#also is strange the dreamer any good?

[sinisternymphette]

sheep!reader - a concept

✦ sheep!reader loves the outdoors, and is usually found basking under the sun as they daydream or running around the grassy plains as they chase butterflies. However, they value the company and prefer to spend their time with others, thriving in groups rather than in their solitude.

✦ sheep!reader is kind in their nature, and would do anything for their loved ones. They also like to show their affection physically, always ready to give a warm hug to someone who needs it, or shower their significant other with pretty little kisses all over their face.

✦ sheep!reader is, however, oblivious to the evil in others. They trust those they love, and want to fit in so desperately that they're easy to mold- easy to manipulate. They like to see the good in others, but often forget that evil also exists.

✦ sheep!reader, who is easily spooked or surprised. They feel squeamish at the sight of a single drop of blood and shiver in fear when they hear a strange sound. Though they'll often try to mask it underneath an awkward close-mouthed smile or giggle. If you ask them to watch a true-crime show with you, they'll still accept even if they don't want to deep inside.

✦ sheep!reader, who likes to do arts and crafts in their free time. They're dreamers and like to put their creativity into something of their own, such as their own plushies, clothing, diy home decorations and many more.

✦ sheep!reader, who likes collecting vintage items like precious moments figurines, vinyl, and even fabrics. Their song library is also full of old songs and classical music, not having a liking for rap, rock and metal music. They listen to their music either on their iPod or record player. Their musical muses are mazzy star, kate bush, the cranberries, phil collins, autumn's grey solace and the smiths.

✦ sheep!reader, who loves wearing soft and lighter colors, no matter the season. They nail the southern belle, farmer's daughter and cottagecore aesthetics, giving them an angelic appearance; radiating joy and innocence and beauty that surely catches many eyes, though they never seem to notice as they're in their own little world.

✦ sheep!reader, who tries their best at everything, but often feel like they're doing everything wrong. They often find themselves cringing about something they said in a conversation from days ago, tripping and falling in front of everyone at the worst moment possible, or not being able to concentrate on their studies and understanding the subjects they're taught. They're emotionally fragile, easily overwhelmed and stressed.

✦ sheep!reader, who loves animals and is 100% a future cat lady. They find almost every animal cute and adorable- from spiders to sharks. Despite their skittishness to most things, animals are the only thing they aren't scared of. They love watching animal documentaries for hours- and they never get bored.

✦ sheep!reader, who likes to draw people they find pretty. Honestly, they find everyone beautiful, but those who are kind-hearted and have beauty inside and outside are ought to get at least one drawing from them.

ib: @princessbrunette !!

a/n: everyone is free to send me an ask with sheep!reader in any of the universes mentioned in my rules and I'll do my best to make them fit in the story/au! if it's an anime, modern!au is preferred. I based them a little off myself, so I hope you all like them!

@sinisternymphette 2024

[yandere-toons]

Aaaaaah I'm sorry but I developed some sort of obsession with the live action Alice in Wonderland (2010), especially with Cheshire cat, and I decided to make some heacannons or whatever you could call these-

•I see Cheshire as a yandere who would charm his darling before they knew what they would get themselves in to

���after they do realize the cats obsession with them, it is far late to do anything

• Cheshire cat would stalk their darling from afar, before deciding he wants to announce his presence, that is if he even wants to.

•Just like the way he has a weird liking to the Mad Hatters hat, he would like some sort of object from his darling, something to borrow/steal for whatever reasons he has.

•Maybe if you'd like that item back, he would trick his darling in to some sort of game to get it back. Maybe even ask you to solve a riddle for the wanted item.

•He would definitely take it back.

•This obsession will be hardly ever noticed by the people living there, especially Mad Hatters and March hare, as they are just too mad to see anything wrong about it.

•I can imagine a tea party, havoc everywhere, Dormouse throwing whatever at March as Mad Hatter laughs with them, a quite weird and maybe even uncomfortable 'tea party' to be in.

•Even if you live with the people there, the eyes of the Cheshire cat gawking at you from across the table makes it hard not to try finding excuses to leave the feast.

•Yet escaping the cat is hard as he evaporates and reappears at his will, making it impossible to know if he is following or not.

•Confronting the cat will only lead to denying of any kind of stalking, saying that he is simply tagging along with his darling, even if they are unknown to him creeping behind them.

•They better expect a lot of scares and strange disappearances from him as he can come and go unexpectedly.

•I also see Cheshire as a yandere who would want to isolate his darling, or at least make them somewhat dependent on him, especially by giving them either wrong or confusing directions and getting them lost in the deep, dark, woods.

•Its fine though, he was tagging along with you. And, Surprise! He's coincidentally there to help you get out of it.

•He can't make any promises to take the shortest path though.

•And can't seem to promise himself to leave when he bids you goodbye.

Cheshire Cat: If I were looking for an exit, I would go that way.

Reader: This way?

Cheshire Cat: Which way?

Reader: That way. The way you just pointed!

Cheshire Cat: Where did I point?

Reader: This way!

Cheshire Cat: What way?

Reader:

Excellent ideas by the way! No need to apologise for having good taste. Write about whoever comes to mind! Plus, I'm always happy to see this cat.

There's little a dreamer could do to ward off the Cheshire Cat, and no one else cares to listen when asked for help. Staying with others results in the Cheshire Cat either watching from a distance or materialising in the middle of the conversation.

He implies that you could be in danger at any time in the company of anyone, saying you never know what lurks in Wonderland. Thus, no one is necessarily a "safer" choice than he is.

[loveemagicpeace]

Jupiter & where you find your happiness🍓🧸

🫀Jupiter 1st house u will find happiness in yourself, doing things for yourself. It will make you happy when you do something new on yourself or for yourself. A change in appearance and character. For ex.: new tattoo, new earring, new shirt, jewelry. Something that will make you look better will make you happy and inspire you. The more you will plan and take action, the luckier you will be.

✨Jupiter in 2nd house many times money or material things can make you happy. Good and quality food. You will enjoy wide contacts from all spheres of life. You can easily gain power, authority, leadership and the most coveted position easily without much effort. Music can be an inspiration to keep you going.

🦩Jupiter in 3rd house you enjoy talking to your best friend the most. A spontaneous trip or a new event. Conversations with others and perhaps spiritual things make you happy. Socializing with relatives and siblings. You can also find happiness in writing.

🤍Jupiter in 4th house your home makes you happy. You really like being at home and you can feel the most inspired there. Family can be the one that makes you very happy and gives you encouragement. You are also inspired by the decoration of houses.

🤘🏽Jupiter in 5th house new hobbies, socialization, activities make them happy. Love affairs and dating. You can also find happiness through fun and games. Even children can be the ones who bring you a lot of joy. Or something related to childhood. This can also bring you a lot of joy and inspiration.

🍓Jupiter in 6th house you find happiness through lifestyle. Animals can make you happy and bring you happiness. You also put a lot of inspiration into work, organization, planning. They enjoy doing any task and are very proud to be called useful, intelligent or efficient.

💕Jupiter in 7th house you find happiness in relationships with others. They’re usually lucky with legal issues and capable to mitigate any conflict. Many times your partner can also make you happy. Inspiration comes through people you meet, relationships, marriages.

🌊Jupiter in 8th house your happiness is deep, emotional and hidden. You like to spend time in your private space and discover secrets & strange things. It is a place where the individual seeks increased understanding in areas ruling the inner planes of life, the deep level of existence, and the life-death cycle.

🎨Jupiter in 9th house your inspiration and happiness is in travel, places, the meaning of life and the world in general. You are happiest when you travel and explore the world and other cultures. You can be inspired by foreign languages, adventures, optimistic things. Believing in something can be part of making your life meaningful.

🧳Jupiter in 10th house you find happiness in your career, reputation and respect. Career can be a great inspiration for you throughout your life and you can also be inspired by other people who have already achieved something. Spending time with your father can also make you happy here.

⛱Jupiter in 11th house you find happiness with your friends or company that is very close to you. Many times you are inspired through your goals and dreams that you have. Fascinated by technology, they love everything relating to progress and are open to try new things all the time. They love being around others and will probably get together with people who are unusual or belong to a different culture than their own.

🎡Jupiter in 12th house what makes you happiest is when you do something for yourself or things related to spirituality. Water or travel, places by the water can make you happy and give you inspiration. They find themselves at peace when they are left alone. They usually feel good about life and help others deal with problems more easily. Individuals are big dreamers and can see the good in any situation. They are also fascinated by many of the life’s mysteries.

-Rebekah🫀🎸🍓

[oz00ms2]

I’m like five hours late with Starbucks to this but I neeeed to ask you about your Marine Buggy au if you’re up for it. How much do you think Buggy is a formidable threat in this au and how much is him somehow stumbling into success like in canon? Not that canon Buggy can’t be a threat under the right circumstances , but one can’t deny how much is just pure unadulterated dumb luck and it’s just extremly funny to me imagining another version of him bumbling his way to the top in the same manner, but also this version of Buggy seems more competent in comparison, so I am interested in hearing how you interpret him yourself.

Also as a Shuggy appreciator I am still gonna throw out the scenario of someone promoting Firebug up a rank and adding „You really did it Sir. If those dastardly pirates set sail just an hour earlier we wouldn’t have had the menpower and that tactical advantage that helped us win that last fight . It’s a shame that red headed bastard got away, but nevertheless this is a huge success for all of us. Truly remarkable Sir! How’d you do it? How did you keep them from setting sail for so LONG? Did you mingle amongst the crew to stage a mutiny? Did you damage their boat? Sir, I would love to know Sir!“ Buggys mind flashes back to him and Shanks absolutely violently making out against the wall in Shanks cabin. „… Some tactics are better kept a secret.“ „Of course Sir! Yes Sir!“

did you bring me a coffee too? :<

ty for asking about this silly lil au.

for marine!buggy I still have to believe he falls UP as is his MO. this little dude has supernatural luck and a bizarre power over men with his strange charisma so having that transfer to this au with minor tweaks.

I like to imagine he was under tsuru's tutelage once he officially joined the navy - as it's difficult for me to see him viewing any man as worth his obedience after rogers and his broken heart. plus she has a strong immunity to flashy types and I believe she'd be capable of curbing his worst traits. buggy would need someone to speak to him like an adult, blunt and lacking the whimsical dreams of his adoptive pirates who I see as having allowed buggy too lofty of a perception on the world with his issues.

would he be a dangerous marine? probably not on his own - but being believed in and supported by structure and more talented minds - I think he'd be a crafty ballistics expert and a typically underestimated foe. very useful against run of the mill pirates and keeping shorelines safe. but against more daunting enemies he'd depend on numbers and the backup of more powerful allies (while absolutely taking the praise for "organizing the group attack". )

like, please imagine smoker being his subordinate - that is hilarious to me.

I think he'd be a successful marine with very little interest in the darker machinations of the marines because he's only here to feed his loss and be praised for doing a good job. however he would be easily manipulated by darker hearted higher ups and probably not the most reliable.

unfortunately he's still buggy at heart, still a dreamer, and if he happens to mess up when his envy of free-spirited pirates gets in the way of his job, well he gets demoted/promoted endlessly like he's riding a ferris wheel with a broken brake.

…

as for the scenario you so beautifully presented: yes absolutely 100% 10/10 no notes.

the amount of times buggy has been interrupted mid-tumble with shanks and it has been misconstrued as him "fighting epically against the horrid red hair captain" is in the hundreds at this point.

the Marines who know the truth wish they didn't and he gets his ear dragged around by tsuru as she screams at him: that's not what she meant when she said to take red hair down!!!

[thelunarfairy]

The lonely prince of the moon 🌙

Have you made your wish to him today? Did not you know? The Moon Prince can grant wishes, but he asks for one thing in return.

If your desire is to find out more about him, then you will have to give him your patience, because this little boy will not fulfill your wish so easily, how long have you been waiting for this?

Amane and Hanako, two names of the same person. Two versions, same story. It's incredibly contradictory how at the same time he can be such a charismatic boy and so isolated.

But, if we are going to talk about our little dreamer, let's separate him into periods.

Amane, the shy and introverted boy. He had no friends and didn't seem interested in finding any. He lived alone with his own thoughts. Could this boy be more mysterious? The marks on his skin left a trail of violence without us knowing who was to blame, and even if he was, for Amane there was no guilt.

The marked boy, the way he looked at the marks, as something he had to bear alone. People shouldn't meddle, that's what he decided.

Loneliness…

A word that is apparently part of his life, despite being born alongside the person he loved most in life. He was lonely, and didn't seem to feel loved. He wanted to leave Earth, such a bad place for him.

Amane wanted to conquer the Moon, she was so brilliant, the feeling of welcome she gave him, as if she said that if he could reach her, he would be free, he would be happy.

The way he found to get to heaven…

He went, but didn't reach the Moon, the Earth pulled him back.

Amane dies and Hanako is born.

Equally lonely and with a big weight on his back. He had two sins now, that of having killed his own brother and of having taken his own life, at least, that's all we know.

The so fragile and defenseless Amane was suffocated into his chest. And he was trapped for so long that when he resurfaces, Hanako doesn't know how to act.

When does Amane return?

When a little mermaid decides to show him her charms.

Mermaid?

Who was the girl who called him the first time?

He likes to call her Yashiro. I think you know

The first person who saw him. He wasn't an evil apparition, nor a ghost, nor a strange, perverted boy, he was her friend. Isn't that what she said?

She was the only one who little by little helped Hanako to show a little of Amane, because even though now he is the great 7 of the 7 mysteries, the great powerful ghost… He is still Amane.

There is a big difference between them. Hanako is extremely charismatic, fun, likes to joke and make stupid jokes. He has good intentions and protects those he loves. And above all, he is not a coward. Even if he made a mistake, he admits his mistake and regrets it.

But, it doesn't end up that way. He is also the person who killed his own brother, he is the person who has good intentions in some cases but solves problems in the wrong way, he uses people to achieve his own goal without thinking about what they will feel.

There is a dark side to him.

And he hates him.

This dark side that we gradually get to know, even if it hides it. And he does it so well it scares me.

People always find justifications for what he does.

He wanted to lock the girl he loves in a fake world without giving her the chance to choose, because he knew she wouldn't want to, and he decided on his own that she would live happily without him.

Good intention, bad execution.

Hanako's dark side became justifiable because people fell in love with him. Because of his dangerous charisma. Because of Amane's fragility, which sometimes reflects on Hanako.

Make no mistake, Hanako didn't stay social after he stopped being Amane Yugi, he likes Yashiro, she was the only person he had any real interest in.

Kou joined the group by force, if you remember how it all started.

Where are Hanako's other friends?

The other supernaturals either respect him or hate him. There is no middle ground.

Why don't Amane and Hanako like the idea of having friends? If there is this charisma if he has this personality that is so easily captivating, then why did he choose that?

To hide the secrets? Because he is afraid of doing something to his own friends and is afraid of losing them?

Because in the PP arc, where the ideal world of the "protagonists" was reflected, did he have friends? Did he want this?

What was stopping him?

Hanako has reflected the waning Moon in his own eyes, a well-lit and beautiful part that draws everyone's attention… And another dark part, that no one can see what it hides….

That sums it up well. The lonely prince of the Moon who wanted to be loved, but was afraid to love too much…. Why?

The boy who only had a short time to live, the one who wasn't going anywhere, the one who pushed his younger brother away just because he wanted to be healthy like him. The boy who cried at night while waiting for his brother to return, who perhaps asked the moon to bring him back. He was alone, but he didn't want to be.

So when Brother came back, he didn't feel like he was enough. Because of him Amane couldn't help but fear that one day he would leave again, because of him Amane endured things he didn't know he could, because of him Amane committed his greatest sin, or what affects him most, because of him the Amane didn't allow himself to love again.

He didn't deserve to love and be loved. That's what he thought. He didn't deserve to be alive, nor to go to the moon to fulfill his own dreams. He deserved to be alone and suffer for eternity, because nothing he does will take away the guilt.

But he got a new chance.

He is being loved again, or for the first time.

Even though he's running away, he wants this… He wants to be loved, to be forgiven, he wants to make things right.

All Hanako, or rather Amane, wants is to have a normal life, like everyone else. 🌟

[elucienweekofficial]

Elucien Fanfic Crossword Answer Key- Monsters And Creatures

How did you do? It's our hope through this week of puzzles that folks are able to find an existing fanfiction that speaks to them! Consider these a small masterlist filled with recommendations from the community itself. Below you'll find every fanfiction recommended attached to the author who created it, added in the order they were submitted! Fics were also categorized to their best of our ability. Check them out below!

[Please check all tags before engaging!]

Home Is Where Your Heart Is Set In Stone by @c-e-d-dreamer

“My love.”

Elain jolts at the sound of a voice, at the strange nickname. She whirls around to find a man standing in the shadows just inside the tree line. He’s tall. Even from this distance, Elain can tell he must have over a head on her, and his eyes are pinned solely on her.

Elain has to swallow hard before she’s able to find her voice again. “Hello?”

The man steps forward, into the moonlight, and Elain realizes with a strike of fear that he’s not a man at all. He’s a monster.

Clear Blue Water by @separatist-apologist

In the middle of a storm, Elain Archeron hears a song that pulls her outside. There, laying among the wreckage of the beach, is a dying man who needs to be rescued.

Or is it her who needs to be rescued from the wreckage of her life?

OR: blah blah VANMERMAN blah blah blah

Into the Water by @kingofsummer93

On the morning of her eighteenth birthday Elain wakes with a taste for blood.

Her task is simple. She must take a man's heart, while it still beats in his chest.

Unfortunately for her, Lucien doesn't plan on going down without a fight.

All Over You by @separatist-apologist

Elain Archeron has spent months listening to a stray cat scratching at the back door.

On full moon, she decides to let it in.

Unaware of the monster waiting to claim his mate

Seven Tears for the Sea by @yourstarsmyscars

Elain Archeron has spent years watching the seals that play in the waters along the coast of her village. The oldest legends claim selkies once lived in these waters, but Elain has never considered the possibility until one summer she spots a red seal along the coast.

All The Monsters Come Out At Night by @separatist-apologist

Elain Archeron has been warned not to go into the woods- they're filled with monsters. When the drums begin to call, and her sisters leave without her, Elain has no choice but to follow.

She has no idea what is waiting for her

Out of the Woods by @separatist-apologist

The monsters turned out to be just trees

Elain Archeron has been warned not to go to Autumn. She's been told what sort of monsters lurk just within the woods.

But the magic is calling.

And Elain is far too curious not to answer

Lily In A Twilight Place by @xtaketwox

The Archerons are new to London society. The rumors go that Viscount Archeron brought his daughters to London after the death of their mother in the south of France. Lucien is struck by the beauty of Elain Archeron from the first moment he sees her, but little does he know the Archeron family is hiding a secret that may just get him killed.

Turning Darkness Into Light by @asnowfern

When ghost-seeing Elain moves into the flat Lucien has been haunting, she has only two rules for him: 1. They are not friends 2. He is not allowed to enter her bedroom

This is how Lucien breaks both of them.

I've Given You Sunshine by @the-lonelybarricade

“Good morning,” Elain chirped to the sleeping figure. He didn’t respond, which was no surprise to Elain. She stepped closer. The underbrush hissed beneath her feet, as if warning her not to come any closer. Gradually, the silhouette became more distinguished—the proud nose and the full lips, the long vines of hair that spilled over his shoulders and onto his strong chest. She liked coming here in the mornings, before the light hit, because it was when he looked the most human. When the sun rose, it would illuminate the bark of his skin, the twisted wood of his bicep, the hollow of his just-parted mouth. And she would remember that he was just a tree branch with unnervingly human-like features. - Or; Lucien VanTree

Or; An attempt at a Prythain Little Shop of Horrors AU

What Hand Dare Seize The Fire by @starry-mantle

He gave Elain a smile she might’ve called charming, if not for the fang it revealed, or the hellfire glow rimming his golden eye. “I am here for my witch, and nothing less.”

-

A witch's magic calls to demons, and demons bring destruction. When Elain Archeron is sentenced to burn for the crime of witchcraft, a demon named Lucien saves her from the flames and binds her life to his in an unholy pact.

Elain can accept losing her soul to a demon - she's far more frightened of losing her heart.

Bow Down by @shadowisles-writes

When one of Elain's rituals releases more magic than usual, a much bigger demon than what she has ever protected herself against comes to her door. No amount of hidden traps and talismans can protect her from what he wants to take.

Cursed, Hexed, and Bonded by @thelovelymadone

Elain and Lucien are found to be mates in modern magical society. The thing is, they had a one-night stand with one another and neither wants to admit it was the best night of their life. Now, they gotta work together and figure out: who is trying to steal the sun.

Wonderland by @separatist-apologist

Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?

In a kingdom where a Maiden is forced to be sacrificed to appease the monster in the woods, Elain Archeron is chosen out of spite by her spurned suitor, Graysen. Trapped in a tower with her beast, Elain must unravel if she can truly trust the monster promising not to hurt. She doesn't know he's freed every maiden he's ever been sent...but her? Her, he intends to keep.

[dyns33]

The basement

Happy new year with a little Morpheus x reader story. 

Everyone had heard of the demon locked in the basement of the Burgess mansion.

Some said it was Death, but it seemed impossible, as people had still been dying for over a century. It was rather obvious that the Magnus had tried to capture Death, that he had failed, and that he had kept what he had managed to catch, for fun and glory.

Anyway, those were the rumours.

No one had ever actually seen the creature, and those who had gained access to the mansion were now all dead, proving once again that the grim reaper had nothing to do with this story.

After the death of his dear companion Paul, Alex Burgess had slowly lost his mind, becoming sad and reclusive, quickly joining him without having any descendants.

The mansion was put up for sale, but because of all the stories surrounding it, no one dared to buy it.

There were curious people who broke inside without permission to check if the rumours were true, but no one ever found the basement. Either it had never existed or Alex had given the order to hide the entrance before his death.

Of all of this, Y/N didn't care at all.

If she wanted to visit the place, it was for its historical value and nothing else. She didn't believe in stories about ghosts and demons at all, so it was just an old abandoned house for her, which contained many treasures, statues, books, paintings, that she wanted to take pictures of, to keep track of them.

Y/N knew she had been lucky. In her entourage, she had been one of the few not to be affected by the sleeping sickness. According to her mother, it was probably because she was a true dreamer.

Being closer to the realm of dreams than most people, she had no trouble falling asleep, but being also full of life, she always managed to come back from it just as easily.

Perhaps it was because of this, her instinct and her imagination, that she had the idea to ask herself if it was normal for a shelf to be in the middle of a hallway, stuck to the wall. She could have stopped at that thought, considering it was just an eccentric wish of the previous owners, but something made her take a good look at the strange shelf, finding what looked like a button, and when she pressed it, the cabinet moved, revealing a hidden door.

Y/N had just found the entrance to the basement that everyone had been looking for. The basement where a demon had been locked up over a hundred years ago.

She wondered if it was a good idea to go downstairs. It could be dangerous, even if there was nothing. And there was certainly nothing, because demons did not exist.

But she plunged all the same in darkness, arriving in a huge room, and in the middle of it, she found a glass ball in which a man was seated.

           "It's not true, I'm dreaming." she whispered to herself, which caught the prisoner's attention.

There was something in his eyes that told her he wasn't human. He couldn't be human, since he was standing in a sphere without oxygen, naked, looking perfectly still.

Maybe demons really existed.

There was also the possibility that he wasn't a demon. In any case, no one deserved to be locked up like this, for so many years, so without thinking Y/N quickly went upstairs to grab the metal poker, and she came back to the cage.

           "Step aside, please."

The request seemed to startle the man, who watched her bang on the glass, over and over, until it started to crack. The globe finally broke after several minutes, and Y/N took out her jacket to put it on the ground, so that the man wouldn't hurt himself by going out barefoot.

But as she reached out her hand to help him, he didn't move.

           "You can go out. It's fine, no one is going to hurt you."

He didn't answer, watching her for a long time, before looking down at the circle that surrounded the sphere. There were several symbols that Y/N had never seen, but she guessed that they were some kind of pentacle that prevented him from moving.

It looked absurd, a man who was clearly not a man, chained by magic drawn on the floor. Maybe she was dreaming.

Even in her dreams, Y/N remained good, and she rubbed the circle with her foot, until part of it faded.

           "And there you go !" she exclaimed proudly, raising her head to the man. Except he wasn't there anymore.

After going around the basement several times, then the manor, Y/N couldn't find him. He had simply disappeared, as if he had never been there. She decided to finish her exploration quickly, before returning home.

In the following days, the sleeping sickness intensified. More and more people couldn't sleep, or didn't wake up. The situation was very worrying, with the whole world wondering if this was the end.

However, Y/N had never slept so well, a sweet sleep, with beautiful dreams, which allowed her to feel rested, light and happy when she opened her eyes the next morning.

It might have seemed insignificant to her, she was just lucky, but she wondered if there was a connection between the man she had freed and what was happening.

After some research, the date of the so-called capture of the demon by the Magnus corresponded to the beginning of the sickness. The changes had arrived after the man who was not a man was released. It couldn't just be a coincidence.

If he was a demon, or some other supernatural creature, he was bound to dreams.

Y/N therefore decided that the best way to find him, and to discuss with him, was during her sleep.

While she was in bed, ready to join the world of dreams, she thought very strongly of him, begging him to grant her an audience, in order to save humanity.

           "Save humanity ? Why would I want to do such a thing ?"

Y/N found herself in a huge palace in ruins. The stained glass windows were broken, the walls were cracking, several dusty books juggled the floor, and in the middle of it all stood the so called man, dressed in black.

           "Lord Morpheus, maybe you should listen to her, she..."

           "Leave us, Lucienne. Go see if Mervyn needs help rebuilding. Tell Matthew to continue his rounds."

            "But..."

           "Now."

           Yes, my Lord." said the woman with the pointy ears, bowing and leaving them alone.

Y/N hadn't been afraid when she was in the basement. She had seen a man, or what looked like a man, in a bad position and she had considered it necessary to help him. Now, seeing him standing before her, this Lord Morpheus, menacing and cold, she wondered if she had made the right decision.

           "What do you have against humanity ?" she dared to ask.

           “It was humans who imprisoned me, then forgot me, for over a century. They sealed their fate, causing terrible harm to their world, and even if I wanted to, there is much damage I could never fix. But why fix them ? They don't deserve it. They are selfish, and mean, and evil."

           "That's wrong, we're not all like that."

           "No ? You are telling the truth." he sighed, tilting his head, suddenly looking sad as he stared at her. "You freed me, without knowing who I was, without asking me for anything in return, without the slightest hesitation. A ray of hope, in this torrent of filth. I want to reward you for that. But the others ? They all wanted to find the demon out of curiosity, for laughs, for money, fame, to ask favours. Not once did they feel pity for me. Nobody ever thought of coming sooner in order to help me. The only one who did before you was killed."

           "They didn't know. They were stories, just stories ! I didn't expect to find anyone at all by going to the mansion, I was lucky, I don't deserve a reward either !"

           "On the contrary, sweet Y/N. Only selfless action deserves a reward."

           "So I would like you to forgive us, and for the sleeping sickness to finally end. Please."

           "I suggest you ask what you want, anything you want, and you ask me to offer my services again to your fellows ?"

           "Yes." she sobbed. "Yes, that's what I want."

           "Sweet Y/N. You really are a light in the dark. They really don't deserve it, and I hate them. I've hated them for decades, locked in this circle, but for you, and only for you, I accept."

Through the holes that had formed in the walls, Y/N had the impression of seeing the sun rising, on a land that had not seen it for a long time. Everything suddenly seemed clearer, more peaceful.

Morpheus approached her as she admired these new colours, colours that didn't exist in the real world, bringing her attention back to him when he stroked her cheek.

           "You are a child close to my kingdom. In addition to your request, I offer you calm and charming nights, without the slightest disturbance."

           "I don't understand. You mean without nightmares ?"

           "Exactly, sweet Y/N."

           "Oh, no."

           "No ?" he wondered, his eyes suddenly shining, making him look like a startled human for a few moments.

           "I like nightmares. Well, not really, not all the time, but... They're also important dreams. It would be a shame if I didn't have them any more."

           "You... You're a real miracle, and you don't even know it, do you ? We'll meet again, Y/N. I think I could use your advice, your young wisdom, and all your hope, to guide me in this unknown new world. I... I must rebuild, recover my tools, regain my powers, recall my subjects and deal with the dreamers. So much has changed. I was blinded by hate and revenge. I'm still upset, I won't lie. But I do not wish to hurt you, I owe you my freedom, so fine, bright Y/N, you'll have dreams and nightmares, and you can ensure that those of others are going well, by assisting me."

Y/N couldn't remember if she had accepted this offer, or if Morpheus had considered that she didn't really have a choice, sealing their collaboration with a kiss, before she woke up, but the next day she was able to found that he had kept his word.

People were able to fall asleep again, and they normally woke up a few hours later, as if this nightmarish century had never happened.

That didn't mean it was over, and as soon as evening came, Y/N returned to the realm of dreams to join their master, who was trying to relearn to be free, merciful, and to love humanity. And every time he saw her, it seemed to help him a bit.

[boywifesammy]

sam winchester just doesn’t fit. he lives life between two worlds; too strange for normal people but not strange enough for his family. he’s passionate and nerdy and kind-hearted. he’s trusting but terrified of losing the little that he has. he’s been looking from the outside in for his entire life and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t change that.

imagine growing up like that. never in one place, constantly moving around, surrounded by fear and family secrets and things that go bump in the dark. imagine always being the new kid, getting weird looks in the hallways, growing up in hand-me-downs and dingy motel rooms and having an alcoholic, revenge-obsessed ex-military dad who’s never around. being raised by your big brother and never being able to explain to anyone what family means to you. that they’re your prison and your curse but also everything you have, because you never stopped in one place to keep anything else.

and on the inverse, imagine being the black sheep in a family of hunters. imagine wanting autonomy and safety and being shamed for it. sam is a dreamer at heart. he loves reading and human connection and moral philosophy. he wants to be good above everything else. he’s a bleeding heart who gets far too involved in cases and feels the pain of everyone else too strongly.

imagine wanting to play soccer instead of shooting at things that want to kill you, and being berated for it. wanting to get an education and being belittled for it. wanting to get free of it all, wanting to make an honest life for yourself and have companionship and a stable career and a family that trusts you as much as they love you and being told that if you leave, you’re never welcome back.

sam tried so fucking hard to fit in at stanford, and it ended with his girlfriend burning up on his ceiling. he tried to be a good hunter, and instead became the boy king, a demon-blood halfling, an abomination, a monster even in the eyes of his family.

if you can’t save him, kill him. if i didn’t know you, i would want to hunt you. sam has always been more monster than human or hunter. always. he was a monster at school and a monster at stanford and a monster on the road with dean. he was stuck between worlds and floundering for any bit of reassurance that god hadn’t given up on him.

yet even through that, he was still kind and loyal and motivated by good will. he wanted to see the good in everything, even in the monsters he hunted. he wanted to give them a chance, because he wanted so badly to believe that he wasn’t a monster either. he knew how it felt to be bad to his very core yet still want to do good. he GOT it. even when the world hated him, he still always tried to do the right thing.

sammy’s a big, cuddly, bleeding-heart monster and i love all of him.

[dododan]

Mainly my strange idea of what the songs in the Hazbin Hotel series represent. I don't know how much of this can be called a theory, but there were a few things that caught my attention. Apart from the wonderful performance of the songs, I feel they are very important to the storyline itself.

There are also some thoughts on Charlie <3

Episode 1 "Overture" - do songs have power?

During the story at the beginning of the episode, specifically the bit about Lucifer, I got the impression that Charlie greatly admires his father for being a dreamer and imaginative. Probably because they both share these qualities. Charlie is also a dreamer as evidenced by the very idea of running a hotel for sinners.

The very portrayal of Lilith and the pointing out that she motivated the demons with her voice and songs, making them grow stronger. I think the songs play a bigger part in the storyline than you might initially recognise.

The songs in the series are sung consciously, everyone around is also aware that someone is singing a song. It is not portrayed as in other TV series or musicals that someone's song is natural to those around them and invisible as, for example, in High School Musical, where the characters sang and it was part of their world. In Hazbin Hotel, when the characters sing, everyone around them knows it and may wonder why someone is singing at that particular moment. The characters sing because it is important in some way - you can see this with Charlie. The song 'Happy Day in Hell' gives her strength when she has to go to meet the angels. She is motivated and full of energy. And before the song she was quite worried about the meeting or even nervous. The same is true in other episodes when the characters sing. The songs allow them to open up to others in some way ('Loser,Baby'), to reveal their fears ('Poison'), to seek motivation ('Happy Day in Hell' or 'Whatever it takes'), to show their strength ('Stayed Gone'). The songs carry a message and are not just embellishment or variety to the episode.

Lilith also sang, and Hell grew. That's my theory on the songs in the series.

Something that puzzles is Lilith's disappearance itself. What could have prompted the queen of Hell who made the place flourish to leave? To abandon her beloved daughter and the sinners she cared for? Something serious. Maybe Lilith herself wanted to stop the extermination somehow and that's why she disappeared to somehow solve it. Another theory is that maybe she disappeared for 7 years because she is trapped somewhere? Maybe the angels, knowing that it was thanks to Lilith that Hell was growing stronger decided to capture her?

We also clearly see Charlie's problems with the persia she has put on herself. It seems to me that in the story itself at the beginning she portrays herself as a saviour on whom there is great responsibility. She feels that she has to do something great to match her mother, particularly as she is not with her now. It seems to me that Charlie greatly admires both his parents and puts them on a pedestal by which he tries to meet the impossible - the salvation of sinners.

Charlie tries very hard to be good. She doesn't offend anyone and chooses her words to praise people, but also to point out faults. She's not naive, but maybe she's trying too hard to be good? Something to the effect that she tries to be as good as possible, but in a way it holds her back? Somewhat related to this pressure she puts on herself to match her parents because she admires them so much. It's as if Charlie thinks that being good to others and passing on that goodness will fix everything, but it's as if she doesn't take action to stop the evil. It's as if she thinks that any use of her position as princess of Hell or her powers involves doing something evil. This was the conclusion I came to in the episode 'Masquerade' when Charlie saw how Angel was treated by Valentino. It was a moment where I thought Charlie would snap and use her power to actually improve Angel's situation, e.g. freeing him from Valentino's hands by taking away his contract, or forcing Valentino to treat Angel better. After all, Charlie is Lucifer's daughter? She probably has the power to do it herself, but Angel's objections were enough to make her stop. I think this shows that Charlie is afraid to stand her ground and fight back when she sees opposition from those she cares about even if she sees them getting hurt. It's just my opinion, but Charlie kind of chickened out at that point. It makes me wonder what needs to happen for Charlie to finally have the courage to stand firmly on her own.

[cetaceanhandiwork]

I saw a comment on the Fallen London wiki, where someone wondered whether it would be possible to "actually" revive/fix Mr Candles, as opposed to SMEN's mission to the High Wilderness which (as far as I can tell, having never Knocked myself) settles for mourning or avenging him.

My reaction was "well, this is the Neath, and the whole point of the Neath is to be a refuge for the audacious and the impossible, right? So there should be some way to do it, even if it's not in the game."

But then that got me thinking... how would you do it, exactly?

Part One: Body

First off, the requirements to revive the dead, even in the Neath, are apparently pretty heavy. Cups manages it at the end of Nemesis, with a ritual requiring Master's Blood, a bathtub full of Hesperidian Cider, a number of specially-prepared candles, and the remains of the deceased.

Of these four, the first two are obtainable in-game. Eye-wateringly expensive (fun fact: a bathtub is seven firkins), but still.

The third is also obtainable... at a cost. There's probably a reason that the Seeking Road, despite being as misaimed as it is, tries to spell Mr Candles's name in candles.

The fourth... well. SMEN ignores it, except at the very beginning. But the physical remains of Mr Candles apparently still exist. "IT IS NORTH UNDER GRANITE." Probably in Xibalba.

But there's a problem with the Cups Process: it can't restore the mind. In Nemesis, this was an unfixable problem. But for Mr Candles... its mind survives, and we know where to get it.

Part Two: Mind

The Mr Eaten of SMEN vascillates between two agendas: revenge and grief. Why? My theory is that there are two Mr Eatens in the Neath, each an incomplete remnant of the original Mr Candles. We know that one of them is imprinted in the lacre of the Bazaar. That would be the grieving one; aside from the obvious practicalities of what can and can't be described in the language of grief, we know that when you "Accept the Name" from the Eaten Mr Sacks, your Question is immediately shifted to "What is Forgotten" even if you previously set it to "What is Due".

Then where is the Mr Eaten of revenge? Well, where was Mr Candles most likely to leave a part of itself behind? I think the obvious answer is Parabola. It's a place where even the Masters are vulnerable, and if some impression of him didn't remain there, then we wouldn't have dreams of Death by Water. But this Eaten has been warped, too. The Strange Dreams of London interact with each other, after all, and none more than those of Storm. Storm is the other dream-remnant who dreams of going NORTH, and has his own reasons to want to pass the gate of Avid Horizon and bring down a reckoning upon the whole Neath and its lawlessness. When the Bag a Legend protagonist crafts the hungry knife to kill Mr Veils in retribution, they even use Storm's thunderbolt to do it. Some part of Storm has rubbed off on the Parabolan Mr Eaten, I think, and caused it to hyperfixate on the plan of revenge at any cost.

Part Three: Putting the Pieces Together

So now we've found the disembodied mind that the Cups Process cannot, on its own, rebuild. But how do we safely reunite those minds with their body?

If the grieving remnant is imprinted in lacre, then it can be read out of lacre. It's Correspondence, albeit a different dialect written with a different orthography. A sufficiently dedicated Correspondent could "accept the heart and lights" of the Eaten Mr Sacks and then transcribe them. And if there is a concern that "lacre cannot bury the law", then perhaps they should get the help of a Steward, whose whole craft centers around burying the Law, to enact that "no forgotten victim shall be forgotten" while the work gets done.

As for Parabola's Mr Eaten, well, the protagonist has successfully visited the dreams of dead Masters before. Get someone good enough at Glasswork to find the center of the dream. Speak the Name, to grab the attention of the dreamer, and then transport it in a Mirrorcatch Box; the endgame quests of Sunless Sea have shown us that this is a convenient way to contain and transport Parabolans who could not survive in the Neath.

With this, all that remains is to transfer these thoughts into the newly resuccitated Mr Candles. Irrigo is the obvious tool for this; we know that it can lubricate thoughts and memories, allowing them to flow freely from one person to another.

But using the Nadir itself for this purpose would be too dangerous. We'd risk permanently losing the precious canoptic jars which we'd worked so hard to recover. Instead, we need someone skilled with precision application of irrigo, of the "inks of undernight", to perform the transplant. We need Millicent Clathermont's remnant... whom, if we have St Eruzile's Candle, should already be present within us.

And what about the most fundamental obstacle? The notion, put forward by the authors themselves, that there is no longer such things as a Mr Candles, just an absence where a Mr Candles should be?

The Seeking Road has given us the solution to that, as well. The process for filling that void appears every time someone finishes St Gawain's service. St Gawain's Candle is, above all else, an emptiness in the shape of a person, filled with glory and coaxed back to life.

Perhaps it's presence as the final candle of the Seekers is no coincidence either.

In Conclusion

So this is the shopping list.

Mr Requiem, transcribed from lacre into Correspondence

Mr Reckoning, contained in a Mirrorcatch Box by Glasswork

The Inks of the Undernight, and a skilled hand at them, to return the two remnants of Mr Candles's mind to its body

The blood of a living Curator, for the Cups Process

Seven firkins of Hesperidian Cider (or another highly concentrated medium of the Mountain of Light's vitality) for the Cups Process

A number of specially-prepared candles, for the Cups Process

The physical remains of Mr Candles, NORTH UNDER GRANITE

Much of this is familiar. Much of this is stuff that SMEN gives you, for reasons it never deigns to explain before it sends you off to Avid Horizon to ruin everything.

Perhaps this was always the plan, originally. Perhaps Mr Candles, forseeing (as Winking Isle implies) the betrayal, prepared the Seeking Road as a means of resurrection, and it only got bent out of shape later. Perhaps by some ineffective Tragedy Procedure which smudged the Seeking Road but failed to erase it, or perhaps by some Mithridatic scheme of Nicator (who entire stake in the matter, as a player for White, is by his own admission “to bring light to the Neath”), or perhaps just by the Eatens’ tug-of-war between revenge and regret accidentally yanking the path past Xibalba and through the Gate.

It'll probably never be a part of the game. But in the realm of fanfic... the realm of "what might be possible"... who knows?

[raitrolling]

Spiralling Down

[Easy reading version on Toyhou.se]

(This drabble is preceded by A Thirst for [Knowledge/Trouble])

Glasya landed inside the dream with a soft tamp as their boots hit the grass. The air was perfectly still, but there was a soft rustle as trees gently moved on their own. The twin moons hung in the sky, though any astronomer would be able to tell their position was noticeably off their typical orbit. 

The grounds, too, were dead silent. At this time of sweep, there should be crickets calling into the darkness.

They looked down at their outfit. The same bodysuit, jeans, and coat they wore to the investigation, and typically wore to work as well. The dreamer’s unconscious must have remembered their appearance well, as they had not taken on the clothing of the other employees.

Good, that uniform was awfully drab. Jikiro was friends with that popular fashion designer, and the plain grey button-up and matching pants were the best he could come up with?

In front of them, was a near-perfect facsimile of the main living quarters for the Takami estate - formerly belonging to their friend, but now technically owned by his younger signmate. Near-perfect, as the mind can never correctly recall the layout of a building, especially one as complex as this ancient structure. 

It figured, that someone who spent most of their time at their workplace would also see the location in their dreams. But, it made it much easier to find anything out of place within the dreamscape when they too recognised the location.

Glasya continued to assess their surroundings to try and determine where to explore first. The estate’s grounds expanded as far out as the eye could see, the subconscious filling in extra gardens and pathways to make up for what could not be accurately recalled. They could follow the path to Weeper’s Cave - If Lathti truly had never been near it, then it would not match Glasya’s own recollection when they investigated the area.

Out of the corner of their eye, they saw a light turn on within the main building. Hold that thought, the cave will have to wait.

The indigoblood hopped up the old stone stairs leading up to the veranda, and before they entered the hive took a moment to decide if they should remove their boots as all guests were asked to do when indoors. It was always a pain for them in the real world, given the amount of buckles and laces they had to undo.

… But, perhaps if they left them on, it might signal to the dreamer that something is unusual, prompting the subconscious manifestation of Lanthi to go looking for them instead. 

Smiling to themself at their cunning ploy, Glasya slid open the back door and stepped inside.

The building’s interior was dark with only a few dull lamps providing any illumination, yet Glasya still felt as if they could see clearly. Nothing appeared out of place for now, perhaps maybe a toy that Kana did not own or furniture with the wrong pattern, little things that no one tends to pay close attention to. The source of light they could see from outdoors was further down the hallway, which the indigoblood recognised to be the library.

Made sense, given Lathti’s interest in the book on summoning.

A good couple sweeps of dream wandering made them accustomed to the almost imperceptible shifts in the hive’s architecture, as the hallway stretched out longer than it should be and beyond the library lay a dark labyrinth of half-formed rooms that’d certainly change position the longer the dream continued. The floorboards creaked underneath the weight of their heavy boots, which helped to drown out the constant soft, electronic hum that permeated through the building.

Glasya’s ears twitched. Huh, how strange. Jikiro’s estate may not be the most technologically advanced building out there, but they do not recall hearing that sound whenever they visit normally. Then again, there is usually the footsteps of housestaff milling about, or the trill of the native insect species outdoors, or the gentle rhythmic clonk of the bamboo water feature creating the typical Takami ambience. 

Still, it struck them as odd that this dream appeared to lack any of Lathti’s co-workers, or even the hive owners themselves. 

The library appeared as expected, at the very least: Dimly illuminated like the rest of the hive, internal dimensions of the room appearing far larger than the external building, and still, the hum. Glasya perused the shelves full of gibberish book titles, stopping to pull out one that said Summon Drummon Mumford Rumwort, but they instinctively knew was supposed to be the book on creating magical symbols and summoning Lathti had been reading that night. They flipped through the pages, and - yep, that sure is a whole lot of nonsensical text that changes the moment the indigoblood took their eyes off it, - and opted to tuck the book under their arm and keep going.

They passed by a portrait with no face, but appeared to be an older tealblood woman with tanuki-ear like horns. Glasya did not pay it much mind.

The library continued to stretch out around them, twisting and turning and requiring them to ascend at least one ladder to reach the rest of the floor. It gave them the idea to start leaving markers to ensure they did not pass the same corridor twice, lest they waste too much time in the literary labyrinth. They pulled out a book from the shelf next to them, and focused their power on altering it into something more identifiable.

The tome melted in their hand, amassing tumorous lumps and half-formed strings of intestines. They grimaced. With their powers being so unpracticed, they were only capable of warping pieces of this world closer towards that of their own dreams. 

But, it was better than nothing. They shoved the fleshy mass back into the bookshelf, witnessing sinew start to stretch itself across the other books, and kept moving.

They passed by and altered more gibberish tomes, more strange reading nooks with couches made of unpleasant materials, more lamps barely illuminating the space around them and motes of light that were far more effective, and -

Finally, footsteps. That has to be their quarry.

Glasya crept around the bookcases slowly at first, ears pricked to try and pinpoint the location of the other troll over the droning ambience (was it getting louder?), then picked up the pace as they had to vault over an interior window to return to the hallway. 

The architecture of the hive was warping more with each passing moment. The dreamwalker had to wonder if that was because Lathti noticed their presence and was trying to eject them out of their subconscious.

They kept hearing the footsteps, heavy against the floorboards and at a rhythmic pace that theoretically Glasya should have been able to catch up to almost immediately, had it not been for the sudden groaning of the hive’s dimensions. 

“Man, it’s always a fucked up spooky staircase, huh,” they muttered to themself, gazing at the structure that had just constructed itself in front of them, beckoning them down to god knows where. At least this one probably won’t have some fucked up entity that’ll break one of their limbs again. Maybe.

With nothing to lose, Glasya descended down the stairway as it spiralled around and around, keeping one hand on the side wall. The texture felt… Oddly smooth, not like the wood and panels that typically belonged to traditional East Alternian architecture. And, while the stray motes of light hung around the staircase, no light appeared to reflect off the walls or the floor at all.

The electrical droning was getting louder as well. Glasya almost wanted to cover their ears. 

The indigoblood ventured further and further, around and around, cold obsidian step after cold obsidian step, passing facsimiles of decorations the hive should have suspended nonsensically around the stairwell (those that were within arm’s reach were transformed into their fleshy markers, so that they could keep track of any repeating sections), becoming more and more aware of how unnervingly alien this dream has become, until after two? Three? Five? Five and a half minutes, finally -

“Therrrre you are, Lathti. I’ve got you now.”

Glasya grinned, spying a troll-like figure within the darkness at the bottom of the stairwell. They picked up the pace, careful to not slip on the stairs and end up taking a tumble, all pretense of stealth gone. 

The figure turned at the sound of the indigoblood stomping down the stairwell - faceless? Or was the face on Lathti’s body simply unimportant? - and, strangely, took off running. 

They pursued.

“Hey! Hey! Why are you running? Do you know where we are?” they called out to the maroon, attempting to act natural within the dream’s logic. They were not the hunter, but a friend, equally lost in this ever-changing labyrinth. “Lathti?! Lathti!”

The figure kept running. Were they trying to flee from Glasya?

They thought about it as they kept pursuing them. Lathti had seemed afraid of them when they requested the blood test, was suspicious when they had told the maroonblood that they might enjoy visiting Vernrot Harbour if they were interested in the supernatural, and - admittedly, Glasya had been interrogating them far more than the other staff…

They sighed. Yeah, it totally tracks that they would be the big scary monster chasing the dreamer through this nightmarish world -

Hey, where did Lathti go?

They skidded to a halt, and felt their horns hit something right in front of them. A wall. But, wasn’t Lathti right in front of them? 

The room is pitch black. Glasya could not tell how far away the other walls were. Was there a ceiling? If it weren’t for the fact they were still standing, they would have trouble ascertaining if there was still a floor. 

They hold out both arms and opt to blindly grope about in the darkness. Left wall was three paces away. Right wall six paces from that. The hallway was

No longer there. Glasya found another wall behind them three paces away.

They were trapped.

“Hey, Lathti? You’re not also stuck in a box, are you?” they called out.

No response.

Nothing but that incessant electrical droning, louder and louder every time they were reminded of its existence.

It made them think of the insects. Supposedly they were mechanical in nature, perhaps they too emitted that same hum. The sound of a motor, or perhaps even wingbeats fluttering past their ears, cloaked by the darkness that enveloped them.

The insects… That Jikiro’s matesprit theorised belonged to someone else, someone aligned with Lathti. The creature that Jikiro had believed to be the true culprit.

Wait.

It suddenly hit them. That wasn’t Lathti they were following.

This was not just Lathti’s dream.

This was the dream of someone - something else.

Glasya must have alerted it to their presence with the markers they created, interfering with its subconscious far too much, and it wanted them out-

They froze. Breath hitched in their throat as they counted the seconds of silence, feeling the very subconscious mind they were within start to shift.   

Then, there was a click and then a whirr, a warm feeling tickling the back of Glasya’s neck as the door reopened behind them.

They didn’t want to look, but. Slowly.

They turned around.

In an instant, the room exploded - unfolding all around them as the electronic humming reached its crescendo, blaring like klaxon sirens, threatening to burst their eardrums.

Then, they fell.

And their vision was overwhelmed with bright,

burning, 

light. So much light,

their retinas sizzled and bled,

their skin felt like it was melting, remaking into something - someone different,

they screamed.

They screamed a voice that was not their own. They screamed many voices that belonged to them. 

Their hands were not theirs. The skin rippled and grinded with mechanical clicks. These hands belonged to them.

It smells like ozone.

It tastes like iron. 

Their head - their brain - their mind - their body was being torn in two

Three? Four?

Many. Everyone. No one. They were becoming a part of something.

Ozone choked their lungs. Iron choked their lungs. Electricity choked their lungs.

Lathti was connected. Everything is connected.

A flash of lightning. Afterimages of bones - A column, a spine. 

It’s so bright,

It’s too much, it’s so bright, it’s too bright, it’s-

They can’t take it anymore, they - Who are they? Who is this identity? Who’s mind is this?

Another loud crackle of electricity split their consciousness in two, they-

This indigoblooded body - 

Glasya woke up on the floor, one hand outstretched towards the ceiling and the other around their throat-

Choking. They were choking. 

In a panic, they flailed their arms about, coughing and spluttering and kicking their feet until they remembered they could turn on their side. 

They thumped a fist to their chest and coughed up globs of saliva and blood, staining the carpet indigo.

Their face felt sticky and wet. Nose clogged with more blood that had oozed out of their nostrils and also settled in the back of their throat. Vision blurry from bloodied tears pooling in their eyes while their airways unclogged.

Archimedes was cowering under the other couch, terrified from watching its current caretaker convulse wildly while unconscious for the past five minutes. 

Glasya curled up in a fetal position on the floor, breathing ragged and heaving in an attempt to get air back into their lungs. Their head pounded as if it had been torn in half.

They knew. They knew what Lathti was - who Lathti was. 

But, why? Why would it - ?

They couldn’t think straight - too dizzy, too pained, too exhausted. They -

Their eyes closed, and their body went limp, the last traces of blood and saliva dribbling out from their still slightly-parted lips.

All the while, their mechanical tarantula pet watched on from the armrest of the couch, neon green lights in its eyes blinking.

[waytooinvested]

fanfic writer questions

Thanks for the tag @sssammich! I haven't done one of these in years, I'm excited :D

1- How many works do you have on AO3?

Only 11, but a couple are long ones (100,000+ words)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

406,700 and counting - one of those is a WIP that will have a lot more to add so I MAY make it to 500,000 in the coming months, if I write another couple of short ones on top.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Right now I'm just writing for Supergirl (and supercorp specifically). In the past I wrote a lot for Call the Midwife (Patsy x Delia, my beloveds), and I have written one small one for Strange the Dreamer, just because I had an idea that wouldn't leave me alone until I got it out.

I tend to be a bit all or nothing with fandom, so I am usually only in one at a time.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Hands I Used to Touch (Patsy/Delia - Call the Midwife) by a landslide. It also (briefly) had the most comments of any fic in the fandom which was very cool (it was the one I was writing for longest during the peak engagement era for the pairing, but still it is my crowning achievement as a fic writer haha)

After that Vengeance, Victory and Undying Love (Supercorp), Little Things Mean A Lot tied with A Paper Bag of Pick n Mix (both Patsy/Delia), and Storybooks and Siren Suits (also Patsy & Delia, but as children so not a romantic pairing)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Definitely! I try to respond to every comment, because they mean so much to get and I want the people taking the time to write them to know they are extremely appreciated. Also I have made some wonderful friends that way!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I am allergic to angsty endings! Angsty beginnings? Almost inevitable. Angsty middles, sure. Angsty ENDINGS? Never. So angstiest: maybe "The Static of Distance" from my Paper Bag of Pick n Mix, because they are still half a world away from each other during a threat of nuclear war. But even so it's only an angsty ending if you squint really hard.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

They all have pretty unambiguously happy endings honestly, I'm not sure I could pick between them!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I don't think I've ever had hate as such. Some maybe less than whole heartedly positive responses, though most of that was when I was teasing an apparently dark character arc before a twist and making people worried about what I was up to. But see above re: all of my fics having absolutely unambiguously happy endings, so we got there eventually.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Not so far - I think the closest I have come was my wife and I writing a silly crack fic together that involved smut, but it was not at all meant to be actually sexy and we never posted it anywhere, sooo...

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Not typically, but there was A Misplaced Midwife, in which Barbara from Call the Midwife (a fairly sheltered young 1960s midwife played by Charlotte Ritchie) traded places with Hannah from Siblings (a modern day selfish, chaotic disaster human also played by Charlotte Ritchie) and how they got along in each other's lives. It was silly and crack-y but a lot of fun to write.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge, thankfully!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Alas, no

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

The aforementioned crack fic with @cynicalrainbows but that was just for our own entertainment. She also contributed several lines/ideas to A Misplaced Midwife. I don't think I have apart from that.

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

I only really have two that I've been invested enough to fic about it, and while my current all consuming obsession is Supercorp, I have only been in it for a couple of months compared to the years long love affair with Patsy/Delia that also led to me meeting my wife and many good friends. So for now, Patsy/Delia still reign supreme. We'll see if that is still the case in a few more months!

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I try to always finish my fics, but I do have one unfinished wip on my conscience, and that's Storybooks and Siren Suits. I still open it and do battle with progress now and again just in the hopes that I will manage to drag it across the finish line and put it to bed once and for all, but so far nothing doing. It remains stuck on the same chapter it has been stuck on since 2021.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Oh no don't make me pay myself compliments... Angst with happy endings? That is not really so much a writing strength as just a description of the type of story I write, but shh. I guess I got a lot of compliments on characterization back in my Call the Midwife days. Whether that follows through to Supercorp remains to be seen. I like how I'm writing them, at least!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

My dialogue transitions tend to be clunky, at least so I'm finding lately. Also I am a total feast or famine writer, so any kind of sensible process or schedule discipline is completely non existent.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I avoid it for the most part because I would certainly make a mess of it, though I have one or two very very brief bits here and there. I think the longest piece was a character recalling their own long distant school french, which contained deliberate mistakes the character was making that acted as excellent cover for the genuine mistakes I no doubt also made.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I'm trying to recall if I ever wrote anything as a young teenager for Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Willow/Tara, naturally), but I don't think I did, and if so it definitely stayed as tucked away in an old notebook never to see the light of day. The first proper/definite one was Call the Midwife, just after they decided it would be a good idea to hit Delia with a car and give her amnesia right at the moment she and Patsy were about to move in together.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Well right now it's Forgotten Not Forgiven for sure, because that's where my obsession is currently living.

Of all time though? Probably still The Hands I Used to Touch, because I poured everything into it at the time and it played such a big part in me finding my feet in the fandom world. No pressure to do this at all of course but tagging @cynicalrainbows @fabulousglitch, @shut-up-heather-d and @fazedlight as people I know write fic and may enjoy this if you haven't done it already. Anyone else interested feel free to claim me as your tagger, I would love to see your responses!

[prettyprince00]

♡ FILMS FOR FAUNLET FASHION INSPO ♡

~~Got bored so compiled this (pretty extensive) list of film references for faunlet style and aesthetics, might be helpful for anyone looking to delve into and develop their style. Don't take this as some kind of gospel, it's just a bunch of movies and shows that I think can be useful reference points. My personal style and taste for example is a huge mix and amalgalm of stuff I see, from movie characters to paintings, books, comics, cartoons, music videos, haute couture collections, K- and J-idols, BJD dolls, even elements and staples from female fashion that I kind of genderflip or just outright mix into and merge with my own "masculine"/boyish/whatever faunlet fits. I think the secret to finding your style is to never limit yourself & always be creative (& clever ofc)! ♡

Feel free to suggest and tell me some of your personal films/shows that inspire you the most. I'm sure I forgot some stuff >.> Hope this helps somewhat lolol

WARNING: A LOT OF THESE HAVE MATURE THEMES AND +18 STUFF, SO DO RESEARCH BEFORE WATCHING AND PROCEED AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION, CAUTION & RESPONSIBILITY!

I. Academia/Schoolboy/Old Money/Preppy/Classic Faunlet Vibes

Les Amitiés particulières by Jean Delannoy

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Film and show)

Both versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Lord of the Flies (both versions tbh)

The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe by Andrew Adamson

Kaze to ki no Uta + Natsu e no Tobira (Honestly most shounen ai anime especially from the 80s/90s)

CLAMP Gakuen Tanteidan

Kuroshitsuji i.e. Black Butler (probably the most famous ouji aka male lolita-influenced anime out there)

Ouran High School Host Club

Cardcaptor Sakura (Li's fits especially but also Touya's and Yukito's)

The Long Day Closes + The Neon Bible, by Terence Davies

If... by Lindsay Anderson

The Butcher Boy by Neil Jordan

Tea and Sympathy by Vincent Minnelli

Purple Noon by René Clément

Sleepers by Barry Levinson

The Basketball Diaries by Scott Kalvert

School Ties by Robert Mandel

The Dangerous Lives of the Altar Boys by Peter Care

Blue Spring by Toshiaki Toyoda

Death in Venice by Luchino Visconti

East of Eden (also Splendor in the Grass I guess?) by Elia Kazan

Lacombe Lucien (+ Au Revoir Les Enfants) by Louis Malle

Bad Education by Pedro Almodóvar

The Ice Storm by Ang Lee

La Luna + The Dreamers by Bernardo Bertolucci

Teorema by PP Pasolini (also Saló tbh bt I feel kinda weird recommending that lmfao even though it's a pretty well-established masterpiece & one of my favs)

Total Eclipse by Agnieszka Holland (teenage Arthur Rimbaud is a core faunler reference tbh, strange that I don't see him brought up more, though he's been a queer/twink culture icon for ages so yeah)

Les roseaux sauvages by André Téchiné

Call Me by Your Name by Luca Guadagnino

Deep Red by Dario Argento (only for the flashback Xmas scenes with the creepy little boy in knee-highs and Mary Janes tbh lol)

The Omen by Richard Donner

The Good Son by Joseph Ruben

Pinnocchio (OG Disney animation) (you could make a double feature with A.I. Artificial Intelligence by Spielberg/Kubrick too)

Les 400 coups by François Truffaut

L'enfance nue by Maurice Pialat

A Single Man by Tom Ford

Looking for Langston by Isaac Julien

Sacré College, Garçons d'Etage, Scouts and Gamins de Paris by JD Cadinot (WARNING: Cadinot's films are basically erotica/arthouse vintage gay p*rn so obviously 18+!!!!!)

II. More Contemporary/Gas Station/Trashy/Greaser/Hustler/Catalet Faunlet Vibes

My Own Private Idaho (also Mala Noche and Elephant) by Gus Van Sant

Slight Fever of a 20-Year-Old + Like Grains of Sand by Ryosuke Hashiguchi

Mysterious Skin + Totally Fucked Up + Nowhere by Gregg Araki

Hustler White by Bruce LaBruce (+18)

Rebel Without a Cause by Nicholas Ray

Cry Baby + Polyester by John Waters

Pretty much any juvenile delinquent teensploitation 40s/50s Old Hollywood flick tbh

The Outsiders by FF Coppola

A Cruel Story of Youth + Sing a Song of Sex by Nagisa Oshima

Most of Edward Furlong and Vicent Kartheiser's 90s filmography (Pet Semetary 2, Brainscan, Little Odessa for Furlong; Heaven Sent, Another Day in Paradise, Masterminds for Vincent)

River's Edge by Tim Hunter

Young Soul Rebels by Isaac Julien

Sleepaway Camp by Robert Hiltzik

Le Diable Probablement by Robert Bresson

Permanent Green Light  + Like Cattle Towards Glow (+18) by Zac Farley & Dennis Cooper

Pauline à la Plage by Eric Rohmer

The Smell of Us + Ken Park by Larry Clark

Flesh by Paul Morrissey

Lonesome Cowboys by Andy Warhol

Cruising by William Friedkin

Un couteau dans le cœur by Yann Gonzalez (though most of the male fashion in this is just ripping off Friedkin's Cruising and Cadinot films like Aime... comme Minet, Deuxième Sous-sol and Les Minets Sauvages so you could just watch those instead I guess lol)

Equation à un Inconnu by Francis Savel (erotica/+18)

Rebels of the Neon God by Tsai Ming Liang

Fireworks + Scorpio Rising by Kenneth Anger

Dope by Rick Famuyiwa

Cooley High by Michael Schultz

The Inkwell by Matty Rich

Red Hook Summer by Spike Lee

George Washington by David Gordon Green

American Graffiti by George Lucas and Bill Norton

All About Lily Chou-Chou by Shunji Iwai

Stand by Me by Rob Reiner

The Mudge Boy by Michael Burke

US Go Home by Claire Denis

Gummo by Harmony Korine

L.I.E. by Michael Cuesta

Palo Alto by Gia Coppola

Spetters by Paul Verhoeven

Fox and His Friends by RW Fassbinder

The Pit by Lew Lehman

O Fantasma by João Pedro Rodrigues

The Delta by Ira Sachs

What Have I Done to Deserve This + Law of Desire by Pedro Almodovar

The Partridge Family sitcom tbh lol, also the 70s era of the Mickey Mouse Club, pretty much any 70s media featuring male idols of the time like David Cassidy, Leif Garrett etc

Dazed and Confused by Richard Linklater

The Lost Boys by Joel Schumacher

Y Tu Mamá Tambièn by Alfonso Cuarón

Summer 85 by François Ozon

Les Chansons d'Amour + La Belle Personne by Christophe Honoré

Body Without Soul + Not Angels But Angels by Wiktor Grodecki (personally rly dislike the weird Christian melodramatic & imo exploitative direction of these documentaries bt the boys who are interviewed do the best they can to salvage it -- quintessential East European 90s cityboy looks)

III. Fantasy/Glam/Mystical/Sacred/Ancient/Historical Faunlet Vibes

Pink Narcissus by James Bidgood

Caravaggio + Sebastiane by Derek Jarman

Peter Pan (any version tbh)

Fantasia (1940 Disney classic)

Tabou by Nagisa Oshima

Poison + Velvet Goldmine by Todd Haynes

Party Monster by Fenton Bailey

Satyricon by Federico Fellini

Der Rosenkönig by Werner Schroeter

The Blood of a Poet by Jean Cocteau

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Dragon Reborn! Chapter 9: Wolf Dreams

Spoiler alert: Just because he's a good boi does not mean he won't fuck you up if he has to. Also spoiler alert: This post and every other post in this series spoils everything for Wheel of Time ever (even the future, like the second TV show they'll make in the 2050s) so if you don't want to know about those spoilers, don't keep reading!

This chapter has the Dragon's Fang symbol because of Rand's Darkhound solutions.

“I have been expecting you for some time,” she said. “I have not spoken about this before because it was obvious you did not want me to. After tonight, though. . . . What do you want to know?”

Note that this is how she STARTS the conversation, before Perrin even gets a word in. Moiraine has been really trying to respect Perrin's boundaries here (in part because if she trampled over them it would only make him ignore what she has to say) and while of course implict statements from Aes Sedai should never be trusted, it is important that she closes with a statement that both affirms Perrin's agency and all but promises to be helpful. If only she were this good with dealing with Rand.

She said that some who talked to wolves lost themselves, that what was human was swallowed up by wolf. Some. Whether she meant one in ten, or five, or nine, I do not know.

Moiraine is usually pretty good about remembering the whole memory fades spiel, so I think the fact that she's emphasizing the exact words of an unreliable source shows that she very much wants it to be a trustworthy document that shows that Perrin still has a shot. She likes the boy even if he's been annoying lately.

“From what I have read of Aes Sedai who had the Talent called Dreaming, Dreamers sometimes spoke of encountering wolves in their dreams, even wolves that acted as guides. I fear you must learn to be as careful sleeping as waking, if you intend to avoid wolves. If that is what you decide to do.”

This of course must be where the idea of spirit animals and such comes from, more or less. Wolfbrothers, their equivalents if there are any, and the Dreamers who got a taste of the guidance and assumed they were getting the whole thing.

“If I can keep you whole, I will. I promise you that, Perrin. But I will not endanger the struggle against the Shadow. You must know that, too.”

As cold as this is, it's actually a bit of a kindness too: she could obfuscate and let him think he's safe with her entirely, but she won't do that even though it would be better for their relationship on the whole. I suppose in a way, dealing with Perrin on this little stint is how Moiraine learns to deal with Rand better in the next couple books.

“It would not aid you, Perrin. The shielding is for dreams from the outside. The danger in your dreams is within you.”

Are there shields that the One Power can wield to keep Dreamers and similar people from dreaming? I suppose Aran'gar did SOMETHING with the power to fuck with Egwene later, but it's understandable that Moiraine wouldn't know of any equivalent ability when the Tower has no real use for it.

“Hopper?” he said wonderingly. He was sure he knew the wolf whose thoughts he heard. Hopper, who had envied the eagles. “Hopper is dead!”

Speaking of spirit animals, it's time for Perrin to meet his!

A man stood there, blinking at him uncertainly, in strangely cut coat and breeches, the coat flaring over his hips as the bottoms of the breeches flared over his boots. Both were bright yellow, and his boots were only a little paler.

Okay, so this is... Actually I have no idea who this is. Presumably he's an actual nobleman, but from where I couldn't possibly guess except "not Seanchan" since he speaks with a quick accent and "not Illian" since he doesn't be all "do be" about stuff. Does anyone know?

Frozen, Perrin stared at the bloody shape wearing the man’s clothes, screaming and thrashing on the floor. Unbidden, his eyes rose to the pale thing like an empty sack that dangled from the ceiling. Part of it was already absorbed by the black strip, but he had no trouble recognizing a human skin, apparently whole and unbroken.

Well, either this dude was having one hell of a dream on his own (bad luck and not the kind that Perrin proximity causes), T'A'R has an ecosystem we never learn about (unlikely), or dude was just ganked by someone in the Shadow, so I guess that narrows it down a teensy bit.

Even as he recognized her, she lifted her head and looked straight at him. Her eyes widened, in shock, in anger. “You! What are you doing here? How did you—? You’ll ruin things you could not begin to imagine!”

Frankly, even "well obviously Lanfear killed that dude" raises further questions about motive. Perhaps this guy was a Darkfriend somewhere on Rand's path, and by taking him out she's protecting Rand in a plausibly deniable way?

Perrin turned, and Hopper was there, a big gray wolf, grizzled and scarred. “You are dead. I saw you die. I felt you die!”

Perrin buddy, you know you're sleeping. This is like the least remarkable part of your current dream.

The water turned pink as he washed his face. Pink with the blood of that strangely dressed man.

T'A'R is actually really awful when you stop to think about it for a few seconds.

Rand huddled under the trees in the night, watching the heavy-shouldered black dog come nearer his hiding place.

Rand being active at night speaks again to the sleep deprivation he's got to be suffering under. Even when he was on that hellish run with Mat he was able to claim downtime, but not here.

The Power filled him. Something leaped from his outstretched hands; he was not sure what it was. A bar of white light, solid as steel. Liquid fire. For an instant, in the middle of that something, the dog seemed to become transparent, and then it was gone.

Hooray for balefire: cleaner and more effective than nukes! Note Jordan's skill by introducing Rand discovering it randomly in a battle that has no real narrative tension so it's not a cheap victory but still does set things up for Moiraine to use it at the climax of this book to great effect.

He wanted to lie down and die. He wanted Nynaeve to give him some of her medicines, or Moiraine to Heal him, or. . . . Something, anything, to stop the sick feeling that was suffocating him.

When the chips are down, the two ladies Rand always misses most are Nynaeve and Moiraine. Foreshadowing!

Pushing himself away from the tree, he waded a shallow, icy stream, then settled into a steady trot eastward. Cold water filled his boots, and his side hurt, but he ignored both.

So many of Rand's bad habits really start up in these early books, under circumstances where he doesn't have any choice but to embrace them.

Next time: Egwene is ready to have PTSD episodes and chew bubblegum, but bubblegum hasn't been invented yet!

[enaelyork]

Sympathy for the devil - A Krennic x F!Reader fanfiction - Part 1

Pre Rogue One Fiction - Lyra best friend's reader - Krennic x F!Reader - +18 DNI

TAG LIST : @anundyingfidelity

Please ask for tag, thx

Prompt : After hearing some very good news from your best friend, you decide to drown your distress in a bar and meet a strange person there...

Tw: Quick sex, P in V, Unprotected sex, Alcohol.

Nb : I write with "you" point of view and it was very...Strange...So sorry if it's strange too for you.

Banners by @saradika

- I met someone.

You couldn't believe your ears.

Besides, it took you a while – a few seconds – for the information to reach your mind and travel around it. She held your hands in hers, your sparkling glasses next to you in a warm atmosphere and her eyes seemed like a starry sky.

- You do... what ?

- Yes I know. That sounds a little crazy to you.

A little crazy? That was the right word. It's hard to believe what you just heard. You've been friends since at least the dawn of time (maybe you were even friends before you were born) and never, ever had she been interested in any man. Not that she didn't attract attention: a girl like her, pretty and intelligent at the same time, had enough to arouse the interest - and fear - of the male gender. But this was surreal.

- You don't look happy, are you okay?

You needed time to digest the information and you saw fit to pass it on with a big sip of your drink (in fact, you drank the whole thing). Difficult after such news to tell him that your life had turned into a fiasco in recent months, that your lifelong companion had decided to cheat on you in your own apartment and that you had taken up residence with your mother to escape this reality.

- What ? Well of course. Lyra! Damn it ! It’s just…Wow! Who is the man who seduced you in a rubber boot?

She giggled with her endearing crystalline laugh. Damn, she looked really in love with her cheeks flushed with emotion more than alcohol.

- Well, that's why I wanted to see you. I'd like to introduce him to you next weekend and...Oh my goodness, Y/N, are you okay? Are you sure about it ?

Yes. Perfectly. Your best friend had just told you the best thing that happened to her in life after her science degree, you weren't going to spoil the mood. So, instead of bursting into tears and remembering that you were alone, soon to be on the street – because you loved your mother but definitely couldn't live with her anymore – you had another drink, and a third too, history to accept.

- Everything is fine. I am incredibly happy for you. I'm just celebrating in my own way.

- You always exaggerate with this, you really need to stop. Sincerely.

- Tell me about your man then. What attracted you? Damn, I can't believe it. Lyra is in love. I thought I wouldn't live to see it.

- Oh, please. It's not because the majority of men are stupid that there isn't one who stands out from the crowd. His name is Galen, he is…Different.

- I imagine.

- He's a big dreamer, shy too...But when he talks about what he likes, damn Y/N, you should see it. It is…

You didn't need to see him, you understood just by listening to her talk about him. It was obvious that she loved him and probably was going to marry him one day. Not right away, although Lyra was no longer one extravagance away.

- And you present it to me…This weekend?

- Yes. His home. I'm the one who cooks. He also has someone to introduce to me and I thought it was important to do the same on my side. Damn, Y/N, if you only knew how happy I am to share this with you.

And you are too. Really. Even though you barely touched your food, even though you probably drank a little more than you should have, you were happy for her. When you leave, she makes sure one last time that you are okay, you reassure her before heading to the nearest bar. At this point, there was no way you were going to return to your miserable reality and remember what a mess your life was. You weren't drunk, just a little drunk but not enough to not let yourself be sucked in by the warm and lively atmosphere of this trendy bar in the capital. You squeeze through the bodies dancing eagerly to reach the bar and order a lighter drink, hoping it will soothe the bitterness gnawing at your stomach.

Lyra met someone.

It was awesome and scary at the same time. Scary, because Lyra had never met anyone. That she had always been there for you, with you, and that now you were going to have to share her with someone. What if he wasn't the man for her? What if he hurt her? Were you able to support her if she were to fall from her pedestal? To bury his corpse?

Your stream of thoughts is suddenly interrupted by the strange sensation that someone is watching you.

A strange feeling that slides down your spine and instead of freezing it spreads a strange warmth along your spinal cord.

You look up, hoping to quickly meet the gaze of the person who is looking at you, but it's not the case. You try to convince yourself that it's just an illusion, just an illusion that you create to forget the disorder in your head.

And that's when you see him.

He's there. On the other side of the bar. His face is vaguely familiar to you and yet you are certain you have never seen him. Unlike you, he is far from alone but he doesn't pay attention to any of the girls around him. It was a bit as if the world had stopped spinning between the two of you and time had frozen to give way to a dull stillness. Out of the question of looking down, always challenge him. From where you are, perched on your stool, you undeniably notice his potential seduction – almost as much as these women who circle around him like bees around a flower. He wears an Imperial uniform but you have never seen one like this since your return to Coruscant, it was something new, mysterious, just like the azure gaze that pierces yours as he sips his glass.

He wants to play.

Now is not the time, but you tell yourself that a little seduction could take your mind off things. You give him an arrogant, almost mocking smile before turning your head and leaving your place, determined to drown yourself in the crowd on the dance floor.

It wasn't a good idea, you knew that. There was a little too much despair in your soul, a little too much bitterness and hatred for the evening to be under control. You knew you were dangerous to yourself and your dignity when you had nothing left to lose and tonight you felt like you had lost everything. Your expectations, your self-esteem, but also Lyri... The one who has always supported you and who this evening was far too happy to listen to you.

You danced with the ghosts, lasciviously swaying your hips in the strobe light. The music intoxicated you much more than the alcohol and unfortunately you were not drunk enough to escape the melancholy. Some bodies collided with you, but you were no longer with them, you were alone, as you had never been.

Disappear, disappear, disappear...

- Can I ?

Who ? Who dared to come and interrupt you when you were finally switching to something soothing, who could have such a warm voice and smell so good? You open your eyes, about to yell at this asshole that it’s time to get out of the way when his face petrifies you on the trail.

It was him.

His hair had once been dark, but today the darkness already revealed the grayness that was spreading across his scalp.

He was there, standing so close to you that you could smell his delicate perfume, of unparalleled distinction, like his elegance. He looked back at you, and their blue eyes made you want to drown.

- Don't you have anything else to do?

What a retort, Y/N. Don't you have anything else to say to him to send him off? The man chuckled before glancing back to where he was before joining you.

- I am one of those who chooses their priority.

-And I’m part of it?

He hesitates, his lips split into an ironic pout that would melt the coldest iceberg. This guy is handsome and worst of all he knows it well enough to abuse everyone. That’s what you think as his claws are about to close on you. You feel like trapped prey and you find yourself loving the idea.

- For tonight, anyway.

When you didn't pull away, didn't slap him, and your eyes lowered as if to signal that the barrier between you and him was up, his hands slid to your hips. It was like an electric shock that brought you back to life.

Why did this have to happen today? This evening ? NOW ? You weren’t sure what you wanted or didn’t want except for this dance. Your arms framed his shoulders and you began to sway your hips. Your hips rolled towards his slowly, like a hypnotic movement aiming to put prey to sleep. But who was hunting? Who was the victim of this curious game of seduction? You had never been the type to end up in a stranger's bed on your first night, but you were starting to really consider it.

His eyes didn’t leave yours. Not a word, nor the desire to get to know each other. He was what you needed him to be: a lifeline that you decided to hold on to. He had left his charming company for you, as much as he was not disappointed by the spectacle. The music had become slower and smoother when you turned your back on him, pressing your buttocks to his pelvis following the rhythm imposed by the dance. He was touching you, his hands were now caressing your hips, going up to your stomach as if to embrace you, drawing you even closer to him, from the erection that you could sense through his pants and which was sending incandescent waves through you. You felt them, his lips that passed over your skin without breaking it, his breath that was a mixture of mint and luxury alcohol. He reeked of money and power and corruption, and never had this scent been so attractive.

It was stupid, maybe even dangerous, but you grabbed his hand. You squeezed him so hard you could have broken his bones and dragged him off the track. You needed to breathe and you needed to have him to yourself. You would have thought that he would have held you, that he would have tried to escape from your embrace, believing that the game had gone on long enough, but it was not the case. He followed you without taking his eyes off you, without taking his eyes off your body and in the mirror of his irises you saw the desire burning there.

Something that made you mad enough to take the fire exit and drag him into the back alley with you. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for his lips to find yours once you stepped outside.

Slowly, you gave way to his tongue which slipped into your mouth with a frenzy that galvanized you. You sighed with contentment, with desire, refusing to let this kiss stop, holding his face in your hands while he felt your thighs, lifting your dress to the height of your hips.

What were you doing?

Was he drunk? Did he really want it?

Were you really going to fuck a complete stranger in an alley behind a bar just to forget how bad your life was? Yes, damn it, that’s exactly what you wanted. And him too. His hand sliding inside your panties, the groans that escaped his mouth between kisses left no doubt about what he wanted to do to you. He pulled away from you, enjoying the soft moans he made as his fingers caressed you. Your hips rolled onto his hand harder and harder as his thumb mauled your sensitive spot. That was delicious. No man had ever touched you like he did and you were sinking into a madness from which you never wanted to escape.

- Please, please, please.

You panted hotly, making him lose all self-control. His lips kissed the tips of your breasts through the fabric of your dress, teasing them with a few well-placed bites and blindly you tried to undo his belt. Desperately. Eagerly. You were trembling as the orgasm approached, tearing your insides as it swelled inside you. Then he stopped, coming to lend you a hand to free himself from his restraints.

- This is what you want ?

He murmured these words in a short breath, his pupils dilated by desire and alcohol. Her lock of hair waving against her forehead. You have never seen something so sexy.

- Yes.

- Ask it again.

He was playing with you, even if his gestures betrayed his impatience he wanted to hear you beg him. The tip of his cock slid between your flesh without ever desecrating it, not until he heard you do it.

- Please.

- Please what?

- I want you, now. Shit come in me please.

And that is what he did.

His hips ground into yours with a groan he wanted to stifle. You could be surprised at any time and you didn't dare imagine the faces of those who would see this spectacle. You brought your fist to your mouth to muffle the sounds as he thrust back and forth unceremoniously.

He had ended up abandoning all control of himself, all distinction to give you what you had asked of him. He held you like he was trying to kill you, nibbling your neck, caressing every inch of skin you offered him. Your nails caught on the fabric of his uniform, would no doubt leave marks on his skin but you didn’t care. You were about to come and nothing else mattered except this pleasure that was reaching out to you. You felt him cum inside you at the same time as your orgasm contracted your flesh around his cock, his hand firmly placed on your mouth to muffle the cry that had tried to escape. Then suddenly, the silence around you seemed unreal. You stood there for only a few seconds before panic gripped your stomach.

What had you just done?

Your eyes met his for a brief moment before you pushed him away, picking up your panties from the floor as you pulled down the sides of your dress. You had to run away before he asked you awkward questions like knowing your name.

You had to flee before he caught you, before there was any exchange that would lead you to want to know him more. You felt his seed leaking between your thighs when you finally got dressed to leave. It was madness, suicide even. There was no way this would ever happen again.

- Waits.

You heard behind you. You decide not to answer him, hesitating for just a few seconds before bursting through the door and drowning yourself in the crowd again. Flee. Flee. Flee. It took you a few more seconds before you realized he hadn’t followed you. A few more seconds before leaving the bar and hurrying towards your room. Everything was still spinning in your head, Lyra, your ex-boyfriend, your mother who will no doubt be asleep when you walk through the door. And him.

His eyes, his scent, his body.

And the desire that could not disappear.

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 84

Taliesin makes a Bane "Ooooooohhh ..." sound and derails Matt's opening.

Wait, no ad? Oh wait ... they're doing a Speed style Sam advert ... keep reading, Riegel! We don't want to blow up! No! Don't do it, Marisha! You're still so young! It's not worth it!

I jest ... XD

Oh dear ... Marisha has almost been derailed as well after THAT ...

Laura: "We have merch!" She said that in the cutest way possible and I loved it. :3

Guess we'll just have to IMAGINE the Yasha based awesomeness ...

I really CANNOT get enough of those animated titles ... so good ...

Okay, here we go, back to Ruidus ...

So who is THIS then? They seem very cute ...

Friends of the Imperium? Yes? No? Good or bad ... hmmm ... Detect Thoughts? Smart ...

I think he might be getting confused ... hmmm ... Fearne, that seems like a very weird tangent you're going on ... oh, so there IS something going on with his chest? Hmmmm ...

Wait ... is this gonna be like one of those creepy Shadow parasites in Babylon 5?

Dono? Awwww ... "Don't know?" Oh good grief ...

Druidcraft flower ... wait, does he actually KNOW what that actually is?

Whoa ... extra arms? Oh, no ... oh, it's a PET? Some kind of strange Fay creature ... Kaniey? Okay ...

Pate? Oh dear ...

Dreamers? Huh?

Laudna produces her Jrusar theatre card for identification ... oh boy ...

So the Dreamers are just people from Exandria. Okay, makes sense. Cytaa? Hmmmm ... Bormodos. Oh, a symbiotic relationship? Intriguing.

They learned Common through THEIR dreams? Oh, so THEY dream the dreams of Exsandrians ... strange ... also beautiful ...

NSFW ... yeah ... O.O

Capital city? Kreviris? Okay ... centre of the Imperium? Hmmm ...

Entrapment? No ... don't put THAT idea in his head ... Chetney: "Are you a narc?" Oof ...

Wuukors and avadons ... so THOSE are the beasties ...

A dozen Imperium in the town ... on high alert ... pushing them to work harder lately ... yup ...

Elder Barthie? Sounds like the right choice ...

The Weave Mind? Masters of the Imperium ... connects them to THE ONE WHO SLEEPS ... yeah, that would be Predathos ...

Rezora is the town? Got it.

Turning back into clouds ... he's impressed. Cute ... and now he's EXCITED about what he's about? Oh boy ...

Following Dono through the town ... simple place, but it seems quite pleasant and homely too ...

Ah ... military types ... hmmm ... these would be the BAD GUYS, then ...

Know Your Enemy ... go Orym! So these guys are tough, but nothing SUPER major, at least ...

Wow ... Dono is a REALLY bad actor ...

A-ha ... here we go ... smoother than expected, at least ... and they're IN.

Oh, so is the Elder ALREADY onto them? Interesting ... oh, he seems quite sweet, actually ... oh yeah, he clearly knows what's going on ...

Oh boy ... Elder Barthie is basically Jeff Goldblum ... cute ... I love it ... XD

Oh gods, the head ... oh no, Chetney stop that ...

Ah ... yes, tea. This is clearly going to be ... SPECIAL tea ... O.O

He's 300? Okay ...

Oh, so they're a bit like Tolkien's dwarves, then? Cool.

Recent shake-ups? Hmmmmm ... here we go ... the arrival of the Dreamers has become a major disturbance ... interesting ...

Big fat LORE DUMP ...

The Beating Heart, the Dream Keeper ... Predathos by any other names ...

Orym starts growing Druidcraft flowers ... meanwhile Laudna pulls out her ball bearings ... hmmmm ... not sure where THAT'S gonna go ...

The Dominion? Tectus? Hmmmm ...

"Bonobos?" Oh dear ... do not mention the sex monkeys, that can ONLY end in ridiculousness ...

FCG: "We've asked you so many questions! We have a few more!"

Pastries? Oh boy ... here we go ... Chu? Awwwwwwwwww ... :3

Oh man, it TALKS?!!! Fantastic ... and it's SASSY too ...

Laura's dirty mind gets her in trouble, narratively ... XD

Chu calls Chetney "the bushy rat-man" and Ashton loves it.

Chu is a flat Earther ... oh boy ... FCG immediately approves ... clearly Matt is pandering ...

"Worm territory"? Oh dear ...

Willmaster Edmuda? Hmmmm ... apparently she's a nasty piece of work ... lovely ...

Ah, the Volition, yeah ... so they ARE a kind of resistance effort. Great. That's the ticket. Oh, and Bertie has a friend among them? Zhesh? Cool ...

The Treshi ball is still dark ... phew ...

Minor Illusion ... have they seen Ludinus or Otohan? From a distance, apparently ... but not lately ... now Ira ... not him, then. Okay ...

Something of Zhesh's? Oh, are they going to Scry on her? That might work.

Ah yes ... the Flares ... goodie ... the "Beat" of the Heart of the One Who Sleeps ... hmmmm ...

So Imogen wonders if these Flares might help Predathos gain control of the Ruidusborn ... potentially a danger to her and Fearne, then ... hmmmm ... Best watch out for that ...

Laudna: "Do you .. babies?" Oof ... O.O

Matt (As Barthie): "If I could ..." Half the group, together, singing: "TURN BACK TIME!!!" Matt is broken for a few moments ... XD

Good point, IS THERE somewhere to sleep? There's a kind of cellar in this abode. Okay, then.

Working out the next move ...

THERE IS Moon wood! Yay! But not a lot of it ... hmmmmm ... not good for Chetney, then ...

Imogen considers trying a Sending to Zhesh ... hmmmm ...

Someone's coming? On the far side of the village ... causing a bit of a hubbub ... is it a potential problem?

They send Dono to check it out ... okay ...

Imogen reaches out to Zhesh ... she's very subtle about it ... and it DOESN'T cause interference! That's interesting ... she gets a very non-committal answer, but at least she's definitely here.

Imogen mists up to accompany Barthie outside to "see what the commotion is" ... oh wait, someone's already here ...

Crap ... there's a Reiloran at the door. Somebody IMPORTANT, looks like ...

The Willmaster? Shit!

And it's time for a break? NOW?!!! Crap ... WHILE Imogen is transforming, too ... O.O

And we're back ... and proper PANICKING already! AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Are they visible? Are they rolling for Stealth? Crap ... Matt makes them do it ANYWAY ... it's s bit of a mess, looks like ...

Oh yeah, they're pretty much RUMBLED already ...

FCG just tries to bluff ... and casts Fast Friends? Oh fuck ...

Roll Initiative? Of course it is ... AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Battlemap! Sweet! Cue Sam plugging Wizzkids!

Oh gods ... I have, like, THE WORST feeling about this ... this is probably going to go HORRIBLY ...

TWO MORE ROUNDS before Imogen can even HOPE to turn back to solid? Balls ...

So, do the run or do they FIGHT?!!!

Orym goes under rhe table then pulls Bait and Switch with the Elder, then just HOLDS ready ...

Laudna casts Hex on the Willmaster, then ... Marisha exclaims "SHIT!!!" several times ... then casts Fireball on her AND the Shrikes?! Oh dear fucking gods ... it's at FOURTH Level? Fuck ... 32 Fireball damage each, with 3 extra on the Willmaster ... ouch ...

Wow ... that causes SO MUCH chaos right out the gate ...

Holy fuck, most of the Vanguard just BREAK on the spot ... XD .. and now Laudna just literally EXALTED one of 'em ...

Shit, so that kid just UPGRADED on the spot and casts Telekinesis on her ... lifting her up OFF THE GROUND!!! Crap!

Chetney casts Blood Curse of Binding on the Willmaster ... which doesn't take! Balls... so he produces and activates Turmoil and casts Shatter on her instead, which she SPECTACULARLY fails to resist, inflicting 30 points of Thunder Damage on her AND others behind her ... oof ...

Ashton immediately RAGES!!! Goes monochrome, so increased gravity as he turns into a MINI BLACK HOLE!!! The Shrike that hrkd its action tries to attack him ... oh, this is going to be VERY interesting ... barely TWO points of damage ... so he casts a Teleportation Pad right under him to punt him right into the animal pen! "FUCK OFF!!!" Then attacks the knewly Exalted one and lands some more serious damage.

The Willmaster is IMMEDIATELY dragged towards Ashton, meanwhile instantly takes psychic control of EVERYONE in the village. Oof ... Jagged Dart? Oh hell ... tosses it at Ashton ... DEFINITELY hits ... 22 points of Force Damage! Argh ...

Fearne cats Charm Person on the Willmaster ... who FAILS to resist! Immediately beckons her back inside the hut, and IT WORKS?!!! Or maybe not? Deception check ... which Ashley completely tanks ... balls ... but at least she thinks SHE'S an ally ...

FCG shoots his grapple at the Willmaster ... 15? It hits? Wow ... damn it, one of the locals just JUMPS IN FRONT OF HER to take it instead! Crap ... so he just ducks up half the damage himself in sympathy ... but they're still hurt! Owwwww ... alive but VERY hurt ...

Orym casts Hex on the Willmaster before attacking for NON LETHAL damage! Nice ... oh, he is BATTERING her hard ... even WITH the Meat Shield? Hmmmm ... two get knocked out in the process ... great ... Action Surge to try and Grapple her head! Thanks to Silvery Barbs from Laudna IT WORKS!!! Sweet! Then an elbow to the face lands more Hex damage! Nice ... she's starting to look ROUGH ...

Sam's flask: "REMINDER! Come up Sith flask idea ..." Oh boy ...

Now Orym's taking attacks ... some of it REALLY HURTS ... then two of them just PHASE out of Ashton's sight ... hmmm ...

Laudna casts Mirror Image on herself ... she's stuck hanging in the air, so unleashes a Ray of Frost on the Willmaster ... half speed now! Nice ... plus 15 Frost damage! ALSO nice ...

The new Exalted pulls Laudna out into the open, then hits her with Blight! Oof ... 33 points of Necrotic damage! Ouch ...

2 of them fire crossbows at Laudna, first misses, second hits! 9 points of piercing damage ... she crit fails her concentration, so she loses her Mirror Image.

Chetney wolfs out snd HEADBUTTS the Willmaster ... instead renders another innocent unconscious ... no more Meat Shield means next hit GETS THROUGH, so 9 points of damage! Phew ...

Ashton charges the Willmaster, Raging Recklessly, hits her with the hammer. 24 to hit! Boom! 22 points of damage and HE GETS THE HDYWTDT!!! POW!!! The Willmaster flues 15 feet and is DOWN!!! Orym rides her doen and lands on top.

Everyone INSTANTLY snaps out of the trance ... so they see the chaos and just SCATTER.

The Shrikes just pause and take a beat to check out their opponents.

Fearne casts Scorching Ray on the fleeing foes and one of yhe Shrikes, takes out the runner, inflicts 9 damage on the Shrike. Then she bamfs out Mister.

Imogen is now entirely MIST. She is now ENTIRELY INCAPABLE of any violence ...

FCG casts Calm Emotions on EVERYBODY he can ... BOTH the Shrikes fail to shake it off. He immediately tells them both to CHILL OUT ... which they do! Crazy ... this is good for a WHOLE MINUTE!!!

Orym turns to the Exalted and flings the Hex at him. Goading Attack! First hit misses, second hits! 19 damage and HE gets the HDYWTDT so the kid is KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT!!! Now he rushes one of the Shrikes and holds an attack, ready for next round ...

The Shrikes are now trying to run off with the unconscious Willmaster ... great ... Orym gets an attack of Opportunity, trips one and puts him on the floor ... Calm Emotions is GONE and now they're focused on him for next turn.

Laudna chucks some Eldritch Blasts at the Shrikes, first misses, other 2 HIT!!! 15 and 14 points altogether, and she just MERCS the first one on the spot! Oof ... HDYWTDT indeed ... he's just pancaked ... she attacks the other one, but all three shots miss him ... nuts ...

The beasts stampede out of their pen and folk ate now getting caught and trampled! Oof ...

Chetney just throws himself in their path and saves one local, then goes for the remaining Shrike and attacks him with Turmoil while he's still prone. Wow ... he just CRITS the poor bastard ... HDYWTDT!!! He just opens the guy RIGHT UP!!! Oof ...

Just the few runners left ... Ashton gets in front of the stampede instead and grabs some of the locals, pulls them out of the path of the herd.

Fearne casts Scorching Ray on the runners, Crits one and hits the other two. 10 on the Crit, then 9 each on the others. Oh dear ... yeah, one of them just gull blown COMBUSTS on the spot ...

Imogen floats up to check out what's going on beyond their immediate battlefield. It's just chaos, but more are coming.

FCG casts Stone Shape and creates a ramp over him and the local he's protecting sk they herd doesn't trample them.

Orym uses Seedling to grapple the remaining runner and knocks him out of the spot.

Everybody scatters out of yhe path of the stampede. Meanwhile Chetney just SUPLEXES one of them down snd starts EATING IT ALIVE on the spot ... dear gods ...

Looks like that's it ... time to clean up while they have a chance. Hiding bodies as quickly as they can ...

And that's it for the night ... phew ... that was chaos, but thank fuck it turned out all right ...