#also very simple in design but they fit perfectly for what I’m gonna wear them with

[crybaby-bkg]

I ugly cry every time I’m reminded that I have to buckle up/strap on my own shoes without Bakugou or Dabi or gojo or Eren to do it for me 💔💔💔💔💔💔

[arkus-rhapsode]

Rating Fire Emblem Engage Casual Outfits

So FE Engage gave us FE characters in personalized casual wear. Which I think FE fan artist have dreamt up for a long time. So I’m gonna look through everyone of them and tell you what I think.

First up is the Alears

I gotta be honest their casual clothes just don't took that different from their standard outfits. I think Female Alear's looks better in the sense it does feel more loose and casual while Male Alear's is pretty layered. 

So Male Alear I'm giving a 5/10 and for Female 6/10

Following that we have Vander

I love how Vander's definition of casual is three piece suit, monocle, dinning jacket, and an ascot that puts Miles Edgeworth to shame. I think it works so well though for him 

Vander: 8/10

Gonna lump these Clanne and Framme together given how similar, yet distinct they look. 

Both are a shorts + jacket combo  with how each of them wear it fitting their personalities, Clanne's being more straight and fitted while Framme's is baggy and left open. Between the two, I think Framme wears it better especially knowing how they look underneath, the hat itself also just brings her whole look together. Clanne's is still good but its much more generic 

Clanne: 6/10 Framme: 7/10

Alfred

I honestly expected Alfred to look like he was always in a tracksuit, but I guess that wasn't princely enough. Not personally a fan of how the patterns on his shoulders are designed because it only works if he's keeping his arms at his sides full time. Also what is this yugioh double belt non sense and is that a whip at his side? 

Alfred: 3/10

Now for his sister, Celine

You remember Celine's normal outfit of the huge cumbersome dress? Well what if we paired that down into a breezy summer dress? The lighter pastles really work for her, with my only complaint being the cloth wrapped around her legs. If you want stockings, wear stockings. If you don't, don't. 

 Celine: 7/10

Next is Boucheron

Boucheron is a simple bulky boy so this makes sense. Pants, undershirt and collared shirt with some nifty design near the collar. Works for him but doesn't try anything 

Boucheron: 5/10

Now for Etie

Etie's casual outfit is like Alear's in that it looks way too close to their combat on. Just has different shoes and pulled her shirt down. Its not bad. And I do like her green and orange. But its just not much different for me. 

Etie: 5/10

Louis

I appreciate seeing an armor knight out of his armor. Plus is more turquoise color is nice and funky. Anyway very fitting for a butler type like him. I especially like the spats shoes most of all. 

Louis: 7/10

Next up is Chloe

It is perfectly Disney princess for her. Yet also has the charm of a village girl. Really like the the embroidery plus the shoulders being covered with the neck exposed. The pumps feel a bit much for her though. 

 Chloe: 8/10

Jean

Speaking of cute, school boy Jean. Went from a Ghibli character to a protag in a young boy's school series. I personally love seeing Jean not only loses his hat, but also see him wearing his glasses. The blue and green darker colors pair so well with the white being not over powering and bringing it all together. 

Jean: 9/10

On to Brodia with its first prince, Diamant

Diamant here looking like he came off another RPG. Look at this man he is strapped while just casually standing around. I will say though I do quite like the burgundy vest and the tanned shirt. With the fur lined cuffs of the jack being just the right amount of classy yet practical. Sadly is knee stocks and his ankle boots feel weirdly disconnected. 

Diamant: 6/10

On to his brother, Alcryst

Alcryst here takes Diamant's whole outfit and I think improves on it in nearly every way. First of all losing some of the unnecessary belts and while the red vest blended more with the browns, Alcryst's blue waist coat not only adds some need visual pop but also a really neat embroidery. He ditches Diamant's knee stocks plus ankle boots for some actual knee-high boots and it looks much better. I also like how the jacket does highlight the difference of his physique, hanging a bit more loose given he's not as bulky as Diamant. The only negative I have is the white gloves. Why? Who do you think you are? Hubert? Its just clashes in the worst way and really only exists to oppose Diamant's gloves. But overall its tight. 

Alcryst: 10/10

To the retainers! First is Amber

Y'know you to this point I could see all these casual outfits fitting a fantasy euro setting. Amber's however legit looks like he's some guy on the north east school football team. With his letterman jacket and wool cardigan. However, I must admit, I appreciate the commitment to the alpaca branding. And yes the wool does look comfy. 

Amber: 5/10

Jade

We have another armor knight out of their armor and once again its great. Jade's simple look really fits her personality with the single dress shirt supported by a midriff tighter does make her seem much more skinnier than you'd think she'd be, but still makes her upper body look strong. Also that hair un obscured by her helmet is just nice. 

Jade: 7/10

Now for Citrinne

Citrinne was a welcomed surprise. I had assumed her being super rich meant her casual outfit would be something ornate and high society, but instead she goes the opposite. Probably because her standard outfit is already a gown her casual clothes really feel like a step towards an actual streetware look. They keep her dress's basic elements like the brown with gold tips and shorten it up to her thighs, then add on some black leggings which her her a really tall yet shapely figure accented by these red heels. But the thing I like most of all is her coat. She had white in her design already with her boa, but now there's much more white with this nice over jacket. The fur neckline is also great, giving her both a cozy feeling yet also a damn she's rich vibe. Really does capture Citrinne of being a girl of wealth but not flaunting it in everyway intentionally. 

Citrinne: 10/10

Now for her partner, Lapis

Talk about cute. While Chloe blended the princess/commoner girl feel well, Lapis really does look like a girl from the country side. Seeing her go from her armor to this more breezy dress is a delight but the thing I like most is her shoes. A common observation of women wearing casual ware in JRPGs is they only seem to wear heels or boots, but Lapis goes with what I'd actually think someone from her background would, mary janes. 

Lapis 8/10

Its time to get Sappy with Yunaka

Once again, another banger outfit.  Yunaka going from her body suit to this more knee length dress and small sweater and dress shirt just feels perfectly on brand for her when she's not on duty. I especially like the slight color difference between her sweater and dress. Its just a well balance outfit. Not a big fan of the platform boots though. 

Yunaka: 9/10

Now this one was tough, just like Saphir herself

Saphir and her docksider outfit is just chef's kiss. Design wise its not particularly that unique, but what brings it together is emphasis on Saphir's muscular frame. Muscle shirt plus the fingerless guantlets is just great. Seeing a muscular older lady of color, what could go wrong? Well probably the fact that she's not actually old she's only 35! Yeah, really. Anyway, this is about grading fashion and while I love Saphir's design, can't say her outfit isn't what I'd have expected it to be. 

Saphir: 6/10

On to Solm with its future queen, Timerra

Timerra is once again a simple one, but it feels like it has more personality to it. I don't just say that about the color. But the wavy dress plus the loose croptop with holder sports bra look actually gives her a real ethnically unique look that doesn't feel like it falls into some sexualized amazonia/nubian woman feel that is kinda common for people to associate with poc women in fantasy. In my personal taste its a little too colorful for me, but I still like it. 

Timerra: 8/10

Now onto her brother, Fogado

So fun fact I first saw him on the Somniel in this outfit when he was playing guitar by the campsite and I recall clearly what went through my mind at that moment; "This man gets it". Like the black shirt and pants pulled to expose his shoulders and his calves would already be enough, but top it off with a chic yet colorful scarf is beautiful. The cyan belt are a but off, though I'd say it was to help break up the black and give his upper body some more definition. 

Fogado: 9/10

Merrin

Speaking of great fashion, we have Merrin and man everything about this works. The white undershirt length reaching her lap, the tighter shirt that makes it up to her collar without exposing any cleavage or pushing it up, her short jacket with the fur tips, and those banging high heeled boots tipped with gold that emphasize but ass kicking and fashion. It's all great. Such a shame about the tail. It's almost so ridiculous I want to give it a pass, but seeing her without it just looks much better. 

Merrin: 9/10

Panette

Panette going in her goth girl halloween outfit. Jokes aside I actually like this one more than her regular fit. But... its like Amber's as it feels a bit more out there for the setting, The rainbow stitches are really nice though. 

Panette: 5/10

Bunet

Bunet here feels like a fresher Boucheron. Like right down to the color pallet. But the apron coat paired with the ascot really does give him a fine look. I will say, while it fits for his chef persona... There's just too much material in the back for me. 

Bunet: 5/10

On to Pandreo

What do priests wear when not in their raiments? Well fuck boy style if Pandreo is to be believed. I kid of course, I appreciate the restraint to not go full frat bro with his outfit. The half tucked shirt and the sneakers without socks though was not helping exactly. But they classy him up with coat and scarf. Its good and fits his personality. 

Pandreo: 7/10

Seadall

Okay scratch what I said about Pandreo being the fuck boy. This man is definitely a fuck boy. He has a damn titty window! But once again, not too different from Seadall's normal outfit. It looks like he took the piece of clothing he usually wears around his waist and started wearing it. This also really makes his color scheme seem altered going from primarily red and black to a purple and black fit. 

Seadall: 4/10

To we make our way to Elusia, starting with their new Queen Ivy

Okay just full on elegant goth girl and I love it. Yes even the commitment to her headdress. The dark purple overall with just the uneven furnishes really makes this all come together. 

Ivy: 10/10

Hortensia

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum we have Hortensia. While you'd expect her to go for cute as it is her personality, she really does actually make it different from say some standard moe fit. The fiery pink plus the black with hints of blue give it a real stand out quality. With the gloves and the patterned leggings build on it in a good way making this almost pop punk princess look. The biggest knock against this for me are the up turned pointy shoes. That's just a yikes from me. 

Hortensia: 8/10

Zelkov

Look at this steampunk Specer's gifts man and his Nomura belts. Look, I like Zelkov, really do. And I like how straight to the point this fit his for him. Ditches his long cloak and now we got his tight leather vest with way too many buckles and his tight leather pants with more buckles. Its impractical and yet kinda raw. 

Zelkov: 7/10

Kagetsu

Overall, I like the Japanese rep with Kagetsu's fit. The looser feeling really fits his personality and covering up his usually exposed arms with this more brighter off white is also a good choice. But I just can't sign off on the onigiri pants. I can't. It looks like he's wearing pajamas. 

Kagetsu: 4/10

Next up to the certified cutie (he told me he was himself) Rosado

Okay maybe I should take back my Spencer's gifts comment on Zelkov and apply it to Rosado because man he looks like he just walked out of there with a bag of dark lights. I had though maybe Rosado would got for something more frilly given how they decorate their wyvern, but this dark emo princess actually still fits. Yeah even the weirdly mistmatch stocking/sock and two different slippers, I think its fitting for Rosado. I think their hair is also kinda tying it together. 

Rosado: 6/10

Onto his elegant partner, Goldmary

Goldmary has a lot of the same energy to her casual fit as Lapis does. Which is fitting given the similar backgrounds. She actually looks like a girl from the countryside and has a rustic charm to her. However, seeing her got from her usual peacocking armor to this more down to earth fit really gives this more wholesome vibe to her. And once again, the shoes just feel so right. Flat boots ankle boots just add to the country feel and love it. 

Goldmary: 8/10

Next up Anna-I mean, Lady Anna

Anna honestly pretty cute all bundled up. Which is funny as she looks the most like she's from Elusia compared to everyone else from there given its a... winter country. But yes its child-like and I think it works for the game's interpretation of Anna. 

Anna: 7/10

Coming up on the end, we have Lindon

Lindon traded his sage robes... for more sage robes. Given he's the oldest human on the cast, I didn't think he's have like a foxy grandpa look to him, but like Etie and Boucheroun it doesn't feel that much different from his combat outfit. 

Lindon: 5/10

Now onto our rep from the villains, first with Veyle

So here we have Veyle. Honestly dressing the evil mind controlled her in a pure white outfit makes sense and I do get the girlishness they want to invoke with her almost school girl like dress. But there's a few little things about this that just don't work for me like gloves seems to have changed from being up the forearm to being wrist length. I would've kept the gloves as is. Then there's the shoes. I like we gave Veyle some shoes but I feel like sandals fit more with her shoeless previous look than these slip-on heels. Also she still has on her ankle cuffs. which feels a tad wrong. The lace is really nice though

Veyle: 6/10

Last but not least, we have Mauvier

Like I said, love to see armor knights out of their armor and Mauvier seems the most casual of all. His outfit is basic while fitting his strong frame. With the biggest flourish being his vest and its ornate coloring. I think its the right amount of color the mixes with his darker colors.

Mauvier: 8/10

[soulmate-game]

New fic *test*

New Bio!dad Bruce story? I’m testing out this first chapter, and if I like where it’s going I might add it to my growing pile of WIPs. If I have inspiration, I might as well use it. Because of life events stressing me the hell out, I’m throwing any writing plans out the window and I’m purely gonna write to destress right now. Whether that means updating THG or not, or continuing Maribat March, we’ll just have to see how this all pans out. Things are subject to day-to-day change.

I got inspiration from this from rereading my day 1 story for Bio!dad Bruce Wayne month from last year. I’m just gonna change a few things.

—*—*—*—*—*

For once, an unfamiliar face attracted the attention of everyone who caught even a glimpse of them. It wasn’t even because of the person themselves at first, but their dress. The skirt like the most fantastical of storybook ball gowns, fluffy layers of satin over a luxurious petticoat, with a stunning pink floral pattern whose busy appearance was tastefully offset by a shorter, sheer layer of leaf green tulle artistically weaved and somehow sculpted over the floral in order to tame it. The effect turned what should be a grandmotherly pattern into something softer, sophisticated and youthful and yet also reminiscent of fairytale princesses. Over top the short layer of green tulle was an even shorter later of white tulle, almost invisible except for the elegant embroidery of crystal-white vines that twined all over it, connecting the green below it to the bottom-most floral pattern and oddly adding a layer of childishness instead of maturity. At the waist of the dress was a dark plum pink satin ribbon, to separate the elaborate ballgown skirt from the bodice. Attached to the simple ribbon was a large brooch of fabric flowers, with a single plastic ladybug in the center.

The bodice of the dress came up into a cheongsam neckline, but was sleeveless. It was a simple design, of half green and half dark pink, with a white border separating the two. The white border had expertly done embroideries in a soft silver thread that would only be visible close up, the images the thread made being that of fairies and ladybugs dancing around one another.

It was, all in all, a stunning display that made the small eurasian woman wearing them look like absolute royalty. Perhaps a long lost fairy princess. Her black-blue hair was even done up in elaborate looping braids and a braided bun, with silver and green pins that further completed the regal ensemble. And yes, while the expertly done dress was what initially captivated her current audience, it was not what kept them from leaving her alone. That was all her personality, bubbly and bright as her blinding smile. It was a sunny disposition that very few people present had any exposure to at all, and it drew them like a sunflower to the daylight. They could not help but flock closer, or even just stand back and keep themselves turned to her presence. Already she had been at the gala for two hours, but there was no issue. She just kept proving her generosity, admitting she had donated both a dress and a suit of her own making to the charity auction that would begin soon, one of the main attractions of the gala. She skillfully charmed the more snooty of the attendants, and artfully twisted her words so that they felt compelled to donate more money that they truly had no use for. Later, they would remember their donation and wonder what compelled it, but come up with no satisfying answer.

And yet she was entirely unaware of her more silent audience, who stood back and observed. Truth be told, every one of them was glad to not be the center of that attention for a change, to have room to breathe for so long at an event where usually that commodity was so scarce that it demanded a fierce competition for. Compared to her garden of color, they were all shadows in shades of blacks and blues and whites, with a touch of red here and there that was entirely too thematic for their home city. The one who sported a royal blue suit tilted his head at the scene they were all calmly witnessing, his bright azure eyes glittering.

“She’s like magic,” he mused, clearly enchanted despite having not said a single word to the woman. “Perfect socialite. She’s kind, generous, she made that dress and the ones she donated to the auction herself so she’s obviously got an intimidating amount of skill for her age. She even tricks those old fuddy-duddies into spending money. It’s like a dream come true!”

“I don't trust it,” the one to his right said, a man just a few inches shorter in a classic black suit with a red dress shirt underneath. He absently swept his bangs away from his face as he narrowed his eyes at the woman. “It seems too perfect. She doesn’t have any identifiable character flaw, except maybe being a little clumsy and too energetic. She does babble a little… but nothing that actually suggests any depth besides her just being— good. That’s impossible, and I don’t trust it.”

“Tt. I agree with Drake for once. She seems entirely too comfortable with this setting, despite her blushes and rambles,” the one who spoke this like was taller, clearly a teen in the middle of his growth spurt. He, too, wore a plain black suit but his had subtle charcoal embroidery and he wore an emerald-green dress shirt under it that made his matching eyes gleam dangerously. “It seems almost playacted. Expertly so, but nonetheless not entirely genuine.”

“Wow, not many pick up on that. I’m gonna give your observations a solid eight out of ten. They’re all perfectly sound, but not quite complete,” a new voice made all of the silent group stiffen— somehow they had been snuck up on. The newcomer smirked at them as if having fully expected their reaction but still being pleased at being able to evoke it. This was yet another stunner; far too much color in her outfit to be a Gotham native, and far too much skill in the construction for it to signify anything less than extreme influence. She had bright golden-blond hair that was coiled into a low bun, with her bangs artfully curled and arranged to display her crystal blue eyes.

In contrast to the garden-themed dress of the Eurasian woman who had garnered their attention at first, this newcomer was wearing a pantsuit. It was all in a dark honey-gold, in a stiff fabric with construction that made it lay entirely in perfect, straight lines and hug her form in the right places. Black embroidery decorated the long, flared sleeves and pant legs and dripped around the square neckline like a faux necklace. A cape made out of the same material as the rest of the pantsuit was draped on one shoulder. It started out as the same honey-gold color, but it became a gradient as it faded to a solid black at the ends. Gold thread embroidery decorated the solid black bottom of the cape in delicate, deceptively simplistic swirls. The top half of the pantsuit was clearly inspired by military garb, simultaneously rigidly constructed yet fitted, with circular onyx buttons going down the center of the chest and a thick metal belt, all in swirling silver and black, sat perfectly clasped around her waist. It was far more solid-colored and simplistic compared to the fairytale dress in the center, but no less show stopping and luxurious. It simply showcased an entirely different attitude, almost as if the two women could never get along if their personalities matched their outfits.

“And who are you?” The man who had been the center of the group of shadow-like adults spoke up, back straightening to milk every speck of his generous six-feet-and-three-inches of height. This was none other than Bruce Wayne, the host of this annual charity gala. And normally, his current stance would either intimidate or utterly charm whoever it was directed at— but not this pantsuit-clad blond warrior. Her smirk merely widened, and her blue eyes took on a slight shade of teal as if trying to mimic the dangerous ocean depths.

“I am Chloe Bourgeois, the daughter of Andre Bourgeois, the mayor of Paris, and Audrey Bourgeois, the Style Queen. It’s nice to meet you again, Monsieur Wayne,” she introduced herself imperiously. “I also happen to be the best friend of the girl you were just staring at.”

Bruce nodded, but had trouble reconciling this clear powerhouse of a woman with the bratty and entitled preteen he had met years ago, at the last gala she had attended with her mother. “Of course, I didn’t recognize you at first Chloe. You’ve grown a lot since the last Gala I saw you at.”

Chloe wrinkled her nose, clearly not appreciating the reminder. “I was a bitch,” she admitted easily, seemingly not at all bothered by the confession. It caused not only Bruce but also the oldest three of his sons, who had all also met her in the past, to blink in silent shock. “Things have changed. Paris is apparently the perfect chaotic environment right now to promote emotional growth and smack spoiled kids over the head with reality,” she shrugged. Part of the reason her and her whole class had even been able to come to the Gala in the first place was the fact that Bruce wanted to offer the most attacked group of Parisians a respite and some support from their crazy lives. The fact that even Gotham seemed sane in comparison to Paris was a bit of a hard hit for both involved parties, but in the end everyone understood that “more sane” didn’t always equate with “less dangerous.” Considering all that, Chloe had no reason to sugarcoat the situation in her home city. “But it wasn’t easy at all, and Marinette was largely responsible for my improvement too.”

“Marinette?” The heathen who somehow got away with attending a gala in a black leather jacket over a dress shirt and suit pants asked, raising a brow. Chloe nodded.

“The girl you were just goggling at. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the class president and resident workaholic. Does she ever sleep? Nobody knows,” Chloe shrugged.

The blue-suited man, Dick Grayson, shot a suspicious glance at Tim, who was standing to his right, as if he was worried his brother had made a female clone of himself just so he could continue to work hard and never rest. Tim ignored him and sipped from the thermos of coffee he had somehow snuck in.

Bruce cleared his throat to bring the focus back onto himself, and shot his most charming smile at Chloe. “They would have known who she was, if they had read the brief information I gave them about your class. But they never do listen to me,” he complained with good humor. “But back to the original topic, Miss Bourgeois, do you care to correct us on how our observations are lacking?”

Chloe laughed easily, smiling and nodding to indicate Marinette, still stuck in a circle of socialites and not seeming the least bit worn out.

“Of course. First; She is not completely acting. She really is like magic sometimes— disgustingly kind, generous, far too willing to help just about anyone for just about any reason. She’s one of the best people I’ve ever met, as much as it pains me to admit it. But she is exaggerating her personality a bit and hiding the parts she doesn’t want anyone to see, so there is a little acting involved. Just not as much as you seem to think,” Chloe then waved her arm in a flourish as if she were presenting Marinette to them. “In short; behold Mari Dupain-Cheng, the ridiculously likeable, disgustingly cute, extremely philanthropic mask that she shows everyone at public events like this. You don’t see any of the insomnia, or the anxiety, or the self doubt. Just the parts she wants you to see, accompanied with a smile to blind you to everything else,” her all-too-deep blue eyes settled back on Bruce then, a knowing glint shining in them. “Don’t you think that’s ridiculously similar to Brucie Wayne for you, Monsieur? Utterly, ridiculously, similar?”

Bruce grit his teeth. He hadn’t expected anyone else to know about his exceptionally well hidden secret, not even his kids had caught on or found his buried evidence yet. Yet his heiress comes up, nearly flaunting her knowledge in his face with all too many unspoken questions and criticisms.

And her cryptic words had succeeded in making all of his kids look at him with extreme suspicion. Shit.

“What are you saying, Miss Bourgeois?” he cautiously prodded. She hummed noncommittally before dropping the bomb all too casually;

“I’m saying I’ve seen her adoption papers, and you won’t be able to run from her for long Monsieur Wayne. As soon as she gets an opening, she’s going to pounce,” Chloe’s eyes glittered dangerously again. “And nowadays, Marinette doesn’t ever let people escape her. Your problem with adoption has created a rather unique problem, you know. You’re at fault for a large majority of her self confidence issues, and I want you to know that I am not going to forget or forgive that anytime soon.”

“Bruce,” Jason’s voice was dark and threatening. “What is she talking about?”

“Something we don’t want getting in the tabloids,” Yet another new voice popped up, allowing Chloe to smugly sink back into the background.

Somewhere during their discussion, Marinette had ambushed them.

“Chloe and I are very good at locating all the reporters in a room and distracting them, but we’re not infallible and this event has far too much coverage,” Her smile reeked confidence and charm, but this close all the Waynes could see the doubt hiding in her bluebell eyes. “Since I’m about to turn eighteen, I figured this would be as good a time as any to finally confront you. I want to make it clear that I seek nothing from you, except the occasional contact. I would like to keep in touch, if nothing else. But if you are adverse to that… then at least answer my questions after the gala,” her eyes developed a hint of carefully controlled desperation. “Please.”

Bruce met her eyes evenly, trying to read her. But she was difficult, simultaneously too many emotions to sort through in her demeanor and much too little. After an extremely tense moment of silence, his voice came out barely above a whisper:

“You do not want anybody to know?”

And hell, if she didn’t recognize the hidden vulnerability in his voice as the very same she heard in her own far too often. In a much tamer version of her own rambling, he went on:

“I can keep it silent if that is what you want. But I want you to know that I will not be adverse to you admitting it anywhere. I don’t expect you to change your name, but I would not be ashamed of the truth getting out. I am not ashamed of it, of you.”

Marinette’s smile grew a little watery. She had to clear her throat to keep herself from tearing up. “Maybe eventually, but not yet. I… I want to stay a little more anonymous for now. It’s one thing to be a well known designer with good connections. It’s an entirely different thing to be…”

“A Wayne?” Bruce finished, ignoring the daggers that were being stared into his back. “I understand completely.

“Father,” Damian’s voice was all sharp edges and rapidly suppressed panic. “What. Is going. On?”

Marinette shot him an apologetic smile. “Apparently, eighteen years ago, his prerogative was to put the child he actually knew about up for adoption when the mother died in childbirth,” her voice was once again only barely loud enough for them to hear, since she didn’t want any eavesdroppers. “Imagine my surprise when I find out he completely flipped sides only months later.”

--*--*--*--*--*

Hey, so please share your feedback on this. This is just to test out a possible new bio dad, multichapter fic and this is the opening scene I'm trying out. If you like it, please tell me what you like about it and please suggest titles for the story! I love you guys' feedback so much!

[kyoongboxi]

Delight —

[Baekhyun AU]

— Summertime with Baekhyun —

Summary; You were going to a waterpark to spend your summer with your highschool friends but who would have thought it would be your first meeting after a long time with your all-time highschool crush, Baekhyun.

Pairing; Baekhyun x Reader

Genre; fluff, cute, romance.

——

You've already passed almost three years of college. You feel like you've been through everything started from missing the class especially the one which started in the morning, missing assignments, lack of sleep, skipping the class because of certain things, and others. You also rarely going out in season break because you feel like you didn't really need that. And now summer break is here again.

You were planning to go back to your parents house and spending time probably at the beach just like every summer with your little sister. But the last few days, your high school chat group is always ringing non-stop. Actually you don't care at all but your name keeps being mentioned in the group chat. It said you have to come because everyone misses you. You frowned as you scroll up the group chat and it turned out they're planning to go into a reunion in a local waterpark.

You were about to type something but your phone screen suddenly changed. Showing your high school's bestfriend name on it. Kayla. She was begging you to come because she also hasn't seen you in a long time. At first you were firm in your choice that you wouldn't come but Kayla who kept on sulking managed to melt your heart. You agreed.

And now here you are. Dressing in a simple black swimsuit, watching Kayla and your other friends splashing water into each other. You bend your knees a little so the water reached below your chest. There was a few people including your bestfriend below the big bucket waiting for it to be filled with water and creating a big splash of water when it spilled. Kayla noticed you were watching and she's gesturing you to come.

A laugh escaped your lips as you keep shaking your head telling that you didn't want to come. You don't really like playing in the waterpark because you almost seeing death when you were playing on a waterslide with your friends in high school. You disobeyed the playing procedure. At that time you were sitting on the front, followed by three of your friends in the back. The height of the swimming pool was more than 1,6 meters. You thought it wasn't a problem at all because you can swim. But then you were drowned for about three minutes because your friends keep pushing you down accidentally.

You pushed away your thoughts as the bucket spilled causing a big splash of water and people screaming happily. A smile automatically drew against your lips as you saw Kayla laughing with her friends. Not long after, she was approaching you and splashing you with water.

"Let's go to the waterslide. Wanna come? C'mon bestie just this time?" Kayla asked you suddenly. She knows everything about what happened to you back then so there was a little hesitation slipped between her tone.

"I don't—"

"Aaahh.. Please? You're gonna be fine. I promise. Yeah?" Then she did that again. Showing her puppy eyes and grasping your hands with her.

You rolled your eyes at her before getting up from the water and agreeing. Kayla jumped and pulled you into a tight hug. You both were giggling until your friends approaching you and heading into the waterslide together. There was around nine people including you who wants to play the waterslide.

You climb the stairs carefully with your heart starting to race inside your chest. It was your first time trying this again since that accident. Kayla noticed your stiff movement and she throws her arm around your shoulder and telling you you're going to be just fine.

"Loosen up a bit.. You're fine. Okay? All your friends in here we wouldn't let you drown" Hearing the last sentence, your hands automatically flew to her chest. Hitting her lightly caused your friend to laugh.

After a few minute climbing up the stairs, you and your friends finally reached the top. You peeking out how far the waterslide is and it was kinda long. Maybe it took around one minute or more for reaching the ground. You shivered but your thoughts being pushed away when four of your friends already sliding down through it using the yellow swimming tire made for four people.

You immediately glancing around because now only five people are left and four of them including Kayla was getting ready to start their adventure. Your friends only brought a two swimming tire and basically it only fits for eight people.

"Gu—guys.." You called out and four of them glancing against your direction.

"The tire was made for four people and— we were five. I— I don't want go alone.. I'll just going down using the stairs—"

"Right— I'm sorry I didn't realize that. That's fine I'll come down using the stairs with you—" Kayla spoke and getting up from the tire, walking towards where you stand at the corner but you stopped her by saying its fine.

"No no.. Kayla you can join them. Its fine actually— I'm having a doubt for sliding this down" You gestured. "I'm going to use the stairs. Its fine— guys" You let out an awkward laugh and Kayla sent you an apologetic look meanwhile the other three was calling her to come with them.

"Its fine, Kay. Just wait for me" You spoke softly.

"Okay then—" She nodded and turned her back to you. "I'll wait on the pool. Join us asap, yeah?" Kayla turned her head around once again and you nodded.

They disappeared against the waterslide tunnel not long after and you could hear their muffled laughter echoing through it. You sighed and wraps your arms around your torso. You shouldn't have agreeing to come because now you feel bad for ruining your friends summer time.

You turned around walking towards the stairs. You keep your head down and you saw a man feet walking in the same direction. Without thinking twice you move aside, letting him to walk first but a familiar voice calling your name caused you to looked up.

You feel like someone is pulling you harshly into the same hole that leading into your past when your eyes met those warm yet captivating brown eyes you wished you will never see again. Baekhyun, Byun Baekhyun. Your biggest crush ever when you were in the high school.

He was there. Looking at you with one arm holding the yellow swimming tire behind his back. The last time you saw him on his Instastory, his hair was white. But now he dyed his hair into a darker color. Slightly wet and half parted. It was like he's been running his fingers through his hair because it was a little bit messy. And you noticed that he was wearing a black shirt that clutching into his skin perfectly paired with red shorts. All wet.

Oh you just want to disappear and curse at Kayla for not telling you he was also coming. You feel shy under his gaze because you noticed he was looking at your exposed skin before going back into your eyes. You hugged your exposed torso a little bit tighter and shoot him a smile. A forced one because it was too obvious and Baekhyun noticed your awkwardness.

"I thought you went down already with Kayla and the others?" Baekhyun finally spoke. "I just talked to someone a few minutes ago and I told Lucas to going first with the others. Did he join you?" And now you realized you missed him that much. Even his voice sounds like a great lullaby when it reached your ears.

You could only nodded because you feel like your tongue are tied and its very hard to speak. Your heart keep thumping loudly meanwhile your brain keep telling you to leave him. Right now.

"Ah I see.. And— what happened to you why didn't you joining?"

And you finally open your mouth. "They only brought two tire— only fits for four people— all of us were nine so I didn't get the space" You answered with a soft laugh.

"And now you wanna go down using the stairs?" He asked again as he put the yellow tire on the slide.

You nodded.

Baekhyun glanced at you. A smile drew against his lips showing his teeth and those cute cheeks. "Wanna slide together?" He offered.

Your eyes widened immediately as you heard those words rolling out his tongue. Slide together? Hell nah. "But— you only brought the tire designed for one people—"

He chuckled. "Not a big problem. You can sit on my lap" He answered easily. "C'mon"

You close your eyes for a sec and trying to control your breathing because God this man is crazy and your heart is also beating crazily. "I'm sorry Baekhyun, but I got a trauma—"

"I know, I know. I would never forget that" He shook his head and threw his gaze into another direction before coming back to you. "I'll hold you tight. You're gonna be fine. C'mon" He then offered his hand to you.

Both your heart and mind is racing. You really didn't know what to do and what to choose. "C'mon.. You should live a little we both still young. I know you since long ago. You trusted me, right?"

Did you trust him? "Is that okay with you if I sit on your— la— lap?"

"More than okay. Let's go"

Baekhyun climbed against the tire. Trying to find the right position with his legs spread open. Once he was done, he gestured for you to sit on top of him. To sit on his lap.

You walked up slowly towards him with a shaky legs and you just hope he didn't noticed. Take a deep breath, you crouched down to sit against his lap carefully. You could feel the wet material of his shorts rubbing against your inner thighs as you sit down. His right arm immediately snakes around your naked torso and you shivered because his skin feels cold against your warm one meanwhile his other hand clutching into the side of the tire for safety. Your both hands also joining him clutching the side of it.

"Ready?" He spoke softly against your ear. His breath caressed your skin.

You nodded softly before you closed your eyes. You don't want to see everything. You were scared of being drowned. "Relax.." Baekhyun tightened his grip around your body. "We'll go in one.. Two.."

"Three!"

With that, you could feel the tire sliding down in a fast motion. Moving deeper inside the tunnel of the waterslide. You could hear the man behind you screaming and laughing happily when you wouldn't dare to open your eyes. It took around one minute or more for reaching the pool and the next thing you realized was your body being slammed hard into the water as your breath hitched in your throat. A lot of water filling up your nose and you panicked. But you were pulled to the surface just in time as a pair of arms wrapped around your body.

You couldn't help but clutching into his arms as you coughed. Your breathing was fast and you probably looks like a dying fish in the hand of the fisherman. "Easy— easy... Let it out" You heard Baekhyun talk as he patted your back soothingly.

A minute passed and you were greeted by his warm gaze. You could tell he was worried about you from the way he looks at you in your eyes. "Are you okay?"

You nodded and let out a laugh as you throw your arms around his neck. Pulling him into your embrace. "I'm alright. I'm— I'm so sorry Baekhyun"

He gladly returned your embrace and running his fingers against your tangled locks. "That's fine. You're okay. We both fine. You trusted me, didn't you?"

You nodded and close your eyes again. You could feel Baekhyun chuckled because your chest was pressed against him. "Let's go for another ride then?" He asked you.

And not far from where you were at, stood Kayla smiling and winked against the man. Baekhyun nodded and raised his thumb towards her. Mission success.

——

Hello! I'm back again hehe thankyou so much for your feedback on my first entry! I love you ❤❤ more are definitely coming please wait for me ehehe ‘ㅅ’!

And oh I can't replying to comments I'm kinda new on this app could someone please tell me how to? Thankyou 😂😭😭

[malfoymxnor]

𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

➤ pairing: draco malfoy x reader

➤ requested: yes | no

➤ words: 1.6k

➤ genre: fluff! also this is supposed to be more of a cute thing rather than serious so pls don’t take it seriously!

➤ summary: modern world au! you discover how to make silver wire rings on tiktok and attempt to teach draco. overnight, draco finds a new obsession.

MASTERLIST

“Draco, wake up!” You whispered to the sleeping body laying on the bed. All you could manage to see in the room only lit with the rising sun was the streaks of platinum blond hair sticking from under the emerald blanket.

This is exactly what Draco Malfoy had woken up to on that Saturday. Not that he minded of course, the mornings his girlfriend would wake him from his slumber was his favorite. He typically valued his sleep on the weekends, but nothing could compare to seeing the one he loved most.

He opened his eyes, smiling softly to himself as he saw your face staring at him. “Good morning to you too.” He said as he sat in his bed, rubbing his sleep-filled eyes before looking around his room. He noticed immediately that they were the only ones in the Slytherin boys’ dormitory. He must have been asleep for ages if everyone was already eating breakfast in the Great Hall.

Of course, Draco being Draco, he wanted immediately to make the most of this alone time. “Come here, darling.” He took your hand in his, pulling you into his bed so you lay beside him. 

You let out a laugh as you felt your body be pulled down besides his. However, just as it was when you walked into the room and woke up your boyfriend, your other hand stayed behind your back to keep the surprise, well, a surprise. 

You felt your spine shudder as you felt Draco’s lips gently kiss along your jawline. It was no surprise what his gentle yet passionate touches did to you. “As much as I want this to continue,” you whispered to him as you looked up at him. “I have something exciting for us to do.”

His eyebrows rose playfully. “I’m not sure if I should be afraid, but I can guarantee you that I can make us do something exciting too.”

You playfully shoved his shoulder in response, but couldn’t hide the grin appearing on your face. “Hush! You can’t focus on what we’re about to do if you’re making sex jokes the entire time.”

You sat up on the bed, criss-crossing your legs and facing your boyfriend. Draco sat up in bed, the bedsheets falling on his lap to reveal his bare chest. Your eyes wondered for a moment, before you shook your head to focus on the fact at hand.

“Alright. Disclaimer, this will seem weird but I tried this out last night and I think you’re gonna like it.” You smiled, your eyes glancing over to his bedside table. There laid more than several rings and chains. Perhaps it was because he grew up in a very wealthy family and wearing jewelry was just a part of his daily life at this point. Most of the rings were simply just a gold band or has one stone, with a couple having a snake engraving or in the shape of a snake itself. 

This is what makes you think he will enjoy this activity so much.

You continued your little speech before revealing what you were hiding behind your back. “I was on TikTok a couple days ago and people are making rings from scratch, from wire. I tried it out last night and well..”

You pulled out a bag from behind your back and pooled out the supplies from the bag onto the large bed. Inside was some wire, scissors, countless amounts of gemstones and crystals, a ring mandrel to measure ring sizes, and a ring you had made last night. 

Draco’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering how in the world you could make any piece of jewelry from wire. All of the rings he has owned were made from gold, as far as he knew. The Muggles must be bored if they figured out how to make rings from wire.

That was before his eyes went to the silver ring with a light pink stone in the center laid upon his bed, which was made by you. He took the ring into his hands, carefully studying it for a moment. He had to admit, it was extremely durable and made of high quality.

“Darling, you made this last night?”

You nodded, a bit nervous as he studied the ring. You loved to make things with your hands, this was no different. You knew your boyfriend had high tastes to say the least.

“Teach me then. I do love rings.”

A smile broke out on your face, happy that he was at least excited about this. “Yay! Okay, just follow my instructions, it’s not too difficult.”

You took the long ring mandrel in your hand, telling him this was used to make sure your finished ring would be able to actually fit your finger. Draco was already focused on every word you spoke, hoping to do a decent job to earn your approval.

Next, you explained every step necessary to make the ring. You explained how to center your stone, wrap it around the mandrel, and even make impressive decisions around the stone. Once you were finished, you pulled your finished ring off the mandrel, showing him it only took a few minutes to make it.  “Now, it’s your turn.”

He nodded, taking the mandrel and wire carefully in his hands, as if he would somehow destroy it. Remembering the steps you had given him, he picked a black gemstone and used a gold wire to make the ring. He felt more confident over time, attempting more complicated designs than what you had shown him. At the end, he pulled off the ring, frowning as he realized the stone wasn’t exactly centered and the wire was somehow pulled in places it shouldn’t be. 

“What did I manage to do wrong now?” He pouted slightly as he looked at his failure of a ring.

You kept in the laugh. Although it didn’t look very pretty, you couldn’t deny it was adorable to see the tough Draco Malfoy pout at a simple ring. “Well, you didn’t center the stone first of all.”

You explained the steps once again, however Draco still did not understand how what he did was incorrect. “Why can’t I use magic to fix what I already made? I feel terrible for the Muggles who have to do this by hand.” He grumbled slightly.

“Because what’s the fun in that?” You grinned as you stood, taking his hand in yours. “Now, let’s go get some breakfast. We can try again later.”

Hours had now passed since that morning. It was now the evening, and Draco Malfoy was the only one of his roommates awake this late at night. He sat in his bed underneath his thick blanket, the materials needed to make the wire rings sat out across him. With a quiet “Lumos,” the tip of his wand was lit and sat next to him while he worked.

It was silly but he can’t look like a fool now. Not in front of his girl. Besides, perhaps if he got it right, he would be able to make one for you.

A couple more hours had passed, each ring getting slightly better than the last. At his point, he was almost completely out of the wire you had provided for him and rings of different colors lay on his bed. He found himself becoming slowly more frustrated but he tried to remind himself this was supposed to be a relaxing activity, at least according to you.

Why does this Muggle activity require so much practice? Bloody hell, Quidditch was a lot easier.

After what seemed like an eternity to the Slytherin prince, he finally was able to produce a ring that he wasn’t ashamed to look at. In fact, he was quite proud of it. The band was made of silver and had an emerald green stone perfectly in the center, and was complete with a few simple designs surrounding the stone. With a soft smile on his face, he made a few more acceptable rings and placed them beside him on his bedside table and went off to sleep.

He woke the next morning more cheerful than normal, and you could tell when he sat next to you for breakfast in the Great Hall.

“Not that I mind, but why are you so cheerful?” You asked, looking at him as he sat down and began to eat the food off his plate.

“Have you already forgotten?” He asked once he swallowed his first bite, reaching into his pocket and pulling out that first ring he made successfully. “I did it.”

You smiled as you looked at the ring sitting on the table between you two, holding back a slight laugh. Of course, you thought the ring was wonderful, but you wondered how long it took for him to make this one ring. You had a deep love for your boyfriend but you had to admit, he typically wasn’t the type to love arts and crafts.

“Alright Malfoy, it looks nice, but does it fit you?”

“Well no.” He said as he took the ring and your hand, sliding it onto your ring finger. “I wanted to make you one first.”

You bite your lip, trying your best to hide the way your cheeks were now colored with a soft pink color. “Oh, thank you.” You admired the way it somehow perfectly fit onto your finger. He must have been very focused to not only make the ring, but correctly guess your ring size. “But didn’t you make some for yourself?”

“Don’t worry about that.” He showed you the inside of his other pocket, where there were at least a dozen other similar rings. “I may have gotten a little carried away.”

[oikawaplssteponme]

PREVIOUSLY • MASTERLIST

pairing: (prince) Sawamura Daichi x (princess) fem! reader

warnings: none

word count: 1.6k words

synopsis: A childhood lover, a perfect picture, a thoughtful risk, a dashing spark, a resurfaced fling, a beautiful mystery, and an unlikely charmer. With so many flowers in the garden, which do you pick?

a/n: hello loves! i hope you all are doing well :)) reminder that the taglist is still open, just send an ask or leave a comment to be added <3 id love to hear your thoughts and please reblog!! tags have been weird lately so id really appreciate the reblogs :) !

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ⋆*･ﾟ: ☾

Nervous

“Good morning Your Grace! Rise and shine!” Anita came bursting into your room. She opened up your bedroom curtains, revealing the burning sunshine. You grabbed one of your pillows and buried your head under it.

“Oh gosh what time is it…” you groaned.

“Time to start getting ready. I’ll have your breakfast brought in momentarily.” Anita left your room just as quickly as she entered it. You removed the pillow from your head and sat up.

“Oh good you’re up.” Your mother, the queen, entered your room, followed by Anita and your breakfast tray.

“Thank you.”

“Eat up sweetheart. You’ll need your energy for today!” said your mother.

“Why must the ball be so late today?” You asked, “and why have you woken me up so early…”

“It’s the Midnight Ball Y/N! It’s tradition whenever the kingdom of Karasuno comes to visit,” she explained. You nodded.

The Prince of Karasuno would be next on your agenda. You had heard nothing but nice things about him. He was known to be responsible, kind, level headed, everything a future king would need to be.

“Your gown for tonight is getting finished up at the tailor’s. I’ll be picking it up in about an hour or so,” explained Anita.

“I’ll join you,” you said as you took a sip from your tea. Your mother shook her head.

“You have much to prepare for here, darling. Anita can take care of it herself.”

“I’ll only be gone for an hour or two. I promise I’ll be back in time,” you insisted.

“Very well… I’ll make sure your ride is prepared.” Your mother patted the top of your head before leaving your room. You looked at Anita, sighing.

“I suppose this is how things will be for a while. A ball every week, a new dress to try on, and someone new to see.”

“You’ll certainly never be bored, Your Highness. I’ll set out your garments for this morning’s trip and meet you outside.” Anita flashed you a bright smile before heading over to your closet, picking out a simple, light pink dress. She laid it on the chair of your vanity before leaving.

You finished your breakfast and got yourself ready then went to meet Anita outside.

“Ready to go, Your Majesty?” she asked. You smiled.

“Anita you know you can call me Y/N, and yes.”

The ride into town was smooth. It was an exceptionally beautiful day, birds chirping, the sun shining. You waved to whoever you saw as people eagerly noticed your arrival.

You arrived at the tailors right on time. It was a dainty shop, filled with endless piles of fabric and designs to fuel anyone's imagination.

“Good morning Your Royal Highness! Here to pick up your gown for tonight’s ball?” asked Mari, the shop owner.

“The Princess is also in need of one final fitting before we can take the gown back to the castle with us,” explained Anita. Mari nodded.

“Yes yes of course! Right this way my darling!”

She led you and Anita to where the mannequin stood, wearing the dress.

“Wow…”

It was an extravagant gown, black as the midnight sky. The sunlight peeking in from the windows bounced off of the small crystals, making it sparkle. It lastly had a matching cape, since the ball would take place at night.

“Mari you never disappoint, it is truly gorgeous,” you said.

“Oh thank you Princess. Here, let's get you laced up.”

The dress fit you perfectly as expected. It’s sweetheart neckline and floral detail looked stunning on you. Mari packaged up your dress as you waited with Anita.

“We actually have one last stop before we can head back,” she explained.

“Where?” you asked. Anita smiled.

“It seems that your prince has a gift for you.”

You and Anita walked along the streets of town until reaching the flower shop. You breathed in the scents of gardenias and lilies.

“Pick up for Y/N L/N,” explained Anita to the front desk attendant. They scurried off to the back cooler and brought out the biggest arrangement of flowers you had ever seen.

“Oh wow…”

It was a mix of orange and black roses, with a small card peaking out.

‘Until tonight Princess… -D.S.’

“D.S.?” you questioned. Anita chuckled.

“It’s from Prince Sawamura Daichi, Your Majesty.”

“He certainly knows how to make a girl smile,” you whispered.

“He’s perfect…” gushed Anita. You chuckled.

“We’ll see about that…”

~

As the day drew on, you found yourself back at home. You were finally getting ready for the ball, that started in just a few hours. You showered and wrapped yourself up in your silk robe. You walked into your room, where Anita was laying out your dress.

“Anita what do you know about Sawamura Daichi?” you asked. She chuckled nervously.

“Well I don’t know too much...but I know that he is a great leader with a kind heart. He puts others before himself and is devoted to helping others. Anyone would be lucky to have a heart like his.”

“It seems like you know more than you think,” you teased. Anita shook her head.

“Oh my apologies. Here, let's get you laced up.”

Anita cinched you up into your gown. She did your makeup and clipped on your cape.

“Stunning as always,” she smiled.

“Thank you. Shall we go?”

The garden was marvelously decorated with lights and lanterns. There was a grand fountain in the middle of it all, the floor a checkered pattern . The full moon shined above you, making the moonlight bounce off of your gown. You greeted people as they approached you, keeping one eye out for the Prince.

“Excuse me, You Grace?”

You turned around to see a man smiling at you with grey hair.

“Yes?”

“Princess Y/N L/N, I am pleased to introduce you to the marvelous, chivalrous, most handsome-”

“That’s enough Sugawara…”

“Oh right...Prince Sawamura Daichi, Your Majesty.” He moved out of the way, allowing the prince to step forward.

“My apologies, he tends to get carried away,” smiled Daichi. You chuckled.

“I actually liked your introduction,” you teased.

“I’m glad. Would you care to dance?” Sawamura pointed to the dance floor. You nodded.

“I would love to.”

You took his hand and he guided you to the floor, He bowed before you, then placed his hand onto your waist and held up your other hand.

“Thank you for the flowers,” you said. Daichi smiled.

“I’m glad they found you well. I wasn’t sure which flowers were your favorite so I decided to play it safe with roses.”

“I do love roses.”

“Do you have a favorite flower?”

“Not particularly. I love the assortment bouquets, that way I get a little of everything,” you explained.

“I see.”

Daichi spun you around the floor, keeping you close to you. His eyes almost as dark as the midnight sky, you could’ve fallen into them. As your hand rested on his bicep, you could tell just how strong he was. His strong build but gentle smile warmed your heart.

You watched as what looked to be a sweat droplet glided down the side of his forehead. You chuckled.

“Are you nervous?” you asked. Sawamura tilted his head.

“Nervous? What makes you say that?”

“It looks like you’re sweating.”

Daichi patted his forehead with the back of his hand. He smiled.

“That’s not sweat princess, that’s rain.”

The two of you looked up at the sky, seeing the clouds rolling over you. You closed your eyes, starting to feel the soft water trickle down upon you.

“Everyone inside!” shouted the king. People began to rush over to the doors, hiding under the walkway.

“Y/N, darling, you’re gonna get sick!” insisted your mother. As you soon became drenched by the rain, you looked to Daichi, who held onto your hand.

“I have a dance to finish,” you smiled. Daichi grinned, placing his hand back onto your waist and once again, guided you along the dance floor.

It was just the two of you, dazzling under the stormy moonlight. As lightning struck and thunder boomed, you kept your eyes on Sawamura. How he made you laugh, calling you reckless for proposing this idea. Even as the floor became even more slippery, you and Daichi didn’t stop. Soon, the orchestra came back, playing for you. Drums sounding along with the sound of thunder, causing goosebumps on your skin.

The two of you caught your breath, panting as water droplets dripped down your lips. You wrapped your arms around his neck, keeping you balanced. Without realizing it, yours and Sawamura’s foreheads were pressed against each other. Daichi locked eyes with you, placing his hand under your chin.

“I think it’s safe to say that you took my breath away.”

~

The two of you went inside the palace a short time later. Anita brought you both towels to dry yourselves off.

You now sat with the prince on the grand staircase. The two of you talked about all kinds of things. He told you about Karasuno, you told him about what there was to do around your kingdom. He listened happily to every word you had to say.

“You’ll have to show me around soon, I didn’t get to explore much today,” he said. You nodded.

“I would love to do that.”

“Excuse me, Your Highness, we must be going.”

You looked over to the man who entered with the prince earlier. You sighed, almost wishing he didn't have to leave.

“Very well, just one moment please.”

Daichi stood up from the steps. He helped you up as well.

“It was such a pleasure meeting you Y/N. I wish we didn’t have to part so soon,” he smiled.

“As do I. I hope you have safe travels, and the next time you’re here I will happily show you around.” Daichi smiled.

“I would love that.”

He carefully took your hand, kissing the top of it. He took his soaked suit jack and draped it over his shoulder before joining Sugawara. You sighed.

“He really is perfect.”

•

[ taglist OPEN : @lealofsblog @iwaisa @bakugousmymassa @evivn1 @tetsoleil @bokutory @vangoghmusings @moonlightaangel @misszenin @marajillana @asahisimpnation @sopesmin @alaina-rose13 @shotoful @koutarousangel @shoutamajiki @definitelynottrin @sullen-angel24 @thatprettybunny ]

[aethelflaedladyofmercia]

Heya! For the soft ineffable fic prompt, maybe seeing each other in pyjamas for the first time could work?

This took a bit, and went a few different directions, but I think I’m mostly satisfied!

--

“Er, Crowley? Are you…finished in there?”

“In a minute!” He glared into the mirror, adjusting every hair to lay perfectly in place. Rumpled, but not too rumpled. As if he cared, but didn’t…actually care.

Finally satisfied, he checked his teeth one last time (perfect, as always, though it was always good to look for a spot of green veg or the fangs that sometimes appeared when he was nervous) and ran his hands down his new pyjama shirt. It was black – very black – and a silk so smooth it felt like water, cool to the touch. All of his clothes were a combination of the finest designer wear and even-more-designer versions that he manifested himself. These were from one of the more exclusive shops in London. He had a simple pair that he usually miracled up, but for tonight…he needed something special.

“Crowley, your third cup of tea is about to grow cold, at this point it’s just irresponsible—”

“I said one minute!”

He eyed the door anxiously.

It wasn’t the first time they’d, well, made a night of it. Crowley had fallen asleep on Aziraphale’s sofa for decades (usually, though not always, after a night of heavy drinking). That first night in Crowley’s flat, awaiting the judgement of their former sides, they’d held each other for dear life, Crowley briefly falling asleep with his head in Aziraphale’s lap.

Afterwards, well, things had gotten interesting.

Neither angels nor demons had any natural desire for physical intimacy – sexual or otherwise. But the two of them had always been curious. And Crowley, at least, had learned very quickly that he liked few things as much as he liked the warmth of Aziraphale at his side, the press of their fingers twined together, the weight of the angel’s head on his shoulder as they sat together and talked of anything, or nothing.

He also discovered that he slept much better when he had…company.

They approached the idea cautiously, nervously. Sometimes, when Crowley stayed too late at the bookshop and sought his usual spot on the sofa, he found Aziraphale sitting there already, offering a lap to rest his head on, soft fingers to brush through bright red hair. Other times, when Aziraphale visited his flat, and they sat on the balcony watching the stars (light pollution didn’t dare intrude on Crowley’s domain), Crowley would drift off, curled up against that soft, warm chest.

But always as a sort of accident. This was the first time it was…deliberate. Planned. And, if you got right down to it, in a bed.

Crowley’s bed. Their bed, now, he supposed. Maybe. If it went well.

He glared at his hair again, and the silk of the pyjamas. Too clinging? Not clinging enough? What was the…the appeal with that? Was he supposed to show off…he tugged at the collar, wide like lapels, and felt slightly at a loss. Collarbones? He thought he’d heard they were considered…attractive.

“Crowley, do I have to come in there and—”

“I’m coming.” He slid his glasses back on and stepped out the bathroom door. Aziraphale stood down the hall, next to the bedroom, with an impatient look, a mug of chamomile and…

“Are you seriously wearing that?”

“I don’t know what you might be referring to.” Aziraphale glanced down with a frown. He wore an ankle-length white shirt, loose from the mid-chest down, with collar and sleeves fitted almost as closely as those of the shirt he wore during the day. On his head was a night-cap, long point hanging down to his shoulder, with a tartan puff ball at the end of it.

“Angel…that’s…it’s not…fashionable.”

“Isn’t it?” He swung his shoulders, sending a ripple down the voluminous lengths of fabric. “They were all the rage the last time I slept. Quite the modern thing, I’d thought. Before that, we slept naked.”

“Eurgh, yeah. I remember.” Crowley walked down the hall and took the mug from Aziraphale. “These days people wear…well…this.” He gestured to his carefully selected and perfectly arranged black silk ensemble.

“Oh. Well. I suppose that’s comfortable enough. Very, ehm. Chic.” His eyes flitted up to Crowley’s carefully arranged hair. “How do you keep your head warm while you sleep?”

“Central heating?” He raised the mug to his lips, scowling. “No one wears a night cap anymore, Aziraphale. Or…that.” He gestured to the nightshirt.

“I see.” Aziraphale twisted his fingers together. “Ah. Look. I. It would appear I’ve gotten this wrong. Oh. Bother…I just…”

Crowley felt a twinge of guilt. He knew that look on Aziraphale’s face, and he never wanted to be the one who put it there. “Look, Angel, it’s not that big a—”

“No, no. I’ve made a-a dreadful faux pas. Probably made the whole affair…er, that is…I’ve made things…Why don’t I just, well, I could change into…”

The angel raised his fingers to snap, but Crowley intercepted them, caught them in his hand. “Hang on. Are you comfortable?”

“I generally am in this. But that doesn’t mean—”

“S’fine then.” Crowley shuffled a little closer, shyly, not quite sure what to do with the hand he held. “Look…no one’s gonna see it but us. And I’ll be asleep. So, you don’t have to please anyone but yourself.” He shook his head, wishing he could figure out what he wanted to say. “I want you to be comfortable. Here.”

“Er. I am. Usually. I just. Do you like it?” He looked up with hopeful blue-grey eyes.

Crowley leaned down, brushed his lips across Aziraphale’s cheek. It was still new – still strange – but he liked the tingling rush it gave him, the way the round curve of Aziraphale’s skin dipped just slightly under pressure, the way Aziraphale smiled as Crowley stepped back. “Suits you.”

“Ah. Good. And yours is…” he tilted his head. “Very, er, demonic. I like the…black.” He gestured vaguely. “And the…collarbones?”

“Yeah, I think they’re supposed to, umm…” Crowley tugged at the collar again, “look like…like this.” He coughed and took a large gulp of chamomile. “Right, shall we?”

But Aziraphale was still studying Crowley’s outfit with critical pursed lips. “Something doesn’t seem quite right. Something is missing.”

“Nh. And you’re the expert now? You haven’t thought of sleepwear once in two hundred years!”

“One hundred-fifty, actually, but that’s a story for another time.” He stepped closer, tugged at the pocket of Crowley’s pyjama shirt. “And I do happen to be an expert in you.”

“You’re not going to add tartan, are you?”

Unfortunately, Aziraphale’s eyes lit up. “I know just the thing!” And before Crowley could object, he snapped his fingers.

At first, it appeared nothing had changed – black silk, shirt, trousers. It was only when he tugged at the collar again that Crowley found them.

At the widest part of the pyjama lapels, two embroidered ducks had appeared – on the left, a red one with little horns; on the right, a white one with a tartan bow tie.

“Angel!”

“Quite right.” Aziraphale rose up on his toes and pressed his lips to Crowley’s collarbone. He was getting to like that a lot, too, the hot press, the lingering warmth, the roll of breath across his face as Aziraphale stepped back again. “It suits you.”

“Mrrrrgh.” Crowley groaned and shuffled his feet, and downed the last of his chamomile, before he sighed and conceded: “They do, don’t they?” That earned him another angelic smile.

Crowley slipped his hand around Aziraphale’s waist, and together they turned to face the glass-fronted door of the bedroom. “Are you ready?”

Aziraphale leaned his weight against Crowley’s side and nodded.

And together, they stepped across the threshold.

[skekheck]

What are your thoughts on the Weta statues? Can you take some more pics of them please?

OOF I’m sorry I said I would take pics yesterday but life got in the way. I would do them today, but it’s raining pretty hard right now. I don’t have good lighting or photography equipment on hand so I rely on sunlight to take pictures. I’ll be sure to take more pictures when I get the chance. Also not gonna lie I’ve been very busy staring and admiring these statues dfghjk. They’re distracting and they give me a big dose of serotonin. 

Overall the statues are fantastic and high quality. The molding, the paint job, the textures, THE DETAILS: it’s all great. It’s very much worth the hefty price they set for it. I know plenty of people have complained about this, but when you see them in real life and are able to really look at all the little details they put in you’ll understand why they’re expensive. I should also mention the product design for their boxes are nice too. Like they have little designs on them that are reflective with nice photos of the statues themselves and stills from the show on it. 

Also, while I was nerve-wrecked about the statues breaking or snapping while being shipped (as I heard of horror stories of people experiencing this), I was relieved to find that none of mine were harmed. I ordered the statues from the Weta website and it was shipped from their warehouses so that might be why. People who had issues with their statues breaking apparently ordered from different store companies (like BigBadToystore). If you want to order from these statues, I suggest doing so from the Weta Website. 

I have the Hup and Brea statues as well and I bought them while they were on sale last month. They could have another sale so keep an eye out. Both are very nice. Assembly is very simple with the character and their stands. They’re nicely sized you can display them on bookshelves and such without them taking too much space. 

Now the BIG BOYS. Like I knew they were going to be big and I saw the dimensions and everything but I still underestimated how BIG they were going to be, especially when paired with the smaller statues.  Like Brea is 4.92" x 7.67" x 5.7" (W x H x D)  meanwhile skekMal is 11.81" x 15.74" x 12.59"  and urVa’s 16.92" x 21.45" x 12.59". Not to mention the boxes they came in are big too. The front of their boxes open and they show you behind the scenes photos of them making the statues while having the character descriptions they have displayed on their website. Cool stuff!  Because they’re so huge they do require more assembly. I was particularly surprised to open up skekMal’s box and found him headless and I thought his head was missing until I found the piece. Also his toenail was so sharp it pierced through the plastic and I guess the person who packaged him up put a piece of styrofoam on it to protect it from chipping. His was easy to put together: his sheaths and one of his trophies were magnetic so they fit in perfectly. Getting him onto his stand was a little tough for me because he was heavier, but didn’t have any trouble. UrVa was a little tougher to put together but it was mostly because he was heavy (he’s like 16 lbs). His arrows were the most annoying to put together because they were flimsy. For one of them there’s a small groove on his bow to place the arrow on, but I had to fiddle with it to position it correctly. Same with the other one. If the statue gets shaken, it’s very easy for the arrows to fall out of place. 

But let me talk about their details because HOLY SHIT IT’S SO FUN TO LOOK AT. Like they went all out on these statues to the point their clothing has DIFFERENT TEXTURES. UrVa’s is great for that with all the individual stitches and accessories on his outfit. I’m particularly obsessed with skekMal’s because they painted his back in a way that made the cloth look transparent (which the actual fabric is like in the show so kudos to that attention to detail). I also just weirdly like the paint job is for his claws and toenails? I don’t know why, but it looks realistic and gross and I love it. His trophies too are also really nice. I do have some complaints about skekMal’s statue and they’re very minor. I’m a little disappointed they didn’t color the eyeballs on his pants. Like the molding is there, but it’s the same color as his pants and I dunno I wanted to see how they’d paint his other gross trophies. Also the brown and beige clothing he wears around his neck and on his person is gold, brown and purple? I’m not sure if this was from a prototype of his puppet, but it’s brown and beige in the show so I’m not sure why they did that. But that’s really it like that doesn’t damper how much of an amazing statue it is and they’re nitpicks at best. It was well worth the money.

I know a lot of people were complaining about the statues being limited and “overpriced”, but like they’re super high-quality and big. You could pay them up front or under a payment plan. What’s cool about the payment plan is that they don’t charge you interest so I was happy about that. However, the lowest plan was $124 a month (at least for skekMal, I forget how much urVa’s plan was) so it may not be reasonable for some people. As of right now, skekMal is still available but he’s low in stock. UrVa’s no longer available, but Weta will relaunch him to get the rest of the stock out from people who canceled their pre-orders. So if you want him, you may still be able to get him without dealing with scalpers. 

[druid-for-hire]

new Hadestown au, ICARUS!ORPHEUS, wherein orpheus is not the world’s greatest musician but rather the world’s greatest inventor/mechanic/tinkerer. his creations are wondrous and beautiful and a miracle. Orpheus his mission is to create something that will repair the world--take what’s broken, make it whole.

Orpheus is still very much an artist--only his art in this AU is visual instead of auditory. and he’s still poor! not everything he makes is immediately useful for survival and y’know, hardly anyone has the money to buy things, and he has a propensity to just. give things away, especially the smaller trinkets he makes. and they take a Long Time to make. so he still works at hermes’ bar

SO!!!

this orpheus is body pain solidarity KDSKFJH

he has a fucked up back from all the heavy lifting he does around the workshop, being hunched over while he works on stuff, and being stuck in weird positions for extended periods of time when he’s working on machines and whatever, especially the bigger ones

also he’s got a wrist brace

he has a set of gear he wears a lot especially when he’s in his workshop

1) his wing pack! he built it himself and he’s proud. the pack was also made to help with his back problems. he doesn’t wear his mechanic gear when he’s working at the bar, but sometimes he’ll leave the wings on because back hurty. also, following w icarus, the wings are kept smooth & together and waterproofed w wax, kinda like a gloss. he reapplies every so often

2) his goggles! every part about the design is impractical (the red lenses and the beak) but i like them. they protect his eyes from flying bits and sparks and sawdust etc. when he’s working and wind when he’s flying

3) his boots! they’re sturdy workin’ boots, and have a talon function to clasp onto and lift things up. especially useful for moving bigger things around the workshop, up to higher levels and what have you, and he gets to flit around the whole space with minimal usage of ladders. (yes, they’re inspired by Vulture’s boots from Spider-Man: Homecoming)

(ALSO. the model of his wings are white crow wings, bc of the myth of Coronis)

because in greek mythology, crows started out white and had beautiful voices and the reason they turned black and got croaky calls is because a crow had to tell Apollo that his lover, Coronis, left him to marry a mortal 

and Apollo got so upset he burned the crow and then burned Coronis to death, or burned the crow and then turned Coronis into a crow, depending on the version

(thanks to @princessponies81 for helping me figure this bit out)

so there are some... parallels here

also, IIRC crow wings are elliptical-type wings, meaning they’re good for a lot of control and maneuverability in tight spaces. good for the workshop

also he makes automata too! he has this little mockingbird to help him around the workshop. lots of calls for lots of signals, like how a car will have diff beep signals for low gas or parking brake on or door left open or key left in etc... little bird can measure and alert for lots of things

he’s also less noodle-y than canon orpheus because of how much he uses his arms and legs doing lifting, work, and flying

he’s not like. Built or anything. but hes got some strength to him

he doesn’t just make really good machines either; he’s absolutely as skilled in fine, delicate things as much as the big pieces—he sees the details himself, has to make it himself, he’s as skilled in silversmithy or goldsmithy as he is in mechanics, and i imagine he has skills in metallurgy too. maybe even a bit of glassblowing? just for piece assembly. all his pieces will fit most perfectly if he makes them himself

things like the Silver Swan automaton (i’d link a video but external links are illegal on tumblr)

also... i don’t know if they manage to get married this time, but they at least get the wedding bands

lover, tell me, if you can--who’s gonna make the wedding bands?

@supercantaloupe: the river gonna give us the wedding bands -- he draws the mineral, the stones from the silt, and crafts them himself

SO, he charms eurydice with one (or many) of his dazzling creations that also have usages in practicality and survival

as is the youzhe, she leaves when he gets to obsessive with working on something, holed up in his workshop instead of like. Surviving the winter

they last longer into the winter this time though because again, he does have a couple of machines good for tiding over the winter and surviving, and eurydice can operate them. but he’s too caught up with creating something to fix the world to repair them when they break down

when he leaves, he leaves his mockingbird to take care of his workshop while he’s gone. make sure there’s not leaks or fires, etc., keep everything in working order

the trip to hadestown still takes a long time, but less time than in canon, given that orpheus gets there on a pair of wings, though he gets grounded plenty of times due to bad weather. plus, his wings aren’t really meant for long-distance

so in the end the time still matches up; the events underground still happen on the onset of proper spring

he sails over the wall of the Styx on his wings, but it’s a feat easier said than done; it really is high and wide, just... hundreds of feet tall, and i headcanon that the “wall” is in fact seven layers of fortification because some myths say the River Styx wraps around the underworld seven times

and he is not a high altitude flier

uhhhhhhhhh blah blah something something ... i’m not clear on all the details but here are a few things:

orpheus gets the shit kicked out of him in Papers as usual and the fates hold his wings over him instead of his guitar

i have no idea how If It’s True goes

SOMEWHERE there’s Hey Little Songbird II (thank you to @supercantaloupe​ for authoring this idea);

it's Hades to Orpheus this time. Ironic, as he sings and flies, a real songbird.

and orpheus, that inspired inventor, that mechanic, that engineer, blessed by Hephaestus himself, being tempted to stay. It's a marvel of engineering, those factories. But they're rough around the edges, dirty, inefficient, unrefined. Imagine all the work he could do. Imagine how grand it would be, with just his help. And imagine how much fun it would be to fix it all!

but since he's fallen in love - and lost her once already - he has to pause and think. it's too good to be true, isn't it? Is it true? Can he really stay here forever, with parts and tools and endless projects worthy of his skill and attention - at least, without her?

ok back to me writing stuffs

there is no Epic I / Epic II / Epic III; the titles are now Trial I / Trial II / Trial III, like trial runs of prototypes, and on the third one it has a double meaning as a trial of judgement

Trial III goes as such:

(and thank you to @ferretteeth for this)

Hades orders him to build.  An impressive invention in turn for his life – a chance he gives only because his wife is smitten with interest. 

Orpheus gets three days and no more, and when he is finally ordered to come before the throne of basalt and steel he brings his invention. And Hades gives a curt, mocking laugh, because all Orpheus has in his hands is a simple box of bronze, cheap and adorably human. 

 He almost orders for Orpheus' death the moment he sees it, but then the boy lifts the lid and reveals a mechanical flower. Petals made out of metal rusted rosy, nectar of flecks of fool's gold. 

Delicate and beautiful; extremely finely spun, as if the metal were only woven fibers. It is as soft as any silk.

"Where did you get that," the king snaps in a hurry. "How did you know–" 

And then, with the twist of a key, the invention reveals to be a music box and long lost chords fill the Underworld.

(i originally had the idea that he builds a planetarium that replicates the summer above, a caught snippet of the thing that hades could never make on a large scale. a beautiful thing with flowers that blossomed and played the old song as hades brushed his hands across them, sun above. but i figured it’s probably more in line with the sensibilities of Hadestown if orpheus had created something less... grand)

so eurydice and orpheus are granted their chance to leave.

i’m not sure what the test is, because he’s got to fly out with eurydice clutched in his talons, and i want him to be as much a victim of his doubt as in canon

but he has to follow this flight path with absolute perfection, down to the flap. you fly too high, the flames of hadestown will catch him. he flies too low, the flames of hadestown will catch her.

i think, in his paranoia, he flies too high, and his wings catch fire

his wings are on fire--his arms are strapped in to them. he’s burning up. he’s burning.

he’s slowing down in his ascent. in a moment, he knows that if they’re going to make it, it’ll only be one of them, and... he’s not going to drop eurydice. he can’t do that to her.

when his wings can no longer climb, he throws her the final distance to the surface. she turns around and reaches desperately for him, but he’s too far away.

he falls. a comet.

he breaks.

the fact is, he dies

but he dies in hadestown. so now he’s just... well, one, no chance of going back aboveground. two, now he’s... sitting at the bottom of that long climb, broken and in pain, surrounded by the charred skeleton of his wings, broken and burned feathers, drips of melted oil and wax, and blood

he’s... there for a long time, just suffering, before someone comes to see if they made it out, and finds him at the bottom

hades sees this as an opportunity to bring him back, let him heal, and put him onto projects, perhaps “to get your mind off of it all,” but. orpheus doesn’t want to work. he doesn’t want to do anything

thanks to supercanteloupe again for co-authoring this section:

Hades says he'll squander his god given talents to just sit around all day but Orpheus won't listen

hades has just zero fucking clue how to deal with a depressed human

"have I not given him all he could want, metal, tools, a workbench? Bed, bread, fire? Strength in his bones? And yet he refuses still? The boy must be mad," he cries, angry

@s-aint-elmo: "i got a new mechanist" 

“you ruined a perfectly good talented young man is what you did. look at him, he's got depression"

persephone herself is a mess (less so after Trial III) but she has at least some sense—she is more in touch with mortals than him, spending time with them up on the surface and throwing revels, but also greeting those who lost their lovers/sisters/brothers/mothers/fathers in the winter before

persephone encouraging orpheus to build, not for her sake or for Hades', but for his own. little flowers, little birds, wind up toys and music boxes. something to keep him going

s-aint-elmo: she brings him pressed flowers from the surface, little trinkets, tokens of the green. orpheus only lets the first few wilt and rot at the corner of his table.

flowers bloom until they rot and fall apart

it's a sad, painful reminder

he eventually has the resolve to rebuild his wing pack—better this time, because really, he feels crippled without them after living w em for so long

edit: (and the feathers are black, a la the crow myth)

when hades first sees him like, passing by w wings on his back, he turns to persephone like “what have you been saying to him?” “only what he needs to hear, husband”

he has a great fear of actually getting off the ground at first, though

he’ll perch at the edge of a rooftop, but... doesn’t move. it’s a leap of faith he doesn’t feel like he can take

he always saw air as just a medium to move through, that it would support him, as easy as swimming

now he sees straight through it to the ground

he has burn scars across the entire back of his arms, hands, and fingers

it’s a reminder every time he gets to working

rough patchy skin. calloused fingers from work

big sigh

eurydice goes home.

there is the empty shell of his workshop. his many machines and trinkets and tools and his hundreds of unfinisheds and thousands of scraps of plans, and… his bird left to care for the shop after god knows how many weeks or months.

it flies down and greets her, some string of whistles and beeps she only half understands. then it asks for orpheus

she tells it that he fell; he’s not coming back, it’s too late

the bird sticks by her from there on out, the last “living” remnant of her lover, besides his shell of a workshop

ok i haven’t thought farther than this, please have fun with this au i think it’s a new favorite alongside Unswayed AU & Apartments AU

[shimzus-a2]

“when am i gonna get my shrine maiden kiyoko and guy-who-visits-shrine-4-his-granny kita slowburn 3.6k 1.8k word starter,” said @kainan​ “bet,” said i.

        SHE’S NORMALLY SLOW & DILIGENT in her daily ministrations. though simple tasks she’s bound by her word to complete— cleaning the temples by hand, leading guests to the omikuji, & watching over the monks as they meditate in the mornings— kiyoko works at her own speed. there’s no rush to duty, but no reason for her to slack, either. eventually, everything will be completed. 

        she’s lucky to have moved beyond her days as a mere temple servant, into her own right as a shrine maiden. the work is still the same ( & she can’t complain about that, when it needs to be done ), but the expectations for her have lightened. she isn’t drilled to finish her tasks early, or scolded for the ways that she accomplishes them. when she was younger, that was often the case. the monks forced her to RUN FAST & JUMP HIGH, performing at the highest expectations possible. 

        more often than not, the rush would overtake her. with wind sweeping across her bangs & through the sleeves of her yukata as she carried a new branch of wood for the temple fireplace, kiyoko ran the full circle of the temple grounds at the calling whim of her superiors. her reliable legs carried her far, bounding gracefully over the uneven stone pathways that had seen hundreds of years of wear before her. [ had she been the only one to run across them ? ] as far as kiyoko knew, nobody else was likely to run here. the monks walked silently across the stones, & the other servants in her cohort scurried … even the guests took their sweet time when they visited. but she ran.

        gracefulness still has its limits, and running so much was always bound to lead to mistakes. kiyoko fell often, no matter how much focus & attention she paid to her feet or the uneven stones beneath them. one wrong step— her geta catching on the edge of one— & she’d meet solid ground again. it was frustrating, but sturdy : a reminder that RUNNING isn’t FLYING, & for all the excitement it could build up in her chest, the ground would always be there to catch her again … to level her out.

        the monks liked to say that they were spirits tripping her. they liked to play games on people, especially young girls who hadn’t learned much yet. [ kiyoko had learned enough, though, she thought. why target her & not someone more powerful ? ] if anything, it seemed like TRIPPING her would give them nothing but a good laugh. & even then … kiyoko grew used to the feeling of the uneven stones on her back, pressing awkwardly into her spine when she rolled onto them & stared up into the sky to catch her breath. she grew used to the feeling of scars on her legs, too, & felt grateful that her yukata would hide them from view.

        but she doesn’t need to run anymore. her superiors don’t press her as hard, & she’s grown perfectly accustomed to walking instead, now. it delivers the same results, & she doesn’t trip. so at her own pace, quietly but responsibly, she completes her duties as a shrine maiden.

        only … today is a bit different. the temple has always seemed like a SECOND WORLD, & by its own rights, it is. the bridge between a mortal plane & that of the gods must inherently feel different somehow. perhaps their visitors don’t realize it ( since they only ever come to pray in times of hardship, when they need to rely on the gods for good grades or success in love ), but someone who has spent every day living & working here would recognize it. 

        there’s a quiet change in the way that the temple operates, in comparison to the world outside. as soon as kiyoko sets foot beyond the torii gate entrance, the world swells with sounds & sensations of physical GROUNDEDNESS. a horn honks, or someone shouts, or a sign for a convenience store starts blinking from loss of power. they all feel deafening in comparison to the world inside the gate. in the temples, those sounds & sensations are more muffled & subtle. the plinking sound of water being dripped into a stone basin is almost like the steady whisper from a god, leading one along their path. the carefully drawn seals placed above every doorway inside are a reminder of the monks who came before, each with their own life & their own tie to this place. the world outside may be blaringly abrasive & direct, but within the temples, life is quiet & subtle. every element here poses a hidden story & meaning. there is more beyond the surface, laying in wait to be uncovered.

        those worlds don’t mix well. kiyoko finds herself feeling out of place outside, unsure of how to act & how to hold herself. similarly, those guests she always saw visiting seemed out of place here. they may go through the process of making their offerings, praying for luck & guidance, & dismissing themselves … but do they truly know why they do so ? it seems to kiyoko like they’re visitors from another world, wedging themselves into a place where they don’t fit because they don’t understand. 

        even him. she’s spied him here before— regularly, even— but it’s clear that he’s still from another world. he may seem to be more respectful than their usual visits, & certainly more diligent about coming regularly … but not her kind.

        if she were to give into her curiosities, perhaps she’d try to create a story for him to explain his purpose here. [ a man with a gambling debt, & with each day he’d gamble a bit more away & lose, he’d feel he needed to come here to ask the gods for more … or perhaps not even someone with a vested interest in the gods, but instead a budding architect curious about the history of the buildings & their designs ? ] with any less self-restraint to her name, perhaps kiyoko would have given him plenty of stories already. with the frequency of his visits, it would be hard not to exhaust every ounce of creativity her brain might have …

        but she maintains her virtue of self-restraint & chooses not to indulge in those stories when she spies him. it’s not really her business why he comes, in any case ; instead, her interest should be vested in her own responsibilities, than in those of others. whatever reason he has for making his regular attendances, it doesn’t concern her. it’s probably a good enough reason for him, & if he’s found a way to make use of their space, then she won’t bother him. 

        though today, of course, is different. if their worlds are not quite the same, that’s fine. kiyoko can accept the nuances of her lifestyle that conflict with his beyond this place. if the world could be categorized that simply— into two worlds like this— then life would be easy. but a third is at play, & it complicates things. 

        she’s never been to the world of the gods before, nor would she know what to expect of it. simply trying to gather her thoughts to make a guess about it feels like a feeble attempt at pinning down the UNKNOWN, so she won’t even try. there are things that can’t ever know, & this is certainly one of them. the world bends for the gods, & always has : they dip their fingers into her world & his, grazing across each like stray cows in an open pasture. but she can’t turn her eyes to their world in return, or dip a finger into it. as a mortal, all she can do is show her respect & devotion, & hope that in doing so she can appease some of the angrier gods into a state of calm. 

        she can also ensure that she clears out the temple from those in the way of the gods. kiyoko has done something similar before, although not to the degree of this occasion. sometimes, the monks might instruct her to convey to the guests their intent to close early ( for ‘ cleaning ’ ). in that case, all that kiyoko needed to do was to patter around the grounds & share the message : i’m so sorry to interrupt you, but it’s important you know. the temple will be closing a bit early today so that it can undergo its scheduled cleaning. if you can, please be sure to hurry along & finish up your visit— we wouldn’t want to inconvenience you with the ruckus of the cleaning. that, albeit indirect ( & a lie ), usually worked.

        this instance was a bit different, though, & kiyoko hadn’t been given a full explanation as to why. she wasn’t a very high-ranking staff member, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t welcome at important meetings for the whole temple staff. she would simply be asked to sit to the side & listen, rather than contribute or express her opinion. [ but that’s fine. so long as she was able to observe what was happening, she could form her own approach quietly to herself. ]

        however, at this meeting, even sitting to the side & observing wasn’t enough to understand the circumstances. kiyoko had heard bits & pieces, more so as separate words strung together haphazardly than as anything resembling a true, definitive explanation. THE GODS ARE COMING. YATAGARASU. IT’S IMPORTANT THIS TIME. THE TEMPLE MUST BE EMPTY. THEY’RE COMING. 

        it would seem as though this were just another case of a godly ‘ visitation. ’ kiyoko would have to clear out the temple grounds & prepare to host the presence of a god, though she had never actually seen one visit. they were small, anyways, & preferred not to show their physical selves when the spiritual, unbodied form worked well enough. 

        the looks on the monks’ faces conveyed clearly enough to kiyoko that this was not ‘ just another case. ’ they had stressed the importance of this occasion, & the fact that the space needed to be CLEAR. so although she might not have understood it fully, nor been given the chance to ask any clarifying questions, kiyoko was certain of her tasks.

        she would do as she always did when trying to clear out her world & separate it from that of the mortal world outside. however, this time, she would be a bit more fervent in her attempts, simply to speed things up. 

        it’s why she doesn’t feel bad or impolite about tapping him on the shoulder with her index finger, her bangs unsettled by the rising wind & her cheeks nipped by the cold.  ❛  anou … i’m sorry. i know you come here often, but the temple will be closing early today. we’re cleaning up the space. so if you could … make your peace & part …  ❜

[moomingitz]

I'm not sure if you have played the Nuts & Bolts Banjo-Kazooie game but what are your thoughts on the character designs in it?

Unlike a lot of people who obviously have never even touched it, I actually have played and finished it. So I think I can say I have an actual informed and unbiased opinion of the game and the aspects of it, and not just say, “Muh childhood! I feel so betrayed! :’C “.

For characters who returned in, Nuts & Bolts, I’m gonna have their designs from the first and second games side-by-side with their designs from the latter game for comparison sake. Gotta start with the two main titular characters, of course.

Banjo and Kazooie

If these two embody all of the positive aspects of the first two game’s art direction, well then their character designs in Nuts & Bolts embody all of the negative aspects of that game’s art direction.

I get what they were trying to do by making Banjo and Kazooie look more blocky. They wanted to imitate the polygonal look of the N64 games. But with all of the textures and detail this game has unlike the N64 games, it just doesn’t really work here. The appeal of their character designs was the rounded cartoonish style and googly eyes. Banjo especially is not the most flattering to look at. Ugh, his eyes! Kazooie looks better, but she doesn’t really look like a breegul anymore and looks more like a cartoon goose, and the feather detailing is making me think of Viva Pinata more than an organic bird.

It’s not like the art direction is automatically bad, because besides one other character, the other character designs in N&B aren’t half bad. I would say some of the designs themselves, when divorced from the blocky aesthetic, are actually improvements over the older designs. But for some reason the two main characters got the worst of it. While the in-game models actually look better than the more detailed promotional stock models, these two still look off in the game itself.

Bottles

They made him look really cute here. I like how they not only gave him that suit and tie to help him better fit his role as Showdown Town’s info guy, but he now has claws like an actual mole. It’s nice to see his model in Smash kept them.

Mumbo

I don’t like it. Something about it just looks off. It’s probably the more blocky look for his head and the overalls, but N&B Mumbo looks like the douchey Jock Chad type you wanted to avoid in high school.

Gruntilda

It’s pretty cool. Seeing how Grunty had been reduced to a skeletal head by the end of Tooie, I always thought eventually having to resort to using an artificial body was the only appropriate next step. This wouldn’t be the first time she’s done that, too. She put her spirit into a mech in the GBA game(which took place in between the first and second game).

Humba

This is one of the redesigns in Nuts & Bolts where I think it was an improvement over the original one. Humba now has a design with more character and thought put into it, instead of just looking like someone wearing a cheap sexy “Native American” costume.

But, the crux of this redesign is how Humba doesn’t even look like the same character anymore, and for some reason she even looks younger compared to her original Tooie design. I seriously thought she was a different character when I first saw her Nuts & Bolts redesign. Maybe they could at the very least change her facial structure to resemble her old one and give her back the dark brown hair she originally had. I think that would help make a difference.

Klungo

For most of the part I like this one. I like how his coat looks all tattered up, and the stitches in his skin show you all of the abuse he’s had to endure from Grunty; or maybe they came from accidents in the lab. His head structure however, I don’t know. I like the more rounded look of the N64 one more. At least it’s not this.

Jinjos

This one I’m mixed on. I like the spotty details on their N&B design, I actually prefer to draw their snouts more like this, and they no longer look like they’re trying to set me on fire with their stare. However, the Jinjo’s eyes in this game make them look like they’re sick.

However, the game’s more jagged aesthetics works perfectly for the Minjos.

King Jingaling

I like it for most of the part. The new outfit definitely fits him. Remove the Bingo motiff and it would make for a good new permanent wardrobe.

Captain Blubber

It’s Captain Blubber, but with more detail and some minor changes with his outfit. Not much else to say, really. His eyes are all baggy now for some reason. I guess it was from all of the, well, blubbering he does.

Boggy

I like the outfit they gave him. But the face, man. It’s the same problem I mentioned about Banjo’s design in this game.

Jolly Roger/Dodger

Out of all the redesigns in Nuts & Bolts, I think this is the best one. It’s not only a vast improvement over the old one(not like I thought it was bad to begin with of course) and a fun looking redesign, but it makes me wonder what the hell happened between Tooie and Nuts & Bolts for someone like Jolly to go from being mayor, to some shady dude selling Jiggies and pirated video games on the black market.

Also, I think Jolly has the best alternate outfits in the game, too.

I do wonder why his skin pigmentation went from an olive green to a pale lime green, though. But even that could be explained with how some frogs can change their skin color as a method of camouflage; that would only be fitting with Jolly going around doing illegal stuff.

Mr. Fit

It’s Mr. Fit, but with more detail and being more in line with the game’s more blocky art direction. It strangely works in this character’s case. I actually think he looks better in Nuts & Bolts.

LOG

I don’t care how much y’all want to keep crying about how LOG “ruined” your childhood, he looks cool! It’s a simple design, but still a clever and well done one. This is actually how I would imagine an all powerful God of video games if there was one. His head is not only a TV, but the fact his face is PONG is a nice touch; he even plays a game of PONG with himself in one of his idle animations. He even has cute little computer mice, too!

Piddles

I like the color palette and she reminds me of Halloween. But, what the hell is going on with her body!? I guess they wanted to make it look like her front torso was tall and imposing in a more stylistic sense(judging from her concept art), but it just looks like she has a long giraffe neck if anything.

Trophy Thomas

He looks more like a “furry” character, but you know what? It mostly works for the type of character he is: A douchey egotist, who thinks he’s such hot shit that he placed a giant statue of himself on top of his house. He even has hipster looking thick rimmed glasses. Also, it’s nice to see a male anthro character have “hair” for a change, instead of it just being a female specific design element.

This is one of those cases where the character’s in-game model looks better than the detailed promotional one.

Change up his head shape some and I can see his character design easily transferring over to the first two game’s more round and cartoony style.

Pikelet

He’s a cop, so he’s a pig. Can’t say much else, really. It serves it’s purpose.

[hilllsnholland]

White Party

Rich!Tom x Reader 

Wc: 3k 

Warnings: smut, oral (f receiving), drinking, and swearing 

Summary: The party might look innocent, but your intentions are as naughty as they come 

Thick, hot late-summer air created a dreamy haze around the White Party. The richest of rich, the most affluent people in the world gathered at the Holland’s summer house for the last bash of the season. Fall would soon arrive and the aristocrats wanted one more excuse to drink expensive wine and complain about mundane problems. 

You were dressed in a short white dress with small crystals covering the bodice. Your lips were sporting the perfect shade of red lipstick, one of Tom’s favorite colors on you. A beautiful silver chain hung from your neck, a ring with your initials engraved into it. A gift from Tom, who was now no where to be seen. It would be the first outing as a couple for the two of you but he was so busy schmoozing he’d completely forgot about you. So now you were stuck talking to Holly and April about tory nonsense. 

“Wouldn’t it be nice to go on holiday in Belize?” Holly asks you with wine coming to her lips. “They got loads of beaches and those tropical huts with the hammocks! It’s an Instagram dream!” 

“Uh-huh…yeah. Great…weather,” You look around for your boyfriend but he’s hidden amongst the white-clad guests. Holly frowns at you.

“You can’t expect him to be at your side you know,” April narrows her eyes at you. “He has a party to host. You’re a big girl,” 

April was trying to be helpful but it came out in a condescending manner. You ignored her though, placing your glass on the table and leaving them. Tom had an obligation yes, but you wanted some attention too. You could be by his side, making the diplomats laugh with your witty humor. But no, you were on the sidelines talking about designer shoes and holidays trips. It was mind-numbing when you wanted to be a part of the action. 

That’s all you wanted, to be included in on the fun. There was deep conversations to be had, but your friends were not the brightest in the bunch after having one too many Bellinis. Which is why you wanted to show your brains, and beauty, off with Tom. The two of you would be the dynamic couple of the socialite scene. Not like it mattered, but it would make you happy knowing that everyone adored the coupling. 

You cross the party, looking everywhere to find Tom. You catch glimpses of his parents and brothers, but none of them have your boyfriend in your grasp. Harrison is standing in the doorway of the summer house, fanning himself off with a napkin, a white suit making his eyes glimmer. 

“Hey,” He says to you in a small voice. “It’s fucking blazing and Tom insisted I wear this,” 

Harrison points to his ensemble, which to be fair was really thick. You think back to Tom, wearing white slacks that were fitted to his body and tight in the right places. His sports jacket was left open and he looked so delicious. Maybe that was bothering you the most, how much you needed him. 

This morning you were practically begging for him to touch you. Although he was busy making last-minute decisions for the party. His parents put him in charge of it this year, a right of passage for the oldest boy. Tom was hands-on for months, but was a stress case all summer. This only deepened your desire to make him feel good. To know you were easing his tension, making him feel good. But also how he could relax you with his expertise. How you longed for his skillful hands and tongue to make you cum, over and over again. 

“Are you looking for him?” Haz asks. 

“Yeah, I can’t find him anywhere,” You shrug, your cheeks turning a pink as those naughty thoughts filled your mind. 

“I was talking to him earlier, he said he was going to go check on the food or something,” 

You nod, walking into the house with Harrison right behind you. He’s muttering about the heat again, shrugging his coat off and exposing the clean white shirt underneath. It reminded you of the plain t-shirt Tom wore on one of your first date. 

Tom had taken you on a picnic in the gardens, wearing that t-shirt with plain jeans. It was simple, so out of character for him. You had felt overdressed, wearing a designer dress that your father bought you from fashion week. Although you were embarrassed, Tom assured you that you looked beautiful, then kissed you. He tasted like raspberries and white wine. 

You snapped back to reality as you walked into the kitchen, staff were running around frantically trying to get all the food and alcohol on time. There was no Tom though. He’d usually be talking to the head chef, trying out the food and complimenting him on his hard work. Charlie, one of the busboys stops in front of you, slicking his hair back and greeting you. 

“Hi Y/N! Looking for Tom? You just missed him,” He points towards the side door. “He said he was going to his room for a bit to freshen up if you want to catch him,” 

“Oh that’s perfect Charlie, thank you,” You smile back at him and turn to Haz. “Coming with?”

“Nah, I’m gonna head back out with some ice.” 

You respond with a bare ‘hm’ and a nod before walking out the side door. This led to the second set of stairs that went up to the upper floors. It came in handy when you needed a midnight snack and didn’t want to walk through the crazy corridors and hallways. You trot up the stairs, wishing you didn’t wear such clunky shoes to the event and wobbled towards Tom’s door. You don’t knock, pushing the door open and scanning the room for Tom. 

“Babe?” You call and close the door behind you. 

He’s not laying in his misshaped bed or standing in the walk-in closet so you wander to the en-suit bathroom, which is adorned with blue accents and your very shirtless boyfriend. His shirt is laying on the bathroom counter, wrinkled by the half-hazard throw. Tom stares at you, a smirk appearing on his face while you stare at him in all his glory. 

“Costume change?” You quip as you pick up the shirt from the counter. 

“Small one. I thought the shirt looked too baggy so I’ve been trying to decide on a new one,” 

Tom gestures to the seven white shirts hanging up on a rack, all looking identical but with slight differences. You couldn’t help him though, your mind was concentrated on his chiseled chest and tan skin that tempted you. Tom watches your glazed eyes wander his body, his ego-boosting with the lick of your lips. He turns, flexing his muscles just for you and you swear it’s gotten a hundred degrees hotter in the room. 

“What’s on your mind?” Tom pulls a shirt from the rack and eyes it casually. 

You pause, strutting towards him and tracing his back with your acrylic nails. He holds back a shiver, he loved the way your nails tickled his back. It was comforting, but also arousing in the right sense. 

“Did you know,” You blow hot air across his ear. “That the White Party tradition has racist roots?” 

Tom snorts. It’s not a laughing manner but because of the way you are he can’t help but laugh. 

“Like all upper-class things, it dips its toe into the waters of oppression and systematic injustices,” 

You smile, kissing the back of his neck playfully. Tom’s hairs stand up straight as he leans back into your hot touch. 

“Does social justice talk get you riled up love?” He turns to meet your lustful eye with a glow of confidence. 

“Only if it’s with you,” 

Tom’s hands cross your waist, pulling you tighter against his body. You can smell the peach champagne on his breath as he moves his lips towards your neck. He’s moving slowly. Agonizingly slow that you want to push him against the counter and take him now. 

“What’s really going on?” He nips at your neck. “Not enjoying the party?” 

Tom’s voice is smooth as it rolls over your prickled skin. He knows exactly how to play you, his fingers crawling over the thin fabric of the dress and playing with the outline of your undergarments. He knows what’s underneath. A skinned colored set that he got for you a few weeks back. The one that perked your breasts up and hugged your hips perfectly. The thought made him almost salivate on the spot. 

“Not really, I’d rather have you by my side than those girls,” You pout as he moves away from you. “And I’ve been horny all day so,” 

You drag him back, pulling him against you roughly. His coy smile strengthens the heat building inside of you. It’s no longer a want, it’s a need for him to be inside of you. His touch was your only salvation. 

“Well if that’s so,” Tom teases. 

He extends two fingers towards your lips, brushing them across for permission to continue. You lick his long fingers, meeting his eye as you simulate what you’ve done plenty of times before on his hand. Tom loved it, the innocence in your eyes that drove him mad or maybe the way he knew how it felt but loved the way it looked more. You create a pop with your mouth as you pull them away, cocking a brow. 

“Get over here,” 

Tom’s voice was rushed as he lifted you into his arms, lips smacking against yours in a hungry rage. His teeth skimmed across your bottom lip while his hands rushed to pull the white dress from your body. You were just as hasty, shuffling the belt off of his trousers and throwing them to the floor. It took mere seconds for the two of you to be in your underwear, but it felt like decades had passed since the last time you were intimate like this. This kind of hunger was new and it needed to be filled. 

Tom places you on the cold countertop while he scavenged your chest for skin to make marks on. You lean back onto the mirror, admiring your gorgeous boyfriend attending to your every need. He knew where to kiss, touch, and suck to make your sense go wild. It was tunnel vision with only his heavy breathes and the heat between your legs in the center of your thoughts. Suddenly, your panties are thrown to the floor, the flesh lace slightly ripped from the looks of it. Oh well, he’d buy you a new one anyway. 

“Can I get a taste?” His voice is muffled against your stomach as he kneeled down. 

“Y-yes please,” 

Tom slips between your legs that were vibrating with excitement. You have never been under such a deep spell over him since the first time you were intimate. It was a moonlight dinner on his yacht. The breeze was cold so you were cuddled against him for warmth, his mouth giving hot kisses to your exposed skin. It was a misty memory of skin against skin, moans, and hushed ‘I love you’s. You would never forget that feeling of the first time being in his embraced. 

Your eyes draw back while a breathy moan escapes your parted lips. Tom dances his tongue along your slit, teasing slowly with his middle finger on your clit. You arch against the mirror so your wet entrance brushes across his lips. Tom kisses it, wide mouth while skimming across the folds. It’s a fucking dream, it has to be. Only this much euphoria can be formed in an imagination. You curse out, panting as his rubs your clit a little harder, your insides bubbling and tightening. Tom continues his feast while raising a finger up to your lips to remind you to be quiet. The house is filled with staff and guests that would love to find a scene like this to gossip about. 

It’s almost impossible though, you’re at the edge of exploding. His loud smacks and moans of satisfaction are enough to make you dizzy. You buck towards him, yelping as a sign of what’s to come. Literally. Tom takes long licks of your heat, dragging out every last bit of pleasure he can. You’re a mess of heavy breathes, eyes rolling back as your muscles pulse and release onto Tom’s tongue. He chuckles, sitting up from your heat and grabbing a towel to wipe his face off. 

“Where do you want me?” He asks breathlessly. 

“In me,” Your voice struggles to make it out without a whine. 

Tom picks you up again, taking you to his half-made bed and laying you across the pristine white sheets. His hand caresses your cheek, thumb drawing around your red lips in satisfaction. You see his smile only for a moment when he flips you on your stomach, taking a hold of your knees and throwing your back so your tiled up into the air. 

“New position,” Tom murmurs. 

His hands rest on your ass while you feel his tip ease into you. Glittery spots appear in front of your eyes as he bottoms out, your mouth dry from being hung open too long. Tom takes his time to feel every part of your pussy, dragging his cock in and out to hear every whine and curse leave your lips. The same lips that dragged red stains on the sheets, your lip prints making a temporary marker of how amazing he was fucking you. Tom grips your bum tighter, moving your body to a rhythm against is hips. You almost choked on your own breath, the new position hitting deeper than ever before. Both of your hips hit perfectly, the sound of your skin filling the room along with Tom’s muffled grunts. 

“Yes…fuck…love you’re so…fuck,” 

It’s taking all of his will power to not raise his voice. If no one was home he would praising you at full volume, making sure you knew exactly how you were making him feel. The way you clenched around him and swiveled your hips against his, fuck he was going mad. The stress from the party really drove him away from your perfect body. Never again would he let that happen. He needed you as much as you needed him. It took his mind off impressing the Uppers, and more focused on how to make you crumble around him. 

Tom pulls out suddenly, flipping you onto your back and diving on top of you. Lips now moving as one as he entered you again. This time the speed is hungrier, desperate for the release he’s dying to have. You can feel the low growls against your mouth. Tom can barely hold it together. He was coming undone but wanting to make you get your filling at the same time. You pull back, grabbing his face to focus on you while you reach another climax. His fingers go to your clit again, knowing it’ll be even more intense than the last. 

“Fuck, fuck, oh my-“ You shake with pleasure as your eyes screw shut. 

He captures your lips against, engulfing you in an embrace as he thrusts faster into you. It’s hard to even keep the room straight, the overstimulation making your eyes flutter open and shut while your insides unravel again. 

“Good girl…cum…cumming…fuck,” Tom finally whines. 

His head dips to your chest while his hips stutter against yours. It’s the slowest moment in the lustful rush, Tom unloading inside of you with soft moans on your skin. You feel the warmth run between your thighs as he pulls himself away. The room is spinning while lights twinkle above you. The reflection of the light on your necklace makes it look like there are tiny rainbows surrounding you. It’s like heaven, especially with the angel laying next to you. Tom’s arm is protectively thrown over you as he catches himself up with reality. Your legs tangle with his as you roll over to meet his glazed eyes. 

“Now that’s a party,” 

Tom, red in the face, rolls his tired eyes at you. He rolls to embrace you again, kissing your shoulder lightly. 

“I’m glad you’re finally enjoying yourself,” He hums against your skin. “I still want to show you off though. You’re my girl and I want everyone to know,” 

You look down to your body, bruised from his love bites and roughed around from his relentless thrusting. 

“I think if they saw me like this they’ll know,” You laugh. “But we should get back before people get suspicious,” 

You roll from the bed to retrieve your dress which was still in pretty good shape. Your lipstick has been smeared off and your mascara had fallen onto your cheeks. It was gonna be a real mission to fix yourself up but you had to do it. With a few ruined face towels you had perfected your face again. Tom appeared behind your with a fitted white shirt and his pants from before. He looked like a cover of a romance novel. Toned, muscular, and beaming with after sex. 

“God, you’re gorgeous,” Tom kisses the top of your head while admiring your body. “So lucky. But I want everyone to see that,” 

“Well show me the way,” 

Tom bites his lip, shyly smiling as he takes your hand to lead you back into the party. His hand is molded to your hip while you enter the belly of the beast. All eyes are on the two of you, gleeful smiles from friends and family at how amazing the both of you look. Tom rubs your hip, kissing the side of your face. It was exactly what you wanted, Tom by your side while making your mark on the party. 

“I love you,” He whispers. 

You meet his eye, the white clothing making him look even tanner and more dashing. The glittery rainbows from before are back, dancing along his skin from your necklace. You kiss him again, leaning your forehead against his. 

“I love you too,”

///

///

tagging: @mcuspidey  @stuckonspidey  @worldoftom  @cmonpetertingle @blissfulparker @starksparker @spiderboytotherescue @madmadmilk

[dreamcatcherfication]

The Queens of London Part 4 - My Shadow’s the Only One That Walks Beside Me

I wrote this at 1 AM and it really shows. Anyway, I have no idea what’s happening anymore but I tried my best! This chapter feels very filler-y at parts, but I do like where everything is going, so you’ll have to stick around and “Suddenly Seymour”! *gets hit by flying book* Okay, I see how it is. Anyways, I hope you enjoy! Sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors, I’ve gotten so little sleep that I can hear colors.

Writing Masterpost

If you want to send a request or a prompt, my inbox is always open! I publish a story at 8:00 AM PST everyday, so I’m always in need of new ideas (now featuring random asks). If you want to be tagged in my works, just let me know and I’ll be sure to tag you!

Prompts | More Prompts | The Trifecta of Prompts | Random Asks

Trigger Warnings: Vague allusions to abuse

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Everyone was sat at their meeting table, silently watching each other. There was a (laminated) plan set out in front of each chair for every queen and lady, the only empty seat being Anne’s. Clearly, some of the queens and ladies like Aragon and Joan were eager to start, but no one made any move without Boleyn. The silence was practically deafening for Kat who swore she could hear something ringing.

Soon enough, the door opened slowly and Anne shuffled in. She shot a glance at Kat but turned her gaze away and sat in her seat. “Can we start now?” Aragon asked in exasperation.

“Yeah, sorry,” Anne replied, her voice slightly heavier than normal. She didn’t quite look nervous, per se, but rather like she knew something she wished she didn’t. Cathy shot a questioning glance at Anne, but kept her mouth shut. Kat couldn’t help but observe all of this, an uncomfortable hole settling in her stomach.

“Alright,” Jane started, smiling warmly at her companions. “Henry’s party is in two nights time, and we need to be prepared. Anna, I believe you have something for us.”

Snapping her fingers, Anna stood up. “Right you are, Jane Suddenly Seymour,” she joked. Bessie stood up as well, lifting a large bag she had set under the table. “Outfits made by yours truly,” Anna presented, helping Bessie lift the first dress. “Miss Aragon, would you like to see your dress,” Cleves continued her over dramatic flair.

Rolling her eyes, Aragon stood up and moved over to the other two women. Unfurling the dress, Kat couldn’t help but gasp at its beauty. It was long and sweeping, the ends ruffled in all the right places to create shimmering waves. There were sparkles around the chest portion, accentuating Aragon’s dark skin against it. As for the whole of the dress, it was a radiant gold, regal and unapologetic, perfect for the queen who would wear it. The bottom half of the dress was silky and trembled at the slightest wind. Holding the dress against her body, Aragon admired Cleves’s work. “You’ve outdone yourself again, Anna,” she praised, leaving the room to go change and try the dress on. Even if she trusted Anna, the designer always encouraged them to try the dresses on and make sure they fit well.

“Just wait until you see the rest,” Anna smirked.

As Aragon changed, Bessie pulled out the second dress. “Anne, I believe this one’s for you,” she said, delicately placing the dress on the table. If Aragon’s had been radiant, this one was entrancing. It was a dark green, so thick that just looking at the dress made Kat’s chest clench. This dress was a little shorter and more revealing (important to the part Anne would be playing) but no less astounding than Aragon’s. There were jewels tacked along the breast line, making the dress even more elegant. A leather band wrapped around the waist, holding the dress together. 

“Wow,” Kat murmured, absolutely transfixed.

“Going off Kat’s reaction, I think I can safely say this dress is going to capture plenty of attention,” Cleves raised an eyebrow at Anne. Kat blushed and looked down, embarrassed at being called out.

“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Anne replied cheekily. Aragon came back into the room, twirling in her dress. There were various compliments among the women, including a wolf whistle from Anne. “Looking good Catalina,” she teased.

“Stuff it, Anne,” Aragon pretended to be annoyed. “Go change into your dress,” she ordered.

“As her majesty wishes,” Anne bowed out of the room, with her dress, off to try it on.

“I suppose I’m next,” Jane spoke up. She and the other ladies had been quiet throughout the ordeal, simply watching on in silent interest.

“Indeed,” Anna affirmed, reaching into the bag. Her next item was simpler, but when Jane laid eyes on it, she couldn’t help but immediately fall in love. It was a white dress with black outlines around the edges, accenting the curves and highlighting a wavy pattern. There were faint glitters on the dress, making it shine, but there was nothing inherently distracting about it like Anne’s. It was straightforward and beautiful, just as Jane would’ve asked.

For some reason, seeing the dress brought up a nostalgic feeling in Jane’s chest. She pushed it down and grasped the dress, thanking Anna politely. She left the room quicker than the others, moving past Anne as she reentered the room. “Wow,” Kat said again, seeing Anne in the dress. 

Winking at the table, Anne twirled, catching everyone’s attention. “This is the best thing you’ve made yet, Anna,” she praised while smoothing the dress.

Shrugging off the praise, Anna and Bessie pulled out the next two articles of clothing. “Now, for our last two queens,” she looked at Cathy and Kat respectively, “you need utmost mobility while also appearing formal and wearing your best. Cathy, if you’re to observe properly, you can’t be wearing a distracting dress that hinders you. Solution? Suits.” 

Revealing the suit, Cleves grinned proudly at her creation. A dark blue blazer, rich in color but plain otherwise surrounded the outfit. The color was eye-catching and blended perfectly with Parr’s skin tone. The shirt was a white button up with black stripes running up it, thin but strongly supporting the outfit. The pants were also blue, high waisted over the shirt itself. Sat on the table it was stunning, and Kat couldn’t wait to see the journalist actually donning the outfit.

When Cathy didn’t get up, everyone stared at her. “Aren’t you gonna… try it on?” Bessie nervously prompted.

Hiding her awkwardness behind a laugh, Cathy shook her head. “No, I - uh - I’d rather do that by myself if that’s alright.”

“No problem at all,” Cleves waved her off. “Let me know if there’s any problems with it. Kat,” she called unexpectedly.

Jumping in her seat, Kat quickly put on her persona. “Hmm?” She voiced, hiding her excitement. “My turn? Go ahead,” Kat made it seem like she was holding back a yawn.

The women all shot her confused looks, surprised by her nonchalance that had come completely out of left field. Maria and Maggie shared a confused look, but they said nothing. “Alright,” Cleves frowned, attempting to dispel the sudden tension. “Now, we weren’t sure what color would work, but Bessie had the great idea of this hot pink that I think you’re going to love.”

Sure enough, Kat had to stifle her astonishment at the suit. Like Cathy’s, it was covered by a hot pink blazer with black flower patterns scattered on it. The white shirt beneath it was plain, but the suspenders attached to them gave off a 1920s vibe that Kat adored. The pants were also pink, the same shade as the blazer, although there were no patterns on it. To top it off, there was a black choker sat on top of the outfit. “You like it?” Bessie asked, her eyes slightly twinkling. She had worked on this outfit specifically with Anna, and she was extremely proud of how it had turned out. 

“You did a good job,” Kat coughed out, making sure to keep her compliments vague.

“It’s absolutely stunning,” Jane said softly from the doorway, her dress stealing the spotlight. Everyone turned around to gaze at her, their eyes wide. For something so simple, Jane stood out among all of them. The dress had a life of its own, practically giving off an air of emotion to whoever set eyes on it.

Pushing Kat’s suit forward, Cleves urged, “Now that Jane’s back, you can try your suit on, Kat.”

“Uh,” panicking, Kat replied, “could I do what Cathy did?” At the awkward looks she received, Kat clarified, “Try it on at home?”

“Sure,” Anna continued, unbothered. “Bessie and I guessed on your measurements, so make sure to tell us tomorrow if something doesn’t fit right.”

“What about you, Anna?” Joan asked, speaking up for the first time that night. “Unlike us ladies, you’re going to the party. Don’t you need an outfit?”

“Of course, I have my suit already prepared. It’s a surprise for you all.”

“Why would you need a suit if you’re not going to be sneaking around,” Maggie snorted as she put her feet up on the table. 

Clicking her tongue, Anna leaned towards Maggie. “Because I just look that good in a suit.”

“Okay!” Aragon cut in. “How about we finish this meeting so we can all get home. Thank you for the clothes Anna and Bessie, they’re wonderful.” The fashion team nodded and sat down, listening to Aragon take control. “Now, let’s move on to politics.”

Walking home at one in the morning was not something Kat enjoyed, but she didn’t have a driver’s license, much less a car, so she was stuck. Trekking home with the suit, Kat couldn’t help but feel dirty. This suit in her hands was the most expensive thing she had ever held. Kat hadn’t grown up poor, sure, but she was never given things. And being kicked out of the house at a young age didn’t help her either.

Having this suit made for her felt wrong, she didn’t deserve it. She had lied her way into this group and was being rewarded for it. Kat knew she wanted to help, but it didn’t make the process any easier. She was used to being alone on the streets. Before she had been able to earn barely enough for rent, Kat had lived on these streets. All by herself.

There was a strange limbo between comfort and fear as she stood alone at a streetlight. Kat was used to this, the silence of the night disrupted only by her breathing. Yet she knew of the things that lurked around the corners that weren’t her shadow. For a second, Kat contemplated staying out in the dark and never returning home. 

Before she could travel further down that path, Kat arrived at her apartment. Going into the building and making her way to the door, Kat fumbled with her keys. Getting the door open was harder than usual, the lock seemingly jammed for some reason. Regardless, she got the door open and made her way inside. Running a hand through her hair, Kat flipped on a light and squeaked in surprise, coming face to face with Anne Boleyn in her kitchen.

“Hey Brandon. You and I are gonna have a little chat,” Anne spoke coldly. “Couch. Now.”

Sitting on the couch, Kat stared at her hands, too afraid to look in Anne’s eyes. She had been caught, hadn’t she? Terrible thoughts kept running through her mind on what Anne might do, but Kat refused to voice any of them. “I thought you looked familiar to me,” Anne monologued while pacing in front of Kat. “I was just really curious as to why I know your face. But you know,” she shot a glance at the teen, “curiosity killed the Kat.”

Shivering, Kat opened her mouth, but closed it. “I thought if I stole your wallet, I’d be able to learn something about you. And oh boy did I learn something.” Making a full stop, Anne stared straight through Kat’s persona. “No drivers license or ID, no nothing. Just a few stray pounds and some lint. A laundry card with an address to some,” she gestured around the apartment, “disgusting slum house. No offense,” she quickly corrected herself, not wanting to be too aggressive. Kat shrugged. She couldn’t fault Anne for thinking her home was disgusting if she felt the same way. 

“But most intriguing of all,” Anne continued, “was the autographed card of Thomas Wolsey, one of the heads of Gemini Records. Now, anyone who has done business with Darkrider Records knows of the war those two labels are neck deep in. It’s not something they publish on the news, but if you truly were affiliated with Darkrider Records, you wouldn’t be seen within an inch of anything related to Gemini.” Gulping, Kat knew how deeply she had dug herself into a hole. “So tell me Kat, who are you?”

Taking a few quick breaths, Kat started to talk. She didn’t lift her head to face Anne and her voice was small. “My name is Katherine Howard. I’m a street musician and I have no idea how I got your letter.”

Narrowing her eyes, Anne leaned in closer to Kat. The teen expected to be slapped for deceiving Anne, or receive some kind of retaliation. Instead, Anne gasped and backed away, a look of recognition in her eyes. “Kat? Kat Howard?”

“Yeah?” Kat mumbled in confusion.

“Your father is Edmund Howard, right?” Still confused, Kat nodded, not wanting to upset Anne. “Oh my God, I know why I recognize you.”

“Why?” Kat probed, needing answers for Anne’s sudden change in behavior.

“Because you’re my cousin.”

Silence. And then Kat stood up. “I’m your what?”

“Your cousin!” Anne exclaimed. She moved closer to Kat and started inspecting her face. “I mean, you’re a lot less chubbier than I remember, but you would’ve been, what? Four at the time? You look so different.”

Backing away from Anne, Kat wrinkled her nose. “You’ve gotta have me confused with someone else. I’m not related to any Boleyns.”

“Uh, clearly you are,” Anne rolled her eyes, pointing to herself. “Your aunt is my mom. You won’t remember me, we only met like, once.”

Still, Kat was unconvinced. “Why wouldn’t my father tell me about you?”

Anne frowned and lost a bit of enthusiasm. “Everyone in the family knows Edmund as the deadbeat. His wife died and he totally pulled away from everyone. No one’s talked to him since the funeral.” Kat cringed, remembering her mother disappearing one day. And how everything had changed after that. “Although I’m not one to talk, seeing as I’m the black sheep of our family,” Anne added.

Scoffing, Kat looked at the floor. “You’re the black sheep? Have you seen where I’m living?”

Awkwardly clicking her tongue, Anne once again observed the place. “Yeah, not the best living space.”

“Can’t afford anything else,” Kat grumbled.

“Street musician doesn’t pay too well.” Turning her attention back to her newfound cousin, Anne still needed answers. “How did you get that letter?”

Shrugging, Kat wound her arms tightly around her chest. “Some lady dropped it in my guitar case yesterday. It had my name on it, so I thought it was for me. I went to the meeting and you all started calling me Katherine Brandon and… I panicked.”

“Understandable,” Anne muttered, thinking about the implications of the letter landing with Kat. “And so the plot thickens,” she whispered to herself. Anne decided not to push on that front, instead bringing up another topic. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I need to,” Kat fired back. “I’m never going to do anything worthwhile in my life. This is my one shot.”

If it had been anyone else, they probably wouldn’t have encouraged Kat, but this was Anne Boleyn, known for her chaos. “Then let’s do it.”

Of all things Kat had been expecting, that wasn’t it. “You’re just going to help me?”

“Hell yeah,” Anne agreed. “I already want to take down Henry, and you’re already in on everything, so why stop now? If you’re willing to do this, then I’m gonna help you.”

A short grin grew on Kat’s face. “You won’t tell anyone I’m not really Katherine Brandon?”

“Anything for my baby cousin.”

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

@annabanana2401

@boleynhowards

@radcowboyalmondtree

@babeebobo

[0poole]

Why I don’t really like anime

Alright well here’s one that’s pure “who tf asked” energy but it’s something I’ve legitimately been thinking about. Most of these are just me trying to organize how I think. I try to keep away from this general aura of saying I don’t like something completely unprompted, but my brother is a massive anime fan so I’m around anime a lot more than anything else I’m not into.

Obviously I’m gonna have to preface this with the whole spiel. People can do and enjoy literally anything they want so long as it doesn’t hurt other people. Apart from that, this is just me putting thoughts onto paper and shouting them out into the void pretending people on the internet care or even will hear in the first place. And, apart from THAT, I’m also saying I just don’t like it, not that it’s “bad.” Anyone saying something as expansive as anime can be universally “bad” is objectively an idiot who doesn’t know how things work. Also, I’m not trying to cover my bases as if I expect anime fans to hound me like people stereotypically assume they would, I’ll always cover my bases when saying things like this to catch literally anyone and make the undertones of what I’m actually saying perfectly clear to everyone.

And similar to that, absolutely none of this stems from the less affectionate stereotypes of anime fans. Let it be known that I’ve been a part of various fandoms, including My Little Pony, Steven Universe, Undertale, and probably some others that have just-kinda-bad to horrible stereotypes put on them because of the true weirdos in the fandom who act seriously out of turn. I know the feeling of being lumped in with those unfortunately remarkable people as if this giant group acts basically in the same way/agrees with the same actions. Plus, anime has grown so far beyond the “nerd culture” that I feel like it’s more normal to like at least a little anime than to not like it at all, so people that suggest all anime fans are weirdos are the weird ones.

    But yeah, over time I’ve definitely felt a full bias against anime for some reason. Obviously some fit into my interests and get into my mind when I had an anime phase (like anyone), as I’ll mention, but for the most part if something is brought up as “anime” I just lose all interest in watching it. I feel like in terms of my overall biases, there are only three types of series: Non-anime animation, Anime, and Live action. For some reason, live action series are even worse in the bias chart than anime. I literally can’t muster up even the slightest interest in a live action series, while I can at least sometimes get behind the idea of an anime (and it’s a whole different can of worms for movies/other forms).

    The reason why I say “non-anime” animation instead of “western” animation is because it really doesn’t have to do with place of origin at all. Also, calling stuff “western” kind of excludes non-Japanese eastern countries that don’t produce anime, like Russia and India. For me, the question is just anime compared to all other types of animation. Aside from the objectively bad art styles of course.

That really just gets troubling with the true definition of “anime,” though, but as far as I care to define it it’s entirely revolving around the art and animation style, and maybe various other stylistic things as well. It’s one of those “hard to define it, but you can usually spot one when you see it” sort of things. But, I feel like even though “anime” might literally just mean “Japanese animation” in general, I feel like there are Japanese animations that could not be “anime.” For example, the big one being anything by Studio Ghibli. It honestly could or could not be anime, but the fact that there is a debate suggests that there’s more to anime than it just being Japanese. If it’s not origin, then basically all of it rests on the style itself. Especially since so many people start off trying to draw “anime style” (like I did), and since some things have been called “French anime” (a term which honestly gets me infinitely more into an idea for some reason, I guess it being “French” reverses the negative bias from “anime”). Then of course it gets into murky water, though, like are Teen Titans (the original) or Avatar: The Last Airbender anime? It’s obviously something that doesn’t have a clear definition and it sucks. But, it’s easier for me to talk about if it’s limited to the art style, because that’s pretty much my main gripe with the whole thing.

I could also just not even remotely know what I’m talking about but just go with it.

If it had to be limited to a single sentence, the main reason why I don’t like anime is that it feels like 90% of it looks extremely similar to one another. See a few paragraphs down for the major exceptions, because there’s always exceptions. Also I’m sure someone somewhere is trying to pull out the “Calarts style” argument here and honestly nothing inoffensive pisses me off more than that and I’m gonna for sure make a separate rant on that some day. Obviously “western” animation isn’t the saving grace either, but it feels closer in general.

It may be one of those things that is supposed to be more functional, of course. I’d have to imagine it’s much more writing-focused, because, if I were an executive at an animation company, I could definitely get sold on a story much more easily if it followed very similar artistic practices that have been used by so many other companies/groups. Plus, for the audience, it’s probably easier to enjoy a story when you are pretty sure you’re going to be into the art style of the show by default. I’d have to imagine that’s why there are so many different anime (animes? Consider it a fish/fishes type thing) out there. For the most part, too, it seems like the vast majority of it is animated simply, with the higher detail and budget being saved for the big events. I’ll never say it’s not a reasonable thing to exist. It just sucks when the one thing made to be so universal is the one thing you don’t like. 

But I’m definitely realizing I care about the visual of an animation more than the story. Definitely, a few years ago, I went full stereotypical writer, and cared so much more about the story itself than how things looked, but I definitely have changed from that. I’m much more likely to enjoy a story that’s pretty simple and easygoing that’s told in amazing animation than a highly detailed and complex story that’s told in pretty simple and easygoing animation. I mean, apart from that, I definitely don’t like the idea of a story’s complexity being one of its selling points, but that’s beside the point. Also, not to suggest all anime are “simply animated.” Exceptions are everywhere.

I’m the type of person who can enjoy something by “turning my brain off,” if you want to discredit the value of simplistic stories. Plus, now that I’m starting to try and make animations of my own, whenever I see some crazy good animation I’m halfway between “The animators are legends for putting in the massive legwork of making that” and “The animators are legends for making so impossibly good and high quality.” It also boggles my mind a bit when I see an overly detailed anime character/mech/whatever move. Someone had to animate that.

And then there’s one specific gripe that’s basically exactly that, but distilled into its purest form, and that’s how practically all young male protagonists in a mostly realistic setting in anime look like actual doppelgangers with each other. But, again, that’s a product of japanese society being less racially diverse overall compared to the Americas, so obviously the archetypal male is going to look much more average compared to what I’m used to. Just because there’s a reason doesn’t mean I have to like it, though. And, obviously, a lot of anime doesn’t have this issue, especially with the slightly less prevalent idea of “anime protagonist hair” of the past. Plus, girl characters don’t really seem to have this issue, and lord knows anime girls are a big thing. And, even worse for my case, it’s the same issue I have with the Calarts argument: The protagonists are supposed to look more average/approachable, while the side characters and environment can go the extra design-distance. I will say though that if an anime features the main character who looks just like that one archetype, I just can’t like it at all. It’s too plain. Same goes for when characters attend a school, and their “main” outfit is just their school uniform. Obviously practically all schools in Japan have uniforms, but it’s just so boring from a character design prospective. 

Another big part of the style that I don’t like is just the level of detail anime characters/things often have. The worst part of this is always, ALWAYS the hair. It always looks so greasy and stringy, and it just makes me feel gross looking at it for too long. I don’t even care what color it is. Something a little less universal are the more fantastical side of outfits some characters wear some of the time. Obviously some outfits just go too far with detail, or maybe try too hard for a specific look that it thwarts the design as a whole. It’s kind of hard to say that without having specific examples, but I’ll always prefer bigger shapes and relative simplicity over the level of detail most anime characters have. Same goes for items too. 

One thing that’s very easy to avoid on the larger scale, but still pretty prominent and a thing I genuinely hate, is how much more sexualized things are in anime. Like I said, it’s pretty easy to avoid sexualization because you can usually tell from the get-go where it’s at its worst, but even in other cases it feels like it creeps in even in the best shows. Trust me, though, I’ll never not admit to being horny, but when I sit down to engage in a genuine story I’m not even joking when I say that there is practically no situation where I want sex to be involved. Romance can be on-and-off, but specifically sexual elements just really throw me off of taking a story seriously, even when it’s actually incorporated into the greater themes and ideas of the story. I don’t know why I’m so averse to it, but I am. But, really, this is more of a writing thing than a visual thing usually. I swear to god, whenever my brother shows me an anime (my family would be completely disconnected from anime without him), there is like a 70-80% chance some female character is going to call a male character a “pervert” (or whatever the untranslated word they use is) and have it play off like a casual joke/remark. That shit actually makes me want to die. It doesn’t even matter whether or not they’re actually being a pervert, the mere mention of the remote idea genuinely pisses me off to no end.

Even though it’s just barely relevant, the way they always draw people with blood shooting out of their nose when they see lewd things makes me feel uncomfortable too. I’m not sure what anime originated that trend, because it sure as hell can’t be a thing from real life. That just doesn’t happen on the scale it happens in anime. Plus, it can’t feel good. 

Strangely enough, one of the main things that doesn’t put me off is having to watch with subtitles. For one, if there’s any culture whose animation I enjoy inherently more by default, it’s French animation, so I still deal with it outside of anime. And, even when I understand the language being spoken, I still like watching with subtitles just so I never mishear or misunderstand something. But, also, I’m actually completely on the “sub” side of the age-old-and-probably-ignored-nowadays-but-i’m-behind-the-times “Dubs vs Subs” debate. For some reason, it is extremely hard for me to look at an anime with a very plainly english voice over top of it. It just doesn’t feel right, almost ever. Some get it right of course, but the general state of dubs is pretty low compared to just reading text with the default emotions behind them. It sounds kind of counterintuitive, because I can’t exactly admire the animation as much if I’m reading text, but I feel like I’ve watched and written enough (even though it doesn’t exactly take much to find this skill) to realize what the general effect of a scene is, and when I do, I can usually watch the actual animation itself instead of reading the text. Like with French stuff, I can pick up very few words that repeat and match them to the subtitles to learn just the slightest bit of another language. I actually took a French language class in high school though, so it’s much easier then…

And one thing that I actually wish non-anime did was make different intro sequences/songs for different seasons/sections of the story. Even though some classic cartoon intros are so insanely classic that it’s hard to want to get something else, I can imagine that, for the most part, the alternative intros could be just as good. I guess it’s because we have so many more episodic shows, so the same intro could reasonably apply to the whole show as if it’s practically the same thing over its entire course, unlike anime which are more structured and progress with each season. I just want more music.

Of course different anime differ in levels between these, with some being major problems in some areas and being completely fine in others. I really don’t like going super in-depth about things I hate though, so let’s just skip that.

But the only rule without an exception is the rule that states “everything has an exception,” so there are a few anime that I actually like, or ones that I respect from afar. I did have an anime nerd phase in my past, although it wasn’t super intense or long lived, but in that period a few anime did sneak into my radar and I still like them, mostly because I can’t help but love the nostalgia. 

The one that kinda doesn’t count is the Pokemon anime. I like it because it’s Pokemon and I love Pokemon. Plus, it’s based on literally the most profitable gaming franchise ever, so it’s not like a fringe indie series. I will say that I actually really like the artistic direction they’ve taken for both the series and the official artwork/design as a whole. The Sun and Moon series looked pretty cute but maybe took it a bit too far, but the current series has a great balance of the clean, expressiveness of the Sun and Moon series but the solid-ness of the series before it. Apart from that, though, it’s one of those things I only still watch out of obligation, and for the rare good moments. I just love watching Pokemon exist, you know? Since I’ve watched so much of it already, and don’t have too much else to watch on a weekly basis, there’s no reason not to just put on the newest episode. It’s funny, though, because I normally like the dub of the anime more than the sub, but since the Sun and Moon series upped Ash’s expressiveness up to 10 it felt like his old dub voice actress didn’t quite match him anymore. Since I had no impression on what his original japanese voice sounded like, it was easy to start watching the subbed version and apply his new traits onto that voice. Either way, watching the subbed version means I can watch further into the series, and can’t get spoiled on things that’ll happen weeks/months down the line in the dub. As I said, it’s pretty normal nowadays to be into anime, meaning so many more people are following the Japanese episode release times and posting about it ASAP.

One that’s pretty expected is One Punch Man, which I watched once I heard someone explain it as “a parody of anime,” or something to that effect. The greatest thing about parodies is that they can be enjoyed both by those who love the thing being riffed on, and those that don’t. So, I watched it, and loved it. Me thinking about it like a parody also let me pass by the usual gripes I had with anime as a whole, like over-the-top crazy strong villains explaining so much out in the open, only to get one-shot by Saitama. And, the more obvious parody elements, such as Saitama becoming so strong just by exercising a lot, and just being a generally understated guy who just kinda is around. Pairing him with Genos, the more stereotypical anime powerhouse protagonist, is a great choice. For the animation, they even go super hard on the battles partially, I’d have to guess, because it still is just cool, but also to juxtapose how relatively simple Saitama is. There’s even some great character designs in there, like I remember this one single-episode side villain who was like a silhouette girl (?) with sharp teeth and long, seaweed-like hair that I loved the most. There’s also that second-in-command henchman guy under the main season 1 villain who looked sort of octopus-like, and I think had a crazy stupid name. I even liked the second season, which I guess most people didn’t like as much? It might’ve not been the highest of highs but I didn’t hate too much of it. 

One of the weirder examples is Attack on Titan because of the artstyle. For some reason, it feels like the characters of AoT are drawn and designed so well that they can look anime, realistic, and just barely cartoonic at the same time, creating diverse and impressionable characters without having to resort to the crazy stuff like colored hair and weird clothes. Plus, this lends extremely well to the overall atmosphere of the show, which of course is more grim in a slightly more realistic setting, but with the occasional guise of happiness some scenes have. It can be everything at once. But, of course, I only realized that after watching it, and the main selling point was actually how interesting and unique the story was, while remaining, at first, pretty simplistic all things considered. I just loved dudes with giant swords jet boosting up to a shambling giant and slicing the back of their neck. Compared to most anime, it was so specifically designed, instead of having a lot of detail put into everything to have the uniqueness. The Scout uniform is basically iconic at this point, while remaining pretty straightforward and, even better, completely unrevealing. Even when you hear the idea of an “anime sword” you also kind of think of something super flamboyant and complex, while the Scouts’ swords are also pretty simple, but very recognizable, basically being a rectangle, and also being replaceable. The whole device they use to get around is also so simple, yet so cool, and relatively reasonable. From a writing perspective, it’s also really good to have all main characters be on practically the same playing field in terms of abilities (aside from, you know, Erin) so each knows their full limitations, and you don’t learn anything out of the blue in the midst of battle. Even better, it’s a type of power you have to be genuinely skilled with, not like how most stories pull the “you’re inherently powerful you just need to release it!” sort of deal (Again, Erin).

I am kinda falling out of interest with the story as it progresses, though, but it’s entirely not the creators’ faults. Part of the appeal initially was how mysteriously cool and terrifying the Titans were, and why everything in this world was the way it was. Like with pretty much everything going on for long periods of time, the explanation had to come eventually, and it never is quite as good as you thought it’d be. Now that I know exactly why everything is the way it is, a lot of the magic kind of dissipated. Plus, that subplot of the false royalty of their kingdom and all the politics of that got very Star Wars Prequels with me. I didn’t come for that stuff. I am still a bit in that “I’m obligated to watch it since I’ve watched so much already” camp, so if they ever continue the series I’ll get back in. I’m definitely not at all the manga type, though. I don’t really like long form comics as a whole, and my eyes genuinely hurt looking at most manga because it seems they don’t use different shades of grey as much as they should. It’s all black and white, and my eyes can’t stand it. It’s the digital age, dammit. Leave the old style behind.

Even though I already said it’s on the verge of being anime and even though It’s all movies (I think?) you gotta admit Studio Ghibli stuff is just impossibly magical. I can only actively remember seeing like 3 of them (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Ponyo) but I would actually sell my soul to keep these movies in existence. I’m highly considering watching Kiki’s Delivery Service next because I think it’s on some streaming service my family has, where I can literally just watch it whenever with no fuss. They all fall into that kind of foreign fantasy genre that I love to all hell, because the “usual” for western fantasy has gotten impossibly stale and I actually kind of hate it now. Literally whenever any kind of story is a fantasy story, but with fantastical elements coming from some culture that isn’t the norm for fantasy, I can’t help but love it. Even though I’m talking more about the high fantasy genre, I can still love Ghibli stuff for being so adorably casual and local, making it feel so much more like every little thing they show you exists in some magical recess in the real world. The artstyle also has that kind of feel, where it’s cute in that weird-looking way. Plus, it’s a movie, so there’s a more solid stream of higher quality animation, instead of the more necessarily efficient series. Also also, I would die for Chihiro. That’s all.

For the stuff I don’t actively engage with as much, you can’t not mention the big Shonen Jump names, like One Piece, Naruto, and the one I interacted with the most, Yu Gi Oh. I’ve watched all three of those to some extent at some point in my life, but they didn’t really stay too much. 

One Piece has another remarkable artstyle, being so weird and quirky and large-faced with everything. I can also appreciate the fantastical pirate elements, as well as the very unique superpowers of Luffy, and the rest of the Devil Fruit powers. I would totally try watching again if it didn’t have over 900 goddamn episodes. That’s the problem with watching super popular stuff like that, it goes on forever, and it’s so hard to make that commitment. Either way, I think that one guy with the cigarette/lollipop was a walking “pervert” joke so I don’t miss it too much. I also honestly think a non-episodic series that goes over like 200-something episodes can’t possibly have a truly balanced and engaging story all throughout.

Naruto also had that “High fantasy of another culture” appeal to it, and is probably the most classic anime that isn’t Dragonball (which I personally am not really into at all, never was). I don’t really have too much to say about it, but I did really like the Wii game I had where it was a fighter with all the characters. I haven’t checked, but I’m pretty sure Naruto’s just like One Piece in that there are too many episodes to make the commitment and I think Naruto might even have a worse problem with “Pervert” jokes, but I don’t remember exactly.

Yu Gi Oh, on the other hand, is actually still sort of my jam. The recent stuff, whether it’s the cards or the series, is completely beyond me, and looks like the true anime BS that I don’t like, but the OG Yu Gi Oh stuff was awesome. I still know how to play the card game, at least with the earlier, simpler rules and card effects. I don’t even know how to play the Pokemon card game, and Pokemon’s one of my favorite things ever. I wish we still had those pre-made decks sorted so I could just play really quickly with those to regain my idea for strategy, and then make an original deck of the hundreds of hundreds of cards we have lying around. It’d be fun for no other reason than nostalgia. The video games are probably a good place to start, and I still have that old PC one where it was split into multiple versions for like Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey I think. I had the Yugi one, and last time I tried I actually had trouble beating him. There’s a semi-decent multiplayer one I have on Steam right now but it’s one of those things where I could either play that, or just… not, and continue life as normal. I might try it out again, but I already feel like I’m wasting my day. Oh my god, then Dungeon Dice Monsters on Gameboy Advance? Who needs anything else for that plane ride, am I right? I think there’s even those semi-story based RPGs on the Gameboy too that I should probably try out again. There’s just so much goodness.

And I haven’t even talked about the anime yet. Definitely the more meme-able of the classic anime, and I can definitely appreciate it for that. It was pretty weird in its own way. Especially with Yugi himself having what might just be the most insane and nonsensical hair style of all of anime. But, even then, I actually think it’s my all-time favorite, and I kinda love it. I have no idea why I do, but I do. I couldn’t even conceive of how to draw it from anything other than the front view. I also seriously appreciate when a character’s main icon/representation is something unique, and the Dark Magician is such an insanely cool character for just being some random dude on a card. Even apart from that, the Millenium Puzzle looks really cool, as does pretty much anything with an Egyptian flair to it. Then, we got the man, the legend, Joey Wheeler, who would not have been the same with any other voice actor. I stand by the fact that Tea and Tristan should’ve been fused into a hot-headed tomboy though, you really could’ve done without them both separately. Kaiba is also a classic anime antagonist/antihero, and he’s pretty lovable for it. Such great characters for something that really didn’t need them at all. I definitely have more nostalgia for the card/video game overall, but the anime definitely has an impression of its own. 

There’s also Zatch Bell, which I only know about in full because of that one Billiam video. I did have some vague idea of what Zatch Bell was, but only because we got those cool little books to hold the cards in. Honestly though the average character design in the show kinda sucks considering the fantastical elements are kind of cool. The only reason why I’m bringing it up at all is because I think Zatch’s design might be my all-time favorite character design in any anime property ever. His hair does still look pretty greasy, sure, but overall he has a very simple and clear design, and even though I’d definitely redesign him to look more puppet-like, the only reason why I see him as a puppet is because of the lines going down his cheeks. Those lines might be one of my all-time favorite single character design details for some reason. He also has a giant bow around his neck, and that plus the wide dress seriously makes him feel like a character I’d design (mostly because I have a character with somewhat the same details) minus the uber-generic anime boy protagonist sidekick.

For the list of anime I haven’t engaged with at all yet but can respect from afar, the shortest one I can describe is that one with that skeleton guy who has that average job and it’s animated very plainly, almost like a more western adult animation. You know, that one who got the meme with the subtitle of “Thanks, but reconsider!!!” with him looking all average but also anime-shocked at the same time. I can appreciate the deviation from pretty much every norm for sure.

For the more popular stuff, probably the second most likely for me to watch is My Hero Academia. The artstyle is just varied enough to make it feel better. Sometimes the hero outfits get a little weird, but most of the time they’re alright. What I’m really here for is the base character designs under them. Deku is an amazing average protagonist character design, who definitely looks average but still unique enough to not look boring. Designs like that are hard to come by, because it’s so much easier to use more over-the-top unique elements to make the main character unique. Doing more with less is always preferable though. I could list off all the characters and all, but beyond Deku I really would just be saying things like “The guy who looks like a crow or whatever.” Except for Tsuyu. Tsuyu is best girl, and if you don’t draw her mouth wide enough I’ll be sorely disappointed in you. I think there isn’t a single character I love more from a property I don’t engage with at all. To be honest, I don’t think there’s a serious chance for me really wanting to get into it, though, mainly because I’m intimidated by that little shitstain with the weird latex ball mohawk. As I’ve heard, he’s the walking “pervert” joke type. Could be wrong. I hope so.

The most likely is another Academia, that being Little Witch Academia. It looks adorable as all hell, and the fantasy elements look classically fun, being a sort of bubbly spin on the more generic Harry Potter-type stuff you might imagine for a witch/wizard school. I’ve heard that any Studio Trigger series is animated very well, but somewhat lacking in the story department, but as I said before I can very easily enjoy a simple story with great animation in front of it, so it really seems super up my alley. Plus, it’s just like, ON Netflix. I could literally just boot it up any second and start watching. 

I usually try to organize these paragraphs/lists in ascending order of interest, but I gotta break that for something that’s super half-and-half, and sort of the one that triggered me to want to finally write down all this junk. Madoka Magica is occasionally really cool, with the absurd and bizarre imagery of each Witch and Labyrinth, and I seriously love that part. But… Then it turns to the characters, which I honestly hate looking at multiple times more than the average anime character. Maybe it was somehow intentional, but their faces seriously look like those drawn by kids just starting out trying to draw anime, but just barely adjusted to look more polished for the sake of decency. I’m also not really into the story, being this massive juxtaposition of cutesy little magical girl antics and hellish demonic nonsense and brutal events. Trust me, I’m not the one to shy away from intense, adult stuff in animation, but I feel like the two extremes are almost too far apart from each other to really get into. That, and the magical girl dresses they each transform into was the specific inspiration for me mentioning designs that feel like they’re too set on doing one thing that it hinders their overall design. The yellow girl’s dress looks pretty cool though, since she has those weird poofy shoulder things, another character design trait I love. I just had to mention it because of how crazy interesting the Witches and Labyrinths are. 

I just remembered Sailor Moon existed as I was writing that, and I’m not insanely opposed to looking into it. It might fight with Dragonball for the title of most classic anime ever. It also looks kind of cutesy-fun, which I can enjoy, but I definitely would expect it being a bit old to be its downfall. The artstyle alone gives me some vicarious nostalgia, even though I’ve never engaged with anything styled like it (and honestly believe it’s objectively worse than the anime style that’s more common nowadays). People as a whole seem to be nostalgic about it, so it’s kind of hard not to also feel it a little bit. As I said, though, I do kinda hate it compared to modern stuff. Same thing applies to Dragonball and really anything of Toryiama’s work. I can see the nostalgia from other people, but I just don’t like it.

I’m sure there are others that are just barely being forgotten about, but you get the point.

So yeah, that’s basically why I hate anime except I talk more about the anime I do like instead of hating on it as a whole. Believe it or not, when I like animation, I truly do like it, regardless of whatever form it is. But still, anime as a whole is not at all my thing. Feed me my generic Disney Channel “Calarts” SJW shlock instead. 

[snowfall-fanfictions]

Ice, Fire, and Shadow

FFN link

Ao3 link

A dragon, a soldier and an assassin. When Elsa's missing and Arendelle has no one else to turn to, teaming those three up seems to be the answer - if only they didn't try to kill each other. Crossover with CallenAmakuni, @snowdragon4, and @snowfall-in-summer.

“I’m not paid enough for this.”

A long sigh heaved from deep within Garret’s chest while he ran a hand through his crimson hair. He had been standing in front of the door for little more than half an hour – the ants he felt walking all over his legs were starting up a colony, apparently. He brought his gaze down to his shifting feet.

“Could have put out a couple chairs, at least,” he said, his annoyance growing with every minute he spent fidgeting on his spot, waiting for a colonel that might very well have left home.

The latter had asked for him, yet he still didn’t know where, when and for what. Garret had resorted to waiting in front of his office and had considered knocking once or twice.

“Better not to try my luck.”

The colonel had always been considerate, but Garret’s teammates always told him stories of subordinates getting in disproportionate trouble for the tiniest mistakes. When hierarchy was involved, safe wasn’t only the better choice. It was the only choice. He finally clasped his hands behind his back and dejectedly decided to wait some more – he had already gone that far.

Standing alone with his mind, his thoughts inevitably went back to the fiasco.

“God-freaking-dammit.”

The instructions were simple: he wasn’t supposed to use the asset outside direct orders. It had more or less been a tacit accord of his strike team’s commander with the higher staff and he knew that. Then why did he have to disobey that command the only time it was explicitly specified? Why did he use it the only time when it was not only unnecessary but also detrimental to the mission? Why was he so stupid?

He angrily clapped his boot on the cold wood beneath him in a tentative attempt to evacuate some of his frustration – he couldn’t let his superior see that he was angry at himself. And of course, that same superior had chosen that exact moment to open his office’s door.

“Got something under your foot, soldier?” the colonel asked with a lifted eyebrow. His proud bushy mustache was one privilege among the plethora of perks his rank inferred. Among those perks was the ability to reprimand his men. “Want some rocks to step on?”

Garret immediately stood upright and saluted sharply. “No, sir. Squished a bug, sir.” Bluff seemed to be his strategy.

The colonel kept his eyebrow up. “Do I want to ask you to lift your boot, soldier?”

The strategy was quickly proving ineffective.

“N-No, sir.”

The colonel breathed a sigh that made his entire body sink down. “Come in, son,” he said, stepping aside to leave Garret enough space to go into his small office. The room was well-lit, perfectly organized and without any embellishment. A fitting setting for the man. The colonel sat at his desk and clasped his hands together over it. Garret stayed on his feet – he hadn’t been invited to sit.

“Do you know why I called you in?” the older man said once he finished examining him.

“I have an idea about it, sir.”

“All right, then. That saves you some uncomfortable small talk. You know you fucked up.”

“I do, sir.”

“And you know how sensitive it is that your…abilities…remain a secret.”

“Yes, sir.”

The colonel dropped his arms to rest on the table. His gaze visibly hardened. “Then you’ll understand our decision to send you away for a little while.”

Garret’s felt his heart fall. “Send- Send me away, sir?”

The colonel somberly nodded. “Exactly. For at least four months.”

“Two months? What am I gonna do for four bloody months?” Garret blurted out without thinking, forgetting the protocol in the process.

The sanction was instantaneous. “Watch your tongue, soldier, or I’ll make it a whole year.”

Garret immediately got his bearings back, realising how out of line he was. “Sir, yes, sir.”

“Officially, you’re going to investigate a creature sighting in foreign territory,” the colonel explained once his glare softened a bit. “Unofficially, I don’t give a cow’s tit what you do. You’re to leave the country tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? B-But I have to say farewell to…”

“It’s an order, son. Order from him,” the colonel finished with an insistent glance. “I wouldn’t discuss anything further. The boat’s waiting. Report at London Port first thing in the morning. See you in two months. Dismissed.”

The words were final, ringing in Garret’s ears like the blunt impact of the hammer that had just fallen.

“Un-Understood, sir.”

As he turned around to leave, he heard the colonel’s normal voice, the one that sounded warm and welcoming, the one he would usually never use when wearing his uniform. “Sorry, soldier. Wish we could have handled this any differently.”

“Yeah. I know,” Garret answered before closing the door behind him.

 —:0:—

The morning’s atmosphere was chilly, humid and heavy. The port was starting to wake up even though the sun was still nowhere to be seen, its light replaced instead by the faint glow of smelly oil lamps. Bringing his coat closer to his body, Garret adjusted his small satchel over his shoulder. He sighed when he noticed the dense fog escaping out of the sailors’ mouths, lifting up to blend into the vapor of the buzzing docks’ heavy machinery. He’d have to look like he was feeling the cold.

“All right, fellas?” he greeted when he reached the hull of the vessel he had been assigned to.

Nobody answered him, but a young one disappeared into the deck and came back accompanied by a man with a hat that seemed to be the captain. “Cheers, mate. You the special cargo?” that same man called.

Garret rolled his eyes. Of course, they would call him that. “That’d be me, yeah.”

“Come on-board,” he said as he threw a rope ladder his way. “We got instructions to get you out of here.”

Garret climbed in, quickly getting used to the slight swaying of the ship. He could tell she was military in design, civilian in aspect. “So where are we taking her?” were his first words.

The captain removed his hat and started wiping the dust off its edges. “You are not takin’ anythin’ anywhere. You just sit tight. We are droppin’ you off where the brass told us to drop you off.”

Garret’s shoulders slightly slumped down. The trip was going to be fun. “And where would that be?” he asked.

The captain put on his hat again, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “A small place up North. They said it’s called Arendelle.”

—:0:—

Eryn downed another tankard of ale. This was at least his third one today. He always found himself back in Karnisvarne after each successful kill. This time it was some medium ranking general in the Southern Isles army. He couldn’t be bothered to remember the details, he normally stopped caring about that after he was paid. And he was handsomely rewarded for the kill, even securing a bonus for shifting the blame onto some fresh private. It may not have been the most honorable thing, but money is indeed money.

He was still in his travelling attire; his brown travelling cloak draped over his shoulders like a fancy cape, covering his plain looking shirt. His boots were still caked with dirt from the quick escape he had to make when he put a bullet between the general’s eyes. Eryn’s raven black hair was windswept from when he and Magni bolted out of the camp to the nearest port. Now in the calm of the tavern, Eryn looked like a disheveled mess compared to everyone else

Eryn sat at the bar, carefully studying the other patrons. There were only a few other people in the tavern along with him. Everyone else was busy toiling out in the fields for meager pay, or up in the city for some festival. Eryn could care less about what happened in Arendelle proper, since they seemed not to care about anyone but themselves. He nursed another tankard in his hands while he listened to some of the conversations happening.

“There’s a nip in the air. Not good for crops…”

“Lyin’ whore. Kid obviously ain’t mine.”

“Bullshit! Snowmen can’t talk…”

“Ya hear about the queen bringing in one of them ‘Dragon Knights?’”

Eryn perked up at that last conversation. Dragons? You have my attention. Two men were seated a few seats away from him at the bar, hunched over with their own tankards. Eryn leaned in closer to listen in on their conversation.

“Hell’s a dragon knight?” One of the men asked.

“Agh. Warriors from buttfuck ‘who cares’,” his friend replied. “One of ‘em’s here for the festival.”

“What’re they doing here?”

“Probably for the queen, but who cares? Freaks of nature the lot of them. The whore’s magic could easily make her a target for the likes of them…”

Eryn contemplated this information for a moment. If the Dragon Knights were renowned warriors, what would people think of a man who could kill a Dragon Knight? That’s when a spark of inspiration hit him like-

A Dragon Knight?! Are you out of your mind, Odrikson?! a familiar voice rang in his head.

Eryn pulled his dagger out of its sheath. It was an ancient looking blade, with an ebony grip and a rough looking edge. Etched into it were a series of runes which currently glowed bright red.

C’mon! An opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime! he mentally retorted.

That’s what at least three of your predecessors said before they all met their ends. Dragon Knights are not meant to be taken lightly, Odrikson, they-

How hard can it be?

THEY ARE DRAGONS, BOY!

Bah, that’s probably just some propaganda to scare folks into respecting them. Like ‘Winged Hussars.’ And since when have you been an expert in ancient knighthood orders?

Since when have you been an idiot? I assure you, that title is not simply honorary. If you try to fight a Dragon Knight, you will die!

You said that for at least three different jobs we took.

Yes, and if it weren’t for me, you would be dead! Besides, didn't we just get done with a kill not a few hours ago? 

Well, Adrenaline is still pumping. I guess. 

Odrikson….

Bah, quit blabbering. We’re off to Arendelle proper.

Eryn sheathed the dagger and got up from the bar. He fished around in his pocket for a few gold coins and made his way out of the tavern. This was a perfect opportunity! If he killed this “Dragon Knight,” the whole damned world would know who Eryn Odrikson was. It would be impossible to go anywhere and find someone not talking about how a master assassin killed such a prestigious warrior. Eryn wasn’t quite sure what a dragon knight looked like, but he was certain he would know as soon as he saw one.

Entering the stables, Eryn saddled up Magni, his horse, and readied up. With the shout of “Magni! Beveg seg!” the black stallion darted out of the stables onto the north road.

That Dragon Knight is mine, Eryn thought to himself as Karnisvarne disappeared behind him.

 —:0:—

The Great Thaw Festival Observance, or GTFO as Princess Anna put it, was to be a new tradition in Arendelle after the events that took place one year ago today.  After what seemed like hours of pleading, Queen Elsa finally relented to her sister’s wishes to host the festivities.  The contrast in the sisters' personalities had never been more evident than when the festival was decided on.  Elsa saw it as the day she lost control and the kingdom found out about her secrets, Anna saw it as the day they became sisters again and the gates to their kingdom had been opened. 

Either way she looked at it, Elsa couldn’t help but feel a little excited about the upcoming events. Even her advisors were looking forward to it, and they were never happy about anything.

Looking over the fjord filled to the brim with ships, Elsa took a few deep breaths of the ocean air, allowing its calming and salty breeze to settle her nerves.  

I can do this. This is for Anna. Anna and I, but still mostly Anna. As much as she wanted to enjoy the gates being open, she still wouldn’t be what most people would call a “people person”.  She left that to her sister. 

“There you are!” Speaking of which. Elsa felt the arms of her sister wrap around her shoulders.  “Are you excited about the festival?”

Elsa’s eyes drifted from the harbor to the town square where her people were setting up banners, food, tables with goods ready to be sold, and an all around merry atmosphere.  

A smile ghosted her lips. “As excited as I’ll ever be.”  

Anna gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Oh don’t be like that. This is gonna be a blast and you know it.”  

Elsa barked a laugh. “You're just saying that because you're excited for yet another party.”

“Well, the gates are open and we’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”  

Elsa reached up and grabbed her sister's arm tenderly. “I know, and little by little we're making up for it.”

“Then let’s go!” Grabbing her by the arm, she tugged, pulling her sister through the castle at top speed and Elsa’s arm from its socket. Before her brain could register what was happening, she found herself in the castle courtyard still being towed behind her sister.  

Suddenly Anna stopped. “OH! Before we go too far I have to show you what me and Gerda made.”  

“Gerda and I,” Elsa corrected. 

“No.” Anna pointed to herself in an exaggerated fashion.  “ME! And Gerda.”

Elsa’s expression was as blank as stone and with a deadpan expression she responded. “That joke never gets old.” Anna disappeared back into the castle and with impressive speed, returned only a few moments later.  

“We had a bunch of this made up and are being hung around the city.” It was an exquisite banner made from gold, green and purple fabrics with stitchings of the letters GTFO.  “What do you think?”

Elsa tilted her head. As much as she loved the banner and her sister’s creative talents, something about it seemed off. Unable to think of it she gave her sister a large wide smile. “It’s beautiful.”  

Squealing excitedly, Anna all but sprinted into the town, Elsa making sure to keep her arms behind her back so that Anna didn’t pull them off.  

Sure enough the banners were being hung throughout Arendelle, and no matter how many of them she saw, Elsa couldn’t remember what it was that was off about them.  

“Good work guys!” she heard Anna say. Kristoff, Sven and Olaf were helping hang the banners over a few of the consignment tents. While Anna gave the boys a hand -and by giving a hand meant barked orders about how they were doing it wrong- Elsa meandered through the town.  She nodded and smiled to the various merchants, townsfolk, children, and those visiting from other countries.  

After exchanging a few words with someone there from France, out of the corner of her eye she spotted an old friend wandering through the square. She almost didn’t recognize him dressed in a dark green suit, a high collared shirt with a tie, grey trousers and nice black leather shoes.  Even his dark brown hair was combed to the side. Had it not been for the glowing teal necklace he wore, she wouldn’t have known it was Drake Daniels, Dragon Knight. 

She excused herself from the French dignitary, and made her way to the dragon warrior.  

He held his arms behind his back as he aimlessly meandered, clear that he was either lost or wasting time pretending to be interested in what was going on around him. Luckily for him Elsa was closing in, giving him a reprieve from his feigned interests.  

He bowed at the waist with his hand over his heart. “Her Majesty honors me with her presence.”

She chuckled at his sarcastic, teasing tone, and with a curtsy responded. “You should be so honored.” He laughed as he stood up straight, his fingers casually tugging at his collar. “Um, what are you wearing?” Elsa asked.

He looked at himself like he had done something wrong. “A suit? Am I not supposed to wear one?”

She shook her head quickly. “No, no, no.  It’s just I’ve never seen you so, dressed up?”

He released a breath of relief. “Well. This is a festival. I don’t see the need to be geared up in all my hunting gear. Although,” he lifted his suit a bit to show a belt littered with a variety of pouches, “I never leave the house unprepared.”  

“Ha. So much for no hunting gear.”

“Hey! I said ALL my hunting gear. This is only some of it.”

“Some of what?”  Seeing that Elsa was chatting with someone, Anna had removed herself from her supervising duties to see what her sister was up to. Her mouth dropped with surprise and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Drake! It’s so good to see you.”

He returned a gentle friendly hug. “You too, princess.”

“When did you get here?” she asked when they stepped away from each other.

“Well, actually I arrived a few days ago, but I kept myself out of the way so as to not interrupt anything you ladies were doing. And yes, I flew, no boats for me please.”  

“Well neat! Now that you're here, you can help us hang these.” Drake looked at the banner she had flashed to him and his smile changed to a twisted, uncomfortable grimace. “What?  What is it?”  

“Um, heh, you do know what GTFO means right?” 

Anna shook her head. “The Great Thaw Festival Observance?” Drake sucked in a breath through his teeth, before leaning forward to whisper into her ear.  Anna’s expression changed from confused to downright horrified. “Oh god! KRISTOFF, TAKE THE BANNERS DOWN!!”  She sprinted to stop him, leaving Elsa to watch her with her brows lowered.  

“What was that?”

Drake couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’ll tell you as we help her take those things down.”  

Just as he took his first step, he stopped when he felt a tickle in the back of his neck. He was a monster hunter, who knew never to ignore those hairs. He threw a quick glance at his surroundings, his ears and nose twitching.

This is still a bad idea, Odrikson.

The voice was faint, ghostly, almost ethereal but with a rasp and menacing tone.

Hush, I’m concentrating.

This one was less otherworldly, more grounded but no less hostile. Drake furrowed his brows. “Your Majesty, I’m going to have to check on something real quick.”

Elsa simply shrugged in response. “As you wish,” she answered. “But first, tell me what those lette-” She turned around, noticing the surprising absence of the Dragon Knight. “Huh. Where did he go?”

 —:0:—

Drake crossed the main square, the outer city’s rim, then the first glades, and as fast as he moved he was no less on edge. He walked deep into the woods, the two voices following him with impressive stealth. He had to control his pace so as to not go too fast and lose them, or two slowly and alert them.

Where do you think he’s going?

Did mortals get dumber over the millennia or am I just cursed with you?

You know what they say. You can't land a shot you don't take.

I'm sure they say lots of things. You know what they also say? Listen to the Lord of Shadows before doing something reckless.

What intrigued Drake most was the clear absence of footsteps. If it weren’t for the voices exchanging quips every now and then, he wouldn’t have detected them. He stopped in the middle of a clear and open meadow far enough away from the kingdom and turned around.

“Is there something you want from me?” he called loudly.

He’s talking to himself, now. Pff, what a nutjob.

I’m not going to dignify that remark with an answer.

A vein popped on Drake’s forehead at the jab. “You two might as well show yourselves.”

Wait. Two?

“Yeah. Two. The demon and the guy who’s stupid enough to follow me.”

What a surprise.

He can hear me?

“Yes, I can, “ Drake huffed in annoyance. “Now, we gonna do this or what?”

A shadow slithered on the barks, jumping from tree to tree. It approached rapidly, stopping a few feet away from Drake before briskly lifting off the ground, transforming into a black leathered young man holding a dagger in his right hand in a reversed grip. “Your head,” he hissed.

With that, he leaped with incredible speed, aiming at Drake’s neck. The latter barely had time to register that he had moved before he leaned away and felt a vicious snarl below his right ear and his suit ripping out from over his shoulder. He jumped away with a swift step, holding the location where the blade had apparently scratched his skin.

“Okay, first off, this is my only suit that you just tore. So, thanks for that. And what’s this about wanting to kill me?”

The young man slowly walked to the side while twirling his ebony blade between his fingers. “No hard feelings, boy. This is business. When your head rolls to my feet, your reputation will only add to the reverence of my name.”

Drake waited a moment before his head lowered in a “seriously” stare. “I'm sorry, I’m a little slow here. So you’re attacking me... to become famous?”

See?! Even HE knows how stupid your plan is. 

Shut up! I’m in the middle of the pre-fight banter.

Drake didn’t wait for an answer. “Well, who are you?”

Eryn slightly puffed his chest out.  “Eryn Odrikson! Master assassin and your executioner.”

Drake blinked a few times. “Okay maybe you should kill me, cuz I’ve never heard of you.” He removed his hand from the wound on his shoulder, noting the small specks of blood.  “Although this is concerning.” He narrowed his eyes at the dagger in Eryn’s hand. He had never seen anything like it before, nor the writing on the metal, but if it was talking it couldn’t be good. 

Drake examined his attacker.  “Well, I’ll cut you a deal. Leave now and I won’t kick your ass back to wherever you came from.” 

Eryn sneered. “Yeah, how ‘bout—“

—yes! 

“—no.”

Drake heaved a sigh. Looking over his shoulder at the kingdom, he knew he really didn’t have time to deal with this, so he might as well end it quickly. “Alright then. There’s no honor in this, but just so you know, you were warned.”

With that, Drake bent forward. The necklace he wore glowed and he let it engulf him in it’s pure blue. He felt his wings grow, his fangs bare and his throat burn. He let out a deafening roar, lifting his now thick and long head to the heavens.  

And he’s a dragon now.

I guess this DRAGON Knight is full of surprises.

Why didn’t you tell me he could actually turn into one?!?

The assassin plunged to the side to avoid a spray of ungodly blue-hot fire that left only carbonised grass in its wake.

I know this might sound obvious, but do not let the fire touch you.

Gee, thanks for the advice!

Eryn darted forward at his top speed, avoiding another fiery breath and closing the distance with the dragon’s belly.

Is it...glowing?

Now is not the time, Odrikson!

He prepared a strike, cocking his arm back and twisting his feet to accumulate enough force behind the hit. However, Drake interrupted his attempt in an instant and Eryn had to dodge the heavy and scaly tail that stomped the location he had been in a fraction of a second before. He continued dashing back, closely avoiding a rapid claw aiming at his legs and parrying a hit of that same tail that sent sparks in the air and him flying away. He glided a bit on the slippery soil when he landed, bringing himself low and at the ready should another attack come his way. 

I don’t care what it takes, we’re doing it. We’re bringing it down.

It’s a dragon, you moron. You think YOU can take it down?

"Oh, you're gonna burn," the dragon boomed in his enhanced voice before he opened his mouth and sparkles started flying dangerously around it.

Before they could both unleash their wrath, they instinctively brought a claw and a dagger to their sides to deflect arrows that had been aiming at their heads. The two projectiles softly landed in the middle of the space between them. Examining them with curious eyes, they both noticed the pale reflection they were emitting. They were made of crystal ice.

The dragon and the assassin whirled their heads to their left, where a strange man wearing a large maroon coat and a simple traveler’s garb stood with his right arm outstretched. Among the light mist that was surrounding him, his crimson hair stuck out from afar. 

A frozen spear appeared in his hand almost instantaneously. He gave it a quick twirl and planted it in the ground below him with a resonating thud. 

“Hello there,” Garret simply greeted with a smile. “And here I thought the colonel was making a monkey out of me. Mind if I join in?” 

A/N: CallenAmakuni: Hello and first of all thanks for reading! This has been a blast to write - I had lots of fun - and I hope you enjoyed it. We each wrote a part of this chapter and the blend is IMO very harmonious, so I’m very proud of it and us!

Now, a few precisions for those of you who are already familiar with Patience and Time. The Garret you see here is not the same one as the one in PaT. This is an AU - from an AU, yeah, but still - where he is younger and never went to Arendelle before. Everything that happens here will have no repercussions on PaT. See this as a rather self-indulgent Avengers-style crossover where we have fun with our characters. 

And if you haven’t already, please go check Snowfall’s Beware The Frozen Heart (both on AO3 and FFN) and Bearhow’s Hungry Moon (on FFN only for now), I assure you it’ll be worth your while!

We’re really excited to bring you what’s coming next. Thanks again, and see you next time!

A/N: Snowfall_In_Summer: I agree, this was incredibly fun to write!

Likewise, for those familiar with “Beware the Frozen Heart,” This is a non canon story to that fic. The Eryn here isn’t the same Eryn that’s in BtFH. If Garret and Drake interest you, check out CallenAmakuni’s Patience and Time and Bearhow’s Hungry Moon series (Like CallenAmakuni said, Hungry Moon is on FFN only for now. Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13314313/1/Hungry-Moon)

Hope you enjoyed this little experiment!

A/N: Bearhow

Bearhow here! 

I’d like to echo what my partners in crime have already said m.  This was a blast and it's only going to get more amazing as the story goes on. Also this is a different continuity from “Hungry Moon” and “the Snow queen's champion”, but Drake does know our favorite Arendellians.  

Enjoy the show! 

[rohdutch]

Interrupted pt. 2

Pairing: Elias Samson x reader

Word count: 1.8k

Summary: lots of feelings of the upcoming wedding day, mainly elias'

A/N: uh. I honest to God do not remember how long ago I wrote this but I just randomly found it in my drafts and I think I had originally wanted to add more to it but never did? But I reread it and I kinda like it as is so I'm gonna leave it alone and not edit. God, it's been so long, but here we go ig (also shout-out to past me for already linking part one bc present me did not feel up to searching for it lmao)

Tag list: (im just tagging who I remember) @team-elias @sixdegreesofsamson @sophiagriff @calwitch @thirstiswet @logicstates12

Part One

-

"How do they fit?"

"Perfect. What about yours?"

Elias stood up and took a few steps, getting used to the feel of the shoes he'd be wearing for the wedding. He shrugged. "They'll take some getting used to, but they feel good."

You let out a soft sigh, smiling as you walked over to Elias, your heels making soft 'thumps' against the carpet of your bedroom. "Great," you breathed out, running your hands down his clothed chest, "finally something for this wedding works out on the first try."

Elias couldn't help but smile at that, reaching out to wrap his arms around you and pull you to him, resting his head into the crook of your neck. You were right, and he was grateful for at least one thing working out so far, even if it was something as small and simple as your wedding shoes fitting perfectly the first time you tried them on.

Elias had originally thought that planning the wedding would be easy—not extremely easy, but more so than things he had experienced before. Instead, planning your wedding had become one of his worst nightmares. He could say, without a doubt, it had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done and he was grateful that in a few days it would be over. He had been counting down the days until your wedding with a burst of happiness every time he could cross off a day. Now, it was almost time for not only the two of you to be done with planning your wedding, but also for the two of you to finally get married after so long.

The whole process had been tedious and long, full of too many problems to count. Elias had been fully prepared to throw himself into planning, ready to tackle the whole thing with you and the very large binder you had filled with tons of different wedding things, all neatly organized. At first, things went as planned and everything came together pretty well. It wasn't until it was time to start really setting things up—figuring out venues, decorations, your dress and his tux—when things began to get chaotic.

Suddenly, the two of you were running around everywhere, calling back when the venue you wanted had been double-booked and you had to find somewhere else and when the dress you had picked out had magically disappeared when it was sent out to be adjusted. The invitations you had picked out had gotten lost in the mail after being sent out, the caterer quitting after everything for dinner had already been decided. It seemed that everything that could go wrong did go wrong and Elias felt terrible most of the time when he had to leave for work, leaving you with the messiness that had become your wedding preparations.

Slowly, though, everything started to come together. Things were figured out, and thank god, your dress was found and actually came back fitting perfectly.

Now, with a few days left before the wedding, Elias was glad that at least one thing had worked out so easily, especially after the chaos that had been the rest of the planning process. And even though this one thing had worked out on the first try, he wasn't convinced that the next few days before the wedding would turn out the same.

-

Elias watched you move around the room, grabbing different things as you went and dropping them off on the bed where he was sitting next to a suitcase, carefully packing everything you grabbed. There was two more days until your wedding and so far, nothing else had gone wrong since the two of you had broke in your wedding shoes. Elias wanted to let himself relax in what seemed to be another easy two days before the wedding—two days where all you would be doing is packing for your honeymoon—but he couldn't seem to let the tension in his shoulders out. He was paranoid that something else would go wrong; something was bound to go wrong. He was sure of it.

"Will you at least try to relax?"

Elias looked up to see that you had stopped moving around the room and were now standing in front of him, your hands placed firmly on your hips. "What?"

"Relax," you said slowly, "I want you to relax. Just for a little bit, please? I'd like for my future husband to not be so tense on our wedding day."

Elias let out a light laugh at that, and he rolled his shoulders back in an attempt to appear somewhat loosened up even though he still felt entirely too paranoid. "Better?"

"No." You smiled at him as you moved to sit in his lap, looping your arms around his shoulders. "I know you're still not relaxed, but thank you for trying," you told him, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"I've tried to relax, it's just-"

"After everything we've gone through with planning, you're worried something else is going to go wrong?" you asked, and Elias' shoulders dropped as he nodded. "Honey, I know. I'm a little worried too, y'know, but soon it'll all be over and we'll be married and go on a nice honeymoon where I'll get to spoil you for a week straight. At least then we won't have to worry about anything for a while."

"Sounds wonderful." And Elias meant it. He thought that he might actually be a little more excited for the honeymoon rather than the actual wedding (but maybe that had something to do with the fact that the honeymoon had taken a lot less planning than the wedding).

"Alright, c'mon," you said with a sudden enthusiasm, "two more days before we're outta here for a week so we have to finish these bags up by tomorrow."

Elias nodded and smiled as you began moving around the room again, grabbing everything the two of you would need for you week-long adventure.

-

Elias looked down at his polished shoes. Today was the day, and even though he thought that the day he asked you to marry him had been the most nervewracking day of his life, his mind had quickly been changed when he woke up that morning.

The only day more nervewracking than the day he proposed to you, he decided, was today—the day he was going to marry you. And the fact that there had already been so many problems today only added to his nerves.

So far, in just that morning, the chairs for the ceremony had run short, one of the rings had been lost (only to be found hidden under a couch a short while later), and now the main concern was the supposed oncoming rain.

Elias was not only nervous, he was frustrated. He thought that after all the rigorous planning he and you would get to have a nice little wedding, one that both of you could easily enjoy, but now the two of you were running around trying to calm at least a little bit of the mayhem.

Elias sighed as he stood, brushing his hands over his suit. He hadn't wanted anything too extravagent when it came to his wedding outfit, but he did at least want something that would be memorable.

You had been more than happy to help Elias get exactly what he wanted with his suit, while still making sure that you never saw the actual outfit. ("It's bad luck to see each other in our wedding outfits before the ceremony," you had told him from the very beginning, even though the two of you had already seen each other's wedding shoes.)

The suit was fairly simple in design, the jacket and pants a casual black; it was the shirt that pulled the entire outfit together. The shirt, one that had been specially made for Elias per request, was a crisp white with a simple black and white flower design along the collar and the ends of the sleeves that cuffed over the ends of the jacket sleeves. It was easy to believe that the flower designs were what pulled the whole thing together.

With one last brush of his clothes, Elias left the room and made for the one down the hall, the one he knew you were getting ready in. He knew about the tradition you wanted to keep, but he didn't have any plans on actually seeing you now before the ceremony. He only wanted to speak to you beforehand.

Just as he reached the door, raising a fist to knock, it opened and your sister appeared in the doorway, clearly about to leave the room.

She only held a look of shock for a moment before looking back and shutting the door partially, most likely to make sure neither he or you saw one another. "You're not supposed to see each other before the ceremony," she scolded quietly, looking back to Elias.

"I know. I just want to talk to her before we begin everything," Elias explained and your sister's face softened.

"Okay," she said, sliding back into the room for a moment. He could hear her talking to you, but didn't know what was being said. A second later, your sister reappeared, this time leaving the room with the door cracked a bit. "If you two see each other before you go down that aisle, I'll personally kick both your asses."

Elias smiled and nodded, watching as your sister walk away. Once she was gone, he heard rustling from inside the room, and then your voice.

"Lias?"

You were right on the other side of the door, he realized. It would be so easy for him to push it open and see you all dolled up for your big day, but he resisted that urge. "Hey, honey."

"God, it's so good to hear your voice," you breathed out, " today has been so chaotic and knowing that you were here the whole time and I couldn't see you really sucked."

"Well," Elias found himself brushing up against the door, but not enough to open it, "whose fault is that?"

"I know," you groaned. "It's tradition, though. And I don't think we need anymore bad luck."

Elias could hear someone down the hall worrying out loud about the weather report. "We definitely don't need that."

Elias jumped slightly when he felt the door shift a bit, thinking you were about to forget everything you said about traditions and open the door, but it only cracked open enough for you to stick your hand out. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and squeezed.

"I'm sorry, Eli," you spoke softly, "I know this whole thing has been hard and just, so, so chaotic, but we're almost there."

Almost there, Elias thought as you gripped his hand tightly. The two of you were so close, almost to the end of all of this and the beginning of something new, something hopefully less chaotic.

"Almost there," you repeated.

"Almost there," Elias echoed.