#Runner 4 also seems nice :)

[clarythericebot]

"Be nice to Sam. He's still sad about the last Runner 5."

[Silence from Sam]

[Music playlist 🎵 I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter 🎵]

😭

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SAM GAVE US RUNNER 5'S BACKPACK DKKDJEKEKELEKE

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"She always said a good sports bra makes a big difference."

It DOES actually hahaha. I wonder if I'm getting that piece of dialogue cuz I'm a girl or if guys get that too when they hear Zombies Run 5k

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THE EPISODE SEGMENT TITLE THO!!

It really is an honor to have the backpack of someone Sam (and presumably other people) loved so much

[andypantsx3]

𝑤𝘩𝑒𝑛 𝑖 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 : 𝑡𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑖 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑜 𝑥 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 : 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑖

𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: In order to placate your anxious mother, you agree to return to your hometown to participate in a mating run—knowing full well that betas rarely get chased, never mind betas nearly old enough to age out of the practice. You’ve decided to treat it like a vacation, a chance to visit with your childhood friends, the mating run itself a nice relaxing hike. All in all it’s a solid plan—until alpha Todoroki Shouto, your best friend's little brother, steps in and blows it all to pieces. 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡: omegaverse, no quirks au, alpha!shouto, beta!reader, mating rituals, age gap, best friend’s little brother, older reader, afab reader, some class differences, aged up characters, semi-public sex, slight small town romance vibes, background implied dabihawks for some reason, smut, 18+; mdni! 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ: 5.7k | chapter 1 of 4

Then

It was a freezing day in spring the first time you set foot in the Todoroki house.

You had shared a class with Touya for years now, and in that time you’d become something of his best friend. You’d bonded early over a mutual hatred of fish and your status as the two best tree climbers on the playground—two integral friendship quality bars if ever you’d met them—and your entente had strengthened over the following months.

After enough time together Touya had even seemed to like you, seeking out your opinion, deploying you like a shield between himself and the other kids. He wanted to be paired with you for group projects constantly, as he seemed to disdain the ability of the other kids in your class.

He eventually acquiesced to two other friends—Rumi and Keigo—as Keigo was a really fast runner, and Rumi could kick a kid almost clear across a playground. But the two of you remained particularly close, and a few years in, Touya had seemed to want to check the final box of your friendship.

That was the day he’d haughtily informed you that you were coming home with him.

You’d phoned your mother from the school office to obtain permission, and then pulled your jacket on to follow Touya out into the cold, his skinny legs beating a quick path through the streets.

You’d half-expected that Touya lived in a box behind a shop, with the way he descended ravenously on his lunches (as well as yours, and Rumi’s, when he could occasionally get them—though notably not Keigo’s, something that had only retroactively made sense to you as an adult). But the house Touya steered you to was enormous—easily the biggest house you’d ever seen—a stately pile at the end of a fancy neighborhood.

You’d later learn this was because his father was the mayor, and the Todorokis were neck-deep in generational wealth. At the time you’d been mildly annoyed, because what had you let him eat part of your lunches for if he lived in a house like this?

“I’m home,” Touya had called into the echoey foyer, grand but strangely barren. He’d kicked off his coat and shoes, discarding them carelessly—perhaps purposefully—on the floor, then gestured for you to follow him into the kitchen as a warm voice called out to him. “Welcome home, Touya.”

“I brought Y/N,” he announced grandly as he prowled into the room. To you he said, “This is my mother, Rei.”

The voice you’d heard resolved itself into a woman, tall, with beautiful long white hair and a small, but unmistakably fond smile on her mouth. You startled, immediately floored by her beauty. She looked just like Touya, the same delicate prettiness to her mouth, the shape of her eyes—but even lovelier. She looked simultaneously like she belonged on the cover of a magazine, and would be embarrassed by one saying so.

She also smelled like an omega—sweet, but a little wilder than you were used to. Like spring flowers blooming on a cold day.

“Hello Y/N,” she said warmly, turning to you. You gave a shy wave back, suddenly nervous in front of her.

As she turned you finally noticed the child on her hip—a small, round, pudgy little thing with half red and half white hair, and two mismatched grey and blue eyes that pinned on you immediately. It was wearing a horrendous polkadot onesie, and you felt your eyebrows raise without your permission.

“That’s Shouto,” Touya informed you, and the pieces slotted together in your brain. Ah, so that was the face to the name.

Shouto was the little brother Touya complained about incessantly—the one that was his father’s favorite, the one that stared too much and wanted to play with all of Touya’s toys even though he was too little for them, the one Touya was saddled with babysitting constantly. He’d made Shouto out to be this sort of tiny harbinger of evil—but Shouto did not look very evil, perched there on his mother’s hip.

He blinked at you, a flutter of surprisingly long eyelashes, for a baby. You had the thought that actually he was kind of cute. Most probably not a harbinger of evil, and actually very sweet-looking, if weirdly round.

“I need to be excused from Shouto duty,” Touya said, the question posed more like a statement.

Rei shook her head, a somber little smile playing about her mouth. “I have to make dinner before Fuyumi and Natsuo get back from their playdates and your father gets home. Why don’t you take Shouto to play with you and Y/N?”

Touya rolled his eyes in the long-suffering manner of a man who’d endured it all. Shouto didn’t seem to notice, however, his mismatched gaze barely detaching from your face. You noticed Shouto’s left eye was the exact vivid blue of Touya’s, and his other eye the same silver as his mother’s.

“He’s staring like a weirdo,” Touya complained, but collected Shouto from Rei anyway. Shouto let himself be passed over as placidly as a bag of potatoes, still watching you.

“Y/N is a new face for him, he’s just curious, Touya,” Rei said, smoothing Shouto’s hair down as Touya hefted him in his arms. Shouto reached out a hand towards you, fat fingers flexing.

“What, you think I’m some taxi service who’s gonna bring you wherever you want to go?” Touya demanded. Shouto ignored him, his little chubby arm wavering.

Strangely, something compelled you to step closer, reaching out a hand in return. Shouto seized it in his pudgy little fist, staring up at you with solemn eyes. His other hand reached out to you, too, twisting in Touya’s grip, and Touya let out an annoyed scoff.

“Y/N didn’t come here to hang out with you,” he said. But Shouto ignored him, his little hand fisting in your tee shirt. He seemed to be trying to lever himself up out of Touya’s arms and into yours.

You were startled, never having held a baby before, and Shouto was kind of a big one. But Touya showed you how to hold him under his butt and across his back, and you heard the rustle of his diaper as he was handed off to you.

“Hi Shouto,” you said, watching him watch you.

His eyebrows raised, some small happiness lighting up his expression, and he gave a little kick that wiggled his whole body in your arms.

“He likes you,” Rei said over the counter top, as she settled a cutting board and a pile of vegetables across it.

You looked back at Shouto, feeling weirdly pleased. Maybe babies weren’t that bad.

Touya made an annoyed sort of grunt, stomping past you. “We’re going to play in the living room,” he announced imperiously. You glanced at Rei to make sure that was okay, then followed Touya, Shouto heavy in your arms.

By the time you arrived, Shouto had settled a hand on either of your cheeks and seemed to be trying to stare directly into your soul, and Touya patted him firmly on the back, clucking. “Stop being such a little freak.”

“He’s fine,” you said, bemused. No one had told you really little kids were this intense and weird. But Shouto’s little round face was kind of sweet, and it was hard to be annoyed at a baby staring up at you, that clearly enamored.

“Actually he’s being way nicer to me than you,” you told Touya.

Touya rolled his eyes and busied himself pulling out a horde of action figures, legos, puzzles, and games, as well as a turtle with multi-colored blocks set into it that appeared to be for Shouto.

“Oi, it’s turtle time, weirdo,” he told Shouto.

That seemed to break the baby’s singular focus on you, and he peered around, lighting up nearly the same way when he saw his blocks as he had when he’d seen you. You laughed, and helped him settle on the floor next to you, watching his clumsy, chubby grip fumble on the blocks as he carefully removed them one-by-one from the plastic turtle.

Touya set up the legos around you, an older parallel of his brother, though you thought he would kill you for saying so.

A block appeared in your lap, carefully and deliberately placed by a fat-fingered hand. You smiled down at Shouto, picking it up and gesturing grandly. “For me?”

A grey-and-blue gaze attached itself solemnly to your face, as if awaiting your judgment, and an instant fondness swept over you. Who knew babies could be this cute—when they weren’t screaming and crying and generally being small and annoying near you. Touya had massively undersold his little brother, who was the sweetest baby you’d ever encountered.

You bowed your head, clutching your gifted block close to you. “Thank you, Shouto. It’s very nice.”

Shouto stared up at you, smiling a shy little almost-smile, clearly pleased. You couldn’t help but reach up and ruffle that distinct tuft of hair, taken with him already. Yep, definitely a good little kid.

And you decided then and there that you liked Todoroki Shouto—though for now he was a child—you both were children—and he could only mean so much to you.

You wouldn’t realize how much he’d actually come to mean to you, until many, many years later.

Now

Touya’s white mess of hair was the first thing you spotted as you stumbled into the restaurant.

Outside it was unseasonably cold, an icy wind tearing through you as you’d rushed all the way from your mother’s house. The inside of the restaurant was blessedly warm, and slightly smoky from the meat and vegetables grilling away on each table top. Touya was on the far side, and you could see Rumi’s white hair beyond him, Keigo’s blonde riot of waves peeking over the top of the booth next to him.

Rumi faced the door so she spotted you first, a mouth-splitting grin overtaking her face as she waved you down.

You hurried your way over, letting out a surprised hrrk! when Rumi drew you down into a rib-crushing hug, her alpha strength barely contained. You fell into the seat at an awkward angle, your joints screaming.

“Well look what the cat dragged in! You don’t look a bit changed, you little beta cuck,” she crowed, making you choke on a laugh as you almost inhaled a mouthful of her hair.

“Rumi—!” you sputtered, half-pleased and half-scandalized that she clearly hadn’t changed in the years since you’d seen her last. She crushed you to her harder, and you could feel your eyeballs all but bulging like a rubber doll.

“If you plan to crush her to death you could at least wait until I clear the scene,” came Touya’s disaffected drawl from the other side of the table. “The last thing I need is police on my case again.”

That was so typical of him, too, after all this time.

“Good to see you too, Touya,” you said, even though you couldn’t get a look at him through Rumi’s hair. She ground her knuckles into the top of your head for good measure before releasing you, and you came up for air gratefully, watching the two men on the other side of the table grin at you.

Keigo looked exactly as you’d left him, a little bit more filled out than the skinny teen he’d been, the same wiry facial scruff growing in, those golden eyes alight with typical playfulness. Touya looked like he’d aged the most, his scars—fresher when you’d graduated—now deepened to the color of dark bruises. His features were still achingly familiar under them, however, the fine-boned prettiness of his mother shining through, his father’s blazing cerulean eyes the only nod to the other half of his parentage.

“So you really obeyed mommy dearest huh,” Touya said, pinning you with a smirk.

You rolled your eyes at him. As your closest childhood friend, he still knew all your weak spots, your mother the biggest of them. Growing up she’d been lonely and overworked, and you’d tried to care for her and please her the best you could. You still called her several times a week and sent back your wages to help pay for the house, and pay down the pile of debt your father had left her in when he’d died.

The concession of returning home for a few days to attend the annual mating run, as pointless as it was going to be, was the least you could do for her.

“You know as well as I do that no one is going to run down a beta,” you said, settling yourself in next to Rumi and shedding your coat and hat. “Especially not now that I’m well past newly-presented. It’ll be like a vacation.”

“You never know,” Keigo said, raising his fluffy eyebrows at you, his grin wicked. You flung the pile of your things across the table at him, but he intercepted easily, all alpha reflex. He stuffed your jacket down next to him, laughing at you.

“I do know,” you said emphatically. “And I’m not fussed about it. I don’t know who she thinks is going to pay her bills if I’m off getting dicked down by some knothead idiot.”

Touya made a dismissive noise and you looked around the table for something to fling at him too. He’d never had to worry about money, his future shored up with the Todoroki family fortune, built over generations and then basically quadrupled by his father. Since coming out of the correctional facility for a string of petty crimes, Touya had been skating by on family generosity, and you knew he wasn’t about to stop.

“Just burn her house down like mine,” he said, an unholy grin overtaking his face as he leaned forward. There was a light behind his eyes like he wasn’t entirely kidding. No one had ever been able to determine if the Todoroki family fire had been an accident or not, although Touya claimed it had been.

But you’d known Touya your whole life and you had your suspicions. Touya had hated his father for nearly all of your living memory—and the Todoroki men had an almost disturbing single-mindedness about them. You had long wondered if Touya’s fixation on his break with Enji had ever played into the fire that ravaged their house during your middle school years.

The one exception to the Todoroki single-mindedness was sweet little Shouto, who you’d last seen at your high school graduation. He was several years younger than you and had still been round-faced and chubby-cheeked then, all wide solemn eyes and pouty little mouth, just like when he was a baby.

You hadn’t seen him since, but couldn’t imagine Shouto turning out anything like Touya.

“I’ll take that under advisement,” you said to Touya, not liking how his grin widened.

Purportedly he’d come out of the correctional facility for good behavior, his record squeaky clean.

Purportedly.

“So why even agree to the run?” Rumi asked. “If you’re not looking to actually take anyone home?”

You helped yourself to the water that had been laid out before answering. “It’s just easier to appease my mother. She gets what she wants—some indication I’m open to my life mate-–and I get what I want, which is to be able to use this as an excuse next year.”

“Aww you won’t come back to see little old us?” Keigo asked. His tone was wheedling but his eyes tracked your expression carefully, always observing.

You smiled at him. You did miss your old friends, and you liked how easy it felt to sink right back into them after so many years away. You wanted to see them outside of the confines of a group chat or the rare facetime.

And you missed a lot about the town you’d grown up in. You liked the tiny storefronts of the downtown shops and the easy access to the coast and miles of hiking trails. You’d had a dream of opening up a little bookstore in one of the lovely brick buildings downtown when you were younger—but that was back before the staggering number of dollar signs on your mother’s bills had made themselves known to you and the romance of your daydream had begun to seem more like foolishness.

The bigger cities offered the bigger jobs, the bigger wages to send home. Even if it meant you could only see your friends every few years and mostly kept in touch via group chat.

“How about you guys come to me?” you asked. “There’s a chicken place I think Keigo will want to make the trip for.”

Keigo’s grin widened and he leaned in, interested. “Say no more,” he drawled.

On the table top, Touya’s phone vibrated. He peered at it, dismissing the notification with a swipe. “Rei wants to see you,” he reported, the usual blend of disrespect and unwilling fondness for his own mother layered in his voice. “She says you should come by the house.”

You smiled, pleased to be remembered. “I’d love that. Who’s living there now?”

Touya stretched, his back brushing the booth. “I do. And she does. Enji visits sometimes—” his tone was pointedly colorless “—and Fuyumi and Natsuo come by a couple times a week. Shouto is there almost daily for dinner when he’s not on shift, because his own cooking is absolute shit.”

You blinked, struggling to reconcile the idea of sweet-faced little Shouto with an adult who lived on his own now. “On shift?” you asked.

“He’s a fireman,” Touya rolled his eyes. “Little fucking do gooder. Ever since the house fire he’s wanted to.”

Your eyelashes fluttered again, your brain floating with the images of skinny, round-faced Shouto struggling to haul people out of a burning building. You struggled not to voice this disbelief.

“Wow, good for him,” you said.

“Not for me,” Touya complained. “Ever since he’s presented he’s been eating us out of house and home. Can’t find a fucking thing in the cabinets after he’s been through—”

And that shocked you, too, the idea that Shouto was already grown enough to have presented.

Objectively you knew he had to be into his early twenties at this point, but hearing the changes life had wrought on him was almost too much to contemplate. You wondered what he had presented as, and whether he’d be subject to the run this week as well. You’d always sort of suspected he’d be an omega, with that wide-eyed, beautiful face—almost a carbon copy of his mother’s, the same delicate prettiness in it as Touya.

And he’d been so sweet, too. When you’d been much, much younger—before Touya had become too cool and too emo for it—you remembered playing house together, remembered how often you’d dragged Shouto in to play the part of your son. He’d always sat there, a chubby-faced toddler, smashing blocks together and staring up at you with big eyes as you and Touya made plastic food and Touya unrolled a days-old newspaper collected from his father, bossing you around from his armchair.

Even when Shouto had gotten older and started to get as fresh with Touya as Touya was with him, he’d always been nice to you, always watched you with those same wide, mismatched eyes.

Yeah. He was most probably an omega.

“Well I’d love to see Rei, and Natsuo and Fuyumi and Shouto,” you said.

Touya stretched in the booth, not minding Keigo and thumping him right across the chest. Keigo squawked in annoyance.

“I’ll tell Rei you’re coming for dinner,” Touya said.

You smiled, pleased. You knew what a huge deal it was for both Touya and Rei to be in the same house again—both in recovery, both sharing the same space again.

When you’d left, Rei had been hospitalized and Touya had already been knee deep in petty crimes and utterly disinterested in any sort of overtures of help. For them to both be together again, getting regular help, with Enji out of the house and a rotating string of their family members checking in on them—you were happy to see them healing.

The buoyant feeling lasted all the way through lunch and too many drinks, until Touya shepherded you out of the restaurant, blazing a familiar path towards his family home. You followed, gratified when you saw that the Todoroki house was just as you remembered it, even the rebuilt pieces nostalgic.

Its grandness had been a shock to you as a child—not only in comparison to the tiny, squashed little two bed you’d grown up in—but that Touya had grown up there, in so vast and elegant a space. Touya who you dug in the dirt with. Touya who picked bugs out of the mud and put them on you. Touya who turned his nose up at dolls and ate things right out of your lunch box without asking, like he was a starving child without any access to food.

The house said otherwise.

Touya treated the Todoroki mansion with the same pointed lack of care he had as a teenager, kicking in the door as he led you inside, throwing his things in a pile in the entry. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes, fondly nostalgic over his shithead behavior.

“You missed a spot—I think there’s a bare patch of floor over there,” you said.

Touya gave you a narrow-eyed gaze over his shoulder as he uttered a string of objects you might suck.

You raised your eyebrows at him, smiling and unbothered. He’d always said it was your beta nature that left you unfussed with his various attitudes, taking everything in stride. You didn’t know if that was true—you’d always sort of suspected it was the strange, inherent connection you felt to him, and to the Todoroki family at large that kept you fond of him, even as he descended into teenage fury.

You didn’t know what it was, as you’d not ever felt it with your other friends’ families who you’d spent nearly as much time with. But if it netted you a lifelong friend, you weren’t about to question it.

Rei was in the kitchen like she had been that first day Touya brought you home, an enormous expanse of marble counter and vaulted ceiling that made her look unfathomably small. Her snow white hair had been cropped short into a page boy cut and made her look younger than her years, especially when she glanced up at you with the very same smile she had when you were a child.

“Welcome back, Y/N,” she said. You bowed respectfully, Touya scoffing and grabbing the back of the collar to haul you up.

“She’s not the fucking prime minister,” he grunted.

“And you’re not the boss of me,” you sniped, the drinks you’d both shared at lunch making you a little looser tongued in front of Rei than you’d have liked.

“Shouto will be by in just a few minutes as well, and he’ll be so happy to see you,” Rei said, smiling gently.

“Shouto lives on his own?” you asked, curious. Aside from picturing him as the skinny preteen you’d last seen him as, you also had trouble imagining kind, sweet little Shouto leaving his mother on her own—and with Touya definitely counted as on her own, for all the help he was. Shouto seemed devoted, familial.

“He’s wanted his own space since he presented,” Rei said lightly, clearly unbothered.

It was rare for omegas to peel off from their family units before finding a mate, and the strangeness of striking out on his own struck you even further. Maybe he wanted a nest to bring someone back to, after finding the right person?

You wondered if he was going to be participating in this year’s mating run, and made a mental note to try and find out if he wanted help avoiding any undesirable alphas. If he was an omega, your beta scent would help disguise some of his tracks, you’d just have to follow in his footsteps far enough away from the main track that a ranging alpha wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon it.

That thought was cut short, however, by the sound of the door creaking open in the foyer you’d just come in from. There was the sound of rustling fabric, like someone shedding their coat, and then footsteps padded through the hall. A hint of a scent met your nose, slightly sweet and smoky, with an undercurrent of something fresh—like a campfire burning on a cold, clear day. Your brow furrowed, the frostiness an almost-familiar dimension, like Rei's cold widlflower scent. Who was—?

Then a tall, unfamiliar alpha poked his head through the door, fluffy red and white strands of hair tangling across his forehead. He was an arresting sight—easily the most beautiful person you had ever seen, every single one of his features so perfectly and evenly placed, like he'd been put together deliberately. He looked startlingly like Rei, if Rei were a man, except for the fiery blue of his left eye, the shock of scarlet hair above it.

You stared at this new interloper, confused, until you were seized with a sudden memory of that scar, that same mop of hair bent over a turtle-shaped block puzzle.

No. No fucking way.

Rei smiled, opening her arms, and you gaped after him as Todoroki Shouto prowled across the kitchen to her, enveloping her in a hug. Where Touya was taller than his mother, his baby brother almost dwarfed her, easily clearing six feet, his shoulders broad and his frame packed with dense muscle. He'd always had the same elegant, sweetly beautiful set to his features that his mother and Touya did, but there was something sharper about them now, a slightly more alpha edge to him.

An enormous bicep shifted against the sleeve of his t-shirt as Shouto held Rei, and suddenly it was very clear how Shouto had managed to become a firefighter.

Something pinched your arm, hard, and you whipped around to stare at Touya accusingly. “Ouch!”

He smirked. “Don’t fucking stare like he does.”

You scowled at him, and opened your mouth to say something unsavory, until two mismatched eyes turned on you, pinning you in place.

“Y/N,” Shouto said. His voice was deep as midnight—so much lower than you had remembered—careful and smooth. The sound of it slithered up your spine like a shiver.

“Shouto?” you answered, stepping closer. “You’re Shouto? Are you sure?”

Shouto released his mother, only the tiniest corner of his mouth twitching. And that was confirmation enough. Shouto had always been a little serious, watching you carefully and intently. He was most like his mother that way—withdrawn, a little bit solemn.

“As far as I am aware,” he said. His tone was flat but you heard the tease in it, regardless. And that was so like him too, couching his inner little shit under the most serious tone, under those earnest heterochromatic eyes.

“Wish he wasn’t,” Touya muttered.

“Oh my god, Shouto. You’ve grown up so much,” you said, a strange thrill zinging up your spine as he stepped closer. That scent like campfire on a cold day washed over you, making you a little dizzy.

Shouto’s eyes got a little bit round at the edges, and something pulled at the corner of his mouth again, an expression you didn’t recognize. His tone was soft as he observed, “You are exactly the same as I remember.”

You could tell he meant it kindly, so you chose not to be offended with his obvious tact. You were well aware you were not a fresh-faced high school graduate anymore.

“I’m definitely older than you remember,” you said, resisting the urge to poke him in the chest. Your hand felt magnetized toward it for some reason. “Don’t be surprised if you hear my bones creaking all the way from the preserve during the run.”

Something sudden and strange passed over Shouto’s face, those mismatched eyes narrowing in on you.

“You’re running,” he said, his tone suddenly flat. “This year.”

“Yeah I’m back in town for it,” you said, ignoring Touya’s scoff at your side. “Gotta appease my mother. She doesn’t get that betas aren’t the target crowd for this, nevermind ancient ones. That, and I plan to disappear up a tree if someone so much as sniffs in my direction.”

“Up a tree,” Shouto repeated, sounding contemplative.

You wondered if he was internalizing how weird you were. He probably wouldn’t have remembered you being weird, considering how younger kids never thought to question their older peers. Maybe he’d even thought you cool when you were growing up together—you’d quickly disabuse him of that notion.

You nodded. “I’ve only been followed by alphas twice and both times I lost them up that big willow overlooking the bay, if you take the seaside path out two miles?”

Shouto’s eyes tracked you closely, like he was committing every word to memory. “I know it.”

You smiled. “The sea breeze is just enough to hide a beta’s scent, once you’re out of sight up there. I hope the city life hasn’t gotten me too out of shape to get up the trunk. Though to be frank I’m not too worried about it this year. Are you running?”

“Yes,” Shouto said, so quickly that it looked like he’d startled himself.

Touya’s head whipped around to stare at him, and Rei’s eyelashes fluttered momentarily, a weird stillness overcoming her—until a sort of look of understanding came over her features. You thought you caught a hint of a smile as she ducked her head to return to her dinner preparations.

“Thought you said you weren’t interested,” Touya said, his tone accusing. “You’ve never run before.”

Shouto looked deeply unfussed by his older brother’s sudden consternation. “Perhaps I have changed my mind.”

“The hell you did,” Touya said snottily. “You said you knew you wouldn’t find your life mate there.”

“Perhaps that has changed too,” Shouto said, his tone so dry that you could tell he was purposefully needling Touya. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Brothers.

Touya’s scoff overlaid the thump of Rei’s knife as she returned to chopping, and you realized how rude it looked for the three of you to be standing there arguing while she was working.

You hurriedly stepped around Touya and Shouto, peering over Rei’s shoulder. For some reason you were hyperaware of Shouto as you passed him, a thought you shoved right back out of your mind as you approached Rei. “Is there anything I can help with? I feel like I have years of free dinners to pay you back for.”

“I am almost done, but thank you, Y/N,” Rei said, as Touya said something in a haughty tone of voice, and Shouto’s low baritone answered. Rei’s mouth quirked softly at this—and you realized it was the same way Shouto smiled, small and private.

“—Not bringing home some weird fucking omega,” Touya was saying when you turned back to the boys. You startled when you realized Shouto had shifted to face you instead of his brother, and his body language looked like he was mostly ignoring him.

You channeled your sudden laugh into a fake cough. Touya eyed you sourly, long used to your tricks.

“Well if you want any help on the run, let me know,” you told Shouto, cutting into their argument with the practice of a beta used to diffusing things, especially between Touya and others. Shouto’s mouth twitched again like he knew what you were doing, and you watched his eyes pick over you speculatively.

You marveled at how far back you had to tilt your head if you wanted to look him directly in the eye now. He was so big, and so unexpectedly handsome—he really had grown up well. Some omega was going to be very, very pleased at the end of this week, provided he really did go after someone.

“If it’s your first you probably won’t know all the best hiding spots,” you told him.

Not that they were really hiding spots, considering most omegas wanted to be found. And there was no one on this earth who wouldn’t want to be found by an alpha who looked like Shouto did now. But he’d probably want to make sure he got to his intended first, before any other alpha found them.

Shouto nodded, leaning forward conspiratorially. “I will take you up on that,” his tone was low, intimate.

You smiled up at him, though something weird twinged in your chest. “Lunch sometime this week then? I’ll walk you through everything.”

Touya made a noise of disgust, and you shushed him. Shouto’s smile pulled into a quarter-moon sliver, sweet and beautiful. “I would like that.”

A strange little thrill zinged down your spine. You very pointedly did not think about it, instead shooting Shouto a thumbs up. And then, seized by a sudden need to get away, you marched forward to grab Touya by his collar, dragging him out into the dining room.

“Do you have to make your mother do everything? Let’s set the table,” you ordered him, shoving him at the cabinets. Touya swore at you, trying to twist his lanky body out of your hands, spitting like a wet cat.

But your mind was already elsewhere, occupied by this strange new turn of events. It really had been a long time away from your hometown, and much more had changed than you realized. You’d missed seeing Touya start to recover his life, you’d missed Rei returning to herself, you’d missed Shouto growing up into a man—and an alpha. You were suddenly overcome by the feeling that you did not want to miss any more, did not want to leave again—though of course that was foolishness.

The run was less than a week away, and you had train tickets back into the city just after.

And you had your mom to provide for, much as she wanted you to settle down with the first rando who got handsy with you in the woods. An alpha would have to bring more than an interest in you to your coupling in order to win you—and that was not going to happen, especially not to a beta, and especially not to you.

You laid the dishes out, resolving yourself. You’d enjoy this week, but never lose sight of the fact that you’d still have to leave at the end of it.

After all, it wasn’t like some miraculous twist of fate was lurking just around the corner of the Todoroki kitchen, ready to change your life.

[alex-turners-world]

So, I watched Taylor's live and it was quite fun to watch actually and very insightful I must say. So I thought I'd just write a summary of that live because she talked a bit about Alex, heartbreak, healing and, you know, just some bits about that time in her life.

1. Taylor said that she met Alexandra Savior through Alex. And that her favorite Alexandra song is "Shades". She's said multiple times that she loves Alexandra. ( Love their friendship) Also she said that she has common friends with the ex. People asked her about Miles and she didn't give any answers, which is fair. By the way she said that she hadn't listened to Miles's latest album.

2. People asked her why she shaved her head and she said that she had wanted to do it for a long time and that Alex supported her about it.

3. One of the questions was whether the line "I know what you're thinking" is about her and she replied that she doesn't know. (she listened to the album I think 👀)

4. Someone was bringing up Louise's cheap cosplays and I think Taylor saw the comment, but didn't read it out loud, but said it's pitiful (lol, I hope I heard it right and really said that because the audio was a bit bad at times. Queen anyways)

5. She said that she doesn't regret any of her tattoos 👀 (Owning it. I respect that very much)

6. She said that she regrets the way she reacted to the harassment comments. (I respect that too. And she actually apologized for it in her stories a while ago)

7. Someone asked "what are the red flags in men?" Taylor just answered that there are many forms of narcissisim. It's definitely about Alex. After the breakup she liked many posts on IG about narcissisim and emotional abuse, don't really remember what those posts were about, but you can check on @snarcticmonkeys they have literally everything. So I think it's safe to assume that Alex is actually a narcissist, which is pretty believable, considering his behavior. And most musicians/actors are narcissists so...

8. There's was a juicy question about whether she had received an explanation about the breakup and she said "no". I think we all suspected that, but now we have confirmation of that.( P.S. Alex is a fucking dickhead and a coward. And a cheater.)

9. She was asked if she wants to get married and have kids and she said "yes and no". (Her answer was really unsure. I found it interesting, given how much she wanted it while she was with Alex. She probably really loved him and wanted to build a family with him and it was not just a general goal in life, you know. )

10. She said she was an alcohol addict and that she was really struggling in 2018 and she made some mistakes back then

11. She also said a few times that the relationship just wasn't meant to be.

12. Taylor said that her favorite movie is Blade Runner, but I think it's quite obvious.

13. Oh someone said that she should tell about what Alex had done and sell it to some magazine or something along the lines. She said that she would never do that ( Shame though. She really should write some memoirs at some point)

14. Good things: she doesn't drink alcohol anymore and occasionally smokes cigarettes. (Good for her, honestly)

15. She said she's been single for 6 years, so no any boyfriend after Alex. She said she doesn't feel connection with anybody.

So that's all I could remember to be honest, if anyone has watched it and wants to add something or discuss it, you're very welcome. I personally found her live quite interesting and I'm actually looking forward to her next live cause she said she would do more.

Overall she seemed to have moved on from that relationship, she was quite chill talking about all those things. I'm actually surprised she even answered some questions about their relationship. Oh she also said that she's fine with people commenting under her posts about tlsp. She was really nice and calm, I think when she said she's "healed" and that she's "happy", she really meant it. Good for her.

Anyways I'm Team Taylor now apparently hahah. And Alex can fuck himself and his cheap groupie.

[nonetoon]

✨ Big Comic Recommendation List! ✨

I’ve been wanting to compile some of my favorite comics into one big list in no particular order for a while. Again, I just want to reiterate that I’m in no way any sort of comic critic and all of these are just books that I personally enjoy, and if they seem up your alley I hope you’ll enjoy them too!

I also want to state that these are definitely more adult oriented books and not for kids. A lot of these stories have pretty graphic violence and tackle more adult topics like sexual or physical assault, so I’ll also be putting content warnings for where it applies.

1. Afternoon at McBurger’s by Ana Galvañ

Afternoon at McBurger’s takes place in a bright, colorful future where a group of young girls finally have the opportunity to participate in the Once Party provided by McBurger’s, a fast food restaurant. The Once Party offers a fantastical opportunity for anyone who turns eleven years old: the chance to visit themselves in the future!

The limited color palette of pink, teal, and yellow make for a very nice aesthetic that lends itself to the strange, futuristic world you get just a glimpse into. For such a short story there is a lot to keep track of that makes rereading fun and I felt like I discovered something new every time I went through it again.

CW: physical abuse

2. No One Else by R. Kikuo Johnson

Another short one but is definitely one of the more impactful. No One Else is about a woman (a nurse and full time caretaker for her elderly father) and her brother (a musician who has a much more strained relationship with their father) trying to process the sudden, accidental death of their father while also looking after her son. A very honest, holds-no-punches look at family, abuse, and neglect as each character struggles to cope with this sudden situation they find themselves in.

The artwork is beautifully done and the use of blues with a splash of orange makes for a great visual impact. I’m a big fan of character driven stories, and this book provides an interesting and messy glimpse into these characters lives. Very down to earth, very honest, and nicely tied together.

CW: physical abuse

3. Birds of Maine by Michael DeForge

A fun and meandering story about a society of birds that migrated to the moon to form their own world, away from human involvement. Birds of Maine follows both a group of young birds trying to find their place in this giant, complex world as well as gives glimpses of the many different facets of bird society and how they function.

This comic gives a very funny, matter-of-fact look into the absurd world of birds! It’s overall a great read if you like world building, and it’s presented with beautiful line work, bright pops of color, and abstract shapes that make up the bustling world and characters. The story overall feels like a stroll: it generally follows along a specific story with certain characters, but isn’t afraid to wander off to other points of interest.

4. Coyote Doggirl by Lisa Hanawalt

Set in the wild west, Coyote Doggirl follows said character as she tries to escape a group of bandits after she kills their leader’s brother. Along the way she meets new allies and has to decide to confront the past she is trying desperately to get away from or keep on running. It’s a funny yet honest book set in the beauty of the desert.

The story and characters in Coyote Doggirl are both hilarious and crude, which makes the more serious and genuine moments even more impactful. The loose style of the watercolors throughout this comic perfectly match the beautiful colors of the desert landscape. This comic also has probably one of my favorite endings (which I’m not going to spoil here).

CW: nudity, sexual assault, graphic violence

5. Eight-Lane Runaways by Henry McCausland

Eight-Lane Runaways follows a group of runners participating in a marathon through a fantastical and lively world. Each have their own motivations and desires for entering the race, and we get to see how each resolves as the race goes on.

The quirky and oddball characters and their ever-changing, winding landscape go perfectly hand-in-hand. It’s always amusing when clearly bizarre fantasy worlds, characters, and events are treated very plainly within the story. The characters are simple but fun to follow along with, from a character who is a frog, to a character who follows the instructions of a magical coat, to a character simply looking for two missing cats. Along with the beautifully done artwork and sprawling pages of landscapes, it feels as though you are only getting the smallest look into this big, wild world you want to learn more about.

6. The Book Tour by Andi Watson

The Book Tour follows a rather unlucky new author as, not only is his debut book not selling well, but a string of murders is following his exact tour route, leaving all signs pointing at him as the culprit.

It’s a very dry but still incredibly entertaining and suspenseful story. It’s hilarious, quaint, and baffling to watch the poor man get hit with bad luck after bad luck, only for him to be very proper, if not completely lost, about the whole ordeal. There are also many moving parts and details going on in the background that make for a great murder mystery story, definitely deserving of a reread to connect all the pieces that might have been missed on the first read through (I know I definitely did).

7. Heaven No Hell by Michael DeForge

A collection of 17 amazing short stories looking at a variety of characters and concepts. Everything from a woman pretending to be a surgeon, a karaoke party, a family killed in a car crash, and the creation of a hypothetical child.

My favorite stories of the bunch are “One Of My Students Is A Murderer… But Which?”, “Surprise Party”, “Album”, “Road Trip”, and “Soap Opera.” All of the stories in this comic are perfectly bite-sized looks into a variety of interesting visuals and concepts that keep you engaged from segment to segment.

CW: mild nudity

8. Flavor Girls by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky and Angel De Santiago

In Flavor Girls, a mysterious alien ship appears in Earth’s orbit, and its passengers cause death and destruction for life on earth. Luckily, a group of women dubbed “Flavor Girls” by their fans are gifted magical, fruit themed powers that aid them in fighting off the alien army. The newest, unexpected member of the group, however, is having trouble catching up.

By far one of the most visually stunning comics I have ever read. Very, very reminiscent of Sailor Moon in its characters, aesthetic, and story. This comic has some of my favorite character designs, the alien designs in particular are extremely fun to look at. Unlike the other comics on this list, it is not a complete story but at least it gives you something to look forward to!

CW: mild graphic violence

9. Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët

Last but absolutely not least, Beautiful Darkness is a surprisingly horrifying and violent story about cute and fun looking fairy-like characters trying to survive out in the woods. The less you know going in to this comic, the better.

The incredible beauty and meticulous detail of the environment in this comic lends itself well as a stark contrast to the horrific deaths littered throughout this story. It is bizarre watching how unfeeling and unbothered these cutesy fairytale creatures are with their friends dropping around them like flies, but it’s impossible to look away. Seeing how all of it shapes and warps the genuinely kind main character, Aurora, and the darker implications going on in the background make this a must read. By far one of the best openings to any comic I have ever read.

CW: gore, body horror

(That’s all I have for now! Hope to recommend more in the future ✌️)

[sexysadie23]

spoiler alert, i repeat: spoiler alert.

please continue to scroll if you have not yet watched OBX4 Part 2. Do not check these comments. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD PLS COMMENT x

People are saying that JJ’s death and Rafe breaking up with Sofia could lead to Riara finally manifesting on screen.

Reasons why this wouldn’t happen:

1. I genuinely believed that Rafe loved and still loves Sofia and doubt their story is over. I hope it’s not; I really ship them!! They are a beautiful couple and not even Kiara could bring that soft side out of him.

2. JJ died. Kiara would NOT move on so fast and especially not with Rafe (someone JJ hated severely).

3. Kie has been genuinely SCARED of Rafe. A lot of people think those scenes are sexual tension but you can see the fear in her eyes to the point where she grabs a knife.

4. Kie knows her friends HATE Rafe but [see point 6 in the next section]

5. Kiara will be too focused on revenge.

however

Reasons why this COULD happen:

1. Kiara may go into self destruct mode and feel like she needs to fill that gaping hole JJ left.

2. Not canon (yet?) but with all the evidence, in that Rafe is constantly ONLY forgiving Kiara and is ONLY nice to her, they may have had a past on her Kook Year. Just a theory!

3. Rafe is angry by nature, and Kiara is going to be angry after JJ’s death. He may let her lean into that side of herself because he does that all the time, she might even feel comfortable to be angry around him. however I am sure the other pogues are angry, but Kie seems to be on a bloodhunt. She may go dark and he will probably be the only one to understand.

4. Rafe was the FIRST to agree to go to Lisbon and get Chandler Groff. Everyone else questioned it, but he said what she was thinking before she even had the chance to say it.

5. Also we know that Jiara partly came to fruition because of the fans shipping them, so maybe the show runners have seen the Riara theories and decided to “give the fans what they want”??? Although I wouldn’t say every fan wants this for the reasons I listed above.

6. Rafe is definitely getting a redemption arc (I am so happy but also scared because it means he might die. Like why do shows redeem a character and finally have us route for them just to kill them? Although I don’t think he will die for some reason.)

7. Both of their relationships ended, leaving a path for them to idk find each other?? Sarah and John B have each other as well as Cleo and Pope on their way to Lisbon. I know most of them are friends but Kiara may seek to end her loneliness?

8. I really hope it doesn’t happen soon but most characters whose lover dies (Ie Rick with Laurie and Michonne in The Walking Dead) have to move on eventually. We can’t expect them to stay single forever so PERHAPS if there was a time jump (even at the s5 end perhaps), along with Rafe’s redemption arc, they could be together. I doubt they would put Kiara with some random guy. If she were to find love again it would be with someone we know from the show.

However I doubt this will happen again because the show might end pogue style with friendship and family at the forefront rather than romance. As I wrote the sentence before THOUGH: another thought popped up. Rafe will be the uncle to Sarah’s baby and Kiara will be the ‘aunt’ so maybe if the ending is all about family, maybe they will come together?? Rafe’s redemption would have to be REALLY good though.

9. Kie literally saved Rafe on that boat???

10. The show creators said ON VIDEO that they never thought about Riara until the fans brought up their chemistry and that they found it “so wrong it is almost right”???? Helloooo??

I hope none of these^ are true though because I love Rofia.

then again Sofia might have just been used as a way to move the plot forward to get Rafe in the position where he needs to go with the Pogues.

Any thoughts??

[the-mcyt-crackships-brackets]

You know it, We know it, in the end there can only be one, and it is hereby decreted that the newest and only crackship ever is...

JOELBEANS!

Yeah, we could have seen this one coming from an overworld a way, but its win still hits us like a car, or a comet maybe! But who else could match his freak but himself, be honest. that man is the only being capable to have an homoerotic relationship between himself, and himself (editing), even the creators agree, look at guess the build, they made fanart of joelbeans there! In a thousand words or in just one, this ship could have just been called "egomania" and we'd all still get it, joel's head is so big, of course he'd want to have some of it!

But, what are winners without runner-ups?

IN SECOND PLACE WE SEE...

THE PANTHEON QPR!

Hell yeah! i cannot express how i personally am so happy it got this far, while the idea itself wasn't mine, i did change it with the help of the other admins. what is better but a platonic polycule between 10 gods from 10 different servers? Joelbeans apparently. So some presentations are probably needed, and the pantheon is always open to new deifications! In first, standing at her 10 feet tall, it's lizzie, the godess of the ocean herself; At her right lay in all her ratjesty folly, spreading life across worlds in the form of her folly trees; Next up is saint pearl, santa perla, godess of moon and the light it brings; Of course, even the darkest places can see light, and that's something kristin, the godess of death, can tell you a lot about; After this line-up, you could be led to think all gods are mature and wise, and here come joel, ruler of stratos and god of thunder, it is said that when his cheeks clap, lighting strikes... Well, to a slightly serious note, even if the wisdom is still far, here is lifestealowner, the fading, discreet god of warriors and fighters, who leads armies in battle, no matter the side. We talked about the saint pearl, godess of the moon, so what about bdubs, god of the sun and the day, bringing his light to the world every time he sleeps. After the more *benevolent* gods, time to get to the more controversial ones, Jschlatt, god of hubris, making sure every icarus will see their downfall, so if the deal ever seems to good to be true, it probably is, never sign a contract with a god, never take Jschlatt's apple. Next is Grian, the watcher, God of fate, more of a silent observer than anything, watching the strings of life twists and pull. And finaly, on the more active side, and less mature one too, is evbo, the god of parkour and all things challenging, because what is life without a little competition?

Well well well, that sure is a nice selection we got here, but does it hold up to previous winners?

Sligthly more from the admins:

Admin 1 here, still loyal to this dumb idea since the start, and it actually costed me more than anything... how many of my own crations have rebelled and are now living rent-free in my mind? only i can know, but at least i can inflict the same on you lot!

I'll never regret this blog, firstly because every time it's so fun and filled with great ideas, but also because i met a bunch of peoples through here, the obvious like other admins and admins on other blogs (looking at you @mcyt-builds-contest, can't wait for the fic ;D), but also the regulars, (looking at you fwhilza analyst, i'm manifesting them on the realm smp so hard rn)

All in all, it's been fun, and i'll see you all next time for season 4! but before we get to that, let's get some sponsors! if you have any blog you want boosted that is even slightly related/inspired by this one, let us know!

Admin 2 here! you may know me as the one who reblog stuff sometimes and is always way too late, you may also know me as the one who stole the account of a previous admin and is still using it!

Contrarly to admin 1, i ain't a big tumblr user, more of a tumblr lurker, so this whole brackets got really out of hands really quickly for me, it's already stressful to run a blog for fans when it gets kinda big, but it's even worst when a bunch of CCs start to interact with it, but alas, i discovered so many niche creators through the very non-neuronormative rant about our crackships (i'm one of y'all i can make this joke lul) and i can only say, man i love mcytblr

Admin 3 here! i'm the newest one so sorry if i don't have much to add, i'm trying my best😁! I still don't know how i got here, i wasn't even a big minecrafter and somehow got myself in this mess (/aff❤️) i won't make this a long block of text and will instead simply say:

I love you all 🫶💖 and remember to stay silly ✌️kekw

Also to keep you all entertained while we wait, we're bringing back bingo!

send us an ask with a crackship and you'll get the opinion of a random admin about it!

[charlotte-official]

9/19 Recap

Boob Shenanigans: Continued

With all the rage, the poll was finally finished after a grueling 24 hours. And the final results, quite unexpectedly, Former Acting Grand Sage Alhaitham won by a landslide

Alhaitham won with the grand total of 60% of all the votes in comparison to:

Blue Oni, Takuya’s mildly pitiful score of 4%.

And Arataki Itto, Leader of the Arataki Gang, who scored a mediocre 36%.

With the finality of the poll, the discussion comes to an end. Or does it?

No just kidding, following the official closing of the poll, no genshin-official accounts have mentioned it. (according to my sources.)

Fatui Hater and Fatui Harbinger Segment Fight Ferociously to Defend their Honor and Deny Marriage Claims!

 In response to September 18th’s article, Uta, the prior mentioned Fatui Harbinger segment was enraged with the assumption that he and Diluc Ragvindr, Owner of the Dawn Winery and crucial key player in Mondstadt’s Wine economy were flirting.

Quote: “NEWS LADY. I AND @diluc-official NEED TO HAVE A CHAT WITH YOU. WHY. DO YOU THINK WE'RE FLIRTING?? WE DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER. ESPECIALLY NOT IN SUCH A WAY. SO THEN WHY DO YOU THINK WE'RE FLIRTING OR SOME NONSENSE LIKE THAT?? WE'RE ENEMIES.”

It didn’t end there though, in a chain of messages being delivered to the Steambird’s ask box, UTA frantically rushed to try and protect his dignity and refute the claims of being like an old married couple.

Quote 2: “... We WEREN'T flirting! I do not flirt with him! I don't like him so why would I flirt!! …”

Charlotte, Editor of the Steambird and runner of steambird tumblr then called him oblivious and told him that it was quite obviously flirting.

Quote 3: “It is not flirting!! We are not flirting! I am trying to annoy him damn it!! I am not that oblivious!! I'm pretty sure I can tell if it was flirting or not, and it very much was not! I do not like him enough to be flirty. I don't think he'd be pleased with that either. How is it even flirty?? I sincerely doubt it is!”

Editor Charlotte then told UTA that his remarks were quite suggestive and he was saying these things at evening, a relatively romantic time.

Quote 4: “Okay, it might have been suggestive. I can understand that part. But I doubt suggestive can count for flirting! And i chose that time because it seemed to annoy him!! Why else would I bring that up to an enemy? Because it probably threw him off guard! You wouldn't actually talk about kinks to someone who actively hates you! It is to annoy the hell out of the emo. I am NOT INTERESTED in him like that!!”

End quotes

Diluc Ragvindr, the other man in the situation, also had some.. Things to say.

In a flurry of messages delivered to the Steambird’s ask box, Editor Charlotte decided to not respond or feature these messages in the article because of how.. Vulgar and aggressive they were.

Young Shuumatshuban Ninja gets Stuck in Tree because of Evil Shrine Maiden

A Bitter Faruzan, elder in Haravatat, and Hat Guy of Vahumana then squabble afterward

Young Sayu, a ninja of the Shuumatshuban, finds herself stuck in a tree, hiding from a “wicked shrine maiden”- Kano Nana. 

Arataki Itto offers to catch the young girl, but she’s still intimidated.

Especially because Arataki Itto is how she describes, “A bumbling moron. But a pretty nice moron”

Faruzan, an elder in the Darshan of Haravatat, offers to help, offering to make a wind current so Sayu can fall safely. 

In thanks, Sayu quips that Hat Guy revoked certain piggyback privileges** and asks Faruzan why she and Hat Guy argue so often.

**Piggyback privileges, reference to a day or two ago when Vahumana’s Hat Guy told Sayu he’d be willing to carry someone on his back should it be necessary, but after Sayu told Arataki Itto that Hat Guy complimented his boobs, Hat Guy got a tad bit upset and decided to revoke his statement on being willing to carry someone on his back.

Which was dubbed “piggyback privileges”

Faruzan replies that it’s because Hat Guy(Whom she has dubbed “Hat Bastard”) is a “bitch”.

This ends in a small squabble between Faruzan and Hat Guy, despite it being very short lived compared to past vicious bouts between the two.

Reminder of the Day!

Today, Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius seems to have been out of his game.

Tired, overworked, etc

So today’s reminder is for everyone to get enough sleep and take a break if you’ve been working very hard lately!! 

This applies for EVERYONE. (Genshin-official or not.)

Small tidbits!

Kaedehara Kazuha gets high on Naku Weed.. Again. 

Kaveh, Famous Architect, denies claims from Shikanoin Heizou. Again.

Missed Details from yesterday!!

Dottore’s clones release a petition to shut down the Akademiya.

It seems to be backfiring hideously. Especially with a lack of roughly 498 signatures.

That wasn’t worded with malice! Do not misinterpret that as hostility please! (- charlotte)

Fontanian Ghost who died over a century ago comes to mock Kaedehara Kazuha about killing his ancestor. 

Kaedehara Kazuha sobers up from his Naku Weed high and snaps back to reality to talk back. 

In the craze, another ghost joins the fray- Nameless Bard. and he SWEEPS the competition and knocks out Fontainian Ghost Guy, Escher.

Who, in which, is famous for being in the Mondstadt Revolution, but also for his sick comebacks.

This even caught the attention and amusement of Focalors/Furina, the Hydro Archon.

[thesimonthedevious]

METALOCALYPSE ORIGINAL CHARACTER WEEK 2024: DAY 4

day 4: flirty or friendly banter

Charles conducts a meeting with all the Brass Knuckles girls upon his return - to know what he's getting into. Calypso is first. Based on my fic GirlKlok

His office is what she expects. Cal gives the Klokateer holding the door for her a quick nod and looked out at the sky behind him – the glass is so clean she imagines Toki would try and walk right through it. He’s writing something on his laptop, and Cal wonders; personal report? Security? Police? It quickly occurs to her that maybe, anything to do with Dethklok would go far higher than the police.

They probably have their own FBI department.

The moment her thighs make contact with her chair, Offdensen lowers the screen so he can see her. His glasses shine, and she can just see the reflection of his screen. Red hair like hers, a lot of writing. He’s writing about her. Cal’s expression remains neutral, but maybe there’s a perk of an eyebrow she can’t stop.

“Nice of you to invite me in.” she starts, and Charles watches her. Only briefly does he refer back to whatever picture he has on her file. How different is it, she wonders.

(He thinks – it’s not often he comes across a picture that is so vividly disconnected from the truth)

Her fingers trace the old wood of the armchair.

“I thought I ought to get to know you girls personally.” Offdensen explains, and Cal tilts forward.

“Well, what does your file say about me.”

Charles maybe smirks, it’s hard to tell, and though he raises the screen again, he slides the laptop pointedly to the right so he can still see Calypso. To be polite, she’s sure. But her back straightens all the same.

“It says, Miss Texas Teen Runner Up – and further. And some odd jobs that don’t quite fit that aesthetic… That you’re a skilled woman.” He’s not malicious about the Miss Texas part, but is evidentally more interested in her further skills: the cage fighting, the wrestling, the never ending bouncer work. Skills that, really, a band manager should have no interest in. “You don’t actually have much – if any – musical experience.”

“I’m lucky they gave me a chance.” Cal remarks dryly. And while it’s true she’s lucky the original members of Brass Knuckles wanted her for name alone to draw in numbers, she also is aware that it means they couldn’t have gotten where they are (so fast) without her.

“I’m sorry about your injury. Changing job industry can be, ah, difficult.” He refers to the injury that got her knocked out of wrestling to begin with. The damaged leg in question tingles, and she crosses it over her other.

“It’s healed fine. Mostly. Hurts on cold days.”

“I have a similar injury – storms, too.” Charles agrees, and Cal doesn’t know what comes over her;

“Maybe we can compare them one day.”

The suggestion isn’t immediately shot down by a look or a word. He does glance at her from his screen, and their eyes meet for a little longer than he wants, but her gaze seems hard to look away from. She’s challenging. His hand over the mousepad flexes and curls up, “Medical isn’t usually my field. But familiar hands are usually better than sterile.” He truly believes that. Mostly. Part of him doesn’t even know what it means, but he sees her rest her chin on her hand, finger idly stroking her chin.

“Mhm.” She’s amused, and something in Charles is pleased. He looks back at the screen, “You’re not what I thought you’d be, Mr Offdensen.”

“I’m not made to be thought about, Miss Huggenkiss.”

“Don’t call me that.” She instinctively asks. And why not? Why can’t she wonder about him? Ponder? Charles wonders what there is to think about. What else she might think. And what she expected.

“Alright, Mary.”

When she sees him peek at her again, Cal smirks – unable to argue. He won’t call her that again for some time – but it’s nice not to get reprimanded. To gain her approval. Not that he’s seeking that out.

 As they discuss menial business, finally, Charles closes the laptop completely. He stands up and walks around his desk.

“I think we’ve discussed everything I wanted to.” He stands by her chair – empty handed and headed. Cal suddenly stands to barely meet his gaze.

“And what about what I want?” she watches him, and he’s very good at acting as if he’s looking at her face, as he subtly notices the scars that travel beneath her grey camisole top. Subconsciously imprinting them to memory.

“What do you want?” Charles’ voice is dangerously low, curious, and Cal stares at the scar on his cheek. Wonders what else she might find if he didn’t cover up 80% of his body. Her teeth grit and he can see her jaw clench. Every muscle on her body is defined, like a marble sculpture.

“I want a drink.”

Charles, again, smirks so slightly Cal thinks it’s a trick of the light. And there is just enough silence that indicates he’s considering it.

“I’ll send you a list of bars that come highly recommended.” He likes the face Cal makes; judgemental, accepting, suspicious. It’s a marvel she can do all at once. Walking past him, her arm pushes against his. Not hard enough to be rude, but pressing against him enough to be memorable.

“I don’t want the place the boys like to go to most.”

Charles follows her to the door, making sure to get to the handle first – even if it means leaning past her. Easy enough when he’s got a good few inches on her. “Ah, no, no. You’ll see plenty of those. This will come from my personal list.”

Cal tries not to look at him as he stands at attention with the door open fully. But it’s hard, especially when she knows she has no idea when she’ll get to talk to him again. Not that that would be a problem.

“Places I like.”

“Places you go?” Cal tries to prompt, smirking as she steps into the hall. Finally Charles’ lips curl upwards into the clearest smirk she’s received this whole time.

“Places I like.” He refuses to elaborate, “I’ll be seeing you, Calypso.”

“Catch you later, shug.”

[inventors-fair]

Right on Time: Time Counter Winners!

Our winners this week are @corporalotherbear, @nine-effing-hells, and @nyxbird!

~

@corporalotherbear — Swiftcaster Mage

Starting off strong with this split-second savant, this is immediately a really interesting take on the existing effects we have to force flash. Usually those force themselves to be cast in sequence before whatever you want to flash, but this one is perfectly fine biding its time for the optimal surprise. The use of time counters for flavor reasons, as well, is just sublime. Despite being completely divorced from all the time counter-related mechanics, I can still look at this fellow spending time counters and say it makes perfect sense. My one concern is that I feel as though that ability is situational and marginal enough that the body on the creature could probably stand to be a bit better. Perhaps make it a 2/2 or give the mage itself flash for some really sneaky plays.

@nine-effing-hells — Chandled Servant

A suitable sort of blast from the past, dredging up something we haven't seen in a while! Or...kind of. Back when vanishing was still fading, there were actually quite a few of these effects that asked you to spend the counters keeping the permanent alive to fuel a powerful effect. Metaphorically (or literally, in this case) burning the candle of their life in an interesting sort of risk-reward game. While that sort of design failed to return when vanishing was introduced—I suspect for reasons of complexity—I do pretty sorely miss it. An attack boost is fairly basic, but firebreathing is really flavorfully evocative when a stronger flame means both a stronger attack and a shorter life for the poor guy. I am slightly concerned how it can theoretically slam in for a whopping 11 damage on turn 4, but I'm also unsure how practical that is. Also, I would be remiss in not mentioning the excellent flavor text that actually made me cackle out loud.

@nyxbird — Cracked Pocketwatch//Watch-Bound Clockmaker

Immediately interesting here is that this was the only dual-faced card submitted this week. You'd think a counter representing the passage of time would have more of those, but I digress. Being an efficient mana rock is a nice way to tide you over while you wait for the real reward on the back. The reward is quite strong, too, although I worry that it's not quite in the way you intended. Insofar as I can guess, the intention seems to be this working with vanishing, but there's a grand total of one artifact with vanishing at the moment. It does have nice applications with artifacts that want to accumulate time counters for non-vanishing reasons, such as Rotating Fireplace. Where the power really is, though, is making this ability into a sort of pseudo-proliferate every turn for minimal cost. What really draws me to this one, and what landed it in the winner's circle this week, is the excellent flavor. The idea of the clockmaker literally "winding" artifacts with their ability is brilliant. Plus, them being bound to what I presume was their own watch after death and having to watch it fall into disrepair makes for a really compelling story.

~

Runners-up will arrive in due time, so sit tight! @spooky-bard

[rulerzreachf4n7]

I'm trying to say this in THE NICEST WAY possible, toxic shippers have the stupidest reasons for not shipping Huntlow

Heya! Now before I go into this please know I AM NOT a toxic/force shipper, I am not forcing you to ship Huntlow, simply just telling you why your reasons don't make sense and contradict to the canon versions of the characters of the show, and with that let's go

Reason 1: it's not possible for Hunter to trust Willow after Below possed him and in general

Oh. My. Fucking. Titan...Im just going to automatically assume you've never watched Any Sports In The Storm, that one part in Reaching out, Labyrinth Runners, Clouds On The Horizon, Kings Tide or the entirety of s3, I'M LITERALLY TRYING TO BE NICE BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY FUCKING STUPID, Hunter trusts AND CARES Willow by first, in reaching out, giving her his penstegram account to chat, saving her from getting hurt in clouds on the horizon, yes, it's wasn't actually Luz, it was an illusion, and in the same episode Willow tried to save Hunter (or so she thought it does matter if it's actually Luz it just proves she cares about Hunter) and when Luz got captured by Kiki she was very anxious and hurrying everyone to get to Kiki to save Luz, yet again, don't come at me with just because it was illusion doesn't mean she dosent care about Hunter, she thought it was him, she cares about him a lot cause she was in a hurry to save him (or so she though it was him)! Hunter was comfortable and trusted her to cut his hair in thanks to them, in the same episode he wasn't uncomfortable with Willow holding him after the possession, in for the future HE LITERALLY SAYS HE CARES ABOUT WILLOW, NOT JUST GUS, WILLOW TOO, he comforted her after her breakdown and saved her and Gus, Willow trusts and cares about Hunter in ending of for the future by holding his hand (pinky promis?? Idk what to call it lol) and literally said "Thanks Hunter, you mean a lot to me to" which Hunter replied "yeah...sure, no problem"

Reason 2: they head canon either Hunter, Willow, or both of them as aroace, asexual, or on the spectrum

Oh. My. Titan, did you like know aroace/asexual people can like STILL DATE??? you completely misunderstand the meaning, just because they don't experience ALL ATTRACTION dosent mean THEY WON'T EXPERIENCE ANY, you know what "little to none attraction" means, it fucking means someone who has a bit, A BIT, NOT ZERO, THERE'S STILL A PIECE OF ATTRACTION THEY CAN HAVE FOR SOMEONE, I'm literally trying not to be as toxic as possible but people have the most fucking stupidest reasons

Reason 3: you ship Lunter/huntric/huntmira/boschlow/ect

Well that's fine, but those ships don't make sense in my eyes but I won't write an entire paragraph on why it doesn't make sense (I'm doing it after this post lol 💀💀) and also boschlow is literally toxic pookie it's not the enemies to lovers you want Boscha literally bullied her, if you think that's chemistry you're fucking stupid and never seen the entirety of s1

And hehe silly reason I'd like to add!!

Reason 4: they're bland, don't go well together, rushed, and have no chemistry

Oh my fucking Titan, OMG y'all! Did you know you could uncancel you're own show?! NO YOU CAN'T DUMB FUCK, it was rushed because it WAS FUCKING CANCELLED, SORRY POOKIE DANA CAN'T DO NO SHIT ABOUT IT, it's not like you can get rid of all the episodes and make it hunlow themed, sorry, we can't get all the things we want in life, and by saying that it wouldn't work by the first impression in ASIAS is stupid, sure Willow made a bad first impression but Hunter seemed mildly phased by this other than just being a bit spooked out and startled, and NO, HE DIDN'T JUST DEVELOP A CRUSH ON HER ON SPOT, sure, he could think Willows pretty, but that doesn't mean HE HAS A FUCKING CRUSH ON HER, and people saying that it's not a "half a with Hunter" because Hunters a grimwalker dosent make any sense, may I remind you this was made before hollow mind, he's still convinced he's a powerless witch by Belos lying about it to him, he thinks he's a half a witch while yes looking like a witch on the outside despite having no bile sack, and he doesn't seem to think as himself as weak like Willow does on the other hand, eh, I wouldn't mind if they took out the half a witch, and btw it's not supposed to be a romantical aspect it's supposed to be a similarity, people have also said she's only there to comfort him, even though that's apart of Willows personality, SHE'S THE RELIABLE ONE, LITERALLY SAYING IT IN FTF, she's supposed to comfort people, supposed to be the person everyone rely on, but thats not just her whole personality, based around her reliability, she's so much more than it! People say they think they're both better off as friends in their opinion, it's totally fine! I don't give a shit really, but if you're going to state a reason why you dont think a ship is realistic, then at least watch all the episodes they're in and use some common sense at least! It's the bare minimum!

And that's all!!! I hope you understand and if I made any incorrections please let me know!! I really hate toxic Lunter and huntric shippers, or shippers in general, they just make up excuses instead of saying that huntlow isn't their type of ship or they ship something else, but if you're a multishipper you're totally cool! (Even considered being a multishipper hehe)

[hufflepuffinstorybrooke]

If You’re Lucky, Love Leaves Scars

Summary: In Misthaven, the people know that their rulers are soulmates, bound by the fact that they share their emotions and also physical pain. Follow Crown Princess Emma as she discovers that she has a soulmate of her own and her path to meeting her true love.

Rating: Rated Teen for a small instance of child abuse. You don't technically see it happen, but you do see the results from the soulmate's POV. Feel free to message me with any questions if you need more info before reading.

Notes: The notes might be a bit long, so bear with me: 1) I'd like to thank the runners of the Captain Swan Supernatural Summer for letting me participate in this year's event! 2) I would like to thank @kmomof4​ for my beautiful artwork! 3) Thanks also goes to @kazoosandfannypacks​, my wonderful beta. 4) A last thank you to my friends Caroline, who acted as a second beta (a gamma?) and cheerleader for me during the writing process. 

This is my first attempt at fanfic, so please be nice. More notes at the end. Enjoy!

Here is the link for AO3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48275764

Everyone in the realm knows the stories of soulmates. Not everyone has them, but when you do, what happens to them happens to you as well. When they bleed, so do you. And once together, soulmates feel what the other feels emotionally, as well. Only the truest of soulmates feel each others’ emotions before ever meeting.

Crown Princess Emma of Misthaven was born of True Love: the truest of soulmates, Queen Snow White and King David. The story of their love is legendary, bringing the kingdom out of the darkness of the Evil Queen and into their benevolent reign. Emma knew her parents’ story before she knew anything else. She would tell all the people she met that she was born of True Love, the daughter of brave King David and fearless Queen Snow. She loved the life that, in her mind, was given to her by that same True Love.

The love only grew when Emma was five, and her little sister Ruth was born. Emma adored being a big sister. Everyone throughout the kingdom rejoiced, though there were those who worried that another girl had been born instead of a son to rule. Snow only ascended to the throne because of the lack of a direct male heir and her defeat of the Evil Queen. Snow and David had no such concerns about who would reign after them. They saw the light of leadership in Emma, especially after she started her lessons.

While, in other kingdoms, Emma’s peers learned to dance and paint, Emma learned how to wield a sword, strategize a battle, and ride astride a horse. She did her own dancing with her father, but she considered it fun, not lessons.

As with anyone, Emma had her troubles; she got caught sneaking sweets before dinner, sometimes she would be in a foul mood for no apparent reason, and she had the occasional nightmare. One night, however, six-year-old Emma woke with a terrible fright and was inconsolable. Ruby, her godmother who looked after her at night, ran to fetch the king and queen. 

David was first into the room, as Emma almost always asked for him. This time, Emma threw herself, not at David, but at Snow.

“I felt as though you were gone! As if I no longer had a mother.” 

Snow held her daughter close. It was the same feeling she had when she lost her own mother. 

Snow and Emma held each other, David watching his girls fondly. Never did it occur to him that this same thing happened to him the day Snow’s mother, Queen Eva, died.

The whole family wrote the night off as a bad dream, but Emma grew closer to her mother. Emma was so much like her father that she tended to spend any free time with him, whether in the stables or the study. They rode, strategized, and dueled. After that night, Emma seemed to split her time more evenly between her parents. She would sit with Snow and listen to Snow’s more elegant form of strategy: diplomacy. David was a fair hand at this as well, but Snow was raised for it. She solved problems with grace and ease, be them large between nations or small between subjects. Emma learned the importance of both negotiations and battle in lessons, but she did not understand it truly until she saw her mother in action. This time bonded the pair, and all because of a dream.

Once her brother Leopold was born, most of the kingdoms expected him to be raised as the heir to the throne. Emma was only eight at the time, but she knew she wanted to rule and serve Misthaven as their Queen. She had seen the good that comes from being queen and wanted to help her people the way her mother did. Snow and David, knowing Emma was wise beyond her years, sat her down and asked what she wanted. She told mother and father, “I want to be the Queen of Misthaven.”

There was no more need for discussion after that. Snow sent out a proclamation that, despite the birth of a male heir, Emma would remain the crown princess. Ruth and Leo would both receive the same education as Emma, but as second and third in line to the throne.

----

At the age of ten, it is very rare to know if you have a soulmate. Children, especially children as tough as Emma, find themselves having any number of bumps and bruises. Emma had no idea that she had a True Love, much like her parents had each other. 

As the next year of her life passed, Emma noticed some oddities. No matter how sedentary her day was, her feet always ached something fierce at the end of the night. She would be sitting in the study reading and feel as though she stubbed her toe. Her body sometimes ached with manual labor that it had never truly known. She also continued to feel the ache of her mother’s absence, even, on some occasions, in her mother’s presence.

But then, another heartache woke her from a peaceful dream. This time, she ran to her parents’ room. Her mother sat at the vanity, but her father was nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Papa?” Emma said through her tears. Her mother tried to talk to her, but all Emma wanted at that moment was her father. Her heart was telling her that he left them. Snow held her daughter as she wept, having no other way to console her without David.

When David entered the chamber, Emma ran into his arms. “I thought you left. I awoke and my heart was just convinced you left us forever.”

David picked Emma up and walked her over to his armchair by the fire. His little girl was growing up much too fast, but King David was a strong man who would do anything to help Emma know he was there. “Emma, my darling princess, you know I would never leave this family. I love you all too much to ever leave you.”

“Promise?”

“Always. I will never leave you, my duckling.”

As father and daughter had their moment, Snow went to Ruby, who had followed Emma, and asked for hot chocolate with cinnamon to be brought up to the suite. 

As the family drank their special treat, David told his tale of a shepherd turned prince who fell in love with a princess turned bandit. Snow watched David, engrossed in his story, and Emma, slowly leeching comfort from her favorite parts. She knew how her poor daughter was feeling. The same thing had happened to her one night, only realizing years later that she was feeling David’s abandonment of his father leaving. Snow had an inkling of what was happening to her daughter. Part of her was thrilled that Emma would have a True Love of her own, but another part was sad. That part ached for the poor child who had already lost their mother, and was now abandoned by their father. She just hoped they were not alone.

Emma retreated in on herself for a week or so, staying with one parent or another whenever possible, and watching over her siblings when it wasn’t. Slowly, she came back to herself, but the feeling of abandonment still lingered, no matter how many times her father told her that she would be stuck with him for a good long while.

The Oddities, as Emma called her strange pains, got worse. The feeling of manual labor got worse, to the point where she would simply collapse into bed at night. For a few days, Emma was so nauseous she could only keep broth down. Granny, who ran the kitchens, made sure she had plenty and also kept her hydrated. Her parents worried, but the feeling passed in two days.

The final proof came two weeks after the abandonment started while Emma was dueling with her father. They used dulled blades and never to harm, always to disarm. Emma was moving in, gracefully making her father think he had the upper hand—when, all of the sudden, the princess collapsed, screaming in pain. 

David stood horrified for a split second before racing to his daughter’s aide. She had fallen to her knees, head on the ground. When David went to rub her back, she screamed as though he hit her. People began to surround the training ring, seeing what the commotion was about. Princess Emma kept screaming out in short bursts, jerking forward with every scream. 

David lifted her shoulders, getting Emma to put her arms around his neck as he carried her into the palace. They went into Snow’s study, knowing she was not using it at that time. Emma had felt at least twenty pains, each stinging more than the last.

A servant had gone to get the queen as soon as Emma collapsed. When Snow finally found them in the study, she was absolutely horrified. There sat her husband, silently crying as he held their little girl. Snow could only see Emma’s back, her favorite yellow dress streaked with blood.

“She just fell and started screaming,” David nearly whimpered to his wife, his voice hoarse through his tears.

Emma turned as much as she was able, looking for her mother. “Mama,” she whispered, voice weaker than David’s. Snow rushed to their side taking Emma’s hand in her own. “Why is this happening, Mama? What did I do…”

Snow cut her off, “Listen to me, my duckling. This is not your fault. We will find out what is happening, and we will put an end to it. We will do everything in our power to make sure this never happens again.”

-----

Snow and David rarely fought. They could usually discuss their disagreements until a compromise was reached. This seemed to be the only time in Emma’s memory when her parents were very obviously at odds. But every time Emma walked into a room the arguments went silent, remaining civil but frustrated with each other. They would not let her know what was going on.

Emma was worried. Ever since her mysterious injuries a week ago, everyone in the castle was on edge. People would whisper where they thought she couldn’t hear and stare where they thought she couldn’t see. Her parents’ argument started then as well, and Emma had come to the conclusion that the fight was about her. 

Exactly ten days after her injuries, Emma was walking past her mother’s study and heard her parents’ shouting. Emma was done with secrets, so she decided to listen at the door.

“What do you want me to do, David? Leave some child in this condition. All indications point to the fact that they were whipped. If Emma’s loss and abandonment were right, this child has already lost their mother and been abandoned by their father. They could be all alone. And you want me to do nothing!?”

“I never said I didn’t want anything done, I just don’t think enacting military power is the way to go here.”

“And I’m not saying have our armies storm our subjects’ homes! I just want to make it publically known that we will not condone the abusive treatment of others!”

Emma had heard enough. She opened the doors and her parents’ quieted down at once. “I would like to be brought into this conversation.” Emma kept her voice calm and collected, while radiating as much authority as an eight year old can over their parents.

David spoke first. “That just isn’t a good idea, Duckling–”

“If this argument that has been going on for almost a fortnight has to do with what happened to me, then I have every right to be involved in how this is decided.”

“I know you think that, but you are still so young–”

“If I am old enough to learn to rule a kingdom, shouldn’t I be old enough to have input on how we treat the abuse of my soulmate?” 

Her father wore a look of shock, but it was her mother’s face she was drawn to. Snow looked sad, But also proud. Her daughter was going to make a wonderful queen. 

“I figured it out after he took the beating. The only power that could do that is soulmates. I don’t want him to suffer, so if we have it in our power to do something about it, then we need to help. And not just my soulmate, but others who may be in the same position. Where do we stand on ideas?” 

Emma was leading negotiations just the way her mother taught her, which made David realize it was pointless to try to argue.

“I would like to place extra soldiers in towns and villages to do outreach. Let the people know that if they need help, the crown will be there for them.” Snow restated her intentions from the beginning of their argument.

David was on the verge of interrupting, but Emma held up a hand, and he held his tongue. 

“I also want to fund orphanages all throughout the kingdom so that children without families can be provided for.” This had been a project Snow had wanted to start for a while. The incident with Emma’s soulmate just made it seem more urgent.

Emma thought for a moment, and then turned to her father and nodded, giving him his chance.

“Putting more soldiers in villages will do nothing but scare people. I know we do our best to prove to our people that we are not Regina, but the Black Knights caused too much damage to people and land for soldiers to be seen in a good light so soon after their reign of terror. I don’t oppose the orphanages nearly as much, but how are we to make sure that the children are in any better hands there than on the streets?” This was the circular argument that Snow and David had been trapped in for days.

“And what of our ports?”

Snow looked at her daughter with a furrowed brow. “Why do you think anything needs to be done at our ports?”

“Remember several days ago, when I couldn’t leave my room because of nausea? I was dizzy and felt like the world was rocking. I think he might have been at sea during the storm that rolled in a few days later.” 

Both David and Snow looked at their daughter in awe. Her lessons were clearly paying off. She would make a great ruler one day.

Before either of her parents responded, Emma came to her own solution. “We should place extra soldiers and stricter guidelines on ships that come to port. Allow search and questioning of the crew, but never seizure of the cargo, unless that ‘cargo’ includes people, then they are freed.” She looked to her parents, who still looked surprised, but nodded their agreement. “The orphanages are also a good idea, but we should place guidelines on the orphanages allowing for inspections. I think we should make a committee of advisors with a special interest in the wellbeing of children. Perhaps led by Granny or Geppetto.”

Snow was the first to react, getting up to hug her daughter. “That is an amazing idea, Emma. I am so proud of you.”

David embraced his girls. His duckling was growing up, and as proud as it made him, he also worried about how much longer she would need her doting father. “You make me proud everyday Emma, but this might be a new record.”

-----

Ten years passed. Emma’s plan for the children of the kingdom has flourished. The children of the orphanages are well-provided for, educated in the orphanages and then going on to get apprenticeships in their towns. The ports have shut down any slave trade movement through Misthaven and ensured the safety of crews.

As for Emma, she has grown into an accomplished, beautiful, and intelligent woman. Many a nobleman have come to try to court her, but Emma shows no interest in them, preferring to focus on the needs of her people. Emma does outreach programs throughout the kingdom, going from village to village and meeting with her people. If there are problems to fix or disputes to be resolved, Emma helps in the few days she is there. She also spends time in the orphanages, meeting with the children and making sure that they are taken care of.

Of course, she now spends much of her time at the palace as well. She sits by her mother’s side, assisting with the Queen’s duties. On this particular morning, they meet with leading members of the military to receive reports of the ongoings in their peaceful kingdom. And tomorrow night there will be a ball to celebrate promotions throughout the military.

Currently speaking is Captain Liam Jones. He's a handsome man, tall with wavy brown hair and nice blue eyes. Tonight, he'll be promoted from captain to rear admiral. He is young for the position, just shy of thirty, but during his captaincy aboard the kingdom’s flag ship he has justly upheld their laws and helped spearhead some of the changes made to Emma’s plans for the ports.

If the story she'd heard was correct, Captain Jones was a new member of their navy when the child protection laws were first set in place. He and a few other top students of the Naval Academy were assigned to the ports some days for hands-on training. One of the ships that pulled into port was one his father was supposedly working on. When the ship came to port, the now Captain—then Ensign—Jones found out that his father had abandoned the crew, selling his much younger brother into service to the captain. From the stories Emma heard, Jones was quite a sight to behold that day. Initially he was justly in a rage, but he pulled himself together enough to cite the new rules of the kingdom. In accordance with the new rules of port, ships with slaves working on them, there was a fine heavier than most ships could ever pay, or they could release the slaves. As the story goes, the younger Jones became a cabin boy until he was of the age to join the navy himself. He will be promoted tonight to captain, quickly working his way through the ranks.

As the current Captain Jones finishes speaking to her mother, he moves back to the line of men reporting. As her mother dismisses the men, Emma stands and walks over to Captain Jones.

“Captain Jones, a quick word, if you will.”

The captain’s eyes widen, and he kneels in front of her. “Of course, Your Royal Highness.”

“Rise, Captain Jones.” The captain comes to his feet, looking worried. “There is no need for concern. I just wondered if your brother would be attending tomorrow’s ceremony.”

“He will, Your Royal Highness.” There's still a fretful edge to the captain’s voice.

“I would like to speak to the both of you then, if you don’t mind.” Emma is curious to hear the accounts of these two men. She often hears about the benefits of the orphanages, but would like to know more about the naval aspect of her project. These brothers would be useful, having been on both sides of the situation.

“If I may be so bold as to inquire what this will be in reference to?” Jones seems almost suspicious of his princess.

“It will just be some shop talk, I am afraid. I have heard your story and I would like to know more about it, especially in reference to the safety measures I helped put into place.”

Captain Jones looks offended at Emma’s interest. He glances around, seeing that the queen and king are waiting for their daughter at the royal entrance. In a low voice he hisses, “Listen, princess, your parents have been very good to my brother and me through some very difficult times in our lives. For that, I will be forever grateful. You, however, sit here in the castle and reap the benefits of their thoughts and actions. Indeed, you just called their plan yours. My brother has been through enough hardships to fill several lifetimes, and I will not add being the princess’s storymaker to the list.” Jones gives a harsh nod of his head and storms from the room.

Emma is astonished. Not only has no one ever spoken to her like that, but Emma has an excellent popularity rate throughout the kingdom. She tours once a year, meeting with those in need and doing her best to make sure that every citizen of their kingdom is provided for.

But Emma’s shock turns to anger quickly. Just who does this Jones think he is? She'd worked hard to do her best for the kingdom and he has the gall to act as though she just sat here being frivolous. She had worked hard through much of her youth to make this kingdom a safe haven for her people. And he just comes in here acting like she has no idea of the troubles of others.

Emma storms past her parents, who are trying to ascertain the meaning of her conversation with Jones. She has much she needs to do to prepare for tonight, setting a new plan in place.

-----

Emma’s wardrobe has always been more modest than those of her peers. She rarely even tried to keep up, anyways, preferring to work on ways to help her people. But there is another reason. 

Emma’s soulmate experience had been quickly quieted throughout the castle. As most everyone who saw the incident in the training ring were soldiers of the kingdom, the king had to only ask for them to keep silent. The servants that helped tend to Emma afterward were the most devoted in the castle, too loyal to the family and charmed by the princess herself to spread the secret. The fashion now is to wear dresses with one's shoulders exposed, the neckline cutting almost straight across. The gowns are beautiful, but they would expose Emma’s scars on her upper back from the beating that was given to someone else. And Emma never wanted anyone to know.

Until now.

Emma has decided to let the kingdom know about her motivations behind her actions over the past ten years. In the morning a personal statement of hers will be issued through the kingdom. Emma dictates it to Ruth this afternoon (Ruth’s handwriting is better than Emma’s anyway) while Emma is fitted for her new dress for the ball. Johanna, the palace seamstress, is a miracle worker to have modified the dress made in a little over eight hours, but she too has always been fond of Emma.

The new dress is a simple, red, long sleeve ball gown. The only embellishments are some gems around the neckline. Her hair is up in an elegant twist with a delicate crown placed atop her head. The back shows a bit of her upper back and her scars.

Emma meets her family on the landing above the throne room. There will be an hour of ceremony before dinner and then they will move through to the ballroom for socialization and dancing afterwards.

Leo is the first to see Emma coming down the hall. His mouth drops. Never has he seen Emma looking so much like a real princess. (He has just turned twelve, meaning he now has to come to some of these royal events.) “Wow Em,” is all he can say.

Snow, David, and Ruth turn to see Emma. Ruth beams, having seen the dress earlier while she was dictating Emma’s statement. Snow knew Emma planned on changing her dress, as well as the statement she wrote and the brief words she wants to say to the men tonight. Snow smiles at her eldest, holding back the bittersweetness of watching your child become an adult.

David is speechless. He did not know about the changes to the dress. His little girl stands before him, no longer the girl who told stories of True Love to everyone she met. Now, walking towards him is a woman, elegant and beautiful. “You are beautiful, my duckling.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Before anything else can be said, Leroy begins to introduce the royal family into the function. 

Leo and Ruth descend the staircase together. Emma, as the crown princess, follows alone, then comes the king and queen. The hall is full of military men, standing to attention for their monarchs in two lines on either side of the aisle from the stairs to the dais with the thrones. The three divisions of the military—Army, Navy, and Royal Guard—are sorted by rank instead of by branch of service. This is another of Emma’s ideas from a few years back, to promote unity between the branches, as to not show favoritism to any one branch in particular. The mens’ families are also invited, as are any visiting dignitaries, and the courtiers of Misthaven.

As the royal family proceeds to the dais, the servicemen stay at attention and the rest of the guests bow and curtsy as their hosts pass. As soon as heads rise behind the family, some eyes are caught on the silvery scars on the princess’ shoulders. Some of the guests cannot help but to start whispering their own version of how the crown princess of Misthaven got what appear to be whip marks on her back.

Each family member stands in front of their throne as they wait for the king and queen to make it to the dais. Leo and Ruth have the simplest, hardly more embellished than cushioned armchairs, to their mother’s left. Snow’s throne is in the center of the dais and is the most majestic of the set, though still modest by some royal standards. David sits to her right, as he is her right hand in all that they do, and although they rule as equals, David’s throne is a touch less grand than his wife’s. Emma’s is the last of the line, though the median in design. While her parents’ seats have silver and gold inlays and their cushions are of splendid fabrics, the wooden base to Emma’s has only a few details that differentiate it from her siblings. And the cushions are much closer to theirs as well, with a bit of golden thread embroidery to distinguish it from Ruth’s and Leo’s.

As they take their place, Snow steps forward to address the partygoers. “Welcome honored guests. Tonight we celebrate our military and, in particular, the men being promoted tonight. My daughter, Crown Princess Emma, would like to share some words.” Snow sits, shortly followed by David, Ruth, and Leo. Emma stays standing and addresses the crowd.

“As her majesty said, tonight we celebrate the men who protect Misthaven and keep us safe. My family and I hold these men in the highest regards, however, today was also an anniversary. It is ten years since the start of our initiative to make the children of Misthaven safer. The origin of this project has been speculated, but there has never been confirmation of our motivations. Was it my father’s humble start, my mother’s time on the run, or the birth of their children that put the idea in the mind of our gracious queen and king? Well, today the speculation can cease. I am here to set the issue to rest.

“As we all know, our two esteemed rulers share the truest of true love bonds. They are soulmates of the deepest nature, sharing feelings, both emotional and physical. A little over ten years ago, we received confirmation that I, too, have a soulmate. Although it should have been a joyous realization, it was dimmed in the cruel manner in which we found out. You see, my soulmate was whipped. And as we share our true love bond, I felt as he did that day.” 

The crowd murmurs in surprise at the princess’s revelation. Only the courtiers closest to the royal family, an extension of the family itself, had ever known what happened all those years ago.

“As you can see, I bear the marks from the horrendous encounter.” The princess turns, showing the marks that can be seen on her shoulders. After giving the crowd time to see her scars, Emma turns back to face the masses and continues, “I do not reveal this now to gain sympathy or praise. I have kept this to myself all these years, not out of shame, but out of devotion. My soulmate went through something awful, and I never wanted this to be the reason we were drawn together, the scars and shared pain. I wanted to find love without proof, not displaying our scars before everyone. Recent conversations have proven that not everyone understands my devotion though. Not only to my soulmate, but to the kingdom at large. The laws enacted a decade ago were my idea. I wanted to protect not only my true love but all the children of the realm. I obviously could not have done this without our gracious monarchs, but the solution evaded us until we came together as a group to combat the injustices that plagued the children. No solution is ever perfect, and we work to improve everyday. If you take nothing else from this story, please know that I share my parents' passion for improving the lives of our citizens. I cannot and will not sit back in my luxurious life and let our people suffer. I will strive to protect not only our children but all the citizens of the kingdom, including the military officers who are here tonight. So I will hand the ceremony back over to our benevolent queen, my mother Snow White.” 

Emma turns to her mother and curtsies, and Snow pulls her daughter into her arms before she can fully rise. “I am so proud of you, dear,” Snow whispers.

“Thank you, Mother,” Emma breathes back, releasing her mother to take her seat for the ceremony.

As the promotions are given, Emma thinks back to her speech, particularly the reaction of one rear admiral-to-be. The older Jones brother started the speech with the proper steady attentiveness that military men wear in formal situations. However, Emma had seen flashes of surprise and a return of the anger after she had shown her scars. His gaze had flickered between her and someone in the crowd of soldiers. It was not an encouraging sign, but Emma is not one to be deterred. She plans to speak to the newly promoted Rear Admiral Jones and see if she cannot find an amicable solution to their rift. The Jones men are rising fast through the naval ranks, which means that Emma will likely have to work with them for years to come. She does not want that to be a contentious relationship.

Emma is pulled from her thoughts as her mother promotes men to the rank of captain. The younger Jones brother, Killian, is called forward to receive his promotion, and Emma is stunned. Never before has she seen a man so… beautiful.

Killian Jones has dark hair, nearly black, cut short and styled back. His frame is long and lean, clearly honed from years at sea. But it is his eyes that catch Emma’ attention. They are the clearest blue she has ever seen. She remembers his brother’s eyes, and while the color is almost identical, something is different. The princess stares, trying to see what the difference is, but Killian Jones is already taking his place back in the masses. Throughout the rest of the ceremony, Emma strains to see Killian Jones again but is unable to through the crowd.

Dinner is slow. All Emma wants is to seek out the young captain, to speak to him. It is a feeling the princess has never felt, the need to seek someone out for no reason but desire.

After the feast, the crowd is shown into the ballroom by the staff. Once the throne room holds only the royal family, they bid Leo goodnight. (He will not attend a ball for a few years yet.) Leo is escorted upstairs by Granny, who says she is too old to attend a ball. But before Granny takes her leave, she hugs Emma, sharing her pride in the young woman she has become. As Granny is not one for displays of her affection, Emma is surprised by the old woman.

That hug from Granny is enough to knock Captain Jones from Emma’s mind until they enter the ballroom. The royal family is, once again, announced, and the king and queen open the ball with the first dance. When the music starts, Emma starts searching the gathered crowd for the newly minted captain. But before Emma can find the younger Jones, the older finds her. 

Rear Admiral Jones bows to the princess. “May I have this dance, Your Highness?”

Emma pauses for a moment, confused. However, she does know she needed to speak to this Jones as well, so she curtsies and accepts his hand. “Of course, Admiral Jones.”

They move to the dance floor and bow respectfully to each other. Neither of them speak as they start to dance, and Emma’s eyes start to scan the crowd again.

“Looking for my brother, Princess?” Rear Admiral Jones states, rather bluntly. His eyes, so similar in color to his brother, have a storm raging behind them.

“Why would you ever say that, Admiral?” Emma did not want to admit her curiosity to the older Jones brother, seeing as he already does not seem to like her.

“I find it curious that you knew of my brother’s story before meeting him, as you admitted yesterday. And then today, your timeline of your own true love story lines up conspicuously well with my brother’s unfortunate history. Why are you so fascinated with Killian?” The change in tone when he mentions her ‘true love’ indicates he does not believe a word she said.

The princess focuses all her attention on the admiral. “What do you mean by that? Your story is quite the legend in the town, and we are not as disconnected from our people as you seem to think we are. I had heard of you rescuing him from a ship not long after we passed the laws ensuring children’s safety. Just because it happened close together, I see no other links to my past and his. Furthermore, do you not believe that I sustained these scars through a soulmate bond? Why would I lie about such a rare and beautiful thing, and such a tragic experience on top of it?” Emma is proud of her ability to keep her voice level, though her agitation starts to peek through her tone towards the end of her inquiry.

“Is it not curious that soulmate bonds only appear within royalty? It seems to be a tactic to place them further above their people. As to how you got those scars, maybe you aren’t as perfect as you would have us commoners believe, or perhaps you had a strict governess. I don't really care how they happened. I care that you seem to be fixated on my brother. So, Princess, I ask again. Why Killian?”

“The stories of true love in royal couples spread because stories of royalty spread further than others, but I have seen true love in everyday life, and I am sorry that you have not. And I am sorry you do not believe my account of my life, but it did happen as I said. I still do not understand the connection to your brother, but as far as I am concerned, he is a good officer with an overprotective big brother. If you ask my younger siblings, they would say that is a curse, but I am sure it was seen as a blessing when you rescued him all those years ago. I will ask once more that you believe that I had no other ulterior motive to tell my story, other than to settle questions in the minds of our citizens who, like you, have their reservations about me as a ruler. I intend to do my best for this kingdom, and to do that, I need to have the belief of my people.”

The song ends and Emma steps away from the admiral, curtsying to leave, but, as Admiral Jones bows in return, he asks “You truly didn’t know that Killian was whipped about a month before I found him?”

Emma freezes on the dance floor and, as a new song starts up, she looks at Liam Jones. “A month?” That would mean…

“I could never get many details about the beating from Killian, but one of his crewmates told me a little about it. It happened a little more than a month before I found him, about three weeks before the child protection laws were in place. Your story may have happened around the same time.”

Standing in the middle of all the twirling couples, Emma and the admiral are in the way. She pulls him to the balcony as her head swims. Could it be…

“I just want to protect my brother. And I know you are right, I am overprotective. But after our father abandoned him, selling him to slavery, I just knew that I had to protect him. Even if it meant protecting him from the very royalty that saved him.”

“When?” Emma asks, starting to pace. She is now remembering a night long ago that had been burned into her memory. 

Admiral Jones looks confused. “I don’t understand, Your Highness.”

“When did your father leave?” Emma demands, putting more force in her tone than intended, but she needs to know. Is this why she cannot get the younger Jones out of her thoughts?

“He abandoned Killian two weeks before the beating.”

“And your mother? She died two years before that?”

“How could you possibly know…”

“Because I felt it. I woke one night with a terrible heartache and ran to my mother. I had the terrible feeling that she had died, and I needed to prove she was still there. That was my first time experiencing my soulmate’s emotions.” Emma cannot breathe. She moves to one of the benches near the railing of the balcony, letting the cool sea breeze calm her. Of all the ways to find her soulmate, she never imagined it would be during a fight with his brother.

In the shock of the moment, neither Admiral Jones nor the princess noticed someone joining them on the balcony. But as Princess Emma catches her breath, Admiral Jones turns to leave the princess to her thoughts and sees his brother standing by the doors in shock. He strides quickly to Killian, wanting to talk to him before the princess sees him.

Killian finds his voice before Liam reaches the doors. “Brother, what is going on out here?” It is quite the scene to walk into, his brother having a word with the crown princess of Misthaven, and that is not even the strangest part. From what Killian has overheard, Princess Emma felt it when their mother had died. That must mean she is the soulmate to either him or his brother. And Liam has never been whipped.

Emma looks up at the sound of Captain Jones’s voice. Their eyes lock and for a moment, Emma sees confusion in his sky blue eyes. She stands, watching his eyes for the illumination of clarity to shine through.

“Four years ago, did you cut your arm?” Killian asks, his right hand moving to his left forearm. Under his uniform there is a scar from an injury he could not remember sustaining. It was as if it appeared from nowhere.

“I was thrown from my horse as I rode through the woods. I cut my arm on a rock in the fall,” Emma whispers, almost timidly.

Liam stands, watching his brother realize what is happening. He knows he ought to leave, but he turns to the princess. Liam needs to see her reaction. The shyness in her voice throws him for a loop and he finally believes her. As his brother moves from the doorway, Liam Jones steps back into the ballroom, leaving Killian and the princess to talk.

Killian barely notices his brother leaving, but the sounds of the doors closing makes him snap back to reality a bit. He’s speaking to the crown princess and has not addressed her properly at all. He kneels before the princess, averting his eyes from the beauty that stands in front of him. “I apologize, Your Highness, for my bluntness earlier and the lack of proper address. You must understand the shock…”

Emma moves to stand right in front of the captain. “I do not need your apologies nor your formalities, Captain. Please stand.” As he does, the princess extends her hand. “I think, after all that has been revealed tonight, we should be properly introduced. I am Emma.”

Killian grasps Emma’s hand, keeping eye contact as he kisses it. “I am Captain Killian Jones, Your Highness.”

Emma smirks, “I thought I said we need no formalities. To you, I hope to always be Emma.”

Still in awe of what is happening, Killian flushes slightly at the thought of addressing the princess by her given name. “That may take some time to settle in, Princess. It feels awfully disrespectful to address royalty by their given name.”

Emma chuckles slightly, “I hope that you can come to think of me as more than just royalty.”

Killian scratches behind his ear, an old nervous habit. “I could never think of you as ‘just’ anything. It will be a journey, but one I am more than willing to embark upon.” 

For a moment, the princess and her captain stand on the balcony, looking into each other’s eyes, smiling at Killian’s sweet words and the thought of a future spent learning more about the other.

Killian takes a deep breath and says, “Would you care to dance, Emma?”

She responds with a smile that outshines all the stars. “With you, Killian, always.”

They walk back into the ballroom as they will do everything from now on: together.

Final Notes: So in my vision Emma's ballgown in the dress from the season 3 finale with a modified neckline so it is off the shoulders and would show the top of her scars. Also I do not like the ponytail look for Killian, so his hair is short and slicked back for the ceremony. I envisioned it like his hair at the wedding.

[katiethedane12]

For "Love Your Fandom Asks": 4, 5, 15, 23

4. Say something nice about a ship you don't ship (it can be another ship in your fandom, a mutual's OTP, etc)

So personally, I ship Beatrice and Wirt (over the garden wall). But I do like the ship of sara and wirt. They seem nice, and I can never get over the trope of guys having crushes longtime crushes

5. something you see in fics a lot and love

Uhh, I don't read many fics. But probably agst AUs. I hope that's a good enough answer lol

15. the character that always makes you smile

Ooooh, there are SO many of these. I could go on and on. Bucky Barnes, Finnick Odair, Boromir, Newt (maze runner), Arthur (Inception), Peeta Mellark...

23. the fandom you're curious about because of a mutual

Hmmm, I'd say maybe Batman. I've seen the old animated show and the trilogy, but I've never seen anything with the "bat fam???" I'm curious because I actually have no idea where to look for it. Is it just the comics? I've also seen a lot of Star Wars post bc of @kanerallels and @accidental-spice recently lol. I've seen most of the movies and some of the shows, but I'd be curious to watch them again because it's been a while.

[siren-sashimi]

Hey, I had some questions about your marquis de gramont ballet fic

1: how does the reader do under Vincent’s tuleage

2: I know you said that chidi tries to know things about ballet to connect with the reader but does he ever make a move (I.e asking the reader out)? If so, does the reader reciprocate his feelings?

3: does Vincent ever find out about chidi’s crush? If so, does he support chidi or does he block him?

4: If he blocks chidi is it out of professional disdain (like “you’re both working with me, I don’t want you dating”) or is it because HE also feels something for the reader and wants to pursue them

Hello Anon! :D

Alright, the reader dating Chidi under Vincent's patronage was a separate story coming to my mind which might branch off from Hemimetabolism.

So generally, even without Vincent as romantic endgame, Vincent is very much someone who doesn't dish out favours without the work if he doesn't want to. And Vincent wants someone who does work for the money he pays and the prestige he gives them. Meaning, he sees a lot of potential in the reader but also demands them to overcome any restraints and doubts to give it their all. He wants the reader to focus and set clear goals. Casting choices, landing good spots is an easy exercise in influence for him. Actually it's not that bad to work in an artistic arrangement for him you're mostly left alone. But when demands to deliver you have to deliver in best form. So the reader is constantly labouring on, reflecting, ironing out details in their work. The thing is, it can mentally separate this protegée from their environment because they don't have to compete anymore against someone but only need improve for this man. And the oportunities he offers are amazing. Although be it, if Vincent wants to see you dance for the company in St. Petersburg the reader has to out all their effort to be worthy of St. Petersburg. At some point humoring Vincent becomes a runner because he's so enrapturing, he can easily outshine anything else in the reader's life.

Okay now to a plot bunny with Chidi. *rubs hands and cackles* As far as Chidi sees it both of you are employees under Vincent. While you might get a bit more pampered that treatment is more due to the nature of your job. In the end Vincent isn't too emotionally attached to any employee, loosing them is a mere loss of good staff. (Unless Vincent is personally more interested but that's another story. ;))

Let's say on the ocassions they meet Chidi isn't directly flirting, at least not with his boss present but he smiles at, compliments, and sometimes even makes little jokes with the reader. Intensity growing with each meeting. And it's nice. Nothing obtrusive but a relief to have someone be nice to a reader when they have to approach a very demanding Marquis de Gramont. Not that Chidi can't be nice to other people but he opens himself up because he is crushing on you. Only after you're noticeably easy going with him, he begins to flirt with you when you're on a coffee break, whenever Vincent happens to be in town.

On the reader's part it is all more a classical case of slowly building up romance with a a guy at work who seems nice enough to try going on a date with. Event though the work is on a shadier side life. Oh yeah, Chidi dating the reader is something needs to notice for a very long time. Again, Vincent is too absorbed in his own matters to spend much time thinking in any humane way about his employees. Maybe it takes such an obvious scene as him seeing Chidi hand you a bit bouquet backstage and kissing your cheek after a performance of yours.

Now, two outcomes: 1. If Vincent sees the reader purely as employed for "art for art's sake" then he might maybe sit the two of you down and make some things very clear. In the end he tolerates it more than he approves, afterall the reader could've dated anyone while under patronage, in this case it just happens to be Vincent's bloodhound. (Vincent just didn't think about it before.) The Marquis' demands are super invasive, during the talk the reader feels more like property than a person. The Marquis "allows" this relationship to happen under the condition that you remain "intact". Meaning: No injuries, no marks on stage (this is not the right moment to remind the Marquis that stage make up exists), no pregnancy, any personal drama shall not affect your performance, no romance related retirement for both of you. Chidi is less shaken by the speech than the reader is as he already lives a life under similar conditions, all submitted to the will of the Marquis de Gramont. Safe to say, while the incident of conditional speech is unnerving, Chidi and the reader can go on as usual.

2. Alternative if Vincent harbors a crush on the reader. Oh boy, does he become possessive. Chidi's very much used to Vincent's mercurial personality as well as living a life with the primary raison d'être: All for the will of the Marquis de Gramont. Vincent retaliates by first forbidding Chidi to see you (no explanation as to why,) even goes so far to switch the Myrmidone who accompanies him for cultural excursions. Chidi is very much unhappy about this but his life is so centered around the Marquis that his resistance lies only in a very honest letter to the reader. In which he writes that he's forbidden to see you, what he loves about you, how much he wishes for you prospering. Time by time Chidi is ever so romantic sending a bouquet anonymously. The reader knows it was him, the bouquets always bear at least one one of their favourite flowers.

It's not like as if Chidi doesn't suspect the Marquis acting out of personal impulse but it's not in their relationship to question the Marquis. At least Vincent is intelligent enough to pursue the reader under Chidi's notice. One has to keep their employees somewhat happy, aka not give them a reason to revolt or quitting the job. But Vincent could enter unsavory territory by explaining to the reader dating would ruin their performance (again, if he wasn't interested he would only care if relationships actually interfered with the reader's work) while slowly but surely dismantling the reader's defenses around him. Like invading their privacy more and more by having unnecessary personal meetings, sending the reader clothes and jewelry he wants to see the reader wearing for him on galas or charity events, secretly odering the costume staff to design the reader's costume in a way he likes to see on them. Vincent will also aggressively try to outmatch anyone nearing you. You were invited for a date? Ah, it just happens that Vincent would like to have a performance review. Someone showed interest in you? Their past dirt is dragged out without mercy. You privately show signs of unhappiness to be this lonely? Suddenly the Marquis de Gramont is personally at your doorstep and shows a previously unknown capability of attentiveness.

[zuzsenpai]

Little delights from my day

that post I reblogged yesterday (4/9/24) where you tagged the little positive delights from your day.... I feel like that might be a fun challenge to do every day, or as many days as I can remember. I almost never stop to think about those things, and I do think it might be nice to look back on and read every once in a while. So that I don't bother everyone with this daily quest, I'm going to just update this post every day with a new bullet point (under a cut), and I'll link this post in my pinned post. If that makes sense.

List of daily positive delights under the cut:

4/9/24: My pomegranate arils were NOT expired. Someone spilled maple syrup in the microwave at work and now it smells really good every time someone uses it

4/10/24: Was able to pre-order the new Apollo Justice Trilogy plushes

4/11/24: Found a cute, nice-looking font to write fanfic with. Hoping that using a fun font will motivate my writing. UPDATE: I wrote close to 1,500 words with the new font today!

4/12/24: My manager took the day off so I got burritos with my coworkers. The chicken wasn't too spicy this time, so I enjoyed it a lot

4/13/24: I saw a lot of Homestar Runner posts on my dash because it’s Homestuck day. Can’t find this shit on any other webbed site.

4/14/24: It was 72 and sunny so I spent some time writing outside

4/15/24: Got a nice comment on a fic I never get comments on

4/16/24: Sweet potato tempura roll my beloved. Oh okay also that post on tumblr with the map of all the locations those idiots on Supernatural went and they literally went to my city

4/17/24: My own writing made me cry, in a good way

4/18/24: Saw a really interesting lost media video on YouTube

4/19/24: Cute spider on the wall in the hallway at work

4/20/24: Decided not to skip this day after all. I played some Animal Crossing Wild World

4/21/24: I really am lucky to have caring friends. Also kittens in the discord!

4/22/24: My friend made a fun picrew

4/23/24: I set up a humidifier and an air purifier in my office to help with my dry/itchy/red/painful eyes. I think it might be working already????? My eyes feel good today

4/24/24: I did a request for an isolated Digimon BGM and it came out really good!

4/25/24: Made a neocities page and messed around with templates

4/26/24: Had a yummy impossible burger

4/27/24: Went to a craft fair and found a necklace that goes really nicely with the shirt I'm wearing today. Also pad see ew with beef happened

4/28/24: Went bowling and got some writing done

4/29/24:

4/30/24: It’s gonna be May!

5/1/24: Working on Digimon BGM again!

5/2/24: Some ship pins I ordered on Etsy arrived

5/3/24: Not to be repetitive, but Digimon BGM work is very delightful!

5/4/24: idk crispy chicken blt wrap

5/5/24: Whole pomegranates at my grocery store

5/6/24: Had a really productive writing sprint

5/7/24: Told my boss about my Digimon isolated BGM project and she seemed proud that I was able to master some audio editing skills

5/8/24: Been doing this for 30 days and only missed one! Proud of myself

5/9/24: Got through a stressful doctor’s appointment with composure and bravery

5/10/24: My friend and I bought friendship earrings in the shape of Ty Beanie Baby tags

5/11/24: Went to a local hockey game and there was an AMAZING parody video they played on the jumbotron.

5/12/24: Got some good writing done.

5/13/24:

5/14/24: Got some phonecalls done that I had been putting off. I know this isn't really a little delight, but I'm proud of myself.

5/15/24: Received a really kind and detailed comment on a fic that I wasn't confident in when I published it

[tavarillasgalen]

There is a guy at my gym who is usually there around the same time as me, and we almost always make eye contact and I'll look away. After about a year of this, the other day, he seemed like he was on his way out, then he came up to me, mentioned that he always sees me around, and asked basic things, like what I'm training for and the like.

The next time I see him, he says my name all excited like, comes to the machine next to me, we talk a little bit. College comes up, and he asks where I went to school, I tell him, and he says, "I could cheer for them". Then, he goes on his way and says he really likes seeing me around.

Time after that, I see him on the treadmill, and there are open treadmills on either side of him, but he seems like he's in the zone, so I go to a different row to warm up a bit. When he steps off for a second to get water, he sees me, I say how I didn't want to intrude, and he says I wouldn't be. He asks what I'm doing that day, I tell him, and he says he has a few more miles to go, but after, he's also working those muscle groups, so we can chat if I'm still around then. (Admittedly, I kinda speed through my workout after that because that just kinda made my anxiety spike, lol. And I was embarrassed because I blushed when he talked to me and i don't usually wear makeup to the gym, so, uh, he definitely noticed. So, I kinda wanted out of there lol).

The next day, I'm doing a long run on the treadmill because it's too hot to go outside. He shows up, asks if it's okay if he hops on the treadmill next to me, asks how many miles I'm doing. I tell him 11, but I'm about 4 in. He says he wasn't even planning on coming to the gym today, but he decided to come anyway and he will do 8. So, then we end up talking for the next hour until his 8 miles are up (I'm a very slow runner). He's nice and the conversation seemed to flow well. He mentions that he always likes my outfits and I just say something like yeah, I like putting outfits together.

And now, idk. I get nervous to go to the gym, because it's just weird, idk. Like he's nice, and he outright said I wouldn't be intruding if I went up to him to say hi while he's working out, but I can't get over the part of me that feels like that would be so rude of me to do. Like, I didn't mind when he came up to me or ran next to me, and he outright said he wouldn't mind if i did the same, but still, my brain is convinced he would be annoyed that i interrupted. I saw him across the gym yesterday, but he was in the middle of a set and I had just hopped on the treadmill, and I was kinda like, I feel like I should go say hi, but also, we're both in the middle of things right now, and I couldn't get over the feeling that I would be being rude if I did. But now I feel like I was being rude by not doing anything.

Idk. It's weird, lol.

[juliuscaesar-txt]

hi if u want to please elaborate on your opinions on juno steel and the embrace of the ice 🥺

YES hello i know i'm about 6 months late but i had literally no time

longpost warning tho, for rather obvious reasons. also spoilers probably somewehere, but i think i can presume most of the current active fandom is familiar with the literal 1st episode of season 4

if that doesn't repell you, feel free to read under the cut

juno origin story??! we were given so many hints throughout the previous seasons, and i guess monster's reflection is kinda an origins episode, but not really? monster's reflection is rather like an origin for juno the person while also being a breaking point for his character development, which is, as i previously said, very much on a personal level. but embrace of ice is an origin story for juno the detective. (on the same note, i think angel of brahma is the origin of nureyev as a person, and stone unturned+next page are origins for nureyev the thief) all the hints to juno's falling out with the hcpd, his friendship with rita, how juno steel private investigator came to be, even the fucking wedding dress mentioned in s2, it's all explained in such a way

the parallelism is just. top notch. i love parallelisms, i love double timelines in a story, how the past and present intertwine, etc etc. i especially like how the stories are in no way the same, not really similar, but they still feel connected

it's simultaneously a downfall story and an uprise story, which is sort of poetic and also something i personally really like. another thing i really like is characters at rock bottom, with literally nothing to lose and everything to gain and because of that, sort of ruthless and determined to do whatever might get them to what they're aiming for. and that's juno, whose world has shattered to pieces, both when he found out how corrupt are not only the hcpd, but also the people closest to him since his brother was killed and is hellbent on exposing the corruption, and when his newfound family is also shattered to pieces, literally taken away from him (not to mention nureyev disappearing, again) and now is determined to get them back even with no resources and the whole world against him. both of the parallel stories are an ending and beginning of a chapter of juno's life.

diamond is so incredibly humanised. when she was mentioned earlier, the general consensus within the fandom was that she was an abusive monster of an ex. but that's not at all what she was, and however clearly we can see why her and juno's relationship fell apart, we can also see how much he loved her, and why he loved her. (she's also a bit similar to nureyev, in the same way juno and slip share some characteristics, therefore, both juno and nureyev have a type)

it has a banger of a soundtrack. it just sounds so good. the opening music? so funky so cool i love it. puck's theme? diamond's theme? actually the whole soundtrack?? it makes this episode so nice to listen to.

season 4 isn't the strongest season of tpp. i think it has like, five actually really good episodes (embrace of ice, stone unturned, the prison arc, and next page, with the haunting of the terrible trio as a runner-up) but when they're good, man do they deliver. and season 4, even if it's not that good in it's entirety, has an incredibly strong opening. embrace of ice is just. a good introduction to the new status quo. the strong emotions from the unfolding of s3 have subsided (but are still to some extent relevant) and now we can fully focus on what's next.

it introduces the new characters so well!! puck, captain hijikata, diamond, they all stand out and are really compelling characters

just. puck. and on the same note juno. i like how they both seem like slightly different people in the parallel stories, but it still makes sense how they have went from the point in the flashbacks to the people they are in the present. and also puck is such a character i love them. (and rita doesn't really change ever, that's so true of her) i might also mention the ruby7, because ye

as honourable mentions: younger juno's mannerisms, the way (present) juno talks about nureyev, puck and juno's siblings dynamic, i really like hijikata's voice idk why but i do, rita deserved so much better, the entire last scene, the settings (i missed hyperion, also, io just vibes with me)

bloody hell this post got so long. but. i think that's it?? thanks for reading (and i admire your attention span, because damn, this got long)