#I'm gonna be emotional for the rest of the day this is so delightful

[spaceratprodigy]

I love @spaceratprodigy's captain Faith ❤️‍🔥 and if it weren't for Max my captain wouldn't hesitate to shoot her shot with her

@spaceratprodigy 🚀

[jzprncess]

love language by sza

"talk to me in your love language"

pairing: Max Verstappen x Y/N reader

part 2/2 previous part

word count : 4,065

summary : After being apart for what felt like an eternity and discovering his girlfriend's newfound knowledge of Dutch, he couldn't contain his excitement. He expressed his appreciation in a multitude of heartfelt but also sensual ways.

warnings : just basic love making

note : not gonna lie, i had trouble writing this one but thank the world i finish this!! thanks for everyone for tuning in on my first completed series? idk what this is.

❛ ━━･♡❪ ❁ ❫♡･━━ ❜

 As they lingered in the warmth of each other's gaze, the world around them faded away, leaving just the two of them suspended in this moment. The soft glow of the kitchen light illuminated their faces, casting gentle shadows that danced around them.

The tantalizing aroma of freshly baked apple pie hung in the air like a sweet promise of what was to come, its spicy notes weaving through the atmosphere and stirring their senses. Y/N felt her heart race as she watched the flicker of something deep and genuine in Max's eyes—something that ignited a spark within her, a yearning that had been building during their time apart.

Max took a step closer, brushing his fingers along her arms, trailing them down to her waist, where they rested possessively. The warmth of his touch sent shivers racing across her skin, igniting a warmth that spread from her core outward. He leaned in again, his breath a whisper against her lips as he murmured, "Say that again."

"Ik hou van jou," she repeated softly, her voice low and sultry, filled with the weight of her feelings. The way his eyes sparkled with delight made her pulse quicken, each heartbeat echoing the intensity of the moment. He chuckled, his lips curving into a grin that made her heart swell, an infectious joy radiating from him.

"Your Dutch is getting better, but your kisses are still the best," he teased, leaning in closer again, their lips almost touching, the anticipation palpable between them.

"Maybe I should keep practicing," she replied, her voice playful as she leaned into him, their bodies swaying slightly together like leaves in a gentle breeze, the world around them dimming in significance.

With a knowing smile, he closed the gap, capturing her lips with his once more, this time with more urgency. The kiss was a sweet melding of warmth and longing, a dance that spoke of the days apart and the hunger for connection. He pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss, his hands exploring the curve of her back, drawing her against him as if they were two pieces that fit perfectly together, a puzzle complete only in each other's presence.

The kitchen faded away, and all that mattered was the heat between them. She lost herself in the moment, her fingers threading through his hair, pulling him closer still, as their kisses grew more fervent, more desperate, each touch a whisper of unspoken words filled with longing and desire.

"Y/N," he breathed against her lips, his voice thick with emotion, "I've missed you so much." His forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling in the space between, creating a shared warmth that enveloped them. “It’s agonizing to be apart from you,” he groaned, his voice laced with genuine pain. “The races are unbearable without you by my side.” Each word was laced with sincerity, the vulnerability in his tone making her heart ache with affection.

"I'm here now," she whispered, a soft smile breaking through her breathlessness. "And I'm not going anywhere." With a sudden burst of courage, she brushed her lips against his again, this time more insistently, pouring every ounce of emotion she felt into the kiss. He responded with an intensity that sent her heart racing, their bodies pressing together until there was no space left between them, every inch of their skin igniting with a shared fire.

In that moment, the world outside faded completely—no racing, no pressures, just them. Max's hands slid down to her hips, urging her closer still as he deepened the kiss, pouring all his pent-up affection into every lingering touch, their hearts beating in rhythm with one another.

As they pulled apart, the air crackled with an electric charge, and Y/N gazed up at him, her heart still pounding wildly. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, and the way he looked at her—so intensely, so completely—made her heart flutter.

"I wanted to surprise you with the pie," she said breathlessly, trying to regain her composure, her cheeks flushed with warmth, but the playful sparkle in his eyes told her he was not so easily distracted.

"Why not surprise me with something even sweeter?" he replied, his tone a low, teasing growl that sent delicious shivers down her spine as he lowered his lips to her ear, kissing the sensitive spot just below it, making her gasp. "Something like this," he continued, his voice thick with desire, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake.

Max's presence enveloped Y/N like a warm embrace, his intentions clear as he led her into the living room. The soft, ambient light filled the space with a cozy glow, creating an atmosphere that felt both intimate and charged with unspoken possibilities. Every step felt like a promise, and as they crossed the threshold into the intimate space, the anticipation hung thick in the air, a sweet tension vibrating between them, as if the very walls were witnesses to their longing.

As they stepped into the living room, the warm light enveloped them like a soft embrace. Max's hand found Y/N's, fingers intertwining effortlessly as they walked deeper into the space. The couch beckoned, plush and inviting, but Max had other intentions. His eyes, dark with longing, flickered toward the hallway that led to their bedroom, a slow smile creeping across his lips.

“Let’s take our time,” he murmured, his voice low and husky, sending a shiver down her spine. He pulled her closer, his hands resting gently on her hips. Instead of guiding her to sit down, he leaned into her ear, his breath warm as he whispered, "Come with me."

With her heart racing, Y/N followed his lead as Max’s fingers gently tugged at her hand, steering her down the dimly lit corridor. The familiar path to their bedroom felt different tonight, every step echoing with the promise of the intimacy they craved.

The tender glow from the living room dissipated as they ventured into the sanctuary of their bedroom, the atmosphere heavy with longing and expectation. Max's eyes smoldered with a yearning that mirrored her own as he delicately closed the door, encapsulating them in a world meant only for two. "I've missed this," he murmured, his voice rough with sentiment, each syllable dripping with unspoken promises.

Y/N could feel the cool edge of the bed grazing the back of her knees, causing a shiver to run up her spine. A gentle exhale escaped her lips as Max's hands, warm and inviting, traced the contours of her body. His touch was like a match, igniting a flame within her that had been dormant for far too long. The world outside their intimate haven faded away. 

"Let’s make it count," Max purred, his voice a seductive whisper that sent shivers down her spine. He pulled her into him with a tender strength, their bodies melding together as if two pieces of a puzzle finally reunited. Their lips met in a kiss that was slow, deep, and full of longing. The kiss spoke volumes, erasing the last vestiges of space between them, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation.

As they pulled away for breath, Max rested his forehead against hers, his thumb brushing her cheek. "I missed you," he murmured, his voice raw with honesty. "Every day, every night... I missed the way you feel, the way you taste."

Y/N smiled softly, her fingers tracing the curve of his jaw. "I missed you too," she whispered, her voice barely audible but loaded with meaning. "I thought about this moment… about us, together, more than you know."

Max’s eyes darkened with desire as he brought his lips to hers again, this time with even more intensity. His hands roamed, exploring the familiar terrain of her body as if it were the first time, each touch a reverent caress. She could feel the heat radiating from him, engulfing her in a warmth that was both comforting and exciting. Her own hands began their own journey, reacquainting themselves with the lines and planes of his body.

“God, Y/N,” he groaned softly as she ran her fingers over his chest, “you drive me insane. I can’t get enough of you.”

“You don’t have to,” she replied breathlessly, her lips grazing his neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His eyes met hers, filled with an emotion that made her heart stutter. "Good," he whispered. "Because I don’t ever want to be without you again."

The kiss deepened, their tongues dancing in a sensual tango that left them both breathless. The room seemed to grow warmer, the air charged with an electricity that was palpable. Slowly, ever so slowly, they sank onto the bed, their bodies intertwined in a lovers' embrace. The soft, downy comforter embraced them like a cloud, a fitting backdrop for their reunion.

As they shed their clothes, each piece of fabric slipping away like petals of a flower, Max paused, his gaze lingering on her. "You’re so beautiful," he whispered reverently, his fingers brushing over her bare skin. "I don’t tell you that enough."

Y/N blushed under his intense gaze, her heart swelling at his words. "You do," she murmured, "but I never get tired of hearing it."

Max smiled, a tender expression that contrasted with the raw desire in his eyes. "I love you," he said softly, the sincerity in his voice making her chest tighten. "I love everything about you."

Her breathe caught in her throat, as he brought his lips back to hers in a kiss filled with tenderness. "I love you too, Max," she whispered against his mouth. "So much."

His smile widened against her lips as he kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the moment. As their bodies entwined, Max's lips began a leisurely journey down Y/N’s body, leaving a trail of soft kisses that made her skin rise with goosebumps. His hands followed, caressing her with a gentle reverence that made her feel cherished, adored.

“You’re everything to me,” he murmured between kisses, his voice filled with passion. “I don’t know how I survived these weeks without you.”

Y/N gasped softly, her heart pounding in her chest as his mouth worked its magic. “You’re here now,” she whispered, threading her fingers through his hair. “And that’s all that matters.”

Max chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against her skin. "You're right. Let's make up for lost time."

As he continued his intimate exploration of her body, his hands gentle but firm, Y/N’s breath quickened. She bit her lip, trying to suppress a moan as his lips lingered at her hips before moving lower. When he finally reached the apex of her thighs, he paused, his breath warm against her most sensitive spot.

“Max…” she breathed, her voice barely a whisper, filled with need.

He lifted his head, meeting her gaze, his eyes dark with desire. “Tell me what you want, baby.”

Her heart raced at the raw intensity in his voice. “I want you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with need. “I want to feel all of you…please.”

Max’s gaze softened for a moment, his thumb brushing lightly against her inner thigh. "Then I’ll give you everything," he replied, his voice low and full of promise. "All of me, every part that’s been missing you."

He kissed her there, slow and deliberate, savoring the way her body reacted to his touch. Y/N’s back arched, her hands gripping the sheets as she gasped at the sensation. "Max…" she whimpered, her voice a mix of plea and pleasure.

“I love how you say my name,” he murmured between kisses, his lips tracing delicate patterns across her skin. “Say it again.”

“Max,” she breathed, her body trembling under the weight of his affection, her desire coiling tighter with every passing second. “Please…”

“Please what?” he teased, his tone playful but his movements slow and deliberate. “Tell me exactly what you need.”

Y/N’s breath hitched as she looked down at him, her eyes locked on his. “I need you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with raw desire. “I need you inside me, Max… right now.”

Her words ignited something primal in him, and Max’s playful expression shifted to one of fierce intensity. "You don’t have to wait any longer," he murmured, his voice rough with longing. He moved up her body, their skin brushing together as he positioned himself above her.

Their eyes met once again, and in that quiet moment, the air between them seemed to hum with electricity. Max gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her lips. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. “I need you just as much.”

Slowly, with a deliberate tenderness, he pushed into her, filling her completely. Y/N gasped, her body arching as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. The feeling of him inside her, of their bodies joined, was overwhelming in the best possible way.

“Oh, Max…” she breathed, her voice filled with emotion and desire. The connection between them went beyond the physical—this was the culmination of all the love, the longing, the need they had for each other.

They began to move together, their bodies finding a rhythm that was slow, deliberate, and filled with passion.

Every thrust was a declaration, a promise of the love they shared and the desire that had built up over the time they’d been apart. Max moved with a controlled intensity, each motion deliberate and deep, sending waves of pleasure through Y/N’s body. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as their bodies moved in perfect harmony.

“God, you feel incredible,” Max groaned, his voice husky as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hot against her skin. "I’ve missed this... I’ve missed you."

Y/N could barely speak, her mind clouded with pleasure, but she managed to whisper, “I’ve missed you too… more than you know.”

The world around them seemed to melt away as they lost themselves in each other. The soft glow of the moonlight illuminated their entwined bodies, casting shadows across the room as they moved together. The tension between them began to build, the pleasure intensifying with every movement, every touch.

Max’s lips found hers again, and they kissed with a renewed passion, their breaths mingling as their pace quickened. “Max... I’m so close," Y/N whispered breathlessly, her voice trembling as the tension in her body coiled tighter with each thrust.

Max groaned softly, his grip on her hips tightening as he quickened his pace just slightly, pushing deeper, matching the rhythm of her breath. "I’ve got you," he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "Let go, baby. I want to feel you."

Her body responded instantly to his words, the intensity building to a crescendo. Y/N’s fingers gripped the sheets, her back arching as she lost herself in the overwhelming sensations. With one final thrust, the tension snapped, sending her spiraling into a powerful climax. A soft cry escaped her lips as her body trembled beneath him, waves of pleasure crashing over her like a tidal wave.

Max watched her in awe, his breath ragged as he felt her body tighten around him, her release pushing him closer to his own edge. He held on, guiding her through her orgasm, his touch tender but filled with a hunger that was only growing.

As Y/N’s breathing began to slow, her heart still racing, she looked up at him, her eyes heavy with satisfaction but still filled with desire.

"Max," she whispered, her voice still soft but laced with renewed desire. She gazed up at him, her body still humming with the aftershocks of her release, but a fresh wave of need stirred within her. "I need more of you."

Max’s eyes darkened with passion at her words. "You’ll have all of me," he promised, his voice thick with emotion. He leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, slow kiss, pouring all of his love and need into it. His hands roamed over her body, feeling the warmth of her skin, savoring every inch.

Without breaking the kiss, he began to move again, this time slower, more deliberate, as if savoring every second. Y/N moaned softly into his mouth, her body still sensitive but craving more of the intense connection between them. Their bodies moved in perfect unison, the rhythm building again but with an aching slowness that heightened every touch, every sensation.

“You feel so good,” Max groaned, his forehead resting against hers as they moved together. "I never want to stop."

Y/N’s heart swelled at his words, her fingers tracing the lines of his back as she whispered, "Don’t. Stay with me... like this."

Max’s eyes softened, his expression one of pure adoration. "Always," he breathed. "I’m not going anywhere."

They continued to move together, their bodies entwined as they rode the waves of pleasure. Y/N could feel another release building within her, slower this time, but just as intense. Each thrust from Max brought her closer, their movements perfectly in sync, the connection between them deepening with every second. She clung to him, her breath coming in short gasps as the pleasure mounted, her body trembling beneath him.

"Max…" she whispered, her voice a soft plea as her fingers tangled in his hair. "I’m so close again."

Max’s breathing was ragged, his muscles tense as he held back, wanting to savor every moment. "Me too," he groaned, his voice rough with desire. "I want to feel you cum with me."

The intensity between them built to a fever pitch, the air charged with electricity. Y/N’s body responded to his every touch, her pulse quickening as her climax approached. Max’s hands gripped her hips tighter, his thrusts becoming more urgent, more deliberate as they both teetered on the edge.

And then, with a shared gasp, the tension broke. Y/N’s release crashed over her, her body arching into his as she moaned his name. The sensation of her tightening around him was enough to send Max over the edge, his own climax hitting him with a force that left him breathless. He buried his face in her neck, his body trembling as he rode out the waves of pleasure, their bodies locked together in the abyss.

For a moment, they stayed suspended in that blissful connection, hearts racing and bodies intertwined. As the final tremors of their shared climax faded, they both breathed heavily, wrapped in a warm cocoon of contentment.

Y/N gazed up at Max, her eyes shining with a mix of awe and affection. "That was… incredible," she whispered, still catching her breath.

Max smiled down at her, his fingers gently tracing her cheek. “You’re incredible,” he replied, his voice soft and filled with warmth. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like that before.”

She smiled back, a sense of happiness flooding her chest. “Neither have I. I’ve missed this—us—so much.”

Max leaned down, capturing her lips in a tender kiss, his touch feather-light yet filled with longing. “We’ll make up for lost time,” he murmured against her lips. “I promise to always be here, to always come back to you.”

“I hope so,” Y/N said, her voice tinged with vulnerability. “I just want to share moments like this with you, always.”

Max brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, his expression serious yet tender. “You have my heart, Y/N. No matter where life takes me, I’ll always come back to you.”

They lay in silence for a moment, wrapped in each other’s warmth, the world outside fading away. Max’s thumb brushed against her skin in soothing circles as they enjoyed the tranquility that followed their passionate encounter.

“What do you want to do now?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he shifted slightly, his body still intimately close to hers.

Y/N chuckled softly, a playful smile spreading across her face. “Well, I wouldn’t mind a little more kissing,” she teased, biting her lip.

Max raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. “Just kissing, huh? I think I can handle that.”

“Okay, maybe a little cuddling too,” she admitted, snuggling closer to him, resting her head against his chest.

“Cuddling is definitely in order,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close as they sank into the comfort of each other’s presence.

They lay together in peaceful silence, the quiet of the room punctuated only by their steady breathing. Y/N felt a sense of bliss wash over her, the warmth of Max’s body anchoring her in the moment. She felt safe, cherished, and utterly content.

“Promise me something,” she said after a while, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Anything,” Max replied, his tone serious.

“Promise me we’ll always find our way back to each other, no matter what,” she urged, looking up at him with earnest eyes.

Max smiled softly, his gaze unwavering. “I promise. No matter where we are, or how long we’re apart, my heart will always come home to you.”

Y/N sighed with relief, but then a playful smile crossed her face. “You know, I’m suddenly craving some appeltaart,” she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Max chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “Apple pie? Didn’t we just take a couple of bites? You’re a hopeless romantic and a dessert lover!”

“I am! But I can’t help it if my mind goes straight to pie after a moment like this,” she teased, her heart lightening at the thought of enjoying their shared creation together.

He laughed, brushing his fingers through her hair. “Alright, let’s make a deal. I’ll grab us some more pie, but you have to promise me you won’t eat it all.”

Y/N grinned, her excitement bubbling over. “Only if you promise to let me have the first spoonful! I did all the work, after all.”

“Fine! But only if you feed some to me, like earlier,” he shot back playfully, nudging her.

As they exchanged banter, Y/N felt warmth bloom in her chest, knowing they would create countless more memories to cherish in the days to come. Each playful tease and shared laugh deepened the connection between them, solidifying their bond in ways words couldn’t express. She imagined all the moments they would share before Max had to leave again for racing—a whirlwind of late-night baking sessions filled with flour fights, spontaneous drives along the coast, and lazy afternoons spent exploring the city together.

The thought of their future together was a beautiful tapestry waiting to be woven, each thread representing a cherished memory. She could picture them at the kitchen counter, Max attempting to teach her the perfect way to cut an apple while she playfully distracted him. They’d create inside jokes about his “expert” baking skills and her inability to follow a recipe, laughing until their sides hurt.

With a soft sigh, she turned her head to gaze up at him, her heart swelling with affection. “We’re going to have an incredible journey, aren’t we?” she mused, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with hope.

Max met her gaze, his eyes shining with warmth and promise. “Absolutely. I can’t wait to see where life takes us, even if that means I’ll be racing again soon.” He paused, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to come back for my favorite chef’s apple pie.”

Y/N laughed, feeling the joy bubble up inside her. “Just remember to bring me back some trophies, too!”

His laughter echoed through the room, wrapping around her like a warm embrace. “Only if you promise to be waiting for me when I get back,” he said, his tone turning serious but still filled with affection.

“Always,” she replied, her heart pounding with certainty. Whatever challenges they faced—him being around the world, random phone calls, and the anticipation of his next departure—they would face them together. The future stretched out before them like a racetrack, filled with twists and turns but ultimately leading them back to one another, fueled by love, laughter, and an unwavering commitment to their shared journey.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

tag list: @heluvsjappie @awritingtree @steamy-smokey

[kyber-crystal]

Hi! May I request a sequel to "my little love" for how jake responds to max calling him dad/daddy for the first time? or jake being cute with max and your shared kids (bc i KNOW y'all don't stop after the first one lol)

i'm sorry it took me so long to respond to this but HELL YEAH and i'm extra sorry i didn't post this for a while b/c i wasn't sure about how it turned out in general...anyways, i hope you enjoy : ')

my future || jake "hangman" seresin

summary: as written above! this is a sequel to the headcanon my little love, which i LOVED writing w my whole heart.

settling into married life was surprisingly not difficult. you'd already spent so much time around hangman that forever felt so comfortable

now everyone is so happy and in high spirits. but max is significantly happier than them all and it's so wholesome to see

rooster, or "fairy godmother" (max likes to call him the latter....yes...godmother, not godfather. you don't know why but it's so funny, especially when you watch rooster react to this), is always there to take care of your kiddo when you're busy

he let him sit in his F-14 and take a picture with him :)

and you're paranoid and worrying the whole time but rooster's like "relax, i got him" and he's super chill about it

"he's gonna be a pilot. better than you, even," you leaned over and gave your husband a look

"i think so!"

the kid lives and breathes top gun. and now that you've moved in with hangman, you're only a few minutes' walk from base, making it easy to go back and forth.

when you're working at the hard deck, penny sits him by the nearest booth with a milkshake and some old books and toys

if one of the uncles or phoenix wasn't busy, they'd come over to keep him entertained

and you know when hangman's done for the day when you see max break into his signature grin. you've noticed that you only really see it around him

so you're celebrating his fourth birthday today. it's insane, because he already speaks like a six year old (hangman says it's because you're also smart af. but, being the cocky lil shit he is, fanboy likes to take the credit for it. i mean, the guy majored in biochem, so he knows his stuff)

it's an off day for everyone, so they're able to come help decorate the place. you had the idea to surprise your son, so while everyone was getting ready, fanboy was with max by the beach, playing soccer. they'd come back in an hour and boom!

by the end of things, the hard deck doesn't look like the hard deck anymore. it looks like max's paradise—a kiddie version of top gun, you realize. your heart melts because 🥺🥺🥺

everyone hides when they hear fanboy and max coming in

and then you all jump up from your hiding spots and yell "SURPRISE" and he starts grinning again

and then the kid runs straight towards hangman, giggling in pure delight

"daddy!" he yells

you're all like wait wtf

did he just

say

oh

hangman has to stop for a moment before picking him up. you can see him tearing up bc this is the first time max has ever said this

it's definitely really fulfilling to watch. when he was a baby and screamed and cried for hours at a time out of nowhere, you knew it wasn't always just from tiredness. or being hungry. or whatnot

the rest of the night you're all emotional af and max notices

"daddy why are you crying?"

there go the waterworks...more tears slip down jake's face 🥺😭

"because i'm happy!"

"people cry when they are sad! like when uncle fanboy loses to uncle payback!"

"HEY! kid, i thought you were on my side"

"so, i'm your dad now, huh?"

"forever and ever and ever and ever!"

how could you have gotten so lucky...

you're sitting here in the middle of the hard deck with your family. a family when realization hits. you had a loving husband, and a father, and a child that brightened up your world, and you couldn't have asked for anything more. you finally found someone that wanted forever and wasn't one to back away

now for some more cute moments post-birthday celebration

you take max to base every day right

and hangman will carry him on his shoulders all the time

if he's not done with his flight or workout or whatever, maverick takes his place

or his fairy godmother :)

as soon as he lands, max takes off at the speed of light and goes barreling towards him (how tf is the kid so FAST)

as hangman picks him up he looks at you and says "can we please have another kid. please"

"i want a sister! tell her, daddy!"

"see, the little man agrees"

sorry this ending was so awful i genuinely apologize...

tags, including people who may be interested: @totomoshi​ @sarcastic-sourwolf​ @sebastianstangirl01​ @altheadarling​ @ellabellabus07​ @hay-9105​ @purelyfiction​ @93joons​ @criminalyetminimal​ @yeehawnana​ @lunamoonbby​ @hazelgirl355​ @multifandom-fangirl4​ @paintballkid711​ @lyn-lc​ @whatlovegattado​ @azari-anna​ @thelifeofthelifeofme​ @lets-be-gay-for-the-angel​ @quivvyintheclouds @phoenixhalliwell @winteryoungie @mychoso @lt-b-rooster-bradshaw​ @jenny-riversmith​ @krisitzeneva​ @daethsticks​ @sithwidow​ @rosie-posie1313​ @sadpetalsstuff​ @glossydi0r​ @i-simp-much​ @hay-9105​ @meeeeees-stuff​ @sweetdayme4427​ @unicornlover92​ @intrxde​ @rhiannon-russo​ @dolce-clout​ @theghost1345​ @baby-girl-e​ @greatbigshiningstar​ @joyfulbookreviewmarvelspy @julia-marshal @anya7802 @bittergomez @and-claudia @newlibrary @cosm1cfae

sorry if this doesn't seem updated! some tags include ppl who were tagged in part 1 of this blurb mini-series. if you'd like to be added to the taglist, comment or add yourself to the tgm taglist here!

[a-memory-a-distant-echo]

ok, you know what, fuck it, fic recs post. historically i try not to rec works in progress or things i haven't commented on and i'm throwing that fully out the window for this because honestly, fucking whatever.

if you're on this list and i haven't been fully unhinged at you in the comments, please know that it's because (1) i'm the worst and (2) i'm trying desperately to calibrate so i hit 'enthusiastic' and not 'kind of frightening, actually'. i swear that i have written at least several sentences of a comment for every fic on this list, it's just that i'm genuinely impossibly slow, sometimes. it's me, not you.

my previous rec post is here, in case you missed that. as a bonus, special for this rec list and as a concession to the horrors, i am attempting to guess how much any given fic will fuck up the average person. obviously this is a ymmv kind of situation, but i'm trying, at least?

everything else under a cut because i am longwinded.

and found by @dangerouscommiesubversive, explicit, every possible combination of di feisheng/fang duobing/li lianhua | li xiangyi; bless, but i am not typing all that out. starting off with a wip where i haven't left a comment in like four fuckin' chapters, breaking those rules real good. this fic is a fucking ride. i will admit that i wasn't entirely convinced by the premise when i saw the blurb, but i am nothing if not willing to admit when i was wrong, and i was—once again—totally wrong. this is the fic where i was like 'ok but…is anyone really, like, desperate for gen z li xiangyi?' and then i read it and i was like 'ohhhhhh fuck yeah, ok, i get it, i was actually fully desperate for gen z li xiangyi.' he is. such a little prick. i love him. there has been something unexpected and delightful in every single chapter of this so far, plus a number of impressively memorable one-liners. this fic is fun and distracting and at least as of chapter seven, i'm gonna say it's not even gonna fuck you up. (please note that this is only through chapter seven!)

and the days are bright red by @junemermaid, explicit, di feisheng/fang duobing/li lianhua. rip to my beloved tumblr mutual @junemermaid, because they're getting called out twice in this list, but: tough. this fic is so delightful. featuring: memories of slut era li lianhua, the mortifying ordeal of being known, an entire box of historically accurate sex toys, fang duobing and di feisheng communicating (sometimes silently) in a way that unsettles li lianhua (back from his months-long sojourn), some very hot sex that is both very much about sex and also about trust and being perceived, casual intimacy, and fledgling tenderness. there are Emotions in this, and they get moderately intense, but it's a very kind and surprisingly gentle feel-good fic.

a drink under a clear window by @momosandlemonsoda, explicit, di feisheng/fang duobing and fang duobing/qiao wanmian. a fic that tackles the dreaded v-shaped polycule and makes it work. it seems like perhaps it shouldn't: fang duobing as the hinge, with di feisheng and qiao wanmian on either side, but actually it works perfectly, and is a lovely little glimpse at who they could become and the relationships they could have. i love the thought of qiao wanmian having come into her own as a leader in her own right, as more than just the representative of the ghost of li xiangyi, and this does a wonderful job of letting her be her own person. also, yes, ok, passing fang duobing back and forth like a party favour. this is a post-canon fic in which li lianhua is dead, but the fic itself a straightforward delight that is not at all fucky uppy.

the floating clouds, no resting place, again by @junemermaid (not sorry), technically gen and no ship, but functionally pre-di feisheng/fang duobing/li lianhua. the hair-washing fic. ohhhhhh. i started jotting notes for this post the day that i finished this fic, and i really thought that they were in any way comprehensive, but instead, what i typed and left as a note to myself was this:

and honestly. you're right, hypothetical reader, that doesn't totally make sense, but i stand by it regardless, because i apparently had that thought in [checks date i last saved the file] fucking august, and i'm still nodding along with myself. that is that this is like. this fic is very beautiful and will make you ache and will leave you slightly better at the end of it than you were at the beginning. it may also make you cry; this seems to me a fair enough trade.

the floating lotus by @anndramarama, not rated, di feisheng/li xiangyi. pre-canon stuff doesn't always work super well for me, but i really enjoyed this one, featuring di feisheng and li xiangyi when they're both so young and arrogant and full of themselves—and stupid and naïve and young and almost hopeful in a way that they're often not, in fic, for all that they were barely but children at the point of the donghai fight. they just seem…vulnerable, i guess, in this, in a way that i find touching. seasonal bonus: a ghost story, of a sort. given that this is set pre-canon, i think it's hard to come in any softer than bittersweet, which this very much is.

from here one's hand could pluck the stars by @howlingmoonrise, explicit, di feisheng/fang duobing. sex pollen fic! also featuring, a little surprisingly, given the premise, incredibly explicit and enthusiastic consent. look, this does what it says on the tin. di feisheng gets sex pollened. fang duobing is left to stay with him. the obvious ensues. unfortunately, it is also devastatingly charming? fang duobing is earnest and sweet; di feisheng is suffering beautifully terribly and trying so hard not to impose on fang duobing. they're both trying so hard to be respectful of what the other person needs, but they're also still bratty and argumentative and exasperated/exasperating, and it's very entertaining. this will fuck you up none percent, and may even make you laugh.

my war is done by @orchisailsa, explicit, di feisheng/fang duobing/li lianhua. another wip, with the first of three chapters posted, but please understand that this chapter is nearly 15k and so fucking good and compelling. li lianhua lives! and returns to find that things have changed in his absence, and perhaps that he has also changed in his absence, and now wants things that he had told himself he didn't mind not even having to lose. bonus: road trip and—delight!—only one room at the inn. also some other stuff that i'm not spoiling, but that made me absolutely gleeful. this is definitely a work in progress, and while i don't think there's anything particularly upsetting in the chapter, it does end on something of a cliffhanger. i personally do not feel that this is an upsetting cliffhanger, given the information about the fic that's presented in the tags, but it is technically a cliffhanger.

awkward paragraph break, but it's also important, i think, to mention the absolutely stunning (and not at all safe for work) companion piece to my war is done, you'd be there calling my name, by saki the cup bearer, who i don't think is on tumblr. it's fucking incredible; i am very decidedly not an artist but i cannot begin to imagine how much effort went into this. just. holy shit.

not unlike him in shape and form by @philologicalbat, explicit, fang duobing/li lianhua. ok look. i fucking love when things are deeply emotionally messy, and this is so emotionally messy. li lianhua who's been attracted to fang duobing and not doing anything about it, then discovering that fang duobing is shan gudao's son and is very much going to do something about it. he wants in this, and he's cunty and manipulative and mean about it, and sometimes also almost sweet, almost tender, and i love that, because i feel like li lianhua is very often an object of desire and very rarely gets to desire. i love how human he gets to be in this fic. this is not a sweet or gentle fic, but it does end in a moderately tender place that is tentatively hopeful, i think.

unbecoming heir by @bettercostume, explicit, di feisheng/princess zhaoling. i am taking your hand in mine and begging you to trust me. i know what this fic looks like. it's noncon and a weird pairing and you might look at it and expect it to go in the obvious direction and: it does not. this fic is so good that it makes me angry. it makes me miserable and everyone in this fic is trying so miserably, miserably hard, and it's fucking devastating. i spent literally thirty minutes earlier today yelling at my wife about it. i cannot rec this fic strongly enough. this is not a happy fic, but it is a good fic. it will absolutely fuck you up. this is very complimentary but also you will be fucked up.

until you are its primary evidence by @ilgaksu, mature, di feisheng/fang duobing/li lianhua. the single most effective use of what is effectively a prologue that i've ever seen in fic, are you kidding me. this fic is nothing at all like what i expected it to be, and is something far better than what i could have imagined. it's fang duobing's point of view, which is a rarity already, and it's so well done, and it allows him so much humanity and so much anger and grace alike. there are so many tricky things about this fic—the prologue, the fact that it's set in the amnesia arc, fang duobing's pov, the fact that it actually addresses canonical disabilities and illnesses without being fucking weird about it, the tension between the three of them—and it's all balanced so well. this has some emotionally heavier moments but ends tentatively happily; tentative only because it's set during the amnesia arc, and, well. we know what comes next.

as a final note: if you wrote one of these fics and feel that i've wildly misinterpreted the emotional tenor of the ending, please message me in whatever way you prefer and i will correct it. i would not normally presume to guess how things are likely hit people, as i am in many ways not anyone's ideal reader, but today it seemed like it was kinder to at least try.

[i-am-a-l0st-gh0st]

Dainsleif x gnreader- day 14

summary- Dainsleif has this massive crush on you but refuses to tell you, so Lumine tries to help t/w- dainsleif being kinda cute ig, occ dainsleif??? a/n- Dainsleifs is the type of man to get flustered if you like an inch away.

Flufftober 2024

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Lumine pov

Lumine had noticed something happening between you and Dainsleif. She'd been trying everything to get the both of you together. However, Dainsleif was incredibly dense and sometimes you had to blunty day things to his face for him to understand them.

Lumine had seen the way you looked at each other. Dain looked at you like a lost puppy who had found his owner. And you seemed to treat him like he meant everything to you. She'd been trying for months to get the both of you.

"Dainsleif, please for the love of the archons, just ask them out please."

"Lumine, you know they're just a friend."

"Oh, my archons Dain! You're joking, right? You look at them like they are your entire world!"

"No, I don't."

"Uh, yeah, you do."

"Well, maybe a little."

"Is that all? A little."

"Fine, a lot." Lumine saw the blush creep up his cheeks.

She chuckled in delight. "I knew it. I'm gonna help you get with them."

"Fine."

Y/n pov

Little did they know you had been listening in from the corner. You'd walked in on the conversation and quickly hid before either noticed. It was good that he liked you back, and honestly, you'd realised a little while ago. He could hide most of his emotions well, just not the ones he had little experience in.

You walked around the corner with a smile on your face and lumine and Dainsleif stopped their slight bickering. Dainsleif's face was as red as a chilli. Lumine greeted you and returned the smile. She threw a little look at Dainsleif.

"So y/n how much did you hear."

"Quite a lot." You chuckled and Dainsleif sunk further into an imaginary shell.

"Good, I'll leave you two be then." Lumine walked away with a skip in her step.

You sat down next to Dainsleif who would barely even look you in the eyes. Archons did he fluster easily.

"So? You like me a bit. Wait no you said a lot." You chuckled.

"Yeah. I do."

"Well, good news. I feel the same way."

His head popped up after being buried in his hands. He actually looked you in the eyes this time.

"You- you do?"

"You got lucky." You wrapped an arm around his shoulder pulling him closer to you.

He softened into your touch and rested his head on your shoulder. You could feel him breathe a sigh of relief. All the tension in his body seemed to go away just as he touched you.

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

i need to share the absolute fucking Experience i had playing minecraft tonight. i'm gonna be emotional about it for days

so me and my friends like to play on this server that's pretty much just a bunch of minigames. one of them is Murder Mystery - of a group of - i think its 13/14 people - one person is randomly selected as the murderer (spawns with a sword), the other as the sheriff (spawns with a bow). the rest are innocent. the innocents can gain a bow by collecting coins. no one knows anyone's status unless the player shows their sword/bow. i'm doing a quest where, in order to get points, i need to kill the murderer.

so as the game start countdown begins, me and my pal are checking out this Red Link skin. it's pretty neat! we're all crouching and punching at each other, as one does. i feel a connection form with Red Link. we're buddies now. we're in this together.

so we're all running around the map. every time i see Red Link, we crouch and punch at each other. the game is going fine, we're having fun. i'm delighted that i've made a one-game friend.

then my friend says that Red Link is the murderer, and i literally have a hard time believing it. Red Link? my Red Link? no, they must be mistaken. we were together at the start. they had ample opportunities to kill me. it can't be Red Link. but whoever the murderer killed was the sheriff, and i needed to complete the quest - picking up the sheriff tombstone grants me the bow.

so i run, trying to find it, and i turn the corner.

there Red Link was, standing at the end of the hall, by the tombstone, with a sword in hand. i froze. i was so upset - not Red Link! not my dear companion! i was so sure that was it.

but i walked forward anyway, thinking that maybe if i dodged around them, grabbed the bow, and turned and shot fast enough, i could get them. the thought was actually distressing! Red Link didn't put the sword away. they watched me slowly approach. we stood on either side of the tombstone, and i expected Red Link to cut me down. i was well within reach of their sword.

Red Link calmly, still looking at me, moved to the side and past me. i panicked and grabbed the bow, ran to the corner, turned and drew - Red Link was already at the other end of the hall, running away. i didn't want to shoot, but i needed the kill - who knows when i'd get an opportunity to complete the quest again. it's a tough one.

i missed, thank fuck, but man. i was in shock. i thought i was a goner.

then, after the game where awards are given - the murderer, who killed them, who collected the most coins - i went up to Red Link and crouched. they crouched back.

then they left the game.

[elvhensinner]

Regarding a request could you do one where the reader cheats on Sana with Nayeon and Sana finds out and decides to cuck the reader as revenge? Like Nayeon gives better blowjobs and Sana shows the reader she is better by getting facefucked in front of him.

she knew

you knew she knew

if she didn't, then you would've came home to your princess waiting to relieve the stresses of your day

your receive a call with an I.D. that flooded your brain with all the memories of your shitty highschool

Grant, your phone reads. The centerpoint of your adolescent misery.

Worried sick about Sana, and mad at yourself for taking the plunge with Nayeon were 2 deadly emotions that moved you to answer the call with the intention of ripping Grant's head off.

A good punching bag to relieve your stress.

Face time

"SANA!" you exclaim

As if you were on mute, Sana simply continues fixing her hair up into pig tails

"Sana, baby, please come home... I know you kn-"

"Is that him? Hey mr. big shot. I guess dating one celebrity wasn't enough huh? You just had to shoot your shot with another one."

You almost forgot that it was Grant who called you, not your beloved Shiba.

"I remember you told me how much your bully was sexually active at such a young age. So, to hopefully get on par with Nayeon-unnie, I'm gonna have him teach me how to give head like a real slut."

Your lips throw out every word you know. Protests, pleads, and provocation. Nothing worked. Sana simply mutes you and places the phone for you to have a good view of her "lessons"

"So, how do you want to star-gRRHPPCKK" Sana instantly gags from Grant's entrance

"The japanese princess, Minatozaki Sana on my cock... Fuuuuckkk" Grant said, not giving Sana the courtesy of slowing down and letting her get used to his fat shaft.

Your girlfriend taps on his thigh the moment he fully bottoms out her mouth.

Sana coughs, heaves, and catches her breath, as Grant giggles in delight.

"Good giirl~ You're such a good girl, I don't know why that wuss ever thought you weren't enough

"Well, we actually do things slow in the bedroom. I'm not used to-gRRHHPCKK" in comes Grant's cock again, certainly not interested in what your girl has to say.

Unable to do anything, you watch your girl's spit stain your bully's crotch, stain the skin around her face, and stain the carpet she kneels on.

For what seemed like an eternity, Grant uses the girl you professed your feelings to as a mere object of his desire.

Her tears weighed down the mascara towards her cheeks.

Those pigtails were nothing but tools for Grant to decrease the lag between Sana's rest periods.

You would've given the world in exchange for erasing the memory of Sana's struggled gurgles and gags.

Sana thought this would've been fun. It would've been a nice punishment for you to watch your own bully teach her how to give head.

What she didn't anticipate was Grant's bullish behaviour with treating women.

This wasn't what she wanted.

And you saw that through her eyes, side-eyeing the phone.

Partly screaming for help

and partly screaming "the reason I'm being facefucked is because of you".

[interestofthemonth]

I want Alastor to care about the rest of the cast but, like, in the same genre of fucked up that he always is.

Al was an only child. An only child that, lets face it, probably wasn't playing with the other kids at recess. Whatever toys he was given were his and his alone. So obviously this boy grew up into a man that simply does not comprehend the concept of sharing.

The Hotel is his newest toy box and he likes these puppets much more than he bargained for. From the jump, he's brought in his two other favorite possessions: Niffty whose company he truly does seem to enjoy & Husk whose life he delights in making difficult. I'm not trusting one ounce of his sentimentality from Hells Greatest Dad, however what if there's an underlying hint of truth there? He wants/needs Charlie for something bigger down the line but what if there is an attachment now? What if he messed up his ulterior plans a bit by actually liking his prey? We don't see much of their dynamic in the show thus far, but as others have pointed out him and Angel probably have some overlap from their human lives. Listening to the same music of the time, the same dance crazes, the same fads + fashions. Let the sex worker and asexual be friends you cowards. I think an episode between him and Vaggie would be fascinating. I personally think Al is gonna break a little bit when they eventually find out that souls CAN be saved. Respectively, Vaggie is probably gonna be absolutely crushed about it given her history (while trying to still look happy that Charlie was right). Grappling with their conflicting emotions together would be beautiful and thematic. I can already envision the passive aggressive relationship that him and Lucifer are gonna be having going forward. So many metaphorical dick measuring contests. But at the end of the day, they have the same goal: protect the hotel. And that makes them allies (and coparents).

He doesn't care for others. But he does take care of his possessions. And he doesn't particularly like others touching his things.

[positivelybeastly]

X-Men #1

So. The big day!

Let's go.

Absolutely adore that it takes Hank the space of one panel to get Chief Robbins to go from shouting in surprise to smiling at him. Hank is honestly just effortlessly charming, and it really shows here.

This entire first issue is very Morrison in terms of continuity, with what I'm pretty sure is even a direct callback to New X-Men #115.

Feral bash brother and sister Magik and Juggernaut will never not make me smile. I'm genuinely so here for them to be a chaotic gremlin BrOTP in this series.

So jazzed for Idie to get some spotlight again. Outside of WatXM and her role in the Krakoan Exiles, she really hasn't gotten a lot of love, and I very much enjoyed her turn as the Storm of the team, deploying ice cover for the combat landing.

Glob Herman, you will always be iconic. Also, Hank, you're enjoying yourself entirely too much.

"B-But my husband lost his job at the Lockheed Martin factory where they make the bombs that cut children into a billion pieces! Won't you please think of our jerbs?!"

No.

Jesus Christ. Literally taking it out of him in chunks. Last time I saw Logan fucked up this badly by someone with a knife, it was in X-Force, and it was - oh. Oh yeah. Oops.

Well, anyway!

Always here for telepathic relay bullshit. There's something really just delightful about the sentence 'Dumping them into the common knowledge pool.' It's just very Morrison.

John Sublime and the U-Men . . .

I love supportive, nurturing Scott. Legitimately one of the best hats that Scott gets to wear. Also, rebound shots are always fucking cool.

That refraction is cool shit. There's just a lot of really neat visual flair going on in the combat, and it shows rather than tells us that Scott really is just as good as Hank hypes him up to be.

Cute.

One: who the hell put that needlework up on the wall? Because that's brilliant. I desperately want to see a "Bless this Mess," or a "Live, Laugh, Love," at some point.

Two: Hank bakes! He bakes Jewish shortbread! I wonder if MacKay knows that Hank speaks fluent Yiddish and decided to expand that to a wider interest in Jewish culture and food? Fucking cool shit.

OIHEPOAIGHSDAP[OUIHGOUHG

ADE[OIGHJEADPOUIGHSGOIUH

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS.

This is so good.

That one-two punch of Hank's burning, bristling fury at his previous self for denying himself the pleasure of Krakoa as well as denying him his memories of it, and the meaningful nod in the direction of X-Force, is so fucking good.

This is exactly how I figured Hank would react, and, like, I'm not gonna go ahead and say Jed MacKay is an amazing writer just because he writes Hank like I do, but fuck, it sure as hell makes me happy!

I also really like Stegman's art here because it evokes a simple fact of Hank's appearance - he's meant to be slightly uncanny and scary and able to switch from cuddly teddy bear to beast on a dime. The Morrison is strong here, the pleasant, bubbling layer of frothy cultured genius hiding a whirlpool of complicated emotions and self-hatred, and I couldn't be more enthralled.

I can't believe I'm actually getting acknowledgement of the fact that the rest of X-Force was just as complicit in what Beast did as he was, and that they do not, in fact, get a free fucking pass for being shitheads who did morally bankrupt things on a whim.

Giggling. Squealing. Kicking my feet.

Hims.

Hank is so deeply tired of Max's shit, I love it. "This is the fourth time this week you've pulled the intimidating hover chair flex on a passing human, Max, are you going to get tired of it eventually?"

Hank is rolling his eyes at this. God, what a good voice for Magneto here, honestly, and a decent continuation of the whole Ewing retcon about how 60s Magneto's characterisation fits into the wider whole.

Hank is the open hand. Scott is the fist. Max is the sleeping dragon. God, what a fucking good trinity, I adore it.

"Henry has a soft touch. He always has."

I've run out of image space, but Magneto's, "Tell me he will die on a mission soon," in response to Quentin is hilarious.

Genuinely adore the quiet moment on the roof between Hank and Scott. It's so nice to see these two as friends again, like it all never changed. I'm deeply curious to see if the knowledge of X-Force and everything that happened will change how the rest of the team views Hank, or if Hank's the only one who holds that against himself, but regardless, it's nice to see these two just kicking it with some beers.

Love the power move of leaving the Sentinel looming, midway through powering up its laser, over the town for a bit. "Don't forget, you owe us, we don't owe you."

That teaser is nice and ominous, even if it doesn't mean a ton just yet.

Overall, really good #1! I'm intensely excited to see where the rest of the run takes us, even if we do have to wait until August to see the next part.

Now, to go make caps . . .

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

Fireside Friendship [Mando x GN!Reader]

Warnings and Information: No real age rating for this one. This is just good, wholesome fluff where you and Mando go camping between one of his bounties under the guise of "survival training" for Grogu. No real indication on what season of the show. One brief moment of panic on Mando's part when Grogu goes temporarily "missing". Helmet stays on. Campfire games/stories. No description of Reader's gender or looks [If I've slipped up, kindly let me know]. Second person POV. Some swearing.

I haven't watched The Last of Us, but can you spot the nod to it?

Word-count: 3,700

This little one had an amusing proclivity for trouble. For the fifth time in as many minutes, with delighted babbling, the little green child started chasing after another three-eyed amphibian he'd spotted. You found the boy adorable; those big, sweet eyes, and ears that moved with his emotions, the six curious little fingers that demanded to touch every little thing this galaxy had to offer. 

Even things that would make him sick, like this frog with a powerful hallucinogenic compound that it was capable of secreting through its skin as a defensive measure.

That was not something his guardian wanted to deal with or find out of it most effective topically, or worse yet, orally. The gleaming beskar and dark t-visor of the man's helmet whipped around in a blink. He dropped an item back into the supply crate, calling out sharply over the vocoder. "No, Grogu-!" 

While the little one's legs were short, he could be surprisingly fast. You were faster. Swooping him up yet again before he reached the gurgling banks of the little river, you turned a deaf ear to the protestful whines and fussing. "Gotcha, ya little womprat. Stop wandering off, kiddo. And I'm not putting you down. Gonna give him a heart attack." You weren't falling for his pity-me coos anymore.

The exasperated huff of an exhale was probably meant for you this time more so than the other half of Clan Mudhorn. Up until recent days, you were unaware that Clans could be so small.

"What," you tease, guessing that underneath the helmet, you're being given a very pointed glare, "you think I don't hear how worried you get?" Another huff. Softer, this time. His shoulders go slack. 

"You're welcome, by the way." you add, playfully bouncing the little guy in your arms. The action makes him erupt in a peal of giggles and squeals. Gloved fingers now go limp along with the rest of him as he watches the child, "Thank you," his arms reach out now, "I can take him." 

You shake your head softly, holding Grogu gently to your chest, and the little one leans into the gesture. Large eyes peer over in the direction of the beskar-clad figure, a silent plea, or perhaps an effort of persuasion, that Grogu wishes to remain with you a moment longer. "It's okay. I've got him. You can go ahead and take care of what you need. I'll keep Grogu entertained." You promise, carefully dropping onto your butt and tucking your legs under you in a comfortable manner to hold the endlessly curious little lifeform in your arms as long as his guardian needed.

A third huff, but this time, full of gratitude and relief. "Thank you… I guess that would make getting everything ready a lot easier." You nod silently to say of course. You'd been happy to help when he stopped at the local cantina and asked if there was anyone he could hire to take him to a safe but secluded part of the forest on this planet. You'd been happy to give him your name, which he rarely used, strangely, and learn his “nickname” in kind when you asked who was looking to hire you. You'd been happy to meet the "little one" he'd spoken of when he led you back to his ship after the "contract" (just for formality's sake) was completed. You'd been happy to spend these last few days guiding this man and his… son, perhaps, through what was practically your backyard. 

You knew this forest well. All the best spots for trapping and hunting and fishing. The gentlest rivers for soaking your feet to cool off. The gusty clearings that were rife with docile native fauna. So when the drink-slinger who worked the joint day in and day out told him "Your best bet is taking them along. They've lived out here all their life." and this Mandalorian, clad in stoic beskar and a helmet he's never once removed in your presence, didn't need more convincing than that. 

Continuing to gently bounce Grogu in your arms, you look over to the hired gun who hired you for a guide. "May I ask you a question?" He's stacking and unstacking items in the cached supply crate. You wonder what he's looking for, but it's not what you have in mind to ask. "About you." you add.

There's no pause in his work when he answers you. "I suppose."

"Your helmet? Do-"

"I took a Creed." he fires off, all too quickly. In a low breath, Mando as you've been calling him offers an uttered apology. He's a little tired after the day's hike in his armor. He shouldn't have lost his temper with you, it wasn't exactly fair of him. He's sorry. 

"Easy…" you laugh, attempting to placate the surge of his temper, "I figured there's gotta be a reason by now, Mando. It's really none of my business why. I just wanted to know if you ever found it uncomfortable to sleep with your helmet on, or if you've accounted for that with specialized padding."

You believe the question surprises him. That perhaps for once in many a blue moon someone isn't asking him to remove his helmet, or why he wears it. That you acknowledge why he wears it is none of your business. "'Specialized'-?" Mando shakes his head, chuckling softly. It's perhaps the first time he's done so without it being directed at Grogu. "No. Not really. It's something you learn to get used to, in my way of life, after you've sworn the Creed." 

You nod. "Fair enough. May I ask another?" He simply nods this time, turning back to the crate. "Just what are you doing in the cache? You've been sorting it out since we got here." 

His search halts when he finds three ration packs to bring back to the future fireside. "Trying to find what's freshest for us to eat."

"Oh, that's kind of you, but you don't have to worry about freshness too much," you chuckle, "it'll all be less than a standard month old. I stock these caches myself. They're for anyone to use. Hunters, fishers… people who just want to go camping. Even mercenaries. I've been doing this for a long time." you say with a little gesture of your hand, indicating the pines and the cache and the fire pit you've dug. 

His head and the helmet with it tilts softly to the left. "Is there anything you don't do? You agree to help strangers, hike three days out into a remote forest, and have helped me show Grogu how to survive. Or, try to." Grogu breaks into a gurgle-y laugh at the mention of his name, little hands straining hard to reach over to Mando. "He… might have been too young for this after all. Grogu probably sees this as some sort of fun camping trip."

It's the most Mando's spoken in a while. He's more a man of action than words, you suppose. You're okay with that. "Well… Leave the planet, I guess. I've been here my whole life. The Empire doesn't care to come here, either." Mando just nods to show he understands as he joins you on the forest floor, Grogu now settled in his lap. 

You're okay with the fact he mostly communicates through nods, shakes, expressive hand gestures or single-shouldered shrugs. Perhaps he doesn't interact with others regularly, not like this. It's your understanding that Mando is a bounty hunter; you've just never heard of one that traveled with a child. That's not exactly a profession one takes with the intention to make friends in mind. But he was polite, courteous, and civil; at least, if Mando didn't see you as a threat to himself or Grogu. 

You'd seen how fast he whipped the IB-94 blaster from the holster at the first whiff of perceived trouble. Someone had been snooping around his ship, eyeing the landing struts. Mando transformed into a whole new person before your eyes.

Cold. Calculated. Dangerous. The soft voice under the vocoder was now a sharpened knife, the chilling threat of an experienced mercenary. 

"Back off. That's my ship." Mando had frozen up when you planted your palm on top of the '94 and directed the business end to the dusty landing strip. 

"Hey-hey, that's just Maj. Maj knows his way around a fair number of ships since he spent a lot of time on Tatooine in one of the trade ports; he's only seeing if you need repairs." 

The weapon was holstered just as smoothly as it had been unholstered, but the act of returning it was slower than the retrieval. "... Apologies. Does Maj speak Huttese? There is one repair I would allow him to make." 

"He does, yes." 

By the time you, Mando and Grogu would make it back to the place you called home, the cantina and shipyards, Maj would have the starship fit for flying. Fit for the next bounty, wherever it would be for this gun for hire. That'd be another two days, if you really took your time to hike out of these woods. Or, if you had to constantly mind Grogu, making sure he didn't wander off in search of tasty goodies every three minutes. 

The little lifeform's appetite seemed bottomless. You'd never seen such a species before, so you couldn't tell if this tiny thing was always this voracious, or if he was entering some kind of growth spurt soon. Curiously, Mando didn't know either. 

"I don't know what his species is. He was… originally a bounty. A job. But I got attached. So I took him back." was all Mando had to say on that particular matter. It left you to speculate as you got the fire started, and Mando cautiously let Grogu clamber from his lap and gingerly toddle about. 

Back, hm? Wonder what exactly that entailed. 

But really, it wasn't any of your business. He clearly cared for Grogu, glancing at the little one every few seconds with a minute movement as he shuffled through the sparse grass of the clearing this river cuts through. 

"Do you need more tinder?" Mando offered between glances at the child, watching you feed the growing flame with measured breaths after you had announced you wanted to get the fire going before nightfall. 

"This is plenty." you assured him. Through the dark, impassable visor, you could tell Mando was watching the movement of your hands, the clues of confidence in your craft as you fanned the flames higher. "There. Should be able to get some water from the river and boil it for the rations, now."

"Boil water?" 

"Yes," you replied, "you grabbed stew rations on purpose, right?" 

The sharp twitch of his head read as surprise. His voice was full of pauses. "I wasn't aware that's what these were. Are they… any good?" 

You offered a smile and a shrug. "It's food. It'll fill your belly. It'll keep you warm. That's the only thing I could hope for out here, if my situation was dire." you answered truthfully. "Thankfully, it's not. The stew has a nice, savory flavor to it. The little one might like it." Glancing around, you note that Grogu has wandered off, away from the radius of light that breaks up the deepening shadows while the sun slinks below the horizon. He's now by the river again where the grass is much taller, fuller.

Mando, however, does not immediately see the child. "Grogu? … Dank farrik, I should have kept an eye on him. Grogu? Grogu!" 

Pausing in his play, Grogu answers with a soft Wah? while his hands are in water up to the wrist, previously splashing around. The sleeves of his tan clothing are sopping wet. 

You're beginning to wonder how much visibility that visor affords Mando. Or if he's just so panicked he's not thinking clearly. "Where is he?" You lay a steady hand on a beskar-plated knee as you get up and dust down the seat of your pants and your own knees. With an assuring smile, you call over to Grogu that he needs to stay put. Turning back to Mando, you say, "I kept an eye on Grogu, he's by the river. I'll get him and some water to boil." 

For a brief moment, you wish you could see the relief, the realization that Grogu is safe, across every feature of his face. But the helmet stays on. And the helmet will stay on even when it comes time to eat.

"How's your stew?" Your head is turned like you would call over your shoulder, but you look out straight ahead into a living sea of bark and twig and leaf. There are soft spots of dancing, pulsating light off in the distance. 

Fireflies. 

Such a fascinating spectacle. What a shame their numbers are in decline… Rumors about some kind of great sickness wiping them out, slowly, surrounds them. All very strange and confusing. 

Much like the man you currently have your back to so he could eat in relative comfort. The most you'd seen of the man beneath the beskar was the lower jaw, which had afforded you a few clues. Facial hair. A tanned complexion. From there, you could probably deduce a few more physical characteristics. Likely dark, curled hair, if he had it. Brown eyes, maybe hazel. 

"Decent." Mando offers after speaking in a soft voice to Grogu. He speaks little with the helmet on. Even less when he has it inched high enough to eat and sip from the ration pouch by tipping the end just high enough to let gravity assist him. "Grogu likes it." 

"Oh good." you return to staring straight ahead, out into trees at the edge of the clearing. You'd seen something creeping slowly in the distance while the water had boiled, something large and stocky and hooved. 

"What is that?" 

"Not a threat. It's docile. The most dangerous thing in this forest is you, me, and the youngest member of Clan Mudhorn." You'd teased. 

That's when you learned that Grogu was fifty. It was Mando who was the youngest, technically speaking. 

Mando calls your name softly. "What's so funny?" 

"Oh, just… Grogu being fifty. Again." 

Mando sighs sharply and repeats your name with a disapproving tone. You get the sense he's not truly upset or annoyed with you for giggling to yourself for the sixth time, but more surprised. In his own way. Much like he'd been about the helmet. Surprised by how… refreshing it felt to simply have his answer taken as it was. No follow-up questions. No insistent reassurance that he could simply just break his Creed and shed his helmet, his anonymity, the face that was perhaps safest to show the galaxy. 

Nothing other than acknowledging that you have no entitlement to picking apart the minutiae of him. His helmet. His identity. It spoke of your character. He appreciated that about you. 

He speaks your name again. But this time, it's part of a renewed introduction. "My name is Din Djarin." 

"Din Djarin…" you repeat, testing the name on your tongue, and you find it makes you smile as you release that last syllable, "it has been a very nice, but long three days getting to know you, even if I couldn't help you with Grogu's survival training." There's a hand on your shoulder, the cue that you're welcome to turn around now; he's reset the helmet on his head, and now he's ready to repeat the process of the last few nights by the fire. 

Silly little stories. Childish little games. Simple things to pass the time until the siren song of sleep was too much for the little one's eyelids to bear, and he would fall asleep in someone's lap. The first night Grogu had drifted off in Mando's arm, little nose touching the cool metal of the breastplate. The second, Grogu had come to you, mumbling and drooling over your shoulder as you held him while listening to the story behind their clan signet. Who he would choose tonight remained to be seen. 

"What would you like to do?" you ask, tucking your feet comfortably under you. Realistically, only so many campfire games worked with just two people who were old enough and capable of talking, and only one of them with a visible face. And the sort of tall tales and oral retellings typically told over flame tended to take on a moodier, unsettling tone. Scary stories would only serve to make Grogu sleepless and antsy. 

"We could play a question game." Mando suggests, hands swinging out to his left and his right as he shrugs. Like he's showing you he's unarmed. "Easy enough to abandon. Simply just… talk." 

"Good idea, uh… Could I call you Din? Would you be alright with that? Feels a little strange to keep calling you "Mando" now that you shared your name with me." 

"I suppose." Din answers with your name, and you can hear the change in his voice that happens when you believe he's smiling. "You first." 

You ponder on what you'll ask him first. Nothing intrusive. Nothing too prying. Your goal is to ask questions that are just innocuous, innocent, and general. "Do you have a favorite color, Din?" It's such an easy, throw-away sort of question, that it surprises you when he takes a minute to mull it over. 

"I'm not sure. Just one color?" 

"Okay," you concede, "you're welcome to go with more than one if you'd like." 

Din's fingers fold over one another, hands tucking under the chin. "Does chrome count as a color? I'm kidding-!" he says before you would have the chance to say anything, "Maybe it's easy to guess why I'd say green. And red; but not the Empire's red. What're yours?" You don't have to spend quite as long nibbling your bottom lip in thought. You tell him it's the color that makes up most of your wardrobe, and the color you painted your bedroom walls in, or wished that you could. Something about the color made you feel good inside. Made you smile. 

A memory from a long time ago with a very important, special person in your life was connected to it, too.

It was Din's turn to ask the question before you were to answer, and then turn it back to him so he could answer it himself; that's how this game worked. "If you knew you had all the credits, fuel and supplies to get you there, no matter how far away it is from here, what planet would you go visit?" 

Wow. You weren't sure. "Just enough to get me there? Or would I have enough to get there, and also then come back to this planet?"

"You'd also have enough to come back here, if that's what you wanted, yes." Din assured you. "Your home planet clearly means a lot to you."

Boy, did it ever. The prospect of never returning, the mere idea, wasn't something you'd ever thought of much. Yes, you want to go explore some part of the galaxy, maybe some distant day, but it's just not on the table for you, currently. 

"Well… maybe some place with something new to experience. Like, um… what's a planet without forests?" Din listed off a few planets and their respective sectors from memory, some you'd heard, others you hadn't. "Maybe I'd visit one of those first. What about you; where would you go?" 

Din hesitated to answer, hands dropping from his helmeted face. "Maybe Aq Vetina. Or Concordia, if I knew for certain either were safe. Definitely somewhere we," he gestures to Grogu (who's been tossing little sticks into the fire under your supervision) and himself, "would be safe from the Empire." 

"Fair enough. I don't like them either. Nosy Imps…" Taking a breath to collect and steady yourself, you shake off the thought of Imperials and their stifling regulations and their banthashit before you return to the game that doesn't really feel like a game. It feels more like you're building a better friendship with this Mandalorian decked out in beskar and packing heat. 

The weapons were a factor of his religion, evidently. That one had been harder to wrap your head around, admittedly, since you had been paid to take him out to a very safe forest with little need for protection against the animals that made their home within it. You really weren't concerned about the other people you might encounter, either. It was spawning season for many of the fish, and fishermen didn't really arm themselves with a slug-thrower or blaster. Just knives, if anything. 

It was now your turn to ask the question both of you would answer. You were struggling to think of anything else but the following: "Do you… have many friends, Din? Or, any?" 

Din answers this one quickly. "It's a short list." 

"Oh yeah? How short?" Both of you don't know it yet, but this is the point your game ends. It's just chatting from here on out until Grogu has decided that he wants to sleep, growing bored enough of you and Din talking about things that don't interest him and not being allowed to wander away from the fire anymore to continue splashing in the river.

Din puts down a number of fingers, holding up both hands deliberately to make certain the number sinks in. 

"That short. Well, I'm not that surprised. Bounty hunters don't exactly make more friends than rivals." you say with a chuckle. "Kinda… sad, in my opinion. You seem like too nice a person for the profession; I think you deserve more friends,  Din Djarin." 

Another gloved finger curls into his palm. 

And with that lilt in his voice as he talks through the vocoder that suggests he's smiling, Din says your name before he speaks seven simple words that warm you to your core more than the fire that sits in the middle-space between each of you.

Words that make you feel just as honored as being the one Grogu decides to fall asleep with.

"Then let's add you to the list."

[Masterlist] [Requests: OPEN]

[ardenrabbit]

Hello!

A Long and Slow Recovery - are we past the halfway point? I am so excited to see how everything turns out. Did you do a lot of research to delve into Xie Lian’s experience with recovery? It’s very well written with regard to his mental and emotional struggles. Also , I just love how you write Hua Cheng and Xie Lian’s interactions.

Those Worthy of Following( new name change!) - I gushed about it in your comment section but need to emphasize how much I love that opening chapter with the dual between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian. And this dynamic, of Hua Cheng being the prince, and Xie Lian being the bodyguard, is A+++. Xie Lian is so calm and kind and powerful. He was so fierce about Hua Cheng not talking down about himself. Like,yes gege, please show your Hua Cheng how precious he is, haha. I ❤️ reading Xie Lian showing his protectiveness of Hua Cheng, even from the man himself. I’m also keen to see how Feng Xin and Mu Qing will take to Xie Lian in this verse too.

Is there anything else you can share about it that’s not spoilers? If not, that’s fine too!

Your writing is just delicious - a pleasure, something to savor and come back to again and again.

Thank you!

Omg thank you so much 💕😭💕 Your comments are always such a delight!! It's so validating and encouraging and I hope you know that!!

We are indeed past the halfway point in alasr! I honestly just kind of know what happens in a big blob with like half a dozen bullet points, so I don't have a final chapter count ready, but Chapter 20 is basically the start of the second half of the story. I originally thought the fic was gonna end at just about the New Year celebration, but it turns out his recovery is taking a lot longer than that, and his recovery isn't even the only one we're dealing with now, so I got ambitious. The premise also uh deserves a little more closure and resolution than that lol, so Arc 2 is gonna be a little higher stakes than we've had so far.

I'm so glad you're enjoying how I'm writing Xie Lian and his recovery! Haha I did research a variety of other conditions and disabilities and read accounts from people who have them, because that's just good research. Honestly, though, inspiration for the vast majority of Xie Lian's mental/emotional struggles have been sourced from firsthand experience :)

I'm mentally and physically disabled and have been my whole life, and I wasn't even diagnosed with anything (I was somehow just diagnosed with Teenager) until I hit rock bottom about it in adulthood. I've gotten to a better place with the mental stuff, but even though it's no longer an active threat to me, my bad days can still leave me nonverbal, disconnected from reality, and sometimes catatonic. The physical stuff has been getting worse over the years, and even though I can still walk independently with a cane when I leave the house (as long as I rest a lot), I still fall down just walking in my own home. I keep having to remember that my chronic pain and fatigue isn't normal, and I keep getting evidence that I'm worse than I thought. I've had to reorganize my life around all of it and I'm uh. Not taking it well lately lol.

So alasr is my self-therapy project. Xie Lian is going to get better and I'm not, and that still kind of pisses me off lol, but it's nice to vent and see someone else get a happy ending. So...yeah, at least writing alasr has helped distract me from my own pity party, and Xie Lian's anger, despair, guilt, and forced optimism are cathartic for me. It's not just about me, though; obviously I'm trying to stay in character for him and write in the context of his specific circumstances. But I guess I relate to sick fic stuff lol

Fully aware that that was a lot of oversharing 💜

But ANYWAY, AS FOR ✨ THOSE WORTHY OF FOLLOWING ✨ I'm so glad you're liking that one so far too!! I craaaaave protective badass Xie Lian and I needed a different brand of angst and drama from alasr for a while lol. I love writing violence tbh. I don't wanna spoil too much, but I definitely wanna confirm this:

TWOF is NOT a post-canon reincarnation fic. I'm personally not up for writing that kind of loss of all their canon experiences. And there are probably some really well-written takes on it! It's just not personally my speed. 😅 This one might seem like a post-canon reincarnation fic in the first couple chapters, but it'll make more sense soon.

It IS angst with a HAPPY ending, I promise!! What I'm planning right now gets really rather sad and it might seem hopeless at some point, but I promise, I'm confident in my plan to make it genuinely happy and fulfilling!

I'm exploring a trope about which I've had some general hangups, but I honestly enjoy taking tropes and tweaking them to my preferences. I think a lot of people can already guess what trope I'm talking about, which is fine with me! If it means the buildup and foreshadowing are working, I'm happy it fits!

What I'm panicking about with this wip is that I've convinced myself that I need to earn a doctorate in Tang Dynasty battle and siege tactics to write it credibly lmao. I spent three hours the other night researching ancient Chinese fire starters and the differences between Han and Tang era tea preparation (to little avail). This one is gonna take a lot of research for my own peace of mind but I hope it pays off!

Mu Qing and Feng Xin are gonna be okay!! Someone commented on ch2 that they liked that Mu Qing got hurt because they hate him and I'm like...I didn't think I'd framed that as a good thing..... 😅 That was something a Bad Guy did.......... 😅😅😅

Thank you so much for your kind comments and all of the fun engagement!! I'm truly so honored that you've enjoyed my writing so far! 💖💖💖

[hauntedwizardmoment]

HI HELLO. here to play dolls. love it here. following up on two of the asks so far: obsessed w/ the adventuring party meeting the clones, first of all. perry/j3 hookups......aurora and j2 having a weird little level of mutual respect that definitely does not herald anything chill about either of them....DAGBERT AND J4 GETTING ALONG....it's everything to me. envisioning some sort of world where the party needs jace to tap back in (such as the setup you gave in the prior ask about porter meeting them) but he's busy with The Plan so he goes okay i can't do that but i can do this instead. and sends along either one or multiple of the clones. and chaos ensues.

ALSO. JACEPORTER BONNIE AND CLYDE TYPE MOMENT. i'm gonna lose it i'm so delighted by that. to pull off heists/crimes/whatever you Know jace is gonna go have to be the Face and probably do some flirting and seduction to ease the way. and you Know porter's gonna have Thoughts about that whenever it comes up on a job. (or alternately tbh porter has to be the one to do so if a job goes sideways. that's also fun to think about.)

YAYYYYYY oh my god jace sending the clones out with his old adventuring party. i think maybe this is a j3 special. j2's been with porter. j4's confined to the house. jace voice j3 get out of my sight go do this. if you die you die.

and so like. j3 gets shipped off to the red wastes and introduces himself as a jaceclone. he's made of snow and rubies but don't worry everyone he's just like the real thing in every way ;) some have even told him he's better ;)

and like. aurora is avoiding him bc she wasn't exactly on board with jace's magic on the best of days and she basically considers j3 an aberration of the highest order. but the others are all fawning over him. ysvelde and invidia and dagbert think he's FASCINATING. and then there's peregrine. her husband. who cannot stop looking at this... thing like it matters.

somehow they all end up drinking by a campfire and the question comes up: hey j3, do you have any of jace's memories? and j3 is like, technically yes, all of them, but it's complicated. they come and go, they're usually set off by something. it's kind of scary. and peregrine's hand settles on his thigh. and suddenly it's 10 years earlier and peregrine's doing the same thing, with intent, in a dark corner of a tavern, and he's pulling jace close for a kiss that tastes like ale. and then j3's back with the rest of the group. and he's like "yeah, like that"

anyways. obviously this culminates in an ill-advised hookup between peregrine and j3. which leads to an emotional affair with long, pining letters sent to and from scattered outposts in the red wastes. and jace is like "oh wow you stupid bitch you're in for a real treat when he realizes youre not worth the trouble. have fun though!" and just lets it continue, much to j4's misery.

ALSO speaking to jaceporter bonnie and clyde. god. when porter sends jace out with a vial of poison and his good looks and charms. they have a mark and jace is going to seduce and kill the guy. the poison slips into the guy's negroni with ease and within 20 minutes he collapses at the bar. they go to the guy's hotel room to rob him and end up fucking on the bed. porter's extra possessive bc he both hates and loves seeing jace flirt with other people <3

[zombeesknees]

currently in the life of the angie bee:

my sense of time is strangely broken, because it's almost 6pm but my brain is all, "gosh, it's not even noon yet!" and i have no fuckin idea why.

i've been deodorizing and washing and cleaning the house all day because i feel like there's a particularly sour smell throughout it, but now i'm wondering if it's me, and i don't know why i'm suddenly smelling so sour??? like, it's not a sweat smell, it's a sour, musty smell, and i'm still using the same shampoo and body washes i always do, and it's not as if my diet's changed significantly, so wth is going on??? IS IT A SIGN THAT I'M DYING OF SOME WEIRD DISEASE??? i know folks with diabetes sometimes smell strangely sweet, but i've never heard of something that makes you smell sour. OR IS IT ALL IN MY HEAD AND PSYCHOSOMATIC??? i'm not just gonna go up to someone and be like, "do you think i smell weird?"

quint remains one of the Characters of All-Time (and a Happy Jaws Day to all who celebrate it).

(yeah, i don't celebrate the 4th, what a bullshit holiday, we have nothing to be proud of as a country, especially these days.)

dropped $288 this morning on two and a half weeks-worth of groceries for one person. and that was buying basic, off-brand shit. how the fuck did we get to this.

slight silver lining: i have today, tomorrow, and the full weekend off, and i get to spend time with joel tomorrow AND see shara and nichole on sunday.

i set my reading goal for the year at 50 books (something i didn't come close to achieving last year, thanks to a reading block that set in in march and didn't let up for the rest of the year). and in the last two weeks i hit 54 books (almost all of them new-to-me, which is ALSO amazing). my unmedicated ADHD bullshit may still be preventing me from watching new shows and movies, but at least it's eased off on the reading front.

a new dude joined our book club this week and he's CUTE and likes fantasy and is a high school social studies/history teacher, and we discussed character archetypes for like ten minutes. maybe next club meeting i'll actually give him my number and ask him out.

wimsey has spent a full week in the flower donut collar thanks to scratching his chin raw and bloody. vet recced treating him with revolution in case it's because of mites, washing the wound with a special antibiotic flush, and keeping him in the collar until everything's fully healed/his fur grows back in. makes for a hella grompy flower:

god, leverage really is just the best show. doesn't matter how many times i watch it; i'm forever delighted and impressed with just how well written/constructed/everything it is. that's my emotional support family of thieves, your honor.

i'm getting SO CLOSE to filling out the final gaps in the current sections of my hazeldine WIP, and i really do think i'm gonna have to split it into two volumes instead of making it all vol. 6 as i had originally planned. but IF i do that, that means vol. 6 is gonna HAVE to end on a significant cliffhanger, which i typically try to avoid. (yes, technically all of the previous vols have ended on cliffhangers, since this is a continuing story spread over several volumes. but they haven't been LITERAL cliffhangers, with someone on the verge of death or something.) i don't like when books in a series i'm reading do that, so i try not to inflict that on my own readers. but perhaps i can mitigate it slightly by making sure both vols 6 AND 7 are fully polished/ready for printing, and release them like a month apart or something, so there isn't a huge wait in between...

FINALLY finished the replacement cross-stitch sampler of lighthouses for a gal from work (the first one got lost in the mail beginning of last month). now i can continue working on the Yee Dudes series for my bud jordan <3

but also i'm gonna try to design a pattern for myself re: a dracula joke that keeps popping into my head: descending the castle, lizard-fashion. i'm probably the only person who is THIS delighted/amused by that joke, but i'll enjoy stitching something for myself for a change, lol.

[aquaquadrant]

Deep Breath in.... Deep Breath out....SCREAMING

Thank you for this amazing update it was so so good. I will probably end up sending multiple asks (apologies in advance) because there is so much to process. This was such an amazing chapter! Your ability to capture these strong emotions and display what I feel is accurate characterizations is truly captivating. I've been so pumped for this chapter and I was just so blown away by it.

God first off Impulse. IMPULSE!!! My man literally carried Tango to a safe place, helped the ranchers feel safe, and just went full Dad mode. I flipped when he went full demon mode after finding out what happened to Tango. Man was ready to enter Hels and destroy Hels Tek block by block.

Jimmy getting hints about Watcher stuff as well was *chef kisses*. Kinda curious can Martyn and Scott hear what the Watchers are saying to Jimmy? Martyn seemed to step in just when they were getting extra hurtful.

God you fed us with Ranchers too. I was so happy that Tango may slowly be starting to get that he is loved. The way Jimmy didn't back down. uggggg perfection

Also Tango associating quartz with Hels was so painful. My man went through every trauma response this chapter and probably will still hit like 30 more.

Small questions you might not be able to answer yet but will ask anyways. When Tango went through the portal, is it still open on Double Life or did Jimmy get in at the last second? If Tango did break the portal would he or Bravo be able to get back to the rest of the universe? You mentioned that Bravo's sense of superiority shows up differently in Tango, is that Tango enjoys watching other suffers. That he enjoys the power it gives him or is that more of a trauma response due to strong need to be in control and by killing others he feels like he is strong enough to protect himself? Or I guess a combo of both hahaha. Ummmm last question for now can I like stab Atlas for like everything? Especially the collar? That cool ya awesome I'm gunna assume that's a yes

HEY NOVA always great to hear from my readers, no apologies needed ^^ i’m glad u enjoyed it!

loved getting to give impulse a bigger role in this update- as tango’s oldest friend on hc, it just made sense that he’d be front and center. and getting to show demon mode was the cherry on top 👌

martyn and scott CAN indeed hear jimmy’s watchers if they’re close enough, scott just tries his best to pretend they don’t exist out of spite while martyn is more sympathetic to being the brunt of their jokes. neither of them want to talk to jimmy abt it tho bc they think he’s better off not knowing abt the watchers, even tho the alternative is him thinking his own thoughts are super mean ;(

(but neither of them were close enough to catch grian’s brief slip into watcher state, in case anyone was wondering)

GLAD U ENJOYED THE RANCHER MEAL 💃 there’s a lot of interesting hels dynamics and worldbuilding and angst to explore in this au but at the end of the day, this is a rancher’s au for a reason 🙏😤

obvi u sent this in before i answered other asks abt it but JUST in case u didn’t catch those, tango was interrupted before he could break the portal, and if it were broken, they would still be able to open a portal out of hels using another player’s data.

as for ur other question, it’s def a bit of both. tango’s always had a bit of sadism in him as an amplification of bravo’s superiority complex. one of his favorite pastimes pre-hels tek was to set traps outside of the cities and wait for players to stumble into them and perish terribly, while he watched with delight. but after hels tek, he fixated more on mob farms as a way of trying to reclaim that trauma, while ALSO being a more socially-acceptable way to scratch that itch.

and last but not least, u can TRY to stab atlas but ur gonna have to wait at the end of a very long line.

[otakween]

Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning

So, I saw The Beginning yesterday at an AMC theater. I saw it subbed to keep things consistent. I'm gonna split up my reaction into two parts: experience and the movie itself. Angry rant ahead...

Side note: Why is this movie called "The Beginning?" Are they planning more...? (I mean, they're always planning more I guess lol).

Theater Experience:

Always such a delight to see an anime movie in theaters, it's becoming as common as every-other-month these days which is very exciting! It's very rare that I get to see a movie like this that's a continuation of a series. Usually I'm not caught up enough to do that (although I did watch the Shirobako and Jujutsu Kaisen movies without watching the shows lol).

I had no idea that they were going to give me trading cards as I walked in!! This seems to becoming a more common gimmick these days. When I saw the most recent MHA movie they gave me a mini manga. More of this please! I know it's just cheap junk, but it makes the whole thing feel like an experience :D

Theater was more crowded than I expected and full of geeks, of course. I heard someone's ring tone go off and it was a Digimon sound effect. When the ad for the vital bracelet played one dude proudly shook his wrist in the air. I saw a Gatomon plush and the dude in front of me got so hype for the digivolutions that he started filming it on his phone (which I don't condone, but it was kinda funny seeing how into it he was).

Not a single child in the crowd. I guess this movie is obvious millennial-bait tho, so that's to be expected. (Also it was 7pm on a dark Thursday).

Cute little intro interview with the director was cute. My brain had to adjust to reading subtitles on a big screen. I guess I just don't watch foreign films outside the home too often.

Movie Reaction (MAJOR SPOLERS AHEAD):

WTF did I watch!? This movie was batshit crazy and I have many conflicting emotions. I feel like it was simultaneously super intense and really bland at the same time? Let me elaborate...

Putting aside the new dude for a second, the 02 cast really didn't do much in this at all. They all kind of acted as a collective instead of feeling like distinct people with their own roles to play. Their entire motivations/existence revolved around Lui's plot line which is really a bummer. Some characters, like Iori and Hikari were especially sidelined and bland (not that Iori was that great to begin with lol).

The only scenes I really liked with the 02 cast were when everyone (especially Miyako) was telling Lui to cut the edgy crap and just talk to them. I like when aloof characters are called out like that. Also, I liked the part where Miyako accused Daisuke and Ken of flirting teehee (queer baiting!? In MY digimon??) That got a laugh out of the audience too.

Okay...moving onto Lui's story. Jesus Christ. I liked where it was going at first and thought the whole grimdark, Madoka angle (major Kyuubey vibes) was interesting (if not a little too over the top), but then (in my opinion) they COMPLETELY bungled things!! So essentially, Ukkomon kills Lui's parents and potentially multiple children in their efforts to "make Lui happy" by making all the humans in his life behave "correctly." Horrifying and effectively creepy (especially in the scene where they "puppet" Lui's parents). This all culminates in Lui "killing" Ukkomon and losing his eye (which then gets replaced with Ukkomon's eye). I was on board for this horror angle, but then the 02 kids were like "awwww, poor Ukkomon~" WHAT. THE. FUCK. A kid tells you that a monster thingy killed your parents and your reaction is "but did you try being their friend??" Nooooo! So basically the rest of the movie is the kids victim blaming/gaslighting Lui into submission and he's like "you know what? It IS my fault that my parents died! I should have been a better friend." NOPE. This madness just ruined the whole thing for me. Like, what the hell were they thinking? Anyway, rant over. I'll go back to talking about the not as heinous things now.

I liked Ukkomon's sea angel-based design. I didn't exactly find them cute but they were good at being creepy. It was definitely disturbing to see what happens when a digimon partner is HATED by their human.

The "Unkomon" joke was funny but they didn't give a translator's note or anything so I was wondering how many people in my theater got it lol (I guess it depends on how much anime you've seen).

Lui's digimon eye looked really stupid and I think they knew that because they covered it up for most of the movie. I think it was more effectively shown in brief closeups but anymore than that it was just too goofy looking to take seriously.

The scenes about digimon bonds and the (obviously fake) threat of losing them were boring and cheesy. I think they were going for heartwarming, but something about it was very forced. The stakes definitely never felt real.

At the beginning of the movie they used smartphones to digivolve instead of their D3s...wha...?

Speaking of D3s, when they faded away (weirdly slowly) at the end and Hikari was like "what even was the digivice for anyway?" I had to laugh. That's what I've been saying! The lore around digivices, D3s, Arcs (or whatever Tamers wanted me to call them) has always been so vague. Anyway, I feel like they should be more concerned. Doesn't this mean they can't digivolve now...? (They acted like the power of friendship would just make it happen somehow, but I'm not convinced).

The updated digivolution scenes were fun (and funny to see on the big screen), but after watching Tamers, they still seemed lazily done comparatively. I still dislike that they show the greater digivolution at the start of the sequence. What's the point of that?

The movie started with Bolero, because of course. I had to roll my eyes at the nostalgia pandering. We also got a random reference to the first Digimon Adventure short film. That felt jarring since the animation style is so different.

So like...Lui time traveled and told his abusive mom to "be nice cuz your son loves you" and that just stopped all abuse forever? Riiiight...What is it with anime's crappy handling of child abuse lately? They pulled this same shit in Belle. You can't stop domestic violence by going "tsk tsk" to the abuser!

Rolling my eyes at Lui's introduction: "He's the first kid to ever partner with a digimon AND he has a super special eye AND cool grey hair AND his digimon can grant wishes." Serious "My OC don't steal!!" vibes.

Wait...I don't think they ever followed through with the "Ukkomon is connected to a digimon God" plot thread. Is that for the sequel or something? (Digimon 02 2 - The End? lol)

We got a little shipping stuff with Miyako and Ken at the end there. They had zero chemistry in the show and they continue to have zero chemistry in the movie...yaaaay.

I feel like, other than Daisuke and Lui, they just gave all the other guys the same haircut and they faded into the background lol. Ken just looks like some guy now.

Ukkomon's eldritch design was cool. I wish they just let him be evil instead of misunderstood...

So yeah, the writing in this was kind of a train wreck but I had fun regardless! Very curious to hear the dubbed version someday. How many people reprised their roles?

[kitkatnerds3]

BSD S5 EP 9

I have not finished the episode yet but I've just gotten to the Fukufuku backstory (specifically the part where they just met and its night and they're lying on the floor together) and, these two are fucking dark timeline Renga from sk8! 'The way of the sword is enjoyable!' and 'I'm going to master the sword alongside you' vs 'skating is fun!' and 'I want to skate with you infinitely' I swear Fukuchi even did the same hand movement that Reki did at some point. Energetic sunshine (at least at the moment) x calm and collected. I am getting such strong Renga vibes from that scene and it's driving me insane.

OK I JUST WATCHED TWO (2) SECONDS FURTHER AND NOW WE'RE IN A FUCKING SHOJO ANIME! BONES LOVES OLD MAN YAOI SO MUCH! THIS IS SO GAY! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CHERRY BLOSSOMS!!? A CHERRY BLOSSOM PETAL IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART JUST FELL INTO FUKUZAWAS SAKE(?) AND THEN BROKE INTO TWO. THEY'RE NOT EVEN BEING SUBTLE WITH THE 'THIS (ROMANTIC) RELATIONSHIP IS ABOUT TO GO O SHIT' -NESS

DONT DO SYMBOLISM WITH THE FUCKING BIRDS YOU DUMB SHOW! I SEE WHAT YOU'RE FUCKING DOING! For context, they were having a conversation but the focus was on these two egrets? herons? anyways, and then one of them just flew off when Fukuchi said that he was gonna be promoted and sent to the battlefield , which is what separated these two. I'm going to die, I'm not entirely sure why but I am. /pos

Fuck it, I'm committing to the live blog. enjoy seeing my live uncut reactions folks!

The animation is so pretty bro, bones adores their old man yaoi.

Ok, old man yaoi backstory is over , and before I move on to the next thing I just wanna say, young Fukuzawa was so fucking cute! He was an old man even when he was a baby! he was adorable! and honestly so was Fukuchi! I'm very sad that he became the way he is now, war really does stuff to people, huh?

Ok I'm a little bit confused, I didn't realize that he had told that United Nations guy the half-truth. But whatever, that's on me I guess.

OK! JESUS FUCK THE MORE I HERE ABOUT THE WAR THE WORSE IT GETS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE SOLDIERS HAD TO EAT EACHOTHER AND WERE SHOT FOR TRYING TO DESERT! MAYBE I SHOUD HAVE EXPECTED THAT IT IS WAR BUT JESUS CHRIST!

God, Fukufuku are so gay. I know that stabbing someone isn't exactly romantic but he Fukuzawa did the thing where you grab onto the other persons clothes and after Fukuchi stabbed him his head ended up resting on his chest. This is PEAK romantic tradgedy.

Teruko, I love you. She looks so pretty and she is so hecking smart and I just adore her. She let Atsushi go! Woohoo!! Also, Atsushi's hallucinations are really coming in full force, huh? He is seeing so many people.

Dazai and Sigma are so silly, I love them, Dazai stop flirting for two fucking seconds challenge. Also, it's fun to hear that Dazai is screwing around with Sigma while thinking of Kunikida! Truly every ship is being fed this season! Except sskk, but we did get Aku in Atsushi's hallucinations doing a thing so that's kinda a win for the gays!

Wow! What a nice elevator! I'm sure nothing bad will happen here!

Oh catgirl, you left us too soon.

I must say, I don't really have much to say on the Meursault section. It was good! The animation was great as it usually is for the Meursault sections, Sigma was so pretty I love him and! Dazai did the thing where he played with Sigma's hair! Woo! Fyodor was his usual level of kinda ugly in anime form, Dazai is showing emotions! more of the sillies, Dazai fucking stood on Sigma, which is delightful, aaaaaaand it's started to flood! Fuck!

Anyways, back to the very start of this episode before I was overcome by the homosexual-ness of Fukufuku, Aya Bram Kunikida and Tanizaki got yoinked! Fuck! I still have a theory that Tanizaki could be doing an illusion and I will make a post about it one day. And also, please excuse me for saying this because while I am still upset about Ranpo being hurt... watching Fukuchi pick him up by the scruff of his neck like a cat was kinda hilarious. Also, Teruko I love you. You're the only hunting dog that heard about Fukuchi's real identity and didn't immediately die. Girlboss fr. Also also, where are Lucy Kyouka and Yosano :D? W-where did they go? Asagiri please I need to see my girls.

And to once again revisit the old gays, Holy Shit that was so gay. Nobody told me that the Fukufuku backstory was a Sports Anime tm that turned into a war drama in the second season! I knew we said they were divorced but I never realized just how married they were before the separation! Wow! Fukuzawa smiled so softly at Fukuchi! They were such sweet kids! Aagh!

This was a good episode! I liked this! Excited for next Wungo Wednesday!