#One lion with a pink mane.

[funnierasafictive]

We personally see ourselves as more of a machine system than people in a human body so our "mascot" of sorts is more so what we feel we look like, a pink TV head

I doubt this is very helpful but I thought I'd share

It is alright, I think it is a fun design and concept! there are many forms a mascot or sona can take. Human, humanoid, furry, object head, object..

I usually see furries and the usual humanoids, but not much of object heads. =)

[stevebabey]

have sum steddie! maybe modern!au, no upside down!au & a meet cute <3 | ao3

Steve sits in the booth, his foot tapping away mindlessly under the table, with half a mind to abandon the table entirely.

In fact, the only reason he hadn’t yet was because of the $20 he was hanging out for at the end. And the bragging rights, of course.

Robin had set him up on this blind date, plied him with all the promises in the world that he would enjoy it — said she’d spent a decent amount of time hunting for the right first gay date for Steve.

She also conceded that if he, for whatever reason, didn’t enjoy it, she would cough up 20 whole bucks for his wasted time. But he had to actually see the date through for the prize to be claimed.

And the bragging rights were so that Robin — with her uppity, healthy, and happy relationship that Steve was only a little bit envious of — could ease onto the breaks when it came to Steve’s love life.

So it was looking a little bleak at the moment, so what? Every stallion or… lion or whatever had their moments, right? Moments where their mane is a little uncouth and food is low and…. Where was he going with this?

The point was, that Robin got into one relationship and suddenly decided she was fit to become a high and mighty matchmaker. Never mind that Steve had reminded her numerous times that he had dated a lot more than she had.

So, for 20 bucks and the right to stick his tongue out at his best friend when she tried to meddle, Steve could stick one night out.

Besides, she was right about one thing. They weren’t in Hawkins anymore — and San Francisco had a hell of a larger dating pool than his hometown.

Still, that didn’t make people anymore for prompt for dates though, apparently. Steve’s foot taps incessantly under the table, his knee bouncing up and down in his nerves. He runs a hand through his hair and checks his watch again.

7 o’clock, Harvey’s Diner, a cute little Italian place that Steve had begun to frequent since they moved to the city, and a date with a dude called Daniel whom Steve had no idea what he looked like.

This was his Friday night plans.

His watch reads 7:12pm and Steve sighs, his fingers beginning to fiddle with the strap of his watch just for something to do. Great. He had gotten all dressed up for this? To be stood up? How was this any better than his usual Friday night plans that Robin claimed were so pathe—

“Hi.”

Someone sits down in the booth across from Steve, landing with a thump loud enough to give him a fright.

Steve’s head whips up from its focus on fiddling with his watch and— woah. Steve blinks once, twice, and feels his jaw unhinge a little, his lips parting an inch as he gazes at the stranger across from him.

Holy shit, this dude was hot.

He’s got curls for days, dark chocolate ringlets all messy and unkept spilling over his shoulders— long and probably perfect for burying your hands into. Steve flushes a little at the unexpected thought.

He has beautiful brown eyes, widened with a smudge of eyeliner and framed with long lashes. Steve thinks he can spy a smattering of freckles across his forehead. His nose is long and his lips are plush and pink and holy shit, this dude was pretty.

“Oh— hi.” Steve manages to remember his manners. Only after he fully checked this dude out, of course.

God, couldn’t Robin have given him a better warning than just ‘he’s probably your type’? Couldn’t she have warned him that this dude was ‘do-a-double-take-on-the-street type hot?’ What the fuck Robin?

The man across from him grins, wicked and alluring all at once, and shucks off his heavy leather jacket. His eyes do a once-over on Steve, taking his time to check him out— which is great because Steve is stuck on all the glorious tattoos that have just been revealed. So much skin shown in his roughly chopped muscle-tee, swirling ink all down his arms. This dude is hot.

Silently, Steve curses Robin and the 20 dollars that is totally slipping away from him. Why did she have to be right all the time?

“Been waiting long?” The man, Daniel, asks as he makes himself comfortable across the table. He pushes his hair back with both hands, using one hand to gather it into a ponytail, holding it up to air out his neck and Steve now realises he is slightly puffed.

He must’ve run part of the way here, to avoid being later than he was. Steve can’t help but be slightly endeared by that fact.

The man grins again, “Promise I was trying to be on time but, you know how the subway is.”

Steve huffs out a laugh, any annoyance at being kept waiting melting away at his date’s sincerity.

“Not too long,” Steve admits, smiling to ease Daniel’s apparent concern. Across the table, Daniel slumps a little and releases his hair, his curls pooling back around his shoulders. Steve watches, entranced.

“Well, that’s good,” Daniel smiles, eyes bright like he really means it, and his hand darts out to steal the drinks menu from the edge of the table. He looks back over to Steve, a furrow in his brows. “You didn’t order anything?”

“I thought I should wait,” Steve says with a shrug. No point paying for food if your date never shows up.

Daniel looks up from the menu through his lashes and smiles, placing his elbow on the table and dropping his chin in the palm of his hand. “Aw, you’re sweet.”

Steve is a little embarrassed by how easily the compliment makes him blush, feeling his cheeks glow lightly. Across the table, Daniel seems to revel in it, drinking in the way Steve’s face filled with colour with a cheeky smile. His eyes flick back down to the menu.

“You know,” Daniel begins, keeping his eyes on the menu, scanning it with a hum. “Chrissy said you were good looking but I think she seriously undersold you.”

He takes his eyes off the menu to trail up Steve’s body, his gaze heavy. Steve feels a delighted zing go up his spine, feels the way he preens at Daniel’s attraction. Steve opens his mouth to respond, more than ready to return the flirt when—

“Can I get you two started with anything?”

The waitress interrupts. She’s poised with her notepad, standing at the edge of the booth. Daniel perks up and nods.

“Can I get a chocolate milkshake please?” He asks with a polite smile. Steve laughs lightly at his selection and Daniel’s gaze cuts from the waitress to Steve.

“What? Not a milkshake man?”

Steve tries to contain his grin, all too endeared by the man before him. He shakes his head and raises his hand in defense. “Nothing against milkshakes just… for dinner?”

Daniel gasps theatrically and his head snaps back to the waitress. “This man has never had the delight of a Harvey’s milkshake with his dinner. Please bring us two chocolate milkshakes!”

Steve watches as the waitress dutifully writes down the order and turns on her heel, heading for the kitchen. He turns back to his date and gapes, taken aback by the forwardness.

“Did you just order for me?”

“Did you just diss milkshakes?”

Steve scoffs, but even then he can’t stop his lips from curling up into a smile. He can’t believe it but he’s genuinely glad he waited this date out. It's not at all like he was expecting. Even Robin's short description of this dude pales in comparison to the real thing. Steve nudges his foot forward into Daniel’s shin lightly.

“I did not diss milkshakes,” Steve argues, his smile widening at how Daniel’s eyes dart to the table before back up at Steve with a grin.

“Uh huh,” Daniel nods, his voice sarcastic and 100% unbelieving of Steve’s insistence. “Just wait, okay? You’ll be changing your tune soon enough. Harvey’s milkshakes are class. I’ve had a thousand of my best ideas in here, sipping on a chocolate milkshake.”

Steve grins and leans back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. Under the table, he feels Daniel’s boot nudge against his leg gently— and he laughs to himself. This has gotta be the most teenage way of flirting and he’s fucking loving it.

“You know,” Steve begins hesitantly, letting his forearms lean up against the table. “You’re not quite what I expected, Daniel.”

Across the table, Daniel scrunches up his face, his expression one of pure befuddlement. He puts his hands flat on the table and leans forward.

“Wait, you think my name is Daniel?”

Steve splutters for a moment because even though the answer is duh, yes, it’s become increasingly apparent that the man across from him is not who he was expecting. But if he’s not Daniel, who is he?

Suddenly, the door chimes and someone else is entering the diner. It’s a man dressed like Steve — on the preppy side with hair that must’ve taken at least an hour. He scans the booth and spots Steve’s booth, wandering over, his eyes fixed on the man across from Steve.

“Hey, are you Eddie?” He asks confidently, ignoring Steve’s presence on the other side of the booth.

The man — Eddie — freezes as he glances up at the newcomer and then back down to Steve ahead of him. Steve deflates a little inside as he realises abruptly what’s happened— a mix-up of wrong dates that was completely warranted because this dude dresses exactly like Steve. Steve doesn't stare too long to see if he's any hotter.

Instead, he tries to give Eddie the all-clear with his eyes. He smiles polite as he can and gives a little nod to let him know it was alright to abandon him for the date he was supposed to go on. Not to get stuck with Steve.

Eddie clears his throat and smiles, not cheeky like he had with Steve, but stiff and polite. “Ah sorry man, I think you’ve got the wrong guy. My name's Daniel.”

Huh? Steve takes his eyes off the table to steal a glimpse at Eddie (is his name even Eddie?) and something inside him burns hotly when the man glances across at Steve and winks.

The man standing by the booth wavers for a moment, glancing between them in the booth as Steve schools his expression to neutral. After a moment of silence, there's a half-assed apology as the man retreats, heading back out the door he had just come through. The door chimes again on his way out.

Steve straightens up and peers over his shoulder, watching the door slowly swing shut. He turns back to the man across the booth and squints at him. The waitress returns briefly, dropping two large chocolate shakes onto the table, topped with a mountain of cream. She murmurs something about coming back to take their order in a moment.

"Wait, so who are you?" Steve asks, gently sliding his shake closer to him. "Daniel or Eddie?"

His date —well, his new date— has already begun taking a big long sip from his own milkshake, so enamored with it that when he pulls away there's a dot of cream on the end of his nose. He swallows with a satisfied ah and grins across the table at Steve, not noticing the dairy on his face.

"I'm whoever gets me talking with you a little bit longer."

Steve grins, an endeared roll of his eye at the blatant flirting but he can't deny how it makes his chest warm. He grabs one of the napkins and reaches forward, adoring how Eddie goes cross-eyed as he watches Steve smudge away the cream on his nose. He laughs sheepishly, giving his nose a little wipe with his own hand.

"I'm Eddie." He says, finally introducing himself. He doesn't offer his hand, just gives Steve a little nudge under the table and a grin over his milkshake. "And I think you just saved me from a terrible date."

Steve laughs, giving a little shake of his head. He finally goes in for a sip of his own milkshake— and it's just as heavenly as Eddie had promised, glorious chocolate dancing over his taste buds.

Steve groans quietly, eyes bright when he glances at the other man over his glass, entirely amused by how wide-eyed Eddie has become. He releases the straw and sits back, more invested in this date than he has been in... years. Stallion's got its mojo back. Or lion. Whatever.

"I'm Steve," He responds, giving a little nudge back under the table and a grin of his own. "And I think you saved me from being stood up."

[l0vergirlwrites]

i’m your favourite ; eddie munson

synopsis: eddie’s insecurities always make him question whether or not he really deserves you, but he knows he can count on you to continuously prove him wrong.

warnings: mentions of insecurities in terms of looks & relationship dynamics, few swear words, fem!reader in mind, reader has a mom, dad & little sister, established relationship, lil heated moments

note: inspired by role model’s song “scumbag” (if you haven’t listened to his latest album “kansas anymore” go do it!!!)

“i’m a train wreck, i’m a cigarette. i’m the side that no one’s rooting for. but you stand by me.”

“eds? did you hear me?”.

quickly blinking his eyes, eddie took in his surroundings & came back to reality. pressing a faint kiss to your hair, he nodded his head.

you both were having a movie night at his trailer with blankets & popcorn on his couch. you both weren’t super picky, so the random cable channel playing horror movies did the trick.

“sorry—zoned out. what were you saying, baby?” he tried to recover from his mere moment of weakness, his arm tightening around your shoulders to pull you closer to his chest.

“i was just wondering…” you teetered, “would you wanna come over tomorrow?” you nerves were taking over now that his attention was fully on you.

“it’s my little sister’s birthday & my parents are doing a barbecue to celebrate—it’s okay if you don’t wanna come, i get it,” you started to ramble, fiddling with the material of eddie’s shirt you wore.

“i just thought it’d be nice for you to meet my family, y’know? b-but you can totally say no—it’s not a big deal” you assured him, but you secretly hoped he’d say yes.

when eddie didn’t answer immediately, you lifted your head from his chest to get a better view of his face, seeing a look of uncertainty on his features. it made you worry if asking this was too much.

“you want me to your family? a-are you sure?”

nodding your head quick, your hand rose up to rest on his cheek, thumb smoothing over his skin. “i’m sure,” you smiled once you saw eddie’s face soften, his doe eyes twinkling under the living room lamps.

“you’re my favourite person, eddie. plus, my mom has been dying to meet you since our first date” your cheeks felt warm at that little omission, & you could see a pink hue bloom on eddie’s.

pressing a kiss to the palm of your hand, eddie pushed aside his insecurities for a moment. “okay,” he exhaled, “i’d love to come over”.

pushing yourself up on the couch cushions to thank him with a kiss, eddie’s hands tightened on your waist, sighing into your mouth the longer your lips were locked to his.

“by the way,” he pecked the corner of your mouth. “you’re my favourite too”.

**~*~*~~*~**~*~~*~*~**~**~*~~*~*

tomorrow had come & eddie was freaking the hell out.

his room had become a larger mess than it usually was, turning into a something that looked like a hurricane with all the clothes thrown everywhere & on everything. all morning, he had tried finding the perfect outfit to wear that would be acceptable in the eyes of your parents, but nothing seemed to work.

so for the last ten minutes, he sat against the edge of his bed with his fingers tangled in his lion’s mane, eyes pinched & breath heavy in frustration.

at least, that was until his landline phone began to ring.

“hello?” he spoke into the mic, voice dropping with defeat.

“eds? what’s wrong?” your voice was concerned, only causing eddie’s breath to hitch.

“nothing baby, it’s all good”.

you scoffed. “sure don’t sound like it”.

rolling his eyes playfully, he fully laid out on his bed, back growing uncomfortable from all the clothes sprawled across it.

“are you gonna tell me what’s wrong or continue to mope about it?” you chided, only making him sigh.

“i have nothing good to wear”. the statement made him seem pathetic in his eyes.

tilting your head (you knew he could tell your movements), you couldn’t help but have a small smirk on your face while you twisted the phone cord between your fingers.

“now i don’t believe that, baby” now you heard him scoff.

“your parents are gonna think i’m a freak—everybody does. i-i can’t help it”. he spoke softer now, insecurities flowing out of him & overtaking his being because he didn’t want to be made a fool out of.

he wouldn’t be able to survive knowing your family doesn’t approve of him.

& your heart drops at the mere thought of it.

“eddie,” you spoke, trying to reel him back in from the negative parts of his mind. “no one is going to think you’re a freak—you’re so much more than that stupid label”.

he continued to stare up at the client as you spoke, his chest growing heavy with anxiety.

“they’re going to love you because you’re kind, have good humour, extremely helpful, caring, handsome,” you could hear him let out a huff at the last word.

“… & because i love you”.

you both haven’t said those three words yet since you started dating a few months ago. so, now was the first time.

“y-you what?”

fear overtook you now, your heartbeat loud in your ears. did i say it too early you thought to yourself.

“i-i love you, eddie. i hope that’s okay” oh shit.

eddie almost dropped the phone from his hand, still somehow in shock that someone like you loved someone like him. he’s been known as trailer trash, a freak, a thrown out cigarette, a scumbag, a stain on the so called beauty of hawkins—he’s been torn down for too long.

but by the grace of god (or some other being or universe or whatever), you saw past all the tarnished scuffs on him.

it’s something he still can’t fully understand.

“eddie, i-i’m sorry if i just fucked everything—“

“i love you too. sorry it took me so long to say it”

his words took you by surprise, & you couldn’t help but laugh happily into the receiver.

“you don’t have to be sorry, you just have to come over & kiss me to seal the deal” you bit your lip at your coyness, hoping it’d be enough for him to pull through.

“i’ll see you in thirty, sweetheart” eddie said before ending the call, leaving you with a fluttering feeling in your chest. your head bumped into your pillow in a lovestruck haze, cheeks hurting from how hard were smiling.

you were so in love with that man.

**~~*~*~**~***~*~~**~*~**~*~*

you waited at the front door while the party festivities took place in the backyard, hearing your mom yell that the food was almost ready from the back door. you tapped your sandal clad foot eagerly, anxious for when the doorbell would finally ring.

& it hit you like bricks when it chimed in your ears.

your hand (which was slightly clammy from nerves) held the doorknob, twisting it slowly until the door was open & your lovely boy was in view.

he dressed in casual attire consisting of a dark red t-shirt, dark blue jeans, & a new pair of sneakers he got with steve the other day. he still wore his rings & guitar pick necklace, dawning those pearly whites of his with a grin when he saw you.

his hands were full, holding onto things with a claw like grip. in one, he held three small bouquets of flowers from the supermarket & his van keys. the other held a purple gift bag stuffed with white glittery tissue paper, the specks of glitter shining brightly in the mid afternoon sunlight.

“hey, baby” he said with a pep in his step, eying you up & down. you could tell he was still nervous, but he was trying his best to keep cool.

without missing a beat, your hands flew up to his face & you kissed him hard, taking him by surprise on your front door step. but who could blame you for doing such a thing after you both confessed your love over the phone?

“you’re gonna,” *kiss* “make me” *kiss* “drop everything”, he huffed, laughing into your lips when you refused to pull away initially.

“sorry,” you heaved. “just love you so much is all” you grinned harder at eddie’s flushed face.

“lemme put everything down & give you a proper one, yeah?”

you agreed, helping him inside your home for the first time, giving him a quick tour of the main floor as you headed to the kitchen to put the flowers in some water.

“my mom is a gonna get all sappy knowing you got us all flowers—thank you by the way” you pecked his cheek with a pop as you placed the flowers into three different vases.

placing the gift bag on the counter, eddie just shrugged nonchalantly. “well, it’s just what a gentleman does” he said, smirking when you smiled at him.

“yeah,” you made your way over to him, hands playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, chest pressing into his as his cold ring clad hands held your waist, squeezing it every few seconds.

“you really are the best” you leaned closer to him, lips just about to brush his.

“hmm, is that right?” his breath fanned your face, smelling like spearmint gum.

you could only nod, unable to resist the space anymore until he made the final dip forward, capturing your lips in his for a proper kiss where he could hold you close. it was slow, saying all the things you both wanted to say, while being sweet & soft & rewarding all at the same time.

“i love you” he breathed into your mouth, his thumbs fiddling with the smocked material on the lower back of your dress, being careful not to let them drift too low in case someone in your family caught him—& god forbid it’d be your father.

“i love you too” you murmured, pulling apart to laugh & smile & take all of him in like this.

you took a mental screenshot of him, safely storing it away in your brain’s memory box for later.

“so,” you patted his chest. “ready to meet everyone?” you asked, wiping away some of your lipgloss from his bottom lip while he sweetly tucked some of your hair behind your ear, fingers brushing over your earrings with a smile (because you’re wearing the ones he bought you).

eddie thought you tasted just as sweet as you looked.

“yeah,” he interlocked your fingers with his own, squeezing three times “now i am”.

“i’m a scumbag, i’m a scumbag (but you stand by me)”.

[crystalliumdaisy]

redesigning star dresses part 1!

part 2 and part 3

notes and individual pieces below <3

keep this in mind i love the og stardresses! i just wanted to challenge myself and i’m an inspiring fashion designer!!! my goal was to create dresses that reflect the spirits and u could easily match them up.

these were my initial sketches, i wanted every dress/outfit to have a different colour and silhouette to make them more recognisable.

aries ~

- pink was the obvious choice for a colour. I didn’t want to use any major black like in the og design because aries design is so light and bright!

- i really think the og stardress hair is lacking. A fun fluffy 80s hair adds to the whole sheep aesthetic and creates a different silhouette to other designs.

- the 80s hair also inspired a more 80s look with fluffy legwarmers and big hoop earrings.

- i also wanted to bring in those pink pompoms on the side of aries dress so i made them star shaped and put them in lucy’s hair

taurus ~

- why put her in a bikini if she’s a cowboy??? this haunts me everyday.

- I couldn’t put her in mainly black and white cos that’s virgo i comprised and landed on a brown.

- for inspiration it was pretty obvious to go with a cowboys and the wild west! i always disliked the one leg pants her og design has so i modified it to a cut out.

- her og design was a mix of the aquarius and scorpio one and it always didn’t stand out to me, so i think by exaggerating the cowboy aesthetic it stands out much more.

gemini ~

- her og design is actually one my favs. so i really only made minor changes

- the colours stood out against other dresses and were easily identified as gemini. the dual colour symmetrical dress is a great way to reflect the double spirit.

- Gemini is a pretty symbol spirit so to reflect them i used circular shapes and organic lines. i changed the head piece mainly because i struggled drawing it but i realised it made the design too top heavy anyways.

- i extended the dress width and length mainly for silhouette reasons (she wears so many skin tight dresses) as well as to give a nod to the dresses the alternate geminis wear.

cancer ~

- my issue with cancer star dress isn’t the dress itself. I actually love the dress in the manga. it’s the colour. WHY IS GREEN?!?

- if it weren’t for the symbol i wouldn’t be able to match this dress with cancers design, so it had to change.

- other than that there’s no major differences, the ribbon tie is meant to resemble scissors, i love the claw shape hair ties in the og design so i brought them back and i brought the stripes in cancers top to her bow.

leo ~

- i was inspired by beauty and the beast, in the movie the beast kinda looks like lion.

- i swapped the yellow and black in the og design since it has a pretty similar colour story to virgos dress. The og kinda gets lost next to leo since the black doesn’t have variation and leo is in a deep black too.

- i wanted to make her hair bigger like a lions mane and curled around her face.

[yanderecrazysie]

Twisted Zoo (Prologue)

Summary: You’re a brand new zookeeper at The Halfling Zoo- a place where half-animals live in captivity. Your job is simple- feed them and study them. Your main worry is that one of the more dangerous halflings might kill you. 

Unfortunately, that may become the least of your worries.

WARNINGS: none for now

Note: This is based on the stories of a keeper reader with the octotrio by @ashensgrotto and @merakiui except I decided to take it a step further and include all the dorms. I know that a lot of these animals don’t fit them perfectly, but I did the best I could. I left out Ortho because he has no age and he looks really young so… no.

All characters are aged up, since there will be mature themes in future parts.

Also, I can’t promise I’ll finish this. I suck at finishing stories.

Chapter One here

—----------------------

“Pleased to meet you Mr. Crowley.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Ms. (Y/n)!”

You smiled up at your new boss, taking in his eccentric appearance- everything from his crow feather-lined cape, to his sparkling suit, to his top hat, and to the black bird mask that covered half his face. 

That name suits him.

“Now, you’re mainly a researcher, but you will also be assisting with some of the general chores, such as feeding the animals,” Mr. Crowley explained what you already knew.

“That’s alright,” you said, smiling brightly, “That will allow me to observe even more of their behaviors.”

You were fresh out of college and ready to face The Halfling Zoo. There was plenty of debate whether it was okay to treat half-humans as animals and keep them in a zoo, but it was convenient for you. You didn’t have to travel the world to attempt to study animals from afar through a camera lens.

“You will be supervising the lion and hyena exhibit, the wolf exhibit, the panther and tiger exhibit, the bird exhibits, the reptile house, and the aquarium,” Mr. Crowley explained.

“Wait, did you mean to say the lions and hyenas are together? And the panthers and tigers? Or did I misunderstand?” you asked, confused.

“They are bonded groups, so it would be wrong to separate them,” Crowley explained, “Halflings don’t always act like their animal counterparts.”

You nodded, cursing yourself internally. You had learned that on your first day at college! How could I be so stupid to forget about the bonds different Halfling species make?

“Follow me,” Mr. Crowley’s voice broke through your thoughts, “I’ll show you around.”

The two of you left the cramped office in the main staff building and headed out onto the guests’ paths. You could see a few families walking by- less than usual, since it was nearing closing time. It felt as though the sky was growing darker by the minute as the sun made its way down the horizon, beautiful orange and pink clouds lighting its path.

You almost immediately arrived at the lion and hyena exhibit. It was a huge enclosure, the terrain so detailed that you felt as though you had stepped straight into an African savannah. In fact, you could even feel the heat emanating from the ground itself.

“We keep it as hot as their home naturally is,” Mr. Crowley explained, reading your thoughts, “They’re happy here- it’s home with no need to hunt to survive.”

You nodded, but inside you wondered if that was really true or not. Were they really happier in a giant cage on display for humans than they were in Africa? You couldn’t imagine feeling that way.

Mr. Crowley pointed out a big rock where a pride of lions had gathered, “On top of that rock is the top dog- er, cat, I mean. The king of the jungle.”

Upon closer inspection, and a lot more eye strain, you could make out a figure lying on the top of the large rock. It was a Lion Halfling, with tan skin and thick, dark mane of brown hair that fell to his shoulders, except for the braids in front of his face, which were even longer. You could just make out the lion’s ears on top of his head and the lion’s tail draped over the rock’s side.

“And those are the hyenas,” Mr. Crowley supplied, pointing to the edge of the enclosure, “They’re used to aggressive females, so the males might be a little jumpy around you.”

You remembered reading about that in school, but it was amazing to see all the Halflings in person. You couldn’t help but feel excited to study them up close. Imagine if you made a big discovery that no one else had ever discovered about Halflings! After all, there were a lot of unknowns about them.

“Onto the wolf exhibit!” Mr. Crowley said in a sing-song voice.

The enclosure was right across the way from the lions and hyenas, but it had a completely different feel. The air was cooler when you walked up to the giant forest. Through the trees, it was difficult to actually see any wolf halflings. You thought you saw a flash of white, but it was too quick to tell.

“Yes, well, this exhibit is pretty quiet during the day,” the zoo director said awkwardly, “They’ll be out tonight, howling at the moon and whatnot.”

“Wolves don’t actually howl at the moon,” you helpfully supplied, “They howl to communicate with other wolves.”

Mr. Crowley stared at you for a moment and you wondered if you had annoyed him, until he grinned widely, “Such a knowledgeable new researcher!”

You smiled at the compliment, a little embarrassed as the two of you headed for the panther and tiger exhibit. You were surprised to see it alive with Halflings, all of them staring back at the two of you with narrowed eyes.

“There’s two black panthers,” Mr. Crowley pointed them out, “and two albino tigers. The four of them are as thick as thieves.”

You cautiously waved at them, but they merely turned away and disappeared into the jungle enclosure. You wondered if they were somehow curious to see you, or if they always did this to guests.

“Next, the bird exhibits!” Mr. Crowley led the way to the aviary. He pointed out Halflings left and right in the closely-packed enclosures, “A parrot, three albino peacocks, two flamingos, an owl, and a raven. You’ll get to know them well, since they’re mostly all very friendly. Except the peacocks are a little cocky.”

You giggled a little and waved to all the birds. It was a futile effort, because, save for the owl halfling, they were all fast asleep. The owl halfling stayed on his perch, wings tucked around his body, his bespectacled face scrutinizing you. Not in a rude way, just sort of deciding what you were.

You followed Mr. Crowley into a heated building with a glass wall on one side. You peered through the glass wall and immediately spotted the Boa Constrictor Halfling lying against the wall. Human until the torso, which then winded into a snake tail.

“Don’t be fooled!” Mr. Crowley said, “There is more than one snake in that exhibit. See if you can spot it.”

You looked at every angle, struggling to spot anything different. Then, a part of the sand moved and two gray eyes glared back at you.

“A Viper Halfling, right?” you said in awe, “Aren’t those venomous?”

“Ah, yes, well,” Mr. Crowley stuttered a little, “Don’t get bitten.”

You stared at him for a moment before it sunk in. All of these animals, except the birds, were extremely dangerous! And you were going to go into their enclosures to study and feed them? Were you insane?

You pushed down the panic and took a deep breath. This is what you signed up for. You probably already waived all your rights away anyway. You hadn’t looked at the fine print of your contracts, of course.

You noticed another tank on the other side of the room and walked up to it. You couldn’t see anything inside this one, but Mr. Crowley was quick to explain, “There’s a salamander in this one. A beautiful electric blue, but extremely shy.”

You peered inside, trying to catch a glance of blue, but you couldn’t see a thing.

“Lastly, the aquarium,” Mr. Crowley clapped his hands together, as though to bring you back to reality. 

The aquarium was a huge glass tank where visitors could go down the stairs and see inside. The two of you walked by it, and saw very little signs of life. 

“You’ll probably see the eel twins a bit. They’re a little shy at first, but Floyd is pretty playful. The octopus, on the other hand, rarely leaves his cave. He’ll venture out to eat, but that’s about it. We should have made that damn thing see-through, but it’s too late now.”

You were glad it was a normal cave, and not transparent like the glass. The Octopus Halfling probably felt safe inside it. It wouldn’t be fair to rob him of that simple pleasure.

“That’s the end of your tour, young lady,” Mr. Crowley said cheerfully, “You start bright and early tomorrow, have a long lunch break, then leave late at night. Are you sure you’re ready to do this?”

He looked down at you with a hint of nervousness, as though he expected you to say “no”. But you were determined and excited to explore what your classes had trained you for. Real life application.

“I’m ready!”

Note: So, some of the animals are obvious, but I’m wondering what you all think the others are?

[moony-2001]

Some notes

Overall I wanted to put our leading ladies into mortal realm wear because why… would they be wearing modern clothes… thousands of years before they’re in fashion in the mortal realm

Métis I wanted to keep in blue since they’re opposite on the color wheel. I just made it a darker blue and since one of her symbols is an owl, I added the circles to be the eyes.

Truly they more look like the evil eye but oh well, it still looks cool

Rhea hurt me. She and Persephone are so damn similar in color and style I wanted to do a hard left. Gave her the iconic circle crown back, made her thicker, and made her hair more closely resemble a lion’s mane

I also did more of a dark teal as opposed to the more true mint I put Persephone in. Both still have pink but persephone’s is definitely baby pink vs Rhea who leans more towards white/gray

I think Rhea’s outfit is the least “ancient Greek” which does make me cringe a bit internally but I tried to mimic how the fabric would fold and crease… Greek citizens please have mercy 🙇🏼‍♀️

Oh also Rhea has what are supposed to be moss agate on the hem of her dress. Moss agate is *supposedly* what her representative gemstone is but Google is Google so grains of salt

Hera looks great in green. I really leaned into the peacock motif and gave her that spiky crown thing she normally wears (even though it’s not accurate)

It was so damn hard to hide all those ribbons

I think my edit of Hera is a little gaudy… but when in Rome I suppose

Hope you enjoy and see you next week for the finale of Lore Olympus

[hiimawarish]

like passing notes in secrecy

s. jing yuan being as clingy as mimi is with you. cw. female/afab reader. fluff. established relationship (you've been married for a long time). jing yuan is whipped. he's also a menace. tw. none? not proofread (as usual). wc. 0.8k a/n. what can i say more than the brain rot this man causes me is endless? credits. dividers by @/cafekitsune.

Jing Yuan ponders, for a few seconds, how he got himself into this situation.

As he watches the scene unfold in front of his eyes—the sight of you laughing loudly as Mimi followed your every command—, he wonders if he has ever experienced peace as overwhelming as this. Odd, isn’t it? That one can feel such peace that it’s unsettling. Yet, he does. The fact that he can spend his day off here, merely watching you play with Mimi is proof enough that he has more than he deserves. 

A smile curves into his lips at that thought. If you were to listen to his thoughts, you’d already be lecturing him on his self-deprecation—on how everything that has happened is not his fault. It has been a long road, he realizes, but it’s been worth it. Even if you had yelled at him the moment he brought Mimi home with that absurd story about being a grimalkin cub, even if you had seemed rendered speechless by a mixture of surprise and concern when he appeared home with a baby Yanqing in his arms… It had been a long and arduous journey, still you remained by his side. Most of the time he feels like he does not deserve such consideration, but through the centuries you’ve managed to change his mind.

You’re stuck with me for life, you’d say, sticking your tongue out at him in that cute and playful expression he loves so much. For life. For eternity. Those were big words, and yet you’ve meant each and every of them.

“Come on, Mimi, I’m tired already!” He can hear you complain. The amused smile on his lips widens at that—you always try to tire Mimi out, but it always backfires. Jing Yuan can see Yanqing standing outside with you, and by the expression on the boy’s face, he knows he thinks the same. The lion had grown unusually attached to you over the years, and instead of settling down with you, it seemed to fill with an infinite amount of energy. “Stop! Stop!”

The lion did, in fact, not stop.

It chased you around the backyard again, and Jing Yuan watched you laugh. Your hair free, just like you liked it, messy from the wind and your play. Your cheeks have turned pink by now, the strain of keeping up with Mimi clear in your face and your heavy breathing. Yet, you still play with it. You allow Mimi to chase you, to tackle you down, to nuzzle into your neck, and to finally rest its head on your shoulder.

“I’ll bring you water,” Yanqing sighs, shaking his head as he disappears into the main house.

Jing Yuan watches him leave with a hint of amusement in his golden eyes—the boy is definitely acting like a teenager now, he realizes. Bothered and moody, and yet he would never deny you or him help. He seems exasperated as he walks away, and if the General paid enough attention, he could have listened to Yanqing wondering how his mother had gone crazy from playing with the lion. Instead, Jing Yuan is focused on you; the way your fingers lazily play with Mimi’s mane, how the lion almost purrs.

“Aren’t you two cozy, hm?” He says, as he finally approaches you.

You open your eyes lazily, lips curving naturally into a grin that could melt even the everwinter from Jarilo-VI.

“We’re resting,” You say. The moment your hand stops playing with Mimi’s mane, the lion reacts—it nudges your face, a clear demand for you to continue. “Well, Mimi is resting, and apparently I’m giving pets.”

“So it is a bad time to ask for my cuddles, hm?”

You can feel the rumble of laughter from within his chest as he tries his best to lay down on your other side, and now you’re trapped. Trapped between a giant cat and your husband. His laughter is contagious, though, and soon you’re laughing, too. His hand snakes around your waist, pulling you into his chest lazily. 

Mimi whines.

You laugh, again.

“Who would have thought the cub would be so jealous?” Jing Yuan complains, playing dumb.

“Mimi is anything but a cub now,” You nudge him softly, giggling when Mimi follows you, placing its head on your chest again, its mane tickling your neck. “And, for your information, it takes after you. You’re just as demanding, if not more.”

More laughter. You can feel it on your back as he holds you, his hand on your waist soft and gentle, tracing lazy figures on the fabric of your dress. 

“But I’m a general, darling mine.” He presses a lazy kiss to your neck. “Demanding is part of my job, wouldn’t you say?”

You elbow him, and you don’t miss the vibration of his laughter against your back. Sometimes, you think, your husband is insufferable.

If only the people of the Luofu knew that, within the four walls of your home, the Dozing General is better known as the Doting General.

more works.

©2023 hiimawarish do not translate, repost, copy, modify

[dreamofjoys]

𝐈 𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐔𝐏

— summary: 5W1H of twst characters eating you up

— characters involved: leona kingscholar, malleus draconia x female reader

— cw: oral sex (female receiving), public sex, fem reader is clothed in leona's part, face fucking, fingering, malleus has long forked tongue, dubcon (but reader is implied to be enjoying and loving every moment), jealous malleus (kinda possessive)

— a/n: my god this is like my secondary school english class brainstorming answers for my essays lol (but that's literally what im doing rn so...)

what happened

leona had you pushed against the wall, lifting your legs up to rest on his shoulders while he lifts up your skirt, using a finger to slide your panties to the side, revealing your pretty pussy to him. he wasted no time diving in to the feast in front of him, making sure to give a long and slow lick before tongue fucking you. his grip on your ass is tight, making sure to push your cunt to him so that he could shove his tongue deeper into you and get a taste of you at your most sacred place. you could only grab onto his mane and moan his name like a slut, grinding onto his tongue shamelessly and begging him for more. if it gets too much, you wouldn't be able to do anything since he had you pressed against the wall. between him, you and the wall, you are definitely the weakest. so just present yourself to him and let him devour you till he is satisfied

where did it happened

in an empty classroom

when did it happened

2 hours after potionology class ends

why did it happened

he was held back for 2 hours by crewel just to take make up lessons for the ones that he missed. his stomach was already growling like crazy because ruggie was sick today and didn't get him lunch. after crewel left, he was preparing to leave too until you came in looking for him. with his stomach growling like a mad beast, he needed something to satisfy his hunger now

who was involved

it's obviously just you and leona. his not a big fan of sharing his private life with other people, except for you of course

how did it happened

the moment he sees you, he just asked if he could eat you there and then. you were confused, thinking that he wanted to do it at his room, so you agreed, and he immediately started feasting on you in that empty classroom

bonus scene

"a-ah~ leo, wh-what if hnng someone comes in?" you asked your lion boyfriend who is currently still obsessing over your cunt, lapping on all your juices while you sit on his shoulders and take everything that he gives. leona hums in response, the act alone sends waves of vibration into your cunt. he doesn't bother replying. instead, he hoist you up higher with one arm while the other snakes under your skirt. he inserts two fingers to join his tongue in assaulting your poor cunt, making your gasp as he rips out what seems to be your 6th orgasm of the session. "wa-wait, i don't think i can come anymore-" another knot released, your essence spilling all over leona's face, not that he mind. it doesn't seem like he plan on stopping soon, so you could only hope and pray that no one sees the both of you in this state..

what happened

malleus had you pressed in a mating position. your knees were pressed onto your chest as the fae prince pins both of your wrist down at the back of your knees with merely just one hand. your clothes were already discarded on the ground, exposing your bare form to the dark creature. malleus makes sure to take a good look at your pink puffy pussy that was already leaking in anticipation. he chuckles, already excited about the next sequence of event. pushing a finger in, you moan in delight when you felt his sharp claw grazing over your sensitive spot. once he confirmed your sweet delicate spot, he removes his finger from your cunt, swirling his tongue around his stained finger to get a taste of you. it wasn't long before he starts tongue fucking you, earning a scream from you

where did it happened

at diasomnia's lounge room, on the couch

when did it happened

midnight, around 12am, after most students had went to sleep

why did it happened

he was jealous at one of the jokes that his dorm member made so he felt territorial and wanted to mark you as his

who was involved

you and malleus..... and maybe lilia who has super hearing and can hear whatever that you guys are doing from miles away..

how did it happened

you were just casually sitting on the couch chatting away with a random year 1 diasomnia student about the school romance. the student had made a joke about how he would date you if you weren't dating his housewarden. unfortunately for the poor soul, malleus had just stepped into the lounge room and had heard everything. the student started sweating profusely before apologising and running back to his room. you noticed that malleus was just quietly staring at you, so you awkwardly stood up and offered to make some ice cream for him. it was then he step in closer to you and started tugging at the ends of your skirt..

bonus scene

it's unbelievable how this man can just spilt you apart with just his tongue. malleus's long forked tongue had proved to come in handy as it nestles itself deep inside your cunt, giving kitten kisses to your cervix. your walls were pulsating on his tongue, and malleus wanted to laugh when he was reminded of the events earlier. who would be able to make your little hole gush like a waterfall? who would be able to make your little hole open up like a needy slut? who would be able to see you in this state? only him. malleus is the only person who can make you feel this way, and see you in such a vulnerable state. "ma-mal! im comin-" and just like that, you milked on his tongue like a good little girl he expects you to be. he retreats back his tongue, licking his lower chin that was stained with your fluids before swallowing them down. malleus gives you a toothy grin when he noticed your red face. strong heavy arms lifts you up as he carries you bridal style, gathering you in his embrace. "beloved, we should continue this back in our room. don't worry, i will make you feel so good that you wouldn't think about anything or anyone, except for me."

[quillthrillswriting]

sooo.... anyone else ever wondered how different ATLA would have been if aang had been frozen at age 16 instead of age 12?

yeah... me too 😌 my new fanfic "the teenager in the iceberg" follows the events of the show, but with only aang aged up, while everyone else remains their canon age.

also...cmon....how funny is it to switch zuko and aang's iconic dialogue to "you're just a teenager!" "...so are you?"

this idea was originally inspired by the talented @allgremlinart's aged up aang drawings, so please go show them some love!!:)<3

enjoy the excerpts from chapters one and two!

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

Aang chuckled, pushing himself up with his hands on his knees. He was… taller than Katara had realised, taller than Sokka. He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, turning to look over his shoulder at the remains of the boulder-sized chunk of ice he had just been blasted out of.  “Aang. My name’s Aang.” He hesitated, momentarily seeming to puzzle something over. “And honestly? No clue. Don’t remember how me and…Appa!” He yelped, suddenly scrambling back over the hill of ice and snow. Katara followed him without thinking, and Sokka, grumbling under his breath, followed moments later. 

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

“So, you’ve brought a monster to invade the village, then? You’re some incognito Fire Nation soldier sent in as an undercover scout? Well, I’ll have you know that I’m the village’s strongest warrior, a-”

“The only warrior,” Katara chimed in, lightly elbowing Sokka’s side, earning herself a responding glare. 

“The strongest warrior.” Sokka reiterated. “And I don’t much like firebenders.” He added the words pointedly.

“Ah.” Aang titled his head. “That’s a shame. Some of my closest friends are Fire Nation.”

“Of course they are,” Sokka glared, hunching over into a defensive position and adjusting his fishing spear until it pointed directly at Aang.

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

Katara still wasn’t quite sure what to make of Aang. The Water Tribe boys had always been all flashy muscles, seal-jerky breath, and overconfidence, so Katara had never seen someone move, carry themself, the way Aang did. 

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

Katara had admittedly forgotten how much fun penguin sledding was. “Spirits, I haven’t done this since I was a kid!” she called to Aang as he raced past her, surprisingly skilled considering that he’d never even seen a penguin until half an hour before. 

“You still are a kid!” He called back over his shoulder. “A kid who’s losing this race, badly !”

Katara’s competitive streak reared its head, her eyes narrowing as Aang stuck out his tongue. She sat up slightly, no longer gripping the penguin’s fur as tightly. “You wish!” She shouted back the words as she raised her hands, breathing deeply. Her hands moved through the positions she had practised from the few bending scrolls the tribe still held on to, and before Aang knew it, the snow in front of Katara turned to ice, and she shot past him as his own ice trail suddenly became dry snow with too much friction to slide on. 

She made it to the bottom of the hill, beaming, breathing heavily. The wind had whipped her hair out of her bun, and she knew without checking that her hair must have looked like a lion-turtle’s mane. She watched as Aang made a show of drying himself off with a gust of wind that he then redirected at her, messing up her curls even more. 

“You’re a cheater !” Aang gasped, mockingly clutching imaginary pearls at his throat. “I demand a rematch.”

Katara strode past him, only turning her head to cast him a smug smirk. “Maybe you’re just not as good of a penguin sledder as you thought .”

“Oh, not so fast!” Aang grabbed her wrist, tugging her back towards him, and she internally questioned why the momentary brush of their skin made her heart flip. He tried to trip her, she tried to flip him, and they both ended up on their backs in the snow, giggling, cheeks and noses bright pink from the cold. 

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

“Trouble sleeping too, huh?” Aang cocked a grin, tilting his head to Katara. She kept her eyes fixed upwards, trained on the moon and the stars, worried that if she looked away, she’d end up staring into his eyes like a weirdo. 

“I always feel so awake with the moon’s light on me. Sleeping under the stars has never really been a thing that works. It’s too energising, too… too much. It’s hard to explain.”

“No, no… I get it. I feel the same way in a windstorm, all those breezes and gusts of wind, it feels… exhilarating.” She watched through her peripheral vision as he looked up at the moon. “In times of war, I think we all tend to forget how spiritual bending is at its core. I’d say it’s a good thing that you’re in touch enough with the origins of your abilities to feel the moon’s pull tug at you just as much as it does on the ocean.” 

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡ ˗ˏˋയ ✩

Aang smiled back. “Now is our time to try to make up for that. I can’t bring back everyone who was hurt in this war, and you can’t bring back your mother, but together, the two-, three of us can make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

“I’d like that,” Katara exhaled, her breath calming down and tears dissipating. The two spent hours talking back and forth, exchanging the stories of their respective childhoods. Katara learned that Aang had invented several new bending moves and had been a big fan of fruit pies, while Aang learned that Katara had always been the bossier one between her and Sokka and that she had almost chipped a tooth on seal jerky when she was six. They continued talking back and forth in increasingly hushed tones until the world faded away under the cover of clouds and sleep.

Katara awoke to the loud shout of her brother. 

“Wakey wakey, lovebirds!” he yelped, chucking a rock-hard stick of seal jerky at both of them. 

“Ouch, Sokka !” Katara snapped at him, rubbing her head at the spot where she had been hit, before realising that she was leaning against Aang and immediately jumping away, blushing furiously. 

♥ check out the two chapters of this (ongoing) fic & my ao3 here! ->

[overly-dramatic-artist]

A continuation of the mer! Sun and Moon au 💖

Sun loves cuddles with the human! He has a bit of a hard time with getting comfortable with it since the inner fins on his head and neck have venomous barbs like that of lion fish and lion’s mane jelly fish, but once he figures out how to keep his safe fins wrapped around the dangerous ones, he is a monster for physical connection.

Moon is a bit slower on warming up to the pink-hair, but once he comes to the realization of his feelings, it hits him hard. He likes physical affection, and he’ll wrap up the lil human like a snake, but only when they are alone. Around others, and even Sun sometimes, he doesn’t like to show any hints of weakness, physical or emotional.

[nataliasquote]

Double the Trouble - thought dump

~~~

Natasha and Wanda were they type of moms to put their twins in matching outfits. The first day of kindergarten saw both girls in tiny denim dungarees, cute printed tees underneath, and pink converse. Natasha had braided their soft curls into two little braids, finished off with the tiniest of bows. They looked like the textbook definition of twins, and many photos were taken that day.

But when it was time for Wanda and Natasha to pick them up, the sight they saw was not for the faint hearted. Y/n came out first, her hair still in neat braids and both bows in their rightful place. She had a small stain on her shirt, but that was a given when a three year old was made to eat spaghetti in a white tshirt.

But the same couldn’t be said for Isla. She stumbled out ten minutes later, backpack dragging along the concrete. Her braids were no more- wild curls now in their place- a tangled mess for Wanda to painstakingly comb through when they got home. Her dungarees had been unfastened and now hung around her waist, and her tshirt was covered in what looked like blue paint, along with her lunch. One shoe was untied but she had the biggest smile on her face as she spotted her moms in the crowd of eager parents.

Natasha and Wanda shared a look as their girls approached, taking in the full scene in front of them. Their fears did not come true, luckily, and it looked as though the twins had fully immersed themselves in kindergarten life. They both clutched paintings that were quickly shoved at both women, their finest artwork ready to take a spot on the fridge.

“Did you have a good day?” Wanda asked, bending down to catch both girls in a hug. She was met with an overload of chatter as they began speaking at the same time, stories of the day spewing from their lips. Wanda just chuckled and stroked Isla’s hair, trying to calm her lions mane down a little. But it was fruitless, her curls were unruly.

“How about we go and get McDonald’s as a treat?” Natasha stood with her hands on her hips, smiling at the excited faces of her favourite girls staring back at her. Y/n squealed and reached for Natasha, now realising how much she missed her Mama.

“Happy meal!” She exclaimed, right into the redhead’s ear who winced.

“You can get a happy meal, yes!”

“Mama I want a toy,” Isla chimed in, her hand slotting perfectly into Wanda’s as the four of them headed back to the car. “And a milkshake.”

“Well, I’m sure we can arrange that.” As much as both women were happy that the twins did so well on their first day, they’d missed them like crazy and felt more relaxed seeing them safely buckled in their car seats. Especially Natasha, who had been on edge all day and had snapped at Wanda a couple of times.

As the familiar golden sign of the twins’ favourite place appeared, Natasha couldn’t help but smile to herself. This was her perfect little family and the life she’d always dreamed of.

11 year old Natasha would be proud.

[jolieblack]

Jolie’s notes on

The Lion’s Mane (Sherlock & co podcast)

Oh, this case made me so happy. 🦁🪼⛴️

Sweet domesticity in Baker Street, then a client ringing the bell bringing a dramatic case… This is another ACD story with quite striking hidden horror. You don’t really think much about the state of the body when you read it, but when you really start thinking about it, it is horrific. And off they go, our heroes, to solve another mystery and right another wrong.

Heroes with a pension plan, of course. Because of course Mariana would have set that up for them all. I love how this show keeps finding modern ways of showing how well Mrs Hudson cares for those two crazy boys.

Heroes who drink tea with marshmallows, too. Sherlock being a big petulant child about those cracked me up.

Loved Maud‘s early reference to tentacles, too. 🦑

Archie being able to sense when people are sad. 🥹

The non-consensual bathroom sharing made me laugh, too, but can people PLEASE just stop making fun of men who sit down to wee? Housewives and cleaning staff all over the world would be so much happier if all men just did.

"It‘s a trolley stuck in a wall." 😂 Trust Jonk to turn absolutely everything into a rant against the rich. 😝

And then they’re off.

Loved this modern version of "Holmes and Watson get on another train for a case", and John waxing poetic about the countryside by night. I have looked out of the window of a night train at the starry sky in the not too distant past myself, so this scene struck a particular chord. But I‘d just love to see more of this reflective, quiet John. He hides him too well usually.

And talking of beautiful, evocative mental images, the moment when Fjara rises out of the sea mist gave me absolute goosebumps. A sight that makes even Sherlock Holmes go "oh my word" must be a sight indeed. And all that with just voices and music. Amazing work.

I also loved how the mythical aspect kinda crept in slowly but unstoppably, and I spent the longest time wondering why Maud had mentioned none of it. In retrospect, of course there was zero reason why she would have. I kinda forgot that Sherlock Holmes stories love playing with our fears of the supernatural, only to supply a completely natural explanation in the end. But that’s quite an achievement in itself! Well played, Joel.

I’m quite happy with the solution as such, too. The original story has always been a little fantastical, that the waters of the British Channel should contain one single organism who could inflict such damage on a human being. But the combination of Lion’s Mane burns, chemical burns, previous fistfight with probably head trauma and quite possibly also a touch of the Martini effect together could totally do it. I’m glad Ian Murdoch survived, btw, I thought he was going to be the third corpse.

I also really appreciated the Lion/Liona throwback to Rache/Rachel in Study in Pink (which seems to confirm to me that we have seen Study in Pink already and it won’t come back).

And the accents! I loooooved the accents. I think they’re a major part of the reason why I listened to this case three or four times before I even managed to pause the flow to take these notes.

Jonk was really taking cringe to a whole new level in his interactions with the locals, though. This is really a part of Watson’s character that they entirely made up for this adaptation and while Paul plays it to perfection, it never sits quite right with me. I’m glad John was his kind and sensitive self with Maud though.

Sherlock wading in rock pools with his trousers rolled up is a mental image that will stay with me for a long while. Check out this lovely art by @noodles-and-tea

"Sexy murderous sea demons?" - "Very, very unlikely." 😂

"We‘re cutting the engine *and* the conversation." & "You are not a priority." 😂

Poor John, nobody wants to hold his hand…

THE JELLYFISH

There’s a reason why the scene with the submarine submersible has inspired a lot of fantastic fanart. I’ll just let these speak for themselves:

Behold the Lion’s Mane by @starfruitsomething

Lion’s Mane by @abstractfrog

The Lion’s Mane Part 3 by @sealbug

The Lion’s Mane by @reibub

Lion’s Mane Comic by @abstractfrog

I’m so glad they went and found Fitzi McPherson in the end, too. I didn’t expect that and it was a lovely touch.

I may also be a tiny bit obsessed with Sherlock competently handling boats. Very happy to see this several times in this story.

All in all, pure enjoyment this time around. Story, atmosphere, humour, acting, straight As all around for the entire team. More, please!

[misshoneyimhome]

250 FOLLOWERS FESTIVAL

Sparks Fly - “My mind forgets to remind me you're a bad idea” I William Nylander

Summary; when you first met William Nylander, you had no idea what the universe was trying to tell you - but as you couldn't escape him, nor resist temptation, you ignored all that was supposed to feel right

Tropes & warnings; Strangers to lovers, cheating (kissing), Willy's mischievous smile and charm, romantic relationship, flirting, sexual thoughts, some nsfw descriptions

Other notes; did this turn out the way I expected? Nope - Do I regret it and want to write it all over? Also nope 🙃 please enjoy 🤍

Word count; 4K

➼｡ﾟ

Go right. Turn left. Head down. Wait?

Your gaze keenly tracked the items on the shelves as you searched for the last thing on your shopping list – toothpaste.

Examining the aisle thoroughly, you attempted to locate the small tubes. Just as you finally spotted something that might resemble what you were after, you came to a halt. Scanning the array of products, you aimed to find your preferred brand. But unfortunately, it was nowhere to be seen. And as you continued your search, a large figure unexpectedly collided with you from behind, causing you to drop the items in your other hand.

“Shit,” you exclaimed involuntarily, bending down to retrieve your things and feeling the jolt from the minor accident.

“Sorry about that,” the voice apologised, and the person squatted beside you, attempting to pick up some of your scattered belongings, though you beat them to it.

Looking up at the face of the stranger who had rudely bumped into you, you were greeted by deep blue eyes, a light, almost pale complexion, a crooked smile stretching across pink lips, and a sleeked-back lion's mane of hair. “No worries,” you said softly, flashing a friendly smile even though you felt the fatigue and a hint of annoyance lingering in your mind. At least he had been polite enough to apologise and assist in gathering the items. “I guess I was just lost in thought.”

“Yeah, me too,” the man chuckled lightly as you both gradually stood up. He was dressed in loose trousers and a hoodie, paired with slippers – a rather casual yet suitable look for a late-night shopping spree.

Maybe if you weren't feeling so tired, given the lateness of your impromptu shopping trip, you might have found him rather attractive with his charming smile. However, fatigue had taken its toll, and the idea of engaging in a conversation with a stranger didn't quite appeal to you at the moment.

Yet, the man remained stationary for a moment longer, his captivating eyes almost scrutinising you as you offered a friendly smile.

“So, were you looking for anything specific? You looked a little confused…” he finally broke the silence hanging between you.

“Oh, yeah,” you chuckled lightly. “I’m just on the hunt for this toothpaste I always use… but I'm clueless about the layout of this place…”

“What’s it called? Maybe I can help,” he politely offered assistance, and you couldn't help but smile as you shared the brand. “Ah, I think it’s this one…” he pointed out, placed on the top shelf, a bit above your line of sight.

“Oh, thanks… sorry, I'm a bit tired,” you apologised with a sigh.

“You're not from around here?”

The handsome stranger flashed you a friendly smile.

“Is it that obvious, huh?” you chuckled with a rhetorical tone.

“Just a little,” the man responded, and you couldn't help but smile back at him. For some unknown reason, his smile was incredibly enchanting, and you had to mentally remind yourself not to get too caught up in the interaction. “Well, is there anything else I can help you with?” he offered, displaying a polite and overly confident expression across his face.

“Well, uhm,” you attempted to speak, breaking the gaze the two of you had been sharing. “No, no thanks… I mean, I better get going - it’s late.”

You heard yourself mumble as you compelled yourself to move away from the appealing stranger, grabbing a random toothpaste and slowly making your way towards the cashier. However, as you walked away, you couldn’t resist glancing back, and, of course, your eyes briefly met his captivating face.

A flutter occurred in your stomach, something you hadn’t felt in a long time. But you had to brush it off. And as you reached the checkout register and exited onto the street, you once again had to pause, looking around to regain your sense of direction.

You might have seemed a bit lost, because once more, a new, familiar voice spoke behind you.

“Lost again?” he chuckled, moving closer to stand beside you in the winter night of the city.

“Uhm, no, just have to find the way to the bus, you know,” you tried to act as casual as possible, facing him again.

“Which way are you going?”

It was odd. You didn’t even question why this stranger was so willing to help you, yet you easily gave him your address and the bus details.

“It’s just up the street,” he pointed out, once again with a broad, friendly smile, his eyes almost sparkling in the reflection of the city lights.

“Thanks… again,” you smiled once more, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind your ear as you suddenly felt a bit drawn to him, unsure why. Perhaps it was his helpful nature or his handsome face. Or maybe you were just so tired and needed some rest.

“No worries… I’m Will, by the way,” he kindly introduced himself. “And if there’s anything else you need help with in the city, you can just ask me.”

You were taken aback by his sudden casual introduction, your eyes expressing a hint of surprise as he continued to flash his charming smile.

“I, uhm, I’m Y/N… and that’s very nice of you,” you replied nervously, still a bit thrown off by how nonchalant and friendly he was towards you.

“That’s a nice name. Maybe, if you’d like, we can talk more about the city over a cup of coffee someday?”

His invitation was even more surprising, and the way he presented it was so laid-back. You could hardly tell if he was flirting or just being friendly.

Yet, you were intrigued, you had to admit that. But you didn’t want to make any rash decisions. So, you decided to go with what you considered the wisest choice and politely decline his offer.

“Oh, that’s really sweet Will - and though I’d really like to, I should probably tell you I’m already here with someone…” you offered him a comforting expression, a little nervous about how he’d take your rejection.

But there was no need to be worried. Will merely smiled and shrugged.

“Fair enough. Just thought I’d give it try.”

It was the sweetest encounter you’d ever had with a stranger, and you couldn’t help but feel another flutter in your stomach as he continued looking at you.

“Well… but thanks anyway,” you spoke, once again forcing yourself to withdraw from the slightly intimate conversation.

“Anytime.”

And with that, you parted ways, and you slowly began walking to the nearby bus stop.

“Shit…” you muttered to yourself. This was so not what you needed right now.

**

As you woke up the next day, you finally felt like you'd regained energy and were ready to face the world again. The long flight had been beyond exhausting, but after finally getting a good night's sleep, you were filled with excitement about exploring Toronto.

Getting ready to take on the day, you hopped in the shower, letting the warm water cascade down your body. Your muscles relaxed under the soothing warmth, and your eyes closed as you gently massaged the shampoo into your hair. However, while rinsing the soap out from your locks, your mind wandered, and a sudden vision of the handsome stranger from yesterday popped up in your head – his content smile and his amazing chuckle.

You swiftly opened your eyes, shaking your head to force him out of your mind, and returned to your routine. And finally dressed and ready to hit the city, you made your way to meet up with Jason after a short train ride.

Walking into a hockey arena wasn't completely out of the ordinary for you, as you'd previously set foot in one, just not in Toronto. And as you walked through the corridors like Jason had told, you managed to get past security with a friendly smile, stating your name and purpose to the kind man.

Down the hallway, you were surrounded by blue and white colours, with motivational words like Pride, Honour, and Courage written on the walls. And finally, you saw him standing there, chatting with his colleagues. You flashed Jason a warm smile as you approached, and he enveloped you in a tight hug.

“I’m so happy that you’re here,” he whispered softly.

“Me too,” you flashed him a gentle smile before he introduced you to his co-workers.

It felt good to be with him again. It had been far too long since you’d been in the same city, but now you were finally back together.

As the evening progressed, Jason showed you around the hockey arena. But it wasn’t until you had the chance to meet some of the players that your heart suddenly stopped.

There he was; the handsome stranger from yesterday. His blonde hair and cheeky smile were unmistakable. 

Then, he slowly walked towards you along with four other lads.

“Hey Jason,” one of them greeted.

“Hey guys,” Jason flashed them a great smile. “Y/n, let me introduce you to the Leafs' finest; Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, Max Domi, and William Nylander.”

You felt your heartbeat suddenly rising. Your palms became sweaty, and it felt harder to breathe. And you knew you had to avoid his piercing blue eyes in order to remain focused.

“Hi,” you finally managed to speak. However, as you greeted all of the guys, you couldn’t help but gulp when your hand met William’s.

He was still as handsome as yesterday, perhaps even more so in this lighting. His broad smile across his lips was enchanting, and his sweet voice rang like sweet music in your ear.

It almost felt as if there were sparks flying between you, cutting out everyone else as your eyes held onto each other for a little longer than they should.

But then Jason’s voice suddenly interrupted.

“Guys, this is Y/N – my girlfriend,” he introduced, and suddenly you felt William withdrawing completely, as the truth came out: You were already taken, and flirting wouldn’t do him any good.

**

But what William didn’t know was that your relationship with Jason had been hanging on a thin thread for a long time now.

You had been together for five years, committing to a serious relationship when you were just in your early twenties. However, the past two years had been nothing but suffering for both of you.

Frequent fights over every little detail, your mood swings making it unbearable to be around each other for too long, and his constant changes in work, including working overtime, left very little energy to maintain the romance in your relationship. But despite the struggles, as you had been together for so long, essentially growing into adulthood together, you weren't ready to let it go. Instead, you decided to spend some time apart.

So, when Jason got the job in Toronto as an account manager for the MLSE, you chose to stay back home, giving both of you the time needed to figure out the future of your relationship.

It hadn’t been easy. While you enjoyed the freedom of being by yourself, rediscovering who you truly were as an individual, you also longed for the togetherness. You missed having someone to come home to, to share every moment with, the good and the bad. You missed the intimacy, the amazing sex, and the touch of another man, dedicating himself to your pleasure. And Jason missed you just as much, if not more. He practically begged you to join him in Toronto, and eventually, you gave in, deciding to give your relationship another try.

Which initially, it seemed like a great idea.

But then you met William Nylander.

Without even knowing who he was, the Swedish hockey star had completely swept you off your feet. His smile and eyes had created a spark within you, making you question everything once again.

Did you truly miss Jason, or did you just miss the comfort of having someone else?

Jason was a great guy, at least to most people. A good friend, committed family person, and a hard worker for what he loved. He never forgot a birthday, always told you how much he loved you, and even bought flowers once in a while. In many ways, he was the perfect boyfriend.

However, over time, you felt the need for something more. He no longer made you feel those butterflies in your stomach out of excitement. The sex was still good, yet it became familiar and almost routine. When talking about the future, he always spoke of 'you' as a whole. However, for the past year, you couldn’t imagine any of those scenarios with him. Even though you dreamt of the same, he wasn’t the person in your dreams anymore.

Suddenly, you were replacing his face with other men. And now, it was William.

His blonde, sleeked-back hair and his laughter echoing through the halls were slowly taking up space in your mind. Every time you closed your eyes, you imagined his face. You could see his pink lips forming a smirk, his eyes glistening as you stood closely, almost close enough to touch each other.

And the more time you spent around the team, the more William occupied your thoughts.

You would see him almost every day for the following weeks after you'd met, especially when they were in Toronto playing home games. Despite having your remote work with you, allowing you to work from home, Jason’s work took up more time. And often, you found yourself at Baking Street or at the Scotiabank Arena with the Maple Leafs.

Every time you passed William in the hallway, you'd flash him a friendly smile, hoping not to give off any wrong signals. And every time he returned your smile. But you just couldn’t get him out of your head, and you knew it wasn’t right.

It felt so wrong that whenever Jason wanted to touch you, kiss you, and make love to you, you envisioned William instead of him. You wished for William’s hands on your skin, his body against your body, and his lips connected with yours. You wished he was the one to pleasure you, to be inside you as you felt the peak of an orgasm. It didn't even have to be romantic; all you wanted was to feel him instead of the man you shared a bed with. 

Though you often shared laughter and smiles with William in the group of players and managers, you were sure he'd forgotten all about you long ago.

Little did you know, ever since your small encounter, William had not been able to get you off his mind either. The way you looked so tired and sweet in the grocery store had made his heart flutter a little, and your soft giggles had resonated as a sweet melody.

But then you turned him down. Which first, he thought was just fine. Although he wasn’t exactly used to being the one to get a ‘no’ from a girl, he figured that’s just how it is when you take chances.

However, what truly shattered William's heart into smaller pieces was when he saw you the following day, with Jason’s arm around you and him introducing you as his girlfriend.

For the first time in his life, he felt fragile. Like you had every bit of control over him, and he could do nothing about it. He was captivated by you, there was no denying it.

And William knew it was wrong to think about you like that, to imagine that you’d break it off with Jason immediately just so he’d have a chance with you. To touch you, let his lips explore yours as he enveloped you and held you close. He wanted to feel your naked chest against his as he explored your body with his hands and tasted your sweet tongue on his. He wanted to make you moan out in pleasure as he let himself sink into your warmth and have you wrapped around him.

But he knew he couldn’t. Yet his mind kept forgetting to remind him that you were a bad idea.

Although he sensed that you weren’t truly happy. That was probably the worst part. If you were truly happy, you'd have said you had a boyfriend from the very beginning, not just 'someone'.

And he could see how you always tried to maintain a façade and a guard when you were around everyone. But you didn’t fool William. He saw right through you.

Your smile was fake, and your voice spoke in a tone that didn’t seem close to real – almost AI-created. The way you stood stiff next to Jason, not even reflecting a tiny amount of love, made William wonder why you’d waste your time with someone like him.

No, William knew these weren’t your true feelings. He’d seen just how gorgeous and wonderful your true smile was. He'd seen it on the very first night you ran into each other and then every time you were around the group of players and their significant others, and Jason wasn’t there because he was still working; that’s when your true colours were showing.

You didn’t love Jason.

**

Every moment around William was killing you. You were drawn to him like a magnet, and all you wanted was to run to him and tell him how you felt.

But you acted casual, almost like friends around each other and everyone else. Yet only a brief touch of your fingertips could make you both feel the sparks between you.

It was a slow form of torture, and for weeks, you walked up and down the corridors, seeing him shirtless after a game, and later having wet thoughts about him in the evening as you pleasured yourself.

But then one night, it became too much. You were watching the match from a few rows behind the players' bench, and your eyes kept following the number 88 on the ice, even when he wasn’t around the puck. You even forgot to cheer when the Leafs managed to score goals, and it wasn’t until the final buzzer sounded that you were snapped out of your trail of thoughts.

In the hallway, you forced yourself to smile and chat with the rest of the team's company. But in the back of your head, all you wanted was to congratulate William on the win. So, the moment you saw him, you couldn’t restrain yourself. It was like your body was running from your mind towards him.

In all of his equipment, William instinctively enveloped you and lifted you into his embrace. You wrapped your arms around him and met in a rushed, eager, and spontaneous brief kiss.

It was wrong, you knew that. Yet it felt so right.

His lips felt so good on yours, and you never wanted to untie from his arms. You wanted to freeze this moment and just enjoy him wrapped around you. And as he slowly put you back down, you let out a soft sigh.

“Sorry about that,” you chuckled a bit nervously, unsure how he felt about the kiss.

But William felt nothing but good. “You don’t have to be sorry, Y/N… you have no idea for how long I’ve wanted that.” His voice came out as a rough whisper, aware that no one around should hear him - in case they’d tell Jason.

Gazing up at him, his face a lot taller due to his skates, you couldn’t suppress a smile.

“Me too…” you softly admitted. But again, you had to force yourself out of the tender moment, and William left to finish up in the locker room. 

Not long after, you were all by yourself in the hallway as the players and their partners had left, and you were waiting for Jason to finish up for the night.

“What are you still doing here?” A voice behind you echoed in your ears, but it wasn’t the voice of your boyfriend. It was William.

Turning around, you faced his smug expression, your eyes again meeting and not able to pull away.

“I was just…” you softly muttered. You couldn’t even speak the words. You didn’t want to mention his name, not even think about him as you stood alone in front of William.

“Waiting for…” he continued your sentence, avoiding the name of the man you belonged to.

“Yes…”

A silent moment settled between you as your eyes remained locked, and William gently nodded.

“I should leave you alone then…”

But he didn’t move. He still stood before you, and you felt your heart beating faster, your pulse increasing.

“I don’t want you to leave me alone,” you whispered softly, yet loud enough for him to hear, a tear almost settling in the corner of your eye as guilt wanted to rush over you. But you ignored it.

“Me neither.”

And as William took slow strolls towards you, your mind raced, and your feet automatically moved in an attempt to meet him halfway. As soon as you came in close proximity, your breaths almost shared, you couldn’t control your own body’s behaviour. Like an instinct, you gently wrapped your hands around William’s neck as his found your waist, pulling each other in for another kiss. However, this time, it was deeper.

You let each other explore one another, your mouths sharing warmth as your tongues intertwined. You let yourself sink into his body, feeling him against you as his hands wandered further down, cupped your cheeks, and effortlessly hoisted you into his grip.

It felt so good. With every taste offered, you wanted more of him, and as he pressed your back against the wall, you felt his chest pressed against yours. You let your fingers run through his hair, all sense of guilt vanishing from your rational mind.

It was just wrong enough to make it feel right.

But you had to pull apart to refill your lungs with air, panting as you held your faces close.

“I’m sorry,” William chuckled lightly under his breath.

“Don’t be.”

The kiss with William had been nothing short of amazing. However, as you heard steps in the hallway, you swiftly disentangled and pulled away. Regret filled your mind, but not about the kiss - about the fact that you couldn’t do more because you had a boyfriend.

So, as soon as you got back to Jason’s apartment, you knew you had to address the subject, no matter if William wanted more or not. You couldn’t carry on in a relationship you weren’t devoted to.

**

The breakup hadn’t been really bad. Jason had almost seen it coming, given your distant behaviour. Though he was sure you’d tried, there was just no way you could save what had been between you, and he had to accept that.

Your only problem next was to find accommodation for the night. Jason had naturally offered you the guest room as the gentleman he was, but you felt more comfortable with checking into a hotel.

And just as you’d tossed yourself onto the queen-size bed, you decided to let William know. Maybe he cared, maybe he didn’t, but just as he’d taken a chance on you, you wanted to take a chance on him as well.

‘It’s over – Jason and I are over.’

A simple text, but the message was clear.

Only a few minutes later, you heard your phone vibrate.

‘Where are you?’

Without hesitation, you texted him the name of your hotel.

‘I’m coming over – is that ok?’

‘Yes, of course.’

It didn’t take long before William let you know he was nearby. And it was as if a spark within you felt like you were in a romantic movie or something, so you jumped out of bed, ran down the four floors, and practically jumped out of the front doors. You didn’t care about it raining; it fitted the idea of a movie scene perfectly, especially when you saw the familiar face of the handsome Swede.

Both walking determinedly towards each other, you almost fell into his arms as he wrapped them around your body, and once again connected you in a deep heartfelt kiss.

You couldn’t help but giggle at how dramatic it all seemed. Pulling apart, you shared a laughter, both completely soaked by the pouring rain.

“Willy,” you spoke softly, with a great smile across your lips. 

“I know, baby,” William chuckled. “Finally.”

[roseandpeaches]

Girl Dad Gyu - Hair

No warnings, just pure fluff. Mingyu is a stay-at-home dad and an amazing girl dad.

----------------------‐---------------------

Mingyu sat on the floor, surrounded by an array of hair accessories - clips, bows, and hair ties. He looked at his daughter, who was sitting in front of him, babbling happily and grabbing at the colourful items.

"Alright, Minju, let's see what we can do with this hair of yours," he said with a smile, reaching for a hairbrush.

Minju was barely a year, but boy, could she grow a lion's mane. He wasn't sure if it was something she had inherited from his wife or him, but he knew he had to do something about it. "Just get her a haircut honey," the mother of his child said. He had told her how he didn't want to take it the easy way. He'll need to learn how to handle their daughter's hair in the future anyway - the mere thought of his chubby baby growing got him choked up, but he continued strategising his mission.

Mingyu had taken it upon himself to buy all the hair accessories for Minju. He had even picked up a nice baby friendly hairbrush though his wife had already gotten one when they were preparing for their daughter's arrival, 'All good things comes in two,' he had rationalised to himself. It's fine. Surely, his wife can't be mad for having one extra comb. Right?

As he brushed her soft hair, he realized that he had no idea what he was doing. He had never been the best at styling his own hair, let alone someone else's. But he was determined to figure it out for his daughter. He refuses to find an easy way out. Minju hated going to the salons. Every time the hairdresser approached her delicate head, she'd show off her great set of lungs. Who knew a cute chubby thing like her could let out a mighty cry, loud enough for everyone in Seoul to hear?

Mingyu started with a simple ponytail, using a pink hair tie to hold it in place. He stepped back to admire his work, only to see that the ponytail was lopsided and messy. He groaned, "The tutorial says to do it this way, Minju-ya, why isn't it working?" His daughter, who was oblivious of her struggling appa, was preoccupied with sorting out the colourful hair bands between her chubby legs. At least that's what Mingyu thought she was doing.

He sighed and tried again, this time with a clip. But as soon as he let go of her hair, the clip fell out, and Minju grabbed it, putting it straight in her mouth. Mingyu chuckled at the sight, realizing that this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. He gently pried the clip off her mouth, she had protested but she hadn't protested too hard. It didn't taste as good as it seemed anyway. It was hard even. Minju frowned, her bottom lips stuck out mirroring her appa.

Mingyu had tried different hairstyles - braids, pigtails, and even attempted a messy bun - but nothing seemed to be working. He had gone through millions of tutorials at this point. "Your eomma does it so effortlessly. Surely I can do it too, right, Minju?" Minju just blankly looked at her father. She shoved a bunch of butterfly clips to him instead.

After several failed attempts, Mingyu decided to take a break and sit with his daughter, who was now playing with the hairbrush. As he watched her, he realized that it didn't matter if her hair was styled perfectly or not. She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He picked her up and held her close, smiling as she giggled and babbled in his ear. Mingyu knew that there were more important things than being good at styling hair, like being there for his daughter and making her feel loved and supported.

As he put Minju down to play, he looked at the mess of hair accessories and laughed. "Maybe we'll just stick with the messy look for now," he said to himself.

Mingyu may not have been a hairstyling expert, but he was a loving father who would do anything for his daughter - even if it meant embracing her messy hair.

Later that day, his wife got home and trimmed their daughter's hair herself. Her mother, being an angel and her salvation, Minju had complied easily. In fact, she had stayed put in Mingyu's hold. "Told you this would be easier," chided his wife. He could only pout.

Author's Note: I might start a series of shorts like this based on Mingyu being a girl dad. I have a few in my drafts just waiting for an edit.

[antonarcana]

Gay?? Gay people???

(He/him for both)

[Image ID; A digital drawing of two anthropomorphic unicorn men kissing. Both of their eyes are closed. Their expressions are a mixture of melancholic and loving. They are both wearing attire loosely inspired by the late 1800s in Denmark, but intentionally anachronistic.

The unicorn on the left has dark grey fur with a dark, muted pink patch on his nose, a white blaze stripe in the center of his face, a deep, muted yellow star surrounding his deep black, straight, swirled horn. His ears are fluffy, and the inside of them are the same dark, muted pink as his nose. His mane and tail are very curly, his mane is voluminous and reaches the top of his back, and his tail has a deep, muted yellow ribbon tied around the base. He is wearing a mid tone brown blazer with golden buttons, with trousers of a similar, slightly darker colour. Underneath the blazer is an off white collared shirt and a cravat of the same colour as his trousers. One of his arms is down by his side, the other has its hand resting on the top of the other man’s back.

The unicorn on the right is bright white, the inside of his fluffy ears and the tip of his nose a soft pink, like you can slightly see his skin through the fur on his nose. He is taller than the other man, bending over slightly to kiss him. He has an unusually long mane, bright white and with curls towards the ends. His curtain bangs, way shorter than the rest, are voluminous as they frame his face. The rest of his mane is very long, and tied up into a high ponytail. He is wearing a black, long coat with brass buttons, a sleeve for his lion tail on the back. He is wearing warm brown straight leg trousers, and a cravat of the same colour above an off white collared shirt. He is also wearing large, circular glasses with gold frames. One of his hands is gently gripping the other man’s arm, the other is resting on his partner’s back.

End ID.]

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Leona Kingscholar - Gala Couture Vignette

"Through all of this..."

[Pomefiore Dorm – Ballroom]

Leona: Hips straight, feet forward… With every step, square the knees straight…

Leona: Put one foot in front of the other, as if walking on a thin line… However, take long strides with an open chest.

Leona: …So, how's that, then?

Leona: You can't have no gripes with my runway walk now, can ya?

Vil: …It's perfect.

Vil: It's like you've become a completely different person from how you were a few days prior. When did you suddenly decide to actually take this seriously?

Leona: I couldn't be bothered to care about this lame fashion show, but…

Leona: It's even more of a pain having you dogging me day in and day out.

Leona: Just thought it'd be easier to get it all over with.

Leona: How's that, honest enough for ya?

Vil: So, you'll take things seriously just to make it easier on yourself? …I can't help being astounded at the depths of your laziness.

Leona: Anyway, I'm done with the walking. Looks like I'm done with your "lessons."

Vil: How naïve. Did you truly believe that "walking" in my world is just putting one foot ahead of the other?

Leona: Hah? There's more!?

Vil: Naturally. You're missing the most important thing needed for a show. That is…

Vil: Posing!!!

Leona: Posing…?

Vil: You walk down the runway and strike a glamourous pose, while all eyes are upon you. That is what a fashion show truly is.

Vil: I'm sure even amateurs like yourself have seen examples on television or in magazines.

Vil: For example, you can place your hands on your hips at the end of the runway before turning back around…

Vil: …

Vil: And pose like this.

Leona: That's got nothin' to do with walking.

Vil: "Posing" is just another aspect of "walking."

Vil: If you cannot nail that down, then there's no way you'll pull the gaze of the audience.

Vil: In addition, a model's pose is a reflection of their own personality. It does not mean you can make it look exactly like mine does.

Leona: Ughh, what a pain. You just figure something out for me, then.

Vil: …Ugh. I thought you would say that.

Vil: That is exactly why I have arranged for these people to come help motivate even someone as uncooperative as you.

Leona: Somehow…

Leona: I have a bad feeling about this.

Rook: Why hello, Roi des Lions! Your mane is absolutely stupendous today, très bien!

Cater: So rare to see Leona actually putting some effort in～! I should snap a pic for Magicam to keep a record forever ♪

[snaps picture]

Leona: …

Leona: Rook and Cater, huh… Two more annoying people just showed up, now…

Leona: How're these guys gonna be of any help?

Vil: Rook has a keen eye for beauty. Cater has his finger on the pulse of the current trends.

Vil: They are the most suitable to provide advice on posing.

Rook: We just need to bring forth Leona-kun's beauty, is that right? Leave it to me.

Cater: We'll show you some poses that'll make you look awesome ♪

Leona: …

Leona: …Haah. Fine, whatever. Having all three of you nagging me just wears me out.

Leona: Let's just get this over with.

[Pomefiore Dorm – Ballroom]

Vil: In order for Leona to be the most dazzling thing at the fashion show, we need to develop a pose for him…

Vil: First, let's see what Rook and Cater have as suggestions.

Cater: Hmm, well～

Leona: …

Cater: How about a mysterious, upturned gaze that'll definitely be alluring? …So, pull your chin in like THIS! ☆

Leona: Urk!!!!!

Rook: I feel he still lacks a certain evanescence. Leona-kun, would you extend a hand towards me?

Rook: Gaze fervently into nothingness… Yes… As if you were in want of a prince to come rescue you…!

Leona: Hah? Stop saying weird sh―

Rook: Non! Face forward!! Square your shoulders and keep them parallel with the ground!!!

Leona: Urgh!!!!!

Rook: Oh yes, what if you held a flower? I wonder whether yellow or pink would suit you better?

Rook: This is too difficult to decide… How about we put both types on your shoulders to see!

Cater: Ooh, then what if we completely envelop his face in flowers, to give the effect of a more diminutive face…

Leona: …THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!!!

Rook/Cater: Ouch!!

Leona: Stop touching me. It's grossing me out.

Leona: I don't need you telling me every little detail, like pulling my chin in, or sticking out my hand, or whatever.

Leona: Cut the small talk, and just let me do it myself. It'll be much faster that way.

Vil: …Oh? Sounds like you're quite confident in yourself.

Leona: You want a pose that's "mysterious" and "evanescent," right?

Leona: I can give you that. Just shut up and watch.

Leona: …There you go. That should be good enough.

Rook/Vil/Cater: …

Rook: Roi des Lions…

Rook: …That was an absolutely beautiful pose!

Cater: And it looked totally natural～! You sure you're not used to doin stuff like this, Leona-kun!?

Leona: Back home, I'd have to pose properly for a buncha portraits and other commemorative photos and the like.

Leona: This is elementary.

Cater: P-Portraits, huh… Makes sense for a royal family.

Vil: …

Vil: …True, it's not bad.

Leona: Hahah! See!?

Leona: And with that, these lessons are finally…

Vil: However.

Rook/Leona/Cater: "However"?

Vil: …It's average.

Rook/Leona/Cater: !?

Leona: You make me go… through all of this…

Leona: And you have the gall to call me average…!?

Vil: I thought it was pretty, sure. Also, "mysterious and evanescent" isn't a terrible concept at all.

Vil: …However, that isn't enough.

Vil: For the sake of "Operation Steal the Tiara and the Audience," you need to have something more that's not just average.

Vil: Your posing just lacks that something.

Rook: …I see. Now that you mention it, I would definitely like to see just how far Leona-kun is able to go.

Rook: As always, Vil, your insights on beauty is dead on!

Vil: However, I'm having trouble determining what that "something" he lacks is.

Rook: This is rather perplexing. What do you think, Leona-kun?

Vil: ? Where did Leona go?

Cater: So, Leona-kun, uh…

Cater: He said "I'm done." and went back to Savanaclaw ♪

Rook/Vil: !?

Vil: What an irresponsible man…! We're going after him!

[Savanaclaw Dorm – Leona's Room]

[knock, knock, knock]

Vil: Leona!!! Unlock the door.

Leona: It's that annoying trio again…

Leona: Yaaawn. I think I'll just take a nap…

Ruggie: …Hm? Why're all of you hangin' outside Leona-san's room?

Cater: Ah, Ruggie-kun. We're just in a bit of a pickle, see…

Leona: …

Ruggie: …Oh, okay. So Leona-san's locked himself in his room.

Leona: …

Ruggie: Well, he always leaves his bay window open.

Leona: !?

Rook: Thank you, Monsieur Dandelion!

Rook: Excuse us, Leona-kun.

Vil: Must be so soothing… To be snuggled under your blankets and taking a nap like that.

Leona: Ruggie… You little…!

Ruggie: W-What else could I do!?

Ruggie: If the show goes up in flames 'cause of you, then I can't swap the tiara.

Vil: …I absolutely abhor doing things half-heartedly. Once you've decided to do something, you carry it out perfectly.

Vil: That spirit of tenacity held by the Fairest Queen is exactly what those of us in Pomefiore take pride in!!!

[throws off covers]

Leona: Hey, don't rip off my covers!!

Leona: I've been doin' all this, helping you out, but I get in return is complaint after complaint…

Leona: I even did exactly what you asked of me. But we're gettin' nowhere.

Rook/Cater: Well, that's…

Leona: I got no interest in wastin' any more effort on you all.

Leona: I'm takin' my nap now.

[pulls covers up]

Vil: …!!

Ruggie: Oh, man. He's just completely curled up under his blankets now. Don't think we'll be getting him up for a while now.

Cater: What should we do? With Leona-kun like this, I don't think we'll be able to work on his posing…

Vil: Fufu…

Rook/Ruggie/Cater: Hm?

Vil: Fufu…Fufufu! There it is! My inspiration!

[Classroom]

Cater: It's almost time for Leona-kun's fashion show.

Cater: Leona's posing'll have to wow the Queen of Faeland.

Cater: Sounded like Vil-kun had some stroke of inspiration, but he didn't give me any hints…

Cater: Makes me worry a bit～☆

Idia: Uh…

Idia: A-A-Actually… Cater-shi… W-Well…

Idia: C-C-Can you not… uh, j-j-just look at my, uh… d-d-d-drone feed without… a-asking…?

Cater: Hm, what'd you say～? I couldn't really hear you there.

Idia: Eh, uh, oh. Um, nothing.

Idia: Uggh～ This is why I can't stand extroverts who can't be bothered to listen. Maybe their personal space function is broken?

Fairy Emcee: Please give our next group a round of applause as they take the stage!

Cater: Oh! Looks like their show is starting now.

[Botanical Garden – Runway]

Cater: Kalim-kun and Jamil-kun are dancing so cool～ Wish I coulda streamed it to Magicam directly.

Idia: Good job, Jamil-dono…!

Fairy Emcee: The fairy in the center seems to be just as majestic.

Leona: …

Cater: It's Leona-kun!

Fairy Emcee: He's got eyes as bright as the sun, and a beautiful tanned glow! And look at that pure white robe that envelops his powerful frame!

Fairy Emcee: So gorgeous! He truly embodies this year's Fairy Gala theme of "fabulous."

Fairy A: Each perfect step he takes feels so somber. I wonder what kind of fairy he is.

Fairy B: With how he exudes grace and carries that splendid attire… He must be some kind of celebrity!

Leona: They're all already in an uproar…

Leona: …They should clutch their pearls while they still can.

Fairy Emcee: They're finally at the end of the runway. What kind of poses do they have in store for us?

Leona: As much as it pains me… I'll show them that special pose that Vil lauded.

Leona: I'll be the one to bring success to "Operation Steal the Tiara and the Audience"!

Fairy Emcee: WH-WHAT'S THIS!!!???

Fairy Emcee: …...

Fairy Emcee: …How astounding.

Fairy Emcee: Up until a moment ago, this fairy was exuding a mysterious and evanescent air…

Fairy Emcee: But with a flip of that majestic cape, he's swept his legs around and made a  graceful turn!

Fairy Emcee: He still has the original ennui he started with… with a dynamic twist!!!!!!

Fairy Emcee: I've never seen a fairy demonstrate such a bold and powerful pose!!

Fairy Emcee: The entire audience has been completely captivated by what they're seeing on the runway!

Cater: Th-That movement!

Cater: That…move…

Cater: That's how he cocooned under his blanket!!

Idia: Oho! Makes sense, cocooned…

Idia: …Eh? His blanket? Huh? Why?

Vil: That's right!

Idia: Eek! More people!

Cater: Ah, Vil-kun, and Crewel-sensei.

Vil: When Leona yanked his covers over his head to sulk in bed…

Vil: This pose idea was born.

Vil: Leona may be slovenly, but he has one merit of note. …And that's his level of intensity.

Vil: What all of his previous poses lacked was his own brand of "wildness"!

Leona: …

Fairy A: Look at all his ruggedly beautiful movements… I want to be one of those stray strands of hair that frame his face.

Fairy B: He looks difficult to approach, but I could watch him forever… What an amazing aura…

Leona: Hey, you lot. Stop whispering amongst yourselves…

Leona: And heap on more praise, why don'tcha?

Fairies: Kyaaaa!!!

Fairy A: Please! Sprinkle some of your dust on me!!

Fairy B: Toss some my way!

Leona: Here ya go!

[tosses fairy dust]

Fairies: KYAAAA～～～!!!

Crewel: Good boy, Kingscholar. See how you can actually do it when you apply yourself?

Crewel: His gallant movements puts a radiant luster in his attire, as well. That assures me that it was worth my effort to make them.

Idia: Everyone's eyes are glued on Leona-shi… To the point where just thinking about it is making me sick.

Cater: He was totally against it, but he's somehow managed to captivate all the fairies in the Fairy Gala…

Cater: That's Leona-kun for you ♪

Fairy Emcee: Everyone… Please give them a rousing ovation!!!!

Jamil: Leona-senpai, that was well done.

Leona: All the cheering's gratin' on my ears… I'm gonna grab some air.

Kalim: Eh? But we have to wait for Ruggie and the others at the entrance to the greenhouse!

Leona: …I'll go after I'm done.

Leona: The show's done already. I'm gonna do what I want now.

Requested by Anonymous.