Ody's crew. Not because of his nonchalnce, but because he really REALLY has a bad case of social anxiety and a side of low self-esteem. It's like that one meme in the Meet the Robinsons:

Elpenor: Hey Plutarch how you doin? 😀

Polites: Want me to help with the rope, Plutarch? 😁

Plutarch internally: *They all hated me* 😮‍💨

-He doesn't get involved yet with the crew's chaos and would just be in the corner minding his own business. It gets overwhelming for him when he's talking to many people.

-Of course Polites sees everything and has to intervene so that Plutarch doesn't get left out.

Polites: Hey brother *he puts his arm around Plutarch*

Plutarch: *oh gods the captain's best bro is here. Did i do something wrong? Am i gonna get thrown out of the ship? He's probably gonna talk about how im not pulling my weight as the other crew does.* h-hey

Polites: Whatcha got there?

Plutarch: Oh uh nothing. It's just to pass the time. Um carving *i know this is the worst piece i ever did. I should probably throw this overboard? No wait im just wasting wood. Oh gods i wasted wood* (He was carving a small toy bear)

Polites: aw that looks cute!

Plutarch: *wait what? No he's probably lying just to make me feel better. Im a failure* ...eh it's nothing really.

-Elpenor follows suit in annoying making Plutarch open up a bit.

Elpenor: Sooooooo can you make something for me? 😀

Plutarch: *sighs* for the last time I'm not making a mini statue of you

Elpenor: Oh come on! I have the physique of a man of honor *flexes his body*

Eurylochus: Yeah "man of honor" *gives Elpenor a poke*

Elpenor: Ah!!

-When it comes to his relationship with Odysseus, at first he would be very scared of him. But would later found how very playful the captain really is (and how damn ticklish he is). Odysseus would definitely ask for Plutarch to carve some toys for Telemachus.

-Now for the tickle hcs for him *inhales and exhales*. At first you'd think he's not ticklish. Elpenor tried to sneak in some pokes on his sides, back, neck, like pretty much everywhere, only to be returned with a deadpan stare. Though one night Polites tried to wake Plutarch up for his shift. He scratched his sole then *BAM* he got kicked in the face. Imagine the glee Polites had when he found out that Plutarch was ticklish at his feet and the horror on Plutarch. The entire crew won't let that information go easily. Ever since that little incident, he would sleep with his knees close to his chest and blankets covering it.

Eurylochus: Plutarch, the captain is looking for you.

*Plutarch goes to Odysseus' quarters*

Plutarch: Yes, captain?

Odysseus: Plutarch, Plutarch, Plutarch, why did you not tell us that you were ticklish? Hm?

Plutarch: *blushes* I honestly didn't know that I'm ticklish...sir. (and i will let your imagination fly with what happened)

-Now that he opened up, Plutarch would be tasked to hold the poor victim down the the crew wanted to torment

-Obviously he would be very devastated with Polites' death and would close himself off again. He would definitely carve out some figurines that looked like Polites (and future dead crewmates. Yes im talking to you Elpenor)

-His death would be around Eurylochus' mutiny. He never sided on anybody at that point. He just wanted everyone to get along.

MDVEKEBFKF I LOVE HIM SO MUCH YOU HAVE NO IDEA!! He sounds so cute & sweet, & also so cool! A blacksmith who hates violence? HELL YEAH! & I absolutely love wood carvings, they’re beautiful & there’s so much craftsmanship that goes into it & the whole process seems very therapeutic, so he sounds like a nice, chill dude

I can picture him perfectly, he’s got them broad shoulders & thick arms & thighs from all that hard labor. I love seeing or imagining in this case different body types in character line ups! Gotta have some height & body size variation!

He literally sounds so cute I just wanna hug him! Asterios would totally get along with him, they can be quiet moody buddies together lol. Fr tho, that’s so relatable. Especially when you’re around that many people constantly every single day, it would feel so overwhelming & it would be so easy to get paranoid that people don’t really like you & are just pretending. Poor thing just needs some reassurance! But yeah I fuckin’ love that meme, it’s a classic

Aww he’s just gotta warm up to everyone! I’m sure he’ll join the shenanigans when he’s ready! Til then, he’s just gonna enjoy the show

But Polites is so damn sweet! He doesn’t want anyone to feel left out. & as soon as he noticed he has a hobby, he’s gonna be interested! It’s a way for him to get to know him & give Plutarch a chance to open up while also complimenting his talent! His interactions with all the crew are so cute & wholesome!

Mcshlsdbdl I fuckin’ LOVE when someone doesn’t think they’re ticklish & are so sure of this fact only to have their worldview rocked lmao. Poor thing has such a big storm comin’ his way!

But Odysseus is such a little shit, he would drag it out to make Plutarch nervous & think he’s in trouble & then it’s literally just “why didn’t you tell us you’re ticklish?” Talk about whiplash!

Plutarch never catches a break after that fr. He constantly gets drug into the fray because he’s strong enough to keep people pinned, but even that warrants revenge

Omggg my heart!! That’s so sad but really sweet how he honors their memory with little carvings. I’m totally not gonna cry what are you talking about?

He survives a long time!! But sadly, he’s doomed by the narrative just like everyone else😭 poor baby just wanted everyone to get along!

[astroboots]

OKAY SO I ACCIDENTALLY READ CHAPTER TWO THINKING IT WAS CHAPTER ONE.

So when I read chapter two, I noticed that it's the same cupcake shop you mention in another one of your one shots. Meaning the two are either connected in someway or it might just be a happy (planned) coincidence.

Then when I actually read the first chapter, I saw how he took off his mask so easily??????? And then in my mind he kind of looks at her like he's expecting her to know him or feel something? Kind of like Peter B Parker and Mary Jane in the first spiderverse. The bread speech.

He also doesn't have a spider sense so how else could he have had time to catch her unless he was already watching her???? Because maybe she's not supposed to be there so the universe keeps trying to take her out and he's trying his best to keep her alive??????

👀👀👀

inteeeeeressssssssting.

I am LOVING THIS. I am reading this kicking my feet and giggling with glee. The fact that you paid this much attention I wanna hug you and smooch you and drown you in affection.

spoilers underneath the cut. (just for you nonny, everyone else look away).

the bakery is not a coincidence 😏