#and communicate so much with just simple word choice... that's a part of characters you just can't get in other languages

[satsuha]

i've been thinking about nahyuta's title as the "last rites prosecutor" because i think it's an interesting part of his character that's immediately apparent from his first appearance... in japanese it's written as トムライの検事 (tomurai no kenji) with tomurai meaning funeral/burial. this is pretty self-explanatory considering his tendency to pray for the victim but i actually think it's really interesting that the localization opted for the term "last rites" instead

last rites are a specifically christian practice of praying for the dying to absolve them of their sins before they die - in other words, prayers given to the deceased wouldn't be considered last rites (x)

this is a pretty blatant contradiction of the original's meaning and what nahyuta actually does in the game but i think it's interesting to consider that the person he might be praying for is the defendant (and under khura'in's DC act, the defense as well), not the victim... even outside of khura'in we see that those who are proven guilty in murder trials are executed, and we know that nahyuta has been acting as a prosecutor under ga'ran, almost definitely sending several rebels and defense attorneys to their deaths in the process.

it would just be really tragic if his habit of praying came out of desperation at being forced to send innocents or even former comrades/friends to their deaths... whether it being interpreted as a funeral rite for the victim arose from the people around him or as another act of desperation from nahyuta to cover his actual intentions doesn't matter as much since i think one would have led to the other anyway...

[ennn]

Let's appreciate how complex Agatha's relationship with Billy is

GIF credit to @isagrimorie

The genuine emotion brimming from Agatha in this moment is very interesting and I really want to break down all the layers of how Agatha is relating to Billy—because it is truly not as simple as Agatha feeling sentimental or motherly to Billy.

There are a few layers at work here (and I also want to give a shout-out to @trickofthelights for her excellent recap points):

Billy reminds Agatha (enough) of herself

There are two driving forces at the core of Agatha as a character. We know this because her characterisation has been incredibly consistent throughout the show and Schaeffer has talked about them, which is: (a) Agatha is self-serving and (b) Agatha loves powerful witchcraft.

Billy is a powerful witch who did a horrifying thing in order to survive. He's been lying to these wonderful parents. He also just tried murdering three people in a fit of rage, provoked by Agatha no less.

Would Agatha care if he was less powerful? Would Agatha care if he didn't have a dark side? If he hadn't shown to be duplicitous and dangerous and subject to his darker impulses?

If he wasn't alone and without a coven, a possible outcast even among witches because of his unusual origins and power?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, she would not. She would have dismissed him the same way she did his "Teen" persona. Agatha doesn't care about witches, Agatha cares about powerful witches –because that's who Agatha is and what drives her.

And we also got hints of this with Agatha and Wanda (hello consistent characterisation). In Schaeffer's words:

There is respect and almost affection inherent in [Agatha's interest in enormously powerful witchcraft], as indicated by how she felt about Wanda. She was mean to Wanda, but really she was fascinated by Wanda and admired her and wanted to hang out with her. 

And if this wasn't clear enough, what Agatha tells Billy shortly later about breaking the rules and being a true witch just screams projection (more on that in my next point).

I was delighted that Agatha really did bounce back from the attempted murder – but it's not because she's forgiving. Oh no, I think, Agatha was testing her theory by poking the bear (calculated move, bad at math) and she's glad she was proven right.

I mean, she not happy about the attempted murder but her curiosity wins out. You see her poking at Billy and trying to figure him out in the rest of this scene.

Agatha also hates self-righteous moralising and searches out for the darkness in people – delights in it even – because she knows people and she knows her own darkness.

Billy is different but also not so different from Agatha, as much as Billy or his mom would hate to admit.

Agatha is dealing with her childhood trauma

Yes, Agatha is projecting on Billy, but she makes a choice about it. We hear her telling him what she would have wanted someone to tell her: that they shouldn't be afraid or ashamed of who they are or what they did to survive, that they are part of a community.

Don't you dare feel guilty about your talent. ... That's what kept you alive. That's what makes you special. That's what makes you a witch.

She's trying to be the person she needed when she was a child, because she simply doesn't want someone else – particularly a younger witch – going through what she did.

She doesn't want anyone to go through what her mother put her through. And that's a choice.

Because there are a number of ways a character can deal with trauma: they can lash out and bring others down, wanting others to experience to the pain they went through, or they can realise that what happened to them shouldn't happen to anyone else in their position.

There's something beautifully self-serving but also selfless in that, because this is a way for Agatha to heal from her trauma. She can tell Billy things she may not be able to tell herself.

And it's interesting because as a self-serving villain, Agatha could just be jealous of Billy's power. But in this moment at least, Agatha's empathy and compassion – as buried as they usually are – prevail.

And yes, Agatha was fond of kid Billy

This is what Schaeffer touched on in her interview answer and it makes sense, with the insight that Agatha – like any good actor – does invest a bit of herself in every role she plays.

Agatha does have feelings (as much as they might make her vomit) and I do believe she has a soft spot when it comes to kids, given her experience with her son and her own childhood trauma. And that kids don't have the level of hypocrisy and darkness that adults do.

It makes sense that Agatha would have some level of care about the Scarlet Witch's magical kid Billy. And that is a fondness that has carried onto teenage Billy – who is powerful and a survivor and has a potential for darkness in a way she can relate to.

There are layers and they intersect and it all ties back to how Agatha is incredibly complex and yet consistent as a character.

[originallandlockedmariner]

I’m nothing special.

I’m just flawed and weak as the next person. I let my emotions get the best of me at times. I’m not perfect. I read old messages looking for clues. I listen to old playlists of sad songs when I’m sad. I swear too much. Drink too much. I can be selfish and impatient. I’m a sarcastic asshole for alarmingly long periods of the day. I regret choices I’ve made, words I’ve said in anger, people I’ve let down. I’m no role model. Wow, there’s an understatement. But every day I own my shit. I’m accountable and humble. Every day, I try to just be a little bit better than yesterday. Becoming who you are is a life long journey, baby step after setback after stumble after lesson learned. Forever forward. Green and growing as they say.

I wake up and look at those four framed sentences. “Be impeccable with your word. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t make assumptions. Always do your best.” Simple and yet powerful.

Every day, I’m trying to see things differently. Gain perspective. Embrace not taking every single thing personally. Getting cut off in traffic, not personal. Waiting forever in line for coffee, not personal. It is an uphill climb getting comfortable with the concept that nothing others’ do is directly because of you or to upset you. People do what they do because of themselves. That’s it. Even when they treat you awfully or take you for granted, it has more to do with what’s going on with them than you. *insert lecture about Attribution Error.

As for assumptions, I kinda have a PhD in that field. Never met a situation, never had a conversation, never waited for a text, that I couldn’t attach an assumption to. Assumptions are generally born from misunderstanding and a fear of asking questions. Fear of what might be said. We lack courage to inquire so instead we stand back and fill the void with the worst. Draw from our past pain and create a narrative. I’m trying to break that cycle. Ask more questions. Communicate. Be clear and upfront. I can no longer assume others know what I mean or want and then get upset when they don’t act accordingly. It’s unfair to them and only serves to hurt me in the process.

I’m making integrity part of my daily practice. Speaking with integrity. Actions with integrity. And above all, avoiding the trappings of believing my own landslide of bullshit, being my own worst enemy, and justifying every blunder. Be better. Sidestep gossip and small talk. Apologize when you hurt someone. Accept that you’ll be wrong sometimes. Or in my case, a lot. Do what you say you’ll do. Character isn’t built upon what you said you’d do, but what you rolled up your sleeves and actually did.

As for always doing my best, I’m still figuring out what that animal looks like. I strive to be helpful, but sometimes when you’re always available, they take you for granted, not because they are selfish or unkind, but because they think you’ll always stay. Let them miss you for a while. This goes against everything I am but makes sense. I’ve also learned that there is no shame in being broken and anxious and sad. Be whatever you are right now. No need to make excuses or try to minimize the hurt, deny the confusion. You cannot learn about yourself if at first you aren’t frustrated and confused, the hard questions are born from this. You cannot heal without first being damaged. So be broken and anxious and sad. Cope however you need to; as long as you need to, for there is no instruction manual for this, we all make it up as we go along. Day by day and more often, minute by minute. So as for my best, I guess it is just knowing that when I put my head on the pillow, I gave all that I could, was kinder than I needed to be, inspired a few, and made sure the garage door is closed.

I’m nothing special. But I didn’t lose my shit on the drive into work, didn’t assume sporadic texts were anything but a busy day, and a couple people told me that they are grateful for me - so I’m gonna just go ahead and chalk today up as a win.

@originallandlockedmariner

[popponn]

things about sae.

it's sae's turn in my brain microwave. i want to understand you, underlashes senior. headcanons +observation+ rambling. spoilers, will be updated as time goes on.

scathing, mean af vocabs. pretty rude even as a child. but compared to rin, his cursing seems to be much tamer.

is REALLY focused on soccer. but also said in the character interview to not "only be able to/focus on soccer like him".

but in his introduction to u20 shows that he seems to value someone who goes all in to soccer. and it's kind of in line with the things he "admits" and chided. example a: shidou and isagi being individuals who are undeniably soccer obsessed (though on isagi's case as they haven't even talk, if i remember correctly, this might be more because of isagi's way of winning through "making use of luck"). example b: things he said in the u20 introduction in response to sendou.

headcanonish but this guy is giving me "burnout gifted child" vibe with all the prodigal status, expectations, and being hit in the face by the world. like what are you. are you satisfied by marina??????

there are few moments where he displays something that is pretty close to 'praise', but say it not to the related person/group himself. (i.e. his thoughts of blue lock in locker room, his comment about "dont switch out any of the u20 member".)

like is he being not nice on purpose????? honestly probably. headcanonish, but if seeing his way of giving comments to rin pre-spain, it's been like that since he was little. (i will check rin's ln again later)

in contrast to rin having "natural luck", this guy seems to more " making/seeking luck". but idk yet, with only ice cream sticks as clues. sae backstory and ln spin off when.

his eyes during the confrontation with rin in that snowy night are pretty expressive. but since visual cues leave a really wide room for interpretation + bllk tendency to subvert things, i will not comment. but honestly i really agree with the sentiment that sae was hurt by rin's words, but in the end the discouragement seems to come more from a place of "i don't want you to get hurt so just go home and don't play soccer anymore" (very very hc and more of an interpretation, as sae's pov is still non existent)

aka yeah, this guy is shit at displaying concern and any sort of care. headcanon but. do you see the vibe??? with rin???? like it's similar. what is this genetic.

simple fashion, but pretty trendy and chic(?).

this guy seems like a family guy who misses his family a lot. (please make up soon with your lil bro)

watches chibi maruko chan. has habits that genuinely reminds me of old people (drinking tea, looking at sea, thinking of family).

people at blue lock think of him as someone who seems to be good at study, but looking at the pattern of hyperfocused people in blue lock it either goes two way: a) his skill at everything else is questionable at best, abysmall at worst ; b) he is an all-rounder indeed.

but then again there is also the third type aka "good at football, still functional at everything except communication and emotional management skill".

his way of talking in jp is, to put it simply, pretty casual like guys his age. the thing that are the rudest part of it was his choice of words and the fact that he seems to talk like this to everyone. even his elder. and also the way he is very blunt in expressing his opinion.

but somehow that bluntness is gone when it came to showing vulnerable emotions. talk about emotional constipation.

if his character interview is reliable and unbiased, as it is from sae's own pov, his relationship with his parents seems okay.

genuinely wondering about his parents' canon response to his and rin's cold war.

does he even have friends. no like seriously.

his brother and him are really similar in many ways. rin is probably copying him in some ways tho—that, or rin's own issues. or sae's own issues.

please just make up with your brother. (2)

after spain his bang is gone. as in he just pushed them up. in u20 it still went down sometimes in a few panels.

he likes numbers. maybe he really is smart.

genuinely looking at him like "please get a hobby" not even as an insult but out of genuine concern. this dude has so many issues and the burnout child prodigy vibe is real strong with this one.

but not fully his fault. pretty much live alone overseas, probably with no friends his age and just a manager as his support system, went through a crisis, is a (probable) family loving guy with his family far away from him, then came home to his beloved lil bro he spoiled and dotted on and shared a dream with saying hurtful things to him on his lowest point. and not supporting his new decision and dream. from sae's pov, it's brutal.

i can defend rin on this too tho. honestly please talk to each other, itoshi bros. or acknowledge that maybe neither of you were in not in the best state of mind during that confrontation.

seems logical and he does likes numbers. but honestly, he just acts as he wants—look at how he talks to journalist, how he has 0 hesitation to leave an ongoing match.

went to spain at 13 according to rin's spin off novel. also mentioned to "hate to lose" and seems to be a strict perfectionist.

must be noted however that how rin sees him seems to be very biased. a bit of rin analysis/hc, but there seems to be "putting nii chan on a pedestal" going on there. how their childhood truly is from sae's perspective is still unknown. on rin's part tho, seems to be a very nice period.

is rich. so the snobby rich condescending guy aura is probably not that far from the truth. his sense of money seems to be a mess, as a few hundred millions is a small amount for him.

this guy seems to be picky with who he respects and he really doesn't hold back in disrespecting someone he doesn't. even higher ups and older people.

does skincare canonly.

doesn't seem to have friends so far...? (nel arc, before pxg match) but if we look at how rin is now, unsurprising.

in rin's novel, rin's physique is mentioned to be "better" than sae's actually. with how "rin wins in luck" while sae "loses" motive exist through the ice cream sticks, probably this motive will come up again when sae appears again.

[intoxicated-chan]

𝟎𝟎𝟏 *ೃ༄ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲

© 2023 Intoxicated-Chan, I do not allow my work to be copied, translated, modified, adapted, or put on any other platform with permission. None of the photos used belong to me! Credits to @/cafekitsune for the divider!!

Series’ Masterlist // Wattpad Vers.

Word Count ➳❥ 2k

(A/n) ➳❥ PLEASE READ! I’ve decided to add Olivia Octavius because I love her character. I am asking you all for your thoughts and opinions. Anyways, enjoy reading!

Content Warnings ➳❥ Swearing, manipulation, emotional blackmail, thoughts of violence…

» » YOU’RE HERE « « ⊰ 002 ⊰

Clickety clack! Clickety clack! Clickety clack! Clickety clack!

The sounds of your keyboard were the only thing heard in your freezing room, not like you could tell with your blasting headphones.

You shivered for the hundredth time. Your legs become sore from remaining crossed, your neck ached at your hunched over posture. In turn, you sat up. You let out a strained moan as you stretched your limbs. Your laptop was set to the side as you stood to stretch even more. The headphones were moved to be around your neck, rubbing your ears as some kind of relief.

As much as you’re determined to get your work turned in on time, your mind was distracted. The nervous pit in your stomach grew by the hour, part of it was relieved and the other, saddened. You have a scheduled meeting with your counselor in a half hour.

It’s just a half hour, no need to get all worked up. But you grew impatient, you felt like time was moving purposely slow just to screw with your emotions.

Like before, you were distracted. You couldn’t get your piece turned in on time if your own head hates you.

You changed into appropriate clothing or the weather. It was chilly out but not too cold. Just some simple sweats, sneakers and a hoodie. You brought your necessary items with you in a small bag and headed out, making sure you locked your door. Then, out You went to the campus.

You put your headphones back where they belong, and played your music. You took your usual path to the counselors office, walking random floors until you arrived on time. You arrived at their office and knocked on the door.

“You can come in, (Y/n).” You open and quietly shut the door, seeing your counselor sitting at their desk. They typed a few more words before turning their attention to you, “I noticed on your application that you’re open to internships. Are you still interested in them?”

You slip your headphones off and take a seat, “Still not sure if I am.” You admit, “I don’t think I can do work without getting paid.”

“Well, you’re just in luck.” The counselor types a few more things into their computer and turns the monitor to your direction, “Alchemax is a multinational chemical corporation. The CEO is willing to hire an intern.”

You lift an eyebrow, “A Chemical corporation? But I’m a writer.”

“I know you are but the CEO has high connections all over the place. Every student who has worked with the CEO or even worked a simple job in Alchemax now is making lots of money doing what they love. Their majors were completely different.”

You look back at the monitor, then to your counselor, “...I’m not sure if I want to do an internship with Alchemax.”

Your counselor sighs, “You do understand that Mr. O’Hara is one of the major donors. He’s the only reason that the community college is still up and running. It would be a tragedy if he stops donating money.”

Money. Of fucking course. It’s always about the money.

Your head hangs low, “This may be the chance to push your writing career forward. In the future, when you look back, you’ll be filled with guilt knowing that you had a chance. So, what will it be?”

“...I’ll do the internship.”

“That’s the spirit! Write up an email, have me as your referral, and then send it to Mr. O’Hara. I’ll write down his email.” They began writing down on a post it note, “You’re making the right choice and it’s like I told you in the beginning of your first year, I know you will become a great writer.”

You paced around your room. This feeling wasn’t nervousness, it was pure panic. Why did you let your counselor convince you that Alchemax was good enough? No, it wasn’t! You knew nothing about chemicals!

And the research wasn’t enough. There was no way a learning writer could ever work with a company with the complete opposite!

You paced around your room. This feeling wasn’t nervousness, it was pure panic. Why did you let your counselor convince you that Alchemax was good enough? No, it wasn’t! You knew nothing about chemicals!

Your email was finished, ready to be sent off. But you couldn’t. How could you not? This was your dream, to become a writer. Yet you didn’t want to become one where all eyes were on you, you wanted to be a simple writer, nothing all.

“It would be a tragedy if he stops donating money.”

You hated it. The feeling where everything was put on your shoulders and it counted on you. You couldn’t afford it if Mr. O’Hara does stop donating. You fucking hated it. You clicked send and began beating yourself up on how weak you are.

Alchemax Building // 12:50 PM

It’s almost been an hour. Where is this O’Hara guy?!

Your leg bounces up and down, as you continue to look back at your phone only for time to slowly move by. You sat here for over an hour after the receptionist told you it would only be a few minutes. A FEW MINUTES.

Why did you say yes to this again?

When you thought about leaving, the evaluator pinged and the doors opened. It revealed a disheveled and annoyed man who kept his eyes focused on the doors.

You take a deep breath as you stand, “Um, excuse me?” But he walks right by you, “Excuse me!” You say, louder this time.

The man responds with a heavy sigh, “Yes?”

“I’m (Y/n) (L/n), I’m a student at the (only) community college and I sent an email about an open internship.”

“Lyla.” He said and a woman appeared next to his head, “Were there any emails about the internships?”

“Well yeah, I read them all to you.”

“A heads up could’ve been nice.”

“Yeah yeah, I gotta check in on the R&D before they blow out another window.” She disappears.

“Right. This way.” He leads you to his office, opening the door and letting himself in first. You enter behind him, the door closing.

“As you know, I’m Miguel O’Hara, CEO of Alchemax.”

“I’m aware.”

Mr. O’Hara sits down with a heavy huff, “And then you must be aware that there is no need for an intern.”

You freeze in place, “I’m sorry?”

“If I remember correctly, you’re a writer applying to Alchemax.”

“I understand that but-”

“What purpose does a writer have in Alchemax? What purpose can you provide to the company?” He lifts an eyebrow, clearly trying to piss you off and sadly, it was working.

It was amusing to him. You could see the cocky smirk on his face as he waited for a response.

“The company was given to you. You then became the leader in rebuilding structures and in general, Earth. after numerous incidents (which is strange). But there have been gray areas in your company’s past which people like to bring up. You are thriving for change, and but at the same time, you hate change. I want to help you towards your goal and you don’t like people helping because you know you could do it yourself. The reason why the public kinda… hates you.” You now mumble, your head hanging low in embarrassment.

Shit! I said too much!

“What was your name again?”

“...(Y/n) (L/n).”

“I give you two weeks.” He sighs, “If you don’t screw anything up in those two weeks then you have a job here.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. O’Hara-”

“But if you do, then you go back to your community college and don’t even bother to try to come back. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good.” Mr. O’Hara leans back and opens his laptop, “Lyla is down at the Research and Development Department, make sure the insights are correct. She’ll explain it to you.”

“Um, of course.”

“Tenth floor.” He said before you walk out the doors of his office.

Did you forget that your heart was racing the entire time? Or that you wanted to punch him in his face?

R&D Department // 5:22 PM

“Here at the Research Department, we keep the company competitive. We stay up to date on any new material and we’re always trying to improve. But we also keep an eye on the market, any incidents.”

“Incidents?”

“I thought you told it to Miguel. Alchemax rebuilds anything after an incident dealing with whether it be a building or someone doing something stupid, Alchemax is always to the rescue!”

“I need you to pass these to Dr. Octavius and put a rush on them. She’s been asking for them non-stop.” The man shoves the stack of papers into your hands and returns to his desk.

You held back the urge to sigh and curse at the man. But you have no standing here. You were a simple unpaid intern for two weeks. If you screwed up your chance, then you can kiss your dreams goodbye.

Did I tell you how much I hate it here?

“Of course I can.”

If I know where her office is.

After minutes of looking at name plates, you finally find her office. You transfer the papers to one arm and knock on the door.

“Those better be the reports I’ve asked for.” You hear.

“Yes, they are.” You respond.

“Then come on in!”

You carefully enter her office and see that it was more of a lab than office. A strong smell immediately hits your nose and you try to keep yourself composed to make it to where the lady seemed to be looking through a microscope.

“Don’t be shy.” She said, still not looking away, “Come on over.”

You reach her desk, setting the files down, “Is that all?”

Finally, she looks up, eyeing you up and down, “A new employee? Wow, it’s a surprise that Miguel finally got his head out of his butt.”

“I’m sorry-? No, no, I’m just an intern… For two weeks.” You correct her.

“Ah! The classic two week deal.”

“He’s done this before?”

Dr. Octavius nods with a smile, “He’s done it to most of the new employees here. Me especially. He never did like my drive and focus on science.” She uses her leg to pull up a rolling chair next to her.

You sit, mainly because you didn’t want to go back onto that floor, “I’m listening.”

“The press was all over one incident when I blew up a room after I came up with another idea. Who would’ve thought a collider would explode and so he put the two weeks rule, if any of us does something stupid, we’re done for. No excuses.”

“And there is no excuse for this.”

You jump out of your seat and turn around, Mr. O’Hara stood at the door, “You have around three more hours before you have a break. Care to explain?”

You open your mouth to speak but Olivia stands and places a hand on your shoulder, “I asked her for her opinion on some new tests and if she could hand these results to you.” Handing you a thin file.

You walk over to him and hand them to you, “Leave.” He tells you, “And go home.”

You hurry out the door and not look back.

“What are you trying to do Olivia?” He asks.

“I don’t know what you mean.” She pulls off her glasses and starts to clean them.

“This isn’t the first intern that you asked for an opinion. You do understand that they are interns, interns. They have no say, they have no experience in whatever they are doing.”

Olivia puts them on and lets out a playful sigh, “And you do know that I have to warn the interns that a simple mistake ruins your mood. Everything ruins your mood.”

“They can drag the company to the ground.”

“Is that what you’re angry about?”

“She’s my intern.”

“Then shouldn’t you be teaching her?”

Mr. O’Hara shakes his head and walks out, slamming the door on the way.

“Now that is a man with issues.”

Taglist // @neteyamsbulletwound ,

[mana-jjk]

tw: referenced death

jjk spoilers !!

nothing too in-depth, but referenced to the light novel and recent manga chapters

i think the best way to understand toge comes from trying to write him.

canonly, he’s one of the characters we know the least about. we know the hint of a tragic backstory, but we’ve never seen it. we know he can’t speak without hurting someone, but we are never given a situation to reference or the parameters of such. we know he speaks in safe words, but we don’t know why he chose them or why he didn’t choose another way to communicate.

when i write toge, sometimes i pause in between onigiri ingredients and think, why doesn’t he just learn sign language? why doesn’t he just pick up a pad of paper and a pen? why doesn’t he ask anyone to explain the meaning of his safe words? isn’t there a better way to communicate than with words that won’t be taken seriously?

and that’s how the think piece spiral starts. if you go back in my account, you’ll see way too many posts dedicated to analyzing toge, picking his character apart, headcanons and canon divergences devoted to understanding him. it’s hard to understand a character that was created because of a joke.

maybe it’s a bit too much of thinking that makes you attach to toge, the boy who has such an innate aspect of his humanity designated to be a weapon. why doesn’t he find a different way? i think maybe, because for him, every other way calls for the acceptance of seeing this crucial part of himself as nothing more than a tool to harm others.

can it be that easy? to live your life in isolation, trapped in your own mind, with the knowledge that your existence burns the people around you simply by existing — can it be so easy to simply find another way?

maybe it would be easier if his voice wasn’t weaponized.

if he simply couldn’t speak rather than having the capacity redirected into channeled danger. Never having a choice, born into this role with seals marking his fate, marking the danger he poises to curses, complete strangers, the people he loves most. It would be easier if his voice came as an unintelligible whisper, easier if a simple phrase didn’t have the capacity to slaughter the people around him. easier if the capability to harm did not extend beyond his own intentions.

i think it hurts.

beyond the physical wounds, beyond the copper behind his teeth and the taste of cherry cough syrup on his tongue. i think it hurts him to know that the only time his voice is ever heard is when it causes pain.

it’s like never raising your hand unless to hurt someone else. it’s there, you can feel it there even as everyone else tries not to see it. there’s bad connotations with that hand. because if you raise it, everyone knows that someone will be hurt. they try not to see it, yet simultaneously it’s all they seem to see. bloody hand, bruised knuckles, the evidence of your cruelty. if you want them to be afraid, maybe you relish in the obedience. but obedience is not respect, it is not love, it is a base understanding of the capability of your inhumanity. for someone like toge, that bloody hand has been innate since the moment he came into the world. bloody, bloody hand with danger far beyond the stature of such a small child.

i think with the elders, they see his voice as that bloody hand. he opens his mouth and there is terror without uttering a word. his existence is a stark reminder of his capability, even if he never raised a hand, not on purpose. it doesn’t matter. with a whisper he can explode living beings, twist limbs until they’re crushed beyond recognition, steal life within a second, before anyone could realize what is wrong.

snake in the grass without a warning rattle. less than a bite, less than the coiled danger, less than the venom secreted fangs. cursed speech users are an invasive species within the jujutsu world. that’s why they were managed. how were they managed? outlaws or invasive, dangerous or venomous, to die out or kill on sight. bloody, bloody hand, hissing, hissing rattle.

that’s why, i think he insists on speaking, even if no one would ever understand him.

the elders may never trust him, but for the people he cares about, there has never been an ingrained fear of his voice. because when he opens his mouth, they don’t focus on the sigils marring his tongue. they don’t flinch when he speaks. they are surprised when he uses his abilities. they are surprised when the boy who speaks in silly ingredients can completely pulverize a cursed spirit. they are surprised not at his humanity, but what he can do in spite of it.

when yuuta was afraid of him, it wasn’t in fear of what a single vibrating note from his voice might cause. raised hands, perceived irritation, a shadowed expression. never his voice.

even when he exploded up to hundreds of spirits at once, with one singular word. never fear, only awe, only interest, only hopes to understand him in a way that the self-inflicted barriers tried to deny them both.

i think in this case, yuuta is much the same.

if he knew that being around people, being around girls or rowdy classmates especially, was dangerous because of rika, why didn’t he stay away? if he knew, why did he even consider being around maki? because that meant accepting that his entire existence would forever be limited to the harm that befalls others. how do you accept yourself as a cause and effect? a calamity in skin and bone, blood red inside and out.

so he found other ways. please don’t touch me, please and thank you. i won’t speak as long as you tolerate being around me. manipulate the situation, manipulate the cursed remnants of a little girl until she thinks the way she needs to. the way you need her to. for the safety of those around you, even though you know there’s another way, a simpler way.

don’t speak, don’t be.

what’s left of them? how much do you sacrifice if only to not be alone?

so toge speaks to empty ears, to condescending eyes, to upturned noses who refuse to comprehend beyond the harm he may poise. to ignorant bystanders, who will never know the potential vibrating under his skin, waiting with snapping jaws at the first hint of intention. starry eyed children who latch on to the secret language, with sticky fingers and pure intention. confused tourists who try to follow along, who unintentionally give much needed attention. wary peers who hear of his technique long before they hear of him, who see the danger long before they see him.

he exists to contradict, to take the reputation speared upon him and turn the tables with bloody hands that all eyes only seem to focus on. for these reasons, he turns to intentions, turns to kindness that can be conveyed much farther than words.

be kind, be oh so kind, be so kind that you never have to speak a word.

sacrifice your blood and sacrifice your time, sacrifice as much as you can if only to be understood. a crying baby who cannot begin to register the harm of their shrill cries, a marked child trying to convey the words they were never taught, a one-armed teenager laying down what’s left of their life.

don’t kill him, he told nobara, sacrificing his self-imposed rules for a man who knew the weakness of his technique. because he couldn’t stand the idea that she would have blood on her hands. sacrifice a little more if only to convey how much you care.

because the tragedy of toge is that every word he says has the potential to become a dangerous reality. because he cannot warn others, he becomes their shield. because he cannot vocalize how much he cares, he becomes what they need most. because he cannot tell them who he is, he has to sacrifice everything to show them.

he was never going to let yuuta fight alone. because the beauty of yuuta is that he was always afraid for the wrong reasons. afraid of toge not because of his capability to be a weapon, but because he was afraid that he hated him.

can you imagine? every moment of your tired existence, trying to prove yourself as anything more than your bloody hands. to have someone not afraid of your blood crusted fingertips and split knuckles, but of your capacity to tolerate a walking cataclysm.

yuuta is so saturated in blood and despair that he cannot even begin to fathom caring about bloody hands. of course he sees them, sees them in the potential they hold, in the pain they’ve inflicted, yet also endured. holds them in his own like they’re delicate, sees the splits and scars and bruises, not as evidence of his capability, but in his durability. to be treated as breakable with such potential to shatter the world around him.

when i write toge, i always find myself in this train of thought. i think that’s why i love yuuta so much, i love how much he loves, even if it means the world burns.

on a happier note, i’ve been binging in nostalgia with the new fairy tail anime coming out !! i literally rewatched all 328 episodes lol it was one of my first anime i watched, and even if it’s a 180 from jjk, i’m of course thinking of crossover au’s because lol just look at me. i think i have a million au ideas and 27 posts in the draft <3

[creepyboyandhisforestfriends]

Thoughts from a disabled acespec on the topic of Viktor's asexuality

As many others have discussed, I too believe the main controversy from this announcement goes hand in hand with Viktor's disability. While there are several disabled characters in Arcane, it's undeniable that he is the most prominent of them. It's an integral part of his character, his story, etc. Because of this it is undeniable that the choice of the creators to make him ace is influenced by this. And that's where the problem lies. Because it is now no longer a simple case of ace representation for the sake of ace representation. It is an inherent implication that disabled people are incapable of wanting/having sex.

This isn't anything new, either. There's a long history of disabled people being viewed as 'undesireable' or 'incapable of sex' etc. because of their disabilty. And yes, there are also many disabled people who are asexual. Whether that's because of their disability or not. And that's perfectly fine, that's real life, real people, whose decisions don't affect that of an entire fandom. But Viktor does. 

If it had been any other character, I believe there wouldn't be nearly half as much uproar. Let's say Jayce, for example. The conventionally attractive himbo. Personally I think him being ace would be a way better, more subversice take, seeing as it goes directly against the 'big strong man' stereotype that he fits so easily. Seeing as Arcane breaks so many other stereotypes, why should this one be any different? And there'd still be plenty of room in the story for Jayce to have his romantic feelings towards Mel and/or Viktor. Just no sex. No big deal. He'd be asexual for the sake of simply, being asexual.

I am one of many disabled people who's seen so much of myself in Viktor's character. Which is honeslty quite rare. Yes, the ace community has a significant track record of bad representation, or even none at all. But so does the disabled community. We're in this together. I understand that seeing so much hate against this decision without the context of why it's in such bad taste is incredibly hurtful for the asexual community. But this arguement isn't all acephobia. It's ableism too. I've seen so many other disabled acespec people agreeing that Viktor's aceness is disrespectful to both communities and it's been really touching to see. We're in this together. 

So, like all things in fandom, don't take it too close to heart. If you're ace and you see yourself in Viktor being ace, then that's perfectly fine. If you're disabled and are both empowered and horny by the idea of Viktor topping Jayce, hell yeah. You do you. Someone is always going to be upset and offended and very very loud about something. But never let that affect the way you choose to interpret your favs. The word of one man is not gospel to an entire fandom, no matter how important he may be.

And, frankly, I'm not going to touch the whole "oh he only said it bc he's homophobic and wants to ruin jayvik" because I do suspect that's just people blowing things out of proportion like the internet is want to do. And yes, there is definitely a portion of the fandom who has taken this announcement, and all the argueing, as a chance to just be blatantly acephobic. Like I said, that's the internet, it's bound to happen. Those people are arseholes, and do not deserve a say in this debate. This is for the queers and the cripples, amen. 

(Addendum: I rarely ever make big posts like this argueing about fandom stuff, but this topic in particular is very close to my heart. Plus, I seem to be one of the few people in this discussion who is in both communities and is therefore allowed to have a proper say in all this lmao. Everything I've said here is without animosity, only to educate. Feel free to add your thoughts, or let me know if you think I missed something important. Peace and love <3)

[nuclear-smash]

IF YOU WANT TO SPEND MONEY THIS PRIDE MONTH ON A TRANS GUY'S ART LIKE MESELF SO I CAN GET BACK ON T.... ☝☝☝

So not to get sappy on main, but been very much broke and haven't been on hormones for like 7 months now, so I really need to get back on it plus pay for phones bills and whatnot. I'm really dry this month, a fly flies out of my wallet every time I check it, ya'know how it is.

Here's more information that this animation may or may not has; FULL BODY ART - €40 Just a simple illustration of any character of your choice, put in a colored void box! However, I can also add simple props and make it any color for free

RENDERED ILLUSTRATION - €100+ So, imagine if I put your guy in a situation. Yeah, what are you going to do about it. Jokes aside; if you want to see a character of your choice in a setting where they're actually part of, including lighting, shading, everything making sense AND it's fancy, then this one's for you! However, depending on the amount of details asked for it might go up for my own sake :']

ICON - €25 Simply, an icon, yeah. Usually I work within 3000x3000, but if necessary I can always change the size that fits more! Think of it as a headshot commission!

MS PAINT - €30 This is just a 'doodle' commission, I know it's worth more than an icon, however, you get full body art of your character for less AND it's in a fun art style! For easier pre-existing fictional characters it's only €20 (Like Yoshi, Waluigi, Mr. Saturn, you name it!)

EXTRA! For every extra character (including matching icons) it's +100% of the base commission! So if you were to ask me to draw two characters, just simply full body art, that'd be €80 instead of 40!

WHAT I CAN AND WON'T DRAW! ✔️ Human/humanoids, furries, almost anything, really! ❌ Bigoted art, NSFW/fetish art.

I only do invoices thru PayPal! When the commission is paid for, the commissioner is allowed for any edits/changes before it gets to the lineart stage! Afterwards it'll cost extra to change anything! All of my customers always get frequent updates on sketch - lineart - then finished product, however, if you want to see anything in between do let me know! I may take some time, but I'm always responsive and will happily communicate about it!

If tumblr's too weird to work with, you're free to send any inquiries via my email: nuclearsmashing@gmail.com or DM me for my Discord!

Any reblobs and word of mouth really do help out a lot 🙏;_;

[shewhowillrise]

@kizzer55555

Idea for Therebefore // Hereafter

Bc I used hunger games as the title my mind has decided to use the series as a way for Jason and Bruce to communicate

When Jason is first getting used to being Robin, Bruce finds out he loves books. When Jason gets hurt on patrol, Bruce reads him a book from a chair next to the medbay bed.

Then one day Bruce notes Jason is reading in the medbay a new book.

“Do you want me to read it for you?”

“You wouldn’t like this one,” Jason says, not looking up from the words. Bruce smiles at that. It means more than just Jason being engrossed in the story, but that he trusts Bruce enough to put his whole mind into the pages without worry.

“Why do you think I wouldn’t like it?” He inquires with a raised eyebrow. He’s read Jason romance novels, spy thrillers, coming of age, and others he can’t quite place on the genre spectrum. Jason has a wide range of taste for stories and it’s opened Bruce’s mind up to more than his rigorous straight and narrow thoughts.

“There’s needless killing,” Jason states, looking up at Bruce with his own eyebrow raised as a challenge.

Bruce hums at that and sits down in the chair anyway, holding out his hand. Jason’s lips purse but he hands over the book.

“I was barely starting chapter three, so I don’t mind if you start over,” Jason says, is demeanor showing casual but Bruce hears the excitement in his tone. Jason mentioned once that Bruce does the different character voices beautifully to Alfred, the two not knowing Bruce was around the corner.

Bruce clears his throat, “Part One, The Tributes,” he begins.

It’s almost three years after the warehouse when Bruce is at Jason’s bed side again, book in hand, that Jason hears the soothing baritone of his dad reading. He had collapsed at the manor a few hours after being there.

“—orities in District 13 were against my coming back. They viewed it as a costly and pointless venture, given that—”

“Bruce?” It still hurt to speak, but he needs to know…know if this isn’t home anymore.

“Yes Jaylad?” And Jason could feel tears welling at that alone.

“Want. Stay,” He begins, but stops when the chair next to his bed creeks.

“Okay,” Bruce says, “we’ll inform Phant-”

“But,” his hands are trembling, which Bruce noticed he guesses, seeing as his dad holds them in his big warm hands. Jason closes his eyes. He can’t handle seeing the disappointment, the hate that is sure to be in his father’s eyes the moment he confesses.

“I…” He stutters, if he doesn’t say anything, he could have the comfort of home, at least for a little bit. But, but maybe if he voices it now, Bruce won’t hate him as much as he would for hiding it.

“Killed. I killed. Many,” Jason confesses, but only starts sobbing when his dad’s arms wrap around him, holding him to his chest again, “sorry. So. Sorry,” he pleads, it hurts. Hurts more than pleads for his life he’s yelled for the past two years, but he has to try.

He doesn’t know how long Bruce has been rocking him as he sobbed, but it’s long enough that the sun is setting and his tears are dry.

“To hate the boy from District 1, who also appears vulnerable in death, seems inadequate. It’s the Capital I hate, for doing this to all of us,” Bruce quotes, “Rue’s death has forced me to confront my own fury against the cruelty, the injustice they inflict upon us.”

Jason stills. He remembers the part in the book. The part Bruce stumbled on when first reading. Katniss’s first kill. He remembers sitting there, cast on his foot, a challenging look at Bruce.

She had no other choice, Bruce had said, she’s not the one that turned herself into a killer, can’t hate someone for something they have no control over, to simple survive.

Jason relaxes in his dad’s arms, and for the first time in years, cries in relief.

[kingdoms-and-empires]

Hey, wanted to say I am in love with your work. Really fantastic! May I ask: Do you have any pieces of advice for inspiring CoG writers or Interactive Fiction writers? Thank you and can't wait for more.

Im absolutely welcome these types of asks as they help remind me of what ive learned myself. Im going to try and say what i think every aspiring writer should hear to help them start out. Here we go: 1) Ensure you know what how much youre writing from the very beginning and plan accordingly. If it is a smaller story, do not be super ambitious, use it as a starter game to learn the basics of choicescript and learn the social media aspect of producing a title. If it is a large story, say over 800k words long, then you NEED to have an outline for each arc to help you know A to B for the story beats. Make outlines upon outlines and you will be doing yourself a favor. ESPECIALLY when coding. 2) THIS ISNT LIKE WRITING TRADITIONAL NOVELS. Know that Interactive Fiction is frustrating to write. You can write 3k words for a choice group, and players will only see 500 words or less worth of content for that choice group. Do not feel disheartened, for it is what it is. Just know youre doing a good job providing content and playable interaction with choices! Just be aware and mindful of not injecting bad or useless content in these choices! Have it matter in some way, either to represent/flesh out the world, characters, who the MC is, consequences, relationship changes, and foreshadowing.

3) Do not get too caught up with reader interaction. Your main job is to write write write. Create a hard limit for how many asks you answer, how much time you spend interacting with readers, and know what type of questions you should answer. Simply put: Be strategic! There may be a great question, but it could be too spoilery or it could take too much of your time to answer. 4) I learned this the hard way. Do not release information about the ROs until you actually reach the part in the story we meet them. If i can go back in time, i wouldnt have announced mine so soon haha. Youre gonna be eager to share your work and talk about it, but youll only be shooting yourself in the foot with people who only seek romance from your game! Also, dont overshare about em. You could retcon something and a reader may get upset with the change. Keep it simple! 5) Set low goals. Do not overpromise. You will feel guilty for failing and it may/will affect you mentally and your willingness to write. 6) You are not perfect, and that's okay!!! I struggle with this (and honestly everything ive listed here), but reminding yourself that its okay to not be perfect will help. You're human. It's hard to remember, and take it seriously, but you have to try. 7) Choice of Games (and more specifically Hosted Games) offer amateur writers a chance to share their work with others. Though games are becoming more and more expansive and huge, don't feel like you HAVE to do the same. A Mage Reborn is widely considered to be one of the best titles to have come out in recent years, and is listed at having 160k words! Small package (160k is by no means small in any capacity, dont get it twisted) big impact! 8) Know what type of game and title youre writing. If your project is focused on romance, dont spend more than necessary on worldbuilding, action, or thematically unrelated things. Stick to what the focus is, and your strength! 9) Ask for help. Seriously. You are combining coding and writing, so there's bound to be errors and things you wont understand. The CoG forums and Twine communities are always ready to help. Reach out to the communities or other authors for help. Just remember that some may be too busy to really help, so don't feel disheartened if one doesnt have the time. There are others, and you usually only need one to say yes to help figure out what youre struggling with or why you keep getting that error message. 10) Understand that you are giving a piece of your soul out there. It sounds corny as hell, but it's the simple truth. There is literal risk involved as a creator, no matter if you write, develop, draw, sing, perform, etc. There's obviously the risk of spending too much time on a hobby or dream for too little gain, but what im referring to is the all too common story of a creative putting their heart and soul into something important to them, and receiving no attention or being told it sucks. It will damage you, and perhaps even break you. Because again, you may have given it your all. So please take care of your mental health. It's okay to retreat and stop for a while. That doesnt make you a failure. Most of us creatives do this because we love the subject, and want to share what we can with others that love the industry, hobby, or topic theyre in. Remember that love, and remember what made you fall in love enough to put yourself out there. Remember you started for the art and craft.

[hellcheer-heaven]

Hellcheer List: How caretaker Eddie helps Chrissy.

Thank you to @bluebunnymoose for helping me with this.

So I know that I’ve mentioned a previous headcanon where Chrissy and Eddie would have their “kid day” together. I do love the idea of the two of them engaging in that, but I really like the idea of Eddie being a gentle and loving caregiver to Chrissy.

Let's say she's having a rough week and she's just exhausted and overstimulated.

When Eddie can sense and see that she’s distressed, he goes right into caregiver mode.

One of the first things he does is hug her and offer her a stuffed animal.

She holds the toy and lets herself cry in his arms, tightly shutting her eyes as he rocks her gently.

“It’s okay Chrissy, just let it out sweet girl. You’re safe here.”

Sometimes when there’s too much going on, she may speak very softly, say a small selection of words, or nothing at all.

If she doesn’t talk, Eddie will ask her a simple yes/no question: “Are you tired? Do you want something to eat?”

He also gently encourages her to point to what she needs as well.

He's considerate and patient, letting her know that she can communicate her needs when she’s ready.

She’ll quietly ask for a bubble bath and when he asks her if she would like her bath toys, she looks up with a little smile and nods.

While he washes her hair and scrubs her skin, Chrissy will blow the bubbly foam and watch it float, reaching out to catch it before it hits the water.

Eddie smiles knowing that she’s feeling a little better, he’s even happier knowing that they will have the weekend to themselves to continue this for as long as she wants.

This means no errands, chores, and other adult responsibilities, just taking care of his one and only.

In their own small house, Eddie has already supplied the pantry with snacks and comfort food (bear shaped graham crackers, pop tarts, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, etc.) that she was never allowed to eat in her childhood.

Eddie will help make their bed and decorate it with her stuffed animals.

He’ll rent a collection of cartoons and animated movies on vhs for them to watch.

He brings out a huge container of arts and crafts and coloring books to play with.

There’s a large soft blanket spread out with even more of her stuffed animals in the living room.

There’s a book shelf filled with her favorite stories from her childhood.

These include fairytales with happy endings, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Dr. Seuss, Goodnight Moon, Charlotte’s Web, Peter Rabbit, Madeline, etc.

If she wants to color in a coloring book, Chrissy will lay down on the blanket, open up her big box of crayons, and have her back rubbed while she colors a picture of Minnie Mouse petting Figaro.

Before he heads to the kitchen, he gives her two choices for lunch: Grilled cheese sandwiches or pizza rolls.

They eat in front of the tv and laugh together as they watch cartoons and movies.

She’ll happily sing along and dance to the songs, and ask Eddie to join in, something he gladly loves to partake in.

During a sad scene, Eddie gently holds Chrissy as she squeezes her plush toy and presses it tightly to her face.

He rubs her tears away and pecks her forehead, sweetly reminding her that it’s okay to cry and feel sad for a character.

Even if it’s a movie that they’ve seen many times, certain parts never fail to make her tear up, “Seeing Dumbo cry is sad to watch, isn’t it Chrissy?”

“Everyone is so mean to him, he wants his mama Eddie. Dumbo loves his mama and she misses him.”

When Chrissy wants to make a pillow fort, they take off the couch cushions, rearrange some furniture, cover it with a blanket and crawl inside.

When she wants to play with her dolls, Chrissy decides how the story goes.

She’ll let Eddie know which dolls he gets to play with, what kind of voice to use, and what will happen next.

He loves to watch and listen to her create all sorts of tales and describe the adventures and hardships the characters go through.

After dinner time, she begs him to stay up just a little longer, but he softly reminds her that it’s time to get ready for bed.

He offers to pick her up and take her upstairs for her evening bath.

When she’s done brushing her teeth, he dresses her in cozy pajamas and lets her pick two books to read aloud.

During story time, she asks for him to read the book in different voices for each of the characters.

Then he turns off the lights and turns on the nightlight, singing or humming a few comfort songs to her as he tucks her in and boops her nose to make her giggle.

Chrissy will give him the puppy dog pout and tell him, “I’m not tired Eddie.”

Eddie can’t resist those pleading eyes and lays down beside her, brushing his fingers from the top of her forehead to the end of her nose.

She’ll try to keep herself awake, her eyelids feeling heavy as the gentle hum of his voice eases her into a peaceful slumber.

“I’m… not tired. Not… sleepy. Eddie…”

He stays at her side until she’s fast asleep, carefully getting out of bed, and tiptoeing away.

Eddie looks at Chrissy one more time, smiling at the sight of her so calm and serene, “Sweet dreams princess.”

The next morning after breakfast, they would go for a walk in the park and Chrissy would stop to look at the playground.

She wants to go, but she doesn’t tell him and she’s afraid of being judged by others, so instead she watches from afar.

Later on in the late afternoon/early evening, Eddie says that he has a surprise for her

After dressing her up warmly and telling her to bring one stuffed animal, he takes her over to the park.

All of the families have left and the two of them have the entire playground to themselves.

He would push her on the swing, race her down the slide, spin on the merry go round, climb the jungle gym, and play on the see saw.

After she’s tuckered out, Eddie takes her home and then it’s time to get ready for bed.

After a quick clean up and a shower, he joins her as well.

He lays down beside her and kisses her lips, affectionately whispering, “I love you Chrissy.”

[sugar-satin]

All Info Regarding Roleplay!

→ Writing Style

Preferred Point of View:

I use third person limited only! I know my characters actions and thoughts and internal feelings, but I do not like when my roleplay partner takes over my oc! Please do not think or act for my character as I won't do that for you either! (This does not apply to us ooc if you are the type to send content because you think it's very my-oc etc.!)

Narrative Tone:

I use a lot of terms and slang that are improper depending on the character I am writing, but for the most part I try to maintain a romantic and whimsical tone. I prefer airy, lofty, flowery uses of words when the scene calls for it! And I'm perfectly fine with a simple, brisk, response as well (if warranted).

Pacing:

Slow burn is my favorite element of roleplay! Feeling like you're waiting for the latest new episode of your favorite show to drop is half the fun of a good plot! I am the type of roleplayer who does not mind making a server for our roleplay, therefore if you start to get bored of the "canon" plot we can start another slow burn that's new, or even create a rushed romance, in the form of an au!!

Detail Level:

I'm very detailed and I don't expect that of any of my rp partners consistently! I would absolutely love if you were, but I am not picky whatsoever! Please just make sure the parts that truly count in our story are accurately detailed and written, so that I can give you a proper thought out reply that makes us both happy!

Dialogue Style:

I tend to write as much as I can! I'm flexible depending on my partner. I've been on a roleplay hiatus for quite some time, so I'm currently getting used to roleplaying with people again. I never stopped writing however, so my hopes is I'll get back to where I was! Typically I can give multi-paragraph responses, when I have the time and privacy I can push the Discord character limit- double it even! But if my partner needs less and less detail, we can arrange for it instantly! Just communicate:)

→ Roleplay Dynamics:

Preferred Roleplay Type:

I stick to 1x1 pairings, because of the tendency to crave that romantic energy in the plot, but that doesn't limit me to creating intense detail for our 1x1! I focus on one pairing, but I put more focus on detail and add many side characters that become canon to the character of choice.

Posting Frequency:

I'm a student in the Midwest, and I'm at school from 8am to 3pm CST! HOWEVER, I am nearly completed and I have 2 hours of break combined up there when I'm bored! Class can sometimes move slow, and I'll have time to communicate ooc with you of course! Once I'm home, I have a lack of schoolwork so I've very attentive to replies towards 3:30pm CST until around 11:30pm/12am!!

Communication Style OOC:

This is important! When we chat I'll be asking for the password to make sure you read this part ^^ Keep reading did it! Please note that I prefer to have rp partners that really get into the plot of our two characters! If we can't have some small talk here and there ooc, AT LEAST about our characters, I don't think we'll be a good match! I'm not forcing you to be my friend, but we have to have some platonic chemistry to write together and enjoy it! Bonus points the password is star if we have our own server (for channels to put ooc, headcanons, memes, future plot ideas, fcs, etc)

→ Content

Content Boundaries:

I will not play any minor with an adult vice versa! I also refuse to roleplay anything medieval, seeing as I have zero experience. I don't like playing fantasy creatures aside from the typical, I'm willing to hear you out but please don't be upset if I don't want to! I'm open to dead dove, just no minors PLEASE.

Trigger Warnings/Topics to Avoid:

I love angst and realness, I have no real triggers or topics to avoid! If you have any triggers or topics I should avoid please make sure you have them listed!!

Romance and Relationships:

I can play mxm pairings and mxf pairings! For men I have a hard time writing more shy/timid/'cute' characters and they're typically flawed (not overly), rougher, men. In mxf pairings I will only write the female character, and I can flesh out the character more compared to her male counterpart. Please do not ask me to play outside of these pairing preferences!

→ Collaboration Preferences:

Plot Development:

I welcome collaborative, pre-planned, and improvisational! We can create it together, one of us can provide one (we can always tweak it), or we can see where things go! I would very much prefer the first two though!!!

Character Development:

If you have an oc ready that is perfectly fine but please know that I am back after a hiatus and I only have a few that I'm currently working on!! I will ask if you have a preference for faceclaim type, but know I prefer realistic faceclaims! I welcome anime and drawn OCs but I don't like picrews. Like I enjoy them for funsies but please don't use soley a picrew.

World-Building:

Please try to be descriptive with how you envision the scene playing out!! I l-o-v-e taking time to build up the world our characters live in. Even if it's just "modern day [insert obtainable real place]", I want to know what the people in that place are like, the goers on the sidewalk, what the scene looks like in detail when it rains, the way the pavement is cracked or not, I DON'T CARE just be descriptive.

Preferred Level of Planning (e.g., detailed plotting, minimal planning):

Both make me equally as happy!!! I'm very fast to come up with plots off the top of my head if needed, I just need to know if you'd like to avoid "dead dove " content and your preference for cliches or not!!!!

→ Technical Preferences:

Platform for Roleplay:

I only use Discord for roleplay! Add me at cemeterydoggy <3 Cold adds and dms are welcomed here.

Language and Grammar Expectations:

Please use capitals and punctuation, correct any mistakes I genuinely cannot understand. I'm really not like anal about any of this, of course just... I don't know... don't do *this* I'm not character ai.

→ Additional Information:

Experience Level:

I'm 20 and I'm fairly confident I've been "roleplaying" since I was like 12 - I will not lie. In middle school I was a beginner, in the beginning of highschool I was plotting and writing ALL the time, and by the end of highschool I had no more time to... and a MASSIVE loss of motivation. I stopped writing OCs and plots, but I never stopped writing.

Interests Outside of Roleplay:

Rick and Morty, BBC Sherlock, Romance Books, Writing, Poetry, Video Essays, Icebergs, Deep Dives, Podcasts, Gardening, Cooking/Baking (from scratch), Bread Baking, Marine Biology, Paleontology, Zoology.

Any Special Requests/Requirements:

I'd like to say that I'm a little socially awkward because I'm neurodivergent, but my experience is still there. I can give you detail and a story I just need my partners to be a little patient and easy going (preferably not dry).

[wing-ed-thing]

Honey Cakes (Shino x Reader) Chapter IV

Synopsis: You were stupid. You made a stupid choice; it left you with the first real heartache of your life and you could safely admit that you deserved it. But then the war came. And as quickly as it came, it was over. So what about you and Shino? Sequel to Honey Stand.

Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V

Word Count: 3k

Warnings/Tags: Gender Neutral Reader, Post War, Slow Burn, Slight Canon Divergence, Fake Tech Talk, Aged Up Characters, Minor Original Characters, Mild Sexual Harassment

Notes: This chapter was supposed to be a brief scene that was like a page long. Gif not mine.

The rest of the journey to the eastern base was made in silence, but you and Shino managed to reach your destination before noon the next day where you were welcomed to rest and restock your supplies. The base commander himself greeted you outside with a few of his leadership and a strong handshake. Shino disappeared inside as you greeted the various captains and squad leaders. He, no doubt, went to change out of his clothes that were still slightly damp from the night before. The commander, an older man with thick eyebrows, took your hand in both of his, eagerly ushering you inside to speak more about their new communication system. The eastern base, apparently, didn’t get many visitors. 

It had to have been evening by the time you actually got to work on the installation job. You changed into a simple cotton shirt and pants a few hours ago, attire taken from a neat pile in one of the storage closets you were welcomed to raid. Surely, you wanted to get home quickly to prepare for Naruto and Hinata’s wedding (not to mention be rid of your grumbling companion), but part of you couldn’t help but enjoy the peace that came with a non-urgent mission. You could take some time with your work. Half of a rice cracker stuck out of your mouth as you took to tinkering. You were just relieved to have a bed indoors to sleep in for the night. 

A tall figure came to lean in the door frame. So focused on your handiwork, you hardly noticed your audience. The sides of your work goggles blocked out your peripheral vision anyway. But after a few moments, he tapped lightly on the frame. You looked up from your work instinctually.

“Sorry, I hope I’m not disturbing you.” Squad Leader Shou cleared his throat as he tugged at the collar of his vest. His arms coiled across his chest. “I was curious. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.” Shou uncrossed his ankles to stand tall and broad at the room's entrance. He moved forward into the room.

Being the type to take pride in his uniform, shinobi attire complimented Shou nicely. Even with his informal stance, the squad leader gave off an air of officiality. Having worked predominantly with an for your friends— even the hokage insisted you use his first name— you couldn’t have cared less for formalities.

“No, I, uh…” you stammered, “You just surprised me, that’s all.” The rice cracker fell from your lips. You made an effort to grab it, but once it hit the ground, it quickly spiraled somewhere across the room. You made direct eye contact with Shou. You offered him sheepish laughter as you set down your tools to search for your runaway snack. You leaned down in front of him to go crawling under tables and equipment, but he placed a light touch on your shoulder.

“Leave it,” Shou said. He stepped forward with hands shoved in his pockets as you scrambled to stand and back up at his imposing presence. He grinned a boyish smile and shrugged. “The cadets on chore duty will get it tomorrow morning. I’m more interested in this new toy you’re giving us.” He walked around you towards your project, brushing your forearm as he did.

“Oh, um…” The squad leader’s expectant, yet patient expression made you realize that most you said to him up until that point were hums. “I mean, it’s not too much different than your field coms, just with a few more bells and whistles.” You maneuvered to stand next to him, gesturing to the progress you had already made. Wires ran from a nest of advanced circuitry in the wall into a large tablet on the counter. Another wire connected the tablet to your personal system. When you were done, you would be installing the tablet directly into the command center.

Shou stood to your right, nodding along as you explained. He leaned, hovering over you as you held up the detached system. Shou hummed, resting one palm on the counter in front of him while appearing uncertain as to where to place the other.

“It’s a brilliant innovation,” Shou said, finally settling on a light touch to your left shoulder.

“Thank you. I hope that it can do you all some good out here.” Your tongue pushed against the insides of your teeth as you worked at the last few screws to finally complete your first installation. You shrugged him off unconsciously as you focused on finishing the job. Shou hummed once more, letting an acute pause pass the two of you by.

“So, I was thinking…” Shou shifted again in your peripheral, rejected hand coming to rest along the small of your back, just above your scroll holder. “I’ll be headed back into the village soon for leave. I was hoping we could see each other again.” 

“Oh, for sure,” you answered absentmindedly. Your hand shot out to stabilize a small piece of falling equipment which you quickly screwed into place. The motion shrugged him off once more. “I know a bunch of Jōnin and Chūnin who do a happy hour sort of thing on Fridays.” You turned to start organizing your equipment. Shou maneuvered around the table you had set your things on, following your line of sight.

“Well, uh, I was hoping the two of us could get together.” Your eyes shot up, finally breaking out of your tunnel vision. Shou leaned forward on the table. “You know, like dinner or something.” Your racing thoughts stopped your hands as they hovered over your toolbox.

“I’m sorry,” you offered, “I, uh, don’t date coworkers.” You shook your head, quickly snapping the lid of your box shut and sealing it away back into your storage scroll. Thoughts of Shino and the rest of your group of friends flashed quickly in your mind. The paper curled itself up with a snap. You pushed it back into the scroll holder strapped to the small of your back and turned to leave. Shou rounded the table to slide out in front of you.

“I mean we’re technically not coworkers at all. I mean, this brilliant engineer comes from central… can you blame me for shooting my shot?” He offered you a wide-eyed pout. “Let me take you out to dinner.” You let out a deep sigh.

“Squad Leader…”

“Captain.” Shou matched your tone of playful warning with raised brows and a cheeky smirk. Your next sigh came out as a breathy laugh.

“I’m flattered, but I have to decline.” Looking at him made the silence of the room feel stifling. “I’m not really ready for any of that right now. I feel like things have been all over the place since the war—” You made an attempt to move past him, but Shou blocked your path. 

“The war was years ago. C’mon, I know a great place.”

You took in a breath, ready to retort but you were beaten to the punch.

“Learn to take no for an answer, Squad Leader.” 

Shino stood just inside the door. Even indoors, his shades were still dark and made his expression unintelligible. He clutched a parcel of bundled fabric in one hand. You didn’t notice the fist his other hand had balled into. Shou frowned. 

“Can I help you with something, Aburame?” He squared his shoulders and straightened his back, his demeanor shifting completely as Shou sized Shino up. Even with Shou’s chest puffed out, Shino still stood slightly taller. 

“I came to talk to my partner.” 

“Well, the Jōnin are talking right now.” Shou’s brows lifted in amusement. He tucked his hands in the top of his vest about where the straps met the body. “Give us a sec, won’t you, bud?”

“We should actually be talking over travel,” you said, making eye contact with Shino’s glasses before shifting your attention back to Shou. The squad leader clenched his jaw ever so slightly. “Have a good night.” Shou let out a light chuckle soaked with discomfort and frustration. He tried his best not to let it show.

“Yeah, of course…” he conceeded. Shou leaned towards you and spoke in a low tone. His back faced Shino completely. “I’m a man of patience. How about I find you when I’m back in the village and we can take it from—”

“I believe it’s time you’ve left, Squad Leader.” Shino’s voice cut through the room faster and sharper than a shurriken. Shou turned to eye your partner from over his shoulder. Shino pivoted, shifting the slightest bit out of the way of the doorframe. “Your advances don’t appear to be welcome.”

Shou took a step towards Shino. You walked quietly around the table as the two men grew closer to each other, ready to intervene should the situation escalate. 

“I don’t know how it works over at central, but you really shouldn’t make a habit of ordering other people around in a base that’s not yours and interrupting conversations that don’t concern you.” He took another step forward. “There’s an order to things around here. You should know that, Aburame.”

“And you should know that sexual harassment is poor conduct, Squad Leader.” 

Shino drawled out Shou’s title which about made the eastern base shinobi see red. The distance was swiftly closing between them as Shino took a step forward. At that point, you swiftly inserted yourself in between them with one palm at the front of Shino’s vest and the other on Shou’s. You gave both of them a slight push, but neither of them moved.

“Enough, the two of you!” you scolded, a vein in your forehead twitching as you gave the two shinobi another push. Shou ignored you and as he took another step forward, you faced him completely with Shino directly behind you. One hand still rested on the front of Shou’s vest while the other hovered cautiously in front of you as if you were about to tame a wild animal. You felt Shino move behind you and your hovering hand shot back to swat randomly at your mission partner before returning to your front. Shou stared past your head.

“You’re accusing me of shit that could get me suspended because you want to feel like a white knight, eh, Aburame? You’re not satisfied with your cushy job at central that you feel like you gotta show up guys who actually earn their keep in the ranks?” Shino frowned, as stoic as he usually was, but you could hear the hive. You could hear the sound of beetles hitting the inside of Shino’s ribcage, throwing themselves around his body with reckless abandon. You looked into his dark glasses, mentally pleading for him to drop his grievance with Shou. Whether he understood or not, Shino took a step back, but his retreat only seemed to enrage Shou more.

“Don’t back down now, man. Let’s take this outside. I’m not about to be disrespected—”

Shou grabbed your wrist and forcibly threw you to the side, his piercing glare trained only on Shino. Your side slammed into the table your tools had just been on, and the moment you picked yourself back up, Shino already had Shou by the collar of his vest. The squad leader’s back hit an adjacent wall with a blunt bang before his boots left the floor. He beat at Shino’s arm with a snarl. 

Fuck.

The base commander wasn’t going to like this.

“Shino!” you barked, “Stand down.” Your eyes darted wildly around the room.

Shit.

Shino seethed quietly to Shou, brushing your command aside as he continued to grumble. He still held the parcel wrapped in fabric in his other hand. You heard booted feet running down the hall, no doubt because of the commotion. 

“Aburame!” you snapped, marching over to tug at the back of his jacket. You studied the back of his hulking figure which paused as Shou continued to squirm in his chokehold. He was listening. “Don’t you forget that Kakashi assigned me as the primary for this mission. Don’t make me ask again.” 

It was only when you pulled rank that Shou collapsed on the floor at Shino’s feet. You stumbled a few steps back as Shou made for the exit. You watched him leave in disbelief. You turned swiftly back towards Shino.

“What’s gotten into you—” 

“They were starting to take dinner away. I didn’t see you there.” Shino threw the fabric parcel into your arms, the corner of it knocking into your chin. He appeared otherwise unbothered as he tugged over a chair. Even with the seat lowered, he still matched the approximate height of your standing form. “We should discuss how we plan on getting to the next base considering the obstruction.” With a flick of his wrist, the knot at the top of the fabric unfurled. A simple container of greens with modest toppings sat among two napkins filled with snacks. Shino studied you with his head in his palm as you stared down at what he brought you. You shook your head, little hairs flying wildly in your face as you tried to grasp what just happened. “I brought your favorite. I thought you would be pleased.”

You looked between him and the door, stammering slightly. You lips parted, a strangled sound escaping your throat that didn’t resemble words. It all happened so fast, you stood and tried to replay it all in your head. 

“I have to talk to the base commander.” You shook your head again, trying to wrap your head around what to do. You sifted through consequences and timing. You were the lead on this mission and at the end of the day Shino’s actions were your responsibility. It didn’t matter whether or not you wanted to punch that jerk in the face yourself, the state of things made everything fragile. Shino continued to stare.

“You can talk to the base commander.” He shrugged, seeming otherwise uninterested. “You might have better luck in the morning. It’s not like they’re going to kick us out.” You turned, scanning the room until you found a clock. 

“Oh… I didn’t realize how late it was…” you muttered as your shoulders deflated. The need to act fluttered around your chest and settled as a pit in your stomach. No wonder you felt so tense and stiff. You had been working on the system installation for a few hours.

Shino pushed the food container with the tips of his fingers, moving them towards you on the table. With no other choice, you pulled up a seat. 

A silence overtook the room and in that silence, you pulled the dinner towards you. Thoughts raced through your mind, formulating the outline of a script for when you talk to the base commander in one corner and the start of the incident report in a different section. And in the middle played memories of home-cooked, sunset dinners at the Aburame honey stand.

You ate what Shino brought you as quietly as you could.

“We should leave early—”

—“I’m surprised you remembered.”

You both spoke simultaneously, leaving tension and clumsy awkwardness in your wake. Your lips pursed. You knew that Shino needed his glasses as an aid for him to keep focus, but with how unreadable they make his expressions, you couldn’t help but wonder if you would find him more expressive if he covered the lower half of his face instead of the top. The both of you sat in discomfort, waiting for the other to talk.

“Remembered what?”

“Well, I should still probably talk—”

You pursed your lips again. To your surprise, Shino offered a patient gesture for you to continue speaking. You held a couple of fingers to your lips as you finished chewing. You swallowed before you spoke, poking at the field communication device on your forearm.

“I should still talk to the base commander. The last thing I’d want is for us to have problems because we picked a fight with a Squad Leader and ran off into the night. I’ll write up a report tonight—”

“What happened earlier was justified. I don’t see how it could have been handled any differently.” 

The sudden sternness in Shino’s voice pulled you from your rambling thoughts. He stared into your eyes and you couldn’t help but wonder once more about what expression he held behind his dark shades. You averted your gaze back to your food in an attempt to not read too much into Shino’s words. You dragged your chopsticks across a piece of lettuce. You gathered it into a bite-sized bundle but left it in the container.

“I had it handled.” Your voice came out smaller than you intended. The words sounded small, pushed too forcefully as they spilled from your lips. “I had a plan and I was going to solve it my way.”

“I know you did,” Shino mused. He wondered whether he should have gotten involved. It was too late now. “It was a conduct issue.” You about snorted and couldn’t help how your eyebrows knitted together.

“A conduct issue?” you repeated, amusement in the undercurrent of your tone.

“Mhm.” A small smile began to overtake your pursed lips and Shino watched as it did. You ate another piece of your salad with a slight shake of your head. The playful expression melted quickly. The corners of Shino’s mouth tugged downwards into a concerned frown. “What?”

Another pause. You laid your chopsticks down on the edges of the food container. 

“Why do you do that—” You stared down at your half-eaten meal, features of your face scrunched up in thought. You regretted placing your utensils down and took to playing with the large top ends. —“Act like you don’t care about things when you do?”

“Things?”

You met his gaze. Shino leaned forward to rest his crossed arms on the table. 

“Yeah,” you said breathlessly. “Things… It’s not fair.”

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed and otherwise supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V

Notes: Dropping these chapters like this makes me feel like I’ve rolled up to your home, am walking around throwing money in the air, and disappearing never to be seen again. Whelp, see you all after the next round of writer’s block.

[dmagedgoods]

OC Mannerism - Eneas

picrew I also was tagged by @dujour13. 💗 Thank youuu!

You find the amazing template by @the-raging-tempest here. I'm not sure if anyone wasn't tagged yet. Please feel tagged if you weren't! It's so easy to lose track of the tagging. 😔

- NO. OF SPOKEN LANGUAGES >> Usually around 4 or 5 well enough to communicate in them mostly fluently and in complex ways. - TONE OF VOICE >> high / average / deep (tenor with a warm, pleasant timbre) - ACCENT >> hard to place, faint, it may be an accent or just the fact that he speaks certain words very clearly and pronounced and a touch too flawlessly - DEMEANOR >> confident but polite / shy / approachable / hostile / charming and winning / warm / captivating when at his best / dramatic - POSTURE >> slumped / straight / stiff / appearing relaxed but his steps and movements are controlled if you look closely HABITS head tilting / swaying (or at least slightly moving with music if some is playing) / fidgeting / stuttering / gesturing / arm crossing / strokes chin / er, um, or other interjections / plays with hair or clothing / hands at hips / inconsistent eye contact / maintains eye contact / frequent pausing / sometimes stands close / sometimes stands at a distance COMPLEXITY (Fill in the circle’s as you wish) - VOCABULARY >> ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚫️ Eneas is eloquent and well-spoken; in many cases, he shows sophisticated, polished manners and his choice of vocabulary reflects it. Words are his strongest weapon aside from his magic, he uses them to charm and to captivate, to draw in and paint pictures. Furthermore, he loves to spontaneously recite poems or to quote from famous literature. He is a musician but also a storyteller and lives to entertain and to use words with utmost effect and accompanied by a dramatic flair. - EMOTION >> ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚫️⚪️ He rarely shows his true feelings, still his way of talking or telling little tales never lacks the needed emotion. His words often have a theatric element. - SENTENCE STRUCTURE >> ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚫️⚪ He can make it simple. But he rarely wants to. Speaking has the potential to become a form of art in itself after all. Usually, he still makes sure his sentences aren't too complicated or confusing, he wants his audience to follow him after all, but his structures sometimes serve to hide a second meaning or a well-placed little lie. In other cases, he just enjoys some theatrics, the drama of his own statements, or obscures in the name of storytelling. PROFANITY - FREQUENCY >> ⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️ Almost never. And if so with a touch of irony to it. He doesn’t mind profanity used by others, not at all, but he himself refrains from all too rude expressions in most cases. Of course, when he plays certain roles, profanity might be part of it. - CREATIVITY (in regards to profanity insults) >> ⚪️⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️ In the rare cases he uses profanity, he may pick something unexpected and creative, yes. But usually, he much prefers to insult in more subtle ways coming with a sharper sting. BOLD THAT APPLY

arse / ass / asshole / bastard / bitch / bloody / bugger / bollocks / chicken shit / crap / cunt / dick / frick / fuck / horseshit / motherfucker / piss / prick / pussy / screw / shit / shitass / son of a bitch / twat / wanker / damn / hell THIS OR THAT

straightforwardor cryptic / finding the right word or using the first word that comes to mind / masculinity, neutrality, or and femininity / formalities or with abrasiveness / praise or and equivocation / frankness or flattery / excessive or minimal hand gestures / name-calling or magnanimity / friendly charming or blunt IMPORTANT QUESTIONS - DO PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME HEARING OR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARACTER? almost always / frequently / rarely / never - DOES YOUR CHARACTER’S POINT COME ACROSS EASILY WHEN THEY SPEAK? almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never - WOULD YOUR CHARACTER INITIATE CONVERSATIONS? almost always / frequently / sometimes/ rarely / never - WOULD YOUR CHARACTER BE THE ONE TO END CONVERSATIONS? almost always / frequently/ sometimes / rarely / never - WOULD YOUR CHARACTER USE ‘WHOM’ IN A SENTENCE? yes / no / only ironically - YOUR CHARACTER WANTS TO MAKE A COUNTERPOINT. WHAT WORD DO THEY USE? but / though / although / however / perhaps/ maybe - HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER END CONVERSATIONS?  Confidently but very politely, with a small explanation that he has to go and why (might be a lie or the truth). - WHAT SOCIAL CLASS WOULD OTHERS ASSUME YOUR CHARACTER BELONGS TO, HEARING THEM SPEAK? upper / middle / lower (depending on the role he plays) - IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE WAY YOUR CHARACTER SPEAK STAND OUT TO OTHERS? accent  / vocabulary / tone / level / politeness / brusqueness / it doesn’t Anything that wasn’t touched on? Eneas is an excellent and smooth liar and frequently picks his words to manipulate and deceive. Aside from all of this, he sings very well, his voice claim is Steve Barton.

[mysticstarlightduck]

OC Interview Tag

Thank you so much for the tag, @mk-writes-stuff!!!

Rules: answer the questions as an OC

I'll go with Maryon from my WIP Of Starlight and Beasts for this one!

Are you named after anyone?

"I'm not exactly sure, if I'm being honest. I vaguely remember reading something about someone named 'Maryan' being a popular character in a beloved folk tale in the kingdom where I was born, so I think that could be where I got my name from. It's not like I can ask my biological family that, though. They've been dead since forever - maybe if the roads weren't so godsdamned riddled with bandits that wouldn't be so. But noo, the King of Tirawen has 'more pressing' matters, or so I've been told. Well he can shove those 'pressing matters' up his royal arse, nothing will ever be an excuse to neglect his citizens' needs - ! But I digress, do move on."

When was the last time you cried?

"Oh, that's a rather interesting question! I don't quite remember, if I'm being honest. It's not like I'm bottling up my feelings or anything like that - far from it. I just that I haven't had a reason to cry in a while. Things have been going pretty great. Despite the, you know, looming war that's on the brink of changing the continent forever and all."

Do you have kids?

"Goodness, no, there's far too many things I want to pursue before even thinking about having children. It's an endearing thought, sure, but certaintly not enough to be one of my top priorities within the next ten years or so."

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

"Only when I'm severely annoyed. I think that, while irony and sarcasm can surely add an interesting layer to any communication, there are more effective ways of making your words sting. Like speaking them while pointing a poison dagger to one's throat, for example! Just kidding. Or am I? (winks) We'll never know. But in all seriousness, I prefer keeping those kinds of confrontations to a minimum - being polite and kind often solves more disputes than rage, and those are words I try to live by."

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

"I'm quite perceptive - being the adoptive daughter of the most powerful spymaster in all of the Frosts has definetly given me an edge when it comes to reading people and deciphering their true intentions without even needing much effort on my part. People usually do all the hard work themelves - their choice of words and body language reads like an open book to me after just a simple conversation. So there's quite a lot I can notice about someone after first meeting them - but their intentions, feelings and morality are definetly the main ones."

What’s your eye colour?

"Dark forest green. Or so I'm told - Eidan, my boyfriend, can be quite the romantic. Either way, I rather like that color and I find his description of it to be very sweet!"

Scary movies or happy endings?

"I adore reading any kind of book, the more intriguing the story is the merrier! I usually don't have a strong preference as long as the tale is gripping enough to keep my attention focused after the first ten pages of the book and especially if there are deeper meanings to be found beyond just pretty words. If I had to choose, I would say a balanced mix of scariness and happiness in a story is ideal, though I do lean more towards the scary!"

Any special talents?

"Oh, many! I've been trained in the arts of espionage, dyplomacy and politics from a young age, and I've also learned quite a lot of fighting techniques, poison recipes, and languages! I'm also an expert knife thrower, and know how to survive in the wild. I know how to manipulate an enemy to fall into a trap I've laid out for them, just as I know how to persuade a potential ally to help with our cause, with just my words as my tools. Currently, I'm still working on learning how to cook without causing a potential fire in the castles, but I'm getting better at baking!!!"

Where were you born?

"I was born in one of the many provinces along the outskirst of the capital kingdom of Tirawen. My birth parents - from what vague childhood memories I can still remember - were very successful merchants. However, one of their many trips out of the kingdom's main road would prove to be our last - bandits, you see, as I mentioned before. A very tricky sort. I don't remember much of what transpired, if I'm being quite honest. What I can remember is being lost in the woods of the Frost for a while before being saved by the man who would go on to become my adoptive father, a spymaster otherwise known as the 'Serpent of the Frosts'. He took me, then a lost child of around five years of age, under his wing as his own child, and gave me a chance at the life I have today."

Do you have any pets?

"I have a 10 year old cat whom I named Sir Thurston who seems to love randomly appearing and disappearing at random places around the castles at will. I've also got twin pet snakes named Knack and Snap, one purple and the other white. And though they're highly venomous (and capable of breathing out ice shards like a dragon does fire) they've only ever bitten my enemies. They're also real cuddle buddies and very sweet if you give them something tasty to eat!"

What sort of sports do you play?

"Well, if these count as sport where you come from: swordfighting, archery, knife throwing, martial arts, tavern brawling (on occasion, but don't tell Father, haha), climbing random stuff so I can get to high places. If you count chess as a sport of sorts - though it is more of a competive, strategic tabletop game - I'm rather good at it!"

How tall are you?

"Shorter than most of my friends, or so it seems. Eidan especially. But no matter. Being smaller has its advantages too - it makes sneaking around easier and makes spooking my friends by randomly appearing behind them that much fun!"

What was your favourite subject in school?

"I had private tutors, other than my own adoptive father himself, so not exactly a school in the traditional sense of the word, but my favorite 'subjects' were politics, foreign ancient languages and botany (especially when it comes to rare plants and their effects). I also really like poetry, especially the ones from the fallen kingdom of Idraven - its very interesting to see how that society saw the world, though their demise never fails to bring me a strong sense of sorrow whenever I think about it for too long."

What is your dream job?

"Becoming a spymaster, like my adoptive father. Not only have I been trained for this since I was a child, but I also really look forward to being able to serve the land which took me in when I had nothing else in the world. Being a spymaster is a high honor in the Frosts, and nothing could fill me with more pride than being deemed worthy of serving our Queens and protecting the realm from behind the scenes."

Tagging (gently, no pressure) @eccaia, @cowboybrunch, @tabswrites, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories, @oh-no-another-idea, @rickie-the-storyteller, @thepeculiarbird, @cabbojage, @the-ellia-west, @clairelsonao3, @crowandmoonwriting, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @winterandwords, @willtheweaver, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @gummybugg, @doublegoblin, @autumnalwalker, @moonandris and OPEN TAG

[cheriecherishchen]

The Man Who Lived by sebastianL (felix_atticus)

Summary:

Draco breaks a cup, and one thing leads to another. A story of redemption, tattoos, dreams, mistakes, green eyes, long conversations, and copious amounts of coffee.

Set in New York twelve years after the war.

Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Rating: E (for Graphic Depictions Of Violence, no explicit sex scenes as far as I recalled)

Words: 253,826

I put off reading this because the word count is definitely scary, and I much prefer stories taking place in England.

This story is so unlike the fanfics I usually read, it doesn't have the usual tropes that appeared in Drarry: Harry not knowing what Sectumsempra would do to Draco when he cast it (the scar was mentioned in the story, but it comes with a very enlightening conversation instead of just Harry apologizing and saying he didn't mean it), one of them having a secret crush on the other (far from it, they didn't get along at all for a very long time), etcetera etcetera.

Rather, the story sheds some light on the characters that I never thought of before: there's a scene where Draco pointed out that Harry was lazy when it came to learning and too dependent on others (mainly Hermione) doing the work for him, and that's why he failed to become an Auror. I was so used to reading Harry being powerful and could easily use wordless or wandless Magic that I was surprised when my brain said: yes, that's Harry from the canon.

It's not a Drarry story that would make you feel rosy and sunshine, but as a story in and of itself, it's a great one. It took place in a real world rather than an ideal one, and everyone had their own flaws but you feel resonate with them, tragics happened, but because of all of that, they grew even stronger, and that's a wonder in its own way.

Make My Demons Run by lauren3210

Summary: After giving evidence in defence of Draco at his trial, suddenly Potter is everywhere he turns as he completes his community service. Draco hadn't expected any of it, nor had he expected those long buried feelings he'd once had to come rising back to the surface. He definitely didn't expect what happened next.

Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Rating: E

Words: 28,072

A bitter-sweet story about guilt, unforgiveness (to themselves) and making choices.

The first quarter of the story was Draco sitting in front of Wizengamot on trial, when asked if he was guilty, he reflected why he made those bad choices and what happened during his sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts. The author did a great job at this part, though there was little interaction between Harry and Draco, it's still fascinating. The remaining story was Draco helping rebuild Hogwarts as his community service, and Harry was also there as volunteer.

It's a bit depressing and definitely not mood-lighting, but it's worth reading. I also recommend the short sequel New Dawn's Light. It was filled with even more angst. After all, in reality, things are not as simple and easy as the saying "and they live happily ever after" goes.

@hprecfest