#Ship: Gilded Cage

[vos-videmus]

Hey we hate your vibes so we're gonna beat you up now

[fernsnouveau]

Yeah no I didn't come here to watch Adrien date Gabriel 2.0

[queensparklekitten]

time princess players how do y'all picture the MCs of every story

like since every set and piece of official art has a different hair colour, length, and style with every picture of them, and sometimes there's descriptions that don't match the images, which one do you go with

and do you make half of them look like your avatar or have your own designs

[cuspidgoddess]

💡 I wanna switch it up mildly and ask what inspired fumi/shoto? It's such a strange pairing (don't get me wrong, I adore them I just wanna know what brought them together in your mind)

They were sort of a happy accident. I needed a way to get Shoto to Dabi, and there were very few ways I could do that that wouldn’t garner immediate suspicion from UA so it had to be Fumi that brought him, and the only way that would happen is if they were already friends. Then their characters sort of grew together and I have always pictured Shoto needing some level of tactile reassurance, and same with Fumikage and they just sort of started to cling to each other when I would put them in scenes together 🫠

The more they interacted and became comrades with this huge secret betrayal of the heroes for the family they had found for themselves the more the little pool noodle of a ship that they are grew.

Originally I had been planning to pair Fumi with Toshi because from the start when I decided Fumikage was an orphan I had already decided he and Toshi would be best friends. But then Fumi and Shoto happened and my Fumi/Toshi idea was quietly sent to a farm up north.

Thanks for playing my dear!

[alackofghosts]

...wrt yesterdays + today's prompts, honestly it takes me by surprise sometimes how much of the buildup + confession + first times for xyz are set in stone for ardbert/wol, when those are the kinds of things i'd usually rotate around in my head forever without settling on any one thing, because they were BY FAR the most enjoyable aspects of shipping for me. but now, with them, even the early stuff that i want to redraw, i just want to redraw to improve the quality lol, not to change the trajectory of anything... who am i...

[wildflowercryptid]

barely 2 chapters into a semi-charming kind of life and i'm already screaming over the parallels i'm seeing between darling and apple, oh my god...

[alexandraisyes]

Do you have any favourite TSAMS poly ships?

All of them, duh.

Okay okay ajfklg;jfdg I'll take it slightly more seriously with the disclaimer THESE ARE ALL MY AUS YOU CANNOT FIGHT ME ON THESE THEY ARE AUS AND ARE NOT RELATED TO THE CANON OR REFLECTIVE OF THE CANON FAMILY TREE!

And now I'll share the pre-planned poly ships in my AUs :D

(Some spoilers for different stories so if you don't want spoilers don't click the readmore)

Highly Unconventional - Sun/BM/Lunar - Killcode/Flare/Earth - Ruin/Solar/Eclipse

A Gilded Cage - Harvest/Sun/Flare

Sweet Tooth - Moon/Ruin/Lunar - Earth/Puppet/Eclipse - Sun/Dark Sun/Solar/Nexus (V poly)

R E S E T - Everyone (This is a joke) - Dark Sun/Servant Sun/Lonely Sun (QPR) - Foxy/Puppet/Earth - All the Montys - Killcode/Flare/Ember/BM/Crescent - Sun/Solar/Nexus (V poly) - Killcode/Computer AI 1/Computer AI 2 - Evil Lunar/Feral Moon/Lord Lunar/Servant Eclipse

Ruined - Moon/Ruin/Solar

And then ofc just poly ships I like in general - Add Solar Flare and it's great - BM/Lunar/Gemini - EAPS Sun/EAPS Moon/Ballora - See also with Eclipse - Puppet/Foxy/Nexus - Anything with dimensional alternates

[soraeia]

…….

How does a moment last forever? How can a story never die? It is love we must hold onto Never easy, but we try Sometimes our happiness is captured Somehow, our time and place stand still Love lives on inside our hearts and always will

Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone But when all else has been forgotten Still our song lives on

Maybe some moments weren't so perfect Maybe some memories not so sweet But we have to know some bad times Or our lives are incomplete Then when the shadows overtake us Just when we feel all hope is gone We'll hear our song and know once more Our love lives on

How does a moment last forever? How does our happiness endure? Through the darkest of our troubles Love is beauty, love is pure Love pays no mind to desolation It flows like a river through the soul Protects, proceeds, and perseveres And makes us whole

Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone But when all else has been forgotten Still our song lives on How does a moment last forever When our song lives on

[tallbluelady]

an exploratory kiss, testing the waters between them

How sweet I roamed, or, rather, used to roam; once I was the perfect child of meadows of summer, but then the year turned, the light clarified and I saw the gaunt Erl-King, tall as a tree with birds in its branches, and he drew me towards him on his magic lasso of inhuman music.

Angela Carter, The Erl-King.

[washingtonleagueoffurries]

While I was watching a playthrough of RE4 remake, I realized how the Leon-Ashley dynamic reminds me so much of Lara and Sam from TR 2013. Like, literally both games were about saving the girl who keeps getting taken away lol

[hclluvasinners]

>sees new screenshot of vaggie w/ what looks like wings?

>immediately thinks about valentino ripping off vaggie's wings.

[vos-videmus]

give me one more night

[elfy-elf-imagines]

Tolerate It | Thranduil

▹ Pairing: Thranduil x Human!Reader

▹ Genre: Angst

▹ Words: ~2k

▹ Summary: A political alliance makes you the new wife of the elven king Thranduil, trapping you in a gilded cage of elven craft.

▹ Notes: I couldn't get this idea out of my head.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

The banquet hall of Eryn Galen was buzzing with high energy. 

The lights were bright, the drinks flowing. Each guest was too deep in their cups as the band played jaunty tunes that kept spirits high. You sat at the end of the table, to the direct right of Thranduil, Legolas seated directly across from you to the king's left. 

Everything was beautiful, similar to what you imagined heaven may look like. The celebration had been highly anticipated, the steward meticulously planning for months to ensure the night would be perfect. 

Each guest had dressed to the nines, and you had been no exception. Silks that flowed like a languid river, braids woven throughout your hair, and glittering jewels that rivaled the stars in the sky. You’d felt quite pretty after your handmaidens finished, taking in your appearance with rapt attention. 

Yet as the king - your husband - met with you, he barely paid you more than a glance. Not a single compliment or acknowledgment slipped from his lips, just the stiff offering of his arm and a cold demeanor you’d never been able to break through.

Not even the bitterness of the red wine you drank could ease the pain festering inside you. You glanced at Thranduil, his attention on his steward whispering something in his ear. Regal and commanding, you’d thought marriage to the elven king would be something out of a fairytale. Yet your story became twisted, and instead of a happy ending, you were trapped in a doomed marriage. It was like a wall separated you from him; you’d tirelessly beat against it with a hammer; Thranduil was on the other end, reinforcing the stone. 

You glanced down at your dress, the pale green fabric, Thranduil’s favorite shade. Even still, you were desperate for his validation and approval, like a child tugging at their father’s sleeves. A stray hair fell in front of your face, and you pushed it behind your ear, hands ghosting over your rounded ears. Maybe if you’d been an elf and not a human, he might view you as an equal and not a consolation prize. 

One hand below the table closed into a tight fist while you downed the rest of your wine in one gulp. 

Legolas met your eye from across the table with an almost apologetic grin. You returned it with a tight smile you tried to make pleasant. Legolas knew all too well the neglect his father could inflict, so he often preferred the forests over the palace. There was an understanding that made your pain more bearable. 

The handmaidens you brought from home and your stepson, who was older than your eldest living relatives, were all that kept you from falling into true despair. 

Like clockwork, a servant filled your chalice, and you gladly drank. This wine was sweeter and less sharp than the red you were expecting. Once again, you looked towards Thranduil, no longer speaking with his steward but quietly watching the party play out. You reached out, delicately placing your hand over his, only for his to push it away, not bothering to pay you a glance. 

The blatant rejection stung, always taking up too much space and time. Would Thranduil even notice if you’d stolen away into the night? If you pulled the dagger your marriage embedded in you, breaking free and leaving this miserable life behind. What might it be like to shed the weight of Thranduil’s cold disposition and an overly suspicious, judgmental, elvish kingdom? You’d be free and weightless for the first time in years. 

Yet, just as soon as the fantasies came, they fizzled out with the weight of reality. You had no money of your own, no survival skills, and nowhere to go. If you returned home, your father would ship you back to Thranduil. The dark forests and the creatures that lurked within would kill you. There was nowhere to go. No freedom to be found. 

You didn’t bother hiding the frown on your lips; no one in the room paid you much mind. They looked through you as if you were a phantom that clung to the residence of its former life. How was it possible to be in such a crowded room and yet still be so alone?

"How much longer do you believe this will go on for?"

At some point, Legolas had moved from across the table and was now seated to your left, watching the crowded room with thinly veiled discomfort.

" I hope for not much longer. I've never been amendable to crowds so large as this one."

Legolas laughed, the noise swallowed by the noise of the room. "And yet you are queen; should you not be used to such raucous parties?"

You tilted your glass towards him, a slight quirk on your lips.

"I could say the same about you, prince."

He nodded in silent agreement, quickly drinking from his glass, which you noticed was filled with water and not wine.

"I get to run off to the forest. How do you deal with all of this?" The smile on your face fell as your eyes dimmed, a reminder of your current standing.

"No one pays me mind. A blessing, I suppose." You attempted to laugh it off, but you couldn't keep the somberness from your tone. You were trapped in a gilded cage, a prisoner in your own home.

"Then I suppose I'll need to take more respites in the castle."

"You don't need--"

"I insist; what kind of friend would I be if I didn't check on your wellbeing."

So warm and inviting, it made you wonder how Legolas could be the son of Thranduil; he must take after his mother. You wondered, if only for a moment, how different your life might be if you'd been married to Legolas instead of his father. He was the more age appropriate option and if he didn't love you he'd at least respect you. But those thoughts were pointless; you'd been married to Thranduil and not Legolas.

"I think I'm technically your stepmother."

"But you feel more like a friend."

You didn't bother to argue, placing down your wine chalice to take a cool water drink. It was refreshing, soothing the burn the wine had created.

"Then I am glad we are friends."

Before he could respond, a member of his guard called his name. The elf enthusiastically waved him over, yelling something in elvish too slurred for you to understand.

Legolas shook his head, refusing the call, but you placed a single hand on his shoulder.

"Go, enjoy the night. I'll be fine over here."

He tried to discern if you were being dishonest but found nothing but sincerity. Just because you were miserable didn't mean he should be. With a single nod, Legolas left the table to join the group forming in the corner of the room.

Left in the chaos with no one to speak with, you picked up the chalice with wine. At some point during your conversation, Thranduil wandered off, talking with some of the higher-ranking nobles.

Thickly, you swallowed, hiding your face as you slowly drank from your glass.

When would this torment end?

---

The night dragged on at an impossibly slow speed. Your sorrow brought time to a near halt. By the time the crowd began to thin and Thranduil had escorted you back to your shared chambers, you’d forgotten how many glasses of wine you consumed. You managed to keep your composure and pride, not letting you show how light and lethargic the alcohol made you. 

Now, you sat before your vanity, preparing for bed as did Thranduil. There were so many pins placed in your hair that you struggled to pull them out without ripping your hair. Your head throbbed, and your frustration was building; you just wanted sleep. A cold hand pushed yours away, tangling in your hair. With practiced and fluid movements, Thranduil began to take down your hair. He was quick and efficient, his hands in your hair almost soothing.

The action was oddly domestic, and it caused a pang of pain in your chest. If the gods had been fair enough to bless you with a husband who loved you, this would be a nightly occurrence, not a rare show of care. 

“There’s too many pins in your hair.” Always critical; nothing would ever be good enough. 

A beat of silence passed; did he even want you to speak?

“It was a special occasion; I wanted something different done to my hair.” 

Clink. He placed the last pin on the table and stepped away from you.

“It was a bit gauche.”

Expression tight, you stared at your reflection, focused on your dark hair that tangled too quickly and your nearly pallid complexion. Gauche and graceless, the elves would never view you as their own. 

“I thought it looked nice.” 

His answer was to silently turn his back to you, moving to the other end of the room. The silence was maddening. Your attention never moved from your reflection, lips downturned as your eyes hardened. Pain turned to rage, pity becoming an all-consuming fire that threatened to turn all in your wake to ash. 

“Why marry me?” Your tone was harsh, firmer than you could remember speaking.

Thranduil let out a sigh, seemingly annoyed at your mere presence. Normally, his disregard made you shrink, and maybe it was the wine, but it only made you straighten your back, meeting his eyes through his reflection in your mirror. 

“To seal an alliance with your kingdom, you know this.” He was always condescending; he was so much older and wiser. 

“I understand political marriages, but why marry me? You’ve managed political alliances without offering your hand in marriage; you even have a son to marry off. So why--” You slowly stood from your chair, turning to face him directly. “-marry me?”

“Would you have preferred to marry Legolas?” 

“I’d prefer you answer my question. So I’ll ask once more: why marry me?” You strode towards him, eyes narrowed.

“To ensure an alliance with your family.”

“That is it? For no reason other than that.”

Thranduil looked down at you, his lips tight.

“Did you hope to hear differently?” He tilted his head, eyes ice cold and bitter. “Ours was a marriage of convenience, not love.”

You clenched your jaw, swallowing thickly. All of it for nothing, a marriage he knew would never succeed. He may have been content with a loveless life after the passing of his wife, but he knowingly dragged you into it. To turn your life into a void--

You wanted to scream, to yell obscenities at him, to spit all the vile venom his careless behavior filled you with. But it would do no good. An emotional breakdown wouldn’t mend your rift; there was no foundation of respect to rebuild. It was just endless nothingness. Standing at the precipice, you would simply fall into a never-ending pit. 

“I see.”

A hint of shock made his eyes widen a fraction, expecting an outburst like the one you fantasized about. Humans weren’t known for patience, yet it wasn’t patience that kept you silent. It was dejection; you'd given up hope of anything better than what you had.

You dared not move, not even blink until Thranduil turned towards the door.

“I think I will ensure the keep is secured. Goodnight.” 

Head turned, yet your eyes remained where he once stood; you remained silent. The door opened and quietly shut behind his retreating form. Only then did you exhale the breath you’d been holding. 

The bed was plush under your body, and the comforter was like a cloud, yet you’d never felt more miserable. You turned your back to the side Thranduil would take when he returned to the chambers. Eyes shut, soothed by the darkness, you dreamed of something more.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Tags: @jmablurry | @lunatichaotiche | @aearonnin | @emiliessketches | @vibratingbones | @moony-artnstuff | @ranhanabi777 | @kenobiguacamole | @ceinelee | @thranduil | @samnblack | @abbiesthings | @Strangebananabatranch | @bitter--fruit | @keijibum | @lifestylesleep | @themerriweathermage | @im-a-muggleborn | @sweetheart-syndrome | @boyruins | @AwkwardBecomesYou | @delyeceamaitare

[icarusignite]

PIRATE! ATEEZ MASTERLIST

The ships have come to carry you home Pairing: Captain Hongjoong x Runaway Princess Reader Summary: Weary of the gilded cage of royalty, you escape your opulent life, only to realize that your longing for freedom has landed you in the clutches of ruthless pirates. Determined to prove your worth, you must persuade the enigmatic captain to defy the bounty on your head.

Pairing: Siren Yeosang x Poacher Reader Summary: You have always lived by the code of the hunt, and as a skilled poacher of exotic creatures, the only law you abide by is that of your own survival. But when a lucrative contract tasks you with capturing a siren alive, you find yourself ensnared in a perilous game where delivering the prize without succumbing to your own guilt or its elusive song proves impossible. (coming soon)

Pairing: Ex-Naval Officer Jongho x Captive Reader Summary: As the daughter of the naval commander, you find yourself ensnared by the very pirates your father hunts. Among them, your most ruthless captor is none other than the man who once served your father but is now a deserter of the worst kind. As days turn to weeks, you uncover the hidden truths that drove him from the ranks of the navy, and through the eyes of your captor, you witness the cruel corruption that festers within the very force sworn to protect the seas. (coming soon)

Pairing: Cartographer Yunho x Pirate Reader Summary: When you find yourself marooned on a remote island after your ship is stolen, you must rely on your wits to survive. With the unexpected help of an old friend, you join a new crew ready to take back what was yours. Among your new allies is the soft-spoken cartographer, whose quiet strength and compassion offer you unexpected comfort. (coming soon)

Pairing: Explosives Master Mingi x Medic Reader Summary: Life as the ship's medic is no easy task, battling not only the fierce skirmishes and injuries typical of a pirate's life but also the ship's resident explosive expert, who constantly finds new excuses to seek your company, often accompanied by yet another injury for you to tend to. Despite your repeated warnings, his cavalier attitude toward safety continues to test your patience and skills, until his recklessness costs him more than he could ever anticipate. (coming soon)

Pairing: Lookout San x Spy reader Summary: You have managed to infiltrate a notorious pirate ship through deception and lies. Your mission: to pass on their secrets to their enemies. But navigating the perilous waters becomes increasingly difficult when you discover the all-seeing eyes of the ship's lookout, who seems to witness all and scrutinize your every move. Caught between the need for stealth and the watchful gaze that seems to penetrate your every facade, you must tread carefully, or risk being exposed and facing dire consequences. (coming soon)

Pairing: Firstmate Seonghwa x Ghost Reader Summary: Trapped for centuries within an ancient artifact as a restless ghost, you find yourself unexpectedly released by the intimidating first mate of a pirate ship. However, there's more to him than meets the eye, and as you struggle to adapt to a world you no longer recognize, he finds himself strangely drawn to you and your secrets. (coming soon)

Pairing: Quartermaster Wooyoung x Pirate Hunter Reader Summary: You have dedicated your life to eradicating piracy from the seas, but when a case of mistaken identity finds you on the wrong side of the law, you're forced to flee with the very crew you have sworn to destroy. Onboard the pirate ship, tensions run high, and you find yourself torn between your duty and an unexpected connection with the charming quartermaster who is determined to make you stay. (coming soon)

A/N: lol so Ateez at Coachella was my final straw and I absolutely had to write for them. This pirate/maritime theme has been rattling around in my head for a while so I'm excited to get into it. They're probably going to be one-shots or maybe 2 parters if they get long. Comment if you wanna be added to the tag list <3 will probably post the first one sometime next week cuz exams this week rip

[aamaranthiine]

She was so tired.

Weariness deep in her bones, in her soul. The sea stone cold and bitter around her throat and wrists, gnawing at her from the inside out. It took so much of her self control not to claw at the bindings, to want to shred and tear and peel at her very flesh until she could escape the wretched material. She wanted to sleep for centuries, as much as she wanted to run as fast and as far as her legs could carry her.

All this carefully tucked behind her resigned, docile mask as she is escorted from place to place throughout the Lannister home. When would she be allowed just a moment of privacy? Somewhere quiet and dark to curl up in and welcome the nightmares that await her in sleep. They would be a comfort compared to the waking horror her life is slowly unraveling into. There is certainly one thing she and her betrothed might agree on: neither of them wanted this arrangement.

Winding halls and luxurious spaces decorated with ill begotten spoils. Thea is beckoned into the chamber where Jaime waits, as surely it was important for them to at least acquaint with one another before they got married. The impending nuptials made her stomach churn all the more with revulsion.

'The Lady Amalthea for you, Master Lannister.' Says the droning voice of her appointed escort, 'Please, do not hesitate to call if you should require anything.' The servant dismisses themselves, leaving Thea to stand idle, the eerie stillness of her posture and stare settling on Jaime.

"You're one of those Holy Knights or something, I was told." Her voice is quiet, like the sigh of a spring breeze, "How much of the world have you seen?"

Starter for @aamaranthiine from Jaime (OP verse) In response to this post (Not Accepting)

Fingers are drumming impatiently against the table as he's waiting for his betrothed. The word alone has him shaking his head. This wasn't what he wanted. He wanted no wife, no children. It was why he had joined the Gods Knights all those years ago. To avoid these responsibilities. He didn't want to become the new head of house Lannister, his brother Tyrion could have all the titles for all he cared. Jaime only wanted to be knight, wanted to be as famous and skilled as Saint Garling. A decision his father had always hated and despite everything he had still found a way to get what he wanted.

His future wife wasn't one from the other houses or even a celestial dragon in the first place. No. She came from the Blues and yet she was something special. He knew his sister had already met her and knowing her she was likely already planning to get rid of her too. Just like she had done with her husband. Not that Jaime could blame her for this, he happily turned a blind eye to her doings in this regard.

As the door opens Jaime has at least the decency to stand up from his seat. Looking at her he could see that she was as happy about this arrangement as he was, meaning not at all. She was...not at all what he had expected if he was honest with himself.

[andromeda3116]

i just

i just gotta get on my soapbox for a sec bc like

mai becoming fire lady is like. her worst ending. she's just being stuffed back into the box of nobility! the life that bored her so desperately that she was willing to go with azula just for a fucking change of pace

i will always think of the person on lj who described mai as "spoiled beyond feeling" bc she's been given everything she has ever needed or asked for... except freedom or love

my ending for mai is -- for one, her reply to azula is not "you miscalculated, i love zuko more than i fear you," it's "you miscalculated, i am not afraid of you" as she attacks azula and takes control of her own life

and in the epilogue, zuko actually goes to the boiling rock to free her, only to find a letter -- a letter! thematic consistency! -- from her explaining that she and ty lee are already free (either having escaped on their own or been released by her uncle) and have decided to break out of all their chains and see what the world has to offer (or be made to offer) two dangerous ladies who are stepping out of the gilded cage and coming into their own

so her happy ending is not going back into the nobility and continuing to be spoiled beyond feeling, but choosing to forego the spoiling to find feeling and meaning and freedom

it's also ty lee choosing to forego being part of a matched set or being under someone else's power or thumb and choosing to find out who she is on her own, not the sixth sister or the circus girl or azula's lackey, but ty lee, standing on her feet without any lines or nets to catch her nor any claws or flames to contain her, titling her chin up and capitulating to no one and deciding for herself who she wants to be

like holy shit, the canon endings for them suck so much they both deserve so much better and especially mai who i genuinely fucking love and think is such an interesting character whose endgame ship is just. it's so bad. it's a net-zero for her characterization, she just... goes back to exactly what she left before and... that's it

that's the ending

that's the ending?

mai deserved better

there, i'm saying it: mai deserved fucking better than that