#TRUE love true love like with will just infatuation but the genuine romantic kind. he REALLY likes girls ok’

[mikesbasementbeets]

people will truly go so far out of their way to avoid admitting that mike never loved el romantically like ‘he’s confusing true love with infatuation’ and ‘it’s not real adult love it was puppy love that faded as they got older’ and ‘the contrast with byIer just shows the difference between a childhood crush and genuine mature love’ like just say platonic. the word you’re looking for is platonic.

[bitethedevil]

from what i’ve read up on with cambions, it sounds like such a horrible life. it makes me respect raphael a bit more, honestly. their mothers always die after giving birth to them, so they’re normally abandoned in the material plane. and then they’re rejected by both mortals and devils alike, albeit for different reasons.

the game makes it out like raphael has always been this big bad, but i bet that isn’t true. i’m sure he had to play the game of the hells and play it well to get to where he is when we first meet him

my soft heart wonders what it’d be like if a omeone were to fall for him, as dangerous and foolish as they KNOW it is. has he ever felt genuinely loved and admired? what would this look like?

i understand that he most likely could never feel emotions the way mortals do, even given his other non-devil half. but i wonder how he would react to that.

(i found a comment on a forum that i liked lol, them saying devils may love like cats do. selfishly and possessively)

I think he would be into affectionate gestures, but he sure as the Hells won’t admit it (which as you said, probably also stems from how taboo it is in the Hells and the fact that he does not want to appear weak). I think the cat comparison would be spot on.

He’d be researching something for a client and thrusts a book into your hand. Then he’d lay his head in your lap and guide one of your hands to his hair to massage his scalp and the other to the book and demand you to read out loud for him. He’d claim that: No, it is NOT because he likes it and it’s definitely NOT because he thinks your voice is pleasant to listen to. It’s simply more efficient and he has been working all day, so you might as well make yourself useful because he is TIRED. Now, read.  

Although, like a cat, I think it would all be on his terms. It’s when he feels like.

I also think this man would love receiving compliments and I don’t think he would be able to get enough of it. He’d live for someone who strokes his ego, and if the kind of affection that the other person gives him achieves that, I think he could get addicted to it. I think I’ve mentioned before: he would be so into someone who is just completely obsessed and infatuated with him.

That said, Raphael is a master at ‘playing human’ so if he is trying to manipulate someone into liking him or such, he can definitely play his part of affectionate human when it’s needed.

I also have a really dark headcanon that he has been in love when he was younger, but Mephistopheles but an end to it by getting rid of them (potentially why he sent him Haarlep instead). Just to remind his son that he isn't all that, because non-Archdevils aren't supposed to have sex or have consorts.

(Thank you for the ask and I love that you have already researched it. I am a slut for talking about lore <3)

(I’m also including two other asks in this one because I get a lot of questions about Raphael’s relationship with affection: “Do you think Raphael have/had romantic relationship? What will be his love language?” and “how would Raphael react to an affectionate tav?”)

[frozenjokes]

the devil fosters kittens and hires exorbitantly expensive prostitution

ao3 link - this fic is rated mature on ao3. please mind the ao3 tags

Grian stood hunched over the door knob, grip tight enough to crack the handle, shaking, veins bulging. This couldn’t be happening. This could not be happening. Left alone for months- Why now?

Mumbo’s fingers were curled over Grian’s shoulder, grabbing him, shaking him, he was speaking, yelling, but it was long before the words came into focus.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!? Grian!”

Did he see it? Did Mumbo understand when Grian turned his head, looked up, did he know Grian’s fear? Had he ever seen Grian this way, petrified, moved to action by fear deeper than instinct, locked in horrible, hopeless infatuation. Grian could not name the feeling; to say romantic felt shallow, not enough, his obsession rooted further in Mumbo’s potential, his creativity, his prowess, the unrelenting love he had to give for the world in which they lived; did no one understand just how much was at stake here? Devastating could not scratch the surface of this loss, Grian could not let Mumbo be surrendered to his heritage, not when it was so clear that every person touched by Mumbo’s light was better for it.

Grian was better for it. Mumbo made him better.

“I’m afraid,” he said, and of course it was true. Because this was a battle Grian was not sure he could win. For all his willpower, he could not make Mumbo reject the call to blood. For all his longing to cover Mumbo’s eyes, take it all away, and bear it himself, this was not Grian’s burden to carry. Mumbo had to make the choice. No amount of setting him up for success could save him from the wrong path.

Grian did not want to kill him. He didn’t believe Mumbo was beyond saving, not yet, but he- he wouldn’t let Mumbo become a puppet, either. If anyone was going to snuff the light, there would be no unnecessary pain. Mumbo was a good man, and that legacy would be preserved.

“I- I know you don’t like the assassination business coming home, Grian,” Mumbo tried, and he was really trying, his own frustrations aside. “And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to come home to that, but it really wasn’t what it looked like. Cub wasn’t- I was trying to make him leave, I didn’t want him here either, and I promise I have no idea how he found our address, but he was- I don’t know, intoxicated? He was saying all sorts of crazy shit, he was really distressed, and I think I offended him and I couldn’t just send him away. I.. Maybe I should have done it anyway. I kind of panicked. He was genuinely hurt, I think so at least. He asked me to cut his hair and I- I panicked, like I said I just.. did it. I still don’t really know what he wanted, but he wasn’t here to hurt me or you. I really believe that.”

Grian didn’t believe it. He didn’t believe it for a second, not when Cub’s will was tied intrinsically to Scar’s, whether Cub was aware of it or not. Cub was a victim, but not anyone that could be saved, not anymore. The fact that he was here at all was- it was-

But Mumbo didn’t know. There was no way he could have known, and maybe the worst part was that Mumbo was only acting so unapologetically himself, Grian had nothing to blame him for. He took in a stranger. Cut his hair.

If this had not been an act, if a victim was still in there, then this was just another life Mumbo had touched, a life far more unfortunate than his own.

“I’m sorry,” Grian breathed, air coming scarce from his lungs, “I didn’t know. You did a good thing.”

Mumbo released a long breath, one Grian suspected he’d been holding in the lengthy pause between his own words and Grian’s answer. “Is he still there?”

Grian tensed, hand sweating on the handle, but after a few moments hesitation he pulled the door back regardless, just a crack. No one was there. He did not have to report; Mumbo saw it too. Grian closed the door.

“There’s something else I need to tell you. To explain this. I should have told you a lot sooner, but you were really hurt, and the amnesia was so bad for weeks, even with treatment and I-“

“Grian, what is it?” Mumbo’s brow was tight, and Grian pursed his lips in recognition.

“There was another man at the hospital, he came to pick Cub up, insisted he introduce himself to you, do you remember? It’s alright if you don’t.”

Mumbo thought for a moment, but seemed to recognize quickly there was no point. “I don’t really remember anything until a few weeks later.”

“I know,” Grian mumbled, if for no other reason but to acknowledge. Those were.. a really frightening first few days, better in the following weeks, but even now, Mumbo still struggled with his short term memory, and it’s likely he’d carry that for the rest of his life. It hurt, fuck it hurt, that Grian couldn’t prevent an injury so severe so young. It wasn’t fair, not fair to Mumbo, but it took all of Grian’s strength just to keep Mumbo from chasing this horrific assassin fixation. At least five concussions put a stop to that.. for now.

“Well, when I was waiting for you, the man who came for Cub was next to me, and apparently Cub had texted him, told him everything, and he was- I don’t even know if he was angry, but he must have a part in the hits Cub is assigned, because he kept threatening me, threatening you, and I was afraid to move, I thought he might just shoot me right there, I don’t know, I was so scared and he was so quiet, I couldn’t do anything. It’s been such a long time, I just assumed things had blown over, but.. I just freaked out, seeing Cub. I’m still- I’m really freaking out, Mumbo.”

Mumbo blinked a few times in rapid succession, mouth slightly agape. “Oh, fuck. Oh my god, Grian, you should have told me- I’m not mad, I- of course not-“ Mumbo stopped, pulling Grian away from the door and into a firm hug. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

“You didn’t know. You did a good thing, Mumbo.”

“I’ll keep a better eye. I promise. I didn’t.. I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I wish- I wanted this to be separate, but I know that’s.. stupid.”

A heavy sadness weighed on Grian’s chest, and he pushed his head into Mumbo’s shoulder, zeroing his focus on his friend’s still-beating heart. “You were upfront with me. I knew what I was getting into.” And he did. God, Mumbo had no idea the extent of it.

“I know,” Mumbo mumbled, resting his chin on Grian’s head. “Guess I just want it all.”

“We’ll get through it, Mumbo. We’ll make it through.” Grian hoped he managed to push an ounce of confidence through, though no facade could keep himself from wavering. Really, he wasn’t fooling anyone. Mumbo knew Grian’s misery as well as his own.

///

Cub thought the couch was a good addition to the cat room in the clownvent; sure, all the fostered kittens were just going to destroy it, but now Cub could experience his depression spiral in new and improved comfort, while Scar went about seeing how many four week old kittens he could stack on Cub’s back. Previous record was twelve, and Scar had set himself up for success by feeding the little bastards before putting them to bed on top of Cub, really coaxing them into sleep after a nice meal. So far, Scar had managed nine; there were fourteen current fosters at the clownvent, so the record was well within reach.

Scar crossed his legs, readjusting the kitten he was bottle feeding in his lap. It didn’t seem to mind at all, much more focused on the bottle it was affixed to and kneading into Scar’s pants.

“You know, the orphans at this age can be such a pain in the ass, especially when there’s this many, but when they’re all grown up, I find myself missing it, you know? I mean look at their itty bitty ears, Cub, they’re so damn cute I just can’t even stand it. Even when it’s the middle of the night and I have a bottle-baby shift and I’m ready to end it all. Good thing Skizz has a thing for clowns, or I think we’d all give up taking in the little ones who can’t eat yet. It gets to you! These little cretins have been a delight though, a delight. Are you sure you don’t want to feed the next one? It’s healing, it really is. You don’t even need two hands, they just sit here like angels!”

“No thanks,” Cub mumbled, turning back to lay face down into the pillow. He kinda wanted to roll over, but then Scar would lose progress on his stacking endeavors. And suddenly, like a divine reminder floating down from the heavens, Cub remembered he did not care.

Scar’s screech was immaculate, the kitten avalanche even better, all nine of them tumbling off him with startled mews and flailing paws. He felt the pinpricks of a set of claws through his shirt, and leaned back to grab it, pulling the startled kitten back into the cave of his body against the back couch cushions. It squirmed a little, alarmed, but by now these things had been manhandled to hell and back, and being scooped up by massive human paws was just a matter of life. It settled on Cub’s new cast, purring.

“Cuuuub! What have you done! They were sound asleep, you monster!”

“So sad..”

“You act like you have no control over yourself! Oohhhh you’re lucky I’ve got a kitten in my lap right now or I’d really be angry. This little monster is having the best meal of his life, and I will not take that away from him.”

“Capital punishment for whoever shat all over the wall. This is what they get.”

“Noooo! You didn’t even have to clean that up, you don’t get a say. I only sent you that picture because I have no idea how they managed it, I’m imagining kitten handstands and diarrhea explosions. They have done nothing wrong.”

“I have a fundamental problem with any shit from any creature being smeared on a perfectly good wall.”

“Well I have a fundamental problem with you!”

“Ditto.”

Scar paused, quiet enough that Cub could hear the kitten in his lap sucking the last dregs of milk from its bottle. “You don’t really mean that though, do you?”

Cub rolled his eyes. “With you being what you are, I never wouldn’t have guessed you to be sensitive.”

“Well I’m just saying, you having a fundamental problem with me would basically be the same as you having a fundamental problem with yourself, so.. checkmate!” Scar released the kitten he was feeding in favor for the next in line, and only noticed Cub craning his neck to Look at him belatedly. Scar’s whole expression dropped, a clear sign he’d gotten the memo, so Cub turned back around.

“Noooo! Cub! Noooooooo!” Suddenly there were a lot more kittens being piled on Cub’s side, crawling all over the place, which, to Scar’s credit, was mildly delightful. “Cub, you’ve always had this grand capacity to care about other people, and it’s a lovely look on you, really, but it makes you so, so sad!”

Cub felt Scar’s hand on his shoulder, and the touch was not unwelcome, but sometimes Cub wondered if this was only a result of their connection. Would he still crave Scar so wholly if he had never descended those stairs?

“It’s a curse, isn’t it. To be human. I wish I could take it away from you, but that’s life, isn’t it.. It’s been a rough couple months, I know, but my hope is that it’ll only be a few more before you’re raring to go again, right? I mean, retirement is an option as well, and maybe you’d thrive away from the action, but in my experience.. Well, you all don’t do so well. Try as I might, humans are just so temporary. I’d just hate to lose you like this. Maybe I’m speaking too soon- concussions are just nasty business! I’ve seen far too many never bounce back. You’ve got alright resistance to going stir crazy though, you might be alright.”

“That’s not what’s bothering me.” Cub couldn’t help but interrupt before he went on and on, he didn’t care, and he didn’t need Scar pretending he did either. “Why- I want to know what you are. What you’re doing here, where you come from. I want to go there.”

Scar was quiet, and Cub could feel the gears in his mind churning, wondering just how many times he could dance around this topic before he finally answered the damn questions.

“I don’t understand your fixation on specific, concrete, concepts. It’s a human impulse, I understand, but you have no need to hold on to it. You have blood to drink and skin to tear, your most important needs are met.”

“Where do you come from?”

“This has always been my home.”

“What are you!?”

Over Cub’s shoulder, he saw the shadow of a cocked head, “I’m Scar.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“I’ve always been Scar. I don’t know what else to say. There are other scars, I know that to be true, but they are not me. A symptom of life.”

“If you actually cared, then why’d you let me break myself when you knew I’d escape. I hurt myself, when you could have just told me you wanted me to go to Mumbo’s fucking house and I would have done it. For you. Instead you fucked with my head. You made me go under the guise I had a choice.”

“Ah.” Scar considered Cub for a long moment, eyes boring into his back. Cub said nothing, only curling tighter around his kitten. “Well, I didn’t want you to gallivant off on my behalf. I wanted you to go on yours. It’s no fun being a puppet master, Cub, and you’re not a goon. I can be a guiding thought, but I don’t control where you go with it. Part of the appeal is watching what happens. So no, I did not know you would break your wrist to slip the chain. But I didn’t reinforce the locks on the door. And I did hope you’d act. I did not have to steer you very far, if it’s any reassurance. Just a few nights in your head, and your subconscious did the rest. You may have even gotten there alone with time, but I’m tired of waiting. Aren’t you? Besides, the worst of this break should heal in line with your concussions, you haven’t been set back.”

Scar did not hide himself, he never did, not even when Cub was waiting for him to deny what he’d done, poised to snap on his silver tongue and rip it clean off. Scar did not feel shame, or at the very least, Cub didn’t think so. He had less of a semblance of right and wrong and more of a feel for whether or not the thing he was planning on doing was going to piss all his friends off, which, had no impact on Scar’s decision making, only how he reacted to the clapback.

It still. Hurt. Somehow, after eight years of this, it still hurt.

“What’s your endgame. With Mumbo. How do you get your way.”

Scar readjusted, the chair creaking as he leaned back. As far as Scar was concerned, Cub’s outburst was over. The resistance was dealt with. Maybe he was right, too; it’s not like Cub was going to act against him, even now. Especially now.

Scar answered civilly.

“Mumbo is more put together than most. His anchor keeps a short leash, but that’s not necessarily the worst case. Mumbo is deprived. He takes what he wants despite outside influence, which is very good, but whatever charm is keeping him shackled is the biggest problem. That’s not an easy spell to upkeep mind you, and that Grian is weak. He’s tired. Doubt I’d even have to kill the body to break it, I can’t see how Grian has enough energy to maintain himself and control Mumbo as it is- but I don’t want to.”

Scar paused, waiting for input, validation. Cub gave him nothing.

“I want Mumbo to do it! Obviously! I want them both in the ring, and I want Mumbo to rip Grian’s head off his shoulders.” Scar sighed, long and forlorn, “Fuck, he’d have to really snap though, wouldn’t he. I mean, I could push anyone to the brink of madness and let them topple off the edge themselves, but I don’t know if I’m looking to house a berserker right now. Lately, I’ve really been enjoying the company of friends! But I’m not married to any happy ending. Personally, I’d fly to the sun and back to get my claws in that prude. We’ll see.”

“Maybe I want your claws in me instead.” Cub couldn’t help but lift his head, Scar’s eyes meeting his, piercing and smug.

“Can’t stand to hear me yapping so much about anyone else, hm? I see you.”

“You owe me this.”

Scar snorted a short laugh, lurching forward in the next movement, grabbing Cub’s cheek and chin and wrenching his neck painfully to one side. “Someone’s getting a little ahead of himself, isn’t he. I own you. Now I’m going to finish up with these cats, and we can get a move on.”

///

The water was beautiful and endless, dark and blue and infinitely peaceful. Sometimes Grian saw coral reefs, endless fish and color, sometimes he saw orcas or dolphins, sometimes he swam with penguins, blinded by schools of silver fish. He never felt scared here, even when his movements were sluggish, or he couldn’t quite see. He remembered being frustrated, absolutely, but never scared.

It was a little disconcerting when with each passing breath, Grian took in less air. It wasn’t quite noticeable at first, but there was a point where his lungs just weren’t quite full, where the oxygen wasn’t being stolen, just crushed away, little by little. Grian had never drowned before. He pondered that as he floated here, suspended in endless blue. He didn’t particularly want to. He still wasn’t afraid.

Not until he opened his mouth, and the water forced its way in.

Grian gagged, jerking violently into its force when he couldn’t go backward, he couldn’t escape, his eyes shot open, face to face with a looming, dark silhouette. Grian coughed and hacked as the force withdrew, he could have thrown up and wouldn’t have known, spittle and drool coating the hand that clamped over his mouth.

“Shh, shhh, you’re fine. You’re fine, you’re fine, Gri, take a moment won’t you? Breathe. Just breathe.”

Grian tried to scream, but the pressure on his chest was too much, the grip over his mouth too tight. He thrashed, and was not nearly strong enough. Too tired, too disoriented, too weak. This was it. Everything he’d worked for; over.

“Maybe this was my fault..” Scar mused, Grian recognized the thing above him now, his terror only multiplying, “I was just trying to see if I could spot you down there, y’know, I’ve never seen one of you inside your host until I cut you open, and, well, there’s only so many holes you could be hiding! Please calm down, you’re hurting my feelings.”

He hated the whimper that ripped through his sore throat, as well as the pain that followed. Scar’s shape was coming into clearer form as Grian’s eyes adjusted to the dark, strong, calm, and unworried. Mumbo was sleeping in the room across the hall. Had he heard? Grian wished he was here, he needed someone, anyone to take this away. Scar did not move. He never looked away, his attention wholly captured by Grian’s utter terror.

“Can I trust you to be quiet, now? I’d like to let you go, but I don’t want anyone walking in on us, right? You don’t need Mumbo to run to your aid, only for him to find an empty room. Gosh, he’d think you’re crazy!” Scar let him sit with that for a moment, then loosened his grip, a test, before letting Grian’s face go completely.

Grian wiped his mouth. Scar smiled, hard to see, but there, perfectly innocent. How was it he managed to look so kind?

“You are not welcome in this house. You- You stay away. There is nothing for you here.”

“You know, I just don’t agree!” Scar mused, his exclamation whispered. He rocked on Grian’s chest, but stopped when Grian wheezed, as if that had been unintentional. “Such a big bark for someone your size. Does it make you feel better? Like you have more control?”

“I know what you want. Taunt me all you like, but I won’t just roll over and let you take it.”

“I’d hope not!” Scar unfolded his legs, nearly kicking Grian in the face as he rolled off his chest, settling instead beside him and stretching in an exaggerated yawn. “But I think I could really surprise you, y’know. I don’t want you to be so scared, not when we’re just talking, hanging out. I’ve had a thousand Mumbos over my time, and I’ll have a thousand more. You, on the other hand.. Now if we’re talking about things I want..”

“I have terms. What are yours.”

Scar blinked, sitting up as if Grian had zapped him. “What? Seriously?”

“What are your terms.” Grian lurched up, throwing his weight over Scar to straddle his stomach, and pushing the rest of him back down.

“Oh my,” Scar wouldn’t stop blinking, like he wasn’t certain the man above him was real. “You know, this is not what I was talking about, but I’m not uninterested,” Scar hummed, his fingers beginning to trail Grian’s thighs until he slapped them away.

“Keep your fucking hands to yourself.”

Scar shrank away, but Grian did not miss the small, astonished smile. “Yes, sir.”

“Since you’re so unwilling to tell me what you want, here’s what I’m after. You leave us alone. Forever. And you can have me any way you like. Any time you like, but never here.”

“My, my, you’re expensive, aren’t you? From where I’m sitting, it looks like you want me far too much to be making those high demands.”

Grian scoffed, and he might’ve spat in Scar’s face if he wasn’t so sure Scar would like it, “Nothing would bring me greater pleasure than imagining you waddling home with blue balls and your tail between your legs, rest assured, I’d see more stars than anyone else could punch out of me.”

Scar closed his eyes, relaxing against Grian’s bed with his chin ever so slightly inclined, “You’re not what I expected.”

“Can’t say I feel any differently. You can fidget all you want, I’ll only think you more desperate. Do you really get so little?”

“Not much like you.”

“Then let’s make this exchange final, why don’t we?”

Scar rolled his shoulders, eyes narrowed. “I’ll give you a month. No Scar, no anything.”

“A year.”

“Two months.”

“Six months is my final offer; suggest anything else, and I’ll leave you where you’re sat.”

“You drive a devilish bargain.”

“I’d choose my next words very carefully if I were you.”

“Go on, then. Just like this. But for six months I don’t expect this to be the only time I’ll be seeing you.”

Grian grabbed Scar’s face, fingers landing hard like a slap, thumb curling around his chin. Grian imagined it sinking inside, just as Scar had done to him, and ripping off his entire jaw. “Be good, and I’ll come find you.”

“I expect you’ll have me screaming.”

“With Mumbo in the next room over, you’d better not.”

“You sure he wouldn’t like to watch?”

“Shut up.” Grian wrenched Scar’s head to the side, his fantasies swirling visions of Scar limp, neck broken and bruised. “You won’t speak unless you’re prompted, and any noise you make will be choked out of you, understand?”

“Please.”

Grian withdrew his hand from Scar’s face only to rid himself of his own shirt, but he quite enjoyed the marks left by his nails. Here’s to many more.

[tbgkaru-woh]

hi! i was just wondering what it is specifically that you dislike about wangxian? i'm kind of intrigued, because while i get how someone could find them boring, i've never really considered anything about their dynamic (and as you mentioned in response to a previous anon, their confession scene) particularly off putting. no pressure to answer this, and this is in no way hate towards you i'm just genuinely curious <3 (i love your art by the way it's gorgeous)

Thank you for the compliment! ♥ This is gonna get ranty so I will hide it below read more as not everyone has to deal with reading this, so proceed with caution :'D

Wangxian is the weakest WWX dynamic. On god, even if I'm not fond of Yanli, they have very loving relationship where they are protective of each other and gentle with each other in a harsh world. I don't ship WWX/JC but their story and complicated love of someone you grow up with and care for deeply but clash constantly with is more interesting than anything wangxian ever had. Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian clicked together so naturally, they are chaotic and are similiarly not too interested in being up to rules. Jin Zixuan and WWX had a potential of going from enemies to partners in crime, to become family and have each other's backs but JZX was cut short and WWX never really cared afterwards either. WWX with the wens took time to build up but his YLLZ farmer era was one of the best WWX's in the story. Damn, even Lan Xichen who's always amused with WWX's temperament and secretly has a drink with wwx and is altogether looser with the rules while still being lawful matches with him way more than LWJ where there's... nothing. They were smashed together for convenience and we were suppossed to just go with it cause they are the two main characters. LWJ feels like he was just made so WWX has a "hot stoic top" to fuck him and the rest of the characters are actually build with the story and therefore feel more natural

Wangxian don't feel like they are in love, not in the way the fans make them out to be into some romantic picture perfect angsty deserved lovestory. LWJ's personal space is constantly disrespected, he's punished constantly for WWX's mistakes, he constantly needs to be the one to adjust to how WWX is instead of the other way around and after all that, LWJ doesn't really /know/ WWX so his attraction feels very idealized. WWX is the bad boy that goes against the rules and LWJ wishes he could be that (or with that) but it's almost a childish infatuation from their Gusu days that never evolved into something more mature. And WWX? I can't see how he'd like LWJ as anything more than in a physical sense. Even their obnoxious "Back then I wanted to sleep with you" confession scene is purely physical. He doesn't really know LWJ or respects him, LWJ is just a familiar face in a world that is against WWX and he's a hot body that likes him. LWJ is an easy score in a way, he's a safe option. And it'd be SO interesting if they went into that, but instead it's played like the only true love (dont forget, they are meant to be as the ONLY gay pairing in MDZS which I find insane when everyone else has more chemistry and in the end gets shat on so wangxian can fuck in a bush. I mean, LWJ leaves LXC to be depressed and alone after everything LXC stands for and did? Fucking ridiculous.)

It tries to "subvert" tropes but ends up being more stereotypical than anything. WWX was almost meant as this jock-y rebellious hotshot but instead we got a quirky twink, early 2000s shonen protagonist and every yaoi's Uke I've been seeing since like 2008. Are they suppossed to be different because the "stoic white-coded" one is not the bottom? Is the bar this low? If anything, this ornament top is the most usual top, let's be real, LWJ barely has personality or growth or focus, he's there to fuck WWX.

This is a petty reason but MXTX's "wangxian is the only gay couple" everyone else being implied straight as if to highlight just how real their love is that they are gay in time period where it's frowned upon, even though Yi City and 3zun combinations had more chemistry than anyone is. Annoying. And so is the "Don't ship them with anyone else and don't switch their dynamics" that fuels some of the most obnoxious people in the fandom to go after fanwork creators that do/like things differently.

All in all Wangxian is THE face of danmei, they are the most known even outside of danmei circles and they are extremely mediocry written for that. I mean, fuck, you put straight couple in their place and I guarantee no one would like it, it has the depth of a high school hormone-riddled couple who have different classes and "only" get to see each other during breaks and make out during lunch with others at the table, idk it's so fucking annoying to me when I know there were better options, when WWX had so many interesting dynamics that got shat on in favor of bland ass ship and I'm tired of having to like it/tolerate it just because it's gay.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk, this was extremely healing 🤣

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rhao

4/5. Releases 1/21/25.

The Vibes:

—apsaras

—testing that celibacy

—falling in love with the mark

Heat Index: 6.5/10

The Basics:

When the revered sage Kaushika begins threatening the power of Indra, the celestial king sends Meneka to seduce him into breaking his asceticism and losing his strength. Meneka has her own agenda, and is determined to bring Kaushika down—but as she learns from and gets to know him, her charge may break her.

The Review:

Quick disclaimer—I'm not Indian or otherwise Hindu, and I can't attest to how this book relates to the legend beyond what I've read and (lightly) researched. With that in mind, I'm assessing this as a book independent of its inspiration.

Based on the legend of the Hindu sage Vishvamitra and apsara Menaka, The Legend of Meneka is a fantasy romance (happy ending included) that spends a lot of time actually considering the big questions. What even is asceticism, and is it worth it? Is that really how we become closer to our gods (and our goals)? Does self-denial make you a better (stronger) person?

And like... What about love and carnality in all this?

But, you know. It's also fun.

The book takes place entirely from Meneka's perspective. And I liked her—she's a classic "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way" kind of tragic vamp, a being who exists to seduce and destroy (albeit more emotionally than physically). Off the bat, we know she struggles with her being, her purpose. But it's less because she really morally doesn't believe in what she's doing, and more because she's infatuated with fellow apsara.

Yes everyone, Meneka is super bi, and it's super on the page (she's actually introduced seducing a queen), and I loved how it was handled. Queerness is casually portrayed through multiple characters, and Meneka, though she doesn't get physical with her marks anymore, alludes to other experiences with women. And.... then she falls in love with Kaushika. Imagine that! Bisexuality is just a thing.

There's this really lush world described, a poetic kind of magic. A lot of this is a thinky book, and to a point I kind of debate whether it's a fantasy romance or (as the back copy admittedly states) a true romantic fantasy. Kaushika and Meneka's love story is front and center, it's the crux of the book. But it definitely felt more like Meneka's journey than his. Which doesn't mean it's NOT a romance. This may also just be me going "Why can't we have a dual POV?"

And that is the one thing I thought this book was missing. I wanted to be in Kaushika's head. For a lot of the book, he's a fairly distant figure, and even when he starts to melt for Meneka that remains somewhat true. I get why, and it doesn't really take away from the book, but it does make his relationship to Meneka feel somewhat secondary.

That said....

The Sex:

What's really hot about this novel, aside from the general sensuality of everything described, is the Temptation. Kaushika is genuinely a stone wall against Meneka's seduction (... at first), which creates several funny scenes where she's like, literally banging her head against a wall in frustration. Initially, it's frustration over being unable to execute her mission.

It becomes frustration of a different kind.

The scenes here are explicitly, but described in a way that sort of folds into the general poetic vibe of the novel. Again, really sensual versus scorching. And it's also super satisfying to see Meneka, supposedly a creature of desire, finally experienced pleasure for HERSELF about HER. Kaushika's a giver!

This is, appropriately, an absorbing and meditative fantasy novel with a strong romantic throughline. I still haven't decided whether or not it's a Romance (happy ending aside) but it's definitely worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[noblest-roman-of-them-all]

It's a Date Then

Remus has never been so happy to lose a bet against his brother, even if it might make for an awkward conversation with handsome stranger he recently met.

Taking a bit of a break from Whumptober prompts to provide a little backstory for the Hallmark Zombie AU

"Look, I'm not saying it happens for everyone, but I do think love at first sight is a thing," Roman argued. "If sexual attraction at first sight can be a thing, why can't the same be true for romantic attraction?"

"This is where I'm gonna get into semantics," Remus answered. "I don't think romantic attraction equals love. 'Love at first sight' is either infatuation or lust. I don't think it's the kind of love that's gonna tolerate little inconveniences, and be willing to work through miscommunication, that's why it's unrealistic. I'm not saying people don't immediately experience feelings, I'm saying the 'love' in 'love at first sight' isn't a genuine love that's going to be conducive to sustaining a long term relationship. That's something that has to come with time."

"That is the most demi-romantic thing you have ever said."

Remus shrugged. "What can I say, green and black are two of my favorite colors."

"Okay, but what about people who say they knew they wanted to marry their spouse immediately upon seeing them and they actually stay together?" Roman challenged.

"I think they felt desire and curiosity and a bunch of other weird mushy things and made things work and that's how they stayed together. I don't think they started out feeling that deep 'I'm willing to put in a lot of long term work to make our relationship work' type of love right away."

Roman nodded. "I wanna preface this by saying I get what you're saying and I'm totally here for this nuanced discussion of what love is and it's many forms-"

"But you're gonna disagree," Remus filled in.

"But I'm gonna disagree, yes," Roman nodded. "I think the kind of love you're talking about is what pushes people to take risks in relationships. To ask their crush out, to make some kind of move in pursuing a relationship with another person!"

"Yeah, that's fair, I'm not saying it never happens, I just think it's a lot rarer than people think. I think plain old romantic attraction and curiosity and hope and all those things can push a person to action too. I think people try to make themselves feel love at first sight or convince themselves that they did in hindsight because that's 'how it's supposed to happen', there's an expectation for it. They see it in media and they want it for themselves so they try to claim it whether or not it happened."

"Yeah, that's fair too," Roman agreed. "There's definitely a lot of...societal influence on the concept and not a lot of people want to discuss the nuances of love, especially love that isn't strictly familial or rooted in some kind of attraction. There are a lot of people who don't want to talk about how love is work and a choice and that not being attracted to a partner at all times doesn't mean you've fallen out of love with them. But I think your willingness to have nuanced conversations like this and your awareness is exactly why you're going to fall in love at first sight with someone."

Remus’s face scrunched in confusion. "That makes no sense."

Roman nodded. "That's why it's gonna happen to you and why it didn't happened to me."

"You love Emile," Remus pointed out.

"I do," Roman agreed. "I love him a lot, but we're still figuring things out, we're still learning each other and our relationship. I love him, but I don't know if I'm in love with him. I absolutely felt sparks the moment I laid eyes on him and I will hold that moment dear for the rest of my life, I'm grateful to have him as my boyfriend and I really do love him. But I didn't fall in love with him when we first met. I think you're going to though. I think one day you're going to meet someone and fall immediately and madly in love with them. And before you try calling me aro-phobic, one you said yourself love doesn't have to equal attraction, and two the demi-aro thing was a joke and we both know it."

Remus snorted. "I'll give you that, but I still think you're a wrong on it happening to me."

Roman shrugged. "Five bucks says I'm not."

---

Remus settled into the back corner of the café and opened his laptop. It wasn't exactly the ideal spot to be doing homework, but it was close to campus and convient spot for a pick me up before his next class.

"Excuse me?"

Remus glanced up, earbud half way raised to his head, and froze at what he was sure was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen.

"Hi," the man smiled and Remus knew that that was the smile he wanted to grow old with. "I'm sorry, my laptop battery is basically fried, do you mind if I plug this into the outlet behind your table?" He pointed to an outlet near the window.

"Yeah," Remus answered, trying to shake himself back into the moment. "Yeah. I mean, i-if you just want to...sit on the other side-" he gestured to empty chair across from him "-I'm- I'm just doing some homework on my laptop so I mean there's room."

The man's brightened somehow and Remus knew he'd kill to keep that smile on his face. "Really?"

"Mhm, yeah, I don't mind at all."

"Thanks. I'm Janus by the way," he replied and slipped into the chair and plugged in his computer.

"Remus."

"Do you mind if I ask what you're studying, Remus?"

"Veterinary medicine. You?"

"I don't know yet," Janus replied, his mismatched eyes sparkling in the sunlight that streamed in through the window and danced on his golden hair. "Being completely honesty, I was hoping you might have a good idea for me. I have a library science degree, but there's only so much you can do with that and, well, my family is pretty insistent about me having a 'back up plan'." He rolled his eyes. "How'd you land on veterinary?"

Remus laughed. "I was bit by a racoon when I was a kid. It, uh, it got stuck in the fence and it was raining and I was convinced if I didn't get it out of the fence, the fence was going to be struck by lightning and it was going to kill the racoon, so I dragged my brother outside and we got the little guy out, but not before it took a bite out of my hand."

Janus arched a brow, smiling in amusent. "I think being bit by a wild animal is usually the reason most people don't want to be involved in animal care."

"I've always been an odd one out," Remus shrugged.

"Nothing wrong with that," Janus answered with more sincerity than Remus had ever heard the phrase spoken with. He blinked and for a moment he and Janus were in their seventies, holding hands in a retirement home.

Another name was called out from the counter that drew him back to the present.

"Have you thought about a trade school or something?" he offered.

"I hadn't," Janus admitted thoughtfully. "What do you think would you trust this face with your car?" He asked pointing at his freckled face.

Remus laughed to keep himself from saying he'd trust Janus with his life. "Just smear some grease on your face and get you in some coveralls, you'd fit right in."

Janus shook his head. "No, that'd absolutely trigger my excema. I appreciate the vote of confidence though."

They sat chatting and laughing together for the better part of an hour, till Remus’s phone buzzed loudly on the table.

Remus sighed as he turned off the notification.

"Everything alright?"

"Oh, yeah, I just. Remembered I'm supposed to pick up my brother from the library. I- I have to go."

"Well, thanks for letting me sit with you to use the outlet that I guess I didn't need," he chuckled. "And sorry for distracting you from your homework."

Remus waved him off. "Don't be. It was worth it. I really enjoyed talking to you, Janus."

"I had fun too. Oh, before you go." He scribbled something on a sticky note as Remus stood to leave. "Let me know if you have other degree ideas for me." He held out the slip if paper and winked.

Remus smiled warmly and accepted the paper. "I will."

The batista at the counter called out Remus’s name.

"One for the road?" Janus asked with a teasing smile.

Remus chuckled. "It's for my brother," he explained. "It's...kind of a long story, but I lost a bet and owe him a coffee. I, uh, I'll se you around, maybe."

"I certainly hope so."

---

Roman's head snapped to the iced coffee that appeared next to him with a soft thunk. "Ooh!"

"You win," Remus announced.

"Win what?" Roman asked, still focused on his surprise treat.

"The bet. You were right, you win."

Roman frowned "Bet? What bet?" He finally glanced up and found Remus nearly panic stricken and the light went off. "Oh my god it happened you're in love! Tell me everything!"

"I'm pretty sure I'd end the world for this guy, Ro. He asked to use the outlet next to my table and I skipped right passed the wedding bells to being in a retirement home together."

"So, first of all, I told you so. Secondly, please tell me you got his number."

"He gave it to me before I left."

"So is he cute?"

"He's...stunning. But not like...in a normal way? I mean...he's probably kind of average looking, but also the single most beautiful person I have ever seen."

"Oh, you have it bad bad."

Remus dropped into a chair at the table. "What do I do?"

"Ask him out," Roman encouraged. "Offer to buy him lunch or something. I mean, it sounds like you guys basically already had a coffee date, so just ask him to meet up for lunch next time. See if you can get him to order soup and make sure he's not going to trigger your misophonia."

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I'm serious, that's something Emile and I discussed."

"Yeah, I guess that's fair, I just... I feel kind of insane. Maybe I'm overreacting."

"Sure, maybe. But also maybe give it a chance. Not to be woo-woo on main, but maybe you actually found true love on the first shot. You know, I think there are lots of people in our lives that we can love, that we mesh with, and that things go well we it that person, but I also think that we do have that one person that...we're connected to. And we don't always get to find that person in every lifetime. But I think maybe you found him this time, Re, and I think you should take a chance on that."

---

"Fancy running into you here!"

Remus looked up and found Janus sitting at his usual table at the café. He grinned. "Hey! Um, how are you?"

"Great. You?"

"Not bad. Care to join me?"

"Yeah, thanks." He sat across from Janus, heart fluttering in his chest, nearly making him dizzy.

"I'll try not to be too distracting this time."

Remus laughed. "Ah, don't worry about it. I didn't really plan on any work today."

"How'd the bet go with your brother?"

"He...wasn't as smug as he could have been."

"Do you mind if I ask what it was about?"

"Ah, ha," Remus felt his face flush. "I-it- It's a little embarrassing."

"Oh, no, don't worry about it then," Janus raised his hand and waved him off. "Forget I even asked."

"No, no, it's okay. It's just, um... It's a long story kind of, and it, kind of in a roundabout way, kind if involves you."

Janus paused. "Well, I'm definitely more intrigued now, but I still don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I appreciate that, but I'd probably be uncomfortable either way. Um, this is totally without any expectation, but, uh, my brother and I were discussing the...difference between attraction and...actual love. And he bet me that, uh, since I had such a nuanced take and I was skeptical about the idea, that I'd probably experience, um. Love at first sight. And you stopped by my table last week and I...knew I lost that bet. A-and like I said, I totally don't expect anything, like I know-"

Janus took his hand and stopped the rambling before it could start. "That is the single most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. I'll admit, I've always been skeptical of the idea of love at first sight, but I do know that I am attracted to you and I'd be open to...seeing where this goes."

"Y-you don't have to," Remus insisted. "I don't want you to feel...pressured or anything. You don't have to...protect my emotions or anything-"

"Remus." Janus took his other hand and gently squeezed it. "I would like to take you to dinner. On a proper date. Because I'm curious to see where this could go, because I find you attractive. Because I want to. Okay? I do appreciate your concern, but you're not being as forward as you think. Definitely not as weird or creepy either. If I was uncomfortable, believe me, you would know. So. How does tonight at, say, six work for you?"

"It sounds great," Remus agreed in disbelief.

Janus winked. "It's a date then."

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Izzy Ship Alignment for S2

Spoilers for if you want to avoid s2 Izzy talk. (minor spoilers for the S2 teaser, and the interview Con did last December) PLEASE disagree with my rankings. I would love to know how y'all feel about this.

I saw someone online reference the tiny interview Con had last December about Izzy's direction this season. Where it's referenced that Izzy understands himself emotionally, and is a romantic in a unrequited love.

I thought the obvious, 'Oh, Izzy/Ed, Izzy recovers from that'. BUT someone on TikTok mentioned how funny it would be if it were an unexpected character he ends up with.

SO I made this outcome chart:

The vertical columns: How it would affect the story. In a Chaotic way, a neutral way, or a 'lawful' way where I feel that it benefits the world/story around Izzy.

Horizontal columns: How bat shit I would go. Evil = I will never emotionally recover, THE DRAMA. Neutral I'm having a lovely time, and enjoying the ride. Good= YES! CHARACTER GROWTH!!!!

This is not me ranking ships, but the general vibe they bring to the plot we can see from the trailer. EXPLANATIONS DOWN BELOW.

Lawful Good: Single, but happy: This is where I predict s2 will end off. It's smart. Izzy is out of an emotional relationship where he's under his boss. He's finally free. He can be happy and single, or go into S3 looking for someone.

Neutral Good: ButtHands: It wouldn't change much in the story, but overall I'd think it's fun. Purely for the confusion of it all. They don't like each other...and yet.

Chaotic Good: Blackhands: It would change a lot in the story, and I wouldn't recover. Especially if it's just an unemotional one-off that leaves Izzy devastated. I don't think it would work...but the character growth???? Unmatched.

Lawful Neutral: Ouizzy, I love it, it's really fun, and it wouldn't change all that much in the story. It wouldn't force Izzy to change too much, besides maybe being kinder. Frenchie gets another bodyguard, and the banter would be fun.

Ture Neutral: Jizzy. They are almost the same person but Jim is supported by someone in their lives. I don't personally see it, but I do see that these two would get on together. Mild changes to the story, and I'd be satisfied with it.

Chaotic Neutral: SteddyHands: COULD YOU IMAGINE. A mainstream tv show with a poly couple as leads? And it's messy as fuck? It would take another season to set up, likely introducing Stizzy this season, and ending it off in the middle in S3. But it would have major consequences in the story, and I wouldn't be well after.

Lawful Evil: Rizzy: Izzy is able to be his tired, overworked, and violent self with someone who gets that at some level. It moves the plot forward while also being a badass scary couple.

Neutral Evil: RETROACTIVE CALICOHANDS WOULD HURT. Ngl, finding out Izzy sent someone he kind of cared about would affect Izzy's story, but not the overall plot. I wouldn't recover, Izzy would have a big regret arch, and I'd write fix it's.

Chaotic Evil: Just Stizzy. A freshly 'single' Izzy leaves Ed, and goes to find Stede, but oh no. Stede genuinely wants to get better and be loyal to his crew. Izzy finds himself falling infatuated with his boss' ex. Stede still loves Ed and is going to find Ed. But Izzy just has to chew on his lip as he falls for his Captain AGAIN. Stede needs to figure out that you can love people in different ways. We get a messy love triangle and STEDE is in the center. I WANT THIS. I won't get it. BUT WHAT IF.

[I forgot Lucius/Izzy, but to me, it sits right at the True Neutral or Chaotic Neutral. It wouldn't change too much in the overall plot. It shows huge growth for both people. The only reason it would be Chaotic is how Izzy would be perceived by the crew]

[melonteee]

Okay so. Watching your Hancock video reawakened my deep, deep passion about her and now I'm bothering a friend with it, but we came to the topic of HanLu and how we both see Luffy as someone who just isn't interested in relationships, but since I feel like Hancock deserves someone who sees her for her true self, we started discussing who'd suit her. While we did throw out some candidates (Brulee, Katakuri, Fujitora, Robin, Zoro perhaps, but he's similar to Luffy) ultimately, I'd like to ask who do you think is deserving of this beautiful, broken woman?

honestly? I don't think Hancock NEEDS a romantic partner. The only reason she likes Luffy to the extent she does is because...someone is treating her like a human being for the first time ever, and she's not stable enough mentally or really experienced in friendship and genuine feelings to know how to handle that? I think the best route and development for Hancock would be for her to be able to simmer out her feelings, understand her infatuation with Luffy is due to LITERALLY being seen as a person and - through that - begin opening up to more people.

I have no doubt she loves Luffy, but she doesn't love him for the healthiest of reasons? And like, that's kind of the point of her. That she was so deprived of genuine love from ESPECIALLY men that she has no idea how to go about it. I'd personally adore seeing her extreme love eventually become an understanding that this is a platonic, mutual friendship love. That would be the healthiest and happiest path for her! She definitely doesn't need a partner to have happiness like that.

But also Nami is deserving of this broken woman duh

[ryuichirou]

first of all, i love your works, i recently followed you for your azuide artwork then i saw the other ones, they're all gorgeous but i have a question about your sultan au. does jamil have any romantic feelings for kalim?

+

Anonymous asked:

Sultan AU Jamil is so good. Like, this might be strange but I think he’s hilarious. You just know his “Kalim you Fool!” Is going to bite him in the butt. The man is probably already sort of in love with Kalim, and he’s just DEEP in denial. the denial is so deep he’d justify to himself sleeping with Kalim because it keeps Kalim’s attention on him and thus gives him access to the power & influence of the Asim.

so tell me, what’s it gonna take for Jamil to actual acknowledge those feelings as being genuine & mutual between him and Kalim? Because Sultan Kalim is just ready to marry Jamil already.

Anonymous asked:

Can you tell me more about your Sultan AU. The last comic with Kalim and Jamil got me intrigued and I love how you draw Jamil’s evil expression

selenacrest asked:

How exactly is the story of JamiKali in Sultan AU? Because after what I saw in the third comic I didn't understand anything

Anonymous asked:

Evil Royal Vizier Jamil! :) Any info of why he is the way he is?

Anonymous asked:

In the Sultan AU it looks like Jamil is sliding down the villain slope. I hope he uses Kalim’s feelings to manipulate him 😈😈😈😈

Anonymous asked:

Kalim will be horrified to learn he was used by Jamil in the sultan au.

------------

Thank you so much for giving this comic and this AU in general so much love! I am super happy we finally posted it and that you liked it and have so many questions about it + the AU itself.  I really really enjoyed drawing this side of Jamil, because he is a scheming snake, and we should appreciate and love him for it lol

When it comes to this AU, there isn’t actually much lore to talk about: it’s pretty much a continuation of their canon story (based on how we see it, of course). So, it’s the canon timeline but ~5 years in the future.

I’ve mentioned it in several replies but I’ll say it again: I have a feeling these two are going to have a difficult relationship for their entire lives, because, even after the events of ch4, all of Jamil’s grudges towards Kalim are still intact. There has been some changes in the way they interact, plus Kalim learned about Jamil’s struggles and true feelings about him, but these changes aren’t really enough to change anything, especially considering how easy it is for people to unintentionally get right back to status quo. And this is exactly what would happen to these two.

So, Kalim is the head of his family now, and Jamil is his official adviser, not some servant. Kalim definitely sees them as equals, and tries his best to be a good ruler/good boss, but still relies on Jamil quite a lot. And for Jamil, he feels like he does everything he’s used to + even more now. So even though he is much more powerful now than he used to be, this feeling of him being squeezed inside of Kalim’s fist is stronger than ever.

But with Kalim being in love with him? It’s the ultimate power, something that can never be taken from him, as long as this idiot is infatuated. So he’ll definitely use this to his advantage, amused by how easy it is to manipulate Kalim and how easy he is to fool: one gentle gesture, one soft smile, and Kalim is absolutely helpless. And if Jamil takes things further…

Now, does Jamil have romantic feelings toward Kalim? Well, one thing about Jamil is, like one of the Anons mentioned, karma always bites him in the ass. He is kind of a loser frankly lol, whenever he tries to outsmart Kalim, he succeeds, but then something happens and makes his life miserable. So this whole thing is definitely going to backfire too.

Jamil has always had fondness for Kalim, but every warm feeling gets cruelly suppressed. But now that this “door” of the romantic closeness and intimacy with Kalim is open, Jamil can expect his biggest karma-ass-bite yet. What a fun surprise it’s going to be lol

Oh, and don’t worry about Kalim’s feelings. We all know how forgiving he could be lol

[burnxngslash]

✧ ━━ Romance Headcanons.

Name: Arsene Lupin

Nickname: Lupin, Thief, Crook, Dashing

Gender: male

Romantic orientation: Heterosexual

Preferred pet names: There aren't many things that he'd prefer because it's all about the names THEY chose for him and that alone means significantly enough for him, but for the sake of this question he wouldn't mind being called things like: mon trésor , mon chéri , mon diable. Along with the common things like 'honey, dearest and even baby.

Relationship status: That's definitely a verse dependent thing answer, but again for the sake of this post I do have Lupin shipped with two muses. (though at one time it used to be four but that was a few years back.)

There's @more-than-a-princess Sonia, I think as mutuals we ship the hell out of 'em but as of right now they're in that 'will they/won't they' limbo because Sonia herself is wondering if Lupin's feelings are genuine when IN HER defense the world has been nothing but a big stage for Lupin but he does really end up falling for her but knows she has A HELL of a responsibility towards the country he loves. Honestly if it were up to him he'd definitely just kidnap her if she allows him to.

And it's @maljefe Loni, who is this tough girl on the outside but Lupin saw a little glimpse the softy she could be and there was also that little drabble of them exploring an extremely haunted mansion and she was soo clingy.

Opinion on true love: Lupin is a romantic, so his opinion on true love is positive. It's something that exists but there's also the reality of knowing that it's not there for EVERYONE either.

Opinion on love at first sight: He believes it's infatuation rather than 'love' itself. Love..even TRUE love takes time and effort and it's not something people can grasp on their first meeting.

How ‘romantic’ are they?: DO NOT TRUST LUPIN! At first anyway, He's a man that wears so many masks, HELL if you meet him on the streets he would not even give you his real name. Flirting is a means of indulgence and a tactic for manipulation BUT that said he DOES end up catching feelings, genuine feelings for a potential lover, it's just his 'exciting' life that keeps him from truly committing to what COULD be. It's probably why he flirts as he believes a harmless fling would not amount to anything.

NOTE: His flirting goes as far as hand holding and deep gazes. You'd break him if you gave him bedroom eyes.

Ideal physical traits: He's not exactly the pickiest. You could be physically fit or even a little on the chubby side and he'd love you regardless. That's how much of a romantic he is.

Ideal personality traits: Kindness, Selflessness, moderate intelligence (but huge plus if you're a genius), outgoing personality, a little of a rebellious soul.

Unattractive physical traits: No preference, you could even be missing a limb.

Unattractive personality traits: Greedy, selfish, murderous, the type to abuse their power to oppress the meek, the type who steal for their selfish desires.

Ideal date: Depends on the time frame. For a more historic-era Lupin the best places for him would be a garden or even a theater because he really does love art. Modern days the movie or a restaurant where he could spend time with his beloved.

Do they have a type?: Adventurous, strong woman with a touch of darkness in them.

Average relationship length: He's a locked-in for life type of person but I'd imagine given his life as a thief and often travels between paris and england I'd say he might probably be in a relationship for a month or two.

Preferred non-sexual intimacy: He'll put his hat on his lover's head and then proceed to kiss them and from there it's a matter of just sitting on a bench to just enjoy the stars in the sky, maybe even dance for a little while.

Opinion of public affection: He's a gentleman, whilst he would kiss his lover on the hand, hold her and even cuddle he still would refrain from passionate kisses in public as he believes that's something for them to enjoy in their moments of privacy. But there are exceptions to this rule of course like being overjoyed or the pain of separation and they can't help but kiss. Things like that.

Past relationships?: I mean canonically speaking I'd say Josephine Balsamo.

tagged: @more-than-a-princess (thanks for tagging yo boy)

tagging: Steal it if you're interested homie. Tag me though cause I'd love to read it.

[otobabe]

Omg girlie (gender neutral) I was not expecting you to include Kondou!!! If you have others you’re thinking ab def tell us!

ugh kondou is just so good!!!! and that's not just my daddy issues talking!!!

More praise thoughts/headcanons~

(from) Harada: He's infatuated with his partners, that much is certain. Especially in the beginning of a relationship (or fwb situation) he's full of compliments that make you feel like you're in the center of a nsfw fairytale, examples like "oh my god you're adorable" and "you really know how to get me going". Later on, if you express interest in exploring~ and more praise, he'd get really into praises that emphasize size differences or age differences. "I love to see your little hole taking my big cock so well", "My older man/woman/partner is so good at teaching me new things", "What a cute little princess/prince/majesty you are, riding daddy's big dick so well " (yes i am assigning sano both milf fucker and daddy kink, this is my barbie dream house)

(to) Souji: in the right moments you'll send shivers down Souji's spine with a "Souji-kun~ you look so cute like this~", praises with a teasing edge, almost on the brink of sounding degrading, can get him blushing and embarrassed from how hard he gets hearing it come from your mouth. He likes to banter and has more attitude and walls up than most can bear, just make sure if your praising him it's playful and not too serious or accidentally hurtful ;)

from) Amagiri the type to kiss you mid-moan then send you reeling with his low voice telling you "Quiet now, I want to hear how wet you are for me/I want to hear you take in my thrusts". Erotic, deep, sensual, that's the game Amagiri plays, but it comes out naturally. Nothing he says will sound like he read it from some '50 ways to get in their pants' how-to book. He's kinky, but classy, urging you on both with his words and his fingers, and it's a pleasant surprise when you catch him teasing you with a hint of a smile like, "don't give in now, I'm just getting started".

to) Motoyama: To be friends with Iba and to have taught Iba many many things over their lives, Motoyama has got to have some special characteristics, one of those is that he loves to be praised. Iba might praise his partner often, but as far as his bestie goes it doesn't happen often but is very genuine when it does, and that's something Motoyama craves in romantic experiences too! I know I said this about Nomura as well, but it's true for both of them: Motoyama looooves to be called a "pretty boy", he doesn't have that haircut for nothing. He's also a reader and though he's not normally reading romance, he does love praises with a little more substance to them, "You're intoxicating", "i love how obedient you are", "you look so silly squirming like that, but don't worry, I know you can endure this<3", all examples of words that will keep him straining in his pants 💖

more praise headcanons below the cut!

from) Ootori: Ahhhh Ootori Keisuke, my sassy "30-something" plot device lol. He's such a tease, you'd be surprised how much filth can come out of his outwardly-polite mouth. This tea drinking, romance novel reading, aristoCAT is all about shmoozy words in bed. Honestly, he's quoting from stuff he's read before and hoping you won't notice. "You look as beautiful as the morning glory's flower, my love~ Your legs are opening up for me quite nicely~", whenever he opens his mouth it makes you question whether or not you should expect better from him, or whether it's exactly the kind of charming corniness you need in your life (it is). He wants to come home to you trying on some new lingerie and praise "what a thoughtful little slut you are<3", he wants to bring you almost to orgasm over and over again and then tease that he "loves how needy you are".

from) Kimigiku: Ugh the most perfect femdom is here!!! She can give you gentle or kinky, it's all about giving YOU what YOU want. While not exclusively a service top, she does love to give a lot of coaxing like "doing so good, princess/prince/majesty" and "i'll take care of you cutie, i promise, just give me one more, I know you can". Now let's say you've touched her nerves a little this week: stayed out a little late with your coworkers, or gave her attitude a couple times... She's more than willing to tie you up and taunt you, telling you "Oh, I'm sure you can get out of those restraints yourself, right? Such a big strong man/woman/lover that I have". She'll degrade you and make it sound like the most enchanting curse you've ever heard; "I love using you", "No one else could ever match up to you, my biggest whore<3", "You don't need to cum, right? It's enough just to please me, right?"

from) Yamazaki: Hakuouki's own sweet little romantic nerd + killer spy <3 Idk if anyone else was surprised that he's canonically supposed to be 30 but I was when I first saw it lol! He's experienced: with sneaking around, one night stands, keeping things quiet, but when he finds someone special he turns into a blushing mess. His duality also pertains to praise, he likes hearing it and giving it, and he also likes giving and receiving degradation, just not normally at the same time ;). If you want him to he'll definitely put on his spy persona in bed for you! That said, he loves to assure you "Don't worry, you're safe with me, you can let it all out, you sound so beautiful", and loves to make little promises in bed when you're pleasing him like "That's my baby, I'll reward you so well for this. I love to see you full of me".

to) Yamazaki: Like I said, I think he's a duality-pleasing man. Praise him in bed and he's working double time to please you. Very enthusiastic when hearing what you like, if you tell him "I love it when you give me head", he'll make sure to spend extra time pleasing you down there~

to) Miki: Beat up his ego a little bit. Unlike Souji, Miki is a brat who can take what he gives. He's down with being called a slut/whore/etc or being referred to as your sex toy. If you top him it's a secret turn on of his to get embarrassed so saying "I know it hurts but you're taking it so well!" is an insta-nut. He's also into hearing you egg him on when he's being a brat and rub it in when he gives in, "You're such a good listener when I give you what you need, huh?" and "Can't you beg sweeter than that? Or is it beneath you even when you're already on your knees for me?"

from) Miki: Aaaaand he gives as good as he gets~ His mouth is filthy, and he's shameless when it comes to fucking you. Brash and abrasive, he'll tell you that "you look so beautiful with my cock in your mouth" with a haughty smirk on his face and he knows his confidence is a turn on in this case. He's not pussyfooting around what he means, with "you can beg better than that, little slut" often proceeding a later groan of "your screams sound so good baby". If you've been flirting or sexting before meeting up, he loves to throw in a "I've been waiting all day to put my cock in you" as soon as he walks through the door.

[whitelilynh]

Honest question. I genuinely believe Neji was falling in love with Hinata. If he lived how do you think he would have told her?

Oh, of course he was 🥰 my little cinammon roll Neji was head over heels for Hinata and he sort of confessed in a way, IMO, when he said it seemed his life wasn't his (after HE gave HIS life to save HINATA'S).

But had he survived (and he will definitely on my AU) that wouldn't be enough, of course.

Honestly, I think is not the type to confess just like that, I think it would take a long time for Neji and Hinata to end up together.

First, Hinata would reflect more on what Neji did and what it meant, and she would found herself feeling something for him although she might not recognise it for what it is at first. Hinata had a crush on Naruto during her childhood, so she needs to grow from it and recognise that kind of irrational infatuation although sweet is not real love. Then, after she comes to terms with that, she would start recognizing that her feelings for Neji are a lot more mature and deeper than that crush of her past.

About Neji, I think he wouldn't want to confess because he wouldn't want to pressure Hinata in any way to retrieve his feelings, and maybe Neji thinks Hinata still have feelings for Naruto because 1) Hinata was ready to give her life for Naruto just as he himself almost died for her. 2) Hinata doesn't openly talks about her feelings so just in the way she didn't admit her crush on Naruto before, she's not going to say she had grown over it for a while. I think Neji would notice though, little by little, by watching her actions and reactions closely as he had always done.

And after some time they'd start noticing the tension and attraction between them, but none would want to admit it and even less to believe their feelings are reciprocated because these two cinnamon rolls think the other is too good for them (they both are the best 🩷).

It would be a matter of time for one of them not to resist and confess, and I like to think it is Hinata under the right circumstances. Neji would be stupified for a second before grabbing her face and kiss her as an answer (Oh, for how long he had dreamt of kissing her! 🥺).

Ofc eventually they will talk about it, but for that moment I think that's enough, to be together and to know they both love each other,like a dream come true 🩷 (I'm a romantic at heart, sorry).

BONUS: By the time they confess and all that, the rest of Konoha 11+ will have noticed they are both in love with each other (for a while actually) and be secretly rooting for them. Some maybe even try to subtly tease them about it.

[dxnse-macabre]

🥀 romance headcanons

tagged: @stilettobite (I CRAVE HEADCANONS ALL THE TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH) tagging: @crimesought @wildskissed @shdwtouch + anyone else that chooses to do this!!

name: astarion ancunin nickname: none really. "star" would be pushing it. gender: male romantic orientation: pansexual preferred pet names: my love, my beloved, my heart (anything that really signifies that he is everything to his partner) relationship status: verse reliant

opinion on true love: it exists. or at least, he wants it to exist. he grew up loving those novels where the prince swoops the princess by her feet; he wants that kind of feeling. he wants pure love, not fueled by lust or infatuation, but that's all he's seen in his life. he wishes and hopes it exists. it has to... right?

opinion on love at first sight: doesn't believe in it. he believes in infatuation and lust at first sight, but never love at first sight. love is too pure, it is slow, and it is not as quick to ignite (or as easily to ignite) as lust and infatuation. astarion has way too much experience in causing others to "fall" for him but he knows that he's just a pretty face that said sweet nothings; all of those lines were rehearsed. so if they were rehearsed, they were in love with the idea of him, as opposed to the real him.

how ‘romantic’ are they?: when he's able to be himself, he's honestly not that romantic. he's more of a drama queen himself and wants to be coddled because of the mask he had to put for others, he feels like he kind of deserves it by now. he won't go out of his way to be romantic, because he'll find the line between being genuine out of his own volition and putting on a mask to make the other person happy pretty obscured. if it comes out, it'll be in small doses before he can casually be soft and romantic.

ideal physical traits: good over-all hygiene (getting bloody and sweaty after a fight isn't the part that disgusts him. it's if that person chooses to not shower for... you know... weeks. he has bad memories) but otherwise he has no preference.

ideal personality traits: enabler (but only during unimportant moments like an occasional party or goblin killing spree. if it's like, you know, a big life-changing decision, he WANTS you to go against him and pull him out of those temptations) someone who loves unconditionally and trusts easily, someone who is protective

unattractive physical traits: extremely high sex drive (i can get into a whole ass conversation about this, but this is basically a turn-off for him. quite unfortunate)

unattractive personality traits: manipulative, self-centeredness, overly seductive

ideal date: something laid back would be very much to his taste. attend a wine tasting event, perhaps even do a little bit of shopping... but what he looks forward to the most would be the beginning and ends of the day. why? he enjoys the most wholesome moments to have with a partner: waking up beside them, and falling asleep with them in his arms.

do they have a type?: big, strong, silent protector with the heart of gold. that is his ideal type

average relationship length: don't ask him this, it's a touchy subject (newsflash: he has never had a proper relationship.)

preferred non-sexual intimacy: cute teeth-rotting public displays of affection such as hugging while walking

opinion of public affection: he doesn't give a shit. if he loves the person, he's all for it. why hold back?

past relationships?: once again, don't ask him this. he doesn't have any.

[bloodtwin]

Name: Puck Darlington Nickname(s): The Dark Urge, Dandelion, Dandy, Pucky, Pooch, Pookie Relationship Status: Single (Default) Gender: Born to be a dog, forced to be a “man” Romantic Orientation: Bisexual, Polyamorous Preferred Pet Names: For himself? His name LOL but you could get away with calling him “pup” or “puppy.” He likes those, of course. You can call him other pet names, but he may get shy about it or try (and fail) not to grimace. For his partner, he’s partial to “sweetheart.” He'll call you “babe,” if you’re Babsi. You might get called “dear” once or twice. 

Opinion on True Love: “As far as I’m concerned, all love is true.” That is to say, Puck is the most earnest man alive. He sees love as an action more than a feeling, and he gives it to everyone he meets because it is what he would like to receive himself. If you are willing to put in that same effort for him then he considers your love to be real and true, yes. Romantically or otherwise, really. Opinion on Love at First Sight: Based on his own experiences, he doesn’t believe romantic love at first sight exists because, as mentioned above, love is very much something you do rather than feel. He would say that people can become infatuated with someone at first sight because he certainly has.  How ‘Romantic’ Are They?: In a traditional sense, not very. He won’t court you intentionally. Romance tends to start and end with sex for him, unfortunately. I think he sees a partner as a friend who he happens to be physically intimate with, at least at first. He won’t read you love poems, won’t surprise you with elaborately-planned dates, or even think to give you flowers… unless, of course, you happen to mention that you like a certain kind of flower and he also happens to stumble upon said kind of flower in the middle of a shadow-cursed wasteland. That’s where his romantic side lies, really. In the details.  - He pays attention to you and remembers the little things. He will notice when you’re tired and offer to carry you. He will take care of you when you are sick. He will protect you fiercely and with reckless abandon, and he will never leave your side. But no, he probably won’t buy you chocolates and whisper sweet words of love in your ear. He will get tongue-tied then ask very politely but also very bluntly if he can eat you out or something. 

Ideal Physical Traits: See, this is interesting because “ideal” and “preferred” are not the same. Puck would say his “ideal” partner would be someone physically strong. Someone muscular, tall, and capable of holding him down if necessary. Or killing him. However, he is naturally drawn to and seems to prefer people who are much, much smaller than he is. He likes having a size difference, but he would never admit this.   Ideal Personality Traits: Again, “ideal” vs. “preferred.” Ideally, he would say he’d like for his partner to be empathetic and patient, which is true. He would like that. However, I’ve noticed that he is mostly attracted to the very catty and the very abrasive. Opposites attract, I suppose. He also likes people who are shy or quiet. The thing is, Puck is a very agreeable guy, so he gets along with all kinds of people and he genuinely likes all of them. Unattractive Physical Traits: He doesn’t think any physical traits are unattractive, so jot that down, but I will say that he would prefer to avoid people that are weaker or smaller than he is because that wouldn’t be safe for them. Alas, his tastes and preferences. Unattractive Personality Traits: Self-importance to the point of belittling others. He thinks confidence, even if more on the arrogant side, is attractive but not at the expense of others. He also doesn’t like cowardice. 

Ideal Date: Cemetery sex. :/ I don’t think Puck knows what a “date” is. He’ll just ask if you want to go on a walk with him. Do They Have a Type?: I like to joke that he has a thing for people with white hair, but it’s really just a coincidence that most of his main ships happen to be with people who have white hair. In truth, Puck is very much My Type by Saint Motel. You know, “You’re just my type / Oh, you got a pulse and you are breathing.” That’s his type. And sometimes even when you don’t have a pulse… Average Relationship Length: He would have to admit to being in a relationship to measure such a thing, and as far as he is aware this has never happened so I cannot give a real answer. Preferred Non-Sexual Intimacy: Brushing hair or just running his hands through it. If it’s long enough, he’ll braid it. Feels like home to him. He also likes taking naps or bathing together. He’s a very touchy-feely person, so he’ll be all over you the second you’re alone. Commitment Level: This man is akin to a dog. You lock eyes with him once, and he’s loyal to you forever. He will always show up for you; he will always protect you with everything he has. HOWEVER… a dog does not typically limit itself to only being pet by its owner. You need to train him if you want to be the only one he seeks companionship from, or he will show that same loyalty and devotion to others as well. You need to be clear and direct about what kind of relationship you want from him, or he won’t have any clue why you’re sulking about him getting his belly rubbed by someone else. He may be stupid 🫶 - Yes, he pays attention to detail, and yes, he also does not realize it could potentially hurt your feelings that he’s flirting with someone else unless you explicitly state you’d like to be exclusive. His contradictions are numerous and beautiful to me. Opinion of Public Affection: He would rather curl up and die. He is a very physically affectionate person, so I imagine this would maybe surprise his partner, especially because he’s not shy about things like casual sex. It’s when he’s in a committed relationship, or is interested in being in a committed relationship, that he gets quite shy. This is mostly because he’s protective of his partner.    Past Relationships?: There was probably *gestures vaguely* Something going on with Gortash, but it was very undefined and unspoken. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t, none of my business. Also none of Puck’s business, frankly. When he was a teenager, he had a crush on this cute goth girl named Shadowheart, but she kept forgetting his name so nothing really happened there. Other than those, he’s had a few brief flings that ended very, very poorly. With bloodshed, of course. Writer’s Note: Fuck uhhhhhhhh let’s see. Puck is a very devoted, loving partner. He has so, so, so much love to give, but he will very rarely express it through words or in front of others. Even though he would never hide his love, he will likely not verbalize or flaunt it because he is afraid of speaking it into existence. Being who he is, he knows it’s dangerous for him to have such a deep, intimate connection with another person and doesn’t want to hurt them simply by adoring them so he will avoid outright stating it as if that will stop whatever it is that drives him to do harm.

tagged by: snagged it from @ferinehuntress a while ago :3 tagging: @accultant , YOU !

[rejectclone]

I just realized that I never really talk about the few romantic relationships my OCs have, so here’s just a quick small blurb about each one 👍

Jared x Deangelo: They are in a very unhealthy on-again-off again kind of relationship. They both met and began to date a time before Jared got horribly mutilated in that botched raid, and before Deangelo was caught and arrested for stealing so many priceless pieces of art for his private gallery. Even before they both got their respectively messed up appearances, they already had trust issues with Deangelo being open to flings with others, while Jared wanted a more committed relationship.

Things broke off after Deangelo ‘disappeared’ (Jared is totally oblivious to Deangelo’s arrest, as any information of his arrest was scrubbed by the government, once Deangelo consented to being a test subject) and Jared moved on from the shoddy relationship, but clearly he still had lingering feelings for him. Once Deangelo finally reappeared out of nowhere (with more pale looking skin and more vividly striking blue eyes than what he formerly had…..) Jared initially balked at the idea of getting back together.

They only essentially got back together via hate-sex, usually during after Jared visits Ren’s place in order to get some totally-not-coerced information for the cases he was stuck on, as Deangelo is now always by Ren’s side, as his personal bodyguard. Things are still strained between the two, but Deangelo still needs to keep a bit of a low profile ever since he ‘returned’ + Jared feels like he’s become totally undesirable due to his mauled face and missing arm, so they still stick to each other, mainly out of desperation.

[REDACTED] X Cyrus: Definitely a bit of a odd relationship, as it was essentially hidden away from everyone, and Cyrus could only spend time with [R], whenever he was told by his superiors to stop by and collect more research data from B055. The fact that Cyrus is even aware that [R] is a total fluke, but it really was love at first sight.

[R], due to the fact that he is so heavily closeted from the real world, is very estranged in regard to knowing how to date someone and how to maintain a relationship, so he unfortunately come off as a very clingy and lovesick person. He literally becomes distraught when Cyrus doesn’t stop by in a few days, to the point where his weeping sobs during his sleep can literally be heard dozens of floors down in the station. Cyrus KNOWS that [R] is way too clingy with him, but he unfortunately kinda lets it slide (as he knows that he is essentially the only ‘normal’ person that [R] has a good experience with, and that he is content with Cyrus looking at his true appearance) thus making [R] become more and more infatuated with him, and thus more and more distraught when Cyrus ISN’T by his side. To say that [R] even accidentally scares Cyrus at times, due to his near obsession-like love for him is an understatement.

Thankfully once [R] is accidentally exposed to the entire world, and can finally go into public without the need of his hazmat suit, their relationship isn’t AS overbearing as it used to. [R] can now freely see Cyrus without waiting anxiously on when he’ll stop by, and Cyrus finally established some healthy boundaries between the two. [R], wanting to be the best boyfriend that he can, pretty just agrees to anything Cyrus tells him to do…… thankfully Cyrus is genuinely a good hearted person and doesn’t exploit the poor naive amalgamation at all in their relationship.

Lawrence X His unnamed wife: DIVORCED LMAO

Lydia X Her mysterious girlfriend: Lydia refuses to talk about her personal dating life to literally anyone, even B055, so her relationship and who she’s dating is a total enigma to everyone. All anyone can infer is that her girlfriend is NOT in the same organization that she works in, and that’s about it! Perhaps one day she will spill the beans on her seemly mysterious relationship (it’s actually super healthy and normal, as Lydia just doesn’t like talking about her life to anyone lol)

[todoscript]

you receive a love letter in your shoe locker from an anonymous admirer

characters: bakugou katsuki, kaminari denki, kirishima eijirou, midoriya izuku, shinsou hitoshi, todoroki shouto

genre: fluff. very slight angst.

word count: 3.2k+ total, 400-700 per character

warnings: jealousy, possessiveness, feelings of doubt (mostly all fluff though)

author’s note: i’ve been on spring break so i found some time to write this! i absolutely love writing for these six (not like they’re my faves or anything pshhhhh—)

BAKUGOU KATSUKI

he’s already fuming the moment you open your locker and hold out the pastel pink card, sealed by a shiny heart sticker with your name written in smooth calligraphy.

it doesn’t take much for him to realize some other dunce head is trying to make moves on his girl.

and he absolutely won’t stand for it.

he stomps over to you and snatches the letter right out of your hands as you’re reading it.

your complaints go ignored behind him while he inspects the writing with the most livid expression.

you know that ugly face he makes when it comes to his over-exaggerated anger? the one with his eyes all squinted and the corners sharpened upward?

that’s his face as he continues reading, growing more twisted at every mushy sentence this anonymous admirer had the gall to say to you.

at one point, he can’t stand to read it anymore so he crumbles the letter in his fist before igniting it into crisps.

you scold him for causing such a scene and letting his anger get the best of him, but bakugou is still annoyed about it regardless.

“tch, who the hell does this shithead think they are, trying to make moves on you when we’re already together?! i’m gonna kill them when i find out who it is!” he exclaims, hands instinctively sparking with heat that scares off the other students walking by.

you mentally facepalm at this. still, you go about reassuring him that you won’t be swayed and take his hand to walk to the dorms together.

“katsu, you know it’s going to take more than a love letter to make me leave you, right?”

“heh, damn right, it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more that’s for fucking sure,” he sneers, a confident smirk on his face as he knows everyone else never had a chance with you to begin with. they can keep sending those letters and he’d make sure to burn them before they could even reach your hand.

on the way back to the dorms, he makes a conscious effort at pda—arm wrapped around your waist while his eyes glare daggers at any extra that even so much as looks at you the wrong way—asserting his claim over you.

meanwhile, having bared witness to that whole scene, your secret admirer is trembling in the corner. they make note to never send you another letter again unless they want their life to flash before their eyes in a fiery explosion.

KAMINARI DENKI

surprisingly enough, kaminari takes the whole situation more positively than most people expected.

in fact, he’s actually prideful about it.

just as he’s about to head over to your locker so you two could walk to class together, sero pokes his shoulder.

“hey, did you see all those written love confessions in y/n’s locker?” sero whispers behind his cupped hand near kaminari’s ear.

the blond scrunches his nose, confused. “no. what love confessions?”

“the letters that were stuffed in your girlfriend’s locker.”

again, kaminari is still puzzled at this. he realizes there’s only one way to understand what sero means.

when he glances in your direction he’s met with you fumbling around with a pile of letters balanced in your arms. his vision zeroes in on the envelopes, deciphering the fancy stationary and pretty embroidery.

oh. they’re love letters.

“other people are trying to make moves on your girl. what are you going to do about it, kaminari?” sero chimes in with an important question and honestly, kaminari can’t exactly make out a solution. or rather, he feels he doesn’t need to.

sure, he should be a little annoyed over the fact that others are disregarding your relationship.

yet could he really blame them for taking such a liking to you?

you’re pretty, smart, nice—the whole damn package.

he’d be more shocked if you didn’t have any secret admirers lurking around.

kaminari decides to leave his friend’s question relatively unanswered and continues his trek to your locker.

“hey, pretty girl! whatcha got there?”

taken off guard by his appearance, you nearly drop all the letters in your arms.

“denki, you scared me!” you exclaim. “these? they’re just some love letters some anonymous person placed in my locker. don’t worry though! i don’t plan on returning their feelings.”

smiling at how quickly you reassure him, he crosses his arms behind his head. “nah i’m not worried, babe. i don’t feel threatened or anything. it only makes sense that my girl is popular after all!”

you’re pleasantly surprised by how rationally he reacts to the scenario. though, knowing his character, he can’t just seem to leave it at that.

“yep, seems like we’re quite the popular couple!” he grabs your hand, wanting to show each other off as you make your way to class.

the bakusquad sees this as another opportunity to egg him on.

“and just how many love letters have you received since the beginning of the school year, kaminari?”

the blond freezes at the question. kaminari bites back words, but begrudgingly answers.

“...zero.”

KIRISHIMA EIJIROU

“heya, babe!” kirishima enthusiastically calls to you, approaching your shoe locker. “ready to go back to the dorms?”

“yeah! in just a second though!” you reply.

as kirishima comes closer, he sees you occupied with some envelopes in your hand.

“what’re all those?” he asks, pointing at the refined stationary curiously.

“ah some letters gifted to me from an anonymous admirer. something about wanting to make their feelings finally known, but i’m not interested in them,” you say, clearing up everything before a misunderstanding could arise.

“oh, that’s cool.”

you quirk a brow at how relatively chill he is at this revelation. you were expecting a bigger reaction at this, but kirishima just simply smiles his genuine, care-free smile.

you don’t think much of it though. shoving the letters in your bag to dispose of later, you walk side-by-side with him to the dormitories.

little do you realize that kirishima actually mistakens this as pure, platonic admiration rather than infatuation.

to him, if they had really wanted to profess their love to you, they’d do it in person where you could see and hear them. not behind fancy penmanship and some pretty paper.

after all, that’s what a true man would do!

but as the days continue to roll by, he’s starting to have second thoughts.

“y/n, i’m telling you, with the amount of letters you keep receiving from them, you gotta find out who this person is!” he overhears mina lecturing you at your desk, going through another pile of notes that were left in your locker from that morning. lately, you’ve been greeted by an astounding number of these things each time you visited your locker.

“mina, there’s definitely no need for me to go out of my way to find this person.”

“aw, but look at all the sweet things they said about you!” mina recites a line from one of many letters. she muses about how the writer sentimentally compares your aura to that of a dandelion wisp in the wind—free and lighthearted yet fleeting and out of reach.

“how romantic!”

you roll your eyes, indifferent, but one side-glance at kirishima from your desk tells you that he’s beginning to interpret the situation differently.

the redhead has to admit that all those things that anonymous admirer said to you were… pretty sweet.

kirishima has always been a man of action—an passionate believer that actions spoke volumes compared to words alone. however, after hearing all of that, he’s wondering how he’s able to compete in that aspect.

he seeks you out during lunch and asks you something beneath a lonely corner of trees.

“y/n, do those kinds of things make you happy..?”

you tilt your head, curious about what he’s exactly referring to. one glimpse back at his demeanor in the classroom earlier with mina gives you an idea.

“do you mean all those letters i keep getting?”

kirishima nods slowly.

“well… i have to admit, it is nice to know that i’m ‘liked’ by other people,” you phrase delicately. “but all those pretty letters and sweet words don’t mean anything to me if they aren’t coming from you. besides, i always thought it’s better to let your actions speak for you, don’t you think?”

hearing your answer, kirishima’s face lights up immediately. before you can properly react, a pair of lips meet your cheek.

you rub the warm skin where his lips touched, flustered for a moment. kirishima grabs your hand, walking you two back to the lunchroom with a newfound surge of conviction in his steps.

MIDORIYA IZUKU

“ooh, look midoriya, seems like someone else has a crush on your girl.”

as midoriya’s tidying up his red shoes and bringing out his slippers for class, his male classmates inform him of the pink envelope held in your hands.

midoriya looks over in your direction. he watches as you peel the letter out of the envelope and begin reading its contents.

he doesn’t miss the slight flustered look on your features, observing how you scan through the writing while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, glancing over your shoulder as if your secret admirer was peering at you from behind.

“you better hold onto her tightly if you don’t want her stolen from you,” one of the boys warns, more so as a joke, but midoriya doesn’t take their banter lightly.

“knock it off, guys. just because someone else likes her doesn’t mean she’s going to leave me or anything,” he says this with as much confidence as he can muster, but his demeanor betrays him.

when he goes past your desk in the classroom later, he can’t seem to meet your eyes.

“good morning, izuku!” you greet him mirthfully. however, midoriya fails to return the greeting with the same enthusiasm.

“g-good morning, y/n…”

it’s hard for you not to notice that something is up by the way he heads straight to his desk afterward without another word.

throughout class, midoriya finds it a challenge to concentrate on anything but that letter you received that morning. his mind stumbles into the hole of bad possibilities—ones of you leaving him, those sweet words from your anonymous admirer making your heart flutter more than he ever has.

“—zuku… ‘zuku… izuku!”

he gets pulled out from his thoughts by your voice and turns to see the concerned look on your face.

“you okay? you haven’t touched your pork cutlet bowl this entire time.”

he stares down at his food, untouched since he sat down. “oh sorry, i guess something’s just been on my mind today.”

your brows knit together. “it’s about the letter i got today, isn’t it?”

midoriya stares at you, debating whether to deny your statement, but knows it’s pointless to try when it must have been obvious.

you take his silence as confirmation and grasp his hand that lays flat on the table.

“izuku, look at me,” you tell him and watch as his eyes slowly trail to you. “you know i wouldn’t leave you over some silly letter, right? no amount of words they can say to me could ever make me think differently about you.”

at this, a comforted smile spreads on midoriya’s face. he nods and squeezes your hand as a sign he took your words to heart before chowing down on his food, the uncertainty inside him disappearing.

SHINSOU HITOSHI

“another one?” you inquire to yourself in disbelief, opening your shoe locker to discover a rose-colored envelope waiting for you atop your slippers.

“dang, y/n, that’s like the fourth one this week!” uraraka comments, peeking over your shoulder.

“ooh! i wanna see what they wrote for you this time!” mina approaches from behind. you allow her to grab the delicate letter from your fingertips.

she over-exaggeratedly clears her throat, unwrinkling the paper by pinching at the sides. “‘you are the one who brought me sunshine when i only saw rain.’”

“aw! how sweet!” uraraka clasps her hands above her heart, seeming almost moved.

though the girls are all smitten by the love poem, you bite your tongue, hoping to suppress the urge to gag in front of them.

your boyfriend shinsou is on equal wavelength as you, witnessing the scene unfolding so early in the morning. he’s grown tired of replaying this spectacle for the past four days now.

his eyes navigate to the note and envelope in mina’s hand. by the script and the use of the same stationary, shinsou can tell the love letters you’ve been receiving are all from the same person.

“damn dude, you got some serious competition.” overhearing the girls, kaminari jabs at shinsou’s sides teasingly. “so, you gonna do anything about that mysterious guy trying to go after your girl?”

the violet-haired boy shrugs. “why should i? it’s not like i feel threatened.”

kaminari whistles at his confidence.

shinsou says he doesn’t care about it, putting on a level-headed and indifferent facade. but that was honestly far from the truth.

in actuality, he’s a bit pissed.

what kind of person goes around sending anonymous love messages to someone who’s already in a relationship? what the hell do they hope to gain out of doing this?

shinsou more than trusts you won’t be swayed by them, no matter how many times those notes discourteously greet you every morning.

you never bring up the topic of the letters whenever you two are alone, not wanting shinsou to be bothered over it and create a hassle. all in all, he’s grateful for this, and also for the fact that you make a point of never taking any of those letters seriously and dump them into the trash bin whenever the chance arises.

however, he can tell by your body language that the whole situation bothers you and makes you uneasy.

so, during one incredibly early morning, he decides to do some scouting.

he plays off his odd punctuality by saying he left something in the classroom yesterday and wants to get there early to look for it.

lo and behold, he finds a male student hovering around the lockers—suspiciously darting his head back and forth to be on the lookout for any other students.

little does he realize he’s already been caught red-handed.

“hey you.” shinsou abruptly calls out to him and the boy nearly jumps. “what are you doing here?”

the boy panics at his question, fumbling with his answer while hiding something behind his back—what shinsou presumes to be another one of those cheesy letters.

“u-um, just want to get to class early!” he sputters.

“is there any special reason you’re standing in front of my girlfriend’s locker then? ’cause last i checked, the lockers for general education students were located on the opposite side.” shinsou emphasizes his words with a bite of malice, arms crossed.

“i just lost my way is all–” the student suddenly stops mid-speech, his words and actions forcibly coming to a halt. all thoughts are overturned in the presence of shinsou’s quirk.

“i’m going to make this quick and easy for you to understand. not only are you going to forget about this conversation, but you’re also going to stop handing my girlfriend those love letters.” shinsou bends down to the boy’s height, staring at the abyss in his expression.

“and i’d also appreciate it if you kept your eyes off what’s mine.”

it’s safe to say, your influx of letters had been effectively cut off after that day.

TODOROKI SHOUTO

todoroki is no stranger to finding love letters from avid admirers and fans in his shoe locker before and after classes.

in fact, an unprecedented number of them had begun taking up all the space there after his impressive performance at the sports festival.

when he started dating you, however, he had made a clear declaration that he wouldn’t be accepting anymore of them.

but to be on the opposite end of having to watch you unlatch the door of your locker to have letters and notes practically tumbling out, todoroki wasn’t exactly sure what to make of this feeling that made his stomach twist into knots.

he notices the alarming amount of them and concludes they’re all from various students in different grades and departments.

“y/n, you’re getting pretty popular,” uraraka says, eyeing the stack of envelopes. “must be your dance performance from the culture festival! i remember you did get a lot of cheers in the crowd.”

“guess all those cheers came with a lot of fanboys, huh?” the invisible girl, hagakure, teases.

you jokingly nudge at them to stop with the teasing, but pause when your eyes cross todoroki’s. he’s giving you a look you can’t decipher—one that edges between troubled and apathetic yet you can’t tell which it is.

you send him a nod, silently acknowledging his presence as he waits for you to finish your business so you could head back to the dorms together.

watching you dispose of the various piles of letters has todoroki contemplating about what uraraka and hagakure commented on. about how popular you were getting and how your admirers have been bold enough to profess their reverence for you despite your relationship status.

todoroki’s not entirely sure what to make of this information. he doesn’t linger on it for long though when you finally approach him, your sneakers slipped on and your backpack securely hanging off your shoulders.

“ready to head home?”

a smile finds his lips at your appearance. he softly utters his response.

during the small distance to the dormitories, todoroki reaches for your hand and intertwines your fingers together. as seemingly minor the gesture is at this point of your relationship, it’s a detail you mentally take note of.

usually, when it came to publicly displaying physical forms of affection, you were the one to initiate it. you have to admit, seeing the assertive side of todoroki is like a small breath of fresh air.

as you continue your short journey home, a couple of male students walking by greet you enthusiastically. though you wave back to kindly acknowledge them, you feel the grip on your hand tighten, followed by a slight tug closer to todoroki’s side.

that alone is enough for you to realize something is definitely troubling him.

“sho, is there something wrong?” you ask, steps still walking in tandem with him.

todoroki’s voice doesn’t waver in the slightest as he replies, “no, why would you think that?”

“you’ve been awfully possessive all of a sudden,” you note, “is this because of those letters from earlier?”

“...maybe.”

you quirk a brow, amused. “is that a yes or a no?”

now todoroki is silent. your steps come to a halt. not parting your laced hands from his, you turn to look him in the eye.

“sho?”

“it’s just… when i realize that there are other people looking at you the same way i do, i get… uneasy.” his gaze drops to the ground as he confesses this, hand squeezing yours. the uncomfortable churning in his stomach settles a bit now that the words are out, but he finds it hard to ease the atmosphere.

this is where you picked up from where he left off. your hand goes to his cheek, gently cupping it so you can tilt his head up at you.

“oh shouto, you have to know that you’re the only one for me and i don’t plan on looking at anyone else but you,” you assure him. todoroki stares into your eyes, and in them, he can’t find any hesitance or flutter of doubt.

at this, he lifts your twined hands and grazes your knuckles ever so softly against his lips, wondering whatever troubled him so much to begin with.