#WE R IN FAERIE LAND

[geniemillies]

gonna start prythian fashion pieces where i draw court royalty in very nice very whimsical very traditional fae attire befitting their court bc fashion design is my passion

[extremely-judgemental]

This got me thinking about Amarantha and Ianthe, so let’s talk.

I don't know what her obsession with female villains having sex slaves is but it was already tired the first time she did it. A woman can and should be taken seriously as a villain without being a serial r**ist.

@lady-tragedy on violence in SJM's books.

Outside of her romances, sex is still a core part of SJM’s books. As an ace reader, for me, these scenes are nothing more than an insight to the characters’ beliefs and behaviours. When I read about the sexual crimes committed by Amarantha and Ianthe, it felt like a desperate and unnecessary attempt to make them villains.

Amarantha is a ruthless warrior of Hybern who comes to Prythian as a courtier. Once she settles in, she tricks the High Lords, steals their powers, keeps them captive so they can’t topple her dictatorship. Her cruelty is already established with Lucien’s mutilation, Jurian’s fate, and her relentless pursuit of Tamlin since he was a boy. She’s highly prejudiced, creatively cunning, and sadistic. Knowing Tamlin’s loyalty to the lands, she forces him to be the cause of his friends’ deaths. She sets impossible challenges for Feyre knowing her mortal body might give out before she completes even one.

She comes off a bit cartoonish with her grand monologues and threats while not doing much (until that last chapter) than being a puppeteer. But her drive is interesting and gives her that sense of evil in her nature. Her sister dies at the hands of her mortal lover after being tortured. This reinforces her goals to enslave the humans again. Since the faeries were divided during the last war, she unites Prythian to eliminate any opposition. Even her hatred for Feyre is driven by this. She wants to prove that every one of the mortals is like Jurian—unfaithful and merciless.

Amarantha is a true villain and there’s more than enough proof of her villainy without Rhysand’s sexual abuse. If we remove that from the plot, her potential isn’t weakened. With it, her actions are out of character and pointless and raises a lot of questions. There are no other hints that she’s sexually sadistic. If she was, who are her other victims UtM? Why does she hurt the most evil High Lord who doesn’t shy away from putting on such shows in this way? If this is to humiliate him, why continue when he pretends to enjoy it? And if this is about dominance, why doesn’t she go after the other High Lords?

Moreover, it undermines her core reasons. Amarantha wants to rule. She’s obsessive and ambitious. In the fifty years, she grows comfortable being Queen of Prythian but her tyranny is not an elaborate plan to trap Tamlin. He’s a game which she improvised to achieve everything she wants in one move. Tamlin offering himself wouldn’t have saved Rhysand or the others UtM. Her refusal to release Prythian when Feyre completes the tasks proves it. But because of the last minute addition of Rhysand’s abuse, all of Amarantha’s real causes and crimes are shadowed and she becomes a woman driven by lust for two men.

Ianthe is a priestess who associates herself with influential men for her means. Since she has no magical abilities or a high position in the society except for the priestess title, she uses her body to get what she wants. Her motivations are not as clear (iirc) but the time she’s in hiding with her family could be concurred as a driving factor, or the lack of influence in a patriarchal world, or like Amarantha, she wants power, plain and simple.

There are many moments that show her evil side. She actively encourages the separation between Tamlin and Feyre by manipulating them. She betrays Nesta and Elain’s location to win favour from Hybern. She pushes Tamlin to carry out barbaric acts in the name of upholding traditions which is underscored by her desire for power. Despite this, the only ones remembered are the sexual crimes she committed which leads to many questions.

Ianthe’s exceptionally beautiful known to win any man she wants. She’s a childhood friend of Tamlin and when she returns, his relationship with Feyre is already beginning to crack. Instead of targeting him, she goes for Lucien who neither trusts her nor shows interest in her. If she wants power, why choose the one who wouldn’t play by her rules and won’t ever be a High Lord? Why doesn’t she target one of the others recently crowned UtM?

Pursuing Rhysand makes sense as he’s the ‘most powerful High Lord’. But he has a reputation to have whores as he pleases and his response to her isn’t in line with the mask he wears. He doesn’t have his evil attitude nor does he behave like the manipulative mastermind he’s claimed to be. Considering this, the memory of Ianthe harassing him serves to drive Feyre’s hatred towards the only support left in Spring other than Tamlin and Lucien.

Duality of sex and abuse in the series

I’m not denying that these two women sexually abused men. Plotwise, it doesn’t conform to Amarantha’s character or support Ianthe’s cause. Let’s say it’s a random incident because characters can be unpredictable sometimes. But then, the only two notable villainesses in the series turn out to be sexual predators.

On the other hand, sex is a rite of passage for the ‘good’ female leads—Feyre accepting the role of Rhysand’s whore, Morrigan becoming sexually hyperactive and Nesta having multiple partners. And they use seduction as a weapon which becomes part of their strength and identity. Even before Ianthe assaults Lucien, Feyre disapproves her acts of pursuing men. But when she takes charge of her life, she does the same with Tarquin. She also exploits Lucien’s friendship and ruins his reputation across courts. These are considered her accomplishments. (And, it’s hard to say how far she’d have gone in her vengeance if things hadn’t turned out her way. She isn’t abusive but her inner thoughts in Lucien’s bedroom felt more than suspicious.)

Also, none of the victims are equally sympathised in the narrative. Female victims don’t talk about their abuse or heal from it on page. Among the men, only Rhysand earns compassion from the characters and the readers while Lucien’s is forgotten and Tamlin’s is ignored. I’m not entirely convinced either of these women would be hated as much had Rhysand not been their prey because it’s become the highlight of their crimes, and Tamlin is still heavily criticised for not sacrificing himself and blamed for the sisters’ deaths.

What truly stands out is that Ianthe parallels Rhysand while Amarantha, Cassian. Ianthe has a goal and goes as far as to assault someone for it—similar to what Rhysand did to Feyre. Amarantha's control and punishment of Rhysand reflects Cassian’s behaviour towards Nesta. He also mirrors Ianthe if we consider his stalking. In SJM's world, while the men are forgiven and their acts are fetishised even, the women are considered a disgrace and fated to die. They are reduced to mere temptresses erasing any ingenuity in their characters. This double standard reinforces the idea that the gravest crime a woman can commit is abuse a man. She’s only a villain when she acts like a man, pursues like a man, aspires like a man.

[annamatix]

episode 1 of the jenny-anna taylor jurdan collab series YIPPEE (that's a mouthful we'll need to find a better name)

@viivdle did cardan's pov in two parts (linked at the bottom of this post) and i did jude's here

today’s topic: dancing with our hands tied (jurdan’s version)

“i, i loved you in secret” = jude didn’t tell a single soul that she had feelings for cardan

“first sight, yeah we love without reason” = after their first kiss she was super confused and didn’t understand why she was growing feeling for him, hence the ‘without reason’

“oh, 25 years old” = they weren’t 25, but they were very young so this could mean how literally the fate of the land fae was thrust into the hands of ‘kids’ (18?? 19??)

“oh, how were you to know, my love had been frozen. deep blue but you painted me golden” = in tcp jude clearly states that she is not interested in marrying or has feelings for anyone, but cardan kickstarted those feelings, clearly

“oh, and you held me close” = she was around cardan a lot, he kept her close to stead as seneschal and whatnot

“i could’ve spent forever with your hands in my pockets” = this could refer to the way cardan was slowly becoming more spy-like, learning from the roach (‘hands in my pockets’ = him stealing stuff, like her heart)

“picture of your face in an invisible locket” = 1) this is elfhame, so invisible lockets are totally normal, and 2) this could also mean how cardan was always on jude’s mind, like when he turned into a serpent she still imagined him sitting there, giving her pointers in his own sarcastic way

“you said there was nothing in the world that could stop it, i had a bad feeling” = the way when jude was seneschal, cardan would always say things like ‘what a shame not one of them knows who their real ruler is’ and jude always feeling like this power could slip out of her grasp soon

“and darling, you had turned my bed into a sacred oasis” = smirk (sorry) basically this could be about when jude and cardan did something together and agreed on it, it was a rare moment, making it 'sacred'

“people starting talking putting us through our paces” = there’s lots of whispering in courts like elfhame’s and jurdan was definitely affected by them

“i knew there was no one in the world who could take it, i had a bad feeling” = jude crowned cardan against his will, and she had to bear so many responsibilities, so again she felt like the power could fall from her anytime soon

“but we were dancing, dancing with our hands tied, hands tied” = even though she was seneschal, jude felt powerless in many ways, frustrated that she couldn’t control cardan, hence the ‘hands tied’

“yeah we were dancing, like it was the first time, first time” = jude and cardan kept repressing their feelings for each other, and then whenever they felt something/did something, they were always surprised (‘like it was the first time’ = signaling even though they did it before, they were still shocked, like the first time they did it)

(skipping the rest of the chorus, it’s basically a repeat)

“i, i loved you in spite of, deep fears that the world would divide us” = painfully obvious, a mortal and a faerie?? jude duarte and the beloved high king of elfhame?? not even in your wildest dreams, right?

“so baby can we dance, through an avalanche” = jurdan has been through a LOT together, this somewhat symbolizes that

“and say, say that we got it, i’m a mess but i'm the mess that you wanted” = do i even have to say it? jude i-poison-myself-every-day-and-made-a-deal-with-prince-dain-who-made-me-stab-clean-through-my-hand-plus-i-did-a-shit-ton-of-other-insane-things duarte, and cardan is head over heels for this woman

“oh, cause it’s gravity, keeping you with me” = its so hard to keep cardan under her thumb, and also unbelievable he would do it on his own accord. this could also work romantically, its crazy to her that cardan actually loves her

(skipping the chorus cuz i already did it above)

“i’d kiss you as the lights went out, swaying as the room burned down. i’d hold you as the water rushes in, if i could dance with you again” = symbolizes the time when cardan was a serpent, jude didn’t care which type of cardan he would be, what would happen, or anything else, she just wanted him next to her again. girlie was highkey desperate

(the rest of the song is basically the chorus)

wow thank you for reading until here *bows*

sorry if its shallow jenny is the better analyzer between us two 🙏

cardan's pov part 1

cardan's pov part 2

[acourtofthought]

No means No in real life, ALWAYS.  

But books don’t follow that same formula.  

Books are about the characters journey.  How they start in one place and work their way to the next, sometimes denying what they truly feel.  Sometimes convincing themselves that they don’t want what they want.  It’s also important to remember that the point of a book is to get inside the main characters head so you can understand their thoughts rather than processing information the way you would in your own life.  

At the end of their story, you can still disagree with their perspective but you can’t convince someone that that characters perspective isn’t valid for them.  

So the fact that there’s still the Tamlin versus Rhys debate and how they did the same things to Feyre so why is Tamlin punished while Rhys is not misses the fact that it’s Feyre who feels that way and the Pro Rhysand readers are simply conveying that they can see it through Feyre’s eyes. 

 In book 1, Tamlin kidnapped Feyre from her home after baiting her with Andras then lying to her about the treaty.  

She forgave him for that and we understand that he was trying to save his people which is why this point is not often brought up in arguments.  Because most readers understand that at that point in time, Tamlin was trying to do what was best for Prythian.  If there was no curse, would Tamlin have done what he did to Feyre?  I’m guessing the answer is no.  

Then Rhys forced Feyre to dress inappropriately and drink the faerie wine while UTM and made her agree to the bargain.  But again.......Rhys was doing what was best for Prythian with these actions (just like Tamlin at the start of the book).  Not to mention Rhys has put on his “mask” for YEARS so others think the worst of him.  His actions with Feyre HAD to look cruel and wicked, otherwise it wouldn’t have rung true of who they all believed him to be and the bargain ensured Tamlin would be furious when the time to destroy Amarantha came.  If they were not UTM, would Rhys have forced Feyre to drink the wine and dress inappropriately against her consent?  I’m guessing the answer is no.

So at this point, Tamlin and Rhys’s past transgressions are sort of washed away because they both were doing things they wouldn’t normally do to a female because they were trying to save their lands. 

But....after UTM is where the No means No except in the fictional world comes out.

Because Feyre begged and pleaded for Tamlin to include her.  To allow her to help and give her more freedom as she was withering away because of it.  Was this a No means No scenario?  It was because even by the end of Feyre’s story we know for a fact that she is traumatized by Tamlin’s actions after UTM and beyond.

Rhys had no plans to call in the bargain until “Help me, help me, help me, I begged someone, anyone.”  “Save me - please, save me.  Get me out.  End this.” 

Sure Feyre then demanded he take her home but did she actually mean that?  Considering just a chapter before we saw her beg “anyone” to save her, I think that’s the first clue she didn’t.  But even if you’re still not sold we then get confirmation that her “no” didn’t really mean “no” but was her stubbornly convincing herself that it did.. 

“I’m thinking that I can’t stop thinking about you.  And that it’s been that way for a long while.  Even before I left the Spring Court.” 

“I’d wanted to see Rhysand during those weeks before visits.”   

As for the shield during Feyre’s pregnancy, she agreed to that.  And as for the baby plot, he was definitely wrong for trying to find a solution before telling her.  But again, Feyre was not traumatized by what happened.  She was upset, sure, and I’m sure she reamed Rhys out for it.  But when Tamlin’s actions caused Feyre to have severe trauma and PTSD and Rhys’s actions in ACOTAR and ACOMAF led to them falling in love (and the baby plot only resulted in what amounted to a simple marital spat), that is why people still consider Tamlin to be more problematic than Rhys.  From Feyre’s perspective (the main character of the original trilogy), Tamlin is the one who caused her lasting grief, not Rhys.

And again, the point of reading is to try to see the world through the eyes of the character since it’s their story that is being told.  Yes, it can be fun to think about what we’d do in her shoes but it doesn’t mean we have to completely discredit her experience.  In Feyre’s mind and for a lot of readers, Rhys is “better” because they were able to “see” what she saw and experience what she experienced.    

[elevatorladylady]

Critical Reread - ACOFAS Chapter 4

Join me for a critical reread of A Court of Frost and Starlight

Chapter 4 - F/eyre

“a faerie with skin like glittering onyx and eyes like swirling clusters of stars”

More “lesser” fae please. The high fae seem like supermodel humans with pointy ears.

“Inside the gallery, no fewer than five people were doing their best not to gawk at me”

“I offered a tight smile before continuing on.”

“No matter that I wanted to go in.”

F/eyre makes a big deal in ACOMAF about how no one seems to care when R/hysand walks around Velaris. Wonder why it’s different for her.

“though I truly loved to fly, the thought of exposing sensitive wings to the cold made me shiver.”

It’s not just that F/eyre has the luxury of flying with Illyrian wings when many woman don’t, but that she has the added privilege of deciding whether or not to have her wings at all, much less exposed to the cold.

“Few people recognized me while I strode by”

“A small mercy, though I certainly didn’t mind being approached.”

I’m confused now on how people actually respond to her in public, and how she feels about it.

“As High Lady, I hosted weekly open audiences with R/hys at the House of Wind. The requests ranged from the small—a faelight lamppost was broken”

Again we have some humble leader kind of stuff, but really not a great use of resources for the high lord and lady to be dealing with a broken lamppost.

“It had taken me a few sessions to get the hang of it—the questions he used, the way he listened. He hadn’t pushed me to step in unless necessary, had granted me the space to figure out the rhythm and style of these audiences and begin asking questions of my own.”

It’s so sad that nearly everything F/eyre knows how to do in the faerie realm is something R/hysand has shown her how to do. Has she shown him how to do anything?

“How he’d lasted so long without a team of secretaries assisting him, I had no idea.”

I have no idea either. Seems like a bad set up.

“When I’d asked R/hys about them, about why they had not been improved, he merely said that he had tried. But displacing people while their homes were torn down and rebuilt … Tricky.”

Pretty silly explanation as if places can’t be painted and repaired while people live in them, but we need Nesta to live in a trash pile in Velaris somehow.

“I’d begun donating a portion of my monthly salary—the idea of receiving such a thing was still utterly ludicrous—to rebuilding the Rainbow”

Again, this is something their deep coffers should be able to take care of.

“They’re living at a relative’s farm in the lowlands now.” She waved a hand toward the distant sea, to the flat expanse of land between Velaris and the shore.”

I have more questions about Velaris and the rest of the Night Court. They must know it exists and what of the lands bordering Velaris? Do they get similar protections or left to fend for themselves? A hidden city is quite a thing to write around.

“Oh—oh, I wasn’t asking after it for that reason.” It hadn’t even entered my mind. “Why not?”

Of course this random person would be thinking about F/eyre’s personal interests rather than thinking about her role as a leader of the city.

“I knew. I’d seen the lists of assets. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the enormity of R/hys’s wealth. My wealth. It didn’t feel real, those numbers and figures. Like it was children’s play money. I only bought what I needed.”

Redistribute! The! Wealth! 

“Tradition. Around Solstice, we make a little visit to the Court of Nightmares to wish them well.” “Really?”

Seems normal to visit different parts of your territory during its biggest holiday, unless I guess you hate most of your territory.

/// are used to observe anti- etiquette. If you’re wondering why I’m reading something I’m critical of, it’s because I like being critical. Plus a ACOSF rewrite.

[rfaromance]

mysme cast as neopets

once again, I am highly qualified, as my neopets account is old enough to vote in the USA.

Yoosung: Starry Poogle! He is "Shooting Star Yoosung" after all, and Poogles are described as a pet that looks like a cute and cuddly dog-esque creature... but with extremely sharp teeth! Yoosung is a puppy boy, but he can get snippy and protective!

Zen: White Lupe. He's clearly a wolf boy. Lupes are brave, loyal, and perhaps a bit too confident. Zen seems that way at first glance, but his confidence is largely a ruse! Hug your local white-haired beast today!

Jaehee: Striped Nimmo! Nimmos are intelligent, spiritual creatures who value peace and harmony. However, they have quite an affinity for martial arts! Perfect for our witty, religious judo queen. I imagine that Jumin required her to paint herself yellow (a basic, default color) before starting at C&R, but in her good ending, she paints herself a sweet, soft striped color!

Jumin: Silver Shoyru! (Yes, because Zen disdainfully refers to him as "born with a silver spoon in his mouth.") Shoyrus are adept flyers, so maybe Jumin missed that gene with his driving skills. More importantly, they are fiery creatures who are fiercely loyal. If you treat a Shoyru right, you have a friend for life... but if you mistreat him, he will never, ever forget it.

707: Camouflage Kougra. He's clearly cat-coded, so the playful, wild Kougra who LOVES to pounce with his big paws is perfect! However, he's camouflage colored not just because the reddish and orange hues match his hair, but because Seven is cursed to a life in the shadows, always needing to blend in and never to exist freely....

V: Maractite Ogrin! Ogrins are shy at first, but once they're comfortable around someone, they're friendly and chatty! They're also highly curious and bright, and they love to ask questions as well as go for long nature walks to observe their surroundings. How perfect for our artistic photographer? Also, V was sassy and rude as a teen, and I think I can see him asking prying questions to be a brat back then! Maractite is interesting because when it's used for a weapon, it cuts through water with ease and is extremely sharp and durable... but it erodes quickly on land. Sounds a lot like V, powerful and bright in certain settings but fragile when out of his element.... (plus the colors are minty).

Ray: Plushie Cybunny! Ray is clearly bunny-coded. Plus, Cybunnies come from Terror Mountain, and "Ray" did not exist until Mint Eye, which is... onba mountain! A plushie looks sweet and non-threatening, right? You can trust him. :)

Suit Saeran: Skunk Wocky! While Ray is bunny-coded, Suit is certainly cat-coded. He'd be perfect as a Wocky, which is a bold, adventurous Neopet... perhaps too daring for his own good! He'd take the black and white palette to look powerful, akin to his suit.

GE Saeran: Faerie Usul! Usuls are friendly and brave, and they are extremely loyal. Saeran devotes himself fully to the people he loves and the causes he believes in. But he's also selfless to a fault, so he'd be an Usul, which is a Neopet known to be the first to share food with their friends once winter hits! He'd be Faerie because he's pretty, and because he's finally free to touch the clouds.

Unknown: Wraith Jetsam. Mean, unfriendly, vicious. If you can earn his favor, you have a powerful ally. Otherwise? Prepare to be eaten by the Void.

SE Saeran: Cloud Kacheek. Kacheeks are peaceful and shy, avoiding violence whenever possible. They also live in meadows! SE does not want to mingle and definitely wants to avoid conflict. His brother won't always let him outside to look at the clouds, but at least he can paint clouds on himself.

Vanderwood: Electric Zafara! Zafaras are adventurous and can be found anywhere in Neopia; nobody quite knows from where they originate! Similarly, we don't actually know where Vanderwood is from, although many of us have theories! Zafaras are also said to bring good luck if you're kind to them. While Vandy may not be a lucky fellow, the people around them somehow fare better when he gets involved? Electric color is self-explanatory.

Rika: Faerie Korbat! Rika is a person who is simultaneously intimidating and alluring, and I think a Korbat with faerie wings captures that essence! Korbats are friendly and welcoming, even though their appearance may frighten others. They're also inquisitive and have sharp senses, allowing them to learn a lot in a short time. It also makes sense that Rika, a nocturnal creature, would crave love from the sun so desperately...

[megashadowdragon]

lostbelt 6 part 3 unsung hero

www . reddit . com/r/grandorder/comments/14xnlkb/lostbelt_6s_unsung_herolb6_part_3_spoilers/

I run. I run.

I'm shocked at my vigor, even as the world crumbles all around me.

"Take care of the Prophesied Child, ______ ___.

Protect her at all times.

And, if you would, tell me at the end of each day how her journey has been.

I can't join you, given my position...But if anything happens, I'd like to at least be there with you in spirit."

I was proud to do it, at first.

But over time, I began to vaguely understand the consequence of her request.

Still, I kept sending the reports, and was ordered to avoid joining the battlefield. Then...

One day, while I was far away at Oxford,

I saw flames rising over Londinium.

"Ahhhh..."

There was nothing I could do to atone. I wasn't responsible to begin with.

The queen's army might really have attacked.

That's what I told myself.

"If only we had a chance to teach Londinium its place!"

"The Round Table Liberation Army? Please! As if those defects from the factory could ever stand beside us, the chosen humans!"

Try as I might, I couldn't forget the voices of the humans in Salisbury, nor those of the fairies egging them on.

When I saw the embers of Londinium, my hind legs went numb.

I would never run freely again.

Silently, I accepted that fact.

To begin with, the state of the Fairydom was too difficult for me.

I should have been born in a world where I could exercise my talents, more purely, as I pleased.

A life without words, without prejudice, without conflict.

I wished I had been a creature of the wild, racing through the meadows.

Dashing, like the wind.

Galloping, like a beast.

That was all I ever wanted.

But that humble goal was dashed to cinders, when I saw the fire.

Yet, I gained one last chance.

They told me it was do or die, so I trampled the earth with all my might.

It hurt.

My flesh and spirit screamed at me, "what's the point after all this?"

I had no words to give. I didn't deserve to mourn that brave, gallant girl knight.

All I could do was smile bitterly. There wasn't a point.

If there was no point, then all I had to think about was what to do next.

I ran, and ran.

The pain was fierce.

But so was my joy.

While the world crumbled around me, I was freer then I'd ever been in my life.

A faehorse's life is over if it breaks a leg.

The pain was so intense it tore my soul apart.

For a day and a half, I pulled that carriage like there was no tomorrow. I knew my legs would give out soon, anyway.

I turned my pain into joy, and ran.

I ran, just to deliver them to the coast.

I ran, not to hide hope, but to create it.

No matter how corrupt it was, this world had given birth to me, raised me, and taught me joy. I sprinted across the land of Britain I so loved.

When the carriage collapsed, I cut loose the harness and dashed for the woods, alone.

As I ran, I could hear my body being mangled.

What a blessing this is!

What grace I was given!

To be happy, until my final moment.

To be like the wind, until the very end.

- From Kinoko Nasu's Diary, August 6, 2021

Found this after seeing someone bringing up that Nasu wrote about Redra Bit's last moments when he sent the Chaldea gang off to the Storm Border gave me a link to it and couldn't help but post it here. As someone who was actually shocked when the game just like, completely forgets he exists after he had broken all his legs running almost 2 days straight just to get Master and the rest to the Border in time and he doesn't get even a single line to the fact we just left him there be devoured by the Mors after being the most absolute unit, this really hit me in the feels, and makes me sad it wasn't added as an actual scene to the game, so I decided to at least post it, that way more people will remember one of the most ignored yet most vital sacrifices we had to accomplish everything at the end of the Lostbelt in time.

reddit comments

Ector and Ainsel/Gareth are better examples. In order to be "good" as a faerie, you need to reject your nature and take responsibility, even when it's hard. It's why Koyanskaya was so disappointed in Murian: She thought she was special, but she was really no different than any other faerie.

Every faerie worth saving was one that actively defied their nature to avoid responsibility. Ector put Castoria's welfare above his own life. Cnoc na Riabh dedicated her entire existence to being the lynchpin the world needed. Ainsel/Gareth held the line. Habetrot...well, she did a lot in defiance of her nature. And Mike did one small act that really hit home the ultimate tragedy of the faeries: Some of them were redeemable.

The fang clan members . Even as murians accepting them into the city when they had nowhere else to go, they're literally talking shit to her, talking about how they wiped our her clan and she's lucky she's even here, talking about how they're going to take over

There's also all the unnamed fairies of the round table army that as far as we know never betrayed and stay honnorable throught the apocalypse. Likewise for those that tried to find refuge to londinum, found the human knight completely exhausted, and decided to selflessly defend them

As we were told all the way back on the beginning "Fairies are extensions of Nature" they just aren't meant to live in society, they are supposed to exist in their most wild and brute way.

Of course it isn't like they cannot coexist (or even be born of) with human societal aspect, heck look at craftsman fairy's like Habbycat

They are just not adjusted by their Intrinsic nature to be capable of building, maintaining and growin communities of their own, at most they are to form groups around a great fairy. Even the societal structures they have in this LB aren't even "real", they are just facsimiles of human behavior.

Is telling that even after 14000 years of time, they seem to be unable to move beyond semi-medieval times

And because they exist in this environment in which they aren't meant to, theirs very existences are filled with flaws

As Redra Bit says he wasn't ever meant to think of stuff like clan relations/politics scheming, prejudice and even words; he was a fae horse, he should just been concerned with running

[j2miner]

Bringing MTG MicroProse to the Modern Game

This is just a Rambling of Ideas related to Last Week's Magic: the Gathering's MYSTERY BOOSTER 2 reveled at Gen-Con. Now that MTG is producing the once online only Arena cards a physical (all be it Acorn/Silver Border) can we get the old MicroProse/Shandalar cards? I know even then they would need to be revamped in some way to make them work, but you could make the 'Choose at Random' a sort of D6 effect or something like it.

The Blue cards could never work, but the rest could. Sorry for a wall of text:

Asawan Jaguar - {1}{G}{G} 2/2 Creature Cat (Spirit?) (With)- When [Creature] ETB's, choose a Creature type. {G}{G},{T}; Destroy target creature of the chosen type.

Call from the Grave - {2}{B} Sorcery (With)- Roll a D6, return creatures from any Graveyard to the Battlefield equal to the result, then take damage equal to the Converted Mana Cost. If you cannot take damage equal to the dice result.

Faerie(/Fae?) Dragon - {2}{G}{G} 1/3 Creature (Faerie?) Dragon (With)- Flying. {1}{G}{G}; Roll a D6 - (1) - Target Creature Gains +0/+1 until end of turn. (2) - Tap target Creature. (3) - Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. (4) - Deal 1 Damage to target Creature. (5) - Target Creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn. (6) - Add {3} (There is already a Faerie Dragon from DnD sets, even if it is a Token only made by multiple cards)

Goblin Polka Band {R}{R} 1/1 Goblin Bard (With)- {2}{X},{T}; Tap X untapped target creatures. If Goblin Spells were taped this way put a stun counter on them.

Necropolis of Azar {2}{B}{B} Enchantment (With)- Whenever a non-black creatures dies, put a husk counter on this card. {5}, Remove a husk counter; Roll 2D6, Create a black Spawn token creature named "Spawn of Azar" with Swampwalk with it's power and toughness equal to the dice roll divided by two rounded up.

Orcish Catapult {X}{R}{R} Instant (With)- Put X -0/-1 counters on creatures with the least -0/-1 counters on them.

Prismatic Dragon {2}{W}{W} 2/3 Creature Dragon (With) - Flying. During your Upkeep roll a D6, [Creature] becomes the rolled color until the end of turn. (1) - White. (2) - Blue. (3) - Black. (4) - Red. (5) - Green. (6) - Colorless. {2}; Roll a D6.

Rainbow Knights (1) {W}{W} 2/1 Summon Human Knight (With)- When [Creature] ETB's roll a D6, [Creature] Gains protection from the rolled color. (1) - White. (2) - Blue. (3) - Black. (4) - Red. (5) - Green. (6) - Colorless.

Rainbow Knights (2) {W}{W} 2/1 Summon Human Knight (With)- {1}: [Creature] gains Fist Strike until the end of turn. {W}{W}, Roll a D6; (1/2) - Gain +0/+0 until end of turn. (3/4) - +1/+0 until end of turn. (5/6) - +2/+0 until end of turn.

(Had to do two version of this creature because of the two dice rolls would be too much to fit on one card.)

Pandora's Box {5} Artifact (With)- {3},{T}; All player reveals the top card of there library until they reveal a Creature card, then Flip a coin for each opponent. For each Heads create a Token copy of revealed creature, Put all reveled non creature cards on the bottom of there owner's library.

Gem Bazaar Land (With)- When [Land] ETB's roll a D6, [Land} produces mana of the rolled result. (1) - White. (2) - Blue. (3) - Black. (4) - Red. (5) - Green. (6) - Colorless. {T}: Add [Color], roll a D6. [Land] produces mana of the rolled result.

I know these are clunky with how I have written them, and would need some serious revamp to make them viable in the current landscape, but what do you guys think?

[talenlee]

Decima Vex Story Spotlight 1 — Gwynn and the Ghostlands

When we last left the heroes of the story of Vox Maxima, the core of heroic travellers had broken apart; Primrose, Niamh and Kraivh IV had dived into the Dreams of the Tambow to escape the Emperor’s armies as they tried to purge the Verge and in the process destroy what they knew. They came to in a horrifying new land – a post-apocalyptic fantasy landscape where nine billion ghosts roam the lands and shred and struggle at the reality around them.

Where do they go from here, and who do they meet?

Decima Vex is a custom magic set created by Talen Lee. It’s composed of 187 cards, with 71 commons, 60 uncommons, 41 rares, and 15 mythic rares. Decima Vex is a custom Magic: The Gathering set, with at least one card spoiled a day, on Cohost, Kind.Social, and the r/custommagic subreddit.

WOTC Employees: This post in full presents unsolicited custom Magic: The Gathering card designs, which I understand current employee practices forbid you from looking at unsolicited. You shouldn’t be here!

goals

Alright this is our new normal, this is the new setting of the second story arc. At this point, everything is different. We’re not longer picking around the edges of a vast empire that can produce abundance, we’re now smack down in the middle of a little circle of light surrounded on all sides by a horrifying landscape of the endless, howling, hungry dead. The vibes are bad, people are afraid and paranoid.

Show the Ghostlands. Show what it means when you live in the world where the necrocalypse happened and nine billion people died. This world is an alternate timeline that has the energy of a post-apocalyptic event. Whatever made the Ghostlands created a scarred world. Everywhere is haunted and sometimes those ghosts form storms and weather events.

The moon and sun are messed up. Magic that ties to them works wrong.

The story arc now needs to show Niamh and Kraivh IV trying to take care of each other and reconcile the knowledge they have of what was going on with Kraivh’s father, and know that there’s more to the mystery. They are accompanied on this path by Pip, a goopy faerie, who seems to understand them deeply and intuitively, in a way that Kraivh finds reassuring and Niamh finds a little spooky.

Show that the Ghostlands is made up of population centers strung through the Ghostlands, and travel between them is dangerous. When the heroes are on their way through the Ghostlands to try and travel towards the heart of the world, they are rescued from an attack by a Gwynn Combine traveller, who then pulls them through a portal to introduce them to the Gwynn Combine and their behaviour.

Also this story segment needs to show that Niamh’s vision of interconnectedness and alliances can connect to the Gwynn. She’s able to convince them to help her on her quest, because she’s that inclusive and that caring.

characters

Pip, who serves as a wide-eyed, inquisitive person who is invested in and likes hanging out with the Niamh and Kraivh IV. She cares about their wellbeing, and she has an amazingly strong memory. She is fascinated by understanding things, and when presented with the pair, she is interested in seeing if she can ‘become’ one of them – shapeshifting into something that looks like them. Pip is Primrose, the same Planeswalker, who was split when she entered the plane of the Vox Maxima, which sets the precedent for other characters in the Decima Vex. The characters will meet people like their previous versions. Remember, Pip’s revelation should be a surprise – the first one people are going to notice is…

Annelise, a Gwynn defender. With some examination, Kraivh is going to realise that she has the same voice and face as Elise, the thief they befriended from the Jatku ruins and who travelled with them through Aszyt territory. Annelise now has several of the same personality traits – she’s just as stubborn and just as willing to commit to drastic action. But the notable difference here is that Annelise sees her actions as justified by protecting herself and the Gywnn people; her ability to create portals of her own, rather than relying on Fair Folk portals is a way to indicate she’s a planeswalker. Annelise is a good red herring, to show the characters that there is a way that the planeswalkers are different on this plane.

Eian is a Prince of the Gwynn Combine. She has taken the role to protect – and the term prince is because the Fair Folk like the idea of Princes as important parts of stories. Eian has a time to gather the others together to tell them the story of the Gwynn Combine finding themselves in the Ghostlands, reconnecting with the land and finding themselvse with an opportunity to rebuild with the portal technology of their originator, Gwynn, who made the first contract.

The Maven are a sort of collective symbiote creature. They each represent different attitudes of the Fair Folk towards the Gwynn, who they have negotiated a fair and even contract with; but they are primal and thoughtless (green identity), strict and contractual (white identity), and fickle and transformative (blue identity).

Thistle is a Gwynn sorcerer whose magic simplifies things. She’s improtant to the Gwynn as someone who can turn complicated salvaged objects into simpler versions of them – steel bars out of stolen weapons.

I-Vi are six bodies, each one with the exact same person spread across the bodies. They have a shared memory and response system – it isn’t six versions of one person it’s one person in multiple bodies over any distance. There’s no delay in reaction time, and they go and do patrols together. They are the source to hint to the reader that there’s a hiccup in the timeline, because they can remember when there were only four of them.

Manz is the first example of a Gwynn that the heroes encounter; she’s a salesperson in the bazaars in one of the towns they enter – happily offering exchange of things like names and stories for supplies. Of course, when they offer stories to Manz, she responds by making the story into a new fae that then hangs out and helps out at the stall she runs.

scene

Niamh and Kraivh IV awake in the Ghostlands. They meet with Pip, who immediately establishes a want to travel with them and encourages them to move on from their spot in the dried-up Tambow river.

If Cazas is with the group, she needs to be separated out from them so she can go on her own journey of discovery; decide if you want to use her in the later story with Klava and Kolvy, or to be the instigator that remembers Axa/Sovi.

The pair deal with undead spirits and ghosts; use this to represent that Kraivh’s holy magic and Niamh’s own ability to fight are up to the task of protecting themselves, but the threats of the Ghostlands are persistent and near-constant.

Show the group reaching a settlement and spend time expositing the way that people in the Ghostlands get by. This is not like the empire, where whole terrains are ruled over by one group. The factions are mixed in, and conflict with one another over methodologies, but always are opposed by the predominant outsiders: The ghosts of the Ghostlands.

The Gywnn Combine are an organisation spread through the Ghostlands. They want to investigate the group, because there is something about Kraivh that they are concerned about – they don’t know her name, but when they find it, they explain the dangers of that name. How Kraivh is carrying a cursed name – a name that none of the Gwynn’s fae would trade for, but which other, more dangerous fae might… and that her presence here suggests it is part of Ynvei’s machinations.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[thebard490]

Paladins Chapter 11: Lost Souls

I am The Bard, who has seen that is true and worthy to remember, that gold once tarnished may glitter, and there is yet hope for the lost. For the fire refines from the cinders, and the forgotten again shall be found.

In the midst of the halfling village, several of the small folk cautiously approached, looking at the party in a mixture of awe and terror, whispering to each other in their secret tongue, which Peregrin heard and understood. “The pale queen! And that red one? The lord of fire? No stupid, the lord has wings, maybe this is his son? That goat-woman on the serpent-horse, who is she, what is she? A creation of the Cruel Ones? And the horse-lord? What manner of power was that? Those swords on the stranger-kin look familiar, where have I seen them before?” They continued this curious whispering in sideways chats, never taking their eyes from the party, especially Yndri and Kazador, looking at them with a mixture of terror and reverence.

“Err, Peregrin, I dinnae have much experience with the wee free folk, is this normal?” Kazador asked, putting away his blades and doing his best to not appear intimidating. It was unsuccessful, as there is effectively no way to make yourself not intimidating to people half your size who just watched you decisively butcher a dozen people.

“Not in the slightest, but what has been normal here?” Peregrin said to his tall friend before approaching and offering a greeting in halfling. “Don’t worry friends, we’re here to help. Those hobgoblins won’t trouble you again.”

The assembled group looked at his expectant, smiling face with suspicious, nervous faces, the faces of people who have been beaten down for so long they have forgotten how to trust. After a few tense moments, a younger man stepped forward. He appeared to be in better health than the rest, stronger of limb and brighter of eye. He bowed respectfully. “Thank you elder. And on behalf of all of us, our thanks to the Burning Lord. We are honored that he would send aid to us who so long ago rebuffed him, even sending his son.” He fell to his knees in a gesture of fealty, and the others swiftly follow suit, prostrating themselves. He spoke again in common, directed at Kazador. “Forgive us, oh Prince of Dragons, for the foolishness of our forefathers. We are your servants.”

Kazador’s reaction was strange, as they watched him take a half step back in fear. Then, as if to smother it, anger surged. The halfling flinched, clearly expecting to be burned to ashes by the wrathful dragonborn. The sight of this instantly shamed Kazador, and his anger was smothered. He composed himself, and bowed in apology. “I am no prince of dragons.” He said, placing heavy emphasis on every word. “Nor am I the son of any Burning Laird. I am Kazador Glamdring, third son of Dormir Glamdring, King Above the Gates, Bearer of the Bright Hammer, Dragonslayer, and High King of the West.”

The halflings were now equally confused, if not even more so. A dragon prince of dwarves? This was even stranger. They turned then towards Yndri. ���Are you then sent by the Faerie folk? By the Suzerain of Elvir Caron? Or by the higher courts of summer?”

Yndri now shook her head. “No little one, I am a servant of Maeve, the Harvest Queen. I have never even heard of Elvir Caron.”

This further led to the final consideration, and one that clearly brought great trepidation. “Then what are you?” They asked, as if they suspected some third answer, but did not dare to speak it aloud. Such was the terror of whatever this third option was, that none dared to let it pass their lips, as if doing so might invoke it.

”We are…” Peregrin  started to respond, and then realized they didn’t really have a name for their party “Crusaders, warriors out of the south who have come to take back this land from the hobgoblins, the orcs, the gnolls, and more or less anything else evil up here.” He finished, recovering.

 This dispelled the tension rapidly, and the village as a whole seemed to take a sigh of relief. Julian carefully noted more than a few of the men set down their hoes and pitchforks. Despite the battle they had just witnessed, there was something so terrible they feared they would have likely tried to fight them with nothing more than farming implements. He smiled and nodded approvingly at the gesture.

“Oh, well, ah, erm, thank you.” The younger halfling said awkwardly. “So, you’re here to get rid of the goblins from the old abbey?”

“Amongst other things, yes.” Julian responded.

“I hope there’s a lot more of you.” He said plainly “Or you’re idiots.”

“We get that a lot.” Senket responded dryly. “As for more of us, well, we’re working on that.”

“Uh huh. Well, um…” For a brief moment, a hospitable nature and a harsher nurture clashed, and Peregrin saw the conflict play out, before curiosity won out “Shall you stay for supper? Since you stopped that cart it seems we’ve got a good deal more of it.” The knight of Jaborah smiled to see that even in the harshest circumstance, the heart of a halfling shone though. With some help from Kazador and Senket, the cart was hauled back into town and unloaded.

“Couldn’t he help with this?” Yndri asked, pointing over at War Pig snuffling through the bushes in search of truffles or other delectable ruffage.

“Ye try tellin’ him that.” Kazador said, moments before War Pig wandered over behind Yndri and snorted, blasting hot air down her back and throwing her white hair in front of her face, much to Julian and the halflings’ amusement.

As the shadows fell once more across the lands, the party assembled inside a long house with a long table. Julian pulled out his spellbook and began chanting. Several of the halflings assembled to watch and were delighted as a loaf of bread is conjured before them. The nephilim smiled and reproduced the trick several times to contribute to the feast. Several singularly small halfling children become fascinated with Kazador, running around his legs, patting his scales, trying to climb into his lap, and generally tormenting the dour dragonoid, who was just trying to enjoy a flagon of ale.

“Somebody rescue me from these wee wee skuners afore I die of frustration!” He said mostly good naturedly as he picked up one child off his lap by the back of his shirt and put him down. The lad seemed entirely excited by this, putting out his arms and pretending he’s flying. Senket came to the big guy’s rescue, using her own infernal heritage to perform a series of magical tricks, summoning a crown and tossing it up in the air, only for it to vanish when the children leap for it. The child seemed most confused by this until her peers informed her that it was now upon her head, and she went down in a playful tackle. Most of the halflings seemed to shy away from Yndri, until Peregrin came over and pulled her into the center of conversation with the leader, apparently named Jok. 

”So, Jok, who exactly are these folk that you mistook my friends for?” Peregrin asked good naturedly.

Despite the apparent innocence of the question, Jok’s face darkened. “Long ago, when the big folk had just passed away from the abbey, a pale elven woman with white hair and red eyes came to us. She told our forefathers that since the Abbey was gone, and the heroes were no more, that she could take us out of this land, to a fair and green place where none could harm us.. After long hours in debate, our forefathers refused. She didn’t take no for an answer, and the elves fell upon us, carrying away most of our people, and slew all our fighting men.”

“Again, some years later, another came to us, a creature of proper size, but covered in scales. At first we thought they had been struck down with some curse, or afflicted with a terrible disease, but it came before us and declared itself to be a servant of the Burning Lord, the true power of the North. It offered then a bargain, if we would serve its master faithfully, then we should be protected from all troubles. It asked not for fighting men, nor for gold, nor for food. But instead it declared that once a year, a maiden, the fairest of the village, would be delivered to the Burning Lord. When our foremothers question it as to the fate of this maiden, or what need the Burning Lord had for creatures such as ourselves, it would not answer. We smelled the stench of hell about the creature, and knew great evil would come of this bargain, and thus, we refused it. Once more it came, and once more it refused us. Then a third time they came, the Burning Lord himself appeared, landing in the midst of the village. The terror of him struck the old and the cowardly dead, and none of us could lift our faces from the ground to look upon him. We remembered only the power of his voice, the stench of his breath like sulfur, and the sound of his mighty wings. Despite all this, we refused him, expecting to be destroyed. But he simply laughed, and commended the courage of our foremothers, and then departed, never to trouble us again.”

“For a moment, we thought our troubles were over. Then, when we were weak, for the elves had slain our strongest, and taken our fairest, and all those with weak hearts were killed by the terror of the Burning Lord, others began to prey upon us. The Cruel Ones, fell creatures which came out of shadows and under the earth, legless and scaled like serpents, and wielding strange weapons and horrifying magic. They came as they wished, and carried away what they pleased, but not all of us. We nearly forgot them for a time, but twenty years later, they came again, and carried off another generation. So they tormented us for generations, coming and stealing away so many of us, but never killing us all. They farmed us, like livestock.” He spoke with great bitterness.

“All this has continued since the days of my grandfather’s grandfather. For three hundred years we have been crushed by one foe after another. Once, this village covered the whole of the hills, and the forests were fields beyond for growing all good things. There were many villages, each stretching out until they ran into one another, and the whole land was prosperous. But we have been slowly devoured, unable to do anything, unable even to flee, for none have returned from their flight. When the goblins came to the abbey, I made a bargain. Food was an easier thing to pay than my friends. But now, they take so much. Already, we were eating only once a day, growing weaker, the harvests smaller. And now, it seems they will take everything, and we will finally be destroyed.”

Peregrin heard all these words, and he wept for his people. Likewise, Senket’s sorrow was great, and she looked with sympathy upon them. But Kazador and Yndri burned with rage. The temperature about Kazador increased, and he quickly stepped away from the children, lest they be burned by the heat of his wrath. Yndri was by contrast icy death, cold anger like the promise of dark winter, the wind that flays the leaves from trees, the frost which strangles the flowers of summer. Her eyes had the cold blaze of the dark autumn behind the harvest, herald of winter, where the scythe stands behind the vanishing sun, no fields to be reaped, but reaping yet to be done. Something fey and terrible sat there, a daughter of faerie born beneath the power of the autumn court, her glory and her terror unveiled. But Julian wiped his eyes, and clenched his fists. He focused the rage and the sorrow into a purpose, a promise, a vow. “Those days are ended.” He swore. “A new day is coming, and I will bring it if I must drag the sun up myself. You will eat and be satisfied, your harvests your own, and you will sleep and be not afraid for our blades will be your shields.”

Peregrin likewise wiped his eyes, and the warm smile returned to his unflappable face. “Indeed it is so. The long night is soon to be over. I cannot know the will of the gods for certain, but I cannot deny that it seems at last, Esther has sent us, such as we are, to bring an end to your trouble. By the blades of Jaborah I swear, you will be delivered out of the hand of your enemies.” Then, his smile faded. The other halflings were looking at him in confusion. He looked back, equally confused before Jok spoke.

“I’m sorry, is this some southern tradition? I don’t believe I’ve heard of either of those.”

Peregrin’s heart turned to ice, and his hand shook. His mouth went dry, and he could not speak for dread. The words of the halfling woman those nights ago rang in his ears “It will be all at once easiest and hardest of all for you.” Indeed, how it was, in ways he could not have imagined.

Later, Senket found him, sat alone near the village’s edge. “You’re not okay, are you?” She asked, sitting down next to her smaller friend.

“No.” Peregrin replied, looking at his pipe, before he put it away. “No, I’m not, which means I shouldn’t smoke.” He sighed, and rubbed his eyes. “I’m not quite enough a fool to say I should have been here, so much of this was before I was even born, but I cannot help but wish I had been. So much evil, and either nobody was there to stop it, or nobody did nearly enough to remember them.”

“We’re here now. That will have to be enough.” Senket replied.

“It will have to be. This makes things harder though.”

“You’re thinking on the goblins, aren’t you?”

“And what else he mentioned. These cruel ones, this Burning Lord, these fell elves. There is much more going on here than we realized.” He took a deep breath. “And so many of them will refuse to be better. We will have to destroy so many.”

Senket raised an eyebrow. “Even now, after all that, that’s what you’re worried about?”

“I admit it’s harder to now.” Peregrin admitted. “I want to allow myself to hate them. It would be easier to hate, easier to rage because of this evil, than to try and make things better. To try and find the best path, even though this pain, even through my own desire to let loose my blades without worrying, without mercy. But I cannot allow that path to consume me. Because it never stops. You can never kill your way into a better world. Only an emptier one.”

“There are some creatures which are evil by nature. Perhaps a world empty of them would be better, even if it were emptier.”

“Some creatures are evil by misfortune, more so than choice. Goodness isn’t inherent to anyone, it’s taught to everyone. Some places it is easier, some it is harder. But halflings are no more “naturally” inclined to be goodly folk than orcs,” then he raised an eyebrow pointedly at Senket, “or devils. We simply have food in our bellies, many friends and families, warm homes, and goodly folk around more often than most. Perhaps good gods. Perhaps simply that we have the things that make it easiest to be good. Without that, sometimes in spite of it, we can be every bit as wicked as any. So, I fear for my people. I fear for myself. That unless the will is made to incline, day by day, we may so quickly become cruel because of the cruelty of the world.”

“I do not know how much of that is true, but I am also not wise enough to tell if it is false. Perhaps except for devils, I can assure you by personal experience, that there is nothing…” Then she paused, and remembered briefly. A mother’s gentle touch. Her father, holding her close, leathery wings wrapped around her to shield her from the fear of a storm. Then as quickly as those warm memories came, painful fear. The smell of blood, broken brothers. Her father’s roaring battle cry. Her master’s thunderous smite answering.

She opened her eyes, suddenly sweating. Her fists clenched and unclenched several times. She focused herself again, repeated the mantra. “There is nothing good to be found in devils, but for their destruction.”

            “Is that true?” Peregrin asked. “Or is it simply what you were taught?”

            “What reason would master Arvidor have to lie to me?” Senket protested.

            “Lie, perhaps none, I did not know the man, so I will give him the benefit of saying he would not lie to his students. But wrong, that any man can be.” Peregrin pointed out. “For if there were nothing good in devils, he would not have raised such a good woman as a student.”

[9centjefferson-blog]

I realize I’ve been slacking on the reason I made this account. I blame it on poor discipline and trying to research and write an SCP article to finally contribute to a 10+ year interest, but that’s beside the point. What I want to do right now is a quick little update on my thoughts about new Group Hug cards in MOM and MOC, because B R O T H E R M A N B O Y do we have some good ones! Let’s go!

———

1. Pain Distributor

Single-handedly THE card I’m most excited about. This kind of overlap between helpful and harmful effects is exactly the kind of thing I believe Group Hug needs to develop it’s identity beyond “the silly archetype people play to feel mischievous” and other such stereotypes. Giving players resources they want to use while also pushing life totals towards an end point is just chef’s kiss w/ flourish. This goes right next to Overabundance and Spiteful Visions as pillars of my arguments.

Definitely comes in at number 1 with no notes.

2. Excise the Imperfect

I’m excited for this card because it’s an incredibly good removal spell that—much like Fateful Absence—requires the controller to pay mana to get the compensation, but it’s such a blatantly good removal spell it’s gonna go the way of Beast Within and Arcane Denial and be generic, and that will bother me for no good reason.

Solid number 2, not number 1 because it’s so generally good.

3. Cutthroat Negotiator

Expanding a noticed trend of my favorite mechanics (impulsive draw and theft, group hug, & treasures) all being things pirates do, we get Cutthroat Negotiator to not only put Parrrlay into rightful hands but also provide a pretty good effect. Lack of Haste or any evasive keyword makes it far less powerful than it should be (I’m biased.), and I originally thought it had a Phabine style effect of an effect for both lands and nonlands, but even without any of those, it’s still a perfectly fine card. I like it more than I should, but it does do a lot of fun things, which is most important for effects like these.

Number 3 because it’s good is the enemy of my perfect.

4. Firemane Commando

We all love card draw, and I love effects that reward opponents for attacking other players, so this is a very solid combination of the two. Goes well with Goad and Pillowfort, brings a solid body with evasion, and it looks cool. Doesn’t do anything for 1v1, but at this point I think it’s a pipe dream to ever think this archetype will be good there.

Number 4 because all it does at the end of the day is draw 1 card, but it does do things I want, so it’s saved from the bottom.

5. Rankle and Torbran

I love this alternate art, but I hate the book crease in the center. I love Rankle, so it makes me extremely happy to se him again. I’m disappointed it was a team up with Torbran, but Eldraine only really had Rankle and Kenrith as legendary characters with group hug effects, so I guess it can’t be helped. Effect-wise, It’s a solid card. The body and keywords are fine for the cost, and the effects are pretty solid. Reminds me of second Drana. It’s much more combat focused than OG Rankle, but that’s probably good all my durdle considered.

Number 5 because all it really does it just make a treasure for everyone, but from a sluggy perspective it does a lot.

———

In all, I love these sets for Pain Distributor and Faerie Mastermind alone, but the couple other cards included are worth mentioning.

[danco110]

“What the- Awww, not again!”

While the Izzet engineer began to panic, a faerie clad in Dimir tactical gear observed the spectacle from atop a nearby windowsill. The spy was forced to muffle her laughter as a dark blue Dimir insignia burst from the scientist’s gauntlet, ruining it completely.

“What do I even…Zok!” The engineer shouted across the lab to a scrawny goblin dealing with a similar malfunction. “Zok! I lost another gauntlet! Stupid R&D can’t even test their stuff right…huh?”

The spy, unable to control her mirth any longer, made herself known by rolling with laughter, falling from her perch, and landing in plain view of the beleaguered scientists.

“Oh, hi, Daza,” the man grunted tiredly. “Uh, I didn’t think it was time for you to pilfer our research findings for this week just yet…Uh, anyways! Could you please come back later? We’re kinda busy here.”

The faerie regained her footing, finally beginning to calm down as she pointed to the broken equipment.

“Don’t worry, I broke it. I broke the gauntlet.”

The engineer raised an eyebrow.

“…No, you didn’t?”

Daza blinked. “Excuse me? I magicked your equipment to fail. At least…I thought I did. The Dimir symbol?”

“Oh, yeah! Yeah, no,” the man sighed. “I mean, sure, maybe you messed up the symbol, but the gauntlet itself breaking is all on us. We were actually trying to make our gauntlets do guild symbols. You know, sell em off to other guilds and all that. Only thing is, we kinda want them to keep working after they do that. Speaking of which…any luck over there, Zok?”

The goblin shook his head, dislodging a small mountain of soot from his hat. “Nope! Still broken.”

During this exchange Daza stood uselessly off to the side, twiddling her thumbs.

“Oh…Well, I suppose you’re in no need of extra sabotage, so I’ll just…go.”

Daza fled through the window, leaving the scientist to clean up their mess.

[Dimir spies have pretty much given up on sabotaging Izzet equipment, seeing as how it blows up on itself over half the time, anyways.]

[4dtk]

pas de deux — gojo satoru

pas de deux [pa•de•de] (french, literally “step of two”), a dance duet. 

summary: striving to become a principal dancer, you’re unaware of the curious blue eyes from across the studio, only knowing of his reputation from rumours. when you have to shadow your seniors to learn a principal role and meet the infamous gojo satoru, what happens then?

word count: 11k lmfao

genre: a bit of angst, mostly fluff

a/n: gojo brainrot done. sorry this took so long lol i’m not used to writing long fics but i’m glad i did bc this is acts also as a place for me to dump my passion of ballet aha :”)

playlist here! most of them are classical pieces and a bit of ballet class music, i hope you don’t mind uwu. personally, i’d recommend watching (before or after the fic doesn’t matter hahah) the crazy talented marianela nuñez and vadim muntagirov in the pas de deux that i reference a lot in this fic. they’re my absolute favourite! (´･ᴗ･ ` )

tags: @fiona782​

it was unconventional to see a ballerino don white hair during rehearsals, let alone in a company; the familiar head of white whizzes through the studio like an angel of the night, with graceful moves and powerful jumps to match those of a faerie's seamless manoeuvers through her flowers.

that was only expected out of a principal anyway.

gojo satoru, a principal dancer of the six eyes theatre. they were part of the three prominent companies that carried the ballet world and industry. behind all the glimmer and glitz lay hours of endless rehearsals and worn-out pointe shoes, as well as smiles behind kitri's fans or even the emotional miming from giselle.

he was untouchable, a leading face that carried the ballets he starred in with immense skill and an aura admired by everyone. anyone lucky to score a pas de deux with him would be torn between a world of conflict. those soft eyes that looked down at you with love were solely meant to portray siegfried's ardour for odette and nothing else.

you sigh, eyeing the confident man giving his all in the company class, no doubt hyping himself up for tonight's last show. you couldn't fall behind, either, knowing your performance was monitored way more now that you were considered amongst the directors to be promoted to principal.

"next group, pay attention, loves!" the teacher for the morning caught your attention, letting the chattering group in front head out first before the next group of dancers took their turn. 

dancing was all you could remember, taking up most of your life even when you were a kid. through competitions and gruelling schedules, you managed to land in the six eyes theatre. sure, it wasn't as popular as the zen'in company or the kamo national ballet but, it still held up a wicked reputation, partially thanks to gojo satoru. 

your feet naturally hail your command, placing it behind the other in a curtsey to thank the instructor for the morning class as you stretch your feet in some simple pointe repertoire. 

"nervous about your posting, (y/n)?" nobara asks, rolling the arch of her feet back and forth with a tennis ball.

you shrugged, "in a way, yeah. i'm getting observed on mainly every move that i make."

the smile your best friend gives you calms you down, at least. megumi chipped in, "hey, you'll become one of the best principals around, i know it."

"yeah! and we'll go to your shows, no matter wha... oh, right, we're first soloists," itadori trails off. 

you laugh, settling down to wipe the sweat from your brow. however, there's an uncharacteristic silence when you start to remove your pointe shoes.

"what if i do become principal? i'll miss you guys like hell." you mutter, rubbing off the skin peeling from your toes. removing the tape and toepads, you sigh again even after nobara lands a hand on your arm.

"stop sighing, you idiot, the company's small. sure, you'll have extended rehearsals, and i will now have to deal with yuji's noisy ass, but i doubt we're going to be separated like oil and water." 

you roll your eyes, chuckling a little through glossy eyes, "true. it's just that we've always been together, through the competitions where we met and going up the ranks. hell, i wouldn't even imagine all of us becoming first soloists when we entered six eyes."

megumi raises an eyebrow, "are you underestimating us?" 

putting your fingers together, you offer a sheepish smile, "just a little."

"and now you're going to become a principal, (y/n). we all know you put yourself to crazy standards that you always reach, maybe even higher than that. you're going to kill it as a principal, i'm sure."

thankful to nobara for the little speech, you pat her arm gently, easing into a stretch to prevent any tensing up later in an afternoon class. 

"(y/n), they're coming over, look sharp," itadori notifies you, turning to the barre to do his own stretching as your friends busy themselves with their phones.

you take another curtsey at your instructor, along with the director of six eyes, masamichi yaga.

why... was he here now?

"(y/n), love, we'll need to talk to you about something. would you mind coming to the office later on? just before the company's afternoon class at 2 would be good."

you were at a loss for words.

was i already raised to principal? no... they wouldn't promote someone who's only danced her first soloist role a couple of times. were they going to remove me for consideration? maybe they found a better dancer to monitor?

"it's nothing terrible, (y/n), i promise." with a smile, masamichi walks away, not before patting your shoulder for reassurance.

the next few hours go by in a flash: eating lunch, lazing around in the studio, filming some tiktoks and then getting ready for another class took up most of your time that you didn't get to ponder over the office visit.

so you were definitely surprised to see gojo satoru himself, a shit-eating grin on his face once he hears you enter. he lays back on both arms to welcome the first soloist, you. 

you curtseyed again to ms ieiri and masamichi. before you got to gojo, however, he held a hand up before standing up himself to bow. you let out a small smile as the familiar step led you to curtsey on the other foot.

it left a weird feeling in your bones to greet a principal dancer, but you two weren't all that close, anyway. plus, curtseying was basic courtesy in the company, where actions spoke louder than a "good morning" or a "thank you".

"nice to see you, (y/n). miss nitta, as you know," masamichi gestured to your teacher and then to the white-haired man, whose beauty never fails to amaze you, as cliche as it sounds, "and gojo satoru." 

"nice to finally talk to you, miss (y/n)," he nods his head, wearing an attractive smile that had you sucking in a breath. you could only manage a smile at the moment, brought back to reality when masamichi's firm voice resonates in the office.

"you've done a tremendous job these past few months, love. we've been watching your roles this season, hopping from one position to the other with no problem at all. i'm sure you were informed that you were being considered to be principal..." you leaned forward in anticipation, "...although you'd have to let your skill shine through more before we promote you to principal any time soon."

bummer, but it's nothing you can't handle.

"we do have something to ask of you, however. your potential is clearly set in the right place, and your talent and determination are not lost. we want you to shadow and learn the repertoire of shoko ieiri and gojo satoru while they rehearse for the next season's premiere."

nevermind, it might actually be something you can't handle.

"me?"

masamichi only lets out a knowing smile. "are you up for the challenge, (y/n)? you'll get to learn and watch how principals rehearse, act and mime out the story in the hands of ballet masters and mistresses like kiyotaka ijichi and mei mei and even tengen hoshi." 

your fingers dug into your thigh at the well-known names, always seeing them in the corridors but never knew how they taught or conducted rehearsals. this was your chance.

"of course, director masamichi. i'd be honoured to observe and shadow the company's principal dancers, let alone miss shoko ieiri and mr gojo satoru here. their chemistry onstage is honestly unmatched!"

okay, shut up, (y/n). you're laying your fangirling thoughts on the actual director of six eyes theatre. a simple yes would've sufficed.

"great! you start tomorrow. skip the afternoon class and come straight to the studio on the ground floor. we'll be expecting you."

you couldn't help the grin that appears on your face this time, passing a bow to everyone in the room before curtseying and almost exclaiming a "thank you!"

once you're out of the professional eye, you have a little celebratory dance outside the office, immediately fishing out your phone to text the trio. 

"a...ah! gojo senpai!" you take a step back in instinct, the tall principal looming over you with nothing but an intimidating air around him.

however, nothing screams intimidating on his face, as he shoots you a polite smile and a hand to get introductions out of the way.

all you can think about is his large hand enveloping yours while he tells you his name. you're stuck in a trance, locked on his eyes cut off by the black of his sunglasses. 

how would those hands feel on my hips when he's lifting me? or maybe we'd engage in a kiss in romeo and juliet...? are we doing r&j for the next season's shows?

fuck.

"uh- yes, nice to meet you too, senpai! i-"

"call me gojo, (y/n)."

you're at a loss for words, the man knowing he's left you speechless with the way he's smirking off into the other direction. you manage to get the prodigy out of your head, willing yourself to get to the company class as soon as possible. since your distraction was gone and the air cleared of any tension, you were able to hear the voices in the office.

"are you sure about this, nitta? we can't have any more dancers off their game just because they were enamoured with satoru to the point of confessing their love to him. every time we get first soloists and principals to pair with him, something always comes up."

"i'm sure, director. (y/n)'s mettle and focus on her roles are strong, and her skills are off the charts. if anything happens, we'll just pair her with another principal, like kento or something." masamichi sounded unconvinced, grunting as their footsteps increased in volume.

company class! company class!

you slipped into the studio just in time to avoid nitta and masamichi, carrying your things as you looked for the trio.

"(y/n)!" yuji catches your attention, although a little too loudly for your liking. you were left to greet the other dancers on the way to their corner, dumping your bag with much more exasperation than you expected.

"what's wrong?" megumi asks, doing some plies at the bar to warm up his feet and muscles.

"i think i should text y'all instead. let's wait for after the show tonight."

you get three nods from the trio in reply, dropping into some simple stretches as the next instructor takes over. at least gojo wasn't here...

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

the applause was deafening as you take your bow, thanking the audiences from the balcony and stalls as you gestured to your pas de deux partner, megumi. putting your hand in front of your heart was a big thing to do, giving thanks to one of your best friends and partners for a fun pair such as bluebird and princess florine. 

as you walked back to join the other dancers, the principal roles were taking their bows with no doubt roars and cheers from the audience from yet another electrifying performance from the golden pair as princess aurora and prince florimund: gojo and ieiri. 

as ieiri led the conductor on stage, he was the last to thank the audience, bringing the heart of the ballet to life with the score of tchaikovsky's sleeping beauty. 

with one last bow, the curtain closes, leaving you to let loose from the rigid position you were used to. 

"we're done!" you laugh, hugging megumi as nobara and itadori squeeze their way through the many dancers on stage. the two convey their compliments, prompting you to nudge the two on their puss-in-boots and white cat roles. the two then freeze up, staring at something that was approaching from behind.

"miss (y/n)-" gojo bows, interrupted by ieiri as she crashes into you with a hug.

"oh man, (y/n) you were great out there!" you grin, embracing her as tight as she did. 

"thank you, senpai," you were practically beaming, thankful she still remembered you after being promoted to principal years ago. it was hard to communicate and talk when she had so much going on, a natural dancer who rose up the ranks fast with her hard work. 

ieiri formed herself up into a refined dancer that you wouldn't think she was the young girl at your studio trying on pointe shoes for the first time years ago when you were a kid.

that was if you didn't know her personally, of course. 

"here, first position, just like that!" the curious girl interacted with the kids outside a smaller studio, teaching them the various positions that at least a grade two or three class would use.

she picked up pointe work fast, obviously guided by the mentors at the school with nights of rehearsal and decision making whether she wanted to pursue this professionally.

"oh shush, you, you don't have to call me senpai, see you tomorrow (y/n)!"

ieiri bids you goodbye, no doubt to talk to the choreographers and director. gojo follow suit shortly after your exchange, not before taking your hand to plant a kiss on it.

you retract almost immediately after his lips descend on your skin, the area hot from the lighting, your sweat and your feelings.

nobara tsked, "what's his deal?" you let out a shaky sigh and shrug, hooking an arm around megumi's as you went around to mingle with the dancers.

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

[nobara is typing...]

you're to shadow gojo-senpai and shoko-senpai?! no way???!?!1/!?!?

[itadori is typing...]

no way, that's so cool! 

what was he like? was he in the office that day?

[(y/n) is typing...]

yeah, he was. not gonna lie, a bit cocky... kinda overheard that partners throw themselves at him sometimes too, which makes it a bit troublesome, lol.

and yes, kugisaki i'll need to observe them starting tomorrow. i cant come for the company class :(

[megumi is typing...]

Then what about Shoko-senpai?

you shake your head even though no one could see you, the forgotten tv series playing in the background while you text your friends instead.

[(y/n) is typing...]

she's too good for him, i think. they're long time friends too, but i'm not sure if any feelings blossomed since then tho

[nobara is typing...]

you don't like him, do you? i know you dont like guys that are full of themselves, altho that man rlly is that attractive .......

[itadori is typing...]

LMAOO whos the smitten one now

nobara sends a vibe check sticker, the one with both hands outstretched with a threatening stare into the screen. 

[nobara is typing...]

i'll kill you tomorrow, yuji itadori.

[itadori is typing...]

you'd have to reach my height first, loser

[nobara is typing...]

you- UFGGHKHH

i'll kick your shins, thats what!!!!!! 

you roll your eyes as the two of them get into another friendly banter, leaving the group chat to blow up in messages as you switch off the neglected tv. 

there's a silence that feels almost too foreign, contrasting to the fact that you enjoyed silences daily. it felt criminal, almost, to be in such a quiet space with no one to fill in the gaps.

you look to your black and white poster for some clarity, the young boy standing at 16 with a softness in his eyes and a lengthened extension that conveyed his love of ballet to you.

you never knew who was the boy, getting a poster shoved into your hands in a hurry when you and your mom bought tickets to the local ballet competition. you never questioned the poster, nor had you caught the boy in the midst of his variation either, settling for a theory that his performance had already passed the day before.

"how do you think it's going to go down tomorrow?" you mumble to no one in particular, tossing and turning in your sheets that didn't quell your worries no matter how much you thrashed.

the dreamless slumber welcomes you into its arms almost immediately, although the morning after was the opposite.

"shit, shit, shit," was your mantra, jumping from place to place in your small apartment to get the things you needed for class. you manage to catch the bus in time, heading straight to the studio with no cup of tea in your hand as usual. 

"(y/n)!" nobara grins, seeing you stumble through the door just as everyone finishes their individual warmups. the instructor greets everyone, eager to get into the class as soon as possible.

the thought of the rehearsal shook you up more than you thought it would, leaving you to let out nervous breaths that got worse by the time that class ended. 

ieiri didn't miss the way you'd wipe your hands on your tights in worry, going over the steps more than you usually would. you had a killer memory, but it seemed that today that that ability had melted away at the sight of gojo.

"wish me luck, guys," you muttered, hurriedly packing up your things before heading off yourself. the trio only could give you a small smile, knowing you had wanted time to yourself to calm your nerves.

you had always done this for the many shows you starred in: the music and positions mimicking a recording. it was as clear as day when it replayed in your head, the different orchestral parts and the dynamic changes you apply to your steps to give the best performance, for performing your best was all that mattered. the trio understood instantly, always sending you off on your memory replay with an encouraging smile.

well, almost, for you didn't even know what the rehearsal entailed or what piece they would be dancing to.

"hi," your voice appeared meek in the big studio, the only three people there slowly getting warmed up to each other. your feet carried you into a curtsey.

"ah, mei mei-sensei! miss shoko and mr gojo," you acknowledged their presence, placing your things down right where you stood.

"let's begin then, shall we? for this is a gala event, the pas de deux couple will only be performing the entree and the adagio parts. there might be the possibility you two would have to rehearse your individual variations and the coda. still, the organisers haven't gotten back to us on the duration we'll be on stage for. with the switching in and out of the different repertoire, this year should align with don quixote. before we start, i wish that everyone is honest with each other; that way, we can learn from different views."

don quixote?! you hold in your excitement at the revelation, thinking back to the fiery portrayals of kitri and lively spanish music to pair with it. your excitement was on cloud nine while by fifteen minutes, your feet and body were seemingly screaming at you to take a break.

to say it was tiring was an understatement, at the very least. you were to only shadow ieiri's parts, and the absence of a male partner proved challenging when you were the first soloist mirroring a principal and her partner.

"(y/n) should try too, of course! come, come," mei mei beckons you over from where you went over the steps, fingers fidgeting with the waistband of the sheer skirt you'd just bought a few days ago.

"i trust that you are familiar with the wedding PDD, (y/n)?" mei mei asks.

you nod eagerly, not missing the way ieiri beams at your enthusiasm. 

"good. we'll just try this part on your own. remember to keep yourself lifted and trust your partner," mei mei eyes you while gojo was already getting comfortable with a hand on your back, "would you like to try it without the music first?"

you nod cautiously. you take note of the way it burns like fire, the contact of his skin on yours. oh god, you wished you had wiped the sweat from it, although the other didn't seem to mind it due to the many partners he's worked with before.

with a quick glance, you snuck a look at the tall dancer, never much prepared for the striking blue of his eyes. however, this time, the cheeky gojo appeared to be kept under wraps, bringing forth a more solemn and nervous exterior. he did seem different and quiet, even catching the attention of mei mei-sensei and ieiri herself. they opted not to say anything.

nevertheless, the two of you narrate the lifts and steps, mixing in the counts with the french vocabulary that stuck with you throughout the years. you were surprised at how much leeway gojo had provided you, allowing you to move freely while bringing you back effortlessly for the couple work.

a smile formed on your face at the flow of your steps as the music plays seamlessly in your mind with how much you've watched different renditions of the wedding pas de deux.

"with the music now, my dears."

ieiri shoots you a thumbs-up, noticeably more tired than you, as she massages the bottom of her feet with calculated force.

the piano starts as the pas de deux passes by smoothly with minimal mishaps, save for some off balances here and there. as always, your hand tingles when it comes in contact with the principal's, willing the quick heartbeats away by thinking of his cocky smirk the other day. with the easy beginning completed, the lifts were now appearing more often.

"hold your body up during the fish dive (y/n), hold your back and position!" gojo stumbles a bit at your mistake, but for the second time around, you manage to get it, coming up from the tricky step into a beautiful arabesque. 

a hasty nod, and you're off, pulling away from gojo a tad bit quicker than how you wanted to initiate it. he's taken by surprise at your change of personality, wondering where the flustered soloist had gone to previously. with the same corrections directed at you, mei mei gives you a "good job" before bringing ieiri back in.

"we'll cap you two's pas de deux at that point before the turns. ieiri, you ready to get back into it?" she hesitantly nods, albeit more relaxed than the earlier exchange.

the music starts again, and this time, you manage to gape at the couple's artistry, weaving over and under to fit the delicate notes of minkus' score. with the many turns and tour en l'airs, it now came to the difficult part of the pas de deux: where the woman will wind their hand around the man's single finger, engaging in two turns connected only by that single contact point.

they complete it easily, leaving ieiri to then balance en pointe with one leg suspended in the air. the two repeat it again with no problem, except for the fatigue seeping through their faces at a few moments in time.

as the music reaches its climax, so does the movements with increasing pirouettes and lifts. their chests heave with exhaustion, but their smiles showed that they were satisfied with the run.

it was hard to believe that gojo and ieiri only started to rehearsed this a few weeks ago, especially since these were leading roles with a reasonably complex pas de deux to pair with. nothing seemed to faze them as they received the feedback from mei mei, nor did they have trouble correcting the lift that had gone wrong earlier or the balance that ieiri fell out of.

so this was what it meant to be a principal.

"(y/n)! any feedback that you'd like to give to the two?"

"h..huh, me? i'm not sure if it'd be helpful to-"

"nonsense, hit us, (y/n). rehearsals are always a place for feedback," ieiri grins, taking your hand to bring you closer to the three of them.

"well, i think... i'll comment on the repeated melody where you'll go from the turns into the attitude balance is where it's a bit difficult. since gojo-senpai is tall, he might've put his hand a little too high. i mean, of course, lifting up is ideal, but ieiri-senpai might have some trouble balancing because of that."

they wordlessly try it out without the music, noting how gojo places his hand at a lower height for ieiri. it might've felt foreign, but it looked a tad bit better to you, with a better centre of gravity and stability. 

"yeah! like that!" a smile dons your face, "does it feel better, senpai?"

"tons," gojo simply states, almost too eagerly as blue eyes uncharacteristically boring into yours. opposed to the quick glances he always gave you along the corridor or within classes, this one was a strange, longing one. ieiri's voice snaps you out of the spell, almost not wanting to leave his stare.

"way better, thank you (y/n)," she pats your arm before turning to the sound of mei mei's voice.

"alright, beautiful legs and extensions, but we still have a lot to work on, as well as getting (y/n) accustomed to more pas de deux and principal work. would you like to stay on (y/n)?"

you admired your own determination, but sometimes it was better to take a break. having just attempted the coda, you could already feel blisters forming due to your prolonged use of pointe shoes. with a breath, you let gojo complete his pirouettes, restraining the sigh coming from your lips at the perfect revolutions and momentum he had going.

a little more, and you were close to catching a breath, finishing off a quadruple pirouette and tour en l'air with gojo's help. with a slight stumble, you let out a startled laugh before taking your last step with a knee to the floor. with palm outstretched, the piano does a trill before ending off on a chord.

out of the corner of your eye, you spot gojo smiling down at you, a beam that doesn't come often with how much confidence he carries around the company. 

ieiri applauds first, followed by mei mei's impressed smile.

"you execute your fouettes well, (y/n)," you bow your head in thanks, brought up unconsciously with gojo's hand as it stays linked in yours. 

"thank you, mei mei-sensei. i'm just glad to have tried it out; the don Q coda is one of my favourites," you gush, "the costumes, the music is just everything."

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

"to dance with your partner is one thing, but the connection is another. translate the story of the elation of kitri - her father finally gives his blessing for their wedding, and she's excited to the moon. basilio is marrying the girl of his dreams. know what and who you're dancing for." mei mei speaks over the music easily, giving pointers they go over the steps like always.

"i know it's just an empty stage. there's no set, no scene to show the joy all around the cast, but you still are dancing as kitri and basilio," mei mei says after, "let's try again with (y/n)."

rehearsals carried on like this, day after day. some days longer than the other, and on others, you were paired with another first soloist. however, he wasn't tasked with shadowing the couple every day, so the pas de deux was left to you to master. 

as you wipe your sweat, ieiri waves her towel in front of you, "wanna have lunch with us?"

"i don't want to intrude-" 

"it's gojo's treat," ieiri whispers, "plus he doesn't treat people often."

"is he okay with me coming alo-" she pulls on you, leaving you no choice but to pack your things hurriedly.

"(y/n)'s coming, yea?" ieiri mumbles quickly, hooking her arm around yours in a hassle as you try to keep your things from falling out of your bag.

"i'd like that." gojo says to no one, finally catching up to you two after switching off the studio lights.

"whaaaat, you're leaving so fast?" you pout, eyeing ieiri's neat tray of finished food as gojo lets her pass through in the booth.

"i'm sorry you have to stay here with this dumbass (y/n), but i have a date with the orthopaedic today," ieiri groans.

"like an actual date?" gojo jokes.

"no," she rolls her eyes, "my muscles are acting up a little lately. plus, my arch hurts more often than it usually does. it's best to just check it out, i guess. but yeah, an actual date would be nice, too."

you shrug, "eh, hard to come by when you're a busy ballet dancer in a company. bye, senpai!" you and gojo wave to her as she leaves the diner, now coming to terms with the fact that you were alone with the charming dancer, as much as you hated to admit it.

with his perfect hair and long eyelashes and the enchanting smirk he always seems to wear. not to mention the sheer strength in his leaps in contrast to the delicate grip on your waist-

"thinking about me, love? of course you are."

"what? no!" you stiffen, the blush on your cheeks immediately giving away your thoughts.

"for the record, i've thought of you, too," gojo drops a bomb, leaning over the table to plant a gentle kiss upon your cheek before leaving the booth in a hurry. 

you were thankful that he was gone, at least and thankful for the empty diner, leaving you to melt in a puddle of confusion and warmth. 

just like the first rehearsal, your cheeks feel hot, as does your body. the place where his lips touched seemed to burn a hole through, your gaping mouth failing to close even after a minute of staring into nothing.

fishing out your phone was the first thing your mind sought out from the endless thoughts in your head.

nobara, nobara, nobara... gotta find her contact..!

[nobara is typing...]

he WHAT???!??@

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

"ieiri-senpai, what's a pas de deux to you?" you mumble after rehearsals one day, picking at the tape stuck in between your toes.

"it would have to be what mei mei said, definitely. she still says the same exact thing till today: dance and connection are two different things. and it can't go to the point where two different stories are being told by the male and female dancer. you'll need to go into pas de deux work with a mindset that you come in a pair. every correction and every emotion needs to be felt by both parties for it to reach the audiences."  

"what about you?" the question catches you by surprise, resorting to humming as you think of the answer.

"it's something along the lines of your answer and mei mei-sensei's definition. you'd have to be on the same wavelength as your partner. every extension that appears or a gentle port de bras is meant to show the character's personality. you'd also have to think of the context of the ballet, i guess," you stop yourself, looking at gojo as he finishes a tour en l'air en passe. three revolutions and you realise that a. you're staring and b. you were talking way too much.

"sorry! i'm rambling again," you splutter, going back to your original task of taking out the tape from your toes.

ieiri giggles, "no, no! ramble all you want. i love listening to my juniors talk about how much they love ballet."

"sleeping beauty, just like the show a week ago, is set in the royal court, so it's hard to show aurora's personality. she's a little playful and young, although it's hard to slip that in when the wedding pas de deux for that is so grand. and then you'll compare it to the black swan in swan lake, where it's also in a royal court, but odile's the one deceiving siegfried, so there's an opportunity to include some side-eyeing in it. i personally love zenaida's version," you trailed off, "i mean, of course, there's also-"

"then what about odette?" gojo shouts across the studio, with his hands on his hips. the white of his hair matched the pureness of odette's tutu, something you always wished to wear and dance and master when you got accepted into six eyes theatre.

"don't mind him-"

your words take precedence without effort, "with the white swan, odette has to show the struggle of her spell with the frantic miming that she has to do. 'i'm the queen of the swans, rothbart the bastard turned me into a swan' and so on and so forth. because she's a swan, she has to imitate the gentle way that swans move, along with the technical challenges of the pas de deux. she's very soft and fragile, and the violin makes it all the better in showing the shyness and fear in odette."

two pairs of eyes stare at you curiously as the male's smirk leaves you to break into a nervous laugh as you fidget with your fingers. 

"sorry, i'm talking a lot. too much. do carry on with your jumps," a small apologetic smile appears on your face, failing to note gojo's hesitation to move from his spot and his interest in the way you can talk endlessly about the art.

gojo's smirk merges into a smile even when he accomplishes the many pirouettes demanded of him. he'd want to hear it from your lips next time when you're wrapped up in each other.

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

"don't you think he's a little bit too confident for his own good?" nobara whispers to you. with rehearsals off for a few days, you were able to see your best friends again, munching up the calories lost from the afternoon class. 

"yeah... for all we know, he might be stumbling around in rehearsals and picking up girls," megumi muttered.

you rolled your eyes, "he's... not like that, guys. he is confident in class and seems a bit cocky, but that's because he really does live up to his name."

"we might not know much, either. (y/n) has been in rehearsals with the guy. he's probably more focused when there are lesser people in the room," yuji chats through his food, gaining disgusted looks from the three of you when lettuce and chicken litter the table.

"well... don't go falling for the guy, yeah? i've beaten up too many exes in the past," megumi tsked, devouring the salad bowl in front of him.

"yeah, but i didn't ask you to, plus you'd do it anyway. didn't even have to ask," you grin, leaning back in your chair triumphantly.

"if i beat up gojo-senpai, i'll probably get jailed."

you and yuji stifle a laugh at his comment, but nobara doesn't seem impressed with the joke, instead focused more on you and your reactions. 

you weren't actually developing feelings... right?

the memory and kiss linger in your mind like a stubborn stain, not forgetting the intense stare nobara had given you before you said goodbye to the three. a vibration from your phone snaps you out of the daze, opening your chat group to answer your friends. 

[nobara is typing...]

how was rehearsal today?!???! we jsut finished class

also it's been so long since we saw u :(

[(y/n) is typing...]

so good as always is that even a question luv xx

theyre both so talented as individuals as they r in a pdd... it was rlly insightful too!

gojo-senpai kept staring at me today for some reason tho. he felt different today, a little more reserved and whatnot

[megumi is typing...]

Maybe he felt intimidated by your skill lol

"i'll take my leave first, (y/n)! i've got an errand to run. mei mei's accompanying me," ieiri grins, bringing you into a sweat-filled hug. she's used to soaked leotards, even if the grimace on your end doesn't go unnoticed by the principal.

she lets out a chuckle, "you'll get used to mixed sweat and whatnot, (y/n). see ya!"

curtseying comes easy, bidding goodbye to the principal and the ballet mistress.

you were ready to go back to the conversation on your phone, although a call of your name distracted you from the conversation.

"yes...? gojo?" you mumbled, the last name feeling foreign on your lips without the honorific at the back. you put your phone away as the studio immediately diminishes in size, seemingly putting the two of you in a tight space with nowhere to go. it certainly felt like it, with the wordless prompt of his hand.

"try the pas de deux with me," gojo proposes, pulling up a piano rendition of the score on spotify. it wasn't hard to spot the mischievous sparkle in his eye, along with the attractive grin plastered on his face.

the studio appeared calmer now that ieiri and mei mei had left, yet the conflict in your mind was loud and unwelcomed. it felt like a battle between the angel and the devil, and you were sure the devil was nobara herself, screeching at you to remind you of the shit-ton amount of conceitedness he had.

"are we allowed to? don't other people need to use the studio?" you mumble, standing up with the help of gojo nevertheless.

you're playing right into his hand, yet you took it anyway.

he waves a hand, "it's fine; you do know the pas de deux, don't you? we didn't go over it together much, but i'm sure the past rehearsals served you well."

the beginning was refined, having done it earlier with mei mei's help. it was mostly the only thing the two of you went over when mei mei was around, leaving the more complicated parts to ieiri. the fish dive comes naturally this time, imagining the glowing lights and the striking wedding tutu that kitri sports in the third act. 

there are howls of laughter at the many mishaps after that. knowing you hadn't rehearsed any of it with your partner, nor with the music before, it was only fair that accidents were to happen.

"no, no, if you let me go, i will kill you- ah! gojo!" you threaten, but it's lost in your mouth as he spins you way too many times, letting a loud shriek escape your mouth.

from a failed pirouette to a fish dive where he almost dropped you (he didn't), the laughter spilling from yours and his lips weren't common in a company class with everyone trying to dance their best.

"hey, hey, lay off the hair!" gojo quips, catching your off-balanced pirouette with a secure hand on the waist. you went along with the music, anyway, giving your exaggerated interpretation of kitri just as the music builds up. that earns a laugh from him, skillfully guiding you through even with the light banter in the room

"here it comes," he mutters to you, feeling the support of gojo's hands on yours as he pushes you off the complete the double attitude turn before hearing a loud ‘thwap!’.

"fuck, sorry! oh my god," you apologise, retracting your leg almost immediately after the collision.

"ah, shit," gojo exclaims, rubbing the side of his thigh as he brings you down gently. there's a frown on his face as you take a peek at the place you hit, the only thoughts running through your head being the articles or scandals you might be caught in.

(y/n) attempting to harm six eyes theatre's golden principal dancer? (y/n)'s downfall full of jealousy? (y/n) and the infamous gojo caught in a fight?

a giggle gets you out of the trenches, hands revealed like a finished magician's act. 

"i was kidding; that didn't hurt one bit," gojo jokes, hands naturally reaching forward to place them on your hips, "loosen up a bit, (y/n)."

"i am loose!" your mouth falls into a straight line, "shit that sounded bad, didn't it?" bursting into laughter, your head falls onto his shoulder as your hand reaches up to grasp at his forearm before recovering from the unexpected joke.

as the pas de deux fades off into nothing, only your breaths could be heard in the large studio, blending with the cold air of the air-conditioning and the hot breaths coming from your mouths. strings play softly from the phone, but all you can hear is the echo of the familiar melody as if it was being played in an auditorium. 

gojo gives you a gentle smile that you reciprocate, stuck in that annoying hypnotisation of his blue eyes and the same soft look he gives you whenever you aren't looking. 

you were looking now, though, and you'd like it even better if time stood still for you to savour this moment.

"would you like to go on a date with me (y/n)?"

there it was, the million-dollar question. it wasn't like you imagined this every night before you slept or whether he'd perform a flashy proposal to ask you out.

but even then, you thought back to the smirks he directed at every other dancer, you thought back to the conversation in masamichi's office, you thought back to nobara's advice.

"surely you're not thinking of getting wooed by gojo satoru, are you? it's dangerous, (y/n), i'm sure you know that."

"fuck, i know! but then he kisses my cheek that one time and everything feels right again. he jokes with me in rehearsals and nudges me when mei mei-sensei compliments me. he treats me to lunch and looks at me with so much passion i almost want to believe it. these past weeks of rehearsals have taught me well in dance, but i'm sure it's making my love life miserable with how much he looks at me and then goes back to flirting with the other dancers."

"i'm sorry, i can't, gojo."

you make haste with the way you're scurrying out of the studio, breaking into a jog to make sure he doesn't catch after you.

you should've said yes, right? with how much he's been building up the courage these past few weeks, careful not to let ieiri spot his sneaky glances. even the kiss on your cheek left his heart pumping long after he's left the diner. 

all that to leave him in the dust.

gojo lays in bed that day, eyes fully open as he struggles to get some rest, unaware of the similar turmoil you were going through. the dancer managed to sleep after innumerable amounts of overthinking, departing from consciousness with thoughts of you, just like he always has.

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

there weren't any tears involved on your end, save for some of the glossy looks you've given your black and white poster as you played with your pillowcase in anxiety. 

you dreaded the next rehearsal, knowing you had to face gojo sooner or later, especially with how you reacted to his question.

"mei mei-sensei, gojo," his name was muttered instead, embarrassed with the way you rushed out of the studio the previous day. mei mei looks between the two of you, clapping her hands together to get your attention.

"ieiri pulled a nerve around her arch, which was why we've been going to the orthopaedic more often. it's a minor injury, and she's resting right now, so we'll have to work with the two of you first. we'll stop at where we always do but feel free to continue if you feel comfortable."

great. it had to be on a day where i couldn't possibly face gojo.

he says nothing at that, both you and the pianist unsure of whether you were to continue.

gojo was still in his a game, hitting every leap and lifting you without much struggle. you, not so much, as the words you said to him replayed in your head like a broken record.

you fell off your balances, you couldn't portray kitri well, you felt the weight of your body get heavier with each repeated thought of the day before. hell, even your practice tutu felt heavy. 

he sighs again for the umpteenth time as the music stops, the two of you receiving the same criticism from the previous run. mei mei tries her best to be polite, although you can tell she's losing her patience as well.

"(y/n)? what's gotten into you? i understand every dancer has their bad days, but today appears terrible with the silent treatment you two are giving each other."

you swallow at the question, taking a shaky breath before opening your mouth. you look to gojo for help, but his eyes evade yours by looking at the floor with arms crossed. his head whips toward you with your following words.

"he asked me... on a date. i rejected him, rushed out the studio," you mutter, tracing the fabric of the tutu hanging on your hips.

"you asked her out on a date?" mei mei states in disbelief, looking at the ballerino with a face full of perplexity. 

"yeah, i did, and i would do it again," the last whisper is lost to you, unable to hear because of the distance between you and him.

"wh- why? what's wrong with that?" you ask mei mei-sensei, yet again being pulled in by the sky blue of his eyes before looking to the ballet mistress.

"mei mei-"

"gojo never asks anyone out. ever. i'm sure you're the first one."

you can see gojo deflate at that at the corner of your eye, shoulders sagging forward in defeat while mei mei takes the chance to leave for you to sort things out. 

"what...?" was the only thing you could muster, eyes following your instructor as she exits the space.

"you two are dismissed for now. talk to him about it and resolve your problem," she waves a hand at you, the tension growing by the second as she's entirely out of the studio.

"gojo?" you ask cautiously, stepping up to him to pull him from the position he was in.

"you believe the rumours, the articles, don't you?" he says, completely unrelated to the situation at hand. the look he gives you was something you couldn't figure out, snatching his arm out of your grip as he puts some distance between the two of you. 

"you think i'm some cocky bitch who's just strutting around the company, free to do my own thing?" the other says it in a quiet tone, but it didn't make it less menacing than if he were to shout it. 

"do you think i enjoy the way the female dancers throw themselves at me when i'm trying to focus on my mistakes and corrections? you think i enjoy the annoying ass articles written about me?"

with each question, gojo doesn't fail to intimidate you, taking a step each time until you're cornered against the barre. those questions are left unanswered as gojo's eyes bore into yours, losing its usual spark when he glances at you during the pas de deux or when he's laughing at a joke you made over lunch.

"do you think i enjoy being talked about every. single. time?! when i'm passing in the corridors, in masamichi's office, in the company classes, among the little trio you have going on. when i asked you out, it was because i genuinely felt that i could connect to you: with no wrong assumptions or bad impressions," gojo runs a hand through his sweaty hair, the frustrated emotions he felt seeping through into his speech.

"...everything felt so fake to me while getting to know you were the only real thing i could cherish when i get to hold you during the pas de deux, or when my lips landed on your cheek. it was the only real thing that brought on your blush that i imagine your lips on mine way too much."

you chose to ignore the way your heart flutters at the confession, staring up at him with apparent conflict on your face.

"then why can't you just ignore them? i'd expect someone like you to not give a shit about what people think," you whisper.

"you got to know the wrong gojo, then. just like right now, i can't face what others have to murmur around about me."

"right now...?" you caught onto his words fast, your eyes immediately spotting the curious faces of both your friends and a few other dancers fighting for a spot to watch you two through the studio door's glass.

"c'mon, pack up, let's not talk here," gojo states. within seconds, the two of you were out the door with your hand clasped in his. you were quick on your feet to leave the premises, naturally following gojo's lead to an unknown building. 

letting go of his hand, you explore the space, taking note of every tiny little thing that made the apartment his own.

"sorry for the mess. i live alone and hardly clean the apartment." the nervousness from the studio stayed, the other opting to remain at the doorway in worry. the silence in the apartment grows, your eyes now trained to the floor as gojo suddenly speaks up.

"i couldn't ignore them, (y/n). their expectations disguised as gossip and rumours allowed me to perform properly. i was afraid of disappointment, of getting ridiculed if i were to make mistakes on stage. any slip-up was seen by the company's sponsors, critics, everyone. their eyes were always on me, and i could never let myself get eaten up by the articles." 

"the industry is filled with competition and talent. anyone can replace anyone at any given time; you'd have to have a mind of steel to not get affected by every little thing!"

his eyes meet the back of your head, the fatigue leaking through the lines of his eyes and face. as you turn around, you meet his exhausted ones, and, step by step, you approach the man.

"i can't say i have that mind of steel that i mentioned. i hardly come close to it, (y/n). i'm happy with the company, i'm content with my place, and i'm terribly in love with ballet, but... i'm so tired, really."

your expression of unsaid pity was all you could offer, bringing gojo into a hug as he wrapped his arms around you. the way he relaxed told you of the safe space you provided, while his tight, squeezing arms showed he hasn't embraced in a long time.

a minute or two passes, relishing in the now comfortable silence as the other collects himself. 

"i'm laying everything on you, fuck, i'm sorry."

you shake your head into his chest, "don't apologise, you idiot. i should be the one saying sorry for rushing off like that," pulling away, you were heartbroken to see the shine of his tears waiting to cascade down his cheeks.

"i'm sorry i ran off. i was afraid, for a different reason. my rational side always protects my heart, knowing i've had bad experiences with friends and connections. if i couldn't sustain a friendship, who was i to jump into a relationship?" you hand trails to his nape to mindlessly play with the hair there as a form of habit with your own hair.

"it was brave of you, putting yourself out so vulnerably when i only looked at the surface of what you were. i'm sure it felt like those weeks of getting to know each other meant something to you, and i threw it away in fear that you'd leave me after a few months."

"so please don't apologise, i'm sorry i ever made you feel like shit because i didn't know about the weight on your shoulders."

a smile graces your face, the hand on his nape going back to his cheek.

"and stop crying; it doesn't make your eyes look good," you whisper, wiping the tears before they fall as gojo lets out a chuckle.

"you think my eyes look good?" 

you roll your eyes, "god, who wouldn't? it's like looking at the sky and the ocean all at the same time. and when you stare at me? i always have trouble looking away from you because of how striking they are."

"are they now?" distracted from the emotional vomit earlier, he grins at your description of him. you're lucky to have your hands on his cheeks just so you can feel the effect you have on him every time you offer a compliment.

"are you done complimenting me?"

"i've only commented on your eyes, though. would you like me to continue?"

"i think you should kiss me first."

you're taken aback by gojo's boldness, a surprised expression appearing at the question. the way he looks at you beats the gazes through the mirror as he warms up and the look of interest over his bowl of miso soup. it beats the glances at you during the company classes and the short, fleeting glimpses as you move together during the pas de deux. it beats every single one that your head descends back into his chest, shy at the look of adoration he was giving you.

"can i really?" you whisper in his shirt, refusing to look up even when he pulls away from your embarrassment.

as his arms unwind themselves from your middle, he crouches down to reach your eye and bring you back from a world of uneasy firsts.

"is it your first?"

this was when gojo satoru was at his rawest, with his hands cupped around your cheeks in the slowly darkening apartment as he prepares himself to kiss you.

"it is."

gojo says nothing after that, the moment of silence feeling like forever before his lips meet yours. the sunset coming in from his windows hits at the right time, because then you'd be able to point at it and describe the colours you feel when his mouth moves against yours. you'd be able to sense your heart pumping and blood flowing more clearly than when you've just finished a demanding combination of steps when he encircles his arms around you to bring you closer.

without choreographed steps, nothing feels more fitting than a kiss full of passion that isn't in a pas de deux. ironically, it was the ones you enjoyed more, more than the kisses in romeo & juliet or in manon.

oxygen becomes scarce, then, prompting you to break away from gojo just as your heart fills up with joy, way more than you can fathom.

you crash your lips into his again, now catching him off-guard. he melts into it with no problem, a laugh spilling from his lips at your eagerness.

"i like you a lot, tons, (y/n). i don't say this often, but i like you."

"it's too early to say it's love, right? because i think i like you too, a lot, tons."

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

you agreed to keep it under wraps for now, with you planning to leave half n' hour later to avoid suspicion. the dancer sacrificed his Z's so you could catch them instead, although you continued to lay awake in his bed watching the white-haired man get ready. 

"are you sure the floor wasn't uncomfortable? you could've just used your own bed, y'know."

he only shakes his head, "'s okay. my back was acting up, anyway. it was basically free therapy."

you laugh at that, now sitting up fully to admire gojo's physique. with how affectionate and sweet he is behind closed doors, you swore that he was a different man. he shoots you a finger gun and a wink, knowing the way he's got you wrapped around his finger.

"see you later," gojo whispers, landing a peck on you before taking off on his own. it wasn't long before you had to get up, taking in the room and its decorative spaces. he has ballet posters and photos of his friends; he even had a diffuser.

a yawn takes over you as your hands land on the shirt on you.

fuck, you didn't have anything clean to wear. gojo had provided you with a shirt and pants from his wardrobe yesterday, rejecting his briefs with a laugh. with no bra, you decided to just use a spare leotard you keep in your bag, settling for the clothes gojo had lent you the day before.

the theatre felt different when you entered, heading straight for the studio to avoid any more prying eyes from the younger dancers. 

"hey," you say, rubbing at your eyes to the trio warming up their feet.

nobara gasps, grasping at your hand immediately to pull you down onto the floor.

"are you good?" she mumbles, staring at your face for any signs of hurt or crying.

"do i need to beat him up?" megumi challenges, flexing his bicep as a joke, "i've been working out more."

"i'll go tell him off for you, (y/n)!" yuji grins, preparing to quite literally stand up to head over to the other corner of the room.

"no! i mean, yes, i'm good. please don't beat him up, and... sit down, yuji." you sigh. 

"nothing... happened, guys. i know what it looked like in the studio yesterday but there wasn't any catfights or physical fights," you pause, looking at megumi, your hands instinctively going to the pouch where you kept your shoes, "we figured out our problem and solved it, that's all."

"so why are you wearing his shirt, then?" nobara shoots without hesitation, causing you to halt your movements for a bit. beside you, you can hear yuji choking on his water. 

"i... we.. uhm," you trail off, trying to find the right words to fill in the gaps of your explanation. your eyes flit around the room before landing on gojo's, finding that his were already fixed on you.

"uh... yeah... we cleared up our differences and talked a bit," you mutter, lips breaking into a smile before you break eye contact with him. the trio stay dumbfounded at your word vomit, witnessing the exchange with the principal dancer with puzzlement. 

"oh my god, did you guys fuck?" nobara whispers.

"what? no!" you laugh, whacking her shoulder as you stood up to loosen up your feet, preparing for the class conducted by masamichi himself today.

"i'll explain everything when i get back home, okay?" you say to the three of them, stuck in a side hug with nobara as her arm stay loosely wrapped around your waist.

they can only offer you their  nods, bidding you goodbye with a slight wave.

as you enter the same rehearsal studio, there's only a single lone dancer in it, stretching over in a middle split as he scrolls on his phone mindlessly.

"hey," you call out to gojo, setting your bag of things down while you run up to him. he stands up instantly, pulling you into an embrace that shocks you with the sheer force of it.

"did you already miss me? that's fast."

he mumbles into your hair, "mhmm... shut up, please."

you laugh at that, recovering from the hug despite the other's protests.

"c'mon, i need to warm up, plus we're supposed to keep this a secret, right?"

gojo whines but lets you go anyway, but not before he plants a kiss on your hand as he lets you do your own thing. the next set of footsteps catch you in surprise, eyes widening at her presence when you run up to her in excitement.

"ieiri-senpai! are you feeling better?" you ask, peeking around at her feet, where she limped on earlier.

"yes, i am, (y/n)," she pats your head and realises your choice of clothing. you noticed her smirk, but before you could counter her question, she beats you to it, "and... i've seen that the dumbass finally made a move."

there's no denying the blush that makes its way onto your cheeks, seemingly oblivious to the stares from everyone when in reality, they were curious to know of what happened the day before.

"yeah, i guess he did," you sigh dreamily, giving off your feelings as ieiri could only smile at your situation.

mei mei enters the room with authority, making you perk up at her words as she walks to the centre of the barre with purpose.

"i trust that you've solved everything, yes? because you two have been quite the talk around the studio," mei mei states, braiding her hair into a side braid as ieiri takes a seat.

"i took her hand to get away from the crowd, sensei. if anything, i should be blamed for engaging in contact that might've given off the assumption that we were dating," gojo steps up.

"but you are dating, aren't you?" mei mei grins, putting on her shoes.

"i..." you tried to speak, but gojo interrupts you before then.

"only if she'll have me, then yes, we are."

you fight back a smile, stepping forward to catch his hand in yours. he's shaking, not at all the confident gojo satoru that you've become so accustomed to.

"yes," your single affirmation holds so much weight, looking up at him with as much joy as he did with you in the morning.

"okay, good! i've gone through enough of gojo staring at you from across the room. let's continue," mei mei casually says, "i'm sure (y/n) has heard the news, yes?"

she's quick to pull you out of your thoughts of gojo looking at you during rehearsals with the question of the news that left you texting the trio at 1am.

[nitta-sensei is typing...]

(y/n)? do you have a minute to spare?

[(y/n) is typing...]

yes sensei?

what seems to be the...

you're cut off by the abrupt phone call as gojo brushes his teeth, speaking to you, though incoherently, through the foam and lather in his mouth.

"yes, nitta-sensei? what is it?"

"i'm sorry for conveying this news over the phone, and i was too excited to wait until the next day. you might or might not like it, but... you're to replace ieiri in the gala event for now." by now, gojo had stopped brushing due to your lack in reply.

he peeks his head out of the bathroom as nitta continues, "she has to heed her orthopaedic's advice and take a break for now, but since you've been shadowing the two for a good amount of time, masamichi thinks its best you take up the role of the female part."

your jaw stays dropped even after nitta says her goodbyes, the phone lit up due to your shock. 

"(y/n)? what happened?"

"i'm going to be dancing with you, gojo," you say quietly, "i'm dancing the pas de deux with you!" 

you bow your head in acknowledgement, "yes, i have." 

ieiri sees the hesitation since now the original dancer was seated in front of you. she shoots you a double thumbs-up as motivation while mei mei briefs you on the gala like she did with the couple at the start.

it's short, and within the next moment, you're already flying through the sky with gojo's help. the steps start to become more apparent and distinct to you, letting the pianist lead the way as the lifts and pair work merge together like a seamless thread.

mei mei is firm in her teaching, knowing your weaknesses and strengths by heart with the past rehearsals that she's done. stopping the two of you before letting ieiri take over was routine, but for now, ieiri contributes with her wisdom from the chair instead. 

the rehearsal progresses slowly, opting instead to complete it bit by bit as the weeks turn into days and the days turn into hours. you had to take extra care of your feet, icing them and making sure your blisters don't distract you as rehearsals extend longer to ensure your best performance.

when you had your own commitments, your best friends had theirs, fulfilling principal or first soloist roles just for the gala. there was hardly any time for you to see the trio, but you made up with late facetime calls and online dinners with them.

even with the distance in the company class, gojo never fails to make it up to you with kisses under the moonlight as you watch video after video on don quixote, although taking a specific liking to the pairing of nuñez and muntagirov. 

・．━━━━━━━━━━．・

"you ready?" gojo lets out a nervous breath, already hearing the chatter of the gala attendees behind the curtains. beside you, other dancers are warming up for their own parts. some were doing a solo while others were doing a pas de deux like you were, but nonetheless, everyone gathered here was to share the love for ballet.

"hell no, i'm shaking," you laugh, playing with the elastic that was to go over your middle finger. a beautiful, white tutu was tailored just for you with minor tweaks from ieiri's tutu while they were in the midst of completing it. to honour and perform the role of kitri gave you immense joy and excitement, even though you were jittery at the responsibility passed on to you.

"how are you doing?" nobara asks, making you jump at the sudden voice. she lets out a giggle, "sorry."

 "i'm... very nervous. is that even a question?" you ask her, holding onto her exposed shoulder a little too tightly. she dons a breathtaking, flowy costume with puffy sleeves and intricate detail. at the same time, yuji was suited up as nobara's partner in a pair of yellow tights, completing the couple look in the comedy-filled la fille mal gardée.

"oi, hot pants, come here! my partner's here finally after taming his hair," nobara jokes, pulling yuji over. they lean into each other's sides naturally, posing with peace signs and big smiles that they were asked to convey to the audience.

"good luck out there," megumi catches your attention, awkward as can be, as he pulls you in for a hug. his pas de deux partner is smiling at you beside him, taking your hand in hers.

"your rehearsals with gojo-senpai are incredible, (y/n)-senpai! all the best for your performance later," she bows, clearly relieved at saying the things she wanted to say.

"all the best for your le corsaire, too," you grin, waving them off excitedly before joining your basilio at the hip.

"you'll do great out there, trust me," gojo places a peck on your temple, holding you close by the waist as you warm up together. there's shared laughter between the two of you, exchanging jokes to calm your nerves and keep your mind moving. with the rush hour backstage, it was imminent that the show was starting soon, the many dancers continuing their warmup without trouble.

only you seemed to be on edge, performing as the first couple of the night for a role you've always loved and adored while watching from the balcony of auditoriums.

"i will. we will." you nod, hands twined with the other's as the curtains make their way up.

"breathe. we'll nail this like we always do," gojo kisses your linked hands, staring down at you with those same eyes you fell in love with. a smile replaced what you couldn't say out loud, bumping your head into his chest as an affectionate gesture, "let's go."

among the cheers and blinding lights, you could only focus on gojo's hand on the small of your back as he led you out. with practised steps, nothing could faze you except, maybe, his dazzling smile and the gentle eyes he has on you for the whole pas de deux.

living the life of an innkeeper's daughter was what you had to portray. while your 'father' was hesitant at first, he's finally given you the blessing to marry your lover, basilio. the glimmering tutu and effortless partnership was only half the job done, and for the radiant smile you had on at the moment, you hoped at least ieiri and mei mei would be proud of the story you were telling together with gojo.

the feeling from rehearsals is amplified on stage, with the orchestra's power and the costumes, providing you with a feeling like no other. and as gojo approaches with a flawless tour en l'air, you realise that with how much work you put in behind the scenes, the result always pays off. 

as gojo has his hands on your waist, twirling you around like nothing in a quadruple pirouette, you realise that every step was made possible with the help of ieiri and mei mei and your best friends and lastly, gojo satoru.

the golden, treasured prodigy which you somehow managed to develop feelings for. the talented principal who whines when you won't refuse to give him affection and the once-cocky individual who softens just at the sight of you.

and as the music reaches the end, you want nothing more than to stay in this pas de deux with gojo satoru, in a dance of two.

you end off on an incredible note, chest heaving from the demanding technicalities of the pas de deux. nevertheless, your brain shuts out the thunderous applause, with some imparting you with their standing ovations and others who decided to scream 'bravo!' at the stage.

gojo offers a grin, bringing you close with a hand as you thank the audience with endless curtseys. bowing to your partner was next, thanking him for the interminable rehearsals and that hectic day of emotion from the studio right up to his home.

you almost practically run backstage with the adrenaline flowing through your body, the next act already on stage for the gala. 

"oh my god, oh my god!" you whisper-shout in pure glee, hugging gojo close the moment you were out of view of the audience.

"you did it."

"we did it," you reassure, pulling from the embrace to smile up at him. you could feel the dancers' eyes around you, not knowing whether they should look to you or to look away.

his voice snaps you out of your thoughts, "'s okay, let them look. i don't mind it when i'm with you."

"just to confirm, we... shouldn't kiss, right?" you mumble, but you inch closer to his lips anyway.

"no... i don't think we should," gojo grins, indulging you in the very kiss you've waited for, knowing that right now, it wasn't the stage lights, nor was it the general heat after completing a difficult pas de deux.

it's as if the world gave you rose-tinted glasses, because that was all you could recognise now as gojo pulls you from backstage with your hand tightly locked onto his. he wasn't the six eyes theatre's prized principal, he was just gojo as you run past the many costumes being hung with the click-clacking of your pointe shoes.

you could compare it, almost, to running across a field with a billowing dress behind you, but alas, you were satisfied with being his kitri. for when she and basilio have a life of marriage ahead of them, you and gojo satoru have nothing but longing glances and shared laughter over your stumbling slip-ups in the studio as you tackle one act after the next.

the pas de deux was a connection and a story, and the both of you were just starting out yours. 

[twstarchives]

Scary Dress・Voice Lines

● Event: Scary Monsters (October 14 - November 26, 2020) ● Exclusive Cards: Deuce, Kalim, Epel, Idia, Malleus, Lilia, Azul, Jack, Jade, Vil, Cater

Deuce Spade - R

Unlock Card “This school event is meant for everyone to have fun. I’m going to make sure this Halloween’s a success!”

Groovy “You’re not getting away from me... I’ll scare you till you're trembling to the bone!”

Home Setting “I’m a skeleton ghost that’s risen from the grave! BOO!”

Home Transitions “These are our special costumes, so make sure you’re careful with them. Grim, that means don’t claw on the lace.”

“When I was a kid, there were times when I used to start sobbing because I thought there was a monster outside. But it was actually just the laundry drying out there... Oi, stop laughing!”

“I got some treats from Epel. There’s a lot of them, so I thought I’d share with you. You know the secret code, right?”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Happy Halloween! You just can’t help but get excited around this time of year.”

Home Taps “I saw Draconia a while ago. Seeing him walk around in that serpentine dragon costume so valiantly made him look cooler than ever.”

“I got a text from my mom—she said she wants to see my costume. I don’t mind sending her one, but I don’t know how I feel about taking a selfie... Prefect, could you take one of me?”

“I’m used to seeing the ghosts on campus, so they’re not that scary. Our terrifying dorm leader Rosehearts, on the other hand...”

“Viper fixed the lace on my hat for me. I feel like the vice leaders in every dorm are really caring.”

“Hey, you! You want me to bury you!? S-Sorry. I was practicing my scares; I didn’t mean to say that to you, Prefect.”

Kalim Al-Asim - R

Unlock Card “Are you all ready to have some fun? Alright! Come on and follow my lead! One, two—Happy Halloween!”

Groovy “Grr... Pain shoots through my body whenever I look at the full moon. You better watch your back if you start to hear some howling.”

Home Setting “Growl! I’m a werewolf now.”

Home Transitions “Rook knows a lot about wildlife, and he told me all kinds of things about wolves. It was really useful.”

“I always carry around candies this time of year. This way anyone can tell me ‘Trick or treat’ anytime!”

“My magic carpet seems pretty excited for Halloween too. I’m competing with it to see who’s the scariest!”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “A party that everyone’s stoked about—that’s what Halloween is! Let’s have fun together! Growl! Growl!”

Home Taps Whine! Grrrrr! Bark! *cough!* “It’s hard trying to sound like a wolf...”

“I feel like it’d be so much more exciting if Cater, Lilia, and I dressed up for our band performances. Don’t you think so?”

“Jade said his costume is a mummy. If you wore clothes like that in the Scalding Sands, you’d get so hot that you might actually turn into one.”

“I like this costume; its design is really reminiscent of the Scalding Sands. Plus it’s easy to move in. It fits for dressing up as a werewolf.”

“Hm? You want to try scaring me? Spare me from any tricks, though. Ahaha!”

Epel Felmier - R

Unlock Card “Boo! Did I spook you? Hehe. I’ll come scare you again if you let down your guard.”

Groovy “Struggling against me is useless... I think. You won’t get away from me.”

Home Setting “Now, Halloween has begun!”

Home Transitions “Wah! Oh, crap!¹ I stepped all over my cloak. If Vil saw me, he’d get mad and say ‘It’s not proper to run around like that.’”

“I carved some of the pumpkins that are decorating the school. Mine have ghosts and our dorm’s emblem on them. Try to find them, okay?”

“Hey, have you seen the decorations on Main Street? They’re all so pretty, and really marvy².”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “I think this is the first time I’ve celebrated such a festive Halloween. In my town, the festivals feel a lot more scaled down.”

Home Taps “Halloween celebrations in my hometown are never this big, but I can promise you the food’s always delicious. I want you all to come see it someday.”

“Riddle got really passionate when we were talking about the treats for Halloween earlier. Sweets are just amazing, aren’t they?”

“I’m a first-year just like Deuce and Jack, but I wish I could scare as well as they do. But only practice makes perfect!”

“Tremble in fear! ...No. That’s not menacing enough... Ah! What if I put ketchup around my mouth?”

“Huh!? A treat? Sorry. I finished handing all mine out. But I’ll peel an apple for you later, so don’t give me a trick or anything... Okay?”

Idia Shroud - R

Unlock Card “E-E-Even I get excited for events sometimes... Is that bad!?”

Groovy “Anyone who sees what’s beneath my helmet won’t be leaving here unharmed... Hehehe!”

Home Setting “Wahaha! The Pumpkin Knight has arrived!”

Home Transitions “Every time Ortho tells me ‘Trick or treat,’ I give him some candy, but earlier he got mad and said ‘Let me have a trick too.’”

“You need to know your etiquette to have fun with events. That’s true no matter what world you’re in.”

“This time of year, they’re always having tons of huge events in gacha games. I’ve got an overwhelming lack of free time.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Weheehee~... Happy Halloween. Huh? Why are you making that face? Is it that weird to see me pumped up?”

Home Taps “Hiding my face under a helmet really lets me relax. The downside is it’s a little hard to breathe, though.”

“Wh-What are you dressing up as? Don’t tell me you’re just going to throw on something basic like a headband or a hat and call it a day?”

“They say lions are members of the cat family, but... Sir Leona is not soothing in the slightest. Hah~ I wanna nuzzle a cat...”

“You can say it. There’s no such thing as a nerd that hates Halloween!”

“Weheehee! I made this using a 3D printer, so it’s got really nice durability. ‘How much did it all cost’? Well, if you want to know, it was on sale.”

Malleus Draconia - SR

Unlock Card “Halloween is a festival observed by both the living and the dead, regardless of one’s race. You, too, should enjoy yourself as much as you can.”

Groovy “I’d make anyone tremble in fear with a single breath of fire. Watch me.”

Home Setting “I’m not dressed up as a dragon. It’s a serpentine dragon.”

Home Transitions “The students in our dorm seem very pleased with our costumes. They were all cheering with joy. This was well-worth the trouble.”

“Lilia knows a lot about many nations’ versions of Halloween. He told me stories about them instead of his usual lullabies. That was a long time ago, though.”

“I saw two pumpkin knights around campus. The smaller one was floating, so I’m assuming they were the Shroud brothers.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “I’ve experienced many Halloweens, but this year seems especially chaotic.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Trick or treat!... wasn’t it? If you don’t give me a treat, I’ll have to trick you. What will you do?”

Home Taps “The red serpentine dragons from the Far East, which our costumes were based on, could even play folk instruments. Hm... How very interesting.”

“I caught Asim practicing his wolf howls. He’s lacking on the impact, but it does have a charm to it. Heheh.”

“Halloween in the Valley of Thorns is especially grand. It’s a different take on it than other countries have, but you should come see it someday. It’s beautiful.”

“If you hear a strange noise, don’t automatically assume it’s the work of a ghost. Faeries love playing tricks all year round.”

“This tail? Mine is not an accessory; it’s real. As curious as you might be, don’t get too close. You’d be easily flicked aside if you got hit by it.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “I’ll set fire to anyone that harms your dorm, just like a serpentine dragon would. I’m fond of that place.”

Lilia Vanrouge - SR

Unlock Card “Halloween is my home ground ♪ I can’t wait to see the surprise on everyone’s faces.”

Groovy “Do not underestimate me. You might end up finding yourself trembling and unable to sleep all night long.”

Home Setting “Growl! How was that? Did I sound like a dragon?”

Home Transitions “On Halloween Night, the goblins who served the Fairy of Thorns would gather around a fire and dance all night long. You probably wouldn’t expect them to be party animals!”

“I remember the day I met a real-life serpentine dragon in the East like it was yesterday. Its crimson scales were truly a sight to behold.”

“I like eating most sweets, but marshmallows are the only ones I can’t do. It doesn’t feel like I’m eating anything; they aren’t satisfying.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Trick or treat... What? You’re already used to my tricks? Then I’ll have to bring out my trump card.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “If I were a real dragon, I could give you a ride on my back. But instead, why don’t I give you a piggy back ride?”

Home Taps “Hnn... The decorative horns on my cap are so heavy. Malleus really has these on his head at all times?”

“Aren’t my red nails cute? Vil painted them for me. He told me these were called gel nails—long-lasting nail polish.”

“Silver and Sebek used to be such crybabies. The mornings after Halloween, I’d have to spend the whole day doing laundry.”

“Have you seen Ace anywhere? He’s always eating Trey’s sweets like he really likes them, so I made some for him as well.”

“Oh, oh! It’s dangerous for someone of my stature to have a tail almost touching the ground. Try not to step on it either.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Achoo! Sorry, sorry. This peacock feather tickled my nose.”

Azul Ashengrotto - SR

Unlock Card “The Mostro Lounge is currently offering a special Halloween menu. You must come and see!”

Groovy “Let’s have all the fun we want tonight. Now, let me hear you scream all the way up to the moon!”

Home Setting “How do I look? It’s very stylish with the way it revisits the old-fashioned sort of mummy, isn’t it?”

Home Transitions “If these were my own tentacles, I could move them freely at will, but that’s not true with these bandage wraps. I have to pay close attention to my movements.”

“Of course we have Halloween celebrations under the sea. Although, unlike on land, merpeople don’t exactly wear costumes.”

“I ran into Silver with this costume on, and he yelled ‘The enemy!’ before pulling out a baton. ...He must’ve been half-asleep.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Halloween only happens once a year. Let’s have the time of our lives together.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Did I hear you say ‘Trick or treat’ just now? Offering me of all people a deal is quite bold of you.”

Home Taps “I have an affinity for the costumes Jack and the other Savanaclaw students are wearing. They look like ghosts you’d find at sea, don’t they?”

“I referenced dishes that my family serves for the Lounge’s limited edition menu... Oh, my family runs a ristorante.”

“I’ll hold back on the treats, thank you. Accepting more and more of them will only increase my calorie intake for the day.”

“The reason we chose mummies for our costumes? I’m very unfamiliar with them, which made me all the more curious. After all, you can’t have anything dry under the sea.”

“What are you in such a rush for? I understand feeling excited, but you must be discreet when getting ready to scare someone.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “You must come see Halloween under the sea sometime! It’s just as fun as the academy’s.”

Jack Howl - SR

Unlock Card “Dressing up as pirates fits for Savanaclaw, since the guys here are all brutes. When you want something, you take it!”

Groovy “On Halloween, it’s ghost territory. Make sure you be careful when walking around at night. Grr...”

Home Setting “My scares aren’t just for show.”

Home Transitions “Scarabia dressed up as werewolf ghosts. They really nailed the ears and tails.”

“When we were making jack o’ lanterns, Ruggie kept eating the pumpkin seeds. Do those taste good...?”

“The pirate costume fits Leona really well. He’s lazy and vulgar—ahem! He comes off as strong and powerful.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Happy Halloween! It’s nice with all these decorations and festive energy. Wanna walk around together later?”

Home Transition (Groovy) “I was getting tired of all these sweets, so I got some jerky. Want any?”

Home Taps “Ace and the others swear that anything Trey bakes is to die for. I wonder how his pear compote would... N-No, nevermind.”

“I used to want to be a pirate when I was little. I remember making treasure chests by myself and filling them with coins and sparkling jewels. Those were the days.”

“Pirates have to aim their cannons and do a lot of heavy lifting while onboard. They’ve got to train hard.”

“I almost never wear rings, so I’m scared these might fly off at any moment. Plus it’s hard to move my fingers.”

“Oi! Stop prodding at my costume! What’re you going to do if one of the seashells breaks off?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “You haven’t put on your costume yet? The ghosts will come to kidnap you if you don’t hurry and change.”

Jade Leech - SSR

Unlock Card “I’ve been expecting you. Today I have a most wonderful scare prepared for you.”

“We’ve been working hard to ensure that everyone can spend a wonderful Halloween.”

Groovy “The sight of you screaming as you try to hurry away... It’s irresistible. I cannot hold myself back from chasing after you!”

Home Setting “Who would like to be tied up in fear?”

Home Transitions “You want to see me when I’m frightened? Heheh. I wouldn’t mind you scaring me anytime you’d like.”

“There is no such thing as using pumpkins as lanterns under the sea. I was very shocked learning about culture on land when I was a freshman.”

“Have you had a chance to try out the Mostro Lounge’s limited edition Halloween menu? I contributed a recipe to it.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Trick or treat! Heheh. There’s no need to look so frightened; I won’t bite.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Oh, my. Were you hoping to play a trick on me? I have a treat on hand, so please spare me today.”

Home Taps “I helped Ruggie with making jack o’ lanterns. They’re very quick, cheap, and beautiful. How fitting.”

“Dryness is fatal for merpeople. If we were dried up like a mummy... Just the thought is horrifying.”

“Floyd, don’t eat too many sweets. It’s different while we’re in the water, but here we have a high risk of tooth decay.”

“The draping wraps on our costumes resemble jellyfish tentacles. They’re pretty, aren’t they? I like their asymmetrical design.”

“You seem to have a wish to join the world of mummies. First, I will wrap your whole body in bandages, and then dry you out... I’m only joking.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Halloween under the sea? If you’re interested, I will show you around one day.”

Duo Magic Jade: Azul, we cannot waste any more time. Azul: Let’s be efficient about this, Jade.

Vil Schoenheit - SSR

Unlock Card “Are you prepared to pledge yourself to me? It’s a great honor to be the sustenance of my beauty.”

“If I’m participating in this, then I’m going to aim for quality that transcends all previous Halloweens. Please keep up with me.”

Groovy “How unfortunate; there’s nowhere left for you to run. Yield yourself to me and become my slave.”

Home Setting “You will be a victim to my fangs.”

Home Transitions “Vampires, who possess eternal beauty... This is a perfect theme for me, isn’t it?”

“It would be difficult to check my appearance if I couldn’t see my reflection in the mirror. Perhaps I’d have to check with Rook between every class.”

“The other day, I was drinking tomato juice in the evening, and Epel screamed at me. How rude.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Trick or treat. Although, I don’t need any sweet treats. I’m sure you can guess what a vampire would want... Heheh.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Have you flipped your sleep schedule like a vampire’s because it’s Halloween? Make sure you don’t stay up too late.”

Home Taps “I don’t usually carry around treats with me, so last year I fell victim to Lilia’s tricks. That was honestly unpleasant.”

“You should carefully deliberate over your parasol and choose one that has strong protection from the sun. Don’t forget sunblock either.”

“Floyd’s skin is very beautiful. Makeup sits exceptionally well on moisturized skin, too. Always remember to moisturize.”

“My father is an actor, and for every Halloween he would come home in a costume with special effects makeup. I wonder if perfectionism runs in the family.”

“Even a single strand of hair out of place is something to pay mind to. Could you fix my hair for me?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “My cloak has enough cloth to wrap around a person. Should I hide you inside it if any scary ghosts come by?”

Duo Magic Vil: Let’s end this nonsense right here, Lilia. Lilia: Leave it to me to guard you from behind, Vil.

Cater Diamond - SSR

Unlock Card “I’ll fill you all the way to the bone... with fear, of course ♪”

“Aha! Are you surprised with how off things feel now? Let me show you Cay’s charm, now that I’m a touch different for Halloween~”

Groovy “You’re not thinking you’ll be able to get home safely now that you’ve dug me up, are you?”

Home Setting “Don’t you think my costume’s super aesthetic!?”

Home Transitions “The pumpkin pie Trey always makes this time of year... Mm, it’s not too sweet, and it’s sooo good~!”

“Did you see Lucius today!? He was wearing a super adorable pumpkin hat... I can’t believe Professor Trein~!”

“Sebek-kins really loves Malleus~ He’s got a reputation among the third-years for being the passionate Draconian.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Happy Halloween! How about we take a picture to commemorate?”

Home Transition (Groovy) “I have a feeling this year’s going to be the funnest Halloween we’ve ever had. You should be excited too, Prefect!”

Home Taps “I really like how our skeleton-looking laces are so elegant. Our dorm uniforms give off more cutesy vibes; it’s super different.”

“A black veil holds many mysteries... Heheh. You’re always free to lift it up anytime you want, Prefect! Just kidding.”

“Heartslabyul’s costumes last year? We were pirates! Wish you could see Cay as a pirate~?”

“The whole campus gets super festive and exciting around Halloween! And all the decorations are so photogenic.”

“Black makeup smudges easily, so you kind of need to have advanced skills to use it. Does it look okay right now? It’s not smudged?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “What are you dressing up as, Prefect? Come let me know when you have it ready. I wanna take a pic~”

Duo Magic Cater: “Jack, lend me some of your aesthetic support!” Jack: “This’ll be a breeze, Cater!”

[itsagirlwithglasses]

✨ B O O K R E V I E W ✨

“By you, I am forever undone.”

> swipe for synopsis

📖 The Queen of Nothing (The Folk Of The Air #3)

✍️ Holly Black

5/5 ⭐️

3.5/5 🌶

💭📝 REVIEW:

This is one of those trilogies that now that I’ve finished (not counting the 3.5 one and the stolen heir coming next year obviously) I feel so empty yet so full of emotions. This book left me in pieces. I’m in extreme emotional distress.

There’s so much to unpack with this book, I feel as if I cannot express myself well enough. Although I give it a 5 star review, I cannot help but feel as if this book seemed a little rushed. And there is so many loose threads I wish to see resolved.

Nevertheless, it got me addicted to it. I read this fully in two days because I just couldn’t stop… I HAD to know what happens next.

This book brought to us the continuation of the fight for the crown, more specifically the tries to dethrone Cardan from his position has high king — and also Jude’s position although not a lot of people within the faerie world know about it yet. The third book is so full of mixed emotions and unexpected deaths. We get to see the rise of Jude as the Queen of Elphame and how the land reacts to it. I absolutely love the fact that we have a continuation of Jude and Cardan’s love story, as well as Bomb and Roach’s.

I love how raw we get to see Cardan and how strong Jude grew to be next to him.

This book has love, betrayal, war, duels, Cardan in the mortal world, rolling heads, a pretty bizarre and horrid banquet…

I have so many great things to say about this series and I’ll forever carry it in my heart because I felt so empowered reading it and I felt as if my world grew a little bit more with it.

If you are considering reading this series: DO IT! It is so worth it, I just want to read more and more!

PS.: Locke, you’re a dick, but I kinda liked you although you annoyed the shit out of me, yet, I don’t think you deserved what happen to you. Cardan, I still don’t how to feel about your tail. Jude, you’re fucking badass. Oak, I can’t wait to read your book. Madoc, f*ck you.

[jamiemackenziefraser]

All That Was Fair

Chapter 23: Wings of a Flutterby

Summary: “Jamie had always considered the presence of a flutterby to be a blessing.”

Read on AO3

Read chp 23 on tumblr below the cut

Previous, master list, next

A/n: After seeing a very cute thread on twitter about how Jamie canonically calls butterflies "flutterbys," I had to make the addition to this chapter because it was too soft to pass up. So, inspired by @Sassenach7471, thanks for reminding me of this sweetness!

Chapter 23: Wings of a Flutterby

***

Claire lay on her stomach in front of Jamie in the middle of the living room floor, her arms folded underneath her head as she lazed. Jamie, for his part, sat cross-legged behind her, completely and utterly enamored. 

The dress she was wearing had a large open back, covered only by tiny straps, which left her beautiful, translucent wings exposed. Jamie’s fingers were delicately tracing the edge of them where they lay flat on her back. They were so incredibly soft, so delicate, that Jamie could only bring himself to give them the barest hint of a touch. But he was entranced. 

He’s always been told never to touch the wings of a flutterby for fear of damaging them, so when Claire had given him permission to touch hers (after he'd gaped open-mouthed at her in that dress), it felt so deliciously forbidden. Even though he’d never exactly touched a flutterby’s wings before, he’d felt them flap against his skin as the flutterby hovered around him, the flitting sensation of softness before it was gone, out of reach. Claire’s wings felt much the same as he’d imagine a flutterby’s would if he could touch them in this way, only Claire kept hers still and on display for him to pay due reverence. 

Jamie had always seen the presence of a flutterby as a blessing— if they were near him, it was because of their choice, not his. He remembered as a kid being out in his mother’s garden, sitting as still as possible in hopes that one might land on him in passing. 

Claire was much the same. An ethereal creature that somehow had landed on his life, had chosen him… him… over anything else, giving herself fully and utterly without hesitation. 

Growing more bold, he trailed a finger down across one of the silvery veins that stretched across her wing. Claire gave a little shudder, making Jamie pause, but it was followed immediately by a contented sigh. 

“How does it feel?” Jamie asked as he continued to wander the surface of her wing with gentle exploratory touches. 

“Hmmn… nice,” Claire hummed. 

Jamie spared a glance up at her face to find her eyes were closed. Her cheek was squished just slightly where it lay against her arm, and Jamie nearly melted at the sight.  

“Like when I touch yer skin?” he probed. In demonstration, he brought his fingers to the skin of her back in between her wings, smoothing them down along the bumps of her spine. 

She shivered again, shifting her head, and then answered dreamily, “no. It’s different. I can’t really explain, it’s like… my wings are more… sensitive.” 

Jamie hummed in acknowledgement and returned his touch to her wings. They fluttered a little at the unexpected sensation, flitting against his hands, and that only served to make him more eager. As they settled again, Jamie began drawing absent circles over the surface with his fingertips. 

They weren’t paper thin, but still so heartbreakingly delicate. Their golden hue seemed to shimmer in the light from the window, although it was soft and barely noticeable if he hadn’t been studying them so closely. He couldn't get enough. 

It was unreal. 

His body was nearly trembling with excitement over this strange experience. As relaxed as Claire was, Jamie was pulsing with energy, thrilled by this newfound intimacy. He could touch her forever and never tire of it— wings or no. The thought that this strange creature was his awed him to no end... 

Absorbed as he was, he barely even noticed Claire was moving until she had sat up, her wings fluttering freely as she did. Jamie drew back, not wanting to hurt her as they moved, and he sat watching like a besotted fool as she turned to him. 

Her eyes seemed glazed with serenity, her whole posture carefree and relaxed. His touch had melted her into a puddle of soft warmth, and Jamie came to the realization that she was about to be all over him the second before she did just that.

She moved slowly but nonetheless insistently, and Jamie found himself absolutely covered in faerie a second later. She had straddled him and pushed him down on the floor as Jamie obediently relented. He let her drape herself over him as he leaned back, staring up at her in enrapturement. The second he was laying on the ground, Claire spread out at length upon him, she purred, “It’s your turn.” 

A dhia. 

“What?” He sputtered, his brain having halted all proper function at the feeling of her body spread on top of him. 

Lord give him strength. 

“It’s your turn,” she repeated, “On your front.” 

Jamie’s brain snapped back into his head as he realized what she was asking. Getting himself in check through some monumental force of will, Jamie managed to smile up at the hooded eyes above him. 

“Lass, I canna turn over when ye’re on top of me.” 

Claire was too tranquil to laugh or flush. She just hummed in acknowledgement, brushed her nose against Jamie’s once (making his wame twist), and then removed herself from his body. 

Jamie mourned the loss instantly, but he turned over onto his stomach as ordered, mirroring the position Claire had just been in, lounging on his front. 

As soon as he was settled, soft wee hands slid under his tee shirt, pushing it up. Then, lips met skin. 

He had to resist the impulse to jerk away as she kissed the scars, her lips warm and tender. No one had ever touched him fondly there— before her— and never in his life had he imagined someone kissing him the ugly evidence of his pain. 

Her lips touched the scarred flesh again, this time further up, and Jamie shivered. Gooseflesh broke out along his arms as her hand smoothed down the length of his back. She took her time, her touch gentle and intentional. 

“You’re so beautiful,” she said reverently. 

Every insecurity in Jamie screamed at him to deny it, to say something to the contrary, or even just joke about getting her eyesight checked. But the next brush of lips made the words die in his throat. He simply remained silent as tears gathered in his eyes. 

Her fingers traced the criss-cross of his scars for a long time, easing the tension from his muscles with her soft touch until Jamie was just as relaxed as his faerie. 

He wasn’t expecting it when a solid weight rested on his back, and he realized she’d laid her head down on him. 

“I love you,” she said softly, her fingers still tracing over his shoulder blade, “all of you.” 

Jamie wished that he were sitting up— or anywhere that he wasn’t trapped like this— so he could embrace her as he answered, “that means more than ye know, mo nighean donn.” 

Her hand smoothed back and forth over his side in response. He could feel her breathing— slow and deep— against him. 

“Dinna fall asleep on me there, lass,” he joked quietly. 

“I’m not.” She answered so softly that he wasn’t entirely convinced of the validity of the statement. “I just want you to know that I love every part of you.” 

The warmth in Jamie’s chest could have melted even the most ancient ice. Claire’s loving his scars couldn’t take away his insecurities— couldn’t magically heal the years of hating his body— but she gave him hope that one day he might be able to love himself with even a fraction of the intensity with which she loved him. 

Jamie pushed up on his elbows (Claire letting out a displeased noise at his disruption), and he hastily sat up to take her into his arms as he’d been wishing to do ever since she’d begun her ministrations. 

She went willingly as he pulled her into his chest, and they stayed pressed together as two parts of the same whole, serenity wrapped around them with the comfort of a blanket. 

*** 

Later that day, Jamie finally had the chance to introduce Claire to the wonders of literature. After finding out weeks ago that the fair folk didn’t have a written language, Jamie had been positively itching to introduce Claire to some of his favorite books. The choice had been brutal—Jamie being the book lover that he was— but finally, he had decided on Lord of the Rings. 

As soon as the decision had been made, he’d begun to prepare Claire, telling her everything he could think of about reading and books and human literature so she’d be ready before hearing the story. 

When the time finally came— and Claire had draped herself over Jamie’s lap, holding onto his neck and laying her head on his shoulder so she could stare the book as he read— Jamie found it rather hard to concentrate on the words. He had to block out her touches and reactions in order to give her the proper experience of hearing him read. After not too long, Jamie began to get the hang of it— it’d been a long while since he’d read aloud to anyone, but the story came alive as he grew more comfortable. 

Claire had hummed with excitement the whole time, stifling her wonderment into Jamie’s shoulder as he read with enthusiasm. 

“You’re a wonderful story teller, Jamie,” she praised during a break at the end of a chapter. 

“Thank ye, lass, but it isna so hard when the story is just here in front of me.” 

“You’re getting all that story from there?” she asked, pointing dubiously at the page. 

“Aye, much easier than remembering the whole thing,” he answered. 

She’d pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You humans are so sweet,” she said fondly, “we just treasure everything worth telling inside of us.” 

“Oh lass,” Jamie said, “I canna wait until ye hear more. There’s so much out there, more than we could ever remember ourselves. I’ll make a bookworm out of ye yet.” 

Getting back to business, Jamie squeezed Claire closer with his free arm and resumed reading. Her attention soon shifted from the page (which was meaningless to her) and instead rested on Jamie’s face as he read. He found himself distracted by her regard and her wandering hands that were doing their best to draw him away from his reading. 

“A nighean,” he said at one point, looking away from the book to level her with a mock stern look. Her hand froze over his nose where she’d been tracing up and down the bridge of it, “I canna concentrate on reading.” 

“Oh,” she said, abashed, withdrawing her hands, “sorry.” 

“Are ye enjoying the story so far, a leannan?” he asked. He had to prepare himself for the possibility that he was boring her, although hearing her say out loud that she didn’t like Lord of the Rings would probably break his heart. 

“I love it!” she exclaimed quickly, straightening herself against him, “it’s amazing. I’m sorry, please keep going.” 

“Okay,” he chuckled, “maybe jes’ let me focus on the reading for a bit, aye?” 

*

After they’d finished their section of reading— Jamie closing the book as if parting from an old friend— Claire pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek. 

“Thank you for telling me your story,” she said softly. 

He couldn’t help but laugh at hearing it referred to as “his,” but he didn’t have it in his heart to correct her outright. 

“We’ll read more of Tolkien’s story another time. Would ye like that?” 

She nodded enthusiastically, her curls bouncing and her smile melting his heart all over again. How could anyone ever look at her and not love her?— he wondered. He would spend all day, every day pouring out his soul just to see a glimpse of that smile. 

“Would ye tell me a story of the fair folk?” Jamie asked suddenly, longing to experience a part of her world as she was experiencing his. 

She raised up from where her head had just rested back on his shoulder. 

“I would love to tell you a story, Jamie,” she said, but something about the tone of her voice seemed… off. Was she sad? Had bringing up her home been a mistake? “But later. I don’t know, I… I don’t really feel much like storytelling at the moment.”

“That’s alright, a leannan,” Jamie reassured, “I just want ye to ken how much I care about yer stories too.” 

Claire wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her head underneath his jaw, squeezing tightly. 

“I love you, Jamie,” she said. 

“I love you more, mo nighean donn.”

***

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