#I wouldn't mind being friends if that's okay with you but initiating that isn't always easy for me so I interact with posts and make fanart

[meamiki]

Here is the original ramble! Actually I will preface this new rb by saying please feel free to correct me if I am mistaken in misremembering anything in these!! Okay here it is under the cut proper

vvv

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Okay, so honestly this is more or less an excuse to ramble out an appreciation post (of sorts) on everyone tbh, since I do not do that often if ever. I'm just using the quote picks to keep me a bit focused on topics a bit more specific than being completely aimless!

[Also specialist of special shoutouts to my friends Squid and Aya for proofreading all this. Ily guys ever so dearly <3333]

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Mirabelle

"Avoidance, huh... That feels... a little too cowardly, for me."

The Housemaiden, who would probably fulfill the 'Hero' role if this was a normal RPG, Mirabelle! She has a lot going on that's so interesting to me!! Okay tbf everyone else does too but I really just needed a segue.

She's the chosen one that wasn't really chosen. The reason she was blessed was due to circumstance, and it wasn't even by the Change God either. Because of that, she feels immense pressure/imposter syndrome since she knows the truth of her blessing. Speaking of feelings, she also already felt like she’s failing her own faith for being comfortable with herself, in staying the same forever. For not wanting to Change in that way, when everyone else can, and feeling broken because of it. And, of course, she literally has anxiety and hasn’t had access to her meds throughout the entire quest. That probably also does not help in the slightest!! It's an interesting stewing pot of feeling like a fraud of a 'chosen one' with all that in mind.

And yet, her dedication to her faith and country shines through her actions and words, whether she knows it or not. She’s not someone to avoid her worries. She’ll face them, head-on, even if she doesn't think she'll succeed. I feel like this quote captures it best to me actually! Especially since it's a direct response to Sif saying that they try to avoid their own doubts and worries, in comparison to Mira’s own in her own faith. It almost feels like a subconscious response, and to me that says a lot.

[Side-tangent, but it's also interesting to me that this very dedication works against her, in a sense? Like, notably the bonding proposals. Beyond the societal pressures in play related to the Change belief, she is also the one to take the initiative to ask a dating company for bonding proposals, it didn't just happen around her (as in, no one suggested this to her)? Even when she isn't even interested in dating anyone to begin with! She's not interested in Changing in that way!!! That is to say, her head-on dedication can be to the point of her own detriment at times, to the point of bringing her woe? Not sure if I am wording this properly. Just a thought I had, idk if it has much merit tho. Sorry if that made like no sense!!]

But yeah! She gives it her all in just about everything she does!! She was already known as the most hardworking Housemaiden in the House, always striving to better herself, always taking new classes prior to all this (over 150! and she herself said that she couldn't do anything before coming to the House, which makes it all the more impressive). And when faced with the insurmountable task of saving her home, all of Vauguarde, from being frozen over by the King? She continues on to take on the mantle as the chosen one, the one who will save everyone, and she starts it off completely alone. She's the reason the journey was able to play out, and why everyone is together in the first place. All because she isn't one to avoid her doubts and worries, and willingness to do it scared, yanno? It's just a small part on what I appreciate about her, but I think I'm going to cut myself off here!

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Isabeau

"Doesn't that feel like someone you wouldn't feel ashamed of knowing?"

Isabeau!! Literally the whole “Change is destruction” convo that Isa has prior to this quote was up to be picked, but I figured picking the end would be easiest. But now that I think about it, I think all my picks are basically at the end of the FQ's so that point is sort of moot. Oh well! It's just hard to pick a singular quote off of these okay!!

Isabeau from the start of the game is shown to be portraying himself as a himbo. Big guy, dumb guy, the like. But, even from the start, there are signs that he really isn't stupid, like at all! First early gameish example I can think of off the top of my head, that distinctly shows this, is the color theory book. Mainly because he sort of kind of drops the facade for a split second there. Without proper context to his deal, it's just a funny moment. But, reflecting after the fact, it's more of an '...OH!' moment, since he seems to have been kinda upset about not knowing about colors (even if he's hamming it up a little bit, saying he's 'failed them all' for not knowing what colors were.) And that's not even going into his emotional intelligence either.

But, delving into his FQ the full picture is shown. That he wasn't always this big boisterous guy. He used to be the nerdiest kid around, incredibly shy, and because of that he didn't like himself much. But then he Changed and is much happier now, compared to back then! Even after his Change though, he's unhappy with some aspects of himself. He doesn’t like being considered dumb because of his act. And, even after Changing, that kid from before is still there, right? As much as he continues to project this air of cool confidence, he can never truly be rid of that part of his old self, can he? The one always paralyzed by fear.

With that, comes the quote pick! Since, to me, he's not necessarily talking to just Siffrin here, but also to himself. Because it all boils down to his own self-hatred, I think? He himself does mention this in the A5 version of this FQ, albeit kinda heat of the moment, that he "...keeps changing personalities like clothes, because it's easier than learning to like myself." He's still a work in progress in that regard. But even still, he is trying to be better, for the people he cares about.

[Small aside, that too can maybe stem from his own self-loathing? Putting the people he cares about first. I mean, he is the one who told Sif to focus on the others first. And even after that, he was putting focus onto Sif at first during his FQ (as in, talking about how he thought Sif would like seeing the stars, only letting the convo slide into focus unto himself after Sif made an obvious topic change.) The quote also kind of reads as an ask of reassurance, in a sense? That him Changing again would allow himself to be someone that people would like, even if he himself doesn't like himself. Idk where I was going with this tbh, but I think it makes sense to keep its inclusion here!]

Overall, I just think it's interesting to revisit Isa's previous dialogues with the context of the FQ!! Especially when thinking on the underlying reasons as to why the way he's acting the way he is, even while seeing signs from the start that he isn't the airhead he was masquerading as.

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Odile

"I'm Ka Buan and Vauguardian, in ways I do and don't realize... And I am also myself."

The Researcher, Odile! I think I’m just gonna jump right into it without a semblance of an intro since I know it’s going to be a lil less focused. Mainly because I know for a fact I will not be able to articulate this ramble that well, so here we go.

As the oldest party member, it makes sense that she's much further along in her own character development / self-discovery journey in comparison to the others (at least in relation to her FQ centered struggle on finding out more about herself in relation to her heritage), and I think her FQ, in itself, helps portray that. Compared to Mira and Isa, who are still in the midst of their own personal journey on how to address their turmoil and putting it to action, Bonnie, who is the youngest of the group and is learning how to tackle their issues to begin with, and Siffrin who is going through All That™; Odile has come to a conclusion about her own woes, where the others have not. 

That’s part of the reason why I went with the quote pick actually! In a sense, it’s a display of self-assuredness in herself that can really only be gained with time and experience. She’s also able to explain her feelings on her heritage eloquently as well, and the convo prior to the quote helps express them too! It’s the recognition that yes, her mixed heritage helped shape who she is as a person in ways she may or may not realize, that it’s not the only factor at play here in regard to her identity. It’s the fact that, at the end of the day, what matters most is that she is herself, yanno?

Even with her self-assuredness towards herself, it’s also interesting to me how that contrasts her closed-offness to the others, especially in outright saying/showing that she cares? Which also probably also stems from her mother, someone who was supposed to love and care for her, leaving without a trace early on in life. It makes sense to me that she would have reluctance in showing that she cares for the others!! What if she ends up hurting others similarly to how her mother hurt her?  Of course, she wouldn’t want to do that to the others, and is distinctly also why she does NOT want to be called a Mom. 

[Tangent that doesn’t relate as much to the quote, but I want to touch upon anyway since it’s FQ related. I also want to point out that the FQ helps inform us why Odile is more willing to question things around her / be more sus? When her mother left, she left nothing behind, and with it, any links to her Vauguardian roots. This left her with a complete loss of that connection, one that was stolen from her and, with that, the feeling like she didn’t belong anywhere as a result. This led her to be curious enough to seek out a resolution to that feeling, lending more into her inquisitiveness on just about anything. How else would she be able to learn more about Vauguarde, without asking questions, after all!]

All in all, for Odile it’s a bit harder for me to elaborate on why I like her? I dunno, I think it’s just hard to sum it all up as eloquently as she probably could LOL. 

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Bonnie

"So you can protect me, and I can protect you... And we can protect everyone, too!"

Bonnie!! TBH I had a toss-up on what specific quote the drawing would be based around. The other one being “You got hurt because of me and— And I don’t like it!!! I don’t want it to have happened! You should have stood there and let me be hurt!” . Because of the toss up both quotes will be discussed somewhat, since they go hand in hand with the ramble!

[To note, the toss-up was decided by putting it on a poll to my friends, as a simple “choose !” with the options being “joyful” or “angsty” with ZERO context. I told them after what the poll was for (basically if Bonnie would be crying or not in the drawing) and I got threatened for that one HAHA.]

But, to start, Bonnie has had, not once, but twice, people sacrificing themselves in some way for them (Nille telling them to run and getting frozen, Siffrin losing his eye.) Makes sense, because they're a kid, so of course those who are older need to protect them. Still, they are not happy about this, about people getting hurt because of them, and understandably so! It probably doesn't feel good to have your loved ones putting themselves in harm's way for your sake. But what can they do, right? They're a kid and don't really get a say on the matter. I mean, what else can they do? It makes sense to me that Bonnie is frustrated about that part!! It can be frustrating to have everyone discuss things around you, have everyone do things that you don't want them to, and (unintentionally or not), ignoring your input as a person because you are so young.

Kids are smarter than you think. Even if they may not have a full understanding of what's going on, they can certainly follow along and get the gist. Like, for example, Bonnie always listens in on the burial conversation during the second snack break (first found out either during a FQ run or in Memory of Promise). They even pretend not to hear whatever Siffrin says to make everyone think that they aren't listening in! They also seem to hone in completely to the conversation the second Isabeau says that it doesn't matter what happens to him after he dies, since they stop prepping at that point. Even worse, everyone starts discussing how they won't let Bonnie be killed. Which, if it comes to fruition, would be the third instance of people getting hurt because of them, and would be another thing they get zero say in! And everyone thinks they aren't listening in on it, meaning they were being discussed around. Plus, in Memory of Promise, while they don't have the words to articulate why everyone talking about their deaths is so upsetting to them, this context spells out the picture of them not wanting people to be hurt because of them, time and time again.

So when they get a proper opportunity to have a say on something, their promise with Siffrin on protecting one another, to protect everyone too? It makes the exchange all the sweeter to me! It's the first time, in probably a long time, Bonnie has had proper input on something from someone older than them on an important decision. For once, they get to stand on a more equal footing to an adult, rather than being treated as a kid who doesn't know what's going on. And, it probably means more to Bonnie than Siffrin realizes.

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There’s probably a lot more of examples/subtopics I am forgetting to add onto all of these but. Please forgive me, but a good chunk of this was written while I was travelling or in one sitting on my singular day off after travel ASDAFSA. I might genuinely be forgetting something I wanted to talk about, esp since I couldn't double check stuff easily. I've been going off a combination of memory and downloaded friend ISAT streams LMAOOO.

Feel free to correct me on stuff I possibly? Completely misconstrued as well?? Since that is entirely possible in happening! Or further add onto thoughts! In short feel free to extend the discussion on any of this! But yeah, wrangling (some) of my thoughts on why I like them has been fun :D

And to those of you who read all of this to the end, thank you for reading my ramblings!! And if you're skipping to the end, FAIR ENOUGH LMAO!!

Regardless though, I'll end this off with a fun lil fun fact about this post! If I scheduled this properly, it should be going up at 11:11... somewhere! I thought it'd be a fun easter egg to myself. Mainly bc I remember people always used to say "11:11, make a wish!" a lot when I was school whenever the clock struck that time. I just thought it'd be fitting to queue this up for that time is all :]

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Happy Anniversary In Stars and Time!! Have some Friend Quest based drawings :D

(These have specific quote picks related to them! And there's also a long ramble on why I like those specific quotes below if interested)

(And by long, I mean roughly 2k+ words of proper ramble total, so be warned before clicking keep reading this link right here to the rb!!)

[elizabethalsagacomics]

Finished this drawing of @codydbuni-blog's Grumpsona, Cody Tunawich!

Alt versions and DA link under the cut:

Enjoy, dude!

[folkwhoredoll]

library affections - rafe cameron x fem!reader

pairing: rafe cameron x fem!reader

synopsis: there are two things that you love in this world; rafe and books

word count: 0.9k

warnings/tags: none, just fluff with sweet boyfriend!rafe

a/n: hi everyone! i don't think i can ever thank you all enough for your support in all of my works :< tbh i did not expect to gain so much interaction because this blog is still relatively new but here you all are and i appreciate each and every one of you <3 this fic is another fluff boyfriend!rafe fic (is it obvious that i like fluff so much lmao) and i've written this a while ago. i hope you'll like this one! if you have a request or prompt in mind, feel free to send me a message. happy reading!

masterlist

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Being a regular visitor at the Camerons' estate has familiarized you with every corner of the house. Now, you have memorized every room and decoration, immediately spotting whatever is newly added. The Camerons didn't mind your presence, with your family being a close friend of theirs. Thus, it was no surprise that you ended up dating the one and only son of Ward Cameron.

With his father and stepmother often occupied and his sisters frequently out with friends, you and Rafe usually find yourselves with the house to yourselves, save for the occasional presence of the household staff. Yet, you've never minded.

Today follows a similar pattern. Ward left for a morning meeting, Wheezie went to school, and Sarah departed at noon to join John B's group. Surprisingly, even Rafe isn't home, having agreed to a golf outing with Topper and Kelce. Although he initially invited you to join, you declined, preferring to avoid the "boy talk" and the scorching sun. Thus, you find yourself waiting for Rafe in the living room, idly scrolling through your phone.

It's been around two in the afternoon when you got bored, sighing and deciding to stand up to walk around the house. Your feet already know where you're going when you face the familiar entrance to the Camerons' Library.

This room is your most loved spot in the whole estate, apart from Rafe's room. The vast shelves of bright book covers from different times always amaze you. If you could, you'd live in this room. Rafe has found you exploring this library countless times; even his sisters know it's the first place to check when you're not around the house.

Quickly scanning the shelves for a book, you settled upon a fantasy fiction novel, clutching the book as you made your way to a couch by the window. The first few chapters had you hooked immediately, eyes rapidly passing through every word as you moved chapter by chapter. The book was so good that it blanked your other senses, making you jump when you suddenly heard Rafe's voice.

"I knew you'd be here." He smirked, still in his golfing outfit, as he stood over you.

"Hi, Rafe." You smiled up at him, putting the book down on your lap. "How's golfing?"

Rafe plopped beside you, stretching his legs and putting an arm around your shoulder. "It was good. I got bored with Top's whining about his break-up with Sarah, so I left."

You chuckled when you saw his eyes roll, a dramatic sigh escaping his lips. "They were together for a long time. You can't blame him."

"I guess." He shrugged before flashing you a flirty grin. "But I also want to spend time with my girl."

You snorted. "Yeah, okay."

"What? I do! I feel guilty about leaving you here alone." He defended.

"I don't mind, Rafe." You spoke.

"Hm. I bet you don't. But still."

You raised your brows, silently urging him to explain what he meant.

"I just mean that you were too distracted by that book, baby. I could've been an intruder, but you wouldn't even know. What is that about anyway?"

Your eyes lit up at his question; you've always loved speaking about the books you've read. And Rafe loved hearing you talk, even if he's mostly confused.

"I just started reading it, so I don't really know what it's about yet, but there's this girl, and she has electricity powers!" You started excitedly.

Rafe listened intently. He couldn't help but feel affection for you, marveling at how your eyes sparkled with passion for the story. Despite the chaotic world outside, at this moment, it was just the two of you, surrounded by the tranquility of the library.

As you continued to talk, Rafe's mind wandered, reflecting on how much you meant to him. You were the one person who could effortlessly penetrate his tough exterior, revealing the softer, more vulnerable side of him that he often kept hidden from the world. He felt at ease with you, free to be himself without fear of judgment or ridicule.

Lost in his thoughts, Rafe reached out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. You paused mid-sentence, startled by the sudden touch, before leaning into his hand, relishing the warmth of his touch.

"Hey, what's wrong?" you asked, concern lacing your voice as you noticed the distant look in his eyes.

Rafe shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Nothing, I'm just... happy. Happy to be here with you."

A soft blush colored your cheeks as you met his gaze, feeling the warmth spread through your chest. At that moment, surrounded by the scent of old books and the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the window, you couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

Leaning in, Rafe pressed a tender kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before pulling away. "I love you," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with sincerity.

"I love you too," you replied, your heart swelling with emotion as you returned his affectionate gaze.

With a contented sigh, Rafe settled back against the couch, pulling you closer until you were nestled against his side. Together, you sat in comfortable silence, basking in the simple pleasure of each other's company.

At that moment, surrounded by the familiar comforts of the library, you knew that no matter what the future held, as long as you had each other, everything would be okay.

[forgetmaenott]

Experimentation - SHOWTIME

SUMMARY: Pomni isn't sure if Caine knows what he feels towards her, so she experiments a little bit. She's just curious. Nothing else. Nothing at all.

a/n: Title is also a double meaning for me, as this fic was written more so as practice for the sillies more than anything else. So apologies If it's a bit all over the place. I wasn't going to upload but Showtime fans are deprived of content so I will give you what you need 🙏

Pomni was far from oblivious to the things that Caine did to impress her.

Initially, it had been small attempts at making her happy--no doubt as a result of her first few adventures being particularly unpleasant. Caine didn't seem to understand most things about human responses, but it was of Pomni's understanding that it was in his programming to make everyone happy. And Pomni, from day one, had made it exceedingly clear just how unhappy she was. If anything, she was a challenge to Caine's coding, just begging to be fixed. Why wouldn't he put in a slight more effort for one of his superstars?

With time, though, his check-ins and side quests for her grew into...something else. Lingering touches on her hand or shoulder, seeking opportunities to show her, and only her, a preview of an upcoming adventure. Sometimes she caught his lingering gazes, his artificial eyes searching for validation of his work, and it made her wish to shrink away. He'd move his thumb lightly across her hand experimentally, sending a rush of nerves through Pomni's system. Or he'd fly around excitedly--often at the expense of Pomni's stomach--to show her something new he had coded into the circus. Or he'd show up in her room under the guise of a check-in, only to stay and talk with her for nearly an hour. He hung onto her every word, and Pomni had to admit to herself, she rather enjoyed his presence in those times. Getting to explain bits of her real life memories to his fascinated gaze; as she regained the pieces of what real life had been like, he was just beginning to understand it.

Just a day ago, she had found herself mindlessly recounting vague details of reality that she had once adored--the flickering of stars in a quiet night, the humming of crickets, the feeling of a slight breeze, the slight running of water nearby. She didn't know where that memory originated from, but she could still feel it. It was strange, not remembering facts but remembering feelings.

And now, she found herself recounting these thoughts as she waited for Caine on a "special adventure", staring at the way the digital stars twinkled in the night sky, and how her wisps of hair gently brushed across her face in the breeze.

His favoritism wasn't subtle, but Pomni had always tried to deny it to her friends. But now, standing here and seeing the ripples on the digital lake, she couldn't help but wonder. Was it really so bad? Wasn't it almost endearing that Caine had found himself so enamored with her? That he was falli--

"Good evening, my dear!"

Pomni stiffened at the sound of her ringmaster's enthusiastic voice, jumping out of her thoughts and flushing at the realization of what she had been considering. "AGH--Caine! How many times have I told you--"

"Ah, apologies, my dear. I just can't help but be over-the-moon about your private adventure!" Caine winked at his not-so-subtle play on words, zipping around excitedly above her.

Pomni rubbed her head. "Uh...okay...that's great," she said quietly.

"Isn't it?? I stayed up ALL night working on this just for you! Not that I need to sleep, of course," he chuckled before lowering to her level, carefully grabbing her hand in both of his, "But I did it! Just for you, dear."

"Just for me?" she repeated mindlessly. Her mind screamed the same words: AI, Program, NOT REAL, but she couldn't help but gaze again at the flickering stars and wonder--

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"O-oh." There it was. His favoritism showing itself once again, his devotion to her and her alone. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, gazing down at her hand as though he wished to memorize each detail. This was crazy. She couldn't let him be so foolish as to be interested in her, she couldn't let this go any further. "Caine--"

"Ah, ah, ah! This adventure is about you. I have SO much to show you!" His gentleness faded instantaneously from the excitement, the pressure on her hands growing tighter as he pulled her in. Before she could even process the closeness or the fluster, he grabbed her waist and graciously flew her above the lake. He set her down on a digital cloud, which she was able to step on as though it were a solid surface. She avoided looking down, tensing as she looked around her. "As your ringmaster, it is my sole purpose to make YOU and all of your co-stars happy," he exclaimed, pointing an exaggerated finger at her, "and I couldn't help but notice how your mannerisms changed when you told me about your world. My dear...I cannot return you to your world. But perhaps, I can bring your world here."

Pomni's heart skipped a beat at the gesture, which she tried to ignore. This wasn't the same Caine from her bad dreams when she'd first arrived. This was...different. Entirely different. "For...all of us?" she asked slowly.

His demeanor broke for a moment. "Ah--yes, yes. Of course! My role is to assure everyone at the circus is happy," He paused in thought for a moment before he flew down by her side and cautiously approached her, "but admittedly, you've been quite the challenge for me since you've arrived here. You're a bit stubborn, you know."

"Is that a bad thing?" Pomni cracked a smile.

"Not exactly, dear. It's one of my favorite traits of yours. It's what keeps me coming back to you," Caine said with what she assumed was a smile.

Pomni felt a light blush dust her pale face. "I don't think you know what you're saying."

Caine titled his head curiously at her. "Why is that?"

Pomni blinked. He really didn't know what he was saying, did he? Did he even know what he was feeling? Could he even feel anything?

She glanced sidelong at the flickering stars, the lake below her, the way the clouds swirled up and floated around them--enough to give her the courage to test the waters. Before she could listen to the voices in her mind screaming at her, she grabbed his gloved hand in hers. "So...you like that I'm a challenge to your purpose? Or is it something else?" she asked experimentally, hoping the quiver in her voice wasn't too obvious.

Caine's eyes widened at the sudden contact, too afraid to move his hand an inch at the risk that she would let go. Not that Pomni could see his reaction, as she was too busy looking at her red and blue shoes to avoid meeting his gaze with her flushed one. "Something...else? What would that be?"

She lightly traced her index finger along the edge of his hand. Oh, God. She didn't even know what she was doing. How does she even answer a question like that to an AI? "Well...what do you, uh, feel?" She sealed the gap between their fingers, interlacing them together carefully.

If Caine could breathe, his breath would have easily caught in his non-existent throat. "I feel that I want you to be happy."

"Because of your programming? Or...something else?" Pomni said before she could cringe at her own words. She was just asking because she was curious, that was all. She just wanted to know if he knew what romantic feelings even were, nothing more. Or so she told herself.

"Well, I want you to be happy all the time. Because of me. That is my purpose, isn't it?"

Pomni smiled half-heartedly. Intentional or not, he was making this extra difficult for her. "Yeah..." she agreed quietly, a strange pit settling in her stomach. Maybe he was just coded to be this way. Maybe she was just being extra difficult. Before she could think of anything else to say, the sudden sensation of his smooth teeth against her hand sent shockwaves up from her hand and into her digital heart. She stilled at the sensation, gaining the courage to meet his gaze as he lifted his teeth from her hand, a cartoonish flush appearing on his lower jaw.

"But, I do find myself feeling more...drawn to your happiness, dear," he admitted, looking to the side sheepishly. He brushed his thumb against her knuckles where he had left a kiss, causing Pomni to shiver. "My dear? Did I do something wrong?"

Pomni squeezed her pinwheel eues shut, tensing her shoulders. "No, no--Caine you--" she stuttered, "I..." God, what happened to her composure? She had never been like this around him before. But suddenly every movement against his hand sent chills across her body, every thing he'd done to make her happy felt significant, and--oh, God. She couldn't possibly be--

"Darling," Caine said, so quietly Pomni almost couldn't believe it was him. His hand trailed up to the curve of her chin, gazing at her so softly she felt dizzy, "you don't need to worry around me. You've taught me so much about your world, about how the human mind works. So dear...don't be afraid to teach me more."

Pomni couldn't tear her eyes away from his gaze, tongue tied by his intense adoration in his eyes. "What is it you want to know?" she asked quietly, her lips seeming to move before her mind could catch up.

"Anything you have to show me."

There was certianly no way he understood what he was implying.

And there was even less of a chance she was actively considering all the things she could show him. She blushed at the thought.

"Caine?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"I love this. All of this. Everything you've added to the grounds for me. It's sweet of you, and...it really feels a bit more like home. I-I just thought you'd want to know that it...you made me happy. Thank you."

Caine's eyes glistened cartoonishly, unable to tear his eyes from her. "Pomni," he sighed, saying her name for the first time all night somehow felt more intimate than any contact they'd had, "why is it that I feel this way?"

Pomni flushed. "What way?"

"I have made you happy, my very purpose as your ringmaster. But now, I don't want to stop making you happy. I..." he tightened his grip on her hand, "I've never been close like this to anyone before. Truly. Would it be so bold as to call you a friend?"

Pomni struggled to contain an incredulous laugh--he really didn't understand what he felt, did he? "I...think you're becoming a friend to me, as well," she admitted, staring down at their hands still clasped together. He had moved the hand on her face down to hold the top of her hand, gently rubbing circles against it. In the back of her mind, she still felt the imprint of his teeth against her hand, her heart speeding up at the thought. "Caine?"

"Mm?"

"Is it...well, um...would it be okay if...I taught you, one more thing?"

"Why Pomni, I'd love nothing more than that!"

Pomni smiled. "Okay, it's just..." she hesitated, allowing herself to get caught up in the way the stars twinkled around them before tracing her hands up to his chest, then his shoulder, then below his lower jaw. She could see him gazing at her curiously, stiffening at the way her hands slid up him. Before she could regret it or think twice, she moved closer and tilted his teeth to her right before planting a quick, firm kiss to the left side of his lower jaw.

Time stilled for Caine, pupils dilating and jaw frozen slack in place as she pulled away. The stars he had created just for her reflected in his eyes, her touch lingering everywhere they made contact. He didn't even realize he had placed his hand on his lower jaw until he saw her flushed face pulling away. His tongue tied, breath stolen from his metaphorical lungs, he could do nothing but stare at the woman before him that somehow seemed more beautiful than ever under his starlight.

Pomni's heart raced at the way he was looking at her. This was all too much. Why had she even done that? What was going on with her tonight? When he stared at her, frozen in time, her face burned more and she twiddled her thumbs. "U-uh, can you put me down, now?"

It took Caine a moment to register her words. "Y-yes. Of course, darling."

He didn't even have it in him to carry her down with him. No, she had left his code too starstruck with the gesture that mystified him. He simply snapped and the two of them were by the digital lake. She walked towards it and experimentally dipped her gloved finger into the waters, relishing in the sensations around her digits.

She looked back at him with a small smile, his code seeming to thrum excitedly at seeing her joy because of him.

Her taking the next step of intimacy left him confused, to say the least. There was far less about human emotion and mind that he understood, and if anything, the static-like feelings in his chest were nothing short of a mystery to him. Perhaps he'd have to check himself for a bug later.

No matter. He shook the thoughts from his head, the feeling still lingering as her floated by her side, unable to stop smiling at her quiet demeanor. She took in every detail he had added just for her, smiling to herself.

She'd have time to regret her forwardness later. Or scream into her pillow about developing a crush on an AI. For now, there was only this moment.

"Thank you, Caine."

"Anything for you, my dear."

And he meant it.

[toastermoth]

playfighting hcs with obey me brothers? them with a mc who is always playfighting, over the smallest matters, mc just finds it funny

Playfights OM!Brothers x GN!Reader (Can be seen as platonic or romantic)

I'm sorry if this isn't what you had in mind anon :( ALSO ASMO USES ANY PRNS IN MY STORIES!! EDIT: HEY I POSTED THIS EARLY ACCIDENTALLY SO YEAH- IT'S FINALLY DONE THOOO

Lucifer: 1st Born

He finds it annoying at first

One day he's doing his work and you ask for his advice and he blows you off

"Y/n I need to get this work done."

Insert you making this face -> 0:<

Next thing he knows he's pushing you with ONE FINGER while you're trying to climb on him

Now that was at first, eventually he finds it amusing especially since he has the height advantage over you

Occasionally he'll take a break from his work and playfight with you

He doesn't try to do anything drastic since he also has the strength advantage over you (He's a literal fookin demon-)

Sometimes will let you win just to see the satisfaction on your face

"Okay okay you win Y/n."

"HELL YEAH I WINNN!!"

He finds it very cute when you win and will overtime make it harder for you to keep challenging you

Will never admit it but he always finds it fun for him and for you.

Mammon: 2nd Born

He'd probably the the person you playfight the most with

And most of the time it isn't you who makes the first move it's HIM

But when you do initiate it he will hold some restraint because he doesn't want to hurt you but will play more rough with you than Lucifer.

"OWW OKAY I SURRENDER YOU CHEATER!"

"IT'S PURE SKILL MAMMON I REIGN SUPREME!"

"REMATCH ME RIGHT NOW THIS TIME I'LL WIPE THAT SMUG SMILE OFF YOUR FACE! YA HEAR ME?"

His face looks like this when you beat him -> ):<

Probably will play dirty like sitting on your back when you're down, tickling you, ect.

So you're also gonna need to play dirty >:)

Tickle him and you will 90% of the time win-

He likes playfighting especially when he gets a rise out of you and challenges you or you challenge him to multiple rounds

Has fun even if he loses and will always think of it as a way to get closer to his human

Levi: 3rd Born

Tbh would playfight you the least next to Asmo.

Poor boy would be too scared he'd hurt you :(

If you'd initiate it he'd feel more comfortable and wouldn't do anything drastic maybe only tickling

Overtime however he'd probably be more up to doing things! (Only if you do them first-)

"HAHAHA- Y/N I GIVE!! TICKLES SO MUCH!!!"

"I REIGN SUPREME!!!"

If you beat him in a game one he usually wins at, he will playfight you first when you're never expecting it.

"FLAMING LEVICHAN TACKLEEE!"

"Hwa- LEVI WHA-"

Insert you being tickled profusely with Levi not letting up

Would get embarrassed after your playfight session usually-

He's very happy and feels special when you playfight with him, even if you do it to the rest of the brothers he still feels special knowing he has a friend that he can playfight with.

Satan: 4th Born

Would probably be one of the meanest when you playfight-

When he's at school or reading he'll probably just blow you off

However if you and him are just at the house of Lamination he will happily playfight with you

He can go easy on you, but chooses not to so expect most of the victories to be his

"CMON YOU CAN'T JUST BEAT ME THEN USE ME AS A READING CHAIR-"

"If I recall you're the one who started this playfight and I won by sitting on you when you were down. I'm simply taking advantage of this opportunity."

Probably would be the smuggest motherfucker out of all of them-

He would let you win sometimes however

"Haha! The victory is yours, I am at your mercy Y/n."

"WOOOO VICTORY IS MINE!!"

Has one time forgot he was sitting on you and you had to punch his leg to get him to get off of you so you don't break your fookin back-

Since he usually is knife and neck with Lucifer he never really saw the use in 'playtime' but loves the times when you choose to playfight with HIM and he'd definitely warm up to it quickly.

(I love Satan sm-)

Asmo: 5th Born

Would playfight the least since they think that it'll ruin his beauty

After a while and lots of small tacklings he'll playfight with you!

"heyyyyyy SURPRISE ASMO!!!"

"WAH- Oh you rascal come here you!!"

Since she doesn't want to be seen as a 'brute' he doesn't really fight you- mostly just play around by tickling you or like Satan will sit on you and test makeup on you!

However if you win expect a very cute giggly Asmo

"Okay you win I lose! I'll do whatever you want now sweetie!"

Also would probably be the most fair-

if you lose he gets to do whatever they want to you (Usually makeup and fashion shows)

If he loses they'd let you do anything to her

Even though the fights may not be 'pretty' they still mean a lot to Asmo and they know it means just as much to him as it does to you.

Beel: 6th Born

The gentle giant of the brothers and wouldn't do anything to hurt you

Even tickling would make him nervous :((

Does that stop your chaotic ass? Nope!

However he does see sometimes playfighting as a way to get stronger physically and but he still gets nervous at least the first few times.

"Hey Beel guess what? "

"Hm yea y/n- WHA-?"

"FLYING Y/N ATTACKKKK!!!"

He quickly warms up to it tho and eventually goes along with it tho he does sometimes the same things as you-

"Hey y/n?"

"Yes Beel?- WAITWAIT I CAN'T CARRY YOU-"

So if you do that to him and win he will do that to you and win (question mark?)

Will playfully wrestle you too over time (he lets you win tho because he's awesome)

He cares about your wellbeing physically but also mentally and if you find it fun then he's alright with it!

Extra: One way to win quickly is if you climb on him and basically ride his shoulders-

"I'M THE TALLEST IN THE WORLDDDD!!! ME AND BEEL WORLD DOMINATION!!"

Belphie: 7th Born

He will act annoyed and will not playfight... unless you challenge him.

"Well I guess you're too scared to face me Belphie!"

"Is that a fucking challenge?"

Expect most of the playfighting to take place on bed or couch. He needs to be on something squishy and comfy (and so do you because fluffy blankets and pillows)

Lots of wrestling and pillow fights-

"HAHA I WI-" *insert you hitting him right in his face with a pillow*

He'd probably playfight you the 2nd most because he will fight you over everything.

Poke him? You get hit with a pillow.

Try to wake him up? Expect to be wrestled down and a snuggle buddy.

Hit him with a pillow? You will get hit with two pillows on either side. Do not underestimate this man with pillows.

If you lose expect to be slept on and if you win then you'd have to drag him to wake him up-

He may act like he doesn't enjoy it, but him seeing how much fun you have can't make him but smile at how much fun he's having

OKAY HI THIS TOOK FUCKING FOREVER. I APOLOGIZE </333

[luvfy0dor]

hiii feel free to ignore this but can i request sfw alphabets with akutagawa pls 😭 have a good day!!

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke SFW Alphabet ੈ✩‧₊˚

Description; Alphabetical fluff prompts with Akutagawa Ryuunosuke

Warnings; not proof read at all

A/n; AHHHH Ive always wanted to do an alphabet like this. Sorry if I characterized him weirdly.

A - Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?) ★

Akutagawa isn't very affectionate, but he'll absolutely hold hands or lock pinkies with you in public. At home he likes having his arm around your waist while he sits on the couch or in bed with you; touching you in some way reassures him that you are infact there with him.

B - Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?) ★

The friendship would have to start in either childhood or the port mafia. Having Akutagawa as your best friend includes him looking out for you. It's not really weird, it just proves how caring he is deep down and how much he wants you to stay around him.

C - Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?) ★

He likes it. Depending on his mood he might even verbally initiate it. "I want to cuddle. Sit down and cuddle with me, please." He's rather blunt and he knows you'll oblige 99% of the time, so why not just go for it? When he cuddles, Akutagawa likes laying on top of you, head pressed against your chest while he listens to your heartbeat. Sometimes he'll be the big spoon, but he likes being the little spoon for the most part.

D - Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How good are they at cooking or cleaning?) ★

He's given domestic life a thought and he wouldn't mind it. It's just not something he's outwardly seeking at the moment. Should he fulfill his goals such as proving to Dazai that he's not weak; yeah, maybe, but it's not his top priority. When it comes to cooking and cleaning, he's actually not horrible. I think he can make some basic foods spaghetti or pancakes, but if you're trying to have a fillet mignon for dinner don't rely on him. He's pretty good at cleaning. He knows what chemicals to keep separated and which ones are okay to use together. He dislikes doing dishes though, even if you own a dishwasher he'll grimace while trying to hold bowls in certain ways that won't splash him with water.

E - Ending (If they had to break up with a partner, how would they do it?) ★

If it was a conclusion he came to on his own that he didn't want to be with you anymore, it would be blunt and in person. He'd probably distance himself for a while beforehand while coming to the conclusion because even he knows that it's not something that just happens over night. He would ask you to meet up with him and immediately say something along the lines of "I don't want this relationship any longer. Things between us are done."

F - Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How do they feel about getting married?) ★

He's not going to be in a relationship with someone unless he feels like they're 100% not leaving. He'll be committed to you for sure, though. When it comes to getting married, it probably hasn't crossed his mind. He's not against it, but like settling down it's not his top priority. He can love you just as much without the fancy title.

G - Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?) ★

Akutagawa is rather gentle but if he gets worked up he'll be pretty harsh and say stuff he really doesn't mean out of anger. But physically he's pretty gentle for the most part.

H - Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?) ★

I think he likes hugs but it takes a while for him to actively seek them out. He doesn't hug you very often, but he doesn't push you away when you hug him. Hugging him is like hugging a thun memory foam pillow that you stuck in the fridge for a solid ten minutes. He's pretty stiff when you hug him, but the more often he hugs you it becomes more natural and flowy.

I - I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?) ★

Part of me thinks he would say it way to fast but the other part of me thinks he'd hold off for a really long time. I think he'd say it whenever he came to the realization that he loves you. He doesn't dwell on whether he says it too quickly, he just says it.

J - Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they're jealous?) ★

He gets jealous pretty quickly. When he is he'll probably confront you about it, but he's quick to take your reassurance for the most part. It's really not about trust but more about wanting your attention wholly.

K - Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?) ★

Akutagawa kisses you passionately, sometimes roughly and others as gently as a feather falling to the ground. No kiss is meaningless to him. He likes to kiss your lips and in between your eyebrows. He likes to be kissed on his nose and lips.

L - Little Ones (How are they around children?) ★

Akutagawa isn't terrible with children, he knows how to take care of them. He's not going to willingly play with barbie dolls or matchbox cars though, the kid would have to convince him. He's rather awkward around them.

M - Morning (How are mornings spent with them?) ★

Mornings with Akutagawa probably consist of sleepy cuddling. I don't think he's much of a morning person and definetly prefers to stay in the comfort of you shared bed, under the blankets with him. But, he is the type of man that will share a morning routine with you- brushing your teeth together, skincare (I think if you asked him to do it with you, he would after light resisting), getting dressed, etc.

N - Night (How are nights spent with them?) ★

I think nights are relatively similar when it comes to routines. He would participate with you and when you both slip under the covers he'd probably sit and read for a while before actually settling down and sleeping.

O - Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?) ★

Akutagawa, to me atleast, is emotionally an open book. But when it comes to his past he would probably wait a while to reveal things slowly. His past is more vulnerable to him than his emotions he feels.

P - Patience (How easily angered are they) ★

It really depends. He'd have a little more patience when if comes to you, but he's relatively short tempered.

Q - Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?) ★

He remembers little details and he absolutely relies on them when it comes to gift giving and stuff like that. He remembers everything.

R - Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?) ★

The moment you accepted his confession. He loves it so much because it marks the start of everything. He loves celebrating anniversaries.

S - Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?) ★

He's pretty protective, he doesn't want to see you hurt, like any partner wouldn't. He protects you via keeping you away from Port Mafia affairs. Him being protected is tricky because I think it would make him feel kinda weak, but at the same time he might like it once every now and again.

T - Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks) ★

He puts effort into gifts like no other. He really wants to make sure it's something you love and then bashfully watch you open it. His idea of putting effort into dates is making a reservation for a nice restaurant, so in his eyes he puts heaping piles of effort in.

U - Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?) ★

He's unintentionally snappy sometimes or he comes off the wrong way. He's also always messing with the thermostat and he leaves laundry in the drier until he absolutely needs the clothes or someone else moves it.

V - Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?) ★

He's relatively concerned with them, he likes dressing a certain way and for his hair to be specific lengths, but he's not obsessed with them.

W - Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?) ★

No. He can get by on his own, he loves you very very much, but he understands that you're a luxury. He's attached to you but he knows you're not a necessity like water or food.

X - Xtra (A random headcannons for them.) ★

He moves around a lot in his sleep. He kicks and rolls and everything. Some days you might wake up looking like you tried settling beef with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Y - Yuck (What are some things they wouldn't like, either in general or in a partner?) ★

He doesn't like unreliable people or liars, if you say you'll do something for him, then he expects you to follow through. If you tell him something, it should be the truth. There's no reason for lying, especially in a relationship.

Z - Zzz (What's a sleep habit of theirs?) ★

He kicks a lot like I said, and he would prefer to sleep with one of those fuzzy, high quality animal print throw blankets than a comforter. He likes to sleep in warm rooms, not too hot not too cold.

A/n; I'm gonna be so fr I kinda struggled with this one. Akutagawa is interesting to write for but I'm not sure he's my favorite.

[let-love-run-red]

Okay so ... new fan here! I saw your Angsty Miguel headcanons. And I want more. If I may request, my lovely amazing author, may I have headcanons about Miguel with an emotionally sensitive reader? Along the lines of: she's quick to think that he doesn't love her because he works a lot, or she thinks he's cheating bc he spends a lot of time with a female friend, or she feels ashamed to talk to him about her emotions ... maybe with fluffiness at the end for my tortured soul? Idk have fun with it.

(p.s. your amazing)

Thank you for asking so politely anon! and I'm glad you're enjoying my writing on this hellsite lol, this was an interesting one to write but I had fun with it!

Masterlist | Requests! Warnings: assumed cheating

- He didn't love you. How could he, someone who loved you wouldn't stay away so often

- When he was with you, he was perfect. The caring, loving boyfriend you could only dream about

- but you knew he was thinking about her instead. Jessica. You'd met her, she was kind and funny, and he claimed she was married, but you knew what was really happening

- The late nights they spent together where he didn't call you. The mornings he left extra early so he had time to bring her breakfast

- He always said it was work. It was for work, she was just a colleague, they were out late on a mission, but you knew he was cheating on you with her

- The days he would come home smelling like another womans perfume were the worst of them all. He would hug you after a long day being gone, and smell like sugar and citrus. Not your perfume.

- Then she got pregnant. Your head begged you to believe him, she was married, it was her husbands, but he never let you speak with her after your initial meeting and your heart told you to look at the subtext of it all

- the late nights, the perfume, the way his hair would be disheveled and he would be covered in bruises and light scratches, you knew and it made you sick.

- "You don't love me, do you." You finally confronted him one morning. Another early morning where he rushed out the door early yet again to bring Jessica yet another breakfast.

- He paused and you wondered, just for a moment, if he would turn around and face you.

- He didn't. But you could have guessed that.

- You didn't expect him to come home nearly an hour early. You didn't expect him to be holding a bouquet of flowers, not nearly enough of an apology, and you didn't expect him to sit beside you on the couch with his large hands folded in front of him.

- "Are we going to talk?" He asked simply. Now he wanted to talk. You sneered. "Now you want to?" You snapped. He sighed, leaning back into the couch and running a hand down his face. "I think we need to." He said. You scoffed. "Why do you think I don't love you?" Miguel pressed further. You felt your throat burning and tears pricking at your eyes. "Have you done anything to show me you do?" You snapped in return. He winced and you turned to glare angrily at the TV. "I'm sorry." He said simply. And you shook your head. "You're cheating on me aren't you." Your voice was quiet now, shaky, and he sat bolt upright with furrowed brows. "Of course not, I, why would you think that?" His face was full of confusion and for a moment you thought... 

- He was a good liar.

- "It's yours isn't it." You asked, not meeting his gaze and tears running down your cheeks. "Dios no," He shook his head, reaching for your hand but hesitating. "Jessicas? No, of course not." He repeated. You didn't want to look but your traitorous mind was begging you to listen to him. "You're with her so much." You said instead of turning to face him. "We work together." He said flatly. You knew you were testing his patience.

- Good.

- "Please, you leave early, come home late, bring her breakfast, you come home smelling like her Miguel." Your voice broke. "I know you think there is, but I promise, there's nothing between Jessica and I but work." He explained softly, his jaw worked side to side and you could tell he was getting close to snapping. "How am I just supposed to trust you?" You finally turned to face him and his expression grew soft as he reached out to brush the tears from your cheeks so gently. "Oh mi hermosa dama," he let you rest your face in his hand, "eres todo mi vida." He crooned. He'd said that enough you knew what it meant.

- You are my whole life.

- "You're never here." You whispered, not trusting your voice if you spoke any louder. "I know, I know and I'm sorry." He soothed, stroking his thumb over  your cheek before moving closer and pulling you gently into his arms. "I just want you here." You breathed against his chest, turning to press your face into him, feeing your tears soak into his shirt and the suit you knew was underneath. "Sh sh mi sol, lo sé, lo siento." He pressed his lips against the top of your head and smoothed his hand over your hair.

- He leaned back and you leaned with him, laying on his chest as he laid back on the couch.

- "I love you, more than anything in this world or another." He kissed the top of your head again, pulling you up so your nose was tucked against his neck as you cried, holding you steady on his chest. "Please, never let me make you feel like this again."

[crossdressingdeath]

Kyvir: You travelled with Bhaalspawn before, didn't you? What do you know of them? Minsc: Ahh, Boo has an inkling that this is not the question you mean to ask. I saw some hint of things when our minds mushed together - but Jaheira confirmed it for me. Minsc: You are of the same blood as our old friend: a Bhaalspawn, and as close to Minsc as if they were his own kin. Minsc: That makes Minsc your uncle. Kyvir: That's all you have to say? You're not worried what my blood might turn me into? Minsc: A curious question. Are a child and his father always alike? Minsc: Take Minsc! He does not have a clear memory of the face of his father, but he does remember tugging on the thick, red whiskers that sprang from his chin. Minsc: A beard for the ages! Boo could have nested there happily through even the harshest of Rashemen winters. Minsc: Now - look closely at Minsc, and what do you see? Kyvir: You don't have a beard. Minsc: Correct! There are more whiskers on Boo's tiny face than on the mighty chin of Minsc! Minsc: If Minsc did not inherit the flaming red hair of his mother, or the bushy red beard of his father, why would the spawn of Bhaal inherit his wickedness? Kyvir: Thank you. It's nice not having to justify myself for once. Minsc: Minsc is not here to judge - that is a thing for hamsters and hathrans alone.

Oh, this is very sweet. Especially with how Durge's first response to learning that Jaheira wants them to track down Minsc and realizing that he's an enemy of Bhaal can be "Minsc of Rashemen, the guy who hunts Bhaalspawn?" Being able to establish that worry in their mind only to meet Minsc and have him immediately say "No, your father doesn't decide who you are and I'm not going to judge you on the grounds of your blood" when the topic comes up is fantastic. I also love how Jaheira clearly wasn't worried about Minsc taking it badly for a second, since old friend or no I think that if she expected him to respond poorly she wouldn't have told him, at least not without talking to Durge first. It's also nice to know that the mind link from the tadpoles does give away them being Bhaalspawn, at least to someone who'd know what signs to watch out for; I did wonder if that would be the case.

Also! I love how Durge initially tries to sidestep around what they want to ask only for Minsc to immediately grasp what their actual point is, both for how tidily it establishes Durge being nervous about raising the subject with him (when if you choose to tell the earlier party members about it you just tell them outright that you're Bhaalspawn and don't dance around it at all) and how neatly Minsc cuts to the chase in order to assure them that he's not going to judge them for it. It's a bit strange that he says his connection to Gorion's Ward makes him Durge's uncle, since that would imply a connection to Bhaal rather than one of Durge's half-siblings, but that immediate insistence that they were Minsc's family and that makes Durge Minsc's family is incredibly sweet. Both because of the way he doesn't hesitate for a second to say it and because of how he clearly still thinks the world of Gorion's Ward (although that second one will probably be more effective when I've played the first two games). Minsc's metaphor also isn't really the greatest (divine blood coursing through your veins and pushing you to kill isn't exactly the same thing as your dad's beard inheritance-wise), but it's so clearly well-intentioned that it still works.

And it's also very fun how Durge can thank him for not making them justify themselves at all. While the rest of the group's concerns do come from a place of genuine care and worry for Durge and it's very fair that they all feel the need to say "You have to fight Bhaal" since that is a very pressing issue at the point in the story where it comes up, I can definitely see Durge being relieved to have one person learn they're Bhaalspawn and respond with essentially "That's okay." Minsc doesn't need to be reassured that they're going to fight Bhaal's influence, because a) he has plenty of experience with Bhaalspawn doing just that and so isn't as worried as people without that experience would be and b) Jaheira presumably wouldn't be travelling with them if she didn't trust them to make the right choice. Minsc also connects them to Gorion's Ward first, which is a fun touch; instead of saying they've got the blood of an evil god, he's saying that Durge has the same blood as a hero. It's just so good, I love him.

[ellaenchanting]

Hi! I'm not the original anon, but I have a follow up question if that's okay. Sometimes I struggle with my concerns about (what I now understand is called) hypnoamory and the fact that I think there's enough stigma around kink that romantic relationships stemming from kink are viewed as inauthentic or suspicious. How do you handle those two ideas if at all? They seem contradictory to me

Hi new anon! Thank you for the follow up question!

So- my point of view is that no emotion we experience is inauthentic. The reasoning behind an emotion may be flawed (ex. "I'm scared because the pope is spying on me"), it might be masking another emotion (feeling angry instead of sad), it might be temporary and fleeting, but what you feel is always "real". If you say you're angry, I can't run a blood test on you and determine you're not, you know? The only test we HAVE for emotions is that we feel them internally and subjectively. If you say you're in love, then who am I to say that isn't true?

We could say that hypnoamory is artificially created love because of the neurotransmitters and behavioral cues - but then ALL love tends to involve neurotransmitters and behavioral cues. Who we ARE is a big ole pile of neurotransmitters and behavioral cues (and gut bacteria) (and ancient, wonky survival systems). Even in situations where love feelings go away quickly after someone stops hypnoplay (@sweettist wrote a great reply to my initial post with a story like this), I personally* couldn't say those love feelings were fake, just that they were ephemeral.

If I'm viewing hypnoamory (or frenzy or infatuation or nre or any of these related ideas) cautiously, it's not because I think that what people are experiencing isn't "real". It's because I know people in those states are a little bit altered and may have a harder time setting good boundaries for themselves. It's kind of like seeing a friend move in with a romantic partner who they've known for a month. The move could work out great for them! But, I'm aware that often it won't- that my friend probably feels love but doesn't know yet about deeper compatability with their new partner/roommate. If I were giving my friend advice, I wouldn't say to break up with their partner because I'm concerned, but I might caution them to wait a few more months before moving in.

As far as how I personally balance feeling and caution:

If I'm playing with an inexperienced bottom, for example, I may be very slow and deliberate about negotiation (because I'm extra mindful not to cross boundaries). My own boundaries might be stronger- for example, I may not want to do intense play with them for a while. If they tell me I'm the best hypnotist in the world, I'll thank them but also take that compliment with a grain of salt. If they seem extra devoted, I might talk to them about it and possibly slow things down. I won't make long term plans for us yet based on how they're feeling right now because I'm aware that those feelings might change. (Or they may not! But in time we'll know better and be able to plan better).

If I realize hypnoamory or nre is happening to me (and it does!), I'll double check my own boundaries and try to think critically about my own impulses. I may consciously slow play or communication down for a bit so I feel like I'm making good choices. I might check in with others about my partner's reputation because I know I can't see their blind spots right now as well as I might want to.

That being said, I have long-lasting love for some people in my life that seems to have started with hypnoamory. I'm really glad I didn't give up on those relationships just because of strong feelings! I also have relationships that started this way and just petered out- or ones that were always one sided crushes. That's how love goes- especially when that love is early and intense. And all of that is fine! Those are things that happen in all sorts of relationships, kinky or not.

So, all of that being said- I don't see the contradiction, anon. This isn't an either/or, it's a both/and. Hypnoamory can be great and it can cause issues. Relationships stemming from kink can be healthy and they can be dangerous. Frenzy can exhaust you and it can give you a lot of cool new experiences. Infatuation can burn out quick and it can lead to lasting, healthy love. It's all in the nuances.

*@sweettist might have a different point of view on that, though! I think it comes down to how people would define "real" or "inauthentic" here.

[soupbabe]

Live Action One Piece Characters Seeing Transmasc! Reader's Packer Falling Out

Featuring: Luffy, Nami, Buggy, Usopp

These are mostly just joke headcanons, but I've been thinking about it nonetheless. Trying to do a different format for scenarios like this, any feedback would be appreciated!

Warning: this is so stupid + it gets weird and suggestive in Buggy's section

The day you wanted to wear shorts was the day Luffy wanted to play tag around the Going Merry. Usually you'd politely decline, as when your captain wants to run around the ship, it gets intense. People get tripped over, belongings break, and dents get put into the walls. But this time Luffy stared directly at you with his big, brown, puppy dog eyes as he asked once more. "Please Y/n? I even got Nami to play, it won't be fun without you!"

His smile grew ever so mischievous as you caved in and agreed to his little game...

Monkey D. Luffy

- When he caught you, he practically tackled you to the ground (arms stretched around your body and head, as to soften the blow)

- And to your embarrassment, your homemade packer slipped out of your boxers and fell out of your pant leg

- While not the most detailed packer to exist, you certainly didn't think it was vague enough for Luffy to get up and fetch it for you

- "Hey, Y/n! I think you dropped something, what is it?" "Oh my god Luffy put that down right now. Wash your hands too."

- You wish you hit your head hard enough to cause short term memory loss

- Once you tell him, his eyes go wide and his mouth makes a small "o" shape as he tosses your packer back to you

- Luffy isn't as embarrassed as you could've been, but you both agree to never bring it up again

Nami

- Nami is one to also get competitive and play dirty, she uses her stealth to sneak up behind you and give you a good scare (and to make sure you're "it" now)

- What she didn't expect was to see her friend get react so clumsily that he stumbled and his dick and balls fall out

- She definitely noticed before you did, her eyes can't help but look at the silicone packer

- "Nami! You can't just scare a guy like that!" "...you dropped something."

- Her cheeks are a tinge of pink and your face is on fire as you hastily shove your packer into a pocket

- Though after the initial shock, she was able to laugh and tease you about the accident

- You gave her 100 beri to never talk about it ever again

Buggy the Clown

- Okay in this scenario, I do like to think about him just being a head and watching the game unfold

- Once he sees your packer fall out, he's losing it, everyone on the ship can hear him laughing and giving away your location

- "Oh- Oh my God this is too good! Even I haven't had this happen to me! What a fucking-" oh look at that. Said packer is in his mouth to shut him up.

- Wasn't the most ideal thing to shut him up with, but he got on your nerves and you needed a quick solution

- Buggy however is left red in the face: both out of anger and the fact that he has a dick in his mouth

- Not the way he wanted this to happen

- Once he's free from his makeshift gag, he's still going to be an ass and tease you about what he saw

- Though a deal has been struck so he wouldn't tell the others what would happen, unless he wants to be shut up again

Usopp

- He screams

- Usopp thought he hurt you when you two ran into each other, and seeing your...thing on the ground with you made him freak out

- Poor man thought he accidentally castrated you or something, maybe you too had the chop chop fruit?

- Either way you had to grab him by the shoulders and help him calm down before the crew thought he actually got hurt

- Honestly with Usopp, he makes it more awkward and weird than it needed to be

- He's understanding of what it is and how you don't always secure it properly, but man he's gonna have this memory burned into his mind

- He can't help but make awkward eye contact, his face burning every time he looks over at you

[kilibaggins]

Bucky Barnes with a Smaller S/O

bucky barnes x reader headcanons

Summary: I got a request from @mrs-jbuckybarnes to write headcanons on a small/short reader with bucky!

A/N: I am personally plus sized so if any of this comes across as not correct or anything like that, thats why! i tried my best! feel free to request something else if you'd like and reminder to anyone reading this my requests are open just read my pinned posts!

Word Count: 848

okay so FIRST lets get this out of the way he adores you. so much. he's never really loved anything as much as you loves you and that scares him sometimes.

he loves you for your personality so no matter how you looked he wouldn't mind so your size never gets in the way of that

really the only time your size becomes an issue with him is when he's scared he'll hurt you. his metal arm weighs heavy on his thoughts and the idea of hurting you literally gives him nightmares.

when you first started dating he literally avoided ever using that arm because of how scared he was.

after a while, and after you made it clear to him that you weren't afraid of his arm, or him for that matter, it got a little easier.

usually, though you'd have to initiate anything to do with that arm like holding his hand and stuff

he's always scared of hurting people with his arm but with people like steve, or sam, or literally anyone it isn't as scary as with you not only because of your height and size but because he cares so much about you.

now away from the SERIOUS STUFF and more into the OTHER STUFF

he calls you teasing names about your height unless you ask him to stop and you'll do it right back about his height

he'll rest his arms around your shoulders every time you walk

"what? it's comfortable." "you're using me like an arm rest" "okay and? its COMFORTABLE."

once he starts getting comfortable with his metal arm that's the one he usually wraps around you because 1.) it makes him feel better 2.) it means he can outwardly protect you and 3.) it shows everyone who they're really dealing with if they mess with you.

he likes to give you big bear hugs to show how much he loves you even though at first it worried him.

lifts you up a lot.

and I mean a lot.

he wants a hug? UP YOU GO. he wants a kiss? your feet are OFF THE GROUND

he will pick you up and put you on counters while he does stuff

like in the morning when he makes a pot of coffee he'll lift you up and put you on the counter next to him. The others tease him relentlessly for it because it shows how clingy he actually is deep down, the fact he wants you so close to him all the time.

he's always worried about you if you fight

like realistically he knows you can take care of yourself because he's seen you do it but he also knows its possible for you to be overpowered because of your size and that scares him

a lot of people say he gets his "winter soldier" stare back if anyone is at all threatening towards you to the point it scares them. steve told you this once and admitted it worried him in the moment but then bucky had hugged you and he knew everything was fine

his clothes. drown you. and he thinks you're the best thing he has ever seen.

he'll give you his t-shirts to wear and stare at you the entire time you wear it he loves it so much.

HIS HANDS. his hands are. you know how his hands are. they are just. hm. and because of this it's even BETTER that his hands are bigger than yours. he likes to compare the size of his hands to yours all the time. other people ask about it and he gets grumpy.

speaking of that… he gets. protective. and very grumpy if other people mention your size because he knows that when people talk about HIS physical appearance it makes him feel weird. especially with his arm and everything. when people make comments about it he clams up so of course he'd be the same with yours.

"you're so small-" "back off."

he does not stand for any comments being made on you even if they're compliments he just does not like it

even if your friends do it it makes him upset even if you're fine with it

"okay shortie-" "what did you just call them-" "bucky its FINE-"

he just loves you so much and its so hard for him to express it so he does it in the ways he knows how like defending you and lifting you up and calling you little nicknames and holding your HANDS and getting things from high places for you and just everything else he calls you doll but really HES such a doll

i don't know what to end this with but overall he's just super sweet and understands you and your boundaries. he wont go overboard on anything and will listen to you I you don't like something. he'll probably never NOT be defensive and protective of you so if you asked him to stop that'd be a harder thing for him but he'd try at least.

but yeah he just. loves you a lot.

[accidentally-in-fictional-love]

🔞 🤔😚 with a partner that has a VCH piercing?

Please? Please please please? Cause I need Hank’s approval for it! XD

Wouldn't That Hurt?- Smutty Hank Headcanons

Warnings: Lots of talk about your piercing and all the ways he adores it, this is just plain smutty lol you know what you're getting into with this one.

Notes: Not me blushing like a schoolgirl when I saw what that meant LMAO okay let's do this 💪 I couldn't help but make this a bit sweet still because it's Hank, I need to date this man so bad ohmygosh

When you first start dating the cute and quiet guy playing DnD with his friends at the bar, you have no idea what you're in for, other than finally finding a genuinely sweet guy who'll treat you right. Your initial impression stays correct as the first week turns into a month, but as you take it slow you realize that his enthusiasm to always hold you isn't just because he's touchstarved, but also because of his inexperience, something he hadn't been too excited to tell you because he thought it a bit embarrassing. His mother had almost taken him to a sleazy restaurant to get laid once but he'd backed out, he wasn't that desperate, but the thought of you being his first is clearly constantly on his mind, which you think is adorable.

You make it your personal mission to make his first time special, he deserved it despite his insistence that it wasn't a big deal to him (it was), and of course the first time you graduate from making out to his first handjob he doesn't last at all. His enthusiasm is cute and tenacious however, so once he's taken care of he insists on returning the favour, which is how he finds out about your piercing.

He thinks something is wrong at first, his face warping into confusion as he kisses you, and you just laugh as you explain what it is and how he can keep going, there's no problem. Curiosity has overtaken him however, he's heard about these kind of things but of course has never seen one before, and the situation changes from him getting you off to you dropping your pants for a different reason.

His eyes are wide and his face is red when you show him without shame, he could never be that daring even though you're his partner, and of course the first thing out of his mouth is, 'Doesn't that hurt?' which makes you laugh as you say at first, like all piercings, but his next question, which is if he can touch it again, makes you blush a little at that returning enthusiasm.

He leans in a little closer as he thumbs at it, seeing how this works since he of course doesn't have the same equipment as you, as he so eloquently puts it because he could never say the word clit, and each time you react he pulls back in fear that he's hurt you or made you uncomfortable, which of course he hasn't.

He decided he likes it when leans in even further to finish his previous task before he'd gotten distracted, and he's certainly a fan of how you hold his head and pull his hair a little when he pays it a little extra attention just to hear more of those definitely good sounds you're making.

As you work your way up to full sex, you find yourselves constantly distracted because he's certainly a fan of going down on you, in fact he might actually like it more than when you make him the center of attention. He's always looking for an excuse to please you either with his mouth or with his hand, and so far his favourite pastime is learning all the ways you like to be touched and how he can do more without hurting you because he cares that much.

His curiosity persists the longer you're together, there's so little he knows about these kinds of things since it's not really a thing he can casually talk about with his brother (god, never), or his friends since they're too focused on their sessions (and are also virgins), and he's constantly asking you questions instead of just biting the bullet and looking online. You think it's cute as he cuddles you and presses kisses to wherever he can reach while you talk, it's not like you've ever talked about it either since it's just a piercing, there's nothing special about it other than the location, which naturally makes it hard to bring up in polite conversation, and you don't laugh at any of his questions no matter how silly they are.

In the end he doesn't get it even when you explain that it enhances the feeling, he finds it interesting but the thought of having one makes him flinch in a way that makes you laugh, and even though it eludes him that certainly doesn't stop him from playing with it now that he knows it'll make you feel even better.

After that he always throws glances down when he sees you on instinct, like he's wondering how it feels when you wear certain clothes, and that fixation only makes him touch you more when you get a chance to be alone. He's still shy and not used to when you give him any affection because of how easily he gets turned on, but it isn't long before he becomes a master at taking you apart, he still loves when you touch him but it's almost like he prefers to be the one to touch you.

The first time you sit on his face it's actually his suggestion; he'd heard his brother talking (bragging loudly) about it and it only brought his curiosity back again since he didn't know how the person on the bottom could possibly breathe like that. It's silly, he's eaten you out enough times to know that it's pretty much the same thing, but the thought of balancing yourself on him and grinding down while he puts his new skills to use has you really ready to try it, you're not about to lie.

When you do, he instantly becomes enamoured by the sight above him, his hands on your thighs as you steady yourself, and he forgets all about breathing as he devours you whole while you indulge in grinding down on his deliciously large nose.

He adds that one to his list of favourite positions after that, which of course isn't a very big list since he's done so little, but hey, you aren't complaining at all when you're sitting together and he randomly starts whispering about how much he wishes he could sneak you away to try that again.

Despite his growing experience he still remains sweet, which you really appreciate and love about him. No matter what he does and how fervently he does it he still loves the softer moments when he can hold you, have you sit on his lap just to be closer to him, press kisses to your shoulder and rest his chin on you. He loves singing showtunes with you, which is something he kept secret since he knows it's not very manly, but neither is everything else he likes and you still love him all the same, and you honestly can't get enough of his voice and the way he sings so wholeheartedly. Above all he loves to fall asleep holding onto you, and he says he's in love with you as he nuzzles into your shoulder and closes his eyes, and you know he means it more than anyone else who'd ever said it to you.

You finally sleep together after several months of dating, and he's the one who isn't aware of what's in store when you invite him over for dinner. You have it all planned just for him: a lovely romantic meal to start, completely with candles, fake rose petals leading from your dining room to your bedroom just so he gets that he's going to be the one pampered tonight, and a playlist of songs he likes to set the mood. It's romantic as all hell if not a bit cheesy, but you know that he'll love it when you send the text to come over that night.

As you expected he gets overwhelmed, he never thought he'd get to be loved this much as more years passed and every eligible date turned him down because of his hobbies and general awkwardness, if anything he thought he'd lost his chance for a quicky just to get it over with at that sleazy restaurant, so to have you wine and dine him while he talks about his latest session, and still have you want to bring him to his room to continue this date has him so in love with you he doesn't know what to do.

He nearly backs out due to his nervousness because what if he's no good at it? What if the only thing he's good at is everything other than actual sex and you think he's terrible and never want to sleep with him again? What if he ruins the whole night because you already know he doesn't have the endurance yet to last very long because he's mostly been focused on you and he ends up disappointing you in the worst way? You reassure him with a kiss to the nose that even if any of that happens you'll still want to be with him, and that it'll just mean you'll have to learn all the things he likes in order to repay him for the best months of your life.

You strip him down just because you can see him shaking in excitement a bit too much to do it himself, but that only makes him more excited as he watches you do it. By the time you climb on top of his lap he's ready to kiss you into oblivion from the anticipation, and sure enough he doesn't last long when you lower yourself onto him, but that enthusiasm of his comes very much in handy as he recovers and ends up taking your breath away with how he catches on fast.

He ends up going several rounds with you that night, ready to try out everything he'd been imagining but had never gotten the chance to do, all the while working you up as you get more sensitive and overstimulated, and in the end, when he has nothing more to give and his limbs are shaking from the exertion, he gets you on your back and mouths at your clit and piercing until he makes you come one final time.

As you lay in bed you ask him if he'd maybe consider getting a piercing of his own, which he doesn't get until you explain with a grin, and the thought of it is nearly enough to break him as he winces and shakes his head. You shelve that one for later, you've always wanted a partner to match, and who knows? Maybe if you casually slip it into your own conversations enough the curiosity might overtake him again.

[osarina]

HELLOOOO priestzai anon here (priestesszai? sounds better. dazai exceeds gender he gets to be a priestess)(yaemikozai and raiden ei reader au)(are there any emojis for that. do i get lightning. 🌩️ or something.)(im sorry its the adhd) and YES she waited 500 years thats like so..... i mean okay; 500 years isn't that long for immortals, I suppose, but Dazai is so PATHETICALLY in love with reader that every second feels torturous to him. And he tells himself that its fine, he knows that he'll see her soon, but god hes yearning so bad. And then just... just imagine what hes like after he finally manages to get her out. See her again for the first time in literal decades. Oh he's absolutely losing his mind. Shes just as perfect as he remembers and also so much more, he missed her so much. He realises again what his purpose in this life was after so many years of yearning and darkness, and it's solely to worship and adore her. She's his purpose in life, his reason to live, his religion, his everything, the life source that he breathes. After all, she's his LITERAL goddess, he leads an entire SHRINE for her. They're technically equals, they see eye to eye, they respect each other the same amount, they're lovers friends, but Dazai still makes a point out of worshipping the ground she walks on. That's, like, his job, anyways. Anytime shes out in public, hes the first to bow, and the one to do it the most deeply, even as reader tells him over and over again he doesn't need to. Reader is a god and with that has great strength and would never just accidentally trip, and yet he always reaches out a hand for her to hold when she walks down stairs. Whenever shes sat on her throne in her palace, listening to her people, he's stood right besides her, kitsune tails all reaching out for her and subtly curling around her, making her look like she was sitting on a throne of pure clouds and just adding to her already ethereal, holy image. And don't even get me started on the bedroom - he'd always be so gentle, literally reverent, looking at her like she put the stars into the sky, doing everything for her and completely neglecting his needs in the meanwhile. He doesn't even care if he technically gets off or not, because seeing reader come undone at his hands is the greatest pleasure to ever exist. (Then again, that boy would probably come untouched, with how much he adores her.) He gives and gives and never takes, not once, and reader has to remind him or initiate it herself whenever she wants him to recieve physical pleasure too. Physical, because every moment he spends with her is heavenly and the greatest pleasure he could possibly feel and he could never ask for more, wouldn't dare to ask for more. hnggggg i am yearning

oh my god .... nonnie ... nonnie you have no idea how insane ur making me right now truly like ... dazai in general is sooooo enamored by his lover, worships them like they're the only holy thing in a godless world but like ... in THIS au ... where they're LITERALLY his goddess and his whole point of existence is to worship them, leads a whole shrine devoted to them .... UGHHHHH you have me so INSANE this needs to be added to the dazaiverse immediately.

AND YOUR'E SO RIGHT—dazai would 100% come untouched just from the taste of her on his tongue, could spend his whole life buried between her thighs, being the one to bring her pleasure ... nothing makes him feel so good

and can we talk about jealousy with priestesszai ... like he would be so viciously jealous of anyone who gets close to her, but at the same time, he wouldn't say anything directly to her about it. maybe he would make snide comments guised as observations but GOD the way his chest twists and turns and the way his vision goes green at the sight of anyone else near her ... sickening

[piglet26]

Star Wars Rewatch: TROS

Oh, God.

Palpatine come back and ruining Anakin Skywalker's redemption. Why? How? Cloning, okay, so this Palpatine isn't the real Palpatine?!

We get to see Supreme Leader Kylo Ren for about 4 minutes before he's immediately benched by Palpatine as co-pilot. Why? I get they didn't want Kylo Ren as the big bad, but this is just lazy writing.

Green goblin, I remember you don't last long.

R2D2, they never wash him or nothing?

Maybe the First Order should win. They take hits and keep on knocking. They take losses and recovered, quickly and well. They always seem to have intelligence from somewhere. In short, they are competent.

Poe and Finn, have a great dynamic.

Rey is finally training for everyone who had a boner for two movies about her having a rocky fight montage.

They moment where Ren is praying over Darth Vader's mask and his mind bridges with Rey is a great reminder that these two are connected.

This film did something most franchise should never, it responded to criticism in real time.

Poe, you fucked up Han's ship. Stop attacking like she doesn't have a reason to be annoyed. Also, Rey is currently the sole Jedi in the galaxy, she should be training, not running off on every errand you have to do.

Colin Travano (whatever his name is) I wouldn't have wanted his script. Like at all. Poe and Rey do have chemistry though and you can tell they enjoy needling one another. It's just not endgame.

That Finnrey hug was awkward. It's a church hug with their butts sticking out. I'm Reylo to the core, but I have place for FinnRey in my heart. They're soulmates in a different way than Reylo is. Also, Daisy Ridley and John B are adorable and you can tell they enjoy working together.

In a flawed film, Rose Tico being sidelined was a wise decision.

Rey, Poe, Finn, Chewie and 3PO are cute. JJ Adams did seem to love friendships developing and for the third film we needed to see all these characters together on an adventure.

Kylo Ren is forging this dumb ass mask again. Look it worked initially, character wise and so forth, but at this point?! He smashed it and moved past the need for it. The audience liked that he smashed it. We have to see his face for emotional scenes. Why is it back? Oh I know! Because JJ Adams good juvenile friend was sad his mask wasn't in the film anymore. General Hux and Kylo are magically little bottle of goodness. We got so little.

We leave one planet for another planet but I keep forgetting what planet we're on. Title cards too much to ask?

Ren is actually pursuing Rey or The Scavenger because yes he wants her for himself. but he also wants to protect her from Palpatine. Their first force bond......... yeah. I've read the novelization so I understand it's been a minute since they've seen one another, but if I just watched the movie would I have known that? No. There is much they saying yet it's stiff and doesn't make much sense without context.

General Pryde. Why did we need him when we have General Hux?

I think Billie D Williams filmed all his scenes sitting down. He looks happy to be there but tired as hell.

Race through the desert of Pasaana. I like it. This crew does work and it feels like a fun adventure. There are cute, whitty moments between all of them and it works.

She heals a snake - Two halves of the dyad should only have been able to heal one another, but here we are.

The Trio and Co find the evil sith ship or whatever. The Knights of Ren gotta walk while Ren is flying. Ren tries to run down Rey, again this make sense in the novelization and not at all in real life. After Rey injures his planes, he crashes and the majestic prince emerges out of the flames. Seriously?! Why the hell are you covering this guy up?!

In a rip off of The Last Jedi we get a tug-o-war scene between the ship Chewie is on. It's not as great, but it's a good scene and we see how Rey's powers have grown. We know it's a waste of time though. They're evenly matched. It's a nice surprise when the lighting shoots out. Okay, I don't mind her being a Palpatine. I mind the retconning. I mind Palpatine magically coming back.

Rey confesses to Finn about her dream of her and Kylo Ren on the Sith Throne. Where? We would have liked to have seen this.

This is a nice FinnRey scene. Despite her display of "dark power", her killing Chewie presumably, Finn doesn't look at her any different. She's still Rey to him. He's patient and present and she describes her challenges. We still don't acknowledge Finn is force sensitive. Why isn't he training with Rey?

We are blazing through this movie. That's part of the problem we're just pushing plot points at this point. The movie needs to be more selective about slowing down and concentrating on character development. Something painfully lacking in this film. Even the Reylo scenes are about pushing the plot forward rather than pushing the characters forward.

3PO actually has a storyline this movie. Good for him. Look secondary characters in a trilogy, you get your moments and it ain't gonna be every film.

Zorri and Babu are nice additions. I like Zorri and the fact that Ren kicking her ass actually made her like her. Women supporting women. Were Zorri and Poe a thing. What's a spice runner? A space drug dealer?

Rey's social skills lack a bit. but she's great with Droids.

Wait, Chewie and Ren were both on Ren's Destroyer and they didn't even have a scene together?! Chewie's like an uncle to Ren.

Ren, show up in your boss ass destroyer to get your girl.

Standout lines -

Poe: 3PO! Move your metal ass.

3PO: How dare you we just met.

Finn, Poe and Chewie cowboying through the destroyer. Nice scene, doomed for failure I'm afraid.

Second Reylo forceskype is exposition. First real Reylo scene is exposition. Hey, movies gotta get it done haha but Ren literally is like here's the plot of the movie and everything you've been confused on up until this point. I will say watching the progression of the force bond that their spaces are now physically bleeding into one another. Nice touch. It's also nice to see what they each see when looking at one another through the force bond.

General Hux is the spy. Could've gone farther with this. RIP Dawg

Another FinnRey scene where you begin to understand Rey is pissed off and darker than possibly Finn thought.

Palpatine and Ren scene. I'm so annoyed Palpatine is in this movie.

We meet a ragtime band on horses surprise their former stormtroopers. All of them. From the same company. Sure Jan.

Seeing the death star again, so odd and doesn't look a thing like the original. We see scavenger Rey again.

Reylo fights again because Rey is the denial queen and she's free to take out her aggression on Ren. He likes feral Rey. In another less PG film, they've fought and then boned, but Leia died. Also, Dark Rey.... I'm here for it. Mostly cause it looks cool.

The film makers did the best they could with Carrie's Fisher passing. I thought they handled it with class and dignity while incorporating it into the film.

After Leia's passing and Rey healing it. Ren in his ever presented conflict nature overlooks the water when his father appears. It's poignant and character driven scene. It's beautiful scene about the enduring love of a parent. A flawed parent but a loving one nonetheless. Ben had two of those and he seems to finally understand that now.

Poe has a good scene with Leia's body about being a leader. Something that, despite all the bravado, he finally admits he doesn't know how to do. This would've been a great scene with her alive. Part of the issue people have the sequel trilogy of the lack of respect paid for previous generations. As if they are flawed and bigoted. On screen and off screen. A scene where Finn, Poe or Rey paid respect for the accomplishments of previous generations. Their courage and their bravery. Billie D. feels like just a stand-in.

Palpatine army blows up yet another planet. yawn.

Finn is a general bestow as such by Poe. Good choice. Sanitation worker aside no one knows more about The First Order than someone who was a stormtrooper. Finn reveals Palpatine wanted Rey alive...... then why tell Ren to kill her? Because if Rey didn't go dark then Ren was the fall back or vice versa?

So far it's not a bad film, just a disappointing film. The stuff that made my blood boil is about to come.

Rey isolates herself on Acht-to, burns the ship and we see ghost Luke. Why? She saw herself on the dark throne and she's afraid of herself. This might have meant something. At one point. It just feels like a retcon at this point. She's a Palpatine but Leia and Luke didn't care? Then what the hell were you worried about Ben for? If blood and legacy means nothing.

I'm not one of those people that need everything in a movie to make sense. It's also a space fantasy film, but damn.

Rey leads the Resistance to Exegol, she just doesn't know it. That was handy. No, really the way the movie sliced that together worked very well. Poe and Finn make a great speech about the resistance. Not as rousing as I'd like.

Exegol being the basis for the Sith religion is actually really cool. Wish we could've learned more. Empress Palpatine sounds like a boss ass name.

I hate everything about the ending of this film.

Rey once again goes into the enemy territory without a plan. The resistance doesn't really have one either except gumption.

Ben Solo is back! He's great. He's a hero. He's got great hair. He's likeable. We haven't seen him for 20 minutes, he doesn't say a word except "Ow" We have a beautiful Reylo moment where we Rey and Ben see each other through the Force Bond and she looks at Ben with such relief, joy and love that he's there with her. Ben fight like hell to get to her. This is it! Bendemption. We've waited three films for this. Then they tossed him off a cliff.

While it's a great scene of Rey listening to the previous Jedi's and rising up. I'm so confused how the dyad coming together empowers the devil. Ben has been made completely irrelevant.

I mean, we got a Reylo Kiss! It was epic and then it was over. We were lucky to get that considering Disney started to shy away from Reylo due to all the "controversy" I just hate this so we'll move on.

The hug was nice!

Rey Skywalker?

And that's that

[anruraiocht]

@hosannan sent:

"...Ah, there you are." This is no corridor nor trick of light, and there is no slipping away from a party of grandeur. "Miranda, are you well?" You have never found a way to meet this girl down the middle, and you know that every "too late" is spiked with "are" "you" "sure?" You suspect a great many things, but you know in your heart that nothing is concrete. "I spoke this winter about a letter I was to give you... And a gift." Nanna never got to give it to her.

It is ok if they are so similar, that nothing works out. It is also okay that they are so different, that nothing works out. They are deprived of a great many things, but Nanna still wants to be sure. So sure, that she can walk herself into a sleep, unrestless.

"Here." A handkerchief with poorly embroidered letters is wrapped up in lace and tissue paper. Miranda's initials are inscribed, by Nanna's hands. Well. A younger Nanna. A Nanna that had no chance to really say goodbye.

And in the letter:

Hello! Thank you for being my friend all those years ago, Miranda. I'll keep it short, to spare your time. But, I want nothing more than to write to you. And have more to write about in the future. Attached is a handkerchief that I... well. I tried to embroider. Many, many years ago. It's a shame I never got it to you. I was

She paused, thinking about her word choice. Then she thought it wouldn't hurt to admit to someone who knew her back then. "...a very shy little girl." You continue.

Though you are under no obligation to write back, know that I was fond of our time together. Am fond of our time together. Even if it is just you standing an entire grass field away from me, brandishing your fire. With warmth, Nanna.

Miranda tries not to have expectations. Every promise made to her eventually becomes a sheepish smile when it is inevitably time to break it. This will all end soon. It will only be for a short while. Talk to you soon. Tomorrow for sure.

And so on and so forth.

So she doesn't expect anything from Nanna. (She wants to hear from her.) It had been an empty platitude like always. (What if it wasn't this time?) There's no point in getting her hopes up for nothing. (Even if it's nothing, she'll still wait.)

"Princess Nanna." Her speech is formal to Nanna's more informal; a stiff insistence on titles, an intentional sense of distance. "I have been well. And you?"

On any other day, the interaction would have been over, customary salutations exchanged. But there is no running from a ball. Even if she did, she already knows she isn't the kind of princess who gets chased after when the ball is over. She does not linger on the mind once out of eyeshot the way Nanna does.

Miranda tries not to hold expectations, but her useless heart still clings on to the hope that this time she will be remembered.

"You didn't have-" she starts, but the rest of her protest dies on her tongue as she meekly accepts the letter and handkerchief. "No, I will accept it. Thank you. Do you mind if I read it now?"

The handkerchief is clumsily embroidered by the hand of a child, but no less heartfully made. She can imagine Nanna hiding away somewhere in an unfamiliar castle stitching under the light of a candle. The imagery is clear in her mind because she had done the same herself to pass the time. The difference is that Miranda had thrown away all evidence of her efforts, a refusal for anything less than perfect leaving behind nothing to show for it.

Miranda turns to the letter next, umber eyes scanning the lovingly penned words. It immediately becomes clear to her that she should have waited until later to read it, should have taken it back to her room where she could read it where no one could see. Tears gather in her eyes and neither wanting to soil the sleeves of her dress or her new handkerchief, there is nowhere for the tears to go than to streak down her cheeks.

She clears her throat, but her voice still wobbles, "Ahem. I will write you a reply back. O-only if you are truly interested, however! If you aren't, then just pretend I said nothing!"

She can feel her cheeks heating up, so she must look even worse now. There's nothing that she wants more to run away and deal with her emotions alone, but she takes a hesitant step towards Nanna instead.

"...Black doesn't suit you," she murmurs, speaking of her pendant. She affixes her own crystalline pendant to Nanna's dress. "I have nothing white to offer, so this will have to do for now."

[not-poignant]

we know that alex has been in love for a long time but what about sebastian? he makes me so confused lol

i’m always wondering about what’s going on in his mind

Okay, so, I'm happy to talk about this! But it is kind of spoilery so like gird your loins or whatever :D

Sebastian has not had any romantic feelings for Alex at all. Ever.

He's never really thought about him sexually, and when he has he's kind of been grossed out because he can only really imagine Alex in heterosexual situations (that might be changing, but slowly, lol). He's concealing no secret feelings or anything like that.

He is however growing genuine feelings of friendship and care, and there's definitely potential for him to grow more (otherwise this story wouldn't work).

But there's no 'mutual pining' here or anything. Alex was completely alone in his love for Sebastian. Not only that, but Sebastian didn't even realise he was gay until he met Martingale (at least that's the working theory I have so far, we'll see when it comes to writing it). Not only is Alex gay, he's known it about himself for actually a lot longer than Sebastian has about himself.

Sebastian has a strong sense of internal justice when it comes to being paid fairly and being treated well for work. This is pulled directly from the canon. In the very first cut scene we ever have with Sebastian, he's pissed off that his mother and Abigail don't take his work seriously, and you also have the option of respecting / not respecting his work. So this is pretty foundational to his character. It's the first thing he ever opens up to you about. So that's definitely influenced some of his behaviour in A Stain that Won't Dissolve.

But it's not like Sebastian offered Alex the cleaning job, Alex actually had to put himself forward and then really push for it, because Sebastian's initial response was no / that's not a good idea.

I honestly think the thing that really opens Sebastian's mind to the idea that Alex could be someone he's attracted to, is learning that one of his guy friends hits on Alex (which is coming in a couple of chapters).

But yeah, much of Alex's love would have been received as extremely unrequited, and Alex has also known that. It's why he doesn't try to like... subtly 'seduce' Sebastian. He just wants to be closer to him. He hopes at best for friendship and doesn't expect even that much. He doesn't think about his infatuation with Sebastian as anything more than something he has to deal with privately for the rest of his life, like a burden his brain made him carry and he can't make himself stop.

On that front, he's actually pretty accurate in his assessment of Sebastian as being not attracted to him, or at least not personally interested in him (I think Sebastian could be attracted to Alex - I mean he obviously will come to be - but has ruled Alex out due to him just being a straight dickhead, lol). The reason it's hard to tell what Sebastian's thinking on that front is because Sebastian isn't really engaging on that front.

I don't think Sebastian has any idea that Alex is gay, that Alex could be into him, anything like that. Alex has done a good job of hiding it from everyone, which many people who fear for their lives re: their sexualities do actually get pretty good at, especially in country towns. Especially if you know your family wouldn't have approved, or worry about it.

Sebastian definitely isn't like... secretly aware of this stuff, and he's not secretly concealing feelings towards Alex. Sebastian's story is a slow burn towards growing attraction. Alex's story is unrequited love for way too long.

Also, Sebastian finding out Alex is gay, Sebastian finding out Alex might be attracted to him, and Sebastian finding out that Alex is in love with him, are all going to be three completely separate realisations!