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hrrtshape · 2 months ago

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welcome to the shifting seance club.

sit down… sit down. the spirits are restless. the stars are watching, no, really, they’re watching

AHEM. before we begin, a moment of academic posturing: the knowledge i am about to bestow upon you has been extracted from highly esteemed sources that i recommend for any astrologers, such as . . . ୨୧

" esoteric astrology " by alice a. bailey " the astrology of fate " by liz greene " saturn : a new look at an old devil " by liz greene " hellenistic astrology : the study of fate and fortune " by chris brennan

i have consulted the planets, shuffled the tarot deck, knocked three times on my bedroom wall for dramatic effect, and this is what i’ve learned: your zodiac sign is not just a fun little personality badge. it directly affects your shifting progress. yes (probably not, take this with any amount of salt you want). the stars have opinions, and unfortunately, some of them are a little direct.

　　. . . now, let’s see what they say about you

◞ aries.

omen : a door creaks open, but you keep kicking it instead of walking through. fate’s verdict : you shift like a battering ram. you don’t manifest, you threaten reality into submission. and while your raw passion is admirable, your achilles' heel is your impatience. you expect instant results, and if they don’t arrive, you throw a cosmic tantrum. ꒰ prescription : you need to trick yourself into believing you don’t care about shifting. the second you release your vice grip on the universe’s neck, you’ll wake up where you belong.

◞ taurus.

omen : you stand at the threshold, hesitating, asking if this is “scientifically sound.” fate’s verdict : you are so rooted in your cr that shifting feels like a betrayal. you crave comfort and certainty, and the unknown? ew. gross. messy. you convince yourself that if you can’t prove it, it must not be real. but !! shifting isn’t a scientific formula. it’s a love letter to possibility. ꒰ prescription : romance the shift. bathe in it. treat it like a luxurious silk robe that’s already draped over your shoulders. you are already there.

◞ gemini.

omen : the stars whisper secrets, but you’re too busy checking your notifications. fate’s verdict : you woke up in your dr. except, oh, look!! a new shifting method!! and a podcast!! and a theory!! you scatter your energy across 300 ideas instead of committing to one. your brain is a quantum supercomputer; your attention span is a broken hourglass. ꒰ prescription : pick one method and pretend it’s the only method in existence. burn the rest (metaphorically).

◞ cancer.

omen : a single tear falls onto your dr script. it smudges the ink. fate’s verdict : you shift best to your dr when you feel your dr in your soul. but your achilles' heel? your attachment to your cr. you romanticise your struggles, like a poet in the 1800s dying of heartbreak in a candlelit attic. ꒰ prescription : detach. your dr is not a dream. it’s your next home.

◞ leo.

omen : you envision your dr shift as an oscar-worthy transformation scene. fate’s verdict : you don’t just want to shift. you want the most cinematic shift of all time. you crave grandeur, orchestral scores, confetti. but reality doesn’t need a standing ovation to be real. ꒰ prescription : simplicity is your secret weapon. the most powerful magic happens in silence.

◞ virgo.

omen : a stack of perfectly organised dr notes, rewritten for the third time. fate’s verdict : you think if you can perfect shifting, it will work. you treat scripting like it’s a final dissertation. but guess what??? the universe doesn’t care about syntax. it just wants you to believe. ꒰ prescription : trust yourself. shifting isn’t a rubik’s cube. it’s a freefall.

◞ libra.

omen : the scales tip back and forth. you can’t decide which dr to enter. fate’s verdict : indecision is your kryptonite. you treat shifting like a multiple-choice quiz instead of a choose-your-own-adventure novel. ꒰ prescription : just pick. you can always pivot later.

◞ scorpio.

omen : shadows shift in the candlelight. fate’s verdict : you want power over shifting. you want to dominate reality. but shifting isn’t a chess game. it’s a trust fall. ꒰ prescription : surrender. let go. let the shift take you instead of trying to own it.

◞ sagittarius.

omen : your suitcase is always packed. fate’s verdict : you see shifting as a trip, not a home. ꒰ prescription : commit. sink in. stop treating your dr like a fictional destination.

◞ capricorn.

omen : a mountain looms in the distance. you start climbing. fate’s verdict : you work too hard. you think shifting should be earned, like a salary. ꒰ prescription : stop treating shifting like a job interview. you don’t have to prove yourself to the quantum field.

◞ aquarius.

omen : a thousand ideas flicker in your mind at once. fate’s verdict : you overcomplicate shifting with theories instead of doing it. ꒰ prescription : stop analysing. start experiencing.

◞ pisces.

omen : you already live in your dr. just not physically. fate’s verdict : you dissociate instead of directing. ꒰ prescription : channel your daydreams into intention. be the river, not the mist.

the stars have spoken . . . will you listen?

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bkgexe · 4 months ago

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if all else fails, i was myself

bakugou x reader ✾ 4.6k

info! no smut sorry gang ✾ tw! trust issues that manifest as issues w physical intimacy/contact, dubcon in its vaguest definition (NOT bkg & reader) ✾ notes! ive been in perpetual writers block for months. is this trite idk. i miss my baby but anytime i write for him im like oops this is gonna be 60k words!!! so here is. a drabble lmao. also big lmao moment this is titled after count me out by kendrick lamar ldskfjdlkjf which was on repeat while writing so uh sorry mr. lamar abt the mha fanfic

katsuki has always known that part of him is wrong.

he’s never liked being touched. every kiss he’s experienced has made him tense as an elevator cable poised to snap. any attempt to go further than that has made him a little ill, made his gut feel like a stack of loose papers being torn to shreds, slow and loud.

it doesn’t help that he’s only ever had three kisses in his life: eijirou at a new year’s party (too many teeth), eijirou again at another new year’s party nearly a decade later (too much tongue), and then his fourth date with kyoka (when he tried to convince himself he just had to push through the discomfort to become normal).

things went further than that. it was a mistake. they both knew it right after it happened—kyoka first, and then katsuki after his head stopped pounding with what if i'm doing this wrong what if she's pitying me for fucking this up what if i don't know how to touch another person correctly what if i was supposed to learn at some point and i missed it how could i fucking miss it will it always be like this because i can't do this again i can't i don't—

“kat," she said after. she looked at him with something only a few degrees removed from pity, and poorly removed at that.

he attempted a halting non-apology. he attempted a real apology. failed at both.

"it's okay, you know," she said. "to not like it."

he scoffed even though he wasn’t entirely clear on what she meant by it, because there was so much he didn’t like. “i like it just fine.”

“if that was liking it, I’m honestly worried about your capacity for enjoying life in general.” it wasn’t a joke. her bluntness was something that'd made katsuki think he could push his boundaries with her. all of her thoughts were laid out plain for him to read, an open-source journal. “i'm just saying you don't have to like it. and you don’t have to force yourself to do things you don’t want to do. don't fuck yourself over for someone else's happiness.”

kyoka still texts him often, checks in, invites him to drinks with their friends. she’s kind. she’s normal. she doesn’t have this weird, shredded thing inside her that makes her balk at the idea of someone’s hand on her skin. that makes her think she's doing something wrong, even if she's not the one that initiated the touch.

when you started your job at the front desk of katsuki’s agency, he never thought that he'd be here, wishing above everything that he could just be normal. just for one fucking day, so he could laugh at your shitty jokes and maybe brush his knuckles across the back of your hand in passing and take you on a date where he could kiss you in his car after driving you home and the thought wouldn’t make his skin crawl, wouldn't tear up his insides to pulp.

because he fucked everything up. he's standing in his empty office where you'd been spending time with him and he fucked it up and hurt you and he's not sure how to unfuck it.

the thing is, he could grin and bear it. he could deal with the odd thing inside him that hates the contact and white-knuckle it through every kiss, every caress. but he’s never been a great actor. he wouldn’t be able to hide that from you.

(kyoka told him, years later, that it’s not that the sex itself wasn’t fine—what made it nearly unbearable for her was the fact that she could tell, only after it was too late, that being physically vulnerable with her pained him far more than he was willing to reveal.)

no one wants to feel like the person they’re with is grinning and bearing it. that they’re white-knuckling it through. katsuki knows this. he knows he’s basically a fucking virgin all but in title at thirty and that he’s got the personality of a dried-out fig you find in your fridge weeks after its last edible moments. he doesn't have much to offer.

but he walked into work one day and nodded at you, curt, a grimace on his face—and you smiled at him so kindly that his stomach twisted.

with you, it wasn't the feeling of something being torn apart. it was different, lighter. leaves wrenched into the sky by a strong breeze. still a kind of tearing, but different—less destructive.

he was wearing a deep carmine sweater his mom sent him in one of her bi-monthly care packages (as if he’s not an adult, and a pro-hero on top of that), and you said, “that’s such a nice color on you. is it new?”

there was that breeze inside his chest, strong, pulling at his bones. “yeah,” he grunted. then slowly, as if remembering how: “thanks.”

it was the attention, he thought at first, that piqued his interest. he wasn't used to it. people always watched him from afar, and he had fans online that were borderline obsessive, but people didn’t approach him. they didn’t say that’s such a nice color on you. they didn’t smile the way you smile.

he’s always had a shallow streak. it’s not like he doesn’t know this. it’s become a little muted over time, a little discouraged by the visible scarring on his face and body from his time in the field, but it’s never fully been eradicated. so it was simple, he thought. you paid him attention and stroked his ego, and he preened like a self-obsessed bird of paradise.

and then you started making these little origami whale sharks.

fucking stupid. it bothered him an annoying amount. you had a bunch at your desk, all different colors and sizes, some taped to your desktop monitor, some hung up with little pieces of string under the desk's storage overhang. you drew dots on the back of each one, a distinct spotted pattern that was unique for each shark. and you made them for everyone but him. eijirou bought you a pack of high quality origami paper and you made him his own fucking school, all with little faces, winking or surprised or angry, their wide paper mouths gaping and empty, the lines of their bodies pressed careful and sure.

he hated it. it was annoying and a waste of company time and he usually didn’t ever use dumb corporate slogans like “a waste of company time” but you were really pushing his fucking limits.

it was definitely just the attention he liked, he told himself, because surely someone doing something as dumb as this would annoy him to no fucking end if he spoke to them.

and then he spoke to you and he was wrong.

he asked why you made the damn things in the first place and you told him, “i like whale sharks. but to be totally honest, i just run out of things to do."

and he saw that as a challenge. you were running out of things to do? rest assured he could find more shit for you to take care of. so he did. tasks that he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy, they were so dull and time-consuming. and you were so achingly competent that it drove him up a fucking wall. you completed everything he asked of you in half the time it would take someone else, and you always reported back with a smile, and you always did good work, and he could see himself having a conversation with you about something other than work but he didn't want to try because he was worried he'd begin to like you as a person.

you're pretty. really fucking pretty. he can see that now, and he sure as fuck saw it then. you're hardworking. you're just likeable, and that's something katsuki had never been. it (reluctantly) impressed him. worse than that, it turned his feelings for you into a sort of interest.

but he knows he's not normal when it comes to things like this.

he tried to distance himself from you because of it, but it turns out that asking someone to do work for you means you do have to speak to them sometimes. and sometimes turned into a lot of times.

sometimes turned into bringing him coffee in the morning, not because he asked you to, but because you're sweet like that. sometimes turned into being the person he bounced ideas off of when he had a board meeting coming up or something otherwise boring and meticulous. sometimes turned into you laughing at his prickly comments rather than going quiet because of them. turned into you saying suck it up, dynamight, this is what it means to be the boss when he complained about doing paperwork.

sometimes turned into staying late with him at the office, getting take out for the two of you to share while you finished filing claims and damage reports and other stuff he hated taking care of by himself. sometimes turned into him asking you to stay late just because he wanted you there. because even when he was quiet, you'd tell him about your day, about things that happened in the office, about how much you like the book you'd both been reading. he loved listening to you talk. felt comfortable enough to tell you things about himself when he'd never felt comfortable doing that before.

sometimes turned into you holding out a piece of fried tofu from your take-out container for him to eat while he was approving time-off forms that he should have looked at much earlier that week, and you being so close that he could notice how good you smelled, and the warmth of your body basically radiated towards him, like all your energy was focused on him, and your smile was small but somehow even more lovely than usual, a secret for him to tuck away and keep, and when you finished feeding him and he had a little sauce on the corner of his mouth and you reached forward to wipe it off for him and your hand lingered there for a moment and your eyes fell to his lips and what if you try to kiss me and i'm wrong and you hate me for it and what if i can't give you what you want and what if i'm not actually what you want what if i've disappointed you already what if—

it was too much.

so he fucked it up. your thumb was so soft against his skin. he reeled backwards in his chair, rolling it whole feet clear of you, and he felt the tearing again, the bad kind, like paper unevenly shredded by clumsy hands, and he had to leave. he had to leave. he needed to leave so badly that it felt like pulling his skin off would be preferable to being in that office with you.

hiding in the bathroom was fucking pitiful. he remembered his breathing exercises. he remembered to ground himself. and when he came back to his office, you were gone.

if he was normal—and he wants to be normal, god fucking damn—he could have stomached your proximity. he could have eaten out of your fucking hand. he could have touched you back like a normal person probably would have and he wouldn't be here, alone, looking at a little purple sticky note you left him that says i finished organizing the pto forms. i hope you feel better!

he doesn't know whose pride you're trying to save with that. as if you didn't leave because he made things so fucking awkward by running away from you when you touched him. when you—maybe, if he was reading the room correctly—were about to kiss him.

and you don't speak to him for days. he doesn't want to push so he doesn't—just watches you out of the corner of his eye whenever you're both in the same room, which is arguably worse. he's not sure. he's just itching to fucking talk to you because he misses it.

he misses you. in a more-than-friends way.

it takes a while for him to realize this. when he does, it hits him like a metal rod up the side of the head. it's fucked up of him to miss you the way he does when he doesn't feel like he can provide you with the things a normal person could. and though he's worked on his patience over the years—worked on understanding that he can't have everything he wants—it doesn't stop him from being selfish and finally pulling you aside to talk.

and baffling as fucking ever, the first thing you say is sorry. "i know i should've talked to you about it earlier. i just—i shouldn't have done that. and i know it. i shouldn't have assumed that—i don't know. that you..."

you look helpless. it's one of the very few times that katsuki has ever felt the compulsion to touch someone. not because he wants the touch, per se, but because he wants to be able to provide comfort. he never figured out how to do that with words. he's so focused on his inability to comfort you that he barely has any idea of what you're actually talking about. instead of doing anything at all, he just stands there like a fuckwad.

"i just want you to know that i would never—like never—have touched you, or tried to... if i didn't think there was like, a vibe?" you shake your head, exasperated with yourself. "god, even that sounds so bad. i'm sorry, i just—"

"wait, what are—?" and then it clicks, because he's been slow on the uptake figuring out his shit when he should have been focusing way more on yours. "there was..." katsuki says, and he fucking hates that he can't find better words for what you were both feeling in his office, "a vibe."

the way your face changes when you're flustered is one of katsuki's favorite things, but it's not as enjoyable when he feels just as flustered as you look. "i—oh? so... so you—?"

his ears feel like they're being attacked by two heated straightening irons and he knows they're red as hell right now. he's gonna have to say this plainly even though he'd rather get his teeth pulled out one by one with a pair of pliers. "it's not you."

your expression loses any sort of hope it once held. you press your lips together and sigh, maybe a little exasperated. he's doing his best here but he knows his best is shit. "i can handle a non-cliché rejection," you tell him. "honestly, i'd prefer a non-cliché rejection—"

"i'm not trying to reject you," he says, and it's selfish of him. because he's really not. he isn't comfortable with the things you'd want from him, but he still wants you in some capacity. "i just don't—do shit like that."

"kissing?"

somehow knowing for sure that you did want to kiss him in his office makes him want you more. he likes that you're bold. he likes that you're not ashamed of that. he wants to be different than he is. "any... of it," he struggles to admit.

"at all?"

he nods.

"just—like touching, and stuff?"

it sounds so juvenile that he can't help but laugh through his nose, roll his eyes. "yeah. touching and stuff."

"oh."

you're disappointed. of course you are. it's not like he expected anything different, but—sometimes he fucking hates his life. hates that he can't be the thing people need him to be. hates that trying is so difficult, that it flings his stomach into space, like a throwing stone skipping across a still lake.

"so you don't go on dates, or anything."

"haven't tried."

"do you not want to?" you ask, and he can tell it's more of a genuine question than anything. you're curious about him, like you always are. it's more than he deserves, for all he can offer.

"doesn't make sense to."

"that's not what i asked."

it's not. and so katsuki listens as you ask your question again, and he really takes a moment to think.

considering the answer to your question leads him to his first date with you. and his second, and his third—his fourth, and he's keenly aware that his last fourth date ended with what he expects all dates are supposed to end with.

he takes you to the aquarium. because of all the fucking origami whale sharks. you still haven't given him one and it sticks in his craw like a bone. in front of the backlit tank that holds sharks of all types, shapes and sizes and teeth he's never pictured possible of a living creature before, he asks, "why sharks?"

you look at him, brow raised. "i don't know. they probably needed the biggest tank in the aquarium. and this looks like the biggest tank."

"no, dumbass—your sharks. the ones all over the fuckin' office."

"what, you don't like them?" you ask, but you're smiling, sly.

he shrugs. he thinks they're dumb as hell. he wants one to hang up at work, like the ones you've got hung up at your desk. "they're whatever. they clutter the fuck out of ei's office. and he's already got issues organizing." you've just made eijirou so many at his point, and it's getting ridiculous. "but what—are they easy to make, or something?"

you laugh a little. "no. not at all, actually." a whale shark swims by, its spotted hide shimmering in the tank's eerie blue lighting, and you watch it intently. "but it'd be boring if it was too easy."

this date ends with him walking you home from the aquarium a few blocks from your apartment and you smiling at him and telling him that you had a really great time, and he feels like a fucking freak because you don't even expect more. you don't wait for a kiss. don't look disappointed that he doesn't try to give you one. the way you look at him holds so much affection that he doesn't deserve and he has no idea how to reciprocate it to you, and somehow he lands on, "make me one."

"one what?" you ask, but he thinks you already know what he's asking. you like to play coy. he likes it when you play coy. when you're enjoying yourself.

"one of your little fuckin' paper things," he mutters, because admitting that he wants one of those dumbass sharks feels somehow demeaning. he doesn't want you to know how much he's wanted one. "ei's got a million of 'em."

your hand was on your door handle, but it falls to your side. he's keenly aware of its proximity to him. he doesn't feel that terrible ripping in his gut and its absence is almost frightening to him. your fingers tighten into a fist. it's cold out. "ah, and you're jealous?"

"no," he says, knee-jerk. "i just don't get why everyone gets one but me."

you smile when he says this and he could live in this image of you, delicate and small and made for him. he goes home and thinks about it until he falls asleep. thinks about it even beyond then, feels that strong breeze inside him tearing every leaf from its grounded perch.

here's the thing—nothing against jirou, but unlike his other fourth date, this one was enjoyable. more than. he loved watching you be amazed by the size of the whale sharks, and he loved watching you put a bunch of coins into the penny press and cranking the machine until one was squeezed out into the pattern you wanted, and he loved watching you lay your hand against the glass where the rubbery wings of a flood of stingrays battled for your attention, and—

he loved watching you. that's weird, right? he sounds like a fucking lunatic thinking that.

but he does. he hadn't realized until now how difficult it had been not only to touch people, but to look at them. maintaining eye contact, watching someone do a simple task out of interest instead of staring them down in an attempt to intimidate them. he's so much more fucked up than he thought but what makes it bearable is that he can do it with you. he can watch the way you enjoy things and feel like he's not intruding on something he shouldn't. without even trying, you make him feel welcome—wanted.

that's it. you make him feel wanted.

the realization affects him in a way he doesn't understand. at work the next day, when you smile at him over the top of the front desk, he feels something incredibly strong—something like instinct—that tells him to touch you. small. a thumb brushed across your cheek. his fingers grazing yours. he wants it in a way that can't be right because he's never wanted to touch someone like this.

he doesn't do it, but he thinks about it all day. your little smiles when you notice him watching you on your dates, the way your fingers graze your lips when you cover your laugh, the softness in the way you regard him. you're quiet, reserved, but when you laugh you laugh hard. he wants your soft, your quiet and your loud, he wants the feeling of your fingers on his lips, he wants your smallest smiles, all things he wishes he could fold up and keep and later display somewhere he can always see them. a school of paper fish, gaping mouths and drawn-on spots and such carefully pressed lines.

so on the eleventh date—(he knows it's ridiculous to count, but he's never spent this much time with one person before, not like this)—he reaches for your hand when you're walking alongside the bay, the air turning cold in the wake of the sunset that the two of you had just witnessed. that's romantic, you'd teased when he asked you to watch it with him. he'd rolled his eyes, shrugged you off.

but maybe he wanted it to be romantic. maybe he wanted to make this as normal as possible for you because nothing has been normal between the two of you so far.

you pull back when he reaches for you, as if on instinct. look up at him, confused, when he reaches out again. "katsuki..." you say, and it sounds as if he's done something wrong.

he tries not to let his brain spiral but thoughts drip inwards. water meeting a dented hull. what has he done this time? what else has he fucked up by being fundamentally wrong?

"you know..." you start, and you lose your words.

he thinks of kyoka, years ago. it's okay, you know. to not like it. he wonders if you'll still text him like she does.

your lips pull into a frown before you speak and katsuki can't breathe. "i was never gonna ask on my own because i know you don't like talking about things like this if you don't bring it up. but—um. katsuki—do you think i expect something from you?"

"huh?" he asks, dumb. breathing is still something he fails to do.

"i know that this is—different. i know you have some things going on that make the physical part hard for you." you look up at him so earnestly, and he loves looking at you. he loves looking at you and doesn't want to have to stop and he's worried that this is it. the moment he'll have to stop. you try to smile and it's small and he wants it all for himself. careful. delicate. secret, for him. "i'm not gonna lie to you. i don't know what a relationship without that kind of stuff looks like. but that doesn't mean i'm not willing to find out. it's—i don't need you to try to do something you think i want you to do."

"i'm not."

"it makes me feel a little sick, kat. honestly. it makes me feel like, i don't know—like i'm taking advantage of you, or something—"

"you're not."

"you don't have to do things like that to keep me around." you look flustered, eyes darting from his face to the skyline. "if you want me, i'm—you know."

it's okay, you know. "i don't know."

"i'm yours," you say, and cringe immediately at your words. "or like—i could be, you know, kind of whatever you wanted, if you—if that's what you want. would want."

katsuki can only remember a few times when his head was this quiet in the presence of someone else. when he trusted someone enough to let his mind go blank, to let himself act on instinct. "can i kiss you?"

you sigh. "this is what i was saying. i don't want you to—"

"no," he says, quiet, and he's closer to you than he's ever been. he likes the way you smell. he's not gonna apologize if that's weird. "i just want—god, i feel pathetic asking again. can i just—?"

just, just, just. just a touch, just a kiss, just a moment of your fucking time—it's all he wants. and he's never wanted like this. he's never trusted like this. his head has never quieted entirely because he's so sure that he's not going to disappoint you, or be something you don't actually want, or be wrong.

you've shown him that he can't be wrong with you, regardless of whether or not something within him is broken.

your lips are warm, a little chapped from the dry air, and he tries to remember what kissing chastely is but it's like something breaks in him further the second the two of you touch. his hands are cradling your face, his tongue is gliding against your tongue, his teeth are clacking against your teeth, and he knows the kiss is bad and wrong and messy but he suddenly needs it. he needs to feel you.

you make a noise against him and worry slices into his stomach before he realizes it's a quiet, breathy moan, and maybe you've been okay without the touch but that doesn't mean you don't enjoy it when you receive it. he can tell he hasn't made his boundaries clear enough—your hands circle his wrists, too cautious to go further, too hesitant to grip him like he thinks you want to. like he wants you to want to.

his teeth hit yours again and you laugh, and he pulls back, stomach tight. there's a hope in him that's ready to be torn.

you see it in his face—the fear. "i love kissing you," you blurt out, as if it's the only reassurance you can think of in the moment. "i mean—you're just." you laugh again, and he realizes it's nerves. you're just as nervous as he is. "can i—can we go somewhere warm? and maybe do this more? or—if this was enough—"

he's pulling you towards his apartment before you can get another word out.

kissing you is easy because you make him feel like it's relatively new for you as well. maybe that's how it feels for everyone every time, but he wouldn't know. he just feels comfortable with you. like you're not so much better than him, like you're not waiting to laugh at him when he fucks up, like you're touching him because you really want to.

so he takes you to his apartment and puts you on his couch and kisses you until your back is against the armrest and he's looming over you and you feel comfortable enough that your hands stray from his wrists to his shoulders to his hair and he didn't even know touching someone could feel like this.

put aside the fact that he's nearly finished in his fucking jeans three times just from your fingers running across his back, from the way you cup his cheek when he pulls back for air because he keeps forgetting to breathe—just having you close is intoxicating. he wants to bury his face in the curve of your shoulder, he wants to bite marks into your skin that'll stay vibrant for weeks, he wants to etch himself into you so deeply that he doesn't have to leave. these wants aren't even sexual—it's something about having you be his. i'm yours, you'd told him, and he hadn't even known that it would be exactly what he needed to hear.

he's in love with you, which isn't shocking to him, but he knows he shouldn't be in love with you yet because people that aren't fucked up in the head don't feel shit like this so quickly. he's not gonna tell you this for a very long time, but he knows—so completely and confidently—that he will reach a point when he can tell you.

"you sure you want this?" he asks, breathy, between kisses.

you stop kissing him, brows raised in surprise. "katsuki, we don't... this is a lot for one night. we can take it slow, still."

"that's—i'm not talking about that." he gives in, then—lets himself bury his face in the crook of your neck, lets himself breathe in deep, lets himself find your hands and intertwine your fingers, and you can probably feel that he's hard as fucking metal for you but that's not what's important right now. it sure as hell makes it awkward to try to have a serious conversation, though. "you sure you wanna deal with all... you know. my stuff."

"are you sure you wanna deal with all of my stuff?" you counter, and he pulls back to look at you. kissed rotten and smiling. "of course i want to deal with it. i like you."

and he likes you too. god, he likes you so fucking much.

the next morning, long after you've left for home, he finds a little orange whale shark hidden behind the alarm clock on his bedside table, stars in the place of eyes, and the trace of you is enough to make him feel warm. to hope that over time his apartment becomes full of the little paper creatures until his home is its own aquarium, until everywhere he looks is a memory of all you've brought him—pieces of you, perfectly arranged and delicately folded by your careful hands, much too gentle to tear.

#bakugou x reader #katsuki bakugou x reader #bkg #fics #heehee idk even.... what this is. back on my angst bullshit. but it was fun to write!!!!#would love to be on here more often and write more little things like this would love if life wasn't like incredibly busy all the time

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klausysworld · 11 months ago

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Hey.. Been having a rough few days mentally.. Is it possible you could write an angst/fluff fic about Klaus saving the reader from death when she tries to unalive herself..? Pills being her poison of choice.. Klaus becoming terrified he lost the one thing that truly made his life meaningful again. He uses his blood to bring her back at just the brink of time. When she's conscious Klaus holds her tightly in relief and its super fluffy at the end..?

(Triggering content‼️)

A Moment of Comfort

Klaus had taken an interest in Y/n from day one.

She was a quiet person in a loud town and it interested him.

Everyone was self absorbed, nosey, invasive and involved but she just didn't seem to care.

At first he thought she might be the sarcastic type, the one that would give little quips that made up for her mostly observant side but she just didn't care. Not about anything. He thought that would bore him but he wanted to know why. He wanted to know what she wanted, what she needed to pull some care and some love, some happiness from within her.

Klaus had watched her a little, wanting to learn about her, to know her. However she wasn't someone you could know from the outside, he needed to understand her mind, her thoughts and her feelings to ever have any idea about who she really was.

Which was how he ended up sat beside her in the grill, tracing little patterns on her arm with his forefinger and chatting her ear off for the entirety of the afternoon. Eventually he had pulled a laugh from her and it made his whole face light up to see the smile that lingered on her delicate face.

She ended up with that same slightly detached look in her eyes when she pulled her hands away and left to walk home. Klaus followed her to keep her safe before going to his own house, wondering about her.

He learnt quickly that there was something mildly wrong. Maybe something sad had happened or maybe it was just the way she had become. There wasn't something wrong per say but there was something about her that made him worry for her. He wanted her to feel safe and secure but it was clear that she didn't always have that. Klaus wanted to be her net to catch her.

But first, he needed her to like him. Just a little bit.

She started to aswell.

She liked talking to him, listening to him. He grounded her when she got lost. After a while he would invite her over to his house and she would get to appreciate the Mikaelson manor. It was void and peaceful, she liked that about his home.

Klaus had bought a new chair just for her, it was round in shape so that she could curl up like he knew she wanted to. It was a protective position, defensive and he would often wonder why she felt so scared sometimes or perhaps just unstable?

He wasn't sure how to offer the security that he had to offer. However he knew that to really protect her, he needed her trust. Their understanding needed to be mutual to build a relationship of sorts. She had to help him help her.

But Y/n didn't really know how to do that. Who does?

Klaus tried though. He would offer her affection and someone to rely on from time to time. He would hold her when he could feel that she wanted that. Sometimes she would be more hesitant but after a little while she got used to his touch and enjoyed being wrapped in his strength, it made her feel shielded from the evil of the world.

Klaus would play with her hair until her eyes got heavy and sleep overtook her sweet mind. Often whens she slept he would just hold her tight and keep her warm, very occasionally he would actually put her into his bed; usually if it was already night or if he knew she was particularly exhausted. Every now and then her eyes would be particularly tired, sometimes he wondered if she was asleep with her eyes still open. He would see her expression go blank and he would try to talk to her, bring her back but every now and then he would accept that she wasn't in with the conversation and he would try to supply a source of comfort.

She was a good girl. Klaus knew that, she was sweet and loving but she reserved it for small moments and for certain people. Klaus became one of those people.

He cared for her, he even started to love her.

She was what he looked forward to when he got home. Whether he got to physically see her (which he did usually) or if it were just a phone call, even a text conversation. Y/n was the highlight of each day and he was hers.

Each week had gotten a little easier since he had started talking to her. He wanted to see her whether she was talkative or not, happy or not. Klaus was always there for her and she loved that, she learnt to love his love and she tried to love him but she wasn't sure that she. could allow herself to.

She was troubled, some would say. Y/n had been in a pattern of lows that would absorb her life more often then she anyone could handle.

It wasn't the first time she had spiralled. Collecting pills had become a habit years ago. She would save them up, had to be enough to actually kill her, she would always worry that she needed more to really cut it.

To be honest, Klaus hadn't even crossed her mind when she twisted the cap off of the once forgotten bottle of tasteless wine that had collected its own coat of dust.

Nothing passed her thoughts, not really. She just knew what she had to do, she had thought about it for too long. The consequences wouldn't be hers, she wouldn't be suffering. That was how she had grown to look at it.

It was only after she had swallowed an uncountable amount of pills that she considered Klaus's reaction. Surely it couldn't affect him that much though, they had only known each other a few months and he was a busy man. He would be able to distract himself after a couple days. He had a family that would support him. He didn't need her.

But he did.

Klaus had been calling her on and off for hours, the first couple times she didn't pick up he thought she might've bene asleep but the fear that something deeper was wrong started to sink in.

He was in his car and at her house after the seventh missed call and he knew something was wrong.

The door was broken in within seconds and he was making his way inside, calling for her.

"Y/n? Love?" He yelled, brows furrowed as he pushed through the rooms to find her room.

Everything stopped moving when he saw her.

On the floor, leant against the side of her bed unconscious, wine spilt and staining the carpet but that didn't concern him. It was the barely beating heart in her chest and the few pills that she must've been too out of it to take.

"No no no no no" He whispered, his legs going weak causing him to crawl toward her, pulling her to him with urgency. "Oh love, it's okay" He uttered, tears welling in his eyes and his throat closing. "It's okay, I got you"

His hands lifted her head but she couldn't hold it up, her eyes wouldn't open and she couldn't breathe. He couldn't get her to breathe.

He bit into his wrist, forcing it to her mouth and tried to have his blood drip down into her system.

"Come on, come on, come on" He begged, cupping her jaw and kissing her forehead.

"Yes" He uttered when she groaned and coughed, spluttering a burst of his blood out. She gagged and he held her up, rubbing the top of her back.

She went heavy in his hold but she was alive and that's all that mattered so he just kept holding onto her. Burying his face into her hair and whispering his prayers.

"It's okay sweetheart, it's alright I have you"

His eyes stung as he clung onto her. He could see her vision returning and cupped her face gently but firmly in his hands.

"Look at me, love." he murmured, hidden desperation behind each word as she senses came to and she glanced around confused. For a split second she wasn't sure what had happened before the memory flooded in and she let out an exhausted cry. She closed her eyes and let her body stay limp, head against his shoulder whilst she breathed shallowly.

Faintly she could hear Klaus's begging whispers, she could feel his soft touch and smell his rich scent. It brought a small sense of comfort but did not stop the silent tears from slipping down the cheeks that his hands held. The press of his lips lingered for a moment on her forehead before she felt his arm slip under her knees and lift her body.

He held her to him whilst his spare hand hurriedly grabbed whatever necessities he could spot. A blanket was tucked against her and to his arm so she was shielded from the wind when they sped outside and through the streets of New Orleans. Within a moments thought they were within the warmth of the abattoir and Klaus's cologne swallowed her. She murmured uneasily as he lay her in his bed and wrapped both the sheets and himself around her, leaving her no opportunity to ever get away from him. Not that she had any desire to pull away from his hold in that moment. Waking up from what was supposed to be her death was only the slightest bit manageable with Klaus at her side.

Silently she thought about apologising but she wasn't sure it would be truthful so she remained quiet as he stroke her hair and pepper the tiniest of kisses across her face as though they were sun-kissed freckles.

"You cannot leave me like this" He whispered, his voice cracking in a way that hurt her heart and made her eyes squeeze shut. She worried he would be angry or upset with her but when his arms held her tighter and his forehead pressed to hers, and he muttered to her "I promise I will do all that I can to make you feel whatever comfort you need so long as you never attempt to leave me again", she didn't feel pressure or weight.

She content in a strange way, she felt a slight feeling of peace overcome her mind for a moment as she put as much trust as she could in his hands.

Klaus would never break that trust, he would never take away her comfort, he would never leave her alone again.

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gksweetdreams · 1 month ago

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Caught in a Web part 4

Sinister Mark x Reader

enjoy :)

A day has passed now and the battle between the Mark variants raged on, shaking the very foundation of the city. The air was thick with dust, the sound of collapsing buildings and cries from innocents filling the space between the chaos and destruction.

But Y/N wasn’t focused on the destruction.

She was focused on him.

It’s been a whole day since Y/N got caught in Sinister Mark web and he hasn’t stopped watching her. Even when he effortlessly took down other feral variants—snapping their necks with a single twist—his eyes always found their way back to her.

Y/N landed on a rooftop, chest heaving as she tried to process everything. She was not going to let her mind spiral. Not now.

But Sinister Mark landed beside her, and before she could stop herself, she finally… after a whole day asked:

“What happened to your Y/N?”

He exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair, his eyes flickering. “She died.”

Y/N’s fingers curled into fists. She had figured that much. But the way he said it—cold, detached, like it was a fact of the universe—made her stomach twist.

“Well duh” she replied fast trying to make light of the situation and not lead on how much her dying freaked her out but “How?” she pressed.

Sinister Mark turned his gaze to the battlefield below, watching as another Mark impaled a variant on a jagged piece of a pipe. He didn’t flinch.

“She tried to save me,” he said. “I tried to stop her. She didn’t listen.”

Y/N swallowed hard.

“but… from what I heard you always die” he continued, voice quieter now. “Not just mine. All of them.”

Her breath caught. “What do you mean?”

Sinister Mark turned to face her fully now, the wind tugging at the edges of his cape. His expression was unreadable, something between grim acceptance and quiet fury.

“I learned from someone that all the Mark Grayson’s of the multiverse,” he murmured, “are all destined to fall in love with you.”

Y/N’s heart stopped.

But he wasn’t done.

“And most of the time… you die.”

The words hit her harder than any punch ever could.

She shook her head. “That’s—that’s not true.”

She laughed gripping and tugging her mask off. Not believing him…

Sinister Mark gave a humorless chuckle. “You think I believed at first too… I didn’t believe it until he showed me! The way I watched you die countless times! Every multiverse he showed me you… there’s a version of you.” His gaze darkened. “And almost every time, your death is the breaking point for us. The moment we change. The moment we lose what’s left of our humanity.”

Y/N’s pulse was pounding in her ears. She didn’t want to believe it. She couldn’t.

“Yeah” she spit out “and who told you that”

Sinister Mark replied “The man that brought us here… Angstrom”

Y/N laughed “and you expect me to trust that source… a freaking creep and stalker of my Mark”

But deep down, she thought of her Mark. Of the way they had been drawn together despite everything. Of the way she had always felt like their paths were meant to intertwine.

What if…?

No. She refused to entertain the idea.

“That’s just a coincidence,” she forced out fast and hard. “There’s no destiny or fate. People make their own choices.”

Sinister Mark studied her, then stepped closer. “Do they?”

She stood her ground, even as her heart screamed at how close he was now.

“I don’t believe in this crap you’re saying,” she said pulling her mask back on. “And even if I did, I refuse to accept that I’m just some tragic footnote in a Mark Grayson’s story.”

Sinister Mark’s gaze softened—just slightly. “You’ll never be that in mine story.”

Y/N’s breath hitched.

She couldn’t do this. Not now. Not when her head was still spinning from the way he looked at her, from the things he was saying.

She turned, about to swing away, when a new voice rang through the chaos—one that made her blood run cold.

“Y/N?”

She froze.

Slowly, she turned.

And there he was.

Her Mark.

His blue-and-yellow suit was torn, blood smeared along his jaw, but his eyes were locked on her. And for the first time in a long time, she saw something different in them.

Something she hadn’t seen since before Eve.

Something that made her stomach twist with guilt.

Sinister Mark smirked. “Well. This is about to be interesting.”

Next Part ➤

sorry this took so long to get out! I hope everyone likes part 4 and likes where the story is heading :)

#fem reader #invincible #invincible mark grayson #invincible variants #invincible x reader #mark grayson #mark grayson x reader #invincible season 3 #invincible show #spiderman #spiderman reader

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starlight-lesbians · 3 months ago

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lesbian dinah and lesbian greaseball is so important to me, and so is their relationship development

in my heart GB was Dinah’s gay awakening a lil bit and I end up writing that into a lot of my fics and aus because I think it’s adorable

Like Dinah’s maybe dated a couple guys, she wasn’t that interested in them. Then GB rolls into the station one day and she’s beside herself internally. She’s never felt like this about anyone before and it’s so intense.

GB knows she’s gay, her sexuality might be the one thing she’s really genuinely secure in, so she’s a little unsure of getting with someone just figuring themselves out like Dinah is.

They give it a shot though, and they’re like two puzzle pieces finally slotting together. Sure they have their moments, but they love each other deeply and they work it out.

To me what occurs in canon is like, super out of the ordinary for their relationship, and of course this is my headcanon. Dinah consistently seems shocked by Greaseball’s rejections of her affection, implying that doesn’t usually happen.

I think both of them are very insecure, and derive their security from different things. GB’s security comes from her champion status. She believes that if she isn’t the champion, she will lose everything, Dinah included. Dinah’s security comes from her relationship, why is why she absolutely crashes out when left in the dust. Her support and security has left her.

They both have to find their strength and security in other things before they can fully heal, because before there wasn’t a threat pulling them apart.

Dinah finds support in Belle and Tassita, and later, security in herself. She exerts her own autonomy in deciding she doesn’t want to race with Electra anymore, she decides she is going to forgive Greaseball, and that’s because she finally trusts herself.

Greaseball on the other hand, has to learn that she can rely on others. Her champion title is lost, but Dinah stays by her side, forgives her, and loves her anyway, and that allows her to find a new source of security. She is enough, without all of the glamour of being a champion.

anyway i sob over them every day of the week i teared up writing this SHHHH

#starlight express london 2024 #starlight express #stex #rory rambles! 💕#dinah the dining car #greaseball the diesel #greasedinah #dinah starlight express #greaseball and dinah #dinah x greaseball

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ranchstoryblog · 4 months ago

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Fandom Memories: HMFarm

Hmmm. So, nearly a quarter of you whippersnappers wanna hear about the good ol' days, huh? Well, back in the day, you wouldn't just hang out on one or two big websites to try to find people who shared your niche interests among a million random users. Everything had its own dedicated site, with its own special pack of weirdos that you probably wouldn't find anywhere else. Home grown fandom, sprouting from the cement sidewalks of the freshly paved internet like so many weeds with pretty little flowers on top. So, let's take a little stroll down memory lane and visit one of the oldest fan sites with Archive.org's "Wayback Machine."

Ahh, just like I remember it. This here is "Harvest Moon Farm." 'course, we just called it HMFarm, like the URL did. This used to be the place to be. The prime progenitor of all farmin' fansites in the English speaking community. Maybe not the literal first, but up until around 2005, this was where you would go if you wanted to know anythin' about digital farmin'. It truly was a magical place to visit.

This screenshot isn't the oldest design, but it's the one I fondly remember. The majority of my time using the site was during the lead-up to A Wonderful Life, which was probably also when it was the most active as an information source. Seeing the screenshots, checking the forums, speculatin', wonderin', dreamin'... It's a warm feeling. I can't really describe how it felt to look at these shots for the first time. Granted, they were mostly sourced from various places like IGN or Newtechnix, but who wanted to go to THOSE messy sites when all the info I wanted was right here? IGN wasn't telling me how to revive the Vineyard in Harvest Moon 64 while I was waiting for AWL news either.

Our first look at the character we would come to know as Muffy, the sheer novelty of being able to go into the townsfolk's glorious, 3D-rendered rooms, the apparent misidentification of flowering tomatoes... The webmaster, Gamergirl87, would caption each one as well. Some of the captions of those screenshots ended up not being exactly true, but it was the closest thing to on-going coverage we really had. Who else was there to trust?

It's a little off topic, but I think at one point after learning about the GBA connectivity, I must have dreamed about this very gallery and seeing a screenshot of a Gamecube-ized Popuri with the caption that Mineral Town villagers would visit after connecting the GC and GBA together. At least, I'm pretty sure it was a dream. I've met some people who claim they saw the same thing, but none of us have been able to find that screenshot or comment again.

The one that would most catch my attention was the one on the left here. I didn't have a PlayStation 2, so I was coming fresh off of the GameBoy and Nintendo 64 when going into A Wonderful Life. The pond, the mysterious glowing plants, the mood and ambiance of their lighting, the little tree on the door... Naturally, I mirrored it on my first day the remake was available.

It's a real shame that the message boards are poorly preserved, since it doesn't look like there was a news post about the pre-order plush cow. I was hoping to find the name of whoever it was that convinced me to commit my first ever preorder. I still have the receipt, but without the forum post it's really only tangentially related to HM Farm.

'course, just learning about existing games and upcoming games wasn't the only good thing HM Farm was for. As I alluded to, there was a whole community here! While it's a shame that the message boards aren't well preserved by the Wayback Machine, you know what is?

The "ideas" list! This incredible time capsule was one of the first "interactive" parts of the site, starting in the year 2000. It's kind of fun to see how many of these ideas actually happened. Obviously, new characters and personalities were probably expected, but Animal Parade would eventually feature a honeymoon, several games have clothing and other customization, a mall, city, and pig would be added as soon as GBC 3, a goat would be in A Wonderful Life... It's actually amazing how prescient a lot of the suggestions are.

I'd share the whole thing, but the amount of e-mail addresses involved gives me pause. Still, there's a couple I wanna highlight:

Considering how often I still hear about people wanting to marry the moms and people attributing it to just "the fans getting older," it's funny to see Laserion lay out that, no, we've always been like this. Right down to using Manna's unhappy marriage and Lillia's husband never returning as valid reasons they should be available.

Tuan145, on the other hand, I just find extremely amusing because of the specific "2002 Escalade" part. Yes, this is clearly the ideal vehicle for all farmers in the Story of Seasons universe. This is now accepted headcanon. The boat was added in GBC 3 too, so obviously a 2002 Escalade is going to be added any day now.

Another thing that's amazingly well preserved is the site's fan art section. There's a few missing images here and there, but for the most part the entire thing is open to explore. People of basically all ages and skill levels happily submitted their creations, including original characters, digital art, traditional art, crossovers with popular series like Sailor Moon, a liiittle bit of drug use... Y'know, all the kinds of things you'd expect to see in a fan art gallery of the day.

Even better, some of the artists are still doing art today! Looking around, I quickly discovered one of my favorites, Rina Cat, is now on Blue Sky. I made sure to ask for permission to repost their art before including it here. Reaching out to everyone would be a bit much though, so I'll just encourage you to just browse the gallery using the Wayback Machine yourself. There's poetry and fanfics too!

There's a lot more to the site, including useful bits of history like keeping track of release dates for games, pre-release screenshots, and information that was only available on Japanese websites at the time, but I'll leave it at that for now.

Unfortunately, though the site continued to be updated until 2010 and stayed online until 2021, it's no longer available on the regular internet and the URL doesn't seem safe to access anymore. I wanted to include an interview with the former webmaster as well, but all their readily available contact information was tied to the website and I haven't had any luck so far in finding other means of contact. If I have any success, I'll be sure to make a follow-up! If you have any memories of HMFarm, or other fan sites, I'd be happy to hear about it.

#story of seasons #harvest moon #fandom history #i started this post by using portraits of Taro every couple paragraphs #to help sell that the “voice” of the article was a comically old and crotchety old man remembering the good old days #but he has like NO emotional range in his portraits. “Happy” just uses closed eyes and mouth open #so the idea was abandoned as the post went on. oh well #For a lot of the smaller sites I'm not sure if I can really write up a long article #I might try to do something more like a series of little glossary entries in batches or something?

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crownmemes · 10 months ago

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Concerned Sentences, Vol. 7

(Concerned sentences from various sources. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"Is everything okay? You seem annoyed about something."

"I don't know why you do this to yourself. You know it doesn't help anything."

"You need to stop reading the news. It's bad for you."

"Doing something rash isn't going to bring him back."

"No, you're not doing this! You're going to kill yourself!"

"I can take care of myself just fine, alright?"

"I appreciate this concern, but I'm not like you, alright?"

"Sometimes, I think you might have a penchant for self-pity."

"There are always unintended consequences to everything we do."

"Yearning won't make it happen."

"When exactly was the last time you had a psych evaluation?"

"You can't save everyone, no matter how hard you try!"

"There's only so much that you can do, and you've obviously reached the limit!"

"I just don't understand why you work so hard to be alone."

"To deny who you are is much more painful than confronting what you hate about yourself."

"You don't need to trust them, but you do need to trust me."

"You're desperate and scared, and desperate people make mistakes."

"Battle scars are not always of the body."

"Denial can be a very powerful thing."

"Things like this - all things, in fact - have consequences."

"You're lonely, and sometimes loneliness turns to bitterness."

"Sometimes there are scars than cannot be seen."

"The truth is, despite you're abilities, you're still just one man."

"How are you really in the grand scheme of things?"

"She's using you, just like all the others."

"Listen, I really want to keep this between you and me. Why don't you start by just telling me the truth?"

"You're a bit out of it tonight."

"You can't hide out here forever, you know. You have to go home sometime."

"This must be a lot for you to process."

"I've known you for a decade. I know your behaviour patterns and how you think. You acted very out of character today."

"You seem like you're making up for lost time."

"You've got to learn to be the hero of your own life again."

"Actually, I don't smoke. Neither should you."

"Why should an accident happen? Are you concerned for your safety?"

"This hero stuff is only going to get somebody hurt."

"You like fighting, don't you?"

"I came as soon as I saw the morning paper. I thought you might need a friend."

"There's something not quite right with you today, and I can't quite put my finger on it."

"You need to decide what you want. Stop dwelling on what you can't have."

"Do you need a hug?"

#rp meme #rp memes #roleplay meme #roleplay memes #rp prompts #roleplay prompts #sentence starters #assorted;#concerned;

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clanwarrior-tumbly · 5 months ago

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Ive seen you reblobing a lot of evolotto (i love that little creature too) by any chance you have some headcanons about the little guy?

Or could you write some hcs about reader having one and showing it to the paldea gang, Carmine and kieran? Reader doesnt even remember when they found it.. one day evolotto just bonked its head on readers legs and hasnt stopped following them since.

((Sorry if im asking for a lot i just like that lil guy a lot and i love your writing))

YES EVOLOTTO MY BELOVED RAAHH

It is very special to me ofc I have some headcanons (both general and with the SV gang)

.......

General

Legend claims that Evolotto was Arceus' first attempt at creating a Pokemon; it was only intended to be a "template" for what the god wanted to bring into the world. But it was kept hidden away until it found its way to Earth all on its own.

Many have theorized that its power is the source of the Evolution phenomenon.

Stories claim that a single touch from this creature can evolve a Pokémon instantly regardless of stats, circumstances, or items. But this has yet to be proven.

Scientists keep trying to catch/observe its traits in the wild, hoping to understand its powers--without any success.

The only thing that has been documented thus far are its attempts to evolve, in which it takes forms resembling the various Pokemon body shapes, although it uses them more for self-defense than battling.

Despite this and its connections to Arceus, it's unclear if it can learn Transform, Judgement, or use any of the plates.

Has a texture akin to soft dough or clay.

Eviolites are said to be ordinary stones that were blessed by Evolotto from the moment it touched the earth.

Like Mew, Arceus Latias, Latios, and Mewtwo, it can understand human language and speak telepathically, but is rather shy about it, preferring to keep to itself.

Hcs with the SV Trio

The odds of you stumbling across Evolotto were one in a million...

And during your exploration of Paldea, you so-happened to be checking out some ruins when the creature lightly nudged against your leg.

While your pokedex provided very little information on it, you find it to be quite cute and so you decide to capture it.

Surprisingly, it rejects the pokeball, but doesn't break it.

You wonder how and why....but after Evolotto just stared at you with its beady red eyes, you stopped questioning it and decided to let it accompany you around Paldea.

It'll assume its more humanoid forms when it attends class with you, even sitting in a chair and listening to the professor like it was a student.

Eventually you tell your friends at the Academy about the new Pokémon you found, convincing it to demonstrate its abilities.

Nemona thinks it looks like some kid's art project in Hassel's class, only to be excited when it starts moving around and shows off some of its alternate forms.

She hoped to battle it, but after seeing it scurry behind you for protection, she feels bad and offers it candy as an apology.

Arven thought it was another food-themed Pokémon like Fidough, but not even you knew what it was supposed to be. No factual records at the academy's library existed on it that any of you could find.

It was all just speculation and theories, the most popular ones being "it was conceived by Arceus to make evolution possible" and "eviolites are ordinary stones blessed by it".

You decided to trust in these claims.

Even Penny was curious about it, although she thought it was...quite strange that nobody's been able to catch one. But it somehow warmed up to you.

Regardless, her Eevee team adored the fella, so it didn't really matter.

HCs with Carmine & Kieran

You brought Evolotto to Kitakami during your trip, simply because the little guy refused to leave your side.

And after getting to know the siblings better and wondering if they knew anything about it, you decided to show them....and both of them act like you just gave them a million dollars.

They've read about this Pokémon before! And it was in your hands!

It was real all along..

After calming down about it, Carmine lowkey gets annoyed that Evolotto doesn't wanna battle and just...sticks to you like glue, letting you carry it around like a puppy.

You keep telling her that it won't go into a pokeball (but she'll still tease you about trying to "show off" even when that's not your intention).

While Kieran finds it cute and defends it from his sister's rude remarks, he does get a bit jealous when you're also getting Ogerpon's attention.

But in the end, when she chose you over him, he vows to gain ownership over Evolotto as a "prize" for beating you in the championship battle when you arrive to BB Academy.

Of course...he doesn't win.

After you two reconcile, he asks if you've learned anything new about the Pokémon, but otherwise has regained enough respect from Evolotto to give it head pats occasionally.

#clanask #anonymous #pokemon x reader #pokemon sv x reader #pokemon scarlet x reader #pokemon violet x reader #pokemon arven #pokemon penny #pokemon nemona #pokemon carmine #pokemon kieran #pokemon evolotto #evolotto #headcanons #platonic

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justallihere · 3 months ago

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Okay, I did some laundry, I've had lunch, I've breathed fresh air and taken some deep breaths (did not touch any grass because it's covered in snow), and we're back. My wrap up thoughts of Onyx Storm are below! Be warned it's chock full of spoilers, and these are all my honest opinions. I haven't even given this a rating yet because I don't really know what I want to rate it! Nothing's really in order so sorry about that. But I look forward to hearing everyone else's thoughts!

I loved that the importance of the bond between dragon and human was emphasized so heavily in this book. That Asher called Aimsir Lilith's first love, Violet telling Tairn he's the gift of her life, that even Halden knew that the true barrier to her would be the dragon bond - and especially that when Xaden channeled again, in a way that he knew would irreversibly damn him, he did it for Sgaeyl. To keep her safe, because she chose him before and above everyone else.

I adored the Riorgail of it all. They were open and honest with each other, saying I love you practically every other breath, declaring their loyalty and devotion to each other in front of anyone who would listen. I loved that we got them as a team, facing stuff together and trusting that what they couldn't the other could handle it.

On the other hand, it may just be me but they didn't quite feel like themselves. Maybe because it was the first time we've truly seen them be public about their feelings, but they didn't feel like the same Xaden and Violet from the previous two books. Xaden felt so intense that everything he said gave me anxiety, devoted to the point of obsession. I would actually call Violet morally gray here, but it came out of nowhere; there wasn't a great transition into that change in her character, none of the hesitation or guilt I'd expect.

In short, they kind of felt like my Xaden and Violet and not canon? I loved them, but I'm not sure it matches what we know of them from FW and IF and the change in character didn't feel entirely smooth.

But Xaden IS her sword!!!!

The worldbuilding was ridiculous. Violet was dropping facts left right and center like the details of the aristocracy and politics at play were common knowledge - and maybe they are in world, but if they're that obvious then I feel like those details should've been worked into earlier books. I felt like I was floundering trying to keep up with all the new names and titles and roles.

In the same vein, the lore about magic made no sense. So only the Continent has magic but why? Was it drained from other places? Does it only occur naturally in certain areas? Dragons don't have magic that exists within them - they also draw from the source which? Hello hypocrites much? That was another thing that was said so casually, but that should've been one of those things we learned in Fourth Wing, at Threshing or right after.

There was too much happening with the plot to the point that I lost it completely. The trips to the isles were overwhelming. I know the venin and the irids were tied together, but those two things competed so much that I kept forgetting about whichever one we weren't talking about. Literally just. . . forgot about the venin there for a bit in the middle. We were looking for a cure but we were looking for Andarna's kind but we were trying to stop the venin and we were also gathering allies and making trade deals and none of those points were fleshed out completely.

The ending was vague and confusing in a way that made me frustrated instead of interested or anticipatory. I read the last two chapters three times and I still don't know what the fuck was going on there. So the Sage is. . . Fen? Is Garrick the one who also turned? Bodhi? Brennan? Ridoc? Fuck if I know. I understand the point of the marriage, to give Violet control over Tyrrendor legally, but I'm also pissed at the way it happened.

I know we don't want anyone to actually die, but I literally didn't even flinch when Mira's throat got cut open because I figured she'd be fine. There were no important deaths. Trager and Quinn didn't hit that hard. Not putting any of the main characters in significant danger makes the stakes feel lower than they should.

The fan service made me roll my eyes. I get it to a certain extent, but there were several times when I legitimately kind of felt like RY had been in fandom spaces or someone on her team was just feeding her popular theories to include.

The marked ones having second signets was. . . not my favorite choice, because logistically it doesn't make much sense. We should statistically see at least one of them go mad from the power instead of developing a second signet. And I actually think if that had been included it would have been more interesting! I'd like to see the reality of the risks that were taken to make the rebellion happen, but instead they just got really really lucky a bunch of times?

The use of the word Riorgail in print sent me to the fucking moon. No.

Violet's second signet. . . I don't want to talk about it.

Actually no I do. Since when are signets based on situational need and not who a person is at their core? Was that not what we were told previously? Am I tripping? I don't mind the power itself but I am confused.

Professor Riorson had me on the ground laughing. What the hell was that. There are enough barriers to their relationship, and that one felt too forced (but great fodder for smutty fic).

The characters and their relationships are the standout of the book and the series. I already said I loved Xaden and Violet here, but I also loved their friendships and how real especially the relationship with Brennan and Mira and Violet felt. The humor and the quips and the squad's constant support of each other was wonderful.

I'm holding onto those Sloane and Dain crumbs like a teddy bear you all have no idea. I love them.

Aaric being the one with precognition I didn't see coming, but I surprisingly liked it! I loved him stepping more into his role as prince and seeing how cunning and smart he really is.

Halden was unnecessary but I live for possessive and jealous Xaden.

Overall I think the pacing was crammed and the worldbuilding left me with more questions than answers, but did I still like it? Yes! I don't think it's my favorite in the series but it still was an enjoyable read. I'll want to read it again at some point I think, but not immediately!

#onyx storm spoilers

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monokuromuheaven · 3 months ago

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Interview With Actor Carlos Diehz

“I’m kind of a nerd, really,” says the 53-year-old. “When I find something I like I get really deep into it.”

(…)

The casting process for Benitez took three months, and by the time Diehz booked the part after several rounds of auditions and was flown to Rome – where most of the filming took place – he had put those self-proclaimed nerd tendencies to good use.

“I spent a lot of time studying the other actors, particularly Ralph Fiennes,” he says.

“All my scenes are with him, so I watched a lot of his interviews and movies and I would pull my chair right up to the screen to look at his expressions, how he plays certain situations, the hints he gives. Even his breathing.

“So when it was just the two of us, I would not be distracted trying to find out his dynamic.

“Because so much of acting is reacting, you have to inspire confidence in the other performer and try to follow their rhythm, but you have to be as natural as possible. Ralph is a master of that."

Diehz might be considered something of an apprentice. Growing up in a suburb of Mexico City, he enjoyed the arts but was hesitant to perform. Prior to landing Conclave, his appearances had been limited to short films and student projects.

Spending such a significant portion of his outside the world of acting has, Diehz believes, equipped him with a greater range of experiences to draw from.

“They say that youth is a defect that gets corrected with age,” he says with a smile. (:D)

“When you are young you don’t have these experiences, like playing someone who has gone through divorce and you haven’t experienced that. You have to be very observant, you need to have a notion of what it is like.

“Having worked for years in architecture and construction, sometimes in leadership positions, it gives you the experience and courage to stand up in front of an audience and deliver bad news in a way that maintains the trust of your clients.

“There is no second take, no rehearsal, no script, you have to improvise and drive these situations to a good ending."

“Sometimes it goes wrong. But you have to deal with the consequences and keep moving on."

“So architecture is like acting in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t say it makes it easier, but I think it means you have a larger range of real-life emotions and experiences to pick from.”

“You are who you are, it’s what you do about it. That’s what matters” as Diehz puts it.

And in Benitez, Diehz found someone he immediately resonated with. Many of the character’s values, Diehz reveals, align with those of his younger self.

“When I was 19 years old I had a mystical phase in my life,” he says.

“I found God after an existential crisis and I was so excited. I got really deep into faith and spirituality. That’s how I learned about people like Saint Francis of Assisi.

“He refused all the luxury and privilege from his family to help the poor. I wanted to be like that."

“Then life happened, but when this character came along I felt as though I was playing someone that I wanted to be at one point in my life."

“Ok, I’m not as deep, spiritual or peaceful as Benitez but it was a good reminder of what I could be."

“And that was very rewarding. Benitez is one of those characters worth taking home with you.”

Home, it seems, plays an important part in Diehz’s life. While he is happy to ride the crest of the Conclave wave for a while longer – an experience he admits has been “surreal” – he seems equally content embracing life’s more simple pleasures, be it painting or karaoke in his living room.

“I mostly sing songs from the 1980s,” he adds. “I really love Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses. It’s incredible.”

Source

#Carlos watching Ralph on a screen TwT he was PRACTICING!!#Carlos Diehz #Conclave #Conclave 2024 #Im putting all the interviews at unholy hours but idk #When I'm obsessed I want to read all the things available so that's what Im doing right now #making things more easy tehehe

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guarddogfemme · 3 months ago

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hi! it seems like you and your partner are practicing a lot of hard kink pretty sustainably/well, i was curious if you have tips/know where to go for tips on how to start/keep that up?

thank you so much for asking! i hope our answers are helpful :) always do research and talk to your community members; i'm not perfect and kink is not monolithic! feel free to reach out if you want more info/resources/clarification.

my advice:

- honestly communicate your wants and needs. accept that these things may change and evolve. we have a shared spreadsheet with about 350 kinks/actions and our comfortability with them, this sheet is updated as things change. understand that even with communication your partner may do something you don't like (not violating a hard boundary) accidentally or through experimentation; be ready to manage this together.

- figure out your expectations for scenes and your dynamic. expectations can be very concrete and detailed like wanting a list of specific actions to happen or they can be more abstract like wanting to feel a certain way. communicate and manage these expectations with your partner.

- educate yourself on kink and safety outside of your partner. read, talk to your community, take classes, listen to podcasts, go to events. the information you get about kink should be from a wide variety of sources, do not solely rely on your partner to educate you.

- similarly, learning about first aid/emergency management is always necessary when engaging in kink. this should be general and then more specific to the types of kink you're interested in. i enjoyed the free first aid classes for sex workers that 7 days of domination offers. there are also lots of free/cheap first aid classes or resources about anatomy and emergency preparedness online. have a specific plan for what will happen and what you or your partner is responsible for during different types of emergencies.

- if you're interested in RACK, start to figure out your risk profile. talk to your partner about this. recognize if there are things that you think are hot but that are outside of your risk profile. you can be disappointed by this, but take care of yourself and do not compromise your safety in ways you can't afford to.

- explore things! trying things out is important in learning what you like. figure out a plan for how to cope and communicate when you don't like something.

- accept that you and your partner are humans and your desire for kink and/or sex will not always be consistent or perfectly compatible. it's okay if sometimes you want to engage in kink every day and sometimes you want to engage in kink once a week. talk to your partner about what you need and want. ask them about what they need and want too.

- let yourself feel silly/stupid/cringy. kink is a lot of playing pretend and improv at its core. it's okay if you are embarrassed sometimes, but don't let that hold you back from doing the things that you enjoy or want to try. it's okay to laugh at yourself.

- be selective with who you play with. make sure the people you practice kink with are trustworthy, conscious of safety, and communicative. feel safe and comfortable with them.

my pet's advice:

hiiiii!!!! thank u for the sweet question!! <333

- push yourself to be honest (with yourself and your partner) about what you need! sometimes it's like, really really scary to realize how helpful it is to have someone taking care of you. when you need that, you need it. trust that your partner will let you know if they can't/ don't want to do something

- trust your gut!!! if something feels wrong or weird, trust yourself. talk about it with your partner/ journal about it so you can figure out why you're feeling off, but trust that your body is usually right

- talk about the scene after every scene!!! even if it was tame/ if you aren't doing anything new. oh my god this has been so good. it's so helpful to go over things you liked/disliked/etc. about the scene, but also about any thoughts you had during the scene that you might forget later! this gives you guys an established space to talk about the general direction of your kink practice! i've also found that it really helps prevent drop because you can discuss out any of the thoughts/feelings that might spiral into guilt if they're allowed to fester.

- take care of each other outside of scenes/your kink practice

byeeeee!! :))

#barking #risk aware consensual kink

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jessilynallendilla · 6 months ago

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Charlastor/Radiobelle AlastorXCharlie

Home Post

The Taxidermist (EX)

It's strange how things happen sometimes. Only three words are needed to ensure that a curious person does exactly what you expect them to. These three simple words will never fail you: Don't do it. It happened. She did it. And she was too late.

Smiling Man (EX 387,376)

Moving to New Orleans to start up her rehabilitation hotel for criminals hasn't been all berries for Charlie, especially if everybody thinks you're some Dumb Dora with a complete horseshit plan. And it's another jam that she's starting to get stuck on Alastor, the charming yet eccentric radio host next door who's never fully dressed without a smile. But she's all smiles too, and that's made her out to be quite the dish to Alastor - in all senses of the word - and boy, was he ready to be entertained.

Heaven Hell and Earth (T)

A girl born of Heaven and Earth, a boy born of Hell and Earth, two hybrids raised in a secret organization that defends mankind from paranormal dangers. Both unaware that they were prophesied to bring about the world's end even though they have spent years protecting it. Which raises the question: Who decides their fate? And will the loving bond they share with each other and those around them be able to overcome the terrible hardships they must face?

Nightshade Manor (M)

Charlie Morningstar only wrote to novelist Rosie Parish, to ask for advice on writing her own book. But instead she was invited to spend a few days at the historic Nightshade Manor. An elegant but mysterious estate located in an equally mysterious town. When she arrives it isn't long before she suspects that the town hides a very big secret. That the manor is occupied by something unspeakably evil. And that the master of the household, Alastor Nightshade has certain plans for her. If she hopes to get herself and her friends out of this situation alive then she must use clues from the past and messages from the dead to break a devil's curse. But the irresistible pull of forbidden love may or may not seal her to a doomed fate.

A Horrific Fantasy (T)

Once upon a time there was a lonely girl who much preferred to live in a fantasy than in reality. One day she was drawn into a world of extraordinary imagination, where anything is possible and things are not always what they seem. At first she thinks it's a dream come true but she eventually learns that a fantasy is not always sunshine and rainbows. That there is a dark, more horrific side to it that threatens her and her loved ones. Now she must use faith and her own creativity to outsmart the evil that rules this world and rely on the aid of a strange boy who only wants to give her his heart.

The Devil Take The Hindmost (EX)

Alastor Doucet’s ambition drives him to summon an infernal fiend, ready to enter a binding pact in exchange for arcane powers. But the Devil he summons isn’t very interested in his soul. She is determined to find an alternative to the brutal mass extermination of her people. In a desperate bid to prove that redemption is both possible and worthwhile, she journeys to the mortal realm to redeem sinners straight from the source. This tale features dark magic, jazz, the economic crash of 1929, Louisiana, a serial-killing radio host, and the blossoming trust between two very unlikely allies during desperate times.

Beneath The Mask (EX) SERIES

For every trial, for every task, there is a corresponding mask. A frown, a smirk, a pout, a grin, They shield the soul contained therein. But masks and faces, and manners too, disguise the single face that’s true. The face that’s under the facade, the one the foolish, charmed and awed, profess to see, to claim to know, although they’ve never seen it show. And so they pry through charm and guile, in hopes to see what’s ‘neath that smile. However, they are unaware, that mask and face are not a pair. For those that pry soon come to find they don’t like what’s hiding behind, because the face once locked within, might not be that charming grin. And thus the wise are dread to ask to see what’s there beneath the mask.

You’ll Never Find Me (M)

New Orleans - early 1920's - Right after the sunset and the moonlight shines above the city, a radio host crosses paths with a young woman who has just arrived. She seems lost and has no place to stay. The man kindly offers his help. They thought they would never see each other again, but their paths keep crossing each other's. Time makes them connect to each other, but little do they know they are more alike than they believe: Both of them have their own dark secrets, but it gets harder to hide as they keep getting closer. Maybe it's destiny, maybe it's meant to be, either way, the cards have been played and now they have to fight against the rules of both of their worlds.

Penance (EX)

“I’m interviewing you to see if you’d be a potential candidate for my rehabilitation idea. If you don’t live under a rock, you’d know that Hell is overpopulated—specifically the Pride Ring with Sinner demons. And the exterminations are… brutal,” she bit out, “senseless murder… these are my people. Some of them find a new life down here, some of them start families and make friends. I want to give them the opportunity to better themselves, and find a way out of this ring. It’s not fair.”

“Fair?” A harsh scoff from the one before her, “Darling, we’re not here to be fair.”

Charlie is given a rather impossible task by her father in order to contact Heaven for her project—she has to redeem one of Hell's most unforgivable sinners.

Requiem For A Mourningstar (EX)

Paranormal Investigator Charlotte Morningstar is headed to her ancestral home to finally uncover the dark secrets her family has been hiding for generations. But past sins are not the only evils lurking on Pentagram Rock. And Charlie soon finds out there's far more hidden in the dark than she bargained for.

Oh Deer! (EX 23,040) SERIES

When rutting season brings Alastor to his breaking point, he tries to hold off on his very undignified desires. As time progresses he contains himself until Charlie’s own heat cycle is thrown off by life stress. When their seasons line up, nothing good can come of it.

The Mark Of Judgement (M)

In the aftermath of his battle with Adam, Alastor sustained a wound that refused to heal. With each passing day, the wound grows. With each wretched act, the mark upon his chest makes itself known. Alastor was being judged, not by Heaven or Hell, but something else. Something without a name. And so Charlie, in her infinite goodness and need to help, has put it upon herself to try and save Alastor’s soul while simultaneously running her hotel. But the mystery only deepens the further the duo dives. Questions of fate, uncertain feelings, and connections that neither expected, come to light as they grapple with ‘The Mark of Judgment.’

Human Hotel Field Trip (EX 26,357)

A slowish-burn of Charlie and Alastor taking a field trip topside for the "business experience." And end up experiencing a seismic shift in their relationship. Oh, and there's a 1920s bash at the hotel. Just to piss Alastor off.

Sinner And Salvation (T 83921)

In 1930's New Orleans, Alastor Bordeaux - famous radio host and undiscovered serial killer - stumbles upon a mysterious young woman deep in the Bayou. Not a charitable man by any means, but there's more to this girl than meets the eye - a power he can use for a little problem of his own... Unfortunately for him, Charlie has absolutely no memory of who or what she is! Left to pick up the pieces of a life she doesn't remember as she recovers under the kindness of a stranger, when the past comes calling will they be able to handle it or will dark secrets doom them both?

Under My Skin (EX)

The new and improved Hazbin Hotel is open for business, and with a steady flow of guests seeking redemption, Charlie couldn't be happier. But when Alastor continues to shirk his duties as the hotel's host, she has no choice but to confront him. She's shocked to find him shut away in his radio tower, slowly succumbing to his deadly angelic wound. Much to the radio demon's chagrin, she dedicates herself to his recovery. Maybe his brush with death made him sentimental. Or maybe the infection from his wound messed with his brain. Whatever the reason, Alastor finds himself not only enjoying the princess's company but yearning for it long after he's recovered. More than just her positive energy begins to creep under his skin, and as he starts to see her in a new light, he begins to question things about himself and his reasons for being at the hotel.

I Do Ms. Malveaux (EX)

Caught with a corpse between his legs, infamous serial killer Alastor Malveaux agrees to marry Charlie, the canary down at Rosie's Emporium and Speakeasy. While inconvenient, it wasn't a bad idea to get hitched to the doll, especially with her dire circumstances that pushed her to marry a murderer in the first place. Yep, Alastor could have his cake and eat it too. There were absolutely no setbacks to this plan and he could live as he wanted, unattached to his pretty little wife. His wife...Ha ha!

Your Love Is My Torment (EX)

Nothing was out of the ordinary on that Morning in January for the Radio Host , But after he fires his rifle at a unusual looking doe in woods , He discovers that there are things in this world that cannot be explained and now he and her are thrown together in an ever changing , twisting love story that eventually becomes their torment and the beginning of a bloody history between them both, that will follow them to hell and back again .

If You Like Pina Coladas! (EX)

As a rule Alastor could not be convinced to do anything that did not benefit him. Therefore the man was struggling to understand why he had agreed to this farce. Yet here he was, on Vacation in the human world with Charlie. He wondered how he had allowed himself to be talked into this.

The Riddle Of Magic (M) SERIES

Alastor and Charlie have struck a deal: He’s agreed to teach her magic; but what does he get in return? Seven spells, to understand magic’s most fundamental law. If the teacher asks, the student must answer: What is the Riddle of Magic?

Just Roll With It (M)

To get Adam to agree to another year before another extermination, Alastor and Charlie say they are getting married. To each other. It’s a problem, and they need to fix it…or Just Roll With It

A Tail Of Beignets (EX) SERIES

After finding out the extermination would be 6 months early Charlie felt she deserved an evening for feeling sorry for herself and a few bottles of wine. She told herself it was a form of self care. A mini holiday. But she didnt expect to meet Alastor making beignets in the kitchen. She also didn't realise he had a fluffy tail.

Bernadette (M) SERIES

Charlie has enough of everything going bad in her life, her parents returning after yet another failure was the last straw, so she join forces with Alastor and took over, as they literally brought heaven to hell. Vaggie, alongside unlikely allies, needs to stop the tyranny they presented while surviving on the mess they created. Will she succeed?

Bride Of The Radio Demon (M 50,501) SERIES

A long time ago, an Overlord by the name Alastor plunged Hell into fear because of his power. The Seven Deadly Sins were able to weaken him and made him disappear to never be seen again. Seven years later, Alastor returned more powerful than ever. The only thing that would get him to stop terrorizing Hell is a few things in return. ... Including a willing bride to marry, who just so happens to be the Princess of Hell herself, Charlie Morningstar. Can she tame and melt the heart of the Radio Demon?

A Different Kind Of Hell (M)

Heaven and Hell were often cut off from one another. Word got around but otherwise there was radio silence. Until Charlie and Alastor stormed Heaven’s gates.

The Radio Songbird (T)

After not surviving a car crash, Charlie Magne finds herself in Hell. Unsure what she could have done to end up there she tries to make the most of her new situation. Making a minor agreement with the menacing but friendly radio demon. Alastor finds this new sinner quite charming, and her voice even more so. He offers her a place to live in exchange for singing on his radio show. Eventually hoping to lure the young woman into a more permanent deal, wanting to keep the little songbird under his thumb. Meanwhile Lucifer finds out someone has misplaced the Princess of Hell.

Your Sweet Radio Demon (M)

Unaware of his true intentions, Charlie begins to develop feelings for Alastor. This doesn’t go unnoticed by the faux affable demon, who intends to take full advantage of the situation for his nefarious purposes. Vaggie, the only one aware of his true intentions, bows to do whatever it takes to protect her. Unfortunately for Alastor, those aren’t the only players of his little game. Two people from his past have set their sights on him and intend to expose him for who he really is. Charlie might have to question if she can set aside her ideals for him and Alastor will be obligated to question whether he's willing to compromise for someone else

Soul Bound (M)

Charlie Morningstar has always been a curious girl with an active imagination unlike any other kid. Unfortunately, a creative mind such as hers comes with its downsides, such as lack of common sense and naivety that would often get her into strange predicaments. Luckily she has her guardian, Alastor, who has sworn to always protect her from harm for as long as she lives, but in exchange she must give her soul to him on the dawn of her 18th birthday to ensure they will be tied together for eternity. As she grows up, she begins to feel stronger feelings towards her protector. But the mysterious "friend" of hers raises concerns for her parents, who start to wonder if this imaginary friend she's made up is more than what she says...

Fantasies Unwind (T)

A collection of Charlastor works that explore other universes and fairy tales

All It Takes (M)

Sometimes, all it takes is a moment, a single reckless choice... When Charlie, with the help of her friends, decides to throw a party to support her struggling hotel, little does she know that nothing will ever be the same. A few weeks later, her life takes a dramatic turn as she finds herself pregnant. The problem? No one remembers what happened that fateful night.Caught in the tangled web of her own choices, Charlie must confront her parents, her girlfriend Vaggie, and the judgmental eyes of everyone in Hell. How will she handle taking care of the Hazbin Hotel and a child? And who is this mysterious man claiming to be the father? Amidst the chaos and tangled relationships, Charlie learns that sometimes, to find happiness, one need not chase the rainbows but simply open their eyes to the world around them.

A Lamb Astray (NR)

With his daughter on the lamb Lucifer couldn't exactly send the best Angels he had. Instead he's got some of the worst Sinners out trying to shepherd her home. Of course, what is simple in theory is seldom the same in practice especially when one shepherd is more a wolf in masquerade than anything else.

Kiss Me Through The Radio (NR)

A Series of Charlastor stories that I couldn't turn into full length fics. Enjoy the musings of my mind and prompts from my friends!

The Vacation From Hell (T)

The plan was simple: indulge the Princess of Hell in a little trip to a ‘human hotel,’ then sit back and enjoy her suffering once she realized what a farce hers truly was. That was how it was supposed to go anyway. Unfortunately for Alastor, Fate had other plans.

I’ve Got No Strings On Me (T 1,244)

Charlie quietly unstitches Alastor's smile after freeing him from his deal

Darling (EX)

When Alastor made a deal with Charlie Morningstar, he knew it was a chance for him to ascend the ranks. Now that it's been weeks since the events of the extermination battle, Alastor decides it's time to collect...what he didn't expect was to slowly fall for the Princess of Hell. But hey, a deal's, a deal.

Appetites (EX)

Charlie and Alastor have just recently established a relationship that is now more than just business partners. Now that their relationship is out in the open, the two of them begin to have several intimate and sexual in counters in various places of the Hotel... when they should be working.

A Wolf Wears Red (EX)

We all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood. But what if the wolf was the one wearing red? In that case who would be the wolf, and who is their prey?

A Distant Memory (EX 4,049)

Alastor remembers the one and only being he had ever connected with but he had forgotten her and when he remembered.... It was too late

Blood Sweat And Tears (English Version) (EX)

Alesteir Doucet, or as he likes to introduce himself: Alastor, is a criminal on the verge of execution. On the other hand, in Nazi Germany, a blonde young girl has been summoned from a portal of an occult research squad. The stories of Charlotte, the princess of hell, summoned by the Nazis, and Alastor will mixed in the years leading up to WWII.

Firsts (G 6,911)

Charlie is planning Dawn's first birthday. Alastor thinks it's silly, she's only one!

In Another Life (T 20,044)

It's 1932, Alastor Barrios is a radio host, known as "The Radio Demon" in New Orleans. He leads a pretty normal life, aside from the killing, cannibalism and hunting. He develops a routine: wake up, hunt, eat, go to work, go to the speakeasy for a drink, go home, repeat and he's sick of it. That all changes, however, when he goes to the speakeasy and hears Mimzy's newest singer. Everyone in Hell wonders how Charlotte Magne is so...cheery. She doesn't act like the rest of them. For her, that means she barely has any friends and the ones she does she never sees. Earth is her only chance of escape, and if she has to be up there, she's going to perform and she's going to have a great time doing it as the Devil From Heaven.

The Golden Haired Demoness (NR 1,525)

And Alastor couldn’t help but find her absolutely breathtaking when she was covered in blood. A deep hunger in him awoke at the sight of her porcelain skin being smeared with the red thick liquid. It didn’t help that she loved to sing occasionally when they were out hunting as well. Her beautiful voice filling his ears and heart as he’d stop and stare at the tall demoness twirl around in the dead of night, without a care in the world. Or Alastor tries to summon a demon and is surprise to see that he had summoned the princess of hell herself.

Something Unspoken (M 4,075)

Alastor and Charlie have to make major adjustments to their lives after a spell gone wrong. Perhaps it's not all bad as somethings come to light...

A Small Interruption (G 571) SERIES

St. Peter just ruined a moment between the young seraphim and her secret lover

Obsess With Her Soul (M)

Her soul is like a human's: soft, caring, extremely gentle and sweet. Alastor could have been wandering around all his eternity in Hell, but he'd be damned if he wouldn't try to get her for his own personal purposes, which later would no longer make any sense.

All Of Creation (T 727)

He didn’t ask, all those months ago. Charlie just leaned on him, slowly approaching to give him the choice. She kissed him. And he let her.

Final Farewell (G 7,367)

As Alastor gets redeemed it is time to say goodbye to Charlie. What is she supposed to do when everyone she held dear is gone?

Like A Lamb To Slaughter (EX)

In seeking to deny a prophecy already written, four kings of creation inadvertently create their very demise. Now a vessel for an imprisoned god Charlie must foster a flock and guide them. But will it be in the ways of the one she serves or will she take a different path?

Eden (M 3,119)

Charlie has no memory of her past life. Alastor, on the other hand, does.

Unexpected Happenings (M)

Alastor Nightengale, the famous Radio Host is hardly the charming man everyone believes him to be. Talking up a storm into his mic during the day and hacking innocent individuals to bits in the night.... Content with how entertaining things are he couldn't even fathom the possibility of a pawn coming so easily into his hands but this, Charlie fellow is unlike anyone he's ever known...what makes her so special? She could be used but something didn't feel quite right. When they meet again in hell, that something deepens.

Dearest Little Pet (EX)

‘Interesting...’ he mused, ‘A flicker. How long can I play with her before she cracks? It’s been a while since I had a pet to play with.’ Alastor and Charlie begin their work together and the Radio Demon has found a new toy to play with while the hopeful sinners they treat bumble around. Little does he know, he may be falling into his own emotional trap as well. Denial can be a terrible thing.

The Last Petal (M)

It was the chipper year of 1933. Alastor was in his mid 20's, being a typical radio host by day..but by night he was up to no good. Due to his newfound passion for the kill, Charlie whom was in hell wanted to intervene, sure she didn't have to but she had nothing better to do due to her old project failing on her. With her own power (and her father allowing her); she Left hell and went to earth..to possibly stop Alastor and help him to ensure his redemption and ticket into heaven. She was no angel, but being the daughter of a fallen one is all it took.

To Love And To Let Go (G 1,964)

Alistair, a radio host from New Orleans with a dark past must accept the sad hand dealt to him; and find a way to keep the one he loves safe.

Push And Pull (T)

It was just business. Or at least, that's what this arrangement was supposed to be.

Radio Demon May Cry (M)

After suffering a shameful defeat at the hands of Adam. Alastor was forced to flee and recover his strength. In his pain and isolation he contemplated about a few things that has happened in his afterlife, and realized two absolute truths: that he needed more power and that Charlie is very important to him. So the question now is, how can The Radio Demon hope to protect the one he cherishes the most if he can’t even protect himself?

My Professor is a Vampire, That’s the Tea! M

Anthony and Charlie have been friends since childhood, growing up together, going through school, and now it is time for them to attend College. However, Charlie soon discovers about rumors about their literature teacher having a few dark secret.

“He is a VAMPIRE Charlie! An evil, blood sucking VAMPIRE!” Anthony screams at her.

Now the two trouble making students are working together attempting to expose and take down this terrifying force. Mr. Alastor however is not a fan of their antics and just wishes they would focus on his lectures. What will he do when they fully discover his secret? Come discover their College adventures!

Broadcast EX 215973

Alastor's ratings are taking a dive in numbers and he needs to figure out a way to get back on top. His show producer, Rosie, has the idea to bring on a local, ambitious young woman who is trying to start her own rehabilitation program for the city. The young woman who also happens to be Charlie Morningstar, daughter of New Orleans's most talked about politician. Alastor doesn't believe that Charlie's project will really work, but if he gets his ratings up, isn't that what's important? What he didn't factor, of course, was the chokehold that the young woman would have on him

#hazbin hotel #charlastor #radiobelle #charlie #alastor

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nepherit · 1 year ago

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Justice for Raphael

I'm very new to Tumblr, I created an account here a few months ago after I discovered all the amazing Bg3-related art content that this place has to offer. Since then, I've never posted a single thing and barely left any comments, I'm not a very social person...but today I was scrolling my favorite bg3-related feed, when I stumbled upon a post of someone who received a rather rude ask from an anon whose sole purpose was to mock their works and insult their (possibly) favorite character Raphael, who was referred to by that anon as a "100% canon two pump chump bottom cringe clown".

It is saddening to get yet another confirmation that some people out there aren't capable of respecting others' likes, not even in a fictional/virtual environment...but I guess that's to be expected. Besides the obvious, what made me decide to write this wall of text as my very first post is that Raphael happens to be my favorite too, the one and only fictional character I've ever felt invested in, and probably the reason why Bg3 will leave a life-long lasting impression on me.

So here I am, trying my best to point out some facts that (apparently) are easy to go amiss for some people out here: First of all, there's nothing canon regarding what Haarlep says of Raphael, as a character's opinion about another isn't a fact to begin with. Especially if said character is (proved by facts) very unreliable as a source: him being an incubus whose standards are undoubtedly different from any mortals' and the fact that he hates Raphael are but the most obvious. Not to mention that "Speak with the dead" isn't 100% reliable either by D&D 5e rules ("the corpse is under no compulsion to offer a truthful answer if you are hostile to it or it recognizes you as an enemy"). Besides that, even if everything Haarlep says is to be considered true, the mocking words the players can say to Raphael before the fight are NOT, as Haarlep never gives such info to the player (he only responds with a "no" if asked about the matter). That line we can say before the fight is but the player's guess/ childish mockery, certainly it's not a fact.

From a purely objective perspective, the only info Haarlep gives to the player that isn't merely his opinion is Raphael's obvious selfishness and narcissism (the HoH is covered with images of him) and the fact that he likely only sleeps with himself (he has his incubus wearing his shape, even his name). By no means does that make Raphael a "cringe clown", nor would it even in the case where Haarlep spoke entirely the truth. Honestly, it never ceases to baffle me how some people can be so shortsighted and shallow. But perhaps those people are yet to grow up and come to learn that there can be much hidden beneath someone's (fictional or not) behavior. There's nothing to mock about the "Raphael only wants to sleep with himself and only loves himself" statement.

How could it be otherwise? How, when the only person who ever loved Raphael, the only one he could trust and rely on since his birth, was himself? How could he crave someone's affection and so, be seen as weak? How could he care for another or their feelings when he never got that care or respect, to begin with? Despite his theatrics and his facade, Raphael was born Cambion, a half-breed never to be considered more than the lesser of the devils in the hierarchy of the Hells. Cambions cannot rank up, no matter their blood ties, yet Raphael managed to achieve all that he has...his palace, his many souls, and his power. None of that was gifted to him, he fought hard and earned every last bit of it with his claws, his wits, and his determination. I admire Raphael for that, for striving to become something greater than what he was supposed to be...something better than his father's "half-devil" son.

To reduce Raphael, who's most certainly one of the deepest and most complex characters we can encounter in the game, to a "100% canon two pump chump bottom cringe clown" is beyond low, very immature, and a rather shallow view, more so if it comes from someone who hasn't even had the guts to show their name...

Well, that's all. I doubt someone will make it this far, as I wrote a veeeeery long paragraph. But for once, I wanted to have my say ^^

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 raphael #raphael bg3 #baldur's gate 3 raphael #raphael the cambion #first post #fuck the haters

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sl-newsie · 13 days ago

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American Woman (Thomas Shelby x American OC) Ch. 79: Fulfilled

Masterlist: https://www.tumblr.com/sl-newsie/739551758747090944/american-woman-thomas-shelby-x-american-oc?source=share

General POV

Once the plans are set, Thomas arranges for Verena’s whole family to be brought to Birmingham. Even Dílis makes the voyage. Thomas takes the extra time before the wedding to travel ahead to Ada’s house to inform her of the good news.

“Ada, I’m making a withdrawal,” Thomas calls as he strides through the office.

His sister looks up from her desk. “What for?”

“It’s from my private account, not the company’s-”

“What. For?” She repeats firmly.

Thomas licks his lips and turns to look at her. “A ring.”

“You’re not serious.” Ada holds her head in her hands. “Again, Tommy? After all that’s happened I thought you’d finally learned-!”

“It’s Verena.”

“Oh thank Christ,” she sighs and collapses back in her seat. “Took you long enough. Was starting to think I’d have to spell it out for you. If Polly were here she’d whack you over the head. Did you already ask her?”

Thomas continues to approach the safe. “Yeah.”

“And she said yes?” Ada asks anxiously.

“I wouldn’t be buying a ring if she’d said no,” Thomas replies matter-of-factly.

“That was what that whole ‘business trip’ to Ireland was, then? You asked her father?”

“‘Course I did.”

Ada bites her tongue. “Do you know about the, ah, conditions?”

There's a pause. Thomas’ head whips around to face his sister. “You knew?”

“Yes,” she answers slowly. “Verena called me a few days ago to ask for my blessing of her being the head of your finances. She didn’t mention you’d gotten engaged but I assumed so. I told her I was fine with it.”

Thomas’ brow furrows and he looks back at the safe. There’s no doubt in his mind that Verena’s clever enough to handle money. Besides, times are changing. If Polly were here she’d remind him of how she had to handle money during the war. It's just not what he expected...

Ada waits for him to speak and continues when he doesn’t. “She didn’t say anything about the company’s money. I think she just wants security, especially for her family.”

Thomas grunts. “Yeah, but threatening my bloody money after all she’s talked about not wanting wealth-?”

“God, Tommy! It’s not about her becoming rich!” Ada sucks in a breath and looks up at him. “To you, money is power. If you make a mistake, your money is being taken away. I don’t know exactly what’s going through Verena’s mind but I have to say from a woman’s point of view it’s amazingly brilliant. If you resort to your old ways then she’s going to make it so you feel exactly how she’s felt over the years. Powerless.”

“But I won’t,” Thomas denies and skims through the money. “I thought she trusted me.”

“That’s something you need to work on during your marriage,” Ada verifies and Thomas hears her walk closer. “For the record, if you do ever resort to your old ways I am going to personally shoot you in the crotch. Never let that woman down again, Tommy.”

“Between you and her family I’m backed against a wall and a hard place,” Thomas chuckles darkly. “Does Arthur know?”

“Not entirely,” Ada responds and goes back to sit at the desk. “I briefly mentioned it to him last night.”

“Well then I’ll explain the rest before the ceremony. The wedding’s in three days.”

Ada gasps. “Three days?!”

Thomas finishes retrieving the money and steps back out. “We both have been wanting this for a long time, Ada. No big ceremony is required.”

She holds her head high. “It’s a Shelby wedding. There will be nothing less.”

“We assumed you’d think that,” a cheeky voice says.

Ada whips around to see the American woman herself standing in the doorway next to an older woman with darker hair. The gleam in Verena’s eyes is the one previously seen in Thomas’. Meanwhile Thomas sucks in a breath to keep from overreacting to Verena’s arrival. It’s the first time he’s seen her since he discovered her plans and yet she acts as if nothing is different.

"Verena!" Ada cheers and runs to hug her. "You're engaged!"

Verena gratefully returns the hug and gestures to the woman beside her. “Ada, meet my moeder, Elowyn.”

The Shelby sister smiles and offers a handshake. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“And you as well,” Verena’s mother replies gratefully. “I’m told you’re the one to thank for bringing your broer back into my dochter’s life. Verena says it’s you who keeps her informed. I’ve come to appreciate that.”

Ada looks back at her daughter and smiles. “Verena is a marvel. She’s been a great deal of help around here. She even fixed Tommy.”

“Hey!” Thomas gawks in a mockingly hurt tone.

“Oh, shut it.” Ada looks back to Verena’s mother. “Do you know about the wedding?”

She nods. “In three days. Their idea, not mine, I assure you.”

Ada huffs and narrows her eyes at Thomas. “Where will we have it? It’s still bloody freezing outside!”

Him and Verena exchange glances. “The church.”

Verena’s mother isn’t convinced. “Will they do a service this short notice?”

“Our minister is an associate of the Peaky Blinders,” Thomas assures. “He’ll do it.”

Verena’s POV

It’s happening. It’s finally happening! It’s the night before my wedding- the real one! It almost feels phony, like I’m about to wake up and this is all a dream. What does turn into a good dream is my next vision of Polly.

The Romani woman sits across from me in the same parlor. This time her lace veil is held back.

“See, Verena? That fortune of yours I read all those years ago told me you would join this family.”

In the dream I feel myself lean against the sofa. “You couldn’t have just told me that?”

She shrugs. “You didn’t want to hear it. Besides, you'd have thought it was a lark.”

Damn. She’s right. Even back then I would have renounced the fortune.

“So… What happens now?” I ask hesitantly.

“I can’t answer that,” Polly deflects. “Right now you need to take a leap of faith and construct your marriage.”

“I really want this…” I sigh. “But what if I’m not qualified enough? You know what other women had to go through with Thomas. What if I snap too?”

“You already know what you’re signing up for. You’ve already secured your legacy.” Polly watches me carefully. “Even heroes make mistakes. No one is perfect and no one is safe from mistakes.”

Including me. That fact has always stood clear. There is no doubt I might make mistakes in this marriage, the same way Thomas might as well. But if my faith is strong and communication is upheld then we can navigate them. Yes, I may have secured the legacy of money for my familie. But I also wish to create my own line of heritage with Thomas.

“Congratulations, Verena.”

Polly’s words fade out and my eyes snap open to my bedroom on Watery Lane. Today’s the day. Sunlight is pouring in through the window and shining on my new wedding gown that’s hanging in the corner. This dress has more lace, is short-sleeved, and is much more elegant; all paid for by Thomas, of course. That is one thing he stressed on was that money is no issue. Since it’s bad luck for him to see me beforehand he told me to pick any dress and have the bill sent to him. The only other arrangements are decorating the church and having our reception at The Garrison, which Ada has already planned.

“Knock knock!” Oma calls as she enters with Dílis, already dressed for the ceremony. “Time to get up! How are you feeling, kleinkind?”

I take another look at the gown. “Excited. And scared. But I know that’s normal.”

“Correct. Now, up up up!” Oma pulls me out of bed and pushes me forward. “Your moeder’s already running around crazy at the church and it’s my job to keep you moving. Get dressed and today will be over before you know it.”

Ruff! Dílis encourages and tugs at my nightgown.

Oma leaves in a flash and I’m left jumbling to clean up. I fill the tub and hastily scrub myself raw before slipping on my chemise and undergarments. As I do so I keep thinking of how fast this attire will be pulled off later tonight. Lord, it’s so conflicting. It’s confusing how society labels sexual desire as inappropriate, yet God encourages us to love our spouse with such love. One thing’s for sure: I do feel pretty in this dress.

I keep expecting a feeling or sign of disapproval from Grace but there are none. My nerves are stilled as we approach the church. Everyone’s already inside. All that’s left is for vader to walk me in. The weather today is partly cloudy with a small breeze, sending goosebumps down my arms. From an outside glance the church appears deserted but I can already hear the muffled chatter of the many guests inside. Is my makeup alright? Do my braids look okay-?

“It’s time,” Vader says as he gestures for me to come forward. “Don’t worry, Verena. You look beautiful.”

I hope so. I take his arm and we begin strolling through the open doors and down the aisle. On the one side is the whole Shelby clan. Ada, Charlie, Arthur, Johnny Doggs, Isaiah, Uncle Charlie, Duke, and a few other of Thomas’ friends. On the other side is moeder, oma, Conor, Dililah, Evelyn, Nicolaas, Ruth, Eoin, Gertrude, Abel, Anna, Franz, Aunt and Uncle Steenstra, Uncle Colon, and all my nieces and nephews. There’s no need for bridesmaids or groomsmen. It's just a simple ceremony for two people who want to be with each other. It's not a grand, public ceremony by any means, which is something I feel Uncle Colon made sure of. No more assassins, no more unwanted press. The church itself is decorated beautifully with fresh lilies and roses, which is impressive considering how quickly this was arranged. One perk was that my own familie was already traveling this way for the original wedding, and were then transported to this official one.

Through the white veil I vaguely make out Jeremiah standing at the end of the aisle. Thomas is there too. God, he looks handsome. Standing there in a crisp suit and blue tie to match his eyes. I keep scanning his face for hesitation but there is none. He's not wearing his flat cap. He's not a gangster right now. Right now he looks like any other man I've seen on his wedding day, only this time his smile is caused when I step up beside him. When vader leaves me to take his seat, Jerimiah beckons Thomas and I to face each other.

“Ladies and gentlemen…”

"I do."

The weight of my ring is new to me. It’s a beautiful ring. A simple silver band woven with a Celtic knot pattern, based on the claddagh ring. Uncle Colon even brought a braided cord for us to use for handfasting. By the time the ceremony is almost done it feels more natural to think of Thomas as my husband. And I’m his wife. We’ve tied the knot. If he gives me that smile every day then I will be happy for the rest of my life!

“You may now kiss the bride!” Jeremiah announces.

Thomas doesn’t miss a beat. He cups my cheek and we lean in for a soft, modest kiss, earning cheers from both families. This kiss may be modest, but a deeper kiss waits for me later. As the cheering continues Thomas takes my hand and leads me back out into the fresh air. The wind twirls my veil everywhere so he carefully removes it to keep kissing my forehead.

“Hello, Mrs. Shelby,” he declares lovingly and runs his thumb over my cheek.

“I didn’t just dream that?” I gush and bashfully look down.

“If this is only a dream then I’ll fix it to be real when I wake up.”

Thomas leans in for another kiss just as Arthur bursts out, followed by all my broers.

“Alright, alright, save it for the honeymoon!” Arthur waves us off.

“Time to party!” Eoin cheers as everyone begins piling into cars.

Suddenly I’m pushed into the backseat of Thomas’ Bentley and my legs get tangled in my skirt. In my scramble to sit up I almost don’t notice Thomas sitting down next to me. Once I’ve composed myself he reaches over to pull me flush against him.

“I never thought today would exist,” he whispers as Nicolaas up front begins driving.

“Hey, Shelby!” My broer pipes up. “Take a hint from Arthur and abstain from making out with my zuster until tonight. You’ll have your whole lives to smooch.”

A hot blush spreads on my face and I slink away to the other side of the backseat. Thomas, on the other hand, keeps sending me teasing glances and tempting me by slowly running his fingers over my hand. This man is going to be the death of me! Eventually he does stop to distract himself with lighting a cigarette, cracking the window slightly to allow the smoke to escape. Good. He remembers I don't like smoking.

“I sent some luggage ahead in advance. Hope you don’t mind, I’ve planned our honeymoon to be in the countryside.”

Thomas says it so casually but from the look he’s giving me I can tell he’s planned this well. Knowing him it’s far off in a beautiful, scenic spot… and where no one can hear us. I want to mock him back but I hold my tongue in front of Nicolaas.

“Here, there, anywhere," I reply and squeeze his hand. "As long as you’re there.”

When we get to The Garrison the party is already kicking off. Vader and Uncle Colon stand at the ready behind the counter, preparing spirits with Arthur. Ada herds the women to the booths. All of my young nieces and nephews stay over in the corner, playing with Dílis as he smells all of the new people. The tables have been cleared away to make space for dancing, which is starting to begin. Thomas, being the social person he is, immediately begins conversing with everyone. The minute people see we’ve arrived I’m pulled into talks of merriment as well.

“Congratulations!”

“You look gorgeous!”

“We never thought this would happen!”

Even Charlie stays around for the reception. He’s dressed in a simple suit and tie, representing Thomas’ imprint on him. From the quick glances I get of him through the crowd he seems to be conversing well with my nephews. Soon he wanders over and offers me a smile.

“I’m glad you came back,” Charlie says shyly.

There’s an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Does he think it’s strange for me to be married to his vader? I don’t mean to overstep-

“I know you love him,” Charlie speaks up again. “But I’m going to need some time to think about whether I can rely on him. I’m staying with Lizzie now, if you ever want to visit.”

Yes, so Lizzie can skin me. I do my best to look positive. “I appreciate that, Charlie. But that might be, um…”

“You’re right,” Charlie smirks. “Too awkward. I’ll come to see you instead, eh?”

"Oh, Charlie," I fuss and pull him in for a hug. "You're growing up so fast!"

We both hug goodbye and Charlie walks back into the horde of guests. On que, Arthur decides to stroll over next, shedding his dress coat to cool off. From the look in his eye I’m guessing Ada’s told him about my conniving with the documents.

“Ah, there she is! The new Mrs. Shelby!” Arthur grins and pulls me in for a hug. “Gotta say, it took Tommy long enough! Now, um, about your little scheme for his money-”

“I swear it is only Thomas’ money,” I assure, slightly panicking. “Please understand, Arthur, I-”

“Oh I understand plenty, love,” the older Shelby grunts and gives his brother a side glance across the room. “I talked it over with your uncle. I first thought the idea was too much but Ada’s right. My brother needs to keep his head straight and you’re the right one to keep him focused.” Arthur looks at me again, this time with a darkened gaze. “However, he is still my brother. If you even think of using him against us then you’re gonna have to deal with the Peaky Blinders. Deal?”

He holds out a hand and at first I stare at it. Another deal. A warning. What’s different about this one compared to others I’ve witnessed is that Arthur is giving me the benefit of the doubt. Of course I think it would be cruel to get on the Shelbys' bad side. I’m not looking to use anyone, I’m simply using the presented resources to my advantage without ruffling any feathers.

“I promise,” I answer and shake Arthur’s hand. “I will take good care of your brother.”

Arthur smiles and pats me on the back before walking off. “Good luck, Shelby!”

Now it’s back to chatting. Over and over, more and more smiling and thank-yous. After a while Uncle Colon walks over and blocks me from the talkative partygoers. Eoin and Abel take the opportunity to distract them with more dancing.

“So here we are at last, your wedding day.” The Irishman smiles and toasts me with his whiskey. “Is it what you expected?”

More cheering makes me look over at Thomas, who’s taking a shot with Conor. The whole scene of partying and delight in spite of the world problems surrounding us makes me smile.

“I feel very happy,” I admit. “I just hope the feeling lasts.”

“Trust your instincts and you’ll keep it intact. I’ve taught you well for this.” Uncle Colon sips his drink. “There’s change coming to the routines of mobs, whether it be the White Hand or the Peaky Blinders. Rest assured, I’ll always have your back. Now it’s time for you to forget about that and grow as a wife.”

Thomas’ wife. The title that I never thought would suit me. When those blue eyes looked at me all those years ago I remember wondering why such a stern, commanding man should be so blind to the simple blessings in life. Now we can have time to enjoy them.

“By the way, what ever happened to the guy I was supposed to marry?”

Uncle Colon waves it off. “Don’t fret about that. I explained the situation and made sure he understood.”

In my confusion I try to babble out more questions but he walks away before I can ask any further. That's it? I mean, I appreciate the understanding but I would have at least liked to have met the man in person to explain. But those worries are thrown away as the conversations resume once again. A few short speeches and toasts are given. Every time I try to snatch a hors d'oeuvre or a quick drink it’s back to talking or being pulled in for a dance. When I finally get to catch my breath is when Thomas pulls me in for a slow waltz in front of everyone, which doesn’t help my anxiety much.

There are other onlookers too. Outside in the growing darkness I glimpse a handful of faces peering through the windows. No doubt they’re curious about the loud party. Given the economy it's sad to see that no one parties anymore.

“People are staring,” I whisper to Thomas.

He sees where I’m looking and pulls me closer as we spin around the room. “They won't hurt you.”

I chuckle lightly and offer a joke. “Some could say the Brooklyn angel is with the devil of Birmingham.”

“They’d be right,” Thomas promptly agrees and places another kiss on my cheek.

I wave it off. “I am anything but an angel.”

“You are to me, darling. So good,” he praises and rests his head on my shoulder. “Rumor is that angels fly because they take themselves lightly.”

I shoot him an annoyed grin and gently swat his shoulder. “Very funny.”

Thomas grins and leans me down for a dip. “Get used to it, love. I’m going to praise you and remind you how marvelous you are every single day.”

@sherbitdibdab @meadows5

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