#I hope this is making sense OTL

[bonefall]

I'm still on this. I think there are some who don't realize just how far removed a serval is from a domestic cat both genetically and behaviorally, how different ALL wild cats are from domestic housecats, what has to be done to make savanna cats, and also just how much of a problem these wild hybrids are

Molly housecats are crossed to tom servals. No molly serval has ever taken a tom housecat. Do you understand why it is wrong to breed a dachsund to a great dane? Especially an animal that bites as part of its courtship? Then you should understand why this is bad.

Servals and housecats have different gestational periods. All F1 savannas are born prematurely. This is also Bad.

Hybrid cats (of ALL crossings) are more prone to diseases like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, irritable bowel disease, and progressive renal atrophy. If you understand why lykoi and scottish folds are inherently unethical, you should understand why this is bad.

Servals are not pets, they are wild animals. They have needs well beyond a domesticated animal and are literally not built to be human companions.

Unlike domestic cats which form clowders when feral because of their domestication, wild servals do not do this. No other wild cat does this. This is a domestic cat behavior.

Servals are in a completely different genus. Domestic cat: Felinae/Felis/Catus Serval: Felinae/Leptailurus/Serval

Compare humans and chimpanzees. Human: Homini/Homo/Sapien Chimpanzee: Homini/Pan/Troglodytes

The BIGGEST threat to the conservation of several Felinae species is crossings with feral domestic cats, right behind habitat loss and poisoning. Real-world domestic cats are the most invasive species in the world and part of that is how they are diluting wild cat populations; the natural mesopredators of an area.

(Note: If I hear a single clown in my comments or replies trying to give me the talking point that 'Actually Humans Are The Most Invasive Species' I'm going to beat you to death with a copy of The Rise of Ecofascism: Climate Change and the Far Right.)

If you can understand that people breeding wolf x dog hybrids is bad you should also understand that exotic cat mixes are also bad. No matter how diluted they become with outcrossing, they should not have been bred in the first place.

They were, and ARE, the result of humans who want to feel special about having an exotic animal instead of getting a boring old normal cat bred for thousands of years to love you and have its needs met by you. There is a reason why these animals require a license or are outright banned in many areas.

"Ohhh but a savanna cat is so much smarter and more active than a cat, i want to take my pet for a walk--" GET. A. DOG.

Sanctuaries have a hard time taking these cats because of breeders that sell them to rich morons who get Surprised Pikachu when the wild animal hybrid they bought for several thousand dollars suddenly starts acting like....... get this......... a wild animal.

Even for the exotic cat hybrids in the same family, the other 6 of the 7 Felinae species, please, I'm gonna bold this,

Wild cats are solitary animals!

Wild cats do not form complex social groups! Nor do they have a social need!

Only domestic cats and lions do this!

Early generation hybrid cats require that aforementioned license because they don't take to litterboxes and spray the whole house (even when neutered), are aggressive, have sharp wild instincts and a desire to wander and make their own, individual territories

Wild cats do not form clowders if left on their own. Domestic cats are incredibly, profoundly unique. This is something we only see in domestic cats and lions, a feline species so far removed it can't meow

No, not even the other 6 species in the Felinae subfamily. Jungle cats, black-footed cats, european wildcats, sand cats, chinese mountain cats, and african wild cats do not form non-familial social groups, let alone caracals and servals

Domestication did that to them. That is why Fluffy loves you.

So why would animals that do not even have societies invent their own full languages?

Who are they talking to when Clan cats aren't around? What are they saying besides, "GET OUT" and "I'm a hot single in YOUR area!"

This is the fundamental reason why I personally will never entertain the idea that wild cats can learn how to truly speak Clanmew. If they ever did, I would firmly put it on the same level as Noam Chimpsky's (actual name) "GIVE ME ORANGE" sentence; an understanding of some basic words with no grammatical structure.

Hybrids I would treat on the same level as something half-apelike. But, I don't even see a need for that. Wild cats exist in their own ecological niches-- why could Clan cats not just interact with them like the strange, solitary wild predators they are?

There's plenty of social animals out there waaay more likely to develop their own species' version of languages, even rudimentary ones. Monkeys, elephants, parrots, wolves, european rabbits, even other domesticated species like cows and dogs. Why the solitary wild cats?

Wild cats are such a neat concept for Clan cats to explore! Why ruin such a unique opportunity just to have "Clan Cats 2"? If they're going to have a whole culture and language and are exactly the same as their domestic relatives, why not just make them into a different Clan?

What's unique about them if they're just Special Exotic Loners who can be recruited and reasoned with like any other domestic cat? Don't even call them wild cats. That's just a rogue or loner with a special coat now.

I find it personally antithetical to my ecological fixes and expansions, and it's why I'm passionate about it for my own worldbuilding!

Bonefall, what about wild cats? Like servals, ocelots, water cats.ect? How does your worldbuilding effect them? People own them as exotic pets, so it would be possible for them to learn townmew and maybe clanmew as well-

Personally I will be ruling No in my own rewrite. Chimpanzees can't speak no matter how hard we try to force them (the sign language thing is baloney) so why would humans keeping exotic felines allow them to speak Townmew?

It's deeply unethical to both own exotic pets, and to attempt crossing them with domestic counterparts. I won't write legitimacy of that practice into the BFRW by saying those solitary animals are perfectly capable of acquiring and speaking language, and can happily join a Clan

They aren't domestic pets. They are wild animals. They should be in an accredited zoo, well-funded sanctuary, or back in their natural habitat.

They don't naturally have a concept of society, or of language like cats in this area do. If a hybrid joined a Clan, then it's capable of some language, but should be treated as half-man, half-gorilla.

[beldaroot]

skip and loafer chapter 52: the act of being selfish

one thing i greatly admire about skip and loafer is the way it takes qualities usually deemed by society as "bad" or "wrong" and instead gives it a more gentler and nuanced approach. and in chapter 52, we see that the act of being selfish can also be an act of selflessness and that both can be appreciated without being contradictory.

we first see this exemplified through mitsumi:

what drives the whole story's plot has always been mitsumi's desire to excel in toyko. but while this may be seen as a selfish dream, we know that mitsumi wants to leave so she can help her entire prefecture from depopulation in the future. furthermore, while fumi thinks going to toyko will "revoke" mitsumi's prodigy status, mitsumi happily accepts this fate, showing that this decision isn't motivated by a selfish ego.

and speaking of fumi:

due to what fumi believes as mitsumi's selfish desire to go to toyko, fumi in turn allows herself to be selfish and openly express her discontent to make mitsumi worry and feel guilty about leaving her alone.

and we see that both their selfish attitudes cause a rift and period of silence between them. but in an act of selflessness, they put aside their pride and apologize, mending their relationship because they recognize each other's honest feelings. many years later, fumi too realizes in time that even though she selfishly wanted mitsumi to stay, the distance between them was inevitable and that it is actually okay. the most important thing is that she had mitsumi's friendship at all and that includes those moments of selfishness and selflessness.

now, we have maharu:

again, because of mitsumi's desire to go to toyko, maharu, like fumi, creates a resentment towards mitsumi and selfishly desires her own chance of leaving.

but we then see that fumi specifically states that maharu's feelings are not selfish. fumi most likely sees herself in maharu and knows that while on the outside someone would consider maharu selfish, what maharu is actually expressing are honest feelings; she's not just thinking about herself but what others think about her as well. given that maharu actually doesn't have a concrete reason to leave the prefecture, it's likely that her feelings right now are a conflicting mess of being jealous of mitsumi but also just missing her elder sister. and again, like fumi in the past, maharu chose to lash out at mitsumi and storm out rather than discuss what was bothering her in a selfless manner.

and finally, shima:

shima is interesting because fumi is actually laughing at shima for not being selfish enough. throughout this story we see again and again shima sacrificing his own feelings to be selfless; he thinks he's "worthless" otherwise. and here you have fumi reading him like a book and saying shima hasn't been fully attuned to his real, honest feelings. and that's the irony of it all because it feels contradictory to shima, but fumi is basically stating facts by asking: how can you be truly selfless when you don't even know what is selfish? shima has been putting mitsumi's feelings of him as his own and whether mitsumi actually is right is something he needs to figure out himself and that means actually centering himself for once. by doing this act of selfishness, he can genuinely start to be selfless to those he loves.

[ichorblossoms]

okay, bear with me as i try to articulate a mess of thoughts and vibes into coherent words here

part of what's so compelling to me about p2 of honeybee is that it's the only real span of time in-story that grimm and yarrow get together that's (mostly) devoid of some sort of extreme circumstance, and it forces them both to work on their own issues with intimacy but the thing is both of them have a a belief that they don't deserve the love they're given and default strategy of avoidance and that they can and do resort to, but at the cost of hurting the other

actually this got long so i'm putting this under a cut. ig cw bc i talk abt sex but nothing explicit

grimm is, for understandable reasons given their past, scared of attachment, more people you love means more you lose means more of yourself that's vulnerable means devotion you don't know how far you'll go for. so when it feels itself beginning to love yarrow again, it gets antsy and restless because it feels wrong but good but also like a death sentence but also like a new life and it knows it can't just give yarrow all of those feelings because what is yarrow going to do about that if grimm doesn't even know what to do? and so it runs away, or leaves yarrow's bed to sleep in the other room, or hovers in the doorway without coming in.

they also don't really see themself as A Human Person and have only really known either a solitary life of drifting or resolute loyalty to someone who only has selfish interests in mind, therefore it doesn't know how to live this sort of...domestic life and it didn't even think it wanted that until yarrow showed it that comfort is something grimm can have. but even if it knows it can have it, grimm still has a lto fo grief becuase it doesn't feel like it, an animal with blood on its hands, could ever do anything to deserve that, and that also feeds the restlesness and desire to run away, even when it knows it will only feel worse for doing so

yarrow's issues are more of a result of just being jaded with romantic relationships. he's consistently put in more effort with his partners than he has received in turn and is kind of fighting not to fall in love again because he doesn't want to endure yet another heartbreak, least of all with the person who left him to fuck off for five years (grimm does feel guilty about that and that fuels some of its self-punishment too). there's also subtle rejection/transphobia from past partners in the mix affecting his self-esteem, but more on that in a min. despite all that, he's softhearted and finds it difficult to fight his own feelings because he can't help but having some hope that just maybe, the past won't repeat itself and even though grimm left, they also came back like they promised. kinda just "i am doomed to give more than i can ever take and i don't know how much i have left to give, but i will do so anyways because i don't know how else to exist"

unlike grimm, they refuse to shut people out or close themself off, so it's not entirely obvious that he has any of these issues until most of grimm's problems have been confronted. yarrow also keeps that sort of stuff very close to their chest, so realistically i'm not sure how much anyone but grimm would find that out either

so you have grimm, who wants to just, be a person and live this life with yarrow, but it doesn't know how to do any of this and fucks up a lot in the process. and naturally, grimm doing shit like running off again (and coming back by that evening, but still) and constantly pulling away from affection makes yarrow feel like shit. even though he knows he has nothing to do with what grimm's going through, it's still setting off his rsd while he's trapped in this dilemma of "i have no reason to kick grimm out or cut things off and i genuinely love this person but at the same time they're indirectly hurting me and reopening old wounds." like sure, communicating does fix their problems to an extent, but it's mostly just like, time and patience, which makes it actually kind of tricky for me to accurately put a time frame of p2 until i actually finish writing things

and ALSO, because of how they do and don't deal with their various problems, this fascinating sort of switch happens between the two of them as they actually, finally settle into something they're happy to call a relationship and feel comfortable enough to have sex. where grimm WAS the one to punish itself and deny things mostly out of fear of being hurt, it isn't as much when it comes to sex (ofc they still do for above reasons, and trying to talk about it is mortifying at times bc it's still yarrow they want to fuck and taking off their clothes means not hiding that they're humod) but because they've had hookups and casual sex with people before there's an element of, "well i've already submitted to the mortifying ordeal of being known, it's not like showing you my dick is going to make anything worse". meanwhile yarrow, who has been pretty open and affectionate up until now is like "i'm stone and do not want to be touched during sex". kinda elaborated on some of this stuff here back in sept but there's been some development..? now yarrow is not actually stone per se (and my using of the term may change bc i don't want to invalidate ppl who are actually stone by having a character misusing the term), but has convinced themself that they feel enough sexual gratification through their partners to avoid confronting the fact that no one has made yarrow's pleasure a priority, instead they've internalized that as "while i am not disgusted with what i am, my body is fucking weird to everyone else and no one will actually find what i am attractive". so now GRIMM is the one who has to deal with desire and the rejection of those desires.

they're verse4verse so it's like, fine for awhile. eventually that comes to a head and they get over things and settle the fuck down but MAN it takes them a lot to get there. basically with how i envision honeybee, there are several plot-relevant sex scenes bc it's impossible to disentangle that from the wider developments the two of them have irt to intimacy and just. human connection and whatnot

but yeah all in all they're both products of their environments and relationships, and it's really fun to play with how they really do want to love each other, but there's a lot of pain they cause one another before they actually get to settle into something that's comfortable and fulfilling for the two of them, and that's JUST part 2. we're not even factoring in what happens after grimm's past and decisions come back to fuck things over for the both of them tee hee

[xumoonhao]

everyone hi thoughts and opinions on this Please 🎤 i had a vision for it but i simply do not think my vision is coming through so i will need to look at more sites for inspiration but like hi hello........

[hamadacare]

the day tadashi signed up for @murroyilodel's dance class

“Why ballet?"

“Why not?”

Life has so many things to offer, and Hiro can hear it in Tadashi’s voice --sweet and melodic like the wind chimes that summer sways with its breeze-- that his heart has so much space for it all. Tadashi’s answer was simple, yes, yet, it carried enough for Hiro to understand that his big brother’s spirit knows no bounds. Every day was a wonderful new adventure for someone as brave as Tadashi. Hiro can’t stop that, but he doesn’t stop being his annoying little knucklehead.

“You’re weird.”

Tadashi entertains Hiro’s comment with an eyeroll. And as he fastens on his helmet, his aunt cries out:

“Wait wait!”

“Yeah Aunt Cass?”

He sticks his cheek out for a good luck kiss as he looks up to the sky expectantly. Instead, it’s worrying about what truly matters:

“How much does it cost?”

Oh Aunt Cass.

The wonderful thing about the modern world is how it is inclusive of all classes of people; it wants everyone to have a slice of it. Tadashi subscribed to a membership that provided him access to health and wellness sites like gyms, spas, yoga zones, and dance studios. It gave him a chance to try a bit of everything. (It feels good spending well-earned money on activities he knows he will enjoy!) And today, he enrolled himself in a ballet class.

He drives to the heart of the city, forever enchanted by how much opportunities and experiences it can share to the people that visit. From their small, antique businesses, to the intricate, modern, architecture, this eclectic array is what makes this, the central part, so magical in a modern way. Out of all the buildings here, Tadashi parks his bright red moped in front of a charming studio.

He doesn’t know how far in other students are or how obvious he will stick out like a sore thumb, but that doesn’t stop him from entering through the doors. Tadashi can’t explain it, but it welcomed him.

He peeks into the door, so not as to disturb the class, even if he is punctual. Like the rest of his peers here, everyone dressed casually and comfortably, appropriate for today’s workout. Whether he is surrounded by first-time guests who want to try everything like himself or loyal students was up for interpretation. What remains consistent is the instructor, whom he assumes is the one wrapping up behind her desk. The young man walks in her orbit.

“Hello! Instructor Esmeralda? I’m Tadashi Hamada! I’m excited to try out your services with this gym membership that I got! I enrolled for today's class."

Polite and lively, Tadashi can’t contain a smile for what’s to come.

"There’s so much opportunity here, isn’t there?”

[savethxm]

Also for Rem like she will have a verse where she lives and is around for Stampede's plot and Imma explain it (sweating cause I hope it isn't dumb)

So, like, when she was on the ship and managed to save some of the ships she managed to get herself into a cryopod at the literal last second. Thing is it was never found. She was stumbled upon buried in the sand one day by those three worm guys from the wolfwood episodes of Stampede who released her.

After thanking them the first thing she decided to do was find her boys. Obviously she takes some time to find Vash but she's following his trail and taking in all there is to see and eventually she finds him when he's dragged back to Jenora w/ Meryl and Roberto and obviously they have their moment and shortly after she gets to see Nai and what he's become.

[brokendreamscreation]

“You Can Kill Me But Don’t You Dare Touch Them” Dynamics Starters!

❝ No one else understands me, but you do. You always do. ❞ from @ringmaster-morningstar

The Dreamscape is peaceful, the two dreamers playing and letting their full potential let loose. Here they can both let loose and truly be who they wish. No prying eyes and judgement to clip the wings of their ideas, allowing them to soar to grand heights. Bouncing their thoughts and excitement back and forth, feeding the ever hungry need to create that burns as bright as their shared star. Together, the morning and night star complete one-another.

Taking a breather from the swell of activity and zealous laughter, Lucid flops back against a field of soft green grass and wild flowers, feeling the sunlight warming his face. Even if this is all merely a dream, an illusion, a fantasy, it is their shared dream and that is what makes it so very real. And what Lu says aloud to him only solidifies their shared bond and views. Turning his head to look to the Devil, Lucid grins wide.

“I can say the same about you~ Here, we are free. Not another soul can touch us. Hurt us. And even in the real world, we get each other. For better or for worse, at our peak and at our lowest points. …Heaven made us for a purpose, but I don’t think even they realize what we were made for. But you know what I do know? We were made for each other.”

[merakiui]

going back to read your contractual fwb azul cause it’s my favourite fic ever and i have to wonder; what would azul do if you never used his wishes to your own advantage? like it was always small stuff, so you ended up having to get a new job (sex is banned and let’s pretend like theres some random cafe on sage island or something like that you’re picking up shifts. just not the monstro lounge) and the hours you work there give him less time. would he beg you to use his money? to take advantage of him? it feels like the terms he picked also come from a domestic standpoint of wanting to provide for you. and your new job is really getting in the way of that. rely on him and no one else >:(

(also i’d like to imagine you falling asleep sitting in his lap in his office chair sometime before the confession so he carries you back to his room and you spend the night. the next morning you wake up to him pulling away and in your extremely sleep deprived mind you get upset that he’s leaving. cue him promising he’ll be back—maybe a quick round just so he can get you to wish it and no it’s definitely not because he wants sleepy morning sex—and eventually he comes to wake you back up with flowers, tea (you know the one), and telling you you have a day off somehow.) thank you for listening to my tiny brain rambles

hiiiiiii this is just a question i forgot to add to my last ask that i submitted like 2 seconds ago.

how does your relationship with azul go now that you’re actually in one and not just fwb? like does he still spoil you with whatever you ask for in exchange for sex or just give it to you and sex happens whenever? (more than the average couple cause, cmon) he gave you the fish shoes even though you lost so it stands that he’d spoil the hell out of you whenever he can

- - -

Hi hiiii!! :D omg contractual fwb tako..... I miss thinking about that fic. Peak Azul is him developing a relationship with darling via contractual means and slowly but surely the feelings shift (through dubious efforts hehehe). >:D that dynamic is just so *chef's kiss*!!!!!

Oooo if reader got a job!!! If not at the lounge, which is secretly what Azul hopes, then the place better pay good wages and the hours and work better be reasonable!! >:( he won't have his angelfish struggle. Maybe he'd even visit you during your shifts on occasion and make up some excuse like "I need to know what sort of competition the lounge has" blah blah blah etc etc even though it's quite clear he's checking up on you. T_T I like to think Azul wants you to take advantage of him because it's a deal in which you're both using the other for certain things, so wouldn't that make the most sense?? That's how the logic works in his give-and-take, equivalent-exchange brain.

Azul gets really particularly when it comes to giving gifts and he always seems to want a valid reason for the exchange (like in Glomas where he buys souvenirs for his dorm so that they can remember this good deed and know that they are technically indebted to him even though to Deuce and Epel it appears as though he's just being a kind Housewarden). But also,,, he's so iffy when it comes to accepting gifts himself and always seems to think there's some underlying reason behind it. ^^;; perhaps he'd just feel more comfortable if you were openly using him and this deal to your benefit just as he's doing the same with you. It's probably why he even makes the terms so domestic because, beneath all of the pompous showmanship and businessman flair, he genuinely wants to provide for you and make your life better and be your beloved. <3 but because he's Azul he can't just tell you that. >_<

AAAAA FALLING ASLEEP IN HIS OFFICE!!!!! OTL waking up in his bed all bleary-eyed and sleepy....... grabbing at his arm and begging him to stay,,, the sleepy morning sex... maybe it's the one moment he allows just some of his defenses to fall because most of yours are nonexistent in this moment. Having sex just to have sex without any thoughts about your contract..... of course he's still going to remind you later and insist you use one of your wishes/favors since you technically indulged him with sex, but then you wanted it, too. He's so fussy!!!! Please just ask him for something—anything! He isn't going to beg, but sometimes you really do make him contemplate it when you're so determined to not make use of him and his connections.

You're one of Azul's greatest weaknesses and if you know this then you can easily exploit this because this tako adores you. He is so utterly whipped. Whatever you want, you can have it. Spoiling you is one of his many love languages. He loves giving you gifts, especially when he knows they'll make you happy. Like those silly fish slippers. They are so dumb, but they make his angelfish smile and that's enough reason to purchase them for you. I think once you're in a real relationship the fwb contract is dissolved, but a lot of what you did during those two months still occurs into your relationship. Like the smoldering tension and the chemistry. The silly banter and smart quips. The attraction. And of course lots of love (real and potion-induced mwahaha) and sex. He railed you once in mer form and you better believe he'll do it again now that he's slowly finding the confidence to do so with you.

[kunasthiast]

My God (1)

In the world of the Yakuzas, women are always on the sidelines and that's what you ought to change. But when your father chose Sukuna instead of you, that's when you know that you need to carve your own path.

But with Sukuna leading the family, how are you gonna get away? And, fuck the pterodactyls in your stomach!

I've always wanted to write a Yakuza!Au with Sukuna and I'm doing it now OTL I plan on making this as a series. This is different from 'Fortnight'. I will be updating this with a link to the masterpost of this au which will include its chapters, spin-offs, and drabbles in the future!

Updates will be once a week and since I'm excited about this, I might upload updates twice a week <333

Hope you'll enjoy this one ~

Pairing: Sukuna x Reader (female) Genre: fluff + angst, Yakuza AU, Enemies to Lovers Word Count: 1,525 All characters are of age. This story is 18+. Minors don't interact.

next ->

The pouring rain outside has been the source of calmness for you. You’ve always loved the rain, the thundering clap of thunders, and the violent winds. It’s calming for you. As the rain cascaded down your bedroom window, you’re getting ready for the urgent meeting your father has arranged for tonight. 

He’s never arranged a meeting this late, you somberly thought. Knocks were heard from your door. 

“Come out now, darling. Everyone’s waiting.” It’s your father. 

“Coming!” You glanced one final look at your vanity mirror and stood up to shake off your dress. Walking towards the door, you sighed and couldn’t help but feel a pang of apprehension. This is nerve-wracking. 

You opened the door to find your father waiting for you. He never fails to give off his presence which commands respect, authority, and intimidation. 

Even in the privacy of your own home. His eyes softened by the slightest hint of weariness when he looked at you. His tall and imposing figure still left no room for doubt of power. He’s wearing his most expensive tailored suit, impeccably pressed despite the late hour. He has to, being the family boss of the clan. And you know this suit, you had it made for him as a gift for his 70th birthday. This made you smile a bit while looking down. 

“Let’s go.” He called with his voice carrying a note of urgency. Definitely matches the severity of the storm outside.

You nodded in response, steeling yourself for the impending meeting just beyond the corridor. Despite the facade of the intimidating and powerful aura he projected, there was the weight of responsibility that burdened him. You know it all too well. 

The unspoken sacrifices he made for the sake of his family and clan. Yet, you never felt who is his family. With the way things are and have been, all he did shaped your upbringing and eventually molded you into the formidable woman you had become.

With a deep breath, you followed him down the dimly lit corridor. Tumultuous thoughts swirled in your mind but everything’s getting rained down thanks to the comforting sound outside. 

—

Walking into the room, you saw everyone important in the clan. From your father to his assistant and lieutenants, with you as the only woman in the room. This meeting must be of utmost importance if all key figures of the clan are here. 

As your father walked towards his seat at the head of the table, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and nervousness. The tables are laid out with expensive tea cups and teapots for everyone. As your father sat down, your heartbeat quickened with the room growing quiet around you. You find yourself seated next to him at a reasonable distance, being just the one and only daughter of the boss.

Your father’s presence commanded respect, with his assistant and lieutenants expressing a mix of deference and readiness to hear whatever he had to say.

Scanning the room, you caught the eye of your father’s most trusted person, Sukuna. His right-hand man. The one who always does his bidding, from the legal side to the dirty side of everything. 

Sukuna always looks imposing with his piercing gaze and confident, intimidating demeanor. He’s scarier than father. His face tattoos compliment his tousled pink hair, which by the way makes him look sexier than ever. He’s wearing a white button-up with rolled-up sleeves, accentuating his muscles and some of his tattoos peeking through. 

You’ve always had a secret attraction towards him. The secret glances every time he’s in a room with you. The fucking pterodactyls with their intense fluttering in your stomach. Feeling your gaze upon him, he looked towards you with a smirk which made you shift your eyes toward your father as he began to talk.

“I’ve called you all for an important matter that needs urgent attention.” Hearing this made your heart pound with a tingling sensation to fidget your fingers, below the eyes of everyone but you. 

“It’s time for a new era.” Your father declared. “And I have chosen Sukuna to lead us into it.”

As your father’s words hung heavy in the air, a wave of shock rippled through the room, followed by the hushed silence and just the sound of rain. Suddenly, the rain doesn’t feel as calm anymore. It feels suffocating and unsettling. This is not the calm you’ve always loved.

What's more, you can’t believe everything your father just said. He’s chosen Sukuna to lead the clan into a new era. He passed over you, his own daughter, for the family succession.

A swarm of emotions swirled in your mind — disbelief, doubt, confusion, shock, anger, and a bitter sense of betrayal. How could your father overlook you, his direct heir, in favor of Sukuna? You furrow your eyebrows as you continue to process this news.

Across the room, Sukuna stood up from his seat with a calm demeanor and a tattooed smirk on his face that spoke volumes. He looked at everyone with intensity and his eyes gleamed with triumph, ending up meeting your gaze that sent a shiver down your spine. 

As everyone processed this new change, all key figures gave their respect and support to Sukuna. Amid the collective acknowledgment, you felt a profound sense of betrayal by your own father. Your dreams, the cornerstone of your existence crumbled like fragile glass under the weight of this revelation. 

From the fluttering pterodactyls in your stomach, a tide of anger surged through your veins, drowning out any semblance of affection towards Sukuna. And your deepest regards to your father, once a sturdy pillar of respect and trust, crumbled like ancient ruins replaced by a bitter taste of betrayal, doubt, and hurt.

Sukuna walked towards your father, who welcomed him with a tight hug. And as the storm raged outside, so did the storm within your heart.

Your father continued to speak, outlining his reasons why he chose Sukuna. You can’t hear anything anymore. The thundering claps and violent rain drown out everything. The room seemed to spin around you, the expensive tea cups and teapots on the table, all the lieutenants, your father, and Sukuna blurred into a haze as you grappled with what was happening.

This couldn’t be real.

—

As you retreated to the solace of your room, the events of this night continued to replay in your mind like a broken record. The fake smiles, the hollow congratulations, the sense of betrayal that hung heavy in the air – it was all too much to bear.

With trembling hands, you reached for the bottle of champagne you grabbed from the pantry earlier, the cool glass offering a welcome respite from the storm raging both outside and within. You walked towards your bathroom with the bottle.

Standing before the mirror, your reflection seemed to mock the turmoil raging within you. As you stared into your own eyes, the facade of composure you had worn for so long began to crumble, revealing the raw emotions simmering beneath the surface.

At that moment, you made a choice — to reject the false comforts of that alcohol or face the harsh reality of your situation head-on. With a determined flick of your wrist, you poured the champagne down the drain, soullessly watching the golden liquid disappear.

The weight of expectation had always rested heavily on your shoulders, a burden you bore with a mixture of pride and determination. As the family boss's only daughter, you had been groomed from a young age to inherit the mantle of leadership, carry on the legacy of your forefathers, and guide the family into a new era.

Your father had promised you that one day you would lead the family, that you would shatter the traditions that had long relegated women to the sidelines of power and influence. It was a dream he had instilled in you from the moment you were old enough to understand, a promise that had fueled your ambition and shaped your identity.

You had immersed yourself in every aspect of the family business, from the legal intricacies of corporate dealings to the ruthless strategies of the underworld. You had learned to navigate the murky waters of power and politics, to command respect and fear in equal measure.

But now, as you stood on the precipice of your destiny, that dream lay shattered at your feet. Your father's decision to pass over you in favor of Sukuna had blindsided you.

You couldn't understand how he could break his promise, how he could deny you the opportunity to fulfill your rightful destiny. The traditions that had long bound women to the sidelines of power seemed more entrenched than ever, casting a shadow over your hopes and aspirations.

“This is fucking bullshit! I won’t be cast aside like this,” you declare, facing the mirror with a steely resolve. You threw the empty bottle at the room with all the strength you could muster, the release of pent-up anger, frustration, all the emotions you felt tonight washing over you like a tidal wave.

Fuck it. Fuck Sukuna. Fuck father. Fuck everything.

[drenched-in-sunlight]

Your genuinely one of my favorite elden ring artists, what would you say is your favorite aspect of elden ring just in general

this might be a big revelation but i think my favourite part about Elden Ring is i... actually don't really like it until the DLC.

the way the base game presented a kinda basic and fragmented story, one i'd even say i were underwhelmed about. because i went in expecting Sekiro-level of character driven writing (they did promise that in an interview) and what i got... ehhhh. that's why my fanarts for the base game is literally just fluff pieces and shipping Malenia with another character altogether that isn't even in the game. meanwhile my AC6, Sekiro and Bloodborne art... i think you can tell i have a very deep emotional connection to those games from the kind of work im putting out for them. (hell, before the DLC i actually was thinking "well i'll probably only draw some general fanarts after the DLC then go back to draw more JJK stuffs lol" famous last words)

but holy mother of God the way the DLC completely blew everything tf up.

sorry Fromsoftware, i were not aware the Sekiro character-driven part is actually about the DLC. im sorry im still not familiar with your game yet 😭

(this turns into a mini rant so imma put it under cut OTL)

before, i were pretty "...." about Elden Ring female cast. i think Melina appears too little, i think NPCs like Fia and Roderika... i can't figure out the significance of them within the narrative at all. and it kinda upset me because it feels like they regress back to the helpless / fanservice maiden trope that was usually seen in DS franchise for no reason. i don't like how Rennala ends up as and i don't like not knowing why Radagon did that to her (which turns to me not liking the way it became a popular fanon that he actually loved her he was just bound by duty etc etc...i mean what?), i actually don't even really like how Malenia's barely-there story turns out (but that's a rant for another day).

as standalone characters, sure, i'd say they all have their own merits, but if they don't play any role within the narrative... what's the point then?

but all of that is because back then, we literally did not know what's Marika's deal either.

and so she became this cardboard that everyone pins all the crimes and bad things in the world on, which is... fine? makes sense. but the following line of reasoning that she did all that because she's just...like that drives me up the wall. if i want another "woman bad" story i'd just replay DS2 😭

and that line of thought also distance her from other characters in the game. those stories are not lining up, so we literally see no point in anything.

but by giving us Marika's story in the DLC they:

shine light on the possible division between two Numen factions (Anna & Jolan story + Sword of Light & Darkness // no one is left in Marika's home (those embraces Light/Gold/ Greater Will and its Stars children) vs the Numens in Eternal City (those embraces Dark/ Black Moon/ opposing GW and its children)

the discontent with the Moon and how there are those who will never accept it as being equal to the Stars

the other half situation

the Marika's eye colour possible reveal (link her to Roderika - Roderika as a reflection of the maiden Marika once was and probably still is deep down)

give Godwyn more agency in his ending (his personal knights are on a quest for Age of Duskborn) -> link Marika to Fia (Fia as a reflection of the mother Marika is)

draw direct parallel between Messmer - the child carrying Marika's vengeance for the past, to Melina - the child carrying Marika's hope for the future

Marika as a God full of human flaws >< Miquella as a God devoid of all human emotions. both are bad in different ways. but share a same gentle origin of a simple wish for a kinder world.

the DLC singlehandedly swipes clean every problem i have with the base game. like im actually in awe they managed to do that so efficiently 😭

all that is to say. my favourite aspect of all is truly how one's perspective of this one character could alter the entire story.

i still dislike the interpretation that Marika is cold and heartless or that's she's cruel for no reason, but at the same time, i can see how ppl viewing her that way affect how they see other events in the game. just like how my view of her changes my entire view of the story itself too. and i just love how the writers pull that off really skillfully. man. and i think that's sth so unique to videogame storytelling. it's amazing!

[chronosdawn]

Attached - Alpha!Wriothesley x Beta!Reader

a/b/o AU, GN!Reader

A/N: I got the idea for this while working on another, longer a/b/o fic so instead of working on that like I was supposed to, I wrote this OTL

Word count: 1.3k

Content warnings: a/b/o dynamics, mild sexual content and themes (minors please DNI)

Not many got the chance to know the Duke of the Fortress of Meropide well. Certainly, almost everyone in Fontaine knew of him, and as the Fortress’s administrator, many people had some sort of contact with him, be they convicts of the Fortress or proprietors of businesses hoping to gain a foothold there.

But among those, very few got to actually know the Duke beyond his title and position, and when you’d first met him, you’d had no reason to think you’d be any different. Sure, you had been invited there by him personally, which was rare, but made sense once you’d learned he was looking to procure resources for some project that was being worked on in the Fortress—something you had a lot of experience doing for members of the Fontaine Research Institute.

Over the course of several meetings—and more than a couple of pots of tea—a tentative friendship had formed between you. One that had turned into something quite different when you’d accidentally stumbled into his office while he was in a rut.

And that, was how you’d come to end up in your current situation—seated in Wriothesley’s lap with your overnight bag discarded by the door to his room. You hadn’t expected this to become a regular occurrence when you’d first offered him your assistance, but for some reason the stubborn fool had refused to seek out an omega to spend his ruts with, even if you both knew that was what he actually needed.

He nosed against the back of your neck before going in with a gentle nip of his teeth, dangerously close to where your small beta scent gland lay.

“Careful,” you warned, “you know our agreement, nothing that can’t be taken back. I don’t want to be the reason your future omega ends up developing some sort of complex.”

Wriothesley stilled briefly before grazing his teeth over your nape once more. “What would you do if I did?”

“What do you mean?” You tried to turn around to look at his face, but the muscular arms around your waist kept you locked in place, pressed tightly against the firm planes of his chest.

“What would you do if I decided to put a claiming bite on you? Right now, you’re not in any position to stop me.”

“You wouldn’t,” you said with absolute certainty, even as he nipped at you again, harder this time.

“What makes you so sure?” His rut had come on enough that even you could smell the pheromones he was pumping out into the air, a rich leathery musk with notes of clary sage.

“I know you, you just wouldn’t.”

“You sound pretty convinced of that.”  He went quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was barely audible as he muttered into your skin. “Do you even know what I was originally sentenced here for?”

“I do.” He’d never told you himself but you remembered reading about his trial in the newspaper your father had left out on your dining room table. “But that’s neither here nor there. You’re not the sort of person who’d force a yourself on someone, and I can’t imagine you ever being disloyal to your mate. Even if for some strange reason you seem reluctant to go out and find them.”

He let out a chuckle but there was no real humour in it. “You know, sometimes I wish you thought a little less highly of me.”

“If I didn’t think so highly of you, I wouldn’t be here, you know that.”

“Yeah, I do.” He went back to worrying at your neck, his mouth over your scent gland. Instead of biting down, however, he sucked at the skin in a way that was certain to leave its own sort of claiming mark, but one that would fade within a week. 

“You don’t seem to be in any hurry,” you noted, as he took his time littering your nape with hickeys, despite the growing hardness you could feel pressing against your ass.

“How long can you stay?” His hands began to wander slowly over your body, the heat of his palms burning through your clothes.

“A couple of days.” You let out a sigh, allowing yourself to enjoy the feeling of his touch while you could. “I’ve got a trip to Liyue scheduled to check on some ore shipments and it’s too late to rearrange it. Sorry I can’t be here for the whole thing; I should be able to help you through the worst of it though.”

“And when will you be back?”

“I’m not sure. Some of the merchants we’re dealing with are really dragging their feet for some reason. I should be back before your next one, although whether that’s really a good thing or not, I don’t know. Might have been a good incentive for you to actually seek out a more permanent arrangement.”

“I really wish you’d stop bringing that up.” One of his hands slipped underneath your shirt, sliding beneath your undergarments so he could give your nipple a firm squeeze. “What’s so wrong with this?”

You let out an undignified squeak and chastised him with a light slap to the thigh. “I know I sound like some nagging old aunt, but I just want you to find someone who makes you happy. Truly happy, not just sex.”

“And if I said you make me happy?”

“I can’t, not in the way deserve,” you said a little sadly, before putting the thought out of your mind altogether. It was best not to think about what ifs that could never be, it would only lead to hurt. “Now, what do you say we get a move on, before you get so wound up you tear straight through my clothes. Again.”

Wriothesley loosened his hold enough for you to turn around in his lap, fingers moving to undo the buttons of your shirt as he watched with rapt attention.

“With the way you’re so fond of telling me off, anyone would think you’re the alpha in this relationship.” He made no move to touch you, simply observing as you shed your garments one by one. You weren’t entirely sure how he was managing it, you could see the flush on his cheeks, feel the tension in his body—a piece of elastic a hair’s breadth from snapping. Still, if any alpha would have the self-control to hold themselves back during a rut, it would be him.

“Come on mister, it’s not fair to make me do all the work.” You moved to start helping him out of his waistcoat, his jacket having already been shed before you’d even entered the room.

“Alright boss,” he replied with obvious sarcasm, a smirk curling at his lips. With no warning, you were suddenly lifted and flung onto the bed, Wriothesley following you quickly after, caging you in with his body and leaving no hope of escape. “If you’re that eager, you don’t have to wait for me to go into a rut, you know, you can come here anytime. I’ve asked the staff at the front desk to let me know as soon as they see you.”

“It’s a tempting offer.” You helped him out of his waistcoat as he pulled off his tie and tossed it somewhere in the room. “But I’d hate to be the reason for a decline in the efficiency of management of the Fortress.”

“Always an answer for everything.” You didn’t get a chance to retort before his mouth was covering yours, hot and hungry as he ground his hips against your thigh. It would seem his control had finally failed him, as when you kissed back, he let out a satisfied growl from the back of his throat, fingers digging into your flesh as he tugged you into the position he wanted.

You simply let him, tangling your fingers in his hair as you braced yourself for what was sure to be a long and tiring—if enjoyable—affair.

[fire-lizard-ro]

SO UHHHHH- Beware the darker themes ahead. I know people were probably expecting more smut from me, but I find it hard to write smut for the Aeons??? Who even knows how that would actually work-

Anyways sorry for the lack of smut. OTL

I will feed y’all some good Geppie smut later!

GN reader

CW: mentions of death, permanent maiming, breaking bones, sadistic and obsessive tendencies, loss of self

Lemme know if I missed anything. T-T

I didn’t really get into it as much as I could have, so I don’t think it’s too bad. But still read that CW, please-

When it comes to the Aeons, I refuse to believe that they understand human conventions, morals, or ways of love. I think that with them, it's very easy for them to be a yandere??? Sorta?

Once they are interested in you, they won't immediately take you. They'll likely observe you, being interested in figuring out what it is that had them interested in you in the first place.

But slowly they become more convinced that you are someone they want to keep by their side.

Once they've decided that you should stay by their side, they'd likely kidnap you???

And I feel like as an Aeon who doesn't empathize with human emotions just has to keep you because you make them feel something truly novel- Is this that "love" that they always heard those humans talk about? That thing that they strive for yet the Aeons couldn't possibly hope to understand? So no matter how far you try to run, they'll find you.

Yaoshi

With this particular Aeon, I can see their love being one that is harmful for humans no matter how sweetly they put it.

They don't understand why you don't want the protection of their path and the blessing of everlasting life they can give you. :((

At some point, they'll likely give you the curse of mara, turning you into something you aren't. It's all because they love you and can't bear to see your mortal form crumble to nothing over the years and your life come to an end. They just couldn't accept that. So one day they tell you sweetly to close your eyes because they have a gift for you. One that you can keep... forever.

They understands that it will hurt. Yes. They understand that you'll lose your humanity and really your sense of being- But that's okay! They can take care of you. They'll never let you feel pain or suffering after this moment. You'll just have to take this moment of pain to have an eternity with them. Okay? :))

Honestly I can't really see why any of the Aeons would keep a human or other mortal around when what they pursue is something that mortal minds cannot truly fathom. Like with Nanook....

Nanook

(Disclaimer: what I said with Yaoshi? Y e a h - THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY HARMFUL TO HUMANS AND IT’S NOT EVEN PUT IN A SWEET WAY LIKE WITH YAOSHI.)

They are literally seeking the destruction of all things. Those who follow the Path of Destruction even sacrifice their own health and bodies in order to gain power in battle. The Path of the Destruction is one that seeks the end of all things. But maybe there's a slim chance that despite seeking to destroy all creation, they would find you oddly charming. A cute little thing that they cannot seem to take their eyes away from. Somehow, to them, you are just as beautiful as the fiery destruction they seek to bring to the universe.

Obsessively watching you and doing whatever they please to you. Keeping you close at all times, trapped in their embrace as though their hands were a living cage. Again- No matter where you run, no matter where you hide… they’ll find you. Their love is also Very Harmful to Humans TM. Holds you far too tight without really realizing it. But if you try to pry their large fingers off or you squirm too much… they only squeeze harder. To the point that you feel your skin bruising, flesh becoming sore and your very bones creaking. If you actually manage to get away from them somehow, I’m not sure what will happen to you. Not to mention the fact that it will be very VERY hard to run once you’ve escaped. Aeons can probably traverse the universe at speeds unfathomable. And their piercing gazes leave no stone unturned. How could you hope to hide from such all-seeing eyes? How can you hide from an Aeon? Once they’ve caught you again… you probably aren’t getting away. They may break you a bit. Juuust a but. Enough to discourage a second escape attempt- And maybe even enough to make that second attempt impossible. You don’t really need to walk if they’re always holding you, right? Maybe if they… break your legs? Careful you don’t anger them any more than that- Paralysis from the waist down is also a dangerous, but possible option. You may be broken after that, but they’re the Aeon of Destruction. You’ll be beautiful to them even broken. :))

At some point, if this was you second attempt and you’re somehow able to get away without them breaking your legs- Or hell maybe they did but you are just stubborn enough to devise a way to run away again (though likely not on those twisted legs of yours). Point is- If this is not your first attempt at escape, it’s likely that word of what happened the first time has spread. I doubt there’d be a planet in the galaxy willing to harbor you when Nanook could easily raze their cities to the ground and destroy the very planet they live on.

Nanook is the Most Dangerous of the Aeons to catch the attention of. Because I think with them, the most realistic thing would be that you are always one wrong step away from becoming a beautifully broken thing. The grand and beautiful destruction this Aeon sought. For what greater love is there than making you an example of their reason for being, right? Right? :)))

Or maybe it’s because they cannot be bothered with you if you become too much of a hassle even if they fancy you. I’m not really sure how Aeons really work, soooo…. I’d honestly be careful around this one… Even though I’m sure most would be considering their intimidating stature and nature.

Lan

I wonder if Lan would find it fun to let you think you’d escaped them only to hunt you down. I mean. They are the Aeon of the Hunt. Yes that means more than just that, but. I can see it. Some sort of sadistic glee they have in the fear in your eyes, the pounding in your heart, and the panicked breaths you take when realizing they’ve found you again. But they’d never hurt you! No, no, no- They certainly wouldn’t… Right?

IX

I don’t think there’d be any getting away from the Aeon of Nihility. 💀

I mean- Considering what happened in the Simulated Universe when meeting IX, I think you know why. I don’t know too much about them and no longer have many spoons for this so ye.

Maybe will write more about the Aeons later.

Sorry for any wack writing and typos it’s ass o’clock and it’s time for my eepy ass to go mimimimimimi- Might fix it eventually if I catch it.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

What does “OTL” stand for? I see you use it in a couple of your posts, but I’m not sure what it means and I am confusion.

It’s an emoticon with Korean origins! OTL is meant to look like a person on their hands and knees with their head hunched over, similar to these:

Typically it’s meant to express disappointment or defeat! But I personally use it for positive reasons too; for example, I often use OTL to indicate despairing over exciting new content releases that I will obsess over for the next several days—this is how the emoticon is used within my friend group too so I probably picked it up from there.

The context that I use it in is definitely a little different than the norm! I hope that makes sense.

[accidentally-in-fictional-love]

Susceptible - Jack Delroy/Reader

Warnings: Fully clothed grinding, very slight dirty talk, very light exhibitionism in a sense, no use of Y/N, female-hinted reader because of skirt/makeup mentions but other than that there's no real gender mention.

Wordcount: 4950

Summary: You spent a small fortune getting a ticket to Carmichael Haig's show on the promise of his new act showing his audience something the world has never seen before, as well as the possible attendance of one Jack Delroy, but will two hours of bullshit be worth the risk?

Notes: There is SO MUCH BUILDUP I'm so sorry I'm so weak for worldbuilding and plot I swear the other one I have planned will be shorter OTL I have never written a reader before but I am a huge fan of them, especially the DDverse ones I've been binging oop, so I hope this is a good first attempt! It's been a few years since I've written anything like this and probably a good decade or so since I last posted anything, so here's hoping I post more in the upcoming future~ This is also completely unbetaed so if you see any mistakes please let me know <3 The Manhattan Center is also real but didn't fit my needs entirely so I mashed it together with the theatre I went to as a kid lol

~~~~~~~~~~

Carmichael Haig was back in town and you had no idea why you were here. 

He had left for what felt like both forever and not nearly long enough for a few months to do his tour, seeing his smug face everywhere you looked between both digital and paper news and making your distaste grow a little more each time. You had been fond of his trickery for a time, but his move from magic man to skeptic had sucked all the fun out of the act, his determination to not only find the real but humiliate the fakes way past annoying to straight up sickening to you by this point. Tonight’s show proved to be another big presentation of the latter you’d decided when it’d been announced officially, promoted by your favourite talk show host - and current celebrity crush - Jack Delroy; his smile was wide for the cameras but it didn’t reach his eyes, you could always tell between them by now and he did not seem to be as pleased as the two talked about it that night.

‘I’m going to show the world something they’ve never seen before,’ Carmichael had said, his usual smug look in place as he hammed it up for the cameras like he could really pull that off, Jack running with it like the patron saint of patience he had to be.

‘Big talk, you sure I can’t convince you to give our wonderful audience a taste tonight?’ he asked, the crowd cheering at the mere thought of getting to experience his new act an entire month early, but if there was even an iota of temptation within him to share he hid it perfectly. He waved the offer away to everyone’s disappointment, Jack pouting on everyone’s behalf and putting those big eyes on display as his own plea; the ratings, you imagined, would be wonderful for a segment like this when his show was already starting to slip down the line, but even that was no use.

‘You’ll all get a chance to see it on the 13th,’ he promised them as he turned to face the audience, the place and date scrolling across the bottom of the screen yet again, they’d been flashing it every single time it was mentioned to the point where you were sure you’d see it in your sleep tonight, rolling across the bottom half of your dream. ‘Or, those of you who’ve been able to get your tickets will, we’re selling out fast,’ he smirked with a tip of his glass, yet another thing that’d been brought up and hammered home; you’d gone to the Manhattan Center to check a couple days ago, just out of curiosity, the ticket price absolutely ridiculous to the point that you were convinced they’d never sell out, but now you guessed your distaste of him wasn’t as widespread as you’d secretly hoped.

Jack slapped his leg in mock disappointment, Carmichael looking back to him at the sound. ‘Guess you’ll have to tell me all about it the next time you’re back in town, I had asked Gus to pick one up for me but it seems he missed that call,’ he joked, Gus’ surprise at the blame of his absence being placed on him getting a big laugh as his face fell and he tried to explain himself. 

Carmichael placed an understanding hand on Jack’s shoulder and leaned in closer, the other man leaning in in return as if to receive some kind of secret. ‘Well then, it’s a good thing my date canceled on me,’ he retorted, and when he pulled his hand back he revealed a ticket, Jack’s eyes going wide as he accepted the gift with a big smile, pointing to it before shaking Carmichael’s hand with a thanks.

Ah, so that was why you were here again.

You knew you’d never be able to get a seat on Night Owls because the thought of Jack seeing you in the crowd made you blush all the way to your shoulders, even on your bravest of nights you hadn’t been able to even call and see if there were any tickets left, but to maybe share an audience with him? To sit in the same room as him where you could steal glances if you were able to find him, with no risk whatsoever of him catching the way your eyes lit up when you looked at that handsome face, that dangerously attractive body? That was doable. 

It had cost an arm and a leg to convince that scalper to hand over one of the tickets he was parading around outside the Center, but it was worth it as you stepped inside, your heart racing because, unless he wanted to risk the aftermath of Carmichael calling him out for not going, he was here; somewhere in this building was the man you’d been dreaming about since his debut a few years ago, the one you watched nearly every night without fail just for that hour where he looked at you, talked to you, noticed you even if it was through a camera, and that was all you’d needed until tonight.

You’d gotten a pretty shitty seat despite the price but you didn’t mind, it actually worked out for you considering you weren’t actually there to see the show but to look for someone in the seats in front of you, and you hoped that you’d be able to spot him from where you were in the far back corner. As long as he wasn’t, say, the exact opposite of you then you probably stood a chance of at least a glance, since his ticket came from Carmichael himself you guessed that it was probably close to the front if not front row center just to mess with him and prove that he’d come, and you felt all the hair rise on your arms and neck when Carmichael walked on stage early to very loudly greet someone who’d just walked in.

There he was, leaving his seat to meet the other man in the middle, and he was so much further than you expected but it was still him, big smile in place, hair perfectly combed, his crisp suit being wrinkled by Carmichael’s hands as he gave him a showy hug, and he was beautiful. You froze in the middle of the row, unable to finish the walk as your eyes stayed on him, the people trying to get by you not as starstruck as they attempted to squeeze past when you ignored their presence.

‘Sorry,’ you murmured as you sat as fast as you could, eyes still trained on him as he waved to the crowd to prove that yes, he did honour the gift and was there to see this big new act he’d been promised. You let out an embarrassingly needy whine when he sat back down and you became unable to see him again, the mass of bodies behind him obscuring all but a sliver of the back of his head from this angle, and you’d be damned if you had to spend the next 2 hours stuck like this at a Carmichael Haig show of all things. The person at the end of the row finally arrived and you made your move, hurrying down and taking one last glance before getting ready to make this whole thing a little more bearable. ‘Excuse me,’ you nearly stuttered as the person, a man older than yourself who definitely gave off the air of being a Carmichael fan, looked up at you, ‘would you want to trade seats with me? I was really looking forward to the show but I was too late to grab an aisle seat.’

It’s a blatant lie but the quick glance from before proved that you could see him better from there, and the chance of getting to look at him for the next two hours was worth the look the man gave you at the request.

‘Which one are you?’ he asked, looking down to the few empty spaces still waiting for their owners, and you pulled out your ticket to double check, seeing that it was R51; wow, you didn’t realize how far away R was from A until you saw it firsthand. He looked back down to your seat and considered it, looking you over midthought when he thought you weren’t looking, and he almost got away with it if not for the fact that you felt his eyes on you. ‘$100,’ he decided, the offer knocking the wind right out of you.

‘What? The seat was already $350,’ you choke, giving away the fact that you were really, really late to the party.

‘Take it or leave it, I had the sense to order on time,’ is all he says to that, and you looked back at your possible view before sighing heavily and reaching for your wallet; goddamnit, Jack, if only he knew how worth it he was. You hand over the money and step aside, the man pocketing his fee and leaving the seat for you as promised, and the view is just barely better but there he is again, perfectly in view due to what can only be a miracle, the hole in your wallet feeling a little less big as you watched him turn his head to talk to someone, giving you a perfect side view.

He really was handsome, captivating even from this distance, and you swoon a little as the audience finished filling out, the lights dimming and obscuring your view a little more save the grace of the stage lights that illuminate him from the front as Carmichael walked back out on stage and started the show. You’d never been one for spacing out but you couldn’t take your eyes off him, the $450 price tag of this shitty aisle seat all for him and not feeling so bad even as Carmichael charms everyone around you. He didn’t look to the side that often, you guessed he didn’t actually know his neighbour since the seat was a gift, but the times that he did, where he laughed or sighed at the theatrics or even put his face in his hand because he wasn’t having too much fun, were all cataloged away in your head forever, the perfect souvenirs to last you a lifetime of home viewing after this. 

At about an hour in according to your old watch, Jack looked about ready to get up and find any reason to leave, which you couldn’t blame him for, the acts themselves were pretty damn good you realized in the times you actually paid attention, but it was getting so tiring to see Carmichael explain away all of their tricks, to see the joy leave their faces at being called a fraud or having all their mysteries revealed, and it was clear Jack felt the same down in row A. After a particularly rough walk-off from a woman who was trying very desperately to convince Carmichael that she could really read his mind and ending up with the humiliating reality that everything he answered to was false to get her to out herself, you noticed that when you looked back to his seat that Jack isn’t there, and you were in the middle of wondering where he went when the person coming up the aisle came into view so suddenly that it took your breath away.

It was Jack, his brow twitching slightly to keep a neutral face, his footsteps heavy as he tried not to stomp and draw attention to the fact that that last one really pissed him off, his hands already reaching into his suit pocket for something. You tried not to stare the closer he got but it was hard, years of being able to look all you want training your brain to look look look as he approached, and you forced yourself to stare straight ahead at the stage as he reached you. Your hands were clenched tight in your lap as he went to pass row R, and you were in the middle of thinking you were going to make it when he fumbled the small box in his pocket and dropped it with a low curse, the cigarettes he apparently smoked bouncing to the side and coming to a stop between your recently shined shoes.

Your head snapped down so fast you felt it in your neck as he came to a stop beside you, the two of you locating the box at the same time, and you stiffened as he reached for it before realizing how rude that would be despite his own sour mood. ‘I’m sorry, could I bother you for a second,’ he asked, his smile back in place despite being a bit tense, and you stuttered out a confirmation as you leaned down to pick them up.

‘I didn’t know you smoked,’ you blurted out before you could stop yourself, Jack’s hand frozen in midair as he reached for the box, his smile relaxing a little as he looked from your hand to your face.

‘Did I find myself a Night Owl in this sea of skeptics?’ he wondered aloud, your cheeks brightening in a way that really made you pray it was dark enough not to notice. 

‘I wanted to see what all the fuss was about,’ you lie, and he crouched down so he could hear your whispers as the crowd reacted to the next act.

‘I take it you’re also not very impressed,’ he figured, hitting the nail on the head based on your expression alone. He chuckled at your silent confirmation and looked back down to the cigarettes, his fingertips just barely touching yours as you both held it, you didn’t even know when he’d grabbed it and you let go before it got awkward, but he didn’t seem to notice. ‘Well, if you don’t tell my producer that I’m smoking again, then I won’t tell Haig that you didn’t like his show, deal?’

You sucked in a breath as he moved the box to his left hand, offering up his right for a handshake this time to seal the deal, your heart pounding as you shook on it, his smile more genuine than you’d seen all night, you could always tell. He stood back up as the act finished and Carmichael went back to his disproving, his mood dropping again as his need to escape rearose. You both offered a look of disdain at the stage before he stood back up to move again, something stopping him midstep before he turned on his heel and leaned back down to you, a shiver running down your spine at how close he was so he could be heard.

‘Have you ever been to one of my shows?’ he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice, his warm breath accidentally hitting your neck and rendering you unable to do anything but glance at him and shake your head no. ‘You’d have a much better time, I’ve got some great stuff coming up,’ he pitched, either completely unaware of your predicament or just used to people acting like this around him, either way he didn’t react when your eyes couldn’t help but flicker down to watch him lick his lips so fast you almost missed it. ‘The next one’s already booked up but if you go down to the studio and give them this card, you should be able to get a spot for a night you’re free, I'd like to see you there.’

He pulled out his wallet and grabbed a business card, flipping it around to the blank side on the back before resting it on the arm of the chair. A pen was found next, and he scribbled a quick note to the ticket seller on it on your behalf, signing it and handing it over with that big showman smile of his. You took it and placed it in your own wallet, the previous hole instantly filled with its presence, his mood clearly raised by the interaction as he wished you a quick goodbye and resumed his journey outside, oblivious to the fact that you were about to disrupt the entire theater if you didn’t find a place to scream and fast. 

You gave him a few minutes to reach the doors before jumping to your feet and making for the bathroom, your heels clickclacking on the tile the entire way until you found the correct door. The place was empty, which was great because once you caught sight of yourself you knew that it was bad enough he saw you this way, no one else should get the pleasure; your face was redder than you’d ever seen it, your pupils blown from the exchange and you could’ve sworn you could actually see yourself shaking you were buzzing so hard, your grin so wide anyone else would’ve assumed that Santa had just given you the toy you’d always wanted for Christmas early. 

You tried to calm yourself as you ripped off some paper towels and dampened them, patting them against your cheeks and neck to bring your body temperature back down to a normal person’s, carefully avoiding your makeup that you were thankful you spent the time putting on just on the ultra rare off chance you’d run into him. When you were ready to go back - and after a quick internal debate on whether you should try and meet him outside for another, less hushed conversation already - you made sure to calm your breathing before heading back out there, taking a quick moment to look for him before making the trek back to your seat. 

When you got back you noticed that no new act was on, Carmichael already talking to the audience and projecting himself up on the screens for all to see, you rolling your eyes as you collapsed into the rich red velvet and preparing for more of his bullshit until Jack returned, if he felt like it that was. Everyone around you was concentrating on his words, staring right ahead as the theater fell silent save for his voice and the sound of a ticking clock; ah, he was trying to hypnotize everyone, that must’ve been his big final act that he’d promised his audience. You weren’t impressed, you’d tried to be hypnotized before at a party in your youth, it hadn’t worked then so it wasn’t going to work now you knew, so you sat back and prepared to at least enjoy whatever he was going to make the audience do.

Your thoughts went back to Jack as Carmichael’s voice slowly got drowned out, the ticking a bit louder in your ears despite the distance, but you didn’t mind because it was nonsense anyway, ‘Now who’s the skeptic,’ you think to yourself as you sink deeper into your chair. You vaguely heard the words, ‘Your greatest desire,’ in your ear before you felt a hand on your shoulder, your eyes leaving the stage to travel up until you saw Jack standing just behind you in the aisle, his smile from before now more like a smirk as he motioned towards the doors like he wanted you to follow him. 

You looked back at the stage as Carmichael invited someone from the audience up to stand with him, some poor hypnotized fool who was bound to be humiliated along with everyone else who stood with him tonight, and you decided that you’d rather not see that again before standing and following Jack. There was a small hallway between the theater and the doors on that side of the back wall, the two of you out of view from everyone else but Carmichael’s voice still reaching, and you were about to wonder if he was leading you outside to just leave or talk when he turned and pushed you against the wall with a muffled thud. Your back met cold paint as your chest met with his, your eyes locking as he cornered you where no one could see, a confidence he saved for the cameras now focused solely on you as he looked you over the same way you’d done to him a thousand times over. 

‘I couldn’t wait for you to come to my show,’ he whispered, his voice impossibly low as he held you in place, a knee parting yours and making you gasp, ‘you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.’

‘You’re just telling me what I wanna hear,’ you managed to get out, his eyes closing as he leaned in to grin against your cheek.

‘Is it working?’

You didn’t dare answer but you might as well have because your silence was enough to spur him into action, your head falling back against the wall as he started to kiss your neck, your hands grasping at anything because this was crazy. The man you’d wanted for years was kissing you not even 30ft away from a room full of people, anyone could come around the corner at any second and catch you, and you bit your lip at the thrill of it all. You’d had dreams like this before, ones that left you panting into your pillow when you awoke, but the real thing was so much better as he sucked a mark into your soft skin, your hand leaving his arm to cover your mouth lest you alert anyone within hearing distance to your current predicament.

You let him do as he pleased, let him ran his hands over your sides and down to the edge of where your lifted skirt was resting against his thigh, your legs shaking as your body tried not to grind against him; it was only due to him holding you that kept you standing as a matter of fact and he seemed fully aware of it as his nails scratched softly against your bare leg. He seemed to love all your reactions to what he did, he was in the entertainment business after all, every noise of approval that slipped through your fingers must’ve been like music to his ears but you had to hold back no matter how much you wanted to indulge him. Being denied what he wanted only made him work harder for it, the assault on your neck moving to your shoulder and collarbone instead of your covered lips, your mouth watering for just a taste as he started to move against you, one hand pulling your waist away from the wall by your lower back as the other moved up and under your skirt.

The first grind of his body against yours was decadent, you swore you could feel it in your soul the way he wanted you just as much as you’d wanted him, like he’d been watching you back through the screen for years and also craved this very moment, and now that he was getting it he wasn’t going to stop, you didn’t want him to stop. You’d never seen him act anything like this before in all his years on TV, a greedy flash of excitement running through you at getting to see such a new side of him quickly overcome by pleasure as he cupped your ass and pulled you even closer. You knew you couldn’t get undressed here, if you’d made it to the bathroom then maybe he’d be doing more but he hadn’t lasted even that long, but even with that desire being restrained you still wanted him here and now. Never in your life had you been this desperate for release but he was bringing out a demon inside of you that desired and needed and wanted so much that you were willing to throw your modesty out the fucking window for just a second of his hot skin pressed against your own, but this would have to do while the show still went on.

‘Jack…’ you moaned as your hand, moist from your panting, gripped his arm once again, Carmichael’s voice getting louder in the distance as you grew closer to your release.

‘Come home with me,’ he begged into your ear, his movements getting rougher as he also grew close, you knew you’d both have to leave before everyone saw you but it was worth it, god it was so worth it. ‘I want to have you all to myself, I need to taste you-’

You bit your lip and led his face away from your neck so you could look into his eyes, his mouth parted as he tried to control his own panting, he was coming apart at the seams for you right here in the hallway, the ticking in your ears either your heartbeat or a clock far away. You moaned his name again as you felt the heat build in your stomach, your back arching and pushing your body into him even more as the door to your right opened.

‘Dreamer, here, awake!’

All at once your knees gave out and you collapsed to the floor before that final wave could push you over the edge, your head heavy and your vision swimming as the body against yours vanished into nothing. ‘Are you okay? What happened?’ Jack’s voice from above asked as his worried expression came into view, the smell of rain and cigarette smoke invading your senses; the sound of the audience in a similar state of confusion drifted around the corner as Jack crouched down next to you, just back inside from his break from the show, the realization that you weren’t as immune to hypnosis as you’d thought hitting you like a bucket of cold water. You just panted in shock, surprise, and waning lust as Jack looked you over in concern, your hands moving to pull the bottom of your skirt down to cover your exposed legs in embarrassment, the scratches you were so certain he’d left behind not there, because he hadn’t been there.

‘I’m fine,’ you force yourself to say after you’d caught your breath, Jack believing you but still helping you to your feet like a gentleman, of course he would never act that way, that was only how you’d wanted him to act, you’d had dreams like that for god’s sake, the real Jack would never-

‘Is the show over?’ he asked as the roar of people applauding overtook the chatter, Carmichael now silent, and you avoided his eye as you started to edge towards the way out.

‘I think so.’

‘What was the big mind-blowing act?’

You put a little distance between yourself and him but he didn’t notice, Jack heading for the corner so he could look at the stage as he waited for your reply. ‘He hypnotized everyone,’ you answered curtly, his reaction big and full of surprise as he looked over the size of the crowd in an awe that wasn’t present for the first hour and a half.

‘Everyone? You should’ve come found me, I would’ve loved to see that.’ He was still looking at the room beyond, your eyes on him as he watched everyone else.

‘I got a little overwhelmed,’ you mumble, and he finally looked at you with that same concerned expression again, and it’s too much after what you’d just thought you’d seen, your eyes finding the floor.

‘What did he make you see?’ he asked, his curiosity quiet but still there under the concern, but you couldn’t answer him. ‘Do you need a ride home, or are you okay to drive?’

He’s too kind, he would never act that way, he would never say that to you.

‘I took a cab, I’ll be fine,’ you tried to say, but still you quickly found yourself being led to the front door as the audience swarmed around you, his hand on your back to make sure you stayed standing, a true gentleman. It had started raining while you were inside which explained the scent pairing with the smoke that covered up his cologne, and you just stood under the marquee as he hailed a cab for you as the sea of skeptics washed around you like rushing water. You hopped inside but he didn’t shut the door right away, leaning down in the rain once you were seated, and for a moment you wondered if he was going to get in when he spoke.

‘I do hope you come to my show, preferably Friday’s, it’s gunna be a good one, I promise,’ he said with that big genuine smile again, your heart pounding as your cheeks glowed red for a reason other than embarrassment as you gave him a small nod.

‘I’ll be there,’ you promised back, and he tapped the roof of the cab before shutting the door and letting you go. You looked out the back window as you drove away, the both of you waving as he ducked back inside and out of the rain, and as soon as you turned back around to face forward you found yourself reaching for your wallet. His card was in your hands as you looked it over, all in all it was an uninspiring, plain business card, and you flipped it over to read what he wrote for the ticketmaster on the back.

Wait for me by the back entrance at 11:00 Phil will let you in JD

Your cheeks turned red again as you put the card away, the cab driver giving you a look in the rearview mirror as you held your nearly empty wallet, now with one business card, to your thumping chest. Oh yeah, it definitely was all worth it after all.

[hanafubukki]

This Rsa stone sword is making me think of too much scenario...

Like, after Book 7 end, perhaps in Book 8, the Diasomnia family walks in for the Magishift Tournament NRC lose every year. And for the event, this stone sword is exposed and people could try to put it out of the stone because of some prophecy telling only the heir could take it out.

Some descendants of the Silver Owls are there, in RSA, and they are kinda awkward seeing Lilia. No hate or anything. But General Vanrouge is like a scary child tale and here he is, all silly walking and teasing his sons. Then, Silver's ring starts shining a bit under his clothes and he ask about the sword -and Lilia tells him the legend behind it.

Sebek being the cute pround boy he is go tried to take it -he fails.

Malleus be like "I feel some kind of curse on this sword...should I try to dispell it ?"

Lilia answering "No, you will destroy all the fun. And you're still in overblot recovery young man"

Then, it's Silver turn. And like in the King Arthur legend, boy take out this sword like nothing. Everyone is speechless, and Lilia reconized the Knight of Dawn sword.

"Oh, freak, I should've see it coming"

[referring to this post]

Hello Anonie 🌺🌷🌻

The RSA sword in stone has always interested me because of the potential symbolism it can bring. I have always been curious how RSA would play a role in the future especially after the Knight of Dawn was introduced. Then we add in the fact that RSA was established fairly recently and how almost each twst character has an rsa counterpart… 👀🤔

If Book 8 takes place during the Spelldrive tournament, it would be a very curious connection. We know the next book will have Diasomnia helping out with (presumably) Grim OB, but also adding in the tournament would be curious move because then we have a possible connection there with Silver (as talked about in linked post above).

I would be very interested to see how they connect the past to the present as Yana mentioned that past, present, and future will play a role 🤔

(This is also me hoping for more Knight of Dawn content 🙏 OTL)

I do wonder where the sword of the Knight of Dawn is 🤔, just like the Princess Glow, we don’t know the whereabouts of these powerful magic items.

Yet, items such as Lilia’s hatchet and Dawn’s ring is known. Interesting how it’s always the ‘protector’ items that’s shown but not the ‘weapon’ of destruction if that makes sense.

I fully believe if such an event like this was to occur the headmasters of both sides played a role somehow.

I would find it very funny if the sword was comically found like this 😂

Just…can you imagine? It’s supposed to be fun and games. And Lilia probably has a feeling but you know, what can go wrong? (Famous last words) and, whoops, Silver pulls out the sword.

Lilia: Oh, so that’s why the handle looked familiar.

Malleus: How could you forget?!

…well, it looks like they have another weapon to chop wood with 😆🤣

Someone help the sons deal with their father 😂🙏

[strqyr]

you most likely talked about this, but given that in Beacon, teams are also separated into duos of partners (ruby&weiss, blake&yang), who do you think got partnered up in STRQ? (assuming that this buddy system was already in place during STRQ days)

i know i'm going against the tide with this one, but: summer & taiyang, raven & qrow. for few reasons.

one: the boy meets the warrior in a forest, and says he fell for her the moment he saw her silver eyes <- this is a story tai relates to, and eye contact is beacon's manner of forming partnerships.

two: as fun as all the "qrow's semblance gets in the way of him partnering with raven" scenarios are, i really don't think there's anything that would get in the way if raven wanted to partner with qrow (which i think she would) + qrow, who thinks his semblance makes it difficult to be near his family, would likely see partnering with raven more as a bad luck than he would partnering with some stranger.

and three, and this is what it really comes down, for me: i really do think the emotional core within strq is summer reuniting with tai, and raven reuniting with qrow. like the twins smiling at each other in the epilogue? that's the emotional goodness right there after everything they've been through; the disagreements, the fights, "we're not family anymore"s, learning the truth, finally reaching some sort of an understanding, to standing side-by-side once again.

and while there's less for summer and tai, they still included that scene in the flashback. they could have had summer sneak out with tai none the wiser, but they didn't; instead, summer promised she'd be back soon, and tai answers with a resolute "i know" (and he's still waiting, hoping against hope for her to return) ("no, come back!" <- when ruby's message gets cut short at the worst possible moment, tai's reliving the past right there).

idk really how to explain it, but there's this general feeling too that's like... if i had to split strq in two halves, summer & tai / raven & qrow makes the most sense to me. like, that's where the story is, not to say there isn't any story between anyone else, but especially qrow is like. who else do you partner him with? he doesn't really have anything to do with summer or tai emotionally story-wise, so if partnership is meant to be this Special Bond between two people, with what the show has presented us with, that really just leaves raven.

then there's also the fact that summer & tai went on oh-gods-another-patrol missions ("i think he misses adventuring with you." t. ruby rose) while raven & qrow went on spy missions (probably not on same ones, but i bet they still communicated what they were up to bc that's what intelligence gathering kind of requires). would ozpin separate partners like that? who knows. maybe? would be kind of rude though lmao

...it also makes the naming convention of RW | BY and ST | RQ the same, which doesn't necessarily prove anything, rather it's just a neat little bonus on top :)

(this got longer than i thought lol apologies for rambling OTL)