#I'll try to shorten future ones

[chiqelatasblog]

Can I request imagine: Bi Han fell in love with Shang Tsung's daughter; unlike her father she is gentle and soft spoken and thanks to her father she mastered soul magic takes place when Shang Tsung captured Bi Han and Kuai Liang please?

Um… Well… This imagine turned into a whole one-shot. I'll try to shorten it in the future. I realized that I can't write short fic.🥲

Fates Intertwined ♾️

-> Ao3 link is here.

Pairings : Bi-Han/ Sub - Zero x You

Tropes : Major Character Injury, Blood and Injury, Near Death Experiences, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Falling in Love, Strangers to Lovers, Protectiveness, Possessive Behavior, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence , Intimacy

Summary : Bi-Han, gravely wounded during a mission, finds himself lost in the uncharted territory of Outworld. As he teeters on the brink of death, he awakens in an unfamiliar home. There a woman, a master of soul magic, emerges into his life, her presence calming and gentle as she tends to Bi-Han's injuries. Drawn to her unexpectedly, Bi-Han finds himself experiencing feelings he never had before.

However, little does he know, his savior harbors a secret...

Author’s Note : This is the first request I’ve ever received, I didn’t get any notifications about it so I found it on accident actually. Anyway I’m kind of excited to share it, it’s over 8k (I got away with feelings.) Hope it lived up to expectations! 💕

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He was on the brink of death.

Bi-Han felt the specter of death looming closer than ever before as he dragged his battered body through the uncharted terrain of Outworld. While he had faced dangerous situations in the past, none had brought him as precariously close to the brink as this one. With every step, he pressed a hand against his stomach, where a gaping wound on his right side oozed blood, a portion of it torn away. His vision dimmed gradually, like a flickering lamp nearing its end, his breathing ragged, his steps unsteady. Despite having accomplished his mission, he snarled with what little strength remained, enraged that his slight lapse in caution would cost him his life.

Each step grew more arduous, his coordination failing as darkness encroached upon his sight. Unable to discern what obstacles tripped him amidst the dimming landscape, he collapsed heavily onto the ground. The wound, incessantly bleeding with each convulsion of his body, sent tremors of agony coursing through him, threatening to shatter his teeth as he gritted them in pain.

Struggling to roll onto his side, Bi-Han expelled the soil that had invaded his mouth and smeared his lips, laboring to draw oxygen into his weakened lungs. Above, the sky darkened, with the moon and stars emerging while clouds gathered ominously, presaging the impending rain. It was a grim realization that in this barren, lifeless landscape, he would meet his end alone—a consequence of his arrogance and overconfidence in his abilities. Dry and lifeless plants dotted the cracked earth, while rocks and pebbles stretched as far as the eye could see, with no sign of a river or any semblance of life.

Death had never been a fear for him, he was raised with the understanding that every moment could be his last. Memories raced through his mind like fragments of a shattered mirror; his training, the teachings of his clan, and the faces of those he had loved and lost along the way. Amidst the pain, a sense of regret gnawed at him, whispering of unfinished business and promises left unfulfilled. Yet, amidst the turmoil, a resolute determination surged within him, a steadfast refusal to succumb to the darkness that threatened to consume him. While the frustration and ambition of leaving his goals unfinished weighed heavily, he found a measure of peace in knowing that Kuai Liang would capably assume the mantle of grandmaster and safeguard the clan.

As he drew a deep breath, a fit of coughing wracked him, the bitter taste of blood filling his mouth. Turning his head to the side to avoid suffocation, he surrendered to a numbing sensation that dulled his senses from head to toe.

Finally, unable to stave off the encroaching darkness any longer, his eyes, barely able to remain open, fluttered closed.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

The first sensation that washed over him was a soothing warmth, cocooning him like a comforting embrace. Blinking open his eyes, Bi-Han found himself lying atop a soft surface, the faint scent of clean soap wafting around him. In the distance, he could hear a soft female voice humming a kind of melody, accompanied by the clinking of plates and dishes. Struggling to lift his heavy eyelids, he squinted at the wooden ceiling above him, its rough texture illuminated by the soft glow of candlelight casting dancing shadows across the room.

‘’The hell?’’

His words emerged hoarsely from his parched throat. As he attempted to sit up, the covers slipped off, landing on his lap, and a sharp pain shot through his side where the wound lay. Clenching his hand over the bandages wrapped around his abdomen, he felt the fabric instead of his usual cold skin. The bandages appeared freshly changed, but his right side had already begun to bleed anew due to his carelessness.

With a muttered curse, Bi-Han glanced around the room, his body tensing as footsteps approached. Instinctively, he summoned an ice kunai into his hand, a simple gesture that now felt exhausting under the circumstances. Just as the figure drew near, he leveled the weapon with a silent threat.

‘’I didn’t go through all this trouble just for you to kill me,’’ admonished a soft female voice. ‘’Besides, I’ve just changed those bandages, and now I’ll have to do it all over again. Why are you still sitting? You need to lay down.’’

Bi-Han’s surprise was tinged with suspicion. Was this woman blind? How could she not have noticed the sharp kunai in his hand? Moreover, she appeared unarmed, leaving herself defenseless against him. His anger flared at the implication that he was underestimated. Even injured, he was still a lethal force to be reckoned with.

‘’Do you intend to worsen the bleeding?’’ she continued calmly, stepping closer but maintaining a cautious distance. ‘‘I am not a threat to you. My name is (y/n). I found you and brought you to my home for treatment. You’ve been here for three days. If I wanted to harm you, I wouldn’t have bothered bringing you back from the brink.’’

Bi-Han’s gaze softened slightly as he absorbed her words. Despite his initial hostility, there was something about her demeanor that suggested genuine concern. Yet, he remained wary, his mind racing with questions and suspicions.

‘’Why?” growled Bi-Han through clenched teeth, his gaze sharp as he eyed the young woman standing before him.

The woman blinked in surprise at the question. “I don’t understand.”

“Why did you save me?”

“Because you were dying,” she replied innocently, taking another step toward him. “Now, will you let go of what you have and let me help you?”

“I can take care of myself,” Bi-Han insisted, trying not to be swayed by the woman’s gentle aura as he moved to stand up, wary of her true intentions. The woman’s expression clouded with worry.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Don’t interfere—Fuck.” Despite his attempt to rise, sharp pain lanced through Bi-Han’s body, threatening to overwhelm him. Just as he felt himself faltering, a soft body caught him, careful to avoid his wound. A sweet scent enveloped him—cinnamon and vanilla—intoxicatingly sweet, like fresh-baked buns.

Relaxing involuntarily, Bi-Han allowed the woman to guide him back onto the bed, his resistance waning. She had a point—if she wanted him dead, she wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to keep him alive for three days, despite being a total stranger.

“I have to open the bandages and check your stitches. I’m afraid they may have burst.”

“I’ll take care of it myself,” Bi-Han retorted, refusing to show weakness or dependence.

“Why won’t you let me help you?” The woman’s voice softened, her gentle demeanor tugging at something within Bi-Han. Though he remained silent, she sighed deeply. “I have a light touch and am quite fast, you can trust me. If I happen to hurt you, you can also treat your wounds. I just want to assist and ease your suffering, especially since you’re badly wounded. Oh and besides that, I made some stew. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Bi-Han scrutinized (y/n) for the first time since waking, assessing her body language and facial expressions. As an assassin, he rarely misjudged people. Despite his initial wariness, he sensed a purity and compassion within her that he couldn’t ignore. The subtle tilt of her head and the warmth in her eyes felt genuine. Even though he couldn’t fathom why she would go to such lengths to heal a dangerous person like him, knowing he could easily harm her without breaking a sweat, he found himself appreciating her compassion. Yet, alongside his gratitude, a twinge of annoyance gnawed at him, stemming from her apparent blindness to the danger he inherently posed.

With a resigned grunt, he relented, allowing her to tend to him as she saw fit, though a part of him remained on guard, ready to react at the slightest sign of threat.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

A week had passed since his return from the brink of death, and four days since he had awakened in your home. In that time, while his wound had begun to heal rapidly, his movements remained slow and restricted. Returning to his clan without a full recovery would only be self-torment, risking undoing the healing process with his own hands. And also, you were stubborn about it, showing no inclination to let him go until he was fully restored to health.

As absurd as the situation seemed to Bi-Han, it also warmed him in a way he hadn’t anticipated. Despite his injuries, he was an assassin and the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei—capable of neutralizing any threat that crossed his path. But you posed no threat; instead, you cared for him with remarkable dedication, as if welcoming a normal person into your home rather than a man with lethal abilities. Day by day, Bi-Han found himself lowering his guard against you, a sensation he struggled to control.

During the first night, while you slept, he scrutinized every corner of your house, finding no weapons or defenses. There was nothing you could have done to protect yourself from him. Trained from an early age to turn disadvantage into advantage, Bi-Han realized that this was not the case here. You harbored no ulterior motives; your only intention was to help him.

With the house being small and his movement limited by his wound, Bi-Han had ample time to observe and learn about you. Spending time together, he discovered your extraordinary ability to heal and revive him using soul magic—a gift passed down from your father. Bi-Han refrained from prying into your past, respecting the boundaries you set. He knew only what you chose to share—that your father was a merchant who often left for months at a time with his caravan.

Staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, barely able to fit two people, Bi-Han assessed his unkempt appearance. His normally well-kept hair hung loose, difficult to manage due to his injury, cascading down his neck to his chest. A scruffy beard obscured his chin, his pale skin accentuated by dark circles under his eyes. Running a hand through his hair, he muttered to himself, ‘‘I need to shave… And I definitely need a damn shower.’’

‘’Did you say something?’’ Bi-Han looked at you inquisitively from the bathroom door, wondering how long you had been standing there watching him. Your cheeks flushed a sweet shade of red as you realized you had been caught. ‘’Well, the door was open, so—I thought, um… do you need something? I heard you talking to yourself,’’ you said, trying to regain your composure quickly.

‘‘I need to take a shower, and I also need to trim my beard. It itches.’’

‘’Oh, sure. The towels are right there.’’ you replied, entering the room and retrieving the towels from the wooden closet under the sink. As you spoke, you kept busy, avoiding his gaze. ‘‘It’s better if your wound doesn’t get wet for a while longer. I can give you a cloth to wipe your body, and I can help with your hair. If you want, of course.’’ Though you added the last part hastily, your avoidance of his gaze didn’t go unnoticed by Bi-Han, who couldn’t help but smirk slightly.

It was evident from your demeanor that you held an interest in him—your actions were transparent and sincere. What intrigued Bi-Han even more was that he also found himself drawn to you. For the first time in a long while, there was no need for him to be on guard, and your presence offered an unexpected reprieve from his usual responsibilities. You brought him more comfort than anyone had before, your dedication focused on helping rather than brute force, and you effortlessly dismantled the walls he had built around himself. It was a mystery to Bi-Han how you managed to achieve this in such a short time, but your presence had a calming effect on him.

‘’Do whatever you want.’’ Bi-Han said, beginning to undress. Your eyes widened in alarm at his actions.

‘’W-What are you doing?’’

‘’I will wipe my body as you said. Since you’re so helpful, maybe you’d like to assist me with that too?’’ Bi-Han lowered his voice, locking eyes with you as he took pleasure in the crimson blush that spread across your face. He didn’t fully understand this newfound calmness and playful demeanor within himself, but he felt compelled to act this way around you. You weren’t under his command or a threat to be eliminated; instead, you were the reason he was still alive. Though he was reluctant to admit it, he owed you his life.

Your response was stuttered and unclear as you hurriedly left the bathroom as if it were on fire. ‘’Just call out to me when you’re finished. And don’t forget to wrap a towel around yourself,’’ you called out from behind the door.

Bi-Han carefully placed his clothes in a corner to keep them dry, then settled onto the edge of the bathtub, ensuring not to disturb his bandages. Using the cloth you provided, he began to cleanse the dirt and grime from his body, avoiding the area of his wound. Minutes later, when the water ran clear, he wrapped one of the towels around his waist and called out to you.

Opening the door cautiously, you peeked inside to confirm that he was following your instructions. Seeing him with the towel wrapped around his waist, you entered the room and closed the door behind you. “Sit on the edge of the bathtub and lean your head back,” you instructed in a gentle tone. As Bi-Han complied, you adjusted the water temperature for a few seconds until it reached the desired level. Letting out a small murmur of approval, you turned your attention to him, holding a shower cap in your hand.

As your eyes met, your cheeks flushed once again, and you quickly averted your gaze to his hair. Clearing your throat with a small cough, you began to wet his hair, ensuring the water stayed away from his face. Bi-Han watched your every move with keen interest, finding pleasure in your innocence and sincerity.

“Does the water feel too hot?” you asked, breaking the silence.

A small grunt escaped Bi-Han’s lips. “I’m a cryomancer; water temperature doesn’t bother me.”

“Oh, right. I forgot. It’s not every day I meet someone like you. I thought cryomancers were just a myth,” your fingers hesitating slightly as you untangled his hair. Emboldened by his lack of reaction, you continued to work, carefully removing the knots with practiced hands. “Your hair is very beautiful.” you said in a low, soft voice that could be considered shy.

“It’s just black,” Bi-Han replied.

“It’s not just black; it’s like onyx, especially when it’s wet. I’ve never seen such dark black hair before. It suits you.” As you determined that his hair was sufficiently wet, you picked up a shampoo that smelled of sugary flowers and squeezed a generous amount into your hand. “I’m sorry, this is all I have. I hope it’s not a problem.” you said, your voice tinged with apology.

‘’It’s better than dirt,” Bi-Han remarked in a dry voice. Though he had no desire to smell like a flower garden, he also acknowledged that he didn’t have a better option. As your fingers began to massage his scalp, Bi-Han was taken aback by how pleasant it felt. Your deft fingers worked circles on his scalp, lathering the shampoo, and Bi-Han found himself relaxing in waves of relief, melting like ice rapidly thawing. The warmth in the bathroom, the gentle touch… it was almost overwhelming, especially given how skilled your fingers were at their task.

“You might want to close your eyes, I wouldn’t want the shampoo to run into them by accident.” You said, breaking him out of the trance he hadn’t even realized he had slipped into. Once again, Bi-Han was surprised at how low his guard was around you. He had stopped seeing you as a threat some time ago, but he couldn’t comprehend how easily he let down the automatic defenses he had cultivated over many years.

Closing his eyes, Bi-Han waited for you to rinse the shampoo from his hair. After washing for a while, you reached for the towel in the corner to help him dry off.

“Okay, you can stand up, we’re done.” you announced.

Bi-Han stood up quickly, stretching his neck, which had grown stiff from being in the same position for so long, before turning his gaze to you. With your cheeks flushed from the warmth of the bathroom, your clothes splattered with water drops, and your skin glowing from the moisture, you appeared vulnerable and innocent enough to make his chest ache.

Raised in a clan of ruthless assassins where survival and flawless execution of death were paramount, Bi-Han had always imagined the woman who would enter his life as strong, tough, with sharp eyes and an authoritarian nature to adapt to his lifestyle. Yet, looking at you, he began to question this assumption for the first time. You possessed a nurturing side that defied brute force, completely opposite to his expectations, and Bi-Han found himself unexpectedly drawn to this contrast. You were good to him.

“Bi-Han… You’ve been staring at me for a while. Is everything okay?” you asked.

“I want to kiss you.” Bi-Han blurted out suddenly. The words escaped his lips so spontaneously that he was as surprised as you were. Though he could have easily taken you in his arms and kissed you, he wanted your consent, to hear from your lips if you desired it as much as he did. You were the last person he wanted to intimidate or use force on.

As your eyes widened in astonishment, a loud “What?” escaped your lips.

‘’You heard me.” Bi-Han said sharply. Your cheeks flushed to the tips of your ears, the color he liked to see. Approving him in a soft, almost shy voice, your gaze drifted to the ground.

Finally hearing the answer he desired, Bi-Han growled and gently raised your head with his fingers grasping the tip of your chin. He connected his lips with yours, driven by a voracious appetite. This hunger was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, possessing a fiery intensity that shook him to his core. It wasn’t until he kissed you that he realized the depth of his feelings; he could have kissed your lips, as soft and tender as rose petals, for hours, sating an inner thirst he hadn’t known existed.

His hand traced the line of your jaw, capturing the back of your head and part of your neck. Placing his other hand on the curve of your waist, he gently squeezed the soft flesh, eliciting a small, breathless moan from your lips. Your voice, trembling like a whip of flame, ignited a dangerous fire within Bi-Han.

There was a unique taste to you, one that defined you completely. It was clean, like dewdrops forming on leaves in the morning spring, and wet as he slid his tongue between your parted lips. Another small moan escaped you as you placed your hands on his shoulders, your thumbs massaging the veins that began to appear on his neck. Bi-Han found himself hating the bathtub that stood as a barrier between them, longing to bridge the distance between you.

‘’Hold on tight.” He growled savagely, his lips pouring forth a mixture of desire and intensity. With your flushed cheeks, half-lidded eyes, and breathless look, you embodied a dangerous blend of innocence and allure, a presence that could emerge on the wettest of nights. As you tightened your grip on his shoulders in response to his command, Bi-Han effortlessly lifted you from the bathtub, as if you weighed nothing at all.

“Bi-Han! Your wound–” you began, concern lacing your voice.

“I’m fine.” Bi-Han cut you off, dismissing any objections as he instructed you to wrap your legs around his waist. He captured your lips again, this time with a fierce hunger that left little room for gentleness. Despite his intentions to proceed slowly and remain in control, you made it nearly impossible with your presence alone. Your scent, your soft skin, your delicate movements – they all acted as an irresistible spell, unraveling Bi-Han’s logic and common sense piece by piece.

Drops of water from his wet hair trailed down your cheek, then your neck, as Bi-Han followed their path with his tongue. He paused at the curve of your neck, grazing your skin with his teeth.

“You don’t even know how bad I want you. Now.” he declared in a voice thick with desire, his need palpable. Tilting his head slightly, he took your earlobe between his teeth, exerting just enough pressure to send a shiver down your spine. “Can I have you?”

You trembled in his arms, pressing your body against his, and buried your head in the curve of his neck, your voice barely above a whisper, the soft cadence of your affirmation barely audible against his skin.

“Yes. Ah, to—to bed… Let’s go to bed.” you murmured, your voice filled with anticipation.

Responding to your command, Bi-Han carried you swiftly into the bedroom, stealing kisses and caressing your soft flesh which filled perfectly in his palms along the way. As he carefully placed you on the bed, he ensured not to overwhelm you with his weight. With one knee positioned between your legs and applying small pressure to your aching core, he felt your breath quicken, your legs parting slightly, inviting him closer.

“Bi-Han, please… hurry,” you pleaded, your voice trembling with need. Despite not yet fully engaging in intimacy, you were already consumed by desire, your surrender evident in every trembling breath and pleading glance. Bi-Han found himself entranced by the unique blend of your naivety and charm, a combination both intoxicating and heady. It puzzled him how you could exude such innocence while also igniting a fire within him, a sensation he found both captivating and bewildering.

With every inhibition shattered, Bi-Han’s entire being was consumed by you. His mind echoed with a commanding voice, declaring possession. ‘Mine. You are mine.’ With each beat of his heart, the intensity of his desire deepened, enveloping him in a whirlwind of need. His arousal surged with a newfound fervor, driving him to seek you with an urgency he had never known before. He longed to lose himself in your warmth, to leave an indelible mark on you, claiming you as his own in a way that no other could satisfy you again.

‘‘Fuck. I wanted to take it slow,” Bi-Han cursed, his voice filled with frustration.

“Another time,” you replied swiftly. “I want you, Bi-Han. I need you… just… please.” As your attempts to form coherent sentences faltered, you resorted to expressing your desires through your eyes, tears clung to your lashes, your need laid bare for him to see. Despite the flush that colored your face, neck, your chest peeking through your clothes, your timidity had been replaced by a raw, unbridled desire.

“Another time.” Bi-Han echoed your words, his tone laced with determination. It was a promise, a vow to indulge in the intoxicating taste of you until every inch of your body bore his mark. The thought had transformed into a primal need, a longing to possess you completely.

With swift motions, Bi-Han stripped away your clothes, discarding them haphazardly. As predicted, your chest also completely flushed dark, your nipples hardening under his gaze, pleading for his touch.

“You are such a sight… so beautiful,” Bi-Han murmured, his words tinged with reverence. You squirmed under his attention, somewhat embrassed by his words and attempted to cover yourself clumsily. As he untied the towel from his waist, he fixed you with a stern gaze. “Don’t you dare hide anything from me. This is not a request.”

When his cold fingers made contact with the intimate area between your legs, you flinched at the sudden chill. Instead of recoiling, however, you parted your legs, wordlessly inviting him closer. Bi-Han found himself drawn to this decadent aspect of you, contrasting with your usual demeanor. You were slick with arousal, your warmth enveloping his cold touch until it reached a semblance of normalcy.

“Next time, I will explore you slowly, savoring every moment,” he declared, his voice brooking no argument.

And so he did.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

Another two weeks slipped by, each day marked by the steady healing of his wound and the gradual return of his strength. Strangely, Bi-Han found himself not minding the passing of time, a stark contrast from his usual restlessness. Even though his days were now filled with the singular purpose of recuperation, he couldn’t bring himself to feel bored in your company.

You had established a routine of caring for him in the house. Every morning, after sharing breakfast together, you diligently tended to his wound, changing bandages with meticulous care. Despite his stature, Bi-Han appreciated the gentleness with which you handled him, as if afraid to cause him any discomfort.

Following this, Bi-Han would retreat outdoors to meditate or exercise, while you busied yourself with tending to the garden and other household chores. Occasionally, you would venture to the market, a task Bi-Han offered to take over multiple times, only to be politely declined by you each time. He sensed a trace of anxiety in your eyes whenever you left, as though fearing his departure in your absence.

The reality of his impending departure weighed heavily on Bi-Han. Though duty called him back to his clan and responsibilities, he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you behind. The bond between you had grown deeper with each passing day, surpassing even the connections he shared with his own brothers. You had a remarkable ability to understand him without words, a skill few others possessed.

In your presence, Bi-Han found himself rediscovering aspects of himself long buried beneath the facade of his assassin persona. With you, he experienced a sense of comfort and peace he hadn’t known in years. Every touch, every embrace left him yearning for more, a relentless desire burning within him. He marveled at the intensity of his feelings for you, realizing that he wanted every part of you in a way he had never imagined possible.

His favorite time of the day was undoubtedly dinner. Sitting across from you, sharing simple conversations, witnessing your smile, hearing your laughter, and seeing your eyes light up brought him joy. It was a simplicity he hadn’t experienced since becoming the grandmaster. Once disciplined, strict, and focused solely on responsibilities, he now found value in these moments, offering him a new perspective on life.

As both of you sat facing each other at dinner, Bi-Han decided it was time to address the lingering topic that had hung in the air for some time.

“You mentioned you could remove my stitches in a few days, after that I’ll return to Earthrealm.” He stated firmly. Though he disliked seeing the smile on your face fade, you both knew he couldn’t remain cocooned in this sanctuary forever.

“Oh… So you’ve decided on the day.” You responded, averting your gaze as you spoke. When you reached for your wine, Bi-Han gently grasped your hand, halting your movement.

“I want you to come with me.” he declared.

Your eyes widened with surprise. “To your clan? Really?”

“Yes, I want you to see where I live.” Bi-Han lifted your wrist, his touch still gentle as he grazed his index finger against your skin, all while maintaining unbroken eye contact. “I wasn’t joking when I said you were mine.”

Your cheeks flushed slightly as a sweet laugh escaped your lips, a sound Bi-Han found irresistible. In that moment, he realized his attachment to you ran deeper than he had ever realized.

“You know, I’m not an item that you can take wherever you want.”

“I didn’t mean it in that sense.” His gaze shifted to the dozen bruises on your neck, a satisfied curl tugging at the corner of his lip. Each mark filled him with a sense of ownership, igniting a fire within him every time he saw them.

“Then it’s only fair that I should say that you are also mine.” you countered. Despite your brave demeanor, your face betrayed your true feelings once again. As you took a sip from your glass, attempting to hide your expression, Bi-Han watched you silently, a smile playing on his lips, hidden only by his hand resting on his chin.

As Bi-Han grappled with the conflicting desires pulling at his heartstrings — duty to his clan and the burgeoning attachment to you — a storm of emotions raged within him. The weight of responsibility tugged relentlessly, reminding him of the obligations he bore as the leader of the clan. However, a shadow began to loom over his resolve, stirring a longing for something more.

“I’d love to,’’ you finally said after a moment. ‘‘But I have to wait for my father’s return; I don’t know when he will come here.’’

“You can leave a note.”

“I’d rather talk it over with him face to face,” you insisted politely. “But I can come to visit from time to time. If it’s convenient for you, of course, I’d love to see where you grew up and spend time there.”

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

It had been five months since Bi-Han returned to his clan, and everything was just as he had left it. Kuai Liang had managed the clan well in his absence, with the assistance of Tomas and Sektor, although Bi-Han knew his brother was downplaying his own contributions. Despite the slight age difference between them, Kuai Liang was more than capable of assuming the role of grandmaster.

There was considerable curiosity among the clan members about his prolonged absence and the circumstances surrounding it. Tomas, in particular, had been concerned for his well-being the most. During a briefing with the council members, consisting solely of his inner circle, Bi-Han provided a summary of what happened, including mentioning you and your remarkable abilities. The news of your impending visit piqued the interest of everyone present, even if they attempted to conceal it.

Although you could only visit twice in five months, you effortlessly bonded with his brothers. Even with Sektor and Cyrax, you made it easy to connect, your kind soul evident in your demeanor and smile. It felt as though you had always been a member of the clan, your presence comforting and familiar to everyone. During conversations, you repeatedly expressed feeling comfortable and safe around them. This, coupled with the unique way you contributed to Bi-Han’s recovery, swiftly earned you the respect of the entire clan.

When you did visit, Bi-Han found solace and peace in holding you in his arms once more. In your absence, he had been on edge, constantly worrying about your well-being. Your presence felt like a breath of fresh air, infusing color and vibrancy into his otherwise monotonous existence. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment he fell in love with you, but your influence had been undeniable from the moment he first laid eyes on you. The desire to keep you close, to protect you at all costs, consumed him, even though he knew the realities of their lives would make it challenging. Being separated from you had taken a toll on his nerves, leaving him irritable and restless. Amidst the tumultuous whirlwind of his thoughts, Bi-Han grappled with the overwhelming desire to see you again.

The last time you visited, you stayed for a while. One night, in particular, is etched clearly in Bi-Han’s mind. A fierce wind howled outside, causing the windows to rattle, while snow fell rapidly, swirling in the storm and clinging to the glass surfaces. Except for the candles flickering in the room, there was no other light, casting a dim glow. The scent of both of you enveloped the room like a heavy blanket.

After bringing you to climax multiple times, your body glowed with vitality like a pearl, cheeks flushed dark with a serene smile adorning your face. Half of your body draped over him, your elegant fingers traced lazy circles on his bare chest, while Bi-Han’s hand caressed the smooth skin of your back. In that moment, he felt complete, as if a part of him that he didn’t even know was missing had been found. It was as if you were both separate individuals yet inexplicably intertwined—each completing the other.

When your fingers ceased their movement altogether, Bi-Han glanced down to see why, his heart swelling with warmth. You had drifted off to sleep, your face relaxed in slumber, lips slightly parted. You appeared so peaceful that Bi-Han couldn’t bring himself to disturb you. This wasn’t the first time you had fallen asleep beside him, and each time, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and a burning desire to protect you. He knew you trusted him enough to reveal your vulnerability in these moments.

His mind was more at ease than ever before. Even though he was in his own home, with you beside him, he felt a sense of belonging that he had never experienced before. Especially during the times he awaited your arrival, he had never felt such intense longing to see someone again—your presence shaking his very core, pushing the limits of his endurance. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could bear being without you; your absence felt like torment, while your presence transformed him into a different man altogether.

Although the notion of someone having such power over him would typically be unsettling, he couldn’t view it negatively because it was you. What concerned him more was the possibility of others noticing—the fear that his enemies might discover you, exploiting his vulnerability by hurtin you.

Two and a half months had passed since he last laid eyes on you, adding to the weight of the task Lord Liu Kang had bestowed upon him and his brothers. He longed to complete this mission swiftly and reunite with you, yearning for the calming embrace of your presence. The strain of constant vigilance was taking its toll on him, both mentally and physically, culminating in his recent capture alongside Kuai Liang.

Navigating the stone corridors of Ying Fortress, Bi-Han found himself flanked by a dozen soldiers, with Kuai Liang by his side and Shang Tsung and General Shao ahead of them. Shang Tsung’s words fell on deaf ears as Bi-Han contemplated his next move, steadfast in his refusal to entertain any offers from these unfamiliar men. His focus remained fixed on devising an escape plan to extricate himself from this predicament. As they traversed the corridor into a vast area, Bi-Han was confronted by a multitude of stone sculptures lining the space. Hindered by the restraints on his wrists, he scanned the area for any potential means of escape, exchanging a knowing glance with Kuai Liang, who mirrored his uncertainty.

“Father?”

Bi-Han’s eyes widened at the sudden sound of a familiar, albeit unexpected, female voice behind them. Sensing Kuai Liang’s reaction, he knew it wasn’t a trick of his imagination. With a swift turn, his heart raced as he watched the soldiers before him part, revealing your approach. What the hell were you doing here?

“What’s going on here — Bi-Han?” Your wide-eyed astonishment mirrored his own. As Bi-Han scanned you for any signs of harm, he moved to approach you. But before he could reach, a soldier struck him in the stomach with the tip of his weapon, causing him to stagger backward.

‘’Stop! What do you think you’re doing?!” Your voice, tinged with worry as you shoved the soldier aside, your anxious eyes locking with his. “Bi-Han, are you all right?”

“What are you doing here?” Bi-Han growled out a whisper, tension taut in his voice.

“I’m asking you the same.”

“What is the meaning of this? Do you two know each other?” Shang Tsung’s voice sliced through the hushed talk, prompting Bi-Han to instinctively shield you, despite the restraints on his hands. Determined to protect you at all costs, Bi-Han urged you to take cover behind him, his voice laced with venom. “Get behind me.” he commanded, his grip tightening protectively around your arm.

“There is no need. He is my father.” You revealed, catching Bi-Han off guard with the unexpected revelation. Stunned by the revelation, Bi-Han chastised himself for not piecing together the clues sooner. Living in Outworld, soul magic, an enigmatic father figure—it all suddenly made sense. Yet, your stark differences in character from your father only deepened Bi-Han’s sense of disbelief.

“Why are they prisoners?” you questioned, your gaze flickering between your father and the imposing figure of General Shao and the eerie aura that seemed to surround them.

“They attacked us.” General Shao asserted, his voice gruff as he responded to your inquiry. “We were about to take care of business before you came, sorceress.” Despite Shao’s attempt to intimidate you with his imposing presence, Shang Tsung interjected before Bi-Han, shooting Shao a warning glance.

“They attacked?” Your gaze flickered momentarily, silently questioning the situation. ‘Why?’ The unspoken question hung in the air, directed at Bi-Han. “I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“They were sent here by Liu Kang’s order. To catch us and maybe kill us.” Shao divulged, his voice dripping with hostility.

“Why so? Nobody has told me anything since I was brought here, and even now you still insist on not telling me. I want to know what’s going on. Tell me the truth.”

“Walk with me,” Shang Tsung interjected, gesturing towards a secluded area. With a final, anxious glance towards Bi-Han, you complied, flanked by Shao and Shang Tsung. Bi-Han’s instincts screamed to follow, but he was thwarted by the soldiers’ firm grip. Initially, Bi-Han braced himself for a sense of betrayal, believing that you had concealed Shang Tsung’s identity as your father. However, upon reflection, he realized that you had always been forthcoming with him, never hiding the truth about your father. Bi-Han had simply never asked. Your genuine reaction to the unfolding events affirmed your honesty. It became evident that Shang Tsung had dragged you into this situation without explanation. All that mattered now was escaping with you safely by his side.

‘’You seem quite invested in these men, (Y/n),’’ Shao remarked in a harsh tone, his words more of a probing question than a mere observation.

‘’It’s none of your concern, General Shao.’’ You retorted firmly.

‘‘But it is my concern,’’ interjected Shang Tsung, his tone authoritative. ‘‘As your father, I demand to know the nature of your association with the infamous grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.’’

‘’Before you question me, father, perhaps you should first explain your activities over the past months. Then, and only then, will I consider divulging any information.’’ you countered. ‘’You dragged me here without giving me an explanation, expecting blind trust. It’s not fair, and you know it. You’re exploiting my kindness, I deserve some answers.’’

‘’I was promised my true potential, and I’m going to get that right back. You’re my blood and flesh, I want nothing more than to secure you a good and wealthy future, I want what is best for you—for us.’’ Shang Tsung continued to talk as he walked towards a dark-colored box that looked like some kind of chest. ‘’Take a look around, do you remember what I told you about this place?’’

You watched him with hesitant eyes, then looked around you before answering his question.

‘‘Yes, you said that Emperor Ying’s Dragon Army was here.’’

‘‘Very true. What I told you was not just a fairy tale. These statues were constructed and enchanted by the great mages in the Emperor’s court.’’ Shang Tsung opened the lids of the box, took out a crown and a small green bottle, and emptied the contents of the bottle onto the crown. ‘‘They are animated by the fragments of souls. Once alive they fight tirelessly, unburdened by remorse or pity.’’

‘’What are you planning to do with these?’’ You said, your voice overflowing with obvious concern now.

‘’If they won’t be on our side,’’ Shang Tsung murmured with a half-smile, placing the crown on his head. ‘‘Then I will eliminate them. This is what I had to do, for our future.’’

The moment he finished his words, six of the soldiers standing a little further away stepped forward, and with mind control, moving nimbly despite being made of stone, they began to descend the steps towards them. Bi-Han’s muscles tensed involuntarily, his body as taut as a drawn bowstring as he observed the approaching stone soldiers. If only he could get rid of these damn handcuffs…

‘’No!” Your panicked scream echoed through the vast area as you summoned your magic, green energy crackling around your outstretched hand in an attempt to halt the advancing soldiers. When you realized your magic was ineffective against them, your attention swiftly shifted back to your father.

“Father, stop this!” Startled by your sudden movement and desperate cry, Shang turned his attention to you, momentarily caught off guard. Seizing the opportunity, you darted forward, delivering a powerful blow to his knee, causing him to buckle and kneel before you. With him immobilized for a moment, you snatched the crown from his head and placed it on your own. ‘‘I’m sorry, father, but I cannot allow this.’’

‘’Have you lost your mind?!’’ While Shang Tsung was looking at you with stunned and greatly betrayed eyes, despite the distance, Bi-Han could see tears welling in your eyes. ‘’I am your father! My blood runs through your veins; your loyalty should lie with me.’’

‘‘I know, and I am sorry,’’ you said, your voice trembling with emotion. ‘’But I love him.’’ Both Shang Tsung and Bi-Han froze with surprise at your unexpected reveal, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief. Your breath came out quickly, the air heavy with tension as a few tears escaped from your eyes, glimmering in the light. ‘’That’s why I cannot stand by and watch you harm him.’’

“(Y/n), behind you!” Kuai Liang’s urgent shout jolted you into action, narrowly dodging Shao’s axe at the last moment. With Shao bearing down on you, Bi-Han could no longer stand idly by. Keeping you in his sight, he and his brother sprang into action, combating Shao’s soldiers amidst the chaos, using the handcuff chains to choke one of the soldiers.

Despite your efforts to evade Shao’s attacks and deflect them onto the stone statues, he effortlessly dispatched them with a few swings of his axe. You tried to keep up with him, but as a healer, your combat skills were lacking, evident in your reliance on the soldiers for protection as you dodged Shao’s attacks. Bi-Han had heard stories about Shao in the past, tales of his power and mercilessness in battle. But now, witnessing Shao’s sadistic enjoyment as he toyed with you, seeing the fear in your eyes, filled Bi-Han with fury and a desire to eliminate Shao.

‘‘Don’t harm her!’’ Shang Tsung intervened, hurling a fireball towards Shao, catching him off guard and forcing him back. “She is my daughter.”

Shao spat on the ground, unaffected by the smoke left behind by the fireball he countered with the tip of his huge axe. “And she betrayed us,” he growled. “You just proclaimed that we would eliminate those who oppose us, sorcerer. That’s precisely what I intend to do.”

As Shao swung his axe again, you pushed the last remaining statue in front of you for protection. However, under the force of Shao’s blow, the statue shattered, leaving a gaping wound from your shoulder to your rib cage. Crimson red blood splattered everywhere, your expression a mixture of pain and shock as you desperately tried to stay on your trembling legs. A pained groan escaped your lips as you stumbled backwards, Shao raising his axe for another strike, this time aiming for a fatal blow.

“No!” While Bi-Han was blowing off the soldier’s head he had knocked down with his foot, bloody brain pieces flew everywhere, his heart was in his mouth. He couldn’t bear to witness you lose your life before his eyes, with so little distance between you.

‘’I told you to stay away from my daughter.’’

In a stroke of luck, Shang Tsung once again caught Shao off guard with a barrage of fireballs, diverting his attention away from you at the last moment. Shao was thrown several meters away, gasping for breath, while Shang grasped you firmly, applying pressure to your wound. Your body tensed with pain, tears flowing freely from your eyes as you struggled to maintain a brave face.

‘’You will bandage this as soon as you get away from here. Do you understand?’’

‘‘Father-’’

‘’Do you understand?’’

‘’Yes.’’

‘‘Good, I’ll buy you time,’’ Shang Tsung urged, motioning for you to leave. ‘‘Take a few of the statues with you; they’ll provide protection until you’re out of here. I’ll find you once I’ve dealt with this.’’

With tears streaming down your cheeks, you managed to press a small, wet kiss to your father’s cheek, gratitude evident in your pale, tired face.

‘‘I’ll explain everything.’’

‘‘Later. Go now,’’ he insisted.

Bi-Han brutally incapacitated the last soldier before reaching you in a few wide strides. Shang’s gaze fixed on him for the first time since his arrival, promising death with its intensity.

“You’d better take care of my daughter, grandmaster. Otherwise, I’ll follow your soul to the Netherrealm,’’ warned Shang Tsung with a menacing tone.

‘‘I will protect her with my life.’’ Bi-Han asserted, though his agreement with his recent foe felt tenuous, the situation now imbued with personal stakes. Shang promptly removed the handcuffs from both him and his brother’s wrists, freeing them.

‘‘Go on quickly. The others will be here soon, so hurry up. My daughter will take you a shortcut.’’ directed sorcerer.

As Shao charged toward them, Bi-Han scooped you up into his arms, finding relief in having you close again. With urgency, he ran alongside Kuai Liang, ascending the steps and leaving the area behind. With your remaining strength, you compelled a dozen soldiers to follow, your hand still applying pressure to the wound. Upon reaching the corridor they had passed earlier, you weakly tugged at Bi-Han’s clothes to get his attention.

‘‘We can’t escape through the main exit, it’s too risky. There’s a passageway from behind the fortress leading towards the mountains; we can slip through unnoticed.’’ you suggested.

‘‘Tomas is out, we can’t leave him here.’’ His brother interjected.

‘‘Exactly where, I can use one of these statues to find and contact him.’’

‘‘He is where the Soul Stealers are.’’

With a deep breath, you closed your eyes and concentrated, sweat beading on your forehead as your skin paled. Despite the obvious pain, you maintained a resolute expression. As they reached a narrow area, your faint voice reached their ears.

‘‘I found Tomas. I’m getting him out through a different exit; it’s too risky for him to come this way.’’

‘‘Okay, we’re counting on you,’’ Bi-Han said, hoping to give you courage. You were so small and lifeless in his arms, though he couldn’t bring himself to say it, his heart ached with painful sorrow as he looked at you. If it weren’t for the faint rise and fall of your chest, he might have feared the worst; you were losing a lot of blood. The wound must have cut deeper than he thought. Bi-Han looked into his brother’s eyes, whatever expression there was on his face, Kuai Liang stopped walking for a moment and squeezed his shoulder, looking at him with understanding eyes.

‘‘We will save her, brother, don’t worry. She’ll be okay,’’ Kuai Liang reassured, and they proceeded to a small room at the end of the corridor. A statue opened the thick old door, revealing a landscape of snow-covered mountains.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

It was already dark when they met Tomas a little beyond the fortress, at the bottom of a frozen river. After you spent the rest of your strength to bring Tomas to them, you fell unconscious, Bi-Han had to hastily bandaged you because he knew he had to keep a distance between them and the fortress in case of getting caught. And when they decided to spend the night in a place that he believed was safe, he didn’t let you leave his side for a moment, even though he was with his brothers and they were safe for now. Tomas had left a short while ago to hunt some mountain hares for food, while Kuai Liang went out to gather supplies to sustain the fire he had kindled.

Bi-Han carefully cleaned the wound with the materials he had and bandaged it tightly. Your bleeding was still going on, but it wasn’t intense compared to the beginning, as long as you weren’t moving, it could buy time until he could get you home. But you would definitely have needed stitches in your wound.

‘’I can heal myself.’’ you muttered softly. Bi-Han didn’t even realize he had said the last part aloud, too focused on gently stroking your pale cheek with one hand while carefully examining you.

‘’How do you feel?’’

‘’Not at my best, but I’ll be fine.’’ You weakly replied. Even if you wanted to reciprocate the gesture by lifting your hand, which was resting on your lap, it was quite difficult for you to do so. Bi-Han noticed this, grabbed your hand, and guided it to his cheek, allowing you to caress it. ‘’Thank to gods, you look well. The others-’’

‘‘We’re all fine except you, don’t worry. You almost died.’’ The last part poured from his lips with great hatred, it felt terrible even to say it. He hated the blood on his hands even more. Seeing you in such a state filled Bi-Han with a profound sense of helplessness. He feared the worst, and it was the most intense fear he had ever experienced. Even now, it lingered in his mouth like a bad taste, causing a churning sensation in his stomach. His entire body felt ice-cold with stress, his instincts had gone into hyperawareness.

‘’It just grazed, it doesn’t even hurt. I swear.’’

"If it had cut deeper, you could have lost your arm as well as your life. It does not suit you to lie, (y/n). I still don't understand how you could be Shang Tsung's daughter."

‘’Are you angry?’’ As your voice quivered with uncertainty, Bi-Han tenderly placed a kiss on the top of your head, offering silent reassurance before you found the courage to speak again. ‘’It’s just… My father is a difficult man and kind of has a bad reputation. People are ready to attack him given the chance. I didn’t mean to hide it from you; I was just afraid you’d leave me once you knew the truth. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you.”

‘’You think a sorcerer can intimidate me?” A small smile appeared on his lips as he continued to caress your cheek. After hearing your confession, he wanted nothing more than to reassure you and dismiss your fear. “I’m just confused and angry with myself for not seeing the signs earlier,” he said honestly. “I almost lost you, and besides that, nothing else matters.” While he continued to stroke your cheek with one hand, he didn’t break eye contact with you for a moment. He needed you to know that he was sincere in what he was about to say. “Today has been an important day for me to realize some things.”

Thanks to the heat emitted by the camp flame, he could easily discern your facial features. Despite the weariness evident in your eyes, there was a twinkle that betrayed your curiosity about what he had to say. Leaning in a little more, he shifted his body closer to yours, positioning you between his legs as he sat leaning against a tree. With a gentle touch, he lowered his hand from your cheek to your chin, lifting it slightly to plant a small, tender kiss on your lips.

With his cold breath mingling with your warmth, he whispered softly, “I love you.”

Caught off guard, you gazed up at him with wide, teary eyes, a breath catching in your throat. As a tear traced a soft path down your cheek, Bi-Han gently caught it with the tip of his finger, his own eyes filled with concern. Then, with the warmest and most sincere smile he had ever seen, you planted a kiss on his cheek.

‘’I’ve dreamed of this a few times, but I never thought you would express it.’’

‘‘Is that why you’re crying? If you’re hiding the truth about your shoulder causing pain-’’

‘‘I’m crying with happiness, my love. Now give me one more kiss so that I can believe in you better.’’

Bi-Han couldn’t help the smile settling on his face.

‘’As you wish.’’

[whoiwanttoday]

Hey guys, it is @wildflagsure birthday today and last night she demanded I make a "really good" post for her for her birthday. She can't help it, she's from Greece but lives in the UK and what I have heard is immigrants there are always coming in and demanding things, it's why as a country they decided to set their economy on fire, because if you make your little island completely unlivable then no one will want to move there. Not that tactic I would have taken but then I try not be a hateful bigot, so who am I to talk? Anyway, besides blaming @wildflagsure for all of England's problems (and like… where was she when they lost the Empire? She can't account for her whereabouts) I do want to celebrate her birthday. By talking about myself. I mean, it is my blog, I tagged her twice, I am not sure how much more giving a person can be. I'll drive literally tens of people to her dead blog. Anyway, my favorite thought about Andi, which I will call her from here out because first I am tired of tagging and second I think it looks cooler with the E not on it but also it's short for Antigone and I can change a T to a D for a friend but I'll be dead and buried before I leave off the apostrophe if you insist on shortening Antigone to Anti'e. Anyway, my favorite thought is when she was doing a small radio show live (and doing it wrong, rather than use the service that paid for the songs rights they just played shit off of spotify because literally no one cared) I used to listen every week cause it was fun to support her but also she likes good music. There was a listener request form and I used to submit requests. I did this for a few reasons. One, I learned on tumblr every single person in the world wants more asks. It is exciting and makes them feel special. Also, by sending multiple requests or messages a show it meant they would seem very popular to other listeners and you know, fake it till you make it, that way everyone else would go, "Wow, these guys must be more famous than I realized. I should tell my friends to listen and also send in requests". And then, obviously, I like to control women and tell them what to do, so it was a real rush to send in a song title and then make her do it. Anyway, there was a time when the person she did it with referred to me as, "Our fan". And that got a snap back of, "Actually, is MY friend". It was very defensive and I appreciated that in part it came from the fact that her cohost was trying to diminish me in a way that person liked to do and Andi was willing to stand up and protect me even though honestly, I didn't care. She did, that mattered. I mean, there was a lot going on there because her cohost was one of those lowkey monsters you meet in your late teens and early 20's who you find compelling because you are too young to know better but also because you are insecure and the fact that they have absolutely no moral center is appealing because it sure must be nice to not be insecure and upset and worried about things all the time. Andi eventually moved on, don't worry. Actually, it's really cool to see that she has matured into just a totally cool as fuck lesbian bad ass. I mean, she was always those things but now she has the confidence and a really cool life that she always was going to have but I bet she was unaware of. Like, she has her own place, she has a hot girlfriend, she eats cool meals, and she can get you any drugs you want. It's pretty cool.

Anyway, today I am posting Georgia Ellenwood because in my experience Andi loves Olympic Athletes. She always goes on that she's glad someone is honoring Zeus properly. Now, sadly, Georgia Ellenwood is not going to the Olympics this year because she is still recovering from an injury. That kind of thing is always sad, athletes only have so many chances but I think she has a good future ahead of her even outside of sports because she is charming and friendly and well… looks like she does. It's not hard to imagine her being successful doing other things. And even if she felt like a good pick today because even if she isn't going to the Olympics I am willing to bet @wildflagsure would be willing to burn down a second island nation to sleep with her. Today I want to fuck Georgia Ellenwood.

[punkforkos]

Hullo!!! Can I please ask about Dante?? :D what's their story?? :D

Hi!! Yes ofc you can!! <3

Here's a really brief overview that I wrote in another post (which also includes their tattoo lore and some fun facts, if you were interested in reading that!)

Dante Inferno (they/he) is my drow fathomless warlock, pirate captain, and awful babygirl who wants the world to burn. Dante took on their warlock pact to gain power and bring suffering to those who wronged them and hopefully find the daughter that was stolen from them many years ago. However, this pact comes at a price... it's actually Dante's misery that their patron is most interested in. 🥀 Unfortunately, they may be in too deep to figure this out!! For years, they've been self-destructing and falling deeper into corruption... and are quickly hurtling towards a future where they may be left with nothing of who they once were.

But I'll also include a longer version below the cut that goes into some of the details of their story!! (Also- I wrote a section at the bottom explaining why I think Dante would get along with Bad End Husk :D )

-- HERE'S THE LONG(ER) VERSION -- (This is still a shortened version of events, go down below this if you want like. the FULL version. I threw in their toyhouse link there!)

Dante comes from a rough part of the Underdark where they grew up impoverished and neglected, but the only thing that really kept them going was a dream to one day get out of that shithole. And in a way, they got their dream,,,! However, they only clawed their way out of the Underdark when they realized they were pregnant and needed to save their kid from the upbringing he was subjected to. Dante wanted far better for his daughter. She became their entire world, their incentive, something good to look forward to. She gave their life meaning,,, For three years, they were able to live on the surface in a local kingdom populated by other drow who also escaped from the Underdark. Those were the happiest years of Dante's life, but they weren't to last. Unfortunately, it was discovered that Dante didn't come into the surface kingdom through the proper channels, so they decided to send them back. However, they would keep Dante's daughter because she never became baptized under Spider Queen society... They dragged Dante away from their daughter kicking and screaming. However, he managed to cut an X into his daughter's cheek as a desperate last resort, promising that they would find her again someday. And then they were brought back to the Underdark and sent reeling into a deep depressive spiral. The only thing that motivated them was the thought of returning back to their daughter..... and making everyone who hurt them pay. This anger, grief, and desperation eventually made them seek out a patron who would help give them all the power they needed to leave the Underdark again and achieve all of their goals. They stumbled across Znn'lusca, a demon who feeds on despair... and she only asked that Dante cause as much misery as possible in exchange for her powers. He agreed, immediately having a plan in mind to kill two birds with one stone-- They ended up making another pact with the Spider Queen herself, promising to send all of the escaped drow back into the Underdark (because if they didn't let Dante escape, he wouldn't show them any mercy either). In exchange, the Spider Queen wouldn't pursue Dante and try to force them back either, so long as they brought her "lost children" back. With these new pacts formed, Dante makes it back to the surface and they are told to focus on gaining power before going after their kid. Zinn played into their fear of being forced back into the Underdark again, planting seeds of doubt in their mind that kept them from attempting to seek out their daughter. Every time Dante would bring up going after her, Zinn would talk them out of it and reroute their thoughts. Because... little did Dante know but their despair was the tastiest of all, and the longer they went without their daughter, the richer it became. 15 years pass. Dante is now an established cutthroat pirate captain who uses a submarine as a ship... trafficking escaped drow back to the Underdark on the side, forgetting their original goals and who they were before the hurt with each day that passes. And then they get thrown into jail and the campaign starts from there,,!! TLDR: Dante is in SO much trouble AFSGH they're stuck in a web they can't get out from,,, being in a pact with not one but two demons who do not wish anything good for him. And he's still missing his daughter so bad,, and he is miserable and angry and hates everyone.

✨📌 If you wanted even MORE details that I left out here (a lot of the in-between stuff and more about Dante's actual campaign, party members, etc), you can read all about it here on their Toyhouse!! <<3

(Thanks for reading all of this if you got this far btw!!)

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

WHY DANTE WOULD LIKE BAD END HUSK:

Also, to elaborate on why I think Dante would enjoy bad end Husk-- Husk is exactly the type of patron Dante would have gravitated towards, being the lord of "secrecy and cunning revenge" and plotting the downfall of their enemies. That's the kind of thing Dante wants oh so badly rn!! It's the reason why they ended up making a pact with their actual patron. The desire for power, the ambition, but most of all-- feeling so wronged and wanting everyone who ever hurt them and their daughter to suffer.

Dante is a conniving backstabber, the ultimate betrayer... a liar by nature. The word 'treachery' has been carved into their back in Abyssal/Deep Speech. They have only learned how to survive and sometimes that means using everyone around you as a stepping stool. In the end, the only people who matter are themself and their daughter. (But truly deep down, they're just a REALLY hurt person who is lashing out in the wrong ways. They're just scared, angry, and sad. And they easily fall into corruption and pacts with big bad entities SGHDJK)

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

My tags if you wanted to go see more of them!! >> #oc dante | #dante meta <<

Aaand their Toyhouse again!

[altraviolet]

I have to ask what did your notes look like for Echo Garden? I am such a horrible organizer it’s very hard for me to take notes on anything. So I’m just curious to see what they looked like/what they were like if you’d rather not provide an image :)

hahaha ohhhhhhh... oh. notes. notes EVERYWHERE

ok ok first! I've been asked how I organize writing before (and there are pictures) so please go give this a read: "Writing Program?"

that link answers your question, but I can give a lil more detail.

cut for TEG spoilers

here's a shortened version of the link above. for TEG I had notes in all these places:

-one doc was my "working document" where I was working on the current chapter, but towards the end I would put timelines and ch breakdowns and tons of notes at the top of it. here's what the very beginning looks like. when I finished the fic I noted it at the top cuz this was the doc I worked in 99% of the time :)

-one doc where I tried to keep things like worldbuilding and timelines organized. here's a pic of the top of the doc and also of the index

-one doc where I put all the future scenes that were written but we hadn't gotten there yet in the story

-one doc for notes/scenes I didn't need anymore aka the graveyard. it's always good to have a graveyard! that way you don't delete anything. you just move it to here and can cannibalize from it occasionally

-scattered notes done in other programs (all the above were done in OpenOffice), like Photoshop, where I was trying desperately to work out timelines. here's an RTF file lol

here's what the beginning of that RTF file looks like:

-handwritten notes (usually done on scraps of paper at work and brought home to be typed up). I taped them all into a notebook and then later separated them out and taped them to acid-free paper cuz, idk, what if they're historically relevant someday??? I'll probably never be that important but what if?? I had some pics of this but idk where they went

-notes on phone (usually written late at night when I was in bed and too tired to write them any other way). this is my absolute least favorite place/way to take notes. I haaaaaaaate using my phone for anything, let alone writing out things. but I imagine most people use this, and totally do use it if you like it!

ok I wanted to put more pics in here for you but I'm writing this at 5am and I need to get going to work. but yeah. it's a MESS haha. and I really wish it weren't. notes just come and go. I do have a novel writing software that should help with this, but I haven't started using it yet.

tl;dr if you are messy with notes, you are not alone

[hubristicassholefight]

Preliminary Round: One Piece

(The full poll will have two One Piece characters, both first and second place get in)

Propaganda below cut

Kikunojo

She’s a samurai and fights with a sword; tall trans woman <3

Legendary devoted samurai!; She's 2.87m tall, a time traveler, and not even losing an arm in the middle of the fight stopped her- she had it imediately cauterized and went back to the fight.

She's a lady samurai! Pretty and very skillful with her katana!

She is a samurai who was sent 20 years into the future to avenge the death of her lord; She’s so tall and canonically trans and I love her

She’s a badass samurai who fights for what she believes in and to help people. She is known as Kiku of lingering snow. She’s also canonically trans

She's a time traveling trans samurai, the only woman in a group of 9 legendary samurais; Her arm was chopped off by the biggest baddie so far and she continued fighting, isn't that badass?

One of the strongest samurai in her country; She's a trans icon

She is a samurai and a retainer for the Kozuki Family, serving as one of the Nine Red Scabbards, a group of samurai that protect the Kozuki family and their country. She's a very skillful samurai, and she and her group managed to delay and hold off the main villain of the arc, (which was an almost insurmountable task for even the main character) and survived the experience despite her horrible injuries.; She's canonically and openly trans! And she's gorgeous. And huge... She's 287 cm tall, which for the USAmericans in the audience is 9' 5". She's simply the coolest.

Listen I'll be real with you I haven't read/watched far enough to get to her in the story, but I've heard of her and she's cool. She's canonically trans and she uses a sword

Tashigi

One of the strongest swordswomen in the Marines.; She is like if Velma from Scooby Doo had a sword.

She’s a captain in the Marines who’s main goal is to find all the famous swords in the world and prevent pirates from using them for evil

she is a HUGE sword nerd. her introduction basically has her info-dumping on rare swords and being adorable. also a little pathetic but she’s trying her best and she deserves the world (and also a win)

Tashigi stands for justice as a Marine. She’s one of the few female swordswomen in One Piece. The biggest sword nerd you’ll ever meet, she’s obsessed with collecting rare swords.; She is the greatest weakness of the to-be strongest swordsman of the world.

Wants to find the legendary blades so they don’t fall into the hands of bad people

She is part of the marines, which are basically cops in the one piece universe which is :(. She is skilled enough to be a captain of a ship. She's a major sword nerd as she loves them supremely, to the point where official accounts shorten her name and signature to sword if I'm remembering correctly. Her goal is to find and collect all legendary swords and to keep them out of criminals hands. She is stated to have the demeanor and honor of a samurai, which shows how deep being a swordsman is to her character. She tries to fight against misogyny and prove her worth, even when people underestimate her.

Kuina

She was the best swordsman at her dojo even though she was only like 13. She and her best friend promised to become the greatest swordsman in the world one day, and she would have if she didn’t trip down some stairs and die young

She aimed to be the best swordsman but tragically died as a kid, becoming the drive of Zoro, one of the main characters

All she wanted was to be one a great swordsman but even though she was great everyone looked down on her for being a woman

She grew up with her father as the master of a dojo. She wanted to be a swordsman despite her father and others discouraging her because she's a woman and therefore weaker. She trained hard enough that she was the strongest in the entire dojo at age 12. Unfortunately she died by falling down stairs

Rebecca

She’s a former princess/gladiator fighting for her life in the colosseum on Dressrosa. Her family had a policy of non-violence, so while she has a sword and uses it well, she never attacks, only defends, and still wins every fight

Rebecca is a princess of the Kingdom of Dressrosa. Her kingdom was taken over by a warlord, and one of this warlords minions has the ability to turn people into toys and everyone forgets about the people who turned into toys. This happened to Rebecca's father, a former gladiator, who turned into a toy soldier. The toy soldier taught Rebecca how to fight with a sword, but in a way that wouldn't hurt anyone and she could still protect herself (because he didn't want her to stain her hands with blood like he'd done). Once people found out that she was the daughter of the king (who was literally used by the warlod like a puppet, because he has string powers), she was locked inside the colosseum of Dressrosa where she had to fight to survive. And she continued to fight exactly like the toy soldier had taught her, while the people in the audience verbally insulted her.

Amande

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/powerlisting/images/a/ae/Amande-slices-kingbaum.gif/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20180512173133 (If that doesn’t work, look up Charlotte Amande cuts kingbaum gif) anyway she’s tall and slices s l o w.

Lola

She carries 2 swords. Honestly she's not going to make it because she's such a minor character but I like her :) so I'm adding a submission she values her friends and takes debts and promises seriously, willing to put her life on the line and die with the people she stakes her fate on if they lose

[authorhjk1]

I have a question about December special request 24.

I have a pretty long plot that I wrote in advance to request someone. But looking at the other requests you've received, most of them are short? Do I have to shorten them to request them?

And if the request is not selected, is it discarded?

Thank you for asking. Let me put it this way. I probably have around a week's time of writing per fic (not counting university, family, etc.). That leaves me at probably around 10-15k words per fic at most. That's the highest maximum for me. So you can request for a longer plot, but it might not turn out as detailed. I think it'd be easiest for you to try to match around the same length as the ideas from last year.

That depends on how much I like it. If it's really really good and everyone votes for something else, I'll consider doing it anyways in the future. I had the same thing last year with the demon request I got. Would've loved to do that one, just didn't have the time afterwards.

Hope this helped.

[miloscat]

[Review] Sonic Rivals 2 (PSP)

Does Rivals 2 really rival Rivals 1?

Almost exactly a year after Rivals, Backbone produced a sequel. Given the quick turnaround you can't expect too much has changed—we still have a 2.5D race-based platformer—but they've done a good job stuffing new features and content into the package this time around. Is the new stuff a worthy addition though?

First I'll address the general refinements. Characters' signature moves are no longer at the whim of the rotating pickups, but given their own button and a dedicated meter that fills by collecting rings. This is a great change that adds dynamism to play, and makes character choices more meaningful. The action feels faster paced, with shortened windows to execute vaulting moves, for example. Presentation is a little more slick and the card collecting more transparently tied to your accomplishments (although they don't factor into the plot anymore). Weapon use has a little more depth as it's possible to avoid hits, and stage gimmicks get more involved at times. All these tweaks make for a stronger game experience, but I did feel like the bot players were harder, and story levels took me more retries on average... especially when playing as the characters with weaker abilities.

So the headline feature is the new playable characters. Added to the prior game's roster of Sonic, Shadow, Silver, Knuckles, and Metal are Tails, Rouge, and for some reason Espio. They bring new abilities of varied usefulness; Tails's flight is rarely helpful and Espio's merely makes you disappear from the level progress bar, but Rouge's homing bat missile is great. Apart from these powers, everyone plays identically. Story mode is still split into four perspectives as the roster of eight pair up... you can pick either character within a pair but I think this only changes which order you play out events within a zone, while each character still has a separate campaign progress. It's an odd choice.

The story follows its predecessor's example of constant misunderstandings and miscommunications as an excuse for the characters to get into petty conflicts. It also reuses the "Nega disguising himself as Eggman" plot device, although this time Eggman has an actual role in the plot. Not content to rip off its own prequel, Rivals 2 steals shamelessly from Sonic 06, as it culminates in a city of the future devastated by a raging beast of elemental fire whose name is taken from Islamic folklore, Iblis Ifrit! At least this game doesn't completely erase itself from history. Anyway, more characters means more interactions and this time the cutscenes—while still just text boxes and portraits visually—are all nicely fully voiced.

A new world map screen helps to contextualise things well and the new environments are just as nice and colourful as they were in Rivals 1. Among the race levels and boss fights (whose quality is on par with the prior entry's) are new level types. Some just have you run through a level solo against the clock or trying to collect rings or Chao; not very satisfying. Others are head-to-head battles in small arenas, and despite pushing them hard in the story mode I feel like these are a dud. Even with the standard multiplayer-type variants of deathmatch, capture the Chao, bomb tag, etc. these always seemed a drag when they came up in the campaigns. It's a shame that all these attempts at adding new things to do end up not as fun as the core gameplay.

At least the soundtrack is a step up, catchier and more exciting. The exception is the addition of a key vocal track, which only plays on the title screen and oddly in level one. It stands out, and not in the good way that His World stood out in 06. This sums up Rivals 2 in a nutshell: the core is enhanced and refined, but its new additions and ideas are a real mixed bag. This leaves Rivals 1 as a purer if rougher experience, which I prefer. Unfortunately Backbone didn't get another chance with Sonic as a couple of years later after a flurry of acquisitions and mergers this particular studio was closed down. There wouldn't be another Western-made platformer in the series until Boom seven years later... well, unless you count Unleashed for mobile phones, Jump, Jump 2, Jump Pro, Jump Fever, Dash, the Sonic CD remake, Sonic for Didj... you know what, never mind.

[shirohige-pirates]

Hey Doll

CisFem Reader x Thatch

CW: toxic parents, manipulation, The Plan™, smut, mdni, I'll add as we go I'm kind of fly by the seat of my pants on this one.

tag list: @mfreedomstuff @harahettania @clumsyraccoon

Chapter 6: The Tea

“They had to have abused her, Pops!” Thatch is struggling to keep his voice down. There’s pain in his face and his words, and Edward can’t argue the truth of his assumptions. “The way she acts compared ta’ them, and the two times she’s all but broken down around us.”

Once it had been decided that you would be escorted to your parents’ home to retrieve your things, Edward had asked you to go back downstairs. He wanted to talk to his son in private, and work out a few details regarding how things would go.

“Two times?”

Thatch steps back from the desk and sighs. “When we were alone yesterday. I said I’d try an’ push back the deadline if she wanted. I didn’t want her to feel forced into anything.” He rolls his eyes, knowing his dad’s glare is directed at him for promising something that was exceptionally difficult to do. Not impossible for the old man, but still.

“But, the way she reacted to it. She got so focused on the word forced, and got super defensive, sayin’ she’s never felt forced, but it was like she wasn’t talking about the program at all.”

Newgate’s quiet for a moment. “Even if that’s the case, unless she’s willing to talk about it, there’s not much we can do. Do you think she’d be able to speak out against her parents?”

Newgate could see his son deflate in real time, and grunted in response. “Me either, and you’re not going to undo what’s probably twenty years of abuse in a couple days, Thatch. I can’t press charges against her parents for choosing her things, or stopping her from drinking caffeine.”

“No, I know.” Thatch grumbles, sitting down in a nearby chair. “I don’t know if I can be in the same space as those two. The more she talks about them, the more it pisses me off.”

“Well, you’re going to have to. I need everyone there, the faster we get her things gathered and removed, the better.” Edward’s tone isn’t leaving any room for Thatch to argue. “I’ll stay with your fiance and deal with her parents. Your job might be to impart just how foolish they’d be to try anything in the future.”

“How-.” Thatch stops. “Oh. I mean, yeah. With how she’s talkin’, I probably could.”

Edward nods. “Let Marco and Izou load you up, carry the whole room out in one go. Be intimidating for once in your life, Thatchy-boy.”

Thatch almost snorts. “If I get the point across, you gotta stop calling me that.”

His father laughs, that deep bass laugh that almost makes Thatch’s ribcage rattle. “You’re going to have to bare your teeth more often than that, boy.”

Thatch sighs exasperatedly, rolling his eyes before he pulls himself up and out of the chair he’d started to sink into. “Who’s going to call them then?”

“I’ll have Haruta do it. He’s removed from what happened, and he’ll stick by the instructions I give him without letting anything deter him.” He says, waving Thatch away. “Get. Go downstairs and make sure Izou hasn’t pulled out the family photo albums.” Thatch is already on his feet and out the door at the idea.

Having left you at the mercy of his brothers wasn’t a concern so much as how little mercy his brothers would show him. With everything else that had gone on, he wouldn’t put it past them to use something like baby pictures to “help” distract you from the last 24 hours. Taking steps almost three at a time, he hops the banister to shorten the distance a little and finds all of you in the dining room, just off the kitchen.

Izou looks over first, giving him a catty smile. “Worried, brother?”

Thatch grimaces. “With you lot, yeah.” He grunts.

You look up as Thatch gets closer and give him a soft smile. There’s a schematic of the manor rolled out on the table, and Izou and Marco had been walking you through it. There’s a look of relief and confusion on Thatch’s face.

“I wanted to see the house, but I didn’t want us to all be gone when you came down.” You explain. “Marco suggested this.”

“Not… pictures?” Thatch tilts his head and Marco laughs.

“You really wanted me to risk the kid pictures that would’ve been mixed in?” He asks and Thatch shakes his head. “Izou would’ve hunted down every embarrassing photo of the both of us.”

“Only because you weren’t going to back me up.” Izou clarifies with a grin. Elbow on the table, chin resting in his hand, he leans toward you a little, deviousness leaking from his every action. “I’m sure if you ask, however, Miss Kakusho, not even Thatch would say no.”

You can see Thatch flinch and when you look up he looks away, the ear you can see already turning red. You look back over to Izou’s whose grin has somehow gotten even more mischievous than it already was. He looks away from Thatch and looks back to you, raising his brow questioningly.

“Oh I… I wouldn’t want to impose. I haven’t, um, even read the Match Book yet.” You say, hoping it’s enough.

“So I’ve heard.”

“Wait, seriously, yoi?” Marco asks, looking from you to Thatch. “She doesn’t know anything?”

“We talked for almost two hours last night.” Thatch replies. “She knows some stuff.”

“She know how you got that scar?” Marco prompts, and Thatch’s face flushes. “No, eh?”

“I - I don’t need to know.” You insist, a little hastily. You can feel the heat rising in your face, but you try to maintain your calm. “I mean.” You clear your throat, composing yourself. “Thatch has been very kind and considerate, and I don’t want him to feel obligated.”

There’s a silence between all three, and your gaze falls down into your lap - you don’t trust yourself to look up at Thatch right now. “You’ve all been very kind, considering how rudely my parents acted.”

“Of course he’s been kind,” Izou says, breaking the tension in the air with a dismissive tone. “What kind of ass would treat someone different just because their parents are rude? And Thatch is such a sap anyway.”

“Oi, you didn’t need to add that last part.” Thatch retorts, trying not to raise his voice.

“I wouldn’t dare to lie to your sweet fiance, Thatchy-boy.” Izou says teasingly. Thatch starts to reach for him, but Izou doesn’t seem bothered and Marco’s just laughing.

You’d never really experienced sibling dynamics before, but you were adjusting to these three fairly quickly. It wasn’t that the emotions themselves weren’t genuine, it was that there was something present along with them. A kind of trust that Izou wasn’t really angering Thatch, and Thatch could stop him if he wanted, but that the squabble had more in it than just what was at the surface.

“Bah,” Thatch growls. “I’m going to grab a shower and a change of clothes. Don’t let these two clowns give you a hard time.” He says, looking down at you with a smile. “I won’t be long. Ah, oh -.” He looks back to Marco and Izou. “Pops is havin’ Haruta arrange a time, and we’re going to go and get her stuff.”

“Ah, I’ll leave you with her then, Izou.” Marco says. “I’m going to get some sleep if that’s the plan.”

“Sure, sure.” Izou says, and Thatch crosses his arms, glaring down at the long-haired brother. Izou tries to ignore him, but you can see his face twitch in irritation after a moment. “Fine, fine - I promise I won’t open any family albums or embellish any stories while you’re gone.”

Thatch relaxes and looks at you. “If you tell him no, he’ll listen, despite how he looks.” He assures you, before dodging a swat from Izou.

“You wretch, how I look, come back here, I’m going to snatch that pompadour off your head.” Izou threatens, and starts after Thatch whose already moving away.

“Don’t leave my fiance alone, it’d be rude!” Thatch says, a song in his voice that makes Izou practically growl before he sits back down.

He grumbles something under his breath and all you can really make out are some untoward words about the rules and where Thatch could shove them. You smile, despite the irritation on his face, you can see the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, and the light in his eyes. He’s not truly upset. He takes a moment, putting an errant strand of hair back in place gracefully before regarding you.

“No pictures, no exaggerated tales of daring and adventure, and if we go on a walk in the garden Thatch might pout for real.” He smiles, seemingly interested in the idea for a moment. “That doesn’t leave many options.”

“Tell me about yourself.” You prompt and you see his brows raise a little. “We’ll be family soon, right? Would you rather tell me about yourself, or leave it up to someone else?”

Izou’s smile breaks into a laugh and he leans his chin on the back of his hands, folded in front of him as he gives you a rare grin. “You’re a quick learner. Alright, I’ll tell you about myself, if for no other reason that to head off my dear brothers from trying to paint a different picture.

“Like Marco and Thatch, I own my own company. I’m a little more hands off than they are, but I’m no less dedicated. I’ve just delegated a lot of work to people more capable than I am.” He explains, an amused expression crossing his face. “What I know well is tea, the beverage and the social kind,” he clarifies. “I handle the social aspects of the business more than anything else, but I trust the people I have in charge of the more logistical aspects.”

“So you… trade tea?” You question evenly. “In what ways? Is it a local operation?”

Izou nods slightly, never really lifting his head off his hands. “Import and export. We’ve also set standards for tea as well, bringing up the overall quality in the market and limiting problems with counterfeiting and other shady practices.”

“Counterfeit tea? How’s that work?”

“Most of the time it’s just a matter of labeling it incorrectly. The idea is that your consumers won’t know the difference between one quality and another. So you could sell blended tea as a pure tea, and if you’re trying to pull one over on people with more expensive varieties, you can really walk away with quite the ill-gotten profit.” He explains. “But we include pop cards with visuals so people can see the differences. Not only does it prove the quality and integrity of our brand, but it also educates our clients against people who would try to cheat them.”

“Interesting.” You respond. If there was one thing you were good at, it was talking to people about their business, or their interests. It was so much easier to listen to someone and prompt them to tell you more, than it was to try and build up any real emotion for your own curated interests.

“I imagine it’s harder to spot when you’re dealing with bagged tea instead of loose leaves, or is that not the case?”

“Only a little. There’s some things you can still look out for, like an excess of dust, or there’s different grades of fannings and broken leaf that can effect quality. It won’t necessarily be bad tea, if you know how to deal with it, but if someone’s trying to sell it as something different, it’s easy enough to spot.” He gives you an amused look. “Everything’s easier to do once you learn how to do it, and that’s why we try to educate our clients.”

Izou continued to talk to you about tea, speaking on the different varieties and grades. He was so knowledgeable about leaves and seasons and ways of measuring quality, that you wondered why he even needed to delegate, and he laughed. Not at you, but just laughing a little in amusement before leaning back in his chair.

“Tea I know, but I’m not an accountant, and I’m not good at tracking inventory. There’s an entire team of people who compile and crunch data to try and find better ways to move inventory faster so that we can do everything efficiently. Even if I was skilled at that sort of thing, I’m just one person.” He smiles, waving one hand idly in the direction Marco had gone.

“Marco doesn’t even work directly with the people in his company. He goes in after hours and does the quality work. It’s what he’s good at, and if he does it at night he’s not getting in anyone else’s way, and no one else is bothering him. He can focus on what he wants to focus on, and get things done faster.” Izou starts to speak and stops, smirking a little before catching your gaze.

“If I can speak briefly about Thatch?”

“Certainly.”

“Thatch runs the pastry shop almost the same way I run my business. His focus is almost entirely on overseeing things. He does plenty of hands on stuff as well, but there’s no way he could physically fill all the orders he gets. Instead he tests, refines, and teaches his staff recipes, and then oversees quality, steps in to help when it’s needed, and delegates other aspects of the shop to other employees.” He explains. “The point isn’t just to do what you can, it’s to know what you can’t do. Those are the things Pops wanted us to learn, and that’s why none of us work for Whitebeard Shipping and Trade.”

“I didn’t -.”

“No, don’t worry about it.” Izou interrupts. “I know you wouldn’t be concerned, but you are aware of that much aren’t you?”

You nod. “I didn’t read the book, but my parents did talk about it while they read it.” You admit. “One of you is going to take over the family business, or at least that’s the assumption.”

“Thatch’s heart isn’t really in it.” Izou says plainly, and you can’t help the relief that comes over you. He doesn’t say anything, but there’s an easy silence between you until Thatch comes back from his shower.

His hair isn’t up in the pompadour yet, and the long locks are framing his face, still a little heavy with dampness. He’s wearing a black t-shirt and a longer sleeved button up that’s not yet buttoned up over it. He looks a little flushed, like he’d rushed his usual process and Izou gives him a sour look.

“You didn’t trust me!” He accuses and Thatch flusters, putting his hands up.

“I did, I did!” Thatch asserts. “I just… didn’t want to take too long, is all.” He looks over at you and you look away before you can stop yourself. “Eh?”

Izou grins. “Ah.”

“What?” Thatch asks, and Izou just shakes his head, getting up from the table and stepping away.

“It’s my turn to get ready for this evening’s festivities. You can stay here and keep your fiance company.” He says, patting the table as he leaves. “We should let Marco sleep as long as we can, so maybe you could take her for a walk in the garden while your hair dries?”

“I…” Thatch starts, having already started to seat himself in the chair Izou had vacated. “Yeah, we can do that, if you’d like?” He asks you. You still can’t look at him, but you nod.

“That sounds nice.” You agree, looking up before looking away again. He looked very different with his hair down like that. The pompadour suited him, even if it did take some getting used to, but seeing his hair down was bad for your heart. With the scar around his eye he almost looked like he would be in a mafia or some kind of gang, and not someone who owns and operates a bakery.

You just aren’t sure how to say any of that, or if you even should. The difference was just jarring enough that you needed a moment more to get yourself in order before you’re finally able to look up at him.

“You can sit for a moment, if you want to.” You add, smiling. “Or, um, if you wanted to finish getting ready I can wait for a few moments by myself, it’s okay.” You motion around your own head, pantomiming the pompadour style.

“Ah, no, I’m going to leave it down for today.” He admits scratching idly at the side of his face. “Pops says I look more intimidating with it down.”

Intimidating isn’t the word you would use.

[fellshish]

Hya

you seem like you have everything well (enough) in order soooo

I just came out as trans to my parents and my mum said she'll try to use at least the shortened version of my deadname (the one that makes the most sense in my native language) but my dad is having a hard time about it

he says 'i see everything black and white' and 'biologically you're not a man so i won't address you as he/him'

i tried to explain that literally nothing would make me happier than him calling me that but i don't really think he gets it? idk

I'll try to give him time obviously but in my head I've been like this for ages (give or take 5 years) but for them it's new so idk

idk man i'm just very confused on how to handle this all

-���‍⬛

Hey! I don’t exactly have everything figured out but thank you for choosing to trust me with such an important topic.

You’re brave for having come out to your parents so first of all, congratulations on taking such a big step. Also when you write “in my head I've been like this for ages (give or take 5 years) but for them it's new” that already shows me your incredible maturity about this ❤️

I don’t know your personal situation and there are certainly elements that would influence my advice: do you still live with your parents, are you financially independent from them, what type of person is your dad, what friends / siblings can you rely on?

The most important thing is your safety. If you are still living with your parents and your dad isn’t open to calm conversation about this, i wouldn’t push it too much (for your own mental health & safety, not for his comfort, to be clear).

Also definitely time is an important factor here. Parents tend to go through their own process in these cases. Give him time.

Communication remains the key.

You have some options there. I know trans people who have written long letters to their parents just to get all their thoughts out uninterrupted; and it gives the parents something to reread. That might work. Providing them with tips on things to watch (documentary type stuff) or books to read might help. Or enlisting the help of allies (a sibling, an aunt,…) to talk some sense into your dad.

I think the key here will be him realising that if he wants to have a meaningful relationship with his child (as in: be trusted in conversation, be invited to future birthday parties or weddings) he will have to adjust his attitude.

I’ll be honest with you. Unfortunately not every parent has shown themself cut out for this. That is 100% on the parent and 0% on the trans person. I’m not saying this will happen to you — the fact that your mom is more or less making an adjustment, shows promise for the future.

Throughout all of this i think it’s important to keep yourself surrounded by (preferably lgbt) friends wherever you may get them, the internet or real life.

I hope this already helped a bit. But please, if any of my followers can offer additional advice or support, add it in a comment or reblog.

[bxtonpxss]

SHIPPING INFO. answer the following for your muse(s) so people know how shipping works on your blog.

what’s your OTP for your muse(s)?

Neya & Thor are the only two applicable options here when it comes to things outside platonic/familial relationships. Opacho is 5 and Jack is also just a baby, but she's like best frienemies with Faolan. I know when you hear OTP its usually referring to romance but I'm super big on platonic relationships being OTPs!

That being said Neya x chemistry, she's not overly complex but Neya is a kind-hearted and deeply supportive type of character who despite often being in situations where she's in way over her head, is willing to persevere and overcome whatever obstacle that may be, especially when it involves people she cares about! If our characters build a relationship through our writing then I will never say no to it! This also applies to Thor! They have a good relationship built through us writing together and/or chatting about stuff via messages I'll never say no.

what are you willing to RP when it comes to shipping?

Pretty much anything, except you know the obvious and universal no no's.

how large does the age gap have to be to make it uncomfortable?

Hoo boy ok. So, Neya, for her era (and the author even states this in the manga) at 16 she's considered an adult. On that alone I'd do 2 years younger and 4 years older cause I'm just trying to think of how it'd be from her time period. Now, this ONLY applies specifically for [main verse || itsuwaribito] when she's in her canon universe or some other feudal-era settings. I understand she's still 16 and other people don't vibe with that, I don't force anything on people (at least not intentionally, if you ever feel like I write something that makes you uncomfortable please tell me!) and romance is never my first or main priority, I like crushes/gradual friends to dating/lovers etc when writing anyway. This also obvi needs to be discussed first cause duh. Also, I'm fine with like 'x character looks 16/17 but is actually 100+ years old' (I’m an Inuyasha girly uwu, so we love a good demon/immortal s/o pairing).

For the verse where she's stuck in the future, [verse || under a rock] she is by modern-day laws legally underage. I'd go for 2 at most maybe 3 years older, 1 year younger. For the sub-main verse set at the end of the series with her running her village [verse || nanushi] she's canonically an adult there so I can deal with 10 years older or whatever and when it comes to the monsters/demons/immortal characters, so long as both parties are consenting adults it's cool!

Thor's a talking rodent. He's adult age and would be considered a young adult by human standards I suppose. So as long as the other creature is adult-aged it wouldn't matter to him. I can't put too much thought into this one, trying to make the math make sense is gonna hurt my brain, but obviously NO child-age creatures.

are you selective when shipping?

Can't really say, like excluding Coschu x Surgechu, which happened gradually through jubilantsparks and I's constant gushing about our chus via DMs I've never really shipped seriously with anyone else before so I can't really give an honest opinion about it *kanye shrug*

how far do steamy moments have to go before they’re considered NSFW?

When they start undressing and getting real handsy, but none of that will ever be happening here so no need to worry!

Who are other muses you ship your muse with?

For Thor, specifically in his Lt. Surge Raichu verse (affectionately shortened to Surgechu) I shipped him with jubilantsparks' Fem!Pikachu OC Elysia who had a Cosplay Pikachu verse (affectionately shortened to Coschu). Coschu x Surgechu was fun and I miss them :') Also, Thor and Elysia in general were my favorite platonic OTP that could have easily become romantic cause they loved and cared for each other so much as best friends who could have just as easily become something more if they wanted to </3

NeRiya with Jade's Iriya . We've had many discussions about this enemies-to-friends/maybe more slow burn/redemption arc for Iriya. I cherish it deeply and Iriya deserved better than what he got in canon ; n ;

does one have to ask to ship with you?

Hmm, not really? I have a very chill and go-with-the-flow type of mindset when it comes to building relationships and shipping in general. The more our characters interact, get to know each other and the closer they become the better! If there's ever a certain aspect of their relationship you wanna discuss with me privately or plot, then just shoot me a message!

Also, I never assume anything so if you're invested off the rip in wanting to pursue the ship beyond them being friends then once again just message me. I'm here to have fun and write with folks, so go for it I will most likely never say no lmao. Crushes on Neya or Thor are also 100% ok, even if it's one-sided I have no problems with it, you don't even gotta ask me for that.

how often do you like to ship?

I've only had two (2) actual ships during my entire time here on this site. I have a bad case of anxiety brain when it actually comes to shipping and I never wanna assume or push anyone into doing anything so it's rare I ever approach. I'll just sit and vibe and settle with my time in the friendzone while making up scenarios in my head like the dork I am.

are you multiship?

Ok, after getting some answers on what multishipping is from an RP standpoint, I want to say yes I am. I'd have no issues with having multiple ship partners. Every character interaction is like in their own separate universes so like I can't understand limiting myself as a single ship. This is subject to change but like I said, I barely have any shipping experience.

are you ship obsessed or ship more-or-less?

More-or-less! As stated above I don't really ask or approach first for ships soooo if it happens it happens. I'm down for shipping off of chemistry through a gradually built relationship!

what is your favorite ship in your current fandom?

ooh chile I'm in a bunch of fandoms lol so I'll just go with the fandoms for my muses specifically. For Pkmn it'll always be ShinHika/Paul x Dawn/ Ikarishipping. Pokeani can pry that dynamic from my cold dead hands.

I like all the potential pairings within Utsuho's group, but that'd be too much to list. Gin x Kin, Neya x Uzume, Neya x Hikae, Hikae x Iwashi.

For SK I was a sucker for Hao x Tamao back in the day. It still could've been cute if Takei didn't turn Tamao into Anna 2.0. I find her whole personality shift weird.

finally, how does one ship with you?

Just write with me! I don't care how many asks or threads we end up having. I cannot reiterate how much I adore relationship building in writing. We write enough threads together and our characters grow to like each other or something I'm 100% down to clown! Also, If you don't suffer from perpetual cold feet like me, just shoot me an IM and let's talk about it! Easy peasy, promise I don't bite!

Nabbed from: @gamenu initially, but I've been seeing other moots do it too! Tagging: @sillymuses, @lostusagis, @museguided, @despairforme, + anyone who sees this!

[tala-bez-i]

At first sight II Chapter Seven

(m!reader x Bonten!Haruchiyo Sanzu)

Fluff/slash/reader is male/cursing/BontenTimeline/drugs and alcohol mentioned/violence/blood/death

All characters that appeared in the Tokyo Revengers manga and anime belong to Ken Wakui.

Words: 3631

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“No.” Said the man, whose dark hair fell untidily to one side of his partially shaved skull. “I won’t tell you anything.” 

Jin Nagasawa sat behind a transparent screen in the visiting room, avoiding any eye contact with you and your partner, his hands nervously rubbing his knees. 

You exchanged glances with your partner, both of you slightly surprised by this answer, because after all, Wada had assured you of something completely different. 

“Nagasawa…” Okumura began again, but the man shook his head violently. 

“Forget about it.” 

“Jun Takenaka is dead. We want to catch the person responsible.” You said, trying to make your voice sound convincing. You didn’t have to try too hard, because you really wanted to find the murderer. “Think about other past or future victims...” 

“Fuck, you don’t understand anything, do you? Fucking dogs.” He growled, his wide eyes wandering around the walls of the room, avoiding you and the man standing next to you. 

“I’m sorry, but we can’t understand what you don’t want to tell us. I guess you want to know the truth, right?” Okumura frowned slightly and the prisoner gasped loudly, stopping his gaze somewhere behind the investigator. “We only ask for a few pieces of information that will allow us to take the right path in conducting the investigation. We have a task to find the perpetrator and if you know something, Nagasawa...” 

“God...Fuck off already.” He groaned and hid his face in his large, bony hands. The man was clearly afraid of something. 

Or someone. 

You stepped closer, almost to the very wall that separated you from the sitting prisoner, and his gaze focused on you. His deep-set brown eyes were indeed filled with fear and uncertainty. 

“Jin, please.” You said without breaking eye contact. “Junko was your only refuge, outside of this building, and we both know that she was the only one who cared about you the most.” 

“Y/n?” 

“Some son of a bitch murdered her and she won’t be the only victim. Fuck, maybe there were others before.” You continued, ignoring your partner. “Do you really want to let him get away with this?” 

“No.” The man replied quietly after a short silence. Something hard appeared in his eyes. “If I knew who it was and could get my hands on him… I’d rip his head off and shit down his neck.” 

You nodded slightly. “You know something, right?” 

“I can't say. I want to, but I can't say anything.” He grimaced, shaking his head. 

“Is someone threatening you here?” You asked, trying a different angle. 

“This is a fucking prison. They're keeping me separate, but... I want to get out of here, do you understand?” 

“Is it someone connected to the person responsible for shortening your sentence?” You asked quietly, and the man stood up from the stool he was sitting on. 

He headed to the door he had entered through a few minutes ago, and a cold shiver ran down your spine. 

“Nagasawa?” Okumura called after him, but you raised your hand slightly, signaling him to let it go. 

“We're done, you hear me?!” A tall, thin man shouted through the door and the lock clicked open, and after a moment one of the guards entered. When Nagasawa was about to be taken back to his cell, he looked at you and said. “I'll get out of here. I have to." Then he disappeared and the door closed.  

“And that would be it.” Okumura sighed in frustration as you walked out the gate of the prison complex. “Fuck, what scared him so much?”  

“I guess I was right.”  

“In the sense that someone associated with law and justice has him by the balls?” The investigator asked, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag. “Fucking shit.” 

“How long does he have left?” You asked, adjusting the collar of your coat as a colder wind blew in. Emi would strangle you when she found out you forgot your scarf again. 

“About two and a half months.” The dark-haired man replied, looking towards the building you had just exited. 

“Too long. We have to figure something else out.” You grumbled, taking the cigarette from Shinji's hand and taking a drag from it. He didn't protest. 

“Do you also have the impression that everything will be explained when we find out who Uncle Shou really is?” 

You handed him the cigarette, which he immediately put in his mouth and leaned back slightly, as if afraid that you would take it away from him again. 

“I don't know, but it's likely.” 

“Who else could know who he is?” 

“The other boys from the brothel, as well as Haji and Riku. At least if we're talking about the description. Maybe they could recognize him from a photo, provided we had one.” You replied, looking at the sky, where more clouds were starting to appear, as if it was going to rain soon. 

“Riku... Do you think he'll be found?” Okumura asked, flicking his cigarette butt to the side, and you raised an eyebrow, knowing that your colleague only did that when his frustration level was three out of five. 

You didn't want to see the last level again. He'd almost been suspended from his duties as an investigator, and losing a bigger chunk of his earnings now was completely out of the question. He had kids and twins on the way. 

“I hope our boys find him safe and sound.” You replied and got into the car. 

“It's been two days since she disappeared.” Shinji announced, starting the vehicle's engine.  

“And no trace of him, I know. I know.”  

“Do we have anything more from the lab about Takenaka?” asked Shinji after a few minutes.  

"No. We have to wait about another week for the next results.” You sighed softly; “Similarly, we have nothing new on Yuu.”  

“This motherfucker is a complete nuisance. A pain in the ass." Your partner commented on this, and you shook your head, agreeing with him. “Not that I'm complaining, but he's been strangely quiet, hasn't he?” 

It was true. Over the past few weeks, your stepbrother hadn't left any new trace behind. No hint of where he might currently be, what kind of company he might have been hanging out with, if he even sought company at all. It was suspicious, even disturbing. 

"Yes, that's true." You said and the man began tapping a rhythm with his fingers on the steering wheel he was holding. 

You pulled your phone out of your coat pocket and checked if there was any message from Emi or Tomoko. Your beloved had wished you luck in your conversation with Nagasawa, but you had only just read it. It was a pity that you hadn't checked your device earlier, maybe some kind of charm would have worked, and you would have succeeded? 

You were about to put your phone back in your pocket when a new message appeared. You looked at the sender's name and were slightly surprised. Mai. 

"Hi, do you have a minute?" 

"Is something wrong?" 

"I need to talk to you. It's urgent." 

A cold shiver ran down your spine and you quickly replied that as soon as you were alone, you would call her immediately, while asking again what happened. 

"I'll tell you when you can talk." 

A strange feeling of unease took hold of you and you sincerely hoped it wasn't anything to do with her, her husband or worse, little Natsuko... 

“Is everything okay?” Shinji asked, giving you a quick glance to focus on driving again. 

“I don't know. I have to call Mai back later.” 

“Oh, give her my and my Princess's regards.” The man smiled widely. “She gave us excellent advice last time and we're still very grateful. Who would have thought that a fresh young green onion would somehow help with a baby's teething...” 

“Don't tell me anything. I still don't understand it.” You laughed briefly, watching the road ahead of you. “She discovered it by accident and thought it would only work on Natsuko.” You looked at your interlocutor. “Um, Shinji…”  

“Yeah?”  

“Will Mimiko be mad if I bring curry?”  

“Are you kidding?” He looked at you with wide eyes. “She will be taken up into heaven! We love your curry, Y/n!” He focused back on the road, and you felt a pleasant wave of appreciation wash over you. “It's probably the only thing you can cook at a master's level.” 

You felt a little disappointed after that little comment. “I can make good miso.” 

“Y/n.” You saw the man grimace slightly and didn’t pursue the subject any further. 

“I’ll try to talk to Wada again. Maybe he’ll have some ideas on how to convince Nagasawa to cooperate.” 

“Uh-huh.” Okumura mumbled. “I’d like to take a closer look at this Haji guy. I have a strange feeling about him.” The man’s tone became more serious than before. “Compared to Nagasawa and Takenaka, he looks more like a pimp to these guys than they do.” 

You thought about his words and partly had to agree with him. What you heard about the pair and what you remembered from previous timelines wasn't necessarily true. The only people who actually knew who the boss was there were the aforementioned three, maybe Katsuro Wada as well, but the Bonten members definitely knew. And by extension, maybe Tomoko too. 

“I'll try to ask someone from Department 4 about it. Some of them are working on figuring out Bonten, so they should have that kind of information.” 

“Do you think they will be willing to share this knowledge with us?” Okumura asked skeptically.  

“We are dealing with the murder of a person associated with the syndicate. This could be mutually beneficial, don't you think?"  

“Supposedly, but still, I wish you good luck, L/n.” 

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

You were waiting at the reception desk of the police station, knowing that your sister would appear any moment now, who regularly took a longer coffee break at the same time to clear her mind and talk calmly to Mai on the phone. 

You and Okumura took similar breaks, but you usually stayed where you were and drank coffee from a can from the machine, but she preferred to go to a nearby café, thus, at least for a moment, surrounding herself with people who, despite working at the police station, had as much in common with her work as a carpenter with woodwork. Supposedly working with the same material, but for a completely different purpose. 

As soon as you arrived at the place from the prison facility, you called your oldest sister and what you heard did not fill you with optimism at all. Tomoko had fallen into shit deeper than you had previously thought. 

“What do you mean she left some strange package at your place?” You asked, having a feeling what its contents were.  

“It's small and quite heavy. When I shake it, I hear nothing. Y/n, there's no address on it, nothing. Absolutely nothing.” Mai replied to you. “I know she's trying to ingratiate himself with these bastards so she can destroy them from the inside, but I'm scared.”  

“I'll talk to her about it…”  

"No." She interrupted you abruptly, then lowered her voice. “Don't tell her anything. She told me to keep it hidden and out of Natsuko's reach.”  

You cursed mentally. “Do as she says, Mai. When should she pick up the package from you?” 

“For the weekend. She didn’t say anything else.” 

“Do you know what time?” 

“No. I don’t even know if she meant Saturday or Sunday.” 

“Is this the first time?” You asked, and there was silence on the other end. “Mai?” 

“No. Sorry, but no. She’s been doing this for six months.” 

“Why are you only telling me now?” You got angry, but you tried to keep your voice calm. 

“Because things were already starting to go bad between you two and I didn’t want to make it worse, little brother. I’m worried about both of you.” 

“Mai…” You sighed quietly. “I’m worried about you and your family too, sister, but please… You have to protect Natsuko.” 

“I know. That’s why I wanted to talk to you. I’m sorry I waited.” 

“Alright. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll keep an eye on Ko-chan whenever I can.” There was a moment of silence, so you spoke in a soft voice. “You have greetings from Shinji and Mimiko, and from me too. To your spouse and Natsuko-chan.” 

“Thank you. Please take care of yourself.” 

You looked at your watch, which showed 3:13 p.m., and you thought that this time you had come to the day when Tomoko would give up going out for coffee, when the woman you had been waiting for got out of one of the elevators and, staring at her phone, took quick steps towards the exit from the building.  

“Tomoko!” You followed her and the woman looked at you in surprise.  

“Y/n? Did something happen?”  

“I'd like to talk to you about a case I'm working on…”  

"Now?"  

“Do you have an appointment with someone?” You stopped right in front of her and the dark-haired woman blinked a few times, as if wondering what answer to give you. 

"No. All right. Come with me.” She finally said and you watched in surprise as she started walking towards the door again.  

For probably the first time in a long time, Tomoko seemed calm and immediately, without unnecessary teasing, she agreed to talk to you. You quickly followed her, afraid that she would change her mind in a moment.  

"What is it about?" She asked as you walked down the sidewalk in a direction she knew well.  

“About Nagasawa. We got a tip that he might know something about who might be responsible for Takenaka's murder, but he wouldn't say anything for the hell of it." 

“I’m not surprised at all.” Came the reply. “The guy is being watched by other prisoners who have connections to Bonten.” She looked at you carefully. “Listen, the syndicate has its people not only behind bars. Some of the guards are also in their pockets.” 

“Fuck, not that.” You groaned quietly, feeling frustration and anger starting to take over you. “Do people really not stink of the money Bonten has?” 

“Maybe you should answer that question yourself.” The woman laughed quietly and your face turned red. 

“Some cases are different than this and they shouldn’t be compared to each other.” 

“Bad excuse.” You crossed the street and after a moment you entered a small café, which was pleasantly warm and smelled of freshly ground coffee. “I love this place.” 

You glanced around quickly, and your eyes briefly landed on the barista who was standing behind the counter. Short, pretty and polite, but that wasn't what caught your attention. You recognized her without a problem. Asahi-chan had never looked so overwhelmed as she did now. 

"What would you like to drink?" Tomoko asked and you shrugged. 

"I'll trust you, sister." You said and the woman gave you a mysterious look. 

"Okay. You'll have the same as me." 

After a moment, two tall glasses of latte macchiato were brought to your table, the foam of which was sprinkled with dark cocoa, but what intrigued you the most was the smell of, as you guessed, the syrup that was used to give the drink flavor. Hazelnuts and something else... 

“You'll like it. That barista, Asahi, makes the best macchiato out of the entire staff, the same with espresso and cappuccino.” Tomoko said, casting a quick glance through the display window you were sitting in front of. 

“I'll remember.” You inhaled the aroma of the drink that was standing in front of you again. 

“Who do you suspect?” 

“There’s a guy that keeps getting mentioned, referred to as… I mean, the brothel employees that Nagasawa and Takenaka managed refer to as Uncle Shou.” 

“I heard about him. Bonten is interested in him and are looking for him as well.” 

You looked at your sister in surprise. “They didn’t know him before? I thought…” 

“Believe me, if they actually knew him, the guy would have been screwed by now.” 

“Why? He got Nagasawa locked up, but he took care of it and the guy got his sentence shortened.” 

"Exactly. He sent the pimp and bodyguard of one of the top drug dealers to prison. The dealer was killed and goods worth... Fuck, you don't even want to know how much money.” She said, taking a careful sip of her coffee.  

“Okay...?” You watched the woman, processing the new information in your head. “So the guy is in trouble.”  

“If he turns out to be of little importance, he will pay a high price for causing losses. But…” She looked at you carefully, gently gesturing to your coffee for you to start drinking. “If he is solvent and covers the losses, the syndicate will be willing to forgive him and write off Nagasawa.” 

“Write off?” You took a sip of macchiato and felt the warming alcohol in your throat. You looked at the glass with appreciation and licked your lips. 

“They can leave the business to the deputy, how was he? Haji?” You nodded, taking another sip of coffee. “And Nagasawa will have an accident.” 

You knew what Tomoko was talking about and you didn’t like it at all. 

“Nagasawa said he can’t say anything. He knows he’s under surveillance and they’re keeping him separate.” 

“Separate? For beating someone up?” The woman was surprised, and a glint appeared in her eyes that you didn’t necessarily like. “That’s bad. Very bad.” 

“You telling me that? If Bonten actually decides that it’s worth coming to terms with this Shou guy, then letting Nagasawa in with the other prisoners will mean a death sentence.” 

The woman was silent for a moment, tapping her manicured fingernail on the table you were sitting at. 

“Y/n, what about the missing boy?” She asked quietly. “What about him?” 

“What's supposed to be? No traces. We don't know where he might be or who he might be with.” You shrugged. “The client was supposed to drop him off at the designated location and the footage confirmed it. Which doesn't change the fact that the boy disappeared into thin air. He's not on the footage from other cameras.” 

“Could he know something?” 

“Let's just say he was more cooperative than the others, although they were polite and answered questions. I think it's only because he's the youngest...” Tomoko looked at you carefully and you nodded. “Yeah, I think it's the underage one too, but he seemed the most trusting of them all.” 

“Naive. That's what you meant.” 

“Naive, fine.” You nodded again. “It's suspicious that he went missing, and on the same day that Okumura and I talked to them.” 

Tomoko took a sip of her coffee, and you followed suit, reaching for your glass again. 

“Occupational hazard.” The woman grumbled quietly, and you swallowed a sip of your drink loudly. “However, that doesn't change the fact that I haven't heard anything about it.” 

“Huh?” You looked at her carefully, and the woman looked up from her glass at you. 

“I have a proposition for you, little brother.” 

“Yes? What?” 

“I have a meeting with some people from the syndicate on Saturday night. Come with me to the meeting.” 

“What?” Your heart skipped a beat, a cold shiver running down your spine. 

“Come with me to the meeting and maybe we can work something out...” 

“What do we have to offer them? Nothing...” 

“Us? You have something they want to offer them, Y/n.” 

“What? I don't know who Shou is or where Riku disappeared to...” Your hand began to involuntarily gesticulate, showing your growing frustration. 

“You have information to offer them about Yuu and Takenaka.” 

You froze, your eyes widening for a moment. “I have nothing new on Yuu, and as for Takenaka, I only know how he died...” 

“You won’t know that until you compare what you have to what they have.” 

“Tomoko...” 

“Y/n, I know what I’m talking about. It could work. You just have to convince them to work with you...” 

“It won’t be easy...” 

“It won’t be hard either. You’re already getting paid to remove evidence...” 

“I’m getting paid by Kokonoi and Takeomi...” 

“With Mikey and Kakucho’s knowledge.” She cut you off and you pursed your lips. “I know you get really low, but you’ve never asked for more and it’s all your fault that you work for them for next to nothing.” 

“And Sanzu?” You asked after a moment, much quieter than before. 

“Do you think that if he knew that thanks to you he could continue to go crazy, you would have peace?” The woman smiled half-heartedly and you had to admit she was right. 

“The first thing he would do is threaten me with death again.” 

“Or, despite the benefits, he would try to kill you.” Tomoko finished her coffee and you followed her again. “Because of you, he makes a fool of himself, thinking that he can get away with everything thanks to his cunning. If he finally discovers the truth... It could be rough.” 

“If I agree to go with you and we can work with Bonten, does that mean I’ll be protected in some way?” 

“If Mikey agrees to it, yes. Sanzu won’t lay a finger on you unless his King orders him to.” 

You knew it was true and you didn’t like it at all, but if it was going to help you solve the Junko Yoshioka case and Yuji’s case in the process, maybe the risk was worth taking? 

“What time is the meeting?” You asked quietly, your voice rather glum. 

“Saturday, 9:30 PM. I’ll pick you up.” 

“Great.” 

<PREVIOUS/NEXT>

[mswyrr]

^^ Well said. I delayed reading it because I didn't want to engage with it for a while - and, once I did, even though Collins had earned so much trust from me with her handling of Katniss and Peeta's disabilities, I was still wary. So I actually highlighted every instance where she wasn't writing him according to ableist tropes.

Yes, at 18 he's been shaped by Capitol indoctrination at school and in his family and in the media. He sees with those lenses. They come easily and automatically to him. But he also connects with people as people and realizes - oh, the District kids are just kids?? And they're being starved and hurt? I know what it's like to go hungry... This is wrong. Why should Lucy Gray have to sing just to get food? I'll get her some, even though I don't have enough.

Over and over - but if you stand up for the wrong people, you will be punished. He tries it; he protects Lucy Gray. And then he pays the price and -- somewhere along the way, he doesn't want to pay anymore. He wants to protect his family and be a winner. And you can't be a winner--comfortable and safe and in control--and stand with someone your society has designated to lose. So he chooses.

It's heartbreaking - and it is, sadly, terrifyingly, the kind of choices the majority of people make - his 18-year-old choices, that is. That moment in his life is the perfect one to write about, because it turns the eye of the story on how young people are shaped - but also, at that young stage, he's closer to the common ordinary people in any corrupt society. He's just trying to survive. It's later that his urge to win motivates him to get worse and worse and worse - no longer wanting to protect his family, in fact tossing Tigris aside, *only* wanting to win. Taking pleasure in driving people into the ground.

It takes decades of choices for him to become that person, though. And it is a creation he makes of himself. The younger person is closer to most people though.

For example, I live in a democracy, thankfully. And yet it is so much driven by what Langston Hughes called "the same old stupid plan / Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak." When I walk into work and I see the cops clearing unhoused people from the only homes and safety they have--a process that we know from studies shortens peoples' lives, hurts them emotionally and physically for no gd reason, just cruelty, just greed--living in an encampment near my work - I don't do anything. I'm afraid to. Sure, I try to donate to people who help and write letters and vote... but I don't resist directly. I'd be punished. So there's a little bit of that 18-year-old kid early in the book who knows right and wrong and yet just wants to be safe in me. And I have to wrestle with it. Because I don't want to ever forget that it's a wrestling match. That's when the perverse incentive structure starts to consume you IMO. And most of us live in societies with perverse incentive structures of some kind. Some lure that is offered to us, of feeling better than, of exploiting others, and some threats of punishment too.

To my mind, it's a good story that can make me think of feeling a pang of shame and sadness and then looking away as the cops clear people and remembering that it's a struggle, that I am not simply on the side of angels, that my society is structured around cruelty and greed and it doesn't have to be. It shouldn't be.

re: the use of trauma. I'm interested to see what Viola Davis does with the role and how Dr Gaul is adjusted in the film script - honestly, her apparent flatness was one of the things in the book I thought could be better? And in film reviews I'm reading it seems like they strengthened her. We'll see. I think she's so good at leaning into why all of this is justified because she truly believes it. And she's looking for future leaders who can truly believe it too. And, as much as she and Highbottom apply pressures to shape this youth--including that hilarious imo scene where Coriolanus naively says "people love children"--by the end Coriolanus is writing her letters and offering himself as someone who will fit that shape in order to get the rewards it offers. There's a subtle shift as that happens that is quite nuanced. And, again, focusing on his youth is so powerful because he's a being in formation, a person being created and creating himself as an adult.

There's a *reason* why Collins opens the book with this quote:

“I thought of the promise of virtues which he had displayed on the opening of his existence, and the subsequent blight of all kindly feeling by the loathing and scorn which his protectors had manifested towards him.” — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818

Though, again, the major shift of Part 3 for me is that he begins to take an active part in forming himself and he is fashioning himself to be a winner, to fit what he believes Dr Gaul and the authorities at the military school want, hoping and fearing that he won't be able to do it so well and desperately happy when the chance at rewards for doing so is still open to him. IMO Part 3 and the Epilogue aren't the end of his journey, they're the death of other possibilities and the birth of who he's choosing to become. And even he can't fully imagine where that will go as the decades pass and the choices mount up.

That is not the kind of quote you use to begin a story about someone who was born evil to begin with. The book takes 528 pages even though it's only about a few months in one 18-year-old's life precisely because it's a carefully drawn and teased out character journey, a corruption arc. As reviewer David Ehrlich put it in his review of the movie:

is Coriolanus embracing his nature or defiling it?

It's supposed to be a question, not a foregone conclusion. And I think the weight of the text itself leans in favor of "defiling" as the answer. Though it can be interpreted multiple ways (as it should be). I think the movie only lines we have from Lucy Gray in the trailer hold true: "there’s a natural goodness born into us all.” But, in one way or another, it doesn’t just stay that way, it’s a struggle. “It’s our life’s work to stay on the right side of that line [between good and evil].”

It’s a little on the nose with the themes, but I’m cool with them having her be so clear about it since apparently it’s not clear in the book I guess????

[the-nocturnal-writer]

Dev Log 5

By goodness, it’s been a while since I could just sit down and post about any progression. Life is still keeping me busy thanks to personal matters. However, I’ve been chipping away and doing stuff when I can. I’ve been more or less creating stuff here and there that I can post, though most of the free time I managed to get went into writing and completing tasks. 

Finally have some time to get a dev log written out, I’m hoping to update everybody on what I’ve been up to and have planned since my radio silence (and here’s to hoping the next dev log isn’t forever away…)

One of the bigger changes I’ve planned is turning Evenfall Grove into a Choicescript game rather then Twine. This decision was made to help shorten the time a bit, I don’t get as often as hoped to do what I like, so using Choicescript was a good workaround due to it being a little more simple to use. 

I still hope to make a game with Twine, maybe in the future when i have more financial stability and time to just still and put my full heart into it, but until then, I can say that making Evenfall Grove using Choicescript won’t change anything story or choice wise. I do need to figure out how to work the whole “you can die or get injured when exploring at night” thing, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out…

Next on my list of things to update everyone about is a few changes to my profile, I wanted to make it easier to access information and stuff, as well as easier to read. I might need to tinker with the colouring, but so far I think it’s better. Which leads to me saying that RO profiles have been taken down for the moment. 

I’ve been writing A LOT whenever I could. A lot of rewrites since the ending became more and more clear as I wrote, and a bunch of short stories about the characters. Thanks to this, my brain is forcing me to do another redesign to make them all feel… Well, more them. 

Constantin is the first (and only one even close to done) and has gotten a lot of love, I brought back some stuff from both his older design drafts and made him feel and look more like a man who has been beaten down by life over and over. Exactly what I’m going for.

Another change is the title banner! I still have a few more things to mess with, but for now it less of a priority over writing. I love it more though and the font is real pretty!

Aside from more redesigns, I mentioned character short stories, I might edit and post them if the need calls for it, but it did really help develop each of their backgrounds and helps decide how I want them to be and act, especially around MC! 

It has made me need to rewrite a lot and pace out how MC will first meet each of the characters (as well as how romancing them will go about), in the end it’s helped me decide how I want the ending to go and how I want each character to end up by the end. It’s not just MC going on a journey of power and character development. Each romance option has their own unique way of growing throughout the story.

While I’m mentioning characters, MC’s Familiar has been narrowed down to four animals; Squirrel, Owl, Badger or Fox. Feel free to make more suggestions, my only tip is smaller forest dwelling animals, since familiars size and shape are based on the power of their witch and the environment they're in! MC isn’t the powerhouse they are capable of becoming quite yet.

That is all for now, not as much as I hoped to update everyone with, but I like to try and get a word out when I can so no one is left wondering if this interactive fiction is no longer being made. Still fully intend to make Evenfall, it’s just at a busy snails pace.

Thank you all again for sticking around and having such patience with me, you’re all lovely and I couldn’t ask for better readers! (I need to get to answering asks, I apologise so much for the delay and I'll do my best to dedicate some point next week to answering them!)

Have a good day/evening, witches!

-Red

[animation-is-my-jam]

i love ur art its so cute and soft!!!! Update ur fanfics 🫵😡 (joking but pls do)!!! Im somewhat new to the WG fandom but not wordgirl itself and I wanted to know more about the becky botsford is afro latina head cannon, I (as a child) always thought she was Indain or Nepalian or Bangladesh. Im curious how everyone collectively came to this agreement. Anyway love ur art n ur writing (which u will finish 😡) have a great day!!!!

*(Also how do u feel about becky being short for Rebecca???)

HEHE thank you! (^-^)

Also JSJSJSNSNS XD yeah my fics....(((^_^;)

DW! Cheap 20 dollar-Ring is the one fic I intended to finish since it had so many eyes on it. As for the others, unfortunately, I don't have the drive or motivation to finish them even if I had planned out from beginning to end. Though not all hope is lost, I do intend to revamp one fic in particular since it's going to be part of the Future AU series, which I need to establish tbh. And I, of course, have other ideas after I'm done with cheap 20 dollar ring. (Tobecky and non-tobecky)

As for the Headcanon on Becky, I think it's just a popular idea because I've met a lot of Hispanic wordgirl fans, and it just became a thing to apply. Me, especially since I'm Mexican and ever since I was a kid, I always thought the Botsfords were of mixed decent and had that Hispanic in them lmao. Because I think that was the point with both her and the Botsfords, they're ambiguous, so they can be anything the kids at home can imagine their lives to. Of course, anything but like white americans, especially Becky...just because she can be anything and is an alien doesn't mean she should get white washed.

But omgg that's so good, you're Headcanon for her!! I love hearing all the interpretations of Becky that aren't just The Latina or Afro-latina one. I love it. (*^-^*)

Again, thank you for the nice words and ask. This was so nice ahhh!! I'll try to get my fic stuff in order, and while before, I could blame my executive disfunction on me not being quick enough on updating fics. I have a job now so...writing going to be a bit difficult, but I'll try!!

(Also, ever since I heard Liz breens idea of Becky's full name, where she thinks the Botsfords didn't make it Rebecca and shortened it to Becky. Instead, they just named her Becky because they are silly like that, I've adopted that and have it that her full name is just Becky lmao. However, I do use the whole Rebecca full name in other aus, but for me it's so funny it just being Bdcky and others assuming it's Rebecca and she's like "nope". )

[quinloki]

Birthday Request Event

"It's my birthday and I'll write what I want to \o/"

Gift Details ♥ Reader: cisfem!Reader Character: Penguin Kink: #2 Praise Kink Prompt: #13 "Don't worry, I'll take care of you." Gift Giver: @firefistussy

Summary: Your first kiss with Penguin is certainly going places >.>

Content Notes: hot and heavy make out session with some praising - implied future shenanigans, but uh - whew, look I like how it came out, but it doesn't get explicit. Just... steamy O_O ♥

This birthday party is 18+, consensual unless explicitly stated otherwise, and BYOB

The first kiss was dry, brief. You could feel the heat on his face, and both of you were breathing a little heavy. That first rush, that raw desire – it almost felt like you’d been waiting years for this chance.

There’d been plenty of flirting before now. Stolen glances, embarrassed eyes looking away from one another. Tentative and trembling fingers slipping between each other’s. A quiet confession in the med bay, holding his hand and listening to the heart monitor as he healed from wounds earned in a fierce fight.

Wounds he received protecting you, as if you needed any more clues to understand how he felt. The crew looked out for one another, certainly, but you would’ve been less hurt if he’d let you take the hit, and Law had read him the riot act for his actions.

Only a few of his bandages remained, and you were both in a quiet corner of the Tang, responsibilities sorted for the moment, with Shachi ensuring you had a bit of privacy – much as anyone could find on the submarine.

Need was broken by that first kiss and you both chuckled a little, Penguin setting his forehead on your shoulder. Both of you had the tops of your uniforms down, dark undershirts the only things between you, and a slight turn of his head put his lips against the bare skin of the crook of your neck.

You gasped at the sensation and the sound spurred him on, hand wrapping around your waist as he braced himself against the wall with his other arm. You pulled his cap off easily, letting your fingers wander through his hair and urging his lips to continue.

“F-feels good,” you breathe softly, feeling his teeth run along your skin as he moves up your neck. “Muh-more, pleas-aahhmm.” Your request shifts as he nibbles your ear gently.

He leans back a little, eyes on your lips, his tongue slipping across his own before he looks up at you. The shy smile on his face shifts to something more dangerous as he shortens the small distances between you.

“Don’t worry,” he says softly, “I’ll take care of you.”

Penguin’s lips press against yours, pulling a soft moan up to your chest before you push him back. There’s a little confusion in his eyes, but he winces when you squeeze his arm.

“Not like this.” You demand. You try to look at him angrily, but it’s more akin to concern on your face. “Don’t get hurt worse protecting me.” You lean forward, pulling him in, but stopping short of another kiss.

“Promise.”

“I can’t just let you-.”

“I’m not asking you to stand idly by,” you grumble, grabbing his collar and leaning in, brushing your lips over his lightly. “I’m telling you the captain won’t get a chance to scold you if you do something so reckless again.”

Penguin’s lips pull into a smile. “Are you telling me to fear you more than the cap’n?” He questions, leaning forward enough to put your back against the wall again. You start to answer with a yes when he leans in and kisses you deeply.

His tongue is deep in your mouth, there’s no hesitation, no exploration, no nerves holding him back. The deep kiss rushes adrenaline through you, and your heart flutters as he wraps his arms around you and pulls you as close as he can. You loose your grip on his collar and let your arms tangle around him.

“You gonna,” your voice slips out between kisses, Penguin barely giving you time to speak. “Be good – annh ♥.” Your words fall into a loud moan as his hands grab your ass and squeeze.

“I’ll be good for you.” He promises, husky voice hot against your skin as he lifts you a little, using the leverage of the wall to keep you in place as he guides your legs around his waist.

You laugh a little between kisses. “You’ll be my good boy, then?” You muses, holding his face in place and stopping him from kissing you. He pouts for a split second before a devious, toothy grin crosses his features, and you’re reminded of Ikkaku’s “warning”.

Ikkaku grins as you admit your crush to her. “Well, I have your back, for sure, but remember (Y/N), cute and fluffy as they are, penguins are carnivorous hunters.”

You laugh a little. “And here I thought you were going to say something about how they mate for life.”

Ikkaku hums, as the two of you enjoy the view of watching Shachi and Penguin swab the deck. “Prolly somethin’ to that, too.” She admits.

“Get that praise in while you can,” he asserts, turning his head and kissing the inside of your palm, eyes holding your gaze. The look in his eyes hitches your breath in your throat for a moment. “I’m going to be so good to you, you won’t be able to say much at all.”

His hips grind into yours as he grabs your wrists and pins you against the wall, leaning in and kissing you all in the same motion. Your gasp of surprise at the action is devoured, and your moans sink into him as you squirm a little under his hold.

“Haa, ahh- Peng!” You shiver with his lips and teeth against your neck. “I – have – have to survive, for you to be guh-good!” You get the shaky words out as he brings your wrists together over your head, holding them with one hand and freeing his other to start tugging your shirt up.

His hand is hot against your waist, fingers nearly burning with desire as his hips shift, pushing his erection into the seam of your uniform.

“Don’t worry, I’ll only eat you out,” he promises, licking his lips as he leans in close to your mouth again. “Not up.”

Check out the event - requests are accepted until 7/31/2023 EST

[thesoulspulse]

Since we're back to making good old fashioned handdrawn art for a while I kept thinking about what to make when I thought of a few ideas for a redesign for the Observants. Not sure if I'll make them part of my Eldritch AU or not but I already like how the new look is coming along. I even thought of a cool bit of lore to add to them in a future in a chapter of "Nevermore" too! Lastly I might tweak the outfit a bit more but personally I think the eyeball themed head piece concept is cool.

~

Update 1: The sleeves of the robe were a bit too long so I shortened them and have them wrap around the back like a cloak. Also I accidentally drew this at an angle, aka tilted to one side so I'll try to straighten it out as much as I can.